Largest indoor shooting range in WNC set to open Page 9
Defendants in Cherokee case ask for suit dismissal Page 12
On the Cover:
After 34 years as Head of Special Collections at Western Carolina University, Jackson County native George Frizzell is retiring at the end of this month. Frizzell is noted as one of the leading archivists and historians on Cherokee and WNC culture. His lifelong passion has gathered tens of thousands of documents and artifacts, which have made the Special Collections department one of the finest of its kind in Southern Appalachia. (Page 6) Garret K. Woodward photo
News
Sales tax to increase in Jackson ....................................................................................4 Bryson wins June 7 congressional primary ................................................................4
Largest indoor shooting range in WNC set to open soon ....................................9 Jackson County prepares offer for new manager ..................................................10 Canton proposals could boost tourism, economy ..................................................11 Haywood school board restores portion of budget cuts ....................................16 Rev. Barber preaches love at Sylva rally ....................................................................18
Rezoning request packs Maggie Valley meeting ....................................................21
Opinion
CORRECTION
On Page 16 of the June 8 issue of The Smoky Mountain News, Cherokee Tribal Council member Bo Crowe was mistakenly identified as saying “It made me sick to my stomach to see the grass high above the deck” of the house of former Vice Chief Bill Ledford, now deceased. Councilmember Albert Rose made the comment. Also on page 16, it was stated that April Ledford studied Arabic at Santa Monica College. She studied at the Defense Language Institute. SMN regrets the errors.
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Voters approve onefourth-cent increase to fund education projects
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER
Nearly two-thirds of Jackson County voters who visited the polls last week said yes to a referendum question asking to raise the county’s sales tax by one-fourth of a cent. Education leaders are rejoicing at the outcome.
“It was a great night for Jackson County Public Schools and Southwestern Community College,” said Mike Murray, superintendent of Jackson Schools. “This tax will provide opportunities for generations of students for both of our organizations.”
“I am extremely thankful to the people of Jackson County for recognizing the value SCC and our local public schools bring to the community through our education and training,” agreed Don Tomas, president of SCC.
The word “education” didn’t appear anywhere on the ballot, but Jackson County Commissioners put the question on there with an eye to use proceeds from the increased sales tax for capital projects in the schools and community college — they formalized the intention with a resolution passed March 3.
“I think this was real important for education and frankly for us as commissioners that
we got the level of support that we did,” said Commissioner Vicki Greene.
OPPOSITIONTOTHEVOTE
The tax increase did bring out some vocal opposition, however. Ron Mau, a councilmember for the Village of Forest Hills who is looking to unseat Greene in November, was one of the most outspoken opponents. His criticism largely centered on the timing of the election.
“The current commissioners failed to follow their legislative mandate,” he said.
Bryson wins June 7 congressional primary
BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR
Democrat Rick Bryson will move on to run against U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows in the general election after narrowly winning the June 7 congressional primary.
Bryson, who currently serves on the Bryson City Board of Aldermen, beat out fellow Democrat Tom Hill of Zirconia with 50.75 percent of the vote. While this is Bryson’s first time running for federal office, this was Hill’s third unsuccessful attempt at the 11th District seat.
Rick Bryson
Congressional candidates anticipated low voter turnout since the congressional primary was moved from the March 15 primary to its own primary on June 7, but the final results still came as a surprise with less than 8 percent of the district casting a vote.
“In my mind, I'd guessed about 20 percent (turnout) — typical of a municipal election,” Bryson said. “However, as we know, the
June 7 turnout was a fraction of that.”
Even in Bryson’s home base of Swain County, voter turn out was only 5 percent.
Turnout wasn’t much better in the other counties — 7 percent in Macon County, 11 percent in Jackson County and 6.5 percent in Haywood. Jackson’s slightly higher turn out can be attributed to the fact there was a onequarter-cent sales tax referendum on the ballot as well.
Just weeks before the March 15 primary, North Carolina received a federal trial court order to suspend the current congressional election because of several lawsuits moving through federal courts challenging the state’s legislative and congressional district maps. The maps had been redrawn in 2011 and used for the 2012 and 2014 elections, but four separate lawsuits claimed Republican legislators gerrymandered the districts.
At that point, it was too late to remove congressional candidates from the March 15 ballots. Many people already cast their vote for their U.S. representatives during the first primary election, but many were probably unaware their vote wasn’t counted.
“The low turnout reflects the confusion
“Waiting until November would have resulted in roughly an additional 15,000 citizens of Jackson County having their voices heard.”
June primary elections have a historically low turnout — statewide, turnout last week sat at 7.7 percent. By contrast, the 2012 presidential race brought 68.3 percent of North Carolina voters to the polls. Mau said commissioners should have waited to put the question on the November ballot, when more people would have weighed in.
“Leadership should be transparent and should do the right thing so these situations
Results by county — June 7 congressional primary election
Democratic candidates Rick Bryson and Tom Hill were battling it out in the June 7 primary to see who would move on to run against U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, RCashiers, for the 11th District Congressional seat to represent Western North Carolina in Washington, D.C.
Haywood County
• Rick Bryson — 966 votes (55.6 percent)
• Tom Hill — 771 votes (44.4 percent)
Jackson County
• Rick Bryson — 984 votes (54.7 percent)
• Tom Hill — 816 votes (45.3 percent)
Macon County
• Rick Bryson — 551 votes (72.7 percent)
• Tom Hill — 207 votes (27.3 percent)
Swain County
• Rick Bryson — 292 votes (78.5 percent)
• Tom Hill — 80 votes (21.5 percent)
District-wide results
• Rick Bryson — 9,636 votes (50.75 percent)
• Tom Hill — 9,351 votes (49.25 percent)
do not arise in the future,” he said.
Commissioners defended the placement on the June ballot as necessary to start addressing educational needs in a timely manner and pointed out that the November ballot will be crowded with a large number of high-profile races — by placing the sales tax question on the June ballot, they said, voters would be better able to focus on that single issue.
“In geologic terms five months (until November) is not very long, but in terms of the decline of school buildings, that is a major
Going forward
• Oct. 1: Sales tax in Jackson County will increase to 7 percent for all taxable purchases except gas and groceries
• Jan. 10, 2017: Jackson County will begin receiving revenue from the extra quartercent
• Summer 2017: Earliest point when a plan for a new health sciences building could be ready to approve, if Southwestern Community College and commissioners decide to proceed with the project.
• 2019: Earliest point a new health sciences building could be complete.
amount of time,” Greene said.
At 11.1 percent, turnout in Jackson County was substantially higher than in the state as a whole, though still a fraction of what is expected in November. Mau also criticized the tax as a
caused by the General Assembly and State Board of Elections on how to handle the redistricting,” Bryson said. “Those who knew about and understood the congressional primary were few — most thought that once they'd voted in March, that was it.”
While low voter turnout typically tends to favor the candidate with more name recognition, which would have been Hill in this instance, Bryson said he hopes his victory speaks to the amount of support for his platform.
“In a sort of backhanded way, I think the results of the election affirm my message of supporting women's rights, veterans' rights, Social Security, and bringing a high-profile jobs program to WNC,” he said.
Moving into the November election, Bryson said he hopes to convince enough people that the “politics of reality” is better than the “politics of bait-and-switch” where fake problems are created and self-serving solutions are cooked up. He does have a hard road ahead of him though as Rep. Meadows was elected in 2012 and 2014 with substantial victories. In 2012, Meadows received about 57 percent of the vote when running against Democrat Hayden Rogers and he received 63 percent of the vote in 2014 when he ran against Hill.
“I will take on Mark Meadows by offering the people something positive to vote for, not just a failed program to vote against,” Bryson said. “The name of my jobs program is WNC GenerationNOW. It
By the numbers
• 1,795 people (63.5 percent) voted in favor of the additional fourth-cent sales tax
• 1,030 people (36.5 percent) voted against the sales tax
• 2,843 ballots cast
• 25,678 registered voters in Jackson County
• 11.1 percent voter turnout in Jackson County June 7
• 7.7. percent voter turnout statewide June 7
• 68.3 percent statewide voter turnout during the November 2012 presidential elections
“regressive” increase on “the poor and vulnerable.” Proponents of the increase had responded that, at just a fourth of a cent, it will add just 25 cents per $100 spent and would not apply to food and groceries, the most important purchase categories for lowincome people.
PLANSFORTHEREVENUES
State government gives counties the option to increase the 6.75 percent statewide sales tax to an even 7 percent, with all revenues from the extra quarter-cent going back to the county — the base 6.75 percent sales tax is shared between the county and state. Jackson will now be the 28th of 100 counties to adopt the extra quarter-cent, joining its neighbor Haywood County. The extra quarter-cent is expected to bring in $1.2 million per year.
“That steady income will help us accomplish some of those things we’d like to see accomplished,” Murray said. “It won’t pay for it all, but will allow us to do some long-term planning.”
Earlier this year, commissioners committed to fund nearly $9 million worth of repairs and renovations in the public schools, through a loan to be financed using existing sales tax proceeds. A portion of the sales tax the county already receives is earmarked for education.
Murray and Tomas agree that SCC is now next in line for investment from the county, an idea with which commissioners seem to concur. The project at the top of everyone’s
priority list right now is a new health sciences building for the college. The highest-ticket item identified in a recently completed master plan for SCC, the building is expected to cost around $16.3 million.
“I did take a tour of the (existing) health sciences building with Dr. Tomas and saw what they had now, what they need, and I remember telling him at one point, ‘You could have stopped this 45 minutes earlier because I’ve seen enough to know that you really do need a new facility,’” Greene said.
The existing facility, built for four health sciences programs, now hosts 14 programs and would be able to accept 100 more students per year without hiring more staff if the space were bigger, Tomas said. Those are well-paying, in-demand jobs, Greene said, so it would behoove the county to expand its ability to educate people in those fields.
“It would be a good investment for Jackson County and the community college,” she said.
But even with voters approving the sales tax, revenue won’t start pouring in right away. First commissioners have to take a final vote to call for the tax, which they have scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 28.
If they do approve the tax at that meeting, it wouldn’t start being charged until Oct. 1, with the county receiving revenues beginning Jan. 10, 2017. And when it comes to the health sciences building, some time will pass before designs are drawn and construction can begin.
“It will be maybe this time next year before we’ll be able to start the process of being able to approve the project,” said Commission Chairman Brian McMahan. “Unfortunately things don’t happen too quick.”
Once approval happens, then contract bids have to go out and the lengthy process of construction must occur. The most optimistic scenario places completion in 2019 or 2020, Tomas said.
Depending on how the process unfolds, there could be a year or years of tax collections before bills are due on the health sciences building. In the interim, commissioners could identify smaller projects to use those tax proceeds on. Or they could put the money aside in an account to use toward the health sciences building later, deferring some of the interest they would otherwise owe.
“There’s so many things we could do,” McMahan said. “That’s the positive part of it.”
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is potentially the most far-reaching industrial development program ever to come to WNC. I will be talking a lot about this, explaining it over the summer and fall.”
Some claim the 11th District is gerrymandered to the point no Democrat could get elected, but Bryson is trying to remain optimistic that he can reach voters of both political parties.
“I have faith that there are enough Republican and unaffiliated voters who are fed up with the counter productive demonizing tactics of the Tea Party, and who are ready for a congressman who plans and builds for today and tomorrow, and who has a record of delivering on his plans,” he said.
Meadows has made quite a name for himself in D.C. — making friends and enemies for not always toeing the party line. But for better or for worse, he says the people of his district are always his No. 1 priority even throughout the election season.
“We will continue to serve our veterans with three district veterans benefit expediting seminars, our law enforcements and first responders with two support and instruction gatherings, and creating jobs by closely working with elected officials, educators and local businesses,” Meadows said in a prepared statement. “The next few months will be more about people than politics, less about campaigning and more about serving.”
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After 34 years of working at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, George Frizzell, Head of Special Collections at the Hunter Library, will be retiring on June 30. A Jackson County native, he’s spent his entire career collecting documents and artifacts, meticulously piecing together the rich history of Western North Carolina and greater Southern Appalachia. Garret K. Woodward photo
Charles Frazier
1997 National Book Award for Fiction — Cold Mountain; Author of New York Times
Bestsellers Thirteen Moons and Nightwoods
The first time I met George, I was just getting started on Thirteen Moons. I was putting together my research for it, and was over in the Special Collections department. I handed my slip to George and he brought me the book I was looking for. Then, about a half-hour later, he came wheeling up with this cart just packed with stuff. All of these books he figured would be of use to me and to what I had asked for, which they all were. Primary documents and things you wouldn’t find anywhere else. I must have spent a couple of days going through all of it, and it really did shape my book. And having
Gatekeeper to the Smokies
Longtime Western Carolina University Head of Special Collections retires
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER
I was five minutes late.
Trying to track down a parking spot outside the Hunter Library at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee last week, the task proved difficult, even with the students gone for the summer. Having never stepped foot in the library prior, I entered the wrong door of the building and found myself in the Mountain Heritage Center. After some helpful directions, I walked down a long corridor toward the main lobby of the library. And standing at the end of the hallway, in front of the elevator, was a towering figure. The figure waved at me and smiled.
It was George Frizzell.
“I saw you pull up outside and came downstairs to make sure you didn’t get lost,” he said.
As Head of Special Collections at WCU, Frizzell has spent the last 34 years of his life gathering and documenting the history of Western North Carolina and greater Southern Appalachia. From letters to photographs, artifacts to personal items, he has overseen it all, with the collection now including tens of thousands of pieces of information
— all invaluable to the history of this region, all bringing together the people, places and things unique to our majestic backyard that is the Great Smoky Mountains.
Standing in the Hunter Library, while waiting for the elevator to his second floor office, I mention to Frizzell how vast and beautiful the space is, with endless aisles full of books and academic resources. He turns around and decides to show me some of the features in the building. As we approach the stairwell to the ground level of the library, he points to a wall filled with painted portraits of past WCU presidents dating back decades.
“You know, I knew a lot them personally,” he said, only to pause for a moment and direct us back to the elevator.
Getting off onto the second floor, I follow Frizzell to the Special Collections department. He stops at a large window and gazes out over the roof of the library and a nearby hillside.
“Right there used to be the old football field,” he pointed to the roof. “Half of the field is now the library, the other half is the Natural Sciences building next door. I have a picture from the 1920s someone took of the field from the top of that hill.”
To know Frizzell, let alone to be in his presence, is to experience a person who is living and breathing Appalachian history. For someone who has never lived outside of Jackson County, he sure is respected and well known across the country and around the world for his work. Though both are notoriously elusive and in the midst of penning their latest works, acclaimed Southern
George himself there really did help, because he knew the stories behind the stories.
Ron Rash
Those times that he and I get to talk, any little thing we may talk about with Western North Carolina, he knows something about it. You know, the Internet is not a substitute for somebody like George who has accumulated this huge amount of information and facts, and has really informed opinions on what really happened and what didn’t. I’m doing this research right now for this new book and it’s just this constant hurdle of figuring out what the real history is, where you’re saying, “Is this even remotely believable?” And to have a resource like George is invaluable.
FRIENDS OF GEORGE:
WCU Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Culture; Author of New York Times Bestsellers Serena and The Cove; Twotime finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction; Frank O’Conner International Short Story Award
When I think of George, I think that nobody knows more about this region and its history like George does. He’s a great chronicler. For me as a writer, he’s been immensely helpful and generous. He made my books so much better because he pointed me in the right directions of understanding the region and its history. I will miss him. I know he will still be around, and I know that I will still probably be harassing him with phone calls when I need some information on something. [Laughs]. I
think his contributions to the university are immense. But, I think beyond that, it’s his contributions to Southern Appalachia and Western North Carolina. I know that Charles Frazier would say the same thing.
In particular, with Serena, George was so helpful because he helped me find out a lot of information, articles, maps and transcripts with what happened in this area during the logging boom and also with the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He also put me in touch with older men who had logged during that period, and that’s because he knows so many people and has so many contacts, all of which was immensely helpful. My hope for him, and I’ve talked to him about this, is that he will write a book about the region, which he would do a great job in doing so. He’s set up such a vast and important resource at Western Carolina University, something that will always be there for researchers and historians, and also for everyone, anyone who may have a question about the region — it’s there.
Appalachian writers Charles Frazier (Cold Mountain) and Ron Rash (Serena), quite possibly two of the most important and beloved authors in the modern era, each jumped at the chance to say a few words about Frizzell, and how vital his help was in the research needed for their bestselling novels.
At the end of this month, Frizzell will be retiring. His legacy will be forever remembered, as he spent countless years gathering the intricate and incredible stories of these mountains and its people. And yet, the most irreplaceable item in the entire collection is, well, Frizzell himself — a real, honest and genuine soul of endless curiosity and passion for the culture of Western North Carolina.
Garret K. Woodward: So, let’s get right down to it — are you 100 percent retiring?
George Frizzell: [Laughs]. Yes. Well, I’m finishing up a number of my projects right now, and I’m also going to be still working on some personal projects.
“One
of the things I find comforting about history is that it’s comforting to know that you’ll always have something to do because you’ll never run out of history. New history happens everyday.”
—
George Frizzell
GKW: What do you think about retiring? The work you’ve done here has been a huge part of your life.
GF: Well, 34 years of my life. I started off part-time for two and half years also teaching history courses. Cherokee history and other courses, and then became full-time in 1985. June 1985.
GKW: You grew in Jackson County, right?
GF: Yes, indeed.
GKW: How did you find that love of history?
GF: I don’t know. I just remember hearing people talk about some of our history even though I couldn’t really find anything written down. But what they said fascinated me. When I was in elementary school, I remember that old rock school in Webster, which was a WPA (Works Progress Administration) building. It’s very historic, and I remember taking a walking tour around Webster in eighth grade. I heard the adults on the tour mention, “Oh, this is where Webster used to be the country seat” or “This is where the old courthouse was and the house across the street used to be the jail” or “This is where the old Mountain View Hotel was.” It was fascinating that here we are on this walking tour and all the old grownups just starting reminiscing and telling their own stories. Actually on my shelf over here (points behind him) I have a brick from the old courthouse.
GKW: I guess also it might have been one of the first times for you as a kid that an adult looked at you as perhaps an equal, seeing as they wanted to share something with you… GF: Yes. They’re telling you things and are hoping that you take it all in. And then when I got to college, here at Western Carolina, I went here for my undergraduate degree and master’s degree in history, then to Greensboro for a library science degree. At Western, I was taking a course about women in history. And for one of my assignments, I interviewed both my grandmothers who were still living. They started reminiscing and telling me about what life was like here back then. Our local genealogical society even published one of my interviews. One grandmother talked a lot about the mid-1920s when she and her family moved to the Piedmont area to work in the textile industry. And the other grandmother talked about living at the Blackwood Lumber Company (which operated south of Cullowhee from 1922 to 1945), and that my father was born there, which I didn’t know. Here I was in my 20s and I didn’t even know that about my father. So, I looked up everything about Blackwood. And the other grandmother talked about being part of the textile strike of 1929, and I had to look that up, too.
GKW: You graduate college and you also get your library science degree. Is this when the idea of making your passion for history into a career starts taking shape?
GF: I got the degree in history in 1981 and was hired in Special Collections in 1982. We had a lot in the collection already at that point. But, I’ve been fortunate in being here at a time when people have become comfortable enough to share and donate some of the family papers and artifacts, where previously there was quite an emotional attachment to it. In my time here, we’ve quadrupled or more the amount of Civil War letters in the collection. People are realizing they need share these things, to get them out there. One of the things I really enjoy doing, and have been doing for over 30 years, are the programs and talks around the communities here in Western North Carolina.
GKW: And it would seem poignant your drive to collect and preserve these things came around the early 1980s when a lot of those original turn of the century settlers were passing away.
GF: Yes. Well, for instance, we received a collection of glass negatives, all of which I could date, were dated to 1901. And we’ve digitized all of them, so people who can’t come to the library, from out west and in California, can access their history, because so many folks from here moved out there in the 1950s and 1960s and so on.
GKW: What’s that like for you to see how much you’ve added to the collection in your time here as it now goes into the next phase?
GF: Oh, it’s very gratifying because I know that it will continue. I want people to know that Special Collections is something they need to keep in mind — please keep donating. Please keep looking for those family
Gary Carden
FRIENDS OF GEORGE:
Noted Southern Appalachian playwright, author and storyteller I didn't realize that George was "going away." I thought he was merely getting another award. George has been a vital resource to me in every undertaking. He was always there with the statistical data, the historic details and frequently, with the ethical and moral significance. He was invaluable for my play on Horace Kephart and he was essential in my research on "Nance Dude" and "Birdell." He gave me reams of material on Fontana Dam, Ritter Lumber Company and the construction of railroads in Western North Carolina. In fact, I need him right now, as I am researching my great-greatgrandfather, who was wounded in Virginia during the Civil War and came home to be murdered by Kirk's Raiders. In fact, George has Bryant Carden's last letter, which I am attempting to convert into a bit of theater.
George Ellison
Noted Southern Appalachian historian, storyteller and naturalist.
Well, to be truthful, the first thing that comes to mind [about George] is Van Morrison, the Irish songwriter and singer. George and I have for years formed the Western North Carolina Chapter of the Van Morrison Admiration Society. Ask either of us for the provenance of, say, “Slim Slow Slider,” and we’ll let you know that it was first recorded in the fall of 1968 at Century Sounds Studio in New York City on Morrison’s classic album “Astral Weeks.“
But whereas my ragtag collection of Morrison vinyl LPs, cassettes and CDs was long ago scattered far and wide, George’s is reputedly in mint condition, and furthermore, you can rest assured that it has been catalogued alphabetically or chronologically, or both. He is, after all, a special collections librarian — one of the best I’ve had the good fortune to encounter.
For several decades now, my association with George has primarily revolved around the extensive and significant collection of materials related to Horace Kephart — author of Our Southern Highlanders and one of the founders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park — in his care.
When Kephart’s posthumous novel, Smoky Mountain Magic, was published by the Great Smoky Mountains Association in 2009, with
my introduction, I made this observation in a note appended to the list of sources:
“With the sort of meticulous care his fellow librarian, Horace Kephart, would admire, George Frizzell, head of Special Collections at Hunter Library has helped preserve a significant portion of Kephart’s legacy, while at the same time — with patience and humor — providing access to those materials.”
Maintaining that delicate balance between archival protection, academic use, and public access has through the years been one of George’s special gifts.
Pam Meister
Interim Director & Curator
WCU Mountain Heritage Center
In my 30 years of museum work, I have collaborated with many dedicated and accomplished archivists throughout the Southeast. Even in this distinguished company, George Frizzell stands out for his deep knowledge of and love for Western North Carolina’s culture and history, his passion to provide public access to the collections in his care in as many ways as possible, and for his above-and-beyond mentoring work with students and emerging archival professionals.
George was one of the first people I met when I began work as curator of the Mountain Heritage Center in fall 2010. In the past six years I have curated dozens of exhibits both large and small, all of which were greatly enriched by images, documents and objects from Hunter Library’s Special Collections. I have come to depend not only on George’s generous sharing of collections, but also on his knowledge of local history and of additional archival resources.
George is extremely creative in finding ways to raise public awareness and accessibility to his collections. In addition to excellent on-site service and his enthusiastic work on innovative websites featuring digitized collections, George is a gifted public speaker who frequently presents programs in WCU and community venues.
Finally, George is a great teacher and mentor, not just to WCU students but also to students from other institutions. In spring 2013, George and I collaborated on a joint internship with a student working on her MLS through online courses from North Carolina Central University. George devoted many hours of coaching and instruction to the project, even spending a half-day meeting with the online instructor. The MLS candidate is now a full-time staff member at Hunter Library. George also spent three semesters working with public history classes on exhibit research and development, which ultimately resulted in five studentcreated exhibits on display at the Jackson County Public Library in Fall 2012 that were viewed by over 30,000 library patrons.
“What really shaped me was doing all of those community programs and talks, where you could really make a connection with the people around you. It was about getting to interact with people and having them share their memories with you.”
— George Frizzell
Anna Fariello
WCU Associate Professor
Digital Initiative — Hunter Library
American history tells the “big” stories, stories that have national or international impact, but local stories include details that often get lost in the telling. George Frizzell and the university’s Special Collections are invaluable resources. Whenever I had a question about anything, George always had the answer. I am a researcher who knows how to find things, but George always had the answer right in his head. He has been an amazing resource for my research projects and for our Western North Carolina communities.
Suzanne Hill
McDowell
Former Curator
WCU Mountain Heritage Center
GATEKEEPER, CONTINUEDFROM 7
papers and share them. I want people to find those family letters, which mean so much to their family members, and to researchers, too. So many folks from here went to Washington and Oregon at the end of the 19th century, and I’d love to see people bring in those correspondences. And we need to connect that 1940s and 1950s gap to today. You need to start collecting these things now before they disappear. Like I say, here it’s not just a matter of collection and preserving items, it’s making sure that people can get to it, because if it’s locked away here it might as well be locked away in your dresser drawers. Here, we want people to find the information they need and protect the originals.
GKW: Just in your time here the campus probably looks a lot different…
GF: Well, yes. [Laughs]. To give some perspective, although he couldn’t afford to graduate from here, my grandfather went to school here in 1915 when it was called the Cullowhee Normal & Industrial School. My father worked on campus throughout the 1960s and he would take me out on some of his routes. So, I can remember campus from the early 1960s. When I was growing up, campus was the old two-lane N.C. 107. To get here, I lived less than four miles away, half of which was a dirt road, which is now the new health services building out there. All kinds of new apartment buildings and school facilities are up there, too.
GKW: One of the things I love about history is the idea that “nothing’s the same, everything’s the same.”
GF: Yes, of course. One of the things I find comforting about history is that it’s comforting to know that you’ll always have something to do because you’ll never run out of history. New history happens everyday. And when you get all these documents together, you can piece history together, you can connect the dots of incidents and people, and why things happened the way that they did.
GKW: There are so many incredible characters and such a deep and rich history in Western North Carolina. This area not only raises a lot of these fascinating characters, it also attracts them from all over, too. What does it mean to you to be able to peek into their life history and learn about them?
GF: I’ve never lived outside Jackson County, so for me this has always been home. Home in terms of the people and the mountains, in terms of the area and the buildings. You know, I helped in raising funds for the new county library, and when you stand up on that high hill overlooking downtown Sylva, most of it still looks the same. And that’s very comforting to me. I mean, I meet people who move here and who never knew who their grandparents were. I grew up with my grandparents. I could look out the window and could see their house on the hillside above me. The other grandparents were just seven miles away and we’d see them every Sunday. To me, that was normal. I remember as a kid riding our bikes all around the countryside. One time, our school bus broke down and the bus driver opened up the doors and said, “Well, this is going to take awhile, you might as well walk home.” [Laughs]. Nobody thought anything of it. It was a friendly stretch of road, might as well walk on.
knew we had some of Joseph Cathey’s store ledgers, and sure enough, there she is in the ledgers stopping in to buy something.
GKW: And you’ve also played a big role in helping with the research for two of the biggest writers in Southern Appalachia, and possibly of the modern era many would say — Charles Frazier and Ron Rash. [Editor’s Note: Frizzell helped contribute research for Frazier’s Thirteen Moons and Rash’s Serena.]
