Haven on the Hill in Haywood County has been lauded both locally and nationally in the months following Hurricane Helene for giving survivors a place to find shelter during this uncertain time. However, a Smoky Mountain News investigation has uncovered a murkier picture as allegations of mishandling donations have been leveled and public health and safety concerns have arisen. (Page 6) Cory Vaillancourt photo
News
Macon to explore private solution to animal control..................................................4 Trump urges full federal recognition for Lumbee........................................................5
Long-awaited aquatic center opens in Jackson ......................................................11 Local youth renew skatepark conversation................................................................12 Education briefs..................................................................................................................13
Opinion
Support shelter staff and animals in Macon County..............................................14 Are we safer after the pardons?....................................................................................14
A&E
Concert to aid Zuma Coffee following Helene........................................................16 Harrah’s Cherokee welcomes Alice Cooper............................................................19
Outdoors
Park embarks on cutting-edge hellbender study......................................................24 Jackson County seeks lifeguards..................................................................................26
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Macon to explore private solution to animal control
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
After receiving requests for additional staffing at the Macon County Animal Shelter, commissioners have decided to see if they might be able to contract the county’s animal control services out to a private company.
“One of the topics that was brought up at the last meeting, we talked about animal services and the shelter operations and whether that could be facilitated by another outside agency, by contract, or some other method,” said Interim County Manager Warren Cabe during the Jan. 14 commissioners meeting.
Cabe asked for a consensus from the board to move forward with exploring what options are available to the county and whether there are any interested parties.
“Then we can come back to you in the future with some kind of a report on whether or not we think that’s possible and what your options might be,” Cabe said.
The board gave its unanimous consensus at the January meeting for Cabe to move ahead with explorations for contract-
ing animal control services to an outside agency.
This idea was first brought up during the board’s December meeting, when Public Health Director Kathy McGaha came before the board to request additional
staff at the animal shelter. During the ensuing discussion, Commissioner John Shearl asked whether the county could lease its facility and outsource animal control operations toa private organization.
At that time, McGaha said that most
companies and counties that work in animal control are at or over capacity. Issues created by things like COVID and flooding from Hurricane Helene have caused already stressed animal control systems and animal shelters to depend more on volunteers who can shelter animals in their own homes.
The request for additional staff arose from a group of animal shelter volunteers that had brought their concerns to the Macon County Board of Health.
“They pointed out a number of things of concern to the members of the Board of Health and so we asked the staff to do a complete dive into the operation, look at all the items that were brought up and look at in general where we are, where we’re going, what changes we’ve seen in the animal control effort that we’ve had in the last five or six years or so,” Board of Health Chairman Jerry Hermanson told commissioners during their Dec. 10 meeting.
Commissioners did not vote on a request for additional staffing at their December meeting but instead suggested that a complete overhaul of animal control may be necessary.
Macon still accepting applications for county manager
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
After previous County Manager Derek Roland announced his resignation in September, Macon County decided to appoint Warren Cabe as interim county manager until June 30. Cabe previously worked for the county as emergency services director.
During its January meeting, Chairman Josh Young asked for an update on the recruitment for the next permanent county manager.
According to Human Resources Director Tammy Keezer, the county has received six applications for the position, three of which match the requirements as outlined in the job posting.
“We posted the position with NC Works, on our social media platforms, Indeed, some other job posting sites,” said Keezer. “We’ve got the six applications, three of which are qualified; they have all been given a letter saying and acknowledging receipt of their application and that we’ve
currently appointed an interim until June 30, so that they probably will not hear from us until the beginning of the fiscal year.”
The county has not set an official deadline for when it will stop accepting applications.
Commissioner Danny Antoine suggested the end of February to stop taking applications, but Commissioner Barry Breeden said a later date, like March or April, might be more fitting since the county has its interim until June 30.
Commissioner Gary Shields asked Cabe if he had applied for the position, and Cabe said that he had.
“If he’s one of the six and we decided we
did not want to go further and we wanted to hire him, do we have to [do interviews]?” asked Breeden.
Young said that the county does need to put together an interview team and interview all qualified applications in order to validate the position.
“Whether Mr. Cabe gets it, or he doesn’t, counties do that,” said Young. “What I’m asking right now is if the board wants to go ahead and put a committee together to perform interviews and maybe by the next meeting we can come with names and maybe a five- or six-member interview team.”
The board did not vote on a deadline to close the application.
File photo
Trump urges full federal recognition for Lumbee
Eastern band continues its opposition
BY KYLE PERROTTI
N EWS E DITOR
After over a century since receiving recognition from the state of North Carolina as an Indian Tribe, the Lumbee appear to be on the cusp of full federal recognition.
The news came last week when President Donald Trump signed a memorandum declaring that it’s federal policy to support full recognition and benefits for the Lumbee while also directing the Secretary of the Interior to assist the Lumbee in that effort.
The memo makes good on a promise Trump made back in September of last year on the campaign trail.
“Today, I’m officially announcing that, if I am elected in November, I will sign legislation granting the great Lumbee Tribe federal recognition that it deserves,” he said then.
North Carolina recognized the Lumbee as a tribe in 1885 and the United States provided a partial recognition in 1956. Since then, the Lumbee have ardently sought full federal recognition; however, The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has opposed that effort at every turn.
full federal benefits to the tribe.
In his statement, Hicks also addresses the Lumbee’s claims of being a tribal nation head on.
“The Lumbees have a history of shifting claims, including claiming Cherokee ancestry and other historical tribes,” he said in the statement. “Experts have repeatedly found that their claims cannot be verified through historical or genealogical evidence. Any process for evaluating Lumbee’s claims must be rooted in objective standards and a thorough, evidence-based review. Self-identification and sincere belief in Indian ancestry, while meaningful on a personal level, cannot mean tribal nationhood and sovereignty.”
Ultimately, Hicks urges the Department of the Interior to ensure that due diligence is given when considering the Lumbees’ arguments for federal recognition. Shortly after Hicks put out his statement, tribal leadership — including the office of the Chief, office of the Vice Chief and Tribal Council — put out a similar statement that spoke directly to enrolled members. That statement says that while the fight against Lumbee recognition has gone on for decades, the Eastern Band won’t give up.
“Self-identification and sincere belief in Indian ancestry, while meaningful on a personal level, cannot mean tribal nationhood and sovereignty.”
EBCI Principal Chief Michell Hicks
In a statement, Principal Chief Michell Hicks echoed so much of what he’s said before when arguing against Lumbee recognition. In that statement, Hicks notes that federal recognition is a serious thing with “far-reaching consequences.”
Hicks further stated that Trump’s order to the Secretary of the Interior does not in itself provide recognition, nor does it override the process the Eastern Band has frequently claimed the Lumbee should go through to secure recognition. While those who support recognition for the Lumbee want to see that happen through an act of congress, EBCI leadership has always argued that recognition must come through the Office of Federal Acknowledgement’s process, which applies a more rigorous standard.
Last year, Sen. Thom Tillis, a staunch ally of the Lumbee who maintains an icy relationship with the Eastern Band, introduced the Lumbee Fairness act, which would amend the current Lumbee Act to provide
fight, but it is far from over and much work remains to be done. We will always work and fight on your behalf, but your voice matters too and your involvement can make an enormous impact,” that statement reads.
The statement encourages members to reach out to elected state and federal representatives.
“Let them know how harmful it is when groups with no historical or cultural foundation, like the Lumbee, seek federal recognition,” the statement reads. “Many decisionmakers and members of the public don’t understand the importance of sovereignty, or the harm caused by false claims. Use your voice to set the record straight. Federal recognition is the result of centuries of perseverance, sacrifice and survival.”
“We’ve weathered challenges before, and we’ve always come out stronger. This will be no different,” the statement continues.
“We’re here, united, and we’ll continue fighting for our people and our future.”
File photo
Lack of accountability haunts charitable hurricane relief efforts
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
After Hurricane Helene completed its devastating march from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Smoky Mountains, the struggles of disaster survivors — from environmental devastation and bureaucratic hurdles to inadequate recovery support — have exposed a broken cycle of aid and accountability, where truth and trust become enveloped in a murky ethical mist that consists, at least partially, of exploitative promises made worse by false premises and finger-pointing. Such has been the case in Haywood County, a hotbed of storm-related misinformation that’s donned a veneer of legitimacy thanks to the misguided efforts of one embattled elected official.
When Gary Carr first heard about a housing opportunity in Haywood County, he thought it was heavensent. But once he arrived, he described it as being closer to hell.
On the day before Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast, Carr says he was living in a camper nestled along
the banks of the Nolichucky River at the Kinser Park Campground in Greeneville, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. Their house had burned down two weeks prior so they were already in a bad situation, but when raging floodwaters began to inundate the campground, they left with little more than the clothes on their backs.
They were fortunate. The campground was destroyed. Upriver, the Nolichucky blasted through an industrial park in Erwin home to BWXT Nuclear Fuel Services, one of just two locations in the United States licensed to store and process highly enriched uranium used on Navy aircraft carriers and submarines. Company officials said the site incurred only minor impacts, but other businesses in the park weren’t as lucky. At Impact Plastics, 11 workers were swept away. Five were rescued.
“We couldn’t save anything even if we wanted to, because there was chemicals all over everything down the river,” Carr said.
Carr and his wife are both partially disabled. Although he’d been working part-time, the flood took away that job. With what little money they had and no immediate assistance available, they posted up in hotels for a few days until Carr made contact with a friend who told him about a church that would bring a camper to Haywood County for him and his family.
By mid-November, Carr and his family made their first trip to a 131-acre parcel off Orion Davis Road in Balsam that used to be known as Weeping Cherry Stables but had subsequently undergone a rebrand to Haven on the Hill. They soon began to feel something wasn’t quite right.
“We were shocked, but we were hopeful because of the way they talk to you when you first get there. They give you stuff, so you’re thinking that everything’s going to be okay, and they promise things, and it definitely changes,” Carr said. “Two weeks later, it was way different.”
Haven on the Hill had most recently been a cow pasture, but at some point after the storm, the property’s longtime resident, James Lunsford, began allowing people to camp out there as it turned into an unofficial donation hub for those who wanted to deliver essentials like campers, food, generators, propane and water to storm-stricken residents of Haywood County.
Lunsford’s been lauded by television and print reporters who promoted his GoFundMe donation link without mentioning his history of run-ins with local and federal authorities.
Animal rescue groups in November 2019 alleged cruelty at Weeping Cherry Stables, presenting photographs and witnesses suggesting Lunsford had mistreated more than a dozen animals in his F
Haywood County resident James Lunsford has been operating a distribution/donation hub and campground since shortly after Hurricane Helene. Cory Vaillancourt photo
care. As reported by The Smoky Mountain News, Lunsford denied the allegations, but in April 2021 he pleaded no contest to one count of animal cruelty, a Class 1 misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of up to 120 days in jail. Because Lunsford entered a PJC (Prayer for Judgement Continued), he was allowed to remain free unless he violated another law — any law — within 12 months.
Lunsford apparently completed the supervisory period satisfactorily, but federal charges stemming from incidents right around that time call his compliance into question.
On June 4, 2024, Lunsford was indicted by a federal grand jury on six felony charges related to illegal firearms transactions. Allegedly, between April 2021 and Feb. 8, 2024, Lunsford knowingly made false statements to a now-closed gun store in Murphy, Smoky Mountain Shooters Supply, asserting that he was the actual buyer of several weapons when in reality he was “acquiring the firearm on behalf of another individual,” according to the indictment.
Lunsford, who is not a federally licensed firearms dealer, was also accused of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms and ammunition, and of selling and delivering a revolver to someone who was not a licensed firearms dealer. Lunsford was arrested and given a conditional release on $25,000 unsecured bond, although the specific conditions of his release are still under seal.
The indictment called for Lunsford to forfeit items alleged to be related to the violations, including 21 pistols, 15 shotguns, 13 rifles, 10 revolvers and a small amount of ammunition.
Four of the counts carry a maximum sentence of five years each, up to three years supervision and a $250,000 fine. Two of the counts call for a maximum sentence of 10 years, up to three years supervision and a $250,000 fine. Lunsford pleaded not guilty to all of them and has requested a jury trial.
The docket shows multiple continuances issued in the case since last June, with nothing of substance yet taking place but another hearing scheduled in Asheville for March 3.
According to Carr, promises made by Lunsford and his helpers, including basics like stabilizing the camper and providing water, went unfulfilled for weeks. His family’s donated camper turned out to be damaged, Carr said, forcing them to relocate to another.
