WCU Fine Art Museum marks 20th anniversary Page 24
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North Carolina’s westernmost congressional district has been reliably Republican over the last several election cycles. But this year, Democrats see an opening to possibly flip the seat. Now, along with incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards facing a Republican Primary challenger, a whole host of Democrats have lined up to see who will move on to the General Election in hopes of taking the seat out of GOP control for the first time since 2013. Adobe Firefly image
News
Former Green Beret confronts GOP incumbent he says fell short......................4 Democrats sense opportunity in storm-ravaged NC-11..........................................6
Clarifying Swain County commissioners’ budget, hiring process ....................16 Fontana Regional Library begins search for new director....................................17 WNC cut from federal census; EBCI discusses internal count ........................19
Retired WCU SID honored with naming of new media center..........................21
Opinion
Some pre-Lent thoughts: fasting and feasting..........................................................22 You can’t un-melt the melting pot..................................................................................23
A&E
WCU Fine Art Museum marks 20 years....................................................................24
Haywood museum hosts Valentine’s Day open house..........................................27
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In NC-11, former Green Beret confronts GOP incumbent he says fell short
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
Over the past decade or more, Western North Carolina Republicans have proven that the only candidates that can beat incumbent Republican congressmen are other Republicans. Adam Smith talks like someone who has already settled on that outcome and is now working backward to make it inevitable.
“What conservative voters in the United States want to see is Republicans have the intestinal fortitude to do what they said they were going to do,” Smith said.
Smith’s message blends urgency, grievance and a soldier’s sense of duty. To Smith, this race is not about ambition, but rather obligation — a mission he believes circumstances have assigned him.
months crisscrossing the NC-11 district, listening more than speaking, he says. What he claims to hear repeatedly is frustration not just with Democrats but with Republicans who campaign as conservatives and govern as caretakers of the status quo.
“I have learned that now more than ever before, the American people are very, very tired of politics as usual, and that the ‘great divide’ that continues to be broadcast is not a great divide in reality,” said Smith.
His challenge to two-term incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) has been unusually confrontational for an intraparty race.
apparent since his first reelection campaign in 2024; Cherokee County challenger Christian Reagan, who didn’t have much of a public profile before taking up a Primary challenge to Edwards that year, pulled an astonishing 31% of the Primary vote against the incumbent Edwards despite being badly outraised.
Smith’s campaign critique focuses largely on Edwards’ time in Congress, particularly recent votes Smith characterizes as misaligned with conservative principles. He points to continued funding for the National Endowment for Democracy, support for what he describes as activist judges and approval of kill-switch vehicle technology he believes could bolster government surveillance and overreach. Beyond individual votes, Smith emphasizes Edwards’ relatively weak ratings from conservative organizations as evidence of what he calls a pattern, rather than isolated incidents.
“His score card with the Heritage Foundation lifetime is 68%. The Freedom Index is 49%. Club for Growth is at 54% or 55% [for the last session],” said Smith. “These indices, they all have their own agenda based on their scoring and indicate a lifetime cycle of voting tendencies that don’t align with America-first values or what’s in the best interest of American voters.”
Growing up in southern Indiana before enlisting in the Army, Smith spent nearly 17 years on active duty. Most of his service was with the 19th and 20th Special Forces Groups known as Green Berets, including a deployment to Bosnia and multiple tours in Afghanistan — some of them supporting operations tied to the Defense Intelligence Agency. His military career also took him throughout Southeast Asia, Central America and South America.
After leaving the Army in 2016, Smith turned his focus to building Savage Freedom, an organization he says mobilized what became the region’s largest grassroots response to Hurricane Helene, coordinating thousands of volunteers, hundreds of aircraft missions, the delivery of millions of pounds of supplies and raising nearly $700,000 in roughly one month. Famously, Smith helped turn the parking lot of a Harley Davidson dealership into a landing zone for helicopters delivering supplies.
He announced his campaign in September and has spent
the incumbent to debate and has repeated the demand daily on social media for more than three weeks now. He says constituents have echoed that request but that Edwards’ campaign has declined, citing fundraising reports. Smith argues the refusal is strategic, designed to deny him exposure and suppress scrutiny of Edwards’ voting record.
“The polling that we’ve gotten back shows that we are well within the margin of error when it comes to informed ballots,” Smith said.
And he may have a point — Republicans have complained of an enthusiasm gap with Edwards, which has been
Medicaid expansion, which Edwards supported late in his tenure in the General Assembly, is another flashpoint. Smith does not oppose helping people access care but argues the policy was enacted without a sustainable funding plan and has contributed to fiscal insta-
He extends that critique to Congress’ reliance on continuing resolutions, which he says postpone hard decisions and erode trust.
In Smith’s telling, Edwards’ most consequential failure has come in disaster recovery. He faults Edwards for claiming credit he believes belongs to residents and volunteers, and for championing reforms only after outside pressure mounted. Under Edwards, less than 15% of the $60 billion needed for full recovery has been delivered in the 16 months after Hurricane Helene, despite Edwards’ position on the House appropriations committee. If elected, Smith says his first priority would be changing how disaster dollars flow, bypassing layers of bureaucracy that slow recovery. He advocates direct block grants to counties with strict spending rules, allowing local governments to act quickly without losing funds to administrative overhead. He’s not the first to propose such an arrangement. That emphasis on decentralization extends to his broader governing philosophy. Smith repeatedly returns to the idea that Congress should F
Adam Smith argues that the 11th Congressional District needs a representative driven by duty, accountability and service rather than political preservation.
Facebook photo
restrain itself, acting as a steward rather than a manager of daily life.
Affordability is a dominant issue for voters across party lines, Smith said, and he acknowledges that immediate relief will be difficult to achieve. Instead, he argues for transparency, coalition-building and confrontation with entrenched interests.
“I don’t think a single member of Congress can do anything to fix that problem in the face of a massive number of individuals in Congress that continue to vote in their own self-interest,” Smith said.
“However, I think a single member of Congress has the opportunity to use their platform to spread a message of awareness to the American people, provide a level of transparency that we haven’t seen before — and piss off the right people.”
Taxes and property rights are central to Smith’s economic worldview. He frequently questions the concept of ownership in a system where failure to pay taxes can result in property seizure, arguing that Americans increasingly rent their property from the government.
That critique informs his interest in alternative revenue models, including tariffs and bonds.
Smith proposes incentivizing the return of trillions of dollars held overseas by offering bonds dedicated to debt reduction and program solvency, an approach he says would strengthen families while stabilizing federal finances.
“Let’s define it — ‘terror’ is the use of violence or the threat of violence and/or intimidation in order to advance a religious, political or societal ideology, and that’s what we’re seeing firsthand right now in Minneapolis,” he said. “A large group of people using the threat of violence and intimidation against anyone they suspect to be in support of — or be members of — ICE, in all my experience around the world, we would call that terrorism. We would call them insurrectionists.”
Looking beyond the Primary, Smith expresses confidence that in the face of stiff Democratic competition, a Republican can hold the 11th Congressional District seat — but not Edwards.
In his view, unaffiliated and conservative voters still form a majority in Western North Carolina, but turnout depends on whether they believe promises will be kept. Citing recent Democratic gains in traditionally red areas across the country as evidence that complacency carries consequences, Smith says the NC-11 Republican Party apparatus must reengage disillusioned voters, even though its current party officers have fallen short.
“The [NC-11] Executive Committee and the leadership of the party in the region, they don’t care about the party growing. They’re not actively pursuing educating voters, holding conservative events, holding conservative rallies in order to mobilize the base,” he said. “It’s a good-old-boys’ club, and there’s a fear that if [the party] grows, they’ll lose their seat
He also holds a nuanced view of tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump, supporting their use as a temporary bargaining tool against unfair trade practices, but opposing their permanence and the way costs have been passed on to consumers. He says tariffs should never be a substitute for a serious conversation about spending.
The conversation, he says, must include the national debt and the future of Social Security.
Immigration and enforcement are areas where Smith’s rhetoric sharpens. He supports deporting people in the country illegally, prioritizing violent offenders, and strongly defends Immigration and Customs Enforcement against criticism. At the same time, he says accountability must apply to everyone involved in enforcement actions and that investigations should determine responsibility when violence occurs.
Arguing that opposition to ICE in some cities represents a coordinated effort to obstruct lawful operations, Smith draws comparisons to tactics he says he witnessed overseas.
of influence, and ultimately their position of significance.”
If he wins the nomination, Smith says his message to the electorate would emphasize rebuilding, both physically and institutionally. He rejects the idea of personal credit for legislative achievements, arguing that elected office exists to amplify the will of constituents, not replace it.
“I want to see Western North Carolina rebuilt, and I want to see businesses reinvigorated in this region,” he said. “If we have the ability to make that happen, then we accomplished something.”
If he loses the Primary, Smith declined to say whether he would support Edwards, choosing to withhold that decision until after the election. It is a rare note of ambiguity in a campaign otherwise defined by certainty. For Smith, the race is a referendum not just on one member of Congress, but also on a political culture he believes has drifted from service to self-preservation.
Whether voters share that assessment will determine if his mission continues beyond the Primary Election.
Democrats sense opportunity in storm-ravaged NC-11
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
OLITICS E DITOR
Voters in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District have endured years of disaster and instability, just as
Democrats believe this is their best chance in years to flip the gerrymandered seat currently held by Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson). Five candidates are asking for that chance.
Republican supermajority with a pair of flips in state Senate districts that were redrawn to erase racist gerrymanders. In December 2025, a Georgia Democrat won a seat in the state House that Trump had previously won by 12
terms of actual aid received.
Disaster relief aside, Edwards has shown a pattern of failing to answer questions about his positions and record, and repeatedly refusing invitations to participate in public
tionary tale for voters. Former Rep. Mark Meadows resigned and left his seat empty after becoming President Donald Trump’s chief of staff — just as the federal government was passing some of the largest spending packages in its history.
Despite a presidential pardon for federal charges, Meadows still has pending charges in Georgia and Arizona related to alleged attempts to subvert elections in those states.
Meadows’ successor, Madison Cawthorn, served one tumultuous term marked by several spicy controversies before Republican primary voters turned him out in favor of the relatively stable Edwards, whom they hoped would bring some measure of competence.
Meanwhile, Trump’s popularity has sagged among key groups since taking office, including with unaffiliated and suburban voters — creating headwinds for Republican candidates. The Epstein files aren’t helping.
Democratic strategists hold considerable optimism that a blue wave may be washing over the country in 2026. Throughout 2025, Democrats across the country posted a string of improbable headline victories that party officials and candidates interpret as evidence of a broader swing.
In March 2025, a Democrat claimed a seat in Pennsylvania’s state Senate for the first time in 136 years. In November 2025, Mississippi Democrats broke the
Republican” to “likely Republican,” reflecting both the national environment and, perhaps, local voter dynamics.
Cook rates the district at R+5. Nonpartisan redistricting site davesredistricting.org says NC-11 has performed at 51.9% for Republicans from 2020 through 2024, however Democrats performed far lower, at 45.9%.
A recent change in the Republican Party’s district leadership has resulted in several resignations that could impact traditional campaign support for candidates throughout the 11th District.
Critics of Edwards argue that this district is ripe for change not only because of national trends but also because of his recent legislative record.
First and foremost, he’s endured criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike for his response to Hurricane Helene’s impact on parts of Western North Carolina, where communities are still waiting for federal storm aid. Edwards claims he authored a $110 billion bill in 2024, which did include some relief — but only an estimated $9-15 billion towards $60 billion in damages. Current estimates put the state near the low end of that range in
has resulted in a mass exodus from the party in North Carolina — in favor of unaffiliated voters, who now outnumber both Democrats and Republicans.
Some even complained about the “crowning” of Kamala Harris after President Joe Biden decided not to seek reelection after a disastrous debate performance in 2024. Never mind that Harris was voted in as the nominee by members of her own party — the stain of party elites “anointing” candidates is a hard one to wash away.
That attitude has even permeated the NC-11 Democratic Primary, with some candidates believing they haven’t been treated fairly. Last August, Moe Davis, Zelda Briarwood, Chris Harjes and Paul Maddox signed a letter to the North Carolina Democratic Party, the NC-11 Democratic Party and Buncombe County Democrats alleging that the selection of Jamie Ager as the sole speaker at the party’s annual gala was at odds with the party’s fundamental values.
Ager, long perceived as the frontrunner due to his political pedigree and fundraising success, has tried to remain above the fray.
The gala misstep cost the NC-11 chair his F
Rep. Chuck Edwards’ failure to deliver meaningful recovery funding for Hurricane Helene — more than 16 months after the storm — remains a major campaign issue. Cory Vaillancourt photo
position as the party eventually relented and moved on, but the attacks on Ager haven’t stopped.
On Feb. 5, candidate Richard Hudspeth sent a letter to the Buncombe Dems, calling on the party “to reverse recent decisions that raise concerns about neutrality, access and fairness ahead of the upcoming primary.”
At issue is an upcoming “victory kickoff” rally where candidates were invited to speak — but only those willing to pay $500 for the opportunity. Sure, county parties must fundraise to support election-related activities, but Hudspeth called the whole situation “pay to play.”
With early voting for the March 3 Primary Election beginning on Feb. 12, voters must now decide which of the five candidates — Ager, Briarwood, Hudspeth, Maddox and Lee Whipple — are best equipped to defeat what they all feel is a vulnerable incumbent who hasn’t delivered for a sprawling congressional district that, according to the 2023 American Community Survey, has a median age 20% higher than the state and the country, a per capita income about 90% of the state and country, a poverty rate higher than the national average and a median home value 10% higher than the state.
LEE WHIPPLE
Whipple enters the NC-11 Democratic primary as an outsider, a civil engineer whose campaign centers on technical competence rather than party machinery. Raised largely in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Whipple says he grew up balancing two cultural perspectives through a father from rural Georgia and a mother from the Northeast.
That background led him to Georgia Tech, where he earned a degree in civil engineering and began a career spanning multiple states. Early work in Atlanta included streetscape projects connected to the 1996 Olympic Games before later professional stops in New Jersey and New Hampshire, prior to earning licensure in North Carolina.
Whipple’s work in Western North Carolina focuses on slope failures, dam rehabilitation and small bridge projects. He has been active in the American Society of Civil Engineers and says that experience informs his views on infrastructure vulnerabilities exposed by Hurricane Helene.
experiences he says have shaped his approach to strategy, communication and public presentation.
Asked to situate himself politically, Whipple consistently focuses his candidacy around Hurricane Helene and the federal government’s response. He argues that Western North Carolina’s recovery has been slowed by bureaucratic delay and insufficient urgency, a view that informs nearly every policy answer he offers.