GF: Well, quite frankly, it’s the same service we’d give anybody who would come in here. Everybody’s questions are equally important to us. It’s been a pleasure to work with Charles and Ron, too. They’re very laidback, very friendly. The only time I got really taken back was when Ron named his photographer “Frizzell” in Serena.
GKW: Why is it important that we preserve these people’s lives, their letters, artifacts, photographs and histories?
FRIENDS OF GEORGE:
George and I have known each other a long time starting with a common shared experience of being WCU alumni. So, when I began work as curator at the Mountain Heritage Center, I already knew the first place to go for ideas and assistance on exhibit planning and research was to go talk with George at Special Collections. He was never too busy to offer helpful suggestions of sources. And his help was invaluable. He intimately knew the breath and depth of the Special Collection holdings. During his tenure, he crafted the building of an excellent regional collection that continually draws a variety of scholars, writers, researchers, and people hunting their roots. His broad circle of family, friends and professional contacts helped me more than once find people and sources of obscure information that enhanced the telling of a story. I never once stumped George — and I tried.
GKW: Do you think a lot about the folks you’ve researched and come across? All of those faces and the lives you aim to preserve and share?
GF: Yes, and it can become a little eerie. I bought one of those family tree maker programs. Not for my family tree, but to put together one for all these letters I’m reading and documenting. I was trying to make connections between all these local families. Who wrote this letter? Who are these people? We got in one letter from a lady who was writing her husband who was away in the Civil War, and she talks about stopping in at Joseph Cathey’s store in Forks of Pigeon (now Canton). And I
GF: Well, because it gives you a sense of place, and not just for people born here. There’s a lot of people that are so interested in our history, and many of them move here and want to know, “Where am I?” and “What happened here?” I’ve done programs where maybe half the audience was from elsewhere, but they were so engaged and interested in the history and development of this region. If you don’t have the resources to explain the history to them, then it can be very difficult to do so. What I like about folks like Charles Frazier and Ron Rash is that they’re able to fill in some of those gaps. They’re able to personalize history, able to take those events and time periods and connect with their readers.
GKW: Any advice for the next chapter of Special Collections?
GF: I’m hoping they will be able to collect the documentation for the latter part of the 20th century and into the 21st century. Like I say, there’s an emotional attachment to these items. At least, please preserve them, and always keep up in mind.
GKW: Thirty-four years you’ve been involved with Special Collections. What do you think about that period of time and how it has shaped you as a person?
GF: What really shaped me was doing all of those community programs and talks, where you could really make a connection with the people around you. It was about getting to interact with people and having them share their memories with you. I’d still like to do those programs, too. And I can’t imagine a day where I won’t talk about history.
GKW: You’re last day as Head of Special Collections is June 30. And on that day, when you turn off the lights in your office, walk down the hallway, take the elevator down to the first floor and go out the front door of the Hunter Library for the last time, what will be going through your head?
GF: Well, that it was all worth it. I’ve been really fortunate to have a job where I got to use my degree in history and use my interests, and get to interact with all these people, to help them and work with them — it was all worthwhile.
Largest indoor shooting range in WNC set to open soon
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
Work has begun on a controversial Haywood County indoor shooting range that had some residents at odds last winter.
“Retail will be open in eight to 10 weeks,” said Jule Morrow, the owner of Mountain Range. The actual shooting range will open sometime near the end of August or beginning of September.
Although the 30-by-80-foot retail store and 30-by-130-foot shooting range are located on Palmer Road — at the intersection with Francis Farm Road — they’re also located at the intersection of a vigorous debate about private property rights, zoning legislation, family ties, and changing attitudes about guns.
It all started in December 2015, right around Christmas; citizens began to voice concerns when it was learned that Morrow planned to build Haywood County’s first and only indoor shooting range on a 15-acre tract of land owned by his mother northeast of Waynesville. It would, he said, be the largest and most modern shooting range in North Carolina west of Asheville.
Residents — many of whom, like Morrow, have lived in the area for generations — mentioned unwanted traffic, unsatisfactory spacing and unsavory characters as reasons why the range shouldn’t be built. They cited the aesthetics, the noise and even accused Morrow of planning to build an outdoor shooting range on the property.
Morrow said that wasn’t the plan then, nor is it now. He also says that he’s incurred extra costs to address some of the concerns raised.
“I’ve moved it down, closest to the road,
away from the residential area, and graded it down so that my roof line’s not up [above the ridge line],” he said. “The septic system has to pump uphill, as opposed to if I’d built on the high point of the land, I wouldn’t have had to have that.”
Morrow’s plans still include 14 shooting lanes, and a slightly larger retail area than he’d originally considered.
In the end, the Haywood County Board of Commissioners was powerless to do anything about the indoor range but did issue a moratorium on the construction of outdoor shooting ranges.
Shelter advocacy group
to hold awareness event
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter will host a kickoff reception and informational session in support of the county’s new shelter proposal.
The current Hemlock Street shelter is 27 years old and was built was built in 1988.
“During that time,” said Sara Jane League, secretary-treasurer of FHCAS, “Haywood County’s growing population has come to expect a solid animal services facility as part of the local infrastructure.”
Problems with parking, overcrowding, and the transmission of contagious diseases — in addition to changing state legislation
regulating such facilities — have made the old shelter a less-than-desirable facility in which to operate.
The new facility will include a specialized ventilation system to cut down on the transmission of disease — especially in regards to cats — and will also include a specialized waste disposal system, League said. There will be a “less traumatic” adoption area as well, League said, where people can meet potential adoptees in a calmer setting, and a conference room, where animal care trainings can be held.
Another interesting aspect of the project League would like to see is a program where children can bring in books and read to the
permit, rendering public calls for the moratorium moot. “There is no zoning in Haywood County,” Morrow said. “People can do anything they want to.”
Or, almost anything: billboards, junkyards, trailer parks, and strip clubs have caught the eye of county commissioners in the past; more recently, outdoor shooting ranges have been their target, as a direct response to what Morrow thinks was fear mongering by opponents.
As another consequence of Morrow’s plans, discussion over Haywood County’s land use plan and comprehensive zoning reg-
“I am not really interested in telling people what they can do with their property until we discuss the whole issue as a county.”
— Kirk Kirkpatrick, Haywood County commissioner
ulations — or lack thereof — has gained renewed fervor. The only thing that could have prevented Morrow’s development would have been stiff zoning regulations — something Haywood County residents turned out in force against 20 years ago.
Commissioners balked at the idea of singling out one lone business.
“I am not really interested in telling people what they can do with their property until we discuss the whole issue as a county,” said Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick in January.
Even if a moratorium on indoor shooting ranges had been put in place, “it wouldn’t have done anything,” said Morrow. “The first thing you do is apply for a septic permit. I applied for that Dec. 10, and that locked in place what the rules were.”
Morrow thinks his project would have been grandfathered in because of the septic
Learn more
A free informational meeting on the proposed new animal shelter will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the Wells Event Center on Main Street in Waynesville; there will be light refreshments, a cash bar, and a short program.
animals.
“The animals enjoy the companionship, and the children — particularly ones who have trouble reading in school because there is an adult ‘judging’ them — seem to have an easier time reading. Animals don’t judge,” said League.
FCHAS hopes to raise $1 million in support of the shelter, which it would then use to reimburse the county for part of the cost of the project. As it stands, the county will vote on the proposal June 20; final costs
County Attorney Chip Killian said it was the last time he could recall a meeting being “standing room only.”
Commission Chairman Mark Swanger said public perception may have shifted in the last 20 years and suggested in April that it might again be time to revisit the issue.
A telephone poll of 800 residents commissioned by Haywood County and conducted by Western Carolina University’s Public Policy Institute this past spring seems to back up Swanger’s speculation.
Almost 40 percent of respondents said land development issues were a “major problem,” and two-thirds support a land-use plan.
won’t be in until bidders begin bidding, but it’s estimated by some that the project will cost around $3.35 million.
If approved, the county would finance the project with a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan to cover the cost. FCHAS’ contribution would allow the county to pay off that loan sooner, rather than later. Currently, it’s expected to cost about $2 per year per county taxpayer, but only as a collected sales tax — not as an addition to property taxes or as any other kind of fee.
“That’s one trip to Starbucks,” League said.
Dr. Kristen Hammett with Animal Hospital of Waynesville formed FHCAS two years ago with the goals of raising awareness of the need for a new shelter and raising money to support furnishing the shelter with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment; it came about specifically in response to the then-nascent plans for a new shelter.
Jule Morrow breaks ground on a divisive firearm facility in Francis Farm community. Cory Vaillancourt photo
BLUE MOON SALON BLUE MOON SALON
Come Celebrate Our Ribbon Cutting!
TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 11 AM Light Refreshments
Jackson County prepares offer for new manager
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER
The finish line is in sight to choose a new county manager for Jackson County.
After spending hours in closed session, spread over three days, commissioners say they’ve decided who they’ll be offering the job to and have directed County Attorney Heather Baker to start drafting the contract. The candidate will likely receive the contract this week, with commissioners setting a tentative meeting date for Tuesday, June 28, to approve the hire.
“This is a big decision,” said Commission Chairman Brian McMahan. “We’ve had 27 candidates, we narrowed it down to four we interviewed, and we’ve been taking our time to very thoroughly review each one of the applications.”
The county is not yet releasing any information about the chosen candidate, though McMahan did say that the person currently resides in North Carolina.
“Of the candidates we’ve interviewed, all have said they would like to be able to let their families and their employer know before we take action and make it public,” McMahan said.
Current county manager Chuck Wooten will be ending his tenure with the county on June 30. He’s held the position for five-and-ahalf years, originally coming on board in an interim capacity. At the time, Wooten had just retired as vice chancellor of administration and finance from Western Carolina University, where he worked for 30 years. But he decided to delay retirement a few more years when he discovered that he loved the job of county manager.
Commissioners have been working on the manager search process since Wooten announced in January that he’d be leaving for
SCC Give Day is scheduled for June 23
The Southwestern Community College Foundation is holding its inaugural Give Day on June 23 to replenish its annual fund, which is used to help students with financial hardships.
Besides supporting foundation operations each academic year, the annual fund provides capital for multiple scholarships as well as the student emergency fund that helps students continue pursuing an education even after an unexpected financial crisis strikes. Faculty and staff excellence awards are also provided by this fund.
Anyone interested in supporting the SCC Foundation and its mission of encouraging
good June 30. However, it’s unlikely that the new manager will be hired and on board by the time Wooten’s office empties. Even if the candidate accepts the contract immediately after it’s offered, that person will likely want somewhere between 30 and 60 days to notify their employer and make the transition.
“At best I think probably we’re looking at the end of July,” McMahan said.
That, of course, assumes that the offer commissioners are now planning to make is accepted. During the last high-level personnel search they completed — for the planning director position — negotiations fell through the first time commissioners made a job offer.
If the gap between Wooten’s departure and the new manager’s first day is 30 days or less, McMahan said, the county will likely operate as it would if the manager were on vacation — department heads will handle day-to-day decisions and pull in commissioners when more help is needed.
“If over the next two weeks it looks like it’s going to be more than 30 days — it’s going to be 60, 90 days until we get a manager — we might go ahead and try to contract
Wishing Wooten farewell
Jackson County will say goodbye to its current county manager, Chuck Wooten, with a public retirement reception 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at the Jackson County Department on Aging. Wooten, whose 65th birthday is this month, is leaving county employment after more than five years as county manager. Light refreshments will be served, and a plaque will be presented at 4 p.m. 828.586.4055.
with someone to be an interim county manager,” McMahan said.
The N.C. Association of County Commissioners has a pool of retired managers to call on in such situations.
“I would like to think the citizens of Jackson County will be pleased when we come out with a decision,” said Commissioner Vicki Greene.
student success is welcome to donate at www.southwesterncc.edu/foundation or in person at the SCC Jackson Campus. sccgiveday@southwesterncc.edu.
Animal hospital celebrates 30 years
Balsam Animal Hospital in Waynesville will celebrate its 30th anniversary by holding an open house event from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at 1628 S. Main St., Waynesville. Get a tour of the clinic, meet new veterinarian Dr. Daniel Moore, enjoy refreshments and have a chance to win a Yeti cooler as a door prize.
www.balsamvet.com.
Chuck Wooten
Can bold proposals remake Canton?
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
The Canton Town Board is considering proposals that could boost Canton’s appeal to residents and tourists alike — especially those interested in festivals and fishing.
The first concerns a section of the East Fork of the Pigeon River adjacent to Camp Hope in Cruso that the Cataloochee chapter of Trout Unlimited wants to adopt.
“We’re trying to make this stretch of water a sustainable, productive one, that will hopefully become a destination of sorts,” said John Davis, president of the chapter.
Begun in Michigan in 1959, Trout Unlimited — or TU, as it is commonly known — is a nonprofit organization committed to the conservation of freshwater rivers, streams, and other habitats that are home to trout and salmon.
The proposed agreement between TU and the Town of Canton would make official TU’s proposal to conduct stream cleanup, fish stocking and monitoring, river channel and bank stabilization, the erection of signage, the creation of informational displays, water quality monitoring, and recreational programming such as fly fishing, tying, and casting classes.
Mark Taylor, eastern region communications director of TU, stressed the importance and feasibility of the initiative.
“Our ultimate goal is colder, cleaner water. We prioritize project locations based on whether the work we do will make a difference,” he said. “Nobody knows the land like these guys, on the ground level.”
The hook is that in addition to the services they’re angling to provide, TU is requesting that the proposed section of the river it monitors would be designated as
catch-and-release only. While children would be able to keep their catch during programming and other special events, the general public would not.
As written, the agreement would not bind Canton to the catch-and-release policy, but does commit the town to making an effort to do so; the town would only grant the designation upon “obtaining adequate public input to the satisfaction of the Governing Board,” according to the memo.
The headwaters of the Pigeon River rise more than 5,000 feet above sea level; clear, cold, and clean, the waters spill down the Balsams and then wind lethargically through
progress. A waterway conservation stewardship agreement with TU would go a long way in washing away Canton’s murky legacy of dirty water.
Another legacy that may be rapidly eroding is that of Canton as a place where there’s little to do.
The off-again, on-again “BoojumFest” was finally given a special use permit to close a section of sidewalk and several on-street parking spaces in front of the Southern Porch on June 10 and 11, but not without a fight from Canton Alderwoman Carole Edwards, who opposed alcohol being allowed outside of the bar.
the request, given that the board was hearing it just two days before the festival was supposed to take place. Town Attorney William C. Morgan said that wasn’t an issue. Thus stymied on the attempted procedural technicality, Edwards was the lone opposition to the vote, exchanging words with festival supporter and fellow Canton Alderwoman Gail Mull during the discussion.
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
TIf anything, the board is thorough.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with the festival itself or the people that are putting it on, it’s just that I’m not a fan of alcohol on the sidewalk,” Edwards said. “It doesn’t really have anything to do with anybody personally, I just feel like they have an area down there, an outside area in front of the restaurant where they can have that. I don’t think it’s necessary to have it out on the sidewalk. Plus, it blocks the sidewalk for foot traffic, for people that want to travel through there.”
Alderman Zeb Smathers abstained from the vote; his father Pat Smathers, who was Canton’s mayor from 1999 to 2011, owns the Imperial complex where Southern Porch is housed, is an active member of the Lions Club that submitted the application for the special permit, and has been a strong promoter of BoojumFest.
Although Zeb Smathers has no explicit interest in either the property or the festival, he said he felt like abstaining was “the right thing to do.”
Pat Smathers called the event a success.
Canton, where pollution has been a historical concern.
The Pigeon River was ranked the 45th most polluted river in the country and the most polluted river in North Carolina in 1996, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but has made recent
BoojumFest — not associated with Waynesvillebased Boojum Brewing Company — is a new three-day festival and fundraiser for the Pisgah High School Marching Band. The festival showcases Canton’s “legends, lore, and lies” while also spotlighting Canton-area businesses featuring arts, crafts, musicians, storytellers, and a scavenger hunt that awards a diamond garnet necklace valued at more than $2,000 as first prize. It takes its name from Boojum, a Sasquatchesque humanoid said to inhabit Haywood County hinterlands.
First, Edwards questioned the timing of
“I thought it went pretty well, for the first time,” he said. “We accomplished what we set out to do.” Smathers said revenue figures from the festival weren’t immediately available, but he added, “I do anticipate doing it again [next year].”
What remains to be seen is if Canton’s partnerships with BoojumFest and TU — in conjunction with the ongoing downtown streetscaping and paving improvements — can make Canton a more competitive player in the regional tourism market.
Taxes remain steady, highest in county, in proposed Canton budget
he Canton Board of Aldermen took another three hours June 9 to conduct a required public hearing on the 201617 budget. That’s in addition to the three hours that were spent discussing it May 26. And there’s still one more session to go June 23.
But what the public heard at the meetings was probably worth the wait — modest growth and thrifty town management conspired to hold property taxes steady in Canton for the ninth year in a row.
Granted, they are the highest in Haywood County at 58 cents per $100 in assessed value, but they’ve earned Canton a growing reputation as a place that’s beefing up infrastructure, providing competitively priced services, actively marketing itself and becoming a great employer.
With the adoption of the budget, Canton will become Haywood County’s first living wage certified government, boosting part-time wages to $12.50 an hour. According to Just Economics WNC — an Asheville-based nonprofit that traces its roots to the Asheville-Buncombe Living Wage Campaign back in 2000 — the living wage for one person in
Western North Carolina in 2016 is “$12.50/hour without employer provided health insurance, or $11.00/hour with health insurance provided by the employer.”
But Canton offers employees a very generous health plan as well — their premiums and deductibles will again remain at 100 percent coverage.
Also budgeted were $1,500 in cash awards for town employees who stop using tobacco or lose weight. The antitobacco use plan is meant to offset a 3.89 percent hike in healthcare premiums from Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina. The incentives carry no penalty — no stick to the carrot, something that was quarreled over by the board May 26 — but may help reduce yearly rate increases like this one, which will cost Canton an additional $44,000.
These benefits are not without cost, however. Healthcare and salaries claim just over 50 percent of the total budget.
Hoping to continue building its property tax base, board members slated $100,000 for business development grants. Complimenting the grants will be a brand-new website priced at $25,000 with an additional $5,000 set aside for marketing and rebranding it.
Aldermen hope the new website, which was also a source of conflict among the board May 26, will appeal to potential
business owners and developers.
Although the proposed budget includes a water rate increase of 10 percent both to inside customers and the Town of Clyde — as well as a small increase to the 1,000-gallon rate for outside customers — the budget summary presented at the June 9 hearing said they were still “some of the lowest water and sewer rates in the region.”
Clyde’s rates haven’t been raised since 2008; rates for residents of Canton were raised in 2013.
“At this time I’m satisfied with the budget which in my opinion is a bold budget that aims to strengthen public safety, invests in water infrastructure needs, and empowers economic development both through funding and appearance,” said Alderman Zeb Smathers. “Taxes were not raised, costcutting measures were enacted, and the overall health of our budget is secure while we continue toward the completion of the recreation pool project.”
Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss was equally optimistic.
“I am proud to see such a proactive board coalesce around a budget that addresses the needs of today while priming Canton for success in the future,” he said.
The public will have one last opportunity to comment on the budget prior to the vote at 6:30 p.m. on June 23.
Canton Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss (left) and Town Attorney William C. Morgan look on as a resident addresses the board. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Defendants in pay raises case ask for dismissal
Arguments hinge on standing, tribal sovereignty
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER
About 20 tribal members filled the audience benches in Cherokee Tribal Court last week, watching the first court hearing in a lawsuit decrying pay raises Cherokee Tribal Council gave itself in 2014. The suit’s defendants were asking Judge Sharon Barrett to dismiss the claims.
“The concepts of accountability, the concepts of transparency are perfectly fine. I want to be very clear for everyone that the position of the defendants is not that those concepts should be challenged,” said Carlton Metcalf, the defense attorney. “The issue that is being dealt with here is simple: whether the claims that have been brought have a legal basis.”
None of the 16 defendants were present June 8 as the hearing began, though Amy Walker and Becky Walker — two members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for Justice and Accountability, the group bringing the suit — took seats alongside the group’s attorney Meghann Burke.
THECOMPLAINT
The claims in question stem from a tribal budget passed on Oct. 14, 2014. The vote came at the end of a budget hearing that fall at which 10 of the 12 Tribal Council members were present — nine of them voted to pass the document, which included hefty pay raises and back pay for all councilmembers. Back pay was also provided to thenChief Michell Hicks and then-Vice Chief Larry Blythe, as well as to four former councilmembers, according to public records obtained by the EBCIJA.
The budget bill upped councilmembers’ salaries from about $70,000 to $80,600, with salaries reaching $86,400 for council chairman, the records showed. Back pay checks ranged from $10,600 to $33,400 for 16 current and former councilmembers, as well as $42,500 in back pay for Hicks and $5,100 in back pay for Blythe. All told, Burke said, back pay and associated benefits totaled about $1 million.
Many tribal members were outraged at the high payouts, but they were also adamant that the pay raises violated tribal law. According to the tribe’s Charter and Governing Document, Tribal Council can give itself a raise, but the raise can’t take effect until the next election has been held and the new council seated. Further, a 2004 ordinance states that raises for Tribal Council must be in keeping with the percentage given to tribal employees.
The $10,000-plus raises exceeded the roughly 3 percent cost-of-living increase that
tribal employees received that year, and they took effect immediately — nearly a year before the 2015 elections. But Hicks argued that the action was legal. The increase was a “pay adjustment,” for the years when council hadn’t received raises in keeping with the 2004 law, he said, not a “pay raise.”
The EBCIJA felt so strongly that the raises were illegal that they enlisted Burke’s services and filed suit against the councilmembers who had voted for the raise, as well as
EBCIJA isn’t an entity capable of bringing a suit. The group isn’t incorporated or registered in any way, he said. There’s no individual identified as being its leader or having suffered personal harm as a result of council’s actions.
“We do not know what the party’s organization looks like. We don’t know who the party officers are. We don’t know if it has officers,” Metcalf said. “We don’t know anything about the organization.”
box themselves into some Western concept of how an organization should be structured,” Burke said. “They have rejected that.”
Barrett appeared to have some difficulty with Burke’s arguments, however.
“I think that in order to have standing we may need to have a little more clarification about just what it (the EBCIJA) is,” she said. “What is the plaintiff?”
“I’m not disbelieving you,” Barrett said later during the exchange, “but at the same time there’s no verification by anybody.”
QUESTIONSOF SOVEREIGNIMMUNITY
Metcalf also asked that Barrett dismiss the case on the basis of sovereign immunity.
“As I understand, the plaintiffs are not arguing that sovereign immunity has been waived but rather that it is not applicable here,” Metcalf said. “We contend that is erroneous for a number of reasons.”
“We do not name an individual under a plaintiff, and we contend that under NAACP versus Alabama we do not have to,” Burke replied.
the former councilmembers who received back pay, and Hicks and Blythe. All defendants were named in their personal capacities but for the finance director — responsible for enforcing the law — who was named in official capacity.
“At the heart of this lawsuit, your honor, is seeking to hold these officials accountable for their actions,” Burke said. “That’s really what it’s about.”
LACKOFLEGALSTANDING?
The EBCIJA is asking for the defendants to return all the money from raises and back pay to tribal coffers, also seeking reimbursement for court costs and attorney’s fees.
But right now, the group is waiting to find out whether the case will even be heard. The defense argued six different reasons why the court should dismiss the case, but the strongest arguments rested on issues of standing and tribal sovereignty.
Metcalf began by telling Barrett why the
In the 1958 NAACP case, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People claimed that the state of Alabama violated its Fourteenth Amendment due process rights by requiring it to disclose its membership lists. The court ruled that disclosing the list would suppress membership. This is a similar situation, Burke said, because in this case also EBCIJA members have reason to fear retaliation, loss of employment and humiliation if their names were public.
She also contended that, because all members of the tribe receive minor’s fund payouts when they come of age and per capita checks twice per year, they have an explicit, vested interest in the finances of the tribe.
“All members of the tribe are affected when Tribal Council violates tribal law for individual personal gain,” Burke said.
Cherokee people have a long history of government by consensus and non-hierarchical structure, she continued. And that fact creates a problem with Metcalf’s argument that the EBCIJA should produce lists of party officers.
“They (the EBCIJA) have chosen not to
As nearly every chapter in Cherokee’s code of ordinance states, the EBCI is a sovereign nation and has immunity as such. Waiving that immunity requires an act of either Tribal Council or the U.S. Congress. Burke had recognized that sovereign immunity would be an obstacle from the case’s beginning, therefore opting to sue each of the defendants — save the tribe’s finance director — in their individual capacities.
Metcalf argued that’s a nonstarter. The allegations surround budgetary legislation, and that’s “quintessential legal activity which would be covered by legislative immunity even if the defendants are sued in their individual capacity,” he said.
Burke, meanwhile, countered that council did not enact the pay raises as part of their official capacity. Rather, they were a “flagrant and blatant” violation of tribal law.
“Here the tribal officials that we sued did not have the power to do what they did,” Burke said. “The tribe restricted their power.”
Barrett questioned Burke’s position.
“Sovereign immunity is alive and well in the tribal courts,” Barrett said. “Why is this different? You’re saying the thrust of it is, ‘This was so illegal, Judge, that you should just throw sovereign immunity out the window.’”
Legislative sovereignty applies only when officials are acting within their official capacity, Burke responded, and in this case there was a very specific law in place that outright denied council the right to do what it did. But they didn’t follow the bounds of that law.
“Instead what these individual defendants did is they raided the tribal coffers to put into their own pockets,” she said.
But what about political remedies, Barrett asked. Why is the court’s job to redress this alleged wrong? Shouldn’t that happen through elections or impeachment?
Plaintiffs (foreground) and defense (background) take their places before the hearing starts. Holly Kays photos
Members of the EBCIJA gather outside after the hearing.
Burke pointed out that impeachment requires a two-thirds vote of Tribal Council, and it is unlikely they would vote to impeach themselves. Indeed, several of the councilmembers who voted for the raises lost their bids for re-election last fall, but that doesn’t mean that the raises go away. Councilmembers — regardless of how long they have served — are still earning that higher rate and last budget season even considered giving themselves another raise, just under 5 percent. That proposal was abandoned, however.
“This law is marching onward in perpetuity,” Burke said. “What will that do to the tribal budget over time? What will that do to people who are living in abject poverty?”
OTHERARGUMENTS
Metcalf acknowledged that the first two arguments were his strongest case for throwing out the lawsuit, but he cited several other grounds for dismissal as well. First, he said, some Tribal Council members from the time period in question were missing from the suit, so the claims should be invalid if they only selectively name parties.
Further, he said, some of the actions fall outside the statute of limitations, which reaches back to Oct. 1, 2014. Also, he said, it’s not clear that Tribal Court even recognizes the civil conspiracy claim the suit brings against Hicks and Blythe.
Burke asserted that the suit does indeed enjoin all people who public records show received pay raises, save those who were opposed to the legislation, and that all actions named in the suit stem from Oct. 1, 2014, or later.
“If events occurred prior, we would like to know about them,” she said.
NEXTSTEPS
Barrett gave both parties two days after the June 8 hearing to submit any further documentation they’d like her to consider as she forms her decision.
For his part, Metcalf feels the case for dismissal is ironclad.