Even then, Carr says he observed more troubling irregularities at the camp, which housed approximately 40 to 50 campers of varying size. Despite being marketed as a refuge for hurricane victims, only three or four residents, by Carr’s estimation, had actually suffered losses from the disaster. Some had shown up empty-handed. Others brought their own campers. All were living off donations meant for flood victims, which were being hoarded, misappropriated or sometimes sold, Carr claims.
“One of the ladies that lives with [Lunsford] said that they were going to chop off my hand if I ever if I ever touch their gas without giving him $15 to put in his pock-
et,” Carr said. “There are people donating gas and propane. They’re donating food. Everyone’s donating clothes. Everyone thinks they’re coming there to donate for flood victims, but they’re not.”
Lunsford says that’s not true. He estimates 80% of the 100 or so people at Haven on the Hill are flood victims and said he’s never charged anyone for anything.
“Not a dime,” said Lunsford, who claims Carr isn’t even a flood victim and had stolen donated items from the farm. “That was more of the lies he was spreading. Gary Carr is nothing but a liar, and anybody that wants to believe him — I ain’t being mean, but I ain’t gonna waste my time on him. I don’t ever want to see the man again, or his wife.”
The GoFundMe set up for Haven on the
I was out there almost every day at the beginning because I was actually helping.”
Initially, Carr claims, there was only one portable toilet.
There were at least four more when The Smoky Mountain News visited Haven on the Hill on Dec. 26; however, Carr said they’re only emptied once every two weeks. Best practices dictate that for every 20 people using a portable toilet, it should be emptied at least every four days. Around 100 people on the property were likely using the five toilets multiple times per day.
A small rivulet that flows into Richland Creek, which runs straight through downtown Frog Level, bisects the farm.
Bradish said that Lunsford came to county offices the week of Jan. 6 and applied for a
lence by other residents and staff, including one individual Carr equated to the “superintendent” of the farm — “A guy from Georgia that walks around with a .357 and flaunts it and scares the crap out of people.” This made others reluctant to speak out on conditions at Haven on the Hill like he had, Carr said.
“When everyone was coming to donate, I said, ‘Hey, you know, not everyone here lost everything,’” he said.
Carr claims he even told a Haywood County commissioner that he believed substantial fraud was occurring at Haven on the Hill and should be investigated. That commissioner, Carr said, was Terry Ramey.
There are others who can back up his claims about conditions at Haven on the Hill, but they’re not talking, said Carr.
Hill has raised more than $82,000 as of Jan. 25, but Lunsford’s also getting another piece of the action, per Carr. While occupants on the back pasture have to endure the din of gas-powered generators running day and night, those who were able to pay Lunsford $250 a month were moved to the front pasture, near his house, where they would be connected to electricity and water.
Haywood County Development Services Director Garron Bradish said that county employees initially visited Haven on the Hill but not the front parcel where Lunsford is allegedly running electric to campers. Any arrangement would require the work be performed by licensed professionals with appropriate county permits.
Residents of the farm also had problems with basic sanitation, says Carr. Garbage was left in open piles, attracting animals and creating a health hazard. Human waste disposal was equally unsanitary, with some residents allegedly digging holes for waste instead of using the limited facilities.
“I never saw one person moving their poop from the little container thing to the other big container that is supposed to be taken out all the time and switched out,” Carr said. “I never saw one person do it, and
permit for a septic system, meaning that the farm had not previously been operating in compliance with public health guidelines.
“Yeah, when they started this, they should have got the permit to begin with,” said Bradish.
Lunsford also applied for a permit to build a community kitchen on the property; however, as he’d already started building it and it didn’t appear to meet code, it had to be torn down and can be rebuilt after permitting is complete.
On Jan. 24, Bradish said that Lunsford had been issued a septic permit for a bath house and the kitchen but has not yet been issued a building permit for the kitchen. Lunsford’s also been issued a temporary 180-day permit for pump-and-haul waste disposal services.
After a more recent visit, Bradish said Lunsford had begun grading portions of the property to clear out more room for more campers, but had again begun work without the required permit.
As Carr learned more, he began to speak out, especially to people showing up with donations. He says his attempts to expose issues at Haven on the Hill made him a target. He reported being threatened with vio-
“They’re all afraid to come out because they have nowhere else to go,” he said.
Robert Stokely has operated a supply distribution hub in Waynesville since Oct. 3, 2024, just a few days after the hurricane.
Lunsford, Stokely said, began visiting his supply hub but attempted to hijack it by making contact with Stokley’s donors and encouraging them to donate to Haven on the Hill instead.
“He was going behind my back and getting phone numbers for the distributors and calling them up, telling them that he’s the one running the organization [Stokely’s hub] and that that’s his distribution hub,” Stokely said. “He told them all that we were shutting down.”
Stokely verified his claim by providing a text exchange between him and a relief organization called the United Cajun Navy, which had been helping Stokely but stopped at the behest of Lunsford.
“Once the Cajun Navy found out what was going on, they said, ‘Well, we’re going to quit sending things to him and just start sending it back to y’all,’” said Stokely. “So they confirmed what we thought was going on the whole time.”
Lunsford claims he’d brought the first load of supplies to Stokely and that Stokely had accused Lunsford of stealing donations when in reality Lunsford was bringing Stokely donations.
“Robert Stokely, I don’t understand his stories, but if people want to get out here and investigate for the papers, they need to get out here and investigate by helping the people instead of investigating these bullshit stories about this group accusing this and this group accusing that,” Lunsford said.
On the east side of Orion Davis Road, dozens of neighboring homes are doubtless impacted by the recent increase in population and traffic to and from Haven on the Hill. Records from the Haywood County Sheriff’s office indicate 73 calls for service on Orion Davis Road or Weeping Cherry Drive from Oct. 1, 2024 through Jan. 7, 2025.
They include civil and domestic disturbances, discharging a firearm, property damage, suspicious persons, trespassing, welfare checks and traffic stops resulting in at least
An estimated 40 to 50 campers currently dot Lunsford’s property. Cory Vaillancourt photo
one arrest. While not all of the calls can be directly attributed to residents of the farm, deputies had performed nearly three dozen extra patrols on Orion Davis Road beginning in early December and continuing through the new year.
For the same three-month period during the previous year, there were only 12 calls for service and no extra patrols.
“I feel bad for the people that have lived there for decades,” Carr said. “It’s an eyesore. I mean, it’s noisy because of all the generators going, there’s just mud and obviously everyone knows what the mud is. It’s not really just mud, because you’re in a cow pasture.”
muddy conditions at the camp made extraction of the individual difficult and required substantial law enforcement resources to resolve.
was concerned about the threats and began the process of
On Dec. 15, the first day Carr and his wife spent in the hotel, Ramey showed up to distribute gift cards donated by an outside organization.
“When we saw him, we got really scared because we knew that this wasn’t good,” said Carr, who supposed a volunteer had inadvertently revealed Carr’s location to Ramey, thinking she was being helpful.
“Terry asked me who needed a gift card,” said Lorelei Garnes, the volunteer Carr referenced. “I said, ‘Well, drop one off to Gary at his hotel,’ and Terry was like, ‘Oh, wasn’t he at James Lunsford’s spot?’ And I said, ‘Yes, he left. He’s having issues there.’ And I said, ‘as a matter of fact, I need you to go to the commissioners and have [Lunsford’s camp]
confirmed both Carr’s and Garnes’ account of Ramey’s involvement.
Garnes agrees that Ramey, rather than inform commissioners about Carr’s concerns at Haven on the Hill, created a dangerous situation for everyone involved by divulging Carr’s whereabouts to Lunsford.
“So [Ramey] puts Gary’s family in harm’s way and put us in harm’s way, because now we’ve got all these people like crazy James Lunsford and all these crazies know who we are, because [Ramey] went up there and exposed it,” Garnes said.
Carr believes this escalation was directly tied to his efforts to expose what he says are the camp’s mismanagement and the misuse of donations, and that Lunsford was
leaving with his family. But he says he wasn’t allowed to take the camper.
“We thought we owned the camper,” Carr said. “They said that you have to wait three to six months for the title, because they didn’t want you to turn around and sell it.”
Lunsford denied allegations about camper titles being issued to him rather than to storm survivors.
“They can run a DMV check on me. I have a Lexus, a Toyota truck and a GMC Yukon and a lawnmower trailer,” Lunsford said.
Frustrated and with nowhere to go, Carr reached out to good Samaritans who were concerned about his safety. They helped get him into a room at Waynesville’s Oak Park Inn for a few days.
“When we left that campground, we just told people we’re gonna go house-sit. We didn’t tell anybody, not even my mom,” Carr said. “Nobody knew, because we knew we were in a dangerous situation.”
a whole white suburban filled to the brim with people parked like right in front of the door, but they were in the car. They had the windows down, telling me to stay inside for my safety. And James is yelling, threatening me.”
At 8:10 p.m. that night, a 911 call was placed by Carr’s wife from the Oak Park Inn and routed to the Waynesville Police Department, per WPD records. The comments on the call for service report simply state, “James Lunsford is there and is scaring her.”
Multiple officers quickly responded to the call, which was treated as civil disturbance/disorderly conduct. No arrests were made.
“Mr. Lunsford was advised to leave and not come back tonight,” the report reads.
“They just told me to leave so I wouldn’t choke him for stealing from people that was in need,” said Lunsford, who
“Terry Ramey literally told [Lunsford] what hotel we were
two years of service on the commission, as well as his participation in spreading lies about hurricane relief, is.
Shortly before the 2022 General Election, SMN reported that Ramey hadn’t paid his property taxes for well over a decade. When confronted about his delinquencies, Ramey threatened this reporter and denied the taxes were valid. The county tax assessor attested to their validity. After being seated on the commission, the board’s other four commissioners — like Ramey, all Republicans — issued a joint statement, telling Ramey to pay his taxes and stop threatening the media. Shortly thereafter, during a Jan. 17, 2023 Haywood Commissioners meeting, Ramey made a number of verifiably false statements regarding his tax debts, including that he set up a payment plan for his overdue taxes the previous September. He simultaneously claimed he owed no taxes. According to the tax collector and
Since Helene, there has been a substantial uptick in calls to the sheriff for service on Orion Davis Road.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
tax assessor, both statements were false.
Ramey still owes roughly $2,000, according to figures provided by the Haywood County tax collector, but his tax delinquencies weren’t the end of behaviors that for an elected official some might consider questionable. Not long after Hurricane Helene hit — and with it scads of misinformation, false statements and more outright lies — Ramey appeared in a video produced by an out-ofstate YouTube personality named John Ward.
Ward’s YouTube channel started off innocently enough about three years ago, documenting the eccentricities of Appalachia’s disappearing culture. Dozens of videos chronicle old mom-and-pop general stores, regional delicacies, octogenarian escapades of yore, antique tractors and the world’s longest yard sale.
victims of Hurricane Helene and that they wanted to set them up in a covered area at SMEC, but red tape — state building code — was getting in the way. In the video, Ward is heard to say that “… the biggest thing is, the county commissioners is going to have to vote to approve [bypassing state building codes],” which is not something commissioners have the authority to do.
“Well, it would have to be approved by the county commissioners,” Ramey incorrectly told Ward. “I’m just one of five, so it would be up to everybody to see what they wanted to do.”
During a contentious Dec. 2 commission meeting right after the Ramey video, at least one commissioner took Ramey to task for not challenging Ward’s exhortation that commissioners vote to override state law.
law … insurrection and rebellion against the constitution of the United States, perjury and violating oath of office, crimes against humanity, and domestic terrorism for refusing to allow tiny homes …”
That threat, in turn, prompted some to make vulgar, violent late-night threats against the other four commissioners as well as workers at SMEC. Ramey was subsequently stripped of his position on SMEC’s board.
“Well, I do feel bad that somebody did talk ugly,” Ward said Jan. 13. “So I did pull the video down to try to give some relief from there and to keep the problems down on that for them. So I did back off. As of right now, I don’t have any particular issues with them going on that I want to cause any more problems for them at all.”
Ward said that going forward, he’s going to focus on the original mission of his YouTube channel and that he’s going to try to promote tourism to storm-impacted regions of Western North Carolina.
That all changed nearly a month after Hurricane Helene, with a video shot in Saluda featuring Mayor Angie Morgan and discussing the toll the storm had taken on the town. Since then, Ward has shifted almost exclusively to producing storm-related videos, many of which tug at the heartstrings of generous donors by using emotional appeals centered around lies related to hurricane recovery efforts. He’s now racked up more than 3 million views on nearly 40 such videos, including the one featuring Ramey.