That sense of perseverance extends to his critique of the Democratic Party’s internal dynamics. Whipple said he has felt marginalized by party structures and believes early momentum and fundraising advantages have distorted the primary field.
“[Democrats] maybe helped sort of anoint [Ager] as the candidate that they wanted to see,” Whipple said.
Whipple emphasized that he was not accusing any formal party organization of wrongdoing but said the perception of favoritism has been difficult to ignore. He recounted an incident at the gala where he said he was denied the opportunity to purchase a ticket or speak, despite being an active candidate at the time. He said he was ultimately asked to leave the event.
Those experiences, Whipple said, reinforced his belief that ideas — not access — should drive Democratic campaigns in the district.
Turning to Edwards’ record, Whipple said the congressman’s limited engagement has been disappointing.
“He needs to answer questions to his constituents,” said Whipple. “As a constituent, I would be happier to have him tell us a little bit about what’s going on.”
On constituent outreach, Whipple expressed support for Edwards’ mobile “Carolina Cruiser” concept but criticized its execution. He said he would rely on more modest, direct engagement, traveling the district himself and speaking in public spaces using portable equipment he already owns.
expanded humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, opposed unilateral action against Venezuela’s leadership and emphasized respect for Danish sovereignty regarding Greenland.
Pressed to identify instances where Edwards has benefited the district, Whipple pointed to Edwards’ eventual support for Medicaid expansion while serving in the North Carolina General Assembly, though he characterized that vote as reluctant and overdue.
Looking ahead, Whipple said his ultimate measure of success if he’s elected would be tangible disaster relief. He said that even a single term in Congress would be meaningful if it resulted in substantial federal investment in Western North Carolina’s recovery.
If he does not win the primary, Whipple said he would support the Democratic nominee, though he was candid about the financial and professional constraints that would limit his ability to campaign extensively on another candidate’s behalf.
Outside his profession, Whipple describes himself as widely read, particularly in history, military strategy and political economy, interests he traces back to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He is also an internationally rated chess player, a musician and a longtime member of Toastmasters,
Edwards’ limited engagement has left Maddox feeling excluded from the democratic process.
“I don’t feel represented,” he said. “I don’t feel like there’s any accountability in Chuck Edwards or most of the Republican Party these days.”
If elected, Maddox said he would prioritize direct communication with both the press and constituents across the district. He described his rural residence as an advantage rather than a limitation, saying everyday interactions outside population centers keep him grounded in voter concerns.
“I’m the most qualified candidate to help our community recover from Hurricane Helene,” said Whipple. “As a professional civil engineer, I have the experience working with city, state and federal agencies to get permits for projects, and that means that I’ve read through all kinds of technical documents, just like bills and laws that are going to have to be passed. I can speed read this stuff and get to the required information that really applies to the things that we need to pass in Congress.”
PAUL MADDOX
Countering Edwards’ appeal to rural voters, Whipple focuses on policy choices rather than personal background. He cited Edwards’ positions on health care access, SNAP funding and housing as evidence that the congressman has drifted away from the needs of workingclass constituents, particularly in rural areas.
“He came from rural roots, and he grew up in a family that was lower-middle class. I guess he’d say ‘Not well off,’” Whipple said. “He comes from that background, but he seems to forgotten all the things that help his constituents.”
Foreign policy, Whipple said, has become impossible to ignore, and his positions are largely interventionist on humanitarian and democratic grounds. He voiced strong support for Ukraine, called for
Maddox grew up in the Bent Creek community outside Asheville and graduated from Enka High School before enrolling at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he earned an undergraduate degree in biology with a minor in chemistry and later completed a PhD in 2003. After finishing his doctorate, Maddox and his wife, also a scientist, moved to San Diego for postdoctoral research and returned to Chapel Hill in 2013, where both joined the Department of Biology and continue to teach and conduct research. At the time of his entry into the race, Maddox was registered to vote in Orange County, but has since changed to Yancey County.
His campaign centers on accountability, accessibility and lived experience; Maddox describes himself as neither wealthy nor insulated from economic pressure, emphasizing that his decision to run has come with personal financial risk. That perspective, he says, shapes how he views representation in a district that spans rural mountain communities and small cities.
That approach, he said, would stand in contrast to Edwards’ mobile “Carolina Cruiser,” which Maddox characterized as staffdriven rather than per-
“I think Chuck is probably just not a very charismatic person, and so not he’s not a people person, and that’s why he’s not out there,” said Maddox. “I’m a people person. I don’t know how charismatic I am, but I love talking to people. I love meeting people and hearing their stories.”
Maddox said he believes representation requires time, patience and listening, even when that slows down a campaign schedule. He said those conversations, rather than polished messaging, are what allow an elected official to govern effectively.
Despite his wealth, Edwards has demonstrated great appeal to rural voters whose circumstances differ significantly from his own; Maddox contrasted the plight of working-class residents with Edwards’ personal fortune, arguing that lived experience matters when making policy decisions.
“I’m not a millionaire,” Maddox said. “I’m not taking a paycheck right now, and I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to pay my mortgage.”
Maddox said that gap in experience shows up in small but telling ways, arguing that wealth can insulate lawmakers from understanding the cumulative pressure of everyday expenses faced by working families.
Turning to foreign policy, Maddox offered clear positions across a range of flashpoints, emphasizing international law, sovereignty and restraint.
On Gaza, Maddox described the conflict as deeply complex and warned against rhetoric that erases entire populations, saying durable solutions require diplomacy rather than escalation. Addressing Greenland, Maddox rejected any notion of U.S. acquisition or pressure, emphasizing Denmark’s sovereignty and dismissing the issue as politically manufactured. On Venezuela, Maddox criticized U.S. interventionism and
Lee Whipple. File photo
Paul Maddox. File photo
said regime change efforts violate international norms, regardless of views on a country’s leadership. On Ukraine, he voiced unequivocal support for the country’s defense against Russian aggression.
“I believe Putin is a criminal — a war criminal,” said Maddox.
Asked to identify any instances where Edwards has benefited the district, Maddox said he struggled to point to concrete achievements. He acknowledged early Helene-related funding but questioned Edwards’ follow-through and motivations, saying initial action gave way to inaction.
“I wish I could point to something and say, ‘You know what, that was a brilliant stroke. He stepped to the plate and really hit one out of the park for Western North Carolina,’ but I just can’t, off the top of my head, point to one,” Maddox said.
Looking ahead, Maddox said that if he only served a single term in Congress, he would want to be remembered for independence and fidelity to the people of Western North Carolina rather than party leadership. If he does not win the primary, Maddox said he would support the Democratic nominee and emphasized that political change requires collective effort rather than individual ambition.
“My mother didn’t raise no quitter, as we like to say in the country, but in that same vein, I’ll do anything I can to help the primary winner succeed,” he said.
In his closing pitch to voters, Maddox described himself as a problem-solver and team-builder who values deliberation over haste. He said his scientific background informs his approach to policy and emerging issues, including artificial intelligence and its economic and environmental implications for the region.
His commitment to that philosophy was readily apparent at a recent candidate forum in Henderson County. As Hudspeth was answering a question, a person appeared to be in medical distress. Hudspeth put the microphone down and rushed to the back of the room to provide assistance.
“All in a day’s work for a family doc,” he said.
The episode underscored a campaign centered on health care access and affordability.
He argues that dissatisfaction is already evident, pointing to increased unaffiliated registration and frustration among voters who feel overlooked and disconnected from decision-making in Washington.
Emphasizing alliances, constitutional limits and restraint abroad, Hudspeth said he supports Ukraine, calls for peacekeeping and diplomacy in Gaza, rejects threats against NATO allies over Greenland and criticizes unilateral actions in Venezuela without congressional approval. He argues
“I love, love, love Western North Carolina. I love the people here,” said Maddox. “I’m home.”
RICHARD HUDSPETH
Hudspeth joined the NC-11 Democratic Primary last September as a family physician whose professional life has been spent largely in Western North Carolina, shaped by years of clinical work, health-system leadership and direct contact with patients navigating fragile rural health care infrastructure. Raised largely in Chicago, he moved to North Carolina in the 1980s and later earned his medical degree from UNCChapel Hill, beginning a career grounded in community medicine rather than specialty practice.
Early in his training, Hudspeth spent time providing care to impoverished patients at Mother Teresa’s Home for the Destitute and the Dying in Kolkata, India — an experience that influenced the direction of his career. Exposure to preventable illness and poverty-driven outcomes reinforced his belief that access to care is inseparable from public responsibility, and that health policy decisions carry immediate consequences for people with limited resources.
Linking those practices to broader frustration among Democratic and unaffiliated voters, Hudspeth noted long-term declines in party registration and engagement. He argues that voters disengage when they believe access and money shape outcomes more than ideas, qualifications or a demonstrated commitment to public service.
Hudspeth also criticized Ager’s campaign donors — billionaires, hedge fund managers and PACs funded by billionaires who he says profit from a broken health care system.
Accountability remains a central focus of Hudspeth’s criticism of Edwards. Drawing on years of advocacy for patients across the district, Hudspeth argues that limited willingness to answer tough questions reflects a deeper failure to represent constituents consistently and transparently.
Ideas for constituent outreach reflect that philosophy. Hudspeth has criticized Edwards’ staff-driven engagement efforts and tightly controlled telephone town halls, arguing that elected officials must be physically present and responsive across the district’s many rural counties, even when interactions are uncomfortable or contentious.
Economic distance between Edwards and many rural voters also figures prominently in Hudspeth’s campaign narrative.
Born outside Philadelphia, Briarwood earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina before continuing her education at Prescott College, where she studied adventure-based psychotherapy and adventure education. She has described that period as one marked by addiction and instability, followed by sobriety and a decision to rebuild through service.
“I’ve been working to expand access to health care in Western North Carolina for over a decade now and have done that with our team quite successfully, all while Chuck Edwards has been trying to limit access,” he said. “People are responding to that.”
Hudspeth says his actions after the primary would depend on what the nominee asks him to do, but maintains that defeating Edwards is the shared priority among works.
Briarwood went on to serve as a crisis services manager with Appalachian Community Services’ Balsam Unit before becoming a case manager and victim service practitioner with Our Voice, supporting survivors of sexual violence and human traf-
Those roles required constant coordination with shelters, sheriffs’ offices, police agencies and district attorneys’ offices across Western North Carolina. Briarwood has said the work exposed structural gaps in both the criminal justice and public health systems, particularly when people are experiencing the worst moments of their lives.
More recently, Briarwood has worked in technical operations for Quality Data Systems, managing bank equipment across the region. The job has taken her throughout the district, including extensive travel after Hurricane Helene, when she visited communities such as Burnsville, Flat Rock, Hendersonville and Swannanoa, speaking directly with residents about damage, recovery and unmet needs.
She says that combination ultimately pushed her toward a congressional run, arguing that too many decisions affecting Western North Carolina are made without meaningful input from the people most affected. Briarwood’s critique of Edwards is similar to others — accountability and relying on friendly media outlets undermines public trust, particularly at a time when misinformation is widespread and often unchecked.
“Part of being an elected official is being accountable to your constituents. When we have media sources pitching softballs to elected officials and allowing them to get away with parroting just the standard talking points and rhetoric that they get from
Richard Hudspeth. File photo
Zelda Briarwood. File photo
face-to-face conversations and listening before proposing solutions. She has argued that representation begins with understanding how policy decisions land in real lives.
Briarwood has also floated the idea of a voluntary vote of no confidence, saying she would step aside if a majority of constituents concluded she was not fulfilling her responsibilities as a member of Congress. She framed the idea as a moral obligation tied to public service, rather than a legal mechanism, and said that if constituents thought it was best to leave the seat open — like Meadows did — then so be it.
Briarwood’s foreign policy responses were delivered succinctly. She expressed full support for Ukraine, rejected any rationale for U.S. control of Greenland and criticized actions in Venezuela that she characterized as unconstitutional and lacking congressional authorization. On Gaza, however, Briarwood was the only candidate to use explicit terms to describe what she believes is going on there.
“There is a genocide happening in Gaza, and we have half of our elected officials refusing to recognize that,” she said.
When asked to identify anything she thinks Edwards got right, Briarwood cited only the Carolina Cruiser concept, noting that even that example remained flawed in practice.
Amid the controversy over the supposed “anointed one,” Briarwood was most frank in her assessment.
“Look, if you want someone who’s going to toe a party line, you have that candidate right there and ready for you,” Briarwood said. “But if you want someone that actually represents change, that is not going to sit and abide by the status quo, that actually wants to do the job, be held accountable and show up for the people and represent the people, I’m your gal.”
When asked which candidate she meant, Briarwood declined to name one directly.
“I’m going to leave that up to interpretation,” she said.
Looking ahead, Briarwood said that at the end of her first term in Congress, she’d like to be remembered for genuine representation of Western North Carolina’s working class and for consistency between values and actions.
tainable agriculture from Warren Wilson College, a background that guided his return to the family farm in the early 2000s with his wife. Together, they built a pasture-based farming operation supplying meats to local restaurants and cooperatives.
Today, the farm encompasses roughly 250 acres of family-owned and leased land and employs about 25
“The best part is going out into the community and just hearing people’s stories.”
Recounting time spent in Swannanoa listening to residents describe their hurricane recovery experience, Ager said the act of listening itself carried value. Ager framed trust as fragile and cumulative, built slowly and easily lost.
“Part of leader-
Jamie Ager. File photo
indeed able to identify instances where Edwards could tout accomplishments.
“I think he got it right when he ran for Congress against Madison Cawthorn,” he said.
He also cited Edwards’ early efforts to build a constituent services operation, though he noted staff turnover has weakened that function.
Looking ahead, Ager was asked what
If unsuccessful in the primary, Briarwood said she would vote for the Democratic nominee, while acknowledging uncertainty about what additional support might look like beyond that commitment.
JAMIE AGER
Ager says he has been shaped by a long family history of public service, but he sees his run as a personal decision rather than an inherited one. Politics was and is a constant presence in the Ager family, with relatives who serve or served in state government and in Congress — experiences he says exposed him to public service and civic responsibility.
Outside politics, Ager’s professional identity is rooted in agriculture. He earned a degree in environmental studies and sus-
“Part of leadership is leaning in and not leaning away from tough conversations,” said Ager. “If you’re scared to show up in the community, that might tell you something about what’s going on in the community.”
Discussion then turned to Edwards’ mobile office, and how Ager would engage constituents across a geographically vast district. Ager said the concept itself has value but stressed that physical presence matters more than symbolism.
He described constituent services as central to the role and argued that staffing and location decisions should prioritize proximity and accessibility. Ager also contrasted the administrative side of campaigning with the time he spends traveling the district.
