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February 10-16, 2016 Vol. 17 Iss. 37

Politics put aside to focus on Nikwasi-Cowee future Page 9 No one accepting blame over SCC building damage Page 23

CONTENTS On the Cover: Now that the number of registered drones has surpassed the number of registered piloted aircrafts, drone operators are expected to adhere to very strict Federal Aviation Administration rules, especially if they are making any kind of profit. Local commercial flyers explain the new regulations and the challenges of being a part of such a new and exciting industry. (Page 6) Jessi Stone photo

News WCU board to oversee Koch-funded project ............................................................4 Politics put aside to focus on Nikwasi-Cowee future ..............................................9 Haywood Christian interested in Central building ..................................................10 Jackson shelter gets $15,000 to house homeless ................................................11 No one accepting blame over SCC building damage ..........................................12 Fired WCU worker will return to work ........................................................................14 Cherokee shoots down U.S. motto display ..............................................................17 The Panthers’ role in a cathode ray tube crisis ........................................................21

Opinion Bottom line: State needs to do more for public schools ....................................22

A&E Tipping Point Brewing celebrates five years ............................................................30

Outdoors Cross-country skiing offers breathtaking experience ............................................40

Back Then February 10-16, 2016

This year’s flowers, last year’s berries..........................................................................55

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February 10-16, 2016

Think before you DRINK!

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Sodas get a lot of bad press for the amount of calories from sugar and it’s important to remember that even "natural" sodas sweetened with cane sugar contain calories.

■ A 16 oz Coke has 140 calories/ 41 grams of sugar – that’s equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar ■ A 16 oz Root Beer has 203 calories/52 grams of sugar- that’s equivalent to 13 teaspoons of sugar Many of us may not drink sodas but we can still manage to get calories from a variety of beverages like coffee drinks, fruit drinks and 100% fruit juices, energy beverages and alcoholic beverages like mixed drinks, beer and wine. Also please realize that caloric sweeteners aren’t limited to sugar and can also include honey, agave syrup, coconut sugar etc. since they all contain calories.

Tips: 1. If buying bottled/canned beverages pay attention to the portion size and calories.

2. Pour beverages into smaller glasses or drink less.

3. Alternate caloric beverages with water or beverages sweetened with non-caloric sweeteners.

4. Dilute fruit juices or fruit drinks with water or club soda.

5. Limit alcoholic beverages to 1 drink per day for women/ 2 drinks/per day for men (1 drink =12 oz of beer, 5 ounces of wine, 1 small mixed drink) Note: These are estimated calorie amounts based on commonly consumed beverages. Please check the serving size and calorie/sugar amounts of the beverages YOU typically consume!

Blue-ribbon committee seeks balance in push-and-pull over Koch-funded center at WCU

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER ears that a controversial economics policy center coming to Western Carolina University will be a vehicle to advance conservative, laissez-faire market theories have been partially quelled with the creation of a rigorous and robust faculty oversight board.

The advisory board will provide checks and balances for the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise at WCU to ensure it doesn’t stray into the realm of one-sided political advocacy. The level of scrutiny to be imposed by the board — to include critics and skeptics of the center’s stated mission — is unprecedented for a university research center.

But WCU Provost Alison MorrisonShetlar said that it was called for in this case Alison given widespread conMorrison-Shetlar cerns among faculty.

Morrison-Shetlar shared her plans for the faculty oversight process at a WCU faculty senate meeting two weeks ago.

“The idea behind this was to ensure we had the right people thinking about the forDavid McCord ward movement of the center and that there was complete transparency and good representation,” MorrisonShetlar said.

Dr. David McCord, chair of the faculty senate, commended the advisory board plan.

“This is making the best of a bad situation here,” McCord said.

The proposed Center for the Study of Free Enterprise would be funded with a $2 million gift from the Charles Koch Foundation. The source of funding was met with suspicion from many faculty, given the Koch brothers’ vast network of political advocacy arms and think tanks aimed at moving American society in a conservative, Libertarian direction.

McCord and Morrison-Shetlar met over the Christmas break in a downtown Sylva coffee shop to discuss plans for what the advisory board overseeing the center would look like.

“This is a plan she came to the table with and it is a really good one. I was really pleased with it,” McCord said at a faculty senate meeting two weeks ago.

That says a lot coming from McCord, who has become the de facto spokesperson for conveying faculty concerns over the free enterprise center.

“I looked at it with a jaded eye to find any loopholes, but it was a fine plan,” McCord said.

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NO CHICKEN LUNCHES

The charter for the free enterprise center had always called for an advisory board of some sort. But it left much to the imagination.

“It was completely unelaborated,” McCord said. “So we are in the process of articulating exactly what that is.”

Who would serve on it, how would they be chosen, how much input and control would they have?

“These are the critical questions that will ultimately determine whether the advisory board is a mere rubber stamp or a genuine check-and-balance,” McCord said. “A lot of advisory boards just meet twice a year for a chicken lunch and the director tells you all the wonderful things they have been doing.”

But there was too much at stake for that sort of advisory board when it comes to the Kochfunded free enterprise center, McCord said.

“It needs to be an active, heavily-involved board that represents all faculty in the business of this center. They need to be on the job,” McCord said.

It became clear the only way to decide what the advisory board will look like is to convene a preliminary advisory board tasked with developing the structure for the ultimate advisory board.

“This will not be the final advisory board for the center but will help implement the structure for the advisory board,” MorrisonShetlar said as she laid out the first step of the two-pronged advisory board implementation plan for the faculty senate.

The irony of convening an advisory panel to decide the composition of another advisory panel could be the making of a Saturday Night Live skit on stereotypical academic bureaucracy. But in this case, it’s really needed, McCord said.

“First we need to decide how board oversight will actually be implemented in the governance of this center,” McCord said. “You can’t really do that right from the beginning.”

To prevent the free enterprise center from heralding a particular political economic school of thought at the expense of others, the final advisory board needs to be objective and empowered, McCord said.

McCord hopes the advisory board will vet job descriptions for new professors hired under the banner of the free enterprise center and take part in the search committee to ensure the pool isn’t being limited to applicants in the Koch’s pocket.

The advisory board should also ensure there is adequate peer review of the policy white papers and op-eds being pushed out by the center — which is one of the deliverables its backers hope to see, according to email correspondence with the Koch Foundation.

Hosting conferences, seminars and panels aimed at influencing economic and political

Parker said this week he welcomes a rigorous advisory board that involves faculty across a variety of disciplines and perspectives.

“It will guide the development of the center in precisely the direction we intended — a multidisciplinary effort to examine the strengths and weaknesses of our system of free enterprise, toward the goal of improving economic development for Western North Carolina,” Parker said.

WORK CUT OUT

“It needs to be an active, heavily-involved board that represents all faculty in the business of this center. They need to be on the job.”

— Dr. David McCord, chair of the faculty senate

tivating students’ long-term interest and participation in the larger community of free enterprise scholars, implementers, activists and related professions.”

That language was left out of an otherwise largely identical on-campus version.

• The on-campus version included a generic description of outreach by the center: “to host research seminars, workshops and other events to support the development of sound research reports.”

The version submitted to the Koch Foundation, however, went on to elaborate on an underlying goal in that outreach: “To establish WCU as a hub of free enterprise idea entrepreneurs.” The deliverables cited in the Koch version also pledged to work with other colleges in North and South Carolina that receive Koch funding to “form a regional cluster.”

• Yet another difference in the two lists of deliverables involved the type of conferences

that would be hosted. The on-campus version generically referred to hosting conferences, but specific examples were proffered in the Koch version — offering WCU as a site to host conferences for the Liberty Fund and Institute for Humane Studies, two Libertarian think tanks with close ties to the Koch network.

Ralph Wilson, a researcher with the national organization Un-Koch My Campus, said the advisory board would have its work cut out to counter-balance inherent goals of any Kochfunded center embedded on a campus.

“Whether a well-structured, well functioning advisory board could do the trick, I think implicit control is still a threat that would be hard for an advisory board to monitor,” Wilson said.

There has been a steep rise in conservativebacked research and policy centers on college campuses nationally in recent years. These academic versions of research-based think tanks are needed on university campuses to balance out the inherently liberal leanings of the rest of the professors on campus, according to Jay Schalin, director of policy analysis for the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, a Raleigh-based conservative think tank with ties to the Koch network.

“To say that the left had conquered academia seemed an understatement — the institution of higher education has long been moving incrementally away from the spirit of objective inquiry to dogmatic left-wing uniformity, chasing all non-conforming ideas from campuses,” Schalin wrote in a report last year.

He calculated there were around 150 centers and institutes on university and college campuses, giving fair time to conservative and libertarian views on free market economics, capitalism and limited government that have otherwise been vanquished from academia.

“Often academics on the left assume that because the original funding of such centers comes from donors who are identified with the political right, they must have political motives for the funding and that center directors have political marching orders,” Schalin wrote.

In some cases, proposed centers have seen a “failure to launch” or are “co-opted due to faculty opposition,” according to Schalin.

“In a few cases, their opposition has reached enough intensity to prevent centers from opening, to drive them off campus, to change their leadership, or to accept overly strict governance measures,” Schalin wrote.

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Franklin Ford agrees to sell every new Ford at actual dealer factory invoice cost!

February 10-16, 2016

Chancellor David Belcher has also pledged to involve a faculty task force in vetting and wordsmithing the gift agreement between the Koch Foundation and the university before it is inked.

These measures are aimed at tempering faculty concerns about possible ulterior motives behind the Koch-funded center.

An overwhelming majority of WCU’s faculty senate voted against the idea of the free enterprise center last fall, but it was approved by university administration anyway. To quash it would be leading down the slippery slope of censoring the academic freedom of professors to freely pursue the lines of study that interest them, Belcher said at the time.

“One of the great advantages that we have as university faculty and as professionals in our respective disciplines is the ability to distinguish zealotry and advocacy on the one hand from inquiry and research on the other.

Let us do that,” Lopez said in an address to the faculty senate last fall. “Propaganda is not what I am about, and that is not the slightest bit what the proposed center is about.”

However, Lopez has longstanding ties to the Koch network of conservative and Libertarian think tanks — of both the academic and advocacy variety.

Lopez has made dueling statements about the mission of the free enterprise center. In the publicly shared vision for the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise, Lopez describes its mission as this: “to provide sound policy analysis and thought leadership pertaining to economic development,” a mission that squares with WCU’s own mission to advance economic development in the region.

But in private communications with the Koch Foundation, Lopez has portrayed the center as a medium to advance free enterprise policies in society and recruit students to the free enterprise school of thought.

In an email to the Koch Foundation in late September, Lopez laid out a blueprint for the free enterprise center that differed from the one he was simultaneously sharing with WCU administration.

“I’m attaching a proposal outline as we’ve discussed,” Lopez wrote in an email to Andrew Gillen, the program officer for university investments at the Koch Foundation. “The campus version of this proposal is now working its way through the channels here at WCU.” Missing from the on-campus version were detailed examples of so-called “deliverables” being promised to the Koch Foundation in exchange for $2 million in funding.

• The list of deliverables sent to the Koch Foundation highlighted the cultivation of students into the free enterprise discipline, including developing a “pipeline of students” exposed to free enterprise teachings and “cul-

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thought is another deliverable of the free enterprise center, according to email exchanges. But if the faculty oversight board has its way, it will ensure guest speakers brought in are representative of multiple perspectives.

The blue-ribbon task force charged with charting the course for the ultimate advisory board convened for the first time last week. It has a faculty representative from each college on campus. Morrison-Shetlar crafted a short list of candidates for the interim task force, which McCord seconded as representing a range of faculty voices and minds.

Dr. Ed Lopez, the economics professor driving the creation of the center, did not wish to comment on the concept of the advisory board for this article.

“The process continues to be in the hands of the administration and a broad base of faculty, as it should be,” Lopez said in response to a request for comment.

Lopez acknowledged as early as last fall that the subject was one that had to be addressed, according to an email he wrote to the Dean of the College of Business, Darrell Parker.

“I don’t know the answer to a good question that has been raised: what are the procedures for establishing the Advisory Board, and can it be made representative by appointing a Faculty Senator? Before accepting that suggestion, I would want to follow established practice for convening other similar boards on campus,” Lopez wrote to Parker in an email in late October.

Parker later wrote in an email to the Provost that oversight of the free enterprise center should not be any more or less rigorous than that of other centers on campus.

Parker was responding to a call from some quarters of the faculty senate that the advisory board should not be self-appointed wholly from within the College of Business, but should include elected faculty.

“If similar treatment was included for other centers like the Cherokee center, Ed (Lopez) would be open. If Senate’s posture was that only potential thought that is seen as conservative needs faculty governance involvement, that would be problematic,” Parker wrote in an email to Morrison-Shetlar in late October.

But a robust advisory board could provide exactly the type of transparency the center needs to prove to skeptical faculty in other departments on campus that it won’t pursue research with a foregone advocacy outcome.

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Sky’s the limit Drone operators on front lines of an exciting new industry

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR veryone enjoys the ground-level Western North Carolina views, but drones provide a whole new perspective on things.

With a gentle buzzing, these lightweight unmanned aircrafts are able to soar hundreds of feet into the air to capture some of the most breathtaking aerial shots of life here in the mountains. Tech-savvy entrepreneurs are starting to realize they can make a living out of capturing these images and video footage enjoying the great outdoors themselves.

“Even though the drone is in the air taking photos, you still have to hike into some of these remote areas to get the shots — it’s an adventure,” said Alex Monsrud, a drone operator with ImageRhee Aerial Photography in Sylva.

“It’s amazing how much we’ve learned on our own about the technology because we’re some of the first to be doing it professionally.”

February 10-16, 2016

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Monsrud wasn’t sure what kind of job he would land after graduating from college in Minnesota with a degree in geospatial intelligence analysis, but those skills have allowed him to move to the mountains and work with Mary Anne Baker’s aerial business.

Just like many operators, Baker started out flying drones as a hobby, and now it’s a part-time business. As the owner of an online marketing business, Baker realized her real estate and tourism agency clients could benefit from using the kinds of aerial shots only drones could get.

After doing the research, she started ImageRhee about a year ago and went through the tedious process of getting approved through the Federal Aviation Administration. Her operators started out using a DJI Phantom 2 but have now upgraded to a Solo 3DR. “The technology has changed a lot just in the last year,” Baker said. “They are much more intuitive now.”

The 3DR captures video and photos with a GoPro camera with one-button flying capabilities. One would imagine it would be difficult to get sharp photos and video from an aircraft battling heavy winds up to 400 feet in the air, but the stabilization feature keeps the footage as smooth as if the drone were stationed on a tripod.

Allen Newland of Waynesville used all his technical knowledge and his love of remote control planes to create his own aerial photography business — A Shot Above of WNC. While he has a full-time job as a blueprint estimator and computer tech for Haywood Builders Supply, he’s been able to turn a fun hobby into a weekend moneymaker.

“I’ve always been into gadgets and been a computer guy since right after high school,” he said. “Over the years in other jobs I’ve worked on computers, robots and all kinds of very cool things. So, combining my computer skills and experience with my flying skills and

Smoky Mountain News

Taking the good with the bad Drone technology presents opportunities and challenges

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR Though it can make certain aspects of life easier, technology often has unintended consequences.

Drones may have been originally developed for military use, but now they are one of the most sought-after tech toys.

Millions of people now own their own unmanned aircraft and can operate it with little to no skill or experience.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s website, more than 325,000 people have now registered their drones with the FAA, which is more than the 320,000 piloted aircrafts registered.

“You can take it and charge it and fly it — anyone can do 6 it the way the technology is now,” said Allen Newland, a

Above: ImageRhee Aerial Photography captured this shot of the Historic Jackson County Courthouse during a recent snowfall. Courtesy of ImageRhee Below: A Shot Above of WNC Aerial Photography captured this shot of flooding in Haywood County in late December. Courtesy of A Shot Above of WNC

S EE DRONES, PAGE 8

commercial drone operator who lives in Haywood County.

“That’s part of the problem — they’re too easy to fly. But if you lose GPS connection, you have to be able to know what you’re doing.”

TECHNOLOGY TO THE RESCUE Love them or hate them, drones have been beneficial. The military can use drones instead of placing soldiers on the ground in harm’s way. They are also much easier and cheaper to make, buy and maintain than piloted aircrafts.

Now that anyone can buy one, drones are now being used for recreational and commercial purposes. Aerial photography and videography are now in high demand as marketing tools for businesses, tourism agencies, economic development professionals and real estate brokers.

Rich Price, economic development director for Jackson County, said the Economic Development Commission hired ImageRhee Aerial Photography about six months ago to help develop a marketing video to place on the EDC’s website.

The video, which he hopes will be ready to launch by spring, will include aerial video of Jackson County with the hopes of attracting new industries.

“It will be a showcase of the county from a business recruitment type perspective but will also show the unique topography and iconic images of Jackson County in a little

bit of a different fashion from still photography,” Price said.

Aerial photography has been doing wonders for tourism promotion on social media. Video footage of the mountains — whether they are covered in fall colors or snow — seems to be going viral and making people long to be here.

Becky Seymour, video production and social media man- N ager for the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, said the TDA is just beginning to delve into the aerial photography realm of marketing. Last year the TDA partnered with others on a project to pay for a helicopter crew to get aerial shots of Haywood County.

“The videos that have come out of this aerial footage have basically blown the minds of our marketing audience and locals alike,” Seymour said. “Looking at our mountains from the ground or even an overlook is breathtaking. However, a birds-eye view is a way to create an even more visually appealing marketing video.”

In the five years she has been doing video production for the TDA, Seymour said the recipe for success continues to evolve — and aerial footage is now a huge part of that recipe.

“It gives the consumer a sense of wonderment, and what’s great is you are using footage that is real, not special effects,” she said. “All it really boils down to is impressive cinematography, a good quad-copter pilot and a video editor

S EE TECHNOLOGY, PAGE 8

Drone operators navigate strict laws

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Recreational drone operators are not required to obtain a license or permit from the Division of Aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration, however, has set guidelines for responsible operation: • Always fly below an altitude of 400 feet, and fly within your direct line of sight.

• Do not fly within 5 miles of an airport, near stadiums or other public events.

• Do not fly for compensation.

• Do not fly at night.

• Do not fly a drone that weighs more than 55 pounds.

Guidelines for commercial drone users

Left: Allen Newland, owner of A Shot Above of WNC, takes his drone for a test flight at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Jessi Stone photo Right: Drone operators with ImageRhee Aerial Photography use a Solo 3DR to shoot aerial photos of video. Donated photo use includes operating an aerial photography business, but it also includes real estate agents who use a drone to take promotional footage of properties.

Arlene Salac, an FAA spokesperson, said commercial drone users must be granted a Section 333 exemption from the federal government through the FAA before they can legally operate. She said the exemption states that the person in control of the drone must have at least a sport or recreational pilot certificate.

“The regulations are definitely enforceable though.

You can get a hefty fine and it’s more than most of us can afford to lose.”

— Allen Newland

North Carolina drone requirements Commercial operators must take and pass North Carolina’s Department of Transportation's drone knowledge test and then apply for a state permit.

To obtain a permit, operators must provide the state proof of their authorization to conduct commercial drone operations from the FAA.

For more information, visit www.ncdot.gov/aviation/uas/operators/

of where they can and cannot fly.”

Salac maintained that the regulations are enforceable. In fact, the FAA has initiated 24 enforcement cases and has settled 12 of those cases with violation findings. Violators could pay civil penalties up to $27,500 and criminal penalties could include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.

“The FAA also includes law enforcement in discussions about unsafe and unauthorized flights on both a national and local level,” Salac said. “The FAA has field agents across the country as part of its Law Enforcement Assistance Program who work directly with all levels of law enforcement on issues dealing with unmanned aircraft systems.”

For now, the strict regulations are keeping the number of commercial drone operators to a minimum, which is a good thing for ImageRhee and A Shot Above.

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Smoky Mountain News

“FAA regulation compliance is in a whole different realm,” said Mary Anne Baker, owner of ImageRhee Aerial Photography.

“We have a comprehensive liability policy, we’re registered with the FAA and we filed and were granted a 333 exemption — it’s at least a six-month process.”

Newland thinks the current laws are overly prohibitive and excessive, but he can understand the importance of having to regulate all these new aircrafts circulating in the airspace.

“I do firmly believe that every drone operator — hobby or commercial — who has an aircraft that has the ability to enter into the same airspace as manned aircrafts, needs to have some type of basic knowledge, training and be tested to validate the training,” he said. “Because these aircraft are able to fly into the same airspace as manned aircraft, we must be able to know what airspace

we are trying to fly in, know how to handle an emergency situation, and be able to properly communicate with ATC (air traffic control).”

Before drone technology advanced to include stabilization and GPS flight controls, most operators flew their remote-controlled aircrafts in an empty field because it could just fall out of the sky if something went wrong. Now that most drones can hover in one spot with no operator intervention and have GPS flight controls, some operators may take more chances and fly their aircrafts anywhere.

Newland said just because the technology has advanced doesn’t mean the technology won’t malfunction. No one wants a drone flying into his or her home or falling into a highly populated area.

“We have created our own worst nightmare, and we need to take full responsibility and do what’s right and in the best interest of safety,” he said. “If something goes wrong in the guidance system, the aircraft can fly a long way unaided by the operator and fly into an unsafe area in a very unsafe manner.”

Since drones are becoming more affordable and easier to operate, just about anyone could make the investment and take to the sky. Newland said many people don’t understand the regulations or ignore them in hopes they won’t get caught.

“The regulations are definitely enforceable though,” he said. “You can get a hefty fine, and it’s more than most of us can afford to lose.”

Salac said the FAA was working diligently to educate people on the new requirements.

“The FAA’s mission and priority is the safety of people on airplanes as well as people and property on the ground,” Salac said.

“The FAA, with its government and industry partners, continues to conduct outreach through the ‘Know Before You Fly’ and ‘No Drone Zone’ campaigns, making users aware

Commercial drone operators must receive a Section 333 Exemption from the federal government. This is a case-bycase exemption that must be applied for and approved by the FAA. As an alternative to a Section 333 Exemption, an Unmanned Aircraft Systems operator may apply for a federal Special Airworthiness Certificate from the FAA. Once an operator receives either a Section 333 Exemption or a Special Airworthiness Certificate, the drone must be used in accordance with any restrictions or limitations included in the FAA's authorization.

February 10-16, 2016

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR rone operators have found that navigating the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulations is more complicated than navigating their unmanned aircrafts.

As drones become a household item, the FAA is cracking down on who, when and where these devices can be flown in the general airspace, but some feel the new laws are too restrictive because they basically require that a commercial drone operator be a licensed pilot.

Even though he has been flying remote control aircrafts since he was 5 and earned his pilot’s license in 1998, Allen Newland of Waynesville said obtaining the proper permitting through the FAA to use his drone commercially was grueling.

“With me already having my FAA pilot’s license, it made the jump into legal Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations easier and much cheaper,” Newland said. “The $10K for the pilot’s license was paid for long ago, so that was a major hurdle behind us.”

New FAA regulations now classify drones, or unmanned aircraft systems, into three different usage categories — recreational, commercial and governmental. Anyone operating a drone for any use must now register it with the FAA before flying outdoors or face civil and criminal penalties. There is a short list of drones that do not require registration, most of which are under half a pound and don’t even contain a camera. Online registration costs $5 and is valid for three years.

But registration is just the tip of the iceberg for those who want to operate a drone for a profit. To operate a drone for commercial purposes, a person must pass a knowledge test through the North Carolina Department of Transportation before they can receive an operator permit. Commercial

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Guidelines for recreational drone users

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DRONES, CONTINUED FROM 6 experience along with my love for photography just came naturally.”

Newland found a niche doing aerial photography and video for his contractor buddies building houses.

Similarly, Baker also started doing professional aerial shots for real estate agents in the area. What better way to showcase a mountain home than to get a panoramic shot of the entire property? A drone is able to get certain shots that a regular on-the-ground camera isn’t able to do.

“You can imagine with homes here on a steep slope or a cliff it’s hard to get the straighton shot for real estate listings,” Baker said.

Aside from real estate shots, every weekend can be an adventure in the aerial photography business. Last weekend Newland was flying his drone over Lake Junaluska to get footage of people jumping in the lake for Haywood Waterways Association’s fourth annual Polar Plunge.

Shortly after Winter Storm Jonas swept through Haywood County a few weeks ago, he flew over downtown Waynesville and Canton to catch the snow-covered aftermath.

When heavy rains fell over the Christmas holiday, Newland was able to get vivid images of flooding all over the county.

“We have increased our product offerings over the last year to include prints and other creative avenues within our business,” Newland

TECHNOLOGY, CONTINUED FROM 6

Smoky Mountain News

February 10-16, 2016

that has experience and is highly creative while still producing what their target audience wants to see.”

While they’re saving lives overseas, drones can also be used to save lives here at home. Allen Newland, owner of A Shot Above Aerial Photography in Waynesville, is currently working to help develop the proper program and procedures to be able to utilize drones during search and rescue missions in Haywood County.

Under FAA regulations, operating a drone for search and rescue is possible but tricky. Areas where a search is taking place automatically become no-fly zones as helicopters may be in use. Being surrounded by national forest, where drones are prohibited from flying, makes it even more problematic for search and rescue crews.

Right now, a rescue squad would need to apply for an emergency Certificate of Airworthiness to use a specific drone during a specific mission. Newland said getting a COA could take days to obtain, but he hopes he can develop a set of procedures that helps streamline the process.

Recreational drone operator Joseph Massie is also a volunteer firefighter and a member of the Haywood County Search and Rescue Squad. He understands how drones could cause a problem during a mission, but can also see the potential benefits.

“Search and rescue is a very coordinated effort, so a drone could possibly become a problem for the team if several people are trying to fly them,” he said. “But it’s a shame 8 I can’t use it, because there have been cases it

said. “Today we work with local newspapers, architects, building contractors, Realtors and several other clients to provide professional and legal aerial imaging solutions.”

Baker and Monsrud have taken video and photos of many beautiful sunsets and fall foliage in Jackson and Swain counties. They shot video of a huge pedestrian bridge being installed over the Tuckasegee River in Cullowhee and the Historic Jackson County Courthouse covered in snow. ImageRhee is currently working with Jackson County Economic Development Commission to develop a marketing video for its website.

“It all comes together because in the end a lot of our region depends on tourism, and our natural resources are breathtaking, especially from the air,” Baker said.

SAFETY MEASURES It’s not all fun and games though — Newland and Baker adhere to a long list of safety precautions prior to every flight.

Every flight requires a two-person crew — one person to fly the drone and a spotter to be constantly evaluating the surroundings of the drone. Baker is usually the visual observer while one of her operators flies the drone.