On Nov. 26, 2024, Ward posted a video filmed at the Smoky Mountain Events Center featuring Ramey. In the video, Ward claims that nonprofits had brought tiny homes and campers to Haywood County for
Mustang emblazoned with the words “vaccine police” on the side, along with other patriotic imagery plastered thereabouts. A prolific social media user, Key usually sticks to spreading anti-vax conspiracy theories. He has called for the execution of pharmacists who offer vaccinations. He was arrested in 2022 for failure to comply with a mask mandate in court. He asserts that drinking one’s own urine cures COVID. He’s also been known to espouse a number of ridiculous theories on a variety of other topics — the earth is flat, governments control the weather and utilize chemtrails for some nefarious purpose.
Another constant for Key is his aggressive hawking of questionable nutritional supplements, like IGF-1, which is made from deer antler velvet.
“That’s kind of what I want to do with Maggie Valley,” he said. “I don’t want to get no more fusses and arguments and having people hate on me.”
As with any good grift, the key is to get while the gettin’ is good before others, like gold miners, find out and show up looking for their own piece of the lode. The more skillful miners come in relatively early during the hurricane recovery process but others have only recently arrived to salvage the last shiny nuggets from that rich, golden
Christopher Key drives a late model Ford
In 2013, Key’s supplement company was found by an Alabama judge to have violated the Alabama Deceptive Trade Practices Act more than 260 times. He was prohibited from selling products — including IGF-1 — accompanied by what then-Attorney General Luther Strange called “unsupported and dangerous health claims” within Alabama or to Alabama consumers on the internet.
“The extreme and even absurd nature of health claims made by this company could be harmful to those who might rely on these products and believe their health needs were being met,” Strange said in a press release.
The first post on Key’s current X account is dated Nov. 4, 2024, but his first HeleneS EE ACCOUNTABILITY, PAGE 10
Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood), in a surprise appearance, told Ramey that if he couldn’t serve with the other four commissioners he should resign. Ramey denied all wrongdoing.
In a subsequent video that’s since been removed from YouTube, Ward, who needs your clicks and donations to continue his work, posted the names, phone numbers and email addresses of the other four commissioners and urged viewers to forward commissioners a threat sometimes used by so-called sovereign citizens, who believe certain laws do not apply to them.
“Call your local FBI field office and have the county officials involved arrested under citizens arrest … for felony conspiracy … felony deprivation or rights under color of
Campers are currently situated in what used to be a cow pasture. Cory Vaillancourt photo
related post came not long after that. Soon, he would set his sights on Haywood County by invitation of Ramey.
On both Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, 2024, long after the dustup during the Dec. 2 commission meeting, Key posted videos to X claiming he’d “interviewed” Ramey and that commissioners were trying to “kick him off the board” and that Ramey’s brakes had been cut. SMN was unable to locate Key’s purported interview with Ramey.
produced an affidavit holding local governments harmless. However, Key was apparently unaware of one crucial detail — the camper has to be located on one’s own flood-damaged property where the primary residence is under repair.
“If that is true, I’ll have to go back and look at it,” Key told SMN. “That is just bullshit.”
threatened. The deputy politely explained that the town had to follow the law.
The clerk politely provided Key with a copy of the policy but refused to take the bait when he accused her of acting “above the law” and alleged that she’d either been paid off or threatened.
The two videos shot in Clyde only have a few hundred views, but one repost from another account garnered nearly 250,000 views. Key also maintains a GiveSendGo fundraiser with a goal of $5,000, purportedly to build 500 tiny homes. As of Jan. 26, that fundraiser had reached $6,850, including a recent donation for $1,000. Key says he hasn’t spent any of the money yet due to problems with land acquisition.
and me,” Key told SMN on Jan. 26.
“Everything we did was in confidence. I told him that I would not release that information until he feels comfortable with that, and I haven’t had a chance to go back and talk to him about it, because he was the one that was calling me up, telling me what was going on over in Haywood.”
As with Ward, Ramey’s unfamiliarity with the law and his false assertions prompted Key to act.
“[Ramey’s] the one that called me up after they got SB 382 passed and said, ‘Christopher, they’re not going to honor this, and they’re telling people they don’t care, that they’re basically above the law, and they’re not going to let these people live in these trailers and whatnot, these houses,’” Key said.
On Dec. 20, Key visited town hall in Clyde and began haranguing a clerk, claiming the town wasn’t respecting provisions in SB 382 regarding the placement of campers. Key alleged incorrectly that the town had made a woman sleep in her car the previous night because she wasn’t allowed to sleep in a camper on someone else’s private property.
Key correctly stated that SB 382 would allow people to sleep in campers, which had previously been prohibited, so long as they
On Dec. 20, Key showed up at the Historic Haywood County Courthouse wanting to speak with Commission Chair Kevin Ensley or County Manager Bryant Morehead. Neither were available, so he took commissioners’ phone numbers from Board Clerk Amy Stevens, who described Key as “quite aggressive.”
Key did not identify himself, but instead provided Stevens with a coin listing his vaccine police website and his phone number. Key says he hasn’t released the video from that encounter yet, out of deference to Ramey.
Ramey’s connection to Lunsford, advocacy with Ward for illegal temporary dwellings and encouragement of Key’s visit to Clyde all make more sense in light of an anecdote shared by Clyde’s town administrator, Joy Garland.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, what appear to be two small sheds — provenance unknown — appeared on Ramey’s property, which lies just outside of Clyde but within the town’s extra-territorial jurisdiction.
According to Garland, Ramey approached her weeks ago, asking what he’d have to do to allow people to live in the sheds. Garland checked with the town planner and told Ramey that because of the same town policy he misunderstood and complained about to Key, his property was not eligible for such a scheme.
Rental assistance from FEMA can help people pay for accommodations until a permanent housing solution is identified; according to FEMA, the initial payment for rental assistance may be up to two months and additional funding can be requested.
sheriff’s office.
“The Town of Clyde Board and staff have worked diligently before, during and after the storm to provide flood-related communication and services to our community. In a time when we are already working tirelessly for our citizens’ benefit, the misinformation being circulated and the difficult people we’ve encountered doing so have only made our jobs more challenging,” Garland told SMN. “We encourage anyone that may have questions concerning temporary recreational vehicles or campers to come and talk with us prior to placement to ensure permits can be issued.”
Key eventually left the building, but he posted another video from the parking lot, where he encountered a sheriff’s deputy to whom he repeated claims of administrators and elected officials being paid off or
Garnes remains concerned that without the truth about people trying to profit from the misfortune of others, many of the generous donors and selfless organizations — of which there are plenty — who supported recovery efforts may not trust Western North Carolina during future disasters.
“We can’t prevent people from being evil and scumbags, but we could create strong community leaders and a good, strong disaster recovery plan,” Garnes said, while pleading for oversight of charitable organizations to ensure they’re legitimate. “Those watchdogs can be put in place in communities so that they can be exposed, that they can monitor what donation platforms are being used to educate our donors who to donate to, how to know if it’s a trustworthy source, and educate the public and streamline who they give to.”
Commissioner Terry Ramey did not respond to a message seeking comment for this story.
Haywood Commissioner Terry Ramey. File photo
Long-awaited aquatic center opens in Jackson
There are two primary pools, a six-lane competition pool with a climbing wall and a recreation pool where families and kids can play. Both pools have handicapped access.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Hopkins. “This is something that’s been talked about for the last 25-plus years. So, to have a facility of this caliber in Jackson County and Western North Carolina, it’s a dream come true for these folks.”
Maintaining regular hours of operation will be dependent on lifeguard staffing. At the Jan. 7 county commission meeting, Hopkins requested more full-time positions for the aquatic center.
“Obviously we’ve built a $20 million facility; we want to try to keep that open as much as possible,” Hopkins told commissioners. “The sustainability of trying to keep 45 part-time lifeguards around, that’s going to be extremely tough to keep that number year around, keep them happy, keep them with the hours they want.”
Hopkins said that administration has had difficult staffing not only weekends and afternoons, but also the 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. time slots.
“We do have a few retired folks, but the majority of our guards are high school and college students, and we have to work within their schedule,” Hopkins said.
Rather than taking on 45 part-time guard positions, Hopkins requested an additional five full-time positions for the aquatic center.
He told the board he would reduce the number of available part-time positions in order to keep budget expenditures the same, despite the change in staffing category.
“Basically, we’ve got as many [part-time] people as we can get, so he’s come up with an option that I would definitely support and recommend that we look at,” County Manager Kevin King told the board Jan. 7. “It’s not increasing the budget total at all for the aquatic center, but it’s increasing the amount of full-time positions versus parttime positions.”
The board approved the staffing request at its Jan. 21 meeting.
Head Lifeguard Anthony McDowell worked at the Sylva pool for three years prior to taking the head guard position at the new aquatic center.
“You can go play in the recreation pool, we have a whirlpool, we have locker rooms with saunas, we also have the gym here, so it’s a little bit of everything,” McDowell said. “People love it. They’re glad that we finally have it and it’s open and they can swim during the winter instead of having to drive a far distance.”
Maggie Ashley is board president of the Jackson County swim team. Her seven-yearold daughter Elizabeth is in her third year of competitive swimming and cut the ribbon to officially open the new pool.
“Our families and our swimmers have really been looking forward to this,” said Ashley. “We’ve worked with the rec center
Jackson County is officially open to patrons.
“Today is a momentous day for Jackson County as we gather to celebrate the grand opening of the new aquatic center,” said Parks and Recreation Director Michael Hopkins at the aquatic center’s grand opening on Saturday, Jan. 25.
While the Parks and Recreation Department held a week-long soft opening earlier this month to help train staff, and the Smoky Mountain High School swim team has had access to the new facility since mid-December, now, the aquatic center is open to all.
“It’s been probably four boards, so you’re talking eight to 10 years, a decade of work from communications, from initial concepts to getting engineering to getting plans to breaking ground and finally opening up the facility to enjoy,” said Jackson County Commission Chairman Mark Letson.
Saturday marked the official opening day with normal hours, and the facility saw over 350 visitors to the pool.
“We’ve had a lot of good feedback,” said Hopkins.
In 2020, Jackson County residents approved a referendum that allowed the county to borrow $20 million for the project. That vote was the culmination of years of planning and discussion. During a survey in a 2013 recreation master plan update, 86.4%
center even if it meant raising taxes.
“It’s a huge thanks to the citizens of Jackson County and also the support that we’ve had from the former county commissioners, county managers; it’s just a big thank you, and now you guys can take advantage of such a beautiful facility that we have in Jackson County,” Hopkins said.
The aquatic center was added to the existing Jackson County Recreation Center.
“Today is a momentous day for Jackson County as we gather to celebrate the grand opening of the new aquatic center.”
— Michael Hopkins
for years swimming at the outside Sylva pool, we’ve swum at the Western Carolina University Reid Pool, and we’re growing. And that’s really exciting to have that growth here and the sport of swimming in Jackson County, so we’re thrilled that we’ve got this beautiful new space and that we’ll have more opportunities for all of our swimmers to grow.”
The new facility will have opportunities for water volleyball, basketball, water aerobics classes and swim lessons, in addition to the swim teams for youth and adults.
The facility is open to residents of Jackson County and visitors from other counties, with membership rates varying by residency, which can be purchased as individuals or as families. There are also special rates for senior citizens, students, veterans and first responders.
Bill Davis photo
Community members gather for the aquatic center grand opening. Bill Davis photo
Patrons enjoy the leisure pool. Bill Davis photo
Local youth renew Sylva skatepark conversation
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
Residents of Jackson County have long voiced their support, organized and fundraised for a skatepark with little to show other than a temporary half-pipe that stood behind Motion Makers in Sylva for just over one year.
Now, members of the skateboarding club at Smoky Mountain High School are revitalizing the conversation around a skatepark. On Jan. 21, five high schoolers came before county commissioners to share their stories and encourage the building of a skatepark.
“I think providing a safe place for skaters in Sylva would be a much-needed service, for not only the youth, but just the people of Sylva,” said Blaze Shields, who started the Skate Club at Smoky Mountain High School during his freshman year.
In addition to the high schoolers in attendance, two Sylva Commissioners attended the county meeting to show their support for the project; Mary Gelbaugh has been a long-time supporter of a skatepark project, and now, Jon Brown, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Natalie Newman last May, has taken up the mantle.
“The Town of Sylva, we are interested in something like that being built, whether it’s in Sylva or somewhere near Sylva,” Brown said.
After organization by the Town of Sylva
and Sylva Skatepark Project, a group of residents advocating for the construction of a skatepark, in 2023 the town was able to construct a temporary skatepark that included a half-pipe with a five-foot extension, quarterpipe, two rail slides and a box.
The temporary park was located in the parking lot behind Motion Makers but had to be removed after water damage caused by flooding from Hurricane Helene. The skate
to learn how to do school,” Walker said. “Skateboarding helped me get physically active, after being homeschooled, I was always at home. Now I’m out in the community every day, doing anything from skateboarding to helping out as much as I can.”
