Macon County mandates debris removal changes Page 24
On the Cover:
The Fontana Regional Library System has been a hot-button issue for a few years now, since some in Macon County began to take issue with their library offering books that explore LGBTQ themes, especially those for younger readers. Now, it’s Jackson County that is threatening to leave the system. As the deadline approaches, concerned citizens are speaking out. (Page 11) shutterstock.com photo
News
Settlement reached in Cherokee County police-involved shooting case............4 Kyle Pifer named WCU Director of Athletics..............................................................5 Despite illness, Clampitt plans to run again................................................................5 Helene recovery bill offers $60M for small businesses............................................6 Pless champions long-delayed infrastructure project............................................10
Opinion
A singular focus on slowing down the summer........................................................14 Sylva statue demeans Memorial Day display............................................................15
A&E
How did we do it: Graham Sharp of Steep Canyon Rangers............................16 Haywood County hosts Steve Sutton Memorial Festival......................................20
Outdoors
Macon to make changes following damage caused by debris removal..........24 Haywood Farm Bureau announces scholarship recipients..................................27
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Settlement reached in Cherokee County police involved shooting case
BY KYLE P ERROTTI N EWS E DITOR
ore than two years after he was shot by Cherokee Indian Police Department SWAT Team members, Jason Harley Kloepfer has reached a $10 million settlement with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee County, ending any chances of what was shaping up to be a difficult and complicated federal trial.
Many details of the settlement aren’t yet known, but according to a release from Cherokee County, $5 million of that sum will come from the Eastern Band and $5 million comes from the county. The county’s insurer will cover the majority of the $5 million that’s owed by the county, except for the $5,000 deductible.
Kloepfer was shot in the early morning hours of Dec. 13, 2022, after his neighbor called 911 alleging he was being belligerent and threatening.
“My neighbor about an hour ago started shooting off fireworks, screaming yelling he’s going to kill the whole neighborhood, yada yada, he’s discharging a firearm,” Floyd told dispatchers the night of Dec. 12. “I’ve been videoing all of this, but I was just gonna let it go. But I just heard his wife screaming ‘stop it,’ and then a bunch of shots went off and now I can’t hear her over there at all.”
Deputies who initially responded didn’t drive their patrol cars up to the house — instead they parked down the road without turning on their flashing lights, walked up to the property and began to “snoop around,” Kloepfer’s initial complaint in the civil suit says. They knocked on Kloepfer’s door several times but didn’t identify themselves. Nobody answered — the lights were off and the blinds were drawn, the initial civil complaint said.
ly charged. However, citing a lack of resources, NCDOJ declined and the Conference of District Attorneys ultimately appointed a special prosecutor. Based on information and evidence obtained through an NCSBI investigation, that special prosecutor declined to charge any officers or deputies.
On June 20, 2023, the civil suit was filed against a number of defendants, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and dozens of deputies.
In recent months, Kloepfer’s attorney, Ellis Boyle, filed documents related to motions that could have hampered the defendants’ case, including five sworn affidavits which basically serve to impeach the credibility of certain witnesses by saying they’ve lied, including one particularly damning statement from District Attorney Ashley Welch that indicated that Teasdale lied to her and a magistrate judge while seeking the search warrant and criminal charges against Kloepfer.
seen here in his home moments before he was shot, has reached a settlement of $10 million with Cherokee County and the Eastern Band of
Deputies stuck around and about 15 minutes later, then-head of Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Division Milton Lt. “Sport” Teasdale applied for a search warrant.
The search warrant was approved at 2:14 a.m., but since the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office didn’t have a SWAT team, they called up the Cherokee Indian Police Department for assistance.
The CIPD SWAT team deployed a robot to enter the home and record live video and audio so the operators outside could know what was going on. Kloepfer and his wife, Ali Mahler, were asleep. He woke up and grabbed the robot, opened the door and stood facing officers with his hands up, a robot in one and a cigarette in the other. Seconds later, three CIPD officers opened fire, discharging a total of 15 rounds. They barely missed Mahler but struck Kloepfer twice, causing serious injuries — injuries that were initially left untreated by the first officers who entered the home.
Initially Kloepfer was charged with communicating threats and resisting officers; however, a month-and-a-half after footage from a camera inside the home was publicly released on Jan. 18, 2023, those charges were dropped. District Attorney Welch subsequently recused herself from the case, saying in a March 27, 2023, letter to the criminal bureau chief for the N.C. Department of Justice that she believed she would be interviewed by the SBI as part of the ongoing investigation and would therefore become a witness.
“Detective Teasdale told me that when Jason Kloepfer came to the door of his home, there was a verbal altercation between him and law enforcement and that Kloepfer had come to the door with a gun,” the affidavit reads.
A few weeks after the shooting, once Kloepfer made his home surveillance footage public, Welch watched video. It showed no indication of a hostage situation or a verbal altercation with law enforcement. When Kloepfer came to the door, he was unarmed and quiet, seemingly still shaking off the cobwebs of slumber. That’s when she moved to dismiss the charges that were initially filed against Kloepfer.
On April 1, Welch issued Teasdale a Giglio order. A Giglio order, known in police circles as “the career killer,” is issued by a district attorney when a law enforcement officer has compromised their credibility to the degree that their character could impeached. Basically, they can’t be trusted to testify during a trial.
Documents obtained through a public records request show that Teasdale was initially suspended with pay and resigned from the sheriff’s office on April 28. Notably, Teasdale had submitted paperwork that was even signed by Sheriff Dustin Smith for his resignation effective April 3, but a handwritten note at the top had the instructions “to not process this resignation at this time.”
Now that the settlement has been finalized, attorneys will notify the court within 45 days. In the meantime, Boyle, in a statement sent to The Smoky Mountain News said Kloepfer and Mahler, both of whom he represents, can feel a sense of closure and justice.
Following the shooting, Distrtict Attorney Ashley Welch initially reached out to NCDOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section to see if it could determine whether the deputies and officers could be criminal-
“It has been a long time coming for my clients to finally get some resolution on the civil justice side,” the statement reads.
Kloepfer,
Cherokee Indians. File photo
Pifer named WCU Director of Athletics
Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli R. Brown announced on May 19 the selection of Kyle Pifer to serve as the director of athletics following approval of his contract by the university’s Board of Trustees during a special called meeting.
Pifer has served as the deputy athletics director and chief operating officer for WCU Athletics since November 2020 and most recently as the interim director of athletics following the departure of Alex Gary.
The appointment follows a national search conducted by a 13-member committee, chaired by WCU Provost Richard Starnes. The North Carolina-based executive search consulting firm CSA assisted the search committee.
Pifer has served as a WCU Athletics senior staff member and second in command within the department for the past four years, managing all internal functions for the Catamounts, including budget and finance, capital projects, sport administration, event and facility operations and human resources.
A skilled administrator, Pifer has spent the past 23 years of his professional career working in higher education and intercollegiate athletics. He served previously as the senior associate athletics director for compliance at Oregon State in Corvallis, Oregon, from 2013 until 2020, when he came to Cullowhee. He also held an associate athletic director position at the University of Washington in Seattle from 2009 until 2013 and worked in NCAA compliance positions at Oregon State and Gonzaga.
Pifer’s professional experience in major collegiate athletic conferences, such as the Pac-12, combined with his strong relationships on campus, in the community, with
regional leaders, and within the Southern Conference, make him a good fit to lead the Catamount athletics program.
“After a comprehensive national search for WCU’s next Director of Athletics, I’m incredibly pleased that the best candidate was already a member of our Catamount family. Mr. Kyle Pifer is an outstanding choice to lead Catamount Nation into its next era,” said Brown. “In the short amount of time that Kyle has served as interim AD, he has distinguished himself as a collaborative and strategic university leader with a commanding grasp of the landscape of intercollegiate athletics. Catamount Athletics is in good hands with Kyle at the helm, and I am confident and excited about the future for our amazing student-athletes.”
Over the last four years in Cullowhee, Pifer has spearheaded the formation of the sport administrator committee and the student-athlete well-being committee, both aimed at the better management of the teams and to evaluate the student-athlete experience at Western Carolina. He has also served on numerous campus committees, including the institutional planning, wellbeing, health and safety, and emergency crisis management teams.
Pifer began his professional career as an NCAA compliance officer in 2003 at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. In 2007, Pifer departed for the first of his two stints at Oregon State, beginning as an assistant director of compliance. He then took on the role of the director of compliance at the University of Washington, advancing rapidly and earning four promotions in under five years, working his way to an associate athletics director position. He was a member of the UW Athletics department senior staff.
Despite illness, Clampitt plans to run again
As the senior associate athletics director for compliance at Oregon State, Pifer has experience within on-campus and department operations, including a wealth of knowledge on NCAA compliance within the changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics. As a part of the OSU athletics executive staff, he was the sport supervisor for the Beavers’ men’s golf and the women’s cross
country/track and field teams. He was also particularly influential in the development of the Oregon State track and field program, rekindling the program after a nearly 20-year hiatus from the sport sponsorship.
During his eight-plus years at OSU, concluding as the senior compliance administrator, Pifer served on a variety of campus committees, including the Enrollment Management Leadership Team, the High Incident and Event Group and the Criminal History Attendance and Participation Committee.
A native of Frankfort, Indiana, Pifer is a former intercollegiate student-athlete at Francis Marion University, where he was a four-year track and field letter winner and earned academic all-district honors. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Francis Marion where he was a member of the Francis Marion Honor Society and graduated summa cum laude in 1999. He earned his master’s degree in sport and athletic administration from Gonzaga in 2021. Pifer was selected from an exceptionally competitive and well-qualified pool of candidates. The search committee identified three finalists who participated in on-campus interviews in Cullowhee.
“Kyle Pifer has the experience, vision, and energy to build on the great momentum Catamount athletics has experienced in recent years to take us to the next level,” Starnes said. “He is deeply committed to the success of our student-athletes in competition, in the classroom, and their lives after graduation.”
Republican Mike Clampitt, currently serving his fourth term as District 119 House Rep., tells The Smoky Mountain News he plans to run for reelection in 2026 despite recent health concerns. In April, Clampitt announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare, serious form of blood and bone marrow cancer known as Myelodysplastic syndrome. Since then, when in Raleigh, Clampitt has taken steps to protect his immune system so he can continue to work. Clampitt played an integral role in crafting the latest Hurricane Helene relief bill, serving on the House Select Committee on Helene Recovery, often meeting until after 10 p.m. A Swain County native, Clampitt represents Jackson, Swain and Transylvania counties. Candidate filing for the 2026 General Election begins on Dec. 1. — Cory Vaillancourt, Politics Editor
Kyle Pifer. File photo
Part of broader effort, Helene recovery bill offers $60M for small businesses
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
When Hurricane Helene slammed into Western North Carolina in late 2024, public attention focused on damaged homes, washed-out roads and the rigid bureaucracy meant to help with recovery, but the widespread physical damage was closely followed by a slow-moving economic catastrophe unfolding among the region’s small businesses, farmers and local governments. Now, eight months later, help may finally be on the way.
relief bill allocated $227 million to Hurricane Helene relief. However, $225 million of that was designated to remain unspent in the Helene Fund pending further legislative action, angering storm victims who pointed out that the bill contained no actual relief but instead codified a partisan power grab that hobbled Democrats who won statewide elections last November — including Gov. Josh Stein.
on more debt, no matter how generous the terms.
In response, North Carolina lawmakers allocated $60 million in the latest installment disaster relief legislation specifically to support those small businesses and help them weather the long recovery ahead — if it’s not already too late for some.
“These local communities need the tax base, and that’s the need we’re trying to
spelled out in the legislation, including registering and operating in North Carolina for at least two years before applying, being subject to income tax under state law, having no bankruptcies over the past five years and having sustained an economic loss of at least $25,000.
Economic loss is defined in the legislation as a drop in gross receipts, determined by comparing a business’s combined average fourth-quarter gross receipts from 2022 and 2023 to those from the fourth quarter in 2024, the period immediately following Hurricane Helene. That metric is based on the state’s Form E-500 sales and use tax return filings.
