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wildfire response adequate, report says Page 10

and cons of adding high school Page 16

On the Cover:

A movement to get local governments to adopt a resolution committing to transitioning from fossil fuels to 100 percent clean energy by 2050 has picked up steam. Now that most local leaders are on board, it’s time to shift gears and see just what town and county governments can do to reduce their carbon footprint. (Page 6) Solar panels are but one option governments might get greener in the coming years. File photo

News

Sylva’s Confederate statue draws debate

WCU fishing club aids in Harvey rescue efforts

Review of November wildfire response released

Community talks underway in Bryson City

Bowling alley opens in Cherokee ................................................................................14

SRCA discusses pros and cons of adding high school

Swain adamantly opposes wilderness designations

Swain to receive $4 million settlement

Hylah Birenbaum.

C LASSIFIEDS: Scott Collier.

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

WRITING: Holly Kays. .

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S UBSCRIPTIONS

Sylva statue draws debate

Local leaders grapple with meaning of Confederate sculpture

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER

Ever since an August protest over removal of a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned violent, a nationwide debate has erupted over the part Confederate monuments play in glorifying racism and treason — and the metal-cast Confederate solider standing guard over downtown Sylva is no exception.

In recent weeks, both the Sylva and Jackson County boards of commissioners have discussed the issue, while also knowing that a 2015 state law leaves local government bodies with no authority to remove the statue even if they wanted to. And, while few local leaders seem to actively endorse removing the statue, many seem to recognize the complexity and emotional weight of the issue.

“We’re going to make some decisions on health departments and stuff like that, but that ain’t a tough decision,” Jackson County Commissioner Boyce Deitz said during an Aug. 28 meeting. “This is a tough decision. This is a decision when you make it, people look at it and say, ‘That’s what he is.’”

COMMENTSFROM COUNTYCOMMISSIONERS

Chairman Brian McMahan was the one who brought up the issue, departing from the board’s standard meeting format to begin by asking County Attorney Heather Baker to give an overview of the state law’s restrictions on monument removal and then following up with a 700-word statement he’d prepared to express his feelings on the matter.

“In light of what has taken place in our nation over the course of the last month, I would like to first take this opportunity to condemn in the strongest and harshest of ways any act of racism, bigotry, violence and hatred,” McMahan said. “What took place in Charlottesville, Virginia was hateful, immoral, egregious and just plain wrong. Any action by these white supremacist groups is a total embarrassment to this nation and they in no way represent my values or the values of most Americans.” McMahan went on to say that his grandfather, who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and endured a “living hell” as a Nazi prisoner of war, would be mortified to see Americans waving the Nazi flag. Similarly, McMahan said, there is no reason that the flag of the failed Confederate rebellion should be flown on any governmental property. However, he believes the statue depicting an unnamed Confederate solider should remain at its post on the steps

Local leaders in Jackson County are talking about how they perceive the meaning of the Confederate soldier statue in Sylva and whether it should someday be removed. Cory Vaillancourt photo

to the Jackson County Public Library.

“Our statue represents the common soldiers who left the mountains of Jackson County to go and fight in a war that they may not have even supported,” McMahan said. “Our statue is a visual reminder of a period in our history, as unpleasant as it may have been. For all the talk about when the statue was erected, during the Jim Crow period, that too stands as a reminder of who we were, but not necessarily who we are today.”

McMahan said that he was “very disappointed” in the mob that tore down a Confederate monument in Durham on Aug. 14 and in vandalism to a sign for Jackson Paper, which included a likeness of Andrew Jackson, pointing out that many “powerful leaders of change” such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi relied on nonviolent protest.

“Taking the statue down does not remove the hate that is in people’s hearts. That is our job … I pledge my full support of any effort to promote peace and harmony within our community, to ensure that the correct history is taught to younger generations, to visibly demonstrate what it means to love your neighbor and to honor and respect others around us,” he concluded.

Commissioners Mickey Luker, Ron Mau and Charles Elders all said they wholeheartedly agreed with what McMahan had to say.

“History’s history and we can’t change it, but we can make a difference moving for-

ple suggested that perhaps the problem wasn’t the monument’s existence — perhaps the problem was the display’s one-sided nature.

“Maybe one of the problems we suffer here in the South is we have a preponderance of monuments and remembrances to the Civil War and the Confederacy,” said Jane Koenig, of Teckasegee.

TALKINTOWNHALL

A few days earlier, the town of Sylva had had its own discussion about the statue — or, rather, a discussion about whether it would be worth having a discussion. The statue is a prominent part of the downtown Sylva landscape, but it’s on county property with state law preventing any decision for removal at the moment.

However, Commissioner Greg McPherson brought up the topic with the idea that, should something change, it would be a good idea for the town board to have a unified statement on the matter.

“Yes, it’s on county land, but it looms over Sylva and it is a prominent place in our downtown, so I think it would be wise to at least be a part of that discussion,” agreed Commissioner David Nestler.

“The more you talk about it, the more it will rouse up the public in my opinion,” said Commissioner Harold Hensley. “If it stays, it stays. If it goes, it won’t be the death of the town.”

“I would argue it would be better for the town,” McPherson said.

ward every day,” Luker said, thanking McMahan for his comments.

Deitz’ comments, meanwhile, reflected his unresolved struggle over the statue’s true meaning and how to reconcile all the different pieces of history behind it. On the one hand, he said, his great-grandfather fought in the Civil War — a poor mountain-dweller who “didn’t have but one slave and that was him,” and who may or may not have even known what he was fighting for. But he can remember flipping through a book of World War II veterans put out at the time and seeing how the black veterans were pictured in the back of the book, whites in the front. He can remember the integration of SylvaWebster High School in 1964 and the racist trappings of the era.

“We have some great (black) families in this community,” he said. “I’d hate to know they was passing something every day that made them feel like they was less.”

Deitz urged those listening to make an effort to understand the point of view of those who think differently from them.

“I never did have a debate class, but I think sometimes in debate they ask you to take this side and then next time take that side,” Deitz said. “I think it would behoove all of us to sometimes take the other side and see if you can understand what the other person’s thinking.”

Four people gave public comment on the issue that day, none of whom advocated for the statue’s removal. However, multiple peo-

While both McPherson and Nestler agreed that removing the statue would be the best course of action and that the board should discuss the matter, none of the other board members joined their request that the topic be placed on the agenda.

“I just want to wait and see how this is going to unfold before I have anything to say about it,” said Commissioner Barbara Hamilton.

“We definitely don’t want it to be a kneejerk reaction,” agreed McPherson.

However, in a follow-up interview McPherson was adamant in his view that the statue should go, calling it “a symbol of hatred.” While he acknowledges the value of lives lost on both sides of the Civil War, he pointed out there was at least one regiment of Union soldiers from Western North Carolina and that Sylva’s statue wasn’t erected until 1915, 50 years after the Civil War had ended and at the height of the Jim Crow era.

“For me, it just comes down to history,” McPherson said. “There’s a spike in Confederate monument building 50 years after the civil war, and there’s another one 100 years after the Civil War. It’s a direct response to Jim Crow and it’s a direct response to civil rights in my eyes. It’s an assertion of white power.”

RESPONSEFROMTHE NAACP

Enrique Gomez, president of the Jackson County chapter of the NAACP, said that he appreciated what McMahan had to say on the issue but also agrees with McPherson’s stance that the his-

Round two for Rhonda

Schandevel to challenge Rep. Michele Presnell again

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER

After a disappointing loss to an entrenched incumbent in 2016, Beaverdam’s Rhonda Cole Schandevel announced Aug. 26 that she’ll again be a Democratic candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in House District 118.

“With the bills and the legislative actions that Michele Presnell has taken up last year that have worked against Haywood County, I think that’s going to make a difference for Rhonda this time,” said Myrna Campbell, chair of the Haywood County Democratic Party.

Presnell, R-Burnsville, is in her third term and represents Madison and Yancey counties as well as a portion of Haywood County. Only 18 of Haywood’s 29 precincts (and half of Ivy Hill) are in Presnell’s district, but almost 48 percent of her 2016 votes came from those precincts.

“It took a while for the in-depth numbers to come back,” Schandevel said. “Their exact words were that I had a crushed every other Democratic candidate on the ballot.”

She said that evaluation was based primarily on performance, but thinks that fundraising had something to do with it as well; regardless, Schandevel said that the endorsement was indicative of the quality of her campaign as a whole.

Although the race will likely feature many issues spotlighted in the past — notably Presnell’s opposition to a room occupancy tax increase for Haywood — Campbell alluded to and Schandevel confirmed that another grievance against

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Unseating Presnell should prove difficult for Schandevel, who saw Presnell earn her greatest margin of victory in Haywood County. Schandevel won only three Haywood County precincts.

Presnell won her first two terms with slightly over 51 percent of the vote each time, but bested Schandevel in 2016 with 55.4 percent.

In thinking about her decision to run again, Schandevel said that her passion for the people in the 118th district has never waned, but after the state’s Democratic caucus got back to her with some data, it reignited her desire to serve.

torical context of the statue’s erection makes it a symbol of something more than fallen brothers, fathers and sons.

“The ideological underpinnings under (the Confederate States of America) was about creating a racial order that addressed not just the separation of but the dominance of people of European descent over people of African descent,” Gomez said.

Before it was a library, the building where the statue stands was the county courthouse. How must it have felt, Gomez asked, for a black person walking into the courthouse seeking justice to pass by a statue symbolizing the Confederacy’s view of him as a lesser being?

“My position is this, and that is that if we are going to have a monument in a public space, that monument must absolutely reflect our deepest constitutional and moral

Presnell may get some serious airtime this go-round.

“The school board partisan race is a huge issue,” Schandevel said of Presnell’s March attempt to make school board races in Haywood County partisan.

That effort didn’t pass but did enrage local school board members from both parties who said Presnell hadn’t even consulted them on the matter.

Whether or not that issue gains any traction for Schandevel, she knows she needs to generate even more interest in the race than she did in 2016.

“We’re going to get people out to vote,” she said. “In 2016, people were just not excited about the campaign like they should’ve been.”

values that hold us together as a community,” he said. “As it is right now, it is difficult for me to recognize how that image in front of us speaks to our deepest constitutional and moral values.”

However, Gomez continued, whatever happens to the statue should be a carefully thought-out decision, not an emotional reaction. If the decision is to remove it, he said, there should first be a plan as to what should go in its stead.

“Having an empty space is a problem to itself,” Gomez said. “If we are going to take some kind of action, we must be prepared to come up with a symbolic element that does speak to our deepest constitutional and moral values … The question is what should that symbol be? That can only emerge out of much deeper conversations, and that is going to require some time.”

Question: What is an “anti-inflammatory diet”?

Answer: Certain foods may be considered “anti-inflammatory” if they help lessen the effects of some diseases and problems linked to chronic (long-term) inflammation in the body like arthritis, joint pain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, migraines, diabetes and even certain types of cancer. If we were to group these foods under one meal plan it

would be what is commonly referred to as the “Mediterranean Diet.’

Some of the key foods in the Mediterranean Diet that are considered anti-inflammatory are: fruits • vegetables • beans • whole grains • nuts • seeds fish ( especially fish high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna and sardines)• oils ( olive oil) • wine

Avoid or limit foods such as: foods that are highly processed ( high in sugar, salt and/or fat), fried foods, red meat, alcohol. and pastries. It is worth remembering that your body will also deal better with illness and inflammation if:

• you get regular exercise and activity • you get sufficient sleep and rest on a regular basis • you are not smoking

For more information see:

Arthritis Diet: http://www.arthritis.org

Mediterranean Diet info from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/the-mediterranean-diet

‘TRICKLE-UP’: The grassroots greening of government

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER

The proposition is simple — establish a transition from fossil fuels to 100 percent clean energy by 2050 or face climate calamity, according to the N.C. Climate Solutions Coalition.

Working in support of the former is retired Haywood County schoolteacher Susan Williams, who for months now has been circulating a resolution to Haywood County’s local governments calling for support.

In doing so, Williams has learned that her grudging successes are beginning to add up across rural Southern Appalachia, where many still can’t afford the large upfront investments and long payback periods renewable energy sources often demand, despite North Carolina being named America’s second-largest solar generating state in 2015.

But along the way, the teacher became the student and Williams learned lessons far more vital — lessons about how local governments respond to the demands of their citizens, and the power of those citizens to make change from the ground up.

THEGREENSCENE

The resolution itself is a simple template declaring support for “a state and national goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050” and asserts that the global average surface temperature has risen 1 degree Celsius since 1880, primarily due to “human-caused fossil fuels emissions.”

The 2015 Paris Accords — from which President Donald Trump intends to withdraw — seeks to limit that rise to less than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, but carbon dioxide concentrations greater then 400 parts per million have contributed to 16 of the hottest years on record occurring during the last 17 years.

Studies by the International Monetary Fund, Duke University and Stanford University cited in the resolution all point to the economic risks associated with humaninduced global warming, as well as the job creation benefits that would follow the expanded utilization of green energy.

“The Stanford study demonstrates that in North Carolina, many jobs would be created to support wind and solar development,” Williams said. “And everybody knows we need jobs.”

Historically, a sizeable chunk of Haywood

“It’s pristine,” Williams said. “For now.”

Williams also said that an additional economic benefit in the form of a savings could be realized in health care.

“Particularly for things like asthma,” she said. “There are lots of issues due to airborne pollutants. That’s a savings, but of course your health is not something that you can actually measure in money.”

THEGREENQUEEN

Williams is not exactly an unlikely messenger.

“Teachers explain,” she said.

Raised in Louisiana, Williams moved to Hawaii at a young age, where environmental awareness became interwoven with the rich tapestry of her life over nearly five decades.

“I think that when I moved to Hawaii in the early ‘70s I realized there was an Earth movement and an eco-based movement that I wanted to be a part of, just as a supporter, if nothing else,” she said.

As it would happen, Williams moved to Hawaii in 1970, the year of the very first Earth Day.

After a return to Louisiana, she moved to Fines Creek with her husband in 1980, became a teacher at Erwin Middle School in 1981 and after 10 years there, taught language arts and gifted programs at Waynesville Middle School until she retired in 2010.

“When we first moved up here, there was a lot more ozone in the atmosphere and we had these issues with our views, for example,” she said. “I have seen an improvement.”

That improvement comes after years of advocacy by regional organizations like air quality watchdog Canary Coalition, where Williams found initial support, meeting with director Avram Friedman.

Friedman asked Williams if she needed help or wanted to operate under the auspices of the Canary Coalition as she embarked on her tour of municipalities.

County’s jobs are tied to the environment through the tourism industry.

“People come to this area expecting the air to be crisp and clean,” she said. “People want to see lots of fish, they want to see beautiful and rare wildflowers on hikes in the Smokies — they want to see all of these amazing aspects of the natural world that are bringing tourist dollars here. We will destroy the goose that laid that golden egg if we don’t protect our Earth right here.”

Visitors to Haywood County aren’t limited to just seeing, either; the county’s burgeoning craft brewing and distillery scene as well as its robust agricultural sector make it easy to taste Haywood County as well.

“One of the first thoughts that occurred to me was the successful opening of BearWaters Brewing in Canton,” Williams said.

According to BearWaters, 90 percent of beer is water; although the nuanced and exotic flavorings that come with different combinations and varieties of hops, malts and yeasts often steal the show, the water is what determines the ultimate character of beers.

“It’s everything, obviously,” said Kevin Sandefur, co-owner of BearWaters. “It’s the reason the whole industry is booming in Western North Carolina, because of the water quality.”

BearWaters sources its waters from Canton’s Rough Creek watershed, which, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality are “unique and special waters having excellent water quality and being of exceptional state or national ecological or recreational significance.”

“No, Avram, I think I just want to go in as a citizen,” she said. “I think I can just explain why this is important, and we’ll see what happens.”

LITTLETOWNS, BIGFEET

A similar resolution was introduced by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Edward J. Markey in the waning days of President Obama’s lame duck period, but never made it out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

On Mar. 16 North Carolina State Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Greensboro, introduced into the Republican-controlled North Carolina House of Representatives HR 401, titled “A House Resolution supporting a state goal of one hundred percent clean energy by 2050 and the creation of green jobs.”

“[People] want to see all of these amazing aspects of the natural world that are bringing tourist dollars here. We will destroy the goose that laid that golden egg if we don’t protect our Earth right here.”

— Susan Williams, retired Haywood County teacher

Green government efforts continue in WNC

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER

Although the clean energy resolution circulating through many local governments of late has been alternately called “aspirational” and “empty” by some, a quick survey of some of the Western North Carolina municipalities that have adopted the resolution shows that while a few have long been in the business of greening up government, others may just use the resolution as an impetus to start doing so.

“That’s something we’ve just begun to look at,” said Franklin Mayor Bob Scott.

Home to fewer than 4,000 people, Franklin lacks the resources of some of its better-funded neighbors, but that doesn’t mean the town hasn’t been dreaming of a cleaner, greener future.

“We’ve focused on fuel efficiency and electricity savings,” Scott said, mentioning a possible solar farm on the old landfill.

Aside from trepidation about the lack of space for an expansive solar generation operation, Scott says that storage of surplus power — generated as direct current — is a continuing concern. Modern electrical grids operate on alternating current.

If the town’s demand for solar doesn’t rise to the level of what it can supply, it’d be a huge, expensive waste of money.

Regarding fuel efficiency, Scott said that the town has encouraged the use of bicycles with its recent pedestrian and bicycle plan, and has placed bike racks throughout the town.

The town has also considered installing electric vehicle charging stations for public use, but has thus far had trouble justifying the cost.

Franklin does have some hybrid cars in its fleet, but no electric vehicles like Waynesville has.

Just four days later it was shuffled off to the Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House.

“It’s where things go to die,” Williams said. “I am hopeful that Pricey and/or other representatives will be heartened by the success of this resolution in towns just like Canton and Clyde — little towns that are standing up on big feet and saying ‘Raleigh, if we can take a stand and say that this is important for our state, then so can you.’”

Little towns like Clyde and Canton weren’t the first to consider such a stance, but were perhaps emblematic of the greater issue afoot, as was the town of Boone in nearby Watauga County.

Boone became the first municipality in the United States to pass the resolution in January 2016 and was followed in Western North Carolina by Sylva on April 13, led by Avram Friedman.

Around that time, Williams contacted

“We have two [hybrid] Toyota Priuses, a Ford Fusion and a Chevy Volt, which is completely electric,” said Waynesville Town Manager Rob Hites. “That’s four either crossovers or completely electric cars. And then all of our gasoline vehicles are equipped with a propane switchover, so we use propane as much as we possibly can.”

And Waynesville’s environmental efforts don’t stop in the town parking lots.

Waynesville is what’s called an “electric city,” meaning that it buys electricity from a supplier and then resells power to local customers.

“Our previous managers have been very conscious of the environment. I think the city’s been very responsive to the need to reduce greenhouse gasses.”

— Rob Hites, Waynesville town manager

That power is cleaner than ever, and doesn’t involve the burning of fossil fuels.

“We have a state-mandated goal,” Hites said. “Up to 6 percent of our energy has to be green, and then on the other side, 100 percent of our energy is nuclear. We are buying from Santee Cooper’s nuclear unit, so there’s really no fossil fuel involved in the production of our electricity.”

Neither the energy-efficient vehicles nor the clean power generation occurred as a result of the green energy resolution, however. Both initiatives had been implemented

Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown, who suggested she present her case at the Haywood County Council of Governments meeting — an informal gathering of Haywood County elected officials and administrators — on April 24.

long before Susan Williams began advocating for the resolution.

Waynesville’s also long had energy-efficient switches and low-flow toilets in many, if not most of its facilities.

“Our previous managers have been very conscious of the environment,” Hites said. “I think the city’s been very responsive to the need to reduce greenhouse gasses.”

Hites also said that it’s possible that Waynesville’s history of environmental awareness hasn’t quite gotten the notice it deserves.

“I think we were pretty early on into the cleaning up of the environment,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t get as much credit when you have an old program as when you announce a new program with the ribbons and all that.”

New programs and ribbons may be exactly what’s in Canton’s future; the town has little in the way of environmental achievements, but Canton’s presumptive

TRICKLING UP

adoption of the resolution when the possibility of letting the issue linger arose.

Mayor Zeb Smathers — who is running unopposed in November — says he’d like to see that change.

“For us, our ambition should always be to try to do better — I don’t care if it’s economic development, infrastructure or the environment,” Smathers said. “The question is, ‘What can we do to leave this town better than we found it?’ That ought to be the obligation of every pubic official across the spectrum, regardless of politics.”

Smathers and other Canton officials had helped Evergreen Packaging find the money to convert to cleaner boilers some years back, but simpler solutions — like replacing an aging vehicular fleet and continuing the town’s periodic paper shredding days — are also a good start.

“We’ve made more environmentally conscious decisions lately than we have in a long period of time prior to this,” he said. “This Earth is a God-given treasure, so it’s our obligation.”

Ralph Hamlett

Asheville passed the clean energy resolution in June, as did Waynesville, thanks to Williams, Brown and the enthusiastic Board of Aldermen; during the meeting, the usually reserved Alderman Jon Feichter asked rhetorically, “Who would be against this?”

Macon County as well as the Town of Franklin then passed the resolution in July, as did Haywood County’s Town of Canton, where Alderman Dr. Ralph Hamlett gave an impassioned speech demanding immediate

“He put it beautifully when he said that this is ‘government that trickles up,’” Williams said. “When local governments have the courage and the voice to stand up for what is right, then eventually so do state governments, and it has to ultimately find its way to Washington, where the will of the people will be heard.”

The will of the people brought Williams to the Town of Clyde Board of Aldermen meeting Aug. 10, just as it had brought her to Waynesville and Canton prior.

Home to just 1,200 people, Clyde lingers in the shadows of its larger, more up-andcoming Haywood County neighbors like Canton and Waynesville, but is a growing geographical lynchpin in the county economy.

“We’re not asking the town to buy Teslas or bring in windmills,” Williams said to Aldermen Frank Lay II and James Mashburn during the meeting; Mayor Pro Temp Jim Trantham sat in for ailing Mayor Jerry Walker, and Alderman Dann Jesse was absent. Lay deduced the resolution was about sending a message and said as much, calling it “aspirational.”

“It’s about sending a message to both state and local residents,” Williams agreed.

“Like a lot of things in government, it’s aspirational, and that’s OK,” Lay said.

Mashburn followed, stating that although he still represented voters who made a living in the fossil fuel industry, he would second Lay’s motion and vote to adopt the resolution.

“We’ve got until 2050,” Mashburn said. Trantham then opined that the transition away from fossil fuels was inevitable.

‘Climate Mayors’ oppose Trump’s Paris retreat

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER

The green energy resolution isn’t the only way elected officials have been dealing with human-induced climate change.

The Paris Climate Accord — a United Nations Convention on Climate Change initiative — was negotiated in late 2015 and primarily addresses greenhouse gas production. More than 190 nations agreed to it and 160 have thus far ratified it, but President Donald Trump recently announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the pact.

Condemnation quickly ensued from both within and without the U.S., perhaps most vehemently by a coalition of U.S. mayors, including those of Boston, Houston and Knoxville.

Calling themselves the “Climate Mayors,” this group of 372 has issued a statement rejecting Trump’s proposed withdrawal and vowing to “adopt, honor and uphold” the goals of the Paris Accord.

The Paris Climate Accord primarily addresses greenhouse gas production.

Representing 67.5 million Americans, the Climate Mayors said, “if the President wants to break the promises made to our allies enshrined in the historic Paris Agreement, we’ll build and strengthen relationships around the world to protect the planet from devastating climate risks.”

One of those mayors is Franklin’s Bob Scott, who isn’t shy with his opinions about climate change.

“It’s real,” he said.

But Scott is one of relatively few Western North Carolina officials who is a signatory to the Climate Mayors statement; aside from Asheville’s Mayor Esther Manheimer and Highlands’ Mayor Patrick Taylor, the other 10 N.C. mayors who have signed on all live and work east of Asheville.

“We are interested in finding solutions here in Canton that we can implement, but before committing to something that would practically or legally bind us, I’d need to talk to the Town Board,” said Canton Alderman Zeb Smathers.

Smathers will likely be Canton’s next mayor, as he is running unopposed; he also stressed that his personal feelings about climate change are similar to those of Scott.

“Do I believe that the warming of the environment is real and has affected our climate?” he said. “I do.”

TRICKLING UP

internal recommendations on how the town could actually move towards the goal.

“Like it or not,” he said, just before the resolution passed unanimously.

Canton, Clyde and Waynesville are but three of the five local governments in Haywood County; Maggie Valley and Haywood County both learned of the clean energy resolution back in April at the Haywood COG meeting, but have yet to formally hear it.

Williams contacted Maggie Valley Town Manager Nathan Clark, who holds a master’s degree in sustainable development and said he also shared Williams’ passion for clean energy, calling the objectives of the resolution “greatly needed” in an email to Williams.

But Clark also shared his concerns that it

was an “empty resolution” that was “without any tangible course of action to help achieve the clean energy objective.”

He then suggested Williams appear at the town’s agenda-setting meeting Aug. 8 to discuss implementation strategies before coming before the board Aug. 14.

Williams said communications then broke down, but Clark doesn’t want people to think the town’s not interested; Williams will appear on Maggie Valley’s Oct. 9 agenda.

“I applaud Mrs. Williams for bringing this resolution to our attention,” he said, adding that he hoped a dialogue with Williams and the board would result in some concrete,

The Haywood County Board of Commissioners likewise has yet to hear the resolution formally.

Williams emailed the county about it in mid-July; after consideration during commis-

“Like a lot of things in government, it’s aspirational, and that’s OK.”

— Frank Lay II, Clyde alderman

sioners’ Aug. 1 agenda-setting meeting, it didn’t make the Aug. 7 agenda because commissioners wanted more time to study the supporting documents Williams had submitted.

“It won’t be on any of the upcoming agendas,” said County Manager Ira Dove. “But we do have some time on this.”

The nonpolitical, logistical issues of presenting such a resolution are just as important as the political aspects, but many — or, rather, most — Americans aren’t aware of how, exactly, one goes about fostering change on a local level.

Williams wasn’t at first, but Hamlett’s comment about “trickle-up” government supports the idea that almost all catalysts for change — especially in the environmental movement — are local.

“I have learned some humility I think, and some respect for our local lawmakers and people who work for the public. It’s often a thankless job, long meetings, lots of tedious details to attend to, but I was listened to and supported,” Williams said. “I have felt empowered as a citizen and have felt in partnership with these local governments. We are all in this together.”

WCU fishing club returns from Texas

Members helped rescue Hurricane Harvey victims

As members of Western Carolina University’s bass fishing club team — the Bass Cats — were in route to assist in the Hurricane Harvey devastation along the Gulf Coast, the rain pelted down on the windshield and the radio kept issuing reports of people who needed to be rescued.

Equipped with four pickup trucks and four boats to provide rescue and emergency support, a dozen members of the team left campus the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 29. They arrived in Lake Charles, Louisiana, around 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Aug. 30, unloading medical supplies, canned food and water before leaving for Orange, Texas.

“We’ve already gotten at least 20 folks to safety, probably more,” said Jason Ashe of Sylva, team member and relief effort organizer, in the dawn hours of Thursday, Aug. 31. “You don’t stop to count, you just get it done, then move to the next call.”

The task ahead of the college students was daunting, but they launched their bass boat near Lake Charles, Louisiana, and made their way into the flooded areas to save those who couldn’t save themselves. The Bass Cats described the scene on their Facebook page as more devastating than any news network could ever portray.

Once there, they were met with an immediate demand for services. Jefferson County, Texas, Sheriff Zena Stephens told multiple

How to help

news outlets that the entire area was in dire need of a large number of water rescues because of massive flooding and limited response resources.

“My very first call was for an evacuation of a 90-year-old woman who was immobile,” said Jacob Boyd of Canton, team president.