“The operator is busy controlling the drone so as the spotter I’m watching power lines, people and other obstacles because his line of sight may be different,” she said.

“We’re usually within shouting distance of

each other, but I stay closer to the drone.”

For A Shot Above, Newland serves as the pilot while his wife serves as the spotter.

Newland also has caution signs with the name of his business on them so people in the area will be aware that aerial footage is being taken.

He carries his pilot’s license and Section 333 paperwork around with him in case someone in law enforcement questions his authority to operate the drone. He also has to notify several

“The operator is busy controlling the drone so as the spotter I’m watching power lines, people and other obstacles because his line of sight may be different.”

— Mary Ann Baker, ImageRhee

people before he can safely fly.

“We use a lot of checklists,” he said.

“When I fly I have to call the Atlanta FAA office 24 hours in advance, file a notice that tells them where and when I’ll be flying. That puts us on the radar and lets the Asheville airport know where we are.”

Even though drones are supposed to fly below 400 feet and out of the way of other air-

crafts, there are instances where MAMA (Mountain Area Medical Airlift) may be flying close to the 400-foot threshold.

Baker and Newland both said they are sure to ask permission from a property owner or business before scheduling a flight, whether it’s Western Carolina University or Lake Junaluska Assembly.

As a personal safety measure, Newland said he doesn’t fly his drone if another drone is also flying nearby trying to shoot the same thing.

“You can’t fly over people and you don’t want everyone out there trying to fly at the same time,” he said.

Baker said she wouldn’t let just anyone fly a drone even if the technology makes it seem simple. It still takes a lot of practice to be able to be completely comfortable with the drone and prepared to handle any problems that may come up.

“You have to learn how controls work and be comfortable and fluid with your motions and maneuver between objects,” she said. “If I have a new operator, I wouldn’t have them operating in public until they’ve had a lot of practice.”

Newland said daily and monthly inspections of the drone are also critical to flying safely. He sends detailed documentation, maintenance logs and reports to the FAA monthly.

“We operate our UAS with the same precision and attention to safety and details as we do when we fly in manned aircraft because we are indeed operating within the National Airspace System,” Newland said.

could have made a difference in the mission.”

Drones can more easily comb a mountainside to locate someone in the dark or in more inclement weather. Using a drone for a rescue mission could drastically cut down on search hours, manpower and injuries.

DANGERS OF TECHNOLOGY As the old saying goes, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.

Technology, however advanced, still has the capability of failing or creating unintended consequences that humans have to navigate.

Newland said drone batteries were one of the biggest safety concerns. There’s been a lot in the news lately about the batteries in hoverboards exploding, and drones use the same type of batteries. But really the problem lies in operators not knowing how to properly care for the batteries. The battery has so much stored energy that it can explode if it’s damaged in any way.

“If not treated well, they can be dangerous,” Newland said. “It can melt asphalt. A responsible pilot has to understand that’s a risk — that’s why you don’t want to fly over people.”

For these reasons, commercial drone operators are supposed to steer clear from operating their drone over a populated area, just in case.

Some businesses have even adopted drone policies to address safety concerns.

Cataloochee Ski Resort recently posted a drone policy on its website prohibiting any operation of drones by the media and general public without prior written authorization.

“Any violation of this policy may involve suspension of your skiing or snowboarding

Allen Newland, owner of A Shot Above of WNC, took this aerial shot of Cataloochee Ski Resort with his drone. Courtesy of A Shot Above of WNC privileges, and/or the revocation of your season pass, as well as confiscation of any drone equipment, and may subject violators to any damages, including, but not limited to, damages for violations of privacy and/or physical or personal injuries or property damage, as well as regulatory fines and legal fees,” the policy states.

The National Park Service website also addresses drone usage in on federal land. As of June 2015, drones are prohibited inside the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park because administration felt they could be a danger to visitors and wildlife.

The use of drones for spying on private residents is often discussed, but Newland says it’s just a perpetuated myth. Yes, there are some industrial and government drones that can spy from hundreds of miles away with amazing cameras and lenses, but the consumer drones have cameras and lenses designed only for wide-angle action type of photography.

“Because of this limitation to see anything with any fine detail, the aircraft has to be fairly close, and at that distance the noise is mind-boggling and very attention-getting,” Newland said. “An off-the-shelf drone is possibly one of the worst spying devices you could use.”

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Smoky Mountain News

BY J ESSI STONE Indians, the group has kept those governN EWS E DITOR mental entities fully informed and will conespite years of heated political arguments tinue to do so as it moves forward. over who should have ownership of a hisTo assist the group in its process, toric Indian mound located in Franklin, a Mainspring retained the services of Catalpa group of residents from Franklin and Cherokee Circle, a consulting firm based in Asheville. have joined forces to explore ways they can “There is a strong willingness from the work together for economic development and members to share and have positive dialogue historic preservation of the area. for future collaboration,” said Catalpa Circle “This process started with interested folks facilitator Dr. Tom Hatley. from both communities getting together and Mountain Partners plans to continue getting to know each other,” said Ben Laseter, meeting and ultimately formalize the group associate director for Mainspring into an operational organization. McRae said Conservation Trust. “We wanted to see more the initial goals of Mountain Partners are to collaboration to protect the value of our cul- promote the concept of linking cultural and tural and natural resources in the region and historic sites such as Nikwasi and Cowee; create a vision for how to highlight and bring help raise awareness and funds to pursue more awareness to those resources.” these efforts and explore opportunities for Calling themselves Mountain Partners, collaboration between the Eastern Band of the group of 12 has engaged in discussions for Cherokee Indians and local communities. eight months regarding a potential Nikwasi-Cowee corridor that promotes heritage-tourism and related economic development opportunities.

The Nikwasi Mound is located on East Main Street and is owned by the town of Franklin. The mound, which could be more than 1,000 years old, is all that is left of the Cherokee Village Nikwasi.

The Cowee Mound is part of 70 acres along the Little Tennessee River in Franklin owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Residents of Franklin and Cherokee have joined forces to come Indians since 2007. up with a plan to preserve the Nikwasi Mound and educate Mainspring Conservation the public about its significance. File photo Trust — formerly Land Trust for the Little Tennessee — was instrumental in protecting “Mountain Partners is enthusiastic about the land from development and getting the helping to bring increased collaboration deed turned over to the Cherokee tribe. between our communities. If people can see Mainspring also initiated Mountain the bigger picture, we can build something Partners to facilitate a non-political, collabo- that has positive and long-range impact for rative and cooperative dialogue about these the region,” said Juanita Wilson, a Mountain cultural significant landmarks. The effort has Partners member from Cherokee. “As we also been made possible by support from the unite together, we put efforts in a collaboraCommunity Foundation of Western North tive pot of stone soup. There will then be a Carolina and from the Cherokee feast of working together for the benefit of Preservation Foundation. today’s and future generations.”

Barbara McRae, one of the Mountain Mainspring’s headquarters is located Partners and also a Franklin alderwoman, along the Little Tennessee River and just said the group’s efforts have been productive across the street from the Nikwasi Mound in and insightful.

Franklin. The headquarters is also next to a “It’s been an exciting experience, especial- former gas station site that is in desperate ly getting to know the Cherokee members need of an environmental clean up effort to and their perspectives on the history and cul- prevent underground oil contamination from ture of the Nikwasi Mound,” she said. seeping into the river.

In addition to conserving land and water, It’s been a long process, but Mainspring Mainspring’s mission includes cultural her- was able to acquire the 1.5-acre Duncan Oil itage preservation in its seven-county service property and has plans to clean up the conarea. Although Mountain Partners was not tamination. Once the cleanup project is comformed at the direction of either the town of plete, Mainspring can begin thinking about Franklin or the Eastern Band of Cherokee how to best utilize the property to meet its mis-

to the board in November, said he was excited about the Mainspring’s efforts to preserve and promote the mound.

“I hope the town can be part of that project — it has such a significance,” he said. “It’s good we have smart minds working on doing something nice on that side of town.”

Newly elected Alderman Adam Kimsey said he hoped all the controversy surrounding the mound ownership was in the past and that the Mountain Partners group could find ways for everyone to benefit from the sacred site.

“I would like to see that in the past and not be a piece of contention,” he said.

“I think it’s in the past now,” Mayor Bob Scott said.

Cherokee Tribal Council also discussed the project at a recent meeting and members seemed excited about the possibilities presented by Mainspring Executive Director Sharon Taylor.

“I'm excited to be part of the group and utilize our resources at the museum,” said Ethan Clapsaddle with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

Joey Owle, Wolfetown community member, encouraged council to support the efforts of the group to preserve the mound and educate the public about its significance.

Chairman Bill Taylor suggested that maybe council and Mountain Partners should find a time to sit down and talk about some of these issues.

“I'm glad that we have tribal members in this group too,” said Teresa McCoy, a council member from Big Cove.

news

Politics put aside to focus on Nikwasi-Cowee future

sion of conservation, education and preservation. Mainspring Executive Director Sharon Taylor said she hopes the property can be used to educate the public about the Indians mounds through interpretive elements.

The Nikwasi mound has been a source of contention between the town of Franklin and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in the past. The tribe had been questioning the town’s stewardship of the historic site for more than a year, and in 2013 Principal Chief Michell Hicks asked the town to relinquish ownership of the mound to the tribe.

Town leaders were willing to find a mutual aid agreement to suit both sides but weren’t willing to deed the property over to the tribe.

The town of Franklin has claimed ownership of the mound since the 1940s when residents pulled together enough money to save the property from development.

While the town refused to deed the property over to the tribe, town leaders say they’ve taken better care of the mound in the last couple of years.

Laseter said the members of Mountain Partners have put the past behind them and are working toward the future.

“The group realizes they have so much common ground and the past issues over Nikwasi aren’t really part of the ongoing conversation,” he said.

At a recent Franklin board retreat, McRae said she was working on plans to create a Women’s History Trail in Franklin and would love for it to tie in with the mound and Cherokee women’s history.

Alderman Joe Collins, who was re-elected

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Smoky Mountain News 10

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER aywood School leaders have avoided talking about what would become of the 1950s-era school building that houses Central Elementary if it closes, saying it would be premature until a final decision is made.

However, the private school Haywood Christian Academy has expressed preliminary interest in possibly buying or leasing Central if it ends up closing. Haywood Christian has 115 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It has two campuses — one for elementary and one for middle and high school — about a mile apart in Clyde.

“We are looking at trying to combine those two campuses,” said Thom Morgan, who serves on the board of Haywood Christian Academy. “Rather than spend a lot of money trying to add on to our current school we would prefer to spend our money on Central Elementary.”

Haywood Schools and Haywood Christian Academy have an amicable and even friendly relationship. Unlike charter schools — which compete more directly with public schools both for students and dollars — private Christian schools aren’t directly dipping into the public education well, Morgan said.

“As a faith-based private school, we are absolutely not in competition with any other school,” Morgan said.

Morgan learned about the possible closure of Central Elementary School through the media in early January like everyone else. While he’s certainly not rooting for it to close, he wanted to let the school system know there was a potential taker out there for Central’s building if that’s the way things end up going.

“I wanted to establish a line of communi-

H

cation and put them on notice we have a strong interest if they make the decision to close the school,” said Morgan, who is also the president and owner of Mountain Energy.

Like so many in Waynesville, Central was once a big part of Morgan’s life. Both his daughters went to school there. Now, however, he has three grandchildren at Haywood Christian.

Morgan said Haywood Christian Academy could offer a silver lining to an otherwise unfortunate situation, since no one wants to see a vacant, boarded-up building in the middle of a downtown Waynesville neighborhood. It could also be a win-win for

“If there is an opportunity to help ourselves and help the county, we would like to explore that opportunity.”

— Thom Morgan, Haywood Christian Academy board member

Haywood Christian Academy.

“If there is an opportunity to help ourselves and help the county, we would like to explore that opportunity,” Morgan said.

Morgan called Haywood Christian Academy “one of the best-kept secrets in Haywood County.”

While most parents choose it for the faith-based education, some families are simply attracted to its academic caliber and smaller class setting. Haywood Christian had been growing steadily since it opened in 2008, with a 15 percent increase from 2013 to 2015.

But enrollment dipped this year with the

Central Elementary decision countdown A vote on the fate of Central Elementary School has been delayed until next week.

The Haywood County School Board was expected to make a decision Monday (Feb. 8) but its meeting was canceled due to winter weather. It has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Education Center in Clyde.

Parents, students and supporters of Central Elementary School were going to hold a rally and press conference at 6 p.m. prior to the school board meeting, and have now moved it to next Tuesday as well.

The potential closure of Central Elementary to help plug a $2.4 million budget shortfall facing the school system has become a rallying cry for cuts to public education at the state level, with advocacy groups like Progress NC Action planning to attend the rally all the way from Raleigh. loss of about 15 students, a drop that coincides with the opening of the new Shining Rock Classical Academy charter school.

Word that a third party was potentially interested in Central Elementary was first revealed three weeks ago when the school system issued a feasibility study on closing the school.

“The Board of Education has not made any decisions about the use of the facility,” the report stated, but added that “A third party has inquired about acquiring Central Elementary School.”

That prompted rumors and speculation about who the third party might be, includ-

ing whether it was the new Shining Rock Classical Academy charter school, which doesn’t yet have a campus of its own but is hoping to set up modular units on leased land by next school year.

At a public hearing on Central’s fate, a speaker at the microphone brought up the reference to an unnamed third party interested in the building, prompting a chorus of “Who is it? Is it Shining Rock?” from the audience.

Haywood School Superintendent Anne Garrett was obligated to disclose who it was since Morgan had emailed her, and emails qualify as a public record.

“The reason for my email is to express an interest that Haywood Christian Academy would have in a purchase or lease or whatever options are available for the Central Elementary facility if it does indeed close,” Morgan had written in an email to Garrett on January 13.

A NON-FACTOR

Haywood County School Board Chairman Chuck Francis said what to do with Central Elementary if it closes isn’t a factor in the decision-making process.

The proposal to close Central is being driven by a $2.4 million budget shortfall facing the school system, brought on by reduced state funding and a declining student population.

The school system currently has more buildings than it needs to house its elementary student body. Closing Central and absorbing those students into other elementary schools would net about $500,000 in savings a year on overhead.

It wouldn’t be the first time a school has closed in Haywood County.

Schools deemed either too old,

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February 10-16, 2016

news

If Central Elementary closes, a private school might want it

too small, or too far out in the county have been closed and consolidated over the years.

The vacated school buildings often have a community legacy, and have been turned into community centers, from the Fines Creek Community Center in the rural hinterlands to the Pigeon Community Center, once an allblack school in Waynesville, to the Folkmoot Friendship Center, formerly Hazelwood Elementary and now a home base for the summer international Folkmoot festival and its suite of year-round cultural arts programming.

Some have questioned whether Central is being eyed as a new home for central office administration.

The school’s central office is currently housed in a portion of the old Haywood County hospital, but its days there are numbered. Haywood County is trying to off-load the old hospital to a development firm that would turn it into affordable housing apartments.

But Francis said Central Elementary

would be less than ideal for a new central office and that’s in no way an ulterior motive for closing the school.

Besides, Francis said the ball would be in the county commissioners’ court to relocate the central office.

“The county commissioners would be responsible for finding us a home if they sell the old hospital,” Francis said.

That’s because of an agreement going back a few decades involving a building swap between the school system and the county.

The school system gave the county its former central office building, located behind the historic courthouse.

An agreement signed at the time stipulated the county would provide the school system with another central office location in exchange, which up until now has been in the old hospital. Francis believes that agreement would still apply.

“If they move us, they are responsible for finding us a home,” Francis said. “That is nothing we are going to have to worry with.”

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Smoky Mountain News

tions, when the group would expect to need about $35,000 to operate the shelter and $15,000 to give families in need a hand heating their homes. The group also spends some money each year helping families winterize their homes.

“It would really be a little unfair to pull money out of that pot when there’s a deficiency in the current year,” acknowledged Commission Chairman Brian McMahan before moving for a vote on the $15,000 appropriation.

To be fair, the shelter’s been seeing lower use levels recently than it had earlier in the season. But that might have more to do with the community’s awareness of the shelter’s financial structure than with the actual level of need, said board member Kristi Case.

“The word is out that we are struggling to meet the local community’s need, so there may be people that have needs that are trying to seek out those resources elsewhere,” Case said.

As of Jan. 24, the group had served 38 different people, five of them children. Last year, Neighbors in Need housed 66 people, 22 of them children, between Nov. 1 and March 31.

The appropriation will smooth the financial picture for Neighbors in Need over the rest of the winter, but as the warmer months roll forward, the group’s leadership hopes to talk more about getting a permanent facility established. The current model of putting families up in hotel rooms is expensive on a per-night basis, and the group has been trying for some time now to find a location and funding to operate a year-round, dedicated homeless shelter.

“I really am hopeful that we can get to that point in the future,” McMahan said.

Nutrition Facts

February 10-16, 2016

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER $15,000 contribution from Jackson County Commissioners will ensure that housing for the county’s homeless continues through the winter. f The unanimous vote came following a period of financial struggle for Jackson County Neighbors in Need, the nonprofit group that organizes shelter for Jackson’s homeless during the winter months.

Though numbers this winter had been similar to last year’s, higher motel prices and an elevated level of need among those served had strained the group’s financial Bob Cochran resources, leading to a projection that they’d run out of money for housing by Feb. 6.

An influx of cash from community donors and the nonprofit’s annual fundraiser Jan. 30 helped the situation some, bringing the group’s bank account to a little over $15,000 by the time they approached commissioners Feb. 4.

“We’re feeling that we do have the funds to get through this year,” Bob Cochran, the county’s director of social services and a Neighbors in Need board member, told commissioners. “Looking at next year is when we’re like to continue having the concern.”

Based on use levels during the first part of the winter, Neighbors in Need had estimated it would need about $15,000 to make it through the winter. But the January fundraiser had largely been intended to raise funds toward the following year of opera-

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Splitting the check SCC, DOT and road contractor debate who should fix damage to campus building

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER three-way finger-pointing contest over cracks in Southwestern Community College’s biggest building — and their relation to construction work on the R-5000 connector road project — could result in a lawsuit if the parties involved aren’t able to decide who should pay to fix it.

“It’s just going to depend on where the blame settles, so everybody’s going to blame everybody else,” said Jack Debnam, a member of the N.C. Department of Transportation board and former chairman of the Jackson County Commissioners.

The “everybody” involved at this point includes: the DOT; Devere Construction Company, the recently defaulted contractors on the project; and SCC — and, by extension, Jackson County, as county governments in North Carolina are required to pay for community college buildings.

Basically, what happened is that in the summer of 2014 Devere drove a set of anchors into the ground to stabilize the soil as it worked on the road project, a $29.6 million

February 10-16, 2016

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endeavor to build a 0.7-mile road connecting N.C. 116 and N.C. 107 through the SCC campus. In January and February 2015, the anchors were removed, and during the process vibrations — reportedly severe enough that, on the top floor of the Balsam Center, picture frames fell off desks and shelves — ensued. When the movement stopped, cracks appeared in the building.

To county and college representatives, the logic is simple. Before the anchors were removed, there were no cracks.

After the anchors came out, there were cracks.

“I don’t see the county being willing to accept that responsibility until a judge says there’s nobody at fault,” said County Manager Chuck Wooten.

That’s basically the position SCC is taking, said the school’s attorney Chad Donnahoo. The college has given Devere and the DOT a Feb. 29 deadline to deliver a plan to fix the damages.

“If we don’t get the information and things aren’t going the way

have occurred to this point are safety-related issues,” Wooten said. “There’s no reason why the building can’t be used, can’t be occupied.”

One concern, however, is that the damage apparent now might not be all that is to come. The cracks are believed to be the result of the building settling in the soil, so it’s possible that further settling could cause further damage.

FAULTY FILL? While SCC and county leaders say unequivocally that someone needs to pay for the damage — and not

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The R-5000 road project, which aims to connect N.C. 116 and N.C. 107 through Southwestern Community College, has come under fire as the appearance of cracks in one of SCC’s buildings coincided with construction on the road. Allen Newland/A Shot Above photo

Contractor walks away from $15.9 million road contract

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER onstruction on the 0.7-mile connector road through Southwestern Community College has come to a halt after the contractor working on it defaulted on its $15.9 million contract this week.

Devere Construction Company — a Michigan-based company responsible for four N.C. Department of Transportation projects in Jackson, Buncombe and Mecklenburg counties — stopped work on all four of its road projects Friday, Jan. 29, even beginning to pull its equipment off the sites. The DOT issued a letter giving them a deadline of Feb. 8 to get back to work — or else be considered in default of their contracts.

“Once they’re in default, the bonding procedure kicks in,” explained Steve Abbott, communications manager for the N.C. Department of Transportation. It will now be the responsibility of Liberty Mutual, Devere’s bonding company, to bid out the remaining work and get the project finished.

“We don’t pay any more for the project,” Abbott said.

12 “The bonding company is on the hook to pay for the project.”

Smoky Mountain News

that is in the best interest of the college, the board (of trustees) will have to consider whether it will want to file a lawsuit,” Donnahoo said.

Donnahoo has been in communication with Devere’s lawyer, from a firm based out of Raleigh, and says the correspondence has been “open,” and consisted of “sharing documents, sharing information.”

It’s unknown at this point how much it might cost to fix the damage, though the consensus seems to be that it shouldn’t be extremely expensive, well under a million dollars.

“Fortunately none of those damages that

C

It’s unclear why Devere walked away from its contracts with DOT, all of which were more than half complete. At 86 percent finished, the Sylva project — intended to connect N.C. 116 and N.C. 107 through the SCC campus — was the furthest along of the four, so that default in particular has Jack Debnam, an NCDOT board member and former Jackson County Commission chairman, scratching his head.

“We’ve been withholding 10 percent on it, so there’s some money sitting there,” he said. “Seems like they would have wanted to finish this job to have gotten their retainage.”

Debnam said there’s been no report that Devere has filed for bankruptcy. Its company website has no statement posted about changes in the company’s status, and calls to its headquarters in Michigan and to its office in Raleigh still go through.

However, the number listed for its Asheville office is no longer in service, and voicemails to the Michigan and Raleigh offices — as well as an email requesting comment — went unreturned.

But, Abbott said, that in itself isn’t too unusual.

“They’re not the friendliest,” he said.

DOT and Devere — a large company that builds everything from roads to hospitals and does design work too — have problems far preceding the default this winter. In 2014, the company was suspended from bidding on any new projects with the DOT, as they’d been consistently lax with meeting deadlines.

“They were behind on a number of projects, and that’s why they were not allowed to bid anymore in 2014,” Abbott said. The four on which Devere has now defaulted were those left in the pipeline before the suspension went into play.

Work on the SCC project started in January 2013.

The default will set the timeline back for completion of the road, but not by as much as it would have had the default occurred in the summertime. Construction has been mostly at a standstill anyway, awaiting the return of warmer weather — asphalt, for example, can’t be poured unless the temperature is over 40 degrees — but it will still take some time for details to get sorted out with the bonding company and for Liberty Mutual to bid out the remaining parts of the projects to contractors who will complete them. A complicating factor can be the availability of contractors, who may already have full plates and not be able to start a new project right away.

As far as the SCC project goes, there are 0.2 miles left to construct, as well as a ramp onto N.C. 107. According to the contract now in default, the road was supposed to be traffic-ready

by May 19, an extension from the original date of April 26. Now, that timeline will get pushed back just a little bit further.

“I think it will be the first of June when it will be open to traffic,” estimated Brian Burch, division construction engineer for the DOT. The entire project — including landscaping — won’t likely finish until August or September, he added.

And while the project always bore a hefty price tag — $29.6 million total, with $15.9 million of that for construction — it’s looking like the work is coming along on budget.

So far, 92 percent of the total price tag and 86 percent of the construction contract has been spent, proportions consistent with the amount of work that’s actually been done.

“We’re right on target,” Burch said.

David Mesimer (828) 452-2815 283 North Haywood St. Waynesville david.mesimer@allstate.com

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with local dollars — DOT and Devere don’t tor” of damage to the northwest corner of the building, he said, but there’s no correlation see eye-to-eye on who should foot the bill.

In a September 2015 study commis- between the anchors and damage to the sioned by Devere’s insurance company, building’s east wall.

The DOT followed Menard’s finding Travelers Insurance, engineer Beau Menard indicated that DOT was the one at fault, with a report of its own, agreeing with the reporting that soil samples indicated that finding that the anchors were likely to blame the fill used around the Balsam Center’s for the cracks but taking things one step furoriginal foundation — it was constructed ther, placing the fault on Devere for going in 1988 over an old creek bed — was a outside of the easement granted for conloose, silty sand that compresses poorly struction purposes.

Devere “failed to recognize that the helical and lends itself to spontaneous settling.

Though a subsurface investigation was anchors for the shoring extended beyond the done before the R-5000 project began, provided construction easement and, even Menard’s report says, it is “unknown what more concerning, extended 20 to 30 feet into information from the subsurface investiga- the footprint of the north end of the Balsam tions was provided” to the college, and Center,” the DOT report says.

Basically, the anchors extended as far as “with proper information regarding the subsurface conditions,” SCC could have 30 feet under or into the foundation of the “prepared proper protocols for the obser- Balsam Center. To make things worse, the vation and assessment of damages that DOT report found, preliminary drawings occurred during the construction process.” had not given any indication that the The report does not say whether Devere received a copy “If we don’t get the information of the subsurface investigation or considered sharing it with and things aren’t going the way SCC. that is in the best interest of the When asked for comment, Menard said his company’s polcollege, the board (of trustees) will icy doesn’t allow him to discuss files with anyone other than the have to consider whether it will client. Neither Devere nor its want to file a lawsuit.” attorney returned requests for comment.

— Chad Donnahoo, attorney for SCC The study also pointed out that the peak vibrations surrounding the anchor removal were below anchors would come that close to the the U.S. Bureau of Mines’ threshold for buildings. Because the construction plan damage to gypsum wallboard and that, included no restrictions on which kind of while anchor work occurred along the shoring should be used, Devere had other entire length of the building, damage options if it wasn’t going to have space to occurred only on the north side. place the anchors — it didn’t have to run And because no pre-construction survey the risk of damaging the building to get the was conducted, Menard said, it “cannot be job done. verified” what damages existed before and From where Donnahoo sits, Devere and which came after the construction activities. DOT are one and the same when it comes to When asked whether a pre-construction sur- defining fault. vey was required in this case, DOT communi“I think you walk away (from reading the cations manager Steve Abbott said he studies) with the conclusion that the legal couldn’t say and would require multiple days and proximate cause of the damage was done to research the answer.

by DOT or its subcontractor Devere,” Menard’s suggestion concerning the lack Donnahoo said. “If Devere is negligent, then of a pre-construction survey is not an argu- DOT is negligent as well because Devere ment Wooten buys. works (for DOT).”

