A group of almost 100 demonstrators hoping to draw attention to racial injustice marched through Waynesville on the night of June 1, but unlike protests in other parts of the country and the state, this one ended peacefully. (Page 13) Demonstrators chant ‘No justice, no peace’ on the steps of the Haywood County Courthouse Monday night. Cory Vaillancourt photo
News
COVID-19 delays 2020 U.S. Census progress ......................................................4
Haywood paramedic loses life amid pandemic ........................................................6
Two COVID clusters cause spike in Macon cases ..................................................8
COVID cases continue to rise in western counties ................................................9
Budget decrease projected for Jackson ....................................................................10 Revenue short for Sylva’s 2021 budget ....................................................................11
Congressional runoff will be predictably unpredictable ........................................12
Beer branded with white nationalist imagery draws outrage ..............................15
Opinion
& PRODUCTION: Jessica Murray. . . . .
ADVERTISING SALES: Susanna Shetley. . . . . .
Amanda Bradley. .
Hylah Birenbaum. .
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. .
jessica.m@smokymountainnews.com
susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com
jc-ads@smokymountainnews.com
hylah@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).
SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 P: 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789
I NFO & B ILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786
Copyright 2020 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ Advertising copyright 2020 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Smoky Mountain News is available for free in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and parts of Buncombe counties. Limit one copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1, payable at the Smoky Mountain News office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of The Smoky Mountain News, take more than one copy of each issue.
Filling out the 2020 U.S. Census form is easier than ever, yet response levels are still significantly lagging in many Western North Carolina counties.
North Carolina’s response rate of 56.8 percent is not too far behind the national response rate of 60.5 percent, but the response rates in some of the far western counties are still way down. Cherokee County is at 43.5 percent; Clay County at 45.4 percent; Graham County at 24 percent; Jackson County at 27.4 percent; Macon County at 35.7 percent and Swain County at 27 percent. Haywood County is faring the best right now with a 51 percent response rate.
Marilyn Stephens, assistant regional Census manager for the Atlanta region, said the unexpected COVID-19 Pandemic and the subsequent restrictions have impacted response rates for a number of reasons. Many rural WNC residents might not have even received their information packets yet because the U.S. Census field workers just returned to work May 11 after field operations were suspended March 15 due to the coronavirus.
“Households that don’t receive mail through the conventional mail and only have a post office box, we have to hand deliver those materials to their physical address, but we had to suspend that field work March 15 just days after we started,” Stephens said.
Now that field operations have resumed, more households in the surrounding counties should be receiving their packets soon to fill out. Households are able to fill out their forms and mail them in, call the toll-free number given or complete the form online.
“Now you can use three options to get your responses to us — phone, mail or online,” she said. “The packet we deliver to your door has the invitation, all the info you need and the paper questionnaire.”
Usually the field work would have been
completed by now as the U.S. Census works diligently to get as many responses as possible before the October deadline.
“When we had to suspend field work, you could look at the map of the entire state and there’s a cluster of counties in the western corner and you think, ‘my goodness, what happened here?’” she said. “COVID directly impacted those rural counties’ ability to respond.”
The U.S. Census workers were assigned other duties while field work was suspended, but they are fully trained and ready to complete their work within a few weeks. Stephens said people could still apply to work for the U.S. Census by completely an online assessment at www.uscensus.gov/jobs that takes about 15 minutes to complete.
COMPLETING THE CENSUS
Map showing response rates in NC.
Source: 2020census.gov.
Completing the Census form has never been easier. While the 2000 U.S. Census marked the first time people could complete the survey online, mailing in the form was still the primary way to respond and the online form wasn’t publicized. The 2020 Census marks the first time residents have three options for responding.
The survey asks questions about how many people live in the household, ages of people in the household, incomes, occupations and other demographic information. If you are completing the survey online at my2020census.gov, you’ll need the 12-digit Census ID number that is included in the packet information mailed to your home.
Stephens said many people still expect a Census worker to show up at the door and help households fill out the form, but that’s not the standard procedure nowadays.
“1950 was the last time the primary way you responded was through someone coming to your home to interview people. In
1960, we started self-response. When we knock on your door now, that means you haven’t responded to our other nice requests,” she joked. “We don’t wanna knock on your door right now, but we will if we have to — we’ve done it during hurricane season.”
Stephens said one good thing to come out of COVID-19 is that parents are at home with their children and helping them with their remote learning. Filling out the Census has turned out to be a useful learning opportunity for the entire family.
“The Census is being used as part of homeschooling and parents are tasking the kids with going online to fill it out together. We like that idea, teaching them the importance of participating at a young age.”
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
Stephens said she wants households to realize how important it is to complete the Census and the many ways those Census numbers can impact their future.
“The population numbers are very important, especially for rural communities,” she said. “It helps determine funding for rural health care centers and hospitals, early childhood education and Headstart programs. Rural schools depend on Title 1 funds and funding from the national nutrition programs — all of that is funded through the Census numbers.”
Census numbers are also closely tied to programs to help people with affordable housing and programs F
2020 U.S. Census
response rates
like WIC and SNAP that help families in poverty provide food for their children. Those numbers also help determine funding needs for public transit, programs for seniors like Meals on Wheels and assistance for veterans.
Highway construction and repair plans
was 10,488,084. Based on a report released by Election Data Services, a political consulting firm specializing in analyzing Census data, North Carolina and six other states are likely to increase their congressional delegation following the 2020 numbers.
IS MY INFORMATION SAFE?
The U.S. Census region based in Atlanta is responsible for responses in seven southern states, including North Carolina. One of the challenges in the region is getting households to trust that the information they provide to the federal government is secure and won’t be used against them somehow in the future.
People in rural Appalachia are particularly suspicious of the government and unwilling to complete the Census form.
“Assuring we get as many congressional seats as it can is critical to communities.
I think North Carolina missed it by a hair in the 2010 Census.”
— Marilyn Stephens, assistant regional Census manager
for the next 10 years will be determined by the Census numbers established in 2020. Once those numbers are in, there’s no updating them for another 10 years, which is why it’s so important to have the most accurate population numbers possible.
As local governments all across the nation deal with a health pandemic, the funding needs for first responders has never been more apparent and many federally funded EMS programs are also tied to Census counts.
“Population counts are important because we have to live with those numbers for the next 10 years,” Stephens said. “Things that we really just assume are there, we’re all learning right now how tied they are to the Census. People need to ask themselves, Am I being counted? Am I helping to shape the future of my community?”
Perhaps one of the most important things North Carolina has to gain is perhaps another congressional seat in Washington, D.C. Right now, the state has 13 U.S. representatives. The 2000 U.S. Census results had N.C. increasing from 12 to 13 seats based on population, but the 2010 numbers weren’t high enough to add another seat. With North Carolina’s population on the rise, 2020 could very well create a new seat.
“Assuring we get as many congressional seats as it can is critical to communities. I think North Carolina missed it by a hair in the 2010 Census,” Stephens said.
North Carolina’s population according to the 2010 Census was 9,535,483 and the estimated N.C. population as of July 2019
“It’s a challenge to get Appalachian people to do it, but we encourage them by asking them what programs they depend on and reminding them that there’s two laws that govern Census date — Title 13 says we can only publish Census information in statistical form and no agency can get your data and it can’t be subpoenaed by the court. There is a five-year prison term or a $250,000 fine associated with violating that law,” Stephens said. “Then there’s Title 44 that says Census information is sealed for 72 years. The last Census data released was in 2012 for 1942 and the 1950 Census data will be released in 2022.”
WNC also has a growing number of Hispanic families who may not want to fill out the Census because they fear being deported, but Stephens again reiterated that government agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, can’t get a hold of the data. She added that those migrant families might also benefit one day from filling out the Census.
“During Reagan’s amnesty program, people who wanted to be eligible for that program needed certain documentation and if they had participated in Census at some point, they were able to send in a form and get their age during the last Census as a way to get entitlements,” she said. “We count all persons without distinction — your status doesn’t matter and your children may benefit from having this information in the future.”
Stephens is encouraging residents to complete the Census survey and then challenge 10 friends to complete it as well. Local government leaders could also challenge neighboring communities through social media to get their response rates up. A little friendly competition could lead to better counts in rural WNC.
Fill out the Census survey at 2020census.gov.
Ingles Nutrition Notes
written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath
5 WAYS TO SAVE IN THE GROCERY AISLES:
• Use boxed cookie, cake or brownie mixes or buy flour and baking ingredients to make desserts rather than buying pre-made desserts.
• Instead of buying flavored rice or pasta in small containers or portions, season or flavor plain rice or pasta you make yourself.
• Instead of buying trail mix, make your own by combining nuts, raisins, and cereal.
• Check the UNIT PRICE on the shelf tag. This tells you the price per ounce. Don't be fooled by the appearance of the box/container/can.
• Look for LAURA LYNN and HARVEST FARMS productsstore brand items help you save! Compare the Nutrition Facts Label and ingredients to your favorite brand name products.
Haywood paramedic loses life amid pandemic
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
Justin Mitchell grew up like many young men in the South. He had a big family and attended church. His partner described him as southernly polite and chivalrous. Yet, he was anything but ordinary. He had been an EMS paramedic since 2007, he held a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety and served as a privately contracted flight medic in Iraq. Everything changed for Justin on March 31 when he was told he had previously transported Haywood County’s first positive COVID-19 patient.
“That really, really, really took a toll on him, and it really impacted him tremendously,” said Justin’s partner Matthew Allred. “And from that moment on it really began to break him down. He was so afraid that he was going to bring it home and give it to me, or any of our friends or family.”
Growing up in Piedmont, South Carolina, Justin’s mother said his nickname from early on was Dennis the Menace because of his wild and trickster nature.
“He would pick on and play tricks on everybody. Once he rigged up a rubber band on a water bottle somehow and when I opened it up, it squirted all over me. He just laughed. And he loved that, playing those simple jokes on people. His brothers and sisters could tell you the same thing, he was a nut,” said Wandalee Adair, Justin’s mother. “He liked to push peoples’ buttons wherever we went.”
One of the first stories she shared to
ditionally,” Wandalee said. “When the time comes to go before the Lord and stand there for your judgement, I think that will be between God and Justin. The judgement from other people bothered him a little bit, but he got over it and began to be who he was.”
Matthew said that in the years they were together, Justin didn’t encounter issues associated with the prejudice and discrimination that often surrounds being gay. Justin had mentioned church members “telling him disparaging remarks and things like that,” Matthew said, “but he was true to himself and he knew who he was and he accepted himself, and he accepted us, and we were just growing along together.”
Matthew met Justin in 2014 while working for a company that provided software used in ambulances and firetrucks. The company, based in Asheville, had maintenance contracts with Anderson and Pickens counties in South Carolina.
“We met in the course of me being there and doing maintenance work and things like that at the EMS station,” said Matthew. “We struck up a conversation and from that particular point it blossomed into our relationship. That was all the way back in 2014.”
According to Matthew, fears of the COVID-19 pandemic and the stresses associated with his career as a paramedic weighed on Justin tremendously. However, the pandemic wasn’t the first indicator of the young paramedic’s struggles.
Justin had been an EMS paramedic since 2007 and held a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety from University of
to walk on the side and the inside of their feet. And when he was little, he would complain about it hurting, which I know it did. But he wouldn’t complain but just one time, and then he’d keep goin.” (Justin suffered from flatfeet, or fallen arches, a condition that can cause serious pain and swelling in the feet.)
According to a survey conducted by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services in 2015, 86 percent of EMS workers report critical stress due to their work. For the purposes of the study, critical stress was defined as “the stress we undergo either as a result of a single critical incident that had a significant impact upon you, or the accumulation of stress over a period of time. This stress has a strong emotional impact on providers, regardless of their years of service.”
The survey also revealed that 37 percent of EMS workers had contemplated suicide and 6.6 percent had previously attempted suicide. Those statistics are around 10 times higher than national averages, according to information gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
describe this part of Justin’s personality involved him pulling a fire alarm.
“My mom had him at the mall when he was little, and they were in Belk, and Justin decided he was going to pull the fire alarm. Well, the police, the fire trucks, everybody came running,” she said.
As Wandalee described her son, one thing was becoming more and more obvious and soon enough, she shared that her son was the middle child of five.
“He said he had middle child syndrome. One time we left him at a ball field when my other son was playing ball. We got halfway up the road and I thought, it’s too quiet in here, where’s Justin? Back around we go and he’s there playing on the playground. So, he never would let us live that down. He’d always tell everybody, ‘I’m the middle child and I have the syndrome.’”
At 12 years old, Justin took up the guitar, something that came natural to him.
“His daddy’s side is a musically inclined family. They don’t read notes, they hear something played one time and then they can do it. And Justin was one of those,” said Wandalee. “That song from Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Man of Constant Sorrow, oh he tore that one up.”
Justin played guitar, drums, bass and sang in the band at the church where he grew up and also worked in the sound booth.
“Justin encountered some prejudice from some people at our church for him being gay. But just some people. But God says love unconditionally, period. I wasn’t gonna turn my back on my son ‘cause I loved him uncon-
“I believe Justin touched so many lives in ways that people really needed. One way or another, with a smile or a talk, or whatever. Justin would listen. He just loved life.”
— Wandalee Adair, mother
Columbia South Carolina. He was a nationally registered paramedic and previously served as a privately contracted medic in Iraq during a six-month deployment.
Matthew said that Justin had been diagnosed with PTSD when he returned home from his time in Iraq in 2013. The images Justin saw, along with the decisions that had to be made at the in-field hospital, resulted in PTSD that caused anxiety, sleeplessness, nightmares and flashbacks.
Justin’s mother described him as having a quiet strength. He would rarely complain about anything he might be going through, one reason she and her family never worried about him.
“Never had to worry about him, at all. Whatever he did, we didn’t have to worry,” she said.
“One of the things I learned from Justin was strength. He went through some pain with his feet, and I’ve never seen a child have
Another study conducted in 2019 by EMS World found that EMS providers report high degrees of workplace stress. The most common factors contributing to this stress are traumatic calls, poor sleep quality, long shifts, lack of downtime after difficult calls, low salary and low job satisfaction. The study concluded that at least 31.3 percent of respondents reflected increased risk for future suicidal behavior and 27.2 percent reported suicidal ideation in the past year — a rate seven times higher than the general population according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The EMS World study found that males, as is true in the general population, were more likely to be at risk for suicidal behavior. The three most common suggested problems were the need for downtime after difficult calls; lack of support from peers, supervisors and the organization for which they worked; and lack of resources available for individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts, including employee assistance programs (EAPs), and more specifically, that EAPs did not typically include experts who were familiar with or had any prior EMS experience.
Fiona Thomas is a licensed paramedic and President of the Code Green Campaign, a suicide prevention and mental wellness advocacy organization created by first responders, dedicated to first responders. According to Thomas, the organization has seen an increase in the need for mental health services in places hit hard by the pandemic. She said she expects that need to transition across the country as the virus spreads and additional waves hit.
