Smoky Mountain News | June 24, 2026

On the Cover:

The Didanesisgi Gadagwatli Community Workshop also known as the Mud Dauber Workshop has come to the Museum of the Cherokee People. The workshop, tailored to allow 12-20 participants, aims to teach basic pottery types, styles and designs. For the enrolled EBCI members who spoke to the Smoky Mountain News, pottery has provided both a new connection to their culture and a necessary relief from the stresses of life. (Page 16) Donated photo

News

Swain property owners express Duke Needmore route concerns......................4 WCU chancellor receives Distinguished Citizen Award..........................................5

Unaffiliated candidates test their mettle in WNC counties....................................6

Swain granted temporary restraining order against FRL........................................8 Fontana library system pumps the brakes on major policy changes....................9 JCPL board meets, Jackson considers room utilization room policy................10

Swain County unresponsive to SMN public records requests..........................12 Community briefs..............................................................................................................13

Opinion

What energies are we

Rich get rich at our

A&E

Mountaintop Art & Craft Show comes to Highlands..............................................19

An Appalachian Evening features the Kruger Brothers..........................................20

Outdoors

Run to the hills: Some of our favorite trails in WNC..............................................24 Drought continues statewide, worsens in central NC............................................26

STAFF

McClure.

D ESIGN & PRODUCTION: Jack Snyder. . .

D IGITAL MARKETING S PECIALIST Tyler Auffhammer. . .

ADVERTISING SALES: Amanda Bradley. . .

micah@smokymountainnews.com

jack.s@smokymountainnews.com

tyler.a@mtnsouthmedia.com

amanda.b@smokymountainnews.com Maddie Woodard.

C LASSIFIEDS: Jamie Cogdill.

N EWS E DITOR: Kyle Perrotti. .

WRITING: Lily Levin. . .

Garret K. Woodward. . .

ACCOUNTING & O FFICE MANAGER: Jamie Cogdill. . .

C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Susanna

CONTACT

maddie.w@smokymountainnews.com

classads@smokymountainnews.com

kyle.p@smokymountainnews.com

lily.l@smokymountainnews.com

. garret@smokymountainnews.com

smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com

Swain property owners express Duke Needmore route concerns

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER

As Duke Energy proceeds with its plan to install an 80- to 100-foot steel transmission line and power substation along Needmore Road in Swain County, affected property owners refuse to stay silent about what they view as a threat to the very backbone of their community.

Concerned citizens gather every Monday at Maple Springs Baptist Church amid Duke’s pre-construction activities. This past week, several at the meeting brought their cause to Swain County Commissioners.

“[Duke Energy] made their money, and we would appreciate it if they would be a little bit more considerate our community and our county,” said resident Cheryl Taylor.

Taylor was referencing the fact that Duke Energy in 1988 took over a local power company, inheriting 4,500 acres of Needmore land originally purchased to construct a hydroelectric dam, which had been since abandoned. The NC Wildlife Resources Commission acquired the tract more than 20 years ago for $19 million.

Needmore community member Lori Heisman equated the transmission lines to utilities poles along a four-lane highway — devastating property values and disrupting the natural environment, thus hurting the tourism industry.

Core to the frustrations of many was that two alternative transmission line routes were also considered by Duke Energy, both less invasive to land and residents. The chosen route, according to various speakers, would affect at least 45 families.

erations in the future to have this opportunity, and this really will damage that capability for them,” said Heisman.

“My grandson just walked out the door, just saying he wants to move out of Needmore,” said Erin Holloway, adding that her grandson had always dreamed of remodeling a family home and staying within the community.

Plus, according to Heisman, even those who aren’t impacted now could be in the future. She recalled that while company representatives have assured locals that the easement will impinge very little on private property, they’ve also said it can be easily expanded. “Once we give them an inch, they have the ability to so easily take as many miles as they need,” she said.

part of what makes this community special,” Heisman told commissioners.

“[Needmore Road is] the most iconic road in Swain County.”

Taylor agreed.

“The Needmore area is one of the most beautiful places that we have in this county,” she said.

Several speakers recounted their efforts to learn why this particular route was chosen — and how little information they’d gotten from Duke Energy.

“Many factors were considered during the route study and siting process, including land use, engineering, natural resources, safety, reliability and community input collected during two open house meetings and during the public comment periods,” the transmission line website reads.

But while Duke Energy representatives attended the group’s May Maple Springs meeting, according to Taylor, they were not eager to explain why Needmore had been selected. Employees were also not willing to share any site reports, said resident Celia Baker, adding that it is misleading for the utility to cite public comment periods.

While Duke Energy claims to pay fair market value for a 100-foot right-of-way easement onto private property, it was clear on June 16 that homeowners wanted no such transaction.

“The people in this room, a lot of them have lived here their whole lives, and so did their prior generation and the generation before that, and they have plans for all of the gen-

As for environmental impacts, locals asserted there were plenty. Duke Energy’s project page states that “Trees and other vegetation within the new corridor will be removed in anticipation of the project construction.”

And yet this new corridor seems most renowned precisely for its trees and vegetation.

“When you go down the road, you see this overarching canopy of trees, and it’s natural, and it’s beautiful, and it’s

“It came out that even of the families directly impacted with these lines coming in, over half of them had not received anything [about the public comment period]. The public hearing meeting, whatever they called it, was back in September of 2025, so most of us didn’t have any clue this was even being discussed or brought up,” she said.

Another audience member added that the meeting wasn’t held in Needmore to accommodate the community, but rather Nantahala.

Commission Vice Chair Tanner Lawson mentioned a similarly misleading comment. When the initiative first started, Duke Energy came to commissioners and professed to “keep them in the loop,” he said, indicating a lack of follow-through. He suggested the county manager invite a Duke representative to meet with commissioners so that the community and its governing body could share concerns about the route.

Along those lines, public commenters invited the commissioners to attend the group’s weekly meetings.

The Smoky Mountain News requested comment from Duke Energy but did not receive a response.

WCU chancellor receives Distinguished Citizen Award

Western Carolina University

Chancellor Kelli R. Brown has been named the recipient of the 2026 Jackson County Distinguished Citizen Award, presented by Scouting America’s Daniel Boone Council, in recognition of her outstanding leadership, service, and commitment to the community.

The Distinguished Citizen Award is the highest honor presented by the Daniel Boone Council, recognizing individuals whose volunteer efforts and professional accomplishments reflect the ideals and principles of Scouting. The award celebrates those who go above and beyond in service to others and who demonstrate a lasting impact on their communities.

Scouting.

“Receiving the Distinguished Citizen Award from Scouting America is such a meaningful honor, and I am deeply grateful to be recognized alongside leaders committed to service and character,” Brown said.

“At Western Carolina University, we share these same values, preparing students to lead with integrity, serve their communities and make a lasting impact. I’m proud to be part of a region and a university community that reflects those ideals every day.”

The award was presented as part of a community campaign chaired by Mike Wade, a community leader, former two-time Academic All-American Catamount football player and the 2025 recipient of the Jackson

Chancellor Kelli R. Brown received the 2026 Jackson County Distinguished Citizen Award, presented by Scouting America’s Daniel Boone Council. Pictured from left to right, Ben Pendry, WCU’s Vice Chancellor for Advancement; Mike Wade, WCU alumnus and award committee chair; Chancellor Kelli R. Brown; Joshua Christ, Scouting executive; and Ryan Bennett, district executive. Donated photo

“Scouting America Daniel Boone Council is thrilled to honor Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli R. Brown with our 2026 Jackson County Distinguished Citizen Award for her extraordinary service, leadership and dedication to the youth and communities of Western North Carolina and beyond,” said Joshua P. Christ, Scouting America executive/CEO. “She is a brilliant example of scouting values in action. Congratulations, Chancellor Brown!” Chancellor Brown expressed gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the shared mission between the university and

County Distinguished Citizen Award. The campaign raised more than $15,000 to support Scouting programs that promote character and leadership development among youth in Jackson County.

The Daniel Boone Council also recognized several sponsors for their support of the event and continued investment in local Scouting programs. Sponsors included Western Carolina University, Mike Wade, Andy Shaw Ford, B.H. Graning Contracting, Rabbit Ridge of Cullowhee, Charles Wolfe State Farm Insurance, Stanberry Insurance and Howard Allman.

“At Western Carolina University, we share these same values, preparing students to lead with integrity, serve their communities, and make a lasting impact. I’m proud to be part of a region and a university community that reflects those ideals every day.”

Kelli R. Brown, WCU Chancellor

Unaffiliated candidates test their mettle in WNC counties

BY KYLE PERROTTI NEWS EDITOR

As unaffiliated voters have overtaken Republicans and Democrats as the largest voting group in the state, candidates running outside of the two major party apparatuses still struggle in elections, but several Western North Carolina candidates hope to change that narrative.

There are four unaffiliated contenders in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area for 2028: two county commission candidates each in Haywood and Swain counties. They aim to upset the status quo and insert what they think will be a perspective free of the shackles that can come with being beholden to one major party or the other.

To appear on the General Election ballot, unaffiliated county commission candidates

people would come up to me and say, ‘Gosh Fred, you were a voice for me. That’s exactly what I was thinking,’” he said. “People said ‘Why don’t you run?’”

Womble retired from the Navy in 2017 as a captain and immediately moved to the area with her husband. Unlike the other candidates discussed in this story, Womble previously ran for office in Western North Carolina. As an unaffiliated candidate, she received enough signatures to appear on the 2022 Swain County Commission ballot but lost in the General Election. She said that because of her time in the military, she understands how to work with others to bring to life policies that can better the county.

“There were enough issues and concerns that I had about the way that decisions were being made affecting the people of Swain

for that seat. Fred Crawford is running for commission chair in Swain while Womble is running for a regular commissioner seat. This means that while Hyatt and Hart will compete directly against each other, Womble and Crawford will not.

THE VALUE OF NAME RECOGNITION

Cooper noted that unaffiliated candidates in smaller communities tend to fare better since it’s easier to build that name recognition with a smaller voter base. One unique challenge unaffiliated candidates face is that they don’t have a party apparatus to help them gain name recognition. Everything must be built from scratch with no association to a known party brand.

must garner signatures from 4% of registered voters in the county by Primary Election Day, and then the local boards of election must verify the signatures.

As the unaffiliated voter bloc has become larger than those of Republicans or Democrats, does that translate to successful unaffiliated candidacies? Western Carolina University Political Science Professor Chris Cooper said that hasn’t been the case in recent memory.

“Almost every part of our electoral system is pushing against them in some ways,” Cooper said. “The surprise isn’t that more don’t win, but that it’s a win at all.”

THE CANDIDATES

Crawford worked 25 years for a public water and electric utility serving 60 counties in rural central Texas. He said that when he began paying attention to county government in Swain after retiring in the county, he felt that his experience could do some good. He began going to commission meetings and offering public comments.

“Oftentimes from those public comments,

County, including my family, that I wanted to be part of that discussion and decision-making process,” she said.

Hyatt moved to the area in the 1990s. She is the only candidate featured in this story who’d previously held office, having served as a county commissioner and state representative in Montana. Since moving to the region, she spent most of her time working at The Mountaineer, where she served as editor from 2003 until just a few years ago. Hyatt said she decided to run for office in December and hopes to bring outside-the-box solutions to the complex problems of the modern age.

“I think the tried-and-true solutions of yesterday are just not going to be applicable going forward,” she said.

Blake Hart was born and raised in Western North Carolina and serves as the executive director of Haywood Christian Ministry. Hart did not respond to multiple requests for an interview from The Smoky Mountain News and has not updated his campaign’s Facebook page since March.

Unlike Haywood County, where the commissioners elect their own chair, Swain County voters get to cast ballots specifically

Western North Carolina as long as Hyatt; however, they have been involved in local, regional and even state affairs for years.

Crawford serves on the board of Mainspring Conservation Trust and is Swain County’s delegate to the North Carolina Senior Tarheel Legislature. He also teaches yoga classes and for years has been a leader in the Swain County Beekeepers Association.

Womble has volunteered for several organizations and serves on both the Fontana Regional Library and Marianna Black Library advisory boards [Prior to and following her 2022 commission campaign, she wanted to be involved in the community, something she sees as an extension of her time serving in the military]. It was just a transition of service, she said.

Of course, for candidates, building name recognition, letting people know what they stand for and showing they can listen to concerns are still crucial up to election day. Crawford has cultivated a robust presence on Facebook. Hyatt has published weekly newsletters and has also hosted a series of “focus groups,” listening sessions that allow her to document prevailing opinions and common concerns.

“I can’t stop being a journalist, so I just ask people, ‘What do we do, and how is it working? What do you think we should do different?’” Hyatt said.