“None of that happened until after that Abbott does not concur with that assesswork started taking place outside of that ment. building,” he said.

“Any damage caused in a project is the responsibility of the contractor,” he said.

Of course, the whole discussion is comUT OF BOUNDS ANCHORS plicated by the fact that Devere has defaultIt’s also not the end of Menard’s comment ed on the four contracts it holds with the on the situation. In November, he submitted NCDOT (see related story on page 12). The a follow-up to the study issued in September, company — a large corporation that does this one indicating that there might be some everything from design work to construction of hospitals, roads, schools and more fault on Devere’s part after all.

Installing anchors into poor-quality soil — appears to still be in existence, but its like that beneath the Balsam Center would bonding company Liberty Mutual is set to have caused a disturbance, Menard wrote, take over the road projects in which it had and when the anchors were removed, no fill been engaged.

“It drags things out,” Wooten said. “This is was placed in the void created.

“Voids created in the subsurface soils one of those things that patience is a virtue.”

The Smoky Mountain News reached out would be a catalyst for settlement,” Menard to Devere, its attorney and SCC for comwrote.

Installation of the anchors “cannot be ment but did not receive a response by ruled out as a cause and/or contributing fac- press time.

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Fired WCU worker will return to work University to drop appeal of court decision finding wrongful firing

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER hile most people are mourning the coming of another Monday, Rob Russell will be rejoicing as he returns to his job at Western Carolina University Feb. 15.

After being fired from his job as an electrician in November 2014, Russell, 52, had filed a lawsuit claiming the university had sent him packing without a real reason. He won the suit, but WCU appealed the decision. Now, the university has decided to drop the appeal and invited Russell to resume his job — with backpay and benefits — on Monday.

He got the good news around 4 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 5, and has been ecstatic ever since.

“I’m excited,” Russell said. “I’m glad they (WCU) made it right.”

WCU does not wish to comment on the decision or on the situation, university spokesman Bill Studenc said, but confirmed that Russell will be resuming his post come Feb. 15.

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together, with Walker instructing Russell to come to him if he had any problems.

Problems ensued, according to Overby’s decision. Russell became “persona non grata” among his colleagues, Overby wrote, and on one occasion a desired overtime shift originally assigned to Russell was shifted to another employee for no reason. Russell was assigned to dig ditches on a regular basis. It became well known that Watson was his enemy.

On Russell’s last day at work, the facilities division was working on a large project at which both Russell and Carpenter were present. Though they were originally working on two separate parts of the project, Russell was later ordered to team up with Carpenter. He refused repeatedly before walking off the site to find Walker, as he’d been instructed to do. Instead he found Lee Smith, who was under Walker in the chain of command but above Watson. Russell told Smith what had happened and that he’d need to go home and “cool off.” Smith didn’t tell him not to, so that’s what he did.

But Smith opted to place Russell on investigatory leave, and five days later Russell was called into a “pre-disciplinary conference” in which he was accused of leaving the work site without permission, working slowly on purpose and destroying the pipe he was working with, also on purpose.

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The events that led to Russell’s firing in the first place started soon after his was hired to the university’s Division of Facilities Management in August 2012. For training, Russell was paired with Michael Carpenter, an electrician who had worked for the division since 2005. Conflict soon resulted as Russell witnessed Carpenter stealing a variety of items, such as Catamount T-shirts and scrap copper, according to N.C. Administrative Judge Donald Overby’s October 2015 decision in favor of Russell.

Russell went to his boss, Terry Watson, asking to be paired with a different worker, but he was refused. Eventually he went higher in the chain of command for relief, resulting in Carpenter’s arrest and firing.

However, Carpenter was soon restored to his position after he challenged the termination and won. That Carpenter had stolen wasn’t in question, but theft was rampant in the facilities division, Joe Walker — Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management — determined after hearing Carpenter’s case. If he upheld Carpenter’s firing, he reasoned, he’d have to fire most of the division’s staff.

So, he did what Overby called taking “the easy way out” and reinstated Carpenter with no punishment other than a general admonishment to staff that stealing wasn’t allowed.

A condition of Carpenter’s return was that he and Russell would not have to work

The next day, Russell was informed he’d been fired.

Overby was unequivocal in his finding that Russell had been fired without cause — he was just doing what he’d believed he’d been instructed to in such a situation and certainly hadn’t been turning our poor work on purpose — and in scolding the university for its handling of the case, particularly the rehiring of Carpenter after he’d been found stealing.

“The University took the easy way out by turning its back on criminal activity by its employees,” Overby wrote. “It may have avoided being on the front page of the newspaper, but in so doing WCU gave a wholesale endorsement of bad and criminal behavior which should not have been tolerated.”

However, the university had initially appealed the decision, though it never filed a document stating the basis for the appeal.

By the same token, the university has not yet filed anything notifying the courts that it will not be pursuing the appeal but has extended an offer to Russell to resume work with full benefits and backpay, as ordered by Overby.

Watson retired from WCU in May 2015 after 29 years with the university, but Carpenter is still employed at the same position and salary level as he was at the time Russell was fired.

“A lot of people say you got that target on your back, be careful,” Russell said. “I’m just going to be a good little worker and work my butt off.”

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After our first week at the new location on Main Street, we at Apple Creek Cafe Bar & Grill would like to thank the community, our customers, and local businesses for their support. We especially appreciate all of the constructive feedback while we were testing various menu items and our new kitchen. Despite our many successes, we have identified areas for improvement and make a practice of listening to our customers. We will endeavor to earn your patronage. Over the next few weeks we will be finalizing our menu. During that time we

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Registration open for Civilian Police Academy

A new rest area is now open in Haywood County near Balsam to serve the southbound lane of U.S. 23/74.

The new facility has dual restrooms, a family restroom, a vending area and parking for cars, long-distance vehicles and trucks. It also offers picnic tables, a water feature and landscaping that utilizes native stone.

The existing northbound-lane facility, located less than one mile south of the new rest area, opened in 1989. This site will close for renovation in February and is scheduled to reopen in June. The N.C. Department of Transportation contracted with Buchanan and Sons Inc., from Whittier, on the $6.15 million project to complete both rest areas.

The 2016 class of the Waynesville Civilian Police Academy is set to begin classes on Tuesday, March 15 at the Waynesville Police offices on South Main Street.

The Civilian Police Academy gives citizens the opportunity to become more familiar with a wide range of police activities. The Academy meets for eight consecutive weeks on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Waynesville Police Department through May 3. The Academy is free and open to all Haywood County residents who are at least 21 years of age.

Applications are available during business hours in the main lobby of the police department on South Main Street and should be returned no later than March 4. Applicants will have a background check completed on them.

828.456.5363, or wpdcpa@outlook.com.

WCU series to focus on Syrian refugee crisis Western Carolina University faculty will address the Syrian refugee crisis on Wednesday, Feb. 10, as part of the university’s Global Spotlight series.

The presentation is set for 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of A. K. Hinds University Center. Topics to be covered include refugees under international and domestic law, social justice and economic implications, and Germany’s response to the crisis. Professors in political science, history, criminal justice and economics are scheduled to speak.

Food safety class offered in Haywood North Carolina food service managers seeking “Certified Food Safety Manager” certification in order to meet the N.C. Food Code requirement component of the food establishment’s inspection can register for the upcoming N.C. Safe Plates class.

The two-day class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22 and 23 at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Haywood County Center, 589 Raccoon Rd. in Waynesville.

The exam will be administered from 3-5 p.m. on the second day of class. The fee for the course is $125 and the registration deadline is Feb. 12.

828.456.3575 or julie_sawyer@ncsu.edu.

Financial aid event to be held in Macon Southwestern Community College will host a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Day from 9 a.m. to noon on Feb. 20 at the Macon Campus, located at 44 Siler Farm Road in Franklin.

“When our students fill out FAFSA, they are automatically considered for federal and state grants, Federal Work Study and Federal Student Loans,” said Tyler Cook, financial aid counselor at SCC. Families who would like help completing the FAFSA can register for the event at http://tinyurl.com/zaw5qag. A student’s and one parent’s Federal Student Aid identification can be obtained in advance from fsaid.ed.gov. southwesterncc.financialaidtv.com or 828.339.4438.

WCU to host new teacher ‘boot camp’ Western Carolina University will host a “boot camp” for first- to third-year teachers from Western North Carolina from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, in Room 102 of the Killian Building.

The Feb. 13 event at WCU is intended for participants from school districts in Alamance, Buncombe, Cleveland, Haywood, Jackson and Rowan counties. Participants will learn from coaches, peers and students. Teachers will learn how to get their students to share what they know, how to create enticing instruction for their students, and how to showcase evidence of good teaching for their principals.

919.417.1821 or gdaugherty@northcarolina.edu.

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New Haywood County rest area now open

Macon LWV to host commissioner forum The Macon County League of Women Voters will sponsor a forum for primary candidates for N.C. House District 120 and Macon County Board of Commissioners at noon Thursday, Feb. 18, at Tartan Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin.

Kevin Corbin and Elliott Southworth will face each other in the Republican primary for House District 120. Randy Hogsed is the unopposed Democratic candidate.

Republicans Karl Gillespie and Ron Haven are competing for the Republican candidacy for the District 2 Macon County Board of Commissioners seat. Charlie Leatherman is the unopposed Democratic candidate.

Republicans Greg Boyer, Emmanuel Carrion, and Paul Higdon are competing for the District 3 Board of Commissioners seat.

Bobby Kuppers is the Democratic candidate.

Questions will be accepted from the audience, time permitting.

February 10-16, 2016

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Cherokee shoots down U.S. motto display Council to explore displaying translation in Cherokee syllabary

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ince launching the U.S. Motto Action Committee, Rick Lanier has gotten his pitch to government leaders pretty well dialed in. After the group won a lawsuit in 2005 challenging Davidson County’s display of the national motto on its county building, Lanier’s helped convince 67 North Carolina counties and municipalities to display the words “In God We Trust” on their buildings.

But when he reeled off his standard speech to the Cherokee Tribal Council last week, he didn’t get quite the reaction he was hoping for.

“You have to understand our people to put up a sign like that. You don’t even know our people,” Councilmember Tommye Saunooke, of Painttown, told Lanier. “You don’t know what kind of beliefs we have, and it offends me to think that you need to tell us what to do.”

For a government body that begins every session with a prayer to the Christian God, whose members regularly allude to their

Smoky Mountain News 18

“I don’t respect that, and the reason I don’t respect that is in the legislation itself,” she said. “The United States national motto.

of the national motto as “patriotic” and “engraved above the entrance to the Senate Chambers as well as above the Speaker’s dais

That’s not me. That’s not Cherokee.”

The resolution — the same one Lanier has submitted to county after county, town after town — drew flak from those assembled at the councilhouse for its glowing description

in the House of Representatives.”

“Our society — my Cherokee society — is not your society,” McCoy told Lanier.

Cherokee is a sovereign nation, councilmembers emphasized, and

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February 10-16, 2016

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Biblical beliefs as the basis for their decisions, whose community is populated by church buildings and the people who fill them on Sundays, the tonguelashing handed Lanier — from councilmembers and community members alike — may have seemed surprisingly strong.

“When you go to an indigenous community, you really have to put in time to learn about who those people are,” said Becky Walker, a Wolfetown community member. “I feel like if you had done that, you probably wouldn’t have come here.”

Even aside from the content of the resolution, it was a huge mistake for Lanier to submit the legislation under his own name, said Joey Owle, also of Wolfetown.

“Do we allow non-enrolled members to come in here and make resolutions dictating what we do here?” Owle asked Council.

Councilmember Teresa McCoy, of Big Cove, seconded that criticism but said she took issue with the contents of the resolution itself.

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RESOLUTION WITHDRAWN Lanier appeared somewhat flummoxed by the outcry. He’d come by Tribal Council the month before to give council a rundown of the U.S. Motto Action Committee’s mis-

Lanier wound up withdrawing the resolution, a move councilmembers endorsed unanimously. He quickly left the room — but the conversation didn’t end there.

Actually, councilmembers agreed, it would be a good idea to have a similar motto displayed in the councilhouse — but done Cherokee’s own way, not at the behest of the U.S. Motto Action Committee.

Councilmember Alan “B” Ensley, of Yellowhill, said he’d been getting texts “from the community that they didn’t like non-Indians coming in telling us what we needed to do.” However, he said, “I think it would be good if we had that in our syllabary on the building out there.”

Council ultimately decided to do just that, asking its Cherokee translator, Myrtle Driver, to help work out the kinks of translation.

Leaving the English off would actually be a good thing, Driver said, because fitting both the syllabary and the English “In God We Trust” in the design had required shortening the Cherokee phrase. By using only syllabary, the entire phrase — which translates to something along the lines of “God, the creator, we trust and depend on him” — could be displayed.

There was some disagreement, however, as to the exact translation to use, so Council decided against acting on the idea this month. Instead, Driver will meet with the Cherokee Language Consortium — a council of Cherokee speakers representing each of the Cherokee tribes — to determine which translation should be displayed.

Ensley asked Driver, a member of the consortium, to come back later with a draft resolution for council to approve.

“We want to make sure we’re going to do it right if we’re going to do it,” Ensley said.

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Smoky Mountain News

its members’ first allegiance is not to the banner of America, especially considering the history between the U.S. government and Native American tribes. For some, the request’s wording set off red flags created by the more traumatic portions of Native American history.

“I drove though Carlisle to see the school where my grandmother was sent as a baby, and above the door there on the building, it basically says it got started to put Christian religion in these little heathen children,” McCoy said, referencing the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, a boarding school where Native children were taken after being separated from their families in an attempt to “civilize” them. “On the door it says, ‘Kill the Indian and save the man.’ That is one of the most painful things.”

“When I think of the words he’s going to put on our councilhouse and other government buildings, I think assimilation and indoctrination,” Owle said. “There’s been a long history of that.”

DOING IT THEIR OWN WAY

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February 10-16, 2016

The U.S. Motto Action Committee has made its share of stops in Western North Carolina before arriving in Cherokee. So far, both Macon and Swain counties have approved display of the motto “In God We Trust” on its buildings, along with Cherokee, Graham, Yancey and Rutherford counties.

However, Rick Lanier — the committee’s vice chairman — has not made a presentation to the Haywood County Commissioners, as the motto is already displayed in their meeting chambers at the Haywood County Historic Courthouse. He had tried to get on the agenda for the Jackson County Commissioners, but was denied. According to Chairman Brian McMahan, the denial had more to do with the fact that the county building doesn’t have any kind of government emblems or mottos on its exterior walls than with any issues specific to the motto.

“The building just has the name of the building, and at this point there’s no initiative on the board’s part to place a motto on the building,” McMahan told The Smoky Mountain News in September.

Lanier, who served as a Davidson County commissioner from 1998 to 2002, helped start the committee after the board he was part of approved display of the national motto following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The American Civil Liberties Union challenged the display in a lawsuit, but after years in the courts, Davidson County won.

Since then, the U.S. Motto Action Committee has worked to help county and municipal governments in North Carolina display the motto on their own buildings.

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The national motto in Western NC

sion and the help it would offer if the tribe so desired. Evidently, he’d felt enough encouragement from that interaction to warrant drafting a resolution and coming back for the February meeting.

Instead, he found himself the object of criticism from all sides and, when he returned to the podium at the conclusion of the discussion to respond, was interrupted

by Chairman Bill Taylor asking if he was going to withdraw the resolution.

“Can I just respond?” Lanier asked, as members of the audience murmured, “No, we don’t want to hear.”

“When I asked for a way to get it set up and come on the Council, I had no inkling or idea that anybody would be offended about it,” Lanier said. “I have not tried to force this on anybody.”

“When I talk to the Lord myself I very carefully say, ‘Lord, help me to be a light and a representative of who you are,’ and it hurts me to think that I have inadvertently offended anyone,” he continued, adding that if the board didn’t wish to move forward with the resolution, he would be “unkind” not to withdraw it.

“Well, we’re about to find that out,” Taylor responded.

Gary Caldwell 828/226-8876

gcaldwell@oneclearchoice.com 2 Westside Dr. | Asheville, NC 28806 | 828/254.1432

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The Panthers’ role in a cathode ray tube crisis I

cling centers in the state.

But the system fell apart last year.

Commodity prices for used electronic parts plummeted so low even the subsidies from the electronics manufacturers weren’t enough to cover the disposal costs, and counties have been forced to cough up the difference.

“The commodities are so bad and so low they had to make the money up somewhere to recover the loss of the revenue they aren’t getting on the back end,” said Stahl, who’s currently the president of the N.C. chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America.

Adding insult to injury, a bill proposed by a state Republican legislator last year would have quit the subsidies from the electronics industry altogether and instead force counties to foot the entire bill.

“While everything was up in the air, the processing centers were like, ‘We can keep doing this, but it will now be X cents a pound,’” Stahl said. “And by the way, if the manufacturing money starts rolling back in, it is still going to be X cents a pound.”

Haywood County commissioners last week had to allocate an emergency appropriation of $40,000 to pay for the pallets of TVs and electronics to be taken of its hands by electronics recycling centers. The annual cost will likely run the county $60,000.

Stahl said that’s roughly what Macon will be looking at as well.

The biggest culprit behind mounting electronic recycling costs: cathode ray tube TVs and computer monitors with heavy slabs of hazardous leaded glass. The only thing you can really do with the toxic glass is make more cathode ray TVs, but no one’s making those anymore.

The bulky cathrode ray TVs and monitors once ubiquitous in American households are now passe with the advent of slim, flat panel models. The glut of cathode ray TVs flooding the recycling market, combined with dried up demand for the repurposed parts, is causing a nationwide conundrum.

A man accused of breaking into an occupied home at Lake Junaluska a week ago was arrested Monday night after allegedly breaking and entering into a Cove Creek home.

The resident of a house on Cove Creek Road reported to deputies that he and his wife came home around 7 p.m. to find a white Mercury Mountaineer SUV parked in his driveway. He said they saw a black man run across the yard, get into the SUV and drive away. The couple got into their car and followed the SUV, calling 911 to inform dispatchers of the incident and the location of the SUV as it drove down Cove Creek Road toward Interstate 40.

Deputies, assisted by the NC Highway Patrol and Maggie Valley Police Department, stopped a 2006 white Mercury

Mountaineer shortly thereafter on I-40 eastbound at the exit 20 off-ramp, and the driver was taken into custody.

Marqui Antown Miller, 35, of Mill Spring in Polk County, was arrested and charged with one count of felony breaking and entering involving the incident on Cove Creek Road, one count of felony burglary regarding the Lake Junaluska home invasion on Hickory Hill and one felony fugitive warrant from South Carolina where he is wanted on charges of first-degree burglary and Marqui Miller grand larceny. Miller was jailed on those charges in lieu of $150,000 secured bond. His court date has been set for Feb. 17.

Caregiver education class offered at senior center A caregiver education class related to caring for and communicating with individuals with dementia will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center, 81 Elmwood Way in Waynesville.

This class will cover: “Depression in the Elderly.” This class identifies symptoms of depression, different types, common treatments and risk factors for suicide.

Leslie Lawson, LRT/CTRS, QMHP is a licensed recreational therapist, and qualified mental health professional, will teach the class. She has been part of the geriatric and adult mental health specialty team of Smoky Mountain LME/MCO for almost eight years.

No cost. Stop by or call 828.356.2800 to register.

Smoky Mountain News

Arrest made in Lake Junaluska home invasion

February 10-16, 2016

THE CATHODE RAY CONUNDRUM

tually replace their old TVs. But Stahl said the problem could drag on indefinitely, as many people stick their old TVs in closets and basements, waiting years or decades to actually get them out of the house.

In fact, that’s what one city in Texas is actually telling its residents to do.

“They said just put them in your attic or downstairs for now, because we don’t have a way to deal with them,” Stahl said, recounting the Texas city’s solution.

Best Buy used to accept old TVs and computers from anyPallets of shrink-wrapped cathode ray tube TVs are piled high on one off the street at the floor of Haywood County’s material recovery center, awaiting no cost and ship shipment to a recycling center. Becky Johnson photo them off to be recycled, but no more.

Best Buy announced Stahl knew of only one last cathode ray this month it will now charge $25 because TV factory in the world, located in India, the commodity price for the parts has that was still taking the leaded glass up until dropped so low given the market saturation. last year.

The National Center for Electronics “Historically, most of that material when Recycling estimated there are still 6 billion it is recycled is shipped out of the country,” pounds of cathode ray TVs and monitors left Stahl said. in people’s homes.

Now, cathode ray TVs have become so Stahl said new flat panel TVs and monicostly to deal with, some electronics recycling tors have their own down-side, however. centers have shut down, leaving huge stockThe guts of cathode ray TVs at least have piles of abandoned leaded glass behind. One copper wire, which was worth a little somein North Carolina went bankrupt. thing, along with metal scrap. The flat panel About 57 million computers and televimodels are almost all plastic, with very little sions are sold in the United States annually, to turn into resellable parts. according to the Environmental Protection “They don’t have very much worthwhile Agency. So theoretically, the cathode ray in them. Flat screens are not without their conundrum should end as households evenproblems,” Stahl said.

news

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER n the days leading up to the Super Bowl, avid Panthers’ fan David Francis came up with a novel approach to quantifying local interest in the big game this year, which hit a fever pitch given a home-state team in the lineup.

Simply track the number of old TVs coming through Haywood County’s trash and recycling center.

“A lot of people will go out and buy a new TV for the Super Bowl,” said Francis, Haywood’s solid waste director.

That means jettisoning their old ones, which soon turn up at the county recycling center in Clyde.

The Super Bowl TV-buying frenzy came quick on the heels of the Christmas season, which had already swamped the county’s Materials Recovery Center with old TVs people ditched to make way for their new Black Friday deals and holiday specials.

“We have three tractor-trailer loads sitting on the floor,” Francis said.

Shrink-wrapped pallets stacked high with TVs were queued up inside the county’s giant recycling warehouse last week, waiting to be shipped off to a disposal center that dis-assembles the TVs and mines then for useable parts before destroying them.

But getting rid of the ever-mounting pile will come at a cost to county taxpayers. State law bans TVs and other electronics from landfills. Computers, DVD players, laptops, radios, you name it — they all must be collected, sorted and sent off to a disposal center rather than dumped in the landfill.

Until this year, the cost of disposing of used electronics was born by the electronics industry itself.

“If you wanted to sell TVs in North Carolina, you had to pay into the recycling program,” said Chris Stahl, head of Macon County’s solid waste.

Recycled electronic parts don’t fetch enough on the commodity market to make it a financially viable enterprise. So Panasonic, Sharp, Dell, Samsung, and the rest of the industry players subsidized electronics recy-

21

22

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Bottom line: State needs to do more for public schools

I

Number one among those is that Haywood school officials are right that salaries and benefits have eaten up the majority of the increase going to public education. This isn’t because teachers are paid too much or have gotten raises, it’s just a reality of incremental salary increases and the higher cost of benefits.. Personnel costs have gone up, but at the same time more is being demanded of teachers as assistants and other costs were cut.

Here are the numbers: from 200809 to 2014-15, the state increased funding to public schools by $60,214,282 Editor (from $8.70 billion to $8.76 billion).

During that same time period, salary and benefits for public school employees increased by $1.3 billion. Do the math and that means there is $1.2 billion less for everything else associated with education, and those are just real dollars that don’t take into account any inflation or the increase of 43,700 students in the state’s schools.

So, yes, the GOP-led General Assembly has returned some the money to the public schools that was cut — originally by the Democrat-led General Assembly — due to the recession.

However, the increase has not kept up with teacher salary

Scott McLeod

t’s a fundamental question and voters will be the ultimate arbiters: is North Carolina spending adequately on education? The short answer is no, and I’ll show you why I believe that.

With Haywood County officials pondering the likely closing of Central Elementary School due to funding shortfalls, the question of the state’s commitment to education has been thrust into the spotlight. The back-and-forth has included emails and press releases from both Haywood school officials and Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Burnsville, with our legislator stooping so far as to calling local officials “shameful” and “disingenuous.” Not quite the behavior you’d expect from a state representative, but hey, an uninformed electorate gets its just deserts.

The gist of the debate goes something like this, and both local school officials and Presnell are right: Haywood officials say the state’s investment in public schools — excluding salaries and benefits, which eat up most of the increases — is down; Rep. Presnell says (in a statement you can read on www.smokymountainnews.com) in her two terms, overall investment in the public schools has increased, and she is right.

Most people get bored drilling down deeply into budget numbers, but it’s important that voters take a few minutes to look at some simple budgetary truths.

Atlas’ big smug shrug

BY RON ROBINSON G UEST COLUMNIST The other day I attended a basketball game at Western Mountain University. I could not help noticing a very large person sitting in the upper decks near the rafters. He seemed intensely focused on the game and was continually smiling.

Sometimes even grinning. My curiosity was growing, so at halftime I climbed the stairs to his seat.

I greeted the trendy casual but expensively dressed gentleman and introduced myself. He then introduced himself.

“They call me Atlas,” he said with a grin.

“I see, do you have a last name?” I asked.

“Shrugged,” he stated.

“The Atlas Shrugged,” I asked.

“Yes,” he admitted, “one and the same”.

“You seem to be in a very good mood,” I observed.

“Yes,” he said. “I am ecstatic. You see, I made an offer to buy this university and made a down payment of $2 million just before Christmas. I really like what I see here. The basketball team is doing better and generating positive revenue. The football team’s numbers last year were better and we are expecting even better receipts this year. The school increased tuition and fees again this year with more increases scheduled next year. Our revenue should be in great shape going

forward. We have gotten labor costs under control. The average faculty and staff salary is lower than before the 2008 crash and total salary budget is also lower. Worker productivity has skyrocketed since we increased the number of classes and class sizes per faculty member”.

“You must be very happy”, I said.

“Yes, things are looking up. With the assistance of Coca and Cola, the Coke brothers, we installed Libertarian Economics professor, Ted Rolex, PhD, here and the General Assembly selected our candidate to be the new system president.”

“I hear she has difficulty with grammar” I observed.

“Possibly, but her Spelling is fairly good and she is familiar with our next steps”.

“Next steps?” I asked.

“Yes, our strategy is to do here what we did with another university. We bought the University of Airy Zone’s Freebird campus and with her on our board, converted it from a public institution to a for-profit enterprise ‘cash cow.’

We call it ‘Greater Flexibility and Lower Student Costs.’ We replaced tenured faculty with adjuncts and automated classes with e-learning programs developed by a partner enterprise. We bilked the U.S. Department of Education out of millions of dollars making our stockholders quite wealthy.”

“What about the students,” I asked.

“Oh, them.” Atlas said. “Our philosophy is to be Objective. Everyone is expected to look out for their own best interests.”

“I hear students are unhappy, have burdensome debt, and have been unable to find employment.”

