Smoky Mountain News | February 18, 2026

Page 8

Reflecting on Billy Strings’ recent Asheville run Page 16

CONTENTS

On the Cover:

Residents of Canton aren’t exactly eager to replace one industrial behemoth with another, as concern has mounted that a data center may be developed on the former paper mill property purchased by Eric Spirtas in January 2025. Last week, in front of a packed house, the town’s governing board voted to pass a one-year moratorium on data centers with residents calling on the town to pass another ordinance to make the move permanent. (Page 6) Jack Snyder illustration

News

Running in the red, Shining Rock may end high school instruction....................4 Macon candidates address issues ahead of election day......................................8 WCU students march miles to vote after polling site closure............................10 Education briefs..................................................................................................................13

Opinion

District change proposal is just a bad idea ..............................................................14 Disgusted that voters were duped..............................................................................14

A&E

‘The Billy Effect’: Reflecting on Billy Strings’ recent Asheville run......................16 HART presents ‘The White Chip’................................................................................18

Outdoors

Park entomologist reflects on career conserving Smokies insects....................24 The Joyful Botanist: Almost time for bluets................................................................26

STAFF

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amanda.b@smokymountainnews.com Maddie Woodard.

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N EWS E DITOR: Kyle Perrotti.

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C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing), Adam Bigelow (writing), Thomas Crowe (writing)

Running in the red, Shining Rock may end high school instruction

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

Shining Rock Classical Academy’s governing board is weighing whether to end its high school operations by summer after a new financial sustainability report revealed the Dellwood Road campus is operating at a $300,000 deficit and would require more than $1.1 million in facility investments over the next few years.

The 24-page report, presented to the board during a special-called Feb. 11 meeting, breaks out revenue and expenses associated with the high school and Dellwood campus, showing total revenues of $1,177,189 against expenses of $1,480,180. The report notes that the expense total may even understate the true cost of operating Dellwood because several shared staff salaries are not allocated to the campus in the analysis, including Head of School Joshua Morgan and other administrative positions.

The shortfall comes as enrollment has failed to meet original projections made in 2020, when school leaders anticipated steady growth to 160 high school students, roughly 40 per grade. Instead, actual enrollment has stabilized with 105 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year.

Compared to projections, overall enrollment has been more than 30% below target each year since 2022.

According to the study’s financial analysis, maintaining current staffing and expense levels would require enrollment of 143 students to break even — an increase of 38 students, or 36% over current levels.

total $528,850, with total salaries and bonuses at $686,725 and benefits at $188,354. Debt service and rent add another $291,400, including a $230,000 bond payment and $51,000 land lease. Technology expenses total $50,000, while books and supplies add $49,650.

The Dellwood campus has been home to Shining Rock’s

$1,143,000 over the next two to three years to address roofing, decking, HVAC and building rehabilitation. Roof replacement is estimated at $148,000. Deck repairs are projected at $32,000. HVAC replacement could cost approximately $513,000. Building rehabilitation is estimated at $450,000.

“To modernize and mitigate unbudgeted expenses, a commitment of over one million dollars over the next 2-3 years is required,” the report reads. “These expenses do not factor in upgrading current facilities or implementing any new academic programming.”

The report blames Shining Rock’s financial strain on broader demographic and economic shifts in Haywood

Revenue for the high school and Dellwood campus is primarily driven by state funding. For FY26, state revenue totals $847,504, with an additional $282,936 in local funding and $30,000 in school lunch revenue. Charter schools receive state funding at the same average daily membership rate as the county in which they are located, currently set at $7,066 per student.

On the expense side, salaries and benefits account for the largest share of the Dellwood budget. Teacher salaries alone

high school since 2022, when grades 9-12 were moved from the Russ Avenue campus to allow for growth in K-8 programming. Originally leased from Lake Junaluska Assembly, the property consists of modular units installed in 2016. The initial 10-year lease will expire on Dec. 31.

Even if the lease is renewed, the facility faces substantial capital needs.

A facilities assessment estimates one-time expenses of

County, citing a series of historic floods, including Tropical Storm Fred in 2021 and Hurricane Helene in 2024, as well as the 2023 closure of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill in Canton, which had employed more than 1,000 workers.

According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Haywood County’s economic distress rank slumped to 56 in 2026, down from 83 out of F

100 counties the previous year, shifting the county from tier three to tier two. Tier three counties are the most prosperous, while tier one counties are the least prosperous.

Population growth has also lagged the state average, with Haywood County growing 3.0% from 2020 to 2024 compared to 5.8% statewide.

Enrollment data reflects those broader trends. Cohort tracking shows a net loss of 21 students as classes progressed from freshman year to graduation, meaning that as students progress from 9th grade to 12th grade at Shining Rock, nearly 19% of them will leave before completing their senior year.

Governance issues have also plagued the school since its inception. Shining Rock’s governing board isn’t elected, like public school boards are, giving the taxpayers who fund its operation no say in who leads the school.

Most recently, the school lost a public records lawsuit brought by a parent seeking information on an incident during which her son was placed in the back of a police car. Shining Rock countersued for defamation but lost on all counts after a judge ruled that the school had relied on the “improper use of governmental authority to stop or inhibit the public from accessing public records and government information” and failed to prove defamation by the parent.

During the meeting, another parent, Elizabeth Young, complained during public comment about learning of the potential shutdown in mid-February — leaving affected high school students little time to prepare for the closing — and offered criticism of who she thought was responsible for the financial strain.

“I do believe that the fish rots from the head down, and the leadership of this organization should change,” Young said, before being shut down by Chair Alyson Weimar.

“I’m going to pause you there; thank you for that statement,” Weimar said.

Shining Rock’s public comment policy prohibits speaking specifically about “any individual student, teacher, staff member or board member” but not general criticism of the organization, so it’s unclear why Young was silenced by Weimar.

The shortfall comes as enrollment has failed to meet original projections made in 2020, when school leaders anticipated steady growth to 160 high school students, roughly 40 per grade. Instead, actual enrollment has stabilized with 105 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year.

The school subsequently chose not to renew contracts with its attorney or with a key consultant tied to the lawsuit and last November was deemed responsible for more than $115,000 in attorney’s fees payable to the parent, per court records.

“I just wanted to introduce myself to you, because this will not be the last time you see me,” Young said. The sustainability report itself does not offer a recommendation on whether to close the high school or vacate Dellwood, however a motion to end high school operations and close the Dellwood campus was offered at Shining Rock’s Feb. 11 meeting.

According to a Feb. 12 email sent by Morgan, that motion was tabled and could be brought up again at Shining Rock’s next meeting on Feb. 25.

Macon County bookkeeper sentenced for embezzlement scheme

A former bookkeeper from Topton was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for orchestrating an embezzlement scheme that stole $1 million from three businesses, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Jeraldine Agnes Geldner, 73, was also ordered to pay about $1.3 million in restitution. She previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.

According to court records and the sentencing hearing, Geldner worked as a contracted bookkeeper for three small businesses. As part of her duties, Geldner was responsible for handling the businesses’ accounts payable, payroll and filing of tax returns. From 2019 through 2024, Geldner engaged in a scheme to defraud and embezzle from the businesses, by making unauthorized wire transfers from the companies’ bank accounts to her own personal bank accounts.

To conceal the fraud, Geldner created phony vendors and falsified accounting entries in the victim companies’ ledgers. The scheme resulted in a total loss of $975,670.94. Geldner used much of the stolen money to gamble at casinos.

According to filed court documents in addition to the embezzlement scheme, Geldner filed false tax returns for tax years 2019 through 2022, that grossly underrepresented the income she received from the embezzlement scheme. The total estimated tax due and owing relative to the unreported income was approximately $155,623.

Geldner will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

A hard no to high-tech

Canton passes data center moratorium

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR

As the sun set over Canton on Feb. 11, the scene at the town’s makeshift municipal building more closely resembled that of a trendy big-city nightclub. More than 100 people had lined up outside, hoping to join the other 49 people who’d pushed the modular double-wide’s fire code to its absolute limit by making it inside. Their minds weren’t focused on drinks or dancing, but instead on data — Big Data, and its effect on small towns.

Calling them dangerous, disruptive and unpredictable, Canton’s governing board went on to pass a 12-month moratorium on highimpact digital infrastructure facilities, including data centers, cryptocurrency mining and server farms.

“In last several weeks, it has been this board’s absolute united front that we see data centers and crypto technology as a present threat to our community that can affect energy, water [and] lifestyle, but can also bring limited amount of jobs and enlarge the tax base,” said Zeb Smathers, Canton’s mayor, at the outset. “All of those can be true, whether you like it or not … The reason that this moratorium brings us all here tonight is that this board feels that data centers and the threat that they could cause to our town, our jurisdiction, is something that is dangerous, unpredictable, and disruptive.”

scrutiny from residents who don’t want them in their communities, beside their waterways or on their power girds.

In Cherokee County, a massive cryptocurrency data center that once promised investment and high-tech prestige instead drew national scrutiny in 2022 after residents documented its heavy electricity consumption, limited long-term job creation

tions in the town; given that Canton is only now just beginning to emerge from the shadow of one great big filthy century-old grumbling steam-puffing dragon, residents weren’t exactly enthusiastic about inviting another into their lives.

All it took was a rumor to get the opposition rolling on what would ultimately become a valuable exercise in grassroots

Waynesville. “We got a group chat going, and it went from there.”

With others, White-Hoglen organized two “teach-ins” in advance of the Feb. 11 public hearing — one in person at Hive House Commons, one virtual. Together, more than 100 people participated, many of whom were among those lining up outside the meeting.

Despite the building’s maximum occupancy of 49 people, Smathers dutifully made the time and space for every person who wanted to speak. And, with Canton Fire Chief Kevin Wheeler monitoring head count while Canton Police Chief Scott Sluder manned the door, people did indeed speak.

and persistent low-frequency noise described as resembling “a jet that never leaves.”

Although the moratorium applies throughout the town’s jurisdiction, it was aimed squarely at the former Pactiv Evergreen paper mill site, a 185-acre economic development gold mine currently under redevelopment by a private owner.

The site checks all the boxes — it has high-flow natural gas lines, high-speed internet, high-capacity water and sewer, convenient interstate access and the electrical infrastructure Big Data looks for when evaluating potential sites.

