SMN 02/12/14

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Western North Carolina’s Source for Weekly News, Entertainment, Arts, and Outdoor Information

Feb. 12-18, 2014 Vol. 15 Iss. 37

Teacher raises vexing school administrators Page 6

Macon, Jackson property revals costly to counties Page 14

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: Winter brings with it a different kind of beauty, one more stark and less colorful than that of other seasons. We asked some local photographers to send us their favorite images from this time of year and have published them in this week’s edition. (Page 28) Beverly Slone photo

News Neighbors of proposed halfway house have mixed opinions on proposal. . 4 Canton leaders mull alcohol rules for public venues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Teacher raises a vexing problem for school administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Macon 8 for 11 on school resource officers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Ghost Town settles state issue for gunfight injury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Franklin gazebo proposal shines light on downtown division . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A closer look at Jackson’s steep slope proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Election filing season now open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Property revaluation will leave Jackson, Macon eyeing tax hike . . . . . . . . . 14 Fire tax districts for Jackson go up in smoke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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Opinion

The young Joe Lasher Jr. band is making noise early . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

February 12-18, 2014

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BY JAKE FLANNICK SMN CORRESPONDENT aywood County leaders have all but signed off on plans by a pair of faithbased groups running social service ministries in the county to convert a defunct state prison into a homeless shelter and halfway house.

The plan has been lauded as a way to help the down-and-out turn over a new leaf and remake themselves into upstanding, contributing members of society. The catch: the old prison sits in close proximity to residential, neighborhood streets.

The creation of a homeless shelter, halfway house and possibly a soup kitchen could attract a population of transients with less-than-stellar pasts, congregating and loitering in the residential neighborhoods around the old prison site.

Opinions among residents of the area are mixed, according to a random door-to-door survey of residents this week.

Some residents expressed reservations about living near such facilities. That was especially true for the halfway house, which offers rehabilitation services to a demographic some might see as threatening, from those facing substance abuse and mental health issues to former inmates.

“It’s a concern,” said Stephanie Jensen, 44, who lives in the vicinity.

While she acknowledged the good intentions of such social service programs — studies have shown that in general, the recidivism rate for released inmates who seek some form of counseling is significantly lower than that of those who do not — she pointed out that the old prison is across the street from a bar, which she feared might pose a temptation for some at halfway house who are struggling with alcohol addiction.

Others appeared less wary. The population served by a homeless shelter or soup kitchen are unfairly maligned and may simply be down on their luck as a result of life circumstances, said Catherine Greene, a retiree.

“Not all of them are dangerous,” said Greene, standing at the doorway of her Hemlock Street home across the street from the old prison.

Many of the nearly dozen residents inter-

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aware of such concerns.

They expect they would hire some kind of security presence, particularly after nightfall, and work closely with the county sheriff ’s office, which is within sight of the old prison.

In the meantime, they are quick to offer assurances.

“It’s going to be safe,” said Jason Ledford, president of Next Step Ministry, which would manage the halfway house. “I’m confident that it will work out.”

The halfway house would operate less as a safety net and more as a supportive service, offering education resources including computer and GED preparation classes as part of a requirement that its clients, currently maleex offenders, pursue long-term plans to find a job and recover from any addiction.

“Most of these people are looking for a new life … looking for a hand up, not a handout,” said Ledford, who formed a counseling A homeless shelter, halfway house and soup kitchen program in the county jail last summer. moving into this Waynesville neighborhood has garnered Rev. Nick Honerkamp, the founder and mixed opinions among residents. Jake Flannick photo director of Haywood Christian Emergency Shelter, said it’s the same for his clients, who have “personal growth plans” and will particviewed for this article over the past week were “If we let them roam, that would be a con- ipate in rehabilitation programs for much of the day. well aware of the plans by faith-based groups cern,” said Henderson, who is retired.

“They’re not going to be idle,” he said. to put the no-longer-used prison to use. How While he has long lived across the street neighbors reacted to the prospect of such from the old minimum-security prison, The existing shelter, housed at a summer camp, only operates during winter months. It facilities was, of course, a matter of percep- Henderson has always felt safe. houses an average of 80 peotion. ple on-and-off in the fall and Take Jack Schmidt, for example, who was The plan has been lauded as a way winter months and since stopped on the street while walking home opening in 2008, it has seen from work. Although he was unaware of to help the down-and-out turn over a “very few incidents,” plans to reuse part of the old prison, he new leaf and remake themselves into Honerkamp said. It has a appeared to embrace the thought of a homesecurity guard on shift at all less shelter and halfway house opening down upstanding, contributing members of times and has a zero-tolerthe street from where he lives. ance policy on drugs and “I think it’s a great idea,” said Schmidt, society. The catch: the old prison sits alcohol, including urine test 23, who works at a nearby trade school. He in close proximity to residential, and breathilizers for those recalled a recent conversation among costaying at the shelter. workers about the rugged lifestyle homeless neighborhood streets.

Moving into the old prison people face, trying to imagine what it would would enable the shelter to feel like to go without shelter for long periods particularly during winter months.

“I’ve never locked my doors,” he said. operate year-round.

Despite the concerns, Honerkamp said he “Sometimes there’s no place for them to stay.” Prisons are designed to keep people in, and believes the groups will draw support.

But another nearby resident, R.L. they don’t come and go.

“The mountain people here are so graHenderson, isn’t comfortable with his neighAsked if he might use the locks if the plans borhood becoming a hangout for those fre- for a shelter and halfway house go through, cious and so kind,” said Honerkamp, who has lived in the area for the past 35 years. “There’s quenting the soup kitchen, homeless shelter he replied, “Yeah.” or halfway house.

Leaders of the faith-based groups are a lot of people who like to help.”

ge lla Vi

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February 12-18, 2014

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Mixed feelings among residents on new plans for old prison

56 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.0823

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BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER request to serve keg beer at an event in the Canton Armory prompted a broader discussion of the town’s alcohol policy at public venues it rents.

“We have to make sure everything is all legal and we’re exactly where we need to be,” said Alderwoman Carole Edwards.

“Several things can go astray if we’re not completely legal with these things.”

The issue at hand was a wedding reception for the upcoming nuptials of Brittany Clark. The reception called for more than 300 people to be in attendance, with a request to be able to serve keg beer — an alcohol container not currently allowed in the armory. Clark had suggested kegs in an effort to streamline the cleanup process.

Interim Town Manager Jason Burrell told the board at a recent meeting glass bottles are currently allowed at the armory, but not kegs. He said glass bottles and containers are a safety concern the board should discuss. Members of the board noted how the bottles can be used as a weapon or can become a hazard if broken on the floor.

“I don’t have a problem with glass bottles,” Edwards said. “I guess if you want to whack someone upside the head with a bottle, I’m not for that, but what if you want to serve wine? They don’t have plas-

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tic wine bottles. We’ll make an exception for this event, and then look into the issue further.”

The board voted unanimously to allow Clark to have kegs at her reception, and also noted that a discussion on the alcohol ordinances on town property would take place at either the next meeting or at some point in the near future.

“Enjoy your wedding,” Mayor Mike Ray told Clark.

SERVING THE TIMES Following the meeting, Burrell said alcohol is allowed at the armory and at The Colonial Theatre, but with certain restrictions and guidelines that need to be met.

Anyone using the armory with alcohol present must get an ABC permit by applying for it and submitting it to Raleigh. After that, there are costs involved with putting on an event.

Burrell pointed to an event held at the armory last fall where the building was left a mess. Trash was strewn about and the town decided to modify its policies, which now call for an event to have one off-duty police officer hired per 100 people present, at a cost of $35 per hour.

“After that event, questions came up to look at the policy to see if any aspects need-

Public input The Canton town board will hold another discussion on the alcohol policies at the armory and The Colonial Theatre at its upcoming meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 at town hall, with final decisions to most likely be made at a later date.

ed to be updated, or updated to keep up with the times,” Burrell said.

Beyond the off-duty officers, the cost for renting the armory also includes a fee of $330 for a five-hour use of fewer than 50 people ($442 for eight hours) and $380 for a five-hour use of over 50 people ($492 for eight hours). Both fees include a $100 cleaning deposit. If alcohol will be present, there’s a $500 cleaning deposit required as well, which includes setup, takedown and two cleaning personnel.

But compared to Waynesville, Canton’s policies for alcohol on public property are more relaxed.

As of now, anyone renting the Waynesville Armory will pay $30 an hour to use the gym, $18.50 an hour for the cafeteria, and $12.75 an hour for the classroom.

“But, there’s no alcohol allowed at the armory or the recreation center,” said Waynesville Parks and Recreation Director

Rhett Langston.

For Maggie Valley, you can rent the pavilion beside town hall for $10 an hour (three-hour minimum) for the inside and $20 an hour (three-hour minimum) for the outside, but no alcohol is allowed. A $200 cleaning deposit is also added to the final cost, which can include heating.

At the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, alcohol is allowed. Applicants must apply for and receive an ABC permit from Raleigh and at least one Maggie Valley police officer must be onsite while the festival grounds are open to the public.

“Splits on concessions will be negotiated with each event promoter and/or producer on a case-by-case basis,” the town application states about funds brought in from alcohol sales on the property.

In terms of Clark’s wedding, the town had already booked her celebration before the event last fall occurred when the building was trashed, which grouped her into the new requirements. That is why she came in front of the board asking to be able to use kegs.

“With the keg aspect of things, the recreation committee said it’s probably better picking up cups rather than bottles and cans,” Burrell said. “Ideas are also currently emerging to prohibit glass bottles, but there’s no decision yet.”

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Restaurants in Haywood County are being encouraged to jump on the Melange of the Mountains train, which will return this year April 10-13.

The event is expanding again this year, with a growing lineup of culinary-themed festivities over several days.

Melange began several years ago as a one-night gala where restaurants showcased samples of their signature dishes. That remains the keystone event of Melange, but it will kick off an entire array of weekend with an array of specialty dinners, culinary demos and tastings hosted by Melange of the Melange of the Mountains Culinary Weekend will be held throughout Mountains participants. Events such as Haywood County April 10-13. Garret K. Woodward photo Farm to Table, Hops to Tap, Sip and Stroke, Dinner on the Mountain, Champagne & Caviar, Five Course Candlelight Dinner, and Wine Pairings will take place throughout the county.

The event is a partnership between the Haywood Chamber of Commerce, Haywood County Tourism Development Authority and Buy Haywood.

A listing of participating restaurants along with additional information will be released at a later date.

828.456.3021 or chipps@haywoodchamber.com.

February 12-18, 2014

Melange of the Mountains caters to food fans with bigger lineup

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Canton debates alcohol policy at armory

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Pay raise resentment

Macon County teachers gather on stage at Franklin High School last week in a show of solidarity with the “Decline to Sign” movement among teachers throughout the state.

Holly Kays photo

February 12-18, 2014

Districts grapple with directive to identify top 25 percent of teachers

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER sually, you’d expect a school system to jump at the chance to give its teachers a raise, but superintendents statewide are now rolling up their sleeves for an unpleasant

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task: figuring out a process to determine the top 25 percent of teachers in their district and offering those people a pay increase.

“I hate it,” said Jackson County Superintendent Mike Murray. “I’m passionate about hating it.”

Teachers, administrators and attorney Dean Shatley Jr. echoed Murray’s sentiment at an informational meeting for Macon County teachers last week, where Shatley spent an hour explaining the legislation and answering questions. Usually, said veteran teacher John deVille, teachers and lawyers

What’s all the fuss about?

Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER With a 2012-13 state rank of 46 in starting teacher salary and no raises in the past six years, North Carolina has plenty of teachers who are hankering for a bigger paycheck. A law passed by the N.C. General Assembly in 2013 to give pay increases to the top 25 percent of teachers in each district, then, would seem likely to garner support. Instead it’s raising ire among teachers and administrators alike.

“I’m really at the end of my career, but this is an issue that really affects everybody in the state, everyone that’s concerned about education,” said Julie Henning, who has taught in Macon County Schools for more than 30 years.

The first hurdle is determining how, exactly, you rate a teacher. John deVille, a veteran social studies teacher at Franklin High School, calls the process “a cruel fool’s errand,” maintaining that comparing the outcome of, say, a band director’s work to that of a kindergarten teacher is impossible and capable only of causing division among people who should be working together.

The terms of the increase are also a bone of contention. To accept the raises, teachers must sign a four-year teaching contract that requires them to waive any tenure rights they have.

The legislature has passed a law that would eliminate tenure for all teachers beginning in July 2018, but lawsuits against it are pending. If the law were overturned, teachers would keep their tenure, but those who had signed it away would not. So, 6 those who sign are taking a chance.

find themselves “duking it out,” but this time they’re seeing eye-to-eye.

“In this case, we’re on the same side,” said deVille, vice president of the Macon County chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators. “This law is so crazy and so goofy that people who are normally against each other have closed ranks.”

But what, exactly, is so bad about offering some teachers a pay raise?

According to teachers and administrators, just about everything. They’re upset that accepting the increase requires permanently

signing away tenure rights in exchange for a four-year contract, a trade-off that would remain in effect even if lawsuits attempting to overturn the N.C. General Assembly’s decision to do away with the tenure program are successful. They’re upset that the pay increase is minimal — just $2,000 spread over four years — and that the legislature’s one-year-ata-time budgeting process is only able to guarantee funds for the first year. They’re upset at what they see as a policy that will pit teachers against each other, rather than encouraging an atmosphere of creative collaboration.

And, ultimately, they’re upset at the directive itself. Teaching a class isn’t like running a race, so how do you determine who’s in the top quarter? Different educators do different jobs, teachers say, and there’s simply no way to objectively compare an elementary guidance counselor’s performance to that of a high school gym teacher.

“Every way we skin this cat, we come up with real problems,” said Chris Baldwin, Macon County superintendent. By June, Baldwin must offer raises to 68 of the district’s 278 eligible teachers. “Two hundred ten folks are going to be treated unfairly. I don’t see any of these plans that gets us away from that.”

But they have to try. The law states that superintendents must offer the raises based on a review of teacher performance and evaluation, so districts are starting the process of developing the criteria they’ll use to offer raises by the June 30 deadline.

MACON COUNTY

In Macon County, the school board has come up with three options, all of which involve a random lottery for some or all of the recipients. They’re sending a survey out to

Then, there’s the issue of fundgiving up their rights,” Henning ing. The pay increases are small, said. relatively speaking. For the four Instead, teachers say, the legisyears of the contract, the teachers’ lature should give an across-thesalary would rise by $500 per year, board raise so that teachers can before taxes, so that a teacher progress through a salary schedmaking $40,000 per year before ule based on how long they have signing would receive $42,000 by taught in North Carolina. the final year of the contract. The “I think in North Carolina we catch, though, is that budgets only had a fairly functional salary allocate funds for one year at a schedule that worked fine,” said time, not four, making many Standing before an audience of Macon County Tyler Faetz, English teacher at teachers nervous that they would teachers last week, Dean Shatley Jr., an education FHS. “You thought you had a sign away their tenure rights for a career. You thought you could see attorney with a first career as a band director, forward to 30 years of service.” program that would eventually unpacks the legislation behind the pay increases become unfunded.

To Faetz’ point, Gov. Pat that 25 percent of each district’s teachers will McCrory announced Monday, in “Technically only one year is funded,” said Dean Shatley Jr., a soon receive. Holly Kays photo conjunction with Senate Leader band director-cum-education attorPhil Berger and House Leader ney who walked Macon County teachers through the law at a Thom Tillis, that he plans to push North Carolina’s starting specially scheduled school board meeting Feb. 5. “Will the legteacher salary from $30,800 to $35,000 over two years. islature fund year two, three or four? Of course I have no idea, McCrory’s plan would raise starting salaries $2,200 this year and I would not presume to guess what this legislature would and $2,000 the following year. According to a press release, do. However, I would assume they would follow through on more raises for teachers and other state employees are in the their promise and commitment.” works as “the revenue outlook becomes clearer and available.”