“It is our position that standing alone is sufficient,” he said. “That’s where the court can stop. But if you want to proceed, certainly the case can be dismissed with any of the immunity arguments we raised.”
Burke, meanwhile, reiterates the solid footing of the claims and her belief that council’s actions should be considered by the court.
“What Tribal Council did violated tribal law,” she said. “My client respects tribal law and asks that it be respected.”
Standing outside the courthouse in a circle of EBCIJA members who had come to watch the hearing, Burke thanked them for their presence in the courtroom. The standing issue could be a difficult one for the case, she said, but Burke assured those gathered that Barrett would give the case a fair shot.
“Judge Barrett is a very fair, very sharp judge,” she said. “No matter the result, whether we like it or not, it’s going to be a fair opinion.”
Business leaders honored at Chamber dinner
Each year the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce honors local businesses and leaders for their contributions to the community during its annual dinner and awards ceremony.
The Business of the Year award went to the Lake Junaluska Assembly. Employing more than 200 people and hosting groups from all over country, the Assembly has a major impact on the local economy.
Skyrunner Wireless, an Asheville-based wireless internet company, was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year award. Skyrunner has been able to provide many Haywood County residents and businesses with highspeed wireless internet when they had no other options.
Taylor and Preston Gregg were the winners of the Business Start-Up competition, which will award them up to $10,000 to move forward with their wedding venue The Ridge at Chestnut Mountain.
Haywood County Commission Chairman Mark Swanger, who is not seeking re-election this year when his term is up, was recognized for his service to the county. Swanger has served as a commissioner since 2002 and also served on the Haywood County Board of Education before being elected as a commissioner.
During his tenure on the board, Swanger was successful at acquiring the Dayco property, constructing the parking deck in down-
(top left) Lake Junaluska Assembly received the Business of the Year award from the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. (top right) Taylor (right) and Preston Gregg were the winners of the Business Start-Up competition, which will award them up to $10,000. (right) Jon Wood (left) and JJ Boyd accept the Entrepreneur of the Year award for Skyrunner Wireless. Donated photos
town Waynesville, acquiring the former Walmart property and remodeling it for social services offices, and purchasing property in Beaverdam for the industrial park site.
“Haywood County has and will for many decades benefit richly from your talent and dedicated public service over many decades,” said Chamber President CeCe Hipps as she presented the award to Swanger.
Cecil Yount, who is a lead organizer for the Chamber’s Blue Ridge Breakaway event,
received the Volunteer of the Year award.
Katy Gould, director of the Small Business Center at Haywood Community College, received the Young Professional of the Year award.
Rob Roland, Realtor and broker with Keller Williams, received the chamber’ Ambassador of the Year award.
Travis Hyatt, Josh Brandt and Bruce Johnson received Rulers of Success awards
for implementing new chamber programs to help businesses.
The 2015-16 graduates of the Haywood Leadership program were also recognized during the dinner reception.
Waynesville board works to plug budget hole
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
Asparsely-attended special meeting held June 7 at the Waynesville Town Hall was meant to serve as a public hearing on the town’s proposed $29.7 million budget for fiscal year 2016-2017, but instead talk centered mostly around things much more elemental — namely, fire.
The proposed budget is “flat” over last year’s, said Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown, except for a provision to hire eight new Waynesville firefighters at a cost of more than $530,000 per year.
That provision requires a 4.75-cent increase in Waynesville property taxes, which would bring the rate just above 48 cents per $100 in assessed value — a hike of about 10 percent.
The reasons for the increased staffing are twofold.
In 1998, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration issued revised guidelines for firefighters stipulating that before they penetrate a conflagration, there must be two available to enter the structure, and two available to remain outside, in direct contact with those within.
Waynesville’s Fire Department currently employs 10 full-time firefighters, but relies on around 30 volunteers, all of whom operate out of two stations. What this means is there is only one full-time firefighter on duty per station; in the event of a fire, that firefighter could proceed to the scene, but wouldn’t be able to enter until others — often volunteers coming from miles away — have also arrived on the scene.
Additionally, when the North Carolina Department of Emergency Management held a training exercise in downtown Waynesville last June, firefighters responded to the simulated fire at Massie Furniture Company on Main Street in a timely manner; it was, however, still 20 minutes before the required amount of firefighters were on the scene to allow for rescue. Industry research indicates that depending on the
Fire departments across Haywood County came together last year for a training exercise that simulated a fire sweeping through downtown
Cost of fire protection per year (property value of $200,000)
As of June 1: Waynesville · $200
Proposed: $295 (if adopted in 2016-17 budget)
As of June 1: Fire Districts · $120
Proposed: $200 (if county approves; takes effect July 2017)
As of June 1: Lake Junaluska · $48
Proposed: $96 (raised from $48 on June 7)
type, quality, and amount of fuel and ventilation, a fire can double in size in anywhere from 30 seconds to just a few minutes.
The addition of eight full-time firefighters will boost staffing to two full-time firefighters on duty at each station, theoretically allowing for quicker entry.
The hiring has received widespread support from members of the board who, rather than simply accept the fated increase, instead actively searched for ways to ameliorate it. What they found was widespread inequality in the price property owners pay for fire protection.
Residents of Waynesville currently pay about 10 cents per $100 property valuation for fire protection, which is rolled into their property tax bill.
Those outside town limits are assigned to fire districts and pay just six cents per $100, which is collected by Haywood County and ultimately remitted to the department.
Some homeowners outside town limits are getting an even better deal — tax rolls haven’t kept up with new development, meaning that a select few people pay nothing at all.
And then there’s Lake Junaluska.
Because of a historical oddity with origins difficult to trace fully, until June 7 Lake Junaluska residents had paid a flat fee of just $4 a month for fire protection from the town.
But at the June 7 meeting, Brown and the board doubled that rate, which is expected to raise about $51,000 in additional revenue beginning Aug. 1. Additionally, Brown said they were working on getting the three or so developed properties on Lloyd’s Mountain — who pay nothing — on some kind of payment system.
That leaves only those in fire districts outside town limits to be dealt with.
“I don’t think the citizens of Waynesville should have to bear this entire burden,” said Alderman Jon Feichter. “Citizens outside the town [also] bear the benefits.”
For them, Brown proposed
Haywood School Board restores funding for music, sports
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
Although the closing of Central Elementary School was met with cheers, jeers, and even a lawsuit, its recent closure is already yielding positive results for the rest of the district’s budget.
Last month, the Haywood County School Board was faced with a staggering $2.4 million budget shortfall and announced many deep cuts, including teacher and coaching positions and extracurricular activities like chorus and band. But the shuttering of Central has inadvertently allowed for the band to play on, the chorus to sing, teachers to teach, and coaches to coach.
On June 6, the school board was able to restore funding for assistant coaches, four part-time teachers at the Haywood County Learning Center, chorus supplies, and band equipment and travel expenses, to the tune of $107,000. And the school board appeared happy to do so. When
Board Member Jim Francis, who is chairman of the Finance Committee, made a motion approve the reinstatement proposal put forth by Superintendent Dr. Anne Garrett, it was seconded before he could even read aloud the details of the proposal.
“Several things have come to light,” Francis said. Indeed, Central’s closing saves $20,000 in electricity bills alone.
Additional savings will also result from the elimination of the principal’s position at Central and a mentoring program that trains new principals — principals the school board says won’t be needed any time soon. It was announced last month that Haywood County Schools did lose former Central Principal Jeanann Yates to Pisgah Elementary School due to the Central closure.
School Board Member Rhonda Schandevel was pleased with the reinstatements.
“While school boards all across North Carolina are being
asked to do more with less, because of the strong fiscal management of the Haywood County School Board I’m happy that we have been able to work with local leaders to find a way to keep successful programs like the Haywood County Learning Center open during this time of short-sighted budget cuts,” she said.
The $2.4 million budget shortfall and the closing of Central left state legislators and school board members pointing fingers at each other over who was to blame. A $1.6 million increase in teacher salaries was partly to blame, however, Haywood’s education budget from the state provided only $600,000 toward that increase. Additionally, a $500,000 cut in lottery money from the state contributed to the situation.
Enrollment in Haywood County Schools had been dropping steadily over the past decade, with 800 less students enrolled today than in 2006. Whoever is at fault, the reality of the budget left school officials wondering how they could continue to maintain 16 schools.
Waynesville. Andy Rogers photo
Jackson offers food preservation class
A Food Preservation 101 class will be offered from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 21 at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office.
Food Preservation 101 will provide you with the skills to pressure can low acid foods, water bath high acid foods, freeze, or dehydrate your family’s summer favorites. The cost is $18, which includes the invaluable “So Easy to Preserve” book. Class size is limited so register at 828.586.4009.
Lunch and Learn held in Franklin
“Boomertitis and the Aging Athlete” will be the topic for the next Lunch and Learn event to be held from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, at Franklin Health and Fitness Center, 214 E. Main St., Franklin.
Dr. Judson Handley with Harris Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine will be the speaker.
To RSVP, call 828.631.8894 and leave your name.
raising the rate from six cents to the maximum allowed — 10 cents per $100. The problem is, the town can’t simply make this change on its own; those revenues are collected by the county, who would have to approve the city’s request.
Adding insult to injury, the window for such a request has long since passed. The county would need to be notified by the town in November so it can work the request into its preliminary budget, which is usually put together in spring. That means that if the county were to approve Brown’s request, it wouldn’t take effect until July 2017. Such action would, in interim Town Manager Mike Morgan’s estimation, raise $146,000.
Neither of those finger-in-the-dyke measures will have any immediate impact on the proposed Waynesville budget, which will go up for vote June 28; the increased revenue from Lake Junaluska won’t start to be collected until August, and then only for the 11 remaining months in the 2016-17 fiscal year, and increased revenue from the fire districts may not ever come to be.
So, despite the increased collection, the budget will still call for the 4.75-cent tax hike. But there is a silver lining.
Morgan — who brings significant local government and EMS experience to the job — called for eight additional full-time firefighters in addition to the current cohort of eight, and cautioned that this was just the beginning of making Waynesville’s fire department more robust; reexamination of these inequalities in fire protection charges have also led to the realization that were Lake Junaluska to be instead included in a fire district like the rest of Haywood County outside the Town of Waynesville, it would raise more than $500,000 in new revenue.
The Waynesville Fire Department protects property worth more than $1.9 billion.
Rev. Barber preaches love at Sylva rally
BY J ESSI STONE
Following the recent shooting in Orlando that left 50 dead and more injured, Dr. Rev. William Barber’s keynote address to the crowd at the Mountain Moral Monday rally in Sylva was a bit different than expected, but the message was the same.
“Its time for those who stir up hate to shut up and those who believe in love to stand up and speak up,” Barber said before a crowd of several hundred. “We can’t let hate have the first, last or loudest word.”
Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP, had everyone at Bridge Park join hands and honor those in Orlando who lost their lives with a moment of silence. He said it was easy to be angry over another senseless act of gun violence, but stressed the importance of practicing love and tolerance for people of all races, religions, sexual orientation or gender.
Barber was critical of politicians like Donald Trump who use tragedies like the one in Orlando to breed fear and further divide people instead of addressing the real issues.
“Do we want more guns and more violence or less guns and less violence,” he said. “It’s time to stand up for love even more now — as we cry let our tears be a fresh baptism… never get weary in the way of love and justice.”
He said it was those politicians — statewide and nationally — that are overcome by greed to the point they have developed a blind spot when it comes to taking care of its people — the poor, the elderly, the sick and the children.
“How else do we explain what’s happening in North Carolina?” Barber asked.
To put a face on the issues facing North Carolina, the Moral Monday rally featured
Hundreds of people join hands for a moment of silence during a Mountain Moral Monday rally held June 13 in Sylva to honor those who lost their lives during the recent shooting in Orlando. Below: Dr. Rev. William Barber II, president of the North Carolina NAACP, addresses the crowd of several hundred. See more photos from the event at www.smokymountainnews.com. Jessi Stone photos
many local speakers that have been directly impacted by the decisions made by legislators in Raleigh.
Sylva resident Connie Jean Conklin suffers from physical disabilities and has been laden with hospital bills she is unable to pay because of the legislature’s decision not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The unpaid bills have ruined her credit score and therefore her ability to purchase a house or even receive care at the for-profit hospitals in the area.
Macon County teacher John deVille spoke about the local effects cuts in public educational funding have had on both teachers and students. He said students don’t have textbooks, there are fewer teachers and more students in the Macon
County system and the legislature keeps taking away local control from the public school systems and handing it to for-profit charter schools.
“Legislators say throwing money at education doesn’t solve anything, but they sure don’t have a problem throwing money at their donors,” he said. “… children aren’t potential revenue streams.”
Franklin resident Selma Sparks, 85, talked about how difficult it was to see her state taxes go up every year when she is on a fixed income. While her Social Security and pension benefits have stayed the same, her taxes have gone from $47 in 2013 to $232 in 2015 because of the new tax reform passed in Raleigh.
“I almost passed out when I saw what I owed because it wasn’t in the budget,” she said. “I didn’t have it so now I’m paying it off in pieces with interest.”
Others spoke about the inequality in the criminal justice system, voter suppression and immigration.
Barber said many people had asked him why he was holding a Moral Monday in the mountains where the black population is low. He said those people must not understand the history of the NAACP, an organization that has always been about promoting civil rights and justice for all — not just black people.
Barber said he came to Appalachia because the people here are being negatively impacted by the immoral actions of the politicians who are supposed to represent them.
“When you know the facts about these mountains — when you know the reality of the populations of these mountains — when you are anti-entitlements and programs that help the poor, when you are anti-healthcare, when you are anti-voting rights and expanding voting opportunity, when you are antiaccess to the ballot, when you are anti-people, when you are anti-immigrants and LGBT — you are anti-Appalachia,” he said.
Shelter at bear attack site now open
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER
Nearly a month after an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker found his night interrupted by an attacking bear, the backcountry shelter in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where the incident occurred is open once more.
Bradley Veeder, 49, had been asleep in his tent about 200 feet from the Spence Field Shelter on May 10 when he woke up to “a sharp pain in my right calf and an agonizing sensation like my calf was being squeezed in a vise,” as he described it in a written account of the incident. According to both Veeder and the park, his food and toiletries had been hung properly on bear cables, and his pack — which was in the tent with him — contained a small inventory of non-scented items.
After biting Veeder, the bear made repeated attacks on the tent before subsiding long enough for Veeder to make his way to the shelter, which is surrounded by chainlink fence to keep bears away. In the morning, he was evacuated from the backcountry on horseback and taken to Blount Memorial Hospital. Veeder has recovered and plans to get back on the A.T. as a southbound hiker later this summer.
The park, meanwhile, went to work to find the bear in question, closing the shelter and monitoring the area for bear activity. The first bear that returned to the area, a 400-pound male, was euthanized after park staff concluded there was a high likelihood this was the bear that had bitten Veeder. But DNA tests came back negative, causing sharp criticism from some people — especially considering that the wrong bear was euthanized the last time a bear injured a person, in June 2015.
“I understand we can’t have bears breaking into tents when people are in them. I understand that,” said Bill Lea, a wildlife photographer who’s spent thousands of hours observing bears in the wild. “But I think that if that animal needs to be eliminated, we need to make sure we’re eliminating the right animal.”
The park later tranquilized two other bears, each 200 pounds or less, fitting them with GPS collars and releasing them until DNA results came back. Those tests also yielded a negative result. The 400-pound bear could not be collared, park staff said, because its neck was too large to fit with a collar. It also could not be held captive while DNA results were processed because it was too big to transport through the 6 miles of backcoun-
try separating the site from the road.
The park reopened the Spence Field Shelter on Monday, June 6, after nearly a month of search efforts and a “reasonable closure period with no aggressive bear activity,” according to park spokeswoman Dana Soehn. It is extremely rare for a black bear to hurt a human, and even rarer for that to happen when the human does not have food nearby. It’s so rare, in fact, that Lea has questioned whether the attack was in fact predatory, and not just an unfortunate incident provoked by undetected food residue on Veeder or his equipment.
One positive from the incident, according to the park, was the chance to exercise and strengthen its partnerships to get DNA results back faster than ever before. The park worked with both the forensic science program at Western Carolina University and Wildlife Forensics DNA Lab at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania to
Be safe in the backcountry
Bears are numerous in the Smokies, but aggression toward humans is rare. However, May and June — when bears are active but berries aren’t yet ripe — are when interactions are most likely. To minimize the risk:
• Travel in groups of two or more. If you must hike alone, be sure to make noise frequently to alert any bears in the area that you’re coming their way.
• Carry bear spray where it will be easy to grab and know how to use it.
• When camping, hang all food, toiletries and anything else with an associated scent on a tree branch or bear cables. Even better, hang your whole pack. Cook food in a different area from where you pitch your tent and check your clothes for strong food odors.
• Stay at least 50 yards away from any bear you see.
compare DNA from the attacking bear to that of bears captured near the site. The combination of East Stroudsburg’s experience with black bear DNA and WCU’s proximity to the park means that the process now takes days rather than weeks. Faster results make it easier for bears suspected of being involved in aggressive incidents to be held until DNA confirmation comes back.
“Our park staff have worked diligently over the last year to develop new processes that allow us to minimize the possibility of euthanizing an uninvolved bear following an attack,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “We are glad to now have these new options afforded by quick DNA turnaround at WCU that allow us the opportunity to consider holding a bear while waiting for analysis.”
Rezoning request packs Maggie meeting
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
There wasn’t an empty seat in the house when the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen met for its public budget hearing on June 13, but it was a zoning issue that took up 90 percent of the three-plus hour meeting.
Town Manager Nathan Clark presented the 2016-17 budget, which contains no tax increase and retains Maggie Valley’s claim to the lowest municipal property taxes in Haywood County. It was passed with no public discussion and unanimous consent in two minutes.
But by the time the board had gotten to the budget, most people in the tiny makeshift boardroom had already left — albeit, unhappily.
Earlier, more than 50 people packed the room. Chairs as well as spectators spilled out into the hallway.
Almost all of them were present to contest a request for rezoning on an approximately 10-acre tract of land known as Mountain Meadows, which is near the entrance to the high-end Campbell Mountain Estates on Jonathan Creek Road.
A gated community that is zoned R-1, or low density, Campbell Mountain Estates is located just west of Highway 276 and about half a mile north of Soco Road and was developed by Steve Foreman, who also made the request for Mountain Meadows.
The Maggie Valley Planning Board recommended approval for the request weeks ago, and called for the parcel to be rezoned R-2, which is medium density and also theoretically allows for structures like manufactured homes, boarding houses and child care facilities (although none are planned).
Residents of Campbell Mountain were concerned with the measure for a variety of reasons when they first learned of it, and almost 20 of them came out to speak against it.
Pam Potter, president of the Campbell Mountain Estates Homeowners Association, started by saying that the relationship between the association and Foreman had broken down months ago, echoing the concerns of many residents who never dreamt their luxury estate-type homes would one day look out upon medium-density, affordable housing units — possibly up to 40 of them.
They feel as though these homes will change the character of their neighborhood.
“We feel like we have been betrayed,” Potter said.
Jim Boston, another Campbell Mountain resident who hasn’t been in his home long, said “If I would have known this crap was going on, I would have bought somewhere else.”
Hank Jaeger put his home in Campbell Mountain Estates up for sale 90 days ago, for medical reasons. He said he’d heard “a lot of opinions” on its current value and wasn’t sure who to believe. During that 90-day period, 11 potential buyers toured his home, and
he did receive two offers — both of which were withdrawn when the buyers learned of the possible rezoning.
Laurie Regish, who has been in her Campbell Mountain home almost a year now, said she felt “defrauded,” and even invoked the name of deceased former Maggie Valley Mayor Ron DeSimone, who died in a tragic construction accident last July.
“The proposal certainly does not honor him,” she said. “We do not believe this would have been set forth had Ron not been killed.”
Campbell Mountain Residents went on
area, and claimed that this project “meets the demands for housing in Maggie Valley.”
Most notably, he said that he currently owns 55 lots in or near Campbell Mountain Estates, including 27 in Mountain Meadows.
“Why would I want to shoot myself in the toes?” he asked, meaning that he didn’t think the project would jeopardize property values or the overall appeal of Campbell Mountain Estates.
As the town board finally took the measure to a vote, Price began by sharing her opinion.
“In the best interest for Maggie Valley, I feel like it should be zoned to R-2,” she said.
Davis, who was appointed several months ago to fill a vacancy on the board, said he might not run for the board seat, so he wasn’t beholden to any of the stakeholders in the project and wasn’t trying to score points with the crowd, but he, too, joined the board in their unanimous approval of the rezoning.
After having his rezoning request granted, Foreman said he felt “excellent” about the result, and also thought he received a fair shake throughout the process, even though he said he felt that certain character descriptions of him were inaccurate.
“We’ve been residents of Haywood
to decry potential problems with traffic, parking, security, the devaluation of their homes, and the harmony of the community as a whole as they filed up to the podium to address Mayor Saralyn Price and the rest of the town board. Some of them even resorted to personal attacks against Foreman, calling him dishonest, deceptive and duplicitous.
Just one person spoke on behalf of Foreman.
As public comment drew to a close, Andrew Bowen, Maggie Valley’s town planner, stunned the crowd when he told them that a 2007 land use plan for the town showed the best use of Foreman’s parcel was actually R-3 zoning, which is high density.
How it ended up back at R-1 isn’t immediately clear, but Bowen’s assertion made R-2 seem like a blessing, compared to R-3.
When Foreman finally got his chance at the podium after more than an hour of hostile comments pointed his way, he emphasized his roots in the community.
Foreman has been involved in real estate for 40 years, including 20 of those in this
Alderman Mike Eveland — who peppered Foreman with questions about nearly every aspect of the project — echoed the mayor’s sentiments, saying that it “makes sense.”
Alderwoman Janet Banks said she’d struggled with the issue for some time.
“I do understand, being a homeowner in Maggie Valley, the issues. What happens when you retire and come here and you sink all your money into your dream house and you discover that development is coming right under your nose?” she said. “I have the privilege of having a house being built below me that I never thought was going to be built, and I have the perfect view of their port-a-potty right from my bedroom. Unfortunately, the world is changing, and development is going to come.”
Banks voted in favor of the R-2 designation.
With Alderman Phillip Wight absent from the meeting, that left only Clayton Davis, who said he’d actually lost sleep over the issue, to weigh in.
“Where our home is situated, given the potential height of these structures, it would impede the view that we paid quite a bit of money for.”
— Mike Finnuccio
County since 1996,” said Foreman. “We’ve done four prior subdivisions [locally], and we intend to continue being a positive economic factor here in Haywood County.”
However, Mike Finnuccio, who currently lives in south Florida and purchased a home in Campbell Mountain Estates, flew up to the area three days ago specifically to speak out against the proposed zoning change.
He says he was “mesmerized” by the mountains in Maggie Valley despite growing up surrounded by them in central Vermont, and warned that the town was about to fall prey to the same type of “indiscriminate development” that has taken place near his Florida home over the past 20 years.
“I can see where the town officials feel that they are acting in the best interests of the municipality, and I feel for the residents of this community who relied on the representations of the developer as to what this community was going to look like,” said Finnuccio. “I think they all feel betrayed.”
When asked if this would affect his future plans in Haywood County, Finnuccio said, simply, “Yes.”
When pressed, he elaborated.
“Where our home is situated, given the potential height of these structures, it would impede the view that we paid quite a bit of money for,” he said. “My wife and I have already discussed it, and we will, in all likelihood, sell the property.”
Residents fill Maggie Valley Town Hall to oppose a zoning change on Jonathan Creek Road. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Trying to make sense of Orlando
Idon’t know what to tell my children, so I don’t tell them anything. Not yet anyway.
It is the first day of summer vacation, and therefore, the mood in our home is one of revelry. The alarm clocks are off, the swimsuits are airing out on the railing of the deck, and the pancakes are whimsically sprinkled with chocolate chips, in the manner of a big, crooked smile. I don’t know what to tell them, so I don’t tell them anything.
The world is filled with love. The world is filled with rage. The world is filled with hatred. How can all of this be true? How can it be reconciled? How can it even be understood? Another mass shooting, this time in a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Fifty people dead. Another young, male killer, and everyone trying, as usual, to assemble pieces of his life into a picture that will explain it, why he chose to go into a nightclub just around last call and start shooting until fifty people were dead. Maybe he had ties to ISIS? Maybe he was homophobic? Maybe he had a history of mental instability?
Before the picture has completely formed, the battle is already being waged in social media, in barber shops and diners, and, of course, in the political arena. These particular battle lines have long been drawn, so much so that the reaction now seems not just pre-
Righteous people take care of their animals
To the Editor:
In the article “Sound off: Haywood candidates talk animal shelter” from March 2016, Mr. Rogers wonders if other options to deal with homeless animals in Haywood County have been explored. He also has knowledge of northern states and the fact that they do not struggle with the issue like we do. He is quoted as saying, “Evidently they are doing a better job than we are. Let’s find out how they are doing it.”
Many local and city governments of northern states successfully implement mandatory spay/neuter laws or ordinances. Although there are exceptions to these laws
dictable, but sadly pro forma, as people slip into the same old roles and make the same old arguments on guns, on religion, on sexual orientation, you name it.
There is no real dialogue, no effort whatsoever to look for any solution that does not square precisely with hardwired political ideologies and rigid, wildly inconsistent religious beliefs. In the past couple of days, I have seen some truly repulsive posts, including one from a minister who quoted Galatians in an apparent effort to frame the attack as a form of divine retribution against the victims because they were gay, at least many of them.
I am certainly no expert on the Christian faith, but it appears to me that divorcees and the affluent tend to get a pass these days, while the gay community continues to be widely condemned. Many Christians are curiously selective in their interpretation of the scripture, insisting on a very narrow, literal reading when it conforms to their prejudices, while allowing for a broader, contextual read-
dence being that they recruit animals for adoption from areas like ours. Areas like ours include many people that have the very sad attitude that animals are just animals and are easily replaceable. Greg Burrell was quoted in the article saying that even though he loves his dog, “It’s just an animal; I can go get another one just like it tomorrow.”
Explored more closely, I am certain you will find this kind of attitude and the lack of willingness to spay/neuter pets are two major contributors to pet overpopulation in our area. I know that $3.5 million dollars may seem steep to spend on a new animal shelter, but when very little effort is put in to preventing the issue, I’d say it sounds fair and the animals most deserving of our consideration. A righteous man has regard for the life of his animals.
ing when that is more convenient, such as the biblical sanction for the stoning of children for being disobedient. Or the correct treatment of your slaves, as laid out in the Old Testament. Or under what very specific set of circumstances you can get a divorce. Or whether it is cool to cherish your money. Sometimes, it seems, scripture is viewed as absolute. Other times, this wiggle room appears.
One thing that does seem clear is that Christianity, along with the other major world religions, has love at its core, or should have. Any other expression of religion, especially acts of violence or hatred, are horrible distortions of the faith. It seems unlikely that the massacre in Orlando was motivated by religion or deeply held political beliefs, at least based on the early reports. More likely, it was the act of a hateful and irrational individual, an act of rage. I think we must admit that rage has become a national epidemic.
Regardless of what your politics might be, there can be no doubt that Donald Trump’s candidacy is fueled almost entirely by rage. The violence at his rallies is not coincidental. He incites it, and then feeds off of it, reflecting it back and validating it for his followers.