GETTING ON THE BALLOT

To appear on a General Election ballot, an unaffiliated commission candidate must receive signatures on a petition endorsing their run from 4% of registered voters in the county. For Crawford and Womble, that number was about 400. In Haywood, for Hart and Hyatt, that number was almost 2,000.

“If you don’t have a name recognition but you’re a Democrat, or you don’t have a name recognition but you’re Republican, that can be okay, because you’re still associated with the party. You’re going to have a base of voters who are already locked in place.”

While building a political brand during the campaign is vital, perhaps more vital in a small community is the work put in over the years ahead of an election, likely long before someone even ponders running for office. The unaffiliated county commission candidates in Haywood and Swain counties have each been involved in their communities in different ways and to varying degrees.

Having spent almost three decades with The Mountaineer, Hyatt was visible at local events she was covering, and a lot of residents would recognize her name on a ballot from reading her byline. She said that for good or ill, her previous work as an editor and reporter has likely built name recognition, but she considers even more important that it familiarized herself with the people of Haywood County and what they care about.

Womble and Crawford haven’t been in

Where Crawford mounted a coordinated campaign to collect the signatures, including through his Facebook page and multiple events, Womble took a different approach.

“I basically just had friends and I with copies of petition sheets and took them everywhere we went,” she said.

Likewise, Hyatt blitzed Haywood County, appearing at public events and even setting up shop at local businesses to collect signatures.

“I treated it like a job,” Hyatt said. “I started like the day after Christmas. I would go out every single day and get 25-to-30 signatures. I timed it. How much time does it take to get a signature? The average was about eight minutes.”

While obtaining the requisite signatures is cumbersome, the candidates agreed that the process is beneficial, both when it comes to building further name recognition and learning more about how people feel about local issues.

“2,000 people had the chance to know who I am and what I was doing,” Hyatt said. Womble recalled that a challenge was explaining to residents F

that their signature isn’t an endorsement, and some simply didn’t want their name and address appearing on the petition, which is a public record.

Most county boards of elections recommend that candidates receive more signatures than they think they’ll need, since a lot of people aren’t sure whether they’re registered to vote in the candidate’s county. Womble recalled that some folks thought they were registered in Swain but were actually registered in a surrounding county. Crawford said he aimed for 125% of the requisite 397 signatures and ended up with 550.

While many, including Womble and Hyatt, thought the barrier to appearing on the ballot as an unaffiliated candidate is cumbersome, Crawford felt differently.

“A lot of people say that’s not fair, but the reality of it is we live in a two-party system here,” he said. “I think it makes sense.”

DISAFFILIATING

Although North Carolina has seen a sharp rise in unaffiliated voters, that hasn’t typically translated to unaffiliated candidates winning elections. Many who are unaffiliated still vote a straight-party ticket one way or the other.

Even many of the unaffiliated candidates have spent much of their lives affiliated with one of the two major parties, making some more disaffiliated than unaffiliated.

Until a few years ago, Hyatt was a registered Democrat. While serving the Navy, Womble was a Republican. Their voter

records indicate that since living in Western North Carolina, Hyatt has also voted in Democratic Primary Elections while Womble has voted in Republican Primaries. However, Womble was quick to point out that her previous party affiliation never led her to vote a straight ticket.

“I don’t remember ever voting in my life a straight party ticket, whether in-person or absentee in the military,” she said. “I have always voted for who I wanted to and who I thought was the best candidate.”

Over the years Crawford has lived in Swain County, he’s voted in both Republican and Democratic primaries. He said that as a young man, he was a Democrat; through much of his working adult life, he was a Republican. Since living in Western North Carolina, he’s been unaffiliated.

While belonging to one of the major parties does have its benefits — the financial backing of a party apparatus and more opportunities for quick name recognition through party-sponsored events — Crawford, Womble and Hyatt said the benefit of being unaffiliated isn’t to be ignored. Simply put, having no party label means an elected official isn’t beholden to anyone but their constituents. This seems to work especially well for county-level offices, since most local issues aren’t matters of partisan politics.

“I can truly be who I am and say what I want to say, and it affects me,” Womble said. “I don’t have to worry that I’m going to say the wrong thing and the party will get mad at me.”

Swain County granted temporary restraining order against Fontana Regional Library System

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER

Superior Court Judge Tessa Sellers has granted Swain County a temporary enjoinment and restraining order against the Fontana Regional Library board, in effect until June 29, when the court will hear the plaintiff’s preliminary injunction.

Ahead of an anticipated surplus fund distribution to the three FRL member counties (Swain, Macon and Jackson) first proposed at a May 12 FRL board meeting by Trustee Lori Richards, the ruling prohibits the defendant from “taking any action whatsoever, directly or indirectly, in furtherance of, pursuant to, or arising from the FRL board’s May 12, 2026 action authorizing or directing the distribution, transfer, disbursement, allocation, or conveyance of funds or assets to Jackson County, Macon County, and or/Swain County, pending further Order of the Court.”

grounded in the assertion that $1,350,311.38 in surplus FRL funding will be distributed “on or immediately after” the defendant’s next board meeting on June 22 — and that “the loss of assets dedicated to FRL constitutes irreparable harm to Plaintiff and Plaintiff has no other adequate remedy at law.”

or withdrawal. According to the filing, Swain County has “performed its obligations under the Interlocal Agreement,” which does not authorize surplus fund distribution except in the event of FRL dissolution.

Both Jackson and Macon counties are pending withdrawal from the FRL system. Jackson County’s withdrawal will be effective July 1, 2026, while Macon County cannot officially exit until July 1, 2027. Swain County has not opted out.

It also restrains and enjoins the defendant, pending a future court order, from “distributing, transferring, assigning … directly or indirectly, any funds or monies whatsoever” to any of the three partner counties.

The plaintiff’s first claim for relief is

Certain distribution-related actions anticipated by FRL run counter to the guidelines stipulated in the Interlocal Agreement that binds the library system and its member counties, according to the lawsuit.

The Interlocal Agreement is an enforceable Nov. 12, 2024, contract outlining FRL responsibilities and organizational structure as well as protocol in the case of dissolution

“FRL remains operational, continues to function, and has the ability to continue performing the duties and obligations of the Interlocal agreement,” asserts the complaint, adding that even were FRL to dissolve, the state, not the FRL board, would determine surplus distribution.

The second claim for relief seeks the imposition of a constructive trust, alleging because the distribution violates the Interlocal Agreement, accepting or retaining the funding in question would “unjustly enrich” the recipient.

The third claim maintains Swain County is entitled to “a declaration that the Defendant lacks authority to distribute the funds authorized by its formal Board action on May 12, 2026,” as well as “a declaration

of the parties’ obligations and rights under the Interlocal Agreement.”

At its mid-May meeting, FRL claimed it would not pursue a distribution without written confirmation from the acting executive director, finance officer or independent auditor that the surplus funds are not grantrestricted, donor-restricted or have certain other obligations. The filing asserts the surplus funding includes state and federal dollars as well as private contributions, despite what was said on May 12.

The Smoky Mountain News covered that meeting, noting concerned board members were not allowed an opportunity to speak with a Certified Professional Accountant — and that some had only 24 hours to review the distribution proposal.

County distribution values have also been “arbitrarily calculated,” according to the lawsuit.

Swain County, whose sole library — Marianna Black Library — has housed the FRL headquarters for nearly a decade, would receive $86,213. That’s far less than what would be given to the other partner counties: $738,696 to Jackson and $525,402 to Macon. The complaint says that considerations for disbursement should “include revenue to Swain County based upon fair value of space for FRL headquarters for eight (8) prior fiscal years provided by Swain County.”

The final claim seeks a court order requiring FRL to comply with said agreement, specifically as it governs asset and fund distribution.

Allow Deannie to work with you, in either a therapeutic or relaxing massage fashion. Trigger point, Target pain, Neuromuscular, Thai, Swedish, Lymphatic, or Pregnancy massages are all one click away. Deannie will also help with identifying and modifying possible repetitive postural and positional issues that may be causing a potential problem.

Holding pattern

Fontana library system pumps the brakes on major policy changes

BY KYLE PERROTTI NEWS EDITOR

Fontana Regional Library System’s board of trustees met June 22 to discuss an agenda initially littered with items that had generated a good deal of emails from concerned patrons and residents. However, the meeting wrapped up quicker than expected and with little drama, as the most controversial decisions were kicked down the road.

As the meeting began, over 50 people crammed into the meeting room at the Macon County Library. FRL Board Chair Bill McGaha brought out extra chairs to fill the space he could, but by the time he gaveled in the meeting, it was standingroom only.

The most controversial item on the agenda was the proposed collection development policy, which critics decry for what they call obvious targeting of books focused on LGBTQ+ themes. Many warn that any censorship of such materials, using the policy as a justification, could trigger a First Amendment lawsuit. While FRL board attorney Austin Von Henner did not respond to a Smoky Mountain News request for comment in time to make it into last week’s story on the CDP, he later sent along a statement stating that the policy “does not ban books or restrict adult access to lawful materials.”

“Instead, it provides written criteria for selection, shelving, display, and review of materials; recognizes the role of professional library staff; includes Board oversight; and expressly supports a variety of political and ideological viewpoints,” Von Henner said in the statement.

Von Henner added that public libraries have discretion to select and organize materials in accordance with their mission and “standing jurisprudence,” noting that the proposed CDP was designed to use written standards, professional review and board action rather than “ad hoc viewpoint-based decisions.”

“The Policy also respects the legal distinction between protected speech and obscenity. Obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment,” he said. “The Policy also follows the law regarding restrictions of materials for minors.”

But the board didn’t vote on that policy. At the outset of the meeting, Trustee Deborah Smith, of Jackson County, moved to nix the item from the agenda, stating clearly that the motion wasn’t due to the CDP being a “bad policy” and that the item may be taken up for a vote at a later date.

When explaining her motion, Smith addressed some concerns expressed in emails trustees had received, some which stated that the CDP doesn’t reflect the will of

the community. She argued that elections are the best measure of the will of the community. As trustees are appointed by duly elected commissioners from the three member counties — Jackson, Macon and Swain — their actions do reflect the will of the electorate.

“Six, eight or 10 emails or 200 emails do not a community make,” she said.

Smith also took a shot at previous trustees, who have occasionally been derided by some current trustees as agenda-driven.

“If the ideology of the past few years that was imposed on our libraries respected the rights of those with whom they disagreed, we would not be here today,” she said.

tial draft of the new bylaws, were deemed inadequate by Von Henner, who wrote multiple pages of additions himself.

“In his opinion, they were severely lacking,” McGaha said, adding that he wanted to see those bylaws go into effect by July to provide immediate legal protection to the board.

The new bylaws were approved 6-2, with Swain County Monnat and Cynthia Womble, also of Swain County, dissenting.

Another vote confirmed McGaha as interim FRL Director. At the end of February, Tracy Fitzmaurice stepped down from the vital post, creating a vacancy McGaha initially filled. While the board had hoped to hire a qualified candidate for the position, decisions by member counties have made it difficult. On July 1, Jackson County will have withdrawn from the system, and earlier this month, Macon County

County. In addition, Macon County commissioners shorted FRL’s full budget request this year, thinking that they could provide the rest of the funds once they receive their payment from the surplus fund reimbursement. For now, this leaves a gap of over $300,000.

Finance Officer Lisa Kim Fisher explained that she was able to cut a few costs — because McGaha isn’t receiving a salary as interim director, that saves over $100,000 per year; about $20,000 was removed for Macon County’s book line and a line item for a new vehicle was cut for now. To make up the rest, the board had to move to pass an interim budget, which allows FRL to draw $316,000 from its general fund as a stop gap. The downside of passing an interim budget, McGaha said, is that they can’t approve any capital expenditures or give any raises.

The vote to remove the CDP vote from the agenda was unanimous.

Of the 10 or so people who signed up to provide public comments, the majority wanted to urge the board to vote against the CDP. Those people still spoke, most thanking the board for tabling the matter while driving home the point that they believed the policy to be discriminatory and a potential First Amendment violation.

Another item initially on the agenda that didn’t make it to a vote was the reimbursement of surplus funds. Last week, Swain County requested a temporary restraining order barring disbursement of the funds, a request that was granted by Judge Tessa Sellers and is effective until next week.

While trustee Tony Monnat, of Swain County, moved to also nix the approval of new bylaws from the agenda, that motion was shot down. McGaha explained why he thought it was important to move forward with approving those new bylaws, claiming that the previous bylaws, as well as the ini-

commissioners voted to provide their notice of withdrawal. That withdrawal, which would take effect July 1 of next year, would lead to the dissolution of the library system, making it hard to find someone who would want the job for less than a year.