But it’s still a risk, teachers say, and they also point out The teachers themselves, though, say they just want a polthat nothing in the contract says that their pay won’t go right icy that indicates that they are valued and respected. back to pre-signing levels after the four years are over.

“The degree to which we are valued in North Carolina is “That’s not a good tradeoff for some people to get a small reflected in our pay and that our rights to due process are increase that is not guaranteed to continue in exchange for provided for,” Henning said.

Haywood County, however, intends to keep randomness as far from its selection process as possible. A committee composed of the district’s human resources director, a school board member, several teachers, representatives from professional organizations, an assistant principal and a principal are busy unpacking Haywood County’s teacher evaluation rubric, trying to determine exactly how it

“Every way we skin this cat, we come up with real problems. Two hundred ten folks are going to be treated unfairly. I don’t see any of these plans that gets us away from that.”

— Chris Baldwin, Macon County superintendent

artificially inflate his scores, or visa versa. Of the six standards included in teacher evaluations, the board is considering basing the contract offers on the two that apply most widely — leadership and instructional methods.

But the evaluation rubric is still a complicated instrument, and some principals are always going to score their teachers harder than others. To compensate for that reality, the board is considering taking one of its teachers’ suggestions, based on that person’s experience in the U.S. Navy — comparing each teacher’s score to the average score given out by that person’s principal or supervisor.

“If you fall below the average for your supervisor, you’re probably not going to be in the top 25 percent,” Nolte said. “If you fall

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER obert Holland has been pushing to place a resource officer in every school for years — long before the Sandy Hook school shooting tragedy catapulted cops in schools to the top of county funding debates, and even before assuming the sheriff ’s badge in 2002, when he served as a deputy and juvenile detective.

“I personally am a direct result of SROs,” Holland said.

“My father died when I was very young. Because of the officers who worked in my school, who could have taken me to the curb, they were there for me. I looked up to them and said, ‘I want to be like you.’”

Holland achieved that dream, and as sheriff he’s made SRO positions a top priority, even as the recession has cut the

employees,” he said.

However, that’s the law, so the Haywood County board will be considering these ideas in its upcoming meetings before deciding which procedure to adopt.

“I believe our board is taking this very seriously,” Nolte said.

JACKSON COUNTY Murray, meanwhile, is using a heavily feedback-based approach to decide on a system for Jackson County. He began by talking to the school board and school administrators, trying to gauge reactions and narrow down the number of teachers that would receive the raises. Then, he invited the dis-

wiggle room out of county budgets.

Today, eight of Macon County’s 11 public schools have one. The latest to join the list was Nantahala School, where an SRO position has just been added, thanks to a state grant.

Nantahala is a K-12 school, and at 45 minutes away from Franklin, its rural location makes it important to have someone on site to respond in an emergency situation, Holland said.

The School Resource Officer Matching Grant providing $39,722 for the SRO, contingent on a one-third match from the county of $18,185. That’s $26,000 short of the full $84,000 cost of adding a position, a figure that includes salary, training and a patrol car. However, Holland told county commissioners last month that he’ll make it work.

“I’ll find that in my current budget,” he said. “I’ll find a vehicle. It may be a dilapidated vehicle, but I’ll find a vehicle.”

The grant, which the school district obtained from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, will only last for one year. Presumably, the county would have to pick up the tab

trict’s attorney to meet with teachers in an assembly similar to the one Macon County held last week. More than 60 percent of the district’s teachers came, Murray said.

All that took place before Christmas.

After the holiday, Murray gave teachers three weeks to answer a survey about the process, asking which criteria they would like to see considered in selecting raise recipients. Now, the personnel department is compiling those answers to look for common themes.

“A lot of folks wrote in that they think that if you had a National Board [Certification] or a higher degree, that should be in the criteria,” he said.

Murray is contemplating sending out a follow-up survey to clarify some points — principally, whether teachers want to see the selection made district-wide or done proportionally by school — and plans to propose criteria to the board next month. The outcome will then go out to teachers for review and to Murray for the final decision.

“When it comes right down to it, I want their opinion,” Murray said.

He’s not required to make a decision until June, he said, so he’s planning to take his time to come up with the best process possible. To wit, Swain County, while currently working on its plan to distribute the contract offers, has not yet come up with a proposal it is prepared to discuss publicly.

And, Murray cautioned, the raise recipients will not represent a comprehensive list of the best teachers in Jackson County, regardless of the district’s criteria for awarding them.

“Some teachers will refuse to take it. Your one- to three-year teachers aren’t even eligible for it,” he said. “I do not want folks to think this is the tell-all for who is the best teacher in Jackson County.”

And if the cluster of teachers — many of whom have held that profession for decades — crowding around a sign reading “Decline To Sign!” at Franklin High School is any indication, plenty of quality teachers will not be on that list.

“That little bit of money that is supposed to happen the first year that you sign, it’s not guaranteed to continue,” Henning said. “The money has not been allocated, so you’re very likely to lose your tenure and not be guaranteed to get an increase.”

after that.

“This is a goal we’ve had for a long time,” Commissioner Ronnie Beale said in support of school resource officers. One county commissioner, Paul Higdon, voted against it, citing the continued cost the county will have to absorb.

An SRO’s role is multi-faceted, Holland said, adding that it’s vital to have the presence in each school.

“A lot of people think it’s because of stopping an active shooter,” he said. “That’s just a small part of it.”

Having an officer there means that there’s somebody to give the quick response — most incidents last only two or three minutes — needed to stop a violent person, but the officer also provides a stable presence for students, gives advice on law enforcement issues, helps teachers handle student behavior issues and can be involved in prevention programs as well.

“I know the benefits of an SRO, because I’ve lived it,” he said. “I have said for many years my goal is to have an SRO in every school.”

Smoky Mountain News

Eighth Macon school officer position goes to Nantahala

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above it, you have a pretty good chance.”

In the event of a tie, additional qualifications such as a National Board Certification or licensure to teach multiple sections would be the decision-makers. That seems like the most fair way to do it, Nolte said, but that doesn’t mean that he’s happy about having to do it.

“Even though it may make sense and may be objective, we don’t like it,” he said.

Having to eliminate 75 percent of staff from getting one of the pay increases isn’t fair, Nolte said, because Haywood County performed in the top 15 percent of North Carolina districts this year. Maybe 100 percent of its teachers aren’t exceptional, but more than 25 percent are, he said.

“We think it’s ridiculous that if we’re going to make the offer of a small pay increase that it only be offered to 25 percent of our

February 12-18, 2014

HAYWOOD COUNTY

can best be used to accurately select the district’s 25 percent best teachers.

“If we’re going to have to evaluate 25 percent, we really want to do the very best job we can,” said Bill Nolte, assistant superintendent of Haywood County Schools.

The school board has not yet made a decision on the process it will use, but it’s had the ball rolling since the fall. Before Christmas, Superintendent Anne Garrett appointed the committee, directing them to look closely at the law, seek legal advice and make a proposal about the process for selecting teachers.

“What the board is considering is to use the evaluation results from last year,” Nolte said. “That would allow us to have results that were untainted by the law.”

In other words, a principal who wanted to favor a particular teacher wouldn’t be able to

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their teachers this week to get feedback on the options, and then the board will consider which, if any, of the plans to adopt.

“The board are considering these three options or any modification of these three, or a completely different plan,” Baldwin said.

One choice is to offer the raises to the past three teachers of the year from each school in Macon County, accounting for 33 of the 68 recipients. Using a lottery system, Baldwin would then award each of the remaining raises to a certain number of teachers at each of the 11 schools, based on the proportion of the district’s tenured teachers who work there.

“The problem with that is there are some partial teachers,” Baldwin said. “For instance, Union Academy might receive 2.5 [contracts] based on the number of career teachers.

Nantahala might have 1.5. We have to deal with all those decimal points.”

Alternatively, the district might make the first pass by selecting all teachers who have been in Macon County Schools for three years and have proficient scores on their teacher evaluations. A lottery system would fill any remaining slots. Or, if the district goes with option three, it could put all the eligible names in a hat for a district-wide drawing.

A lottery system is legal, Shatley said, so long as school districts have a first set of criteria that’s based on teacher performance.

“We’ve counseled clients to have something else in between, to narrow it down before you go to random selection,” he said.

Some level of randomness will probably be involved, Baldwin said, because the process is random to begin with.

“We are not producing widgets or anything like that that you can fit into a perfect mold,” he said. “We are dealing with different kids ever day and different needs every day.”

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Ghost Town gunfight negotiations finalized

Diplomate

A compromise has been reached between Ghost Town in the Sky and state inspectors over a violation and fine stemming from a staged gunfight at the Maggie Valley amusement park.

Ghost Town’s owner has signed an agreement with the N.C. Department of Labor Division of Occupational Safety and Health, accepting a set of stipulations for maintaining an employee health and safety program in exchange for a $700 reduction in its penalty. “You have to show you’re going to do these items, as agreed upon in this conference,� explained Dolores Quesinberry, communications director for the N.C. Department of Labor.

The story began last July when one of Ghost Town’s routine Wild West gunfights ended with Robert Bradley, a long-time gunfighter at the Maggie Valley theme park, bleeding on the ground. Though the gunfighters use blank cartridges in their staged skirmishes, that day one of the guns shot a projectile that lodged itself 1.5 inches into Bradley’s right thigh. Early speculation postulated that wadding — paper or cloth used to ignite the blanks when fired — was the culprit, but Bradley contended that somebody had tampered with the gun with the intent of injuring him.

The doctor who attended Bradley discarded the projectile before the controversy surrounding its existence surfaced, so it’s

Two upcoming forums in Haywood County will focus on drug abuse.

Waynesville Police Chief Bill Hollingsed and Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher will be among the speakers at a rally called “Drugs in our Midst� that will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 at Burnette Cove Baptist Church.

This community forum is open to the public and will include a discussion of prescription drug abuse and problems particular to Haywood County.

Waynesville Police Chief Hollingsed will hold a second public forum on drug abuse that is open to middle and high school students and their parents at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Waynesville Police Department.

Haywood County resident Hylah Smalley heard Hollingsed discuss the local drug problems last month as part of her

unknown exactly what it was. But the incident resulted in an investigation by the DOL. Their finding? That Ghost Town failed to provide employees “conditions of employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.�

According to the citation that DOL issued Ghost Town, the company used two real 12-gauge double barrel shotguns and three real 45-caliber revolvers. The triggers were removed from the revolvers, and they could be fired by simply pulling the hammers back.

After receiving the citation, Ghost Town asked for a conference with DOL representatives to discuss the violations. The parties met on Dec. 31 to work out a final agreement. “It’s like a negotiation,� Quesinberry said.

The agreement was signed on Jan. 16 and finalized on Jan. 23. It does not make a determination of fault but merely works out the terms for going forward.

To reduce their fine from $2,000 to $1,300, Ghost Town agreed to institute — and periodically update — a safety and health program for its employees, which will include an analysis of hazards related to various tasks employees perform. Ghost Town will train its employees to recognize and avoid hazards and meet with them regularly, encouraging them to participate in workplace safety activities and taking their safety-related suggestions or complaints. In addition, Ghost Town will periodically inspect worksites and create disciplinary procedures to ensure the safety rules are followed. — By Holly Kays

Leadership Haywood class. She thought the information would be helpful to parents and youth and suggested that Hollingsed hold a public forum.

Pizza and soft drinks will be served.

The discussion contains information that may not be appropriate for children under the age of 12.

WCU open house is Feb. 15 Western Carolina University will hold anopen house on Saturday, Feb. 15.

The event gives visitors a chance to tour the campus, learn about academic programs and find out details about financial aid. WCU also will have another open house on Saturday, March 22. Campus tours also are available year-round by appointment.

Preregistration is at www.openhouse.wcu.edu or 828.227.7317 or 877.928.4968.

Craft a vision for downtown

tion through flowers in summer and holiday decorations in winter.

Designated as a nonprofit, the program is financed largely by the town, operating with a $90,000 budget this year, according to town financial records. That includes the salary of its only employee, Linda Schlott, who serves as its executive director and is advised by a nine-member board of directors.

It has drawn complaints over the past couple of years from shopkeepers who make up a grassroots group, called Venture Local, that has sought to introduce new ideas to improve the downtown economy but has encountered stumbling blocks. They maintain that the Main Street leaders have not heeded their ideas — however few — that they say represent the majority of business owners.

The last big dispute between merchants and the Main Street Program centered around a series of Friday night block parties to get people downtown. Merchants were reprimanded for failing to get proper permission to block the street, string banners and put up tents. They in turn accused the town and the Main Street Program of not being supportive or receptive to new ideas.

“It’s not what it used to be,” Pantaleo, the coffee shop co-owner, said of downtown. “Everyone needs to come up with some new ideas.”

Schlott, of the Main Street program, has maintained that she shares such views.

“A lot of new ideas are a good thing,” she said. She cited so-called visioning forums she has arranged as a way to improve communication between the town and its shopkeepers.

“We’re willing to work with anybody.”

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BY JAKE FLANNICK environs. Others emphasized sustainability, SMN CORRESPONDENT calling on town leaders to postpone plans for A design for a new gazebo on the town a makeover for further consideration. square in downtown Franklin has been sent The unsolicited suggestions led town leadback to the drawing board. ers to agree to organize a kind of contest Downtown merchants handily dismissed among shopkeepers and other downtown a rendering submitted by a volunteer. They business owners for alternatives. They are also expressed disappointment that the views expected to come up with a framework to and input of the downtown business commu- review any new conceptual drawings when nity weren’t solicited earlier in the process. they meet again in March, along with a time The enduring centerpiece of street festivals, political rallies, Friday night summer concerts and other town square gatherings, the gazebo was not only getting worn around the edges, but wasn’t as functional as it should be.

A rendering of a new gazebo presented at a town meeting came as a surprise to nearby shopkeepers, prompting a flurry of criticisms about the appearance of the proposed design.

“That area is the center of the universe as far as Franklin is concerned. We The downtown Franklin community complained that no one need to be very careful asked for their input on a new gazebo design and convinced when we put something there that it is something the town and Main Street organization a do-over was in order.

Donated illustration we can be proud of for years and years to come,” Mayor Bob Scott said. He is agrees with merchants that the process should have been more inclusionary.

The public is being invited to share their ideas, thoughts “Everybody probably and visions for downtown Franklin at a forum hosted by the has some ideas, and there town’s Main Street Program at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at are probably some very the First Baptist Church. good ones out there,” Scott The “Downtown Economic Vision” forum will discuss what said, advocating for the is good about downtown, what needs improvement and what town to work collectively downtown should become in the future. Participants will work with the merchants on a in small groups to write vision statements for downtown. new gazebo design.

Light refreshments start at 6:30 p.m. 828.524.2516 or The first go at a design lschlott@franklinnc.com. evokes a sense of formality, involving a small stained glass window, white pillars and a cupola, frame for the project. deemed “more fitting for a wedding than a “Let’s get more ideas than just one,” said bluegrass show,” according to one critic.

Mayor Bob Scott. Scott said he, too, would Complaints over the design built steam on like to see a more rustic, mountain look. “I a community Facebook page, with a flurry of am no architect, but I don’t think it fits in posts in recent weeks. A handful of shopkeep- with what we want Franklin to look like.” ers repeated their concerns at a town meeting While they encouraged creativity, some last week, offering suggestions on how to cautioned against extravagance. remake the structure into something that “We have to stay within the realm of embodies what they perceive as part of the what we can afford to do,” Alderwoman essence of Franklin.