“That is their problem. They should have done more research before attending our schools,” he said. “We shrug off their complaints”.

“Aren’t students and faculty complaining?” I asked.

“Naw, we tell students tuition is less than other campuses and faculty is kept in line with heavy workloads.“ “Well, I can certainly see why you are smiling. It sounds like you are setting the table for another great success story for your investors.”

“Yes, the General Assembly is very excited and legislators are lining up to invest. We have big plans including changing the name of Western Mountain University to Appalachian Leadership Education College or A.L.E.C. for short. This could be bigger than Freebird University and go international. You can get in on it too!”

I noticed the teams coming back on the court so I thanked Atlas for his time and went back to my seat. The players did seem older and more like a semi-pro team I thought. Maybe they should change their mascot name to Privateers.

Might play well on Wall Street.

(Ron Robinson of Sylva can be reached at ronr@landofskyadvisorygroup.com.)

increases and more students, so schools don’t have more money.

But here’s a much more telling number, and it is more relevant in terms of the commitment by state leaders to public schools. In 1999-2000, the state’s leaders were committing 41 percent of the general fund to public schools. In 2014-2015, the legislature committed 37.8 percent of the general fund to education. The lesson: the state is committing a lower percentage of its dollars to education.

It’s no secret that government is seen as a necessary evil to many. I just don’t think public schools should be lumped into the equation when the anti-government crowd starts grandstanding, but it seems more and more that those in the GOP want to bash public schools, teachers, administrators and local school board members. Here’s how Rep. Presnell said it: “In the end, it will be the children of Haywood County who suffer from mismanagement,” apparently referring to Haywood school board members and administrators.

We should be talking about how to find more money to invest in public schools, not bashing local leaders who are trying to do more with less.

(Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com.)

LETTERS Are women treated differently?

To the Editor: Have you ever heard of a man being fired for his “strong leadership style”?

Ella Kliger Franklin

The diet of Lent is healthy

To the Editor: This Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40day period before Easter, when many Christians abstain from animal foods in remembrance of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert before launching his ministry.

But meat-free Lent is much more than a symbol of religious devotion to Christ. It helps reduce the risk of chronic disease, environmental degradation, and animal abuse.

Dozens of medical reports have linked consumption of animal products with elevated risk of heart failure, stroke, cancer, and other killer diseases. A 2007 U.N. report named meat production as the largest source of greenhouse gases and water pollution. Undercover investigations have documented farm animals being beaten, caged, crowded, deprived, mutilated, shocked and subjected to all manner of cruelty.

Lent offers all of us a superb opportunity to honor Christ’s powerful message of compassion and love by adopting a meat-free diet for Lent and beyond. After all, it’s the diet mandated in Genesis I-29 and observed in the Garden of Eden.

Our supermarket offers a rich array of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, as well as the more traditional vegetables, fruits, and grains. Entering “vegan recipes” in our favorite search engine offers more products, recipes, and transition tips than we can use.

Wade Moore Waynesville

WCU should stay away from Koch money, influence

Mark Jamison

I

sively) from the research done by scholars at our universities.” (my emphasis) As Schulman reports “… Cato Institute, Mercatus, and the dozens of other free-market, antiregulatory policy shops that Charles, David, and their foundations have supported over the years … churned out reports, position papers, and op-eds arguing for the privatization of Social Security; fingering public employee unions for causing state budget crises; attempting to debunk climate science; and making the case for slashing the welfare system and Medicaid.” Professor Lopez’s book, Madmen, Intellectuals and Academic Scribblers: The Economic Engine of Political Change, follows closely to the program Fink articulates.

Koch Foundation grants to academic institutions have faced increased scrutiny, especially over contract provisions like those in the FSU grant. There is nothing, however, to indicate that Charles Koch has retreated in his desire to instill his radical brand of libertarianism into the institutions and universities that create research to support public policy.

What has perhaps changed is that Mr. Koch and his operatives have become ever more sophisticated in promoting their goals.

WCU Chancellor David Belcher acknowledges that mistakes were made in the presentation of the current proposal; however, the proposal itself meets all the basic criteria for acceptance. The fact that Professor Lopez advertised positions before official acceptance and outside normal channels raises significant questions. The contract may not allow veto power, but if the structure of the program and the hiring are filtered through products of Koch programs, that may be a distinction without a difference. The Kochs have been very clear about there intentions and goals. Ad hoc denials aside, there is every reason to take Mr. Koch’s word.

Chancellor Belcher suggests that bringing a stronger level of scrutiny to the Koch proposal pushes us down a slippery slope. The chancellor is no naïf; surely he knows that in a complicated world we are often presented with slippery slopes — that is why judgment, ethics and scrutiny exist.

There is an irony approaching outright cognitive dissonance when the economics department of a publicly funded university embraces a set of theories that denies the need for public education, that treats such public funding as an affront to the market. If scrutinizing this proposal puts us onto a slippery slope, then accepting it simply sends us to the bottom of the slope.

(Jamison is a retired postmaster who lives in Cullowhee.

He can be reached at markijamison01@gmail.com.)

February 10-16, 2016

(Professor Long is no liberal. He edits The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies and is a member of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, an organization that promotes the theories of the dean of Austrian economics.)

Western Carolina University economics professors Ed Lopez and Zachary Gochenour are products of the George Mason program and Mercatus. In a memo to Andrew Gillen of the Charles Koch Foundation, Lopez evaluates members of the WCU economics department and the program. In the same memo, Professor Lopez lists his assoGuest Columnist ciation with IHS. Presumably then both professors are familiar with the sort of metrics and deliverables that are integral to Koch’s Market-Based Management system.

Schulman’s book and Jane Mayer’s new book, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, go into great detail about the various organizations sponsored and funded by Charles and David Koch. From Americans for Prosperity to academic institutions like Mercatus, the Kochs have been very active in funding organizations that promote specific ideologies.

Lately Charles Koch has been quite vocal in bemoaning the fact that his political contributions have not yielded an appropriate return on investment. In a recent interview in the Financial Times he said, “You’d think we could have more influence.”

What is perhaps more troubling is that in academic settings the Kochs have sought to exercise an extraordinary degree of control. Between 2007 and 2011, Charles Koch has pumped $31 million into universities for scholarships and programs, making the $2 million to WCU significant. At Florida State University the contract with the university provided $1.5 million while giving the Koch Foundation veto rights over hiring decisions.

The plan that Charles Koch with the aid of Richard Fink has enacted is called a “Structure of Social Change” — a business plan for the marketing of ideas. Fink has said about the plan: “When we apply this model to the realm of ideas and social change, at the higher stages we have the investment in the intellectual raw materials, that is, the exploration and production of abstract concepts and theories. In the public policy arena, these still come primarily (though not exclu-

news

n Sons of Wichita, Daniel Schulman relates a story about Charles Koch’s attempt to apply his libertarian management theory known as Market-Based Management to Wichita Collegiate, the private school located near the Koch compound. The school, cofounded by Bob Love — an associate of Fred Koch from the John Birch Society — became embroiled in an “acrimonious uprising” after Charles Koch, who was chairman of the school’s executive council, applied techniques from his management system designed to force everyone in an institution or business into an entrepreneurial role.

Schulman reports that Koch meddled in hiring decisions.

He writes, “Incensed parents threatened to pull their children from the school; faculty members quit; students wore black in protest. Charles stepped down from the board of trustees citing, among other reasons, the school’s refusal to integrate his management style. But in a sign of just how much influence he exerted over the school, Richard Fink, one of Charles’ key advisors and an architect of Market-Based Management, was installed as Collegiate’s interim head. The outrage ran so deep that, as Fink tried to tamp down the uproar, he was hung in effigy around campus.”

Fink received his Ph.D. in economics from Rutgers, later moving to George Mason, a public university in Virginia, to start the Koch-sponsored Mercatus Institute. He figures prominently in Koch efforts to control and dictate to institutions that receive Koch support. Another Koch enterprise, the Institute for Humane Studies, caused disruptions when it was relocated to George Mason. Schulman reports that, “The mission of IHS is to groom libertarian intellectuals by doling out scholarships, sponsoring seminars, and placing students in like-minded organizations.”

Simply providing funding for the promotion of his libertarian ideology was not enough for Charles Koch.

Roderick Long, a philosophy professor from Auburn, is quoted as saying, “Massive micromanagement ensued.” He continued, “the management began to do things like increasing the size of student seminars, packing them in, and then giving the students a political questionnaire at the beginning of the week and another one at the end, to measure how much their political beliefs shifted over the course of the week.

(Woe betide any student who needs more than a week to mull new ideas prior to conversion.)

They also started running scholarship application essays through a computer to measure how many times the “right names” (Mises, Hayek, Friedman, Rand, Bastiat, etc.) were mentioned — regardless of what was said about them!”

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LOOKING FOR OPINIONS:

The Smoky Mountain News encourages readers to express their opinions through letters to the editor or guest columns. All viewpoints are welcome. Send to Scott McLeod at info@smokymountainnews.com., fax to 828.452.3585, or mail to PO Box 629, Waynesville, NC, 28786.

23

opinion

Self-esteemers having trouble with Panther loss

or some time, I have been worried that my children are not learning the coping skills they will need in order to handle disappointment, failure, and setbacks when they grow up. They are, after all, growing up in a culture that values self-esteem above all other things, which means that they have for years been given prizes, trophies, ribbons, tee shirts, and certificates for everything they do, which includes simply showing up — or not showing up if they don’t feel like it. I think the idea is to make sure that all children understand Columnist that they are special, and to protect them from potentially self-esteem damaging experiences such as losing a tee ball game.

The very idea of losing is anathema to the “self-esteemers,” because, you see, no child is a “loser,” and it is of vital importance that they never be branded as such or to be made to feel “less than” because of something as arbitrary and meaningless as not being as good or talented as some other child in, well, whatever. This is all well and good until they show up in a college English class someday, attend maybe half the classes, produce halfassed work that they feel just great about, and then wonder what happened when they receive a failing grade at the end of the term.

“Yes, but where is my trophy? What do you mean I have to repeat the class? I want my certificate!”

I tell you, it is tough on those parents who want to teach their children that they are going to lose once in a while, that they are not always going to get a trophy just for trying, and that things are not always going to go their way. Which is why I am grateful to the Carolina Panthers for blowing — I mean falling short in — the Super Bowl on Sunday night.

Don’t get me wrong. I am heartbroken, too. I have been an avid fan of the Panthers since the team’s inception, following everything the team does all through the intervening years. For example, it hasn’t been three days since they lost, and here I am already thinking about the draft and potential free agency coups for next season. Good season or bad, I am there, watching every Sunday, always finding cause for optimism, regardless of how bleak the circumstances might seem.

Over the past couple of seasons, the rest of the family — formerly indifferent to the fortunes of the Panthers — has gradually gained interest in the team. As you probably already know, the team had a remarkable year this season, posting a sterling 15-1 regular season record and then beating, in succession, their arch rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, and the very dangerous Arizona Cardinals in the NFC 24 Championship game to get to the Super Bowl.

Smoky Mountain News

February 10-16, 2016

Chris Cox

F

It had been a magical season, one that would surely culminate with a sound thrashing of the AFC Champion Denver Broncos, a team with a good defense, but a sketchy offense and a quarterback, Peyton Manning, who, before becoming an NFL quarterback, once charged up San Juan Hill with Theodore Roosevelt. OK, I made that up, but the guy is old, old, old. He is about as mobile as the statue of Theodore Roosevelt, and he throws about as well. He would obviously be a sitting duck for our ferocious defense, and with Cam Newton directing our top-rated offense, we would destroy the Broncos and win the franchise’s first ever Super Bowl.

All week long, the family has been excited about the Super Bowl. We’ve been wearing our Panthers gear, talking excitedly about the game over dinner, finalizing the Super Bowl menu, and counting the days — and then the hours — until game time.

One afternoon a couple of days before the big game, Jack came bounding in from school, his book bag still slung over his shoulder.

“Well, how’d school go?” I said.

“I got in trouble today for dabbing,” he said. “I guess Ms. Honeycutt is a Broncos fan.”

Thanks to Cam Newton, everyone is dabbing now. Fans in the stands are dabbing. The band at our church is dabbing. Betty White is dabbing. And my son is dabbing over scoring an A on a spelling test or something.

The big day finally came and everything was all set for a big celebration. Cam would run, pass, and dab his way to a championship, and he would give about four footballs to those cute little kids in the stands, and he would smile that electric smile of his, and we would jump around in the house like popcorn kernels popping, kernels wearing Luke Kuechly jerseys and Panther hats.

But then a funny thing happened.

Denver’s defense was stellar, and the Panthers could not stop making mistakes. Cam fumbled twice, threw an interception, and spent most of the day running for his life and frowning. We watched in stunned silence, the gnawed bones of our hot wings in a sad little pile on a sad little tray. Our miniature dachshund sniffed at them halfheartedly, and then tunneled beneath the covers, unable to bear the sight of Cam rolling around on the ground in agony as the last minutes clicked the season away.

I took a peek over at my son, who had has head buried face down in the pillow. His shoulders were trembling. Welcome to heartbreak city, kid. He’ll dab again someday, but try telling that to him now. He has to learn it the hard way. Unless the self-esteemers burst in with another television, one that is broadcasting a Panther Super Bowl victory in an alternate universe.

I wouldn’t put it past them.

(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher who lives in Haywood County. He can be reached at jchriscox@live.com.)

tasteTHEmountains

APPLE ANDY'S RESTAURANT 3483 Soco Road, Maggie Valley located in Market Square. 828.944.0626. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Wednesday and Thursday.

Serving the freshest homemade sandwiches, wraps, and entrees such as country fried steak and grilled flounder. Full salad bar and made from scratch sides like potato salad, pinto beans and macaroni and cheese. www.appleandys.com APPLE CREEK CAFE 111 N. Main St., Waynesville.

828.456.9888. Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight. Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Home to an extensive build your own sandwich menu as well as specialty salads, soups burgers and more. With local ingredients and made-from-scratch recipes using a variety of good-for-you ingredients Apple Creek Cafe is sure to become your favorite spot.

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open

Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slow-simmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts. Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily. Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available.

BOGART’S 303 S. Main St., Waynesville. 828.452.1313.

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Carry out available. Located in downtown Waynesville, Bogart’s has been long-time noted for great steaks, soups, and salads. Casual family atmosphere in a rustic old-time setting with a menu noted for its practical value. Live Bluegrass/String Band music every Thursday. Walking distance of Waynesville’s unique shops and seasonal festival activities and within one mile of Waynesville Country Club.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner nightly from 4 p.m. Closed on Sunday. We specialize in hand-cut, all natural steaks, fresh fish, and other classic American comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available. We also feature a great selection of craft beers from local artisan brewers, and of course an extensive selection of small batch bourbons and whiskey. The Barrel is a friendly and casual neighborhood dining expe-

rience where our guests enjoy a great meal without breaking the bank.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ 6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers. We use 1st quality fresh not preprepared products to make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items.

Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. It’s winter, but we still serve three meals a day on Friday, Saturday and long holiday weekends. Join us for Breakfast from 8 to 9:30 a.m.; Lunch from 12 to 2 p.m.; and Dinner buffet from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with entrees that include pot roast, Virginia ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. And a roaring fire in the fireplace. So come enjoy mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view.

Reservations are required.

CHEF’S TABLE 30 Church St., Waynesville. 828.452.6210.

From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through

Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu. Extensive selection of wine and beer. Reservations honored.

opinion

Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251

CHURCH STREET DEPOT 34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville.

828.246.6505. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mouthwatering all beef burgers and dogs, hand-dipped, hand-spun real ice cream shakes and floats, fresh handcut fries. Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot.

CITY BAKERY 18 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.3881.

Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us in our historic location for scratch made soups and daily specials.

Breakfast is made to order daily: Gourmet cheddar & scallion biscuits served with bacon, sausage and eggs; smoked trout bagel plate; quiche and fresh fruit parfait. We bake a wide variety of breads daily, specializing in traditional french breads. All of our breads are hand shaped. Lunch: Fresh salads, panini sandwiches. Enjoy outdoor dinning on the deck. Private room available for meetings.

CITY LIGHTS CAFE Spring Street in downtown Sylva.

828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch,

Friday & Saturday Breakfast Buffet - $7.95 Sunday – Brunch 10am -5pm $10.25 includes drinks

February 10-16, 2016

Waynesville BREAKFAST HOUSE

Monday - Saturday Open at 7 Lunch Buffet – $8.95 Dinner Buffet - $9.95

67 Branner Ave. Waynesville • 828 246 9881 Smoky Mountain News

We’ll feed your spirit, too.

Cataloochee Ranch 119 Ranch Drive, Maggie Valley, NC 28751 | CataloocheeRanch.com | (828)926-1401

BREAKFAST• LUNCH • DINNER

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tasteTHEmountains

331-40

MEDITERRANEAN

dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more.

Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly. Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

ITALIAN CUISINE

Love is

in the Air

MAKE YOUR VALENTINE’S DINNER RESERVATIONS TODAY

1863 S. Main Street • Waynesville 828.454.5002 Hwy. 19/23 Exit 98 LUNCH & DINNER TUES. - SUN.

331-70

www.pasqualesnc.com

42 Montgomery St. Waynesville 11-3 Monday-Saturday

February 10-16, 2016

CALL IN YOUR ORDER:

Valentine’s Menu

THE CLASSIC WINESELLER 20 Church Street, Waynesville.

828.452.6000. Underground retail wine and craft beer shop, restaurant, and intimate live music venue. Kitchen opens at 4 p.m.

Wednesday through Saturday serving freshly prepared small plates, tapas, charcuterie, desserts. Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

CORK & CLEAVER 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.3551. Reservations recommended.

4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 2 pm. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, Cork & Cleaver has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Chef Ed Kaminski prepares American cuisine from local, organic vegetables grown in Western North Carolina. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com .

COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT 3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley.

828.926.1820 Open Wednesday and Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet. Instead our waitresses

will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.

FILLING STATION DELI 145 Everett St., Bryson City, 828.488.1919.

Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sundays (in October) 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Locals always know best, and this is one place they know well. From the highquality hot pressed sandwiches and the huge portions of hand-cut fries to the specialty frozen sandwiches and homemade Southern desserts, you will not leave this top-rated deli hungry.

FRANKIE’S ITALIAN TRATTORIA 1037 Soco Rd. Maggie Valley.

828.926.6216 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday-Saturday. Father and son team Frank and Louis Perrone cook up dinners steeped in Italian tradition. With recipies passed down from generations gone by, the Perrones have brought a bit of Italy to Maggie Valley. frankiestrattoria.com FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE 44 Church St. Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in mod-

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Open All Day Valentines Day, February Make your reservations now.

14th

FEB. 13-14 RESERVATIONS SUGGESTED

She Crab Couples Special

Smoky Mountain News

Soup Special:

Chateaubriand for two (10 ounce) accompanied by a six – seven ounce lobster tail served with drawn butter, two sides, salad each, and dessert to share

Surf & Turf

Five-ounce Filet with three batter-fried Shrimp

Prime Rib 6-ounce Shrimp & Scallops Scampi over Linguini All entrees served with warm rolls & butter, salad, entrée with side & assorted petite fours

FULL MENU & BAR ALSO AVAILABLE

828.456.5559

828.926.1817 v jarthurs.com 2843 Soco Rd. v Maggie Valley

Open Monday - Saturday for Lunch & Dinner

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39 Miller Street, Downtown Waynesville

Lunch & Dinner, Thurs.-Sun., noon to closing

Reservations accepted · Walk-ins Welcome

ern regional dishes. Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

GUADALUPE CAFÉ 606 W. Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.9877.

Open 7 days a week at 5 p.m. Located in the historic Hooper’s Drugstore, Guadalupe Café is a chef-owned and operated restaurant serving Caribbean inspired fare complimented by a quirky selection of wines and microbrews. Supporting local farmers of organic produce, livestock, hand-crafted cheese, and using sustainably harvested seafood.

J. ARTHUR’S RESTAURANT AT MAGGIE VALLEY U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. 828.926.1817.

Winter hours: Thursday through Dunday 12 to 4 p.m. for lunch and 4 p.m. to closing for dinner. Daily luncheon special at $6.99.

World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome. Take-out menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.

JOEY'S PANCAKE HOUSE 4309 Soco Rd Maggie Valley.

828.926.0212. Winter hours: Friday-Monday 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Joey’s is a family style restaurant that has been serving breakfast to the locals and visitors of Western North Carolina since 1966. Featuring a large variety of tempting pancakes, golden waffles, country style cured ham and seasonal specials spiked with flavor, Joey's is sure to please all appetites. Join us for what has

tasteTHEmountains JUKEBOX JUNCTION U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel. 828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

LOS AMIGOS 366 Russ Ave. in the Bi-Lo Plaza.

828.456.7870. Open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Enjoy the lunch prices Monday through Sunday, also enjoy our outdoor patio.

THE LUNCHBOX CAFE 100 Spicewood Dr., Clyde, 828.246.6296 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Serving up scrumptious breakfast, lunch and dinner all made with care in a welcoming environment. Subs, salads, sandwiches and more.

MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM 617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva.

828.586.3555. Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch.

Beer and wine. Free movies with showtimes at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with a Saturday mati-

nee at 2 p.m. Visit madbatterfoodandfilm.com for this week’s shows.

MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB 1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.

MOUNTAIN PERKS ESPRESSO BAR & CAFÉ 9 Depot St., Bryson City. 828.488.9561.

Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections.

Bagels, wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and quiche with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts.

NEWFOUND LODGE RESTAURANT 1303 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee (Located on 441 North at entrance to GSMNP).

828.497.4590. Open 7 a.m. daily.

Established in 1946 and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Family style dining for adults and children.

ORGANIC BEANS COFFEE COMPANY 1110 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.668.2326. Open 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Happily committed to brewing and serving innovative, uniquely delicious coffees — and making the world a better

Valentine’s Weekend

Valentine’s Days

Fixed-Price Specials w/Live Music

Friday & Saturday Feb. 12 & 13

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Order off the menu or choose 1 of 2 affordable packages that includes a bottle of wine, champagne or pitcher of local beer. We will have 6 Specials those nights, plus our regular menu items.

Reservations Encouraged 828.587.2233

Dinner for Two

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become a tradition in these parts, breakfast at Joey’s.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12-14 Come and enjoy a great dinner for two on those special nights for sweethearts!

3 E JACKSON ST. • SYLVA, NC

www.CityLightsCafe.com 331-21

Presents Valentine’s

———————————————

FOR ONLY

$

Saturday, February 13

29.99

SEATING STARTS AT 7:30 SHOW STARTS AT 8:00

———————————————

TICKETS $7

Dinner Includes:

IN ADVANCE

Two 8oz. Hand-Cut Ribeyes with Choice of Side, Salad, Non-Alcoholic Beverage & a Special Dessert for Two!

$10

AT THE DOOR

Special Valentine Menu & Complimentary Glass of Champagne PURCHASE ONLINE AT:

828.586.3555

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Located Located inin Beautiful Beautiful Downtown Downtown Sylva, Sylva, NCNC www.MadBatterFoodandFilm.com

35 EAST MAIN ST. • SYLVA 828.586.6532

Sweetheart Dinner

ENJOY OUR FULL BAR & NEW EXPANDED MENU

6-9 P.M.

Saturday Feb. 14th

• FEB. 12: Andrew Rickman • FEB. 13: Ashli Rose • FEB. 14: Steve Whiddon “Piano Man”

(Reservations Recommended)

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

Enjoy Jazz music & Dinner Specials.

Tuesday – Thursday: 10:30 am – 10 pm 111 N MAIN ST, WAYNESVILLE

TO GO ORDERS: 828-456-9888

AppleCreekCafe.com

$32/couple $17/single

Friday & Saturday: 10:30 am - Midnight Sunday: 11 am - 10 pm

We Deliver to Maggie Valley & Jonathan Creek

Smoky Mountain News

Sweetheart Dance:

1st Course: A trip to the Salad Bar 2nd Course: Choice of Entrée: • Fresh Cut Salmon topped with crab alfredo served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables • Chicken parmesan served with steamed vegetables • Fresh cut angus ribeye with mushroom wine sauce served with baked potato and fresh steamed vegetable 3rd Course: Oreo Cheesecake Parfait

February 10-16, 2016

Valentine’s

Eat-In - Take Out

828.926.0201 Located at Maggie Valley Inn • 70 Soco Rd. Maggie Valley www.maggievalleyhotel.com 331-37

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APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

will be closing for winter vacation Feb. 15 and will reopen April 2

WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE SPRING!

828-456-1997 blueroostersoutherngrill.com

— Real Local People, Real Local Food — 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, North Carolina Monday-Friday Open at 11am

NEW SMALL BATCH RELEASES FOR VALENTINES DAY: Chocolate Strawberry Milk Stout Rose Hips Saison

Maggie Valley | (828) 926-0212

February 10-16, 2016

Reservations Accepted

M/W/Th 11:30am-10pm | F/Sa 11:30am-12am

| Sun 12-9 pm

MountainEats.com

Smoky Mountain News

Let your smartphone be your guide!

• Find restaurants nearby • Read descriptions and explore menus • View photos and interactive maps It’s that simple!

An online dining directory for Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: 866.452.2251 28

tasteTHEmountains place. 100% of our coffee is Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic, all slow-roasted to bring out every note of indigenous flavor.

Bakery offerings include cakes, muffins, cookies and more. Each one is made from scratch in Asheville using only the freshest, all natural ingredients available. We are proud to offer gluten-free and vegan options.

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 828.926.0201 Open Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m and Sunday 7:30 a.m to 9 p.m. Full service restaurant serving steaks, prime rib, seafood and dinner specials.

a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Family-owned for 30 years. Serving hand-tossed pizza made to order, pasta, subs, gourmet salads, calzones and seafood. Also serving excellent prime rib on Thursdays. Dine in or take out available. Located across from the Fire Station.

PAPERTOWN GRILL 153 Main St., Canton. 828.648.1455 Open 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Serving the local community with great, scratch-made country cooking. Breakfast is served all day.

Daily specials including Monday meatloaf, chicken and dumplings on Thursdays and Friday fish.

ROB’S HOT DOG SHACK 42 Montgomery St., Waynesville 828.707.7033. Open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rob’s serves gourmet hot dogs and has homemade side items. Outdoor and indoor dining, café style restaurant. Locally owned and operated.

Family oriented business.

TAP ROOM SPORTS BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Dr. Waynesville 828.456.5988. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Enjoy soups, sandwiches, salads and hearty appetizers along with a full bar menu in our casual, smoke-free neighborhood grill.

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Classic Italian dishes, exceptional steaks and seafood (available in full and lighter sizes), thin crust pizza, homemade soups, salads hand tossed at your table. Fine wine and beer selection. Casual atmosphere, dine indoors, outside on the patio or at the bar.