Eligible businesses may be awarded up to 25% of verified losses, capped at a maximum
tradespeople, businesses that form the foundation of Western North Carolina’s economy were upended by the storm — losing customers, revenue and, in some cases, the ability to operate at all.
The North Carolina General Assembly’s initial relief measure in October 2024 provided $273 million in aid, establishing the Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Fund and easing certain regulatory barriers to expedite assistance. Later that month, the NCGA’s second relief bill appropriated over $600 million in additional funding, addressing various recovery needs including health services and infrastructure repairs.
In December 2024, the NCGA’s third
Between the third and fourth bills, a congressional effort led by Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) failed to address the estimated $60 billion in damage across Western North Carolina, even though Edwards sits on the House Appropriations Committee and Republicans control the House, the Senate, White House and the Supreme Court.
What the five previous relief bills have in common is the complete lack of direct grant support to small businesses affected by the storm, although plenty of low-interest loans were authorized. Businesses still burdened by COVID-era loans were reluctant to take
Recovery Act of 2025 – Part II, a $465 million package aimed at aiding recovery from both Hurricane Helene and subsequent wildfires that scorched thousands of acres in the region, and brings total state appropriations to roughly $1.4 billion. Of all the targeted allocations in the bill, few have generated more public interest than the one-time small business grants established under the Helene Business Recovery Grant Program.
The Department of Revenue is tasked with administering the program, designed to provide direct financial relief to small businesses in the federal disaster area.
Businesses must meet several criteria
have to really fit into a tight corridor. I think it will help, and it will prevent those folks that were not going to survive anyway from accessing this money. It will go to keeping doors open.”
Funds can be used for working capital and regular business expenses, as long as those uses are consistent with federal guidelines under the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
All grants are to be awarded on a firstcome, first-served basis until the $60 million appropriation is exhausted.
The Department of Commerce is authorized to retain F
Eight months after Hurricane Helene, many needs remain unmet in Western North Carolina.. Jack Snyder photo
up to 1.5% of the total program funds, approximately $900,000, for administrative costs. This funding is expected to support application development, data verification, compliance monitoring and long-term reporting.
For transparency, the Department is required to submit biannual reports to the General Assembly starting May 1, 2026, detailing the number of grants awarded, average grant amounts, total disbursed funds and recipient locations.
Western North Carolina’s economy is deeply reliant on small businesses, many of which serve as anchor institutions in their communities. They generate local jobs and sales taxes, sustain commercial corridors and attract tourism, yet they are also among the most vulnerable during extended disruptions like those caused by Hurricane Helene.
The law’s explicit focus on “job retention, economic viability and commercial stability” reflects lawmakers’ intent to keep rural and small-town economies intact.
capita formula. Individual counties are capped at receiving no more than 20% of total program funds. For unmet needs in debris and sedimentation removal, particularly where federal aid has fallen short, $15 million is allocated. Smaller municipalities are expected to benefit most, as many lack either the capacity to manage large-scale cleanup or the resources to navigate complex FEMA application procedures.
The other part of the bill Pless thinks is important hits close to home for the former paramedic.
In many mountain communities, traditional federal assistance like FEMA’s individual or public assistance programs may not fully cover the economic losses experienced by businesses. By using state dollars to close that gap, the grant program is expected to serve as a financial bridge for operations that might otherwise shut down for good — if they haven’t already.
The law clearly outlines a framework for delivering aid, if the bill is passed in its current form. What remains is the execution — the creation of a public-facing application system, outreach to eligible businesses and the timely disbursement of grants. Until that happens, many local economies will remain on uncertain footing, with hurricane season already looming once again.
President and CEO of the Haywood Chamber of Commerce David Francis said he’s only aware of five or six businesses in Haywood County that have closed their doors due to Helene but admits there may be more. Francis is pleased with the possibility of businesses receiving longneeded assistance, but concerned about the timing.
“Just from our history with [2021’s Tropical Storm] Fred and how the strings are attached and how the application process works — like the money that’s going to flow from the federal level to the state level to the local level — how do you get that?” said Francis, who’s long been the county’s economic development guru. “What’s the length of time, how long is the checklist and how much longer does that take? Bureaucracy can be helpful, but it can also be frustrating.”
The $60 million grant program is just one component of the broader relief bill that allocates assistance for several interrelated problems.
“I think there’s two things in there that are more important to me than anything. The very first one of those is the money we put aside for capital projects, for cities and counties,” said Pless. “They can receive money to move forward with what’s important to them at the local level, so that puts them back in control. And as that money gets spent, we will continue to put more money in it so that they get to choose what’s important to them.”
The bill provides $76.25 million to the Office of State Budget and Management for capital projects, debris removal and grants to higher education institutions damaged by Hurricane Helene.
Of that, $50 million is designated for the Helene Local Government Capital Grant Program, supporting infrastructure projects that FEMA deemed ineligible for reimbursement.
These grants will be distributed based on a damage-per-
Western North Carolina’s emergency responders played a critical role in Hurricane Helene’s immediate aftermath — conducting rescues, clearing roads and maintaining community safety during blackouts and floods. Many of those same departments suffered major losses to their own infrastructure.
To support their recovery, the bill sets aside $18 million for fire departments and rescue squads in 24 mountain counties. The funding will be distributed in $50,000 chunks and can be used to repair or replace storm-damaged facilities, purchase new equipment or enhance future wildfire response capabilities, but it can’t be used to hire new personnel, ensuring it focuses squarely on infrastructure and equipment.
Had FEMA and President Donald Trump approved Gov. Stein’s request for extension of the 100% federal cost-share, a $70 million appropriation in the relief bill could have helped small businesses, farmers or first responders.
“That $18 million is a huge need for a lot of departments. Most of our departments in Haywood County, they have all the money they need. They don’t have all the money they would like to have I’m sure, but we have some very poor counties that were hit and devastated by this flood, and also were hit by the wildfires, so they were spending money out of their budgets, and they didn’t have the backfill to replace it,” said Pless.
“Nobody anticipated they were going to be working on fires for two months. No one anticipated they were going to be buying fuel to get back and forth and wearing out equipment and even destroying equipment to run Helene and to do these wildfires.”
Hurricane Helene struck on Sept. 27, 2024 — near the height of the growing season, hitting Western North Carolina’s agricultural sector hard. The $25 million appropriation to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services establishes the Farm Infrastructure Disaster Recovery Program, designed to assist farmers in rebuilding essential components of their operations. Eligible expenses include fencing, barns, greenhouses, irrigation systems and farm roads, all categorized as “farm infrastructure” under the law.
“There’s a lot of conversation about the crop loss program, which in WNC, next to nobody participates in, for two reasons,” said Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-Macon). “Number one, it’s expensive. Number two, all crops are not covered. But even if they were fully insured, which is not possible, it covers the crop. It doesn’t cover the dirt it’s planted in. We have many, many farms where the dirt’s gone. We’re just trying to keep that bucket with some money in it. In talking to the agricultural community, we feel like that’s going to be a huge need.”
Gillespie grew up on a dairy farm, currently owns and operates a registered black Angus beef cattle farm and was president of the North Carolina Cattleman’s Association. He said the storm mostly spared animals, but certainly not plants, and that the loss of a plant — an apple tree, or a fruit-bearing shrub — means more than the loss of just one year of production. It means the loss of multiple years of production.
Farmers must verify that losses were directly caused by Hurricane Helene to qualify. The Department is required to open a six-month application window within 30 days of the bill becoming law and may audit records to ensure funds are used appropriately. For many small and mid-sized farms, this funding represents the only practical source of aid, as insurance often excludes infrastructure or imposes deductibles farmers cannot afford.
Importantly, the legislation acknowledges agriculture as a cornerstone of rural economies and recognizes that without functioning infrastructure, farmers cannot sustain operations.
Public schools in the storm’s path were not spared. Many experienced catastrophic damage to buildings, bus garages, cafeterias and athletic facilities. To address this, the bill allocates $33 million to the Department of Public Instruction in two distinct grant programs.
The first provides $25 million for full rebuilds of school buildings that were destroyed and not fully reimbursable by insurance or FEMA. To qualify, districts must demonstrate a minimum of $30 million in unreimbursed damages, effectively targeting schools facing the most severe losses.
The second pool of $8 million is available through a competitive grant process for repair projects where insurance and federal assistance have been denied. Grants in this category are capped at $500,000 each and are intended to cover modest but essential repairs to make buildings safe and usable again. These appropriations are critical in small counties where a single school can serve hundreds of students across vast rural areas.
Without functioning schools, communities face disruptions not only in education but in access to meals, mental health support and broadband internet access.
A massive $165 million appropriation to the N.C. Division of Emergency Management represents the single largest allocation in the recovery bill.
This funding is divided among several programs aimed at infrastructure stabilization and mitigation, plus $70 million for the required state match for federal disaster assistance. Had FEMA and President Donald Trump approved Stein’s request for 100% federal costshare, that $70 million could have been used in other ways.
Another $30 million is earmarked for the Private Road and Bridge Repair Program, helping private property owners and homeowners’ associations rebuild essential access routes that FEMA typically does not cover. The law allows for up to 50% reimbursement for HOA-owned infrastructure and includes a reimbursement process for completed projects.
Rep. Mark Pless. File photo
Rep. Karl Gillespie.
File photo
Additionally, $25 million will fund the Aerial Asset Accessibility Grant Program, which improves emergency access at small regional airports that served as critical supply hubs during the immediate aftermath of the storm.
Another $20 million supports the Hurricane Helene Flood Mitigation Grant Program, focusing on stormwater improvements, culvert upgrades and the hardening of critical infrastructure.
So-called “Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster” will receive $20 million for housing repairs and reconstruction work already underway.
The bill also allocates $6.25 million in earmarked grants to nine colleges and universities — including Warren Wilson College, Lees-McRae, Mars Hill University and Western Carolina University — to repair storm-related damage or invest in resilience improvements.
An additional $5 million would be split between the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments for technical assistance with recovery planning, grant writing and code enforcement in under-resourced jurisdictions.
Flooding during Hurricane Helene overwhelmed aging dam infrastructure across Western North Carolina, raising concerns about public safety and environmental haz-
ards. To address this risk, the bill creates the Dam Safety Grant Fund, seeded with $10 million and administered by the Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources under the Department of Environmental Quality.
The grants will support repairs, modifications or removals of dams damaged by Helene — particularly those classified as “high hazard” under federal guidelines. Priority will be given to projects that qualify for federal cost-share through FEMA’s High Hazard Potential Dam Rehabilitation Grant Program. However, state funds may also be used for dams that are ineligible for federal dollars, provided they pose similar risks. The move to create a standing dam fund acknowledges a growing infrastructure crisis — many private and public dams in North Carolina were built decades ago, and have not kept up with modern safety standards or climate change realities.
“Helene caused unprecedented damage and pain for our state. Helene, like Tropical Storm Fred before it, also exposed many vulnerabilities across Western North Carolina. We applaud the North Carolina House for dedicating resources to address some of those vulnerabilities while continuing to fund significant recovery needs,” said Tony McEwen, Carolinas director of the American Flood Coalition, a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for resiliency and helps small, rural communities get their voices heard at the state and national levels. “The high hazard dam funding, combined with the flood mitigation grants for local governments, are prudent investments that
will save precious taxpayer resources and, most importantly, save lives.”
Beyond the state-funded recovery package, North Carolina will receive more than $685 million in federal disaster relief under the American Relief Act of 2024, specifically for water and wastewater infrastructure in Heleneaffected areas. The funds are directed through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, with over $660 million going to rebuild or repair public treatment plants, drinking water systems, and decentralized wastewater systems that were damaged or disrupted. On March 19, Edwards announced that Canton would receive approximately $41 million in ARA funds made available by President Joe Biden.
An additional $22.5 million will be used to assess the feasibility of connecting homes currently served by failing septic systems to centralized infrastructure — a key issue in rural and mountainous terrain.
investment have long conspired to strain water infrastructure, the infusion of capital is not just about recovery — it’s about modernizing systems for resilience in the face of future storms.
