Smoky Mountain News | March 3, 2021

Plans for Ghost Town property begin to emerge Page 4

Proposed trail system would be East Coast’s highest Page 22

STAFF

On the Cover:

The COVID-19 Pandemic has exacerbated an already fragile childcare system. Parents are struggling to pay the rising costs of childcare, which can be challenging even with subsidies, and essential childcare workers are underpaid and hard to come by. (Page 6)

News

Plans for Ghost Town property begin to emerge ......................................................4

Hillbilly Jammers get high on the mountain ................................................................5 Major increase in property values coming for Haywood

ESIGN & WEBSITE: Travis Bumgardner.

D ESIGN & PRODUCTION: Jessica Murray. . . .

ADVERTISING SALES: Susanna Shetley. . .

Amanda Bradley. . . . .

Hylah Birenbaum. .

Sophia Burleigh. .

C LASSIFIEDS: Scott Collier. . .

N EWS E DITOR: Jessi Stone. . . . . . .

WRITING: Holly Kays.

Hannah McLeod. .

Cory Vaillancourt.

Garret K. Woodward.

ACCOUNTING & O FFICE MANAGER: Amanda Singletary.

D ISTRIBUTION: Scott Collier. . .

Opinion

How many visitors are too many? ................................................................................16 The ‘Sap is Risin’ and a life well

Outdoors

travis@smokymountainnews.com

jessica.m@smokymountainnews.com

susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com

jc-ads@smokymountainnews.com

hylah@smokymountainnews.com

sophia.b@smokymountainnews.com

classads@smokymountainnews.com

jessi@smokymountainnews.com

holly@smokymountainnews.com

hannah@smokymountainnews.com

cory@smokymountainnews.com

garret@smokymountainnews.com

smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com

classads@smokymountainnews.com

C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), George Ellison (writing), Don Hendershot (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing) Boyd Allsbrook (writing)

CONTACT

WAYNESVILLE | 144 Montgomery, Waynesville, NC 28786

P: 828.452.4251 | F: 828.452.3585

SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779

P: 828.631.4829

S UBSCRIPTIONS

Plans for Ghost Town property begin to emerge

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

There is perhaps no parcel of land in Haywood County that generates as much interest as the one that’s home to long-shuttered mountaintop amusement park Ghost Town in the Sky, but as social media misinformation continues to arise, the property’s developers are now revealing tantalizing details of the incredibly complex plan for the venture and the progress that’s already been made.

“We can’t put the cart before the horse,” said one developer, who has been speaking exclusively with The Smoky Mountain News on the condition of anonymity since October 2019.

First, as to the park itself, the financial ramifications of the Coronavirus Pandemic did indeed get in the way of speedy progress during 2020. According to developers, a number of the water and sewer issues that have plagued the property in the past have now been resolved, clearing the way for improvements.

The park’s quaint main street, home to fanciful establishments like the Red Dog Saloon, a jail and several cafes, will be gutted and completely rehabbed.

The disused, weathered buildings have done little more than rot over the past few years and had also been subject to vandalism before a high-tech security system and a stepped-up law enforcement presence was recently put into place.

The buildings, however, will be rehabbed — faithful 3-D renderings will ensure that the new main street remains almost indistinguishable from the facades lovingly remembered by generations of tourists and locals since the 1960s; at this point in time, it’s cheaper to start from scratch with ADA-compliant modern amenities than it is to attempt to salvage what the ravages of time have wrought on the structures.

Ultimately, what’s next for the main street is very similar to a Biltmore Village concept. The ground floor of the buildings will be home to unique shops and boutiques, and possibly even some brand-name retail or dining outlets as well. The second floor of those buildings will eventually be sold or

leased as condominiums for residential use.

At the base of Buck Mountain, a new hotel will be constructed on the west end of the parking lot, facing east. According to developers, a major national chain is interested, but regardless, the building will have a “lodge-like” appearance so as to blend with the environment. Behind and above that, just to the west, will be a smattering of vacation rental cottages.

As it turns out, the plan for Ghost Town doesn’t just involve the former amusement park; there exists in Maggie Valley a critical need for all manner of infrastructure to support the project, especially in terms of workforce availability and development.

More than 200 employees will be needed to operate and maintain the park, but those people can’t just walk off the street and start working. They’ll need training to operate new rides, and whatever rides remain after renovation.

Those employees will also need somewhere to live. The housing crisis that’s plagued Western North Carolina continues in full force, so a number of new affordable housing developments in the vicinity of, but not on, the property itself will begin to appear.

There are also plans for a new manufacturing facility that will build modular homes to populate these affordable housing developments.

Maggie Valley also lacks other essential businesses that would be needed to support the new venture, including a high-volume restaurant or two. Plans are underway to remedy this as well as two other critical needs that would make Maggie Valley more of a live/work community than it is today — a grocery store and an urgent care facility. There are some big names associated with the project — instantly recognizable to most — but ongoing discussions prevent their disclosure.

Further details on the Ghost Town revitalization project will be released by The Smoky Mountain News as they become available in the coming months.

Hillbilly

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

Attendees of this year’s Hillbilly Winter Jam kicked off the annual fest with a special treat — a private visit to a cherished remnant of Maggie Valley culture.

“Everyone I talk to wants to come and see this place. Everybody,” said Becky Ramey, Hillbilly Jam organizer, of the long-closed Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park.

On Feb. 24, Ramey and co-organizer Terry Frady led a small group of almost 50 people to the top of Buck Mountain, among them, a number of personalities from the Discovery Channel series, “Moonshiners.”

“A lot of my moonshiners said that they had never been since they were children, and so when I took it on myself to call each and every one of them and invite them, it was unbelievable how happy they were,” Ramey said.

Finding an exciting destination has become somewhat of a tradition for the Hillbilly Jam, which began 12 years ago as a summer event.

“Each year during Hillbilly Jam, Terry and I, we try to find something different for the moonshiners to help them enjoy Maggie Valley,” Ramey said. “Last year, we took them to the site where Popcorn Sutton made his moonshine — the real site — and they loved that.”

For the past five years, Hillbilly Jam has added a winter weekend event as well.

“Terry and I are so busy during the summer jam that we wanted to be able to meet all the people that come and be able to enjoy it with them. And we can’t do that at the summer jam,” she said. “We’re just too busy.”

The visit to Ghost Town gave Ramey and Frady the chance to visit with old friends, in a setting where many of them had long ago made memories of a lifetime. Others in attendance haven’t been around as long as Ramey and Frady, but still had the chance to hold enduring recollections of the once-bustling Maggie Valley landmark.

“I was born and raised here. I’ve never lived anywhere else. And I don’t really want to,” said Maggie Valley recording artist Tricia Ann Pearl. “When I was younger, I was up here like every weekend. It was a really fun experience. I remember running around and thinking it was so cool, just because all the gunfighters knew who the curly-headed little girl was running around every weekend. And I always enjoyed watching the gunfights and the saloon dances and everything. It was really, it was unique.”

Pearl has since recorded a music video at the park for a song called “Home,” upon which she collaborated with Canton singer/songwriter Keil Nathan Smith.

“It’s about Ghost Town. It talks about Cataloochee and [Maggie Valley banjo legend] Raymond Fairchild and the moonshiners,” she said. “It’s a really cool song.”

Pearl, now backed by a band and billed as Tricia Ann and the Wolfpack, expects to record a new album soon, and thinks the legacy of Ghost Town is something she’ll address again, in song.

“You know, people think Disney World is magical in its own way,” she said. “It’s got that magic to it, and I feel like Ghost Town is that for Maggie Valley.”

The next Hillbilly Jam is slated for July 2224, at the Maggie Valley Fairgrounds.

Pandemic exposes fragile childcare system

Cost is too high, pay is too low

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR

On average, it costs parents $9,480 a year for infant childcare in North Carolina, which is $2,126 more than they’ll pay for in-state tuition to a four-year N.C. university. A single parent working full time and making minimum wage can expect to put 62 percent of their annual income toward childcare in North Carolina.

The average pay for a full-time childcare worker in N.C. is $11.50 an hour — an annual salary of $21,540 — making recruitment and retention within the industry a constant challenge.

These are just a few of the major hurdles parents and providers are facing in the childcare industry, an industry that makes it possible in our modern society for single parents to make a living and for two-parent households to both have careers outside the home.

An unstable childcare industry can quickly begin to have a domino effect on working families, early childhood education and the workforce.

Sheila Hoyle, executive director of the Southwestern Child Development Commission, said the childcare industry was

ple didn’t have retired parents to lean on.

“We both work from home so to avoid the costs of daycare, we’ve been passing the baby around,” she joked. “We rely on grandparents to take her so I can get a couple days of work in every week. I can’t imagine what we’d do without that help.”

A

already struggling with these challenges before COVID-19 hit, but the pandemic has only exacerbated the problems.

“I hope we can all begin to see the fragility of our childcare system that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic,” she said. “It’s essential for children and families and it’s essential for our economy. I hope the public policy will shift and we’ll have an undergirding of the system.”

Not only are working parents faced with expensive childcare costs, but now they’re faced with juggling their work schedules, shifting public school schedules, quarantining requirements, remote learning schedules and trying to find someone to keep their infants and toddlers if their childcare classroom has to shut down for two weeks when a teacher gets sick.

“Most of the burden has fallen on parents. We know they are planners and they know what their needs are, but what’s happening are those unplanned occurrences that they can’t control,” Hoyle said. “When a teacher tests positive and we have to close the childcare center for two weeks and now that parent’s plan is uprooted.”

The pandemic has made work and life scheduling more difficult for Annie McCord Wilson of Sylva, even though she feels privileged that she and her husband have been able to work remotely from home. With a seventh-grader and a 2-year-old, though, not much work would be getting done if the cou-

Many families in WNC don’t have that family support system they can call upon for childcare. Wilson remembers what that was like as a young mother with her first child.

“With my first daughter I was a single mom and 20 when she was born. I did childcare and thankfully it was subsidized, but our portion was still $300 a month — that’s a lot, especially when you’re working at the Waffle House,” she said.

“Before the pandemic hit, childcare was already in a fragile financial delivery service system. It’s a complicated system because there’s no dedicated funding stream for childcare programs.”

— Sheila Hoyle, executive director of the Southwestern Child Development Commission

Now Wilson helps administer a childcare grant to students at Western Carolina University and said the highest payment they award for one child is $1,500 a month.

“It’s just outrageous,” she said. “I really worry about the future of childcare. I think women especially are always juggling everything to begin with and the whole pandemic has added a lot onto all women. There’s been a lot of comparisons to the last pandemic but modern women, most of us have to work now and in the past more women were in the home.”

CHILDCARE FUNDING

The Southwestern Child Development Commission is responsible for allocating childcare subsidies that filter down from the federal and state government to 12 counties in the western region, referred to as Region A.

“Before the pandemic hit, childcare was already in a fragile financial delivery service system,” Hoyle said. “It’s a complicated system because there’s no dedicated funding stream for childcare programs.”

Some childcare centers are privately owned businesses, some are operated by nonprofits or churches and others are part of a public school system. For example, the nonprofit government agency Mountain Projects operates Head Start, the school system operates Pre-K, but there are also other privately operated centers serving children from birth until kindergarten.

Head Start programs are funded through the federal government and the state Title I funding flows through the public school system to fund pre-K, but Hoyle said there is still a gap when it comes to making sure every family has access to a quality and affordable childcare center. Some families are on a long wait list for a classroom opening while other families don’t meet the qualifications to receive subsidies. Even families with two incomes can be strapped to come up with the money without any assistance.

“It’s a fractured system and we as a society seem to have a hard time deciding whose responsibility it is to provide childcare — should it be up to the parents? Does government have a role? Or should it be employers who want to support their workforce?” Hoyle questioned.

Southwestern Child Development Commission (SWCDC) tries to work with as many private childcare centers as possible to provide subsidies to make the cost affordable to lower-income families in the region.

Hoyle said the federal government has a program in place to allocate funding to the states for childcare costs. It’s about $347 million a year, which seems like a huge amount,

but Hoyle said it’s still not enough money when there are 15,000 children on waiting lists across North Carolina.

The state allocation for subsidized childcare services goes through the county Departments of Social Services. Hoyle said a dozen western counties contract with SWCDS to administer the vouchers, which ends up being about $20 million a year to spread out over the 12 counties. SWCDC purchases slots at participating childcare centers, and families that meet the financial need requirements receive a voucher to send their child to that center. Families still usually have a copay based on their household income, but it helps make the cost more affordable.

“But if you miss the eligibility for subsidies, the cost is extremely high — it’s about equal to a monthly mortgage payment or greater than the cost of tuition,” Hoyle said.

“Even at that high cost, teachers are still paid low wages because early education is expensive to do — just ask the public schools what it costs to educate a kindergartner.”

She said Region A typically receives enough of this state allocation to meet the needs in the western counties, which keeps the waiting list low or nonexistent for subsidized spots.

Annette Shook, SWCDC direct services manager, manages 12 child care facilities in Jackson, Haywood, Swain, Buncombe, Graham and Cherokee counties. Right now, she said the only parents waiting for a spot for their child are the ones who have requested a specific classroom and are waiting for a spot to open.

LOW-PAY, CRITICAL WORK

The pandemic has revealed that many low-paid jobs are some of the most essential in society, and childcare workers were at the top of that list when everything started to shut down last March. While businesses and schools closed, essential workers still needed somewhere to send their children so they could continue to provide those essential services.

However, low wages for childcare workers has created high turnover rates at centers. The average pay for childcare workers in N.C. is about $11.50 an hour. As more big box retailers and fastfood establishments are starting to pay more competitive wages —  some at $15 an hour — keeping qualified childcare workers is challenging.

“I feel comfortable saying the total childcare industry in our region is in a staffing crisis,” Hoyle said. “There’s many reasons for that, but I think the number one reason is low wages. Workers can find other employment that pays greater than a childcare center.”

Hoyle said the centers do their best to pay fair wages, but they also try to charge a fee for services that families can afford. It’s a difficult balance for the childcare center directors.

“We’ve always had a hard time getting and keeping staff and the pandemic has made it more difficult, especially finding qualified people that have the needed education,” Shook said.

To be a lead teacher at a 5-star childcare center like the ones SWCDC operates, a person must have an associate’s degree in early

childhood education. To be a teacher at a developmental day school center like the one in Webster, Shook said the person needed a four-year degree in teaching birth to kindergarten ages.

“Childcare is hard work so you have to truly enjoy it to stay with it,” she said. “We have a high turnover rate I think because people think they’ll just be playing with children, but it’s a lot more than that in today’s world.”

Shook said the market rate — the subsidy amount paid out per child — is still low compared to the actual cost of childcare. An increase to the market rate would help lessen the burden on centers so they could pay a more competitive wage for their employees. The problem is that the market rate is based on what parents without subsidies have to pay, and Shook said they can’t afford to pay any more either.

During the pandemic — even though child enrollment is down — Shook said they’ve needed more staff members just to manage the additional sanitation requirements and the new drop off and pick up protocols. Just imagine every toy, every doorknob, every piece of playground equipment that needs to be sanitized every day.

SURVIVING A PANDEMIC

Last March, the burden fell on childcare centers to stay open to care for children even with such limited knowledge at the time of how much of a health risk it might be.