Reservations appreciated.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN SUB SHOP 29 Miller Street Waynesville 828.456.3400. Open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. A Waynesville tradition, the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop has been serving great food for over 20 years. Come in and enjoy the relaxed, casual atmosphere. Sub breads are baked fresh every morning in Waynesville. Using only the freshest ingredients in home-made soups, salads and sandwiches. Come in and see for yourself why Smoky Mountain Sub Shop was voted # 1 in Haywood County. Locally owned and operated.

PATIO BISTRO 30 Church Street, Waynesville.

828.454.0070. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Breakfast bagels and sandwiches, gourmet coffee, deli sandwiches for lunch with homemade soups, quiches, and desserts. Wide selection of wine and beer.

Outdoor and indoor dining.

SPEEDY’S PIZZA 285 Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.3800.

Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11

TWIN MAPLES FARMHOUSE 63 North Hill Street, Waynesville.

828.452.7837. Open for Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Located just two blocks from downtown Waynesville, Twin Maples is available for weddings, receptions, family reunions, birthday parties, showers, luncheons, corporate meetings and retreats.

VITO’S PIZZA 607 Highlands Rd., Franklin.

828.369.9890. Established here in in 1998. Come to Franklin and enjoy our laid back place, a place you can sit back, relax and enjoy our 62” HDTV. Our Pizza dough, sauce, meatballs, and sausage are all made from scratch by Vito. The recipes have been in the family for 50 years (don't ask for the recipes cuz’ you won't get it!) Each Pizza is hand tossed and made with TLC. You're welcome to watch your pizza being created.

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MON.-SAT. 11 A.M.-8 P.M.

34 CHURCH ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.246.6505 Mtwitter.com/ChurchStDepot C facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot

REEKSIDE COYSTER HOUSE & GRILL

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February 10-16, 2016

VALENTINE’S SPECIAL Dinner For Two $35 Saturday 5-11 & Sunday 12-9

FIRST COURSE

Carrot Ginger Soup, Shrimp Cocktail or Oyster Rockefeller

SECOND COURSE (Each chooses one entree)

LIVE MUSIC TUESDAY NIGHTS!

Black Pepper Crusted N.Y. Strip with Hand Cut Fries, Sauteed Mushrooms, Au Pouvre Sauce

7 - 9PM

Herb marinated Chicken with sweet corn, kale & carrots Tarragon Velouté

THIRD COURSE

Caramel Brownie Triffle for Two

828.586.1985

438 Skyland Drive • Sylva Exit 85 to Skyland Dr., two blocks from McDonalds

Upcoming Bands: Feb. 16: Mile High Band Feb.23 Tonology

Smoky Mountain News

BBQ/Soy glazed Salmon with Mashed Potatoes & Spinach

SAGEBRUSH OF CANTON 1941 Champion Dr. Canton

828-646-3750 Sun-Thur 11 AM - 10 PM Fri-Sat 11 AM - 11 PM

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Smoky Mountain News

A&E

“We’re not a group that’s coming into this with millions of dollars to invest in a production brewery and go big, we’re coming into this as working class men who invest in our business as we go along — a hundred dollars here, a thousand dollars there,” Weaver said. “And we’re building at such a slow speed that folks might think we’re not growing, but we are.

We’re chipping away at our dream.”

And it’s also that laidback, devil-may-care attitude of the business that perfectly compliments the ever-changing menu and high quality craft beers. Initially, the idea of a brewery was a cherry on top for an already-successful restaurant. But, as their tasty selections took off, and the owners honed in their longtime love of craft beer and home brewing, it was decided to expand their operation. They bought new and better equipment, spent years perfecting recipes and even hired another brewer (Chris Perella), with the end result being an entire tap takeover by their own products this past year.

“You brew what you like. I spent almost two years working on our India Pale Ale and I’m still tweaking it. If you make the beer you love then you’ll attract others who also like those styles and flavors,” Bowman said. “Our blonde beer is for the masses so we don’t mess with it, Tipping Point Brewing in Waynesville recently celebrated five years in business. A social and economic hub of downtown, the business is owned by where the amber and IPA are straightforward (from left) Jon Bowman, Doug Weaver and Dan Elliot. Garret K. Woodward photo and to the point.”

“We’re no frills kind of people at our core, Weaver is quick to point out the blue-collar and I think our beer speaks to that,” Elliot It’s ongoing, always changing and evolving.”

Though Weaver may downplay the compa- nature of the business, where it’s not about added.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. ny’s recent birthday, what does remain is a throwing piles of money at something to make social and economical centerpiece within a it work. Far from. It’s about the day-in-day-out We’re just trying to make good beer,” Weaver community growing leaps and bounds in the blood, sweat and tears of hard work and deter- went on to say. “It’s not about ‘what’s trendy last few years. When Tipping Point first mination that stands as the foundation for the and cool this week.’ It’s about what John Q. Public wants — great, quality beer.” opened in December 2011, the brewery scene Tipping Point.

Looking beyond the first five in Waynesville was nearly nonexistent (there years of operation, the Tipping are four breweries currently in town). Add that Point feels it’s at its optimal size into a lack of spaces for late-night music or and pace. Literally, they’re out of casual food and beverage, and you have a need physical space to expand the for something to shift, to change — a “tipping brewery and restaurant. point” if you will.

Figuratively, they’ve reached “At the time, there really was a need for a their threshold of what they can place like this,” Weaver said. “O’Malley’s had just and want to manage. But, that closed a few doors down and that left a huge hole doesn’t mean the work is done. in the nightlife of this town. Waynesville was in “I feel we’re finally settling in need of a change, and now look how far we’ve to what we envisioned in the come as a community in the last five years.” beginning,” Elliot said. “And On any given night, one can saunter into you have to have a progressive the Tipping Point and feel welcomed by the vision, one that doesn’t get comestablishment, which has become an ambassaBY GARRET K. WOODWARD placent or else you blink and dor for the town and greater Western North STAFF WRITER two years have passed and you Carolina. Either you know every friendly face It all started in a boat.

Tipping Point co-owner Jon Bowman pours hops in a batch haven’t moved ahead.”

“Dan [Elliot], Jon [Bowman] and I were you cross paths with or you will by the time you “We’re looking to the future fishing on Wolf Lake,” Doug Weaver said. “And leave the building. of craft beer. Garret K. Woodward photo of Waynesville and what more we “Everybody that comes in here, if Doug we started kicking around the idea of having can do to make this town even doesn’t know them, then I know them, and if I our own place, and here we are today.” better,” Weaver added. “For a Sitting around a desk in the basement of don’t know them, then Jon knows them,” Elliot “We’re coming into this as working long time, the mindset was to get Tipping Point Brewing in Waynesville one said. “Everyone is friends with everyone in class men who invest in our butts in the seats, and now it’s recent morning, the trio laughs and reminisces here, and that’s a great thing.” about achieving quality in your “When we were going into this we wanted to like a band of high school chums at a reunion. business as we go along — a staff, your product, and your cusThey’re longtime friends, and they’ve created create a place like those great old bars you might tomers. We’ve spent all of this something special in this flourishing downtown see in a city like Milwaukee,” Weaver added. hundred dollars here, a thousand time trying to get people to come “That place your granddad went to, a multi-genof arts, small business and culinary delights. dollars there.” to our community, so now let’s “Some might see five years as a milestone or erational spot, with pictures of grandkids on the keep pushing ahead into the next resting point, but we don’t,” Weaver said. wall and that guy named ‘Bill’ who always sits on — Doug Weaver, Tipping Point co-owner chapter of Waynesville.”

“Everything is constant for us. You never rest. the same barstool — it’s a family here.”

Where everybody knows your name Tipping Point Brewing celebrates five years

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park at Big Creek.

Garret K. Woodward photo

“Seeing humor in everyday life is a key ingredient to a good existence, and with that, I tend to shake my head in awe of where I stand these days.”

Special Occasions and everyday fashions

FALL FASHION CLEARANCE ITEMS JAG JEAN SAMPLES

40 75% $35

% OFF OFF .00

regularly-priced items % OFF for Love the locals

10

Smoky Mountain News

HOT PICKS 1 2 3 4 5

February 10-16, 2016

It ain’t so bad.

Getting older. Tomorrow is my 31st birthday, and as I reflect on my first year of this new decade in my life, I’m finding The 10th annual Outhouse Race will be held at myself more centered and alive noon Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Sapphire Valley than ever before.

Ski Area.

Yes, I know I’m not old by A “Wine Tasting & Food Pairing” with importer any means, but crossing that Marco Laico, president/founder of Vino Vino, “30” threshold is something to will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at behold. It’s a platform to not The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. only look back at your years of irresponsible enlightenment, but Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The also look ahead to the horizon Remnants (Americana) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13. with curiosity and excitement for all of those incredible people, places and things ready to surA “Valentine’s Burlesque Show” will be held prise you around every corner. from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at Feb. 5, 2015. I awoke next to Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. a pretty girl I was seeing at the A special Valentine’s Day dinner will be held on time. Not a bad way to start the Sunday, Feb. 14, at Creekside Oyster House & first day of being in your 30s.

Grill in Sylva.

The sun was shining. There was smile on the pretty girl’s face, that a grin rolls across my face when I think one that was immediately reciprocated by of the good times we had together. my own grin.

I’ve never really given much thought to “How does it feel to be 30 you old man, age, or birthdays for that matter. I look at you?” the pretty girl teased. time as one moment. We’re all part of this “Not bad, though I wonder why a cute girl like yourself is hanging around with such one moment, with everything around us being one thing, in one space and time, an old geezer,” I shot back. which is here and now. Sound a little odd to “Who knows?” she replied. “I guess to you? Probably, but I just try to make sense of make sure you don’t fall down and break nothing and everything by looking at the your hip.” universe through a kaleidoscope of chance And now, a year later, I awoke alone on and possibility. the day before my birthday. Sun still shining My earliest birthday memories tend to outside. But, no pretty girl to smile at. Truth drift back to a snowy day on the frozen be told, I can’t remember the last time I Canadian border of my native Upstate New talked to her, though I can say, truthfully,

rock hurtling through space. Seeing humor in everyday life is a key ingredient to a good existence, and with that, I tend to shake my head in awe of where I stand these days.

As I’ve stated in the past, if you told me in high school that in 2016 I’d be single, unmarried, with no kids, I’d take the “sure bet” on that being a false statement. And my

current solo endeavors are a result of my own actions. I’ve been out and about, on the road and in the backwoods for a long time now. It’s a fast, nonstop pace I’ve been on for years, and want to remain on.

In this first year of my 30s, one of my main objectives was to spend time with my (almost two-year-old) niece, Lucy. She’s in my hometown, while I’m way down here. I got to spend some quality time with her last August on our annual family vacation to the Maine coast. Her physical presence is a clear indication of time and place, seeing as she’s the newest member of my immediate family in decades.

Surrounding her are my parents and little sister. In not seeing my folks that often, I do cherish our time together when our paths cross. It’s a surreal thing to see your parents get older, and I do see it more vividly in my interactions with them compared to my sister who sees them everyday. My father, with his once Zeus-like aura, is now becoming an old man, which is such a strange notion to embrace. My mother, vivacious as ever and aging gracefully, with my sister coming into her own as a mother and education professional.

Some might say I think too much.

Perhaps. But I like to think and contemplate deeply on whatever it is this thing called consciousness is, and how to best navigate the testy waters of life — an ocean of unknown depths, where one day it’s sunshine and calm waters, the next a squall as wave after wave crashes into you.

It ain’t so bad, this aging thing.

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

York. Many-a-time a snowstorm would thwart my party plans or we’d end up doing a little elementary school gathering at the local McDonald’s, where I’d eat chicken nuggets and ice cream (in winter), all the while surrounded by balloons, a few presents and a handful of childhood peers.

Other than that, all the other birthdays kind of blur together. I do, however, remember my 18th and how my high school sweetheart and I spent the day together, or my 21st that fell on Super Bowl Sunday (a tough day to rally people to hit the bars for your first legal drink).

Though I’ve never been one to go “all out” on my birthday, I definitely take time to reflect on another lap around this beautiful

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On the beat arts & entertainment

Balsam Mountain Inn welcomes Hipkens The “Songwriters in the Round” series will continue with a “Valentine’s Songwriter” evening featuring Nashville act Henry Hipkens at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. Well-known for his modern standards, Hipkens’ songs have been recorded or performed by Ricky Skaggs, Pam Tillis, Tim O’Brien, Maura O’Connell, Claire Lynch, Robin and Linda Williams, Maryann Price and Trout Fishing in America. He performs regularly at the Bluebird Café in Nashville, and has two albums of his own. Hipkens will also be joined by singer-songwriters Sally Barris and Jim Photoglo.

Tickets are $49, which includes a buffet dinner.

828.456.9498 or www.balsammountaininn.net.

Smoky Mountain News

February 10-16, 2016

Wind Ensemble’s ‘A Night at the Theater’

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CATALOOCHEE WELCOMES MIDNIGHT PLOWBOYS Bluegrass/Americana act The Midnight Plowboys will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at the Cataloochee Guest Ranch in Maggie Valley. The band includes legendary Western North Carolina musician Arvil Freeman alongside acclaimed players Laura Boosinger, Emma McDowell Best, Brian Hunter, Robert Reeves and Mike Hunter. Dinner will follow the performance. Tickets are $45 per person. www.cataloocheeranch.com or 828.926.1401.

The Western Carolina University Wind Ensemble will be performing its first concert of the spring semester at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.

Conductor Margaret Underwood, assistant professor with the WCU School of Music, will be accompanied by guest conductor David Starnes, director of the award-winning Pride of the Mountains Marching Band, along with guest soloist Ian Jeffress, WCU saxophone professor.

Titled, “A Night at the Theater,” the program will feature music that celebrates the stage and movie theater, allowing audience

HONEY DEWDROPS AT THE STRAND Americana act The Honey Dewdrops will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish share more than most couples. As The Honey Dewdrops, they share stages from venues to festivals across North America; they share one mic and a hunger to pay attention to what endures. The thirst to explore and document is evident in their 2012 release “Silver Lining,” a Top 10 record on national folk and Americana stations. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. www.38main.com.

members to engage their most vivid recollection of theatrical works. With pieces from David Biendenbender, Kenneth Hesketh, Alex Shapiro and the noted film saga “Star Wars,” the concert will provide an exciting evening of music.

The WCU Wind Ensemble is an auditioned group of musicians performing a challenging repertory that includes premieres of commissioned works.

Free. www.wcu.edu or 828.227.7242.

On the beat

• The Canton Public Library will host Possum on a Whale (formerly the JAM Pickers Club) at 3 p.m. Feb. 21. Free. www.haywoodarts.org.

• The Oconaluftee Visitor Center (Cherokee) will host a back porch old-time music jam from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 20. All are welcome to come play or simply sit and listen to sounds of Southern Appalachia.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have The Blue Ribbon Healers (Americana) at 7 p.m. Feb. 13. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Sagebrush Steakhouse (Canton) will host Mile High Band (rock) Feb. 16 and Tonology (rock) Feb. 23. All shows begin at 7 p.m.

828.646.3750.

• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host The 9th Street Stompers (gypsy jazz) at 9 p.m. Feb. 20. 828.631.4795.

• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with Mile High (rock) on Wednesdays. All events begin at 8 p.m.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will have Karaoke at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 and 17, and a Valentine’s Party 6 p.m. with Bobby Sullivan Trio at 7 p.m. Feb. 12. All shows are free and at 7 p.m. unless otherwise listed. 828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

ALSO:

• Heinzelmannchen Brewery (Sylva) will have Henry Wong (singer-songwriter) at 6 p.m.

Feb. 11. www.yourgnometownbrewery.com.

• The Jackson County Historic Courthouse (Sylva) will host Jacob, Jessie & Friends (bluegrass/Americana) at 7 p.m. Feb. 11.

The event is put on by the Jackson County Genealogical Society. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. Free. 828.631.2646.

• Tuck’s Tap & Grille (Cullowhee) will have College Night with DJ Alex Prince 10 p.m.

Feb. 11, Lord Nelson 9 p.m. Feb. 13, College Night with DJ X 10 p.m. Feb. 18 and Log Noggins 9 p.m. Feb. 20. 828.293.4688.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will have Nitrograss (bluegrass) at 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday, The Freeway Revival (rock/jam) Feb. 13 and The Buchanan Boys (rock/country) Feb. 20. All shows begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will have 20 Watt Tombstone (blues/rock) Feb. 12, The Piss Poor Players Feb. 19 and The French Broads (rock/jam) Feb. 20. All shows begin at 9 p.m.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The Remnants (Americana) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Waynesville Public Library will host world-class jazz pianist Richard Shulman at 3 p.m. Feb. 20. Free. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will hold community music jam from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18. Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. Free. 828.488.3030.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host a Wind Ensemble Concert at 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 12 and a Symphony Band Concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Bardo Arts Center.

Pianist Lillian Buss Pearson will also perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Coulter Building. www.wcu.edu.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Another “first” at the Ranch

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Smoky Mountain News

• Jackson County Public Library (Sylva) will host a community dance at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 14.

Circle and contra dances. Bob Thompson will be the caller, with live music by Out of the Woodwork. All styles will be taught and walked through beforehand. No previous experience needed. A community dinner will follow at 5 p.m. ronandcathy71@frontier.com.

• Tipping Point Brewing (Waynesville) will host Trippin’ Hardie Feb. 12, an “Anti-Valentine’s Day Party” with ‘Round the Fire (Grateful Dead tribute) at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and Disco Night with DJ Hurley Feb. 19. All shows are free and at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.tippingpointtavern.com.

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February 10-16, 2016

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Feb. 10 and 17, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Feb. 11 and 18. There will also be performances by Megan Saunders & The Driftless Feb. 13 and Bird In Hand (Americana) with Rye Baby (Americana) Feb. 20. All events begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Jimandi at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays, “Funky Friday” with Bud Davis at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Isaish Breedlove (Americana) at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

Sick & Tired of Being Sick & Tired?

Photo by Virginia Hunter

• The Canton Armory will host “Winter Pickin’ in the Armory” at 7 p.m. every first and third Friday of the month. The event includes mountain music, vintage country, clogging and dancing. www.cantonnc.com.

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Carson McHone Band & Jeremy Pinnell Feb. 12, Darrin & The Buttered Toast (soul/funk) Feb. 13, Scott Low & Johnny Monster Band Feb. 19 and The Piss Poor Players Feb. 20.

All shows are free and begin at 9 p.m. www.nonamesportspub.com.

arts & entertainment

• BearWaters Brewing (Waynesville) will host Taylor Martin (singer-songwriter) at 8 p.m.

Feb. 19. www.bwbrewing.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

February 10-16, 2016

arts & entertainment

On the wall

34

Open call for artists, designers The Jackson County Arts Council is looking for local artists/designers to participate in their spring fundraiser event “Trashion Show” to be held from 2 to 4 p.m.

Saturday, April 2, in the community room of the Jackson County Library Annex in Sylva.

The arts council is looking for creative outfits made either from recycled materials or upcycled (consignment) fashions. The two categories are “Couture” and “Trashion.” Entry forms are posted on the arts council website: www.jacksoncountyarts.org. Entry deadline is March 3. Prizes will be awarded.

An information meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m.

Beverly Tan Photography/jacksoncountyarts.org Thursday, Feb. 11, at the arts council office in Sylva. For more information, email the Jackson County Arts Council at info@jacksoncountyarts.org or call the JCAC office at 828.507.9820.

MacLean to speak on photography

Work by photographer John MacLean. Courtesy of John MacLean John MacLean will be the guest speaker during the Sylva Photo Club’s meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Cullowhee Methodist Church on the Western Carolina University campus.

MacLean will be demonstrating the importance of properly setting up and using Adobe Lightroom’s CC John MacLean Import Module using Import Presets for File Renaming, Develop Settings, Metadata, and File Destination. Catalog, Folders, and Collections will be discussed along with the HDR Photo Merge and Panorama functions in the Develop Module.

MacLean has used Lightroom since Version 1, and uses it daily for his photography. He also teaches workshops and does one-on-one training. Please visit his website at www.johnmaclean.com and www.facebook.com/johnmacleanphoto.

Kefyn Catley with also present his Lightroom workflow. Catley is a Professor of Biology at WCU and specializes in macro photography of insects. The Club will then have Show and Tell featuring “Love” as the subject with comments about the photos.

Cost is $5 donation for visitor (applied to membership), free for members.

Membership to the Sylva Photo Club is a $20 donation per year, $10 for students. www.sylvaphotoclub.wordpress.com or 828.293.9820.

Art exhibits at Canton library

Workshops offered by Dogwood Crafters

Work by photographer Maureen Simon and painter Bruce Brennan are currently on exhibit through the end of March at the Haywood County Public Library at Canton.

Simon’s photography exhibit shows life on the streets of New Orleans. As she strives to do in all her work, she plays up the people, colors, and beautiful scenes of everyday life through her travels. To learn more about her, visit www.ofifoto.photography.

Brennan‘s work boasts expressionist land and seascapes that capture dawning and setting suns, mountains, and seas. He received his BFA, from the San Francisco Art Institute.

His work is in many private collections in the USA and internationally throughout Europe.

To learn more about him, visit www.rbrucebrennanfineart.com. www.haywoodarts.org.

The Dogwood Crafters co-op will host two upcoming workshops, which will be held at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge.

A chair seat weaving and caning will be offered to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Feb. 23-24. Well-known artisan and retired Extension Home Economist Junetta Pell will be the instructor. Participants will learn traditional chair seat weaving techniques or the procedure for caning a chair, depending on the type of bottom their chair dictates.

Cost includes a $5 class fee (covering both days) and the price of any materials required to complete the chair seat.

Please register by emailing junettapell@hotmail.com or calling her at 828.586.2435 by Feb. 15. A list of materials to bring will be provided upon registering.

On the wall

There will be beginner pottery classes at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. The classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10, 17 and 24, and March 2, 9, and 16.

Winter term pottery will be taught by artist and entrepreneur Cory Plott of Plottware, specializing in durable artisan pottery. Plott will focus on beginning handbuilding techniques in this session. There is a 15-person limit to this course.

The course is $100, which includes materials.

828.452.2997 or info@folkmoot.org.

Snowflake, basketmaking workshops There will be two upcoming craft workshops to be held at the Wild Fern Studio in Bryson City.

• The Snowflake Workshop will be from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 13. Start from scratch, finish up, or hone your skills on the snowflake crafts. $15 with all materials included.

• The Basket-making Workshop will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20. Make the basket you want, choose the style, etc. $40 with all materials included.

To register, call 828.736.1605.

• Interior designer Tami Faulkner will give a guest artist lecture at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

• A live screening of the National Theatre of London’s production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses will be shown at 1 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Highlands Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for PAC members and free for students. www.highlandspac.org or 828.526.9047.

ALSO:

• A community art group meets at 10 a.m. every Wednesday at the Hudson Library in Highlands. 828.526.3031.

• The films “Spectre-007” (Feb. 11-13, 19), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (Feb. 18) and “Inside Out” (Feb. 20) will be screened at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Show times are 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. with a special 2 p.m. matinee on Saturdays. Free. www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

• Oscar-nominated live action shorts will be shown at 7 p.m. Feb. 10-12, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 14 at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville.

Oscar-nominated documentary shorts will be shown at 7 p.m. Feb. 16-18, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Feb. 20 and 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 21. There will also be a free screening of the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast” at noon and 2 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20. www.38main.com.

February 10-16, 2016

• The Jackson County Cooperative Extension will be making aprons as part of a community service project for the Appalachian Women’s Museum. The monthly craft club event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 18, at the extension office in Sylva. Bring your sewing machine and fabric scissors. Lunch and snacks will be provided.

828.586.4009.

arts & entertainment

Pottery classes at Folkmoot Center

On the stage HART to present cabaret

New twist on ‘Macbeth’ A modern day take on a Shakespeare classic, “Macbeth is the New Black” will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17-20 in the Hoey Auditorium at Western Carolina University.

This updating of “Macbeth” comes from original material by Linda Parsons Marion.

In a women’s juvenile detention center in Tennessee, the inmates are staging a production of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. What’s happening in the detention center begins to mirror the secrecy and violence in the play, and the results are vicious.

Tickets are $16 for adults, $11 for senior citizens, faculty and staff, and $10 for students ($7 in advance).

828.227.2479 or bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

mobile technology to help you get a lot less mobile.

Smoky Mountain News

The stage production of “Miscast: A Cabaret with the Right Singer and the Wrong Song” will open Feb. 12 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

It will be an exciting night to reexamine the characters we think we know and to break the mold of how a performer “should” look or how a character “should” be played.

Expect surprise solos, duets, quartets from the best classics, Sondheim showstoppers and everything in between. Nothing is off the table.

For show times and ticket prices, click on www.harttheater.org.

Log on. Plan a trip.

And start kicking back.

35

arts & entertainment

On the street • A special Valentine’s Day dinner will be held on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Creekside Oyster House & Grill in Sylva. The threecourse menu will include an array of dishes, including shrimp cocktail, oyster Rockefeller, barbecue, New York strip steak, caramel brownie truffle, and more. Tickets are $35 per person. 828.586.1985.

The Sapphire Valley Outhouse Race will be Feb. 13. Garret K. Woodward photo

• The Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout Bottle Release Party will be Feb. 12-14 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

Outhouse Race returns to Sapphire Valley The 10th annual Outhouse Race will be held at noon Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area.

This event kicks off with the display of all the racing outhouses. The parade of all participants follows, with the race following the parade at 2 p.m. Over a dozen outhouses take part in this crazy, full of fun, wild and wacky elimination race. It’s expected that a record number of entries will be on hand for this year’s event. Live music and food will also be onsite. The race raises money for local charities and nonprofits.

Want to enter? Do you need an outhouse to rent for the race? Call 828.743.6159.

Smoky Mountain News

February 10-16, 2016

Food safety certification class

36

North Carolina food service managers seeking “Certified Food Safety Manager” certification in order to meet the N.C. Food Code requirement component of the food establishment’s inspection can register for the upcoming N.C. Safe Plates class.

The two-day class will take place from

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22-23 at the N.C. Cooperative Extension office on Raccoon Road in Waynesville. The exam will be administered from 3 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 23. There will also be a 30-minute lunch each day.

The fee for the course is $125 and the registration deadline is Friday, Feb. 12.

For more information or to register call 828.456.3575 or email Julie Sawyer: julie_sawyer@ncsu.edu.

• A “Valentine’s Burlesque Show” will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva.

Special menu.

Complimentary glass of champagne. 828.586.3555 or www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

ALSO:

• A “Valentine’s Weekend Dinner” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 12 and 14 at the Balsam Mountain Inn. 828.456.9498 or www.balsammountaininn.com.

