Smoky Mountain News | November 4, 2020

ask school board to retire Rebel mascot Page 4

Haywood sheriff proposes $16 million jail expansion Page 15

CONTENTS

On the Cover:

A large percentage of people across Western North Carolina voted early in the 2020 Election, setting the region up for a record-breaking turnout. Here are the results for state and local races being reported before midnight on Nov. 3. (Page 6)

News

Parents ask Jackson school board to retire Rebel mascot ....................................4 Cherokee approves $25 million for TN development ..............................................5 Sylva considers, shelves mask mandate proposal ................................................11 Newspaper story fuels tumultuous Waynesville meeting ....................................12 Haywood sheriff proposes $16 million jail expansion ..........................................15 Council approves $80 million for casino expansion ..............................................16 Pandemic hit to per cap payments smaller than feared ......................................18 Swain approves funding for reading specialists ....................................................19 Health News ......................................................................................................................23

Opinion

Is it OK to just be satisfied, even happy? ................................................................24

A&E

A conversation with Keller Williams ............................................................................26 Sitting in the sweetgrass of freedom..........................................................................29

Outdoors

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Parents ask Jackson school board to retire Rebel mascot

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

Two women presented a petition to the Jackson County School Board during an Oct. 27 meeting asking the board to consider retiring the Rebel mascot at Cullowhee Valley School.

Cullowhee Valley School’s mascot is the Rebels, personified by the image of the colonel. The Rebel mascot was first used at Cullowhee High in 1958, four years after Brown v. The Board of Education ruled segregation in schools to be illegal. It wasn’t until 1965 that the “Colored Consolidated” school in Jackson County closed to comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. When the K-8 Camp Lab school closed and Cullowhee Valley School opened in 1994, there was some discussion of changing the mascot but, ultimately, CVS remained the Rebels.

When speaking to the school board, Annie McCord Wilson highlighted the divisiveness of the mascot as the primary problem it poses.

“There is much that could be said, but I wish to keep it simple. The Rebel mascot divides. An inclusive environment requires a non-controversial mascot that all CVS students can cheer for,” Annie McCord Wilson said to the school board.

Wilson is part of a group of Cullowhee Valley School alumni, parents, students, educators and community members whose goal is to retire the Rebel mascot at Cullowhee Valley School. They want the school to be able to choose a mascot that the entire CVS community can unite behind.

This isn’t the first time Wilson has addressed the issue of the Rebel mascot. As an eighth-grader at CVS, she wrote a letter to The Sylva Herald insisting that if the image was offensive to some, it shouldn’t be a school mascot that represents the entire student body. At the time, there was some discussion on the issue, with other community members writing letters of support and opposition to the newspaper. Ultimately though, Wilson dropped the responsibility of leading the charge after someone called her house and told her they had a shotgun and knew where she lived.

Back when Wilson wrote her letter to the editor, the image of the colonel was promi-

“The Rebel mascot divides. An inclusive environment requires a non-controversial mascot that all CVS students can cheer for.”

nent in the school. Painted on the walls in the gym, lunchroom and hallways. Now, Wilson has a child of her own at Cullowhee Valley and said the image is “toned down.”

“They are the Rebels. That’s the mascot, even though the depiction of the colonel, isn’t plastered all over the school like it was when I was there, it’s still the mascot,” said Wilson. “I think that the kids don’t really understand that. I’ve had lots of conversations with my daughter, a seventh-grader, and she’s a Rebel and she didn’t really understand what that meant. So, I think that the students don’t understand, because they are not really allowed to have pride in their mascot.”

Wilson’s husband also grew up in Jackson County, though he attended Fairview Elementary where the mascot is the Golden Eagle.

“He likes to say an Eagle never loses its wings,” Wilson said. “Really to this day, him and many of his friends who attended

Fairview, are Eagles until the day they die. And I want that for Cullowhee Valley and the kids there — to have a mascot that they can be proud of.”

WHY NOW?

Despite the Rebel image being toned down over the years, the mascot has been divisive for generations. So, why tackle the issue now?

Even though schools are already dealing with the stresses of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the group realized the importance of addressing the Rebel mascot as movements for racial justice erupted again this summer following the murder of George Floyd.

“I think that the cultural and political climate recently, gave us a good platform to encourage us to help the community make this change. There has been lots of awareness recently about racial injustice. People

are confronting those parts of ourselves that we don’t really like to confront, and people are educating themselves about implicit bias and ways that, even without thinking, we could be acting in a way that’s discriminatory or making other people feel uncomfortable,” Wilson said.

Emily Virtue, a parent at Cullowhee Valley and a professor of education leadership, spoke directly to the issue of race at the school board meeting.

“It is not an image of pride, it is an image of power and divisiveness. It reminds us that at one time, white power over Black people was valued and keeping this mascot we continue to send that same message, at least implicitly, that we value the concept of power over Black people, more than we value Black people themselves,” Virtue said.

SUPPORTING CHANGE

The group started a petition to field support for the retirement of the Rebel mascot, which now has over 500 signatures from community members and alumni.

There are broad implications of retiring a school mascot. It would mean not only creating a process to choose a new mascot, but also funding that change. New sports uniforms, school T-shirts and bags; hallway, gym, classroom and lunchroom art.

For this reason, Wilson said, the group has already started fundraising, and is committed to continued financial support for the mascot change.

If the school board comes to a decision, the group wants to empower the student body and the whole CVS community to select a new mascot that is welcoming, affirming and representative of all.

“Retiring the Rebel should be a learning experience, not just a decision that is made,” Virtue said at the school board meeting.

According to David Proffitt, chief communications officer for Jackson County Schools, the school board has taken the information presented by Wilson and Virtue under advisement and has not taken any action at this time.

To find out more about the petition to retire the rebel mascot at Cullowhee Valley School, visit www.retiringtherebel.com.

In 2019, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians purchased both the 198-acre Dumplin Creek property and a 122acre tract on the other side of Interstate 40. EBCI image

Cherokee approves $25 million for Sevier County development

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

After a 15-minute closed session discussion, Tribal Council voted unanimously Oct. 29 to allocate up to $25 million to develop the 197.5-acre property it purchased last year in Sevier County, Tennessee.

“What we can disclose is we have a letter of intent for a ground lease for a major retailer,” Kituwah LLC Director Mark Hubble said after the closed session discussion. “And the return on this is 36 percent, and that’s conservative, and it’s immediate. That’s about the safest return you can get.”

Tribal Council purchased the property, located along Interstate 40 at Exit 407, in July 2019 for $13.5 million. The tribe also owns 122 acres on the other side of the highway, which it bought in February 2019 for $7.5 million. It charged its business arm Kituwah LLC with developing the properties in order to further diversify the tribe’s income, and in September Kituwah announced that it would create a mixed-use development envisioned as an “experiential destination” on the 197.5acre tract.

Last December, Tribal Council shot down Kituwah’s first pitch for the property, which asked the tribe to allocate $30 million to bring in the story-themed resort Ancient Lore Villages and receive 40 percent ownership of the company. However, the current development effort has at least one link to the previous one. This time around, Kituwah hired Knoxville-based OE Experiences to help the tribe plan the development and seek out partners. That company was founded earlier this year by Matthew Cross, who at the time of the December vote was CEO of the company that would have developed Ancient Lore Villages. The funding request approved last week was submitted as a walk-in resolution during Annual Council. It stated that Kituwah LLC had already received more than $4.7 million in economic development commitments from the county and state and that the tribe’s

$25 million would help cover infrastructurerelated expenses such as engineering, roadwork, site work preparation, utilities, grading, electrical and professional fees. The Secretary of Treasury will decide the most appropriate fund from which to allocate the $25 million, the resolution said.

“Immediately upon the allocation of this round of funding, the value of the 407 project will increase to more than $52.5 million, representing a 36 percent increase in the value of

The tribe’s $25 million would help cover infrastructure-related expenses such as engineering, roadwork, site work preparation, utilities, grading, electrical and professional fees.

not only this investment but on the initial cost of the purchase, all in less than one year,” the resolution reads.

After the resolution was read into the record, Principal Chief Richard Sneed requested that the Council move into closed session.

“I think it’s important that that Council be aware of potential lease opportunities, and the revenue that would be generated by that,” Sneed said. “However, I don’t think that’s something that should be discussed on air.”

Council accommodated that request and voted unanimously to move into closed session, returning to open session 16 minutes later.

“I’m sure I’ll be back over here at some point for different projects,” Hubble said as the body prepared to vote, “but it really doesn’t get better than this.”

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

QUESTION: My doctor has told me I have "prediabetes" - what does this mean?

ANSWER: Prediabetes, also known as "impaired glucose tolerance" is a fasting blood glucose (sugar) of 100mg/dl -125mg/dl.

(99 mg/dl or less is considered a normal or desirable fasting blood glucose and a fasting blood glucose test of 126mg/dl or higher is considered diabetes)

Risk factors for prediabetes are:

• Age (45 and older)

• Weight gain - being overweight or obese

• Not being physically active/not getting regular exercise

• Having a history of gestational diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance when pregnant)

• Giving birth to a baby that weighs more than 9 lbs.

• Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

• Certain races have increased risk of diabetes.

• A family history of diabetes

TIP: If you have never had a fasting blood glucose test make sure you ask your physician about this. Also, when you do have a fasting blood glucose test done as part of a physical exam or health screening be sure and ask 'What are my blood glucose numbers?'

Source/Resource: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/prediabetes.html

Corbin coasts to Senate victory

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT

The Macon County Republican political machine just keeps on cranking out winners.

“I appreciate folks’ confidence in me, in all seven counties in the district. I’ve always served in a non-partisan way and I’ll represent Democrats, Republicans, and everyone else the best I can,” said Rep. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin.

Corbin will now move on from the House seat he’s occupied for four years into a Senate seat held for a decade by fellow Franklin Republican Jim Davis. Davis announced his retirement last fall, while simultaneously endorsing Corbin.

Back in March, Corbin easily survived a primary challenge from promising Republican newcomer Sarah Conway, earning more than 78 percent of the vote in the seven-county (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain) Senate District 50.

That level of support is not an aberration for Corbin, who won his two previous House elections in a deep-red four-county district (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon) with 73 and 72 percent of the vote totals, respectively.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting on the night of Nov. 3, State Board of Elections results showed Corbin with a 67 to 33 percent lead over his Democratic opponent, first-time candidate and Canton homemaker Victoria Fox.

Fox faced an uphill battle the whole way. Corbin’s name recognition — after spending years as a county commissioner and school board chairman — in both his home county of Macon and in his fourcounty House district made him a heavy favorite in the race. His work across the aisle in Raleigh also earned him no small measure of respect from moderate Democrats in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

Corbin said when he announced his bid that Senate leadership assured him his seniority in the House, where he served as deputy majority whip, would transfer over to the Senate should he prevail in his race against Fox.

If that’s the case, that’ll go a long way in helping to fill the shoes of Sen. Davis, long considered Western North Carolina’s most prominent voice in the General Assembly.

Gillespie keeps far-west House seat in GOP hands

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

Franklin Republican Karl Gillespie will now become the third Macon County commissioner in the last decade to make the jump to Raleigh to represent the citizens of North Carolina’s westernmost counties with his convincing win over Murphy Democrat Susan Landis.

“We’re very happy with the results. We spent the day traveling through the district, visiting the polls and visiting folks, and I look forward to serving the citizens of the 120th District,” said Gillespie. Gillespie defeated Landis in N.C. House District 120 by a margin of 74 to 26 percent, with 98 percent of precincts reporting on the evening of Nov. 3.

He entered the race last fall, the result of a domino-effect among Macon County legislators.

Longtime senator and former Macon County Commissioner Jim Davis, R-Franklin, announced he wouldn’t seek reelection to his Senate seat and endorsed current District 120 Rep (and former Macon County commissioner) Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, in the race to replace him.

Gillespie stepped into the void created by Corbin’s departure, and also stepped into a heavily Republican district where Corbin won his two terms in the House with more than 72 percent of the vote, each time.

In light of Corbin’s victory, the Western North Carolina counties of Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain will now see the tag-team legislative duo of Sen. Corbin and Rep. Gillespie, as opposed to the previous lineup of Sen. Davis and Rep. Corbin.

All three have prioritized issues that seem to affect the far west disproportionately, like the opioid crisis and access to rural broadband.

Clampitt dethrones Queen

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

Western North Carolina’s longest-running political feud, between two men whose families have plodded about these here hills and hollers since before the United States was even established, has once again come to a conclusion.

“I’m very appreciative to God above for the second opportunity to go back to Raleigh and represent the people of this district. I want to thank everyone who volunteered and voted again,” said Swain County Republican

NC House 119

Mike Clampitt (R)54%

Joe Sam Queen (D)46%

Haywood County have only been able to choose between Queen, a Haywood County Democrat, and Clampitt, a Swain County Republican.

Clampitt’s victory was his second in five tries against Queen. The race has historically been one of the closest in the state, and the fortunes of Clampitt and Queen have largely been tied to how voters feel about other candidates on the ballot — especially presidential candidates.

Mike Clampitt, who prevailed with 54 percent of the vote over incumbent Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, who received 46 percent of the vote.

Since 2012, voters in Jackson, Swain and parts of

In their first matchup in 2012, Queen bested Clampitt by 3.4 percent. In 2014, Queen’s margin grew to 5.2 percent.

But in 2016, with Donald Trump on Republican presidential ballots, Clampitt squeaked out a win on the coattails of a huge western surge for Trump; Clampitt prevailed by less than 300 votes out of more than 35,000 cast, good for a margin of 0.78 percent.

In 2018, as backlash against the Trump presidency ensued — resulting in huge gains for Democrats on the federal level, including reclaiming the U.S. House of Representatives — Queen reclaimed the seat by 4.6 percent. In doing so, Queen helped Dems break a Republican veto-proof majority in the Republican-dominated North Carolina General Assembly.

Because flipping the House or the Senate doesn’t appear likely for North Carolina Democrats, Clampitt’s victory will again aid in the Republican effort to advance their agenda in a North Carolina General Assembly where both chambers are tightly controlled by Republicans.

Pless prevails in quiet District 118 race

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

he abrupt departure of Western North Carolina’s congressman, Asheville Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, wasn’t the only surprise of the 2019 candidate filing season — four-term Burnsville Republican Rep. Michele Presnell unexpectedly called it quits as well, throwing open Democrats’ best opportunity to claim the seat in nearly a decade.

They’d tried in the previous two elections, running Canton Democrat Rhonda Cole Schandevel and dumping tons of money into the race only to see Presnell prevail by double-digits both times.

This year’s race wasn’t nearly as high-profile as in past years, but Dems still couldn’t pull off a win in the 118th District, which includes Madison, Yancey, and parts of Haywood County.

“I’m amazed. I had not anticipated this great of a margin. This many people putting their confidence in me is shocking and amazing. Again, I’m just humbled,” said Haywood County Republican Mark Pless, who is only halfway through his first four-year term on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners.

Pless defeated Dem candidate, Canton labor union official Alan Jones, with 64 percent of the vote and all precincts reporting late on the night of Nov. 3. Jones received 36 percent of the vote.

Retaining the seat was important for Republicans,

NC House 118

Mark Pless (R)64%

Alan Jones (D)36%

who saw their 2018 veto-proof majority in the North Carolina General Assembly evaporate, thanks to wins in the House by candidates like Waynesville Democrat Joe Sam Queen in District 119.

With the incumbent Queen again in a competitive race against five-time foe Mike Clampitt, a Republican from Swain County, state GOP leaders couldn’t afford to lose the popular Presnell’s seat. Over her four campaigns, Presnell expanded her approval by voters from 51 percent in her first two bids to 55 and 57 percent in her third and fourth campaigns, respectively.

Now that Pless must resign from the board of commissioners before his term in the legislature begins, the issue of succession arises.

Per Haywood County Attorney Frank Queen, the provision for the replacement of a vacancy in the Board of Commissioners is governed by NCGS 153A-27.

“In essence, the other commissioners appoint for the vacancy,’ Queen said. “The replacement person must be of the same political party as the ‘leaving’ person. The board must ‘consult’ with the county political party for its recommendations, but the board is not bound by the recommendation.”

Cawthorn scores convincing victory

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

It was one of those fairy tales that actually came true.

Madison Cawthorn, a 25-year-old political unknown, pounced upon an unexpected congressional vacancy last December, survived a Primary Election field of 12 candidates to claim a spot in the runoff where he defeated a runoff opponent that was handpicked by incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Meadows and endorsed by President Donald Trump. Cawthorn then ultimately prevailed over a well-qualified former judge and retired U.S. Air Force colonel in the General Election.

“We have come together and we have said that this is enough with the divisive politics, this is enough with career politicians ruining our lives, wasting our tax dollars, telling us what we can do with our faith, what we can do with our children and what we can do with our money,” he told a large crowd from an outdoor stage in Hendersonville shortly after 10 p.m.