“Along with Colby Shope (of Canton) and Zach Tallent (of Franklin), we got her out of the flooded house and loaded her, in her wheelchair, then took her to shallower water where her son was waiting with a pickup

Hurricane Harvey victims

With so many charities working to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, many Western North Carolina residents are curious about the best way to help.

The Category 4 hurricane slammed into the Texas coast Aug. 25 leaving at least 60 people dead and more injured. No mandatory evacuation was issued before the storm hit and flooded the Greater Houston area. Much of the city and surrounding areas remain underwater as rescuers continue searching for people stuck in their homes.

Many of the local churches and law enforcement agencies in WNC are also pitching in to collect food, clothing and household items for people in need. Here is a list of national and local nonprofits in need of donations right now. With Hurricane Irma swirling in the Atlantic as a Category 5, the need for hurricane disaster relief is not likely to wane anytime soon.

AMERICAN RED CROSS

The American Red Cross is usually the first charity to come to mind when a natural disaster hits. There’s been some backlash recently regarding whether Red Cross donations actually directly impact people in need, but the Red Cross website is allowing people to donate specifically to Hurricane Harvey relief.

The Red Cross recommends monetary donations as opposed to donations of food, clothing or other household items.

“It takes time and money to store, sort, clean and distribute donated items, which diverts limited time and resources away

storm has taken on residents of the region. “It’s such a sad situation,” Ashe said. “You’re boating down what used to be a street, with cars and homes submerged below you, and you think about the people who have worked hard to build a life and lost everything.”

Working alongside other rescue units such as the volunteer Cajun Navy, local EMS, and sheriff and fire departments, Boyd said he saw another impact of the flood. “This is dangerous work and you see the stress, fatigue and anxiety that comes from that and being overworked. There’s so much tragedy all around. I’m so glad we’ve been able to be a part of rescues and a happier side of things.”

The team was set to return Monday, Sept. 4, but heading home Sept. 1 after local agencies gained control of the situations in that area.

truck. She said the water just rose overnight. She woke up with water filling the house, leaving her stranded.”

The WCU fishing team, founded in the spring of 2013, competes in a variety of fishing tournaments and series. For the relief efforts, instead of rods, reels and tackle boxes, they left campus with first-aid kits, locally donated bottled water, containers with gasoline, hygiene items, life vests, Bibles and clothes.

The team witnessed the personal toll the

from helping those most affected,” the Red Cross website states. “The best way to help disaster victims is with a financial donation that can be accessed quickly to support those affected, and be put to use right away. With a financial donation, individuals can buy what they need and want.”

According to the Red Cross, donations will assist in the months ahead to pay for temporary shelters, shelter supplies, transportation for disaster workers, meals for displaced residents, health services and more.

If you can’t make a monetary donation, consider giving a donation of blood. The need for blood is always in high demand, especially for rare blood types, but it’s especially needed during a natural disaster.

Read more at www.redcross.org.

TEXASCHARITIES

In addition to national nonprofits like American Red Cross, there are many local charities in Texas and Louisiana that will be critical during the hurricane recovery efforts.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, which will be administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation to help those impacted by the floods.

Make a donation at https://ghcf.org/hurricane-relief/

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston opened its doors to displaced residents this week at no charge. To donate to them, visit http://www.bgcgh.org/About-Us

Houston Food Bank and the Food Bank of Corpus Christi will no doubt be in need of donations for the next several months to meet demand. Visit www.houstonfoodbank.org or www.foodbankcc.com.

The United Way of Greater Houston flood relief fund will be

“We are happy to say that we all remained safe, minus some minor bumps, bruises, and exhaustion,” the team reported on Facebook. “This has been one of the most, if not the most humbling experience any of us have ever been a part of. We did not come to Texas seeking publicity, but it has expanded to something beyond what any of us could have imagined. The amount of support we have garnered throughout this journey has been incredible, and we thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers, and donations.”

Members of the Bass Cats in addition to Ashe, Boyd, Shope and Tallent are Jack Crumpton, Clint Bartlett, Tyler Watts, Will Crumpton, Parker Jessup, Josh Cannon and Austin Garren.

A Go Fund Me page has been created to help defray team expenses and pay for relief supplies. To donate, go to www.gofundme.com/ basscats-travel-expenses.

used to help with immediate needs as well as long-term services like minor home repair. Visit www.unitedwayhouston.org/flood or text UWFLOOD to 41444 to make a donation.

If you do have diaper and wipe donations collected, they can be mailed to the Texas Diaper Bank in San Antonio, 5415 Bandera Road, Suite 504, San Antonio, Texas, 78238.

For a list of reliable charities helping with the hurricane recovery effort, visit www.nvoad.org/hurricane-harvey/hurricaneharvey-how-to-help/.

AVOIDSCAMS

There are always a number of charity scams that pop up following a natural disaster so residents should do more research before making a donation, especially if it’s an organization you’ve never heard of before. North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall is reminding North Carolinians to do their homework on organizations seeking donations.

“North Carolinians naturally want to reach out and help our neighbors who were hard hit by flooding in Texas, but sadly natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey also bring out the scam artists,” Secretary Marshall said in a press release. “To make sure your generosity is actually helping those in need, look for charities that you know and contact them rather than responding to emotional appeals online from groups whose work you aren’t familiar with.”

The Secretary of State’s Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division encourages everyone to visit the charities section of www.sosnc.gov to check out groups soliciting you for donations and make sure they are legitimate charities.

If you believe you have been contacted by a scam charity, report it to the Secretary of State’s Office at 888.830.4989, or call local authorities.

The Chimney Tops 2 timeline

The fire review process included a thorough analysis of all communications and decisions made from the time the fire began on Nov. 23, 2016, to the time it left the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at 6 p.m. Nov. 28. According to the review team, here’s how it unfolded.

Wednesday, Nov. 23

n 5 p.m.: While responding to a call about a possible vehicle fire, the fire management officer and a park firefighter notice a smoke column rising from the Chimney Tops. The two climb the 2-mile trail to investigate the fire, estimated at less than 1 acre, but the terrain is steep and night is falling. The fire management officer realizes he can’t safely do anything until sunrise. The trail is closed to the public and the firefighters hike out.

Thursday, Nov. 24

n 8 a.m.: The fire management officer returns to the scene with four other firefighters. They see that the area is nearly vertical with unstable ground, making a direct fire line impossible. The fire management officer develops a strategy to hold the fire, now roughly 2 acres, to a 400-acre box. Crews begin scouting locations to build lines.

Friday, Nov. 25

It’s a foggy day at the Chimney Tops. Six staff members spend the day scouting for locations to build containment lines. The area’s rugged topography leaves few suitable areas, and no line is constructed.

Saturday, Nov. 26

n 3 a.m.: Due to high winds expected Nov. 28, a hazardous weather outlook is issued.

n 8 a.m.: Eight Park Service firefighters are working the fire. They split up to scout various areas for drainages and trails that would be suitable as fire containment lines.

n 10:30 a.m.: The fire, estimated at 6-8 acres, has an inverted cloud layer below it with frost on the remaining vegetation and a wet hoar frost around Chimney Tops 2. The fire is burning slightly to the south and along the east sides of Chimney Tops 2 and Chimney Tops 1. n Noon: The morning inversion layer lifts, but fire behavior doesn’t change. The fire management officer still believes firefighters could catch and hold the fire in the drainage bottoms. Crews continue scouting for fire line locations, but report that downed trees, steep terrain and high brush would make fire line construction difficult with the people available.

n 5 p.m. Firefighters leave the Chimney Tops, and the fire management officer briefs the deputy park superintendent

and chief ranger via text on actions taken and plans for the next day.

Sunday, Nov. 27

n 7:30 a.m. The fire management officer arrives at work and heads for the Chimney Tops at 8 a.m., estimating fire size at 10 acres. He sees that fire activity increased overnight and decides the response needs to be more proactive.

n 11 a.m. Staff firefighters return to the fire to provide additional information while the fire management officer remains in the office to order air and ground fire resources. These include three helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, two Bureau of Indian Affairs engines with three crewmembers each, one Park Service wildland fire module with seven to 10 crew members and a long-term fire behavior analyst. In addition, two more Smokies firefighters return to duty.

n 1 p.m. The first helicopter arrives at the park and begins making bucket drops. Remaining air resources arrive within the next few hours and get to work. Meanwhile, ground crews begin constructing handlines, focusing on the southwestern portion of the area.

n 2:45 p.m. Aerial mapping puts the fire at 35 acres.

n 3:30 p.m. Images indicate that the fire perimeter is near the southwestern line of the containment box. Air operations cease at 5:30 p.m. due to weatherrelated flight restrictions.

n 7 p.m. The wildland fire module arrives and goes to observe the fire from an overlook.

n 8:15 p.m. Fire crews are released for the night due to the fire management officer’s perception that the fire appeared quiet.

Monday, Nov. 28

n 7 a.m. The fire management officer arrives at work knowing that high winds are forecasted for later in the day. He plans to use firefighters and engines to establish containment lines using drainages and any other wet areas, also removing leaf litter from the surface as far up the mountain as possible. Air attacks are planned as well. However, he then gets a call that fire has sprung up at the Chimneys Picnic Area, beyond the planned containment line.

n 7:30 a.m. Park leaders arrive at the picnic area and see that the fire had moved “in a significant way” from the night before — it is now 250 to 300 acres. A spot fire is also found across Newfound Gap Road near Graham Creek. Park leaders decide to order a Type 2 Incident Management Team to take over the response. Four 20-person fire crews are also requested from the Tennessee Interagency Coordination Center. Though the fire management officer does not believe the fire will reach Gatlinburg, he contacts the Gatlinburg Fire Department

with an update. Meanwhile, the remainder of park management is briefed on the developments, and crews use leaf blowers to create holding lines around the picnic area buildings. Spot fire size estimates are unreliable, ranging from 0.5 acres to more than 50 acres.

n 11 a.m. A spot fire is reported at the Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion, about 1.5 miles from Gatlinburg city limits. The fire management officer asks that the Tennessee Division of Forestry dispatch two bulldozers to Mynatt Park, a Gatlinburg subdivision near Twin Creeks. The park asks for the Gatlinburg Fire Department’s help in responding, and most Park Service resources are pulled from the Chimney Tops Picnic Area to assist.

n 12:30 p.m. Park Service leaders meet with representatives from local government and emergency response at Mynatt Park to organize defense of the subdivision.

n 1:30 p.m. The fire management officer asks for additional resources, including air attacks. The Tennessee Interagency Coordination Center offers a Type 1 Incident Management Team, which could arrive by 6 p.m., compared to four or five days for the Type 2 team that had been ordered. Efforts to protect Mynatt Park begin, continuing through about 5:30 p.m. Winds are blowing in multiple directions but prevailing from the south. Fire resources that were supposed to help with efforts to protect Gatlinburg can’t make it over from Chimneys Picnic Area until much later due to fire spread and downed trees on the highway.

n 5 p.m. Park headquarters is evacuated as fire approaches.

n 6 p.m. The fire management officer learns that the fire had crossed Newfound Gap Road and was headed toward the Ski Mountain area. 911 logs show that structures in Gatlinburg began burning from multiple ignition points during this time.

n After 6 p.m. The fire response is by no means over. Though the most active part of the fire is gone from the park, it has arrived in the homes and towns of Sevier County. Homes burn, people struggle to escape and firefighters scramble to respond until rain arrives Nov. 29 to quell the flames. Fourteen people die as a result of the fires.

Two teenagers are later charged with aggravated arson for allegedly starting the Chimney Tops 2 Fire that resulted in so much death and destruction, but charges are dropped when the multiple ignition points caused by the windstorm make it impossible to prove that the deaths in Gatlinburg were a direct result of their actions. The Smokies then submits a request that the U.S. Attorney’s Office bring federal charges for the destruction in the national park. That office would not comment on the status of the request.

Review released of Smokies’ wildfire response

Chimney Tops 2 Fire review offers recommendations, warns large fires are ‘new normal’

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER

Nine months after a small wildfire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park metastasized into a deadly blaze that wreaked havoc on Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, a report reviewing the National Park Service’s decisions and actions leading up to the Nov. 28 firestorm has been released.

“The review team found no evidence of negligence by anyone at the park. I want to stress that,” said Joe Stutler, leader of the review team, during an Aug. 31 press conference to discuss the findings. “We found no evidence of negligence by anyone attempting to do their duties.”

While some things could have been done differently and wildfire preparedness should improve, everyone responding to the fire “simply did the best they could” with the experience level they had, Stutler said. Unfortunately, the blaze defied the experience of the many seasoned professionals who work at the park.

“The fire wasn’t really one that was typical of eastern Tennessee but more akin to a wildfire experience in Southern California,” Bill Kaage, chief of the National Park Service Fire and Aviation Division, said during the press conference.

Severe drought coupled with rugged terrain and a violent windstorm with measured gusts of nearly 90 miles per hour caused fire behavior Stutler said had never been seen in the history of the park. For example, he said, “a number of people who lived here for years always thought that drainages would hold fire. That was not the case.”

PARTOFTHEBLUEPRINT

While the review team concluded that the park’s decisions in responding to the fire made sense, the report pointed out several shortcomings in the park’s organizational structure and preparedness, listing recommendations to prevent similar outcomes in the future.

Smokies Superintendent Cassius Cash said that the park “embraces” the findings and recommendations in the report and that the review will provide an opportunity for “healthy discussion” resulting in a stronger program going forward.

“I will assure you this will not be a document that sits on the shelf and collects dust,” he said during the press conference. “It will be used to strengthen our program, improve our response to other disasters and storms that we know we’re going to have. This document will now become part of our blueprint.”

The report is based on three months of research and interviews with personnel and leadership involved with the Chimney Tops 2 Fire. The team finished its final draft document in early July and a completed report in early August, which was then sent to National Park Service leadership for validation before its release to the public. The team looked only at Park Service actions from the fire’s start Nov. 23 to the time it left park boundaries at 6 p.m. Nov. 28. The goal was to understand the minute-by-minute decisions made and how they made sense to those in charge.

Park visitors stop to look at the column of smoke rising from the Chimney Tops during the early days of the fire. NPS photo

The independent review team, led by 50-year fire management veteran Stutler, consisted of seven members from a variety of states, agencies and specialties, none of whom were associated with the Smokies.

FIREMANAGEMENTTRAINING

Among others, the review delivered three recommendations categorized as being likely to deliver a different result should a similar fire situation occur in the future — one of those had to do with the way fire management officers are trained.

Currently, the Park Service has no mentor or leadership development program for fire management officers or agency administrators, and those staff members are often “faced with managerial and leadership challenges where they have little to no experience,” the report says — a mentorship program would go a long way toward ensuring the people in those positions are prepared to execute them well in an emergency.

In the particular case of the Chimney Tops 2 Fire, the fire management officer had been in the position for only eight months, and while he had many years of experience as a wildland firefighter, he wasn’t well trained in the complexities of his new job.

On top of that, the fire management officer was actually filling three different roles, simultaneously, during the fire. He was acting as the fire management officer, duty officer and incident commander all at once — a violation of Park Service policy.

“It gets to a situation of overload of an individual being able to address all the incoming information and make sound decisions,” Kaage said when asked why it’s important to separate those roles.

While the multiple role situation is against policy, Kaage said, it’s something that he’s seen in various other Park Service units and federal agencies. According to the report, it happened in this instance because many of the park’s fire staff members were

Read the review

The Chimney Tops 2 Fire Review is available in its entirety at https://www.wildfirelessons.net/viewdocument/chimney-tops-2fire-review-2017.

on vacation for Thanksgiving. The fire management officer felt that giving them that time off was the right thing to do, and initially he “did not have a sense of urgency from the Chimney Tops 2 Fire due to the low fire behavior.”

ISSUESWITHCOMMUNICATION

Communication challenges also had an impact on firefighting efforts, the report said. As the fire grew, the park began to collaborate with the Gatlinburg Fire Department.

However, the two organizations operate on different types of radio systems — neither had the ability to operate on the other’s system. Also, cell coverage in the park is sparse at best, service went out completely as the fire got worse and Gatlinburg eventually lost its internet-based phone system.

“Personal communication was also problematic on this incident,” the report reads. “Though the park issued daily information releases regarding the fire, the city did not feel they had any direct advance communication from the National Park Service regarding this fire, what it was doing or what actions were being taken.”

The park is hoping to rectify the radio situation soon through a capital campaign that Friends of the Smokies recently launched to raise $2.5 million to upgrade the park’s emergency radio systems. The new communications system would allow the park’s emergency responders to communicate with local departments and include capacity for multiple simultaneous incidents. In addition, the park hopes to receive funding from the Department of the Interior Rural Fire

Readiness Program to issue portable radios and personal protective equipment to seven neighboring fire departments.

The report includes a variety of additional findings, such as inadequate requests for additional resources considering the severity of fire danger, a chain of command susceptible to a lack of oversight of decisions made and a lack of a red flag weather warning issued from the National Weather Service despite the conditions.

A NEWNORMAL

Finally, the report points out how often people involved in the fire response told the review team that they’d never imagined anything like this could happen in the Smokies. The first recommendation tagged as likely to lead to a different outcome in the future was that the park should start expecting that this type of event will happen again.

“Unless Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the National Park Service is fundamentally willing to accept and lead social and cultural change to address the future of wildland fire at the park and surrounding landscapes, history will be repeated,” the report said. “This condition is the ‘new normal’ for the park and adjacent stakeholders.”

When questioned during the press conference, Stutler was unwilling to link that finding to any position on climate change. However, he reiterated that “fires like this will become commonplace.”

“When I started my career, Lyndon Johnson was president. You can do the math,” Stutler said. “A 5,000-acre fire was a big deal. A big deal.”

These days, a 5,000-acre fire is unlikely to even make the national news — currently, wildfires in Montana totaling more than 500,000 acres are struggling for coverage.

“We’re going to have to learn to live with wildfire,” Stutler said. “Across the country.”

Community talks under way in Bryson City

Candidates discuss government issues

BY J ESSI STONE

N EWS E DITOR

Don’t let the quaintness fool you — the small town of Bryson City has plenty of challenges and opportunities facing it as it tries to maintain its rich Appalachian identify while also dealing with the growing pains tourism has brought in the last several years.

Joe Rowland, owner of Nantahala Brewing, wanted to bring these issues and possible solutions to the forefront by organizing Smoky Mountain Voices — a public forum for community members. “We wanted to provide an forum for our local and extended community to come together and get to know our neighbors. I hope that by providing the opportunity to get to know the diverse group of people who call these mountains home, we will help encourage us to come together as a community regardless of race, religion, education, etc.,” he said. Moderated by The Smoky Mountain News’ A&E Editor Garret K. Woodward, the biweekly series will touch on everything from local politics, tourism, music and culture.

the local business owners who don’t live in the town limits and therefore don’t get a vote, he also wants to be a voice for the younger generation of people living and moving into the area. Bryson City is relying more on outdoor recreation and tourism as manufacturing jobs fall by the wayside, but not everyone is OK with moving in that direction. King said the town is split into those who want to pursue more tourism opportunities and those who want things to stay the same.

“We face growing pains with residents embracing tourism, which is what we need to sustain ourselves in town,” he said. “If we don’t start thinking 10 years into the future we might have a problem.”

For King, finding common ground will take multiple viewpoints coming to the table. He said there are about 1,100 registered voters in Bryson City, only 200 to 300 cast a vote during the town elections.

Since it’s a municipal election year, the first two Smoky Mountain Voices events held in August featured two candidates running for Bryson City Board of Aldermen. With two seats up for re-election this November, incumbents Janine Crisp and Rick Bryson will have three challengers — Ben King, Lisa Anthony Weeks and Robert Brian Duplak.

King and Weeks have both been guests during the series so far.

King, 28, is a Swain County native and co-owner of Bryson City Outdoors on the corner of Main and Everett streets. He has a marketing degree from Western Carolina University and spent a year in California working with the American Red Cross before returning to his hometown to start a business.

King said he decided to run for aldermen after attending several board meetings in the last year and noticed the lack of community input on important decisions. He also noticed how slow moving a town government can be with decisions being tabled until the next meeting and the next.

“A lot of people who live and work here don’t have time to go to these meetings,” he said. “But if I don’t know what’s going on and how the town is being run, then I don’t have the option to change it.”

While he wants to be a voice for many of

Weeks also grew up in Bryson City. She said she’s been excited seeing the town grow and develop over the years. Like King, she is running because she wants a seat at the table when important decisions are being made. It was the Fry Street closure issue in particular that made her take notice of how the town government is being run. With support from the Swain County Chamber of Commerce, the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad asked the town to relinquish its right of way to Fry Street so that the street adjacent to the train depot could only be accessible to pedestrian traffic. The town denied the request, which has caused a rift between many local business owners and the board of aldermen.

“I think (closing Fry Street) is necessary to keep the guests in our town safe,” Weeks said. “The train is a big economic influence in this community. We need to have a conversation and work collaboratively together to grow. I see a lot of us versus them and that saddens my heart.”

Weeks also wants to see more openness in town government and to see the board members welcome open conversation among local residents and business owners.

“We need to create a vision,” she said. “Being open enough to have a conversation to say ‘this is what I’m scared might happen’ or ‘this is what I want to see’ I think will held the situation.”

Smoky Mountain Voices forums are held at 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of the month with a different speaker. Charter schools is the topic of the next event, which will be held Sept. 11 at Nantahala Brewing.

Bowling alley opens in Cherokee

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER

Ayears-long effort to bring a bowling alley

to Cherokee has come to an end with the opening of the 53,000-square-foot Ultrastar Multi-tainment Center at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Sept. 1.

“Harrah’s Cherokee is extremely excited to offer this additional amenity to our existing guests and new guests alike,” said Leeann Bridges, regional vice president of marketing for Harrah’s. “This adds a whole new dimension for the growth of the business and the benefit of the tribe.”

In addition to 24 bowling lanes, four party rooms, three bars, a full-service restaurant and an entertainment stage, the new facility contains an arcade stocked with 55 interactive, state-of-the-art games.

“It’s been created in this entertainment in the round thing,” said Adam Saks, president and COO of Ultrastar. “Everything is able to be seen and interacted with from different areas. I think the guests are really going to respond well to that. I think they’re going to have so much fun not just experiencing the

entertainments themselves, they’re going to be people-watching, they’re going to be seeing things going on.”

People who are 21 and older can enter the Ultrastar facility in one of two ways — through the gaming floor outside the Essence Lounge or through the main entrance from the outside. The first floor of the facility is family-friendly, including the arcade complete with a prize store to redeem points, 16 bowling lanes, two party rooms and a sitdown restaurant area that includes a bar as well. The stage is located within easy sight of any of the dining tables.

Head upstairs, and a landing featuring a few more tables offers views of the stage, the arcade and the Essence Lounge entrance. And all the way at the top is the adults-only Strikes Lounge, which includes eight bowling lanes — complete with colorful and ever-changing laser patterns — a bar and two party rooms.

For those who want to get some air, there’s another option. The spacious deck opening from the Strikes Lounge offers seating, a fireside patio, an additional bar, a TV and — perhaps best of all — a sweeping view of the mountains surrounding Cherokee.

Cherokee elders have been pushing for years to get a bowling facility, seeing the sport as enjoyable and accessible recreation for older adults. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians approved the project in April 2016, with ground breaking that July. Robins & Morton of Birmingham, Alabama, was the general contractor and Michigan-based Brunswick Bowling Products served as construction manager. Cornerstone Architects of

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, did the design and architecture work, and Ultrastar will manage the facility.

To thank the elders for their role in bringing the project to fruition, Ultrastar hosted an Elders Day event Tuesday, Aug. 29, before opening the facility to the general public.

“We owe more to that group than to any other single group,” Saks said. “It was the elders of the community who love bowling who got together and first sat down and said, ‘We really want to bring bowling to Cherokee.’”

Ultrastar will offer bowling leagues and a 10 percent discount on admission for tribal members. Regular prices will be $4 per game with $2.50 shoes, with special discounts avail-

able Monday through Thursday. Saks said that he expects parties, especially birthday parties, will make up a substantial portion of the business. The other Ultrastar facility he operates, located in Ak-Chin, Arizona, averages 10-14 parties in a single Saturday, with events on other days of the week as well.

The team at Cherokee got a chance to test its party-hosting skills by celebrating Saks’ daughter’s seventh birthday, just days before the grand opening.

“I do believe she approved,” Saks said. “She played her heart out. She beat me in bowling, which is a whole other story, and she had some cake. It was a night.”

Ground breaks on entertainment facility at Murphy casino

The bowling alley construction at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort wasn’t even finished when ground broke on a similar addition at Harrah’s Valley River Casino in Murphy.

“It’s running two construction projects at one time, which is exciting, and you get to learn everything from this one — the little corner turns that could make everything that much better,” Adam Saks, president and COO of Ultrastar Entertainment, said while standing in the hours-from-opening Cherokee facility. Ultrastar will manage both facilities.

The $13 million, 38,000-square-foot Valley River addition, expected to be complete by late spring or early summer 2018, will feature 16 bowling lanes, a 2,200-square foot arcade with 35 games, two bars, an entertainment stage and a sit-down restaurant serving all three meals and capable of seating 225 people.

“We’re just extremely excited about bringing this amenity to the property,” said Lumpy Lambert, general manager at Valley River.

“We think that this restaurant, this bowling and casino bar atmosphere, will continue to add to the amenity mix that we have already, and it’s just something that our guests will appreciate and enjoy.”

Chief vetoes special election

A Tribal Council resolution calling for a special election to choose the next Vice Chief sat, unsigned, in the office of Principal Chief Richard Sneed since its passage Aug. 3 — until Sneed announced his decision to veto the decision on Monday, Sept. 4.

In a veto letter posted to his Facebook page, Sneed wrote that he based his decision on advice from the Legislative Counsel and Attorney General that tribal law contains no provision directly allowing a special election in this case. Holding a special election would require changing the election ordinance, which could not take place until after new councilmembers are seated in October, meaning that the new vice chief could not be elected until December.

“The fact that Tribal Council has failed to act in accordance with the established laws in regard to the current situation that we find ourselves in, a hardship has been created in the form of an inability to carry out personnel actions that require Executive Committee approval, specifically the authority to hire new employees,” the veto letter reads.

Lack of adequate staffing has impacted nursing home residents and Medicaid patients alike, Sneed said.

Tribal Council passed the Aug. 3 special election resolution by a vote of 57-43 after months of discussion. After passage, Sneed had 30 days to either sign or veto the resolu-

The new facility will bear many similarities to the one now complete in Cherokee, but it won’t be identical. One of the biggest differences will be the location of the stage, which will be more central to the casino floor than to the bowling alley, whereas the stage in the Cherokee facility is oriented more toward the bowling and arcade areas.

“The footprint’s a little smaller, but the essential componentry is very much similar,” Saks said.

Valley River itself is still a fairly new facility, opening at the end of September 2015. By the end of its first year, the gaming-focused casino in Murphy had seen 1.1 million visitors, slightly down from the 1.5 million expected. Lambert said that, while there’s still some time left before the second year is over, visitation over the past 11 months has been “right on target” with expectations.

“We’re excited about this project we’ve got going on and finishing out the fiscal year and the calendar year as best we can and continuing our efforts to maximize the potential of this property,” Lambert said. “It’s been a good start and we’re excited about where we’re at — and equally excited about the opportunities ahead of us.”

— By Holly Kays, staff writer

tion — he waited until the deadline to deliver his decision. The veto will be discussed during Tribal Council Thursday, Sept. 14, with a two-thirds majority required to overturn it.

In a long Facebook post, Councilmember Teresa McCoy — a vocal proponent of the special election who had also announced her candidacy for vice chief — decried the decision as an affront to the many community members who had called for a special election after the May 25 impeachment of former Principal Chief Patrick Lambert and subsequent swearing-in of Sneed in his place left the office vacant.