Data centers, indispensable in today’s digital economy, carry with them a long list of downsides that have brought increasing

Neighbors raised concerns about strain on local power infrastructure, potential upward pressure on utility costs and the environmental implications of running thousands of energy-intensive servers around the clock, particularly in a rural county without abundant excess capacity.

Complaints also centered on property values and the perception that outside operators captured most of the financial benefit while the community absorbed only the burdens.

Together, those issues transformed what had been marketed as an economic development win into a flashpoint over energy use, land-use compatibility and whether largescale data operations belong in rural Appalachian communities.

According to the text of Canton’s moratorium, the town had received inquiries about locating high-impact digital opera-

democracy.

“I was at a social event and made the acquaintance of an employee of Duke Energy and we got to talking about Canton, and this employee said that he worked on the business development side of Duke Energy and that he was aware that a data center was being planned for the site,” said Haywood County resident Tom Tomaka.

The loss of the paper mill was also a loss for Duke; it’s estimated that the company made millions monthly selling power to the mill.

Tomaka has an academic background in science and technology and beginning in 1983 worked for IBM in sales, marketing and consulting before retiring after 25 years. He began discussing his concerns with a small group, including The Smoky Mountain News, in December 2025. That led to more substantial, formal efforts to ensure community voices were heard.

“I touched base with Tom Tomaka,” said activist/organizer Chelsea White-Hoglen of

Over the course of two hours, nearly four dozen people cycled through — again, like a crowded nightclub at capacity, one in, one out — to express their concerns about data centers.

Randall Barnes, of Waynesville, spoke first and probably best, like an auctioneer cramming dozens of points into his allotted three minutes. Barnes argued that while construction creates short-term work, long-term staffing is minimal, estimating that even a 100-megawatt facility would employ only about 45 people and that employment would not scale proportionally with size.

Barnes also argued that the energy demand from data centers strains power grids, drives up residential rates and relies heavily on fossil fuels, contributing to air pollution and public health costs. He warned that generous tax exemptions can undercut projected revenue and cited financial struggles in the AI sector and volatility in cryptocurrency markets as evidence the industry itself may not be stable. Noting criticism from politicians across the political spectrum, Barnes closed by urging caution.

“These facts do not paint a picture of a [stable] industry, but rather a bubble which bursts, taking obsolete infrastructure with it,” he said.

Karim Olaechea, deputy director of strategy and communications for Asheville-based MountainTrue, an environmental nonprofit that champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities across the Southern Blue Ridge region, read from a letter sent by MountainTrue and the Southern Environmental Law Center in support of the moratorium.

Olaechea specifically mentioned protecting the “remark- F

than 100 people patiently waited outside

able” biodiversity of the Pigeon River, which rebounded quickly once the mill stopped altering the chemistry and temperature of the river with its treated wastewater.

any opposition to the moratorium. Jared Black, a Canton native and union electrician who works at a Facebook data center in nearby Forest City, expressed support for building one in Canton and pushed back on claims that such facilities do not create jobs.

“When I get there in the morning, the parking lot’s pretty full,” Black said.

Canton CPA and longtime resident Robin Black — Jared Black’s mother — questioned the need for the moratorium, saying she’d like to see more industry on the site and that she doesn’t think it’s suitable for residential development due to decades of pollution.

“We can’t ban everything,” she said. “That’s just not gonna happen.”

She also said she’d like to see the town regain a huge water customer so her rates don’t increase substantially again — after years of kicking the infrastructure can down the road to spare taxpayers, Canton recently raised water and sewer rates substantially.

Both Blacks were treated with respect by the crowd, but their remarks didn’t seem to sway anyone.

Mayor Pro Tem Gail Mull, a mill employee for 30 years who later served as the United Steelworkers union secretary, drew on that experience and deep family ties to Canton in explaining her vote.

“With my connections to the past, my feet firmly planted in the present and with both my eyes focused on the future, I cannot in good conscience agree to bring [data centers] to Canton,” Mull said.

Alderman Ralph Hamlett, a retired professor of political communications who also has generational ties to the town, was characteristically elegant and verbose in his introspective commentary, describing the vote as representative decision-making

that I believe and the evidence tends to support,” Hamlett said. “I support the moratorium for us, for our children, for their children, for you and for our future.”

Kristina Proctor, a Canton alderwoman in her third term, said the board has been bold in its deliberations over the future of the mill site, but emphasized that the town was “not a playground” for concepts for which long-term impacts are as hazy as the skies above the mill once were.

have to think that if those founding fathers and their families and women were here and they saw how this played in the last few weeks, in this room tonight they would be at peace knowing that democracy — different opinions for different races, for different viewpoints, for different political backgrounds — is alive and well.”

Although Canton’s statement against Big Data was among the loudest in Haywood

“I applaud Canton for passing a moratorium, because data centers are a huge drain on infrastructure. It’s not a job creator and they historically haven’t been good neighbors in other counties.”

Haywood Commissioner Tommy Long

Nov. 14, 2023, banning cryptocurrency mining operations in all zoning districts and redistricting data centers to commercial/industrial districts.

“It’s resource-intensive, it’s horrible for the environment and we don’t have the resources for it,” said Waynesville Alderman Anthony Sutton, who has a tech background and voted to support the changes.

“Waynesville is not that large, and data centers are extremely noisy. It would take up electricity we do not have, water we do not have.”

And Canton’s moratorium may spur others to act. Amy Russell, who sits on the governing board of the Town of Clyde — just downriver from Canton — was at the Canton meeting and said her town would consider such a moratorium, likely in April.

“You’d be really hard-pressed to find another board in this region that is as supportive of business as ours,” Proctor said. “[But] Support doesn’t mean we move forward without discernment.”

Thanking speakers for their participation, Alderman Tim Shepard described the moratorium as a necessary pause to gather data and shape policy going forward — importantly, the moratorium is only for 12 months and can be lifted at any time, but town staff will spend that year crafting a more durable ordinance defining and regulating high-impact development.

“Post-mill Canton gets only a few chances to get what our future looks like right,” Shepard said.

Smathers cast his vote for the moratorium as a moral and generational decision, invoking environmental stewardship,

County, it wasn’t nearly the first.

On Nov. 1, 2023, Haywood County commissioners passed amendments to its high impact development ordinance, including strict separation, setback, buffer and screening requirements meant to get ahead of the issue. Commissioner Tommy Long championed the amendments.

“I applaud Canton for passing a moratorium, because data centers are a huge drain on infrastructure. It’s not a job creator and they historically haven’t been good neighbors in other counties,” said Long, a former mill employee who added that he hopes the town is holing out for employers that would bring hundreds of jobs in a more community-friendly fashion.

Long’s background is as an electronics technician. He said he believes that committing such a substantial amount of electric

Asked for his reaction to the Canton moratorium, Eric Spirtas, owner of the mill site, said he’d continue working with all relevant jurisdictions during redevelopment.

“Anything we do is always in coordination with the town, county and state in which we develop,” Spirtas told The Smoky Mountain News. “We always seek local input for projects that benefit the town and the people living and working here. We all want a thriving community.”

Spirtas also doubled down on something he’s said multiple times — redevelopment should be locally driven and beneficial for all parties involved.

“We’re in the early stages of conversations with a number of parties regarding a variety of potential future uses throughout the site,” he said. “Any specific use being discussed publicly about our property would be premature, but the community can rest assured that any future use will put the entire community’s interests first.”

Macon Republican Primary candidates address issues ahead of election day

BY KYLE PERROTTI N EWS E DITOR

Many counties around Western North Carolina are working to address a host of similar issues — rapidly growing populations, a housing stock that can’t keep up, aging infrastructure and struggles filling staffing vacancies. Macon County boasts the second-lowest property tax rate in the state, but with capital projects on the horizon and pay raises demanded for several county departments, tough choices will need to be made by whoever is elected to the board in November.

This year, three seats are up for grabs in Macon County.

With commissioners Gary Shields and Danny Antoine not seeking reelection, two seats are open in the second district, which includes Franklin and the surrounding area. Democrats Terry Bell and Janet Jacobs Greene are not facing primary challengers and will automatically advance to the November Ballot. On the Republican side, Nick Lofthouse, David Culpepper, Dylan Castle and Kellie Burns are vying for two spots in the General Election. Danny Reitmeier will appear on the Republican primary ballot but told The Smoky Mountain News he has withdrawn from the race.

profits and helps with tourism and development in the county. Castle is a pastor and business owner whose campaign has been firmly rooted in his religious beliefs. Culpepper is a business owner who just wrapped up his second term as a Franklin Town Council member, deciding to run for commissioner over a third term on that

meetings — not just commissioner meetings — should be live-streamed, Shearl, Culpepper and Castle raised their hands while Willis, Wilson, Burns and Lofthouse kept theirs down.

After the “lightning round” was the question-and-answer phase. Here’s what the candidates had to say.

expenditures and making that the most important thing. Willis said it’s key in any job, including commissioner, that someone is qualified for the role. Wilson, who noted his family has been in Macon County for six generations, going on seven, said skills are what’s most important, especially the ability to use foresight to make reasonable decisions.

Commissioner John Shearl is seeking a second term representing District 1, which encompasses Highlands, Flats, Sugarfork and Elijay. Challenging Shearl in the Republican primary are Don Willis and Joey Wilson. The winner of that race will go on to face Democrat Russ Lunn in the General Election.

Voters who pull a Republican Primary ballot will be able to vote for candidates in both districts.

Shearl, a local business owner and former firefighter, won the Republican Primary in 2022 over Willis, amassing about 59% of the vote, and beat unaffiliated candidate Jerry Moore with almost two-thirds of the vote in that General Election. Willis has worked as a firefighter and spent the bulk of his career at the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, where he retired as the lieutenant over investigations. Wilson works in the construction industry, largely in the world of utilities.

board. Lofthouse is a captain over crime prevention at MCSO and owns a small printing business.

At a Feb. 7 candidate forum hosted by the Macon County Republicans and posted to YouTube by Macon Media, the candidates weighed in on a series of issues the county is facing or will likely face soon.

To begin the forum, moderator Keith Blaine, who until recently served as the Jackson County GOP chair, asked a series of yes-or-no questions with candidates raising their hands to indicate where they stood.

