Smoky Mountain News | June 3, 2026

conservation districts floated in Waynesville Page 4

Couple donates works of art to WCU museum Page 16

CONTENTS

On the Cover:

As the U.S. Forest Service restructures is operations, 57 research facilities find themselves in jeopardy. However, amid the plan, which one expert called “awful” and “ill-advised,” the four research stations covering 12,000 acres in Western North Carolina, including the one in Macon County, appear to be safe. (Page 24) VisitNC.com photo

News

Rural conservation districts considered in Waynesville............................................4

Waynesville announces interim town managers........................................................5

SCC launches mobile electric vehicle lab....................................................................6

Officials urge preparation ahead of hurricane season..............................................8

Haywood sheriff briefs commissioners on annual review ......................................9

BGW aims to educate, empower Black Haywood residents..............................10

WCU students support REACH shelter expansion with design expertise....12

Education briefs..................................................................................................................13

Opinion

Nought may endure but mutability................................................................................14 Duke should find new Needmore route......................................................................14

A&E

Macon couple donates works of art to WCU museum........................................16

Ride the Great Smoky Mountains Music Train........................................................22

Outdoors

The Joyful Botanist: Time to smell the roses............................................................26 Zahner lecture series returns to Highlands................................................................27

STAFF

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N EWS E DITOR: Kyle Perrotti.

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

CONTACT

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Parade Kickoff June 19, 6pm

Opening Ceremony June 20, 9am

50+ Vendors – No Admission Fee

Chikomo Marimba –FREE LIVE CONCERT

Closing Ceremony June 20, 6pm-9pm Gourmet Food & Beverages

All-welcoming Festival with many FREE offerings. Axis Yoga Host Studio & Presenting Sponsor

contact@smokymountainyogafest.com

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• 38 classes & workshops

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FRIDAY 5PM-9PM & SATURDAY 9AM-9PM Folkmoot Campus, 112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville, NC

SUNDAY AM-2PM Outdoor Yoga, Hiking & Forest Bathing at Elk & Embers

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Rural conservation districts considered in Waynesville

BY KYLE PERROTTI

EDITOR

Waynesville Town Council will hear public comments next week regarding its upcoming vote that would purportedly allow for conservation of rural farmland.

Last month, Waynesville’s planning board discussed the potential zoning amendment in detail before ultimately voting 6-3 to recommend town council passes it. The amendment would add a new zoning category called “rural conservation districts” in light of public pushback against recent housing developments that a vocal contingent of residents consider blights on the area’s historically pastoral landscape.

The amendment aims to create an optional zoning category that reduces the base density and allows for fewer property uses. During the public hearing for the amendment before the zoning board held last month, Land Administrator Alex Mumby said property owners could opt into the zoning category either individually or as a group through a rezoning or map amendment request. Applying as a group is not only advantageous because it creates a larger contiguous district; it also allows for splitting the $200 permitting fee between all property owners.

“This district is primarily singlefamily homes, hobby farms, bona fide farms and other agricultural land with limited allowances for other uses within the civic, institutional, agricultural and infrastructure categories,” Mumby said.

It’s very disturbing to me to pass by and see house on top of house. We need to think about our future, the folks that put food on our tables. I know you can’t stop growth, but I think we need options out there for those farmers who wish to address that, and I hope that this does move forward and we can have a choice.”

board attorney Ron Sneed addressed the board and spoke to Mason’s concern, arguing that a slight reduction in a tax bill would likely not be the key motivation for someone looking to create a rural conservation district.

“I think people will do this so that they will always have room between them and their neighbor … I think that’s probably the bigger incentive,” he said.

Once a property or group of properties is designated as a member of a rural conservation district, or RCON, it will remain in that status until someone requests to rezone that property back to one of the currently existing categories.

After Mumby explained the amendment and answered some questions from board members, the public had a chance to comment. Resident Martha Mills, who also chairs the farmland preservation board, said the amendment sounded overwhelmingly positive as far as she could tell.

“I know I personally have a farm that’s in the [extraterritorial jurisdiction], and I would love for it to be zoned just ag and not some of this house on top of house,” she said. “We have to preserve our farmland. I worked for USDA Farm Service Agency for 33 years, and I was over on raccoon road.

However, resident Patrick Bradshaw, speaking in his personal capacity and not as a representative of his employer, Civil Design Concepts, warned that reducing the maximum base density is tantamount to downzoning, something the state legislature recently prohibited except in specific circumstances.

“You take rural density from six to four, the next time we meet, we will take it down to two,” he said. “The next time, we’ll take it to one.”

Following the public comments, board member John Mason brought up a concern — a property owner could opt into an RCON district then rezone to something higher, ultimately saving them on their property tax bill for however many years they’re in an RCON district. Zoning

Board Chair Ginger Hain questioned whether there are ways to incentivize people to opt into an RCON. Town Planner Elizabeth Teague said that while there may not be a carrot they can provide, the town has a stick for those who want to rezone out of an RCON.

“There may be one thing you could do, when that person comes back to rezone it back to high density, you say no, or the council says no. I mean, that’s, that’s the legislative process,” Teague said.

“Then you can’t just flip it back automatically,” she added. “You have to start again. You have to make applications public hearings.”

Teague mentioned that RCONs are just one of many ways to go for a property owner looking to conserve their land. Along with options through the state, there are land trusts and conservation easements. Ultimately, Hain contended that this change would reflect the will of the community that has been heard time and time again at public hearings. Even if only some single property owners opt in, it may look like “polka dots of RCONs” where people are “finally standing up and saying, ‘I’m doing something.’”

The amendment initially set a 45-foot maximum building height; however. that was changed to exclude tall structures common to farms like silos from that requirement.

The measure passed. Waynesville Town Council will host a public hearing on the matter at 5:30 p.m. June 9 at town hall.

Waynesville announces interim town managers

Mayor Gary Caldwell announced the appointment of Interim Manager Page McCurry and Interim Manager Rick Howell. McCurry will take office on June 11 and serve until July 5. Howell will take office on July 6 and serve until Town Council appoints a town manager.

McCurry currently serves as the town’s human resources director and has an extensive background in public administration. With a bachelor’s degree in public and non-profit administration and a master’s degree in public administration, both from UNC Pembroke, and a certification in municipal and county administration from the UNC School of Government, McCurry offers extensive knowledge in her field. Her skillsets include strategic leadership, financial stewardship, and organizational development. McCurry is also professionally involved in multiple organizations, including the North Carolina City & County Management Association.

Howell has served as the manager of Shelby and Brevard.  Since 1987, Howell’s career included managerial roles in North Carolina local government. Besides public service, Howell is also heavily involved in community service including sitting on the boards of United Way, Salvation Army, and Rotary Club. Howell has a Bachelor of Science degree in political science and city/county management, as well as a master’s degree in public administration in city/county management, both from Appalachian State University.

“Waynesville could not be prouder to appoint Page McCurry and Rick Howell as our interim managers. They bring years of trusted experience, and their primary focus will be supporting our incredible staff and maintaining the momentum of our ongoing community projects,” Caldwell said.

Town Manager

will be retiring on June 10 after 38 years of public service.

Ramp closure begins in Waynesville

Construction along Waynesville’s commercial corridor is ready to begin its next major phase.

A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will close the U.S. 74 West offramp to Russ Avenue (Exit 102) from Monday, June 8 through Sunday, Aug. 30. The closure is necessary for the safety of drivers and crews who will improve the offramp.

Drivers will follow the marked detour on U.S. 74 West to Hazelwood Avenue (Exit 100), drive under the highway and join U.S. 74 East to Russ Avenue (Exit 102).

During the 90-day closure, crews from Buchanan & Sons will perform operations to improve the alignment at the intersection of the offramp and Russ Avenue (U.S. 276). Operations will include excavation, removing a concrete island, storm-water pipe installation, grading and paving.

Approximately 5,000 vehicles per day utilize that offramp to Russ Avenue. Signal timing at the U.S. 74 East offramp will be adjusted to accommodate additional highway traffic.

The $42.8 million contract is progressing at a steady pace and is on-track to be substantially complete in late 2027. Two bridges — one over a railroad and one over Richland Creek — are 90% complete.

Current operations include installation of water and sewer lines which will be followed by stormwater installation, grading, curb and gutter creation, paving operations and traffic signal installation. Between Howell Mills Road and U.S. 74A, crew are working diligently to minimize traffic impacts and keep access to all businesses open.

SCC launches mobile electric vehicle lab

BY KYLE PERROTTI NEWS EDITOR

Technology is evolving ever more rapidly, and Southwestern Community College in Franklin has taken steps to keep up by opening a mobile electric vehicle lab.

The mobile EV lab was funded by a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation as part of its Project E-Volve program and will enable instructors to bring their class to students, even at local high schools. An earlier phase of the grant allowed for the construction of an electric vehicle, which was assembled by students last fall.

Automotive Assistant Programmer David Myers said that the program will allow students to broaden their knowledge and get some practical application on a number of systems. In addition to working on electrical systems and programming, there are still plenty of mechanical systems to build and explore. The school had been offering an introduction to sustainability class over the last few years, so the theory was already there, and now it is is accompanied by practice. Another benefit, said Myers, is that students will work on low-voltage systems to get experience in a safer environment than they are likely to encounter once they begin their careers.

Myers said that just as faculty had been discussing how to adapt the curriculum to meet modern demands, they came across the application for the Project E-Volve program.

“That fell right in line w what we were doing when we worked on the switch car,” he said.

Madison McDonald, Senior Communications Manager for Duke Energy, said that grants such as the one provided to SCC are not only about helping a community institution; they’re intended to build a competent local workforce to work key roles that will protect continuity of the electrical grid. Many of the skills learned while working in one of Myers’ classes are directly transferrable to a job as a lineman or a switchgear operator, such as electrical theory, managing electrical loads and connecting to the grid.

“We want to scale the training pipelines and remove financial barriers to students who want to enter energy careers,” McDonald said.

McDonald noted that since 2021, The Duke Energy Foundation has invested over $7 million for workforce programs across North Carolina in fields tied to the energy sector.

modern technologies are in demand, and continuous education is necessary. Myers did 66 hours of “update training” just over the last year. Even the way maintenance is authorized and completed has changed.

“To hook up to a newer vehicle and look at data, we have to be a certified person, and we have to send all our credentials and info a company that researches and does background checks,” Myers said. “Once approved, they get an authorization code to operate their tools. Once you have been authorized you can do all these repairs.”

Creating that local interest in the field Duke Energy is looking to grow is key, and that’s why McDonald said it’s nice to see Myers and crew have the opportunity to bring the EV lab to high schools where students are already seeing enhanced opportunities in STEM-related areas.