Hoyle said many centers closed in the beginning because of health concerns, staffing issues or because there weren’t enough children needing care to justify staying open. Others stayed open to care for the children of essential medical workers, but it really wasn’t until the end of summer that she saw many centers reopening across WNC as parents and students had to return to work in some capacity.

“What we’ve found during the pandemic is that childcare workers are an essential part of the workforce. It’s young families that are doing the essential services in our counties and if their childcare center wasn’t open they couldn’t work,” she said. “We’ve started using a new phrase around here where we talk in terms of childcare workers being the force behind the workforce.”

Hoyle said there are about 5,000 centers in the state and all have reopened with the exception of 56. Funding operations continue to be a challenge for many of them because enrollment is down but they aren’t able to cut fixed costs like utilities and the rent or mortgage.

“In childcare, the revenue that comes in is based on the number of kids they serve — so if they’re at 60 percent capacity, they only have 60 percent of the revenue coming in,” she said. “But if they rent or pay a mortgage, they don’t have the option of paying only 60 percent of it.”

Shook said most of SWCDC’s centers have open spots available for families that are looking. The largest center in Webster had 92 children enrolled last March compared to 40 children enrolled in October.

“We have about 40 to 50 percent of the children we had last March,” she said. “We’re nowhere near the capacity we were then.

Cost of Child Care

• The average annual cost of infant care in North Carolina is $9,480 — that’s $790 per month.

• Childcare for a 4-year-old costs $8,113, or $676 each month.

• Infant care in North Carolina costs $2,125 (28.9%) more per year than instate tuition for four-year public college.

• That makes North Carolina one of 33 states and DC where infant care is more expensive than college.

• In North Carolina, infant care costs just 8.6% less than average rent.

• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, childcare is affordable if it costs no more than 7% of a family’s income. By this standard, only 12.4% of North Carolina families can afford infant care.

• Childcare for two children — an infant and a 4-year-old — costs $17,593. That’s 41% more than average rent in North Carolina.

SOURCE: Economic Policy Institute

Some centers are at capacity just for the number of staff we have there right now.”

As an administrator, Hoyle said she hopes the pandemic opens some dialogue about improvements that need to be made within the system. She called the current situation “a cry for public policy” change to create a more stable system. Her suggestion is to keep the

service delivery model in place but that it needs to be underwritten with public support.

“For me, the reason that an underwriting of support is so critical is because childcare is essential to working families — there’s no question about that — but it’s also essential for providing the foundation for early learning activities and builds brain development for young children so they can enter the school system and be successful,” she said.

While administering services across 12 counties in the region and coordinating with all the childcare centers can be a daunting task, Hoyle said it gives her a unique opportunity to be a voice in Raleigh for the struggling providers and parents in WNC.

“I’m currently involved in both a state and national effort to rethink how we’re doing childcare,” she said. “We need a different roadmap and to think harder about how we can support the economy and education so it’s not such a struggle for people.”

The Economic Policy Institute is calling for policy reform that would cap families’ childcare expenses at 7% of their income, which would save a typical N.C. family with an infant $5,527 on childcare costs. This would free up 12.6% of their (post–childcare) annual income to spend on other necessities. The change would also mean parents would have more opportunities to enter the workforce. If childcare were capped at 7% of income, 44,397 more parents — mostly women — would have the option to work.

EPI says such reform would expand the state’s economy by 0.9% — that’s $4.8 billion of new economic activity.

Major increase in property values coming for Haywood

BY

Although the results of Haywood County’s comprehensive revaluation process haven’t yet been mailed out, county administrators and elected officials want property owners to prepare for what’s coming in terms of potential changes to their property’s value.

“Currently, what we’re seeing is a 25 to 30 percent increase,” said Judy Hickman, Haywood County’s tax assessor.

Hickman’s statement, delivered to Haywood commissioners during a March 1 meeting, comes with all sorts of caveats.

Right now, the county is in the final phase of the revaluation process and will conduct edits and a review of the data before property owners begin to receive their new valuations by mail, near the end of March or beginning of April. The 25 to 30 percent figure she cited will of course vary by property, with all manner of considerations affecting a property owner’s final number.

Some neighborhoods will increase by 40 or 50 percent over values that were last set for January 2017, according to Hickman.

“For 2020 alone we had 1,800-plus valid sales that we looked at,” she said, calling the data “substantial evidence” for rising property values in the county.

The new assessed values will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022 and will affect the county’s budgeting process at that time without really

playing into the county’s current process for building a new budget, which will take effect on July 1 of this year and run through June 30, 2022.

Property valuation is but one factor that determines the actual tax bill property owners will have to pay starting next year, but it’s not an outright guarantee that the tax bills of property owners will go up.

For example, if a property in Haywood County is currently valued at $100,000 and taxed at the current rate of 58.5 cents per $100 in valuation, the tax bill would be $585 for the year. If the new valuation puts the property at $130,000 it would incur a tax bill of $760.50 at the same 58.5-cent tax rate.

That would theoretically flood Haywood County’s coffers with excess revenue above and beyond that which is needed to maintain the county’s current operations — salaries, rents, debt payments, equipment and the like.

At that point, commissioners could, in crafting the fiscal year 2022-23 budget, make one of several decisions.

Keeping the tax rate — that 58.5 cents per $100 figure — the same after the new values hit would generate a huge increase in revenue, roughly 30 percent, and allow for more spending on needed projects.

Lowering the tax rate to a revenue-neutral level would offset the valuation increase and keep the tax bills of property owners the same while generating essentially the same amount of revenue as the county currently

receives. Using the previous example, if that $100,000 property sees an increase of 30 percent in value, a corresponding 30 percent cut in the tax rate — down to maybe 41 cents per $100 — would keep everything basically the same as it is now.

A third route would end up with commissioners basically splitting the difference with taxpayers, perhaps reducing the tax rate by a few cents so as to still end up with slightly more revenue than in recent years due to slight increases in property tax bills.

Which route they take will be a political decision that will result in County Manager Bryant Morehead being directed to craft a larger, smaller or similar 2022-23 budget than the 2021-22 budget that will be adopted this year.

During the meeting, commission Chairman Kevin Ensley said that the tax rate will definitely move in a downward direction.

“I’m always committed to being revenueneutral, as much as we can,” Ensley said after the meeting. “I think Bryant [Morehead] mentioned we might need a penny or two for the jail. I think I foresee a lot of people shocked by values, but just because your value goes up doesn’t necessarily mean your taxes will.”

Once valuations are mailed out, they will also outline a multi-level appeals process for those who think their values aren’t accurate. For more information on the upcoming revaluation, visit www.haywoodcountync.gov/273/ Tax-Assessment-Department.

Health care foundation won’t remove anti-vax, anti-mask trustee

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

Despite calls to do so, a nonprofit health care foundation charged with managing more than $13 million of Haywood County taxpayer money in support of public health initiatives has declined to hold a removal vote regarding one trustee’s public anti-mask, anti-vaccine advocacy.

“We had a lengthy discussion about the trustees and their responsibilities and it was determined that we would not take action against a trustee at this time,” said Anthony Sutton, chair of the Haywood Healthcare Foundation’s board of trustees, on Feb. 26.

On Jan. 13, Sutton told The Smoky Mountain News that a “request for removal as per bylaws” was submitted by an anonymous trustee, regarding fellow trustee Janet Presson. Sutton said at the time that the board’s nominating committee had decided that the issue should come before the full board.

Presson’s been active in advancing against the use of masks and vaccinations that fly in the face of guidance provided by international, national, state and local health officials.

Her Facebook page has displayed a number of claims labeled as false by fact-checkers, as well as posts calling mask usage “child abuse.” Presson had also been issuing public comment during local government board meetings since shortly after she was appointed to the Haywood Healthcare Foundation board in April 2019.

In July of that year, Presson helped host an anti-vax movie screening at the Haywood County Public Library in Waynesville featuring a documentary film full of misinformation and debunked studies by discredited former medical professionals. At that event, she also attempted to ban members of the local media, including The Smoky Mountain News, The Mountaineer and WLOS-TV, from recording or filming.

After her most recent appearance before the Town of Waynesville Board of Aldermen on Dec. 8, 2020, The Smoky Mountain News began receiving letters from readers, demanding her removal from the HHF Board of Trustees. Bethel resident Tom Tomaka called her “an extremist” whose “discredited views can have a detrimental effect on the health and lives of our residents.”

While Presson is free to hold those views and advance them as a public figure, they appear in baffling contradiction to the HHF’s mission statement of improving “… the health status of Haywood County, its individuals and families through educational programs, grants, scholarships and leadership opportunities … quality healthcare is essential to a productive life.”

When SMN asked HHF trustees to weigh in on how Presson’s views aligned with that mission on Jan. 13, only two gave answers. Both Teresa Liner and Neil Budde said they were not

in agreement with Presson’s false claims, but neither answered the actual question. Trustees Dr. Barbara Parker, Julie Davis, Hylah Birenbaum, Julia Freeman, Jennifer Heaberlin, Jonathan Key, Linda Nulsen, Carmine Rocco, Phyllis Prevost, Charles Thomas, Allen and Cassie Braswell, Peggy Melville and Judy Ross failed to respond.

Despite not taking a vote on the issue of Presson’s removal, HHF’s board was quick to address the contradiction by reiterating what, exactly, it means to be an unelected trustee on a nonprofit health care foundation board in charge of millions in taxpayer money.

“We did clarify who could speak on behalf of the foundation and directed trustees that they were not to make statements on behalf of the foundation, other than the executive committee,” Sutton said.

Presson has never claimed to represent or to speak on behalf of the HHF. For now, Presson will continue in her role as trustee of the foundation, which was initially funded with the proceeds of the sale of the old public hospital.

“Ms. Presson’s term with the foundation ends in Feb. of 2022, so she’ll remain for five more meetings,” Sutton said. “She will also abstain from voting on anything we would consider a conflict.”

Trustees are eligible for re-appointment at the end of their three-year terms.

“I don’t feel that she would come out of the renomination process with a positive recommendation,” Sutton said.

Sutton added that as new members are nominated in the future, they’ll pay a little more attention to prospective trustees.

“We will continue to do our best to nominate people who have the best healthcare ideas for the county, and we’ll enhance our vetting process to be sure they’re more in line with that,” Sutton said. “However, we do encourage a diverse board. We want as many ideas as possible and I think this has brought vaccination to the forefront.”

In its role of advancing public health initiatives — both before, and after the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic — the HHF usually donates around $300,000 to a plethora of other local nonprofits to help advance its mission.

In fact, at the same Feb. 22 meeting where Presson’s removal was discussed, the board moved forward with a substantial donation toward Haywood County’s COVID-19 vaccination effort.

“We funded the county approximately $38,000 to help the county with vaccination operations at the fairgrounds,” Sutton said. “We want the community to understand the importance of vaccinations so we can all get back to normal business. We also look forward to working with the county and the health dept in the future, in meeting needs for Covid-19 vaccinations.”

When reached for comment on this story by SMN, Janet Presson said she had none.

AT&T boosts network speeds for Cherokee

AT&T customers and FirstNet subscribers in Cherokee got a big boost in wireless connectivity. AT&T added a new cell tower to enhance the area’s 4G LTE coverage and help give residents and first responders faster, more reliable wireless service. The investment will help customers get the most out of their mobile devices.

The new site will provide coverage further east on U.S. 19 near Long Branch Road.

“For folks living and working in small towns and rural communities, the availability of advanced wireless services is perhaps even more important than for their friends and neighbors in cities,” said State Sen. Kevin Corbin. “I am pleased to see this type of private investment in in all corners of the state. This is why I am determined to keep North Carolina a place which welcomes private investment in 21st Century technology.”

These upgrades will also benefit public safety and first responders on FirstNet –public safety’s dedicated communications platform and give North Carolina’s first responders access to always-on, 24-hours-aday priority and preemption across voice and data.

Curbside grocery giveaway in Sylva

A Curbside Grocery Giveaway will be held from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Sunday, March 7, at Life Forgiven Church, 45 Crown Ridge Road, Sylva.

This is open to anyone who can use a little extra help right now. Simply drive up and pre-packed bags of shelf stable food are available to be loaded into your car. Produce and eggs are also given when available. For any questions, email Chris or Crystal, FoodMinistry@LiveForgiven.Life or visit www.LiveForgiven.Life.

WCU vaccine clinic

now open

After helping Jackson County Department of Public Health clear its backlog of individuals waiting for the COVID-19 vaccine, Western Carolina University’s vaccine clinic is now serving the larger Western North Carolina region.

The clinic is accepting appointments in compliance with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services guidelines, which are currently focused on those in priority Groups 1 and 2 and the first phase of Group 3.

The clinic is operating out of WCU’s Health and Human Sciences building, located at 3971 Little Savannah Rd. in Cullowhee and vaccines are available by appointment only.

To schedule an appointment, or for more information, visit vaccine.wcu.edu.

COVID cases plunge as vaccine availability increases

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalizations are falling sharply around the region as vaccine coverage improves, providing a longed-for surge of optimism on the way out of a deadly and depressing winter season.

On Monday, March 1, North Carolina reported 1,466 new confirmed cases statewide, the lowest number since Nov. 2, 2020. On Feb. 27, the last day for which data is available, only one COVID-19 death was recorded statewide, compared to the tragically high single-day figure of 120 deaths on Jan. 15.

In the week of Feb. 22 to March 1, Haywood County reported only 57 new COVID-19 cases. The last time the county reported such a low number was the week of Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, when there were also 57 cases. In the 17 western counties that comprise the Mountain Area Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, 51 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Feb. 28, with only four confirmed COVID-positive patients admitted in the past 24 hours. The hospitalization figure has held steady between 53 and 49 since Feb. 24, roughly one-fifth the peak of 252 hospitalizations recorded Jan. 4.

The drop in cases comes amid a steady increase in vaccination coverage.

After receiving a shipment of ultra-cold freezers capable of storing the finicky Pfizer vaccine, Western Carolina University ran the first of what is expected to be many public vaccine clinics last week, administering 600 Moderna vaccines. Those doses went to help clear the Jackson County Department of Public Health’s backlog of 1,800 people in Group 1 and Group 2 still waiting for a shot. This week, WCU expects to administer 1,450 first doses — a combination of Pfizer and Moderna — and is opening registration to anybody in Group 1, 2 or 3, regardless of residence, with sign-ups at www.vaccine.wcu.edu. Additionally, Walgreens is now offering vaccination appointments in North Carolina.

“The first few days of clinic were successful by measures of prepared staffing, safe vaccine delivery and use of every single vac-

Vaccination by the numbers

*Tribal dose numbers from EBCI. All other dose numbers from NCDHHS. County data does not include doses administered through the federal long-term care facilities program or by tribal governments and may be subject to a 72-hour reporting lag. Population figures based on 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, excepting tribal figures, which are from the EBCI.

cine the state provided us this week,” said clinic director Cortnee Lingerfelt. “We have received primarily positive feedback with comments that have been encouraging regarding our organization, lack of waiting lines and friendly, customer-service based atmosphere.”

Jackson County’s waiting list is now down to about 700, meaning that it is likely to dwindle down to zero over the next week or so, soon clearing the way for Group 3 registrations.

A Feb. 27 decision from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue an emergency use authorization for a coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson is also likely to have positive implications. Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the J&J product requires only one shot rather than two, and its storage requirements are much less stringent. The company expects to ship nearly 4 million doses this week — 80,000 of which will go to North Carolina — with 100 million doses to be delivered in the U.S. during the first half of 2021.