“The worst part about the job is fundraising and phone time,” Ager said.
Macon sheriff faces Republican primary challenger
BY KYLE PERROTTI
EWS E DITOR
Following his first four years as Macon County’s sheriff, Brent Holbrooks is facing a primary challenge as he seeks a second term.
emerged from a crowded Republican primary field that included multiple candidates who worked in high-level positions in Holland’s office. As Holbrooks seeks reelection, he is again facing Bob Cook, who also ran in the Republican primary in 2022, garnering 10% of the vote.
Following former Sheriff Robbie Holland’s announcement that he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2022, Holbrooks
feels like his previous campaign experience, along with the thinned out primary field, may work in his advantage.
Cook came to Macon County a bit later in life. Born and raised in Newton, Iowa, Cook joined the Navy in 1972 and served until 1992 as a personnel specialist, retiring as a chief. His final duty station was in the Jacksonville area, where he chose to stay and pursue a career in law enforcement. He ended up working for the Jacksonville Beach Police Department for 2.5 years before serving with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for 22 years. While he worked in a number of different capacities, he focuses on his time in narcotics investigations more than anything else, since it’s relevant to the problems facing Western North Carolina.
Eventually, Cook found his way to Macon County. While he’d owned property in Franklin since 1999, he and his late wife moved up permanently in 2015. Since running in 2022, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in October of last year. He has since spent a good deal of time touting that level of education, one Holbrooks hasn’t attained.
Holbrooks failed to respond to multiple requests for an interview. During a forum featuring him and Cook hosted by the Macon County GOP and posted to YouTube by Macon Media Holbrooks said he plans on sticking with what he’s done throughout his first term, defending a number of policies, including one that closes public comments on MCSO Facebook posts. He also lamented the campaign process.
“I absolutely hate this season,” Holbrooks said. “I want to be your sheriff, don’t get me wrong, but election time brings out the worst in so many people, and it’s ridiculous. The name calling, the blame, the casting stones and hate, for what reason, folks? To build up one candidate or belittle or browbeat another. Are you kidding me? We’re better than that.”
While much of the forum was convoluted and lacked substantive debate on issues facing the county, Holbrooks did offer a promise to voters.
Cook, left, is running making a second run at sheriff, this time squaring off against incumbent Brent Holbrooks in the Republican Primary. File photos
“A vote for me ensures that Macon County will move forward like it is, and a vote for me ensures that Macon County Sheriff’s Office won’t have to start from scratch, and to be honest, it’d probably be a skeleton crew if not,” Holbrooks said.
In Cook’s interview with SMN, he said he felt compelled to run again — this time against an incumbent — because he thinks there are “a lot of management issues” within the Macon County Sheriff’s Office that need to be addressed.
“I’ve never been a guy that complains about something while not offering a solution, so if I’m going to complain about somebody’s management of an organization such as the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, I’m going to put my money where my mouth is, literally in this case, and I’m going to try and do something about it,” Cook said, adding that he thinks with his background in law enforcement and education, he has a lot to offer.
trafficking across the region.
Cook considers that given his education, military background and outside police experience he has a greater capacity to identify “outside-the-box” solutions to these complex problems. And he thinks voters may be catching on, saying his campaign is gaining some traction among people he speaks with, many of whom have reached out not just now but over the course of Holbrooks’ first term.
“In the last three or four years, my phone rings all the time,” he said. “It’s people calling me about issues they’re having in their neighborhood, issues they’ve tried to tell the sheriff about, but they don’t get an answer.”
“In the last three or four years, my phone
rings all the time. It’s people calling me about issues they’re having in their neighborhood, issues they’ve tried to tell the sheriff about, but they don’t get an answer.”
— Bob Cook
Cook said that throughout this campaign, he’s run into a good number of people who complain about the responsiveness of deputies, including occasions where citizens have complained about issues with drug sales at a certain property only to never receive a call back. During the forum, Holbrooks pushed back against this notion, saying he’s completed lengthy and cumbersome nuisance abatement procedures at multiple problem locations, but Cook said there are still plenty of issues.
“In a county this small, with sheriff’s office that’s relatively small, there should be no reason why the sheriff or somebody in his staff doesn’t call somebody back when they have a complaint,” he said.
When it comes to drug enforcement and interdiction, Cook said part of the solutions is to get a “bigger buy-in” from other agencies with additional resources, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration. In addition, partnerships with surrounding local agencies can create a stronger response to
WCU construction management students use SPOT to help local community
At the Southwestern Child Development Commission building, the future is meeting the past.
Western Carolina University construction management students brought SPOT, the College of Engineering and Technology’s robotic dog, to scan a 3-D model of the nearly century-old building in Sylva.
The scans will be used for any future renova-
“Sometimes I can’t help them, and I tell them, ‘You have a problem I can’t help you with,’ but at least I can usually tell them where to go,” he said. “Sometimes they don’t like my answer, but at least I’m truthful with them.”
During the forum, Holbrooks argued that his office has continued to improve the county jail, which failed each of the 16 state inspections from 2017 to 2025. He said that the last inspection noted zero deficiencies. Nonetheless, one of the key issues Cook has campaigned on is the urgent need to build a new detention center; the current one, he says, is too small and lacks basic facilities like a kitchen, which ultimately costs taxpayers more money.
“I get it that these are inmates, but they’re still human beings that we’re responsible for,” Cook said. “So we need to make sure that we’re taking care of our charge at least by the minimal standards, but we I think we can do better than minimal, and I think that’s what we need to look at.”
Cook also said he would look at programs, such as medication assisted treatment, that can lead to better outcomes for inmates, opportunities to get them out of the oft-referred to revolving door of the justice system and back on the right track to becoming contributing members of society.
tions Southwestern CDC decides to complete.
A student team of Tanner Drum of Jacksonville, Jeremy Volpe of Mooresville, Mario Volpe of Mooresville and River Bass of Clinton had SPOT complete over 30 individual scans of the building over the course of three and a half hours.
The team then stitched them together, resulting in a 3-D model with detailed measurements of the building. Southwestern is also working with WCU assistant professor of interior design Shelly Gregg for their future renovations.
“From the student aspect, it was great for me because it allowed me to learn exactly how these technologies are being incorporated into the industry and how these different things adapt to real world scenarios,” Drum said.
ew Primary races across the region have drawn the attention that the contest for Haywood County Sheriff has seen.
Squaring off for the position in the Republican Primary are incumbent Sheriff Bill Wilke, who has made reform a cornerstone of his first term in office, and Mark Mease, a former HCSO captain who promises to bring back a level of integrity and professionalism he said has been absent the last three-plus years.
criminal investigative division, in the Primary, Wilke cruised through victory in the General Election.
tive impact, one that’s been reflected in crime statistics and community feedback. However, he has also come under scrutiny. Wilke and the sheriff’s office are facing a lawsuit tied to an incident that took place at a dump in Canton belonging to Two Banks Development, the company that purchased the former paper mill site. That suit claims that the sheriff’s office “chose to ignore” the plaintiffs’ rights after a truck driver was embroiled in a heated conflict with workers at the landfill and some contractors working nearby. While there has also been a counter-
Wilke is touting his record during his quest for a second term and in doing so isn’t bashful about criticizing the prior sheriff, Greg Christopher, under whom Mease served for much of his time as a deputy. Meanwhile, Mease has made an effort to defend Christopher’s legacy while also trying to prove to voters that he won’t live in the past, saying firmly that he’ll be his own sheriff with his own priorities to match the moment.
The winner of the March 3 Primary will go on to face Democrat Tyler Howell, currently with the Waynesville Police Department, in the November General Election.
Wilke first ran for sheriff in 2010 but lost to Democrat Bobby Suttles in the general election. However, after a tenure with the Asheville Police Department and a stint as a private investigator, in 2022, he again threw his hat in the ring once Christopher announced his retirement. After defeating Tony Cope, then the head of Christopher’s
Mease was born in Haywood County, where he said his family has lived for several generations. After working for 15 years in various trades, he got a degree in criminal justice and was an EMT and fireman before going into law enforcement and serving 21 years at HCSO in a variety of capacities. He retired as a captain over patrol in January 2023 when Wilke took office and now works investigations for the Cherokee Indian Police Department.
Sitting sheriffs aren’t always challenged in a Primary Election by a member of their own party. Mease said it’s not a matter of party; it’s a matter of him thinking he can do a better job serving the residents and visitors of his home county.
“I’ve been Republican my whole life … but the sheriff is for everybody,” Mease said. “They’re not just for the Republicans. It doesn’t matter what party you’re affiliated with, and I want everyone to know that I am here for everybody.”
Wilke considers the challenge to his incumbency to be more of a reflection of the desire among a certain contingent to revive the old status quo, a sort of good ol’ boys’ system that he said was far from a meritocracy his office has instituted; his notion of the “meritocracy” that drives his office has been challenged by Mease supporters in public and on social media. Wilke thinks his changing of the culture in the office has had a posi-
suit filed that directly refutes many of the claims in the initial suit, the incident has brought a heap of unwanted attention on Wilke and his office.
In addition, some in law enforcement circles were initially taken aback by the sharp culture shift at the sheriff’s office, a culture shift that led to numerous deputies either being fired or leaving to work for other agencies. Many of these former Haywood deputies have become Mease’s most vocal supporters, including former HCSO detective Heath Justice, who now works as a for Western Carolina University Police and is Mease’s campaign manager. Mease considers that the turnover in the sheriff’s office is a key issue.
“I don’t have an exact number, but I can tell you, between detention and patrol, it’s probably 40 or 50 people that’s left,” Mease said. “Either they were either fired, they retired early or they resigned because of the atmosphere. And F
Bill Wilke, left, is squaring off against fellow Republican Mark Mease in the primary for the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. File photos
that’s very unheard of in law enforcement … most agencies around here are understaffed, and I think it’s the sheriff’s responsibility to figure out why people are leaving and work toward fixing that policy issue.”
Wilke said that many who back Mease also back previous sheriffs’ policies that he called more “left leaning.” Mease is a lifelong Republican, but Wilke believes that since he worked under three Democrat sheriffs that he would be sympathetic to some of those more progressive initiatives. All the same, like Mease, Wilke said that he approaches policy from a nonpolitical angle.
“If it’s good for people and it’s good for the county, I don’t care what you call it, we’re going to do it,” Wilke said.
Wilke’s specific issue with some policies, he said mentioning Christopher by name, is that his predecessor talked about putting money back into the general fund, which to him echoes the defund the police movement that became popular among progressives following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis but has now fallen out vogue among most mainstream politicians on both sides of the aisle. During the campaign, Wilke has touted that the office has spent money to provide body armor and other vital equipment to his deputies, something he claimed Christopher didn’t do.
“There
are a lot of ‘good old boy politics’ that have existed for a long time. There’s a lot of people very uncomfortable with the fact that I have dispensed with them. I have no time or patience for people that are here for selfish reasons. The reason you should be here is to help the people in this community first ...”
—
Bill Wilke
“That, to me, is not an acceptable policy. It really lends itself to ‘defund,’” Wilke said. Wilke noted that his policies are guided by a focus on his “vision” and “mission,” and he admitted that he can be blunt in conversations about that vision, something has created waves in the law enforcement community. He said he’s lost friends, many of whom are among those who left the office now vocally support Mease in the Primary. Mease said one thing he wants to focus on is the turnover rate. While Wilke said staffing in his office has stabilized and he now has just four vacancies, Mease supporters have highlighted the turnover. Mease said it plainly — a high turnover rate is indicative of a “lack of leadership.”
“I don’t mean to be that way,” Wilke said. “I mean to have a standard and say, ‘This is what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. You may not be used to be doing it this way, but trust me, it’ll pay off in the end.’
Unfortunately, there were people whose interests — self interests — were greater than the interest of protecting the reputation of the agency.”
“There are a lot of ‘good old boy politics’ that have existed for a long time,” he added. “There’s a lot of people very uncomfortable with the fact that I have dispensed with them. I have no time or patience for people that are here for selfish reasons. The reason you should be here is to help the people in this community first, and the people that really want to do that have come here, and that’s why my roster stabilized.”
Mease taken umbrage with those claims and said those who rose through the ranks at HCSO over the years under Christopher and prior sheriffs earned their promotions.
“I think that’s a disrespectful remark to the people that worked hard to get where they were,” Mease said.
With Christopher’s endorsement and public support of Mease comes the implication that Mease may run his office just like his former boss. For supporters of Mease, this can be seen as a good thing. Electing their candidate, they say, will bring the office back to something more like what it used to be. For those who support Wilke, it’s a point of criticism. To them, electing Mease would be going in a backward direction, back to a good ol’ boys’ system that prioritizes falling in line over integrity.
of those, learned what to do and what not to do.”
“I feel like that, plus my experience working in Cherokee and with other agencies, allows me to be my own person,” he added. Both candidates also highlighted transparency as a key issue. Wilke wants sheriff’s offices across the state to become more transparent and openly advocated for law enforcement personnel records in North Carolina to open to the public as they are in Florida. As a member of the legislative committee for the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, he said he’s advocated on the state level for that change, a change he admitted isn’t popular among many sheriffs.
Mease said his work alongside multiple agencies has fostered strong relationships that could serve the office well. Critics of Wilke claim that his office has become too insular as he’s moved to dissolve certain partnerships, including the unified narcotics taskforce, which brought together several local agencies with the aim of curbing drug trafficking in the region.
“I’ve been Republican my whole life … but the sheriff is for everybody. They’re not just for the Republicans. It doesn’t matter what party you’re affiliated with, and I want everyone to know that I am here for everybody.”
— Mark Mease
“When bad times come, you can automatically know that you have a relationship with them, and we don’t have that relationship,” Mease said, adding that strong bonds with other first responders such as fire and emergency services also need improvement. Both Wilke and Mease admitted that they haven’t enjoyed the perilous campaign process that has become so heated, particularly among the candidates’ supporters on social media.
“It’s a shame that we’re at this point, and it’s a shame that we have to have a highly contested sheriff’s election with conflict over things that aren’t related to policy, but that’s not my choice,” Wilke said.
While Mease said he respects Christopher, was happy to serve under him and is honored by his endorsement, he wants to be his own sheriff.
“I am my own person,” Mease said. “I’ve worked for three sheriffs. I worked for Tom Alexander, for Bobby Suttles and for Greg Christopher. I got something from each one
Wilke is a bit more used to campaigning, this being this third run for sheriff, but Mease is a political newcomer. While both seem to loathe elements of the campaign, they are partial to the in-person events that bring them face-to-face with voters. Both said they think that level of direct communication shouldn’t stop after the campaign.
