Rock for Relief comes to Waynesville this weekend Page 26
On the Cover:
One of Western North Carolina’s best unsung gems is the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown. Now offering a wide variety of classes focusing on different skills, including an array of arts courses, the folk school is celebrating its 100th anniversary while hosting its 49th annual Fall Festival. Ahead of the event, The Smoky Mountain News looks back at the school’s storied past. (Page 22) John C. Campbell Folk School photo
After 50 years, Franklin’s Mountain Synagogue gets first rabbi..........................10 Rumors swirl, but Waynesville Tower not for sale....................................................12 ‘A flip of the switch’: Library split sparks confusion and concern......................14 Whatley backs away from Helene role during first WNC visit............................16 Community briefs..............................................................................................................19
Opinion
How being authentic can unite us................................................................................20 There are ways to fix Social Security..........................................................................21
A&E
Rock for Relief comes to Waynesville this weekend..............................................26 ColorFest returns to Dillsboro........................................................................................27
Outdoors
Outdoor Economy Conference contemplates investment in recovery..............30 The Joyful Botanist: A Nod to the Ladies..................................................................34
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4th · 3 P.M. POETRY WITH Mildred Barya & Laura-Gray Street
Mildred will read from her new collection, Hands in Clay, and Laura-Gray from her latest work, Just Labor Judith Corvin-Blackburn to present her new book, The 6D Ascension Journey: Activating the Light Codes in Our 12-Strand DNA
Forest Hills election offers voters clear choice
B P OLITICS E DITOR
that is predatory,” Shields said.
The Village of Forest Hills, home to about 350 residents, faces an election that will decide who leads the small Jackson County municipality through the next several years of growth and uncertainty. On the ballot are two council seats and the mayor’s office, giving voters a chance to weigh competing visions on taxes, infrastructure, law enforcement and the preservation of the valley’s character.
COUNCIL
Three candidates are seeking two seats on the village council. Incumbent Daniel Shields, planning board member Amy Bollinger and fellow planning board member James Hartley each bring distinct backgrounds and priorities, but their views intersect around questions of fiscal discipline, development and county relations.
Born in Massachusetts but raised in Mooresville, Bollinger attended Western Carolina University to study elementary education. She and her husband, a videographer, settled in Forest Hills permanently in 2019. She now works in marketing at WCU and serves on the village planning board. That role gave her a close look at recent zoning requests, shaping her belief that careful decision-making is essential to preserve the community’s sense of place.
“It’s important to have decisions made in Forest Hills that kind of protect the land and the character of this place, but also understand there’s housing issues here,” she said.
Shields, a current council member, was born and raised in Franklin before moving to Jackson County. He studied political science at Western Carolina University and later earned a master’s degree in instructional design from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Shields has lived in Forest Hills for seven years and emphasized fiscal responsibility and responsible development during his time on council.
“I think the major issue for the Village of Forest Hills right now is continuing to do what the village has done for years, and that
Hartley, the most recent arrival, moved to Forest Hills in 2023 but brings decades of technical experience. Born in Texas and raised in a military family, he lived abroad before returning to Florida, studied at the Air Force Academy and Florida Technological University and embarked on a long career in engineering and real estate development.
Licensed as both an engineer and a contractor, Hartley has worked on large projects in multiple states. His first involvement in local government came when he joined the planning board to review a major text amendment request for a 210-unit development on 72 acres that was ultimately denied.
“Let’s keep the zoning ordinances the way they are,” Hartley said. “Let’s welcome this developer’s right to do what he wants with his property within our laws.”
The three candidates differ in emphasis but converge on concerns about taxes. Each criticized Jackson County’s recent property tax hike, noting the ripple effect on Forest Hills residents. Shields stressed his vote to keep the village’s levy as close to revenueneutral as possible, while Bollinger and Hartley said transparency from both county commissioners and village council should be paramount when residents are asked to pay more.
They also agreed on supporting the Fontana Regional Library system. Forest Hills council passed a resolution backing Fontana, and Shields pointed to the additional step of canceling an $8,000 planning contract with the county as a necessary show of disapproval. Bollinger also supports those actions, saying the library serves as a vital community resource.
Law enforcement drew attention as well. Shields said he wants to renegotiate how the village works with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, since Forest Hills pays for extra patrols but residents remain unsatisfied. Hartley noted that small municipalities like Forest Hills often struggle to balance autonomy with reliance on the county for basic services. Bollinger, in her planning
enforcement contracts but said responsiveness and accountability should guide the village’s approach.
On infrastructure, the candidates took more nuanced positions. Shields supports expanding sewer service through the Tuckasegee Water and Sewer Authority for residents who want it, citing aging septic systems.
“Sewage [treatment] is incredibly expensive, but in the long term benefits the property values,” he said. “I think is worth the investment.”
Hartley warned that financing major projects would be difficult for such a small municipality but suggested the village could improve its grant-seeking capacity by updating its website and public image. Bollinger stressed that infrastructure decisions must balance environmental stewardship with fiscal reality.
Both Shields and Hartley proposed additional ordinances to safeguard the community. Shields listed brush management on vacant lots to reduce wildfire risk and said that residents had expressed concerns over invasive plant species. Hartley focused on conservation tools, suggesting partnerships with outside organizations to protect parts of the valley from future development.
MAYOR
The contest for mayor features incumbent Marcia Almond and a familiar face in challenger Ron Mau, both long-time residents with deep experience in public service but sharply different styles.
Almond has lived in Forest Hills for 47 years. A nurse by training, she spent nearly four decades in the operating room before entering politics. After serving four years on council, she was elected mayor and has held the office since. She said the village’s most pressing need is infrastructure, pointing to aging septic systems in homes built 60 or 70 years ago — hence the idea for the sewer project she wants to pursue in two phases at a cost of about $25 million.
“If we don’t do something, septic failure
Elections in Forest Hills will be hotly contested this year. File photo
will eventually pollute Cox Creek, and that affects the whole Tuckasegee River,” Almond said.
She acknowledged the cost far exceeds the village’s annual budget of less than $160,000 but said grant funding could make the project feasible.
Almond has also prioritized maintaining Forest Hills’ ties with organizations like the Southwestern Commission and the North Carolina League of Municipalities, arguing that small towns need those connections to access resources.
“Small towns like ours have to have a seat at the table, and those relationships are what make it possible for us to get things done,” she said.
She also supported the resolution to remain in the Fontana Regional Library system and opposed Jackson County’s withdrawal, calling it fiscally irresponsible.
On taxes, she has advocated lowering the village’s rate to offset county increases, but not all the way to revenue-neutral.
Mau moved to Forest Hills in 2005 after living in the Kansas City area. A professor of finance at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s worldwide campus, he has taught virtually for more than a decade. He previously served on the Forest Hills board, on the Tuckasegee Water and Sewer Authority board and as a Jackson County commissioner. He also ran unsuccessfully for Jackson County Commission chair in 2018 and for state representative in 2020 but entered this race at the request of residents who he said valued his experience. Mau cited taxes as a central issue, criticizing the board’s handling of the revenue-neutral rate.
“I think my experience on a lot of different boards has helped, you know, county commissioner being on the village board before, being on the TWASA [Tuckasegee Water and Sewer Authority] the board currently,” Mau said.
That experience gives Mau pause when considering the village’s ability to finance the sewer project, noting that grant opportunities are limited even for larger municipalities. As a TWASA board member, he said he has repeatedly seen applications denied.
Mau supports Forest Hills’ pro-library stance and agreed that canceling the planning contract made sense, since services were not currently needed. He faulted the county for failing to educate residents on the reasons behind its tax hike and said both county and village governments must be more transparent about where taxpayer
Wreaths Across America returns to Greenhill Cemetery
Greenhill Cemetery will once again take part in the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony, a national observance that began in 1992 and has grown each year as more cemeteries across the country join in the effort to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of American veterans.
money goes.
“Let’s also remember that our village increased our taxes significantly too. Percentage-wise, there was a big increase from both the county and the village. With the village, there’s no plans for any big projects or anything like that,” Mau said. “It kind of goes back where I talked about having a plan worked out for what’s going to happen over the next several years so you can tell people, ‘Yeah, your taxes are going up, and here’s what it’s going for.’”
Both Mau and Almond acknowledge that development pressures and infrastructure needs will dominate village discussions for years to come.
THE VILLAGE VOICE
Questions of representation in Jackson County surfaced repeatedly in the race, due to residency issues with Jackson County Commissioner Jenny Lynn Hooper. In 2024, Hooper ran to represent district three, but after winning her election was declared a resident of district one. Hooper’s been allowed to remain on council; however, not everyone is convinced she should still be there, and not everyone is certain she actually advocates for Forest Hills.
“It does seem odd to have somebody who doesn’t live in the district, but I mean, nobody contested, nobody protested,” Mau said. “I guess I’d rather see somebody who actually is in the district.”
Bollinger admitted unfamiliarity with the issue but did say she wasn’t completely comfortable with Hooper continuing.
“I guess I would feel like we don’t have representation if there’s not somebody for our district,” she said. “I definitely think that it’s important to have representation of somebody who lives in your district.”
Hartley said he’d like to speak with Hooper before taking a stand, but that may not be a valid strategy — Shields pointed out that he’d never heard from Hooper about the issues that matter to voters in his municipality.
“She has not made an effort to reach out to the Village of Forest Hills, to my understanding,” he said. “For someone who allegedly represents our district, there has been no effort to talk to the municipalities in that district.”
Almond was more succinct in her answer about Hooper’s continuing service.
“She should resign,” Almond said. “She in no way represents the voters of Forest Hills.”
This year’s wreath laying at Greenhill Cemetery will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 13. The public is invited to attend and help honor local veterans. Wreath sponsorships are $17 and may be made online at wreathsacrossamerica.org or by calling 877.385.9504. Donors should use group fundraising code NC0081 when ordering. The deadline for sponsorships is Nov. 21. The previous option of sponsoring two wreaths with a third provided at no cost is no longer available. For more information, email p31s8@aol.com.
Sylva faces tight budgets, deep division
The small Jackson County town of Sylva faces challenges similar to other Western North Carolina communities — balancing quality of life with growth while struggling with a relatively slim tax base requiring tight annual budgets — but divisive social issues have left the town and the county more polarized than ever.
Into that environment step seven candidates seeking three seats on the Sylva Town Council in two separate races. The winners will join incumbents Blitz Estridge and Brad Waldrop on council and serve under incumbent Mayor Johnny Phillips, who is also up for reelection but is unopposed.
WALDRUM V. EVERYBODY
With the retirement of Mary Gelbaugh, a longtime commissioner, Joe Waldrum is one of only two incumbents on council seeking to retain a seat.
Waldrum was born and raised in middle Tennessee before moving to Sylva in 1995 to attend Western Carolina University, where he earned a degree in accounting and corporate finance. His career has spanned commercial banking, years as a stay-at-home parent and small business ownership in remodeling and woodworking. After the 2008 recession, he returned to Tennessee for work in internal audit and risk management, eventually serving as assistant director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. He now serves as facilities director at Southwestern Community College, overseeing capital projects and operational budgets for campuses in Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.
“I ran initially because I love this town,” said Waldrum, who became quite emotional while recounting the reasons he decided to serve, and the reasons he wants to continue to serve. “It’s given a lot to me and my family. It’s not perfect. It’s a diverse kind of mountain town that’s changed a lot. There’s a lot of craziness going on in the country, and I just felt like I could bring the skills that I have and perhaps put those to use. These times demand thoughtful leadership, and not just reaction.”
The race initially drew six candidates; however, Dwight McMahan, a career sheriff’s office employee, recently with-
ballots were reprinted and McMahan’s name will no longer appear on them, which leaves Waldrum, Taylor Armstrong, Calvin Autrey, Sam McGuire and a fifth candidate who declined to be interviewed competing for two seats. Voters may choose any two candidates.
Armstrong was born in Florida but moved to Sylva with her family as a child in 1999, later earning an associate degree from Southwestern Community College. Professionally, she has a background in banking and now works as the county liaison for the Jackson County Farm Bureau.
“I’ve spoken about preserving the small-town feel and morals and values and traditions,” she said. “I do still want to grow economically, and I want to grow our small-town businesses in this town, absolutely, but I think that there’s a way to do those things and still preserve the heart of this town. And so that’s really my main focus. And just reminding everyone that we’re all citizens of this town. We’re all people. We’re all human.”
Born and raised in Jackson County, Autrey earned his high school diploma before going straight into the workforce, first spending four years at Carolina Tire, then 10 years at Sylva Tire, followed by two decades with Western Builders.
“I changed a lot of tires and dug a lot of ditches in my day,” he said.
Today, Autrey works at the ABC store. Married for 38 years, he said his deep roots in the community and concern for the town’s direction are what pushed him to run for office.
“You ride through town, you see all these dope heads. You see the homeless people. You see the weeds growed up kneehigh,” he said. “You see where all these buildings has been torn down. I understand about progress, but with progress, that means get on with the program.”
McGuire is a native of Jackson County’s Beta community, where his family has deep roots through both the McGuire and the Cabe lineages. He graduated from Smoky Mountain High School, where he captained the football and track teams, earned the rank of Eagle Scout and ultimately completed a Ph.D. in Appalachian history, returning home in 2016 to teach U.S. history at Western Carolina University.
tell my students. History gives us context, and my specialty is Appalachian history. So growing up, I had heard family stories about family members and grandparents during the Great Depression, during the Civil Rights movement, and a lot of these challenges in the past that not only Sylva has faced, but all mountain counties have faced.”
County politics have forced the town to stake out a public position on several issues, including the Fontana Regional Library fight. In June, Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 to leave an eight-decade partnership with the system over LGBTQ content.
Although Sylva did eventually pass a resolution in support of the FRL — more than a month after commissioners voted to withdraw from the system — the Village of Forest Hills took it a step further by cancelling a small contract with the county for planning services. Waldrum voted for the resolution twice, and thinks the fight isn’t yet over.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to turn this ship around because to me, it does not make sense,” he said. “It’s my understanding there’s one book that maybe they want relocated to some other place in the library, and I think there’s things that could be worked out, rather than burning down the whole facility in order to accomplish that.”
McGuire, who expressed strong support for the resolution during an Aug. 21 candidate forum, also shared his deep concern over the withdrawal and said he’d be open to next steps.
Autrey didn’t answer one way or the other about his support for the resolution, but he did stake out a nuanced position balancing intellectual freedom with concern for minors.
“I’m the first one for freedom of press, and no, they shouldn’t outlaw books,” he said. “But if me or you was to show pictures like that to a 10-year-old, let me tell you what, me and you’d be going to court and we would be on that there predator list.”
Armstrong may be one of very few people in Jackson County to have not yet formulated a position on the library, saying she’d have to do more research to decide if she would have supported the resolution were she on council at the time.
“I’ve seen the books that the whole issue was regarding. I’ve followed the issue and the articles in the paper, and I’ve
listened to people on both sides,” she said. “I try to keep an open mind. I understand both sides of it. I do feel that there should be some regulation as to what kind of books our children have access to, but at the same time, it’s all on how you raise your kids too.”