Several of the skaters noted that while a skatepark will be popular for high school aged skaters, it will also be an important space for young children, or people of any age, who want to try and get into the sport.
“Skateboarding has really helped me get out of a lot of trouble, get me on the right track, and help me going in the right direction,” Walker said. “A skatepark will keep us in a safe space so we don’t get told to leave places and all that. We’ll have one spot to go, we can stay out of everyone’s way, have our own little area, focus on building as a community.”
equipment was never intended to be a permanent park.
Shields mentioned the success that other towns have seen with their own skateparks. He started the skate club at Smoky Mountain High School when he was a freshman, and now, as a senior, says he’s seen the sport grow and provide an outlet for people who may not be interested in mainstream sports like football, baseball or basketball.
“I think that if we build a skatepark in town, it would not only help with providing a safe space, but it would help provide an attraction for tourism,” said Shields. Skateboarding is often seen in a bad light because of its roots in anti-pop culture, how it was started, but in recent years has been proven to be a healthy means of exercise for people who don’t necessarily want to participate in team sports, like me and my friends here, or just conventional sports in general.”
Shields started skateboarding when he got to high school, as the world was coming out of quarantine following the COVID-19 Pandemic, because there wasn’t much to do. He watched as kids around him found other, less productive outlets that led them to get into trouble. But skating, Shields said, has kept him out of trouble.
“If you were to find my file at the high school, you’d see that I have ADHD, I have ADD, I have a 504 plan, and I feel like having the ability to express myself through skateboarding has helped me kind of control that and become a better student in general,” said Shields. “My freshmen year, I struggled… I started putting my energy more into something constructive; it helped me straighten my life out and now I’m able to do things like be on the hunter safety shooting team at Smoky Mountain High School, as well as participate in FFA, and those sorts of things.”
Henry Walker is also part of the skating community at the high school. He is from Florida, where he was homeschooled, and when he moved to Jackson County, just out of quarantine, he knew no one.
“I started skateboarding, and I met some of the people here and out of that I used that
One skater, Isaiah, noted that most parents aren’t going to go to a different county to let their kids go and try their hand at skating. For that reason, it would be especially beneficial to have access to a skatepark in the county.
Johnny Smith is a freshman at Smoky Mountain High School, born and raised in Jackson County, and he spoke to commissioners about the ways in which skateboarding has helped him overcome his fears.
“I know that I had a lot of fear when I first started,” said Smith. “Since then, I’ve been more daring, of course in an appropriate manner… we like to promote safety, of course. I believe having a safer environment leads to a lot less injuries. I know that when using an unconventional space, like if people try and skate on a sidewalk, there’s risk of cars or risk of accidentally hitting someone, and I know that a safe space that’s separate from each other will definitely decrease the odds.”
Ernesto Dominguez is a junior at Smoky Mountain High School. He also argued the importance of skateboarding for mental health, community and expression.
“In all my time and all the places I’ve been, from Japan, to England, and even Mexico, skateboarding has always been a thing that brings people together,” said Dominguez. “Skateboarding is something that brings people together. It is a symbol of personality and freedom to express oneself and we just want to have a place to express ourselves.”
“Blaze here introduced me to skateboarding, and Henry here gave me my first board to practice on, and through them I’ve been able to become more active, I’ve been able to do things like this, talk and just be in a healthier space of mind,” Dominguez continued. “Of course it won’t just magically heal me, but it helps. You can look and find hundreds of stories just like mine where people who have been in dark spaces in their life can find freedom to talk to others and find something new to do in skating.”
Commissioner Chairman Mark Letson thanked the skateboarders for showing up, noting that it takes a lot for five high schoolers to come before the board of commissioners and speak.
“It’s intimidating, even though it shouldn’t be, but it is, great job,” said Letson.
The temporary half-pipe is no longer there for skaters to use. Hannah McLeod photo
WCU kicks
off $100 million ‘Fill the Western Sky’ fundraising campaign
Western Carolina University officially kicked off the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in the university’s 136-year history, an effort to secure $100 million in philanthropic support with a focus on increasing the financial resources necessary for long-delayed upgrades in facilities used by Catamount student-athletes.
Christened the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign, the historic initiative was launched publicly Jan. 23.
WCU Chancellor Kelli R. Brown initially unveiled her plans for a comprehensive fundraising campaign shortly after her arrival in 2019, prioritizing seeking philanthropic support for enhancements to the overall student experience, including academics, athletics and community and global engagement.
The early years of the campaign, known as the leadership phase, focused on obtaining gifts of six figures and above to ensure that the overall goals and priorities of the campaign could be met. University leaders set an initial campaign target of $75 million, a goal that has already been surpassed, with much of that support directed toward the university’s academic excellence and student engagement initiatives.
4,000 donors, we’ve raised nearly $90 million through the ‘Fill the Western Sky’ campaign,” she said. “These gifts have brought to life many of the dreams we hold for your students and your academic programs. But this campaign is about more than numbers. It’s about making bold
significant emphasis on support for the athletics program. The “Creating Extraordinary Opportunities” initiative during the tenure of former Chancellor John W. Bardo focused on raising funds for endowed professorships, while the “Lead the Way” campaign under former Chancellor David O. Belcher sought contributions for endowed scholarships.
While the initial leadership phase of the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign focused on
are expected to demonstrate good character, strong academic record, dedication to community service, and leadership qualities. Additional eligibility requirements can be found on the application. Applications are available through high school guidance counselors, community center officers and at wnccommunities.org/scholarship.
For questions, please reach out to the scholarship coordinator at gailparker@wnccommunities.org or 828.252.4783.
Students impacted by Helene invited to apply for disaster relief scholarship
During the public phase of the campaign, the emphasis now turns toward obtaining funding to complete overdue improvements to athletics facilities and increasing membership in the Catamount Club athletics booster organization, Brown said.
“Thanks to the generosity of more than
WCU’s successful fundraising campaign will allow for largescale improvements to the university’s athletic facilities. Donated photo
choices to invest in the future. Today, we stand at a defining moment. It’s time to turn our focus to the future of Catamount athletics.”
Only the third comprehensive fundraising campaign in WCU history, the “Fill the Western Sky” initiative is the first with a
NCDOT awards scholarships to future transportation leaders
The N.C. Department of Transportation announced the distribution of more than $50,000 in scholarships to 21 students as part of the 2025 NCDOT Office of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions Transportation Scholarship Program.
The Office of HBCU Outreach is dedicated to empowering the next generation of transportation leaders by offering $2,500 scholarships to students at North Carolina’s HBCUs and MSIs who are pursuing careers in transportation. One student also received a $700 scholarship from Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, also known as SASHTO.
To qualify, students must be enrolled at one of the 11 HBCUs or three MSIs in North Carolina, have completed at least 24 credit hours and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.
The application period ran through October and November, allowing eligible students to apply.
A selection committee, consisting of NCDOT and HBCU/MSI partners, reviewed applications based on personal essays, financial need, academic performance and recommendations. This comprehensive selection process ensures recipients are
obtaining gifts of six figures and above, the public phase seeks contributions in any amount.
For more information or to make a contribution to the campaign, visit westernsky.wcu.edu, call 828.227.7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.
academically strong and dedicated to making a meaningful contribution to the transportation industry.
Eligible students are also encouraged to explore internships, fellowships and permanent positions with NCDOT.
Anyone interested in applying for the 2025-26 scholarship program should visit NCDOT’s HBCU/MSI Transportation Scholarship web page next fall or winter when the state agency posts a link to apply online.
George H.V. Cecil Journey Scholarship opens
WNC Communities has opened this year’s application cycle for George H.V. Cecil Journey Scholarship.
From now until March 17, qualifying high school seniors may apply for one of several scholarships available, ranging from $1,250 to $2,500. Scholarships are renewable for up to four years. Scholarship applicants must live or participate in a community that is active in the WNC Honors Awards Program managed by WNC Communities. Students must have their application signed by an officer from one of the community clubs listed in the application to be eligible. Extra consideration is given to applicants who have previous involvement with their community center. All applicants
Students from Western North Carolina whose ability to pay for higher education was impacted by Hurricane Helene can now apply for the North Carolina Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholarship.
The scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students from 29 western North Carolina counties attending two- or four-year colleges and universities. There is no cost to apply. Students can apply online using NCCF’s Universal Scholarships Application, which matches information about the student with criteria for approximately 130 NCCF scholarships.
After the initial award, the scholarship is renewable for up to three years for students who remain enrolled at their college or university.
To be eligible, students must have financial need, and live in one of the following counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey.
Detailed instructions about how to apply are available at nccommunityfoundation.org/scholarships. The deadline for 2025 applications is March 3 at 11:59 p.m.
Pisgah student named NC nominee for U.S. Presidential Scholar Program
Lance Francoeur, a senior at Pisgah High School, has been honored as one of North Carolina’s U.S. Presidential Scholars Nominees for the 2024-25 academic year. This prestigious recognition, established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, celebrates outstanding high school seniors who demonstrate exceptional scholarship, leadership and perseverance.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students, with over 8,000 students recognized since its inception. Scholars are selected based on their academic achievements, leadership qualities, community involvement and personal character. Francoeur was selected as one of only 20 students from the state in the General Education category.
The program evaluates candidates across several criteria, including SAT and ACT scores, academic rigor, leadership abilities, writing skills and commitment to service. In addition to these accomplishments, Francoeur impressed evaluators with his academic excellence and leadership characteristics including achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.
The Presidential Scholars Program also recognizes students excelling in Career and Technical Education (CTE). Nominees in both categories undergo a rigorous evaluation process and can move forward to apply for the national competition.
Francoeur joins a legacy of distinguished scholars who exemplify the highest ideals of academic and personal achievement.
Support shelter staff and animals in Macon County
This is my response to an article in The Franklin Press following the December 10 meeting.
The actions of John Shearl at the Dec. 10 Macon County Commission meeting opposing the hiring of a kennel attendant and chastising current staff at the Macon County Animal Shelter at best reflect ignorance and at worst reflect obstructionism and grandstanding.
I am a local veterinarian who has donated thousands of dollars of goods and services and who is at the facility working every week. I started helping because I was moved by how hard the staff and community volunteers worked to help the animals in the face of little institutional support. My attitude is always to be part of a solution rather than to simply heap criticism from afar. This letter comes after effort on my part to meet privately with Mr. Shearl to understand his position and after much prayer.
At the Dec. 10 meeting, Mr. Shearl makes the comment: “If they can’t enact their authority, why should we want to hire another person?”
This is in reference to complaints from constituents about an unconfined dog on Lake Emory Road. The reality of this situation is that officers had no authority to do anything except issue a citation as the dog was on the owners’ property.
Now, all lines are blurred
To the Editor:
I was judged rather harshly for a letter, by no less than six people in three newspapers, for doubting the average American voter's capacity to distinguish fact from fiction, truth from falsehoods. The results of the 2024 election, I believe, proved me correct.
The final count revealed that 2,241,300 (plus) North Carolinians voted for a candidate for governor who self-described as a "Black Nazi," who promoted returning to a time of slavery and when women were not allowed to vote.
Democracy only thrives and endures in a well-informed citizenry; otherwise, it withers, rots, and eventually dies. We're trapped in an epidemic of ignorance, the winning half of the electorate having rejected factual reality. That's how it's worked for every dictator around the world who has managed to dismantle democracy by creating his own disinformation domain. It seems that reporting lies (no matter how preposterous) works.
There was a time in America when it was commonly accepted that the rule of law was good, racism and misogyny were bad; that telling the truth was good, lying was bad. An unmistakable division existed between right and wrong. Both major parties respected rules of law, peaceful transfer of power, traditional democratic values; a plotted, armed coup attempt on our Capitol — unthinkable. Now all lines are blurred.
Over the last five decades we've actually altered the meaning of the English language. We've invented excuses for bad behavior and convinced ourselves that's acceptable. Before anyone realized something was terribly amiss, Trump was president and Rudy Guiliani felt risk-free to blurt: “There is no such thing as the truth.” Without truth there can be no
Dogs are considered property and to confiscate the animal without due process would be stealing.
Does Mr. Shearl expect the staff of Macon County Animal Services to break the law simply because he is receiving calls? Resolution of this situation occurred because of the decency, dedication and efforts of the employees involved. They did more than meet the expectation of their employment. They continued to work with the pet owner and convinced her to voluntarily relinquish the animal. Happily, the dog was rehomed.
Mr. Shearl was further quoted as saying he has “deep respect” for animal services staff. Perhaps this respect would have been better demonstrated by an accurate portrayal of the circumstances rather than a public accusation of lack of job performance which is not supported by the facts. I find myself wondering how staff can continue to function in the face of so much unfair criticism.