• A “Wine Dine Valentine” will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Grandview Lodge in Waynesville. The dining experience will include an appetizer, main plate, dessert and wine pairings. $50 per person, which includes tax and gratuities.

For reservations, call 828.246.2409. www.grandviewlodgenc.com.

• A “Wine Tasting & Food Pairing” with importer Marco Laico, president/founder of Vino Vino, will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 11, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Italian wines paired with Italian dishes. $24.99 per per-

son. For reservations, call 828.452.6000.

• The annual “Sweetheart Breakfast” will be from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Bryson City Presbyterian Church.

Proceeds to benefit the Carrie Abbott Scholarship.

• The Andrews Brewing Company will have a third anniversary party at 3 p.m. Feb. 13 and a “Cheese Ball Competition” at 3 p.m.

Feb. 20. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

• A “Valentine Day Dance Party” for couples and singles alike will be held from 9 to 11 p.m. Feb. 14 at The Cut Cocktail Lounge in Sylva. 503.329.5816.

• A “Valentine Dinner” will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 14 at The Sneak-E-Squirrel Brewing in Sylva. 828.586.6440.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

• A wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.

Feb. 10 and 17 at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Free with dinner ($15 minimum). 828.452.6000.

• There will be a “Tasty Tuesday: Winter Seasonals” at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 and 23 at Mad Anthony’s Bottle Shop & Beer Garden.

• Ruth’s Chris Steak House will host a dinner consisting of a custom-created fivecourse menu paired with wines and spirits at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. $95 per person.

Reservations are required. www.harrahscherokee.com or www.ruthchris.com.

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February 10-16, 2016

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Smoky Mountain News

Holiday Musings from Regional Writers Historic Postcards: Dispatches from the Smokies Santa Rappels Down Chimney Rock and Pigs Fly A Look at the Region’s Newest Inn Homes

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866.452.2251

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38

Books

Smoky Mountain News

A polite listener for those bizarre stories have always been an Art Bell fan, and judging from the extensive archives on YouTube, I am not the only one. For the past 20 years, Bell has been acknowledged as the “King of nighttime radio” and usually holds forth around midnight from some remote site in Australia or the Mohave. His program is always a call-in Writer show with names like “Coast to Coast,” or “Dreamland” or currently, “Midnight in the Desert.”

Despite his popularity, he frequently announces he is resigning and vanishes for long periods, leaving his program in the hands of other personalities who retain the show’s topics and philosophy. Bell always returns at the request of faithful audiences.

However, in his most recent resignation he stated that he was no longer willing to subject his family and/or himself to “stalkers.”

Apparently, he is being harassed by both mentally unstable fans and “people who are determined to stop his programming.” He may be truly gone this time.

What do Art Bell’s callers want to discuss?

Essentially, it is “the strange, the unusual and the unknown.” Specifically, that includes UFOs, demons, the paranormal (telepathy, poltergeists, etc.), “out-of-the-body experiences, angels, Big Foot (in all of his incarnations), Roswell and Area 51 (the site of the alleged UFO crash), archaeology sites that have uncovered the remains of both giants and “little people.” Occasionally, Art has guests who are usually experts in some field such as astronomy, biology, chemistry, etc. who are willing to discuss bizarre aspects of history, or topics such as the Shroud of Turin which is a relic that many believe is actual burial shroud of Christ. A popular guest is Whitney Strieber, a well-known sci-fi author who claims to have been repeatedly abducted

Gary Carden

I

by aliens.

There have been a number of distressing episodes in which Bell found himself inter-

The Source by Art Bell and Brad Steiger.

The Paper Chase Press, 1999. 267 pages viewing people with dangerous agendas. This is especially true of conspiracy theory advocates and people with associations with political violence. Bell usually manages to control these situations although there have been a few in which he lost his temper or found it necessary to end the interview.

However, the real secret of Art Bell’s popularity is his method of talking to people. Every person who calls in and every person who

appears on Art’s show is treated with respect.

If a housewife from Texas calls to tell Art about “a glowing rectangle” that descended in her garden and then vanished, Art will be the perfect host, asking what time of day, were there any witnesses? Any evidence of the visit left behind? Art is never skeptical; however, he is always curious. In a field that is fraught with cults and hysteria, he is able to explore his topics with courtesy and rationality.

The Source bears the same objectivity. Art and Brad Steiger have explored “the arcane and sometimes bizarre” for many years and here is the best and the most controversial.

Among my favorite topics are: ■ Where did we come from? Is it possible that we are truly “star dust”? Art talks to famous historian, Dr. Javier Darqua Cabrera, who is quite willing to discuss the possibility that we were brought here 400 million years ago.

■ How do we account for how structures all over the world, (like the Great Pyramid and similar structures in Peru and Japan) were built?

■ Was there a cover-up at Roswell?

Was there truly a UFO crash (with two dead aliens and another that was whisked away?

■ Art’s co-author, Brad Steiger, claims to have had an “out-of-thebody” experience himself. For Steiger, it was prompted by a nearfatal injury in a farm accident.

Steiger compares his own experience with hundreds of others. If the experience is real, what does it suggest about life after death?

■ The section that discusses angels, demons, possessions, ghosts and poltergeists is the most provocative in the book.

The Source is not a new book. First published in 1999, it immediately sold out and has been out of print for quite some time, with copies selling for $50 and $60 on ebay.

Now it is back and readily available.

There is also a resurgence in interest in all things discussed here. Some of the old classics such as Charles Fort’s Book of the Damned is being reissued primarily because the information in Fort’s book is being reconsidered. The same is true of Eric Van Daniken’s Chariot of the Gods, which had much to say about the possibility that the earth was visited by aliens millions of years ago. (This book spawned a seemingly endless series of sequels that continue to investigate evidence of “an alien presence” in Egypt thousands of years ago) Recent developments connected with The Freedom of Information Act indicates that information that has been long suppressed is being released daily. This is especially relevant in regard to topics such as Roswell. In addition, both the Internet and television networks are carrying some lush advertising for a new series by Michael Tellinger, who has just produced two impressive “free” programs dealing with new discoveries that will tell us some shocking details about the very items listed in this review: the origin of life on our planet, the pyramids, aliens, crop circles, etc.

Yes, it is all there, but it is not new. This reviewer has already watched both of the shows advertised and, yes, it is wonderful and I want to know more. In the meanwhile, I think I will go listen to another Art Bell interview on Youtube.

Suddenly, some radical changes in attitudes are being boldly stated, whereas for the past 20 years there has been a tendency to view writers like Eric Van Daniken, Charles Fort and Brad Steiger as “crack pots.” Yet, the “new revelations” that Michael Tellinger is proclaiming are the same revelations that Van Daniken announced 20 years ago. Even the Internet is announcing “amazing new discoveries” relating to a secret program called the Genesis Project. Well, I am delighted. Now that “The X Files” are returning, anything is possible.

(Gary Carden is a writer and storyteller who lives in Sylva. He can be reached at gcarden498@aol.com.)

Program to show how music heals Certified music practitioner, performer, teacher and writer Robin Russell will be the presenter for the Lake Junaluska Book Review at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, in the Susan Todd Lounge in the Harrell Center.

Russell is close to the publication of MUSICAL MORPHINE: Transforming Pain One Note at a Time, and her program will include reading, a little music (she plays 18 instruments and also sings), and an explanation of her music practitioner work and how she came to write her most recent book.

If the Haywood County Schools close due to inclement weather, this Book Review session will be canceled and, if possible, rescheduled. www.robingaiser.com.

Book celebrates WNC African American history Ann Miller Woodford will present her book When All God’s Children Get Together at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Her book celebrates the lives and music of African American people in far Western North Carolina. Woodford grew up in Andrews during segregation. She is the founder One Dozen Who Care Inc., a nonprofit that works to create leadership capacity and build community unity in far western North Carolina. ODWC partnered with Woodford to produce When All God’s Children Get Together and other initiatives inspired by the history and heritage of regional African Americans.

828.586.9499.

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39

Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

40

While the getting’s good Cross-country skiing in WNC offers breathtaking but limited-time experience

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER hen the snow starts falling and Western North Carolina’s main streets, schools and businesses go to sleep in wait for warmer weather, there’s a select group of mountain residents who see the blanketed roads as an invitation rather than as an inhibition.

They’re the cross-country skiers of Western North Carolina, and they’re not afraid of the cold.

“You gotta get out there, that’s the thing,” said Whittier resident Rob Hawk, an avid skier since his teenage years. “You gotta get out there. Don’t be afraid of the cold. You can’t run from the cold.”

Hawk first picked up cross-country skiing as a high schooler in east Tennessee. An odd hobby for someone growing up far south of the alpine areas where the sport is most popular, perhaps, but when he first saw it done while watching the Winter Olympics in the 1980s, he knew immediately it was something he wanted to try.

“I thought, ‘I love snow and I love winter, and that just looks like something I’d want to do,’” Hawk recalled. So, he bought himself a pair of skis and set out with a friend to reach the top of Clingman’s Dome Road. The photo he took from the top earned him a prize pack-

W

Sunset over a snowy mountainscape looking toward Maggie Valley from the Blue Ridge Parkway is a view reserved for those willing to ski for it. Holly Kays photo age from Southern Living Magazine.

When Hawk moved to Indiana as an adult, plenty more opportunity to cross-country ski presented itself, and since moving to North Carolina in 1997, he’s made it a point to seek out opportunity.

“It’s kind of like surfing,” he said — you

have to go where the snow is.

For Waynesville resident Greg Kidd, that quest for snow has been something of a frustration since settling in North Carolina after exploring Upstate New York and Washington State on cross-country skis.

“That’s been one of the biggest frustra-

Kim Cowan skis up the Blue Ridge Parkway from Soco Gap during January’s snowstorm. Holly Kays photo

Give it a try While downhill skiing opportunities are heavily advertised and designed to get beginners set up with all the tools they’ll need to get started, aspiring cross-country skiers have to work a little harder. Though it’s possible to buy equipment in Asheville, the closest place to rent is the Pineola Inn and Country Store, just east of Grandfather Mountain State Park.

But for those with an interest, it’s a worthy investment, as the skis can last for decades.

Here’s a rundown of some of the best places to cross-country ski in Western North Carolina: ■ The Blue Ridge Parkway, especially the section from Soco Gap to Mile High Campground. Balsam Gap is also popular.

■ Clingmans Dome Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

■ Purchase Road in the Haywood County portion of the Smokies.

■ Max Patch in the Pisgah National Forest.

■ Any out-of-the-way road — especially old logging roads — likely to be one of the last plowed.

For those willing to drive, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia often have snow, and the Roan Mountain offers opportunity as well.

tions I’ve had in the typical winters down here is that the snow is so unpredictable,” he said.

Unlike in more northern climes, snow tends to melt pretty quickly once it’s fallen, so with each snowstorm there’s a short window of time to get out and enjoy it. Cross-country skiing in the Smokies is a carpe diem kind of affair.

“You have to get out and take advantage of it immediately,” Kidd said.

Kidd and his wife Susan Sachs make it a point to ski down the little-plowed road where they live every time the snow falls. They also like to make tracks at the Purchase Knob area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and, like the vast majority of cross-country skiers in the area, name the section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that juts toward Cherokee from Soco Gap as a favorite.

“It’s like an ideal place to ski,” Kidd said.

“It’s not uncommon at all that when we skied up on the Parkway we’ve been the only people around.”

It’s hard to beat those wide, scenic roadcuts for ease of wayfinding, or the snow-covered trees and whitewashed views for beauty.

And when you’re standing alone in the midst of a cream-covered wilderness, silent but for the sound of flakes falling on an already-thick blanket of snow and looking out on milliondollar views reserved, today only, for you alone, it’s easy to see why cross-country skiing is something Smokies residents still pursue, no matter how ephemeral the thrill.

“I like just moving through the snow on my own power and breaking my own trail. I like the feeling,” Hawk said. “It’s hard to explain.”

F

Beekeeping school offered

Bees are as important for crop pollination as they are for honey production. Donated photo Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Center in Waynesville.

The class will cover the basics of beekeeping, teaching participants about the practical steps required to establish and maintain honeybee hives through the first year.

The plummeting numbers of honeybees and other pollinators have gotten a lot of attention in past years, with the number of honeybee colonies continuing to diminish. But good management practices can lessen the impact and make successful honey operations quite possible. $40, with registration and payment due

by Feb. 12. 828.456.3575 or www.hcbees.org.

Sheila Gahagan, CPA Specializing in Audits, Reviews & Tax Preparation.

outdoors

Newbie beekeepers will get a leg up with an all-day class in beginning beekeeping

229 PENLAND STREET, CLYDE Phone (828) 627-1040 Fax (828) 627-2329

Garden club to get buzzing A bee-centered talk by Kathy Taylor of KT’s Orchard and Apiary in Canton will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.

Taylor’s been running her beekeeping venture since 2007 and helped launch the Haywood County Beekeepers Association in 2010 — the organization works with local beekeepers to promote the health of their bees and their business.

Part of the Tuscola Garden Club’s regular monthly meeting. 828.246.0437.

went uphill. There no free lunch,” Hawk said. “It’s that self-reliance and self-dependence, independence you get to experience.”

And while the backcountry is usually pretty deserted in the wintertime, it’s not always completely solitary. The number of cross-country skiers in Western North

There’s no better place to rest your boots than a snowy Parkway overlook.

Holly Kays photo

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Carolina is small, but passionate. They tend to know each other, bumping into each other along the same trails and roads year after year.

“They’re like hikers — just people that like to be out in nature,” Hawk said. “It’s a small group that you see every year up on the Parkway.”

But the invitation is always open for more to come into the fold.

“There’s plenty of room out there for more skiers,” Kidd said.

February 10-16, 2016

It’s the strength of that feeling that propels Hawk to log more skiing miles than, potentially, anyone else in the area. He’ll drive a couple of hours to ski a couple of hours, venturing as far as the Roan Highlands and Virginia’s Mount Rogers National Recreation Area to make tracks.

But there’s plenty of opportunity closer to home, too, more than a lot of people would guess.

“You just kind of have to know how the snow falls,” he said.

There’s been winters he’s logged 300 miles on skis, one year when he skied every day in March on Clingman’s Dome Road — in good snow, at that. Those thin pieces of fiberglass are the perfect ticket to get out of the house and beat the winter doldrums. Even when the mercury shrinks down to 30, 20, even 10 degrees, cross-country skiing can make the outdoors a comfortable place to be.

“You’ll warm up in no time on skis and stay perfectly comfortable, even in very cold weather,” Kidd said.

Obviously, the warmth comes from working hard, making the slog up the long uphill grades that are part and parcel with the mountains. But it’s not such a chore as that description might make it sound. And the payoff at the end is pretty good.

“You still get a nice ride when you get to go downhill, but you earn it because you

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outdoors February 10-16, 2016

Regional science fair coming to WCU The work of Western North Carolina’s youngest scientific minds will be on display Feb. 16 -17 at Western Carolina University’s Ramsey Regional Activity center.

The Western Regional Science and Engineering Fair will bring together elementary, middle and high school students from 16 counties — and the 250 to 300 science projects they’ve worked hard to create.

In keeping with the 2016 fair theme “Science in the Stars,” Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute will give a presentation from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., with a scavenger hunt among the exhibits and interactive stations for visiting students to be held 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. each day. The projects will be open to the public from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day. Tuesday is dedicated to projects from 3rd through 5th graders and Wednesday is for 6th through 12th grade.

The Highlands Biological Station and Nature Center, Mainspring Conservation Trust and various WCU departments and clubs will host exhibits as well.

Free, with activities open to the public and students regardless of whether they’ve submitted a project.

828.227.7397 or sciencefair.wcu.edu.

Drawdown starts at Lake J for silt removal Water levels at Lake Junaluska are falling following the start of a drawdown to dredge silt and litter — and make repairs to infrastructure.

The process, which began this week, will take seven to eight weeks to complete. The exact timeframe is dependent on the

amount of rain and snow the area receives over the next couple of months. The drawdown is scheduled for completion by Good Friday, ensuring the lake will be filled for Lake Junaluska Assembly’s annual Easter activities.

The drawdown’s primary purpose is to

Dry land stretches into the shallow waters during a previous drawdown at Lake Junaluska. Donated photo

get rid of the sediment that is deposited into Lake Junaluska from upstream.

“From the very beginning, over 100 years ago, sediment has been deposited in the lake and has to be removed every few years,” said Lake Junaluska Executive Director Jack Ewing. “The lake is one of the greatest assets of Haywood County, and it is important for it to be maintained for its beauty and recreational value.”

While the dam will be open, water from Richland Creek will continue to flow through the lake bed, allowing fish, ducks and other wildlife to remain in the shallow water.

“While wildlife become concentrated during a drawdown, we are told by experts that there are no ill effects on them,” Ewing said. “In fact, people who fish say that the fishing is just as good after the lake comes back up as it was before the drawdown.”

The walking path will remain open, though pedestrians should watch for heavy equipment. However, no boating will be allowed until the lake is restored to a full pool.

Rachel Watkins, rwatkins@lakejunaluska.com or 828.454.6702.

Bird photos sought Bird photographers have an invitation to strut their stuff with entry to the 2016 Audubon Photography Awards.

Winners will receive cash prizes up to $5,000 — with a special trip to Hog Island in Maine for the top youth photographer — and winning photos will receive prominent publication. Feb. 19 deadline. www.audubon.org/photoawards.

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Waynesville lumber company Oaks Unlimited Inc. got recognition in Raleigh last week, named 2016 Exporter of the Year by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It exports 75 percent of its production to a dozen countries outside the United States.

“Oaks Unlimited has shown the world the quality of North Carolina forestry products for more than 40 years,” said Steve Troxler, N.C. Agriculture Commissioner.

Specializing in high-quality, kiln-dried ash, cherry, hickory, poplar, red oak and white oak, Oaks Unlimited recently purchased 10 acres next to its existing facility to add a boiler, dry kiln and lumber shed.

It offers lumber certified through the Forest Stewardship Council, and Appalachian hardwoods verified sustainable by Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers. www.oaksunlimited.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

Microloans to help farmers buy and improve agricultural land are now available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Many producers, especially new and underserved farmers, tell us that access to land is one of the biggest challenges they face in establishing and growing their own farming operation,” said Krysta Harden, deputy agriculture secretary. “USDA is making it easier for new farmers to hit the ground running and get access to the land that they need to establish their farms or improve their property.”

In its first two years, the Farm Service Agency microloan program gave 16,800 low-interest loans totaling more than $373 million to help with agricultural operations, equipment and living expenses — now, loans of up to $50,000 will be available to help with farmland and building purchases.

Contact the local FSA office to learn more. www.fsa.usda.gov/microloans.

February 10-16, 2016

Owls will get the spotlight at 7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 15, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

“Nightwatchers: Looking at Owls in Western N.C.” will be presented by birder John Sill, discussing owl biology with an emphasis on local owls and where to find them. Bring a field guide if you have one.

Part of the Franklin Bird Club’s regular meeting. 828.524.5234.

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outdoors

Fly tying workshops offered A pair of workshops exploring the art of fly tying will be held next week at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education.

■ Fly Tying for the Beginner will be held 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 17.

The class will cover the basics of fly tying and walk participants through tying a basic pattern.

■ Advanced Fly Fly tying is a Tying: Tying Nymphs prized art in the will be held 9 a.m. to mountains. SMN photo noon Friday, Feb. 19.

Participants will learn how to tie a variety of mayfly, caddis and stonefly patterns for subsurface fishing.

Free, with equipment provided. Open to ages 12 and older. Register online at www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/Pisgah/EventRegistration.aspx.

The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education is located at 1401 Fish Hatchery Road in Pisgah Forest, about 32 miles from Waynesville. 828.877.4423.

Get the inside scoop on Smokies adventures

February 10-16, 2016

Cabin fever might kick up a notch following a program on the best day hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at REI in Asheville.

The presentation, “Find Your Park with Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains,” will include a rundown of park entrances, facilities, hikes, camping and other opportunities, as well as the schedule of monthly Classic Hikes of the Smokies organized by Friends of the Smokies. Danny Bernstein and Anna Lee Zanetti, who lead the Classic Hikes series, will give the presentation.

Free, with registration required at www.rei.com/learn.

JOIN US FOR ARTS EVENTS AT WCU FEB. 12 | FRI. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | FREE

Concert: Wind Ensemble Concert

FEB. 14 | SUN. 3:00PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $

Concert: Pam Tillis: Acoustic Trio

OPEN THRU MARCH 18 | FINE ARTS MUSEUM | FREE

The Polar Plunge is as much about the consumes as it is about the chilly dive. Donated photo

Polar Plunge attracts record number The water of Lake Junaluska was a balmy 41 degrees as a parade of 158 people — sanity questionable — lined up for a chilly dip as part of Haywood Waterways Association’s annual Polar Plunge this past Saturday.

The record participation — up from last year’s 120 plungers, also a record — brought in about $26,000 to fund the nonprofit’s environmental education work, with donations still rolling in. The top individual fundraiser was Haywood County resident

Get a jump on healthy living A six-week course exploring the behavior changes key to cultivating a healthier lifestyle will kick off at 11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

During the weekly one-hour meetings, participants in Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina will get help creating new habits, tracking their progress through a journal of

Seth Early, with Shining Rock Classical Academy as the top school fundraiser and Haywood Regional Medical Center the top community team.

The money will fund Kids in the Creek, a hands-on learning experience that’s gotten nearly 12,000 Haywood County eighthgraders out exploring their waterways since its inception 18 years ago, and will also support some of Haywood Waterways’ other education initiatives. www.haywoodwaterways.org.

More Learn about fitness oppportunities in Haywood County at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the senior center. The presentation, originally scheduled for January, had been snowed out. Led by Andre Vandenberg and Kellie Walsh of Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. Free. RSVP to 828.356.2800

healthy eating and physical activity.

Julie Sawyer, 828.456.3575 or julie_sawyer@ncsu.edu.

Smoky Mountain News

Exhibit: Architecture of Survival

FEB. 17-20 | WED-SAT. 7:30PM | HOEY | $

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Outhouse races return to Sapphire Valley There’s still time to sign up to celebrate winter the natural way — by racing outhouses on skis down a hill at Sapphire Valley Ski Area on Saturday, Feb. 13.

Participants can build their own outhouse or rent one.

The zany outhouse race has become a regular event. The day will start with barbeque and live music at noon and conclude with the race at 3 p.m. $100 entry fee, an additional $25 to rent an outhouse. Proceeds to benefit Fish and Loaves food pantry in Cashiers. bjzacher@bellsouth.net or 828.743.7663.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • “Mating and Dating in the Animal Kingdom: A Gameshow Mash-Up” will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at Highlands Nature Center. Valentine’s Day theme; couples will compete. Desserts and drinks available as well as a prize for the top couple. Registration required: 526.2623.

• The Western Regional Science and Engineering Fair is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 16-17 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Science projects created by area students will be available for viewing by the public from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. each day at WCU’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center. Admission is free. http://sciencefair.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• Catman2 Shelter will hold an open house for cat lovers from noon-3 p.m. on Feb. 14 in Cullowhee.

293.0892.

• The Holly Springs Community Development Club meets at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 15, at the community building located at 2720 Cat Creek Road in Franklin. Speaker is Dr. Faye Corbett, who will discuss how to handle medical emergencies in the home. All are welcome.

• Heisman Trophy-winner and first-round NFL draft pick Tim Tebow will share his journey to Christianity and his walk in faith at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

866.273.4615.

• Haywood County Special Olympics meeting for everyone interested in assisting with the Spring Games is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 22, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Western Carolina University will hold an Open House for prospective students starting at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, in Cullowhee. Preregister and get more info at openhouse.wcu.edu or call 227.7317 or 877.928.4968.

• A community workshop for the bicycle and pedestrian plan will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at Tartan Hall at the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin. The group’s goal is to make Franklin safer and more accessible for residents and visitors to walk and bike. bikewalkfranklin.wordpress.com.

• Help with income tax preparation for seniors over age 60 will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center through March by Bruce Johnson, registered tax return preparer, in exchange for donation to the Senior Resource Center. By appointment only 828.356.2800.

• Free tax preparation will be available through April 15 at the Jackson County Public Library and Jackson County Senior Center in Sylva. Library hours are 3-6:45 p.m. on Tuesdays or by appointment (586.2016). Senior Center hours are from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays on a first-come, first-serve basis. No charge.

• Heating assistance is available for those who qualify through the Jackson County Department of Social Services, which has almost $90,000 in LIEAP funding.

Applications will be taken daily between 8 a.m.-4 p.m. through March 31 at Jackson County Department of Social Services in Sylva. 586.5546.

• Qualla Boundary Historical Society meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Everyone is welcome.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • A free intermediate Excel class will be offered at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Instructor is retired Western

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

Carolina University professor Roger Bacon, who will be assisted by his wife Lisa Bacon and library staffer Laura Chapman. Register: 586.2016. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

• Western Carolina University will host a “Global Spotlight on the Syrian Refugee Crisis” presentation from 4-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the multipurpose room of A.K. Hinds University Center in Cullowhee. Free; open to the public. Presenters include Todd Collins, David Dorondo, Cyndy Caravelis Hughes and Zachary Gochenour. Sponored by WCU’s Political Science and Public Affairs Department, History Department, International Studies Program and Free Enterprise Speaker Series. 227.3336 or michelsen@email.wcu.edu.

• A free online seminar entitled “Financing Your Business” will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Western Carolina University will host a “boot camp” for first- to third-year teachers from Western North Carolina from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, in room 102 of the Killian Building in Cullowhee.

919.417.1821 or gdaugherty@northcarolina.edu.

• “How to Find Your Customers,” a three-hour workshop that will help new and existing small business owners develop marketing plans, will be presented by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 15, at SCC’s Jackson Campus. Free. Registration required: www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc. Info: t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4211.

• “Qualla-T Customer Service,” a class that integrates Cherokee and mountain values and attitudes as a basis for providing excellent customer service, will be offered

by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center from 6-9 p.m. on Feb. 15 at Jackson County Cooperative Extension, Suite 205. Free. Registration required: www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc. Info: t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4211.

• A “Grant-Writing 101” workshop will be offered by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center from 9 a.m.-noon on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at SCC’s Jackson Campus. Free. Registration required: www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc. Info: t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4211.

• Southwestern Community College will host a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Day from 9 a.m.-noon on Feb. 20 at the Macon Campus. Families who would like help completing the FAFSA can register for the event at http://tinyurl.com/zaw5qag, and they’ll need to bring: 2015 completed tax returns (or W-2 forms and other income and asset documents if taxes have not yet been filed) as well as the student’s and one parent’s Federal Student Aid identification obtained in advance from fsaid.ed.gov. More info: southwesterncc.financialaidtv.com, t_cook@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4438.