WNC infrastructure repair grants announced
Gov. Josh Stein announced nearly $50 million in grants to support local governments in Western North Carolina in their Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The grants, which are administered by the Office of State Budget and Management, provide critical funding to repair, renovate, or replace storm-damaged infrastructure. “Local governments are on the frontlines of Hurricane Helene response and recovery, strengthening their communities and keeping people safe,” Stein said. “These grants will help local governments repair or replace critical infrastructure that they lost, restoring Helene-impacted towns and rebuilding them stronger.” The Helene Local Government Capital Grants Program was established earlier this year after the North Carolina General Assembly provided nearly $50 million in state funds to local governments in FEMA-designated disaster areas. Projects eligible for the recently announced program were ineligible for or denied FEMA Public Assistance (PA) reimbursement, and priority is given to communities under 300,000 in population. Visit osbm.nc.gov/grants/helene-local-government-capital-grants/helene-local-government-capital-grantrecipients to learn more.
Clarifying Swain County commissioners’ budget, hiring process
BY LILY LEVIN
Swain County commissioners held a Feb. 3 work session with updates about animal shelter funding and the interim county manager. But since neither process was explicitly spelled out to the public, audience members may have left with remaining questions. Here’s a breakdown of some potential questions.
Standards Board policy indicates that “internal labor costs can be capitalized, if they are specifically identifiable and directly related to the completion of the project.”
In other words, capitalizing internal work is not a requirement, and the ability to do so is largely dependent on labor tracking throughout the construction process. Swain County, like many other municipalities, does not categorically document hours spent on
something like that, we’re required to count everything it took to build it, materials, construct contractors and yes, the labor cost, even if our people did the work.”
As interim county manager Lottie Barker clarified during the meeting, the labor cost for the animal shelter has already been recorded under a separate maintenance line item.
Vice Chairman Tanner Lawson told The
manager becomes effective Feb. 14. Why has she been reappointed for a three-month interim period?
Two considerations informed Barker’s extended tenure: training and recruitment. State statute dictates that the county manager seat must remain filled, even during a transition or hiring process. The new appointee must be onboarded before beginning official duties, which can take weeks to complete. Commissioners have already pushed back the timeline.
What happened regarding the labor cost of the animal shelter? Did commissioners do anything wrong?
Many Swain residents have become suspicious of a common budgeting practice — expensing, rather than capitalizing, internal project labor — likely because of how it’s been framed. Governmental Accounting
each job.
During the public forum segment of the Feb. 3 work session, Whittier resident and county commission candidate Fred Crawford said, in a plea that the commissioners reconsider the practice of expensing internal labor, that “State law and basic government accounting rules say when we build
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“We reopened the application process once we found out that we were able to work with the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners,” Lawson said.
Smoky Mountain News that salaries and benefits of four staff charged with building the animal shelter were budgeted under the “maintenance — special buildings” category, with a yearly total of $351,000. Because the animal shelter took 28 weeks to build, the labor expense for that building would round out to $189,000.
While the Office of the State Controller notes that, for capital assets, “cost should include all charges necessary to put the building or structure in its intended state of operation,” a line Crawford cited in his initial letter to commissioners, it’s a best practice recommendation rather than a policy requirement.
Crawford raised concern about the loss of transparency when commissioners don’t include every expenditure when calculating the cost of an asset. Still, he said “I’m here asking you to fix a mistake and make sure we don’t keep repeating it,” insinuating that commissioners had erred, perhaps to the letter of the law.
Commissioners didn’t make a mistake — nor did they violate any Governmental Accounting Standards Board policy.
What matters isn’t as much what the county chooses to capitalize, but if it stays consistent to its own internal policy.
Expensing labor is a longstanding Swain practice — one that has consistently generated clean independent audits. Any noncompliance would’ve been flagged by an auditor in one or more of these statements.
Finally, Crawford said that “undervaluing [assets like the shelter] can decrease the credit rating of the county.” But whether a municipality capitalizes internal labor has no effect on credit rating — or much of anything at all. Ratings mainly factor in audit findings, risk management, pension plan contribution, contingency operations, debt management and long-term financial strategy.
Lottie Barker’s resignation from county
Indeed, assisting commissioners with management transition is one of the key services the organization offers, and it isn’t uncommon for county boards concerned with their own bandwidth or strategy to turn to the NCACC for help facilitating the process. In Swain County, commissioners voted nearly unanimously to seek the group’s guidance.
The NCACC won’t make the hiring decision, but Lawson said the agency’s involvement will relieve commissioners of the more tedious responsibilities that, in total, turn the hiring operation itself into a full-time job.
“That being said,” he continued, “we won’t be able to have a county manager in place until after [Barker’s] date of leaving.”
That left Swain commissioners with few options — either to find a seasoned government employee willing to serve three months or negotiate with Barker to stay a little while longer.
Lawson told SMN that commissioners agreed on two residents with the skillset to carry out the former. The first declined. The second was willing to commit to three months, but when the board realized this person had also filed an application for county manager, they rescinded the offer.
“We want to be able to leave them as a candidate, let them be able to be a part of the interview process,” he said.
So commissioners talked through an extended employment period with Barker. She’s currently working full time but on Feb. 13 will switch to part-time hours that will continue until the end of her term.
Lawson said the board has received well over 15 applications, in comparison to only 12 candidates when Barker was initially vying for manager.
“My first meeting after I got elected, we appointed [Barker], and the previous board sat on those applicants for over eight months,” he said. “So that process wasn’t done, in my opinion — this is my opinion — wasn’t done correctly. I don’t want that to happen. I want us to use all the resources we can to make sure we get the right person in there who can help our county go forward.”
Crawford expressed concerns about the animal shelter at the Feb 3 meeting. From YouTube
Fontana Regional Library begins search for new director
BY KYLE PERROTTI N EWS E DITOR
Aweek and a half after Fontana Regional Library Director Tracy Fitzmaurice tendered her resignation, the board is moving forward to find a replacement.
At a specially called Feb. 9 meeting at the Jackson County Library’s community room, the board went into a closed session to discuss details.
Prior to going into the closed session, board members talked about another crucial issue facing the system — securing legal counsel. At last month’s board meeting, it was discussed that after several months without an attorney, Julia Hooten from Asheville’s Teague Campbell law firm had signed a contract but abruptly canceled it and refunded the retainer after she received a phone call from a “board member” raising a potential conflict-of-interest concern. It hasn’t been publicly disclosed who reached out to Hooten; board members all denied making the call.
Board Chair Bill McGaha of Macon County said during the Feb. 9 meeting that he’d tried to call Hooten back to see if he could change her mind, but she didn’t return his call. The board approved a measure, 5-2, to form a committee to search for an attorney, with Cynthia Womble and Tony Monnat of Swain County voting against the majority. That committee will be made up of Monnat, Kathy Smith of Macon County and Lori Richards of Jackson County.
Only about 15 minutes after the meeting began, board members entered a closed session to discuss specifics they needed to nail down in their search. After 50 minutes, they returned to vote on what they had discussed.
First, they formed a new director search committee for director made up of Kathy Smith, Monnat and McGaha. Next, they approved the salary range for a new director at $65,000 to $90,000. Finally, they voted to post the job announcement online. Each measure was approved unanimously.
If a director isn’t named within 30 days of the effective date of resignation — Feb. 26 — then an interim director must be hired.
The meeting was the last for Fitzmaurice, who has been with the system since 1991 and was named director in January 2023. Over the last year, she has been a target of scrutiny by those critical of the library system, including some FRL trustees and county library advisory board members.
To close out the meeting, Womble, the longest serving board member and former chair, thanked Fitzmaurice for her commitment to the system and the difference she’s made in the community.
“I wish we could do more,”Womble said. “I wish I could give you the moon, but I can’t.”
WNC cut from federal census; EBCI discusses internal count
BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER
The U.S. Census Bureau on Feb. 2 announced that it was cutting four of six 2026 nationwide test sites aimed to inform the 2030 decennial count — Colorado Springs, Fort Apache Reservation, western Texas and Western North Carolina. It will now conduct operations in only Huntsville, Alabama, and Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Each place was chosen with consideration to 13 housing and demographic standards. While all sites fulfilled only a portion of the list, together, they satisfied 100% of the criteria. The WNC site — which includes the Qualla Boundary and Cherokee, Jackson, Swain and Graham counties — met eight of 13, the most of any location. As a rural area with tribal lands, a high rate of historically undercounted populations and a historically low census self-response, nonmailable addresses and seasonally vacant housing units, this swath of Appalachia was a prime candidate for tactic evaluation and outreach among USCB officials.
In July 2024, Census Bureau approached Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians tribal council with information about the field test, and the tribe voted to approve it. As reported by The Smoky Mountain News, Principal Chief Michell Hicks asked representatives at the meeting about how the tribe might benefit from the agreement.
“An accurate count helps with funding for the tribes,” said one USCB staff member.
Neither Huntsville nor Spartanburg contain tribal land, and they meet only five of 13 criteria combined. Meanwhile, every housing and demographic standard increases the risk of an undercount, which according to the National League of Cities “can have devastating consequences.”
shutdown layoffs, the Census Bureau has 15% fewer employees than when Trump began his second term. At least a handful of department chiefs have resigned, some of whom were helping to plan the 2030 Census.
While the bureau’s 2026 test will not include any indigenous tribes, the census remains a topic of discussion among enrolled members of the EBCI. A Feb. 5 tribal council meeting saw the introduction of Ordinance 125, a resolution mandating a census to determine the voting weight of each member — which according to the 1981 Charter and Governing Document is the percentage of enrolled members living in that township — based on the community they represent.
While the 1981 document mandates a census for this purpose every 10 years, the tribe’s 2023 census was not deemed sufficient to inform voting counts, and the most recent adjustment of township representation occurred in 2001.
Immediately, council members took issue with not the census itself, but the language of the charter.
Venita Wolfe said while she’s supportive of another census, using it to establish voting power “is going to be a disadvantage to the ones who have to move off boundary because there’s no housing here, and it’s going to make it make the percentage skewed because they don’t live here, and they have no representation.”
She also mentioned that some enrolled members’ township of residency, for a variety of reasons, might not be the community to which they trace their heritage.
For example, because Texas was undercounted in the 2020 Census, by 2030, the state is expected to have lost over $25 billion in federal funding.
But that could be the norm for many communities this time around due to federal cuts. The initial census test timeline projected outreach to begin in the respective sites by Summer 2025 and recruitment of temporary workers in the Fall in preparation for a Spring 2026 response. But by February 2026, the Trump administration doesn’t seem to have done much of those two initial — and crucial — steps.
The Feb. 2 notice indicated that Trump is testing the possibility of using US postal service workers to do the job of temporary census workers, though it didn’t indicate what USPS staff would do — or how they might do it.
Furthermore, following DOGE cuts and
Wolfe’s opinion was echoed by fellow council members including Vice Chair David Wolfe, Shannon Swimmer and Mike Parker, though Parker admitted that representation is already skewed toward the most populous townships.
EBCI citizen James Bradley, whose name was added to the resolution, suggested revising district boundaries.
“If you want to talk about fair representation, maybe we go back and look at where our community lines are at and who resides in what community,” he said.
Bradley additionally acknowledged that while he shared many of the same concerns as council, the only way to address them is through a referendum vote or by changing the constitution. However, he found the latter method implausible.
“It’s kind of discouraging for me to hear that this conversation has been happening for 30 years-plus now, and we still don’t have a constitution,” he said.
In the end, the ordinance was tabled to be discussed in a future session.
File photo
Retired WCU SID honored with naming of new media center
Longtime Western Carolina University supporters and friends have come together to honor the legacy and dedication of the university’s former sports information director, Steve White, a man many affectionately refer to as “the walking encyclopedia of Catamount athletics.”
WCU alumni David and Joy Wiggins have made a lead gift to the university’s “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive fundraising campaign and chosen to direct their gift toward the naming of the football stadium’s new Western Skybox media center in White’s honor. The WCU Board of Trustees unanimously approved the naming as part of its regularly scheduled meeting Dec. 12.
site. The Steve White Media Center will be dedicated in August 2026 with the opening of the Western Skybox.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than 50 years since I first stepped onto the sidelines at Western Carolina University,” White said. “What began in 1969 as a way to stay close to the games I loved quickly became a lifelong commitment to WCU athletics and the student-athletes who wore the purple and gold. I’m humbled by this gesture, and I see it not as recognition of one person, but as a tribute to a community—of coaches, players, fans and friends—who have made Catamount athletics what it is today.”
that connect alumni back to Cullowhee,” Joy Wiggins said. “Their commitment not only strengthens the athletics program but also creates lasting opportunities to recognize others whose contributions have anchored the Catamount family and enriched the student-athlete experience.”
That’s one reason the Wigginses decided to make their latest gifts to their alma mater through the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million for the university’s academic, student engagement and athletics programs.
“As alumni, WCU will always hold a special place in our hearts. As first-generation college students, the education we received at WCU opened the door to rewarding careers in public accounting for both of us, and shaped the trajectory of our lives,” said Joy Wiggins, a 1993 accounting graduate. “With me growing up in Cullowhee and David in nearby Bryson City, our ties to the university and the community run deep.”
The Wigginses, who reside in Seneca, South Carolina, recently made gifts and pledges totaling $325,000 to support the university’s athletics program. The commitment includes $250,000 toward long-awaited improvements to facilities used by WCU student-athletes and an additional $75,000 for the Catamount Club, the university’s athletics booster organization.
While gifts of this amount typically result in the naming of a facility or program in honor of the donor, the Wigginses asked that their contribution apply toward an initiative to raise $500,000 and name the new media area after White.
“Steve White embodied passion and humility in his service to Catamount athletics, and his mentorship left a lasting impact on my college experience,” said David Wiggins, who was a student worker in White’s office for two football seasons. “Directing our donation to naming the press box in his honor is a way to say thank you and ensure that his legacy continues to inspire future generations at WCU.”
The new media center will accommodate approximately 155 people and will include game day coaching booths. It will replace an outdated press box located on the east side of the stadium that is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is lacking in modern amenities and communications equipment.
Alumni and friends who would like to be part of recognizing White and his impact on Western Carolina can make a gift in his honor by Feb. 28 at the university’s online giving
White, a 1967 graduate of WCU with degrees in history and political science who began a four-decade career with Catamount athletics in 1970, actually helped design the current press box as part of the construction of the stadium, which opened in 1974.
Sports editor of the student-run Western Carolinian newspaper as an undergraduate, White also served as the first executive director of the Catamount Club, originally called the Big Cat Club. Although he retired in 1998, he remains active with the university through his ongoing involvement with the Catamount Sports Network, the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee and the recently launched “Tracking the Cats” podcast.