Setser selected as Franklin fire chief

The Town of Franklin announced the appointment of Justin Setser as the new Fire Chief of Franklin Fire and Rescue. Setser has been serving as the interim Fire Chief since the departure of Ben Ormond in February. Chief Setser will officially assume his full-time duties as Fire Chief on June 5.

With 24 years in fire service, Setser has held multiple positions including captain and assistant chief and has served as incident

“At the end of the day, this is how Duke Energy is thinking about the workforce around energy transition,” she said.

Myers said that focus is needed, at least when it comes to the automotive field. Having been in the industry for 53 years, he said he’s seen plenty of change but nothing has compared to the last decade. Workers certified to work on

commander during several major incidents. Setser has been with Franklin Fire and Rescue for his entire fire service career and has worked for the Town of Franklin as the Town Planner/IT Director for the last 12 years.

“Justin’s background directly aligns with the demands of a modern municipal fire chief. In this role, Setser will oversee planning and implementation of the department’s $1.7 million budget, and lead a team of nine full-time staff and 25-plus volunteer fire fighters. He will direct departmental operations of fire suppression, community risk reduction, as well as supervise safety and emergency preparedness activities and more,” said Town Manager Amie Owens.

Myers said he’s thankful for the Duke Energy Foundation grant and all the doors it will open for students.

“The students said it was a big benefit for them to have this kind of technology that matches what’s on the road today,” he said. “They’re not behind compared to other programs that are out there.”

Setser will continue to be a key member of the town’s leadership team. His dual perspective will ensure that the fire department remains closely integrated with town-wide initiatives. The town will hire a new Town Planner and outsourcing IT services as part of this transition.

“I am very excited and honored to have been offered the position of the next fire chief of Franklin Fire and Rescue” Setser said. “I look forward to serving the citizens of Franklin and working alongside the dedicated firefighters at Franklin. Franklin has had many great fire chiefs, and I hope I can live up to their standards.”

FOOD

Preparing for hurricane season

Post-Helene planning takes on new significance

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season began today, and Gov. Josh Stein urged North Carolinians to have a plan in place in case tropical weather impacts the state this season. Although the National Hurricane Center predicts a below-normal season, North Carolinians know that it takes only one storm to affect communities statewide.

“Hurricane season brings real uncertainty for families across the state. I encourage all North Carolinians to make a plan now to keep themselves and their families safe in case of a storm,” said Stein. “Just as you prepare your family for hurricane season, the state emergency management team is preparing by closely monitoring forecasts, updating response plans and coordinating with federal and local partners.”

The State Emergency Response Team has been preparing for the 2026 hurricane season by reviewing lessons learned from previous storms, updating response procedures, meeting with stakeholders at all levels of government, coordinating with the private sector and nonprofit organizations, and conducting exercises like the Statewide Hurricane Exercise held May 20-21. While the State Emergency Response Team finalizes preparations, it is imperative that all

North Carolinians take time now to prepare for the hurricane season.

“Preparation is the key to resilience during hurricane season. We encourage all North Carolinians to take time to develop plans and take proactive steps with their loved ones before a storm impacts our state,” said NC Emergency Management Director Will Ray. “This includes creating evacuation plans in case you must leave your home, securing all important documentation in a waterproof container, and checking your insurance policies to make sure you are properly covered. Home and flood insurance are especially important resources in returning to normalcy after a disaster. The State Emergency Response Team is prepared and ready to respond should anything occur this hurricane season. We continue to make improvements and train year-round to ensure rapid response and safety for all residents.”

Here’s what you can do to make sure your family is prepared before disaster strikes:

• Put together an emergency kit, including non-perishable food and water (1 gallon per person per day) for three to seven days, a battery-powered or hand crank radio or other device and extra batteries for listening to a NOAA Weather Radio, and prescrip-

tion and over-the-counter medication.

• Be aware of any unique needs for babies, elderly, or disabled members of your household, as well as pets.

• Have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings such as a weather alert app on your phone, a device for listening to NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts or live streams, or app or radio access to local news outlets.

• Make an emergency plan in case you and your family need to evacuate, including a plan for communication. Have printed copies of family members’ phone numbers, social media handles, email addresses, and important medical information in case mobile devices lose power or otherwise become disabled. Plan where you will meet if you are separated from your family and have copies of important papers such as birth and adoption certificates, driver licenses, or military IDs.

• Take steps to protect your home by preparing a full list of personal items, along with photos and videos of every room, to help with insurance settlements or tax deductions.

• Meet with your insurance agent for a hurricane season check-up to make sure you know what is covered should a storm affect your neighborhood.

• Be sure you know how to shut off your utilities safely. Water, electricity, and gas are key services that can also cause special problems during an emergency. Do NOT try to turn the gas back on yourself. Always call a trained expert.

• If you live along the coast or are planning to visit the beach this season, Know Your Zone! This is how local governments order evacuations along the coast when storm surge is a threat.

Visit knowyourzone.nc.gov to search by address.

• The NC Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN) allows you to access over 700 flood gauges across the state. Visit fiman.nc.gov to search for the flood gauges closest to your home and to sign up for alerts.

Get involved in your community’s preparedness activities:

• Learn about the emergency plans for your children’s schools, your workplace, and your neighborhood.

• Participate in community preparedness exercises and drills.

• Volunteer with a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to learn about disaster preparedness and receive training in basic disaster response skills.

• Contact the NC Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster at ncvoad.org for more ways to help.

For more information on how you can be prepared for this hurricane season, visit readync.gov.

Haywood sheriff annual review

BY KYLE PERROTTI NEWS EDITOR

Crime in Haywood County appears to largely mirror national trends, according to a brief report Sheriff Bill Wilke gave to county commissioners.

As Wilke explained the stats, he offered insights as to what may be driving certain changes in trends; however, as he did so, he occasionally lamented the lack of immediate data to further explain correlations to national trends.

The sheriff, who lost the Republican Primary Election to Mark Mease earlier this year, began by noting that criminal investigations are up from 574 to 735, a 28% increase. However, with the same staffing in his criminal investigations division, that stretches detectives thinner. When

Commissioner Terry Ramey asked a followup question about those numbers, Wilke explained that while he feels shorthanded in CID, there are other areas, especially the detention center, that are dealing with even bigger manpower issues.

The office saw a rise in child abuse cases, something Wilke said further stresses CID and the county Department of Social Services. However, he did note that amid a rise in such cases, the KARE House in Waynesville has “assumed a tremendous burden” and “contributed so much.”

While there were fewer search warrants executed by the office’s crime suppression unit, there was an increase in drug trafficking charges.

“I like to think that’s a reflection of the pressure we’ve put on folks trafficking up and through not only our highways but our neighborhood which is also behind the increase in search warrants in 2025.” Wilke said.

2024 in male inmates and an increase in female inmates, something Wilke said tracks with national trends.

Wilke put special focus on his office’s reintegration program, which he said has yielded successful results for some folks who’ve stayed clean and more engaged in society after incarceration. There were 372 attendees of either Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or the National Alliance on Mental Illness meetings. Twenty people received medical assisted treatment used to help people addicted to opioids curb cravings. Other folks in the justice system engaged with other programs and services like Haywood Pathways Center and recovery court.

He said that it’s particularly hard to capture data on these programs’ true success. Relapses are hard to track unless they’re accompanied by recidivism.

“There’s relapse, there’s people who go into these programs and because of HIPAA we don’t necessarily know what happens to them when they come back,” he said.

There was a significant rise in both crack and powder cocaine seizures and a slight rise in fentanyl seized. Marijuana saw a slight decline and meth seizures saw a notable drop.

The county is close to opening its new detention center pending some state inspections. In 2025, 1,748 men were held along with 935 women. That’s a decrease from

Wilke praised peer support specialist Bob Cummings, saying he has reached a good number of people. Wilke said the key has been trying to relocate individuals serious about changing their lives to places where they can get a fresh start away from the pressures of the place and people they associate with addiction.

“We’ve had a good degree of success in it” Wilke said.

BGW aims to educate, empower Black Haywood residents

The first in a series of three ‘Black Generational Wealth” classes was held at the Pigeon Center in Waynesville. File photo

only 45.3% of Black Americans. Racial minorities are disproportionately represented when it comes to student debt, unemployment and the makeup of generationally poor communities.

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER

Haywood County’s Black Generational Wealth committee is the product of a long-dissolved 2020 book club.

That year, a white police officer murdered an unarmed Black man named George Floyd with the assistance of three other officers. Like many COVID-era racial justice collectives, the book club was a response to the

These outcomes are a result of compounding policies at the federal, state and local levels, the stuff of which can sometimes look individual but largely have to do with generational and systemic barriers.

A mortgage loan refusal might seem interpersonal, but racially motivated mortgage loan and credit denials to qualified Black recipients were practiced in masse by the 1930s Federal Housing Administration through a process known as redlining, preventing home ownership and generational wealth-building.

Exclusionary zoning, which has its roots in pre-1940s laws preventing Black families from living or building in majority-white areas, today limits the availability of affordable housing through square-footage or residential use requirements.

Now, years down the line, BGW continues to provide educational, empowermentbased programming. Much of its work resembles that of a financial literacy nonprofit, though seminars are annual, volunteer led and feature limited but intentionally chosen topics.

horrific act perpetrated in Minneapolis, said committee chair Nancy Thomason.

“We read ‘White Fragility,’ and we read several others, and after the after the series was over, the question was, ‘Now what are we going to do about this?’” recounted Thomason, who is white, adding that participants initially pursued the theme of “reparations.”

The modern-day reparations movement calls for material and financial compensation to Black folks for wealth disparities originating with enslavement and perpetuated through manifestations of structural racism — among them predatory loans, wage discrimination, mass incarceration and gentrification.

Thomason added that Rev. Keith Turman of Waynesville discussed the proposal with Black leaders and change-makers in Haywood County, and a multi-racial coalition took root.

But after conversations with affected residents, Thomason said the committee ditched the idea of reparations, instead opting for an open meeting with the Black community to solicit feedback about strategy and gain insight into local issues.

“One of our committee members suggested the name ‘Black Generational Wealth’ committee, and that the idea and the focus would be to help people acquire, maintain and pass on financial security and wealth from generation to generation,” she said.

BGW fittingly described a group aiming to empower Black folks amid an enduring racial wealth gap.

As of 2019, Black families were twice as likely as white families to have no wealth. While 75% of White Americans owned homes in 2020, the same could be said for

The solutions are more individualized than structural. But in a world where a handful of everyday people might face significant barriers enacting large-scale change, collaborating with the local community is often the best place to start.

