Smoky Mountain News | November 11, 2020

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Tribe supports changing Jackson County’s namesake Page 9

On the Cover:

Veterans Day is a time to recognize the sacrifices our service men and women have made to the nation. This week’s feature on the Hill family of Canton is a perfect example of the challenges military families face and why this region is in desperate need of the services now being provided by Special Liberty Project. (Page 6) Donated photo

News

50 fast facts from the Haywood election results ......................................................4 Veteran retreat center opens in Macon ........................................................................7 Tribe supports changing Jackson County’s namesake ............................................9 WNC prosecutor also serves as military judge ......................................................11 Canton manufacturer ConMet now hiring ................................................................12 Outcome still uncertain for Jackson’s District 4 race ............................................13

Opinion

Finding a way past the divide ........................................................................................16 Is a $16.4 million jail a good idea?..............................................................................16 A&E

A conversation with G. Love ........................................................................................18 A voice of his own: the stories of Ed Stansell..........................................................21

Outdoors

Outdoor economy conference focuses on widening base ................................22

D

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CONTACT

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S UBSCRIPTIONS

The after-action report

50 fast facts from the Haywood election results

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

The results are in — well, sort of — and Republicans in Western North Carolina don’t have much to complain about right now other than the reelection of Gov. Roy Cooper and the ultimate fate of President Donald Trump; they retained all western state legislative seats as well as their congressional seat and reclaimed a state House seat that’s flipped back and forth several times in the past eight years.

The real story, though, is the massive voter turnout. Likely due to enhanced absentee voting availability necessitated by the Coronavirus Pandemic, North Carolina posted record numbers.

Although ballots are still being counted, the totals won’t likely change much once they’re finally certified on Nov. 24. If anything, they’ll go up — more than 999,000 North Carolinians voted by mail this year, on top of 3.6 million one-stop votes. Including Election Day, 5.5 million North Carolinians voted, good for turnout of 74.6 percent.

That’s your first fast fact, but that one’s on the house. Here’s 50 more.

PRESIDENT

As of press time, North Carolina hadn’t yet been called for one candidate or the other, but it’s a safe bet Trump prevails — in part, due to the huge surplus of votes he racked up in Western North Carolina. Trump won every North Carolina county west of Charlotte, except for Watauga (Boone) and Buncombe (Asheville).

1. Republican Presidential votes in Haywood County have increased 52.2 percent over the past four presidential elections from 2008 to 2020, and have increased in every election.

2. Democratic Presidential votes in Haywood County have increased 2.9 percent over the same period, reversing a downward trend that saw an 18 percent decline from 2008 through 2016.

3. Haywood County’s population has grown about 7.6 percent over that same timeframe as the number of registered voters has grown 15.3 percent.

4. Trump won all 29 voting precincts in Haywood County this year. In 2016, he won 28 of 29 voting precincts in Haywood County, with Center Waynesville the only holdout.

5. Trump’s top three precincts in terms of votes received were Ivy Hill, Jonathan Creek and Pigeon, the same as in 2016.

6. Between the three, Trump amassed a 2,839-vote lead over Biden — accounting for almost 30 percent of his margin of victory in the county.

7. The Ivy Hill precinct saw the most votes cast. Trump beat Biden 1,772 to 808 there.

8. The Big Creek precinct saw the least

Turnout statistics provided by the NCSBE as of 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

votes cast. Trump beat Biden 12 to 10 there. In 2016, Trump beat Clinton 12 to 4.

9. Biden’s top three precincts in terms of votes received were Ivy Hill, Jonathan Creek and South Waynesville 1, just like Hillary Clinton in 2016.

10. Clinton lost all three.

11. So did Biden.

12. Libertarian presidential votes in Haywood County had seen a massive increase — 282 percent — from 2008 to 2016, growing from 235 (Bob Barr/Wayne Allen Root) to 898 (Gary Johnson/Bill Weld). This year Haywood County Libertarians took a step back, giving Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen just 329 votes, good for less than one percent of the county’s totals.

13. Since 2008, Haywood County voter turnout has continued to be anything but predictable — Obama/McCain saw 71.9 percent of registered voters cast a ballot, Obama/Romney dipped to 65.8 percent, Trump/Clinton rose to 69.6 percent, and Trump/Biden showed an impressive 78.6 percent turnout.

N.C. GOVERNOR

It’s no surprise that incumbent Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper didn’t fare very well in WNC, or in Haywood County, but his increasing margins of victory across the North Carolina suggest that the westernmost counties are moving farther away from the rest of the state, ideologically speaking.

14. Then-Attorney General Roy Cooper lost Haywood County in 2016 by a margin of 54.6 to 42.3 percent, but won the statewide race against incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory by less than a quarter of a percent.

15. In 2020, Cooper lost Haywood by an even bigger margin, 58.1 percent to 40.5 percent, but won the state by an even larger margin — 51.5 percent to 47.1 percent.

16. Cooper won three of 29 Haywood County precincts in 2016 — Lake Junaluska, South Waynesville 1 and South Waynesville 2.

N.C. SENATE DISTRICT 50

When Rep. Kevin Corbin announced he’d run for the N.C. Senate seat held by Sen. Jim Davis, most people saw it as a slam-dunk for Republicans in a deeply red district. They were right.

24. Haywood County’s first opportunity to vote for Corbin turned out pretty alright for him — he outperformed even President Trump, despite Haywood being his opponent’s county of residence.

25. Corbin also topped Sen. Davis’ bestever percentage total in Haywood County — 59.5 percent, in 2016 during his second campaign against Waynesville Democrat, the late Jane Hipps. Corbin earned 63.1 percent this year.

25. Only four of 91 precincts in the sevencounty district didn’t go for Corbin — one in Jackson County, one in Swain County, another in Jackson County that reported a tie, and yes, Haywood County’s Big Creek, where Corbin lost by a vote of 12 to 9.

26. Corbin’s 66.65 percent vote total eclipses the best numbers put up by the seat’s current occupant, Davis, over all four of his terms dating back to 2012. Davis’ best was 62.5 percent in 2016, against Hipps.

In 2020 he won just one, the county’s smallest — Big Creek, where he prevailed 12 to 10.

17. For the second straight presidential election, the Libertarian candidate for governor, Steven J. DiFiore, earned more votes in Haywood County than the Libertarian candidate for president, Jo Jorgensen (371 to 329).

N.C. 11

The 11th Congressional District was redrawn last year, leaving many to speculate that the inclusion of Asheville and the appearance of a solid Democratic candidate, Col. Moe Davis, could be enough to flip the seat blue. Instead, the contest was a blowout win by Hendersonville Republican Madison Cawthorn, who put up Mark Meadows-esque numbers en route to keeping the seat red.

18. Cawthorn won every county except for Buncombe in the 17-county district (actually, 16 counties and half of Rutherford County) while on his way to a 54.5 to 42.4 percent victory — a margin of more than 50,000 votes.

19. Cawthorn only lost 12 precincts outside of Buncombe County, including Haywood’s Big Creek, where he lost 12 to 10. The district includes 304 precincts.

20. Meadows’ best election was in 2016, when he earned 230,405 votes. This year, Cawthorn tallied 243,917 votes.

21. Cawthorn’s percentage, 54.5, remains far below Meadows’ best total of 64.1 percent in 2016 — but Meadows put up those numbers in a district that was ultimately thrown out by courts as a partisan gerrymander.

22. The entirety of Buncombe County, recently drawn into the 11th District, provided Davis with a 32,000-vote majority over Cawthorn.

23. Although Davis earned far more votes (189,529) than the post-2010 Democratic high set by Hayden Rogers (141,107) in 2012, Davis couldn’t quite surpass Rogers’ 42.6 percent share of the vote, falling short by twotenths of a percent.

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 118

Democrats supposed this was a competitive seat during Michele Presnell’s tenure, but they didn’t do much to try to claim it once she announced her retirement. In an uncharacteristically quiet campaign for the 118th, first-term Haywood County Republican Commissioner Mark Pless soundly put Dem suppositions to rest.

29. Only 18 of Haywood’s 29 precincts (and half of Ivy Hill) are in District 118, but 49.2 percent of the race’s votes came from those Haywood precincts. In 2016, 47.7 percent of the race’s votes came from those precincts.

30. Like Rep. Kevin Corbin, Pless also outperformed President Trump in Haywood County.

31. Pless lost only two of 42 precincts in his three-county district — one in Madison, and one in Haywood (Big Creek, 12 to 9).

32. Outgoing Rep. Michele Presnell won each of her four terms with increasing margins in almost every election (51.3 percent in both 2012 and 2014, 55.4 percent in 2016, and 57.2 in 2018.) Pless continued the trend and topped Presnell’s best, with 63.6 percent this year.

N.C. HOUSE DISTRICT 119

This race is always close, except when it’s not. It’s also always won by Waynesville Democrat Joe Sam Queen, except when it’s not. There are, however, several consistencies in the electoral history of Queen and former Rep. Mike Clampitt that show how, exactly, Clampitt prevailed by the largest margin ever recorded between them.

33. In the fifth matchup between these two men over five elections dating back to 2012, the parity in their career totals is remarkable. Queen has won three elections, and Clampitt two. Add F

up all 160,435 votes cast in these five election cycles, and Clampitt leads by 53 votes.

34. Queen’s average margin of victory over his three wins is 1,188 votes. Clampitt won in 2016 by just 277 votes. This year, he won by 3,339 — by far the greatest margin between the two candidates. Both of Clampitt’s victories have come during an election when Donald Trump was a candidate for president.

35. In 2012, Clampitt won no counties, and lost the election. In 2014, Clampitt won Swain County, and lost the election. In 2016, Clampitt won Swain and Jackson counties, and won the election. In 2018, Clampitt won Swain County and lost the election. In 2020, Clampitt won Swain and Jackson counties, and for the very first time, Queen’s home county of Haywood.

36. Big Creek is not part of the 119th District.

HAYWOOD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

If you want to be a Haywood County commissioner, you better be a white Republican male, preferably from the eastern end of the county — at least, that’s what results have told us over the past decade or so. With convincing wins on Election Day, Kevin Ensley and Brandon Rogers will return to a 4-to-1 Republican majority board.

37. In both of his bids for Haywood commission, Rogers has been the leading votegetter, topping longtime commissioner and current Chairman Ensley.

38. Rogers finished first in every precinct except in South Waynesville, where Ensley beat him 788 to 781, and in Big Creek, where Democrats David Young (10) and Leah Hampton (9) gave Rogers (9) and Ensley (7) stiff competition.

39. Although Hampton (11,099) and Young (11,285) finished far off the leaders Ensley (21,292) and Rogers (23,020) they both mounted substantial absentee voter efforts, averaging about 3,300 votes for themselves, against an average of 2,100 for Rogers and Ensley.

40. With Hampton’s loss, Haywood County will extend its streak of having exactly zero female commissioners to at least 14 years. Mary Ann Enloe was the last, leaving in 2008. Enloe was also only the second female commissioner ever (Rubye Bryson).

41. Commissioner Mark Pless’ N.C. House race victory means he’ll soon leave a vacancy on the board, which must be filled by commissioners with a person from the same party as Pless (Republican) after non-binding consultation with the Haywood County Republican Party. This ensures the secondever, second straight Republican majority on the five-man board.

VOTER TURNOUT

Whether your candidates won or lost, there’s at least one thing to be happy about — more voters participated in this election than in any in recent memory. That goes for the nation, the state, Haywood County and all points west.

42. Voter turnout in North Carolina increased from 68.98 percent in 2016 to 74.65 percent in 2020.

43. Every single county in the current iteration of the 11th Congressional District reported turnout well above 2016 levels. Cherokee County saw the biggest increase, 12.5 points above the previous presidential election, and Transylvania County saw the smallest increase, at 6.5 points.

44. Mitchell County had the highest turnout in the 11th Congressional District, with 80.99 percent of registered voters casting ballots. Swain County had the lowest, 70.18 percent — still up 11.33 points from 2016.

Although ballots are still being counted, the totals won’t likely change much once they’re finally certified

on Nov. 24.

If anything, they’ll go up — more than 999,000

North Carolinians voted by mail this year.

45. Haywood County has 46,445 registered voters. Less than 10,000 of them sat this one out — good for a 78.6 percent voter turnout rate, the highest since the NCSBE started reporting turnout in 2014. That year, 45.1 percent of Haywood’s voters cast ballots.

PARTY REGISTRATION

Haywood County appears to be at the forefront of the exodus of Democrats leaving the party. Halfway through this year, Democrats in Haywood County had lost their numerical superiority over both Republicans and unaffiliated voters. It’s likely that next year, the same will happen on the state level.

46. Statewide party registration totals have been shifting away from Democrats, decreasing 3.8 percent since Election Day in 2016, just as Republicans registrations have increased 7.3 percent. Unaffiliated voter registrations have also grown over that time, by 18.5 percent.

47. Democrats cling to a small advantage in statewide registrations, with 2.6 million. Unaffiliated voters (2.5 million) still outnumber Republicans (2.2 million).

48. Sometime between Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, 2020, someone walked into the Haywood County Board of Elections and registered as an unaffiliated voter. In doing so, they dethroned Democrats as the largest classification of registered voters in Haywood County.