“I will vote to override,” McCoy wrote. “I came into government standing with the tribe, and that’s how I will leave.”

All 12 Tribal Council seats are up for election in the Sept. 7 General Election, with new members sworn in the following month.

— By Holly Kays, staff writer

Granite, Quartz & Marble

SRCA discusses pros and cons of adding high school

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR

Shining Rock Classical Academy leaders want to add high school grades to their growing charter school, but they’re just not sure now is the right time.

The SRCA board of directors held a public work session last week to hear from parents and discuss how the growth would impact the school financially and academically.

PARENTS’ PLEA

Several parents who spoke during the work session expressed support for expanding the K-8 charter to high school next year so that their children could continue at SRCA and graduate there eventually.

As a cafeteria worker in the Haywood County Schools system, SRCA mother Christy Stanley said she could see the difference in the behavior and success of the students attending the new charter school.

“We’ve got the best of the best — please have high school. My daughter wants to be first to walk across the stage at graduation,” she said.

Marie Hicks, the parent of second-grader at SRCA, said her daughter now enjoys going to school every day.

“She’s changed so much since she started here and I would hate to see this end with eighth grade and have to put her in another setting. She’s so shy,” Hicks said. “If there’s anything I can do to help with high school just let me know.”

Alicia Koenighaus, parent of a thirdgrader, pleaded with the board to expand so she wouldn’t have to send her children to public schools that haven’t been a good environment for them.

“There’s no one that wants to go to high school more than people up here,” board member Jason Moody told the room full of parents and teachers. “But we have to do it in a manner that doesn’t draw from the rest of the school — if we get to a point we can do it with quality, then it’s a good decision.”

FINANCIALRISK

Financial constraints could slow down the process of adding high school grades at Shining Rock. The school’s K-8 modularclassroom campus is located on leased Lake Junaluska property on Dellwood Road, but there’s no more room there to expand to grades 9-12.

The board would have to find another piece of land to put modular classrooms or find a suitable building — but available land and facilities are hard to come by. It took SRCA more than a year to find a K-8 campus to settle into. Charter schools also don’t receive any capital funding from the state to help with facilities costs.

SRCA Board Treasurer Chad Carver said he ran some numbers trying to pinpoint what the school’s max budget would be for a high school facility. The good news, Carver said, is that SRCA started this school year with a $660,000 surplus in the bank and should have $850,000 at the end of this year thanks to conservative budget planning. The bad news is SRCA is repaying a $2.5 million loan — $14,000 a month — to Team CFA, a nonprofit that helps charter schools get started nationwide. The money was used to develop the Lake Junaluska site and purchase the modular buildings needed for classrooms. The school is also paying 7 percent interest for the nine-year term of the loan.

Even with the surplus, Carver said expanding to ninth grade next year could mean losing money.

“That’s what makes it difficult going forward,” Carver said. “We can spend $110,000 total (for facilities) to start high school next year, but we will be losing money for the next foreseeable future if we go to high school.”

That means SRCA would have to find land or a building option for less than $9,000 a month, which would be a challenge. And that’s just facilities — SRCA would then need to figure out how to pay for more teachers and support staff.

While Team CFA helps charters with start-up funds, SRCA Chairwoman Anna Eason said those funds have dried up and no more will be coming from the organization.

ACADEMICIMPACT

SRCA board members are also concerned expanding to high school too soon could compromise the rigorous academic standards the charter school currently strives for.

Terri Inman, a seventh- and eighthgrade language arts teacher, spoke up during the public comment portion of the meeting on behalf of the SRCA middle school team. She said the consensus among her teaching team was that they wanted to ensure the vision of the middle school program is solidified before the school decides to add high school to the mix.

“Core Knowledge doesn’t extend past eighth grade — it would have to be teachercreated curriculum. That’s a huge task for faculty to undertake,” Inman said. “We’re really stretched staff wise. I can’t see progressing without more specialists even in middle school.”

SRCA Director Ben Butler agreed that middle school would need more teaching specialists for next year. And if the board moves forward with creating a high school, a full-time person would be needed fairly quickly to begin developing a high school curriculum.

Leaders of Shining Rock

Classical Academy, a public charter school in Waynesville, are debating whether to add high school classes next year. File photo

During SRCA’s first year in operation, 73 percent of the charter’s students achieved a passing score on the end-of-course testing and that percentage dropped to 62 percent during SRCA’s second year. School leaders say the quick growth from 226 students in its first year to 350 during its second year is a major reason why test scores were down. With the student population leveling off at around 400 this year, the board is hopeful those scores will begin to improve.

SRCA would also need to consider the possibility of losing students if the board decides to wait on adding high

school grades. In a survey conducted among the parents of the 36 eighthgraders at SRCA, Eason said only three parents said they planned to place their child in another high school while the others are still hoping their child can continue at SRCA for high school.

“Usually it’s not the older kids you lose, it ends up being the younger kids leaving because parents want continuity,” Eason said.

The board didn’t make any decisions during the work session. The board’s next meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Dellwood Road campus.

SRCA explores alternative high school option

Looking at the overwhelming costs associated with adding a high school campus to its K-8 charter school, Shining Rock Classical Academy Board Secretary Julia Bonomo presented the board with an outside-the-box idea for high school instruction.

In researching different kinds of high school charter schools, Bonomo said he was directed to look into the Summit Learning Platform.

“It’s a very intriguing instructional model which actually provides an online curriculum for schools but it’s not a 100 percent online experience,” she said.

The alternative learning model started in California and Washington about 10 years ago but has since been opened up to be used by public and charters all over the country. One charter high school in Durham that focuses heavily on STEM education — Research Triangle High School — has found the model to be highly successful and popular with students.

The entire curriculum is already established and is accessible through an online learning platform. Students are on a computer every day working their way through courses typical of any high school — English, math, science, history, and more.

“The courses are divided up into units so students are given a task and they choose how they want to learn the material,” Bonomo said. “The teacher only gets involved after the student reaches certain benchmarks.”

Since students have different learning styles, Bonomo said it made sense to let students decide how they would best learn the lesson whether it be through reading a series of articles, watching a documentary or conducting an interview with an expert through Skype.

When the teacher becomes involved, they help the students with further analysis of the subject through hands-on projects and experiential learning, which is already a key component in SRCA’s education model.

Using the Summit Learning Platform would also save SRCA time and resources.

It’s free and they provide teacher training for free,” Bonomo said.

She talked to the school director at Research Triangle High School and he invited the SRCA board to Durham to come check out how a classroom operates.

“He said it’s really an interesting program and students really like it because they’re in charge of how they learn it,” she said. “It also works well because you can have students in one class working at multiple speeds. Students struggling do well with this because they have a sense of mastery because they can’t move on unless they get 80 percent on a test.”

The courses are designed to march through high school and through AP levels as well. Teachers can also create their own courses within the online platform.

SRCA would still have to invest in new teachers and new computer technology if they used the Summit Learning Platform.

While it may seem completely different than many other instructional models, Bonomo said that could be a good thing.

“I don’t want to recreate a Shining Rock high school that looks exactly like the other two in town,” she said.

Students can access the platform at home too so even if they miss class they can keep up with their work.

Research Triangle High School as well as an impoverished North Charleston school using the model have seen amazing results, said Bonomo. Research Triangle is a high-performing school when it comes to test scores and the Charleston school’s graduation rate has gone from 50 percent to 75 percent, according to Bonomo.

“Durham does well on EOC testing and they don’t have to prep for it — it’s just based on their curriculum,” she said. “This would enable our students to be connected with a much larger world. We’d be teaching our students to be lifelong learners.”

— Jessi Stone, News Editor

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Swain County adamantly opposes wilderness designations

BY J ESSI STONE

EWS E DITOR

U.S. Forest Service rangers got an earful from Swain County residents last week during a public hearing regarding the proposed Forest Management Plan.

District Ranger Mike Wilkins of the Nantahala National Forest was fully aware of what he was walking into as Swain County residents have a long and storied history with the federal agencies that took over much of Swain’s land in the 1900s to create the national park and forests.

Many Swain residents — especially those who have property abutting national forest lands — are fearful the new Forest Management Plan will further reduce their access to certain parts of the federally protected land. Worse, some fear the government may take more of the county’s private, taxable land.

“Our property borders Forest Service land and we’ve had our issues — it’s not easy to be the neighbor of the Forest Service,” said Linda Dills. “They did a new survey in 2009 and took a little more of our property and that’s been the history. It’s been hard on our family. All we want to do is protect what was handed down to Bill (Dills) and our family — we value that.”

It’s those kinds of personal stories that leave many local families feeling betrayed by the U.S. Forest Service and unwilling to trust federal agencies.

“I like Mike,” said Bill Dills. “I just don’t trust him.”

Wilkins nodded that he understood and didn’t take Dills’ position personally.

Swain County commissioners have already passed a resolution opposing any new wilderness area designations in the proposed Forest Management Plan, and many residents during the meeting echoed their disapproval. Haywood and Macon commissioners have also passed similar resolutions.

Created under the Wilderness Act of 1964, wilderness areas require congressional designation and are intended to be places where “the earth and its community of life are

untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

Certain restrictions apply to wilderness areas, including that no mechanical or motorized equipment — the definition covers everything from bicycles to chainsaws to automobiles — is allowed. Structures cannot be built, nor can temporary roads.

“You close all roads, no mechanized or motorized equipment, and horse trails and hiking trails are designed to be remote,” Wilkins said about wilderness areas. “But 5 percent or less of my district is wilderness.”

Wilkins assured residents and commissioners that the Forest Service has not made any wilderness designation recommendations at this point. The process for updating the Forest Management Plan, which is a federal requirement, began back in 2014 with public input meetings. During those meetings, many members of the public asked that certain areas be examined as possible new wilderness areas.

“Folks told us a lot of places where they want it or where they don’t want it but it all has to be studied,” Wilkins said.

He said they started with a list of 53 areas people wanted considered for wilderness — many were immediately thrown out based on criteria the area must meet while about a dozen moved on to the next level of consideration. But still. Those 12 could also get thrown out as possibilities or the Forest Service could make a number of other alternative recommendations for those areas.

After explaining the timeline and process for the Forest Management Plan update, Wilkins opened it up for questions.

Bill Dills had many loaded questions for Wilkins. In reading the few draft chapters of the management plan that have already been released, Dills said it seemed like there was “a lot of leeway for the Forest Service to do what they want.”

Dills asked if the stakeholder group that is still active in providing feedback to the Forest Service regarding the management plan included any adjacent property owners. He

also asked if the Forest Service cared about the opinions of adjacent landowners.

Wilkins said the stakeholders group included conservationists, environmentalists, different hunting groups, loggers, outdoor recreation folks and more to create a broad spectrum of views from across the region.

“Local input is extremely important to us, but all citizens own the national forest together so I answer to everyone when it comes to input,” Wilkins said.

Swain Commission Chairman Phil Carson asked why the stakeholder committee lacked representation from Swain County, but no one could give him an answer.

“We don’t have any power — we just advise,” said Jim Gray, a member of the stakeholders’ committee representing the Ruffed Grouse Society. “But we have said we won’t sign on to wilderness designations in a county that is opposed to it.”

Dills thanked commissioners for opposing more wilderness designations. In his opinion, turning an area into wilderness is basically giving up all control over how that portion of the forest is managed.

“No one has control over wilderness other than the Forest Service,” he said.

Charlene Hogue, a member of a nonprofit group called the Freedom and Land Rights Coalition, said she was opposed to any wilderness designations and was sure most hunters are as well.

Wilkins said he was unaware of any wilderness areas within the national forest that didn’t allow hunting.

However, most game animals prefer younger forest habitat, much of which is the result of activities forbidden in wilderness areas, such as logging.

Hogue said the Dills were being too nice about what had happened to their family land. She said the Forest Service took an additional 100 acres from their pristine property during the border dispute.

“My dad was contacted about cutting trees down to make a parking lot for

(Appalachian Trail) hikers but he knew it was their land and he wouldn’t do it,” she said.

Not only is it an issue for property owners, but Hogue said losing more private land to federal agencies would put more of a hardship on the county’s already limited tax base.

Residents are also concerned that Congress will look favorably at making more wilderness designations to cut back on the federal funds allocated to road maintenance within national forests. If more areas become wilderness, roads within those areas wouldn’t need to be maintained for vehicle traffic, and if roads aren’t properly maintained, they are more likely to meet the criteria for wilderness areas.

Wilkins admitted that his road maintenance funding had been cut by 50 percent in the last seven years, but feels certain the cuts have leveled off to current levels, which is barely enough to grade the roads in his district twice a year. He said the roads are maintained well enough that passenger vehicles can pass through but the minimum standard is that high clearance vehicles — including emergency vehicles — should be able to pass.

“Road maintenance dollars is a huge issue — the N.C. Gaming Commission has been helping out some and fee collection is helping but it’s a limited resource,” Wilkins said. “We’ve leveled off — we’re tight but I think were holding on pretty good.”

Before the public hearing ended, County Clerk Cindi Woodard read a letter from Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City. Clampitt stated in the letter he was also opposed to more wilderness designations, as it would be detrimental to local counties and economies.

A final draft of the Forest Management Plan is due to be released next summer. Wilkins said the public would then have another 90 days for public comment. He added that the final draft should be easier for people to understand, comparing management areas to land zoning designations that show what activities can happen where.

Forest planning documents are online at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/ncprevision.

Swain to receive $4 million settlement payment

When U.S. Department of Interior

Secretary Ryan Zinke visited Pisgah Inn last week, he unexpectedly delivered some good news for Swain County.

Zinke announced that the Department of Interior would be making a $4 million payment to Swain County as part of the $52 million settlement agreement the county reached with the federal government back in 2010.

The settlement was a result of the federal government flooding a road connecting Bryson City and Tennessee back in the 1940s to construct Fontana Lake and not rebuilding the road as promised. The federal government started the road project, but it was too costly to complete and many environmental groups protested its construction — now it’s referred to as the Road to Nowhere.

A new agreement was finally reached in 2010 that the federal government would pay Swain County $52 million in exchange for not building the road — $12.8 million

immediately with the rest paid in installments until 2020.

Swain received its first installment of $12.8 million but elected officials have been fighting with the federal government since then to get the rest of the settlement money. After several Western North Carolina congressmen were unsuccessful in getting the money allocated to Swain, county commissioners took matters into their own hands last year by filing a lawsuit against the Department of Interior. The original complaint was thrown out after a judge found that there has not yet been a breach of contract, but commissioners have refiled the motion asking the court to consider other case precedent.

The Smoky Mountain News will have more details next week regarding what this $4 million means for Swain County’s lawsuit and whether the additional settlement money will be paid out by the settlement deadline of 2020.

— Jessi Stone, News Editor

Haywood Regional wins Golden Bow Award

Laura Willis and Jennifer Passwaters, lactation specialists at Haywood Regional Medical Center, show off the Golden Bow Award the hospital recently received from the North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition in recognition of outstanding efforts to support breastfeeding. Donated photo

Worksite wellness summit in Haywood

The Haywood County Worksite Wellness Summit will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Waynesville Recreation Center.

The goal of the summit is to bring together all interested businesses, nonprofits, service organizations, and government leaders to meet routinely and discuss worksite wellness initiatives, and to work together through wellness activities and community wellness events.

Free parking will be available onsite. RSVP to nan@mountainwise.org by Sept. 4.

Lott joins Waynesville Family Practice

Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) recently hired Chad Lott, PA-C, to join Waynesville Family Practice.

Lott is a graduate of East Carolina University with a BS in Physician Assistant Studies, and holds a Masters in Health Science from Duke University. He is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

“I chose family practice as a profession because I enjoy building relationships with patients and helping patients of all ages liver happier and healthier lives,” Lott said.

Lott is accepting new patients and can care for patients of all ages.

Appointments can be made by calling 828.456.3511.

Swain participates in wellness program

Swain Community Hospital recently partnered with Swain County employees to design a wellness program aimed at improved physical health.

County departments engaged in friendly competition throughout the six-month program with the Swain County Health Department achieving the top scores in weight loss, improved cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart score. A heart score is used to assess heart health based on diet, exercise, blood pressure control,

and other lifestyle factors.

Employees lost a collective total of 149 pounds.

“It is so rewarding to see results for our county employees through this program but it is even more exciting to watch the teams come together and provide support and encouragement for each other along the way,” said Trish Hipgrave, RDN and public health educator for the Swain County Health Department.

Grace Church offers grief support

Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville will host a four-week series of “Grief and Hope” classes in September.

The Rev. Joslyn Ogden Schaefer will lead the classes. Sessions are appropriate for those coping with a variety of losses: death, divorce or career changes, to name a few. Participants are invited to explore emotional and spiritual dimensions of grief through means of personal writing, small and large group conversation, poetry, song, and selected essays.

The classes will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday evenings beginning on Sept. 7.

Space is limited to 12 participants and is free. A donation of $5 is suggested to cover material costs. Call 828.456.6029 or email rectorgcim@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

Harris expands staff in Franklin

Harris Regional Hospital recently announced the expansion of women’s and children’s care in Western North Carolina with the addition of three certified nurse midwives and a pediatrician.

The hospital has also established a full-time presence for obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics at Harris Regional Hospital Medical Park of Franklin located at 55 Holly Springs Drive.

The midwives have joined Harris Women’s Care, an obstetrics and gynecology practice with locations in Sylva, Franklin and Bryson City. Dr. Ryan Wade joins the physicians of Harris Pediatric Care, seeing patients at the Sylva office and in the newly-expanded Franklin location.

Call 828.586.7000 or visit www.myharrisregional.com.

New oncologist joins Haywood Cancer Center

The Haywood Cancer Center recently hired Dr. Jennifer Heaberlin to Dr. Barton Paschal and Dr. William Butler in the practice of medical oncology.

Heaberlin is board certified in Hematology, Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine. She earned her medical degree from Nova Southeastern University Osteopathic Medical School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is experienced with all types of cancer and knowledgeable in the latest developments in oncology treatment.

Swain hospital hires new physician

Swain Community Hospital recently hired Dr. Jacob Mills to provide pain management services to Western North Carolina.

Mills completed a fellowship in pain medicine at Emory University School of Medicine following a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He received his medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine.

Mills will practice at Swain Comprehensive Pain Services located at 45 Plateau Street in Bryson City. The practice combines the Bryson City and Sylva locations, formerly known as Swain Pain Center and Harris Pain Center. To make an appointment, call 828.488.4247.

Affordable health screenings available

Residents living in and around the Waynesville area can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and other chronic, serious conditions with affordable screenings by Life Line Screening.

This community event will be held Sept. 15 at the First United Methodist Church, 566 S. Haywood Street in Waynesville.

Screenings are affordable, convenient and accessible for wheelchairs and those with trouble walking. Free parking is also available. Packages start at $149, but consultants will work with you to create a package that is right for you based on your age and risk factors.

Pre-registration is required. Call 877.237.1287 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com.

• The third annual Western Regional Recovery Rally will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the open-air gym at Lake Junaluska. For questions or to become a vendor, call Cheryl Meyers at 828.276.6789 or email greatsmoky70@ gmail.com.

• Two Mission Hospital Operating Room nurses achieved national certification for operating room nurses. Brittany Moore, BSN, RN, CNOR, and Mary Lynn Brown, RN, CNOR, passed the board written certification exam and met requirements for length of perioperative nursing experience.

• Vaya Health, a regional managed healthcare organization, has named Rhonda Cox to the new position of Chief Population Health Officer. Vaya manages public funds for mental health, substance use and intellectual and/or developmental disability services in 23 western counties.

Mission launches new virtual

clinic

Mission Health has launched a new online clinic that offers convenient care for common illnesses from the comfort of your home.

Visit www.mission-health.org/virtual-clinic where a Mission provider will be available online between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday. You can complete an online written interview anytime and receive a response within one hour. You can even complete it in the middle of the night and receive a response from 7-8 a.m. the following morning.

A Mission Virtual Clinic consultation costs $25, payable online by any major credit card.

• Haywood Hospice and Palliative Care offers monthly support groups to help members of the community process grief in a safe and supportive environment. Group is held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at The Homestead, 127 Sunset Ridge Rd, Clyde. Contact Michael DeHart at 828.452.5039 or michael.dehart@lhcgroup.com.

• People in recovery from substance use, mental health challenges, and/or life in general, along with their families, friends and allies will come together from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds.

Reflections on a divided America

As President Trump’s administration continues to descend further into chaos with each passing week, there are a few truths that we will have to reckon with when it comes to an end, whether that occurs in a few years, a few months or a few weeks. The biggest of these is also the most obvious: we are a nation divided. Though polls show that Trump’s support is dwindling slightly, there remains a solid core of Trump voters who still support him and believe that his problems are essentially the fault of the media and of sore-loser liberals, who in their view refused to accept the legitimacy of his presidency and are thus undermining any chance he has of being productive or successful.

Of course, Trump’s emergence as a potential candidate for the office began with his championing of the “birther movement,” when he sought out any opportunity to get in front of a camera and suggest that there were “serious questions” about the facts of Barack Obama’s birth and the legitimacy of his presidency. The irony of this should be apparent to anyone, but apparently not to the Trump core.

Even so, the problems we face as a country divided are not specifically about Donald Trump, any more than the racial problems we face were not about Barack Obama. In both instances, the election illuminated rather than created these problems. Trump is more of a symptom than a cause, although his exploitation of the seething anger and resentment of millions of white middle- and lower-class voters has made this divide sharper (if not wider) and more clearly defined than ever before.

There are two core principles of the far right that have defined the Republican party for many years now, principles that preceded and paved the way for a Trump presidency: 1) the media cannot be trusted, when the media is defined as any news source outside of Fox News, Breitbart and other select areas of the right-wing echo chamber, and 2) the economic problems of the lower and middle class are the fault of unions, immigrants, minorities and government programs, defined as any program that does not specifically benefit them, and even some programs that do. Despite nearly 40 years of evidence to the contrary, these voters have bought into the mythology of trickle-down economics, believing that tax cuts for the wealthy will promote job growth and a better life for the middle class. These principles have been so deeply cultivated and embedded in the Republican party that millions of voters have, for years, voted against their own self-interest, as Republican policies have wreaked havoc with health care, public education, programs for the poor and so on. Where spend-

Reasonable benchmarks make for better debate

To the Editor:

I’m writing in response to a letter by Tom Enterline in the Aug. 30-Sept. 5 issue. He cited two examples in his argument that liberals, not President Trump, are the great dividers of the country. He started with the Confederate memorabilia issue, and then jumped to the bathroom gender question.

Regarding the Confederate monument controversy, he makes several claims that are not true, chiefly that “[t]wo months ago, 99.99 percent of all Americans did not give a single thought to statues or plaques honoring

ing cuts were once deemed necessary in the name of fiscal responsibility and balancing the budget, the towering deficit has for decades — certainly since the Reagan administration — been an important issue for Republicans only when a Democrat is in the White House. When a Republican is in the White House, spending cuts are made not to bring down the deficit, but to fund tax cuts for the fat cats and huge corporations.

These voters rail against welfare programs for the poor, even poor children, but are utterly silent on corporate welfare. Just to cite one example, where is the Republican outrage over Boeing getting a $13 billion government handout? Nope, better that outrage be reserved for someone using $30 of welfare money on cigarettes or cat food. Trump was going to change everything for the middle class. He promised to ‘Make America Great Again.” Of course, he has done no such thing. His long string of failures since becoming president has become an embarrassment to the party, so much so that many key Republicans have begun speaking out, which is causing more than a little friction between Trump and his own party. So far, this does not seem to be resonating with Trump’s core supporters, who seem to be sticking with Trump and turning on those Republicans with the temerity to question the president on anything he says or does.

Sometimes it seems that Trump’s core voters believe that “standing by your man,” regardless of how outrageously he speaks or behaves, is a sign of loyalty or resilience, as if such unwavering allegiance is a sign of strength instead of a failure of nerve. One of the things I hear over and over from Trump supporters is that they never heard any complaints from the left when Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were in the White House. They wonder why the country won’t unite around Trump the way it united around Clinton and Obama.

This is pure nonsense. Clinton was a centrist and an opportunist, and a great many Democrats did not trust him. He won on the same kind of personal charm and charisma that Ronald Reagan had, and he won running as a centrist, but he always had detractors on both the left and the right.

I was never a big fan of either of the Clintons and once accused the former president in one of my columns of having few, if any, core principles that he would not compromise to

Confederate soldiers.” In 2011 the Pew Research Poll (national) showed a 30 percent negative reaction to the Confederate flag’s display and a 9 percent positive reaction; among blacks, the negative reaction was 41 percent. A Pew follow-up poll in 2015 found these results virtually unchanged. A YouGov poll in 2013 recorded a 38 percent disapproval and 44 percent considered it a symbol of racism. In a national survey in 2015, 57 percent considered the flag a symbol of Southern pride (the same as in a prior poll in 2000); in the South only, 75 percent of whites polled confirmed it as the symbol of Southern pride, whereas 75 percent of blacks polled saw it plainly racist. Thus it was clearly controversial before

get votes. I doubt very much that Trump has any real core principles other than favoring policies that benefit the wealthy. Everything else is about catering to the crowd. When he suggests a “Second Amendment solution” for Hillary Clinton or promotes police brutality in a speech, he is chumming the waters more than he is speaking from conviction, but his words are no less dangerous, reckless or irresponsible, whatever his motives may be.

One thing that seems clear is that our differences are no longer so much about principles or convictions as they are about choosing a side and abiding by it no matter what. We cannot continue along this path if we are to have any chance of repairing this rift and healing some pretty deep wounds.

We are going to need to put aside talk of Trump or Obama or Clinton or the media and decide what we value as a country. What are OUR core principles? If we value education, we must support it. If we value inclusiveness, we must include people. If we value unity, we must stop demonizing entire groups of people based on ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. If we value fairness, we must stop voting for politicians who espouse policies that further divide us economically. If we say we are Christians, we have a responsibility to love our neighbors and take care of “the least of these.” If we are Americans, we must understand that the freedom to practice our religious faith does not mean imposing it on others. If we believe in freedom of speech and expression, it means we cannot shut down or shout down ideas that seem hateful or offensive to us.

There is plenty of room for improvement on the left and the right, but we cannot improve until we focus on our values instead of unconditional allegiance to our leaders.

Trump once said, when he was still campaigning, that he could “stand in middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and not lose voters.” I laughed about that then, but I am not laughing now. Leaders in the Republican Party and many of the most respected journalists in America who identify as conservative have been highly critical of Trump, but the core is unmoved.

Is there anything — anything at all — he could do that would rattle his base into reflection? If not, how can we have that conversation about America that we so desperately need to have? When can we start talking about principles, values and ideals again?

No, Donald J. Trump is not the cause of all of this. Rather, he is the embodiment of our conflict, reflecting and magnifying it back to us. And it is not a pretty sight.

(Chris Cox is a teacher and a writer. jchriscox@live.com.)

2017. The tipping point that started the present flood of controversy occurred when, in 2015, Dylan Roof murdered the worshippers in South Carolina while espousing the Confederacy’s racist value. The issue has been as hot as his gun barrel ever since as more and more Southern governors and legislatures have moved to remove public symbols of the confederacy. People, both blacks and whites, have been giving thought to Confederate imagery for almost 150 years, though for most whites it might well have been tacitly approved of. Why not? Whites had all the power.

A second claim is also false: that the riots in Charlottesville yielded a large number of now vocal KKK and Nazi followers who had been “mute” until then. Exactly 100 years before Dylann’s rampage, the second Ku Klux Klan had been founded in Stone Mountain, Georgia, famous for its carvings of four Confederate luminaries. The Klan was the chief enforcer of the Jim Crow era. As reported in 2013 by CBS, between 1927 and 2013 the Klan had murdered 3,446 blacks. The Klan was never “mute” or “nearly nonexistant.” Anyone with access to the internet can confirm this with a little effort. David Duke is a classic example of an out-front KKK member

Mr. Enterline also claimed that in North Carolina, “[a]lmost no one cared if someone

Illegal signs are a continuing problem

BY JOANNA SWANSON G UEST COLUMNIST

There are all kinds of signs — signs of the times; signs of the future (omens); traffic signs; stop signs and, of course, the ubiquitous election signs!