These funds are allocated by formula through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and are expected to support both immediate emergency repairs and long-term system upgrades. The state legislature included this federal money in the overall bill to expedite disbursement and ensure alignment with other recovery programs.
In a region where topography and under-
As of press time, the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part II had passed the House unanimously and was sent to the Senate.
“The most important part is we’ve got the governor to agree. It’s a bipartisan effort,” said Rep. Mike Clampitt, who noted the long hours put in by the House Select Committee on Helene Recovery. “No single part is more important than the others. It’s like a watch, you’ve got have all the parts working together.”
Excessive Spending:
The FRL’s Long Range Goals are not library business — (“environmental sustainability, affordable living, recreation and leisure services, social responsibility, health and wellness, and diversity, inclusion, and equity”)
Jackson Co. spends the highest amount of money in the state of NC among similar size counties for library services.
Violation of State Law:
The FRL’s Student Access Card across 3 counties is a violation of the North Carolina state law Parent’s Bill of Rights and subject to lawsuits. Fortunately, the Jackson Co. Superintendent of Education has wisely chosen not to renew its agreement with the FRL.
— Re. Access — N.C. Cardinal program can be joined by any county library. Furthermore, Jackson County will receive the state and federal funds directly instead of those funds being laundered through an antiquated bureaucracy that has become increasingly difficult to manage.
— If Jackson County exits the FRL, we will qualify for grants and funding that were not available to regional library systems and only meant for rural county libraries, so don’t believe the falsehoods that Jackson County will lose funding.
— It’s time for Jackson Co. to progress like everywhere else and EXIT the FRL.
Rep. Mike Clampitt. FIle photo
Persistence pays off
Pless champions long-delayed infrastructure project
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
After more than four years of setbacks, political wrangling and bureaucratic delays, a small but vital infrastructure project in Haywood County is nearly complete — thanks in large part to the persistence of Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood).
The project in question, which began as a constituent concern, centers on a repeatedly failing slope that had slipped into disrepair until February 2021, when the nearvertical grade above Big Branch Road just east of Hyder Mountain Road finally gave way, blocking Big Branch.
“Mark is the one that got us some hope,” said Connie Scanlon, who lives above the slide on Thistle Ridge. “He started checking into it, and some things fell through, some things got better, and it took this long to get to this point, but otherwise we were going to all lose our homes.”
Residents initially approached Pless when he was still serving as a Haywood County commissioner. At the time, he told them there was little he could do. When he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2020, Pless picked up the issue again.
“When I went to the state and became a member of the House of Representatives, we came down here and looked at it, along with some of my other members. And then we started moving the process forward,” Pless said.
An early funding agreement estimated the project would cost about $1.5 million, to be split three ways: one-third each from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the House and the Senate. In the end, only two of those entities followed through.
Pless explained that the landslide was situated in the district of Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) but that a separate disaster elsewhere in Hise’s district meant he couldn’t procure the Senate portion of the funding at the time.
“The House was able to acquire $500,000 and DOT picked up the tab for the rest of it,” Pless said. “Finally, we reached an agreement that DOT was going to pick up the lion’s share.”
began shortly thereafter.
The prolonged effort illustrates a broader issue in statelevel infrastructure politics — projects without strong advocates often fall through the cracks.
“If there’s no one in Raleigh fighting for it, it doesn’t happen,” Pless said. “Just going down [to Raleigh] with an idea and saying, ‘I would like to do something’ doesn’t mean
ed.”
Pless’ dogged pursuit of funding and construction serves as a case study in how infrastructure priorities are determined, and how they’re often delayed.
“You know, we have a lot of tools, but we don’t have the tools to fix every situation, so it ends up being a priority,” he said.
In other words, the loudest voice often wins. And in state politics, that voice usually comes from a legislator with the stamina to keep asking — even when the initial answer may be “no.”
“If we had an endless supply money, we could solve
Transportation District Engineer Wanda Austin with recognizing the project’s importance to the small number of residents on Paradise Circle, just above Big Branch Road.
slope showed signs of slipping. Without legislative advocacy, Pless said, those residents may still be waiting.
The long road to construction illustrates a reality of government that doesn’t always make headlines — policy doesn’t move at the speed of urgency, it moves at the speed of political capital.
“If that part of the hill slides off into the road, not only can nobody get out, but nobody could get in,” said Danny Pleasant, who has a daughter with a disability and like Scanlon lives on Thistle Ridge. “If somebody had a heart attack or an emergency, nobody could help you. And it was a concern about if you ever want to sell your house, not that I want to sell my house, but I’m just saying it would be a concern for somebody coming in too, as well.”
The road project highlights what Pless sees as a basic truth in North Carolina politics: priorities are driven less by need and more by who’s willing to advocate the hardest. In this case, Pless was that person.
Without sustained attention from elected officials and their staffers, projects that don’t fall neatly into FEMA categories or lack political appeal are often left behind.
But for the residents who live on and above Big Branch Road, Pless’s persistence may finally be paying off. And in a state budget environment where every dollar is scrutinized, that persistence might be the most valuable resource of all.
“Even the state workers and everybody, they’ve been really good,” said Scanlon. “So like I said, we’re thankful and can’t wait until it’s all done and we can all move on.”
A slide on Big Branch Road turned out to be a complex problem for residents of Paradise Circle.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
Workers are almost done installing long metal rods, wire mesh and mortar to stabilize the slope.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
‘Equal opportunity offender’
amidst Jackson’s possible withdrawal
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER
Two weeks after the Jackson County Commission floated a possible withdrawal from the Fontana Regional Library system, residents showed up to speak at the May 20 commission meeting for more than three and a half hours of public comment, with the majority voicing their opposition to withdrawal.
Commissioners listened to residents but had no discussion regarding county libraries and the Fontana Regional Library system.
Anew agreement between the three counties that make up the Fontana Regional Library system — Jackson, Macon and Swain — had been reached in November, signaling what was thought to be the end of almost two years of controversy over the merits of the regional library system and libraries themselves.
The agreement was the result of more than a year and a half of work among commissioners, managers and attorneys in all three counties.
The debate about the library system began in March 2023 when Macon Commissioner Danny Antoine floated the idea of withdrawing from the Fontana Regional Library system over concerns with books containing LGBTQ content or themes, especially those intended for younger audiences.
Antoine’s intent to pull out of the system set off months of back and forth between counties over the Fontana Regional Library Board and each of the individual county
When the new agreement was approved in November, each county commission expressed commitment to the new document. That changed on May 6 when Commissioner John Smith, who had been an active participant in Jackson’s involvement in the new FRL agreement, brought the issue before his board.
“I continue to get hounded by people about the stuff they’re displaying in the libraries,” said Smith, who led the discussion about possible withdrawal at the May 6 meeting. “They’re promoting the same ideology that most people in this county reject.”
After a brief discussion, it became clear that four commissioners — Smith, Jenny Hooper, Michael Jennings and Todd Bryson — were either in favor of leaving the library system, or at least open to it. The board directed County Manager Kevin King to explore options for withdrawal.
Commission Chairman Mark Letson later told the Smoky Mountain News he was not in favor of removing Jackson County from the library system.
“I still think it’s a horrible idea to withdraw,” he said.
At the board’s May 20 meeting, hundreds of Jackson residents showed up en masse to express their opinion on the library issue, with the vast majority arguing for the library to maintain its status within the Fontana Regional Library system.
Sixty people spoke over the course of more than three hours, with eight voicing their approval of withdrawal and 52 urging commissioners to keep the library within the FRL system.
Anne Link is a Jackson County resident and teacher who said she couldn’t believe she was there to defend a “fully funded and
“I can tell you the things my students have to worry about, and it sure isn’t the things they find in a library. My students worry about keeping up academically. They worry about their parents fighting and possibly leaving. They worry about
the things their peers say about them and to them on social media. They worry about the care of their siblings when their parents aren’t around, and they worry whether or not they’re safe at home.”
LIBRARIES
well-resourced library.”
“I can tell you the things my students have to worry about, and it sure isn’t the things they find in a library,” Link said. “My students worry about keeping up academically. They worry about their parents fighting and possibly leaving. They worry about the things their peers say about them and to them on social media. They worry about the care of their siblings when their parents aren’t around, and they worry whether or not they’re safe at home.”
One library board member from Macon County, Diann Catlin, used her time in public comment to say that commissioners in Jackson County were right to consider withdrawal and that it was their responsibility to look at whether the library system is “doing the best that they can.”
Her husband, Bodie Catlin, spoke about the same LGBTQ issues that instigated the discussions about the system, saying that “The FRL pushes the sexualization of our children.”
“In my opinion, if you approve this book, then you are a pervert,” Catlin said, holding up a copy of a book previously challenged by him and his wife before the FRL board. “I have no friends of mine who have a bankrupt moral character like some of those on these boards.”
“All we want is neutrality,” Catlin continued. “The library has no business promoting DEI and the woke agenda. The FRL board works for the Jackson County taxpayers, not
“In this case, the question of LGBTQ representation at the library is not good enough a reason to abandon the Fontana Regional Library because it doesn’t hold up,” said Jonathan Bradshaw. “First, a library full of books is the last place we ought to expect neutrality. Books altered western civilization… The library is where we go to learn new perspectives. Second, it’s not neutrality to remove identities from public discussion.”
At the May 6 meeting, Smith said, “Don’t throw everything in everybody’s face. If you’re going to throw this agenda in somebody’s face, you better be throwing the opposite side in their face as well. You got to have neutral or equal representation.”
“All we want is neutrality. The library has no business promoting DEI and the woke agenda. The FRL board works for the Jackson County taxpayers, not the Marxist American Library Association and Planned Parenthood.”
— Diann Catlin, Macon County library board member
Jackson County commissioners during public comments at the May 20 meeting. From Youtube
— Anne Link, Jackson County resident, teacher
that with my grandchildren when I took them there. I see old men like me checking out murder mysteries and John Wayne DVDs and I see high school kids doing research and using the computers. The Jackson County Public Library is the safest place in Sylva, for cryin’ out loud.”
During the May 6 Jackson commission meeting, Commissioner Hooper repeated claims that unhoused people are dying their hair in library bathrooms, going so far as to accuse the library director of lying after she explained to the board that there had been one isolated hair-dying incident involving a teenager.
Hooper has also repeated claims that people are bringing weapons into the library and threatening library staff after hearing of another isolated incident in which an airsoft gun was found afterhours, stashed in the men’s bathroom.
and friends, they are worthy of love and friendship, they are human as anyone else — what is the opposite of that?” Bradshaw continued. “Whatever it is, county dollars should not support it. Instead of neutrality, we ought to ask what should county dollars promote? For my money, I say freedom, safety and security, equality, democracy, education, learning; none of those ends are well served by leaving the FRL.”
Mike Jones, a retired Episcopal minister said that the library was one of the chief reasons he came to Sylva.
“The Jackson County Public Library has been serving our county tirelessly, efficiently and compassionately for long before any of us were ever born,” said Jones. “Now I got to tell you, I go to the library a lot because I live very close, and despite what you have heard, I have never seen anybody packing heat. I don’t see long lines of women waiting to wash their hair in the public restroom. And I don’t see kids waiting with lascivious looks to check out salacious books. What I do see is moms reading books to their kids in the kids’ section, reading to their four-year-olds, or dads playing with Thomas the Train. I did
“Some commissioners have spoken with near disdain for our unhoused members of the community that access the library’s resources, people who live here who you represent who have every right to access a public space, especially to seek a short reprieve from the January chill or the July heat,” said one resident. “To access clean water, to eat a free lunch or maybe accept a donated toothbrush or a bar of soap. To demonize this group and to use their struggle as justification for calling the library dangerous is indecent, unchristian and small.”
Many residents who urged withdrawal from the FRL system cited concerns over individual books. As one way of addressing this concern, Betsy Swift told commissioners that once, when she found a book in the library about white nationalism that offended her and she brought it to the attention of the librarian, the librarian at the time told her that the library was an “equal opportunity offender,” that there was something in the building to offend everyone.