While the board technically doesn’t need an interim director per state law, Von Henner had recommended that they do so and confirm McGaha retroactively to March 1. Macon County’s head librarian, Abby Hardison, will step in when it comes time to sign certain official agreements such as the application for state aid that call for requisite certifications.

Meanwhile, McGaha said, the search continues.

“I am actively looking for someone who under a contract would become an interim director,” he said.

Perhaps the most interesting vote of the day was the proposed annual budget. Usually a relatively straightforward vote discussed over multiple meetings, the upcoming fiscal year budget was complicated by the imminent withdrawal of Jackson

“The real hurt is we cannot pay the COLA increase or salary increases for our employees because under an interim budget, that’s not allowed, so that’s a direct impact on our headquarters employees,” McGaha said.

This newly planned interim budget wasn’t finished until just hours before Monday’s board meeting. Trustee Marva Jennings, of Jackson County, expressed frustration with the quick change.

“I was on my way to [this meeting] when it came up on my phone,” Jennings said. The budget was ultimately approved by a vote of 6-2, with Jennings and fellow Jackson County trustee Lori Richards dissenting. The meeting concluded with a sendoff for Womble, whose term on the board is up, as well as the three Jackson County trustees — Deborah Smith, Marva Jennings and Lori Richards. Taking Womble’s place on the board will be Justin Greene, a District Court judge who will represent Swain County. Monday’s meeting was the last for the Jackson County trustees, as that county’s withdrawal from the system will be complete July 1.

JCPL board meets, Jackson commissioners consider room utilization room policy

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER

During its first meeting on June 16 in Sylva, the new Jackson County Public Library Board of Trustees discussed member positions, logistics, bylaws and fee schedule, opting ultimately to reconvene in July to vote on several tabled items.

The resolution creating the library board established a seven-person body — a quorum necessitating the presence of four — with “one resident from each Jackson County Commissioner District, one Chair appoint-

only trustee not to receive unanimous support — with commissioners John Smith and Jenny Lynn Hooper voting in opposition.

“I believe the library is a hub for our community and believe strongly in their longrange plan and goals to serve the people of Jackson County in many different ways,” she wrote.

Fisher, appointed by Smith (District Two), would like to “build the library branch as an establishment the community respects and as a place kids and families go to as an alternative from devices and social media.”

sight.”

As for Janice Stiens, second at-large appointee, she’d “like to see the public library used as a resource for the public and not to promote agendas.”

She clarified what that meant in public comment at a May 19 county commission meeting.

“So one of the reasons I want to be on the board is because I’m concerned that we’re bringing topics into our young children that are too heavy for them,” she said.

Stiens was selected as vice chair on June 16.

Jackson County’s new library board had its first meeting last week in Sylva. File photo

ther discussion and potential passage at the July meeting.

The board then moved to choosing future board meetings. Trustees will reconvene July 2 at 3 p.m. at the main Sylva branch; although the building will be closed pending the FRL-to-county transition, Powell said the meeting would still be open to the public.

For subsequent meetings, members will gather quarterly at 3 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month — Oct. 8, 2026, in Sylva; Jan. 14, 2027, in Sylva and April 8, 2027, in Cashiers. While meeting dates were decided unanimously, the fines and charges agenda item raised a few points of contention. Powell prefaced the current fee schedule with the opinions of library staff.

ment and two At Large members from recommendations made by the Librarian.”

Positions are staggered as three-, two- and one-year terms.

The body is tasked with recommending building improvements, helping to prepare the JCPL annual budget, advising the county on “library matters,” establishing a schedule of fines and fees for overdue and lost library items and creating a usage policy for non-residents.

All are to serve without compensation and be in possession of a library card.

The first order of business was introductions. Members Lori Richards, Lauren Baxley, Beth James and Janice Stiens had served on the previous library board; Emily Fisher, Linda Potter and David Parker were new to the job.

In their applications, appointees expressed various motivations for wanting to serve.

Veteran Baxley, for example, spoke of her involvement in three book clubs, two of which she organizes. She was appointed by Chair Mark Letson and confirmed 3-2 — the

James — representing District One and appointed by Commissioner Todd Bryson — touched on the transition of JCPL from regional partner to standalone library.

“The Board along with the input from the community can build a library that serves the specific needs of Jackson,” her application stated.

Parker, selected by Hooper to represent District Four, expressed a similar motivation.

“I want the Jackson County Library to be successful and standing on its own,” he wrote.

Potter explained that her seasoned career as a school librarian — 36 years in total, 24 of which were spent in Jackson County — would help bring an invaluable perspective to the board. Potter was one of Head Librarian Grace Powell’s at-large appointments.

“I have supported Grace since she was in kindergarten at [Scotts’ Creek]. It has been a privilege to watch her grow,” she wrote.

Potter was voted board chair by fellow members at the June 16 meeting.

Lori Richards’ interest in wanting to serve was grounded in simply “to help provide over-

MORE AGENDA ITEMS

At the first meeting, Powell equipped each member with a copy of bylaws taken from state recommendations. Trustees opted to wordsmith the document rather than suggesting any substantial changes.

One revision had to do with amending board bylaws. The original version allowed members to make changes to bylaws and vote on those changes at the same meeting, with enactment contingent on unanimous approval. Baxley said previously, the board set aside one meeting to discuss and another to vote on any policy changes.

“I like the idea of having a meeting to discuss, and then a meeting to vote, personally,” she said.

Fisher also advocated for more advance notice, and the board decided the bylaws should instead require the proposed changes be stated at the previous meeting as well as emailed and/or mailed at least 10 days prior to the voting session with confirmation of receipt provided. The revision was, however, unanimously tabled for fur-

“I asked them, I said, ‘In their opinion, did any of it need to be changed, or was it working well?’ And they thought that it worked well,” she said.

Fisher suggested that the maximum overdue fine for books, books on tape or CD, music on CD, cassettes, magazines and newspapers be raised to $15 from the FRL policy of $10 per item. She also proposed a $60-per-item maximum fee for overdue AV equipment; the current maximum is $50 per item.

Richards agreed with an increase for the sake of “accountability.”

Potter thought the opposite, advocating for the elimination of fines and charges, a policy already enacted for all items in many North Carolina counties, including Alamance, Wake, Harnett, Chatham, Catawba and New Hanover.

James concurred.

“Once you have a kid that owes $60, they’re never coming back to this library, and we have to keep those things in mind. We live in a rural area,” she said.

Parker and Richards even suggested eliminating automatic renewals, arguing that the longer someone has a book, the less likely they might be to return it. But Powell clarified that automatic renewals do not apply when a book is on hold by another patron.

In the end, the schedule was tabled pending more information from library employees, such as where library fines and fees revenue is directed and the likelihood that someone receiving three notices does not return said overdue item.

While some of this data may be inaccessible due to patron privacy policies, The American Library Association advises libraries to “consider waiving or reducing fees for individuals based on their ability to pay” and passed a resolution stating that “monetary fines present an economic barrier to access of library materials and services.”

Immediately before the meeting adjourned, Powell shared an update about social media changes during the ongoing transition of the library system.

“Even the Facebook account, they’re able to post on it,” she said, “but they don’t have admin access to be able to switch over, so we’re still working with it, so hopefully that’ll be ready July 1.” F

Meanwhile, Jackson County commissioners at their June 16 meeting addressed another aspect of JCPL operations: the room utilization policy. The draft dictating Community Room usage at the Albert Carlton Library in Cashiers designates four types of permitted uses: meetings; educational, training and artistic activities; private celebrations and other similar and appropriate uses approved by the county manager.

As for the Jackson County Library Complex Room draft policy, rooms are authorized for — notwithstanding private celebrations — all Cashiers-permitted uses.

The drafts also list a strict priority of usage. At the Albert Carlton library, Jackson County Aging Services Department takes first pick, followed by Jackson County governmental entities. In third are Jackson County groups and residents. Fourth and fifth priority are given, respectively, to non-Jackson County governmental agencies, then non-Jackson County groups and residents.

In Sylva, the Jackson County Library takes top priority, followed by Jackson County governmental entities.

Rooms at both libraries, previously free to use, are available at “standard rate” 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and at “premium rate” weekdays from 7-8 a.m. and 5-11 p.m. as well as 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends, though neither document specifies the value of each category.

The Albert Carlton policy requests checks to be made to the Jackson Department on Aging, so that department is also the likely recipient of payments made through cash or credit cards.

Both utilization documents also specify insurance requirements and set-up and cleanup procedures.

Among building rules and prohibitions is a shared statement granting the county “the right to require the use of security personnel under certain circumstances.”

In Cashiers and Sylva, the use of sparkle, glitter, hay, loud music, adhesive materials, nails, tacks is prohibited, and at the former library, the use of rice and birdseed is also prohibited.

The policies share the following provisions: “The County reserves the right to deny applicants or cancel approved reservation dates for unforeseen circumstances such as inclement weather, power outages, etc.” and “The county reserves the right to remove from the premises any person or persons failing to abide by the Community Room rules, including disorderly conduct and inappropriate behavior.”

At the commissioners’ meeting, Jason Kimenker, executive director of Friends of Panthertown, which provides free educational programming about backcountry resources, spoke against the proposed changes.

“We ask that you please strongly consider maintaining existing use policies and not damage our ability to operate as a public service at no cost to Jackson County residents and visitors,” he said.

The policy was tabled for review and further changes at an upcoming work session.

Swain County unresponsive to SMN public records requests

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER

The Smoky Mountain News has sent various public record requests throughout the past month to Swain County administration, all of which remain unfulfilled.

Swain County’s official YouTube recording of a May 5 commission meeting begins mid-sentence of a presentation to the board. Resident Courtney Dills alleged an exchange occurred that day which was edited out of the recording, and at various points throughout the video, commissioners and audience members alike referenced earlier developments uncontextualized by the uploaded version.

SMN requested the unaltered recording on May 20 from Administrative Assistant Cyndi Jenkins, as well as all correspondence between Swain County IT staff/personnel and nowoutgoing county manager

email. SMN sent another message on June 11, this time also to Interim County Manager Tommy Dills.

“Please send all by end of day Tuesday, June 16. If you are unable to do so, please send a reasonable, prompt timeline indicating when each request will be fulfilled and outlining plans to adhere to dates specified,” it stated.

these allegations. The newspaper also sent a June 11 request to DSS and the maintenance department for materials related to the incident, including permits, internal communication and external inquiries. A follow-up email was sent June 16 to DSS. SMN did not receive a single response.

Lottie Barker from May 5 to May 19 of this year and a copy of all draft minutes from meetings occurring between April 20 and present, including special work sessions and special meetings to discuss county budget.

SMN sent a follow-up email on June 4, reiterating the importance of the request to public knowledge. Jenkins provided acknowledgement of receipt to the May 20 and June 4

Also on June 11, SMN requested additional records from Dills and Jenkins related to concerns about Department of Social Services activity at the “stump dump” raised by Swain resident John Herrin. This included correspondences related to disposal of DSS records and hazardous materials at the stump dump, any documents referencing the stump dump and any internal investigation, report or communication triggered by

By contrast, the U.S. Forest Service acknowledged receipt within two days of logging an SMN request for the facility’s permit along with associated correspondence and time-specific violations.

On June 17, SMN called County Attorney Kim Carpenter to explain the public records situation related to the LCID facility and meeting video. Carpenter called back later that day with assurances that she’d spoken to Dills and would review the request herself.

On June 19, SMN sent a follow-up email pertaining to LCID records to maintenance director Jerry Jenkins. That day, the newspaper again reiterated both its request for LCID and video alteration records to Dills and Cyndi Jenkins. North Carolina public records law requires requested materials to be made available “at reasonable times and under reasonable supervision by any person … as promptly as possible,” though it does not specify what “as promptly as possible” means.

Bishop named Franklin assistant town manager

The Town of Franklin has announced that Sarah Bishop has been named as the Assistant Town Manager/Finance Director effective July 1.

One area in which Bishop will be instrumental is the serving as the administrative contact related to Main Street programming. She will work closely with Main Street Franklin, Inc. and the Franklin Downtown Merchants Association to ensure that economic development goals and objectives are developed and met, including the ultimate re-entry into the NC Main Street Program.

Bishop holds certifications from the North Carolina Government Finance Officers Association and the North Carolina Local Government Budget Association. She is also a graduate of the Municipal and County Administration program through the UNC School of Government. Her academic background includes an associate’s degree in business administration from Southwestern Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business management and leadership from Capella University. She has been instrumental in all aspects of the Town’s fiscal policy since taking the role of Finance Director in 2020.