49. Sometime between July 4 and July 11, 2020, someone walked into the Haywood County Board of Elections and registered as a Republican voter. In doing so, they demoted Democrats to the third-largest classification of registered voters in Haywood County.

50. Per registration totals, on Election Day in Haywood County there were 15,872 unaffiliated, 15,811 Republicans, 14,394 Democrats, 314 Libertarians, 35 Constitution Party members and 19 Greens.

Ingles Nutrition Notes

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

QUESTION: What Can you do with a Can of Pumpkin?

ANSWER: please note that I'm referring to 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which is pre-sweetened.)

Here are 10 easy ideas on what you can do with canned pumpkin—beyond making pumpkin pie—to take advantage of that beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamin K and fiber.

• Stir into mashed potatoes for a pumpkin potato mash.

• Combine with waffle or pancake batter to make pumpkin pancakes or waffles.

• Use in smoothies along with milk, banana, protein powder (or non-fat dry milk powder) and sweeten with honey, a non-caloric sweetener or maple syrup.

• Use canned pumpkin to make a soup

• Add to dogs food.

• Make pumpkin protein bites

• Make a pumpkin dip or spread by combining pumpkin with cream cheese and honey and pumpkin pie spice.

• Stir into hot oatmeal and add walnuts and your choice of sweetener

• Mix with plain or vanilla Greek yogurt ( add a sweetener if desired) and top with walnuts or pecans.

• Use to make muffins, bread or scones.

NEED MORE IDEAS? Check out the Ingles Table recipes on www.inglesmarkets.com like Michael McMurtrey’s Spicy Coconut Pumpkin Soup (www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-tG1B9eWO0) and more on this Food Network site (www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-canned-pumpkin-recipes)

From one battlefield to another

A military family called to serve others

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

Canton native Eric Hill was 18 when he decided to join the military. It was a quick decision. He wanted to get married and needed a way to provide support. What sprang forth from that decision was more than he could have envisioned.

“I didn’t do so well in high school, didn’t have much hope for college,” Hill said. He had a full-time job that just wasn’t enough to support a family. He needed a plan if she said yes when time came.

It turned out she, Keri, did say yes, and it turned out the military is what Hill saw as the clearest path to supporting a family.

“The military was the easiest answer. Honestly, I decided to go into the military in like one day,” Hill said.

MILITARY SERVICE

Hill attended basic training in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1993. He and his wife Keri were engaged at the time. From there it was on to advanced infantry training in Fort Gordon, Georgia, to be a communications specialist. Then to jump school at Fort Benning and then back to Fort Bragg where he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne.

He stayed with the 82nd Airborne for about nine months, after which he was transferred across post to the 507th corps support group. That’s where he stayed until he got out in 1996. After four years in inactive ready reserve, on the day of Keri and Eric’s anniversary, Aug. 20, 2001, Hill got an honorable discharge certificate.

“I was free and clear,” said Hill.

Less than one month later, on Sept. 12, 2001, Hill re-enlisted following the 9/11 attacks.

“I laid that discharge paper on a recruiter’s desk in Asheville and told them they needed to put me back,” he recalled. By April 2002, Hill was assigned to a unit in Knoxville, Tennessee, that he stayed with until 2003. Then, he was assigned to the 926 engineer group in Montgomery, Alabama, to be deployed. He stayed with the 926 from 2003 until 2014.

In 2003-2004 the group was in Mosul, Iraq. There were no living quarters or bathhouses until late in 2004. During that first tour in Iraq, Hill was leaving behind a 2year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son.

“The first tour, it was a lot rougher. It was a lot more, I guess, primitive would be the word,” Hill said.

Hill was serving as a tail gunner for a convoy team, which means he was standing in the back of a truck, out in the open while they were on convoys. It was around this time that Hill had a life-altering experience when he first crossed the line out of Kuwait and into Iraq. He chose not to talk about the details

but explained that it caused him to leave the church and rocked his faith for years to come.

“The second time the living quarters were a lot better. The threat was still there, IEDs were on the rise in 2008 and that was one of my unit’s missions. We had a route clearance company that went out and looked for IEDs, on top of the horizontal and vertical construction teams. And that tour, I was a personal security NCO for our one star general and worked directly with him. Between the two tours I had a little over 3,000 missions outside of the line,” said Hill.

After describing his harrowing time in the service, it was his wife Keri who chimed in that Hill was a Bronze Star recipient.

COMING HOME

Hill said the transition back home from his first tour was the hardest.

“I did not transition very well from the first tour,” he said. “Me and Keri had a lot of problems trying to get back in. I was just trying to get from a military mindset back to a family mindset. The kids went to her for everything. It just wasn’t a real good time.”

While it was a struggle, Hill is quick to point out that it made their marriage stronger in the end.

“Coming home from that first deployment, he was so different,” Keri said. “That was really hard. It was a real big test of endurance, because we were the only family in Haywood County who had someone deployed. So, we did not have a big support staff at the time. That was rough for us.”

A large part of the struggle they endured was the fact that Hill didn’t attend church with the family. Their daughter Jessy was young during these transition phases, but she remembers times when her father just carried himself differently around the house. She always thought he was mad or angry or there was something wrong.

“We did a lot better with communication when I was home on the second tour than the first tour. First time around there was hardly any. There were long lines to make phone calls, so phone calls were very rare. The second tour I was able to stay in contact a whole lot better,” Hill said.

“After he came back the second time, again there was no one deployed out of Haywood County, so we were sort of left to our own devices at the time to navigate what PTSD looks like, what combat fatigue looks like, what putting a family back together looks like,” Keri said. “For me, it was a lot of praying, a lot of faith involved.”

After his second tour, Hill had another one of those rare, life-altering moments. He went to the doctor for a physical and was told that he may have cancer. He didn’t tell his family at the time, but said it really shook him. Things began to cascade, but this time Hill turned back to his faith and returned to church. A few months later, he and Keri were asked to be youth leaders.

Hill continued to struggle with civilian life though, and by 2013 he was battling depression to the point that he almost committed suicide. It was during his journey out of that depression that he felt called to preach.

“I prayed about it for about a month

without telling anybody,” he said. “Then Keri made a statement one night and I told her. I told her we’d pray about it for another month. And then when I finally gave in and accepted the call to pastor the door swung wide open, and it was just blatantly obvious that was exactly what I was supposed to do.”

SERVING OTHERS

When Hill returned home, he was assigned a Veterans Services officer in Haywood County named Brandon Wilson. As they came to know each other, their friendship developed beyond the role of VSO. Through that friendship, Wilson came to the conclusion that Keri was uniquely designed to work for Veterans Services of the Carolinas.

“I live with one, I’ve been married to one for a long time and I understand the family side of it,” she said. “Veterans Services gives me a chance to deal with veterans who are facing homelessness or who are already homeless. It gives me the chance to step in and say, ‘you know, I understand how a veteran feels and how a family member feels. I understand that sense of helplessness that you have when you don’t have a lot of support system.”

Keri is now intake coordinator for Veterans Services of the Carolinas. But the family’s work serving others doesn’t end with the church or veteran services. Both Hill children have made a career of helping others. Their son Austin graduated from Wake Forest with degrees in psychology and art and is now getting his master’s in social work from the University of Maryland.

“He wants to work with kids who are facing challenges and difficulties,” Keri said. “That’s not an accident.”

Their daughter Jessy is an EMT, firefighter, and has recently started work at Veterans Services of the Carolinas as a care coordinator. That means she is one of the people manning the hotline for VSC and is the first line of contact when veterans call needing help.

“When we grew up, we learned how to take care of each other and others. We grew up watching dad go through that transition,” Jessy said. “So now working here, we get to be that support system and we try to understand what it’s like for them.”

Hill, his wife and his children’s work are connected in intricate ways.

“If it hadn’t been for the support system that Eric had, he might have been in the same situation [as a lot of the vets we serve]. And part of why we love to do what we do is we are able to come alongside them and give that support,” Keri said.

Hill said that moving from military service into the pastoral role, he is able to be very direct with people, and he doesn’t have a problem with people being very direct with him. Because of his experiences, he is able to handle difficult scenarios people may be going through and empathize with them.

“The skills and talents that Eric picked up in the military, like leadership, the shepherd role… he has literally traded one battlefield for another,” Keri said. “He still leads a fight. He’s still a leader.”

Veteran retreat center opens in Macon

Special Liberty Project brings healing to military families

BY J ESSI STONE

N EWS E DITOR

Jessica Merritt is counting down the days until her husband returns home from his final days of service in the U.S. Navy. After more than 20 years in the military and nine deployments, Cory Merritt will return home to his family for good in about two weeks, and this time he’ll return to their new home in Western North Carolina.

As a military spouse and mother, Jessica knows what families experience when the spouse is deployed and you feel like a single parent for six months or even a year at a time. She’s fortunate her spouse has returned each time, knowing so many soldiers don’t make it.

These difficult experiences with stress, grief and trauma are the reasons why Jessica and Cory decided to form the Special Liberty Project five years ago when they were still stationed in California.

“My husband and I met in high school and he enlisted before graduation. I went to the University of Arizona and then we were stationed in San Diego for 20 years. We started Special Liberty Project five years ago on the West Coast and it quickly grew into Arizona, but in the past year we’ve been intensely looking for property on the East Coast,” Jessica said.

The dream of expanding the organization to include a new headquarters and retreat center on the East Coast led the Merritts to finding the perfect 26 acres of farmland on Onion Mountain.

“We found this property online in the

Holly Springs area of Macon County and we had an offer in on the farm before we left California,” she said. “It has everything we were looking for — for us personally and for all the experiences we provide for the families we serve.”

Macon County is definitely the perfect place for providing a one-of-a-kind outdoor therapeutic experience for veterans and their family members. Special Liberty Project hosts events throughout the year that allow veterans to escape to nature in a number of ways, including trips for fishing, hunting, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, horseback riding and more.

“These nature-centric experiences help foster camaraderie that tends to be lost after their time in the service,” Jessica said. “These trips help strengthen their emotional health and strengthen their physical being as well.”

The project also reaches out to Gold Star families — families who have lost a military spouse either during their service or lost to suicide following their years of service.

“In addition to reaching out to our local contacts at veteran services here in Macon County, we reached out to the local survival outreach services and discovered there’s almost 200 Gold Star families in Western North Carolina,” Jessica said. “We’ll be providing services for them on a monthly basis as well as Gold Star families across the nation wanting to come here.”

The farm will host monthly retreats for military widows and their children. In addition to providing outdoor experiences, Jessica said Special Liberty Project will also focus on supporting the family’s emotional health by teaching them new coping mechanisms like meditation and journaling. Families will also grow closer with other Gold Star families during the retreats by learning new home-

steading skills like soapmaking, processing cheese, planting and harvesting vegetables, knitting, sewing and more.

Jessica said the nonprofit organization does have some staff on hand to offer these workshops, but she will also be looking for local vendors and crafters to assist on the farm.

“I think now more and more we’re realizing the effects the military can have on the veterans and their families. They struggle and what we do helps them cope with their struggles. We want them to know they can find support here in each other and with our land,” Jessica said.

There is also a mentoring program for Gold Star children — the kids get paired with a veteran mentor who can help fill the gap left by their parent who is no longer there to help them with homework and building projects or to take them fishing or camping.

“It was when he (Cory) was gone — that’s when we started our Gold Star program because I noticed firsthand that my kids needed more in their life than what I could provide as a single mom basically,” she said. “One thing I noticed when Cory was deployed is that everything lies on you — making dinner, cleaning, helping with homework and everything else — so we hosted an event where we did meal prepping with all the families. They could take meals home and put them in the freezer to have fresh healthy food.”

Another opportunity the program pro-

vides is family photo sessions in nature for Gold Star families. When families lose a military family member, taking new family photos can be a painful experience, Jessica said, but bringing all these families together to fellowship outdoors and then taking their family photos can be uplifting.

COVID-19 has definitely impacted the way Special Liberty Project operates its events, but Jessica said the farm retreat center will allow for social distancing and programs will be smaller and more intimate. Beginning Nov. 21, the nonprofit will also begin hosting virtual retreat events for widows. Even though the pandemic has made in-person events more challenging, Jessica said the need for these kinds of services continues to grow.

“We grew very quickly in five years. We wanted to do four hunting events our first year and we had 12,” she said. “We’ve grown in a very difficult time, but when COVID broke out, we saw the need was greater. Widows have a greater fear of dying and leaving their kids without a parent, so they took it very hard and they’re feeling isolated and lonely, which leads to depression and leads to whole slew of negative emotions.”

The suicide rate among veterans has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as well, with 22 veterans taking their lives a day. Jessica said many of the spouses they serve are not “traditional” Gold Star families that lost their loved one during their service, but who lost their loved one to suicide following their service.

“We’ve been contacted by other organizations saying they need what we’re doing, and we need to have more events,” she said. “It’s very real y and scary — we want to help. My heart goes out to these families. When you’ve been affected by suicide, you are at a higher risk personally of dying of suicide.”

The programs and services Special Liberty Project provides are free for veterans and Gold Star families, which means the nonprofit relies heavily on corporate sponsors and private donations. While Jessica has many fundraisers in mind for the future at the farm in Macon County, those interested in supporting the organization now are encouraged to donate at www.speciallibertyproject.org.

