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On the Cover:

Everyone seems to be ready to put 2016 behind them, but the year just isn’t complete without The Smoky Mountain News spoof awards where we take the time to find the humor in the headlines and honor those who made their mark this year. So take a break, share a few good laughs and get ready to wipe the slate clean for 2017. Congratulations to our winners and if you didn’t receive an award, try harder next year. (Page 3)

News

D

SALES: Whitney Burton. .

Amanda Bradley. . . .

Hylah Birenbaum. .

C LASSIFIEDS: Scott Collier. . . .

N EWS E DITOR: Jessi Stone. .

WRITING: Becky Johnson. .

Cory Vaillancourt. .

Holly Kays. . .

Garret K. Woodward.

ACCOUNTING & O FFICE MANAGER:Amanda Singletary. . .

D ISTRIBUTION: Scott Collier. . .

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C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), George Ellison (writing), Gary Carden (writing), Don Hendershot (writing), Susanna Barbee (writing).

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I NFO & B ILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786

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FAKE NEWS FREAKOUT!

SMN adds special section

‘Living Well’ to be immediately followed by ‘Snacking Well’

Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is expected to weigh in on the issue.

Trump to build wall around Folkmoot Will make Joe Sam Queen pay for it

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER

In keeping with the theme of The Smoky Mountain News spoof awards in this week’s edition, I thought now might be a good time to talk to you about fake news.

News stories deliberately crafted to mislead people are nothing new; an 1835 New York Sun newspaper offered evidence of life on the moon, for example. While that story was aimed at boosting circulation, the recent U.S. presidential election revealed the ability of fake news to influence popular opinion, as popular opinion properly galvanized can start wars and swing elections.

In 2016, untrue stories about both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton — borne upon the cruel winds of social media — travelled farther and fostered disinformation more effectively than ever before.

Whether published by foreign nations — as some members of the U.S. intelligence community believe — or disgruntled domestic partisans or people just looking to make a fast buck, these false stories became daily discussion fodder around America’s proverbial water coolers.

Unfortunately for Western North Carolinians, we live in an overlooked, out-ofthe-way place that, politically, is not in play — it’s what’s called “safe Republican,” meaning that no amount of electoral combat short of redistricting could probably displace our Republican legislators and congressmen.

As a result, it went practically uncontested in 2016, so there were no fake news stories written about the year’s doings in our region; not that there weren’t doings. In fact, there were many doings, and I thought it would be fitting to conjure up a handful of Onionesque fake news stories about local and state issues you’ve followed all year long.

Keep in mind, these are fake. There’s not an ounce of truth to them. At all.

WCU will change its name after another large corporate donation.

2016 IN REVIEW

Fake* News Stories (which are fake)

*These fake stories are fake.

WCU accepts another huge corporate donation

To be renamed ‘Kanye Western Carolina University’

After Western Carolina University accepted a controversial $2 million donation from the Koch Foundation earlier this year, university administrators sent a strong message that such gifts wouldn’t influence the university’s academics or image. But after another substantial donation — this time from Kanye West’s DONDA Corporation — the university announced it would change its name to make the school seem more “fleek” and “yeezy” to today’s generation of applicants.

N.C. teachers complain about education funding

“We’re overpaid, overfunded; have too many school supplies, too few students,” said all Educators in North Carolina are up in arms over what they say are “excessive” resources being devoted to public education in the state. Teachers groups are outraged over how much money they earn, how much funding the state devotes to students, the “huge stacks” of school supplies clogging up storage closets and the small class sizes that allow for more individualized attention. State legislators vowed to address teachers concerns quickly.

Hoping to present a more balanced content model to its loyal readers, The Smoky Mountain News announced Wednesday that 2017’s “Living Well” special section — focusing on diet, exercise and general health — would be immediately followed by a new section called “Snacking Well.” Publisher Scott McLeod said the section would focus on Haywood County’s best “retail snacking environments,” but would also devote substantial coverage to taco salads and deviled eggs.

North Carolina gay marriage now mandatory

“But I’m not gay,” say millions of liars

An overlooked provision in the 2014 General Synod of the United Church of Christ v. Cooper ruling has heterosexuals rushing to divorce courts across North Carolina. While it was originally thought that the ruling simply allowed same-sex couples to marry, state legislators last week realized that they were in fact in violation of state law by not being married to a member of the same sex.

McCrory tearfully removes posters from governor’s mansion bedroom RuPaul, John Waters suffer torn corners

After spending weeks awkwardly hanging around the governor’s mansion, Gov. Pat McCrory is finally getting around to moving out. Reports from Raleigh state that McCrory — who has spent the last several weeks in bed — has begun the emotional task of removing his personal effects from around the building.

“I just hope I get my security deposit back,” he said, scraping a small strip of double-sided tape from the back of his bedroom door.

137 Canton dogs found hoarding three humans

‘Inhumane conditions,’ says People for the Ethical Treatment of People

Shocking reports allege that almost 140 dogs have been keeping three adult humans in squalid conditions in a trailer on a property just outside Canton. The humans — all of varying ages and sexes — appeared to be in good health and showed no signs of malnourishment, but were brought to a makeshift shelter in a donated warehouse for delousing and observation. County health officials were hopeful that none would have to be euthanized.

Special

legislative session cancels 2017 eclipse

‘It’s a tax,’ say House leaders

N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Kings Mountain, praised legislative leaders last week after they passed a bill cancelling the 2017 solar eclipse that was to cut a swath of darkness through Western North Carolina this coming August. President Pro Tem of the Senate Phil Berger, R-Eden, agreed with Moore, saying the eclipse “wasn’t good for working families” and was “an election year trick by Democrats designed to draw attention away from real issues, like which bathroom people use.” As usual, the U.S. Court of

President-elect Donald Trump, in his strongest anti-immigration statements to date, vowed to build a wall around the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. “They’re not sending their best and their brightest,” Trump said. “I’m going to build a wall, the best wall, I build the best walls, by the way. Very very good walls, I assure you.” Each year, the Folkmoot festival draws hundreds of visitors from around the world, sometimes even from (gasp!) Mexico.

Billions of N.C. transsexuals still have nowhere to urinate

Been holding it since March

North Carolina’s largely transsexual population has been legally prohibited from urinating or defecating anywhere within the state since spring, and some are beginning to grow tired of the law and its rather unpleasant consequences. The Charlotte City Council’s recent repeal of an ordinance allowing the trans community to utilize certain bathrooms has only made the situation worse, but a repeal of HB2 doesn’t seem likely, given its global popularity and proven ability to attract jobs and investments to the state.

Haywood County gun possession now mandatory

New ‘Stop and Frisk’ policy to ensure compliance

Effective immediately, all residents of and visitors to Haywood County shall constantly be in possession of a firearm at least .22 in caliber or face stiff penalties from law enforcement officials. Persons found not to be in possession of a qualifying firearm will on first offense be issued a loaner pistol, but a second offense will result in scofflaws being remanded by deputies to the custody of one of several local firearms dealers.

Junaluska Sanitary District now requires ritual sacrifice to Poseidon before water hookup

Arm, leg no longer acceptable forms of payment

After a rule demanding landlords co-sign for their tenants’ water service was deemed “too forgiving” by members of the Junaluska Sanitary District Board, a stricter, more classical provision was put in place demanding an offering be made to the ancient Greek deity Poseidon, whose domain includes all the world’s seas and all the fishes in them. Although the Olympian was unavailable for comment, the board says acceptable offerings include a four-horse chariot cast upon the waves or, alternatively, a Homeric hymn of at least 500,000 words.

Waynesville embraces fast food-based economy

Town changes town motto to “Eat Mor Chikin” Shunning modern economic development principles that center around broad-

Everything fine in Bethel Yep. Everything’s just fine.

Support Local Food Entrepreneurs!

Taste of Local at Ingles Markets on Broad St. in Brevard, NC

Thursday, January 5th 3-6pm

Meet and Sample products from:

Ally's Bars (Mills River)

Annie's Breads ( Asheville)

Boone Barr (Boone)

Bobbo's Bloody Mary Mix (Cashiers)

Munki Foods ( Asheville)

New Sprout Organic Farms ( Swannanoa)

Old Mule Sauces (Lake Lure)

Smiling Hara Tempeh ( Barndardsville)

Sunburst Trout Farm ( Waynesville)

Sunshine Sammies (Barndardsville) and many more!

band access and sewer/water infrastructure, the Town of Waynesville announced this week that its concentration on retail fast food development was proceeding according to plan. The new Chick-fil-A in Russ Avenue is expected to create another 90 service industry jobs in the area for workers who won’t be able to afford to live anywhere near the restaurant.

Scooby Doo solves mystery at shuttered Ghost Town amusement park

Meddling kids remove mask of cornered villain

In an unlikely turn of events, several teenagers in a van — and one very large dog — have solved the mystery of the hauntings at Ghost Town. After a series of hijinks and a confusing foot chase through the creepy abandoned mountaintop amusement park, the spectral figure known to chase away thrill seekers and curious locals was revealed to be park owner Alaska Presley, who said she believed she would have succeeded in her nefarious plans were it not for the intrusive adolescents.

Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley and Shaggy Rogers were booked into Maggie Valley jail on trespassing charges, with Rogers also earning additional charges for possession of 4.9 kilograms of marijuana. The dog, a male Great Dane, was sent to Haywood County Animal Services, where it had to be destroyed due what officials called “bizarre” behavior.

Francis Farm community

OKs proposed artillery range

‘Fits perfectly’ into community, say neighbors

Neighbors who once feared that a large indoor firing range would change the character of and draw undesirables to their quiet settlement were quick to approve the county’s first private artillery range last week. Starting Monday, citizens will be allowed to bring cannons, howitzers, mortars and rockets to the area and fire them wherever and whenever they like.

Residents of the rural Bethel community were assured Thursday that everything was, in fact, just fine. It was widely reported that nothing new had transpired, and no changes had occurred to existing institutions at any time in the recent past. The existing social order had likewise not been altered in any way, shape or form, and no new residents or visitors — especially Muslims — had entered the community, nor had any alcohol. At all.

Affordable Housing Task Force to crash at your place for a few days

A couch is fine, seriously. Just until, like, Monday or Tuesday.

With rents outpacing wage growth across much of the region, the Haywood County’s Affordable Housing Task Force announced recently that it’s just going to chill at your crib for a few days if that’s cool. Sources said the task force — which has gone through a rough patch since the starter on its Ford Fiesta crapped out last month — just needs “a little time to get it together,” and that you’ll hardly notice they’re there.

U.S. state settled for 450 years still doesn’t quite get whole ‘democracy’ thing

U.N. to send election monitors to observe balloting in North Carolina North Carolina officials were stunned when it was announced last week that the state no longer qualifies as a democracy. “I’m not sure how they could come to that conclusion,” said Gov. Pat McCrory. “I mean, we’ve made some mistakes like any other state, but really we’ve only had two primary elections, an off-year state legislative election redo, gerrymandering from the legislature to Congress, a racist voter ID bill rejected, our early voting hours tweaked, regular Supreme Court intervention and Justice Department scrutiny, a last-minute elections board reorganization, two General Election recounts, and five special sessions this year. I mean, come on — loosen up!”

2016: A Year.

The tidal wave of negative political news in 2016 was staggering in its magnitude and emotionally overwhelming. Thankfully all that is behind us. But we can’t say adios to the year’s local news until our writers and editors sift through those events and mold them into our annual tongue-in-cheek spoof awards. With apologies in advance to those who can’t take a joke, here’s our tribute to the people and events that left an indelible mark on 2016.

The Field of Dreams Award

They knew it would be expensive. They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but Macon County commissioners took the “if we build it, they will come” approach when they agreed to move forward with constructing the Parker Meadows Sports Complex in 2013. The county spent $550,000 on a 48-acre tract and then got a $5 million loan to pay for what was supposed to be only a $3 million ball field project.

It was a controversial project — two commissioners voted against it because of the huge price tag — but the end result was a world class complex with the ability to host ball tournaments to bring more people to Franklin. Parker Meadows celebrated its grand opening in 2015 and commissioners are already seeing that they made the right decision. They built it and they did come.

Sales tax revenue is up 6 percent over last year and the spikes can be attributed to when Parker Meadows was hosting tournaments. Overnight stays from tournaments will also increase the county’s occupancy tax revenues, which go to promote the county as a tourism destination.

“Parker Meadows is a big contributor to that increase — half a million dollars a year or maybe more,” Commission Chairman Kevin Corbin said. “Parker Meadows has essentially paid for itself and paying it off frees up $200,000 in the budget.”

Commissioners voted unanimously in November to pay off the loan early.

The Meter Maid Award

Bob Scott has had an impressive career working in many fields. He was a military officer, a journalist, a captain with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, a Franklin town alderman and is currently serving his second term as Franklin’s mayor.

But this past year, Scott has become the unauthorized meter maid of downtown Franklin. Downtown parking and speeding issues have really become a thorn in the mayor’s side as he tries to maintain order on Main Street. He has placed “Slow down” warning signs along the street to keep people from going over 20 miles her hour and he’s had the police department run radar at certain spots to catch speeders.

In addition to speeders, downtown merchants parking on Main Street is another pet peeve for Scott. Earlier this month, Scott sent a letter out to merchants asking them and their employees not to park on Main Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accommodate more room for shoppers and tourists. While the request was for voluntary compliance, Scott might ask the board in the future to consider a two-hour parking limit on Main Street spots if the problems persist.

The Star Spangled Banner Award

Franklin officials thought the controversy over banners would end when the board of aldermen passed an ordinance last year allowing the advertisements to be hung over

Main Street to promote upcoming events. However, the banner issue resurfaced in March when a group of residents and business owners didn’t get their way. They wanted to hang a banner up over town touting that Franklin had won the “Top Small Town” title from Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine last fall following an online voting contest.

Sounds simple enough, but the group of banner pushers wanted to see the banner hung over Main Street throughout the year when other events weren’t being promoted. Well, that just didn’t fit within the town’s new ordinance, which states a banner can hang over Main Street for only a couple of weeks. Mayor Bob Scott feared allowing the Top Small town banner to hang for longer would set a bad precedent that wouldn’t be fair to others.

The banner folks were miffed by the board’s unwillingness to bend the rules so they took matters into their own hands. Determined to have their banner yet wave, the group traveled all over town and other scenic spots in Macon County and took pictures with the banner to post on social media.

The campaign to promote Franklin’s award was successful thanks to these advocates. You could say the “Top Small Town” award was indeed the national anthem for Franklin this year.

The Holy Grail Award

“The Crusade for Broadband” could be the title of the next Indiana Jones movie starring local government officials from all the Western North Carolina counties searching for the mythical powers of high-speed internet.

It’s something everyone in the mountains needs, yet it’s the one thing no one can afford. Every county seems to be approaching the treasure hunt differently — collecting data, establishing ad hoc committees to explore different possibilities, encouraging private providers to install new infrastructure and developing a master plan to improve connectivity.

It’s good to see all the county governments working toward improving broadband availability, but perhaps pooling all their info and resources together would put them that much closer to finding the Holy Grail.

The Olive Branch Award

The small business community in Maggie Valley has been splintered for many years with merchants taking opposing sides depending on whom they like and dislike — some are members of the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce while others choose to only be members of the Haywood County Hotel and Motel Association or the Maggie Valley Area Lodging Association.

Merchants may think their needs are being better met by one organization over another, but the end result has been a disjointed business community that is out of touch with what their counterparts are doing just across the road.

It’s hard to mend hurt feelings or even remember why someone is holding an old grudge, but Maggie Valley Chamber should be commended for its attempt this year at try-

ing to bury the hatchet and move forward with everyone on the same page.

In a bold and perhaps risky move, the Chamber board decided last month to change its membership structure and offer a “tier one” free membership in an effort to be more inclusive.

Chamber Executive Director Teresa Smith hopes the change will increase membership and cooperation within the Maggie Valley business community. So far the feedback has been positive.

“I think offering a free membership is the best thing because it will include the whole community — right now those who can’t afford it don’t feel like they’re important,” said Tina Snow, chamber member and owner of Momma T’s Mountain Made.

The Chamber has taken the first step by offering the olive branch, but only time will tell whether local businesses will take the peace offering and let bygones be bygones.

The Negative Nancies Award

When a room full of residents and businesses sitting in town hall back in March first heard the details of Maggie Valley’s proposed master plan to create a town center, the reaction was unanimous — nothing but smiling approving faces and enthusiasm.

But it only took a couple of weeks for dis-

sension and doubt to start creeping through the valley as several business owners started poking holes in the plan.

The master plan included $7 million worth of potential projects that the town could start to implement a piece at a time or not at all, but opposing businesses wanted to throw it out completely because they didn’t like one part of

it. The project they opposed was widening U.S. 19 near the Market Square shopping center to make room for a grassy median and curbside parking spots on each side because several businesses would have to give up some of their parking lot space to make it happen.

A group of the master plan naysayers began to hold meetings and plotting to derail the project. Town staff and aldermen tried to tell the opposing group that the plan was not

2016 IN REVIEW

set in stone. Even if the town could get its hands on the necessary money, it couldn’t take private property away from merchants without their permission — but these negative Nancies weren’t buying it. They weren’t going to be happy until the town threw out the idea completely.

And it worked. The town agreed to spend an additional $5,000 for the engineering team to come back and work out a compromised version of the master plan. Talk about making a mountain out of a median!

The Lemony Snicket Award

The series of unfortunate events that unfolded on Friday, Oct. 21, in Haywood County could have been pulled from one of Lemony Snicket’s books — an escaped convict on the run from officers, a carjacking with a small child in the backseat, a highspeed chase and gunshots fired on a busy Main Street on a gorgeous autumn day. Unfortunately, this was not one of Snicket’s dark and mysterious stories.

The unfortunate events began to unfold that morning as a Haywood County Detention Center officer was transporting two inmates to Buncombe County Jail. En route, the two inmates began a squabble in the backseat, which prompted the officer to

pull over on the highway to deal with the situation. Things only went downhill from there. Both inmates attempted to escape the transport van — one was captured immediately but Robert Branning was able to make a getaway when an off-duty police officer pulled over to assist the detention officer. The off-duty officer got out of her vehicle to help capture Branning but unfortunately left a 6year-old child and her gun in the car. After a tussle with the off-duty cop, Branning got in her car and took off with the precious cargo.

A high-speed pursuit followed as Branning led law enforcement from every agency all over the county. Officers thought they had him after he ran over stop sticks with the Jeep but he kept going with flat tires.

In a worst-case scenario, Branning made it to Main Street in downtown Waynesville. When the bumper-to-bumper traffic stopped him and the officers began to close in on him, Branning exited the Jeep and tried to escape on foot. Branning got out of the car brandishing the off-duty officer’s handgun, which is when a sheriff’s detective responded with gunfire. Branning was taken to the hospital to be treated for multiple gunshots and is being charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, assault with a deadly weapon of a government official, fleeing arrest with a motor vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon, common law robbery, first-degree kidnapping, attempted first-degree murder, and assault

with a firearm on a law enforcement officer. His next court date is Jan. 3.

The only silver lining in this story was that the 6-year-old child was found safe and sound and no innocent bystanders on Main Street were injured.

The Ruby Slipper Award

If only Shining Rock Classical Academy board members could have clicked their heels like Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” they could have saved themselves a lot of trouble in 2016.

Just like Dorothy, the new charter school had a hell of a time finding their way back home — well, actually just finding any permanent campus to call their own proved challenging. In 2015, SRCA spent thousands trying to secure a piece of property to build a school campus but nothing panned out.

Even after securing a long-term lease for property across from Lake Junaluska on Dellwood Road, a hang up with the modular units caused more delay. The company SRCA was leasing the modular units from went into bankruptcy, which meant SRCA wasn’t getting the units it already paid $50,000 for. The board decided to contract with another company to purchase new modular buildings to the tune of $925,000.

The charter school students finally got to move from their cramped classrooms in a Lake Junaluska building to their modular classrooms in late September. It was a long and winding road to find a place to call home, but SRCA finally found it.

… and the Award for ‘Best Film’ goes to …

The Haywood County School Board!

When a ragtag but well-meaning band of small-town school board members are inadvertently caught on tape during a work session discussing the controversial shuttering of an elementary school, their seasoned leader (Chuck Francis, in the role he was born to play) immediately ceases recording the work sessions to prevent further misadventure. As the community subsequently rises in unison to decry the measure, Francis does some soul-searching and reverses his decision, in a dramatic turn of events sure to leave audiences with tears in their eyes and hope in their hearts. Laugh-out-loud funny at times and poignantly honest at others, “Stop! Don’t shoot!” is the feel good movie of 2016. Starring Dr. Anne Garrett. Also featuring a cameo by Pat Smathers. Rated PG-13 for adult situations.

All kidding aside, the decision to stop taping work sessions and then the decision to begin taping them again both speak to the good intentions of the Haywood County School Board. The school board is the only elected entity in the region to tape and make public its work sessions, so for that it should also get an open government award.

Still, we couldn’t help having a little fun with the back and forth decisions by a group of elected leaders who dealt with a lot in 2016.

The It’s Just a Baby Ruth Award

After years of planning and debate, the Town of Canton’s plans for a new — and

much needed — municipal pool seemed to be flowing along nicely.

In August, Canton was chosen as one of only 31 grantees statewide to receive money from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

But when their USDA loan — the acquisition of which was supposed to be like shooting fish in a barrel — failed to materialize in November because of federal funding changes, town board members decided to move forward by seeking commercial financing with a shorter term, potentially saving the town thousands in interest over the life of the loan.

The board then asked for bids from contractors interested in performing the work, but didn’t receive enough submissions to be able to make a decision.

Those bids now have to be re-advertised, pushing the public hearing on commercial financing back as well, and jeopardizing the pool’s summer opening date.

Town officials, however, are undaunted and continue to move forward, come hell or high water. A public hearing for commercial financing is to be held Jan. 3, and Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss said in November that he thinks there’s still a “good chance” the pool will open by summer’s end.

The “Feeling Groovy” Award

In 2016, the Town of Canton was best personified as the stereotypical depression-era

The ‘Much Ado About Clucking’ Award

Small communities often get excited when a well-known franchise comes to town, whether it’s a big box electronics store, a trendy grocer or even a fastfood franchise — but excited enough to hang out in the parking lot for 24 hours and sleep outside in the elements overnight for chance to win a year’s worth of fried chicken?

Yep. More than a hundred people showed up to the new Russ Avenue Chick-fil-A in Waynesville in the early morning hours of Dec. 7 hoping to score 52 free combo meals by remaining camped out next to the store without leaving the premises. While most persevered — buoyed by unseasonable warmth and the utter lack of precipitation that had dogged the region all summer — some did not.

Since opening on Dec. 8, lines have consistently stretched all the way around the restaurant, with some customers reporting wait times of more than 30 minutes, all of which begs the question: It’s just a chicken sandwich, right?

The Divided We Fall Award

Early this summer, the Downtown Waynesville Association celebrated its 30th anniversary as a voluntary-taxation district where property owners pay an additional 20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in prop-

2016 IN REVIEW

erty taxes which is then collected and spent by a nonprofit bent on improving and marketing the district.

ragamuffin with a heart of gold who seemingly can’t catch a break – bending over to pick up a shiny new nickel and receiving only a slapstick kick in the pants.