As a lifelong resident of Franklin and a graduate of Franklin High School, Bishop takes great pride in serving her home community.

Sarah Bishop holds certifications from the North Carolina Government Finance Officers Association and the North Carolina Local Government Budget Association. Donated photo

Pisgah Health Foundation opens Community Health Grant cycle

Pisgah Health Foundation announced the opening of its 2026 Community Health Grant Cycle, with applications accepted from July 1 through Aug. 17.

Through strategic grantmaking and nonprofit capacity building, PHF invests in initiatives that address the root causes of health challenges and strengthen the organizations and partnerships that create healthier communities. Priority is given to efforts that improve access to food, housing, transportation, healthcare, education, economic opportunity and social connection while fostering collaboration, leadership development and nonprofit capacity.

A total of $250,000 is available through the 2026 Community Health Grant cycle. Nonprofit organizations located in or serving residents of Transylvania, Haywood and Madison counties may apply for grants of up to $25,000 to support initiatives that address the social determinants of health and strengthen community well-being. Organizations are encouraged to review funding guidelines and eligibility requirements before applying. Applications and additional information are available at pisgahhealthfoundation.org/grants. Grant awards will be announced in fall 2026.

Haywood hosts grief support groups

Heartfelt Haywood, a local non-profit with a focus on living, grieving and dying well, in collaboration with the Haywood Health Foundation and Wells Event Center, is offering a series of grief support groups for those who have lost a life partner. The first of a series of groups will meet for six consecutive weeks from 11 a.m. to

12:15 p.m. at the Wells Event Center in downtown Waynesville, beginning on July 2. Two more groups will be held before the end of 2026.

Through education and emotional support, participants will build connections with others; they will learn skills to support the skillful navigation of the grief process; and they will practice a variety of strategies to support maintaining a feeling of ease and well-being.

Co-facilitators are Breanne Nelson (breanne@heartfelthaywood.org 828.206.2919) and Robin R. Minick (rrminickcounseling@gmail.com 828.400.1854).

Interested individuals should contact either facilitator for a brief conversation to ensure that the group is a good fit for the individual at this time.

Swain Genealogy kicks off America 250 with lecture on local history

Join Swain Genealogy for a conversation about the history of Western North Carolina titled “The Lumber Camps, Setoff Houses, and Railroad Grades in the Smokemont Area.”

The conversation will be led by Frank March at the July 2 meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society.

The Three M Lumber Company began working timber in the Smokemont area in the early 1900s, building a sawmill, a rail-line and a few rail grades in the area. Champion Fibre Company succeeded them and brought with them massive expansion of the operation. Rail grades were built going up by the Oconaluftee River, Bradley Fork and Kephart Prong, continuing on to Beech Flats Prong and paralleling N.C. 107, the old Oconaluftee Turnpike and Indian Gap Trail, gradually ascending and crisscrossing the terrain into the higher elevations.

Using information gleaned from his recent hiking trips into these

areas, March will focus on his historical findings, look at where the various lumber camps including Camp 10, the setoff houses and rail grades were located and show evidence of some of the remains of the logging days that can still be seen.

The presentation will be held at 6:30 p.m. July 2 at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City. Conversation and refreshments will follow the presentation. This is free and open to the public.

Summer Mountain Street Dances

Return to Downtown Waynesville

Joe Sam Queen is filling his bucket with corn meal and getting ready for one of Waynesville’s most beloved summer traditions as Summer Mountain Street Dances bring live bluegrass music, square dancing and family fun back to Main Street.

Held in front of the Historic Haywood County Courthouse on Main Street, the free community events will take place from 6:30-9 p.m. on three evenings throughout the summer. Residents and visitors are invited to gather in the heart of downtown to enjoy authentic mountain music and dance traditions that have entertained generations for decades. Events will take place June 26, July 17 and Aug. 7.

In addition to performances by some of the Appalachia’s finest bluegrass musicians and clogging teams, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in traditional public square dances led by renowned caller Joe Sam Queen. Everyone is encouraged to join in the fun. No experience is necessary.

Admission is free.

For more information about Mountain Street Dances and other downtown events, visit downtownwaynesville.com/events.

Jackson County to hold “America 250” July 4th parade

A July Fourth Parade will be held on the nation’s Semiquincentennial as we celebrate the signing of the “Declaration of Independence” on July 4, 1776.

The parade will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, in Dillsboro.

One of the highlights of the parade is the recognition of military veterans in Jackson County, signified by the parade’s agenda, “250th Salute to our Veterans.”

The Grand Marshal for the parade will be members of the VFW Mike Martin Post 9493 in Tuckasegee. Other veterans and veterans’ groups — American Legion Post 104 in Sylva, Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143, American Legion Riders, Jackson County Veterans Organization and others — will also march in the parade.

Brenda Anders of Dogwood Crafters will be recognized as “Ms. Dillsboro” and be honored during the parade.

The emcee will be Frank Huguelet, a.k.a. Ric Savage, former professional wrestler, who will announce the parade participants as they march along Front Street. Andy Shaw Ford is providing vehicles for the parade, and a local color guard will take lead. Other parade participants include leaders from various local municipalities and participants from the Jackson County Department on Aging.

Parking will be in typical locations in Dillsboro, and overflow parking will be at Monteith Park. Safety and security will be provided by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and various Jackson County Fire Departments.

The Jackson County Chamber and Visitor Center will continue the festivities on Saturday afternoon and evening from 3-9:30 p.m. in downtown Sylva, to include kids’ activities, food trucks, music, a 1776 reenactment and a salute to our veterans. A spectacular fireworks show will then take place that night right after the concert at Bridge Park and will be visible from downtown Sylva and the surrounding area.

What energies are we wasting?

My older son is an elite distance runner and has been invited to race at meets all over the country this spring. Additionally, we’ve been going on recruiting visits that span both coasts. All that to say, I’ve been on a lot of planes lately. During the most recent plane ride, I was standing in the back at the lavatory waiting my turn. My vantage point offered a view of all the seated passengers down the aisle, many of whom were looking at their phones and watching short-form videos such as those on TikTok or Instagram reels. Most airlines now offer onboard Wi-Fi, so even a plane ride isn’t a way to encourage people to unplug and do something different for their brain. As I looked at all those people scrolling on their phones, it made me wonder what they would be doing if they didn’t have the option to get online. Would they be reading? Sleeping? Talking to their neighbor? Journaling? Drawing? Knitting? Playing solitaire on their tray table?

Lucky for me, I guess, short-form videos give me a headache so I don’t watch them, but I see firsthand the pull they have on teenagers and adults alike. And for full transparency, even though I wasn't scrolling on my phone during the plane ride, I used the onboard Wi-Fi to get on my laptop and check work emails, something I would not have done in the past when Wi-Fi wasn’t an option.

I had similar thoughts walking through the airports. The majority of people were passing the time doing this or that on their phones, all of their attention focused on a tiny device in their hand instead of the big world around them. Again, in the past, a walk through an airport would’ve brought scenes of people talking, reading or napping. While technology has made many aspects of life more

Snell isn’t tiresome, he’s correct

To the Editor:

In the May 13 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, a writer from Macon County asked you to stop publishing letters from David Snell that are critical of Donald Trump. In his opinion, what Snell has to say is “tiresome.”

David Snell is “tiresome” for calling out Donald Trump? Who could be more tiresome than Trump himself! Every day for 10 years now we have heard Trump tiresomely brand as “a loser,” “stupid,” “fake,” “crooked,” “disloyal,” “enemy” and “scum” any American who opposes or even slightly questions what he says or does. Trump is the original cracked record.

And daily for 10 years we’ve heard Trump heap golden praise on himself. He’s a “genius.” His every word is “perfect.” He is rich beyond all get-out. The economy under him is “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.” Stand aside Washington and Lincoln, here comes Trump. He’s no mere president, but king, pope, and Jesus all in one.

But after listening for years to Trump put down others and glorify himself, it is clear to me that the word “tiresome” does not do him justice. He is suffocating. And the way he is bent on turning our government into his own

efficient, it also makes us lazy. I see that in my own life routinely and work hard to intentionally limit my dependence upon tech. For instance, I’ve always been terrible at directions, but before GPS was readily available, I had to figure it out with paper maps, MapQuest and memorization. Many times, I stopped at gas stations and asked for assistance. Even though all of that was hard, it was good for my brain and over time, the directions stuck and I knew how to get where I needed to go. Even though I use Google Maps daily because I’m still terrible at directions, I’ve been working to release my reliance upon it.

Similarly, I’m avoiding Amazon if at all possible and buying items inperson or from a direct website. I don’t want to be a slothish consumer, and I’ve always been an advocate for shopping locally. It’s a myth that items at smaller stores are more expensive, and it’s a wonderful feeling to know I’m supporting a local business and my county’s economy. Nonetheless, I recognize how easy it is to buy something quickly online. When I feel that nudge to take the easy way, I say “Nope,” then get in my car and shop in my own town.

I bought a dress at The Modern Deer for my son’s eighthgrade graduation. I was out of vitamins and purchased them at Kim’s Pharmacy. We needed a birthday gift for a teenage girl, which we found by combining items from Lift Your Spirits and Hazelwood Soap Company. My son needed two books for summer reading. Blue Ridge Books ordered them

LETTERS

personal wrecking ball, revenge machine and mid-term election fixer, it’s clear that suffocation is what Trump is trying to do to our foundational principle of rule by law, not rule by one man. One of the few Republican senators who still dares to speak his mind, John Cornyn, put the case exactly last week when he said that Trump won’t settle for anything less than “slavish adherence to whatever he wants.” That’s not the description of a president, but of a tyrant.

From his letters, I know that David Snell is a military man of 20 years active, 10 in the reserves, sworn to defend our Constitution. No wonder he is distressed by the self-serving anti-democratic spectacle that is Donald Trump and outraged by the damage Trump is doing to our country. I was happy to see another of his letters in the June 10 issue of this paper. I hope he keeps on ringing his Patrick Henry bell.

Burt Kornegay Cullowhee

Polling site decision should be local

To the Editor:

WLOS-TV provided interesting news with reports of influence by the N.C. State

for us and they arrived in two days. One of the boys needed a helmet for an e-bike, so my husband got one at Waynesville Cycle Center. Several family members needed new swimsuits and swim trunks this year, so we bought them at Belk instead of shopping online. I know Belk is a chain, but it still feels “local-ish” when compared to Amazon. I’ve mentioned a few local retail establishments by name but there are so many others we love — Affairs of the Heart, Christopher Farms, 828 Market, Silver Treasures, Mud Dabbers and so on.

There’s an essay called “The Energies of Men” by William James where James discusses that men (and women) rarely tap into their true energy sources, that we often live by using only a small amount of physical and psychological energy. This feels safer to us than tapping into the deep reservoir of powerful, creative energies we all possess. While it’s always there, it often takes passion or crisis to tap into this deeper source. James’s essay was written in 1907, when smartphones and the internet were inconceivable. Even back then, we weren’t using our full capabilities or maxing out our natural talents, so we can only imagine how much worse it is now that we have phones and computers to pull our attention away from everything beautiful in the world and make us mindless consumers instead of master creators.

When people say “be the resistance,” this is where my mind goes. Resist the temptation to get sucked into these one-dimensional apps or to allow a little square, flashy box to be your entire life. Look up! Simply being alive is the most magical of all gifts. While technology is here to stay, we have control over how it impacts our lives and legacies.

(Susanna Shetley is a writer and editor who lives in Waynesville. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)

Auditor's office (David Boliek) on Jackson County’s Board of Elections (BOE) choice for the Cullowhee early voting site. Old pictures of the Hinds Center were irrelevant ,as that early voting site was eliminated in the 2026 primary as low voter turnout was within the Parks and Rec capabilities. The 2026 General Election is projected to turn out large numbers of Cullowhee vot-

ers, and earlier BOE discussions convinced four of the five county board members that Parks and Rec lacked sufficient space for a General Election and that the Health and Human Services facility was the only government-owned location within Cullowhee that met all the electoral and logistic requirements, especially voter volumes, for the November election.

The HHS location was also identified as the preferred site by the BOE staff responsible for staffing and operating the voting location, and the location also comes fully supported by the WCU administration. Not reported or understood by Mr. Boliek is that Cullowhee is a zip code and not a town, there is no government infrastructure, and our main street would be Little Savannah Road. That road includes almost every business in Cullowhee, including the Cullowhee service station/mini mart, the bank, the post office, a restaurant, extensive student housing, a recycle center, the Cullowhee Fire House, the county airport and yes, the Health and Human Services building located on the WCU Millennial campus.