As a business owner for 25 years, I ask how this criticism relates to staffing needs. There are four employees hired to
LETTERS
trust — without trust there can be no society. To destroy a civilization you have simply to neutralize the guiding principles that made it a civilization. Accomplish that and its citizens are vulnerable to any tyrant or dictator who happens by. Trump has proven better at crushing democracy than our institutions are at preserving it. I fear we've created the power to destroy ourselves absent the wisdom to ensure we don't.
Making far more difficult the task of keeping our republic viable, the ethically compromised Justice John Robert's Supreme Court has liberated us from constitutional law, not because of science or precedent but because they had the power to do it. Their false judgments ensure we'll be ruled by billionaires who regard themselves as superior beings, dismissive of both their fellow humans and the earth itself, men who will never allow ethical principles to get in the way of their finan-
fulfill all the needs of an animal control department which, according to Health Department Officer Jimmy Villiard, handled nearly 1,400 animals last year. Employee numbers are simply inadequate. If an individual’s job performance was in question — which it is not — that might indicate need for remediation. It does not change the number of employees required to adequately staff. This organization could not function without the hundreds of hours of volunteer help that is freely given. I will add that the young people who are employed at MCAS are some of the finest I have ever met. They do so much more than just their jobs.
A tragedy occurred recently which might have been mitigated by having adequate trained staff. This is an acute need, funding is already available and the position needs to be filled. This needs to be done now, not in the spring as proposed by Chairman Josh Young. Mr. Shearl’s suggestion of divesting animal control from the county to the private sector is not a near-term solution, if it is tenable at all. The current humane organizations simply do not have the capacity. Please join me at the Macon County Commission meeting in February to support the staff and volunteers who are actively working to help animals and residents of Macon County.
seam, history will record how far America fell, probably proving John Adams correct: “Democracy never lasts long. There never was a democracy that did not commit suicide.”
Nothing justifies a vote for Donald Trump — nothing. No single vote for Trump is anything other than an abandonment of character, honor and patriotism. Not a single one. The incoming Trump administration will define our nation for decades, possibly for all time.
David L. Snell Franklin
Are we safer after the pardons?
To the Editor:
In January 2021, Daniel Rodriques travelled to Washington, D.C., to take part in a gathering of supporters of the incoming president of the United States. On Jan. 5 he sent a message to a group called Patriots 45 MAGA Gang, which read “There will be blood,” and another stating “Welcome to the Revolution.”
cial principals.
When America's obituary is written, and Trump's impeachments, trials and his democracy-destroying criminality rehashed ad-nau-
On Jan. 6 Rodriquez joined in the storming of the Capitol by various disparate groups and individuals wherein he attacked Officer Michael Fanone, tasing him in the neck and rendering him unconscious. Later he sent more messages to his gang bragging about attacking a police officer.
In January 2023, Rodriquez was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for his crime of “inflicting bodily injury on officers using a deadly and/or dangerous weapon” among others.
In January 2025, less than 24 hours after taking office, Daniel Rodriquez, one of many
violent offenders, was pardoned of his crimes and released from prison by President Trump.
We should not be surprised by the pardons of these criminals as this was a promise made during the campaign, but we should ask ourselves if it makes the streets safer, another promise made by the candidate, now president.
Margaret Pickett Highlands
Democracy’s guardrails are coming off
To the Editor:
Democracy thrives on rules that balance power and protect freedom. But recent actions by this new administration are tearing down those "guardrails," putting our democracy in real danger. Checks and balances are vanishing. The executive branch grabs power, sidelining Congress and courts. One branch is testing the limits, another is bought out, and the third is cowering under threats of billionaire-funded primaries.
Transparency is gone. Oversight is blocked, whistleblowers silenced and crucial information buried. Corruption festers in the shadows. Worse, appointees are being rubberstamped without proper vetting or security clearances. Meanwhile, Congress and the Senate seem more focused on keeping their perks than doing their jobs.
This isn’t about parties — it’s about protecting the America that we love. If we stay silent, this damage could last for generations. We must demand accountability, honesty, and leaders who respect democratic values. Democracy only works if we fight for it. Let’s stand up before it’s too late.
Constance L. Neely
Scaly Mountain
Guest Columnist
Joanne M. Roesner
Cup of compassion
Concert to aid Zuma Coffee following Helene
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
When Hurricane Helene roared through Western North Carolina last fall, the storm ravaged and decimated several small mountain towns. One of the most devastated communities was Marshall (population 777) in the rural landscape of Madison County.
Located at the corner of North Main Street and Baileys Branch Road in downtown Marshall, Zuma Coffee was one numerous businesses taken out by the floodwaters of the nearby French Broad River, with the wall of water estimated to have been over 27 feet high.
Founded by Joel Friedman in 2001, Zuma is cherished as this beacon of connectivity, compassion and culture within Marshall, all atop its world-renowned status as a bluegrass bastion for its weekly jam sessions. To note, a special fundraising concert will be held on Jan. 31 at the Grey Eagle Music Hall in Asheville.
“It’s the generosity of the people. It’s the beauty of the area,” Friedman reflected on the shop in a 2023 interview with The Smoky Mountain News. “And it’s the sense of accomplishment of bringing this sort of thing to a community, watching it grow and thrive.”
Talking to SMN, local singer-songwriters Ashley Heath, Hannah Kaminer and Pierce Edens spoke about not only the upcoming fundraiser for Zuma they’ll all be taking the stage for, but also just what makes that coffee shop such a special place in the hearts of all who cross its threshold.
Smoky Mountain News: Give me a sense of not only of what Zuma Coffee means to you, but also what that place means to locals and visitors alike?
Ashley Heath: Zuma was my very first job in 2006. I worked for Joel when I was just graduating from Madison High School and also when I moved back home after graduating college. Working at Zuma’s — and also growing up in Marshall — everyone is a big family and knows everyone. But, Zuma, in particular, allowed me to meet many of the iconic figures in music in
our area and know them on a personal level when I was a teenager. I would be working the nights of these jams and would sneak out from behind the bar and sing a few songs with everyone.
The community there raised me and took me under their wing and always encouraged me to get up there and sing. I feel very lucky to have been placed in such an encouraging and inspiring place, especially as a young musician.
Hannah Kaminer: Zuma is a pillar of the Marshall community and also a place where magic can happen. One time I played a “Songwriters in the Round” gig there and met [bluegrass legend] Bobby Hicks and a long-lost relative who happens to live
“We have a brilliant and inspiring community here. It has deep roots. Not only did I see a wealth of spirit, but also a wealth of willingness to do whatever was necessary.”
— Pierce Edens
in Madison County — all at the same gig.
Pierce Edens: Joel was one of the first people to take a standing interest in Marshall. Downtown had sort of been passed over in the decades before. The courthouse was still there. The daily grind of keeping community living was still going on for the local folks.
He gave them something us all something we actually wanted. A cup of coffee and friendly face. It really brought back a reason to go downtown.
SMN: Beyond the devastation of the flood itself, what’s been your biggest takeaway from your experience — what you saw, heard, felt, etc. — now that you’ve been able to reflect on everything?
AH: Through the devastation and destruction I’ve seen and been through in the last few months, communities have been there for each other preparing hubs for food, resources, clothes and raising money for those in need. I also learned that storms are going to come through and what’s important is that we gather together and repair the best we can.
HK: We’re all a lot stronger and a lot more fragile than we realize. I want to spend more of my time nurturing my relationships with people and less time worrying about where I’m going in life.
Who knows what will happen or where we will all be tomorrow? But, we can work to take care of each other in this moment — today — even if we are strangers.
PE: We have a brilliant and inspiring community here. It has deep roots. Not only did I see a wealth of spirit, but also a wealth of willingness to do whatever was necessary. None of us had a job. We all took what job was necessary. I’ve never been prouder to be part of something.
SMN: This fundraiser is one of countless events around our area aimed at helping and rebuilding local businesses. What does that say about the spirit and character of folks here in Western North Carolina?
Ashley Heath. File photo
HOT
PICKS
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
Ode to a beautiful soul, ode to the unknowns of tomorrow
esterday was a rough one. Real rough. She moved out the last of her things from my apartment, formerly “our apartment.” She’d already signed a lease for a new spot across town. And she seemed genuinely excited to see what this next chapter of her life will look like in the coming weeks, months and years.
A pain in my heart emerged knowing this was the final thing we had to do together before we each began to walk on our separate, respective paths in life. We want to still remain friends and will most likely do so. I love her too much to not have her in my life moving forward, a sentiment also shared by her, each of us saying that exact thing to each other in parting.
In truth, we were really good for each other. There was a true and honest love between us, something felt on that very first date almost two years ago at the 5 Walnut Wine Bar in downtown Asheville. We ended up going on a date every day that initial week. We simply liked spending time together and still enjoy each other’s company, regardless of what place we hold in our existence.
Even in the brutal demise our relationship, we sincerely do not hate the other person. That love established between us remains steadfast and solid. We’re soulmates. And she’ll eternally be a true love of mine in my time on this earth. I remember even saying yesterday, “The craziest part of all this, is that I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. I love you, and I always will.”
The downfall of us came at the hands of life itself. Those daily stressors of nonstop work, trying to balance relationships, unresolved childhood/young adulthood trauma, deeply-held grief and so forth, all of which leading to severe bouts of depression, anxiety, resentment and sadness, where our connection became strained and heavy.
By this past Christmas, it was clear to us that we needed to slow the train down, take a break and recalibrate our hopes and dreams apart from each other. Although I was originally opposed to the idea and extremely distraught at the thought of her walking out of my life, I soon came to realize I needed to let her go, for the sake of not only her needs and such, but also for my own sanity and mental health.
She and I needed to take a step aside and really, truly look at ourselves in the mirror. Is this where we wanted to be? Is this who we wanted to be with? Yes, we wanted to be with one another. But, this current trajectory of sorrow and sadness wouldn’t be sustainable in maintaining the healthy, stable rela-
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Legendary rock-n-roll artist Alice Cooper will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center.
tionship we both desired.
So, she left. And I started therapy, something I should’ve done years ago. And in these last four weeks of online sessions, I’ve come to really bring a lot of my whirlwind life (past and present) into the spotlight, to further examine just where it is I stand and where it is I want to ultimately go. She’s also on the same journey. And I wish her all the best. I just want her to be happy. I want to leave things on good terms and remain friends and soulmates. I want peace.
Thus, yesterday she pulled up to my apartment and started filling up boxes she acquired from the local liquor store. Trinkets from her childhood. Framed photos of friends and family. Endless makeup products and body care items, where now my bathroom feels extremely empty. Scented candles. Beloved dog-eared books. Jars of honey and other spices from the small kitchen we once shared, but never really cooked in as much as we wanted to together.
And then there were the memories, these moments we spent together now symbolized by certain things we started discovering around the apartment that she wanted to carry away with her or merely leave for me to own, honor and cherish.
That empty wine bottle from that wonderful day we spent at the Biltmore Estate that I’ve never seemed to want to throw away. Concerts tickets and backstage passes from all those shows I brought her to across the country — Maine to Montana, Utah to Florida, Texas to New York. T-shirts with names of bands we loved or small trinkets from locations of places we felt needed to be remember with the purchase of the souvenir.
Then, there were the tears. While helping her pack up the boxes, we’d occasionally bump into each other or reach for the other from time-to-time, our eyes finally connecting. Both sides of the interaction began to well up with deep emotion, even with not a single word being uttered between us. We
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Showcasing some of the finest live Latin jazz/soul music, “Cool Jazz: Featuring Alfredo Rodriguez” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
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There will be a special artisan open studio event to be held from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
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A stage production of “An Iliad” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31, Feb. 1 and 2 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
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Featuring works from faculty artisans at Western Carolina University, the 2025 School of Art & Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition will be displayed through May 2 in the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.
just knew the other’s story (every story pretty much), with the time shared together something we’d never let go of, not matter the distance apart.
With the last of her stuff filling up her friend’s truck, she slowly began to say goodbye to me. We hugged and held each other tightly. No hate or resentment, just pure love between two vibrant souls wandering this universe in our own time and place. I didn’t want her to leave, but I knew she had places to go.
I’ll never regret our relationship. I just wish hindsight wasn’t 20/20 when it comes to bettering yourself and each other, before it’s too late to see what needs to be done to be happy, to both be happy and growing into our best selves in this wacky world. I told her I loved her and she reciprocated my truthful words back to me.
Who knows what the future holds, eh? That’s the craziest part about life itself. You just never know where it’ll take you. Maybe someday we’ll circle back and find each other once again, maybe it’ll happen in the next lifetime. I remain optimistic of the future ahead.