Trump himself is not the real threat. It is what he represents that must be confronted and
Jackson’s support for education appreciated
To the Editor:
As an educator and your neighbor, I want to thank the citizens of Jackson County for voting in support of the one-fourth of a penny referendum that passed on Tuesday, June 7. I am gratified to live in a region of our state that recognizes and highly values the importance of education. I am also thankful to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners for their commitment to education.
defeated, the notion that rage is the only natural and correct reaction to change, and that your problems, whatever they may be, have been caused by liberals or by Mexicans or by Muslims or by homosexuals or by anyone else who doesn’t look like you or think like you.
I admit that I have also been battling rage these past few days, a rage at the politicians who are in the pocket of the gun lobby, a rage at my fellow citizens, many of whom strongly believe that the answer to our gun problem is MORE guns and that it is useless to pass laws, since some people will break those laws. They see this as unassailable logic and sneer at anyone who disagrees. They believe the Second Amendment grants them the right to own any volume or type of weapons they choose without considering, even for a moment, the context in which the amendment was written or even exactly what it says, which is not remotely close to what they believe or assert that it says.
There I go again, playing the familiar role, as we all do. And people keep dying. And the mad carousel whirls on and on. Eventually, I’ll tell my kids something, I guess, but not today. Because it is summer, and we’re having chocolate chip pancakes.
(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher who lives in Haywood County. jchriscox@live.com.)
LETTERS
design and construction of a new, state-of-theart health sciences building on the Jackson Campus the college’s top capital priority. This facility will improve the educational and training experiences for our students, and provide expanded opportunities for more students to pursue health science careers in our area.
Kay Sutton-McCoy Waynesville
We are energized to implement the SCC Jackson Campus facility master plan, with additional funding provided by the Connect NC bond passed in March. Our board of trustees, administrators, faculty and staff have collaborated during the past few months to prioritize our most critical needs and have made the
The students, board of trustees, faculty and staff here at SCC thank you for your investment in us. We deeply appreciate your continued support and commitment to help provide for and preserve one of the very best educational institutions not only in our state, but in the nation. We are proud to serve the region by providing quality education, training and career opportunities for our citizens.
Don Tomas, Ed.D. President,
Community College
Southwestern
Columnist
Chris Cox
Death in the afternoon, or my Hemingway day
On the wall by the closet behind my desk is this quotation from Ernest Hemingway: “All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they really happened and after you finished reading one you will feel that it all happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and the sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people then you are a writer.”
Good old Papa.
By these standards, I am only a sometime writer. And as for Hemingway, well he played merry hell with many of his friends and acquaintances, and he was damned hard on his wives, but as a writer he glided up and down the ice like a gold medal champ. You knew his moves were difficult, but Hemingway made them look easy. If you don’t believe me, then read him, put the book aside, and try recreating his style yourself.
It was spring of 1975 in Storrs, Connecticut, and my wife had left me and I was sitting on the floor of what passed for a coffee shop in those days in the basement of the university library in a clutter of used books. Opening one by Hemingway, I read some line in which the writer said if you wanted to kill something bad inside yourself you needed to write about it. I tracked the line down just last year, but now have lost it
again. It doesn’t matter. That was the moment. That was the instant when I thought: I am going to write.
Over the next ten years, I wrote three unpublishable novels. Some short stories, reviews, and poetry found their voice in small-press magazines, but you could pretty much count my publishing efforts during those years as a failure. Only my wife still believed in me. She believed in me more than I believed in me.
During those ten years, I educated myself by reading the greats. I read the Russians: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and a little Chekov. I read English novelists: Greene and Waugh, Durrell, Maugham and Burgess. I read Raymond Chandler and Henry Miller, Vladimir Nabokov and William Styron. I read plays and poetry. I read so many writers, hundreds of them, but my demigods, the ones I worshipped, were Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Thomas Wolfe.
It was the summer of 1977, and Kris and I were living in San Diego for a year just to experience life on the West Coast. I was in a Hemingway phase, and reading Death In
The Afternoon, and I decided we needed to see a bullfight. Tijuana was only a few miles away, and so we drove down one Sunday and parked on the U.S. side of the border and strolled into Mexico. With us was a sweet young man from the bookstore where I was working. Randy wanted to be an artist and was always painting or drawing and then giving his work away to anyone who happened to like it.
We walked first through the street vendors who hugged the border, mostly young men, selling everything from t-shirts to onyx chess sets. When we reached the interior of the city, we found a restaurant for lunch where small girls in brightly colored dresses with petticoats underneath flashed around the tables like exotic birds while their mothers and fathers drank coffee and chatted.
When we arrived for the corrida, we purchased our tickets to sit in the sun because they were less expensive. Many people were there — some Americans, but mostly locals. There were six bulls that afternoon, and though usually three toreadors fight two bulls apiece, this was a special contest with six toreadors.
For many years afterwards I could remember each fight and each toreador, but now find I can only pull two of them from the attic. The first was a solidly built man who was very confident and was contemptuous of the size of the bulls being fought that day. He toyed with his bull, using his cape again and again to draw it around him. Finally, he knelt in the sand before the bull, who stared at him without charging. Then he stood and drew his sword and came in over the horns and thrust the sword into the neck of the bull. The bull’s front legs caved so that he was kneeling as the bullfighter had done. Blood streamed from his nostrils, and then he rolled onto one side and died.
The fighter who won the prize that day was a local boy, very young and slender. He
killed his bull cleanly and efficiently. After he’d won the prize, the spectators applauded him wildly and a group of young men carried him out of the arena on their shoulders. Now came one of the stranger experiences of my life up until that time. Even now it remains strange and unique. By the time the bullfight was over, evening had arrived and the temperature was dropping. No one had wanted to miss any of the fights, and nearly all the men had spent the afternoon drinking beer and now needed a place to release that beer. Just outside the arena was a huge tent. Inside the tent, running around three of the walls, was a giant trough that served as the urinal. There were probably sixty to seventy men urinating into the trough all at the same time, and with so many of them and with the chilly temperature and warm urine, the air inside the tent had become a cloud of urine. I tried to hold my breath while at the same time marveling at the weird urine cloud.
And the weirdness wasn’t yet ended. The three of us decided to take a different way back to the border and found ourselves in a barren field. Here several people had set fires in 55 gallon empty barrels to fight off the night’s chill. For a little while we trudged through the field and then came again to a corner of the town. A crowd had gathered in the street, and leaving Randy and Kris, I strolled over to see what had happened. There was on street in a black dress was an old woman. She was lying still with her eyes closed. Surrounding her head was a little puddle of clear liquid. I guessed a car had hit her. No one in the crowd seemed excited by this accident, though I felt they resented me for being there. So I drifted away and joined Randy and Kris on the next corner, and we walked back to the border.
That was my Hemingway afternoon. (Jeff Minick is a writer and a teacher. minick0301@gmail.com.)
Columnist
Jeff Minick
Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251
APPLE CREEK CAFE
111 N. Main St., Waynesville. 828.456.9888. Tuesday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to midnight. Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. We are excited to be on Main St. serving lunch and dinner with a full bar. Our menu includes items such as blackberry salmon, fettuccine alfredo, hand-cut steaks, great burgers, sandwiches, salads and more. Join us for live music every Friday and Saturday nights. Friday 6 to 9 p.m. live piano music. Saturday 6 to 9 p.m. live jazz music. No cover charge.
BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL
207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slow-simmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts. Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily. Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available.
BOGART’S
tasteTHE mountains
303 S. Main St., Waynesville. 828.452.1313
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Carry out available. Located in downtown Waynesville, Bogart’s has been long-time noted for great steaks, soups, and salads. Casual family atmosphere in a rustic old-time setting with a menu noted for its practical value. Live Bluegrass/String Band music every Thursday. Walking distance of Waynesville’s unique shops and seasonal festival activities and within one mile of Waynesville Country Club.
BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE
454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner nightly from 4 p.m. Closed on Sunday. We specialize in hand-cut, all natural steaks, fresh fish, and other classic American comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available. We also feature a great selection of craft beers from local artisan brewers, and of course an extensive selection of small batch bourbons and whiskey. The Barrel is a friendly and casual neighborhood dining experience where our guests enjoy a great meal without breaking the bank.
BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ
6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in
our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers. We use 1st quality fresh not pre-prepared products to make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items. Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.
BRYSON CITY CORK & BEAN A MOUNTAIN SOCIAL HOUSE
16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934
Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday brunch 9 a.m. to 3p.m., Full Menu 3 to 9 p.m. Serving fresh and delicious weekday morning lite fare, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Freshly prepared menu offerings range from house-made soups & salads, lite fare & tapas, crepes, specialty sandwiches and burgers. Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials starting at 5pm every day. Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. Enjoy craft beers on tap, as well as our full bar and eclectic wine list.
CATALOOCHEE RANCH
119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast seven days a week, from 8 am to 9:30 am – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-you-can-eat. Lunch every day from 12:00 till 2 pm. Evening cookouts on the terrace on weekends and
Every Monday and Tuesday through June 6-oz burger with lettuce and tomato, fries and choice of four toppings Southern Comfort Menu: $9.99
Sundays In June, Noon-4 p.m. Choice of Fried Chicken, Roast Turkey, stuffing & gravy, Chicken Parmesan or Country Fried Steak, with side and warm rolls and butter
tasteTHE mountains
Wednesdays, featuring steaks, ribs, chicken, and pork chops, to name a few. Bountiful family-style dinners on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with entrees that include prime rib, baked ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social hour starts at 6 pm, and dinner is served starting at 7 pm. So join us for milehigh mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Please call for reservations.
CHEF’S TABLE
30 Church St., Waynesville. 828.452.6210
From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu. Extensive selection of wine and beer. Reservations honored.
CHURCH STREET DEPOT
34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville. 828.246.6505. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mouthwatering all beef burgers and dogs, hand-dipped, hand-spun real ice cream shakes and floats, fresh handcut fries. Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot.
CITY BAKERY
18 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.3881. Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us in our historic location for
scratch made soups and daily specials. Breakfast is made to order daily: Gourmet cheddar & scallion biscuits served with bacon, sausage and eggs; smoked trout bagel plate; quiche and fresh fruit parfait. We bake a wide variety of breads daily, specializing in traditional french breads. All of our breads are hand shaped. Lunch: Fresh salads, panini sandwiches. Enjoy outdoor dinning on the deck. Private room available for meetings.
CITY LIGHTS CAFE
Spring Street in downtown Sylva. 828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more.
Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly. Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.
THE CLASSIC WINESELLER
20 Church Street, Waynesville. 828.452.6000
Underground retail wine and craft beer shop, restaurant, and intimate live music venue. Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday serving freshly prepared small plates, tapas, charcuterie, desserts. Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.
COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT
3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley. 828.926.1820 Open Wednesday and Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday and
Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet. Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.
FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE
44 Church St., Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in modern regional dishes. Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.
GANKO EXPRESS
1896 S. Main St., Waynesville 828.246.9099 Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Serving a variety of Hibachi, Chinese, Thai and Sushi dishes.
J. ARTHUR’S RESTAURANT AT MAGGIE VALLEY
U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. 828.926.1817
Open nightly for dinner at 4 p.m.; Friday through Sunday 12 to 4 p.m. for lunch. Daily luncheon special at $6.99. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome. Takeout menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.
JUKEBOX JUNCTION
U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel. 828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.
THE LUNCHBOX CAFE
100 Spicewood Dr., Clyde, 828.246.6296 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Serving up scrumptious breakfast, lunch and dinner all made with care in a welcoming environment. Subs, salads, sandwiches and more.
MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM
617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva. 828.586.3555. Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch. Beer and wine. Free movies with showtimes at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Visit madbatterfoodandfilm.com for this week’s shows.
MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB
1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine. Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.
PASQUALE’S
1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Classic Italian
tasteTHE mountains
dishes, exceptional steaks and seafood (available in full and lighter sizes), thin crust pizza, homemade soups, salads hand tossed at your table. Fine wine and beer selection. Casual atmosphere, dine indoors, outside on the patio or at the bar. Reservations appreciated.
RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR
Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center
828.926.0201 Open Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m and Sunday 7:30 a.m to 9 p.m. Full service restaurant serving steaks, prime rib, seafood and dinner specials.
ROB’S HOT DOG SHACK
42 Montgomery St., Waynesville
828.707.7033. Open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rob’s serves gourmet hot dogs and has homemade side items. Outdoor and indoor dining, café style restaurant. Locally owned and operated. Family oriented business.
SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE
1941 Champion Drive. Canton 828-6463750 Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Carry out available. Sagebrush features hand carved steaks, chicken and award winning BBQ ribs. We have fresh salads, seasonal vegetables and scrumptious deserts. Extensive selection of local craft beers and a full bar. Catering special events is one of our specialties. Local acoustic music on Tuesday nights.
SMOKEY SHADOWS LODGE
323 Smoky Shadows Lane, Maggie Valley 828.926.0001. Check Facebook page for hours, which vary. Call early when serving because restaurant fills up fast. Remember when families joined each other at the table for a delicious homemade meal and shared stories about their day? That time is now at Smokey Shadows. The menus are customizable for your special event.
SPEEDY’S PIZZA
285 Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.3800
Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Family-owned for 30 years. Serving hand-tossed pizza made to order, pasta, subs, gourmet salads, calzones and seafood. Also serving excellent prime rib on Thursdays. Dine in or take out available. Located across from the Fire Station.
TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL
176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville. 828.456.3551. Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, the Tap Room Bar & Grill has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com.
VITO’S PIZZA
607 Highlands Rd., Franklin. 828.369.9890. Established here in in 1998. Each Pizza is hand tossed and made with TLC. You're welcome to watch your pizza being created.
Cherokee docudrama reveals untold history
Author takes on directing, producing and composing
BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR
Nadia Dean has dedicated the last 10 years of her life to telling a story. It’s a historical account of the complex dynamics of the Cherokee War of 1776, but it’s also a story about relationships, humanity and the decisions that shaped this country. For Dean, who grew up in Haywood County and now lives in Cherokee, it was an untold story that needed telling.
The docudrama “Cameron” focuses on the main character of the book — A Demand of Blood – The Cherokee War of 1776 — who is Alexander Cameron, a Scottish loyalist who came to the new world with nothing and quickly made a name and a life for himself.
While history teaches that the revolutionaries — or “rebels” — were the ultimate heroes as they tried to escape the rule of King George, Dean’s docudrama shows the other side of that narrative. As the revolution was brewing and settlers were encroaching farther on Cherokee land, Cameron was faced with a moral dilemma — does he continue to follow his king’s orders, does he join the revolution or does he side with the Cherokee who have accepted him as one of their own?
“It’s an important chapter in our history and the founding of our country. It raises important questions about what we’ve believed our whole lives about the American Revolution,” Dean said. “I think it’s been a whit-washed and one-sided history, which has been a great disservice for the (American) Indians and the loyalists.
“But I think we have a generation now that’s ready to embrace the kinds of stories that provoke questions that previous generations didn’t want to ask or answer.”
DIRECTINGADRAMA
After eight years of extensive research, Dean published A Demand of Blood in 2014, but somehow she knew she wasn’t done. With the compelling story still in her head and an original score already recorded, Dean wanted to produce a short documentary based on the book in hopes that a producer would show interest in getting the story told on a larger scale.
“My motivation for doing the film was to attract a television series deal — I knew the book would be a great idea for a miniseries,” Dean said.
Dean received a grant from The Graham Foundation in South Carolina to produce her documentary and set out on her first journey as a screenwriter, producer and director.
Her first challenge was trying to figure out how to condense such a long and complicated
About the Author
The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.
Gist, a trusted messenger between settlers and Cherokee.
Reed and Easler came highly recommended from Dean’s assistant director/producer Chris Weatherhead, who had cast them both in “All for Liberty” — another American Revolution film she produced. Several casting directors advised Dean that the role of Dragging Canoe would be challenging to cast — and they were right.
“I really wanted to cast a Cherokee for the part of Dragging Canoe, but I just couldn’t find anyone with acting experience,” she said.
After exhausting all possibilities on the East Coast, Dean found Proudstar, an Arizonabased actor who has appeared in many films about American Indians.
“I
think we have a generation
Nadia Dean was born in Columbia, South Carolina. Her Lebanese father and American mother introduced her to a cross-cultural life. From Baghdad, where her father had worked for the U.S. State Department, Dean and her family evacuated at the start of the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1975, Nadia fled Beirut amid heavy artillery fire during Lebanon’s civil war.
At the University of South Carolina, she became a media arts major with an emphasis in photography and film. In Jerusalem, Dean worked as still photographer for the highly controversial PBS film “Days of Rage.” Her photographs of the Palestinian Intifada in 1988 were published in Time magazine,
story into a 37-minute film. The script was based on letters written by each of the men portrayed in the film since Dean’s goal was to stay as close to the book as possible. Because of the tight budget, she chose to tell the story using Chautauqua — a performance style in which actors address the camera directly to provide the story. The style allows for the suspension of belief necessary for dramas while also providing the educational component of documentaries — so a docudrama was born.
With three characters and a narrator telling the story, Dean created a classic Greek tragedy without even realizing it. After all, Cameron’s loyal virtue also proved to be his fatal flaw. He served as a British agent to the Cherokee, he lived among the Cherokee, built his home and
In Washington, D.C., Dean became a daily news correspondent reporting from the White House and the State Department for Emirates Dubai Television. As a member of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives news galleries, she produced daily news for Middle East Broadcasting covering U.S.-Middle East foreign policy. Special reports included an interview with Secretary of State Warren Christopher, and for the CNN World Report, a story about Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown’s mysterious death.
Dean had previously earned an FAA Commercial/Instrument Pilot license, which added insight to her coverage of the secretary’s plane crash. Najeeb Halaby, the father-in-law of Jordan’s King Hussein, inspired and mentored Nadia’s flight training career. In 1995, Halaby invited Dean to participate in Operation Peace Flight, the commemoration of the treaty between Jordan and Israel.
family with a Cherokee wife, was blood brothers with Cherokee warrior Dragging Canoe and was honored with the title of Beloved Man.
But ultimately, his attempts to prevent war between settlers and Cherokee failed and his trust among the Cherokee was ruined.
“What helped me in scriptwriting was the question, ‘How would I feel if everything I had done out of honor and duty backfired on me?’”
Dean said.
Dean’s second challenge was finding the right actors for the job. As a new director, it was important for her to find experienced actors to take on these important roles. David Reed was cast as Cameron, Jon Proudstar as Dragging Canoe, Michael Easler as Col. Williamson and Barrett Doyle as Nathanial
now that’s ready to embrace the kinds of stories that provoke questions that previous generations didn’t want to ask or answer.”
— Nadia Dean
A large portion of “Cameron” was shot in Historic Brattonsville in South Carolina where “The Patriot” was filmed. The town has a preserved plantation setting that closely resembles Cameron’s homestead. Other portions of the docudrama were shot at the Oconaluftee Village in Cherokee, Macon County and Wilderness Road State Park in Virginia.
BEHINDTHEMUSIC
Dean’s mother sat her down in front of a piano for the first time when she was just 7 years old. She took classical lessons for six years and would eventually go to Nashville to record a singer/songwriter album with dreams of making it big. Her agent was shopping for a record deal and had a promising bite from a label in California. Her music was heavily influenced by her father’s Lebanese heritage, which ended up hurting her musical career.
“But then 9/11 happened and the label said they weren’t interested in promoting an ArabAmerican artist,” Dean recalled. “I was devastated and depressed. I couldn’t write anymore so I sold my piano. But suddenly when I was researching the book 10 years later, I started hearing music again and started writing again.”
At the time she was writing the book and had no idea when or how she’d be able to use the instrumental pieces, but the sweeping and
Jon Proudstar plays the role of Cherokee warrior Dragging Canoe. Donated photo
Nadia Dean
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
It’s all about what you’re willing to sacrifice.
While in search of your dreams, those who go the distance often find themselves at crossroads after crossroads, where one must either go left, go right, or simply turn back and return to square one.
For The DuPont Brothers, it’s about an unrelenting work ethic day-in-and-day-out to get to where they need to go, which is a stable artistic lifestyle that’s not only financial stable, but also creatively bountiful.
And through their three or so years together, brothers Zack and Sam have taken their Burlington, Vermont-based Americana/folk act up and down the Eastern Seaboard. From small town back alley bars to large cosmopolitan stages, and seemingly every spot in-between, the duo had a game plan from the start — keep playing, keep pushing, all while never forgetting that every single night is a chance for melodic beauty.
It’s about original, honest wordplay floating over finely tuned finger picking, an ambiance created with such ease and comfort while in their presence. It’s a formula that con-
tinually brings the siblings to the next crossroads, another intersection on the journey of life that they not only are willing to take a chance on, but also are armed with the talents and vigor of those destined for greatness.
Garret K. Woodward: You have a new record out, “A Riddle For You.”
Zack DuPont: The album was the collaboration between us, our producer Michael Chorney, and a handpicked cast of Vermont musicians. All of these different brains and tastes really shaped the sound of the record and presented the songs in a way that we just couldn’t have found on our own. Michael was such a huge influence in shaping the sonic character of the album. We trust and respect him deeply as a musician, producer and songwriter and that made for a very strong platform to get the songs the attention they needed to reach their potential. “A Riddle For You” preserves the vulnerability of our duo roots and enhances it with other voices within the music. It’s a very steady evolution of our sound, not a 180 by any means. Collaboration with other musi-
cians is a newly discovered tool for us and we’re not looking back for now. We’re touring with a bigger sound and more band members and it feels fresher than ever.
GKW: Is there a central theme with the record?
Sam DuPont: It’s a pretty broad album as far as ideas and concepts go. The tunes cover a wide range of topics touching on relationship tensions, homage to family and friends, to finding our place in the music industry. These songs are very much a result of us experiencing the same reality together on and off the road. That time had a way of bringing us right back down to earth and will continue to do so for years to come. When we listen to the record we’re just
proud to be where we are. The album tells our story as a growing independent act from a neutral and raw perspective.
GKW: The DuPont Brothers. It’s a viable thing these days, from humble beginnings to a trustworthy workhorse these days. How has the focus of the group shifted or evolved?
HOT PICKS
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The 7th annual “Concerts on the Creek” series will host Whitewater Bluegrass Company (Americana/bluegrass) 7 p.m. Friday, June 17, at the Bridge Park Pavilion in Sylva.
ZD: When we first started out, we just hit the road to play any and every show we could. There’s nothing better than repetition with close observations for a young band. You have to let your guard down to get better at what your doing and be open to asking yourself questions that you might not like the answers to at first. Egos aside, the songs, albums and performances are pieces of work, and as such need to be fine tuned to reach their potential. I think that refined awareness of what we’re doing and how we’re presenting it has created a much more interesting live show and record. There’s more tension and release in the tunes. More risks and energy, and our audiences are feeling it with us. It’s a very exciting time.
The Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 17-18 in downtown Franklin.
The Kelsey-Hutchinson Park “Low Country Shrimp Boil” will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the park in Highlands.
Renowned bluegrass band Mountain Faith will perform from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Bloemsma Barn in Franklin.
The Front Street Arts & Crafts Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 18, in downtown Dillsboro.
Want to go?
Americana/folk act The DuPont Brothers will be performing at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. They will also play at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at The Altamont Theatre in Asheville. For more information on the band, tickets, or to purchase their new album, click on www.dupontbrothersmusic.com or www.38main.com or www.thealtamont.com.
Do
GKW: What have you learned by taking The DuPont Brothers on the road nonstop seemingly for the last few years? What are you learning about achieving your dreams as musicians in modern day 21st century America?
ZD: You hope to see growth within the act as artists and human beings when touring as much as we have been. When I say growth, I mean real growth — the kind that usually surfaces through trials and tribulations. True tests of character, both personal and musical, coupled with evolution, are within the art. Life on the road as an independent band is a wondrous and humbling existence. The more time we spend building this group the more we realize that longevity and the preservation of our artistic vision is key. There’s a freedom within this path that fodders the innocence of creativity in our youthful spirits. That fascination has to be appropriately nurtured along the way to keep the songs fresh and motivations pure.
On the beat
Marianna to host Americana
Traditional music act William Ritter & Sarah Ogletree will play at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.
The couple met as students while attending Appalachian State University and has been playing traditional music together for over five years. In 2015, they played Merlefest and released a self-titled album.
The free performance will be held outside, weather permitting. Otherwise, it will be moved inside to the auditorium.
828.488.3030.
Jackson library presents Americana
Americana act The Maggie Valley Band will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday June 23, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Hailing from Haywood County, sisters Whitney and Caroline Miller grew up in a home where playing the piano was a daily requirement. The band showcases a variety of traditional bluegrass instruments with a modern twist.
Each member grew up listening to and taking in the styles of various musicians rang-
ing from The Stanley Brothers to Simon & Garfunkel, with inspirations from The Band, and more local artists like Rising Appalachia, yet adding their own personal style. This program is free and open to the public. The event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. www.fontanalib.org.
Bluegrass at ‘Concerts on the Creek’
The seventh annual “Concerts on the Creek” series will host Whitewater Bluegrass Company (Americana/bluegrass)
7 p.m. Friday, June 17, at the Bridge Park Pavilion in Sylva.
Other shows are as follows: Terri Lynn Queen & The Stingers (rock) June 24, Dashboard Blue (rock) July 1, Colby Deitz Band (Americana) July 8, Robertson Boys (bluegrass) July 15, PMA (reggae/rock) July 22, Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) July 29, Buchanan Boys (rock) Aug. 5, Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana) Aug. 12, Porch 40 (rock/funk) Aug. 19, surprise band on Aug. 26, and Erica Nicole (country) Sept. 2. Concerts are free, with donations accepted. Chairs and blankets are allowed. www.mountainlovers.com or 828.586.2155.
Franklin welcomes Gaither singer
Acclaimed Christian performer David Phelps will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.
Phelps is the vocalist, songwriter, and vocal arranger well known for singing tenor in the Gaither Vocal Band. In 1994, Phelps released his first solo album. Since then, he has released 14 solo albums, two compilation albums, and contributed to 17 Gaither Vocal Band albums. He has also contributed to recordings by various other artists including Larry Gatlin, Mark Lowry, and Michael English. His latest album, “Freedom,” was released last year and topped the charts.
In 2009, Phelps joined the Gaither Vocal Band. He continues to tour with the group and has been featured in more than 30 Gaither Homecoming videos. Through all this, Phelps has continued to focus on his solo work. He has received both Grammy and Dove Awards and has had several platinum-selling projects. Some of his hits include, “The Power Of The Dream,” “There Is A Fountain,” and “We Shall Behold Him.”
Tickets start at $22.
www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.
• Andrews Brewing Company will host Wyatt Espalin (singer-songwriter) 6 p.m. June 17, The Colby Deitz Band (Americana/bluegrass) 7 p.m. June 18, Heidi Holton (blues/folk) 6 p.m. June 24 and The Liz Nance Trio (Americana) 7 p.m. June 25. All shows are free. www.andrewsbrewing.com.
ALSO:
• Apple Creek Café (Waynesville) will host an evening of piano music on Fridays and jazz on Saturdays. Events are free and run from 6 to 9 p.m. 828.456.9888 or www.applecreekcafe.com.
• BearWaters Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host Calvin Get Down (funk/soul) 8 p.m. June 24. 828.246.0602 or www.bwbrewing.com.