Trading Jacksons

Tribe wants to name former chief as new Jackson County namesake

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The 18th chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was a lot of things — a World War II veteran, a dedicated father and stepfather, a leader in tribal politics — and if county commissioners OK a proposal from Tribal Council, “namesake of Jackson County” could soon be added to Walter S. Jackson’s list of accomplishments.

“I don’t think that I’m alone in saying that it is an affront to me as a Cherokee citizen that half of our boundary is in a county named after the president who signed the Indian Removal Act and saw our ancestors as inferior and put in place a policy that was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Native Americans,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed said during the Oct. 29 Annual Council meeting where the resolution containing the proposal was presented and unanimously approved.

Formed in 1871 from parts of Haywood and Macon counties, Jackson County — like countless towns, counties and schools across the country — takes its name from Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. Born to Irish immigrant parents near the state line of North and South Carolina, Andrew Jackson was a hero of the War of 1812 and a popular two-term president.

However, he’s also known for his cruelty and dehumanization of the country’s Native American population. In 1830, he famously signed the Indian Removal Act into law, legislation that paved the way for the forcible removal of multiple Native American tribes from their homeland. For the Cherokee, this effort culminated in the infamous Trail of Tears, the 5,000-mile route along which tens of thousands of Cherokee people were marched toward their government-approved

reservation in Oklahoma. Disease and starvation killed thousands of them.

Jackson County’s namesake is an insult to the descendents of the Cherokee people who managed, despite Jackson’s best efforts, to remain and thrive in their native land, Chief Sneed said. But the tribe doesn’t want the county to change its name — it just wants it to honor a different Jackson.

The idea was first proposed by Cherokee One Feather reporter Scott McKie in a July 12 editorial, and it’s gained enough momentum to earn unified support from both the chief and Tribal Council.

‘A GOOD MAN’

Chief Jackson was born on May 29, 1923, and got his education in Cherokee’s schools before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, prompting him to join the U.S. Navy.

“As far as his military record, all I know is that he served honorably in the Navy and that he was in the Pacific. He didn’t talk much about it,” said Richard S. Sneed — Chief Sneed’s father — who was just 3 years old when his mother Sally Sneed married Walter Jackson. Sneed’s own father served in the Army, but he died in Germany when Sneed was just 1 year old. His mother married Jackson two years later — he was the only father Sneed ever knew.

“He was good to me and good to my brother,” said Sneed. “He made us what we are today. He taught you respect. He was a good man.”

When the war ended, Jackson came home and served his community. According to the 2007 book A Cherokee Encyclopedia by Robert J. Conley, he was named manager of the Oconaluftee Indian Village for the Cherokee Historical Association in 1951 before going on to serve as the tribe’s chief of police and then head of community services. He sat on Tribal Council for 12 years and served as vice chief for four before winning the 1967 election for principal chief.

“He did a good job with the tribe,” said Sneed. “He secured a lot of grants back when there wasn’t a lot of money to be had for the tribe.”

Back then, everyone in Cherokee was poor. Jackson worked hard all his life. If you didn’t “you’d starve to death,” Sneed said. Even serving in elected office wasn’t enough to bestow financial security. According to a 1970 New York Times article, Jackson’s salary as principal chief was just $6,600.

That 500-word piece reported that Tribal Council had asked Jackson to resign from his post, citing negligence of fiscal duties and unauthorized out-of-state trips at the tribe’s expense. Ten of the 12 council members signed a resolution asking for Jackson’s resignation, the story said, but Jackson told the reporter that the charges were false and that he had no intention of resigning.

Jackson had gotten complaints about the amount of traveling he did, said Sneed, but all that traveling brought in the grants at a

time when the tribe sorely needed money. According to Conley, Jackson was instrumental in developing the Cherokee Boys Club, improving reservation roads, reopening the tribal rolls, securing a new gym and elementary school and establishing a new hospital. Jackson’s nickname was “Bull” — he could be a bit of a jokester when he wanted to be, said Sneed, but he was never a pushover.

“He was pretty tough, I’ll just tell you that,” he said. “He wasn’t afraid to have a little scrape every once in a while.”

He was a likeable man, said Sneed, someone who could talk to all different kinds of people — including government officials with control of federal purse strings — with-

out seeming nervous or out of place. As a stepfather, he was a steady presence in Sneed’s life.

“All the memories I have of him were good,” he said.

Jackson was supportive of Sneed and his brother, as well as of the children he and Sneed’s mother had together, encouraging them as they went through high school and played sports. He was a Christian, and the family went to church whenever the doors were open. When he had the money, he’d treat the family to a drive-in movie.

“If I ever needed help, he was always there,” said Sneed. “I always thought, what would I do if he dies, if something happened to him?”

Jackson was only 47 years old in 1971, when he died while still in office. He had a bad heart, a lifelong condition doubtless exacerbated by his love of cigarettes, specifically unfiltered Camels. He got sick on one of his trips to Washington, D.C., and was admitted to a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, where he had open-heart surgery. It was an even more rare and risky procedure at the time than it is now, and though he came through the operation, he died of kidney failure soon after, Sneed said.

NEXT STOP, COMMISSIONERS

Having the county named after Jackson, Sneed said, would be “a great honor,” and the resolution supporting the namesake change met with enthusiastic approval from Tribal Council. Rather than raising a hand, as they usually do when voting on a resolution, members stood to show their support.

However, the EBCI does not have the authority to change the county’s namesake —Jackson County commissioners would ultimately have to approve that change. The resolution passed last month merely directs the tribe’s executive branch to “undertake the legal and cultural research necessary to give direction and effect for this intent.”

exactly what they’re asking and research it a little bit before I make a decision about it,” he said.

Commissioner Boyce Deitz said that he, too, would need to do some investigating of his own before delivering an opinion but said that, “I would almost doubt that I would be against that in any way. I don’t see where I would be opposed to that.”

Currently, the other two commissioners are Ron Mau and Mickey Luker, but their terms end when District 3 Commissionerelect Tom Stribling and the District 4 commissioner-elect — either Mark Jones or Mark Letson — are sworn in Dec. 7.

The proposal comes amid a nationwide discussion about the place of monuments and namesakes to historical figures who supported racist causes in modern society. During a July rally against the Confederate soldier statue that looks over Sylva’s downtown, one speaker broached the subject of Jackson County’s name as a topic of future focus for the newly formed racial justice group Reconcile Sylva.

“He did a good job with the tribe. He secured a lot of grants back when there wasn’t a lot of money to be had for the tribe.”

— Richard S. Sneed, stepson

It’s not clear how the majority of the county commission would end up voting on this issue, especially since it’s not clear who will be sitting on the commission come Dec. 7, when winners of the 2020 election are sworn in. The two candidates for District 4 were within nine votes of each other Election Day, and a winner won’t be known, at the earliest, until provisional ballots and late-arriving absentee ballots are counted Nov. 13.

However, Commissioner Gayle Woody, whose district includes the Jackson County portion of the Qualla Boundary, signaled her support in written comments read during the council session.

“In acknowledgment that part of the ancestral lands of the Cherokee Nation are what now makes up Jackson County, I feel it is only right to consider the request by the Eastern Band of Cherokee to change the person for which Jackson County is named,” she wrote. “It is fitting to honor a chief of the Cherokee who served his people well. Chief Jackson has left a worthy legacy, and renaming Jackson County for him recognizes not only his services but the fact that the Cherokee people are original residents of this land.”

When asked his position on the issue, Chairman Brian McMahan said that he doesn’t yet know enough to offer an opinion but will certainly consider the request.

“I want to read the resolution and see

HealthPATH

“Yes, the name of this county is coming next,” Munene Mwaniki, assistant professor of anthropology and sociology at Western Carolina University, said July 11. “All you need to know about Andrew Jackson is that he was a slave owner, he was an Indian killer, he was a town destroyer and he and his men made horse reins out of the flesh of our indigenous brothers and sisters and nonbinary folks.”

However, changing a county’s name is both politically and financially costly, given the extensive overhaul that would be required for everything from websites to vehicle decals — not to mention the emotional attachment that long-time residents might have to the place names they grew up saying.

This proposal would avoid those pitfalls, McKie wrote in July, because the county would still be called Jackson County. But shifting the namesake, he wrote, would “pay generous rewards in improved relations and a new spirit of cooperation in this small part of Western North Carolina.”

BY QUINTIN E LLISON

S PECIAL TO SMN

John Hindsman Jr. leaves his civilian job this week for his military one, transforming from local assistant district attorney into Maj. Hindsman, U.S. Army Reserve judge advocate.

As a member of Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, Hindsman deploys for monthly training to Puerto Rico with his unit on Thursday, Nov. 12. During the unit’s battle assembly, soldiers will spend four days honing their military skills.

When at home, Hindsman works in the 43rd Prosecutorial District for District

Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch. Though his duties can take him into any of the seven counties that make up the district, he typically works in Macon, Clay and Cherokee counties.

The 38 year old is a Clay County native who lives near Hayesville with his wife, Michelle, who is an interior designer. His parents are Jane and Steve Hindsman.

“The district attorney has been exceptionally supportive of my double duties, as has my wife,” Hindsman said.

Hindsman frequently works on his military cases at night or on weekends, after his assistant district attorney duties end for the day. Additionally, he participates in the monthly training with his unit, as well as spends up to 30 days each year on active duty.

staff is proud — of his service. He puts a huge amount of time and effort into both his assistant district attorney work and his military work.”

Recruited by the Army and U.S. Marine Corps while in high school, Hindsman elected instead to attend Appalachian State University in Boone. He soon found himself in ROTC, his first step to becoming a judge advocate.

Hindsman holds two bachelor degrees, one in criminal justice and the other in political science, as well as two minors, one in business management and the other in military leadership. After college, Hindsman joined the Army as a signal corps officer, commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was granted an educational delay to attend law

In 2013, Hindsman was mobilized to serve as trial counsel within 4th Infantry Division in Fort Carson, Colorado.

“While there, I worked numerous sexual assault cases, a high-profile murder case and an international child sexual abuse case in conjunction with the Colorado Springs Police Department,” he said. “No one day was like another.”

“You receive a broad legal education and learn how to be part of a team. I do not have a problem expressing my opinion, but within a command structure, you have to say it in a respectful way. And, ultimately, I know it is only my opinion and advice.”

Welch said Hindsman’s experience as a military lawyer benefits the office. He and Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Harris, a Cherokee County native and veteran of the U.S. Army, add depth to her team’s legal talents, she said, thanks to military service.

Harris served four years on active duty as an intelligence analyst with Second Stryker Brigade.

Hindsman has a family history of military service: his father is a U.S. Navy veteran who undertook two tours in Vietnam. His uncle served in the Air Force.

“John cares deeply about giving back, and serving in the military is just one way he does that,” Welch said. “I’m proud — our entire

school and selected Campbell University. He was recommissioned in 2009 as a judge advocate. The JAG Corps typically selects only 10 to 20 percent of civilian applicants and junior officer applicants each year, according to information compiled by the Army.

During his years of service, Hindsman has worked in a variety of roles for the military, including helping service members with wills, powers of attorney, notarizations, income tax preparation and landlord/tenant issues.

Currently, Hindsman serves as judge advocate for the 1st Mission Support Command in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, and as operational law attorney for 402d Civil Affairs Battalion. The battalion conducts civil affairs missions in Central and South America with support from the 1st Mission Support Command.

In his role as a judge advocate, Hindsman advises his battalion commander on operational law. JAGs are encouraged to have a broad range of experience, and in the span of his military career, Hindsman has worked in civil, maritime and international law and served on the Rule of Law team for developing countries.

“I have a very strong belief in public service, as do my parents,” Hindsman said.

“When home, as a senior assistant district attorney, I serve the community I live in and the people I grew up with. When away, I’m proud to serve my country.”

Spring registration open at HCC

Haywood Community College registration for spring semester is now open for both new and continuing students.

Students will continue having the option of taking hybrid or fully online courses in Spring 2021. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 response, on-campus activities will be limited to primarily technical skills and lab-based courses.

The Computer-Integrated Machining program will start an evening cohort this spring. This program is a great fit for people who enjoy technology but also like to create and build things with their hands. HCC’s Information Technology program is available completely online. With more and more people working from home, a skilled Information Technology professional is behind the scenes to ensure programs are running smoothly and the risk of cyber-attacks are kept low.

For students planning to pursue a four-year degree, working from home during the pandemic is the best way to complete transfer requirements at a fraction of the cost. Instead of putting your degree on hold or taking a gap year, HCC offers classes to keep you on track so that when the time comes, credits will transfer to any college in the University of North Carolina System.

Most students qualify to receive tuition assistance through the HCC Foundation, in addition to federal financial aid programs. For more information about registration, visit www.haywood.edu or email hcc-advising@haywood.edu.

Canton’s ConMet now hiring

BY BOYD ALLSBROOK

C ONTRIBUTING WRITER

Before the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns gutted U.S. commerce back in March, the Canton Consolidated Metco manufacturing plant was thriving. This leading supplier of molded plastics for semi-trucks provided nearly 500 jobs for workers in Canton and the surrounding towns. Good manufacturing jobs are harder and harder to come by; that this international corporation would open a branch in Haywood was a major boost to the regional economy.