Cawthorn came up big on early votes right at the outset, logging 87,000 to Moe Davis’ 46,583, good for a 63 to 34 percent lead. As precinct results trickled in, Cawthorn maintained a 5 or 6 point lead until, with 254 out of 304 precincts reporting, he expanded that lead to 10 points.

“The people of Western North Carolina said that we are sending a weapon to Washington, D.C., to end this divisiveness, to bring America back to what it once was,” Cawthorn said.

Cawthorn’s margin of victory was larger than most expected; a recent redistricting

Statewide Results

As of press time on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 3, the North Carolina State Board of Elections had reported the following statewide race results, with 98 percent of precincts reporting in the state and federal races.

11th

made the district slightly more Democratleaning than it had been during Rep. Meadows’ time, but it was still thought to be 6 to 8 points in the red. Cawthorn exceeded expectations. With 301 of 304 precincts reporting, he held a lead of more than 12 points on the strength of more than 242,000 votes.

By comparison, Meadows won his 2016 race with 230,000 votes, and his 2018 race with 178,000.

The race had drawn national attention, as well as national money. More than $11 million was spent on retaining the seat in a district that hasn’t seen much campaign spending in the past.

Cawthorn will join the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of the minority party, as Democrats aren’t expected to lose control of the House, despite what may happen with the presidential race or the situation in the U.S. Senate.

Two other candidates, Libertarian Tracey DeBruhl and Green Party candidate Tamara Zwinak, both came in with less than two percent of the vote and were not a factor in the final result.

Jackson voters approve pool referendum

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

With 51.41 percent of voters in favor of the measure, Jackson County residents approved a referendum question that will allow the county to borrow $20 million for a new aquatic center.

While the measure gained overall approval, only four of the 13 voting precincts returned majority yes votes. Caney Fork, Cullowhee, Sylva-South and Webster — all areas clustered around the planned location for the poll — said yes while the remaining precincts returned majority no votes.

The referendum vote was the culmination of years of planning and discussion. During a survey conducted as part of a 2013 recreation master plan update, 86.4 percent of respondents said that a centrally located swimming pool is “important” or “very important,” and a follow-up survey in 2019 showed 68 percent of respondents saying that they’d support construction of a pool even if it meant raising taxes. An effort to get a referendum question on the 2018 ballot failed, but this time around voters had the chance to weigh in.

Now that voters have approved the $20 million general obligation bond, commissioners must take a final vote to actually borrow the money. When asked last month whether that vote would come before or after newly elected commissioners are seated, Chairman Brian McMahan said that was yet to be determined. However, both sitting commissioners and all the candidates running for a seat on the board have been favorable toward the project. Construction on the pool is expected to begin in June 2022 and wrap up in January 2024, with designs calling for a 30,800-square-foot addition to the existing Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. It will include a six-lane competition pool as well as a leisure pool complete with a splash pad, adjustable volleyball hoops, a vortex therapy pool and a competition pool. The facility will also feature locker rooms, a party room and renovated classroom areas.

The total project is estimated at $19.95 million with $380,000 in annual operating costs. Based on current tax values, an additional 2.26 cents per $100 on the county’s existing property tax rate of $38 cents per $100 would be required to foot the bill. Of that amount, 2.22 cents per $100 would go toward the debt payment, so that portion of the tax would disappear once the 15-year loan term is complete. Jackson County just completed a property revaluation, and appraised values are expected to rise significantly next year, which could decrease the rate increase required to pay for the pool.

Democrats gain seat on Jackson commission

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The Democratic majority on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners will strengthen to a 4-1 hold following Election Day results. In District 3, Republican Ron Mau will pass the torch to fellow Republican Tom Stribling, but in District 4 Democrat Mark Jones will take the seat currently held by Republican Mickey Luker.

Stribling logged an easy victory over Democrat Susan Bogardus, taking home 54.24 percent of the 20,652 votes cast in that race. Meanwhile, Jones’ victory over Republican Mark Letson came with a razorthin margin — he won by just nine votes, with 50.02 percent of the 20,739 votes cast. However, there are not any provisional ballots at play in that race.

Jones congratulated Letson as having run a great race to come so close to victory.

“He still has a potential career to help our county and citizens out,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting sworn in and hitting the ground running. There’s a lot of issues that need to be addressed in Cashiers and Jackson County, and I’ll jump in there in December and start moving them.”

Meanwhile, Stribling said he was not surprised by his comfortable margin.

“I’m not surprised at all,” he said. “I attribute it to me being out and about, talking to people and going to meetings

Wingate to take the bench in District Court

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR

After spending more than a year campaigning across Western North Carolina, 31-year-old Republican Kaleb Wingate will claim a District Court judge seat in the 30th Judicial District and will be

and going to see the fire departments and the VFW and talking to local folks and picking their brains.”

In 2016, District 3

Republican Ron Mau beat out incumbent Democrat Vicki Greene with 53.2 percent of the vote. Similarly, District 4

Republican Mickey Luker overcame Jones that year with 53.3 percent of the vote.

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

one of the youngest judges in the state. With 98 percent of precincts reporting after 11 p.m. Nov. 3, Wingate received 65 percent of the votes on election night, compared to his Democrat opponent Justin Greene, from Bryson City, who only received 35 percent across the district.

“I’m thankful to God for this blessing and I’m thankful to my family, friends and all my supporters for their hard work and giving me this opportunity,” Wingate said. “I start-

Jackson County Commission District 3

Tom Stribling (R) 54.24%

Susan Bogardus (D) 45.46%

Jackson County Commission District 4

Mark Jones (D) 50.02%

Mark Letson (R) 49.98%

in at 72.07 percent of 29,593 registered voters.

Stribling, 56, is a first-time contender for political office. Originally from Hawkinsville, Georgia, he has lived in Cullowhee for the past 16 years and owns Stribling Land Corporation, whose services include grading work and site development.

Jones, 61, is a well-known name in local politics, having previously served on the board from 2006 to 2016. He’s a fifth-generation Jackson County native who has spent his career in hospitality, currently working as front manager for Mica’s Restaurant & Pub in Sapphire.

In Jackson County, commissioners must reside in the district they represent but are elected by all county residents. District 3 includes the Cullowhee, Savannah and Webster precincts, while District 4 includes the Canada, Caney Fork, Cashiers, Glenville and River districts.

District Court Judge

Kaleb Wingate (R) 65%

Justin Greene (D) 35%

ed this campaign in May 2019 and there are no words to express my appreciation to the voters in the 30th Judicial District for the confidence they’ve placed in me. I will work hard, follow the law and will always strive to be fair in every decision I make.”

Even though Greene has many more years of practicing law under his belt, Wingate worked hard to get his name out there and was favored by Democrats and Republicans alike, especially in his home county of Haywood where he received 65 percent of the vote.

Wingate had to first get through the Primary Election back in March, facing three other Republican candidates — Haywood County lawyer Jim Moore, Macon County lawyer Rich Cassady and Clay County lawyer Mitch Brewer. Even with all the candidates on the ballot, Wingate was able to avoid a runoff, defeating his opponents with nearly 39.6 percent of the vote. He received a total of 9,700 votes. Moore was the runner up with 8,189 votes.

This was Greene’s second attempt at securing a District Court judgeship. He first ran back in 2010 when he was about Wingate’s age, but was defeated.

Wingate’s win means that five out of the six District Court judges in the seven-county district are residents of Haywood County.

Young Republican to join Macon commission

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR

Josh Young, a young Republican in his first attempt to run for public office, will join the Macon County Board of Commissioners after receiving large support in his hometown.

Young received 14,709 votes (73 percent) in Macon County Tuesday night for the District 2 Commissioner seat compared to his Democrat opponent Betty Cloer Wallace who received 5,339 votes (27 percent).

Republican Paul Higdon, who has served two terms as a commissioner, was unopposed this year and will take on a third term in the District 3 seat.

Young will be replacing Republican Karl Gillespie, who served one term as commissioner before deciding to run for Kevin Corbin’s seat in the sate House.

Gillespie also won his race tonight with 74 percent of the vote. Young’s win means the makeup of the Macon County Board of Commissioners will remain the same for now — one Democrat, four Republicans, and all male.

Wallace is a sixth generation Maconian with years of experience working in K-12 pub-

Swain incumbents retain commissioner seats

BY J ESSI STONE

N EWS E DITOR

Two incumbents will claim their second terms on the Swain County Board of Commissioners after being the top vote-getters out of four candidates.

Republican Kenneth Parton had the most support with 3,415 votes (28.5 percent), while Democrat Roger Parton was the second votergetter with 3,018 votes (25 percent).

“I hope the voters put their trust in me and know me to be someone who works for Swain County and for no other reason but to do my best for the people,” Parton said. “I’m looking forward to working on some issues we’ve

Haywood Republicans win another term on commission

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

A pair of Republican incumbents seeking to retain their seats will remain on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners after they topped two upstart Democrats.

“I think we’ve been doing a good job and the vote indicates that. We’ve got some big issues coming up and we’re going to have to tackle those in a conservative, cost efficient manner,” said Kevin Ensley, the current board chairman who will return for his fifth fouryear term after claiming about 32 percent of the vote.

“I’m humbled once again at all the support. People trusted me with their hard-earned money not only in my first term but now in my second,” said Brandon Rogers, the board’s vice chairman, who earned 35 percent of the vote.

As in past years, voters could select any two of four candidates running — two

already taken up — move on the animal ordinance and trying to figure out new library plans and working on trying to continue to move Swain County forward.”

Parsons first joined the board in 2017 when he was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the passing of Commissioner David Monteith. He then successfully ran to complete the remaining two years of Monteith’s term on the board in fall 2018. Parsons previously served on the Swain County School Board for 16 years.

Parton was the top vote-getter when he was elected to his first term in 2016 with over 28 percent of the vote. He ran on the promise of mak-

Democrats and two Republicans.

When they last ran in 2016, Rogers, a firsttime candidate, led the ticket with a surprising 31.97 percent of the vote. Ensley was just behind him with 29.95 percent. Two Democrats, Steve Brown and Robin Greene Black were both far behind them, each with less than 20 percent of the vote.

In 2018, Republicans Tommy Long and Mark Pless won seats on the commission, giving the commission a Republican majority for the very first time and leaving veteran Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick as the board’s lone Democrat.

This year’s contest had Ensley and Rogers facing Democrats Leah Hampton and David Young. Hampton, an author, came away with 17 percent and Young, owner of Mad Anthony’s owner, also finished with about 17 percent.

Had they won, Young and Hampton would have swung the commission to a 3-2 Democratic majority.

Republican Commissioner Mark Pless, only halfway through his first term, decided to run for the N.C. House seat vacated by Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville. Pless’ victory means he’ll be leaving his board seat before his legislative term begins, likely in December.

Macon County Commission District 2

Josh Young (R 73%

Betty Cloer Wallace (D) 27%

lic schools, university systems and the Department of Public Instruction. She ran for a commission seat in 2018, didn’t garner enough votes to beat the two incumbents running for re-election.

While Young is new to local politics, he ran on a “common sense” platform that entailed less regulations and more conservative spending practices. The fifth generation Maconian worked as a utility lineman for eight years before starting his own business in Macon — Young Tree Service.

The voter turnout numbers in this election were impressive and Macon was no exception. Nearly 62 percent of Macon County registered voters cast a ballot during early voting — that’s nearly as much as the total turnout during the 2016 election (69 percent). The overall voter turnout for 2020 was over 76 percent — (20,748 out of 27,162).

ing sure county money was spent wisely and distributed to all parts of the county. He was able to unseat Democrat incumbent Steve Moon.

Democrat candidate Phillip Carson was hoping to rejoin the board after losing his reelection to chairman in 2018 to follow Democrat Ben Bushyhead. However, Carson came in third with 2,782 votes (23 percent).

H. Robert Lowe, a 28-year-old Republican running for public office for the first time, came in fourth place with 2,654 votes (22.18 percent).

Turnout in Swain County was strong with 70 percent of registered voters — 7,080 out of 10,088 — casting a ballot. During the 2016 election, Swain’s voter turnout was at about 59 percent.

Haywood County Commission

Brandon Rogers (R) 34.51%

Kevin Ensley (R) 31.92%

David Young (D) 16.92%

Leah Hampton (D) 16.64%

County Attorney Frank Queen said Nov. 2 that the board must “consult” with Pless’ party, the Haywood County Republican Party, on his replacement and will end up appointing a Republican.

The race itself was viewed as a referendum on Republican leadership; a controversial “Second Amendment resolution” had been demanded by some Haywood residents back in February, but many Republicans weren’t happy that the board instead passed a softer “Constitution-protecting” resolution with no teeth.

Then, just as the Coronavirus Pandemic set in, Haywood commissioners enacted several restrictions on movement that pleased some and angered others.

Now, the challenge for the board moving forward will be to deal with the lingering fiscal impact of the pandemic, which has accelerated in recent weeks.

Incumbents keep control of Haywood School Board

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

Five seats were up for grabs on the Haywood County Board of Education this election — two in the Waynesville district, two in the Beaverdam district and one for school board chairman. Of the five available seats, incumbents won four.

Chuck Francis took the chairmanship again, with 72.92 percent of the vote. Francis has served on the school board for 20 years and as chairman for 16. He has now been elected to another four-year term as chairman. Daran McAdams initially mounted a challenge against Francis for the seat, but dropped out earlier in the election. He dropped out too late to have his name removed from the ballot, but still received 25.77 percent of the vote.

Despite challenges from four new candidates, school board incumbents won both open seats in the Beaverdam district. David Burnette had the most votes with 26.16 percent, with Ronnie Clark receiving the second-highest at 22.03 percent. Both Burnette and Clark were elected to the school board in 2016 and have now been elected to serve four more years.

Three of the four candidates challenging the incumbents in the Beaverdam district were Black, any of whom would have become the only Black member on an all-white board.

In the Waynesville district, newcomer Logan Nesbitt won the most votes with 31.46 percent. Incumbent Jim Francis came in second, winning his seat again with 26.46 percent. Challenger Danya Vanhook finished close behind with 25.63 percent. Nesbitt will be the only new member to begin serving on the Haywood County school board.

“I’m shocked. I figured that we had a lot of support, but I’m overwhelmed. I’m blown away by the support in Haywood County,” Nesbitt said. “I just want to thank everybody for voting, period. Regardless of who you voted for, it’s our constitutional right. Obviously to my voters, I’m extremely grateful. You saw something in me that I promised to you — it’s time to get to work now.”

Nesbitt said he looks forward to getting involved in the school board meetings, and getting the job done for students, faculty and parents.

Sylva considers, shelves mask mandate proposal

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Amid a spike of coronavirus cases in October, some members of the Sylva town board advocated for passing a mask mandate for the downtown area during the Oct. 22 meeting. However, it now appears that such a mandate is unlikely to come to a vote — for the moment, anyway.

“Being a denizen of downtown and the B1 District, I’m noticing a lot of people walking around in our tight little confined area, especially on the north side of Main Street, without their masks on,” Commissioner Greg McPherson told his fellow board members. “I think it’s time for us to be a little more proactive about what’s happening downtown.”

Commissioner Barbara Hamilton, a retired nurse, and Commissioner Ben Guiney, an emergency room doctor, supported McPherson’s position.

“I agree because B1 is pretty tight going up and down the sidewalk, and there’s more evidence even though it’s outside that the virus can kind of hang around, a little bit of aerosolization can hang around a little bit longer in the air.” said Guiney. “I don’t think that’s a bad idea at all.”

A statewide mask mandate is already in place, but that mandate applies only when it is not possible to maintain a social distance of 6 feet or more. Town board members

were discussing a mandate that would apply throughout the downtown district, including when a person is outdoors and more than 6 feet away from others.

Town Attorney Eric Ridenour said that he hadn’t had enough time to review the legal ins and outs of such a mandate and cautioned that police power to enforce it would be “pretty much an impossibility” due to an exception for people with health conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask and laws protecting people from being required

to disclose their medical conditions.

“I see the line of thought with the B1 District, but to have that as an ordinance for only a zoning district, I don’t know that that makes sense,” added Town Manager Paige Dowling.

“Well, I’m happy to say the whole town — B1, B2, B3, citywide,” said McPherson.

Commissioner David Nestler said that he’d need more time to consider the specific language in any proposed mandate and that he was “skeptical” of local municipal boards

taking it upon themselves to dictate public health policy.

“We’re fortunate we have a public health official on our board here, but I like public health policy to be made by experts, and I like them to be made on a larger scale for cohesion’s stake,” he said.

Ultimately, board members voted unanimously to shelve the mandate idea for now and instead direct town staff to focus on increasing signage downtown that reminds people to wear their masks. McPherson also asked staff to review what it would take to implement a mandate so that the board could consider such a measure if “irresponsible behavior” persists.

In a follow-up interview Nov. 3, Dowling said that town staff were still finalizing designs for the signs, and for decals that will be affixed to the sidewalk. She expects to have them installed within the next two weeks.