One of the greatest obstacles to implementing change in EMS mental health culture relates to the stigma associated with suicidal ideation and mental healthcare. According to EMS World, “the EMS culture is one in which providers experiencing suicidal ideation can’t always discuss their concerns with colleagues or superiors or seek other forms of help. They may fear being perceived as weaker than their peers or retal-
Justin Mitchell pictured with his grandmother, Loretta Farrow. Donated photo
iation from supervisors. The ‘suck it up, it’s part of the job’ mentality is all too common within the profession.”
The stigma surrounding accessing help for mental health struggles was not an issue for Justin. He had previously reached out to The Code Green Campaign. In a Facebook post from January 2019 he urged fellow EMS workers and anyone struggling with mental health to reach out for help, “not to give up and give in.”
Matthew said Justin told many about the Code Green Campaign. Like Justin’s urging for people to reach out when they need help, there is some hope that the stigma around mental health for EMS workers is changing.
“Years ago, the mentality was always, suck it up buttercup. That’s not where we’re at these days. We want people to know that it’s okay to talk about how they feel and if they’re having issues, and that it’s normal,” said Travis Donaldson, Haywood County emergency management deputy director.
On March 31, 2020, Justin was informed that he had previously transported Haywood County’s first positive COVID-19 patient.
According to Donaldson, after an EMS worker comes into contact with a positive COVID-19 patient, that EMS worker is required to self-monitor to ensure they don’t begin exhibiting symptoms. There is also special housing designated for any EMS workers worried about exposing people in their home.
“If they have elderly family that lives at home, or children and they don’t want to expose those family members, there are measures in place to allow them to lodge at a different location,” said Donaldson.
Another stressor for Justin was a packet he received from his workplace after the pandemic began. According to Matthew, the packet asked for information regarding everything the county should know about in the event of his death or injury. It asked for emergency contacts, relationships, funeral arrangements, whether you prefer flowers or not, any kind of personal possessions that would be on property.
“I remember him telling me that the only time he had ever seen a packet like this is when he deployed to Iraq. And that day, that was also a huge anxiety trigger for him,” Matthew said. “It was just one of those things that just triggered anxiety with him because of the totality of the information that it was asking for. It was very specific and very final.”
Donaldson said Haywood County began distributing this packet, called a Last Wishes Packet, to EMS workers a couple of years ago after a paramedic passed from a medical complication. “Because a lot of people starting in this business are young, we have a lot of people in the field that may have never even thought about the concept, no will or last wishes or those kinds of details of their life,” he said. “So once a year, I think we started about two years ago, but once a year, the ones that have filled them out before get handed back the packet and we let them open it up and look at everything and make sure something in their life hasn’t changed,
“His training in EMS and his years of experience taught him how to handle that [stress] in front of a patient ... But I also realize now that the profession for our first responders does not teach them how to offload that stress.”
— Matthew Allred, partner
with. Mental health is extremely individual and personalized. Yet still, people close to those we lose, like Matthew, end up blaming themselves for the things no one ever could have seen coming.
“I look back now and I see signs, there are phrases in his text messages that are pretty indicative of someone that is contemplating suicide and that’s a struggle now is just beating myself up for not recognizing the signs,” Matthew said.
Justin died by suicide April 20, 2020. He was 31 years old. “I am not sure if a kind word of thanks or an acknowledgment or a handshake could have saved Justin.” Matthew later said “I do know that it couldn’t hurt. I don’t know if honest conversations would have eased his mind enough to prevent his suicide, but it may have. I can’t say if peer support or debriefings may have altered his course, but it is worth a shot. Now more than ever, it seems we need to watch over each other as a good shepherd. We don’t know what someone else is going through or what's on their mind. Kindness and caring do go a long way.”
Matthew said it was Justin’s random expressions of kindness that stood out to him, and others that knew him most.
to where they’re going to do something differently or want something different.”
According to Donaldson, the packet was not related to the COVID-19 pandemic, it just happened to be the time of year for EMS workers to reassess their packet. Justin had not previously been required to fill out one of the packets.
“We send those back out to all of our employees to look at or to have the ability to fill one out, that way if something does happen to them, whether it be a line of duty accident, side of the road wreck or something like that, or if it’s not even related to work and their family has no idea of any of their wishes, then we can pull their employee folder out and open up their envelope and actually see what they wanted,” said Donaldson.
Justin also struggled from isolation. Being away from family and friends was difficult, because as Matthew said, this was a constant release for him.
“Just being able to socialize and hang out with people and interact was a way that he could destress,” he said.
As people of the mountains know, when the weather slowly warms each year, with it comes the urge to be outside, to socialize after winter months full of cold and isolation. The joy of sitting on a patio in the sun, enjoying a drink with friends is akin to snakes shedding their skin. Essential.
“We had concerts scheduled for this spring that obviously were canceled. So things like that, and just the sheer cabin
fever of not being able to go out and do what you’ve normally done was really a struggle as well. Cause that’s not normal you know, and a lot of people need that more than they need other things,” Matthew said. “We’re trying to be cautious, but sometimes I think it causes more harm than good.”
Matthew is aware of the stress of the EMS career on providers and it has been hard not to dwell on the impact it had on Justin.
“His training in EMS and his years of experience taught him how to handle that [stress] in front of a patient and be professional and deal with it,” said Matthew. “The stress of the job itself. But I also realize now that the profession for our first responders does not teach them how to offload that stress.”
Donaldson said “first responders deal with people during their worst of times, humanity at its worst, as well as people physically in their worst condition and on their worst day, or one of their worst days of their lives.”
“And us as responders put all of that on our shoulders, and on our shelves. And sometimes when those shelves get full, we need the opportunity to be able to empty those shelves,” he said. “That’s where a lot of folks get affected, is not having that ability to clear their shelves off like they need to. We essentially don’t have room to deal with our personal emotions and feelings and stressors, because we carry the world’s stressors on our shoulders.”
Perhaps it is the case that Justin’s shelves were full of everything he saw and dealt
“He had the ability to connect, and I don’t mean that in a magical way, but he did have a way of connecting to people in need or in sorrow, more than I’d ever witnessed out of anybody else,” he said. “And it was not a traditional connection with them. He didn’t go the route of saying ‘my condolences’ or ‘smile everything will be better, tomorrow will get better.’ He had a way of reaching people in that moment or that instant and it could be as simple as bringing someone a cup of coffee, out of the blue.”
Matthew recalled “a smile goes a long way, and he had a beautiful one. He was witty, but he was also very chivalrous. He was always ‘yes ma’am, no ma’am, yes sir’ always very southernly polite.”
But his politeness and chivalry extended well beyond his words. Matthew said there were several times he would go with Justin to someone’s house who had called and needed help with a loved one. Justin would regularly give his phone number out to friends and acquaintances telling them to call him to help with their aging family member or even a family member in hospice.
“There were many times I went with him, because someone called him and needed help with their loved one. Getting them from the chair to the bed or helping change their oxygen tank,” Matthew said.
“I believe Justin touched so many lives in ways that people really needed. One way or another, with a smile or a talk, or whatever. Justin would listen. He just loved life,” Wandalee said.
When asked what message he had for people who may be suffering in a similar manner to Justin, Matthew repeated Justin’s own words from a Facebook post in January of 2019: “folks, if you’re suffering, check them [Code Green] out and ask for help. Call on those you stand beside every day on the unit. It’s OK to ask for help. Don’t give up and give in.”
Justin Mitchell pictured with his partner Matthew Allred. Donated photo
Two COVID clusters cause spike in Macon cases
BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR
Macon County has seen a surge in positive COVID-19 cases within the last week as two clusters were identified and testing capabilities increased.
Public health and emergency management officials held a press conference last Friday to discuss the county’s cases, testing procedures and future predictions.
Health Director Kathy McGaha said two clusters (five or more positive cases within a specific community setting in a 14-day period) were identified within the last week — at least five cases at Ebenezer Evangelical Church in Franklin and six cases at Old Edwards Inn in Highlands. The cluster identified at the inn consisted of employees and some of those employees are members of the Catholic church in Franklin.
“Some contacts identified from the positive cases from the church are also positive cases associated with Old Edwards Inn,” McGaha said.
An incorrect press release issued from the Macon health department last week stated that there was a cluster identified at Walmart in Franklin as well, but was later corrected by staff. McGaha clarified during the press conference that while there have been positive cases at that essential business, it is not yet enough to classify it as a cluster.
At the time of the press conference on
Friday, May 29, Macon County had a total of 63 positive COVID-19 cases — 59 are active, three recovered and one death — but 42 of those cases were just reported on May 28 and May 29. By the end of the day June 1, the county had a total of 90 cases — 81 of those active.
Macon County had been fortunate not to have many confirmed cases up until now, but McGaha said she isn’t surprised that an increase in testing has led to an increase in positive results.
“We’re very confident that the coronavirus is spread through the community as in most of the state and most of the country,” she said.
In the beginning stages of the pandemic, only people who were exhibiting symptoms were being tested for the virus and Macon County Public Health was testing between seven and 10 people a day. Now the health department is performing up to 100 tests a day and has been doing so for several weeks now.
“We had lots of tests completed at one time so we anticipated a spike, but we didn’t think it would all come in within one week,” said Emergency Management Director Warren Cabe. “Macon County was simply an anomaly (with such low numbers).”
McGaha said the health department was working closely with the church and the inn to complete additional trace testing on other members and employees and also to ensure they’re complying with the proper protocols going forward.
“We also have environmental health specialists and nurses reaching out to all businesses to make sure they understand the requirements and answer their questions. They’ve been very cooperative,” she said. When asked for more specifics about the active cases in the county, McGaha said the age ranges were across the board — three people under the age of 18; many in the 20 to 49 age range; and several elderly patients who are more susceptible to developing severe symptoms with the virus. She said one person was currently being hospitalized and a
total of five people have required hospitalization at some point.
As of June 1, there have been 1,314 tests administered in Macon County and results are still pending on 229 tests.
Cabe said the county currently has enough testing kits and personal protection equipment, adding that gowns were the biggest need so that nursing homes and group homes could have enough on hand.
“The longer this goes on we anticipate some more shortages, but we hope the supply chain catches up,” he said.
We’re Excited To Announce Our June Schedule Which Will Consist of Patio Classes, Recordings, and Occasional Outdoor Location Pop-Ups!
We want to remind you that we will no longer be offering mats or props so PLEASE READ your class registration emails that will tell you what household items you may want to bring along. In the event of rain, we will move to the porch and can accommodate 4 people with social distancing.
In severe weather, please call or check social media for cancellations.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR CLASS SCHEDULES
Macon County Health Director Kathy McGaha speaks during a press conference on Friday, May 29. Screenshot from Macon Media
Cases continue to rise in western counties
STAFF REPORTS
Rural counties have so far been sheltered from the high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases, but as testing ramps up, the number of positive cases continue to rise.
Nine additional Jackson County residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past week, bringing the total to 36 as of Tuesday, June 2, up from 27 on May 26.
In addition, two part-time residents and 22 non-residents who saw Jackson County care providers have contracted the novel coronavirus. These numbers have held steady in recent weeks.
As of June 2, a total of 1,504 COVID-19 tests have been administered in Jackson County, up from 1,292 on May 26.
child under the age of 10 to test positive for the coronavirus on May 29.
As of June 1, Swain County had 21 confirmed cases after testing a total of 1,133 people. While 1,056 tests were negative, the county is still waiting for the results of 56 pending tests.
Macon County has seen its numbers spike due to community spread and two clusters identified (see page 8). In response, Macon County will be holding a drive thru testing clinic from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 4 at
Haywood County’s total cases as of June 1 was 55 — 35 of those cases are already recovered while the other 20 people remain in isolation. Out of the latest seven positive cases reported June 1, only one individual had recent out-of-state travel history.
Haywood County also reported the first
Casinos reopen at limited capacity
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
For the first time since closing March 18, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos in Murphy and Cherokee are now open to the general public.
The facilities reopened on Thursday, May 28, with various changes from pre-coronavirus operations. The casinos are limited to 30 percent of capacity, and while table games are included in the reopening with fewer playing positions per game, the poker room remains closed. Smoking is not allowed in the gaming areas, and guests are required to undergo a temperature check before entering and wear a mask while inside.
While most casino restaurants are open with limited seating and carryout operations, other amenities are closed and will open in phases as determined by the state and the tribe. Opening weekend went well, said Regional Vice President for Marketing Brian Saunooke.
“We are pleased with the visitation to both properties in the early days of reopening,” he said.
The resort in Cherokee saw about 4,500 guests per day over the weekend, with the Valley River location in Murphy receiving about 2,000 visitors each day. Neither proper-
The Farm at Old Edwards Inn, 332 Arnold Rd., Highlands. Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation will be holding a testing clinic in Cashiers on June 6 and in Highlands June 13. For more information, visit www.highlandscashiers healthfoundation.org.
ty hit the 30 percent capacity limit set by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Under normal circumstances, occupancy this time of year would be above 30 percent but below 50 percent, said Saunooke.
While May 28 marked the casinos’ first time welcoming guests from the general public, the properties have been open since May 18 on an invitation-only basis. The casinos are following new health and safety protocols from Caesar’s Entertainment Corporation, including more frequent cleaning and sanitization, daily employee health checks, and a requirement that employees wear masks.
The tribe’s decision to close the casinos this spring will have a significant impact on its budget, which draws more than half its revenue from casino proceeds. Visitation is expected to remain lower than normal over the coming months due to reduced capacity and visitor confidence in light of COVID-19, and Principal Chief Richard Sneed said that his recommended budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which begin Oct. 1, will be based on 50 percent of normal casino projections.
Tribal members who receive per capita distributions are already seeing the effects.
The June 2020 distribution represented a 3 percent decrease from the June 2019 distribution, and the tribe has suspended until further notice the per capita loan program that allows tribal members to borrow against their upcoming per capita payments.
Budget decrease projected for Jackson
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
At $66.5 million, Jackson County’s proposed budget for 2020-21 includes a 1.34 percent decrease from the 2019-20 amended budget and a recommendation to re-evaluate various sections of the document come January. The tax rate, however, will remain level at 38 cents per $100 of property value.
Education accounts for the greatest share of expenditures, at 25 percent of the budget. Next is public safety at 23 percent, followed by human services at 22 percent — though much of this funding comes from state and federal sources rather than local — and general government at 17 percent. Cultural, recreation, non-education debt, economic and physical development and transportation each make up less than 10 percent of the proposed budget.
The decrease is due to budget impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus has caused the county to incur new expenses in order to support needs surrounding increased cleaning and sanitation as well as the heightened importance of electronic communication and telework. It is also expected to take a bite out of sales tax income, which in the 2019-2020 budget accounted for 21.1 percent of expected revenues.
How much of a bite, though, is a guessing game. County Manager Don Adams based his proposed budget on a 2 percent decrease from current year estimates, which represents an even larger drop from actual revenues prior to coronavirus closures.
“Up until the pandemic occurred, Jackson County was experiencing tremendous growth within our community,” Adams wrote in his budget message. “The first eight months (July 19-Feb. 20) of sales tax revenue surpassed last year’s revenues by over 12 percent. This is over 7 percent more than budgeted.”