The other county-level issue residents of Sylva must contend with is the substantial property tax increase passed by commissioners in June. Armstrong acknowledged that nobody likes to pay more taxes but allowed that sometimes they are necessary, especially if they’re used in positive ways.
“It affected us, absolutely,” she said. “Again, I try to keep an open mind, and I can see how it would be needed.”
By contrast, Calvin Autrey called the increase “a little heartbreaking” for working families.
“Me and my wife, we both work every day. Yes, we can afford to pay taxes. But what about these poor people that’s living off of $600 or $700 a month [in] Social Security? They’ve had to save all year to pay the taxes,” he said.
McGuire alluded to the increase in terms of the estimated $500,000 in additional funding from the county that will be required to operate an independent library in perpetuity, which may lead to another tax increase for the county next year.
“I think about those numbers, and think about all of the other services, or all of the other benefits that that money could go toward,” he said, calling for greater dialogue with commissioners.
Waldrum, with extensive financial experience, looked at the situation more philosophically, for both the town and the county.
“You can either elevate the income or decrease the expenses,” he said. “Decreasing the expenses is perhaps a better way to do that. And the library is a case in point — $500,000 is a lot of money, and so that’s an area where we could probably take a good, hard look at and help the property tax-paying citizens out a little bit by not making moves that are going to increase expenses.”
be an eyewitness to some of those issues and their impact on families.”
Economic growth along the N.C. 107 redevelopment project was another topic where candidates displayed a wide range of opinions on what, exactly, should happen once the project is complete. The town has already lost more than 40 businesses to the project and is eager for new ones to take their places.
Armstrong stressed small-town character over big-box development, warning that high-end retailers would drive away young families.
approach to economic development along 107, recalling that one of the main goals of the project was to increase safety. Development, he said, would be market-driven, but at the same time, there are limits.
“I think most folks that are in the town of Sylva do not want this to turn into Gatlinburg,” he said. “I like Sylva the way it’s flavored, but I think developing it smartly, a Bass Pro Shop probably doesn’t necessarily have a place here.”
the right of organizers to hold the parade — if they pay for it themselves.
Some candidates raised concerns about enticing young families to remain in Sylva. File photo
The town’s Community Care Program, which has received national attention for pairing police with a social worker, also drew starkly different views. Autrey rejected the approach outright.
“Law enforcement comes with a badge and a gun, son, and they need to stand up and do their job,” he said.
Armstrong said she supports the program “if it is being effectively used and it’s consistent,” and would back expansion to provide coverage on every shift. Currently, availability is limited. Waldrum said he’d support expansion if the numbers warrant it, but McGuire went further, praising the initiative and arguing for similar partnerships to address the wide spectrum of issues connected to mental health, homelessness and substance abuse.
“I am delighted with the with how successful the Community Care program has been. I would support expanding it. I actually just went on a ride-along with the Sylva Police Department on Monday and it was very interesting. It was very informative,” he said. “This is kind of my workhorse mentality of trying to learn as much as I can. I got to
“I think it’s important for us to provide an example of the reality of building a business and how that looks, starting out,” she said. “The reality is that you’re not going to start out on top. The foundation of our country was built on small towns like Sylva.”
The FRL debate isn’t the only place divisive social issues have been raised in Sylva — they’ve also surfaced in the debate over whether the town should approve an annual Pride parade. Estimates of town cost to close Main Street and accommodate a parade run
“Everybody’s got their own thing. If you’re gay, you’re gay. I’m straight. The gay community is trying to force this down people’s throat. What you do in your bedroom is your business and should not be drug out in the street,” he said. “If they want to have a gay parade, or a Pride parade as they call it, fine. You pay for the police officer, you pay for shutting down the road, you pay for the businesses that’s going to lose money because you’re parading up down the street.”
Waldrum has been a strong supporter of Pride, saying during the candidate forum, “everybody’s welcome, and everybody should have equal rights and be represented in the town of Sylva.” He said he’s been speaking with Sylva Pride and trying to find a way to satisfy all parties; he’s also polled business leaders who, contrary to Autrey’s claim, say they experience a positive economic impact from the Pride parade.
“I’m really here for my community and just for us to keep moving forward to the future together as a community.”
—Perry Matthews
between $7,500 and $8,500.
McGuire, schooled in the lessons that have kept rural Southern Appalachia relatively poor over generations, spoke from a 30,000-foot view on the topic.
“This was an essay question that I posed to my Appalachian history students. [The paper mill in] Canton had just closed. I said, ‘Okay, here’s the situation. Go to your community. Try to talk through the costs and benefits of all of these options.’ The crucial aspect is trying to understand that there isn’t a silver bullet. There’s not a cureall,” he said. “You want a very diversified economy.”
Autrey pushed for urgency above all else.
“If you’ve got a stretch of road and ain’t no businesses, people ain’t going to stop,” he said, quickly pointing out that there’s nary a large outfitter, like Bass Pro Shop or Dick’s Sporting Goods, to be found in an area with substantial demand for outdoor activity equipment.
Waldrum took probably the most unique
Armstrong said financial support from the town for Pride was not fiscally responsible but added that she had no problem with the content of the Pride parade. But other parades — Christmas, homecoming, Memorial Day, Fourth of July — all pretty much cost the same.
“Not holding those parades would be more detrimental to the heart of this town, because everybody is so used to those traditions,” she said.
McGuire took the opposite stance, insisting that objections about cost and logistics could be overcome.
“Sylva Pride offered to pay for it,” he said. “I think that is a signal that changes the discussion significantly. It makes me wonder about other parades that we have — should that be a standard policy that whoever’s involved either pays for it or pays part of it? I know our budget is an issue, and so that’s kind of where this mountain common sense comes in.”
Although Autrey thinks people shouldn’t flaunt their sexuality in public, he supports
“I believe there’s justification right there,” Waldrum said in support of the town picking up the cost for Pride — just as it does for other parades. “I think whatever we can do to support our neighbors, our businesses, our citizens, I think we need to do just that.”
ROWN V. MATTHEWS
In addition to the five-candidate free-forall, there is another one-on-one race where voters will have to choose between incumbent Jon Brown’s performance and challenger Perry Matthews’ potential to address the same issues as the other candidates.
Sarah Hirsh, a vocal FRL supporter, initially filed to run but later dropped out. Like McMahan, her name won’t be on the ballot, leaving only Matthews and Brown. Brown, who was born and raised in Sylva, graduated from Smoky Mountain High School in 1998 and later earned a doctorate in physical therapy from Franklin Pierce University. He now works at the Cherokee Indian Hospital and has served on the town board since being appointed to fill a vacancy in 2024.
“When I am going to vote on something, I don’t jump to conclusions. I like to hear all the angles. I like to hear all sides, and I like to do my research,” he said.
Matthews, born in Cherokee in 1985 and raised in Jackson County, studied culinary arts and hospitality management at Southwestern Community College after early work in construction and restaurants. He managed Guadalupe Café before becoming general manager and executive chef at Meatballs Pizzeria, while also teaching culinary classes at his alma mater.
“I’m really here for my community and just for us to keep moving forward to the future together as a community,” he said. “That’s my whole reason for running.”
As an indigenous person, Matthews acknowledged that outside the Qualla Boundary, elected officials with Cherokee ancestry are rare. Although not an enrolled member due to complex generational paperwork snafus, that doesn’t make Matthews
or
“I’ve worked hard to not be looked at as just another kid from the rez because that has followed me my whole life,” he said. “I love my culture and I also love my community that I live in. I’m proud to represent the EBCI but am equally proud to represent the people of Sylva as a member of this amazing community.”
The resolution in support of FRL passed by council in June was certainly a statement. Asked if there was anything more council could or should do to make its voice heard, Brown said no.
“I honestly don’t think there is,” he said. “I think passing a resolution in support of our library and making our support known was sufficient for now, but I do think that we as a town need to support our library and ensure it stays open, because it’s a real treasure for our community.”
Pressed on the same question, Matthews was in general agreement with Brown, saying he doesn’t think the town should go any further, to avoid possible repercussions from Jackson County commissioners. Matthews does, however, want to continue to make it known that the withdrawal will have a concrete impact on taxpayers.
Pocketbook issues draw another contrast. On the county’s tax increase, Brown credited the process while urging restraint at the town level.
“Well, I have faith that they studied the situation and they raised the taxes to an appropriate level. No one likes for that to happen and for me my stance is, if we can avoid raising taxes at all costs let’s do so,” he said. “I think they were in a position where they had to. We could debate whether it was the right amount, if it was excessive, and I don’t know that I could speak to that in my position.”
Matthews described how residents — especially lowerincome residents — experienced the hike.
“I was unaware of this until all of a sudden, on Facebook,
I started seeing people actually post the increase in their property taxes,” he said. “I was like, how did this happen? We’re already in an area where rents and housing has increased triple and quadruple but the cost for labor in an average employee has not.”
Public safety is one place where they overlap, though they come at it differently. Brown emphasized outcomes from the Community Care Program.
“We voted it to be a permanent position, a paid position, and built that into our budget. The effect it’s had on our community, I think, has been nothing but positive, and yes, that’s why it’s been featured on PBS and publications all
over,” Brown said. “I can’t say that it’s necessary to expand it right now. I don’t know that. I know that it’s had a very positive impact on our town, and I know in talking with Chief Hatton that it’s become an indispensable part of the police department. So I hope it continues.”
Matthews said growth could make sense if done right.
“I feel like there’s a way we can integrate some of that community care into some of the issues we’re having with the increased homeless population in the area, so that we are able to help them in a better way,” he said.
The long N.C. 107 rebuild is reshaping the town’s commercial spine. Brown talked about the
upside and what could follow construction, mentioning remarks made by Mayor Johnny Phillips during the candidate forum in August.
“I think Mayor Phillips is right — this is an opportunity to kind of reinvent our town along that corridor,” he said. “I think once the project is done, it’s going to be an improvement, and so I hope folks will look at it as an opportunity, rather than pain in the rear. I’ve had several constituents tell me what they like to see, and that’s some new restaurants, maybe some new retail, opportunities for employment, for folks to have good quality jobs.”
Matthews focused on who benefits from what gets built.
“Are they going to be places that the community is going to be able to go and shop? Or is it going to be very specific businesses driven toward a certain kind of people; people with money, people who can afford to go and shop at Gucci or Dolce & Gabbana,” he said. “I definitely don’t want to see those popping up,” he said.
One of the most distinct differences between the two candidates is their stance on the Pride parade. Brown cited cost and community division as reasons to deny the permit.
“From what I have heard from most people our community, they don’t want to see the Pride parade happen,” he said. “Granted, there are a good number of folks in our town who do want that, so unfortunately it’s become a divisive issue, but I just don’t think it’s a prudent thing to have in our town.”
Matthews pointed to the bottom line from his vantage point in the local business community.
“It boosted local economy like crazy just with that event alone,” he said. “There were so many shops that would host little afterparty things or get-togethers. It brought people from all over, not just Western North Carolina, but from other states.”
Early voting in the 2025 municipal elections begins Oct. 16. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
After 50 years, Franklin synagogue gets first rabbi
BY LILY LEVIN STAFF W RITER
On Sept. 23, Mountain Synagogue welcomed a new year — and a new rabbi.
The Franklin-based congregation gathered for morning Rosh Hashanah services at the old St. Cyprian’s chapel. One of the most important Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah literally translates to “head of the year” and, in 2025, marked the start of 5,786 on the Hebrew calendar. Introducing Rabbi RuthE Levy — who prefers to be addressed by what she calls her “designer name” — was the first order of business that Tuesday.
Noah Levine told an audience of approximately 50 that the ceremony would have three parts.
“The first part is the passing of the Torah … The second part is Rabbi RuthE affirming her responsibilities to you, the congregation. And the third part is a blessing for Rabbi RuthE,” he said.
Levine works for the Jewish Community Legacy Project, a group offering guidance and assistance to small congregations in the United States and Canada.
He and Levy met through Levy’s involvement with Congregation Etz Chaim in Marrietta, Georgia, as a part of her rabbinical program. At the time, the rabbi’s work with the Institute of Southern Jewish Studies — and its role supporting small congregations in the Southeast — had
piqued her interest in leading one.
“I found out that [Levine] was also working with small congregations throughout the country to help them with their various problems. And so, I whispered in his ear
tambourines to match.
“[The congregation] had a great old time,” Levy recounted with a chuckle. So did the rabbi.
“I fell in love with these people immediately.”
“I fell in love with these people immediately,” she said. Levy, then, was “waiting on pins and needles” throughout the week of the board’s hiring decision.
— Rabbi RuthE Levy, speaking of the congregation
that I was interested in having a small congregation,” she said.
That led Levine to suggest Mountain Synagogue as a potential option.
The Western North Carolina congregation had put together a rabbi search committee, which chair Harvey Morse said was trying every strategy available — “newspaper ads, ZipRecruiter, some Jewish sites, help-oriented sites” — to attract applicants. Morse said in the end, three people responded. Two, including Rabbi RuthE, were based in Atlanta.
“I went for my audition [for Mountain Synagogue]. I came with a whole bunch of tambourines, and I spread them out,” the rabbi said, adding that the congregation looked like they had no idea why she’d brought the instruments.
Levy then led the group through a few prayers. They eventually reached Mi Chamocha, a song expressing praise for God that’s typically recited with an upbeat tune — and at Mountain Synagogue, with
As the board met on Wednesdays, “I was hoping for a phone call Wednesday night,” she said. “But it did not come.”
It didn’t come Thursday morning or even early afternoon.
“Harvey called me around 4 o’clock … I said, ‘Oh, Harvey, I’m so glad at that point, be it though what way it went, just that the agony was over,’” Levy said, adding that was a “very happy” phone call.
Levy will conduct annual High Holiday services and monthly 10 a.m. Shabbat services.
Morse said that services are typically held in the social hall beside the chapel. The ability to use the property is the product of what he described as an “unbelievable affiliation with the [Episcopal] church — 45 years.”
The chapel itself was built in the late 1800s as St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, a historically Black parish.
A little over 15 years ago, the chapel merged with a predominately white church and adopted the name of All Saints Episcopal Church. The
RuthE Levy is the first rabbi to lead Mountain Synagogue. Lily Levin photo
new parish is located in downtown Franklin but still meets twice per month in the old Roller Mill Road chapel.
For Levy, Mountain Synagogue’s Franklin location means making a monthly roundtrip commute of over five hours from to and from her home base of Atlanta.
“And as you can see, RuthE has this little mini car. That’s what she drives back and forth,” Morse told The Smoky Mountain News, motioning to a tiny vehicle emblazoned front to rear with the TeamLogic IT logo.
RABBI RUTHE’S VISION
Before she became a rabbi, RuthE Levy was a certified Jewish lay leader.
She served in this capacity at the Goldsboro Air Force base, where she said her “primary responsibility … was to ensure that the Jewish troops had what they needed,” like an occasional wedding or baby naming — and services on a regular basis.
Levy was ordained as a rabbi in 2022, after completing a year-long online program at Jewish Spiritual Leaders’ Institute. At Mountain Synagogue, she’ll put her credentials to use.