Also speaking in a Nov. 3 follow-up interview, McPherson said that as of now he has no immediate plans to request a vote on the mask mandate. Case counts seem to be leveling out somewhat, and with the tourist season and Western Carolina University’s fall semester both drawing to a close this month, he said he’s satisfied with plans to post signage while continuing to follow Gov. Roy Cooper’s statewide mask mandate. However, he said, if case counts spike again he’d be more than willing to revisit the issue.

Newspaper story fuels tumultuous

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

Aroutine housekeeping measure intended to clarify who, exactly, can declare a State of Emergency on behalf of the Town of Waynesville — and, for what reasons — devolved into a disruptive shouting match over a non-existent “mask mandate.” Town officials, including Mayor Gary Caldwell, attribute all the fuss to a sensationalized story containing multiple inaccuracies.

The agenda published in advance of the Oct. 27 Town of Waynesville Board of Aldermen meeting contained, among other things, a mundane procedural item regarding emergency powers.

Ordinances regarding States of

Emergency typically delineate who is authorized to declare such an emergency and reasons warranting such a declaration. Usually, they are natural or human-caused emergencies like ice storms, industrial accidents or civil unrest.

A State of Emergency grants local governments additional powers, including the ability to declare curfews, close alcohol and gun shops, and ban the sale of gasoline. They’re designed to keep people off the streets and out of harm’s way so first responders can tend to the emergency without distraction.

As it turns out, the town’s existing ordinance was based on a state law that had been repealed and replaced. Town Attorney Bill Cannon was put to work updating it.

“He had to rewrite our basic State of

That item was referred to as a sample throughout the agenda packet. No action was associated with it, no public hearing was called for it and there was absolutely no indication on the agenda that any vote would be taken on it.

That’s why several of Waynesville’s elected officials took issue with a story published by The Mountaineer the day before the meeting, that stated, “Waynesville is expected to issue a state of emergency proclamation Tuesday evening mandating face coverings within the town limits, barring certain legally allowed exemptions.”

Mayor Gary Caldwell blasted the story as inaccurate.

“That statement would not be accurate,” said Caldwell. “Definitely not.”

Caldwell explained that the since the sample proclamation wasn’t listed as an action item on the agenda, and no public hearing was associated with the item, saying a mask mandate was “expected” was way off base. He also said that even if they’d decided to consider Cannon’s “sample proclamation,” there were too many defects — for example, how does it apply to schools, to churches and to private businesses?

“Before you can even pass a proclamation like that, you would have to have those answers to go with it,” Caldwell said.

Alderman Anthony Sutton echoed Caldwell in saying he did not find the statement in The Mountaineer to be accurate. Alderman Jon Feichter said he wouldn’t make any decision before a public hearing.

Emergency ordinance in conformance with a new law that the legislature passed after they repealed the old one,” said Waynesville Town Manager Rob Hites. “The new law states that the board of aldermen can delegate the power to declare an emergency to the mayor and in his absence, the mayor pro tem.”

The updated version also added “public health” to the list of emergencies that could warrant such a declaration.

On the agenda, the action associated with the revamped emergency ordinance was to authorize the mayor pro tem to declare such an emergency if the mayor is incapacitated or unreachable.

Attached to the ordinance, however, was a “sample” proclamation — Cannon’s vision of what a mask mandate might look like.

“I don’t know that there would have been an expectation that we would have passed that exact proclamation,” said Alderman Chuck Dickson. “I can say that I expected that we would talk about it. As far as the particular agenda item, it was actually not on the agenda. The only thing that was on the agenda was the emergency ordinance.”

Mayor Pro Tem Julia Freeman agreed that the sample proclamation was not actually on the agenda, although she understood why it could be perceived that way.

Another inaccuracy in The Mountaineer story, according to Sutton, was a statement saying: “Town board members are unanimously backing the local mask mandate although the order would technically be

S EE M EETING, PAGE 14

· BY KRISTINA SMITH ·

Jan. 30, 2020 — My genetic test came back positive for BRCA2. A genetic mutation. The doctor explained how BRCA was the breast cancer gene and that they were tumorsuppressing proteins. Mine, however, were mutated, and may not do their job. He continued, calmly and slowly, with the next steps, the referrals he was making to oncology, geneticist, surgeons, and the list continued.

I could feel the leather of my black flats melting in with my feet as they became one with my body. I suddenly felt nude and vulnerable sitting in my doctor’s office. Suddenly, my millennial invincibility came crashing down as I sat with the doctor, alone in an exam room. My feet were cold and clammy. My heart was beating, but my breath stopped. The black hole that I had heard other people experience swallowed me like Jonah and the whale. The ocean of emotion was black and unforgiving.

This positive test meant I wasn’t just more susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, but a slew of other cancers. I was a hostage in a situation where I was the captor and the victim. I had at least a 69 percent chance of breast cancer in my lifetime.

The doctor explained that I was a candidate for an oophorectomy, and once that was done, I would have some time before getting a prophylactic mastectomy. My family flashed into my fogged mind. My grandmother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 40 and died just about a year later from cruel cancer. Her grandmother (my great-great-grandmother) died of cancer. This was part of my family’s story. Now, was it my turn? However, I have choices that they didn’t have.

VISITING AN ONCOLOGIST DURING THE PRE-PANDEMIC

March 17, 2020 — As the world, specifically the U.S., was acknowledging that we were about to see a pandemic en-

velop our lives and strip away any sense of normalcy, I was sitting in an oncologist’s office getting my blood drawn.

The doctor’s discussion was a haze filled with recommendations, referrals, second opinion recommendations, and pandemic themes.

The biggest takeaway — get an oophorectomy now. Remove my ovaries and fallopian tubes, which would ultimately fling me, at 36, during a pandemic, into menopause. Unlike my grandmother and great grandmother, I was in a position to be proactive, to take this course of action of preventative care.

SURGERY

I was wheeled out of surgery on the morning of June 29. It took about a month for hot flashes, insomnia, and fatigue to arrive post-op. While I’m opting out of hormones for now in favor of a lifestyle

I spent time in and out of radiology for a mammogram, follow-up ultrasounds, an MRI, surgical consults, and many blood tests. Once I was ready to schedule the surgery, we were in a pandemic phase where elective surgeries were restricted. This meant that I and countless other people who were needing life-saving preventative surgeries were delayed. The darkness of the delay mixed with remote work, distance learning for my kid, and the uncertainty of the world had me appreciating the small things around me. Being able to stay home. Having food in the pantry. Having a job. Having a job that has benefits. This was a humbling time; my humanity was loose on my sleeve. A lesson filled with moments of mourning for my body and future, while also filled with the hope that preventative medicine can bring. People around the world were dying, and I was in a position to help myself, and it felt simultaneously empowering although filled with privilege.

change, I know there will come a time when that will be the course of action. My prophylactic mastectomy is scheduled for early 2021. That decision was also mine. It’s preventative, while also, again, empowering and filled with privilege. I hope one day I have the honor of sharing my mastectomy story with someone that needs to hear they aren’t alone, and that they are, more importantly, enough.

These surgeries don’t define my femininity or the love I have for myself. Rather they are the truest example of the love I have for myself and the hope I have for the future.

Kristina Smith lives in Canton with her husband and son. She is a Canton Alderwoman and works at Biltmore Estates.

Editor’s note: For the complete version of this article, visit www.smokymountainnews.com/rumble/item/30110-mystory-as-a-previvor-a-brca2-diagnosis

Rumble is a weekly e-newsletter created by women, for women and about women. It is published by The Smoky Mountain News and delivered to your inbox each Thursday. The goal is to offer readers a beautifully curated email that will inspire and motivate women to live their best lives. By hearing the challenges and successes of other women, we hope you will find an opportunity to live, love, learn and grow in your own unique way.

put some fun in your kitchen

signed into law by Mayor Gary Caldwell as a state of emergency proclamation.”

Sutton said he never told The Mountaineer reporter he would support any such proclamation.

“I don’t comment on how I will vote before anything comes before the board, because you generally don’t know how the other board members are going to react, or after listening to public comment how you would react,” he said. “So, I try to go into things without prejudging the outcome.”

Yet another problem noted by Sutton and Caldwell was that throughout the news story the “sample” proclamation is repeatedly referred to as a “proposed” proclamation. The agenda for the meeting does not show any “proposed” action for the sample proclamation, other than review. No proposed vote. No proposed public hearing.

“I try not to judge people’s intentions, so I’m trying to give people the benefit of the doubt, but as far as I can say, that was an inaccurate statement,” Sutton said. “It was my assumption that it was a sample [proclamation].”

Moreover, another inaccurate statement in The Mountaineer story says the sample proclamation that wasn’t even up for a vote or a public hearing would “presumably include backyard cookouts with extended family members or even a conversation among neighbors at the mailbox if social distancing isn’t being adhered to.”

“That was definitely ridiculous, yeah,” Caldwell said. “That’s more proof that there’s just no way that you could have passed a proclamation with that language in it.”

Sutton said The Mountaineer’s presumption was “inaccurate as to what the sample proclamation stated.”

Dickson also took issue with the presumption.

“I don’t think we would ever consider trying to ban what somebody does in their own home, or in their backyard. One of the reasons we wouldn’t ban something like that is because that’s completely unenforceable and that’s not the intent of this ordinance,” he said. “I mean that the intent is not to be arresting people or making everything illegal. The purpose is to get people to be safe.”

Feichter agreed that the claim was sensational.

“I do. In considering whether or not the town of Waynesville should require mask usage in town, my thoughts never, ever extended to the possibility of people being required to wear masks on their private property or, when they went to their mailbox,” he said. “My only concern was in publicly accessible spaces like the grocery store or the Walmart or whatever. I never have or will have any interest in telling a somebody what they can or cannot do on their private property.”

Dozens of people showed up for the meeting and ignored requests by town officials and police officers to wear masks. They also refused to leave once they exceeded Gov. Roy Cooper’s mass gathering limit of 25 people, as well as the fire code capacity of the building.

Shouting and chanting — including calling town officials “Nazis” — ensued. One woman even attempted to assault Assistant Town Manager Jesse Fowler.

“The best I can remember, what she said was, ‘The virus isn’t real, see, look, I’m gonna hug you,’ and she hugged me,” Fowler said. “Then she said, ‘I’m gonna kiss you,’ and grabbed my shoulders and started shaking my shoulders.”

The crowd at the meeting became so disruptive that Feichter made a motion to table the emergency ordinance revamp altogether.

Caldwell lays the blame for the fiasco on the story.

“In considering whether or not the town of Waynesville should require mask usage in town, my thoughts never, ever extended to the possibility of people being required to wear masks on their private property or, when they went to their mailbox.”

—

Waynesville Alderman

Jon Feichter

“The Mountaineer blew this out of proportion from what it was going to be,” he said. “There was no action that would be taken that night.”

He even called out the reporter at the meeting.

“I can’t remember the way I put it. I didn’t come out with the words ‘fake news,’ but I did put it out that ‘You do know the reason why they lie to promote what is going on here tonight, because this is what helps sell newspapers,’” Caldwell said. “Bad news is what they want. They do not want any kind of good news. They only want bad news, and I said, ‘This is what they’re trying to promote to sell the newspaper.”

As of press time, the agenda for the town’s next meeting, scheduled for Nov. 10, has not yet been published.

The statements in The Mountaineer’s story turned what should have been a dull meeting with a number of non-controversial items on the agenda — like the revamped emergency ordinance — into a virtual free-for-all and a rallying point for antimaskers.

Although North Carolina is the nation’s ninth most populous state, it ranks seventh in terms of coronavirus cases. On Oct. 29, the state logged its highest-ever number of reported cases, with 2,855. The state’s second-biggest total occurred the next day, and the state’s third-biggest total occurred the day after that.

State and local guidance continues to hold that wearing a mask is the most effective and practical way to avoid passing the coronavirus from person to person.

Haywood County sheriff proposes $16 million jail expansion

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF W RITER

Areport presented to Haywood County commissioners says the county’s detention center is approaching operational capacity and because the minimum security annex needs costly repairs and upgrades, a $16.4 million jail expansion that would allow for growth through 2045 is in order.

“A number of months ago we were asked to look at our jail needs,” said Chief Deputy Jeff Haynes. “Obviously, our population has grown.”

The average daily population of the jail has increased since 2015, when it was 116.7 inmates per day. The average length of stay is about 11 or 12 days. Although there was a decline to 107.2 inmates in 2016, the population rebounded to 117.6 in 2017.

That same year, there were 3,352 admissions to the jail but the year after that, 2018, saw a huge spike, up to 3,954 admissions and an average daily population of 120.0 inmates. In 2019, that grew to 124.3 inmates arising from 3,998 admissions.

Future projections suggest that number could grow to 4,182 admissions by 2025 and 4,798 by 2045.

Vice presidents from Moseley Architects appeared before commissioners in the Nov. 2 meeting, proposing a substantial addition that would include demolishing the current annex.

The 30,000-square-foot addition would have a finished cost of $375 per square foot, for a total of $11.25 million. Adding a 3,500square-foot recreation yard adds $875,000 to that. Additional costs for renovation, site development and annex demolition, plus contingencies, bring the price tag to $14.5 million. Once furnishings and other ancillary costs are added in, the final cost should be around $16.4 million.

“We have worked very, very hard to try to keep these numbers down inside that jail,”

A proposed jail addition would result in the demolition of the current jail annex. Haywood County photo

Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher told commissioners. “We’re just at the point we’re going to need to do something, now. Hopefully, with a project like this, many years down the road we won’t have to spend more money on this. If it’s $17 million now you can imagine what it will be down the road.”

Currently, the jail is rated for a capacity of 149 inmates. But there’s another metric that paints a different picture — operational capacity, which is about 75 percent of rated capacity.

The example given by Moseley Architects’ Todd Davis, Sr., involved female inmates. If there are 24 beds reserved for them but only 10 are being used, those other 14 empty beds are all but worthless if male inmate capacity is exceeded.

From 2015 through 2019, the jail’s average daily population was at or above operational capacity and in four out of five of those years,

peak populations have exceeded not only operational but also rated capacities. Overflow means inmates have to be shipped out to other facilities with extra space, a process that incurs extra expenses for the county.

“The existing facility was planned for expansion. It makes it very easy to add this building on and minimize disruption,” said Dan Mace, a Moseley vice president.

The projected timeline is a quick one — an RFQ for architects was expected to be released this week, and commissioners would interview qualified candidates in early December. Architect bids would be accepted on Jan. 4, 2021, construction would begin in January 2022, and then what’s probably an 18-month build phase would have the new facility up and running in late 2023.

Commissioner Mark Pless asked about the long-term staffing needs of the expanded facility, which would have a rated capacity of

more than 240 inmates.

Another 20 detention officers would be needed according to Christopher, and Pless asked how the county planned to lure them to the jobs, given Christopher’s current deficit of six employees.

Christopher said that attracting suitable candidates would require the county to treat detention officers like deputy sheriffs, in terms of pay. A July story in The Smoky Mountain News shows that sheriff’s deputies average about $38,000 a year in salary, with detention officers more than $5,000 below that.

Haywood County Manager Bryant Morehead said that the county was shedding debt on some major projects already and was in an “incredibly strong” position debt-wise, but that the expansion would cost 2.5 to 3 cents on the current tax rate just for the debt side, not including staffing, which would add another cent or two to the rate.

Council approves $80 million cost increase on casino expansion

Friday, Nov. 6, 2020 Starting at 12:00 noon

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Tribal Council voted 11-1 during Annual Council Oct. 29 to approve the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise’s request to borrow up to $80 million more than the $250 million initially budgeted to finish an expansion project at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee. The decision came following an hour of closed session discussion and just four days after initially voting to table the request.

“I just want to explain that the reason I voted to do this is because the project has to be finished. It has to be completed,” said Birdtown Representative Albert Rose, who had expressed strong displeasure with the request when it was first discussed publicly Oct. 26. “We’ve got down to why it’s running over, and they answered my questions, so that’s all I got right now.”

While council ultimately approved the funding, multiple members said that they were upset by the way the project had been handled.

“I understand that this has to happen in order for the project to be completed,” said Wolfetown Representative Chelsea Saunooke. “It’s not the way I want business to be done in the future.”

Saunooke said that she plans to bring forward legislation that will address capital contract guidelines as well as provide for a project manager that will act as Tribal Council’s consultant.

resolution. He has a right to respond to those allegations, which is not going to happen at 6:30 in the evening today.”

Legislative Counsel Carolyn Ward told Council that Cherokee Supreme Court precedent holds that Tribal Council has the right to remove board members for cause by majority vote without a hearing, because the seat is not a property right. However, several council members spoke up to say that giving a person a chance to respond to accusations of lawbreaking seemed like the right thing to do, and Chairman Adam Wachacha pointed out that there is currently no written procedure in place regarding board member removals and that in the past the process has been handled differently at different times.