Nonetheless, as I watched her go, I thought of this quote I heard in passing the other day while I was on the road, on assignment in the depths of Nashville: “It is what it is. It was what it was. It ain’t what it ain’t.”
Stepping off the front porch, she began to walk down the sidewalk towards the jampacked truck, but not before I yelled to her. She turned and looked at me. I blew her a kiss and smiled. She did the same, soon jumping into the truck and driving away, myself standing there in the doorway, now alone and wondering what comes next.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
ICE FEST
Garret K. Woodward photo
On the beat
Showcasing some of the finest live Latin jazz/soul music, “Cool Jazz: Featuring Alfredo Rodriguez” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
HART presents ‘Cool Jazz’
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host “Open Mic Night” w/Frank Lee every Thursday and Frank Lee (Americana/oldtime) Jan. 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• American Legion Post 47 (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” 3 p.m. every Tuesday. Free and open to the public. 828.456.8691.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8-10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 / balsamfallsbrewing.com.
ALSO:
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Paul Koptak (singersongwriter) Feb. 8. All shows begin at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host We Have Ignition Feb. 1 and King Garbage Feb. 8. All shows are located in The Gem downstairs taproom and begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 / boojumbrewing.com.
• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every first Thursday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.307.2160 / breadheadstikishak.com.
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Marc & Anita Pruett (Americana/bluegrass) 5 p.m. Feb. 2. For tickets and reservations, go to cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-events/livemusic.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host “Open Mic Night” 6 p.m. Feb. 14. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host “Team Trivia” Mondays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 / curraheebrew.com.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Fireside at The Farm” sessions on select weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m.
• First United Methodist Church (Franklin) Mountain Voices Community Chorus, a 55Voice chorus, begins rehearsals on Feb. 3 for our summer concerts. New members welcome. We meet weekly on Monday nights at 6:30 at First United Methodist Church in Franklin. 828-524-3644.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday and The Jugs Jan. 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Alice Cooper (classic rock) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1 and The Red Clay Strays (Americana/rock) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8. For tickets, go to caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” 6-9 p.m. every Thursday ($5 cover), “Bluegrass Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Sunday (free) and the “Salon Series” on select dates. 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
• Highlands Performing Arts Center will host “Warm Up With Cabin Fever” featuring Zack Couron & Matt Walden w/Josh Grove (acoustic/ folk) 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8 (admission is $15). 828.526.9047 / highlandsperformingarts.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic w/Phil” on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.586.9678/ innovation-brewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” on Wednesdays and semi-
An internationally renowned artist, Rodriguez is often praised for his ability to “tell a story” through his music. He’s performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert and has been praised by All Things Considered, Downbeat, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal among many others.
Tickets start at $16 per person with seating upgrades available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit harttheatre.org/cool-jazz.
regular live music on the weekends. All events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.226.0262 / innovation-brewing.com.
• Junction Pub (Sylva) will host “Open Jam” on Sundays, “Marg Monday Karaoke” on Mondays, “Trivia” on Tuesdays, “Open Mic” on Thursdays, Bughouse w/Socially Constricted Jan. 31 and ONYX Feb. 1. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.370.2090 / facebook.com/jctpub.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Sam Underwood (singer-songwriter) Feb. 1, Scott Stambaugh (singer-songwriter) Feb. 7 and Delphine & The Oracles (blues/jazz) Feb. 8. 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, Sam Underwood (singer-songwriter) Jan. 31 and Grizzly Mammoth (rock/funk) Feb. 7. 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. every Wednesday, 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.
• Listening Room (Franklin) will host Chuck Brodsky (singer-songwriter) 2:30 p.m. Feb. 2. Suggested donation $20. Located at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
• 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.
• 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.
• Otto Community Center (Otto) will host James Thompson (Americana) 4 p.m. Feb. 3. Bring a beverage and snack of your choice. Free and open to the public. 770.335.0967 / go2ottonc.com.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host The Atlanta Crawdaddies (jazz/blues) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 and Atlanta Jazz Quartet (jazz/soul) 2:30 p.m. Feb. 9. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
• Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro (Dillsboro) will host Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.586.1717 / facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Karaoke 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Trivia Night 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Michael Kitchens (singer-songwriter) Jan. 31. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host J.R. Williams (singer-songwriter) Jan. 30 and Tricia Ann Band (rock/country) Feb. 7. 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 Adam & Joe Jan. 31, Delphine & The Oracles (blues/jazz) Feb. 1 and Gregg Erwin (singer-songwriter) Feb. 2. All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” w/Juan (R&B/soul) Jan. 30 and David Cheatham (Americana/folk) Feb. 6. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host TNT Jan. 30, Blackwater Station Feb. 1, Karaoke w/Lori Feb. 6 (free), Johnnie Blackwell Band Feb. 7 and Mile High Band Feb. 8. All shows are $5 at the door unless otherwise noted and begin at 8 p.m. 828.538.2488 / unpluggedpub.com.
• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts
Alfredo Rodriguez will play Waynesville Jan. 30. File photo
AH: Musicians and artists are some of the first to be called when disaster strikes. The benefit shows are not only to raise money, but to raise our community spirit. Bring people together. Share memories and make more together. And create some sense of normalcy.
It’s important for everyone to know they’re not alone in this. I feel really grateful to be amongst a community who appreciates the significance of the arts and how much we need expression for our livelihood.
HK: Concerts like this remind me of
what we have. I think this is the mountain spirit, [where] we seem fiercely independent here in Western North Carolina, but it’s not individualism.
And our music scene is built around open mics and jams and potlucks, not just performances and shows. Those are communal experiences. Playing music together to help a venue rebuild is really encouraging to me — emotionally and spiritually we are depleted and need each other in order to rebuild.
PE: We’re building back our community — one brick at a time. Getting together has always been a part of the “how we do that.” Music has always been woven into that fabric. Clearly, we need it. So, playing tunes seems as necessary as mold remediation.
On the beat
Want to go?
A special intimate drive-in performance by rock icons moe. will be hosted by The Grey Eagle at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.
The show is all ages. Gates open at 6 p.m. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to www.thegreyeagle.com and go to the “Calendar” tab
Harrah’s Cherokee welcomes Alice Cooper
Legendary rock-n-roll artist Alice Cooper will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center.
Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors.
He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horrorthemed theatrics that Cooper’s best known for.
Tickets start at $63.45 per person. For a full schedule of events and/or to buy tickets, caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
Alice Cooper will play Cherokee Feb. 1. File photo
Hannah Kaminer. File photo
Blow the tannery whistle
BY GARY CARDEN · S PECIAL TO SMN
Wid Medford, bear hunter
Back in the late 1880s, two remarkable men, Wilbur Zeigler and Ben Grosscup, visited Western North Carolina for the express purpose of developing a comprehensive profile of the region’s resources.
The subsequent book, “The Heart of the Alleghenies or Western North Carolina” does contain an amazing catalog of trees, minerals, birds, animals and topography complete with detailed information regarding each item. However, readers quickly discovered that the gathering of factual data is merely a means to an end. Wilbur and Ben are sportsmen and nature lovers. Equally surprising is their fortitude. They fish, hunt, scale peaks and sketch with a zest and energy that quickly gains them the respect of local hunters who have spent their lives in the wilderness.
The book Is filled with descriptive detail, both written and etched: Nantahala Gorge, trout streams in the Balsams, dying bears beset by hounds and the ramparts of what would become known as the Great Smokies. It is an impressive and rare book.
The most memorable portraits are of people. Zeigler and Grosscup have a genuine admiration for the inhabitants of the region and go to considerable pains to reproduce the character and language of hunters, fisherman, housewives and farmers. Fascinated by the nuances of speech, they carefully reproduce the rhythms and annunciation of Cherokees, bear hunters and merchants. Invariably, the results have a strange musical beauty.
taineer who had been reared in the wilderness. The two men sought him out and found him to be a gifted mimic, a shrewd judge of character and an accomplished talker. He could hunt, too!
The subsequent venture into the Balsams amid a snow storm and freezing temperatures for the singular purpose of finding the
Clingman over every peak from hyar to the South Caroliny and Georgy lines? Say?”
The night Is just beginning and Wid weaves a tale that keeps his audience spellbound, recounting a series of hair-raising adventures as the temperature begins to drop and snowflakes drift in the firelight. The following passage is a prime example of Wid Medford at his most eloquent:
“Hit war a hot summer day. We — thet is, Bill Massey who’s almost blind now, Bill Allen who gin up huntin’ long ye’rs ago, my brother El, me and sev’ral others — we started a bar on the Jackson County line nigh Scotts Creek in the mornin’. We driv till arter-noon, an’ in the chase I got below hyar.
You don’t reckon I faint, do you? Women faint. I fell dead! You see, all the blood in me jumped over my heart, an’ ov course hit finished me for a time … but the boys and dogs com on me a second arter. Bill Allen cut my veins, an’ in a short time I com around, but I war sick for a week … Hit (the bear) lay dead by the branch, staubed clean through the heart.”
As colorful as Wid’s adventures are, the details of Zeigler and Grosscup’s bear hunt the following day surpass all expectations. As the party crashes through ice-bound streams and laurel thickets, the authors describe scenes of amazing beauty … and horror.
“Whenever I talk of facts,” he says,” you can count on them as true as scripture.”
The hunting party and an assortment of hounds take their places before a roaring fire in an isolated cove in the Balsams and listen.
Shortly after arriving in Waynesville, the two men made inquiries about local residents who had an exceptional knowledge of the region and would be willing to take them into the Balsams, despite adverse weather (it was winter). Everyone assured them that there was only one man who could do that: Israel Medford, nicknamed Wid. Considered a master hunter and a “singular character,” he was one of the vanishing species of moun-
Here, a direct quote from a lengthy chapter, in mountain vernacular:
“What I don’t know about these mountings,” said he, directing his keen blue eyes upon one member of the group, “haint of enny profit to man or devil. Why, I’ve fit bars from the Dark Ridge kentry to the headwaters of the French Broad. I’ve brouged it through every briar patch an’ laurel thicket, an haint I bin with Guyot, Sandoz, Grand Pierre and
war clean played out with the heat and the long run … I fetched my gun to my shoul’er an’ fired. The brute never stopped but I knowed I’d hit him, fer I hed dead sight on his head; an’ like blockade whiskey, a ball outer thet black bore allus goes to the spot. I dropped my gun an pulled my knife. On he com. He didn’t pay no more tenshun to me then ef I’d bin a rock. I drew back a step an’ as he brashed by me, I bent over him, grabbin the ha’r o’ his neck with one hand, an’ staubed him deep in the side with the knife in the other. Thet is all I knowed for hours.”
“Did you faint?” someone asked.
“Faint?” sneered Wid, sticking out his square chin and showing his teeth. “You ass!
Ice-wreathed trees, flocks of great wild turkeys, towering oaks that measure 16 to 30 feet in diameter, and the gory demise of a cornered bruin. The bloodshed attending the giant Bears last stand is daunting. Amid the mangled, dead and dying dogs, hugged to death by the dying beast, the Bears finally killed and the authors, somewhat sobered by the violence of the last encounter, ask Wid if it would not be better to trap bears.
“Traps is good fer ‘em ez hunts rabbits, an’ rabbit huntin’ is good fer boys; but fer me, give me my old flint-lock shootin’ iron, an’ let a keen pack o’ lean hounds be hoppin’ on ahead; an’ of al;l sports, the master sport is follerin’ their music over the mountings, an’ windin’ up, with bullet or sticker, a varminous ole bar!”
At one point in this lengthy narrative, the authors ask Wid about his life. They diplomatically suggest that “his way” is passing and wonder if he had his life to do over, knowing what he knows now, would it be different. What would he do? Wid’s answer could well serve as his epitaph.
“I’d git me a neat woman, an’ go to the wildest kentry in creation, an’ hunt from the time I was big nuff to tote a rifle-gun ontil ole age an’ roomaticks fastened on me.”
Well said, Wid.
Gary Carden is one of Southern Appalachia’s most revered literary figures and has won a number of significant awards for his books and plays over the years, including the Book of the Year Award from the Appalachian Writers Association in 2001, the Brown Hudson Award for Folklore in 2006 and the North Carolina Arts Council Award for Literature in 2012. His most recent book, “Stories I lived to tell,” is available at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, or online through uncpress.org.
Folkmoot artisan open studio
The Folkmoot center is located in Waynesville. File photo
There will be a special artisan open studio event from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
For the second annual Groundhog Day celebration, themed costumes are welcome and encouraged. Prizes will be given for the worst costumes, with judging based purely on favoritism. Light refreshments will be served. The public is invited to this one-of-akind observance in Waynesville.