Many residents touted the plethora of services at the library that they don’t want to
see interrupted or gone altogether, including access to wifi in the wake of Hurricane Helene when most communication systems were down, room and gathering spaces for rent, children’s activities and educational opportunities.
Others were concerned about the financial implications of leaving the FRL system and asked that commissioners investigate the fiscal reality of withdrawal prior to making any decision.
Sarah Steiner took her time at the podium to draw attention to the community’s support of the library in the wake of commissioners’ discussion about possible withdrawal.
“A handful of us quickly sought community feedback to help show you that many people are happy [with the library] just in case you weren’t hearing from us,” said Steiner. “In eight days, a petition in favor of Jackson County Public Library and Fontana
to us as we stood up here? Do I think that you are holding a capacity to change your minds or look at things from a different viewpoint?” Bigelow asked. “We’ve heard a lot of talk about faith up here today, my faith in that is very small. I think you’ve already made up your minds, most of you. I’ve seen a lot of looks of boredom or scowling, and we’ve gone through a lot of things, but I feel like y’all are already working on a mission, and we might as well be a bunch of crows out here just crowing to y’all. So, for the remainder of my time, I would like to crow to y’all as a crow.”
In what was a first for commissioners and the public alike, Bigelow proceeded to caw at commissioners and flap his arms like a bird for the remaining 40 seconds of his public comment period. By the end of his three minutes on the stand, many people in the crowd had taken up the call and were cawing at commissioners.
“Some commissioners have spoken with near disdain for our unhoused members of the community that access the library’s resources ... To demonize this group and to use their struggle as justification for calling the library dangerous is indecent, unchristian and small.”
Jackson County resident
Regional Library got almost 1,900 signatures from Jackson residents alone and another 400 from Macon and Swain counties. In nine days, 792 locals took a small survey; 99% support staying in the FRL system and 98% say they feel safe in the library.”
“We also held a rally on Saturday at the Sylva fountain,” Steiner continued. “Over 300 people came to share their support for Jackson County Public Library and Fontana Regional Library, all wearing yellow to symbolize freedom and light and they came with less than a week’s notice.”
After more than three hours of public comment, Jackson County resident, musician, naturalist and son of a librarian Adam Bigelow took to the podium to remind commissioners that this sort of controversy over the library is nothing new.
“When [my mom] was the library director of Goldsboro, North Carolina, a group of people accidentally found a book on the shelf called ‘Daddy’s Roommate,’ and that was one of the first books that really kicked off the evangelical movement of going in and targeting books that they were told about to go find and try to get people fired and get things changed and that didn’t work then and it won’t work now,” Bigelow said. “Y’all have really messed up. Y’all coming for the librarians, and you don’t maybe realize this or know this, but librarians are the first defenders of freedom and the first line of defense in this continental United States against totalitarianism and tyranny.”
Bigelow also voiced his concern that commissioners may not take the opinions of the public to heart.
“Do I think that y’all are going to listen
Tracy Fitzmaurice, Jackson County librarian and Fontana Regional Library director, said she has still not received any word from commissioners or the county manager regarding Jackson County withdrawing from the Fontana Regional Library system.
“The staff are all very anxious about the prospect of this happening, but we are continuing to operate normally,” Fitzmaurice told SMN. “There is a June 30 deadline for the notification of the intent to withdraw.”
In response to the discussion by Jackson commissioners, Macon County commissioners took an opportunity to reaffirm their support for the Fontana Regional Library system and the new agreement reached between counties at the end of the year during its May 13 meeting.
“I would just like to go on the record again as saying I’m not interested in pulling out of the FRL,” said Macon County Commissioner Barry Breeden. “I don’t think that’s something we’re interested in doing as a board either.”
Commissioner Danny Antoine also said, “We have no intention of pulling out of FRL.”
“We signed a contract and that’s not our intention at all,” Antoine continued. “I think in light of the recent developments in Jackson County, I would like to say we have no control over what other counties do. If they decide to do something like pull out, that’s a Jackson County or Swain County issue; that’s not a Macon County issue. If that does happen, we may have to revisit this and try to figure out how to make sure we’re moving forward, because our intention is to make sure that our library stays open and resources stay available.”
A singular focus on slowing down the summer
Irecently found my old CD album, the giant book of plastic sleeves that many of us tediously curated back in the day. Flipping through the pages, one by one, I smiled as I recalled memories — certain albums serving as soundtracks to highlights and lowlights of my teenage and early adult years.
Listening to an entire CD or record is an act of commitment, an experience that helps the soul form a relationship with that particular list of songs. I went to high school during the mid to late 90s when a variety of musical genres were firing on all cylinders. Flipping through that old CD album reminded me of my eclectic taste and how an array of pop, rap and grunge artists were uber popular at the same time. During high school, my favorite artists swung the pendulum from Tom Petty to Tupac and The Cranberries to Nirvana. Other favorites were The Fugees, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Weezer, Sublime, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and others.
This month I passed down my old Nissan Pathfinder to my 16-year old and bought a new car which doesn't have a CD player. It's the first car I've ever driven without the option of playing CDs, and it makes me sad to think I can no longer slide a disk into a slot and hear the same band or musician croon for over an hour.
The days of Spotify and Apple Music have made it too easy to create playlists and skip songs or listen to a multitude
SNAP cuts will harm the hungry
To the Editor: Yesterday a small but dedicated group of resistors gathered on the corner of Dillard Road and Main Street, here in Highlands. We engaged in a silent protest in response to recent cuts in SNAP and Medicaid benefits in the Big Beautiful Bill passed by the House of Representatives. We posted lots of signage with statistics of what those cuts would look like in both North Carolina and Macon County. Otherwise, we sat silently holding empty bowls, symbolizing the hunger of our fellow citizens.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, serves over 500,000 households in North Carolina, or over 1.6 million people. These households, which are experiencing food insecurity and high food prices, represent over 10% of all households in our state. In rural areas, which include Macon County, it is as high as 16%, or one out of six.
Of the 500,000 households receiving food assistance, 80% are working families, 50% have children in the household, 36% are homes with older adults and 45% include people with disabilities. These are not people sitting in their basement playing video games, contrary to some congressional opinions. And more than likely you will know some of them. With the poverty level being defined as a single person earning less than $15,650 a year or a family of four making less than $32,150 a year, how can we expect these people to afford the rising costs of housing, transportation,
of artists in a short time frame. The discovery of my old CDs, along with the emotions it conjured, made me realize that it's not only the forgotten art of listening to a single album that I was missing, but also the way it slows down the nervous system when we focus on something singular — a rarity in today's multi-faceted digital age.
Without the ability to listen to CDs in my new car, I've decided to purchase a small CD player and reconnect with all of my old albums. It's time to blow the dust off those old discs.
The day before I handed off the Pathfinder to my son, I took it to a car wash where you pull into a bay, drop in quarters and turn a knob to spray/soap/rinse. Admittedly, it’d been years since I'd used this type of car wash. I typically take the easy route and drive it through Autobell or very occasionally wash it in the driveway.
Hearing those quarters hit metal, turning the dial to spray then washing my car by hand took me back to my high school days again. Washing my car in this manner was a Saturday routine when I was a teenager, those days when I had plenty of hours of boredom to fill.
Similar to listening to my old CDs, washing my car in a
LETTERS
clothing and food? Why do we find it necessary to demean those who most need assistance to support their most basic needs?
Yesterday, as I sat silently with an empty bowl in my hands, I couldn’t help but think about what it symbolized. My heart hurt thinking about what we were representing, and I found myself in tears. Even as I write this, I am deeply saddened to think about all the children who are undernourished, or poorly nourished, in our state. In our country. And in our world. And I think about our national leaders who would cut funding for food assistance. Is it possible they have never known hunger?
With proposed cuts to SNAP of $300 billion over the next 10 years, is it time to regard those leaders with the contempt they deserve and remember them by voting them out of the office? The simplest form of resistance is to vote. Please keep that in mind the next opportunity you get.
Margaret Pickett Highlands
Anti-FRL crowd Is spreading lies
To the Editor:
I just read the opinion by Regan Fleming. This individual is part of a group of people who are working to dismantle the Fontana Regional Library.
These people are operating heavily in Jackson and Macon counties. They use two
bay reminded me how rewarding it is to slow down and focus on a single activity, instead of trying to accomplish a number of tasks at once.
I thought of other things I used to do that were slow and methodical such as crafting scrapbooks, writing my friends notes by hand, watching an entire movie without the distraction of cell phone notifications, making cookies from scratch, creating mixtapes, cutting out magazine pictures and making a collage on my bedroom wall.
Going down memory lane reminded me that I have the power to tap into those old habits and hobbies, to stimulate the wonderfully rare emotions that come from a flow state. The fast past pace of modern life and constant access to the internet robs us of simple pleasures, if we’re not careful.
This summer I'm going to be intentional about slowing down. Too often, the next few months are jam packed with activity because kids are out of school, but at the same time, it may be the only opportunity for families to put on the brakes and enjoy one another. Maybe it's reading every day on the porch or making a tangible photo album of a vacation or taking long walks every evening, sans phones. Whatever I decide to do, my main goal is to ease off the gas pedal and fully enjoy each moment, just like I did back in the day when listening to a CD in its entirety was the highlight of an afternoon.
(Susanna Shetley is an editor, writer and digital media professional. susanna.b@smokymountainnes.com.)
approaches. One is to make false claims about how counties are better off financially if they withdrawal from this cooperative system. They give figures that are at best unsubstantiated hearsay. The other tactic has been to claim the libraries and librarians are grooming children for sex. They also claim that there are pornographic books made available to children. I have heard so much of the nonsense that I went to the library to look at these so called pornographic books. Of course all the claims were lies.
These tactics are really about eroding our freedoms. When they conquer the library there are plans to go after Macon County Schools. And the pattern will continue. What we see happening in Washington, D.C., is happening here in our mountain communities.
Lew Teter Cullowhee
The GOP’s budget benefits the rich
To the Editor:
Congressman Chuck Edwards (RHendersonville) recently voted in favor of the president’s proposed budget bill (“Big Beautiful Bill”) that cuts Medicaid and food assistance by nearly $1 trillion and cuts Medicare by $500 million. He said the bill “reined in mandatory spending” (Medicare and Medicaid) but the bill “didn’t go far enough”.
You appreciate that those most in need of help — lower income households and the eld-
erly — are footing the bills for proposed tax cuts for the wealthiest among us. How is this right? It’s laughable that Republicans show concern about our quality of life only when running for re-election. It’s also noteworthy that the Trump administration cancelled a $7.7 million grant for rural broadband expansion in Western North Carolina because Trump thought the “Digital Equity Act” was a “woke” handout based on race!
Again, this hurts the elderly, veterans and others without means and access to computer equipment and the Internet. Meanwhile, Trump gets a new $400 million airplane and he gets a $45 million military parade to celebrate his birthday. Voters — I beg you — next time you vote for Republicans ask yourself what am I getting for this vote.
Ann Fulton Sylva
Budget bill hikes our national debt
To the Editor:
I will fully admit that I voted for Donald Trump, and I do not regret it for one second, particularly given the alternative, which was more of the same absurd leftist public policies.
Having said that, I will say, that I am somewhat disappointed with the President’s “Big Beautiful Bill” working its way to the President’s desk. You see, I am conservative not only when it comes to politics, but also when it comes to fiscal policy. Presently the national debt stands over $36 trillion.
Susanna Shetley
Sylva statue demeans Memorial Day display
BY J ESSE F RIPP
UEST C OLUMNIST To the Editor:
On Memorial Day — a holiday that originally honored Union soldiers who died defending the principles enshrined in our Constitution and Declaration of Independence, and now encompasses all who have served these United States — my wife and I revisited my childhood haunts in Western North Carolina. Though now living in Haywood County, I spent much of my youth in Jackson County, visiting extended family and absorbing the independent spirit of these mountains.
We enjoyed the hospitality of Sylva’s Main Street and the stunning views from the former Jackson County Courthouse, now a magnificent library. However, the proud display of American flags and a plaque honoring our nation’s veterans was overshadowed by the Confederate monument that stands there — a monument to those who fought to destroy the ideals those flags represent. Its presence felt akin to placing a monument to Adolf Hitler on the Normandy beaches, complete with a plaque reading: “I got a bunch of those American and Jewish suckers before I went!”