The group’s first-ever round of open workshops followed a people-first strategy “to figure out areas that we could focus on for developing and maintaining wealth,” said BGW member LaVonne Casey. “We had the banking institutions represented, we had real estate, we had legal aid.”

“As Nancy [Thomason] said, [we started] asking folks what they really wanted to hear from us, and then we started being able to come up with these seminars geared towards what the needs are,” she said.

Immediately, the focus became more detailed, Casey recounted.

Following the first event at Waynesville’s Pigeon Community Multicultural Center the group’s second seminar on July 16 will concern the concept of “heirs,” for example; committee members said locally, it’s a topic seldom understood.

Heirs are invoked when one does not write a will or use another legal mechanism to pass down property. And Casey said quite a few elders had lacked a basic will at previous seminars.

This comes down to lack of basic financial education, said Gregory Wheeler, Pigeon Center co-chair. Personal finance is typically offloaded as a domestic subject rather than one taught in the classroom. But some parents, lacking that knowledge themselves, are then unable to teach their children.

And a 2024 National Institute of Health study found that financial resource access disparities contribute to lower financial literacy for “racial and ethnic minorities.”

Mountain Credit Union names

Shook

chief executive officer

Mountain Credit Union has announced the promotion of Suzie Shook to Chief Executive Officer, following the retirement of Amy Woody, who had served as CEO since September 2020.

Shook brings more than 30 years of credit union experience to the role, having dedicated her entire professional career to Mountain Credit Union since joining the organization in July 1993 as a Member Service Representative.

“Suzie’s career at Mountain Credit Union reflects the strength of our organization and the opportunities that exist within it,” said Joey Webb, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Her experience, leadership and commitment to our members and communities make her the right person to lead Mountain Credit Union into the future.”

Shook brings more than 30 years of credit union experience to the role.

Throughout her leadership journey, Shook has played a pivotal role in strengthening Mountain Credit Union’s compliance, fraud prevention, risk management and operational programs. She built and led the organization’s compliance team, developed policies and procedures, implemented monitoring and reporting systems, and worked extensively with the Board on regulatory compliance and Bank Secrecy Act oversight.

Wheeler is himself an heir, a designation he credits to his grandparents’ lack of understanding regarding the importance of writing a will.

The property was left to his parents’ generation, but all five heirs are dead. Some in the next generation — to which Wheeler belongs — have passed away too, leaving the property to their children.

“There’s probably 30 or 40 heirs. One property that all have rights to,” Wheeler said. He underscored the chaos of this situation.

“What do you do? How do you work that out? And we [might] end up losing our property because we can’t pull it together and pull people together,” he added.

Melford Wilson asserted inheritance is “a pandemic here in Haywood County.”

As branch manager of the Waynesville United Community Bank, he’s witnessed the problems it causes among his customers.

One man, for example, strategically didn’t pay taxes for 1/12th of a property he’d inherited in a rugged mountainous area.

“He was hoping that it would be auction off on the courthouse steps, so he was playing that game,” Wilson explained.

Instead, Wilson continued, the man received a garnishment on his business account, a legal order permitting a creditor to seize assets to collect a debt. It disenfranchised him immediately.

“It’s a real trap when you’ve got a bunch of heirs and you need to liquidate things,” he said, adding that heirs must reach unanimous agreement about what to do with the property.

So, BGW will present a master class on inheritance at the committee’s second series seminar. It’ll be held July 18 at the Canton Library, with programming facilitated by Legal Aid of North Carolina.

And the third and final seminar on September 26 will cover wealth building through home ownership. It’ll be hosted at the Pigeon Center in Waynesville, like the first event held May 16 about building and sustaining credit.

Wilson, the presenter for the introductory seminar, emphasized that the public believes many myths about credit — most notably, perhaps, that it’s favorable to run a balance on a credit card.

However, the opposite is true: solid credit

is built when card balance is paid on time each month.

Wilson warned against debt consolidation services, companies that negotiate with banks and businesses to accept a payment below a client’s official debt.

But these services rely on unsuspecting individuals. Debt is not absolved with a settled payment, tanking one’s credit score.

Home ownership is one of the primary ways to build wealth, hence BGW’s third seminar.

In previous years, the committee would often advertise Habitat for Humanity’s services to event participants. The responses, however, were less than enthusiastic.

“Oftentimes people would say, ‘Well, I like where I live…I don’t want to move to a Habitat house neighborhood where I don’t know anyone,’” recounted Thomason.

But then the committee learned that Habitat’s post-Helene grants could be used not only to build new houses but also to renovate existing property.

“One of the members of our committee also was on the board of Habitat, and became a liaison,” said Thomason, noting that volunteers pooled BGW and Habitat funding to “restore the properties that people are already living in.”

“Our organization is now supplementing the funds that Habitat was able to provide through that initial grant to pay for the materials,” she told The Smoky Mountain News.

BGW has already completed two major projects in Canton.

“In both situations, the houses were located on a sloping lot, and water was coming down and going under the house,” explained Thomason.

Habitat volunteers repaired decks and gutters — and restored both waterlogged foundations.

What’s more, one house had also been rendered nearly inhabitable by termites.

The rotten wood was removed and replaced, including the flooring. The same was done with the joists and pilings.

“Before, [the houses] would not have passed inspection, anything, because you couldn’t sell them. More of a liability than an asset,” she said.

Now, both are priced at the market value for the area.

WCU students support REACH shelter expansion with drone technology, design expertise

Western Carolina University students are using emerging technology and design expertise to help expand a critical refuge for survivors of abuse in Western North Carolina.

Construction management students from WCU’s College of Engineering recently used drones and 360-degree cameras to create detailed, interactive 3D models of the REACH of Haywood County shelter and property. The models will help guide renovation and expansion plans for the nonprofit’s emergency shelter, known as Laura’s House.

The project continued this spring as Samantha Mack, a WCU interior design student with a minor in construction management, developed expansion concepts and presented design options to REACH leadership.

“I wanted to give them a product that reflects what’s possible with their space and future growth,” Mack said. “It’s been fulfilling to help make their space more functional for their needs.”

REACH provides services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse and human trafficking, including a 24/7 crisis line, legal advocacy, counseling, prevention education and emergency shelter.

For the organization, expanding that shelter is urgent.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a rise in both the severity and complexity of domestic violence cases,” said Sara Vogel, execu-

tive director of REACH of Haywood County. “Our shelter is often full, and the need continues to grow.”

Vogel said a lack of affordable housing makes it harder for survivors to leave

unsafe situations, increasing demand for shelter services.

“Expanding our shelter means more families can find safety and stability,” she said.

Student-generated 3D models allow REACH and project partners to better visualize renovation options, evaluate interior changes, and streamline planning with architects.

“The goal is for the architect to use what’s helpful and potentially save time and costs,” said Chris Cox, a construction management faculty member in WCU’s College of Engineering and Technology.

The collaboration began after REACH shared its needs during a WCU community engagement event, creating an opportunity for students to apply classroom skills to a real-world project.

“We want students to gain hands-on experience while understanding the impact their work can have,” Cox said.

For students like alum Jaden Bird, that impact extends beyond the classroom.

“We’re helping improve a shelter that supports people in crisis,” Bird said. “It’s meaningful to use our skills to make a positive difference in the community.”

Vogel said the partnership highlights how technical training can directly benefit vulnerable populations.

“They’re not just designing a building — they’re helping rebuild lives,” she said.

To learn more about REACH of Haywood County, visit reachofhaywood.org.

Fairview School names new principal

Jackson County Public Schools announced Bekah Mulligan as the new principal of Fairview School. Mulligan brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served students in a variety of educational settings throughout her career. Her background includes work as an EC teacher assistant, history teacher and school administrator. Within Jackson County Public Schools, she has served as a teacher at Smoky Mountain High School and Fairview, completed her principal internship at Scotts Creek Elementary and most recently served as assistant principal at Cullowhee Valley Elementary for the past two school years.

Mulligan is especially excited to return to Fairview, a school with deep personal meaning to her family. She and her husband, Tyler, are the proud parents of two daughters, Braelyn and Rowyn, both products of Fairview School.

“I am passionate about building upon the strong culture, traditions and sense of community that already exist at Fairview,” Mulligan said. “I look forward to learning from the staff, students, and families while partnering together to create meaningful opportunities for every student to grow and thrive.”

HCC Foundation announces new financial support

The Haywood Community College Foundation has announced new scholarships and donations in time for fall registration. These newly established funds are made possible due to the generosity of local business owners and residents to meet the needs of HCC students.A recent donation of $125,000 from Cataloochee Ranch/The Swag will help students in many ways: supporting the tourism program, helping students with emergency financial needs through the Lavender Fund and providing new laptops for students.

To continue addressing student needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, $35,000 of this total fund will be set aside to support those still experiencing its impacts.The David and Judy Russell Scholarship Fund has been established to help any HCC student looking to pursue their education.The couple shared a deep passion for helping children of all ages — from kindergarten through college — pursue their dreams and reach their full potential.

Believing that financial barriers should never stand in the way of learning, they worked tirelessly to make educational opportunities accessible to all.Fall registration is currently open at HCC, and students are encouraged to not only apply for college but also complete the FAFSA and Scholarship application simultaneously.

Democratic Women of Haywood County award scholarships

The Democratic Women of Haywood County has awarded $500 college scholarships to two Tuscola High seniors, Meadow Brady and Kinzie Messer.Brady plans to attend University of North Carolina Wilmington to pursue a degree in nursing. She has been an active member of the soccer team and has participated in Future Farmers of America, National Honor Society and cheerleading and served as STEM Club president and chemistry lab demonstrator at elementary schools.

She interned at Mountain Laurel Dermatology and works part-time at Waynesville Pizza.Messer

plans to major in physical therapy at Clemson University. After gaining on-the-job experience working in an outpatient physical therapy clinic, her goal is to open her own clinic in Haywood County. At Tuscola High School, Messer was a member of the softball team, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the National Honor Society. She also works part-time at Jack the Dipper.

Five SCC employees complete WCCLA

Five Southwestern Community College employees recently completed nine months of training and graduated from the Western Community College Leadership Academy (WCCLA).

SCC’s participants this year were Norrie Meus, history instructor and social sciences department chair; Carly Messer, director of Nursing; Sheryl Monroe, employment & benefits specialist; Erin McCully, director of instructional development; and John Robinson, culinary arts program coordinator.Formed in 2021, WCCLA aims to form values-driven, high-potential, high-performing leaders who think and collaborate in new and different ways with people within their colleges and across the region.