Most recently, there was the pool financing situation – wherein Canton was awarded a highly-competitive grant only to lose out on a USDA loan that is typically easy to get.

But before that, there was the downtown streetscaping project.

Like with the pool, Canton had for years been in great need of downtown repaving, streetscaping and a general “freshening up” of the sometimes-dated built environment. Accordingly, many were happy when downtown improvements commenced.

But in June, it was learned that WNC Paving — who had started the repaving job early — would finish the job late, disrupting July Fourth events and possibly even endangering Canton’s Labor Day Festival, which was about to embark on a dramatic expansion.

The reason? They were pulling up stakes to go to work on a project in neighboring Swain County upon the completion of which they’d return to Canton.

In the meantime, much of downtown would be left as a construction zone, complete with a roughly-milled, grooved road surface rather disagreeable to drivers and downright dangerous for bikers.

Luckily, the job was finished in time for Labor Day.

But not everything’s hunky dory in the district; a recent change in state law allowed for property owners to withdraw from such compacts if they could prove that they did not benefit from the services, facilities, and functions thereof.

In August, Sharon and James Earley — who own the parcel at 180 Legion Drive — sought to take advantage of this change before the Waynesville Board of Aldermen.

The plumbing supply store that rents its building on the property garners no benefit from the parades, festivals, dances and performances backed by the DWA, they said.

The property has no frontage on the retail-oriented Main Street where many of those events take place, they said.

The plumbing supply store was unlikely to benefit from increased tourism, they said.

The extra taxes weren’t disclosed when they bought the property, they said.

In the end, nothing they said mattered. Aldermen Jon Feichter, Julia Boyd Freeman and LeRoy Roberson refused the Earley’s request, in the process creating a firm precedent on how the town board might view future requests.

The Creepiest Destination Award

After years of declining popularity, neglect, mismanagement, mudslides and water issues, the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park that has sat astride Buck Mountain in

nation.

Maggie Valley since 1961 failed to reopen this past spring, much to the chagrin of fans and town officials.

Currently, the park faces an uncertain future; attempts to rebrand or rejigger the image and/or purpose of the park have fallen flat, as have attempts to auction or sell the property to a new developer.

Meanwhile, rides sit rusting as weeds slowly reclaim their rightful place on a oncerollicking Main Street, casting sinister, windswept aspersions on a place once filled with unadulterated childhood joy.

Making the park no less creepy is the fact that several people — including a North Carolina man who died of a cancer while holding out hope for one last visit — chose it as their final resting place. With the cooperation of park caretakers, more than a few dearly departed have had already had their ashes spread on the grounds.

The ‘Hardest-Partying Church Choir’ Award

Fans of the Lake Junaluska Singers were shocked when a June 30 press release from Lake Junaluska administration announced that Dr. Melodie Galloway had resigned her position as director of the acclaimed and beloved choral group without further expla-

The release went on to announce the “suspension” (read: cancellation) of the remainder of the group’s 2016 season, just days before a highly-anticipated series of local performances commemorating the Fourth of July.

Upon further investigation it was discovered that Galloway’s resignation came just days after a singer who had been dismissed from the group filed a complaint with administrators, claiming he was treated poorly and that as a recovering alcoholic, he was made uncomfortable by the group’s partying.

Alcohol is not allowed on the grounds of the Lake Junaluska Assembly, and many of the singers aren’t even old enough to drink.

Further complicating the situation, police records from Vidalia, Georgia, show that another Lake Junaluska Singer was arrested for smoking marijuana while the group was on tour almost a year prior; other singers corroborated the incident, alleging that administrators at Lake Junaluska weren’t even informed at the time it occurred.

The singer who was arrested, according to the police report, was carelessly smoking weed while walking down the street, apparently trying to give new meaning to the term “Lake J.”

2016 IN REVIEW

more than its fair share of controversy during its brief existence when the owners began operating an unlicensed food truck on the premises not long after it opened.

Problem is, all food trucks in Waynesville to that point had been unlicensed; while an established phenomenon in other, larger cities, food trucks were and to some extent still are rare in Western North Carolina, and most municipalities had no regulations on the books regarding their operation because none existed.

Unique to MA’s is the fact that their truck — quite unlike other truly mobile vendors — was basically attached to the building housing the bar itself by an umbilical cord of utility connections, meaning it couldn’t really be moved. Indeed, it wasn’t even a truck — it was a trailer, with no powerplant of its own, which basically made it a building instead of a vehicle.

In the end, the Waynesville Town Board ruled against the trailer, but established a set of guidelines regarding food trucks with the hope of avoiding future entrepreneurial entanglements.

The ‘Welcome Back Kotter’ Award

Over the past few years, Kevin Ensley has probably gotten used to being a minority on

the Haywood County Board of Commissioners; the lone Republican for what probably seems like forever, Ensley still worked across party lines while also holding firm to his values-oriented conservative principles.

This has resulted in some solid compromises on major capital projects (the new animal shelter) as well as philosophical issues (gun control).

Kevin Ensley

Voters rewarded Ensley — who’s been lambasted by some members of his party for playing a little too nicely with now-retired Commission Chairman and Democrat Mark Swanger — with his third consecutive term.

Despite placing second to newcomer Republican Brandon Rogers, Ensley’s tally still placed him far above his “colorful” Democratic rivals Robin Greene Black and Steve Brown.

The ‘Rookie of the Year’ Award

Of the four candidates running for two open seats on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners, Brandon Rogers was by far the least known.

Democrats Steve Brown — a well-known local businessman and nonprof exec — and CPA/former candidate Robin Greene Black

had almost as much name recognition as Republican incumbent Kevin Ensley. Rogers, who owns a tire shop with his father just outside Canton, was the political outsider. And he beat them all.

Rogers surprisingly bested the generally popular Ensley to win more votes than the other three candidates; Ensley came in a close second to retain his seat, but Brown and Black came in a distant third and fourth, respectively. Throughout the campaign it became apparent that Rogers was not just a ham-andegger, however; he was exceedingly well versed in the county budget and brought forth a business-friendly perspective that hit a home run with voters on Election Day.

The Making Haywood Great Again Award

For starters, Donald Trump won 28 out of 29 Haywood County voting precincts; under normal circumstances, this would be considered a decisive victory. However, on Nov. 8 Trump’s numbers outperformed historical

called the “Taj Mahal” of animal shelters — Commissioners Kirk Kirkpatrick and Mike Sorrells voted no — the price was consistent with shelters built in other parts of the country, and the effort was boosted when the Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter presented commissioners with a $175,000 check, which is but a fraction of the $1 million the group says it will raise to ease the county’s financial burden.

Failure to Plan is Planning to Fail Award

Although data suggests that there is widespread support for a comprehensive county land use plan, there is currently no zoning in Haywood County.

But the county took an important step forward in addressing potential land use issues this past September when a highimpact development ordinance unanimously passed the board of commissioners.

The ordinance, which stipulates the vicinity in which certain developments like

trends for Republican presidential candidates in Haywood County by a significant margin, making his overall performance a game-changer.

An increase in voter turnout over 2012 — when Haywood Republicans weren’t, apparently, all that impressed with Mitt Romney — helped downballot Republicans in 2016 as well; the only Democrat on a Haywood County ballot who won anything was Attorney General (now Governor-elect) Roy Cooper. Locally, Republicans replaced Democrats in the state house (Queen) as well as on the county board (Rogers).

Tail Wagging the Dog Award

It’s often said that a community is measured not by how it treats the greatest of its inhabitants, but how instead by how it treats the least of them — the very young, the very old, the infirm, and those who cannot speak for themselves.

If that’s the case, Haywood County’s heart grew three sizes in September when commissioners approved a new state-of-the-art facility to replace the county’s aging, cramped animal shelter on Hemlock Street.

Although some bristled at the prospect of spending up to $3.75 million on what was

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The lofty plan was contingent on affordable housing tax credits, however. Developers couldn’t make the numbers work otherwise.

But the limited pool of tax credits for affordable housing projects had an uncanny way of flowing to metro communities down east, landing Haywood’s “too big to fail” building back on the market once more.

The Radio Shack Award

When Meadowbrook Elementary School joined the grand experiment of year-round school 20 years ago, it was a pioneer of the new education model sweeping the nation. Year-round school was the way of the future, the solution to the cursed summer slide, the path to keep kids engaged and their parents from going crazy during long summer breaks.

Almost every WNC school that has tried year-round has abandon it, with Meadowbrook in Canton one of the last hold outs until it too threw in the towel on yearround school this year. Hall Fletcher Elementary in Asheville abandoned its yearround experiment this year as well, after only two years of trying it.

What sounded good in theory failed in practice, largely because Meadowbrook was alone in the wilderness. Its year-round calendar didn’t sync with the testing regimen, training schedules or curriculum benchmarks the rest of the school system followed.

Like the faltering Radio Shack empire — whose model of niche electronic stores in

strip malls couldn’t survive in a world ruled by big-box economies of scale — Meadowbrook rejoined the masses.

The Garrison Award

Western Carolina University professors didn’t sit idly by when a $2 million gift from the Charles Koch Foundation threatened to undermine the tenets of academic freedom.

Faculty rallied to defend their hallowed halls from infiltration by the Koch propaganda machine — a vast national network of think tanks, policy shops and lobbying arms that promote libertarian politics.

WCU would become hostage to the invading Koch money, joining legions of campuses around the county occupied by Koch-funded research houses.

But WCU faculty wielded the pen like a sword and buttressed their garrison of academia with layers upon layers of bureaucratic oversight. The fearless professors outflanked the Koch mission with the fiercest weapon the ivory tower knows: a faculty committee.

Thanks to support from the university chancellor who gave the faculty rank-and-file a seat at the commander’s table, the Kochfunded center at WCU will face more scrutiny and oversight, more vetting and verifying, more accounting and monitoring, than any of Koch’s university centers in the country.

The Collateral Damage Award

The unforeseen Trump tidal wave that swept the November election not only left the

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asphalt plants and chemical facilities may be located to so-called vulnerable populations like schools, jails and nursing homes also imposes setback, separation and screening guidelines for such facilities while simultaneously protecting watersheds.

The Too Big To Fail Award

Haywood County is coming to realize the fallacy of this theory first hand.

For six years, county officials have been trying to unload the behemoth “old hospital” building — a hulking, antiquated, four-story brick building with a cobbled floor plan and outdated everything. Throw in a little asbestos and lead to round out the picture.

Lo and behold, the very drawbacks that led the county to abandon the old hospital as a social services office has kept other buyers from biting.

Twice the county has courted developers to convert the old hospital into low-income apartments.

But twice, the project fell through.

The second time around, the county had even lowered its price for the building to free — willing to give it away to be rid of it. The low-income apartment scheme was even rebranded as “lofts.”

political pundits reeling, but blindsided scads of unsuspecting Democratic candidates down the ballot who lost presumably safe seats due to Trump trickle-down.

Among those swamped by the Trump surge, N.C. Rep. Joe Sam Queen, DWaynesville, lost by less than 300 votes to Republican Mike Clampitt of Bryson City. Queen had fended off Clampitt twice before — in 2012 and again in 2014 — by a comfortable 3 to 5 percent margin.

Queen chalked up his narrow loss this time to Trump fall-out, a besieged victim of collateral damage.

“No one was more surprised on election night than me,” Queen said. “I didn’t think I would get beat.”

The Lucky Break Award

Like so many Hollywood success stories, Thom Morgan’s path to stardom hinged on a single lucky break.

Morgan, a wealthy Waynesville businessman, wasn’t exactly trolling for a spot in the limelight. But when a location scout came knocking to use his mansion as a set in the comedy crime caper “Masterminds,” he decided to go along for the ride. An entourage of movie stars and production crews invaded his house for six weeks, converting his estate into a bustling on-location set teeming with grip boys, extras and stunt men.

As for Morgan’s lucky break? The stars in the movie wanted to spend the summer filming in the cool hipster environs of Asheville, which made WNC ground zero in the hunt for set locations. A scout tasked with finding a mansion staked out a ritzy development in South Asheville and queried construction workers coming and going from the gated community whether any of the homes had pools — a requirement for the mansion scenes. One of the workers had done a job at Morgan’s house before and pointed the scout his way.

Alfred Lord Tennyson award

The very young rarely know true heartbreak, but more than 200 children in Haywood County this year experienced the deep pang of loss and betrayal when their beloved school closed.

Central Elementary School was one of the county’s smallest schools, known for its tightknit community. Adjustment was hard for Central students who were jettisoned into the general populations of other schools, and many still struggle to navigate the new social landscape and alien culture of the bigger schools they were sent to when Central was shuttered.

Central parents, students and teachers pled with the Haywood County School Board not to sacrifice their school to solve the system’s budget shortfall. School board members choked back tears of their own during a heart-wrenching public hearing where grieving students poured their souls out in hopes of saving their school, but the cold, hard reality of budget cuts prevailed.

Central was Waynesville’s oldest elementary school, a pillar that defined the community’s identity for generations. We all lost

something when Central closed, and while it’s little consolation, the classic words of Alfred Lord Tennyson seem fitting at times like these: “‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday Award

Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown laid down the law during a town meeting in January when a ruckus erupted among audience members following a heated discussion over a proposal to rename Pigeon Street after Martin Luther King.

Members of the black community proposed the name change as a way to honor the legacy and contribution of the Civil Rights leader. White residents who live on Pigeon Street countered that it would be an affront to their own heritage to change the historical street name.

Tensions grew as back-and-forth ensued among black and white audience members in attendance, and the town board decided to table the discussion pending further research.

But as audience members filed out of the room, words were exchanged between the two camps. One of the white men in attendance began shouting “It’s my town too!” and one of the black men whirled around to confront him.

Brown quickly rose from his chair at the front of the room and shouted the men down.

“No sir, I won’t have that in my meeting!” Brown bellowed, scrambling from behind the

guns were tantamount to government tyranny and religious sacrilege.

“Fear the government who fears your guns,” said Pastor Allen Davis of Woodland Baptist.

Speakers likewise feared they would become defenseless victims of evildoers if they couldn’t bring their concealed weapons into county buildings, and that it was their moral duty to be armed at all times to protect their family and society from threats.

One woman incited the memory of LaVoy Finicum, a compatriot of the Bundy brothers who was shot during a standoff between police and the occupiers of the wildlife refuge.

The county’s ban on concealed weapons in government buildings is standard throughout the state, however.

One speaker said he might even need to defend himself from wildlife, inciting the memory of a black bear loping down Waynesville’s Main Street a few years ago.

Jamaican Bobsled Award

Central Elementary School students (above) plead to school board members to keep their school open. Joe Sam Queen (left) unexpectedly lost to Republican Mike Clampitt.

High school dropouts might have the odds stacked against them, but the Haywood Community Learning Center has discovered the right mix of grit and heart to help teens for whom the typical seven-hour school day just doesn’t work.

Over the past decade more than 580 dropouts became graduates thanks to the Haywood Community Learning Center — following in the footsteps of the Jamaican bobsled team that was written off as a longshot when it made its Olympic debut. But the team proved to the world that underdogs have what it takes if someone believes in them.

dais and making his way toward the men. “I won’t have that! No sir!”

Public Works Director David Foster had Brown’s back. He sprung into action, taking one of the men by the shoulders. The duo subdued the flare-up before an armed officer stationed in the far corner of the room could step in.

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Despite the altercation, the black and white community members congregated in the lobby outside the meeting room, exchanging small talk and sharing memories of growing up in segregated Waynesville, and the two men ultimately mended fences before calling it a night.

Bundy Brothers Award

A righteous mob of gun lovers adamant about packing heat packed the halls of a Haywood County commissioners meeting to stand up for the sacrosanct trilogy of God, liberty and firearms.

More than 250 people, many of them called to action by their church pastors, railed against the county’s ban on concealed weapons in county buildings.

Like the Bundy brothers who led the armed occupation of a National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, the audience claimed it was their God-given right to carry guns when and where they pleased — and that limits on

When the dropout recovery program got caught up in the carnage of a $2.4 million budget shortfall facing the Haywood County School system, it became even more at-risk than its students. Realizing that its major grant support could be lost for want of matching funds, the school board and county joined forces to restore $61,000 needed to keep its good work going.

Captain Kirk Award

A Star Trek reference isn’t the parting accolade Haywood County Commissioner Mark Swanger expected to cap off his political legacy, but no figure better captures Swanger’s leadership style than the fabled Starship Enterprise captain.

Swanger didn’t change course or give up when the going got tough. He didn’t take the path of least resistance or shy away from difficult problems, but called it like he saw it.

Mark Swanger

Known as a hands-on manager, Swanger never abdicated his role as a leader. He owned his decisions, and stuck to his convictions, even in the face of opposition. He knew how to pick his battles, but was willing to weather a storm when the fight was a noble one.

Swanger rolled up his sleeves to work alongside county staff, cultivating relationships and partnerships where needed, another trait Cap. Kirk was known for among his loyal Enterprise crew.

Swanger was seen as a philosophical sage, whose tenor commanded a measured approach in the tightest of spots, of which there were plenty during his 12 years as county commissioner. Swanger used strategy and cunning to find novel solutions where others only saw the problems.

To Swanger, knowledge was power. He never blindly went with his gut. Instead, mental calculations were his North Star.

“Everything of any import that I’ve done, I’ve tried to make it evidence-based. Otherwise you are just flailing around,” Swanger said during an interview for a capstone article on his political career. “If you do it in any other way good decisions occur only by accident.”

The Atlas Award

Waynesville residents have historically shouldered a bigger share of the tax burden than their county neighbors just outside the town limits.

They pay for public parks — from ball fields to greenways — that are used by the entire county. They have to pay the full freight of trucking their own trash to the landfill, but get billed by the county for the cost of trucking county residents’ trash to the landfill as well. Town taxpayers even ponied up twice to build the downtown parking deck — the town and county shared the cost, which means town taxpayers contributed once on their county tax bill and again on their town tax bill for the same parking deck.

So it was par for the course this year when Waynesville taxpayers were forced to shoulder the entire cost of adding eight new firefighters to the town’s crew, even though hundreds of people outside the town limits are served by Waynesville’s fire department and didn’t have to pay a dime more for the additional firemen.

Waynesville residents saw a steep tax hike

of nearly 5 cents — a 10 percent increase in their property tax bill — to pay for the additional firemen. Town leaders signaled that they will try to extract more from county residents covered by the town’s fire service district next year, but it wouldn’t level the playing field completely.

The Not From Around Here Award

There’s a saying in mountains that newcomers cling to like the gospel: “I’m not from here, but got here as quick as I could.”

Alas, it wasn’t enough to keep Marcy Onieal from losing her post as Waynesville town manager this year. Onieal was competent, smart and a workaholic — perhaps a little too much so for a small mountain town like Waynesville. Despite Waynesville’s progressive veneer and Onieal’s marching orders to modernize town operations, she violated an unspoken cardinal rule: keep the natives happy.

Onieal’s biggest offense was rubbing employees the wrong way who didn’t like her business-like, no-nonsense demeanor. Too much change, too fast, with too many new expectations — imposed by an outsider and a woman to boot — led to Onieal’s demise. She was narrowly voted out of her position by a 3-to-2 vote of the town board earlier this year.

The Frank Sinatra Award

The famous crooner’s hit “My Way,” could have easily been based on the Cherokee Tribal Council’s reaction when Rick Lanier of the U.S. Motto Action Committee approached them in February with a pitch to display the national motto, “In God We Trust,” on the councilhouse.

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The “same inspiring slogan” is displayed in the halls of Congress, Lanier said, and its presence in Cherokee would “solemnize public occasions and express confidence in our society.”

Councilmembers and audience members were quick to deliver Lanier a tongue-lashing that detailed the grievances the U.S. government has inflicted on Native American tribes over the centuries. They pressured Lanier to withdraw his resolution, which he did before swiftly leaving the councilhouse.

However, once Lanier left councilmembers decided that they actually liked the idea of displaying “In God We Trust” in their building — but it should be done in Cherokee syllabary and paid for with their own money.

“We want to make sure we’re going to do it right,” said Councilmember Alan “B” Ensley.

The Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robot Award

It’s been hard to number the rounds, but ever since the 2015 election, Cherokee’s executive and legislative branches have been locked in a continuous series of tussles.

The year kicked off with disagreement over whether then-Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise board member Angela Kephart — who was appointed by former Principal Chief Michell Hicks — should keep her job following alleged misconduct at a February concert at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

But, for the most part dissension often simmered below the surface during the first half of the year, coming up indirectly during discussions of other issues. Over the summer, the tension came to a head when Tribal Council ordered an investigation into the hiring and firing practices of Principal Chief Patrick Lambert’s administration. The vote came from a move on the floor made without a written resolution and included a mandate

that Lambert cease hiring and firing until the investigation finished — something Lambert said Council did not have the right to order.

This kicked off a series of skirmishes, with Lambert desiring to veto the legislation and Council declaring that it could order investigations with or without ratification from the chief. In November, an expansion of the original investigation came to light, with some councilmembers stating that investigations into the education and emergency services departments had been approved during a closed-door meeting to which some councilmembers — specifically, those who would have opposed the expansion — were not invited. Lambert said that his son’s educational records had been illegally obtained as part of the supposed investigation and called the whole thing a witch-hunt, threatening to examine his legal options.

With all councilmembers up for election in October 2017, by this time next year we may know who will emerge the final victor.

The Black Bart Award

When a sleeping A.T. hiker awoke to find his tent being attacked by a black bear this May, staff at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park wasted no time launching a search for the ursine responsible.

But perhaps the rogue bear took some lessons from the famous stagecoach robber, because he (or she) wound up getting off scot-free.

Three bears were apprehended as suspects in the attack, which occurred near the Spence Field Shelter along the A.T.’s path through the park and sent 49-year-old Bradley Veeder to the hospital with puncture wounds on his leg.

The first bear, a 400-pound male found near the scene of the crime, was deemed too

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large to collar or hold until DNA results linking the bear to the bite could be returned. The bear was euthanized, only to be posthumously exonerated by the DNA results. After that, two other, smaller, bears were captured and fitted with GPS collars until their DNA tests could come back. Those tests were negative, too. Black Bart 1, Park Service 0.

The Out of Egypt Award

After centuries of absence, elk were restored to their Promised Land in the Smokies in 2001. However, surrounding kingdoms have resisted as the elk have pushed the boundaries of their new home, and those conflicts reached a new level in 2016.

Last winter, members of the Ross family decided they had had enough of elk scaring their cattle, destroying their fences and eating their crops — and in January and February, seven elk were shot dead on the Jonathan Creek-area dairy farm. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission ultimately concluded that the farmers were within their rights to shoot the elk, but significant public outcry lent urgency to what has been an ongoing discussion about how to manage the elk population going forward and how landowners should and should not be allowed to deal with issues they encounter.