That means that, assuming March revenues remain mostly flat, sales tax could
decline by 14 percent between May and June without causing the budget to come up short. Should additional funds be needed to cover planned expenditures, the county’s fund balance will be used to make up the difference. Because sales tax distributions come in three months after their initial collection, the pandemic’s impact is not yet known.
The proposed 2 percent reduction from current year estimates is based on the assumption that sales tax receipts will make a gradual comeback over the first three months of the fiscal year, returning to normal by October, Adams wrote. Despite the pandemic, significant construction projects are ongoing in the county, and this is expected to contribute to the rebound.
However, uncertainty as to what the next year will bring combined with the expected
arrival of federal funds to help with coronavirus-related expenses prompted Adams to recommend that the county delay certain purchases until January and revisit certain line items at that time as well.
The county is slated to receive $965,000 from the N.C. Coronavirus Relief Fund under the Federal CARES Act, he said. The money will be used to offset new and existing costs associated with COVID-19, and there is also potential for the county to receive additional funding to offset revenue losses. Jackson County Public Schools and Southwestern Community College will also receive funds related to COVID-19.
One of the categories in which delayed purchasing is recommended is the $629,000 budgeted for equipment such as computers, servers, printers, software, phone systems,
taser and car video replacements for law enforcement and garage, cleaning, grounds maintenance, recreation and emergency communication equipment.
Decisions as to which exact products to purchase within these categories might be influenced by how quickly normalcy resumes and what aspects of public life the virus continues to affect over the longer term. If a significant number of staff are still working from home by January, for example, the county might decide to buy a laptop where previously it might have chosen a desktop unit.
Delaying the expenses will also allow the county to better understand which purchases federal and state funding will cover and which must be made with local revenue streams. There will be better information on sales tax numbers at that time as well.
In January, commissioners will also discuss whether the county can afford a cost-ofliving increase for employees. A one-step increase for all employees aimed at boosting retention is included in the recommended budget — this will cost $445,000 — but due to lack of funding a previously planned costof-living increase is not.
Additionally, January 2021 will include discussion of funding levels for Jackson County Public Schools, SCC and Jackson County libraries. The proposed budget includes level funding for each of these entities, but that could change in one direction or another depending on the situation six months from now.
While times are uncertain, for now the county plans to move ahead with its 20182022 capital improvement plan for facilities. In 2020-21, this will include finishing renovations to the health department building in September, starting construction on the Animal Rescue Center in Dillsboro and by the end of the fiscal year beginning schematic design work on long-awaited renovations to the Jackson County Justice Center.
to improve the health status of Haywood County, its individuals and families.
Dr. Consky Sylva Dr. Burgon Waynesville
Warburton Waynesville
A Main Street Sylva business sports a sign supporting the community through the pandemic.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
Revenue short for Sylva’s 2021 budget
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
When the Sylva town board met for its annual budget brainstorming session in January, members had no problem dreaming big about the upcoming fiscal year.
A Main Street director, multi-use trails on the Blackrock Creek property, a public bathroom downtown and an all-terrain vehicle for police use all found their place on the wish list.
But as the economy ground to a halt in response to COVID-19 closures, it became clear that the 2020-21 budget would be all about picking things down to bare bones.
“We are in an unprecedented period of economic uncertainty,” Town Manager Paige Dowling wrote in her budget message. “The economy is highly volatile, and conditions are changing rapidly due to the nature of the pandemic and public health response. The economic impacts are unknown, as is the length of time it will take the economy to return to normal, or what that normal will look like.”
The proposed $4.16 million budget, which commissioners will vote on at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 11, maintains the current tax rate of 0.425 cents per $100 of property value and includes a 2.5 percent increase from the approved 2019-20 budget. However, several revenue streams are expected to take a hit. Interest on investments is expected to plummet to $5,000 from $57,000 in the current year’s budget, and the town estimates that it will receive $123,400 less in sales taxes than the $493,600 it budgeted for in the current year — while that’s just a guess, said Dowling, most town managers in the area are projecting a 20 percent decrease. Due to some new construction and building improvements, the town does foresee a 3.8 percent increase in property tax revenues in the coming year, equivalent to $63,769.
The increase in spending over last year’s budget is due to the need to purchase more capital equipment than in the prior year, said Dowling. The town will pay $81,000 to purchase and outfit two police patrol cars to maintain its replacement plan and appropriate $30,000 for a state-mandated improvement to its zoning map and land use plan. Also included in the budget is $15,000 for a Main Street director — the position will be contracted rather than hired in order to save money — $4,300 for security cameras at the public works building to prevent vandalism, and $7,700 for the police department to buy two body cameras, a taser, three computers, stripe patrol cars and three ballistic vests. The town also plans to spend $13,000 on green infrastructure improvements at Bridge Park,
but this money will come from the Fisher Creek Fund, which is earmarked for water quality improvements. The proposed budget also accounts for an expected 20 percent increase for employee medical insurance.
To fund these items despite the projected revenue shortfall, the town will appropriate $190,000 from its fund balance. This will
Several items are noticeably absent from the proposed budget, including savings toward sidewalks along N.C. 107 and betterments for the road construction, a merit increase for town employees and an additional patrol officer.
cause the account to fall from 80.86 percent of annual funding needs to 74.21 percent, which is well above the town’s financial policy that the fund balance not dip below 40 percent but short of its goal of 81.6 percent, which is the average for towns Sylva’s size.
Several items are noticeably absent from the proposed budget, including savings toward sidewalks along N.C. 107 and betterments for the road construction, a merit increase for town employees and an additional patrol officer. Other long-term priorities such as sidewalks, trails at Blackrock Creek, a bathroom on Main Street, landscaping and beautification, a pump track, Bryson Park improvements and repairing the caving rock wall in Scotts Creek behind Town Hall are also absent.
This is a direct result of economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19, which comes just ahead of budget struggles the town had already anticipated due to state property acquisition and construction related to N.C. 107, Dowling wrote in her budget message. That project is scheduled to begin in early 2023, one year after revenue from the property revaluation scheduled for 2021 is realized. The town expects the tax base to decrease with construction and right-of-way acquisition and to see a negative impact to sales tax for two or three years.
To give public comment during the June 11 meeting, which will be held via Zoom, contact Town Clerk Amanda Murajda at townclerk@townofsylva.org.
641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC (3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse) 828-456-HAUS (4287) 641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC (3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse) 828-456-HAUS (4287)
Low-turnout congressional runoff election will be predictably unpredictable
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER
Ayear ago, few would have predicted that a crowded field of Republicans would eventually whittle themselves down to two, in a runoff, competing for the U.S. House seat of Asheville Republican Rep. Mark Meadows.
“It is an unusual race,” said Dr. Chris Cooper, “We got into it for unusual reasons.”
On Dec. 19, 2019, after representing the racially gerrymandered 11th Congressional District for almost eight years, Meadows stunned the political establishment by announcing he wouldn’t seek re-election to his sprawling, rural, deeply red district.
His announcement took everyone by surprise — everyone except Maggie Valley real estate agent Lynda Bennett.
The first in a series of shady moves that drew anger and condemnation even from folks in her party was her campaign website, registered months before Meadows’ announcement.
Then, it was the quick 6 a.m. endorsement by the Asheville Tea PAC that came just hours after Meadows’ announcement, before most of the country had even awakened to the news.
Once they did, 11 other Republicans jumped into the race, including Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and real estate investor/motivational speaker Madison Cawthorn, of Hendersonville.
Bennett has also come under fire for audio recordings suggesting she’s a “never Trumper” who spoke out against the president during his campaign.
When early balloting started on Feb. 13, many Republicans were shocked to see volunteers handing out flyers listing Bennett as the “official” conservative candidate.
A Smoky Mountain News investigation found that the ballots were created by a twoday-old PAC with significant ties to Bennett’s campaign.
Other candidates said they hadn’t been interviewed for the sham endorsement, with some threatening legal action and others even calling on Bennett to drop out of the race.
Interestingly, the ballot doesn’t recommend the Trump-endorsed U.S. Sen. Thom Tills, and volunteers were instructed to tell voters, “Anybody but Tillis!”
Cherokee County GOP leaders called the effort “sleazy shenanigans,” and even the NCGOP’s 11th District Chairman, Aubrey Woodard, said that these “transgressions” shouldn’t have happened.
The fact that some of those ballots ended up in the Haywood County GOP’s office, coupled with social media messaging by the HCGOP that appeared to favor Bennett — county parties are to remain neutral, and Bennett doesn’t have support from 100 per-
cent of the HCGOP anyway — landed HCGOP Chairman Ken Henson in hot water with higher-ups in the party.
Bennett has refused to speak with major media outlets since the publication of the sham ballot story on Feb. 22 but did manage to place first in the heavily-fragmented March 3 Primary Election, edging Cawthorn’s 20.4 percent with 22.7 percent of the vote.
That total, however, was far below the 30 percent threshold needed to advance to the
and also refused to participate in an interview for this story.
“Really the worst part about my opponent is that without a script, without cue cards, without having a prepared statement, my opponent is unable to defend the cause of conservatism,” Cawthorn said on May 28. “Right now, we are at a precarious moment in our country where we could very well see our country fall to the likes of socialism.”
Cawthorn admits there’s not a lot of ideological difference between him and Bennett, but Cawthorn’s a polished and prolific speaker who’s appeared on Fox and Friends twice and has earned comparisons to young upstart Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for his passion, if not his politics.
“A lot of people like to oftentimes act like AOC is just kind of a laughingstock, but you know, whenever I’ve seen her speak, her ability to articulate and compel others to believe the same is pretty amazing,” he said. “She’s a
“Bennett would be the odds-on favorite, and I say that because she got the most votes in the first primary. So all else being equal, the person who gets the most votes in the first primary is the person who wins in the second primary. That happens in North Carolina about 75 percent of the time,” Cooper said. “With that said, I mean, this is as close to unpredictable as we can get. This is going to be a low turnout election. It is, again, taking place during COVID-19 so we’re unsure on exactly what the patterns are going to look like.”
Cooper does note, however, that there some “interesting geographical cleavages” that could dictate the outcome of the runoff.
“The population centers — Buncombe County, which is of course home to Asheville, and Henderson County — make up about 41 percent of the eligible voters here and those tend to be Cawthorn territory,” he said.
In person early voting schedule for select NC11 counties
• Thursday, June 4..................8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m................8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.....................8
• Friday, June 5.......................8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m................8:30
• Saturday, June 6............................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED
• Sunday, June 7..............................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED
• Monday, June 8....................8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m................8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.....................8 a.m.-5 p.m..........................8
• Saturday, June 13..........................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED
• Sunday, June 14............................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED...................................CLOSED
November General Election against retired Air Force prosecutor, Asheville Democrat Col. Moe Davis.
On March 30, Meadows abandoned his seat, resigning to become President Donald Trump’s fourth chief of staff in four years, while leaving most of Western North Carolina without a voice in Congress amidst a global pandemic and the passage of unprecedented federal aid packages.
A runoff election, called a “Second Primary” in North Carolina, was scheduled for May 12, but concerns over the Coronavirus Pandemic pushed that back to June 23.
In the meantime, almost every one of Bennett’s Primary Election opponents has endorsed Cawthorn, leaving the 24-year-old with a broad base of support that also includes almost every Republican sheriff in the 17-county district.
Last week, Bennett was a no-show to a “forum” hosted by The Mountaineer in Waynesville, The Sylva Herald and the Cherokee One Feather. Bennett refused to answer questions from The Smoky Mountain News over why she didn’t attend
very intellectual young woman.”
Young voters in the 11th Congressional District runoff could be the ones to make all the difference; Cawthorn said he’s been reaching out to those demographics in the district’s two largest counties, Buncombe and Henderson. Given that Cawthorn wasn’t initially seen as a top-tier candidate, his Primary Election strategy may have worked.
“I think that the liberals have really cornered the market on young people with representatives like an AOC and Ilhan Omar,” Cawthorn said. “The Republicans really need to start reaching out to the younger generation or in a few years, a few short decades, we will have some very dark days in our Republic.”
The pandemic could also play to Cawthorn’s favor — he’s been campaigning virtually, something he said comes naturally to people of his generation. That may be why he won the two largest counties in the district, both of which skew significantly younger than the rest of the district.
Still, according to Cooper, Cawthorn’s got an uphill battle.
Mail-in voting started on May 8, and Cooper’s been tweeting about the running totals. In his last update, on May 30, Buncombe County had gone from representing 25 percent of all votes cast in the first primary to 37 percent of all votes cast thus far in the runoff. Henderson County, Cawthorn’s home county, had jumped from 20 to 25 percent.
Bennett’s home county, Haywood, had climbed from 7 percent of all votes cast to 8 percent.
Cawthorn, who is confined to a wheelchair as the result of a devastating car accident a few years back, thinks those numbers could bode well for his campaign.
“I’ve been burned alive and I’ve very nearly died. I’ve had to claw back from within an inch of death. I’ve looked into the abyss. I know what’s going to look back at me and I know who I am,” he said. “Many of my opponents have said that we need someone with a backbone of steel, but I can quite literally say that mine is reinforced with titanium. I will very well and very passionately and very aggressively defend this cause of conservatism, because I believe it is the best thing for America.”
Waynesville protest march concludes peacefully
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER
Agroup of almost 100 demonstrators hoping to draw attention to racial injustice marched through Waynesville on the night of June 1, but unlike protests in other parts of the country and the state, this one ended peacefully, with no arrests or injuries to marchers, onlookers or first responders.
“It went very smoothly,” said David Adams, Waynesville’s chief of police.
The march began at Walmart in West Waynesville around 8:40 p.m., after Waynesville Police Department lieutenants Brandon Gilmore and Tyler Trantham helped marchers determine a route to the Historic Haywood County Courthouse and gave them an escort.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Trantham told them. “We’ll put a car in front of you and a car behind, so you can do what you want to do.”
Protest organizer and Waynesville resident Zach Nbach, 20, told Trantham he’d make an announcement calling for a peaceful march, and told The Smoky Mountain News that emulating the mayhem in other cities like Asheville wasn’t his goal.
“I’m trying to prove that not only can you get your point across by being violent, but you can also do that by being peaceful,” Nbach said.
The point Nbach and fellow organizer Dylan Davis, also of Haywood County, were trying to make is that systemic, institutional racism has no place in the county, or the country.
“It has to end,” said Nbach. “It’s just as bad as in Martin Luther King’s day. It got better — it did. But then somehow it’s gone back downhill again.”
Nbach was referring to far more than the recent murder of Minneapolis resident George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin while handcuffed, face down in the street with two other officers sitting on his legs and back.
Around dusk, the column of protestors made its way though Hazelwood, past the sheriff’s office and Waynesville Middle School, chanting “No justice, no peace!” and “I can’t breathe!”
Those who showed up to the protest, including Waynesville resident Cameron Eastman, 18, said they were there for good reason.
“His name was Jaquyn Light,” Eastman said. “Back home in Burlington, Alamance County, he got shot by [Graham, North Carolina] police. That’s why me and my brother came out here. And I had two people killed by police last year.”
Haywood resident Meli Lambert, 17, learned about the event on Facebook and voiced similar concerns.