Jackson County expects to receive 100 of this week’s initial doses. Combined with 400 Moderna doses, the county will have 500 first doses to administer the week of Feb. 28 through March 6. In addition, Harris Regional Hospital expects to receive 200 first doses. The Blue Ridge Health clinics in Sylva and Haywood will each get 100.

“The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single dose vaccine that does not require extreme cold storage,” said JCDPH Deputy

Director Melissa McKnight. “It can be more easily shipped, stored and administered, which makes vaccination more accessible. Keeping these factors in mind, JCDPH aims to use this supply of vaccine for harder-to-reach populations such as our homebound adults. We will expand to additional populations if we receive additional supply.”

Other local vaccine providers said that, while they have not yet been told to expect a shipment of the J&J vaccine, they look forward to eventually receiving it.

“If we did receive a shipment of J&J, this would essentially allow us to double our rate of individual vaccination in WNC as this is a single-shot vaccine and would not require a future second appointment slot,” said Lingerfelt.

Swain County is expecting 200 doses this week, Haywood County 600.

Overall, all four counties in The Smoky Mountain News’ coverage area are reporting a percentage of their populations vaccinated that exceeds the statewide figure of 13.67 percent. While Haywood has been the consistent leader in vaccination coverage, Macon County surged to the front of the pack this week, administering a number of first doses equal of 17.81 percent of its estimated population. Trailing is Haywood at 15.87 percent, Swain at 15.3 percent and Jackson at 13.93 percent.

However, Swain and Jackson counties contain the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Qualla Boundary, and state vaccination fig-

ures include EBCI residents in the numerator for those counties but do not include the impressive proportion of those residents who have been vaccinated in the denominator. The EBCI estimates that 27 percent of its population has received a first dose, with 11 percent receiving a second dose.

Now that the vaccine has been in steady supply for about two months, second-dose efforts are picking up, with Haywood County having administered a number of second doses equivalent to 9.69 percent of its population, followed by Macon at 7.06 percent, Swain at 6.77 percent and Jackson at 5.66 percent.

“We’ve had some people miss their second appointment for various reasons, like scheduling conflicts or travel, but we have a procedure for getting them finished as quickly as possible and so far, it’s going smoothly,” said Haywood County Emergency Management Team Public Information Officer Allison Richmond. Richmond, McKnight and Swain County Health Director Alison Cochran all said that their departments have not recorded any serious reactions to the vaccine.

The dramatic reduction in coronavirus cases and optimism surrounding vaccination efforts comes as virus variants emerge around the world and at home in the United States. Scientists are studying these variants and the efficacy of current vaccines in combating them, and much is still unknown. Haywood County Health and Human Services Medical Director Mark Jaben urged continued, observance of COVID prevention measures.

“If you must gather, will you do your part to gather safely, as we know it can be done?” he said in March 1 video. “No one wants a repeat of this winter, but with all the unknowns around the variants out there, it is certainly a possibility unless every one of us remain vigilant.”

A recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation ranked North Carolina first in the nation for vaccinating older adults, with 49 percent of those 65 and older vaccinated statewide, a rate that does not include long term care facilities. Groups 1, 2 and 3 are now eligible, with Group 4 vaccinations for people with underlying conditions beginning March 24.

Cawthorn defends proxy vote from CPAC

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT

As if last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) wasn’t controversial enough — the stage resembled a rune with Nazi connotations, and organizers rolled out a golden idol of former President Donald Trump — now a number of Republican House members are being criticized for using the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic as an excuse to vote by proxy against the latest COVID relief bill.

Among them is Western North Carolina’s freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who responded to the controversy at the end of a week that featured another round of harassment allegations levelled against him.

On Feb. 25, Cawthorn filed a letter with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives stating that he would be unable to physically attend proceedings in the House “due to the ongoing public health emergency.”

Around that same time, 12 other House Republicans did the same thing, including Ted Budd (R-NC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Greg Steube (R-FL).

The purpose, for each of them, was to grant authority to another Member to cast a proxy vote in their absence. In Cawthorn’s case, that was fellow Western North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry.

Cawthorn spokesman Micah Bock said that House rules mandate that for a proxy

vote to be cast, certain language must be used.

“Democrats have voted from yachts, from mansions, and from speaking events,” Bock said. “This is a classic example of ‘rules for thee but not for me.’”

Last year, on July 1, then-candidate Cawthorn called those Democrats “cowards for hiding and not showing up to work,” but on the day he was absent from the House, Cawthorn, along with Budd, Gaetz and Steube, spoke at CPAC. The others all spoke at CPAC a day or two later.

Cawthorn said that Republicans were forced into the absences, thanks to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Last week, Nancy Pelosi arbitrarily changed our voting schedule to intentionally situate it over CPAC, in an effort to prevent congresspeople from speaking to their constituents,” he said. “I chose to value speaking with conservatives and North Carolinians over abiding by her bad faith ruling.”

While Cawthorn was away, McHenry cast Cawthorn’s vote against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

“I voted no because only 9 percent of the funding in that bill was COVID-related,” Cawthorn said. “Americans were paying on average $5,000 in taxes to receive what amounts to pennies in return. If the bill had actually been about COVID relief, and not sending millions of tax dollars to foreign countries, illegal immigrants and abortion clinics, then I would have considered voting for it.”

The bill ultimately passed 219-212, and will now move to the Senate.

SMN brings home 26 N.C. Press Awards

The Smoky Mountain News team won 26 editorial awards in the 2020 North Carolina Press Association News and Editorial Contest.

While 2020 was a strange yet exciting time to be a journalist, News Editor Jessi Stone said the SMN team worked harder than ever to bring the most important news to the communities it covers.

“These awards are a testament to the hard work our small but mighty staff puts in day in and day out. We are so appreciative of our readers, supporters and our advertisers that have hung in with us over the last difficult year,” she said.

This year’s entries for the NCPA Newspaper Content were judged by newspaper professionals from the West Virginia Press Association.

SMN is particularly proud to be recognized in the General Excellence category, which is awarded based on quality of production, writing, sections, design, front page and editorial page and also on a point system for awards won in the editorial contest.

• Garret K. Woodward — Lighter Columns

• Cory Vaillancourt — News Enterprise Reporting

• Cory Vaillancourt — Religion & Faith Reporting

Second place

• Holly Kays — Beat News Reporting

• Jessi Stone, Susanna Shetley, Hannah McLeod — Best Email newsletter (Rumble)

• Cory Vaillancourt — Feature Writing

• Holly Kays — General News Reporting

• Travis Bumgardner — General Excellence for Websites

• Staff — Best Magazine or Niche Publication (Down the Road)

• Staff — General Excellence

Third place

• Holly Kays — Arts and Entertainment Reporting

• Jessi Stone — Beat Feature Reporting

• Staff — City, County Government Reporting

• Cory Vaillancourt, Lilly Knoepp — Election/Political Reporting

SMN’s digital products were also recognized this year with second place General Excellence for Websites, second place for the new digital newsletter for women, Rumble, and third place for SMN’s Facebook page.

And the awards go to...

First Place

• Holly Kays — Education Reporting

• Holly Kays — Investigative Reporting

• Holly Kays — Best Ledes

• Holly Kays — Feature Writing

• Holly Kays, Scott McLeod — Henry Lee Weathers Freedom of Information Award

• Holly Kays — Investigative Reporting

• Susanna Shetley — Lighter Columns

• Cory Vaillancourt — News Feature Writing

• Boyd Allsbrook — Profile Feature

• Jessi Stone — Religion & Faith Reporting

• Hannah McLeod — Serious Columns

• Staff — Best Social Media page (Facebook)

Jackson man to serve 18 months for EBCI embezzlement

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

AJackson County man who pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $95,000 from an enterprise of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will spend 18 months in prison and pay nearly $200,000 in restitution, according to a sentence U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger handed down Feb. 18.

According to the bill of information filed when the case began in June 2020, Frederick Thomas Gettins Strohm, 41, was the office manager for Cherokee Broadband Enterprises, and as such he had access to CBE bank accounts and bank cards. However, from the year 2014 through 2018, he used that access to “embezzle, steal and convert” more than $95,000 in CBE funds for personal use.

According to court documents, many of Strohm’s illegally gotten gains went toward the purchase of sports paraphernalia. The illicit expenditures included $301.72 on belts and belt buckles — including a decorative Florida State Seminoles belt buckle — and a mini helmet display collection from Fanatics.com.

Between Aug. 20, 2017, and Jan. 14, 2018, Strohm used CBE funds to cover an additional $4,369.86 in PayPal purchases from Fanatics.com, “including but not limited to purchasing two Jacksonville Jaguars jerseys customized to read ‘STROHM’ on the back, each of which cost $299.99, and a Derek Jeter collage,” court documents say.

Those PayPal purchases accounted for just a small portion of the $45,855.01 he made in PayPal payments during the years 2015 through 2018, some covering personal purchases and some consisting of cash payments to himself. Additionally, in 2017 and 2018 he used CBE funds to pay $57,637.31 in credit card bills unrelated to CBE business, and between 2014 and 2016 he used the CBE debit card to make $7,758.58 in personal online purchases, court docu-

ment say. These online purchases included $119 for LED fog lights for his Dodge Challenger and $134.98 for vaping products.

According to court documents, Strohm attempted to evade detection throughout the years he was stealing from CBE. For example, in September 2016 he sent a CBE bank statement to Tribal Finance that had been altered to remove details about debit purchase that would have exposed his wrongdoing. He also deleted QuickBooks files from the CBE computer that would have given him away, but authorities were able to recover the deleted files.

Strohm was charged with one count of embezzlement and theft from an Indian tribal organization, a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison when the value of the property in question exceeds $1,000.

He pleaded guilty during a hearing held Sept. 9, 2020, and Reidinger sentenced him on Feb. 18. After serving 18 months in prison, Strohm will be on supervised release for three years. One of the many conditions of that release is a requirement to participate in a mental health evaluation and treatment program. He will also be required to pay $199,077.66 in restitution and a $100 assessment to the EBCI, though the sum may be repaid in monthly installments of $50 rather than all at once. It would take approximately 332 years to pay back such a large sum of money at a rate of $50 per month.

Six people wrote letters in support of Strohm’s character for Reidinger to consider at sentencing. They included the pastor of a church he had attended in Texas, a listener of his radio show Afternoon Drive, two close friends, his father, and his pre-teen daughter.

“I don’t think my dad should go to jail because I will miss him when he isn’t with me,” his daughter wrote. “I love my dad so much and I don’t want to lose him at all. Plus, my dog will miss him too.”

Mission Health relaxes visitation restrictions

Beginning March 2, Mission Health hospitals will be relaxing visitor restrictions from the previous level two.

Mission will now allow two visitors per inpatient during regular visitor hours. Patients who are hospitalized overnight may now have one visitor remain with them overnight. Outpatient surgery patients may have one visitor.

Due to the high number of patients continuously being cared for at the Mission Hospital ER, these patients may have one visitor with them. ER patients at Angel Medical Center, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, Mission Hospital McDowell, and Transylvania Regional Hospital may have two visitors with them.

There is no change in visitation policy regarding COVID-19 patients: visitors will not be allowed for COVID-19 positive patients or for patients awaiting a COVID-19 test result; additionally, there continues to be one visitor allowed at the Eckerd Living Center on the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital campus in accordance with CMS guidelines. Screenings and access restrictions are still in place.

Haywood Dems plan precinct meetings

The 2021 precinct organizing meetings for Haywood County will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, March 15, via Zoom.

To ensure security, participants must pre-register by Saturday, March 13. The pre-registration link can be found at www.haywooddemocrats.org.

After registering, and upon approval, you will receive a confirmation email containing information to join the meeting. The order of business is to elect precinct officers, review and adopt resolutions, collect N.C. Democratic Party sustaining funds, elect delegates to the County Convention on April 10 and begin organizing for the 2021 Municipal Elections and the 2022 Mid Term Election.

Registered Democrats and like-minded Unaffiliated voters are encouraged to participate; however, only registered Democrats are eligible to vote on business items.

For additional information, email haywooddemocrats@gmail.com or call 828.452.9607.

Triple-win climate solutions: Go native! Plan now for early spring planting

"Natureneverdidbetraytheheartthat loved her." — William Wordsworth, 1798

When we plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, we create a nursery for wildlife. Wildlife, in turn, help to save the ecosystem that we depend on for our survival. Native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers prevent or slow down the storm water runoff that our increasingly extreme weather makes worse. They save the beneficial insects, birds, and animals on which our food supply depends.

While fall is the optimal time to plant, once the ground is workable in late winter and early spring, we can add natives to our lawns and gardens. For success, follow directions for late winter/early spring planting in the resources below.

“Our native oaks especially help support the wildlife in our area,” said Haywood County’s Horticulture Extension Agent Sam Marshall. “They are home to more than 400 different species of caterpillars, with a great number of caterpillars within each species. All those caterpillars help feed our native birds. We are still finding out about all the insects and other life that live in our oak trees.”

A QUADRUPLE WIN

1. We save time and money because native species generally grow better in the region where they originate, require less mainte-

nance, and resist some non-native diseases.

2. Deciduous trees provide homes with shade in the summer and, by allowing sunshine through, warmth in the winter.

3. We establish habitat and food sources for native wildlife in addition to providing beauty for your yard.

4. Native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers prevent soil erosion and mitigate runoff, as noted above.

Realize there may be a trade-off. When we plant native species, we are creating a “food pantry” that helps support wildlife. Marshall explained, “Some people get upset because some insects are more likely to feed on native plants. It rarely kills the plant, but the plant can look chewed up at the end of the season. To compensate, a small number of non-native plants are fine.” Design flower beds so something is always blooming in at least a few spots.

dener or a nursery selling plants not treated with pesticides or herbicides. Sam Marshall oversees Haywood County’s Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, a group of more than 100. “This isn’t a garden club,” said Sam. “This is a group of people with training in horticultural science are who are available to provide you the information you need to troubleshoot any problems.”

Learn the characteristics of what you are planting. Some native plant species do so well that they are invasive—they spread more than you want. If you want a plant that spreads, literally nip it in the bud by removing the seeds before they drop or fly away.

SPRING INTO ACTION

First, plan: Even a native plant or tree will die or get sick in the wrong spot without the drainage, nutrients, and amount of water it needs to survive. If you need help, consult a Master Gar-

Second, unless you are certain about what will grow in the chosen spots, get a soil sample now. See the County Extension office contact and link to directions for taking samples below. Avoid chemically treated areas. Roundup and other neonics kill pollinating insects the human food supply depends on. Terminix warns that

plants for beneficial insects should be more than four feet from exterior walls where exterminators spray.

Third, amend your soil according to soil sample recommendations. Buy plants from a nursery you can trust to sell chemical-free plants. Fourth, enjoy planting, watering, and watching your early spring project blossom.

WHAT YOU NEED

Trees and plants native to each North Carolina region:

• projects.ncsu.edu/goingnative • plants.ces.ncsu.edu

Rules to observe so your plantings thrive

• todayshomeowner.com/can-i-plant-treesand-shrubs-in-late-fall-or-winter

Resources

• Haywood County Agricultural Extension Office: 828.456.575.

• Master Gardener Volunteers: emgv.ces.ncsu.edu

Laura Armour is a freelance journalist in Haywood County. Mary Jane Curry is a retired university teacher-researcher, ClimateReality® Leader, and editor of the Triple-win Climate Solutions column. Alexandra Kirtley designed our logo and manages the website www.wncclimateaction.com.

