Smoky Mountain News | July 8, 2020

Page 6

Cashiers man shares running with guide company Page 22

STAFF

On the Cover:

The COVID-19 Pandemic has made for an unpredictable summer tourism season thus far, but even amid the uncertainty, many new businesses are popping up in Maggie Valley as entrepreneurs and developers are hopeful about the town’s economic future. (Page 4) Donated photo

News

Signs point to history of racism in WNC ....................................................................6 COVID-19 cases curving up again ................................................................................8

WCU disbands Board of Visitors ................................................................................10 Elliott to retire from Jackson Schools ..........................................................................11

Franklin restaurant wants to expand outdoor seating ............................................12 Cherokee cultural corridor plan receives award ......................................................13

Opinion Half of 2020 is behind us, thank goodness ............................................................16

49 Winchester joins ‘no contact’ concert series ....................................................18

Outdoors

Cashiers man shares trail running with guide company ......................................22

Back Then

Scarlet tanagers spar in song........................................................................................31

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CONTACT

WAYNESVILLE | 144 Montgomery, Waynesville, NC 28786

P: 828.452.4251 | F: 828.452.3585

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S UBSCRIPTIONS

Economic development boom in Maggie Valley

After years of languishing in the shadows of a shuttered amusement park, Maggie Valley’s west end is now seeing substantial commercial development resulting in several major new or renovated businesses.

If all goes well, the former Ghost Town in the Sky could soon join them.

“Maggie Valley is a great place to come build your business,” said Nathan Clark, Maggie Valley’s town manager. “We focus on eclectic development and have a great tourism base that will support your business. Inventory has recently been made available, and people are jumping on it. It’s an exciting time in Maggie Valley.”

Less than 4 years ago Maggie Valley was slowly becoming a literal ghost town, much like the failing Ghost Town amusement park located high up on Buck Mountain since the early 1960s.

As the park sputtered along, a number of mom-and-pop businesses located on Soco Road — the town’s main commercial artery — that had for years depended on the hundreds of thousands of visitors coming each year began to close.

That all started to change once Dave and Sue Angel opened Elevated Mountain Distilling Company back in 2017. Formerly a disused dinner theater, the distillery now features a full bar and indoor and outdoor live music space and has become one of the mostvisited attractions in the region by producing a line of award-winning spirits.

The Angels may have been the modern pioneers of Maggie Valley, but since then, others have joined them in renovating existing enterprises, or starting their own.

This past April, the 700-acre Cataloochee Ranch changed hands for the first time since 1933, purchased by a partnership consisting of Ron and Camelia Ray and David and Annie Colquitt. The Colquitts also purchased luxury mountaintop resort The Swag in 2018.

Clark said that renovations are underway at Cataloochee Ranch as well as at one of Maggie Valley’s most distinctive properties, Smoky Falls Lodge, to include a new sports bar where Willie Brooks BBQ was once located.

BLUEBERRIES

Then, there’s BearWaters Brewing. One of Waynesville’s first breweries moved to Canton in June 2017, becoming Canton’s first brew pub and serving more than 90,000 patrons a year in the process.

After winning a few medals at the Great American Beer Festival, BearWaters established a second location in Maggie Valley, in a distinctive stone building that was most recently home to The Garrett House restaurant.

The creekside digs — spacious, with an outdoor deck and a taqueria created by Asheville mainstay The Grey Eagle — opened this past May, only a month behind schedule due to delays caused by the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Further on down the road lies the iconic Joey’s Pancake House, founded by Joey and Brenda O’Keefe in 1966. Joey passed away in 2001, and Brenda made the difficult decision to close the landmark in June 2016. Less than two years later, Joey’s was purchased by Kentucky restauranteurs Roy and Sandra Milling and reopened in May 2018.

Just past Joey’s sits what used to be the Rocky Waters Motel, a run-down resort built in 1948 that had been closed since 2009. On June 24, the ribbon was cut on what’s now called the Route 19 Inn.

The ownership and management group consists of former Disney marketing exec Matt Ferguson and well-known local businesspeople Mark and Beth Craft as well as Robert Verakirk, a long-time resort developer who’s owned and operated properties in the Caribbean as well as Florida.

In line with the nostalgic look and feel of the town itself, the Route 19 Inn has been totally renovated to ensure that guests of the hotel who’ve traveled to Maggie Valley will also be traveling back in time to a historic motor lodge with a vintage 1950s look and feel.

“It needed a lot of work,” Ferguson said. “Mark Craft is a former major in the U.S. Army and was one of the leaders at a military base, so he has a really strong construction background and he really did all the heavy lifting in terms of remodeling everything.”

Craft’s wife Beth, owner of upscale Maggie Valley gallery Crafted in Carolina, utilized her relationships with

“Maggie Valley is a great place to come build your business. We focus on eclectic development and have a great tourism base that will support your business. Inventory has recently been made available, and people are jumping on it. It’s an exciting time in Maggie Valley.”

— Nathan Clark, Maggie Valley town manager

local artists to create all the eye candy that now occupies the site.

“The idea is to kind of bring that retro road trip feel with modern amenities,” Ferguson said. “You’ll notice when you go into a room, there are USB outlets right next to the beds and everything’s fresh and brand new inside, but we’ve also created these Instagrammable moments around the property, like the teepee and the totem pole and the Tail of the Dragon mural, because that’s a big part of people’s vacations — sharing imagery from their trips.”

Ferguson said they chose the property because of the general business climate in Maggie Valley as well as the unique location; Route 19 Inn is just a short trip from the Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino, is now the closest hotel to Cataloochee Ranch, and likewise isn’t far from Ghost Town.

“We were looking at Ghost Town and thinking if anybody ever brought that back to life, that would be amazing,” he said.

Ferguson — and thousands of others across the state, the region and the nation

who have hoped for Ghost Town’s revitalization — may soon get his wish.

Back in October 2019, the $6 million parcel that is home to Ghost Town went under contract again.

At that time, the developer spoke exclusively with The Smoky Mountain News on condition of anonymity and revealed grand plans for the mountaintop. Last week, the developer again spoke with SMN and indicated no deviation from the plans delineated in October.

SMN has agreed not to reveal details of the plan until the property officially changes hands, but they currently include substantial investment and some very well-known names and brands who’ve jumped on board.

While a closing date for the transaction was originally planned for early spring, it’s been extended a few times but could happen soon, according to the developer.

There’s no indication that the pandemic or the technical challenges involved with updating the park’s infrastructure will stop the park’s impending sale.

Work continues on the site, and Maggie Valley Town Manager Nathan Clark says the town’s been involved in discussions with the developer as well as contractors who will be engaged in work once it commences.

“We’ve met with an engineering firm and a construction company and about their potential roles in the project,” Clark said.

“We haven’t seen any plans or any specifics, we’ve just been answering their basic questions about utilities and GIS data.”

That may not comfort local naysayers who’ve become used to all manner of failed Ghost Town development schemes in the past. However, given the developer’s experience, resources and partnerships — as well as their motivation — this latest effort might finally be the one to get it right.

“We’ve enjoyed talking to the developer,” Clark said. “The people he’s surrounding himself with seem to be top-notch. We’re very hopeful for some kind of Ghost Town product, hopefully in the next year.”

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• Sealcoating

• Parking Lot Striping

• Excavating

Ingles Nutrition Notes

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

NUTRITION Q & A

QUESTION: What is TEMPEH? ANSWER:

Tempeh is a fermented soy product made from whole soy beans and then formed so it can be cut or portioned. Tempeh is high is protein and offers those that are vegan or vegetarian a good way to get protein. Since tempeh is made from soy beans it is also a good source of fiber, typically about 5 grams of fiber per serving.

Often tempeh is pre-seasoned and has flavors added. You can sear tempeh in a hot pan in a little oil or butter and use it as you would meat in burritos, wraps, sandwiches or to top salads.

At Ingles Markets you can find locally (Barnardsville NC) made tempeh from Smiling Hara in the PRODUCE section.

https://www.smilingharatempeh.com/

Source:

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/guides/vegan/what-is-tempeh & Construction, Inc.

What’s in a name? For Asheville, signs point to history of racism

City’s dilemma: Preserve? Remove? Rename?

Contextualize?

BY P ETER H. LEWIS AVL WATCHDOG

Vance, Patton, Woodfin, Henderson, Weaver, Chunn, Baird — their names are familiar to anyone living in Asheville and Buncombe County today. All were wealthy and influential civic leaders honored by having their names bestowed on statues, monuments, streets, schools, parks, neighborhoods and local communities.

They were also major slaveholders or slave traders and white supremacists who amassed their wealth and influence in part through the exploitation of human beings they treated as property. Of all the slaveholders in Buncombe County, no one enslaved more African Americans than Nicholas W. Woodfin, James W. Patton and James McConnell Smith, according to census records and slave deeds.

Asheville itself was named for a major slaveholder, as was Buncombe County. The fortunes that propelled Samuel Ashe and Edward Buncombe to prominence were wrung from the suffering of hundreds of enslaved Africans on their sugar and cotton plantations.

Today, as the Black Lives Matter movement focuses national attention on racial profiling and systemic brutality against people of color, Asheville and surrounding communities are confronting what many say is a longoverdue reckoning: How should the community honor its founders while also recognizing and condemning their racism? How do we as a community choose which historical figures to venerate?

Should the names of White supremacists, slaveholders, and Confederates who fought to preserve slavery, regardless of their other civic contributions, be removed from all public spaces, roads and buildings? Local figures contacted by AVL Watchdog say opinions are mixed — sometimes emphatically so — but also worthy of reflection and debate.

“It’s not really all that complicated: We need to remove anything that symbolizes or glorifies racism or policies of hatred,” said Kevin Wilkerson, who asked to be identified as a Black citizen and activist in Asheville. “I think the vast majority of the community agrees with me.”

The Asheville City Council voted unanimously earlier this month to remove a Confederate monument at the Buncombe County courthouse, and another marker honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Dixie Highway and Confederate Col. John Connally. A subsequent vote by the Buncombe County Commission agreed, but by a 4-to-3 vote along partisan lines.

The council also formed a joint city-county task force to consider removing or repurposing the 65-foot-tall Vance obelisk, erected to honor Zebulon Baird Vance, former Governor, Senator, Congressman, Confederate military officer and avowed White supremacist who personally enslaved six Blacks before 1865 and whose family in total held 18 in bondage.

But the Vance family’s enslavements were “modest,” one historian wrote, compared to other families in the area, especially James Washington Patton, a slave owner whose various family members kept 221 Black people in bondage.

“I further give and bequeath to my son James W. Patton the following male slaves to wit — Bob, Sam, Leope, Hardin, Felix, Austin, Peter, Anthony, John and Russel & the following female slaves to wit – Celia, Rhoda and her five children, and the future increase of the females.” — Will of James Patton, Asheville, 1845

MAJOR ROADS

HONOR SLAVEHOLDERS

Reminders of the pain, sorrow and injustice infused into the city’s history are everywhere today. Take a drive along Patton Avenue, the main east-west thoroughfare through downtown, or  a trip down Hendersonville Road, a major north-south corridor named for Leonard Henderson, a Supreme Court Chief Justice who owned 41 Blacks and used his position of privilege to argue against abolition.

Or up Merrimon Avenue, named for Augustus S. Merrimon, Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, who wrote that the institution of slavery was likely of “divine appointment.” Which connects to Weaverville Road, named for Michael Montraville Weaver and his wife Jane Eliza Baird Weaver, whose families collectively owned 93 enslaved people. Which takes the traveler to the town of Woodfin, whose namesake, Nicholas Washington Woodfin, was the second-largest slaveholder in all of Western North Carolina.

As in many cities in the South, it’s hard to get around Asheville without bumping into reminders of historical policies that viewed Blacks, Indigenous people, and other people of color as unworthy of the privileges granted to Whites. And as in other cities North and South, the Black Lives Matter movement has energized a debate over how best to acknowledge that history without glorifying it.

Do those reminders, including statues, street signs and even the names of towns and counties, need to be removed? Renamed? Put in context? Put in museums, instead of on public land?

“I am absolutely in favor of renaming

these streets,” Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said. “This is one of many things that can be done to further the dismantling of institutionalized racism.”

“The city is revising its street renaming process which is done through petition to make it easier for residents to petition to rename streets,” Manheimer said. “The petition process allows residents to participate in selecting the new name for the street.” But, she noted, Patton Avenue and Hendersonville Road are state roads, not city roads, and the process for renaming them is unclear.

HISTORY IN SHADES OF GRAY

To be sure, the region’s history is not simple. The individuals celebrated by monuments and street names contributed greatly to the growth of Asheville and surrounding communities, serving in government, financ-

ing schools, establishing businesses, and making other civic contributions.

But where do we draw the line? Who decides if a historical person’s legacy is too entwined with racism or oppression to allow their monuments to stand?

“I’m in favor of renaming them,” Preston Blakely, a member of the Fletcher town council in Henderson County, told AVL Watchdog. “I’m against honoring those who have problematic pasts involving the enslavement of Black people. We can see the effects of that still today. We’ve gone from slavery to Jim Crow to mass incarceration.”

Before its name was changed in the late 1800s, Fletcher was originally named Murrayville, after Samuel Murray, the first settler, who brought 14 family members and 12 slaves with him from South Carolina.

Some people draw a distinction between historical figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who owned slaves but helped build a framework for a nation dedicated to equality, and Confederate leaders, who declared war on the United States in order to preserve the institution of slavery.

Many of the monuments in the area were erected by United Daughters of the Confederacy North Carolina Division, an organization of women “who are lineal or collateral blood descendants of men and women who served honorably in the Army, Navy or Civil Service of the Confederate States of America, or who gave Material Aid to the Cause.”

The Daughters did not respond to an AVL Watchdog request for comment, but a notice atop the group’s web page admonishes “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set. — Proverbs 22:28.”