We all are used to seeing signs sprouting everywhere during an election period. These signs, fortunately, are removed shortly after the election.

Lately, the problem for Haywood County and particularly Waynesville, is the number of signs that are not removed and become illegal signage. Because a proliferation of signs soon becomes “sign pollution,” it’s important for all residents to understand the rules regarding sign placement and duration.

It would be impossible in this article to incorporate all the official language of the rules, so here is a condensed version to clarify the main gist. Although this article involves Waynesville ordinances, they probably are similar for all towns in the county. Please just check with your individual town manager.

n Signs may not be illuminated.

n Temporary signs on private property must comply with the same requirements as permanent signs of the same type. Moveable signs are prohibited, as are banner signs within any district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are differing regulations for vehicular signs. Signs indicating the name of the owner of a business printed or affixed to a vehicle are permitted. However, when not

It also is very important to know that all signs are prohibited on any D.O.T. maintained highway.

Since most sign offenders mean no harm but simply are not aware of the laws, it’s hoped this explanation will be helpful. To make this all easier to understand and absorb, this article will be sorted into categories.

Here are the general ordinances:

n Temporary signs are allowed for yard sales, real estate, mobile vendors and special events of a temporary nature. Signs permitted must be limited to the time period of the project and installed no more than 10 days before an event. They must be removed within 10 days of event completion.

n No signs may be placed on any town property or park without the express permission of the town manager. Signs may not be placed within a town maintained sidewalk or greenway.

n Off-premise signs are prohibited.

n Signs must not create a safety hazard to the use of public or private right-of-way and may not interfere with the line of sight of motorists. The signs at the intersection of the Asheville Road (Business 23) and N.C. 209, placed on the property beneath the Super 6 Motel, are not legal.

n Signs should be placed at a minimum of three feet from the edge of the pavement.

n Signs may not be attached to utility poles or trees.

n Signs should be limited to six square feet in area and four feet in height.

whose wires are crossed in regards to their gender used the boys bathroom or the girls bathroom.” Leaving aside hundreds of incidents of bullying of transgender children in school bathrooms, I’ll present a few facts. In 2013, in Colorado, the state school board’s Civil Rights Division approved a transgender girl’s right to use the girls bathroom. This was the first official ruling concerning the question. In 2014, the debate had advanced, and the federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights research showed that 51 percent approved use according to the user’s gender identity, with 41 percent opposed. In that poll, 67 percent of younger participants approved.

Finally, in the YouGov poll of 2017, 40 percent approved and 40 percent disapproved. The Supreme Court has recently vacated a lower court’s ruling that granted a transgender boy’s right, essentially leaving it up to the president and the Congress to deal with. Trump’s position is the reverse of Obama’s, which granted the right.

I believe it is always better in argumentation to establish some clear benchmarks. True, statistics and polls don’t guarantee “truth,” but they do establish reasonable benchmarks. Without them people can use words in loose ways and transformation a reasoned discussion or

debate into an emotion-driven diatribe. Then no one wins and everyone loses. These and other such civil rights issues are way too big for that.

being operated, the vehicle should be parked in such a manner as to minimize visibility from the street.

For signs at ball fields, check with officials at each town hall.

For flags, all of them — except for American flags — are counted towards the maximum square footage for other attached signs. There can be one flag for every 25 linear feet of building frontage.

Now for political signs — were you waiting for this?

These signs may be displayed 30 days prior to the beginning of “one stop” early voting and concluding 10 days after the primary or the main Election Day.

n No signs may be placed in the right-ofway of an access highway and no signs closer than three feet from the edge of a pavement or road.

n No signs may obscure motorist visibility at intersections.

n No sign should obscure or replace another sign (so don’t remove your opponent’s sign).

n No sign may be attached to a utility pole.

n There may not be any illuminated signs.

n Signs cannot be higher than 42 inches higher than the pavement or larger than 16 square feet.

If you have questions, please consult your individual towns or the county manager.

(JoAnna Swanson can be reached at twoswans@charter.net.)

309 Highland Terrace, Clyde MLS# 3301200 • $289,900

Motivated Seller! Price Reduced $29,600! Newly remodeled 2246 sq. ft. treehouselike home with wrap around deck and breathtaking 300 degree views. Spa bathroom, custom woodwork. Rental potential, mother-in-law suite. Endless possibilities. Gorgeous private grounds and views galore Private, but close to town and 5 minutes from Interstate 40. Easy access to the top, plenty of parking and downstairs has private entrance with parking in front. Must see! Two additional parcels available.

Ricks Carson Franklin and

Atlanta

Fear of immigrants will hurt this country

To the Editor:

I was glad to read intelligent responses with a different opinion than that of a recent letter whose writer stated that English language proficiency should be a prerequisite for entry into the U.S.

I am sure there are many others who share my history of grandparents emigrating to the U.S. in the early 20th century. My paternal grandparents who came to this country as legal immigrants around 1918 did not speak English; in fact, they were illiterate. They bought a farm, raised 10 children, all of them bilingual. Half of their children — without the benefit of completing elementary school because their help was needed on the farm — went on to own small businesses.

Haven’t we heard enough of this ethnocentric and selfish attitude of fearing cultures different from your own and valuing people only for what they can do for you?

Judy Stockinger Franklin

tasteTHE mountains

Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251

BLOSSOM ON MAIN

128 N. Main Street, Waynesville. 828.454.5400. Open for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Mild, medium, to hot and spicy, our food is cooked to your like-able temperature. Forget the myth that all Thai food is spicy. Traditional Thai food is known to be quite healthy, making use of natural and fresh ingredients, paired with lots of spices, herbs, and vegetables. Vegetarians and health conscious individuals will not be disappointed as fresh vegetables and tofu are available in most of our menu as well as wines and saki chosen to compliment the unique flavors of Thai cuisine.

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slow-simmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts. Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily. Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE

454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Monday through Saturday. Dinner 5 to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sunday. We specialize in hand-cut, all natural steaks from local farms, incredible burgers, and other classic american comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ

6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in

our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers. We use 1st quality fresh not preprepared products to make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items. Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH

119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast seven days a week, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-you-can-eat. Lunch menu every day from 12 to 2 p.m. Dinner becomes a gourmet experience this year with the arrival of our new Chef CJ, whose training and skills include French, Mediterranean, Asian, Middle Eastern and, of course, New Age Southern cuisine. Saturday night will feature an evening cookout on the terrace, with choices such as steak, salmon, ribs and shrimp. On other nights of the week, the chef will prepare gourmet dinners with locally sourced vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social hour starts at 6 p.m., and dinner is served starting at 7 p.m. Please join us for mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Reservations are required.

CHEF’S TABLE

30 Church St., Waynesville. 828.452.6210

From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu. Extensive selection of wine and beer. Reservations honored.

CHURCH STREET DEPOT

34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville. 828.246.6505. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mouthwatering all beef burgers and dogs, hand-dipped, hand-spun real ice cream shakes and floats, fresh handcut fries. Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot.

CITY LIGHTS CAFE

Spring Street in downtown Sylva. 828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste

the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more. Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly. Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

THE CLASSIC WINESELLER

20 Church Street, Waynesville. 828.452.6000. Underground retail wine and craft beer shop, restaurant, and intimate live music venue. Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday serving freshly prepared small plates, tapas, charcuterie, desserts. Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT 3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley. 828.926.1820 Winter hours: Wednesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet. Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.

EVERETT HOTEL & BISTRO

16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934

Open daily for dinner at 4:30 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday Brunch from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Serving fresh and delicious weekday morning lite fare, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Freshly prepared menu offerings range from house-made soups & salads, lite fare & tapas, crepes, specialty sandwiches and burgers. Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials. Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. Enjoy craft beers on tap, as well as our full bar and eclectic wine list.

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA

243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde. 828.476.5058

Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95.

FILLING STATION DELI

145 Everett St., Bryson City, 828.488.1919

Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to

4 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sundays (in October) 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Locals always know best, and this is one place they know well. From the high-quality hot pressed sandwiches and the huge portions of hand-cut fries to the specialty frozen sandwiches and homemade Southern desserts, you will not leave this top-rated deli hungry.

FRANKIE’S ITALIAN TRATTORIA

1037 Soco Rd. Maggie Valley. 828.926.6216 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Father and son team Frank and Louis Perrone cook up dinners steeped in Italian tradition. With recipies passed down from generations gone by, the Perrones have brought a bit of Italy to Maggie Valley. frankiestrattoria.com

FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE

44 Church St., Downtown Waynesville

828.456.1930 Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in modern regional dishes. Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

GUADALUPE CAFÉ

606 W. Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.9877

Open 7 days a week at 5 p.m. Located in the historic Hooper’s Drugstore, Guadalupe Café is a chef-owned and operated restaurant serving Caribbean inspired fare complimented by a quirky selection of wines and microbrews. Supporting local farmers of organic produce, livestock, hand-crafted cheese, and using sustainably harvested seafood.

J. ARTHUR’S RESTAURANT AT MAGGIE VALLEY

U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. 828.926.1817

Open for dinner at 4:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome. Take-out menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.

JUKEBOX JUNCTION

U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel. 828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

tasteTHE mountains

MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM

617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva. 828.586.3555. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch. Beer and wine. Free movies Thursday trought Saturday. Visit madbatterfoodfilm.com for this week’s shows.

MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB

1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.

MOUNTAIN PERKS ESPRESSO BAR & CAFÉ

9 Depot St., Bryson City. 828.488.9561

Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections. Bagels, wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and quiche with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts.

NEWFOUND LODGE RESTAURANT

1303 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee (Located on 441 North at entrance to GSMNP).

828.497.4590. Open 7 a.m. daily. Established in 1946 and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Family style dining for adults and children.

PATIO BISTRO

30 Church Street, Waynesville. 828.454.0070. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Breakfast bagels and sandwiches, gourmet coffee, deli sandwiches for lunch with homemade soups, quiches, and desserts. Wide selection of wine and beer. Outdoor and indoor dining.

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR

Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center

70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley

828.926.0201 Home of the Maggie Valley Pizzeria. We deliver after 4 p.m. daily to all of Maggie Valley, J-Creek area, and Lake Junaluska. Monday through Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. country buffet and salad bar from 5 to 9 p.m. $11.95 with Steve

Whiddon on piano. Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 to 8 p.m. 11:30 to 3 p.m. family style, fried chicken, ham, fried fish, salad bar, along with all the fixings, $11.95. Check out our events and menu at rendezvousmaggievalley.com

SPEEDY’S PIZZA

285 Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.3800

Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Family-owned for 30 years. Serving hand-tossed pizza made to order, pasta, subs, gourmet salads, calzones and seafood. Also serving excellent prime rib on Thursdays. Dine in or take out available. Located across from the Fire Station.

TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL

176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.3551. Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, the Tap Room Bar & Grill has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com.

VITO’S PIZZA

607 Highlands Rd., Franklin. 828.369.9890. Established here in in 1998. Come to Franklin and enjoy our laid back place, a place you can sit back, relax and enjoy our 62” HDTV. Our Pizza dough, sauce, meatballs, and sausage are all made from scratch by Vito. The recipes have been in the family for 50 years (don’t ask for the recipes cuz’ you won’t get it!) Each Pizza is hand tossed and made with TLC. You’re welcome to watch your pizza being created.

WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY

32 Felmet Street, Waynesville.

828.246.0927. Open Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Opened in May 2016, The Waynesville Pizza Company has earned a reputation for having the best hand-tossed pizza in the area. Featuring a custom bar with more than 20 beers and a rustic, family friendly dining room. Menu includes salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, gourmet pizza, homemade desserts, and a loaded salad bar. The Cuban sandwich is considered by most to be the best in town.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

Foghat to headline Cherokee Blue Ridge Run

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER

It’s the intersection of American blues and British rock.

When you throw some Foghat onto the stereo, you’re entering a realm as big and powerful as the tunes radiating from a quartet that was at the heart of the soundtrack of the 1970s.

Whether it’s the dueling guitars of “I Just Want To Make Love To You” or the knockdown-drag-out drumming that kicks off “Slow Ride,” Foghat remains culturally relevant and melodically wondrous, even some 46 years since their inception.

For decades, rock-n-rollers from every corner of this planet have cranked up and maxed out the volume dial when Foghat echoes from the speakers. The tone immediately gets into your bloodstream, where you find yourself pushing down a little harder on the gas pedal, blasting down the highway while riding high on razor-sharp guitar riffs, your voice trying in earnest to rise to the arena-filling vocals of the late, great “Lonesome Dave” Peverett.

The Smoky Mountain News recently caught up with Foghat drummer Roger Earl. The last remaining original member of the

group, Earl is as jovial in conversation as he is candid about the rollercoaster ride of a band he’s been part of for most of his life, and his love of the blues, which has always been at the core of Foghat.

Garret K. Woodward: [At 71], do you see any rebirth in how you view the world, and life itself?

Roger Earl: No. It’s pretty much the same. My wife accuses me of acting like a 16-year-old sometimes. But, I think secretly she’s enjoys it.

GKW: Well, it’s that childlike wonder that makes great music…

RE: Yeah. Actually, I was always fortunate, even from the very beginning, when I played in my first band. It was with some friends I went to school with. They had a band before I started playing, and I joined them when I was 17. Me and the bass player were best friends at school. And the lead singer, Ray Dorset, went on to become the lead singer in a band called Mungo Jerry with my brother. And I always played with real good players, so I think that helped raised the bar, or keep it up there. Then, I joined Savoy Brown when I was 20. They were

Want to go?

Foghat, Blue Oyster Cult and The Michael Allman Band will headline the Cherokee Blue Ridge Run on Sept. 8-10 at the Cherokee Fairgrounds.

Blue Oyster Cult will take the stage Friday, Sept. 8, with Foghat Saturday, Sept. 9, and The Michael Allman Band Sunday, Sept. 10. There will also be motorcycle shows and demonstrations, stunt performances, food and craft beer vendors onsite, with other activities to take place throughout the weekend.

Tickets are $15 per day, with kids ages 16 and under free with adult ticket purchase. For a full schedule of events, stage times, and to purchase tickets, visit www.blueridgerun.com.

already an established band in London. I always played in bands that played the kind of music I enjoyed — blues, rock-n-roll, rhythm and blues. That’s what I wanted to do. I didn’t play in bands that played the popular music of the day. So, in some ways, I kind of missed out on it. Everybody else I knew, they played in bands that had done contemporary music, or contemporary for the time, and played other’s bands stuff, whereas I didn’t do that. You know, a couple of [our] songs were done by

“There is a certain honesty, there’s a simplicity to [blues]. You wake up and you start dealing with the world. And you either riot, or you tell stories about it, or you’re involved in it.”

— Roger Earl

other people, but we always did our own arrangements. I gained something from it, and I think I also missed out.

GKW: It’s funny that you mention pursuing blues and rock-n-roll rather than pop, because I guess in my perspective, it would show why your music is still relevant — with the blues it only gets better with age, at least in my opinion.

RE: Yeah. You know, one of the things a number of the folks in the States don’t quite realize, is that America gave music to the world, and it has ever since the turn of the [19th] century. Blues, jazz, bebop, all the way through. Especially the 1940s to 1960s, there was a huge amount of music going on. And it crept over to Europe with the G.I.s [coming here in World War II].

GKW: Someone had talked to me about why I thought The Rolling Stones were still relevant today. And I said a big reason was that they have this big thread of blues [running] through them. Blues is always going to be that music that evolves, it’s always going to be cool. RE: Lonesome Dave was once asked why he thought blues music was relevant. And he said, “Because it’s honest.” And there is a certain honesty, there’s a simplicity to it. You wake up and you start dealing with the world. And you either riot, or you tell stories about it, or you’re involved in it.

GKW: What was the original intent with Foghat? What did you want the band to be right out of the gate?

RE: A blues band, but we turned it up to “11.” [Laughs]. It was always rock-n-roll and blues. That’s what myself and Dave grew up on and loved. Occasionally we veered off, but that was always the mainstay of the band.

Editor’s Note: To listen to a free audio stream of the entire conversation with Foghat drummer Roger Earl, go to www.youtube.com and search: “Roger Earl Garret K. Woodward.”

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Feeling lucky? Cast the first stone

I ain’t perfect.

And the older I get, the more I realize just how true that statement is. Along with the new wrinkles and ever-present grey hairs I notice in the mirror, I also am noticing more of what is behind the eyes staring right back at me.

HOT PICKS

1

Hit country act Little Texas will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville.

2

The 12th annual “Music at the Mill” will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Francis Grist Mill in Waynesville.

3

Mountain Layers Brewing Company (Bryson City) will host Allie Burbrink & Frank Lee (Americana/bluegrass) at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9.

depends how you view the hills and mountains of the minutes, days and years ahead of your birth. You can either take the high road or the low road. And for most of your childhood and early adolescence, that ultimate path resides in those who are your parents, caregivers and peers. You initially rely on them for guidance, protection and, ultimately, love and acceptance.

But, then I ponder, “Well, isn’t the happily deceased body of an elderly person the most ‘perfect’ you’ll ever be?” I think so. I mean, all those life experiences, memories, physical deformations and physical attributes. That’s perfection, in essence, seeing as your unique body, mind, heart and soul have led to you becoming a work of art before you find yourself six feet under, hopefully with a few good words and sentiments shared by friends and loved ones as they lay you to rest, eh?

Thus, this weekend, yours truly got a real deal lesson in humility. It’s interesting what a crucial emotional crossroads and couple days of self-reflection can do for a person. Following a Friday evening of trials and tribulations, I found myself licking my wounds for most of Labor Day Weekend.

Awakening on Saturday morning, it took me a moment to realize just where I was. OK, I’m at my friend’s house in Asheville, in their guest room, safe and sound. But, now what? Well, let’s make sense of the previous night’s adventures, and just how much of a fool I made of myself, shall we?

It’s a truly monumental experience when you find yourself driving back home to Waynesville, alone and in your thoughts, windows rolled down, with the crisp morning air trying to coax you back to normalcy, and yet, all the while, one question keeps arising: “Am I really an asshole?” In the words of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, “Was my mother wrong?”

4

Pickin’ on the Square (Franklin) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/country) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9.

5

I’ve never liked perfection, whether it be in my work, my play, or my life in general. Flawed beauty is my favorite kind of beauty. Those imperfections — whether it be human or an object — are what attracts me to the entity. Over-polished and overexaggerated have never been a directional marker for myself. Give me a rusted out pickup truck with a decent engine, an old farmhouse that will rise from the ashes with the right kind of TLC, or a character walking down the street you might be unsure of at first, but who holds the secrets to a life well-lived.

Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host Marshall Ballew (Americana/folk) at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8.

I think one of the main reasons — perhaps the biggest — I wandered into writing and journalism is the mere fact you get to interact with countless individuals from all backgrounds, in an effort to better understanding not only the world around you, but also your place in the world.

There will be those days where I feel like I’m spinning my wheels, or maybe a disagreement set me off in the wrong mood to start the day. Maybe it’s getting red light after red light when you had to be somewhere about 10 minutes ago. Whatever the case, you then find yourself in the presence of those who can straighten out that bad day into one of good, and of promise. It’s fascinating when you think about a newborn baby. Completely untouched by the world, its chaos and tranquility. And how that’s the most “perfect” you’ll ever be. But, it isn’t all downhill from there. It all

With those questions posed, you think back (and with new, yet older, eyes) to old girlfriends and bad breakups, to family arguments and banishments, to academic pursuits or the lack thereof. Did I just not see all the red flags or danger signs? Well, you did. We all did. We just chose to ignore them seeing as we either were too young and stubborn to care, or a pyrrhic victory was more important than the preservation of someone else’s feelings and well-being.

I can’t be the one to decide if I’m a public nuisance. That’s up to the public-at-large. But, what I can control is my reactions to people, places and situations. That’s a lifelong process, but one that’s as rewarding as it is a struggle to achieve. It’s a worthwhile pursuit, where I think that the majority of folks out there are worthy of, myself included.

A lot of us come into our existence full of “piss and vinegar,” as they say. But, as the years go along, you hope to fill your cup with the waters of salvation and redemption that dilute the bitter, with the honey of love and spices of life added in to sweeten the deal.

It’s like Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years” (rest easy, Walter Becker): “Are you reelin’ in the years / Stowin’ away the time / Are you gatherin’ up the tears / Have you had enough of mine …”

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

On the beat

‘Music, the Visual Arts, and the Mind’

The Haywood County Arts Council, Smoky Mountain News and The Strand at 38 Main welcome audiences to a talk titled “Synesthesia: Music, the Visual Arts, and the Mind” at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at The Strand in downtown Waynesville.

The talk, moderated by Smoky Mountain News’ Cory Vaillancourt, will feature University of North Carolina School of the Arts professor and composer/painter Kenneth Frazelle with local neurologist Dr. Michael Vavra.

The word synesthesia means “union of the senses,” and can involve any of the five senses. It occurs when the experience of one sense involuntarily stimulates another. For example, some people may see colors when they hear sounds and vice versa. Many artists, including Vincent van Gogh and composer Alexander Scriabin, are considered synesthetes.

Composer Kenneth Frazelle and Dr. Michael Vavra will share their artistic and neurological insights into the subject. Frazelle’s music has been commissioned and performed by numerous prominent artists, including Yo-Yo Ma, Jeffrey Kahane, Dawn Upshaw, Anthony Dean Griffey, and many more. He has received commissions from Music@Menlo, the Ravinia Festival and the Spoleto Festival.

Frazelle first received international acclaim with his score for Still/Here, a multimedia dance theater work for the Bill T.

‘Music at the Mill’

The 12th annual “Music at the Mill” will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Francis Grist Mill in Waynesville.

The 1887 timber frame mill operated until 1976. More than just a place of business, the mill served as the mountain community’s social hub for many of its early years. The great-great-granddaughter of the William Francis, who built the mill, did not want to lose this piece of rural mountain heritage, and in 2003 contacted Heritage Conservation Network (now called Adventures in Preservation) for assistance and advice. At that point, the mill was on the verge of collapse.

Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co. Frazelle has received awards and fellowships from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy in Rome, and Columbia University, and he was the winner of the 2001 Barlow Prize, the international competition administered through Brigham Young University. He has held residencies with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Santa Rosa Symphony and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Frazelle was a pupil of Roger Sessions at The Juilliard School and attended high school at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied with

Robert Ward. Frazelle does not have the clinical, diagnosable form of synesthesia, but will be talking from the perspective of a painter and musician and how the senses interact to affect him. For more information about Kenneth, visit www.kennethfrazelle.com.

Vavra is a neurologist in Clyde and is affiliated with Haywood Regional Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Wake Forest School of Medicine. The audience should look forward to his insights into synesthesia as a neurological phenomenon. The event is free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org.

a website to take you to places where there are no websites.

In July 2004, the two organizations hosted a hands-on building conservation workshop, during which volunteers completely stabilized the building’s framing, ensuring it would survive the winter. Two-week workshops were held again in 2005 and 2006. Then, the FMPS organized a number of its own workdays and work-weekends at the site. In July 2007, a new 24-foot water wheel was installed, the third wheel in the mill’s

history. Workers then finished construction on the flume, and repaired the mill pond dam. Later, millwright, John Lovett, reassembled the mill machinery, sharpen the mill stones (which are original to the Francis Mill) and taught the FMPS volunteers to grind corn.

The vast majority of the labor was done by volunteers from near and far, who contributed over 4,600 hours of their time with more than $55,000 of in-kind donations. Fundraising has gone hand in hand with hewing and hammering with funding for the workshops and restoration being provided

by grants from SPOOM, the Society for Industrial Archaeology, the Terence L. Mills Preservation Fund for North and South Carolina, the Haywood County Community Foundation, the Bethel Rural Community Organization, the Janirve Foundation and the Steele Reese Foundation, Blue Ridge Heritage Area, as well as many individuals, and Waynesville area businesses.

This year’s celebration will include bluegrass and string music from Hill Country Band, Possum on a Whale, and Ol’ Dirty Bathtub. Advance tickets for an afternoon of music are $8 and available by calling 828.456.6307 or Mountain Dreams Realty in Maggie Valley. Tickets bought at the gate will be $12.

Bring your lawn chair and join the Francis Mill Preservation Society to celebrate their accomplishments. Registered service animals only.

On the beat

Bluegrass tribute to The Who

The 2017-2018 WCU PRESENTS Performance Series will open with The HillBenders at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.

A bluegrass group from Springfield, Missouri, The HillBenders will perform “The Who’s, Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry.”

The live performance is a full 75-minute show covering the original album from start to finish with audience participation. Opening act provided by the Jackson County Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM).

Nearly 45 years after its original release, this classic of classic rock has now been fully realized as a full-length bluegrass tribute featuring The HillBenders. Conceived and produced by SXSW co-founder and longtime musician/producer Louis Jay Meyers, this Bluegrass Opry brings a new perspective to Tommy while paying total respect to its creators.

Originally composed by guitarist Pete Townshend as a rock opera that tells the story about a deaf, dumb and blind boy, including his experiences with life and the relationship with his family. The original album has sold 20 million copies and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for “historical, artistic and significant value.” In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Tommy No. 96 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Jackson County JAM is an after-school program for chil-

Doobies roll into Harrah’s

Iconic rock-n-roll act The Doobie Brothers will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at Harrah’s Cherokee.

The Doobie Brothers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, have won four Grammy Awards and sold more than 48 million records worldwide. The Doobies have tallied five Top 10 singles and 16 Top 40 hits including “Black Water,” “Listen to the Music” and “Takin’ It to the Streets.” The current touring Doobies include original band members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.harrahscherokee.com or call 800.745.3000.

Songwriter, storyteller at Franklin library

Americana singer-songwriter and storyteller Marshall Ballew will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

dren in grades 4-8 and beyond that introduces music through small group instruction on instruments common to the Appalachian region, such as fiddle, banjo and guitar. Each JAM program across the Appalachian region is individually operated and funded.

Tickets are $25 for the general public. For tickets and further information, visit bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or call 828.227.ARTS. Bardo Arts Center is home to a 1,000-seat theatre performance hall and the WCU Fine Art Museum, which features year-round modern and contemporary art exhibitions.

Ballew’s concert will be a musical and historical journey through the many years and forms of American Folk Music, with its roots in both the Scot-Irish ballads and tunes of the British Isles, which gave rise to old-time, folk and bluegrass; and the Mother Church of African-American Gospel which birthed jazz, swing, ragtime, and the blues.

Ballew will trace the roots and hybrids of all these forms like rockabilly, hokum, rock and roll, and rhythm and blues on a variety of stringed instruments.

The event is free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Friends of the Macon County Public Library.

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On the beat

New Sylva music festival

Scotchie & The River Rats will play the Fort Tatham Music Fest Sept. 9 in Sylva.

The inaugural Fort Tatham Music Fest will take place from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at 175 Tathams Creek Road in Sylva.

Musical guests include Andrew Scotchie & The River Rats (rock/blues) and The Junction Band, with headliner Summer Brooke & The Mountain Faith Band (bluegrass/gospel). This is a fundraiser for the Savannah Fire Department. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Food vendors and much more. There will be raffles and prizes. Sponsorships available. For more information, call 850.281.1975. Visit the Fort Tatham Facebook page and the Sun Communities website for more information.

HCAC welcomes acclaimed pianist

The Haywood County Arts Council’s annual Young Artist Concert will feature pianist Owen Dodds at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Dodds is 21 years old. A native of Rochester, New York, he has lived in various locations in this country and in Europe. Currently, Dodds is a rising senior student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, where he studies piano with Dmitri Shteinberg, an internationally respected soloist and chamber musician.