He is known as WCU’s de facto sports historian and serves on the Catamount Club’s Board of Directors. White has been inducted into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame and Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, and he received WCU’s and the Southern Conference’s Distinguished Service awards. The College Sports Communicators announced Jan. 12 that White is among six inductees to the association’s hall of fame for 2026.
The Wigginses said they think it is important to recognize the contributions of longtime employees who have helped pave the way for the success the university enjoys today, including in athletics.
“Honoring individuals who have dedicated their careers to WCU is vital because they embody the spirit and tradition
The couple’s previous contributions include gifts to the College of Business in support of its programs in accountancy, now named after the accounting firm from which they both recently retired after careers of more than 30 years each. Their donations, along with those from more than 50 other alumni employed at what was at the time called Dixon Hughes Goodman, resulted in what are now the FORVIS Accountancy Programs. The gifts also provide an endowed source of scholarships and experiential learning for students studying for a career in accounting.
“We felt it was time to invest in Catamount athletics because our facilities have been overlooked for too long. By directing support toward these improvements, we hope to create an environment that attracts and retains championship-minded student-athletes who want to call Cullowhee home. More than just bricks and mortar, these facilities represent pride in our program and a commitment to giving our athletes the tools they need to succeed,” David Wiggins said. Joy Wiggins agreed.
“Our goal is for them to feel proud of where they train and compete and to see Cullowhee as the place where they can build their college careers and lasting memories. Strong athletics programs also serve as a powerful way for alumni to remain connected to the university, bringing generations together to celebrate achievements, share traditions and continue the legacy of Catamount pride,” she said.
In addition to the gift to fund athletics facilities improvements and the Steve White media center initiative, the Wigginses are also increasing their support for the Catamount Club, to help recruit and retain student-athletes in an evolving world of collegiate athletics that includes the emergence of the transfer portal and payments for name, image and likeness.
“We have been proud supporters of the Catamount Club for many years because we believe deeply in its mission to provide a first-class experience for our student-athletes. This contribution is a continuation of that commitment. In today’s new era of NIL, smaller schools like WCU face unique challenges, and financial support is more critical than ever to remain competitive at a championship level,” said David Wiggins, a former member of WCU’s Alumni Association Board of Directors, Board of Visitors and College of Business advisory board.
The couple says they are looking forward to witnessing the outcomes from their gifts to athletics facilities improvements and support for Catamount student-athletes.
“Our hope is that these new facilities will serve as a visible reminder to our student-athletes of the tremendous support and appreciation they have earned from alumni and fans for the sacrifices they make each day in pursuit of championships for WCU,” said Joy Wiggins.
For more information or to make a contribution to the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign, visit westernsky.wcu.edu, call 828.227.7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.
Steve White takes in a baseball game at Hennon Stadium. Donated photo
Some pre-Lent thoughts: fasting and feasting
Some people eat to live, and others live to eat. I fall into the latter camp, which is why I’ve been both confused and fascinated by the fasting trend that has flooded the health and wellness movement in the last few years. To temporarily deprive oneself of food in service of a larger goal — for some, weight loss; for others, metabolic health or mental clarity — is the kind of challenge that borders on unreasonable. To me, fasting ranks just below ice baths in terms of appeal.
And yet, my faith tradition has encouraged fasting since before its health benefits were known. Rooted in Jewish spirituality, Christianity has always included fasting as a form of embodied prayer: in allowing ourselves to feel physical hunger, we access our hunger for God. When my stomach is empty, I’m reminded to pray more often — either for specific things I want to focus on, or for the mercy not to snap at my children in my hangry state. Fasting also reminds me, in a small way, of the many people around the world who struggle to find their next meal. This should ultimately benefit them: when those with plenty willingly abstain from some standard indulgences (for example, lunch), we realize there is enough to share with those in need. Fasting is a social as well as a spiritual exercise.
Since the early centuries of the church, Christians’ longest corporate fast has happened during Lent. The 40-day period preceding Easter recalls Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness, during which time he fasted in preparation for his ministry. For some Christians, Lent was a time of preparation to be baptized; for others, it was a time to come back to their faith after a season of waywardness. For all believers, Lent was a time to “lean in” to Jesus’ story— especially his passion and death — and to be conformed more fully to it. For this reason, fasting and prayer during Lent were accompanied by almsgiving. Just
The rule of law still matters
To the Editor:
Out with the old, in with the new: time for reflection, perhaps resolve; certainly time to separate fact from fiction, truth from lies. As Lord Chesterfield believed, “that refuse of fools and cowards.”
It was a rather jarring beginning to 2026, watching innocent citizens murdered on the streets of their own city by masked thugs vaguely resembling police officers, under the ultimate direction of the president of the United States, whose chief duty it is to protect the Constitution and enforce the laws made by Congress, an obligation he is under oath to perform.
It seems those Americans receiving the brunt of the fault for the chaos and turmoil occurring in America are (unjustifiably) blue state governors, mayors and citizens.
Reflecting on the last election, it was not left-leaning voters who supported the president who incited an armed mob to attack our Capitol and kill and injure its defenders with the clear intent to overturn an election he knew he’d lost, thus preventing the peaceful transfer of power. Neither did the left support the president who stole highly classified documents (knowledge of which could cause
as Jesus’ holiness didn’t benefit only himself but was for the sake of the world, so too our Christian devotion should always have an outward component. Holiness and justice are meant to go hand in hand.
Today, Christians around the world still observe Lent and its accompanying practices of prayer, almsgiving and fasting. But they do so in creative and diverse ways. Some people I know fast from food on one or more days during the week; others fast from alcohol or sweets or even social media. The point is not to pick the hardest challenge or the one that will simultaneously boost one’s ego (this is not about weight loss), but to immerse oneself in 40 days that truly feel set apart from the rest of the year. At many churches, Sunday services during Lent are set apart with different colors in the sanctuary, specific Bible readings and other tweaks to the service to help us experience the sobriety of the season. As we journey with Jesus toward his death, we reflect on his great gift of self — and we are more prepared to celebrate the miracle of his resurrection.
The heaviness and length of Lent might give the impression that Christianity is all about ascetism and discipline. It is not. We fast for 40 days, but then we celebrate Easter for 50. We even designate every Sunday during Lent as a “little Easter” in which fasts may cease. (When my friend, who gave up chocolate for Lent first learned about Sunday feast days, she was ecstatic.) In the Christian story, discipline and selfdenial and the cross are important, but they give way to greater and more lasting realities: resurrection and renewal
LETTERS
grave harm to our nation) and then refused to return them. Nor did the left promote the president who pardoned more than 1,500 insurrectionists whose actions J6 led to deaths or injury to scores of defenders of the Capitol, protecting the vice president and Congress.
Nor does the Left champion a president who brags about assaulting women and was, in fact, found civilly liable of sexual abuse and defamation.
No, it’s the right, and it’s this president,in collusion with the Supreme Court and Republicans in Congress, who are responsible for chaos, unrest and national turmoil, including the cold-blooded murder of innocent American citizens exercising their constitutional right (perhaps duty) to resist tyranny.
Neither are news organizations obliged to print letters that express opinions put forward as “evidence,” notions that have been proven false time and time again.
A writer may opine the political left is responsible for all the chaos and disorder in America; that’s his right, but printing fabrications dressed up as truth is a venture credible journalists should try to avoid.
Trump’s administration claims to enforce our laws but, as countless writers have observed, what Trump alleges is not law
Join the feast
I write about this experience in my first book, a theological memoir called “Feasting On Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness.” It will be available on February 17, at Panacea Coffee House in Waynesville, where my church is throwing a Fat Tuesday party for the community. We’ll kick off the season of Lent with a pre-fast feast (pancakes and all the fixings, plus drinks from Panacea and Frog Level Brewing) and a conversation about fasting, feasting, Lent, and hope. Book proceeds will benefit Haywood Pathways Center, which supports those in our community experiencing homelessness. All are welcome. The event is free but please RSVP here so we can prepare enough food. Come feast with us!
and celebration. Because of Jesus, joy wins. This seeming tension — of joy on the other side of heaviness and a feast within a fast — has shaped my life in a personal way. As a child, I experienced profound and irreversible loss within my family. My early encounter with grief taught me that some “fasts” are not chosen. Sometimes we are sent into the wilderness whether we want to go or not. But the story of Jesus, who entered the wilderness of the human experience with us and on our behalf, spoke to me in a way nothing else could. Following him has not led me out of the wilderness entirely yet, but to places of refreshment and hope within the wilderness — to a feast within the fast.
(Hannah Miller King is a priest at The Vine Anglican Church in Clyde and the author of “Feasting On Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness.”)
enforcement, it’s authoritarianism wrapped in a flag, shielded by lies and enabled by everyone who supports Trump or remains silent.
Trump continually violates the Constitution and disregards checks and balances, without which transparency and accountability are lost. Exhibiting nothing but contempt for the rule of law, the Trump administration is the political and moral equivalent of a crime family that lies to cover up its malfeasance.
As made unquestionably plain by the English philosopher, John Locke, in 1689: “Where-ever law ends, tyranny begins.” By granting Donald Trump immunity for his many crimes (placing him above the law), the Supreme Court, with the approval of the Republicans in Congress, opened the door to tyranny. Donald Trump had simply to walk through it.
David L. Snell Franklin
Ramey guards public resources
To the Editor:
Choosing the right leader for the Haywood County Board of Commissioners means selecting someone who puts residents first and guards public resources carefully. Terry
Ramey stands out as a candidate who embodies these qualities. His record shows a strong commitment to conservative values, fiscal responsibility and a willingness to challenge decisions that do not serve the community’s best interests.
Terry Ramey has built a reputation as a Haywood County advocate. He consistently prioritizes the needs and concerns of Haywood County citizens above political convenience or personal gain. This approach means he listens closely to community feedback and acts to protect the interests of everyday residents.
One example of his advocacy is his careful oversight of county tax spending. Terry always questions expenditures that seem unnecessary or wasteful to ensure taxpayer funds are used wisely.
A key strength of Terry Ramey is his courage to challenge fellow commissioners and county officials when motions or programs appear questionable. Rather than blindly following the majority, he evaluates each proposal on its merits and its impact on the community.
This independent stance has at times drawn criticism from other board members, particularly when Terry refuses to follow the lead of the board’s chair or other influential figures. Despite pressure, he remains steadfast in his convictions, demon-
Hannah Miller King
the melting pot
Growing up, watching Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Universe were exciting times in our house. My sister and I were starstruck little girls enamoured with the glitz and glamour of 1980s beauty pageants. We were oblivious to any corruption going on behind the scenes and were naively lured in by the fanfare of it all.
It was while watching one of these pageants when the emcee asked a contestant during an onstage interview,
“What do you think about the United States being a melting pot?” I remember turning to my mom and asking, “What’s a melting pot?” It was the first time I’d ever heard the phrase and the way my mom explained it stuck with me forever.
She said something simple like, “It means the U.S. is a blend of all types of people — different races and cultures instead of just one race or culture. That’s what makes our country special.”
Listening to her, my mind conjured an image of a humongous pot with people of all nations melting together. As an eightyear old, I took everything my mom and dad said as absolute fact, and even though some of the “facts” they told me growing up may not have been exactly correct, I feel like her definition of “melting pot” was spot-on. Her explanation sunk deep into my psyche and remains to this day.
One of the many things that concerns me about our country’s current trajectory is the ignorance surrounding our melting pot roots and mentality. As my mom said 38 years ago to a wide-eyed little girl, it’s what makes the United States special. With that in mind, each passing week becomes more draining.
We have people in power posting racist memes on social medea. We have two separate Super Bowl halftime shows which feels equivalent to having separate water fountains during the Civil Rights Movements — unnecessary, overtly prejudiced and a waste of money. We have people doing horrible
strating that his loyalty lies with the people of Haywood County, not with political alliances.
Terry Ramey’s commitment to Christian conservative principles guides his approach to governance. He respects the traditions and values that many residents hold dear and works to protect them through his decisions. This means supporting policies that strengthen families, promote community well-being, and preserve Haywood County's cultural heritage. His faith-based perspective encourages ethical leadership and accountability, qualities that resonate with
things in the name of Jesus. We have someone using “Make America Great Again” as a movement when America is more widely considered a continent, not a country, but I guess MUSAGA “Make the United States of America Great Again” wasn’t as appealing of an acronym. Maybe it had too much of a foreign ring to appease the current occupant of the White House.
When you try to solidify something that’s already melted, it never returns to its original shape, consistency or appearance. So trying to un-melt a melting pot of a nation is not only absurd but it’s impossible. If you don’t believe me, melt a stick of butter then put it in the freezer and see what happens when it solidifies. Spoiler — it will not be a lovely rectangular prism. Further, when you melt then refreeze butter, it breaks its natural emulsion. It becomes grainy, crumbly and oily, as the fat and water separate. It’s essentially useless. Are you getting the metaphor?
Physics tells us that a force always creates an equal and opposite counterforce, so as long as the current administration continues using force to try and get their way, there will always be a counterforce. Nothing will ever get accomplished or resolved. We’ll continue unproductively and forcefully bouncing back and forth until we’re all exhausted and literally counting down the seconds until the next presidential election.
Most days it all makes me want to bury my head in the sand, but I can’t do that. We need to keep the conversation going in an attempt to understand one another and move toward productive progress. If you have a media outlet or social media platform, use it responsibly to share information and encourage compassion among all human beings, not as a place for lies, hate and bigotry.
As the words on Bad Bunny’s football said on Sunday, “Together we are America.” Let’s please remember that we are better together and that the continuation of force will leave us in ruins. Most importantly, listen to the memory of a little girl — being a melting pot is what makes us special.
(Susanna Shetley is a writer and editor who lives in Waynesville. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)
voters seeking trustworthy representation. Integrity is the foundation of effective leadership. When elected officials act with honesty and transparency, they build trust with the community. Terry Ramey exemplifies this by consistently demonstrating honor in his role.
If re-elected, Terry Ramey will maintain his role as a watchdog over county programs and budgets. He will continue to push for transparency and fairness across all county operations.
L.E. Cossette Haywood County
Don’t change districts in Macon County
To the Editor:
“No taxation without representation” the patriots cried 260 years ago. Now there is a move to change the voters’ representation of District 2 on the Macon County Board of Commissioners. Currently there are five commissioners, each representing approximately 6,000 voters in Macon County. One commissioner represents District 1 with 6,067 voters in that district. One commissioner represents District 3 with 6,093 voters. And three Commissioners represent District 2 with 17,134 voters. To run or serve as a commissioner you must live in the district you represent.