“I think that’s the right thing to do, to give everybody the right and ability to defend themselves,” he said.

Council voted 10-2 to table the resolution, with Crowe and Rose opposing the majority. Wachacha said that he would set a hearing date for late November.

DECISION TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION

Council’s vote to approve expanded funding for the casino project came after 90 minutes of discussion, more than 60 of which took place behind closed doors.

RESOLUTION SEEKS TCGE CHAIRMAN’S REMOVAL

Wolfetown Representative Bo Crowe, the only member to vote against the resolution Oct. 29, responded to the vote with a walk-in resolution at the end of the day seeking to remove TCGE Chairman Jim Owle from his position.

The resolution claims that, under Owle, the TCGE has not been complying with tribal hiring preference laws and outlines the protracted exchange between Tribal Council members and the TCGE Board that followed when in December 2019 Crowe requested minutes from TCGE meetings. The request was eventually fulfilled April 21, but key information regarding specific budget items was redacted, making it impossible for Tribal Council to do its due diligence in reviewing the gaming operation’s annual revenue and expenses, the resolution said. Finally, the resolution took issue with the ballooning cost of the casino expansion and particularly with the fact that the TCGE submitted the resolution requesting additional funds “without any explanation or backup.”

Oct. 29’s Council session was a long one, and it was 6:30 p.m. before Crowe’s resolution to remove Owle came to the floor.

“Mr. Owle has a right to defend himself,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed said after the resolution had been read. “These are allegations that are being brought forward in this

When the body tabled the request Oct. 26, members complained that the resolution had been submitted without any backup documents justifying the heightened expense and that the TCGE should have paused the project once it realized that the true cost would be well over $250 million, waiting for Council approval before moving forward. During that session too, the body participated in a lengthy closed session discussion following the open session conversation but did not come to an agreement that day.

On Oct. 29, TCGE board members were accompanied by Zeke Cooper of Dreamcatcher, the developer on the project, who brought along stacks of documents for Council to view.

However, Council members were not happy about receiving large packets of information minutes before being expected to vote on the request, or about the fact that it was a Dreamcatcher representative, not the TCGE board members, who was explaining the issue.

“Why don’t we have a work session? This is ridiculous,” said Painttown Representative Tommye Saunooke. “Pass this stuff out and expect us to know it today? I need time to review it.”

“This here kind of demonstrates about how this project’s been run from the word ‘go,’” Rose added. “You’re going to come in here and pile all this on us that we’ve been asking for how many months?”

Cooper, however, said that the information he was handing out had been previously presented during a work session and that he merely wanted to highlight it again.

Crowe then pointed out that one document he’d asked for was the contract with Dreamcatcher, but that F

the document was not part of the stack he’d just received. Cooper replied that he had copies of the contract but would like to go into closed session before reviewing them, and that council members would have to hand the copies back when the discussion concluded. When Ward pointed out that signed contracts are public record under tribal law, Cooper allowed that he could leave the contracts behind but would have to redact them first to remove anything that qualified as a trade secret, and that he expected Council would rather view the complete document instead.

Council ultimately conceded to Cooper’s request and voted to enter into closed session.

THE PLAN

According to casino spokesperson Brian Saunooke, when complete the expansion will feature a fourth hotel tower with 725 rooms to include 70 suites, a 2,000-space parking deck and a convention center with 83,000 square feet of sellable space. TCGE members told Council that the convention center will total 140,000 square feet including back-ofhouse space.

The project was first approved in January 2017 to include an 800-room hotel tower, a parking deck and a 100,000-square-foot convention center. It would cost between $150 and $200 million, Tribal Council was told, and giving the TCGE the OK to take out a $250 million loan would take care of any contingency spending.

However, on Oct. 26 TCGE Board Member John Houser told council that there were no actual plans backing up the $250 million figure and that a review from an independent auditor showed that the project was woefully underfunded to begin with.

A significant complication arose in 2018 when Tribal Council approved a retail project that, while a separate endeavor from the expansion at Harrah’s, intersects with that project in physical space. Approval of the retail development meant that the TCGE had to completely redesign the casino expansion project, Houser said, adding more than $30 million to the original project. In particular, accommodating the retail complex meant taking a more expensive approach to water and sewer infrastructure on the site.

Costs have also escalated since 2017 due to a booming economy and high demand for services at the time the project began, Houser said. The cost rose even more when the casino gave its input as to what specific features it required of the facility.

Houser said that the additional funds are necessary but allowed that the TCGE was “extremely disappointed” to be over budget, having spent six months on value engineering efforts that whittled away about $12 million but failed to cut costs sufficiently to stay within the budget.

Ground broke on the expansion in June 2018, and it’s expected to wrap up in fall 2021. The project is expected to bring in $17 million per year plus profits from conventions, Council was told Oct. 26, and the yetto-be-finished facility already has $15 to $20 million worth of pre-bookings.

Pandemic hit to per cap payments smaller than feared

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Due to decreased casino profits related to the pandemic, December per capita payments to members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will be only about two-thirds the size of last year’s distribution — but that number is better than expected.

The pre-tax distribution will be $4,899, a $2,315 reduction over the record-breaking $7,214 tribal members received last December. The December distribution, which is based on casino revenues between April and September, took a substantially bigger hit than the June distribution, which is based on revenues from the October to March time period and so captured only a few weeks’ worth of impact from the pandemic. In June, tribal members received a $5,859 check that represented a $450 decrease from the $6,309 distribution sent out in June 2019.

In developing the budget for fiscal year 2021, Principal Chief Richard Sneed based expected revenues on 50 percent of normal casino projections, shooting the middle between local management’s optimism as to the feasibility of achieving 70 percent and Caesar’s Corporate’s warning that affiliates should brace for 30 or 40 percent. The

tribe allocates half of the casino profits to its government and the other half to its people in the form of per capita payments, so the December distribution indicates that in the first six full months of the pandemic

profits came in at 67.9 percent of those recorded last year — which itself represented a record high.

In a statement posted on Facebook announcing the December figure, Principal

Chief Richard Sneed expressed his gratitude to casino staff.

“As always, my thanks go to the many Harrah’s Cherokee staff that work hard every day to make this possible,” he said.

This has been a tough year for the casino. The facilities were closed completely from March 18 to May 12, the first closure in the tribe’s 23-year gaming history.

They reopened May 13 on an invitationonly basis, and then to the general public on May 28, though only at 30 percent capacity.

On Sept. 3, Sneed issued an executive order allowing the casinos to operate at 50 percent capacity, along with gyms and bowling alleys such as the bowling alley contained within the Cherokee casino facility. However, due to social distancing protocols the casinos are still operating well below the 50 percent mark.

While 2020 per capita distributions are markedly lower than the record-setting checks tribal members received last year, the total distribution for this year is larger than the one members received only five years ago.

In 2015, tribal members received $4,810 in June and $5,595 in December for a total distribution of $10,405, about $350 less than the $10,758 distributed in 2020. The total annual distribution for 2020 is also higher than the $9,318 received in 2007, one year prior to the economic crash of 2008.

However, it remains to be seen what the future holds for 2021 — the fate of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy as a whole will have a substantial impact on casino profits in the year ahead.

Stayat Maggie Valley Club & Resort thisWinter!

Swain approves funding for reading specialists

BY J ESSI STONE

N EWS E DITOR

Swain County commissioners recently approved about $200,000 in funding for the school system in an effort to improve student reading levels.

School Superintendent Mark Sale told commissioners during an Oct. 22 meeting that he provided them with information back in March about several funding requests he considered “well merited,” but returned today to talk about the top priority — hiring reading specialists to increase student reading proficiency at the elementary school level.

“Our students are making growth in reading from kindergarten to eighth grade, but they’re not making it at the rate we need them to,” Sale said, referring to state reading assessments.

Many students starting kindergarten in Swain County are not at a proficient reading level by third grade. Sale said these students definitely see a lot of growth from kindergarten to third grade, but it’s still not where they need to be as they graduate to more difficult studies in middle and high school classes.

“This is critical because when students come to us in kindergarten, about 55 to 60 percent are coming in a condition that some in at the state level consider not prepared for kindergarten,” he said.

There’s a pretty clear indicator as to why half the students are ready and the other half are not, Sale said. He said it made sense that 66 percent of students at West Swain Elementary are prepared to enter kindergarten and 45 percent at East Swain prepared for kindergarten, because more students on the west end of the county attend Bright Adventures Pre-K program compared to students on the east end.

While Bright Adventures is one of the best Pre-K programs in the state, Sale said, it’s at capacity in its current facility.

Expanding or relocating the program would be an expensive and lengthy process — probably a $30 million project — but the need to increase reading scores is immediate to ensure Swain County High School graduates will be able to compete with their peers across the state. High school ACT scores are also reflecting that many students aren’t as proficient in reading and comprehension as they need to be to succeed in college.

“High school students come to high school not reaching 1,300 (on the assessment) to ensure they’ll be successful in college,” he said. “Reading instruction in high school is significantly more difficult and there’s not as much time for remedial instruction.”

But if the elementary schools had more reading specialists to work with K-3 students, Sale thinks they can get those students caught up in proficiency before they enter middle school. Otherwise, they fall behind and aren’t able to catch up.

“Our students are going to be fighting for the same jobs, the same schools and they’re fighting to get into the same colleges,” Sale said. “We don’t want them to get left behind.”

Sale asked commissioners to fund a twoand-a-half year pilot program that would allow the school system to hire five positions to specialize in reading at the elementary schools. He also asked for funding to hire two additional assistants — one at the middle school and one at the high school — to help remote learning students during the pandemic.

“We’re overwhelmed with the number of students on remote learning and it’s almost impossible to keep up with all of them,” he said.

Those seven positions will cost the county around $188,000, but County Manager Kevin King said the money was available and had been allocated for school needs during the budget process earlier in the year. He said commissioners just needed to approve using it for the specific purpose of hiring the new positions.

Commissioner Kevin Seagle said he’d like to see the Pre-K program expanded so more children could get into the program.

Sale agreed but said it would take a major construction project on the available county land above the high school to make it happen. In addition to $30 million in construction, the county would also be looking at personnel costs of $110,000 per additional Pre-K classroom.

“If we want to be able to house them all in one facility we’re going to have to have a new facility and we need one soon anyhow. Where we’re holding children is safe, warm and secure, but these are mobile units that have been there for 20 years,” he said. “If we could start with two more classrooms, we could bring another 30 students on and be at 100 percent capacity for all 4-year-olds in Swain County.”

This year’s kindergarten class has 139 students, which is a big class number, and Sale said he expects another large kindergarten class next year as well.

Commission Chairman Ben Bushyhead agreed that the project would be years down the road.

“I think we need to go one step at a time and see if we can catch these students up,” he said.

The board approved the pilot program for a year and will allow Sale to bring back data next year to see if the program is leading to improvements.

Cold weather means COVID cases could heat up

As the colder weather settles in, many Western North Carolina counties are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Mark Jaben, medical director for Haywood County Public Health, says the increasing cases we’re seeing now are a result of what people were doing three to four weeks ago. That means gatherings and traveling during the month of October might be coming back to haunt communities even though it resulted in some incredible tourism dollars for the region.

“Overall, our case load in Haywood is still relatively low, but it’s representative of what people were doing several weeks ago,” Jaben said. “And we still have Thanksgiving coming up.”

Haywood County actually had the lowest rate of cases in the state up until this past week. However, the county had 35 new cases between Oct. 23-29, which included a cluster at the Town of Waynesville’s finance office in Hazelwood.

As of 5 p.m. Oct. 29, Haywood County’s COVID-19 working number, representing individuals who are in isolation or quarantine due to exposure, is 147 people. Of these, 40 cases are in isolation after testing positive and 107 people are in quarantine, having been identified as a close contact of a known case during contact tracing. These cases are

occurring across the county in a variety of businesses and locations indicating community transmission.

Jackson, Cherokee and Clay counties have been on the other end of the spectrum with some of the highest percentages of new cases in the state. According to Jackson’s

Jackson County announced Oct. 29 that a cluster was identified at Shepherd Early Education and Preschool where seven people tested positive. The press release didn’t specify if the cases were among children, adults or both.

COVID dashboard, the county currently has 111 people in isolation and has had a total of 1,134 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.

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The state defines clusters of COVID-19 in workplace, educational, and other community settings as a minimum of five cases with illness onsets or initial positive results within a 14-day period and plausible linkage between cases where cases were present in the same setting during the same

Haywood County COVID-19 Monitoring.

time-period that the timing fits with likely timing of exposure; and that there is no other more likely source of exposure for identified cases.

Macon County has also seen an uptick in active cases with positive cases being announced from the school system on a regular basis. Most recently, Iotla Valley Elementary School announced a positive case on Tuesday.

Macon County Health Department, which includes animal services, has also had six of its employees test positive for COVID19, which forced the department to limit certain services at least until Nov. 9. As of Nov. 2, Macon County had 32 active cases and 86 tests were still pending.

“Macon County Animal Services will continue to provide essential services including conducting bite investigations and caring for and treating animals in their care. Macon County Animal Service’s lobby will be closed to the public,” a press release from Macon Health announced. “Animal surrenders, adoptions, picking up stray animals, and responding to nuisance calls will be discontinued until Nov. 9. Those who are looking to adopt or re-home animals are encouraged to reach out to Appalachian Animal Rescue Center should they need these services. These measures are to ensure the safety of our staff, shelter volunteers, and the community.”

In Swain County, there are 14 active cases and 30 pending tests. The county has had a total of 314 positive cases since the pandemic began.

DA seeks death penalty in infant homicide case

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch’s office intends to seek the death penalty against a Haywood County man accused of killing his girlfriend’s 10-month-old child.

On Oct. 5, a grand jury indicted Dylan Green, 22, for the murder of Chloe Evans, building on two previous charges: felony intentional child abuse inflicting serious bodily harm and possession of methamphetamine.

Chloe died July 18, 2019, at Mission Hospital in Asheville. She had been staying at her mother and grandparent’s home in Jonathan Valley. Green is not the child’s biological father.

Today, Haywood County Superior Court

Enrollment open for ACA health plan

This year’s Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance may very well be the most challenging yet, with millions across the U.S. in need of health care after losing their job-related health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pisgah Legal Services and its Enrollment Partners of WNC, are again offering free assistance from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15, helping people in the 18-county mountain region review their options and sign up for ACA health insurance for 2021.

“What we want folks to understand is that the ACA is still the law. If an individual or family needs ACA health insurance for 2021, get ready to sign up during Open Enrollment which begins Nov. 1 and ends Dec. 15,” said Jim Barrett, executive director of Pisgah Legal Services.

“If they sign up now, we have every reason to believe — based on law and insurance contracts — they will be insured for 2021 as long as they pay their premiums according to the terms of the plans they purchase.”

Appointments can be made online at www.pisgahlegal.org/aca or by calling 828.210.3404. For the safety of consumers,

Judge Athena Brooks presided over Green’s Rule 24 hearing. This is a mandatory pre-trial procedure held to determine whether the death penalty will be sought.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Jeff Jones told the judge that the baby’s murder meets the standard of “especially heinous, atrocious or cruel,” one of 11 potential aggravating factors required in North Carolina for pursuit of the death penalty.

“Your honor, we believe there is ample evidence to proceed with the capital case,” Jones said in court.

A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

staff and volunteers, all appointments are currently being conducted by phone.

Summit Charter to host open house

Summit Chater School in Cashiers will host an open house for perspective students at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the school located at 370 Mitten Lane, Cashiers.

Summit Charter School is now enrolling K-12 for the 2021-22 school year. Come walk the public school campus, tour the classrooms, meet the faculty, and learn more about becoming a Summit Bear. Summit is a tuition-free public charter school in Cashiers that engages students in learning experiences that stimulate discovery, inspire excellence, and nurture a positive influence in an everchanging world.

Summit’s current enrollment includes students from Jackson, Macon, Transylvania and Haywood counties. Learn more about the school’s individualized education and placebased programs at www.summitschool.org.

For more information or to RSVP, call 828.743.5755 or email kpusch@summitschool.org. All Open House festivities will follow strict health and safety measures.

Drug charges lead to stiff prison sentence

What began as a traffic stop ended with a jury finding a Waynesville man guilty last week on methamphetamine-related charges, Chief Assistant District Attorney Jeff Jones said.

Clifford Nathanial “Nathan” Warren, 42, received an active sentence of 144 months to 185 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections. He faced two charges: possession with intent to sell or deliver methamphetamine and felony conspiracy with intent to sell or deliver methamphetamine.

If a defendant has three or more felony convictions, it’s within the prosecutor’s discretion to seek habitual felon status, Jones said. Warren had criminal records in Florida and North Carolina that included three felony convictions; additionally, he violated probation in this state on a prior 2012 misdemeanor larceny conviction, leading to sentencing in the aggravated range on North Carolina’s felony punishment chart.