Buncombe County Commissioner Amanda Edwards disagrees. Edwards said at a commission meeting June 16: “Removing monuments does not erase history. What it does is remove the constant visual reminder of a system that didn’t treat African Americans as equitable.”

The African American Heritage Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County is exploring options for “recontextualizing” Pack Square, where the Vance Monument stands near the spot where blackskinned men, women and children were bought and sold on the steps of the old Buncombe County courthouse.

“We acknowledge and support the positive role that recent protests have played in opening the door to real and necessary change,” the Western North Carolina Historical Association board of trustees said in a statement. Anne Chesky Smith, executive director of the association, told AVL Watchdog that the board is currently meeting to re-evaluate its operations toward a goal of better representing the diversity that has shaped the region.

UNCOMFORTABLE DISCUSSIONS

Is it possible to honor the past, without honoring parts of the past that today seem vile and odious?

“The truth is, I don’t know,” said J. Clarkson, rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher. The

Entwined with slavery: A brief local history

BY P ETER H. LEWIS AVL WATCHDOG

By 1860, about 15 percent of the population of Western North Carolina was enslaved. Only a small percentage of the White settlers, who had pushed out Indigenous Native Americans, owned slaves — about 2 percent of households, according to Katherine Calhoun Cutshall, collections manager, North Carolina Room, Pack Memorial Library — and of those, most owned one or two. The majority were owned by a handful of elite families, whose names are commemorated throughout the region.

They used their wealth and influence to help build Asheville and surrounding communities, supporting government, schools, healthcare, infrastructure, parks and other civic improvements, for which they were honored. But the wealth that lifted them to prominence was derived in large part by the enslavement and exploitation of Black people, entwining their many good deeds with the evil of racism.

ASHEVILLE

Originally Morristown, the town was incorporated and renamed in 1797 to honor Samuel Ashe (1725-1813), governor of North Carolina and a major slaveowner. He never lived here. Asheland Avenue is also named for him.

The Patton family constituted the largest slaveholders in Asheville, collectively owning more than 220. James W. Patton (1803-1861) owned 78 in 1860 and was, with J.E. Patton and others, active in buying, selling and trading hundreds of enslaved Blacks. Patton Avenue is named for him. John Patton and Samuel Chunn were partners in a slave-trading business. Chunn has a road and a neighborhood named for him.

Asheville businessman and hotelkeeper James McConnell Smith (1787-1856) owned 75 enslaved Blacks, some of whom built the Smith-McDowell House, believed to be Asheville’s oldest surviving structure. It is now headquarters of the Western North

church was built on a former plantation and was financed and supported by slave owners, he said. A corner of the church property was dedicated almost a century ago to a cluster of monuments honoring Confederate President, slaveholder, and avowed White supremacist Jefferson Davis, along with Zebulon Vance and other “heroes” of the Old South.  Today, the “Open-Air Westminster Abbey of the South,” as Calvary’s memorial park is known, sits near a dedicated food bank where volunteers from the church community gather and distribute food to needy families. Clarkson said that even before the pandemic, and the protests, he and parishioners had already convened a series of meetings to begin wrestling with the “uncomfortable” question of how to reconcile history and current values.

Carolina Heritage Center. William McDowell owned 40 slaves.

Daniel Reynolds (1809-1878), namesake of Reynolds Mountain, owned 15 slaves.

Asheville’s first merchants, brothers Zebulon and Bedent Baird, owned 14 slaves in 1820. The Baird family (Baird Cove Road) owned 36 slaves.

Augustus Summerfield Merrimon (18301892), U.S. Senator and Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, wrote, “Slavery has certainly existed from the earliest times down to the present, and it would seem that it is, in one sense, of divine appointment … I am thoroughly convinced that Slavery in this country cannot be abolished without greatly endangering our country … If it is an evil in the abstract, it would be a greater evil to abolish it here.” Merrimon Avenue is named for him.

Asheville’s hotel and tourism industry, already thriving before the Civil War, was in large part based on slave labor.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY

Originally the State of Buncombe, which encompassed much of western North Carolina, it was named after Col. Edward Buncombe (1742-1778), who forced more than 100 enslaved Africans to work his sugar plantations.

In the 1860 census the Black population of Buncombe County was 13 percent, but historians note the percentage swelled in summer months as slaveholders in Georgia and South Carolina temporarily moved their families to mountain resorts.

In 1860 Zebulon Vance owned six Blacks; his brother owned seven.

William Johnston, a farmer, owned 55 slaves.

WEAVERVILLE

In 1860, U.S. census data show that the families of Michael Montraville Weaver and his wife Jane Eliza Baird Weaver, who donated the land of what is today Weaverville, collectively owned 93 enslaved people.

WOODFIN

The town was named for Nicholas W. Woodfin (1810-1876), a “complicated” man who “was at best inconsistent in the application of his values,” according to the Town of Woodfin Facebook page. By 1860 Woodfin was western North Carolina’s secondlargest individual slaveholder, owning 122 enslaved people. Only William F. McKesson in Burke County personally owned more, 174.

HAYWOOD COUNTY

Named for John Haywood, state treasurer for 40 years. After his death in 1827 auditors discovered $68,906.80 missing (equivalent to $1.86 million in 2020 dollars). His enslaved Blacks were sold to partially reimburse the state. His namesake county, however, had relatively few enslaved people in 1860; the exception was James Robert Love, proprietor of the White Sulphur Springs Resort near Waynesville, who owned 85 servants.

MADISON COUNTY

Originally inhabited by the Cherokee people, Madison County was named for James Madison (1751-1836), fourth President of the United States, who owned more than 100 slaves on his Virginia plantation and sold them for personal profit.

The Black population of Madison County in 1860 was 3.6 percent.

According to a Sept. 2, 1903, article in The Laurens (S.C.) Advertiser, African Americans were not allowed to live in

“I’m okay with not moving quickly to a solution just because we feel uncomfortable,” Clarkson said. “It’s okay if we spend some time being uncomfortable. It’s an opening for education.”

— J. Clarkson, rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher

It’s a question the church — and Asheville, and Buncombe County, and the rest of the nation — will be wrestling with for quite some time.

“I’m okay with not moving quickly to a solution just because we feel uncomfortable,” Clarkson said. “It’s okay if we spend some time being uncomfortable. It’s an opening for education.”

Madison County except within a mile of the courthouse in Marshall.

The construction of Mars Hill College in Madison County was financed in part by using an enslaved Black man, Joseph Anderson, as collateral for the loan. A contractor seized Joe, and the sheriff jailed him until the school’s trustees paid the debt. Joe was freed after the Civil War. His greatgranddaughter, Oralene Anderson Simmons, in 1961 became the first African American student at Mars Hill College and is now a noted civil rights leader and activist in Asheville.

HENDERSON COUNTY

Leonard Henderson (1772-1833), one of the first Chief Justices of North Carolina, owned 41 slaves in 1830, according to the census. As Chief Justice, Henderson argued that local Quakers had no legal right to grant freedom to enslaved workers left to them in a man’s will, citing the “mischief” it might cause if enslaved Blacks saw free Blacks getting paid for their work. “Numerous collections of slaves,” Henderson wrote, “working for their own benefit, in the view and under the continual observation of others who are compelled to labour for their owners, would naturally excite in the latter, discontent with their condition, encourage idleness and disobedience, and lead possibly in the course of human events to the most calamitous of all contests, a bellum servile” (slave war).

By 1860 the Black population of Henderson County was 15 percent.

YANCEY COUNTY

In the 1820 census Bartlett Yancey, U.S. congressman and speaker of the North Carolina state Senate, is recorded as owning 36 slaves. In the Yancey family Bible he recorded the “Family Record of the Age of Negro Children” born to his slaves; There are 131 births listed from 1810 to 1864.

Black Lives Matter.

“We could make a decision about what to do with these monuments, but then we might never actually get to the deeper question of how we square that history with our current place in the community,” Clarkson said.

“That would be a real loss.”

To some in Asheville, the whole debate over names and rocks and memorials is just a distraction from the real issues raised by

“That’s not a discussion I want anything to do with. I have no interest in that at all,” said DeWayne Barton, founder and chief executive of Hood Huggers International in Asheville, an organization dedicated to strengthening systematically marginalized neighborhoods in the region. “A monument, a street name, a flag, none of that means anything to me. Nothing. What matters is, what are we going to do about now, right now, about the current physical brutality against the Black community?”

AVL Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Peter H. Lewis is a former senior writer and editor at The New York Times. Contact us at avlwatchdog@gmail.com.

COVID-19 cases curving up again

Medical director:

Stay home if you have symptoms

BY J ESSI STONE

N EWS E DITOR

Haywood County Medical Director Dr. Mark Jaben has been keeping residents updated through the COVID-19 Pandemic with weekly video messages that offer hope and guidance for the future.

In one of his latest updates, Jaben said the health department was noticing a “disturbing trend” as staff continues to conduct more testing throughout the community.

“Increasingly people are developing symptoms and not honoring those symptoms for what they might be. More and more people are continuing to go out — even with symptoms — to bars, restaurants, to work or vacation and fostering the spread that we’re seeing,” he said.

For example, Jaben said the county recently had one case where a person traveled out of state and met friends at a bar. A few days later the person developed symptoms but continued to go to work for several days. It wasn’t until the person lost his or her sense of smell and taste they decided to go get tested.

“Everyone they met at that bar tested positive. We don’t know yet about the customers or staff exposed,” he said. “This is why we’re seeing such a ramp-up in cases not only here but in much of the South and West — fueled by people dismissing or ignoring what’s right in front of their face.”

While people want to believe they are only putting themselves at risk by going out, Jaben said the truth is that it puts many people’s lives at risk, especially those working who have little choice but to be out in public. Younger people still think COVID-19 is still something only older people need to worry

about, but Jaben pointed out that the number of people under the age of 24 with the virus is now double the number of people over the age of 65 with the virus.

Haywood County saw a 23 percent increase in cases just last week with 7 percent of test results coming back positive. Jaben said Jackson County saw a 40 percent increase in cases just last week. Meanwhile, Sevier County in nearby Tennessee has 266 active cases and has been declared one of the newest hotspots in the region.

not spiked in WNC. Even though there are still few deaths, he reminded people that younger people with the virus have been experiencing illness for several weeks and may experience long-term medical issues, including shortness of breath, fatigue and even organ failure.

“I’m not sure how many more of these stories we need to hear before people listen,” he said. “If you want it to go away, we all have to do our part. We don’t have to agree on everything to agree on some things.”

“We’ve seen people from Haywood County who visited there and come back infected,” Jaben said, referring to many locals who frequently travel to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Dollywood theme park has also been open to guests for the last several weeks.

A graph showing predictions of new cases for Haywood is now predicting 160 cases by the end of July when just a month ago it was predicting 90 cases by the end of the month. As of July 7, Haywood County had a total of 105 positive COVID-19 cases, 82 of which were considered recovered.

Jaben said hospitalizations in North Carolina continue to rise, but the good news is the number of COVID-related deaths has

He encouraged people to wear masks in public, get tested and stay home if they are feeling ill and steer clear from high-risk situations.

Jaben said other countries that chose to buckle down for a few months before trying to safely reopen their economies were more successful at flattening the curve and returning to somewhat normal, but the recent spikes show the U.S. reopened too quickly.

“The experiment to reopen didn’t work out as planned. Early on people took the recommendations to heart and kept the lid on it, but now it’s clear we reopened too much too soon,” he said. “The danger isn’t the virus — the danger is not enough people doing their part.”

Haywood County Public Health received notice of 13 new cases of COVID-19 on July 6, bringing the total number of cases to 105. The individuals are in isolation at home. Eleven of these individuals reside in Haywood County. Two are part-time residents. Two have recent out-of-state travel history. Two have unknown exposure. Seven were identified through contact tracing to two previous cases. As of 4 p.m. July 6, 82 cases of the total cases are categorized as recovered while the other 23 remain in isolation. Fifty-four people are in quarantine because they have been identified as close contacts of known cases during contact tracing efforts.

Jackson County identified a new cluster on July 7 at a local medical provider’s office — Current Dermatology. The state defines a cluster as five cases or more identified at a workplace, educational, and other community settings within a 14-day period. All positive employees are following isolation orders and other employees were tested and received negative results.

Current Dermatology’s Sylva and Clyde locations have been closed since June 26 and will reopen on July 13 to allow time for employees to be tested, for their symptoms to resolve, and to have both locations cleaned using a third-party cleaning service. All patients seen during the time period of June 15 to June 26 have been notified. In Jackson County, there are 141 total cases as of July 6 compared to 107 cases last week. There’s been one COVID-related death and 67 people are currently in isolation. Swain County had 67 confirmed cases as of July 6 and 185 tests were pending result. Swain County has also had one death. Macon County’s cases continue to be one of the highest in the region with 290 total confirmed cases as of July 6 — 175 cases are considered recovered, 114 active and one death. Another 281 tests are still pending. According to the state’s website, North Carolina had 74,529 total cases July 6; 1,398 deaths and 982 current hospitalizations related to the virus. For more information, visit https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.

of Haywood County, its

and families.

Lori Bailey, executive director of the Nantahala Health Foundation, (from left) poses with a package of masks alongside SCC President Dr. Don Tomas and Paige Christie, director of The Community Table in Sylva.

SCC supports mask distribution efforts

On Monday, June 22, Southwestern Community College hosted Nantahala Health Foundation representatives as they set up a mask distribution site at the Burrell Building on the Jackson Campus.

The mask distribution resulted from a collaborative effort between Nantahala Health Foundation, the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, and the State of Franklin Health Council to distribute face coverings to nonprofit organizations throughout Western North Carolina.

“The most important thing that we can be doing for each other as a community is to make sure that we’re all wearing masks,” said Paige Christie, director of the Community Table in Sylva. “We are very grateful to be one of the many nonprofits getting a distribution of masks to give out to our visitors. These are people who may otherwise have no way of getting one to protect themselves and others.”