Joyce Handley said, warning against “doing One shopkeeper, Sandy Pantaleo, who something that looks wonderful but has no runs nearby Main Street Coffee & Tea with use to anybody.” her husband, said in an interview that she is The gazebo plans weren’t forged in a vac“unhappy and displeased” with the appear- uum. Input was sought during the design ance of the proposed gazebo, which she said process, just not from the at-large Main Street came across as “closed, reserved and dated.” merchant community.

A timber-frame design with a rustic style, Linda Schlott, the town’s Main Street she and others told town leaders, would bet- Coordinator, was serving as a liaison to coorter reflect the identity of the town and its dinate input from a psuedo-gazebo commit-

tee, which included musicians, festival organizers and members of the town’s official Main Street Program — a more limited pool of stakeholders.

The town has set aside about $50,000 for the gazebo in its 2013-14 budget.

But some suggested that the town is rushing through such plans without seeking financial support from outside sources.

“This is an iconic piece of our town,” said Angela Hubbs Moore, a businesswoman in town. She suggested that the town turn to the public for input and possible investments.

“We’re missing the opportunity to look for less traditional routes.”

Despite the backlash, reluctance among shopkeepers over the proposed design was in some ways expected, Town Manager Warren Cabe said.

“It was a good starting point,” he said of the rendering, dismissing any suggestion that the town had sought to quietly advance the plans as a way to speed up the process by avoiding public input.

At the same time, he acknowledged the subjectivity of such a project, adding that whatever the town selects as the final design will likely have at least some critics.

“You’re not going to make everybody happy,” he said at the last meeting.

Criticism of the drawing highlights a lingering disconnect between at least some shopkeepers and the town’s Main Street Program.

The Main Street Program spearheads promotional initiatives for downtown Franklin, from putting on street festivals to beautifica-

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Franklin merchants want bigger voice in gazebo make-over

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Steep slope redux A pocket guide to proposed revisions in Jackson’s steep slope ordinance

WHAT’S IN: Things the board left in during its rewrite ENGINEER OVERSIGHT FOR HOMES ON STEEPER SLOPES OR PROBLEM SOILS What the old ordinance said: An engineer must sign off on soil stability when county soil maps indicate “problematic soils,” which incidentally is most of the county. Once a slope hits 40 percent or more, or in cases where an engineer was unable to certify soil stability, additional oversight is triggered — namely, an assessment and certification by a geotechnical engineer and a hydrological control plan.

Why it’s still in: As slope increases, so do soil stability concerns, prompting the need for builders to engage an engineer or geotechnical engineer.

Rest of the story: For development activity other than a single-family home, such as subdivision design approval, the requirement for a geotechnical engineer and a hydrological control plan kicks in once slopes hit 35 percent.

BY B ECKY JOHNSON PARTIAL SCREENING OF HOMES WITH TREES STAFF WRITER What the old ordinance said: Mountainside Limits on mountainside development and standards for steep slope homes should be screened with trees, shielding at building are once again in the spotlight in Jackson County. least 50 percent of the face of the building from view.

The Jackson County planning board has spent the past 14 months Why it’s still in: Homeowners can still achieve rewriting steep slopes regulations first put in place seven years ago. views from their homes by limbing out trees to creThey were more restrictive than anywhere else in the mountains at the ate view “windows” and cutting down some trees, time. The watered-down version that has emerged from the rewrite is still but it prevents the wholesale removal of trees along far more protective than most mountain counties. the entire length of the Nonetheless, the proposed revisions would pave house, in an effort to prothe way for more permissive development on mountect the appearance of the tainsides. mountainside as seen by The original steep slope rules were an about-face others. This is the only This editorial to the laissez-fare, Wild West development days of measure aimed purely at cartoon originalthe previous decade. Public outcry over the aesthetics that got left in. ly appeared in unchecked, speculative buy-up of mountain land Rest of the story: If there drove the creation of Jackson’s first steep slope ordiisn’t existing vegetation to The Smoky nance in 2007. accomplish screening, trees Mountains News But with real estate sales languishing in these must be planted. in 2007, during post-recession doldrums, the current debate lacks the height of the the fury and passion that surrounded the initial CUT AND FILL SLOPES epic battle over ordinance, when public hearings drew hundreds on What the old ordinance mountainside both sides. said: Cut slopes cannot be development in The steep slope revisions are the third and final steeper than a ratio of 1:1 Jackson County. installment in a trilogy of rewrites to Jackson (horizontal run to vertical It depicts how County’s development regulations. The subdivision rise) and fill slopes cannot some residents ordinance and open space ordinance were on the be steeper than 1.5:1. had become fed docket last year.

Why it’s still in: This up with the Both of those were loosened as well, with threshold ensures stability boomtown clichanges already finalized. The steep slope ordinance of excavated slopes. mate of the real was saved for last. It was the most controversial Rest of the story: Steep estate heyday. when initially put in place and is poised to be the cuts and fills are prone to Mandy Newham-Cobb most controversial as the rewrites head for passage. slipping. Fill slopes by illustration This is the second in a two-part series on the nature are less stable and steep slope rewrite. For last week’s article, go to thus can’t be as steep as cut www.smokymountainnews.com. slopes.

This week, see what got cut and what stayed in the proposed revisions. The rewrite isn’t final yet.

BENCHING County commissioners hold the final vote, which is What the old ordistill at least several weeks away. nance said: Cut-and-fill It’s important to note that existing lots and develslopes had to be benched opments are exempt from parts of the steep slope at intervals — akin to A public hearing on revisions to Jackson County’s steep slope ordinance will be held at 6 p.m. ordinance. Some criteria here would be impossible to small stair steps or terThursday, Jan. 13, at the county administration building in Sylva. comply with given the confines of existing lot lines, races — to make the slope The meeting could be postponed until the following Thursday — same time and place — depending and thus wouldn’t apply. All new lots created in the more stable. on winter weather. Check www.smokymountainnews.com or call the county planning office Thursday afterfuture would have to be laid out with the ordinance in Why it’s still in: It’s a noon for a status update on the hearing. mind, however, and followed when built on. safety thing.

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Balanced cut and fill Illustration provided by Appalachian Landslide Consultants

Rest of the story: The new benching requirement is actually stronger than the old one. The old one required a bench every 35 feet vertically. The new one requires a bench at 10-foot intervals on cut-and-fill slopes exceeding 20 feet in vertical height. But there is an automatic exemption from the benching requirement if the cut-and-fill slope has the seal of approval from a certified engineer.

The new language also added a provision that the height of a combined cut-and-fill slope can’t exceed 60 vertical feet.

WHAT’S OUT: Things the board cut during its rewrite

RIDGETOP CONSTRUCTION What the old ordinance said: Homes couldn’t be built on ridgetops. The roofline of a home had to be at least 20 feet below the

To view the planning board’s complete red-line version of the steep slope ordinance, view this story at www.smokymountainnews.com. siderable debate over which would mar up a mountain more: building on a ridgetop or side of a slope? Once changed, the county can’t go back, at least under the latest state policy that prohibits local environmental rules that are stricter than the state’s own environmental rules.

STEEP SLOPE RULES TRIGGER What the old ordinance said: The steep slope ordinance kicked in on slopes of 30 percent or more.

Why it’s out: Steep slope precautions aren’t necessary until the slope reaches 35 percent — which became the new threshold for when the ordinance kicks in.

Rest of the story: Steep slope rules apply to fewer areas than before.

DISTURBANCE FOOTPRINT What the old ordinance said: For singlefamily homes, the grading envelope, a.k.a. disturbed area, was limited to a footprint of 10,000 square feet.

Why it’s out: It wasn’t done away with entirely, but the new disturbance limits are not nearly as strict. The grading envelope is now based on a sliding scale dependant on the slope, and as a percentage of the total lot size. Up to 20 percent of the lot can be disturbed on slopes of 35 percent, or 10 percent of the lot on slopes of 45 percent, with a gradient in between.

It allows for far more site excavation than the prior cap, but driveways do not count for

IMPERVIOUS SURFACES, A.K.A THE PART OF THE LOT THAT’S PAVED OVER OR BUILT ON What the old ordinance said: It capped impervious surfaces at 6,000 square feet for single-family homes, not counting the driveway.

BEST PRACTICES FOR BUILDING ON STEEP SLOPES What the old ordinance said: A suite of recommendations advised builders and developers on responsible and sustainable building practices, such as using earth-toned house colors, blending architecture with the natural topography, minimizing alterations of the land’s natural contours, protecting unique habitats, limiting tree removal and several others.

Why it’s out: They weren’t mandatory, and thus caused confusion.

Rest of the story: The county intends to create a separate “best practices” brochure to encourage sustainable building instead of imbedding them in the ordinance.

Smoky Mountain News

LIMIT ON NUMBER OF MOUNTAINSIDE HOMES What the old ordinance said: The number of homes on steep slopes was capped, based on a sliding scale. The steeper the slope, the fewer homes allowed. Slopes of 30 percent could have only one house every two acres, while slopes of 45 percent or more could only have one house every 10 acres, with gradients in between.

Why it’s out: There was no overriding safety or environmental rationale. Its only purpose was aesthetics — namely fewer homes would be less obtrusive on the mountainside.

Rest of the story: Some argued there actually was a safety justification. More homes on a steep slope mean more disturbances, which increases the risk of landslides. And fewer homes also put less drain on the groundwater table that feeds wells.

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the total allowed area.

Rest of the story: The original rule was intended to limit the amount of grading and excavation that occurs during construction — which in turn prevents erosion, preserves existing trees, improves slope stability and lessens visual scars. But the planning board felt the old rule was too restrictive and could limit the size of a house someone could build.

February 12-18, 2014

COMPACTION What the old ordinance said: Fill slopes must be compacted.

Why it’s still in: It’s common sense. Fill slopes, where dirt carved out from one area is piled up in another area during the excavation process, tend to slip over time and can trigger landslides if not compacted.

ridgeline.

Why it’s out: This was deemed purely aesthetic, which wasn’t a legitimate justification in the eyes of the planning board. Further, some argued that a home on the side of a mountain requires more excavation and thus can sully views and have more environmental impact than building on the ridge itself, since some ridges have flat spots on top.

Rest of the story: This one prompted con-

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Why it’s out: It wasn’t done away with entirely, but the new limit on impervious surface is far more permissive. The larger the lot, the more impervious surface you can have, from 7,000 square feet on lots of 1 acre or less up to 15,000 square feet on lots of 10 acres or less.

Rest of the story: Limiting impervious surface was originally intended to stop runoff issues. Rain that hits roofs and patios doesn’t soak into the ground, but instead runs off down the mountain somewhere, and it is one of the main variables in landslides. Also, allowing the rain to soak in helps the groundwater table recharge.

But the planning board decided the impervious surface limits would hamper people from building a really big home with a large footprint if they so desired.

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2014 election filing season opens

Who knows when the power might go out?

The 2014 election season officially got underway this week.

Candidates could begin signing up to run for office on Monday. The candidate signup period runs for two weeks, closing on Feb. 28.

Below is a snapshot of the regional and county races on the docket this year and some of those who have declared their intentions to run as of press time Tuesday.

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• U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, who has been serving in Congress for two years, has announced he will run for reelection, serving 17 mountain counties.

N.C. General Assembly • N.C. Rep. Michele Presnell, RBurnsville, will face competition for the 118th state House seat representing Madison and Yancey counties and part of Haywood (Maggie Valley, Canton, Crabtree areas).

Dean Hicks, a Democrat from Yancey County, will go up against Presnell. Hicks, a Yancey native and a retired teacher and coach, served three terms as a Yancey County commissioner. Hicks said education will be one of his primary areas of interest.

“Like many others I saw what happened to public education and educators in last year’s legislative session,” said Hicks.

Presnell, also from Yancey County, is just finishing her first term after defeating longtime legislator Democrat Ray Rapp in 2012.

She is a small business owner.

• N.C. Rep. Joe Sam Queen, DWaynesville, will once again face competition from Republican Mike Clampitt from Swain County for the 119th House seat representing Jackson and Swain counties and parts of Haywood (Waynesville and Lake Junaluska.)

Queen, an architect, is serving his first term in the N.C. House but has previously served three terms in the N.C. Senate over the past decade. Queen is a long-time civic leader in Haywood County and has served on many community organizations. He is the founder and long-time organizer of the Smoky Mountain Folk Festival.

Clampitt, a Republican from Bryson City, ran against Queen for the House seat two years ago — which was left up for grabs fol-

lowing the retirement of long-time legislator Phil Haire, D-Sylva.

Clampitt retired in 2004 after serving 28 years as fire captain with the Charlotte Fire Department and returned to his hometown of Bryson City. “I believe that the upcoming mid-term election will probably be one of the most important elections we will be facing,” said Clampitt.

• N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, is an orthodontist and two-term legislator whose district includes the seven westernmost counties. Davis unseated incumbent Democrat Sen. John Snow in 2010 and then beat him again in 2012.

Two Democrats have announced their intention to challenge Davis, setting up a primary race to see who will get that opportunity.

Jane Hipps of Waynesville is a retired educator with several master’s degrees. She has promised to make education one of her main areas of concern if elected.

Ron Robinson of Cullowhee is a management consultant who says the current GOP leadership in Raleigh does not represent the working people of the district.

Haywood County

• Haywood County commissioners have three seats up for election this year. All three commissioners who currently hold the seats are running for reelection: Kirk Kirkpatrick, Mike Sorrells and Bill Upton, all Democrats. No challengers signed up to run on the first day of filing.

• Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher is running for reelection. No challengers have announced so far. One contender for sheriff in the last election, Bill Wilke, had previously announced he would run once again come 2014, but he recently announced he would not do so after all.

Jackson County

• Jackson County sheriff promises to be one of the most hotly contested elections in the region this year. Current Sheriff Jimmy Ashe is not running and that has thrown the floodgates wide open for contenders. Two candidates have formally signed up to run this week, but another five signaled their intention to run by filing campaign finance paperwork.

A May primary will narrow the field of candidates to one Democrat and one Republican, who will square off in the final election in November. So far, candidates on the Democratic ticket include Steven Lillard, assistant police chief at Western Carolina University; Chip Hall, chief deputy in the sheriff ’s department; Glen Biller, a Haywood sheriff ’s deputy; Robin Gunnells, who has a custom truck cover

Macon County

• There are three commissioner seats up for election in Macon County.

The seat representing the Highlands area is on the ballot this year. The sitting commissioner, Jim Tate, a Republican, is running for reelection. As of press time, Michael Rogers, a Democrat, had filed as a challenger.

There are two seats up for election in the district representing the Franklin

area. Both of the sitting commissioners, Ronnie Beale, Democrat, and Ron Haven, Republican, are both running for reelection. Gary Shields, R, had filed to run.

• Sheriff Robby Holland, R, is running for reelection, but no challengers had filed as of press time.

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business and has worked in a variety of law enforcement positions; and Doug Farmer, a Sylva police officer.

Republicans Curtis Lambert, a Sylva police office, and Jimmy Hodgins, a retired logger, have also announced plans to run.

• Three county commissioner seats are up for election. All three sitting commissioners in those seats are going to run for re-election: Chairman Jack Debnam and Commissioners Charles Elders and Doug Cody, both Republicans. As an unaffiliated candidate, Debnam must gather 1,200 signatures of registered voters to get on the ballot. No challengers have registered so far.

Swain County • All five seats on the Swain County board of commissioners are up for election. Current commissioner Donnie Dixon, Democrat, had filed for reelection as of press-time, along with two challengers: Correna Elders Barker and Ben Bushyhead, both Democrats as well.

Commissioner Chairman Phil Carson has filed for reelection. The other current commissioners include Robert White, David Monteith and Steve Moon.

• Sheriff Curtis Cochran, Republican, is running for reelection, with eight years under his belt so far. So far, three Democratic challengers have filed to run: Rocky Sampson, Chuck McMahan, and George Powell. The Democrats would have to run in a May primary, with the winner to advancing to the November election.