The academy is a collaboration between A-B Tech Community College, Blue Ridge Community College, Haywood Community College, Isothermal Community College, McDowell Technical Community College, Southwestern and Western Piedmont Community College.For more information about Southwestern and the programs it offers, call 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC location.

Wall Street Books hosts writers workshop

Wall Street Books is hosting a writers workshop from 6-8 p.m. June 18.The workshop will be hosted by local author L. M. Riviere, who will talk about how to write, what publishers are looking for, how to publish and how to market your books and yourself.There will be snacks and drinks provided at the event. The sign up sheet is located in the store at 163 Wall St. in Waynesville. Anyone with questions can call 828.456.5000.

‘Nought may endure but mutability’

My brain was working overtime this morning, and I woke a little before 5 a.m. That was it, couldn’t get back to sleep. That quote above about change from the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was on rewind in my brain as I pondered my day. Why, I don’t know.

The moon was bright and lit up a cloud hanging over our mountain, and a light mist greeted me as I slid into my truck. I turned away from Shelley and thought of perhaps a more apt phrase for what I wanted to write about this week — the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Like many Tuesday mornings, I knew it would be busy. With that knowledge, I drove to the gym to get a workout before heading to the office. As has been the routine for 27 years of Tuesdays, it’s “press day” at The Smoky Mountain News. That means we finish stories, edit those stories and everything else going into this week’s edition, make sure all advertisements are approved by the businesses buying those ads, send it all to designers to put it on the page, ship the finished package digitally to the press in Bristol, Tennessee, by 5 p.m. at the latest.

Sometime after midnight, a truck rolls into Waynesville and deposits this week’s edition into our warehouse on Montgomery Street. By sunrise we’re getting those papers out to more than 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, along with the Qualla Boundary.

When the inaugural edition of The Smoky Mountain News hit the streets on June 2, 1999, we pretty much let out a big breath of satisfied but exhausted air, probably tossed back a few cold ones, and started planning for the next Tuesday, our next deadline.

Duke should find new Needmore route

To the Editor:

When my Needmore neighbors and I began working in 2000 to protect 4,500 acres from development, we never imagined that 26 years later we would be fighting Duke Energy over our own private property.

Duke Energy acquired 4,500 acres along the Little Tennessee River when it bought a local independent utility in 1988. The land had originally been purchased at low prices from residents of Swain and Macon counties for a dam project on the Little Tennessee that was never built. In 2004, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and its partners bought the tract for $19 million.

Duke Energy now plans to extend a new transmission line, known as the Almond 66kV line, from Highway 19/74 up Needmore. The line would connect the planned Almond Substation at Needmore Road and U.S. 19 to an existing 66-kV line across the river through a right of way Duke retained through part of the 4,500 acres when it sold the property to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in 2004.

Three routes were reportedly considered, and two would have affected private landowners less. Yet Duke chose the route which follows the Needmore Road corridor that has the

These days, though, the news cycle isn’t weekly, and it doesn’t end on Tuesday. There’s no rest for the weary. Like news folks everywhere these days, we’re adding stories and updates to our website almost constantly, sending out daily e-newsletters and making social media posts, doing all we can to make sure readers can stay up to date in a data-driven world where everyone wants to know everything the minute it happens.

I pulled out editions of that paper that hit the streets in June 1999. Our cover story was about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and in my reporting back then I found that the park had about $3 million in deferred maintenance. Regional tourism and economic development officials worried that the crown jewel of our tourism industry would become decrepit and lose its luster.

Thankfully, park employees work smart and nonprofit groups like Friends of the Smokies and Smokies Life have helped with millions of dollars in donations. Still, Congress is allowing facilities to deteriorate. Twenty-seven years later, that $3 million in deferred maintenance and repairs has ballooned to $308 million.

Talk about things remaining the same.

But let’s look at the upside of celebrating 27 years in business. First, we’re still here. Sadly, hundreds of legacy newspapers and media outlets have closed in recent decades. Every time I read about the demise of a local newspaper it hurts. The fractured online media market, in my opinion, has con-

LETTERS

greatest negative impact on private landowners. Duke Energy proposes a 68-foot right of way within a study area as wide as 400 feet, according to Duke’s map.

Those are the facts as I understand them.

Now I have some questions.

I would like to know why and how Duke Energy chose the site for the future Almond Substation. It has been rumored that one of Duke’s subcontractors bought the property and then resold it to Duke. If true, that raises serious concerns about conflicts of interest and insider knowledge.

Why choose a route that affects so many private landowners when other options meet the same need without disrupting a populated community of generational landowners?

Duke says, and I quote, “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. Your responses helped the Duke Energy team understand public interests and concerns.”

That’s what Duke says on their website, but I do not believe the people of Needmore changed their minds. They did not want this line to come up Needmore Road then, and they do not want it now. Duke has chosen the

You’re invited

What: Smoky Mountain News Birthday Bash

When: 5-7:30 p.m., Friday, June 5

Where: 144 Montgomery Street, Waynesville (SMN parking lot) Free, and we’ll have beer, wine and a pizza food truck until the goodies run out.

tributed to the divisiveness that is so prevalent in our society. Online, everyone is an expert, and people are too susceptible to information that just isn’t true. It’s the challenge of this generation, dissecting truth from fiction in a digital-first information age.

In the second edition of SMN that was published on June 9, 1999, I wrote about the joy one can find in the written word. In that same piece, I prophesized about what kind of newspaper I envisioned: “As we give birth to this newspaper, I’m going to try and attract writers who will write thoughtfully about issues affecting this region. That’s the kind of publication I’d like The Smoky Mountain News to become, and if you’re opinionated, smart and care about Western North Carolina, write to us about your concerns. We’d like to publish them.”

Well, I’m proud to say we have had a legion of talented reporters come through our doors since 1999, and I’m proud of the work our writers produce each and every week. I know for a fact that the focus on quality writing and thoughtful reporters has been key to our longevity.

Things change, but they stay the same. Here’s to 27 years. (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com.)

cheapest and easiest route over the people who live here.

Although I am grateful that the Needmore Tract was preserved for future generations, I have always been saddened that the residents who lived there were essentially forced to sell for almost nothing. They were never given a chance to buy the land back, parcel by parcel. This is one more example of the unfair treatment Swain County residents seem to face again and again.

Less than 15% of Swain County is privately owned. Just like the residents who sold their land years ago, we will not get back the right of way land Duke wants to take. I believe Duke Energy can find a better route for this transmission line, one that does not cut a 68foot swath through our front yards, cemeteries and churches. There is also the risk that, 20 years from now, an even larger project could expand into more of that 400-foot study corridor. They need to take a different route.

Cheryl Taylor

Mountain Neighbors for Needmore Preservation Bryson City

Trump’s failures are mounting

To the Editor:

Recent election cycles have demonstrated

that our country remains deeply divided, with economic factors often determining presidential outcomes. Since President Trump took office, we have seen extreme levels of national hostility, fear and suspicion not experienced since the Civil War. While responsibility for this climate is shared, the current administration’s actions and policies are particularly concerning.

The President has disregarded court orders, issued illegal tariffs, alienated our allies, and usurped Congressional powers. His attempts to restrict free speech threaten the foundations of our democracy. His handling of the broken immigration system has been inhumane.

President Trump’s attempt to establish a $2 billion fund to reward political supporters, many of whom are convicted felons — is deeply problematic. Additionally, his proposal to exempt his family and businesses from future IRS audits is an insult to all American taxpayers.

The true measure of a successful presidency is not the accumulation of power, but the well-being of the American people and the strength of our democracy. By these standards, President Trump’s presidency is a failure. Economic fairness, freedom and equality are forgotten values unless we send a message in the 2026 election.

Linda Arnold Highlands

Macon couple donates works of art to WCU museum

BY BILL STUDENC

SPECIAL TO SMN

AMacon County husband and wife already providing financial support of the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum in Cullowhee and its effort to expand the range of artists represented in its galleries are now backing the endeavor in a new way — through a gift of artwork from their personal collection.

Franklin residents William Banks Hinshaw and Robin Markle Hinshaw recently donated a total of 18 artworks and artifacts to the holdings of WCU’s Fine Art Museum, Mountain Heritage Center and Tali Tsisgwayahi Archaeological Collections and Curation Facility. The donation was accompanied by a $2,000 contribution toward the conservation and treatment of the items.

The donated pieces feature 20th-century art by artists from Central America, South America and the Caribbean, works by North Carolina ceramicist Nell Cole Graves and an archeological artifact of regional importance, said Denise Drury Homewood, executive director of the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, part of the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts and home to the WCU Fine Art Museum.

“Banks and Robin deeply understand our collecting focus, and their gift plays an impor-

tant role in providing a more comprehensive understanding of contemporary American art for our students and community audiences,”

Drury Homewood said. “We are delighted that their gift is already making an immediate impact on the museum’s collection, with two of these notable works featured in our ‘20th Anniversary Exhibition.’”

The current exhibition, which opened in January and continues through July 2, includes two pieces donated by the Hinshaws: “Composition,” a 1961 color lithograph by Cuban artist Wifredo Lam, and an untitled black ink and colored ink work on paper by Raúl Milián, also from Cuba.

The exhibition celebrates the WCU Fine Art Museum’s 20-year history of collecting, curating and displaying contemporary art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with a later closing time of 7 p.m. on Thursdays. More information about the anniversary exhibition is available at arts.wcu.edu/20-anniversary.

The artwork donation from the Hinshaws builds on their previous gifts and pledges in 2024 totaling $125,000 to endow a fund supporting a balanced representation of artists in the permanent collections of the WCU Fine Art Museum.

That philanthropic support is designed to enable the museum to make strategic purchases

for its collection to create a more comprehensive understanding of contemporary American art for WCU students and members of the surrounding community, Drury Homewood said.

Practicing physicians as Markle and Hinshaw Gynecology in Franklin, the Hinshaws learned of WCU shortly after arriving in Macon County in 2000. The roots of their decision to donate the collection to WCU can be traced to before they had even met the museum’s administration, Banks Hinshaw said.

“I wanted to preserve intact my small collection assembled 50 or more years ago in one place before that opportunity was lost,” he said.

Several years earlier, the Hinshaws had donated a collection of drawings to the Cameron Museum in Wilmington, which was near that artist’s home. But their collection of Latin American artists was not a good fit for Cameron, he said.

Banks had a long personal connection to the artworks he collected during his time as an undergraduate at Duke University, in Durham, his hometown. There, he befriended another undergraduate who was enthusiastic about Latin American artists and was a close friend of the director of the art museum at the Pan American Union in Washington, D.C.

