Smoky Mountain News | January 20, 2021

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First United Methodist Church of Waynesville teams up with Haywood County NAACP to discuss issues of race in Western North Carolina.

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Indiana casino protest fails

Deal will move forward following vote to deny protest hearing

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

A$250 million deal between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Caesars Entertainment will go forward after Tribal Council voted Jan. 14 to deny a protest challenging the deal’s legality.

The protest resolution came from a group of 14 tribal members that included two sitting Tribal Council members and a former principal chief, and it claimed that the Dec. 17 decision to purchase the gaming operation at Caesars Southern Indiana — the tribe would pay $32.5 million to lease the physical property — violated the tribe’s Charter and Governing Document on multiple fronts.

The majority of council voted to deny the protest on the grounds that the challengers did not qualify as “interested parties” as defined in the tribal law covering protest hearings. The law defines an interested party as “a person who has a direct financial stake in the outcome of the decision being protested or a person whose individual property interests will suffer a direct adverse effect because of the decision being protested.”

The protest resolution states that, “the persons submitting this resolution have a vested interest in the expenditure of tribal funds and resources and compliance with Tribal law and are directly impacted by the expenditure of funds in violation of the Charter and Governing Documents of the Tribe and in violation of Tribal law.” However, Legislative Counsel Carolyn West said that this was a “broad statement” that alleged direct financial impact but “did not show exactly” how benefits might be affected as a result of the decision. Therefore, she said, the protestors did not qualify as interested parties.

“We reached the same conclusion that Carolyn reached,” said Attorney General Mike McConnell, speaking for the Office of the Attorney General. “Carolyn and I did not discuss this before reaching our separate con-

clusions. We examined the law independently and we ended up at the same place.”

With the protest denied, the deal is free to proceed. Principal Chief Richard Sneed has ratified the two resolutions passed Dec. 17 that approved the purchase and created EBCI Holdings, LLC, a new tribal business arm that will oversee the EBCI’s commercial gaming ventures. The tribe and Caesars Entertainment signed a purchasing agreement last month, and closing is planned for the end of June.

QUESTIONS ABOUT STRUCTURE

While the decision whether to hear the protest was to be predicated solely on the issue of standing — whether the protestors qualified as “interested parties” under the law and therefore had a right to protest the decision — the final vote nevertheless followed an hour of discussion that dipped into various particulars of the deal itself.

“I wasn’t trying in this protest to question the numerical sound idea of this,” said Rob Saunooke, one of the 14 protestors. “It was the structure of how you were setting it up.”

In November, Tribal Council approved a resolution that outlined the form of an LLC operating agreement for a company that would oversee the tribe’s future commercial gaming ventures. However, Saunooke said, when the time came in December to vote on the casino deal and officially form the LLC, McConnell and Chief Sneed asked Council to approve “a totally different” operating agreement instead.

cies will be filled by the board itself.

“The charter says you cannot own property the tribe doesn’t control. Kituwah (LLC) you control. The TCGE, you still control that. All of the organizations you put together, you appoint the board, control the board, can remove the board,” said Saunooke.

“In this structure you have no say — none,” he added.

Reading from a memo McConnell had sent Tribal Council members to explain his legal position on the protest, Wolfetown Representative Chelsea Saunooke said that it’s not quite true that the agreement leaves the tribe without any control over the board. In his memo, Chelsea Saunooke said, McConnell noted that certain actions require either a supermajority vote from the board or direct consent from the tribe. In the case of a supermajority vote, at least one of the two EBCI

tors, and additional changes are likely this month after regulators review and respond to the draft document approved in December, Sneed and McConnell said.

“Those calls (with Brownstein) were open to anybody on Council to be on,” said Sneed. “More importantly, it’s the team that we hired that you all approved. We hired attorneys specifically to work on that, so to suggest that somehow we excluded Tribal Council’s attorney is false.”

Birdtown Representative Albert Rose, who had signed on to the protest resolution, took issue with that statement.

“You’ve excluded every one of us,” said Rose.

“How have I excluded you?” asked Sneed.

“I’m not going to get into that today,” Rose replied.

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

Former Principal Chief Michell Hicks — also one of the protestors and a CPA by trade — focused on the numbers when giving his comments.

“I’m not here fighting diversity. I’m not here fighting the chief or the council, but I’ve got a ton of questions that people have asked me, and I’m just trying to clarify,” he said. “I want this deal to go. I want this tribe to diversify, but the numbers have to make sense, and that’s where I’m having a little difficulty this morning.”

members on the board would have to agree.

“That operating agreement says unequivocally that this tribe, the member of the company, will have no voice, no vote, no say in any of the management of its company that’s being created,” said Saunooke, a charge likely referencing the makeup of the board that will oversee the LLC. According to the resolution passed last month, only two of the five members must be EBCI members, and while the tribe makes the initial board appointments, future vacan-

McConnell also disputed the insinuation that he and Sneed were attempting to sneak in changes to the operating agreement that clash with Tribal Council’s desires. The changes presented in December were the result of work that the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP — whose hire Tribal Council approved to represent the EBCI in the casino deal — completed on the tribe’s behalf. The firm is working to craft an agreement that can meet approval from Indiana state regula-

According to his calculations, said Hicks, if the tribe left the $120 million it intends to use as a down payment on the purchase in investment accounts earning 6 percent interest, it would make $82 million over a 10-year period. However, that same $120 million will bring only $38 million to tribal coffers under the terms of the deal.

“These are very technical questions that are not going to be answered sitting in this council session,” said Sneed. “We’d be happy to sit down with Chief Hicks and anybody else to go over the numbers.”

However, he said, it’s important to note that the tribe would be the sole owner of the LLC, so all of the company’s assets — including those not directly distributed to the tribal government — would F

School board undergoes bias training

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

The Haywood County School Board and central office administration will undergo unconscious bias training on Tuesday, Jan. 26. The training has been scheduled as part of the plan, created by Superintendent Dr. Bill Nolte in response to the situation created by a Facebook post of Nolte’s last year.

In July 2020, Nolte posted a meme on his Facebook page that many community members found to be offensive. The post was quickly taken down, and Nolte issued an apology. On July 12, the school board voted to relieve Nolte of his duties until July 22. The board also stipulated that Nolte was to create an action plan to address the situation created by his post.

That plan included four main components.

• Implicit bias training will be identified and implemented beginning with the superintendent and Board of Education members.

• A committee will be established to advise the superintendent regarding the system’s work to foster unity and limit bias. The committee will include individuals from the local community and schools who have a diverse range of perspectives and experiences.

• School Board Policies will be reviewed to assure they promote unity and limit bias. The North Carolina School Boards Association will be used as a resource for the review. This work will begin with examining ways to address non-school displays that cause disruptions, are divisive, and hinder unity.

• Standards for selecting materials that are used to teach the NC Standard Course of Study (NCSCS) will be reviewed

ultimately be the tribe’s property.

Chairman Adam Wachacha added that the proposal was reviewed by an outside accounting firm and that three of the country’s largest financial institutions have offered lending services for the deal. He also reminded Hicks that, while the tribe might receive only about $3 million per year in direct payments, those direct payments represent only one-quarter of the entire profit. Indiana law would allow the LLC to distribute only 25 percent of profits to the tribe each year, but the remaining 75 percent would stay with the LLC and be available for use in future commercial gaming opportunities. Next time a purchase opportunity comes up, the LLC will be able to act using money it’s already saved up from the Indiana venture.

“Indiana is the most difficult state to operate in,” said Sneed. “If you can get established in Indiana, you can pretty much get licensed in any state.”

The deal has been controversial in the tribal community. While the physical chamber was nearly empty due to COVID-19 restrictions, the meeting live stream had received 867 views as of Jan. 18. An online

and revised. This review will focus on promoting unity, limiting bias, and assuring all NCSCS standards are taught.

According to School Board Chairman Chuck Francis, the school board and central office administration will undergo implicit bias training from noon to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26. The training will be led by a FranklinCovey, a consulting firm the school system has used previously for other training.

Implicit bias training is a type of program designed to expose people to their own implicit biases, introduce tools to adjust automatic patterns of thinking, and ultimately seek to eliminate discriminatory behaviors. Implicit biases are learned stereotypes that are automatic, unintentional, deeply ingrained, universal and able to influence behavior.

The training program from FranklinCovey is titled Unconscious Bias: Understanding Bias to Unleash Potential. According to FranklinCovey the objectives of the program are to identify bias, recognize the impacts of bias on behaviors, decisions and performance; cultivate connection, increase empathy and curiosity in personal interactions to surface and explore bias; and choose courage, explore ways to face bias with courage and create the space where everyone is respected, included and valued.

The committee to advise the superintendent regarding the system’s work to foster unity and limit bias was created shortly after Nolte was reinstated and according to Francis, the group has been meeting once a week most weeks.

Both school board policies and standards for selecting materials have been reviewed by the North Carolina School Board Association. Thus far everything has been determined to be legal and up to date.

petition opposing the casino deal gathered 60 signatures in 18 hours between its launch Jan. 13 and the Tribal Council discussion Jan. 14. However, some Tribal Council members said they had heard more feedback from constituents who supported the deal than from those who opposed it.

The vote to deny a formal hearing broke down along the same lines as the Dec. 17 vote to pass the resolution in the first place. However, this time the margin was wider because Vice Chairman David Wolfe, who was absent Dec. 17, was present for the vote and joined those who voted to deny the protest.

The protest was denied by a weighted vote of 56-44, with Painttown Representative Tommye Saunooke, Snowbird Representative Bucky Brown, Birdtown Representative Boyd Owle, Big Cove Representative Perry Shell, Wachacha, Wolfe and Chelsea Saunooke voting against it. In favor of hearing the resolution were Painttown Representative Dike Sneed, Yellowhill Representative Tom Wahnetah, Big Cove Representative Richard French, and the two Councilmembers who signed on to the protest, Rose and Wolfetown Representative Bo Crowe.

MONDAY-FRIDAY7:30-5:00•WAYNESVILLEPLAZA

Ingles Nutrition Notes

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

QUESTION: What does it mean when a product is advertised as "clean"?

ANSWER: There is no regulated or legal definition for the use of "clean" when it comes to the marketing of food items. While we all want to make sure the foods and beverages we buy and consume are safe to eat and are clean (i.e. free from dirt or contamination); the use of the word "clean" on everything from wine to snack items has taken on quite a different tone. Depending on the product ( or the marketing company) it may mean:

• it is organic ( which does have a legal meaning by the USDA)

• it has a limited list of ingredients

• it has no artificial ingredients

• it was minimally processed or it may mean none of those things!

Bottom Line: Because the word "clean" has no legal or regulated meaning in foods or beverages; brands may use the word "clean" when marketing products without really explaining or defining what it means. This may be done to give products an undeserved "health halo" i.e. you think the product is better for you than it actually is.

As a shopper don't be influenced by words and claims on the front of the package -- read the ingredients and check the Nutrition Facts panel for yourself.

First United Methodist talks about racism

NAACP training available to churches

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

For many, the issues of race, injustice and reconciliation of our violent history seem insurmountable. How do we solve problems of such complexity, such depth, problems that have pervaded our nation since before its founding?

At First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, the first step to addressing these problems is sitting in a circle and talking about them. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity.

Members of FUMC, along with the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, put together a course on race. Katherine Bartel, William Everett, Nancy Thompson and Louis Pogue collaborated in creating the 11-week course that over 40 people participated in recently. Now, they hope other churches and community groups in the region will use the template they’ve created.

“From my perspective, one of the goals was to create more consciousness in the community about race. And as for my role in the NAACP, I’m trying to build a community coalition that will join us in working on these issues,” said Bartel, secretary for the Haywood County NAACP.

Everett, a member of FUMC, is a retired professor of Christian social ethics. His work in roundtable worship and restorative justice helped shape the format of the course.

For almost 18 years, FUMC has been conducting round table worship, which puts circle conversations at the center of the worship experience. These are in-depth conversations that require multi-faceted responses. Round table worship is an interactive, collaborative type of worship, but the circle conversations can move beyond religious subjects to include topics like immigration, gun violence and gender inclusion.

For years now, there has been interest and curiosity about circle conversations regarding race. The community at FUMC decided to go deeper though, with a full study process that included voices beyond their walls.

“We wanted to have a process of circle conversations and study, as well as a conversation with the wider community, especially the African-American community here in Haywood County,” said Everett. “That led to the racism study that we did in the fall, which had both the circle conversations and book readings and these wider reflections with other people outside the church.”

While the history of the United States is unique in its path, breadth and forms of violence, it is not unique in harboring atrocity against its own people (and people it deemed as its own). Everett studied one of those other examples up close and personal in South Africa during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After the fallout from apartheid, he researched the work of that country’s Truth

and Reconciliation Commission in connection with religious communities.

“The spiritual heart of this enterprise was one in which people were enabled to give voice to their deepest experiences and also to seek ways of repairing the horrible damage done in apartheid, so that the two aspects of seeking the truth and remembering things rightly, as well as restoration and repair, to the extent possible are joined together,” said Everett.

Restorative justice has its roots in several indigenous groups around the world. It is once again being used as a way to reconcile with the seemingly irreconcilable: Rwanda after thegenocide in 1994, in Northern Ireland in response to paramilitary violence, in North America it is the indigenous practice of many First Nations people.

In South Africa there is also a struggle with monuments and memorials of the past and what to do about them. Memory and memorialization are tasks fraught with pain and blame in those places that harbor historical atrocities. Everett has written a great deal about memory and memorialization in South Africa.

“I listened to our Black community discuss injustices that hit close to home ... Those questions on systemic racism helped us discuss the hard issues with fresh eyes, rawness and hope.”

— Janet Clark, member, FUMC Waynesville

“That pertains of course, to our struggle here with our monuments,” said Everett. “That’s why the course of study here is so important as to try to remember rightly and then seek paths of restoration, which we have planned to do in the next stage of this.”