Stayat Maggie Valley Club & Resort thisWinter!

Jackson approves economic development strategy

County searches for new economic development director

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Aplan that will guide the county’s economic development strategy for the next five years received unanimous support Feb. 16 from the Jackson County Board of Commissioners.

“We all know that the county is growing well,” Arthur Salido, director of business strategy and economic development for the consulting firm WithersRavenel, said during a Feb. 9 work session. “With growth comes challenge, but also opportunities. When we started this process a year ago and COVID hit, it was hard to predict how that would impact the county.”

The resulting Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Salido said, will help equip the county and its stakeholders “with strategies and resources to tackle all the challenging issues that ignite the changes that lead to meaningful impact.”

The planning process kicked off in August 2020, a collaboration between WithersRavenel and the Jackson County Office of Economic Development. To create the plan, the economic development office chose about 30 business, government, regional and state leaders to act as a focus group, generating feedback and advice. The commissioner-appointed Business and Industry Advisory Committee played an important role in the process as well. The plan draws heavily from the Jackson County 2040 Land Use Plan, which was approved in 2017 and contains goals related to economic development. The economic development plan also emphasizes the county’s 2012 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and the Southwestern Economic Development District’s 2017 CEDS.

The final product features eight economic development goals with short-term, midterm, long-term and ongoing action items under each. These goals aim to address four key issues that the group uncovered while researching the plan.

• Affordable housing: In Jackson County, 52 percent of renters and 21 percent of homeowners in Jackson County have a hard time affording housing based on average housing prices and income data.

• Workforce: Focus groups were concerned about the county’s inability to attract the skilled trade workers it needs or to retain youth and talent.

• An aging, growing population: The county’s population has increased 7.8 percent since 2015 and is expected to increase 4.1 percent between 2020 and 2025, but its share of retirement-age people is higher than normal. The national average for a comparable population would be 12,919 people 55 and older, but Jackson County has 14,436 people in that age group.

Jackson County’s natural resources, including the angler-friendly Tuckasegee River, are key to its economic development plans. Jackson County TDA photo

• Industry mix: Government is by far the largest sector in Jackson County, employing 4,989 workers. Trailing are accommodations and food services with 2,442 workers, health care and social assistance with 2,101 workers and retail trade with 1,911 workers. Together, these four sectors employ more than 70 percent of Jackson County workers.

To address these issues, the plan outlines eight goals.

• Goal 1: Maintain a robust and sustainable tourism destination. Stakeholders indicated that Jackson’s communities could benefit from a more diverse mix of businesses to spur visitation and development of the economy and community. A regional branding campaign to highlight assets like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, enhancements to Tuckasegee River access areas and a new event or conference center were also suggested. In addition, focus groups expressed concerns about the environmental impacts of tourism and asked that the county consider measures to protect its natural resources.

• Goal 2: Build a workforce that will meet the needs of current and future employers. Jackson County contains multiple high-quality education providers as well as highly skilled second-home residents and retirees, but filling Jackson County jobs with Jackson County residents remains a challenge. In 2017, the number of non-residents working in Jackson County outweighed the number of Jackson County residents commuting to other counties by 1,571. This fact could indicate that neighboring counties offer residents better access to resources like housing and broadband. Workforce development suggestions included creating job shadowing and internship opportunities for high school and college students and focusing on positive career messaging for elementary and middle school students. Collaboration with higher education

• Goal 5: Identify investment opportunities to address current and future critical economic needs. Issues surrounding the lack of affordable housing and developable land for new housing came up in every stakeholder meeting during the planning effort. The plan recommends that the economic development office create a housing task force and that Jackson County pursue options like forming a memorandum of understanding with landowners permitting the economic development office to market their property to housing developers. In general, the county should evaluate public-private partnership opportunities to create workforce housing, explore opportunities with the Federal Housing Finance Agency and evaluate utility infrastructure needs for housing expansion.

providers to expand educational opportunities and creating transit and ridesharing opportunities to help employees without their own transportation are also suggested.

• Goal 3: Countywide high-speed broadband availability. While the region is gradually adding internet capacity, access is still lacking. Suggested actions to address this issue include creating a new Digital Inclusion Committee to foster collaborative discussion between various players, ensuring the county has a complete inventory of

Read the plan

The newly adopted Jackson County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy is available online at bit.ly/3dWXXKJ.

current broadband infrastructure and accurate broadband map, and evaluating how funds from the Jackson County Revolving Loan Fund can be redirected toward broadband-related priorities.

• Goal 4: Create a marketing campaign for Jackson County to support existing business and attract new businesses. Limited developable land and distance from the interstate highway system challenge industrial recruitment, so Jackson County is focusing on attracting businesses from five target industries — education, gaming, health care, tourism and retirement. Suggested actions to achieve these include establishing a regional tourism brand/identity, collaborating with regional partners to undertake a researchbased supply chain study, maintaining an up-to-date searchable online database of available buildings and sites and creating cluster focus groups to meet and discuss emerging trends.

• Goal 6: Commit to becoming an entrepreneurial/small business capital. Stakeholders recommended that Jackson County create a small business and entrepreneurial hub in downtown Sylva to catalyze job creation and retention. Collaboration between organizations would be key to achieving this goal, as would high-speed internet access for tenants. Ideally, the hub would provide free public Wi-Fi throughout downtown Sylva, helping to close the “education gap” for students who don’t have broadband at home and improving the tourism experience.

• Goal 7: Maintain a comprehensive economic development strategy. The county must develop a detailed work plan supporting implementation of the action initiatives in the CEDS. The county will likely need additional staff to help carry out the plan’s recommendation and should create an annual status update on the action items, also planning to revisit the entire plan every five years.

• Goal 8: Maintain and enhance quality of life for citizens, tourists and small business owners. Stakeholders stressed the importance of maintaining Jackson County’s vibrant and walkable downtowns, growing health care system, family-friendly and lowcrime atmosphere and ample outdoor recreation assets. To protect these benefits, the county should develop a long-term water resources management strategy, create a mixed-used real estate development, improve river access and add bike paths and access for alternative transportation.

The Office of Economic Development, which is responsible for overseeing most of the objectives listed in the plan, currently has only one employee — Director Rich Price. However, Price left that position on Feb. 12 for a new job as director of economic development at Western Carolina University.

Jackson County is currently advertising the position and accepting applications through March 8. Allowing for time to review applications, conduct interviews and let the chosen candidate to give notice at his or her current job, the county hopes to have someone in place by mid-May. The position’s pay range is $53,734 to $66,812. Implementing the CEDS will be part of the new director’s job description.

How many visitors are too many?

The Smokies region is an outdoor mecca that attracts millions of people each year. For better or worse, that onslaught of visitors is increasing and likely to continue doing so.

The National Park Service has recently released visitation numbers for 2020, and they verify what many of us thought was true from our anecdotal observations: people flocked here during the pandemic. The Blue Ridge Parkway was again the most-visited park unit in the country, topping out at over about 14.1 million. Yes, not all of those were in this region, but anyone who drives the 469-mile Parkway knows it has been busy despite the closures associated with the pandemic and the weather.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park had more than 12 million visitors in 2020. According to a press release from the Smokies, the near-record visitation occurred despite 46 days of closure due to the pandemic. And those visitors weren’t just driving through. Front-country camping was up 33 percent from September to December compared with 2019 and backcountry camping permits jumped 47 percent from June through December.

We who live here were eyewitnesses to this surge in visitors while metropolitan areas were shut down. People came to

Election fraud evidence is slim to none

To the Editor:

I am alarmed by the variety and sheer numbers of claims of election fraud we still see, claims that change or evolve over time to fit a multitude of narratives of mistrust this country has never seen. The fraud was allegedly plotted by thousands of election officials across nine states, by electronic voting vendors with alleged nefarious ties to failed authoritarian states, and by the 80-plus courts and judges that have adjudicated civil lawsuits filed against multiple states and counties.

The former President has won only one “frau” lawsuit related to the results of the 2020 election, and that case did not prove any widespread voter fraud had any effect on the outcome. Judges across the political spectrum have rejected scores of other cases filed before and after Nov. 3 that sought to overturn the election.

Almost all cases were dismissed on procedural grounds, which does not mean they weren’t duly considered. These cases were dismissed because the plaintiffs:

• were unable to demonstrate a sufficient connection to and harm from the law or action challenged (standing).

• had no credible evidence (without merit).

• had no regard for the merit of their own arguments (frivolous).

There are currently still 21 civil lawsuits pending across the country today. These lawsuits argue:

• against extended state the vote-by-mail deadlines to no more than seven days (10).

• more than one drop box per county is

get outside, to find some sense of normalcy amid the strange year that was 2020. Every county in the region had record hotel/motel occupancy for many months in 2020. Those visitors dropped money while here, which led to sales tax revenue hikes that are going to be a boon for our local governments as we head into budget season. Those tourists also provided accommodation owners and tourism development authorities with even more money to continue marketing this region to the masses.

But the outdoors isn’t the only reason people come here. As we all know, the food and beverage scene in this region is one of the best in the country, and the word is out. After early struggles during the pandemic, it seems most breweries and restaurants have figured out how to survive and even thrive as we ever-so-slowly head toward normalcy.

The downside of all this? Well, the GSMNP has a backlog of maintenance needs totaling around $230 million. Trails, campsites, roads and other amenities are in serious need of

LETTERS

illegal (five).

• for additional, punitive, and highly restrictive vote-by-mail requirements (four).

• against allowing five days to remedy voteby-mail signatures problems (one).

• against allowing vote-by-mail for first time voters (one)

• against action taken by the USPS just prior to elections which restricted vote-by-mail (one).

• against allowing voters over the age of 65 from using vote-by-mail without a “valid excuse” (one)

• against mail votes not notarized or countersigned by two adults either not living in the same household or by people who are immediate family (one).

• against ranked voting (one).

None of these pending lawsuits make any claim that election fraud was committed.

There are websites where there are compilations of alleged 2020 election law violations. None of these alleged violations were presented to law enforcement. No state, county or federal law enforcement have indicted any person, organization or corporation for voter fraud. None of these alleged violations have evidence acceptable by any county, state, or federal court. None of the affidavits from witnesses to the alleged election law violations were given under oath of law with criminal penalties for lying.

This letter will not change the minds of most readers. Events and speech leading up to and after the 2020 election have fueled an intense emotional investment many people have made in their candidate. I get it. I have felt that same fervent enthusiasm for other candidates in the past, some of whom lost.

repair, and the Blue Ridge Parkway has some of the same maintenance concerns. Many of us recall with shock what happened on Max Patch in the Pisgah National Forest in September 2020 when it was overloaded with campers, many who shamelessly left trash and other waste on top of the scenic bald. The phrase “love it to death” comes to mind.

Over in Buncombe County and Asheville, many are complaining about too many tourists. There is a movement to use some of the money now going toward marketing to improve the lives of those who live here. That money, advocates say, could build greenways, ballfields, and other amenities that improve the lives of the locals and that are often too expensive for local governments to fund. That idea has promise, and it’s my guess that the room tax legislation will be re-written happens at some point in the near future. That could also happen in counties further west.

It’s a razor’s edge we’re walking, it seems: we need tourists in our region for this economy to work, but how many and how do we know when we’ve reached the tipping point? I don’t know the answer, but it’s pretty certain that the pent-up desire to travel from the pandemic is going to lead to a staggering number of visitors as we head into spring and summer. (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)

But we must all find a way to trust in our sacred institution of democratic elections, to trust in God as the authors of the Constitution did, so that our democratic republic will continue to flourish.

John Barry

Franklin

Letter writer has her facts wrong

To the Editor:

This is in response to the recent letter by Carol Adams of Glenville: “Trump was 1,000 Percent Correct.”

She attempts to refute the “accusation” that the acts of violence committed at the U.S. Capitol were committed by people supporting Donald Trump. To save space, I’ll refer you to the Department of Justice/F.B.I. and Forbes magazine www.justice.gov/opa/investigations-regarding-violence-capitol, and generally: www.fbi.gov/wanted/capitol-violence The first link lists various specifics in the affidavits and statements of facts as to the individual defendants. A number of those specifics refer to far right organizations or beliefs. Some of the F.B.I. press releases section linked in the second link also make reference to far-right organizations

The F.B.I. stated that they had no indication of antifa involvement at that time www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/01/ 08/fbi-no-evidence-antifa-involved-in-capitolchaos/?sh=1b075f256379.

There hasn’t been anything that has arisen since. I’ll also note that the Department of Justice and the F.B.I. were parts of the Trump administration when these things were said.

Although the charges have not been proven and the F.B.I. is not always right, I think that they’re better informed than Ms. Adams. She says: “No court, state, federal or even the Supreme Court, would hear any case from Trump lawyers with election fraud evidence.” It’s hard for me to understand how approximately 60 cases by Trump lawyers were lost and one was won with any case being heard. They were heard and were dismissed. (Reading between the lines of legal language, it seems that some of them were laughed out of court.) What happened was that the Trump lawyers filed their claims (those claims were often a lot less than the claims they made at their press conferences), the other side challenged them, and the challenge resulted in both sides filing documents stating what their evidence was. The (many) courts determined that the Trump evidence and legal claims were simply wrong, not good enough to prove their cases, or both. Most, if not all, of the remainder of the cases were dismissed because of a lack of what is known as “standing.” An example was the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding that Texas and other states did not have standing to challenge Pennsylvania’s election proceedings. Those proceedings and results could be and were challenged in Pennsylvania state court and federal court in Pennsylvania. With one exception, those are included in the 60 or so cases that were lost. The case that was won involved a relative handful of votes.

She makes a number of other claims, but I’ll only address one more. She says: “There would be no Covid vaccine without President Trump who pushed its development….”

The ‘Sap is Risin’

Editor’s note: Long-time principal and community leader Charles Starnes passed away on Saturday, Feb. 27.

BY RANDY S ISKE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Our “Breakfast Club” started eating together in 2006 just because we went to the same place, The Smoky Mountain Café, at the same time. That restaurant closed so we all decided to go to Duval’s. It closed so we started going to Clyde’s. We would occasionally visit other restaurants, but we always returned to the corner table at Clyde’s. There was Charles of course, Paul George a former coach and teacher at Tuscola, Cecil “Zeke” Yount, a former “PreCharles” student of Tuscola, Richard “Dick” Sheetz a transplant and incorrigible Yankee, myself, a Tuscola Class of ‘83 student, and a handful of regular visitors. There were stories, teaching moments, entertainment and plenty of good-hearted ribbing by all involved. Charles always gave as well as he received.

Charles would usually arrive before the establishment would open and reserve our usual seat. If someone did beat us to “our” table, Charles would not ask them to leave, but he would let them know that it was his table. Usually, by the end of their breakfast they would be cutting up and joking with him like they were old friends. Charles was an ambassador for Waynesville, Haywood County and all of Western North Carolina. He helped start and establish Folkmoot, sat on many community boards, service groups and even ran for the state legislature.

I can’t count how many times a former student would come up to our “Breakfast Club” and start sharing their memories of Mr. Starnes with Mr. Starnes. Most of the time they would mention the “Sap is Rising” speech and they always had a smile on their face when doing so. One of those former students was John Sisk, who is currently the head strength coach for Georgia State football after seven years at Georgia Tech and 10 seasons at Vanderbilt. He actually thanked Mr. Starnes for his “Sap is Rising” speech because he had been plagiarizing it for years with his students.