• NC Safe Plates class will be offered for N.C. food service managers seeking “Certified Food Safety Manager” certification from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 22-23, in Haywood County. $125 fee; registration deadline is Feb. 12. 456.3575 or Julie_sawyer@ncsu.edu.

• A Resume Workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Waynesville Library Auditorium.

Free, sign-up required: 356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.

Smoky Mountain News

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • Valentine Cards are available through Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation in Waynesville. if purchased by Feb. 11. With a donation of at least $10, Sarge’s will send the person of your choice a Sarge’s Valentine’s Day Card. www.sargeanimals.org/valentines-day-cards, 246.9050.

• The second annual Love Heals Valentines Ball to benefit Clean Slate Coalition is schedule for 7-11 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Quality Inn in Sylva. Silent auction of local art, raffle, ballroom dance instruction, photo booth, heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Sponsored by Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and the Evergreen Foundation. Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased at the door. 586.3939 or cleanslatenc@gmail.com.

• Contributions are being sought for the Glenville Area Historical Society’s historical museum, which plans to open next year. historicalsocietyglenvillearea@yahoo.com or 743.1658.

VOLUNTEERS • A Relay for Life Meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11, at Sagebrush Steakhouse in Waynesville. Carrie.shuler@cancer.org.

• Phone Assurance Volunteers are needed to make daily or weekly wellness check-in calls for the Haywood County Senior Resource Center. 356.2816.

VENDORS • Vendor applications are being accepted for WinterFest Smoky Style, which is Feb. 26-28 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Weekend rental fee is $100. seaycharlesl@yahoo.com. Sponsored in part by Haywood County Tourism Development Authority.

• Greening Up the Mountains Festival is seeking artists, mountain crafters, environmental and food vendors to apply for booths in the upcoming 19th annual event, which is April 23 in Sylva. www.greeningupthemountains.com, 586.2719 or at Sylva’s Town Hall. Info: 631.4587.

• The town of Dillsboro will be hosting three arts and craft shows open to vendors from the surrounding region. Saturday, June 18 — The 2nd annual “Front Street Arts & Crafts Show.” This first summer show premiered last year in Dillsboro to great success.

Application due April. Saturday, Aug. 20 — The Dillsboro Summer Arts & Crafts Market showcases local art and fine crafts, with a focus on family and children activities. Application due by June 1. Saturday, Oct. 1 — The 8th annual ColorFest will line Front Street with colorful art and fine crafts. Application due by July 1.

Vendors may apply for these shows by downloading an application from the town’s website, www.visitdillsboro.org or directly from www.visitdillsboro.org/specialevents.html. For more information, call Connie Hogan at 586.3511.

HEALTH MATTERS • Haywood Regional Medical Center will hold a free tired-leg/varicose vein educational program from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center in Clyde. Program will be led

by Dr. Al Mina, MD, FACS, and Dr. Joshua Rudd, DO. Register: 452.8346.

• Dr. Kate T. Queen, M.D., will present a program on “Exercise is Medicine” as the February Live and Learn program at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Bethea Welcome Center in Lake Junaluska. Public is invited.

• The Haywood Health Authority Board will meet at 6

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Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: ■ Complete listings of local music scene ■ Regional festivals ■ Art gallery events and openings ■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers ■ Civic and social club gatherings p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the second-floor classroom at Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde.

• A free weekly grief support group is open to the public from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at SECU Hospice House in Franklin. Hosted by Four Seasons Compassion for Life Bereavement Team. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• Free childbirth and breastfeeding classes are available at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva. The series “Understanding Birth” will be offered from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays, through Feb. 16, or at a Saturday session from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on March 12. “Understanding Breastfeeding” is offered from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. It’s the first-round of classes; future classes will be offered bimonthly on an ongoing basis. Register or get more info: 586.7907.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • Tango dance lessons will be offered in six-class series at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Each set of classes costs $60 per person and can be paid at the first class. Tango (level 2) is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 11, 18, 25 and March 10, 17 and 24. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Registration is underway for a women’s volleyball league through the Jackson County Recreation Department. $175 per team. Deadline is Feb. 19; league starts in March. 293.3053.

• A Ski Lake Junaluska youth event is scheduled for Feb. 12-15 and Feb. 19-21 with skiing at Cataloochee Ski Area and Wolf Ridge Ski Area. Worship, ski and fellowship. One, two and three-night packages available.

For info, contact Jennifer Martin at jmartin@lakejunaluska.com or 454.6716. www.lakejunaluska.com/ski.

POLITICAL • The Swain County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Swain County., to receive comments from the public regarding proposed Tobacco-Free Ordinance for the Swain County Recreation Department. Open to the public.

• Golden Elephant Award Banquet is scheduled by the 11th District Republican Party to start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, in the Virginia Boone Center at the Western North Carolina Ag Center Complex in Fletcher – near the Asheville Airport. Two tickets are $300 for patrons and $150 for sponsors. Ticket prices are $50 per person or $80 per couple. RSVP to goldenelephantbanquet@gmail.com.

• Rick Bryson, candidate for U.S. representative, will hold a rally and fundraiser from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Chestnut Tree Inn in Cherokee. He will be explaining the economic “Miracle in the Mountains” part of his platform.

• A forum for primary candidates for N.C. House District 120 and Macon County of Commissioners will be sponsored by the League of Women Voters at noon on

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Thursday, Feb. 18, at Tartan Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin. Questions will be accepted from the audience, time-permitting. League members should submit questions to susanervin0213@gmail.com.

• The Jackson County Republican Convention, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 4, is open to all Jackson County voters who registered as Republicans

by Jan. 31. The event is at the Jackson County Senior Center in Sylva. Registration is at 5 p.m. Buffet dinner will be served. 743.6491 or jacksonctygop@yahoo.com.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Greensboro author Ross Howell Jr. will discuss his debut book Forsaken at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. 586.9499.

• Robin Russell Gaiser, a certified music practitioner, performer, teacher and writer from Asheville, will be presenter for the Lake Junaluska Book Review at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 17, in the Susan Todd Lounge in the Harrell Center. She’ll present about therapeutic music, read, perform and discuss her most recent book. If the Haywood County Schools close due to inclement weather, this Book Review session will be canceled and, if possible, rescheduled. www.robingaiser.com.

• Ann Miller Woodford will present her book “When All God’s Children Get Together” at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Book celebrates the lives and music of African Americans in far Western N.C. 586.9499.

February 10-16, 2016

• The 2016 journal poetry and art contests open March 1 and close May 15. A separate contest is held for best cover art. Additional information at Main Street Rag Publishing Company’s website: www.mainstreetrag.com.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • An iPad 101 class will be taught from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. Learn how to get more out of your iPad. Free. Register: 356.2800.

• “Depression in the Elderly,” the second session in the Caregiver Education Series, is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. CEUs will be provided. Led by Leslie Lawson, LRT/CTRS, QMHP. Free. Register at the center or call 356.2800.

• “New You – Part II” – a program about fitness options in Haywood County – is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Senior Resource Center.

Presenter will be Kellie Walsh and Andre Vandenberg of the Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center.

356.2800.

• A Silver Sneakers Cardio Fit class will meet from 10-11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 60 and above.

Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Brain Gym Tutorial will be offered at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23rd 1:00 p.m. at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. No cost.

Learn to use our unique exercise bikes that work your body and mind. 356.2800.

• Book Club is held at 2 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800 • Ipad 101 class will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 11 and Feb 25 at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Senior croquet for ages 55 and older is offered from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Vance

Street Park in front of Waynesville Recreation Center.

Free. For info, contact Donald Hummel at 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Mondays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Senior Sale Day is on the third Friday of every month at the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore. Patrons 60 and older get 20 percent off all purchases.

Proceeds benefit the Sylva Library.

• Pinochle game is played at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

• Hearts is played at 12 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

356.2813.

• Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

356.2813.

KIDS & FAMILIES • A program called “Imagine”, an art program for children 8-12 meets at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library. Program contains art, writing, and drama. 586.2016.

• Signups for the 2016 little league baseball and softball seasons will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Cullowhee Recreation Department. For boys and girls, ages 5-18. $55 signup fee; $5 discount for additional siblings. Bring child’s birth certificate.

Jacksoncountynclittleleague@gmail.com or 227.0061.

• Advanced registration is underway for the ninth annual Father-Daughter dance that will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at First United Methodist Church in Sylva. Advance fee is $30 per couple plus $5 for each additional daughter; price at the door is $35 per couple plus $5 for each additional daughter. Forms and payments due by Feb. 12: FUMC, P.O. Box 296, Sylva, NC 28779, or pick forms up at the church office, or online at www.firstumcsylva.org.

• Storytimes are held at 10 and 10:40 a.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• The Appalachian Toymaker & Storyteller will be making wooden toys and telling tales on select dates and times at The Storytelling Center of the Southern Appalachian. www.psalmsofthesouth.com or 488.5705.

KIDS MOVIES • “Beauty and the Beast” will be shown for free at noon and 2 p.m. on consecutive Saturdays, Feb. 13 and 20, at the Strand in Waynesville. 1:24.

Smoky Mountain News

• A family movie will be shown at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Animated adventure about an alpha-sheep who schemed to take a day off by lulling the farmer to sleep. Free. For info, including moving title, call 488.3030.

• The films “Inside out” will be screen on Saturday, Feb. 20 at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva as part of a fundraiser for the afterschool program of Sylva First Baptist. Show times are 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. with a special 2 p.m. matinee on Saturdays. www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

FOOD & DRINK • A wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 and 17 at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Free with dinner ($15 minimum). 828.452.6000.

• A “Wine Tasting & Food Pairing” with importer Marco Laico, president/founder of Vino Vino, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Italian wines paired with Italian dishes. $24.99 per person. For reservations, call 828.452.6000.

• The Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout Bottle Release Party will be Feb. 12-14 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• There will be a “Valentine’s Weekend Dinner” from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 12 and 14 at the Balsam Mountain Inn. 828.456.9498 or www.balsammountaininn.com.

• Reservations are being accepted for a Wine-DineValentine event experience that will be offered on Saturday, Feb. 13, at Grandview Lodge. $50 per person plus tax and gratuities, includes choice of appetizer, main plate and sweets with wine. Reservations available from 5-9 p.m. 246.2409.

• The “Songwriters in the Round” series will continue with a “Valentine’s Songwriter” evening featuring Nashville act Henry Hipkens at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. Tickets are $49, which includes a buffet dinner. 456.9498 or www.balsammountaininn.net.

• The Rail Line Wine Experience “MacNeill Uncorked” will be held from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in the Bryson City Train Depot. Age 21 and over only. Tickets are $109 per person. www.gsmr.com or www.greatsmokies.com.

• The fifth annual Chocolate Cook-Off is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Albert Carlton Cashiers Community Library. Entry forms are at the library or Sapphire Valley Community Center. bjzacher@bellsouth.net or 743.5940.

• A “Valentine’s Burlesque Show” will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Special menu. Complimentary glass of champagne. 828.586.3555 or www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

• The annual “Sweetheart Breakfast” will be from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Bryson City Presbyterian Church. Proceeds to benefit the Carrie Abbott Scholarship.

• The Andrews Brewing Company will have a 3rd anniversary party at 3 p.m. Feb. 13 and a “Cheese Ball Competition” at 3 p.m. Feb. 20. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

A&E FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS 46

Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area. This event kicks off with the display of all the racing outhouses. The parade of all participants follows, with the race following the parade at 2 p.m. Over a dozen outhouses take part in this crazy, full of fun, wild and wacky elimination race. It’s expected that a record number of entries will be on hand for this year’s event.

Live music and food will also be onsite. The race raises money for local charities and nonprofits. Want to enter? Do you need an outhouse to rent for the race?

Call 743.6159.

• The 10th annual Outhouse Race will be held at noon

• A “Valentine Day Dance Party” for couples and singles alike will be held from 9 to 11 p.m. Feb. 14 at The Cut Cocktail Lounge in Sylva. 503.329.5816.

• A “Valentine Dinner” will be held from 5 to 9 p.m.

Feb. 14 at The Sneak-E-Squirrel Brewing in Sylva.

828.586.6440.

• A special Valentine’s Day dinner will be held on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Creekside Oyster House & Grill in Sylva. The three-course menu will include an array of

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dishes, including shrimp cocktail, oyster Rockefeller, barbecue, New York strip steak, caramel brownie truffle, and more. Tickets are $35 per person.

828.586.1985.

• “Brown Bag at the Depot” – an opportunity to gather with neighbors – is at noon every Friday at Sylva’s newest park at the corner of Spring and Mill Street along Railroad Ave. For info, contact Paige Dowling at townmanager@townofsylva.org.

• Graceann’s Amazing Breakfast is 8-10 a.m. every Tuesday in the Sapphire Room at the Sapphire Valley Community Center. $8.50 for adults; $5 for children.

Includes coffee and orange juice. 743.7663.

• There will be a free tasting and cooking demonstration from 5-7 p.m. every Saturday at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Try a wide variety of wines while a gourmet chef prepares delicious treats that are available for purchase. Free. www.dillsborowineandgourmet.net.

• A game day will occur from 2 to 9 p.m. every third Saturday of the month at Papou’s Wine Shop & Bar in Sylva. Bring dice, cards or board games.

586.6300.

• A wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. every Saturday at Papou’s Wine Shop & Bar in Sylva. 586.6300.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • Renowned bluegrass/gospel group Balsam Range will continue their 6th annual “Winter Concert Series” with guests Bryan Sutton at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Colonial Theatre in Canton. The Studio Dream Team on April 2. 235.2760.

• Tuck’s Tap & Grille (Cullowhee) will have College Night with DJ Alex Prince 10 p.m. Feb. 11, Lord Nelson 9 p.m. Feb. 13, College Night with DJ X 10 p.m. Feb. 18 and Log Noggins 9 p.m. Feb. 20. 828.293.4688.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host a Wind Ensemble Concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 and a Symphony Band Concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Bardo Arts Center. Pianist Lillian Buss Pearson will also perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Coulter Building. www.wcu.edu.

• Country singer/songwriter Jeremy Pinnell will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, with Carson McHone at No Name Sports Pub in Sylva. 586.2750.

• Kevin Lorenz (guitar) performs pop, jazz and Latin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, at The Wineseller in Waynesville $10 per person plus dinner and drinks.

452.6000.

• The Blue Ribbon Healers perform on Saturday, Feb. 13, at The Wineseller in Waynesville $10 per person plus dinner and drinks. 452.6000.

• National Theatre of London’s production of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” will be screened live via satellite at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Highlands Performing Arts Center in Highlands. Tickets: $22 adults; $19 members; free for students. Available at highlandspac.org, at the door or 526.9047.

• Tickets are on sale now for the Original Drifters

• Papertown Country Music & Dance Parlor is from 710 p.m. on Saturdays at 61-1/2 Main Street in Canton. $8. 736.8925.

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Little Anthony & The Imperials will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets start at $27. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

• Country music star Pam Tillis be a featured performer at a Galaxy of Stars Series performance at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Tickets are $21 for adults, $16 for WCU faculty/staff, and $7 for students/children. For tickets, bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479.

• Sagebrush Steakhouse (Canton) will host Mile High Band (rock) Feb. 16 and Tonology (rock) Feb. 23. All shows begin at 7 p.m. 828.646.3750.

• The Waynesville Public Library will host world-class jazz pianist Richard Shulman at 3 p.m. Feb. 20. Free. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen opens its spring Mainstage theatre season Wednesday, Feb. 17, with the drama “Macbeth is the New Black.” Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 through Saturday, Feb. 20, at WCU’s Hoey Auditorium in Cullowhee. Tickets are $21 for adults, $16 for senior citizens and WCU faculty and staff and $10 on show day ($7 in advance) for students.

227.2479 or bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

• The Honey Dewdrops (roots duet, harmony singing) perform at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19, at The Strand in Waynesville. Tickets: $15 in advance; $18 at the door. www.38main.com.

• Music and Clogging is held from 8-10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays at the Stomping Ground at 3116 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. 926.1288.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • Registration is underway for a bladesmith symposium that’s scheduled for March 18-20 at the Haywood Community College campus in Clyde. Knife-making demonstrations, hands-on blade forging, knife show, auction and more. Fee is $75 for the weekend. 400.7815.

• A presentation about Scottish dress from the medieval period to the 18th century will be offered at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Southwestern Community College’s Macon Campus in Franklin.

Featured speaker is Danny Williamson of the Franklin Scottish Tartan’s Museum. 306.7017.

• Beginning pottery classes will be taught from 6-8 p.m. starting Feb. 10 at Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. Classes also meet Feb. 17, 24 and March 2, 9 and 16. $100 class fee includes material. Artist and entrepreneur Cory Plott of Plottware will serve as instructor. Register: 452.2997 or info@folkmoot.org.

• The “MAKE!: Paint Edition” will be held at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 11, in the Fine Arts Museum at Western Carolina University. The event will give participants the opportunity to paint their own pieces of art with assistance from members of the WCU art department.

Refreshments and live music will also be provided. $15 per person, $25 for two.

• The Highlands Performing Arts Center Youth Theater will present its winter production “Ghosts and Grotesques” at 7:30 p.m. from Friday through Sunday, Feb. 19-21, in Highlands. Sunday matinee is at 2:30 p.m. A compilation of literature including “The Tell Tale Heart,” “Irish Folktales,” “The Highwayman” and “The Troll.” Tickets: $10 for adults; students and children get in free. 526.9047, highlandspac.org. Tickets also available at the door.

• Jazz pianist Richard Shulman will perform at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Waynesville Branch Library. Free; sponsored by Haywood Arts Council and Friends of the Library. Richheartmusic.com.

• Possum on a Whale (newly renamed JAM Pickers Club) will perform traditional mountain music at 3 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the Canton Public Library. Free; sponsored by Haywood Arts Council and Friends of the Library.

• Traditional mountain string music will be performed by the Midnight Plowboys, joined by master fiddler Arvil Freeman, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, at Cataloochee Ranch. Tickets are $45 per person and include a pot roast dinner at 5:45 p.m., after the concert. Reservations required: 926.1401.

• Tickets are on sale now for WCU radio re-creation group’s presentation of “Blackbeard’s Ghost and the Queen Ann’s Revenge.” Tickets: $10 each. Eighth in a series of academic-based entertainment productions mounted in collaboration with three departments and two colleges at WCU. Show will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. All proceeds from the event go to student scholarship funds in the participating departments. 227.3851.

• Gem City Forum Toastmasters meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the Drake Education Center in Franklin. Toastmasters develop leadership and speaking abilities. http://gemcityforum.org/wpblog.

• The Sew Easy Girls meet from noon-3 p.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office’s conference room. Learn how to sew. 586.4009.

• A community dance is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 14, in the Community Room on the second floor of the old courthouse in the library complex in Sylva. Squares and contra dances. Bob Thompson will call the dance to live music by Out of the Woodwork. Community dinner follows the dance at 5 p.m.; bring a covered dish, plate, cup, cutlery and a water bottle. Ronandcathy71@frontier.com.

• The Jackson County Cooperative Extension will be making aprons as part of a community service project for the Appalachian Women’s Museum. The monthly craft club event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 18, at the extension office in Sylva.

Bring your sewing machine and fabric scissors. Lunch and snacks will be provided. 586.4009.

• A community art group meets at 10 a.m. every Wednesday at the Hudson Library in Highlands.

828.526.3031.

• Interior designer Tami Faulkner will give a guest artist lecture at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

• An indoor flea market is scheduled for 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Old Armory in Waynesville. $10 for a booth to sell items. 456.9207.

A million miles away is just down the road.

Smoky Mountain News

• The stage production of “Miscast: A Cabaret with the Right Singer and the Wrong Song” will open Feb. 12 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. For show times and ticket prices, www.harttheater.org.

• Legendary Saturday Night Live actor and comedian Tracy Morgan will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday Feb. 13, at Harrah’s Cherokee. Tickets start at $19.50. www.harrahscherokee.com.

• Bogart’s Live Bluegrass/String Band is at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday at 303 S. Main Street in Waynesville.

452.1313.

• The Snowflake Workshop will be from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 13 at Wild Fern Studio in Bryson City. Start from scratch, finish up, or hone your skills on the snowflake crafts. $15 with all materials included. To register, call 736.1605.

February 10-16, 2016

• Jacob Jones, Jessie Stephens & Friends will perform bluegrass and old-timey mountain music at the Jackson County Genealogical Society’s program at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11, in the Community Room of the historic Jackson County Courthouse in Sylva.

Refreshments at 6:30 p.m. Free; public is welcome.

631.2646.

month. The event includes mountain music, vintage country, clogging and dancing. www.cantonnc.com.

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• There will be a “Tasty Tuesday: Winter Seasonals” at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 and 23 at Mad Anthony’s Bottle Shop & Beer Garden.

Valentine’s Weekend Show, which is at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, at Eaglenest Entertainment in Maggie Valley. Tickets start at $25. Box office hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday through Friday.

926.5000 or www.maggievalleyeaglenest.com.

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• The Canton Armory will host “Winter Pickin’ in the Armory” at 7 p.m. every first and third Friday of the

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• The Basket-making Workshop will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20 at Wild Fern Studio in Bryson City. Make the basket you want, choose the style, etc. $40 with all materials included. To register, call 736.1605.

• A two-day class on chair seat weaving and caning will be offered by Dogwood Crafters Co-op from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 23-24, at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge. $5 cost includes class fee and price of materials. Register by Feb. 15: junettapell@hotmail.com or 586.2435.

• A free, 90-minute class on Google Photo and file storage will be offered at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

Register or get more info by calling 586.2016. Cosponsored by Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

• A Community Art Group meets at 10 a.m. every Wednesday at Hudson Library in Highlands. 526.3031.

• A writer’s group meets at 1 p.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands. 526.3031.

• Free one-on-one technology help is offered every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Hudson Library in Highlands. Call 526.3031 to make an appointment.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES

February 10-16, 2016

• An “Artist Talk” by ceramicist Garth Johnson will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. The 50-minute multimedia lecture will examine a new generation of ceramic artists.

• An exhibition of photography and a sculpture installation are on display simultaneously with a clothing drive through March 18 at the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. All three are part of a collaboration between the museum and WCU’s Office of Service Learning with local community groups Mountain Projects and Sylva Linings Thrift Store.

Sculptures by Jarod Charzewski; photography by Pedro Lobo. Museum is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays with extended hours to 7 p.m. on Thursdays.

Admission and parking are free.

Fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or 227.3591.

The exhibit runs through May 20 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. The display is in the Mountain Heritage Center’s second-floor gallery in Hunter Library.

The gallery is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. 227.7129.

• Artists Maureen Simon (photographer) and Bruce Brennan (painter) are exhibiting their work through March 31 at the Haywood County Public Library in Canton. Simon’s photography shows life on the streets of New Orleans (www.ofifoto.photography). Brennan’s work features expressionist land and seascapes (www.rbrucebrennanfineart.com). HaywoodArts.org.

Smoky Mountain News

• Haywood County Arts Council will host artists from the Haywood Art Studio Tour at the Gallery & Gifts

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: ■ Complete listings of local music scene ■ Regional festivals ■ Art gallery events and openings ■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers ■ Civic and social club gatherings Space in Waynesville. www.HaywoodArts.org.

• The Mountain Heritage Center is hosting the exhibit “Collecting for the Community,” an exploration of the diversity and variety to be found in Western North Carolina. Visiting hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Thursdays.

FILM & SCREEN • The films “Spectre-007” (Feb. 11-13, 19), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (Feb. 18) and “Inside Out” (Feb. 20) will be screened at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Show times are 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. with a special 2 p.m. matinee on Saturdays. Free. www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

• Oscar-nominated live action shorts will be shown at 7 p.m. Feb. 10-12, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 14 at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Oscar-nominated documentary shorts will be shown at 7 p.m. Feb. 16-18, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Feb. 20 and 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 21. There will also be a free screening of the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast” at noon and 2 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20. www.38main.com.

• Adult movie time, 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Jackson County Public Library. Call for title of movie. 586.2016.

• Franklin Bird Club will have a trip to Lake Junaluska to look for wintering water birds and other species on Feb. 13. Led by John and Cathy Sill. Meet at 8 a.m. at Bi-Lo parking lot to carpool. 524.5234.

• Franklin Bird Club will have a meeting entitled “Nightwatchers: Looking at Owls in Western North Carolina” at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Presented by John Sill.

524.5234.

• A free program on “Fly-Tying for the Beginner” will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon on Feb. 17 for participants 12 and older at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Transylvania County. Register at www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/Pisgah/ EventRegistration.aspx. Info: 877.4423.

• A program about the best day hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, at REI in Asheville. Annalee Zannetti and Danny Bernstein, who lead the Classic Hikes series, will give the presentation. Free.

Registration required: www.rei.com/learn.

• A free program on “Advanced Fly-Tying: Tying Nymphs” will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon on Feb. 19 for participants 12 and older at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Transylvania County. Register at www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/Pisgah/ EventRegistration.aspx. Info: 877.4423.

• “Wild Survival” exhibit featuring the return of North America’s wolves and peregrine falcons will be on display through May 8 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville.

Open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. inside the Baker Exhibit Center. Free; non-member guests are required to pay $12 parking fee. www.ncarboretum.org.

• Guided tours of WATR Discovery Trails at Monteith Farmstead Park in Dillsboro can be scheduled by calling 488.8418. For youth or adult/civic groups.

Outdoors • A special presentation of “Calendars and Leap Year” will be offered starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in Rosman.

Campus tour, trip to the exhibit gallery and – weatherpermitting – a night-sky observation. Reservations required by 3 p.m. on event date. $20 per adult; $15 for seniors/military. Children 10 and under are admitted free. www.pari.edu or 862.5554. Info: schappell@pari.edu.

FARM AND GARDEN • Jackson County Farmers Market will be open from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Community Table in downtown Sylva. www.jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org or jacksoncountyfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

• Tuscola Garden Club will have a meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska. Beekeeper Kathy Taylor will speak on the subject of “Bees.” Visitors welcome.

246.0437.

• Jackson-Swain Master Gardener program classes are held every Wednesday afternoon for 10-11 weeks, tenta-

tively starting Feb. 17. 488.3848, 586.4009 or www.ncstategardening.org/extension_master_gardener.

• Master Gardener Alan Wagner will speak on “Pruning Shrubs and Small Trees” as part of the Gardening in the Mountains Lecture Series from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Buncombe County Extension Offices at 49 Mt. Carmel Road in Asheville.

Free; pre-registration required: 255.5522. Info: buncombemastergardener.org.

• Registration is underway for the 13th annual Business of Farming Conference, presented by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. The event is from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Feb. 20 at UNC Asheville. $70 per person before Feb. 1; $90 after. asapconnections.org or 236.1282.

• The Macon County Master Gardener Program will begin Friday, Feb. 19. Apply at 349.2046 or macon.ces.ncsu.edu.