Levy’s entire family — sister, sister-inlaw, brother, husband and son — came to town for her Sept. 23 ceremony. Her sister and son live in California, her brother and sister-in-law in Maryland.
Still, “there was no question they were going to be here,” Levy said, describing a “sense of togetherness” among family members. The rabbi told SMN that the whole ordeal felt like a wedding, especially “when everybody comes in … and we’re making trip after trip after trip to the airport.”
As for how she envisions leading the congregation in the future, Levy cited her background not only as a lay leader but also as a Jewish educator.
“Through teaching, I have different ideas. I’m hoping that eventually, we will be doing some little mitzvah projects at the end of services,” the rabbi explained.
“Mitzvah” means “good deed” in Hebrew; Levy suggested making goodie bags for senior living facilities, tying fleece blankets for the unhoused population, facilitating a food drive or cleaning up a cemetery. She said another goal was expanding the congregation, which might look like developing strong relationships with local churches and participating in interfaith holiday celebrations.
That’ll be a long-term project. In the immediate days ahead — like the first Shabbat following the Jewish High Holidays — Levy has something else in mind. She explained that the Torah portion for that week is Bereisheet: the creation story, “where man takes responsibility for the animals.”
“So, I’m going to ask the people to bring their dogs and their cats and do animal blessings as a part of the services,” said Levy.
“I like to have fun,” the rabbi said, laughing. “Hopefully they will enjoy it.”
For more about Mountain Synagogue, visit mountainsynagoguewnc.com. Anyone interested in becoming a member can contact info@mountainsynagoguewnc.com.
Rumors swirl, but Waynesville Tower not for sale
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT
OLITICS E DITOR
Rumors of an impending sale of the Waynesville Tower apartment building have circulated in recent weeks, but according to Waynesville Housing Authority Executive Director Beth Kahl, the 62-unit downtown complex is not on the market and remains a cornerstone of the county’s increasingly fragile stock of affordable housing.
Kahl, who has worked with the WHA since 2009 and became executive director two years ago, said she is accustomed to hearing speculation about the future of the property.
“We’ve actually always gotten offers on the tower ever since I’ve been here,” she said. “It’s just the board is aware of the offers, and we’re trying to put a plan in place on when we will actually consider something like that — to make specific criteria.”
That planning process, still in its earliest stages, would create a scorecard-style rubric by which the authority’s governing board could evaluate proposals in a consistent manner.
The authority manages 100 public housing units in addition to the tower, which is financed separately through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program. Altogether, the authority is responsible for 162 units in
Waynesville.
Interest in the tower has come from both for-profit and nonprofit entities. Kahl said one recent inquiry originated with Housing Preservation Incorporated, a Memphisbased nonprofit that specializes in preserving affordable housing. Even so, she said, the board has not engaged in substantive discussions about any sale.
Although HPI appears to be focused on the long-term success of affordable housing communities, predatory private developers would most likely seek to acquire the building, kick low-income residents to the curb, renovate units and then charge market rents — or more.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says current fair market rents for Waynesville top $1,100 for a onebedroom unit.
Concerns also stem from the fact that the USDA contract for the Towers expired in 2001. Since then, the property has operated under a year-to-year renewal, which means that if a private company purchased the building, it would only have to honor the affordable housing contract until the next renewal date in January.
Affordable units in Waynesville Tower rent below the area’s fair market rate. Losing those units to market-rate conversion would exacerbate what is already one of Haywood County’s most pressing challenges.
said the authority’s board, chaired by Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Ryan Newell with Mountain Projects’ Amanda Singletary serving as vice chair,
doesn’t appear inclined to part with the property.
“I don’t feel that way at all,” Kahl said when asked if anyone on F
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Location and affordability make Waynesville Tower a valuable option for Haywood County’s low-income residents. Cory Vaillancourt photo
the board was pushing to sell. “Our board is just looking at all the areas that it can help. But we’re actually in a position where we’re trying to decide where we want to set ourselves up strategically for the next few years, and this is just one of the considerations as we develop how we want to set ourselves up.”
Singletary confirmed Kahl’s feelings.
“I don’t support selling,” she said. “The reason is because once that property is sold, it is gone, and it is gone for good. And when it comes to the tower specifically, one of the best features is the actual location itself.
That is so incredibly important to the folks living there who need easy access to doctors, to shopping, to any resources they need to get to. No amount of money is ever going to replace that alone.”
Kahl also noted that the tower remains nearly full, with a current occupancy rate of 96%. Routine renovations and capital improvements have kept the building viable, including a new roof installed two years ago through the HOME program. Still, aging infrastructure presents looming costs. Kahl said she recently received a quote of $723,000 for exterior painting and caulking, a standard project that must be performed about every decade.
their income on housing. In Western North Carolina, where mountainous terrain limits development and short-term rentals consume an increasing share of the housing stock, the shortage is especially acute.
Haywood County illustrates the problem clearly. According to census data, median household income here is below the statewide average, while demand for affordable units continues to rise.
Singletary said keeping affordable housing units in stock is difficult, especially when properties are sold and buyers want to convert them to market rents.
“I really want the tenants to know that we are working for them and we’re not out to sell or make a profit.”
— Amanda Singletary
“I’m literally on the front lines of it every single da,y and there isn’t a week that goes by that we aren’t losing at least one property in Haywood County,” she said. “It’s frustrating.”
“That’s a great question,” she said when asked where the authority would find the money. “I’m looking at grants.”
The WHA’s annual budget is about $1.5 million. Despite the name, neither Waynesville nor Haywood County’s governments financially support the WHA or the tower, which is owned by the WHA and assessed at $2.9 million.
While some estimates suggest the building could fetch between $10 and $13 million if sold, Kahl doesn’t believe that would be sufficient to replace the 62 units of affordable housing it provides.
“It’s scary when you start talking about it and you’re like, ‘They could do this because it’s this much money, but it takes a lot to keep affordable housing here,’” she said. “We’re not interested in losing the affordable housing we have at that cost.”
The debate over the tower is part of a much larger national conversation about affordable housing. Across the United States, wages have stagnated while rents have skyrocketed, placing unprecedented strain on low- and middle-income households. The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports a shortage of more than seven million affordable rental homes available to extremely low-income renters. In many metro areas, full-time workers earning the minimum wage cannot afford even a modest one-bedroom apartment.
North Carolina has not been immune to these pressures. The state’s rapid population growth has outpaced the supply of affordable units, and rural regions face their own challenges. The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency estimates that more than a quarter of renter households are cost-burdened, paying more than 30% of
The destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene only deepened the crisis, eliminating existing units and driving up rents for those that remain. For residents on fixed incomes or working families earning service-sector wages, the loss of 62 affordable apartments in the heart of downtown Waynesville would be catastrophic.
Kahl said her agency’s mission is to prevent exactly that outcome.
“Our goal is to try to expand the affordable housing in Haywood County,” she said. “I’m meeting regularly with other agencies trying to figure out what we can do to get more affordable housing here. We’re also looking at the housing preservation list to see who’s about to expire so that we can try to keep the current affordable housing from going to fair market rate if at all possible.”
That broader context will shape the next steps for the authority’s board, which meets monthly. A lack of quorum prevented discussion at the most recent meeting, but Kahl said she hopes the group will soon establish benchmarks to guide any future deliberations over the tower.
“Our goal is to set a target of what we’re going to be looking for in the future,” she said.
For now, the tower remains in public hands, safe from the speculative market forces that have consumed other complexes. With occupancy high and residents engaged through board representation, the building stands as one of the few remaining footholds of affordable housing in downtown Waynesville.
“I would say that our best interest is the betterment of the community, and that is a huge factor for what we’re deciding, not just the numbers,” Kahl said.
Singletary said she hopes to dispel rumors that may have alarmed residents.
“I really want the tenants to know that we are working for them and we’re not out to sell or make a profit,” she said.
‘A flip of the switch’ Library split sparks confusion
and concern
James also asked how strategic planning would work. State law requires every library system to maintain a long-range plan, usually developed through focus groups with outside consultants. King explained that new systems are exempt during their first “demonstration year,” meaning Jackson won’t have to submit a plan until 2027. That process, King said, wouldn’t begin until fall 2026.
“Normally, you don’t go through a strategic planning cycle until you actually become a library [on] July 1,” he said. Focus groups would then be convened to ensure community input.
The delay fueled unease among members who wanted to know how they could contribute in the meantime.
“What are the best avenues for members of this board or anybody that’s really passionate and concerned about the library? Is there any way for them to have impact or input into the process moving forward?” Buskey asked.
“Right now, nothing’s been set up,” King said; he suggested that perhaps after the first of the year commissioners could consider ways to use the existing board to support transition planning, but no formal avenue existed yet. That uncertainty frustrated some members.
sioners have decided to separate. My job is to make sure it’s successful.”
Library staff raised concerns about wages and benefits. Tracy Fitzmaurice, the FRL librarian in Sylva, said some employees feared being paid less than their county counterparts while also facing higher health care costs. Fitzmaurice said she was already running into staffing problems, as some employees aren’t willing to wait around to see what they’ll be paid.
King responded that employees would at least receive a cost-of-living increase, and that a salary study planned for next year could adjust pay across the county workforce. He defended Jackson’s insurance as competitive, but staff said Fontana’s coverage was better. This pushed back directly against the claim some are making that employees will make more under an independent library system.
Programming also emerged as a sticking point. Because of the uncertainty after June 30, Fitzmaurice said the library couldn’t commit to hosting events in July 2026 and beyond. The popular Junior Appalachian Musicians program has already decided to relocate. The library has also had to turn down multiple wedding bookings.
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
POLITICS E DITOR
Seeking guidance, Jackson County Public Library board members met with County Manager Kevin King last week hoping to learn more about what, exactly, the lame-duck advisory board should do to prepare for operating an independent library over the next nine months.
In June, Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system and begin the yearlong disentanglement process from the 80year partnership over LGBTQ+ content. While there’s technically a chance commissioners change their minds before then, it appears to be slim. In the meantime, King is charged with carrying out commissioners’ wishes in a transparent, efficient manner.
“It’s my goal to make it just a flip of the switch,” King said, describing his aim to transition Jackson’s three libraries from Fontana’s system to a county-run operation with no disruption in services.
The meeting, held in the Sylva branch, was part clarification session, part myth-busting exercise and part group therapy as members tried to reconcile their continued service with the reality that their board will likely cease to exist when Jackson County formally withdraws from Fontana on June 30, 2026.
Board chair Frederick Buskey acknowledged that the lingering confusion had left the board in limbo. Members wondered whether their advice to Fontana still had value. King explained that technically, the JCPL board remains advisory to Fontana until the separation date. After that, commissioners will decide whether Jackson’s new library board will be advisory to them, or whether it will become a governing body in its own right.
King was invited to explain what will hap-
pen next. He told board members that the advisory role remains unchanged — at least for now — but after July 1, 2026, a new board will be constituted under bylaws yet to be written.
“Right now we’re still kind of looking at
“I think the board, in general, would be supportive of somehow using us so that we feel like our input is meaningful,” Buskey said.
The mechanics of the transition dominated much of the discussion. King explained that only the library director’s position will be directly appointed by commissioners. All other staff will be transitioned into county
best practice, but I do know that that looking at your role today, it’s still the same role that’s been, [for] however long, advising FRL in the current operation,” King said. “And then the transition plan will reset a new board.”
That left some members questioning how their role would change before the cutoff date. King said the issue wasn’t yet addressed by county commissioners but promised to raise it.
employment under his authority as county manager. He promised continuity of service but acknowledged some hurdles, including the county’s mandatory 12-month probationary period for new employees, which will apply even to veteran staff.
“We want to make sure it’s done correctly,” King said. He described efforts to transfer employees seamlessly but warned of challenges. “It’s my job. To reiterate, the commis-
Board member Kitty Chisolm asked about requirements for the new director. King confirmed that state law still mandates an accredited librarian, regardless of whether Jackson remains in the FRL.
Questions also arose about contracts, accounting and IT. King said most vendor contracts were small and already being duplicated by county departments, so the transition should be straightforward. He emphasized that Jackson’s existing IT infrastructure, including fiber connections provided by BalsamWest, would make the change nearly automatic.
Concerns about cataloging and lending policies were raised by board member Lauren Baxley, who wondered how Jackson would handle the loss of Fontana’s courier system. King said discussions were underway with Southwestern Community College, which runs a courier service, about whether Jackson could dovetail into that arrangement.
As for library materials, King said Jackson County would remain in the NC Cardinal system, a statewide consortium, and that book barcodes could simply be reassigned to the new system without re-cataloging each volume. Fitzmaurice cautioned that RFID tags and authentication systems could complicate the change, but King maintained that the process had worked smoothly elsewhere.
Nonprofit status was another point of confusion. Fontana, as a 501(c)(3), is technically a nonprofit, while Jackson County government is not. Baxley asked what that meant for grants. King explained that most library funding comes from state and federal sources anyway but that Jackson could partner with nonprofits to pursue foundation money unavailable to government entities.
The board circled back repeatedly to the theme of uncertainty. Buskey summarized that, for now, the board advises Fontana, while individuals could still contact King or commissioners with concerns. Smith suggested Fontana might also amend its bylaws to allow more participation
Jackson County Public Library board members (left to right) Marva Jennings, Kitty Chisholm and Deborah Smith listen to questions during a special meeting of the board on Sept. 23.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
from the Jackson board during the transition, but no action was taken.
The meeting also touched on widespread rumors. Marva Jennings, who serves on the FRL board, asked King whether commissioners planned to close the Cashiers library and sell the building. King answered with a flat “no,” as did Cashiers librarian Serenity Richards.
The Fontana board had issued a press release earlier in the month seeking to dispel such speculation, stating that there were “no plans” to close libraries or remove services.
Questions persisted about whether the release had been effectively distributed; however, the release itself contains five ambiguous points read aloud during the meeting by board member Lori Richards.
“We want to make sure it’s done correctly.”
—
Kevin King
The first point does indeed say that there are “no plans to close any Jackson County library,” but does not explicitly promise that will be the case upon separation.
The second point states that there are “no official plans or discussions” about reducing library services but does not explicitly promise that will be the case upon separation.
The third point correctly states that Jackson, Macon and Swain commissioners increased library funding last year but again does not explicitly promise that will be the case upon separation. King initially estimated Jackson’s withdrawal would cost the county up to $300,000 in start-up costs and then around $500,000 in additional operating expenses in perpetuity, so it’s probable Jackson will increase funding again next year, and it’s also possible Jackson County taxpayers will be on the hook for another tax increase in addition to the substantial increase implemented this year.
The fourth point states that “no library materials have been removed from any FRL library due to objectionable content.” While that is true, the Jackson commissioners who voted to withdraw have repeatedly stated that the reclassification or removal of books they deem objectionable is their goal. This particular point has alarmed citizens who fear they’ll also end up on the hook for defending a First Amendment lawsuit.
The final point, that libraries in Macon and Swain counties would remain in the FRL system, is speculative. Decisions to remain in the FRL system are up to the county commissioners in those counties, and their willingness to remain could change if the cost of operating the FRL system go up due to Jackson’s absence.