Several years ago, before we knew how COVID-19 would disrupt our lives, Charles asked me to speak at his funeral.

Specifically, he wanted me to recite his “Sap is Rising” speech which he was famous for. We the students didn’t know exactly when it would happen, but after a few words, we knew immediately what this lecture was about. Every March as the weather

got warmer and daydreaming became an obvious issue, Charles would do his morning announcements and then, with a slightly louder voice and parental tone, “Now students ….” The upperclassmen knew what was to follow.

While at the Haywood County Library, I came across a collection of Haywood County’s senior yearbooks. I apologize for not remembering which class it was, but one of the classes from the late ‘80’s had the foresight to document this cherished memory. Different classes had different names for it: The “Sap is Rising” speech, “Senioritis” and “Charles Starnes’ annual epistle,” but no matter what it was called, after Mr. Starnes recited his spring time rite of passage, we knew how we were expected to act. On campus, at least.

“Students, it’s that time of year again! According to my observations around campus, the sap is rising. The bees are getting frisky and the trees are beginning to bloom. Now, in the spring of the year, when the sap starts rising, something happens in young boys and girls — they think they need to get closer and closer; they think instead of talking, they must touch. So, let me warn you to get your emotions under control. Remember there is a time and place for everything, and Tuscola is not the place for overly showing the emotion of love. So, although the sap is rising, we must control our bodies and expressions of love.”

I learned many things from and about Mr. Starnes since being in the “Breakfast Club.” Building a successful educational system requires the same things as just about any other business or team: passion, drive, commitment, staff recruitment, structure, tenacity and personal sacrifice.

Thank you Kim and Greg for sharing your Dad with thousands of other kids that needed him.

I will always cherish that period of my life, that school, that speech and Charles “Mr.” Starnes.

(Randy Siske is retired from the Navy and lives in Waynesville.)

Although I’m wondering how the polio and other vaccines came into existence without Mr. Trump, I’ll leave it at that. John T. Barrett Sylva

Getting vaccinated also helps others

To the Editor:

On behalf of the Haywood County Senior Democrats, I would like to express our profound gratitude to the Haywood County Department of Health and Human Services for coordinating and delivering our county’s allotment of Covid-19 vaccines. We are the generation that spent our childhood covered in red spots and eating ice cream due to swollen throats because we did not have vaccines for debilitating and potentially deadly viruses. My brothers and I were lucky that our elementary school was one of the test sites for the new polio vaccine in the mid 1950s.

Vaccines are invented to combat diseases that have no known or reliable treatments. That is why the smallpox epidemics, the 1917-1918 flu pandemic, were so deadly. As of now, nearly half a million Americans have died of Covid-19.

I know many people do not believe in vaccines and feel that they are harmful and cause future medical problems. These are extremely rare events and scientific

research has proven that there is no linkage between vaccines and other medical conditions. Whether to vaccinate or not is a personal choice.

If you choose not to get the Covid-19 vaccine, consider these two things:

• The US now has recorded three new mutant strains of the original Covid-19 virus that are much more contagious and deadly than the original one. Two of these strains are currently present and active in Florida and South Carolina and one has been found in Mecklenburg County, N.C.

• The ripple effect, meaning that an unvaccinated person puts the entire community at risk. I was a nurse practitioner student at a county clinic outside of Houston, Texas, in the early 1990s when we experienced a measles epidemic. Businesses and schools had to close, over 100 people were hospitalized, nine people died, five were children. The consequences of going unvaccinated are not limited just to you.

I look forward to receiving my second Covid-19 shot because I would rather be safe than sorry. I also choose to protect my loved ones, my friends, and my community. The good news for us is that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine will be protective against the new strains. We live in a county that has put forth a tremendous effort to vaccinate everyone in a timely manner. Thank you again for all that you do.

Janet Banks, PhD, PNP Maggie Valley

Been a long time since I rock and rolled

Facing uncertainty amid the shutdown, WNC bands aim even higher

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF W RITER

In the depths of The One Stop in downtown Asheville on Saturday, members of the Travers Brothership and Abby Bryant & The Echoes were setting up and sound checking for that evening’s inaugural “Blue Ridge Blues Jam.”

The cavernous live music spot sits on College Street, right underneath its sister venue, the storied Asheville Music Hall on Patton Avenue. During the shutdown, The One Stop went through a massive renovation, from redoing its entire front dining area to incorporating a brand-new menu.

The beloved stage area in the back now has (semi-permanent, waist-high) fencing surrounding the musicians as a way to mitigate any issues amid an era of social distancing and state protocols.

Both the Brothership and the Echoes represent the next generation of popular rock acts emerging from Asheville and greater Western North Carolina. Though the Brothership are childhood friends hailing from Black Mountain and the Echoes formed as students

at Appalachian State University in Boone, the groups call Asheville home — each now carrying the melodic torch ignited decades ago by rock guitar icon and “local boy done good” Warren Haynes.

The Brothership and the Echoes had an enormous 2019, gaining accolades and mainstage slots as major festivals in Southern Appalachia and beyond. It was a moment to parlay that hard-earned stage credibility into a juggernaut of sound and presence in 2020. But, that was not to be seen with the pandemic and complete halt of the music industry until further notice.

The “Blue Ridge Blues Jam” represents the first night members of the bands are dipping their toes into the unknown waters of live music in 2021, especially indoors and in front of an audience in real time (and not digitally streaming on a screen).

Outside of The One Stop, guitarist/singer Eric Travers leans against a wall, watching the fast-paced College Street traffic, readying himself for the impending gig. Upstairs in the stillshuttered Asheville Music Hall, Bryant sits on a couch and looks through her show notes, surrounded by ladders and equipment signaling another renovation.

Smoky Mountain News: With so much planned for 2020, what was it like to just slam the brakes on touring and performing?

We started [Abby Bryant & The Echoes] in 2017. It took a few years to really get this off the ground to where we just [really] felt the stage, [where] we felt it happening. We felt it all working and we were so excited to share our songs.

Kyle Travers: It was very frustrating. I’d say it was strange for the [Travers Brothership] to be off the road, as well. We travel [extensively] and we’re used to playing 150 to 200 nights a year nationally. And we were just starting to sell tickets all over.

“We work off each other. If one of us is confident, then it spreads like wildfire.”

— Kyle Travers

When you’re performing live that much, you really get used to releasing all your stresses and anxieties onstage. And we had to find another way to do that, whether it’s sitting by a campfire more often or jamming in the house — it still meant something.

[But, we’ve] had to fight for survival quite often, that’s why we named the first record, “A Way to Survive.” So, we’re just used to overcoming whatever obstacles are thrown at us, even if they’re pandemic obstacles.

Abby Bryant: There was this grieving stage where you’re [a young band] and you’re energetic. You have all this output ready and you lose a whole year of that. You’re ready to tour. You’re enthusiastic. And you’re hungry for more opportunities and growth to put your art out there.

But, we’re about to release our first full album [this year]. It was partially recorded before the shutdown. We’ve been hanging in here this whole time, just doing what we can every single day to write a song and finish the album. And it’s really what kept us going, because we had this focal point. This [past] year gave us the opportunity to put the detail and focus into an album.

Smoky Mountain News: But, I would surmise that you’re a band that decided a long time ago that this is what you’re going to do, come hell or high water — it doesn’t matter, you’re going to push through.

AB: Absolutely. I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel while we’re working every day and just trying to hold onto that silver lining of having this album to put out into the world. And I’m really trying to hold onto the positive parts of that. This is an unprecedented time. [With playing tonight], I’m seeing that light, even it was just a faint glimmer for a longtime.

KT: Growing up together, [the Travers Brothership] used to play football in the backyard. We’ve always stuck together, no matter what. Now this has happened, [we’re] amongst our families — in any way, shape or form, we just stick together and kind of get pushed through. This is just another time that we had to do that, you know?

It just comes with the brotherhood value of it. Brothers stick together. We work off each other. If one of us is confident, then it spreads like wildfire. If one of us feels like we can get through something, we can all get through it.

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Ode to ‘Big Jack,’ ode to $100 felines

Rest easy, “Big Jack” (aka: “Jack Kerouac”). Goodbye to my beloved cat, who passed away this week back in my native Upstate New York.

In the summer of 2007, right after I graduated college in Connecticut, I returned back to Plattsburgh, New York, and lived with my parents for a period (until I could find a writing gig). Well, my little sister’s cat, Sandy, went missing one day. This small orange kitty.

So, my parents placed flyers around the neighborhood, put a notice in the newspaper and offered a $100 reward. We got all kinds of leads. And one afternoon, my father left to see if Sandy was at this house nearby.

An hour later, my father returned with this fat orange cat. He walks in the house and announces, “Sandy is home.” I go, “Dad, this cat is twice the size of Sandy. That, and Sandy is a girl. This is a boy.”

He shrugged it off that he hadn’t made a mistake (though later he said he felt bad for the cat’s living situation and gave the owner $100 for Jack). From then on, Jack was also affectionately known as “C-Note.”

What’s even wilder is how my father kept bringing home these orange cats: in hopes of one being Sandy, or at least one that would suffice my little sister’s sadness of losing her cat.

After Jack became a member of our family, a week later, my father brought home another orange cat he paid $100 to a complete stranger for. This time it was a girl. It was Sandy’s size. And yet, it wasn’t Sandy. We decided to keep her, too. No sense in tossing her back out into the unforgiving night. Anyhow, there was enough cat food and love to go around.

I called her “Hunter” after infamous writer Hunter S. Thompson, a pillar of my journalistic existence. As feisty and curious as ever, she still resides at my parents’ abode

to this day, chasing after birds and meandering along the creek bed across the street.

At one point in the quest to bring Sandy home, my father borrowed a squirrel trap from my late grandfather, seeing as he heard there was another orange cat in our neighborhood. But, this cat was elusive. My dad set up the trap with some cat food and caught the animal. It was definitely orange and a female.

But, it was a feral orange cat. Extremely feral, as seen by the damage to my folks’ guestroom bed when my dad let it out of the trap in their house. The cat ran through the house in a manic state, eventually out the front door that we’d left open to persuade it to exit the living room. To this day, my mother still brings up my father’s stupidity in bringing a feral cat into the house.

Well, the search continued. No Sandy. We never did find her and hope she found a new home somewhere, anywhere. But, now we had Jack (and Hunter). From 2007 until this week, he lived on my parents seven-acre farmhouse, spending his days roaming the back fields and woods of the property. Total freedom, with a meal always waiting for him in the kitchen.

I named him after my favorite writer, Jack Kerouac, though he always felt like a “Jack” to me: this free-spirited, loving beast of a feline. He never met a stranger and was adored by little kids, seeing as he would let them pick him up and he’d never get mad or scratch them, not once in all those years and with all those wild kids. It was incredible.

In all actuality, he was more of a dog than a cat, at least I think so. It was sad to leave him when I moved to Western North Carolina in 2012. But, he was in good hands with my folks. I always looked forward to being reunited Jack when I would find my way back to the North Country. I’d pull up in the driveway and he burst out from the barn and dart right towards me. He knew my truck.

The rest of my stay at home, he’d always end up sleeping in my bed, purring away like

a small car engine. I remember many nights when I’d be at my folks for the holidays. It’d be freezing cold outside, a roaring fire in the back den.

Entering the den, I’d come home from the local bars after a night out with old high school cronies. Grab a nightcap from the fridge and flop into my father’s trusty recliner. Flick on the TV. Lean back. Kick up the footrest.

And, like clockwork, I could hear Jack hop off the bed upstairs, his little paws trotting down the staircase, only to jump into my lap and hold court until I decided to head to bed. I loved that cat. He was some-

thing else, I tell you what.

To my dearest Jack, I hope wherever you are right now, that you’re roaming free. I hope someone is kind and attentive enough in the ether to turn on the kitchen faucet just so delicately (a pencil-thin stream) that you can get some water in the only way you preferred to receive hydration.

I hope there are plenty of birds up in trees to watch and observe from way down below underneath the bushes. And I hope there’s a recliner and a lap for you to jump up onto, once again holding court in the great cosmos.

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

On the street

Black Mountain College art exhibit

“Connecting Legacies: A First Look at the Dreier Black Mountain College Archive” features archival objects from the Theodore Dreier Sr. Document Collection presented alongside artworks from the Asheville Art Museum’s Black Mountain College (BMC) Collection to explore the connections between artworks and ephemera.

The exhibition is on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery through May 17.

Displayed in this exhibition are archival objects shown alongside works from the museum’s Black Mountain College Collection, which comprises over 1,000 artworks and ephemera. These objects create connections, each one a thread contributing to a nuanced tapestry of the people, materials, geographies, and ideas of Black Mountain College and its ongoing legacy.

“Connecting Legacies” highlights ephemeral materials that focus on underrepresented narratives and the women and people of color of Black Mountain College.

For instance, during the Summer Music Institute of 1944, almost 10 years to the day before the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court Ruling, Alma Stone Williams became the first African American student invited to BMC. The following summer, musicians Roland Hayes and Carol Brice were welcomed to the college as its first African American faculty. Programs from their performances are curated alongside student artworks made around the same period.

• 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 The Waymores March 13. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Mountain Gypsy March 5 and The Waymores March 12. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semi-

Black Mountain College was an experimental liberal arts community based in Black Mountain, from 1933-1957, founded by John Andrew Rice, Theodore Dreier, and others who believed in an educational model that was distinctly different from the prevailing frameworks of the time.

Archival objects on view are part of the Theodore Dreier Sr. Document Collection and include mimeographs, letterpress, linoleum prints, offset prints, photographs, handwritten text, clippings, and correspondence. They contain internal records of the school and documentation from Dreier’s tenure at the school from 1933–1949, as well as correspondence, mailings, and publications through the mid-1950s.

Featured BMC faculty and student artists in this exhibition include Lorna Blaine Halper, Ruth Asawa, Hazel Larsen Archer, Elaine Schmitt Urbain, Warren “Pete” Jennerjahn, John Urbain, Joseph Fiore, Ray Johnson, Barbara Morgan, Anni Albers, and more.

The museum’s galleries, store and Perspective Café are open with limited capacity. Art PLAYce, our intergenerational makerspace, and the Frances Mulhall Achilles Art Research Library remain temporarily closed.

The museum welcomes visitors from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, with late-night Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The museum is closed on Tuesdays.

General admission is always free for Museum Members, UNC Asheville students, and children under 6; $15 per adult; $13 per senior (65+); and $10 per student (child 6–17 or degree-seeking college students with valid ID). Admission tickets are available at www.ashevilleart.org/visit.

regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.456.4750 or www.facebook.com/waternhole.bar.

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Winter Member’s Show” will be held March 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.

• 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. 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.

Lazy Hiker welcomes Americana act

Atlanta-based duo The Waymores will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva. The duo will also perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin.

Kira Annalise and Willie Heath Neal are The Waymores and they’re the epitome of acoustic country music. He was born in a cop car, lived in and out of foster care and served in the U.S. Navy. She used to get stage fright until she was swept up by his charm and grit, started writing country songs and never looked back.

Now, they travel the world together, writing songs from the road and bringing their intimate and fun stage presence to audiences around Southern Appalachia and beyond. Both shows are free and open to the public. For more information, click on www.thewaymores.com.