Kellie Burns is the manager and vice president at a local branch of a bank who also coordinates events to benefit local non-

The first question gauged who was in favor of the quarter-cent sales tax increase that will be on November’s ballot. Shearl and Willis indicated they were against the tax increase while everyone else raised their hand. Next, it was asked whether candidates would look at lowering property taxes if the budget was balanced. Shearl, Willis, Burns and Culpepper were in favor while Wilson, Castle and Lofthouse kept their hands down. All candidates agreed on supporting term limits for commissioners. When asked whether all county committee

“You don’t run a successful project if you can’t see three, four, six, eight, 10 months down the road. On a government level, we need to be looking 20 years down the line for Macon County. You can’t go election cycle to election cycle,” Wilson said.

Regarding Macon County’s growing population, one question asked what should be done to make sure housing stock and jobs can be made available to support the growth. Shearl said he’s glad people are coming to Macon County, since the largest economic driver is tourism, but he also lamented the lack of once-reliable manufacturing jobs. Wilson struggled to discuss a government solution but noted that he understands the problem well; given his experience in the construction industry, he said he knows how much the cost of building has gone up. Willis offered an answer similar to Wilson’s, adding also that he would like to find a way to incentivize shortterm rental owners to consider long-term tenants.

DISTRICT 1

When asked how candidates would handle funds requested by a department that fall outside the approved budget, Willis said that departments, like households, need to live within their budget, but he added that sometimes tough circumstances warrant tough decisions and each request should be weighed on its merit. Wilson and Shearl agreed that while some requests can’t get the green light, there is a contingency built into the budget, a “rainy-day fund.” Wilson added that he would like to look for other sources of revenue. Shearl, as he did throughout the day, talked about his tenure on the board.

“This county has been [sic] ran outside that budget for decades, and I have fought every step of the way to live inside that budget,” Shearl said.

The discussion shifted to the importance of having “multigenerational roots” in Macon versus the importance of relevant skills and experience. Shearl opined that government should be run like any other business, bringing a scrutinous eye to

The next question was where candidates draw the line between “informal collaboration” with other commissioners versus a public’s right to open, transparent meetings. Open meeting laws are defined by state statute, and local governments operate largely in accordance with precedent established by appellate courts. Wilson admitted he isn’t intimately familiar with those laws but said any time taxpayer money is involved, residents should know how decisions are made. Shearl and Willis both noted that there are exceptions such as personnel matters and land transactions involving the county that must discussed during a closed session. Shearl added that he often talks about things one-onone with other commissioners as he considers how Macon County should move into the future, but that he abides by the sunshine laws, which dictate that any time three members of a five-person board meet up, it’s a quorum and is therefore public and needs to be properly noticed. Willis said he would make every effort to be as transparent as possible within the confines of statute.

“What we know, you should F

know,” Willis said.

Blaine asked whether candidates would be in favor of a hiring freeze on “nonessential vacancies” to free up money for raises going to “high-performing” employees. Candidates agreed that quality employees need to be paid what they’re worth and that without competitive wages, such talent will be lost. However, Shearl made it clear that he’s against an “across-the-board” pay scale like the county has now, something Willis agreed with. Wilson suggested seeking out new revenue sources to bolster merit-based pay raises.

Macon County currently has a fund balance over $60 million. The state recommends local governments maintain about 20% of annual operating expenses; Macon County sits at almost 100%.

Candidates were asked whether that extra money should stay put, offset property taxes or go toward needs in the county. Willis and Wilson said they would like to see that money put into capital improvement projects and deferred maintenance. Shearl didn’t say exactly what he’d want to do with the money, but he was clear that he didn’t want to see taxpayers shoving more money at a government that has those kinds of reserves.

Council member there were times where funding opportunities came as matching grants, making it advantageous to use some taxpayer dollars to best stretch their dollar. Lofthouse said he understands budget cycles from his time at the sheriff’s office and understands that while not every request can be granted, kicking the can down the road when things may be more expensive in the future doesn’t do any good. Burns said that as a banker, she’s well acquainted with budgets, and that budgets are meant to be strictly adhered to. She recommended a “philanthropist initiative,” a way to find money through a foundation that collects donations for extra costs.

“Every time you readjust your budget, you don’t really have a budget. You just have a checkbook for anybody to take money out of,” Burns said.

“I am totally against a government entity taking any more of your money when we’ve got plenty of your money already,” he said.

The last question asked what role the board should play through funding or policy to ensure pay for school bus drivers — who are hard to find statewide — is competitive. Shearl didn’t answer the question directly and discussed the current board’s commitment to schools, saying it has “given the school system about as much money as we can.” Willis said he wanted to study the issue more before voicing a strong opinion on the matter. Wilson, again saying he’d seek outside revenue sources, made it clear that bus drivers need a pay raise.

“If we can’t get our kids to school, what are we doing here?” he said.

DISTRICT 2

Like the District 1 candidates, the District 2 candidates all thought skills are more important to consider than just how deep a candidate’s Macon County roots go. However, they also agreed that there is something to be said for someone who knows Macon County’s geography, people and needs in a way that only a local can. While Castle moved to the area as a child, attended college in Florida and then came back, he talked with an immigrant’s love for Macon County.

“I can tell you one thing. I have a heart for the people here,” he said.

weather hit late last month, he “had to check eight to 10 social media places” to figure out whether schools, the courthouse, county transit and the like were open and running on schedule.

“One of the things the county fails at is we need one place for that information to come through,” Lofthouse said.

When asked about freezing hiring for vacancies to free up funding for merit-based raises, Lofthouse mentioned that the recommendations coming out of the last pay scale study commissioned several years ago were only partially implemented. He said that if they are going to “waste more money” on such studies that won’t be used anyway, then that money should just go to the employees, adding that freezing hiring isn’t a good longterm move. Burns thought employees could be encouraged to find waste in county government as an incentive to earn raises.

Culpepper said that he wants to see particular attention paid to the “foot soldiers” who do the county’s work on the ground — the likes of janitors, jailers and teacher’s assistants — since they often are neglected when it comes to salary discussions. Castle said he thinks freezing hiring seems risky and that pay issues should be addressed, but he also noted that he’s concerned many county employees are also being pushed to do more, to wear “multiple hats.”

Regarding the “school bus driver crisis,” candidates noted how difficult — and how important — the job is. Castle thought a good starting place on this issue is maintaining a good relationship with Macon County Schools and the school board, considering they will best know what is working and what isn’t. Culpepper said that while the state lottery system was supposed to be the golden ticket for state schools and was initially supposed to provide 32% of revenue to schools, that amount has now been cut down to 16%. He ultimately recommended that local leaders push state representatives and senators to address the issue at their level.

On Macon County’s large fund balance, most candidates wanted to look at projects those funds could go toward, projects that will cost more money down the road with rising construction costs, with Burns specifically mentioning a new jail. Lofthouse said that while he thinks that’s a good idea, maintaining a healthy fund balance is an important sign to potential lenders that they are fiscally responsible. Culpepper said that if the money is spent, it’s important to not do things quickly and irresponsibly just because the money is there.

“It needs to be spent methodically to make the entire county a better place to live, work and play,” he said.

On departments requesting funds outside the budget cycle, Castle said that the board should always consider where to “draw the line” to avoid the slippery slope of granting every request; however, he added that sometimes unforeseen issues must be addressed. Culpepper said that budgets, “painstakingly set,” should be followed as closely as possible with exceptions, noting that when he was a Franklin Town

When it comes to population growth, candidates discussed the fact that about half of Macon County is National Forest land, meaning there are both limited sites for development and less of a property tax base. While the federal government provides Payments in Lieu of Taxes, that amount never rivals what could be collected if that land were used to build the tax base. Burns and Castle mentioned that many workers in Macon County now have remote jobs, which can offer high pay. Their philosophy is that more remote workers means more tax dollars. Culpepper wanted to consider how to increase the stock of mid-range houses, which will then free up more affordable housing for those who need it.

Addressing transparency and open meeting laws, the candidates agreed that while there are closed sessions for a reason, they want to focus on being as transparent as possible. Castle and Lofthouse both said they would want to see the county have a more streamlined, reliable means to communicate directly with residents and business owners. Lofthouse recalled when harsh

WCU students march miles to vote after on-campus polling site closure

They left campus on foot — with signs raised, chants echoing across the valley under clear blue winter skies — turning a routine civic act into a noisy, high-visibility public rebuke.

On Feb. 13, roughly 50 Western Carolina University students marched exactly 1.53 miles from the center of campus to the Cullowhee Recreation Center after the Republican-led Jackson County Board of Elections, later backed by the Republican-led State Board of Elections, voted to close their longtime on-campus early voting site.

What had once been a five-minute walk to the on-campus voting site became a 35- to 40-minute trek along a busy four-lane rural highway with no sidewalks, no streetlights, no guardrails and just one crosswalk.

The demonstration, organized by WCU’s College Democrats but joined by students from multiple campus organizations, including the Trans Student Union, the Revolutionary Book Club and Accessibility Western, was designed to make visible what organizers say county and state officials made invisible — the distance between students and the ballot box.

With bipartisan support, the on-campus voting site was established in 2016, providing for early voting inside the University Center — an accessible, centrally located building steps from dorms, classrooms and dining halls. Students could cast a ballot between classes, on a lunch break or before a shift at an on-campus job. F

That changed in December 2025 when the Jackson County Board of Elections approved an early voting plan that removed the campus site — against the overwhelming opposition of those who would be affected by the change.

Board of Elections officials argued the change would streamline operations and reduce costs tied to staffing and equipment.

Depending on whom one chooses to believe, the projected savings, according to figures presented during public meetings, is estimated to be between $6,000 and $20,000 — a tiny fraction of the county’s $107 million annual budget.

Critics questioned whether the financial savings justified the disruption. Faculty members, students and voting advocates warned the closure would disproportionately affect young voters of all political affiliations, more than 64% of whom do not own vehicles.

ence ballots, making it the third-busiest Democratic early voting site among Jackson County’s five locations. More Democrats voted early at WCU than in any single Election Day precinct, even though Democratic turnout may have been dampened by President Joe Biden’s lack of primary opposition.

“It was clear from the get-go that the [Jackson County Board of Elections] wanted to see this site close. The point of this is to demonstrate that regardless of what obstacles you put in the students’ path, we’re going to get to the polls.”.