The course had two major components: literary study and circle conversation.

Course participants read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander and The Case for Reparations , by Ta-Nehisi Coates (The Atlantic).

“The book studies seemed really important for answering some questions and getting some education out quickly,” said Bartel. “We started with White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo because I thought it was a good idea to be introspective in the beginning and try to understand our own role in racism.”

The circle conversations were facilitated over Zoom due to pandemic restrictions.

Janet Clark is a member of FUMC Waynesville. She participated in the course on race and has participated in other circle conversations as well as round table worship at FUMC. She describes the setting of circle conversations as one of safety, where every voice is equal.

The circle conversations were organized around discussion questions. Questions about the earliest memories of people that were racially/ethnically different from oneself, how racial and ethnic identity shape important daily decisions, how people have benefitted from their family history, what responsibility we bear for the actions of ancestors, what responsibility Christians bear for the actions of the United States, where institutional racism exists, why Americans should acknowledge the nation’s history and how to contribute to racial reconciliation.

Prior to the start of the course, Bartel asked the same questions to members of the Black community and filmed their answers. For each question, the course participants would discuss first, then they would watch and listen to Black responses to the same questions. Bartel said this format allowed people to see and understand the stark difference of experience.

“We have a small African-American community and so the people that get called on over and over again for this kind of role are very tired of educating white people,” said Bartel. “They’ve done it for so long. And so often it gets to be quite a burden. So I proposed doing the videos as a way of letting them do it once and then be done. And they welcomed that format for that reason.”

Clark said that the course exceeded her expectations. She knew she wanted to participate when she realized the leadership of Everett and Bartel. Everett, she says, knows the process of bringing people together and how to have difficult conversations. Bartel

knows the Black community and how to effectively present facts and ideas to the group.

“I listened to our Black community discuss injustices that hit close to home,” said Clark. “We broke out in groups and went around in a circle discussing the questions posed to us. Those questions on systemic racism helped us discuss the hard issues with fresh eyes, rawness and hope. I learned about generational wealth and how to discuss it without defensiveness.”

Bartel said that the course participants were open and receptive.

“Circle conversation is a really wonderful and sacred approach to healing and reconciliation,” she said.

Now Bartel, Everett and the other leaders are in the process of reviewing evaluations they received from participants to look at possible revisions. They are sharing the course and its format to churches and community groups in the area in hopes of facilitating these conversations to more people.

“We’re on a constant quest to improve what we’re doing, but we are offering it to any church that’s interested in this process,” said Bartel.

The work isn’t over — that is what Bartel wants people to know. While the course work for this particular session has concluded, the last part of the course involves a discussion about reparations. Participants generated a whole list of ideas for things they can do and FUMC leadership is pursuing those ideas. The group is still working to formulate plans.

“I don’t have all the answers but I do have the heart and will to be an active part of the movement to eliminate racism and the systems it supports,” said Clark.

For churches or community groups interested in offering this program, email Bartel at haywoodcountynaacp@gmail.com.

State report calls for greater police transparency

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

Atask force founded by Gov. Roy Cooper in the wake of violent protests after the police killing of Minneapolis man George Floyd last summer makes dozens of recommendations to strengthen and support North Carolina’s law enforcement community, including several that would lead to greater transparency by law enforcement agencies.

“It’s high time that North Carolina’s open government laws move out of the basement and into the vanguard of the best open government states in the country,” said John Bussian, a Raleigh intellectual property and media attorney.

Currently, state laws make the disclosure of disciplinary records of state employees — especially police and teachers — difficult or impossible, which can perpetuate the hiring and continuing employment of so-called “bad apples.”

Unbeknownst to the general public at the time, the officer charged with the killing of Floyd, Derek Chauvin, had 18 complaints filed against him over his 19-year career.

Bussian has litigated numerous open government cases in state and federal courts across the United States, and regularly represents clients like Gannett newspapers as well as the North Carolina Press Association. One such case illustrates the debate.

In 2014, Alamance-Burlington Schools System Superintendent Lillie Cox resigned with three years remaining on her contract. After a closed session by the AlamanceBurlington Board of Education, Cox was given $200,000 in severance and entered into a nondisparagement agreement with the board. No reason was given for her resignation.

The Burlington Times-News requested minutes of the closed-session proceedings as well as communications between the board and Cox. The board provided heavily-redacted minutes and said that state law prohibited the further discussion of their decision making in what was, essentially, a personnel matter.

Bussian filed suit on behalf of the TimesNews Publishing Company but in 2017 an appeals court supported the board’s right to withhold the information.

The same statutes that protect teachers also protect police officers, as well as other public employees. Right now, they allow only for the release of what Bussian calls, “name, rank and serial number” information.

“Contrary to how the public records law works in every other aspect where the presumption is that you have access to the records, instead what we have is a series of state statutes that apply to state employees, county, city, school board, et cetera and they specify the only things that you’re allowed to see,” he said. “It kind of flips the public records law on its head, instead of presuming that it’s all open, they tell you that you

may only see these things in a government personnel file — the name, the position, the day of the last promotion suspension or termination and I’m paraphrasing here, how much that employee is paid.”

North Carolina is one of relatively few states that still maintain such a tight hold on employee personnel files, although there are sometimes valid reasons to withhold information.

“It’s in the public interest across the board because that inspires confidence in the people who occupy positions of trust in state and local government, because people know who they’re getting when they hire somebody, and they know why somebody had to be fired or demoted or suspended.”

— John Bussian, Raleigh intellectual property and media attorney

Last July, Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher told The Smoky Mountain News that in his 30 years with the North Carolina Highway Patrol he’d investigated hundreds of complaints. While some were valid and dealt with appropriately, including by firings, others were simply sour grapes by people upset that they’d been stopped.

Of Chauvin’s 18 career complaints, only two resulted in disciplinary action. Perhaps that was appropriate, perhaps not, but at the time of his interaction with Floyd, the public didn’t really know for sure.

“It’s in the public interest across the board because that inspires confidence in the people who occupy positions of trust in state and local government, because people know who they’re getting when they hire somebody, and they know why somebody had to be fired or demoted or suspended,” Bussian said. “That inspires trust in the people that are running state and local government. When you use the example of teachers, it inspires confidence that when merit pay is awarded, it’s being awarded for the right reason.”

It’s also an accountability issue, according to the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice. Established just weeks removed from Floyd’s killing, the 23-person group was co-chaired by N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein and N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls. After dozens of meetings during the second

half of 2020, it issued more than 120 recommendations to Cooper on Dec. 14, 2020.

Very broadly, those recommendations now challenge lawmakers to reimagine public safety, to improve policing practices, to strengthen the profession as a whole, to illuminate racial disparities in the courts, to promote post-conviction racial equity and to enhance accountability.

One recommendation specifically proposes displaying information about officer discipline and decertification through a publicly available database, but there aren’t any specific recommendations about changing public records statutes regarding government personnel records.

Some Western North Carolina state legislators have been on record as supporting such changes last summer, including Rep. Karl Gillespie, R-Franklin.

“Yes, I support transparency in all levels of government,” said Gillespie. “It is my understanding that suspended and decertified information on officers has always been available from the Sheriffs’ Standards Division and the Criminal Justice Standards Division. I am also under the impression that these will soon be available via their website. This should make access to the information quicker and easier.”

Gillespie noted that certain personnel information, like residential addresses and Social Security numbers, should remain private, and there aren’t likely to be any proposals affecting that information.

Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, echoed comments made in 2020 with a general

stamp of approval.

“Overall my feeling is any kind of disciplinary or decertification information about police officers or anybody else working for the public should be public information,” he said.

Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, said he’s hoping for an appointment to the Judiciary Committee this biennium, but either way, he’s looking forward to fielding official recommendations from the task force.

“There are a lot of solutions that address real issues and concerns,” he said.

Newly-elected Rep. Mark Pless, RCanton, remains leery of the effect such a database might have on law enforcement personnel and first responders.

“The concern I have is [the task force report] not once provides an incident in North Carolina that showed we should have such a database,” said Pless. “I didn’t see any recommendation about providing a database to track how we help the officers who see unimaginable things on a daily basis and gauge how effective that help has been.”

Pless said he’s also concerned with what positive accomplishments might result from opening up personnel records.

“Given how easily people attack others they disagree with just for the sport of it, seeing all the keyboard warriors who live to attack anyone that doesn’t agree with their belief system — even simple articles written in our local papers bring out mean, nasty and personal attacks — I fail to see anything good coming from such a law,” he said.

Frustrations mount over vaccine roll out

BY J ESSI STONE

N EWS E DITOR

Rural counties in Western North Carolina are feeling the frustrations with the national COVID-19 roll out plan.

County health departments are overworked and understaffed as they attempt to follow the changing protocols and requirements associated with COVID testing and vaccinations.

“It’s been a disaster, the vaccine (rollout) has — it’s not our fault but we have to deal with it,” said Macon County Commissioner Ronnie Beale during a Jan. 12 meeting. “If the federal government and the state don’t function, we still have to function at the county level.”

Macon commissioners said they were receiving complaints from constituents who have been trying to make a vaccination appointment through the health department. When they call, they either get a busy signal or are put through to voicemail.

Macon Health Director Kathy McGaha said the health department received over 400 phone calls in one day for testing and had nearly 700 voicemails.

“Were going to stop taking voice mails because we can’t return all of them,” she said. Even with 15 phone lines and people manning those lines all day, there are still people who can’t get through to make an appointment and are getting frustrated because their phone calls aren’t being returned.

As of Jan. 12, McGaha said vaccine appointments have been booked out through the end of the month. Meanwhile, counties are at the mercy of the state when it comes to how many vaccines the health department will receive and they can only order 100-200 vaccines at a time. Many residents 75 and older, who have received a vaccine during the first phase of the roll out, will need to be given their second dose in the upcoming weeks — an additional layer to the work needing to be done at the health department.

“With the numbers, obviously we’ve seen a surge here just like the whole state and nation has seen. As of today, we’ve had 2,100 cases in Macon County. It’s hard to imagine we’d get to this point but we have as a response to the holiday gatherings,” McGaha told commissioners.

At this point in the process, the health department would like to focus more on vaccinations but after the holidays, the demand for testing has significantly increased and the staff has to split its time between vaccines and testing. McGaha told commissioners they could duplicate their staff in order to test and vaccinate all week and still would probably not meet the demand. However, she’s been advertising to hire more nurses for months and still hasn’t been able to fill the positions.

“We have a few staff members out each week who are in quarantine because life happens to us too,” she said.

With the post-holiday spike in cases, Beale said it’s easy to understand why there have

been so many phone calls and concerns directed to the health department. People — especially elderly populations — are scared and anxious about getting the vaccine as soon as possible. He said the county needed to make it the top priority right now despite confusion and slow implementation from the state.

“Whatever you need, we’ll support you. We have 300 something employees and there’s nothing more important right now,” he told McGaha. “Let’s make it happen.”

“Convince me why that’s not important to release that information, especially right now,” Beale said.

McGaha said COVID cases are so rampant in the community that people should just assume it’s everywhere and take necessary precautions or stay home. She added that doing the contact tracing needed to identify clusters was time-consuming and she would have to pull employees away from testing and vaccinating in order to continue to

that’s all they’ve received from the state.

“As a county, we’re far behind and it troubles me that there’s been no effort from these rural communities to make sure they’re getting enough doses for their people,” said Commission Chairman Ben Bushyhead. Cochran said they were at the mercy of the state and can only receive 100 to 200 doses at a time, which has prevented the county from holding any kind of large-scale vaccination clinic. She said Mountain View Manor nursing home had been vaccinated and that Bryson City Living would be vaccinated the weekend of Jan. 16. Mountain View Manor recently had an outbreak of at least 12 cases, she added.

County Manager Derek Roland said he was doing everything he could to offer assistance to health department staff. Emergency Services has been sending EMTs to help with vaccinations a couple days a week. Emergency Services has also assisted with organizing and manning off-site testing spots in the community to help the health department.

McGaha said she needed the board’s permission to allow her salaried employees to work and get paid overtime hours. She said she’s also hopeful some of the burden on the health department would be lifted in the coming weeks as more private providers and pharmacies in the community go through the process to be able to vaccinate as well.

Dr. Joseph Willoughby told commissioners his staff was working through the process online, but the process was arduous.

“As a private practice, we have to register through the website and we’ve run into roadblocks. We’ve been working on it for a week and we can’t find a person to talk to that can tell us how to get to the next step,” he said.

Once private providers are in the system, they should receive their own shipment of vaccines. McGaha said she hopes that doesn’t cut into the health department’s supply from the state.

“And from what I understand, the hospitals don’t even have enough vaccines to vaccinate their staff right now,” she added.

As far as navigating people through the vaccine process, McGaha said the county IT Department was working to set up a way for residents to sign up through the website to avoid more unanswered phone calls. As of Jan 19, that registration form is available at www.maconnc.org.

Commissioners have also received constituent complaints about Macon Health’s recent press release stating that it would no longer be reporting COVID clusters to the public.

identify and report the clusters.

“I have to decide what the most pressing issue is so I’m asking the community to do what they need to do because we don’t have the time to investigate everything,” she said. “If we find a cluster, we report to the state, but we can’t call every patient and find out who they were around anymore.”

“As a county, we’re far behind and it troubles me that there’s been no effort from these rural communities to make sure they’re getting enough doses for their people.”

— Swain County Commission Chairman Ben Bushyhead

Because CARES Act funds helped the county cover some salary costs associated with COVID, the county does have funds available in the budget, around $100,000, to help the health department with additional costs. The commissioners authorized the county manager to appropriate additional funds to help them through the COVID crisis. Roland will also help locate someone to serve as a volunteer coordinator to help McGaha manage people willing to volunteer to answer phones or nurses willing to volunteer to do testing or vaccinations. The board will hear an update from McGaha at a Feb. 4 meeting.