• The Bryson City Train Depot concert series will host Juniper (Celtic/folk) June 18 and Lonesome Sound (bluegrass/Americana) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 6:30 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.
• City Lights Café (Sylva) will host flutist Matthew Tooni at 1 p.m. June 18. His music focuses on Cherokee culture, history and storytelling. 828.586.9499.
• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host The Hope Griffin Duo (Americana/pop) June 17, Joe Cruz (piano/pop) June 18, Jay Brown (blues/folk) June 24 and Traditional
Jazz Night” with The Jazz Cats June 25. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.
• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host a Crawfish Boil with Eric’s Fish Market and live music at 5 p.m. June 18. 828.631.4795.
• Derailed Bar & Lounge (Bryson City) will have music at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.488.8898.
• The “Friday Night Live” concert series at the Town Square in Highlands will host the Mountain Dulcimer Group (bluegrass) June 17 and Johnny Webb Band (country) June 24. Both shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.highlandschamber.org.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host The Bearded (country/bluegrass) 7 p.m. June 17, Mark Keller (singer-songwriter) 9 p.m. June 24 and Ben Morgan & Stephens (Americana) 7 p.m. June 25. All shows are free. 828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night June 15 and 22, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo June 16 and 23. All events begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Zorki (acoustic/folk) June 18 and Greg Clinton (jazz/rock) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.
David Reed plays the part of Alexander Cameron in Nadia Dean’s docudrama about the Cherokee War of 1776. Donated photo
CAMERON, CONTINUEDFROM 28
dramatic arrangements fit perfectly in the “Cameron” docudrama.
“That’s just part of the creative process — you don’t know where it’s going,” Dean said. “There was a divine presence with me and I just trusted that instinct. We recorded 11 pieces and used eight of them on the soundtrack.”
The song “Death Awaits” plays in the film as Cameron is hiding away in his cabin waiting to be captured by the rebels. Dean said the process of writing the song really helped her access the emotions she imagined Cameron was experiencing, which in turn made the story more engaging.
“I just sat at the piano and played for seven minutes straight and recorded it. My producer cut it down to five minutes — I never even learned it,” Dean recalled. “He scored it for me and did all the instrumentation on it.”
The song that brought Dean the most joy was “The Place of the New Green,” which is a more hopeful melody representing how Cameron must have felt arriving in this part of the country and feeling right at home in the mountains that are so similar to Scotland.
“I heard the song in a dream and jumped out of bed to get to the piano before I forgot it,” Dean said.
STILLMORETOTELL
As the old saying goes, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Dean says there are many parallel themes when comparing the events surrounding the Cherokee War and the American Revolution and the issues facing the nation today.
“I think the winds of change were emerging after the war — the king was raising taxes to pay for the war and the people felt like the king reached over their heads and over the local government,” Dean said. “… We’re hearing a lot of the same kinds of feelings in people today — this overreach of government and burdensome taxation.”
The docudrama has already received recognition at one of the largest film festivals
Go see it
A public screening of ‘Cameron’ — a 37-minute docudrama based on the historic narrative A Demand of Blood –The Cherokee War of 1776 written by Nadia Dean — will be hosted by the Western Waters Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at The Strand at 38 Main in downtown Waynesville.
For groups who would like to host a viewing of “Cameron,” contact Valley River Media at 828.564.1117.
B LUE W HEEL D RIVE
Saturday, June 18 • 7 p.m. • Tickets $10
“What helped me in scriptwriting was the question, ‘How would I feel if everything I had done out of honor and duty backfired on me?’”
— Nadia Dean
in the country. Dean won the Platinum REMI Award for directing a historic short at the Houston WorldFest. She also plans to enter the film into the Sundance Film Festival.
Dean hopes “Cameron” will spur interest into making A Demand of Blood into a mini series. She has some promising leads, but can’t release any details at this time.
However, if a larger project does come to fruition, Dean assures that she will continue to be involved in telling the story. With her extensive, original research, Dean is probably the only one knowledgeable enough to keep the story authentic.
In the meantime, she is working on another book called, “Wisdom of Dragging Canoe,” which explores some of those present-day issues that were prophesized by the Cherokee warrior even before the American Revolution.
Blue Wheel Drive is an energetic and modern hard-driving bluegrass band based out of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina. Blue Wheel Drive’s new CD recording features all original songs with hot instrumentals and tight harmonies. Blue Wheel Drive's music is decidedly new, while staying true to the traditional music stylings of their first generation bluegrass heroes.
After a 2 year stint working for bluegrass fiddle legend, Bobby Hicks, Blue Wheel Drive moved on to their own style of bluegrass, showcasing memorable lyrics and melodies with dynamics and punch. Blue Wheel Drive's debut release is emerging as one of the best new bluegrass CDs with all original songs written by band members. You won't be disappointed.
MOUNTAIN FAITHTOPLAY FRANKLIN
Renowned bluegrass band Mountain Faith will perform from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Bloemsma Barn in Franklin. The show will benefit the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center. Tickets are $35 per person, $25 per child ages 6-12. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 828.349.3200 or visit www.smpccpartners.com.
• The Oconaluftee Visitor Center (Cherokee) will host a back porch old-time music jam from 1 to 3 p.m. June 18. All are welcome to come play or simply sit and listen to sounds of Southern Appalachia.
• Mad Anthony’s Bottle Shop & Beer Garden (Waynesville) will host Round The Fire (Grateful Dead tribute) June 17, Helena Hunt (singer-songwriter) June 18, Heidi Holton (blues/folk) June 23 and The Brothers Gillespie (Americana) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. 828.246.9249.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will hold community music jam from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 16. Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. Free. 828.488.3030.
ALSO:
• Nantahala Brewing Company (Bryson City) will host The Dirty Badgers (blues/punk) June 18, Positive Mental Attitude (rock/reggae) June 24 and Jive Mother Mary (rock) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.nantahalabrewing.com.
• The Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City) will host Brushfire Stankgrass (Americana/fusion) June 17, The Pioneer Chicken Stand Band (folk/rock) June 18, Wyatt Espalin & Trees Leave (Americana/bluegrass) June 24 and The Whiskey Sticks (folk/rock) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.noc.com.
• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Tail Light Rebellion (folk/outlaw) June 17, Rye Baby (Americana/bluegrass) June 18, Porch 40 (funk/rock) with The Dirty Soul Revival (blues/rock) June 24 ($3 cover), and J.B. Beverly & Hunter Grigg (Americana/blues) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nonamesportspub.com.
• The “Pickin’ On The Square” concert series will continue with The Taste of Scotland celebration June 18 and Frogtown (bluegrass) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. A community jam begins at 6:30 p.m. www.franklinnc.com or 828.524.2516.
• The Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Heidi Holton (blues/folk) June 18, Gary Carter (singer-songwriter) June 24 and Gary Allan (singer-songwriter) June 25. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.
• The Rendezvous at Maggie Valley Inn will host Stone Crazy Band (classic rock, pop) from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at the poolside tiki bar. Free. 828.926.0201.
• Sagebrush Steakhouse (Canton) will host Mile High Band (rock) June 21 and Kim Smith (singer-songwriter) June 28. All shows begin at 7 p.m. 828.646.3750.
• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with Mile High (rock) at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Andrew Rickman (rock/acoustic) will also perform on Saturdays. All events begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
• Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company (Sapphire) will host a jazz brunch with Tyler Kittle & Friends from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sundays. 828.743.0220.
‘An Appalachian Evening’ welcomes Kruger Brothers
Celebrating its 17th season, “An Appalachian Evening,” a weekly bluegrass/Americana summer concert series, will return with The Kruger Brothers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in Robbinsville.
The 2016 series will also include Buncombe Turnpike (July 2), Front Country (July 9), Mac Arnold (July 16), The Snyder Family (July 23), Balsam Range (July 30), Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (Aug. 6), The Walking Roots Band (Aug. 13), The Jeff Little Trio (Aug. 20) and Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen (Aug. 27).
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.stecoahvalleycenter.com or 828.479.3364.
‘Groovin’ on the Green’ finds its roots
The “Groovin’ on the Green” concert series will host The Bo Spring Band (folk/roots) at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 17, at The Village Green in Cashiers.
Other performs include Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’Blues (rock/blues) June 24, Jackson Taylor Band (country/rock) July 1, Hurricane Creek (rock/blues) July 8, Colby Deitz Band (Americana/bluegrass) July 22,
Miss Kitty & The Big City (pop/rock) July 29, Erica Nicole (pop/country) Aug. 5, The Buchanan Boys (country/rock) Aug. 12, Julie Gribble (Americana) Aug. 19, Rockell Scott (pop/piano) Aug. 26 and Hurricane Creek (rock/blues) Sept. 2.
All shows are free and open to the public. www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.
• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Jimandi at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays, “Funky Friday” with Bud Davis at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Isaish Breedlove (Americana) at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.
ALSO:
• The “Saturday’s on the Pine” concert series at Kelsey Hutchinson Park in Highlands will host Goldie & The Screamers (soul) June 18 and Joe Lasher Jr. (country/rock) June 25. Both shows are free and begin at 6 p.m.
• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host The Freeway Revival (rock/jam) at 8 p.m. June 25. There will also be a “Funk to What?” open jam every Thursday. All events begin at 8 p.m. 828.586.6440.
• Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro (Sylva) will host a jazz evening with the Tyler Kittle & Michael Colling Duo (with special guests) every other Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. with the next performance on June 21. www.soulinfusion.com or 828.586.1717.
• Southern Porch (Canton) will host David Teague (bluegrass) June 14, Heidi Holton (blues/folk) June 16, 3000 Souls (Southern rock) June 17, Ain’t Nothing Much (Americana) June 23 and Jesse Stephens &
Ben Morgan (acoustic/singer-songwriter) June 24. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. 828.492.8006 or www.facebook.com/southernkitchenkandd.
• The Stompin’ Ground (Maggie Valley) is now open for live mountain music and clogging at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 828.926.1288.
• Tipping Point Brewing (Waynesville) will host Cricket Creek Gypsies (Americana) June 17 and Chalwa (roots/rock) June 24. Both shows are free and start at 9 p.m. 828.246.9230.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host a “Bluegrass Mix-Up” night at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and a “jazz night” with Tyler Kittle & Friends at 6 p.m. on Fridays. 828.743.3000.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host a weekly Appalachian music night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays with Nitrograss. 828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com.
• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host Kevin Fuller (Americana/folk) June 17, Tail Light Rebellion (folk/outlaw) June 18, J.B. Beverly & Hunter Grigg (Americana/blues) June 24 and Positive Mental Attitude (rock/reggae) June 25. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 828.456.4750.
The Kruger Brothers.
The Bo Spring Band.
Franklin celebrates Scottish heritage
The Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 1718 in downtown Franklin.
“North Carolina has more residents of Scottish heritage than any other state in the union,” said Doug Morton, event chairman. “In fact, North Carolina has more Scots than Scotland. This festival and supporting events is a sampler of everything Scottish. We have a great weekend planned sure to be enjoyed by every member of the family.”
Patrons of the event will be able to sample traditional Scottish foods, see demonstrations of the Highland Games, shop for authentic Scottish attire, tour the nearby Scottish Tartans Museum, and hear plenty
• The ceremonial Cherokee bonfires will run from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Oct. 1 Spend an evening with the Cherokee people by a roaring fire. Listen as Cherokee storytellers in period dress from the 17th century spin tales of days gone by, myths and mysteries passed down through the ages and talk of the history. Learn Cherokee survival skills and experience the dance. Your hosts will provide light refreshments, which include marshmallows for roasting and drinks. Guests sit by the fire near the Oconaluftee riverside enjoying a unique and entertaining experience. The events are free and open to the public. www.visitcherokeenc.com.
• The High Mountain Squares will host their “All Singing Calls Dance” from 6:15 to 8:45
of Scottish/Celtic music. Performances will include Def Leprechaun, Juniper Trio, The Jacobites By Name, and more.
A clan dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Tartan Hall in Franklin. The buffet style meal is $20 per adult, $10 for children ages 12 and under.
The Ruby Cinema and the Scottish Tartans Museum are partnering to present three movies during the Scottish Film Fest at 10 a.m. Friday, June 17, at the cinema. Jean Hayes will welcome people with her bagpipe music. “Macbeth,” “Braveheart” and a children’s action movie will be screened. The cost is $5. Children will be given a Scottish flag to take home. This is a fundraiser for the Scottish Tartans Museum. The ticket profits will go to the museum.
The Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival is sponsored by the Town of Franklin, Franklin Tourism Development Authority, Macon County Tourism Development Committee and Franklin Merchants. www.tasteofscotlandfestival.org or 727.424.8901.
Join Cataloochee’s ‘Way Back When’ dinner
The “Way Back When” trout dinner will continue at 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.
The dinner showcases a recreation meal, music, storytelling and atmosphere of a 1930s Appalachian trout camp. Enjoy a wagon ride across the ranch property amid the authentic re-creation of Mr. Tom and Miss Judy Alexander’s first fishing camp.
Cost is $39.95 per person, plus tax and gratuity. The dinner will also be held July 15 and 29, Aug. 12 and 26, and Sept. 2 and 16.
To RSVP, call 828.926.1401 or 800.868.1401 or www.cataloocheeranch.com.
p.m. Friday, June 17, at the Macon County Community Building in Franklin. Jim Duncan will be the caller. Western Style Square Dancing, mainstream and plus levels. All skill levels welcomed. 828.371.4946 or 828.342.1560 or 828.332.0001 or www.highmountainsquares.com.
• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host a car and bike show to benefit the Western Carolina University Student Veterans Association from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 18. 828.586.6440.
• A magic show with Professor Whizzpop will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Canton Public Library. He will also perform at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 23, at the Waynesville Public Library; and at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. For adults and teens.
Highlands holds ‘Low Country Shrimp Boil’
The Kelsey-Hutchinson Park “Low Country Shrimp Boil” will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the park in Highlands.
Sponsored by the Friends of Founders Park. The event is a fundraiser to complete the Monument Garden, Sitting Fountain, and Historic Fireplace. The $50 per person tickets will include a low country boil dinner and three drinks (including beer or wine). Tickets are available at Chamber of Commerce, The Dry Sink, and online at www.founderparkhighlands.org. There will also be live music from Goldie & the Screamers (soul). www.highlandschamber.org.
‘Women’s Work’ event at Oconaluftee
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host the annual “Women’s Work Festival” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Mountain Farm Museum in the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
This festival honors the vast contributions made by the women of Southern Appalachian and showcases lifeways that women used to keep their families going in the late nineteenth and early 20th century.
As part of the celebration, demonstrations among the historic buildings will include hearth cooking, soap making, cornshuck crafts, and sewing. Exhibits of artifacts and historic photographs will also provide a glimpse into the many and varied roles of
rural women. The Davis-Queen house will be open for visitors to walk through with an audio exhibit featuring the last child born in the house. This event provides families with a chance not only to see into the past, but also participate, through hands-on activities of traditional Southern Appalachia. In addition to the Women’s Work Festival activities, visitors will also be treated to a music jam session on the porch of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Music jam sessions are held every first and third Saturday of the month on the porch from 1 to 3 p.m.
All activities are free to the public. The Mountain Farm Museum is located on Newfound Gap Road adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, two miles north of Cherokee. 828.497.1904.
www.themagictomshow.com.
• The Glenville Area Historical Society’s “An Olde Fashioned Ice Cream Social” will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Metz Family Historic Cabin. Follow the balloons at the Blue Ridge Storage entrance on N.C. 107. Enjoy ice cream and learn about the history of Glenville. Rain or shine. All welcome. 828.743.1658.
• A bingo night will run at 5:45 p.m. on Thursdays through Sept. 1 at the Maggie Valley Pavilion. Cash prizes and concessions by Moonshine Grill. Sponsored by the Maggie Valley Civic Association. 828.926.7630.
• A town wide garage sale will from held on June 25 at the Cruso Community Center. To set up a table, call 828.400.7323 or 828.235.9354.
• A wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. June 18 and 25 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. $5 per person. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.586.6300.
• A free wine tasting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. June 18 and 25 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.
• A wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. June 18 and 25 at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Free with dinner ($15 minimum). 828.452.6000.
• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.
“OMG What Fried Chicken!”
5 of 5 stars
"Heard about this from a local and so glad we went. This is a no frills restaurant with excellent service and food. Best fried chicken I've ever had!"
“Fantastic Fried Chicken”
5 of 5 stars
“My wife and I both agree, this was the best friend chicken we've had in a very long time. Excellent seasoning along with just the right amount of "juiciness" made for a very fine meal! The staff was very friendly & accommodating even through we arrived just before closing. We look forward to a return visit.”
“Dinner for 200”
4 of 5 stars
"We had a dinner here for 200 people family style. It was so good. Amazing fried chicken! Everything was good, not 1 complaint. Great service!"
Art, craft festival in Dillsboro
The Front Street Arts & Crafts Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 18, in downtown Dillsboro.
The event will showcase some of the best regional artisans. Over 50 booths will display the handmade craftsmanship of fine artists and fine crafters, with the sounds of family entertainment and the aroma of great festival food wafting on the breeze.
There will also be live music and clogging acts from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Food vendors will be onsite.
828.586.3511 or www.visitdillsboro.org.
Grants available for artists
The Jackson County Art Council Board of Directors is currently offering Grassroots Sponsorships to organizations in all cultural disciplines through a competitive application and review process.
In order to receive a sponsorship, organizations must engage highly qualified artists. Activities that will be funded include performances, exhibitions, and artist residencies in schools, classes, workshops, festivals, after school arts programs, and art camps.
The JCAC is the NCAC Grassroots Designated partner for funding art programs in Jackson County. It has for many years been a source of sub-grant funds that supported local organizations in offering high-quality arts programs benefiting a broad cross-section of the county’s citizens of all ages.
Contact the Jackson County Arts Council for sponsorship applications at info@jacksoncountyarts.org or 828.507.9820. The deadline for applying will be June 30.
On the wall
Cullowhee features arts and crafts festival
Several of the top artisans and crafters in the Southeast will display their goods at the 27th annual Mountain Artisans Summertime Fine Art & Crafts Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 25-26 in the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University.
The two-day event features more than 100 exhibitors, authentic hand crafters who carry on the Southern Appalachian tradition of arts and crafts. The items displayed for sale include fine art, woodworking, pottery, weavings, paintings, blacksmith items and gourd art. Heritage crafts such as shaker brooms, pine needle baskets and folk dolls are available, along with quilted wall hangings and heirloom fabric items.
Admission is $4.50 for adults, with children under age 12 admitted free. 828.524.3405 or www.mountainartisans.net or www.mountainlovers.com.
Talk about art, honeybees
In conjunction with its latest show, “Pollinate, Propagate & Cultivate,” the Haywood County Arts Council will host a talk by local artist Melba Cooper at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at the arts council in Waynesville.
Cooper will talk about the plight of the honeybee and how they inspire her work. She is an artist and arts educator whose current paintings come to life through cold wax and oil, which means the bees are, quite literally, in the paintings.
Some of Cooper’s work is currently on display in the gallery in accompaniment with this talk, and additional works can be viewed at www.melbacooper.com. www.haywoodarts.org.
Plein air painting exhibit at Arts Council
The Haywood County Arts Council, Haywood County Extension Service and Master Gardeners invite the public to a special exhibit of plein air paintings from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at the arts council in Waynesville.
During the 2016 Garden Tour on June 18, local artists will be painting in plein air, inspired by the beauty of the gardens on this year’s Tour. The Haywood County Arts Council will host a mini-exhibit of these works. Come view these pieces, have snacks, and talk to the artists about their works.
For more information about the June 18 Garden Tour, call the Haywood County Extension Service at 828.456.3575. www.haywoodarts.org.
On the wall
• Paint Nite Waynesville will be held at 7 p.m. on Fridays at the Panacea Coffeehouse. Grab a cup of coffee, glass of wine or pint of craft beer and get creative. $20 per person. Group rates available. Sign up at Panacea or call host Robin Smathers at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.
works from the potter’s collection and chat with these talented artists as they create on the wheel and share their unique styles. Ed & Kari McIlvaine will be featured on June 24. 828.736.1605 or info@wildfernstudios.com.
641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC
641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC
(3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse)
(3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse)
828-456-HAUS (4287)
828-456-HAUS (4287)
509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC
509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC
(Located in the NAPA Auto Parts Center)
(Located in the NAPA Auto Parts Center)
828-586-HAUS (4287)
828-586-HAUS (4287)
HOMETOWN DIGESTIVE CARE
Heartburn. Abdominal pain. Time to see a doctor?
Haywood Regional Medical Center’s gastroenterology services are your answer to hometown digestive care. Filiberto Colon, M.D., Henry Nathan, M.D., Paul Levy, M.D. and the experienced staff at Mountain Medical Associates are experts in treating a broad range of conditions that affect the digestive system and liver. Specialties include colon cancer screenings, and diagnosing liver disease and Crohn’s disease. Both physicians are board certified gastroenterologists who live in Haywood County. That means you’re getting quality GI care from those who know you best.
• The “Stecoah Artisans Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 24-25 in and around Bryson City, Robbinsville and Stecoah. Attendees visit and explore numerous galleries and artisans. www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. June 16 and 23 at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City. A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 828.538.2054.
• There will be a “Raku Beadmaking” workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. June 16-17 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 18 at Riverwood Pottery in Dillsboro. Cost is $120 per person. 828.586.3601 or www.riverwoodpottery.com.
ALSO:
• The High Country Quilt Guild will hold a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the First Methodist Church in Waynesville. Jane Cole has been teaching quilt making for 20 years and is a member of the Southern Highland Quilt Guild. She will give a presentation on “Scrappy Quilts.” Newcomers welcome.
• A Quilling Craft Class with instructor and paper artist Lawrie Williams will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Jackson County Extension Office in Sylva. Quilling or paper filigree is an ancient art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs that’s fun and easy to learn. This class is for both beginner and seasoned quillers. You will leave class with completed quilled cards and gift tags embellished with your quilled art. Bring your own quilling tools if you have them, if not all materials and tools will be supplied for class, as well as available for purchase for anyone who wants to continue their quilling at home. To register, call 828.586.4009. Cost is $6. A light lunch of fresh farm egg salad sandwiches will be provided.
• There will be a jewelry and wine night from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Maggie Valley Town Center. B&C Winery and QuartzyOne Studio are teaming up for the event. $30 per person. Small finger food platter included. To reserve a spot, call 828.550.3610 or 828.944.0745.
• The Potter’s Wheel series will feature Susan Easton from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at The Wild Fern in Bryson City. The Wild Fern is hosting several local potters at the studio throughout the year. Stop by to see
• The Macon County Senior Center’s watercolor class will have works on display during the month of June at the Macon County Public Library. There will be an artist reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the library. reesaboyce@gmail.com.
ARTSANDCRAFTSSHOW IN HIGHLANDS
The Village Square Arts & Crafts Show will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 1819 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park in Highlands. Live music, vendors, and more. Sponsored by the Macon County Art Association. 828.787.2021 or www.highlandschamber.org.
• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. An afternoon of creativity and camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own. Beginners are welcome as well as those who already enjoy this new trend. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 828.524.3600.
• “Stitch,” the community gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.
• The films “Hail, Caesar” (June 16), “Eddie the Eagle” (June 17), “Zootopia” (June 18), “Brothers Grimsby” (June 23) and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” (June 24) will be screened at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Fridays; and 2 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays. All screenings are free. www.madbatterfoodfilm.com.
• The “Movies on Everett” summer film series will screen “Big Hero 6” June 17 and “Despicable Me” June 24. All films are free and start at 8:30 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.
Filiberto Colon, M.D.Henry Nathan, M.D. Paul Levy, M.D.
On the stage
Smith to perform Rash works
As part of the 2016 Adult Summer Reading Program: “Celebrating Appalachian Arts,” local actress Barbara Bates Smith will appear in a performance of Ron Rash’s works at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at the Waynesville Library.
“A Rash of Stories” will be presented by Smith and musical accompanist Jeff Sebens. The varied selections — humorous and tender as well as suspenseful — have been adapted by Smith from Rash’s short stories “Lincolnites,” “Burning Bright,” “Casualties and Survivors,” and “The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth.”
Based at Western Carolina University, Rash has won the Frank O’Connor International Award, two O’Henry prizes, and was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner award for his stories. Two of his novels have been
made into films — The World Made Straight and his New York Times bestseller Serena. This event is free and open to all and is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. www.barbarabatessmith.com.
Chekhov-based comedy at HART
The comedy production of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. June 17-18, 24-25, 30 and July 12, and also at 2 p.m. June 19, 26 and July 3 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
It opened on Broadway in 2013 and starred David Hyde Pierce and Sigourney Weaver. Rave reviews made it one of the season’s most successful plays and when award time came along it won the Tony Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk
Award and the Theatre World Award for Best Play.
Vanya and Sonia and Masha are siblings, whose parents were community theater actors who loved the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and named their children after his characters. The children have grown up with the personalities of the characters they were named for and Masha, a movie star, has returned home with her boy toy, Spike.
Special discount tickets are available for the Thursday performances and special discount tickets are also available for all performances for students. To make reservations, call 828.456.6322 or visit www.harttheatre.org.
‘MASTEROFTHE MIND’ COMESTO HIGHLANDS
“Master of the Mind” magician Guy Bavli will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center in Highlands. Bavli has performed at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas for three years and was the star of NBC’s hit series “Phenomenon.” For tickets, visit www.highlandspac.org or call 828.526.9047.
ALSO:
• The Unto These Hills outdoor drama will run at 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday through Aug. 13 at the Mountainside Theater in Cherokee. General admission tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-12 and free for children under age 5. Reserved tickets also available. 866.554.4557 or www.visitcherokenc.com.
• A stage production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare’s ‘Abridged and Revised’” will be performed by Western Carolina University Road Works at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the
Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. It will also be performed at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The show features three actors — WCU students Sarina Montgomery in the role of Daniel, Sarah Luckadoo as Jess, and Libby Rounds as Adam — for all 37 Plays in one sitting. www.fontanalib.org.
• “Chicago — The Musical” will be performed June 23-July 9 at the Highlands Playhouse. Tickets are $38 per person, $15 for children up to age 12. For complete show times and ticket information, visit www.highlandsplayhouse.com.
A new voice for Southern Appalachian fiction
To review a book or to write a “book review” is to pinpoint its particular presence and its peculiarities. To trap its transcendence of the time in which it takes place. And the time it reaches out to where the reader resides. It hopes to stop time in its tracks and expand it at the same time. Taking us to somewhere else.
moon was as blood. A line of fire traced against the flinging skies, and the burnt smell of it, its char, boldened him to turn his face to God”
Somewhere like a window we can look through and see the importance of this book — for better or worse.
In the case of Over the Plain Houses by Julia Franks, what we have is for the better. Better in every sense of the word. Better conception. Better creation. Better written. Better editing. In a book written about life in Madison County, North Carolina, in 1939, the author has created not only a living landscape familiar to anyone who might have lived in these Blue Ridge hills at that time, but a landscape of characters that caresses our imaginations to the point where imagination and reality become one.
Up in a cove, on a mountain farm not far from Marshall, a man and his wife and son have lived for many years. The man (Brodis) is a Pentecostal preacher. His wife (Irenie) is the daughter of the man from whom her husband has bought their farm. The son (Matthew) is intelligent and sensitive to the point of being out of place in this place with this set of parents.