Wild ride with a log splitter leads to larceny arrests

Cherokee Bear Zoo has been fined by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for violating worker safety regulations.

Cherokee Bear Zoo was cited for allowing workers to have “unprotected contact with bears while feeding, cleaning cages and assisting in mating activities,” according to OSHA documents. In addition to receiving five citations, Cherokee Bear Zoo was fined $3,120.

A site visit from federal OSHA investigators last fall was prompted by a complaint from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA filed an OSHA complaint last summer that

inspiring encouraging

included video footage and photographs of workers inside concrete pits with multiple bears. In its complain, PETA suggested it would file legal action against OSHA if OSHA did not conduct a site inspection.

PETA has campaigned for years against the roadside bear zoos in Cherokee. One of the two zoos that kept bears in concrete pits, Chief Saunooke Bear Pit, finally closed last year after repeated federal violation notices for the treatment and care of the animals.

Cherokee Bear Zoo workers apparently went into bear pits to feed them by hand, and in one case to lure a male bear to a female bear enclosure, without protection or barriers between them and the animals. Violations also included the use of bleach cleaning chemicals without proper eye protection.

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Cherokee Bear Zoo fined by OSHA

February 12-18, 2014

Four Asheville residents were arrested after an attempt to steal a logsplitter from Lowe’s in Waynesville drew the attention of an alert citizen.

Something about the scene apparently didn’t sit quite right: a person in the bed of a pickup truck holding on to a chain that was towing a logsplitter along behind them.

“When trying to make their getaway with the stolen log splitter, the suspects found the log splitter’s trailer attachment did not fit onto the ball hitch they had on their truck, so one of the suspects actually sat in the back of the truck, holding onto the chains that were dragging the log splitter behind them,” said Heidi Warren, public information officer for the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department.

The “alert citizen” called the Waynesville Police Department and then followed the truck until officers arrived on-scene. Kristy Franklin, 34; Deborah Crowe, 24; Dewey Franklin, 42 and Preston Franklin, 23 were arrested for charges ranging from larceny to possession of stolen property.

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news February 12-18, 2014 Smoky Mountain News

The fall from easy street Jackson and Macon poised to lose their cash cow in wake of second-home real estate crash

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER When inflated real estate values in the second-home market came back down to earth, the touchdown wasn’t gentle.

It was more of a crash-landing, and five years later two mountains counties are still sifting through the wreckage.

Plummeting real estate values in the second-home, resort communities of Cashiers and Highlands will soon bring a time of reckoning for Jackson and Macon counties.

The counties are in the process of squaring up the old real estate values on their property tax books with real estate values on the ground. And on the ground, property is selling for a lot less than what it’s listed for on the counties’ tax rolls.

The property tax values on the books today date back to the good times of 2005, 2006 and 2007. Values have come down since then, and now Jackson and Macon counties must realign the values on their tax rolls with a dose of post-recession realism. “Part of the revaluation process is to readjust all the prices based on what the market is doing,� explained Kevin Ford, a real estate appraiser in Jackson and Macon counties.

Usually, property values increase year over year. Ford said this is the first time he’s ever seen the needle move the other way.

The precipitous real estate drop is largely isolated to the second-home, retirement-home and vacation-home sector.

But that sector was like the Atlas for Jackson and Macon counties — it did the heavy lifting, shouldering a larger share of the property tax burden by virtue of their higher values.

Macon’s tax revaluation will go into effect in 2015, and Jackson’s in 2016.

Both counties were slated to conduct the property value adjustments four years sooner, but they held off in hopes the real estate values would improve and the hit to the property tax rolls wouldn’t be as dramatic. “We’ve been putting this off, but there’s no more put off,�

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“We’ve been putting this off, but there’s no more put off. This is it.� — Richard Lightner, Macon Tax Director

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER Real estate values have fallen 26 percent on average in Jackson County since the height of the real estate heyday in 2007.

That’s a countywide average, however. Some property values have gone down even more. As a rule of thumb, property that saw the biggest inflation during the real estate boom will see the biggest deflation now that the boom has busted.

The values on luxury homes in Cashiers and Glenville have fallen by 30 percent or more. But the values on middle-class houses in Sylva and Cullowhee haven’t fallen by much at all, only 10 percent or so. “Certain areas of the county seem to be

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said Richard Lightner, Macon County Tax Director. “This is it.�

The state requires that counties reassess property at least once every eight years, but counties may do it more often if they choose. Macon and Jackson had opted for a four-year schedule, which would have put their revals in 2011 and 2012, respectively, but both counties postponed their revals to the maximum of eight years.

The rebound they were hoping for by delaying hasn’t materialized, however, and Jackson and Macon county leaders are now facing the hard truth: an increase in the property tax rate will be unavoidable.

Hiking the tax rate will offset the overall drop in property values.

Jackson and Macon counties have two of the lowest property tax rates in the state — 28 cents per $100 of property value. They largely owe that bragging right to the high-end homes and luxury lots in the Cashiers and Highlands area, which have propped up the property tax base.

But as those property values decline, their share of the property tax burden will decline as well. And average homeowners who have enjoyed a lower tax rate all these years thanks to wealthier homeowners picking up a bigger share of the tab will see their property taxes go up comparatively.

Time of reckoning nearly here in Macon reval

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER Property values in Macon County have fallen 25 percent on average over the past eight years.

That’s the latest verdict, according to a countywide property appraisal now entering the homestretch in Macon County.

The revaluation set to take effect next year will assign new property values to every home, business, lot and tract of land in the county, adjusting the county’s property tax rolls to provide a more accurate reflection of today’s real estate values. “The county overall has lost 25 percent of its value,� said Richard Lightner, director of the Macon Tax Department.

But the decline in real estate values varies by location and type of property.

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River: 45 percent decline, based on 13 sales Scott’s Creek: 33 percent decline, based on 43 sales Glenville: 32 percent decline, based on 102 sales Cashiers: 30 percent decline, based on 164 sales Webster: 21 percent decline, based on 20 sales Savannah: 15 percent decline, based on 15 sales Sylva: 13 percent decline, based on 62 sales Cullowhee: 8 percent decline, based on 33 sales

Commissioners decided to postpone the property revaluation twice over the past four years. The real estate doldrums of recent years meant not enough property was changing hands to accurately peg real estate values.

than someone else,” Lightner said.

Meanwhile, those who saw their property values plummet precipitously may lament their house isn’t worth what they once thought, but the silver lining will be lower property tax bill.

“Statistically, a third will see a decrease, a third will stay where they were, and a third will get an increase,” Lightner said.

The benchmark is that 25 percent “average” decline in values. If your property goes down by more than 25 percent, so will your taxes. If your property doesn’t go down by 25 percent, your taxes will go up.

Property owners wondering where they fall on the spectrum will have to wait until November, at the earliest, which is when the new property values will be mailed out.

Appeals from property owners who disagree will play out over several months in the first half of 2015.

The even longer process, though, will be the recovery from the property bust of 2007.

Real estate values are more in line with the early 2000s, before the big boom.

“For the values to get back to 2007, we all agree it’s five to 10 years minimum,” Lightner said.

The biggest thing keeping real estate values depressed is the glut of lots on the market — a supply and demand issue. Until the huge inventory of residential lots gets cleared out, the prices will stay lower, Lightner said.

“Will we ever get caught up? Probably not no time soon,” Lightner said.

gotten drop.

That’s partly because some second-home owners have started to dump property simply to get it off their hands, and have done so at artificially low prices, which in turn can skew the numbers.

“People decide they want get rid of something. They don’t want to pay the homeowners fees, they don’t want to pay the maintenance and they don’t want to pay the taxes anymore. They just want it gone,” said Jackson Commissioner Chairman Jack Debnam, who is also a Realtor.

Out-of-state buyers who scooped up

A COASTAL COMPARISON A sister county on the coast could be a harbinger of what’s to come for Jackson on the eve of its revaluation, said County Manager Chuck Wooten.

Dare County, like Jackson, has a high-end second-home and vacation-home market.

That county just completed its reval last year, and saw property values decline by 29 percent.

“Dare County is very similar, it is just beach versus mountains,” said Jackson County Manager Chuck Wooten.

Dare County, also like Jackson County, had a property tax rate of 28 cents. It increased the tax rate to 41 cents to make up for the hit to the property tax base.

“That is exactly what will happen in Jackson County. It was a good indication to us what we were going to be looking at,” Wooten said.

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Smoky Mountain News

Raw land and lots have seen a decline of 50 percent or more, Lightner said. And highend, second homes in Highlands have also lost more. Meanwhile, the value of middleclass homes in Franklin may have held steady or even increased.

But the main take-away from Lightner’s presentation to county commissioners last month was the staggering net loss in real estate values.

The property value of every house, business, vacant lot and tract of land on the county’s tax books comes to about $9 billion today. But those values harkened back to the mid-2000s, when real estate was in its heyday.

When the revaluation comes online next year, the county’s property tax base will fall from $9 billion in total value to $7 billion, Lightner said.

The upshot? For the county’s budget to stay the same, the tax rate would have to jump from 28 cents to 38 cents.

Theoretically, the hike in the tax rate should be neutralized by the decline in property values on the other side of the equation, causing everyone’s tax bill to stay the same.

But that’s an idea based on the “average” property, and not every property owner is in an average situation.

Those whose property values held steady might rejoice at their good real estate fortunes, but they will feel the full brunt of the tax hike on their property tax bill.

“That means they’ll see a bigger burden

On average, property in Jackson County is selling for 26 percent less than the value listed on county property tax rolls, according to an analysis of the 556 real estate transactions in 2013.

This list shows regional variation in property value declines, based on real estate sales in that area.

mountain vacation property during the height of the real estate market paid exorbitant prices that likely won’t return for years.

Instead of hanging on to the property for the long-range rebound, they’ve decided to wash their hands of it.

Particularly if they bought it as an investment in the first place and now see no hope of flipping it. And if unloading it means taking a loss, so be it.

“When you start dealing in second-home markets, that money is expendable for those people that can operate in that type of environment,” Debnam said.

February 12-18, 2014

f

Jackson County real estate snapshot

to go down,” said County Commissioner Chairman Jack Debnam, a Realtor.

Whether someone’s taxes go up or down depends on how much their property value went up or down — compared to the overall “average” decline.

Commissioners decided to postpone the property revaluation twice over the past four years. The real estate doldrums of recent years meant not enough property was changing hands to accurately peg real estate values.

But the other hope was that by waiting, real estate values might start to rebound. And that would lessen the blow to the property tax rolls.

But real estate values haven’t better. In fact, they’ve continued to

news

holding their value,” said Kevin Ford, a real estate appraiser and analyst in Jackson and Macon counties.

Empty lots and raw land also saw a bigger decline than the average drop.

Ford is serving as a consultant for Jackson County’s countywide property revaluation.

Every home, lot and tract of land will be assigned a new property value in 2016 — which in turn determines how much someone pays in property taxes.

The new property values are supposed to be a better reflection of the current real estate market. Since real estate values fluctuate over time, these periodic assessments are supposed to square up the value listed on the county’s tax rolls with the actual value in the real estate market.

Ford presented an analysis of real estate sales to county commissioners last month, painting a picture of how much property values fell in different areas of the county.

The data was based on 556 real estate transactions countywide in 2013. Ford compared the selling price of each piece of property in the past year to the value listed on the county’s tax books.

The problem facing Jackson County commissioners is the hit to county coffers when the new property values take effect in 2016.

To counteract the decline in property values, the county will have to increase its tax rate come 2016, said County Manager Chuck Wooten.

How that translates for individual property owners is another story, however.

“Not everybody’s assessment is not going

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County leaders in Western North Carolina breathed a collective sigh of relief after the 2014 Farm Bill was signed into law Feb. 7. The bill includes a one-year extension of the PILT program, which stands for payment in lieu of taxes. The program allocates money to county governments based on the amount of federally owned land that falls within their borders.

Public land doesn’t provide counties any property tax revenue, so PILT helps them recoup some of those dollars.

“We were very excited that happened,” Kevin King, manager of Swain County, said of the extension. “It holds on for one more year, and we’ll start the process for the 2015 budget to make sure that’s there as well.”

With 87 percent of its land federally owned, Swain County might be called the poster child for the importance of PILT payments. In 2013, the county received $577,000 from the program, the most of any county in North Carolina. In a budget of $13 million, that money accounts for about 4.5 percent of its funding. If the program had been cut, Swain County would have felt it. So would other WNC counties: Swain, Macon, Haywood, Cherokee and Jackson represent five of the six North Carolina counties that receive the largest PILT allowance.

“We would have to do some drastic furloughs and cut services,” King said.

“Fortunately, we didn’t have to do that.”

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February 12-18, 2014

news

Jackson fire Good for one more year tax goes up Farm Bill secures 2014 payments in smoke for counties home to federal land The bill passed with a vote of 68-32 in the Senate and 388-18 in the House. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., and Congressman Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, both voted in favor. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., opposed it, but on grounds unrelated to PILT. “Knowing that PILT impacts every county in my district, I went directly to Speaker Boehner and asked him to reauthorize this program when it recently expired,” Meadows said in a press release.

“He followed through on my request by including PILT in this legislation, and these annual payments will go out as scheduled in June.”

“Many North Carolina counties depend on the PILT program to provide vital services to residents,” Hagan added, “and I’m pleased the Farm Bill includes this crucial funding.”

Though Burr voted nay, he said, he supports the PILT program. However, he felt that issues such as country of origin labeling and the role of the Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration weighed more heavily against the legislation than PILT did in favor of it.

“While the Senator is disappointed that the Farm Bill did not address issues specific to many North Carolina farmers — GIPSA, COOL, state authority — we are pleased that western counties will continue to receive PILT payments,” Rachel Hicks, Burr’s press secretary, said in an email.

— By Holly Kays

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BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER Jackson County commissioners have nixed the idea of making volunteer fire departments financially autonomous.

Fire departments are currently funded through the county. Commissioners explored the idea of ending the direct subsidies and putting each fire department in charge of raising what it needs through its own special fire tax.

The county floated the idea last year, but the response from fire departments was lukewarm.

“I think without unanimous support from the fire department,s it is going to be difficult for this to pass,” County Manager Chuck Wooten said. Only two departments supported it, two were against it, and three declined to take a public position.

The majority of county commissioners weren’t too hot on the idea either.

“I also sensed there is concern among commissioners that in at least five of the seven districts, this would result in a tax increase, and I sense that was not palatable to the group as a whole,” Wooten said during a discussion of the issue at a county meeting last month.

Commissioners decided to indefinitely table the proposal.

The switch would have resulted in a new property tax for county residents — with each fire department setting its own property tax rate to be levied within its service area.

Meanwhile, the county would presumably lower property taxes on its end, since it

no longer would have the burden of funding fire departments directly out of county coffers.

But that wouldn’t make it a wash.

For most residents, the savings on their county tax bill wouldn’t be enough to make up for the newly imposed local fire tax.

That’s because property owners in Cashiers are currently subsidizing fire departments elsewhere in the county — simply by virtue of higher property values there.

Cashiers residents pay proportionally more in property taxes, because the tax revenue collected on a million dollar home is more than the county collects on a $250,000 home.

While Cashiers residents are paying in to the system more than they get back, the other fire departments benefit from the collective funding formula.

Wooten had advocated switching to local fire taxes, calling it a more equitable system.

“I think without unanimous support from the fire departments it is going to be difficult for this to pass.”

— Chuck Wooten, county manager

That system is used by the majority of counties in North Carolina.

Wooten acknowledged it would have effectively resulted in a tax increase for the majority of residents but said he preferred the term “tax modification” instead of a “tax increase.”

The county currently spends $1.428 million annually to fund the fire departments.

Each gets an operating budget and one fulltime paid staffer. New equipment, new trucks or fire station construction projects are funded separately on an as-needed basis per county commissioner approval.