— Zach Powell, President, WCU College Democrats

Public comment sessions drew packed rooms and lengthy testimony.

When the State Board of Elections later rubber-stamped the county’s plan without modification, frustration hardened into action.

A George W. Bush-appointed federal judge in Greensboro rejected a request by the College Democrats of North Carolina and several students to order early voting sites restored on the campuses of Western Carolina University, North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro — finding that forcing elections boards to add the sites so close to early voting could cause “confusion.”

That the site was targeted for closing at all is a direct consequence of actions the Republican-led General Assembly took in the wake of disgraced Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s loss to then-Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, in the November 2024 gubernatorial contest.

Under decades-old law, governors had appointed members to the state and county elections boards. On Dec. 11, 2024, tucked away in a disaster relief bill that contained no actual disaster relief, Republican legislators reassigned those powers to one of the Council of State offices they did manage to win — state auditor. Consequently, all 100 county boards of elections and the State Board itself flipped to 32 Republican control last summer.

Based on results from the 2024 Primary Election, removing the WCU early voting site creates new barriers for students, faculty and staff, with a heavier impact on voters who have tended to back Democratic candidates.

During early voting that year, 345 voters requested Democratic presidential prefer-

In contrast, only 182 voters at WCU pulled Republican presidential preference ballots, despite more than half a dozen GOP candidates — including Donald Trump — being on the ballot. That total ranked WCU fourth out of five early voting sites for Republicans and 10th out of the county’s 20 precincts and early voting options overall. Notably, former South Carolina governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley narrowly carried GOP early voting at WCU, defeating Trump 86 to 81.

Overall, WCU was a favored early voting site for Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans, while drawing average Republican turnout.

“It was clear from the get-go that the [Jackson County Board of Elections] wanted to see this site close,” said Zach Powell, a political science major and president of WCU’s College Democrats.

The purpose of the march, according to Powell, was not merely symbolic theater but instead a statement of persistence.

“The point of this is to demonstrate that regardless of what obstacles you put in the students’ path, we’re going to get to the polls,” Powell said.

Beyond Cullowhee, students at North Carolina A&T held a similar walk on Feb. 12 after changes affected their own campus voting arrangements. Organizers there also emphasized turnout and accessibility rather than party.

At WCU, administrators didn’t exactly move quickly to mitigate the impact; Chancellor Kelli Brown refused to comment on the situation prior to the votes, to the dismay of some students. The university did go on to institute a free shuttle service at its own expense to ferry students from campus to the Cullowhee Recreation Center during early voting; however, the shuttle operates only from noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays and does not run on weekends.

Early voting hours extend from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during the week, with Saturday voting scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 21 and Feb. 28. The limited shuttle schedule leaves morning, evening and weekend voters responsible for arranging their own transportation — or walking down that unlit, unpaved, unsafe, busy four-lane rural highway.

828.785.1881

The shuttle’s 30-minute loop also stretches what was once a brief errand into a time commitment approaching an hour roundtrip. For students studying full-time, participating in campus organizations or working part-time jobs, that hour carries weight.

During the march, some drivers honked in support, but students were heckled repeatedly by others.

While the March 3 Primary remains the immediate focus, the election calendar extends beyond a single date — under North Carolina law, certain primary contests can trigger a runoff if no candidate meets the required threshold. It remains unclear whether any race on the local ballot will require a runoff, but the possibility introduces another logistical challenge — a lower-turnout runoff election held weeks later could require the same coordination effort with fewer participants and less momentum.

Powell said organizers would regroup if necessary.

Looking toward the General Election in October and November,

think throughout the semester we’ll be drumming up awareness for this as an issue that we’re passionate about as Western students and as voters, too,” Digh said. “That’s kind of the backbone of this march to the polls. This is not a partisan event. This is put on by the College Dems, but in an effort to bring everybody out to the polling site.”

The march also included candidates in Jackson County’s upcoming Primary Election — John Herrera, Bobbi Hopp and Casey Walawender — as well as elected officials Brad Reisinger, a Town of Webster council member and WCU English professor; and Lindsey Prather, a member of North Carolina’s General Assembly who represents part of Asheville and earned her MPA at WCU.

It concluded at the Cullowhee Recreation Center without significant incident, where students filtered inside to cast ballots.

Brandon Teague, a double major in political science and history from Taylorsville in rural Alexander County, said he has only voted twice in his life — and only at WCU.

“As somebody that’s taking 18 credit hours and working two

“This issue affects everybody on both sides of the aisle, so I think throughout the semester we’ll be drumming up awareness for this as an issue that we’re passionate about as Western students and as voters, too.”

students acknowledge that the same obstacles will remain unless policy changes occur. Early voting hours will again stretch from morning to evening. Weekend days will again be included. The shuttle schedule, unless expanded, will again leave significant gaps.

College Democrats Vice President Seth Digh, likely successor to Powell once Powell leaves WCU this spring to pursue his MPA at N.C. State University, said the work will indeed extend beyond one march.

“This issue affects everybody on both sides of the aisle, so I

— Seth Digh Vice President,

WCU College Democrats

campus jobs, my schedule is packed already,” Teague said, adding that he doesn’t own a car.

After marching with fellow students to the early voting site, Teague reflected on what this particular vote meant to him.

“Not being able to just walk into the University Center on campus and having to walk 40 minutes on the side of traffic with people yelling at us — it was definitely a little bit more symbolic this time,” he said.

Innovative Project SHIFT begins second cycle at SCC

Shortly after opening the doors of the Don Tomas Health Sciences Center back in 2021, Southwestern Community College developed a strategy for not only filling the area’s tremendous healthcare workforce needs — but also providing a promising future for soon-to-be high school graduates.

Dubbed Project SHIFT (SCC Health Initiative For Teens), the program supports area high school students by providing career exploration and advising. Project SHIFT aims to tackle the region’s healthcare workforce shortages by uniting area high schools, healthcare providers and nonprofit agencies.

Dogwood Health Trust recognized the potential and provided funding to launch Project SHIFT in 2023, and the results speak for themselves. More than 350 students participated in Project SHIFT within its first two years, and nearly all of SCC’s 17 Health Sciences programs enjoyed a surge in applications and enrollment.

Dental Assisting and Respiratory Therapy are among SCC’s 17 healthcare programs included in Project SHIFT. Donated photo

That level of success prompted Dogwood Health Trust to fund a twoyear extension in the form of a $500,000 Collaboration and Innovation grant. In addition to continuing Project SHIFT’s collaborative work with area high schools, the program is taking on a new collaborative and innovative project in partnership with NC Health Talent Alliance to further the shared mission of filling critical workforce gaps in healthcare within WNC.

The Project SHIFT model aims to provide a sustainable solution to the workforce issue by identifying future healthcare professionals while they’re still in high school. These students gain intensive exposure to healthcare fields through events, workshops, field trips, career fairs internships and coaching. For more information about Project SHIFT, call 828.339.4198 or email pjudson@SouthwesternCC.edu.

WCU Research and Scholarship Conference announces 2026 schedule

Western Carolina University’s annual Research and Scholarship Conference will be held March 25-26 on campus in Cullowhee.

An event that is already inclusive of all disciplines, students, faculty and staff will expand its scope even further this year. For the first time, faculty will be included in the oral and poster presentations, performances and fine arts exhibits.

Although all topics of research will be on display, there will be featured presentations on research done in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and how WCU faculty and students’ scholarly endeavors have benefited the community and the region.

Wednesday’s events will begin with oral presentations and performances in the A.K. Hinds University Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty presenters. The afternoon program will shift to the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center.

In anticipation of a large and competitive field of faculty researchers, the preliminary faculty three-minute research competition will take the stage from 3 to 5 p.m. Participants will distill their work into concise, three-minute talks, offering the campus community an accessible look at the research happening behind the scenes. The final competition round will take place the following day.

At 5 p.m., the arena will host this year’s

keynote event, a faculty panel titled “Helene’s Lessons: Interdisciplinary Research by WCU Faculty.”

Following the panel, an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding graduate student presentations will take place from 6-6:15 p.m. The day will culminate on the concourse of the Ramsey Center with the undergraduate, graduate and faculty poster presentations and fine arts exhibits, and the celebration reception.

The conference will continue Thursday with the annual Faculty Scholarship Celebration in the University Center Grand Room from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The morning will begin with the fifthannual faculty three-minute research competition, followed by a reservation-only luncheon and awards ceremony.

For more information, contact Suzanne Melton, research programs coordinator, at scmelton@wcu.edu.

Jackson County Public Schools Education Foundation fundraiser

The Jackson County Public Schools Education Foundation announced its second-annual prom fundraiser, set for Friday, Feb. 27.

This year’s event invites attendees to embrace a fun, nostalgic theme — guests are encouraged to dress in their best “Saved By the Bell Prom” or favorite ’90s-inspired attire, adding a spirited and festive atmosphere to the night.

For sponsorships, tickets and prom court Information, visit jcpsef.org/2026prom.

District change proposal is just a bad idea

To the Editor:

You ever watch something happen in local government and think, “There’s no way they expect us to buy this?” That’s exactly how the push to change Macon County’s voting districts feels. Commissioner John Shearl is trying to sell this as some kind of fairness reform, but once you look at the details, it’s obvious what’s going on. And it’s not fairness.

Let’s start with the basics: no other county in North Carolina uses the system Shearl is pushing. Not one. Out of 100 counties, Macon would be the only one with three singlemember districts and two at-large seats stacked on top. When you’re the only one doing something, it’s usually because everyone else figured out it’s a bad idea.

And this one is a really bad idea.

The biggest district — District 2 — has almost twice the population of all the others. Under the current system, that population gets the representation it deserves. Under Shearl’s

Please vote in the Primary

To the Editor:

As former justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court, we’re writing with an urgent message. Please plan on voting in the Primary Election on Tuesday, March 3, by either early voting or on Election Day. There is one critically important primary race for judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals for Seat 3. We have all enthusiastically endorsed Attorney James Whalen for this seat and we encourage you to join us in our support for him.

This past year, James was part of the legal team that defended Justice Allison Riggs’s win for her seat on the Supreme Court and stopped a dangerous attempt to overturn a free and fair election. With a challenging General Election coming up in November, it is critical that we put forward candidates who have the necessary experience and skills to win the election and do the critical work of a judge on our state’s second highest court. James has that experience including arguing cases at the appellate level.