“We want justice for George [Floyd] and for this not to happen to anybody else,” Lambert said. “Just because you have a badge on does not mean you’re above anybody else.”
Addison Fox of Black Mountain and Claire Ayala of Asheville learned about the Waynesville protest on Snapchat and said they were there to promote racial justice.
“People can literally be in their own homes and not feel safe, and I think that is just absolutely ridiculous, especially in 2020 as we’ve been fighting the war on racism for so long,” Ayala said. “I definitely support the Black Lives Matter movement, and we just want to do our part because white silence is violence.”
Marchers engaged in one verbal altercation with a homeowner along the way, but other than that, their trip to the courthouse was uneventful. After marching down South Main Street under heavy police presence, protestors chanted and took a knee on the courthouse steps, and began to disperse peacefully around 10 p.m.
Eastman said he felt like the demonstrators had been heard.
“The color of somebody’s skin shouldn’t affect how you look at them,” Eastman said. “It should be the inside, know what I mean?”
“I’m trying to prove that not only can you get your point across by being violent, but you can also do that by being peaceful.”
— Zach Nbach, Waynesville
Protestors march on Waynesville’s South Main Street behind a Waynesville police vehicle. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Waynesville police officers Brandon Gilmore (left) and Tyler Trantham speak with protestors prior to their June 1 demonstration. Cory Vaillancourt photo
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2020
The Catamount School, a school for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in Jackson County, is accepting 6th, 7th and 8th grade registrations for the 2020-21 school year. Operated by Western Carolina University’s College of Education and Allied Professions in cooperation with Jackson County Public Schools, The Catamount School is designed to explore innovative teaching approaches and applied learning opportunities in order to help every student discover his or her full academic potential. The school is a public lab school operated on the campus of Smoky Mountain High School and is free to accepted students and their families.
APPLY TODAY FOR AUGUST ENROLLMENT! TO LEARN MORE AND APPLY, GO TO CATAMOUNTSCHOOL.WCU.EDU
Beer with white nationalist lingo, imagery draws outrage
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
As cities across the nation smolder
amidst the destruction of racially charged rioting over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, social media backlash against the branding of a locally-brewed beer has some people leveling accusations of alt-right white nationalism and anti-government militia sentiments at the brewers.
One of the men responsible for the beer says it’s all just an honest mistake.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Brandon Hintz, co-owner of Currahee Brewing Company, an Alpharetta, Georgia-based brewer with a substantial taproom in Franklin. “I can understand why some people are upset about it. I’m disappointed in myself for not knowing, [not] taking more steps when we named the beer to figure out kind of more of the meaning, not just going off a couple of things you see on the internet.”
The beer in question is an imperial stout called “The Boogaloo” and was released in March but conceived back in January. Hintz said the concept of the name and logo arose out of the protests over anti-gun legislation that took place at the Virginia capitol and in other states around that time.
“So we were kind of playing with that, due to the fact that I’m a fairly avid sportsman. We’re also very Constitutionally-oriented. Our First and Second Amendments, all amendments, we try to support and defend,” he said. “So we figured we’d make a beer to kind of go along with what’s going on and play off of this whole Virginia issue that was happening.”
Hintz said he was under the impression that the word boogaloo was simply an antiauthoritarian slogan denouncing government overreach, but he’s since come to learn that to many, it means much, much more.
“We did not by any means know that it was being used by any type of racist white nationalist group at all, or we would never have used it or we would have dropped it,” he said. “This can now has implications that we did not mean. We will be ridding ourselves of the brand and we just hope that people can accept our apology and understand it wasn’t done with any ill will at all.”
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The word “boogaloo” stems from a particular style of Latin music and dance popularized in the United States during the 1960s. From there, it evolved into to the “electric boogaloo,” more closely related to the 1980s breakdancing phenomenon.
The 1984 sequel to the movie Breakin’, titled Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo gave the word its widest cultural awareness, and the word would have likely faded right back into obscurity were it not recently given a sinister
new definition by alt-right groups, according to Dr. Enrique Gomez, a Western Carolina University professor and current president of the Jackson County branch of the NAACP.
“My information for this comes from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups around the country. What they’ve started to see in the last few months is the rise of groups on social media sites that use the term ‘boogaloo,’” said Gomez. “The recent coinage and the use of this word
Slang that’s sprung up around the movement has also produced variants, with some adherents to the boogaloo movement referring to themselves as “boojihadeen” who are awaiting “the boog” or “the big luau.” The “luau” connection has also resulted in a specific piece of attire, the Hawaiian shirt, being associated with the movement.
A May 16 story in the [London] Times makes note of the Hawaiian shirt connection, as does a May 23 story by The Economist.
has to do with supposedly the start of a second Civil War — essentially, people who are organizing potentially to start an uprising or commit violence against the federal government and other government officials.”
Hidden in plain sight, the word boogaloo has become what’s now known as “dog whistle” — a sort of coded message that is targeted toward a specific audience that’s prepared to receive it while also passing undetected by the ears of those who aren’t aware of its significance.
“There seems to be overlap with groups that are white nationalists,” said Gomez. “We are deeply uncomfortable with this because this could for instance mean the rise of groups that are actively advocating violence, the overthrow of the government and essentially violating people’s civil rights. This is in the context also at a time in which you have white nationalist groups that show up in state capitals, armed with guns and also groups that are essentially taking vigilante actions against people of color. So all of this is of deep concern.”
Gomez isn’t the only one concerned about the word and the movement; a January story by NPR National Security Reporter Hannah Allam calls it “a word coined by black and brown people now used by some who envision a country without them.”
culture as the ABA is to ensure that nobody is doing anything that is harmful to the industry or to others.”
According to Rainis, Currahee’s “use of offensive imagery and language” on the Boogaloo can warrants removal from the ABA, a craft brewing industry group that represents more than 100 brewers and allied trade members in North Carolina’s 19 westernmost counties.
“The Asheville Brewers Alliance definitely condemns the actions of Currahee Brewing Company with this new release,” she said. “It’s a direct violation of the ethics section of our bylaws. We are in the process of making moves to refund their member dues and remove them as members of our organization.”
The can itself, produced by Currahee, bears an
“Racism has no place in our society on any level including craft beer.”
— Joe Rowland, Nantahala Brewing
adaptation of a famous portrait of George Washington painted by American artist Charles Wilson Peale while Washington was still alive.
In the painting, Washington leans slightly to his left, his hand resting on the barrel of a cannon. Currahee’s can has Washington sporting a Hawaiian shirt under his topcoat — obviously not what Peale painted.
“We were seeing some memes on the internet, quite a few about George Washington and kind of the joke was him wearing a Hawaiian shirt, you know, a modern day general obviously is not going to be wearing a Hawaiian shirt,” Hintz said. “So we kind of played with that and we kind of rolled with it.”
The can also shows, under Washington’s right elbow, a small dark figure in a hat, crouched down on all fours as though picking crops — also not in Peale’s original painting.
BREWING INDUSTRY REACTION
Executive Director of the Asheville Brewers Alliance Leah Rainis wasn’t aware of Hintz’ explanation of or apology for the Boogaloo Imperial Stout, but that may not make much of a difference at this point.
“This was brought to our attention about 12 hours ago, on a Saturday night. I’m commending our board of directors for moving swiftly on this,” Rainis said. “We’re happy to have members who are so supportive and concerned. One of the cornerstones of our
Rainis cited a section of the group’s governing documents that reads, “In matters of day-to-day trade, members will avoid practices which are illegal in the state of North Carolina, detrimental to the interests of fair competition or harmful to the industry on the whole.” Bryson City-based Nantahala Brewing owner Joe Rowland, a board member of the ABA, didn’t mince words in his statement to The Smoky Mountain News.
“This industry was built on a foundation of openness, acceptance and collaboration. It’s a strong commitment to each other regardless of who you are, who you love, where you came from or the color of your skin that’s helped us thrive,” Rowland said. “It’s that ‘together all ships rise with the tide’ mantra that’s given us a voice in an industry traditionally dominated by large multinational corporate brewers. It saddens us to learn that a member of our craft beer community made a mistake and created a brand that is associated with racism and hate. Racism has no place in our society on any level including craft beer.”
A similar statement was also issued by the owners of Sylva-based Innovation Brewing, Nicole and Charles Owen.
“We were shocked and extremely upset to see this come from someone in our industry,” said the Owens. “This industry has unparalleled heart and has always represented community, inclusion and togetherness. We as people, brands and businesses have a responsibility to work towards positive change in society.”
Hintz, for his part, continues to urge the public not to judge his or Currahee’s identity based on what he maintains was an unintentional mistake.
“This isn’t who we are as a company,” he said. “It doesn’t matter your race, religion, political voice, we do not discriminate against anyone nor do we want people to feel like we are discriminating because that is, again, a hundred percent not what we want.”
Smoky Mountain News Arts & Entertainment
Editor Garret K. Woodward and Blue Ridge Public Radio’s Lilly Knoepp contributed to this report.
Justice for all? Hopefully, one day in the future
When I saw the video of the mostly young crowd marching Monday night in Waynesville to protest the killing of George Floyd and the systemic, violent racism that still exists in this country, it gave me a jolt. I was proud of those who turned out, but also feared it would turn violent. It didn’t, and it’s these mostly young people who will bring needed changes to this country if those of my generation can just get the hell out of the way. And that this small protest happened in this place in Western North Carolina where people of color are so few made it even more meaningful.
The reaction to Floyd’s death is different than the protests of other racially motivated police killings. Perhaps it’s the pandemic, perhaps it’s the mass unemployment (almost 25 percent of the workforce), perhaps it is because it happened amid the stay-at-home orders we’ve been enduring, but it just feels different.
As we grapple with this reality, let’s not confuse the rioting and looting of opportunists and criminals with the message of the protestors. No sane person condones rioting and the dangers it presents to law enforcement and small businesses, but we surely by now must realize how dangerous it would be to dismiss the root causes of these protests.
The truth is that innocent people are being murdered merely because of their color. The killing of George Floyd,
Let’s enable police to do it right
To the Editor:
On Monday, May 25, George Floyd of Minneapolis was the latest victim of wrongful police killings. May Mr. Floyd be the last. Change is possible.
A decade ago, with one of the worst problems of excessive force and killings of unarmed people nationwide, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department implemented body cams and trained police in de-escalation techniques. By 2014, there were no deadly force incidents involving unarmed suspects and a decrease of police shootings by 36 percent.
We in the Jackson County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have an ongoing dialog with our county sheriff and police departments, and we salute their interest in better policing. We join the national NAACP in supporting the end of pretextual stops and stop and frisk tactics. We urge congressional candidates to commit to enacting national standards for police accountability such as the End Racial and Religious Profiling Act (ERRPA) and the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act (LETIA), which provide enhanced oversight for police departments. We also support local law enforcement training on implicit bias and effective data collection on traffic stops. As a community, let’s enable law enforcement policy development to eliminate wrongful police killings.
Enrique A. Gómez PhD President, Jackson County NAACP Sylva
gruesome as it was to watch, is just the latest. As a white man of the South I’ve been outraged at the treatment I’ve seen in too many videos and of the backlash against those who call out the guilty. According to the New York Times, about 1,000 people a year — of all races — have been killed by police since records have been kept.
I know the Trump supporters will retaliate, but you gotta call it like you see it, and the president has done nothing except throw fuel on the fire. Since Charlottesville in 2017 when he called white supremacists “fine people,” and even before when he referred to “shithole” countries in Africa, the president has done little to assuage the belief among many that he does not care about people of color, or that he is in fact racist.
Since Floyd’s killing, no national address, no call for better relations between different groups, no soothing words for a nation broiling with rage. That’s this president. A Mahatma Ghandi quote I read somewhere in the last few days seems appropriate: “A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.”
LETTERS
Trump makes us the laughingstock
To the Editor:
Did you know there is a group of essential workers who will not be getting a stimulus check under this administration — workers who pay taxes and contribute to the Social Security funds. They pick our fruits and vegetables and labor to keep us fed. They are undocumented immigrants, many of whom have lived in this country for 20 years and have raised families here.
And I am only talking here of immigrants working 20 or more years in our country. Even though they are among the most needy, they will not receive a cent of stimulus money. This is incredible pettiness. We are a great and rich nation. We can feed our workers in time of need. A recent campaign slogan stated “Make America Great Again.” These petty policies do not make America look great. They make us the laughingstock of the rest of the world We deserve better than this.
Paul Strop Waynesville
The making of a cluster outbreak
To the Editor:
Donald Trump doesn’t want to wear a face mask. He feels he looks ridiculous in one. Donald Trump wants no restrictions in his need for many attendees to the upcoming
A few days ago I almost took the bait when an old college friend wondered on his Facebook page why people take to the streets when they witness wrongs instead of talking to each other about the problem. Think Boston Tea Party, think abolition, think women’s suffrage, think Anti-Saloon League marches for prohibition, think Bonus Army veterans marching on D.C. in1932, think civil rights and the Vietnam War, think of the recent Women’s Marches. Our citizens have taken to the streets time and again to steer public opinion, help right wrongs and fight injustice. It’s what we do.
Like so many other problems plaguing this racially diverse country that breeds savagely independent, free-thinking and idealistic citizens, this issue of violence against people of color will cause much more pain before it’s solved. No easy answers, no quick fix. That’s the sobering reality.
I was having a beer on Saturday afternoon with an African American man who lives in Buncombe County, a recent acquaintance. He talked about providing a home for his young nephew. “A great kid,” he said of him, but in almost the same breath he verbalized heartfelt fears for the young man as this time of violence and outrage convulses the country.
As a white man, I had no words of reassurance. Innocent people of color are dying unjustly, and it just shouldn’t be.
(Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)
Republican National Convention in North Carolina. Donald Trump has politicized the wearing of face masks. Thus, he wants thousands of people at the convention cheering him on and no face masks in sight. His followers will follow him. Thousands of Trumpers will be crammed together for hours in Charlotte. Some of them will inadvertently bring COVID-19 into the convention hall. As a result, this convention will be the epicenter of a huge cluster of COVID transmission and from there back out into the country. Very irresponsible.
have been challenging for everyone and especially for small businesses like Waynesville Tire. We have been blessed by our loyal customers.
Daniel Perlmutter Cullowhee
Local customers are much appreciated
To the Editor:
We would like to express our gratitude for the opportunity to serve you and say thank you for your business. These last few months
We have had to reconfigure our ways of meeting your needs and at the same time striving to keep you — our customers — and our employees safe and healthy. This has required us to give you curb service since March. We will be continuing these same practices in the coming weeks for the health and safety of all.
We can never tell you how much we appreciate your patience and understanding and we look forward to serving you for years to come.
And remember, we can’t do anything about COVID-19 but we can still cure baldness.
Jeff McCall, owner Waynesville Tire
Editor Scott McLeod
Celebrating a pivotal year
Many are focused on graduations right now. Amidst the pandemic and nationwide protesting, we’re trying to help our young people celebrate this pivotal time in their lives. While the hype is primarily on high school and college graduates, there are other important transitions that have gotten lost due to COVID-19.