• The Macon County Poultry Club of Franklin meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cooperative Extension Office on Thomas Heights Rd,.

Open to the public. 369.3916.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • Friends of the Lake 5K Road Race & Walk will be held Saturday, March 26. www.lakejunaluska.com.

HIKING CLUBS • Carolina Mountain Club will hold a 7.5-mile hike with a 1,600-foot ascent on Feb. 10. For more information, contact leaders Ken and Carol Deal at 274.7070 or cnkdeal@charter.net.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have 7.8-mile hike with a 1,250-foot elevation gain on Feb. 13 from Bent Creek to Biltmore Lake. For info, contact leader Paul Benson at 273.2098 or pdbenson@charter.net.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4.5mile hike to Round Mountain on Saturday, Feb. 13, near Cashiers on a Forest Service Road. Elevation change of 200 feet. For more info, contact leaders Mike and Susan Kettles at 743.1079. Visitors welcome; no dogs.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate-tostrenuous 6.5-mile hike, with an elevation change of 1,000 ft., on Saturday, Feb. 20, to Trimont Ridge on the Bartram Trail from Wallace Branch. For info and reservations, contact leader Gail Lehman, 524.5298.

Visitors welcome, no dogs please.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 10.8-mile hike from Laurel Fork Gap to Lake Jocassee on Feb. 21.

1,400-mile ascent. For info, contact leader Daisy Karasek at 505.2036, 408.887.3666 or daisytk@yahoo.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a five-mile hike with a 1,200-foot ascent on Feb. 21 at Bent Creek Loop No. 13. For info, contact leader Stuart English at 384.1759 or stuengo@comporium.net.

331-58

Great Smokies Storage 10’x20’ $

92

20’x20’ $

160

ONE MONTH

FREE WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

828.506.4112 or 828.507.8828

50

• A beginning beekeeping class will be offered on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Haywood County Extension Center in Waynesville. Basics of beekeeping will be covered, showing participants practical steps required to establish and maintain honeybee hives through the first year. $40; payment and registration due by Feb. 12. 456.3575 or www.hcbees.org.

Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

Puzzles can be found on page 54.

These are only the answers.

PRIME REAL ESTATE Advertise in The Smoky Mountain News

ARTS AND CRAFTS

MarketPlace information: The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

ALLISON CREEK Iron Works & Woodworking. Crafting custom metal & woodwork in rustic, country & lodge designs with reclaimed woods! Design & consultation, Barry Downs 828.524.5763, Franklin NC

Rates:

■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.

■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads, ■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $15 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2.

If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.

■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad or colored background.

■ $50 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.

■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.

■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.

AUCTION MINI-FARM & LAND AUCTION Yadkin County 7.5+/-Acres 4BR/2-Bath House; Surry County 4BR/2-Bath brick house; Iredell County 17.5+/-Acres & 3 Country Home-Sites, ONLINE BIDDING ENDS - FEBRUARY 23. www.HouseAuctionCompany.com. 252.729.1162.

NCAL#7889 TAX SEIZURE AUCTION Wednesday, February 17, 10am.

196 Crawford Rd. Statesville, NC. Selling 7 Complete Restaurants Full of Equipment! All types of Equipment & Seating, Selling a New Restaurant Supply Company Same Day. 704.791.8825.

NCAF5479. www.ClassicAuctions.com.

Classified Advertising: Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com

WAYNESVILLE TIRE, COO

INC.

R

Di

sC Ov ER E

ATR

PE

Serving Haywood, Jackson & Surrounding Counties

JUDICIAL AUCTION Excellent Mountain Vacation Property. Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. 1 p.m. 2 Houses - 13.5 acres - Personal Property. 965 Rock Creek Lane, Sparta, NC. BOYER REALTY & AUCTION. 336.372.8888 boyerrealty@skybest.com. Col. James R. Boyer NCAL1792.

336.572.2323

Offering:

MAJOR-BRAND TIRES FOR CARS, LIGHT & MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCKS, AND FARM TIRES.

Service truck available for on-site repairs LEE & PATTY ENSLEY, OWNERS

MON-FRI 7:30-5:00 • WAYNESVILLE PLAZA

828-456-5387

331-74

YOUR AD COULD REACH 1.6 MILLION HOMES ACROSS NC! Your classified ad could be reaching over 1.6 Million Homes across North Carolina! Place your ad with The Smoky Mountain News on the NC Statewide Classified Ad Network- 118 NC newspapers for a low cost of $330 for 25-word ad to appear in each paper! Additional words are $10 each. The whole state at your fingertips! It's a smart advertising buy! Call Scott Collier at 828.452.4251 or for more information visit the N.C. Press Association's website at www.ncpress.com

BUILDING MATERIALS HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING ACORN STAIRLIFTS. The Affordable Solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1.800.291.2712 for FREE DVD and brochure.

ALL THINGS BASEMENTY! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold Control.

FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1.800.698.9217 DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, INC Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions.

Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson.

Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316 FIND THE RIGHT CARPET, Flooring & Window Treatments. Ask about our 50% off specials & our Low Price Guarantee. Offer Expires Soon. Call now 888.546.0135 SAPA SAFE STEP WALK-IN TUB. Alert for Seniors. Bathroom falls can be fatal. Approved by Arthritis Foundation. Therapeutic Jets. Less Than 4 Inch Step-In. Wide Door.

Anti-Slip Floors. American Made.

Installation Included. Call 800.807.7219 for $750 Off. SULLIVAN HARDWOOD FLOORS Installation- Finish - Refinish 828.399.1847.

CARS -

A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR For Breast Cancer! Help United Breast Foundation education, prevention, & support programs.

Fast Free Pickup - 24 Hr Response Tax Deduction 855.306.7348 SAPA

CARS DOES YOUR AUTO CLUB Offer no hassle service and rewards? Call American Auto Club (ACA) & Get $200 in ACARewards! (new members only) Roadside Assistance & Monthly Rewards. Call 800.867.3193. SAPA CAPITAL CLASSIC CARS Buying All European & Classic Cars. ANY Condition. ANY Location.

Porsche, Mercedes, Jaguar & More!

Top Dollar PAID. CapitalClassicCars.com Steve Nicholas 1.571.282.5153 SAPA TOP CASH FOR CARS, Call Now For An Instant Offer. Top Dollar Paid, Any Car/Truck, Any Condition. Running or Not. Free Pick-up/Tow. 1.800.761.9396 SAPA

MOTORCYCLES CRAZY BOB’S BIKER STUFF Jackets, Chaps, Vests, Helmets, Rain Gear, Saddlebags, Sissy Bar Bags, Tool Bags, Stickers, Patches. We also got you covered with 50 Sizes of Tarps: Heavy Duty Silver, Brown & Green, Blue & Silver, Blue & Camo.

1880 Dellwood Rd., Waynesville 828.926.1177

PETS HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

Prevent Unwanted Litters!

The Heat Is On! Spay/Neuter For Haywood Pets As Low As $10.

Operation Pit is in Effect!

Free Spay/Neuter, Microchip & Vaccines For Haywood Pitbull Types & Mixes!

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 12 Noon - 6 pm 182 Richland Street, Waynesville

R

WNC MarketPlace

EMPLOYMENT NEED MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES! Doctors & Hospitals need Medical Office Staff! No Experience Needed! Online Training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. Careertechnical.edu/nc.

1.888.512.7122 NOW HIRING Class A CDL Drivers! - Free Healthcare! Regional & OTR positions open. Pay starting at 40cpm. 1yr. experience required. Call 864.649.2063 or visit Drive4JGR.com. EOE.

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

REAL ESTATE - SALES Seeking a Self-Motivated Sales Professional for In-House Timeshare Sales at an Established Resort in Maggie Valley, NC. We are a Timeshare Management Company with a Great Reputation and Over 30 yrs. exp. Flexible Hours, Great Pay and Minimal Supervision if You Have What it Takes to be the Best. NC Real Estate License Required.

Please email your resume to: pnimphius@spmresorts.com

SPOOKIE - A CUTE, FLUFFBALL KITTY WITH A MIND OF HER OWN. SHE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN SHE'S HAD ENOUGH PETTING AND ATTENTION. SHE IS A COMIC ENTERTAINER, PLAYING WITH TOYS OR CATCHING FLIES! SHE'LL DO BEST IN A HOME WITH OLDER KIDS WHO WILL GIVE HER SPACE WHEN SHE NEEDS IT.

February 10-16, 2016

BRADY AN ADORABLE MIXED BREED PUP ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS OLD. HE IS SUPER SWEET, WALKS NICELY ON LEASH, AND IS CRATE TRAINED. AND REALLY, REALLY CUTE!

CAN YOU DIG IT? Heavy Equipment Operator Career!

We Offer Training and Certifications Running Bulldozers, Backhoes and Excavators. Lifetime Job Placement. VA Benefits Eligible!

1.866.362.6497.

DRIVER TRAINEES Paid CDL Training! Stevens Transport Will Cover All Costs! No Experience Needed! Earn $800 Per Week! Local CDL Training!

1.888.748.4137 drive4stevens.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. The North Carolina Press Association has a great opportunity for a new executive director to lead our 143-year-old organization into the next phase of its history. Our ideal candidate will be able to manage the day-to day, plan and develop strategy, sell the organization's benefits and services, work with the state legislature, and work closely with a talented staff. This is a hands-on job with giant rewards for the right person. For a list of job duties, or to send a resume for consideration, please email Pat Taylor, NCPA president, at pat@thepilot.com.

HIGH-TECH CAREER With U.S. Navy. Elite tech training w/great pay, benefits, vacation, $ for school. HS grads ages 17-34.

Call Mon-Fri 800.662.7419 WEEKLY HOME TIME For SE Regional! Earn up to $0.45 CPM w/bonuses. Plus $2500 Sign On Bonus! Call 888.408.5275 or SuperServiceLLC.com

AVIATION GRADS Work With Jetblue, Boeing, Delta And Others - Start Here With Hands On Training For FAA Certification.

Financial Aid If Qualified. Call Aviation Institute Of Maintenance 1.866.724.5403 SAPA FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Psychology Instructor.

English-as-a-Second Language Instructor. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com/. Human Resources Office. Phone: 910.678.8378 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu.

An Equal Opportunity Employer.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS! Now leasing 3/4 or 1 ton truck owners with 2-years towing experience. CDL-A or Chauffeur license required. Deliver nationwide. Call 480.833.4000 x2.

HELP WANTED! Make Up to $334 A Day! Data Entry Workers Needed Online Work From Home. Genuine Opportunity!

Register Online Today! www.DataIncome.com SAPA LAW OFFICE & LEGAL ASSISTANT Training. Law Firms & Government Offices need Legal Staff! No Experience Needed! Online Career training can get you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & PC/Internet needed! 1.888.926.6073 SAPA

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on an equal opportunity basis.

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT LEASE TO OWN 1/2 Acre Lots with Mobile Homes & Empty 1/2 Acre + Lots!

Located Next to Cherokee Indian Reservation, 2.5 Miles from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

For More Information Please Call 828.506.0578 BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

SAPA

REAL ESTATE WANTED TO BUY WANTED: OLD BARN, HOUSE, OR Other Building to Salvage, or Tear Down, for Lumber/Building Materials; Terms Negotiable.

Licensed & Insured. Call or Text John 828.380.1232 or email: john@ashevillepropertyservices. com

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400 Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS: Tues. & Wed. 10:00am - 5:00pm & Thurs. 10:00am- 12:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

HOMES FOR SALE BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.725.2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

331-65

Michelle McElroy

The Real Team

RESIDENTIAL BROKER ASSOCIATE

828.452.3727

michelle@beverly-hanks.com

147 WALNUT STREET • WAYNESVILLE

74 North Main St. • Waynesville 828.452.5809

aspivey@sunburstrealty.com

E-PRO, CNHS, RCC, SFR

828.400.9463 Cell

mountain realty 1904 S. main St. • Waynesville

I can show and negotiate a sale for you on any property in the MLS. In today’s market, it is best to have a buyer’s agent.

I know the market if you are looking to buy!

Margie MacDonald margie@4smokys.com

EMERSON ——————————————

GROUP

PO BOX 54

|

46 SOUTH MAIN STREET

WAYNESVILLE, NC 28786 | WWW.EMERSONGROUPUS.COM

Accredited Buyers Representative, NAR Green, ECO Certified, E-Certified

36 S. MAIN ST. WAYNESVILLE

www.sunburstrealty.com/amy-spivey

331-67

George Escaravage BROKER/REALTOR

REALTOR

828.734.9265

828.506.7137

828.400.0901 • 828.456.7705 george@emersongroupus.com

331-68

MOUNTAIN REALTY

Mieko Thomson

Thomson ROKER/R /REALTOR EALTOR®® BBROKER

Cell (828) 226-2298 Cell

mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com www.ncsmokies.com www.ncsmokies.com

2177 Russ Avenue Waynesville NC 28786

331-24

www.smokymountainnews.com

www.The-Real-Team.com

327-42

SFR, ECO, GREEN

JOLENE HOCOTT • LYN DONLEY MARLYN DICKINSON

Real Experience.

Real Service. Real Results.

52

EMPLOYMENT

ATTN: DRIVERS $2K Sign-On Bonus. Make $60k+ a Year! Great Benefits + 401k. Paid Orientation + Tuition Reimb. CDLA Req. 877.258.8782. www.drive4melton.com

1 Month Free with 12 Month Rental. Maggie Valley, Hwy. 19, 1106 Soco Rd. For more information call Torry

828.734.6500, 828.734.6700 maggievalleyselfstorage.com GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE Conveniently located off 19/23

by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160.

Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more info.

FURNITURE COMPARE QUALITY & PRICE Shop Tupelo’s, 828.926.8778.

HAYWOOD BEDDING, INC. The best bedding at the best price!

533 Hazelwood Ave. Waynesville 828.456.4240

LAWN & GARDEN

STOP SETTING POSTS The Hard Way! If you set posts, you must see this! If you build Pole Buildings or just lifting things around the farm. Amazing Skid Steer Attachment for setting square posts or round poles.

Watch our video at TheBrutPostGrabber.com or 1.208.290.4376. This product is Patent Pending.

FINANCIAL

DELETE BAD CREDIT In Just 30-Days ! Legally remove judgments, collections, charge offs, medical bills, etc. Raise credit score by 140 points or more Free to start! A+ Rated W/BBB Call Now! 855.831.9712.

SAPA SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1.800.670.4805 to start your application today! SAPA

LIFE ALERT. 24/7.

One press of a button sends help FAST! Medical, Fire, Burglar. Even if you can't reach a phone! FREE Brochure. CALL 800.316.0745.

SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1.800.371.1734 to start your application today!

STOP OVERPAYING For your prescriptions! Save up to 93%! Call our licensed Canadian and International pharmacy service to compare prices and get $15.00 off your first prescription and FREE Shipping.

1.800.265.0768 SAPA STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS Or Alcohol? Addicted to Pills? Talk to someone who cares. Call The Addiction Hope & Help Line for a free Assessment. 800.511.6075 SAPA

bparrott@beverly-hanks.com

Haywood County Real Estate Agents

Visit beverly-hanks.com/agents/bparrott

to see what others are saying!

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Lifestyle Properties — vistasofwestfield.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Great Smokys Realty

$GM GMMD DFHQ QW WR :D :D\QHVVY YLOO OOOHH &RX XQWU\ QWU &OXE X 9LLLVVX 9LVXDO 9 XDO D 7 7RRXU DW 7RXU D VVKDPUR VKDP KDPURFN FRP RRFN FRP

• Margie MacDonald - margie@4smokys.com

Beverly Hanks & Associates

0/6 0 / 6

$FFUH UHV LLQQ &LWW\\ / /LP LPLWV

%UXFH % U//RFDOO\ XRFFDOHO\O\ 22ZQHG 0F*RYHUQ 0 F*22SHUDW RSHSUYDWHHGUQ ZQHG 2S

3ULY 3 U L Y D WWHH (V ( WWDDDWH W H RRUU ' 'HYHO H Y H O RS R S PHHHQW QW

PFJ P F J R YH Y HUQSURSHU U S UR SH UQ S UUWW \ P PJW#JPDLO FRP JW#JPDLO RP

BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment.

Handmade in Haywood County. 1 for $20, 2 or More for $15 each.

828.593.8321 CHAMPION SUPPLY Janitorial supplies. Professional cleaning products, vacuums, janitorial paper products, swimming pool chemicals, environmentally friendly chemicals, indoor & outdoor light bulbs, odor elimination products, equipment repair including household vacuums. Free delivery across WNC. www.championsupply.com 800.222.0581, 828.225.1075.

• George Escaravage — gke333@gmail.com

ERA Sunburst Realty — sunburstrealty.com • Amy Spivey — sunburstrealty.com

Commitment, consistency, results.

Haywood Properties — haywoodproperties.com • Steve Cox — info@haywoodproperties.com Keller Williams Realty

Carolyn Lauter Broker/ABR 828.734.4822 Cell • www.carolynlauter.com carolyn.lauter@realtyworldheritage.com

331-27

kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • Sam Hopkins — samhopkins.kwrealty.com

Lakeshore Realty • Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Mountain Home Properties mountaindream.com • Sammie Powell — smokiesproperty.com

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management • Bruce McGovern — shamrock13.com

Realty World Heritage Realty realtyworldheritage.com • Carolyn Lauter realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7766 • Martha Sawyer realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7769 331-55

PERSONAL

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty • • • • • • •

A CARING YOUNG Married couple (she-35/he-42) seek to adopt. Will be FT Mom and devoted dad. Financial security.

Expenses PAID. Call or Text.

Veronica & Adam 1.800.790.5260 SAPA A CHILDLESS Married couple seeks to adopt.

Will be hands-on mom/work-fromhome dad. Financial security.

Expenses PAID. Lucy & Adam 1.844.275.0355. SAPA

beverly-hanks.com Michelle McElroy - MichelleMcElroy@beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig - MarilynnObrig@beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey - MikeStamey@beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither - EllenSither@beverly-hanks.com Brooke Parrott - BrookeParrott@beverly-hanks.com Randy Flanigan - RandyFlanigan@beverly-hanks.com Pamela Williams - PamelaWilliams@beverly-hanks.com Ann Eavenson - AnnEavenson@beverly-hanks.com

Emerson Group

1986 SOCO ROAD, HWY 19 • MAGGIE VALLEY, NC 28751

FOR SALE

• • • • • • • •

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com Brian K. Noland — brianknoland.com Mieko Thomson — ncsmokies.com The Morris Team — maggievalleyproperty.com The Real Team — the-real-team.com Ron Breese — ronbreese.com Dan Womack — womackdan@aol.com Catherine Proben — cp@catherineproben.com

smokymountainnews.com

SERIOUSLY INJURED By a Truck or Commercial Vehicle?

Get Justice! We’ve Recovered Millions. No money out of pocket! Call Our Attorneys for a Free Consultation! 1.866.803.2781. SAPA

GOT KNEE PAIN? Back Pain? Shoulder Pain? Get a pain-relieving brace at little or NO cost to you. Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1.800.480.7503 SAPA

828.734.2146

February 10-16, 2016

HEMLOCK HEALERS, INC. Dedicated to Saving Our Hemlocks. Owner/Operator Frank Varvoutis, NC Pesticide Applicator’s License #22864. 48 Spruce St. Maggie Valley, NC 828.734.7819 828.926.7883, Email: hemlockhealers@yahoo.com

A PLACE FOR MOM. The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1.800.319.8705 SAPA

WNC MarketPlace

CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE FOR YOU

BROOKE PARROTT BROKER ASSOCIATE

MEDICAL

331-50

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT

The Seller’s Agency — listwithphil.com • Phil Ferguson — philferguson@bellsouth.net

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE 828.452.4251 | ads@smokymountainnews.com 53

www.smokymountainnews.com

February 10-16, 2016

WNC MarketPlace

Super

54

CROSSWORD

FAMILY EXPANSION ACROSS 1 It turns litmus paper blue 7 Strip a disguise from 13 “- Baby” (#1 U2 album of 1991) 20 Arrive like the tide 21 Savage 22 Less dull 23 Rural lumberjack resting after chopping?

25 Lounged around 26 Dreamcast producer 27 Get as clear profit 28 100-yr. period 29 Heap (up) 30 Trough for toting bricks 33 Extended cloth used for messy cold-weather meals?

38 Hostile force 40 Down food 41 Purple spring blooms 42 Wide-shoe letters 43 Spool 44 Gets firm 46 Produced a napped surface on 48 Chart showing the highs and lows of actress Ellen’s career?

51 LP replacers 52 KGB’s milieu 56 “- all over!”

57 Asian dress 58 Alex of “The Godfather” 61 Unit of work 62 Orioles great Ripken 63 Gp. for Qatar 64 Sea in 75-Across

65 “Now I see!”

67 Matchstick-removing game 68 Suffix with señor 69 Item pinned on to support a Russian poet’s election to office?

72 Sarge, e.g.

73 Abbr. for a handy-andy 74 Mil. missions 75 Qatar locale 76 Lovers’ deity 77 Still 78 Revise 80 Prepare to give a ring?

81 Horse father 82 Beijing-to-Shanghai dir.

83 Shot fluids 84 “- see it ...”

86 One of the Skywalkers dressed up as St. Nick?

89 Kind of pear 93 With skill 94 Fir’s cousin 95 “Ender’s Game” star Butterfield 98 Unmoving machine part 99 Troop gp.

100 They negate deles 101 Afghan-wrapped football?

106 “Help!”

107 Guthrie at Woodstock 108 B-to-F string 109 Thai tongue 110 “Think of - a loan” 112 Foot lever 114 Clean a jack-o’lantern with a Hoover?

120 More weighty 121 Alicia of ballet 122 Choose 123 Aden citizens

49 Crustacean such as a wood louse 50 Kudos 53 Features of cloudless days DOWN 54 Cuts, as pie 1 Wall St. opportunist 55 Far-off distance 2 Singer Rawls 59 Jewish mysticism 3 Dutch airline 60 “McQ” actor Gulager 4 Home to edelweiss 61 Speed skater Dan 5 Probable 65 Of a heart chamber 6 Architect Jones 66 Shout of joy 7 Alien craft 70 State east of Colo.

8 Writer Anaïs 71 Nuclear trial prohibi9 Not be joking tion 10 “Get Happy” song79 Catch cold writer 11 Highland terrier, briefly 80 Tartan skirt sporter 84 First Constitution sec12 Saloon barrel tion 13 Figured out the value 85 Risen people of 87 Galileo’s gp.

14 Stations 88 Inclined (to) 15 Hair hider 90 Petition, e.g.

16 Linda in 1998 head91 History unit lines 17 “Rabbit, Run” novelist 92 Light refrain 95 Disinterest John 96 “No -!” (“Uh-uh!”)

18 - Mae (loan provider) 97 Glistening 19 Graham or Lorne 24 Sister of Bert Bobbsey 99 Hall-of-Fame footballer 28 Big name in shortening Mel 100 Flower organ 30 Weedkillers 102 Dry, white Italian wine 31 Singly 103 Strips for breakfast 32 James Fenimore 104 Currency unit of Laos Cooper novel, with “The” 105 Musical exercise 34 Grow wealthy 111 Lab safety org.?

35 “I - Male War Bride” 113 Major racket 36 History unit 114 U-Haul rental 37 Suffix of enzymes 115 Capitalize on 39 Monogram in civil 116 Cal. dozen rights 117 - Jong-un 44 Grab quickly 118 Suffix with chlor45 Departure 119 “- Blu Dipinto di Blu” 46 Most prickly (1958 hit) 47 Trio less one 124 French edict site of 1598 125 Nail coater

answers on page 50

PERSONAL

A CHILDLESS MARRIED Couple wishes to adopt. Will be a hands-on mom and a devoted dad.

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WEEKLY SUDOKU Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Answers on Page 50

This year’s flowers, last year’s berries

L

George Ellison

ast summer while I was walking along the creek below our home, small splotches of red and white at the base of a large hemlock caught my attention.

Upon inspection, these proved to be the flowers (white) and fruit (red) of the dainty partridge berry vine. Few other plants display this year’s flowers and last year’s berries at the same time.

Partridge berry (Mitchella repens) has several other common names, including squawvine, twin-berry, two-eyed berry, Mitchella vine, and nerve vine, all descriptive of the Columnist plant’s botanical characteristics or human uses. The genus designation honors the eighteenth century Virginia physician and botanist John Mitchell, while the species tag “repens” notes its “creeping” habit.

Indeed, this very common little vine can spread over fairly large areas, carpeting roots, small rock outcrops, and fallen tree trunks. Even in winter, the paired dark-green oval leaves with their yellowish-green veins make a pleasant sight.

In May and June attractive four-lobed lilac-scented white flowers appear whose

BACK THEN

est. Partridge berry is one of 45 plants she considers in detail.

Howell notes that the plant was initially utilized by the “American Indians as a remedy for a wide range of female reproductive system problems” and that to this day it is “an important gynecological remedy in modern herbal practice” being “considered a reliable tonic to treat … symptoms such as

interiors are clothed with velvety white hairs. In order to insure adequate cross-fertilization by pollinating insects, some of the flowers have protruding stamens and a recessed pistil while others offer the reverse situation.

Look closely and you’ll see that the flowers appear in pairs with fused bases so that the ovaries proPartirdge berry. duce a double berry; that is, Elizabeth Ellison illustration one berry composed of two parts. They look luscious, but are seedy and dry tasting to most humans. On the other hand, grouse, partridge, voles and other ground-feeding animals think they taste just fine, seek them out for nourishment, and spread the seeds.

Those not eaten remain in good shape on the vine well into the following year’s flowinfertility, lack of menses, menstrual pain, ering season. and threatened miscarriage.”

For those interested, as I am, in the According to Howell, the above ground reputed medicinal uses of various native portions of the fresh or dried vine can be plants, a recent book by north Georgia prepared as either a tincture (by steeping in herbalist Patricia Kyritsi Howell titled a combination of alcohol and water) or as a Medicinal Plants of the Southern decoction (an herbal extract made by boilAppalachians (Mountain City, Ga., ing or simmering in water). She provides BotanoLogus Books, 2006) will be of inter-

detailed proportions as well as recommended dosages for each of the preparations.

The American partridge berry is a member of the group of plants sometimes referred to as “The Asian Connection,” that is, it’s one of the numerous Southern Appalachian plants — persimmon, mayapple, shortia, umbrella leaf, ginseng, tulip

poplar, sweet gum, etc. — whose nearest relatives are primarily found in eastern Asia and not in the intervening regions.

The common method of propagation is vegetative through division of the roots.

Information on breeding from seed is scant.

(George Ellison is a naturalist and writer.

He can be reached at info@georgeellison.com.)

February 10-16, 2016 Smoky Mountain News 55

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