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

17

Moral March is not a moment, but a movement

BY DOUG WINGEIER COLUMNIST s I write this, I have just returned from a tiring but exhilarating day participating in the Moral March on Raleigh. My wife and I joined 18 others from Haywood County — friends both black and white — plus 260 others from the Asheville area and untold thousands from across the state and beyond.

We rose at 3 a.m., rode buses five hours each way, marched nearly a mile each way between Shaw University and the state capitol, and heard some rousing speeches and stirring music.

The rain held off. The crowd was in a festive mood. Many carried signs like “North Carolina: First in Teacher Flight,” “More Art, Less Pope,” “Haywood County for Health Care,” and “Welcome to North Carolina: Set Your Clocks Back 50 Years.” A medical doctor’s sign said: “I got a raise, but my patients who are poor got a death sentence.” Mine read: “I March for Voting Rights for All” and “Funds for Public Schools not for Vouchers.”

After an uplifting challenge from the state NAACP’s charismatic president Dr. William Barber, the rally closed with us all taking a pledge to work on voter registration and organizing, then joining hands and singing “We Shall Overcome.”

The march and rally was a follow up to the series of Moral Mondays held in Raleigh last fall while the legislature was in session, and a precursor to more activity to come — in the form of grassroots empowerment, voter education, litigation challenging the constitutionality of the recent gerrymandered redistricting plan, and nonviolent direct action leading up to the November election.

What Rev. Barber termed “not a moment but a movement” has been precipitated by a series of actions taken by the state

A

Article misstated my views on slope rewrite To the Editor: I want to thank The Smoky Mountain News for the article in the Feb 5 edition (www.smokymountainnews.com/news/ite m/12419) concerning the proposed Jackson County Mountain and Hillside Development Ordinance (MHDO). That subject needs public attention, thought and then response to the proposed ordinance. I also think your upcoming article comparing the existing ordinance to the proposed MHDO will help clarify the differences between the two. That will assist those who may not have the time to make that comparison themselves.

While I appreciate your efforts described above, I need to comment on several of the statements made in the article.

That article included content from an interview with me, as a member of the planning board. I am concerned that parts of that article may misrepresent my position and beliefs.

The statement that I have a “confession” to make regarding my prior resident state is the view of the author, not mine. I am neither embarrassed nor reluctant to discuss where I have lived my life (Alabama and Florida).

government which he called “not Republican issues nor Democrat issues, but moral issues.” These include: • Declining Medicaid coverage for 500,000 people.

• Ending federal unemployment benefits for 170,000 of our state’s citizens.

• Eliminating the earned-income tax credit for 900,000.

• Cutting pre-K education for 30,000 children.

• Reducing the number of teachers and teaching assistants, thereby increasing class size and reducing quality.

• Shifting $90 million from public education to vouchers for private schools.

• Slashing taxes for the top 5 percent while raising them on the rest of us.

• Allowing gun purchases without background checks and carried in parks, playgrounds, bars and restaurants.

• Removing public financing of judicial races.

• Prohibiting death row inmates from challenging racially discriminatory verdicts.

• Instituting voter restrictions requiring a photo ID (which 318,000 registered voters don’t have), reducing early voting, eliminating same-day registration and rescinding the automatic restoration of voting rights for ex-felons.

A parade of speakers addressed these and other issues with fervor and determination. Dr. Barber then cited passages from the Bible and the U.S. Constitution, and statements and actions by former Republican presidents Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan, which have recently been violated by our present governor and legislators, whom he characterized as “extremists and not real Republicans.” Labeling their actions as “mighty low,” he called on us to take the ‘higher ground.”

Further, I don’t think placing geographic labels on people and the use of terms such as “outsiders” — the reporter’s words, not mine — is constructive to making Jackson County a better place to live.

This is what’s important: From the moment I arrived in Jackson County in 2002, it became my home. If I’m lucky, I will die here and have my ashes spread in these mountains so I will never leave. Since this is my home, I feel obligated to make it the best that it can be for the generations that will follow me. I believe everyone who now considers Jackson County to be their home feels the same way.

Also, the comment that I came here seeking solitude and beauty and “he wants to see it stay that way” is inaccurate. The words in quotes in the preceding sentence are not mine; but the context of the article implies that they are. To think that any community will stay the same is naive. The only thing that is constant is change.

Jackson County will change. The question is: How? The comment in the MHDO article attributed to Dickie Woodard stating that we would all love to live in Cades Cove is absolutely true, but (as he well knows) is not realistic. I am not categorically against property development in Jackson County. It should and will happen.

We live in a beautiful part of the United

This was the second inspiring event I’ve been privileged to attend in recent weeks. The first was the Haywood County Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast at Lake Junaluska, which featured special music by Chuck Beattie, the group singing of James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and a marvelous talk by Dr. Dudley Flood, retired former associate state superintendent of public instruction. I was asked to offer one of the prayers that morning, some words from which seem appropriate for both these occasions:

“Grow in us, we pray: • A renewed compassion for human need.

• An insistent desire to see that all are amply fed, clothed, housed and provided for.

• A deep commitment to work with You to create a just and provident world where the needs of all Your children for health, nourishment, shelter, and hope are fully met.

• And the energy and will to join in the struggle for a just and peaceful world.

“We also pray for our leaders, that they may place people before profits, partnership before partisanship, caring before conniving, justice before jealousy, well-being before wealth.

“Help us to draw on Your power to bring ‘good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed.’ And may the result of our efforts in Your name be that ‘justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”

(Doug Wingeier is a retired seminary professor and minister who lives at Lake Junaluska. He can be reached at dcwing@main.nc.us.)

States and that beauty is no secret. Others want to come and enjoy what we enjoy on a daily basis. However, we need to make sure we don’t “love it to death.” If that happens, no one will enjoy the results.

The question is how the property in Jackson County will be developed, not if it will be developed? That fact is what makes the contents of the MHDO so important.

I also do not categorically defend the existing “steep slope” ordinance. Since I became a member of the planning board, I’ve probably asked as many questions about the justification of the parameters that are included in the existing ordinance as I have asked questions about the contents of the proposed ordinance. There need to be changes to the existing ordinance, and I support those that the planning board, as a whole, has advocated.

Regardless of my position on the proposed MHDO, what’s important is the position of the citizens of Jackson County. As I said in the interview, it’s their ordinance. I strongly encourage them to attend the planning board public hearing and express their views on the subject matter included in the proposed MHDO. I appreciate the SMN giving me the opportunity to respond to the article.

Tom Rodgers Jackson County Planning Board Cullowhee

Democratic whining ignores progress To the Editor: Some parts of Western North Carolina are loaded with socialist agenda people, especially in Asheville and Cullowhee.

They must envy the great progress the country of Russia has made. Is not Sochi a shining example of how this socialist country can stage the 2014 Games of the Winter Olympics? Never before has the world seen anything like it! I am sure the millions of people who attend will rave about it for years to come.

However, I am sad to say that in your Feb. 5 issue, several people where whining about what a terrible state North Carolina has become since Gov. Pat McCrory became governor.

You should get the Rev. Barber to come back to Asheville to lead another protest against Gov. McCrory. Maybe he can persuade Gov. Beverly Perdue to run for re-election so she could get the state’s unemployment rate back up to 9.8 percent, where it was when she left the governor’s mansion in 2012.

Obviously many people in our state are not unhappy with a high unemployment rate as long as the governor is a Democrat!

Jim Mueller Glenville

opinion

Visualizing the options for growth

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Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2014

227-47

WATER SYSTEM

ISSUES have forced an

early vacation this year. We will reopen April 5th!

Opt-In Meeting Schedule In all locations, meetings start at 5:30 p.m. for Open House. Presentation and discussion begins at 6 p.m.

Swain County Monday, Feb. 17 Swain County Technology and Training Center 45 East Ridge Road Bryson City

Jackson County Thursday, Feb. 20 Smoky Mountain High School 100 Smoky Mountain Drive Sylva

Haywood County Thursday, Feb. 27 Tuscola High School 564 Tuscola School Road Waynesville More info: www.optinswnc.org want to opt for implementing the ideas – or not. But we’ve designed the process to keep business, political and non-profit leaders not only aware, but involved in every phase of the project. So opting in at the end should be an easy decision.

Here’s where we are now: in the first round of workshops last fall, we confirmed broad regional goals identified in interviews and group meetings. This time around, we’re testing “what if ” scenarios against the goals, probing the appetite for changes in the way jurisdictions organize themselves to guide future growth. If it’s likely we can come closer to achieving some of our goals by being more aggressive in the way we make investment, management and regulatory decisions, are those choices ones we want to make? Among all the options, which do we prefer?

Come to the workshop in your area. Join your neighbors. Take part in the discussion.

(Ben Brown is the Opt-In communications director and can be reached at ben@placemakers.com or 828.508.5002.)

Soco Road Maggie Valley (828) 926-0212

Check our Facebook page for updates!

18

BY B EN B ROWN G UEST COLUMNIST hink of it as a starter kit for a comprehensive business plan for North Carolina’s seven westernmost counties.

That’s as good a way as any to understand the mission of the Opportunity Initiative for Southwestern North Carolina — Opt-In, for short. It’s a 15-month process overseen by the Southwestern Commission Council of Governments representing the seven far western counties and set to wrap by the end of May. A second round of community workshops for each of the counties and in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is now underway. Which makes it more important than ever that the hopes and concerns of folks who live and work in these counties and towns are represented in the final steps towards a draft regional vision to help inform decision-making for the next couple decades.

There’s a schedule of upcoming meetings with this article, along with a link to the OptIn website that explains the project’s background and progress so far.

The reason the business plan comparison works is that much of the Opt-In research and discussions are about, first of all, figuring out what sorts of businesses the mountain region is in, then exploring who our customers are and what they value. And like any good business plan, it’s not just about revenues; it’s also about costs and how to control them, so that we end up creating more wealth than we spend getting it.

It’s a regional visioning process, as opposed to a county-by-county or town-bytown effort. That’s because so much of what we rely upon for healthy, prosperous communities doesn’t have much to do with where we draw lines on maps. Mountains and rivers don’t care about borders. And the man-made projects we undertake, like building roads and managing watersheds, are multijurisdictional. The fact is, much of the investment we need to achieve and maintain our quality of life, whether we’re talking tourist dollars or government infrastructure funding, depends on how we cooperate as a region.

The name we picked for the process has another important implication. Applying the Vision to policy-making is optional.

Counties and towns can decide whether they

Discover the state you’re in.

1-800- V I S I T

NC

W W W. V I S I T N C . C O M .

tasteTHEmountains 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

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

AMMONS DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT & DAIRY BAR 1451 Dellwwod Rd., Waynesville.

828.926.0734. Open 7 days a week 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Celebrating over 25 years. Enjoy world famous hot dogs as well as burgers, seafood, hushpuppies, hot wings and chicken.

Be sure to save room for dessert. The cobbler, pie and cake selections are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ 6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (takeout only 5 to 6 p.m.) Closed Saturday and Sunday. Serving Mediterranean style foods; join us for weekly specials. We roast our own ham, turkey and roast beef just like you get on Thanksgiving to use in our sandwiches.

Try our chicken, tuna, egg and pasta salads made with gluten free mayo. Enjoy our variety of baked goods made daily: muffins, donuts, cinnamon buns and desserts.

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.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Dinner nightly from 4 p.m.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Join us for plentiful buffet-style dinners on Fridays and Saturdays, and long winter holiday weekends.

Dinner is served from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in winter and includes pot roast, Virginia ham or herb-baked chicken, complemented with an assortment of seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. Lunch is served on the same days from 12 to 2 p.m.

CITY BAKERY 18 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.3881.

Winter hours: Sunday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday & Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 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, 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.

BRYSON CITY CORK & BEAN A MOUNTAIN SOCIAL HOUSE 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934.

Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday brunch 9 a.m. to 3p.m., Full Menu 3 to 9 p.m. Serving fresh and delicious weekday morning lite fare, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Freshly prepared menu offerings range from house-made soups & salads, lite fare & tapas, crepes, specialty

FRYDAY’S & SUNDAES 24 & 26 Fry St., Bryson City (Next To The Train Depot). 828.488.5379. Frydays is open; but closed on Wednesdays. Sundaes is open 7 days a week. Fryday’s is known for its

Romantic Dinner WITH A

4 Course Meal

for two

MAKE YOUR VALENTINES DAY RESERVATIONS NOW!

$30 per couple (tax and gratuity not included)

Classic local American comfort foods Craft beers Small batch bourbons & whiskey Call 828-452-9191 for reservations Dinner Nightly at 4 p.m. • CLOSED ON SUNDAY

454 HAZELWOOD AVENUE WAYNESVILLE

Located at Maggie Valley Inn

VOTED “BEST DINNER” TWO YEARS IN A ROW!

Smoky Mountain News

Thursday 13th: Steve Whiddon Piano Man Friday the 14th: Mile High Band

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

828.926.1820 Open Daily 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., closed 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.

Warm your heart

Dinner & Dance

Course 1: Tomato Bisque Soup Course 2: House Salad or Ceasar Salad Course 3: Grilled Salmon with Shrimp Pico De Gallo over Rice Marinated Chicken Breast with Fruit Salsa over Rice Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Shrimp Kabob over Rice &Vegetable of the Day Course 4: Cheesecake with Chocolate Covered Strawberries

CORK & CLEAVER 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.7179. Reservations recommended.

4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, Cork & Cleaver has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Executive Chef Corey Green prepares innovative and unique Southern fare from local, organic vegetables grown in Western North Carolina. Full bar and wine cellar. www.waynesvilleinn.com.

February 12-18, 2014

Valentines

sandwiches and burgers. Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials starting at 5pm every day. Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. Enjoy craft beers on tap, as well as our full bar and eclectic wine list.

70 Soco Road • Maggie Valley Reservations Recommened:

828.926.0201

227-25

227-12

19

227-03

Café

Deli & So Much More 6147 Hwy 276 S. • Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station)

bbcafenc.com • 828.648.3838 Mon.-Fri. 8-5 • Closed: Sat. & Sun.

UPCOMING EVENTS

TH

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH:

Buchanan Boys

227-11

83 Asheville Hwy. Sylva Music Starts @ 9 • 631.0554 February 12-18, 2014

Traditional English Beer Battered Fish & Chips, but also has burgers, deep fried dogs, gyro, shrimp, bangers, Chip Butty, chicken, sandwiches & a great kids menu. Price friendly, $3-$10, Everything available to go or call ahead takeout. Sundaes has 24 rotating flavors of Hershey's Ice Cream making them into floats, splits, sundaes, shakes. Private seating inside & out for both locations right across from the train station & pet friendly.

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

Lunch Sunday noon to 2:30 p.m., dinner nightly starting at 4:30 p.m. 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.

p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Earth-friendly foods at people-friendly prices.

Daily specials, wraps, salads, pastries, breads, soups and more. Unique fare, friendly service, casual atmosphere and wireless Internet. Organic ingredients, local produce, gourmet fair trade and organic coffees.

JUKEBOX JUNCTION U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel.

828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

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

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

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

LUCIO'S RESTAURANT 313 Highlands Road, Franklin.

828.369.6670. Serving Macon County since 1984. Closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.

Lunch Wednesday-Friday 11:30 a.m. until.Dinner Wednesday-Saturday 5 p.m. until. Owned and operated by Tanya and Dorothy Gamboni. Serving authentic Italian and continental cuisine including appetizers, pastas, poultry, veal, seafood, steaks and homemade deserts. Selection of wine and beer. Lunch and Dinner menus. Wednesday and Thursday nights only. 1 appetizer and 2 selected entrées with unlimited salad and Lucio’s famous garlic rolls for $24.95.

Winter Special: half-off house wines, Friday and Saturday only. luciosnc.com

HERREN HOUSE 94 East St., Waynesville 828.452.7837.