Land conservation is likely to be a big part of the solution. The Conservation Fund has been working for years to purchase land in the Maggie Valley area for conveyance to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the idea being that the land could be managed to create ideal elk habitat, providing a safe haven for the animals where they wouldn’t interfere with private holdings. The conservation project is expected to cover more than 2,000 acres when complete. And that’s not the only elk-related management project in the works. A timber management plan the U.S. Forest Service is crafting for the 12 Mile Area of Haywood County includes elk habitat as one of its major goals.

So, in their quest to press beyond the boundaries of their original Promised Land, the elk are getting some help. But some borders may defy conquest. The Ross farm, for one — that land is now encircled by 2 miles of elk-proof fence.

The Mr. Congeniality Award

It’s not uncommon for university chancellors to find themselves the targets of criticism rather than praise, but Western Carolina University Chancellor David Belcher emerged from 2016 the obvious choice for this award, last won by Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher.

It wasn’t necessarily an easy year for Belcher. He found himself at the center of a firestorm when the university accepted a controversial $2 million gift from the Charles Koch Foundation, and in April he announced that he’d been diagnosed with a brain tumor. But, while plenty of criticism still exists

about the basic idea of accepting money from a politically active foundation like the Koch Foundation, the university’s approach toward navigating the gift agreement has been met with praise even from the critics. And when Belcher announced he was facing cancer, the university community was quick to rally around him, with nearly 250 people showing up for an impromptu rally in the rain to show their support.

A May surgery proved effective, and while Belcher has yet to sport a Mr. Congeniality sash and crown, these days he can often be found on campus wearing a smile, a suit and a purple baseball cap.

The Ebenezer Scrooge Award

Like the Charles Dickens-created miser, the skies over Western North Carolina were stingy as could be about doling out anything in the way of precipitation this fall. The region sank into a steadily worsening drought as tens of thousands of acres of wildfires blazed through the mountains.

But perhaps the Ghost of Christmas Future made an appearance, because as the holiday drew nearer the skies finally began to open. Drought designations were downgraded, fires quenched and nearly dry waterways wet once more.

Not that Mother Nature has entirely learned her lesson. While December rainfall is much closer to normal than has been the case for months, it’s still below average. And while the most severe drought designation has disappeared from the mountains, the western region and much of the piedmont are still experiencing significant drought. Cattle farmers whose pastures have been ruined by dry conditions will be recovering for at least the next year, even if normal rains resume.

Let’s hope that Christmastime levels of generosity pervade the atmosphere in the months to come.

The Neverending Story Award

With almost three years elapsed since Southwestern Community College first began planning to address the estimated 60 tons of lead that have accumulated in its Jackson County firing range, the appropriateness of this award should be obvious.

It was April 2014 when the staggering accumulation of lead first came to light, and that summer the college began to work with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality — then called the Department of Environment and Natural Resources — to test the soil and devise solutions for cleanup. While active shooting ranges are exempt from Environmental Protection Agency standards for lead, testing revealed an area just downhill from the range with concentrations as high as 73 times the amount considered safe.

By November 2015, SCC’s consultants had defined the problem and sketched out a solution. Cleanup was expected to be over and done with by early 2016, possibly even winding down before the New Year.

But a staffing change at the DEQ led to recommendations for another round of testing, to check for additional contaminants. It was fall 2016 before the remediation planned in November 2015 was underway, and afterward follow-up testing showed that lead lev-

WCU students made headlines with politically-charged chalk messages on campus.

els were still 10 times the amount considered safe. Now the DEQ is recommending monitoring wells, a sediment pond and ongoing testing at the site. It could be quite a while before this story reaches its final chapter.

The Mr. Rogers Award

Cassius Cash might wear a National Park Service uniform rather than Fred Rogers’ trademark cardigan and tie, but the Great Smoky Mountains National Park superintendent has spent the past year inviting one and all to become part of the neighborhood.

Hired in February 2015, Cash grew up a city boy in Memphis, Tennessee, and is the park’s first AfricanAmerican superintendent. Since coming to the Smokies, he’s made it his business to expand park visitation beyond the typical demographics. Throughout the year, Cash led hikes with groups of youth — mostly from urban areas, and often non-white — whose lives have included very little exposure to the outdoors. Park staff made their way into the schools of some park-side communities to discuss the joys of hiking and deliver free hiking guides. The Smokies even celebrated

ning timeline. The overwhelming majority of WNC counties passed resolutions opposing additional wilderness, while a robust coalition of groups believe additional wilderness to be a cornerstone of responsible forest management going forward.

Meadows responded to the criticism by saying that the meeting was merely a response to requests he’d had from county representatives, and he immediately set about scheduling a separate meeting — held about one month later — to which only wilderness supporters were invited.

Better Out Than In Award

You’d have to live under a rock not to feel the political tension straining the nation in 2016, and for students at Western Carolina University the pressure mounted until exploding into a colorful form of expression — sidewalk chalk.

SCC’s firing range, which is still undergoing environmental remediation.

Hispanic Heritage Month with a Spanish-language event aimed at showing Hispanic people what the park has to offer.

It’s a beautiful year in the neighborhood.

The Party Crashers Award

When county leaders in Western North Carolina asked to talk to Congressman Mark Meadows about their thoughts regarding new wilderness areas in the region, Meadows responded by scheduling a pair of meetings to which county representatives, U.S. Forest Service leaders and members of a stakeholders forum advising on the topic were invited.

However, a group of about 30 wilderness advocates got wind of the gatherings and showed up to a meeting in Franklin, earning them this award.

The wilderness supporters were told that the meeting was by invitation only and asked to leave, a mandate that elicited strong criticism from those denied entry. Buzz Williams of the Chattooga Conservancy went so far as to call the meeting a “wilderness-bashing session” orchestrated by Meadows, who came “to hear from a hand-picked audience.”

The process of wilderness recommendation is perhaps the most contentious component of the still-forming forest management plan for the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests, and disagreement on the subject has resulted in multiple extensions of the plan-

The first chalky slathering came in March, when students from the Department of Intercultural Affairs decorated the fountain area with statements reflecting pride in their various cultures and skin colors. The chalking was in response to a Facebook debate over the appropriateness of a poster display Intercultural Affairs housed during AfricanAmerican History Month.

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The chalking launched a backlash of racist commentary on Yik Yak, an app that lets users post anonymous comments. In a letter to students, Chancellor David Belcher called the posts “racist, hurtful, offensive and frightening.”

However, the episode wasn’t long in the rearview mirror before a group of conservative students took to the sidewalks themselves, inscribing a slew of political messages such as “build that wall,” “concealed carry saves” and “blue lives matter.”

The dueling chalkings wound up bringing students on opposite sides of the spectrum face-to-face, learning how to discuss difficult issues in the real world rather than hiding behind a computer screen.

This bias toward getting it out in the open rather than sweeping it under the rug continued with discussion forums hosted by administration, the hiring of a diversity officer to help students navigate their differences and continued rallies and demonstrations by various student groups.

As that green sage, Shrek, once said, “better out than in.”

The I Ain’t Never Award

We could also call it the ‘oh my stars award,’ or maybe the ‘lawd have mercy award.’ Among others.

When April Ledford’s husband Bill Ledford — a former vice chief — passed away, he left a will stipulating that she be allowed to keep his house in Cherokee through the end of her life. April, unlike Bill, is not a tribal member, but tribal law allows members to will land to close relatives to keep until their death. The will was upheld by

Tribal Court and in May wound up before Tribal Council for what is usually a rubberstamp approval.

But that’s not what happened.

Bill’s daughter Katina Price implored council not to let April keep the house, delivering a scathing review of April’s character and motives. April, meanwhile, maintained that while Katina had been nothing but terrible to her, she loved Bill and only wanted to be allowed to keep living in their home, as Bill had wished.

The discussion went back and forth, with some councilmembers expressing disbelief that the body would take it upon itself to edit the wishes of a deceased man. However, others were certain that throwing out the portion of Bill’s last wishes that would leave the house to April was the right thing to do.

At this point, it’s unclear how the story will end. In August Tribal Council voted to withdraw the will completely, ostensibly so that an abridged form could be resubmitted later.

We ain’t never.

The Third Time’s The Charm Award

As the saying goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And for Republican Representative-elect Mike Clampitt, both of the do-overs listed in that adage proved necessary to land him a seat in Raleigh.

To the surprise of many, Clampitt came out the victor in this year’s election race against incumbent Representative Joe Sam Queen, DWaynesville. It was the third time in a row he’d run against the long-time politician, but the first time he won. Clampitt lost in 2012,

48.3 percent to 51.7 percent, and once more in 2014, this time by a slightly wider margin — 47.4 percent to 52.6 percent.

Undeterred, Clampitt filed to run again in 2016, and this time the effort paid off — he came away with a slim majority, 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent. He’ll head to Raleigh in 2017 to take his seat among the Republican supermajority that emerged victorious in 2016.

The Never Say Die Award

When the first flames licked through WNC forests this fall, firefighters from all over the country responded to contain what would grow to be the 729-acre Dicks Creek Fire. But the blaze would prove to be only the first in a historic fire season fueled by extreme drought and low humidity.

The fight must have seemed futile at times, with the drought continually intensifying and new forest fires cropping up almost daily. But the firefighters hung in there, putting in 14-plus hour days of hard, physical labor on rugged, smoky terrain.

Despite every obstacle thrown their way, they never did say die.

By the time rain finally returned to the parched region, roughly 80,000 acres had burned in the mountains west of Asheville, costing nearly $40 million to fight. Despite the immensity of the burned areas, not a single home was lost in the seven western counties.

Here’s hoping that Santa was extra good to our wildland firefighters this year.

The Star Power Award

Even people who had barely set foot in downtown Sylva before found reasons to go when Woody Harrelson and Francis McDormand came to town this spring. The stars were around for weeks during the May filming of a feature film written by Oscar-winning scriptwriter Martin McDonagh.

The celebrity selfies flew through cyberspace, necks craned every time a door on the Main Street filming area and whispers flitted

2016 IN REVIEW

about town as strangers compared notes on Woody sightings.

Eventually, the stars returned to Hollywood, the crew disappeared, and the Ebbing Police Station was restored to its former identity as Sassy Frass Consignment. But the impact of the movie, once released, is expected to leave a long-lasting mark on the town. Business owners and economic development directors are hoping to see Sylva’s status as the place where “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” was filmed boost the town’s stature for years to come.

The David v. Goliath Award

Swain County may be small in size and resources, but that didn’t stop county government officials this year from taking on a giant — the federal government.

Back in March, Swain County commissioners filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior in an effort to recoup millions of dollars the federal government has been promising to pay Swain County for years. They know it’s a long shot, but with $38.2 million at stake, commissioners felt like this was their last chance to get what is owed to the people.

When North Shore Road was flooded in the 1940s to create Fontana Dam, the federal government promised the people of Swain County that the road would be rebuilt. That of course never happened. The North Shore Road once connected Bryson City to Tennessee, but the road the government started in order to replace it but never finished — is now known as the Road to Nowhere.

Commissioner David Monteith — perhaps not coincidently the namesake of the former king of the Israelites who defeated the giant warrior Goliath — fought hard years ago to get the federal government to rebuild the road. While he was adamant about get-

ting a road, the rest of the board outvoted him. The majority voted to accept a $52 million cash settlement from the federal government that was supposed to be paid out over 20 years.

Swain County received its first installment of $12.8 million in 2010 but hasn’t received another dime since. After endless trips to Washington, D.C., and lobbying from U.S. representatives, commissioners are tired of getting the run around and hearing excuse after excuse about why their money still hasn’t been paid. The settlement agreement is up in 2020, which is what prompted commissioners to file the lawsuit.

Motions are still being filed from both sides, but Swain County is determined to see it’s day in court to fight the bureaucratic beast.

The Rocking the Boat Award

When the Tennessee Valley Authority threatened to remove all houseboats from its reservoirs within the next 30 years, Laura and Erik Sneed of Cherokee weren’t afraid to stand up and rock the boat so their family and 350 others on Fontana Lake could keep their floating homes.

The Sneeds, especially Laura, were at the forefront of a grassroots effort to get the TVA policy reversed. She formed a coalition of houseboat owners not just on Fontana but also on other TVA lakes to go before the TVA board with their testimonies. She also created a website and Facebook page for Fontana Families for Floating Houses and kept everyone informed on developments.

When their pleas with the TVA board fell on deaf ears, they didn’t give up and they didn’t get discouraged. They reached out to their U.S. representatives and started fundraising to pay for a legislative consultant in Washington, D.C., to help them lobby against the new TVA policy.

With the help of U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, the houseboat owners finally got their way.

Meadows and Burr both introduced similar amendments into a larger bill — the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 — to allow existing houseboats to stay on TVA lakes.

The Sneeds are quick to give credit to everyone else, but if it weren’t for their ability to unify all stakeholders, their persistence and their ability to keep a positive message throughout the process, the TVA would have been the victor in this fight.

The Tell it like it is Award

It’s difficult to get excited about sitting through a three-hour congressional hearing before the Subcommittee on Government Operations in Washington, D.C. It can easily start to feel like being in church as a child trying not to fall asleep as the pastor’s sermon runs long, but this one in particular played out like a summertime revival.

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, who chairs the subcommittee, called the hearing in September to question the Tennessee Valley Authority about its new policy that would place a 30-year sunset on all houseboats while also establishing new standards and fees for houseboat owners.

Houseboat owners watching online probably felt like they were in church as they surely shouted, “Preach it!” “Amen!” and “Hallelujah!” at the computer screen as Rep. Meadows held the coming to Jesus meeting with TVA officials.

The Reading the Tea Leaves Award

Anyone who has visited the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will tell you it’s in desperate need of more space and a major technology upgrade. It’s been located in the 9,000-square foot building since 1970 and is definitely the least impressive library in the region considering Jackson County’s renovated library is located in the historic courthouse on the hill in Sylva and Macon County got a new state-of-the-art library about 10 years ago.

The need is obvious, but the new library fundraising committee has had to read between the lines when it comes to how much Swain County commissioners are willing to contribute to the $7.2 million project. Members of the fundraising committee came before commissioners several times this year to give them an update on their efforts in hopes commissioners would verbalize their intentions to assist them but the board has been quiet.

Eventually the fundraising committee flat out told commissioners that further fundraising was going to be difficult without a timeline or financial commitment from the county. Even so, commissioners still wouldn’t give

Subcommittee members on the left and right presented TVA President and CEO Bill Johnson with some tough questions regarding the new stringent standards, but it was Rep. Meadows who took the TVA to task over what he called an overreaching and overreacting measure. Meadows didn’t dilly dally around the issue — he told Johnson flat out that the TVA had more pressing matters to address than trying to rob people of their private investments. He pointed to the TVA’s debt, unfunded pensions and even Johnson’s $4.5 million annual salary.

It definitely seemed like Rep. Meadows had a much larger axe to grind with the TVA — and no one could blame him. After all, this was the quasi-governmental agency that created the houseboat proliferation problem by not enforcing its own regulations for the last 30 years and now wanted to put the entire burden on the property owners. That’s not something that sits well with Meadows.

them any indication of whether it would happen. It will be a shame if it doesn’t move forward, especially since the land for the new building has already been donated. However, if the new library isn’t in the works by 2020, the land will revert back to the original owners.

Auld Lang Syne Award

This will be the first New Year’s Eve in decades that Haywood County residents who live outside of a town’s limits will be able to purchase legal alcohol. This award goes to the Haywood County citizens who voted overwhelmingly to make on-premise and offpremise beer and wine sales legal during the same election that Donald Trump also got an overwhelming victory. Did the same people who voted for countywide alcohol sales also support Trump’s presidential bid? Perhaps, but perhaps it was just a coincidence. Regardless, there’s really just one thing to say to all those who can claim a stake in this award: Cheers!

The very first Christmas (in space)

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER

While perusing the vast litany of uplifting Christmas stories, one might not think to probe the mission archives of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

But 48 years ago this past Christmas Eve, Otto resident Kurt Volker sat stunned – like much of the world — in front of his television, listening to words most profound echoing from somewhere in the eternal void of outer space.

Volker was born in New Jersey in 1942, but grew up in Massachusetts after his father, a World War II veteran, decided to attend dental school there.

Months after graduating from high school in Sandwich — a small town located at the root of Cape Cod — Volker joined the U.S. Navy on Aug. 1, 1961, during a period of escalating U.S. military activity.

American involvement in Vietnam would increase dramatically by early 1965, eventually becoming perhaps the greatest proxy conflict of the Cold War; but when Volker enlisted, the Navy was just four months removed from President John F. Kennedy’s Bay of Pigs fiasco and little over a year away from the Cuban Missile Crisis.

U.S.-Soviet tensions were perhaps never higher, and the two great powers sought to best each other — to prove which way of life was superior — on and off the battlefield by boasting of achievements in athletics, art, culture, medicine, science and technology.

Of those, the race into space was paramount. It was a chance for both countries to demonstrate state-of-the-art scientific tech-

nology that could also be repurposed for military use, and the Soviet Union was beating America badly.

They’d shocked the world by putting the first artificial satellite, the first animal and the first human into space — all by early 1962 — and had their sights set squarely on the moon, which prompted President Kennedy, who was aware of the propaganda aspects as well as the technological inferiority issues, to famously call for the U.S. to put “a man on the moon” and return him “safely to the earth” by the end of the 1960s.

“I was a little bit

that,” he said.

Volker received 28 weeks of training and was assigned to the Gearing-class destroyer USS James D. Kyes in March 1963, serving as an electronic communications technician until August 1965.

“My job was to maintain the ship’s communications equipment,” he said. “Some of it was pretty sophisticated.”

The Kyes spent much of her time deployed near the hotspots of the day — Vietnam and Korea.

“It was just a constant state of readiness,” Volker said, recalling how once, near Japan, he established an unlikely personal connec-

and made his way back to the cape, where he searched for a job in the electronics industry.

Finding none, the Cold-War technology whiz found work in a somewhat archaic industry. Rather than focusing on encrypted transmissions he focused on magazine subscriptions, selling them door-to-door.

Volker traveled up and down the east coast, making more than $2,000 a month in commissions at a time when the average household income was less than $5,000 per year, until a fateful encounter prompted him to knock on his last door.

ROCKETMAN

As one of the company’s top salesmen, Volker had worked up quite a thirst while pounding the pavement one Friday near Cape Canaveral, Florida.

“That whole passage is just so significant as to where we are, as humans in relation to our Creator.”

— Kurt Volker

antsy, I didn’t feel like I was mature enough to go to college, like a lot of kids today,” Volker said of his decision to enter the armed forces. “I thought it’d be a good opportunity to travel and to learn a trade that might be valuable in the future.”

When the Navy tested Volker to determine what kind of job he’d be best suited for, he said he was told he’d performed “very well” on the electronics section.

“My grandfather was an electrician, and I used to watch him do all sorts of things, and I used to tinker with radios and stuff like

tion with his Soviet counterpart.

“We would cruise off the coast of Russia, watching their destroyers watching our destroyers. We had these huge binoculars called ‘big eyes.’ So I’m up there and I’m looking at a Russian destroyer,” he said, “and the guy on the Russian destroyer is looking back at me.”

The Russian gave Volker a rather crude one-finger salute, which Volker laughingly returned just in time to see his adversary also laughing.

“Even in tense times, you try to find a little bit of humor here and there,” he said.

When he got out of the Navy, he bought a 1956 Ford Victoria in Long Beach, picked up a buddy who he dropped off in Chicago,

“A woman answered, as they did a lot, and I said, ‘Listen, I’m a magazine salesman, and I don’t want to sell you anything, but I’m thirsty. Could you spare a glass of water?’”

Volker and the woman got to talking, during which time he learned that her husband was an electronics contractor at Kennedy Space Center, and needed help.

But the man was away at a conference in Las Vegas, so Volker continued on to Key West, where he suddenly quit his job, hitchhiked back up to Cape Canaveral, and again knocked on the woman’s door.

“He was there, and he hired me on the spot,” Volker said.

Volker began installing closed-circuit television systems on NASA’s launchpads during Project Gemini, and bounced around with different contractors like Fairchild Hiller until he landed at Boeing in 1967.

President Kennedy’s call for Americans on the moon hadn’t died with him in 1963; rather, it became something for a destabilized, conflicted nation to rally around as it slowly beginning to eclipse the Soviet space program.

As Gemini drew to a close in 1966 like Project Mercury had in 1963, Project Apollo began with the goal of answering Kennedy’s call.

After an inauspicious start during which astronauts Roger Chaffee, Gus Grissom and Edward H. White asphyxiated during a prelaunch test, the Apollo project succeeded in setting a number of human spaceflight milestones that had finally put the moon within reach.

Volker began work on Apollo 4; as the missions progressed sequentially, all were meant to test equipment and procedures that would be needed to land on the moon.

Apollo 4 was the first test of the massive Saturn V rocket, Apollo 5 was the first test of the lunar module and Apollo 6 again tested the Saturn V. All were unmanned and took place in an astonishingly short five-month span from November 1967 to April 1968.

Kennedy’s deadline was drawing ever closer; failure to meet it carried huge psychological consequences

for the Americans, who aimed to prove that American ingenuity and dedication couldn’t be silenced by a sniper’s bullet.

“We were extremely motivated,” said Volker.

THEFINALCOUNTDOWN

In October 1968, Apollo 7 lifted off intending to carry out the ill-fated mission of Apollo 1, which had killed Chaffee, Grissom and White some 20 months prior.

The successful test of the command/service module by Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham paved the way for Apollo 8’s launch on Dec. 21.

Apollo 8 would become the first time humans would leave low-earth orbit.

Crewed by William Anders, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell — who would famously be played by Tom Hanks in a movie about the Apollo 13 mission — Apollo 8 was to orbit the moon and return the three men to the earth, essentially doing everything but land on the moon.

“My job was to monitor a strip chart recorder,” Volker said of the gear that recorded dozens, if not hundreds, of sensors and performance indicators on the Saturn rocket that for the first time would carry humans atop.

“They had a lot of early problems with vibration in the rockets, because you’re looking at 7.5 million pounds of thrust from five engines,” he said.

Volker vividly remembers working the Dec. 21 launch.

“You’re in the firing room, and you just feel the rumbling,” he said. “But you can’t look.”

His responsibility ended just after liftoff.

“As soon as it clears the tower, you can rush up to the windows,” he said, describing the column of flame escaping the rear of the 363 foot-tall rocket as it began the three astronauts’ 400,000-mile journey.

That journey took six days, 3 hours, and 42 minutes, during which time Anders, Borman and Lovell were never far from the minds of those who helped put them in space.

“In my head, I was flying with those guys the whole time,” Volker said. “You’re just hoping and praying. Praying nothing goes wrong.”

After days of cautious optimism, Anders, Borman and Lovell returned without a hitch.

“That thing went off exactly on time, splashdown was, I think, exactly where it was supposed to be, when it was supposed, to be,” he said.

As with other successful missions, Apollo 8 led to Apollo 9 in March 1969, when astronauts would test the command vehicle and lunar module in low earth orbit. That in turn led to Apollo 10, which would bring astronauts to within 9 miles of the moon’s surface by May 1969.

Apollo 11 would finally answer Kennedy’s call in July 1969.