HHS contains multiple medical clinics, 10,000 Jackson County residents received their Covid shots there and it was always planned as a community space.

county election with no financial support from Mr. Boliek’s office — nothing.

Myrtle Schrader Cullowhee

Rich get rich at our expense

To the Editor:

In the June 10 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, the article “Walters hydro plant turns 100” was instructive.

“Because of decades of chemical contamination in the Pigeon River from the now-closed paper mill in Canton,

Cullowhee Parks and Rec visitors have significantly increased with the addition of a state-of-the-art swimming pool added without extra parking. The space for early voting shares three small, connected meeting rooms with exterior windows, one used as the parks and rec staff breakroom, and all open into a small interior hallway. Adding 7,000 voters to the regular patrons of the Rec Dept for several weeks is significant, and when early voting ends the BOE staff must break down and then reinstall all the voting equipment from the early voting space into the main gym (closed for voting) for Election Day.

HHS is a modern building, and the room available for voters is large, windowless, secure, has reserved parking and a large lobby. A beautiful and welcoming building. How uplifting it would be to vote in this most adequate building as we recognize 250 years of our country.

Finally, it is interesting to note that people in Raleigh are making a decision that is personal to our county. County voters serve as the election poll workers, spend many hours in election training and preparation, and provide the expert knowledge to setup and administer Jackson County elections with integrity. Most important, please know that our Jackson County voters, as taxpayers, pay the entire expense of every

Waterville Lake can’t be drawn down below a certain level. It has a 30-foot limit on its fluctuation specifically because of those contaminants,” the article states.

That means that companies rely on the poisoning of our communities to make their profits. When pushed to clean up their mess, they often go bankrupt and/or play a shell game, but those who profited get to keep their profits.

When the companies won’t pay, it falls back on us, the taxpayers, and the federal Superfund. Or worse, the contamination remains, only to be flushed downriver during some future storm, foisted upon other unsuspecting American communities.

I grew up in an area dominated by paper mills in northeast Wisconsin, and as a result, the testicular cancer rate was three times higher there than the national average. After decades of public pressure, they finally dredged out the river. Monsanto, the sole manufacturer of PCBs, produced about 1.4 billion pounds between the 1930s and 1977, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Our economy and political/legal system are designed to let the wealthy among us get richer at our expense.

Is this the best we can do?

Dan Kowal Franklin

Cherokee pottery workshop inspires creativity and healing, promotes cultural ties

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER

When Tara McCoy first began teaching pottery in 2016, it was her least favorite artistic medium, trumped by shell carving, finger weaving and bead work.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians enrolled member had been planning a 2016 pottery festival as part of the Kananesgi Committee — a group of four women dedicated to supporting artists through fashion and art shows and training opportunities — and had hit a wall trying to recruit Qualla Boundary potters.

“There was only probably five potters in our community, and most of them were elders, and so that opened up [a reason] to say, ‘You probably need to start teaching pottery,’” she recalled.

McCoy, a Right Path Leadership specialist at the Ray Kinsland Leadership Institute, could best coordinate classes outside of working hours. At first, she held Saturday and Sunday standalone courses.

“But it just wasn’t hitting what I wanted it to hit,” she said. “It wasn’t producing potters.”

McCoy switched up her strategy.

“I just thought it might be better if I do a three-month class two or three times a month or on a weekend, and then give them homework before we meet again,” she explained.

That basic framework became the foundation of the Didanesisgi Gadagwatli (Mud Dauber) Community Workshop, a beginner-friendly, no-cost pottery series meant to guide a group of about 12 to 20 participants through basic pottery types, styles and designs. Classes, held at the Museum of the Cherokee People, start at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m., though participants may opt to work past clean-up.

works currently on display at the Museum of the Cherokee People.

Although EBCI now boasts an abundance of potters, McCoy has no intention of discontinuing the workshop. She’s even looking to add an advanced course for previous cohorts. Indeed, in her list of top creative pursuits, pottery ranks first.

CULTURAL TIES

“I didn’t fall in love with pottery until when I started teaching class, and I started researching my family,” McCoy told The Smoky Mountain News.

There’s something special, she said, about making art within one’s original homelands — and using the same materials as one’s predecessors. Jackson said McCoy was intentional about explaining the history of ancestral Cherokee techniques, like stamping.

Traditional Cherokee pottery remains unglazed, is stamped with wooden paddles and can be burnished or coated with slip. In the mid20th century, Cherokee potters, to make a living, had to craft non-traditional pieces which catered to the preferences of tourists.

She tells her students, alternatively, to “make what they want to make,” an instruction that she said results in pots incorporating family history, traditional design and Cherokee legend and language. After all, the workshop’s title comes from a Cherokee legend in which a girl tripped on a mud dauber, shattering the bucket she’d been carrying to fill with water. The mud dauber, witnessing the fall, taught her to make pottery that could also hold water.

Cultural memory similarly informs the final pieces.

The workshop has certainly achieved its original vision.

At a Kanenesgi art show last Saturday with four or five potters, two or three were Didanesisgi Gadagwatli graduates.

And as of 2026, five annual cohorts have graduated the workshop, which culminates in a grand showcase of that year’s student

McCoy explained that every year, some in her class, initially unsure of themselves, are surprised by their own natural talent.

“My motto is, ‘Everybody is an artist and everything is art,’” she said.

“People think about [historical memory as] negative things being passed down. On the flip side, there’s good things and positive

SEE POTTERY, PAGE 18

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

‘I’m calling to you like a long-lost friend, but I know who you are’

Hello from the second floor of an apartment building on Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. It’s midmorning and the temperature is already over 80 degrees, the humidity quickly rising with the sun. Sipping the last of my iced coffee, I wonder what the impending day will bring.

It’s Tuesday. I’ve already helped edit and proof this week’s newspaper via email. Time to hit the road. The plan is to make my way to New Hampshire to attend the Northlands Music & Arts Festival this weekend. This will be my second time covering the event for Rolling Stone, and also my second time hosting artist panels with some of the headlining acts that’ll hit the stage.

But, for now, before this 1,200-mile trek up Interstate 95 and over the Mason-Dixon Line, it’s an iced coffee at a high-top desk and writing. That, and working on my schedule for the next week or so. Pound the keyboard and let the inner thoughts and emotions spill out before cranking the engine of the musty, rusty pickup truck and hitting the road for the next few weeks or so.

For the better part of the last week, my location has been Jax Beach, a community of people, places and things I didn’t know two years ago, but have become quite fond of throughout my repeat travels into the town, whether it be for live music, delicious tacos or simply to visit a cherished face that I’ve become quite fond of. She’s still asleep as I’m typing this at her high-top desk.

keep track of. My kind of people, truly.

On this recent trek to The Sunshine State, we mutually decided that I should wander down to see her before I embark on this extended journey up to Maine to New York and to Montana and back to WNC and start my deep dive into work on this current bluegrass book project I’ve been chipping away for a while, since I was lucky enough to get a literary agent and land a book deal. It’s all a little surreal and overwhelming, but I’m ready and willing (and game) to finally enter this realm of possibility of self I’ve dreamt of for decades.

Over this last week, it’s been a kaleidoscope of wandering and pondering, and with her walking alongside me. Add in a couple trips to the beach to soak in the sun, go for a run and jump into the mighty Atlantic Ocean. Is there anything better than dripping hair, sandy toes and sitting on a beach towel exchanging tall tales of one’s

past? Especially when a torrential rainstorm rolls in over the beach and we get caught in the rain, only to happily laugh while soaking wet, running back to the car? I think not, thankfully.

HOT PICKS

1

“An Appalachian Evening” series will kick off its 2026 season with a performance by The Kruger Brothers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.

2

A special stage production of “Peter & The Starcatcher” will be held on select dates and times through June 28 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

3

“Arts & Crafts Drive-About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 26-27 at featured studios in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville.

4

The 20th annual Mountaintop Art & Craft Show will be held June 27-28 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park in downtown Highlands.

5

“Independence Day Celebration” will be held June 28 through July 5 at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center.

away. The mind runs wild thinking of all those adventures yet to immerse myself in, — incredible people yet to meet, miles yet to travel — in hopes of more fuel to toss onto the fire of my intent. The mind always runs wild when the open road is right outside my windshield, the unrelenting landscape of America flying by my truck windows, the cruise-control holding steady at 75 miles per hour. It sparks an immediate memory chiseled into my mind this evening, crossing over the state line back into North Carolina just as the sun was setting, that fireball in the sky fading below the horizon of farmfields and darkened treelines near Lumberton.

As stated in previous columns from earlier this spring, we met completely by chance outside of Widespread Panic concert on an otherwise quiet Sunday in Saint Augustine, Florida. As previously stated, we both went to the show alone, but ended up leaving together, our first 10 minutes of friendship leading to a random rickshaw ride back to her vehicle, an hour later we were sipping nightcaps at the Trade Winds Lounge. Car parked for the night, of course.

Skip ahead almost exactly three months. We’ve caught several shows together in her homebase of Florida and mine in Western North Carolina (moe., Willie Nelson, jazz nights, bluegrass jams, etc.), ate at numerous great restaurants either on purpose or purely by happenstance in strolling by and noticing how cool and cozy said culinary spots look from the sidewalk, and had too many heart-to-heart conversations to even

Onward to more tacos at some of her favorite local spots, beverages in dimly-lit spaces not far from her apartment, and that sheer sense of not wanting to be anywhere but there, and in that moment. That exact scene isn’t lost on me, not her, either. Latenight hanging out and rewatching reruns of “Modern Family” on Hulu, all while sketching out plans for where to go and what to do come morning, strong coffee and light banter to start the day.

And now, I find myself at a Fairfield Inn just outside of Wilson, North Carolina. Florida in the rearview mirror, at least for now. Cruising along I-95 North, the smart phone vibrates every so often with heartfelt messages from her, asking how the trip is going, but mostly just because. Just because there is a real, honest connection between two kindred spirits, both of us just trying to navigate the choppy, unknown waters of daily existence in the here and now. The official start to summer is four days

I don’t know what the future holds, but, as always, I’m here for it, and letting my intuition and curiosity guide me (always do so). There’s enough gas in the tank and a timeless song in my heart, which at the moment is “Typical Situation” from the seminal 1999 album “Live at Luther College” by Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds (give it a whirl): “Everybody’s happy, everybody’s free, we’ll keep the big door open, and everyone’ll come around.” Onward.

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

In this haphazard economy (and mounting truck repair bills), if you’d like to throw a few pennies into my coffers to propel these adventures, feel free to make a donation via Venmo (@Garret-Woodward-3) or PayPal (@YoBroDobro). If you need the last four digits of my phone number, it’s 0-4-3-2. Much thanks and sincere appreciation in advance. Any amount offered will keep the truck on the road, gas in the tank, the words in these columns flowing freely, and my simple sanity intact for the time being.

things that’s passed down also. And so, I see that [in pottery],” she added.

“Our people are so creative — they’re just naturally creative. You don’t even have to teach much.”

Jackson underwent such a transformation. Despite having done some shell and silver work, “I never considered myself to be an artist or anything like that,” he told SMN.

In the workshop’s early stages, he found himself overthinking tasks as far into the future as smoking the pottery.

“I had to take 10 steps back just take the information in and just let it go. ‘Okay, I get to touch clay this afternoon, so we’ll focus on that,’” he said.”

Once Jackson got into making pottery, he discovered a knack for — and a deep enjoyment of — the process. A combat veteran and director of EBCI Information Technology, he described pottery as “therapeutic,” especially because of the PTSD he carries from deployment.

would’ve been too fragile to survive a pit fire, the second and third — defects still present but unnoticeable post-repair — are displayed in the exhibit along with three of his other works.

The mistakes taught him to be gentle.

“I pick up my pots and I’m sitting here trying to varnish them and polish them up, and I’m pressing too hard and I cause the damage,” said Jackson, adding that mindfulness of what you’re working with is also a principle of the Kituwah people.

CLASS ELEMENTS

Despite many in the Didanesisgi Gadagwatli cohort being natural potters, the workshop requires a significant amount of preparation. McCoy supplies students with tools, clay and food and snacks. She orders custom-made paddles.

“That connection back to the earth, I think, has helped me. After a stressful day or a hard day, I can go and I can take this clay, and I can mold it into something good. And if I don’t like it, I can ball it up, and I can throw it,” he said.

Plus, this medium provides respite from the mental chaos he experiences.

“My mind is normally running 90 miles on a daily basis, but when I sat down to do this, I can start at nine in the morning, and before I know it, it’s dark,” Jackson said.