Immediately at the book’s beginning, Irenie meets a young female agent who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is introduced, much to her delight, to an urban feminism as well as a modern form of femininity. This creates an eventual conflict in her marriage, which has already begun to go awry with her preacher husband and his apocalyptic fears and his literal interpretation and reverence for scripture. And from there the plot thickens and gets thicker still.
Instead of the usual brutally honest Appalachian noir scenario, Franks turns her story into a kind of psychological thriller that is, in fact, a mental chess-match between husband and wife. Culminating with a surprise “checkmate” at game’s end as Franks writes her quietly fused storyline, a kind of lurking silence, with an explosive finale. “The sun blackened like sackcloth of hair, and the
In Over the Plain Houses Julia Franks has added something new to Southern Appalachian fiction. It’s all about descriptive detail and dialogue. This book is long on detail and description, spare on dialogue. A winning combination. A savvy and welcome
Painted Horses by Malcomb Brooks. While these two books have totally different landscapes, both books are more akin to a symphony than a song.
In the following passage in the early goings of the book (which reminded me of my boyhood years over in Graham County, in Robbinsville, and living across the street from the Bemis Lumber Co. mill pond where we used to play), we flash back to an earlier time in Brodis’ life, which serves as a good example for the point I am trying to make as to Franks’ fluidity of style:
“The new-formed lake was a depthless gray, the statues of broken stumps protruding through its mist, a field of timber floating motionless on its surface. Bracket booms like stationary rafts channeled floating sticks toward the sluiceway. ‘Don’t do nothing else either.’ Dewey commenced unbuttoning his woolen shirt, and for a moment Brodis thought he was going to take a swim. Then he stepped onto a slanted rock and, without checking his pace, onto a peel-slick log. The wood dipped with his weight, but then he was in the middle, and then he’d already stepped onto a shebalsam. Now he footed from timber to timber, as nimble as strolling through a meadow in the morning gloom.”
This from a world where logging was a possible option for some and tobacco the county’s only real supporting economy — “as if all the growing world had put its energy into this one lurid plant.”
A little later on we find ourselves in the company of Irenie on the farm and doing her daily chores:
Railroad and a 1930s train ride with a desperate Irenie, who is both running from her past as well as her future.
Only to return again to Madison County and the book’s eventual grand finale as eloquently introduced on page 259 of the 270page book.
“The smithy’s shop was battened and still, though the place still leached a pent up heat, as if it too could never be cooled. The saw mill was closed, the conveyer empty, the rotary blades and steam engines silent, the great arm of the McGiffert loader motionless above the scene like the poised hand of God. Wood dust hung in the air, golden in the evening light.”
In a publisher’s interview with Julia Franks, she spoke of her background and her connections with the Southern Appalachians in general and North Carolina in particular, which explains much of the detailed descriptions of the environment in which her novel takes place. “I’ve actually moved around a lot, but my family roots are in the Carolinas and West Virginia. I also keep coming back to this part of the world. I’m pretty outdoorsy and it just feels like where I’m supposed to be. In 2008 my then husband and I bought a farm in western North Carolina. The old homestead built in 1865 was still standing. Pretty soon we found out that the lady who’d lived there had a husband who was a preacher — somewhat eccentric and notoriously rigid and who had a reputation for preaching fiery sermons. And these stories and details eventually found their way into my writing.”
strategy. What Franks gives us is a kind of antithetical brilliance reminiscent of, but opposite to, Harper Lee’s amazing talent for conversational fiction which is heavy with dialogue.
In fact, not since Cold Mountain, Cataloochee or Serena have I read such convincing and transporting Appalachian prose, where so much attention is paid to surroundings, landscapes. In Plain Houses, Franks’ characters stand amidst a landscape that is sometimes even more important than what they say or do. A sublime achievement. In some ways it puts me of a mind of another first novel released in the last year or so,
‘Coffee with the Poet’ welcomes Whitaker
“Irenie opened the springhouse door and stooped into the subterranean fog, the ancient cool of the stone creeping through her boots. It was a weak spring, but Matthew had built such a wide basin into the floor that it kept the temperature the same winter or summer, chatter-cold but never freezing. On the bottom shelf a block of butter hardened next to a bucket of milk and a pitcher of cream. On the upper shelves spilled the greens, the strawberries, rhubarb and peas. She cupped the bowl of peas against her hip and returned to the house.”
Eventually the story moves from Madison County to a copper mine and its codependent town in the mountains of Tennessee. Traveling by way of the Graham County
So move over guys, there’s a new girl just moved into the neighborhood. A 21st century Virginia Woolf who has a room of her own. A fragile feminist? An author-activist? No, just a damn good writer whom we will, no doubt, be hearing much more from in the future. She visits City Lights Bookstore in Sylva for a reading and discussion on the evening of June 25 and again on Aug. 18 for a special writers workshop hosted by the North Carolina Wilderness Society. Both events are open to all interested parties and are free of charge. Thomas Crowe is an author and a frequent book reviewer for the Smoky Mountain News. His most recent publication is a historical novel set in the Shaker community of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky in the 1840s entitled The Watcher (Like Sweet Bells Jangled). His books are available at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva and the Jackson County Library. He can be reached at newnativepress@hotmail.com
Sylva.
Over the Plain Houses by Julia Franks. Hub City Press, 2016. 270 pages.
Writer Thomas Crowe
Rathskeller hosts poetry night
An open-mic poetry event for adults will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at The Rathskeller CoffeeHaus & Pub in Franklin.
All area poets and lovers of poetry are invited to read or recite their original works, as well as share their favorite works by other poets in the Rathskeller’s relaxed, intimate atmosphere. No pre-registration is needed; participants will be given stage time on a first-come basis.
This event is produced by the Arts Council of Macon County, supported in part by the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.
arts4all@dnet.net or 828.524.ARTS.
Macon offers tweens and teens programs
The Macon Library is offering free events for tweens and teens in June and July, including Camp All Star as well as a Reading Contest for gift cards and other prizes. This year, the focus is on sports and fitness, and games of all kinds — outdoor group games, life-size games, board games, coding and video games. There will be special guests as well, including a magician, a personal trainer and a dietician, Cyber Realms gaming center, and more. Tween/Teen Summer Events are free and open to the public and offered to a wide age range from rising fifth-graders through collegeage — with some programs/events offered to adults as well.
Volunteer opportunities are also available. Tween/Teen Summer Events are already underway and end on July 28, with a Minute-To-Win-It Olympics Competition and prizes for everyone who participated in the Reading Contest. www.fontanalib.org/franklin.
Folk School welcomes Ledford, Bebe
The N.C. Writers Network West will sponsor The Literary Hour, a program of poetry and prose reading featuring Brenda Kay Ledford and Carolyn Bebe at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown.
Ledford is a seventh-generational native of Clay County. An honor graduate of Hayesville High School, she earned her Master of Arts in Education from Western Carolina University. She studied Journalism at the University of Tennessee and was editor of “Tri-County Communicator” at Tri-County Community College. She holds a diploma of highest honors from Stratford Career Institute in Creative Writing.
Ledford’s prose and poetry have appeared in many publications including Our State, Asheville Poetry Review, Chicken Soup for the Soul, North Carolina Civil War Museum, and 30 Old Mountain Press anthologies.
Bebe is a native of Mississippi. Many of her poems and stories are based on her recollections of conversations with her grandparents. She also has her own memories
in a small, rural town.
Pollinate, propagate, cultivate Go on tour
2016 garden tour to show off the best beds in Haywood
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER
When Sarah Scott first started work at Haywood County Cooperative Extension in February 2015, planning for the 2016 Haywood County Garden Tour was one of the first items to come across her desk. Untold hours of preparation later, the horticulture extension agent and horde of volunteers working with her are days away from showing hundreds of people the best of Haywood’s gardens.
“Haywood County has some very talented gardeners and some very beautiful gardens,” Scott said. “I enjoyed going out and seeing so many of them. It was terrible to have to choose only a few.”
The selection process was probably the hardest part of putting the event together, Scott said. There’s plenty of cultivated greenery to be found in Haywood, but the planning crew worked to whittle down the list to the few gardens that best epitomized this year’s theme — “Pollinate, Propagate, Cultivate.”
Pollinators — creatures like bees, hummingbirds and butterflies that spread pollen from plant to plant — are vital for the success of all kinds of plants. The tour will focus on gardens that welcome pollinator species with
nectar to eat and habitats to rest.
“They’re important because they’re beautiful and we like having them as visitors in our garden, but that’s also how we get food, how we get the plants we eat,” Scott said.
The tour will feature an apple orchard, a beekeeping operation, several gardens catering to monarch butterflies, profusions of flowers and plenty of vegetable gardens. The goal is that the experiences visitors take home with them will inspire them to do their own part
for the pollinators. Various educational experiences are integrated into the tour, such as demonstrations of tree grafting and plant propagation. Plein air artists — 16 of them — will be set up at each of the gardens to paint what they see.
“We try to keep things interesting so not only are they touring the gardens, but they’re learning something while they’re there,” Scott said.
It’s been a long road to the finish line, but
Meet the gardens
The Haywood County Garden Tour will feature six spots carefully selected for their beauty and adherence to this year’s theme — “Pollinate, Propagate, Cultivate.” Mostly private residences, the stops will provide a rare public glimpse at these painstakingly cultivated landscapes.
HIDINGINPLAINSIGHT
The tour begins at the Mountain Research Station barn on Raccoon Road in Waynesville. Vendors will set up inside, tickets and tour directions will be available, and garden viewing will begin right outside the door. At the research station, staff work on everything from improving the chance of healthy births in cattle to growing more productive and disease-resistant vegetables. Visitors will get to look around and those who show up early will have the chance to take a guided tour of the place, with the research station’s superintendent Kaleb Rathbone giving a wagon tour of ongoing research at 10 a.m. — to the first 50 people who sign up.
A PROFUSIONOFBEDS
Riding down a little-traveled lane, visitors will come upon an unexpectedly rich 1.25-acre yard featuring a variety of trees, bushes and flowers interspersed with wind sculptures, antiques and bird feeders. A rippling stream and mountain
view complete the picture. In just four years, the owners converted the space from a grass lawn to an intensely planted 15 beds featuring everything from daylilies to hydrangeas to honeysuckle. Due to limited parking, this stop requires a shuttle, provided from the Mountain Research Station.
A SANCTUARYFORALLSPECIES
After traveling up a winding drive and crossing a mountain stream, tour participants will discover a 4.5-acre refuge for humans, butterflies and birds. An official Monarch Waystation, the property has been designed since 1998 to bolster native species of butterflies, birds, wildlife and wildflowers. The owners have chosen plants based on the three elements monarchs require for survival — natives, nectar and host plants for caterpillars. The owners are also committed to feeding themselves, as evidenced by their vegetable garden, and birds find solace in the numerous birdhouses and feeders. Visitors will wander between sun and shade, streams and garden, open lawn and forest while exploring the property.
APPLES, BEES, BERRIESANDTREES
Since 2007, the owners of this combined apiary and orchard near Canton have worked toward their dream to grow fruit to feed their community. The property boasts 1,400 apple trees of 60 varieties, as well as 20 varieties of peaches, four varieties of nectarines, raspberries, chickens and plenty of bees.
The Haywood County Garden Tour will offer a look at some of the county’s most beautiful gardens 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 18, starting at the Mountain Research Station on Raccoon Road in Waynesville.
That’s where participants will pick up directions to the gardens and meet shuttles for the gardens with limited parking. For the rest, individuals can drive themselves. The average person might take about three hours to get their fill of the tour, but it’s also entirely possible spend all day taking it in, said the tour’s publicity chair Cynthia Morris.
$15 in advance and $20 the day of, with ticket sales limited to 500 people. Purchase advance tickets at Haywood Cooperative Extension, the Haywood County Arts Council, Riverview Farm & Garden and Grass Root Gardens. Organized by Haywood County Extension and Haywood County Master Gardeners. Proceeds will benefit Master Gardener activities.
828.456.3575.
the process of meeting the gardeners and seeing their creations has been amazing, Scott said.
“We’ve got some really pristine gardens that are just beautifully landscaped,” she said.
“Everybody has some kind of whimsical aspect to it,” added Cynthia Morris, publicity chair for the event. “There are birdbaths and bathhouses and yard art.”
She recalls one house, in particular, whose owners started the landscaping from scratch after buying it in 2003.
“If you see that garden today, it almost takes your breath away, it’s so
Grafting demonstrations at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. will give a glimpse of the intricacies of the six-year road an apple tree travels from grafting to harvest.
SUNNYSIDEUP
When the owners of this Monarch Waystation bought their home in 2003, the yard was a blank canvas in the landscaping department. These days, it’s a montage of beds featuring all sorts of shapes, colors and textures of plants that grow in full sun most of the day. In the backyard, a wide expanse of pristine lawn is edged by diverse perennial beds, an herb garden, a fish pond, a gazebo, raised beds, earth boxes and patio container plantings — all backed by a mountain view. Nature-inspired art created by one of the owners is displayed as well. Master Gardener Volunteer Joe Smiley will put the cherry on top of the experience with a hands-on plant propagation demonstration.
ANAWARD-WINNINGGARDEN
The Giving Garden at the Canton Public Library is both a teaching tool and a provider of food for needy in the community, featuring seven raised beds with veggies and flowers, composting, square-foot gardens, vertical tee-pee gardening, a child-size veggie bed and a Monarch Waystation. Previously an unused lot next to the library, the Giving Garden now hosts year-round gardening programs by Master Gardeners and donates produce to the Community Kitchen in Canton.
Three of the gardens on the tour cater specifically to monarch butterflies.
Donated photo
Viva la adventura
A summer adventure camp aimed at Spanish-speaking youth will offer two sessions this summer at Youth for Christ’s Outdoor Mission Camp in Maggie Valley.
O, en español, una experiencia de adventura por las montañas será oferta este verano en Maggie Valley para jóvenes quien hablan español.
Holding sessions July 10-15 and July 1822, the camp will give rising sixth- through eighth-graders a chance to hike, paddle whitewater, listen to stories of the region’s past and, finally, be changed by the adventures experienced.
“We want to give Spanish-speaking kids some of the same opportunities that Englishspeaking kids often take for granted,” said
Watch horses show their stuff
A parade of horses will show off their speed, strength and beauty during a fundraiser for Friends of Panthertown Valley, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Bald Rock Equestrian Community in Sapphire.
The Panthertown Benefit Horse Exhibition & Silent Auction will kick off at 10 a.m. with the opening of a silent auction featuring everything from hikes to lake tours to dining experiences. Kids will enjoy arts and crafts, as well as face painting, and
beautiful,” Morris said of the profusion of coneflowers, daisies, iris and innumerable other plants.
director Ruffin Shackelford. “We want them to explore the beauty of God’s creation and understand the importance of caring for it.”
This is the second year for the Spanishspeaking camp, which landed overwhelming turnout last year. Campers will be coming from as far as Columbia and as close as Haywood County. Jose Carlos Gutierrez will be the camp speaker, traveling from Mexico where he has been the leader of Youth for Christ in the country since 2008. Applications are still being accepted, and donations are sought to open to the doors to all who would like to attend.
www.outdoormissioncamp.org. Includes information in Spanish. Incluye información en español.
828.926.3253 or jamie@outdoormissioncamp.org.
music will play while guests visit various booths. Visitors can meet the horses up close from 11 to 11:30 a.m. as well as 1:30 to 2 p.m.
The horse exhibition will start at noon, displaying more than a dozen different breeds, from fast-sprinting quarter horses to caravan-pulling Gypsy Vanners. Proceeds benefit Friends of Panthertown, a nonprofit that protects and maintains 30 miles of public trails in Panthertown Valley. The 6,295-acre backcountry recreation area is part of the Nantahala National Forest and located near Cashiers. 828.269.4453 or friends@panthertown.org or www.panthertown.org.
the struggling migratory butterflies.
“All three of them are very different in their approach,” Scott said.
Peek into the social world of birds
Birds, their behavior and the words we use to describe them, will be covered in a presentation by local birder William McReynolds at 7 p.m. Monday, June 20, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. McReynolds will speak on “Social Behavior in Birds: Murder, Dissimulation & Exaltation in the Avian World.” He’ll go through the collective nouns we use for various birds — what’s the word for a group of geese flying in formation? An exaltation of what? A lamentation of what? — and give participants the opportunity to make history by coining several new nouns. He’ll also cover the differences between social and sexual behavior in birds.
Part of the Franklin Bird Club’s regular meeting. 828.524.5234.
Learn to photograph the wild
A free wildlife photography class will be offered 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education.
Photographer Jennifer Rowe will teach the class, covering the basics of macro photogra-
phy and settings and techniques for capturing the closest, sharpest images of tiny plants and animals around the Pisgah Center.
Participants must bring their own camera. Cameras capable of manual exposures are best.
Free, with registration required at www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/ Pisgah/EventRegistration.aspx. Jennifer.rowe@ncwildlife.org or 828.877.4423.
Learn to build a butterfly garden
Pry into the plight of pollinators with a presentation 2-3 p.m. Monday, June 20, at the Waynesville Public Library.
Balsam Mountain Trust will be there to talk about what pollinators are, why they’re important and why they’re declining. Then, participants will learn how to create a butterfly garden to support pollinator populations, including popular host plans, nectar plants, how to maintain the garden and important information about pesticides.
Participants will get a chance to make seed bombs with native pollinator seeds to take home.
Free, with RSVP required.
828.356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.
SUMMER SPORT CAMPS
One is a natural sort of setting alongside a creek. Another is more formal, set out in an existing landscape. And the third, located at the Canton Public Library Giving Garden, is a teaching garden with all plants labeled.
It’s kind of impossible, though, to pick a favorite garden or to highlight one of them as more spectacular than another, said Morris — they’re all amazing.
“I think there’s components at each of the gardens that will get people excited, no matter where they are on that spectrum of gardening,” Scott agreed.
The gardens have certainly served that purpose for the 100 Master Gardener volunteers who have worked to get the event together. The enthusiasm of the property owners is contagious, and it won’t be long after this year’s event closes down before planning revs up for the next garden tour, in 2018.
“We’ll start planning for the next garden tour as soon as this one’s over and everyone takes a breather,” Scott said.
TetraBrazil Soccer Camp
This camp is for advance players only who play at the Academy, Challenge or Classic level. Space is limited.
TetraBrazil Soccer Academy offers unique programs of technical development that challenge each player to raise their game to new heights. The TetraBrazil curriculum has been designed by our professional coaches to provide teams, coaches and players with the same, expert level of training received by the top youth players in Brazil. The TetraBrazil Soccer Academy will teach your child more than just techniques and tactics. Each member of the TetraBrazil coaching staff will bring an authentic taste of the flair, passion, and creativity of Brazilian soccer to our camps.
For more information please call the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department at 456-2030 or email dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov
A dahlia blooms on a landscaped lawn. Donated photo
Haywood Community College’s Bass Fishing Team recently competed in the 2016 Carhartt College Eastern Regional Bassmaster Tournament where teammates (from left) Ryan McLaughlin and Justin St. Onge qualified for the national championship. Donated photo
HCC
Haywood Community College’s Bass Fishing Team recently competed in the 2016 Carhartt College Eastern Regional Bassmaster Tournament where teammates Ryan McLaughlin and Justin St. Onge qualified for the national championship. The regional tournament was held on the James River in Richmond, Virginia. The pair finished 12th out of more than 70 teams.
The national championship will be held on July 28 through 30 on Green River Lake in Campbellsville, Kentucky. This is the first year for a Bass Fishing Team at HCC.
Both McLaughlin and St. Onge are enrolled in HCC’s Fish and Wildlife Technology Program. The two are best friends and have fished together since age 5. They are from Fairview.
According to St. Onge, “I enjoy how HCC is a small setting that allows you get to know both faculty and students on a personal level. The program is hands-on which means students do a lot of things outside the classroom, things that pertain directly to what you need to know in the field.” 828.627.4592.
Learn to fish and catch some dinner
People wanting to learn the ropes of fishing — and catch some tasty catfish while they’re at it — will have three opportunities this summer at the Mountain Test Farm in Waynesville.
■ 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, June 21
■ 9-11 a.m. Saturday, July 16
■ 9-11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4
Offered by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the free fishing clinics will provide all equipment needed — except for a cooler, which participants can bring to take home up to seven of the catfish they catch. Scouts will have the opportunity to earn pins and belt loops if they coordinate with the organizer beforehand.
Free, with registration required by contacting Tanya Poole, 828.329.3472 or tanya.poole@ncwildlife.org.
Swim Chatuge
Swimmers of all skill levels will get a chance to try their strokes with the Ridges 5K Open Water Swim Sunday, July 10, on Lake Chatuge.
The race starts from Ridges Resort in Hiawassee Georgia, crossing the state line somewhere in the middle to end at Clay County Recreation Park in Hayesville.
The lake is huge, but most of the course is within 50 yards of land, and safety boats will guide and guard participants. Swimmers are also welcome to have family and friends paddle alongside in a kayak. Participants will have up to three hours to finish the course.
$55. Presented by Race Odyssey Events. Scott Hanna, tri20001@msn.com or 828.389.6982. www.raceodysseyevents.com.
Tennis league looking for players
An adult tennis league is starting up in Jackson County, with registration open through July 1.
Both singles and doubles games will be organized, with the self-officiated league beginning the week of July 11.
$10 per person.
828.293.3053.
Jackson declared Premier Trout Fishing Destination
Jackson County won’t officially become the North Carolina Trout Capital this year, but legislators expressed their support of the county’s angling opportunities by declaring it the state’s Premier Trout Fishing Destination on Wednesday, June 1, in Raleigh.
“It’s part of our heritage and it’s key to our economy. I’m all for supporting it,” Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, said of the designation.
Jackson County had originally rolled out its proposal to be named the state’s trout capital in late April, with the idea that the local delegation could introduce a bill making the designation official oncethe session opened days later.
What they hadn’t banked on, though, was discovering that because this year is the legislature’s short session that type of bill would not be able to make it to the floor until the long session next year.
“That sort of threw us for a curve,” said County Commission Chairman Brian McMahan.
However, Jackson’s bid for trout capital still has the support of local legislators, and county leaders are hopeful it will come to fruition next year.
“We’re excited and optimistic, and look forward to branding Jackson County as the Premier Trout Fishing Destination in the state, and ultimately the Trout Capital. This adds credibility to the success of the WNC Fly Fishing Trail, and provides additional
opportunities for fishing and accommodation packages, retailers’ and outfitters’ expansion of offerings, and potentially a
Trout fishing is a popular pastime in the region’s abundant mountain streams. Mark Haskett photo
new festival for our region,” said Julie Spiro, executive director of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.
Jackson County, which contains 4,600 miles of trout streams, receives an annual stocking of 92,800 trout — the most of any county in the state. It has the longest contiguous stretch of N.C. Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, with three of the 13 towns in the state bearing that name located in its borders — Sylva, Dillsboro and Webster.
County leaders are hopeful that a designation as trout capital would only bolster what is already an important industry for the area. A 2009 study from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission found that trout fishing has a $146 million annual impact on the 24 western counties, supporting 1,997 jobs and providing $56 million in income.
“Jackson County deserves this trout capital,” said Commissioner Charles Elders. Guides for the WNC Fly Fishing Trail are available through 828.586.2155. www.nctroutcapital.com. — By Holly Kays, staff writer
Sylva earns national recognition as a green town
Sylva earned recognition for its efforts to be clean and sustainable when the travel site Expedia.com named it the fourth cleanest city in the country.
“Being named one of the ten cleanest cities in the nation is so exciting for Sylva,” said Town Manager Paige Dowling. “We live in a beautiful place, and it speaks to our community pride that we value it and keep it clean.”
The list of the nation’s top 10 cleanest cities drew from thousands of verified reviews. Sylva’s year-round green initiatives, culminating with the annual Greening Up the Mountains Festival — the event includes environmental group presentations and tips for green living — boosted its score.
Jackson County also advocates Leave No Trace principles to teach locals and visitors alike to enjoy the outdoors responsibly and funds the innovative Jackson County Green Energy Park. The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce promotes the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail, the nation’s first and only fly fishing trail. In nearby Cullowhee, the annual Tuckasegee River Cleanup, hosted by Western Carolina University, is the country’s largest single-day river cleanup.
“Sylva is getting well-deserved national attention for its beautiful, clean and touristfriendly townscape,” said Nick Breedlove, Jackson County’s tourism director.
Opportunities abound for junior rangers
Kids wanting to earn their badge will have plenty of chances with a full slate of junior ranger programs offered this summer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Aspiring rangers 5-12 can pick up a Junior Ranger booklet for $2.50 at any park visitor center, and after completing the activities outlined there they’ll be able to get a bona fide Junior Ranger badge.
■ Wade through a mountain stream in search of aquatic critters with Stream Splashers, offered 5 p.m. Sundays and Wednesdays at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Lasts 90 minutes.
■ Learn about the history of elk through show and tell, and stick around to watch them come into the fields during the evening with a 45-minute program on Smoky Mountain elk, 5:30 p.m. Sundays at the Palmer House in Cataloochee Valley.
■ Chat with a ranger about what makes the Smokies special with a 45-minute porch program starting at 2 p.m. Mondays and Fridays on the Oconaluftee Visitor Center porch. Topics vary.
■ Learn about the creatures of the night with a one-hour after-dark hike, starting at 8:45 p.m. Mondays and Saturdays at Smokemont Campground. Registration is
required at 828.497.1904.
■ A blacksmithing program for kids 1012 will give them a chance to see how the craft works and bring home an item of their own creation. Offered on the halfhour from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Mountain Farm Museum next to Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
■ Find out what kids did for fun before video games and iPads with “Batteries Not Included,” offered on the half-hour from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Mountain Farm Museum.
■ Kids can learn about park animals hands-on with “Mammal Mania!” offered at 10 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
■ Join a ranger on an adventure to the mysterious world of bugs and macro-invertebrates in the hands-on Creepy Critters program, offered 10 a.m. Thursdays at Mingus Creek Trail.
■ Cool off along a mountain stream by rambling with a ranger during a one-hour program beginning 2 p.m. Fridays from the Oconaluftee River Trail.
■ Hear the story of the elk’s return to the Great Smoky Mountains with “Welcome Home,” a 30-minute program offered at 7 p.m. Saturdays outside the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
All programs run June 19 through Aug. 13. Adults must accompany children to all activities.
828.497.1904.
Search for a beauty in bloom
An annual outing to search for the rare mountain camelia flower will set out at 8 a.m. Friday, June 24, with a carpool leaving from Franklin to reach Fires Creek, near Hayesville, at 9:30 a.m.
Participants will get to photograph the plant in flower, explore the spectacular Fires Creek area and take a short offshoot hike to see a mountain camellia that is on the American Forests Champion Trees register.
Jack Johnston, a naturalist who has been hunting — and finding — the flower for more than 20 years, will lead the excursion. He also collects seeds and takes cuttings to grow the flowers himself.
Organized by The Wilderness Society’s
Hike Cataloochee
Sylva-based Southern Appalachian Office. Free, with RSVP required to Michelle Ruigrok, michelle_ruigrok@tws.org.
A 10-mile hike through historic Cataloochee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will offer outdoor adventure and a history lesson on Saturday, June 25.