This all changed as the trucking industry slowed in the chaos of spring 2020. The Canton plant was forced to lay off 120 workers to combat significantly reduced demand for their product. “When we laid the employees off at the end of March that was 100 percent due to Covid,” said Everett Lynch, human resources director at ConMet in Canton. “We just didn’t have the orders because the truck plants were also down.”

Now, however, they’re ramping back up. In a world where online shopping has become the norm, parts for semi-trucks have never been in higher demand.

“If you think about Amazon, we make parts for every truck they have,” said Lynch. This resurgence in shipping has enabled ConMet to rehire every worker they laid off in the spring. “We’ve already brought all of them back,” Lynch said.

Even better, as the economy recovers by the day, ConMet has begun actively hiring new talent.

“Right now, we are in a position where we’re needing additional labor because of where the market’s at,” Lynch said. “We are direct hiring right now.”

This is excellent news for the local economy. Manufacturing jobs are solid indicators of economic health. As plants like ConMet rehire and grow, we can look to the mountains’ postCOVID market at large for recovery.

ConMet’s plant in Bryson City remains closed, however. After stripping the factory down to a skeleton crew in 2018, ConMet’s been largely silent on the future of the Bryson City location. Many one-time workers from Swain now commute to the Haywood County plant.

“We don’t have plans there [Bryson City] at the moment,” said Lynch. “We’re focusing in on Canton.”

Lynch encouraged anyone in search of a job to consider ConMet.

“I don’t think a lot of people know about us,” he said. “Right now, we’re just trying to get our name back out there. We’re an employee-owned company, we have our own stock, our benefits are super competitive. We are direct hiring, and we just want to be the key leader as far as places to work in Haywood county.”

David Francis, head of Haywood County’s economic development council, is excited about the implications of a resurgent ConMet.

“It’s great news for a fast recovery, great news for the town, great news for Haywood county,” he said.

Outcome still uncertain for Jackson’s District 4 race

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Election Day results showed Democrat Mark Jones edging Republican Mark Letson by a slim nine-vote margin in the race for the District 4 seat on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, but Jones’ victory is far from assured.

“I’m holding out hope that we find out on Friday (Nov. 13) that I won,” said Letson. Jones, meanwhile, has high hopes that he’ll retain his lead.

“I’ve got a nine-vote lead, and my gut tells me that the remaining ballots, if they come out 50-50, I’ll have a nine-vote win,” he said.

Among in-person voters, 336 people cast provisional ballots, votes that are set aside for later verification when there is a question about the voter’s eligibility to vote in the precinct where they show up. Election officials are now researching these ballots, and during the official canvass set to start at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, the Board of Elections will vote as to which ballots are legitimate and which are not.

Also still in play are the 75 absentee ballots received after the Election Day tally as of Monday, Nov. 9. More than 800 absentee ballots that were sent out for this election have yet to be returned, said Board of Elections Director Lisa Lovedahl, though she is not expecting anywhere near that number of votes to come back. To be counted, absentee ballots must arrive no later than Nov. 12 and be postmarked no later than Nov. 3.

“A lot of those just went ahead and voted in-person instead of returning the absentee ballots,” she explained.

It is likely that absentee votes will favor Jones, who received 72.3 percent of the 2,721 absentee votes counted on Election Day. Provisional ballots, meanwhile, will likely favor Letson, who received 65.2 percent of 3,631 in-person Election Day votes. Early votes cast in-person make up the largest share of the tally and were almost evenly distributed between the candidates, with Jones receiving 49.6 percent and Letson 50.4 percent of the 14,387 votes.

Lovedahl said there should be no issues with the validity of the absentee ballots, but there’s no way to tell how many of the 336 provisional ballots will be accepted until staff research them.

If the votes are still within 1 percent of each other after canvass, the losing candidate has until 5 p.m. the next business day — which in this case would be Monday, Nov. 16 — to request a recount.

Letson said that he expects a recount regardless of the outcome.

“Even if it was flipped the other way, I would hope Mark (Jones) would want to do a recount as well,” he said. “Depending on the canvass results, I should probably go ahead and say I will have a recount.”

“If they (the Board of Elections) said there could be a margin of error, I would have to entertain the idea, and I expect my opponent would too,” Jones agreed.

If a recount is requested, it would likely occur on Wednesday, Nov. 18, said Lovedahl. However, if the large ballot scanner the board has requested from the state is not available on that day, the recount might be held on a different date.

“We’ve already put in a request for one of those, so it should not take as long as the process of having to put back all of those 21,000 ballots we have right now,” she said.

Voter turnout was much higher this year than the 66.98 percent of 28,195 registered voters who turned out in 2016, with turnout this time around coming in at 72.07 percent of 29,593 registered voters.

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Judy Hughes of Franklin is the new Colony Governor for The Society of Mayflower Descendants of WNC. Donated photo

Mayflower anniversary celebrated

Families observing Thanksgiving this month will be following a tradition that arose several hundred years ago from events in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The “First Thanksgiving” took place in the fall of 1621 as Pilgrims celebrated their successful first harvest with local Native Americans.

The Pilgrims, who were seeking a place where they could worship freely, traveled to the New World aboard the British ship Mayflower. The 66-day voyage from Plymouth, England, was grueling and the weather they encountered was harsh. Fortyfive of the 102 passengers aboard the ship died in the first winter.

Nov. 21, 2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the landing of the ship Mayflower.

WCU celebrates Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month and events adhering to pandemic protocols have been scheduled for Western Carolina University.

Many of the events will be held virtually, with the recognition intended to provide a platform for native peoples to share traditional culture, music, crafts, dance and concepts of life, as well as raise awareness of their history and challenges. The monthlong activities are sponsored by the Cherokee Center, Cherokee Studies Program, Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Programs, Intercultural Affairs Department and Digali’i i Native American Student Organization.

“This month is an important opportunity to share our cultural values and recognize our place within regional history and the campus

On that day, 41 of the men onboard the ship signed the Mayflower Compact consenting to live under a mutually established civil government. That agreement was the first attempt at self-government in the New World and it laid the basis for both the U. S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

The Society of Mayflower Descendants in WNC is recognizing the 400th anniversary by gifting books about the Mayflower journey and the First Thanksgiving to select libraries in WNC. Judy Hughes of Franklin is the new Colony Governor for WNC. People who think they may be descended from a Pilgrim can contact themayflowersociety.org for help in preparing a genealogy.

community,” said Sky Sampson, director of the Cherokee Center, the university’s office for tribal outreach and partnership development, with a broad range of services, including college applications and alumni engagement.

“This year, many of the events that traditionally involve gatherings of people will still occur, only in social media and online platforms, or in safe, limited capacity settings.”

Throughout November, WCU will host

“The Art of Native Photography Exhibit” in the Intercultural Affairs gallery in the A.K. Hinds University Center. Other scheduled activities include Tribal Identity in Public Settings panel discussion, 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, on Facebook Live and a Native American Heritage Festival, as a social media event, Tuesday, Nov. 17.

WCU’s Cherokee Center is located at 1594 Acquoni Road, Cherokee, and is the headquarters for communication between WCU and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

For more information, contact Sampson at snsampson@wcu.edu or 828.497.7920.

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Finding a way past the divide

Can we bridge the divide? That’s the most fundamental question facing us as Americans as we sort out the postmortem of the 2020 election. Is there a way forward that will forge a common bond as Americans that will be more fundamental to our personal identity than political ideology? It won’t happen easily. No, I feel certain that in the short term the landscape will be littered with the wreckage from retribution, pride, fear, ignorance, accusations, etc. A long election season is dragging on, and too many of the major players are too entrenched in their distrust of the other side.

But there’s hope. How about this — a record 148 million Americans voted in this presidential election. The percentage turnout — remember, votes are still being counted — was the highest in 120 years. It is likely to be the highest ever. There was increased turnout among the young, among communities of color and among those with college degrees. Whether they voted for someone or came out to vote against someone, there’s reason to be encouraged that Americans are, at the very least, engaged in what’s happening in this country. There’s one aspect of my childhood that I’ve always appreciated. I grew up in integrated military communities. There were families of color and families from up North and out West, families with moms from all over the world. Once I was 10 and we moved to a civilian neighborhood on the doorstep of Ft. Bragg that was also dominated by military families. I once again was living in an integrated neighborhood and an integrated school with bi-racial kids (again, it was mostly servicemen with moms from overseas places like Vietnam, Italy, Germany, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, etc.). This was the 1970s in the South, and such neighborhoods were rare.

The common bond was service to country. These families came from varying racial, cultural and political backgrounds, but there was the sense of duty, honor and brotherhood that was much more important than political ideology, skin color, or whatever. Those ideals were imparted to us, the children. At least that’s what my parents taught me and what still resonates.

Like many who study our culture, I would argue that some kind of national service is one of the missing links in creating a common American identity. What if we required high

school or college graduates to do 24 months in rural and urban communities helping public schools, working for the U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Park Service, providing child care, helping the elderly, building roads and bridges and other infrastructure and pay them a nominal wage or paid for college? We’d save taxpayer dollars and create spaces where young people interacted with those completely different from them.

Imagine a young woman from Swain County High School who grew up in Alarka working in a public school alongside a young Black man from inner-city Chicago who grew up in the projects. How about a young man from Laurel Ridge in Waynesville helping dig a fire line in California while working with the U.S. Forest Service with a young woman who was raised by a single-father ranch hand in rural Montana? Linking people from those backgrounds sounds almost ludicrous in the country we live in. If it happened, would they perhaps discover that they have much more in common as human beings than they have to argue about over political stereotypes?

It’s not as if those who support this kind of national service are expecting a miracle, it’s just a realization that something fundamental may be missing in our civic and cultural understanding of other Americans. Any casual observer of history can look at what World War I and World War II did to forge what we now understand as our American identity. Those serving overseas and those making sacrifices at home shared in accomplishing something bigger than themselves, more important than their politics. Of course, the lens of nostalgia blurs some of the racial and social wrongs of past eras, but there’s no doubt the 20th century saw the rise of the American ideal.

Bodrum, on the Aegean coast of Turkey, to Istanbul. It was a painfully slow passage with stops where there was no station and a porter would step off the train to pick up a bag of vegetables and leave a bag of mail. We were backpacking in Europe, and at one station we were the only travelers in a room filled with young, seemingly rural conscripts of the Turkish military, all in new uniforms. A few spoke broken English, and they were shocked to learn that America had no military draft and no kind national service and that I had never served. I was 27. We laughed and shared each other’s company while we waited to board, but the memory stuck. Perhaps we can never recapture that elusive America that

previously captivated the imaginations of almost every person and group in the world who struggled to be free and shake off the yoke of oppression. Instead of looking back, we need to move forward. The fear is that instead of moving forward, we will remain stuck in this divide.

In the late 1980s my wife, Lori, and I were on a train from

Is a $16.4 million jail a good idea?

The Haywood County Commissioners have decided to move forward with a long-term plan to expand the existing jail at the cost of $16.4 million dollars with an added 145 new beds.

It is incredibly frustrating that our commissioners are more than willing to greenlight millions for incarceration but flat out refuse to discuss harm reduction, homelessness or treatment programs for community members. As a matter of fact, a former commissioner who is now a state representative made it his mission to degrade anyone who inquired about these issues.

Time and time again, studies refute the idea that stiffer prison sentences deter drug use, distribution or other drug law violations. Investing in jails and incarceration brings high cost and low returns.

One-third of drug offenders who leave federal prison and undergo some type of community supervision commit new crimes or violate their probation. Top-level actors such as traffickers and high-level suppliers account for about 11 percent of the population in prisons. The rest are low-level offenders like street dealers who are rapidly replaced as soon as they’re arrested. We’re in the midst of an ongoing drug epidemic. For more than a decade, we’ve seen opioids and methamphetamine sweep our county. Policy makers need to start address-

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

ing the drug issues with more progressive and sensible approaches. The War on Drugs has cost us billions — and we’re in worse shape now than we were 40 years ago. Have arrests and revolving court doors knocked a dent in Western North Carolina’s drug problem? Not at all. Everyday we’ve got people overdosing and dying — so much in fact Haywood County displays a lovely sign at a busy intersection informing us of monthly overdose rates.

Research shows us that the most effective response to drug abuse is a combination of law enforcement reducing trafficking and staying on top of community policing so that new markets don’t pop up. Our judicial system needs alternative sentencing to divert nonviolent drug offenders from costly imprisonment. We need harm reduction and treat-

ment to reduce dependency and recidivism. If you want to funnel money to law enforcement then do it wisely. Train law enforcement officers in overdose prevention and community policing in neighborhoods with emerging drug activity. Instead of dismissing community organizations, our county commissioners should be working with those organizations to dismantle street markets. When users and dealers are offered other alternatives, more than half tend to relent and seek help. Drug courts and community supervision are much more effective when it comes to taxpayer money.

An estimated 22 million Americans needed substance-use treatment in 2015, but only about 1 in 10 received it. Imagine if our county commissioners were as gung-ho to invest in harm reduction, drug treat-

ment programs, fund mental health, build a homeless shelter and put efforts into economic development.