Lunch: Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Brunch 11 a. m. to 2 p.m.

Enjoy fresh local products, created daily. Join us in our beautiful patio garden. We are your local neighborhood host for special events: business party’s, luncheons, weddings, showers and more. Private parties & catering are available 7 days a week by reservation only.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 :

Marc Keller

tasteTHEmountains

MAD BATTER BAKERY & CAFÉ Located on the WCU Campus in Cullowhee.

828.293.3096. Open Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6

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

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

Frogs Leap Public House Innovative Southern Cuisine with a local backbone & homegrown libations Voted #1 Restaurant Waynesville/Canton 2013

ARTISAN BREADS & PASTRIES

Love the Locals 2014 Tuesday:

SWEETS

FOR YOUR

Free Snack w/2 Cocktails

Wednesday:

SWEETIE!

1/2 Price Wine

Thursday: 1/2 Price Bottle Beer 227-22

INDULGE YOUR

Taste For

Smoky Mountain News

Romance T V ’ D HIS

ALENTINE S

AY

5:30-9:30 P.M. • $45/COUPLE*

VALENTINE’S DAY 4 COURSE MENU

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Heart-Shaped Cakes, Cream Puffs, Cookies and more!

Shrimp Cocktail Choice Of Salad Or Soup Chateaubriand For Two Chocolate Covered Strawberries Champagne Split For Two

227-20

Regular menu selections available

44 Church Street Waynesville 828-456-1930 Lunch & Dinner Tues.-Sat. Open Sundays May-October 20

MOONSHINE GRILL 2550 Soco Road, Maggie Valley loacted in the Smoky Falls Lodge. 828.926.7440.

Open Thursday through Saturday, 4:30 to 9 p.m. Cooking up mouth-watering, wood-fired Angus steaks, prime rib and scrumptious fresh seafood dishes. The wood-fired grill gives amazing flavor to every meal that comes off of it. Enjoy creative dishes made using moonshine. Stop by and simmer for a while and soak up the atmosphere. The best kept secret in Maggie Valley. themoonshinegrill.com

frogsleappublichouse.com

Fair Trade Coffee & Espresso

18 North Main Street Waynesville • 452.3881

Reservations required:

828.456.3551 ext. 366 or opentable.com

SUN-THR: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

176 COUNTRY CLUB DR. *Special 4 Course Menu - Per Couple Excluding Tax and Service Charge

227-38

ASHEVILLE: 60 Biltmore Ave. 252.4426 & 88 Charlotte St. 254.4289

tasteTHEmountains with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts.

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. 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 indoor, outside on the patio or at the bar.

Reservations appreciated.

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 828.926.0201 Bar open Monday thru Saturday; dining room open Tuesday thru Saturday at 5 p.m. Full service restaurant serving steaks, prime rib, seafood and dinner specials.

SOUL INFUSION TEA HOUSE & BISTRO 628 E. Main St. (between Sylva Tire & UPS). 828.586.1717. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday noon -until.

Scrumptious, natural, fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and desserts. 60+ teas served hot or cold, black, chai, herbal.

Seasonal and rotating draft beers, good selection of wine. Home-Grown Music Network Venue with live music most weekends. Pet friendly and kid ready.

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

Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11

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.

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.

THE WINE BAR 20 Church Street, downtown Waynesville.

828.452.6000. Underground cellar for wine and beer, served by the glass all day.

Cheese and tapas served Wednesday through Saturday 4 p.m.-9 p.m. or later. info@classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

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.

227-08

ITALIAN

MEDITERRANEAN

STEAKS • PIZZA CHICKEN • SEAFOOD SANDWICHES OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK 1863 S. MAIN ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.454.5002 HWY. 19/23 EXIT 98 FEBRUARY 14-15

VALENTINE'S DINNERS WITH LIVE MUSIC

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED • $35 OR $50 PER COUPLE INCLUDING A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE OR WINE GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS AVAILABLE

FEBRUARY 14: CAROLINA DUSK FEBRUARY 15: QUIET LION

S PRING S TREET, D OWNTOWN S YLVA CREPES, PANINIS, SOUPS, SALADS, GOURMET PASTAS WINE & BEER

CityLightsCafe.com

227-56

227-02

at the

Valentine’s Day Reservations

MAKE YOUR

BURGERS TO SALADS SOUTHERN FAVORITES & CLASSICS LOCAL BEERS NOW ON DRAFT LIVE MUSIC ON THE PATIO TUES.-FRI.

117 Main Street, Canton NC 828.492.0618 • SidsOnMain.com Serving Lunch & Dinner

MON.-THURS. 11 A.M.-9 P.M. • FRI. & SAT. 11 A.M.-10 P.M. SUNDAY BRUNCH 11 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M. 227-36

Friday, Feb. 14th

live music by Debra Horn

Re-Opening for Lunch Feb.12, 2014

Love The Locals Specials 94 East St. • Waynesville

828-452-7837 www.herrenhouse.com Open for Sunday Brunch 11-2 • Lunch 11:30-2 Wed.-Fri.

We’ll feed your spirit, too.

February 14 & 15 • 5-9 p.m.

We will be offering a special a la carte menu featuring classic southern appetizers, chef-selected entrees and decadent desserts.

Smoky Mountain News

Treat your sweetheart to a romantic dinner at the Pin High Bar & Grille

Sweetheart Dinner Join us for a

68585

Valentines’ Dinner

Herren House

February 12-18, 2014

Bridget’s Bistro

Reservations required.

828.926.4848 www.MaggieValleyClub.com 227-07

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

21

22

A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Country boys can survive

add to that, then go from there.”

Coming from a long line of musicians, Lasher aims to harness not only the past, but also bridge it into 21st century tastes.

“I come from a musical family,” he said.

“My grandfather is still part of the oldest gospel quartet in North Carolina, the Skylanders. My mom sings like an angel, and my dad played in the rock band Mother Soul. My dad gave me my first guitar at eight years old, and I loved it.”

“I’ve always had a guitar around the house, since before I could walk actually,” Haney added. “When I was about 15 or 16, one of my friends came over with a guitar and I was like, ‘I want to do that.’ Now here I am, doing it for a living — I couldn’t ask for more than that.”

And with his natural abilities and keen sense of Appalachian musical history, Lasher is also well aware of the sacrifices, even as a teenager, in order to grasp long-term dreams, onstage and off.

“It’s pretty crazy, I won’t lie,” he said. “It’s hard playing shows on the weekends while your friends are at the ballgame or hanging out. I have given up a lot of good times to go after my dream. Most of the music industry folks that I’ve met are very excited and accepting about my age, and that helps.”

REACH FOR THE STARS

On Feb. 1, the band held an album release party at Highland Brewing in Asheville. With hundreds of proud and curious music lovers in the audience, the stage lit up with the pure intent and clear vision of four musicians looking to make their mark.

“I want [the audience] to feel satisfied and amazed,” Beverly said. “I want them to be The Joe Lasher Jr. band recently released its debut album, “Devil in a Jar.” The band consists of two Haywood County natives, Jason Surrett (far excited and desire for more. I want them to left) and Zach Haney (far right), as well as William Beverly (second in from left) and Joe Lasher Jr. (second in from right). Donated photo think how great everything sounded and looked, and to possibly even think about pickBY GARRET K. WOODWARD music that they can relate to, and, of course, “[Being onstage,] it’s a place I can’t ing up an instrument and start learning.”

STAFF WRITER we want them to want more.” explain. It’s the biggest high you can get,” “I want them to remember it — that’s the Zach Haney looks at obstacles as opportuRecorded at Crossroad Studios in Arden Haney said. “I guess I’m just trying to get to main thing,” Haney added. “I hope we’ve nities. last November, “Devil in a Jar” is an 11-song LP moved them musically. If they’re moved, ‘that place’ where you’re not actually thinking “I wasn’t even supposed to walk, but here I about what you’re playing — you’re feeling it. containing the essence of the ensemble, one they’ll remember it.” am,” he said. which easily conjures comparisons to mainAs long as I’m feeling it, I’m in that place.”

And even with their newly minted record Guitarist for the Joe Lasher Jr. band, Haney “I’m right there [with the audience],” out, the band is already planning is a 21-year-old Canton native. Born with cereLasher added. “Nothing is more exciting than its follow-up. For them, if you’re a “When I was about 15 or 16, one bral palsy, he’s turned whatever adversities he to see just one person loving your music and musician, you play and make faced into a promising career in music. letting it take them somewhere — I want to music, and there’s never a moment of my friends came over with a “I couldn’t play sports and stuff because of see that happen.” to waste as long as your instruall the running, so luckily I found music,” guitar and I was like, ‘I want to do ment is in your hands and the creHaney said. “I seriously think this is why I’m ative juices are flowing. It’s a sentiOWNHOME OUND that.’ Now here I am, doing it for a on the planet. My legs are messed up, but my ment and work ethic that has been hands aren’t, so it all makes sense.” passed down through the generaTogether for the better part of the last year, living — I couldn’t ask for more Alongside another Canton native, 20-yeartions in Southern Appalachia. the onstage chemistry of Joe Lasher Jr. and his than that.” old bassist Jason Surrett, Haney and 17-year“I think it’s awesome to be group is undeniable. Their vocal harmonies, old lead singer Joe Lasher Jr. and 22-year old part of that [musical heritage]. guitar chords, bass riffs and percussive abili— Zach Haney, Joe Lasher Jr. band drummer William Beverly have been turning We’ve got tons of bluegrass guys ties are impressive, especially considering half more than a few heads with their original around here, Marc Pruett, of the band can’t even legally drink in most of compositions that seamlessly blend country, stream country and hard rock acts currently Raymond Fairchild — they’re legends,” the venues they play. rock and Appalachian folk. overtaking the radio dial. The tone is as catchy Haney said. “And I’m hoping to blaze my “[We’re] just learning the ‘business side’ of The quintet just released its debut album, own trail here. I’m a 21-year-old kid who was this, and it’s big and complicated. I would like as it is unique to Western North Carolina.

“Devil in a Jar,” to local acclaim and an ever“I guess I’m a ‘hook writer,’ at least that’s never supposed to walk, and I’m playing the to make a living writing and performing growing interest from the nearby Nashville what they tell me,” Lasher said. “I come up guitar with the soul of a 70-year-old blues music, and with the help and support of all music industry. And when the band hits the with some kind of catchy lyrics and then build man, while still keeping the fire of the 21the people that are loving it so far, I think we stage with all cylinders firing, it’s the only around that. Fifty percent of the time, I pull year-old. [We’re] a unique sound, and I hope can make that happen,” Lasher said. “It’s my place they want to be. from guitar licks I’ve had for a some time and it really impacts people.” hope that folks will find something in our

D

S

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

The Beatles arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport, February 7, 1964.

Wikimedia Commons photo

HOT PICKS 1 2 3 4 5

February 12-18, 2014 Smoky Mountain News

My first time was in a navy blue 1991 Toyota Camry.

My first time hearing The Beatles, that is. Like the first time you kissed a loved one, that iniA benefit concert for the Feline Urgent tial introduction to the Fab Four Rescue will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at The stopped you in your tracks, where Colonial Theatre in Canton. time itself seemed to slow down, and all was clear and right in the Musician/storyteller Lee Knight will pay tribute world, at least for that moment in to the late Pete Seeger at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at your existence.

City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

A flower child in the 1960s, my mother’s personality embodThe Irish production “Rhythm of the Dance” ied the essence of that era. will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Positivity, love and optimism Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing radiates from her soul, which is Arts in Franklin. the same thing that permeated “Mosaics and More,” a children’s art through the sounds of The program, will be at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at Beatles. I remember, vividly, ridWestern Carolina University in Cullowhee. ing along in that Camry as she placed a cassette of their “Blue Country singer Dylan Riddle will perform at 9 Album” (aka “1967-1970”) into p.m. Feb. 20 at No Name Sports Pub in the stock stereo and turned up Sylva. the volume.

The opening track was I, being the little kid I was then, asked imme“Strawberry Fields Forever,” a distorted diately for clarification. melody that was playful, carefree and filled “Mom, who is that?” with sounds I’d never heard or been exposed “That’s The Beatles, hunny. Do you like to. The record rolled along as our vehicle did them?” the same down endless pavement. “Penny “Yeah,” I responded with a grin ear-toLane” into “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “A Day in the Life” into “All You Need ear.

And that rabbit hole exploration of their Is Love,” “Across the Universe” into “The music only got deeper and deeper, and deepLong and Winding Road.” I was captivated, mesmerized, stupefied — what was this? So, er. When I was sad, I listened to “In My Life”

listened. The music spilled out of the television, which posed as a time machine, where I was transported back into the passenger seat of that navy blue 1991 Toyota Camry, where my mother was smiling, I was smiling, as the car cruised towards destinations unknown.

“Fifty years. Fifty years, can you believe it was that long ago when that show happened?” I kept saying to my friend while watching the program.

Yes, 50 years ago in the history books, but it is also yesterday, When I was happy, I listened to today and tomorrow for “Love Me Do” or “Come Together.” mankind and the rest of the universe.

Those songs remind me of when Each and every human alive then, born since, and who will be the sunshine above my head birthed until the end of time, will know, appreciate and love their never seemed to shine brighter, music. If you’re 9 years old or 90, and anything seemed possible, you know the words, the riffs and the joyous harmonies of the Fab with the world at my fingertips as Four. They were the first band I long I always remembered to remember falling in love with, and I think that can be said for keep reaching for it. pretty much every man, woman and child walking this planet. I As a music journalist, writer and utter had all the albums, knew all the songs, and sentimentalist at heart, this past Feb. 9 played them, constantly, almost to the point brought forth lots of memories. Fifty years of obsession, also like pretty much every ago that very evening, four English gents man, woman and child on this planet. calling themselves “The Beatles” performed Their influence on humanity can never on The Ed Sullivan Show, and nothing was be overstated, and will never be equaled. ever the same again. Ever.

Fifty years ago the world changed, for the Watching the CBS special this past week better, because the power of music prevailed. commemorating that immortal night, chills The songs remain, and always will, for ran up and down my body as I sat there and eternity.

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

or “Ticket To Ride” and reflected on whatever situation, femme fatale or unexpected fall from grace was pulling at my heartstrings.

When I was happy, I listened to “Love Me Do” or “Come Together.” Those songs remind me of when the sunshine above my head never seemed to shine brighter, and anything seemed possible, with the world at my fingertips as long I always remembered to keep reaching for it.

facebook.com/smnews 23

arts & entertainment

On the beat Knight to host Seeger tribute

‘Sunday Concert Series’ in Waynesville, Canton

A tribute to late folk musical icon Pete Seeger will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva Local musician and storyteller Lee Knight will lead the tribute. Having garnered respect for and inspiration from Seeger in high school, Knight would eventually have the opportunity to play with the famed musician on several occasions.

Lee will play music, talk about Seeger’s life and discuss how he has been influenced by the iconic folk singer and activist. Attendees are encouraged to sing along and share their recollections of Seeger.

828.586.9499.

One Leg Up will play Canton Feb. 16.

Donated photo

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2014

HCC to offer Appalachian heritage music classes Haywood Community College will offer several Appalachian Heritage Music classes during the month of February.

Attendees can choose from Audio Engineering I, Banjo I, Banjo II, Fiddle I, Fiddle II, Guitar I, Guitar II or Mountain Dance I. These evening classes will meet once a week.

In the Audio Engineering I class, students will learn how to set up and operate recording equipment. Starting from step one, students in the Mountain Dance I class will learn fun steps to take to any dance floor. No dance experience is required. The class will be taught by Kim Ross of the J. Creek Cloggers with special guests such as Joe Sam Queen.

Students will also take a trip to Carter Fold in West Virginia.

For more information on class times and cost, visit www.haywood.edu.

828.564.5091 or bapinkston@haywood.edu.

The Sunday Concert Series continues at 3 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Waynesville and Canton libraries.