‘Serpent Laugh,’ unfired clay by Kevin Jackson (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, ᎠᏂᏥᏍᏆ)

Donated photo

She describes herself as “big on mentoring,” routinely inviting Mud Dauber graduates to the workshop to answer questions, help with techniques or create art alongside current students. Class programming involves off-site exploration, from an archaeologistled display of pottery shards found at Tali Tsisgwayahi (Two Sparrows), an ancient principal Cherokee town now occupied by Western Carolina University, to a local property which allows participants to dig their own clay for future projects.

It’s not only escape he craves, but also catharsis. Every piece, he said, is an opportunity to channel ideas or emotions. Finally, pottery has challenged some of Jackson’s more rigid thought patterns.

“I want things done the right way or the perfect way, and I know it’s not possible. so [pottery has] helped me come find a balance,” he said.

For example, while polishing his first work — a small cook pot with a southeastern shell and bird design — a piece cracked, and the entire side fell off. Typically, Jackson said, he’d have given up, but instead he decided to recreate the pot. His two subsequent pieces also cracked. But while the first

“Feeling that texture and understanding the soil on the earth — And is it too dry? Is it too grainy? — those are all the things that I’m thinking, as if I was a potter,” Jackson said.

Students later get to process the clay they’ve dug. An electric kiln or pit fire is used to fire the pottery, though next year, a wood kiln will also be available, thanks to a grant written by two former students.

Inspired by the class, Jackson has built his own pit fire, as well as a double chamber fire, though he prefers the former.

“When you do a smoke fire pit fire, you’ll get the black, you’ll get the gray, you’ll get the browns, the tans, the orange, the red, whatever that clay has, you get all of those beautiful colors,” he said, adding, “I like that style. That’s Cherokee style.”

On the wall

HCAC presents ‘Threads’

Celebrating the beauty, creativity and versatility of fiber art, “Threads,” the latest exhibition at the Haywood County Arts Council, will be on display through Aug. 3 at HCAC’s Haywood Handmade Gallery on Main Street in downtown Waynesville.

“Threads” showcases the many ways artists use fiber, thread and fabric to create meaningful works of art. From traditional quilting, weaving and

embroidery to contemporary pieces inspired by textiles, the exhibition highlights texture, pattern, craftsmanship and innovation. Each work demonstrates how simple materials can be transformed into compelling artistic expressions.

For more information, visit haywoodarts.org or call HCAC at 828.452.0593.

Mountaintop Art & Craft Show

return to Highlands June 27-28. File photo

On the table

The 20th annual Mountaintop Art & Craft Show will be held June 27-28 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park in downtown Highlands.

The annual event is a two-day, two-weekend gathering that brings over 120 artisans from the region to Highlands for demonstrations, fine art, crafts, live music, kids’ zone and more.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit highlandsartshow.com.

Ready for dinner ‘Under the Stars’?

The popular “Under the Stars, On the Rocks” culinary series is currently underway at the Oak Steakhouse at the Skyline Lodge in Highlands.

The events feature renowned chefs from around the Southeast on select dates through the fall: July 7, Aug. 11, Sept. 8 and Oct. 13. Each four-course meal in the series is unique and personal to the guest chef, offering a one-of-a-kind outdoor dining experience. Dinners are $175 per person (including beverage pairings). Reservations required. Guests can also purchase a “season pass” to the series.

• “Unrelenting: Cherokee People and the American Revolution” is currently being showcased at the Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP) in Cherokee. A first-of-its-kind exhibition centering Native voices, perspectives and creativity in response to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the showcase features historic objects in conversation with works by Cherokee artists, merging cultural heritage, military history and contemporary art for a nuanced examination of a pivotal moment in Cherokee and American history. It will be on display through Dec. 30. General admission tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for children ages 6-12 and free for children ages 5 and under. MotCP offers free admission to members of federally recognized tribes and museum members. Student, educator, senior and military rates available. For more information, visit motcp.org.

• “Makers Market” will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 27, in The Lineside at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Dozens of local/regional arts and crafts vendors and more. Beer, wine and mimosa bar. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.

• “Farmers & Artisans Market” will be every Friday morning (May-October) at 117 Island Street in Bryson City. Stop by the old barn along the river for local, homegrown produce, as well as baked goods, jellies/preserves, authentic crafts and more. Picnic tables onsite. There will also be live music. Leashed pets are welcome. This is an outdoor event. Free and open to the public. 828.488.7857.

For more information and/or to make reservations, call 828.526.4008 or visit skyline-lodge.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/ranch-event.

• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Wind Down Wine Flights” 6 p.m. Thursdays and a special semi-regular wine tasting. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have the wine bar open from 4-8 p.m. Fridays/Saturdays and a special wine tasting at 5 p.m. on Saturdays ($20 per person). 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host semi-regular craft brewery tastings. 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 and special semiregular wine dinners. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.

• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturday 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.

• 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. HCAC’s Haywood Handmade 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.

• Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center (Robbinsville) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.479.3364 / stecoahvalleycenter.com.

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

• Dogwood Crafters (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.

• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host semi-regular artist gatherings and workshops. 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.

On the beat

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host “Music Bingo Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Jerry Gaff (singer-songwriter) June 26 and Chris Campbell (singer-songwriter) June 27. 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.

• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every other Thursday of the month, “Brunch Show” with Fish Out Of Water 1 p.m. June 27 (free) and Sav, Kieran & McKinley 10 p.m. June 27 (free). 828.307.2160 / breadheadstikishak.com.

• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Marc & Anita Pruett (Americana/bluegrass) June 24 and A. Lee Edwards (Americana/indie) July 1 and July 8. All shows begin at 5 p.m. and admission is $25 per person unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-event.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host James Hammel (guitar/vocals) June 26 ($10 cover) and Brent LaCasce (jazz piano/vocals) July 3 ($10 cover). All shows begin at 6 p.m. Reservations highly recommended. The kitchen and wine bar will open at 4 p.m. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.

• Concerts On The Creek (Sylva) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) June 26, Positive Mental Attitude (reggae/rock) July 3 and Gotcha Groove (with fireworks) July 4. All shows are at Bridge Park and begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. 828.586.2155 / mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host “Open Mic” at 6 p.m. every second Friday of the month and Paper Wings (Americana) 5 p.m. June 27 ($15 adults, $7.50 kids). 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/concert-series.

• Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.631.4795 / thecutcocktaillounge.com.

• Dancing On The Square (Robbinsville) will host Mandy Millsaps & GraceSky Revival June 26 and The Sundown Band (oldies) July 10 All events begin at 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. 704.840.8525.

• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” with Erick Baker Trio (Americana) July 22. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Admission is $50 per person, with discounts

rates available for hotel guests and members. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com.

• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host “World Drum Classes” every Friday at 2:30 p.m. (adults, free) and 4 p.m. (family friendly, all ages, free), “Waynesville Acoustic Guitar Group” 2-4 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday of the month (free) and semiregular live music monthly. 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.

• Groovin’ on the Green (Cashiers) will host Gotcha Groove July 24. Shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. Donations encouraged. villagegreencashiersnc.com/concerts.

• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host David Crisp June 26, 11 North June 27, Kayla McKinney July 2, Doug Ramsay July 3 and Stone Echo July 4. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.742.5700 / happsplace.com.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Gladys Knight (R&B/soul) 8 p.m. July

‘An Appalachian Evening’

The “An Appalachian Evening” series will kick off its 2026 season with a performance by The Kruger Brothers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.

Since their formal introduction to American audiences in 1997, The Kruger Brothers’ remarkable discipline, creativity and their ability to infuse classical music into folk music has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music.

In their everexpanding body of work — featuring Swiss brothers Jens Kruger (banjo and vocals), Uwe Kruger (guitar and lead vocals) and Joel Landsberg (bass and vocals) — The Kruger Brothers personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American

musical tradition. Their original music is crafted around their discerning taste — the result unpretentious, cultivated and delightfully fresh.

The annual summer concert series offers an ever-changing schedule of bluegrass, folk and old-time mountain music by award-winning artists — quality entertainment for the entire family.

Kruger Brother will play Stecoah June 27. File photo

Rich in cultural heritage, the series continues to be a favorite with locals and visitors alike. The concert will be held in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for students grades K-12. Dinner will also be available for purchase in the Schoolhouse Cafe starting at 6 p.m.

For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or visit stecoahvalleycenter.com.

Wednesdays, “Open Mic Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, “Karaoke” June 26 and The Log Noggins (rock/funk) June 27. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Mondays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, “Old Time Jam” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and Grizzly Mammoth (rock/jam) June 26. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Legends Sports Bar & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “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.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host “Open Mic Night” with Frank Lee every Thursday, Bird In Hand (Americana) June 26, Bridget Gossett (singer-songwriter) June 27 and Liz Petty (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. June 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Friday Night Live Concert Series (Highlands) will host Doug Ramsey (singer-songwriter) June 26 and Spare Parts (Americana/bluegrass) July 3. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Sleepin’ Dogs 5:30 p.m. June 25, The Local Chapter Duo June 26, Tricia Ann Band (rock/country) June 27 and Bo Bullman Band 3 p.m. June 28. 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 with Ben & Marce (Americana/folk) June 27. Free and open to the public. 828.369.8488 / littletennessee.org.

• Great Smoky Mountains Event Park (Bryson City) will host “Singing In The Smokies” with The Inspirations (gospel/soul), The Kingsmen, Troy Burns Family and more July 2-4. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit theinspirationsquartet.com/tour.

10. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahscherokee.

• High Country Wine & Provisions (Highlands) will host live music during “Friday Night Vibes” at 5:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.4502 / highcountrywineandprovisions.com.

• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” with Scott Low 6-9 p.m. Thursdays, Zorki (singer-songwriter) 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, “Bluegrass Brunch” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays, the “Salon Series” with Rayland Baxter (singer-songwriter) 8:30 p.m. June 25 (tickets are $41.84 tax included). Reservations encouraged for all performances. 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.

• Highlands Performing Arts Center will host Three American Troubadours (singer-songwriter) 7:30 p.m. July 17. 828.526.9047 / highlandsperformingarts.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.

• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host “Music Bingo” 5 p.m. June 25 (at Big Wesser), Ryan Barber (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. June 26, Liz Nance (singer-songwriter) 1 p.m. June 27, Eddie Clayton (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. June 27, Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. June 28, “Music Bingo” 6 p.m. July 2 (at Big Wesser), Leather Britches 5 p.m. July 3, Michael Corwin 1 p.m. July 4, Beer & Loathing (rock/jam) 5 p.m. July 4 and Shane Meade Duo (indie/soul) 2 p.m. July 5. Free and open to the public. 828.785.5082 / noc.com/events/2026summer-music-series.

• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host Blair Crimmins & The Hookers (jazz/ragtime) June 27. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.

• Pickin’ In The Park (Canton) will host Brothers Rathboone with Balsam Mountain Cloggers, Southern Appalachian Cloggers and Green Valley Cloggers 6 p.m. July 3. Free and open to the public.

• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Blue Jazz (rock/soul) July 11. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-onthe-square.html.

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” Wednesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. F

Mountain Layers goes Americana

Jackson County Americana/folk duo Bird in Hand will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, June 26, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City.

The road less traveled has always been the way for husbandand-wife duo Bird in Hand. Bryan & Megan Thurman call the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina home, and the region is directly reflected in their music. Bird in Hand is upbeat and new while still rooted in the traditions of American folk.

The two have played all over the Appalachian region, as well as across the country, and share an onstage chemistry that demands attention. They need to be seen live to understand the meaning of “Appalachian Thunder Folk.”

The show is free and open to the public. For more information, visit mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

Thursdays, “Open Mic” 6:30 p.m. on certain Fridays, Lance Parker (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. June 27 and Valley View 6:30 p.m. June 30. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.

• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Russell” Mondays, Ginny McAfee (singer-songwriter) June 26, Bridget Gossett (singer-songwriter) June 27, “Music Bingo” June 30, Adi The Monk July 3, Lance Turner July 4 and “Music Bingo” July 7. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105 / facebook.com/saltydogs2005.

• Saturdays On Pine Concert Series (Highlands) will host Southside Station (Americana) July 4. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic Night” with Bridget Gossett 7 p.m. second Monday each month (6:30 p.m. sign-up), Rene Russell (singer-songwriter) June 25, Second Chance (rock/country) June 27 and “Celtic Sunday” with Bratfolk (Celtic/world) 3 p.m. June 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 Stevie Vaclavik (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. June 28. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “Who Loves You: The Music Of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons” (oldies/pop) 7:30 p.m. July 2 and The Lettermen (oldies/pop) 7:30 p.m. July 10. Tickets now available, with seating upgrades offered. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.

• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month (free) and “An Appalachian Evening” summer music series with The Kruger Brothers (Americana/bluegrass) 7:30 p.m. June 27 and The Resonant Rogues (Americana/folk) 7:30 p.m. July 4. 828.479.3364 / stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• Stubborn Bull (Highlands) will host Matt & Zack Golazo (folk/reggae) 5 p.m. June 28, Zorki Nastasic (singer-songwriter) June 29 and L.C. Branch (singer-songwriter) July 6. All shows

begin at 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.200.0813 / the-stubborn-bull.com.

• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with local singer-songwriters David Crisp June 25 and Melissa McKinney July 2. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.

• Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host “Bluegrass Music” with Nitrograss 6 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 Amos Jackson (R&B/soul) 5 p.m. June 26. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.

• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Tim Austin (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. June 26, Jordan Denton (singer-songwriter) 2 p.m. June 28, Zorki (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. July 3, David Crisp (singer-songwriter) noon July 4, Shawn Hart (singer-songwriter) 3:30 p.m. July 4 and Monica Spears (singer-songwriter) 2 p.m. July 5. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.

• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host Katie & Ezra (Americana) 1 p.m. June 27. Free and open to the public. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Magic Birds June 26, Hammock Theory June 27, Modern Mammals July 3 and Spare Parts (Americana/bluegrass) July 4. 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 “First Friday Classic Country: Jim Austin & Friends” (Americana/country) 6 p.m. each month (July 3, Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Oct. 2) and the “On the Lawn at Yonder” live music series with Ed Snodderly (Americana/folk) 4 p.m. July 5 (admission by donation). Family/dog friendly. 828.200.2169 / eatrealfoodinc.com.

On the street

Fourth of July at Lake J

The “Independence Day Celebration” will be held June 28 through July 5 at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center.

The annual celebration features a weekend of familyfriendly fun — from concerts to fireworks to floating wish lanterns. The holiday weekend will be full of activities, as well as

time to soak up summer by enjoying the lakeside swimming pool, a round of golf or mini golf, a cruise on the Cherokee IV pontoon boat or a canoe, kayak or paddleboard rental.

For more information and a full schedule of events and activities, visit lakejunaluska.com/signature-events/independence-day-celebrations.

Stecoah ‘Drive-About Tour’

The annual “Arts & Crafts Drive-About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 26-27 at featured studios in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville. With their studios open to the public, the self-guided driving tour highlights artisans who have built a livelihood with their creative talents. Media includes pottery, beeswax lanterns and pillar candles, original paintings/drawings, fiber, quilts, photography, honey, mead and more.

The tour includes Doodad Mosaics & Gift, Wehrloom Honey & Meadery, Marie’s Lavender Farm, Junk N’ Style, Stecoah Artisans Gallery, Local Handmade Pottery, The Village Merchant, Sharla Kauffman Pottery, The Shoppe and Three Rivers Gallery.

For more information, visit stecoahvalleycenter.com/driveabout.

On the stage

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

duction of “Peter & The Starcatcher” on select dates and times through June 28. Tickets are now available. 828.456.6322 / harttheatre.org.

• “Stars & Stripes Celebration” will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 4, in downtown Waynesville. Restaurants, breweries, shopping, galleries, cafés, children’s patriotic parade, live music and more. Free and open to the public. For more information, click on visithaywood.com.

• “Bryson City Freedom Fest” will take place from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4, in downtown. The 31st annual Bryson City Rotary Club “Firecracker 5k” will kick off at 8 a.m. Everett Street will be closed for arts/crafts vendors, food trucks, restaurants and more. Live music (from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.), children’s activities and more. Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit greatsmokies.com/freedom-fest.

• “July 4th +1” Independence Day celebration will be held on Sunday, July 5, in Sorrells Street Park in downtown Canton. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. Food trucks and vendors will be onsite. The Canton Splash Pad will also be open for the kids. Fireworks at dusk. Free and open to the public. For more information, click on visithaywood.com.

• “Independence Day Celebration” will be held from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, in downtown Highlands. There will be an array of community events throughout the day at the Town Ball Field. A “Duck Derby” will also take place at 2 p.m. at the Bridge at Mill Creek. Live music by Southside Station from 6-8:30 p.m. at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park. Fireworks at 9:20 p.m. in downtown. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit highlandschamber.org.

• “4th of July Powwow” will be held July 3-5 at the Old Acquoni Expo Center. Hosted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the event features a three-day explosion of authentic Indian music, dancing, food and festivities. visitcherokeenc.com/event/2026-4th-of-julypowwow.

• “Skyline Summer Fest” will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 3, at the Skyline

Lodge in Highlands. Guests of all ages can enjoy festive activities including a bounce house, face painting, balloon artists, lawn games, live entertainment and patriotic crafts throughout the day. The celebration also features an all-you-can-eat summer cookout menu. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit skyline-lodge.com.

• “4th of July Fireworks” will be held at 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at the Old Acquoni Expo Center. Join the community for an unforgettable evening of patriotic festivities as vibrant bursts of color dance overhead, illuminating the surrounding mountains. Free and open to the public. visitcherokeenc.com/event/20264th-of-july-fireworks.

• “Backyard Fourth” will be held from 2-10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Gates open at 2 p.m. Bring your blanket, chairs, picnic basket, bubbles, hula hoops, balls and yard games. Fireworks at dusk. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.maggievalleync.gov/events/backyard-fourth-independence-day-2026.

• “Fireworks Extravaganza on The Green” will be held from 6:30-10 p.m. Friday, July 3, at The Village Green at the crossroads in Cashiers.. The evening features a festival, food trucks/vendors, live music from Commodore Fox, dancing and more. The highlight will be a fireworks display at dusk. Rain or shine. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit villagegreencashiersnc.com/event/fireworks-extravaganza-on-the-green.

• “Macon County’s America 250 Celebration” will be held July 3-4 at various locations around Franklin. Athletic events and a free concert on the town square Friday, July 3. The “Patriotic Parade” and other activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 4, on Main Street. The Macon County Recreation Park will host activities starting at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 4, with fireworks and live music at 10 p.m. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit franklinchamber.com/events/macon-countys-america250-celebration

‘Peter & The Starcatcher’ at HART

• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host a special stage pro-

• 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.

• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host a special stage production of “Dancin’ in the Street” on select dates and times through July 12. 828.526.9047 / mountaintheatre.com.

A special stage production of “Peter & The Starcatcher” will be held on select dates and times through June 28 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

This wildly inventive production explores the origins of some of literature’s most beloved characters in a fastpaced journey filled with magic, humor and heart.

“Peter & the Starcatcher” reimagines the story before Neverland, before Captain Hook and before the boy who wouldn’t grow up. When a lonely orphan boy crosses paths with the fearless Molly Aster and a mysterious trunk full of magical starstuff, an unforgettable adventure begins.

Along the way, audiences will encounter pirates, mermaids, shipwrecks, secret missions and a dozen actors transforming into more than 100 unforgettable characters. This production celebrates the limitless possibilities of live theatre through inventive stagecraft, physical storytelling and boundless creativity.

Appropriate for audiences of all ages. Admission starts at $19 per person, with seating upgrades available. Tickets are now available.

For more information, call the box office at 828.456.6322 or visit harttheatre.org.

On the shelf

Buddha’s followers continued his teachings

Editor’s note: This is the final installment of a three-part review of “Buddha.”

Siddhatta Gotama, born in northern India around 500 BCE, left his comfortable home as a young adult to follow a simple, spiritual life. After six years of learning from teachers, he went on his own and eventually believed that he had found the way to transcend the suffering of the world. A night spent in meditation under a bodhi tree cleared any last doubts. From then on, the Buddhist scriptures call him Buddha, the enlightened one.

At first, he was reluctant to teach his method, his Dhamma. Author Karen Armstrong, in her book “Buddha,” using the Pali spellings for terms, quotes the scriptures. Trying to teach “would be exhausting and disappointing for me,” says the Buddha. No one is ready, he thought. But the gods intervened. There are people who are ready, they told the new Buddha. Besides, the fundamental principle of his Dhamma, loving-kindness, would not let him live a solitary life. He set out to find a group of old companions.

Gotama had lived in the forest with five other men, all practicing extreme self-denial as a path to truth. It was during this time that Gotama had realized the futility of such extremism and had left to go on his own search. He now described to his five friends what he called the Middle Way. It is best to avoid the extremes of sensual pleasure, on the one hand, and extreme self-denial, on the other, not for moral reasons but for practical ones. The extremes don’t work, he said. Suffering, he went on, had to be “fully known,” and could be known through the discipline of mindfulness, which is observing one’s thoughts in a detached way. And meditation, used by all the spiritual seekers of that time and place, must be infused with loving-kindness, with compassion. Mindfulness and compassion, he said, these are the practices that will, in time, let a person rise above suffering.

One of the friends, during the hearing, recognized these teachings as truth. The new Dhamma “rose up” in him, as if it was something his deepest self had known beforehand. This fit with what Buddha always insisted. He didn’t invent anything. He discovered an ancient truth and always said that his followers should test anything he taught them. The other four companions soon embraced what they heard, and Buddha had his first disciples. Thus began his new life — practicing his Dhamma, walking to the towns and cities of the region, living simply, teaching and living with his followers.

Buddhist art, says author Armstrong, usually depicts a lone Buddha in meditation, leading us to believe that he was a solitary man. Not so. He was often surrounded by crowds of his own monks, who could number in the hundreds, and of people who had heard of him and sought him out. People liked to be around him. His monks “were not only gentle and compassionate,” says Armstrong, “but deeply sociable.” At times they were so chatty that the Buddha asked

friend, whom he thought to be like a great tree; above disagreement, a shelter from the world. The Buddha opened the door to his hut, and the old king knelt and kissed his feet.

“Why are you doing this poor old body such honor?” the Buddha asked.

Because you are a comfort, and it is so peaceful here, and because we are both old, answered the king. Armstrong: “They were two old men together, and they should express their affection for each other in this dark world.”

for quiet. One local king, impressed by the good spirit in the community, commented on the contrast in his court, where greed and anger predominated.

Mostly itinerant, the growing group of teacher and disciples stayed in one place during the monsoon season, and began to develop patterns to their daily spiritual life. Wealthy businessmen and kings donated land outside different cities and built simple huts for the monks. All the while, they continued their practice of the Dhamma, which the Buddha called “skillful living.”

Communal life often put the ideals of equanimity to the test. But, says Armstrong, “It seemed that it was possible to train people to live without selfishness and to be happy.”

And so it went for 45 years. In one of my favorite stories, an old friend of the Buddha, another king, was bereft after the death of his wife and what he saw as the increasing violence in society. He traveled to see his

Armstrong says that as the Buddha grew old in the story, the scriptures begin to emphasize the ruthlessness of the world. The world of his followers itself was not spared such ruthlessness, as a group tried to betray him and take control of the order. But, always, the Dhamma continues to work for the individual.

Nearing death, the Buddha turned away from the cities where he had spent most of his teaching years and headed north with a small group of monks towards the smaller towns at the edge of the Ganges plain. When they reached the town of Kusinara and the end seemed near, his devoted companion and caretaker Ananda began to feel afraid. “Lord, do not go to your Final Rest in this dreary little town, with mud walls; this heathen, jungle outpost, this backwater.”

Ananda began to cry about his own failure to reach enlightenment. How will I live, he cried, without “my compassionate Teacher, who was always kind to me?”

The Buddha attempted to console his friend. “Let the Dhamma and the Discipline that I have taught you be your Teacher when I am gone.” And to his monks, “All individual things pass away. Seek your liberation with diligence.” And with that, he died. After his enlightenment, not inclined to teach his way because it seemed too difficult, Ananda considered the suffering in the world and, the scriptures say, “Out of compassion, he gazed upon the world with the eye of a Buddha.” And he taught for the rest of his life.

(Anne Bevilacqua is a lover of books who lives in Haywood County.)

Run to the hills

Some of our favorite trails in WNC

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

SMN EDITOR

In this day and age, when the world seems to be one chaotic situation after another, all while the incessant white noise and constant distraction in the digital age peels away our sanity, I find a genuine urge to head for the mountains and hit the trails. So, I do so, happily.

For myself — someone who has been a runner since I was 12 years old (41 now) and also currently has a daily running streak going back to Dec. 31, 2015, much of the magic I find in my jogs and trots is seamlessly conjured on the trails and in the backwoods of Western North Carolina. It’s my favorite disappearing act from society.

Beyond hearing from other runners/hikers about where to go and also simply stumbling upon spaces and places in my own travels around our backyard of Southern Appalachia, I also rely on my AllTrails app on my smartphone. You can also use their website (alltrails.com). I highly recommend AllTrails. It has become a tangible and intrinsic compass for my wandering and pondering.