“The director had the ambition to acquaint our nation with that artistic world, which led to my meeting many of the associated artists and

William

donated 18 works of art and money to go toward the conservation of those works.

directly purchasing their art from them,” Banks Hinshaw said, characterizing the relationship as the “Durham to D.C. connection.”

He initially decided to explore the possibility of proposing a donation of the artwork to the Fine Art Museum based solely on his home’s proximity to the WCU campus.

“I was familiar with the campus only because my wife and I had frequently walked around on the grounds as a pleasant way to spend a morning,” Banks Hinshaw said.

“One morning, we just decided to stop at the Bardo to see if we could learn something. The warm greeting by Denise Drury Homewood as well as her elaboration of the many unique features of WCU, of which we previously had no clue, rapidly convinced us that this museum should have the collection,” he said.

That meeting revealed an interest in Latin American art shared by the donors and the museum, he said.

The latest Hinshaw gifts come as WCU is amid its “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million for the university’s academic, student engagement and athletics programs.

For more information about the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign or to make a contribution, visit westernsky.wcu.edu, call 828.227.7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

‘Make your wine of my worship of divinely strange refrain’

Wednesday. Late morning. Waynesville. The rumble of an overzealous motorcycle on nearby Walnut Street wakes me up. Although I was up earlier for an editorial meeting via Zoom, I took a quick cat nap before diving into the matters of the day. Rubs my eyes. Stretch my legs. Stand up. Proceed.

Reach for my smart phone. Time reads 11:37 a.m. No missed phone calls. No text from that femme fatale, either, a face and voice I dearly miss, but it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, or whatever they say to soothe the wounds on the beating muscle in my chest. Toss on some sandals and grab the backpack. Pack in the laptop, work folder, pens and headphones.

Reach for and pack a copy of Joan Didion’s book “Slouching Towards Bethlehem.” Where has she been all my life? I find it so wild and surreal when a particular book or album finds its way into your life at just the perfect juncture. Currently, I’m rereading her essay “On Keeping a Notebook,” a collage of words, memories and sentiments near and dear to my own respective path.

“So the point of keeping a notebook has never been, nor is it now, to have an accurate factual record of what I have been doing or thinking,” Didion writes. “My approach to daily life ranges from the grossly negligent to the merely absent, and on a few occasions when I have tried to dutifully record a day’s events, boredom has so overcome me that the results are mysterious at best.”

Head out the front door and start the walk across town to Green’s Auto Repair on South Main Street. My rusty musty truck has been in and out of the shop for the last two weeks. Between Green’s and Waynesville Tire, I’ve racked up over $3,200 in repair bills. To note, both businesses are incredible, worth their weight in gold. Shoutout to Doyle and Jeff. Good folk. But, for me, in the here and now, all of my rainy day funds and work/road trip money just disappeared. The irony being, the truck is fixed, but I now have no money to go anywhere.

Oh, and if any of you fine readers are feeling generous, I’m taking donations via my Venmo (@Garret-Woodward-3) and PayPal (@YoBroDobro) to help cover the truck bills. 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. With the truck in the shop (and again next week when that new sensor finally comes in after “five to seven business days”), my entire

plan for the summer has been thrown into disarray. That trek up to the coast of Maine and over to the Rocky Mountains of Montana (for work and play, but mostly work) is now on the backburner until the truck is released from the grips of old age and high mileage. Nothing I can do about it. Don’t want any issues on the highways and backroads of America on this trip. Fix’er up and hand over the credit card.

Initially, I was supposed to head back to my native North Country of Upstate New York this week for a memorial service for my best friend from home. He tragically passed away at age 42. But, I’m stuck here, so the plan now is to remember him in my own way somehow this coming Sunday afternoon at the same time when the service is held in my hometown. This isn’t to sound sorrowful or garner sympathy. I’m just sad I can’t make it, but it is what it is. Anyways, my late brother from another would want me to do my own thing.

Panacea Coffee Company in Waynesville.

HOT PICKS

1

Great Smoky Mountains Music Train will leave the station June 56 from the Bryson City Depot.

2

“Waynesville First Friday: Shop, Sip, Stroll” will take place from 5-8 p.m. Friday, June 5, in downtown.

3

Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host a special stage production of “Peter & The Starcatcher” on select dates and times June 5-28.

4

Classic rock/R&B act The V8s will perform as part of the “Concerts on the Creek” summer music series at 7 p.m. Friday, June 5, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

5

A special performance by the Mountain Voices Community Chorus will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, at the First United Methodist Church in Franklin.

easy, regardless.

Thus, I step off the porch of my apartment building and walk up Walnut Street to Main. Uphill and by a row of beautiful old homes. In a perfect world, I’d be able to own one of them. Not the big ones, the picturesque one behind the church. You know the one. Turn onto Main. Mosey by Wells Funeral Home. It’s now midday and six cars are in the parking lot, the owners of said vehicles gathering in a circle near the front door of the business, the funeral car parked and ready to the right of the group of downtrodden faces there to pay respects.

I wonder who it is they’re there to honor and remember, and what that deceased person would think about the weather on the day of their funeral. Welcomed sunshine piercing through the cloud cover. A warm breeze on an otherwise quiet Wednesday afternoon. I wonder what that deceased person would think of who actually showed up for their funeral. Rest

And yet, everything swirling around the funeral home is full of life. Birds chirping high above in the trees. Butterflies and bees in the nearby flowers. Big trucks and small cars zooming by. Others walk in a hurry down the sidewalk. The noise, all that noise, too. Loud mufflers and cranked radios. Cell-phone conversations and groups chatting in passing. It’s all like a scene out of Richard Scarry’s classic children’s book, “Busy, Busy Town.”

Pushing down the sidewalk, I’m walking at a slowed pace. No hurry to get to the repair shop. The truck ain’t going anywhere, nor is this latest bill. Stroll by the wide array of local businesses. Pizza. Coffee. Craft beer. Steakhouse. Hair salon. Asian cuisine. Ice cream. Art galleries. Banks. Bagels. Diner. More art galleries. Furniture. More furniture. Fly fishing. Lawyer office. Insurance office. Real estate. More real estate. And recently empty storefronts, oncebeloved businesses now dormant.

Heading uphill towards Bogart’s, I notice the gorgeous stained glass at the First Baptist Church on the corner of Main and Academy. I also take note of the for sale sign in the front yard of the huge old house across the street. Keep trucking along by the Prospect Hill Bed and Breakfast, but not before reading the historical marker across the way, “Martin’s Surrender: Gen. James G. Martin surrendered District of Western North Carolina, the last Confederate forces in state. May 7, 1865, in Waynesville.”

Finally enter the doorway at Green’s. The sound of hand tools and the faint scent of motor oil and grease. Put down the deposit for the sensor so that they can order it directly from Toyota. Hand me back the keys and tell me they’ll call me as soon as the part arrives. I say thank you, in true gratitude in helping find the issues in the truck and remedying the situation. Hop into the truck. Start the engine. Head over to Panacea for coffee and to write this column.

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

On the stage

HART presents ‘Peter & The Starcatcher’

A special stage production of “Peter & The Starcatcher” will be held on select dates and times from June 5-28.

This wildly inventive production explores the origins of some of literature’s most beloved characters in a fast-paced 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.

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

• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host a special stage production of “Peter & The Starcatcher” on select dates and times June 5-28. Tickets are now available. 828.456.6322 / harttheatre.org.

On the wall

‘Conversations with Storytellers’ series

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host comedian Matt Mathews 9 p.m. Friday, June 5. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.

‘Cherokee People and the American Revolution’

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 exhibition “Unrelenting: Cherokee People and the American Revolution” is currently being showcased at the Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP) in Cherokee.

On view through Dec. 30, the exhibition 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.

at Monticello — sought Cherokee accounts of the American Revolution (1775-1783) and the Cherokee American War (1776-1794), highlighting the complexities of memory and commemoration.

With research beginning in 2022, the exhibition’s curators — MotCP Director of Education Dakota Brown (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), MotCP Director of Collections and Exhibitions Evan Mathis and guest curator Brandon Dillard (Cherokee Nation), director of Historic Interpretation and Audience Engagement

As the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the curators of the exhibition aspire to spark conversation about American identity and sovereignty among visitors of all walks of life, sharing new research in the first exhibit about Cherokees in the American Revolution by Cherokee scholars. 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. Admission to all changing exhibitions is included in the general admission ticket price.

For more information, visit motcp.org.

• Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends.

ALSO:

828.488.7843 / swainartscenter.com.

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

• Summertime Arts & Crafts Show will be held from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Friday, June 12, at the Macon County Community Building in Franklin. franklin-chamber.com.

• “Farmers & Artisans Market” will be every Friday morning (May-October) at 117 Island St. 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.

• Bosu’s Wine Shop (Waynesville) will host “Paint Rocks & Sip” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece. The materials for art works are supplied and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share with each other. Ages 16 and up. Space limited to 10 participants. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.

• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops

A prominent regional storyteller, Davy Arch will join the “Conversations with Storytellers’ series at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 11, at Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center in Waynesville. Arch tells Cherokee stories and presents lectures on Cherokee history and culture. He also demonstrates carving, flint knapping and mask making. Using artwork from different mediums, he describes both Cherokee history and contemporary Cherokee life.

Arch grew up on a subsistence farm in Western North Carolina. As a boy, he learned the value of traditional Cherokee culture from his grandfather, who taught him the old stories, how to hunt and fish and how to identify valuable medicinal plants. Today, he is a practitioner of traditional medicine, a historian, storyteller and a folk artist with work on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

The series is appropriate for all community members. Everyone is welcome to attend. Tickets are $10 for community members, $7 for seniors 65+ and $5 for students. Children 12 and under may attend free of charge.

Tickets can be purchased in advance and can be purchased at the door of each performance. Reduced price $50/$40/$30 series passes are also available. Refreshments are available for purchase.

For more information, visit pcmdc.org/events.

will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. 828.283.0523 / cre828.com.

• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. 517.881.0959 / galleryzella.com.

• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 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.

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

• Dogwood Crafters (Dillsboro) will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. 828.586.2248 / dogwoodcrafters.com.

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

On the beat

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host “Music Bingo Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, The Blue Mountaineers (Americana/bluegrass) Thursdays and live music on Fridays and Saturdays. 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.

visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-event.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Bob Zullo (guitar/vocals) 6 p.m. June 5 ($10 cover) and Nicole Kestler & Brent LaCasce (jazz/piano) 6 p.m. June 12 ($20 cover). 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 The V8s (rock/soul) June 5 and Mission Accomplished (classic rock) June 12. 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 / moun-

host Robert Running Wolf June 5 and Steve Jordan Band June 12. All events begin at 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.

• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” with Andrew Wooten (Americana/alt-country) June 17. 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 semi-regular live music monthly. 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.

Bluegrass legends return to Franklin

An award-winning bluegrass band with gospel, folk and country music influences, Dailey & Vincent will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 4, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Grand Ole Opry Members, five-time Grammy Award winners (individually), three-time Grammy Award nominees (collectively,) four-time Dove Award winners and winners of 35 IBMA Awards altogether (including three-time “Entertainer of the Year” and three-time “Vocal Group of the Year”), Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent are “the best of country, bluegrass and gospel this side of heaven” as stated by USA Today. Tickets start at $22 per person with priority seating available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on smokymountainarts.com or call 866.273.4615.

• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every other Thursday of the month, a special “Brunch Show” with Kieran Anderson (singer-songwriter) 1 p.m. June 6 and Justin Brown (singer-songwriter) 10 p.m. June 6 ($10 cover). 828.307.2160 / breadheadstikishak.com.

• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) June 3, A. Lee Edwards (indie/folk) June 7 and Brian Ashley Jones (Americana) June 10. All shows begin at 5 p.m. and admission is $25 per person unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations,

tainlovers.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 Fuzzy Peppers (indie/folk) 8 p.m. June 13. Free and open to the public. 828.631.4795 / thecutcocktaillounge.com.

• Dancing On The Square (Robbinsville) will

• Friday Night Live Concert Series (Highlands) will host Johnny Webb Band (country/rock) June 5 and Young Mountain Music (Americana) June 12. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• Groovin’ on the Green (Cashiers) will host The Deep Shallow Band June 12. Shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. Donations encouraged. villagegreencashiersnc.com/concerts.

• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host “Karaoke” with Doug Ramsey Mondays, Zac Kellum June 5, Rock Holler June 6, Dillon Brown June

11, Cory Stevenson June 12 and Alamo Band June 13. 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 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest 7:30 p.m. June 13. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• High Country Wine & Provisions (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.482.4502 / highcountrywineandprovisions.com.

• High Dive (Highlands) will host DJ Real Bill 9 p.m. Saturdays. 828.526.2200 / highlandsdive.com.

• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” with Scott Low 6-9 p.m. Thursdays, Zorki (singer-songwriter) 13 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.

• Las Barricas (Franklin) will host C-Square Band 11 a.m. on the fourth Friday of each month. Free and open to the public. 828.349.4484 / lasbarricasmexicanrestaurant.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host “Board Game Night” 5 p.m. Mondays, “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Tuesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, “Open Mic Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Mondays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, “Old Time Jam” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 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.

• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host “Music Bingo” 5 p.m. June 4 (at Big Wesser), Phibian 5 p.m. June 5, Dick Dickerson 1 pm. June 6, Beer & Loathing 5 p.m. June 6, “Blues With Blue” 2 p.m. June 7, “Music Bingo” 6 p.m. June 11 (Big Wesser), Ryan Barber 5 p.m. June 12, Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs 1 p.m. June 13, Jackson Grimm (Americana/folk) 5 p.m. June 13 and Shane Meade Duo (indie/soul) 1 p.m. June 14. Free and open to the public. 828.785.5082 / noc.com/events/2026-summer-music-series.

• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host Tell Me Lies (Fleetwood Mac tribute) June 6 and “Songwriters Showcase 61” June 13. 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 Red Bird Roots Band (Americana) and Southern Appalachian Cloggers 6 p.m. June 5. Free and open to the public.

• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Jason Passmore (country/southern rock) June 13. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-on-the-square.html.

Mountain Voices Community Chorus

A special performance by the Mountain Voices Community Chorus will be held at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 16, at the First United Methodist Church in Franklin.

Titled “Songs of Peace & Light,” the showcase will feature showtunes, pop, gospel and patriotic selections. MVCC is a 45-voice mixed commu-

nity chorus with members from Western North Carolina and North Georgia. Founded in 2015 and directed by Beverly Barnett, the chorus rehearses year-round to prepare for its summer and winter concert seasons.

Free and open to the public. Donations appreciated.

writer) 4 p.m. June 7 and Jamie Hite (singersongwriter) 6 p.m. June 12. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.

• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Russell” Mondays, Rene Russell (singer-songwriter) June 5, Trisha Ann (singer-songwriter) June 6, “Music Bingo” June 9, Amos Jackson (R&B/soul) June 12 and Lance Turner (singer-songwriter) June 13. 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 The American Flyers June 6 and U-Neek Flav’ur June 13. 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. Mondays, Shane Meade & Rob Masten (soul/rock) June 4, TrancEnd (pop/rock) 9 p.m. June 6, Mooncoin (Celtic/world) 3 p.m. June 7, Kid Billy (soul/rock) June 11, The Tallboys (Americana/psychedelic rock) June 13 and Jenny & The Weazels (Celtic/world) 3 p.m. June 14. 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 Harvest String Duo (Americana) 6 p.m. June 5, Diana Nouveau (singer-song-

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” Wednesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Mic” 6:30 p.m. on certain Fridays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.

‘Concerts on the Creek’

Classic rock/R&B act The V8s will perform as part of the “Concerts on the Creek” summer music series at 7 p.m.

Friday, June 5, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host Dailey & Vincent (Americana/bluegrass) 7:30 p.m. June 4 and The Doo Wop Project (soul/pop) 7:30 p.m. June 11. Tickets now available, with seating upgrades offered. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.

• Stubborn Bull (Highlands) will host semiregular “Live Music Mondays” with L.C. Branch (singer-songwriter) June 8 and Madison Owenby (singer-songwriter) June 15. All shows begin at 5:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.200.0813 / the-stubbornbull.com.

• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with Melissa McKinney (Americana/soul) June 4 and Dave Cheatham (singer-songwriter) June 11. 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 semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.526.8364 / theuglydogpub.com.

• Valley Cigar & Wine Company (Waynesville) will host Shane Meade Duo (indie/soul) 2 p.m. June 7. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.

Most of The V8s have been playing in various bands (often together) since 1975. The outcome is one good-time party band. Classic, danceable tunes delivered from old school musicians with feel. On any given night, the band will deliver their smokin’ hot versions of songs by artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Picket, Sam & Dave, Johnny Rivers, Van Morrison and many more.

Free and open to the public. For more information and a full schedule of live acts to appear at the series, visit mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.

• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host “Trivia With Tom” Wednesdays, “Music Bingo” Saturdays and The Brue (classic rock) June 5. All shows and events begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.7440 / valley-tavern.com.

• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Umphy 3 p.m. June 5, Monica Spears (singer-songwriter) June 7, Rail Town (Americana) 3 p.m. June 12 and Tim Austin (Americana) June 14. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.

SEE ON THE BEAT, PAGE 22

On the table

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: June 9, 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.

For more information and/or to make reservations, call 828.526.4008 or visit skylinelodge.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. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have the wine bar open from 4-8 p.m. Fridays/Saturdays and host a Zapata Catena Alta wine pairing 6 p.m. June 9 (six wines and food pairings, $125 per person all inclusive). 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host semi-regular tap-takeovers from local and regional breweries on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320

/ blueridgebeerhub.com.

• “Flights & Bites” will be held at 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. There will also be a special summer wine dinner at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 16. 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.

On the street

Waynesville’s ‘Shop, Sip, Stroll’

The monthly “Waynesville First Friday: Shop, Sip, Stroll” will take place from 5-8 p.m. Friday, June 5, in downtown.

The downtown merchant corridor transforms into a lively celebration of local art, music and community. Stroll the streets, explore galleries, meet artists, enjoy live music and discover local shops and delicious restaurants.

Free and open to the public. For more information, visit facebook.com/waynesvillefirstfriday.

‘Waynesville First Friday’ will be June 5. File photo

ON THE BEAT, CONTINUED FROM 21

• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host David Crisp (singersongwriter) 1 p.m. June 6 and David Lloyd (singer-songwriter) 1 p.m. June 13. Free and open to the public. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Shortoff Mountain Boys June 5 and Spare Parts noon June 6. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open

Great Smoky Mountains Music Train

The inaugural Great Smoky Mountains Music Train will leave the station June 5-6 from the Bryson City Depot. Step aboard a historic steam-powered train for an unforgettable musical journey along the stunning Nantahala River and Fontana Lake. Experience six live performances, each set in its own vintage coach. Wander freely between cars, grab a seat in one of four comfortable coaches or head

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 (June 5, July 3, Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Oct. 2) and the “On the Lawn at Yonder” live music series with Kenny Roby (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. June 21 (admission by donation). Family/dog friendly. 828.200.2169 / eatrealfoodinc.com.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad #1702 locomotive. File photo

to the two open cars designed for dancing. Take in scenic views, enjoy nonstop music and soak up a one-of-a-kind evening on the rails. The lineup will include Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers, Dr. Bacon, Martha Spencer & Wonderland Band, Andrew Scotchie, Ashley Heath and Alex Ball Duo. Tickets are $159 per person. Ages 21 and over only. Boarding begins at 6:30 p.m. with departure at 7 p.m. Return will be at approximately 10 p.m. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit greatsmokymountainsmusictrain.com.

Book lust and ‘paradise as a kind of library’

Though I had assured my Smoky Mountain News editor I’d deliver a real book review this week — my to-read stack includes biographies of Karl Marx and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, a novel, two books of essays on education, and more — book-centered distractions in late May led me in a different direction.

While celebrating a high school graduation, I stayed in an Airbnb in a small Virginia town with one of my sons and his family. Mix together the movie “Night at the Museum,” a thrift store, and an eerily abandoned household, like something from “The Twilight Zone,” and you’ve got the picture. Built in 1868, this threestory house displayed collections of Soviet paraphernalia: original posters of Lenin, Stalin and Gorbachev, Russian medals and flags, and books in Russian or about Russia, all gathered by a couple who, from what I could tell, had worked at the State Department and taught Russian history and literature.

“The Story of Civilization” by Will and Ariel Durant — I own one of these myself — was surrounded by novels I’d never heard of. The works of Solzhenitsyn fought for shelf space with the fiery speeches by Lenin. Books of maps and geography — and of course, of dogs and beagles — abounded.

It was nuts. Though I wasn’t tempted, or at least, not too much — I’ve broken enough commandments without adding theft to the list — any lodger in this madhouse carnival of treasure and junk might have easily toted away a suitcase filled with books and objects d’art and no one the wiser.