O HOLYFLIGHT

Apollo 8 returned to earth on Dec. 27, 1968, after bring gone almost a week.

While circling the moon, astronauts celebrated the first Christmas in outer space with a live video transmission from orbit and in doing so, created an indelible Christmas memory for a generation of Americans.

“I was watching television, like everyone else,” Volker said of his Christmas Eve in 1968. “Then they came on with that live feed, in black and white.”

Today, video and internet communications between the earth and space have become so commonplace as to render the once-futuristic mundane; interactive video chats and tweets from beyond the Van Allen belt are barely newsworthy anymore.

But back then, a grainy greyscale broadcast from lunar orbit attracted what was at the time the largest television audience ever.

“I think I stood up and cheered,” Volker laughed.

Faced with the challenge of addressing the greatest amount of people that had ever heard a lone human voice, Frank Borman said in 1998 that the only instructions he’d been given by NASA with which to mark the momentous occasion were to “do something appropriate.”

As Anders, Borman and Lovell circled the moon — the first 10 human orbits of the moon, ever — while beaming back images to millions of transfixed humans 200,000 miles away, they began to read the first 10 chapters of the Book of Genesis.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

“That whole passage is just so significant as to where we are, as humans in relation to our Creator,” said Volker. “Whether you’re a believer or not.”

Notably, the mission also produced another significant first — what has been called the most influential photograph ever taken.

Titled, “Earthrise,” astronaut William Anders’ Christmas Eve photo of the earth coming into view above the moon’s horizon continues to serve as a profound reminder of humanity’s place in the universe, even almost 50 years after it was taken.

“I was extremely proud to be part of the program,” Volker said. “Every year at this time of the year, I look up, and I think, I was part of that.”

Search for possible missing aircraft in park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials continue search efforts to locate a missing single-engine airplane that potentially went down somewhere in the ridges southwest of Mount LeConte Lodge on Monday, Dec. 26.

Civil Air Patrol conducted an aerial reconnaissance flight late Monday to try to locate the plane using the emergency locator transmitter, but were unable to find any transmissions from the aircraft.

Overnight, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center was able to use information from McGhee Tyson Airport tower radar and the plane’s emergency locator transmitter to determine a specific area where the plane is most likely located.

On Tuesday, ground search teams were deployed to Bearpen Hollow Branch and areas southwest of the Bullhead Trail to search for signs of the aircraft. The park is also coordinating with the Tennessee

Emergency Management Agency to arrange for a reconnaissance flight as soon as the weather clears.

The missing plane is reported to be a Cessna 182 fixed wing single-engine aircraft. The flight had originated out of Florida and was bound for the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport. The AFRCC has reported that the plane was in conversations with air traffic controllers at McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, but there is no additional information on these conversations at this time. Information on passengers on board has not been confirmed.

The National Park Service has been working closely with the AFRCC, CAP, Federal Aviation Administration, and TEMA in this ongoing search effort.

Check The Smoky Mountain News website for updates. www.smokymountainnews.com.

WCU’s Noble Hall welcomes two more restaurants

The first days of January will bring the openings of two restaurants in Noble Hall, Western Carolina University’s new mixed-use facility located at the corner of Centennial and Central drives.

A Subway sandwich shop once again will be in operation on the WCU campus when the husband-and-wife team of Scott and Shelley Welch officially open their doors Wednesday, Jan. 4, and the first Chili’s Grill & Bar in North Carolina west of Asheville will be firing up its grill Monday, Jan. 9.

Bob’s Mini Mart was re-opened by owner Bob Hooper in late October. Owners of MadStone Cafe and Catching Light Books, a combination cafe and bookstore, expect to open their doors in early February. The opening for a fifth Noble Hall commercial tenant, a campus outpost for Sylva-based outdoor recreation retailer Blackrock Outdoor Co., is predicted for early 2017.

Economic development leader visits Haywood

The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce welcomed Christopher Chung, Director of the Economic Development Partnership of NC, as the December Issues & Eggs special guest.

Last year Chung was dubbed a “rising star” by Development Counselors International, which named him among the industry’s “Top 40 Under 40.” While serving as CEO, Chung launched the Missouri Partnership in 2007, which focused exclusively on recruiting new business, and he led the organization to be recognized by corporate executives and location advisors as one of the country’s best economic development programs. Under Chung’s leadership, the Missouri Partnership helped recruit 78 new corporate operations and more than 10,000 jobs and $1 billion in capital investment since 2010.

Chung has been hired to lead the Economic Development Partnership of NC, a new nonprofit entity charged with job development, sports and tourism marketing, and international trade efforts. A video of his presentation is available to the public on the Haywood Chamber of Commerce and EDC’s YouTube channel. www.HaywoodChamber.com or call 828.456.3021.

Bryson City B&B under new ownership

The Folkestone Inn Bed & Breakfast in Bryson City is now under the ownership of husband-andwife duo Chef Scott and Toni Rowe.

Together the couple has garnered diverse experience at fine dining restaurants, resorts, hotels and private clubs resulting in a passion for hospitality and a philosophy of locally and

responsibly sourced ingredients which result in creative dishes. The couple plans to add a chicken coop and smokehouse to offer Folkestone guests farm-fresh eggs, house smoked bacon, sausage and ham, as well as growing organic vegetables and herbs.

Scott Rowe is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and has been working in the culinary industry for more than 30 years. Toni Rowe began her career at Pinehurst Resort while attending Johnson & Wales University in Norfolk, Virginia where she obtained her Degree in Culinary Arts.

Harrah’s supports drug coalition

Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel presented a check for $10,000 to the Cherokee County Drug Coalition for the purchase of a Mobile Drug Incinerator.

The Mobile Drug Incinerator can be used anywhere needed in Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties to help dispose of narcotics that have been turned in to or confiscated by law enforcement. The drug coalition, local police departments, sheriff's office and health care workers collect more than 75 pounds of pill-form narcotics per month, in addition to needles, liquids and patches. Having an incinerator available locally will help law enforcement agencies save time, money and manpower when disposing of narcotics.

ment guaranteed Small Business Administration and USDA loans were closed in the Western North Carolina region. These types of loans provide several benefits to the borrower, including lower monthly payments and longer amortization periods.

UCB, a community bank based in Blairsville, Georgia, has expanded its SBA and government guaranteed loan division across its four-state footprint in recent years. The bank has specialists that work with the local branches to quickly evaluate the type of loan that is the best fit for the borrower and move to close in short time frames.

Harrah’s employees donate toys

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino employees recently donated hundreds of toys to children in Western North Carolina through the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program.

The efforts at Harrah's Cherokee casinos were led by the HERO Team (Harrah's Employees Reaching Out). The HERO program connects employees to nonprofits in need within their communities.

Approximately 420 toys where donated from employees at Harrah's Cherokee Valley River, and roughly 880 toys were donated by employees at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort. Toys donated at Valley River are bound for children in Clay, Cherokee and Graham counties; while toys from the resort are heading to children in Jackson and Swain counties.

Cottage Craftsman moves to new location

The Cottage Craftsman in Bryson City has announced that it is moving from its Fry Street

• Swa Sapp, RN, BSN/esthetician, has joined A New Attitude Day Spa and Tanning Salon in Bryson City to treat teen and adult acne as well as rosacea and redness, and to provide customized chemical and enzyme peels and facials, anti-aging treatments, and hygienic waxing. 828.736.7652.

ALSO:

• Smoky View Cottages is now offering temporary rentals in the heart of Maggie Valley with six months to one-year lease agreements. One, two and three bedroom rentals are available. Renters have access to all property amenities such as pool, laundry services, and grounds. Some pets allowed with deposit. 828.926.1245.

• Suburban Propane employees recently celebrated milestone anniversaries with the company. Jeffrey Gillespie of Leicester celebrated 30 years with Suburban Propane while Dennis Weaver of Weaverville celebrated 10 years.

• The American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys has recognized the exceptional performance of North Carolina’s DUI Attorney Robert S. Gilligan, Esq. as 2016 10 Best DUI Attorney for Client Satisfaction. Gilligan is an attorney with the Minick Law Firm, which has offices in Asheville and Waynesville. 828.333.5035 or www.minicklaw.com.

location to Everett Street.

"It is with great sadness that The Cottage Craftsman announces that our lease on the building that has housed The Cottage Craftsman for the last 11 years, has not been renewed. We will remain in operation in this location until Dec. 28, 2016, at which point we will be closing to pack the shop and relocate,” said storeowner Paige Christie. “We will be merging with The Wild Fern at 15 Everett St. and will continue, as we always have, to carry local and regional, MadeIn-The-USA products.”

Duke Progress drops customer rates

Duke Energy Progress customers in North Carolina should notice a savings on their next utility bill as the company recently lowered rates.

Effective Dec. 1, 2016, the charge for a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity will decrease from $110.04 to $103.23 per month, a savings of $6.81. Overall energy costs will decrease about 6.5 percent for residential customers, 7.2 percent for commercial customers and 7 percent for industrial customers.

“We work around the clock to bring our customers reliable electricity at affordable rates,” said David Fountain, Duke Energy president - North Carolina. “Through our generation operations and fuel procurement practices, we have delivered more than $722 million in fuel and joint dispatch merger savings to our customers since 2012.”

The fight over what it means to be an American

Iturned 18 three weeks too late to vote for Ronald Wilson Reagan for president of the United States, but if I had been eligible to vote, I would have voted for him. The world seemed too complicated and too dark to me. Every night on the evening news, there were reports of more violence in the Middle East, rising interest rates, out of control inflation, an economy in the toilet. President Carter — who nobody doubted was a good man with the best of intentions — just didn’t seem to be the kind of man to lead the country out of what he himself called a “crisis of the spirit.” He coined that phrase in what would later be remembered as the infamous “malaise speech.”

But Reagan — ah, Ronald Reagan — now here was a man with real charisma, a movie star cowboy, a man who laid out an uncomplicated plan for reclaiming America’s greatness. Cut taxes, stimulate the economy, restore a sense of pride and patriotism in every American, win the Cold War, rescue our nation from the prevailing pessimism and make it, just as our founding fathers had envisioned, “that shining city on the hill.”

I had been reading William F. Buckley and George Will since I was 14 or 15, and many of my family members were longtime Republicans. In fact, my uncle was the chairman of the Republican Party in our country for a while. I knew that Republicans believed in small government and low taxes, which sounded good to me. I thought, why should the government get to take my money (my theoretical money, since I wasn’t working yet)? But more than anything, I liked feeling optimistic and patriotic, and I liked the simplicity of it.

It wouldn’t be long before I gained enough experience and perspective to realize that I had some serious philosophical differences with the Republicans. In short, over a period of time I came to believe that government can and should do some things for people, including providing an education and health care for its citizens and ensuring a fair shake for all Americans, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. I also believed in the separation of church and state, and I couldn’t stand the Moral Majority and its preening, smug, self-right-

eous leader, the Rev. Jerry Falwell.

So I left the party and never looked back, though I have voted for many Republicans for various offices over the years and have had numerous debates with friends and family over those same years regarding the essential differences between the parties and their respective worldviews. Sometimes these debates were frustrating — my Republican friends argued that Democrats wanted to “redistribute the wealth” with social programs that “took from the rich” to give to people who wouldn’t work, when it seemed to me that those tax cuts were predominantly for wealthy people and that, under Republicans, the wealth HAD been redistributed. The rich got richer, the poor got poorer, and the middle class just kept shrinking. Trickle-down economics wasn’t working for anyone except the wealthiest Americans.

We argued about public education versus private education. We argued about civil rights. We argued about whether the Ten Commandments should be literally engraved in stone on government buildings.

There were many points of disagreement, but the debates were edifying and we respected each other’s point of view, at least most of the time.

If either Ronald Reagan or my uncle were alive today, I do not think they would recognize or believe what has become of their party. How would Reagan even begin to comprehend that America’s Republican nominee for president was aided and supported by a Russian President, who according to our own Central Intelligence Agency was involved in a covert operation to influence the election, OUR election? How would he react to the Republican nominee’s curt dismissal of his own intelligence agency as being untrustworthy?

How would my uncle — one of the most solid and decent men I have ever known — process what the Republican Party

in his home state of North Carolina did last week in an ambush special session when they pushed through two dozen bills, several of which stripped the new Governor-elect Roy Cooper of numerous powers before he even takes office?

According to a recently released report from the Electoral Integrity Project, which developed a system that has been widely used to evaluate whether democracy is actually being practiced in elections all over the world, North Carolina scored only 58/100 on the electoral integrity scale, which would rank us next to authoritarian fake-democracies in Cuba, Sierra Leone, and Indonesia.

In other words, this legislative coup — combined with previous Republican measures to suppress the minority vote and to gerrymander districts in such a way that it is virtually impossible for a Democrat to win in those elections — has undermined democracy in this state to such an extent that it can no longer even be considered a democracy.

How ironic, then, that the political party that for so long has wrapped itself in the flag and declared its superior morals (the moral majority indeed) from every platform, podium, and pulpit it can find, has now managed to undermine democracy in this state to such an extent that it can no longer be called a democracy?

The kind of debate I was talking about earlier in this column is now a quaint relic of the past. We are way past arguing policies and philosophical differences. It has become abundantly, painfully, embarrassingly clear that today’s Republican Party has only one conviction — to gain and keep power at any cost, at the expense of any other principle, even those they once claimed to cherish the most. What difference does it make whether you pass laws to preserve the American flag if you would so willingly burn everything it represents? National symbols are one thing, but the desecration of our democracy is a far greater offense.

This is no longer about what it means to be a Republican or a Democrat. It’s about what it means to be an American.

(ChrisCoxisawriterandteacherwholivesinHaywood County.jchriscox@live.com.)

State budget hurts Swain’s needy children

“The smartest countries tend to be those that haveactedtomaketeachingmoreprestigious and selective; directed more resources to their neediest children; enrolled most children in high-qualitypreschools;helpedschoolsestablishculturesofconstantimprovement;and appliedrigorous,consistentstandardsacross all classrooms.”

— “What America Can Learn About Smart Schools in Other Countries,” The New York Times

On a November morning, my colleagues in Swain County High School’s library surprised our students by filling every table with plates of fresh cookies accompanied by cups of warm, spiced cider. As students entered from the bus lobby, they stopped and looked at the spread in front of them. One student, with disbelief in his voice, spoke for those around him when he said, “Is this all for us?”

designation receive funds to help them compensate for their lack of income from other sources. Swain County, however, receives only a pittance.

According to Feeding America (feedingamerica.org), 2,500 people of Swain County’s 14,000 don’t know the source of their next meal, and around 30 perent of our children don’t eat three meals a day. Out of 100 counties in North Carolina, Swain is ninety-seventh in terms of food insecurity. This could help explain why our students appreciate the extras, such as our offerings of warm food on a cold morning, tutoring before a final exam, or assistance with a college application. However, all of these are limited by our poverty.

Our county’s school system has lost funding for the last few years, as have other public schools, all on the axe-happy state legislature’s

chopping block. The most recent cuts required desperately creative thinking from our administrators. At Swain High, this resulted in converting several full-time teaching positions to part-time, or simply eliminating positions altogether as teachers retired.

The effect on our classrooms is crowding, classroom management issues, time issues regarding grading, less attention to individual students, and teacher fatigue. The effect on our students is less time to talk with a teacher, less time for class discussions, less time to create a bond with a responsible and caring adult (sometimes the only responsible and caring adult in the picture), and less attention to specifics.

The overall effect is that students lose, and the students we teach in Swain County are among the neediest in North Carolina. The reasons for losing funding are many, but that is not what this is about. What this is about is that other counties in our low wealth, “Tier 1”

Much has recently been said about North Carolina’s complicated and unfair school funding formula, including the report presented to the state legislature on December 12 by the nonpartisan Program Evaluation Division. Their report indicates that the formula for public school budgets is so complex (it includes 37 different categories) and so unfair that change is essential. I am in complete agreement that change is required. As I said, I am a teacher. I grew up in this county, and I know my students’ poverty. I have a dog in the fight.

Swain, like many of North Carolina’s counties, is an economically dramatic mix of haves and have-nots. Homes in the county range in value from $10,000 to over $700,000, with more than a third of those being second homes. Our property tax, one of the lowest in the state, represents only 37 percent of our budget, as opposed to the state average of 60 percent. Swain County’s finance administration explains that it does

not raise property taxes because, while second-home owners could afford the increase, most local people who live here year round are already stretched to the limit just to buy groceries and pay monthly bills. With our median income $10,000 less than the state average, we have little in common with North Carolina’s middle class.

Because our commissioners tax at a lower rate, can only tax a small portion of Swain County’s property, but still have to pay for all the services more prosperous counties provide, it can only designate about 12 percent of its budget for the schools. Hence, we have the lowest funding per student of any county in the state. Again, according to Swain’s finance administration, “If there were more [taxable] property, there would be more revenue, and [it] could be appropriated for needed services without placing a burden on the residents.”

And therein lies Swain County’s “Catch 22.”

In the 2014 “Local School Finance Study,” The Public School Forum of North Carolina described “the large and persistent resource gap” between the “highest wealth county in the state (Orange County, at $4,145 per child) and the lowest wealth counties (with Swain County at the very bottom, at $384 per child).”

North Carolina’s school funding system exacerbates our children’s poverty. The way North Carolina has set up its formula creates great inequities for many counties, but Swain County is alone in its low property tax base.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Nantahala National Forest, Qualla Boundary (Cherokee Reservation), and other non-taxable land (e.g., churches, government buildings, etc.), reduce Swain County’s actual tax base to around 13 percent of its land mass. Taxable property in other North Carolina counties ranges from 50 to 80 percent.

Because Swain County is one of 68 counties considered “low wealth,” it should qualify for “Low Wealth Supplemental Funding,” which would provide around an extra $280 per child. However, Swain County is an anomaly. Our demographics, our actual income, our tax base (Swain County’s median income includes its Cherokee residents’ per capita funds, but their Qualla Boundary properties are not taxable), combined with our child poverty and hunger rates, make us unlike any other North Carolina county.

Specifically, the extra $280 could be spent to hire additional teachers and lessen the burden on our crowded classrooms; to take students who have not been out of Western North Carolina on a field trip to a museum without having to seek outside funding; to allow teachers to purchase books to replace worn ones without spending our own money; and to add to our emergency funds for students who come to school without access to laundry, to warm clothing, to hot water, or to food. However, because the State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction have determined that Swain County only provides 24.6 percent of what it “could contribute based on the county’s wealth and an average state effort,” Swain County is only “eligible for 24.6 percent of their appropriation.” That is, the county receives $70 per child from the state, about $210 less than counties with similar low wealth.

In the 2014 “Local School Finance Study,”

The Public School Forum of North Carolina described “the large and persistent resource gap” between the “highest wealth county in the state (Orange County, at $4,145 per child) and the lowest wealth counties (with Swain County at the very bottom, at $384 per child).” According to this study, as well as an oversight report to the General Assembly on November 14 of this year, the primary issues are “inequities in North Carolina between low-wealth and affluent counties, inadequate resources for districts with large populations of children with disabilities, ‘illogical and uneven’ funding for students with limited English proficiency and many more issues as reasons for reform.”

The bottom line is this: when the playing field is uneven, it is always the most vulnerable who lose. Swain County schools do everything we can with what we have, but what we have is simply not enough to give our children the resources they deserve in order to compete, much less to win.

(Dawn Gilchrist teaches high school English in Swain County.)

tasteTHE mountains

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

AMMONS DRIVE-IN

RESTAURANT & DAIRY BAR 1451 Dellwwod Rd., Waynesville. 828.926.0734. Open 7 days a week 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Celebrating over 25 years. Enjoy world famous hot dogs as well as burgers, seafood, hushpuppies, hot wings and chicken. Be sure to save room for dessert. The cobbler, pie and cake selections are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

BLOSSOM ON MAIN

128 N. Main Street, Waynesville.

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

unique flavors of Thai cuisine.

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL

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

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE

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

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ

6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers. We use 1st quality fresh not pre-prepared products to

NEW YEARS2017

NEW YEAR’S DAY BRUNCH

10:00am - 3:00pm

make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items. Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.

THE CLASSIC WINESELLER

CATALOOCHEE RANCH

119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast seven days a week, from 8 am to 9:30 am – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-you-can-eat. Lunch every day from 12:00 till 2 pm. Evening cookouts on the terrace on weekends and Wednesdays, featuring steaks, ribs, chicken, and pork chops, to name a few. Bountiful family-style dinners on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with entrees that include prime rib, baked ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social hour starts at 6 pm, and dinner is served starting at 7 pm. So join us for mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Please call for reservations.

CHEF’S TABLE

30 Church St., Waynesville.

828.452.6210. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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

CHURCH STREET DEPOT

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

CITY LIGHTS CAFE

Spring Street in downtown Sylva. 828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more. Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly. Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

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

COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT

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

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA

243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde. 828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95.

J. ARTHUR’S RESTAURANT AT MAGGIE VALLEY U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. 828.926.1817 Open nightly for dinner at 4 p.m.; Friday through Sunday 12 to 4 p.m. for lunch. Daily luncheon special at $6.99. Worldfamous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome. Take-out menu.

JUKEBOX JUNCTION

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

LOS AMIGOS

366 Russ Ave. in the Bi-Lo Plaza. 828.456.7870. Open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy the lunch prices Monday through Sunday, also enjoy our outdoor patio.

MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM

617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva. 828.586.3555. Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch. Beer and wine. Free movies with showtimes at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Visit madbatterfoodandfilm.com for this week’s shows.

MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB

1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine. Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.

MOUNTAIN PERKS ESPRESSO BAR & CAFÉ

9 Depot St., Bryson City. 828.488.9561

Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections.

PASQUALE’S

1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Classic Italian dishes, exceptional steaks and seafood (available in full and lighter sizes), thin crust pizza, homemade soups, salads hand tossed at your table. Fine wine and beer selection. Casual atmosphere, dine indoors, outside on the patio or at the bar.

tasteTHE mountains

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR

Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center

70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley

828.926.0201 Home of the Maggie Valley Pizzeria. We deliver after 4 p.m. daily to all of Maggie Valley, J-Creek area, and Lake Junaluska. Monday through Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. country buffet and salad bar from 5 to 9 p.m. $11.95 with Steve Whiddon on piano. Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 to 8 p.m. 11:30 to 3 p.m. family style, fried chicken, ham, fried fish, salad bar, along with all the fixings, $11.95. Check out our events and menu at rendezvousmaggievalley.com

SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE

1941 Champion Drive, Canton

828.646.3750 895 Russ Ave., Waynesville

828.452.5822. Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Carry out available. Sagebrush features hand carved steaks, chicken and award winning BBQ ribs. We have fresh salads, seasonal vegetables and scrumptious deserts. Extensive selection of local craft beers and a full bar. Catering special events is one of our specialties.

SPEEDY’S PIZZA

285 Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.3800

Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Family-owned for 30 years. Serving hand-tossed pizza made to order, pasta, subs, gourmet salads, calzones

and seafood. Also serving excellent prime rib on Thursdays. Dine in or take out available. Located across from the Fire Station.

TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL

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

TRAILHEAD CAFE & BAKERY

18 N Main Street, Waynesville. 828.452.3881 Open 7 days a week MondaySaturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You will find a delicious selection of pastries & donuts, breakfast & lunch along with a fresh coffee & barista selection. Happy Trails!

WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY

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

Spread it heavy

Porch 40 to play Lazy Hiker NYE

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER

There comes a point in any band where you find yourself with the age-old question at your feet — take it or leave it?

And for the better part of the last five years, Porch 40 has taken it, which is a popular college act in Jackson County and molded it into a well-oiled funk/rock juggernaut. Formed while students at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, the quintet has become one of the premier live acts around Southern Appalachia.

“I’m sure — like any band out there — that the ultimate goal would be to usher in a new genre of music and start a socialistic movement that was hopefully positive and beneficial to humanity as a whole,” said lead singer/guitarist Drew Duncan. “We don’t want to sound like any other band out there, but at the same time warrant a familiar feeling amongst the general population and fellow artists. It’s a tricky line to follow, but we get closer and closer everyday.”

Straddling that line between familiar and innovative has resulted in Porch 40 selections that are not only catchy, but also have allowed enough space in the melody to stretch out, where improvisation and in-the-moment creativity is encouraged to flourish. But, where that professionalism and freedom occurs onstage, where it all originates is in the endless hours of practicing between shows.

“Practice is great because it’s a daily meditation on presence, and I think knowing myself has a lot to do with understanding the mental patterns that disappear with presence,” said violinist/vocalist Mitchell Metz.

“I try not to think so much and just let the years of practice and playing take over. I want to embody our art and the message we stand for, becoming a conduit of energy that the audience can vibe from, and vice versa,” Duncan added. “I know I’m happy when the crowd is happy, and over the years I’ve still learned to be content when — on the rare occasion — we play to an unresponsive room. It’s part of the process and every band out there has done it, or will go through it and we’re just earning our stripes. Still, when it’s good, it’s good and no other feeling will ever replace rocking in front of a roaring crowd.”

Not to mention that trials and tribulations a modern group must overcome to find its footing in an often overcrowded music industry, one that requires following different paths of finding success, instead of the “good ole days” of just selling records to obtain financial and creative stability.

“To be a successful musician nowadays, you must embody perseverance, passion, and positivity,” Duncan said. “On the positive side of things, we see that only the true and dedicated

musicians truly make it, and that leads to some amazing music being poured out from many souls across the world and put right into our laps thanks to the internet. As to how musicians will be more financially secure? I don’t know in this cornered market, and in that

when sacrifices and hardships are looked at as simply obstacles to embrace and to overcome, and not something that will defeat the ultimate will of the ensemble. And it’s that exact attitude Porch 40 will take into a New Orleans studio this spring to record their follow up to their debut album “Spread It Heavy.”

“New people, new cities, [meeting and seeing] new bands are all great things, and our time on the road has affirmed my love of exploration,” Metz said. “It has also shown me that it’s a grim world out there for lazy musicians. I’m pretty thankful for where we are right now. The past year of music has given us a lot of confidence and we’re really excited about our

“We’ve realized that nothing in this life comes easy — the more allure and amazing the dream seems, the harder you have to work and endure on the path to that goal.”

— Drew Duncan, lead singer/guitar, Porch 40

Want to go?

Popular Western North Carolina funk/rock band Porch 40 will ring in the New Year on Saturday, Dec. 31, at Lazy Hiker Brewing Company in Franklin. Tea 4 Three will open the performance at 8 p.m. The show is free and open to the public. www.porch40.com or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com

sense, I guess we are all tortured artists.”

“Now it’s up to us to find our people and talk to them directly on their chosen outlets,” Metz added. “The idea is to connect with your unique groups of people before you play their regions, and that they really like your music — that’s when touring gets a lot more rewarding.”

With Porch 40, what remains is a band that has had the conversation with themselves — long ago — that no matter what, come hell or high water, they can and will make it, especially

album next year.”

“I think music consumers are hungry for that next big thing and hopefully we can fill that niche with our new album,” Duncan added. “Things are looking up with a new album on the horizon. We’re collaborating heavily with our new producer Robert Mecurio of Galactic for this one. We expect this next album to be a huge step forward for our songwriting and success as Porch 40.”

Watching them raucously bouncing around

onstage, one can immediately see why Porch 40 has already achieved so much in such a short period of time — it’s good music, made by good musicians, in an effort to promote or stoke the fire of a good time.

And it’s also why they’ve shared the stage with legendary acts like The Doobie Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, Blues Traveler, REO Speedwagon, Leftover Salmon, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

“We’ve realized that nothing in this life comes easy — the more allure and amazing the dream seems, the harder you have to work and endure on the path to that goal,” Duncan said. “We’re so far in that we don’t know what else to do with ourselves and there’s only one option for us as a human beings, and that’s to make an album and live show that shakes the foundation of the music industry itself.”

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Home.

For me, it’s Plattsburgh, New York. Just down the road from the Canadian border, in the heart of the North Country on Lake Champlain. It’s been almost five years since I lived there, and several years before that when I initially left the rust belt blue-collar city in pursuit of my journalistic aspirations.

Seeing as I had plenty of unused vacation days this holiday season, I decided not to fly. Instead, I took my time and drove up there from Waynesville. I wanted to meander around and get some much-needed personal reflection that can only be found with hands on the wheel, eyes aimed ahead of the dashboard.

HOT PICKS

1

The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/bluegrass) at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30.

2

Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host a “New Year’s Eve Bash” with Porch 40 (rock/funk) and Tea 4 Three at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31.

3

The “Jazz It Up” on New Year’s Eve dinner and music special will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville.

4

No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Darren & The Buttered Toast (funk/soul) at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31.

5

Legendary Nashville singer-songwriter and finger-picker Thom Bresh will perform as part of the “Songwriters in the Round” series at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Balsam Mountain Inn.

Alongside an old friend from my college days, we wandered along the Eastern Seaboard, making stops in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Camden and Albany. Once I let her off at her sister’s in Troy, New York, it was a straight shot north on Interstate 87 to Plattsburgh and Clinton County. Sunshine broke through the snowstorm clouds when my old pickup truck crossed into the Adirondack Mountains. By the time I hit the Clinton County line, a cold, familiar Arctic wind pushed against my vehicle.

They say “you can never go home again,” and the older I get, the more I realize the hard truth in those words. Sure, folks grow up and move on from youthful shenanigans and a lack of obligations, but I was, however, surprised just how quiet my old haunts were. Longtime and beloved bartenders had retired when I asked their baby-faced replacements just what happened to them.

I’ve been lucky enough to always see the big picture, and also how to properly navigate the choppy waters of that big picture. The troubling thing is watching my friends and family seem so caught off-guard by the actions and intents that led to where they stand today.

What I mean is, that though this past year seemed like such a doozie, it really is just another dot in an infinite line of dots connecting our past, present and future.

It’s been a long year — a longer lifetime — but for those with passion and determination, the clouds eventually move on, revealing the warmth of the sunshine above.

Human actions are cylindrical, but time is linear. That said, what this time of year represents is a chance — a moment perhaps — when you can honestly look over your shoulder and make sense of the path behind you, and of what lines that path, whether it be flowers or piles of junk (or both).

The clouds hang heavy, and they hung low, about my hometown this holiday season. Probably as low and heavy as they do in your town, maybe even above your house. It’s been a long year — a longer lifetime —

but for those with passion and determination, the clouds eventually move on, revealing the warmth of the sunshine above.

I, for one, look at this week as the bow tied on another trip around the sun — another chapter coming to a close. A clean slate will emerge come Jan. 1 with all those unknown adventures, people and situations ready to surprise you around every corner. I look forward to those surprises revealing themselves. And I also understand how they can either define or defeat you. Remember, positivity breeds positivity.

A few days ago, I was out running in downtown Plattsburgh. The city was silent, with very few cars on the road, minimal human traffic up and down the sidewalks. The only sounds heard being my breathing and the crunching of snow and ice underneath my shoes. And as I passed by a local food co-op, a few old friends emerged with grocery bags underneath their arms. They yelled out to me from across the road.

“Well, look who it is,” one said. “How is life in North Carolina?”

“Great,” I said, honestly. “I get to do what I love each and everyday, which is write, travel and meet people, interviewing them about their lives and what makes them happy.”

“What a crazy year, huh?” another mentioned.

“Yeah, but I hold out hope,” I replied. “I sincerely do. We’re all tired and we’re at a crossroads. I hold out hope that the good of humanity will prevail.”

“Me too,” they shot back. “Me too.” Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

DONATE SHOP VOLUNTEER

WALNUT VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER

And as I was poured a beer by those replacements, a childhood friend solemnly explained to me why he would be spending Christmas Eve alone this year in his new apartment, and not with his significant others, and their kids.

I went for runs down nearby backwoods trails I had jogged down hundreds of times since I was in middle school. Played pool with my old man (who turns 75 in March) in the backroom of the local dive bar (our annual Christmas tradition). Met up with another face from the past, who was also in town for the holidays, and hearing him say, “Yeah, Pittsburgh is great and all, but I really feel like I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing with my life.”

And yet, none of these scenes or interactions surprised me. I’m an old soul, and

2016 in A&E

Each year, we here at The Smoky Mountain News showcase our “Spoof Awards.” Sometimes they’re meant in good tongue-and-cheek fun, but mostly they’re special events, people and places that we throw the spotlight onto one more time in reflection as another long and bountiful year comes to a close, a new year ready to begin. For such a culturally rich area, Western North Carolina had another year of high watermarks when it comes to the preservation of sacred traditions and evolution of new art forms.

— Garret K. Woodward, Arts & Entertainment Editor

THE MORE THE MERRIER AWARD

As if there wasn’t enough craft beer enthusiasm in Asheville and Western North Carolina, two new breweries (amid the dozens already) opened their doors in our backyard, ultimately adding more variety and economical opportunities.

Andrews added its second brewery with Hoppy Trout downtown. But, for Andrews, this is a sight to behold. For a mountain town that’s been eerily quiet for many

years, bordering on abandoned, the downtown is now abuzz with folks strolling the sidewalks, cars parked up and down the street. A sense of “well, hey, check this out” crosses the minds of those who used to only stop in this part of Cherokee County to refuel as a halfway point to their final destinations, which seemingly could be in any direction.

“To be honest, I really wanted to do something to bring the town back, because the community has really been struggling to have anything happen,” said Tom Rodeck, Hoppy Trout co-owner and brewmaster. “We want to try and be the catalyst for others to get the town moving again. In the last year or so, we’ve already had two new restaurants open in downtown — things are changing.”

Not to be outdone, Franklin also welcomed its second brewery this year — Currahee Brewing. With the beer flowing, the brewery is another big piece to an ever-

2016 IN REVIEW

growing puzzle that Franklin and Macon County have been putting together in this new and exciting era for the community and its residents.

“If nothing more, it’s fun — it’s a lifestyle business,” Currahee co-owner Brandon Hintz said. “If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, then why are you doing it?”

“There is no end, no climax. This is just the beginning,” Currahee co-owner J.T. Schroeder added. “We drank from the fire hose, and we’re still drinking from the fire hose — time to go to work, time to make the beer.”

THE FARE THEE WELL AWARD

As Head of Special Collections at Western Carolina University, George Frizzell spent the last 34 years of his life gathering and documenting the history of Western North Carolina and greater Southern Appalachia. From letters to photographs, artifacts to personal items, he has overseen it all, with the collection now including tens of thousands of pieces of information — all invaluable to the history of this region, all bringing together the people, places and things unique to our majestic backyard that is the Great Smoky Mountains.

To know Frizzell, let alone to be in his presence, is to experience a person who is living and breathing Appalachian history. For someone who has never lived outside of Jackson County, he sure is respected and well known across the country and around the world for his work. Though both are notoriously elusive and in the midst of penning their latest works, acclaimed Southern Appalachian writers Charles Frazier ( Cold Mountain ) and Ron Rash ( Serena ), quite possibly two of the most important and beloved authors in the modern era, each jumped at the chance to say a few words about Frizzell, and how vital his help was in the research needed for their bestselling novels.

“[History] gives you a sense of place, and not just for people born here. There’s a lot of people that are so interested in our history,

and many of them move here and want to know, ‘Where am I?’ and ‘What happened here?’” Frizzell said. “I’ve done programs where maybe half the audience was from elsewhere, but they were so engaged and interested in the history and development of this region. If you don’t have the resources to explain the history to them, then it can be very difficult to do so.”

At the end of June, Frizzell retired. His legacy will be forever remembered, as he spent countless years gathering the intricate and incredible stories of these mountains and its people. And yet, the most irreplaceable item in the entire collection is, well, Frizzell himself — a real, honest and genuine soul of endless curiosity and passion for the culture of Western North Carolina.

“I’ve been really fortunate to have a job where I got to use my degree in history and use my interests,” Frizzell said. “And get to interact with all these people, to help them and work with them — it was all worthwhile.”

THE TIDES ARE TURNING AWARD

After years of taking a backseat to other towns and events in Western North Carolina, Canton became a beacon of music and culture when it doubled down on its 110th annual Labor Day Festival. Alongside perennial favorites like Balsam Range and Joe Lasher Jr., the festival brought popular national bluegrass act Yonder Mountain String Band to the stage. In an effort to attract folks from beyond Haywood County, the out-of-towner crowd at Yonder Mountain was as enormous as it was jubilant in their dancing and enjoyment of the spectacle. Add in the ever-growing live music and culinary treat that is Southern Porch (formerly Sid’s On Main), the new Daily Bread Bakery down the street, and the recent news that BearWaters Brewing Company will be relocating from Waynesville to downtown Canton, and you have a mill town ready for the next step many have worked hard over the years to reach.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON AWARD

After endless preparation and fundraising, the second stage of the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre came to fruition. Dubbed the Daniel & Belle Fangmeyer Theatre, the 9,000-square-foot second stage (with around a 140 person capacity) had been years in the making.

Breaking ground in 2014, the building had a $1.2 million price tag, with HART being able to raise the needed funds through the generous support of many longtime donors and supporters along with a few new ones.

“It’s the potential for a lot of concert events, theater events, community events, outdoor events with people sitting on the hillside, and the restaurant, which will make it possible for people to come and eat before a show,” said HART Executive Director Steven Lloyd. “This new stage will catapult our theater into one of the best production companies in the Southeast.”

In the decades since the original building opened, HART has proven itself not only an artistic hub of Western North Carolina, but

THE IT’S ABOUT TIME AWARD

After years of relentless touring and performing, Jackson County bluegrass act Mountain Faith hit it big in 2016. In September, they received “Emerging Artist of the Year” at the International Bluegrass Music Association awards in Raleigh. It all started with Mountain Faith’s groundbreaking appearances in 2015 on the hit NBC show “America’s Got Talent,” where the group blew into the national spotlight by interpreting pop radio hits through old-time string music. With their truthful story of long weekends touring and even longer weekdays running their family tire shop on U.S. 441 between Dillsboro and Franklin, they made it deep into the televised competition, spreading the intricate talents and sheer awe of bluegrass music into millions of households each time they took the stage.

After their sendoff from AGT, they were nominated for “Emerging Artist of the Year” by the IBMAs in fall 2015, just around the time their song “Feelin’ Blue” hit No. 1 on the bluegrass charts. Though they didn’t win the “Emerging Artist of the Year” that year, lead singer Summer McMahan, however, took home the IBMA “Momentum Award –

2016 IN REVIEW

also an economic driver for Waynesville and Haywood County. With a $2.5 million a year impact on the local economy, HART continues to grow, physically and financially, which is due in no small part to Lloyd’s day-in-day-out vigor to put his theatre on the national map.

“In this day and age, the arts are being chopped out of communities, out of classrooms, and out of the national dialogue, and yet there’s still this many people that want to support HART,” Lloyd said. “We’ve grown in a very steady way, never putting anything out there that was too outrageous to achieve. It’s been very slow, very consistent, and we’ve proven that we’re good for the economy of the community. We make money for everybody. We have a lot of tourists that come here and are drawn to the theatre. They spend the night here, eat here, and spend a lot more money here — we’ve been able to make the economic argument that the arts are good for business.”

Vocalist,” which spotlights the finest up-andcoming bluegrass musicians.

Coming into 2016, the band continued to see its melodic star rise up a few lines on the festival posters, more and more songs hitting the radio, a Grand Ole Opry appearance, not to mention the tens of thousands of new followers they garnered through AGT that are now watching a journey all of us back home have been championing for years.

And when Mountain Faith sat in the audience on Sept. 29 for the IBMA award show in Raleigh, once again watching and listening to this year’s “Emerging Artist of the Year” nominees being announced, McMahan will be the first to say how surprised she and her band mates were when their names were called to the stage to receive the honor.

“We were so honored to even be nominated. To win an award like ‘Emerging Artist of the Year’ means that other people like the music we love playing as well,” she said. “There’s nothing like the feeling of knowing people support the music you’re playing — it’s so humbling that people even listen in the first place.”

for All Stages of a Woman’s Life

When it comes to your health, there’s no such thing as second best. At Haywood Women’s Medical Center, we’re all about you at every stage of your life. We’re about meeting you where you are, treating you to the best of our abilities and getting you back to your life.

On the beat

HCC ‘Lutherie Class Series’

Haywood Community College will offer a series of skill building classes comprising beginning, intermediate, and advanced lutherie. HCC Professional Crafts alum and local luthier, Bill Weinert will lead the series.

Through these classes, Weinert will share his years of knowledge and teach students the history and construction of stringed instruments while remaining aware of small studio restrictions and budgets. Each student will leave these sixweek courses with at least one hand crafted instrument of their own design, and the ability to continue this craft from the smallest of home workshops.

The intro class is open to all level of woodworkers and will cover instrument history, construction, fine-tuning and even how to play the instrument. This course is the first of three building-block courses taking the student through the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of instrument building.

Each of the classes can be found at www.creativearts.haywood.edu: Intro to Lutherie (Cigar Box/Stick Dulcimer), Intermediate Lutherie (Appalachian Banjo/Lap Dulcimer), and Advanced Lutherie (Guitar/Fiddle).

Call 828.565.4240 beginning Jan. 3 for more information or to register.

Music classes at HCC

Haywood Community College

Continuing Education Creative Arts is expanding its selection of music classes spearheaded by local musicians Julie and Bryan McConnell.

The McConnells will be teaching vocal, percussion, and two levels of string classes with an emphasis on practical theories and physical techniques — many of which they have developed themselves.

With 74 years of combined experience as musicians, and over 55 years as music educators; both work as performers, recording artists, conductors, educators, facilitators, and coordinators. Julie will be teaching the vocal and percussion classes, while Bryan will teach first and second level string classes open to most stringed instruments.

HCC Continuing Education Creative Arts offers continuing education classes and workshops in clay, fiber, metals, wood, and music, as well as design and computer classes. These classes are year-round and open to the public.

For more information on these classes or to register, call 828.565.4240.

Bresh to play Balsam NYE

Legendary Nashville singer-songwriter and finger-picker Thom Bresh will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Balsam Mountain Inn.

The event will be part of the “Songwriters in the Round” series at the inn, which will also include performances by Henry Hipkens, Casey Kelly and Leslie Ellis. The son of Nashville icon Merle Travis, Bresh is known for his 1970s country hits “Homemade Love,” “Sad Country Love Song” and “Hey Daisy (Where Have All The Good Times Gone).”

The inn began the series over 15 years ago, and modeled it after similar performances at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe. Balsam’s performers are most often the Nashville-area songwriters who pen lyrics performed by country and western stars. Many performances feature Grammy and CMA award winners, and all include writers of many top-ranked songs.

The evening will also include a full buffet dinner. $87 per person.

www.balsammountaininn.net or 800.224.9498.

MAGGIE VALLEY BANDIN HENDERSONVILLE

Popular Western North Carolina Americana/bluegrass act The Maggie Valley Band will be ringing in the New Year from 9 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Dec. 31, at Southern Appalachian Brewery in Hendersonville. www.themaggievalleyband.com.

OL’ DIRTY BATHTUBIN SYLVA

Americana/bluegrass act Ol’ Dirty Bathtub will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at The Cut Cocktail Lounge in Sylva. ODB will also perform at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at No Name Sports Pub in Sylva. Both shows are free and open to the public.

• The Canton Armory will host “Winter Pickin’ in the Armory” at 7 p.m. every first and third Friday of the month (starting Jan. 6). The event includes mountain music, vintage country, clogging and dancing. Doors open at 6 p.m. Free. www.cantonnc.com.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Dec. 30 and Jan. 7 and Jay Brown (pop/guitar) Jan. 6. All shows are free and open to the public. The “Jazz It Up” on New Year’s Eve dinner special on Dec. 31 will include a four-course meal and music by Peggy Ratusz & Richard Shulman ($70 per person). All events begin at 7 p.m. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/bluegrass) at 8 p.m. Dec. 30 and a New Year’s Eve Dance Party Dec. 31. 828.631.4795.

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

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Dec. 28 and Jan. 4, a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Dec. 29 and Jan. 5, and a New Year’s Eve Party with Bird In Hand (Americana) Dec. 31. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Zorki (singer-songwriter) Dec. 30 and a “New Year’s Eve Bash” with Porch 40 (rock/funk) and Tea 4 Three Dec. 31. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Jacob Green (soul/folk) Bender Kills (rock/blues) Dec. 30, Darren & The Buttered Toast (funk/soul, $3 cover) Dec. 31, Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/bluegrass) Jan. 6 and

Sultry Sirens Varietease Show & Dance Party Jan. 7. All shows are free and begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nonamesportspub.com.

• The Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Phillip John Brooks (singer-songwriter) Dec. 30 and a New Year’s Eve Bash Dec. 31. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.

• The Rendezvous Restaurant at Maggie Valley Inn will host Stone Crazy Band (classic rock/pop) from 9 p.m. to midnight Dec. 31 for its New Year’s Eve Party. Make a reservation by calling 828.926.0201.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Jimandi at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays, “Funky Friday” with Bud Davis at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Isaish Breedlove (Americana) at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

• Sazon (Cullowhee) will host Folk Songs (world music) at 7 p.m. Jan. 6. 828.293.9443 or www.sazoncullowhee.com.

• Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro (Sylva) will host The Infinite Guest Jazz Series at 7 p.m. Jan. 3. 828.586.1717 or www.soulinfusion.com.

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

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host a weekly Appalachian music night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays with Nitrograss. 828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host DJ Night Dec. 30 and New Year’s Eve with Chris Monteith (Elvis tribute) Dec. 31. All shows begin at 9:30 p.m. 828.456.4750.

On the street

NYE Ruby Drop

The Motor Company Grill will once again be hosting the annual “Franklin Ruby Drop” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Town Square.

Throughout the evening, there will be live entertainment, assorted games, and other activities. Just before midnight, there will be a countdown and lowering of the ruby, which is six feet tall and seven feet in diameter with more than 1,300 LED lights.   www.franklin-chamber.com.

Bryson City NYE

Swain County will be hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration on Dec. 31 in downtown Bryson City.