Below are a handful of my favorite local spots to run/hike. These are places I’ve tossed on the trail shoes and found inner peace on countless occasions, moments of solitude

HAYWOOD COUNTY MOUNT STERLING (VIA MOUNT STERLING GAP)

The lowdown: It’s a 5.3-mile out-and-back with 1,942 feet of elevation gain. Considered a moderate/hard trail for most. Moderate, in general, for more experienced hikers and trail runners. The trail ends at a fire tower that you can access with incredible views.

What I like about it: This is easily one of the “best bang for your buck” hikes anywhere in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The added bonus is the serene, steady drive to the trailhead via the Old Cataloochee Turnpike road that you can access from either Cataloochee Valley or the Big Creek intersection into the park.

Post-hike: Valley Tavern. Right on Soco Road in the heart of Maggie Valley, the sports bar/restaurant is situated along a babbling creek, ideal for a late lunch and beverage. And there’s usually live music on the weekends underneath the outdoor pavilion.

JACKSON COUNTY PINNACLE TRAIL

The lowdown: This is a 7.7-mile moderate/hard hike with 2,457 feet of elevation gain. Pinnacle can be frustrating for many due to the fact the trail is a seemingly constant hike with no real flat spots. But the 360degree views at the top are stunning.

Outdoors

Sylva, the property features the Cosmic CarryOut food truck. My go-to is the “Blast Off Burger.” Arguably the finest burger in our area. Don’t forget the fresh-cut fries.

MACON COUNTY

APPALACHIAN TRAIL

(ROCKY BALD VIA TELLICO GAP)

The lowdown: Sitting at 3.7 miles roundtrip with a 1,260-foot elevation gain, this trail is moderate and very enjoyable. What I like about it: The drive alone to get out to Tellico Gap is stunning (make sure you have four-wheel drive, just in case). And though nearby Wesser Bald gets all the notoriety (with its fire tower), Rocky Bald offers incredible views with little-to-no people in passing.

Post-hike: Yonder Community Market. On the outskirts of downtown Franklin, the organic grocery store is packed with all kinds of delicious cheeses, meats and beverages to enjoy at one of the picnic tables underneath the shade of the tall oak trees on the side lawn. There’s also the popular concert series on the front lawn, which features some of the finest local, regional and national singer-songwriters on a semi-regular basis.

SWAIN COUNTY

TSALI RECREATION AREA

only the beauty of the natural world, but of one’s body in motion, too.

What I like about it: Beyond the views of Sylva and greater Jackson County, I dig the deceiving nature of the summit. You end up in this brush area, only to discover this little opening. Pop down into it and then emerge into the spectacular views.

Post-hike: Innovation Brewing. Also located next to a soothing creek in downtown

The lowdown: The trail running mecca of Western North Carolina. The four-trail loop system offers seemingly miles of exploration. Easy-to-moderate single-track trails, ideal for getting in steady, long mileage. To note, runners have full access to all trails on all days, whereas mountain bikers and horseback riders have rotating days of trail use.

HCC awarded arboretum accreditation

Haywood Community College has been awarded a Level II Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity and professionalism.

HCC contains over three miles of trails and serves as a working laboratory for students in natural resources and other programs.

The Level II certification encompasses key elements such as creating and maintaining an arboretum plan, labeling of at least

What I like about it: It’s Tsali. What more do you want as a runner?

Post-hike: Nantahala Outdoor Center. Smack dab in the Nantahala Gorge just west of Bryson City, the NOC is home to a world-class whitewater center, restaurants and an array of onsite activities, including live music on the weekends. To note, the Appalachian Trail goes right through the NOC.

MADSION COUNTY

APPALACHIAN TRAIL

(RICH MOUNTAIN TOWER)

The lowdown: Just outside of downtown Hot Springs, this 5.2-mile out and back offers 1,446 feet of elevation gain. It’s a moderate hike and well worth the view at the top at the fire tower.

What I like about it: Whether you’re heading up to the trailhead from Waynesville or via Marshall, the drive itself is enjoyable when done at your own pace. Once you’re on the trail, you truly start to understand and immerse yourself in the splendor and lore of the AT.

Post-hike: Big Pillow Brewing. With a

100 plant species and conducting events throughout the year, all of which the college wholeheartedly embraces.

As part of this new certification, HCC is developing a variety of activities to bring the community to campus and highlight the many aspects of the arboretum. The first activity will be a guided walk on June 26, featuring a tour of campus with a focus on flowering shrubs. Walks will be held at noon or 1:30 p.m. and will last about an hour, with a cap of 12 attendees to ensure a personalized experience with the opportunity for guests to ask questions.

To register for this event and view upcoming walks and arboretum-related events, visit haywood.edu/visiting-campus/arboretum.php

picturesque beer garden and large outdoor stage, the brewery is the social beehive for the small mountain town of Hot Springs. Add into-that, the popular Grey Eagle Taqueria also has a satellite spot onsite at Big Pillow.

TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY

PINK BEDS TRAIL

The lowdown: It’s a 5.2-mile loop with 331 feet of elevation gain. This is considered an easy-to-moderate trail for runners and hikers. To note, make sure to pay attention to the trail signs that split the main loop into the smaller loop.

What I like about it: I find that my enjoyment of Pink Beds comes from the lack of elevation gain versus the number of miles you can complete, which means you can hold a steady pace and find an ideal rhythm throughout the trek.

Post-hike: 185 King Street. A cultural hub in Brevard, the music venue hosts events every single night, not to mention offering a food menu with a slew of delicious options. The taproom also features a wide selection from Noblebrau Brewing, located next door.

y Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

The counties in the Smoky Mountain News coverage area all have sections in severe and extreme drought. From ncdrought.org.

Drought continues statewide, worsens in central NC

Drought conditions have intensified in central North Carolina, with parts of 10 counties in and around the Triangle now classified as experiencing exceptional drought. The majority of the rest of the state remains in extreme and severe drought. The counties in the Smoky Mountain News coverage area all have sections in severe and extreme drought.

According to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council’s latest classifications issued Thursday, 10 counties are now in exceptional drought, 42 counties are in extreme drought, 46 counties are in severe drought and two counties are in moderate drought.

Puzzles can be found on page 30

These are only the answers.

“The good rains the state received over Memorial Day weekend were helpful, but had a short-term impact,” said Klaus Albertin, chair of the DMAC and water resources engineer with the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources. “Most areas are still showing one of their top five driest beginnings to the year.”

DMAC’s drought map is updated weekly on Thursdays based on conditions through the previous Tuesday. To view North Carolina’s drought map, visit ncdrought.org.

To learn more, visit our drought education page.

Pigeon River Fund Awards water quality grants

The Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) awarded seven grants totaling $188,430 to environmental groups working to improve surface water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitats, expand public use and access to waterways and increase water quality awareness in Buncombe, Haywood and Madison counties.

Some of the most recent grant recipients are:

• $9,750 to Haywood Waterways Association toward implementation of the third phase in the Town of Clyde's Flood Resiliency Project.

• $35,000 to Lake Junaluska Assembly to repair 300 linear feet of eastern lakeshore, which eroded due to winter waves and ongoing currents.

The next application deadline for qualifying nonprofits in Buncombe, Haywood and Madison counties is Sept. 15, 2026. Applications and instructions are available at cfwnc.org.

Learn about septic system repair

The Haywood Waterways Association and Haywood County Environmental Health Department will host a free septic system workshop from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 30 at the Haywood County Agricultural Service Center, located at 589 Raccoon Road in Waynesville.

The workshop will cover septic system maintenance, signs of system failure and available financial assistance for qualifying homeowners. Failing systems can contaminate soil, groundwater and nearby waterways.

Staff will offer tips to reduce excess water use, prevent costly repairs and maintain system performance. Light refreshments will be provided.

It is cheaper to maintain a septic system than pay for costly repairs. Also, people should remember to pump their septic tank frequently. A 1,000-gallon tank for a family of four should be pumped every three years.

Staff will be on hand to discuss everything there is to know about septic systems including what financial help may be available for homeowners who qualify. Light refreshments will be provided. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP to John Allar at 828.476.4667, ext. 1 or john@haywoodwaterways.org.

Smokies welcomes six artists-in-residence

Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomed this year’s lineup of artists-in-residence, whose creativity and passion will help visitors experience the Smokies in new and inspiring ways. Each month from June through November, a new artist will join the park and lead hands-on programs which invite visitors to explore the park through art shaped by its landscapes, history and natural wonders.

These free, monthly programs offer opportunities to connect with both the Smokies and the artists who find inspiration there. In addition to onsite programs at park visitor centers, each artist will offer a free lunchtime presentation at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts auditorium in Gatlinburg. All are welcome to attend, learn about each artist’s creative process and discover the unique mediums they bring to the residency.

This year’s artists-in-residence bring a wide range of creative backgrounds to the Smokies, with Saturday visitor engagement programs offered monthly from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at either Sugarlands or Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

Here’s the schedule:

• June: Lauren Cason, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Dulcimerist, gouache painter, teacher and creative technologist

June 20 at Sugarlands Visitor Center and June 27 at Oconaluftee Visitor

Claire Stovall leads a visitor engagement program where participants created their own firefly-inspired textile art. NPS photo

Center

• July: Tanya Qu, Durham, North Carolina

Abstract painter, punk musician and graphic designer

July 18 at Sugarlands Visitor Center and July 25 at Oconaluftee Visitor Center

• August: Amber Sparkle, St. Petersburg, Florida

Acrylic painter, muralist and arts event planner

Aug. 22 at Sugarlands Visitor Center and Aug. 29 at Oconaluftee Visitor Center

• September: Robert Palmerton, Saline, Michigan Pastel and oil painter specializing in

plein air landscapes

Sept. 19 at Sugarlands Visitor Center and Sept. 26 at Oconaluftee Visitor Center

• October: Jenna Marie Kesgen, Asheville, North Carolina

Oil and acrylic painter, muralist and environmental educator

Oct. 17 at Sugarlands Visitor Center and Oct. 24 at Oconaluftee Visitor Center

• November: Christopher “Chappy” Chaput, Nashville, Tennessee

Composer, music director and multimedia artist

Nov. 21 at Sugarlands Visitor Center and Nov. 28 at Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Birding in Franklin

The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane. Walks are about two-and-a-half hours. The public is welcome. All walks are weather dependent.

Schedule for upcoming walks:

• July 1, meet at the Salali Lane parking lot.

• July 8, meet at the Macon County Library parking lot.

• July 15, meet at the Big Bear parking lot near the dog park.

A full schedule and directions to each starting location can be found at facebook.com/groups/franklinbirdclub/ or littletennessee.org/franklin-bird-club.

MarketPlace information:

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

Rates:

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

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

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

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

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

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

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

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

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

PLACE WNC

Legals

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000333-430

Monique Crook, hav-

Patricia Mraz a/k/a Patricia Coughlin Mraz

Sep 03 2026, or

Executor 427 Apple Tree Ct Waynesville, NC 28786

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000146-490

Samuel Pearce Bateman Sep 24 2026

Cahill Sep 17 2026, or Administrator 1499 Little East Fork Rd Canton, NC 28716

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000291-430

Clyde Medford Beasley Sep 24 2026, or Administrator CTA c/o DSR Legal, PLLC PO Box 51596 Durham, NC 27717

Announcements

Executor 705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.25E000641-430

Daniel Adam

“LO AND BEHOLD!” ACROSS

1 Police dept. alert

4 Celtics, on scoreboards

7 Like messy beds

13 Beard go-with, for short

19 French department head

21 Got ready, with “up”

22 Epithets

23 Refreshing a web page

that has detailed contract wording?

26 Half a quart

27 Meadowland

28 Navigate

29 It might make you red in the face

30 Annual bebop music festival in Sri Lanka's capital?

34 Discontinue

36 That girl

37 It might make you red in the face

38 Unbroken

39 Basketball-stuffing pros taking part in a zigzag ski race?

44 “C'mon, do me this favor”

47 Fountain in Rome

48 Spoil

49 Writer Ferber

50 Visualize

52 “--, vidi, vici”

54 Sheriff Taylor's son

58 Dol. units

61 Becoming less energetic at the disco?

66 Barbie's little sister

69 “I won't -- word”

70 Male bud

71 D.C.'s land

72 Having a boss who will only communicate with you by singing?

78

Pets

BROWN TABBY CAT — PHO 7 year old girl with bold stripes. Talkative and loving but slightly shy. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ashevillehumane.org

RUPART Hound mix — brown & white. 2 years old. Gentle, shy boy; loves people and other dogs after chance to adjust. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ashevillehumane.org

Real Estate Announcements

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC

Recreational Vehicles

SUDOKU

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!