Substance abuse is more common among those living in poverty. Poverty does not cause drug addiction. However, substance abuse is more of a byproduct of the lifestyle led by people of limited financial means. A neglectful single mother who is out of work may drown her sorrows in a bottle or pop a few pain pills everyday. This may pass onto a child who views this as normal and also begins coping with life’s problems the same way.

As long as Haywood County’s economic development plans include low-paying retail and hospitality jobs, we’ll continue to see a rise in substance abuse. I’d rather that $16 million be used to lure some kind of industry here that’ll create living wage jobs. Makes more sense than building a bigger jail.

Mental health is one of the biggest risk factors documented for substance abuse. Approximately 29 percent of all people diagnosed with a mental health disorder also abuse drugs or alcohol. Considering mental illness affects 43.7 million Americans, that’s a lot of people dealing with co-occurring issues. Yet Haywood County has a limited amount of mental health treatment available — even for those who have health insurance.

The concepts of “enabling,” “rock bottom,” and other punitive approaches toward addiction are mainstays of the 12 step programs that continue to dominate

recovery culture despite having zero scientific evidence to back it up. Incarceration is highly traumatic and embedded with both short- and long-term negative consequences. In the long term, convictions, especially felonies, can follow people for years after their release from jail or prison. People with felony drug convictions face difficulties renting homes, gaining employment, and even accessing public benefits.

I understand governments are making incredibly difficult decisions about the allocation of resources every day, but it is imperative that we use the evidence available to safeguard harm reduction funding. Harm reduction interventions are both cost-effective and cost-saving in the longer term, unlike incarceration.

If only we lived in a world where fervor and zeal were directed at programs actually serving people rather than those that further destroy lives. We can’t arrest our way out of a drug crisis. Ironically, law enforcement and the judicial system can compel addicts to attend treatment but medical professionals can’t. Addiction is a public health issue! Please start addressing it as such. If there is a growing crime problem in our community, then we need to take steps to identify the underlying causes. This “band aid” solution in covering up the issues and hoping they fix themselves is not working. Please use our tax dollars responsibly! According to Einstein, insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.

See that love, rise like a river

A conversation with G. Love

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF W RITER

For the better part of the last 30 years, G. Love (aka: Garrett Dutton) has been radiating his message of “peace, love and happiness” from behind a microphone atop stages across the country and around the world.

His unique blend of blues, folk, hip-hop and rock music was groundbreaking when Dutton and his band, Special Sauce, first appeared on the northeast music scene in the early 1990s. Raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and coming of age as a young, hungry performer in Boston, Massachusetts, Dutton is now regarded as a touchstone for multiple generations of music lovers.

In essence, he’s become this melodic bridge that connects the 1940s blues, 1950s rock-n-roll, 1960s folk, 1970s soul, and 1980s hip-hop, onward into a 21st century landscape

of unlimited sonic possibilities — something Dutton has been on the cutting edge of since day one.

The Smoky Mountain News recently caught up with G. Love while he was working on his homestead in the countryside of Eastern Massachusetts, within earshot of the mighty Atlantic Ocean.

Smoky Mountain News: I know 2020 has been crazy for everybody, but how are you doing?

Garrett Dutton: We’re doing really well. I’m just in the yard right now doing my chores because we’ve got some chickens and goats. [Laughs]. In the springtime, we got off tour and we were kind of hunkering down. So, we got 12 chickens. Along the way, we had a private gig at someone else’s little farm and they had a rooster, now we got dumped with the rooster. He’s a mean one. [Laughs].

Then we got three goats — Molly, Truffle, and Honey. We got a puppy. And we had a baby, little Garrett, last February before all this mess. So, all in all, despite the business side of

Want to go?

Acclaimed singer-songwriter G. Love will host an intimate solo performance at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Salvage Station in Asheville.

The show will take place on the outside stage. All social distance and Covid safety protocol will be encouraged and enforced.

Tickets are $39.50. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on www.salvagestation.com.

things [in the music industry], it has really been [this] happy personal time.

SMN: With what you’ve been up to on your property and in your personal life, you’re really trying to seek out silver linings in all of this…

GD: Yeah. I mean, that’s it, man. This whole thing has been about trying to find silver linings. This whole thing’s been about trying to be fluid and find different ways of approaching

whatever business you’re in or just lifestyle. Different ways of approaching things because we all got to work, we all got to eat.

And you can’t just like sit around, especially in the music business. It’s really tough. For me, I can go do private socially distant [solo] shows at people’s houses. I can show up at a small pop-up show or a house party and keep my music going, keep food on the table.

Even in my small world [of G. Love & Special Sauce], we’re a small business. We got two guys in the office, three crew guys and [three band members]. [When the music industry shutdown], everyone was out of work, you know what I mean? Some of the guys are finding different ways to keep income rolling in and some of the guys are struggling. It’s really interesting like that across the board.

SMN: You’ve been touring rigorously for almost 30 years, somewhere around 100 to 150 shows each year. With the shutdown, what surprised you the most?

GD: If you’re a family person, it’s been nice to actually catch your breath, [all of us musicians and performers] that have been grinding it for years. And no matter whether you’re having a moment or not [in the music industry], it’s like the Neil Young song, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.”

After you’ve been doing this for 10, 20 or 30 years, you realize, “Hey, we’re basically just riding around in circles.” You know, you’re making money and you’re making people happy. You’re inspiring people with the music, and to be onstage every night is such a great gift.

But, you sacrifice a lot of just simple things — being at home and waking up in bed with your wife and your kids, driving your kids to school, and just being there. That’s the biggest silver lining — being home with my family right now. And I’ve got to tell you, it feels so good that it’s scary. I mean, I can’t imagine going back on a road so hard right now or anytime soon.

SMN: As a music journalist, people say to me, “You’ve traveled all over and had so many crazy experiences.” Yes, I have. And I don’t regret them. But, at the same time, I’ve missed a lot of birthday, anniversaries and weddings.

GD: Oh yeah. Right? Like how many weddings did you miss? Everyone’s wedding. I felt so bad asking people to come to my wedding because I missed everybody else’s wedding. [Laughs].

SMN: But, for someone like yourself who’s been touring for so long, it probably really brings back this real justification of why you like performing…

GD: Yeah. My goal when performing and doing shows has always been to make people happy and inspire them. That’s what I say to myself before I go onstage. That’s what I’m trying to do. And that’s a beautiful thing — that’s still how I feel.

I always love to play for people and I love that feeling of being onstage — just to feel the power of the music and the inspiration. It’s a great gift to be able to give that to people, you know?

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Kathy and Frank, 2020.

Haywood County to soak in the last of the year’s warmth.

My mother will stroll Main Street Waynesville and check out the shops, my father hitting the links at the local golf courses. Sometimes my mom will grab her golf clubs, too, and join him.

Other times, she’d rather grab a margarita with me and take the moment to catch up with whatever is currently going on in our respective lives. And, later on, my dad will circle back and meet up with us for dinner and drinks, a time of laughter amid the retelling of old tales for the thousandth time being the constant theme of the evening.

And it’s always been that way with my folks — easygoing and freeflowin’. I count myself one of the lucky ones who grew up and became sincere friends with my parents as I entered adulthood. We’ve pretty much always been on the same page and gotten along, even when I was a rebellious teenager (though I still am in many respects).

Kathy and Frank met in Plattsburgh, New York, in the early 1970s. He was a 30-year-old bachelor, drifting between random gigs as a construction worker, repo man and such following a stint in the U.S. Army in the 1960s. At that time, he had gone back to college at nearby Plattsburgh State.

house in my hometown (Rouses Point, New York), all while acquiring several dogs, cats and a horse along the way.

Eventually, Frank got a job as an immigration officer on the Canadian Border, Kathy putting down roots at Northeastern Clinton Central School. By the mid-1980s, I had come onto the scene, with my little sister just about two years after that. We lived in an old limestone farmhouse and continued on with our lives in whatever trajectory the universe saw fit for each of us.

Like with any marriage, there are good years and bad years. Luckily, for my folks, the good years always outweighed and outnumbered the not so good ones. Now in their golden years, they’ve landed on this steady plain of existence, where both still grow and evolve as curious human beings, but always alongside one another.

It’s now Tuesday morning. I’ll be meeting up with Kathy and Frank soon for

Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is

Ijust right

t was during the third sip of my second glass of wine that I decided to splurge. As a minimalist, in terms of materialistic things, I choose to spend my money on good food, drink and experiences. Thus, it was a time to celebrate, so why not purchase the $89 bottle of champagne, eh?

Screw it. I mean, it was my parents 48th wedding anniversary. Let’s do it up. When else would I be able to throw down on some quality bubbly in 2020, this haphazard year of chaos and confusion, right?

Seated in the depths of The Classic Wineseller in downtown Waynesville last Saturday evening, it was my parents and myself, as well as two of my best friends of all time and space. The table soon became filled with several wine glasses and halfempty bottles enjoyed with gusto.

Entering their 48th go-‘round of holy matrimony, my folks, Kathy and Frank, always seem to find themselves in Western North Carolina to mark the occasion every first week or so in November (their official anniversary is Nov. 4, 1972).

Seeing as it’s usually pretty cold, and perhaps snowing, back up at their 1840s farmhouse in my native Upstate New York this time of year, my parents, like clockwork, will hop in the car and cruise down to

My mother was fresh out of college at P-State and just starting her first year as a special education teacher in a local school district. Kathy was 23 when she crossed paths with Frank at The Bistro, a now-defunct bar in Plattsburgh where a wide-range of Plattsburgh social circles would congregate back then.

Kathy and Frank had a mutual friend, Debbie, who also taught with my mom. She tried to play matchmaker and walked over to my dad at The Bistro that night. He was a pool hustler in those days and had no interest meeting a girl right then and there. But, Debbie persisted, grabbing my dad by the collar away from the table and pulling him to Kathy.

As my father still says to this day, “Well, that was it,” when recalling the first time he met my mother. They dated briefly and were married in 1972. From there, they bought a

breakfast at the Waynesville Country Club before they hit the road back to Upstate New York. Though I won’t be able to get back home for Thanksgiving, I will surely be arriving on their doorstop for Christmas, a time of laughter amid the retelling of old tales for the thousandth time. And, for that, I’m grateful.

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

On the street

New Waynesville art studio

Do you want to make a crafty project with friends, but don’t have the materials, space or know-how? CRE828, a new workshop and studio in Waynesville, will allow you to do just that.

CRE828 is a place where you can attend a CRE8 workshop and make a project — all materials provided, no artistic talent required. Bring your drinks and have fun creating.

Pam Smith, a local attorney and instructor at Southwestern Community College, along with Dawn Harrison, a fellow instructor at SCC, have combined talents to bring you CRE828.

When they met, Harrison had an art studio and an online shop, while Smith wanted a workshop. They became good friends and put their ideas together.

‘Reimagining Bartram’

Smith’s workshops consist of sign-painting, book stack, bead garland and plant stands, with more added regularly. There are over 100 designs offered. From welcome signs for your front door to a personalized seasonal or mason jar sign — the possibilities are endless.

Harrison’s workshops consist of jewelry and bead making; alcohol inks and acrylic pours, mixed-media, and more. She has been a craft show vendor for years, but that took too much time away from her small farm in Clyde. She always wanted her own shop, and once she met Smith this became a reality.

If you don’t want to create your own, the crafters of CRE828 have a gift shop with ready-to-go items for all occasions. Don’t see what you want? They can personalize that perfect gift just for you.

CRE828 is located at 1283 Asheville Road in Waynesville. 828.283.0523 or www.CRE828.com.

Several artists have been reimagining 18th century explorer William Bartram’s artwork: what he saw and wrote about while visiting this area. Art inspired by Bartram will be spread out in the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The art will be displayed in the Meeting Room and the Living Room areas in order to encourage social distancing while viewing the art. The works will be showcased in the library throughout the months of November and December, then will move to the Highlands Biological Station & Nature Center next year.

You can call the library for an appointment from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please remember that masks are required to be worn in the library at all times.

For more information, call 828.524.3600.

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. www.balsamfallsbrewing.com.

• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.elevatedmountain.com.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Good Bonez Nov. 14. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Anna Victoria Nov. 14 and Open Mic Night Nov. 19. All shows begin at 7 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Sly Sparrow Nov. 13 and WoolyBooger Nov. 20. All shows begin at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a drive-in concert series with Keller Williams & Friends (jam/acoustic) Nov. 13 and St. Paul & The Broken Bones (soul/rock) Nov. 19. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by

Maggie Valley welcomes soul act

Acclaimed rock/soul sensation St. Paul & The Broken Bones will perform on Thursday, Nov. 19, at The Ghost Town in the Sky parking lot in Maggie Valley. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Social distancing and safety protocols will be enforced.

Based out of Alabama, St. Paul & The Broken Bones formed in 2012, releasing their debut album “Half the City” in 2014 and its follow up, 2016’s “Sea of Noise,” to much acclaim. Those strong efforts helped place them on the national scene, and the band worked hard to prove they were no mere retro-soul band — from touring the world relentlessly, including being selected to open for The Rolling Stones and headlining two nights at the Ryman Auditorium, to TV appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan, Austin City Limits and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

Cashiers’ ‘Elevated Wines Weekend’

www.highlandswineshoppe.com/events, call 828.526.4080 or email director@cashiersgreen.com.