Brad Waldrop, the Town of Sylva’s representative on the JCPL board, was absent due to a previously scheduled meeting.
Commissioner John Smith, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners’ representative on the JCPL board, was also absent and has missed three of four JCPL meetings this year. Jackson County commissioners have until June 30, 2026, to reverse their decision but have already begun spending taxpayer funds to pursue the separation.
Whatley backs away from Helene role during first WNC visit
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
Michael Whatley’s first trip to Western North Carolina as President Donald Trump’s hand-picked Hurricane Helene “recovery czar” was not the sort of open, public event many victims of the storm had hoped for; instead, Whatley appeared Sept. 22 at a closed-door FEMA Review Council meeting in Fletcher where a leaked agenda lists him as a subcommittee co-chair and “former Republican National Committee chair” — not as the person Trump tapped to head up widely-panned recovery efforts.
“We’re going to work a lot with your congressmen, especially the three that are in the area, and Michael Whatley,” Trump said at Asheville Regional Airport Jan. 24. “And I’d like to put Michael in charge of making sure everything goes well.”
Now more than a year after Helene, recovery has been slow. Federal reimbursements allocated or obligated in North Carolina have reached about $5 billion. Against an estimated $60 billion in damages, that’s a fraction of what is needed, although U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced a $1.15 billion allocation to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for road repairs related to Helene.
Local governments in Western North Carolina, however, had received only about 4% of their needs six months after the storm, and only about 6% nine months out.
“We are grateful for every dollar that brings us a step closer to recovery, yet current federal financial support is not enough. In total, federal support amounts to approximately 9% of the total damage Western North Carolina suffered,” Gov. Josh Stein wrote in a Sept. 15 letter to Trump. “Many of the largest, most devastating storms, like Katrina, Maria and Sandy saw upwards of 70% of damage covered by federal funding, and from available historical data, the federal government has typically covered between 40% and 50% of costs caused by major hurricanes. The people of North Carolina deserve a fair shake, just like the residents of other states and territories.”
Stein recently increased that estimate to 11%, but across the region, families remain displaced, small businesses remain shuttered, and some mountain towns are still waiting for recovery funding to pay staggering recovery costs.
The review council meeting was not open to the press or the public, and The Smoky Mountain News received no notice of Whatley’s visit. Whatley, who was formerly the head of the North Carolina Republican Party, is currently running for the soon-to-be vacant U.S. Senate seat held by fellow Republican Thom Tillis.
Just prior to the review council meeting, a spokesperson for Whatley’s Senate campaign said the meeting would take place in Asheville, but it actually took place at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher. The misstatement added to the confusion surrounding Whatley’s role in the recovery and underscored how he seems to be backing away from responsibility as he ramps up his Senate campaign against former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
The frustration is evident in a petition circulated by WNC residents demanding Whatley’s removal from the FEMA Review Council.
The petition says, “We need a fresh set of eyes to galvanize the recovery and the flow of funding. Whatley’s absence and lack of accountability have become an obstacle rather than a solution.”
Comparisons to other disasters have also sharpened the critique. In a brief outlining Stein’s latest request for $13.5 billion from the federal government, a chart outlines how Helene recovery stacks up to previous federal outlays for disaster recovery.
Naples, Florida that was damaged in 2022 — at the behest of a donor named Sinan Gursoy.
The report described how the process was expedited at the direction of political leadership, raising questions about whether similar urgency could have been applied in North Carolina but wasn’t and suggesting that the federal government can move faster
“We’re going to work a lot with your congressmen, especially the three that are in the area, and Michael Whatley. And I’d like to put Michael in charge of making sure everything goes well.”
Storms like Sandy (2012), Katrina (2005) and Maria (2017) had all resulted in more than 70% of recovery needs being met by the federal government. Communities affected by Hurricane Gustav in 2008 have been funded at 60%. Matthew, in 2016, was funded at 53%. Isaac (2012), Rita (2005), Irma (2017) and Ike (2008) were all above 30% range. Helene, at the bottom of the list, is at 9%.
Adding insult to injury, ProPublica reported that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who’s assumed a leadership role in FEMA’s disaster recovery process, recently “fast-tracked” a funding request for the repair of a pier in
SMN have gone unanswered for weeks. Instead, Whatley has attempted to highlight his connections with congressional allies and frame himself as a fixer. He has repeatedly said he has been in contact with local officials across all counties, but the lack of visible progress makes those claims ring hollow.
The leaked agenda that identified Whatley only as a former party chair reflects his shifting political priorities. As recovery czar, he has not been the face of the recovery, nor has he taken ownership of the slow pace of reimbursements. As a Senate candidate, however, he has every incentive to avoid being tied to unmet promises.
That strategy may protect him in the short term, but it risks alienating voters who continue to live with the consequences of the storm. For communities like Chimney Rock, Lake Lure and Marshall, where infrastructure remains broken and businesses remain closed, the distinction between bureaucratic delay and political negligence makes little difference.
The closed-door meeting in Fletcher was emblematic of the broader problem. A role designed to accelerate recovery has instead become another bottleneck, hidden from public view.
Whatley did participate in an interview with Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate WLOS on Sept. 22, where he said he felt recovery was “going really well at this point.” Whatley didn’t receive any pushback for his statement that $5 billion in aid towards $60 billion in damages meant recovery was going “really well.”
His absence from storm-damaged areas, coupled with his reluctance to answer direct questions has eroded confidence in Whatley’s leadership; before Whatley even stepped into North Carolina in a Helene recovery role, he did find time on Sept. 8 to speak at a what critics call a Christian nationalist conference in Raleigh — the same conference that promoted disgraced Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson across the state prior to his 2024 loss to Stein in the governor’s race.
Whatley was closely tied to Robinson and refused to denounce him after a CNN report concluded Robinson was behind a number of obscene posts on a pornographic website, where he called himself “a black NAZI.”
— President Donald Trump
— when it chooses to.
Whatley recently refused to denounce Noem’s actions.
Even within Whatley’s own party, criticism has surfaced. Republican Sen. Ted Budd called Noem’s office “a quagmire” and said calls he’d made to Noem’s office had not been returned.
By contrast, Whatley’s visit to Fletcher seemed carefully calibrated to minimize political exposure. No public town halls were scheduled, and requests for comment by
For Cooper, the contrast is politically advantageous. Cooper has spent recent months touring flood-stricken communities and pressing for more federal funding, portraying himself as an advocate for victims left behind. His campaign has argued that Whatley, Trump and the Republican-led review council have failed the state.
“Don’t take our word for it, Republicans think Michael Whatley has failed as FEMA recovery czar and over 100 Western North Carolinians have called for him to be replaced — nine months into the job,” a Cooper campaign spokesperson told SMN. “It’s clear Whatley can’t deliver for North Carolina. Roy Cooper will work with leaders in both parties to fast-track federal funding to ensure Western North Carolina gets every federal dollar it’s owed.”
Criticism of Michael Whatley’s role in Hurricane Helene recovery continues to grow. Wikipedia photo
SOUTHERN CHEFS POTLUCK
SAM FORE, DAVID BANCROFT & CHRIS HUERTA
OCTOBER 26 | 6 - 10 pm
Savor a soulful supper of reimagined Southern classics, infused with bold flavors and creative twists from a powerhouse duo of James Beard–honored chefs: Sam Fore, finalist for Best Chef: Southeast (Tuk Tuk, Lexington, KY), and David Bancroft, semifinalist for Best Chef: South (Acre, Auburn, AL). Joining them is Chef Chris Huerta from Madison’s Restaurant, as they team up for a potluckstyle feast that redefines beloved Southern dishes.
Limited Tickets Left! Highlands, NC
Life Chain events held across WNC
Since 1987, the first Sunday in October has been when the National Life Chain events take place. This year, there will be events in Waynesville and Bryson City.
The event, which, according to a press release, has become “a yearly pilgrimage to stand up for the sacredness of human life” will offer participants the chance to gather and pray for their cause.
Participants in Haywood County will gather at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5, at the
2025 Mountain Heritage Award recipients named
Presented annually by the chancellor of WCU, the Mountain Heritage Awards recognize one individual and one organization for outstanding contributions to the preservation, interpretation, or research of Southern Appalachian history and culture. Recipients are selected by a committee of university and community representatives.
This year’s individual award was presented to Roger Smoker, a Robbinsville native and elder of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Smoker served with the U.S. Forest Service from the 1980s until 2016 and now works as a consultant and translator for Dadiwonisi, an adult Cherokee language program. A first-language Cherokee speaker from Tutiyi (Snowbird), Smoker chairs the Cherokee Speakers Council and is a passionate advocate for the revitalization of Cherokee language in the Eastern Band. With fewer than 200 fluent speakers remaining in North Carolina, Smoker’s efforts are vital to ensuring the language thrives for future generations.
The organizational award was presented to the Jackson County Public Libraries, recognized for their commitment to preserving and promoting Southern Appalachian culture. The libraries (located in Sylva and in Cashiers) serve as a repository for regional literature and cultural materials.
The Sylva location’s Community Room provides space for nonprofit events, talks and meetings. Both the Jackson County Genealogical and Historical Societies and the Rotunda Gallery, which is operated by the Jackson County Arts Council, are housed in the Sylva location. The gallery hosts rotating exhibits throughout the year, many focusing on mountain heritage and partners regularly with the Mountain Heritage Center to host mini exhibitions on regional history and culture.
Wanda and Bill Musgrave honored by Lake Junaluska
Wanda and Bill Musgrave are the 2025 recipients of the Junaluska Leadership Award, an honor bestowed annually during Associates Celebration Weekend at Lake Junaluska, which was held recently at the Warren Center.
The Musgraves were nominated for the Junaluska Leadership Award for their longtime commitment to the ministries and mis-
corner of Russ Avenue and Howell Mill Road across the street from Burger King.
Signs will be provided.
Likewise, participants in Swain County will gather at the corner of Main Street and Everett Street at 2 p.m. on Oct. 5. Signs will be provided.
Anyone with questions can call the Western Carolina Pregnancy Care Center at 828.488.5461.
sion of Lake Junaluska and the United Methodist Church.
“Bill served as a loyal member of the [Lake Junaluska] Board of Trustees for nine years, serving as chair and member of several committees. Wanda has served faithfully as the Chair of the Steering Committee for the Sharing Our Gifts campaign,” the couple’s nomination letter stated.
The couple, who own and operate several automobile dealerships in North Carolina, have been long-time philanthropists to Lake Junaluska, most recently with their donation for the creation of the Musgrave Event Lawn beside the Warren Center. They are also members of the Legacy Circle, naming Lake Junaluska as a recipient of their estate. Through their home church, Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, they are long-time supporters of the local church and other church agencies and initiatives.
Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Banquet
The real stories of clients and those who serve them will be the highlight of the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center (SMPCC) fundraising banquet on Oct. 2 at Franklin Covenant Church.
Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m.
Heather Mallard, case manager at SMPCC, will speak about her valuable work with women, men and families, thanks in part to a Circle of Care grant through LifeLink Carolina. Heather’s work has been life-changing for so many families.
“It has been a privilege to walk with these families and help them reach their goals. SMPCC could not do the important work of this ministry without the support of the good people in our communities, so we encourage all to come to the banquet, celebrate our milestones. It will be an inspiring evening, including a great silent auction,” Mallard said.
The funds raised from donors at SMPCC’s annual banquets are essential, making it possible to provide services free of charge to clients at SMPCC’s clinics in Franklin and Sylva and on their mobile medical unit. The Centers also provide an extensive selection of online life enrichment classes where clients earn reward points to redeem for items to help with parenting. SMPCC has been serving women and men in Jackson and Macon counties and beyond since 2001.
To attend the banquet, preregistration is required through smokypartners.com, or by calling 828.349.3200.
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How being authentic can unite us
There for a minute, the world-at-large and its illusion of doom almost forced me into a chrysalis. I was on my way to burrowing so far into my own safe space it would take pure magic to turn me into a butterfly. But, an ever-present voice inside me kept pushing, kept asking, kept believing.
If you’re relying on edited soundbites to stay informed, then no wonder you think we’re polarized as a nation. The loudest voices get mistaken for status quo when in reality, most of us do not exist in the extremes. As with all bell curves, the majority fall somewhere in the middle. In previous generations this was simply called “being a moderate,” but in recent years, the fact we exist on an ideological spectrum has largely been forgotten.
Once it dawned on me that most people continue to be moderate and we’re falling prey to the loudest voices, I felt better. I also recently read a statistic that a quarter to one half of what we see on social media is created by a bot in an attempt to keep us hooked in the mire and addicted to scrolling. The algorithms want us fighting, stewing, debating because it keeps us on our phones instead of living our lives joyfully. I’m certainly not allowing bots to disrupt my happiness.
The trick is it to not allow ourselves to slide into the matrix, into the web of lies and polarity. How do we do this? How do we resist?
We stay authentic.
We live in a way where our beliefs and our behaviors match. If we know we’re a good person, we behave like a good person. If we believe deeply about something, we let people know in a compassionate and honest way. A great example of
We need the Webster PO
To the Editor:
For many months the Webster area has been without a post office. This has placed a considerable burden on the approximately 200 people who hold Webster post office boxes, as well as other community members needing to mail a package or pay a bill. The extra driving to the Sylva P.O. is particularly challenging to seniors and to those dependent on the postal office for delivery of medications.
The current Webster mayor and town board have played a role in connecting the postal service with potential replacement sites. Numerous sites have been looked into, but at this point nothing definite has been found. However, there remain some very good possibilities.
I was disturbed by some of the responses to the issue of the post office from candidates in the upcoming town board elections (per recent Smoky Mountain News article). While most “acknowledge the hardship,” none take a strong leadership stand. Dale Collins, the only incumbent running, is described as saying that “federal facilities are beyond the town’s control.” Brad Reisinger is reported as thinking “the focus should remain on the responsibilities that actually belong to the board.”
The closing of the Webster post office, which also featured a community bulletin board and small community library, removes a significant and long-standing hub of the community. Reversing this loss demands and
authenticity is the way communities respond to a natural disaster. Think about how Western North Carolina showed up after HurricaneHelene. Political beliefs or opposing ideologies didn’t matter. That was authenticity in action. Imagine if we lived like that all of the time — if our main goal in life was to show up for our families and communities in a way where politics took a back burner to humanity.
I’ll admit, it’s tricky to be authentic when our leaders, the ones we look to for guidance, are inauthentic. When I hear our president and other political figures speak, it feels fake because their behaviors aren’t aligning with their words. It’s like when a parent tells a child, “Do as I say, not as I do.” This leadership style immediately triggers distrust and skepticism.
The magical aspect to authenticity is that it’s contagious. We all know people who light up a room, who arrive with such a genuine disposition, everyone feels lighter when they’re present. If more and more people could tap into that good energy, it would spread on a collective level until the tide began to turn. The problem is that fearful people work very hard to squelch positive energy because for them, it feels threatening.
We must tip the scale in the other direction. We can’t let the loud, fearful minority appear to be the majority because the rest of us are self-silencing. I know hiding in our cocoons
LETTERS
needs strong leadership and a clear and stated willingness to pursue this to the end.