The Swain County Health Department is experiencing similar frustrations regarding the state’s vaccination roll out process. Health Director Alison Cochran told commissioners at a Jan. 14 meeting that the health department had administered 400 doses of the vaccine and

Like McGaha, Cochran said she hoped the burden would be lifted as more pharmacies and private providers get registered to vaccinate through the state.

“We have a volunteer list for nursing and we’re using those people, but this week we had four to five people out every day for various reasons,” Cochran said.

In Haywood County, the health department finished the bulk of those registered in vaccination group 1A, which included doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and doctor and dentist office staff members. Now it is in the process of vaccinating those in the 75 and older group — 1B.

The first mass vaccination clinic was held last week with a goal of vaccinating 500 people. In all, 850 were vaccinated at the one-day event, including Waynesville police officers, and some of the remaining people from the 1A group.

To date, nearly 2,000 people have been vaccinated in Haywood County, through either appointments at Haywood Regional Medical Center or Haywood Health and Human Services or off-site vaccination clinics.

“After overcoming some initial hiccups, the first mass vaccination event, held Wednesday, was very successful. We were able to vaccinate more than 800 people in a single day, the most significant mass vaccination event since the days of polio. A huge thanks to the many Haywood County agencies, staff and volunteers that helped pull off this event,” said Interim Health Director Garron Bradish.

Going forward, Haywood County Health and Human Services is partnering with Haywood Regional Medical Center on a series of weekly vaccine clinics that will continue to expand the county’s capacity for vaccine distribution as we move into the next groups.

These clinics will serve those on the preregistry list who have been contacted with an appointment time, and will not be open to the public or to walk-ins. Instructions on how to participate will be given when appointment times are scheduled.

Pre-registration is now open for those 65 and older.

COVID surge continues in Haywood County

As of Tuesday, Jan. 19, Haywood County Public Health received notice of 130 new cases of COVID-19 within the last four days.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has recorded a total of 2,906 cases in Haywood County since the pandemic began. There are 461 people isolating with COVID-19. The health department is monitoring these cases.

The health department is continuing to track the trend of people who refuse or ignore case monitoring or contact efforts. There are 48 such uncooperative positive cases now that may be ignoring the advice to isolate from others. Since the health department started tracking this number there have been 135 such cases considered released, meaning all attempts to communicate with them have been exhausted and the isolation period based on positive result date has passed.

“It’s been almost a year now that we’ve been coping with this pandemic and it’s natural to feel frustrated and tired as it continues this long, but we want to urge patience at this time as vaccines begin to roll out. Many people are enthusiastic about the prospect of getting vaccinated and we want to encourage that enthusiasm while reminding people even at maximum capacity, it will take some time for vaccines to be available to everyone.

Resuming court proceedings now in local hands

Newly elected Chief Justice Paul Newby wants judicial districts, not state officials, deciding when and how to resume full court functions, including jury trials.

This week, Newby said he believes key coronavirus-connected safety decisions are better made at the local level, by judges, and not in Raleigh.

He suggested court officials consult with local health directors and examine other data.

“We will be following the lead of our two senior resident superior court judges and the chief district judge,” District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said. “They fully understand the dangers of COVID-19 and the continued need for appropriate safety precautions.”

The 43rd Prosecutorial District has two senior resident judges: Bradley B. Letts oversees 30B, made up of Haywood and Jackson counties; Bill Coward oversees 30A, made up of Macon, Clay, Cherokee, Graham and Swain counties.

Chief District Judge Roy Wijewickrama oversees all district courts, including

Please be patient and wait for your group’s turn, everyone will have their chance soon, ” said Interim Health Director Garron Bradish.

Vaccination is now well underway for people over the age of 75 in the 1B category. Although the county has not been allotted enough doses to cover this entire group at once, appointments are being scheduled in large groups, dependent upon vaccine availability. If you or a loved one over the age of 65 need to register, do so at www.haywoodcountync.gov/vaccine or by calling 828.356.2019.

“If you have tested positive and you have friends or family that meet the close contact criteria, encourage them to self-quarantine and get tested 5-6 days after their exposure to you. Our end goal is to reduce community spread, so one day we can all be together again,” said Bradish. “Since we have placed a hold on monitoring close contacts, we can’t currently provide quarantine documentation for employers. Businesses need to be mindful that having quarantined employees return to work too quickly could cause a cluster of cases in the workplace. We ask that employers rely on the honor system and encourage employees who have been exposed to quarantine for the recommended time frame of 14 days from the date of exposure to help us reduce the spread during this surge of cases.”

social services, juvenile, domestic and district criminal.

“I ask that local judicial officials and employees conduct trials and other proceedings and perform other courthouse functions with caution and with due regard for the COVID-19 situation in their respective judicial districts,” the chief justice’s order states.

Newby also clarified a previous regulation implemented by his predecessor, Cheri Beasley.

"She empowered judges in jury trials with the authority to order jurors or testifying witnesses to remove face coverings so that their facial expressions can be observed. Now, under Newby’s guidance, any presiding judicial officials in any trial or proceeding can order the removal of face coverings."

Welch said the 43rd Prosecutorial District’s offices will be open, though employees who can work from home will continue to do so.

In the fall, Beasley allowed jury trials to resume under state-approved safety plans. In mid-December, with an increase statewide of people infected with COVID19, she delayed most court proceedings until Jan. 13.

Newby has requested that the governor’s office prioritize court personnel in the COVID-19 vaccination schedule.

Vaccine distribution ramps up in Jackson

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

As the afternoon sun sank in the wintry sky Jan. 15, a line of first responders stretched 50-deep outside the front door of the Cullowhee Recreation Center, each person waiting their turn to participate in the first mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic to take place in Jackson County.

“It’s just a weight lifted now,” said Sergeant Detective Brittany Thompson of the Western Carolina University Police Department, as she left the clinic around 5 p.m.

She’d arrived 10 minutes before the fourhour clinic began at 4 p.m. After making her way through the line, she entered the rec center, received her dose — it didn’t hurt, she said — and sat in one of the spaced-out chairs in the gym where vaccine recipients were asked to wait for 15 minutes, allowing health department staff to watch for any adverse reactions.

Thompson, 31, said she was excited for the opportunity to get vaccinated but that it was a more complicated decision for her than for most. She’s 18 weeks pregnant, and while experts believe that mRNA vaccines like the Moderna dose Thompson received are unlikely to pose a risk to either the mother or the baby, actual data on the topic are extremely limited at this point. After talking with her doctors and her husband, Thompson ultimately decided to get the shot.

“We’re very pro-vaccine. We missed our families,” said Thompson, whose father is currently undergoing chemotherapy. “We haven’t been able to see them a lot, so we’re just ready for stuff to get back to normal.”

Brad Rice, a volunteer with the CashierGlenville Fire Department, said family concerns also drove his decision to get the vaccine.

“I was a little skeptical,” he admitted. “My wife’s a nurse and she made me feel a little better about it, explaining it to me. I mean, without knowing anything, new stuff you kind of push away, but my father-in-law lives with me and he’s 86. That’s the main reason. If it wasn’t for him living there I probably wouldn’t get it for a little while and let all these older people get it first, but I’m just trying to protect him.”

As it stands, Rice, 41, arrived early and was the 15th person to get vaccinated last Friday.

Meanwhile, the long line of people waiting their turn moved slowly closer to the door. Lieutenant John Beegle of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Stephanie Dinn of Jackson County 911 both said they had no second thoughts about getting their dose.

“It’s available. I’m going to get it,” said Dinn. “I was waiting for it.”

SCRAMBLE TO VACCINATE

In total, the health department administered 200 first doses of the Moderna vaccine

during last week’s clinic, which served as a rough run of sorts for staff to get their process down for future mass vaccination clinics.

As vaccine supply allows, the county will offer drive-thru vaccination clinics 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Jackson County Department on Aging — at the first drive-thru clinic Jan. 19, 300 people were scheduled to receive a shot. Pre-registration for the clinics is required by calling 828.631.HELP or completing the form at forms.gle/NtPSjjSJSVQMPTD26.

To date, the health department has received 800 vaccine doses from the state, said Director Shelley Carraway, and it has administered 820 doses — Harris Regional Hospital gave the department some of its

Vaccination in WNC

*Dose numbers from NCDHHS as of noon Jan. 18. Population figures based on 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

allotment in order to cover the shortfall. The health department and the hospital will soon get additional help with vaccine distribution, as Blue Ridge Community Health Care and Western Carolina University recently became providers.

Additionally, the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation is receiving vaccine doses from Mission Health and is planning its own clinics on the plateau. The first one will take place 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, and registration information is available at www.highlandscashiershealthfoundation.org.

Currently, Jackson County is receiving Moderna vaccines only, which require a second shot 28 days after the first. The county is working on planning events to handle second doses, said Carraway, and expects to receive its first shipment of second doses soon. An exciting note is that WCU will be receiving its own separate vaccine allocation from the state, and the University of North Carolina System is providing it with an ultra-cold freezer capable of handling the Pfizer vaccine — its storage requirements have been a challenge for rural communities.

Last week, Jackson County changed its vaccine distribution plan to align with revisions to state guidelines. The population is now divided into five priority groups for vaccination, with the first two currently eligible for vaccination. Those groups include health-

First responders line up outside the Cullowhee Recreation Center Jan. 15 (top) to receive their first COVID-19 vaccination shot. Holly Kays photo Clinic staff monitor patients for 15 minutes after they receive the shot (above) to watch for adverse reactions. Melissa McKnight/JCDPH photo

care workers with in-person patient contact, staff and residents at long-term care facilities and anyone 65 or older.

Next up will be frontline essential workers, then adults at high risk for exposure and increased risk of illness and then finally anyone else who has not yet received a vaccine. While there is no specific timeline for moving from phase to phase, Carraway said that she doesn’t expect to move on to Group 3 until early-to-mid March. There is no way to predict how many doses Jackson County will receive in any given week, but the department has been averaging 200 per week. However, changes to state rules mean that communities that are more efficient in getting vaccines administered are rewarded with increased doses, so Carraway hopes to see that allocation increase as drive-thru clinics ramp up.

According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, in Jackson County 923 people had received the first dose

in the two-dose vaccine regimen as of noon Jan. 18, with 53 people in the county having taken both doses. That is a significant increase from the report for noon Jan. 13, when 559 people had received the first dose and 46 people had completed the vaccine course. However, it’s still a drop in the bucket compared to the total population — only 2.1 percent of the county’s estimated 43,938 residents has received at least one shot. It’s a similar story in nearby counties. In Macon County, 722 people have received a first dose and 72 people have completed the course, while in Swain County only 423 people had received a first dose with four people completing the course. Haywood County’s numbers are higher, with 2,302 people receiving the first dose and 511 people completing the course as of Jan. 18.

Statewide, 344,456 people have received a first dose and 60,073 people have completed the vaccine series.

ADDRESSING A

STAFFING SHORTAGE

In Jackson County, staffing issues have significantly impacted the health department’s ability to monitor cases and contact tracing while also launching the vaccination effort. Currently, the health department has six nursing positions — including one supervisory nurse — but only three are filled. Recently, the department has been limping along with just two nurses on staff because one person was out for medical reasons.

The problem, County Manager Don Adams told commissioners during a Jan. 12 work session, is a competitive hiring environment and a lacking county pay policy.

“Right now when we hire a nurse, we cannot give that nurse one-to-one credit for their experience, meaning they could have been a nurse for five years at the hospital, but they would be counted as indirect experience and only given a one-to-two step increase,” he said.

Public health positions already pay less than public-sector nursing jobs, and the indirect experience policy doesn’t help. The county is simply not receiving any applications for these vacant positions — it’s been advertising one of them since November, to no avail.

In addition to improving hiring strategies for full-time nursing positions, the county is also considering part-time hires to help with the coronavirus response effort. Adams said that he’s heard from paramedics and retired nurses who would be willing to assist.

“What this does is it gives the Health Department access to medically trained individuals relatively quickly when needed in order for them to walk in and be of benefit,” he said. “It’s that type of part-time assistant we’re looking for.”

Help is on the way.

During their Jan. 19 meeting, commissioners unanimously approved two items aiming to address these issues.

The first, an amendment to the county’s pay policy, allows the county manager to give one-to-one experience credit to registered nurses and nurse practitioners seeking employment with the health department. In order to receive credit, applicants must be licensed and working full-time in the field at the time of application. Only consecutive years of licensed employment in North Carolina would count as direct experience.

Commissioners also approved a hiring policy change that will sunset when the ongoing State of Emergency is lifted. During this time, the county manager will be able to set pay rates “in accordance with market demands” and to offer salaries above Step 12 on the county’s pay scale without seeking approval from commissioners.

More immediately, members of the N.C. National Guard are slated to arrive in Jackson County next week to help with the vaccination effort. Carraway said Jan. 19 she was promised a total of six people who will assist with vaccination, data entry and other tasks. All of their time and expenses will be paid for, and they will supply their own laptops as well. They will be on site for at least a month.

your friendly, local blue box — smoky mountain news

Alcohol referendum questions tabled

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Atrio of resolutions seeking to put three alcohol-related referendum questions before Cherokee voters this year was withdrawn in Tribal Council Jan. 14 but will likely reappear on the agenda this spring.

Tribal Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Chairman Pepper Taylor told Tribal Council that his board hoped to place the questions on the ballot for either the June 3 Primary Election or the Sept. 2 General Election, but tribal law states that referendum votes must be carried out within 90 days of the resolution being ratified. If Tribal Council had approved the resolutions Jan. 14, then the referendum vote would have had to occur by the end of April. Council agreed to revisit the issue in March or April to discuss placing the issue on the June ballot.

Additionally, Legislative Counsel Carolyn West recommended that Tribal Council itself submit the proposed resolutions in order to avoid the more involved petition-based process required for questions proposed by other parties. The TABCC submitted the resolutions discussed Jan. 14.