Film explores emojis, societal inclusion

From March 14-17, Western Carolina University’s Bardo Arts Center will present, “Picture Character,” a documentary exploring the history and impact of the now-ubiquitous emojis.

Most people are familiar with the classic smiley face often used in texts and social media, but with the rise of mobile phones, the use of emojis (Japanese for “picture character”) have become a global popular culture phenomenon.

The popularity of the tiny icons raises new questions about identity, inclusion, and representation in technology and digital platforms. “Picture Character” explores the multifaceted, conflict-prone, and often hilarious world of the creators, lovers, and arbiters of emoji, our world’s newest pictorial language.

would come to shape our story. As we witnessed these people from such diverse backgrounds fighting tirelessly for their emoji, we found ourselves asking deeper questions: Who should decide which emoji are added to the set? And can the full diversity of the world be represented in a limited set of digital symbols?”

“When we embarked on directing this documentary about emoji, we anticipated creating a delightful, lighthearted romp through a strange and quirky set of digital symbols,” say Shane and Cheney in their filmmakers’ statement. “What we couldn’t predict at that time was how the creators of emoji — especially the creators of hijab emoji, maté emoji, and period emoji —

Stream this documentary for free from March 14-17. Once you begin watching the documentary, you have 24 hours to finish. Watch on a browser or through the EventiveTV App. Learn more and pre-order your free ticket at arts.wcu.edu/picturecharacter. Due to COVID-19, Bardo Arts Center is currently closed to the public. Find a selection of all virtual experiences upcoming and on-demand by visiting arts.wcu.edu/explore.

On the shelf

Silence, devils, pollyanna and peace of mind

“What happens to people who live inside their phones?”

In his short novel The Silence (Simon & Schuster, Inc. 2020, 117 pages), Don DeLillo raises this question, and then shows us some possibilities when an unexplained break in the power grid shuts down phones, computers, and televisions.

Grim. And given the events of the past year and a few personal incidents, such dour comments are the last thing I need or want at the moment.

defeated. It’s a super-power.”

It’s Super-Bowl Sunday, 2022, and five people gather in a Manhattan apartment to watch the game. Max and retired physics professor Diane Stenner are hosting the party, Martin Dekker, a former student of Diane’s in his early thirties, has already arrived, and Jim Kripps and his wife Tessa, a poet, finally make the party after a harrowing flight from Paris.

As the blackout continues, the characters wonder aloud what it means. Martin, for example, rattles through a long list of cryptic observations from physics and science on the bizarre situation. For a time, Max stares at the enormous blank screen of the television and pretends to narrate the game he can’t see. Tessa asks, “What is happening? Who is doing this to us? Have our minds been digitally remastered? Are we an experiment that happens to be falling apart, a scheme set in motion by forces outside our reckoning?”

The blurbs on the back of The Silence include phrases like “an encapsulation of our continuing crisis of aberration and pause,” DeLillo offers “consolation simply by enacting so well the mystery and awe of the real world,” and his work shows “amazing inimitable scalpel perceptions … while also striking deeply and swiftly at the reader’s emotions.”

Unlike these reviewers — I’m still puzzling over the meaning of our “crisis of aberration and pause” — I finished the book dissatisfied and unimpressed. None of the humorless characters attracted my interest, and the dialogue at times seemed stilted and out of place in a crisis like this one. Near the end, for instance, we have these lines:

“This is what young Martin says, looking down into his parted fingers. “‘The world is everything, the individual nothing. Do we all understand that?’”

Writers’ Workshop poetry contest

The Writers’ Workshop of Asheville is sponsoring its “Annual Poetry Contest,” which is open to any writer regardless of residence.

The awards are:

n 1st Place: Your choice of a two-night stay at the Mountain Muse B&B in Asheville; or three

I’m now about 100 pages into Dostoevsky’s Devils, and though I so far prefer his Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, this novel about nineteenth century radicals and revolutionaries in Russia intrigues me. I’m at the point where the revolutionaries are still lurking in the background of the story, and what has fascinated so far me are the manners and dress that meant so much to people then as compared to our own time.

•••

Another literary foray: From the library I brought home Rachel Hollis’s Didn’t See That Coming: Putting Life Back Together

When Your World Falls Apart. My world has several times crumbled, but right now all looks well. At any rate, as I browsed the book, I found Hollis commenting to an English friend, “I sound a bit like Pollyanna … I know I do, but I can’t help myself.”

The friend then asks Hollis if she’s ever read Pollyanna, and when she answers in the negative, he tells her that he listened while his wife read it to their children and says, “Pollyanna turns a negative into a positive at least a hundred times in that book … That’s not something to be ashamed of, that’s something to be admired. A person who can turn a negative into a positive can never be

free workshops online; or 10 poems line-edited and revised by our editorial staff.

n 2nd Place: Two free workshops; or eight poems line-edited.

n 3rd Place: One free workshop, or fivepages line-edited.

n 10 Honorable Mentions. All work must be unpublished. Each poem should not exceed two pages. Multiple entries are accepted. Your name, address, phone email and

Readers may smile at a 70-year-old man heading once again to the library to bring home a children’s book, but there it is. I came away with an abridged version and a set of CDs with the complete story. Online, I found the complete novel at gutenberg.org, and then watched the 2003 movie of Pollyanna, which is available free on YouTube.

My interest in Eleanor Porter’s 1913 novel began with Rachel Hollis, but grew after I pitched the idea of writing about this girl and her “Glad Game” to an editor. Like so many others, I always regarded Pollyanna as a pejorative term for someone who was ridiculously and always upbeat and optimistic. Psychiatrists label a blindly optimistic attitude as Pollyanna syndrome, and rightly so.

On the other hand, profoundly pessimistic people are both depressed and prone to failure, and so a balance must be found. Taking in today’s culture, I see the scale tipped in the direction of pessimism, some of it warranted but much of it based on fear of the future.

Hence, my interest in the sunshine kid from Vermont. (In the movie, she’s English.) I’m glad to finally meet the girl who practices the Glad Game, and though I doubt I’ll ever become an over-the-moon optimist, we might all take a lesson from Pollyanna Whittier and look for light instead of expecting darkness.

Finally, I should soon have in hand the Peace of Mind Planner from Peter Pauper Press. (For some reason, the press also publishes the same book under the title I’m Dead: Now What. Better sales, perhaps?) The planner is a workbook in which we can record information to help out relatives after our death: our bank account numbers, email access, insurance, friends we want informed, funeral plans, and so on. All that information will make things easy on my children after I head west.

So that’s the book life from this past week. Next up for review will be Hollis’s Didn’t See That Coming (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)

title of work should appear on the first page. The entry fee is $25 for every three poems. All entries receive comments from the judges.

Enclose self-sealing SASE for comments and winners’ list, and mail to: Poetry Contest, 387 Beaucatcher Road, Asheville, NC, 28805.

Emailed submissions may be sent to writersw@gmail.com with “Poetry Contest” in the subject. Entry fee is payable online at www.twwoa.org.

Deadline: postmarked or emailed by March 31.

A flat area at the end of Blackrock Road offers a sweeping view and could be used as a helipad in case of emergency. Donated photo

Riding high in Jackson

Proposed 35-mile trail system would be East Coast’s highest

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Agroup of Western North Carolina moun-

tain biking enthusiasts has unveiled plans to bring the highest-elevation mountain bike trail on the East Coast to Jackson County, and after receiving a thumbs up from leaders in Cherokee and Sylva last month they’ll start seeking grants to make it a reality.

“Sylva is so set up for this, where it’s a destination,” said Sylva Commissioner Ben Guiney during a Feb. 25 meeting. “People go out and they ride, then they go to any of our local restaurants and our breweries.”

The planned 35-mile trail system would be built across a nearly 2,000-acre area that includes Sylva’s Pinnacle Park and adjacent Blackrock Creek Tract as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Shut-in Creek Tract. The latter two properties were conserved in 2019 through a collaborative conservation effort and are now under a conservation easement held by Mainspring Conservation Trust. Mainspring is under contract for an additional 250 acres on the south side of Pinnacle Park, which would be suitable for additional trails should the purchase go through.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

While mountain bikers have been driving the efforts and conversations behind the trail project, the plan does not call for “bike-optimized” trails, Wes Bintz of Nantahala Area

overnight stays in Sylva and Cherokee. During an EBCI Planning Board meeting Feb. 16, Principal Chief Richard Sneed said those additional hotel stays would come at a critical time for local businesses, as Harrah’s Cherokee Casino prepares to finish work on a hotel tower that will add 725 rooms to the complex.

“Once the new convention center opens, the majority of the hotels around here are not going to have the contracts they’ve had, because they (Harrah’s) won’t need them,” Sneed said.

Though it’s not a partner in the project, Maggie Valley could reap positive benefits as well. Due to the rugged terrain of the Plott Balsam area, no road goes directly through or around the property, so while half of it is accessible from Sylva, the other half is accessible only from roads coming off U.S. 19 between Cherokee and Soco Gap.

QUADRUPLE THE TRAIL

Pinnacle Park once served as Sylva’s watershed, but since 1991 it’s been and leased to the Pinnacle Park Foundation for hiking trail development.

Southern Off Road Bicycle Association told the board.

The trail system will accommodate a variety of users, from bikers to hikers to horseback riders, and it will feature the wider turns and milder grades that are critical for mountain bikers but omit the berms and jumps that bikers like but that drive hikers, equestrians and runners crazy. A “stacked loop system” will aim to reduce user conflict, with loops closer to the trailheads featuring wider trails to better accommodate heavier traffic. Loops venturing more deeply into the backcountry will see lighter traffic, and these likely more experienced users will be expected to abide by a set of trail etiquette rules governing who must yield to who when two people cross paths.

Together with fellow Nantahala SORBA member Peter Tay, Bintz has put in about 200 volunteer hours to design the proposed system.

“Really it’s about giving the local residents another opportunity to do something close to home, because we can’t all drive an hour to experience a trail. It’s just not practical,” Bintz said.

It’s also about attracting overnight visitors to Sylva and Cherokee. The stacked loop system would offer novice riders short and easy jaunts through the woods while giving advanced riders the opportunity for full-day backcountry excursions of 20 miles or more.

“This is a significant amount of single track that would take even advanced riders a full day to try to experience,” said Bintz. “This is in contrast to the other local trails we have now, WCU and Fire Mountain, which are really afternoon destinations. This would be a full, total day destination.”

That would in turn translate to more

While it’s an increasingly popular hiking area, Pinnacle Park has very little in the way of purpose-built hiking trail. Most of the 9 miles of existing trail are derived from old logging roads, meaning that they’re significantly wider and steeper than current sustainable trail guidelines advise. Portions of those existing trails have average grades of 16 to 18 percent, far above the recommended maximum of 10 percent. The project would include rehabilitation and rerouting of existing trails in addition to construction of new ones.

“One of our biggest goals was to find some way to go around East Fork Trail,” Bintz said, referring to the trail that branches off from the main route to Pinnacle Rock near the bottom of the property. “If you’ve been up that, it’s an incredibly steep trail that is not sustainably designed, so it needs rehabilitation.”

After substantial time spent crawling through laurel thickets, Bintz was able to flag an alternate bypass that would knock the average maximum grade down from 15 percent to somewhere between 6 and 8 percent.

“It’s a significant softening of the grade for people trying to get to the top,” he said.

In total, the proposed trail system would add 9.6 miles to the existing 9 miles of trail at Pinnacle Park. The Blackrock and Shut-in tracts would get 5.2 miles and 7.9 miles, respectively, of new trail joining a total 3.4 miles of existing paths on those properties. Altogether, it adds up to 22.7 miles of new trail that combines with existing mileage for a total of 35 miles.

“At this time we’re keeping all three parcels and treating them as one major unit,” said Bintz. “The partnership between Sylva and Cherokee is really important here to make this trail system function fully, and it’s a way for both communities to have a trail system that’s greater than the sum of their parts.”

When complete, the new trail system would rival the acclaimed Tsali Recreation Area, which features four loops for a total of 41.8 trail miles. The 35 miles in the Plott Balsams will be widely spaced, said Bintz. “This is a considerably lower trail density than what you could normally do with 2,000 acres,” he said. “That low trail density is due to the steepness and ruggedness of the existing topography.”

PARKING AND FUNDING

While town and tribal leaders support the concept, two big questions remain regarding its future, the first of which is where people will park.

Currently, a single parking lot serves the entire 2,000 acres, and it’s already too small for even the 9 miles of trail already in existence. When the weather’s nice, the lot at the Fisher Creek Trailhead fills up and cars begin to line the sides of the narrow residential road leading to it.

While there are no other parking lots on the property, there are two other existing public accesses. One is a U.S. Forest Service Road at Shut-in Gap on the Sylva side of the ridge, while the other is a steep and rutted gravel road branching off from Black Rock Road in the Wolfetown community. Additionally, hikers can access Blackrock from a trail that begins near Waterrock Knob and passes through other conserved lands before arriving on the Blackrock Tract.

Nantahala SORBA proposes an expanded Fisher Creek Parking Lot as the system’s main trailhead and creation of a secondary parking area at the intersection of Blackrock and Shut-in Main Road. Located “at the heart” of the property, this lot would serve the Cherokee side of the property and reduce impact to residential properties in the Blackrock Road community by virtue of its location in the middle of the tract, Bintz said.

Nantahala SORBA’s report flags the end of Shut-in Creek Road as a potential parking area but said because the connection would require “significant construction” it would be more useful as an emergency response route than as a dedicated trailhead. A location near Blackrock is suggested for use as a helipad in emergency situations. Forest Service Road 7019 starting at Dicks Creek Road in Whittier is also a potential access point.

During the Sylva meeting Feb. 25, there was some discussion as to the feasibility of using Parris Branch Road as an access route. From a construction standpoint, said Public Works Director Jake Scott, it would be a much easier place to put a parking lot than anywhere else. However, a homeowners’ association owns that road, and it’s unlikely the organization would agree to accommodate the high volume of traffic likely to use the road should it become a trailhead access.

The second question is who will pay for it all.

“Hopefully it’s not going to cost the town anything,” Tay told the Sylva board. He’s optimistic that the project, which he estimates could cost about $1 million to complete, could be covered with grant funds from the N.C. Recreational Trails Program, which administers federal grant monies for trail creation and maintenance. These grants require a 25 percent match from recipients, but that match does not have to come in the form of cash. Tay said that the tribe and the town could both use the value of the land and in-kind labor donations from SORBA as their match.

such services but added that Tsali covers its maintenance costs by charging a small user fee. Sylva and Cherokee could consider instituting something similar.

There is also the issue of law enforcement and emergency response. During multiple previous discussions, Sylva Police Chief Chris Hatton has told the board that his department is not prepared to respond to backcountry emergencies in the Pinnacle Park and Blackrock Creek properties.

During a Jan. 29 budget meeting, he told commissioners that he’d had “a little bit of a panic feeling” following a recent call that a family including small children was lost in the area on a night when freezing temperatures were predicted.

This map shows proposed trails in color, existing trails in gray, and emergency access routes in thick orange lines. Donated map

But there is a catch. The grant maxes out at $250,000 per year. Tay is still seeking clarification on whether the tribe and the town could both apply for separate $250,000 grants or whether the endeavor would be considered as one project eligible for only a single grant. Either way, securing the entire funding amount will likely take multiple years. Award announcements for 2021 will come through in November, with preliminary applications due in April and final applications in September.