Sponsored by the Swain County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, this free, family friendly event will take place on Fry Street with parking available at the Swain County Administration Building. In addition to an outdoor movie, plan on a hot chocolate station, bubble machine, and kid’s activity area. The Smoky Mountain Train Museum will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. with free admission, wagon rides and a visit by Smokey Bear.

Live music is a big part of the event with two regional acts performing: opening act Grandpa’s Cough Medicine (6 to 8 p.m.) and headliner Ashley Heath (8 to 10 p.m.).

For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 828.488.3681 or visit www.greatsmokies.com.

Children’s NYE ‘Pajama Party’

There will be a “Pajama Party” for kids on New Year’s Eve Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

The event will start at 11 a.m. and a snowflake will be dropped at noon (not midnight). The program will feature books, games, music, crafts, and light refreshments. Children and parents are encouraged to come in their pajamas.

828.524.3600 or www.fontanalib.org.

Greening Up festival open call

The Greening Up the Mountains Festival in Sylva is now inviting artists, mountain crafters, environmental and food vendors to apply for a booth in its 20th year as the premier spring festival for Western North Carolina.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 22, the festival sponsored by the Town of Sylva will once again take place in downtown Sylva. Demonstrating visual artists and traditional crafters will be joined by a mountain community who honors their artisans and natural environment.

Daylong events will be held on Main Street and in the Bridge Park, beginning with a 5K race sponsored by the Jackson County Recreation/Parks Department. Children’s activities, demonstrations, a youth talent contest and live performances by a wide variety of Jackson County musicians will be featured throughout the day. Applications can be downloaded from the website, www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through April 1.  828.631.4587.

Cherokee Lights & Legends

The Cherokee Lights & Legends Christmas will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 30-31 at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds.

This special Christmas event invites your family to stroll under the lights through fun, interactive displays that tell ancient Cherokee Christmas legends. You can also see the lighting of a 40foot Christmas tree, have a visit with Santa, and take a spin on the synthetic ice rink.

Polar Express rolls into Bryson City

The Polar Express train excursion hits the tracks through Dec. 28-Jan. 1 at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train depot in Bryson City.

In 1985, Chris Van Allsburg wrote The Polar Express, a story of a magical train ride on Christmas Eve. The train takes a young boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.

The excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special

Your family will also find a bonfire with Cherokee storytelling, two bouncy houses, a nine-hole mini-golf course, face painting, balloon animals, the opportunity to create a Par-T-Pet (similar to a Build-a-Bear®), and free cotton candy and popcorn. There will also be a New Year’s Eve fireworks show.

Admission is free to the celebration. Skating and photos with Santa are both $5, with most activities inside the Exhibit Hall at $7.

www.visitcherokeenc.com.

visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Santa will also be onboard to meet and greet with children and guests.

Ticket prices begin $42 for adults, $28 for children and free for infants. Prices vary for all groups with other trip packages. For more information or to purchase tickets: 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

• A showcase on the life and times of Horace Kephart will be on display through March 31 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University. In 1904, Kephart was 42year-old librarian when he came to Western North Carolina looking for a fresh start in the Southern Appalachian wilderness. His numerous articles and books captured a disappearing culture and spearheaded the movement to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 828.227.7129.

• The “New Year’s Eve Celebration” will be

Dec. 31 at Fontana Village Resort. Winter fun, holiday festivities and events. For lodging and dining options, call 828.498.2211 or www.fontanavillage.com.

• A wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 31 and Jan. 7 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. $5 per person. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.586.6300.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 31 and Jan. 7 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host a wine tasting on Wednesdays and a craft beer tasting on Thursdays. Both events run from 4 to 8 p.m. There will also be tapas from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. www.classicwineseller.com.

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

‘It’s

a Small, Small Work’

The Haywood County Arts Council’s (HCAC) latest exhibit, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will run through Dec. 31 at its Gallery & Gifts showcase room in downtown Waynesville.

The 2016 exhibit features 60 artists and almost 200 individual works of art for sale, which provides a unique opportunity for budding artists to exhibit their work alongside seasoned professionals.

The small work show was launched in 2008 in response to a declining economy and to demonstrate that original artwork can be affordable. 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. www.haywoodarts.org.

• The “Women Painters of the Southeast” exhibition will run Jan. 9 through May 5 in the Fine Arts Museum at Western Carolina University. A reception will be held at the museum from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 19. www.wcu.edu.

• Cullowhee watercolorist Craig Forrest will showcase new works throughout the month of December at the It's By Nature gallery in downtown Sylva. 828.631.3020 or www.itsbynature.com/upcomingevents.

ALSO:

• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin for an afternoon of creativity and camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own. Beginners are welcome as well as those who already enjoy this new trend. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 828.524.3600.

• “Stitch,” the gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.

There’s nothing like the feel of the heat you get from a wood stove. A wood fire is just cozy –the radiant and convective heat from your wood stove warms body & soul! You will also reduce your dependence on high-priced, non-renewable heating fuels. Whether you buy your wood or collect it yourself, you will notice the savings within the first year.

OpenYearsNewEve

& Watch the Gem drop with us!

From cradle to grave: books for growth and health

Visit any bookshop or library and you will find loads of books telling you how to live a better life, how to take care of those around you, how to do everything from fighting drug addiction to getting accepted by the right college, from winning your fortune at the blackjack table to making out your last will and testament.

which is more a reference book, UnSelfie offers parents, educators, and mentors advice on how to instill empathy in children, advice backed up, by the way, with numerous studies and experiments.

Borba first shows readers how to develop

Many of us seek out such books for specific reasons of health and self-improvement. Experts have written most of these guides, and though lately we as a culture have lost some of the trust we once placed in our experts, we nevertheless require at times others more experienced than ourselves to help and encourage us in times of difficulty and change.

Let’s look at three such books here. First up on the starting line is Baby Care Basics (Robert Rose Inc., 2015, 224 pages, $19.95). Written by three pediatricians — Dr. Jeremy Friedman, Dr. Natasha Saunders, and Dr. Norman Saunders — Baby Care Basics is a guide to pregnancy, birth, and the events taking place in the first year of an infant’s life. These three Canadians offer new and expectant parents information in a logical, easy to understand format. Amply illustrated with many sidebars, Baby Care Basics includes tips on hundreds of topics ranging from the sleep patterns of infants to medical emergency procedures like choking.

As a parent and now a grandparent active in the lives of my growing tribe, I was highly impressed by the organization of this book. The Table of Contents and the Index together make finding certain topics an easy task. Chapters like “Caring For Your Sick Baby,” which offers help for new parents on such symptoms as fevers, rashes, oral thrush, and other ailments, also make this book a valuable addition to the library of anyone involved in childcare.

In UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed

In Our All-About-Me World (Touchstone, 2016, 262 pages, $25), Michele Borba, a recognized authority on child development, argues for the importance of empathy in the mental and emotional development of children and teenagers. Unlike Baby Care Basics,

empathy in children, a trait she firmly believes can be taught. She stresses teaching kids the importance of “stepping into other people’s shoes,” the ways in which literature can help them develop a moral imagination, the developmental importance of play and teamwork, and the practice of kindness and how to instill that in children.

In “Part Three: Living Empathy,” Borba writes of ways children live out the empathy taught them by parents and others. In one vivid example, she tells us about Lucy, a girl

who steps to the defense of a young person being bullied. The bullying was part of an experiment done with actors, with middleschoolers who were not aware of the experiment auditioning for what they thought was a “tween reality show.” Most of the auditioners did not confront the pseudo-bully because they were afraid interference might hurt their chances for winning a part. Lucy, however, “told ‘the bully’ in no uncertain terms to stop,

Defend Yourself … How To Navigate The Health-Care System And Escape With Your Life, takes aim at those of us in what used to be called the “twilight years.” Minson covers a wide array of topics having to do with aging: healthcare, exercise and diet, physical environment, abuse, and sexuality.

The key idea behind Prepare To Defend Yourself is to “make life more bearable — and dare we say it — fun” for those getting on in years. Some of the topics Minson addresses have to do with the population at large, his observations on the dangers of mold in a household, for example, or on diet. More

that his behavior was ‘not cool,’ and then she comforted ‘the victim.’

All the while she was calm, courageous, and just plain glorious.”

In addition to discussions of such topics as discipline and the damage done by the overinflated praise of our children, UnSelfie reminds us, as the jacket cover states, that a self-control, a key factor in empathy, “is a better predictor of wealth, health, and happiness than grades or IQ.”

A fine book loaded with valuable ideas and suggestions.

Finally, we come to Prepare To Defend Yourself … How To Age Gracefully & Escape With Your Dignity (Texas A&M University Press, 2016, 368 pages, $28). Here physician Matthew Minson, author of Prepare To

pointedly directed toward older people are his thoughts on such things as Social Security, Medicare, and exercise.

Minson is a storyteller with great wit, qualities that enhance this excellent manual. He uses examples from history and popular culture to help drive home his points, and his loose, breezy style should appeal to a wide group of readers. Like Baby Care Basics, Prepare to Defend Yourself is more a reference tool than a book to read from cover to cover; like UnSelfie, Prepare To Defend Yourself makes heavy use of various studies and findings from academic or government sources. Prepare To Defend Yourself is entertaining and at times instructive, but some of the points of the author — his sections on drinking water, for instance, or on climate — seem out of place in such a book.

(Jeff Minick can be reached at minick0301@gmail.com.)

• A “Theme Team Book Club” is now being offered by the Waynesville Public Library. The group meets quarterly from 2 to 4 p.m. on the first Friday of the month. The next meeting is Jan. 6, with the theme “biography.” Pick any book you would like to read for the theme. Everyone gets a chance to discuss their book. 828.356.2507. Refreshments provided by the Friends of the Library.

•

•

A look back at 2016

Backcountry adventures, birthday celebrations and a wildfire season to remember

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFFWRITER

For those who love the outdoors, it’s not hard to list the reasons why Western North Carolina is a spectacular place to live, and from that standpoint, the year 2016 certainly didn’t fail to deliver. The curtains are now closing on 2016, but the year will get its proper send-off with this roundup of favorite moments and memorable stories from the past 12 months outdoors.

JANUARY

When snow blanketed the region in January, exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway on cross-country skis proved a matchless way to experience the wonder of winter in the mountains. Cross-country skiing certainly isn’t a common sport in the Southeast, as the hefty blanket of snow required to partake isn’t often available. But those who do it love it — including this reporter, as evidenced by a firstperson account of snowy adventures published Jan. 27.

“Skiing through the freshly fallen snow on the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend, alone in the world but for the soft sounds of branches creaking and wind rustling — and, of course,

area, and the growing population is causing problems for owners of small livestock.

That’s not to say that the animals’ beauty and intellect are lost on hunters.

“Catching a coyote would be to me like a trophy buck, because there’s that level of challenge,” said Haywood County resident Mark Rogers, whose lifetime tally was 30 coyotes as of February 2016. “I have a lot of respect for them.”

MARCH

About 150 people and their mountain bikes flooded into Bryson City when the Nantahala Area Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association hosted the Southern Mountain Bike Summit this year.

Presentations, workshops and, of course, group rides put the spotlight on what WNC has to offer as the premier mountain biking destination in the Southeast. There are trails to suit all skill levels, and if the crew that showed up in March is any indication, there’s plenty of enthusiasm for learning.

“I’m always surprised at people’s willingness to listen and try stuff that really scares them — and to get up after they crash and try it again,” said former world champion racer Sue Haywood, who taught a clinic at the event.

APRIL

By mid-April, most Appalachian Trail thru-hikers had been on the trail for about a month. It was projected to be the busiest year on the trail yet, with interest spurred by recent movies such as A Walk in the Woods and Wild.

the dog trotting along behind me — I rediscovered that purest form of exhilaration,” the piece reads.

FEBRUARY

Some WNC hunters spent the coldest months of the year on a coyote-trapping quest. The crafty canines aren’t native to this

A reporter from The Smoky Mountain News spent the night at a shelter near Max Patch to catch up with thru-hikers about their experiences thus far. It had been more crowded than expected, many of them said, and the trail did attract a group of people more into partying than quiet contemplation. But overall, the hikers were pleased with the experiences that they’d had and the people who they’d met.

“Out here, we’re sort of all equal,” said Knoxville-area thru-hiker Melanie “Gamel” Harmon, 60. “It’s how you treat each other, and being in the same environment together, and experiencing the same challenges. I don’t know where else that occurs.”

MAY

From television to the silver screen, filming took over Jackson County this May — and the outdoors were not exempt from the camera craze. Fox Sports’ “Anglers & Appetites” filmed two episodes full of fly-fishing feats and culinary collaborations, all starring locals.

This was the third year running that Jackson County appeared on the show, and as far as the show’s co-host Dave Zelski is concerned, it doesn’t have to be the last time.

“We’re not running out of material,” Zelski said. “There are so many fishing spots along the (Western North Carolina Fly Fishing) Trail, and we haven’t even hit them all.”

JUNE

For Adam Bigelow, June on the Blue Ridge Parkway is about as good as it gets. The high elevations are rife with wildflowers at this time, and Bigelow is all about the plants.

“All the plants have stories,” Bigelow said. “That’s what I’m really drawn to, telling the stories of the plants.”

For instance, he said, lousewort was once used to repel lice. Yarrow leaves can be used to stop bleeding. Trilliums disseminate their seed through a symbiotic partnership with ants. Many kinds of plants are good for eating — and healthy, too. The trick is to learn which are edible and which are not. That’s why it’s good to have Bigelow around.

JULY

The air was thick and humid as a buoyant group of 27 teens, mostly Hispanic, set out to hike with Park Superintendent Cassius Cash on the Cataloochee Divide Trail in July. Most of the teens would have never tried hiking at all if it weren’t for Maggie Valley-based Outdoor Mission Camp, which hosts a session geared specifically to Spanish speakers, and Cash was bent on making sure they kept exploring even after camp was over.

The Smokies commemorated the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary with a challenge to hike 100 miles in the park during 2016, and Cash opted to complete that chal-

lenge alongside groups of youth — like those at OMC — who might not otherwise experience nature much at all.

“It’s no different than when you learn how to drive for the first time,” Cash said. “Someone has to tell you what to do and what not to do. The Park Service wants to be that entity for the first time kids get out in the woods.”

AUGUST

Conservation leaders said “Happy 100th Birthday” to the Park Service with the addition of 5,329 acres to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Waterrock Knob, an achievement made possible by years of collaboration between myriad agencies and organizations. The land cost $16.9 million to conserve, with $14.3 million of that private funding.

“I can’t imagine a more fitting way to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service than to celebrate this conservation achievement,” said Parkway Superintendent Mark Woods.

SEPTEMBER

Hundreds of thru-hikers conquered the A.T. this year, but Robbinsville resident Steve Claxton not only finished the hike — he raised more than $70,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Graham County and for Friends of Barnabas Foundation, a Christian nonprofit that serves health needs in Honduras.

The 2,189-mile hike wasn’t easy. There was at least one time when Claxton, then 60, was pretty sure he was going to die from exposure.

He was hiking by himself more often than not, and that could become quite lonely. But, he said, the experience was worth the hardship.

“You learn so much about yourself and so much about life itself by trudging on and getting through the hard times, getting through the mountains and the rocks and the roots,” he said. “You learn you can do a lot more than you ever thought you could do.”

Smokies benefit from license plate sales

License plate sales raised nearly $815,000 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this year, with the grand total rising to $13.3 million since the program launched in 1999.

The Friends of the Smokies plates are available in North Carolina and Tennessee, allowing drivers to sport plates celebrating the beauty of America’s most-visited national park while also contributing to protect its natural and cultural

resources. Friends of the Smokies works with park officials to identify park projects in need of funding and then contributes the dollars to accomplish those goals.

A new plate design is in the works for Tennessee, with voting on the potential designs open through Dec. 31 at www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

The plates cost $30 in North Carolina and $35 in Tennessee and can be purchased independent of plate expiration dates.

OCTOBER

High heels, skirts and furs aren’t common sights along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but they were there in force this October as the Daughters of the American Revolution gathered at Devils Courthouse to rededicate the DAR Jubilee Memorial Forest.

The 50-acre spruce forest was planted by World War II-era DAR members but had been all but forgotten in the interim. The task of rediscovering the forest’s boundaries and digging up its history wasn’t an easy one, and the DAR was proud to celebrate the accomplishment.

“They’ve taken on so many projects that are so beneficial to this country that so many people don’t know anything about,” said Deborah Burkhart, a DAR member from Brevard. “They think we’re just a bunch of snooty women, and that’s definitely not the case.”

NOVEMBER

November 2016 will likely go down in local memory as a month of trepidation, uncertainty and smoke.

The wildfire season kicked off in WNC with the Dicks Creek Fire on Oct. 23, and historically dry conditions — coupled with the ill intent of arsonists — led to ignition after ignition until, by the time rain finally began to fall in the last days of November, about 80,000 acres were burning in the mountains

west of Asheville. Firefighters came from just about every state in the Union, tirelessly working strings of 14-hour days to contain the fires, with no help from Mother Nature. Astonishingly, they managed to prevent any homes from burning — until Nov. 28, when hurricane-force winds whipped a small fire burning at the Chimney Tops in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park into a hell-like frenzy that swept down the mountains to engulf much of Gatlinburg and kill 14 people.

It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s probably a fair guess that a region was never happier to see a rainy day than people in the Smokies were on Nov. 29.

DECEMBER

If drought and fire were the markers of November, rain and the disappearance of smoke distinguished December.

As of press time, rain for the month still sat slightly below what’s considered normal, but compared to the eerie dryness of fall, December rainfall seemed delightfully constant. Fires were declared contained, burn bans were lifted and firefighters could finally return home. Drought remained, but was downgraded from the historic severity seen earlier in the season.

With any luck, the New Year will bring all the snow, rain and humidity necessary to maintain the beauty of this temperate rainforest.

Campfire ban lifted in the Smokies

Campfires are now legal in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the first time since Nov. 15.

The park lifted its fire ban Friday, Nov. 23, deeming recent rainfall sufficient to alleviate the risk of wildfire. Backcountry campfires and open grills had been banned since Nov. 1 and frontcountry fires had been banned since Nov. 15.

Since Nov. 28, the park has received 7 to 10 inches of rain, but overall rainfall is down by 31 percent — 16 inches — for the year, as measured at park headquarters near Gatlinburg. The record low precipitation came in 2007, with 34 inches per the year. To date, about 39 inches of rain have fallen at park headquarters. The normal average is 55 inches.

The park is the last entity in Western North Carolina to maintain a fire ban following the drought and subsequent fire season. Burn bans have been lifted for weeks in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, the Blue Ridge Parkway, N.C. State Parks and individual counties.

Smokies trails reopen after fire

Seven trails and one road that have been closed since the Chimney Tops 2 Fire are now open in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Twin Creeks Trail, Noah Bud Ogle Nature Trail, Trillium Gap Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail, Baskins Creek Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail and Old Sugarlands Trail are open, though hikers should be aware of overhead limbs and hazards such as loose rocks, falling trees, flooding and debris flows, especially in windy weather. Cherokee Orchard Road is open as well.

Eight trails remain closed — Chimney Tops Trail, Road Prong Trail, Sugarlands Mountain Trail, Bullhead Trail, Rough Creek Trail, Cove Mountain Trail, Cove Hardwood Nature Trail and Sugarlands Riding Stables concession.

Updated trail closure information is online at www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm.

Help make Jackson County a healthier place to live

An action team dedicated to helping people become more physically active and achieve healthier diets is kicking off 2017 with a meeting at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the Jackson County Public Library.

The team, called the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Action Team of Healthy Carolinians of Jackson County, will spend the year planning health events, fitness challenges, health screenings and more to make Jackson County a healthier and more active place to live. Meetings will be held monthly, with the next big event scheduled to be the sixth annual Healthy Snack Master Competition in March.

Liz Cochran, 828.587.8292 or lizcochran@jacksonnc.org.

See the celestial

A slate of stargazing opportunities is coming to the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute near Rosman, taking advantage of

the crisp, clear night skies of January. All events will be held 6-8 p.m. on the PARI campus.

Fish conservation and water quality to benefit from Duke grants

Environmental quality projects in Western North Carolina will get a boost thanks to grants from the Duke Energy Foundation, whose Water Resources Fund this year doled out $778,000 to environmental and wildlife programs.

■ The North Carolina Wildlife Federation

received $85,000 to benefit the Little Tennessee Native Fish Conservation Area partnership, the nation’s first native fish conservation area. The money will fund educational videos and an interactive web-based map to guide conservation efforts. The Native Fish Conservation Area is a new watershed-scale, non-regulatory approach to long term conservation and restoration of native fish. Macon, Jackson, Swain, Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties will be among those to benefit from the project.

■ The Southwestern North Carolina Resource

■ Friday, Jan. 6, and Saturday, Jan. 7, observations will focus on the crescent moon, Venus and Mars.

■ Friday, Jan. 20, and Saturday, Jan. 21, observations of Uranus will also be visible.

$15 per person and free for kids 10 and under, with reservations accepted through 3 p.m. the day of the event.

“The winter night skies lend themselves well to stargazing,” said Christi Whitworth, PARI’s Director of Learning Experiences.

“And, of course, the night sky always holds other objects of interest so there’s no telling what we might find on any given night. These observing events are designed for the entire family, so bundle up and join us for what promises to be a some fascinating opportunities to view our celestial neighbors.”

Reservations are required and will be accepted until 3 p.m. the day of the event. If inclement weather prevents the outdoor observations, this program will be cancelled and registrants will be notified by 4 p.m. the day of the event. PARI will apply any payment toward a later January observing session, a different evening special program, or provide a refund upon request.

Register online or by phone, www.pari.edu or 828.862.5554.

Sarah Chappell, schappell@pari.edu.

Stargazers bundle up to observe the night skies at PARI. Donated photo

Conservation and Development Council received $71,000 to improve water quality in Maggie Valley.

The money will go to restore 200 feet of streambank, install a fire truck washing pad and biofilter, and implement stormwater best management practices with stream access points. These measures should help keep the stream clean enough for trout to thrive.

The Water Resources Fund is a $10 million multiyear commitment on Duke’s part to help local nonprofits protect and improve the environments they serve.

Former plant site now part of state forest

More than 30 years after the first piece of property was donated toward the creation of DuPont State Recreational Forest, the final acres have been added to complete the land donation from the DuPont company.

The newly donated 476-acre property, commonly known as the “doughnut hole” was the site of a DuPont plant from 1956 until 2002. The plant was demolished in 2006, and since 2013 the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and the N.C. National Guard — among other agencies — have been working with DuPont to accomplish the donation.

Planning is underway to determine how the 476 acres might be used. Possibilities include parking, hunting and a shorter route to Bridal Veil Falls, as well as partnerships with the N.C. National Guard to provide office space and low-impact training.

Public access could still be a few years away, however. The N.C. Forest Service must complete a long-range plan that meshes with DuPont Forest’s master plan and accounts for any sensitive environmental and natural areas.