The resolutions proposed bringing three questions before the voters:

• Do you support allowing the Tribal ABC Commission to operate an ABC package store to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages on tribal lands?

• Do you support expanding the sales of malt beverages at retail establishments (grocery or convenience stores) within the Qualla Boundary?

• Do you support expanding the sales of malt beverages and wines at restaurants, hotels and other business establishments within the Qualla Boundary?

None of the 12 council members spoke against the proposal when it was introduced last week, though Birdtown Representative Boyd Owle was the only member to speak explicitly in favor.

“This is diversification right here in our own backyard,” Owle said.

Other council members discussed potential uses for additional revenues flowing from any future expansion of alcohol sales. Chairman Adam Wachacha suggested that council members use the next few months to speak with their constituents about how that money might be best used. Education and substance abuse treatment programs could be potential recipients of the funds, he said.

Representative Chelsea Saunooke. “I think it would be a good idea, and with that community input there may be more buy-in for the sale of alcohol on the Boundary, or there might not be. But either way I think that allocation needs some attention. We need to have it set so we know where it’s going.”

have begun offering alcoholic beverages in recent years. This is due to the combination of a 2011 tribal law and a 2015 state law, which together meant that the TABCC could grant permits to establishments located within 1.5 miles of a Blue Ridge Parkway on-ramp, and for one-time events such as festivals, among other select situations.

“I think it would be good if we did have this time to go out and possibly get some suggestions on where this money could potentially be invested, as far as what line items and what programs,” agreed Wolfetown

Alcohol has long been a polarizing issue in Cherokee, which operated its casino dry for a full 12 years before its members finally voted in 2009 to allow alcohol sales on casino property — but nowhere else. However, despite tribal members repeatedly striking down additional referenda seeking to expand its availability, an increasing number of restaurants located off of casino property

The tribe held referenda asking voters to loosen restrictions off casino property in both 2012 and 2018 — and both efforts failed. Tribal law states that “no decision approved or denied by the voters on an issue shall be reconsidered by Tribal Council for two years.” Because the last referendum vote on the issue took place in May 2018, that two-year waiting period has been satisfied.

The 2018 referendum, which sought approval for a tribally owned package and ABC store, failed on two fronts when it received a turnout of less than 30 percent and an approval percentage less than 51 percent. Only 47.4 percent of voters said yes to the question, and turnout clocked in at only 25.56 percent. However, that referendum vote took place in a special election — placing the question on a Primary or General Election ballot would likely yield greater participation.

New director takes reins at Folkmoot

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

Like any organization that brings people together, Folkmoot USA had a difficult 2020. Without the ability for travel or gathering, there was no chance for the annual international festival or any of the other in-person programming planned throughout the year. During that time of cutbacks, former Executive Director Angie Schwab resigned to begin other work.

In the holiday newsletter, Board President Elizabeth Teague said “We wish Angie well in her new endeavor and appreciate that she has maintained her leadership as the President of the North American Chapter of CIOFF — the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts — with the gracious support of the Board Emeritus Rolph Kaufman.”

Nonprofits partner to provide PPP

Mountain BizWorks is once again partnering with Dogwood Health Trust in a targeted effort to provide increased access to another round of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for nonprofits, small businesses, sole proprietors and independent contractors in the region, with a focus on rural and minority and women-led organizations.

“Round 2” of the forgivable loan program — or PPP 2.0 — was recently injected with $284 billion in funding and is accepting applications from first and second-time borrowers. The Mountain BizWorks region-

since he was 16 years old, and after he began playing professionally, the skill took him around the world and culminated in two Grammy nominations.

“I’ve been to just about every country in Europe, played in all 50 states in America. I’ve been all over Canada, I’ve been to Australia and Malaysia,” said Fields. “I think that about covers it. I haven’t been down into South America and Mexico yet, but I really want to go.”

In 2006, Fields started the Black Pot Festival, a cook-off and music festival that hosts bands from all over the U.S., Canada and Australia.

“It’s a camping festival. People play music for each other in the campgrounds and cook for each other. The bands perform on three different stages. This past year would have been our 15th year, and we produced an online festival,” Fields said.

For the past four years, Fields has been working with the nonprofit organization Louisiana Folk Roots that works to preserve the culture of Southern Louisiana. Part of its work included a week-long immersion.

“People would come down and we’d spend a week in the woods playing Cajun music and Creole, Zydeco music, learning how to cook the food, learning all the dances, the language, the songs and local characters, kind of immersing folks from other parts of the world in our culture here.”

Jumping in to fill the vacancy is incoming Executive Director Glenn Fields. He is a native son of Southern Louisiana and grew up in Baton Rouge. From a young age, Fields says he was fascinated with music, obsessed even. Despite that passion he entered the professional world, following in his father’s footsteps as an engineer. He never thought he could make it as a musician, he says, because he didn’t personally know any professionals — anybody making their living off that beloved art form.

After being laid off due to a downturn in the industry, Fields found those people and began traveling the world as a professional musician. He had been playing the drums

al application process for all applicants opens on Monday, Jan. 18. Information and application materials can be found at www.mountainbizworks.org/ppp.

PPP 2.0 allows certain eligible borrowers that previously received a PPP loan to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan. A borrower is generally eligible for a Second Draw PPP Loan if the borrower previously received a First Draw PPP Loan and will or has used the full amount only for authorized uses, has no more than 300 employees; and can demonstrate at least a 25 percent reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020.

Full information on Mountain BizWorks’ PPP 2.0 program can be found at mountainbizworks.org/ppp.

“I found out more about what Folkmoot does, and I had never heard of the organization before, but I started doing a lot of research and was very, very impressed,” said Fields. “I’m super excited to get involved in an organization that’s been around for this long, and has been able to bring folks from all over the world right there to Waynesville.”

Fields says he is planning for a few different contingencies. Though he is hopeful that 2021 will improve with the dissemination of the vaccine, no one knows what the future holds. Outdoor events, short festivals, U.S. based ethnic groups are all within the realm of possibilities.

“I’m hoping that people will understand where we’re at and just continue to support Folkmoot because it is so special,” said Fields.

With his background working with local cultures and communities in south Louisiana, Fields says he looks forward to engaging Western North Carolina culture as part of Folkmoot. He is also excited about operating in the Folkmoot Friendship Center, the old Hazelwood school.

As the pandemic settled in, Fields realized he would have to lay himself off from the executive director position of Louisiana Folk Roots and began looking for other work.

“I think there’s a lot of fun opportunities for me as a music fan, visual arts, dance and movement fan to program some really cool things in the theater there,” he said. If folks want to get in touch with Fields about volunteering, questions they may have, or sharing stories about being involved in the past, they can email him at glenn@folkmoot.org and he will be happy to talk.

Castle venue opens in Tuckasegee

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors recently held a ribbon cutting/grand opening ceremony Castle Ladyhawke at Bear Lake Reserve, located at 77 Castle Ridge Road, in Tuckasegee.

Castle Ladyhawke is a Scottish border castle set against the pristine backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains just 20 minutes north of Cashiers and 20 minutes south of Sylva. It is beyond expansive and dramatic, with sweeping views and rustic elegance. The venue will host weddings and special events for up to 150 guests.

For more information, visit www.castleladyhawke.com, call 833.522.7853 or visit their Facebook page.

Mountain BizWorks receives grant

Mountain BizWorks, a U.S. Treasury certified nonprofit community development financial institution, recently announced that it has received an Open for Business grant from Wells Fargo Foundation.

The grant enables Mountain BizWorks to further its programs to help local businesses survive and rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the support will expand BizWorks’ Catalyst Program to assist entrepreneurs that might lack access to bank lending opportunities.

The grant is intended to utilize capital, technical assistance, and technology to grow equitable small business success in the face of COVID-19. The support from Wells Fargo provides COVID-19 relief funding to businesses owned by people of color and low-income individuals.

Since March of this year, Mountain BizWorks has deployed over $42 million in COVID-19 relief funding to small businesses, nearly ten times the amount of lending it did in all of 2019.

To learn more about small business loan funds and other learning programs, visit www.mountainbizworks.org.

Business webinars offered through HCC

The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a free online series for those looking to start a small business. The series will include learning opportunities on key topics ranging from writing a business plan and financing to marketing and bookkeeping. Not just for new or aspiring business owners, these webinars are sure to benefit established business owners as well.

How to Write a Business Plan will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9. Learn how to turn your ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success. Attendees will walk through the compo-

nents of a business plan to help you lay the foundation for success.

Marketing Your Business will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16. Discover how to most effectively and efficiently use the many marketing tools available.

Basics of Bookkeeping will be held 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. Gain a workable knowledge of how to properly record financial transactions for your business. Financing Your Small Business will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 23. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of funding sources and how to choose the right one for your needs.

Visit sbc.haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 for additional information or to register.

Franklin’s Awards Banquet postponed

Franklin’s Annual Awards Banquet is an evening to recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations for the work they have accomplished in the community.

The 2020 nominations for Citizen of the Year, Duke Citizenship Award, Youth Citizen of the Year, Organization of the Year, and Chamber Member of the Year have been received and winners will be decided soon. Winners will be announced and awards presented later this year when the banquet can be rescheduled.

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted to postpone the banquet until later in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions set forth by the North Carolina Governor.

Jackson Tech Repair now operating

Jackson Tech Repair services smart phones, tablets, computers, as well as custom builds. They also offer IT services to local businesses and tailor them to your needs. For more information, call 828.477.4857, email jtrsylva@gmail.com or visit them on Facebook.

New Macon wedding venue opens

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon ceremony to celebrate the opening of Double R Wedding Vows and Event Center to the Franklin business community.

The venue is located in the pristine Nantahala Forest on 20 acres just west of Franklin. Double R Wedding Vows and Event Center offers both indoor and multiple outdoor locations for weddings, anniversary parties and reunions for 75 guests, as well as, accommodations for up to 16 guests.

The little white church was built to replicate an old-fashioned country church but with modern design and sits next to the clear running water of Buck Creek. The babbling creek is visible from every seat in the church and is a tranquil and soothing backdrop.

Buck Creek Station is a multi-functional pavilion near the chapel and is a common area for receptions and gatherings. The interior boasts a large wood burning fireplace with plenty of room for a dance floor, food and bar area, music and tables, this building will be one of the most popular gathering areas for your guests.

Call 833.933.2877 for a free tour and pricing information or visit www.doublerweddings.com.

Harrah’s Cherokee committed to giving

In a time when it was needed most, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos remained unwavering in its commitment to supporting employees and local communities by showcasing generosity, compassion and perseverance through the difficulties of

2020.

In 2020, employees of Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos and their families accumulated over 26,000 volunteer hours through the company’s H.E.R.O. (Harrah’s Employees Reaching Out) program. Employees volunteered with local organizations including Jackson County Neighbors in Need, Swain Cancer Support, Rotary Club of Asheville, Valley River Humane Society and Sarge’s Animal Rescue.

In addition to their volunteer efforts, employees also made notable monetary contributions including a $23,900 donation to Lunchbox Heroes, a program that helps provide school lunches to students in Jackson, Swain, Graham, Cherokee, Haywood, Macon and Clay counties, and a $10,500 donation to PAWS Animal Shelter. Furthermore, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos supported local nonprofit organizations through sponsorship donations, totaling over $146,000 in cash and services for 2020.

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the company temporarily closed its doors as a precautionary measure due to COVID-19. For the next month, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos continued to pay its team members in an effort to help reduce financial burdens. For the year, the company disbursed over $183 million in salaries, wages and benefits for its 3,300 employees.

Continuing their efforts to support the local economy and local businesses, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos also paid over $35 million for contracts and services in addition to contracting over 43,000 area hotel rooms to help accommodate guests.

Haywood gets 5G technology

UScellular first brought wireless communications to Western North Carolina in 1987, and now, customers across the area can access the latest in wireless technology with the deployment of the company’s 5G network. The initial coverage includes much of Haywood County, in particular the areas around Clyde.

Other areas of WNC with access to 5G include portions of Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, and Yancey counties. Access also has expanded regionally to include Tennessee, totaling more than 50 UScellular 5G sites throughout Tennessee and North Carolina.

“UScellular customers in Western North Carolina will have access to even faster data connection speeds for a better experience on city streets, country roads and in their homes,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for UScellular in western North Carolina. “We encourage our new and current customers to check out the growing number of 5G smartphones and connected devices in our portfolio, so they can benefit as we expand our 5G network.”

A 5G coverage map is available at https://www.uscellular.com/coverage-map. This will be updated as more 5G network coverage is added. For more information about UScellular’s 5G network, go to www.uscellular.com/5G.

For at least a while, all the noise stopped

Short escapes from all of the noise coming from everywhere are so refreshing, so worthwhile.

The holidays were a fantastic time at our home. Lori and I and our children and their partners had been spending time together since the pandemic started, had been tested, and so we felt safe getting together. My birthday is Dec. 18, a week before Christmas, so from then until New Year’s Day we had children visiting, excursions out and about, long dinners and a relatively busy holiday. Great times, especially in this year when so much was not normal.

Our youngest, Liam, left for his place in Charlotte on Jan. 2, a Saturday. By the time he departed around 11 a.m., it had turned into a gorgeous winter day. Temperatures were approaching 60, there was no rain in the forecast, and there were so many chores that needed attention after the holidays.

“Let’s go camping,” Lori suggested, out of the blue. My wife is a worker, someone who can get more done in a couple hours than most can in a day. But she’s also spontaneous , someone who gets the urge to do something and wants to make it happen right then. I didn’t jump up and say what a great idea it was, but I did begin to ponder where we could go and how long it would take to get our stuff together.

“Backpacking or car camping?” I asked.

“We haven’t backpacked in a long time,” Lori responded.

People must be held accountable

To the Editor:

Let’s look at the definitions.