“District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch has an unapologetic policy across the seven-county 43rd Prosecutorial District of being tough on drugs and crime,” Jones said about the decision to seek habitual felon status against Warren.

Superior Court Judge Bradley B. Letts found Warren did qualify for the enhanced-sentencing status of habitual

felon, leading to the lengthy active time in prison, plus a second identical sentence, running concurrently.

Without habitual felon status, his sentence would have been lower: a minimum of 25 months to a maximum of 39 months in the aggravated range.

On July 12, 2018, Waynesville Police Officer Evan A. Davis observed two men get out of a white Dodge Dart and enter the Shell gasoline station on Russ Avenue in Waynesville. He reported the men were talking to another individual with recent felony drug charges.

When the Dodge left the service station and turned onto U.S. 23/74, Davis followed in his patrol vehicle, clocking the speed of the car at 68 mph in a 60 mph zone. On Asheville Road, the driver initially refused to stop when Davis turned on his car’s patrol lights but finally pulled over near Tuscola High School.

The driver, Timothy Shuler, had a suspended license. He later pleaded guilty to other criminal offenses. Warren was a passenger in the car. After searching the car and each man individually, the officers discovered $1,518 in cash in his wallet and socks, “folded over and bundled together consistent with narcotic sales,” the officer reported.

A baggie with Suboxone strips and a white crystalized substance — later confirmed as methamphetamine — was found tucked inside Warren’s boxers. Inside the car, there were scales and ledgers appearing to record drug sales.

We are open to continue to provide essential services to patients. We will provide a safe environment to our patients and staff. We are following protocol recommended by the CDC and local and state health departments. Call us to make an appointment today.

Accepting New Patients

Harris completes $8 million expansion

Harris Regional Hospital announces the completion of an $8 million expansion at Harris Regional Cancer Center featuring state-of-the-art radiation therapy technology to benefit patients and families across Western North Carolina.

Harris Regional Cancer Center is located at 14 Medical Park Loop on the Sylva campus.

Dr. David S. Thomas has been providing radiation therapy services at Harris Regional Cancer Center for more than two decades. Dr. Jarred Tanksley joined Dr. Thomas in July, having completed a residency in radiation oncology at Duke University Medical Center, completing an internship in internal medicine at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, and receiving a medical degree from Vanderbilt University where he additionally earned a doctorate in cell and developmental biology.

“It is our privilege to serve the region with the latest technology in radiation therapy,” said Steve Heatherly, CEO of Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital. “The new equipment and space at Harris Regional Cancer Center means we can care for patients with more advanced treatments, for more types of conditions, eliminating travel to distant locations.”

The completion of the expansion at Harris Regional Cancer Center will complement the hospital’s recent breast care initiative featuring the additions of specially-trained breast surgeon Dr. Allison Palumbo and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Ryan Marshall at Harris Surgical Associates, and 3-D mammography at Harris.

The renovation added more than 2,000 square feet to the building and included an aesthetic makeover of the existing 5,500 square feet.

Macon extends flu clinic

Macon County Public Health is extending its flu clinic through part of November. As part of the original fund that was allotted for COVID-19 emergency response, the county commissioners approved funding that will help to increase the coverage of citizens vaccinated against the seasonal flu by covering the cost of influenza vaccines for Macon County residents without insurance.

The flu shot clinics will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 4, Nov. 9 and Nov. 18. No appointment is necessary to receive the vaccination.

Farmworker program gets grant

Vecinos Farmworker Health Program received a $35,000 grant from the Farmworker’s Pandemic Relief Fund that Hispanics in Philanthropy established with Justice for Migrant Women, to support relief efforts for farmworker families during the COVID-19 crisis.

Vecinos is a nonprofit health care organization addressing the wellness of farmworkers and their families with health care, education, community partnerships and advocacy across eight counties in Western North Carolina.

The grant funds will be distributed within the service region over a five-month period assisting farmworkers in paying bills, utilities and rent as well as basic supplies for families including food, diapers, formula and medical supplies.

The Vecinos medical and outreach teams have been working tirelessly to reach their regions farmworkers, providing education lessons and materials, medication, support supplies, and testing surrounding COVID-19 and other primary and behavior health care matters.

For more information, visit www.vecinos.org.

Enroll for diabetes prevention program

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a lifestyle change program dedicated to preventing type 2 diabetes through a series of 24 one-hour group classes.

Taught by a trained health educator/lifestyle coach, DPP is a fun, yearlong program that gives participants the information and tools needed to maintain a healthy weight, prepare and eat healthy meals and be more physically active.

A new round of DPP classes will begin through Haywood County Health and Human Services (HHSA) on Oct. 27, 2020.

Thanks to a grant administered by NC State University, the classes are now free and will include incentives, such as food scales, resistance bands and cookbooks. Anyone interested in learning more about or participating in DPP can contact Megan Hauser at 828.356.2272. Clinicians are also welcome to refer patients who are either at increased risk or have been diagnosed with prediabetes to join DPP. Classes will be held using a virtual format.

Harris hires new neonatologist

Harris Regional Hospital recently hired board certified neonatologist Dr. Bernd Holler to the New Generations Family Birthing Center where he will lead inpatient neonatal and pediatric patient care. Harris Regional Hospital is the only facility in the counties west of Jackson providing labor and delivery services. He attended the Christian Albrecht University in Kiel, Germany studying chemistry and medicine before coming to the United States. At Dartmouth/Hitchcock Medical Center he completed his pediatric residency.

Haywood dietician has new certifications

Haywood Regional Medical Center dietitian Rebecca Rothwell recently completed courses to become certified in both celiac and FODMAP disorders. These certifications add to the skills available to patients utilizing HRMC’s nutrition services. While celiac disease is relatively well known, the term FODMAP may be newer to the general public. FODMAP, or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly in some individuals. FODMAP diets are typically temporary; elimination diets to help patients determine which foods affect them poorly. It has also been shown to help with those that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and that it can greatly improve those with GI symptoms related to IBS such as gas, bloating, pain or change in bowel habits.

For more information, call 828.452.8092 or 828.452.8084.

He worked as a pediatrician in a rural setting in Northern Michigan for a number of years before returning for a fellowship in neonatalperinatal medicine at Michigan State University/Sparrow Hospital. Holler comes to Harris from San Antonio, Texas, where he worked at high acuity neonatal units for the past 16 years. Holler is certified by the American Board of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics.

For more information, view the New Generations Family Birthing Center information at www.myharrisregional.com.

Hospital urges flu vaccination

To minimize the spread of influenza this fall and winter, Haywood Regional Medical Center is encouraging all employees, medical personnel and community members to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, with any age-appropriate flu vaccine. If you are considering a nasal spray flu vaccine, it is important to know that this option is approved by the CDC for use in non-pregnant individuals, ages two through 49, and that there is a precaution against this option for those with certain underlying medical conditions.

“There has never been a more important time to be proactive about protecting your health and the health of your family and loved ones,” said Susan Mahoney, chief nursing officer (CNO) at HRMC. “We know that getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent the flu and help you stay healthy this fall and winter.”

For more information about the flu and effective prevention methods, visit www.cdc.gov/flu.

Harris adds staff to cancer center

Harris Regional Hospital recently hired Dr. Jarred Tanksley to Harris Regional Cancer Center. Tanksley joins Dr. David S. Thomas in providing radiation oncology services to Western North Carolina. Tanksley completed a residency in radiation oncology at Duke University Medical Center, where he served as chief resident. He completed an internship in internal medicine at the University of Tennessee Medical Center after receiving his medical degree from Vanderbilt University where he additionally earned a doctorate in cell and developmental biology.

Harris Regional Cancer Center has served the region for decades, providing radiation therapy to patients facing a cancer diagnosis. The addition and renovation began in 2019 and includes new imaging and treatment modalities that will serve patients close to home with state-of-the-art technology.

Providers receive Medicaid support

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Benefits (NC Medicaid) is extending temporary provider rate increases related to COVID-19 through the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency, which goes through Jan. 21, 2021.

This action will extend all COVID-19 rate increases currently in place, which means every Medicaid provider will continue to receive rates that are at least 5 percent greater than pre-COVID levels and some providers, such as nursing homes, who are experiencing very high additional costs due to COVID-19 will continue to receive even greater financial support.

Additional details and guidance are available at www.medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus.

Is it OK to just be satisfied, even happy?

As the sun began its descent on Monday — the eve of Election Day —  I sat down to write this column and my thoughts turned to happiness and satisfaction.

I thought about being in a place, a state of mind, where one can look at one’s life, both into the past and into the future, and perhaps break into a small grin and say something like, “Somehow, surprisingly, I’ve managed to create a pretty good thing, a life and a family I never imagined for myself. I’m happy.”

As a young man, I would have retched at such an admission. I spent years thinking the pursuit of happiness meant settling for some kind of bourgeoisie, materialistic lifestyle instead of raging and trying to change the world. I’ve learned perhaps, that trying to change the world is fine, but there’s more to life than that.

Like all of you — perhaps more than most because of my profession — I’ve been immersed in politics for the last several months. And a lot of it has focused on hate, distrust, lies and negative attacks. We’ve heard from aggrieved, angry old white men — my demographic — that may very well have given Donald Trump another term in the Oval Office by the time this edition hits the streets. We’ve heard from angry young people who hate Trump, but dislike Biden a little less, so will hold their nose and vote for him. It seems like more than ever, there has been anger and hate from candidates all up and down the ballot as people choose sides and start tossing bombs at the opposition.

Remembering the ‘good’ old days

To the Editor:

Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision on women’s reproductive rights, has been in the news related to the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court of the United States. I am not alone when I worry that her record of supporting anti-abortion actions coupled with ultra-conservative social and religious beliefs could result in a vote in favor of repealing Roe v. Wade. I support a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion. Here’s why. Full disclosure, I am female and a registered nurse who is just a bit too old to be a boomer. Many readers will be too young to know what it was like in the 1960s, the 1970s and earlier, pre Roe v. Wade. Even if you are a woman of a certain age, you still might not know. People didn’t talk about things like premarital sex, let

So here before Election Day, I was trying to assess what state of mind I’ll be in when this is all over, regardless of who wins. I mean, politics is very important, but when did it become the defining characteristic in so many people’s lives? What about relationships, family, friends, good conversation, careers, travel, ideas, books, music, and such?

Matthew, my nephew, and his fiancé came up for a visit this weekend. He’s a young man I’ve always enjoyed being around. He makes it a point to stay in touch with relatives and it’s obvious keeping those connections is important to him. While they were in town, my daughter Hannah and her boyfriend joined us for dinners and outings. Hannah, too, places great importance in spending time with family. We spent a fun couple of days visiting with other family in Asheville, talking, hiking, cooking, biking and playing games while catching up on each other’s lives.

For my wife Lori and me, it was a couple of satisfying and fun days with our daughter and nephew and other young people who are bright, funny, creative and forging their unique paths in this world. None of this seems that special, I know, but somehow it affected me, made me think about my state of mind and emotional well-being. These are things I don’t usual-

alone abortions, back then. But trust me, women were having abortions. To help make my point, here are two true yet disguised stories.

A friend told me this story two decades after the fact; she had never told anyone before. She was 17 in 1964 when she was awarded a full ride scholarship to a prestigious university to study biochemistry. And then she got pregnant. The boy refused to even acknowledge knowing her (side note: birth control pills could not be legally prescribed to unmarried women then).

Coming from a family that could never afford her the opportunity to attend college, she made the difficult decision to have a “back alley” abortion. She described getting a first name and phone number from a classmate. She was required to go alone and bring $250 cash (more than two month’s rent back then). They arranged a meeting in a grocery store parking lot. After getting in the backseat of a car, she was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location where the procedure was done. She remembers going

ly dwell on.

Our oldest daughter, Megan, got married in August. That was a momentous, emotional occasion that brought two families together in an intimate, small ceremony due to the pandemic. We now have a fantastic son-in-law, Sam, who makes our daughter extremely happy. Thoughts of their life together and all that’s in store for them brings a smile to my face. My son, Liam, will graduate from college in a couple of months, and his infectious, outgoing personality lights me up when he’s around.

This has been a year many of us want to forget, and for good reason. So far COVID-19 has killed at least 231,000 Americans, and the surge many predicted and feared as winter approaches is indeed happening. The pandemic’s economic impact has been horrible, and millions are out of work and many businesses will never reopen or will never get back to their pre-pandemic numbers. One of my co-workers keeps making comments about wanting to turn the page on 2020. So, I’ll offer my prayers for those who have suffered from this pandemic; as for this election, let the purveyors of hate and divisiveness be damned.

That said, I won’t forfeit what I get from my wife, my children, my extended family, friends, my job, co-workers, this place I call home, and everything that’s important in my life. At 60 years old, I’m in a good place, which I’m not sure I ever expected.

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

down some stairs before the blindfold was removed, finding herself in a windowless room.

Well you get the picture. The experience was horrifying and filled with risks, known and unknown. We talked about what her life might have been like had she made a different choice. She acknowledged the risk, the loss, the love for her children, and the joy she found in her career.

One more. Understanding my HIPAA responsibilities, here is a true but masked story about a day in the late 1960s in the ICU of a large city hospital. One of my patients was a teenage girl; I still even remember her name. We were doing everything we could to keep her alive, but were unsuccessful. She died from a tetanus infection after an illegal abortion, probably much like my friend’s in the previous story.

I was there when this girl died. Her family didn’t even show up to say goodbye. She experienced a horrible death. As I prepared her body for transfer to the morgue, I grieved the loss of this young girl.

After reflection, my personal and professional beliefs/values about the need for legal and safe abortions landed softly in my heart and have remained there, steadfast.

If you would never have an abortion because you believe it is wrong, I respect your choice. I respect whatever choices you make and beliefs you hold about your reproductive rights. I am not going to try and change your mind. I speak on behalf of the girls and women who make difficult decisions that you do not understand.

But my position is clear. We cannot risk going back, because woman will still have abortions. Unless a woman is wealthy enough to fly to another country, abortions will not be done by qualified licensed healthcare personnel. And they will be filled with risk, fear, and even death. Women need and deserve the right to continue to choose a safe and legal abortion.

Air the laundry. The Smoky Mountain News encourages readers to express their opinions through letters to the editor or guest columns. All viewpoints are welcome. Send to Scott McLeod at info@smokymountainnews.com or mail to PO Box 629, Waynesville, NC, 28786

Research says women’s tactics work better

When the terms “systemic patriarchy” and “systematic racism” became common rhetoric in our society, they made my brow furrow. I wasn’t sure I comprehended the full meaning of these phrases. I understood they were longstanding societal beliefs and practices based on centuries of white male power. Yet, I became curious about specific examples. Not only am I always thirsty for knowledge, but facts and historical data offer leverage rather than opinions or frustration. I wanted leverage when having issueladen conversations with other people.

“Our results clearly indicate that women leaders reacted more quickly and decisively in the face of potential fatalities,” said Supriya Garikipati, a developmental economist at Liverpool University, co-author of the study with Reading University’s Uma Kambhampati.

I’ve started listening to Brené Brown’s podcast called “Unlocking Us.” Brené is a best-selling author, speaker and shame researcher. In the Unlocking Us podcast, she unpacks and explores ideas, stories, experiences, books, films, and music that reflect the universal experiences of being human. I recently listened to her interview with author Elizabeth Lasser. In this episode, they discuss the traditional fight-or-flight response. Although both males and females show fight-or-flight responses psychologically and behaviorally when faced with perceived danger, more recent research shows that female mammals actually respond with a tend-and-befriend approach.

Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, was heralded for her personal addresses during the pandemic. Her speeches to New Zealanders were lauded for their warmth and directness. She spoke to her people as if they were family. Her responses were the embodiment of one of her leadership mantras: “Be strong, be kind.” In April, she told the nation’s children not to worry, that the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny were considered essential workers. Arden’s empathy and encouragement united the citizens, which led to a positive and effective comprehensive coronavirus response.

Germany’s Angela Merkel, Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen, and other female leaders took sim-

A UCLA study published in a 2000 issue of Psychological Review found that female responses to reduce stress and promote safety more closely follow a tend-andbefriend pattern. Tending involves nurturing activities designed to protect the self and offspring, while befriending is the creation and maintenance of social networks that aid in this process.

Throughout modern history, the fightor-flight phenomenon has been the hypothesized blanket response for males and females, when in fact, females respond in a much more unique way. To me, this is one example of systemic patriarchy, a widelyheld belief based primarily on male behavior with very little thought or concern given to how females respond and react.

Fast forward to 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis of 194 countries published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the World Economic Forum, found that countries led by women had “systematically and significantly better” COVID-19 outcomes, locking down earlier and suffering half as many deaths as countries led by men. Findings suggest the difference is real and “may be explained by the proactive and coordinated policy responses” adopted by female leaders.

ilar tactics. In line with the UCLA study, these women followed the tend-andbefriend approach. They did not fight with their people or health organizations. They did not retreat or flee to safety nets of golf resorts and luxury retreats. No, they tended to the most vulnerable and befriended their nations.