Landscape artist Richard Baker has hosted this creative event in the past at his studio and attributes it to helping to end the doldrums of winter.
“Groundhog Day is a great day to get together,” Baker said, “And collectively hope for an early spring. Plus, it will be an opportunity to see some first-rate artwork from the talented artists at the Folkmoot studios right in the heart of Waynesville’s Hazelwood community.”
Artists work in the mediums of oil, textiles, glass, mixed media and more. In addition, Folkmoot’s center houses nonprofit groups and a number of businesses focused on health and wellness.
For more information, contact Baker at 828.234.1616 or at richardbakersstudio@gmail.com.
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, go to wncpaint.events.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece. The materials for art works are supplied and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share with each other. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host an adult arts and crafts program at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Ages 16 and up. Space is limited to 10 participants. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. For a full list of classes, go to cre828.com. dawn@cre828.com / 828.283.0523.
• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. galleryzella.com / 517.881.0959.
WCU faculty art showcase
Featuring works from faculty artisans at Western Carolina University, the 2025 School of Art & Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition will be displayed through May 2 in the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.
Outside of the classroom, faculty members in the School of Art & Design are active artists and scholars that make significant contributions to the arts. The exhibition provides students and the community with an opportunity to view recent works created by distinguished faculty members whose primary research output is studio-based.
The museum’s hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and until 7 p.m. on Thursday.
For more information, visit wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center.
SATURDAY
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. haywoodarts.org.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. jcgep.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/swain-center.
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. dogwoodcrafters.com/classes / 828.586.2248.
• 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 is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of one’s skills. They welcome photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular arts and crafts workshops. coweeschool.org/events.
The WCU faculty art showcase is currently underway. File photo
On the stage
HART presents ‘An Iliad’
Feb. 2 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
A modern retelling of Homer’s epic of the Trojan War, “An Iliad” features Quinn Terry in the demanding and compelling role of The Poet, a timeless storyteller who weaves together ancient battles and contemporary insights.
The production also showcases original music composed and performed live by Aaron Ybarra, accompanied by five Muses to help bring this epic tale to life. These Muses — played by Naimah Coleman, James McColl, Gina Purri, Jered Shults, and Michelle Troszak — transform into key figures from the Trojan War, heightening the immersive and dynamic nature of the performance.
“This production celebrates the incredible artform of storytelling by breathing new life into one of the greatest epics ever written,” said HART Artistic Director Candice Dickinson. “It’s a visceral, thought-provoking experience that invites audiences to engage with the raw emotions and timeless themes of The Iliad in a uniquely modern way.”
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit harttheatre.org or call the box office at 828.456.6322.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host legendary comedian Ron White at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31. For tickets, go to caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. harttheatre.org / 828.456.6322.
• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends.
On the table
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have its wine bar open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host semi-regular tap-takeovers from local and regional breweries on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. waynesvillewine.com.
mountaintheatre.com / 828.526.9047.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. smokymountainarts.com / 866.273.4615.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. thepeacocknc.org / 828.389.ARTS.
• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. 828.538.0420.
• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held 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.
‘Iliad’ will be at HART on select dates. Donated photo
Becoming aware of ‘emotional neglect’
I’ve always been a fan of psychology, especially when it comes in the form of selfhelp. Many times I have found answers I didn’t know I was looking for, or solutions that were far simpler than I expected. And what feels like such slight changes breed far greater, better outcomes than I would have guessed.
Hence the title. She uses the analogy of us as a tank and the fuel is emotion. If we are not raised in a home where emotions are expressed and validated (but not given the power to control you), then as adults, we either repress emotions, ignore them or do not understand them. Moreover, we do not have the tools our parents should’ve given us to refill our tank, leaving us feeling drained, empty and broken.
to cultivate a mindset of blame. While parents may not have done everything right, it does no good to resent them for it. Healing can only take place when you leave that behind and address the hurt that was inflicted. And in more serious situations, boundaries may need to be set up, but forgiveness can still exist there too.
Dr. Jonice Webb has written a guide I believe so many people could benefit from called “Running on Empty” (Morgan James Publishing; First Edition, 2012, 250 pages).
A practicing clinical psychologist for over 20 years, Dr. Webb began seeing a trend in many of her patients. They were struggling with various problems: depression, poor selfimage, emptiness, loneliness and even suicidal thoughts. The odd thing was that many of them didn’t have any sort of obvious or extreme trauma that would be the cause.
In fact, most of them even said themselves, “I don’t know why I’m like this, I came from a good family.” From there she started realizing that for many people, it’s not about what happened to them as children, but about what didn’t happen. This underlying trend is a very hidden, subtle factor called “emotional neglect.”
Dr. Webb explains how “neglect” is a term that is typically used in situations where children are not being provided basic physical necessities. In the emotional realm, it can be a lot harder to pinpoint. Part of the reason being that the parents can be well-intentioned and even good parents. But, they simply are not perfect and sometimes aspects of child-rearing get overlooked or not prioritized. The result is an adult who did not receive all the guidance and nurture that was needed.
Dr. Webb outlines 12 different types of parenting that tend to cause “emotional neglect.” Some of them are on opposite ends: the authoritarian parent and the permissive one. Others are more extreme, like the narcissist or the sociopath. Some are parents
who are struggling emotionally themselves: widower, a divorcee or a caretaker. Some parents have mixes of different traits but either way, reading all of them provides a much better understanding of where the parent is coming from and how “emotional neglect” comes to be.
One thing I really appreciate about Dr. Webb’s approach is that she does not want
“Emotional neglect” shows up in a range of symptoms: feelings of unworthiness, disconnection, counter-dependence, unrealistic self-appraisal, poor self-discipline, struggles to nurture and care for oneself, and more. In this guide, Dr. Webb very clearly identifies and explains these symptoms, showing the negative effects they have on the other realms of life. Most importantly though, she doesn’t just name the problem. She gives practical advice and tips for repairing the damage of “emotional neglect” and improving the habitual, unhealthy behaviors and mindsets that get formed over time.
Perhaps you read the first couple chapters and don’t think it applies to you, and for many people it may not. I still would suggest giving it a read as chances are, there’s someone you’re close to who does struggle with some of these things and this book provides great strategies for helping them overcome it, or even to just understand someone suffering from “emotional neglect.”
Moreover, I think this book is very important for parents or aspiring ones. Catching these patterns in your own life and fixing them will break the cycle of “emotional neglect.” Even if you’ve been a parent for a long time, it’s never too late to reflect on your own parenting methods and improve them. Maybe you even see yourself as one of the unhealthy parent types and your kids are mostly grown. You being on the same page and improving it can deepen your relationships with your adult children and help them heal.
But most of all, for anyone feeling dissatisfied, unworthy, alone or disconnected in their life, I highly recommend this book. It is a calm, loving guide to examining the wounds, be they great or small, that may have occurred in childhood. Dr. Webb not only explains the psychological concepts incredibly well, her hands-on strategies for healing make change feel attainable and inspires confidence to embrace what will help one flourish.
(Anna Barren is a teacher and book lover. annab4376@gmail.com.)
mander be listed as an endangered species. A public comment period on the listing proposal is open through Feb. 11.
Data supporting the proposal was gathered prior to Hurricane Helene, which wildlife biologists believe had a devastating impact on hellbender populations in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee, home to some of the healthiest across its range. Though many of the park’s streams are too high in the watershed to provide the volume of water hellbenders need to thrive, the Smokies, which escaped the worst of the hurricane’s fury, still hosts some robust hellbender populations. Given the damage Helene wreaked in neighboring communities, Smokies streams, which are supplied by clean water flowing down from the park’s highest peaks, have become even more critical to the species’ survival.
ples from streams thought to contain hellbenders. The process is similar to eDNA, itself a new technique that researchers have been using for several years to identify individuals of a particular species in a given sample. However, while DNA reveals the genetic material that separates one individual from another, RNA goes a step further to show which genes are expressed. By analyzing eRNA, researchers hope to screen samples for specific gene expressions — such as those found only during the hellbender’s larval stage, like tail fins and external gills.
“Through this method, we’ll be able to collect a water sample and say, ‘Yes, there’s larvae in the stream,’ or ‘No, there isn’t,’” Cox said. “It should hopefully be a really good management tool for conservation, and not just in the park.”
A researcher measures the length of a captured eastern hellbender. It is one of three giant salamander species in the world. José Garrido photo, courtesy of Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy.
If Cox and Apodaca are successful in their use of eRNA, wildlife agencies across the country could benefit from the techniques they develop — as would the hellbenders under their care. At the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, wildlife biologist Lori Williams said that she and one technician are the agency’s only two employees tasked with working on mountain amphibian populations in Western North Carolina.
“I’m all for any technique that we can scale up to make our work more efficient and reveal meaningful information about hellbender populations,” she said.
Currently, the best way to survey for hellbenders is to search for them while snorkeling in the cold water, said Chris Ogle, biodiversity survey manager for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. It’s a difficult and labor-intensive process, and muchsmaller juvenile hellbenders are especially difficult to spot during these surveys. The emerging eRNA technique could prove helpful in those efforts.
weighing NPS operations like building a new trail or road and bring more intense conservation actions onto the table, like translocations and reintroductions,” Cox said.
decade,” Cox said. “Some subject matter experts think they may no longer be over there.”
The project will also take a close look at the Deep Creek area, home to a known population of hellbenders. Anecdotal evidence from the 2010s suggested that activities such as trampling, rock stacking and damming — all associated with tubing, a popular activity on Deep Creek — might be resulting in death or loss of limbs for hellbenders; researchers will attempt to find out if that’s the case.
“Science is always progressing with new and updated features that allow you to do things more passively, which is a great thing for efficiency but also because every time we put hands on the animal, that’s putting stress on the animal as well,” Ogle said. “A lot of times, that’s the only way to monitor how their populations are doing.”
The Smokies project will seek to answer other hellbender-related questions as well, analyzing the DNA of captured animals to determine their genetic lineage and ascertain whether some populations are becoming isolated, leading to genetic bottlenecking and inbreeding.
If we know that those streams’ populations are experiencing reduced genetic diversity from geographic isolation, that might change our decision-making when
He’s particularly interested in the state of hellbender genetics near Fontana Dam, which cuts off the natural flow of streams leaving the park’s southwestern side. Hellbenders aren’t known to travel far during their lives — according to the USFWS, the average home range is between 322 and 23,810 square feet, smaller than half a football field — and dams are thought to be impenetrable barriers to the species’ natural dispersal.
“The last record we have of hellbenders on that side of the park is from 2015 or 2016, so we don’t actually know that they’ve been in any of those streams over the last
“When you see a hellbender, it’s hard to believe that an animal like that exists,” Apodaca said. “But it fits so well into the Southern Appalachians and really represents the region. It’s a good mascot for how ancient these mountains are and how special that biodiversity is.”
But that biodiversity is under threat, as the listing proposal indicates and Helene’s aftermath highlights. Many hellbenders died in the flood, and others passed away later, after their attempts to escape the roiling floodwaters left them stranded without the moisture they needed to survive. Cox is worried that a future flood could flush the park’s hellbenders too far downstream for them to return, leading to extirpation in parts of the Smokies.
It’s unknown how hellbenders fared in Cataloochee, Big Creek and Raven Fork, the areas of the park that endured the worst damage from Helene. These areas would appear to hold quality hellbender habitat but have no known populations. Some have undergone eDNA surveys but came up negative. The upcoming study will give Cox a more solid baseline to compare against any future floods or other events that shift Smokies hellbender populations.
When completed, the study will join a growing body of research from dedicated scientists looking for ways to better monitor hellbender populations, improve their habitat and help them reproduce successfully. Despite the challenges facing the species, this gathering constellation of data leaves Cox optimistic.
“I think there’s a lot to be hopeful with on hellbenders,” he said. “There’s so much good research being done, so I think the future is bright in that sense. With all of this research, I think we’ll be able to make a big difference.”
(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 hollyk@smokieslife.org. To learn more about the hellbender listing proposal or comment by February 11, search docket number FWS–R3–ES–2024–0152 on regulations.gov.)
Jonathan Cox (left), wetlands biology technician for the park, looks in astonishment at an eastern hellbender captured while monitoring populations in Pisgah National Forest. Ben Dalton photo, provided by N CWRC
Haywood opens summer camp survey
Anyone interested in enrolling their child in summer camp in Haywood County should take part in the Waynesville Parks & Recreation Department’s survey. The survey is intended to let leaders know how best to meet people’s needs, including camp scheduling, class size and more. The survey is open at surveymonkey.com/r/KNPPQD9 until Feb. 14.