Sedition: “conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state.”

Terrorism: “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.”

The Trump “rally” was clearly sedition, and the subsequent riot was clearly terrorism. Those who spoke at the rally are clearly guilty of sedition.

The entire rally was based on the lie that the election was stolen from Trump. No one has presented any evidence that there was voter fraud of any magnitude during the 2020 election. If there had been enough fraud to change the outcome of the election there would be evidence of that. There is none.

The objective of the sedition and subsequent terrorism was clearly intended to steal the election from Biden and Harris. This is irrefutable if you listened to the speeches and watched the videos of the terrorist riot. The intent of the sedition and terrorism was to overturn the votes of the majority of voters. This was no protest. The objective was to disrupt the functioning of the government and clear indications are that there was the intent by at least some to harm or kill elected officials. The noose erected to hang Vice Pesident Pence was not just symbolic. Additionally, the bombs and arms brought to the capitol by the rioters were for terrorism not peaceful protests. The events of January 6 are clearly sedition and terrorism. These people are no patriots of the USA.

“Let’s do it.”

So we did. Out came the packs, tent and sleeping bags and mats, cookware and stove, water bottles and camelbacks, food, coffee, and all the clothes and extras we’d need. As we stuffed our packs we made a vague plan to head to the Parkway and toward Shining Rock, the Art Loeb Trail or some portion of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

We only had to stop for propane fuel for the stove and we were off. As we approached the Parkway from N.C. 215, though, cars were bumper-tobumper along the side of the access road. Damn, the Parkway was closed. Didn’t even occur to us. I was deterred, but Lori was committed. We backtracked and parked at a turnout close to the Flat Laurel Creek Trail — which seemed crowded based on how many cars were there — and weighed our options. We decided to start hiking towards Shining Rock and if there were too many people we’d just turn around.

There wasn’t. A truth that all hikers know is that once out in the woods, the trails often spread people out enough so what seems a crowd is well dispersed. A couple miles in and

LETTERS

Now let’s look at Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and VicePresident, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.” That is a bit long, but it boils down to the fact that anyone who has taken an oath to the Constitution and supports insurrection is to be removed from office.

All of the elected officials who took part in or supported the sedition in challenging the certification of the election should be removed from office. The results were clear and definitive. There was no ambiguity that Biden won. The most notable insurrectionists are Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley. But in supporting the sedition the seven representatives from North Carolina who voted to overturn the elections of other states on the basis of Trump’s lies should also be removed from office.

In the case of Madison Cawthorn, he should not only be removed from office, but prosecuted for sedition because he addressed the rioters at the rally. He and all those who spoke to incite the subsequent riot should be charged and tried in court. Sedition is a crime as defined by federal law. The rally on January 6 was not just fun and games — it was intend-

we were alone, with only a couple groups passing us heading back to the parking areas.

It was an hour from sunset when we got into Shining Rock, and with the Parkway closed it was as empty as I’ve ever seen it. We set up the tent in a spot along the creek Lori dubbed “dos pinos,” then took our camp chairs and box wine to watch the sun set over Little Sam Knob. All the wood near the creek was wet and so we didn’t have much luck with a campfire that night, but we made it work for a while. The next morning we hiked up Sam’s Knob. It’s the only time I’ve been there when the Parkway was closed, and we had the mountain all to ourselves. Literally. Not a soul as we scrambled around the top, taking in the views from various locations, enjoying the winter morning in all its glory.

Back at our campsite we disassembled the tent and packed our stuff, talking about camping gear we could have used and where we might go next. Then we heaved our packs on and started out. The real world, the noise and the anger and the important issues that shape this world and this region were waiting, ready to greet us.

But for 24 hours, it was all forgotten. Blissful solitude. Damn I love living here.

(Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)

ed to result in the disruption of the US government with the distinct probability of harming elected officials. This cannot be tolerated in a country governed by the rule of law.

At a minimum, the Republican Party in North Carolina and elsewhere need to condemn the behaviors of those who instigated and those who took part in the terrorist activities of January 6. Failure to do so refutes the contention that Republicans stand for law and order. Republicans who supported Trump’s lies about the election support anarchy — they are not patriots.

Indeed, there is time for healing and coming together. That time was at Thanksgiving when the results of the election were clear and obvious. The time now is for accountability. Behaviors have consequences. Once those responsible for sedition and the terrorism of Jan. 6 are held accountable, there will be another time for healing and coming together.

Norman Hoffman Waynesville

Let a court decide Cawthorn’s accusations

To the Editor:

In your article, “Words matter: Rhetoric became rage in D.C. insurrection,” Rep. Madison Cawthorn admits that he cannot prove fraud in the presidential election, but is quoted as saying “...what I can prove is that the Constitution was definitely subverted and circumvented.” He does not share his proof so we, his constituents, can evaluate his position, but there is a larger question.

For over 200 years, the courts — and espe-

cially the United State Supreme Court — have been the arbiters of constitutional questions, not individual congressmen. If we want to leave a functioning republic to future generations, we need to respect our institutions and let them fulfill their proper roles. Anyone can have opinions about what is and is not constitutional, but if every one of our 535 representatives and senators think they understand the constitution better than the courts, we will have chaos.

If Mr. Cawthorn truly had proof of unconstitutional behavior by states, he should have taken it to the courts, not to a political rally that had the potential to become a mob.

Thomas V. Fehsenfeld Asheville

Seek truth,

don’t

just point and shout

To the Editor:

Who is going to make a difference? Who’s going to clean up the mess this GOP administration has left us?

December 22, 2020: 323,000 deaths; January 17, 2021: 396,000 deaths. How many deaths could have been prevented by effective, honest leadership? Instead, we have a little baby tweeter (“I think we’ve done a very good job”) whining about how unfairly he’s treated and lying about our election process. The president, since his resounding defeat in the election, has checked out of governing (as if he ever was useful at that), and is hell-bent on making the transition to the new administration as difficult as he possibly can. He does have a major talent for taking America in

wrong directions. America is well on its way to becoming a failed state, and that is in large part because of misinformed and/or frightened people electing representatives who feign interest in them while consistently exhibiting disdain for problem-solving and moving America forward.

The definition of insanity today has to include a part about Americans voting for ANY Republican, after witnessing four years of incompetence, a massive failure of

A ray of hope for me and others

To the Editor:

leadership which has contributed greatly to hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths, and the division of our country by encouraging hatred of others not like them. Seldom have so many gathered in public office only to prove themselves uniquely unfit for any position of leadership, and utterly devoid of any ability to manage our money wisely.

Our president should be brought to justice for his seditious urging of his base (AlQaeda in America) to “stand back and stand by,” which should be grounds for impeachment and removal from office, as was his “perfect” phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, as was his phone call attempting to coerce election officials in Georgia, as was his inciting his own personal white supremacist domestic terrorist base to attack the Capitol, etc., etc., etc.

Instead, a majority of GOP representatives continue to enable his sedition and even meet with him to discuss election results denial. Why, our own “representative” from District 11 is already on record as joining in the fight against truth and reality. He even wound up the terrorists before the president’s incitement of them. We can, sadly, count on the GOP to continue exhibiting the same entrenched, lock-step obstruction of all efforts to move forward. The problem is lack of competent management, and the American people are responsible for the terrible job that the GOP and this administration is doing.

It is easy to join a tribe when the chieftains/medicine men/charlatans are so adept at lying, especially if one is afraid and/or a natural or nurtured hater. No reason to look for the truth of the matter, just point and shout.

A ray of hope has appeared in a strange but clear way over the past number of months. It has manifested itself since the presidential election and most clearly since the January 6 insurrection at our nation’s capital. I have been wearing my royal blue “Make America Think Again” hat around the county for the last year. In the run-up to the election, I was cautioned about potentially causing confrontations by wearing it, yet few materialized. After the election, while those cautions were still mentioned, a new phenomenon emerged.

Before the election I would get the occasional “Like the Hat” comment with most being supportive but a few ignoring the sentiment  and instead rejecting it because of where the hat comes from. After the election, after the insurrection and especially after the various false narratives about the stolen election, the comments went from one every few weeks to three per day. They became 99 percent supportive of the statement even after they knew the source of the hat.

Therein lies my new hope. The vast majority of citizens in this country, silent or otherwise, want to believe in facts, real debate and real reverence for what this country tries to stand for. I am hopeful that they continue to seek facts and truth and do not hate, but try to understand and communicate with those that George Washington referred to as “pretend patriots.” Try to communicate civilly with those that adhere to clearly bogus conspiracy theories. My experiences teach me that despite common notions that disinformation is hard to parse — illogic, false equivalences and non-facts are actually fairly easy to figure out. The “like the hat” people are hopeful too.

Develop critical thinking skills. Let’s ALL help “Make America Think Again!!”

Richard Gould Waynesville

No time to glorify dying for lost causes

terrorists, The Smoky Mountain News chose to print Jeff Minick’s book review with the headline “For what would you lay down your life?”

Minick’s entire piece glorifies fighting and dying for a lost cause. Is this really what The Smoky Mountain News is about, especially at this hour in American history?

The same forces that invaded the Capitol building are now threatening to repeat their attack during the inauguration, as well as invade all 50 state capitals with guns.

This is no time to encourage killing and dying.

Minick’s piece and the timing of it are entirely unacceptable.

Dan Kowal  Franklin

Counties should loosen pursestrings

To the Editor:

It is totally baffling. At a time when the pandemic is pretty much out of control, vaccines are rolling out in larger numbers daily, our local officials seem oblivious to the urgency to develop a solution needed to save the lives of our local population and their constituents. Not addressing the issue will not make it go away.

Macon County has amassed a contingency fund of over $23 million for a “rainy day.” Well, it could not be raining any harder in Macon County. Covid-19 cases are spiking, deaths are on the rise, and Macon

County Public Health is rolling out vaccinations 2 days a week with an average of 100 people a day being vaccinated. Assuming they increase this to 3 days per week as they plan, it will take approximately 116 weeks to vaccinate the Macon County population. That is over two years!

It is time to open the county wallet and demand a better job. Hire the necessary people to administer the vaccine, open drive through vaccination sites at some of the empty shopping center parking lots and manage the problem. It is your job as our elected leaders.

Reading the article in the January 13 Franklin Press, the process to schedule a vaccine is reminiscent of an Abbott and Costello comedy skit. We are advised to call a number (option 2), provide our email address verbally (no risk of error here), await an email with instructions, and then call back the same number (option 2). All of this on a phone system that is described later in the article as totally incapable of handling the current incoming volume. Good luck fixing that with Frontier.

In addition, what percentage of people 75 and over, or any age here in Macon County, do not have an email address let alone dependable internet service? A much better plan is required.

Is Macon County going to step up to the plate, loosen the purse strings and implement a workable plan? I guess we will have to wait and see. Lives are at stake.

Eric J. Moberg Franklin

Show me the way to go home

WNC’s last real ‘dive bar’ turns 15

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER

It’s a label that some avoid at any and all costs. But, for Becky Robinson, it’s a sincere and genuine term of endearment that she wears like a badge of honor: “dive bar.”

“We do wear it as a badge of honor. And I think it’s the comfortability factory,” Robinson said. “I feel that you can come in here and you can be comfortable. You can come in and have a good time. Everybody is welcome. You don’t have to pretend to be somebody else in here — you can just be yourself.”

Owner of the Water’n Hole Bar & Grill on North Main Street in Waynesville, Robinson has been at the helm since it opened in 2006. With its 15th anniversary just a couple of weeks away, the establishment remains a beacon of curiosity and compassion, not to mention a bastion of gut-busting meals and the coldest suds in the region.

“What I’m most proud of is our acceptance of others,” Robinson said. “Not just me, but my entire staff — we’re not judgmental. We always want to be a place where you can go and feel safe, and to have the time of your life.”

In a modern era of uncertainty, with seemingly all things familiar disappearing from sight, places like the Water’n Hole are few and

known as Pastimes (before that, a sports store called The Rookie).

far-between. With rising property values and shifting cultural trends, the neighborhood bar in America is something either felt in memory or seen in dusty photographs, perhaps only viewed on late-night TV reruns and in old films.

But, the Water’n Hole remains, just as things steadfast and beloved tend to do. It’s the type of place where you can be completely new to town, walk in not knowing a single soul, only to leave with a whole slew of new friends, hopes and aspirations (something not lost on this “damn Yankee” journalist, who experienced this first-hand upon arrival here in 2012).

This past Sunday afternoon, Robinson grabbed a seat at a picnic table in front of the building (which is attached to a gas station) and took a moment to reflect on a decade and a half in operation, especially now in the midst of a pandemic when small businesses are finding themselves in severely dire straits.

“During the first month of the shutdown, we lost about 90 percent of our normal business. But, we knew we had to figure something out,” Robinson solemnly stated. “We added the outdoor table seating, started being open seven days a week, and now offer Sunday brunch — we’re trying anything and everything we can to stay afloat. And, thankfully, our loyal regulars choose to spend their money here and continue to support us.”

Fifteen years ago, Robinson was a 26-yearold seeking her purpose. Initially, she arrived

Want to go?

The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill in Waynesville is open seven days a week. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. A full brunch menu is now available from noon to 3 p.m. on Sundays (mimosas served all day). For more information, call 828.456.4750.

in Waynesville a few years prior to work with at-risk youth. Following a soul-searching crosscountry road trip, the Indiana native circled back to Haywood County. At that time, the Water’n Hole was a 1950s style-restaurant

“The owner of Pastimes was looking to sell, so I put together every dollar and cent that I had or could borrow and bought the property. I was so young, but this is where I wanted to be,” Robinson marveled in recollection. “I called it the Water’n Hole because it reminds me of that cross-country trip and the adventures I had traveling around out there, stopping in to these random dive bars and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life — the name on the front of this building is part of my journey.”