Part of a series of hikes offered by the Great Smoky Mountains Association in support of the park’s Hike 100 Challenge this year, the route includes Big Fork, Rough Fork and Caldwell Loop.
The Smokies Hike 100 Challenge is an initiative encouraging people to log 100 miles of hiking in the park this year as part of the National Park Service’s celebration of its 100th birthday in 2016.
$35 for non-members; $10 for members; free for GSMA Hemlock members. Space is limited. Register at http://conta.cc/1PQhoo3.
Camp to get Haywood students outside
Rising eighth-graders in Haywood County have a chance to explore the mountains surrounding them with the Youth Environmental Stewardship Camp, offered by the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District June 20-23.
Campers will explore Purchase Knob, Sliding Rock, the Cradle of Forestry in America, the Waynesville Water Plant and a variety of other environmentally educational sites. They’ll hike, learn about aquatic insects and cover topics such as plant identification, forestry and mountain bogs.
The camp is a two-year program, with first-year students invited to attend the following year in July. Funded by the Pigeon River Fund.
$30. Space is limited. Register with Gail Heathman, gheathman@haywoodnc.net 828.452.2741, ext. 131.
Summer adventure alive at Lake Logan
Adventure and hands-on science education will keep summer from dragging during Lake Logan Episcopal Center’s series of weeklong summer day camps, June 20 through July 29.
Campers at Lake Logan’s Summer Adventure Day Camp will explore Haywood County’s natural history and native species through themed weeks that focus on everything from fish to trees to butterflies, with lessons taught by science educators. Exercise, games and crafts will round out the schedule.
“Part of what we’re doing with this day camp is bringing the wonder back to childhood,” says Susan Merrill, Lake Logan’s Director.
$255 per week. Lake Logan is located along N.C. 215, 13 miles from Canton. susan@lakelogan.org or 828.646.0095; www.lakelogan.org/summer-adventurecamp.
Mountain camellia, also known as Stewartia ovata. Jean Ron Honnicut photo
Campers hike Purchase Knob. Donated photo
COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Safe Kids Macon County will meet at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the Macon County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center conference room at 1820 Lakeside Dr. in Franklin.
• An old-fashioned ice-cream social will be held by the Glenville Area Historical Society from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, at the Metz Family Historic Cabin. If you plan to attend, call 743.1658.
B USINESS & E DUCATION
• District 1 of the State Employees Association of North Carolina will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, in the Heritage Room of the Jackson County Department on Aging in Sylva. Register with Jim Rowell at 507.9456 or jrowell20@gmail.com. $5 cost for meal for SEANC members; $10 for nonmembers.
• Maggie Valley ABC will present its 2016-17 public budget hearing at 6 p.m. on June 21, followed by a regularly scheduled board meeting at the Maggie Valley ABC store.
FUNDRAISERSAND B ENEFITS
• United Christian Ministries is holding a series of fundraisers in June to help Jackson County families in need. Dine from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at Mad Batter in Sylva; and 4-9 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, at Coach’s at the Jarrett House in Dillsboro, and 10 percent of proceeds will support United Christian Ministries.
• The Kelsey-Hutchinson Park “Low Country Shrimp Boil” will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the park in Highlands. The event is a fundraiser to complete the Monument Garden, Sitting Fountain, and Historic Fireplace. The $50 per person tickets will include a low country boil dinner and three drinks (including beer or wine). Tickets are available at Chamber of Commerce, The Dry Sink, and online at www.founderparkhighlands.org. There will also be live music from Goldie & the Screamers (soul). www.highlandschamber.org.
• The Southwestern Community College Foundation will hold its inaugural Give Day on June 23 to replenish its annual fund. Donate online at www.southwesterncc.edu/Foundation or in person at the SCC Jackson Campus in Sylva. Info: SCCGiveDay@southwesterncc.edu.
• Mountain Faith Band will perform at a fundraiser for the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center, an event that runs from 4-8 p.m. on June 25. www.smpccpartners.com/events or 349.3200.
VOLUNTEERS
• Haywood Waterways is sponsoring a Richland Creek clean-up from 9:30-11 a.m. on June 18. RSVP by June 17: Christine.HaywoodWaterways@gmail.com or 476.4667.
• Community Kitchen of Canton is looking for volunteers to serve this summer. Dates available to serve are June 17, 22, 25, 30 and select days in July & August. 648.0014
VENDORS
• The town of Dillsboro will be hosting arts and craft show open to vendors from the surrounding region Saturday, Oct. 1 — The 8th annual ColorFest will line Front Street with colorful art and fine crafts. Application due by July 1. www.visitdillsboro.org or directly from www.visitdillsboro.org/specialevents.html. 586.3511.
All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.
H EALTH MATTERS
• An Elder Abuse Awareness Walk is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15, in downtown Waynesville.
• Participants are being sought for a clinical trial for those overweight with knee pain. Directed by Dr. Kate Queen of Mountain Medical Associates. wecan@wfu.edu or 558.0208.
• A support group for anyone with Multiple Sclerosis, family and friends meets at 2 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the Heritage Room at the Jackson County Senior Center in Sylva. Sponsored by Greater Carolinas Chapter of National MS Society. Info: 293.2503.
• A “Dinner With a Doc” seminar “From Pain to Performance: Hip & Knee Replacement” will feature Gerald King, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with Western Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at Haywood Regional Medical Center’s Café. Reservations required: 800.424.DOCS, ext. 3627.
• A support group for those affected by Essential Tremor is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, at Mission Community Church in Sylva. RSVP: 631.5543 or tkubit@frontier.com.
• An educational event on “Boomeritis” will be presented by Dr. Judson Handley of Harris Orthopaedics at noon on Wednesday, June 22, at the Franklin Health and Fitness Center. Lunch will be served.
• A Tai Chi for Arthritis program meets from 10-11 a.m. on Mondays through July 11 (but not July 4) at the Mission and Fellowship Center at Sylva First Baptist.
R ECREATIONAND FITNESS
• Registration is underway for adult tennis leagues. Singles: $10; doubles: $20. Registration deadline is July 1. League starts July 11. League is self-officiated.
• A Ballroom Dance will be held at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 17, at Angie’s Dance Academy in Clyde. Dancing, fellowship and refreshments. $10 admission. 734.8726.
P OLITICAL
• A Democratic Rally will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, June 17. Candidates will speak. Hot dogs will be served.
• The Jackson County Democratic Party will hold its monthly meeting, which at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at party headquarters in Sylva.
• The Jackson County Democratic Party will hold a meet and greet fundraiser featuring Vicki Greene and Mark Jones, candidates for reelection to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners from noon-3 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, at the Savannah Community Center.
• A retirement reception for Jackson County manager Chuck Wooten is scheduled for 3-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, at The Heritage Room in the Aging Building. Plaque presentation at 4 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
THE S PIRITUAL S IDE
• South Macon Baptist Church will have its Vacation Bible School with a theme of “Cowabunga Farm” from 6-8 p.m. on Monday through Friday, June 20-24, in Franklin. Dinner served from 5:30-6 p.m. If transportation is needed, leave a message at 524.0919.
• First United Methodist Church of Sylva will host “Surf Shack: Catch the Wave of God’s Amazing Love” Vacation Bible School from 5:30-8 p.m. on June 20-24. For Pre-K through sixth grade. Dinner served at 5:30 p.m. for parents and participants. Crafts, music, recreation, bible lessons and snacks. Please RSVP: 586.2358.
• An Open Door Meal & Sing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, at First United Methodist Church of Sylva. Meal, beverages and music by Christian singing group Tribe Called Praise. 586.2358.
AUTHORSAND B OOKS
• A book discussion is scheduled for 10:30-11:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of the month starting June 16 at Hudson Library in Highlands.
• “The Literary Hour” – an hour of poetry and prose reading featuring Brenda Kay Ledford and Jo Carolyn Bebe – is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the John Campbell Folk School in Brasstown.
• The “Coffee with the Poet” series continues with Ray Whitaker at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 16, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. The series gathers the third Thursday of each month. 586.9499.
• An open-mic poetry event for adults will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at The Rathskeller CoffeeHaus & Pub in Franklin. arts4all@dnet.net or 828.524.ARTS.
• Julia Franks will read from her novel Over the Plain Houses at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. 586.9499.
• The Jackson County Public Library’s Summer Book Group starts at 6 p.m. on June 28 in Sylva. Book is “H is For Hawk” by Helen Macdonald. The following month, the group will discuss “The Light Between Oceans” by M.L. Stedman on July 26.
K IDS & FAMILIES
• The Macon Library is offering free events for tweens and teens in June and July, including Camp All Star as well as a Reading Contest for gift cards and other prizes. www.fontanalib.org/franklin.
• “On Your Mark, Get Set, Read” summer library program is underway at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Prizes, programs and activities.
• Registration is underway for the Brazil Soccer Camp for ages 7-14 through the Waynesville Recreation Center. Camp options are 9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m. from June 20-24. 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.
• The Hudson Library’s summer reading program for children and teens is ongoing. In Highlands.
• A kids’ performance by Mountain Circus Arts will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, at the Haywood County Library in Waynesville.
• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. June 16 and 23 at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City. A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 538.2054.
• Waynesville Youth Football and Cheerleading will have a sign-up from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, at Hibbett Sports in Waynesville.
• Smoky Mountain Sk8way is offering a nine-week summer camp The summer camp is for kids ages 6 to 13 years old with a daily drop in or weekly schedule. www.smokymountainsk8way.com or call 246.9124.
• A weeklong fly fishing camp for ages 13-15 will be offered June 19-24 at Lake Logan. www.nctu.org/rivercourse.html.
Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for:
■ Complete listings of local music scene
■ Regional festivals
■ Art gallery events and openings
■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers
■ Civic and social club gatherings
• Weekly summer camps highlighting adventure and hands-on science education will be offered June 20 through July 29 at Lake Logan Episcopal Center. Focus will be on everything from fish to trees to butterflies –taught by science educators. Exercise, games and crafts. $255 per week. susan@lakelogan.org or 646.0095.
• Crafternoons are at 2:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at Hudson Library in Highlands.
• Registration is underway for summertime swim classes will be offered for children from ages six months to teenagers through Western Carolina University’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education. 227.7397.
• A Week in the Water program is scheduled for ages 815 from 9 a.m.-noon on June 13-17 at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. www.ncwildlife.org/learning.
• A Leather Stamping class for kids will be offered by Dogwood Crafters Coop from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15, at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge. Register: 586.2435 or junettapell@hotmail.com.
• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City. 538.2054.
• A magic show with Professor Whizzpop will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. For adults and teens. www.themagictomshow.com.
• A Week in the Water program is scheduled for ages 815 from 9 a.m.-noon on June 20-24 at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. www.ncwildlife.org/learning.
• Macon County 4-H will have a book-folding activity from 9 a.m.-noon on June 21 in Franklin. Register by picking up forms at 193 Thomas Heights Road in Franklin. Info: 349.2046.
• Hudson Library is starting a Lego Club that will have its first meeting at 2:30 p.m. on June 21 in Highlands.
• Macon County 4-H will have a gem mining activity from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on June 22 in Franklin. Register by picking up forms at 193 Thomas Heights Road in Franklin. Info: 349.2046.
• A Nature Nuts: Fishing program will be offered to participants ages 4-7 from 9-11 a.m. on June 18 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. http://www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/Pi sgah/EventRegistration.aspx.
• A kids’ fishing clinic will be offered from 9-11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at the Test Farm. Register or get more info: tanya.poole@ncwildlife.org or 329.3472.
• A Week in the Water program is scheduled for ages 815 from 9 a.m.-noon on June 20-24 at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. www.ncwildlife.org/learning.
• An ornithology exploration organized by the Macon County 4-H is scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on June 23 in Franklin. For ages 5-18. Cost is $6. Register or pick
up forms at 193 Thomas Heights Rd. in Franklin. 349.2046.
• Professor Whizzpop will present a “Going for Gold” show at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 23 at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 488.3030 or www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.
• Registration is underway for a British Soccer Camp, which is July 25-29 at Recreation Park in Cullowhee. www.challengersports.com.
• The Macon County 4-H Pool Day is set for noon-4 p.m. on June 28. For ages 5-18; ages 5-8 with parent. Cost is $4. Register or pick up forms at 193 Thomas Heights Rd. in Franklin. 349.2046.
• Professor Whizzpop will present “Going for the Gold” at 2:30 p.m. on June 28 at the Hudson Library in Highlands. 526.3031 or www.fontanalib.org.
• Spa Secrets, a class for mothers and daughters, will be offered by Dogwood Crafters Coop from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29, at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge. Supply fee: $8. Register: 586.2435 or junettapell@hotmail.com.
• Registration is underway for a British Soccer Camp that will be offered for ages 3-14 from July 25-29 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. $85 for ages 3-4; $108 for ages 4-5, $138 for a half-day camp for ages 6-14; or $192 for full-day camp. $10 late fee for campers registering within 10 days of camp start date.
• Stream Splashers, an opportunity for ages 5-12 to wade through a mountain stream in search of aquatic critters, will be offered at 5 p.m. on Sundays and Wednesdays through Aug. 13 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• A 45-minute program on Smoky Mountain elk will be offered for ages 5-12 at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays at the Palmer House in Cataloochee Valley through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• An opportunity to chat with a ranger about what makes the Smokies special is held at 2 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays on the Oconaluftee Visitor Center porch for ages 5-12 through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• A one-hour after-dark hike for ages 5-12 to learn about the creatures of the night is offered at 8:45 p.m. on Mondays and Saturdays at Smokemont Campground through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. Registration required: 497.1904.
• A blacksmithing program for ages 10-12 is offered from 10-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Mountain Farm Museum next to Oconaluftee Visitor Center through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• “Batteries Not Included” – an opportunity to find out what kids did for fun before video games and iPads –will be held on the half-hour from 10-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Mountain Farm Museum through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• Kids ages 5-12 can learn about park animals with “Mammal Mania!” at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• A hands-on Creepy Critters program about bugs and macro-invertebrates will be offered for ages 5-12 at 10 a.m. on Thursdays at Mingus Creek Trail through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• Ramble with a ranger by a mountain stream at 2 p.m. on Fridays on the Oconaluftee River Trail through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
• Learn about the elk’s return to the Great Smoky
Mountains at 7 p.m. on Saturdays outside the Oconaluftee Visitor Center through Aug. 13 as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Junior Ranger program. 497.1904.
K IDSMOVIES
• The “Movies on Everett” summer film series will screen “Big Hero 6” June 17 and “Despicable Me” June 24. All films are free and start at 8:30 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.
• A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday starting June 17 (but not June 24 or July 29) at Hudson Library in Highlands.
• A family movie (Rated PG) will be shown at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, at the Canton Library. Movie is a spooky/funny film inspired by author R.L. Stine’s books. 648.2924.
• A family movie will be shown at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Sports drama about a Hawaiian teen who returns to competitive surfing after losing her left arm in a shark attack. 488.3030.
North Carolina 28721. Reservations confirmed upon receipt of payment. 246.7465 or chefricardos@gmail.com.
• The next “Way Back When” trout dinner will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley. The dinner showcases a recreation meal, music, storytelling and atmosphere of a 1930s Appalachian trout camp. $39.95 per person, plus tax and gratuity. The dinner will also be held July 15 and 29, Aug. 12 and 26, and Sept. 2 and 16. To RSVP, call926.1401 or 800.868.1401 or www.cataloocheeranch.com.
• A “BBQ & Brews Dinner Train” will be departing at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad depot in Bryson City. 21 and up. Tickets start at $69. 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.
• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.
ON STAGE & I N CONCERT
• WCU Road Works’ production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged and Revised” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. on June 16 at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Parody. 586.2016.
A&E
FESTIVALSAND S PECIAL EVENTS
• Taste of Scotland festival is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, June 17-18, in Franklin. Clan dinner at 6 p.m. in Tartan Hall at Franklin’s First Presbyterian Church. Music by Def Leprechaun, Juniper Trio, The Jacobites By Name. Info: 727.424.8901 or tasteofscotlandfestival.org.
• A Women’s Work Festival will be hosted by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, at the Mountain Farm Museum. Activities, demonstrations and a music jam. 497.1904.
• The fifth annual PlottFest is June 18-19 at the Maggie Valley Fair Grounds. Music, heritage and celebration of the official N.C. state dog – the Plott Hound. Tickets and info available at www.plottfest.org. Tickets also available at the gate for $15 for each day. Info: plottfest@yahoo.com.
• The “Stecoah Artisans Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 24-25 in and around Bryson City, Robbinsville and Stecoah. Attendees visit and explore numerous galleries and artisans. www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• Several of the top artisans and crafters in the Southeast will display their goods at the 27th annual Mountain Artisans Summertime Fine Art & Crafts Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 25-26 in the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University. 524.3405 or www.mountainartisans.net or www.mountainlovers.com.
F OOD & D RINK
• A jewelry and wine night will be presented by B&C Winery and QuartzyOneStudio from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at Maggie Town Center in Maggie Valley. Cost is $30 per person plus tax. Small finger food platter included. Reservations: 550.3610 or 944.0745.
• Chef Ricardo Fernandez will be hosting a Mountain Cooking Club class from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
Class fee is $65 plus a $1 Mountain Cooking Club 2016 membership fee. To reserve your space, please mail a check (payable to Ricardo Fernandez) to Suzanne Fernandez at 3553 Panther Creek Road, Clyde,
• Travis LeDoyt, named “Best Young Elvis” by the N.Y. Times, will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, June 17-18, at the Highlands Performing Arts Center. Tickets: highlandspac.org or 526.9047.
• “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” – an award-winning comedy by Christopher Durang – will be on stage starting June 17 at HART in Waynesville. Directed by Charles Mills. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on June 17, 18, 24, 25 and 30 and July 1-2. Also at 2 p.m. on June 19, 26 and July 3. 456.6322 (1-5 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday) or www.harttheatre.org.
• Betsy’s School of Dance will bring their talents to the stage at 7 p.m. June 17 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. June 18, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.
• City Lights Café (Sylva) will host flutist Matthew Tooni at 1 p.m. June 18. 586.9499.
• Zack and Sam DuPont (Americana)will hold a CD release event at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, at The Strand in Waynesville.
• Haywood Community Band performs at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, in the open-air Maggie Community Pavilion in Maggie Valley.
• Acclaimed Vermont-based acoustic duo The DuPont Brothers will be holding an album release party and intimate performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. www.38main.com.
• WCU Road Works’ production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged and Revised” will be presented at 7 p.m. on June 22 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Parody. 524.3600.
• “Chicago — The Musical” will be performed June 23-July 9 at the Highlands Playhouse. Tickets are $38 per person, $15 for children up to age 12. www.highlandsplayhouse.com.
• William Ritter and Sarah Ogletree will perform traditional music at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 488.3030 or www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.
• Maggie Valley Band will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. 586.2016.
• Acclaimed Christian performer David Phelps will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets start at $22. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.
• “Master of the Mind” magician Guy Bavli will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center in Highlands. www.highlandspac.org or call 526.9047.
• The Kruger Brothers will perform at 6 p.m. on June 25 at Stecoah Valley Center as part of the Appalachian Evening series. www.stecoahvalleycenter.com/performance.html.
CLASSESAND PROGRAMS
• High Country Quilt Guild will meet at 6:30 p.m. on June 16 at the First Methodist Church in Waynesville.
• Coweeta Baptist Crafters will hold their annual Summer Kraft Show from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on June 17-18 in Otto.
• Music composition workshop, art inspired composition conducted by Iva Veazey, are scheduled for 5-9 p.m. (ages 16-adult) on June 15 at Gallery 1 at 604 W. Main Street. 337.3468 or 421.4969.
• There will be a “Raku Beadmaking” workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. June 16-17 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 18 at Riverwood Pottery in Dillsboro. 586.3601 or www.riverwoodpottery.com.
• Appalachian storyteller Sherry Lovett will be featured at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, at the Waynesville Library Auditorium. Part of the adult summer reading program. Info: 356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.
• A woodturning demonstration featuring David Ellsworth is scheduled for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on June 18 at the Folk Art Center in Asheville. 712.6644 or www.carolinamountainwoodturners.org.
• The Front Street Arts & Crafts Show will be presented from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, in Dillsboro. More than 50 vendors. 586.3511 or chogan4196@gmail.com.
• Village Square Art & Craft Show will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, June 18-19, in Highlands. 787.2021.
• There will be a “Viking Axe Making” blacksmithing course taught by Brock Martin (pictured) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 18-19 at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. www.jcgep.org.
• The High Mountain Squares will host their “All Singing Calls Dance” from 6:15-8:45 p.m. on Friday, June 17, at the Macon County Community Building in Franklin. 342.1560, 332.0001, 283.1171 or www.highmountainsquares.com.
• A Quilling Craft Class featuring instructor and paper artist Lawrie Williams is scheduled for noon-3 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the Jackson County Extension Office in Sylva. Cost is $6. Register: 586.4009.
• Dogwood Crafters Co-op is accepted registrations through June 20 for an upcoming educational workshop on Bargello quilting, which is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday, June 27. Led by Joyce Lantz. Cost is $18. Register: 586.2435 or junettapell@hotmail.com.
• A garage sale is scheduled for June 25 at the Cruso Community Center. To participate, $5 for an inside table or outside space. 400.7323 or 235.9354.
• Franklin In Bloom vendor’s day, with garden arts and crafts for sale, is scheduled for Saturday, June 25.
• Haywood County Public Library’s Adult Summer Reading program runs through July 31. www.haywoodlibrary.org, 452.5169 or 648.2924.
• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 524.3600.
• Haywood County Arts Council is inviting artist members to participate in its annual Artist Member Show. Download a show contract/inventory sheet from www.haywoodarts.org. Send completed forms to gallery@haywoodarts.org or P.O. Box 306; Waynesville, N.C. 28786.
• Learn ink drawing and zentangle fundamentals with
artist Damaris Pierce from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 18 in East Waynesville. $45 each class. www.artoflife.com.
• Paint Nite Waynesville will be held at 7 p.m. on Fridays at the Panacea Coffeehouse. Sign up at Panacea or call host Robin Smathers at 400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.
• The Wild Fern is hosting several local potters at the studio throughout the year. Stop by to see works from the potter’s collection and chat with these talented artists as they create on the wheel and share their unique styles. Susan Easton will be featured on June 18. 736.1605 or info@wildfernstudios.com.
• Acclaimed writer Allison Hedge Coke will be teaching a poetry workshop,” June 13-17 and a memoir writing workshop, “The Bird’s Nest: Eco Ethos and Organic Form,” June 18-24. at the campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. www.cullowheemountainarts.org or 342.6913
ARTSHOWINGSAND GALLERIES
• An exhibit by artist Rod Whyte will be on display through June 28 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre Rodwell Gallery in Waynesville. www.rodwhytedesigns.com. www.haywoodarts.org.
• The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University is presenting “Vision and Vistas: Great Smoky Mountains” - an exhibition of images of the Great Smoky Mountains that in turn helped inspire the creation of the nation’s most visited national park - through June 30. www.fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or 227.3591.
• The Haywood County Arts Council, Haywood County Extension Service and Master Gardeners invite the public to a special exhibit of plein air paintings from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at the arts council in Waynesville. 456.3575. www.haywoodarts.org.
FILM & S CREEN
• The films “Hail, Caesar” (June 16), “Eddie the Eagle” (June 17), “Zootopia” (June 18), “Brothers Grimsby” (June 23) and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” (June 24) will be screened at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Fridays; and 2 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays. Free. www.madbatterfoodfilm.com.
• A screening of “Cameron” – a Revolutionary War film based on Western North Carolina’s and Haywood County’s history – will be shown at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, at The Strand Theater in Waynesville. Film is from “A Demand of Blood” by author/filmmaker Nadia Dean, who will speak after the 37-minute film’s showing. 38main.com.
• An Appalachian music documentary will be screened at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29, at the Canton Library. 648.2924.
• Adult movie time, 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.
• There is be a free showing of “Zootopia” at noon and 2 p.m. June 18 at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. www.38main.com.
• Spring cleaning day at Big Bear is from 8 a.m.-noon on Friday’s in June. Landscaping. Bring gloves and tools and meet at Big Bear Shelter.
• Swain Water and Soil will present “We All Live in a Watershed” for area teens on Thursday, June 16, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 488.3030.
• “Feelin’ Froggy” will be presented for all ages at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands. $3 per person. Advance registration required: 526.2623.
• Part of the “Woodsy Owl’s Curiosity Club,” meets from 10:30 a.m.-noon and 1:30-3 p.m. on Thursdays through Aug. 11. $4 per child or $2.50 per adult. Register: 877.3130. www.cradleofforestry.org.
• The Franklin Bird Club will have a bird walk along the greenway at 8 a.m. on June 15. Meet at Big Bear Shelter parking area. 524.5234.
• An Evening Campfire is at 7:30 p.m. each Saturday at Mount Pisgah Campground. Led by National Park Service rangers. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.
• An evening event is scheduled for 7 p.m. every Thursday at locations close to Asheville. Led by National Park Service rangers. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.
• A mini-event will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. most Saturdays. National Park Service rangers will talk about special adaptations animals and plants have made in order to survive. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.
• A floating trip down the Little Tennessee river is scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on June 17, in Highlands. $40 for members; $50 for nonmembers. www.highlandsbiological.org/forays.
• Casting for Hope fishing tournament is June 18 in Cherokee. Hosted by the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Cash prizes include $3,000 for first place. http://castingforhope.org/casting-for-hope-cherokee-edition.
• A “Be Bear Aware” program will be offered for all ages from 1-3 p.m. on June 18 at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. www.ncwildlife.org/learning.
• The Cradle of Forestry in America will hold its annual Firefly Twilight Tour from 7:30-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, in Pisgah Forest. $6 for adults; $3 for youth 15-under. 877.3130 or www.cradleofforestry.com.
• An Introduction to Tenkara (traditional Japanese fly fishing) will be offered to participants 14-up from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on June 18 at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. www.ncwildlife.org/learning.
• A presentation about the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society’s nest box project at 7:30 p.m. on June 20 at Hudson Library in Highlands. www.highlandsaudubonsociety.org or 526.1939.
• Birds, their behavior and the words we use to describe them will be covered in a presentation by local birder William McReynolds at 7 p.m. Monday, June 20, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 524.5234.
• A bird walk with birders John and Cathy Sill is scheduled for 8 a.m. on June 21. Meet at Bi-Lo Franklin parking area to carpool. Sign up: 524.5234.
Outdoors
• An Emergency Medical Technician and WMI Wilderness Upgrade for the Medical Prrofessional will be offered on July 11-30 and Aug. 1-5 - in Cullowhee. Register: 293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.edu.
• The Sylva Pool will be in operation through August 21. 586.3565 or 631.2022.
SAT Prep Express
UNC Asheville’s popular SAT Prep evening program will be offered this summer as an intensive, week-long day program.
SAT Prep Express will meet July 11-15, 9am-1pm.
The cost for this special program is $345 and includes all materials and a full-length practice exam.
This test preparation program concentrates on test-taking techniques, timesaving methods, logical reasoning, verbal ability and mathematical competence. Past exams and simulated materials are used to teach question types and strategies.