It is necessary that our judicial candidates speak candidly about their values and their commitment to protect our fundamental rights, like the constitutional right to vote and the right to personal healthcare decisions and bodily autonomy. James is firmly committed to the Rule of Law and the constitutional limitations put on government to protect individual rights.

Our appellate court candidates must be willing to campaign in a way that makes real for people how our courts affect their lives. James is doing that across the state, talking to citizens about the challenges our state faces. James is clear about the dangers of partisanship in a judiciary that is sworn to independence and upholding the constitution.

We have seen numerous decisions coming down from the courts of our state that have

plan, they’d lose two of their three seats, and the smaller districts would suddenly have a path to controlling the at-large seats too. That’s not reform. That’s rigging the board.

And here’s the part that really blows my mind: according to public reporting, Shearl has been telling people he wants this change so a friend of his from District 1 can run in 2028. That’s not democracy. That’s not representation. That’s the kind of thing people complain about when they say politics is broken — because it is.

Then came the Feb. 10 commission meeting. Shearl stood there and claimed this whole thing was about “fairness” because some commissioners serve two-year terms and others serve four. That was simply not true. Every commissioner serves four years. Term lengths have nothing to do with district boundaries. Changing the districts doesn’t fix that. It doesn’t even touch it. It was a talking point — and a false one.

If you’re going to rewrite the entire structure of county

LETTERS

given the General Assembly virtually unlimited ability to enact laws damaging our constitutional requirement for separation of powers; damaging public education funding; allowing extreme partisan gerrymandering, depriving citizens of a real voice in electing representatives; and damaging the election process in multiple ways including attempting to hinder absentee voting by our military service members.

Disgusted that voters were duped

To the Editor:

representation, the least you owe people is honesty. Instead, we got a story that fell apart the second anyone looked at it. This proposal isn’t about fairness. It’s about power. It’s about tilting the playing field so a smaller group of voters can outweigh a larger one. It’s about helping a buddy get a seat. And it’s about hoping the public won’t notice what’s happening right in front of them.

Macon County deserves better than becoming the only county in North Carolina with a voting system designed to weaken the majority of its residents. We deserve transparency, honesty and a system that reflects the people who actually live here — not the political ambitions of a select few good old boys up in Highlands.

This proposal should be rejected — loudly, along with his re-election bid.

I sent this letter via email to our congressmen, Rep. Chuck Edwards and Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis.

Please study the list of current and former elected officials, from across the state, who have joined us in endorsing James Whalen for the N.C. Court of Appeals. Support the next generation of candidates for the judiciary in North Carolina. James is running a winning campaign. Please tell your friends and family and vote for James in the upcoming Democratic Primary for Court of Appeals seat 3.

Chief Justice Henry Frye and Shirley Frye

Chief Justice Burley Mitchell

Former Congressman and Justice GK

Butterfield

Justice Bob Orr

Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson

In Bryson City, I'm preparing to vote in the Primary. We’re a poor county; most of the property is national forest and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Candidates for local offices are telling us how they plan to fund our outdated, worn-out infrastructure. There’s not enough sewer or water service for a new middle school, new housing or new business structures. We depend on tourism for a major portion of our income, and the service jobs to support

tourism aren’t high paying. Our teachers are among the lowest paid in the state. Yet our unemployment rate is only 3%. We're hard working. Our county is living on a shoestring budget.

So when I see that there are tax breaks for the wealthy and all the money that Trump is making off being president, basically off U.S. taxpayers, and how many rich pay no taxes, I'm disgusted. “We the people” deserve better.

According to the RAND corporation, $50 trillion moved from the bottom 90% of us to the top 1% between 1975 and 2020.

Yes, I’m disgusted. I’m ashamed that the local voters got duped by bully Trump into thinking he would pay any attention to “We

the people.” I'm disgusted that you (our elected representatives) don’t stand up to Trump and to the special interests.

In close please read about and listen to the candidates — and VOTE.

Kathy Petersen Bryson City

Stand against the darkness

To the Editor:

Adam Smith, GOP primary candidate for Congress in the 11th district, had this to say about actual legitimate rallies or protests:

“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.”

Mr. Smith is singing the same song as the rest of his party of Trump do-wrongers. The problem with his "We” is his and his GOP’s denial of basic constitutional rights. We the people know actual terrorism, such as the federal thugs in Minnesota and elsewhere have shown the U.S., in violation of basic human rights as well as violations of law. The GOP way is clear: pardon murderers on the one hand, while murdering, with their own special mercenary force, occupants of these United States.

Protesting is a constitutional right and privilege. Terrorizing and murdering U. S. occupants is not. The rule of law is of no importance to Trump and his minions.

Stand up with and for the U.S. and not for the darkness that has overtaken the GOP. Bil Aylor Swain County

Reflecting on Billy Strings’ recent Asheville run

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR

Approaching the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in downtown Asheville last Wednesday evening, a mob scene had overtaken the sidewalks surrounding the venue.

The entry line stretched down the hill on Flint Street, across the Interstate 240 overpass and around the Asheville Skatepark on Cherry Street. Thousands of joyous faces aiming to witness one of the “must-see” live acts of the modern era — Billy Strings.

“People are looking for something real,” Strings told me backstage before a Kentucky gig for a Rolling Stone profile piece I wrote on him in 2019. “They’re looking for some good songs and they’re looking for some honest, good people singing them. I think music does that every once in a while.”

Throughout Strings’ recent sold-out four-night run, tens of thousands of tickets were purchased and millions of dollars of direct spending was felt throughout Asheville and greater Western North Carolina.

According to Explore Asheville, when Strings completed his sold-out six-night run at the same venue in February 2025, the impact to the local economy was estimated to be around $15.7 million, which was much-needed in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, not to mention his generous appearance at the “Concert for Carolina” at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte following the hurricane.

To note, Strings was also given a “Key to the City” by Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer during Saturday night’s gig at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in honor of his numerous sold-out

Billy Strings played four sold-out shows in Asheville last week.

shows there and his deep love for the town itself.

Both tangible and intrinsic, “The Billy Effect” is occurring in cities and towns, in arenas and at festivals from coast-to-coast and beyond. With millions of fans now, Billy Strings has exploded across the national music scene over the better part of the last decade. And we’re all here for it.

“The energy? The crowd size? The scene? I haven’t seen something like this since Phish in the late 1990s,” a prominent regional promoter turned and mentioned to me as we stood in the back of the arena observing the Wednesday night audience hovering around 7,000 strong. “And with Billy having bluegrass at his core, we’ve never seen something on this massive level for that genre.”

A six-string acoustic guitar guru, Strings and his extremely talented jam-grass band represent far more than just radiating songs of the past, melodies of the present and a keen musical intent for the unknown horizon that is the future. It is, simply, presenting the entire spectrum of the human condition atop the sacred platform that is the live music experience.

So, why now? Why is bluegrass music — these melodic nuances known as the “high, lonesome sound” harkening back to the ancient tones — all of a sudden being sought after and yearned for by millions?

Well, for one thing, our society, either consciously or subconsciously, is pushing back against a light-speed digital world of emerging AI, this unknown territory of technology and culture we’re trying to carefully navigate amid the confusion of appearance vs. reality.

To that point, face-to-face interactions and conversations are a lost art, which also plays into the idea of “convenience vs. experience.” Music streaming services, audio books and daily texting between one another is convenient. Actually sitting down to listen to a vinyl album, opening a physical book or having coffee with an old friend in a diner is an experience.

There’s a reason why independent record stores and book stores have made a triumphant return in recent years. It’s all about the steadfast notion of slowing down and being present. It’s returning to the essence of what it means to be human, to feel what’s real and immerse yourself in the depths of your own heart and soul, your own imagination and reflection of true self.

“It’s also this lost sense of community we’re all experiencing in a post-pandemic world,” a dear friend (who has worked in the music industry for decades) said to me about “The Billy Effect.” “And there’s a lot of young kids looking for community and a genuine sense of connection, and the scene Billy has created

Those Gen Z and Gen Alpha youngsters make up a growing chunk of Strings’ following, which coincides with other large chunks of Baby Boomer DeadHeads and old-school bluegrass freaks, as well as Gen X and millennial folks who grew up following Phish and Widespread Panic in a similar fashion.

And there’s also those merely curious as to what Strings is all about, only to quickly find themselves die-hard fans. This entire crowd makeup also parlays itself into rarified air, where Strings has cultivated a vast, intricate fanbase in the same vein as Willie

Whether it’s Strings or any other marquee act, this also brings to the light the singular force of live music. Truth be told, it’s one of the only realms in our existence where you can inhabit this space, filled with thousands of people at a concert for probably just as many reasons, from seemingly every walk of life or background, all facing the same direction and feeling this sincere sense of connectivity and togetherness often missing today on

The culmination of these sentiments resides within bluegrass music. In truth, the beauty of bluegrass lies in its transparency. Whether you’re in the midst of a good or bad day, those emotions filter through your voice and your fingertips as a musician, filter through your absolute being as a listener.

Onstage or in the studio, you can’t hide behind the music. It’s simply wood, wire and wisdom. You’re vulnerable to the listener, to yourself and to the cosmos above. It’s a rare, glorious thing to come across such honest, pure intent and heartfelt interaction that bluegrass conjures with such ease in a 21st century world inundated with constant distraction and incessant white noise.

And what’s truly wild is the full-circle nature of when Strings comes to Asheville. In 1939, the “Father of Bluegrass,” mandolinist Bill Monroe, first introduced his new sound — this fiery blend of Scotch/Irish ballads, Dixieland jazz, early blues, gospel and mountain tones — live on WWNC radio in Asheville during the “Mountain Music Time” program, which took place in a (still functioning) studio on the third floor of the former Asheville Citizen Times building on O’Henry Avenue (now Citizen Vinyl), a short four-minute walk from the Harrah’s Cherokee Center.

Much like Monroe, many of today’s youngest and brightest bluegrass stars are rebels. While bluegrass purists may argue that expanding and updating the traditional sound would be sacrilegious, the truth is current marquee stars like Strings, Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle and Sierra Ferrell are complementing and building upon the bluegrass foundation that Monroe created.