No other nation celebrates those who betrayed their country for the cause of
I remember in 1980 President Reagan warning Congress to restrain spending to prevent the national debt from exceeding $1 trillion. Think about that, from less than one trillion
racism, murder and greed. Anyone who doubts the Confederacy’s purpose should read Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens’ Cornerstone Speech of 1861 — one of many documents proclaiming white supremacy and the perpetual enslavement of African-Americans as the core principles of the Confederate rebellion against the United States.
As a proud Appalachian, I remind my fellow Americans that Western North Carolina and East Tennessee have long championed equality and fairness. During the Civil War, over 60,000 mountain men (and women) volunteered to defend the Union and the U.S. Constitution, despite terrible odds (Wilma Dykeman, “The French Broad”). Among them was Colonel George W. Kirk, who fought several actions in Haywood County. “Kirk’s Raiders” in WNC and East Tennessee helped tie down a full Confederate division and disrupted the slave-holding plantation aristocracy’s hold on the region. After the war, Kirk fought the Ku Klux Klan’s domestic terrorism before passing away of old age in Washington, D.C. — an American patriot and Appalachian hero to the end.
I recognize that half of my ancestors fought for ideals I abhor. But I do not honor their misguided cause beyond acknowledging them as flawed kin. I’ve seen firsthand in
like Santa Claus? So, in order to get re-elected, politicians like to spend your money and give you things. The problem is that currently our national debt now is 123% of our gross
my own career — from the Balkans to the Middle East, and Central and South Asia — how reconciliation and hope for future generations can begin when communities choose honesty, integrity, good faith and a commitment to a fairer future. Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken of reconciling with his father’s Nazi past, declaring, “I have seen firsthand how this kind of hate spirals out of control. I have seen firsthand how it ends.” No patriotic German, nor Schwarzenegger himself, would advocate erecting a statue of Adolf Hitler, anywhere. Why then do we do the moral equivalent in Jackson County — on American soil, among the flags honoring the true heroes of a nation founded on the principle of “E Pluribus Unum”?
I wonder when Colonel Kirk’s patriotism will be recognized with a proper memorial — perhaps a plaque from the Haywood County Commissioners — to stand as a counterpoint to Jackson County’s monument to betrayal. That would honor the true spirit of these mountains, and the brave mountaineers who defended the Union — and the Constitution and Declaration of Independence that continues to define us — when it needed them most.
E Pluribus Unum, indeed.
(Jesse Fripp lives in Clyde.)
that seems unimaginable to you, welcome to my world. That’s where we are! And President Trump had an opportunity to do something that many presidents do not get. He is not going to be up for re-election, and he has been working through DOGE to eliminate fraud and waste. And yet the total debt is not likely to be reduced. Because although we are making some difficult reductions to certain programs, we are allocating increased funding to others. Thus, we will still be spending more than we bring in and falling deeper in debt.
to $36 trillion in debt within 45 years. This is unsustainable!
But President Trump had an opportunity to do something about it. Let’s be honest. Every politician has contributed to increasing the debt. Everybody likes giving away freebies to their constituents. Let’s give a billion for this and a billion for that. We can’t cut this and we can’t cut that. Who doesn’t
national product. We are spending way more than we bring in, and our collective debt greatly exceeds the total of goods and services that Americans produce in one year.
The average American earns $65,000 per year but imagine that same American had a credit card bill of $270,000. Because $270,000 is the amount each taxpayer would have to pay in order to pay off the debt. If
When you are in hole, the first thing you need to do is stop digging. We got “no tax on tips,” “no tax on overtime,” restoring the SALT deduction and possibly increasing it, making the “tax cuts permanent” plus some other freebies thrown in for new parents and seniors. Why couldn’t we use this opportunity to do something no other president has been able to do the last six decades — lower our national debt. Because contrary to popular belief, that debt does have to be repaid, and that interest will soon be the biggest budget item.
I have often heard that my parents and grandparents were the “greatest generation.” And that is right; after all, they weathered the Great Depression and saved us from speaking German or Japanese. But could it be that this generation, our generation, is the “worst generation” because we refused to deal with the debt, only to leave it to our children and grandchildren.
David Lawson, MD Lake Junaluska
How did we do it
Graham Sharp of Steep Canyon Rangers
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
During his recent solo album release show at 185 King St. in Brevard, singer-songwriter Graham Sharp was not only surrounded by a murderers’ row of bluegrass musicians; he was encapsulated by time and place itself — of people, purpose and passion.
“It was sort of a recalibration,” Sharp said of the performance. “When the Rangers play a show, everything’s tight and arranged. But, with this, everything is brand new. You don’t really know how these songs will work live or where they’re going to go [musically].”
The “Rangers,” as in Steep Canyon Rangers, the Grammywinning group that Sharp founded 25 years ago in the dorms while a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As the de facto leader of the Rangers, Sharp, now 48, has successfully navigated the choppy waters of the music industry, with the band now regarded as one of the premier acts in the Americana and bluegrass realms.
“I’m lucky enough to be in a group of guys that just love each other,” Sharp said. “For me, it’s a humbling experience with music. You’re [always] trying to get better. You’re looking at all the heroes [of] bluegrass and songwriting — these people inspire you. It’s what keeps you humble, keeps you hungry.”
To note, the Rangers will be taking the stage on Thursday, May 29, at Pack Square in downtown Asheville. The event is free and open to the public. This will also be the first time the Rangers have played their hometown since Hurricane Helene last fall.
“I remember the first time we did the [Pack Square] show. It was coming out of the COVID lockdown [in 2021],” Sharp said. “The whole thing was everybody getting together and resetting the vibe. And, coming out of Helene, I think that’s the feeling again. We’re just there to set the scene for some positive feelings, some community, some support — there’s so many people that need support right now.”
Regarding Sharp’s solo endeavors, the packed-out Brevard gig was a moment for the storied banjoist/vocalist to look in the rearview mirror, to take inventory of the road to the here and now — this whirlwind journey of sound and experiences, of endless miles along the unforgiving road of life, family and dreams.
Smoky Mountain News: The title of your new solo album is “How Did We Do It.” There’s interpretations with everything, but I would surmise that it’s a love letter to your wife?
Graham Sharp: Yeah, totally. And kind of looking back and being like, “We’ve come a long way. There’s always challenges to whatever you do, to make a living and raise a family and what not. Looking back now, I think about those early years of having a family and what it demanded of us.
[Back then], I was touring full-time. She was teaching school full-time. We had two toddlers. Just the same thing a lot of people go through, but while you’re in the middle of it, you can’t catch your breath, much less gain any kind of perspective on it.
You’re just trying to stay above water. And now, my kids are a bit older and you look back — we made it through, we all survived and are doing pretty darn well.
SMN: And that timeline of your relationship with your wife pretty much aligns perfectly with the timeline of the Rangers.
GS: [Laugh]. It really does. I met my wife and met the band in maybe the same month [while in college]. It was a good month.
SMN: This year is the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Rangers. What really sticks out in your mind about those early years?
Want to go?
A Grammy-winning Americana/bluegrass act, the Steep Canyon Rangers will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville.
The Pack Square show is free and open to the public. Singer-songwriter Sam Burchfield will open the concert.
As well, the Rangers will perform with the Brevard Festival Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 24, at the Brevard Music Center. For tickets, visit brevardmusic.org.
For more information on the Rangers, visit steepcanyon.com.
GS: We were just eating [music]. I see kids now, and I see them feeling the same way we did then, which is just being eaten up with it. You can’t get enough of it. You go to the festival and you’re up until sunrise playing music, then you’re back up doing it again the next day and the next day.
Then, we moved to Asheville and had a house above the Charlotte Street Pub. It was the same thing, it was like music camp every single day. We had some great people help us along the way. But, for the most part, we were trying to figure it out ourselves. And I think that maybe left some gaps in our knowledge, but it also left us a lot of room to be ourselves. There will always be challenges, but we’ve been able to come through the fires that a young band or any band faces. The music industry isn’t getting any easier. But, I feel we’re in a position where we’ve done this before, we’ve had challenges and we’ve risen to meet them.
I look back at the Rangers with so much gratitude. We’ve managed to do this for so long. To make a living and make art? What a privilege that is. And I never saw it coming, you know? All we knew about it was to put our heads down and work
Graham Sharp is a member of Steep Canyon Rangers. File photo
Steep Canyon Rangers. File photo
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
‘And
I’m breathin’ clean fresh air today, I’m alive’
The title of this column comes from a lyric in a 1968 song by R&B sensation, the late Johnny Thunder. Although it wasn’t a radio hit at the time, it has become a cult classic, a number that (truly) reinvigorates the soul. Trust me, track it down. You’ll get it. And, as per usual, when the sun is shining as I exit my humble abode apartment in downtown Waynesville, I find that I press play on my truck stereo and blast “I’m Alive,” right as I roll down all the windows and let the gentle breeze of the unknown day swirl around me. Heck, even Bob Dylan felt the same way about “I’m Alive.” So much so, he even mentioned it in a 1969 interview with Rolling Stone magazine. RS publisher Jann Wenner asked Dylan if there was any new music striking his fancy as of late. Dylan noted “I’m Alive,” with Wenner unaware of it. Dylan replied: “Never heard it either, huh? Well, I can’t believe it. Everyone I’ve talked to, I’ve asked them if they’ve heard that record. It was one of the most powerful records I’ve ever heard. It’s called ‘I’m Alive.’ By Johnny Thunder. Well, it was that sentiment, truly expressed. That’s the most I can say... if you heard the record, you’d know what I mean.”
Thus, within this past week, I found myself on assignments that took me down two beloved roads here in Western North Carolina, S-curve routes that take time and patience to properly navigate, but more so this realm of transit meant to enjoy in your own time and at your own pace — N.C. 209 from Waynesville to Hot Springs and U.S. 276 from Waynesville to Brevard.
To preface, as a lifelong music freak (an utter “slave to the groove”), any opportunity to cruise and blast some music will always be taken advantage of, especially if it involves checking some things off my work “to do” list in terms of people, places and things. Crank the tunes and push the pedal down, hands steady on the wheel.
I started to think, perhaps even daydream, about the “when” and “why” of these specific songs that are in constant rotation — in my vehicle, in my mind. Each subsequent selection seemingly conjuring numerous memories.
First up was the 2010 radio smash “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People. It came out when I was 25 years old and has become an eternal melodic earworm for us millennials coming of age then. At the time, I was scraping by as a young writer in my native North Country of Upstate New York. Making peanuts for small pieces in the local newspaper. When I hear “Pumped Up Kicks,” I immediately think of lazy summers on Lake Champlain and late-night shenanigans in the dive bars of my native Plattsburgh.
Next, the 1993 alt-rock staple “Low” by Cracker. When that iconic, goosebumpinducing selection spills out of the speakers, all you can do is sing along at the top of your damn lungs, “I’ll be with you, girl, like being
And, as with any of y’all music freaks out there, our musical taste knows no bounds, right? Mine is, literally and figuratively, “all over the map,” whether it be Texas western swing or Australian psychedelic-rock, Scottish singer-songwriters or Los Angeles hip-hop, Memphis R&B/soul or Oregon indie-folk. To that, the decades encompassed go all the way back to the 1930s, all the way up to something released this very day. I want to hear it all. And I’ll try to.
So, while I found myself zooming up and down N.C. 209 and U.S. 276, my Spotify “On Repeat” playlist on shuffle, the sunshine and warm breeze coming in through the truck cab,
HOT PICKS
1
Cold Mountain Music Festival will be held May 30-June 1 at the Lake Logan Retreat Center in Canton.
2
A special new exhibit, “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop” will open on Thursday, May 29, at the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee.
3
Novelist and short story writer Eric S. Brown will host a reading from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Wall Street Books in Waynesville.
4
Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host Paper Crowns (Americana) at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 31.