Dodds has performed at a number of prestigious music festivals, including Switzerland’s Tibor Varga Music Festival, the InterHarmony International Music Festival

in Germany, and Vermont’s Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival. Most recently, he was named the Artist Level Grand Prize winner at the Baltimore International Piano Festival.

Dodds has won prizes in the Music Teachers National Association Competition, the Harold Protsman Classical Piano Competition and the UNCSA Concerto Competition. He has been a featured soloist with the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra and the National Honoured Academic Orchestra of Ukraine. He is an avid composer and founding member of Early Gray, a new music duo who have just released their first collection of original compositions.

Tickets are $25 each, and students 25 and under get in free with valid ID. Purchase yours at the HCAC located at 86 North Main Street in Waynesville, by phone at 828.452.0593 or online at HaywoodArts.org/young-artist-series.

On the beat

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host Marshall Ballew (Americana/folk) Sept. 8, Twelfth Fret (Americana) Sept. 9, Heidi Holton (folk/blues) Sept. 15 and Somebody’s Child (Americana) Sept. 16. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. There will also be a “Bluegrass Jam with Heidi” at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

• Bistro 29 (Franklin) will host Dana Rogers from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 10 and Melissa Ellis 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 16.

• Bogart’s Restaurant & Tavern (Waynesville) will host Carolina Catskins (bluegrass) Sept. 7 and Eddie Rose & Highway 40 (bluegrass) Sept. 14. All shows are free and begin at 6:30 p.m.

• Bosu’s Wine Shop (Waynesville) will host a jazz evening with the Kittle/Collings Duo from 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday. Free and open to the public. www.waynesvillewine.com.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Tiny & Her Pony (Americana) Sept. 8, Sheila Gordon (piano/vocals) Sept. 9, James Hammel (guitar/vocals) Sept. 15 and Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Sept. 16. All shows are free (unless otherwise noted) and begin at 7 p.m. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Concerts on the Square (Hayesville) will host Gnarly Fingers (Americana/folk) Sept. 8. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.cccra-nc.org.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host Black Mountain City Limit Sept. 9. Shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. www.curraheebrew.com.

• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host Moonshine Wagon (honky-tonk) Sept. 12 and a Tiki Party with Papa Smurf Sept. 16. There will also be an open mic night at 8 p.m. on Mondays. All welcome. 828.631.4795.

• Derailed Bar & Lounge (Bryson City) will have music at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.488.8898.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will host Southern Highlands (Americana) Sept. 8 and Tallulah River Band (Americana) Sept. 15. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host ‘Round the Fire (rock/acoustic) Sept. 9, Ben Morgan & Jesse Stephens (singer-songwriter) Sept. 15 and Max Gross Weight Sept. 16. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. There will also be a Community Rhythm Circle every Tuesday at 7 p.m. with free drum circle lessons at 6:30 p.m. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Sept. 6 and 13, and a jazz

night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Sept. 7 and 14. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host a “Jazz Night” from 6 to 8 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

• Maggie Valley Inn will host Stone Crazy Band from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 9, at the outside tiki bar.

• Mountain Layers Brewing Company (Bryson City) will host Allie Burbrink & Frank Lee (Americana/bluegrass) Sept. 9. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Nantahala Brewing Company (Bryson City) will host Michael Martin Band (Americana) Sept. 8 and PMA (reggae/rock) Sept. 15. All shows are free and at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Phantom Playboys (surf/swing) Sept. 8, Todd Day Waits Pigpen (folk/blues) Sept. 9, Porch 40 (rock/funk, $3) Sept. 15 and Moonshine Wagon (honky-tonk) Sept. 16. All shows are free and begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nonamesportspub.com.

• The Oconaluftee Visitor Center (Cherokee) will host a back porch old-time music jam from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 16. All are welcome to come play or simply sit and listen to sounds of Southern Appalachia.

• Pickin’ in the Park (Canton) will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 and 15 at the Recreation Park. Free and open to the public. www.cantonnc.com.

• Pickin’ on the Square (Franklin) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/country) Sept. 9 and Remenince (rock) Sept. 16. All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. www.townoffranklinnc.com.

• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday with Mike Farrington of Post Hole Diggers. Free and open to the public.

• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and an Open Jam with Rick 8 p.m. Thursdays.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Susan at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host line dancing every Friday at 7 p.m. and contra dancing every other Friday at 8 p.m. 828.586.6440.

Country stars at The Strand

Little Texas will play Sept. 10 in Waynesville.

Hit country act Little Texas will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville.

As part of the Young Country movement of the early ‘90s, Little Texas were responsible for shaking up the country music world with a new, energetic sound that fused the look and attitude of modern rock music with traditional country themes and styles, bringing a much appreciated bolt of life into the genre. For their efforts, country fans the world over richly rewarded the band, buying up over 7 million of their albums, while critics showered them with three Grammy nominations plus honors from both the Academy of Country Music (Vocal Group Of The Year) and the Country Music Association (Album Of The Year).

Their first radio release in 1991, “Some Guys Have All The Love,” became a Top-10 hit, as did their next single, “First Time For Everything.” After the album First Time For Everything was released, five singles

• Southern Porch (Canton) will host Jason Wyatt (singer-songwriter) Sept. 7, Ben Morgan & Jesse Stephens (singer-songwriter) Sept. 8 and 3,000 Souls Sept. 16. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m.

• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• Tunes on the Tuck (Bryson City) will host Liz & AJ Nance (Americana/folk) Sept. 9 and Blue Eyed Girl Sept. 16 at Riverfront Park. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.

reached the top of the charts. The second album, Big Time, truly was the big time for Little Texas.

The sophomore release, which has sold more than 3 million copies to date, spawned three No. 1 singles: “What Might Have Been,” “God Blessed Texas” and “My Love,” which captured the group’s first CMT Award, a Billboard award, a Radio & Records award and their first Grammy nomination. The year 1994 also brought the lineup an Academy of Country Music Award for “Vocal Group of the Year.”

In summer 2007, Little Texas returned to the airwaves, country charts and music video playlists with an album titled Missing Years. In typical Little Texas style, the band broke the rules yet again, choosing to unleash two new albums within the span of a month, including the band’s first live album, The Very Best of Little Texas: Live & Loud.

Tickets are $75 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.38main.com or call 828.548.0778.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host Styrofoam Turtles Sept. 8, Phantom Playboys (surf/swing) Sept. 9 and John The Revelator (blues/folk) Sept. 15. All shows begin at 10 p.m.

• Waynesville Pizza Company will have an open mic night at 7 p.m. Sept. 18. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0927 or www.waynesvillepizza.com.

• Western Carolina University will host Appalachian fiddler Jake Blount from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 7 in the HFR Auditorium. www.wcu.edu.

SEPT. 9 • 10 A.M.-4 P.M. Mountain Bluegrass Music & BBQ Featuring: Hill Country Band Possum on a Whale Ol’ Dirt Bathtub

Music at the Mill is a celebration of our WNC heritage at the 130-year old Francis Grist Mill which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. Enjoy crafts, Mama Moody’s Fried Pies, and Milling Demonstrations. Bring your own lawn chair. Registered service animals only please.

On the beat New director of WCU’s School of Music

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who

performed

world and who teaches that musical artists must be entrepreneurs and good communicators as well as skilled technicians is the new director of Western Carolina University’s School of Music.

The appointment of Milton R. Laufer to that position was effective July 1, said George Brown, dean of WCU’s College of Fine and Performing Arts. Laufer also will hold the title of associate professor.

A Chicago native, Laufer began playing piano as a 3-year-old and earned his doctorate in musical arts at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He has performed in venues ranging from Lincoln Center to Tchaikowsky Hall and has shared the stage with artists such as Natalie Cole and Guerassim Voronkov. His appearances on Spanish-speaking TV and radio have been aired throughout Europe, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Over the past several years, Laufer has performed in China, Germany, England, Spain, Colombia and in cities across the U.S. He is currently working on two recording projects — an album featuring piano and vocal works by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona and a recording of Latin works for cello and piano with Canadian cellist Nigel Boehm.

On the entrepreneurial side, Laufer was among the youngest executives in retail music when he managed institutional sales for the Baldwin Piano and Organ Co. in the northeastern U.S. as a 19-year-old. Since then, he has been involved in ventures and special projects for companies such as Sony, Yamaha and Steinway & Sons.

Laufer said he is guided by the principle that artists must adapt to the changing vocational landscape. Artists must not only be skilled in their art but also be entrepreneurial-minded and learn to be convincing communicators, he said. “Today’s fine and performing artists must be aware of the value of

their creations as commodities in the marketplace and as forces for change within their communities,” he said.

Laufer previously taught at Peace University in Raleigh and at two institutions in Miami, Florida — the New World School of the Arts and Florida International University.

“WCU is a beautiful and inspiring place to create music,” Laufer said. “I knew I wanted to be a part of this creative community the moment I met the people in it. The feeling was cemented as I got to know the College of Fine and Performing Arts leadership team. Throw in the fact that the chancellor is an accomplished pianist, and it all seemed too good to be true.”

Laufer said the start of fall semester on a college campus is his favorite time of year. “Everyone is excited to be back on campus and there’s a unique energy,” he said. “It’s very similar to the feeling I get when hearing an orchestra tuning before performing a favorite work – the start of something special.”

Music was beginning to fill the Coulter Building, where his office is located, even before the start of the semester, Laufer said. “I’ve sat in on some early rehearsals to get to know our students, and I’m very impressed,” he said.

Brown said expectations are high for the School of Music as it moves forward under Laufer’s leadership. “Dr. Laufer is visionary, a great communicator, imaginative and a powerful advocate for greater diversity in the school and college, as well as an internationally accomplished pianist,” Brown said. “Dr. Laufer is joined here by his wife, coloratura soprano Marina De Ratmiroff, and their daughter Carmen Lucia. We heartily welcome them to our community and artistic home.”

For more information about WCU’s School of Music, visit the website music.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7242.

DOYOULIKEABONFIRE, STORYTELLING?

The Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28 at the Oconaluftee Islands Park. Sit by a bonfire, alongside a river, and listen to some of Cherokee’s best storytellers. The bonfire is free and open to the public. www.visitcherokeenc.com.

Sylva program about Israel

The Jackson County Public Library is hosting a program about Phil and Gayle Woody’s travels around Israel at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in Sylva.

The Woodys spent two weeks hiking all around Israel. They went to many historical sites. They visited places that are sacred to all three of the major monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In this program, Gayle and Phil will show some of the hundreds of photos they took

and comment about what they learned and where they visited.

Gayle and Phil Woody are (now retired) long-time educators in Jackson County. Phil currently works part-time at the library and enjoys his garden. Gayle is the president of the Jackson County Arts Council. The greatest pleasure of their lives is their wonderful son Benjamin.

This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. For more information, call the library at 828.586.2016. The Jackson County Public Library is a member of Fontana Regional Library (www.fontanalib.org).

‘Shine & Dine Gala’

The Haywood Community College Foundation will hold its second annual Shine & Dine Gala from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, at the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville.

The focus of this year’s gala is shining a light on HCC’s new Public Services Training Facility. The event will feature dinner, music by Juan Benavides, demonstrations and the opportunity to support HCC through both silent and live auctions. Haywood Regional Medical Center, a Duke LifePoint Hospital, is the presenting sponsor.

Proceeds from the gala will support equipment needs of the Public Services Training Facility. Generosity of attendees will help equip first responders (fire/rescue, law enforcement and emergency medical services) with the tools and training they need to provide life-saving services in our community.

The demand for emergency services is on the rise. According to Haywood County Emergency Management, in 2011, Haywood County logged 76,000 calls for emergency assistance. By 2016, the number of services requested climbed to 85,000 representing a 10.5 percent increase.

HCC’s Public Services Training Facility provides in-county training opportunities to ensure first responders are prepared and available when needed. This new state-of-

the-art facility, located on HCC’s campus, provides Haywood County’s first responders with hands-on training experience to prepare them for a safe response to our community’s needs. As these dedicated professionals work together to create a safer community for all, it is critical to equip them with the tools and training needed to promote timely response to medical emergencies, natural disasters and other public safety threats.

“As the demand for public safety emergency response increases, so does the demand for more ‘real world’ training for our Law Enforcement, Fire/Rescue and EMS heroes,” explains Greg Shuping, Haywood County emergency manager.

“With the help of the Haywood Community College Foundation and our most important resource, this community, we will have the opportunity to prepare our agencies for the challenges they face daily. Having a centrally located facility within Haywood County keeps our first responders right here in the county in the event we need them during training activities.”

The following sponsorship levels are available: Deluxe Sponsor with a $5,000 donation; Supporting Sponsor with a $2,500 donation; President’s Circle with a $1,000 donation; Shining Stars of HCC with a $500 donation; and Friends of HCC with a $250 donation.

Contact 828.627.4544 or pahardin@haywood.edu for details on sponsorship levels. For more information about the event, visit www.hccgala.events or call 828.627.4522.

On the street

Civil War talk on Sherman, Johnston

The Western North Carolina Civil War Round Table will welcome speaker Lee White on Monday, Sept. 11, in the HF Auditorium at Western Carolina University. White’s presentation will be titled, “Sherman & Johnston through North Georgia.”

Sherman and Johnston’s opening quadrille in early May 1864 at Dalton was the opening of the ball known as the Atlanta Campaign. For the next six days, the Army of Tennessee and Sherman’s Armies of the Ohio, the Cumberland and the Tennessee would jockey for strategic advantage — Sherman’s 95,000-plus to flank his Southern opponent’s 60,000 and Johnston denying access while holding a line along the Western & Atlantic RR. Fearing the Army of the Tennessee under McPherson getting to his rear Johnston withdrew his army to Resaca. With the amenities out of the way, the Union troops would probe on the 13th, spend the 14th being repulsed from a superior defensive position and the 15th, with the help of the engineers, gain a tactical advantage by fording the Oostanaula River with a pontoon bridge.

Johnston, fearing his supply lines being severed, the Army of Tennessee would pull back across the Etowah River through Adairsville to protect his rear, to Dallas, Georgia. With the ending of the initial phase of the campaign, Johnston’s choices were

Event to spotlight Glenville history

The Glenville Area Historical Society’s annual fall meeting will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Glenville Community Center.

The focus of the event will be on several communities and neighborhoods. Such a program could not ignore the first community, Old Glenville. The society has a great deal of Old Glenville information to share in displays and photos. After the building of the dam that flooded the valley and the town that had been removed lock, stock and barrel, many residents moved to other towns or counties, into the surrounding hills or established their families and businesses along the new road, N.C. 107. This became Glenville Village and a depiction of the Village in the 1950s will be on display at the meeting.

Others on display will be Big Ridge, Norton and early Signal Ridge/Trillium, one of the first extensive neighborhoods on the lake. The program highlight is featured speaker Rut Lyles, grandnephew of Faye Fenley, whose anecdotes and stories of his experiences visiting Glenville in the 1940s and 1950s. Fenley Forest, named for Fenley and on the west side of Lake Glenville, is now the location for numerous individual neighborhoods.

Glenville Area Historical Society members, prospective members, history fans and

becoming more and more debatable.

White is a native of North Georgia and a long-serving Park Ranger at ChickamaugaChattanooga NMP. As a member of the Emerging Civil War group, White has written or contributed to three, soon to be four, published works between 2013 and the present. The soonto-be released ECW offering, Let Us Die Like Men: The Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864 by White is due in February 2018.

Dinner with the speaker at 5 p.m. at Bogart’s, then will be followed by a social at HF Robinson Building at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation at 7 p.m.

Free. 828.293.5924 or 828.648.2488.

Franklin ‘Boots & Bling’

The annual “Boots & Bling” fundraiser will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Bloemsma Barn in Franklin.

The event benefits the Kids Place, hosted by the Zonta Club of Franklin Area. Join them for music by Sweet Charity Band, food, desserts and silent auction. Beer, champagne and wine will be available. Event attire is cocktail and cowboy boots.

Individual tickets at $50 each with table sponsorships for $500. Individual tickets may be purchased from a Zonta member or at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Table sponsorships may be purchased from a Zonta member or by calling Connie Grubermann at 828.349.9194.

anyone interested in learning about Glenville are welcome at the annual fall meeting held 828.743.1658 or historicalsocietyglenvillearea@yahoo.com.

‘Honoring our Heritage on Hallowed Hill’

The next Jackson County Genealogical Society meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Historic Jackson County Courthouse in Sylva.

Titled “Honoring our Heritage on Hallowed Hill,” the subject is the Bryson City Cemetery and more specifically, the efforts of the newly formed Friends of the Bryson City Cemetery (FBCC). The cemetery has a unique history, having been sold by the Cline family (then of Jackson County) to the Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches of Bryson City in 1884. Those churches then sold family plots, some of which were registered, but some were not.

Swain County native Don Casada will share additional information on the history of the cemetery, anecdotes about historical episodes related to those buried there, and the FBCC’s work to not just maintain, but to improve the cemetery grounds.

Leading up to the presentation, folks are encouraged to visit www.friendsofthebccemetery.org to learn more.

READYFORTHE ‘ROCKIN’ BLOCK PARTY’?

The “Rockin’ Block Party” will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, on Main Street in Waynesville. Children’s activities, barbecue, live music, and much more. For more information on the event, call 828.456.3517 or visit www.downtownwaynesville.com.

‘Sips for Snips’

The “Sips for Snips” fundraiser for Haywood Spay/Neuter will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville.

The event will offer wine, hors d’oeurves, and drawings for prizes including a $100 gift certificate to Chef’s Table, Tiffany Silver Heart Necklace, artwork by Margaret Roberts, and many gift baskets.

Meet like-minded pet lovers and the proprietors of Bosu’s who share in the mission. As a bonus, they’re offering special

Following the program, there will be a refreshment reception at 7:30 p.m. All JCGS events are free of charge and the public is welcome. For more information visit them on Facebook or call 828.631.2646.

ALSO:

• The Southwestern Community College’s “Bluegrass, Blue Jean & Bling” gala will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at Harrah’s Cherokee. Dinner, silent auction, corn hole, and more. Tickets are $150 per person, with table sponsorships available. To get tickets, call 828.339.4227.

• “Sixteen years after 9/11, are we winning the ‘War on Terror?’” will be the topic for the Franklin Open Forum at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, at the Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub. Franklin Open Forum is a moderated discussion group. Those interested in an open exchange of ideas (dialog, not debate) are invited to attend. For more information, call 828.371.1020.

• The 15th annual “Thunder in the Smokies Rally” will be Sept. 8-10 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Live music, bike games and show, food and craft vendors, Blue Ridge Parkway ride, and much more. A weekend pass is $20. www.handlebarcorral.com.

discounts for participants on Sept. 9, with 15-percent off cases and 10-percent off bottles of wine.

The fundraiser will help end unintentional breeding of local pets. Controlling pet populations ensures that all pets will have a good home in Haywood County. Your support to Haywood Spay/Neuter helps cover costs for low cost spay/neuter and animal wellness services for local pet owners.

Tickets are $30 and are available at Bosu’s or the Haywood Spay/Neuter office at 182 Richland Street in Waynesville. 828.452.1329 or www.haywoodspayneuter.org.

• There will be free adult clogging lessons at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sept. 26 at the Yellowhill Activity Center in Cherokee. Sponsored by the Appalachian Community Dance Association. Instructor is Dave Conklin. No partner needed. Wear closed shoes. No sandals or flip-flops. For more information, call 828.488.3848.

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host the Jackson County Corn Hole Association on Monday evenings ($5 buy in, 100-percent payout), Karaoke with Captain Moose from 7 to 11 p.m. on Tuesdays, Trivia at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and a Guitar Hero Tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. 828.586.6440.

• There will be a free wine tasting from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 9 and 16 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 9 and 16 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.631.3075.

• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.

‘Art of James Smythe’

There will be an exhibit showcasing the work of painter James Smythe through the month of September at Gallery 1 in Sylva. The artist reception will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at the gallery.

Smythe and his wife are celebrating 50 creative years in Sylva and look forward to sharing a body of work that celebrates the inspiration provided an artist living in our mountains.

Smythe is an award-winning artist working in oil and pastel exploring the themes that spark his interest in architectural subjects, coastal and mountain landscapes and his experiments with abstracting subjects from nature.

Free admission. Everyone is welcome. www.gallery1sylva.com.

Open call for art grants

The Haywood County Arts Council is now accepting applications for North Carolina Arts Council Regional Artists Project Grants (RAPG) through Oct. 6.

The grants will fund artists in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson and Macon counties at any phase of their professional development. Grants may cover equipment purchases, professional development training, marketing, and more. Projects must occur between Dec. 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018. The deadline for applications is Oct. 6. Grantees will be notified by Oct. 31.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department needs leaders for an exciting new activity at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Specifically, eight motivated individuals at least 18 years of age are needed for log rolling trainer.

Log rolling is an aquatic sport and recreational activity in which participants use footwork, core strength, and balance to stay on top of a spinning log in the water. In this case it will be the pool in the Waynesville Recreation Center. This sport offers participants a fun balance challenge with strong fitness benefits.

The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will offer one 2-week session of free training in order to become a log rolling trainer. The training will take place from 7:30 to 9 am on Saturday, September 9 and 16. Attendance is required at both events.

WAYNESVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION 828.456.2030

For more info please email Tim Petrea at tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov

Youth Arts Festival

The annual Youth Arts Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Sylva.

Children’s activities, live demonstrations, and more. For information, call 828.631.0271 or visit www.jcgep.org.

There will be a grant workshop at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, in the HCAC office at 86 North Main Street in Waynesville. Applications and instructions will be available at the workshop. It is recommended that all new applicants attend. Those interested should RSVP by emailing the Lindsey Solomon, RAPG administrator at info@haywoodarts.org. For application information, visit www.haywoodarts.org/regional-artist-project-grant. In the west, grant awards to artists generally range from $500 to $1,200 and follow a competitive application and review process.

The Haywood County Arts Council is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

Shelton House crafter showcase

There will be a crafter showcase at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Shelton House Barn in Waynesville.

Cackleberry Studios is the creation of Sara Gatiligo and Emily Fleenor were still in high school. The pair sold eggs for fundraisers and worked with the Village of Yesteryear at the NC State Fair. Fleenor’s husband, Josh, joined the duo and they perfected their style of decorating egg shells and transforming it into beautiful jewelry.

Pysanky, or Ukrainian egg painting, is a centuries old traditional art form around much of Eastern Europe. Beeswax is used to paint the egg and then placed in a special dye bath until the desired color is achieved. Once removed from the dye the wax is melted away, revealing the design. A protective coat of varnish is then applied to the egg shell to preserve the colors and to strengthen the shell.

To create their pendants and earrings, Cackleberry Studios melts the wax off the egg shells after dying, then cuts out the specific design on the shell. The inside of the shell is then filled with a casting resin and the design is sealed with a polyurethane varnish. A hole is drilled and the chain or hooks are applied for stunning jewelry.

On the wall ALSO:

The eggs used for Cackleberry Studios come directly from chickens raised by the Fleenor and Gatiligo families in their own back yard. They believe that, “Caring for God’s creatures in sustainable ways brings honor to Him and health to our family.

Admission is free. Complimentary refreshments.

Art of alcohol inks

Sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council, the September Rotunda Gallery Exhibit will feature Jackson County resident and retired art teacher Jan Boyer. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, in the Rotunda Gallery. It is free and open to the public.

She has newly discovered the art of alcohol inks and finds it a fascinating media and self-expression outlet. Her paintings will be on display through the month of September.

Boyer received her BS in Art Education from Western Carolina University and led an amazing career as an art instructor in Haywood County Public Schools and Cherokee Elementary School before recently retiring.

The Rotunda Gallery exhibits are sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council as an effort to celebrate the many artists in Jackson County. The monthly Rotunda Gallery exhibits are open to the public and are free of charge. You may visit the exhibits during regular library hours. If you would like to be considered for an art exhibit in the Rotunda Gallery, contact the Jackson County Arts Council at info@jacksoncountyarts.org or by calling 828.507.9820

Native American exhibitions, symposium

In the WCU Fine Art Museum main gallery through Dec. 8 is the nationally traveling exhibition “Return from Exile: Contemporary Southeastern Indian Art,” curated by Tony A. Tiger, Bobby C. Martin, and Jace Weaver.

The exhibition features more than 30 contemporary Southeastern Native American artists working in a variety of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, basketry, sculpture, and pottery. “Return from Exile” is one of the first major exhibitions to focus on contemporary artists from tribal nations with an historical connection to the Southeastern United States. These include the so-called Five Civilized Tribes, the Choctaw, Chickasaw,

Cherokee, and Muscogee (or Creek), and Seminole, all of whom were forcibly removed in the 1830s to present-day Oklahoma as a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The title of the exhibition represents the return of these artists to their ancestral homelands.

The WCU Fine Art Museum received a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to host this exhibition and organize a one-day symposium focused on contemporary Native American art. Speakers include artists with work in the exhibition as well as local artists. The symposium will be held on from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10, followed by a reception honoring the “Return from Exile” exhibi-

tion from 5 to 7 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. The symposium includes a ticketed keynote performance from Canadian First Nation electronic music group A Tribe Called Red at 7:30 p.m. For details visit arts.wcu.edu/tribe.

The museum is also presenting “WCU Collects: Recent Acquisitions.” This exhibition showcases a selection of artworks recently given to the museum and includes a number of artists not previously represented in the collection. The WCU Fine Art Museum stewards a collection of more than 1,500 artworks in all media — from painting and printmaking to book arts, sculpture, ceramics, and contemporary craft. www.wcu.edu.

• The Groovy Movie Club will screen the comedy “The Big Sick” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at a private residence in Dellwood (Waynesville). A healthy potluck will proceed the screening at 1:30 p.m. RSVP to johnbuckleyx@gmail.com or text or call 828.646.8602 for directions. This informal, welcoming, inclusive group screens excellent films, with a message, on the second or third Sunday of every month. Singles, couples and friends attend from all over Western North Carolina. Discussion follows for all who care to stay.

• The Franklin Uptown Gallery will hold its monthly membership meeting at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, in downtown. Jeff Norman, co-owner of Franklin Picture Framing, will give a presentation on the difference between print shops and fine art printers and how to choose the right one for your projects. All are welcome to attend. For information, contact the gallery at 828.349.4607.

• Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host a free movie night at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For the full schedule of screenings, click on www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

• The Waynesville Fiber Friends will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of the month at the Panacea Coffee House in Waynesville. All crafters and beginners interested in learning are invited. You can keep up with them through their Facebook group or by calling 828.276.6226 for more information.

• “Paint Nite Waynesville” will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursdays (Sept. 7 and 21) at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Sign up for either event on the Paint Night Waynesville Facebook page or call Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

• There will be a “Thursday Painters Open Studio” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Bring a bag lunch, project and supplies. Free to the public. Membership not required. For information, call 828.349.4607.

• A “Youth Art Class” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Appalachian Art Farm on 22 Morris Street in Sylva. All ages welcome. $10 includes instruction, materials and snack. For more information, email appalachianartfarm@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

September 6-12, 2017

On the stage

‘Galaxy of Stars’ now ‘WCU PRESENTS’

Beloved series offers bluegrass, foreign stage art, urban culture

The “WCU PRESENTS” performance series, previously known as “Galaxy of Stars” brings professional artists from around the world to the Bardo Arts Center performance hall. Season Subscriptions and Multi-Pass Ticket Packs are now available to the public; single tickets are also available Subscriptions and Multi-Passes offer tickets to the season at a discounted rate.

Standard season subscriptions offer one ticket in the same seat to the six productions in the WCU PRESENTS performance season. Season subscriptions prices are as follows: General public: $125; WCU/SCC faculty and staff, seniors 65 and over: $100; WCU and SCC students: $25.

Multi-pass ticket packs offer six tickets that can be used in any way desired. All six tickets can be redeemed for one production, or spread out across the year.