The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

ALSO:

• A cooking class will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the McKinley Edwards Inn in Bryson City. Titled the “San Francisco Treats Cooking Class,” they will share what they’ve prepared at the conclusion of each class, to which Bryson City Wine Market will pair each dish with the perfect wines. Menu includes clam chowder, garlic noodles, dukka spiced salmon patties, and fried quinoa salad. To RSVP, call 828.488.9626.

• There will be a free wine tasting from 2 to 5 p.m every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

• The annual “Polar Express” train ride is now departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot in downtown Bryson City. For a complete listing of departure dates and times, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

The Elevated Wines Weekend will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Village Green Commons Amphitheater in Cashiers.

This wine tasting event is designed to appeal to both the true oenophile or just someone who enjoys exploring wine. More than 80 wines will be available to taste and will be paired with small bites.

The 20 featured winemakers and vineyard owners from Napa Valley will introduce their wines and share their unique winemaking process and philosophy. The wines average $35 per bottle and a portion of proceeds from wine sales benefits The Village Green, the 13-acre privately conserved park for public enjoyment.

Tickets are $150 for general admission, $100 for local residents of Jackson and Macon County, and a special $50 ticket for anyone in the Cashiers service industry, such as first responders or hospitality and tourism employees.

To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbee.com/v/elevatedwines/ boxoffice. Tickets will also be available on the day of the event.

All North Carolina COVID-19 regulations will be followed and the event is open air. Face coverings and hand sanitizer will be provided. Designated drivers will be available. For additional information, visit

‘It’s a Small, Small Work’ exhibit

The Haywood County Arts Council annual show, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will be showcased through Jan. 9 at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville.

The 2020 exhibit will feature 47 artists and almost 300 individual works of art for sale. The show provides a unique opportunity for budding artists to exhibit their work, as well as the opportunity for more seasoned artists to test their boundaries.

All pieces submitted are exactly 12” or smaller in every dimension, including base, matting, and frame. All artwork is for sale, priced at $300 or less, and must have been created in the last two years. Commission will be the gallery’s usual 60 percent (artist) to 40 percent (HCAC) split.

The Haywood County Arts Council’s small work show was launched in 2008 to demonstrate that original artwork is affordable and fun. Most businesses, homes and apartments can accommodate smaller works of art — and the show promotes buying local and regional work to help support artists in Western North Carolina.

For more information, www.haywoodarts.org or 828.452.0593.

A voice of his own: the stories of Ed Stansell

So you’re a reader, a lover of books and the printed word, and if the pandemic permits, you visit your library or local bookstore, and browse the shelves. Or maybe a friend hands you a book and says, “I think you might like this one,” though the last one she gave you sits untouched on the nightstand.

You pick up a book in the store or the library, or open the book your friend gave you, read a few lines, then a few more, and then, engrossed in the prose, you move blindly to the nearest chair and keep drinking in the words, enthralled by this unfamiliar voice speaking to you, bringing you a smile, touching your heart, and making you pause every once in a while to delight in the rhythm of a particular sentence.

This was my experience when I read the short stories of Tennessee writer Edward Stansell.

In his three short collections — Philadelphia and Points South, Happenstance, and Sweet Tea and Cicadas, all published by Grey Goose Press in 2020 — Stansell brings us an array of believable but often eccentric characters embattled by circumstances and trying to pick their way through certain difficult situations. That description may sound grim, but Stansell leavens his tales with a sense of irony and humor.

In Philadelphia and Points South, for example, we find “Enforcing Murphy’s Law: A True Story,” an account by a man hired to drive a dilapidated old fire truck from the southwestern hill country of North Carolina to Delaware:

“When I neared the truck, I could see that the rubber tires were cracked, the paint was severely weathered, and the chrome was pockmarked with rust. It looked as though it had sat there for decades. I got the feeling that it had become home for many mice and other assorted vermin.”

After finally getting the fire truck started, the narrator is nearly killed by a monster on wheels as he travels through the hills to the expressway. When he finally reaches I-77, “I felt like I stood with the gates of hell at my back, looking out at the Promised Land that lay before me.”

But his ordeal has only begun. After a series of mishaps, the truck finally breaks down in Virginia, and our narrator calls a tow truck. His ordeal has left him with gratification for the comforts of civilization he finds in his rescuer: “I climbed into the cab. The seat was soft and it was warm. The myr-

iad of lights and gauges was as cheerful as a Christmas tree. I couldn’t have felt cozier in my robe and slippers before a crackling fire.”

Though the fire truck finally arrives via tow truck in New Jersey, the narrator remarks, “I don’t know what ever happened to that damned fire truck and I really don’t care. The only wisdom I can gather from that ordeal is, that’s it’s an ill wind that blows nobody good.”

When I read “Enforcing Murphy’s Law,” I thought of another adage: No good deed goes unpunished.

One of my personal favorites from these collections is “The Tigress” in Sweet Tea and Cicadas. Here again we meet a first-person narrator, a garrulous man in a wheelchair — he was injured playing high school football — who tells us and a listener the story of the Raveneau family who live across the street. Paul Raveneau is “modest, friendly, and generous,” and his sister Cynthia is a “butterfly, flittin’ here and there, saying howdy to this one, jokin’ with that one. I truly believe everybody loves her.”

The Tigress is the oldest sister, Julianne.

A violent, willful woman — at one point she sets fire to her cheating boyfriend — she has inherited her wealthy father’s arrogance and contempt for other human beings. When her brother, an artist left a hunchback from an accident in childhood that Julianne helped cause, finds a woman he loves and who loves him, Julianne nearly destroys that relationship by accusing his fiancée of marrying for money.

Suffice it to say that Julianne comes to a fitting bad end.

“The Tigress” brought to mind a young woman I once knew, the assistant manager of the bookshop where I worked. Like Julianne, this woman was beautiful, but she was also cruel to others and from time to time stole money and books from the store. Whenever I entered that store to begin my workday, I could feel a chill in the air emanating from her.

Stansell tells this story of the Raveneaus in a conversation with a man on his porch. He does a fine job here with dialect and colloquialism, and we feel as if his character is talking directly to us.

In his “About The Author” at the end of these books, Stansell writes “I have found that far too many interesting ideas and experiences have been crammed into a single life, so they frequently need to seek escape by means of pen and ink. However, I have corralled them into paragraphs, and now they live in these pages. If they happen to also be thought provoking or entertaining, all the better.”

One minor point: some of the stories contain errors in punctuation and grammar. Otherwise, read and enjoy!

(Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust On Their Wings, and two works of nonfiction, Learning As I Go and Movies Make the Man minick0301@gmail.com)

Moment to shine

Outdoor economy conference focuses on widening the base

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

In the wake of COVID-19, 2020 has been a banner year for the outdoor recreation economy, and throughout the month of October the third annual Outdoor Economy Conference focused its lens on making the most of this moment.

“What we have to do as an industry, and as an outdoor economy, as a region, is to not lose that — don’t miss that opportunity,” said conference organizer Noah Wilson, director of sector development for Mountain BizWorks. “That was that was definitely an intentional theme of the conference.”

Due to the pandemic, this year’s conference was held virtually, with four-hour sessions offered each Thursday during the month of October. Each of the five sessions had a different theme, but through all the speakers and panels presented over the course of the month, two overarching ideas emerged: encouraging diversity and new users in the outdoors will be key to growing the industry, and partnerships are vital to success within communities.

“Diversity is a growth driver for the industry if we do it right,” said Wilson, “and you need to weave it into everything you do.”

Catch the conference

REACHING THE OTHER HALF

During the Oct. 22 session, Outdoor Foundation Executive Director Lise Aageenbrug gave a talk titled “The Other 50 percent: Why Half of America Isn’t Going Outside, and the Business Case for Reversing that Trend.”

Every year, the Outdoor Foundation releases a report examining trends in outdoor recreation participation, examining everything from preferred pastimes to frequency of use to variations based on age, race and gender. In 2018, the most recent year for which analysis is available, the share of people who participated in outdoor recreation at least once jumped over the 50 percent mark for in the last decade. Between 2008 and 2017, the number had wavered in the high 40s.

However, despite the uptick in base-line participation levels, fewer people are going outside on a consistent basis. In 2018, the total number of outdoor outings represented a 6.5 percent drop over the past three years, and kids in particular went on 15 percent fewer outings in 2018 than they did in 2012. The number of people who recreate outside at least 10 times per year has fallen every year since 2015.

COVID-19 gives outdoor businesses a chance to reverse this trend — and to reap the financial benefits of doing so.

“We know the benefits of getting outside. There’s more and more data every day that talks about this. There’s a health and wellness benefit, social and emotional learning academic benefits, community connection,” said Aageenbrug. “And it also speaks to the future of our parks, trails and public lands, as well as it being a business imperative.”

She made the case that too often, outdoors organizations and nonprofits focus on getting kids outside for a blockbuster, once-in-a-lifetime experience designed to make them fall in love with the outdoors forever and amen — when really these organizations would do better to focus their efforts on repeat, positive experiences close to home.

“What forms habits are repetition of activities, and the need to include fun and joy as well as learning,” she said. “If it’s all learning all the time with no fun, no joy, it’s not likely to become a habit.”

Social connection is especially important for kids, she said, who are more likely to remember their early outdoor experiences in terms of how they did it with rather than in terms of what exactly they did. That same Outdoor Foundation survey found that 63 percent of Americans recreate within 10 miles of their home, so from that standpoint it’s vital to work with trusted local organizations who know the community and are connected to its people, enabling them to offer accessible experiences close to home.

body else invites them along; and intentional users, who go outside and make specific proactive plans to do so.

“Most people of color fall into the nonintentional non-users category,” Thomas said. They don’t venture outside because they haven’t been invited.

To underscore his point, he showed a video showing nine teenagers of color who were on their 18th day of a 26-day wilderness adventure. They’d been asked to use one word or sentence to explain what kept them from going into the wilderness previously. Answers included “lack of knowledge,” “motivation,”

Though centered in Western North Carolina, the third annual Outdoor Economy Conference drew participants from all over the nation and the world. Donated image

“getting out of your comfort zone,” “transportation,” “not knowing it was out there” and other responses along those same lines.

Perhaps the greatest potential area for growth in outdoor participation comes from the minority population.

According to the 2018 Outdoor Foundation report, 73.7 percent of outdoor recreation participants are Caucasian, significantly more than their 60.1 percent share of the overall U.S population according to 2019 U.S Census Bureau estimates. The population of participants also skews male, at 53.9 percent compared to 49.2 percent of the total U.S. population. While female and minority participation has increased over recent years, these populations are still underrepresented.

PLAN FOR DIVERSITY

However, lack of participation among people of color is not due to disinterest, Outward Bound Adventures Executive Director Charles Thomas Jr. said during an Oct. 8 presentation titled “The Case for Engaging BIPOC in the Outdoors.”

Academically speaking, people can be divided into four different groups in relation to their use of the outdoors. There are intentional non-users, who don’t go outside and don’t want to; non-intentional non-users, who don’t go outside because they haven’t had the opportunity or don’t know how; non-intentional users, who go outside because some-

“If you design a program that meets those barriers, especially about getting out of your comfort zone and lack of exposure, you’re sure to get more folks of color and urban folks that have not historically gone out,” Thomas said.

The “cycle of outdoor homogeneity” has in the past discouraged people of color from pursuing outdoor recreation, he added. The stereotype of the outdoor enthusiast tends to be white, and so it’s easy for people of color to be absent from outdoor spaces when no one expects them to be there — and especially so when they do show up to find that nobody there looks like them.

“It’s not easy for us to show up if no one looks like you,” he said. “There’s an element of fear. Am I safe? Should I be out there?”

There’s a definite economic incentive for outdoor businesses to help quell those uncertainties, he said. In 2019, Americans spent $887 billion on outdoor recreation — as more minorities discover the outdoors, that number will surely grow.

“Nature is good medication, and especially urban folks, especially inner-city folks need to get out and be outdoors,” said Thomas. “Every study that you can find is going to show you how it improves their behavior, it improves their outlook on life.”

However, change is needed to bring those benefits to minority pop-

Drive-thru Winter Lights

The annual Winter Lights event at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville opens Friday, Nov. 20, but due to COVID-19 it will be a drive-thru experience this time around.

Guests will navigate through a 1-mile stretch of the Arboretum’s campus to see unique exhibits covered in thousands of lights. As part of the show’s redesign, visitors will enjoy several new nature-themed displays, including winter wildlife, colorful butterflies, a special insect lantern exhibit and a giant daisy “garden.”

Upon arrival, guests will select a special radio station that features the sounds of their favorite holiday tunes to accompany the show from inside their vehicle.

To better accommodate guests, the Arboretum has extended show dates and times, with the event running daily 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. from Nov. 20 to Jan. 10, 2021. Incoming gates close at 10 p.m.