Can you imagine how history could have been rewritten had female leaders been in positions of power sooner? If we’d only looked at female stress responses sooner and used that knowledge? For me, this is a great example of systemic patriarchy.

When this column is published, Election Day will be over. While we don’t have a female candidate for president, we do have a female running mate in Kamala Harris and we have other females vying for various positions in Congress.

My hope is that more females can rise to power. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have leaders who tend and befriend as opposed to fight and flee, and not only because it would result in a happier, kinder America, but because the research says it works.

(Susanna Shetley is an editor, writer and digital media specialist at The Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com)

Priceless expression when space is possession

A conversation with Keller Williams

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF W RITER

When it comes to Keller Williams, there are three key elements of his storied live performances — experimentation, fun, unity.

Hailing from Virginia, the beloved singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist has been crisscrossing the country with his singular blend of acoustic, jam and dance music for the better part of the last 30 years.

When Williams’ initially came upon the national touring scene in the early 1990s, he was at the forefront of a new era of jam and improvisational music that mixed folk, bluegrass, electronica, alternative rock and jazz.

It was a sonic movement that, alongside Williams, also included pioneering acts Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon, The Larry Keel Experience, and The String Cheese Incident — all of which remain collaborative partners whenever the occasion may arise.

And yet, Williams’ was unique in his musical pursuits as a “one man jam band.” He was not only a solo act, but a freewheelin’ troubadour roaming the highways and stages of America. He continually aims to blur the lines between performer and audience each night, always in the name of peace, happiness and good times.

Williams is a true melodic chameleon, a passionate musician who can slide onto any stage with any group (in any capacity or setting) and seamlessly elevate the improvisational possibilities of a show unfolding before the eyes and ears of the listener — a talent he has honed to perfection throughout the decades.

Smoky Mountain News: Where does that very carefree nature come from within you, onstage and off?

Keller Williams: I think it comes from me being an audience member and what I would want to see. The last thing I want to see is any kind of drama or conflict, you know?

There’s definitely dark songs and minor keys, but that’s different. As far as a stage presence goes, I mean, if I’m in the audience, I want to feel comfortable. And so, I kind of make sure I’m comfortable onstage to try to give off that vibe of hoping that people are comfortable in the audience enough to where they can be uninhibited.

Smoky Mountain News: You’ve recently turned 50. I was curious about how as you approached that number, what’s your perspective on the road to the here and now?

Keller Williams: Well, I’ve got nothing but love and just sheer amazement for the fact that I’m still able to do what I’m doing. I couldn’t really have done it without people coming to the shows, and especially promoters who bring the people to the shows.

I guess once I set my mind to it as a teenager — you know, that this was going to be “the path” — it was this mentality from the get-go of like, “I’ll do it.”

“I’m onstage in front of people that are paying to be there. As a human being — the way my life is right now — I have a job and that is to make people maybe forget the outside and join in my imagery.”

— Keller Williams

Smoky Mountain News: Well, there definitely comes a point where you have a conversation early on in your head that says, “Hell or high water, this is what I’m doing. And then everything after that is just details.”

Keller Williams: That’s right. And I got comfortable in a bucket seat, woke up in a rest area, slammed on the brakes a few times — that made you stronger. And then a lot of the whole Grateful Dead world, I learned how to travel thrifty in my own world of playing music as a solo act. I mean, we’re talking the early to mid-1990s.

SMN: Having this life of creating music, performing music and traveling the world, being around all these different people that you’ve interacted with, what has that taught you about what it means to be a human being?

KW: As a performer, I’m onstage in front of people that are paying to be there. As a human being — the way my life is right now — I have a job and that is to make people maybe forget the outside and join in my imagery. So, that’s kind of my purpose, other than being the

Want to go?

There will be a drive-in concert with singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Keller Williams Friday, Nov. 13, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Social distancing and Covid-19 protocol will be in place. Meals are available to pre-purchase.

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

absolute best father and husband that I could possibly be.

That’s definitely the first, but in order to support everybody, the second is definitely right there and gives me a reason to play 110 shows, which I probably would anyway, because I truly enjoy it. I’d do it for free. And I get paid to be away from them and to deal with middle seats on misconnections and things like that.

The stage stuff is all for the joy and love of

that kind of energy that’s brought. And that’s kind of what I’ve learned as a human — that’s my job until they stop coming.

SMN: It is what it is, so I might as well have fun doing it.

KW: Yeah. Well, first priority is head. Take care of [your] head first. Have a good time. Hopefully, the rest of fall into place. I take having fun very seriously.

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

The velvet it rips in the city, we tripped on the urge to feel alive

Icould hear the planes overheard from the nearby Nashville airport. The room was cool. The bedsheets warm. It took me a moment to realize I was in Room 219 of the Red Roof Inn. Monday morning and a few hundred miles from my apartment back over the state line in Waynesville.

I hadn’t planned to find myself at the motel. But, a whirlwind weekend in and around Music City landed me there. Leaving Haywood County on Saturday afternoon, the plan was to head to Mount Juliet, just outside Nashville, to spend Halloween with one of my oldest friends, Sarah, and her husband, Joe.

Sarah and I have known each other since middle school, growing up in neighboring small farm communities on the Canadian Border of Upstate New York. High school dances, house parties, concerts, and so on — thick as thieves ever since.

She ended up in Tennessee. Myself in Carolina. And through that, she met Joe, a wild, wondrous soul also from New York (Buffalo) who found work and a life below the Mason-Dixon Line. Each time I find myself passing through Middle Tennessee, I tend to wander down the backroads to their farmhouse, tucked in the tree line near a quiet lake they fish and kayak on after work every evening.

meander around when you’re bored and can’t seem to fall asleep.

That said, we connected and aimed to meet up the next time I found myself in Nashville. With the sun now slowly disappearing by the late afternoon, we agreed to meet up halfway at this dive bar near the airport. I jumped into the truck and took off for the Donelson Pub.

She’s from the Chicago suburbs. Professional musician. Learned classical violin at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. My age. Been in the music industry as long as I have. Aspirations to take over the world through hard work and curious adventures along the way.

It was surreal and so damn refreshing to be on a date again. It had been awhile, more so in face of how 2020 has affected us all.

After two hours of nonstop, jovial conversation, we threw caution to the wind and took an Uber to downtown Nashville (aka: Broadway).

Why not paint the town red? Deal with tomorrow, well, tomorrow, right? But, within seconds of being dropped off on Broadway, it became apparent we were too late. The clock turned to 11 p.m. as the bars all began to shut down due to the state’s mandates amid the pandemic. Turn off the lights and don’t forget to lock the door.

The Halloween party overtook most of their driveway, backyard and garage. Folks from all corners of the local area. Fridge full of beer. Burn barrel. Costumes. Stereo blasting dark, ominous melodies. Laughter. A full moon overhead. Drinks hoisted high and in the moment. Heavy eyelids sometime around 2 a.m.

Sunday morning. Being an hour behind in Central Standard Time, the NFL games would kickoff at noon in these parts. My New England Patriots were facing Sarah and Joe’s Buffalo Bills. It was decided to head to the local sports bar. Situated in a generic shopping plaza just off Interstate 40, the watering hole was packed with Tennessee Titans fans and the sporadic Pittsburgh Steelers diehards.

By halftime, the Bills were pulling away from the Pats. In a sign of solidarity and friendship, we all decided to do a shot and celebrate simply being in the presence of each other, in this random dive bar on the fringes of Nashville.

And it was right at this moment I received a text from this girl. A month prior, while passing through Nashville, I’d matched with her on Hinge. Now, first and foremost, I detest dating apps and the like. It’s not my thing, but you do what you can in the modern era, eh?

I’m of the old-school mentality of striking up a happenstance conversation with a complete stranger of the opposite sex, though that’s pretty much come to a halt with the pandemic and shutdown. I find the apps more of a novelty and something of a toy to

Not to be deterred, her good friend (a bar owner in Printers Alley) had a place nearby. Find some hearty conversation and grab a nightcap. Next thing I know, I’m standing on this first-floor front porch right in the heart of the city, sipping some bourbon with this former professional rock guitarist turned successful bar owner.

Somewhere around 1 a.m. we knew it was time to shove off. She headed back to her place. I took an Uber back to my truck at the pub. We made plans to meet up again soon. A half-hour later, I’m standing in this empty bar parking lot, ready to head back to Sarah and Joe’s.

And it was right then and there that I realized one of my headlights was out. With my hands covered in grease and drops of blood, I emerged from under the hood unsuccessful several minutes later. The other headlight bulb in my glovebox didn’t work.

Not wanting to chance being pulled over with a busted headlight, out-of-state license plates while navigating backcountry roads at 2:30 a.m. I decided to leave the truck and deal with it in the morning.

With the bright lights of the Red Roof Inn sign next door like a lighthouse pulling my lost ship back to shore amid choppy waters, I checked into room around 3 a.m. The front desk clerk gave me a discount due to the absurdity of getting a room so late.

The sounds of airplanes overhead, I sat on the bed and watched some late-night TV. Sipping a lukewarm Budweiser, I was three-hundred miles from my Carolina apartment. Onward back to work and daily responsibilities come morning. You win again, Nashville. Always a pleasure. Kudos.

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

On the street

• An artist demonstration will be hosted by painter Jennifer Sharkey from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Haywood County Arts Council on Main Street in Waynesville. Free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org.

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

ALSO:

• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host Bohemian Jean (pop/soul) from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. Free and open to the public. www.elevatedmountain.com.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Scoundrel’s Lounge 6:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Bona Fide Nov. 7 and Good Bonez Nov. 14. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

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

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Anna Victoria 7 p.m. Nov. 6. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a drive-in concert series with Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires (rock/Americana) Nov. 5, Keller Williams (jam/acoustic) Nov. 13 and St. Paul & The Broken Bones (soul/rock) Nov. 19. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

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

• The annual “Polar Express” train ride will kick off the holiday on Nov. 6 from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot in downtown Bryson City. For a complete listing of departure dates and times, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

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

Waynesville art walk, live music

“Art After Dark” will continue from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, in downtown Waynesville.

Each first Friday of the month (May-December), Main Street transforms into an evening of art, music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors.

Participants include Burr Studio, Cedar Hill Studios, Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery & Gifts, The Jeweler’s Workbench, Moose Crossing Burl Wood Gallery, T. Pennington Art Gallery, Twigs and Leaves Gallery, The Village Framer, and more.

It is free to attend Art After Dark. www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com.

Cashiers’ ‘Elevated Wines Weekend’

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

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

The 20 featured winemakers and vineyard owners from Napa Valley will introduce their wines and share their unique winemaking process and philosophy. The wines average $35 per bottle and a portion of proceeds from wine sales benefits The Village Green.

Davis Pickleseimer, founder of the Elevated Wines Weekend Event and owner of the Highlands Wine Shoppe, envisions establishing the Highlands-Cashiers area as a wine destination.

“Elevated Wines will host and showcase small wineries, winemakers as well as new wineries and new winemakers,” says Pickleseimer.

‘It’s a Small, Small Work’ exhibit

The Haywood County Arts Council annual show, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will be held Nov. 6 through Jan. 9 at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville.

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

All pieces submitted are exactly 12” or

A primary goal for the event is small towns coming together to support small wineries. He adds, “Once established, the hope is for Elevated Wines and our area to become a ‘rite of passage’ for the wine industry.”

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

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

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

For additional information, visit www.highlandswineshoppe.com/events, call 828.526.4080 or email director@cashiersgreen.com.

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

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

www.haywoodarts.org or 828.452.0593.

On the shelf

Sitting in the sweetgrass of freedom

“I want to dance for the renewal of the world.”

—Robin Wall Kimmerer

As one of the wisdom-keepers of the Native American Potawatomi Nation, there is a reason why Robin Wall Kimmerer is also a best-selling author. Her knowledge, widsom and message in her book Braiding Sweetgrass (Milkweed Editions, 2013, 390 pages) is purposeful and prescient for our times. And it resonates in the human community’s subconscious as truth.

She speaks with authority, courage and compassion, both on the page and off (go to YouTube) as someone who you might like to see in a position of national leadership. But the wise ones know better than to take on the mantle of politics and ego-driven power. In a time when women are rising to the forefront in our culture, Robin Wall Kimmerer has emerged as one of those women. In Braiding Sweetgrass, she tackles one of the most important issues of our time — how we relate to place. Place meaning nature and the earth and how we are ignoring and even ruining the very foundations for our survival. In Braiding Sweetgrass, we inherit her wisdom and knowledge as described in the subtitle for the book: “Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” through the mythic history and stories of the Anishinabekwe culture handed down over thousands of years, going back to the original instructions given to our most ancient ancestors on how to navigate our lives on this planet.

In Kimmerer’s preface, she elucidates the context of the book’s title and contents:

“This [sweetgrass] braid is woven from three strands: indigenous ways of knowing, scientific knowledge, and the story of an Ahishinabekwe scientist trying to bring them together in service to what matters most. It is an intertwining of science, spirit, and story — old stories and new ones that can be medicine for our broken relationship with earth, a pharmacopoeia of heal-

ing stories that allow us to imagine a different relationship, in which people and land are good medicine for each other.”

From here and for 390 pages we get what amounts to nothing less than a biblical lesson in indigenous history and spiritual ecology. In her story about Nanabozho — the first human — she talks about the subject (and the current issue) of immigration. “Nanabozho did not know his parentage or his origins — only that he was set down into a fully peopled world of plants and animals, winds, and water. He was an immigrant too. Before he arrived, the world was all here, in balance and harmony, each one fulfilling their purpose in the Creation. He understood, as some did not, that this was not the ‘New World,’ but one that was ancient before he came. His role was not to control or change the world as a human, but to learn from the world how to be human and that the land is the real teacher.”

From there, the lesson continues as Kimmerer speaks of human isolation and “species loneliness” due to our inattention and lack of specific and scientific knowledge of the plant and animal life that surrounds us. “If he could combine the lessons from nature with the strength of his own good mind, he could discover new things that

WCU’s Scales named UNC literacy fellow

would be useful for the people to come,” she writes, emphasizing that the lessons Nanabozho learned are the mythic roots of Native science, medicine, architecture, agriculture, and ecological knowledge. “By honoring the knowledge in the land, and caring for its keepers, we start to become indigenous to place,” she writes, honing in on the over-riding theme in her book and what I have termed in my own work many years ago as becoming “new natives.” About the sweetgrass, she says “Sweetgrass in a long braid, offers protection to a traveler. A path scented with sweetgrass leads to a landscape of forgiveness and healing for all who need it.” Then she goes on to speak prophetically of human weaknesses and the situation we find ourselves in today. “Nanabozho found that the arrogance of power could be used to unleash unlimited growth — an unrestrained, cancerous sort of creation that would lead to destruction. He vowed to walk with humility in order to try to balance his arrogance. That too is the task of those who would walk in his footsteps.”

Kimmerer then goes on to reflect:

“I sit a long time and eventually the sound of the wind in Grandmother Sitka Spruce branches washes words away and I lose myself in just listening — to the crisp voice of laurels, the chatter of alders, the whispers of lichens ... and have been reminded that plants are our oldest teachers.”

Finally, at the end of the story of Nanabozho and as a fitting denoument to this review, she writes: “Being naturalized to place means to live as if this is the land that feeds you, as if these are the streams from which you drink, that build your body and fill your spirit. To become naturalized is to know that your ancestors lie in this ground. Here you will give your gifts and meet your responsibilities. To become naturalized is to live as if your children’s future matters, to take care of the land as if our lives and the lives of all our relatives depend on it. Because they do.”

Thomas Crowe is a regular contributer to The Smoky Mountain News and author of the award-winning non-fiction memoir Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods. He lives in Tuckasegee in Jackson County and can be reached at newnativepress@hotmail.com

Roya Scales of Western Carolina University is one of eight appointees to a University of North Carolina System literacy fellowship, an effort intended to develop a common framework for literacy instruction in teacher preparation. Scales, a professor of literacy education in the School of Teaching and Learning, will help create a detailed structure for what graduates of UNC System educator preparation programs should know and do as they begin teaching elementary school students to read.

The goal is to ensure that graduates of elementary education general curriculum programs have an in-depth understanding of reading as a process involving the ability to hear and create sounds, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

This work also includes understanding of how to teach writing. The initiative is a result of the Board of Governors’ “Resolution on Teacher Preparation,” and the results will be adopted by all UNC System educator preparation programs.

Research shows that elementary school students who are able to read on grade-level by the end of third grade are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in postsecondary education, earn a college degree or credential, and experience economic success in adulthood.

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Cleanest air on record

Pandemic accelerates long-term move toward cleaner air in N.C.

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

When President Richard Nixon ‘s signature on the Clean Air Act of 1970 prompted North Carolina to create its Division of Air Quality, air quality was bad in Western North Carolina.