My oldest son, Brooks, is graduating fifth grade this week. We cannot gather in the Junaluska Elementary gymnasium like every class before him. He and his friends cannot congregate at the entryway or on the lawn for a group photo. The students can’t hug teachers or principals or say a final good-bye to the school. Instead, we’ll be participating in a drive-in graduation and waving to school staff and classmates from afar.
school that morning, we checked the UPS tracking number to see if the shipment would arrive that afternoon. When I picked the boys up from school, they couldn’t wait to help me open the box of freshly printed books. The original idea for the book stemmed from a conversation during car line at Junaluska. We’d been listening to an NPR address on the Paris Agreement and after a conversation with the boys, my youngest son asked, “If we keep putting more and more trash on the earth, will she fall from the sky?” That one question spawned the book’s plot. In effect, the book would not exist had that school-ride conversation never happened.
In March of Brooks’ fifth-grade year, the world was hit with a pandemic and everything was canceled. This included his final school dance, yearbook signings, a fifth-grade trip to D.C. and an AIG trip to Space Camp.
To commemorate this important time in his life, I created a slide show with all of the photos and videos I’ve collected throughout his time at Junaluska. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve dug up hundreds of pictures and extracted video clips from old computers. While doing this, I’ve learned several things.
When Brooks was a kindergartner, my mom was still alive. I remember calling her with giddy excitement after his kindergarten screening. With him being my oldest, the right of passage to start school felt emotional and paramount. She was the first person I called and the one by my side during all of his kindergarten programs and ceremonies.
Two years after his first day of kindergarten, my mom passed away from cancer. In fact, Brooks missed the beginning of second grade so we could travel to South Carolina and spread her ashes at the beach where I spent my childhood summers.
When Brooks was in third grade, his dad and I separated. I bought my own house in Maggie Valley and started working full-time at The Smoky Mountain News. At night when my boys went to bed or when they were at their dad’s, I worked furiously to make my Maggie house feel cozy and happy.
As a fourth-grader, Brooks’s dad remarried, introducing a stepmom and stepsiblings, as well as a move away from the family home. The boys had already been struggling with the loss of the family unit, but this new phase crystalized the realization. Brooks’ teachers and the school counselor helped with these transitions. They kept a keen eye on him to ensure all was well.
In November of Brooks’ fifth-grade year, I published my first book. As we drove to
The familiar route to Junaluska Elementary over the past six years has been soothing to my heart and psyche. The drive to the school fostered thousands of conversations between the boys and me. The drive away from the school offered quiet reprieve for my own thoughts and sometimes, tears. Not only has my child changed and evolved from kindergarten to fifth grade, but I have changed and evolved as well. Our life is vastly different now than it was when my little five-year-old walked into Junaluska for the first time. We’ve been in our Maggie house for almost three years. Their dad has been remarried for over a year, and the boys love their stepfamily. We honor my mom in many ways, although nothing would compare to having her back on earth.
With many things and people shifting, Junaluska Elementary was a daily constant, a consistent force for my boys and me. The staff at the school became a second family to Brooks during a number of life-changing events. For that, I will be forever grateful.
Now, as Brooks transitions to middle school, he’s a much older, mature child. He’s physically and mentally strong with a wise, clear mind. He’s achieved many accolades during his time at Junaluska, and I am so proud of him. While I wish we could celebrate with a traditional pomp and circumstance, the lack of fanfare does not diminish this achievement, for him and graduates of all ages.
I remember reading the following quote, “There are two things we should give our children: One is roots and the other is wings.” Whether your graduate is a preschooler, kindergartner, fifth-grader, eighthgrader, senior or college student, these are all pivotal years and should be honored.
To all the graduates out there, use your roots to stay grounded and your wings to fly.
(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and marketing specialist with The Smoky Mountain News. Susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com)
Sports and Activities Camp
CAMP 1: JUNE 22-26
CAMP 2: JULY 27-31
AGES 6-13 A Place to Live, Love & Play
Experience a camp that is fun & educational! Campers learn golf and tennis tips from our Pros and much more. Swimming, games and hands-on adventures with Bricks4Kidz and the WNC Nature Center are also included. Lunch is provided each day.
Columnist
Susanna Shetley
BearWaters Brewing expands to Maggie Valley
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF W RITER
If you had told BearWaters Brewing founder/co-owner Kevin Sandefur eight years ago that some day he’d be at the helm of two brewery locations in Haywood County, and also play a big role in the economic revitalization of downtown Canton, he’d probably call your bluff.
“It’s been quite a long journey, especially when I look back at how scrappy I was then compared to now,” Sandefur chuckled. “And then, with life and experiences and things you do, you become more mature and more settled. You don’t feel like everything’s a fight, you finally become galvanized enough to move forward with a sense of peace and confidence.”
In one of the great success stories of regional craft beer, BearWaters Brewing has grown from humble beginnings in a Waynesville storage garage to a highly popular destination in a large warehouse along the Pigeon River in Canton.
For the 2019 calendar year, the brewery produced more than 1,200 barrels with around 90,000 patrons coming through the doors.
And with its Canton location (aka: BearWaters Brewing – Riverside) running on all cylinders, Sandefur and BearWaters co-owner Art O’Neil decided it was time to expand, which ultimately led to the discovery and acquisition of its new Maggie Valley location, aptly named BearWaters Brewing – Creekside.
“It was the right time to add another location and we secured the lease late year,” Sandefur said. “We had looked at spots in Knoxville, Tennessee and North Georgia. But, ironically, we came across this place in Maggie. We had a checklist and it had everything —
Frog Level Brewing reopens
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF W RITER
In a highly-anticipated relaunch of a beloved Waynesville business, Frog Level Brewing has finally opened its doors following renovations and relaxed government mandates in the era of the coronavirus.
“It’s been so nice to see people come in and see what we’ve changed and what we’ve kept the same, [in terms of] the charm of the brewery,” said Morgan Crisp.
Alongside her husband, Travis Crisp, Morgan and her business partners took on Frog Level Brewing in an effort to not only expand the initial brand, but also push ahead with plans for its other brewing line, 7 Clans. Before this recent property purchase, 7 Clans was contract brewed and canned at BearWaters Brewing in Canton.
“We’re still keeping the Frog Level brand,
creek in the back, great parking, highway frontage and positive economic indicators.”
Formerly The Garrett House, the Soco Road spot offers similar amenities as the Canton location, including backyard seating on nearby Jonathan Creek. Aside from its signature brews and a rotating cast of seasonal ales, BearWaters – Creekside has also teamed up with The Grey Eagle Music Hall & Taqueria, with the iconic Asheville business now bringing its storied reputation to Maggie Valley.
“The universe really brought our two businesses together, and this relationship has been pretty special,” Sandefur noted. “They obviously have the entertainment and food side covered, and we’re taking care of the craft beer side.”
Sandefur added The Grey Eagle would also be involved in bringing notable live music acts to both Haywood County locations as things progress. And amid upcoming changes to the BearWaters – Riverside location, there are already plans in the works to construct a concert venue in the back of the property.
But, even with a whirlwind of recent expansion and decisions soon to be made, Sandefur is solely focused on the “here and now,” of being in the moment and appreciating all of the great things he’s not only built, but also crossed paths with in the process.
“With this brewery, it’s kind of like watching your kids grow up, seeing how things develop and take shape,” Sandefur said. “For us, we like watching people enjoy the spaces we’ve created, things we’ve put together where there was nothing before. It feels great to be able to make a positive impact on these communities.”
and we’ll be rebranding that beer line with potential distribution opportunities we’re looking into,” Morgan said. “The taproom will still be called Frog Level Brewing, with the only real difference now being that the 7 Clans beer line will also be brewed at Frog Level.”
A signature feature of Frog Level Brewing, the Richland Creek patio and concert stage area has been repainted and revi-
talized. As well, the restaurant component within the brewery will still be intact, but with more shareable foods rather than full meal offerings.
Now up and running, this fresh chapter for Frog Level and 7 Clans Brewing has been a long time coming for the new owners. But, with patience being a virtue, the future of this company is now in good hands.
“We’ve made really small steps and we probably haven’t made the conventional steps that everybody else thinks we should make,” Morgan said. “But, it’s been small steps for both brewery brands, and that works for us and works for our budget. We’ve got a lot of bases covered and we work well together in this business — we’re looking forward to seeing how this place evolves.”
Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Donated photo
The new BearWaters Brewing – Creekside location in Maggie Valley. Donated photo
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
Take
a chance and build a boat, some will sink and some will float
On Monday morning, I woke up in a big, cozy antique brass bed at my parents’ 1840 farmhouse up near the Canadian border in Plattsburgh, New York. Rolling over, I grabbed my ukulele nearby and plucked a few jovial chords. Normally, I’m only back home for the holidays when it’s 20 below zero outside with a blizzard churning outside the farmhouse kitchen window — just as I pour my first cup of coffee, a momentary sigh in acceptance and familiarity of bad weather in the North Country.
But, here I am, walking out into my mother’s garden with coffee in hand, late spring sunshine and green grass amid countless perennials blossoming around the backyard. And yet, the serene scene unfolding before my eyes is a far cry from the suddenness and devastation literally spreading like
Asheville, only to be in the midst of tear gas canisters launched and rubber bullets shot.
But, through all of this — the Coronavirus Pandemic, the riots and injustice, severe political division, the uncertainty of what will reveal itself in the morning — I remain optimistic. It’s in my blood and part of the core of my being. Shit, what else are you going to do? Give up? Hell no. We’re better than that as people. We can (and will) build a brighter tomorrow.
By the time I took the second sip of my third cup of coffee on Monday, I figured I’d spend the afternoon hiking up a mountain, something away from incessant social media and 24-hour news cycles — to clear my head and make sense of where we currently stand, where we may ultimately go moving forward.
In figuring out where to hike, I also needed to track down some new ukulele strings for a vintage Harmony baritone that I recently acquired. Seeing as New York State is still phasing in retail stores, the only music shop open Monday afternoon was an hour away. Luckily, it was in downtown Saranac Lake, which, for me, is the heart of the Adirondacks.
Approaching the register of the music shop, I went to pay for the strings and noticed a “Grateful Dead For Ukulele” book within reach. It was serendipitous, coming across this publication with the songs of a band (a pillar of my melodic existence and life ethos) whose message of love and compassion between one another touched the lives of countless millions of fans, and continues to do so.
Hitting the trailhead of Mount Baker, I trotted up the trail, over roots and boulders, around the ridge and to the summit. Overlooking Saranac Lake and the surrounding mountains, I thought of all the people down below, those faces and voices who have similar sentiments and concerns about what tomorrow will bring.
wildfire across our country right now.
I don’t have the answers to any of the centuries-old questions being asked right now when it comes to systemic racism and social injustice in America. I can’t offer a solution beyond simply coming together for positive change and recognizing each other as equal human beings. But, I do know how to listen.
And I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, just listening. Whether it be watching firsthand accounts on the evening news of protesters for the death of George Floyd or the words of compassion through a megaphone by Floyd’s brother, Terrence, or the sorrow and hope expressed by rapper/activist Killer Mike at an Atlanta press conference — begging protesters to stop rioting, to go home and fight in the voting booth.
Sitting up here at the northern tip of the United States, I’m physically removed from the chaos and madness roaring through metro areas hundreds and thousands of miles away. And yet, my Facebook feed is now full of posts from close friends and loved ones who protested on Monday night in
I looked up to the heavens and back down below, and wished everyone well in their respective endeavors, that peace and understanding (and hope) from my intent would push outward into the rest of our planet — kindness breeds kindness, and the same goes for when it comes to understanding others who may differ from you.
By Tuesday morning, I once again awoke in the big, cozy brass bed at my parents’ farmhouse. Coming down the old creaky wooden stairwell, I entered the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. Sipping the hot liquid, I relaxed into my thoughts and intents for the day, and of what I can do to be a better human being in the grand scheme of things.
After restringing my old Harmony baritone, I sat down and plucked the strings until it was in tune. Reaching for the “Grateful Dead For Ukulele” book, I flipped to “Ripple” and began my deep dive into figuring out the tune on the acoustic instrument.
For each chord and lyric line of “Ripple” learned, I found myself once again in awe of the melody and how it gave me hope for a new day, “Reach out your hand if your cup be empty/If your cup is full may it be again/Let it be known there is a fountain/That was not made by the hands of men.”
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
The Appalachian Trail in Dalton, Massachusetts.
(photo: Garret K. Woodward)
Concerts on the Creek
The organizers of Concerts on the Creek in Sylva have made the difficult decision to postpone the beginning of the 11th season of performances until the end of June.
Concerts on the Creek are traditionally held every Friday night from 7 to 9 p.m., from Memorial Day through Labor Day at the Bridge Park in Sylva. The first performance will be held by Geoff McBride & Scott Baker on June 26.
The series is organized and put on by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Sylva and the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department.
Finding A Way Forward Through
Haywood County Arts Council returns
The following will be occurring at the Haywood County Arts Council in downtown Waynesville.
• June 5-27: Haywood County Studio Tour Exhibit. The HCAC will proudly host artists from the Haywood County Studio Tour in the Gallery & Gifts space at 86 North Main Street. The show will offer a sampling of the work from 29 local artists.
The 2020 Studio Tour has been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but the 2021 tour is scheduled for June 26-27. Participants work in diverse media including clay, fiber, wood, jewelry, glass, mixed-media, sculpture and two-dimensional applications.
The Arts Council’s Haywood County Studio Tour Show offers visitors a generous taste of what they’ll experience in June 2020. For additional information, visit www.haywoodarts.org/studio-tour-participants or www.facebook.com/openstudioshaywood.
• June 6: “Artist Demonstration” with Linda Blount, 1 to 4 p.m. at the HCAC. Free and open to the public. Blount will be sharing the secrets of painting “Sweet Sapphire,” a lovable cow.
• June 24: Opening Day of “Auction for the Arts!” at Cedar Hill Gallery on Main Street in Waynesville. Free and open to the public.
The HCAC is holding its silent auction of
“At this time, we’ve decided to reschedule the first four concerts until Saturdays later in the season,” said Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Julie Donaldson. “We’re planning on beginning the series on Friday, June 26, depending on how the Governor structures Phase 3. We’ll keep you posted and look forward to being together again soon.”
The performances are free with donations encouraged. Patrons should bring a chair or blanket and prepare to be “COVID safe.” Food trucks are expected to be at some of the concerts.
For a complete lineup schedule of Concerts on the Creek, visit www.mountainlovers.com or go to the Concerts on the Creek Facebook page. These sites will be updated with any changes going forward.
original artwork from June 24 to July 11 at Cedar Hill Gallery. Bidding will begin at noon on Wednesday, June 24 and end at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11.
All proceeds from the auction will go toward HCAC’s “Arts Now! Our Campaign for the Future.” The goal of the campaign is to establish a fund for the eventual purchase of a building large enough to provide gallery space for over 100 artists, an emerging artist incubator with affordable studio space, creation space for youth arts educational programs, a dedicated music classroom, three additional classrooms and an endowment.