Mr. John Shearl has proposed changing this to one commissioner for District 2 and two commissioners at large. That would mean the one designated District 2 commissioner would represent 17,134 voters. This dilutes or could possibly take away representation on the county commission for almost two thirds of Macon County voters. If you live in Iotla,
Millshoal, North Franklin, East Franklin, South Franklin, Union or Smithbridge, this affects your representation on the Macon County Board of Commissioners. You could still run for the county commissioner seats at large but so could someone from District 1 or 3. It could lead to District 1 or 3 having two or three seats on the county commission and still representing around 6,000 people.
Indeed, Mr. Shearl says he wants this change so a friend of his from his District 1 can run in 2028. (Mr. Shearl’s seat is up for election this year and will be up for election again in 2030, but evidently the friend didn’t want to run against him this year.)
There will be a public hearing on this issue on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m. before the commission meeting at 6:30. p.m. I urge you to speak out against this proposal to take away fair and equal representation for Macon County voters of District 2 on the Macon County Board of Commissioners.
Kim Leister Franklin
Susanna Shetley
Drum Tao comes to WCU
Acclaimed Japanese ensemble Drum Tao will swing through Southern Appalachia for a special performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
The group returns to North America in 2026 with their allnew show, “The Best.” The internationally renowned ensemble will visit more than 40 cities as part of the highly anticipated tour.
Drum Tao explodes onstage with a captivating performance full of flash and fire. Renowned for powerful and athletic drumming, “The Best” blends traditional “Wadaiko” (Japanese drums) with modern energy and theatrical flair.
Seen by 10 million spectators across the globe, Drum Tao shows feature vibrant costumes, dramatic synchronized drumming and movement with a variety of traditional Japanese instruments, including flutes and harps, alongside the massive taiko drums.
WCU Fine Art Museum marks 20 years
S PECIAL TO SMN
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Fine Art Museum within the Bardo Arts Center (BAC) is currently hosting an exhibition of artwork highlighting the long history of art collecting by the museum at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
To note, the museum holds four galleries, a growing permanent collection of contemporary art and rotating exhibitions highlighting regional, national and international artists.
In terms of the anniversary exhibition, step into a visual timeline, one which features a dynamic display showcasing decades of WCU’s dedication to collecting and curating contemporary art, with countless artists represented throughout.
This special exhibition honors the museum’s roots in the Belk and Chelsea Galleries, highlighting key moments from its early focus on studio glass and women artists to its evolving commitment to contemporary Native American voices.
Visitors will encounter artwork from each chapter of the museum’s history, reflecting the people, places and priorities that shaped its collection. The exhibition also commemorates the museum’s national accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, an honor held by only a select 3% of U.S. museums. With each work on view, the exhibition invites you to experience the legacy and future of art at WCU.
The Fine Art Museum grew out of WCU’s longstanding commitment to contemporary art through two earlier exhibition spaces: the Belk Gallery and the Chelsea Gallery.
Launched in 1972 within the newly constructed Belk Building as part of the Department of Art, the Belk Gallery showcased contemporary artists across media and developed a notable focus on studio glass under Joan Falconer Byrd’s curatorial leadership. Around 1978, the Chelsea Gallery opened in the University Center under Student Affairs leadership, presenting a robust
Drum Tao has a rich history of international spectators celebrating their groundbreaking performances. In 2016, their Off-Broadway
debut in New York City completely sold out, earning high praise. A year later, they launched their long-running Tokyo show, “Mangekyo,” which went on to have over 500 performances. In 2020, they opened a stunning new permanent outdoor theater, TAO no Oka, nestled in the Aso Kuju National Park. Continuing
schedule of exhibitions and producing scholarly catalogues.
Both galleries operated for decades until 2003, before their programs were sunset when the Fine Art Museum opened in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in 2005. At that time, the museum became part of the College of Fine and Performing Arts and assumed stewardship of the Belk Gallery’s Collection. This exhibition commemorates the current anniversary of the museum and celebrates WCU’s 54-year legacy of collecting and presenting art.
The museum’s collection of over 2,100 works of contemporary art by artists of the Americas continues to grow each year. This collection supports the museum’s dynamic exhibition program, enhances student learning through objectbased experiences and provides a catalyst for interdisciplinary dialogue across the campus community and the Western North Carolina region.
Visitors to this exhibition will experience artwork in a wide variety of mediums that fall within the museum’s collecting focus including paintings, drawings, prints and photography, as well as ceramics, glass and artist books.
Making up over half of these holdings is the museum’s vitreograph collection. Donated by Harvey K. and Bess Littleton and members of the Littleton family, the vitreograph collection is the largest in the world and includes the complete archive of vitreograph prints produced at Harvey Littleton Studios between 1976 and 2008.
The exhibition will be available for viewing through July 2. It is free and open to the public. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.
To note, the BAC serves as the cultural catalyst for the creative arts in the Western North Carolina region. It’s home to the museum and BAC Performance Hall, with the latter providing the campus and community access to internationally acclaimed artists and regional favorites. For more information, visit arts.wcu.edu/20anniversary.
to innovate, they launched Club Tao in 2022, bringing their high-energy performances to Tokyo and Osaka’s hottest nightclubs. Most recently, in 2024, the ensemble completed an ambitious 100-day tour across the United States and Canada.
Their achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner’s Award, Outstanding Cultural Achievement Award from Oita Prefecture and Cultural Creation Award from Taketa City.
Chicago Tribune describes Drum Tao as “Extraordinary talented percussion artists, and seductive, alluring performers.” Edinburgh Evening News raves, “Undoubtedly one of the finest shows.”
Tickets for the WCU show range from $5-$25 and are available now at the BAC Box Office at arts.wcu.edu/tickets. This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. To see BAC’s full calendar of events, visit arts.wcu.edu/explore or call 828.227.ARTS.
‘Adoduhisodiyi Sakonige Ugitsisgv (Remaking Blue Dawn)’ by America Meredith. WCU Photo Services photo
Drum Tao will be in Cullowhee Feb. 19. Drum Tao photo
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
‘There’s no simple explanation for anything important any of us do’
Ihad just finished a 3.3-mile jog along the backroads of Clinton County. The afternoon sun was quickly falling behind the snowy peaks of the Adirondack Mountains in the distance. The slow shadow of winter night soon enveloping the Champlain Valley, my parents’ Upstate New York farmhouse smack dab in the middle of it. And it was at this moment my mother asked me a question.
“Do you still want to go to Canada and get some poutine?” she posed. I was still in my running clothes and it was frigid outside, but I didn’t care. The thought of real deal poutine (cheese curds and fries covered in brown gravy) sounded too good to pass up. That, and the sound of it made me immediately hungry.
Jumping into my mom’s car, we cruised up Route 22 from the farmhouse towards the Canadian border crossing in Mooers, New York, about a half-hour drive from where my folks call home in Plattsburgh. With the sun setting, we drove by timeless farmland in the valley, by old colonial homes and vast cornfields, through small villages and quaint hamlets of my youth.
Along the way, I pointed out places that remain intact in my memory. There was Ashley Jennett’s former childhood home, an old high school friend, whose house I remember going to for her birthday party in middle school. Then, there was Susan Seymour’s old house, one of my closest friends growing up, a beloved face I haven’t seen in years, who I last heard was living in Chicago.
memories and moments now covered in dust, happily cherished.
Turning off Route 22 into Mooers, we drove by the elementary school, an aged building still full of life and education. I played basketball there on Saturday mornings as a little kid competing against Mooers as a member of the St. Mary’s Academy team from nearby Champlain. It was also the same place where I had my first day as a substitute teacher, a position I sporadically took when I was back home from college on winter, spring and summer breaks.
Rolling up to the border crossing, we handed our passports to the Canadian officer. He momentarily questioned why I was crossing through a small, rural port, being a North Carolina resident. Once he found out I was raised in these parts, he smiled, handed me back my booklet and welcomed us to Canada. Onward to Hemmingford, Quebec, for steamy hot poutine, a traditional dish in the North Country that’s truly, and honestly, only perfected above the border.
HOT PICKS
1
Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18.
2
Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host its annual “Valentine’s Day Cabaret” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 and 2 p.m. Feb. 15.
3
Yonder Mountain Record Show will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville.
4
Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “Valentine Cabaret” 7 p.m. Feb. 13-14.
5
Renowned jazz/funk ensemble Kanola Band will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 14, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
Initially, the plan was to hit up the Resto Pub Witsend, the main culinary spot in the heart of the tiny Quebec community.
And there was also Ben Perron’s old home he and his ex-wife once inhabited not long after they got married. He had been my best friend since the first day of seventh grade, a time when I had no friends and he didn’t either. We met on the school bus en route to a cross-country race, the only seat left on the Twinkie-shaped vehicle being one open spot directly behind the bus driver and across the aisle from our coach. I asked if I could sit. He said okay.
I was the best man at Ben’s wedding ceremony. At the time, I was 24 and had recently returned to New York from my rookie gig as a reporter in Idaho. It was 2009 and the U.S. economy was in the gutter, myself making peanuts writing dinky articles for the local newspaper. And I recall many-a-time rolling up to Ben’s former house to hangout, to do and say nothing and everything. Those
Stepping onto the porch of the limestone structure, the front door was locked. Even though the website said it was open on Sunday afternoons, that appeared not to be the case. Maybe it was the frigid cold of the past week or so? Maybe it was the lack of business during the winter months? Who knows? It was all locked up and we were out of luck.
Regardless, I was able to find another location just down the road that was actually open and had rave reviews online for its poutine: Burger Bob’s. The dining area was completely empty when we walked in. No matter. Two small orders of regular poutine, please. Soon, two bowls of poutine appeared and we dove right in. It was so delicious that there was a peaceful silence of contentment and comfort found during the meal. I felt at home with this meal.
With the bowls licked clean, we said
goodbye to Burger Bob’s and started up the car. Instead of heading straight back to the farmhouse, my mom and I decided to venture west, back over the border and along Route 11 to Rouses Point, New York: the hometown and starting line for both of us. We weren’t ready to go back to Plattsburgh. Why not just drift a little more down the open road and wander into RP, maybe even a beverage at the American Legion?
To preface, the “Legion” is the main social hub of RP, and has been for many years since the other bars in the town all closed a long time ago, an era when the town was vibrant and full of optimistic people, now mostly vacated since the pharmaceutical factory shutdown when I was in high school. And yet, the “Legion” remains, as do many folks I still know and will always call family.
Bellying up to the bar counter, the room was somewhat empty, save for some oldtimers and a few folks my age that I didn’t recognize. I tossed a few dollars into the jukebox and played the sounds of my homeland, which was The Tragically Hip, a legendary Canadian rock band that is now regarded as the soundtrack of the North Country. Sip on a cold Labatt Blue Light and let the music play. The swirling of moments long gone, now frozen in memory.
Ever since I left RP at 18 for college some 300 miles away in Connecticut, the only times I’ve ever found myself in the “Legion” were either for post-funeral gatherings for my grandfather or my late cousin (who was like the older brother I never had) or for impromptu gatherings of old cronies whenever I found myself in town every blue moon. It felt good to be back, even if I kind of felt like a stranger in my hometown. My mom had similar sentiments.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
Point Au Roche State Park. Garret K. Woodward photo
On the wall
Cherokee pottery exhibition
A special showcase, “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop,” is now on display at the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee. On view through May 2026, the exhibition features works by students of Tara McCoy (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) handcrafted during an intensive three-month workshop.
Renowned for her pottery, McCoy began making crafts at 12 years old. She honed her skills while taking arts and crafts classes with Alyne Stamper (EBCI) and has won numerous awards at the Cherokee Fall Festival and at Southwestern Association of Indian Arts (SWAIA) Santa Fe Indian Market.
ters to bring their own personal style to ancestral techniques and methods.
“The Didanisisgi Gadagwatli pottery workshop is an example of how museums can support and uplift great work already happening in the community,” said MotCP Director of Education Dakota Brown (EBCI).
“Tara’s dedication to gadugi (community working together for the common good) and intensive approach to teaching has been hugely successful and is a powerful example of reconnections and resurgence. Connection and practice to our material culture is a continuation of our shared Cherokee identity and perpetuates Cherokee pride.”
HCAC’s ‘Inspired by a Song’
The latest Haywood County Arts Council exhibit, “Inspired by a Song,” is being showcased at Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville.
“Inspired by a Song” explores the powerful connection between music and visual art. In conjunction with HCAC and the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre’s recent “Cool Jazz” concert, artists were invited to create work inspired by a song of their choosing — any genre, any era — that moves or motivates them. The resulting exhibit translates rhythm, lyrics and sound into compelling visual expression.
Today, she shares her knowledge with others. Designed to increase and uplift pottery making among members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, McCoy’s workshop uses a hands-on approach, empowering first-time pot-
• “Rotunda Show Reception” will be showcased at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. This group exhibition features work from regional artists working across a variety of mediums, highlighting the depth of artistic expression within our Western North Carolina community. The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular library hours. All work is juried by the Jackson County Arts Council. For more information, visit jacksoncountyarts.org.
On the stage
• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host its annual “Valentine’s Day Cabaret” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 and 2 p.m. Feb. 15. Organized and headlined by HART Executive Director Candice Dickinson, the evening features an intimate mix of love songs and storytelling, with vocals by Dickinson, Ben Mackel, Carly Christensen and Noah Sheets. The supporting band features John Crawley (piano), Will Caldwell (bass) and guitar/vocals by Ben Mackel and Billy West. General admission is $25 per person. 828.456.6322 / harttheatre.org.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “Valentine Cabaret” 7 p.m. Feb. 13-14. Presented by the Overlook Theatre Company. Tickets are $28 per person. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.
MotCP is located in Cherokee.
The artists exhibited include Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle (EBCI), Barbara Jones (EBCI), Paula Wojtkowski (EBCI), Marisa “Sis” Cabe (EBCI), Lisa Howell (EBCI, Pawnee Nation) Malia Crowe Skulski (EBCI), Samantha Cole-Daniels (EBCI), Elvia Walkingstick (EBCI), Maggie Jackson (EBCI), Michelle Lynn Long (EBCI, Mvskoke Creek Nation) and Tara McCoy (EBCI).
For more information, visit motcp.org.
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece. The materials for art works are supplied, and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share with each other. Ages 16 and up. Space limited to 10 participants. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
“Music has a way of bringing back specific moments — where you were, who you were with, how something made you feel,” said glass artist Dori Settles. “These shoes [pictured] are my attempt to give shape to those memories, each pair echoing a song that’s been part of my life’s soundtrack. They’re familiar objects, but remade through the lens of rhythm, emotion and remembering.”