5
QuickDraw art fundraiser will once again be held from 4:30-9 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville.
lessness of the Rocky Mountains and beyond.
And yet, that initial love of those “old cowboy songs” came from my late grandfather (1920-2007), who adored those singers and always had them playing whenever I’d visit him as a kid, some old western rerun on the TV in the corner of his house in my hometown of Rouses Point, New York. He and I connected deeply on the music, with my memory of him forever encapsulated in those rhythms and words.
The “On Repeat” list goes on and on, as does the road, eh? When I hear “Reach Out I’ll Be There” by the Four Tops (1966), I think of riding around Plattsburgh with my mom as a youngster, heading to some department store, the sounds of KOOL 105.1FM blasting out of her long gone Toyota Corolla. Or “It Might Be Time” by Tame Impala (2020), my wanderings and ponderings in the midst of the pandemic.
low/Hey, hey, hey, like being stoned.” Memories of middle/high school in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Running around the backroads of Clinton County, my cronies and I smoking cheap joints and waxing poetic about how we want the trajectory of our young lives to go.
“Bubbles in My Beer” by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (1947). When I immerse myself into any of “the good stuff” (Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, Webb Pierce, Ernest Tubb, etc.), a million images roll across my field-of-vision, dancing atop the dashboard while in motion. Most of those images are of my time wandering the west, whether that period of my life as a rookie journalist (2008) roaming Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, or nowadays as I traverse the mesmerizing end-
Then, there’s “Slow Burn” by Kacey Musgraves (2018), a song that soothed my broken heart following a painful breakup, which rippled across my existence with tremendous force. The melody has now become this support pillar of sorts for the beating muscle in my chest. Lots of those types of songs are also pillars for my hopeless romantic self, too, especially anything by Blitzen Trapper (“Lady On the Water,” “Ever Loved Once,” “Baby Won’t You Turn Me On”).
“Cut Your Hair” by Pavement (1994). Sheesh. Talk about a pillar melody (more so band) in my existence. I didn’t really dive deep into Pavement until I was in college in Connecticut (2003-2007). And I vividly remember taking the Metro-North train by myself from New Haven to New York City one day as a freshman. I bought the album “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” at some record store in Times Square, the sounds of “Cut Your Hair” in my headphones as I strolled the city, wondering just what the future might have in store for me.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
if interested please call
The backroads outside of Hot Springs.
Garret K. Woodward photo
Art fundraiser for local schools
The annual QuickDraw art fundraiser will once again be held from 4:30-9 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville.
The cocktail social will include an hour-long QuickDraw Challenge, live/silent auction, refreshments and dinner. Live artists will be working in the public eye, creating timed pieces, which will then be auctioned off.
Proceeds go to art classroom supplies in schools and college scholarships for artrelated studies. QuickDraw’s signature auction for art education features several unique items to benefit art education in schools.
QuickDraw offers artists a way to show off and to support art teaching’s importance. For attendees, it’s a rare chance to watch art be built from the ground up and to see the end product on the same day. For visitors and potential residents, it’s a way to make friends, discover artists to commission and tap into the philanthropic community.
For art teachers, it’s a lifeline for funding classroom art initiatives in a cashstrapped school system. Since 2002, QuickDraw has funded $239,000 in art supplies and college scholarships in Haywood County Schools.
Tickets are $125 per person (advance only). VIP tables and sponsorships are also available. A portion of the ticket price pays for art teacher dinners.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit quickdrawofwnc.com or call 828.734.5747.
Cherokee pottery exhibition to open
• “Quilted Expressions: A Celebration of BlockBased Art,” an innovative exhibit that reimagines the traditional quilt, will run through June 2 at the Haywood County Arts Council downtown Waynesville. This unique showcase challenges conventional ideas of quilting and expands the definition of what a quilt can be. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, visit haywoodarts.org or email director@haywoodarts.org.
• “Art After Dark” will be held from 6-9 p.m. each first Friday of the month (MayDecember) in downtown Waynesville. Main Street transforms into an evening of art, live music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors alike. The event is free and open to the public. downtownwaynesville.com.
A special new exhibit, “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop” will open on Thursday, May 29, 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-
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-
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece. The materials for art works are supplied and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share with each other. Ages 16 and up. Space limited to 10 participants. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring,
HCC quilting, upholstery show
Dubbed “Stitched in Time: The Legacy of Quilting & Upholstery in Haywood County,” a special quilting and upholstery show will be held from 4-6 p.m. Friday, May 30, at the Mary L. Cornwell Gallery in the Sycamore Building at Haywood Community College in Clyde.
This event is a special dedication to honor the impact of quilt work and upholstery in our community.
shop uses a hands-on approach, empowering first-time potters to bring their own personal style to ancestral techniques and methods.
The artists exhibited include Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle (EBCI), Barbara Jones (EBCI), Paula Wojtkowski (EBCI), Marisa “Sis” Cabe (EBCI), Lisa Howell (EBCI, Pawnee Nation) Malia Crowe Skulski (EBCI), Samantha Cole-Daniels (EBCI), Elvia Walkingstick (EBCI), Maggie Jackson (EBCI), Michelle Lynn Long (EBCI, Mvskoke Creek Nation) and Tara McCoy (EBCI).
The museum will host an opening reception for the exhibit from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 29. An art market will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the museum lawn.
Both events are free with museum admission. Admission is always free for enrolled members of federally recognized tribes and museum members.
For more information, visit motcp.org.
mixed media, acrylic painting and more. 828.283.0523 / cre828.com.
• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. 517.881.0959 / galleryzella.com.
• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of one’s skills. The club welcomes photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visi-
Featuring a variety of speakers and information, guests will have a better understanding of the importance of these programs as part of the community and HCC’s legacy. The upholstery program offered by HCC has been educating our region for 44 years and the quilting program for 20 years.
Using the gallery space on campus, numerous quilts and upholstered items will be displayed for one month, with the big reveal occurring at the event. This gallery display will highlight amazing pieces and the history of the work, with the Appalachian heritage shining through.
Previous instructors, students, and community members are all welcome to join the event. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, visit, haywood.edu.
tors. 828.452.0593 / haywoodarts.org.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.631.0271 / jcgep.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.339.4000 / southwesterncc.edu/scclocations/swain-center.
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. 828.586.2248 / dogwoodcrafters.com.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular arts and crafts workshops. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org.
QuickDraw is a cherished event each year in WNC. File photo
On the beat
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Doug & Lisa May 31. 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, “Trivia After Dark: Lord of the Rings” 8 p.m. May 30, Hammock Theory May 31 and Beer & Loathing (Americana/acoustic) June 7. 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 Mile High Band (classic rock/country gold) May 31 and Blackwater Station (southern rock/country) June 7. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0085 / brysoncitybrewing.com.
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host A. Lee Edwards (Americana/indie) May 28 and Helena Rose & Joey Brown (Americana/bluegrass) June 4. All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranchevents/live-music.
• Concerts On The Creek (Sylva) will host Natti Love Joys (reggae/roots) May 30 and The V8s (rock/oldies) June 6. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. 828.586.2155 / mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host Claire Hind “Falling Into” (live reading/music) 7 p.m. May 31. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” with Andrew Wooten (singer-songwriter) June 11. 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/orchardsessions.
• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host Upstream Rebellion (Americana/bluegrass) 7 p.m. June 19. Doors at 6 p.m. Tickets are “pay what you can” ($25, $15, $5). 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.
• Friday Night Live Concert Series (Highlands) will host Nick Chandler & Delivered May 30 and Foxfire Boys (Americana/bluegrass) June 6. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Christopher M. Caruso (singer-songwriter) May 28, Bridget Gossett (Americana) May 30 and Congdon Griffin Band May 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.
Steve Sutton Memorial Festival
There will be a special concert in memory of late Haywood County banjo great Steve Sutton from 2-6 p.m. Sunday, June 8, at the Lake Junaluska Conference Center.
Performers will include No Joke Jimmy’s, Whitewater Bluegrass Co., Mike Compton & Laura Boosinger, Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM), Mountain Tradition Cloggers and more.
This event is a benefit for the Steve Sutton Memorial Charitable Trust. The trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created to continue Sutton’s legacy of sharing joy and helping others through music. Proceeds from this event will benefit local music scholarships, as well as the International Bluegrass Music Association Trust Fund.
A longtime member of The Darren Nicholson Band and Whitewater Bluegrass Company, Sutton was 60 years old when he passed away in his sleep on May 13, 2017, one day shy of his 61st birthday.
“I basically owe my musical career to him,” said mandolinist Darren Nicholson, formerly of International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year” bluegrass act Balsam Range, who was Sutton’s best friend and longtime collaborator. “He got me my first professional job, which led to all the relationships that are still relevant in my current career. Steve believed in me so much that he took me to Strains of Music in Waynesville and paid cash for a Gibson mandolin. Steve was kind to everyone he met and helped countless people — he just had a good heart.”
A Grammy-nominated, multiple IBMA award-winner himself,
Melissa Carper will play the upcoming CMMF.
Cold Mountain Music Festival
The annual Cold Mountain Music Festival will be held May 30-June 1 at the Lake Logan Retreat Center in Canton.
Artists to appear onstage include The Last Revel, American Aquarium, Melissa Carper, Fireside Collective, Denitia, The Moon & You, Fancy & The Gentlemen and more.
There will be an array of food and beverage vendors onsite. As well, there will be plenty of outdoor recreation activities offered at Lake Logan. Several lodging options are also available.
For more information, a full schedule of performers and/or to purchases tickets, visit coldmountainmusic.org.
Steve Sutton was a beloved WNC musician. File photo
Sutton graduated from Tuscola High School in Waynesville. Upon graduation, he was simultaneously offered gigs with the “Godfather of Bluegrass” Bill Monroe and bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin.
“But, Jimmy offered me something like $10 more a week, so I took it,” Sutton chuckled in a 2015 interview with The Smoky Mountain News.
In 1974, Sutton joined Martin on the road, kicking off a career that took him across the globe, ultimately gracing the Grand Ole Opry stage numerous times. Sutton also had stints with Alecia Nugent and Rhonda Vincent. And through his lifelong pursuit of bluegrass and mountain music, Sutton also remembered where it all began, alongside late banjo great and Bluegrass Hall of Famer Raymond
“[Steve’s] talent and free-flowing sense of humor constantly fed that professional effort to the highest levels,” said Marc Pruett, Grammy-winning banjoist of Balsam Range. “Steve was a valued, respected member of a heritage-schooled, living culture. He was ‘the real deal,’ and his warm smile and larger-than-life talent leaves a void in our mountains that can’t be filled.”
Tickets are $25 per person. Kids ages 12 and under are admitted free. Food trucks will also be onsite.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit stevesuttonfest.com.
Whiteside gets the blues
Americana/folk singer-songwriter Woolybooger will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Whiteside Brewing in Cashiers.
Dubbed “music to grow your hair out to,” the Murphy musician, whose real name is Gavin Graves, is well-regarded in this region for his mix of blues and roots music into a unique Southern Appalachian tone.
The show is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.743.6000 or visit whitesidebrewing.com.