“Back in the ‘80s or the ‘90s, once summer hit your mountains would disappear,” recalled Jim Renfro, longtime air quality specialist for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, during an interview earlier this year. “You’re outside in the valley looking up, and you couldn’t see the mountains through the haze.”

MILES DOWN, AIR QUALITY UP

In one of the true environmental success stories of the past century, the situation has improved dramatically since then — and as 2020 fades into 2021, it’s expected to keep getting better.

“Without a doubt we are seeing the lowest ambient air pollution levels that have been recorded since the inception of our program,” said N.C. Division of Air Quality Director Mike Abraczinskas. “That’s wonderful news, testament to all of our good work, advancements in technology, regulatory and non-regulatory measures. North Carolinians are definitely breathing the cleanest air that they have anytime during their lifetimes.”

Abraczinskas spoke during the Land of Sky Regional Council’s annual State of Our Air Quality Briefing and Press Conference. The event usually takes place in Asheville during the early spring, but due to COVID-19 it was delayed and held virtually Oct. 30.

That’s not the only impact COVID-19 has

had on the world of air quality, but unlike most impacts related to the virus, these have been overwhelmingly positive.

Data from the early days of the pandemic — March and April — show reductions of about 30 to 50 percent in vehicle miles driven as compared to 2019 figures. For the sixmonth period ending Sept. 30, traffic counts at the DAQ’s roadside site in the Research Triangle Park, one of the busiest stretches of road in North Carolina, were down an average of 26.8 percent compared to the same period in 2019, Abraczinskas said.

It appears that this drastic reduction in time on the road is leading to a noticeable improvement in air quality. Preliminary data show a decrease in mean levels of toxic nitrogen oxides in urban areas across the state. Compared to the average of 2018 and 2019 figures, 2020 data through Sept. 30 show a 23.1 percent reduction in Charlotte, a 38.5 percent reduction in Winston-Salem and a 40 percent reduction in Raleigh.

Similarly, there have been considerably fewer ozone warnings this year than in 2019, when the DAQ was “very nervous” about how close it got to violating EPA standards in the Charlotte area, Abraczinskas said.

Last year, three monitor sites in the Charlotte area reported a total of 189 Code Yellow ozone days and 16 Code Orange days. Through Oct. 12 this year, the number of Code Yellow days has decreased drastically and there have been no Code Orange days at any monitor. The Garinger monitor recorded 62 Code Yellow days last year, but only 14 this year, while the University Meadows monitor reported 67 Code Yellow days last year and 22 this year. The Monroe monitor, which recorded 60 Code Yellow days last year, has so far turned up a goose egg for 2020. While the monitors did not show any Code Orange days this year, in 2019 they reported seven, six and three such days, respectively.

“I’m going to caveat all this by saying that

it’s preliminary,” said Abraczinskas. “It’s a preliminary examination of pre-quality assurance data, and further detailed analysis is going to be necessary to fully support any conclusion, but at least it provides some data that supports what we’ve all been presuming, and that is a reduction in vehicle traffic leading to improved air quality.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

The pandemic-related decrease in vehicle use coincides with another notable headline in air quality news. In January, Duke Energy retired the coal-fired power plant that has been producing energy in South Asheville since 1964, replacing it with a cleaner-burning $817 million natural gas facility that came online in two phases — the first in December 2019 and the second in April 2020.

The new plant is about 75 percent more efficient than the coal facility was, and it emits 60 percent less carbon per megawatt hour with a 99 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions and a 40 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, said Jason Walls,

North Carolinians are definitely breathing the cleanest air that they have anytime during their lifetimes.”

— Mike Abraczinskas, N.C. Division of Air Quality Director

Asheville area manager for Duke Energy. Mercury emissions have been eliminated, and the use of cooling towers in the new plant significantly reduces the amount of water required to run it. Ashley Featherstone, director of air quality for the WNC Regional Air

Quality Agency, said her organization was “very excited” about the project and the reductions in pollution it will cause.

This all fits in with the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electric power production to 70 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, Walls said, and Duke is an “active participant” in helping the state reach those goals.

“It’s just a really exciting piece of work to be a part of,” he said.

To be determined is how the pandemic will affect overall energy use. Sophie Mullinax, project manager for the Blue Horizons Project, said that electricity and heat are responsible for 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and that heating is responsible for about one-third of home energy use. In the mountains, peak energy use occurs on cold winter mornings as people are waking up and warming up the house, Mullinax said. While the rest of the Southeast experiences peak use on hot summer afternoons, the mountains’ winter peak is 30 percent higher than its typical summer usage.

With the pandemic, energy use across the board has become more stable as more people are working from home on a flexible schedule. However, many people are seeing higher individual energy bills — how energy use will shake out overall is an open question, Mullinax said.

“We haven’t had winter yet, so I think it’s fascinating and it remains to be seen,” she said. “Certainly, we’ll be seeing a reduction in some of the buildings and offices that are not in use right now, but of course factories and other organizations and businesses that keep our community running are still operating.”

CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS

Where air quality is concerned, initial indications are that the pan- F

Rescue crews answer the call

Picture-perfect fall weather drew countless numbers of people to embark on outdoor adventures during the month of October, but some of those adventures went awry. Rescue teams responded to several emergency situations in the backcountry last month, one of which involved a fatality.

n After four days of searching, teams found the body of missing hiker Chad Seger on Tuesday, Oct. 21, in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area.

Seger, a 27-year-old Asheville resident, had been missing since Monday, Oct. 12, when he spoke briefly with a family member by phone. He was reported missing the following Friday and an investigation began immediately. His vehicle was located in the Black Balsam Parking lot.

Searchers ultimately located him around 3 p.m. Oct. 21 in an off-trail area near the Art Loeb Trail with his gear nearby. A cause of death has not been released. More than 400 people representing multiple agencies from five states participated in the search.

n An injured bear hunter was rescued from a remote area of Haywood County and transported to a hospital via helicopter overnight Tuesday, Oct. 27.

At about 5 p.m. that day, Haywood County received notice that bear hunter Richard Warren had been injured in a fall above Sunburst Campground off of Lake Logan Road, and the Lake Logan-Cecil Volunteer Fire Department and Haywood County EMS were initially dispatched to the scene. After assessing the situation, they

requested additional resources.

Getting Warren from the location of his initial injury back up to a trail where he was eventually transported to the hospital by helicopter was a highly technical rescue effort, in the dark, involving more than 900 feet of rope haul lines and pulleys. Two responders were injured in the rescue process and were treated and released at the scene.

Multiple factors including patient condition, responder safety, terrain, weather and time of day went into the decision to call for air support. The Tennessee National Guard helicopter team provided mutual aid to assist the North Carolina National Guard with a UH60 blackhawk helicopter out of McGee Tyson Air Force Base.

About 60 rescuers and responders representing 16 different agencies were involved in the extensive rescue effort that lasted all night. The final rescue teams were checked back in safely around 7 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28.

n Missing hiker Frank Braden Jr. emerged from the woods safely Wednesday, Oct. 28, after he was reported missing at 7 p.m. the previous day.

Braden had gone on a solo day hike along the Middle Prong Trail in the Tremont area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park but got turned around and ended up spending the night outdoors. More than 30 people participated in the response and searched more than 20 acres of off-trail areas along with 30 miles of park trails.

Braden was found safe without any major injuries around 4 p.m. Oct. 28 and walked out with assistance from park rangers.

demic has had a positive impact, but whether that impact proves to be a shortterm boost or a longer-lasting norm, air quality metrics have been trending in a positive direction for decades.

In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, standard visual range on the most impaired days has nearly doubled from 28 miles in 2009 to just under 50 miles in 2018. Similarly, particulate matter concentrations have plummeted from about 10.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2009 to about 6.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019. Ozone concentrations have fallen significantly as well, from 0.07 parts per million in 2009 to just over 0.06 parts per million in 2019. For the past decade, particu-

late matter and ozone levels have all come in well under the EPA standard applicable at the time.

“That’s progress you can see, and it’s great proof that our partnerships are working,” said Abraczinskas.

Conference organizer Bill Eaker, senior environmental planner for Land of Sky, agreed with that assessment as he gave an encouraging conclusion to the program.

“What we learned today is that if we do all work together and get really focused on something, that we can be very successful,” he said. “We’ve really got a tremendous environmental success story here in Western North Carolina and across the state.”

Congressmen push for red wolf conservation

An Oct. 27 letter signed by 24 Democratic U.S. Congressmen is asking federal agencies to take urgent action on behalf of the critically endangered American red wolf.

While the wild wolf population — located exclusively in five Eastern North Carolina counties — has consistently numbered over 100 wolves between 2002 and 2014, it is now down to only nine collared wolves in the wild, the letter said, adding that two recent reports indicate there may now be only seven collared wolves.

While the total wild population is estimated at 17 to 20 animals to include those without functional collars, that population is aging, said Ron Sutherland, chief

servation efforts and allowed red wolves to be killed with no hunting restrictions outside of a small area of public land in Hyde and Dare counties. A final version of the rule, which generated widespread opposition, has yet to be released.

“For six years, the FWS has not released any captive wolves into the wild population and has not resumed its prior proactive management of coyotes to address hybridization risks in the Red Wolf Recovery Area,” reads the representatives’ letter. “Given that no red wolf reproduction has occurred in the wild for the past two breeding seasons, the continued inaction of the agency will precipitate the extinction of the red wolf in the wild. This is a clear violation of both the public trust and the Endangered Species Act.”

Smokies bridge projects will require road closures

Work has begun to replace seven bridges in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and repair seven others, improvements made possible due to two construction contracts recently awarded by the Federal Highway Administration. The work will continue through Jan. 19, 2022, and requires several single-lane closures and a few full road closures to safely accomplish the repairs.

scientist for the Wildlands Network. The wolves include a set of 3- and 4-year-olds and a set of 9- and 10-year-olds, but wolves live only 9 or 10 years in the wild at maximum and the number is more like 3 or 4 years when factoring in humancaused mortality.

“In other words, the handful of red wolves we have left are all either middleaged or elderly, and the fate of the species in the wild hangs very much in the balance on their weary shoulders and paws,” said Sutherland.

The red wolf reintroduction effort has been the subject of years of conflict between wildlife agencies and environmental groups. In 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service halted reintroduction efforts to support the existing wild population. A proposed rule released in June 2018 would have severely restricted con-

Report feral hogs

The letter is addressed to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Regional Director Leopoldo Miranda. It requests that the agency leaders take several specific actions to support the wild red wolf population. These include: introducing new wild breeding pairs “expeditiously,” resuming release of captive pups into wild dens as soon as wild reproduction is established, restarting the coyote sterilization program and other strategies in the Red Wolf Adaptive Management Program, maintaining the current five-county recovery area and identifying additional lands for red wolf habitat, selecting new sites for additional red wolf reintroductions, engaging local communities to protect wild red wolves from gunshot mortalities and supporting targeted education efforts regarding the red wolf’s characteristics and natural history.

The letter was written by Virginia Congressman A. Donald McEachin and co-authored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva of Arizona and Virginia Congressman Don Beyer. Signatories from North Carolina include District 12 Rep. Alma Adams, District 4 Rep. David Price, District 1 Rep. G.K. Butterfield.

A new online tool is available to report sightings of feral hogs or hog damage to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

The wild hogs are invasive and cause significant damage to plants, prey on native wildlife and compete with native species for food and water resources. They also have the potential to spread disease that pose substantial risk to livestock, wildlife, people and pets.

Reporting sightings will help members of the Commission’s N.C. Feral Swine Task Force better determine priority areas to focus management efforts. The information will help them better understand the distribution and abundance of feral hogs statewide as well as the extent and types of damage they are causing.

To report sightings or damage, visit bit.ly/35rjkOp. For more information about feral hogs, visit www.ncwildlife.org/feral-swine.

Kentucky, is performing the work through a $3.5 million contract that includes replacement of timber decks, installation of steel beams and building new abutment walls and concrete approach slabs.

Estes Brothers of Jonesville, Virginia, was awarded a separate $1 million contract to replace two bridges and repair seven more in other areas of the park. The repair work includes replacing damaged rails, repointing masonry, sealing cracks and repairing deck joints.

Forge Creek Road in the Cades Cove area closed to all use on Nov. 2 and will remain closed through May 27, 2021, for the replacement of five bridges. There will be no access to Henry Whitehead Place or the Gregory Bald Trailhead during this time.

Adams Contracting LLC of Lexington,

Bridges in the following areas will be repaired throughout the contract period and visitors should expect singlelane closures in these areas: two bridges along the Gatlinburg Bypass; two bridges along Little River Road; two bridges in the Elkmont area and one bridge in the Park Headquarters area. When the schedule is finalized this winter, the park will announce dates for a monthlong full closure of the road leading to Ramsey Cascades Trailhead and the road leading to Smoky Mountain Stables in order to fully replace bridges in those areas. Current road closure information is available at www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm.

Become a sedimentation sentinel

Join a growing group of volunteers working to identify sources of sediment in Western North Carolina streams by participating in one of two six-hour trainings slated for Tuesday, Nov. 10, and Saturday, Nov. 21, in Panthertown Valley.

The training sessions will teach participants what projects produce the biggest benefits and prioritize where coldwater conservation happens. After the training, volunteers can work on their own schedule to cover priority roads and trails in the Tuckasegee, Pigeon, Upper French Broad, Davidson and Mills River Watersheds.

Both sessions will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cold Mountain Gap Trailhead in Panthertown. To sign up, contact Jeff Wright at jeff.wright@tu.org.

Storm impacts Panthertown access

Hurricane Zeta has washed out a significant portion of a road used to access the Salt Rock Gap Trailhead at Panthertown Valley.

The storm washed out half of Cedar Creek Road coming up from U.S. 64 near Cashiers. The road is closed and will be for some time. Use alternative routes to access Panthertown Valley.

Friends of Panthertown is in the process of assessing the trails to determine the extent of storm damage there. Trail users should be aware of significant risk of blocked trails and the potential for trees and branches to fall from above. Avoid parking or camping in areas where trees could fall.

Help hellbenders

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wants to hear about hellbender sightings, part of agency biologists’ ongoing effort to learn more about where the giant salamanders live and how their populations are faring.

In North Carolina, the 16-inch aquatic salamanders are found only in fast-moving, clean mountain streams in the western region. Once common, the creatures have disappeared throughout much of their habitat due to declining water quality and habitat degradation, and to a lesser degree due to persecution from anglers who mistakenly think that hellbenders hurt the trout population. While

Explore at REI

they may occasionally go after a trout on a line, hellbenders eat mainly crayfish and are not poisonous, venomous, toxic or harmful to humans.

Hellbenders are listed as a species of special concern in North Carolina, meaning that taking, possessing, transporting, selling or attempting to do any of the above to a hellbender is a Class I Misdemeanor punishable by a fine and up to 120 days in jail.

Report hellbender sightings to lori.williams@ncwildlife.org or call the Wildlife Interaction Helpline at 866.318.2401.

From hiking tours to survival classes, REI in Asheville is offering a variety of outdoor-oriented programs this fall. Prices range from free to $440, depending on the activity, and registration is required at www.rei.com/events/p/us-ncasheville. Courses tend to fill up, so it’s recommended to register as far in advance as possible.

Deadly rabbit disease could spread to N.C.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is asking for help to monitor the spread of a deadly rabbit disease known as rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2, or RHDV2.

This fatal disease affects both domestic and wild rabbits. There is no cure for wild rabbits and a vaccine for domestic rabbits is not yet readily available in the United States. The disease has not yet been reported in North Carolina and is currently found primarily in the southwestern U.S. People can spread the virus indirectly by carrying it on their shoes and clothes, but it doesn’t impact human health.

Should the current disease outbreak make its way to the East Coast, the commission is concerned about its potential impact to native rabbit populations, particularly the Appalachian cottontail that is found only in the western part of the state at higher elevations. The Appalachian cottontail is a designated a species of concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and classified as vulnerable to critically imperiled throughout most of its range.

Anyone who finds a dead wild rabbit in which the cause of death is not readily apparent, or in which the animal has blood around the nose, mouth or rectum, should refrain from touching it and call the commission’s wildlife helpline

at 866.318.2401 or email wildlifehelpline@ncwildlife.org. The commission will rely on reports of rabbit mortalities to document the disease’s occurrence and potential spread in North Carolina. When moving rabbits from other states into North Carolina, rabbit owners must possess a health certificate or Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Appalachian cottontails are designated a species of concern by the U.S.

Exhibit re-imagines Bartram’s art

An exhibit featuring the work of more than a dozen regional and local artists who have rendered William Bartram’s 18th century artwork into a modern context will open with an outdoor ceremony 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the Macon County Public Library.

exploration of north Georgia and Western North Carolina, during which he described Cherokee villages and customs, plant and animal life, and the mountain landscape of that time. His 1791 publication Travels remains in print and is the only such account of the area from that time period.