The exhibit is made possible in part through artist sponsorships. Carol Anderson is recognized as the “Spotlight Artist Sponsor,” with “Featured Artist Sponsors” including Maria Davis, Sheri Friedman, Christine Gibson, Jan Kolenda, Jennifer Sharkey, Laura Jo Thompson and Lisa Bradley.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, visit haywoodarts.org or stop by the gallery during regular business hours.
• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. 828.283.0523 / cre828.com.
• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. 517.881.0959 / galleryzella.com.
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. The HCAC gallery is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. 828.452.0593 / haywoodarts.org.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.631.0271 / jcgep.org.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host “Mystery Dinner Theatre: For Better or For Worse” 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13-14. 828.526.9047 / mountaintheatre.com.
ALSO:
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
• Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 828.488.7843 / swainartscenter.com.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.339.4000 / southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/swain-center.
ALSO:
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. 828.586.2248 / dogwoodcrafters.com.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular arts and crafts workshops. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org.
HART presents ‘The White Chip’
A special production of “The White Chip” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-21 and 27-28 and 2 p.m. Feb. 22 and March 1 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
“The White Chip” tells the story of one man’s journey through addiction, ambition and the messy art of starting over. Based on playwright Sean Daniels’ real-life recovery, the play balances razor-sharp humor with emotional honesty, offering an uplifting and unflinching look at what it takes to rebuild a life — and a self — one honest step at a time.
Tickets are $25 per person, with group, senior, military and student discounts available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit harttheatre.org or call the box office at 828.456.6322.
‘Blue Suede’ by Dori Settles. Donated photo
Donated photo
The HART theatre in Waynesville. File photo
On the beat
• 4118 Kitchen & Bar (Highlands) will host live music 6-8 p.m. Thursdays. Free and open to the public 828.526.5002 or 4118kitchenbar.toast.site.
• Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library (Cashiers) will host “Community Jam Sessions” from 2-4 p.m. the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Informal jamming. All skill levels are welcome. Free and open to the public. 828.743.0215 / fontanalib.org/cashiers.
• American Legion Post 47 (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” 3 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.456.8691.
the weekends. All shows are located in The Gem downstairs taproom and begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 / boojumbrewing.com.
• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every other Thursday of the month, “Speed Dating Musical Chairs” 10 p.m. Feb. 14 and Ryles Monroe (singer-songwriter) 10 p.m. Feb. 20. 828.307.2160 / breadheadstikishak.com.
• Bryson City Brewing (Bryson City) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0085 / brysoncitybrewing.com.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Fireside at the Farm” on select dates. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Admission is $40 per person, with discounts rates available for hotel guests and members. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com.
• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host “World Drum Classes” every Friday at 2:30 p.m. (adults, free) and 4 p.m. (family friendly, all ages, free), “Waynesville Acoustic Guitar Group” 2-4 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday of the month (free) and Kanola Band (jazz/funk) 7 p.m. Feb. 14 ($25 general admission, with “pay what you can” options available). 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Rocky Collins (singer-songwriter) Feb. 13,
Cataloochee Ranch welcomes bluegrass legend
Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays (free) and the “Salon Series” with Valley James (singer-songwriter) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26 ($41.84 per person, tax included). 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic” on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.586.9678 / innovation-brewing.com.
• John C. Campbell Folk School (Brasstown) will host a “Community Jam” 7 p.m. Thursdays at the nearby Crown Restaurant and semi-regular live music on the weekends. folkschool.org.
• Assembly On Main
Tuesdays and “Karaoke Night” 7 p.m. Thursdays. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0839 / assemblyonmain.com.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host “Open Mic” 8-10 p.m. Thursdays. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 / balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Picking on the Porch” (open community jam) 6 p.m. Tuesdays, “Trivia Night” 7 p.m. Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host “Music Bingo Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, The Blue Mountaineers (Americana/bluegrass) on Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All music starts at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / facebook.com/brbeerhub.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Karaoke Night” 9 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia” 7 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Jam” 10 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on
Americana/bluegrass act Darren Nicholson will hit the stage for an intimate performance at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.
A Grammy nominee and winner of 13 International Bluegrass Music Association awards, Nicholson has taken his own brand of mountain music around the world.
A regular for years on the Grand Ole Opry and a founding member of acclaimed bluegrass group Balsam Range, Nicholson now spends his time recording, writing new songs and performing as a solo act.
Admission is $25 per person. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranchevent.
(Maggie Valley) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) Feb. 18 ($25 per person) and Hill Country Band (bluegrass) Feb. 25 ($25 per person). All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranchevent.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host “Romantic Valentine’s Dinner & Live Jazz” with The Cara Morgan Trio 7 p.m. Feb. 14 ($185 per couple, $95 per individual, with price including food, taxes and gratuity). Reservations required. The kitchen and wine bar open at 4 p.m. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host “Open Mic” at 6 p.m. every second Friday of the month and semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host “Music Bingo” on Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 / curraheebrew.com.
Rich Manz Trio (acoustic/oldies) Feb. 14, Mark Todd (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. Feb. 15, Len Graham “Album Release Party” 5 p.m. Feb. 19, Wilson Morris (singer-songwriter) Feb. 20, Adi the Monk (singer-songwriter) Feb. 21 and Old Sap (Americana/folk) 3 p.m. Feb. 22. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Boy George and Culture Club (classic rock/pop) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21. For tickets, click on caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• High Country Wine & Provisions (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.482.4502 / highcountrywineandprovisions.com.
• High Dive (Highlands) will host “Trivia” 7 p.m. on Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.2200 / highlandsdive.com.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” with Scott Low 6-9 p.m. Thursdays ($5 cover), Zorki (singersongwriter) 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, “Bluegrass
• Las Barricas (Franklin) will host C-Square Band 11 a.m. on the fourth Friday of each month. Free and open to the public. 828.349.4484 / lasbarricasmexicanrestaurant.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host “Board Game Night” 5 p.m. Mondays, “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Tuesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, “Open Mic Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, Gavin Byrd (Americana) Feb. 14 and The V8s (rock/oldies) Feb. 21. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Mondays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, “Old Time Jam” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Legends Sports Bar & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host Blue Mountaineers (Americana/bluegrass) 5-7 p.m. Mondays, “Open Mic Night” 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Karaoke Thursdays (6 p.m.) and Saturdays (7 p.m.), with live music each Friday (8 p.m.). Free and open to the public. 828.944.0403 / facebook.com/legendssportsgrillmaggievalley.
• Macon County Public Library (Franklin) will host The Vagabonds (Americana) at 2 p.m. the first and third Monday and a “Song Circle” open jam from 3-6 p.m. the first Tuesday each month. Free and open to the public. 828.524.3600 or fontanalib.org/franklin.
• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.1717 / meadowlarkmotel.com.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host “Open Mic Night” with Frank Lee every Thursday, Scott James Stambaugh (singersongwriter) Feb. 14, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) Feb. 20 and F
Darren Nicholson will play Maggie Valley Feb. 18. File photo
‘Yonder Mountain Record Show’
Presented by Astro Record Store, the “Yonder Mountain Record Show” will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. This “laidback” vinyl record showcase will offer local/regional shops and independent dealers offering bins of albums to dig through and purchase, all alongside craft ales and live music. Food will also be available onsite.
Shane Meade (indie/soul) Feb. 21. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Mountain Vibes Kava Lounge (Waynesville) will host “Trivia Night” 7 p.m. Mondays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.246.9283.
• Old Edwards Inn (Highlands) will host live music in the Hummingbird Lounge at 5:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Free and open to the public. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com.
• Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic Night” 6 p.m. on the first Friday of every month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.246.9264 / orchardcoffeeroasters.com.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host “Songwriters Showcase #58” Feb. 21. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” 7 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Mic” 6:30 p.m. Fridays, Dirty Dave & Andy Feb. 14, Lance Parker (singer-songwriter) 6:30 p.m. Feb. 17, Francis Eliza (singersongwriter) Feb. 20 and Scott Clark (singer-songwriter) Feb. 21. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.
• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke Night” on Mondays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105 / facebook.com/saltydogs2005.
• Santé Wine Bar (Sylva) will host semi-regular live music on Sundays. All shows begin at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.631.3075 / facebook.com/thewinebarandcellar.
Free and open to the public. For more information, visit yondermountainrecordshow.com.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic” the first Wednesday of every month, Raphael Graves (rock/folk) Feb. 12, Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast (rock/funk) Feb. 14, Jenny & The Weazels (Celtic/folk) 3 p.m. Feb. 15, Rene Russell (singer-songwriter) Feb. 19, Rich Manz Trio (acoustic/oldies) Feb. 21 and An Tir Nua (Celtic/world) 3 p.m. Feb. 22. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 / scotsmanpublic.com.
• Slanted Window Tasting Station (Franklin) will host Diana Nouveau (singer-songwriter) 6 p.m. Feb. 13 and R.A. Nightingale (singersongwriter) 4 p.m. Feb. 15. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.
ALSO:
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Tickets now available, with seating upgrades offered. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.
• Smoky Mountain Dog Bar (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic Night” 5-7 p.m. Fridays. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0726 / smokymountaindogbakery.com.
• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month (free) and semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.479.3364 / stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• Stubborn Bull (Highlands) will host “Live Music Mondays” with local/regional singersongwriters. All shows begin at 5:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.200.0813 / the-stubborn-bull.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” on semi-regular dates on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host semi-regS EE ON THE BEAT, PAGE 30
Dig through record bins on Feb. 15 in Waynesville. Garret K. Woodward photo
The Museum of Haywood County is located inside the Shook-Smathers House in Clyde. File photo
Feb. 14, at the Museum of Haywood County in Clyde.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, love letters and Valentines from Haywood County’s past will be featured.
“There is a lot to love about Haywood County history,” said Sharon Hinshaw, president of the Haywood County Historical &
Sp
love that is actually a part of history.”
Admission to the open house is free.
Donations are always welcome and will be used to help with ongoing maintenance of the Historic Shook-Smathers House, where the museum is located.
For more information, call 828.564.1044 or email hchgsociety@gmail.com.
On the table
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host a “Tequila Dinner with Don Gato” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 ($125 per person). 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
ALSO:
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host semi-regular culinary events and workshops throughout the week. For a full schedule of upcoming activities, tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-event.
• J.R. Chophouse (Franklin) will host “Burns Night,” a celebration of legendary Scottish poet and cultural figure Robert Burns at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15. 828.369.3663 / jrchophouse.com.
On the beat
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ular live music on the weekends. 828.743.3000 / theuglydogpub.com.
• Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host “Bluegrass Music” 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, “Karaoke” 9:30 p.m. Fridays, “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Sundays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.8364 / theuglydogpub.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host semi-regular tap-takeovers from local and regional breweries on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held at 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.
• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal and more. There will also be a special “Beer Train” on select dates. 800.872.4681 / gsmr.com.
host Tim Austin (singer-songwriter) Feb. 21 and Jordan Denton (singer-songwriter) Feb. 22. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.
• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host “Trivia Night” 7 p.m. Mondays, “Karaoke Night” 8 p.m. Thursdays and semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 828.456.4750 / facebook.com/waternhole.bar.
g scents have arri v ed !
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Jason” Tuesdays, “Tom’s Trivia Night” Wednesdays, Rock Holler (rock/country) Feb. 13 and Steel Creek Feb. 20. All shows and events begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.7440 / valley-tavern.com.
• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will
Folkmoot presents New Orleans jazz, funk
• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host live music 4-6 p.m. Saturdays. Free and open to the public. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.
• Yonder Community Market (Franklin) will host “Country Thursdays” (Americana/country) 6 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Family/dog friendly. 828.200.2169 / eatrealfoodinc.com.
tion and education, designed to uplift audiences and remind us that music is not just entertainment — it’s a universal language that connects us all.
Renowned jazz/funk ensemble Kanola Band will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 14, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. Whether reimagining the soulful grooves of Fats Domino, channeling the joyful spirit of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band or celebrating the resilience of the Mardi Gras Indian tradition, Kanola Band is dedicated to spreading joy and honoring the deep roots of New Orleans music.
The concerts are equal parts celebra-
Admission is $25 general admission, with “pay what you can” options available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit folkmoot.org or call 828.452.2997.
Kanola Band will play Waynesville Feb. 14. File photo
A deep dive into the world of art
Thomas Schlesser’s “Mona’s Eyes” is a slow motion read that will baffle readers looking for a conventional pathway to storytelling.
Ten-year-old Mona lives with her parents, Camille and Paul, in Paris. One day, she inexplicably goes blind. Her worried parents rush her off to the doctor, but on their arrival Mona regains her vision. The doctor and staff of the hospital are baffled; the parents and Mona are terrified. A battery of tests and other visits are scheduled, as well as some visits with a child psychologist.
Enter Henry Vuillemin, Mona’s beloved octogenarian grandfather, a retired photojournalist once wounded in war — he lost sight in one eye — and a lover of art. “This disability, combined with his great height and, as the years went by, increasingly extreme thinness, had given his appearance a supernatural aura. The handsome reporter … had turned into a legendary character.”
When Henry proposes — “demands” might be the better word — that he take charge of Mona’s visits to the psychologist every Wednesday afternoon, his daughter Camille consents. Instead of going to a clinic, however, for the next 52 weeks Henry and Mona visit art museums, beginning with the Louvre. At her grandfather’s request, she studies one piece of art every week, followed by a discussion led by Henry of the painting or sculpture’s importance and message. They conceal these visits from Camille and Paul.
Here is where the novel turns into a textbook tour of 500 years of European masterpieces. Though there is drama within Mona’s family, and though we learn more about Henry, the story becomes more a meditation on art than a fiction. Fearing that his granddaughter may end up truly and permanently blind, Henry wants to give her a gift of beauty that will last her a lifetime. Consequently, he gives the reader this same gift.
Here, too, is where “Mona’s Eyes” may lack appeal to a good number of readers. Henry’s explanations of the artists and their works require us either to slow down and absorb these 52 lessons, or to skip through them to chase after the story. That Thomas
Schlesser is an art historian at the Ecole Polytechnique comes as no surprise. That this debut work of fiction was a European and international bestseller, translated into 38 languages, does surprise.
As part of the museum visits, Schlesser includes a long paragraph describing each painting, but the descriptions, even when closely read, lack the power to conjure up
the actual canvas in the ordinary reader’s imagination. They distract more than edify.
Here the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” is definitely at play.
Either the publishers or Schlesser recognized this difficulty before putting out the book, and decided to solve the problem with the dust jacket. Remove the jacket from the book, unfold it, and all 52 paintings appear on what amounts to a small poster. It’s a clever solution. Readers wanting larger depictions of the paintings can, of course, find them online.