“I was riding around in a van with [legendary mandolinist] David [‘Dawg’ Grisman] for a week. And the whole time we were listening to Bill Monroe’s music,” Strings said to me.

“Dawg looked back at me and said, ‘Man, I’ve been listening to Bill Monroe for 50 years and I still haven’t scratched the surface.’ There’s still so much left to learn about Bill Monroe, and David has been studying him for 50 years now.”

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

‘One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple’

At 9 a.m. Wednesday, the alarm went off from the smart phone on my nightstand. Reaching for the contraption and reading the morning text messages, it appeared our weekly editorial meeting set for 10 a.m. would shift to Friday. And yet, before I could roll back over to sleep a little more, another message pinged on the phone.

It was from the head of our advertising department. He needed an extra set of hands to help deliver this week’s newspapers to a slew of spots around Waynesville, Clyde and Lake Junaluska. One specific route of around 800 newspapers to boxes and wire racks around the community. No problem. Roll out of bed. Splash some water on the face. Lace up the boots. Grab the car keys. Head out the door.

To note, we have an underlying ethos within the workforce of The Smoky Mountain News: “duties as assigned.” This means nobody is above or below any position in the company. If you’re a reporter and the delivery drivers need help? Guess what, you’re a temporary delivery driver. Doesn’t bother me. I take great pride amongst my colleagues in ensuring the survival of this business.

Pulling up to the company’s storage facility, I stacked the hot-off-thepress newspapers (50 per bundle) into the back of my rusty, musty, trusty pickup truck. The sun was shining and starting to warm up in the late morning. Roll down the windows. Let the cool breeze swirl into the vehicle. Crank up the stereo. Foot on the accelerator towards the first news rack on the list.

Mercy Urgent Care next to Publix in Waynesville, 10 papers in the outside plastic blue box. It was empty of last week’s issue, which is always a good sign for us. Head across Russ Avenue to Ingles, both the gas station (50 copies) and the grocery store (100 copies). Again, empty boxes from last week. Onward to the Waynesville Rec Center (75 copies) and Howell Mill Exxon (15 copies).

Mountains Expressway towards Meals on Wheels behind the shopping complex on Paragon Parkway. MOW gets delivered 100 copies, which are placed with the dishes served to those in need in our community. What an incredible organization, am I right? Handing over the bundles to one of the organizers, a volunteer stopped me and asked for a copy from the stack: “I always look forward to reading this,” he smiled.

Over to the Blue Rooster restaurant (seven copies) then bustling with the lunchtime crowd. Over to the Lake Junaluska Post Office (100 copies) and the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center (30 copies). Gaze across the water. The lake sparkled like a million diamonds underneath the early afternoon sunshine. Maybe I’d circle back later today and go for a jog there.

The final drop offs were a retirement home (15 copies) and the local senior center (50 copies). With the truck idling in front of the home, I sauntered in and place the issues in the wire rack, but not before a couple of the inhabitants sitting on the lobby couch requested a copy hand delivered. But, of course, it’d be my pleasure. I thanked them for supporting the newspaper and headed for the door, my thoughts wondering if they’re expecting any visitors today. I hope so.

HOT PICKS

1

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Boy George and Culture Club (classic rock/pop) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21.

2

Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20.

3

A special production of “The White Chip” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-21, 27-28 and 2 p.m. Feb. 22 and March 1 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

4

Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Old Sap (Americana/folk) at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22.

5

Classic rock/R&B act The V8s will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin.

in Western North Carolina.

This year marks 18 years that I’ve been a professional journalist. I entered this industry because I wanted a vehicle, literally and figuratively, to have adventures, to learn the craft of writing and to have daily interactions with incredible folks from all walks of life. I parachute into their lives and passions to learn more about why people do what they do, to share their stories with you (and you, too). In truth, I love this gig more today than ever before.

And as it stands, newspapers, especially those independently run in our communities, remain the vital, more so crucial, lifeline between what is being decided in your backyard and how it affects you (and you, too). To note, although I do not take myself seriously, I do take this work very seriously. It’s not lost on me what we journalists do when we walk out the front door each morning — this effort to connect important questions with real answers.

And it was right around this time I started to let my mind drift. With downtown Waynesville in the rearview mirror, I cruised along Old Asheville Highway towards the hospital (125 copies), not to mention Coffee Cup Cafe (50 copies) and nearby Haywood Community College (20 copies). Gently let go of the accelerator while admiring the tree canopy you drive under on campus. Headed underneath the Great Smoky

Rolling back to the news office in downtown Waynesville, I checked my desk for any mail or messages. It was at that moment I noticed how blackened my fingertips had become from handling so many papers. Fresh ink from the printing press. The ink residue put a grin on my face, this actual evidence of the enduring power and presence of the free press in this county, this country.

Leaving the office, I hopped into the truck and went home to my quaint apartment nearby. The same humble abode I’ve lived in since the first week I arrived in Waynesville some 14 years ago. Time flies when you’re having fun, especially when it comes to the unrelenting wandering and pondering of people, places and things here

This isn’t a pat on the back for the newspaper. It’s simply a moment to reflect on the widespread spiderweb of connectivity this company has spun since its inception in June 1999. Twenty-seven years of attending town meetings, of marking local accomplishments, of breaking news coverage in times of dire need or natural disasters, this effort to make sense and offer solutions to the chaos and confusion in uncertain times.

We aren’t the enemy. We’re your neighbors, your friends and, in many cases, your family. I choose to call these mountains home. I’ll always possess a level of respect, admiration and love for this place of unknown depth within my heart and soul. And I think fondly of my trek delivering papers.

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

Local art showcase at Sylva library

The “Rotunda Show” artwork exhibition is currently being 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.

• Haywood County Arts Council’s latest exhibit “Inspired by a Song” is currently being showcased at Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville. The showcase explores the powerful connection between music and visual art. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit haywoodarts.org or stop by the gallery during regular business hours.

• “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. For more information, visit motcp.org.

On the stage

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host “Paint & Sip Night” 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.

ALSO:

• 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.

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.

‘Celebrating Creativity’ at WCU

Western Carolina University’s annual “Juried Undergraduate Exhibition” will run through March 20 at the Fine Art Museum on campus in Cullowhee.

To note, an awards ceremony and reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at the museum. The exhibition and the reception are both free and open to the public.

This exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity for WCU undergraduate students to share their artwork with a larger public and to enhance their skills in presenting artwork in a professional gallery setting. Entries are reviewed by an outside art professional who selects the works for exhibition at the museum.

Artists exhibiting this year are Aster Ayer, Macie Bishop, James Wood Boone, Kylie Malia Noelani Chatham, Cayenne Dabels, Rhiannon Eason, Ella Gamble, Jonah Gillen, Christopher Herman, Victoria Im, Klovyr Jade, Natasha Lambert, Frank Lendle, Diana Limbo, Courtnie

• 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.

• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 828.456.6322 / harttheatre.org.

Visit arts.wcu.edu/58-juried to learn more about the exhibition and reception. To see BAC’s full calendar of events, visit arts.wcu.edu/explore or call 828.227.ARTS. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

• 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.

• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.339.4000 / southwesterncc.edu/scclocations/swain-center.

• 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.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

HART theatre in

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.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.

• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 828.526.9047 / mountaintheatre.com.

• 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.

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.

• 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/ranchevent.

AREA’S BEST BURGER

• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Wind Down Wine Flights” 6 p.m. Thursdays. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have the wine bar open from 4-8 p.m. Fridays/Saturdays, with semi-regular wine tastings on the weekends. 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.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.

• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. 828.538.0420.

• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held 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 “Carolina Moonshine” train on select dates. 800.872.4681 / gsmr.com.

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.

Americana, folk at Frog Level

Rising regional singer-songwriter Old Sap will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. According to himself, Old Sap is a “Poet from Chicago, rambled out to Montana, cut a banjo from a tamarack, strings across the country, foot like a freight train, voice rushing down over lush Appalachia, sings a thrush tune through the rush hour and into your longforgotten prairie dreams.”

Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.

Old Sap will play Waynesville Feb. 22. File photo

• Angry Elk Brewing (Whittier) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows are free and open to the public. 828.497.1015 / facebook.com/angryelkbrewingco.

• Assembly On Main (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic Night” 7-9 p.m. Mondays (signup at 6:30 p.m.), “Trivia Night” 6 p.m. 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.

• Bevel Bar (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.246.0996 / bevelbar.com.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host

“Music Bingo Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, The Blue Mountaineers (Americana/bluegrass) on Thursdays and Bill Neagle (singersongwriter) Feb. 20. 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 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.

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 “Cabin Fever 70s Party” Feb. 28. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 / curraheebrew.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

• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every other Thursday of the month, Ryles Monroe (singer-songwriter) 10 p.m. Feb. 20 and Falspring 1 p.m. Feb. 28 (brunch show). 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.

• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) Feb. 20 and A. Lee Edwards (Americana/folk) Feb. 28. All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Admission is $25 per person. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-event.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 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.

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 semi-regular live music monthly. 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Len Graham “Album Release Party” 5 p.m. Feb. 19, Wilson Morris (singer-songwriter) Feb. 20, Adi the Monk (singer-songwriter) Feb. 21, Old Sap (Americana/folk) 3 p.m. Feb. 22, Marley’s Chain Feb. 27, Crystal Fountains Feb. 28 and Paul Edelman (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. March 1. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.

• Frog Quarters (Franklin) will host live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Free and open to the public. 828.369.8488 / littletennessee.org.

• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.742.5700 / happsplace.com.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort

(Cherokee) will host Boy George and Culture Club (classic rock/pop) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 and Amy Grant (country/rock) 9 p.m. Feb. 27. For tickets, click on caesars.com/harrahscherokee.

• 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 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.

• Highlands Performing Arts Center will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.9047 / highlandsperformingarts.com.

• Highlands Smokehouse (Highlands) will host live music from 1-3 p.m. Sundays. 828.526.3554 / highlandsmokehouse.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.

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.226.0262 / 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.

• J.R. Chophouse (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.369.3663 / jrchophouse.com.

• 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, The V8s (rock/oldies) Feb. 21, “Pajama Party Karaoke” Feb. 27 and Blue Jazz (soul/blues)

Meade returns to Bryson City

Florida-based indie/soul singer-songwriter Shane Meade will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City.