The burden of losing the post office will fall even harder with the start of the N.C. 107 road project; the commute will be subject to both delay and detour. The many seniors in the area will get even older and less able to make the drive. If an address change is needed in the future, this could seriously affect voters who may not make an address change in time.
To the town board and candidates — please make this your highest priority.
Louise Runyon Sylva
Time to fear for our country
To the Editor:
Charlie Kirk was another victim of gun violence in this country, just like Melissa and Mark Hortman, and just like the children at Annunciation Catholic School — 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski. Once again, thoughts and prayers are sent to the victims’ families, and once again politicians react to the tragedy with accusations and recriminations.
The only difference between these tragedies is the reaction of President Trump and his administration. They decry violence
feels safe, but if we want things to change in our country, we have to engage in authentic dialogue with people who believe similarly and those who don’t. Self-silencing doesn't only mean staying quiet — it also means people pleasing and going along with those around us to keep the peace.
Let’s talk about being authentic on a micro-level. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” We underestimate the power of small daily actions and habits that come from a place of goodness and compassion. Examples are checking on a neighbor, volunteering, reading and journaling in lieu of scrolling, cooking a meal and enjoying it with loved ones, picking up trash on the side of the road, offering to pay a field trip fee for a student who can’t afford it, loaning a cookbook to someone, sending a hand-written letter to a faraway friend, and so on and so forth. Any action that makes us feel like we’re elevating ourselves or bettering humanity is authentic.
If you want to help the world be a better place but don’t know what to do, come back to center. Do small things in a great way, smile at strangers, support those in your inner circle, engage in your communities and work hard not to judge others. Radiate love and good energy, trusting that by being authentic you are giving others permission to do the same. Most importantly, resist superficial media, be curious and cautious with all content, knowing the motive is to divide us, not unite us. Let’s be smarter and know that at the end of the day, we are so much better together.
(Susanna Shetley is writer and editor who lives in Haywood County. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)
only when their far-right allies are killed. They want to punish “radical left” activists engaged in political violence. Others in his administration want to go one step further and punish speech that is critical of Trump and Kirk. Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff, said, “There is an ideology that has steadily been growing in this country which hates everything that is good, righteous and beautiful and celebrates everything that is warped, twisted and depraved.” You would think that communists are running roughshod in our cities and towns. No doubt this extreme rhetoric will spill over to include government action targeting ordinary citizens who are peacefully protesting any number of issues. I fear for our country.
Ann Fulton Sylva
Trump wants DEI to DIE
To the Editor:
Since President Trump, by the will of the majority of Americans, has come into office he has given a multitude of executive orders striking down failed policies of the Biden administration. None are as infamous as the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programs. These programs were not only racist and biased, but they were also disastrous from inception and now we are seeing some of the effect. I believe that jobs should be given to the best candidate regardless of race, gender or political persuasions. We do know that
many private companies who initially tried to adopt these DEI policies have quickly abandoned them, for one simple reason. They don’t work.
It is ironic to me that the most famed minority leader of my day, Martin Luther King Jr., would not be in favor of these racist, programs. In his famous “I have a dream” speech, he said “I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of his skin, but the content of their character.” That is my dream too. I think that a person should not be judged by his or her gender, sexual preferences or religion. Where — in the job world — we are “blind” to all these issues but we only look at two things: merit and performance.
Currently in the NBA, 70% of the players are black, 17% white and 10 % multiracial. But in the most recent U.S. census the ratio was 60% white, 19% Hispanic or Latino and 12.6 % black. Can you image a world where the teams under DEI program would have to hire and fire based on race and keeping the proper ratios. And don’t forget homosexual and transgender percentages. Teams would be searching for players to be added to their team not based on the needs of the team but on race or ethnicity and sexual orientation. But that is not happening in the NBA. Why? Because players are chosen based on talent and merit and meeting the needs of the team. John Kennedy, the senator form Louisiana, said it best, “the best way
F
Susanna Shetley
There are ways to fix Social Security
To the Editor:
I read with interest the opinion piece in the LTE section on Sept. 2 regarding Social Security by Glenn Duerr.
Mr. Duerr is right that the trust fund isn’t on a permanently secure path under the current rules. Projections do show a shortfall "if nothing changes.” So calling attention to solvency isn’t wrong.
Mr. Duerr is, however, leaning on the familiar “we all need to tighten our belts” narrative, which sounds reasonable on the surface but sidesteps bigger questions about fairness, policy choices and whether high earners or government inefficiency should bear more of the load than retirees living on fixed checks. Framing sacrifice as the only path forward ignores the structural causes I am happy to highlight.
Sacrificing benefits is politically palatable to some commentators but it overlooks the fact that many Americans depend almost entirely on Social Security for retirement. For them, cuts aren’t “shared sacrifice” — they’re devastating.
AARP operates as a business whose primary goal is profit despite its status as a nonprofit 501(c)(4). The CEO earns approximately $2.5 million annually, with the top 15 executives averaging about $750,000 per year each. Even their own statement that “payments may be reduced” serves more as a scare tactic to boost sales than a serious warning.
The author suggests that “both recipients and payers into the system should have to sacrifice something for the fund to remain solvent.” I strongly disagree. We should not have to sacrifice what we’ve earned.
The underfunding of Social Security began when Congress, under the Johnson administration, moved the program into the “unified budget” in 1969, giving lawmakers the ability to (borrow) and spend the funds elsewhere. To make matters worse, the Social Security trust funds are restricted to low interest paying U.S. Treasury securities — these “Fiat" instruments are backed only by the “full faith and credit of the U.S. government” and not by tangible assets. If the
true owners of these funds (the American people) or even the government itself were allowed to diversify into stronger investments, the system would likely be thriving instead of struggling.
Contrary to what was written in the opinion piece, the U.S. already has a robust legal immigration framework.
Unfortunately, some past administrations have chosen not to enforce it, resulting in hundreds of thousands (or millions) working off the books (cash) and avoiding contributions to the system. Enforcement is essential and with the new administration is now being done.
The “Big Bill” is not another budgetbusting giveaway as stated. It is a mechanism to bring more people into the workforce, who in turn will contribute more to Social Security — a straightforward principle of economics.
The real path forward includes cutting unnecessary government spending, modestly adjusting the rate new workers contribute, and removing the $176,100 income cap on taxable earnings. Currently, high earners pay only $10,918.20 annually into the system, which is far below their capacity to contribute.
The federal government employs more than 3 million people. In my opinion, that number could be cut in half with automation. For example, in 2022 the Social Security Administration alone employed 60,570 people. With an average salary of $73,284 in 2023, that equates to an estimated $4.4 billion in payroll — much of which could be reduced with greater use of automation. It is fair to ask what value all of these positions add, and just what are these people doing each day?
I was also around during the Kennedy years and still believe we should focus on what we can do for our country. That starts with demanding a leaner, more efficient government that manages taxpayer money responsibly and allows Social Security funds to be invested more effectively for the future.
Cliff Whitney Waynesville
to stop discriminating against people on the basis of race and gender, is to stop discriminating against people on the basis of race and gender.” So simple yet profound. Americans deserve the best most qualified people, particularly at critical roles where many people’s lives are at risk, such as pilots and air traffic controllers and engineers building bridges and high-rise buildings and doctors. I personally think that we should not ask about race or ethnicity or sexual orientation on job applications. You can’t ask about religion, why should you be able to ask about these things? Personally, I am glad to see the end of blatant discrimination. There is a new sheriff in town, and he wants DEI to DIE.
Don’t belittle real national heroes
To the Editor: If a political rabble-rouser who has done nothing for our country is declared a national hero along with Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln, our great nation is truly belittled and diminished. Paul Strop Waynesville
David Lawson MD Lake Junaluska
Martha Owen.
The living word
John C. Campbell Folk School at 100
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
Crural landscape of Clay County — remains a cultural bastion for the arts, music and dance in Western North Carolina.
changing what traditional music and dance was in the region,” said T-Claw Crawford, music and dance coordinator for JCCFS.
Located on 300 acres of vast fields and rolling hills surrounded by the bucolic Blue Ridge Mountains, the institution is the oldest and largest school of its kind in the country. In seemingly every corner of the property are jovial faces — instructors and pupils alike — coming together to let their minds and bodies go with the flow of the creative spirit.
“We promise ‘joy’ in our mission statement,” said Annie Fain Barralon, programs development manager for JCCFS. “And sometimes when you’re trying something new, it’s not always comfortable. So, there’s this discomfort we need to be open to supporting. Here, the teacher learns as much as the student and vice versa — it’s this feedback loop instead of a hierarchy.”
The idea for, and eventual creation of, the JCCFS came from Campbell’s widow, Olive Dame Campbell, and her colleague,
music and dance was a part of the glue and of the community feeling.”
In the 1920s, when the school was coming to fruition, young folks were leaving Western North Carolina in droves, in search of a better life, with many heading for the cotton mills outside of the area.
“[The school] started off as an agricultural setting,” said Martha Owen, who is the creative programming assistant at JCCFS. “They were trying to help young people stay in place — there was a desire to keep people on the land here.”
From its earliest days, JCCFS looked at its programming as a way to mitigate the brain drain on the rural communities by offering people other possible avenues of revenue.
“The impetus of this place was to find something [people could learn] that they could sell,” Owen said. “And then also find a way to help people feed and take care of themselves.”
Nowadays, the campus offers hundreds of
musical opportunities available to locals and visitors — woodcarving, blacksmithing, gardening, writing, cooking, etc.
“You’re not just coming to a class, you’re coming to a place,” Owen said in a matter-offact tone. “It’s not an industrial setting; it’s more of a homestead kind of setting. And you have people who come here to improve their calligraphy or how to write their first novel or learn photography — [JCCFS] is anything that anybody can imagine.”
For Owen, whose expertise resides in “spinning, knitting, crochet, felt making, dyeing and surface design,” her journey to JCCFS began in 1978. Back then, she was a young adult eager to find her passion in life.
“A lot of what’s going on is the exchange of ideas across the campus,” Owen said. “And it’s like you push pause on your life — your busy
Want to go?
The 49th annual Fall Festival and 100th anniversary of the John C. Campbell Folk School will be held Oct. 4-5 at the institution, which is located in Brasstown.
Featuring over 200 artisan vendors and a slew of craft demonstrations, the gathering will also showcase an array of live music and dance, as well as food onsite and other activities for any and all.
Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for ages 65 and over and veterans. Children ages 12 and under are free.
For more information about the festival and/or a full schedule of upcoming events and classes at the school, visit folkschool.org.
life — and you have a chance to be still, be creative, learning something new, meet other people. For a lot of folks, it’s paradise.”
As a teenager, Owen was given a family heirloom, an antique spinning wheel. It sparked her curiosity, to which her grandmother saw an advertisement one day in the local newspaper for spinning and dyeing class at JCCFS. Owen took the two-week course and, suddenly, everything clicked.
“And it just kind of went on from there,” Owen chuckled. “I’ve never gotten bored. There’s no way to get bored, there are so many aspects of [spinning].”
Come Tuesday night, like clockwork, Crawford runs a community dance, one where contra styles are featured alongside a bevy of live music ranging from bluegrass to folk, Americana to blues.
“Those are a way to overlap the community and the students,”
Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown is the largest institution of its kind in the country. Donated photos
“We promise ‘joy’ in our mission statement”
— Annie Fain Barralon
Crawford noted. “And it’s the music, dance and singing element that’s one thing that [separates us] from a craft school.”
When it comes to music and dance, Crawford estimates that he alone books upward of 300 events each year for just those aspects of the JCCFS programming, the culmination of which being the annual Fall Festival (Oct. 4-5). With two stages, dozens of local and regional acts perform to an estimated 20,000 folks who attend the event and wander the hundreds of artisan vendor booths and live craft demonstrations.
“My lens on life is just trying to include everyone,” Crawford said. “So, what type of programs, events, gatherings and spaces can we create a shared culture that’s more harmonious?”
That genuine sense of togetherness is what lies at the foundation of JCCFS. It’s this steadfast ethos of connecting people, places
and things within this storied space of creativity and cultivation.
“People move here because there are not many small communities with such a robust music and dance culture,” Crawford said. “And everyone [around here] has their own little side trade, too.”
With the 100th anniversary celebration now underway at JCCFS, Barralon has taken time to pause and reflect on just what this property means to human beings in the fastpaced 21st century.
“We’re all humans and we know this feels good,” Barralon said of JCCFS’s intersection of art, nature and community. “But, modern life pulls us away from this good feeling — our folk school is about togetherness.”
“It’s excitement. It’s joy. It’s really refreshing for people who come here,” Crawford added. “They get caught up in another energetic state than they would be in their regular
day-to-day. So, it’s important for people to have an experience like this if at all possible.”
When asked what she sees when looking at the next possible 100 years of JCCFS, Owen lights up in a sincere, confident voice, especially when you take the query and place it against a modern, digital world where more and more people are seeking those traditional trades and skillsets — this campus where tranquility and using your hands come together.
“It’s been a long, long road, but I’m extremely optimistic right now for the future [of the school],” Owen said. “There were a lot of good parts to that old life [before the age of convenience].”
(The story was created in partnership between The Smoky Mountain News and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and its annual “Down the Road” and “Craft Trails” magazines. For more information, visit blueridgenationalheritagearea.com.)
T-Claw Crawford.
Annie Fain Barralon.
The JCCFS is located in Brasstown.
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
‘You could’ve been anyone, you’ve come along like a setting sun’
Hello from Room 304 at the Delta Hotel in Bristol, Virginia. Sitting here at the desk, I can hear the hustle and bustle of nearby Interstate 81. Right outside my window, the howling of tractor-trailers zooming by into the unknown night, either heading south over border into Tennessee or the depths of the Shenandoah Valley going north.
The sounds of the highway lull me into a peaceful sleep, truth be told. Every single time. Especially from all those years catching a quick wink of sleep in rest areas and truck stops from coast-to-coast over the decades of wandering and pondering this country, this life. And I cherish those memories on the open road, which continue to serve as fuel for the fire on my intent each time I bolt for the horizon.
cal artists that I deeply admire all along the way: Alison Krauss, Peter Rowan, Wynonna Judd, Billy Strings, Red Clay Strays, Kelsey Waldon, The Wood Brothers, Goose, Sierra Hull, Dawes, Houndmouth, Mike Campbell and so forth.
The work never stops. And I remain grateful for that. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do with my life, happily. I’m living my
each week and kicking it out the door to the printer. I spent most of the last three months on the road, a majority of it out West. The gratitude to do so remains. Coming into the summer, I wanted to again wander around the Rocky Mountains. And I did. I put a lot of the last year behind me, in the rearview mirror, physically and emotionally. It was a rough fall and winter coming into 2025. In all reality, the roughest year of my adult life, thus far. Cleared my head. Found balance. A good chuck of those unforgiving highway miles were spent just lost in thought, usually during one of those seemingly endless Rocky Mountain sunsets. And I met new, lifelong friends. Big bear hugs to my dear old ones all along the way: Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming and beyond. Trips to Nashville and jaunts all over the Southeast, too. What a whirlwind. What a melodic blur. “And the road goes on forever,” as they say. I’m a die-hard road dog. It’s in my blood. And it’s just who I am at my absolute core. And I’m an eternally curious human being for all of what life has to offer. Keep seeking out wisdom and experiences.