As for me, I am still working my way
through the novel. When I selected the book from the shelves in my public library, I assumed it was a novel touching on art. Only when I really started reading did I realize it was a museum guide touched by fiction. So far, these tours through the Louvre and Henry’s have slowed my reading to a couple of chapters a night. Even at that pace, I’m sure I’m missing some of the good stuff in “Mona’s Eyes.” Several times, opening the book for my nightly visit, Fitzgerald’s last line of “Gatsby” came to mind: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne ceaselessly back into the past.” My reading has become a bit of a battle waged between sloth and a desire to learn more about art.
“Mona’s Eyes” has also led me to wonder about the cause of its popularity among Europeans. It’s advertised as “The Sensational #1 International Bestseller,” yet either that claim is false or the allure is perplexing. Are the French, Germans, English, and Italians really snapping up copies of this sometimestedious story? Are they reading it as an homage to the past and a reminder of their heritage, or does it serve more as a long and poignant goodbye to a culture in danger of erasure by economic decline and mass immigration? Whatever the case, Schlesser’s novel is on the idiosyncratic side of contemporary literature, which can be, I suppose, both a plus and a minus. If you’re looking for something different than the usual fictional fare of fantasy, romance and shoot-em-up suspense books, particularly if you have interest in art and aesthetics, then I recommend you take a look at “Mona’s Eyes.”
(Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust On Their Wings,” and two works of nonfiction, “Learning As I Go” and “Movies Make the Man.” minick0301@gmail.com.)
‘Rough House’ at City Lights
Alison Lyn Miller will discuss her new book, “Rough House: A Father, a Son, and the Pursuit of Pro Wrestling Glory,” with Robert Alan Grand at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
The book follows Hunter James, an aspiring wrestler from a Georgia wrestling family, as he pursues success in the grueling world of independent pro wrestling. Praised as a powerful look at ambition and identity, “Rough House” blends immersive reporting with cultural insight. Miller has written about independent wrestlers for Sports Illustrated and other national publications. Grand is an Asheville-based writer and photographer covering Appalachian art and culture and a 2025 recipient of the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.586.9499 or visit citylightsnc.com.
Writer
Jeff Minick
Coming down the mountain
Hatley Pointe elevates WNC ski experience
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
SMN E DITOR
Over the last two winters, a special destination has emerged within the ancient mountains of Western North Carolina — Hatley Pointe Ski Resort.
“It’s all about continuous improvement. We’re building something unique, and to do that we need to be constantly learning and improving,” said Jeff Fissel, general manager at Hatley Pointe. “For us, it has been all about trying to see the ski experience through our guests’ eyes and making sure we’re on the cutting edge of a great guest experience and holding ourselves to the standard of all great resorts.”
The newest ski resort in the state, Hatley Pointe has an elevation of 4,700 feet. It encompasses 54 acres of skiable terrain, a landscape that offers a vertical drop of 700 feet and 21 trails. Night skiing is also available through March 8. As well, Hatley Pointe is a reservation-only ski resort, which allows the mountain to function properly and guests to not be waiting in long lines.
“Our goals are to provide amazing amenities and experiences to all our guests and that is from the parking lot to the top of the ski mountain,” Fissel said. “We’ve invested heavily in state-of-the-art snowmaking and grooming equipment, at the same time offering valet parking, RFID lift tickets and still ensuring all
our chicken tenders are hand-breaded and made to order.”
To note, the resort was formerly Wolf Laurel, which opened in 1970. The property was purchased in 2023 by Deborah and David Hatley, who invested over $12 million into renovations and new amenities and reopened in 2024. Hailing from nearby Johnson City, Tennessee, the couple harbors a deep love for the mountain, its history and legacy, and all with a look to the future.
“Deb Hatley specifically has poured herself into this business and it is her vision, energy and commitment to excellence that has led every project,” Fissel said. “She loves this mountain and works tirelessly to bring out the very best in the lodge, the skiing and in all the people around her, and we are here to carry out a long-term vision.”
And when it comes to the boutique side of Hatley Pointe, the resort is keenly focused on “a highly personalized and uncrowded experience for guests to create intimate, unforgettable experiences,” whether it be joyfully riding the slopes or relaxing and enjoying a meal, beverage and live music in the lodge.
“We’re excited to be a part of the skiing community in the Southeast, and we want to keep innovating and provide the best possible ski experience for anyone from a first-time skier to the lifetime skier who is on the snow 50 plus days a year,” Fissel said.
“Blending rustic charm with refined flavors,” the onsite restaurant Smoke & Timber offers an array of dishes, from scallop mushroom risotto with black truffle to Duroc
Want to go?
A boutique mountain resort providing a unique mountain experience, Hatley Pointe is located at 578 Valley View Circle in Mars Hill. Current hours for skiing (day/night) are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The lodge is also open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. After March 9 through the end of the ski season, mountain hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the lodge open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hatley Pointe is limited in capacity. Reservations are required. For more information and/or to make your lift pass reservation, visit hatleypointe.com or call 828.698.4111.
grilled pork chop and from beef wellington to cedar plank salmon. The property is also home to Steeps Coffee & Juicery, Peaks & Pies (Neapolitan-style pizza), Terrace Bistro, The Viewer’s Lounge, and The Pointe food truck.
“Boutique means curated to meet the expectations of the modern skier,” Fissel said.
“Boutique is great customer service, chefcurated food, crafted cocktails, elevated experiences and a personal and thoughtful touch to your day at the resort.”
Known as a four-season resort, Hatley Pointe transitions into a downhill mountain biking course once the snow melts and the grass turns green. Smoke & Timber is also a year-round culinary destination, with numerous events held onsite throughout the spring, summer and fall months.
“We’re also working on a full slate of
events large and small that’ll give tourists an extra reason to visit and our locals to come out and enjoy,” Fissel said. “We expect all these offerings to grow over the next several years as we continue to build and are able to increase what’s available.”
For Fissel, being at the helm at Hatley Pointe is a full-circle thing for the lifelong skier. With parents who introduced him to the sport at a young age, skiing was one of the reasons he eventually went to school at Appalachian State University in Boone. That era of his life also parlayed itself into Fissel being a ski instructor at Hawk’s Nest for seven seasons.
“It’s such an amazing sport and it’s hard to find anything as exhilarating as making turns on a powder day and enjoying the mountains, the cold air and all the beauty,” Fissel said. “I also love that skiing is a lifelong challenge. It’s a sport you can always get better at, and the challenge of looking for ways to improve your skiing while enjoying it is what keeps the love of the sport alive.”
And each day, when Fissel heads to the mountain, it’s not lost on him to gaze out across the slopes and appreciate this perpetual scene of outdoor recreation and pure splendor conjured with ease at Hatley Pointe.
“What makes all that possible is an amazing team who work incredibly hard to pull that entire experience together,” Fissel said.
“It’s always a joy to see all the hard work come together, and for all of us to have the opportunity to share this beautiful place with guests from all over the world is a true privilege.”
Fly-tying class in Haywood
The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will host expert fly-tying instructors from the Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited and conduct an “Introduction to Fly Tying” class on three evenings in February. Intended for firsttime fly tyers wanting to learn the basics, the class will also appeal to crafters seeking a challenge, as well as to anglers looking to get some expert tips.
Classes will meet on Feb. 19, 24 and 26 from 6-8 p.m. in Classroom B of the Waynesville Recreation Center. On Feb. 19, Class 1 will cover the basic fly-tying tools, their uses and teach students how to tie streamers, bead head/weighted and unweighted flies. The featured streamer pattern students will tie and take home will be the legendary Wooly Bugger.
On Feb. 24, in Class 2, students will learn to tie nymphs, both bead head/weighted
and unweighted. The featured nymph (stream invertebrate) patterns students will tie and take home will be a Bead Head Prince Nymph and a Walt’s Worm.
On Feb. 26, Class 3 will have students learn how to tie popular, effective local trout flies: The Mop fly and, time permitting, pink worm flies, as the “tie and take home” patterns.
Registration is required and can be made at the Waynesville Recreation Center.
Class size is limited to 15 students. A minimum of five students must be registered by Feb. 16 to conduct the class.
Students must register for all three classes. Class cost is $20, but it is free to members of Trout Unlimited (any chapter). Classes are open to ages 16 and older, although those under 18 should come with a registered adult. All required equipment will be provided.
Learn how to plan your vegetable garden
People new to vegetable gardening and folks looking for a refresher to hone those skills can learn from a master gardener next week.
Topics covered in the class will include starting a new garden, planning a garden for spring and fall planting, following a garden calendar, improving soil and composting. The class will involve both lectures and hands-on demonstrations.
Lake Junaluska hosts annual cleanup day
Join the fun and the community at Lake Junaluska Cleanup Day held from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, March 7, at Lake Junaluska.
light snacks for volunteers, as well as equipment such as garbage bags, litter pick-up sticks and gloves. Helpers may also bring their own gloves and litter pick-up sticks.
Volunteers can fill out the Volunteer form at bit.ly/LJ-volunteer-form.
Volunteers of all ages are welcome, but
entrance roadways to Lake Junaluska. Volunteers should dress accordingly for the weather and potentially muddy conditions. All work will be done outside, rain or shine.
To participate, meet at 9 a.m. outside Stuart Auditorium to check in, sign release forms and receive instructions and supplies. Clean -up organizers will provide water and
churches, youth groups and civic organizations who are interested in helping with this community service work are encouraged to notify event organizers in advance by sending an email to volunteers@lakejunaluska.com. All volunteers are encouraged to complete the liability waiver before they arrive. For information, visit lakejunaluska.com.
The class will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Cooperative Extension of Haywood County at 589 Raccoon Road in Waynesville.
The class costs $10. Register at eventbrite.com/e/learn-to-grow-planning-a-vegetable-gardeningtickets-1917046590959?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Lake Junaluska Cleanup Day is open to volunteers of all ages, but adult chaperones should accompany youth. Donated photo
Participants can expect to learn about vegetable gardening from a master gardener.
‘Kitchen table’ idea takes flight in Pigeon River Gorge
NCDOT partners with wildlife agencies on creative concept for bat habitat. Sometimes, it helps to step away from the workplace to get the creativity flowing. That’s what happened to Kenny McCourt, an N.C. Department of Transportation resident engineer overseeing a set of bridge replacement projects on Interstate 40 in Haywood County.
McCourt sought ways to address a delicate situation: Roosting boxes that accommodated endangered bats underneath an old Pigeon River bridge near Exit 15 didn’t fit into the new bridge design due to maintenance access needs.
With a little help from his daughter at home, he found a solution that may be replicated across the state and maybe even the nation.
“Me and my little girl, Harper, were sitting around the kitchen table actually watching ‘Animal Planet,’” McCourt said. “And I was sitting with the notebook drawing up some ideas on how to take it off the bridge — and it hit me.”
new and innovative and creative.”
This project brought together NCDOT, contractors, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, prime contractor Kiewit Construction, sub-contractor Boulderscape and others. Everybody added their expertise to think and build outside the box.
Crews from Kiewit used excess materials to shape and build the small habitats before a Boulderscape crew added a layer of shotcrete to the outside. It’s now a space these bats can call home.
NCDOT partnered with wildlife agencies to build an innovative bat habitat beside an I-40 bridge.
McCourt realized the natural aesthetics NCDOT already planned to incorporate into the side wall that supports the bridge approach could be the answer.
“We took a piece of paper and started drawing these bat habitats right into the Boulderscape wall to give them more of a natural habitat,” he said.
The idea gained traction at McCourt’s office and beyond. Engineers and wildlife experts soon started collaborating to design these roosting spaces for different species — including the endangered gray bat — all built into the new bridge wall for what locals call the High Bridge.
“Bats have been observed roosting in the bridge here crossing the Pigeon River, and the new bridge isn’t going to have suitable roosting habitat like the old one,” said Holland Youngman, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist. “So, we’re putting bat roosts in this retaining wall to give the bats somewhere else to go. I think it’s very
“This has been a phenomenal collaboration just to make sure we’re all on the same page,” said Katherine Etchison, wildlife diversity biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission. “We can all brainstorm and give our ideas about how this should go together.”
Within days of installing the roosting holes, several bats flew in to explore the new space, including an endangered gray bat. Harper, McCourt’s daughter, named the first one to visit “Smokey.”
Most species have migrated for the winter to locations in Tennessee and will return in the spring. Before then, NCDOT will add a half-acre flower bed near the bridge, full of native flowers that bloom at night and attract insects — bat food.
“A project as successful as this — for the bats, for our bridge maintenance teams, for our construction team and wildlife partners — is something that I can see growing in Western North Carolina, across the state and when word gets out, across the country,” McCourt said. “It’s pretty cool that so many folks are supportive of thinking outside the box.”
Jackson County to offer birding class
Jackson County Recreation is hosting a class for those wishing to learn more about birding. The class will be provide an interactive presentation, and prior experience isn’t necessary. Those who participate will learn about the “four keys to bird identification” and how to recognize species unique to the region.
Those who attend should bring a bottle of water and note-taking materials. The class will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 at the Cullowhee Recreation Aquatics Center. Register at jcprd.recdesk.com/community/program.
NCDOT photo
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.
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• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE
• $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less)
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Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE
HAYWOOD COUNTY DISTRICT COURT
DIVISION
FILE NO. 25JT000075430
IN RE:PRESNELL, A minor child
JOSIE L. PRESNELL, Petitioner,
v. NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION
CALEB M. HOLLAND Respondent,
Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against
above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:
Petition to Terminate Parental Rights
You are required to make
defense to such pleading no later than 26 th day of March, 2026 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.
This 20 day of January, 2026
NIELSEN LAW, PLLC
Joshua D. Nielsen
Attorney for Petitioner 413 Walnut St Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 246-9360 (828) 229-7255 facsimile
Publication Dates: January 28, February 4, February 11, 2026
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE HAYWOOD COUNTY DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 25JT000074430
IN RE: HOLLAND, A minor child
JOSIE L. PRESNELL, Petitioner,
v. NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION
CALEB M. HOLLAND Respondent,
Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against
above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:
Petition to Terminate Parental Rights
You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than 26th day of March, 2026 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.
This 20 day of January, 2026
NIELSEN LAW, PLLC
Joshua D. Nielsen
Attorney for Petitioner 413 Walnut St Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 246-9360 (828) 229-7255 facsimile
Publication Dates: January 28, February 4, February 11, 2026
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000261-430
Jay Miller, having qual-
the Estate of Gwendolyn Kay Miller of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before May 04 2026, or
this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor 14199 E Axle Drive Vail AZ 85641
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.26E000042-430
JAMES R. HENSLEY,
Limited Personal Representative of the Estate of NOEL WESLEY HENSLEY of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before May 11 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Limited Personal Representative c/o Harrison C. Dusek, Esq. 37 Church St. Ste. 2100 Waynesville, NC 28786
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