Aside from its core philosophies, the business is well-regarded for its countless fundraising events for a wide array of local organizations. It’s also become a hub for social activism, this voice of reason that aims to bridge the divide and find understanding between human beings from all walks of life.

“We’re a community bar, and being part of the community means giving back. And it’s this community upon which we’ve built within these walls, too” Robinson said. “We’ve created a place where you can go to anybody. You can find help with your plumbing as easily as you can find a shoulder to lean on. This isn’t just a bar — it’s a second home for many people.”

Getting up from the picnic table, Robinson heads back into the Water’n Hole. Back behind the counter. Back to her customers. And back to her daily duty of open arms to any and all who may wander in for the first time or the thousandth. Pour the drink. Plate the food. Entertain the conversation. Feed the people, physically and emotionally.

“This place means as much to the customers as it does to me. And I’m proud of being here for 15 years, though it really doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. I mean, I’m getting older and the days are getting longer,” Robinson chuckled. “But, I love this bar. I love doing what I do and it makes me happy. I always said if it didn’t make me happy, then I would stop doing it — I love it more now than ever before.”

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Ode to Vermont

live music, ode to School Street jams

Ididn’t grow up, nor have I ever lived, in the state of Vermont. That, and I’m not a musician, not professionally or in any sort of a talented way in my free time. And yet, I was recently asked by a member of the Vermont musical community to contribute to an uplifting video collage for 2021 and the message of hope for the uncertain future of live music and performers.

I was asked because of how much of the core of who I am, as a journalist and a music freak, was shaped by the music, onstage and off, spilling out of the city of Burlington, Vermont, and the surrounding areas. Raised just across Lake Champlain from Burlington, I emerged from the small Canadian Border town of Rouses Point, New York (then later Plattsburgh, New York).

Somewhere around the age of 10 (mid1990s), my mother took me to my first real deal concert (that I was cognizant of). It was the fiery Cajun act BeauSoleil at the majestic Flynn Theater in downtown Burlington. Being in the presence of live music — the spectacle of the musicians and audience as one energy and movement — immediately captivated my heart, soul, and imagination.

By the time I entered middle school, all I wanted to do was listen to music, talk about music and, most importantly, see music live. In eighth grade, I begged my parents to bring me to concerts across the lake in Burlington.

This was the late 1990s, with mainstream radio still saturated with grunge, punk and alternative rock, which led to seeing acts like Green Day, Third Eye Blind and Smash Mouth at Memorial Auditorium in The Queen City before the millennium arrived. Now in high school (and with a driver’s license), I would disappear every weekend into Burlington with my riffraff cronies

(which included my lifelong friend Tom Pearo, now an acclaimed Vermont musician in his own right), either catching shows at Higher Ground or Nectar’s, buskers on Church Street or simply listening to whoever was plucking some strings in nearby Battery Park.

In those moments of curious wonder and teenage shenanigans, there usually was a crappy joint being passed around in the park or along the shoreline of Lake Champlain, the conversation always hovering around new albums from iconic Vermont groups like Phish, Strangefolk or Seth Yacovone Band.

The weekend before we all started our junior year, I was 16 and borrowed my parents’ minivan to head to my first music festival: Strangefolk’s annual “Garden of Eden” gathering at the Addison County Field Days in New Haven, Vermont.

There they were, right in front of us: Strangefolk. Seeing one of my all-time favorite bands live was an epiphany of sorts, to actually witness and partake in the songs radiating at you in real time became a feeling that I’ve continued to chase with a reckless abandon to this very day.

College rolled around and I found myself attending Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Every Christmas and spring break, I’d come home to Plattsburgh, only to turn right around and bolt down the road for Burlington, hoping to catch whatever concert was on the schedule for those few days back in the North Country.

If there was no gig at Club Metronome, Red Square or The Monkey House, we’d all pig-pile into Tom’s School Street apartment and stay up until dawn: this roomful of musicians and music freaks, sipping beers, jamming out, listening to vinyl records, laughter and sincere melodic friendship.

And it was during the spring break of my junior year when I had to find a summer internship for my communications degree. Initially, the dream was to become an MTV VJ and take over Carson Daly’s job on “Total Request Live.”

But, in the midst of trying to find an internship, I crossed paths with Mike McKinley at a show while home on break. The publisher of the (now-defunct) State of Mind Music Magazine in Burlington, he saw something in me and offered me an internship right on the spot.

That first day on the job for State of Mind, I ended up hanging out in a café in downtown Burlington, enjoying a beverage with Mike Gordon, the renowned bassist of Phish. Sitting there and talking with one of my musical heroes shifted the entire trajectory of my life: I wanted to be a music journalist. My fate was forever (and happily) sealed.

The internship led to numerous interviews, show recaps and album reviews of Vermont bands, including an up-and-coming act named Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, whose storied live performances became known ‘round the world.

That foundation in the Burlington and greater Vermont music scene was the platform by which I built my career, one article at a time. Due to financial struggles and such, State of Mind eventually faded into the

rearview mirror, leaving me to look elsewhere for writing opportunities.

Cue my job at The Smoky Mountain News and current life in Western North Carolina, which is now approaching its ninth year. And even though I’m over a thousand miles away from Burlington, so many of those incredible Vermont musicians have found their way to Waynesville, either crashing on my floor or taking the stage around the corner from my humble abode.

Thus, here we are in the early stages of 2021. Last year demolished the music industry, with barely any live shows occurring anywhere on this planet: the silencing of the universal language, the ultimate connecting factor between human beings. A surreal state of affairs for us music freaks and musicians.

This new calendar on the kitchen wall is currently empty. But, this time around, it’s empty with possibilities to eventually fill those boxes with performance dates on each page. And I can’t wait. See you in the front row, my friends.

Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

On the street

Lazy Hiker welcomes folk singer

Singer-songwriter Anna Victoria will perform from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin.

The performance is free and open to the public. As well, the Lobster Dog food truck will be onsite from noon to 6 p.m. To learn more about Anna Victoria, go to www.facebook.com/annavictoriamusic.

For more information and a complete schedule of events at the brewery, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. www.balsamfallsbrewing.com.

• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.elevatedmountain.com.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Anna Victoria 3 p.m. Jan. 24 and Mt. Gypsy Music Jan. 30. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Live Karaoke” with Joel Plays Drums Jan. 23 and Mt. Gypsy Music Jan. 29. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

Haywood art studio tour

The Haywood County Arts Council invites all Haywood County studio artists to participate in the annual Haywood County Studio Tour scheduled for June 26-27, 2021.

The Haywood County Studio Tour is a two-day, self-guided, free event in which Haywood County artists open their studios to the public.

To participate, the studio must be in Haywood County. Artists may choose to open their Haywood County studio or to join with another studio host. The HCAC will act as a liaison between artists needing a host site and studios that have space for additional artists.

The artist/studio application and policies

for participation may be found on the Haywood County Arts Council website or picked up from HCAC Gallery & Gifts at 86 North Main Street in Waynesville. Email completed forms to artist@haywoodarts.org or mail to P.O. Box 306, Waynesville, NC 28786.

The deadline for the completed studio tour application is Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. The Haywood County Studio Tour Exhibit Opening Reception is on Friday, June 4, 2021, if feasible. The HCAC will follow the NC Governor’s mandates regarding COVID.

For more information about HCAC programs and events, visit the Haywood County Arts Council website at www.haywoodarts.org.

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Winter Member’s Show” will be held Feb. 5-27 in the Gallery & Gifts showroom at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville. Original work for 24 local artisans. Free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org.

ALSO:

• The “New Year’s Market” will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Canton Armory at 71 Penland Street. Over 30 vendors and food available onsite. Handmade crafts, wall art, native crafts, home decor, woodworking items, chakra healing, and much more.

• The Bethel Christian Academy will be hosting the “Papertown Spring Market” fundraiser on March 13. There will be booths for local vendors to set up and sell their products: boutique clothing, home decor, handmade items, jewelry, and more. If you have any questions or would like to set up a booth, call 828.734.9733.

• There will be a free wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

WCU teams with Blue Ridge Pride Center

A collaboration between Western Carolina University, the University of North Carolina Asheville and the Blue Ridge Pride Center will gather oral histories, archival materials and photos for an ongoing LGBTQ+ community research project.

The Blue Ridge Pride Center is a nonprofit founded in 2008 and estimates the region is home to some 35,000 people who identify as LGBTQ+.

Amanda Wray, project founder for the Pride Center, is an associate professor at UNCA, teaching women’s studies, gender and sexuality studies, and writing and rhetoric courses. Her academic work and her civic efforts concentrate on equity and anti-racist rhetoric, oral history research and community engagement within higher education.

“This project is a great example of cross-institutional collaboration, showing

what can be achieved through coordination, a common goal and a shared spirit,” said Wray. “Our ambition is to sustain the project through grant funding, student learning and internship opportunities, and community volunteers. To date we have collected — and are in the process of digitizing — more than 60 oral history interviews and nearly 20 boxes of physical materials.”

Funded by a WCU provost grant in the spring semester 2020, the Jackson County Collection will involve undergraduate and graduate students at both universities and various community stakeholders, including the YMCA and oral history narrators.

The resulting collection will be included in WCU’s Hunter Library special collections and in Blue Ridge Pride Center’s Virtual Pride Center. There also will be a local event in Sylva to celebrate the ongoing project in the summer or early fall.

For more information, contact Steiner at sksteiner@wcu.edu.

Joys and comforts of cooking: Kitchen Yarns

Before taking a look at Ann Hood’s Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food (W.W. Norton & Company, 229 pages), I feel compelled to make two personal points.

butter, Fritos, a Devil Dog, and half a pound of cherries.” On other days, she might send “a meatball grinder wet with spaghetti sauce, two apples, and a mini blueberry pie.”

ter “Comfort Food II,” she writes of her daughter Grace’s death:

Though I can whip up a tasty breakfast — my wife and I operated a Waynesville bed-and-breakfast for 15 years — and my gazpacho soup and quiche with salad have brought me compliments from family and friends, I am no longer much of a cook. Living alone these past six years, I mostly subsist on low-calorie microwave meals, bagged salads, grocery store rotisserie chicken, sandwiches, and canned soups. Occasionally I’ll cook up a big pot of chicken soup and live on that for two or three days, but over half of the ingredients come out of cans.

Such as they were, my cooking days are behind me.

Next point to note: reading Kitchen Yarns made me hungry.

The daughter of an Italian-American family, Hood celebrates both of these culinary traditions in her book and her kitchen. Here are almost 50 recipes, all delivered to aspiring home chefs in clear and easy to follow instructions. They range from “Perfect Grilled Cheese” to “My Perfect Spaghetti Carbonara,” from “Indiana Fried Chicken” to “Annabelle’s Risi e Bisi.” Included also are recipes from other cultures: central Mexican guacamole, for example, and Matt Gennuso’s cassoulet.

But Hood is no food snob. She proudly declares herself a carnivore, champions “the deliciousness of American cheese “for a grilled cheese sandwich, especially on Wonder bread and served with Campbell’s tomato soup,” and the delectability of Thomas’ English muffins.

In addition to these delights, Hood uses Kitchen Yarns as a vehicle for telling some of her own story. Like all of us who have lived a long life, Hood has suffered various misfortunes and tragedies: failed love affairs and marriages, the loss of a sister at an early age, and later, still much too early, the death of a brother. Her 5-year-old daughter, Grace, died suddenly “from a “virulent of strep throat.” In the Acknowledgments, Hood writes, “It breaks my heart that my mom, Gogo, didn’t live to see this book in print. But her fingerprints are on every page, and on my heart.”

Some of my favorites in this collection of essays were those in which Hood looks back to her 1960s childhood. In “Love, Lunch, and Meatball Grinders,” for instance, she describes the school lunches prepared by her mother, called Gogo by Hood’s children. “Fried chicken — two pieces — bread and

At the end of this essay, Hood writes, “My mother built lunches the way some peo-

ple build skyscrapers or monuments. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized they were her Taj Mahal — all of that glorious food jammed into a brown paper bag, made only for me.”

For those of us older folks, Hood’s childhood descriptions will bring back memories of riding in station wagons in the pre-seatbelt days, backyard barbecues where Dad manned the pit and the flames, and schools “where we began our days by wishing the teacher good morning, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and an off-key rendition of a patriotic song, which is to say it is the 1960s, when kids still hid under their desks to practice what to do when the atom bomb fell.”

“Sometimes I wake at three or four in the morning feeling like I am having a heart attack. But I realize soon enough that what is gripping me is not a literal seizing of my heart. It is instead a metaphorical one. My broken heart is seizing up again, remembering, aching, sobbing.

“What I want to say, to believe, is that it gets better. And in some ways it does. God forgive me, days and days pass in which I don’t think about Grace. How this can be so I don’t know. When she first died, not even a second passed without my thinking of her. Or of the absence of her.”

If you’re looking to give a cookbook as a gift, or as a comfort to a grieving friend, Kitchen Yarns might be perfect for you. •••

Traditional Scottish Fare

Recitation of the Bard’s Poetry Toasts to the Laddies & Lassies

Guest Master Chef MICHELLE BRIGGS

Recently, I spent an evening with my son’s family in Asheville. My 12-yearold granddaughter read Debbie Tung’s Book Love, which I had included in a belated Christmas gift basket to the family, in one sitting. Just before bedtime, the family gathered before a fire in the living room, where their mother read aloud to them from a book of religious meditations and then asked some questions of the older children based on that reading. The next morning, I found my son, the early riser of the crew, reading a book in the living room.

In these crazy times in which we now live, when everything seems a swirl of chaos and mistrust, certain books can speak to us, taking us away from the madness that has affected so many, giving us comfort, however temporary, and providing us with a vision of who and what we are not found in the daily headlines.

Look for those books — the good, true books — and listen to them.