The Nantahala Health Foundation, which supports the six westernmost counties in N.C. and the Qualla Boundary, was working to distribute more than 35,000 masks in June.

“The supply has been distributed based on requests from each organization submitted to the United Way of Asheville Buncombe County or directly to NHF. Thanks to the State of Franklin sharing their mask resources, we’re happy to say that we’re going to be able to fully support the needs of our service area,” said Lori Bailey, director of the Nantahala Health Foundation. “We’re extremely grateful for both our suppliers and distributors for helping make this happen. It is absolutely vital that we protect our communities as much as possible.”

Dr. Don Tomas, SCC’s President, worked with Bailey to coordinate a time and date for the mask distribution.

“We have a great partnership with the NHF, and we offered to help without hesitation,” Tomas said. “We have the space and means to create a safe, central location for such an important cause. It’s an honor to support our communities in any way possible.”

The NHF also donated 1,500 masks to the SCC Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit subsidiary of SCC. The masks will be used to promote employee and student safety on campus. Earlier this year, the NHF pledged $107,000 toward equipment for SCC’s new Opticianry program, set to launch when SCC’s new Health Sciences Building opens in 2021.

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WCU disbands Board of Visitors

Members will better serve university through other board opportunities, leaders say

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Western Carolina University’s Board of Visitors no longer exists following the WCU Board of Trustees’ vote June 5 to repeal its charter.

The move is not a negative reflection on board members’ contributions over the years, said Chancellor Kelli Brown, but is rather an attempt to better leverage their talents and enthusiasm for the good of the university.

tional members to roll off on June 30. Twenty of the 23 members attended the October 2019 meeting, and the same went for the April 2019 meeting. The meeting before that, in October 2018, drew only 16 members.

During the October 2019 meeting, Brown, Division of Advancement staff and other university leaders discussed the issue with Board of Visitors members.

“It became evident that they all hold an immense amount of professional knowledge, diverse skills and great pride for WCU,” said Raynor. “It also was clear that the areas in which they are passionate are varied and span across all areas of the university.”

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“Western’s alumni and friends have a long tradition of supporting the university not only through financial contributions, but also by giving of their time and talent,” she said in an emailed statement. “Going forward, our alumni and friends will continue to assist by connecting us with employers for internships and job opportunities, advocacy and philanthropy in support of our students, academic programs and co-curricular activities. This will result in the type of meaningful interactions with the university that our alumni and friends have told us they desire.”

Then-Chancellor David O. Belcher created the 30-member Board of Visitors in 2014 to serve as an advisory board to the chancellor. Members were to serve as advocates and ambassadors for the university; support its mission, vision and strategic plan; make it a philanthropic priority; and provide the chancellor and trustees with advice on critical issues.

“We began a year ago thinking about the purpose of the Board of Visitors,” Interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement Jamie Raynor told the trustees’ Committee for Administration and Trusteeship June 5. “I don’t bring this to you lightly.”

However, said Raynor, membership has decreased as members have resigned, come up against term limits or received appointments to other boards, and meeting attendance has declined as well. As of March 2020, the board had 23 members in addition to the five ex-officio members, and of the 23 only 17 were considered to be regularly active members. That number was likely to dwindle further over the summer due to term limits requiring addi-

According to draft minutes from the October 2019 meeting, the conversation began when Board of Visitors Member Mark Benge asked Brown how she planned to use the board within her administration.

“The BOV was started by Dr. Belcher. Will it continue?” Benge asked, the draft minutes show. “What changes will you plan on making to the BOV?”

Brown then replied that the university needs to figure out how best to utilize the board and that she has been looking to see how similar bodies are used at other institutions.

“We can make this group whatever we want it to be,” she is paraphrased as saying in the draft minutes. “WCU is exploring the possibility of creating a new position for Alumni Affinity programs. The Board of Visitors are like the university’s messengers. WCU needs to provide members talking points so members have WCU information to talk to others about.”

She then asked members what they most want to do as a board. The question drew a variety of answers, ranging from advocacy to interaction with students and professors to acting as an ambassador for the university. Some board members noted that the board has a lot of talent to offer but that it is not being utilized and that re-engaging board members should be a goal, the draft minutes said.

“After meetings between WCU administration and the Board of Visitors leadership, we were all in agreement that disbanding the Board of Visitors was in the best interest of the university and the members of the Board of Visitors,” Board of Visitors President Bruce Moore said in an email. “Most of the board members have already been placed on other boards that better fit their skill set.”

As of July 1, former Board of Visitors members are serving WCU by sitting on the Foundation Board of Directors, Catamount Club Board of Directors, and various college and department advisory boards.

Elliott to retire from Jackson Schools

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

After two years in the position, Jackson County Public Schools Superintendent Kim Elliott will retire as head of the school system.

She informed the board of her decision during a special-called meeting and work session held June 11, announcing that her retirement would become effective Sept. 1.

“I would like folks in Jackson County to know that my family’s here in Jackson and we plan to remain,” she said in an interview. “We love Jackson County, and quite truly the superintendancy in Jackson County has been the highlight of my 34-year career. We’ll be around and hopefully be active community members.”

Elliott became the district’s superintendent on Feb. 2, 2018, receiving a four-year contract with a base salary of $120,132, plus benefits and any applicable local or state salary supplements. The board amended the contract in August 2019, adding an additional year to extend it through June 30, 2023, and giving her a raise of $8,500.

However, she had held the position in an interim capacity since former Superintendent Mike Murray left the district for a position as superintendent of Cherokee Central Schools on June 30, 2017. Elliott served as assistant superintendent under Murray and had been in the district for five years when she was named as his successor. However, she has worked as a public school administrator in North Carolina since 1999, with 34 years in education all told.

In an interview, Elliott said that she had been planning to retire sometime this year and could have left as early as July. However, she decided to stay on a little longer to see the district through this exceptionally challenging summer.

“I felt it was very important that I stay to see the opening of schools so that I can rest easy that students and faculty and staff are

safe with the parameters that we are setting for COVID-19,” she said.

Throughout the week, said Elliott, she’s on conference calls with fellow superintendents and chief academic officers, and she has weekly phone calls with Jackson County Health Director Shelley Carraway and Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli Brown. The goal of all those conversations is to keep a close eye on what’s happening with the coronavirus and to devise a menu of plans for the 2020-2021 school year in light of that threat.

“It is hinted that at some point we will have in-person school, and superintendents across the state are waiting for the two-week timeline for the governor to give us more specific guidance,” she said. “We are, however, working on plans A, B and C right now.”

Plan A is for a reopening of face-to-face school on Aug. 17, while Plan B would be a hybrid model of in-person and virtual instruction. Plan C would rely solely on remote learning.

In a letter to the board dated June 11, Elliott said that she’s proud of the improvements in school safety, student support services, professional development, strategic planning, curriculum design, teaching and learning, business and financial processes, facility repair, HR processes, employee benefits programs, efficiencies and cost savings, partnerships and grant acquisition, equity and hiring that have taken place during her tenure.

Additionally, she said, she’s proud that the district has been able to maintain all its staff positions in the midst of the pandemic.

Elliott said that she will support the selection process for the new superintendent however needed and will work to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“We are very sad she’s leaving,” School Board Chair Ali Laird-Large said in an interview.

The board will appoint an interim superintendent to lead the district while it searches for a permanent hire, Laird-Large said, but that person has not yet been selected.

Elliott, who lives in Whittier with her husband and her Maltese, said that she is working to launch an LLC called Elliott and Associates Educational Consulting, which she will pursue following her retirement. She is working with other Southeastern educators on the project and plans to focus consulting services on school and district leadership.

Affordable housing grants available

For the first time ever, the Realtor community is offering a formalized grant program to assist Haywood County address critical needs.

The newly established Canopy Housing Foundation, Western Region Community Grants Program, will provide monetary support for nonprofits to address unmet housing needs. Nonprofits can request up to $3,000 for programming-related purposes. All grant applications must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from a Realtor member of the Canopy Realtor Association. Applications will be reviewed by a community panel and will be evaluated on the following criteria: community impact, project feasibility, fiscal strength and Realtor support.

Funds can be used for operational/budget needs, salary support, administrative support, capital expenses, debt reduction expenses and endowment funds.

Applications will be accepted until July 15 and funding will be awarded by Sept. 8 during a Realtor luncheon. Apply at www.canopyhousingfoundation.org.

Maggie Valley to hold annexation hearing

The Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen will conduct three public hearings at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, for the purpose of

three requests for volunteer annexation. The properties are Pete and Barbara Planchock at 9 Golf View Drive (PIN # 7697-80-0490) and Ron Clifford and Lynn Collins at 427 Country Club Drive (PIN # 7696-49-2847) and Lucas Kyle at 28 Julia Drive (PIN # 8607-71-8007).

Written and oral comments will be accepted.

Causby elected chair of NCCAT Board

The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Board of Trustees recently elected Cory S. Causby of Waynesville as chairman.

Causby, a 21-year veteran of the human resources and payroll offices at Western Carolina University, is the university’s associate vice chancellor for human resources. A Swain County native, Causby earned his bachelor’s degree in government and international studies at the University of South Carolina in 1994. He earned two graduate degrees, a master’s in human resources and a doctoral degree in educational leadership with a connection in higher education administration, at WCU in 2001 and 2010. He also holds a Professional in Human Resources Certification.

“We are fortunate to have individuals like these, with a wealth of knowledge, who are willing to work actively for education in North Carolina with us,” said NCCAT Executive Director M. Brock Womble.

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Franklin restaurant wants to expand outdoor seating

Town Council to consider the project

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR

As the Coronavirus Pandemic continues to impact local businesses, restaurants and bars have been trying to look for ways to expand their outdoor seating capacities.

Brett Murphy, one of the owners of Root + Barrel Kitchen in downtown Franklin, came before the town council Monday night to explore the possibility of expanding the restaurant’s outdoor seating on the side of the building. Municipal government typically wouldn’t have to get involved in approving such a plan, but the Root + Barrel building presents a unique challenge. The building is located next to town hall and the town owns the alley way in between the buildings. According to Town Attorney John Henning Jr., the town owns the property all the way up to the side of the restaurant’s building, which means any improvements or expansions on the side would be done on town property and require some kind of a lease.

Murphy said he would like to be able to add 40 more seats in the alley, which would mean an additional 20 seats during the 50 percent capacity COVID-19 orders. Normal full capacity inside is 150, Murphy said. ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Commission) regulations would also require Root + Barrel to put up some sort of barrier around the outdoor seating to be able to serve alcohol.

“We’d like to clean it up and do some landscaping buffers between the sidewalk and the seating area,” he told council.

Councilmember David Culpepper said allowing for more outdoor seating was a specific goal outlined in the town’s Comprehensive Land Development Plan, which was approved by the board last month.

“One element we talked about was converting alley ways into dining opportunities and this goes along with that perfectly,” he said.

Murphy said the restaurant would also love to open up that alley space a little more

Root + Barrel, a restaurant in downtown Franklin, is requesting the town council’s permission to expand outdoor seating in the alley way between town hall.

File photo

by removing a couple of the trees and having a mural painted on the side of the building to add more public art like Sylva and Waynesville.

Since the space is right next door to town hall, Councilmember Joe Collins suggested the board take a short trip over to get a better look at the alley, but the board decided to wait until the end of the meeting to do so.

Mayor Bob Scott wasn’t as open to the idea as the other councilmembers. Allowing a private business to expand their operations onto town property, he said, could start an unwanted precedent for other businesses making similar requests.

“I’m not so sure with doing something like this you shouldn’t have a public hearing about it,” he said. “It sounds like a pretty permanent thing to me.”

While Murphy said one idea was to install a concrete pad for the outdoor patio seating, he said there were alternative plans to just use gravel if the town didn’t approve the concrete installation. A concrete pad would provide ADA accessibility, but the gravel would not.

“We’re looking for at least a three- to 10year lease because we’re looking at investing $20,000 into the project,” he said.

Again, Scott asked the council what they planned to do if other businesses came forward with similar requests.

Councilmembers Culpepper and Mike Lewis said they’d love to see more businesses coming before them to expand their businesses in a way that is congruent with the town’s new comprehensive plan.

The town council agreed to gather some

more information about the project and look at the space before discussing it again at the next regular board meeting in August.

It’s not the first time the restaurant and the town have run into an issue with their shared space in the alley way. Council was unhappy with owners of The Bowery Restaurant when they installed a side entrance between the buildings without asking for the town’s permission. The restaurant owners also came before the town in 2016 to ask if the town would be willing to keep the gate open and unlocked between the restaurant’s back parking lot and the town hall’s parking lot. However, the town wanted to keep it closed to prevent people from using it as a short cut through the town’s parking lot.

Designed by Johnson Architecture and IBI Placemaking, the Cherokee Cultural Corridor Plan includes a “maker’s space” and public mall, among other features. Johnson Architecture illustration

Cherokee cultural corridor plan receives award

Knoxville, Tennessee-based Johnson Architecture, along with project partner IBI Placemaking, recently earned an award in North Carolina for the Cherokee Cultural Corridor Master Plan.

The master plan, which outlines the growth and development of Cherokee, North Carolina, the tribal lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), received the 2020 Honor Award in the Analysis and Planning category from the North Carolina Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

The Honor Award is the organization’s highest accolade.

Johnson Architecture and the Knoxville office of landscape architecture firm IBI Placemaking worked with EBCI to establish a multiphase cultural corridor plan for the community that provides tourists and residents places to congregate, recreate and reconnect with the Cherokee heritage in a contemporary way.

“We were inspired by the EBCI’s rich and storied history and the Cherokee culture that lives on today,” said Daryl

DMV fees increase

A number of N.C. Division of Motor Vehicle fees increased effective July 1.

As mandated by state law, the DMV is required to adjust fees and rates every four years, based on the percentage change in the annual Consumer Price Index during the past four years. The increase will be 7.86 percent for about 90 license and registration-related fees.