When purchased in advance, tickets are $25

Noah’s top five

With more than 20 hours of content, there’s a lot to sift through on the conference archives. Here are some of organizer Noah Wilson’s favorites:

n Making the Case for Healthcare Investments in Outdoor Recreation. Dr. Nooshin Razani.

n Outdoor Businesses Reinventing Their Place. Panel with outdoor business owners moderated by Amy Allison.

n How to Build an Outdoor Community. Ray Raskar.

n Data-Driven Development. Dan Twilley and Dawn McCarthy.

n The Case for Engaging BIPOC in the Outdoors. Charles Thomas

per vehicle and $30 at the gate. Rates are higher for commercial vans and coaches. Arboretum Society members receive a $3 discount, and discounted pricing is available on Tuesdays. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 1 at ncwinterlights.com.

Proceeds directly support the Arboretum’s mission-driven programming. ulations.

“Let’s be honest — the outdoor industry is the most segregated industry in the world,” said Earle Hunter, founder and president of Black Folks Camp Too. “If that’s the case, the folks that are in the industry, that are in the lifestyle, are going to have to want to change it.”

Change will require intentional effort to reach out to people who might not feel comfortable or welcome in the outdoor community. Conference speakers encouraged hiring people who might not have the hard skills yet but are teachable and kind and partnering with community organizations who work with minority communities. They encouraged white outdoors enthusiasts to invite their non-white friends along for their adventures — and, if they don’t have any non-white friends, to make some.

“A statement or announcement of a stand on diversity is not a plan,” Thomas said. “A plan is a plan.”

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS

This work is bigger than any individual person, business or organization, which is

why the importance of partnerships in the outdoor community emerged as nonplanned theme of the conference.

“The only way we get these big things done is partnerships,” said Wilson. “That was not intentional. I didn’t think when I started planning the conference that would be one of the big themes. But I think what we saw was that naturally emerged. When we started asking people what are their biggest innovators doing in the outdoor space; what’s happening around diversity, equity and inclusion; or how are we addressing health within the outdoors; what are we doing to get kids outside more to build local communities that are outdoors focused — it just kept coming up.”

Whether it was David Bilstrom of Kitsbow Cycling talking about the trail work and community outreach his company was doing or Aageenbrug discussing the importance of partnering with local organizations to achieve national goals, themes of partnership and care for place pervaded the conference.

“The first thing we did is listen, because I’m not from here,” Bilstrom, who recently relocated his business from California to Old Fort, said of his approach to community partnerships.

Over the course of the month-long event, 415 people from 31 states and five countries attended the webinars and chimed in on the discussion boards. While there was definitely a hub of participation centered on Western North Carolina and the surrounding area, there were also clusters in the mountain west, as well as up and down the entire East Coast. The conference even drew in an attendee from Australia who said the issues highlighted in the agenda lined up directly with the issues he faced in his own community.

“We’re the East Coat’s recreation hub, and this cements our reputation,” said Wilson. “Not only do we say it, we do it. We’re convening discussions that the entire world’s sitting in for because we’re the people who are doing the work.”

Three Course Thanksgiving Dinner

Thursday, November 26, 2020 – 12:00-6:00PM

TO BEGIN WITH… Holiday House Salad

Spring Mix with Dried Cranberries, Candied Pecans, Julienne Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Red Onion

ENTRÉE

Traditional Roasted Turkey Breast with Giblet Gravy & Cornbread Stuffing -OR-

Crabmeat, Shrimp and Brie Stuffed Salmon with a Lemon Beurre Blanc Sauce -OR-

Roasted Angus Top Sirloin with Bordelaise Sauce

* Entrées Served with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans Amandine

DESSERT

Housemade Pumpkin Pie with Chantilly Cream Sauce -OR-

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie -OR-

NY Cheesecake with Strawberries & Chantilly Cream Sauce

Reservations Required

$36 Per Person

Manage your land with wildlife in mind

A webinar geared toward female landowners and natural resources professionals through the ForestHer N.C. program will be offered 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, via Zoom.

The free, two-part webinar will include sessions on managing woods for wildlife and managing fields for wildlife. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission staff and other ForestHer partners will discuss how landowners can apply different forest management techniques to enhance wildlife habitat and provide tips on how to manage their field to support diverse species.

The webinar is the third in a four-part series, and the final installment called “Human-Wildlife Interactions: Identifying Wildlife by Tracks, Markings and Scat” will be held 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 10. ForestHer N.C. is an initiative created by conservation organizations in North Carolina to give female forest landowners the tools and training to manage their land and become more engaged in forest stewardship.

Sign up at https://bit.ly/2I8Exou.

Explore winter greenery

Seasonal burns begin at Cades Cove

Approximately 689 acres of fields in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be burned between Nov. 7 and Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Park managers have conducted these burns over the past 20 years during the spring and fall as a way to safely reduce fuels, restore meadow habitats and maintain the historic landscape of Cades Cove. Staff closely monitor weather conditions to ensure the burns occur when the flames can be well controlled. Seasonal controlled burns help perpetuate native herbaceous species that provide high quality cover and foraging opportunities for a diversity of wildlife species.

Visitors should expect to see fire activity and smoke during prescribed burn operations. While in work zones they should reduce speed and refrain from stopping in roadways. When smoke is present, motorists should roll up their windows and turn on the headlights.

Firefighters and equipment will be located along Sparks Lane, Hyatt Lane, and the

western end of the Cades Cove Loop Road. The loop road and historic structures will remain open to visitor use, but brief delays and temporary closures may occur to ensure public safety during burn operations. Specifically, burns are planned for the 58-acre field near the Methodist church, the

33-acre Upper Tater Branch field, the 226acre Hyatt Lane Increase Fields, the 323acre Hyatt Lane/Primitive Baptist Church field and the 49-acre Rowans Branch field.   Learn more about prescribed burning in the Smokies at www.nps.gov/grsm/ learn/nature/wildlandfire.htm.

A virtual program focused on Highlands’ year-round greenery will be offered 1 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, via Facebook. Highlands Biological Foundation Education Specialist Paige Engelbrektsson will discuss common evergreen plants and their strategies for surviving harsh winter conditions with an introductory talk and virtual exploration of the botanical garden.

Watch the premiere on the Highlands Biological Station Facebook page, @highlandsbiologicalstation or find it afterward on the Highlands Biological YouTube channel. Contact Engelbrektsson with questions at 828.526.2623.

Grant will support bear-safe camping in the Smokies

A $4,000 grant from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park practice proactive bear management in the year ahead.

Funds will go toward materials to repair food storage cables at shelters and campsites along Smokies’ 71 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and will also support seasonal staff and two wildlife interns who assist with food-storage cable repairs, as well as other bear management and monitoring.

The grant is funded by ATC’s specialty

Support the Smokies

license plate sales in North Carolina, and Friends of the Smokies has been a regular recipient of funds from the program. Thanks in part to this ATC funding, every backcountry campsite in GSMNP has food storage cables, creating a safer environment for bears and hikers alike.

Park biologists estimate there are more than 1,500 black bears in the park, equal to a population density of two bears per square mile. Since 2006, more than 60 percent of shelters along the Smokies portion of the A.T. have experienced some form of human-bear conflict annually.

Friends of the Smokies will host a special televised series Nov. 16-18 that aims to showcase the natural wonder of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and encourage people to donate toward immediate needs at the park.

The series will be broadcast on WBIR in Tennessee, WLOS in North Carolina, and online at www.friendsacrossthemountains.org. It replaces the Friends Across the Mountains Telethon typically held in August, which was canceled this year due to the pandemic.

The Smokies has experienced yet another year of record-breaking attendance, making community support critical to maintaining visitor safety, wildlife populations and the natural beauty of the place. Donate at www.friendsacrossthemountains.org.

Comment on proposed Smokies bike system

Time is winding down to offer written comments on a recently released environment assessment examining the possibility of creating a mountain bike system in the Wears Valley area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — comments must be submitted by Nov. 15.

The proposed trail would be the first designated mountain bike trail in the park, which contains more than 800 miles of trail. However, fewer than 8 of those miles — Gatlinburg Trail, Oconaluftee River Trail

and Lower Deep Creek Trail — allow bikes. The proposed mountain bike trail system would be located along an unfinished section of the Foothills Parkway corridor in the Wears Valley area of Sevier County, Tennessee.

The preferred method for public comments is the online portal at, https://parkplanning.nps.gov/wearsvalleybiketrails, where the proposed EA and other related documents are available. Comments are also accepted via the mail addressed to Wears Valley Mountain Bike Trail System EA, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.

A group of volunteers shows off their bags of recently collected trash.

Pick up the Tuck

There’s still time to participate in the 36th annual Tuck River Cleanup, which is being offered in an alternative, socially distanced form through Nov. 20 this year.

To participate, pick up trash at any outdoor location any time through Friday, Nov. 20. Take a selfie at the location with the trash collected, and stop by the front desk of the Western Carolina University Campus Recreation Center to show the photo and receive a free T-shirt while supplies last. The desk is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located at 379 Memorial Drive in Cullowhee.

Learn more at www.tuckcleanup.wcu.edu.

Meet N.C.’s snakes and lizards

Western North

1700 Russ Avenue, Waynesville, NC · 452-2216

219 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC · 252-8234

1453 Sand Hill Road, Candler, NC · 667-7245

3270 Hendersonville Road, Fletcher, NC · 684-9999

746 East Main Street, Franklin, NC · 524-4464

8005 NC Highway 141, Murphy, NC · 837-0460

30 Highway 107, Sylva, NC · 586-0425

3533 US 441 North, Whittier, NC · 497-6211

The N.C. Wildlife Federation is offering a webinar series focusing on the reptiles of N.C. n 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12. Tucker Stonecypher will discuss snakes. Register at https://bit.ly/3p1TXf3.

n Noon Wednesday, Nov. 18. Jeff Hall will discuss lizards. Register at https://bit.ly/38flBzj.

Middle school students collect data for space exploration

Usually, the K-8 Trailblazers group at Mountain Discovery Charter School in Bryson City can be found venturing out to trails and canoes on group wilderness expeditions. COVID-19 has made such expeditions challenging, so the students are going to space instead — virtually, that is.

Western Carolina University Associate Physics and Astronomy Professor Enrique Gomez and Mountain Discovery secondgrade teacher David Doughty have teamed up to offer middle-schoolers the chance to collect meaningful data for the European Space Agency by using the Las Cumbres

Observatory to track and observe the transit of an exoplanet across a star located about 910 light years from Earth.

The data will be used in preparing for the ESA’s ARIEL space mission to observe the characteristics of numerous exoplanets. The ESA will use the students’ data to determine which exoplanets they will concentrate on observing during the planned ARIEL space mission.

“Mr. Doughty’s class sent observation requests to a robotic telescope at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa,” Gomez explained. “These observations will help the ExoClock project that seeks to keep updated our information of the orbital characteristics of exoplanets.”

Follow the project at the Trailblazers’ blog, www.mdcstrailblazer.edublogs.org.

N.C. launches climate resiliency program

North Carolina has launched a new initiative to help the state prepare for the impacts of climate change while reducing damages from future natural disasters.

The N.C. Resilient Communities Program will help local governments build capacity for resiliency, provide technical assistance and fund planning and implementation of strategic resilience projects. The program is a priority in the state’s Climate Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan.

The program was established by the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency in the Department of Public Safety, N.C. Division of Coastal Management in the Department of Environmental Quality and the N.C. Rural Center. NCORR and DCM staff will lead the effort, to be implemented through partnerships across state

and

and

WNC Calendar

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Canton First Baptist Church is collecting Coats and winter warmth items for Haywood Share the Warmth Mission project. These will be distributed beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 19. Donations can be dropped off at Canton First Baptist Church Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays at 11 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. until November 18. Boxes are placed outside at the lower glass door or call the office to arrange another time for drop-off at 828.648.2367.

• The Jackson County Branch of the NC NAACP meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, will be online. There will be biannual branch elections and planning for MLK Day events. All dues paying members are encouraged to vote. Email jcnaacp54ab@gmail.com to receive instructions to join online.

H EALTH AND WELLNESS

• The Macon County Public Library will host an indoor yoga class at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18. The class is free to the public. Wear your mask and bring a yoga mat. Class size is limited, register at https://beyondbendingyoga.punchpass.com/classes/6871270.

A&E

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Good Bonez Nov. 14. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Anna Victoria Nov. 14 and Open Mic Night Nov. 19. All shows begin at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Sly Sparrow Nov. 13 and WoolyBooger Nov. 20. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a drivein concert series with Keller Williams & Friends (jam/acoustic) Nov. 13 and St. Paul & The Broken Bones (soul/rock) Nov. 19. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic

from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. www.balsamfallsbrewing.com.

• The annual “Polar Express” train ride is now departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot in downtown Bryson City. For a complete listing of departure dates and times, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

• The Haywood County Arts Council annual show, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will be showcased through Jan. 9 at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville.

F OOD AND D RINK

• A cooking class will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the McKinley Edwards Inn in Bryson City. Titled the “San Francisco Treats Cooking Class,” they will share what they’ve prepared at the conclusion of each class, to which Bryson City Wine Market will pair each dish with the perfect wines. Menu includes clam chowder, garlic noodles, dukka spiced salmon patties, and fried quinoa salad. To RSVP, call 828.488.9626.