Hood’s realistic ruminations on sadness and death may also touch readers who have suffered the loss of a loved one. In the chap-

(Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust On Their Wings, and two works of nonfiction, Learning As I Go and Movies Make the Man minick0301@gmail.com)

Below the Pinnacle

Project seeks to protect 250 acres below Pinnacle Rock

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The 3.5-mile hike to the top of Pinnacle Rock is a heart-pumping one, the old logging roads that now serve as hiking trails climbing 2,200 feet before leaving the hiker breathless before a sweeping aerial view of the Town of Sylva, cradled on all sides by forested mountain slopes.

The view is the flagship offering of Pinnacle Park, whose core area of 1,088 acres once served as Sylva’s watershed and now offers a worthy hiking challenge within minutes of town. But few people are aware that only half of the rocky outcropping known as Pinnacle Rock is actually part of town property, or that the pristine acreage below that rock is private land that could be developed at any moment.

SCRAMBLE FOR PROTECTION

Now, thanks to Mainspring Conservation Trust, it won’t be.

“When you go out onto Pinnacle Rock, you’re not on town property anymore,” said Mainspring Executive Director Jordan Smith. “So not only is that important to conservation, but we’re potentially conserving the whole viewshed.”

Mainspring is currently under contract for

two properties that combined cover more than 250 acres starting on Pinnacle Rock and spreading out below it. Mainspring started talking with the owners of the first parcel — a 157-acre tract that contains a portion of Pinnacle Rock — back in 2019, and it expects to close on the sale this May. Action on the second parcel, estimated at 96 acres and adjacent to the 157-acre tract, moved forward much more quickly. It went on the open market last year, and after competing with a developer for the sale, Mainspring is under contract with hopes of closing in February or March.

“Because of the pandemic, we just felt like as close as this is into town, as developable as the properties are, we needed to move fairly quickly,” said Smith.

Once completed, the conservation effort south of Pinnacle Park will nestle an additional 250-plus acres of conserved land between the 1,088-acre original section of Pinnacle Park and a 438-acre piece of the Nantahala National Forest. Those parcels, in turn, are connected on the north side to the 441-acre Blackrock Creek and 471-acre Shut-In Creek tracts conserved in 2017, as well as an area totaling more than 5,000 acres that is under conservation

easement for eventual conveyance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. From there, the network of conserved lands runs into the existing Parkway boundary, from which protected lands spider throughout its 469-mile journey from Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Unlike in 2019, when Mainspring and The Conservation Fund worked together to purchase the 912 acres that are now owned by the Town of Sylva and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the nonprofit is purchasing the 250 acres for which it’s now under contract without a solid plan for who will ultimately own it.

“That just underscores how important it was to get this under contract,” said Smith. “These really sit on the open market, so we had to move.”

The land is important for multiple reasons. First, the obvious — it’s adjacent to and even includes part of Pinnacle Park’s crown jewel, so any development there would significantly impact the overall recreational experience. Land Conservation Director Sarah Posey-Davis said that when the Mainspring team went to go inspect the property, staff members standing on Pinnacle Rock could easily hear those exploring the adjacent property below.

It’s also incredibly valuable from an environmental point of view. It contains an N.C. Natural Heritage area, as well as the entire

“Because of the pandemic, we just felt like as close as this is into town, as developable as the properties are, we needed to move fairly quickly.”

— Jordan Smith, Mainspring Executive Director

upper watershed of Dills Creek, which has an active population of native brook trout — features in the creek prevent stocked trout from traveling upstream and overpowering the native trout population. Unique plant communities thrive on the upper portion of the property around Pinnacle Rock.

Smith also pointed out the land’s recreation value.

“These two properties actually have a pretty nice network of road that would favor a pretty significant trail system as they are, with just a little bit of intervention,” he said.

Such a trail system would offer much easier hiking than the existing heart-pumping climb to Pinnacle Rock, Posey said.

FUNDING AND OWNERSHIP

While Mainspring is still figuring out how to pay for the purchases and who to deed the land, it’s got a good start on answering those questions.

Mainspring is under contract to purchase the two properties for $887,600. They were initially appraised at $905,000, but two pending appraisals now underway will determine the property’s final appraised value, and that amount will determine how much funding the effort receives from the N.C. Land and Water Fund, formerly known as the Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Last fall, Mainspring received a $310,000 grant from the fund, of which $250,000 is designated for the cost of acquiring the 157-acre property and the remaining $60,000 is for survey and appraisal costs. However, awards are given as a proportion of the total project cost, so the amount received will depend on the appraisals’ outcome.

“Right now our appraisals are a little bit lower than we had anticipated for the overall value of the property,” said Smith. “We don’t expect that we’re going to get that full award from the Land and Water Fund.”

The nonprofit has also secured about $664,000 in commitments for private donations, but it’s still looking for at least $50,000 more to close the deal.

Mainspring has had some preliminary discussions about end ownership. The Town of Sylva is the obvious choice, because it already owns 1,530 acres of conserved land adjacent to the property. Mainspring has reached out to the town about that possibility, and during its Jan. 14 meeting the town board went into closed session to discuss the potential acquisition.

“It’s all very early, but it does touch our property, so I would imagine we’ll start talking about what the options or opportunities are for it,” said Town Manager Paige Dowling. “It’s all very, very preliminary.”

However, Dowling said, providing additional recreational opportunities would be a positive, and it’s encouraging to know that existing roadbeds on the land could be repurposed as trails.

“We are excited about continuing discussions on it,” she said. F

Rathbone hired for state ag role

Waynesville resident Kaleb Rathbone is now serving as an assistant commissioner to N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, overseeing Western N.C. agricultural programs and small farms.

Rathbone most recently served as director of the Research Stations Division, leading the state’s 18 research stations scattered from the mountains to the coasts. Prior to that he was superintendent of the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville for nearly eight years and served as that station’s research specialist for more than five years. He replaces Bill Yarborough, who recently retired as special assistant to the commissioner and will assume additional duties and oversight as an assistant commissioner.

Rathbone is active in the community, serving in advisory and leadership roles with Carolina Farm Credit, Haywood Community College, and state and local Farm Bureaus and Cattleman’s Associations. He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee.

Teresa Lambert of Laurel Springs, formerly superintendent for the Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury, will take over Rathbone’s old job.

“Both Kaleb and Teresa started working with the department in temporary positions at research stations during college, eventually returning to full-time positions and rising through the ranks,” said Troxler. “Their long-term commitment to agricultural advancement and innovation speaks to their drive to move North Carolina agriculture forward, help improve the bottom line for farmers and ensure we meet growing global food demands.”

PLANNING RECREATION

The proposed addition at Dills Creek isn’t the only recreation-related discussion the town is having.

When Sylva and the EBCI took ownership of the properties to the south of the original 1,088-acre Pinnacle Park property in 2019, it was with the ultimate goal of developing them for recreational opportunities like hiking, camping and mountain biking. But building the required amenities for these uses — trails, roads, parking lots, etc. — takes time, money and partnerships. As of yet, no trails have been built, but that could soon change.

“We could realistically be in some construction phase for a few miles of trail this winter,” said EBCI Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Joey Owle.

The Nantahala Area Southern Off Road Bicycle Association has been talking to both

The soon-to-be-protected land contains valuable water, wildlife and plant resources.

the EBCI and the Town of Sylva about a possible partnership to build a trail network traversing both properties.

Ideas include a looped trail system that would ultimately offer various amenities such as primitive campsites and a pavilion/picnic area at the trailhead.

“What this trail development is aiming to accomplish is not solely focused on access for mountain bikers,” said Owle. “It’s going to be accommodating to all skill levels and abilities.”

SORBA has shown initial concepts to tribal and town leaders, and the next step will be formal presentations to the boards of both entities — the EBCI Planning Board and the Sylva Board of Commissioners. That’s expected to happen within the next month or so.

“I’m so pumped about it,” said Owle. “I’m excited about the partnership. I’m excited about the concepts so far.”

Four Seasons

Edward Jones

Frankie’s Italian Restaurant

Haywood Builders

Haywood Community College

Haywood County Government

Haywood County School Foundation

Haywood County TDA

Haywood Habitat for Humanity

Haywood Regional Medical Center

HVO (Haywood Vocational Opportunities)

Haywood Rentals

HomeTrust Bank

Ken Wilson Ford

Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center

Lake

Maggie Valley Club

Maggie Valley Wellness Center

Maple Tree Veterinary Hospital

MB Haynes

Mountain Credit Union

Overbay Insurance

Ron Breese- Re/Max

Rob Roland- Beverly Hanks

Sheppard Insurance Group

Silver Bluff Village

Stanberry Insurance Agency, Inc.

Statefarm- Chad McMahon

Sunburst ERA

Taylor Ford

The Hot Tub Store The Swag United Community Bank

Waynesville Automotive

Waynesville Tire White & Williams Co

Rock faces closed for peregrine falcon protection

Twelve rock faces in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are closed to climbing, rappelling, hang-gliding and

other activities through Aug. 15 in order to protect the rare peregrine falcons that nest there.

Closed rock faces are: n Nantahala District — Whiteside Mountain and Pickens Nose (east face) n Pisgah District — Looking Glass Rock (north face) and North Cedar Rock

n Appalachian District — Whiterock Cliff and Buzzard’s Roost n Grandfather District — N.C. Wall, Apricot Buttress and the Camel in Lineville Gorge; Shortoff Mountain in Linville Gorge; Bynum Bluff in Linville Gorge and Big Lost Cove Cliffs Wildlife biologists in North Carolina have been working since the 1980s to help peregrine populations recover after they dwindled to just one mating pair in North Carolina in the 1950s. In 2020, 16 sites were occupied by peregrine falcon pairs and four successfully reproduced for a total of seven offspring. Two additional sites were occupied by single, unpaired bird.

Nesting success is perhaps the greatest challenge to species recovery. If a nesting pair is disturbed, they will leave the site and may not nest again until the following year. Disturbance can also prompt young chicks that have not yet learned to fly to run off the edge of the cliff to escape.

National forests announce seasonal road closures

Seasonal closures in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests have begun, with affected roads closed to motorized vehicles through April. Planned opening dates may change depending on weather.

These closures help reduce road maintenance costs and decrease wildlife disturbance, allowing the animals to conserve energy while food is scarce. During long bouts of adverse weather, roads may also be closed to protect public safety. Emergency closures can occur at any time. Contact the district ranger office for information about current road conditions.

Pisgah National Forest

Pisgah Ranger District

Connelly Creek (FSR 86 through Alarka-Laurel), Winding Stairs (FSR 422), Big Creek (FSR 4567), Moses Creek (FSR 4651), Sugar Creek (FSR 4665), Wolf Mountain (FSR 4663C), Beech Flats (FSR 4668), Upper Nantahala (FSR 67), Shingletree (FSR 713), Ball Creek (FSR 83), Wayah Bald (FSR 69), Little Yellow Mountain (FSR 367), Cold Spring Gap (FSR 4663), Old Bald Road (FSR 4652), Gage Creek (FSR 4648), Charley Knob (FSR 4654). The Wayehutta OffHighway Vehicle Recreation Area is closed through April 1 as well.

Tusquitee Ranger District

The following roads will be closed until weather and road conditions improve: Avery Creek (FSR 477) from the horse stable to U.S. 276, Yellow Gap (FSR 1206), Headwaters (FSR 475B), Wash Creek (FSR 5000), Bent Creek (FSR 479) from Ledford Branch to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pilot Mountain Road (FSR 229) and Courthouse Creek (FSR 140).

Nantahala National Forest

Nantahala Ranger District

The following roads are closed through April 1: Boardtree (FSR 388), Deep Gap (FSR 71), Shingletree (FSR 713), Shope Fork (FSR 751),

The following roads are closed through April 1: Bear Paw (FSR 435), Cherokee Lake (FSR 313), Deep Gap (FSR 71), Nelson Ridge (FSR 351), Perry Gap (FSR 350), Powerline Cove (FSR 6020), Tellico River (FSR 420-5), Beech Creek (FSR 307), Chambers Creek (FSR 2071), Derreberry Gap (FSR 614B), Panther Gap (FSR 85A), Persimmon Creek (FSR 651), Stateline Loop (FSR 420-6), Tuni Gap (FSR 440), Tatham Gap/Long Creek (FSR 423).

Cheoah Ranger District

The following roads are closed through April 1: Big Fat (FSR 62), Tatham Gap/Long Creek (FSR 423), Santeelah Creek (FSR 81), Farley Cove (FSR 407), Long Hungry (FSR 1127).

Help the Smokies monitor visitation

Volunteers are wanted to help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park monitor visitor use patterns in some of the park’s most popular locations.

Opportunities include recording observations on popular hiking trails, monitoring parking availability and monitoring traffic flow patterns at busy locations. Volunteers may choose the opportunities that best align with their interests and preferred locations.

Park managers will use the data to better understand visitor use patterns and resource conditions at sites such as Clingmans Dome, Deep Creek, Big Creek,

Cades Cove, Laurel Falls Trail, Alum Cave Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail and Trillium Gap Trail. Park visitation has increased by more than 30 percent over the last decade, resulting in crowding, safety issues and resource damage. The data will help managers develop recommendations for addressing these challenges.

Volunteers will work at least one, fourhour shift per week during the April-toNovember peak visitation season, and a virtual training session will be offered in March. To sign up, contact Kendra Straub at kendra_straub@nps.gov.

Take ag education to the next level

A four-part series of in-depth, hands-on agribusiness work sessions will begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, and repeat weekly through Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Southwestern Community College in Sylva.

The series, Appalachian Farm School 2.0, is designed for people who have attended SCC’s Appalachian Farm School in the past or who already have a business plan put together. During these “work sessions,” students will work on creating a budget, understanding their financial picture, getting a clearer marketing strategy and developing a brand.

These in-person classes will be held at SCC’s Burrell Conference Center. Free. Registration is required at bit.ly/3oMz1Io. Contact Tiffany Henry at 828.339.4426 or t_henry@southwesterncc.edu.