Examples of the changes includes a 50 cent per year increase for a regular driver license. Currently, the fee is $5 for each year of the license, which is issued for five or

Johnson, founder and president of Johnson Architecture. “Collaborating with EBCI and IBI Placemaking, we created a master plan that celebrates and strengthens the Cherokee community and amplifies the sharing of stories and culture with visitors.”

The EBCI is one of only three Native American communities in the world. Its economy focuses primarily on cultural tourism.

“The EBCI is a unique native people’s community, and we were committed to ensuring that the community and culture would flourish and remain vibrant for generations to come,” said Bill Bruce, associate director and principal-in-charge for IBI Placemaking in Knoxville. “As landscape architects, we focus on the people who will enjoy the outdoor spaces we create, and we consider it an honor to help share the story of Cherokee, North Carolina.”

The North Carolina chapter’s professional awards are presented annually to recognize the state’s best landscape architecture projects and the businesses and organizations who create them.

eight years. So, a five-year license will go up $2.50 and an eight-year license by $4. The issuance of a learner’s permit and a provisional license will increase by $1.50 overall, with a duplicate license increasing by $1.

Fees are also going up slightly for commercial driver licenses, copies of driving records, and several other license related processes. For regular private passenger vehicle registrations, the annual fee will go from $36 to $38.75. Registrations for commercial vehicles, motorcycles, for hire vehicles, house trailers, low-speed vehicle and electric vehicle fees among others that will also increase.

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Sign up for Head Start

Mountain Projects’ Head Start and Early Head Start programs are now enrolling new students ages 3-5.

The program has empty spots to fill for free, high quality childcare and school readiness for Haywood and Jackson counties operating from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. The program is designed to help lower income families living below the poverty line get a Head Start for school readiness.

Childcare centers are located in Waynesville, Clyde, Canton, Sylva, and Cullowhee. Pre-K is available in Clyde, Waynesville and Sylva.

For more information, call 828.452.1447 in Haywood County, or 828.586.2345 in Jackson County.

SCC revises plan for fall semester

Southwestern Community College will start its fall semester as scheduled on Aug. 17, and officials are rolling out a number of schedule adjustments and format changes to help keep students and employees safe during the ongoing pandemic.

Fall break has been canceled, and SCC will hold no in-person curriculum classes after Thanksgiving break. A “Flex and Finals Week” following Thanksgiving will allow students to remotely finish any pending course requirements. The final day of classes has been moved up to Dec. 4, two weeks earlier than originally planned.

All curriculum classes will be web-supported, hybrid or web-centered, and no face-to-face classes will meet on Fridays. This means that while SCC is still offering a range of face-to-face classes, they will all have some level of online activity.

SCC remains poised to immediately transition to a fully virtual college should federal, state or local conditions require such a move. All programs at SCC’s Public Safety Training Center are continuing to meet the region’s essential needs via inperson training.

HCC Foundation fund helps students

Haywood Community College Foundation has been able to assist about 40 students through the HCC Cares Student Emergency Fund Campaign. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, student emergency needs have increased. Due to generous donors and grant funding, HCC students have received assistance with buying food and gas, as well as paying for utilities and rent.

Additional donations from the community will enable HCC to provide assistance to students during the summer semester. These donations include grants from Sam’s Club of Asheville for $2,000 and the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina Emergency Disaster Response Fund for $3,000.

At HCC, the goal is to assist students with

emergency needs so they can stay on track to complete the semester and achieve their educational goals. With higher education credentials, graduates are more likely to find a job that pays family-sustaining wages.

For more information about HCC Cares, visit www.haywood.edu/financial-aid/scholarships and scroll past the scholarship information.

WCU selects chief marketing strategist

Brian M. Mullen has been appointed to the new position of chief marketing and communications strategist at Western Carolina University.

Mullen is currently the executive director of marketing at Lone Star College, a seven-campus, 99,000-student public community college system in Texas. A marketing and communications professional for more than 13 years, Mullen will begin his duties July 15.

Mullens will oversee the design, development and management of a comprehensive integrated marketing and communications plan that will coordinate marketing- and communications-related activities across the university community. He will be responsible for brand development, brand management, market research and top-level messaging strategy.

New Century Scholars celebrate 25 years

Twenty-five years ago, a college education really wasn’t within reach for hundreds of families in Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties.

In 1995, Dr. Barry Russell, then-President of Southwestern Community College, and former Jackson County Superintendent, Dr. Charles McConnell, decided to find a way for deserving, high-potential students to achieve a college education.

They approached community leaders to sponsor the program by donating $500 each (the cost of SCC tuition at the time), ensuring a two-year education at SCC for the first group of students.

Through these donations, the program known as New Century Scholars was formed.

As of 2020, more than 2,400 students have been able to change their lives through the program. In addition to last-dollar tuition support, NCS also provides resources and mentorship to students as they navigate middle and high school, engaging them in community service projects, professional development and networking opportunities to provide them with excellent educational and career experiences.

For more information on how to contribute to NCS, contact Brett Woods, Director of the SCC Foundation, at b_woods@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4241.

Peter Hans named UNC president

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors elected Peter Hans to serve as the president of the University of North Carolina System. President-elect Hans will assume this role effective Aug. 1, 2020.

Hans’ extensive experience in higher education policy gives him a comprehensive understanding of North Carolina’s vast higher education landscape. He currently serves as president of the North Carolina Community College System, a role he has held since May 1, 2018. He also served a six-year term on the State Board of Community Colleges, where he was vice chair.

As president of the NCCCS, Hans oversees 58 colleges across North Carolina and about 700,000 students, which is the third-largest system of higher education in the United States.

Become a teacher with new WCU program

Becoming a teacher through Western Carolina University just got a little easier for people wanting to switch careers and enter high-demand fields of education.

The College of Education and Allied Professions is offering new comprehensive educa-

tion master of arts in teaching concentrations for people who already have bachelor’s degrees and want to become a teacher.

The new science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concentration will prepare people to teach middle or high school math or science, and the teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) concentration will prepare teachers to work with English language learners in grades K-12.

Candidates must have an undergraduate degree in the major of the MAT concentration and must meet the prerequisite requirements of the department housing the concentration. The online programs are flexible and may be completed in as little as two years.

Visit alternativelicensure.wcu.edu to review the specific requirements for each concentration.

Shining Rock Classical to hire school nurse

In preparation for the return of students on campus in August 2020, Shining Rock Classical Academy: CFA will be staffing a full-time school nurse. The nurse will serve as a liaison with the Haywood County Health Department and facilitate the safe operations of school for both students and staff.

SRCA Head of School Joshua Morgan stated, “While guidance from the state continues to take shape, it is clear that additional measures are going to be needed to promote student and staff safety. Bringing on staff a full-time medical professional is the only reasonable way to affirm that health procedures are being practiced at the beginning, as well as throughout the school day.” Procedures to sanitize routinely all classrooms, office areas, and school busses are also being reviewed to maximize safety. Once on staff later in the summer, the school nurse will be able to provide a medical perspective to these procedures in both planning and implementation.

Enrollment continues for the 2020-21 school year for all grades. The first day of class for students will be Aug. 5.

WCU grad named UNC Presidential Scholar

Annalee Blanks, a May 2020 graduate of Western Carolina University, has been selected as one of three University of North Carolina System presidential scholars.

Blanks, who graduated from WCU in three years with Bachelor of Science degrees in history and political science, and a certificate in public history, will begin her one-year appointment in July. Presidential scholars provide a wide range of professional functions for the UNC system office, including interacting with UNC System President Tom Roper, his senior leadership and members of the UNC Board of Governors. They also contribute and work in areas that include education, public policy, research and data trends that affect higher education.

Blanks plans to attend law school following the completion of her appointment.

Half of 2020 is behind us, thank goodness

Iwas walking my animal last night at sunset, enjoying the evening views and cool temps, thinking back to the July 4 weekend. Along the way, it hit me that half of 2020 is now in the history books. The verdict is still out as to how this time will be viewed by those who look back, but hell, it sure feels like the world is in a different orbit.

During the Christmas and New Year holidays, I had what now is an unbelievable, almost laughable vision for what this year was going to mean for me: a whole bunch of positive, fun stuff. My daughter Megan was to be married on June 6 (now we are looking at August 29, maybe); my youngest child, Liam, is set to graduate from college in December (though this year has been different for him, he’s still on track); and at The Smoky Mountain News, we had hired a new sales professional, secured some new contracts, developed some new digital offerings, shuffled around some positions, and the table was set for what I was confident would be our company’s best year ever.

Then whatever normalcy any of us expected burst, and like water pent up behind a dam, a torrent of upheaval the likes of which the world and this country has never seen was unleashed.

As Covid-19 began to tighten its grip, things that were normal became distant memories: shaking hands, hugging friends and going to concerts and movies. Words like “social distancing” and “contact tracing” once sounded strange and almost nonsensical. And as I write this, we are told more than 130,000 Americans have died from this pandemic.

All of us have watched small businesses close, some partially re-open, some perhaps never again able to make their business viable. We’ve wondered why WalMart was essential but not the jewelry store on Main Street or the galleries and other small, niche retailers that sell similar products. I can’t stand people mooching off the government, but I wasn’t upset

Trump is not fit for office

To the Editor:

Major news sources inform us that Russian operatives have paid mercenaries to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. What does the Commander in Chief have to say? His knee-jerk response is that he had not been briefed. Not responsible. Will Trump fire those officials who failed to call it to his attention? Should the Commander in Chief be held accountable? Or will congressional Republicans blame it all on Putin? Does the buck not stop at The Resolute Desk anymore?

I have never been the president. Never boasted that I don’t need daily briefings. Never claimed to be the only person who can fix things. Never said I was “the chosen one.” Never said I know more than the generals. Never belittled an American war hero. Never dodged the draft with “bone spurs.”

This latest troubling news has cast an even darker cloud over Trump’s ability/intent to protect Americans. Indeed, what are his basic motives? Perhaps, it is now time for Republicans in Congress to listen to what former National Security Advisor John Bolton says: Trump is “unfit for office.”

at all that people close to me were able to qualify for unemployment benefits as jobs disappeared by the millions.

All of this, and we haven’t even mentioned George Floyd’s May 25 killing. The social and cultural shockwaves roiling this country are forcing us to acknowledge the still-present systemic racism. It’s going to take a long time to see how we come to grips with this realization and what changes will

Number of PPP business loans from the SBA of less than $150,000

Bryson City 74 Canton 53

Franklin 217

Sylva 121 Waynesville 272

come, but fundamental reforms are coming. For some, it’s going to hurt; others will rejoice. My fear is that some will resort to even more violence and more extremism.

The very character of our small mountain towns is on course for a major reset, at least if you consider the smallbusiness community part of that character and appeal. For me, shopkeepers, restaurant owners, building supply, hardware store and other workers and entrepreneurs are all friends and neighbors, and this whole group of people and their businesses are part of why I’ve come to love this region and call it home for so many years.

So, I hope most of them, no, all of them, survive this. I was looking at the Small Business Administration’s recent release and started counting the number of businesses who applied for and received Paycheck Protection Program loans (count

LETTERS

Bolton is a staunch Republican.

Dave Waldrop Webster

Act now and vote absentee

To the Editor:

I hope every eligible North Carolina resident plans to vote in the November election; the opportunity to vote is both a privilege and a responsibility for all of us. As new residents of Swain County and a military family, we have moved 14 times. Now, Western North Carolina is our home. I am an unaffiliated registered voter.

Today, downloading the request form from the N.C. Board of Elections website (NCSBOE) is easy. Go to: https://www.ncsbe.gov/votingoptions/absentee-voting

When I was active duty, absentee ballot was how I voted.  I never wondered if my ballot was counted; I trusted the system. In North Carolina you don’t need a reason. Five

SMN and Smoky Mountain Living in this group). This is the money that is supposed to turn into a grant if the businesses follow SBA guidelines and spend it properly. The sheer numbers are staggering.

Just counting those who were approved for PPP loans of less than $150,000, you have 227 in Waynesville, 217 in Franklin, 121 in Sylva, 74 in Bryson City and 53 in Canton. I didn’t look at some of the other smaller towns, but I’m sure the total number tops 1,000 in this four-county region. And there’s a good likelihood that many of these also applied for and received the Economic Injury Disaster Loans that do have to be paid back.

Dozens of other businesses in our region got PPP loans of over $150,000, and the SBA actually has a database that allows you to search for those businesses by name. If you search, you’ll see many millions of dollars of loans to local companies.

Look, the loans are a great thing. They have been a lifeline for way too many businesses trying to keep paying their bills and keep people working while we distance, wear masks, stay at home and try to get this pandemic behind us. But the sheer volume of businesses and the dollar amounts do make me worry that many won’t survive. They may make it through this year, perhaps, but when the payments come due some will likely fail. I hope I’m wrong. As I said earlier, many of these folks are friends and neighbors.

How to describe first half of 2020? That’s just too big a question with too much still unknown. When the phrase “lifechanging” seems like an understatement, well, let’s just say we’re in uncharted territory. But I’m always hopeful, always the optimist. Humans adapt, take our setbacks and the sucker punches and get back up, roll up our sleeves and get to work. What are the other options?

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

states — Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington have all-mail voting. In these five states every voter receives a ballot by mail. Study after study has debunked any claims of fraudulent voting. Voter fraud almost never happens. Voting by mail is necessary to safely allow increasing voter turnout during the time of this pandemic.

Recently, North Carolina’s Legislature passed an election reform law. It expanded absentee voting and made in-person voting safer amid rising concern over the ability to hold smooth elections during the Coronavirus Pandemic. The law requires an online absentee request option for state voters, who formerly could only request such ballots by mail or in person. The law also reduced the number of witnesses who must sign a voter’s absentee ballot from two to one. Just because you request an absentee ballot doesn’t mean that you can’t still vote in person if you choose.