Final remediation activities must wrap up, as well. For more than four decades, DuPont made high-purity silicon and X-ray films on the site, resulting in soil and groundwater contamination. The N.C. Division of Waste Management has been overseeing remediation activities — which are still DuPont’s responsibility regardless of the change in ownership — and earlier this year DuPont drafted a plan to conduct final cleanup activities. Once approved, this plan could take several years to carry out. DuPont Forest is located between Hendersonville and Brevard and contains a variety of lakes, falls and trails that are visited by 750,000 people annually.

Ski and snowboard races coming to Cataloochee

A pair of recreational racing series will be starting up soon at Cataloochee Ski Area near Maggie Valley, giving skiers and snowboarders plenty of opportunities to satisfy the need for speed.

■ The Cataloochee Challenge Cup Race Series, a camaraderie-filled activity open

through Feb. 23.

Racers run against the clock on a modified GS or slalom course, with the best time of two runs calculated in the standings. The top three challengers in both the men’s and women’s age divisions win prizes. Registration opens at 6 p.m. each day with runs concluding by 8:30 p.m. Awards are distributed immediately following the race.

$15 to race or $35 to race and use the left from 6 to 10 p.m. Helmets and goggles are required, with helmets available for rental.

Skiers show off their speed during a race at Cataloochee.

Polar Plunge to benefit education

With Christmas in the rearview, Haywood Waterways Association is setting its sights on the next big holiday — Super Bowl Saturday and the polar plunge that marks it.

costumes and top fundraisers. Donate or sign up at www.crowdrise.com/5thannualpo-

to anyone 18 or older, will start at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5. Races will be held at 7 p.m. every Thursday evening thereafter

■ Cataloochee NASTAR Public Racing, a program that allows recreational racers to compare their ability with the fastest member of the U.S. Ski Team, will kick off at 11 a.m.

Sunday, Jan. 8. Races are held at the same time each Sunday Feb. 26.

Registration starts at 10 a.m. and runs continue through 1:30 p.m.

$10 for two runs or $20 for unlimited runs, with a lift ticket or season pass required to participate. Register at the ticket center or online at www.nastar.com.

All persons interested in being a part of this committee are strongly encouraged to attend, promote, enlist other volunteers, and discuss major program needs Feel free to share on your social media to help recruit anyone interested in being on the committee. Please make plans to attend and bring others who wish to make a commitment to our Haywood County Special Olympics Program.

The Fifth Annual Polar Plunge Benefit-t-tting Kids in the Creek and Environmental Education will be held 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Lake Junaluska beach. Costumes are encouraged as participants take an icy leap into the lake. There’s also an option for those who would rather wade.

$25 or free by raising sponsorships, with all profits benefiting Haywood Waterways’ environmental education programs, such as Kids in the Creek — an hands-on learning experience that gets kids out in the Pigeon River.

All plungers receive a T-shirt, lunch and consideration in prizes awarded for best

Run toward the New Year

larplunge, or by contacting Haywood Waterways at 828.476.4667 or info@haywoodwaterways.org. The organization is also seeking sponsors.

The Run in 2017 5K will provide a chance to put New Years resolutions to immediate use, beginning 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. Those who would rather not do the whole 5K run or walk can participate in a half-mile fun run. Long-sleeved wicking shirts are guaranteed to the first 100 registrants.

$20 online through midnight Dec. 28, with race day sign-up beginning at 9:30 a.m. www.runsignup.com.

Join the assault on Blackrock

The seventh annual Assault on Blackrock is on the calendar, with registration open for the grueling 7-mile trail race that ascends 2,770 feet over about 3.5 miles, only to lose it again on the downhill leg.

This year’s race will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 18, starting from the parking lot of Pinnacle Park in Sylva, at the end of Fisher Creek Road. The first 100 people to register will receive a t-shirt, with prizes awarded to top finishers. All proceeds will go to the Clean Slate Coalition, an organization in Sylva that provides safe, accessible, affordable housing for women in transition.

$25 for pre-registration. Download a registration form at the Assault on Blackrock Facebook page or register online at www.raceentry.com by paying an additional $2.49 fee.

Brian Barwatt, 828.506.2802 or barwatt@hotmail.com.

Fly rod class coming to Haywood

Enrollment is open for a winter class in fly rod building set to begin Feb. 7 at Haywood Community College in Clyde. The class, which will meet 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 4, will walk students through all the steps necessary to build a fly rod that they can take home and use to snag that trophy trout.

$350, with materials included. Register with 828.565.4240 or clshulte@haywood.edu.

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

Disease and their caregivers will be held at 2 p.m. on the last day Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Senior Resource Center.

• “What are your predictions and trends for 2017” will be the topic for the Franklin Open Forum at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, at Rathskeller Cofffee Haus & Pub at 58 Stewart Street in Franklin. Dialog, not debate. 371.1020.

• Mike Wolf, Frank Fritz and their team are excited to return to North Carolina. They plan to film episodes of the hit series AMERICAN PICKERS throughout the region this fall. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855.old.rust.

• Cruise in Maggie Valley event is held from 1-5 p.m. every Sunday at 2771 Soco Road. Vendors: $10 per space. Cruising@MaggieValleyAntiques.com.

• Coloring Club will be hosted on the second Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m. at Canton Library. Color pencils and color pages supplied. For ages 8 to 108. 648.2924.

• Beginners Chess Club is held on Fridays at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 8-108 invited to participate. 648.2924.

• Qualla Boundary Historical Society meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Everyone is welcome.

B USINESS & E DUCATION

• Haywood Community College will offer a series of skill building classes comprising Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Lutherie. HCC Professional Crafts alum and local Luthier, Bill Weinert will lead the series. Each of the classes can be found at www.creativearts.haywood.edu: Intro to Lutherie (Cigar Box/Stick Dulcimer), Intermediate Lutherie (Appalachian Banjo/Lap Dulcimer), and Advanced Lutherie (Guitar/Fiddle). Please call 565.4240 beginning Jan. 3 for more information or to register.

• Haywood Community College will hold two additional days of registration for its spring semester on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 4-5. Payment due by the end of Jan. 5. Classes start Jan. 9. www.haywood.edu.

• Haywood Community College Continuing Education Creative Arts is pleased to announce an expanded selection of music classes spearheaded by local musicians Julie and Bryan McConnell. Classes will include vocal, percussion, and two levels of string classes with an emphasis on practical theories and physical techniques. For more information on these classes or to register, please call 565.4240.

• “Genesis of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians” will be presented by Anita Finger Smith of Cherokee Genealogy Services at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 5 at the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society meeting at Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City (45 East Ridge Drive).

• Registration is underway for an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training Certification course that starts Jan. 17 at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center in Clyde. Course fee is $235 for members and $255 for nonmembers. 452.8056.

FUNDRAISERSAND B ENEFITS

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

■ Complete listings of local music scene

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS

• Save the date: Mardi Gras Ball benefit for the Haywood County Schools Foundation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Laurel Ridge Country Blub. Sponsored by Entegra Bank.

• REACH of Macon County, which also serves Jackson County, will hold a two-day volunteer training from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Jan. 5-6. Twenty hours of training required for volunteers at a domestic violence agency in the state. Info: 369.5544.

• Greening up the Mountains Festival is seeking artists, mountain crafters, environmental and food vendors to apply for a booth in its 20th festival, which is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on April 22. Applications available at www.greeningupthemountains.com, or call 631.4587.

H EALTH MATTERS

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the Lowe’s in Waynesville. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.RED-CROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Sylva. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.RED-CROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 1:30-6 p.m. on Dec. 29 at Evergreen Packaging in Canton. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 12:30-5 p.m. on Dec. 29 at First Baptist Church in Franklin. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 9:15 a.m.-1:45 p.m. on Dec. 30 at Swain County High School in Bryson City. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.RED-CROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 at Lake Toxaway Fire & Rescue. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

• “Detox Your Life Naturally” – an eco-forum – is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 6, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall in Franklin. Presented by Dr. Linda Sparks, N.D., of Blue Ridge Natural Health. 524.3691.

• The Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Action Team of Healthy Carolinians of Jackson County will meet at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Group’s goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating. 587.8292 or lizcochran@jacksonnc.org.

• A prenatal breastfeeding class for pregnant mothersto-be and support persons will be offered at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 12 at the Haywood County Health and Human Services in Waynesville. Registration required: 356.2207 or 452.2211.

• Assistance with Marketplace Open Enrollment is available through Mountain Projects. Enrollment through the Affordable Care Act is currently open and lasts until Jan. 31. 452.1447 or 800.627.1548.

• A support group meeting for those with Parkinsons

• The Canton Senior Center Advisory Council is holding a raffle for a “Basket of Gifts and Gift Certificates.” Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from council members or at the Senior Center (648.8173). Drawing is on Friday, Dec. 30, at the Senior Center. Need not be present to win.

• A support group for anyone with Multiple Sclerosis, family and friends meets at 2 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the Heritage Room at the Jackson County Senior Center in Sylva. Sponsored by Greater Carolinas Chapter of National MS Society. Info: 293.2503. Offered in cooperation with the Southwestern Commission Agency on Aging.

• A monthly grief support group sponsored by The Meditation Center meets at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 East Main Street in Sylva. Info: www.meditatewnc.org or 356.1105.

• Inner Guidance from an Open Heart will meet from 68 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 East Main Street in Sylva. Info: www.meditate-wnc.org or 356.1105.

• Dogwood Insight Center presents health talks at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month.

• Free childbirth and breastfeeding classes are available at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva. Classes are offered bimonthly on an ongoing basis. Register or get more info: 586.7907.

• Angel Medical Center’s diabetes support group meets at 4 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the AMC dining room. 369.4166.

• A free weekly grief support group is open to the public from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at SECU Hospice House in Franklin. Hosted by Four Seasons Compassion for Life Bereavement Team. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• A monthly grief processing support group will meet from 4-5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Homestead Hospice and Palliative Care in Clyde. 452.5039.

• A Men’s Night Out will take place at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of the hospital.

on the first Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 E. Main St. in Sylva. www.meditatewnc.org or 356.1105.

• A free, weekly grief support group will meet from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at the SECU Hospice House in Franklin. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• “ECA on the Move!” – a walking program organized by Jackson County Extension and Community Association – meets from 9-10 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. It’s an effort to meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 10,000 steps per day. 586.4009.

• A Tuesday Meditation Group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Franklin.

R ECREATIONAND FITNESS

• Registration is underway for ZUMBA! Classes, which will be offered from 6-7 p.m. starting Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Canton Armory. $5 per class or early bird special of $60 for all 15 classes. 648.2363 or parks@cantonnc.com.

• Tai chi is offered from 10:45-11:45 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. It’s also offered from 1-2 p.m. on Thursdays. Taught by Bill Muerdter. For info about the classes or HRHFC memberships and offerings, call 452.8080 or visit MyHaywoodRegional.com/Fitness.

• Ultimate Frisbee games are held from 5:30-8 p.m. on Mondays at the Cullowhee Recreation Park. Organized by Jackson County Parks & Recreation. Pick-up style. 293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

■ Regional festivals

■ Art gallery events and openings

■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers

■ Civic and social club gatherings

• The Wednesday Croquet Group meets from 10 a.m.noon at the Vance Street Park across from the shelter. For senior players ages 55 or older. 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Pickleball is from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesdays through Thursdays at First Methodist Church in Sylva. $1 each time you play; equipment provided. 293.3053.

• The Canton Armory is open to the public for walking from 7:45-9 a.m. on Monday through Friday unless the facility is booked till spring. 648.2363. parks@cantonnc.com.

• Pickle ball is offered from 8 a.m.-noon on Mondays through Fridays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. 456.2030 or www.waynesvillnc.gov.

P OLITICAL

• A swearing-in ceremony will be held for incoming N.C. General Assembly member Mike Clampitt at 2 p.m. on Jan. 7 on the second floor of the Swain County Heritage Museum in Bryson City. Clampitt is the first Republican House member from the 119th District’s Swain County in more than 100 years.

AUTHORSAND B OOKS

• New York Times bestselling author Dr. William R. Forstchen will have a book-signing event for his newest work “The Final Day” from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Jan. 14 at Carolina Readiness Supply (72 Montgomery St.) in Waynesville. 456.5310 or www.carolinareadiness.com.

• A “Theme Team Book Club” is now being offered by the Waynesville Public Library. The group meets quarterly from 2 to 4 p.m. on the first Friday of the month. The next meeting is Jan. 6, with the theme “biography.” Pick any book you would like to read for the theme. Everyone gets a chance to discuss their book. 828.356.2507. Refreshments provided by the Friends of the Library.

• Canton Book Club meets at 3:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• Cookin’ the Books will be held at noon on the last Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Public Library. A book club focused on cookbooks. All members choose a recipe from the book and bring it to share. The group will discuss the good and bad aspects of the chosen cookbook. 356.2507.

S ENIORACTIVITIES

• The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 926.6567.

• Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina – an effort to help area residents commit to a healthier lifestyle, will meet from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

• Haywood County Senior Resource Center is looking into starting a weekly Euchre Card Group. If interested, contact Michelle Claytor at mclaytor@mountainprojects.org or 356.2800.

• A Silver Sneakers Cardio Fit class will meet from 10-11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 60 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Book Club is held at 2 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800

• Senior croquet for ages 55 and older is offered from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Vance Street Park in front of Waynesville Recreation Center. Free. For info, contact Donald Hummel at 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Mondays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Senior Sale Day is on the third Friday of every month at the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore. Patrons 60 and older get 20 percent off all purchases. Proceeds benefit the Sylva Library.

• Pinochle game is played at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

• Hearts is played at 12 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

• Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

K IDS & FAMILIES

• Registration is underway for Haywood County Public Library’s “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” program, which starts Jan. 10 at the Waynesville and Canton Libraries. For each 100 books read, children receive a prize. At 1,000 books, children receive a free book and have a favorite book placed in the library collection in his/her honor. Storytimes are at 11 a.m. on Jan. 10-12 at the Waynesville Library and 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 10 and 12 and 6 p.m. on Jan. 12 at the Canton Library. 648.2924 (Canton) or 356.2511 (Waynesville).

• A Winter Reading Challenge started Dec. 15 at Haywood County libraries. Stop by any county library for a reading bingo card. Complete challenge by Feb. 1.

• The Canton Library offers a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) program each month. At 4 p.m. on third Tuesday. Children ages 612 are welcome to attend. Please call 648-2924 for more information.

• Construction Zone! will be held at 4 p.m. at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the Canton Library. The library will supply the LEGO® building blocks, you supply the imagination! For children ages 6-12. For more information, please call 648.2924. Continues on the 4th Wednesday of the following months.

• Anime Club meets from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 5, in the Macon County Public Library program room in Franklin. Open to sixth graders through college-age. Topics include basic Japanese words, Japanese culture and manga. Arts, crafts, refreshments, games and more. 524.3600.

• A Tuesday Library Club for ages 5-12 meets at 4 p.m. each Tuesday (except for the fifth Tuesday on months that occurs) at the Canton Library. Hands-on activities like exercise, cooking, LEGOs, science experiments and crafts. 648.2924 or kpunch@haywoodnc.net.

• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City. A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 828.538.2054.

• Stories, songs and a craft are offered for ages zerosix (and caregivers) at 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• A program called “Imagine”, an art program for children 8-12 meets at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library. Program contains art, writing, and drama. 586.2016.

• Rompin’ Stompin’, an hourlong storytime with music, movement and books, is held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays and at 11 a.m. on Fridays at Canton Library. For ages zero to six. 648.2924.

• Crafternoons are at 2:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• Library Olympics will be held at 2 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. Children age 5 and up get active through relay races, bingo, mini golf. 586.2016.

• Get Moving, a program for children ages 5-12 to encourage children to live a healthy life through exercise and healthy eating, will be held on the first Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. 648.2924

• Full STEAM Ahead, a program for children ages 5-12 to allow them to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics through fun hands-on activities. Program open to the first 15 participants, at 4 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at Canton Public Library. 648.2924.

• Family Story Time is held on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 0-6. Stories, songs, dance and crafting. 648.2924.

• Rompin’ Stompin’ Story Time is held on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and Fridays 11 a.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 0-6. An hour long story time full of music and movement. 648.2924.

• Storytimes are held at 10 and 10:40 a.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• After-School Art Adventure will be on from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at The Bascom in Highlands. For ages 5 to 10, Art Adventure is a class that explores the creative process of drawing, painting, printmaking, clay, sculpture, fiber art, and crafts by utilizing a variety of media. The students will investigate some of the most popular techniques and theories in art history and will be exposed to contemporary as well as folk art traditions. Tuition is $40 for a fourclass package. www.thebascom.org.

ONGOINGKIDSACTIVITIES ANDCLUBS

• Wednesdays in the Stacks, “WITS”, a new program for children in grades 3-6, on the third Wednesdays of the month from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Macon County Library. WITS will include lots of fun games, prizes, and hands-on activities. This club replaces book club previous held on the third Thursdays of the month. 526.3600.

• Fun Friday, everything science, is held at 4 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Teen Coffeehouse is at 4:30 p.m. on the first, third, and fourth Tuesday at Jackson County Public Library. Spend time with other teens talking and sharing. 12 and up. 586.2016.

• Youth Outright meets every Sunday from 4 p.m. -6 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville for ages 14-20. Youth Outright is a youth advocacy and leadership program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in 18 counties in Western North Carolina. www.youthoutright.org.

• Youth Outright meets the third Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville for ages 11-13. Youth Outright is a youth advocacy and leadership program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in 18 counties in Western North Carolina. www.youthoutright.org.

• Rock and Read is at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at Jackson County Public Library. 586-2016.

• WNC Martial Arts will hold karate classes from 67:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the Old Armory in Waynesville. For more info, contact Margaret Williams at 301.0649 or mvwilliams39@gmail.com.

• Book Buddies for ages 0-3 is from 9:30-10:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

• Page Pals for ages 3-5 is from 10:30-11:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

• Story time and kids can make their own piece of art from 10 a.m.-noon every Saturday during the Family Art event sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council at the Jackson County Farmers Market located at the Community Table, downtown Sylva. On the first Saturday of each month, there is a scavenger hunt with prizes. 399.0290 or www.jacksoncountyfarmermarket.org.

• A Teen Advisory Group meets at 4 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss YA books and teen program events at Canton Library. http://haywoodlibrary.libguides.com/teen or 648.2924.

• Art classes are available for kids 10 and older from 4:15-5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. $15 per class. 787.2865 or www.thebascom.org.

• Art Adventure classes are taught for ages 5-10 from 3:30-4:45 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. Theme: metal. Instructor: Bonnie Abbott. $20 per month. 787.2865.

• Free, weekly, after-school enrichment classes are offered by the Bascom and MCAA from 3-5 p.m. on Thursdays at Macon Middle School through a grant from the Jim McRae Endowment for the Visual Arts. To register, contact Bonnie Abbott at 743.0200.

•A community breastfeeding information and support group meets from 10:30 am.-noon on the first Saturday of each month in the main lobby of the Smoky Mountain OB/GYN Office in Sylva. Free; refreshments provided. For information, contact Brandi Nations (770.519.2903), Stephanie Faulkner (506.1185 or www.birthnaturalwnc), or Teresa Bryant (587-8223).

• Macon County 4-H Needlers club, a group of youth learning the art and expression of knitting and crochet crafts, meets on the second Tuesday of each month. For information, call 349.2046.

• A Franklin Kids’ Creation Station is held from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at uptown Gallery in Franklin. Snacks provided. $20 tuition. 743.0200.

• SafeKids USA Blue Dragon Tae Kwon Do School offers defense training with after-school classes Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings. 627.3949 or www.bluedragontkd.net.

• A Lego Club meets the second Thursday of the month at 4 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. at the Macon County Public Library. 526.3600.

• A Lego Club meet the second Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. at Cashiers Community Library. 743.0215.

• Teen time 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursdays at Waynesville Library. A program for teens and tweens held each week. Each week is different, snacks provided. 3562511

•Teen Advisory Group, first Wednesday of each month at 4 p.m. For ages 13-18. Teens can enjoy snacks while discussing popular young adult books, help plan events and displays for children and teens at the library, and participate in community service projects. Canton Library, 648.2924.

• Adventure Club on Tuesdays 3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. for grades K-2 at the Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• Culture Club on the second Wednesday of the

month, 1 to 2 p.m. for K-6 graders. Guest speakers, books, photos, crafts and food from different countries and cultures. Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

K IDSMOVIES

• A Christmas movie featuring famous puppets will be shown at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Info, including movie title: 524.3600.

• Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is being shown on Thursday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. at The Mad Batter Food & Film. Free. 586.3555.

• Rogue One is now playing at The Strand on Main in Waynesville. Dec. 28 and 29 at 7 p.m., Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. and 9:55 p.m., Dec. 31 at 1:30 p.m., 4:25 p.m. and 7 p.m. , Jan 1 at 12:30 p.m., 3.25 p.m., and 6:20 p.m. and Jan 2-5 at 7 p.m. www.38main.com.

• Kubo & The Two Strings will be shown on Friday Jan. 6 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 pm. And Saturday Jan. 7 at 2 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at The Mad Batter Food & Film. Free. 586.3555.

• Storks is being shown on Friday, Dec. 30 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at The Mad Batter Food & Film. Free. 586.3555.

A&E

H OLIDAYS

• The Polar Express train excursion hits the tracks through Dec. 28-Jan. 1 at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train depot in Bryson City800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

• Cherokee Lights and Legends Christmas will be celebrated from 5-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday Dec. 30-31. Enjoy interactive displays of Cherokee legends, ice skating, a 40-foot Christmas tree and more at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. 800.438.1601. Admission free with fees for activities.

• A Children’s New Year’s Eve Pajama Party will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 524.3600.

• A New Year’s Eve Celebration will be held in downtown Bryson City. Outdoor movie, a hot chocolate station, bubble machine, kids activity area and live music by Grandpa’s Cough Medicine and Ashley Heath. 488.3681 or www.greatsmokies.com.

• Popular funk/soul act Darren & The Buttered Toast will perform a special New Year’s Eve showcase at 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at No Name Sports Pub in Sylva. Admission is $3 at the door. www.nonamesportspub.com.

• The Lazy Hiker Brewing “New Year’s Eve Bash” will host popular Western North Carolina act Porch 40 (rock/funk) on Saturday, Dec. 31, in Franklin.

Tea 4 Three will open at 8 p.m. with Porch 40 onstage at 10 p.m. The food truck will also be open late. 349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The “Jazz It Up” on New Year’s Eve dinner special at the Classic Wineseller on Dec. 31 will include a fourcourse meal and music by Peggy Ratusz & Richard Shulman ($70 per person). 7 p.m. 452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Popular Western North Carolina Americana/bluegrass act The Maggie Valley Band will be ringing in the New Year from 9 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Dec. 31, at Southern Appalachian Brewery in Hendersonville. www.themaggievalleyband.com.

• The “New Year’s Eve Celebration” will be Dec. 31 at

Fontana Village Resort. Winter fun, holiday festivities and events. For lodging and dining options, call 828.498.2211 or www.fontanavillage.com.