This morning, I woke up in Chattanooga at the annual International Bluegrass Music Association gathering after several days of melodic chaos and incredible interactions. I’m falling asleep tonight in Bristol, here for the Rhythm & Roots Reunion. After seeing so many great sets this evening, including my brothers from another, Futurebirds, it dawns on me that this wild-n-out summer is now coming to a close.
Time flies by when you’re having fun, eh? Assignments from North Carolina to Montana and back again from June through September. Interviews with countless musi-
HOT PICKS
1
The second annual “Rock for Relief WNC” music festival will be held Oct. 3-4 at multiple venues around Waynesville.
2
Legendary North Carolina storyteller Donald Davis will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at the Wells Event Center in Waynesville.
3
The 49th annual “Fall Festival” will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 4-5 at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown.
4
A special stage production of “Washington Place” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3-4, 9-11 and 2 p.m. Oct. 5 and 12 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
5
The 17th annual ColorFest will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in downtown Dillsboro.
dream in real time. And, for me, it’s always been about those random moments while on the road that justify why I do what I do. Like tonight, sitting at the hotel bar a few minutes ago, where rising country star Shane Smith walked in following his headlining set here at Bristol. I’ve interviewed him a few times over the years, including earlier this summer, backstage at the Under the Big Sky festival in Whitefish, Montana.
The hotel bar and lobby was empty and silent. And there Shane and I were, just chatting about the road, comparing notes about the industry, simply catching up. And I don’t take any of those encounters for granted. They are the mementos of my everyday existence which I hold close to my heart and soul, each placed carefully on the shelves of my memory — the spiritual souvenirs of a life in continual motion.
For me, I kicked off this summer at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado in mid-June and ended it here today at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion on the Tennessee/Virginia line. In between all that? Under the Big Sky, RockyGrass, Park City Song Summit, Earl Scruggs Fest, Mountain Song, IBMAs, etc. Also, too many other concerts and sit-down interviews to even count, let alone remember.
In truth, I’ve only been actually home a total of two weeks or so since Telluride, mostly those Tuesdays when it’s “all hands on deck” putting together this newspaper
To note, as I was walking down Main Street in Bristol earlier this afternoon, amid the circus of humanity and music at the festival, this lady I’ve never met stopped me in the middle of the beautiful chaos. She goes, “Are you Garret?” Yes, I am. “Well, I follow you on social media. I read all your stuff and your adventures this summer. I just want to say I love your outlook on music, people, and life.” It put the biggest grin of appreciation on my face. It really did. Onward to fall. To that, this past week has been extremely heavy for all of us who call Asheville and greater Western North Carolina home: the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene. So, please keep us in your thoughts and hearts. It’s hard to believe it has been a full year since the utter destruction of our mountains overtook our former sense of reality and flung all of us into the abyss — days, weeks and months of searching for clean water and food, searching for answers to the madness.
And I’ve been diving into deep reflection on “all that,” all while the recovery continues. But, my head is held high. As I’ve stated many-a-time before, the biggest takeaway from Helene, for me at least, was seeing humanity come together. Finding solutions to enormous problems. Helping out family, friends and strangers alike. Selflessly offering yourself into whatever any situation required from you.
That genuine unity and sincere love amongst you and me (and you, too) in the midst of the darkest of times experienced during Helene is the prism I peer through as I try and make sense of this current juncture of history — the good, the bad, the ugly. It’s all so wondrous and horrific at the same time, isn’t it? I focus on the good in people and aim to mitigate the bad as much as a I can. Don’t forget, kindness breeds kindness (as does hate). I strive for peace in our modern world.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
The Burger Bar in Bristol, Virginia.
Garret K. Woodward photo
• “Introduction to Waterfall Photography” with Larry Korhnak will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Korhnak’s photography will be on display in the Meeting Room throughout the month of October. He enjoys waterfall photography for the experience and adventure. Korhnak will share some of his knowledge of resources, safety, lighting, equipment and creativity. For more information, visit larrykorhnak.smugmug.com.
ALSO:
• “Art After Dark” will be held from 6-9 p.m. each first Friday of the month (May-December) in downtown Waynesville. Main Street transforms into an evening of art, live music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors alike. The event is free and open to the public. downtownwaynesville.com.
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
• 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 are supplied, and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share. 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. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. 828.283.0523 / cre828.com.
Waynesville art walk, live music
• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. 517.881.0959 / galleryzella.com.
• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club welcomes photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.452.0593 / haywoodarts.org.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.631.0271 / jcgep.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.339.4000 / southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/swain-center.
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. 828.586.2248 / dogwoodcrafters.com.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular arts and crafts workshops. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org.
WCU glass exhibition
The “North Carolina Glass 2025” showcase will run through Friday, Dec. 5, in the John W. Bardo Fine & Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
Discover the glass medium through the work of today’s visionary glass artists. “North Carolina Glass 2025” brings together 30 established and emerging creators from across the state, showcasing a broad spectrum of contemporary glasswork.
From handblown vessels and flameworked geometries to textured pâte de verre surfaces and neon sculptures, this landmark exhibition highlights the innovation and diversity of glass as a contemporary art form.
Continuing Western Carolina University’s decades-long tradition of glass-focused exhibitions, “North Carolina Glass 2025” celebrates the state’s vibrant Studio Glass Movement and offers visitors an inspiring look at the cutting edge of this remarkable medium.
A reception for the exhibition will take place from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, in the BAC Star Atrium.
For more information, visit wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center.
‘Layers’ showcase at HCAC
A cherished gathering of locals and visitors alike, “Art After Dark” will take place from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, in downtown Waynesville.
Each first Friday of the month (MayDecember), Main Street transforms into an evening of art, live music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors alike.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit downtownwaynesville.com.
Cherokee pottery exhibition
A special showcase, “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop,” is now on display at the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee.
On view through May 2026, the exhibition features works by students of Tara McCoy (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) handcrafted during an intensive three-month workshop.
Renowned for her pottery, McCoy began making crafts at 12 years old. She honed her skills while taking arts and crafts classes with Alyne Stamper (EBCI) and has won numerous awards at the Cherokee Fall Festival and at Southwestern Association of Indian Arts Santa Fe Indian Market.
Today, she shares her knowledge with others. Designed to increase and uplift pottery making among members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, McCoy’s workshop uses a hands-on approach, empowering first-time potters to bring
MotCP is located in Cherokee. Donated photo
The latest exhibition from the Haywood County Arts Council, “Layers” is now on display through Monday, Oct. 27, at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville.
Art is all about layers — of ink in a relief print, layers of batting and fabric in a quilt and background layering in an oil painting. This exhibit is all about celebrating the different layers of mediums that artists use to create their masterpieces.
Free and open to the public. For more information, visit haywoodarts.org.
their own personal style to ancestral techniques and methods.
“The Didanisisgi Gadagwatli pottery workshop is an example of how museums can support and uplift great work already happening in the community,” says MotCP Director of Education Dakota Brown (EBCI). “Tara’s dedication to gadugi (community working together for the common good) and intensive approach to teaching has been hugely successful and is a powerful example of reconnections and resurgence. Connection and practice to our material culture is a continuation of our shared Cherokee identity and perpetuates Cherokee pride.”
The artists exhibited include Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle (EBCI), Barbara Jones (EBCI), Paula Wojtkowski (EBCI), Marisa "Sis" Cabe (EBCI), Lisa Howell (EBCI, Pawnee Nation) Malia Crowe Skulski (EBCI), Samantha ColeDaniels (EBCI), Elvia Walkingstick (EBCI), Maggie Jackson (EBCI), Michelle Lynn Long (EBCI, Mvskoke Creek Nation) and Tara
For more information, visit
Richard Baker is a featured artisan at ‘Art After Dark.’ File photo
A work by Dori Settles. File photo
‘Fall of the Monarch’ by Hayden Wilson. Donated photo
On the beat
• 4118 Kitchen & Bar (Highlands) will host live music 6-8 p.m. Thursdays. Free and open to the public 828.526.5002 or 4118kitchenbar.toast.site.
• Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library (Cashiers) will host “Community Jam Sessions” from 2-4 p.m. the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Informal jamming. All skill levels are welcome. Free and open to the public. 828.743.0215 / fontanalib.org/cashiers.
• American Legion Post 47 (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” 3 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.456.8691.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host “Open Mic” 8-10 p.m. Thursdays. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 / balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Paul Koptak (singer-songwriter) Oct. 11. All shows begin 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.
• Bryson City Brewing (Bryson City) will host The Freight Shakers (classic rock/country gold) Oct. 3, Second Chance Oct. 4, Rock Holler Oct. 10 and Mile High (classic rock/country gold) Oct. 11. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0085 / brysoncitybrewing.com.
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host A. Lee Edwards (Americana/indie) Oct. 1 and Oct. 8. All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-event.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Two Armadillos (acoustic/oldies) 7:15 p.m. Oct. 4 ($10 cover). Reservations highly recommended. The kitchen and wine bar open at 4 p.m. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” with Erick Baker (singer-songwriter) Oct. 8. 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/orchard-sessions.
• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host “World Drum Classes” every Friday at 2:30 p.m. (adults) and 4 p.m. (family friendly, all ages), “Waynesville Acoustic Guitar Group” 2-4 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday of the month (Free and open to the public). Free Planet Radio (world/jazz) 7 p.m. Oct. 16. (Tickets start at $15 per person). 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.
Waynesville Oct. 4. File photo
Ready for ‘Rock for Relief’?
The second annual “Rock for Relief WNC” music festival will be held Oct. 3-4 at multiple venues around Waynesville.
The main live music area will be a full-production setup at the Miller Street Stage in downtown. Headliners to appear onstage at Miller Street will be Patrick Sweany (blues/rock), Big Something Unplugged (jam/acoustic), Asheville All-Stars featuring Jennifer Hartswick and Kebbi Williams (funk/rock), Red Clay Revival (Americana/indie), Pleasure Chest (blues/soul), Arnold Hill (rock/jam) and more.
Tickets for the Miller Street Stage are $20 for Friday, $30 for Saturday or $40 for the weekend pass. There are also VIP ticket upgrades available.
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Haywood County Arts Council (haywood.org). A beer garden, food trucks and artisan vendors will also be onsite. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free.
To note, all shows outside of the Miller Street Stage area are free and open to the public. Those venues include Frog Level Brewing, The Scotsman Public House, The Gem at Boojum Brewing, Blue Ridge Beer Hub, Water’n Hole Bar & Grill, Smoky Mountain Dog Bar, The Station on Main, Watami, Valley Cigar & Wine Company and more.
For more information, a full schedule of acts and/or to purchase tickets, visit rockforreliefwnc.com.
Smoky Mountain Brass Band ‘Fall Concert’
The Smoky Mountain Brass Band “Fall Concert” will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
Now in their 44th season, the Smoky Mountain Brass Band continues the rich tradition of British-style brass ensembles, bringing audiences a program filled with stirring marches, lyrical melodies and dazzling showpieces.
Under the direction of JT Womack, the band showcases both ensemble brilliance and virtuosic solo moments, celebrating the warmth, energy and versatility of brass music. Tickets start at $29 per person. Seating upgrades and discounts available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.456.6322 or visit harttheatre.org.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.
• Frog Quarters (Franklin) will host live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Free and open to the public. 828.369.8488 / littletennessee.org.
(classic rock/pop) 9 p.m. Oct. 10. For tickets, click on caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host the Smoky Mountain Brass Band “Fall Concert” 5 p.m. Oct. 5. Tickets start at $29 per person (seating upgrades and discounts available). 828.456.6322 / harttheatre.org.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” with Scott Low 6-9 p.m. Thursdays ($5 cover), Zorki (singer-songwriter) 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, “Bluegrass Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays (free), “Oyster Roast & Bluegrass” with Flat Bridge String Band 3 p.m. Oct. 18 ($50 per person) and the “Salon Series” on select dates. 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
• John C. Campbell Folk School (Brasstown) will host a “Community Jam” 7 p.m. Thursdays at the nearby Crown Restaurant and semi-regular live music on the weekends. folkschool.org.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host semiregular 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” 6:30 p.m. Mondays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Legends Sports Bar & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host an “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.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host a “Community Jam” from 6-7:30 p.m. each first and third Thursday of the month. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / fontanalib.org/brysoncity.
• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host Kayla McKinney (singer-songwriter) Oct. 3, Dillon & Company Oct. 4, Corey Stevenson (singer-songwriter) Oct. 8, Blue Jazz (blues/jazz) Oct. 10 and Rock Holler Oct. 11. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.742.5700 / happsplace.com.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Rick Springfield and Richard Marx
• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host a “Bluegrass Jam” 5-7 p.m. Sundays, Woolybooger (blues/folk) Oct. 2, Joey Fletcher Band (southern rock) Oct. 4 and Stomper Kitty (Americana) Oct. 11. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.1717 / meadowlarkmotel.com.
• Old Edwards Inn (Highlands) will host live music in the Hummingbird Lounge at 5:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Free and open to the public. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com.
Smoky Mountain Brass Band will play Waynesville Oct. 5. File photo
Patrick Sweany will play
On the beat
• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Rocktober Oct. 11. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-on-thesquare.html.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” 7 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Mic” 6:30 p.m. Fridays 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.
• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Russell” every Monday and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105 / facebook.com/saltydogs2005.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Celtic Road Jam 4 p.m. Oct. 3 and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 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 Steve Vaclavik (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. Oct. 5. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host The Inspirations Quartet (Gospel/Christian) 7 p.m. Oct. 3. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.
• Smoky Mountain Dog Bar (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic Night” 5-7 p.m. Fridays. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0726 / smokymountaindogbakery.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with David Cheatham (Americana/ folk) Oct. 2 and Juan (Americana/indie) Oct. 9. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
On the street
• Valley Cigar & Wine Company (Waynesville) will host Rene Russell (Americana/rock) Oct. 5, Dick Dickerson (indie/soul) Oct. 11 and Darren Nicholson (Americana/bluegrass) Oct. 12. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Jason” Tuesdays, “Tom’s Trivia Night” 6 p.m. Wednesdays, Blackwater Station 4 p.m. Oct. 5 and Contagious 6 p.m. Oct. 10. All shows and events begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.7440 / valley-tavern.com.
• Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 5202 (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.456.9356 / vfw5202.org.
• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Monica Spears (singer-songwriter) Oct. 5, Zorki (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. Oct. 10 and Tim Austin (singer-songwriter) Oct. 12. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.
• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host live music 4-6 p.m. Saturdays, “Music Bingo” 6-8 p.m. Saturdays, Mark Miller (singersongwriter) 5 p.m. Oct. 3, Woolybooger (blues/folk) 3 p.m. Oct. 4 and David Lloyd (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. Oct. 10. Free and open to the public. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.