Eight days later, however, again on a graduation jaunt, this time to Pennsylvania, I had to battle a more severe case of book lust. In a long hallway on the second floor of the school where my son-in-law teaches were thousands of books arranged helter-skelter

That same realization about my age versus my desire brought to mind the narrowing days available to me in this life. On the shelves of my own library sit several hundred books: beloved works from my adolescence, novels from my 20s and 30s when writers like Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Wolfe were my literary heroes, the histories, cultural studies, and collections of essays that for the last 30 years have served as my mainstay of reading. In this hodge-podge of print are books as yet unread, signposts of warning that the purchase of such a gargantuan load of literature would reveal me as bibliomaniac, an addict or a simpleton — or more likely, all three rolled into one.

For all devotees of books and reading, maybe death and the grave are the only real end to love of the printed word. Or maybe not.

Here as well were two score and more paintings and photographs of beagles, accompanied by a plaque on the front porch declaring the property a beagle art museum. On one of the crowded shelves was a stuffed coyote. Every drawer in the entire place was filled with memorabilia, playing cards, stationary, and other trinkets. One entire cabinet was given over to candlesticks and fancy candelabra. Above the stove in the main kitchen were 150 bottles of spices or more, all arranged in rows. In the nearby “summer kitchen” was a refrigerator jammed with all sorts of foodstuffs. The third floor was a stand-up attic and a lone bedroom whose isolation and surrounding shadows spooked the grandchildren, including the teens, and so remained empty. Adding to the fun and weirdness were hundreds of books. An 11-volume set of

on shelves made of cinder blocks and raw wood. Here were hundreds of different Civil War histories, hundreds more histories and biographies, several score of Penguin classics, religious books centered on Catholicism, a good number of juvenile classics, including a score or more of the G.A. Henty historical novels, and more.

There the books sat, unread, unsold and apparently unwanted. For about an hour, the mad thought infected me that I could drain my pathetic savings, offer the school several thousand dollars for the books, enlist the boys enrolled there to load them into a UHaul, and take them — where? I’m too old to open a secondhand bookstore as I did 40 years ago, and too busy and broke to open an online shop featuring this ton or more of paper and print.

Poetry reading at City Lights

In 1955, the wonderful writer Luis Borges was appointed director of the Argentine National Library. By the end of that decade, he was completely blind. Aware of his fading eyesight, in 1958 he wrote “Poem of the Gifts.” Here’s one translation of the first stanza:

No one should read self-pity or reproach into this statement of the majesty of God, who with such splendid irony granted me books and blindness in one touch.

From this poem comes a line, loosely translated, that became Borges’ trademark quotation: “I have always imagined Paradise as a kind of library.”

Now we’re talking. Appoint Jerome and Scholastica, patron saints of books and readers, as head librarians in that bibliotheca, perhaps an ever-expanding archive of the stories of each individual human soul. Add quiet alcoves with chairs that beg for readers. Throw in some coffee shops, pubs, and sun-struck courtyards for conversations with friends old and new.

In such a Borgesian paradise may all booklovers one day find their bliss. (Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust On Their Wings,” and two works of nonfiction, “Learning As I Go” and “Movies Make the Man.” minick0301@gmail.com.)

Michael Hettich and Al Maginnes will read from their poetry collections, “Waking Up Alone” and “Second Line:

at City Lights Books in Sylva.

Hettich has published over a dozen books and chapbooks of poetry. As well, his work has appeared in

Maginnes

author of 14 collections of poems, most recently “Fellow Survivors: New and Selected Poems” and his writing appears widely. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.586.9499 or visit citylightsnc.com.

WNC research forests avoid the axe

What the U.S. Forest Service’s restructuring means for WNC

BY LILLY KNOEPP FOR NC LOCAL

Western North Carolina’s 12,000 acres of national forest land set aside for long-term scientific research will be spared from the current federal reorganization that has already put 57 similar facilities at risk nationwide, NC Local has learned.

In total, there are 2 million acres of national forest in WNC, much of which is enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts, hikers and conservationists.

The U.S. Forest Service announced in

March that it will be moving its headquarters and reorganizing state operations, including research stations across the country. Under that plan, WNC’s four research stations aren’t changing but 57 research facilities are slated for potential closure across the country.

Randy Irwin, national president for the National Federation for Federal Employees (NFFE), called the restructuring plan “awful” and “ill-advised.” He said in April that the plan is “designed to indirectly and illegally carry out reductions in force, dismantle programs and ultimately privatize the critical work of the U.S. Forest Service.”

The reorganization moves the Washington headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, eliminates nine regional offices and establishes 15 state offices and five service centers. Some research operations are heavily impacted,

affecting 2,700 employees across 31 states and numerous experimental sites, according to the NFFE.

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE RESTRUCTURING?

In the restructuring, there will be a new regional Forest Service office called the Southern Appalachian State Office based in Athens, Georgia, which will cover Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Puerto Rico.

This restructuring will take place over the next year, according to a USDA spokesperson.

The Forest Service is also planning to consolidate “multiple research stations into a single, unified national Research and Development organization, headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, and led by one research director.”

As part of this reorganization, all regional offices will close. These additional facility consolidations and closures for this new organizational model are expected over the next two years, according to the USDA.

WHAT ABOUT FACILITIES AND EXPERIMENTAL FORESTS?

The Forest Service says it is not shutting down any of its experimental forests and ranges but instead closing “select facilities at some experimental forests.”

“The unfortunate reality is that our facilities’ footprint has surpassed our congressional appropriations, which is down $37 million from last year, and further complicated by a growing deferred maintenance backlog of $3 billion. By next year, these facility costs are projected to consume our entire program budget,” a USDA spokesperson told NC Local in an email.

“We also owe the American people an agency that is effective and respectful of their hard-earned tax dollars, and why we’re choosing to invest in our mission and our people instead of facilities we can’t afford.”

Experimental Forests and Ranges Network consists of 20 experimental forests located across the southeastern region. The regional headquarters for 13 states is located at the Southern Research Station in Asheville. Additionally are three research stations in WNC: Bent Creek Experimental Forest, Coweeta Hydrologic Lab and Blue Valley Experimental Forest.

Here’s some information about each of the facilities.

The Southern Research Station in Asheville is the headquarters for the USDA Forest Service Research and Development for more than 13 southern states. Its staff is organized into Science Centers and Research Work Units, and employs science technicians and other support personnel. Employees work at various locations throughout the region, including federal laboratories, universities and experimental forests, according to its website.

Bent Creek Experimental Forest is the oldest experimental forest in the East, according to the Forest Service. The 5,242-acre facility was established in 1925 to study the impacts of a forest that had been logged. The forest is a favorite for hikers, mountain bikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts in Buncombe County because of its accessibility and miles of trails.

WHAT ABOUT RESEARCH FACILITIES?

The Forest Service lists two research and development facilities in North Carolina that will continue to operate in Asheville and Durham.

The Southern Research Station

Blue Valley Experimental Forest was established in 1964 as a 1,400-acre site for silvicultural research of eastern white pine and associated hardwoods, according to the Forest Service. The facility is located near Highlands. The valley where Coweeta Hydrologic Lab is located was first purchased by the Forest Service in 1918 and became part of the Nantahala National

‘Stecoah Stories and Seeds’ series extended

What began as a welcoming gathering during the cold winter months has become something more. At “Stecoah Stories and Seeds,” local guests engage the group in stories of people, agriculture and traditions. Following the presentations, a free lunch is provided, offering time and space for Q&A and social connection. Since these opportunities were so well received, the series was extended.

Series

Schedule:

• June 10: Cree Rockwood of the Junaluska Museum on Cherokee language preservation efforts.

to The Graham Star, tells of the mystery tribe of Tuskegee.

• July 22: Brooklyn Lester McCracken, basketball coach for Robbinsville High School, on how the team brought out the best in each other and united to overcome obstacles.

• Aug. 5: Tammy Holloway, Clerk of Court, with accounts of county life over the years.

• Sept. 2: Skye Calhoun, Mainspring

Come out to one of these events to learn about the history and culture of the area. Donated photo

Conservation Trust, on native seeds.

• June 24: Marshall McClung, contributor

Forest in 1923, according to the Forest Service. A 5,482-acre site was set aside as the Coweeta Experimental Forest in 1934. That’s when the Civilian Conservation Corps built the original laboratory buildings, roads, climatic stations, and stream measurement devices to create the lab. It has been collecting weather data since the 1930s.

None of these is listed for closure.

In other states, research facilities that are identified by the federal agency as considered for closure could be impacted over the next two years, according to a USDA spokesperson.

COULD THE RESTRUCTURING IMPACT WNC?

Local environmentalists are concerned about the research stations, regardless of the current status of these facilities. Will Harlan, southeast director for the Center for Biodiversity in Asheville, called the potential closures “tragic” in April. He still says that this restructuring could have negative impacts on local research efforts because “some of the people in these research facilities would keep their jobs, but the institutions may be reorganized, combined or dissolved.”

Mountain True Resilient Forests Director Josh Kelly agrees and sees the reorganization as a misuse of valuable resources.

“The bigger impact is the disruption of the reorganization and the removal of logistical support from the regional office as the

• Oct. 14: C.S. Devereaux, author, connecting real history with historical fiction.

reorganization proceeds,” Kelly wrote in an email.

Both organizations were plaintiffs in a lawsuit about the land management plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. A judge effectively threw out the 2023 plan in an April ruling.

Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-120) told NC Local that he has been advocating to keep Coweeta Lab in Macon County, which he represents, open.

“I know the federal government is looking at [restructuring] and making sure that the dollars that are allocated for that are justified. And that’s good. We need to do that periodically,” Gillespie said.

He agrees with the reconsideration but says that Coweeta’s long-term data is valuable to the nation.

“Being from Franklin, I’m most familiar with Coweeta, and there’s many years of data that Coweeta has provided that has been used on multiple occasions,” he said. “When you look [at the facility] by return on your investment, if that’s the only focus you have, that alone justifies that facility being there.”

He also pointed to the dorms and research facilities as valuable for the county.

“It’s so important that we have those types of facilities and hopefully that one will be there for many years to come.”

(Sasha Schroeder also contributed to this report. This article first appeared on NCLocal and is republished here under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial 4.0 International License.)

Ingles Nutrition N

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah M

WHAAT T TO DO WITH...

White Rice

White rice is a good sourrcce of carbohydrates and a handy an to keep on hand as it stores well.

Herre e are 5 things you can do with white rice:

otes

cGrath

d versatile grain

1.Beans and Rice — Cook rice, add in canned, drained black beans and cilantrro o and top with salsa.