Artwork donated by Mark Matheny, Barbara Brook, Remi Dawkins, Cayce Moyer, Jerry Stuart, Diannah Beauregard, Gretchen
Clasby, Mary Decker, Dominick DePaolo, Janice Huse, Jan Kolenda, Gregg Livengood, Susan Livengood, Jude Lobe, Francoise Lynch, Jeremiah Maitri, John Nelson, Dee Noelle, and Debbie Skelly. www.haywoodarts.org.
ALSO:
• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with Jesse Black June 6, Scott Stambaugh 2 p.m. June 7 and George Ausman 2 p.m. June 14. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host Lost Bridge 7:30 p.m. June 13. All shows are free and open to the public. www.curraheebrew.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Stephen Horvath June 13 and The Knotty G’s June 27. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Carey Deal 7 p.m. June 12 and Clint Roberts Trio 8 p.m. June 13. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
Trailblazers & Traditionalists pulses with life
Years ago, in the parking lot of the Haywood County Public Library, I met a man in his late 20s who worked at the Champion Paper Mill. As we talked about what we did for a living — I was in debt to my eyeballs running a bed-and-breakfast and a bookstore — the man told me that when he was 18 his uncle had helped him buy a house in South Carolina and that he now owned 10 other houses, which he rented out. Fascinated by the history of the West, he made an annual trek every summer to places like Texas and the Dakotas to study first hand what he had read about in books. On his latest expedition he had traveled to the Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana.
about 80-year-old Ella Bird, mother of 10 whom her fellow Cherokee chose to honor with a title rarely bestowed: “Beloved Woman.” Ella’s first language is Cherokee,
Here was a guy who was a product of the mountains, someone others might regard as backwoods, a redneck who probably spent his evenings swilling Budweiser and listening to country music.
I left our conversation in awe of him, reminded once more of two basic truths: appearances are deceptive, and everyone has a story.
In Trailblazers & Traditionalists: ModernDay Smoky Mountain People (Smoky Mountain News, 2019, 177 pages), Holly Kays relates the stories of dozens of such people. Here we meet a man who has made over 9,000 flies for catching fish, a botanist in his 80s who has never lost his wonder and zest for our mountain trees and plants, a mother who has hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Mountains-To-Sea State Trail and a “seemingly endless list of other treks scattered across six continents.”
Trailblazers & Traditionalists opens with “The Smile in Snowbird” in which we learn
the publicity of that.”
In “The Carnivorous Plant Guy,” Kays — who is a staff writer for The Smoky Mountain News — introduces us to Darwin Thomas, who works as an HVAC technician at Western Carolina University, but whose claim to fame is his collection of carnivorous plants. The self-taught Thomas has collected some 50 books about plants like the Venus flytrap and pitcher plants, is a member of the International Carnivorous Plant Society, and now owns three greenhouses filled with bugeating plants, which he sells at various garden festivals around Western North Carolina.
which she learned growing up in a tiny, remote community near Robbinsville. In 2017, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of North Carolina-Asheville. Ella received both these honors not for great deeds but for her character and her virtue. When Ella wonders why she was chosen as a Beloved Woman, Trey Adcock, director of UNCA’s American Indian and Indigenous Studies program, replies that Ella deserved that title because she is “the spirit of service to the community and caring and being a mother and a role model and doing all that without needing the congratulations and
Forty-six-year-old Kenny Capps of Black Mountain, “The Endurance Runner,” found himself stricken in 2015 with multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. An ultra-marathoner, Capps was forced to give up running until a bone marrow transplant restored his strength. He began competing again in long-distance races, but wanted to do more to help others with this disease. He founded an organization, Throwing Bones, and began a fundraiser by running the Mountains-To-Sea Trail. That adventure raised $68,000 from sponsors and donors, money that will help others with blood cancer pay their medical bills and expenses accrued when traveling long distances to centers that treat the disease.
George and Elizabeth Ellison, “The Chroniclers of Lower Lands Creek,” will be familiar to regular readers of The Smoky Mountain News by way of George’s column “Back Then.” Over many years, George has carved out a niche as a nature writer and historian of these mountains while Elizabeth has won a reputation for her paintings. The most fascinating part of their story, at least for me, was the description of the house in which they live. It’s small, surrounded by an enormous
porch, and was purchased by the Ellisons when Fontana Village was getting rid of some of the houses built for workers when the dam was under construction. For years, the Ellisons lived here without electricity or running water.
The woods and the winding creek on this property have more than influenced the work of George and Elizabeth; these lie at the very heart of their work. As Kays writes,
The way the light moves over the days and the seasons, the birds that parade past the kitchen window, the ever-present feeling that today could be the day that something amazing steps out of the woods — it inspires George and Elizabeth alike.
In addition to such mini-biographies, Trailblazers & Traditionalists also includes photographs of Kays’ subjects as well as a helpful regional map.
If we look at the people around us, we realize that each of them is a walking, breathing book, a story waiting for a listener. Holly Kays clearly understands this concept. At the end of her “Prologue” she writes,
The point is, these stories are about the lives of people who call the Smoky Mountains home, but they’re also about a point in time in those lives, a portrait captured at a particular moment in that now-rising, now-falling arc that we call life. I like to think of those arcs layering themselves on top of each other, a montage of beginnings and endings and pinnacles creating a landscape as dynamic as the mountains themselves. Old.
Storied.
And pulsing with life.
If we look at the people around us, we realize that each of them is a walking, breathing book, a narrative awaiting a listener. In Trailblazers & Traditionalists, Holly Kays has given us a library of these stories. ( Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher.
Writer Jeff Minick
Smokies
Making history
In the summer of ’67, former college president was Smokies’ first black naturalist
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
The year that Joe Lee turned 21, the Brown vs. Board of Education decision turned 13, the Civil Rights Act turned 3 and last published edition of The Negro Motorist Green Book turned 1.
It also happened to be the year that the U.S. Department of the Interior mandated that the national parks get on board with integration and begin hiring African-American rangers. Lee, a rising senior at Talladega College with a strong interest in biology and botany, applied for a naturalist position in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
He got the job, and in the summer of 1967, months shy of his 21st birthday, Lee became one of three men to serve as the Smokies’ first African-American naturalists.
“I’ve had a very, very interesting life, and I wouldn’t change it for anything,” said Lee, “but in a lot of ways it started in the Smokies.”
‘A STEP UP’
Lee grew up in Brewton, Alabama, part of a family of six boys and three girls. His father was a laborer and sharecropper, and Lee spent much of his childhood outdoors, milking the cows and bringing in fish and berries to stretch the family’s meager grocery budget. The Smokies job made Lee the first of the family to leave home for a professional summer position rather than spending those hot months working in a field. His parents were proud, in the years afterward “religiously” storing his old ranger hat and uniform while he moved from place to place, until a house fire destroyed them.
That summer was “a step up,” Lee said, “an opportunity that I had never envisioned” and one that “I will always cherish.”
But it was also lonely, exhausting and at times even dehumanizing. It wasn’t easy to be one of the first black rangers in a park where both the community and the visitors were
predominately white. The park had “very few” African-American visitors at that time, said Lee, though those who did pass through were “very proud” to see Lee and his two black colleagues at work.
Lee was called names, of course, all manner of racial slurs, and challenges to his knowledge of the park’s flora and fauna were common.
“I had the fortune of having studied my plants and my animals, and I felt very confident in what I was saying, but they always
“We have a long way to go to reach some kind of reciprocity in this country.”
— Joe Lee
wanted to challenge you,” he said.
Many of the park’s white employees saw him and his black colleagues — Grover Barnes and Robert Stone, both of whom are now deceased — as an intrusion, said Lee. After all, they were there as the result of a federal mandate, not a local decision.
The black employees had to follow different rules than their white counterparts. Very rarely were they allowed to wear their park uniforms out in the community, and when they did they’d get all kinds of negative reactions from white locals not used to seeing black men sporting such trappings of authority. And, while the white naturalists were allowed to drive their vehicles home after nighttime interpretive programs, the black naturalists had to park their cars at headquarters and walk the half-mile or so back to their cabins.
The racism was real, but Lee was a product of the segregated South. It wasn’t surprising to him. He had expected it.
“You knew it was going to be there, and it was not to a level that caused me to say I wanted to go home,” he said. “The only thing that caused me to want to go home was being there late at night, nobody there, knowing that the bears were outside and you weren’t going to go home tomorrow.”
BUILDING ON TRAGEDY
For Lee, it was an especially difficult time to be away from home, but also an especially difficult time to handle a racist environment. Right before his job in the Smokies was to begin, Lee’s family endured a tragedy that made him question whether he should even report to work.
His brother-in-law Oliver Valree, a member of the U.S. Air Force, had been sent to Wichita, Kansas, and he and Lee’s sister Earlene were to live in an apartment on the McConnell Air Force Base.
“Someone rigged the apartment where they were going to be living,” said Lee. “They cut off the ventilation and he and my sister died on a Friday and they found them on Monday. They had died from carbon monox-
ide poisoning. That was indelibly lodged in my mind.”
There was never any criminal trial. Instead the Lee and Valree families sued the housing complex for wrongful death, a case they ended up settling out of court for what Lee remembers to be a paltry amount.
Shortly after Oliver and Earlene’s deaths, Lee found himself in the Smokies, living alone, far from home, working alongside colleagues who saw him — or, more accurately, his skin color — as unwelcome and out of place.
“Anytime a racial incident occurred in the Smokies, it brought back memories of that and what the possibilities were,” he said.
But Lee stuck it out, and while the summer was difficult, it was also wonderful, and even formative. As a ranger, he met people from all over the world as they came to explore the park, and he spent his days in such spectacularly beautiful places as Clingmans Dome and Chimney Tops. He got to try his hand at leadership, too. When leading interpretive talks and nature walks, it was up to him to give good information to his charges, to look out for their safety, and to deal with situations as they arose.
There was no formal evaluation at the end of his employment, but he was offered an opportunity to continue working for the Park Service, so Lee figures he must have done something right. However, he decided that he really wanted to be back in Brewton with his family. After finishing college, he moved back home and taught science at the high school he’d attended as a teenager.
From there, he returned to Talladega, where he worked in positions from 1971 to 1995, with various sabbaticals to continue his education. In 1992, he was named the college’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, and in 1995 he became the 12th president of Tougaloo College in Mississippi. He ended his career in 2008 after seven years as president of Alabama State University, but higher education wasn’t done with him yet. Lee was asked to serve as vice president and provost of Cambridge College in Massachusetts while the board looked for a permanent hire, serving for a year and a half in that temporary position.
While 1967 marked his first and last time working for the Park Service, the experience remained with him throughout the decades.
“The responsibility was there and the lessons of leadership, always,” said Lee. “They transferred everywhere I went.”
HOPE AND SADNESS
Lee is 74 now, and he’s battling cancer. He lives in Jupiter, Florida, and he spends a lot of time thinking about what the future might hold for his two grandsons, the oldest of whom will start college this year. He’s trying to gather information about his life, so that in the years to come they’ll have a concrete understanding of who their grandfather was.
Superintendent Cassius Cash (left) presents Joe Lee with a mounted flat hat in recognition of his contributions to National Park Service history. Valerie Polk/ GSMA photo
The summer of 1967 was the first time African-Americans were hired as seasonal interpreters in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Pictured from left to right are that year’s hires (front row) Kenneth D. Young, Robert M. Stone, G. Gary Ward, Bon Whaley, W. Doug Trabert, W. Muriel Smelcer (second row), F. Paul Inscho, Howard F. Davis, Richard J. Sharp, Larry W. McCulloch, Frank L. Oakberg, Grover W. Barnes and Joe A. Lee. NPS photo
That’s what led him to call the Smokies last year, asking if the park might have any records from his employment more than 50 years ago. The cold call came just at the right time, during year two of a three-year effort to research and collect stories relating to African-American history in the park.
“(The operator) said, ‘I’ll have someone call you. Don’t go away. We’ve been looking for you,’” Lee recalled. “I didn’t know what she was talking about, but there was a picture that had circulated that had three individuals that had been hired for the summer, and they had been trying to locate them, and I was the only one that was still living.”
Lee got not just a phone call, but an inperson visit from the park’s superintendent Cassius Cash, who brought with him videographer Valerie Polk from the Great Smoky Mountains Association and researcher Adam McNeil, who has been heading up the African American history research. In August 2019 the group traveled to William T. Dwyer High School in Florida, where Lee’s grandsons attended, and in recognition of his contribution to Park Service history, Cash presented Lee with a framed photograph of all the park naturalists who worked the summer of 1967 along with a mounted ranger hat to replace the one that had burned in the house fire all those years ago. In an October 2019 interview Cash said it was a “magical moment,” an indescribable meeting of two “bookends in this park’s history.”
“He (Cash) said that I was a trailblazer and made it possible for him to be there as superintendent,” said Lee. “I never thought of myself as that, but I guess had I not been one of those, there would never have been African-Americans working in the park. I was a part of history in that regard, and the more I think about it, I was. It was groundbreaking. It was a beginning.”
That beginning made today’s ending possible. Cash, who has held the park’s top job since 2015, is an African-American him-
self, the first one to serve as superintendent of the nation’s most visited national park.
Lee was astonished to hear that a black man is now in charge of the park where his skin color once made him an outsider.
“I just couldn’t believe it, because it was something that I didn’t think would ever happen, to be honest and frank,” he said.
Seeing Cash at the helm of park operations is simply awesome, said Lee, a promise that there is hope, that progress is being made.
But we’re not there yet, something that recent events have made painfully obvious.
“When I think of race in this country right now, every time I get excited about how far we have come, I get sad about things that happen, and it couldn’t be any worse than what happened with George Floyd in Minnesota this past week,” he said.
Lee looks at his grandsons, who walk the streets with no fear of racial violence, and he worries, because stories like that of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old Georgia man who was killed by a pair of white men while out for a jog, occur all too frequently.
“I think about the times when I was stopped driving home. I was coming back from graduate school and I was working on my doctorate, and I was stopped because the person that was riding with me in the car — she looked like she was a white young lady, but she was actually an AfricanAmerican that was very fair,” said Lee. “And I know today that I was stopped because of that by a highway patrolman.”
That was a long time ago, but events like George Floyd’s death make it hard not to revisit those older memories, and to wonder if there will ever be a time when all such memories are old, when the tragedies of today are no longer pushed out by the fresh new ones of tomorrow.
“We have a long way to go,” said Lee. “We have a long way to go to reach some kind of reciprocity in this country.”
Give toward the Parkway’s future
The deadline to match a $300,000 challenge grant for the Blue Ridge Parkway has been extended for three months, with donors now having until Sept. 30 to meet this all-ornothing challenge.
In late 2019, an anonymous donor offered the $300,000 grant for the Trails & Views Forever Challenge. In order to receive the $300,000, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation must raise a matching $300,000 in additional donations.
Trails & Views Forever is an initiative to restore the Parkway’s recreational assets, which are deteriorating due to insufficient funding for maintenance and improvements. The goal is to spend $3 million over five to 10
years for restoration and enhancements.
Working with the National Park Service, the Foundation is developing a comprehensive plan to restore and care for trails, picnic areas, campgrounds and overlooks along the 469-mile motor road.