A significant number of people will be requesting absentee ballots this year. It is a sound decision knowing the lines may be long and social distancing during these times is so important; the convenience is obvious. Don’t wait until the last minute to request your ballot — do it now! If you don’t have computer

access, you can request the application for an absentee ballot at your county Board of Elections. Voters need one of the following types of identification: N.C. driver’s license, N.C. special identification card for non-operators, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Every position on the ballot is important — at this time our world is particularly stressed and sound leadership at every level of government is important. Everyone has a role to play in good governance and protecting each other as best we can. Our local governments are stressed and budgets require creative utilization of dwindling resources. That is another reason to pay attention to the local elections. Local elections are vitally important.

My request form to Swain County Board of Elections will be mailed today, giving plenty of time for it to be processed for the November election. It’s not too early to request it. The request must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2020, one week before the election. Let’s keep each other and the people who work the polls safe and get it done!

Mary K. Buranosky, CDR USNR-Ret Whittier

Wishful thinking won’t get us out of this

Before wading into the murk of America’s bizarre tug of war with itself in the year of COVID-19, let’s first stipulate one thing: we’d all love for this to be over. Wearing masks, social distancing, arguing with people on social media over who and what to believe, some of us sweating out every decision on where we can go and who we can see and what we can do and not do any time we venture out of our little quarantine cocoons, others proceeding with their lives as if not one thing has changed. We’re just over it, OK?

We’d like to eat in restaurants and get back to the gym and go to ballgames and see movies in theaters and attend family reunions and hug our friends and an endless list of other things that we took for granted until our lives changed indefinitely back in March, which now feels like about five years ago.

More than anything, we are desperate for a return to normalcy. If we can’t have that, we at least want some clear answers. Instead, we live in a kaleidoscope, with the picture changing constantly, keeping us even more off balance and frustrated.

So, that tug of war? We have two things happening at the same time, forces pulling us in completely opposite directions. On one side, the sheer number of people getting infected with the virus continues to climb at a terrifying rate. In the first six days of July, there have been 300,000 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed according to The Washington Post. The death toll is now over 130,000 and climbing.

Our efforts to flatten the curve back in the early spring have largely failed, and our rush to re-open was not only premature, but disastrous. There have been so many new cases in Myrtle Beach, masks are now mandatory in restaurants, service and retail establishments.

On the other side of the rope, we are pulling toward the closest approximation to normalcy we can manage in these impossible circumstances. As we sit here sneaking up on mid-July, most schools are planning to re-open in about a month, as administrators and school officials scramble to provide the safest possible environment for students, faculty and staff. Gov. Roy Cooper is delaying an announcement on the opening of schools as long as possible, but he will have to make a call one way or the other very soon.

Many parents are counting on schools reopening, while others are apprehensive or unwilling to send their children back into an environment that may be dangerous regard-

less of whatever measures officials take to ensure proper distancing and the wearing of masks. All it takes is a single trip to Ingles or Lowes to understand how difficult it is to enforce safety measures when people either, A) still believe the virus is a hoax or a liberal conspiracy; or B) simply don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves.

Now, these are supposedly grown-ups. Do we believe their children will behave more responsibly in a school setting? Even if you believe the virus is real and agree that people should wear masks and practice social distancing, are you willing to bet your child’s life that he or she will wear a mask on the bus? Or in a circle of friends between classes?

Another example of this cultural tug of war is the attempt to get professional sports up and running again. There are currently plans for both the NBA and Major League Baseball to resume playing games later this month — albeit with no fans in the arenas and stadiums — but every day more players in both sports are testing positive for the virus, while others are simply opting out of playing in 2020, forfeiting their salaries to avoid the risk of returning to play too soon.

Once again, we pull in one direction, while the virus pulls in the other. I’m afraid that Covid-19 fatigue has pushed us past the point of reckless optimism and into the realm of magical thinking. Maybe if we act as if things are getting better and safer, things will indeed get better and safer. Even if all of the evidence points in the opposite direction.

A friend posed this question the other day on social media: “Why did 9/11 unite us while the COVID-19 is dividing us?”

I think it is pretty clear that we were already divided. By now, it is obvious that a very large swath of the country is all in on the reign of President Trump, while those who are not continue to look on in utter disbelief.

Whatever your allegiance may be, there is no getting around his colossal failure of leadership on this issue in particular. Trump clearly frittered away precious weeks and months by downplaying the virus, deflecting blame for his bungled response after mocking reports of the virus’ seriousness early on. Rather than uniting Americans by calling on us to be selfless, to be patient, and to be vigilant in following the advice of experts as we learned more about the virus, he deepened the divide and pushed for reopening the country long before it was safe. States like Florida that reopened too soon are now having to shut down again in the wake of soaring new confirmed cases.

Regardless of wherever and however blame should be assigned or how frustrating it is that we are several months into this pandemic with no end in sight, it is more important than ever to keep our wits about us and to exercise sound judgment in making decisions that affect public health. Wishful thinking may seem harmless, but when it becomes the basis for public policy or personal behavior, it could literally be a matter of life or death.

(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher who lives in Haywood County. jchriscox@live.com)

Don’t know where I’m going, all I know is where I’ve gone

Isaac Gibson of 49 Winchester

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF W RITER

Hailing from the Southern Appalachian backwoods of Castlewood, Virginia (population: 2,045), 49 Winchester is a rapidly rising alt-country/rock act.

For the better part of the last decade, the band has been relentlessly working its way through the Southeastern music industry — playing every stage and festival that’ll have ‘em — where now the raucous group is whispered in the same breath (of raw talent and sincere passion) as the Drive-By Truckers, Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson, to name a few.

The tone is gritty, but soothing, a sense of warmth in a sometimes cold, cruel world. For every heartache, broken bottle and shattered dream, there’s an honest and tangible feeling of triumph and redemption — pushing through any obstacle when the going gets tough and others may doubt the path you’re currently on.

Fronted by lead singer/guitarist Isaac Gibson, the quintet is a true band of brothers. The lineup includes childhood friends of Gibson, either from around the corner or

across the county line. Onstage, 49 Winchester is a well-oiled and fiery machine of melody and purpose — something that lends itself to a seamless evolution of sound, ultimately creating a long-term vision for bountiful creativity and awe-inspiring performance.

Smoky Mountain News: Did you find that the shutdown not only justified, but maybe brought more purpose to what it is that you love doing with music?

Isaac Gibson: Yeah. It’s definitely given me perspective on just how much playing music for new faces every night really meant to me — not having that in my life anymore has been sort of a shock factor. It’s given me a new perspective on what it means to be in a touring band, what it means to get out and gig, what it means to make people boogie, dance and enjoy your music.

SMN: Being from Southwestern Virginia, what is it about those people and that landscape that really influences the music?

IG: There’s nowhere on the planet that is at all culturally similar to Central Appalachia. There are other places that can say the same thing, but it’s not for the same reasons. This place is completely and totally independent of everything around it — we’re on our own little island here in the mountains.

Want to watch?

The next installment of the “No Contact Concert Series” will feature 49 Winchester at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. You can watch the performance by going to www.crowdless.com and click on the “Upcoming Shows” tab.

Shows are streamed through YouTube and Facebook Live. Broadcasted live from the Codex Sound warehouse in Hickory, NCCS was designed as a solution to the limits that traditional at-home live streams present: low audio/video quality, and caps on band size.

Each show is fully equipped with a professional grade stage and lighting rig, audio inputs, and 12 camera angles, with the only people onsite being crew and band members (who perform on pre-sanitized backline equipment).

The series will continue with Tall Tall Trees (July 18), The Fritz (July 24), Cicada Rhythm (Aug. 1), Fireside Collective (Aug. 8), Chatham County Line (Aug. 14) and Amythyst Kiah (Aug. 22).

For more information on 49 Winchester, visit www.49winchester.com.

There’s such a deep sense of community where we come from. There’s a rich musical history that just kind of sprung out of its own [here]. Country music and bluegrass had their genesis here — the “Big Bang,” so to speak. It came out of the hills and [it was] in full force.

SMN: When you think about how the band started, what was the initial vision? Was it just getting together and hanging out, and then it evolved? Or did you have an initial plan?

IG: I think I had a plan from the start. Maybe not from the start of my musicianship, but the start of getting together, branching out and playing with other musicians. I’ve been playing music since I was a kid and I’d been singing since I was a kid, but nobody ever heard me except the walls in my bedroom [for] a lot of years.

But, as soon as I started getting serious enough about it, to play around with other musicians, to toss ideas off of each other and bounce stuff around, I knew I wanted to start a band.

And I want to start a band [where I didn’t] want to just go out and find hired guns. I wanted to start a band with friends. I want to start a band with people that I knew. And, you know, there [were] a couple of dudes that play guitar in the neighborhood and [a] guy that played drums — we got together and here we are now.

SMN: Well, it’s that thing, too, where you know each other on this very cerebral and kind of cosmic level. And you can’t replace that…

IG: Yeah, that’s true. A hundred percent. The thing that really makes us what we are is the fact that we’re brothers, man. We really are. This whole deal is driven [by that]. It’s a deep connection with each other and a great love that we have for each other, and respect for each other, that I think has really allowed us to sort of mesh — not just onstage, but in the studio and offstage when we’re just at home writing new songs or just hanging out. There’s definitely an element of brotherhood.

SMN: Do you think that parlays itself into not getting stressed out about things, the idea that, “We’re all doing this together and we’re having fun. It’ll be a slow burn, but we’ll do it at our own pace”?

IG: Absolutely. That’s the one thing that has kept us hanging on this long. We’re no spring chickens anymore. We’ve been doing this since we were 18 and I’m 26 now. We’ve been cranking away at this for quite a while. That has kept us tight knit. We’re going to rock and roll with this thing, with this idea, with this set of values — wherever that takes us, we’re satisfied with.

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Ain’t it funny how you feel, when you’re findin’ out it’s real?

Much like New Year’s Eve, the Fourth of July is one of those holidays that everyone you know will definitely be doing something of some sort. But, for some damn reason, nobody ever seems to decide what that something is until the last minute.

Like clockwork, plans with friends and family are vaguely made shortly after Memorial Day, only to simply jump into whatever beautiful mischief or organized chaos arrives in the 11th hour of Independence Day.

Case-in-point, it was around midnight on July 3 when I found myself standing in a dive bar on the corner of Margaret Street in downtown Plattsburgh, New York. As I was sipping a cold Labatt Blue, my smart phone vibrated with a text message. It was my buddy Kevin from Tampa.

He was randomly in Lake George (two hours south of Plattsburgh) and wanted to know if I had any plans for the next day. “No plans, as of yet,” I responded. Turns out, his best buddy from Florida (Scott) has a summer home on the shores of Sacandaga Lake on the southern edge of the Adirondack Mountains.

“Want to come down for the 4th?” Kevin asked. “Sold. See y’all tomorrow afternoon,” I replied.

With a blazing sun overhead, I cruised down Interstate 87 South towards

around, the rays of the hot sun slowly falling behind the tree line. Sand between my toes, I emerged from the watery depths and shook my long hair like some shaggy, wet dog eager for the next adventure.

Placing some steaks on the grill, Kevin, Scott and I talked about our respective industries and how our lives came to a halt in the era of Covid. Kevin owns a prominent brewery and restaurant in Ybor City. Scott works in the Tampa school system.

And myself, a journalist who travels and covers events for a living. Our daily routines shattered, with nothing better to do with our newfound time than high-tail it up to the mountains of Upstate New York for introspective moments and reflective thoughts.

After dinner, we hopped into Scott’s golf cart and headed for the beach — it was time to light the bonfire. This newfound group of friendly faces now huddled around the massive pile of dried wood. Scott set the pile ablaze just as someone else began to launch the fireworks over the lake.

In that instance, I felt normal, if but for a moment. The idea of a social gathering on a national holiday amid a slew of traditions being showcased has seemed like such a foreign concept to me (and probably you, too) within these last four months in a time as uncertain as it is haphazard.

Sacandaga. Windows rolled down in the ole pickup truck. Neil Young’s “Decade” album blasting from the speakers. My hands held steady on the wheel, my mind drifting into the high peaks of the ancient Adirondacks, one by one flowing by my field of vision.

Somewhere along Route 9N, I found myself approaching the Town of Hadley. To the left was Lake Luzerne, the picturesque Wayside Beach filled with patrons balancing a need for cold water immersion and practicing social distancing. Beach balls and hot dogs. Bathing suits and sunglasses. Laughter and splashing. Like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

Pulling into the dirt driveway of Scott’s family abode, the summer home was more so a compound. Over 180 acres along the waterfront of Sacandaga, filled with numerous old cabins still owned by the extended family, mostly rented out to close friends throughout the year.

Parking the truck, nobody was in the main cabin. I yelled around the house and front yard, only to be greeted by silence. Cracking open a beer, I strolled down to a small beach below. Finally found Kevin, eventually introduced to the genuine friendliness and hospitality of Scott.

The last time I’d seen Kevin was down in Tampa in February, running around the never-ending nightlife, right before the pandemic and shutdown — when “normalcy” was something in real time, not something thought of in the past tense as it seems to be nowadays.

Throwing on my bathing suit, I jumped into the lukewarm lake, happily floating

But, in that moment of exploding gunpowder and crackling flames, I also felt a deep sense of self. The journalism and music industry are each such a whirlwind circus, these landscapes that I’ve figured out how to navigate and ride steadily over the years.

What’s wild is this deafening silence: no music onstage, no words spilling out of my fingertips across the keyboard about the music witnessed, experienced and, most of all, deeply felt. It’s odd to go from this speeding melodic train to being somehow left at the last stop way out in the high desert of isolation.

I haven’t stopped writing about live music since I was 21 years old. Several shows each and every week. And now, at 35, here I am, sitting in Upstate New York (for the time being until I return to North Carolina), reflecting on the past and trying to paint a picture for the future.

A few months ago, I figured the shutdown would drive me crazy. But, if anything, it’s justified why I truly, honestly live and die for my work in this career path I’ve called home since college (some 14 years ago).