Woolybooger will play Cashiers May 30. File photo
On the beat
• Gathering Room (Waynesville) will host an “Open Acoustic Jam” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. the last Friday of every month. All welcome to play or listen. 828.558.1333 / thegatheringroom828.com.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen (Americana/country) 8 p.m. May 30, The Righteous Brothers (pop/oldies) 7:30 p.m. May 31, The Beach Boys (pop/oldies) 7:30 p.m. June 6 and Brantley Gilbert (country) 7:30 p.m. June 7. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” 6-9 p.m. Thursdays ($5 cover), Zorki (singer-songwriter) 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, “Bluegrass Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays (free) and the “Salon Series” with Nicole Atkins (singer-songwriter) 8:30 p.m. May 29 (admission is $28.52 per person, tax included). 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
• Highlands Performing Arts Center will host “Three Tenors & A Soprano” 4 p.m. June 1. Tickets are $65 per person, with seating upgrades available. 828.526.9047 / highlandsperformingarts.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic with Phil” on Wednesdays and Andrew Danner (singer-songwriter) June 7. 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 throughout the week on its campus. folkschool.org.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Bryan & Al (classic rock) May 30, The Accentrix (rock/ oldies) May 31, Grizzly Mammoth (psychedelic/ rock) June 6 and Troy Underwood (Americana/ folk) June 7. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 6:30 p.m. Mondays, The Waymores (Americana) May 30 and Village Creek Band (classic rock) June 6. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Listening Room (Franklin) will host Rod MacDonald (singer-songwriter) 2:30 p.m. June 7. 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.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will
host “Open Mic Night” with Frank Lee every Thursday and Ron Neill (singer-songwriter) May 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host River Pickin’ 5 p.m. May 30, Laura Blackley (Americana) 2 p.m. May 31, Beer & Loathing 5 p.m. May 31, Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. June 1, Ryan B. Jazz Trio (jazz) 5 p.m. June 6, Daniel Shearin (singer-songwriter) 2 p.m. June 7, The Lefties 5 p.m. June 7 and Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. June 8. Free and open to the public. 828.785.5082 / noc.com.
• Old Edwards Inn (Highlands) will host live music in the Hummingbird Lounge at 5:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Free and open to the public. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com.
• Otto Community Center (Otto) will host James Thompson (Americana) 5 p.m. June 6. Bring a beverage and snack of your choice. Free and open to the public. 770.335.0967 / go2ottonc.com.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host “Songwriters Showcase 53” May 31 and “Tell Me Lies: The Fleetwood Mac Experience” (Fleetwood Mac tribute) June 7. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” 7 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and Diana New (singer-songwriter) May 30. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.
• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Russell” every Monday, Susie Copeland (singer-songwriter) May 30, Daniel Pounds May 31, Bridget Gossett (Americana) June 6 and Rich Manz Trio (oldies/acoustic) June 7. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105 / facebook.com/saltydogs2005.
• Saturdays On Pine Concert Series (Highlands) will host The Holiday Band May 31 and Paula Hanke & Peggy Ratusz June 7. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host James Morris (Americana) May 29, Jon Cox (country/Americana) June 5, Lori & The Freightshakers (classic rock/country gold) June 6 and “Evening Under the Arch” beer garden 5:30-9 p.m. June 7. 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 RailTown 6 p.m. May 30, Blue (Americana) 5 p.m. June 7 and Jennifer Alvarado (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. June 8828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.
‘Concerts on the Creek’
The Town of Sylva, Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department and Jackson County Chamber of Commerce are proud to present the 16th season of the annual “Concerts on the Creek” music series.
Reggae/roots ensemble Natti Love Joys will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.
A roots-rock-reggae band that has been playing live since 2003, the group consists of husband and wife duo Anthony “Jatti” Allen and Sonia “Marla” Allen (formerly Sonia Abel).
Jatti was previously the bassist for the reggae group The Congos, while Marla originates from the cult all-female reggae group Love Joys, where she recorded two albums under the legendary Wackies label run by Lloyd Barnes (Bullwackie).
“Concerts on the Creek” are held every Friday night from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, with donations encouraged. Dogs must be on a leash. No smoking, vaping, coolers or tents are allowed. Bring a chair or blanket. There will be food trucks on select nights. For more information, call the chamber at 828.586.2155, visit mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek or go to the “Concerts on the Creek” Facebook page.
Natti Love Joys will play Sylva May 30. File photo
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “The Coalminers Present: Always Loretta” (Loretta Lynn tribute) 7:30 p.m. June 6. Tickets start at $22 per person, with seating upgrades available. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with Remedy 58 (blues/soul) May 29 and David Cheatham (Americana/folk) June 5. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host Paper Crowns (Americana) 2 p.m. May 31 and Rene Russell (singer-songwriter) 6 p.m. June 6. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.
• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Monica Spears (singer-songwriter) June 1. 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 Two Armadillos (classic rock) 7 p.m. June 6. Doors at 6 p.m. Admission is $20. 828.476.5070 / wellseventcenter.simpletix.com.
• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host live music 4-6 p.m. Saturdays and “Music Bingo” 6-8 p.m. Saturdays. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.
• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host “Bee Kind Trivia” May 29, Woolybooger (blues/folk) May 30, Kid Billy (singer-songwriter) May 31, Isaiah Breedlove (Americana) June 6 and the “Seventh Anniversary Celebration” all day June 7. 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 Alexa Rose & Josh Oliver (Americana/folk) 4 p.m. June 29. Family/dog friendly. 828.200.2169 / eatrealfoodinc.com.
• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts
@SMOKYMOUNTAINNEWS
On the stage
HART presents ‘Next to Normal’
‘Next to Normal’ will be at HART on select dates. Donated photo
A special production of “Next to Normal” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. May 30-31, June 6-7, 12-14 and 2 p.m. June 1, 8 and 15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
A powerful rock musical about a mother’s struggle with mental illness and its impact on her family, “Next to Normal” is an unflinching, deeply moving journey through love, loss and healing. Tickets start at $19 per person, with other seating options available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit harttheatre.org or call the box office at 828.456.6322.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular comedians on the weekends. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. harttheatre.org / 828.456.6322.
• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. mountaintheatre.com / 828.526.9047.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semiregular stage productions on the weekends. smokymountainarts.com / 866.273.4615.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. thepeacocknc.org / 828.389.ARTS.
damage caused by debris removal
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER
Over the last few months, Maconians have sounded the alarm on what they see as excessive debris removal in the county’s waterways. Now, as the cleanup effort wraps up, citizens are maintaining pressure, urging elected officials to learn from the debacle and institute safeguards for the future.
“We’ve learned a lot in the process, so there’s some things we’ll know next time to manage this a little bit differently,” said County Manager Warren Cabe.
Debris cleanup is set to wrap up by June 1.
“There’s nothing set to be taken out north of the Iotla bridge and there’s actually no points that have been approved by the corps between the dam and Iotla bridge,” Cabe said.
Chairman Josh Young, Commissioner Gary Shields and Cabe all took an opportunity to speak to the public’s concerns over during the May 13 meeting.
“We opted to go with the Army Corps of Engineers to help with our waterways because they wrote the book on, more or less, a lot of our clean water, they’re the authority,” Young said. “I think we have a lesson learned here and as this is about to wrap up, I think we’re all a little frustrated. Some of the worst parts of the rivers haven’t been cleaned up yet.”
Although flooding may have been less severe on the Little Tennessee and Cullasaja rivers in Macon County than in other parts of Western North Carolina, the storm did still create buildups of debris that needed to be removed.
“It made sense for counties to opt into debris removal,” said Jason Love, associate director at the Highlands Biological Station and previous site manager at Coweeta Long-Term Ecological Research Program, in comments to the board.
“Many places east of us, rivers were devastated, filled with destroyed homes, cars and other large debris. Even in Macon
we’re seeing isn’t careful cleanup, it’s widespread clearing that is terribly destructive.”
Cabe said Macon requested assistance with debris removal from a fixed receiving location in Highlands, for roadways and waterways through North Carolina Emergency Management. The state arranged for debris removal to be contracted through the Army Corps of Engineers. The county was asked to provide locations with known debris issues or concerns.
“That information was passed on, and then the USACE evaluated and arranged for the removals,” Cabe told The Smoky Mountain News in April. “The information consisted of general locations and some aerial drone images of various debris spots.”
After that, the technical aspects of what is removed from waterways is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Macon County did not have to contract with any entity for the debris removal, provide funding or request reimbursement as the process is conducted between North Carolina and the USACE. Basically, once Macon County made the request, removal and funding are out of its hands, managed instead by the state and USACE.
AshBritt, out of Florida, is a national turnkey rapidresponse disaster recovery and special environmental services contractor. In 2019, residents in Northern California filed a federal class action in which they claimed AshBritt removed “excessive amounts of soil” and structures unaffected by recent wildfires. The company, hired by Kentucky after floods ravaged eastern parts of the state in July 2022, was accused in lawsuits following cleanup of allowing subcontractors to steal valuable trees from private property, destroying a family’s home and failing to pay workers.
“In the past few weeks, 35 years of documented improvement have been partially undone through work carried out by the US Army Corps of Engineers.”
Bill McLarney, marine biologist
Residents and environmental groups are not suggesting that county leaders or even the USACE have bad intentions but that the approach to debris removal is too generalized and possibly incentivized by contractors being paid by the cubic yard debris they remove.
“It needs to be more targeted, not just the whole river,” said Love
According to David Connolly, chief public affairs officer for the USACE Wilmington District, AshBritt was awarded the Advanced Contracting Initiative (ACI) debris removal contract
The USACE contracted with AshBritt for debris removal in rights of way, waterways and private property, as well as commercial property and demolition that are still in the initial stages of scoping and contracting actions.
“There are government quality assurance representatives at every location monitoring the debris removed from the site to ensure the correct material is removed,” said Connolly.
“Additionally, there are quality assurance representatives present at the temporary debris reduction sites that are validating the amount of material that is being removed. There are multiple checks and balances throughout the system to ensure what USACE contracted for is delivered.”
According to Connolly, there were 142 sites identified and requested by Macon County that were determined eligible for debris removal. FEMA determined debris eligibility requirements for the Direct Federal Assistance program.
“If FEMA determines the debris to be storm generated or where debris impedes navigation or produces a hazard to safety, it is removed,” said Connolly.
But many residents say that these agencies are getting the distinction between Helene debris, haz- F
ardous debris and natural buildup wrong. And that the consequences are dire.
Lifelong Macon resident, angler and educator Zach Tallent came to speak at the May 13 meeting about his concerns for Macon’s waterways.
“As an educator, I’ve witnessed how exposure to healthy, functioning ecosystems can ignite curiosity and care in our students. When children see macroinvertebrates or witness a trout darting beneath a fallen branch, they begin to understand the interconnectedness of life in a watershed,” said Tallent. “While it’s important to ensure navigability and address legitimate flood risks, routine removal of natural woody structures as well as living riparian vegetation often does more harm than good. It strips waterways of their resilience, homogenizes habitat and degrades water quality. Let Macon County be a model of balance where land stewardship not only means the well-being of property owners, but also the integrity of our ecosystems and the prosperity of our local economy.”
ers to do what they could to prevent work from moving forward in such a destructive manner.
“June 1 is not soon enough to get these clowns out of the river and quit destroying these native fish and their habitat,” said Shockley. “We are supporting and encouraging the careless removal of natural debris, living trees, from our rivers and encouraging these guys to do that for larger payouts on these loads, instead of making the native fish and their habitats the priority on this project and it’s disgusting. It makes me sick.”
“You guys need to wake up,” he continued. “The men on this board have the ability, the influence and the power to make changes and stop what is going on. You really do. I voted for you guys and I’m asking for you to stand up for me. Protect our home. Quit letting the senseless destruction of our rivers go on.”
Several residents urged county leaders to put in place some sorts of measures that would prevent incidents like the debris
“Like many of you, I was shocked by the Army Corps of Engineers project, which blindsided citizens and local officials. What’s happening to our rivers is disastrous. Habitats destroyed for contractor profits, worse than the hurricane’s impact.”
—
Nick Potts, Macon County small business owner, fly-fishing guide
Macon County native, small business owner and fly-fishing guide Nick Potts also came to the May 13 meeting to voice his opposition to the breadth of the Army Corps of Engineer’s work in Macon County.
“Like many of you, I was shocked by the Army Corps of Engineers project, which blindsided citizens and local officials,” Potts said. “What’s happening to our rivers is disastrous. Habitats destroyed for contractor profits, worse than the hurricane’s impact.”
“The corps may have meant well, but without oversight this has become a cash cow for contractors benefiting no one else,” Potts added. “They’re removing fish habitats, bank vegetation that prevents erosion and damaging stream beds home to endangered species and threatened species. I’m not here to criticize local officials. I want Macon County residents to unite against a federal agency overreaching and overstaying its welcome.”
Local marine biologist Bill McLarney, who has spent much of his career recording data on the Little Tennessee, said that the debris removal taking place is undoing decades of marked improvements on the river.