• The 2017-2018 WCU PRESENTS Performance Series opens on Thursday, Sept. 7, with The HillBenders, a bluegrass group from Springfield, Missouri, who will perform, “The Who’s, Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry.” Nearly 45 years after its original release, this classic of classic rock has now been fully realized as a full-length bluegrass tribute while paying complete respect to its creators.

• As part of the WCU Fine Art Museum’s Contemporary Native American Art Symposium on Friday, Nov. 10, Bardo Arts Center will present A Tribe Called Red, a First Nation, indigenous Canadian electronic music group. Looking to the future, without losing sight of their past, A Tribe Called Red straddles a broad range of musical influences based in modern hip-hop, traditional pow wow drums and vocals, blend-

ed with edgy electronic music production styles. Their music reaches across generations and cultures, for a truly unique sound.

• Closing out the fall lineup of productions on Tuesday, Dec. 8, is a rapid-fire tap group and funk band called Rhythmic Circus, who will present their holiday performance, “Red and Green.” Red and Green captures the spirit of the holiday with a beat boxing rendition of “The Grinch,” a full-cast performance of “Linus and Lucy” from A Charlie Brown Christmas, five new originals, and a bright mash-up medley titled “Toy Soldier March.”

• The spring season begins on Tuesday, Feb. 6, with modern dance and storytelling from renown NYC dance company, Urban Bush Women. Their presentation entitled, “Hair & Other Stories,” is a multidisciplinary performance that addresses matters of race, gender identity, and economic inequality through the lens of hair, primarily that of African American women. Urban Bush Women performs annually in New York City and has toured throughout the United States and in Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America.

ences worldwide. TAO combines highly physical, large-scale drumming with contemporary costumes, precise choreography, and innovative visuals.

• Traveling from across the world to perform on the Bardo Arts Center stage on Saturday, Feb. 24, is TAO: Drum Heart. TAO: Drum Heart is the latest production from TAO, internationally-acclaimed percussion artists. TAO’s modern, high-energy performances showcasing the ancient art of Japanese drumming have transfixed audi-

• As the capstone to our season, Bardo Arts Center is partnering with the WCU Literary Festival to present Tony Kushner; a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, author of Angels in America and screenwriter for Munich, on Thursday, April 5. During his evening at Bardo Arts Center, he will be interviewed on stage by Broadway star and WCU

HART cops, crooks comedy

The comedy production of “Unnecessary Farce” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7-9, and at 2 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Haywood Art Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Two Cops. Three Crooks. Eight Doors. Go! “Unnecessary Farce,” winner of nine regional theater awards, is the comedy by Paul Slade Smith that combines all the elements of classic farce with a contemporary American plot.

In a cheap motel, the embezzling Mayor Meekly is supposed to meet with Karen Brown, his female accountant. In the room next door are two undercover cops, bookish officer Eric Sheridan and

School of Stage & Screen, Terrence Mann. For tickets and further information, please visit bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or call 828.227.ARTS. Bardo Arts Center is home to a 1,000-seat theatre performance hall and the WCU Fine Art Museum, which features a variety of modern and contemporary art exhibitions throughout the year. Bardo Arts Center is located on the campus of Western Carolina University at 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee, N.C. 28783. www.wcu.edu.

overeager officer Billie Dwyer. Both of whom are supposed to catch the Mayors sketchy meeting on videotape. But, there’s some confusion as to who’s in which room, who’s watching the video, who’s taken the money, who’s hired a crazed Scottish hit man, and why the accountant keeps taking her clothes off.

Harmons’ Den Bistro will be serving dinner before the show with the first seating time at 5:45 p.m. and it’s second at 6:15 p.m. A Sunday “Brunch Buffet” will also be available at Harmons Den Bistro from 12:15 p.m. onward. The bistro will remain open after the show providing drinks and snacks on selected performance nights for the audience, cast, and crew.

For tickets, call 828.456.6322 or visit www.harttheatre.org.

On the stage

‘Blue Collar Comedy’ in Franklin

Comedy legend Bill Engvall will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Engvall is one of the top stand-up comedians of all time. He finds humor in every situation and has a real connection with his audiences. He has been entertaining people at soldout comedy shows for many years and has had great success on television and in movies.

While working as a disc jockey and dreaming of becoming a teacher, Engvall decided to try his hand at stand-up comedy. It was then he realized he had a gift for making people laugh, and a new dream was born. Soon after, Engvall moved to Los Angeles to pursue television opportunities.

He first appeared on “A Pair of Jokers,” a Showtime special. He then began hosting A&E’s “Evening at the Improv” and made appearances on “The Tonight Show” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” He went on to appear in multiple episodes of “Designing Women” and “Delta” before beginning one of his most noteworthy appearances as a star on “The Jeff Foxworthy Show” where he played Foxworthy’s best friend.

Engvall has hosted numerous television, game, and award shows and guest starred on many other shows including Last Man Standing. He was the executive producer of his own selftitled show, “The Bill Engvall Show,” which ran for three seasons. Perhaps the role he is best known for however, was his starring role in the sketch comedy show “Blue Collar Comedy TV” with Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy and Ron White. Engvall’s first comedy album, “Here’s Your Sign,” has been certified platinum and held the number one position on the

Bill Engvall will bring the laughs Sept. 14 to Franklin.

Interested in modern dance?

The Highlands Performing Arts Center will present “Taylor 2” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. “Taylor 2” is part of Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance from New York City. Taylor, one of the most accomplished artists this nation has ever produced, continues to shape America’s indigenous art of modern dance as he has since becoming a professional dancer and pioneering choreographer in 1954.

Having performed with Martha Graham’s company for several years, Taylor uniquely bridges the legendary founders of modern dance — sadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Doris Humphrey and Ms. Graham — and the dance makers of the 21stCentury. Through his new initiative at Lincoln Center — Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance — he is presenting great modern works of the past and outstanding works by today’s leading choreographers alongside his own vast and growing repertoire. And he is commissioning the next generation of dance makers to work with his renowned Company, thereby helping to ensure the future of the art form.

Billboard Comedy Chart for 15 straight weeks. He has since released many successful albums and written several books including, You Don’t Have to Be Dumb to Be Stupid and Here’s Your Sign.

Tickets starts at $46. To purchase tickets, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com or call 828.273.4615.

In addition Ruthie Aldrien, “Taylor 2” dance master, will contact a Master Class for all area high school and older dance students at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.

All students should come early dressed and prepared to dance.

To register, call 828.526.9047. There is no charge for this unique opportunity.

Book celebrates ‘all things Appalachian’

Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear. Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

— “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” by Thomas Grey

Streatment of aches and pains. Many of the “old timers’ that Matthew interviewed told him grim stories of the days of milk sickness or cholera and the terrible death rates during the “Spanish Flu epidemic.”

ured it out,” says Charles Anders, one of Matthew’s heroes. “There was no way to pay somebody ... You read what you could and you figured out the rest.”

ome four years ago, I reviewed Matthew Baker’s first book, My Appalachian Granny, a delightful collection of anecdotes, photographs and provocative history. Much of the book dealt with Baker’s friendship with Evelyn Howell Beck, whose life reflected the qualities that the author had come to admire.

However, the book also celebrates the history of Whittier, a small community in Jackson County which has a fascinating past. In addition, Matthew recorded one of the region’s most interesting tales, concerning the disappearance of Colonel Raymond Robbins, a nationally known prohibitionist who vanished in 1932 only to be discovered in Whittier where he had become a popular citizen who was active in community activities. Robbins’ reappearance (and his story of amnesia) attracted national attention to Whittier, a peaceful but thriving community where Robbins later noted, he “had been briefly happy.”

In My Mountain Heroes, Baker continues to have an unabated appreciation of “all things Appalachian.” As Matthew lists the aspects of his neighbors which deserve to be honored as admirable and heroic, it is not surprising that the majority are people. There are doctors who have devoted their lives to serving Macon County (Fouts, Rogers, Horsely, Lyle, Winstead and Fishers) — all telling stories of “practicing medicine” without tools, medicine or recompense. Matthew catalogues the “folk medicine remedies” that were often combined with pharmaceuticals. Kerosene, yellow root, ginseng, a poultice of fried onions or a dram of white liquor were common household remedies and doctors like Fate Welch often prescribed them along with willow bark, acknowledging their potency in the

Some of Baker’s most memorable tales pay tributes to a host of craftsmen and artists who produced items that combined practical need and beauty. Certainly that is true of the numerous quilters, carvers, and weavers. Each time that the author encounters creativity

Perhaps Matthew’s greatest hero is not a person but a business called Maco Crafts, which began in 1969 and closed in 2002 when road construction made access to their business difficult. Maco Crafts definitely qualified as one of Baker’s heroes.

For over 30 years, this arts and crafts cooperative promoted the creation of carvings, cherry and walnut furniture, enameling, stained glass, rug braiding, quilting, weaving, pillows, baskets, toys, pottery, brooms and white oak chair bottoming. By its very existence, Maco Crafts promoted excel-

Dentata). Certainly, this is my favorite section of Baker’s book. With admirable enthusiasm, Matthew chronicles the history of the hickory tree in Appalachia. Without a doubt, this tree had a greater affect on our culture than any other factor.

which has bloomed in unlikely place; when he finds himself listening to music that stirred his soul; when he stares in amazement at an intricately-carved, walnut clocks; complex quilting patterns that amazed visitors to the exhibits in fairs and libraries; our author wonders “How did they do this without the advice and guidance of professionals?” The answer was always the same: “In those days, if you wanted something done, you just fig-

Author explores ‘Darwin’s Backyard’

lence in craftsmanship. It is here that Maco quilts became world-famous and individuals were invited to bring their creations to Washington and Atlanta. Although the majority of Matthew’s crafts heroes were content to remain in their homes, they were drawn out for famous exhibits and crafts fairs through the country.

For me, the greatest hero in My Mountain Heroes is the vanquished hickory (Castanea

Towering up to 100 feet in height, admirably straight and the preferred material for cross-ties, telephone poles, the hickory was superior to other trees for construction and its ability to withstand drought, flood and freezing temperatures. The hickory dominated Appalachia. The blight that killed the chestnut came in the early 1900s. Prior to that, the chestnut was a major factor in feeding livestock, especially pigs which were once allowed to range free, each with a collar that identified the owner. Matthew recounts stories of a time when the pigs grew so fat on chestnuts, their collars and bells vanished into their fat necks. Chestnuts had considerable value and families often paid for clothing and shoes with the money earned from hauling sacked chestnuts to the Farmer’s Federation. When the blight began in 1870, it had little effect, but when it was discovered in New York City in 1903, it was traveling at a rate of 50 miles a year and its direction was south and west. It arrived in Macon County in 1930. Within two or three years the dead trees began to fall. Although they continued to produce tannic acid, the end had come and had an effect that is stilling evident today. Let, let me assure you that I have failed to cover much of interest in My Mountain Heroes, so I can assure you that there are many surprises to be discovered in this delightful book. I was forced to omit much so that I could discuss chestnuts and Maco Crafts. I have discovered that the author is a mail man and that is an occupation that has brought him in touch with many tales and stories. My Uncle Asbury was also a mailman and never kept a garden since his customers kept him supplied with corn, tomatoes and gossip all summer. Uncle Asbury also collected wonderful stories.

in Sylva. To reserve copies, please call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

Writing competition open to students

In anticipation of Thomas Wolfe’s 117th birthday celebration in October, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial is inviting students and teachers to participate in the 2017 “Telling Our Tales” Student Writing Competition.

Thomas Wolfe, while best known for his novels, also wrote many short stories for magazines. In this competition, students will submit their own work of fiction inspired by Thomas Wolfe and his story “Polyphemus.” The story first appeared in the North American Review June 1935. In this fable a Spanish explorer and crew are obsessed with finding legendary cities of gold in North Carolina. Their single-minded quest results in their failure to find the richness in the land itself.

First, second, and third place winners will be chosen from three age groups: Grades 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Submissions may be hand delivered, postmarked or emailed by 5 p.m. Saturday Sept. 23. Winners will be invited to present their stories and accept their awards at a program at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial’s visitor center at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. Cash awards are given in each age group.

Find the story, competition guidelines, submission form and ideas for writing on our website with the links; wolfememorial.com/for-teachers/studentwriting-contest.

For more information about the event contact Thomas Wolfe Memorial, 52 North Market Street, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, call 828.253.8304 or visit www.wolfememorial.com.

Fontana ‘Read Local Book Fair’

The Fontana Regional Library will be hosting its fourth annual “Read Local Book Fair” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

The event gives residents the chance to meet and support local authors. Authors will have copies of their works available for purchase and will be available for book signings.

Books Unlimited in Franklin will be on hand to sell books. Part of the idea behind the Fair is to support the local economy of books and authors, and is linked to FRL’s “Long Range Plan” to support the region in employment and economy.

“We are thrilled to work with so many talented authors and bring them together with the community,” said Charles Diede, assistant county librarian at the Macon County Public Library.

For more information about Fontana Regional Library or the “Read Local Book Fair,” visit www.fontanalib.org/bookfair.

Team Ruebel hits the trail

Hiking is a bonding force for father-daughter duo

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER

Once Jay Ruebel started seeing the billboard, which advertised the 28.3-mile Trailblaze Challenge hike, it seemed like he couldn’t stop seeing it.

Jay likes challenges, and he knew who he wanted to conquer this one with — his 16year-old daughter, Gracie. Jay’s wife and other daughter both enjoy short hikes, but Gracie’s the one who’s into long excursions and multiday treks. It’s how they hang out.

“In the last year or so she and I have not hiked so much together, which is part of the reason why when I saw this I immediately thought of her,” Jay said. “I also thought, ‘How cool would this be to spend the whole day hiking with your daughter?’”

So, he went to an informational meeting and then pitched the idea to Gracie.

GETTINGREADY

It was an easy sell. Gracie was excited about both the hiking and the cause. The event raises money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation’s work granting wishes for children in Western North Carolina who have lifethreatening illnesses.

“I have no idea what I want to do in college or a career and I think I’ve narrowed it down to something with nonprofits. So when I found out there’s an aspect related to Makea-Wish — a nonprofit — I thought that was awesome,” Gracie said.

However, the pair — registered as Team Reubel — soon found they’d have to do more than just hike. Participation requires each person to raise $2,500 for the foundation, so Jay and Gracie have to come up with $5,000 between them. Neither of them is that con-

cerned about being able to complete the hike — fundraising is the more daunting task.

So far, they’ve mostly just been circulating their fundraising page among friends and family on Facebook, but the father-daughter team has an action plan now that the summer season is over — they’re hoping more local businesses might be willing to consider a donation with a lull in the tourist rush.

“I’ve always been sort of introverted and don’t want to go around asking people for money, but then you’re like, this is for a really good cause. The kids are specifically just Charlotte west and we’re going to hike this 28 miles as our part of it,” Jay said. “I think a lot of people when they hear that, they’re willing to contribute something.”

The Trailblaze Challenge

The Trailblaze Challenge is a single-day, 28.3-mile hike along the Foothills Trail on Oct. 14, starting at Upper Whitewater Falls in Jackson County and ending in Oconee, South Carolina.

The weekend begins in Georgia on Friday, Oct. 13, where participants eat a hearty meal and then go to bed early, setting their alarms at 2:30 a.m. to be on the trail by 4 a.m. The Trailblaze Challenge is an extremely organized affair, with support stations every few miles offering food, water and bathrooms so the hikers don’t have to carry any heavy packs.

The goal is for everyone to be done by 5 p.m. or so, with dinner at the hotel and a special event Sunday morning.

Gracie Ruebel stands on a rockface while hiking near the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. Donated photos

On the physical side of preparations, both Jay and Gracie are pretty active people already — Gracie’s a member of the dance team at Triple Threat Performing Arts Academy in Sylva and Jay regularly runs 10- and 11-mile routes. But this fall they’re hoping to fit in as many weekend hikes as possible before the big day Oct. 14.

They’re both feeling confident.

“I’ve done four days in a row of averaging 12, 13, 14, 15 miles a day with a full backpack on my back, and that was fun and I liked it and I really didn’t want to stop,” said Jay. “And yes, this is 28 miles but I’m not going to have that (backpack) and the atmosphere is going to be very celebratory.”

“It’s so much of a mental thing, hiking, and just being in that kind of atmosphere will just push you to completing it,” Gracie added.

SHAREDLOVEOFTHETRAIL

Hiking is an important part of life for Jay and Gracie, but the two are relatively new to the sport. Five years ago they were living in suburban Texas, far away from anything resembling a mountain.

“If you had told me six years ago, ‘You’ll be

Each hiker raises at least $2,500 to support the Make-a-Wish Foundation — and specifically children in Western North Carolina. The Foundation’s goal is to grant the wish of every child diagnosed with a lifethreatening medical condition.

Trailblaze Challenge hikes are held every spring and fall.

To donate to Gracie and Jay Ruebel’s hike, visit http://trailblazechallenge. kintera.org/fall2017/teamruebel or send a check with “Team Ruebel” in the memo line to Make-A-Wish at 1131 Harding Place, Charlotte, N.C. 28204.

challenges are rewarding.

“I never really saw extensive amounts of nature, and so when I moved here and I saw mountains and all this, I had a whole reality check on outside and how beautiful it is,” Gracie said.

“If we can do something like that, just the two of us, we enjoy it,” Jay added. “It’s not work. You’re outside, you love nature. We love to explore, push ourselves. It’s just nice to be able to share that with my teenage daughter.”

“It’s so much of a mental thing, hiking, and just being in that kind of atmosphere will just push you to completing it.”

— Gracie Ruebel

living in North Carolina and hiking multiple nights in the woods,’ I would be like, ‘No, I’m not. Why would I do that? I don’t have to do that and why would I do that?’” Jay said. “For whatever reason I just consider it fun.”

It’s beautiful and peaceful in the woods, and it feels good to disconnect from the wired world. Life is simpler there, and the physical

They’ve done father-daughter trips together, and Jay’s also gone along on Gracie’s trips with Wilderness Trail, a summer backpacking ministry headquartered in southwestern Virginia. Put together, those experiences have given the two a unique understanding of each other, an insight into what makes the other tick that they might not have earned through off-trail experiences.

“Gracie is very determined,” Jay said. “I remember hiking once where she had a new pack and we hadn’t exactly fitted it properly, and she was getting blisters. The parental side of me was trying to get her to stop so we could take if off, and she wanted to keep going. I could see how

Photograph fall like a pro

A program on fall color and where to find it will be offered at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Fitness Center in Clyde.

Photographer

Everette Robinson will show some of his fall images and discuss the ins and outs of fall photography.

Robinson got into photography in 1979 as a way to document his hikes and excursions in nature and has shot images throughout the U.S. in the years since. His work has appeared in numerous publications and galleries.

Free. Offered as part of the Cold Mountain Photography Society’s regular meeting.

It’s fair time in Macon County

The Macon County Fair will open to the public Thursday, Sept. 14, with a packed schedule of events planned through Monday, Sept. 18 at the Macon County Fairgrounds in Franklin. Events range from dog agility and cross-cut saw demonstrations to livestock shows, baking contests and a kids pedal tractor pull.

A full schedule of events and entry information is online at www.themaconcofair.com/schedule-events.

Mountain State Fair opens

The Mountain State Fair will open Friday, Sept. 8, at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher with a packed schedule of music, competition and carnival rides continuing through Sunday, Sept. 17.

This year’s theme is “Where Farm Meets Fun.” More than 40 carnival rides, 100 entertainment acts and $240,000 in competition premiums will be included.

Attractions range from clogging and gospel singing competitions the morning of Sept. 9 to an ice cream eating contest at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 to livestock and craft shows throughout the week. www.wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair.

much pain she was in with each step, but she wanted to keep going.”

“I’m just very proud that she’s my daughter,” he continued. “It’s very cool to have those experiences with her, because a

couple years from now she’ll be in college.”

For her part, their hiking adventures have helped Gracie to know her father beyond his role as a parent or authority figure. In particular she thinks of a two-night hike they did along the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a conversation they had with a German man who was thru-hiking the 2,190-mile trail.

“He wanted to know all about our government and how it was set up, and it was interesting listening to my dad having that conversation,” Gracie said. “I learned more about his beliefs and interests.”

Also, Gracie said, off-trail her dad can be pretty structured and something of a “cleaning freak,” — it’s fun to see him in a context that forces a more laid-back attitude.

“It’s hard to be a clean freak when you hike,” Jay laughed.

Get moving at Chimney Rock

Free admission and a variety of hands-on wellness activities will make Saturday, Sept. 9, a special day at Chimney Rock State Park. During “Movin’ On Up,” A variety of health and wellness information, activities, exercise classes and hiking opportunities will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a paying adult can bring up to three children ages 5 to 15 at no additional charge. www.chimneyrockpark.com.

Forest Service offers free camping for flood victims

People displaced by flooding in Texas and neighboring states will be able to stay in U.S. Forest Service campgrounds for free following a decision of the Southern Region of the USDA Forest Service.

All Forest Service campgrounds in the Southeastern U.S. are included in this decision, including those in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. Those interested in staying in these campgrounds should call ahead or check websites to ensure availability. 828.257.4200.

Paddle the Cullowhee Slalom

WCU faculty member Debby Singleton and her husband Mark ply the waters of the Tuckasegee River during the Cullowhee Canoe Slalom. WCU photo find us at: facebook.com/smnews

The eighth annual Cullowhee Canoe Slalom will return to the Tuckasegee River at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9.

The family-friendly paddling competition features nine gates on flat but moving water and categories for canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. Canoes, paddles and personal floatation devices will be provided, but kayakers and paddle boarders must bring their own boats.

The course will be open 1-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, for practice. It is located just downstream from the greenway bridge at Locust Creek along Old Cullowhee Road.

$5 entry fee, with registration available in person at Western Carolina University’s Base Camp Cullowhee and online at www.basecamp.wcu.edu. Organized by WCU Parks and Recreation Management students, Base Camp Cullowhee and the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department. Proceeds benefit the Parks and Recreation Management Scholarship Fund.

828.227.8813.

Learn how to make your stream healthy

Jason Meader, citizen science program manager for Mainspring Conservation Trust, will discuss Mainspring’s Shade Your Stream initiative at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Sylva. Shady streams make for cooler water temperatures, an important factor in the success of many of the mountains’ aquatic species. The talk is offered as part of the Sylva Garden Club’s regular monthly meeting, with refreshments served prior to the brief business meeting that will precede Meader’s talk. The club is open to anyone with an interest in gardening — green thumb not required.

Meet Charlotte Figi.

At just 3 months old, she experienced her first seizure, an experience that would send her family on a path that would change the world. Charlotte was suffering from 300 grand mal seizures per week when they met the Stanley Brothers, who had been developing proprietary hemp genetics. Together they created a hemp oil extract that was introduced into Charlotte’s diet in hopes of providing her relief.

Charlotte didn’t have a single seizure during the first seven days of treatment, which was a clear sign that the Figis had stumbled onto something extraordinary.

Today she is a nine year old who is thriving and enjoying life. The Stanley brothers assure consumers that the oil maintains a 30:1 ratio of CBD to THC. THC is the psychoactive compound that produces the “high” effect in marijuana. Thanks to Charlotte’s Web, Charlotte can now live life like a normal child. She is able to feed herself and sleep through the night. Her autistic symptoms have virtually disappeared. As such, her mind is clear, and her attention is focused. Her brain is recovering, and she is happy.

Visit cwhemp.com for more info.

Help rebuild a Smokies trail

Volunteers are needed to help with efforts to overhaul the Rainbow Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday.

Though professional crews are completing much of the work in the two-year project, volunteers are essential to helping the project move forward. Citizens from across the region have been giving their time over the past few months, but more help is needed.

The Trails Forever crew leading the project is focusing rehabilitation on several targeted locations along the 6-mile trail to improve visitor safety and stabilize eroding trail sections. Rainbow Falls Trail is one of the most popular trails in the park and leads to Rainbow Falls and Mount LeConte. The Trails Forever program that supports the project is a partnership between the park and Friends of the Smokies.

Volunteers should contact Adam Monroe at least one week in advance of the day they’d like to attend, at 828.497.1949 or Adam_Monroe@nps.gov.

Help clean up the farm

Volunteers are needed Thursday, Sept. 14, to help spruce up the Mountain Farm Museum in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, preparation for the Mountain Lifestyle Festival Saturday, Sept. 16.

Volunteers will enjoy a morning outdoors, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., setting up demonstration spaces, cleaning historic structures and preparing the field parking lot for thousands of visitors. Lunch provided. Sign up at http://conta.cc/2wqC5kS.

Telethon raises $200K for the Smokies

Friends of the Smokies’ 23rd annual telethon Aug. 23 raised $208,321 in donations to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, bringing the total raised since the first telethon in 1995 to more than $3.7 million.

“Time and time again, the people who love this special place continue to step up and help us care for it. We are so grateful for the Friends and the Smokies community who have responded with such generosity,” said Cassius Cash, park superintendent.

The telethon celebrated the launch of a new capital campaign to replace and upgrade the park’s emergency radio systems, a need brought to light by the recently

Clean up N.C. roads

released review of actions taken during the Chimney Tops 2 Fire in November 2016. The effort will require $2.5 million leveraging $1.25 million in federal funds and grants. The upgraded radios will allow rangers to respond more quickly and effectively to emergency situations in the park.

On top of the radio upgrades, Friends of the Smokies will seek to continue its nearly $1.4 million in annual support of the park for projects such as continued fire recovery efforts including trail repairs and invasive species removal.

Telethon donations included $30,000 from Sugarland Cellars, $15,000 from SmartBank and support from sponsors Mast General Store, Dollywood and Pilot Flying J. Donations can still be made online at www.FriendsOfTheSmokies.org/donate or by calling 828.452.0720.

Volunteers across the state will join forces to clean North Carolina’s roadsides during the Fall Litter Sweep Sept. 16-30.

The N.C. Department of Transportation will provide cleanup supplies such as orange trash bags, gloves and orange safety vests, available at county DOT offices. Last year’s fall litter sweep removed 521,000 pounds of litter from roads and highways. www.ncdot.gov/~littersweep.

Haywood Waterways and Haywood Community College will lead cleanups along Allens and Richland Creeks

9:00 AM at the PetSmart parking lot (321 Town Center Loop, Waynesville) Dress for working outside; closed-toed shoes required Trash bags, trash grabbers, gloves, refreshments, and picnic lunch provided

RSVP required by September 14th: 828-476-4667 or christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com.

Thank you to the Tennessee Valley Authority Reservoirs & Community Stream Cleanups Fund for supporting the 2016 Big Sweep!

Birds, climate change and science

The final Zahner Conservation Lecture of the season will feature birds and climate change at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Highlands Nature Center.

Robert Cooper, Ph.D., of the University of Georgia, will deliver the lecture “A birds-eye view of climate change: Blackthroated blue warbler populations in the Southern Appalachians.” In 2005, Cooper began a research project on the ecology of the warbler’s population in the Nantahala National Forest. Many populations of cool-adapted species are showing declines in the trailing edge of their range, and the objective was to find out why.

Black-throated blue warbler.

Donated photo

Cooper has been a faculty member of the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia since 1997 and has authored or co-authored roughly 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and technical reports, mostly surrounding birds and bird conservation.

Free. Sponsored by Jennie Stowers and Canty Worley. 828.526.2221 or www.highlandsbiological.org.

Walk with butterflies

A nature walk focusing on butterflies will be offered at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at the Highlands Biological Station, led by the station’s director Jim Costa, Ph.D.

Costa has directed the station since 2006 and is also a biology professor at Western Carolina University. A group will carpool from Franklin to attend, leaving at 12:15 p.m. Email Renee at rubinlive@gmail.com to join the carpool.

Free. 828.526.2602.