In addition to presenting the proposal, Tay and Bintz asked both Sylva commissioners and the Cherokee planning board for formal endorsement of the endeavor so that they could note that approval in their grant application package.

While trail construction itself will cost the governments that own the land very little or even nothing at all, the completed projects will incur ongoing expenses. At Tsali, trash removal and portable restroom maintenance at the trailhead costs about $15,000 per year. Tay said that Sylva and Cherokee could expect a similar cost for

Luckily, the family found their way out just as police arrived to start looking, but they did not have the means to maneuver around the rugged property had a search been necessary. The town is considering buying a $19,000 Polaris ATV to aid future search and maintenance efforts.

During the discussion in Tribal Council, former Chairwoman Terri Henry — who is now director of the Tribal Employment Rights Office — reminded council members that there have already been issues with break-ins and poaching in the area and urged them to consider law enforcement when making their plans.

“There’s a serious law enforcement issue and natural resources enforcement issue that should be taken into consideration as well as respect for the property owners who live in Blackrock and Shut-in,” she said.

While those are significant issues to address, Bintz and Tay are certain that the trails will be a net benefit to the community, citing a 2018 study funded by The Outdoor Alliance that found mountain biking visitors spend an estimated $30.2 million each year in and around the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests, supporting 366 full-time jobs and $9 million in job income.

“It’s to give community members a place where they can run, they can bike, they can dog walk, they can bird, they can hike — all the same trails, all year long, and they’ll essentially have different experiences with every single one of those modalities,” Bintz said. “It’s something that won’t get old after a couple of years.”

New trail coming to Old Fort

The U.S. Forest Service wants public input on a proposal to build 42 miles of new trails near Old Fort in McDowell County.

The Old Fort Trails project is a community-driven endeavor focused on connectivity, accessibility and sustainability. The Grandfather District of the Pisgah National Forest is partnering with the G5 Trail Collective, a local nonprofit supporting backcountry trails, and People on the Move for Old Fort, a Black-led community collaborative. Partners have raised more than $150,000 so far in support of the effort, and volunteers from the trail running, biking and equestrian communities have dedicated thousands of hours to trail maintenance around Old Fort.

The new trails would aim to improve community connectivity, reduce barriers to access and support environmental and social sustainability. Two new trailhead parking areas would support them, with about 1 mile of trail relocations proposed to increase maintainability of the existing trail system.

Submit comments online at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=59242. To learn more, attend one of two Zoom meetings offered 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, and noon Friday, March 5. Meeting ID and passcode are 840 1920 9035 and 313843 for March 3 and 851 2562 5866 and 497185 for March 5.

Video shows impact of Smokies Hikes for Healing

A new video highlighting the Smokies Hikes for Healing program, a hiking series that Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash hosted to foster open conversations about racism, diversity and inclusion, is now available on YouTube.

Cash, who is the first Black person to hold the park’s top job, initiated the program in response to the social unrest that swept the country last summer.

“As an African American man and son of a police officer, I found myself overwhelmed with the challenges we faced in

2020 and the endless news cycle that focused on racial unrest,” Cash said. “My medicine for dealing with this stress was a walk in the woods, and I felt called to share that experience with others. Following a summer hike in the park, I brought together our team to create an opportunity for people to come together for sharing, understanding and healing.”

The park — itself a place of incredible biological diversity — provided the ideal backdrop for the 60 people who participated in the hikes, as well as the hundreds of others who visited the Smokies Hikes for Healing website to gather information or download resources guides to lead their own healing hikes.

From August through December 2020, Cash joined up to 10 people at a time for hikes in locations across the park. Trained facilitators David Lamfrom, Stephanie Kyriazis and Marisol Jiménez led the hikes and created a space for open conversations about diversity and racism. Participants started the hikes as strangers but left with a deep connection and appreciation for diverse perspectives.

The park received more than 200 applications but could accept only 60. To help meet demand for participation, facilitators developed resources for others to start conversations in their own communities. They are available at www.smokieshikesforhealing.org. Find the video at youtu.be/lqlg1xzcw8u.

Hike the classics

The 2021 Classic Hikes of the Smokies Series will start on Tuesday, March 9, with an easy 4-mile hike along Mingus Creek, the first of 10 monthly excursions guided by expert hikers.

These hikes, offered the second Tuesday of each month, feature interpretation of the history, flora and fauna of some of the best trails in America’s most-visited national park. Hikes vary in distance, difficulty and location within the park. Registration is $35 for each hike or $180 for all 10, which works out to one free hike. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Smokies’ Smokies Trails Forever program, which funds rehabilitation efforts for highuse trails in the park.

This year’s hiking schedule is:

n March 9: Mingus Creek. This easy 4-miler features historic cemeteries and a mill, plus wildflowers.

n April 13: Porters Creek. Hikers will discover wildflowers and cascades on this moderate 7.4-mile excursion.

n Aug. 10: Lost Cove Loop. Walk a difficult 11.8-mile route to experience the Appalachian Trail and Fontana Lake.

n Sept. 14: Mt. Cammerer. Incredible fire tower views and an Appalachian Trail route characterize this difficult 12-mile trek.

n Oct. 12: Noland Creek. Walk a moderate

8.4 miles along Fontana Lake and through autumn forest on this excursion.

n May 11: Baxter Creek to Mt. Sterling. A difficult 12.2-mile hike will yield views, wildflowers and an impressive fire tower.

n June 8: Smokemont Loop. Enjoy a walk through the forest on this moderate 6-mile loop.

n July 13: Flat Creek. This easy 5.2-miler takes hikers along a high-elevation creek.

Learn in nature

The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard is shifting back to in-person classes, with free outdoor workshops hosted by N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission staff planned throughout March.

n Introduction to Fly Fishing. 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 6 and 20. Ages 12 and older.

n Casting for Beginners. 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 11 and 25. Ages 12 and older.

Pandemic changes trail season plans

With the pandemic still very much in effect as thru-hiker season comes around once more, trail season in Franklin will look a good bit different than normal.

n The Thru-Hiker Chow Down, traditionally a buffet-style meal for hikers hosted by the Nantahala Hiking Club, has been canceled.

n Easter on the Trail will take a different format this year. Instead of taking place as an organized group event, between April 2 and April 10 participants are encouraged to go out on the A.T. at any time and provide some trail magic along the way or set up a tailgate at any major A.T. crossing. Stay safe

n Nov. 9: Boogerman Trail. Experience Cataloochee Valley history, old growth poplars and elk on this difficult 7.4-mile hike.

n Dec. 14: Old Sugarlands Trail. Take a moderate 7-mile forest walk on this hike that will double as a holiday celebration. Register at www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

n On the Water: Davidson River. 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, March 16 and 31. Ages 12 and older.

n Birding Hike. 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 17. Ages 10 and older.

n Tracking. 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, March 22. Ages 8 to 13.

n Salamanders. 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, March 31. Ages 5 to 12. Free, with pre-registration required at www.ncwildlife.org/learning/educationcenters/pisgah or by calling 828.877.4423.

with tips at  www.appalachiantrail.org/explore/hikethe-a-t/thru-hiking/trail-magic.

n The First Baptist Church in Franklin will hold its annual hiker breakfast from 7:15 to 8 a.m. each morning from March 15 to April 15, but with some changes from previous years. The church will not provide transportation to and from the church, and tables in the fellowship hall will be spread out with seating limited.

n Some NHC members are volunteering to shuttle hikers from the trail to Franklin, and Macon County Transit will also offer shuttle service.

Additional events and trail magic opportunities may be scheduled as the season unfolds. Check for updates at www.nantahalahikingclub.org.

Ingles Nutrition Notes

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

EATING VEGETABLES

As a nation we are still doing a really poor job at eating our vegetables. Many of us don't even eat one serving a day! What's stopping us?

Availability?

There's no rule that says you have to eat fresh vegetables! Frozen vegetables may be more economical and they're picked and frozen at peak ripeness so they are a good option. Canned vegetables also work.

Price?

Buy what's in season and economical! This may mean it makes more financial sense to buy frozen or canned -and that's fine.

Preparation Anxiety?

Don't know how to prepare a certain vegetable? Look it up on-line! Check out the Ingles Markets website for "recipes", pick up a copy of the "Ingles Table" magazine available in the Ingls deli or just search for recipes that will interest your family.

Taste?

Try new/different vegetables and different types of preparation. If you've only had steamed broccoli - try roasting it in a hot oven with olive oil, salt and pepper instead. If you've only eaten red peppers cooked in a fajita - try them raw with a dip! If you've had raw carrots, try them roasted with honey and ginger or turn them into a soup.

Sources: For more ideas on how to prepare vegetables: https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/

McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian @InglesDietitian Leah McGrath - Dietitian 800.334.4936

Paving begins on park road

A paving project expected to last through the end of November is now underway on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s most-used thoroughfare, Newfound Gap Road.

The project involves the 8-mile section between the Chimneys Picnic Area and Newfound Gap. Though it is expected to wrap up by Nov. 30, delays are possible should inclement weather pose a problem.

Weekday, single-lane closures and traffic delays will be in effect from now until June 15 and again from Aug. 16 to Sept. 30. Lane closures are permitted from 7 a.m. Mondays through noon on Fridays and will be managed with flagging operations and a pilot car to lead traffic through the work

Plant natives effectively

zones. Some parking areas and pull-offs will be closed intermittently. However, no daytime closures will be allowed on weekends, holidays, the week before and after the Easter holiday, the summer season or the month of October.

The Federal Highway Administration awarded the $8.5 million contract to Bryant’s Land Development Industries Inc. of Burnsville. Roadwork will include application of a pavement preservation treatment along a 6-mile section of roadway and a full pavement rehabilitation for the remainder.

Current road conditions are available at www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm or @SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter.

Learn how to landscape with native plants with a Zoom session slated for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 18.

Offered by Haywood County Cooperative Extension, the class will cover the definition of a native plant, backyard ecology and wildlife that are supported by native plants. Sam Marshall, horticulture agent for Haywood extension, will present. Cost is $10. Sign up by March 15 bit.ly/3swmeny.

Full closure planned for Cades Cove Loop Road

Puzzles can be found on page 30

These are only the answers.

Cades Cove Loop Road will be fully closed for three weeks in September to allow crews to resurface the popular roadway, which is used by more than 2 million visitors each year.

The road was fully reconstructed and resurfaced in 2010. This preventative pavement treatment will extend the service life of that asphalt. The full closure is necessary to allow trucks and paving equipment to move along the narrow, one-way road.

While the contract duration is two months, the actual asphalt paving operation will occur during the three-week closure. Work also includes resurfacing the campground entrance road from Laurel Creek Road to the Cades Cove Campground and the parking area adjacent to the Cades Cove

Campground Store. The campground, picnic area, campground store and horse stables will remain open and accessible throughout the duration of the paving project.

The road will be closed to all motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and horseback riders from Tuesday, Sept. 7, to Monday, Sept. 27. Additionally, current roadwork along Forge Creek Road — which has been closed to all use since Nov. 2 to replace five bridges — has been extended, with the closure now expected to last through July 31 after it was initially to wrap up at the end of May. The full closure prevents all access — including foot, bike and horse — to the Henry Whitehead Place and Gregory Ridge, Gregory Bald and Hannah Mountain trailheads. Gregory Bald is accessible from trails outside the Cades Cove area, including Wolf Ridge Trail, Long Hungry Trail or a section of the Appalachian Trail.

WNC Calendar

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• 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.

• Live Forgiven Church will host a grocery giveaway from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Sunday, March 7, curbside at 45 Crown Ridge Road, Sylva. This is open to anyone who can use a little extra help right now. Simply drive up and prepacked bags of shelf stable food are available to be loaded into your car. Produce and eggs are also given when available. For any questions, email Chris or Crystal, FoodMinistry@LiveForgiven.Life or you use the contact form on the website www.LiveForgiven.Life

• Fines Creek Annual Easter Dinner (Drive-thru) & Egg Hunt will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at the Fines Creek Community Center. Price for adults is $8. All proceeds benefit the local MANNA Foodbank.

B USINESS & E DUCATION

• The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College is offering a free "Empowering Mountain Food Systems - Agribusiness" webinar series. The four-part series is designed to address the unique needs of current and prospective agribusinesses. Upcoming classes include Farmland Transition to be held 9-10 a.m. Friday, March 19, and Agritourism to be held 9-10 a.m. Wednesday, April 28. Interested current and prospective agriculture-based businesses and entrepreneurs are welcome to register for a single session or all four. Visit SBC.Haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 for additional information or to register.

H EALTH AND WELLNESS

• Registration is now open for Lake Junaluska’s four two-night Marriage Enrichment Retreats in 2021, with the first coming up March 14-16. Ned Martin, a licensed clinical mental health counselor who also holds a Master of Divinity degree, will lead the retreats to be held March 14-16, May 2-4, July 25-27 and Sept. 12-14. Visit www.lakejunaluska.com.

P OLITICAL CORNER

• The Macon County Republican Party will host its 2021 convention virtually from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 6. Delegates will participate by phone. The convention is open to all Macon County voters who were registered as Republicans as of Jan. 31. Pre-register no later than 5 p.m. March 5 to receive dial-in instructions. The registration form is at www.macongop.com. For more information or questions, email delegate@macongop.com, or leave message at 828.347.2877.

• The March meeting for the Swain County Democratic Party Whittier-Cherokee precinct will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 9 via Zoom. This is also the annual meeting where the group elects WH/CH precinct officers and delegates for our county convention in April. For more info or to request a link, call 828.497.9498.

• The 2021 precinct organizing meetings will be held via Zoom at 7:00 pm on Monday, March 15. To ensure security, participants MUST pre-register by Saturday, March 13. The pre-registration link can be found on the Haywood Democratic Party website: www.haywooddemocrats.org For additional information, contact Democrat Headquarters: haywooddemocrats@gmail.com or call 828.452.9607.

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

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

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 The Waymores March 13. All shows begin at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Mountain Gypsy March 5 and The Waymores March 12. 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 semiregularly 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’s “Winter Member’s Show” will be held March 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.

• “Connecting Legacies: A First Look at the Dreier Black Mountain College Archive” features archival objects from the Theodore Dreier Sr. Document Collection presented alongside artworks from the Asheville Art Museum’s Black Mountain College (BMC) Collection to explore the connections between artworks and ephemera.

The exhibition is on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery through May 17. General admission is always free for Museum Members, UNC Asheville students, and children under 6; $15 per adult; $13 per senior (65+); and $10 per student (child 6–17 or degree-seeking college students with valid ID). Admission tickets are available at www.ashevilleart.org/visit.

FILM & S CREEN

• Western Carolina University’s Bardo Arts Center presents, “Picture Character,” from March 14-17, a documentary exploring the history and impact of the nowubiquitous emojis. Stream this documentary for free from March 14-17. Once you begin watching the documentary, you have 24 hours to finish. Watch on a browser or through the EventiveTV App. Learn more and pre-order your free ticket at arts.wcu.edu/picturecharacter.

Outdoors

• The annual Great Smoky Mountains National Park Science Colloquium and Teacher Workshop will return this year, but in a virtual format. The free annual research symposium will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, March 4, via Zoom. The event is free, with registration required. Hosted by Discover Life in America. Sign up at www.dlia.org.

• Macon County 4-H is taking orders on fruit and berry plants through Friday, March 12, for its annual 4-H Plant Sale. The order form is available at www.macon.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/02/2021annual-4-hplant-sale. Submit orders with payment by March 12 and pick up plants April 7-9. Proceeds benefit Macon County 4-H. 828.349.2046.