I’ve spent this pandemic and shutdown brutally looking at myself in the mirror, trying to figure out what it means to do what I do, and in what capacity I do it. I’ve been so busy working and wandering, that I never really made time for anything or anyone else (for years and years).

This pause has made me take a hard glance at who I am, what I am about, and who I want to be moving forward. I’ve circled back to my old self, but with new eyes and new thoughts of what the future could be — if only I remain optimistic and determined, filled with passion and grace that is meant to not only push forward my hopes and dreams, but also that of others, too.

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

On the street

Concerts on the Creek postponed

Due to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s announcement to extend Phase 2 of Covid-19 restrictions, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce has postponed the 11th season of Concerts on the Creek again until at least July 17.

Performances will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bridge Park in Sylva. The tentative updated schedule is as follows:

• Friday, July 17 - Summer & Bray (Mountain Faith) (Bluegrass/Gospel)

• Saturday, July 18 - Bohemian Jean (Classic Hits & Originals)

• Friday, July 24 - Darren Nicholson Band (Classic Country/Bluegrass/Americana)

• Saturday, July 25 - Mile High Band (Classic Rock/Country)

• Friday, July 31 - Tuxedo Junction (Classic Hits)

• Saturday, Aug. 1 - Terri Lynn Queen, Tim Queen & Scott Baker (Classic Hits)

• Friday, Aug. 7 - Dashboard Blue (Classic Hits)

• Saturday, Aug. 8- Eleanor Underhill & Friends (Americana)

• Friday, Aug. 14 - Jonah Riddle & Carolina Express (Bluegrass/Gospel)

• Saturday, Aug. 15 - The Rewind House Band (Classic Rock Hits)

• Friday, Aug. 21 - The Get Right Band (Funk/Rock)

• Saturday, Aug. 22 - Shane Meade & The Sound (Soul/Rock/Funk)

• Friday, Aug. 28 - Arnold Hill Band (Rock/Country/Americana)

• Saturday, Aug. 29 - Keil Nathan Smith Band (Classic Rock/Country)

• Friday, Sept. 4: Daddy Rabbit (Blues/Rock)

• Saturday, Sept. 5 - SKA City (Ska/Two tone/Trojan rocksteady)

Organizers are awaiting the governor’s lifting of restrictions on crowd gathering sizes due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free but donations are encouraged. Dogs must be kept on a leash. No alcohol, smoking or coolers are allowed in the park.

Organizers will strongly suggest that everyone obeys safe Covid-19 practices, which include social distancing (staying at least six feet apart), using hand sanitizer when possible, and wearing protective face coverings/masks.

These concerts are produced by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Sylva and the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department.

For more information, call the chamber at 828.586.2155, visit www.mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek or Concerts on the Creek’s Facebook page.

Marianna Black Library benefit concert

Local string musicians Frank & Allie Lee will be presenting an online concert and fundraiser for the Marianna Black Library at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11, on Facebook.

To attend the online concert, log on to Facebook, search for “Frank and Allie Lee,” then click on the events link in the left column, or go directly to this link: www.facebook.com/events/2749038672088586.

Frank & Allie Lee are a husband and wife duo specializing in harmony-powered oldtime and rural southern traditional music. With nylon string fretless banjo, guitar, slide guitar, and steel string banjo, fiddle, harmonica, and harmony vocals, they give a wide variety of heirloom songs and tunes new life.

The couple’s latest release “Treat A Stranger Right” was released in February and was No. 1 album on the Folk Alliance International Folk Chart for two months this winter.

Because of the quarantine stay-at-home

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with The Trailer Hippies July 10, Moriah Domby July 11, George Ausman July 12, Brother! July 18 and Mike Bonham July 19. All shows are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Maggie Valley Band (Americana/indie) July 10, Arnold Hill (Americana/rock) July 11, JJ Hipps & The Hideaway July 17 and Scoundrel’s Lounge July 18. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host karaoke 7 p.m. July 17. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

order, due to the Covid-19 virus, Frank & Allie Lee were forced to cancel their spring and summer tour dates. Instead, they began planning and performing online concerts from their own home in Bryson City in March.

Soon after their first online concert, in which they provided options to purchase albums or leave a “tip,” they began playing benefit concerts for the community. Since then, they have raised over $3,000 for local nonprofits and individuals in need.

The Marianna Black Library, which closed in March, but has since reopened with limited hours and services, has had to cancel all indoor programming until further notice, including the annual “Summer Music Series.”

Though this is a benefit concert, anyone can watch and listen online for free. For more information, click on www.frankandallie.com or www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

• The “Haywood County Medical Exhibit: 1870-1950” will be held at The Shelton House in Waynesville. The showcase will run through October. Admission is $7 adults. $5 students. Children ages 5 and under free. Admission includes Shelton House. 828.452.1551 or www.sheltonhouse.org.

• The next “Dillsboro After Five: Wonderful Wednesdays” will be held from 3:30 to 7 p.m. July 8 in downtown. Start with a visit to the Jackson County Farmers Market located in the Innovation Station parking lot. Stay for dinner and take advantage of late-hour shopping. Bring the family and enjoy small town hospitality at its best. “Dillsboro After Five” will be held every Wednesday through July 29. 828.586.2155 or www.mountainlovers.com.

In her own words

If you’re like me and are interested in or curious about the day-to-day life and especially the early life of Jesus — the socalled missing years — then you’re probably going to like Sue Monk Kidd’s new novel, The Book of Longings

Kidd is an award-winning and number one bestselling author of books such as The Secret Life of Bees. She is also known for her groundbreaking work on religion and feminism, and ... she lives in North Carolina.

Given her history as a writer, The Book of Longings falls right into line with what she has done previously in this regard and is told from the perspective of Ana, a young woman living in Sepphoris, a small town in Galilee near Nazareth in the first century BC, who meets a young 20-year-old Jesus in a local cave where Jesus is praying and Ana is hiding her scrolls and writing materials from her controlling parents and where she falls in love with him at first sight.

In a book that is foremost a love story, it is also an imagined and fictional account of what the life of Jesus might have looked like during his short lifetime. In that sense, Kidd gives us a realistic portrayal of the life of Jesus, his family and compatriots. But even moreso, I think that Kidd’s new book is the author telling the untold stories of certain females in history. In this case, the stories of those women who were essential to the per-

son of Jesus of Nazareth and/or played major roles in the biblical history of his life and times.

Following the chronology of the Jesus story as laid out in the New Testament, we

get the full monty of those years as a result of Kidd’s extensive research and detail. In a history that has been told to us by men, we get a more and much needed feminist perspective as we learn about the identity and

City Lights drive-by book signing

There will be a drive-by book signing for Leah Hampton, author of the short story collection F*ckFace, at 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. The author will be set up outside the store for folks to drive up and have books signed. Just be sure to have a mask on.

early life of Judas before his betrayal. We are privy to the ambitions and narcissism of Herod Antipas. We learn of Jesus’ relation to and time with John the Baptist and then Jesus taking on John’s role when John is captured and imprisoned by Herod — by taking up the activist work of non-violent protest against the Roman state. But all of this, and more, is told through the eyes and mind of Ana and her interactions with all these people as a result of her love for and eventual marriage to Jesus.

In the early pages of the book, Ana, who is the daughter of the number one Scribe in the court of Herod Antipas, is described by Kidd as “a student, an ink maker, a composer of words, a collector of forgotten stories.” She is, at the outset, writing a book about the women who have been mislaid, misremembered and abused by either the Roman or the Jewish societies. She is smart and she is fiesty. Yet she is also compassionate and loving and her many loves and her compassion know no bound. While she is a good, or even a perfect match for Jesus, she is also something of a mentor and some of the words that are attributed to Jesus in the New Testament originally come from the mouth of young Ana. Kidd is not shy about saying at one point that “great sages had female teachers.” In this sense, there is a comparison to other well-known and more modern literary figures such as T.S. Eliot, Percy Bysshe Shelly and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who had literary wives who also served as the famous men’s editors and probably even their revisionists.

“I didn’t know what I would write. Words engulfed me. Torents and floodwa-

City Lights Bookstore owner, Chris Wilcox, said of F*ckFace, “Do you find the title of this book off-putting? Please, read the poignant title story, which upsets any preconceived notions that the name conjures. Such prejudice is an apt chord to strike at the beginning of a collection of stories set in the southern Appalachians, a region too often dismissed and demeaned by outsiders unwilling to grapple with nuance once they’ve made up

ters. I couldn’t contain them, nor could I release them. But it wasn’t words that surged through me, it was longing. It was love of him,” she writes of her early love for Jesus and then goes on to say, “I dipped my pen. When you love, you remember everything. The way his eyes rested on me for the first time. The yarns he held in the market, fluttering now in hidden places in my body. The sound of his voice on my skin. The thought of him like a diving bird in my belly. I had loved others ... but not more than I loved words. Jesus had put his hand to the latch and I was flung open.” Good stuff. With writing like this in The Book of Longings, Kidd takes us right back 2,000 years and we get to walk in Ana’s and Jesus’ shoes, or sandals as it were. And we walk with them for 11 years of life together learning their lifestyle and the history of the ancient world of the Nabataean Kingdom there on the Mediterranean Sea not all that far from Egypt.

As the story progresses, we eventually get to the denouement from Ana’s perspective as Jesus sets out on his well-known journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem. “Then he rose and, opening the door, stared toward the valley with the same deep, pure gaze he’d cast on me. I went to stand beside him and looked in the same direction as he, and it seemed for an instant I saw the world as he did, orphaned and broken and staggeringly beautiful, a thing to be held and put back right.” With these thoughts from Ana, and with no end-of-book spoiler from me, Jesus begins his journey south. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Thomas Crowe is a regular contributor to The Smoky Mountain News. He is the author of the historical fiction novel The Watcher (Like Sweet Bells Jangled) and lives in Jackson County. He can be reached at newnativepress@hotmail.com.

their minds. F*ckface marks the debut of a major literary talent and is a fresh addition to the southern Gothic canon.” Hampton is a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers and the winner of the University of Texas’s Keene Prize for Literature, as well as North Carolina’s James Hurst and Doris Betts prizes. To reserve copies of F*ckFace, call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

Freedom on foot

Cashiers man shares trail running passion through guide company

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

These days, Brendon Voelker’s life revolves around running, but eight years ago the Texas native was still struggling to complete his first mile.

He was overweight and out of shape back then, and while he could happily spend a day riding around on his road bike, running a mile was out of the question. But after a weight loss journey that left him 80 pounds lighter, Voelker made it a personal goal to get that first mile under his belt. By the end of 2013, he’d completed a nonstop 5K for the first time, and the distances ballooned from there.

ages 1,500 to 2,000 miles on foot and has completed various 50-milers as well as the Pinhoti 100-mile race in Alabama. He often finds himself completing solo routes of 30 or more miles through the mountains of Western North Carolina.

“For me, I always enjoy just being able to get out, and that’s why I enjoyed road biking so long,” he said. “You put your head down, you get into a zone, and it helps you relax. Then I discovered trail running.”

Bikes have limits. If the trail is too rough, or too steep, or peters out altogether, the trek has to stop, or at least hit pause long enough to move the bike past the troublesome spot. Feet, on the other hand, can go anywhere. There’s a lot of freedom in that, Voelker has found.

Prior to his arrival in WNC, Voelker spent about three years touring the country as a traveling representative for a mountain bike company. He and the 40 bikes he was responsible for lived out of the van he drove from Florida to South Dakota and everywhere in between, but the job had a lifespan. Eventually, he knew, he’d want a permanent address.

I’ve not only created a brand, but I’ve created a concept. Trail running tours are a new thing. Running tours in general are a new thing.”

— Brendon Voelker

“Next thing I knew, I went out for a run one day and I ran 26 miles, just on a Monday morning at my parents’ house in Dallas, Texas,” said Voelker, now a 28-year-old Cashiers resident.

Since then, running — and trail running in particular — has grown from a hobby to a full-fledged lifestyle. Most years, Voelker aver-

Two years ago, he moved to Asheville with the intention of organizing WNC’s second 100mile trail race. He’d already invested several months into the planning and permitting process when he decided to change course.

“I just went out on a run one day and I said, ‘I don’t really enjoy racing as much as I’d like to. Why would I want to put a race on that I wouldn’t personally want to run?’” he said.

Voelker loves to run, but he doesn’t love

symbol that marks the 1,200-mile Mountainsto-Sea Trail’s path from Clingmans Dome to the Outer Banks. Since then he’s led dozens of groups on excursions ranging from 3-mile trots through well-known places like the N.C. Arboretum to remote 30-mile runs through the heart of the national forest.

“One big thing for me that’s been tricky throughout the first year is I’ve not only created a brand, but I’ve created a concept,” he said. “Trail running tours are a new thing. Running tours in general are a new thing.”

“I can’t look at another guide company and say, ‘That’s how they handle it,” he added.

Luckily for Voelker, he has experience in a variety of relevant skills outside of running itself. He’s done web design work, as well as consulting for other guide companies. And for the last several years he’s been a freelance guidebook writer for the online publication FATMAP.

the single-minded focus on forward progress that accompanies racing. When he passes an overlook, he wants to be able to stop and take it in. When the trail veers near a waterfall, he wants to take the detour and check it out.

That realization prompted him to pivot his focus from organizing a massive trail race to founding a trail running tour company instead.

“I wanted to allow people the opportunity if you see a waterfall or you see an overlook, to stop and spend as much or as little time as you want to out there,” he said.

Voelker launched White Dot Adventures in spring 2019, naming the business after the

Nevertheless, explaining to people just what they might expect from one of his excursions — and then matching prospective customers with the right route — can be challenging.

“One thing that’s been difficult to navigate is people think, ‘Oh, trail running? I could never do that,’” he said. “It’s not about whether you can run it. It’s about going out and having that experience and pushing yourself. If you think you’re not capable, go ahead and give it a shot. If we have to hike, we have to hike.”