These are only the answers.

“Re-imagining Bartram” is hosted by the Georgia-North Carolina Bartram Trail Society and will run through the end of December. It celebrates Bartram’s 1775

To attend the opening or visit the exhibit, contact Kristina Moe at kmoe@fontanalib.org.

www.ncbartramtrail.org.

Friends of the Greenway to host craft fair

The Friends of the Greenway will host an Arts and Crafts Fair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in Franklin, its only fundraiser of the year.

The event will include music, a raffle drawing, food and vendors at FROG Quarters on 573 E. Main Street. All vendor fees, food purchases and raffle ticket purchases will benefit FROG. COVID19 safety precautions will include increased vendor spacing, hand sanitizer and masks required for vendors and volunteers but encouraged for all others.

Conservation purchase complete in Burke County

The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina has purchased 322 acres in Burke County, completing the second and final stage of a 652-acre conservation purchase.

The 652 acres comprise the Oak Hill Community Park and Forest, which partners plan to transform into a destination for hiking, mountain biking, outdoor education, archeological exploration, community events and other recreational and educational opportunities. The purchase ensures permanent protection of a segment of Canoe Creek, forested uplands, agricultural land and scenic views of the Blue Ridge and South Mountains. Previously

timbered areas of the property will be stewarded through forest restoration projects to create new opportunities for forest management education.

Originally a 913-acre parcel, the land was managed for timber production, private hunting and agriculture. In 2015, it was sold to a land investment partnership, and by 2018, the property was being subdivided and sold.

With the purchase complete, the land trust will now work to develop a park master plan with assistance from Destination by Design. The process will include opportunity for public input and feedback. Foothills Conservancy also hired EcoForesters, a nonprofit professional forestry organization, to complete a Community Forest Plan. A combination of private donations and grants made the purchase possible.

WNC Calendar

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The Friends of the Greenway will hold its Arts & Crafts Fair fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. All vendor fees, food purchases, and purchased raffle tickets will benefit FROG. The raffle drawing will be at 2 p.m., participants do not have to be present to win. Music will be ongoing during the event. Safety precautions will be in place with vendor spacing, hand sanitizer will be available, masks are required for vendors and FROG volunteers, and encouraged for all others.

• Live Forgiven Church will host a grocery giveaway from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 45 Crown Ridge Road Sylva. The event will be held curbside with safety precautions in place. It is open to anyone with shelf stable items, produce and eggs available to donate. Email Chris and Crystal Akers at FoodMinistry@LiveForgiven.Life for more information.

• Town of Waynesville will conduct its bi-annual Cemetery Clean-up beginning Nov. 9. Cemetery Staff will begin tagging items to be removed on Oct. 12, items not removed by Nov. 9, will be removed by Town Staff and stored for 60 days. For additional assistance, contact the Public Works Office at 828-456-3706.

• Papertown Winter Market will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Bethel Christian Academy in Canton. Admission is free. Vendors are welcome, the cost is $40 for a table and chair at the Market. Contact Jessica Jones at 828.734.9733 for further details.

B USINESS & E DUCATION

• Summit Charter School will host a k-12 open house at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the school, 370 Mitten Lane, Cashiers, NC 28717. Tours will also include the school's new high school building as well as the Summit Center, which features a gym and classrooms for music and art education. For more information or to RSVP, call 828.743.5755 or email kpusch@summitschool.org.

• Franklin’s Mobile Museum, formerly Arduino Club, will meet with masks each Saturday at 1 p.m. outdoors at the Wesley Park pavilion, at 573 NE Main St., Franklin, starting Nov. 7. We will discuss and work on various museum exhibits, this year science themed. The exhibits will travel around the region to school outdoor events. For more info, visit franklinsmobilemuseum.com.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth & Enrichment will be offering an online High Impact Leadership Certificate from Monday – Friday, Nov. 9-13, with live instruction, activities and interaction. The program will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day with breaks throughout. Online spots are limited to 24. There are 29 SHRM PDC credits available at the successful completion of the program. The registration fee is $849. The nonprofit rate is $649. For more information and to register, visit pdp.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7397.

• In November and December, on the first and third Fridays, a Career Advisor from the Swain County NCWorks Career Center will be at the library to assist job seekers with their job search efforts. Assistance filling out job applications, creating professional resumes, and preparing for interviews will be provided. The Marianna Black Library, a member of the Fontana Regional Library, is located in Downtown Bryson City at the corner of Academy and Rector. For more information or to make an appointment, please call the Marianna Black Library at 828.488.3030 or visit www.fontanlaib.org.

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

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

H EALTH AND WELLNESS

• A new Zumba class will start up 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Register with Tom Plowman at tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030.

A&E

• An exhibit featuring the work of more than a dozen regional and local artists who have rendered William Bartram’s 18th century artwork into a modern context will open with an outdoor ceremony 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the Macon County Public Library. To attend the opening or visit the exhibit, contact Kristina Moe at kmoe@fontanalib.org.

• The annual “Polar Express” train ride will kick off the holiday on Nov. 6 from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot in downtown Bryson City. For a complete listing of departure dates and times, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

• “Art After Dark” will continue from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, in downtown Waynesville. It is free to attend Art After Dark. For more information, click on www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com.

• An artist demonstration will be hosted by painter Jennifer Sharkey from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Haywood County Arts Council on Main Street in Waynesville. Free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Scoundrel’s Lounge Friday, Nov. 6, Bona Fide Nov. 7 and Good Bonez Nov. 14. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.www.froglevelbrewing.com.

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

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Anna Victoria 7 p.m. Nov. 6. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a drivein concert series with Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires (rock/Americana) Nov. 5, Martin Sexton (folk/soul) Nov. 7, Keller Williams & Friends (jam/acoustic) Nov. 13 and St. Paul & The Broken Bones (soul/rock) Nov. 19. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

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

F OOD & D RINK

• A ServSafe certification program in food protection will be offered 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18-19 at the Macon County Cooperative Extension Center. The $125 registration fee is due by Nov. 2. Register at https://macon.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/10/food-protectionmanager-certification. For more information contact

Kimberly Terrell, 828.349.2048 or kimberly_terrell@ncsu.edu.

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

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

• Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville is offering lunch on Saturdays, “Lunch with us” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring fresh seasonal menu with outdoor seating, weather permitting. 828.452.0120 or www.waynesvillewine.com.

•Bryson City Wine Market offers a new flight line-up of wines to enjoy from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. The Wine Market also offers market plates for two including a wide array of delectable finger foods. Come by any day for a glass of wine and a Taste of the Market Plate. Call 828.538.0420.

Outdoors

• The Friends of the Greenway will host an Arts and Crafts Fair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in Franklin, its only fundraiser of the year. The event will include music, a raffle drawing, food and vendors at FROG Quarters on 573 E. Main Street. All vendor fees, food purchases and raffle ticket purchases will benefit FROG. COVID-19 safety precautions will include increased vendor spacing, hand sanitizer, and mask required for vendors and volunteers but encouraged for all others.

• Join a growing group of volunteers working to identify sources of sediment in Western North Carolina streams by participating in one of two six-hour trainings slated for Tuesday, Nov. 10, and Saturday, Nov. 21, in Panthertown Valley. Both sessions will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cold Mountain Gap Trailhead in Panthertown. To sign up, contact Jeff Wright at jeff.wright@tu.org.

• Friends of Panthertown is hosting a series of trail work days this fall, and all are invited to come pitch in. Scheduled work days are Wednesday, Nov. 4; Thursday, Nov. 12; Saturday, Nov. 21; Saturday, Nov. 28; Wednesday, Dec. 2; Friday, Dec. 11; Saturday, Dec. 12; Saturday, Dec. 19. To sign up, visit www.panthertown.org/volunteer.

• A three-day cleanup at Fontana Lake will culminate the statewide Trees4Trash Neighborhood Tree Challenge taking place Oct. 31-Nov. 7. Cleanup sessions at Fontana will be held 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7; as well as 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Fontana Dam. The cleanup is part of a slate of events hosted by the N.C. Wildlife Federation that stretches across the state and includes plantings, cleanups and giveaways. Due to COVID-19 protocols and space limitations, participants must register online at https://bit.ly/31DR75M.

• Learn how to navigate with a map and compass during a free two-day course held 8 a.m. to noon

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

n Complete listings of local music scene

n Regional festivals

n Art gallery events and openings

n Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers

n Civic and social club gatherings

Saturdays, Nov. 7 and Nov. 21, in Haywood County. Space is limited. Sign up by calling the Haywood County Recreation and Parks Department at 828.452.6789.

• The third annual Outdoor Economy Conference will take place entirely online, but instead of occupying a single day it will instead span an entire month. Sessions will be held noon to 4 p.m. every Thursday in October, with the theme being “The Future of Outdoors.” In addition to presentations, the online format will include ample networking time with peers and presenters alike. Attendees will have access to all conference materials for six months and can purchase an allaccess pass or a-la-carte session tickets. Learn more at www.outdooreconomy.org.

• The ninth annual N.C. BikeWalk Transportation Summit will be held online Nov. 5-6. The $50 registration fee — $15 for students — includes a year’s membership with BikeWalkNC. Register at www.bikewalknc.org/nc-bicycle-summit.

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

• A display of 50 powerful paintings showcasing the most remote and wild corners of the Canadian Arctic is on display through Jan. 3 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. Entrance to the exhibit is free with the arboretum’s standard $16 parking fee. Face coverings are required for visitors age 5 and older.

Market PLACE WNC

MarketPlace information:

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

Rates:

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

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

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

• Legal N otices — 25¢ per word

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

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

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

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

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

Announcements

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

Auction

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Building Materials

FREE Wood planks. Appear to be poplar or other hardwood. Between 8’ and 12’ long. Varying conditions. Located in west Waynesville/ Saunook. Must take ALL planks. FREE. Call or text 828.246.8092.

Business For Sale

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Business Opportunities

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

Employment

AIRLINES ARE HIRINGGet FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Fistudents - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-441-6890.

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Haywood Co. Real Estate Agents

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate- Heritage

• Carolyn Lauter - carolyn@bhgheritage.com

Beverly Hanks & Associates- beverly-hanks.com

• Ann Eavenson - anneavenson@beverly-hanks.com

• Billie Green - bgreen@beverly-hanks.com

• Michelle McElroy- michellemcelroy@beverly-hanks.com

• Steve Mauldin - smauldin@beverly-hanks.com

• Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com

• Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com

• Brooke Parrott - bparrott@beverly-hanks.com

• Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com

• Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com

• Ellen Sither - ellensither@beverly-hanks.com

• Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com

• Karen Hollingsed- khollingsed@beverly-hanks.com

• Billy Case- billycase@beverly-hanks.com

• Laura Thomas - lthomas@beverly-hanks.com

• John Keith - jkeith@beverly-hanks.com

• Randall Rogers - rrogers@beverly-hanks.com

• Susan Hooper - shooper@beverly-hanks.com

• Hunter Wyman - hwyman@beverly-hanks.com

• Rob Roland - robroland@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com

• Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com

• Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com

Jerry Lee Mountain Realty

• Jerry Lee Hatley- jerryhatley@bellsouth.net

• Pam James - pam@pamjames.com

Keller Williams Realty - kellerwilliamswaynesville.com

• The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

• Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff@kw.com

• Darrin Graves - dgraves@kw.com

Lakeshore Realty

• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Log & Frame Homes - 828-734-9323

Mountain Dreams Realty- maggievalleyhomesales.com

Mountain Creek Real Estate

• Ron Rosendahl - 828-593-8700

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

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

• Holly Fletcher - holly@hollyfletchernc.com

• The Real Team - TheRealTeamNC.com

• Ron Breese - ronbreese.com

• Landen Stevenson- landen@landenkstevenson.com

• Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

• Mary & Roger Hansen - mwhansen@charter.net

• David Rogers - davidr@remax-waynesvillenc.com

• Juli Rogers - julimeaserogers@gmail.com

• Amy Boyd Sugg - amyboydsugg@gmail.com

The Smoky Mountain Retreat at Eagles Nest

• Tom Johnson - tomsj7@gmail.com

• Sherell Johnson - sherellwj@aol.com

WNC Real Estate Store

• Melanie Hoffman - mhoffmanrealestate@gmail.com

• Thomas Hoffman - thoffman1@me.com

SUPER CROSSWORD

prog.

77Tries to trim down

82Luau chow

83Dartboard's rings, e.g.

88Astral bear

90Alternate spelling of a word: Abbr.

91Fair-hiring abbr.

92Actor Kevin of "Weeds"

93Part of a routine baby immunization

99Churn up

100Stetson, say

101Ending of ordinals

102Flow stopper

105Err in finding the total of

108Fruity pastries

110Jaffa citizen

114Assembly associated with a church creed

46"-- help if ..."

47-- Khan (Islamic title)

48Elicit an encore, say

49Italian entree

55Ore- --

56Gift getter

57Signs off on

58"My treat"

59Mars vehicle

61"Dilate" artist DiFranco

62Formerly

63Oakland team

65Flukes

70Many a released prisoner

72Grandpa Walton player Will

73Tarzan player Ron

74Draw out

75Jai --

76Reagan's "Star Wars"

118Put off

119Cheapest ship quarters, formerly

120Take out of the pier

121Number of dwarfs

122Infuriated

123Gazes

DOWN

1The Bible's Queen of --

2Far from flat, as terrain

3Balsam fir or pine extract

4Lobby orgs.

5Part of MFA

6Beginner

7Jean- -- Godard

8-- whim

9Actors Kilmer and Avery

10"And on and on": Abbr.

11Bit of babble from a crib

12Once-a-year

13Old Persian

14Academy email ending

15Activity-tracking device

16Stretchy

17See 65-Down

18Mille -- (Minnesota county)

19Fruity beverages

24Apple buy

25Police cruiser

31Post-it note, informally

32Gyro breads

34Utah's lily

36Winans with 12 Grammys

37Be fond of

38French for "summer"

39Govt. health agency

40Tardy

41Pitted garnishes

42The Green Party's Ralph

43Trades jabs

44Watch readout, for short 45"So that's your trick!"

50For the -- (temporarily)

51Self-pride

52Run up, as expenses

53The "A" of OAS: Abbr.

54Bana of "Troy"

60Poem of exaltation

61Suffix with pent-

62Whale locale

63Keepsake

64At least one

65With 17-Down, Princess or Royal Caribbean

66Ad -- committee

67Baldwin of "Aloha"

68Eye suggestively

69British soldier of old

70Add zing to

71Beautify

75Prefix for "height"

76Food filter

77Three, in Ulm

78Optimistic declaration

79Interior-design magazine

80Saints linebacker Manti --

81Tax form ID

84Egg-shaped things

85Salt, chemically

86Clergyman's area: Abbr.

87Ltd. cousin

89Civil War folk song

94Trendy

95Pursued

96Hauled (off)

97Clothes

98Trendy

1031970s-'80s sitcom

104Gets as much as one can out of

105Docs' orders

106Big name in slushes

1071970s-'80s skit show

108"Toodles!"

109Read digitally

111-- -chef (#2 in a kitchen)

112Peewee pup

113Cost an arm -- leg

115Belief system

116Epoch

117Guided

ANSWERS ON PAGE 34

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7TH ANNUAL ALZ R

ZHEIMER’S FUNDRAISE

This year, you can feel the sati suffering with the devastating disease and in turn help our lo traditional fundraiser has been

isfaction of supporting families who are effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s ocal businesses and restaurants. Our n cancelled but your participation has not

This year’s fundraiser is being held “Covid 19 raise money to assist in the operations of M

These three organizations devote all of the dementia or other cognitive related disorde Respite for respite care grants for caregiver

9” style, without actual players but with your help

!

we are “in it to win it” as we Maple Leaf Adult Day Care, MemoryCare of Hay eir time and energy to those in our county who a ers. With the funds raised, we will be able to provid s who need relief, MemoryCare of Haywood Cou

resource support for our Haywood County r

residents who are making the journey with demen

In the past, you have been faithful suppo continued support... just in a different wa

o rters of this fundraiser and we are hoping and a y.

Withdtiillbkith

With your donation, you will be making the current Covid 19 closures as you choose gif

e “long walk” with dementia a little less frighten t cards for local businesses and/or restaurants, in

We cannot say enough about the commu

Your tax-deductible checks can be made ID# of your choice in the memo line.

*Youmayalsoindicateifthiswillbeinhonor/mem

praying that we have your

ning for those families in our your name, for your tee gift.

nity in which we live. We feel blessed to be out to Alzheimer’s Fundraiser, with the Tax ywood County, and HayDRE. are making the journey with de scholarships to Maple Leaf unty for patients and families ntia.

You may also indicate if this will be in honor/mem affectedbyAlzheimer’sorothercognitiverelated oryofsomeonewhohasbeen ory of someone who has been disorders affected by Alzheimers or other cognitive related