Jackson County seeks lifeguards
The new Jackson County Aquatics Center is hiring five full-time lifeguards. Employees are entitled to full benefits other Jackson County employees receive Those interested in being part of the team can apply at governmentjobs.com/careers/jacksoncounty(nc)/jobs/4800628/lifeguard.
Conservation Fund protects WNC woodlands
The Conservation Fund announced that a critical property in the Great Balsam Mountains is protected as forest and natural land. The approximately 3,850-acre Balsam Gap property connects to 770,000 acres of previously conserved lands, and continues a 25-year legacy of federal, state and private investment to protect over 12,000 acres of working forest, wildlife habitat, watersheds and recreation land in the region.
ber jobs, sustain vital habitat and migration corridors for wildlife, and protect water quality from multiple headwaters. Nature-based recreation and tourism are significant drivers of the local economy, supporting thousands of jobs and generating almost $400 million in annual revenue for Jackson and Haywood counties alone. Taking steps to support and sustain that economic activity is especially important following the devastation Hurricane Helene brought to the region.
The area around Balsam Gap is especially important in the longterm effort by The Conservation Fund and other organizations to protect land bordering the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the National Park Service’s most visited sites attracting millions of visitors each year. The property shares almost four miles of boundary with the Blue Ridge Parkway and protects spectacular views along a 17-mile stretch of the Parkway, including five scenic overlooks.
In addition to preserving the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway, conserving this property will add to the wealth of recreation opportunities in the area, support local tourism and tim-
The property is now protected by two easements. Mainspring Conservation Trust helped make this conservation success possible by agreeing to hold and steward a 1,147-acre easement that expands an existing no-cut buffer adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway. A second 2,703-acre working forest easement, held by the State of North Carolina, will be stewarded by the North Carolina Forest Service. The properties will become a key portion of 55,000 acres of protected land in the Great Balsam Mountains.
Funding for this project comes the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, Mainspring Conservation Trust, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and private donors. This project builds upon a 2002 U.S. Forest Legacy Program project.
File photo
Cradle of Forestry and partners execute critical repairs
The Cradle of Forestry in America and the U.S. Forest Service (Pisgah Ranger District) announced a collaboration with the Conservative Anabaptist Service Program (CASP) to complete deferred maintenance and Hurricane Helene-related repairs at the historic Cradle of Forestry site. This initiative is the latest chapter in a partnership between the Cradle of Forestry
and CASP that spans over 15 years. CASP, a faith-based volunteer program of Conservative Anabaptist communities, provides alternative places of employment for conscientious objectors to serve, should the U.S. government activate a military draft. This partnership provides skilled labor, such as carpenters and masons to assist with maintenance and construction projects. Work will commence in February and is expected to span approximately one month, during which time CASP volunteers will be housed on-site at the Cradle of Forestry.
The work planned for February includes repairing damage caused by Hurricane
Helene, addressing infrastructure needs, and improving facilities to ensure the site’s continued accessibility and safety for visitors. Some of the projects for 2025 include: repairing the boardwalks along the Pink Beds trail and throughout the Cradle campus, rebuilding the log loader and corresponding viewing deck, pouring concrete for curb repairs and more. CASP volunteers will work closely with FIND Outdoors and U.S. Forest Service staff to complete these essential projects.
For more information about the Cradle of Forestry, visit gofindoutdoors.org/cradleof-forestry.
Cooperative extension offers hay for farmers
County Cooperative Extension Office to speak with a livestock agent.
can point them in the right direction.
The Haywood County Cooperative Extension office can be reached at 828.456.3575.
Cat Classic returns to Cataloochee Ski Area
The call has gone out for snowboarders to submit their best clips for the Cat Classic, which offers cash prizes for the best videos across different divisions.
Videos should be filmed between Jan. 1 and March 1.
On March 15, a special event will be held to announce awards and prizes. A screening of a full video will also be held that night.
To submit footage of snowboarding at Cataloochee Ski Area for the Cat Classic, you can email it to thecatclassic@gmail.com or post it to Instagram with the tag @CatClassic.
SNOW REPORT
File photo
Anyone in need of hay is encouraged to call the Haywood County Cooperative Extension. File photo
Market PLACE WNC
Legals
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
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, LLC is seeking bids for upcoming 2025 FRRCSI Grant projects. Materials to be delivered as follows: 474 tons sub-ballast crusher run (ABC) stone delivered as needed 3-1-25 thru 6-30-25. 688 tons Railroad Ballast delivered as needed 3-1-25 thru 6-3025. All materials delivered to GSMR rail yard at 973 Haywood Road, Dillsboro, NC 28725. Materials to be delivered as follows: 2838 tons Railroad Ballast delivered as needed 2-1-25 thru 12-31-25. All materials delivered to GSMR at Nantahala, Bryson City, NC 28713. Evaluation Criteria: Partial bids for materials are accepted and may be awarded. This is a formal sealed bidding process. Bids must comply with domestic steel and
(Certs must be supplied to GSMR by vendor) WBE/MBE participation is highly encouraged. Projects will be awarded at GSMR’s sole discretion to the supplier of suppliers whose proposal offers the best value. GSMR reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Your proposal is due no later than 3pm deadline on Thursday, February 6, 2025. Formal Public Bid Opening Date: Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 3:00PM. Submit proposals to: Great Smoky Mtns RR. Attn: Kim Albritton. PO Box 1490 225 Everett Street, Bryson City NC 28713. 828-488-7008
kimalbritton@gsmr.com
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF Jackson
File No: 24 SP 159
NOTICE OF SALE
TAKE NOTICE THAT:
William Richard Boyd, Jr., Substitute Trustee, has begun proceedings to FORECLOSE under the Deed of Trust described below, and under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in such Deed of Trust, and an Order entered by the Clerk of Superior Court of the above County, will sell the below described property at public auction as follows:
1. The instrument pursuant to which such sale will be held is that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jody L. Rhinehart, Single, original mortgagor(s),
County Bank (“Noteholder”) and recorded in the
County Register of Deeds in Deed of Trust Book 1802, at Page 792 (the “Deed of Trust”). The record owner of such prop-
records of the Register of Deeds not more than ten (10) days prior to posting this Notice of Sale, if not the original mortgagors, is: N/A
2. The property will be sold by the Substitute Trustee at 10:00 a.m. on January 30, 2025 at the Jackson County Courthouse door in the City of Sylva, North Carolina.
3. The real property to be sold is generally described as 3.56 ac Crawford Cove Road,
0.36 ac Crawford Cove Road, Lots 4, 6, 7 Artist View, and TR A off Brooks Branch, Sylva, NC * and is more particularly described as follows (the “Property”):
Being all of that property described in that certain Deed of Trust recorded in Book 1802 , at Page 792 of the Jackson County, North Carolina Registry. Any Property described in the Deed of Trust which is not being offered for sale is described as follows: Subject to any and all Release Deeds of Record in the Jackson County, North Carolina Registry.
*The general description of the Property is provided for convenience but is not guaranteed; the legal description in the Deed of Trust controls .
4. Any buildings located on the above-described Property are also included in the sale.
5. The Property will be sold by the Substitute
Trustee to the highest bidder for CASH . The highest bidder will be required to deposit IN CASH with the Substitute Trustee at the date and time of the sale the
(5.0%) of the amount of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty and no/100 Dollars ($750.00).
6. The Property is being sold “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Substitute Trustee, Noteholder, nor attorneys, employees, or authorized agents or representatives of either Substitute Trustee or Noteholder make any warranty relating to title, possession, quiet enjoyment, or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the Property and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way related to such conditions are expressly disclaimed. The
Noteholder has reserved the right to withdraw the sale up to and until the deed is delivered by the Substitute Trustee.
7. The Property will be sold subject to all unpaid taxes and special assessments.
8. The Property being sold is all of that Property described in the Deed ofly set forth above. It is the intention to extinguish any and all rights or interests in the Property subordinate to the Deed of Trust.
9. An order for possession of the Property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the County in which the Property is sold.
10. Additional Notice
Where the Property is Residential with Less Than 15 Rental Units, including single-family residential real property: Any person who occupies the Property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the Notice of Sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.
11. Pursuant to North Carolina General Statues Section 45-21.8, the sale of the Property may be made by whole or by tract in the discretion of the Substitute Trustee. Further, the Substitute Trustee may offer for sale any and all personal property as permitted by the Deed of Trust in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes Sections 25-9-604, 25-9-610, and 25-9-611, in whole, as individual
items, or together with the Property as the Substitute Trustee determines is appropriate in the Substitute Trustee’s sole discretion. This notice is intended to comply with the requirements of North Carolina General Statutes Sections 25-9-607 and 25-9-613 providing for the disposition of personal property in connection with a foreclosure of real property. Mortgagor is entitled to and may request an accounting of the unpaid indebtedness secured by the Deed of Trust.
12. Any successful bidder shall be required to tender the remaining balance of the successful bid amount in cash or the Substitute Trustee tenders to such bidder, or attempts to deliver to such bidder, a deed for the Property. Should such successful bidder fail to pay the full balance of the successful bid at that time, that bidder shall remain liable on the bid as provided by North Carolina General Statutes Section 45-21.30.
13. The purchaser of the Property shall pay the Clerk’s Commissions in the amount of $0.45 per $100.00 of the purchase price (up to a maximum of $500.00), required by Section 7A-308(a) (1) of the North Carolina General Statutes. If the purchaser of the Property is someone other than the Deed of Trust, the purchaser shall also pay, to the extent applicable, the land transfer tax in the amount of one percent (1.0%) of the purchase price.
14. If the Substitute Trustee is unable to convey title to the Property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are of a bankruptcy petition of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the Substitute Trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in its sole discretion, if it
ANSWERS ON PAGE 26
believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.
15. The Property is being sold subject to all prior and superior: (i) deeds of trust, (ii) liens, (iii) unpaid taxes, (iv) restrictions, (v) easements, (vi) assessments, (vii) leases, and (viii) other matters, if any, which, as a matter of law, survive the foreclosure of the Deed of Trust, provided that the inclusion of this clause in this Notice of Substitute Trustee’s Sale of Real Estate shall not be deemed to validate or otherwise effect to any such matter or other right which, as a matter of law, does not survive the foreclosure of the Deed of Trust.
16. Any person who occupies the Property pursuor tenancy may have additional rights pursuant to the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act.
17. This is a communication from a debt collector. The purpose of this communication is to collect a debt and any
information obtained will be used for that purpose, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection. If you are under the protection of the Bankruptcy Court or have been discharged as a result of bankruptcy proceedings, this notice if given to you pursuant to statutory requirement and for informational purposes and is not intended as an attempt to collect a debt or as an act to collect, assess, or recover all or any portion of the debt from you personally.
Dates: January 22, 2025 and January 29, 2025 15508-10
NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION
To: Matthew Richards, Plaintiff and Respondent
Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against action 18CVD004925-
SUDOKU
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
100 in the State of North Carolina, County of Buncombe. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Motion for Emergency Child Custody, Motion to Transfer Venue, and a Motion to Modify a Permanent Child Custody Order.
You are required to make defense to such pleadings no later than the court date of March 17th, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought.
This the 27th day of January 2025.
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000013-490
Terence Robert Hooper,
Executor of the Estate of Martha Coward Ward of Jackson County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Apr 22 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to
said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor Estate of Martha Coward
705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779
Announcements
GOT UNWANTED CAR?
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Auction
BUTTERMILK FARMS
ANTIQUES & AUCTION
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Lost & Found
LOST CAT Lost in Tatham Mountain Park, off Hwy 441 across from Dollar General. Male, 3 years old, neutered, orange & white. Answers to James. $100 reward for safe return. Please call Jane anytime, day or night. Miss my baby! (941) 248-4392
Medical
ATTENTION OXYGEN
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Pets
“WORKING CATS”
Asheville Humane Society has young cats available who are best suited to life in a barn/farm, warehouse, etc. Vaccinated and spayed/neutered. (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ashevillehumane.org
CATTLEDOG/HEELER TYPE MIX, BLACK &GRAY—HILDA Spunky 4 yr-old girl; loves toys, hiking, learning commands. Prefer as only dog in household. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ ashevillehumane.org
Rentals
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Construction/ Remodeling
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Home Improvement
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This and That
FOR SALE: 2001
HONDA VT600C Ideal for parts or a restoration project. The bike is not currently running but has a clean title, intact body and 15k+ miles. Includes original parts, with minor cosmetic wear. Perfect for mechanics or enthusiasts looking for a project. Great base for a cafe racer or custom build. Pick-up only. Contact for more details. Located in Waynesville, NC. $800 OBO (828) 230-6009 micah.adel@gmail.com
Wanted to Buy
WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-888247-1189
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