Conversely, he works with customers who overestimate how far they can run and how quickly they can do it. Voelker recalls one customer who

Tribe receives USFS grant for forest management

A grant from the U.S. Forest Service will help the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians expand and connect the Hall Mountain Community Forest to the Little Tennessee River.

The 108-acre tract rises above a sharp bend in the river about 5.7 miles north of Macon County. The tribe plans to incorporate a scenic hiking trail to exhibit traditional Cherokee uses of natural resources that will serve as educational learning centers for children around the region, and white-oak regeneration will allow local artisans and craft-makers to obtain the resources they need to make their crafts. The tribe will also continue to protect the

forest through traditional forest management practices.

The USFS Community Forest Program grant will provide $302,305 toward the project, with the tribe putting in a matching amount of funding.

“The Hall Mountain Community Forest has returned a key resource to the tribe — a working forest that is also a cultural landscape which has been shaped by thousands of years of use,” said Tommy Cabe, Forest Resource Specialist for EBCI. “The continuation of traditional use and forest management fits the values of Cherokee land stewardship.”

The forests at Hall Mountain reflect

thousands of years of human shaping through fire and low-impact harvesting, mainly of non-timber forest products including artisan materials, nuts and other foods, as well as wood. Prescribed burning, invasive species removal, and tree planting may be used to help restore the health and diversity of the forest while preserving the cultural history of the property. The conservation and restoration of these lands also protects soils and streams that drain into the Little Tennessee River.

In total, the Community Forest Program awarded $4 million to 10 community forest projects across seven states.

had two hours to spend on a tour and wanted to do 10 miles in that time. Voelker had to tell him that, around here, a 10-mile run takes about 3.5 hours given that on average every 15 or 20 miles will include about 3,000 feet of elevation gain.

On the other hand, he’ll get people who surprise him in the other direction — people from flatter areas of the U.S. who don’t look exceptionally athletic but prove to be extremely fast and strong.

“I get the full spectrum,” he said.

Voelker had been operating his business for less than a year when the COVID-19 shutdowns hit, at first closing him down completely. However, once North Carolina entered Phase 1 of reopening, he found himself “slammed” — especially with folks who had been training for now-cancelled long-distance races — though things have slowed down again as case numbers have begun to climb.

“It’s just been a roller coaster,” he said. Still, that roller coaster has had plenty of high points.

There’s the time he ended a 5-mile run up at Black Balsam just in time to watch the sun set, and the one where he and the couple he was guiding enjoyed a post-run beer and conversation at the foot of a gorgeous waterfall. There’s the guy who hadn’t done anything longer than 15 miles in the past decade, but trusted Voelker to coach him through a challenging 20-mile excursion.

Then there’s what is perhaps his favorite memory, which also happens to come from one of the very first tours he gave. It was a summer afternoon that turned foggy, cloudy and bleak. He and the woman he was guiding passed a couple waterfalls and

then arrived at an overlook, unable to see any further than 10 or 20 feet of what would ordinarily be a miles-long view. Voelker said he just felt bad, wishing he could offer her a better experience than the pea soup vista ahead of them. They sat down at the overlook for a bit, chatting at first and then falling into silence.

After the silence, Voelker received a new perspective on the experience.

“She said, ‘I’m from Florida, from a big city where all I can hear is noise and people and cars and construction, planes, everything,’” he recalled. “She said, ‘I haven’t just sat in silence like this in a long time. I haven’t had this opportunity in a while.’”

That single moment completely changed the way Voelker now remembers that day.

“Sometimes you’re taking somebody on their first 5K,” he said. “Sometimes you’re taking them on their first 20-miler, and sometimes the day you think is going to turn out horrible because it’s rainy and cold turns out to be one of the

memories you have.”

Spend Your Summer With Us!

Garden offers music-filled summer evenings

The popular ArborEvenings after-hours series at the N.C. Arboretum will return this year with a toy-filled twist.

This summer guests will enjoy live music in the gardens while discovering illuminated sculptures from the Arboretum’s

Nature Connects®: Art with LEGO® Bricks exhibit. Featuring 16 nature-inspired, larger-than-life sculptures made with nearly 500,000 LEGO Bricks, this nationallyknown traveling exhibit draws inspiration from the living world and combines play with science to create an innovative intersection of education, entertainment and the environment.

See the South through Bartram’s eyes

A course exploring the history of Southeastern naturalists will be offered July 17-19 at Parker Ranch in Clayton, Georgia.

A primary focus will be on the 18th-century naturalist and artist William Bartram, who traveled throughout the South from 1773 to 1775, and who provided a rare glimpse into the cultural and natural history of the Western

Get to know your trees

A 4-mile hike will offer a crash course on the local trees and woody plants of Haywood County on Saturday, July 18.

Shannon Rabby, lead instructor for Haywood Community College’s Fish and Wildlife Management Technology Department, will lead the excursion, which is part of Haywood Waterways Association’s “Get to Know Your Watershed” series of outdoor recreation activities.

The group will meet at 10 a.m., and the moderate to strenuous hike in the Sunburst area will conclude by 4 p.m. Hikers should be prepared to walk through mud and one small stream. Bring lunch and water, leave pets at home and follow social distancing requirements. Space limited to 10 people.

Cost is $5 for nonmembers and free for

The event will be held 8 to 11 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through September, though some exclusion dates apply. A variety of local and regional artists will offer live music while guests stroll the gardens, with snacks and beverages available for purchase. Parking fees do not apply, but a special admission price of $5 per person will be collected at the door, with 10 percent of proceeds going to MANNA FoodBank, which serves more than 100,000 people facing hunger in 16 Western North Carolina counties. Arboretum members are invited to a special “Membership Connects” ArborEvenings event on the third Wednesday of each month, during which fees will be waived for members and their guests.

More information, including listings for specific ArborEvenings dates, is available at www.ncarboretum.org.

North Carolina and North Georgia mountains during this period.

The course will include two field trips following his journey through Northeast Georgia into the Little Tennessee River Valley with a visit to the ancient Cherokee village of Cowee. Students will also discuss the writings of other significant naturalists who explored the region, such as Andre Michaux, John Muir, Alexander Wilson, John James Audubon and others. Presented by Alarka Expeditions. Register at www.parkersranch.com/workshops.

members, with memberships starting at $25. RSVP to Christine O’Brien at christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com or 828.476.4667, ext. 11.

Smokies creates emergency manager position

Liz Hall has been selected as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s first emergency manager.

The new position will coordinate emergency medical response and search and rescue operations between local agencies and park personnel, as well as lead preventative search and rescue efforts such as providing safety information to hikers using staff and volunteers.

A Knoxville native, Hall comes to the Smokies from Yellowstone National Park, where she served in the emergency services office since 2017. She has also worked as a law enforcement ranger in Yellowstone’s Lamar River District, and before arriving at Yellowstone she was a backcountry ranger at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Skagway, Alaska. She was selected for the Smokies job by Chief Ranger Lisa Hendy.

Hall holds a master’s degree in public administration and is a nationally registered paramedic. She spends her free time volunteering with a local search and rescue team and working her search and rescue dog, Reu. She is moving to the Smokies

Sanitation supplies available for farmers markets

A new campaign from EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems aims to make farmers

with her husband, Travis Hall, who is also a ranger, and their young son.

DuPont considers entry fees

Visitors to DuPont State Recreation Forest could have to pay an entrance fee in the future following Gov. Roy Cooper’s ratification of Senate Bill 390.

The bill, which passed both houses unanimously and was signed on June 12, directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to study the forest’s finances and operating model and to plan for “a sustainable income stream that will help preserve and protect the Forest.”

markets safer for the public and vendors alike.

The Shop Safe, Shop Local Campaign includes support for farmers markets in Jackson, Haywood, Swain and Cherokee counties, providing funds to supply necessary sanitation items like latex gloves, face masks, hand sanitizer and bleach. As food distributors increase local deliver-

ies, a need has arisen for additional cold chain resources. EMFS is supplying refrigeration and freezer equipment to Darnell Farms and the Yonder Food Distribution Program. Individual farmers are also eligible for COVID-19 relief funding.

For more information, contact Laura Lauffer at 828.359.6926 or lwlauffe@ncsu.edu.

An entry fee is to be part of that plan, the bill states. Such a fee must favor North Carolina residents and require out-of-state visitors to pay for the forest’s sustainable operation. The plan must include a financial model based on data from other models, both inside and outside the state; a list of capital projects and operational changes needed to improve the safety of park visitors who now park on the road; and a recommendation for legislative action to ensure that entry fee proceeds are used only for the forest’s capital, maintenance and operational needs.

The law requires the department to report its findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources and the Fiscal Research Division on or before Aug. 1, 2021.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

WAYNESVILLETIRE,INC.

MONDAY-FRIDAY7:30-5:00•WAYNESVILLEPLAZA

Creek cleanup volunteers needed

Help clean up Richland Creek 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 11, at the Waynesville Recreation Park.

The group will meet at the Vance Street pavilion and move along the walking trail and stream bank of the creek. Gloves, trash bags and trash grabbers will be provided. Volunteers should wear close-toed shoes and long pants and bring a towel to dry off. RSVP by July 10 to Christine O’Brien, christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com or 828.476.4667, ext. 11.

Trees for sale

Tree seedlings are now available from the N.C. Forest Service, with nearly 50 species of conifers, hardwoods and native understory plants in stock.

Offerings include eastern and Carolina hemlock seedlings, as well as an expanded selection of genetically improved third cycle loblolly pine seedlings, and genetically improved stock of longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, white pine and other species.

Hardwoods are sold in quantities as low as 10 and conifers in quantities as low as 50. For those wishing to submit larger orders, the nursery sells tree seedlings by the hundreds and thousands. Distribution will occur from December through mid-April.

Order at www.buynctrees.com, call 1.888.628.7337 or pick up a catalogue at a NCFS office.

Celebrate parks and recreation this July

July is Park and Recreation Month, and the National Recreation and Park Association is celebrating all month long using the theme “We Are Parks and Recreation.”

George Mason University and NRPA, the nation’s vast network of local park agencies generated more than $166 billion in economic activity and supported more than 1 million jobs from their operations and capital spending alone in 2017.

These are only the answers.

The celebration “honors the selfless, passionate and essential work of park and recreation officials who provide services that are critical to the health and vitality of communities everywhere — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic — and help bolster the nation’s economy,” according to a press release.

According to a recent study conducted by the Center for Regional Analysis at

Park and Recreation Month was first celebrated in 1985, with more than 160,000 full-time professionals now working to maintain our country’s state and local parks.

Participate by sharing the importance of local park and recreation professionals using the hashtag #WeAreParksandRec or enter the Thank a Park and Rec Pro contest. To do this, film a video thanking, park and recreation professional and post it using the hashtag #ThankAParkAndRecPro for a chance to win prizes offered all month long. www.nrpa.org/july.

Macon 4-H offers virtual summer camp

The “Kids in the Kitchen” virtual summer camp is now enrolling, with daily camp sessions planned for 11 a.m. to noon July 13-17.

The camp is open to children ages 9 to 13, with 30 spaces available. Carol Pitts, nutrition program assistant for Macon County 4-H, will lead the program. Call 828.349.2046 to register.

WNC Calendar

PLEASE CHECK WITH ORGANIZERS TO ENSURE EVENTS HAVE NOT BEEN CANCELED BEFORE TRAVELING TO AN EVENT LISTED BELOW.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

• The Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society has cancelled its July meeting but hopes to be able to meet again in August. Next month’s program will be “Parson’s Branch Road” rather than the usual potluck picnic. The group will continue to evaluate month to month and resume meetings when it is safe for all to be in such a gathering.

• Bardo Arts Center has a new webpage dedicated to virtual opportunities at arts.wcu.edu/virtual. Highlights include a series of Thursday lunchtime webinar presentations, which will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube, as well as through the arts.wcu.edu/virtual website. The Thursday webinar series opens with a theatrical talkback, followed by three webinars related to WCU Fine Art Museum exhibitions.

• Concealed Carry Licensure Training presented by Concealed Carry Academy. Next class is July 25. Arrive at 8:15 a.m. All supplies provided. Bring a lunch. Call 828.356.5454 to reserve a spot. Seating is limited.

• Voices in the Laurel Youth Choirs is accepting registration for its annual music camp. This year’s theme is “Be the Change,” with many changes in the format of the activities. Voices in the Laurel Youth Choirs is providing a dynamic, fun, and affordable virtual music camp for children going into first through 12th grades. Rising sixth through 12th graders will have camp July 20-24 via Zoom. “Be the Change” Camp for rising first through fifth graders will be July 27-31 from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom. To register, visit https://bit.ly/2ByLzzX or call 828.699.4005.

• The July meeting for the Swain County Democratic Party Whittier-Cherokee precinct will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, via Zoom. The agenda will include voting by mail and writing letters to the editors of local newspapers. For more info, call 828.497.9498.

B USINESS & E DUCATION

• The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a free “Amplify Social Media” series with speaker Chisa Pennix-Brown from 2-3 p.m. Tuesdays July 7-21. Each webinar in this series is designed for small business owners with existing social media accounts, looking to amplify their social media marketing strategy. Attendees are encouraged to register for a single session or register for all three. Visit SBC.Haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512.

• The Macon County Public Library Tax-Aide site has determined that it will not re-open for this tax season. Tax-Aide sites in Haywood County, Jackson County and the Murphy Public Library will also not be re-opening. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offering online options to assist taxpayers affected by the suspension of in-person services. A self-prep option, providing taxpayers with free access to software so they can prepare taxes on their own, is available at signup.aarpfoundation.org/preparing-your-taxesonline/.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment will be offering a two-day online Six Sigma Whitebelt training from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, July 16 and Thursday, July 23. The registration fee for the training is $249. Visit pdp.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7397.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment will be offering several online professional development programs during the month of July. “Share Your Voice and Communicate from a Higher

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

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

Place,” will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. on Thursday, July 16. For more information and to register for these or any of the other trainings, visit pdp.wcu.edu and click on “For-profit and Nonprofit Professional Development Workshops.”