The program features experienced test prep teachers –one with expertise in improving verbal skills and one with expertise in improving math skills.
go to unca.edu/testprep or contact Nancy Williams: 828.250.2353 or nwilliam@unca.edu
• A Nocturnal Nature program is scheduled for 9 p.m. on June 21 at the Botanical Garden at the Highlands Biological Station. 526.2221 or www.highlandsbiological.org.
• A pollinator presentation in honor of National Pollinator Week will be offered from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. Heather Holm, author of “Pollinators and Native Plants” will present “Gardening for Bees, Butterflies and Beneficial Insects” and “Selecting Native Trees and Shrubs that Support Pollinators.” $5 donation suggested and will be collected at the door. www.ncarboretum.org/events.
• The N.C. Arboretum, which has been named the nation’s seventh “Bee Campus USA,” will focus its seasonal landscape exhibits program on plants and nesting sites for pollinator species. More info: www.ncarboretum.org/pollinator.
• A guided Stewartia walk led by naturalist Jack Johnston is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Friday, June 24 in the Fires Creek area near Hayesville. Opportunity to see and photograph rare native Mountain Camellia, Stewartia ovata. RSVP requested: michelle_ruigrok@tws.org.
• Franklin Bird Club meeting will feature a presentation on Social Behavior in Birds: Murder, Dissimulation & Exaltation in the Avian World by William McReynolds at 7 p.m. on June 20 in the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 524.5234.
• A “Leave No Trace: Master Educator” course is scheduled for June 20-24 in Cullowhee. 293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.edu.
• “Nocturnal Nature” – an opportunity to learn about fireflies and other nocturnal creatures – will be offered from 9-10 a.m. on June 21 at the Highlands Biological Station. $3 per person. Advance registration required: 526.2623.
• Birds and Beer (or wine or tea) is scheduled for 5 p.m. on June 21 at the Ugly Dog in Cashiers. Spirited conversation about birds and birding.
• A Ron Rash Revue with Barbara Bates Smith is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at the Waynesville Library.
• Stewartia and Birding Walk is from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on June 24. Organized by Highlands Plateau Audubon Society. RSVP: michell_ruigrok@tws.org. www.highlandsaudubonsociety.org or 526.1939.
• A National Park Service Centennial Special, “Life in Alaska,” will be presented by Kathy Dudek from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, at Oconaluftee Administration Building near Cherokee. $20 for members or $35 for new members.
• The Highlands Biological Foundation will hold its general membership meeting from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands. Members are welcome. Premier of the video: “Pollinators of the Highlands Plateau” will follow. 526.2221 or www.highlandsbiological.org.
• A River Swim adventure is scheduled for June 25 by the Jackson County Recreation Department. Explore and swim down one of Jackson County rivers. Register by June 22. $10 per person.
• The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is offering a wildlife photography class led by Jennifer Rowe from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on June 25 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard. For ages 14-up. Preregistration required: www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/Pisgah/ EventRegistration.aspx. Info: Jennifer.rowe@ncwildlife.org or 877.4423.
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• The ASAP’s Farm Tour is from noon-5 p.m. on June 25-26 in Asheville. Passes are $30 in advance or $40 on the weekend of the tour. http://asapconnections.org. 236.1282.
• A Stewartia Walk with horticultural expert Jack Johnston is scheduled for 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, June 28, at Mainspring Conservation Trust’s Queen Branch Property on Highway 28 in Northern Macon County. Sign up: 524.2711 or sburdette@mainspringconserves.org.
• A Birdwatching for Beginners class is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, at the Balsam Community Center. Instructor is Larry Thompson. $35 made payable to Larry Thompson can be mailed to P.O. Box 390 in Balsam, N.C., 28707. Info: 452.5414 or lvthompson@earthlink.net.
• An Introduction to Fly Fishing: Lake Fishing program for ages 12-up is scheduled for 7 a.m.-noon on June 28 at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. www.ncwildlife.org/learning.
FARMAND GARDEN
• B3: Bees, Birds and Butterflies is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.-noon and 1:30-3 p.m. on June 23 at the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah Forest. Part of the “Woodsy Owl’s Curiosity Club,” which meets Thursdays through Aug. 11. $4 per child or $2.50 per adult. Register: 877.3130. www.cradleofforestry.org.
• The Otto Garden Club will hold a plant sale on Saturday, June 18.
• Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension Office on Acquoni Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every fourth Friday to learn about USDA Farm Service Agency programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. Info: 488.2684, ext. 2 (Wednesday through Friday) or 524.3175, ext. 2 (Monday through Wednesday).
• The Haywood County Garden Tour, which includes a stop at the Giving Garden, is scheduled for June 18.
Tickets Are $15 in advance and $20 on tour day.
Tickets available at the Cooperative Extension Center in Waynesville, B.B. Barns Nursery in Asheville, Haywood Arts Council in Waynesville, Riverview Farm & Garden in Canton and Grass Root Gardens in Waynesville. Info on the tour: 456.3575. www.haywoodlibrary.org or call 648.2924.
• Garden Tour: Bog Carnivores will be presented from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on June 20 at Highlands Biological Station. Presented by the Highlands Biological Foundation. 526.2623.
• “Plight of the Pollinators and Butterfly Gardening” will be presented by Larissa Lopez of the Balsam Mountain Trust from 2-3 p.m. on Monday, June 20, at the Waynesville Library Auditorium. Sign-up required: 356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.
• A Garden Tour program on Bog Carnivores will be offered from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on June 20 at the Botanical Garden at the Highlands Biological Station. 526.2221 or www.highlandsbiological.org.
• A Food Preservation 101 class is scheduled for 5:308:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension office. $18 cost. 586.4009.
• A planting for pollinators class will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at the Canton Library. Haywood County Cooperative Extension Director Dr. Bill Skelton will discuss the types of plants that help pollinators thrive. 648.2924 or www.haywoodlibrary.org.
• A Garden Tour program on “Wicked Plants” is scheduled for 10:30-11:30 a.m. on June 27 at the Seminar Room of the Coker Laboratory. 526.2221 or www.highlandsbiological.org.
COMPETITIVE E DGE
• Registration is underway for the WNCC Emory Club’s 5K, which benefits the Global Health Initiative –Imagine No Malaria program. Race is at 8 a.m. on June 16 starting at Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska. $35. Register at imathlete.com. Race-day registration starts at 7 a.m.
• Registration is underway for the third annual Gran Fondo Asheville cycling event, which is Saturday, June 18. Register: www.gfncs.com. increasing $5 day of. Amorie Gunter, 788.3367.
• The Path to the Breakaway, a group for women 18 and older, meets regularly in preparation for the Blue Ridge Breakaway on Saturday, Aug. 20. Registration for the race is $41 (by Aug. 1) for the shortest route. www.blueridgebreakaway.com or bobclarklaw@gmail.com.
H IKING CLUBS
• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 13-mile hike with a 2,800-foot ascent at Big East Fork, Art Loeb Trail and Shining Creek Loop on June 15. 684.8656, 606.7297 or bjdworley@gmail.com.
• Hazel Creek Backpacking Trip is from 8 a.m. on Friday, June 17, to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 19. Start at Fontana Marina in Fontana Dam. http://tinyurl.com/hoemctd.
• Hike of the Week is at 10 a.m. every Friday at varying locations along the parkway. Led by National Park Service rangers. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.
• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a very strenuous nine-mile hike, with an elevation change of 3,800 feet, on Saturday, June 18, to Gregory Bald from Sam’s Gap in in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 586.5723.
• Carolina Mountain Club will have a four-mile hike of Cherry Gap Overlook to Skinny Dip Falls at noon on June 19. 645.0357, 707.6500 or cpallen@icloud.com.
• Carolina Mountain Club will have an all-day, 13-mile hike with a 2,800-foot ascent of Big East Fork, Art Loeb Trail and Shining Creek Loop on June 25. 684.8656, 606.7297 or bjdworley@gmail.com.
• The Nantahala Hiking Club will hold a Hike Leader Workshop at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 25, at the NHC Club House on Carl Slagle Road. 369.7352 or mary23stone@yahoo.com.
• Hike 100 event with Great Smoky Mountains Association program is scheduled for 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, at Big Fork Caldwell Loop in Cataloochee. 865.436.7318, ext. 254 or membership@gsmassoc.org. http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=hszagubab&oeidk=a07ec8 6xyej0cb3578a.
• Carolina Mountain Club will have an 8.5-mile hike of Ox Creek Road to Rich Knob with a 1,850-foot ascent on June 26. 337.5845 or laurafrisbie@gmail.com.
• Carolina Mountain Club will have a five-mile hike of NC 128 to Balsam Gap on June 26. 1,500-foot ascent. 505.0471 or mwbromberg@yahoo.com.
• Friends of the Smokies hikes are offered on the second Tuesday of each month. www.friendsofthesmokies.org/hikes.html.
OUTDOORCLUBS
• The Jackson County Poultry Club will hold its regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office. The club is for adults and children and includes a monthly meeting with a program and a support network for those raising birds. For info, call 586.4009 or write heather_gordon@ncsu.edu.
• The North Carolina Catch program, a three-phase conservation education effort focusing on aquatic environments, will be offered through May 15. The program is offered by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department. Free for members; daily admission for non-members. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.
• An RV camping club, the Vagabonds, camps one weekend per month from April through November. All ages welcome. No dues or structured activities. For details, write lilnau@aol.com or call 369.6669.
• The Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited meets the second Tuesday of the month starting with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Rendezvous restaurant located on the corner of Jonathan Creek Road and Soco Road in Maggie Valley. 631.5543.
MarketPlace information:
The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.
Rates:
■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.
■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads,
■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.
■ $15 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2. If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.
■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad or colored background.
■ $50 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.
■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.
■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.
Classified Advertising:
Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com
In-Between. 451 Woodring Cemetery Rd., Tuckasegee, NC. Hwy 107 to Hwy 281 Follow Signs Cash Only! No Early Sales! Presented by Frog Pond Estate Sales
AUCTION
ABSOLUTE AUCTION -
Commercial Property Log Home & Log Cabin. 5.72 acres divided into 3 Tracts. Saturday, June 25, 2016 10:30 a.m. 2276 NC Hwy 163, West Jefferson, NC. Boyer Realty & Auction. 336.372.8888. boyerrealty@skybest.com. BoyerRealtyandAuction.com. Col. James R. Boyer. NCAL1792. 336.572.2323
AUCTION -
Live & Online Bidding. Wednesday, June 22, 10am. 668 Hwy 15401 Bypass West, Bennettsville, SC 29512. Excavators, Dozers, Backhoes, Dump & Service Trucks. 100s of Tools & Support Equipment. Information or cosign: 864.940.4800. www.joeymartinauctioneers.com. SC2526.
EQUIPMENT SHELTERS AUCTION &
Complete 80 Unit Self-Storage System. TWO Steel-Framed Commercial Shelters: 125' x 50' and 225' x 50'. Morehead City, NC, ONLINE Bidding JUNE 8 thru 21. www.HouseAuctionCompany.com 252.729.1162. NCAL#7889. RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT AUCTION Wednesday, June 22, 10am. 11032 Independence Blvd. Matthews, NC. Selling a Beautiful 600 Seat Seafood Restaurant, Nice Seating Package, 9 Fryers, Ovens, Extra Large Kitchen! 704.791.8825. NCAF5479. ClassicAuctions.com.
TAX SEIZURE AUCTIONSaturday, June 18 10am. 201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC. Selling 20+ Cars, Trucks, Motorcycle, Trailers, Tools & Equipment for NC Department of Revenue & Wells Fargo. (3) 1957 Chevys, 1955 Chevy. 704.791.8826 ncaf5479/5508 www.ClassicAuctions.
Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051
100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.
CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING
ACORN STAIRLIFTS.
The affordable solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1.800.291.2712 for FREE DVD and brochure.
ALL THINGS BASEMENTY!
Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold Control. FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1.800.698.9217
DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions.
Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson. Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316
CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING
BATHTUB REFINISHINGRenew or change the color of your bathtub, tile or sink. Fiberglass repair specialists! 5 year warranty. Locally owned since 1989. CarolinasTubDoctor.com. 888.988.4430.
SAFE STEP WALK-IN TUB. Alert for Seniors. Bathroom falls can be fatal. Approved by Arthritis Foundation. Therapeutic Jets. Less Than 4 Inch Step-In. Wide Door. Anti-Slip Floors. American Made. Installation Included. Call 800.807.7219 for $750 Off.
PAINTING
JAMISON CUSTOM PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING
Interior, exterior, all your pressure washing needs and more. Specialize in Removal of Carpenter Bees - Cedar or Log Homes or Painted or Siding! Call or Text Now for a Free Estimate at 828.508.9727
CARSA-1 DONATE YOUR CAR For Breast Cancer! Help United Breast Foundation education, prevention, & support programs. Fast Free Pickup - 24 Hr Response - Tax Deduction 855.306.7348 SAPA
DOES YOUR AUTO CLUB
Offer no hassle service and rewards? Call American Auto Club (ACA) & Get $200 in ACARewards! (new members only) Roadside Assistance & Monthly Rewards. Call 800.867.3193. SAPA
DONATE YOUR CAR,
Truck Or Boat To Heritage For The Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax
Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL
1.800.416.1496 SAPA
WE BUY DAMAGED VEHICLES! Top Dollar Offer. From Anywhere. All Makes/Models 2000-2015
Wanted. America’s Top Car Buyer! Call Now: 1.800.761.9396 SAPA
MOTORCYCLES
CRAZY BOB’S BIKER STUFF
Jackets, Chaps, Vests, Helmets, Rain Gear, Saddlebags, Sissy Bar Bags, Tool Bags, Stickers, Patches. We also got you covered with 50 Sizes of Tarps: Heavy Duty Silver, Brown & Green, Blue & Silver, Blue & Camo. 1880 Dellwood Rd., Waynesville 828.926.1177
EMPLOYMENT
B.H. GRANING LANDSCAPES, INC
Now hiring for the position of crew member - the grass is growing and so is our businesscome join our team. Full-time year round work, competitive wages, good work environment. Please call 828.586.8303 for more info or email resume to: roger.murajda@bhlandscapes. com
HARRIS TRUCKING CO.
Announces opening in their regional fleet. Home Weekly Pre-pass / Ezpass. Qualcomm. Driver referral pay program . Paid Orientation Free Life Insurance $15,000. Driver Per Diem. Call 1.800.929.5003. Apply: www.harristrucking.com
EMPLOYMENT
ADULT SERVICE POSITIONS AVAILABLE
We are currently recruiting for the following positions in Adult Services:
• Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
• Psychiatric Nurses and Clinicians for ACTT Services (Assertive Community Treatment Team)
• Employment Support Profes sionals and Employment Peer Mentors for Supported Employment Services
• Clinicians for REC Services (Recovery Education Center)
• Peer Support Specialists for REC (Recovery Education Center)
• Peer Support Specialists for PACE (Peers Assisting in Community Engagement)
• Clinicians for Integrated Care
• Clinicain/Team Leader for CST (Community Support Team)
• Community Partner Clinician
Please visit the employment section of our website for further information about any positions listed and apply directly by submitting an application and resume. www.meridianbhs.org
DRIVER TRAINEESPaid CDL Training! Stevens Transport will cover all costs! No Experience Needed! Earn $800 per week! Local CDL Training! 1.888.748.4137 drive4stevens.com
THE CITY OF ALBEMARLE
Is accepting applications for Information Systems Business Analyst. Open until 6/10/16. Visit the ESC or NCWorks.gov for more info. EOE.
EMPLOYMENT
FTCC -
Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Biology Instructor-10-month contract. Chemistry Instructor-10month contract. Engineering Instructor. Fire Protection Technology Instructor. Program Coordinator for Fire Training. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com/. Human Resources Office. Phone: 910.678.8378 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
DRIVERS:
New Dedicated Lanes! Excellent Pay & Benefits! Great Home Time. No-Touch. Newer Equipment. Sign-On Bonus www.drivefalcon.com CDL-A 855.202.5066
ATTN: CDL DRIVERSAvg. $60k+/yr. $2k Sign-On Bonus. Family Company w/ Great Miles. Love Your Job and Your Truck. CDL-A Req. 877.258.8782. drive4melton.com
MOUNTAIN DISCOVERY
Seeks Creative, Motivated K-5 Teacher with Over Ten Years Exp. for Unique Position Combining Behavior & Instructional Support Primary Responsibility is Behavior Intervention. Considerable ‘Down Time’ Spent in Classroom Offering Support Suited to Classroom Needs & Strengths of the Successful Applicant. Send Cover Letter & Resume to: teacher@mountaindiscovery.org
NUCLEAR
POWER -
Paid Training, great salary, benefits, $ for school. Gain valued skills. No exp needed. HS grads ages 17-34. Call Mon-Fri 800.662.7419.
EMPLOYMENT
JACKSON CO. PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES IS NOW PARTNERED WITH MERIDIAN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
We are currently recruiting for the following positions in Child Services:
• Clinicians for Outpatient Services
• Clinicians for Day Treatment Services
• Clinicians for Intensive In-Home Services
• Qualified Professionals for Day Treatment Services
• Qualified Professionals for Intensive In-Home Services
Please visit the employment section of our website for further info about any positions listed and apply directly by submitting an application and resume. www.meridianbhs.org
NEED MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES!
Doctors & Hospitals need Medical Office Staff! No Experience Needed! Online Training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. Careertechnical.edu/nc. 1.888.512.7122
SYLVA, NC BASED NON-PROFIT
Organization is seeking a full time accountant to handle all accounting functions, including general ledger, payroll, accounts receivable and accounts payable Applicants should have accounting education and several years hands-on experience. Good working knowledge of Excel and Word are required. Email resume to: sylvaresume@gmail.com
SPECIAL OPS U.S. NAVY. Elite training. Daring missions. Generous pay/benefits. HS grads ages 17-30. Do you have what it takes? Call Mon-Fri 800.662.7419.
EMPLOYMENT
TRAIN AT HOME
For a new career as an accounting assistant! Call for more info about our online training program! Learn to process Payroll, Invoices & more! Job placement assistance when completed. HS Diploma/GED required. 1.888.407.7063.
AVIATION GRADS
Work With Jetblue, Boeing, Delta And Others - Start Here With Hands On Training For FAA Certification. Financial Aid If Qualified. Call Aviation Institute Of Maintenance
1.866.724.5403 SAPA
FINANCIAL
BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.
SAPA
LOWEST HOME MORTGAGE RATES & Fast Approvals by Phone!!!! Programs available for Good & Bad Credit. Call910.401.3153Today for a Free Consultation.
SAPA
STRUGGLING TO PAY THE BILLS? FDR could reduce your CC debt. We have helped over 150k people settle $4 billion dollars in CC debt. Call Today for a Free Consultation!1.844.254.7474
SAPA
WINCHESTER CREEK COUNTRY CLUB
SELL YOUR STRUCTURED Settlement or annuity payments for CASH NOW. You don't have to wait for your future payments any longer! Call 1.800.316.0271.
ROSCO - A HANDSOME MIXED BREED DOG ABOUT 11/2 YEARS OLD. HIS PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD US THAT HE IS VERY LAID BACK AND GENTLE, PLAYS WELL WITH OTHER DOGS, EVEN LITTLE ONES, AND KNOWS SIT AND LAY COMMANDS. PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE AT: WWW.SARGEANIMALS.ORG/
ING, APPRECIATES ATTENTION AND PETTING JUNE IS ADOPT-A-SHELTER-CAT MONTH, AND ADOPTION FEES FOR CATS ARE GREATLY REDUCED! WWW.SARGEANIMALS.ORG/ OR CALL
LEASE TO OWN
1/2 Acre Lots with Mobile Homes & Empty 1/2 Acre + Lots!
Located Next to Cherokee Indian Reservation, 2.5 Miles from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. For More Information Please Call 828.506.0578
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 the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on an equal opportunity basis.
ASHEVILLE, NC CREEK FRONT Liquidation. One day only; June 18. +-3 acres. $15,900, seclusion, cool mountain breezes, rushing creek, Call today 1.888.270.4695. Excellent financing available.
U.S. NATIONAL FOREST FRONT Liquidation! 5 Acres $9,900! This Pristine Preserve Property Borders The Country’s Best Trail System! Call Today For A Preview Showing 1.888.270.4695.
REAL ESTATE WANTEDTO BUY
WANTED: OLD BARN - HOUSE
To Salvage Rough Cut Lumber, Flooring, Antiques, Vintage Materials, Etc. Terms Negotiable. Licensed & Insured. Call or Text John at: 828.380.1232 ashevillepropertyservices.com
HOMES FOR SALE
BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.
RUN YOUR CLASSIFIED
In 101 North Carolina newspapers for only $375 for a 25-word ad. Call this newspaper or 919.516.8009 for details.
BREAKFAST ROOM, LAUNDRY ROOM, PANTRY, GLASSED-IN SUNROOM W/ MOUNTAIN & LAKE VIEWS, HARDWOOD FLOORS, PANELED WALLS, DETACHED GARAGE W/ STORAGE WORKSHOP, DOCK. OCCUPIES .93 ACRE DBL. LOT ON TIP OF A PENINSULA, PAVED PARKING FOR GUESTS. $639,000.00 843.290.0222
Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400 Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When
African land 81 From here — (henceforth) 82 Ampule, e.g.
Poet’s foot 84 Kin of “me neither” 85 Leia, to Luke 90 Piano piece 92 Bridal gown fabric 94 Sit to be painted by, perhaps 95 “Great” bird
96 Schoolchild’s burden
98 Dances with dipping
99 Squirm
100 Menu choice
101 Deviating off course
102 “My Cup Runneth Over” singer
103 Bi- plus octa104 Go in 105 Go out
110 Hug go-with 111 Port city of Yemen
112 Firm cheese
113 See 36-Down
114 It uses a double reed
115 Places to lift 117 Tally (up)
118 Long of “Premonition”
119 2016 Olympics city
STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT
CLIMATE CONTROLLED
STORAGE FOR YOU
1 Month Free with 12 Month Rental. Maggie Valley, Hwy. 19, 1106 Soco Rd. For more information call Torry 828.734.6500, 828.734.6700 maggievalleyselfstorage.com
GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE
Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160. Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more info.
VACATION RENTALS
FLAGLER BEACH FLORIDA
Oceanfront Vacation Rentals Tripadvisor Award, Furnished Studio, 1-2-3 BR’s, Full Kitchen, WiFi, TV, Pool. Seasonal Specials 1.386.517.6700 or www.fbvr.net SAPA
FOR SALE
BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS
No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment. Handmade in Haywood County. 1 for $20, 2 or More for $15 each. 828.593.8321
COOKWAREHeavy Surgical Stainless Steel, 17 piece set. Waterless and Greaseless! Full Lifetime Warranty! Brand New in box! Only $299.00 For the next 10 days! www.royalkitchenproductsstore.com 1.540.810.8161
FOR SALE:
Two Crypts at Eye Level in New Mausoleum in Garrett-Hillcrest Cemetery. $4,000 for Both & Transfer Fee. For more info call 828.454.0247
WANTED TO BUY
CASH PAID
For Unexpired, Sealed Diabetic Test Strips - Highest Prices! Shipping Prepaid. 1 Day Payment. 1.888.366.0958. www.Cash4DiabeticSupplies.com SAPA
SELL YOUR STRUCTURED Settlement or annuity payments for CASH NOW. You don't have to wait for your future payments any longer! Call 1.800.316.0271.
SERVICES
DISH TV
190 Channels plus Highspeed Internet Only $49.95/mo! Ask about a 3 year price guarantee & get Netflix included for 1 year! Call Today 1.800.351.0850 SAPA
EXEDE HIGH SPEED INTERNET. Plans from $39/mo. Blazing Fast Broadband in areas cable can’t reach. Great forbusiness or home. We Install Fast.1.888.822.0480.
WEEKLY SUDOKU
BIRTHMOTHERS, Planning On Adoption? Unique Adoptions can help. We have an excellent adoption program. You choose from open or closed, select adoptive family. Financial Assistance. Ask about our 4-day recovery packages. Call toll free 24/7 to speak to an adoption specialist. 1.888.637.8200 SAPA
NICE PLACE TO STAY Looking for a live-in, To do light housework. Compensation of Room/Board + Small Salary. 2/BR in a nice neighborhood. For more info call Donnie at 706.335.6496.
Antique Antics, 1497 S. Main St., Waynesville. Call to Reserve a $10 Space 828.452.6225
LIVING ESTATE SALE
Thurs. 9am - 4pm, Fri. & Sat. 10am - 4pm. Antiques, Furniture, Tools & Everything In-Between. 451 Woodring Cemetery Rd., Tuckaseegee, NC. Hwy 107 to Hwy 280 Follow Signs Cash Only! No Early Sales! Presented by Frog Pond Estate Sales
Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Answers on Page 50
Common ash tree deserves more attention
“Howmanythousand-thousandofuntold whiteashtreesaretherespectedcompanionsofourdoorways,kindliesttreesinthe clearingbeyondthecabin?Noonecansay. Butthisisatreewhosegraveandloftycharactermakesitalifelongfriend.Whiteash hasnoeasy,prettycharmslikedogwood andredbud;itmakesnoover-dramaticgestureslikeweeping willow and Lombardypoplar.It has never been seen throughsentimental eyes,liketheelmand the white birch. Strong,tall,cleanly, benignant,theash treewithself-respectingsuretywaits, untilyouhavesufficientlyadmiredallthemoreobviousbeautiesoftheforest,foryoutodiscoveratlast itsunadornedgreatness.”
—
IBACK THEN
are three ash species: white ash (Fraxinus americana), green ash (F.pennsylvanica), and pumpkin ash (F.profunda). White ash — and its variant forms — is by far the most common species. The undersides of the leaves are whitish.
Like a maple seed — which is also winged — ash seeds catch the wind as they fall. The wing provides aerodynamic lift that slows the rate of fall and spins the wing around the seed’s fruiting head like a propeller. Having taken flight in a spiral descent, the seed is deposited away from the shadow of the parent tree, where it stands a better chance of flourishing on its own.
Ash trees are also famous for providing aerodynamic lift of another sort. When Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run, he did it with a bat made from white ash. Ditto Roger Maris when he hit his asterisk-marked 61st homer.
Donald Culross Peattie, A Natural History of Trees
t’s generally overlooked, but I think ash is a pretty tree, especially when it’s fruiting. The winged seeds that appear in dense clusters on the branches below the leaves are called samaras (SAM-a-ras).
Here in Western North Carolina there
Ditto Hank Aaron when he poleaxed number 755. Until the aluminum bats now favored in the college ranks are approved for use in the major leagues, white ash will remain the bat of choice.
Like hickory, ash wood is strong, but it’s lighter and provides greater shock resistance. It’s the wood of choice for use in most sporting equipment and many tools: bats, oars, paddles, rackets, bowling alleys, shov-
els, hoes, rakes, etc.
entirely eliminate the problem (these include “Autumn Purple” and “Rosehill”). Personally, I’d rather have a seed-littered yard with contented male and female ash trees than a pristine yard full of lonely males.
Some ash trees have bisexual flowers, but most are either separate male or female trees, like holly and ginko. Since some lazy folks don’t like to clean up ash seeds in the fall, male cultivars have been developed that
Of a summer afternoon when the wind begins moving in the trees, the whitish gray undersides of the ash leaves are slowly exposed. From a distance, they seem to be saying, “Rain is coming.” Before long the first drops begin to fall.
(George Ellison is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at info@georgeellison.com.)