• Yonder Community Market (Franklin) will host “Country Thursdays” (Americana/country) 6 p.m. Thursdays and Angela Autumn (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. Oct. 12. Family/dog friendly. 828.200.2169 / eatrealfoodinc.com.
• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts
ColorFest returns to Dillsboro
The 17th annual ColorFest will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in downtown Dillsboro.
Come spend the day in a walk-about mountain town filled with color and history. Enjoy a day of fun, food, live music, artisan demonstrations, entertainment and shopping.
Dozens of artisans will be displaying authentic Cherokee art, pottery, jewelry, photography, loom beading, handmade soaps, many kinds of needle work, Christmas ornaments, pine cone wreaths, candles, rustic furniture, chair caning, baskets and much more.
ColorFest is free and open to the public. For more information and a full schedule of events, go to visitdillsboro.org.
HART presents ‘Washington Place’
A special stage production of “Washington Place” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3-4, 9-11 and 2 p.m. Oct. 5 and 12 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
“Washington Place” is a stirring slice-of-life drama that honors the indomitable spirit of immigrant women forging new paths in America.
The women of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City all come from different walks of life and backgrounds, but are able to come together to share their daily struggles, dreams and the camaraderie of being working women in a new era. But, as they fight for better working conditions and fair treatment, a tragic fire breaks out, leading to devastating consequences.
Penned by acclaimed local playwright David Brendan Hopes, “Washington Place” celebrates resilience, solidarity and the enduring legacy of those who paved the way for a better tomorrow.
Tickets start at $29 per person. Seating upgrades and discounts available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.456.6322 or visit harttheatre.org.
Donald Davis will be in Waynesville Oct. 6. File photo
Donald Davis to spin yarns
Legendary North Carolina storyteller Donald Davis will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at the Wells Event Center in Waynesville.
Growing up in Waynesville, Davis has fond memories of spending time with his relatives and running around the hills of Western North Carolina.
“All of the stories are original and about growing up. They’re about trouble because those are the events in which we learn from. It’s all about learning and things that move us forward,” Davis said. “They’re all funny, even if they may be sad. They’re all set in the mountains of North Carolina. Some of the stories I tell have come through my family, but it can be a double story because I’ll tell you about that person and then the story.”
After earning a B.A. in English at Davidson College, Davis graduated from Duke University Divinity School. For over 20 years, he was a minister in the United Methodist Church. In 1989, Davis became a full-time storyteller, traveling across the country, returning each year to the storytelling festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. When not traveling, Davis makes his home on Ocracoke Island.
Tickets are $32.64 per person (tax included). Doors open one hour before showtime. A cash bar is available.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit wellseventscenter.com/eventoptions/upcoming-events or call 828.476.5070.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. For tickets, click on caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. mountaintheatre.com / 828.526.9047.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing
On the table
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host semi-regular cooking workshops and “OktoberFest” 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-event.
• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Wind Down Wine Flight” 6 p.m. Thursdays and a “Murder & Mystery” dinner 5 p.m. Oct. 11. Tickets are $106.39 per person, (tax included). 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have its wine bar open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville.
Arts (Franklin) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. smokymountainarts.com / 866.273.4615.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular stage productions. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host a stage production of “Wrong Window!” on select dates Oct. 3-12. thepeacocknc.org / 828.389.ARTS.
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 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal and more. There will also be a special “Beer Train” on select dates. 800.872.4681 / gsmr.com.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. File photo
Wisdom from an Appalachian Renaissance man
Whether you are an expert in folk music or if you can’t tell a banjo from a mandolin, a new biography, “Doc Watson: A Life in Music,” by Eddie Huffman, will draw you in. Along the way you’ll discover not just Doc’s story, but the rich history of our state and the impact of its traditional music.
Huffman, a Burlington native and current Greensboro resident, confesses that he was more a fan of the pop music and rockn-roll of the 1970s and 1980s of his youth, “dismissing country music as that cornball stuff they played on Hee-Haw.”
But he poured himself into Doc’s world: tracking down rare recordings, listening to every album, combing through archives across the state and beyond, watching old television clips, reading concert reviews, bootlegs, radio transcripts — and more. Folks in the High Country in northwestern North Carolina welcomed him in, introduced him to people who knew and loved Doc, and even drove him through the backroads and hills that shaped Doc’s world.
Huffman’s book is, of course, not a selfhelp book, but it offers a powerful example: a life shaped not by ease or fame, but by courage, grit and quiet humility. Here are just a few takeaways that reverberate through Huffman’s thoughtful exploration of Watson’s life and legacy:
• Take things apart … and creatively put them back together. “You can’t really love something until you understand it,” Doc
going, he could avoid stepping in potholes on a dirt road that his sighted friends stumbled into, he could identify 16 different birds singing, he could chop wood with an axe with a crooked handle. After a stint at the School for the Blind and Deaf in Raleigh, Doc decided that was not the place for him and returned home. So, he had more free time on his hands than some sighted teenagers who had to attend school or work full time. This allowed him to lean into his passion and become a master.
Huffman gives us a close-up look of what it was like to grow up in the mountains near Boone in the 1920s and 30s, introducing us to Arthel Watson, the child who would one day be known as Doc.
You get the feeling that young Arthel would have happily welcomed us into his world, which was full of love — and full of hardship. In Deep Gap in Watauga County, his family had no running water, no electricity and no insulation. Blind from toddlerhood, Watson was keenly fascinated with sound. He made instruments out of whatever he could get his hands on — from pots to cowbells, and delighted in sitting on the porch listening to the wind blowing through the trees.
Huffman paints a portrait of Watson as a jack of all trades, an Appalachian Renaissance man. He could have made a good life as a farmer, a carpenter, an electrician, a writer, a preacher or just about anything that called for steady hands, a clear mind and a generous heart.
said. As a boy, he tinkered with record players and homemade instruments. Later, he wired his first home by hand. Music was no different — he took songs apart, note by note, then put them back together in his own way. “I figured I’d better build on it,” he said, “so I’d be at least halfway original.”
• Embrace … and exploit your limitations. Over and over, Doc turned his blindness into a strength. He could guess with accuracy how fast a car he was riding in was
Upcoming readings at City Lights
The following readings will take place at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
• Grieve … and move forward. After the tragic loss of his son and musical partner, Merle, Doc Watson nearly gave it all up. But a dream — Merle guiding him from a desert toward light — changed his mind. So Doc kept playing, knowing Merle would not want him to quit. And with his family, he started MerleFest, a tribute that still brings thousands together each year in Wilkesboro to celebrate the music they both loved.
• Travel … and be a homebody. Doc Watson traveled from coast to coast, playing in the biggest cities. That alone — navigating it all without sight — is remarkable. But no matter how far he went, he was always ready to get home. “Us mountain folks feel pretty strongly about family,” he said. “Fireside, the supper table, breakfast with your wife — that means a whole lot. And I reckon that ain’t nothing to be ashamed of.”
These lessons — and many more — await in this moving biography. By the end, you’ll know plenty about Watson’s music. You will likely be not just a fan of his music, but of the man himself.
(D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNCSystem’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina “Bookwatch.”)
• Mildred Barya and Laura-Gray Street will host a poetry reading at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. Barya will read from “Hands in Clay,” her fifth collection, and Street from Just Labor. Barya, winner of the 2025 Jacobs/Jones Prize and 2020 Linda Flowers Award, has published widely. Street is the author of “Pigment and Fume, Shift Work” and co-editor of three major ecopoetry anthologies.
• Judith Corvin-Blackburn will present “The 6D Ascension Journey: Activating the Light Codes” in Our 12-Strand DNA at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. A psychotherapist for 40+ years, she is a Shamanic Minister, teacher, and cofounder of the Shamanic Multidimensional Mystery School.
• James Lenfestey and Nickole Brown will host a poetry reading at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8. Lenfestey will read from “Time Remaining: Body Odes, Praise Songs, Oddities, Amazements,” an exuberant celebration of language and aging.
• Jeremy Jones will share his new book, “Cipher: Decoding My Ancestor’s Scandalous Secret Diaries,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9.All readings are free and open to the public.
For more information, call 828.586.9499 or visit citylightsnc.com.
Writer
D.G. Martin
Investing in Recovery
Record crowd at Outdoor Economy Conference contemplates the path forward
Word from the Smokies
BY HOLLY KAYS FOR S MOKIES LIFE
Born from the high, cold springs of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and destined for the Gulf of Mexico, the clear waters of the Oconaluftee River have a long journey ahead. The river flows through the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ homeland in Cherokee and joins increasingly voluminous waterways as it travels toward the sea. The Cherokee know this southbound path as the Long Person, yvwi ganvhida — a living being with its head in the mountains and its feet in the sea.
“Water has always been something that has kept our community together and going,” said EBCI citizen Jasmine Smith, 15, chair and co-founder of the youth-led North American Indian Women’s Association Daughters. “Water is life, and without it we’re not going to be able to continue anything.”
Smith spoke before a river cleanup effort that NAIWA Daughters organized in conjunction with the sixth annual Outdoor Economy Conference, which drew a record of more than 700 people from 37 U.S. states to Cherokee, Sept. 15-18. As with other waterways in the region, the Oconaluftee plays an important role in the outdoor recreation economy, but its importance transcends dollars and cents. The river provides drinking water, wildlife habitat, spiritual renewal, inspiration and flood mitigation.
To the Cherokee, the river is a living being deserving of care and respect — even reverence. Traditionally, Cherokee people would go there at dawn to pray, asking the Long Person
to take away feelings of greed and relieve them of harm, according to Juanita Wilson, an EBCI member and the Tribe’s training and development manager, who spoke at the cleanup. In return, she said, they would give the river space to live, adapting to it rather than changing it to adapt to human activities.
“There were certain taboos,” Wilson said. “You don’t relieve yourself in the river. You don’t clean your kill. You don’t throw any trash at all. You honor it. It’s giving you medicine.”
With each cigarette butt or plastic water bottle they picked up, the ten conference attendees who participated in the river cleanup followed this ancient ethos, gathering 40 pounds of litter and adding to the impact of the Honoring Long Person cleanup held earlier that month. Wilson has organized the annual event, previously known as “Honoring Long Person,” since it began in 2021, removing more than four tons of trash from the riverside in Cherokee.
Dedicated stewardship like this was highlighted throughout the 2025 conference; the theme, “Investing in the Ecosystem,” encompassed much more than monetary returns.
“The outdoor economy is more than gear and trails,” Amy Allison, director of the NC Outdoor Economy Office, said during the Sept. 16 morning keynote session at the Cherokee Convention Center. “It’s people, it’s place, it’s purpose, and this week we’re going to explore what it means to continue to invest in our outdoor ecosystem with our time, our
The morning’s keynote speaker was Lesford Duncan, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation. With a degree in biology and graduate training in public health systems, he describes himself as “the world’s most unlikely economist.” Though ecology and economy are rarely thought of in tandem, Duncan sees strong parallels between the two.
“Both are in the business of tracking flows,” he said. “Economists follow the flow of money; ecologists trace the flow of energy, nutrients, and relationships. Both are about systems of exchange — systems that only thrive when balance is possible.”
Aboveground, individual trunks and branches reach high in search of light, while belowground a vast and interconnected network of roots and fungi exchange nutrients, send warnings, or even feed younger or weaker trees.
“It is cooperation disguised as competition,” Duncan said. “Strength comes not from standing alone, but from the sharing that happens beneath the surface.”
Nothing has brought that lesson home more viscerally than Hurricane Helene, which devastated much of the Southern Appalachian region in September 2024. The disaster
A photo taken in the weeks following Hurricane Helene shows how severe flooding on Rough Fork Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park damaged the road and historic Caldwell Barn in Cataloochee Valley. NPS photo
Gov. Josh Stein addresses attendees at the Outdoor Economy Conference Sept. 16. Katy Perry/Outdoor Economy Conference photo
Join Franklin Bird club for Macon County walks
The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane.
The public is welcome. All walks are weather dependent. Additional information, including
during a session titled “Scaling Resilience: Building Stronger and Safer Communities Through Outdoor Recreation.”
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2023, outdoor recreation added $16.2 billion to North Carolina’s economy and $13 billion in Tennessee. A National Park Service study found that in Great Smoky Mountains National Park gateway communities alone, park visitors spent an estimated $2.2 billion in 2023, supporting 33,700 jobs. Storm damage forced public trails, roads, and facilities to close, making travel difficult for visitors, survival difficult for businesses, and the search for peace difficult for survivors.
“If I can see a squirrel or hear a bird, or maybe a turkey or an eagle fly by, my day is
directions to each location and a bird club check list can be found at littletennessee.org/franklinbird-club.
Schedule for upcoming walks:
• Oct. 1, meet at the Macon Public Library
• Oct. 8, meet at Big Bear parking lot
• Oct. 15, meet at Saladi Lane parking lot
that while our parks are open, there are hundreds of miles of trails that are still impacted by Helene, and it is going to take us a lot of time to get all of them back open again,” said N.C. Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources Pam Cashwell.
Even in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which was spared the brunt of Helene’s wrath, trail and road closures remain in the Balsam Mountain, Cataloochee, and Big Creek areas on the North Carolina side of the park, and work is ongoing to repair damage to some historic buildings.
Recovery will take continued investment in both environmental and economic ecosystems, but if this year’s record-breaking conference attendance is any indication, interest is high in making that commit-
Standing on the banks of the Oconaluftee River, leaders of the youth-led North American Indian Women’s Association Daughters share with Outdoor Economy Conference attendees the importance the river, or Long Person, holds in their culture. Holly Kays/Smokies Life photo
made, and that's what it's all about,” said EBCI Principal Chief Michell Hicks as he welcomed conference attendees to the Cherokee homeland. “It's about the tranquility, about being in touch with the outdoors.”
Over the past year, much progress has been made. Debris has been cleaned from rivers, trails have been rebuilt, and businesses have reopened. As of Sept. 15, the Blue Ridge Parkway is now completely open from its southern terminus past Asheville, and on Sept. 18 the last North Carolina state park to remain completely closed due to hurricane damage — Mount Mitchell State Park — reopened.
“Things truly are looking up for the western part of our state,” Gov. Josh Stein told conference attendees. However, recovery is far from complete.
“What I try to ensure people know is
American Chestnut Day at the Arboretum
The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), in partnership with The North Carolina Arboretum, will host American Chestnut Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Arboretum.
This event will include student poster presentations, hands-on activities for all ages, and an American chestnut seedling sale. A special screening of TACF’s award-winning documentary “Clear Day Thunder, Rescuing the American Chestnut” will take place at noon, followed by a Q&A session with the foundation’s lead scientists.
The celebration will also feature speaker sessions with experts, including Nickole Brown, a poet, editor and teacher, Eric Griffin of Warren Wilson College and Todd Boera of Fonta Flora Brewery. Visitors can also enjoy interactive tabling exhibits from the Hemlock Restoration Initiative, GreenWorks, EcoForesters, RiverLink, Warren Wilson College and TACF.