“In the past few weeks, 35 years of documented improvement have been partially undone through work carried out by the US Army Corps of Engineers,” said McLarney. “If any of us were to undertake this same work, we would have the Army engineers on our back in a minute and probably be assessed a fine.”
Leland Shockley called on commission-
Smokies Life selects Jim and Leslie Costa as Steve Kemp Writers in Residence
Smokies Life announced Jim and Leslie Costa as the recipients of its 2025 Steve Kemp Writer’s Residency. During their residency, the North Carolina-based couple plans to continue work already underway to write and illustrate a forthcoming field guide to the Smokies insects to be published by Smokies Life.
Dr. Jim Costa is a professor of biology at Western Carolina University and the executive director of Highlands Biological Station in Highlands, North Carolina, where he developed a three-week, biannual, biogeography field course that compares the temperate Great Smoky Mountains region to the tropical rainforests of Ecuador.
Leslie Costa’s career has ranged from museum curation — starting in the Entomology Department at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology — to exhibit and book design, and from scientific illustration to leadings children’s nature camps.
To better observe insect activity and the various life cycle stages of different species throughout the seasons, the Costas will split their residency into three two-week parts rather than spending six consecutive weeks in the park.
The annual residency, funded by Smokies Life, is designed to help writers of any medium connect in meaningful ways with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, providing space for each individual to focus on his or her craft in a retreat-like setting and potentially inspiring some of their best work. The Costas will work with program namesake Steve Kemp and Smokies Life Creative Director Frances Figart, who oversees the program, as well as other park professionals and partners.
In the fall, the Costas will engage with park visitors through their own Branch Out insect program, “Bees, Bugs, Butterflies & Birds: Connecting Insect Diversity and Native Plants,” held on two consecutive Saturdays, Sept. 20 and 27.
The application period for the 2026 Kemp Residency will open in August 2025. For more information on Smokies Life and the Steve Kemp Writer’s Residency, contact frances@smokieslife.org or visit smokieslife.org/the-steve-kemp-writers-residency.
removal currently taking place.
“Macon County could have been better prepared,” said McLarney. “I see an opportunity, drawing in part on our experience with the floodplain issue and on this unpleasant experience we’re having right now, to be better prepared for the next environmental issue which comes up and I’d like to be a part of helping with that.”
Shields suggested revisiting the Water Quality Advisory Committee, which helped advise county leaders over the last year as it reviewed and amended its floodplain ordinances. The committee is made up of nine volunteer experts in aquatic management.
“I’d like for the commissioners to look at the Water Quality Advisory Committee to help us as we go through some of this,” said Shields. “When you try to do things and you don’t know what you’re doing, you need help. I think looking at the past history and the information I have now, the Water Quality Advisory Committee is something that I’d like to come back to later and talk to the board about and the duties of that group and the expertise they have.”
Young also said he wanted to institute more local oversight on future issues that involve the health of Macon’s waterways.
“In the future when this happens, I think we’re going to take a more calculated look at this and have some more local authority with some local oversight,” said Young. “I think that’s one of the big issues is having vested people from the community overlook these creeks. There’s a lot of people here very passionate about that.”
Trail reopenings announced across Helene-damaged Appalachian Ranger District
B&W
641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC
641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC
(3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse)
(3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse)
828-456-HAUS (4287)
828-456-HAUS (4287)
509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC
509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC
The USDA Forest Service announced that several trails and recreation sites damaged by Hurricane Helene have reopened across the Appalachian Ranger District on the Pisgah National Forest. With the support of partners and volunteers, the Forest Service has successfully cleared 227 miles of trails on the Appalachian Ranger District since the storm struck last year, accounting for 70 percent of the district’s trails. This includes more than 114 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
Haywood County
(Includes Harmon Den Area)·
• Haynes Road
(Also called Hurricane Creek)·
• Buzzard Roost Road
• Old Buzzard Roost Road
Mitchell County
(Includes the Roan Mountain Area)
• Poplar Boat Launch·
• FSR 130
• FSR 130A
(Located in the NAPA Auto Parts Center)
(Located in the NAPA Auto Parts Center)
Recently reopened sites include:
• TR 1000 Cloudland
828-586-HAUS (4287)
828-586-HAUS (4287)
• Carolina Hemlock Campground
• Murray Branch Picnic Area
• Stackhouse Boat Launch
• Roaring Fork Falls Trail
• Colbert Ridge Trail
• Woody Ridge
• Black Mountain Crest Trail (from Bowlen’s Creek Rd to Deep Gap)
• Big Butt Trail
The Appalachian Ranger District has surveyed and cleared nearly 240 miles of roads across the district to date, accounting for nearly 76% of the district’s roads and providing improved access to first responders and local residents.When visiting sites that have reopened, the public should use extra caution when spending time in the Pisgah National Forest this summer, as conditions on the ground may have changed since Helene. In addition, larger crowds can be expected over the holiday weekend.
The following recreation sites and trails remain closed to visitors:
Avery County (Includes Elk Falls Area)·
• TR 172 Elk Falls Trail·
• Elk Falls Road
Buncombe County:
(Includes Big Ivy, Coleman Boundary, Shope Creek, Douglas Falls, Stony Fork)
• TR 174 Little Andy·
• TR 173 Upper Corner Rock
• TR 166 Elk Pen
• TR 165 Walker Creek
• TR 175 Perkins
• TR 183 Staire Creek
• TR 176 Bear Pen·
• TR 162 Douglas Falls
• TR 170 Snowball
• FSR 74 Big lvy
• FSR 231 Lower Staire
• FSR 63 Stoney Fork
• FSR 63A Hawksbill Creek
Waynesville gardener honored with award
• TR 1002 Roan Mountain Gardens
Yancey County
(Includes South Toe, Mount Mitchell)
• TR 179 Black Mountain Crest trail from Deep Gap to Mount Mitchell State Park·
• TR 191A Big Tom Gap
• TR 190 Mt. Mitchell
• TR 190A Higgins Bald
•TR 197 Setrock
•TR 200 South River Loop·
•TR 200A North River Loop·
•TR 182 Green Knob·
• TR 186 Bald Knob Ridge
• TR 1006 Briar Bottom Bike
• TR 201 S. Toe Fishing Access
• TR 192 Devil’s Den Nature
• FSR 472 South Toe River Road
• FSR 472F Black Mtn
• FSR 5544 Briar Bottom Group
• FSR 2074 Neals Creek
• FSR 5511 Seven Mile Ridge
• FSR 5500A Hunt Camp
• Black Mountain Campground·
• Briar Bottom Campground
The Waynesville Garden Club honored Carolyn Taylor with its Outstanding Lifetime Member Award (since 1976) at its May 8 meeting. Taylor was also the one who designed the garden club iris emblem. She has hosted countless auctions and couples’ socials over the many years.
“It has been an honor and blessing to have Carolyn Taylor in Waynesville Garden Club,” the club said in a release.
Carolyn Taylor was given a Lifetime Member Award. Donated photo
WCU to hold groundbreaking ceremony for stadium renovations project
Western Carolina University will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 12, to kick off the first phase of a series of planned upgrades for E.J. Whitmire Stadium and other aging facilities used by Catamount student-athletes. Members of the campus and surrounding communities are invited to attend theevent, to be held at the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center adjacent to the stadi-
The groundbreaking ceremony will mark the beginning of construction for additions to the stadium’s westside stands that include a new press box, coaches’ offices, player study space and a hospitality area that has been dubbed “the Western Skybox.”
University leaders have adopted a phased approach to athletics facilities renovations allowing for the initial upgrades to Whitmire Stadium while keeping options open for additional enhancements.
The first phase of stadium upgrades is expected to be completed by the beginning of the 2026 football season. The project will not affect the 2025 schedule, but it will create changes in gameday parking and stadium access.
In addition to the groundbreaking ceremony, the June 12 event will also celebrate new members of the Madison Legacy Society and Cullowhee Society and will recognize supporters of athletics facilities renovations. It will take the place of this year’s Planting Day Celebration, an annual event designed to thank donors who comprise the Madison Legacy Society and the Cullowhee Society and honor their record of major financial contributions to the university.
To RSVP by Tuesday, June 3, or for additional information, email donorrelations@wcu.edu or call the Division of Advancement at 828.227.7124.
Haywood Farm Bureau announces scholarship recipients
scholarship, given at the May 19 meeting held at
Sliding Rock to open for summer season
Sliding Rock, one of the most popular destinations in Pisgah National Forest, will open for the summer season beginning Memorial Day weekend, operating daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Labor Day. During that time, visitors can expect lifeguards on duty, restrooms open and staff on site to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.
Sliding Rock is accessible year-round, but these seasonal services are essential for managing summer crowds and supporting visitor safety at this unique natural site.
Elsewhere across Pisgah National Forest, recreation areas managed by Naventure are open and ready for summer adventures. While some sites may look a little different following last fall’s Hurricane Helene, all locations are up and running with continued improvements underway to enhance access, comfort and the overall visitor experience.
Reservations are required for campgrounds, glamping and group campsites. For site details, seasonal updates, and reservation links, please visit naventure.com.
Honored to be named the #1 Team in the Allen Tate/Beverly-Hanks footprint this year
Winning is great, but loving people, meeting their needs with passion, and making a real impact is even better!
Market PLACE WNC
JAMES RANDY
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
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is seeking bids for upcoming 2025 FRRCSI grant projects. Materials to be delivered July 2025. Materials needed include the following: 3,210 - 6’ Creo-Borate Treated Crossties; 2,000 4/5 Creo-Borate treated crossties; 30,840 new 5/8 “ X 6” prime spikes, 150 tons roadbond, 303 tons railroad ballast. All materials must include delivery to GSMR rail yard 973 Haywood Road Dillsboro, NC 28725. Partial bids for materials are accepted and may be awarded. This is a formal sealed bidding process. Bids must comply with domestic steel and buy Amer-
participation is highly encouraged. Projects will be awarded at GSMR’s sole discretion to the supplier or suppliers whose proposal offers the best value. GSMR reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Proposal is due no later than 2PM deadline on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Formal Public Bid Opening Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 2PM. All proposals submitted to: Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Attn Kim Albritton. PO Box 1490. 225
NC 28713. RFP Contact - Kim Albritton 828-4887008
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000273-430
STEVENS of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the
to the undersigned on or before Aug 14 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to immediate payment.
EXECUTOR
Jr. PO BOX 145 CANDLER, NC 28715
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000164-490
Holly Alichia McKoy and Selena Druscilla McK-
the Co-Administrators
Tanya Leah McKoy of Jackson County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the
to the undersigned on or before Aug 21 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to immediate payment.
Co-Administrators c/o Coward, Hicks & Siler 705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000318-430
Kelly Clifford Russell,
Samuel Clifford Russell of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having to present them to the undersigned on or before Aug 21 2025, or this
notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to immediate payment.
Executor 134 Barn Loop Lane Waynesville, NC 28786
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25-E-50
Jean Privette Monteith of York County, South Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the to the undersigned on or before Aug 28 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to immediate payment.
Wayne Dean Monteith, Ancillary Executor c/o Mullen Holland & Cooper, PA 301 S. York Street Gastonia, NC 28052
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74 Hazy air
75 Mister, in Muenster
"Lonely Boy" singer
79 At a distance 80 Sets of points, in math
Torah holders
-- pork (Chinese entree)
85 Sleuth: Abbr.
87 Purse part
88 Nitrate, e.g.
89 Ration
92 Pick- -- (refresher)
93 Bygone bird 95 Verb before "thou," perhaps
99 Words after man or sergeant
101 With, to Luc
102 House speaker after Ryan
103 Metallic sound
104 Novarro of silent films
105 H.S. science class for college credit
106 Roster of least-soughtafter celebs
107 "Eleni" director Peter
108 "-- your disposal"
109 Group trying to sack a QB
110 Swiss chocolatier
112 Like -- in headlights
113 Ton of, informally
114 Bette Midler's "Divine" stage persona
118 Alibis, e.g.
122 Go quickly
123 Divs. of eras
124 Propane, e.g.
125 In favor of
126 Knee's place
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