Hailing from Elkins, West Virginia, Meade is a selftaught late bloomer who borrowed an old guitar from his father. He began playing and writing songs in the summer of 2000 before relocating to Florida, eventually leaving the corporate world and pursuing music full-time in 2005.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.538.0115 or visit mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

Feb. 28. 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, The Log Noggins (rock) Feb. 20 and Ray Ferrara (country/folk) Feb. 27. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.

828.246.9283.

Shane Meade will play Bryson City Feb. 21. File photo

• 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.

• 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 Rich Manz Trio (acoustic/oldies) Feb. 21 and “Grateful Dead Tribute” Feb. 26. All shows begin at 8 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, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) Feb. 20, Shane Meade (indie/soul) Feb. 21, Liz Petty (singer-songwriter) Feb. 27 and Bridget Gossett (singer-songwriter) Feb. 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.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.

• Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro (Dillsboro) will host Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.586.1717 / facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.

• 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, Francis Eliza (singersongwriter) Feb. 20, Scott Clark (singersongwriter) Feb. 21, R.A. Nightingale (singer-songwriter) 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24 and Michael Kitchens & Dirty Dave (Americana) Feb. 28. 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 S EE ON THE BEAT, PAGE 22

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.

• Sauced (Waynesville) will host “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Feb. 25 and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9585 / saucedwnc.com.

• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic” the first Wednesday of every month, Rene Russell (singer-songwriter) Feb. 19, Rich Manz Trio (acoustic/oldies) Feb. 21, An Tir Nua (Celtic/world) 3 p.m. Feb. 22, Jon Cox (singer-songwriter) Feb. 26 and Crimson Moon (Americana) Feb. 28. 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 semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.

Lazy Hiker welcomes The V8s

The V8s will play Franklin Feb. 21. File photo

Classic rock/R&B act The V8s will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin.

Most of The V8s have been playing in various bands (often together) since 1975. The outcome is one good-time party band. Classic, danceable tunes delivered from old school musicians with feel.

On any given night, the band will deliver their smokin’ hot versions of songs by artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Picket, Sam & Dave, Johnny Rivers, Van Morrison and many more.

Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semiregular 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.

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-regular 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.

• Valley Cigar & Wine Company (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.

• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Jason” Tuesdays, “Tom’s Trivia Night” Wednesdays, Steel Creek Feb. 20 and “Hillbilly Winter Jam” (Americana/rock) Feb. 26-28. 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 host Tim Austin (singer-songwriter) Feb. 21, Jordan Denton (singer-songwriter) Feb. 22, Shawn Hart (singer-songwriter) Feb. 28 and Monica Spears (singer-songwriter) March 1. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.

ALSO:

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host “Trivia Night” 7 p.m. Mondays, “Karaoke Night” 8 p.m. Thursdays, semi-regular DJs on the weekends and Break Cutter (rock) Feb. 27. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 828.456.4750 / facebook.com/waternhole.bar.

• 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.

• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month (free) and semi-regular 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

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.743.6000 / whitesidebrewing.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.

An immature mayfly (Rhithrogena spp.), called a nymph, is captured during an insect monitoring activity in

which to me indicates that there is a healthy habitat for them to complete another year of their lifecycle.”

Soon it became Nichols’ responsibility to synch up the famous lightshows with the humans who wanted to watch them. Now, beginning in early March each year, she tracks air and soil temperatures at Elkmont, then uses these data to calculate degree-day accumulation, which is basically a way to measure accumulated heat, and therefore, growth.

Firefly scientists Lynn Frierson Faust and Paul Weston first developed the degree-day formula in 2009, and Nichols has used it ever since to determine the timing of the synchronous firefly emergence and set viewing dates for the synchronous firefly show.

Over the years, peak viewing days have ranged from the third week of May to the third week of June. As with any natural event, it’s difficult to predict precisely.

“I can help with the planning, but I know conditions can change quickly,” she said.

“Nature is ultimately in charge.”

HE BIODIVERSITY OF BUGS

Word from the Smokies

BY FRANCES FIGART FOR S MOKIES LIFE

Park entomologist reflects on career of conserving insects

From bears and bobcats to eagles and elk, 22,893 species have been documented so far in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — and nearly half of them are insects. Becky Nichols, the park’s long-time entomologist, has dedicated her career to learning about and protecting lifeforms like bees, wasps, moths and butterflies.

As a child in rural Washington state, Nichols gravitated toward nature and animals of all sorts. She knew from a young age that she wanted a career related to the environment.

“I grew up in a large family, and we all spent a lot of time outdoors — hiking, picking huckleberries, riding horses, raising farm animals and taking care of the garden,” Nichols said. “Our family visited public lands often — even if it was just for a day — and summer vacations involved camping in national forests and national parks. I recall finding aquatic insects in a mountain stream and being intrigued. Little did I know the career path I would end up taking.”

As an undergraduate majoring in wildlife at Washington State University, Nichols was inspired by her entomology instructor, who “conveyed his enthusiasm to the students and really opened my eyes to the diversity of

insects.” During summers she worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in eastern Washington, surveying orchards for apple maggot flies and rangeland for grasshoppers — documenting a certain density of these agricultural pests would trigger various control measures. This gave her valuable experience working with scientists.

Her practical entomology experience continued in graduate school at Texas Tech University, where her thesis concerned fire ants and their impact on native ants in central Texas. Next, she went to the University of Missouri for her Ph.D., looking at aquatic insect diversity in relation to land use in the Ozarks. She had finished her doctorate and was seeking a job when she saw an announcement for the Smokies entomologist position.

“The job duties covered things that I had experience in, so I felt qualified to apply,” she said. “I had some federal experience as a seasonal, so that probably helped, and I was fortunate enough to get an interview and land the job.” That was 1998.

SYNCHING IN THE SMOKIES

Shortly after settling into her position in the Great Smoky Mountains, Nichols heard about an amazing species of beetle that flashes in unison during its late spring to early summer mating ritual.

“The synchronous fireflies were well known by the local community at Elkmont when people still lived in the area,” she said.

“It was quite amazing to see the display for the first time with just a handful of other local people who knew about it.”

Photinus carolinus prefers humid, dark, clean woods for its courtship ritual — and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a temperate rainforest, is prime firefly real estate. As word of the flashing beetles spread, people started flocking to Elkmont by the hundreds, parking their cars on the side of the road and tromping through the forest to find a perfect viewing spot.

“There were too many vehicles trying to come in and out of the relatively small area,” Nichols recalled. “Cars would be parked in precarious places, headlights and flashlights were interrupting the flashing, and people were going off trail, endangering themselves and likely stepping on the female and larval fireflies.”

To protect the lightning bugs and their habitat, in 2006 the park began shuttling people to the site and later using a lottery system to manage this highdemand viewing opportunity. This change improved the visitor experience and minimized disturbance to the park’s 19 different firefly species.

Lightning bugs are just one of many types of insects that fall under the park entomologist’s purview. Nichols’ favorites are the ones that remind her of that first sighting in a mountain stream years ago.

As park entomologist, Becky Nichols’ work runs the gamut from identifying and preparing insect specimens in the lab to gathering data across the park’s diverse ecosystems. Joye Ardyn Durham photo

“The bioluminescent communication that occurs among fireflies is intricate and complex, and I find it amazing that so many species coexist in the nocturnal environment,” Nichols said. “Every spring I look forward to seeing the first fireflies come out,

stages of mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, dragonflies and many others,” she said. “I have worked with aquatics for many years, and we have documented over 1,000 species in the Smokies. The adaptations and

Meetings set on updated flood risk data

Residents, business owners and community leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Swain County are invited to attend a pair of public open house meetings.

The Swain County open house will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, in the Community Room of the Swain County Administration Building in Bryson City. The EBCI open house will be held from 3-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Yellowhill Community Building in Cherokee.

The purpose of the meetings is to review and discuss the most recent updates to local flood hazard and flood risk data. The open house will give participants the opportunity to: Review the results of the preliminary flood risk data. Learn how to submit appeals and comments on the revised studies. Ask questions about the updated flood studies and the National Flood Insurance Program.

Representatives from the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program will be on site to explain the preliminary map update process, answer questions about flood insurance and provide guidance on floodplain management.

The flood hazard data is accessible online at fris.nc.gov. Select the preliminary tab to view the preliminary data to determine whether your property is affected by this update.

These events are open to the public.

‘Got to Be NC Festival’ accepting applications

diversity in this group are amazing, and they can tell you so much about the environment they live in.”

Nichols has been monitoring streams for the past 28 years as part of the Inventory and Monitoring program. The team collects aquatic insects from established sites within certain watersheds, sampling from the highest elevations all the way down to the lowest. The resulting data is then compared to data from previous years. This trend information can tell the scientists if there are problems within the watershed that might require further investigation.

When not working in streams, Nichols might be found identifying insects in the lab, checking on various pollinators or preparing specimens for the park’s natural history collection. She engages in public outreach by giving tours of the collection and leading hikes for community groups. In the winter, when field work is done, she analyzes data, writes reports and keeps up a robust correspondence with scientists and educators inside and outside the park.

versity,” Nichols said, “so to be involved in a project like this has been a great experience. I’ve worked with taxonomists, ecologists and various specialists over the years. I’ve learned a lot from them, and we’ve made great progress in better understanding the biodiversity of the Smokies.”

Nichols loves sharing about her career path and has given many presentations to students and interns about entomology, natural history and biodiversity. Often these young people, especially the women, are not aware of the types of job opportunities available to them. She likes to encourage them to pursue whatever interests them and to realize there are no boundaries.

“Women are now well-represented in

fireflies (Photinus

in

during their

One of her favorite parts of the job has been working with park partner Discover Life in America since its inception in 1998 on many aspects of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory — the endeavor to catalog all the park’s species and their relationships to one another. She collaborates with DLIA to determine which taxonomic groups need attention, and the scientific nonprofit then recruits specialists to conduct fieldwork or process collected samples in the Smokies.

“I have always been interested in biodi-

many scientific fields, which wasn’t always the case,” she said. “When I was in graduate school, there weren’t many women studying entomology, and now about half of the graduate degrees are awarded to women. This isn’t true in all scientific fields, however, and there is still work to be done to make these career paths more inclusive and equitable for all people.”