The Piano Performance Team will perform at the Waynesville Public Library. The group consists of piano students from North Carolina selected each year by audition. It was created to give talented young pianists various opportunities to perform.

Gypsy jazz band One Leg Up will perform at the Canton Public Library. The trio plays “hot club” jazz selections from the 1930s and 1940s Parisian café scene, with numbers also from the “American Songbook” and the Big Band era.

Concerts take place at 3 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month.

They are sponsored by Friends of the Library and hosted by the Haywood County Arts Council.

Free.

828.550.6190.

more than four decades.

The Sock Hops is an oldies group that recreates musical hits from the 1950s through the 1980s. They have opened concerts for The Temptations, Frankie Avalon, The Rascals and others.

Tickets are $15 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

of Three” by WCU faculty member Mario Gaetano. The concert will end with “Gershwin

By George,” a medley of Gershwin tunes arranged by Dennis Armitage. The program is presented by the WCU School of Music.

Free.

828.227.7242.

The Balaton Chamber Brass will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Coulter Building at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

The group, which features WCU music faculty members Amy Cherry on trumpet and Dan Cherry on trombone, will be accompanied by Lillian Buss Pearson on piano. The program will begin with “Sound the Trumpet,” a transcription of a vocal duet by Henry Purcell. Other works include three movements from “An Elizabethan Songbook” by Eric Ewazen; “Fandango” and “O Come and Dwell in Me,” two pieces by Joseph Turrin and the world premiere of a new work for trumpet, trombone and percussion titled “Consortium

at The Colonial Theatre in Canton. Proceeds will help pay for construction of a no-kill feline sanctuary off Rabbit Skin Road in Waynesville.

Hear the music of Elvis, Dolly Parton, Reba McIntire and Marilyn Monroe. Local talent for the event includes performances by PAR III, Joe and Tina Clark, Robin Graf, Paul Indelicato, Myra Mintz, Raven Morris, Betty Natzke, Ashley Wood and John Parris as “Elvis.”

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at Belle on Main Salon, High Country Style, Haywood Computer, Carlene’s on Miller and Realty World Heritage Realty all in Waynesville.

828.550.6884 or www.facebook.com/furofwnc.

Feline sanctuary benefit Balaton Chamber Brass comes to Canton stage A benefit concert for Feline Urgent Rescue to perform at WCU (FUR) will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15,

Bennie Anderson and The Drifters will play Franklin on Feb. 14. Photo donated

The Drifters to bring doo-wop to Franklin Bennie Anderson and The Drifters will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. The Sock Hops will open the show.

The group is a world-famous doo-wop and R&B vocal act. Anderson sings lead and has been an integral part of the group for

• The Wilhelm Brothers, Darren & The Buttered Toast, PMA, Morgan O’Kane, Dylan Riddle, Rachel Brooke and Natty Love Joys will perform at No Name Sports Pub in Sylva. The Wilhelm Brothers play Feb. 13, with Darren & The Buttered Toast, Feb. 14; PMA, Feb. 15; O’Kane, Feb. 18; Riddle, Feb. 20; Brooke Feb. 21 and Natty Love Joys, Feb. 22.

All shows are free and begin at 9 p.m. 828.586.2750 or www.nonamesportspub.com.

ALSO:

• Tom House, Tomi Lunsford and Tommy Goldsmith will perform as part of the Songwriters in the Round series at 6 p.m.

Feb. 15 at Balsam Mountain Inn. $45 per person. www.balsammountaininn.net.

• Americana/roots singer Rachel Brooke hits the stage at 9 p.m. Feb. 22, at the Water’n Hole Bar and Grill in Waynesville.

24 $3. 828.456.4750.

• The “Winter Pickin’ in the Armory” will be at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Canton Armory. The event includes mountain music, vintage country, clogging and dancing. Featured performers will be the Dixie Darlings and Mountain Traditions cloggers, with live music from Heart of the South. The “pickin’” is every first and third Friday of the month. www.cantonnc.com.

• Valentine’s Day with The Mixx will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Frog Level Brewing Company in Waynesville. Free.

828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• An open mic night will be held on Feb. 20 at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• The Mixx, Twisted Trail, an open mic, bluegrass jam and DJ KO will play Alley Kats Tavern in Waynesville. The Mixx performs at 10 p.m. Feb. 14 and 8 p.m. Feb. 20, with Twisted Trail at 9 p.m.

Feb. 15 and Feb. 22, an open mic every Monday, a bluegrass jam every Tuesday and DJ KO at 9 p.m. Feb. 21. 828.226.7073.

• Pianist/singer Sheila Gordon and jazz singer Eve Haslam will perform at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Gordon will hit the stage for a Valentine’s Day dinner Feb. 14, which is $49.99 for two while Haslam’s Feb. 15 show includes a four-course dinner at $29.99 per person. Both shows start at 7 p.m. 828.452.6000.

• ‘Round the Fire, a funk jam and Cruso bluegrass jam will be at BearWaters Brewing Company in Waynesville. ‘Round the Fire performs at 7 p.m. Feb. 15, with funk jam at 8 p.m. every Monday and the Cruso bluegrass jam at 7 p.m. every Tuesday.

Free. 828.246.0602.

• The J&D Jazz Project performs at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Tipping Point Brewing in Waynesville. Free. 828.246.9230.

On the wall

Fly Fishing the South

Painter Sylvia Hirschegger will host a demonstration on Feb. 15 at Gallery 86 in Waynesville. Donated photo

Live painting demo at Gallery 86

Pottery from the private collection of Joan Byrd and George Rector will be on display Feb. 17 through May 9 in the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University. An artist’s talk and reception is set for 5 p.m. March 20.

The exhibit, including pieces by some of the world’s most celebrated potters, coincides with the conclusion of Byrd’s long career as a professor of ceramics at WCU. She will retire in May after teaching for 46 years on the art faculty. Rector has taught ceramics at WCU for more than 20 years. He will continue to serve as an adjunct art faculty member in the WCU School of Art and Design.

Both Byrd and Rector were collectors before they met in the 1970s. They combined their collections when they married 30 years ago and continued to acquire new pieces in their work and travels.

The works to be showcased are mostly American functional pottery, including teapots, cups, plates, platters, bowls, jars and boxes. www.fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or 828.227.3591.

Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival wants artists

HCC to celebrate Entrepreneurship Week

National Entrepreneurship Week is Feb. 17-21 and Haywood Community College is celebrating with a weeklong schedule of events.

HCC Student Business Center Open House will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 17 at the

WCU Art Education Club to host children’s program “Mosaics and More,” a children’s art program, will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Children ages 6 and older will make a small mosaic plate, draw tessellations and create architectural dioramas around a theme of Middle Eastern aesthetics. Enrollment is limited to 25 students. To register a child to

Two locations to serve you ASHEVILLE 252.3005

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A pottery collection will be showcased Feb. 17 through May 9 at WCU. Donated photo

participate, send an email to Erin Tapley, associate professor and director of the art education program, at etapley@wcu.edu.

The event is sponsored by WCU’s Art Education Club and staffed by WCU students working with WCU’s art education program coordinator. There is no cost to participate, but small donations to assist with materials costs are appreciated.

828.506.5748.

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Tasting of the “everything condiment” as seen on ABC’s “The Shark Tank”

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Tasting of tortilla chips, salsas and hot sauces with Michael Hernandez

828.452.3848

www.sunburstmarket.com • The films “Romeo + Juliet” and “Lincoln” will be screened at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. “Romeo + Juliet” will play Feb. 1415, with “Lincoln” Feb. 21-22. Screenings are at 7:45 p.m. Friday and 5 and 7:45 p.m.

Saturday. Tickets are $6 per person, $4 for children. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

ALSO:

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• A call for artists is currently underway at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Artists of any medium are being sought to display in the theater’s lounge and concession area. www.facebook.com/38main.

• A talk and reception with artist Holly Hanessian will be at 5 p.m., Feb. 20 at Western Carolina University’s Fine Arts Museum. Free. www.wcu.edu.

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Smoky Mountain News

The Greater Cashiers Area Merchants Association is currently looking for artisans for the 6th annual Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival, which will be held Oct. 10-12.

The festival is Western North Carolina’s most prominent fall event. The weekend festival is held each year when the mountains begin to glow with fall leaves and crisp weather welcomes leaf peepers.

The Leaf Festival Committee and the Greater Cashiers Area Merchants Association is dedicated to attracting people to this event for the benefit of area artists, merchants and the entire business community. www.visitcashiersvalley.com or info@visitcashiersvalley.com or 828.743.8428.

Center for New and Expanding Business. An on-campus showing of “Objectified,” which highlights the importance and impact of product design in our fast-paced culture, will be screened at 12:30 p.m., Feb. 18 at the HCC Auditorium. An entrepreneur showcase will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at the HCC Library. “Start-Up or BuyOut: Beginning Your Career as an Entrepreneur” will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 20 at the HCC Auditorium. Craft Entrepreneurship in Appalachia will be at 9 a.m., Feb. 21 at the HCC Creative Arts Building.

828.565.4219 or www.haywood.edu.

227-33

February 12-18, 2014

Artist Sylvia Hirschegger will hold a live painting demonstration from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Gallery 86 in Waynesville.

The demonstration is part of the exhibit “Local Flavors” that will run through March 29 at Gallery 86 in the Haywood County Arts Council. Besides weekly demonstrations, works by the following artists will be on display: Terry Thompson (jewelry), Melissa Enloe Walter (acrylic painting on gold and silver leaf ), Mark Schieferstein (metal work), Joyce Brunsvold (quilt art), Ron Brunsvold (photography), Cory Plott (ceramics), Craig Burgwardt (oil), Vicki Pinney (cold wax), Wendy Cordwell (collage), Becki Kollat (art books), Barbara Sammons (photography), Tadashi Torii (glass), T.E. Siewert (encaustic), Betina Morgan (acrylic), Jere Smith (woodwork), Sylvia Hirschegger (oil), Crystal Allen Coates (ceramics), Steven Lange (mixed media), Carol Blackwell (3-D assemblage), Waylon Christner (mixed media), Corina Pia Torii (visual artist) and Constance Williams (encaustic). www.haywoodarts.org or www.themahoganyhouse.com.

arts & entertainment

Exhibit of rare pottery at WCU

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arts & entertainment

On the stage

FINAL CLEARANCE Celtic dance troupe steps into Franklin PRESIDENT’S DAY SALE STOREWIDE!

Affairs of the Heart

————————————————————————————— 120 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC • 828.452.0526

JOIN US FOR ARTS EVENTS AT WCU FEB. 12-16 | WED. -- SAT. 7:30PM, SUN. 3PM | HOEY THEATRE | $15

Theatre: “A Doll’s House” FEB. 14 | FRI. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | FREE

Music: WCU Wind Ensemble

The National Dance Company of Ireland’s “Rhythm of the Dance” hits the stage 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

This two-hour dance and music extravaganza contains a wealth of Irish talent. The epic show relives the journey of the Irish Celts throughout history. Using modern art forms of dance and music, this richly costumed show marries the contemporary and the ancient. Combining traditional dance and music with the most up-to-date stage technology, the show presents a thousand

year-old story executed with all the advantages of the modern day stage show.

“Rhythm of the Dance” has heralded a new era in Irish entertainment, internationally rated as one of the most popular and busiest Irish step dance shows in the world.

The production aspires to a purity content preserving the traditions of Irish step dancing and yet presenting it in the most modern format that has made it a leader in its field.

Tickets are $20 and $25 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

Psychological thriller at HART

the story of the disappearance of a 10-yearold girl, Rhona, and follows the girl’s mother and killer over the years that follow. The duo are linked by a doctor who is studying what causes men to commit such crimes. The themes of the play include emotional paralysis and forgiveness. The production received rave reviews in New York and London.

828.456.6322 or www.harttheatre.com.

FEB. 15 | SAT. 3:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | FREE

February 12-18, 2014

Music: All District Band Concerts FEB. 20 | THU. 6-7PM, ARTTALK 5PM | FINE ART MUSEUM | FREE

Reception: Touch in Real Time: Holly Hanessian

SAVE THE DATE: MAR. 2 | SUN. 5PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $20

THEATRE: THE SQUIRM BURPEE CIRCUS VISIT THE FINE ART MUSEUM FOR ONGOING EXHIBITS | FINEARTMUSEUM.WCU.EDU

The Tony Award winning drama “Frozen” will stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15 and 3 p.m.

Feb. 16 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

The play, set in present-day England, tells

On the street Waldroop family benefit in Franklin

EVENTS ARE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE COLLEGE OF FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS AT WCU. JOIN FRIENDS OF THE ARTS TODAY!

Smoky Mountain News

FOR MORE INFO – 828.227.7028 | ARTS.WCU.EDU

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A benefit for Sam Waldroop will be at 4 p.m. Feb 15 at South Macon Elementary School in Franklin.

On Dec. 24, 2013, Sam Waldroop (son of Ricky and Julia Waldroop and brother of Christie and Amy Kinsland) was in a car accident, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. The benefit is to help ease some of the financial stress of renovating his parents’ house to make it handicap accessible, and for future expenses.

The hamburger and hot dog dinner includes a silent auction, raffle items, kids’ games, cake auction and a live DJ. www.franklin-chamber.com.

(Located (Located in in the the NAPA NAPA Auto Auto Parts Parts Center) Center)

• A Valentine’s Day Dinner will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 14 at the First Baptist Church in Sylva. Childcare provided. $5 minimum donation accepted. Proceeds benefit the church’s upcoming mission trip to Washington D.C. www.fbcsylva.org.

ALSO:

• The Sapphire Valley Outhouse Race festivities begin at noon Feb. 15 at the Sapphire Valley Ski Resort. Live music provided by the Jackson Taylor Band, with barbecue provided by Danny’s BBQ. www.skisapphirevalley.com.

• A “St. Valentine’s Day Tasting” will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 14 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. Pianist Jacob Crabtree will provide live music throughout the tasting. Tickets are $10 per person. Age 21 and older. www.papouswineshop.com.

Books

Smoky Mountain News

27

Mailer — a man of his time and shaper of it n the Prologue to Norman Mailer: A Double Life (978-1-4391-5019-1, 2013, $40), biographer J. Michael Lennon writes that “Mailer’s desire for fame, and his distaste for it, never abated over his long career. Nor did his ability to determine how he might write about his current situation, whatever it might be. It became a reflex.”

Although Mailer did express discomfort with fame after his first novel, The Naked and the Dead, climbed to number one on the New York Times’ Bestseller List, remaining there for months, with subsequent sales bringing not only renown but wealth to Mailer, readers of this Writer remarkable biography will quickly discover that Mailer, even in his childhood, enjoyed being in the limelight. His “avidity,” as Lennon calls it, for public attention led him into more than 700 interviews throughout his lifetime, and this strong sense of self often meant placing himself at the center of his writing, particularly in books like The Armies of the Night. His “distaste” for fame is not evident in his life or in this book.

In many ways, Mailer lived his life as a romantic in the fashion of Byron or Hemingway. In the words of Lennon, he was a “serial philanderer,” engaging in scores of affairs over his lifetime. He drank and smoked heavily at times, and sometimes abused drugs, yet also became an amateur boxer. He gained notoriety when he stabbed and wounded one of his wives during a drunken argument. He received enormous criticism when he helped Jack Abbot get out of prison, only to have this criminal-writer kill a waiter outside a New York City restaurant.

Jeff Minick

I

He frequently wrote for money, but also helped lead the way in creating the “New

level. He engaged in politics, marching on the Pentagon to protest the war in Vietnam, running for mayor of New York, and supporting various liberal causes, yet he was frequently attacked by feminists for his male chauvinism. (One of the more humorous scenes in Norman Mailer: A Double Life occurs when Mailer publicly debates several feminists).