• The Motor Company Grill will once again be hosting the annual “Franklin Ruby Drop” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Town Square. Throughout the evening, there will be live entertainment, assorted games, and other activities. Just before midnight, there will be a countdown and lowering of the ruby, which is six feet tall and seven feet in diameter with over 1300 led lights. www.franklin-chamber.com.

• New Year’s Eve party at Mad Batter Food and Film in Sylva. Special dinner menu and live entertainment by Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) starts at 10 p.m. Group package for $60 includes dinner for two, champagne toast and general admission. 586.3555 or www.madbatterfoodfilm.com.

F OOD & D RINK

• Legendary Nashville singer-songwriter and fingerpicker Thom Bresh will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. The event will be part of the “Songwriters in the Round” series at the inn. The evening will also include a full buffet dinner. $87 per person. www.balsammountaininn.net or 800.224.9498.

• “Brown Bag at the Depot” – an opportunity to gather with neighbors – is at noon every Friday at Sylva’s newest park at the corner of Spring and Mill Street along Railroad Ave. For info, contact Paige Dowling at townmanager@townofsylva.org.

• Graceann’s Amazing Breakfast is 8-10 a.m. every Tuesday in the Sapphire Room at the Sapphire Valley Community Center. $8.50 for adults; $5 for children. Includes coffee and orange juice. 743.7663.

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

ON STAGE & I N CONCERT

• Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro (Sylva) will host The Infinite Guest Jazz Series at 7 p.m. Jan. 3. The popular series is led by acclaimed saxophonist Tyler Kittle (pictured). 586.1717 or www.soulinfusion.com.

• The Canton Armory will host “Winter Pickin’ in the Armory” at 7 p.m. every first and third Friday of the month (starting Jan. 6). The event includes mountain music, vintage country, clogging and dancing. Doors open at 6 p.m. Free. www.cantonnc.com.

• Air Supply is on stage at Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee on Friday, Jan. 14 at 9 p.m. Ticket prices are $20 and up. www.caesars.com.

• Tickets are on sale now for a presentation by Step Afrika! with spoken-word artist Kyla Lacey, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20, in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. Part of the Arts and Cultural Events series. $20 for non-students; free for students. Pre-registration required: tcbowers@catamount.wcu.edu (students) or hensley@wcu.edu (non-students).

• Jamey Johnson is returning to Harrah’s Cherokee on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. www.caesars.com.

• Michael Bolton will be preforming on Friday, Feb. 24 at Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee at 9 p.m. www.caesars.com.

CLASSESAND PROGRAMS

• Learn how to make a rag quilt from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Dec. 28 at Jackson County Extension in Sylva. $5. Registration required: 586.4009.

• The Dusty Pallet is the newest art gallery in Franklin. The studio is located in downtown at 52 East Main Street. Are you ready for a paint party? For only

$35, the gallery provides everything you need to create your own masterpiece. Watch for our days and times at their website, www.thedustypallet.com. Call and schedule your group at 524.5676. The shop is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Cribbage is at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Maggie Valley Inn. 410.440.7652 or 926.3978.

• An Antique, Vintage & Handcrafted Flea Market starts at 8 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 3029 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Bring your own table/tent. Spaces rent for $10 a day or $25 for all three days.

• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. An afternoon of creativity and camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own. Beginners are welcome as well as those who already enjoy this new trend. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 524.3600.

• Haywood County Arts Council is inviting artist members to participate in its annual Artist Member Show. Download a show contract/inventory sheet from www.haywoodarts.org. Send completed forms to gallery@haywoodarts.org or P.O. Box 306; Waynesville, N.C. 28786.

• Paint Nite Waynesville will be held at 7 p.m. on Fridays at the Panacea Coffeehouse. Grab a cup of coffee, glass of wine or pint of craft beer and get creative. $20 per person. Group rates available. Sign up at Panacea or call host Robin Smathers at 400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

• The Wild Fern is hosting several local potters at the studio throughout the year. Stop by to see works from the potter’s collection and chat with these talented artists as they create on the wheel and share their unique styles. 736.1605 or info@wildfernstudios.com.

• The Jackson Rangers Camp 1917 will hold monthly meetings at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Barkers Creek Community Center. Members are being sought to participate in honor guard graveside events and honor Confederate soldiers. The Confederate Rose, a ladies auxiliary group that supports active members, meets at the same time and location. 736.6222 or jrcamp1917@hotmail.com.

• “Stitch,” the community gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.

• The Sew Easy Girls meet from noon-3 p.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office’s conference room. Learn how to sew. 586.4009.

• A community art group meets at 10 a.m. every Wednesday at the Hudson Library in Highlands. 828.526.3031.

• A writer’s group meets at 1 p.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands. 526.3031.

• Free one-on-one technology help is offered every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Hudson Library in Highlands. Call 526.3031 to make an appointment.

ARTSHOWINGSAND GALLERIES

• “Recent Work” Craig Forrest, Cullowhee watercolorist, will present a 15 piece collection of new works at It’s By Nature gallery in downtown Sylva. Show will run throughout the month of December. 678 West Main Street, Sylva. 631.3020 or itsbynature.com/upcomingevents

• A three-month ceramics exhibit at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum is currently in Cullowhee. Fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or 227.3591.

• The exhibit “Emissaries of Peace: 1762 Cherokee & British Delegations” features Cherokee clothing, feather capes, beads, and other artifacts. It is currently on display at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and is also available for travel. www.cherokeemuseum.org or bduncan@cherokeemuseum.org.

• Artist Melba Cooper will be exhibiting her stunning series of paintings, “POLLINATION,” at Cullowhee Mountain Arts’ (CMA) Studio in downtown Sylva. www.cullowheemountainarts.org/up-in-the-studioevents or 342.6913.

• The “Women Painters of the Southeast” exhibition will run Jan. 9 through May 5 in the Fine Arts Museum at Western Carolina University. A reception will be held at the museum from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 19. www.wcu.edu.

• A showcase on the life and times of Horace Kephart will be on display through March 31 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University. The Mountain Heritage Center’s Kephart Collection is composed of 127 objects, including Kephart’s tent, sleeping bag, backpack and the writing desk. The exhibit will display many of these objects in a campsite setting. 227.7129.

• New artist and medium will be featured every month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• As part of the Arts Council’s Integrated Arts initiative, a sampling of works by renowned Macon County sculptor Nelson Nichols (www.nicholssculpture.com) will be displayed at this event. Executed in stone, bronze, and wood, Nichols’ sculptural body of work reflects his unique style, Spiritual Expressionism, encompassing anatomical/figurative pieces in classical realism, a series of abstract interpretations, a series illustrating universal/spiritual concepts, and an environmentally inspired series including sculptures of endangered/threatened species. Admission is by donation; $7 is suggested. arts4all@dnet.net or 524.ARTS (2787).

• Cullowhee watercolorist Craig Forrest will showcase a 15-piece collection of new works throughout the month of December at the It’s By Nature gallery in downtown Sylva. 828.631.3020 or www.itsbynature.com/upcomingevents.

FILM & S CREEN

• The Magnificent Seven is being shown on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Mad Batter Food & Film. Free. 586.3555.

• Adult movie time, 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Jackson County Public Library. Call for title of movie. 586.2016.

M USICJAMSANDGROUPS

• Golden Aires singing group practices at 9:15 a.m. every fourth Wednesday of the month at Jackson County Department on Aging/Senior Center in Sylva. Secular and religious music. Performances given at area nurs-

ing homes. Musical instruments also welcome. 586.5494.

• Old-time music jam from 1-3 p.m. the first and third Saturday of the month at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on U.S. 441 outside Cherokee. November through April is just the third Saturday. 497.1904.

Outdoors

• Blue Ridge Parkway is seeking public comment about a proposed policy for allowing only heat-treated, bundled and sealed firewood. Comment is accepted through Jan. 7 at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/blriheattreatedwood.

• The Balsam Christmas Bird Count will be held from approximately 7 a.m.-dusk on Friday, Dec. 30. The area will be divided into four sections, with each section leader designating a starting place and time. Participants will meet at Bocelli’s for dinner afterward. Sign up: ddihen1@bellsouth.net. www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmasbird-count.

• Registration is underway for ski/snowboard lessons at the Cataloochee Ski Resort. For ages 8-up. Sundays for five weeks: Jan. 8, 22, 29, Feb. 5 and 12. Lesson is from 1:30-3 p.m.; lift ticket valid from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Lift only: $109; lift and lesson: $135. 293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

• The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 17 at Haywood Community College’s auditorium in Clyde on proposed changes to 39 agency regulations related to wildlife management, fisheries and game lands for the 2017-18 seasons. Comments accepted through Feb. 1 at regulations@ncwildlife.org.

• Registration is underway for a fly rod building class that will be taught by Tommy Thomas, former president of the National Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Classes are from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Feb. 7 at Haywood Community College. Cost: $350 – all

materials included. 565.4240 or clschulte@haywood.edu.

FARMAND GARDEN

• Registration is underway for the third annual Appalachian Farm School, aimed at those who run or are considering running their own agriculture-based business. Offered through Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center, the school will be held from 6-9 p.m. each Tuesday from Jan. 10-Feb. 28. Register or get more info: www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc, t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4426.

• Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension Office on Acquoni Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every fourth Friday to learn about USDA Farm Service Agency programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. Info: 488.2684, ext. 2 (Wednesday through Friday) or 524.3175, ext. 2 (Monday through Wednesday).

• The Macon County Poultry Club of Franklin meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cooperative Extension Office on Thomas Heights Rd, Open to the public. 369.3916.

• A community tailgate market for local growers is open from 3-7 p.m. every Wednesday at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers. 734.3434, info@villagegreencashiersnc.com or www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.

• The Jackson County Farmers Market will be held 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays at the Community Table building on Central Street in Sylva until outdoor hours resume at Bridge Park in March. The market will be held one weekend each in January and February. Info: 393.5236. jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org.

COMPETITIVE E DGE

• Registration is underway for the Run 2017 5K Run & Walk, which is Jan. 1 at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. 293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org

• Registration is underway for the Assault on Black Rock, a seven-mile trail race scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 18, in Jackson County. $25 pre-registration; $30 on race day. www.raceentry.com ($2.49 fee for registering online). Info: 506.2802 or barwatt@hotmail.com.

H IKING CLUBS

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a six-mile moderate hike with a 900-foot elevation change on Saturday, Dec. 31, to William’s Pulpit on the Bartram Trail. Info and reservations: Call leader Kathy Ratcliff at 349.3380.

• A seven-mile night hike is scheduled for Jan. 1 at Chimney Rock State Park. 625.1823.

• A casual two-mile hike is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Gorges State Park. Hke to Bearwallow

Overlook and Upper Bearwallow Falls’ observation deck. 966.9099.

• A two-mile hike is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Grandfather Mountain State Park. 963.9522.

• A half-day hike of 4.4 miles with an 880-foot ascent is scheduled by the Carolina Mountain Club for Jan. 8 at the N.C. Arboretum Loop. Info or to register: 667.5419 or bobbipowers23@gmail.com.

OUTDOORCLUBS

• The Jackson County Poultry Club will hold its regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office. The club is for adults and children and includes a monthly meeting with a program and a support network for those raising birds. For info, call 586.4009

• The North Carolina Catch program, a three-phase conservation education effort focusing on aquatic environments, will be offered through May 15. The program is offered by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department. Free for members; daily admission for non-members. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

• An RV camping club, the Vagabonds, camps one weekend per month from April through November. All ages welcome. No dues or structured activities. For details, write lilnau@aol.com or call 369.6669.

• The Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited meets the second Tuesday of the month starting with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Rendezvous restaurant located on the corner of Jonathan Creek Road and Soco Road in Maggie Valley. 631.5543.

• Cold Mountain Photographic Society is a camera/photography club for amateurs and professionals who want to learn about and share their knowledge of photography with others. Must be 18 or older to join. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. the second Monday of each month in the conference room of MedWest Health and Fitness Center, 262 Leroy George Drive in Clyde. More information at www.cmpsnc.org or info@cmpsnc.org.

• The Cherokee Runners meets each month on the 1st and 15th of the month (if the first falls on Sunday, the group meets on the 2nd), at the Age Link Conference Room. Group runs are being held each Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. starting at the Flame. www.cherokeerunners.com.

• The Jackson-Swain Master Gardeners’ Association meets at 9:30 a.m. every second Wednesday at the Jackson Community Services Building on Scotts Creek Road in Sylva. Mike Glover at 736.2768 or lmgofish@gmail.com.

• Pigeon Valley Bassmasters Club will meet at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at J&S Cafeteria, Enka, Exit 44 off I-40. 712.2846.

• Macon County Horse Association meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at the Macon County Fairgrounds Alumni Building. Education program and business meeting. ddoster@fs.fed.us.

can be found on page 46.

MarketPlace information:

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

Rates:

■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.

■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads,

■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $15 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2. If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.

■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad or colored background.

■ $50 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.

■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.

■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.

Classified Advertising:

Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING

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CARS -

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Job Opening, Event, Items For Sale, Auction etc. in this newspaper plus 100 other newspapers across the state for only $375. For more info, contact the classified department of this newspaper or email: ads@ncpress.com

EMPLOYMENT

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EMPLOYMENT

PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS

Meridian is seeking Peer Support Specialists to work within a number of recovery oriented programs within our agency. Being a Peer Support Specialist provides an opportunity for individuals to transform their own personal lived experience with mental health and/or addiction challenges into a tool for inspiring hope for recovery in others.Applicants must demonstrate maturity in their own recovery process, have a HS Diploma or GED, valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and have moderate computer skills.If you are seeking some basic information about the role of Peer Support Specialists within the public behavioral health system, please go toNC Peer Support Specialist Certification Site: http://pss.unc.edu/

You do not have to be a certified peer support specialist prior to employment.For further information about these positions, visit the employment section of our website at: www.meridianbhs.org If interested, apply by completing the mini application and submitting your resume.

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.

-

Section 8 Accepted - Rental Assistance When AvailableHandicapped Accessible Units When Available OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday 12:30pm - 4:00pm & Friday. 8:00am- 4:00pm 50 Duckett Cove Road, Waynesville Phone # 1-828-456-6776

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ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS

Job Opening, Event, Items For Sale, Auction etc. in this newspaper plus 100 other newspapers across the state for only $375. For more info, contact the classified department of this newspaper or email: ads@ncpress.com

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PERSONAL

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Haywood County Real Estate Agents

Beverly Hanks & Associates beverly-hanks.com

• Ann Eavenson - AnnEavenson@beverly-hanks.com

• Randy Flanigan - RandyFlanigan@beverly-hanks.com

• Michelle McElroy - MichelleMcElroy@beverly-hanks.com

• Marilynn Obrig - MarilynnObrig@beverly-hanks.com

• Brooke Parrott - BrookeParrott@beverly-hanks.com

• Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com

• Ellen Sither - EllenSither@beverly-hanks.com

• Mike Stamey - MikeStamey@beverly-hanks.com

• Pamela Williams - PamelaWilliams@beverly-hanks.com

Emerson Group

• George Escaravage - george@emersongroupus.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com

• Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com

• Rick Boarder - sunburstrealty.com

Haywood Properties - haywoodproperties.com

• Steve Cox - info@haywoodproperties.com

Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com

• Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff.yourkwagent.com

• Yvonne Kolomechuk - yvonneksells.yourkwagent.com

Lakeshore Realty

• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Mountain Home Properties mountaindream.com

• Sammie Powell - smokiesproperty.com

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

Realty World Heritage Realty realtyworldheritage.com

• Carolyn Lauter realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7766

• Martha Sawyer realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7769

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com

• Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com

• Mieko Thomson - ncsmokies.com

• The Morris Team - maggievalleyproperty.com

• The Real Team - the-real-team.com

• Ron Breese - ronbreese.com

• Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

Rob Roland Realty

• Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

PERSONAL

SuperCROSSWORD

MIDDLE NAMES

ACROSS

1 Abe of “Fish”

7 In hitting position

14 “Neue Liebeslieder” composer

20 Idolized

21 Details of one’s life

22 Angle unit in math

23 Doctors testifying about injuries, e.g. [Trebek]

25 Third-largest Danish city

26 East — Alto

27 Former space station

28 Tributary of the Seine

30 Compound conjunction

31 Fox’s quality

33 Uses a pogo stick [Chavez]

37 Back muscle, informally

38 Assns.

39 Soft throw

40 It’s variable with a zoom lens [Ginsberg]

45 Wry Mort

47 See 95-Across

51 The same, to Simone

52 NM-to-NJ dir.

53 Absorb slowly

55 “Rapture” singer Baker

56 St. Kitts and —

58 Confident assertion

60 They’re part of history [Seagal]

62 Modest reply of gratitude [Hawke]

64 Item fitting in a rowlock

65 Vain one’s problem

66 Tyke

67 Above, in an ode

68 Not prone to fading in daylight, as a fabric

71 Wonder

73 Winter malady

76 “Coolness!”

78 It hangs from a hoop

79 Regulations on importing and exporting [St. Johns]

84 Initial race advantages [Lovett]

87 Epee relative

88 Putrefy

89 Guardian —

90 Hansel’s sis

92 Heat qty.

94 Goatee site

95 With 47-Across, swooned-over sort

96 “It’s cold!”

97 Current fashion [Lubitsch]

100 Water, in Oaxaca

102 Winged god 103 G8 country

104 Curt comment [Previn]

109 Moralist’s statement 114 Rural towers

115 Twisting fish

116 Enzyme suffix

117 Skinny

118 Not inclined

120 Saying “I do” [Bergman]

125 Lamented loudly

126 By mistake

127 One of the Ramones

128 Fall blooms

129 Region centered on the upper Oder valley

130 Makes off-peak calls?

1 Coquettes

jocularly

With 87-Down, penthouse’s place

Pindar verse

Cockloft, e.g.

Systems to track

of ATP

Cries

By — of (due to)

“— much better now”

Mario’s three

Auditing gp.

“— don’t!”

Vintage auto

answers on page 42

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Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Answers on Page 42

Delving into the origin of Native American words

Editor’s note: This article was first published in The Smoky Mountain News in December 2003.

TBACK THEN

Indian feats — scoring a ‘coup,’ or touching and enemy’s body without injuring him.”

uckaseigee, Oconaluftee, Heintooga, Wayah, Cullasaja, Hiwassee, Coweeta, Stecoah, Steestachee, Skeenah, Nantahala, Aquone, Katuwah, and on and on. Our place names here in the Smokies region are graced throughout with evidence of the Cherokee culture that prevailed for over 700 years.

Wouldn’t it be nice if Clingmans Dome was correctly designated as Mount Yonah (high place of the bears)?

Still, we’re fortunate that all of the original place names weren’t obliterated. The same can be said for the Native American words that persist in what we now know as the American language. They add a poetic, almost musical touch to our everyday lives that would otherwise be sorely missed.

It’s interesting to keep track of the ways we find books that we enjoy via reviews, blurbs, word of mouth, etc.

upon the sort of material that I like to share via this column. I’m going to provide some of Cutler’s research to whet your appetite. Many will then no doubt want to obtain their own copies.

The author’s wife, Katherine, indicates that her husband passed away before the book’s publication. An internet search indicates that he wrote various titles related to American history and Native American language. Tracks That Talk bears evidence to the obvious fact that he knew what he was writing about and enjoyed doing so.

The book is divided into various sections having to do with topics like shelter, clothing, plants, animals, and artifacts. Other sections are dedicated to miscellaneous words and, lastly, words having to do with “Spirit.”

In his introduction Cutler tells us that:

Before Christmas, my friend Lee Knight, the folklorist and musician, came by for a visit and presented me with a little book titled Tracks That Speak: The Legacy of Native American Words in North American Culture (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002) by Charles L. Cutler.

“There,” he said, “You’ll be able to get several columns out of that one.”

Lee knows me pretty well, so I just nodded agreement. And he was, of course, quite right. It’s my kind of book and touched

“This bountiful harvest of words springs from the more than one thousand native languages currently and formerly spoken in the Western Hemisphere ... many as different from one another as English is from Japanese. At the dawn of European settlement, probably 60 separate [word] families graced North America alone. Sadly only about half of the continent’s original stock of indigenous languages that existed [then] are still alive today.”

Here are some very brief excerpts from various entries within Tracks That Speak These are misleading in that entries for individual words often go on for a page or more, creating mini-essays.

MOCCASIN: “The first appearance of the word in English occurs in 1609 [as] ‘mekezin’ ... A Crow warrior flaunted wolf tails at the heels of his moccasins after he accomplished that most daring of Plains

SUCCOTASH: “Combining the two main vegetables [corn and beans] was natural, since they were grown together (often with squash). According to the Iroquois, the spirits of the two ‘sisters’ wanted to remain together even when cooked and served.”

POKEWEED: “Settlers learned [from Indians] that pokeweed yielded still another bonus [other than as a cooked green] — a long-lasting red or purple ink [made by] boiling together pokeberries, vinegar, and sugar ... The great Sequoya would use pokeberry juice and a quill pen to transcribe the Cherokee language for the first time ... In the twentieth century rural people sometimes used the concoction for special writing purposes.”

PERSIMMON: “The Indians customarily dried persimmons on mats spread over frames. This led to the Algonquian term ‘pasemenan,’ meaning ‘fruit dried artificially.’”

TERRAPIN: Indians respected the turtle as deliberate, calm, steadfast, and longlived. Many revered it. A widespread belief in the Northeast ... was that Earth is Turtle Island — an island resting on the back of a giant turtle.”

CHIPMONK: “The outsized power of the small chipmonk is described in Iroquois

legend. In early days, an animal council debated whether Earth should always remain in day or in night. Bear argued for perpetual night, but Chipmonk kept chattering for alternate night and day until dawn broke and resolved the argument. Bear angrily raked Chipmonk's back with his claws, leaving indelible stripes on the animal ... [The Cherokee disagreed] saying that the animals once held a council in which it was proposed that each wish a disease on men for hunting them. Chipmonk refused to join in because it wasn't among the hunted. The other animals attacked the little creature.

SQUAW: “some Indians claimed that ‘squaw’ arose from a Mohawk word meaning vagina. The word was worse than demeaning, they said — it was obscene. But Ives Goddard, the authority on American languages at the Smithsonian Institution, explains that this interpretation is not correct: ‘It is certain as any historical fact can be that the word squaw that the English settlers in Massachusetts used for Indian woman in the early 1600s was adopted by them from the word ‘squa’ that their Massachusett-speaking neighbors used in their own language to mean ‘female, younger woman’ and not from Mohawk.’” (George Ellison is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at info@georgeellison.com.)

Join the fun & watch the Ruby Drop right in the middle of Main Street at midnight!

- Champagne - Party Favors

On Stage in front of Motor Co. Grill Emporium 8pm

ENJOY PATRONIZING THESE BUSINESSES WHICH WILL REMAIN OPEN ON NEW YEAR’S EVE:

Motor CO. Grill, Crabtree General Store & Coffee Vault, Lazy Hiker Brewery, Main St. Coffee, Hazel P's, Divas's on Main, Rathskeller, Root & Barrel, Outdoor 76/Rockhouse Lodge, Crazy for Sweets, Martha’s Kitchen