• A new photography exhibit will open at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. On display at the Baker Exhibit Center through May 2, “The Enveloping Landscape” shows Patrice’s photographs alongside those of 25 workshop participants. Free with regular Arboretum admission.

• The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard is shifting back to in-person classes, with free outdoor workshops hosted by N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission staff planned throughout March. Free, with pre-registration required at www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Education-Centers/Pisgah/ or by calling 828.877.4423.

• A series of horticulture classes aimed at home gardeners will be offered in the New Year through Haywood County Cooperative Extension. Upcoming sessions are Introduction to Home Food Preservation; March 18, Landscaping with Native Plants; April 13, Pruning Trees & Shrubs. Classes, taught by extension agents and experienced Master Gardener volunteers, will last for approximately two hours and be held via Zoom until face-to-face training is possible. Sign up by emailing mgarticles@charter.net. Cost is $10 per class.

• The Assault on BlackRock trail race is set for Saturday, March 20, next year, and proceeds will benefit the Southwestern Community College Student Emergency Fund. Registration is $25 in advance or $30 on race day. The Student Emergency Fund proceeds will benefit helps SCC students who encounter unforeseen financial emergencies. Register at www.ultrasignup.com.

• Registration is now open for Discovery Camp at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. Camps will be offered weekly from Jun 7 through July 2 and July 19 through Aug. 13. They’re open to rising second through seventh graders, who will spend the week exploring the great outdoors in the 434-acre Arboretum campus. Learn more or sign up at www.ncarboretum.org/educationprograms/discovery-camp.

H IKING CLUBS

• The 2021 Classic Hikes of the Smokies Series will start on Tuesday, March 9, with an easy 4-mile hike along Mingus Creek, the first of 10 monthly excursions guided by expert hikers. These hikes, offered the second Tuesday of each month, feature interpretation of the history, flora and fauna of some of the best trails in America’s most-visited national park. Hikes vary in distance, difficulty and location within the park. Registration is $35 for each hike or $180 for all 10, which works out to one free hike. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Smokies’ Smokies Trails Forever program, which funds rehabilitation efforts for high-use trails in the park. Register at www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for:

n Complete listings of local music scene

n Regional festivals

n Art gallery events and openings

n Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers

n Civic and social club gatherings

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4.5mile hike on Thursday, March 4, on Long Branch Trail in the Standing Indian Recreation Area. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza in Franklin at 12:30 p.m. Call hike leader Katharine Brown, 421-4178, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4-5 mile hike on Sunday, March 7 to Jack Rabbit Recreation Area in Clay County. The trail is up and down at first, then levels off with views of the lake. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza in Franklin at 1:00 p.m. Call leader Gail Lehman, 524-5298, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 3mile hike on Saturday, March 13 on the Appalachian Trail to Wesser Tower. The club will meet at Cowee School at 9 a.m. Call leader Larry Barnett, 828.226.9123, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a strenuous 7mile hike on Tuesday, March 16, on MillerTrek at Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris, GA. The club will meet at Brasstown Valley Resort at 10 a.m. Call leaders Steve James and Linda Brookshire, 706.949.5274, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a strenuous 9mile hike on Saturday, March 20, on the Twenty Mile Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The club will meet at 441 Sanderstown Park and Ride at 8:30 a.m. Call leader Katharine Brown, 421-4178, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take an easy 4-mile Greenway stroll on Sunday, March 21, with a stop at Charlie's Gazebo for beginning hikers and meditators. The club will meet at Tassee Shelter on Ulco Dr. in Franklin at 1 p.m. Call leader Deborah Gregory, 4210008, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4.5mile hike on Saturday, March 27, to Round Mountain near Cashiers. The club will meet at Cashiers Recreation Park at 10 a.m. Call Leaders, Mike and Susan Kettles, 828.743.1079, for reservations. Visitors are 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)

• Boost Online — Have your ad featured at top of category online $4

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

Note: Highlighted ads automatically generate a border so if you’re placing an ad online and select a highlight color, the “add border” feature will not be available on the screen.

Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com

p: 828.452.4251 · f:828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com www.wncmarketplace.com

Announcements

DONATE YOUR CAR To Heritage For The Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, 1-855-869-7055

OVER $10K IN DEBT? Be debt free in 24-48 months. Pay a fraction of what you owe. A+ BBB rated. 866-949-0934.

Building Materials

BUYING POPLAR BARK SIDING Buying poplar bark siding. Call for details, ask for Sid or Hannah. 828-264-2464 (828) 264-2464 hannah@ hctfmw.com

Business

Opportunities

BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing-Trusted by Authors Since 1920. Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution. Call for Your Free Author`s Guide 1-888-575-3018 or visit http://dorranceinfo.com/ press

ARE YOU LOOKING For a job or business opportunity? Roof Coatings manufacture looking for Sales team members and Installers, in North &

Old Edwards Hospitality Group Highlands NC

$500 sign-on bonus for FT Bellman, Housekeeping and Dishwashing!

NOW RECRUITING FOR:

Houseman, Turndown Attendants, Overnight Housekeeper, Bartender, Host, Server, Busser, Club Server, PT Banquet Server, F&B MIT, F&B Asst. Mgr, Cook, Pastry and Bread Cook, Spa Concierge, Spa Attendant, Cosmetologist, Massage Therapist, Fitness Manager, Front Desk, Night Audit, PT Warehouse Asst., PT Retail Sales, Seasonal Culinary Gardens Crew.

Benefits offered after 90 days employment. Apply online at oldedwardsinn.com/careers

South Carolina. Call LaVern Zook 740-656-0177.

Employment

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD Of Social Services is Recruiting for a Social Services Director. For More Information Regarding This Position, Recruitment Standards, Salary and Application Process, Please See “Employment Opportunities” at: www.jcdss.org or www.jacksonnc.org/employment-opportunities

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholar-

ships available for certainplicants. Call CTI for details! Call 833-990-0354. (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

AIRLINES ARE HIRINGGet FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Fistudents - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-441-6890.

FTCC - Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Part-time Financial Aid Technician. Secretary II - Health Programs CCE. Grounds Technician. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employ-

ment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com/

Phone: (910) 678-7342. Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

ATTENTION ACTIVE

DUTY/MILITARY Veterans Begin a new career and earn your degree at CTI. Online computer & medical training available for veterans & families! To learn more call 833-9703466

WORK FROM ANYWHERE You have an internet connection? 13 positions available. Start as soon as today. As simple as checking your email. Complete online training provided. Visit for details: https://bit.ly/2yewvor

Home Goods

GENERAC STANDBY GENERATORS Don’t Wait! The weather is increasingly unpredictable. Be. prepared for power outages. FREE 7-yr ext. warranty ($695 value!) Schedule your Free InHome assessment today. 1-833-953-0224, special customers.

Legal Notices

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF HAYWOOD

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having Administrator of the Estate of Anna J. North, deceased, late of Hillsborough County, Florida, and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned, c/o E. Thomison Holman, Holman Law, PLLC, 56 College Street, Suite 302, Asheville, NC 28801 on or before the 7th day of June, 2021, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 1st day of March, 2021 Tony Moon, Ancillary Administrator Estate of Anna J. North

Medical

LIFE ALERT. 24/7. One press of a button sends help FAST! Medical, Fire, Burglar. Even if you can’t reach a phone! FREE Brochure. 844-902-2362

Climate Control Storage

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate- Heritage

• Carolyn Lauter - carolyn@bhgheritage.com

Beverly Hanks & Associates- beverly-hanks.com

• Billie Green - bgreen@beverly-hanks.com

• Michelle McElroy- michellemcelroy@beverly-hanks.com

• Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com

• Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com

• Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com

• Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com

• Ellen Sither - ellensither@beverly-hanks.com

• Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com

• Karen Hollingsed- khollingsed@beverly-hanks.com

• Billy Case- billycase@beverly-hanks.com

• Laura Thomas - lthomas@beverly-hanks.com

• John Keith - jkeith@beverly-hanks.com

• Randall Rogers - rrogers@beverly-hanks.com

• Susan Hooper - shooper@beverly-hanks.com

• Hunter Wyman - hwyman@beverly-hanks.com

• Rob Roland - robroland@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com

• Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com

• Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com

• Steve Mauldin - smauldin@sunburstrealty.com

Jerry Lee Mountain Realty

• Jerry Lee Hatley- jerryhatley@bellsouth.net

• Pam James - pam@pamjames.com

Keller Williams Realty - kellerwilliamswaynesville.com

• The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

• Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff@kw.com

• Darrin Graves - dgraves@kw.com Lakeshore Realty

• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Log & Frame Homes - 828-734-9323

Mountain Dreams Realty- maggievalleyhomesales.com

Mountain Creek Real Estate

• Ron Rosendahl - 828-593-8700

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

RE/MAX Executive - remax-waynesvillenc.com remax-maggievalleync.com

• The Real Team - TheRealTeamNC.com

• Ron Breese - ronbreese.com

• Landen Stevenson- landen@landenkstevenson.com

• Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

• Mary & Roger Hansen - mwhansen@charter.net

• Juli Rogers - julimeaserogers@gmail.com

• Amy Boyd Sugg - amyboydsugg@gmail.com

• David Willet - davidwillet1@live.com

WNC Real Estate Store

• Melanie Hoffman - mhoffmanrealestate@gmail.com

• Thomas Hoffman - thoffman1@me.com

SUPER CROSSWORD

80Govt. agent

81Comic Gilda

1Stallion, e.g.

6Saudi, e.g.

10Floats gently

15Livens (up)

19Optic layers

20Female adult

21Accustom

22Roman 951

23Sweet capsicum variety

25Bacon piece

26Give kudos

27Queen, in Spanish

28Mickey & Sylvia hit of 1957

31Don --

32Suddenly become alert

35Tetley pouch

36Extremely scarce

41President pro --

43Brainy bunch

44Bit of Vail gear

45The "sum" of "Cogito, ergo sum"

46Bona --

47Christmas poem opener

49Sinister powers

54Wooed with tunes

58Comic blows

59Fragrant

60Best Actress nominee for "Breaking the Waves"

63Turn aside

64Category

65Hit, as a gnat

66Place

67Lure for fish

71Deodorant target

74Song from "Oklahoma!"

77How fast a plane is flying

82Deep pessimism

84Installed, as brick

86Actor Ladd

87Soft throw

88Chum

89Lhasa -- (small dogs)

94Visibly angry

95Highly venomous cephalopod

101Filled the fuel tank, with "up"

103User of four-letter words

104"-- Smile Be Your Umbrella"

105"Guys and Dolls" guy

109Rockers Clapton and Burdon

111Fitzgerald of jazz

112Cliffside nest

113What you do when you look at the ends of nine long answers in this puzzle

117Regal Norse name

118Adorn fussily

119Morales in movies

120Haggard of country

121Where AT&T is "T"

122Squiggly letters

123Breeding 1-Across

124Carne -- (Baja dish)

DOWN

1Central area

2Make hackneyed

3Brush up on

4City near Monterey

5Fox Sports alternative

6High, rugged peak

7Drake's music

8University in Nassau County

9Mechanical way to learn

10Prudent

11Part of ABM

12Animal coats

13French for "sad"

14Days of the week, e.g.

15Campus workstation locale

16Tending to radiate something

17Provided juice for?

18Pro or con

24Give relief to

29Composer Carl Maria -Weber

30Cheer shout

31Printer clog

33Org. in "The Martian"

34With 53-Down, requests

37Broken-down

38Knights, e.g.

39Tic-toe link

40Retired professors

42Defrost

46Was achy or regretful

48"Holy cow!"

49Hoof or paw

50Totally dominate

51Good craps roll

52Keats work

53See 34-Down

54Place

55Novelist Tan

56Small bite

57Comedic actor Jackie

58H.S. junior's exam

61It has fluttery leaves

62Twirl, as one's thumbs

63Naturalist Fossey

66Con game

68"Anthem" writer Rand

69Suffix with hero

70The Raptors, on NBA schedules

72Engine stat

73"-- culpa"

74"I think," in texts

75Half of hexa-

76Anwar of Egypt

77Culture base

78In a criminal way

79Book full of street maps

80Desert in Mongolia

83Palme --

84Sonny boys

85Balm plant

88Most cheeky

90Maintains order over

91Prisms' color bands

92Was a better peddler than

93Org. issuing nine-digit IDs

95Youth org. with troops

96Delaware Valley tribe

97Cows' milk deliverers

98Pvt.'s superior

99False appearances

100Street -- (urban acceptance)

102Cut off stubble

105An inert gas

106Certain dwarf planet

107Clock info

108Gym lifter's units

110Tomato variety

114Water, in Nantes

115Give relief to

116Irish actor Stephen

ANSWERS ON PAGE 26

Pets

SOLID GRAY CAT, GABRIEL 2-3 years old; laidback boy would love to hang out around the house, provide companionship without needing constant attention. (828) 7612001 publicrelations@ ashevillehumane.org

PITBULL TERRIER MIX - B&W,CUPCAKE 1 year old active girl, loves people. Plays rough; needs to meet doggie housemates pre-adoption. Looking for adventure! (828) 761-2001 publicrelations@ashevillehumane.org

Real Estate Announcements

SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a bank threatening foreclosure? CALL Homeowner’s Relief Line now! 844359-4330

GOT LAND? Our Hunters will Pay Top $$$ to hunt your land. Call for a FREE info packet & Quote. 1-866-309-1507 BaseCampLeasing.com

Entertainment

AT&T TV - The Best of Live & On-Demand. Anytime, anywhere. Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-855-548-9839

HIGH-SPEED INTERNET. We instantly compare speed, pricing, service for your needs. Starting at $39.99/month! Quickly compare offers from top providers. Call 1-866-925-1505

Home Improvement

IS YOUR HOME SMART YET? Get a FREE quote from Vivint, the #1 Home-Automation Company! Fast & Affordable! $100 VISA giftcard w/ installation! Restrictions Apply. Call 855-589-7053

SUDOKU

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

TAX PROBLEMS- Behind 10k or More on Your Taxes? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unissues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 855-828-0617

For Sale

MILITARY SURPLUS W/C Pants/Shirts, Jackets. Military Boots ON SALE. Cold Weather Clothing, Field Gear, Sleep Bags, Packs, Bags. 828-349-3140.

Wanted to Buy

1960’S AND 1970’S LAND ROVERS Whole or Parts - Especially interested in series Rovers sold from Harrell’s Motor Sales in Waynesville Wanted to restore to keep local. 828-506-5733 (828) 506-5733

Congratulations: To Us

We are honored that our very own Rumble newsletter won 2nd place for Best Digital Newsletter at this year's North Carolina Press Association awards! Rumble's first issue appeared in August of 2020 and we are going strong. The goal of this newsletter is to teach and inspire women of all ages, races, cultures and ethnicities. We also strive to reach the men who support and love strong women. If you're not already subscribed, we would love to have you! Sign up today at smokymountainnews.com/rumble.

Rumble is a weekly e-newsletter created by women, for women and about women. It is published by The Smoky Mountain News and delivered to your inbox each Thursday. The goal is to offer readers a beautifully curated email that will inspire and motivate women to live their best lives. By hearing the challenges and successes of other women, we hope you will find an opportunity to live, love, learn and grow in your own unique way.

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

2BA

| #3564322

Ridge | 3BR, 3BA

| #3673197

| #3693539