“No matter the size, every gift will provide care for Parkway recreational areas in strategic and sustainable ways,” said Foundation CEO Carolyn Ward. “We are grateful that this match will allow donors’ contributions to go even further to care for the places they love to hike, take in mountain views, picnic with family and friends, and camp under the stars.”
Donors who give $1,000 or more will receive a limited edition patch, and their names will be included on acknowledgement signs at key locations along the Parkway. Give at www.trailsandviews.org.
New management at Parkway trading post
A nonprofit based at the Cradle of Forestry in America is the new manager for the Northwest Trading Post located between Boone and Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
FIND Outdoors will take over the contract from Sally Mae’s LLC, the National Park Service announced. The trading post has provided retail merchandise, food and beverage services since 1958.
Formerly known as the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, FIND Outdoors has spent the last 47 years promoting education and recreation in the natural world through partnerships and community involvement. The nonprofit manages more than 21 recreation, education and camping facilities in North Carolina, Georgia and Indiana serving about 800,000 visitors each year.
The trading post will offer a mix of nature and forest-based souvenirs, including locally made crafts. A variety of “grab and go” snacks will also be available. Opening dates for the 2020 season will be decided in coordination with other park openings planned in conjunction with local and state guidance surrounding COVID-19.
Nantahala announces new chief ranger
A new district ranger has been selected for the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest.
Troy Waskey, who has been district ranger for the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia since 2013, will start his new job on June 8. Waskey will take over from Mike Wilkins, who announced in July 2019 that he would retire after 29 years in the post.
Like Wilkins, Waskey is a graduate of Virginia Tech, holding a degree in natural resources recreation and forestry from the school as well as a master’s in outdoor recreation management from Arizona State University. He grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and has worked at U.S. Forest Service properties in New Hampshire, Maine, Arizona, New Mexico and West Virginia.
“Western North Carolina is a special place for me,” said Waskey. “It’s where I cut my teeth as an outdoor recreation enthusiast, trained as a wilderness first responder and worked with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.”
New Smokies podcast launches
A new podcast series from the Great Smoky Mountains Association brings the science, stories and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to listeners from across the country.
Hosted by GSMA videographer and publications associate Valerie Polk and senior publications specialist Karen Key, Smoky Mountain Air features interviews with authors, scientists and park experts, who each shed new light on life in the Smokies, both past and present.
Current and forthcoming episodes include guests Rose Houk, David Brill, Steve Kemp and Stephen Lyn Bales, as well as an interview with Horace Kephart co-biographer Janet McCue and filmmaker Paul Bonesteel. The series is the brainchild of Park Archivist Mike Aday.
“Smoky Mountain Air author interviews serve as an entry point to what we call the missing issues of Smokies Life magazine,” said Frances Figart, GSMA’s creative director and the biannual magazine’s editor. “These are issues that everyone asks us
about on a regular basis because they can no longer find them anywhere in print.”
Polk is a filmmaker and contributor to GSMA’s award-winning YouTube channel. For more than 10 years, she has document-
ed the beauty, the history and the extraordinary experiences that draw visitors to the Smokies. Key has served on the GSMA creative team since 2006. She is responsible for
Single-lane closures underway on the Spur
the overall layout of the park newspaper, Smokies Guide, designs articles for Smokies Life and created the graphics for Dan Pierce’s popular moonshine book Corn From a Jar. She also designed the awardwinning Into the Mist by David Brill and the CD Big Bend Killing. While the park is resuming operations in phases, GSMA realizes that some members and park supporters may prefer to continue experiencing the park from afar. Smoky Mountain Air, as well as Smokies LIVE, will enable people to learn more about the history, science and culture of the Smokies from the comfort of their homes.
Smoky Mountain Air can be found on all the usual podcasthosting platforms, including Apple, Spotify, Google Podcast and Stitcher. The missing Smokies Life issues can be found at smokiesinformation.org/missingissues.
Temporary, single-lane closures will be in effect through June 11 on the Foothills Parkway Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
These closures will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday of each week. They will allow maintenance crews to perform routine maintenance operations such as litter patrol, tree removal, string trimming, mowing, shoulder reconditioning and culvert cleaning.
For more information about road closures, follow SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/grsm.
Raise the flag for veterans
A fundraising effort to support the veteran therapy retreat center Equinox Ranch is underway and active through July 4.
The Catch 22 Military Challenge invites participants to donate in the name of their favorite military branch. The branch with the most money raised by the end of the competition July 4 will win.
Donations directly support building renovations, which must be completed in order for Equinox to open its doors in time for Veterans Day. These costs include building supplies as well as sprinkler, heating and cooling and septic systems.
Equinox Ranch is an all-volunteer nonprofit created by professionals who have served in the armed forces, business and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Treatment in the one-year program will
include verbal therapies and activities such as music, gardening and exercise, all blended with the beauty and calming influence of
the natural landscape and the camaraderie of fellow veterans. Veterans will begin and end the yearlong program with a two-week stay at Equinox Ranch, with support during the year from the Veterans Administration and civilian care.
Donate at www.equinoxranch.org.
Get started in agribusiness
A webinar series focused on the food production industry will be offered in one-hour sessions at 10 a.m. Tuesdays through June 30.
Offered by the Small Business Center at Haywood Community College, the series will host speaker Smithson Mills of Blue Ridge Food Ventures. Topics will be:
n Business Readiness for New Food Businesses. This June 9 session will cover the important aspects of successfully launching a new food business, complete with case studies of success and failure.
n Food Manufacturing for Small Scale Businesses. This June 16 session will cover essential information about how food gets made and sold commercially in a safe and wholesome manner.
n Marketing Your Product and Your Brand. This June 23 session will cover the essential elements for successfully marketing products and creating consumer loyalty.
The webinars are free, and attendees can register for just one or all three. Preregistration is strongly encouraged and available at www.sbc.haywood.edu or 828.627.4512.
Connecting farmers with food-insecure
A new initiative from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is facilitating direct connections between farmers and food relief efforts.
The Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program assesses the needs of food relief organizations and then contracts with a farm or farms to supply the food. The contract covers the farmer’s costs and can be customized to fit different sizes and types of farms as well as relief efforts.
“Our communities are facing unprecedented challenges right now, with many families struggling to access fresh foods,” said ASAP Executive Director Charlie Jackson. “Farms are entering the time of year where production is high, but many
have lost market outlets with closures or reduction of service in restaurants, schools and other institutions. This is a neighborhelping-neighbor effort that can benefit everyone in the community.”
Through this new initiative, ASAP is facilitating direct connections between farms and relief efforts that might not otherwise be logistically feasible and helping to offset costs. The first phase of the project will focus on rural communities that are farther away from centralized food resources, and the intent of the project is to reach every county in Western North Carolina.
Farms and relief agencies that would like to participate should start by filling out interest forms on www.asapconnections.org, and donations can be made there as well. Support for the Appalachian Farms Feeding Families comes from the Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund.
Teen dies in Smokies motorcycle accident
A motorcycle accident along Newfound Gap Road near the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park resulted in the death of a 17-year-old motorcyclist Sunday, May 30. The accident occurred around 6 p.m. when the male rider, from Dickson County, Tennessee, lost control around a curve when traveling northbound. He veered into oncoming traffic and then collided with a sedan and an SUV.
Park rangers and the Gatlinburg Fire Department responded to the scene, but the patient was unresponsive and pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. Nobody else was injured.
Noland-Proben Team
Brian
K. Noland & Catherine Proben RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONALS
bknoland@beverly-hanks.com • 828.734.5201
cproben@beverly-hanks.com • 828.734.9157
We are still doing business just doing it differently. Give us a call today and let our combined 26 years of experience work for you.
MLS 3610801 | Canton
$319,000
Brick ranch style 3BD/3BA home with an open kitchen and living room area with gas fireplace, a spacious sunroom, an attached single car garage and beautiful mountain views.
MLS 3599990 | Maggie Valley
$395,000
A beautiful mountain home with two covered porches overlooking a peaceful stream and mountain views in the distance.
MLS 3625010 | Waynesville
$455,000
A traditional two-story home located approximately 1 mile to Main Street Waynesville. This spacious home has year round mountain views, a level yard, and covered and uncovered decks.
MLS 3597324 | Waynesville
$695,000
A large move-in ready mountain home offering an open layout, large windows, and a chef's kitchen, plus hardwood floors throughout the main level.
MLS 3611304 | Waynesville
$698,000
A 4BD/3.5BA home with thoughtful details throughout. Enjoy an open floor plan, a great room with exposed beams and gas fireplace, a custom kitchen, and a lower level entertainment room.
MLS 3610985 | Waynesville
$1,295,000
A newly built 3BD/3.5BA home located in an established gated community. This home offers an open floor plan with the main level featuring a great room with cathedral ceilings, plus a custom kitchen.
A BILL
Awwarded CCIM Designat
Certified Commercial Investment Member The
DONATE SHOP VOLUNTEER
Now Open with Limited Hours
Ramble among the rhododendrons
A series of 20-minute guided nature strolls is being held at 2 p.m. June 1 through 7 at Grandfather Mountain.
munities. Tour locations will vary in order to showcase the best rhododendron blooms.
The Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble is an annual tradition and will allow visitors to observe the blooms while learning about their history, characteristics and roles in the mountains’ ecological com-
Give food, raft the Tuck
Free with regular park admission. Social distancing will be required, group sizes will be monitored and face masks are strongly encouraged. Guests must purchase tickets in advance at www.grandfather.com.
Help feed the community and get a free raft trip, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at the Dillsboro River Company in Jackson County.
Anyone who brings 10 cans of food will receive a free rafting trip that same day. Cans will go to United Christian Ministries, a crisis response ministry providing food, rental and heating assistance for people in need.
Participants must be at least 4 years of age, and everyone must wear foot protection and a personal flotation device, which Dillsboro River Company will provide. No alcohol is allowed, and families must bring 10 cans of food per person.
No rain checks, and be prepared to wait for your trip in order to allow for social distancing. 828.507.2428.
Life jacket giveaway to replace loaner program
Jackson County will suspend its life jacket loaner program this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and instead offer a series of life jacket giveaway events.
Safe Kids Jackson County will provide life jackets while supplies last from 10 a.m. to noon on the following days:
n Tuesday, June 16, at the Cullowhee Recreation Center.
n Thursday, June 18, at the Cashiers
NOC now open
Recreation Center.
n Wednesday, June 24, at the Sylva pool.
The law requires all vessels to have a life vest on board for each person present, and children under age 13 must wear a securely fastened life vest at all times. A child can drown in as little as 20 seconds, but wearing a life jacket can allow time for a rescue.
Appointments are strongly recommended for the life jacket giveaways, but walk-ins will be accepted. Cloth face coverings and social distancing are encouraged. Schedule an appointment with Safe Kids Coordinator Anna Lippard at 828.587.8225.
The Nantahala Outdoor Center has reopened, with most river and land-based trips now available. Guests and employees alike will be prescreened before beginning the adventure, and face masks, social distancing, increased cleaning and sanitization will all be used, as well as modifications to group and building capacities.
A new flexible booking policy is in effect as well, allowing customers to rebook reservations that were created before June 15 and scheduled through Aug. 31 at any time within the current year, so long as they reschedule within 48 hours of trip departure.
WNC Calendar
PLEASE CHECK WITH ORGANIZERS TO ENSURE EVENTS HAVE NOT BEEN CANCELED BEFORE TRAVELING TO AN EVENT LISTED BELOW.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
• Macon County Emergency Management will host a COVID-19 testing clinic from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 4 at The Farm at Old Edwards Inn, 332 Arnold Rd., Highlands. Another testing clinic will be hosted by Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation on June 6 in Highlands and June 13 in Cashiers. Visit www.highlandscashiershealthfoundation.org.
• North Shore Cemetery Association announced the cancellation of all North Shore Cemetery Decorations through June 15. At present, all group activities within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are suspended through June 15 and this may change in the future given the complexity and unknown factors concerning the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Swain County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing regarding the proposed 2020-21 fiscal budget at 6 p.m. June 11 at the Swain County Administration Building, third floor, 50 Main St., Bryson City.
• QuickDraw, a local art initiative that funds art programs in WNC schools, has jumped online to raise funds online from June 7-30. With the spring physical event cancelled due to COVID-19, volunteers organized an online art sale and auction to replace the in-place fundraiser. QuickDraw’s online auction opens to the public at midnight on June 7 and offers art at auction and a gallery of pre-priced easy-to-ship art. The online auction and art sale can be accessed at https://wncquick-draw.myshopify.com/. For more information, visit QuickDrawofWNC.com or call 828.734.5747.
• HART Theatre will be hosting a virtual concert and fundraiser June 1 through June 15 featuring local performers. If you donate to HART between June 1-15 via PayPal on HART’s website, you will receive the link to watch this concert at any time. The suggested donation is $20. For more info, email info@harttheatre.org.
• Bardo Arts Center has a new webpage dedicated to virtual opportunities at arts.wcu.edu/virtual. Highlights include a series of Thursday lunchtime webinar presentations, which will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube, as well as through the arts.wcu.edu/virtual website. The Thursday webinar series opens with a theatrical talkback, followed by three webinars related to WCU Fine Art Museum exhibitions.
• Moe Davis, the Democratic nominee for Congress in the 11th District, will be hosting a series of "Moe Talks" Facebook Live virtual town halls. There will be two events to be held at the same time each week: from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Mondays and from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursdays. Topics will change week to week. Viewers can submit questions in advance to the @MoeDavisforCongress Facebook Page.
B USINESS & E DUCATION
• As of June 1, the Small Business Center at Southwestern Community College will begin offering expanded business services to local small business owners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Reboot, Recover, Rebuild or R3 Program for Small Business will offer expanded counseling opportunities in more than 40 different categories. Each month the SBC will accept a new cohort into this program, with the first cohort beginning on Tuesday, June 9. Interested businesses are encouraged to apply for the program in advance by visiting southwesterncc.edu/sbc. If you have questions, email Henry at t_henry@southwesterncc.edu.
• League of Women Voters Asheville-Buncombe will host an online panel forum titled “Does Your Vote
n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.
n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com
Count?: The Impact of Gerrymandering,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 via Zoom. Panelists will be Dr. Ashley Moraguez, Professor of Political Science at UNCAsheville, and Blake Esselstyn, an expert on the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for drawing maps. The event is limited to 100 people and is free. Visit https://tinyurl.com/y9fznope to register. For more information or questions, contact Karen Depew at kdnorthwood@gmail.com.
• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment will be offering a four-week online introduction to Cherokee language course, entitled, “Cherokee 101 – Online,” July 6-31. Registration fee is $129. EBCI members and Veterans of the US Armed Forces may register for $89. For more information and to register, visit http://learn.wcu.edu/language.
• Southwestern Community College Small Business Center will host a virtual town hall meeting called “Pandemic Marketing” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. June 3. Register at https://bit.ly/townhall0603 to watch free live webinar.
• Small business owners can find materials and services to support business growth at Fontana Regional Library’s locations in Macon, Jackson and Swain Counties. Computer classes and one-on-one assistance available. 586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.
VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS
• The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events. Alongside help for events and gatherings, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson, and other positions.
• Haywood Vocational Opportunities is seeking donations of goods, services, time and support for the second annual “HVO Stans Up to PTSD Veteran Community Resource, Education and Job Fair,” which will be held on June 27. 454.6857.
• Feline Urgent Rescue is seeking volunteers and sponsors. Info: 422.2704, www.furofwnc.org, www.facebook.com/furofwnc or 844.888.CATS (2287).
• Cat adoption hours are from noon-5 p.m. on Fridays and noon-4 p.m. on Saturdays at 453 Jones Cove Road in Clyde. Adoption fee: $10 for cats one-year and older. Check out available cats at www.petharbor.com. 452.1329 or 550.3662.
Senior Companion volunteers are being sought to serve with the Land of the Sky Senior Companion Program in Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Madison Counties. Serve older adults who want to remain living independently at home in those counties.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking volunteers to assist rangers with managing traffic and establishing safe wildlife viewing areas within the Cataloochee Valley area. To register for training or get more info: Kathleen_stuart@nps.gov or 497.1914.
• Haywood Regional Medical Center is seeking volunteers of all ages for ongoing support at the hospital, outpatient care center and the Homestead. For info and to apply: 452.8301, stop by the information desk in the lobby or volunteer@haymed.org. Anyone interested in becoming a hospice volunteer can call 452.5039.
• STAR Rescue Ranch is seeking volunteers to help with horse care, fundraising events, barn maintenance and
more at the only equine rescue in Haywood County. 828.400.4940.
• Volunteer opportunities are available throughout the region, call John at the Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center and get started sharing your talents. 356.2833.
• Phone Assurance Volunteers are needed to make daily or weekly wellness check-in calls for the Haywood County Senior Resource Center. 356.2800.
K IDS & FAMILIES
• The Kathryn Byer Memorial Poetry Contest celebrates our mountains and our connection to them in our everyday lives. It is open to all Jackson County students, K12. The poets are divided into three categories: K-4th grade, 5th-8th grade, and 9-12th. Three winners, in addition to Honorable Mentions, will be chosen in each category. Poems should be no longer than 40 lines, but can be much shorter, of course. Poems should be submitted to City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, either in person, mail or by email to more@citylightsnc.com by April 10. Please include “Poetry Contest” in the subject line. The winners in each category will receive gift certificates to City Lights Bookstore and will be invited to read at Greening up the Mountains at 3 p.m. April 25 at City Lights Bookstore. Winners will be announced by April 20. 586.9499.
• The Sylva Art + Design Committee is pleased to announce a unique pop-up gallery event that will feature the artistic creations of children ages 5-18 in the Western North Carolina region. “Nature Through A Child’s Eye” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Viva Arts Studio in downtown Sylva. If you have a child that you think may want to be a participant ages of 5-18 apply by emailing sylvaartdesign@gmail.com or vivaartsstudio@gmail.com. Facebook at www.facebook.com/sylvapublicart or on Instagram @sylvaarts. All submissions will be available for purchase and can be picked up after the completion of the exhibition. All money raised will be equally distributed between SADC and the Sylva Community Garden in order to further the betterment of the community through arts, education, and environmental awareness.
• Registration is underway for the Challenger International Soccer Camp, which will be offered to ages 3-14 from July 20-24 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Costs vary based on age group from $90-197. Separate goalkeeper and scorer program is $25 for ages 6-14 from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday. Register: challengersports.com. Info: 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.
• Waynesville Art School offers the Young Artist Program in the afternoons for 5-6 year old, 7-8 year old, 9-12 year old. Intro to Printmaking and Evening studies in arts is offered for 13-19 year old. Waynesville Art School is located at 303 N. Haywood Street. Info: 246.9869, info@waynesvilleartschool.com or visit WaynesvilleArtSchool.com for schedule and to register.
• Mountain Wildlife offers wildlife education programs for schools and organizations in Western North Carolina, free of charge. If you are interested in having them visit your group contact them at blackbears66@gmail.com, 743.9648 or visit the website at www.mountainwildlifedays.com.
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
5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment at Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project Dental Clinic on the upper level of Laurel Terrace in Cashiers. 743.3393.
• The Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers, 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, provides free care to uninsured patients who meet financial need requirements and live or work in Highlands and Cashiers. $10 donation suggested. The clinic is in the Macon County Recreation and Health Building off Buck Creek Road. 526.1991.
VOLUNTEERING
• The Haywood County Meals on Wheels program has route openings for volunteer drivers. Substitute drivers also needed.
• P.A.W.S. Adoption Days first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the front lawn at Charleston Station, Bryson City.
• The Community Kitchen in Canton is in need of volunteers. Opportunities range from planning a meal updating their webpage. 648.0014.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Haywood County is now accepting applications for boys and girls within the Haywood County area between the ages of 6 and 14 who could benefit from an approved adult mentor/role model. No cost to the family. 356.2148.
• Gathering Table, 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, at The Community Center, Route 64, Cashiers. Provides fresh, nutritious dinners to all members of the community regardless of ability to pay. Volunteers always needed and donations gratefully accepted. 743.9880.
• The Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center has many new openings for volunteers throughout the region. Learn about a wide-range of volunteer opportunities with a variety of non-profit agencies, including respite work, domestic violence hotline volunteers, meal delivery drivers, court mediators, Habitat for Humanity house building, foster grandparenting, charity thrift shops, the Elk Bugle Corps for the Great Smokies National Park and many more. 356.2833.
• Community Care Clinic of Franklin needs volunteers for a variety of tasks including nursing/clinical, clerical and administrative and communications and marketing. 349.2085.
• Catman2 Shelter in Jackson County needs volunteers for morning feeding and general shelter chores. 293.0892 or hsims@catman2.org.
• The Volunteer Water Inventory Network (VWIN) is looking for people to work one to two hours a month taking water samples from local creeks and streams. Fill up empty bottles, collect water samples, and return full bottles. 926.1308 or www.haywoodwaterways.org.
• The Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society maintains a museum located in the historical courthouse in room 308. The HCHGS is seeking articles and objects of historical value to Haywood County that anyone would like to share. 456.3923.
• Free dental clinic for low-income patients, 10 a.m. to
• REACH of Haywood County is looking for volunteers who would like to assist in its newly expanded resale store. 456 Hazelwood Avenue. 456.7898.
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
CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, highend, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 1-866-508-8362.
Auction
AUCTION ALERT! Equipment for grocery stores, convenience stores & more. Coolers, shelving, displays, registers, lighting, cooking equip. & more! Great qualityEarth Fare grocery store landlord creditor due to bankruptcy online auction. Ends Thurs., June 9 at 11 a.m. | Motleys Industrial | 877-MOTLEYS | motleys. com | NCAS5914
ONLINE ONLY AUCTION, Business Liquidation of Monroe Metal Manufacturing, Inc., Begins Closing 6/10/20 at 10am, & 6/11/20 at 10am, Property at 6025 Stitt Street, Monroe, NC, ironhorseauction.com, 910.997.2248, NCAL 3936
Business Opportunities
NEW AUTHORS WANTED! Page Publishing will help you self-publish your own book. FREE author submission kit! Limited offer! Why wait? Call now: 888-910-2201
LOOKING TO EXPAND INTO THE Commercial Market?? Coatings manufacturer looking for company to install coatings on commercial roofs, in
North & South Carolina. CALL 740-656-0177.
MASTERNODING - The Secure and Lucrative Niche! Yielding Over 100% Per Year. Only $500 to Start. Just visit: www.Masternoding.com
JOIN AVON For Free through May 26, 2020. Lois Halonen, Independent Sales Representative. loishalonen@gmail. com. www.youravon.com/ lhalonen.
Employment
AIRLINES ARE HIRINGGet FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Fistudents - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-441-6890.
GREENSVILLE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In Emporia, VA is looking for committed educators in the following areas: Secondary Mathematics, English, and History; Middle School Mathematics and Art; Elementary Education; and Instructional Technology. Must be eligi-
Contact Paige Crewe, pcrewe@gcps1.com or 434-634-3748, or visit our website at www.gcps1. com for more information.
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
MEDICAL BILLING & CODING TRAINING. New Students Only. Call & Press 1. 100% online courses. Financial Aid Available for those who qualify. Call 833-9900354
HEAD START/NC PRE-K TEACHERJackson County. Must have a Birth-K or BS in Early Childhood Education, and eligible for NC BK teaching license. This position also requires computer skills, the ability to work with diverse population/ community partners, good judgment/problem solving skills, lead role in classroom and time management skills. Candidate will be responsible for classroom/paperwork. 2 yrs. experience in Early Childhood Education preferred. Full-time with at www.mountainprojects.org EOE/AA
HOUSING SPECIALIST SECTION 8 Jackson County (Full-Time). High School education or GED required, Business Degree preferred, effective written & oral communication, record keeping & computer skills. Ability to work effectively with the public and diverse populations. Full-Time with www.mountainprojects. org EOE/AA
LPN NEEDED PHYSICIAN OFFICE Full time LPN position available in Western North Carolina. Oncology experience preferred. M-F, 8-5. Competitive salary with excellent corporate resume to: resumes@ ioa.com
SOCIAL SECURITY
DISABILITY BENEFITS
Unable to work? Denied
Strong, recent work history needed. Call to start your application or appeal today! 888-351-1231 [Step-
ams Ave Scranton PA
PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-727-9628
DENTAL INSURANCE
From Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for 350 procedures. Call 1-844496-8601 for details. www.dental50plus.com/ ncpress 6118-0219
Musical Instruments
FREE PIANO Looking for a new home for our Starck Ori Coustic upright piano with bench. Free to anyone who will come get it from our house in Waynesville. Will help load. (828) 507-8828
Pets
CORGI/SCHIPPERKE
MIX, RED-BROWN ~13 years old; cute little guy with soulful brown eyes, and ears that look like I’m about to take publicrelations@ashevillehumane.org
BROWN TABBY CAT, NIMBO 6 years old, affectionate girl who always wants to cuddle. Also playful, and get along with children and dogs. (828) 761-2001 publicrelations@ashevillehumane.org
Real Estate Announcements
SAVE BIG On HOME INSURANCE! Compare 20 A-rated insurances companies. Get a quote within minutes. Average savings of $444/year! Call 866414-8635!
GOT LAND? Our Hunters will Pay Top $$$ to hunt your land. Call for a FREE info packet & Quote. 1-866-309-1507 BaseCampLeasing.com
SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Homeowner’s Relief Line now! 844-359-4330
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise ‘any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination’. Familial status includes children under 18 living with parents or legal guardians and pregnant women. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate in violation of this law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.
23Inductee in the inaugural year of the ... NASCAR Hall of Fame [2010]
25Skin bubble
26Jan of South Africa
27Canon camera
28Fiscal exec.
30- throat
31"As - Dying"
33... International Tennis Hall of Fame [1955]
37One pelting
40Bubbling on the stove
42"- Gang"
43... World Figure Skating Hall of Fame [1976]
45With 99-Down, Texas
50Hearing pair
51Moistureless
52Bust - (laugh hard)
53"Found it!"
54Ending of enzymes
55Groove of carpentry
57... National Baseball Hall of Fame [1936]
61Reprieve
63Stuck-up
65Conundrum
66... Basketball Hall of Fame [1959] and College Football Hall of Fame [1951]
69"Flashdance" director
77... Pro Football Hall of Fame [1963]
79Writer - Stanley Gardner
80Less than bi-
81Western treaty gp.
82Hunky- -
83Maui, e.g.
85Blue-ribbon
86Pasture-raised
89... World Golf Hall of Fame [1974]
93"What was - think?"
94Compel obedience to 96Shady alcoves
97... International Swimming Hall of Fame [1965]
101"- girl!"
102Full of activity
103Med. republic
104Darlin'
106Relative by marriage
110Digital data display
112... International Boxing Hall of Fame [1990]
117Almondy, say
118Lake in New York
119Director May
120Racing driver
121With 122-Across, barriers of pickets
122See 121-Across
DOWN
1Lather
2Quahog, e.g.
3Rights org.
4Encounters
5Singer Elvis
6"This - test"
7- extra cost
8Oom- - (tuba sounds)
9Actress Zadora
10Showery mo.
11Guided
12Chinese fruit
13Fifer's drum
14NBC TV inits.
15Under debate
16People taking breathers
17The "I" of IV
18Smile evilly
19Infield covers
24San Luis -
29Scapegoats
32Fido's noise
33Sneak attack
34"Son of," in Arab names
35Wheel tooth
36"Everyone experiences that, right?"
37Trident
38Pick on
39Monsters
40Flight prefix
41"More than I needed to know" abbr.
44Stows cargo
46Suffix with venom
47Zingy flavor
48"Pardon me"
49- avis
52Singer Susan
55"Joltin' Joe"
56Expiated
57Horn sounds
58Be seeping
59Viewpoint
601958 Leslie Caron film
62Match (up)
63With cunning
64Tri- plus six
67Those giving out prizes
68Spent
69Very eager
70Beloved one
71Parks of civil rights
74Mario of New York
75- workings
76Cake levels
78Soil stirrer
79Fashion magazine
83Memo intro
84Pt. of USSR
85Tirana native
87Do nothing
88Estrogen or testosterone
89Locale of mil. jets
90Reiner of film
91Overly glib
92Paper story
95Not wide
97Loft locales
98Expend
99See 45-Across
100Quoter
101Santa -
104Jekyll and -
105Muscat site
107Not clerical
108Hathaway of "Get Smart"
109Heartaches
111Maui strings
1131969 Beatle bride Yoko
114Corp. honcho
115Youngster
116Foul caller
ANSWERS ON PAGE 26
Rentals
TIMESHARE CANCELLATION EXPERTS. Wesley Financial Group, LLC. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 844-213-6711
Home Improvement
LEAFFILTER Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-877-649-1190
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
ENERGY SAVING NEW
WINDOWS! Beautify your home! Save on monthly energy bills with NEW WINDOWS from 1800Remodel! Up to 18 months no interest. Restrictions apply. Call Now 1-877287-8229
JAMISON CUSTOM PAINTING-PRESSURE
WASHING Interior, exterior, all needs & more. Specializing in Removal of Carpenter Bees-New product Guaranteed Success! Call/Text for Free Estimate at 828508-9727
Legal, Financial and Tax
ATTENTION: AUTO INJURY VICTIMS If you have suffered a serious injury in an auto accident, call us! Our attorneys have the experience to get you the full compensation you deserve! Call Now: 844-545-8296
TAX PROBLEMS- Behind 10k or More on Your Taxes? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, un-
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!
& resolve tax debt FAST. Call 855-828-0617
G&H TREE SERVICE & EXCAVATING HYDROSEEDING Call Terry 421 0067
& Equipment
POND/LAKE WEED REMOVAL TOOLS. #1 alternative to chemicals. Cuts Pulls Rakes. MI made. WeedGatorProducts.com
Promo Code GATORSE for discount. 989-5293992
Wanted to Buy
US FOREIGN COINS & CURRENCY Top prices paid. Free appraisals. Call or text Dan at 828421-1616 or email danhazazer@gmail.com