American Chestnut Day is part of the Arboretum’s Fall for the Arb series, presenting new events each week in September and October. For more information, please visit ncarboretum.org/fall. Based in Asheville, TACF is a nonprofit conservation organization whose mission is to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range and restore the health of eastern forests. With regional offices across the eastern U.S. and a
research farm in Meadowview, Virgina, TACF leads innovative science and community partnerships to restore this invaluable tree species.
American Chestnut Day is sponsored by Warren Wilson College, and this event is included with the Arboretum’s regular parking fee.
ment. True success is measured not just in ease of living today, said Smith of NAIWA Daughters, but in the health and happiness of people yet to be born.
“Everything we do is not just for us; it’s done for the next generation,” she said. “So preserving our waters now is our gift and responsibility for generations in the future. And that’s really what’s keeping us going: the ability to connect with our Ancestors through our waters, recenter our traditional teachings, and incorporate them through everything we do in the modern day.”
(Holly Kays is the lead writer for the 29,000member Smokies Life, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the scientific, historical and interpretive activities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park by providing educational products and services such as this column. Learn more at SmokiesLife.org or reach the author at hollyk@smokieslife.org.)
H 105 10 am- 5p OCT th p m 18
It’s beginning to feel like fall in the Smokies
Plan ahead to ensure you have a great visit this season
Autumn is a beautiful — but busy — time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors should plan ahead and be prepared for incredible fall colors, but also crowds, traffic congestion and limited parking
munities to the trailhead. It’s a great way to reduce traffic and enjoy a more relaxed experience in the park. Learn more about hiking in the Smokies.
GOT YOUR PARKING TAG?
Parking in the Smokies for more than 15 minutes requires a valid parking tag. Tags can be purchased online anytime at recreation.gov or in person at multiple locations.
As fall foliage pops in the Smokies, the area sees a surge in visitors.
Park is consistently the most visited national park in the country, with October being one of the busiest months.
To make the most of your visit, consider arriving before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid peak crowds. If you're driving, please park responsibly — parking outside designated areas can damage natural resources, increase congestion and create safety hazards along busy roads. For additional information check out our traffic and travel tips.
SCENIC DRIVES
Avoid the crowds by taking in the views from the Foothills Parkway. Cades Cove Loop Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are consistently the busiest places in October. Please allow more time than you think if you’re planning to travel on these scenic roads.
HIKING
Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers more than 800 miles of trails to explore. Consider hiking less visited trails including Little River Trail, Little Greenbrier School, Lynn Camp Prong Cascades, Porters Creek or Chasteen Creek Cascade.
Planning to hike a popular trail? Consider taking a shuttle from nearby com-
Great Smoky Mountains National Park uses recreation fee dollars from parking tags to protect the park and enhance your park experience. The park is using this money to improve visitor safety, increase park ranger presence, and repair, enhance and maintain public park facilities. One hundred percent of the funds generated by park fees stay in the Smokies — learn about your fee dollars at work!
FALL PROGRAMS
Check the online calendar or grab a park newspaper at any visitor center to find a variety of daily, ranger-led hikes and educational activities.
WILDLIFE SAFETY
Fall is a prime time to spot bears and elk in the park. To ensure your safety and the well-being of wildlife, maintain a safe distance of at least 50 yards (150 feet). When hiking, camping or picnicking, be mindful of food and garbage. All waste should be properly disposed of in bearproof dumpsters or packed out. Bears that learn to associate humans with food can become defensive and pose a danger to visitors. By following these guidelines, you can help protect both yourself and the park's wildlife.
Ingles Nutrition N
written by Ingles Dietitian Leah M
WHAAT T PEOPLE OFTEN BELIEVE: “VITTAAMINANDMINERALSUPPLEME McGrath
AMIN
AND MINERAL
SUPPLEMENTS ARE REGULAATTED LIKE MEDICINES
What’s actually the truth:
NTS S.”
Supplements are not regulated in the same way that prescription medications are. This can sometimes be problematic because often buy and take vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements with the expectation that they will act like medicine, i.e. they can pr or cure an illness or disease. Some of the issues with supplements can include: unnecessary.
cription ause people nts with the revent, treat plements
• Negative interaction with food or prescription medications. them.
• Failing to provide the actual vitamin/mineral/herb (or less than the stated amount) that is listed on the label.
• Containing ingredients not listed on the label.
AND: Always make sure your doctor and pharmacist know that you are taking supplements in case they interact with prescription medications!
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN
Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian
Leah McGrath - Dietitian Ingles
GSMNP photo
The Joyful Botanist
BY ADAM B IGELOW
A Nod to the Ladies
from the mountains to the sea.
In unmown yards and along roadsides across the mountains, there will sprout a delightful fall treasure that is among the last native wildflowers to bloom in the season. Ladies’ tresses orchids (Spiranthes spp.) spiral their way out of the ground to grow in full sun, even as the seasonal changes bring lower and less intense sunlight.
The genus name Spiranthes refers to
This short orchid, from 9 to 24 inches is happy in all conditions except dry sites. Nodding ladies’ tresses love to live in bogs and wet places often forming small colonies. They also come up in meadows, lawns and the aforementioned roadsides. No matter where they’re growing, they need frequent water, and there will be an associated mycorrhizal fungi species in the soil around them.
As I’ve written about before (see SMN June 25, 2024, Orchidaceous!) all members of the orchid family produce seeds that require help in germinating. That help comes in the form of specialized fungi that have co-evolved with orchids and provide initial energy to aid in the growing of the first roots and leaves produced from the seed. They do this by wrapping around and penetrating into the seed and are known as endomycorrhizal fungi. The prefix “endo-“ means inside, “myco” means mushroom or fungi, and the suffix “-rhiza” means root.
of the road, and an unnecessary tragedy to see them succumb to the mowers’ blades.
Ladies’ tresses orchid petals are white, and upon close examination appear crystalline, almost sugary like icing. Trust me, though, you wouldn’t want to lick this frosting. You do, however, want bend down, get close and personal and take a long whiff to smell if it is fragrant, as many species of ladies’ tresses are sweet with scents hinting at jasmine and vanilla.
Across the state there are 16 species of Spiranthes, and nine different species can be found in mountain counties, although a few of them are rare. Among the most commonly seen is the nodding ladies’ tresses (Spiranthes cernua) that grows in all but a handful of counties across North Carolina,
almost sugary
Ladies’ tresses orchids are pollinated primarily by bumble bees (Bombus spp.) and I just learned from the North American Orchid Conservation Center that the bumbles will start at the base of the flower stalk and work their way up as the lower and older flowers on the stalk will contain more nectar. Makes for efficient nectaring.
The flowers of nodding ladies’ tresses are densely packed, and it is not always easy to make out the spiral arrangement. That is far from the case for slender ladies’ tresses (Spiranthes lacera) whose flowers form a single line spinning upwards around the vertical axis of the stem. It looks almost too perfect in its spiraling. This is the one you’ll see growing in dry sites.
Identifying ladies’ tresses orchids to the different species can be tricky and involves looking into the tube of the flower to see what color the lip is, be it white, yellow or green. As the flowers are small and the plant is low growing, this often involves being on your hands and knees with a good magnifier. Many a botanist has had their picture taken in this unflattering position that would make many ladies blush.
(The Joyful Botanist leads weekly wildflower walks most Fridays and offers consultations and private group tours through
Botanical Excursions. bigelownc@gmail.com.)
The flower petals of the ladies’ tresses orchid are white, and upon close examination appear crystalline,
Gatlinburg Bypass closed as landslide cleanup continues
The Gatlinburg Bypass in Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains
Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains open. Visitors can still access the Sugarlands area via US441 through Gatlinburg.
The NPS responded to reports of the landslide near the Great Smoky Mountains picture sign on the Bypass on Sept. 27 around noon. A total of 3.47
Learn about waterfall photography
Larry Korhnak’s photography will be on display in the Macon County Library Meeting Room throughout the month of October. He enjoys waterfall photography for the experience and adventure, so at 6
p.m. on Oct. 8 at the library, he’ll share some of his knowledge of resources, safety, lighting, equipment and creativity.
Visit larrykorhnak.smugmug.com to see Korhnak’s work.
Farm Bureau annual meeting, awards
The Haywood County Farm Bureau will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, at the Haywood County Extension Office.
This annual gathering provides members an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s work and to recognize individuals and community members who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture in Haywood County.
A highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the Tribute of Service awards, which honor members of the agricultural community who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and service to farming and rural life in the county.
All members of the Haywood County Farm Bureau are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Mandy Stasi, county liaison, at 828.452.1425 or amanda.stasi@ncfbssc.com.
Wildlife agency updates on hatchery devastated by Helene
Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina on Sept. 27, 2024, nearly destroying the Armstrong State Fish Hatchery in McDowell County. Flooding and landslides caused major damage and killed more than 600,000 fish, severely reducing trout production.
“Thankfully our staff are safe,” said Hatchery Production Supervisor David Deaton, noting Armstrong has been closed for repairs and cleanup but returned to partial operations in spring. Full operations are
expected by November.
Armstrong’s recovery is critical as renovations at the Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery — the state’s largest trout producer — were paused until Armstrong can provide additional support. Renovations at Setzer, slated to begin by January 2026, will be funded by $20 million from the General Assembly and $19.5 million in agency funds to replace aging infrastructure and guard against future flooding.
“Setzer has failing infrastructure that needs replacement before a potentially major failure,” Deaton said. Despite delays, NCWRC continues to manage mountain waters and stocking programs, supporting a trout fishing industry worth $1.38 billion to North Carolina.
working to clear debris from the road drainage, ditches, and a culvert, which is currently blocked. The park will provide an update once the site is fully stabilized and the road is ready for public use.
inches of rain fell between 10–11:30 a.m. that morning, triggering the slide, which included mud, trees and other debris. The landslide covered approximately 150 feet of roadway with 1 to 4 feet of mud and debris, blocking both lanes of travel.
The introduction to waterfall photography will be held at the Macon County Library. Donated photo
Market PLACE WNC
MarketPlace information:
The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!
Rates:
• $15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.
• Free — Lost or found pet ads.
• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*
• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE
• $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less)
• Boost Online — Have your ad featured at top of category online $4
• Boost in Print
• Add Photo $6
• Bold ad $2
• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4
• Border $4
Note: Highlighted ads automatically generate a border so if you’re placing an ad online and select a highlight color, the “add border” feature will not be available on the screen.
Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com
NOTICE TO PREQUALIFY: JACKSON COUNTY MULTIPLE PROJECTS
BIDDER PRE-QUALIFICATION REQUEST: Vannoy Construction has been selected as the Construction Manager at Risk by Jackson County and is seeking to pre-qualify Contractors to submit bids for furnishing labor, materials, tools & equipment for the related projects located throughout Jackson County, North Carolina.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:tion process will cover several renovation and expansion projects within Jackson County, including but not limited to:
• Fairview Elementary School Kitchen and Cafeteria Expansion in Sylva, NC. – $5M to $10M
Schedule – Bidding De-
cember 2025, Construction Start April 2026
• Smoky Mountain High School Athletics Improvements in Sylva, NC. –$2M to $5M
Schedule – Bidding November 2025, Construction Start March 2026
• New Jackson County Administration Building in Sylva, NC. – $15M to $20M
Schedule – Bidding November 2025, Construction Start March 2026
• Jackson County Jail Expansion in Sylva, NC. – $5M to $10M
Schedule – Bidding February 2026, Construction Start July 2026
• Blue Ridge School Expansion and Renovation in Cashiers, NC. – $10M to $20M
Schedule – Bidding Q3 2026, Construction Start Q4 2026
• Canada Fire Department Expansion in Tuckasegee, NC. – $1M to $3M
Schedule – Bidding Q3 2026, Construction Start
Q4 2026
• JCPS Replacement Bus Garage in Sylva, NC. – $2M to $5M
Schedule – Bidding Q3 2026, Construction Start Q4 2026
• Jackson County Courthouse Renovations in Sylva, NC. – $5M to $10M
Schedule – Bidding Q2 2027, Construction Start Q3 2027
The Scope, Magnitude, and Schedule for each project are approximate and based on currently available information. Project scope, values, and schedules are subject to change.
TENTATIVE BID PACKAGES:
BP-0222 Selective
Demolition
BP-0300 Turnkey
Concrete
BP-0400 Turnkey
Masonry
BP-0512 Turnkey
Structural Steel
BP-0640 Finish Carpentry and Casework and Sealants
BP-0724 EIFS and Stucco
BP-0811 Doors, Frames, and Hardware
BP-0840 Glass and Glazing
BP-0920 Metal Studs, Drywall, and Insulation
BP-0930 Hard Tile Flooring
BP-0951 ACT and Interior Ceilings
BP-0965 Resilient Flooring
BP-0990 Painting and Coatings
BP-1000 Specialties
BP-1014 Signage
BP-1073 Protective Covers
BP-1140 Food Service Equipment
BP-1198 Detention Equipment
BP-1221 Window Treatments
BP-1334 Fabricated Structures/PEMBs
BP-1420 Elevators
BP-2100 Fire Protection Systems
BP-2200 Plumbing Systems
BP-2300 Mechanical Systems
BP-2600 Electrical Systems
BP-3100 Turnkey Site Development
BP-3166 Special Foundations
BP-3218 Athletic Surfacing
Additional Packages may be added and/or deleted at the discretion of the Construction Manager. Historically underutilized business participation is encouraged.
PRE-QUALIFICATION
CUTOFF DATE: Friday, October 24, 2025, at 5:00PM EST PREQUALFICATION FORMS CAN BE OBTAINED from Brent McCann at brenton.mccann@jrvannoy.com.
Interested contractors shall submit their com-
submittals to: brenton. mccann@jrvannoy.com
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT
DIVISION COUNTY OF HAYWOOD
FILE NO. 24 CV 001815430
BROOKE M FISH, PLAINTIFF V.
JEFF L FISH, JR. DEFENDANT
NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION
TO: JEFF L. FISH, JR.
Last Known Address: 16 Jackson Drive Waynesville, NC 28786
Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against
above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: The Plaintiff is seeking an Absolute Divorce from the Defendant.
You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than October 27, 2025 , being forty (40) days after the date of thetice, and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.
This 15 th day of September, 2025.
DONALD N. PATTEN
Attorney for Plaintiff
46 South Main Street Waynesville , NC 28786 828-452-1454
By:______ Donald N Patten _______
DONALD N. PATTEN
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000508-430
Mary Bryson, having of the Estate of Dorothy Yarborough Lucas 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 Dec 17 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor 1316 Jones Cove Rd Clyde, NC 28721
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000479-430
Peggy S. Bolden,
Administrator of the Estate of Randy Lee Bolden 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 Dec 10 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Administrator c/o Ann Hines Davis 95 Depot Street Waynesville, NC 28786
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(2015
An Aleutian island
94 -- scale (mineral hardness gauge)
98 Executes a "Page Up," e.g.
99 -- and Costello
100 Sri Lanka, formerly 101 Certify (to)
103 Red-tagged
104 Part of USA
105 H.S. proficiency exam
106 "The Father of Geometry"
108 Safe robbers, in slang
112 Suffix with silver or table
113 Capital of Samoa
114 Give a whoop
115 Get an -- effort
117 Apollo's org.
118 State bluntly
119 Apparatus
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