2.Fried rice — Use cooked rice and add in beaten egg, vegetables and a source of protein (tofu, tempeh, chicken, beef, shrimp) to make into fried rice.

3.Use leftover cooked rice to make rice pudding by cooking butterr, , vanilla, sugar and egg and adding in raisins or drie

4.Rice and Fish Balls

ack beans and getables and a make into fried oking with milk, ed cranberries for

salmon, cod, trout or tilapia, mix together, add in a beaten form balls and spices/seasoning. Roll in breadcrumbs and br hot oil.

5. ky Mango sticky rice — Cook rice with sugar and coconut milk and serve with slices of ripe peeled mango.

T Trry this recipe: mahatmarice.com/recipes/mango-and-sticky-rice

aten egg to help and brown in milk and serve cky-rice

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian

Leah McGrath - Dietitian

The Joyful Botanist

BY ADAM BIGELOW

Time to smell the roses

Roses (Rosa spp.) symbolize love and beauty and come with a sharp reminder that often love and beauty can be painful. A rose by any other name will still prick your fingers, or so the old saying goes. Or does it?

Roses can be found blooming all around us in the late spring and summer in Western North Carolina. There are the sweet-smelling old rose bushes at your grandma’s house and the bright and long blooming yet kind of boring and scentless ‘Knockout’ roses planted around too many commercial and residential landscapes across the country.

Many of the woods around us are filled

grows in a swamp…” While this sounded flippant at first, it turns out that habitat is an important way to tell these species apart. Carolina rose prefers dry soil, and swamp rose obviously prefers wet soil.

Both species have large pink flowers with five petals and a yellow center. They are both also very fragrant. The scent of these native roses is enough to grab my nose and lead me around like a wolf in an old Tex Avery cartoon. These ancient roses smell like a fine perfume. Were someone wearing an actual perfume that smelled so sweet, I’d probably think they put on too much.

I tend to encounter the swamp rose much more frequently than I do the Carolina rose, although both are available to purchase and plant in your landscape from some of the wonderful native plant nurseries in our region. If you do plant some, don’t treat them like ornamental roses, though because these wild relatives will just not behave. Especially the swamp rose, they both spread themselves when planted in conditions they like by rooting arching branches and sending up shoots from spreading rhizomatic roots. They are both best planted where their natural habit will be allowed to fully express.

with small, white fragrant blooms of the problematic multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) native to large areas of China and Japan. This species was introduced to North America in the 1860’s as a rootstock for ornamental roses, but its spread into wild places really started in the 1930’s when the U.S. Soil Conservation Service began encouraging and promoting the planting of multiflora rose for erosion control and as living fences and hedges for livestock control.

This has become one of the most widespread and difficult invasive species to remove from the forest due to the strong arching canes armed with curved thorns that look like cat’s claws and the large number of viable seeds each plant produces each year.

There are two species of rose native to Southern Appalachia, the Carolina rose (Rosa caroliniana) and the swamp rose (Rosa palustris). Early on in my botanical education I asked an expert how to tell the difference between these two species, and they sarcastically responded, “swamp rose

Rose flowers are edible and medicinal, and the ripe fruits called rose hips are loaded in vitamin c and make for a great tea. And when it comes to those fruits, the native rose hips don’t lie. They are large and numerous making them easy to harvest and process into tea or even chutney. These native roses don’t just help feed humans, though. Their ample pollen and nectar are commonly foraged by bees, flies and moths. And both the swamp rose, and Carolina rose are the primary host to a native species of moth called Coptotriche admirabilis, who in their larval stage exist as leaf miners chewing their way through the inside of the rose leaf.

If you do happen across one of these native roses, I hope you do take time to smell them, for their fragrance is unmatched in the garden. Be careful if you do lean in close for a whiff, for if you get overwhelmed by the fragrance, you might fall in and get a nose full of thorns for your troubles as well.

(The Joyful Botanist leads weekly wildflower walks most Fridays and offers consultations and private group tours through Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions. bigelownc@gmail.com.)

Haywood Waterways hosts tree identification hike

On Friday June 5, Haywood Waterways Association will lead a moderate 6-mile hike in the Sunburst area of Haywood County. Shannon Rabby, Instructor of Fish and Wildlife Management Technology, Sciences and Natural Resources, will share his knowledge of local trees and woody plants on our way to a waterfall.

The event is free for Haywood Waterways’ members and a $5 donation for nonmembers; memberships start at $25.

The event is part of Haywood Waterways’ “Get to Know Your Watershed” series of out-

door recreation activities. The organization works to maintain and improve Haywood County’s waterways through education, citizen engagement, and partnerships.

The group will meet at 10 a.m. at the picnic tables behind the Jukebox Junction. The hike will conclude by 4 p.m. Hikers should be prepared to hike through mud and several small streams. Bring lunch and water. Please leave pets at home.

RSVP to Katy Warren-Parker at katy@haywoodwaterways.org or 828.476.4667, ext. 13.

Friends of Panthertown fireside chat

Friends of Panthertown invites the public to come out from 5-7 p.m. Friday, June 5, for a fireside chat at the organization’s office in downtown Sylva at 116 Central St.

Participants are welcome to bring their own tools to sharpen or to help Friends of Panthertown sharpen theirs. Meet with other like-minded people in the community, roast marshmallows over a blazing fire.

The following day, June 6th, Friends of Panthertown will have a National Trails Day volunteer trail workday at the Salt Rock Gap Trailhead from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. RSVP for the trail workday at panthertown.org/volunteer. RSVP is not required for the fireside chat.

Join Franklin Bird club for Macon County walks

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.

Zahner lecture series returns to Highlands

The Highlands Biological Foundation announced the return of its annual Zahner Conservation Lecture Series, a beloved summer tradition dating back to the 1930s. Named in honor of Dr. Robert Zahner and his wife Glenda for their lasting impact on land conservation in the Highlands Plateau, the series offers the public an opportunity to engage with leading voices in science, conservation and the arts.

ing mantises, among other popular arthropods. But what about thrips, bark lice, or eriophyid mites? In this fascinating lecture, Dr. Bertone, a self-described “strange critter enthusiast,” will introduce audiences to some of North Carolina’s weirdest and least talked about arthropods through captivating stories and striking photography.

The 2026 series will begin on Thursday, June 11, with an engaging presentation by Dr. Matt Bertone, entomologist and director of the NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic at North Carolina State University, titled “Weird and Underappreciated Arthropods of North Carolina.” Everyone knows butterflies, dragonflies, and pray-

This free event will begin at 6 p.m. on June 11 at the Highlands Nature Center. The lectures will be held every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. from June 11 through Aug. 6, excluding July 2. To see HBF’s full Zahner lecture lineup, please visit highlandsbiological.org/zahner.

Schedule for upcoming walks:

• June 10, meet at Salali Lane parking area.

• June 17, meet at the Macon County Library parking lot.

• June 24, meet at Big Bear parking lot near the dog park area.

Walks are about two and a half hours. The public is welcome. All walks are weather depend-ent. Additional information, including directions to each location and a bird club check list can be found at littletennessee.org/franklin-bird-club. All walks are free.

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

Market PLACE WNC

MarketPlace information:

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

Rates:

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

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

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

Legals

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA HAYOOD COUNTY IN THE SUPERIOR COURT

Title: Estate of FREDA JO THOMPSON, deceased. To: HUNTER HAYNES, last known address: 2057 Lydney Circle, Waxhaw, NC 28173; SHEILA JOYCE LUNSFORD, last known address: 36 Smith Graveyard Road, Asheville, NC 28804; and MICHAEL EUGENE HAWKINS , address unknown.

TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you, styled Caveat contesting a probated paper writing, has been -

tioned proceeding now pending in the Superior Court of Haywood

County, North Carolina, File No. 26E000030-430, before the Superior Court of Haywood County. Additionally, concerning said propounded writing, Notice of Lis Pendens have 430 and 26M000070-100. The nature of the relief being sought is a judicial determination, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 3132 et seq. that the script of writing heretofore admitted to probate as the Last Will and Testament of Freda Jo Thompson is not the valid Last Will and Testament of the said decedent; that probate of said writing be set aside; and such further and other relief as the Court may deem just and proper. The Lis Pendens is given to give public notice of contested litigation regarding former real property of the decedent. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days from May 27, 2026

cation of this Notice, said deadline being July 6, 2026. Upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This Notice is given in compliance with the requirements of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4 but no party is re-

to the Caveat per N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-33(c). This, the 22nd day of May, 2026.

/s/ Harrison C. Dusek Counsel for Caveator Michael Joseph Hawkins 37 Church St. Ste. 2100 Waynesville, NC 28786

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE COUNTY OF HAYWOOD DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 26CV000320430

ASHLEY CHILDERS

Plaintiff, v. MICHAEL CHILDERS Defendant,

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:

Complaint for Equitable Distribution and Absolute Divorce

You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than June 29th, 2026 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

This 12 day of May, 2026

NIELSEN LAW, PLLC Joshua D. Nielsen Attorney for Plaintiff 413 Walnut St Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 246-9360 (828) 229-7255 facsimile

Publication Dates: May 20th, May 27th, and June 3rd, 2026

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA HAYWOOD COUNTY IN THE DISTRICT COURT RE: DEPOT 1, LLC V. MACINTYRE, HAYWOOD COUNTY FILE NUMBER: 26CV000542430 TO: ROBERT WARD MACINTYRE,

Defendant. Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against

above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Complaint for Ejectment. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than July 6th, 2026, said date being 40cation of this notice. Upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought.This the 21st day of May, 2026.

Caleb Decker, Attorney for Plaintiff DeckerLaw, PLLC

168 Tate Street Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 246-0897

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000123-490

David Lee Southers,

Administrator of the Estate of Douglas Lee Southers of Jackson County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Aug 27 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.

Administrator Attn: David Southers 705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000252-430

Shelly Buher, having qual-

of the Estate of Gregory Alan Binkley of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or

before Aug 27 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.

Administrator P.O. Box 51596 Durham, NC 27717

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000311-430

Darlene Ketner Killian,

Administrator of the Estate of Ernestine Wyatt aka Ernestine Ketner Wyatt of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Aug 20 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.

Administrator PO Box 173 Maggie Valley, NC 28751

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000333-430

Monique Crook, hav-

Executor of the Estate of Patricia Mraz a/k/a Patricia Coughlin Mraz of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Sep 03 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.

Executor 427 Apple Tree Ct Waynesville, NC 28786

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.26E000230-430 Amanda Holder, having -

istrator of the Estate of Scott Dewayne Holder of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Aug 20 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.

Administrator 165 Odiear Rd Canton, NC 28716

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