Help the MST celebrate 40 years

Mast General Store will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail by donating 10 percent of the sales in its North Carolina locations to Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Meanwhile, a statewide effort to hike every mile of the MST in a single day will be underway in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Nearly 1,000 outdoor enthusiasts will participate in the MST in a Day event, with more welcome to join.

The MST stretches 1,175 miles, from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey’s Ridge in the Outer Banks. The route offers mountain vistas, Piedmont farms, colonial towns, old textile villages and mystical swamps, as well as an alternate paddle trail along the Neuse River to the Pamlico Sound.

Resources and Community Development, which is considered the catalyst for creating the mountains-to-cost trail.

However, only about 700 miles of the trail are complete, with the remainder linked by rural roads. Funds from Mast General will help build and maintain more trail miles. Volunteers invest more than 30,000 hours annually supporting the MST.

The 40th anniversary celebration commemorates a 1977 speech by Howard Lee, then the N.C. Secretary of Natural

“Mast Store is a great partner. They share our love for the outdoors and each North Carolina store location is within a short drive of the MST,” said Kate Dixon, executive director of Friends of the MST. “The funds and the awareness the store will help raise through this special day are a great help to our efforts to build, protect and promote North Carolina’s state trail.” Participating stores are located in Waynesville, Asheville, Hendersonville, Boone, Winston-Salem and Valle Crucis. Learn more about MST in a Day or sign up at www.mountainstoseatrail.org/mstinaday.

AgOptions grant will fund farm projects

The WNC AgOptions grant is funded for another year of helping farmers expand their operations, and an informational meeting 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Jackson County Extension Center will help navigate the application process.

Funded by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, the grant program offers $3,000 and $6,000 awards to farmers in Western North Carolina. Potential applicants must contact their local cooperative extension office by Oct. 13 to discuss their projects, with applications postmarked by Nov. 17. Applications are available at www.wncagoptions.org.

Kids nature discovery program offered

Activities and games will help kids ages 3 to third grade explore the natural world around them during a fall series offered by Jackson County Parks and Recreation.

The Nature Discovery program for kids 3-5 will be offered on the following dates: n Cullowhee Recreation Center: 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 20, Oct. 25, Nov. 15, Dec. 20.

n Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center: 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 1, Dec. 13.

The Nature Explorer program for kids in kindergarten through third grade will be offered on the following dates: n Cullowhee Recreation Center: 9 a.m.

Wednesdays, Sept. 20, Oct. 25, Nov. 15, Dec. 20.

n Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center: 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 1, Dec. 13.

$10 per child, with space limited. Preregister at www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

Fishing 101

Kids ages 6-12 will get an introduction to freshwater fishing during Youth Fishing Day, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Ralph J. Andrews Recreation Area at Lake Glenville.

Kids will learn the basics of catch-andrelease fishing using spin casters and live bait. Equipment provided. $5, with sign-ups at www.rec.jacksonnc.org. Organized by Jackson County Parks and Recreation.

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Library Card Sign-Up Month is September at Haywood County Public Libraries. www.haywoodlibrary.org, 452.5169 or visit any branch.

• Mast General Store will donate 10 percent of sales on Sept. 9 to Mountains-to-Sea Trail on its 40th anniversary. www.mountainstoseatrail.org/mstinaday.

• The N.C. Mountain State Fair is Sept. 8-17 at the WNC Agriculture Center in Fletcher. Details on promotional days, and other info, at: www.mountainfair.org.

• The second annual First Responders Appreciation Day is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sept. 10 at Riverfront Park in Bryson City. For first responders from Buncombe County to Cherokee County. 736.6222 or mikeclampitt119@gmail.com.

• College night, featuring representatives from more than 40 regional universities, colleges and trade schools, is from 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11, at Haywood Community College in Clyde. 565.4095.

• Deadline to enter the Miss Blue Ridge Valley/Miss Asheville/Miss Western Carolina Scholarship Pageant is Sunday, Sept. 24. blueridgevalleypageats@gmail.com.

•The Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28 at the Oconaluftee Islands Park. Sit by a bonfire, alongside a river, and listen to some of Cherokee’s best storytellers. The bonfire is free and open to the public. www.visitcherokeenc.com.

• Cruise in Maggie Valley event is held from 1-5 p.m. every Sunday at 2771 Soco Road. Vendors: $10 per space. Cruising@MaggieValleyAntiques.com.

• Qualla Boundary Historical Society meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Everyone is welcome.

B USINESS & E DUCATION

• In anticipation of Thomas Wolfe’s 117th birthday celebration in October, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial is inviting students and teachers to participate in the 2017 “Telling Our Tales” Student Writing Competition. First, second, and third place winners will be chosen from three age groups: Grades 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Submissions may be hand delivered, postmarked or emailed by 5 p.m. Saturday Sept. 23. Winners will be invited to present their stories and accept their awards at a program at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial’s visitor center at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. Cash awards are given in each age group. For more information about the event contact Thomas Wolfe Memorial, 52 North Market Street, Asheville, North Carolina, 28801, call 253.8304 or visit www.wolfememorial.com.

• Short semester registration is underway through Oct. 4 for classes at Haywood Community College. Classes start Oct. 11. Applications available at haywood.edu/apply or visit Student Services at the campus in Clyde. haywood.edu/shortsemester or 627.4500.

• Registration is underway for a lifeguarding class that will be offered for ages 15-up at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Course is through the American Red Cross. $165. Register: 456.2030 or lkinsland@waynesvillenc.gov.

• A pair of women’s business networking luncheons will be offered by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center during the first full week of September: 11 a.m. on Sept. 6 at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and 11 a.m. on Sept. 7 at Haywood Smokehouse in Dillsboro. Register: http://bit.ly/ncsbcn. Info: www.southwesterncc.edu/SBC.

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

• Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center will offer a general business seminar entitled “Getting Started with Email Marketing” from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, at SCC’s Jackson Campus. Register: http://bit.ly/ncsbcn. Info: www.southwesterncc.edu/SBC.

• Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center will host a “How to Write a Business Plan” seminar from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Regional High Technology Center in Clyde. Part of the Business Startup Series. For info or to register: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• In an effort to showcase the opportunities available through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Southwestern Community College will host a “STEMtastic Saturday” event from 9 a.m.noon on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Jackson Campus. Activities, demonstrations and a chance to win a Dell Inspiron 13-inch, 4 GB, laptop-convertible-to-tablet computer with case (valued at $520). www.discoveryeducation.com. 339.4506 or c_deakins@southwesterncc.edu.

• “Sixteen years after 9/11, are we winning the ‘War on Terror?” will be the topic for the Franklin Open Forum at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11, at Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub. Dialog, not debate. 371.1020.

• OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling will have a three-part series of money management classes starting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Register: 452.7960 or www.haywoodhabitat.org.

• The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a seminar entitled: “Women’s Business – The Best Year Yet Introductory Workshop” from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the HCC Regional High Tech Center lobby in Clyde. Info or to register: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center will host a “Basics of Bookkeeping” seminar from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Regional High Technology Center in Clyde. Part of the Business Startup Series. For info or to register: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• A Career Café will be offered by the Macon County Public Library and Southwestern Community College from 1-4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Macon Library in Franklin. One-on-one assistance in computer lab to help with resources like Career Coach, Big Interview, SCC Job Board and NC Works. Info: www.southwesterncc.edu. Light refreshments and a door prize. 339.4352 or 524.3600.

FUNDRAISERSAND B ENEFITS

• Tickets are on sale now for a 3 Doors Down performance as a fundraiser for the Better Life Foundation on Oct. 21 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or 800.745.3000.

• Tickets are on sale now for the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center’s annual banquet, featuring a talk by Auschwitz survivor Garmaine Pitchon. The banquet is at 6 p.m. on Sept. 16. To underwrite the event, host a table or volunteer, call 349.3200 by Sept. 8.

• Haywood Spay/Neuter is holding a “Sips for Snips” fundraiser from 5-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Bosus Wine Shop in Waynesville. Wine, hors d’oeurves and prize drawings. Special discounts on wine for participants. Tickets: $30. 452.1329 or www.haywoodspayneuter.org.

• The fifth annual Boots and Bling fundraiser, presented by the Zonta Club, is at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Bloemsma Farm Barn in Franklin. Music by Sweet Charity Band, dancing, specialty foods by area restaurants and silent auction. $50 per person. Proceeds benefit KIDS Place of Macon County. Tickets available at Franklin Chamber of Commerce and at the door. 349.9194.

• Sponsorships are available now for the Haywood Community College Shine & Dine Gala, which benefits the Haywood Community College Foundation. The event is from 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, at the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville. Dinner, music by Juan Benavides, demonstrations, silent and live auctions. Sponsorships range from $250 to $5,000. 627.4544 or pahardin@haywood.edu. Info: www.hccgala.events.

• Food4kids Haywood is collecting easy-to-prepare food items and financial gifts - for children lacking food stability in Haywood County - at the following times, locations: Sept. 16 at Walmart in Waynesville, Food Lion in Canton or Tractor Supply in Waynesville; Sept. 19 at Chick-fil-A Waynesville; or at 10 a.m. on Oct. 7 at the Harvest of Hope Tractor Parade in downtown Waynesville. Bring five items and receive treat card for a free chicken sandwich or eight-count nugget from Chick-fil-A.

• Tickets are on sale now for the Rock FUR The Cats benefit for Feline Urgent Rescue of WNC. Event is from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Grey Eagle in Asheville. Music by Pleasure Chest, master of Blues and Soul and Rock n’ Roll. $20 per person; sponsorships are $75. www.furofwnc.org or www.thegreyeagle.com. Info: 770.861.2994.

• Tickets are on sale now for the Southwestern Community College Foundation’s annual “Bluegrass, Blue Jeans & Bling” fundraising gala, which is at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. It’s the school’s fourth annual gala. Frogtown will perform bluegrass. Activities include cornhole, wine pull, silent auction and a “Best Dressed Blue Jeans & Bling” contest. Tickets are $150 each, and table sponsorships start at $1,500. 339.4227 or www.southwesterncc.edu/gala.

H EALTH MATTERS

• A “Walk With A Doc” program is scheduled for 10 a.m. each Saturday at the Lake Junaluska Kern Center or Canton Rec Park. MyHaywoodRegional.com/WalkwithaDoc.

• A Facebook Live event on the topic of Mission Health’s contract issue with Blue Cross NC is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 7. Featuring Ronald A. Paulus, MD, president & CEO of Mission Health. Missionstandswithme.org.

• A four-week series of “Grief and Hope” classes will be offered from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday evenings starting Sept. 7 at Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville. $5 suggested donation covers material costs. Reserve a spot: 456.6029 or rectorgcim@gmail.com.

• The Western Regional Recovery Rally is from 10 a.m.2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Lake Junaluska’s openair gym. Learn about resources to help yourself, family members and/or friends recover from addiction, mental health concerns and other life challenges. Activities, games, food, drinks and guest speakers. 800.893.6246, ext. 1157, or Richie.tannerhill@vayahealth.com.

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

■ Complete listings of local music scene

■ Regional festivals

■ Art gallery events and openings

■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers

■ Civic and social club gatherings

• A “Movin’ on Up” event will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Chimney Rock State Park. Health and wellness info; hands-on activities. Registration for an hour-long yoga session is $15 per participant, plus park admission: 625.9611. chimneyrockpark.com.

• The Haywood County Worksite Wellness Summit is from 2-3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. RSVP by Sept. 4: nan@mountainwise.org.

• Cory Vaillancourt of the Smoky Mountain News will moderate at talk entitled “Synesethesia: Music, the Visual Arts and the Mind” at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 38 Main in Waynesville. University of North Carolina School of the Arts professor Kenneth Frazelle and local neurologist Dr. Michael Vavra will be featured. Synesethesia means “union of the senses.”

• Health screenings for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and other chronic, serious conditions will be offered by Life Line Screening on Sept. 15 at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville. Packages start at $149, but consultants will work to create a package that fits your age and risk factors. 877.237.1287 or www.lifelinescreening.com. Pre-registration required.

• The Analenisgi (mental health unit) of the Cherokee Indian Hospital will hold a rally for people in recovery from substance abuse, mental health challenges and/or life in general – along with their families - from 3-7 p.m. on Sept. 16 in Cherokee. 497.9163, ext. 7530.

R ECREATIONAND FITNESS

• Adult clogging lessons, sponsored by Appalachian Community Dance Association, will be offered at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from Sept. 12-26 at the Yellowhill Activity Center in Cherokee. Instructor is Dave Conklin. 488.3848.

• An organizational meeting for an upcoming fall adult coed volleyball league is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Open to players 18 and older as of Oct. 1. Season starts Oct. 11. Fee will be based on number of teams. Payment due Sept. 20. 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Adult coed volleyball open play time for play/practice is at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sept. 27 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Group rate of $4 per person; members play free. 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Pickleball, a cross between tennis, badminton and ping-pong, will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Old Hazelwood Gym in Waynesville. $3 per visit, or $20 for a 10-visit card. 452.6789 or drtaylor@haywoodnc.net.

• Open play and practice for adult coed volleyball will be offered at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays through September at the Waynesville Recreation Center. $4 per person for nonmembers; free for members. 456.2030. dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov or 456.2030.

S PIRITUAL

• The Jackson County Public Library is hosting a program about Phil and Gayle Woody's travels around

Israel at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in Sylva. The Woodys spent two weeks hiking all around Israel. 586.2016. (www.fontanalib.org).

• “Mountain Strong: Resilient and Sustainable” is the theme of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia annual gathering of members and friends to be held September 15-27 at YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain. Info: www.ccappal.org, 275.2967 or bcahoon@unca.edu.

• St. David's Episcopal Church in Cullowhee will host a celebration from Sept. 15-17 marking the 125th anniversary of its consecration and the 25th anniversary of the Rev. Michael Hudson's service to St. David's. Brad Ulrich (trumpet) and Lillian Buss Pearson (organ and harpsichord) perform at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 15; events on Sept. 16 start at 3 p.m., and regular service of Holy Eucharist is at 11 a.m. on Sept. 17.

P OLITICAL

• The Haywood County Town Hall with N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt is set for 4-6 p.m. on Sept. 8 at the Haywood Community College auditorium in Clyde.

• Indivisible Swain County NC meets at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11 at the Swain County Democratic Headquarters at 122 Everett St. in Bryson City. Nonpartisan. Topics include environmental and healthcare issues and Qualla Boundary and Swain County listening sessions. 488.1118.

• The Southern Jackson County Democrats meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Albert Carlton Cashiers Community Library in Cashiers. 765.412.3362.

• The Swain County Democrats’ Bryson City 1 & 2 Precinct Meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the Swain County Democratic Headquarters at 122 Everett St. in Bryson City.

• The Haywood County Libertarian Party is now meeting at Blue Ridge Books on Main Street from 4:30-6 p.m. every second Monday of the month. These meetings will be for discussion on current events, and are open to the public.

• A lunch-and-discussion group will be held by the League of Women Voters at noon on the second Thursday of each month at Tartan Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin. RSVP for lunch: lwvmacon@wild-dog-mountain.info or 524.8369.

AUTHORSAND B OOKS

• Americana singer-songwriter and storyteller Marshall Ballew will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The event is free and open to the public.

• James Costa will present his new book, Darwin’s Backyard: How Small Experiments Led to a Big Theory at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at City Lights Bookstore

in Sylva.To reserve copies of his books, please call City Lights Bookstore at 586.9499.

• “Read Local Book Fair” is from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Authors will have copies of their works available for purchase and signings. http://fontanalib.org/bookfair. Featured will be Doug Woodward’s “You took the kids WHERE?” and Gregg Clark’s “Ghost Country: Lost Hauntings of Southern Appalachia.”

• The Dillard House will host New York Times Bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews to discuss her newest book “The Beach House Cookbook: Easy Breezy Recipes with a Southern Accent” on Sept. 16. $50. Receive a signed copy. Tickets available at www.dishingandjunkingwithmarykay.eventbrite.com.

• Sharyn McCrumb will read from and discuss “The Unquiet Grave” - the newest novel in her Appalachian Ballad Series at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. The novel is set in 19th century West Virginia and is based on the true story of a strange murder trial: the case of the Greenbrier Ghost. 456.6000 or www.blueridgebooksnc.com.

• Local author, screenwriter and storyteller Gary Carden will present “Tears in the Rain: The Cowee Tunnel Disaster” – one of WNC’s greatest tragedies –at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Waynesville Library.

• Ben Anderson will hold book signings for “Smokies Chronicle: A Year of Hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park” on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m., at the Waynesville Public Library. parthemore@blairpub.com or 800.222.9796.

K IDS & FAMILIES

• Ruthie Aldrien, “Taylor 2” dance master, will contact a Master Class for all area high school and older dance students at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 at The Highlands Performing Arts Center. All students should come early dressed and prepared to dance. To register please call, 828.526.9047. There is no charge for this unique opportunity.

• A kids’ nature discovery program will be offered to ages 3-5 and kindergarten through third grade through the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department. Younger ages will meet at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays (Sept. 20, Oct. 25, Nov. 15 and Dec. 20) at Cullowhee Recreation Center and at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays (Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 1 and Dec. 13) at the Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center. The older ages meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays (Sept. 20, Oct. 25, Nov. 15 and Dec. 20) at Cullowhee Recreation Center and at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays (Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 1 and Dec. 13) at the Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center. $10 per child. Pre-register: www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

• Fishing 101 will be offered to kids ages 6-12 on Youth Fishing Day from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept.

16, at Ralph J. Andrews Recreation Area at Lake Glenville. $5. www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

• As part of the “Build a Better World” summer reading program, Marianna Black Library will have movies at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, story time for ages 3-5 at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and a summer learning program each Thursday. www.fontanalib.org or 488.3030.

at 177 Wilson Branch Road in Canton. Barbecue dinner, live music and games. $39. Must purchase tickets in advance: Chairmanhcgop@gmail.com.

• Tickets are on sale now for Oktoberfest, which Oct. 1 at Lake Logan. Authentic German 5-course meal and cooking demonstrations by Chef Paul Young, German music, games and beer. Advance tickets (purchased by Sept. 25) $50 for adults and $40 for ages 5-16. After Sept. 25, all tickets are $60. www.lakelogan.org/special-events or 646.0095.

F OOD & D RINK

A&E

FESTIVALSAND S PECIAL EVENTS

• “Art After Dark” will be from 6 to 9 p.m. the first Friday of the month (May-December), in downtown Waynesville. Each Main Street transforms into an evening of art, music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors. www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com.

• Advance tickets are on sale for the 12th Annual Music at the Mill, which is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sept. 9 at Francis Grist Mill in Waynesville. Music by The Hill Country Band, Possom on a Whale and Ol’ Dirty Bathtub. Advance tickets are $8. Event day tickets are $12. 456.6307 or stop by Mountain Dreams Realty in Maggie Valley.

• Fort Tatham Music Fest will take place from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at 175 Tathams Creek Road in Sylva. Musical guests include Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats and The Junction Band, with headliner Summer Brooke & The Mountain Faith Band. This is a fundraiser for the Savannah Fire Department. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Food vendors and much more. There will be raffles and prizes. 850.281.1975. Visit the Fort Tatham Facebook page and the Sun Communities website for more information.

• Thunder in the Smokies Fall Rally is Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Sister trio Southern Halo will perform pop country. www.southernhalo.net.

• Fort Tatham Music Fest will take place from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at 175 Tathams Creek Road in Sylva. This is a fundraiser for the Savannah Fire Department. Tickets are $10 at the gate. 850.281.1975.

• The “Rockin’ Block Party” will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, on Main Street in Waynesville. Children’s activities, barbecue, live music, and much more. 456.3517 or www.downtownwaynesville.com.

• Tickets are on sale now for the Traditional Fall Harvest Shindig, which is from 5:30-10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Chambers Farm and House

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host the Jackson County Corn Hole Association on Monday evenings ($5 buy in, 100-percent payout), Karaoke with Captain Moose from 7 to 11 p.m. on Tuesdays, Trivia at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and a Guitar Hero Tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. 586.6440.

• “Brown Bag at the Depot” – an opportunity to gather with neighbors – is at noon every Friday at Sylva’s newest park at the corner of Spring and Mill Street along Railroad Ave. For info, contact Paige Dowling at townmanager@townofsylva.org.

• Graceann’s Amazing Breakfast is 8-10 a.m. every Tuesday in the Sapphire Room at the Sapphire Valley Community Center. $8.50 for adults; $5 for children. Includes coffee and orange juice. 743.7663.

• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.

• A game day will occur from 2-9 p.m. every third Saturday of the month at Papou’s Wine Shop & Bar in Sylva. Bring dice, cards or board games. 586.6300.

• A wine tasting will be held from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. $5 per person. www.papouswineshop.com or 586.6300.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Saturdays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 452.0120.

• A wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Free with dinner ($15 minimum). 452.6000.

ON STAGE & I N CONCERT

• Western Carolina University’s traditional music series will kick off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, with a concert featuring old-time musician Jake Blount at the H.F. Robinson Administration Building in Cullowhee. Jam session follows at 8 p.m. 227.7129.

• Catch the show, “Unnecessary Farce,” a comedy by Paul Slade smith HART Theatre in Waynesville. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays through Sept. 10. Tickets: www.harttheatre.org or 456.6322.

Puzzles can be found on page 54.

These are only the answers.

• Tickets are on sale now for The HillBenders, a bluegrass group from Springfield, Mo., who will perform “The Who’s Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry” at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, as part of the WCU PRESENTS Performance Series. Show will be at the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Tickets: $25 each. 227.ARTS.

• Marshall Ballew (American Folk Music) will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room. 524.3600.

• Western Carolina University will host Appalachian fiddler Jake Blount from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 7 in the HFR Auditorium. www.wcu.edu.

• Hit country act Little Texas will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Tickets are $75 per person. www.38main.com or 548.0778.

• Comedy legend Bill Engvall will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets starts at $46. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 273.4615.

• Tickets are on sale now for a performance by pianist Owen Dodds, who will be featured in a Young Artist Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, in HART Theatre in Waynesville. Tickets: $25. Free for students 25 and under. 452.0593 or HaywoodArts.org/youngartist-series.

• The Highlands Performing Arts Center will present “Taylor 2” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. 526.9047.

• A “Baldaroo Concert” will be held from 4:30-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Fairfield Lake in Sapphire Valley. Fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit The Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau. 743.2775.

• Iconic rock-n-roll act The Doobie Brothers will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at Harrah’s Cherokee. www.harrahscherokee.com or 800.745.3000.

• Lois Hornbostel (dulcimer) and Ehukai Teves (dulcimer, Chapman stick, bass) will perform a concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Swain Arts Center at 1415 Fontana Road in Bryson City. Community Art Exhibit to follow. $8 for adults; $5 for students and free for children under 5. www.swainartscenter.com.

S UMMER M USIC S ERIES

• The “Friday Night Live” concert series at the Town Square in Highlands will host Southern Highlands (Americana) Sept. 8.. Free and begins at 6 p.m. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Concerts on the Square will continue with Gnarly Fingers (Americana/folk) Sept. 8 at the town square in Hayesville. www.cccra-nc.org.

• The “Pickin’ On The Square” concert series will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/country) Sept. 9. Free and begins at 7:30 p.m. www.townoffranklinnc.com or 524.2516.

• The “Tunes on the Tuck” concert series will host Liz & AJ Nance (Americana/folk) Sept. 9 at Riverfront Park. Free and begins at 7 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.

• Pickin’ in the Park (Canton) will be held at 7 p.m Friday evenings at the Recreation Park. Free and open to the public. www.cantonnc.com.

ARTSHOWINGSAND GALLERIES

• A reception for artist James Smythe is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, at Gallery 1 in Sylva. Smythe’s work will be on exhibit. He’s a retired Western Carolina University professor. www.galery1sylva.com.

• Anne Fariello “Signs of the Times” exhibit of documentary photography is currently on display at the

Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

• Several exhibitions are on display this summer at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at the Bardo Arts Center. ““Ancient Forms, Modern Minds: Contemporary Cherokee Ceramics” is on display through Nov. 10. 227.ARTS or bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

• The work of retired art teacher Jan Boyer will be featured in the September Rotunda Gallery Exhibit with an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. info@jacksoncountyarts.org or 507.9820.

• The Swain Arts Center will host its annual Community Art Exhibit at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Center for the Arts in Bryson City. Local artisans and artists are invited to submit original works of art, which are due between 8-11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 11. 488.7843.

• The inaugural Shelton House Crafter Showcase is on display at the Shelton House and the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts in Waynesville. www.sheltonhouse.org or info@sheltonhouse.org.

• The graduating class of Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts program will exhibit their best work from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Sept. 24 at the Southern Highland Craft Guild Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville. 627.4673 or haywood.edu.

• A new exhibition titled “Within the Margins: Contemporary Ceramics,” curated by Steven Young Lee, will be on display at Penland Gallery off Penland Road near Spruce Pine in Mitchell County. 765.6211 or penland.org/gallery.

• New artist and medium will be featured every month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

FILM & S CREEN

• Registration is underway for the screening of “America Divided,” an EPIX Original Documentary Series, which will be shown at 2 p.m. on consecutive Thursdays through Sept. 24, at the Waynesville Library. Features narratives around inequality in education, housing, healthcare, labor, criminal justice and the political system. Registration required: 356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.

• “Dunkirk” is showing on Sept. 6-7 at 7 p.m. at The Strand on Main in Waynesville. 38main.com.

• “Lowriders” will be shown on Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m. by Mad Batter Food and Film in Sylva for free.

• An award-winning environmental documentary, “The Memory of Fish,” will be shown at 6 p.m. on Sept. 9, at The Collider in Asheville. It’s the story of Dick Goin, the wild salmon he loves and his fight to free a river. http://thecollider.org or info@thecollider.org.

• “The Big Sick” will be shown at the upcoming meeting of the Groovy Movie Club, 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10, at a private residence in Dellwood. Healthy potluck. Discussion afterward. RSVP: johnbuckleyx@gmail.com or text 646.8602 for directions. Movie is rated R.

• Free movies are shown every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Madbatterfoodfilm.com.

Outdoors

• “Take in the View with a Ranger” program is held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month on the deck of the Pisgah Inn. Ask questions and learn about the Blue Ridge Parkway’s natural and cultural history.

• The Franklin Bird Club will hold a bird walk along the greenway at 8 a.m. on Sept. 6. Meet at Big Bear Shelter parking area. Franklinbirdclub.com or 524.5234.

• “Growing Up On Hazel Creek and the Fontana Basin prior to 1943” is the topic of a presentation for the Sept. 7 meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society. Presented by Lee Woods. Meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City.

• A Zahner Lecture on “Butterfly Highway” is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the Nature Center at the Highlands Biological Station. www.highlandsbiological.org, 526.2221 or highlandsbiological@gmail.com.

• James T. Costa, Ph.D., a biology professor at Western Carolina University, will lead a nature walk with an emphasis on butterflies at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands. He’ll also speak at 6:30 p.m. that evening at City Lights in Sylva about his new book, “Darwin’s Backyard: How Small Experiments Led to a Big Theory.” Rubinlive@gmail.com.

• Mainspring Conservation Trust will host a Little Tennessee River Clean-up from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sept. 9. http://tinyurl.com/ya2r8zsz.

• Volunteers are needed to clean up the Watauga, French Broad and Green River Watersheds on Saturday, Sept. 9. The French Broad cleanup will meet at 9 a.m. at Westfeldt River Park in Fletcher, with volunteers shuttled to their cleanup locations to work 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., returning for an afterparty running through 4 p.m. Organizers will provide canoes, kayaks and rafts. Particpants should wear swimsuits with shorts, river sandals or sneakers, and bring a hat, sunscreen, water and change of clothes. The event is part of the 30th annual N.C. Big Sweep River Cleanup and spearheaded by MountainTrue. Space limited, with signups online at www.mountaintrue.org/event/30th-annual-big-sweepriver-clean-up.