(Frances Figart is the creative services director for the 29,000-member Smokies Life, a partner supporting Great Smoky Mountains National Park by providing educational products and services such as this column. Learn more at SmokiesLife.org and reach the author at frances@smokieslife.org.)

Deadlines are coming up quickly for vendors, concessionaires, suppliers, Got to Be NC members and farm equipment hobbyists interested in participating in the Got to Be Festival May 1517 at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

Got to Be NC members have until Feb. 27 to apply to be part of the Got to Be NC Pavilion in the Agri Supply Exposition Center. The pavilion showcases Got to Be NC products, beverages and food samples and is only open to members of the program.

The deadline for independent festival vendors, concessionaires and suppliers is March 1. Vendors and exhibitors showcasing food and other products will be in the Graham Building and outdoor food area.

Organizers are also looking for collectors of antique tractors and farm equipment to join a display of more than 1,000 pieces of vintage machinery. Tractors in working order also can participate in the daily tractor parade through the fairgrounds.

Registration forms and vendor applications for concessions and commercial vendors and the Got to Be NC Pavilion can be found online at ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-state-fair/got-be-nc-festival/vendorsfood.

The Joyful Botanist

BY ADAM B IGELOW

Almost time for bluets

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m getting excited for the return of wildflowers.

In Southern Appalachia, we’ve had a real winter this season with long, extended cold snaps and a couple of good, region-wide snow and ice storms. Now we’re looking at a few weeks of warmer weather ahead, and in mid-February that means the emergence and bloom of the first of the spring wildflowers.

taken on Feb. 28, back in 2022, for instance. There are 12 species of Houstonia across North Carolina, according to the Vascular Plants of North Carolina online database. Nine of those species can definitely be found growing in the mountains, and of those nine, four species bloom in springtime and the other five are known as summer bluets.

Dimpled trout-lily (Erythronium umbilicatum) and sharp-lobed liverwort (Hepatica

acutiloba) are usually the first two native herbaceous wildflowers to bloom, and with this warm spring-like rain and temperature, I’d not be surprised to see the first flowers of either of these species. I’ve been tracking the first trout-lily to bloom each year up Moses Creek in this one special spot, and the average first blooming is Feb. 14, as if the mountains like to give me flowers for Valentine’s Day. Yes Appalachia, I’ll be yours. Forever.

Some years, it looks like I’m not the only one excited for spring blooms. Sometimes even native wildflowers just can’t wait and will open early. One such species that likes to bloom out of season, sometimes early and sometimes oddly in late-summer or early-fall, you’ll find one or two open flowers of the thyme-leaved bluets (Houstonia serpyllifolia).

Normally, this species of Houstonia blooms in profusion in May and June, often turning the roadsides along the Blue Ridge Parkway into a haze of light blue. Here and there, they’ll get an environmental trigger, and one or two flowers will bud and open early. The picture used for this article was

Bluets are relatively easy to identify while in bloom. For both spring and summer blooming bluets, look for relatively small flowers that have four petals, which is uncommon in the world of flower petals. Most flowers have odd numbers like five, seven, nine or more petals on a course, trilliums are so named due to having three petals. Bluets have four, which makes them into the shape of a solar or Celtic cross. The springblooming bluets are usually a shade of blue, hence the name, and have a yellow center or “eye.” The blue shades can range from a deep and dark to light skyblue depending on how much of a recessive gene for white is being expressed. Rarely, you’ll find larger populations where that recessive gene for white petals gets reinforced, and you’ll see solid white bluet flowers. However, they are not suddenly called “whitelets,” and if you sowed seeds from plants blooming white, the new plants would likely bloom some shade of blue.

Summer-blooming bluets tend to bloom in shades of purple and pink, and the species commonly known as summer bluets mostly have flowers with white petals. This is ironic, as the species name for summer bluets is Houstonia purpurea. And those flowers are far from purple.

Confused yet? I get it; it’s easy to be confused while trying to identify native plants. And sometimes, even the flowers themselves get confused and try to bloom out of season. I don’t blame them. After this long, cold winter, I’m ready to see some flowers blooming too.

(The Joyful Botanist leads weekly wildflower walks most Fridays and offers consultations and

Hurricane Helene water infrastructure funds available

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allocated a combined $686 million to North Carolina for Hurricane Helenerelated drinking water, wastewater and septic system projects, with a focus on resiliency and a goal of reducing risk and vulnerability in systems as they face future storms.

DEQ’s Division of Water Infrastructure

projects for one or more of the following purposes in Helene-affected areas:

• Repairing, replacing and improving the resilience of septic systems to flooding

• Assessing the potential to connect homes served by decentralized wastewater treatment systems to centralized wastewater treatment systems, or funding such

EPA funds are available for water and septic systems that were damaged during Helene. File photo

NCDA&CS Agronomic Services laboratory fees increasing

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Services Lab will raise some of its testing fees beginning March 2, with most increases ranging from $3 to $5 depending on test.

Soil testing will remain free for North Carolina residents outside the peak season which runs late November or early December through March. In the fall of 2026, the peakseason rate will increase from $4 to $5 per sample. The new fee schedule can be found at ncagr.gov/agronomic-services-nc-grower-feeschedule/open.

The fee increases are intended to support program operations and enable the lab to

fund a receipt-supported position in the nematode section, said Dr. David Hardy, director of the Agronomic Services Division. The new rates mark the first increases of some lab service fees in 20 years.

“The increased fees will be invested back into the lab operations, upgrading older equipment with newer technology that will be able to more efficiently provide analytics and testing data. The end goal is to increase efficiency to better assist growers and landowners who use these services,” said NC Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “In addition to those investments, the fees are expected to help cover some of the rising costs of laboratory supplies and chemicals.”

The fee increases were approved by the Board of Agriculture following a 30-day public notice period ending in September 2025 and finalized by the Rules Review Commission on Jan. 29.

Take part in the Assault on BlackRock

The 2026 Assault on BlackRock trail race has been set for Saturday, March 21.

All proceeds from this race will go to the Sylva Art & Design Committee with a focus on bringing more outdoor murals to downtown Sylva.

T-shirts are guaranteed to those registered prior to March 1, 2026, prizes will be awarded to top finishers and anyone who completes the BlackRock 101 challenge will get a belt buckle. There is also a $400 cash award to the first person who completes the course on race day in under one hour.

The cost is $35 to pre-register and $45 on race day. Register online at ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=131374.

• Enhancing resiliency to rapid hydrologic change or natural disasters at treatment works

Any local government unit or nonprofit water/wastewater corporation affected by Hurricane Helene may apply for funding. Investor-owned drinking water corporations affected by Hurricane Helene may also apply for Drinking Water Helene funds. Additionally, funding is available for decentralized wastewater treatment systems

Forest Service finalizes project to restore hardwood forests

The Forest Service released its final decision on the Crossover Project, which seeks to restore and strengthen native hardwood forests on more than 1,900 acres of the Nantahala National Forest throughout the Snowbird Mountains near Topton.

Work on the Crossover Project started in 2017 with the goal of making the area healthier and more enjoyable for visitors. The plan focused on creating more young forest habitats and bringing back native plants, which have become rare over time due to early 20th century timber and fire management practices.

Adding young forest areas will benefit wildlife by creating sunny openings in the forest

owners to repair or replace septic systems

For additional information about all SRF Hurricane Helene funding, visit the Division of Water Infrastructure website. Application materials are posted on the division’s application forms and additional resources webpage. The Division of Water Infrastructure’s website also details other types of available funding opportunities.

canopy. Oak trees and native plants, like grasses and wildflowers, thrive with sunnier conditions. The project will also improve aquatic habitats for several species, including brook trout, hellbenders and smoky dace.

Co-stewardship of ancestral tribal lands is one of the cornerstones of this project. Recognizing the importance of incorporating Tribal values and traditional ecological knowledge into forest management, the Forest Service entered a Tribal Forest Protection Act agreement with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in 2023. The act provides a mechanism for tribes to collaborate more closely with the Forest Service on forest management projects occurring on ancestral lands, like Crossover.

The final Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice for the Crossover Project are available at fs.usda.gov/r08/northcarolina/projects/56347.

Market PLACE WNC

MarketPlace information:

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

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

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

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

Legals

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

CHEROKEE COUNTY DISTRICT Court

24JT001045-190. In re Doe, To: The Unknown Father of a minor male child, born on or about March 19, 2024 in Union County, Georgia. Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against above-entitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Petition Seeking Termination of Parental Rights. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than March 23, 2026 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought. This, the 18th day of February, 2026. Beverly B. Cook, Attorney for Petitioner PO Box 993, Murphy, NC 28906

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000066-430

Patricia Jones Bond and Lorri Jones Patton,

Co-Executors of the Estate of LOCKE M. JONES (A/K/A LOCKE MACARTHUR JONES) 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 19 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make

immediate payment.

Co-Executors

c/o Bailey A. Humphries PO Box 3180 Asheville, NC 28802

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.26E000018-490

Jennifer B. Caywood,

Executor of the Estate of SHEILA J. HOOPER (A/K/A SHEILA JOYCE HOOPER) 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 19 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.

Executor c/o Bailey A. Humphries PO Box 3180 Asheville, NC 28802

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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Buttermilk Farms is offering a fantastic Spring Sportsman Auction. Just a few items offered in this sale will be antique Thermometers, Pedal Cars, Antique Fishing Rods, Reels, Creels, Cherokee Baskets and Native Art, Vintage LIcense Plates, Advertising, Taxidermy, Fenton, Lanterns, Vintage Case Knives, Walking Sticks, Antique Ice Saw, Crocks/Jugs and much more. Check out our full ad on our Facebook page, Buttermilk Farms Antiques & Auction. Photos added up to sale time. Absentee bids welcome. Preview available after February 24th. Plenty of seating. Plenty of parking. Curbside Loading. Concession stand on site. Cash and Credit Cards accepted. Business checks only. Join us for this packed sale with tons of beautiful antiques and vintage items. (828) 366-2215 bttrmlkfarms@ frontier.com

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FOUND NECKLACE

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scribed in detail to claim. We would like to get it back to the rightful owner. Contact Jamie at Smoky Mountain News 828-4524251 or smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com.

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ANSWERS ON PAGE 26

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