• The Small Business Centers at Southwestern Community College and Haywood Community College are now offering expanded business services to local small business owners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Reboot, Recover, Rebuild or R3 Program for Small Business will offer expanded counseling opportunities in more than 40 different categories. Interested businesses are encouraged to apply for the program in advance by visiting southwesterncc.edu/sbc. If you have questions, email Henry at t_henry@southwesterncc.edu.

• Small business owners can find materials and services to support business growth at Fontana Regional Library’s locations in Macon, Jackson and Swain Counties. Computer classes and one-on-one assistance available. 586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS

• The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events. Alongside help for events and gatherings, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson, and other positions.

• Haywood Vocational Opportunities is seeking donations of goods, services, time and support for the second annual “HVO Stans Up to PTSD Veteran Community Resource, Education and Job Fair,” which will be held on June 27. 454.6857.

• Feline Urgent Rescue is seeking volunteers and sponsors. Info: 422.2704, www.furofwnc.org, www.facebook.com/furofwnc or 844.888.CATS (2287).

• Cat adoption hours are from noon-5 p.m. on Fridays and noon-4 p.m. on Saturdays at 453 Jones Cove Road in Clyde. Adoption fee: $10 for cats one-year and older. Check out available cats at www.petharbor.com. 452.1329 or 550.3662.

Senior Companion volunteers are being sought to serve with the Land of the Sky Senior Companion Program in Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Madison Counties. Serve older adults who want to remain living independently at home in those counties.

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking volunteers to assist rangers with managing traffic and establishing safe wildlife viewing areas within the Cataloochee Valley area. To register for training or get more info: Kathleen_stuart@nps.gov or 497.1914.

• Haywood Regional Medical Center is seeking volunteers of all ages for ongoing support at the hospital, outpatient care center and the Homestead. For info and to apply: 452.8301, stop by the information desk in the lobby or volunteer@haymed.org. Anyone interested in becoming a hospice volunteer can call 452.5039.

• STAR Rescue Ranch is seeking volunteers to help with horse care, fundraising events, barn maintenance and more at the only equine rescue in Haywood County. 828.400.4940.

• Volunteer opportunities are available throughout the region, call John at the Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center and get started sharing your talents. 356.2833.

• Phone Assurance Volunteers are needed to make daily or weekly wellness check-in calls for the Haywood County Senior Resource Center. 356.2800.

K IDS & FAMILIES

• The Kathryn Byer Memorial Poetry Contest celebrates our mountains and our connection to them in our everyday lives. It is open to all Jackson County students, K12. The poets are divided into three categories: K-4th grade, 5th-8th grade, and 9-12th. Three winners, in addition to Honorable Mentions, will be chosen in each category. Poems should be no longer than 40 lines, but can be much shorter, of course. Poems should be submitted to City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, either in person, mail or by email to more@citylightsnc.com by April 10. Please include “Poetry Contest” in the subject line. The winners in each category will receive gift certificates to City Lights Bookstore and will be invited to read at Greening up the Mountains at 3 p.m. April 25 at City Lights Bookstore. Winners will be announced by April 20. 586.9499.

• The Sylva Art + Design Committee is pleased to announce a unique pop-up gallery event that will feature the artistic creations of children ages 5-18 in the Western North Carolina region. “Nature Through A Child’s Eye” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Viva Arts Studio in downtown Sylva. If you have a child that you think may want to be a participant ages of 5-18 apply by emailing sylvaartdesign@gmail.com or vivaartsstudio@gmail.com. Facebook at www.facebook.com/sylvapublicart or on Instagram @sylvaarts. All submissions will be available for purchase and can be picked up after the completion of the exhibition. All money raised will be equally distributed between SADC and the Sylva Community Garden in order to further the betterment of the community through arts, education, and environmental awareness.

• Registration is underway for the Challenger International Soccer Camp, which will be offered to ages 3-14 from July 20-24 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Costs vary based on age group from $90-197. Separate goalkeeper and scorer program is $25 for ages 6-14 from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday. Register: challengersports.com. Info: 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Waynesville Art School offers the Young Artist Program in the afternoons for 5-6 year old, 7-8 year old, 9-12 year old. Intro to Printmaking and Evening studies in arts is offered for 13-19 year old. Waynesville Art School is located at 303 N. Haywood Street. Info: 246.9869, info@waynesvilleartschool.com or visit WaynesvilleArtSchool.com for schedule and to register.

• Mountain Wildlife offers wildlife education programs for schools and organizations in Western North Carolina, free of charge. If you are interested in having them visit your group contact them at blackbears66@gmail.com, 743.9648 or visit the website at www.mountainwildlifedays.com.

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

n Complete listings of local music scene

n Regional festivals

n Art gallery events and openings

n Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers

n Civic and social club gatherings

patients who meet financial need requirements and live or work in Highlands and Cashiers. $10 donation suggested. The clinic is in the Macon County Recreation and Health Building off Buck Creek Road. 526.1991.

VOLUNTEERING

• The Haywood County Meals on Wheels program has route openings for volunteer drivers. Substitute drivers also needed.

• P.A.W.S. Adoption Days first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the front lawn at Charleston Station, Bryson City.

• The Community Kitchen in Canton is in need of volunteers. Opportunities range from planning a meal updating their webpage. 648.0014.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Haywood County is now accepting applications for boys and girls within the Haywood County area between the ages of 6 and 14 who could benefit from an approved adult mentor/role model. No cost to the family. 356.2148.

• Gathering Table, 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, at The Community Center, Route 64, Cashiers. Provides fresh, nutritious dinners to all members of the community regardless of ability to pay. Volunteers always needed and donations gratefully accepted. 743.9880.

• The Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center has many new openings for volunteers throughout the region. Learn about a wide-range of volunteer opportunities with a variety of non-profit agencies, including respite work, domestic violence hotline volunteers, meal delivery drivers, court mediators, Habitat for Humanity house building, foster grandparenting, charity thrift shops, the Elk Bugle Corps for the Great Smokies National Park and many more. 356.2833.

• Community Care Clinic of Franklin needs volunteers for a variety of tasks including nursing/clinical, clerical and administrative and communications and marketing. 349.2085.

• Catman2 Shelter in Jackson County needs volunteers for morning feeding and general shelter chores. 293.0892 or hsims@catman2.org.

• The Volunteer Water Inventory Network (VWIN) is looking for people to work one to two hours a month taking water samples from local creeks and streams. Fill up empty bottles, collect water samples, and return full bottles. 926.1308 or www.haywoodwaterways.org.

• The Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society maintains a museum located in the historical courthouse in room 308. The HCHGS is seeking articles and objects of historical value to Haywood County that anyone would like to share. 456.3923.

H EALTH MATTERS

• Free dental clinic for low-income patients, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment at Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project Dental Clinic on the upper level of Laurel Terrace in Cashiers. 743.3393.

• The Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers, 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, provides free care to uninsured

• REACH of Haywood County is looking for volunteers who would like to assist in its newly expanded resale store. 456 Hazelwood Avenue. 456.7898.

MarketPlace information:

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!

Rates:

• $15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE

• Legal N otices — 25¢ per word

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

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

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

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

PLACE WNC

Announcements

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, highend, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 1-866-508-8362.

Business Opportunities

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NEW AUTHORS WANTED! Page Publishing will help you self-publish your own book. FREE author submission kit! Limited offer! Why wait? Call now: 888-910-2201

Employment

AIRLINES ARE HIRINGGet FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Fi-

students - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-441-6890.

faytechcc.edu. An Equal Opportunity Employer

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

MEDICAL BILLING & CODING TRAINING. New Students Only. Call & Press 1. 100% online courses. Financial Aid Available for those who qualify. Call 833-9900354

MASSAGE

PART-TIME CUSTODIAN Flexible hours around 20 per week. $10.25 per hr. Email Jerry.Southard@LongsChapel. com Jerry.Southard@ LongsChapel.com

THE JACKSON COUNTY DEPARTMENT

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

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FTCC - Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following position: Department Chair, Mathematics - Quantitative Literacy Pathways. Mathematics Instructor - 10 Month. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https:// faytechcc.peopleadmin. com/. Human Resources

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SUPER CROSSWORD

THE OSLO CHORDS

ACROSS

1Bus or train schedule

10Marveled vocally

15Cowboy rope

20Like political cartoons

21Lilting song syllables

22Sigmoid curves

23Start of a riddle

25Michigan city

26Scotland's -- Ness

27Address on the net

28Opening part of an email

29Munched on

30Riddle, part 2

38Melodious passage

39Wipe out

40Riddle, part 3

50Guevara called "Che"

51Tillage tool

52Cut short

53In -- (lined up)

54French lady friend

55Treating unkindly

58Big like Santa

59Sitting spot on Santa

60Riddle, part 4

66How-to book

67Unspecified travel destination

68Riddle, part 5

74Install, as tile

77"-- Doone" (1869 novel)

78Defiant types

79Pill bottle info

80Campus VIP

81Feel unwell

84Egypt, before 1971: Abbr.

85Clings

88Riddle, part 6

9310th-century Holy Roman emperor

94Gremlins' kin

95End of the riddle

102Letter before sigma

105One ruining something

106Porto Rico, par exemple

107Buy stuff

108Figure skater Slutskaya

109Riddle's answer

117Material for jeans

118Pig

119Talked into

120"Alive" actor Vincent

121Certain eel

122Big names in daytime dramas

DOWN

1Elon Musk's car company

2-- box (TV)

3Chop finely

4Write deeply

5Bodily digit

6Onassis' nickname

7Drill addition

8Chou En- --

9Ernie of golf

10Cheri of comedy

11Brand of toothbrushes

12Bit of a laugh

13Pipe bend

14Night's counterpart

15Match official

16Mullah's faith

17Off the direct course

18Core belief

19Houston baseballer

24Letters before xis

28Sprayed, with "down"

30Spring flower

31Coin maker

32Jumping stick

33Sch. in Columbus

34"... or -- thought!"

35Ang of film

36Art Deco illustrator

37Young deer

38To -- (perfectly)

40Good buy

41"-- la Douce"

42Cut short

43Rug type

44Daughter in "Haegar the Horrible"

45Software testing phase

46Mogul

47Mined metals

48Part of ENT

49Jug type

55Sound of an air kiss

56Caught fish with pots

57Comparable (with)

58-- -Free (contact lens solution)

60Mama's ma

61Yoko of art and music

62Beaten track

63Foldout beds

64Suffix with meteor

65L-P link

66Miracle food

68Alan of "The Aviator"

69Caroling tune

70Be a lure to

71Castro of Cuba

72Bundle up

73In this spot

74Petty of films

75On the ocean

76Rural assent to a lady

79Meanings in dicts.

81Moving around

82"Suffice -- say ..."

83Boxer Spinks

85Oodles

86Salami shop

87Sword part

89Spanish for "I love you"

90Untruth

91Siouan tribe

92Aetna rival, for short

95Lumps of chewing tobacco

96Certain intl. delegate

97Minneapolis neighbor

98-- -law (non-blood relative)

99Ross or Rigg

100Bowling lane

101-- canto

1021970s sitcom

103"Iliad" writer

104Newspaper think pieces

107ESPN no.

109Suffix with hero

110Four halves

111Title for Elton John

112Auto navig. aid

113Rock's -- Speedwagon

114Lyricist Gershwin

115Supposed psychic gift

116Gloomy --

ANSWERS ON PAGE 26

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Answers on 26

Scarlet tanagers spar in song

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in a June 2012 edition of The Smoky Mountain News.

“The scarlet tanager flies through the green foliage as if it would ignite the leaves. You can hardly believe that a living creature can wear such colors.”

— Henry David Thoreau

TBACK THEN

mature woodlands (especially slopes with pine and oak) between 2,000 and 5,000 feet in elevation. The bird winters in northwestern South America, where it enjoys the company of various tropical tanagers that do not migrate.

his seems to be a scarlet tanager kind of year. I’ve been seeing and hearing them at my house, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and in the Great Smokies. No bird in our region is more striking. Jet black wings on a trim red almost luminescent body, the male is impossible to overlook. And it’s easy to recognize by both song and call.

I almost never encounter the summer tanager (whose entire body is rosy red) in Western North Carolina, but the scarlet tanager is encountered every year — to a greater or lesser extent — during the breeding season (mid-April to mid-October) in

Keep in mind that the female doesn’t resemble her mate except in shape. She is olive-green or yellow-orange in color. Also keep in mind there is a variant form (morph) of the male tanager that is orange rather than scarlet in color. I suspect this variant is the result of something peculiar in its diet. My first and only encounter with an orange scarlet tananger was in the Lake Junaluska area several years ago.

The call note used by both the male and female is a distinctive “chip-burr … chipburr.” The male’s song is not pretty. He sounds like a robin with a sore throat; that is, the notes in the song are hoarse and raspy. When gathering nesting material, the female sometimes sings a shorter “whisper” song in response to the male’s louder song.

Males in adjacent territories often engage in combative counter-singing and will, as a last resort, go beak-to-beak. On our property, a creek sometimes serves as a boundary — the line drawn in the sand, as it were. The males sing defiantly at one

another across the water and sometimes make forays into enemy territory. Meanwhile, the female is busy incubating her eggs. When not squabbling with a nearby male, her mate brings food.   George Ellison wrote the biographical introductions for the reissues of two Appalachian classics: Horace Kephart’s Our Southern Highlanders and James Mooney’s History,

Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees In June 2005, a selection of his Back Then columns was published by The History Press in Charleston as Mountain Passages: Natural and Cultural History of Western North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains. Readers can contact him at P.O. Box 1262, Bryson City, N.C., 28713, or at info@georgeellison.com.

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