• The Elevated Wines Weekend will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Village Green Commons Amphitheater in Cashiers. Tickets are $150 for general admission, $100 for local residents of Jackson and Macon County, and a special $50 ticket for anyone in the Cashiers service industry, such as first responders or hospitality and tourism employees. To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbee.com/v/elevatedwines/boxoffice. Tickets will also be available on the day of the event. For additional information, visit www.highlandswineshoppe.com/events, call 828.526.4080 or email director@cashiersgreen.com.

• There will be a free wine tasting from 2 to 5 p.m. every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

Outdoors

• A webinar geared toward female landowners and natural resources professionals through the ForestHer N.C. program will be offered 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, via Zoom. ForestHer N.C. is an initiative created by

conservation organizations in North Carolina to give female forest landowners the tools and training to manage their land and become more engaged in forest stewardship. Sign up at https://bit.ly/2I8Exou.

• The N.C. Wildlife Federation is offering a webinar series focusing on the reptiles of N.C. At 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 Tucker Stonecypher will discuss snakes. Register at https://bit.ly/3p1TXf3. At noon Wednesday, Nov. 18. Jeff Hall will discuss lizards. Register at https://bit.ly/38flBzj.

• A virtual program focused on Highlands’ year-round greenery will be offered 1 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, via Facebook. Watch the premiere on the Highlands Biological Station Facebook page, @highlandsbiologicalstation or find it afterward on the Highlands Biological YouTube channel. Contact Engelbrektsson with questions at 828.526.2623.

• Friends of the Smokies will host a special televised series Nov. 16-18 that aims to showcase the natural wonder of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and encourage people to donate toward immediate needs at the park. The series will be broadcast on WBIR in Tennessee, WLOS in North Carolina, and online at www.friendsacrossthemountains.org. It replaces the Friends Across the Mountains Telethon typically held in August, which was canceled this year due to the pandemic.

• Friends of Panthertown is hosting a series of trail work days this fall, and all are invited to come pitch in. Scheduled work days are Thursday, Nov. 12; Saturday, Nov. 21; Saturday, Nov. 28; Wednesday, Dec. 2; Friday, Dec. 11; Saturday, Dec. 12; Saturday, Dec. 19. To sign up, visit www.panthertown.org/volunteer.

• The annual Winter Lights event at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville opens Friday, Nov. 20, but due to COVID-19 it will be a drive-thru experience this time around. To better accommodate guests, the Arboretum has extended show dates and times, with the event running daily 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. from Nov. 20 to Jan. 10, 2021. Incoming gates close at 10 p.m. When purchased in advance, tickets are $25 per vehicle and $30 at the gate. Tickets are on sale at ncwinterlights.com.

• The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, typically held each year in Savannah, Georgia, will be offered virtually this year Jan. 5-7. For more information, visit www.seregionalconference.org, or call 877.994.3842.

• A display of 50 powerful paintings showcasing the most remote and wild corners of the Canadian Arctic is on display through Jan. 3 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. Entrance to the exhibit is free with the

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

n Complete listings of local music scene n Regional festivals

n Art gallery events and openings

n Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers

n Civic and social club gatherings

arboretum’s standard $16 parking fee. Face coverings are required for visitors age 5 and older.

H IKING CLUBS

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a Needmore Adventure, Sunday, Nov. 15. The club will meet at 2 p.m. at Westgate Plaza in Franklin. Call Leader Jean Hunnicutt, 524.5234, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate, 4.7mile hike to the Thomas Divide Ridge in Smoky Mountain National Park Saturday, Nov. 21. The club will meet at 9 a.m. at the Bi- Lo parking lot. Call leader Gail Lehman for reservations, 524.5298. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 3mile hike from Coweeta Lab to Forest Service Rd. 751B. On Sunday, Nov. 22. The club will meet at 1 p.m. at the Smoky Mountains Visitor Center at. Call leader Katharine Brown, 421.4178, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala hiking Club will take a 6.2-mile hike from Winding Stairs to Wallace Gap on the Appalachian Trail on Friday, Nov. 27. The club will meet at 9:30 a.m. at Westgate Plaza in Franklin. Call leader Katharine Brown for reservations, 421.4178. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take an easy, 3-mile walk along the Cullasaja River on Friday, Nov. 27. The club will meet at 2 p.m. in the Bi–Lo parking lot or at 2:15 p.m. at the Whistle Stop Mall. Call leader Kathy Ratcliff, 526-6480, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

Market PLACE WNC

MarketPlace information:

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

Rates:

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

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

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

• Legal N otices — 25¢ per word

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

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

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

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

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

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

Announcements

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

Auction

ONLINE ONLY AUCTION, National Firearms Dealer Inventory Reduction Auction Session 1. Firearms located at Ned’s Pawn Shop in Rockingham, NC. ironhorseauction.com, 800-997-2248 NCAL# 3936

Business For Sale

INVESTMENT PROPERTY FOR SALE! Property located at intersection (4-Lane highway), in Franklin, space and storage units with a strong rental history. Property is in good repair, priced at $4,000,000, with income to justify asking price. For more information please contact Beverly Mason at 828-421-3501 or e-mail bmason@dnet. net. (828) 421-3501 bmason@dnet.net

Old Edwards Hospitality Group Highlands NC Housekeepers and Dishwashers starting at $13/hour!

Now recruiting for: Housekeepers, Houseman, 2nd Shift Laundry, Turndown Attendants, Dishwashers, Sous Chef, Cook, Pastry and Bread Cook, Gardener Assistant, Assistant Sommelier, Servers, Bussers, Host/Hostess, Old Edwards Inn Rooms Manager, Front Desk, Bellman, Night Audit, Fitness Manager, Spa Attendants, Cosmetologist, Asst Payroll/HR Supervisor

Benefits available for all FT employees (medical, dental, vision, long term/short term disability, life & 401K) Apply online at oldedwardsinn.com/careers

Business Opportunities

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

Employment

FTCC - Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Assistant Director of Procurement. Assistant Director of BookstoreCourse Materials. Senior Secretary - Bookstore.

Job Analyst. Grounds Technician. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com.

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

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certainplicants. Call CTI for details! Call 833-990-0354. (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

THE JACKSON COUNTY DEPARTMENT Of Social Services is recruiting for an Income Maintenance Caseworker. This position is responsible for intake, application processing and review functions in determining eligibility for Family and Children’s Medicaid. Above average communication, computer and work organizational skills are required. Work involves direct contact with the public. Applicants should have one year of Income Maintenance Casework experience. Applicants will also be considered who have an Associate’s Degree in human services, business or clerical related

high school and an equivalent combination of training and experience. The starting salary is $27,937.59 - $30,801.19, depending on education and experience. To apply, submit a NC state application form (PD-107) to the Jackson County Department of Street, Sylva, NC 28779 or the NC Career Works Center. Applications will be accepted until November 20, 2020.

SATELLITE TV INSTALL-

ER TECHNICIAN To apply today go to tech.caotti. com Ronnie(Field Service Manager) 706-403-7115

We offer: Experienced tech sign-on bonus Competitive piece pay (NO TIER PAY) Additional pay for Smart Home Service Items sold on jobs. Paid training Requirements Pass background and drug test Must have a reliable WHITE Truck, Van Valid driver’s license Job Type: Contract Pay: $55,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

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RECEPTIONIST opening at an independent insurance agency in Sylva. We need someone dynamic who loves working in a fast-paced environment, can remain calm under pressure and enjoys being the point person for our guests. Applicants must be outgoing, possess excellent phone etiquette, beginner to intermediate computer abilities, and positive communication skills. Proven work experience as a Receptionist, Front or similar role is prea competitive salary, health insurance, and an employer contribution retirement plan. Please email your cover letter and resume to wncinsurancecareers@gmail. com.

Haywood Co. Real Estate Agents

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate- Heritage

• Carolyn Lauter - carolyn@bhgheritage.com

Beverly Hanks & Associates- beverly-hanks.com

• Ann Eavenson - anneavenson@beverly-hanks.com

• Billie Green - bgreen@beverly-hanks.com

• Michelle McElroy- michellemcelroy@beverly-hanks.com

• Steve Mauldin - smauldin@beverly-hanks.com

• Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com

• Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com

• Brooke Parrott - bparrott@beverly-hanks.com

• Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com

• Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com

• Ellen Sither - ellensither@beverly-hanks.com

• Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com

• Karen Hollingsed- khollingsed@beverly-hanks.com

• Billy Case- billycase@beverly-hanks.com

• Laura Thomas - lthomas@beverly-hanks.com

• John Keith - jkeith@beverly-hanks.com

• Randall Rogers - rrogers@beverly-hanks.com

• Susan Hooper - shooper@beverly-hanks.com

• Hunter Wyman - hwyman@beverly-hanks.com

• Rob Roland - robroland@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com

• Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com

• Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com

Jerry Lee Mountain Realty

• Jerry Lee Hatley- jerryhatley@bellsouth.net

• Pam James - pam@pamjames.com

Keller Williams Realty - kellerwilliamswaynesville.com

• The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

• Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff@kw.com

• Darrin Graves - dgraves@kw.com

Lakeshore Realty

• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Log & Frame Homes - 828-734-9323

Mountain Dreams Realty- maggievalleyhomesales.com

Mountain Creek Real Estate

• Ron Rosendahl - 828-593-8700

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

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

• Holly Fletcher - holly@hollyfletchernc.com

• The Real Team - TheRealTeamNC.com

• Ron Breese - ronbreese.com

• Landen Stevenson- landen@landenkstevenson.com

• Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

• Mary & Roger Hansen - mwhansen@charter.net

• David Rogers - davidr@remax-waynesvillenc.com

• Juli Rogers - julimeaserogers@gmail.com

• Amy Boyd Sugg - amyboydsugg@gmail.com

The Smoky Mountain Retreat at Eagles Nest

• Tom Johnson - tomsj7@gmail.com

• Sherell Johnson - sherellwj@aol.com

WNC Real Estate Store

• Melanie Hoffman - mhoffmanrealestate@gmail.com

• Thomas Hoffman - thoffman1@me.com

SUPER CROSSWORD

73Paper unit

74TV camera movement

75CIO partner

76"Make -- what you will"

78Hobbyists' buys

79When to call it a night

83Deluge's waters subsiding?

86Successfully mimics

87Struck lightly

88Chapel vow

89Go by boat

91Convent residents

gardens site

29Fine distinction

30YouTube upload on how to cook clams and rice?

36Use a beam on in surgery

37"La Cage -- Folles"

38Of Peruvian peaks

39Pickle option

41Buddha statue, e.g.

45Elated

47Lodgings for wayfarers

48Schnozz or Motor ender

49MGM Grand, e.g.

51"Scarface" inspirer

54Discoloration on the biceps or triceps?

56Meshwork

57Razor cut

59Closet rackful

60Journal

61Fashion designer Anna

62Ionizable gas

63Vast period

64It may zoom

65Simply being declared?

70Gradually stop nursing

72Back rub response

92Eyelid affliction

93Make slanted

94Italian public square

97Scrabble 10-pointer

98Staff symbol

101One of the Little Rascals goes on a rant?

104Many a charger for an edevice

108Feed on

109Peaceful

110Beef cut that brings misfortune?

114Marked with bands

118Hand out cards to

119Object of fear

120Is beaming

121Former British prime minister Clement

122Detroit-to-Miami dir.

123"Send help!"

124Like the letter R in this puzzle's entire solution

DOWN

1Triage pro

2In the function of

3Ball caller

4Spanish island known for its nightlife

5Country west of Colombia

6Record one's arrival

7Fez, for one

8-- Dhabi

9Spill catchers

10Berated

11Kitty cat, e.g.

12Hoo-has

13Addis --, Ethiopia

14Puts in a role

15Golf ball brand

16Tennis great Nastase

17A/C opening

18Uptight

21Hotfooted it

25Of no value

27Last section

30"Cosmos" host Carl

31Veil fabric

32Dead-on

33Trait carrier

34U-Haul unit

35Adds lube to

40Sugar in milk

42Gave a ring

43Leek relative

44Yearns (for)

46Nissan, once

49Middle grade

50Biblical beast

5212-time papal name

53Tending to the situation

54Relatively small oinker, for short

55Dryer debris

57"Steve Jobs" star Rogen

58Whole bunch

62Really tidy type

63Roe, e.g.

64Pre-Easter

65Shoddy car

66Earth personified as a goddess

67Rebel Turner

68Mimics

69Wee bits

70Floats in the air

71D sharp sound-alike

76Lyric verse

77"Skip ahead" abbr. on a music player

78Result of education

79Novelist Honore de --

80Tokyo-based truck maker

81French artist Edouard

82Letters with curves

84Audition not closed to anyone

85Brain product

86Cabaret singer Edith

89Jacuzzis and whirlpools

90Feel poorly

93-- -confidence

95Gabor who lived to be 99

96Confidence

99"Little Men" actor Jack

100Loin cut

102FDR's Scottie

103Some hotels and old cars

104Fed. food safety org.

105Dele undoer

106Really tired

107Flows back

111Its cap. is Vienna

112Dove noise

113Boxing stats

115Malted quaff

116Diver's goal

117NYC hrs.

ANSWERS ON PAGE 26

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