Weigh in on wildlife rule changes

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing a slate of rule changes related to wildlife management, inland fisheries and game lands, with an online public hearing planned for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21.

Members of the public can sign up to

Panthertown marked milestones in 2020

As 2020 shifts to the rearview, Friends of Panthertown is celebrating a slew of accomplishments earned despite an ongoing pandemic.

Creation of a Trail Stewardship position in 2019 to address maintenance and conservation needs in the area created a springboard for Friends, and once the U.S. Forest Service lifted volunteer restrictions on May 15, work began in earnest.

In 2020, Friends of Panthertown held 26 publictrail workdays involving 153 volunteers who contributed 884 hours of labor to maintain 20 trails on 6,311 acres. Two bear boxes were installed, 65 tons of gravel were placed at the Salt Rock Entrance and one Eagle Scout

project was completed with five more in the works.

This help was especially welcome due to the explosion in visitation Panthertown received, as it was one of the few outdoor recreation areas in the region to remain open throughout pandemic restrictions. This use, combined with storm damage during the early

Time to talk pollinators

Learn about native pollinator biology and conservation with a webinar scheduled for noon Thursday, Jan. 21.

Hosted by the N.C. Wildlife Federation, the session will feature Gabriela Garrison of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. In 2017, Garrison helped form the N.C. Pollinator Conservation Alliance, a partnership of more than 25 conservation agencies and organizations that works to promote pollinator and habitat conservation across the state. Free. Register at bit.ly/3nnknra.

attend the hearing and offer public comment. Written comments are also being accepted through Monday, Feb. 1. Submit comments online or mail them to Rule-Making Coordinator, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1700. For more information, including a full list of proposed rules, a comment submission portal and a link to register for the online hearing, visit www.ncwildlife.org/proposed-regulations.

Race the slopes

A recreational racing program will offer skiers and snowboarders of all abilities the chance to push their speed with weekly competitions on non-holiday Saturdays through the end of the season at Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley.

The program aims to be fun for all ages and abilities through a handicap system that allows racers nationwide to compare themselves to each other, regardless of

when and where they race. Races run 9 to 11 a.m. and are subject to weather and slope conditions.

Cost is $10 for two runs or $20 for an unlimited pass, with a lift ticket or season pass required to participate. Register at the tickets center, and pre-register with NASTAR — the racing program that Cataloochee goes through — at www.nastar.com.

Cataloochee honors fire, rescue workers

It’s Fire and Rescue Appreciation Days at Cataloochee Ski Area next week, with personnel and their families receiving a reduced rate Thursday, Jan. 28, and Friday, Jan. 29. Fire and rescue workers and volunteers must present a valid ID to receive the reduced rate. www.cataloochee.com.

Hike the Tallulah Falls Railroad

Take an easy 4-mile hike with the Nantahala Hiking Club on Sunday, Jan. 24, at Terrora Park in Georgia.

The trail follows the old Tallulah Falls Railroad and makes a loop to cross the Tallulah River twice. It includes 300 feet of

Pick up the Tuck

Help clean up the Tuckasegee River with Trout Unlimited at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30.

The group will meet at the church parking lot near the Webster Access and target the area from South Shore Road to N.C. 107. Participants must follow social distancing rules. Trash bags will be provided. www.tuckaseigee.tu.org.

elevation change.

The group will meet in Franklin at 1 p.m. and then drive 60 miles roundtrip to complete the hike. Due to COVID-19, hikes are limited to 10 people, and masks are required during gathering and while driving to the trailhead. During carpooling, windows must be open for air circulation and groups are limited to four people per car. To reserve a spot, contact Gail Lehman at 828.524.5298.

WNC Calendar

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• There will be a New Year’s Market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Canton Armory, 71 Penland St. There will be more than 30 local vendors, as well as food on site.

• Papertown Spring Market will take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Bethel Christian Academy, 100 Park St. There will be local vendors and food. Admission is free. For vendor information contact Jessica Jones 828.734.9733.

A&E

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Winter Member’s Show” will be held Feb. 5-27 in the Gallery & Gifts showroom at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville. Original work for 24 local artisans. Free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Anna Victoria at 3 p.m. Jan. 24, and Mt. Gypsy Music at 7 p.m. Jan. 30. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Live Karaoke” with Joel Plays Drums Jan. 23 and Mt. Gypsy Music Jan. 29. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. www.balsamfallsbrewing.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host live music semi-regularly on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

F OOD AND D RINK

• There will be a free wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES

• The Haywood County Arts Council invites all Haywood County studio artists to participate in the annual Haywood County Studio Tour scheduled for June 26-27. The artist/studio application and policies for participation may be found on the HCAC website or picked up from HCAC Gallery & Gifts at 86 North Main Street in Waynesville. Email completed forms to artist@haywoodarts.org or mail to P.O. Box 306, Waynesville, N.C., 28786. The deadline for the completed studio tour application is Friday, Feb. 5. The Haywood County Studio Tour Exhibit Opening Reception is on Friday, June 4, if feasible. The HCAC will follow the NC Governor’s mandates regarding COVID. For more information visit the Haywood County Arts Council website at www.haywoodarts.org.

Outdoors

• The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing a slate of rule changes related to wildlife management, inland fisheries and game lands, with an online public hearing planned for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21. Members of the public can sign up to attend the hearing and offer public comment. Written comments are also being accepted through Monday, Feb. 1. Submit comments online or mail them to Rule-Making Coordinator, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1700. For more information, including a full list of proposed rules, a comment submission portal and a link to register for the online hearing, visit www.ncwildlife.org/Proposed-Regulations.

• Learn about native pollinator biology and conservation with a webinar scheduled for noon Thursday, Jan. 21. Hosted by the N.C. Wildlife Federation, the session will feature Gabriela Garrison of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Free. Register at bit.ly/3nNKNRA.

• An online agritourism series currently underway is offering sessions

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com

from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in January, ending Jan. 26. The series is free. Offered through Haywood County Extension, Register for the Zoom link at www.eventbrite.com/e/western-north-carolina-agritourism-workshop-series-tickets-129725649911.

• It’s Fire and Rescue Appreciation Days at Cataloochee Ski Area next week, with personnel and their families receiving a reduced rate Thursday, Jan. 28, and Friday, Jan. 29. Fire and rescue workers and volunteers must present a valid ID to receive the reduced rate. www.cataloochee.com.

• Help clean up the Tuckasegee River with Trout Unlimited at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30. The group will meet at the church parking lot near the Webster Access and target the area from South Shore Road to N.C. 107. Participants must follow social distancing rules. Trash bags will be provided. www.tuckaseigee.tu.org

• A four-part series of in-depth, hands-on agribusiness work sessions will begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, and repeat weekly through Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Southwestern Community College. These in-person classes will be held at SCC’s Burrell Conference Center. Free. Registration is required at bit.ly/3oMz1Io. Contact Tiffany Henry at 828.339.4426 or t_henry@southwesterncc.edu

• Registration is now open for the 18th annual Business of Farming Conference, which will be held Feb. 25 to 27 using a virtual format. Register at www.asapconnections.org. Cost is $95 per person before Feb. 1 and $115 thereafter. Farm partners registering together will receive a discount, and Appalachian Grown certified farmers will receive a 30 percent discount.

• A recreational racing program will offer skiers and snowboarders of all abilities the chance to push their speed with weekly competitions on nonholiday Saturdays through the end of the season at Cataloochee Ski Area. Races run 9 to 11 a.m. and are subject to weather and slope conditions. Cost is $10 for two runs or $20 for unlimited pass, with a lift ticket or season pass required to participate. Register at the tickets center, and pre-register with NASTAR — the racing program that Cataloochee goes through — at www.nastar.com.

• The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard is now offering virtual education programs for students in public, private and homeschool. The free programs are tied to the N.C. Essential Standards for Science curriculum and led by an education specialist from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Class dates and times are flexible to meet classroom needs. To schedule a program, educators can contact 828.877.4423.

• The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has issued a challenge to complete its 60 miles in 60 days Virtual Hiking Challenge, kicking off New Year’s Day. To complete the challenge, participants must walk, run or hike 60 miles by March 1. Registration ends Feb. 1, but earlier registration means more time to log the miles. The basic cost to join is $25, with Level 2 registration priced at $50 and Level 3 registration at $100. All proceeds help support SAHC’s ongoing land and water conservation efforts. Sign up at appalachian.org/event/sahcs-winter-hiking-challenge-60miles-in-60-days/

H IKING CLUBS

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take an easy 4-mile hike, elevation change 300 feet, in Terrora Park in Georgia on the old Tallulah Falls Railroad, on Sunday, Jan. 24. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza in Franklin at 1 p.m. Call leader Gail Lehman, 524-5298, for reservations. Visitors welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4-mile hike, elevation change 800 feet, from Winding Stair north to a view from Panther Gap on the Appalachian Trail on Saturday, Feb. 6. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza in Franklin at 10 a.m.. Call Leader Katharine Brown, 421-4178, for reservations. Visitors welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4-mile hike, elevation change 400 feet, in the Jack Rabbit Recreation Area in Clay County on Saturday, Feb. 13. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza in Franklin at 10 a.m. Call leader Gail Lehman, 524-5298, for reservations. Visitors welcome.

Market PLACE WNC

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

• Legal N otices — 25¢ per word

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

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Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate- Heritage

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SUPER CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1Little rascal

6Mosque officiants

15Spill the secret 19Shinbone

20Local theaters, in slang

21Had on 22Go very fast

23City in which quadrennial games take place

25Gumbo vegetable

26R&B singer James

27Japanese soup paste

28Fit -- queen

29Sea cargo weight unit

31Statistic associated with plane riders

35Threatens to topple

36Brouhaha

37Ken is one

38Viking 1 landing site

39Fleecy boot brand

42Guesses at LGA

45Instructive example

47"Siddhartha" author Hermann

52Gotten larger

54UNLV part

561977 Triple Crown horse

58"-- & Stitch"

59Stinging hits

61TV's Arnaz

62Not iffy

63Whitewater transport

67Vassals

69Tongue-lash

70See 117-Across

71Goldie of "Laugh-In"

72Unit of pressure

75It surrounds the South

Orkney Islands

80Twin of Jacob

81Secy., e.g.

83Oozes

84Jazzy Fitzgerald

85Pile of trash

89Enervate

90Sacred song

91Muscle twitch

92Arthurian wizard

94"Encore!"

96"Science Guy" of TV

97Pupil setting

99Arthurian wife

101Add- -- (annexes)

103Reviewer of tax returns

107Disney World roller coaster

113Moniker for a 1970s sitcom family

115Go up

116With 118-Across, bitesize Nabisco cookie

117With 70-Across, Taj Mahal locale

118See 116-Across

119Statement about the end of each of nine answers in this puzzle

122Meyers of "Late Night"

123Ball field coverer

124Candid

125Cara of "Fame" fame

126Canadian fuel brand

127Gin flavorer

128Burrito topper

129Winona of "Beetlejuice"

DOWN

1Walk heavily

2Paramecium hairs

3Huge gulf

4Cocktail at brunch

5Dad, in dialect

6Disguised, in brief

7Gold-medal skier Phil

8On a plane or train

9Month, in Spain

10Retired jet since '03

11Cutlass, e.g.

12Rousted

13Thorns in one's side

14Scant

15Favre of football

16Starbucks offering

17Many a Tony winner

18Hits on the noggin

24Alternatively

29Artificial

30Two-gender pronoun

32Utopian site

33Email giggle

34Bullring calls

38Sacred song

39Wrinkled citrus fruit

40Smile widely

41Club game

43Assuage

44Bygone Swedish car

46Smileys' opposites

48Inherent natures

49Slimy garden pest

50Dried up, old-style

51Rams' partners

53Some babes in the woods

55Sharp, broken-off piece

57Purple blooms

59Colonel Klink's camp

60Mail status

64-- carte

65Nutrition stat

66Ventilates

68"Sands of -- Jima"

71Big African beast, briefly

72Tinkertoy bits

73PDQ cousin

74Gilbert of "The Talk"

75Fire remains

76Join (with)

77Zest

78Join (with)

79Identify

82Between urban and country

86Friendly relationship

87Letter before beth

88-- colada

90"21 Grams" actor Sean

93Cage, to his pals

95City WNW of Paris

98R2-D2 and others

100Skin-related

102"Our Lady" of churches

103Humiliate

104Beseeches

105Pub missiles

106Boise setting

107Brand of mouthwash

108Outward expressions

109Port of Japan

110Felt sickly

111Words after two or hole

112Stuff in gunpowder

114Successor of Claudius I

119Provisos

120Refrain bit

121Title for Ringo Starr as of 2018

ANSWERS ON PAGE 26

BLACK & WHITE

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| (828) 634-7333

Get details on any property in the MLS. Go to beverly-hanks.com and enter the MLS# into the quick search.

Dogwood Lakes | 2BR, 1BA

$120,000 | #3661621

White Oak Hills | 3BR, 2BA

$285,000 | #3654451

Clyde | 3BR, 2BA

$499,500 | #3573183

Waynesville | 3BR, 3BA

$699,000 | #3619401

Junaluska Highlands | 4BR, 5BA | $1,300,000 | #3660973

Waynesville | 2 BR, 1BA, 1HB

$150,000 | #3647128

Boulder Ridge Estates | 1BR, 1BA, 1HB

$290,000 | #3537383

Riverside Farms | 4BR, 3BA, 1HB

$625,000 | #3582030

Sylva Vista Development | 3BR, 3BA

$725,000 | #3563570

Park | 3BR, 2BA

$220,000 | #3651958

Springs Park | 4BR, 2BA, 1HB

$425,000 | #3625010

Mountain Song | 4BR, 3BA, 1HB

$689,000 | #3611304

Mountain Sanctuary | 5BR, 4BA, 2HB

$1,250,000 | #3652980