• Volunteers are needed to help clean up Smokemont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 9. Sign up: 865.436.1278 or logan_boldon@partner.nps.gov.

• Applications are being accepted for WNC AG Options grants in the $3,000-$6,000 range from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, and an info session is scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Jackson Extension Center in Sylva. For farmers. 586.4009, 488.3848 or wncagoptions.org.

• The Franklin Appalachian Trail Community Council meets at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, in the Community Room of Lazy Hiker Brewing Company in Franklin.

• Sue Cameron with the Fish and Wildlife Service will speak on “Highlands Bogs and their Related Flora and Fauna” at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 in the rear meeting room of the Hudson Library in Highlands. Presented by the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society. www.highlandsaudubonsociety.org or 526.1939.

• Booth reservations are being accepted for the Macon County Fair, which is Sept. 13-16, in Franklin. Theme is “Family, Agriculture, Impact, Resources.” 349.2046.

• Volunteers are needed to help spruce of the Mountain Farm Museum from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Lunch provided. Sign up: http://conta.cc/2wqC5kS.

• Volunteers are being sought to help remove trash from various Haywood County streams from 9 a.m.noon on Saturday, Sept. 16, as part of the annual “Big Sweep” event organized by Haywood Waterways and Haywood Community College. RSVP by Sept. 14: 476.4667, ext. 11.

• A Zahner Lecture on “Warblers” will be offered at

6:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 at the Nature Center at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands. www.highlandsbiological.org or 526.2221.

• Mainspring Conservation Trust will host a “Mainspring Field Day” program from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sept. 16 at Tessentee Bottomland Preserve. http://tinyurl.com/yd8d8jhy.

• The Highlands Plateau Audubon Society will hold its annual Charlie Davis Memorial Blue Ridge Parkway Outing on Sept. 16. Search for migrating warblers, vireos, thrushes and raptors. Meet at 7 a.m. at Founders Park in Highlands or at 7:30 a.m. at Cashiers Rec. Center. www.highlandsaudubonsociety.org or 526.1939.

• A cycling ride leaves at 8 a.m. on Saturdays from South Macon Elementary School. Routes vary with distances typically 15-25 miles. Road bikes only. A no drop ride. Organized by Smoky Mountain Bicycles, 828.369.2881 or info@smokymtnbikes.com.

• A “Winged Wonders” butterfly exhibit is on display through Oct. 29 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. http://www.ncarboretum.org/event/winged-wondersstep-world-butterflies/all.

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recruiting volunteers to assist the Trails Forever trail crew for a rehabilitation project on the Rainbow Falls Trail from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Sign up or get more info: 497.1949, Adam_Monroe@nps.gov or https://friendsofthesmokies.org/trailsforever/volunteer.

• North Carolina residents are invited to participate in the “NC’s Candid Critters” – the largest camera trap survey ever. Residents of Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties can participate in a brief online training process then borrow a camera trap from any Fontana Regional Library location. Info: NCCandidCritters.org or www.fontanalib.org.

• The Franklin Appalachian Trail Community Council meets at 10 a.m. every second Tuesday at Rathskeller Coffee House in Franklin. Franklintraildays.com.

• A cycling ride leaves at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from Smoky Mountain Bicycles in Macon County. Routes vary with distances typically 15-25 miles. Road bikes only. A no drop ride. Organized by Smoky Mountain Bicycles, 369.2881 or info@smokymtnbikes.com.

• A 25-mile cycling ride covering the back roads from Sylva to Balsam leaves at 6 p.m. Tuesdays from Motion Makers Bicycle Shop in Sylva. The route includes 1,600 feet of elevation gain. Organized by Motion Makers, 586.6925.

• An easy cycling ride aiming to help people ease into a healthier lifestyle through cycling is offered Thursday mornings in the Canton area, typically covering 8-10 miles. Road bikes are preferred and helmets are required. Nobody will be left behind. A partnership of Bicycle Haywood N.C., the Blue Ridge Bike Club and MountainWise. For specific start times and locations: mttrantham@hotmail.com.

• A ride for cyclists at the intermediate level and above will be offered at 6 p.m. on Thursdays, with starting points alternating between the Waynesville Recreation Center and the Canton Recreation Park. The season starts April 27 with a ride leaving from Waynesville. Cyclists regroup as necessary and typically cover about 20 miles over the course of an hour and a half. Bob Clark, bobclarklaw@gmail.com.

• A beginner-friendly social cycling ride for women will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Mondays from the Bent Creek Ledford Parking Lot, covering 5-to-8 miles of mountain bike trails. Organized By Motion Makers Bicycle Shop. 633.2227.

• A training cycling ride for women who know how to handle a mountain bike but want to go faster will start at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesdays from the Ledford parking lot at Bent Creek. The rides will cover 8-to-12 miles and use more technical trails than the beginner’s ride. Organized by Motion Makers Bicycle Shop.

633.2227.

• New this year is the Sunday Gravel Ride, which will leave from Motion Makers in Asheville at 8 a.m. all summer for a 40-mile ride on paved and gravel roads to Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard. Organized by Motion Makers Bicycle Shop. 828.633.2227.

COMPETITIVE E DGE

• Registration is underway for the Cherokee Blue Ridge Run, which is Sept. 8-10 in Cherokee. Gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts. Music concerts, bike builders, bike games, bike show, prizes, vendors and more. Passes: $30 for all three days or $15 per day for Friday and Saturday and/or $10 for Sunday. 359.6707.

• The eighth-annual Cullowhee Canoe Slalom, a family friendly paddling competition on a calm section of the Tuckaseigee River near Western Carolina University’s Campus, is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, in Cullowhee. Register: http://basecamp.wcu.edu. Entry fee: $5. 227.8813.

FARMAND GARDEN

• Garden tours are available on the first Tuesday of each month (through October) at Southern Highlands Reserve, a nonprofit native woodland garden dedicated to sustaining the natural ecosystems of the Blue Ridge Mountains. www.southernhighlandsreserve.us.

• “More in My Basket at the Market” classes are offered in September at the Cooperative Extension Service in Waynesville. Learn benefits of shopping at the farmer’s market. Info and to register: 456.3575.

• A Ginsing seminar will be offered at the following dates/locations: from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 7 at Swain Extension Center, Room 114; and from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Jackson Extension Center, Room 234. Register: 586.4009 or 488.3848.

• The Sylva Garden Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church of Sylva.

• A food preservation workshop entitled “Make and Take Chow Chow” is scheduled for 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Jackson County Extension Office in Sylva. $8. 586.4009.

• A Master Gardener Plant Clinic is offered every business day through Sept. 22. 456.3575.

• Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension Office on Acquoni Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every fourth Friday to learn about USDA Farm Service Agency programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. Info: 488.2684, ext. 2 (Wednesday through Friday) or 524.3175, ext. 2 (Monday through Wednesday).

• The Macon County Poultry Club of Franklin meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cooperative Extension Office on Thomas Heights Rd, Open to the public. 369.3916.

FARMERS MARKET

• The Jackson county Farmers Market is from 9 a.m.noon each Saturday at Bridge Park on Railroad Ave. in Sylva. www.jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org. 393.5236.

• A community tailgate market for local growers is open from 3-7 p.m. every Wednesday at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers. 734.3434, info@villagegreencashiersnc.com or www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.

• Haywood Historic Farmers Market is held from 8 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the parking lot of HART Theatre in Waynesville. haywoodfarmersmarket@gmail.com, www.waynesvillefarmersmarket.com or www.facebook.com/HaywoodHistoricFarmersMarket.

• The Original Waynesville Tailgate Market is from 8 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 171 Legion Drive in Waynesville (behind Bogart’s).

456.1830 or vrogers12@att.net.

• The Jackson County Farmers Market will be on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at Bridge Park located in Sylva. Info: 393.5236. jacksoncountyfarmersmarket@gmail.com or website jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org.

• The ‘Whee Farmer’s Market is open from 4 p.m. to dusk every Tuesday at the University Inn on 563 N. Country Club Drive in Cullowhee, behind the entrance to the Village of Forest Hills off Highway 107 across from Western Carolina University. 476.0334. www.facebook.com/CullowheeFarmersMarket.

• The Franklin Farmers Tailgate Market is from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturdays on East Palmer Street across from Drake Software in Franklin. 349.2049 or alan_durden@ncsu.edu.

• Swain County Farmers Market will be open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Fridays through October at the barn on Island Street in Bryson City. 488.3848 or Christine_bredenkamp@ncsu.edu.

H IKING CLUBS

• Nantahala Hiking Club will have a meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Franklin Town Hall. “Appalachian Trail Tales” will be presented by Nancy Reeder. Mdbennett369@gmail.com.

• Blue Ridge Parkway rangers will lead a moderate, two-mile round-trip hike at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, to the top of Little Bald Mountain above Pisgah End. Meet at the Buck Spring Trailhead (milepost 408.5). 298.5330, ext. 304.

• Carolina Mountain Club will hike different portions of the Mountains to Sea Trail on Sept. 9. 460.7066 or barbc129@gmail.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have an 8.5-mile hike with an 1,100-foot ascent on Sept. 10 from FS 816 to Bridges Camp Gap. 384.4870 or stuengo@comporium.net.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 13-mile hike with a 2,800-foot elevation gain on Sept. 13 at Big East Fork, Grassy Cove and Shining Creek Loop. 704.453.9059 or richsampson360@gmail.com.

• Registration is underway for a day hike/class that covers the history of the Appalachian Trail while hiking from Clingmans Dome to Siler Bald Shelter with instructor Liz Domingue of the Smoky Mountain Field School. Hike is Sept. 16. $79. Register: smfs.utk.edu.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a nine-mile hike with a 2,000-foot elevation game on Sept. 17 from Mt. Sterling Gap to Big Creek. Reservations and info: 628.6712 or knies06@att.net.

• Nantahala Hiking Club holds monthly trail maintenance days from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on every fourth Saturday at 173 Carl Slagle Road in Franklin. Info and to register: 369.1983.

• Hike of the Week is at 10 a.m. every Friday at varying locations along the parkway. Led by National Park Service rangers. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.

H EALTH MATTERS

• Harris Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meets from 4-5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at 81 Medical Park Loop, Suite 204, in Sylva. Reservations: 631.1702.

• Harris Hospice is seeking volunteers. Ongoing orientation sessions are available for ages 18-up. 631.1702.

• Reflections through the Looking Glass is offered from 6-8 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Meditation Center in Sylva. Facilitator Nancy Hopp, Med., facilitates a small group interested in advancing self-awareness by journaling about their life’s path. $10 donation per class. To register: 356.1105 or www.meditate-wnc.org/classes.

MarketPlace information:

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

Rates:

■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.

■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads,

■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $15 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2. If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.

■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad or colored background.

■ $50 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.

■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.

■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.

Classified Advertising:

Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com

AUCTION

-- PUBLIC AUCTION -Cars, Trucks, Buses, Backhoes & More! City of Charlotte/Meck. Cnty Saturday, Sept. 16th, 9am -- 5550 Wilkinson Blvd, Charlotte, NC. Preview: Sept. 15th, 8am-4pmNCAL#685 RogersAuctionGroup.com

64,000+/-SF COMMERCIAL BLDNG

On 7.36+/-AC in Lexington, NC up for Online Auction, Begins Closing 9/20/17 at 2pm, Bid Center at 100 Dacotah St., Lexington, NC, ironhorseauction.com, 800.997.2248, NCAL3936

RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT AUCTION

Tuesday, September 12 @ 10am. 930 Floyd St., Kannapolis, NC. Restaurant/Deli Bakery Equipment. Hobart 60 Qt., Berkel 20 Qt., 2 Door Freezer, Deli Cases, Sandwich Preps, more! 704.791.8825 ncaf5479. ClassicAuctions.com

SOLD!!ADVERTISE YOUR AUCTION

In over 100 newspapers across the state for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at N.C. Press Services, 919.516.8009.

call 1.800.615.4064 for FREE DVD and brochure.

DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions. Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson. Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316

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BUILDING MATERIALS

HAYWOOD BUILDERS

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DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pick-up. Call for details. 855.972.0354 PAYING TOO MUCH FOR Car Insurance? Not sure? Want better coverage?Call now for a free quote and learn more today! 888.203.1373 AUTO INSURANCE STARTING AT $49/month! Call for your fee rate comparison to see how much you can save! Call for more info 855.970.1224

RETAIL/RESTARAUNT BUSINESS

For Sale, located in Maggie Valley, NC. Call 828.734.1665 for more information.

BROWN TRUCKING

Is looking for Company Drivers and Owner Operators. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2 years of tractor trailer experience OTR or Regional (Multiple states) in the last 3 years, good MVR and PSP. Apply: www.driveforbrown.com. Contact Matt 704.927.6440.

MAPLE TREE VETERINARY

Hospital is hiring for Client Services, Experienced Technician/ Assistant and Dog Camp Counselor. Accepting Applications, Resumes and Letter of Interest Sept. 21 @ 2pm. RSVP: staff@mapletreevet. com with Full Name and Phone #. Other times available by request.

GOT CANDIDATES?

Find your next hire in over 100 newspapers across the state for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at NC Press Services, 919.516.8009.

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAININGGet FAA Technician Certification. Approved For Military Benefits. Financial Aid If Qualified. Job Placement Assistance. Call Aviation Institute Of Maintenance 1.866.724.5403 SAPA

BUSY DOWNTOWN WAYNESVILLE Insurance Office Seeking Licenesed Customer Sevice Rep. Must be P&C Licensed with Experienced Customer Service skills. Please send Resume to: Georgi.InsuranceGroup@ outlook. com

Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Department Chair-Industrial Systems Technology. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com / Human Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu

An Equal Opportunity Employer SAPA

LEAD TEACHER -

Kneedler Child Development Center- WCU Campus- Must have an AA degree in Early Childhood Education (BS preferred), computer skills; 2 yrs experience in pre-school classroom, be able to delegate duties to other staff, have good judgment/problem solving skills and flexible to work well with a diverse population. This is a 10 1/2 month position with benefits.

ROTATING SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Temporary - Haywood CountyCandidate must have high school diploma/GED, Child Care Credentials I & II, be able to assume the responsibilities of teacher when absent, work well with all staff members, have good judgment/problem solving skills and the flexibility to work with diverse families.Computer skills and 2 yrs. experience in child care preferred.This is a 10 1/2 month position w/benefits.

ROTATING SUBSTITUTE

EMPLOYMENT

SEEKING AN INDIVIDUAL

To Provide Direct Client Services for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence, to Create and Support a Fundraising Plan for Jackson County Victim Services, and to Develop and Implement Education, Marketing, and Outreach Materials. If Interested, Please Submit a Resume to REACH of Macon County, PO Box 2287 Franklin, NC 28744 or Send to: reach@reachofmaconcounty.org

EMPLOYMENT

HOME WORKERS!!

Easy Legitimate Work, Great Pay! Assemble Products At Home And Other Mystery Shopping Opportunities Galore - No Experience Needed. For More Details, Send $2.00 With A Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope to: Publishers Market Source, P.O. Box 1122, Merrillville, IN 46411

FINANCIAL

BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company. SAPA

Prevent Unwanted Litters! The Heat Is On! Spay/Neuter For Haywood Pets As Low As $10. Operation Pit is in Effect! Free Spay/Neuter, Microchip & Vaccines For Haywood Pitbull Types & Mixes! Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 12 Noon - 6 pm 182 Richland Street, Waynesville

KIZZY - DEFINITELY A FAVORITE AT THE ADOPTION CENTER. SHE IS ABOUT 14 YEARS OLD, BUT STILL QUITE SPRY AND HAS A SPRING IN HER STEP. SHE ISINTERESTED IN HAVING A GOOD TIME IN A HOME WHERE SHE CAN SPEND HER RETIREMENT YEARS IN COMFORT AND SECURITY.

JILLY - A TABBY FEMALE LESS THAN A YEAR OLD. HER STRIPES ARE SET OFF BY WHITE ACCENTS AND SHE REALLY IS VERY PRETTY. SHE'S ALSO FRIENDLY AND SWEET ONCE SHE KNOWS SHE CAN TRUST YOU-SHE'S JUST A LITTLE SHY AT FIRST MEETING

Kneedler Child Development Center - WCU CampusCandidate must have high school diploma/GED, Child Care Credentials I & II, be able to assume the responsibilities of teacher when absent, work well with all staff members, have good judgment/problem solving skills and the flexibility to work with diverse families.Computer skills and 2 yrs. experience in child care preferred.This is a 10 1/2 month position w/benefits. Applications will be taken at: Mountain Projects, 2251 Old Balsam Rd, Waynesville or 25 Schulman St, Sylva, NC or www.mountainprojects.org EOE/AA

GOT YOUR EARS ON?

Find your next driver by advertising statewide in over 100 newspapers for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at NC Press Services, 919.516.8009.

CHILD CARE DIRECTOR: BA or BS in Child Development or E.C. Education or C.D. W/ 3yrs. Exp. in Licensed Child Care. $32K - $45K DOE. Cover Letter & Resume to: officemgr@longschapel.com

Is currently hiring! We have Vacancies for Retail Sales Associates, Reservationists & Ticket Agents. Earn train passes, retail and food discounts, passes to area attractions and more! Full Job Descriptions and Applications are Available at: www.gsmr.com/jobs

You may also get an Application from the Bryson City Depot Located at 226 Everett Street in Bryson City.

LOCAL DRIVERS WANTED!

Be your own boss. Flexible hours. Unlimited earning potential. Mustbe 21 with valid U.S. drivers license, insurance & reliable vehicle. Call855.750.9313

DRIVE WITH UBER.

No experience is required, but you'll need a Smartphone. It's fun and easy. For more information, call: 1.800.655.7452

NUCLEAR POWER-

Paid Training, great salary, benefits, $ for school. Gain valued skills. No exp needed. HS grads ages 17-34. Call 800.662.7419.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1.800.670.4805 to start your application today!

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE With Bad Credit and High Interest Rates!Get a FREE Consultation Today, and Start Improving your Credit Now. Call 855.705.7246 Today! SAPA

FURNITURE

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

PETS

to Control

in the Home without Toxic Chemicals or Expensive Exterminators. At Tractor

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.

LAND FOR SALE?

Reach buyers across the state in over 100 newspapers for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at NC Press Services, 919.516.8009.

MOVING OUT OF STATE?

Best Interstate Moving and Storage offers a FREE Quote and A Price Plus Promise. Call 877.648.6473 Now!

HOMES FOR SALE

BRUCE MCGOVERN

A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

FOR SALE BY OWNER

4/BR, 1.5/BA 2,650sq. ft. House in Desirable Location 1 Mile from Lake Junalaska. Mountain Views, Privacy, Level Fenced Backyard, Covered Front & Back Porches, Hardwood & Carpet, Circular Oak Staircase, 2 Fireplaces, New Roof, Large Family Room, Plenty of Storage & More! Move-in Ready - $250,000. For more info 828.298.7287 or 828.337.5699

MOUNTAINS OF NC

Log sided 1,340 sf cabin on 1.84 acres $159,900 Great views, lg loft w/ pict windows, fpl, huge deck 828.286.1666

PROFESSIONAL MEETING SPACE

Located in Waynesville, Holds up to 90 People. Suitable for Seminars, Family Gatherings, Worship, Ect. Kitchen Area, Wifi/ Screen. For More Information and Rates for ROOM 1902 Call 828.454.7445 or 828.551.8960

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT

CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE FOR YOU 1 Month Free with 12 Month Rental. Maggie Valley, Hwy. 19, 1106 Soco Rd. For more information call Torry 828.734.6500, 828.734.6700 maggievalleyselfstorage.com

GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE

Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160. Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more information.

Haywood County Real Estate Agents

Beverly Hanks & Associates beverly-hanks.com

• Pam Braun - pbraun@beverly-hanks.com

• Pauletter Childers -paulettechilders@beverly-hanks.com

• Ann Eavenson - anneavenson@beverly-hanks.com

• George Escaravage - gescar@beverly-hanks.com

• Billie Green - BGreen@beverly-hanks.com

• Michelle McElroy - michellemcelroy@beverly-hanks.com

• Marilynn Obrig - marilynnobrig@beverly-hanks.com

• Steve Mauldin - Smauldin@beverly-hanks.com

• Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com

• Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com

• Brooke Parrott - brookeparrott@beverly-hanks.com

• Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com

• Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com

• Ellen Sither - ellensither@beverly-hanks.com

• Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com

• Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com

• Rick Boarder - sunburstrealty.com

Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com

• The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

Lakeshore Realty

• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Mountain Home Properties mountaindream.com

• Cindy Dubose - cdubose@mountaindream.com

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty

womackdan@aol.com

SuperCROSSWORD

8 Sitcom alien

Mob boss Frank

Didn’t dine out

Exit doors, e.g.

— snail’s

ITEMS FOR SALE

METAL ART & HOME DECOR SALE

Cost to get out of

Riddle, part 3

— Grey tea 62 Curly’s friend 63 “For — Know” (1971 hit song)

65 Stephen of “Still Crazy” 67 Rent splitter, often 70 Not only that 74 Riddle, part 4

78 “Anti-art” art

79 New York governor Cuomo 80 Beauty spot?

Grandson of Eve

Diesel of film

End of the riddle

Oahu shindig

Relative of “psst”

Polish port on the Baltic 102 It’s currently newsworthy 105 Flight takeoff abbr.

Be like a sot

Tex-Mex staple

Start of the riddle’s answer

Set of beliefs

Mixed bag

Painter Nolde

Kylo — (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” character) 123 End of the riddle’s answer

127 Singer Siepi 129 In a tomb 130 Garlic mayonnaise 131 Las —, New Mexico

132 Unrivaled 133 Pulls hard

Optimally

1 Neighbor of Java 2 One more of the same 3 Dish of finely diced vegetables

4 Pull along 5 Muse with a lyre

6 Jeans fabric

7 13-Down of June

“Thank you, Yves!”

Manning of the grid-

Precious stones

Stair user’s aid

“And you,” to Caesar

Pot bits

Up ‘til

Barrett of rock

“It — fair!”

Clean air org.

Bladderlike sac

Beginning on

Mongolian desert

Dad

See 124-Down

Rower’s tool

Destiny

Choir woman

Melville novel

Corrida cry

Holy Mlle.

Give some of yours to

1974 and ‘75 World Hockey Association winners 54 2002 scandal company

Ceaselessly

Big failures

Irish poet

Sgt.

Pen name of H.H. Munro

Where Muscat is

“Such a pity”

The NCAA’s Bruins

‘50s prez

Texter’s “Yikes!”

Olympic figure

Katarina

“Funny one!”

Entertaining little tale

Innuendo queen West

Need to

“— Him on a Sunday”

Perry of pop

“— shalt not ...”

Grad-school proposal

107 Like Obama: Abbr.

Revlon brand

Bone of the shin

Wise, skillful lawgiver

114 Neopagan religion

115 Observant

117 Young lady

118 Nothing but

119 Quite a while

123 Shred

124 With 37-Down, very poor rating

125 Sts.

126 Moose’s cousin

128 Fill in (for)

Yard/Garden Art, Signs, Flags, Suns & Other Collectibles. Everything must be Sold. Whole Sale Buyers Welcome. Ping Pong & Foosball Table, Michelob Tiffany Lamps, Neon Signs, Displays, Birdhouses & Chimes. 828.734.1665.

BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS

No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment. Handmade in Haywood County. 1 for $20, 2 or More for $15 each. 828.593.8321

MEDICAL

A PLACE FOR MOM.

The nation's largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1.800.717.0139

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YOUR AD COULD REACH 1.6 MILLION HOMES ACROSS NC!

Your classified ad could be reaching over 1.6 Million Homes across North Carolina! Place your ad with The Smoky Mountain News on the NC Statewide Classified Ad Network- 118 NC newspapers for a low cost of $330 for 25-word ad to appear in each paper! Additional words are $10 each. The whole state at your fingertips! It's a smart advertising buy! Call Scott Collier at 828.452.4251 or for more information visit the N.C. Press Association's website at www.ncpress.com

WEEKLY SUDOKU

DISH TV.

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Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Answers on Page 48

Logging has always been dangerous work

Editor’s note: This column first appeared in The Smoky Mountain News in September 2003.

Steam and water-powered sawmills were established here in the Smokies region during the 1870s and 1880s. But full-fledged industrialized logging didn't commence until after the construction of the major railroads was finalized in the 1890s. This opened the region for profitable use by big time interests like Champion Fiber Company, Ritter Lumber Company, and others. These companies hired local men by the hundreds to fell, move and process timber.

Those like myself who don’t admire the end result of these operations (a decimated landscape) nevertheless have to remember that it wasn’t all negative by any means. The timber industry allowed the standard of living for the average worker in the Smokies region to rise exponentially. Mountain men took great pride in having a profession that produced material comforts for themselves and their families. Unlike those mountain men who had to go off and work in the cotton mills after the demise of the logging era, the men who became loggers prior to that time enjoyed, for the most part, working in the woods and woodlots. It was the sort of outdoor, manly work that made total sense to them. And they were superb woodsmen. An aspect of this profession, however,

BACK THEN

that wasn't appealing in the least to anyone involved was its inherent dangers. Serious injuries and death were a commonplace of the logging life. I suppose it must be conceded that coal mining was even more dangerous, but logging was a very close second in this regard.

In almost every photograph one sees from that era, an injury-in-waiting can be discerned. Felling a tree in the right direction will always be problematic. Dynamiting a rail bed or splash dam could backfire in a heartbeat. One tiny slip while guiding a huge log onto a railroad car or loading platform with a peavey (a cant hook having a sharply-pointed end) meant the loss of a foot, leg, or life. And so on.

There was no regulated compensation for injured workers or their families until the Workmen's Compensation Act was passed in 1919. Injured workers were simply laid off. When a man was killed on the job, the companies sometimes contributed money or material goods to assist his widow and children, but more often it was his fel-

low workers who took up subscriptions. My bedtime reading of late has been Sound Wormy: Memoir of Andrew Gennett, Lumberman (University of Georgia Press, 2002). In one fell swoop, Sound Wormy manages to be perplexing, exasperating, and illuminating at the same time. If you’re at all interested in life in this region as it was conducted in the first half of the 20th century, this is a must read.

Andrew Gennett and his brother, Nat, established the Gennett Lumber Company, which during their era operated in northwest South Carolina, north Georgia, and out of sites in Macon, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, and other counties in Western North Carolina. They experienced the ups and downs of the logging industry first hand in all its varied aspects. Andrew Gennett, a lawyer turned timberman, wrote this memoir shortly before his death so that his children and grandchildren would have some notion of the sort of rough and ready life he had led.

“It was during these years in the lumber business that I became impressed with the perversity of inanimate objects,” is the first sentence of Chapter 20 in Gennett’s memoir.

“The lumber industry is exceedingly treacherous …. During the course of our experience in this business, we have had four men killed while felling timber. Each fatal accident was unique in its kind.”

In the first of these felling incidents, some small hickory trees sprang back after a big tree had fallen to the ground. In the second, the top of a rotted basswood tree broke off of the lower trunk while falling. In the third, an inexperienced man was apparently standing in the wrong place and had a tree fall on him. In the fourth, a tree slipped off its stump in the wrong direction and “thrust down a small sapling that struck one of the men on the side of the head, killing him.”

In regard to fatal accidents not involving the felling of trees, Gennett describes two incidents. In the first, a man fell 30 feet off a splash dam and struck his head on a log. In the second, a crew was rolling logs down an inclined skidway onto a wagon. The driver was situated near the wagon. He would release one log at a time and let it roll onto the wagon, confident that the other logs above him were held securely in place. As the released log approached the wagon on the skidway, the driver would simply duck his head and then pop back up when it had passed by overhead. But, alas, the logs above him were not properly secured. Instead, they “came down with full force, and his head was caught between the single log and those coming after. His skull was crushed, and he died immediately.”

(George Ellison is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at info@georgeellison.com.)