Despite his penchant for publicity, despite the egotism, his need to surround himself with celebrities — 600 people, including senators, actors, writers and artists, attended his fiftieth birthday party, and paid to do so — Mailer comes across in this biography as a man who would make an enjoyable dinner companion. He was gregarious, he clearly enjoyed people, and he was a good storyteller. His wide range of interests would certainly make for some fine conversation. The Kennedys, Marilyn Monroe, boxing, poker, military tactics, art, the death penalty, ancient Egypt, religion, spirituality, film: these were just some of the topics Mailer delved into during his long life.

Those of us familiar with Mailer’s writing might be surNorman Mailer: A Double Life by J. Michael Lennon. Simon & prised to learn how much movies appealed to him and how Schuster, 2013. 960 pages. for a good number of years he was involved in writing and proJournalism.” He became renowned, particuducing independent films. Though none of larly in his non-fiction, for exploring the these achieved the success of his books, they American psyche, though some might quesindicate again a man of wide interests and tion whether he wasn’t conducting that explo- tastes. He also displayed some talent as an ration at a personal rather than a national actor. Particularly fascinating is Lennon’s

account of Mailer, his wife Norris, and George Plimpton doing a reader’s theater play, “Zelda, Scott, & Ernest,” in 2001 and 2002.

Mailer played Hemingway, and the performances, used to raise money for charity, drew sellout crowds in the United States and in Europe.

Near the end of Norman Mailer: A Double Life, Lennon reports in-depth on a 1994 exchange between Mailer and Jean Malaquais on a French-German television network.

Malaquais, a writer and long-time friend of Mailer, accused him of selling out in his work and said: “Being a celebrity is your infantile malady.” Though the rift between the two men caused by this interview was eventually repaired — Mailer seems a man who angered quickly, but forgave easily — readers are left wondering about Mailer’s legacy. Certainly The Naked and the Dead will forever belong to the canon of World War II literature and some of his writings on politics, sexuality, and the underside of American life during the last half of the twentieth century may continue to find readers, particularly scholars of that period of tremendous cultural change. Some of his other work — his writings on ancient Egypt, his tales of Marilyn Monroe, his novels like Barbary Shore — have, one suspects, already begun to accumulate dust on library bookshelves.

J. Michael Lennon knew Norman Mailer for more than three decades. He has written extensively on Mailer, and for this book conducted scores of interviews and had access to thousands of Mailer’s letters and manuscripts.

He was a close friend of Mailer and of his family, and personally knew many of his friends.

As a result of his research and his own talent for writing, in this biography Lennon gives us a remarkable picture of a twentieth century writer and celebrity, a man who was both a creature of his time and a shaper of that time.

Highly recommended.

Fox to showcase work at Coffee with the Poet Writer Samuel Fox will present his work at the Coffee with the Poet Series at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Fox is the 2014 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Collegiate Poet for Western Carolina. His work has been published in Full of Crow, 13 Magazine, and The Nomad. He currently attends Western Carolina University as an undergraduate and is involved with the Asheville slam poetry scene. He moonlights as a jazz guitarist and is working on a book of poems titled Fierce Anatomies. He also works at Hunter Library’s Special Collections on WCU’s campus.

The Coffee with the Poet Series meets at 10:30 a.m. every third Thursday and is co-sponsored by the Netwest Chapter of the North Carolina Writer’s Network.

828.586.9499.

Date night at City Lights A special Valentine’s Day event with wine and chocolate will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Martha Ezzard will offer chocolate and wine samples from her Rabun County, Ga., vineyard, Tiger Mountain Vineyards, which cultivates all of its grapes and produces hand-crafted wine. Ezzard will also introduce her book, The Second Bud: Deserting the City for a Farm Winery, which relates the story of how Ezzard and her husband stepped away from their hectic lives as a lawyer and doctor to open a successful vineyard in the rural mountain south.

828.586.9499.

28

Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Let it snow!

Area photographers capture winter beauty in WNC

By Holly Kays

For every degree of cold or inconvenience, wintry weather adds two of beauty.

Members of Waynesville’s Lens Luggers photography club kept their cameras at the ready as below freezing temperatures and above-normal snowfall transformed Western North Carolina into a winter wonderland. We hope you’ll enjoy some of their favorite images and the stories of how they came to be.

Frozen cascade by Bob Grytten Bob Grytten was out with his camera, exploring a series of cascades along N.C. 215 in the Pisgah National Forest, when he placed this scene in his viewfinder. Plenty of ice formations decorated the North Fork of the French Broad River that day, but these ones grabbed his attention.

“They’re like upside down ice cubes,” he said.

Looking Glass Falls by Chuck Coburn The partially frozen falls have been a magnet for shutterbugs over the past few weeks, so Chuck Coburn wanted his image to be different from the typical snapshot. He framed the shot to isolate the falls from all of the trees and movement of water surrounding it, taking care to include the ice on its sides. He also chose a slow shutter speed to keep the water smooth. Those choices resulted in one more installment in a productive winter photography season.

“While a lot of people may complain about the cold weather, I was very happy with it,” he said.

Peeking by Diane Jettinghoff Diane Jettinghoff was excited to land this shot of a tufted titmouse poking its head from a birdfeeder at her cabin, outside of Tuckasegee. The songbirds are regulars at birdfeeders, especially in the wintertime, exerting their authority over smaller species and especially speaking up when sunflower seeds are the food in question. But while the tufted titmouse is a relatively common bird, the opportunity to snag this shot as snowflakes fell in the background was not.

“I literally went into one little room there in our cabin and opened the window to get that shot. It was very cold,” Jettinghoff said.

Ice climber by Beverly Slone During a Feb. 1 photo shoot, Beverly Slone stumbled upon a group of ice climbers scaling the ice with their instructor. She came away with an extensive inventory of images, but Slone had no trouble naming this her favorite.

“She’s just determined, concentrating on what she’s doing,” Slone said. “It just told a little story of somebody enjoying their hobby — or learning their hobby.”

Girls volleyball prep league at Waynesville Recreation Center

earned a minor in zoology and a B.S. and Ph.D. in psychology at Duke University. He served on the clinical psychology faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for 30 years and was also director of Psychological Services at the Children’s Psychiatric Institute at Butner.

His exploration of the Unicoi Mountains began in 1964 when he began camping there during summer vacations with his wife, Pat, and two young sons. The

Owen Link McConnell liked the Unicoi and Snowbird mountains so much, he wrote a book about them. And not just any book, but a reference guide for the region.

Unicoi Unity: A Natural History of the Unicoi and Snowbird Mountains and Their Plants, Unicoi mountains seen from Fungi, and Animals, is a comJoyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. prehensive natural history book about this particular line of mountains that straddle the North Carolina-Tennessee state line immediately south of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The book integrates McConnell’s experiential knowledge of the Unicois (gleaned over 49 years) with research findings from numerous scientific studies and includes 167 of his color photographs. The Unicoi and Snowbird mountains harbor some of the couple purchased land in 1971 in the most pristine places in the Southeast, Unicois on West Buffalo Creek; and, after including the never-cut Joyce Kilmer retiring in 1990, McConnell built a cabin Memorial Forest, four wilderness areas there. For more than 50 years he has kept within two national forests and the popular records of plants, mushrooms and animals Cherohala Skyway scenic byway, which that he and others have found in the winds 42 miles along high mountain ridges Unicois. The book is published by through the heart of the Unicois. McConnell AuthorHouse.

JEWELRY UP TO 50% OFF

Fundraising brunch at Community Table

A fundraising brunch featuring local food will be held in honor of Valentine’s Day on Saturday Feb. 15 at the Community Table, 23 Central St., in Sylva. Hosted by the Jackson County Farmers Market, the brunch will feature potato leek soup and biscuits, courtesy of farmers market vendors Kathy and Keith Cirka, owners of Backwoods Bakery and Cakeworks.

The Jackson County Farmers Market is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday through the winter at the Community Table – near Poteet Park. Visit www.jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org for more information.

The Wildlife Club at Haywood Community College is hosting the 8th annual Wild Game Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, March 7, at the Haywood County Fairgrounds. The dinner is a fundraiser for students. Funds generated during the event will provide the financial assistance needed to attend the annual Southeastern Wildlife Conclave, support a wildlife student schol-

arship and provide additional opportunities for students to learn from and network with natural resource professionals at state, regional and national meetings. There will be door prize drawings, a silent auction and a live auction. The grand prize drawing will be a lifetime hunting/fishing license. There will also be live entertainment and a game and non-game calling competition. Bring your favorite wild game dish, vegetables and/or dessert. Bread and drinks will be provided. Admission is $10 ($5 if you bring a dish) and children under 12 years old eat free.

For more information, call 627.4560.

Smoky Mountain News

HCC Wildlife Club to host wild game dinner fundraiser

February 12-18, 2014

A volleyball development league for girls in fourth through sixth grade will be held on Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. in March and April, except for April 21, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. The purpose of the league is to expose girls to volleyball before they reach the seventh grade, when they can try out for a school team. Hosted by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department, the league will teach athletes the basics of passing, setting, spiking, offensive strategies and defensive strategies.

Registration will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a brief parent meeting, Monday, March 3, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Jennifer Parton will oversee the league, with assistance from student athletes from Pisgah and Tuscola high schools’ volleyball teams. The cost is $40.

For more information, call Jennifer Parton at 734.1298 or email volleypj@bellsouth.net.

The Innovative Basketball Training Summer Basketball Camp will take place Sundays, March 9 through May 25 at the Waynesville Recreation Center in Waynesville. The camp is for boys and girls ages seven to 18. The camp will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. for beginning boys and girls and from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for advanced boys and girls. Space is limited.

The camp will be directed Derek Thomas, who spent 32 years as a head coach, two years as a college coach, was Coach of the Year six times and is in his high school and college Hall of Fame. His coaching career includes 425 wins with 35 different types of championships.

The cost of the camp is $120 per person for four sessions per month and is payable in advance or upon registration. Credit cards will also be accepted.

For more information, call 246.2129 or the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department at 456.2030.

New reference book on Unicoi and Snowbird mountains available

outdoors

Basketball camp for boys and girls with Coach Derek Thomas

CONVENIENT CHEROKEE LOCATION

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

West Asheville - 1186 Patton Ave. • East Asheville - 736 Tunnel Rd.

Cherokee - Across from the casino

(open 24 hours)

828.554.0431

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outdoors

Former Audubon Society executive to present program Just what is that little yellow and black bird at your feeder? Well, come find out at the next Franklin Bird Club meeting set for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Larry Thompson will present a program “Learning to Watch Birds,” in which he will teach you how to identify backyard and neighborhood birds. He also will cover the basics of how to use field guides, how to bird by ear, bird songs, birding behavior, checklists and optics for birders. Thompson has taught bird-watching courses and led birding field trips for more than 35 years.

For 20 years he was the National Audubon Society’s Southeast Regional vice president. After retiring from National Audubon, Thompson became the executive director of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. He retired to Balsam in 2009.

Commissions wants input on how to manage Needmore game land A public meeting on management plans cultural fields maintained for wildlife habifor the Needmore game land in Macon and tat. “We are encouraging everyone who has Swain counties will be held from 6:30 to an interest in these game lands to attend 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at Tartan Hall, the meetings to provide input on how the First Presbyterian Church, 26 Church St., in Franklin.

Hosted by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the meeting is to get input on creating a management plan for the next 10 years.

Needmore is a 4,800-acre tract of mostly forested land, but it also features The Little Tennessee River that passes some old through the Needmore game land. Donated photo home sites and old agri-

properties should be managed,” said Gordon Warburton, mountain ecoregion supervisor with the Wildlife Commission.

“We hope to hear from not just hunters and anglers, but also from wildlife watchers, photographers, birders and others who use or have an interest in using these game lands.”

The most outstanding physical feature of the game land is the Little Tennessee River, which traverses about 26 miles of the property. The lower portion of the Little Tennessee River is noted nationally for several endangered and threatened species, like Appalachian elktoe and spotfin chub.

Popular game species on the game land include white-tailed deer, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit and ruffed grouse.

The Wildlife Commission has also created an online comment form that is available on the Commission’s website. People who do not attend a meeting will be able to submit comments for each game land management plan at www.ncwildlife.org. Click on “Comment on Game Land Plans” in the scrolling icons at the bottom of the homepage. Comments also can be e-mailed to gamelandplan@ncwildlife.org. Type the name of the game land on which you’re commenting in the subject line. The Wildlife Commission will provide updates on development of new game land management plans on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ncwildliferesourcescommission and Twitter, twitter.com/ncwildlife. www.ncwildlife.org.

February 12-18, 2014

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Smoky Mountain News

We are excited to have Bill Morris, pharmacist and nutritionist here on Friday’s from 9-4. Bill focuses on a holistic approach and specializes in:

Call today and schedule your consultation with Bill.

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366 RUSS AVE | WAYNESVILLE | 828.452.0911 30

227-39

BiLo Shopping Center Find us on facebook: www.facebook.com/kimscompounds

Teaching farmers to be businessmen outdoors

Boosting sales at farmers’ markets, marketing to restaurants, finding farmland and tapping agritourism are just a few of the topics to be covered during the Business of Farming Conference set for 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa.

Sponsored by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, the conference is for beginning and veteran farmers and will focus on the business side of farming, from recordkeeping to File photo money management. Farmers will get to meet one-on-one with potential restaurant and retail buyers, and professional consultants. This year that includes an advanced track of workshops for seasoned farmers. asapconnections.org/conference.

New farmers’ market wants your input

Learn to grow mushrooms in a log Learn to grow shiitake mushrooms from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Macon County Environmental Resource Center in Franklin. Offered by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, the “Growing Shiitake Mushrooms” this hands-on class is geared to hobby growers.

Each participant should bring two hardwood logs (oak is preferred; no walnut or

Get your garden soil in shape Pardon the cliché, but spring really is just around the corner and you know what that means: planting season. Master Gardener Jim Janke will lead a program on how to prepare garden soil for spring planting, from 2 to 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, at the Haywood County Public Library auditorium in Waynesville.

828.356.2507.

Smoky Mountain News

locust), 4 to 6 inches in diameter and 3 to 4 feet long. The logs should be fresh cut. A classroom session will explain Shiitake growing and participants will then drill their logs and inoculate them with Shiitake mushroom “seed.” Participants will leave the class with two inoculated Shiitake logs and the ability to inoculate more. Most of the program will be outside. Extra logs would be appreciated and used to build a Shiitake demonstration area at the Environmental Resource Center. Pre-registration is required. A $10 materials fee is due at registration. Register at the Macon County Cooperative Extension Center by Friday, Feb. 21.

828.349.2046.

February 12-18, 2014

Help set the course for the new farmers market at the Macon County Heritage Center at Cowee School. A meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, in the Community Room at the Macon County Heritage Center to decide what day of the week, what time and how often the market should be held. Other decisions will be made about: ■ Products to be sold ■ Allocation and cost of spaces ■ Workshops and classes to be offered to vendors and customers ■ Entertainment, tastings, demonstrations, and other activities to be held in conjunction with the market For more information, contact Susan Ervin at 828.524.8369.

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WNC Calendar

Smoky Mountain News

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Responsible Alcohol Seller Server (RASP) Training, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Western Carolina University-Cullowhee, 104 Centennial Drive, Forsyth Building, Room 101. Offered by North Carolina ABC. Free. Register at abc.nc.gov/education/rasp.

• Navigating the Affordable Care Act, noon Thursday, Feb. 13, Tartan Hall, First Presbyterian Church, Franklin.

• Drugs In Our Midst, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, Burnette Cove Baptist Church, 193 Burnette Cove Road, Canton.

• Sapphire Valley Master Association Board of Directors meeting, 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, Riverside Room, Sapphire Community Center. jennifer.gainey@spmresorts.com.

• Educating Your Child About the Danger of Drugs, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, Waynesville Police Department, Main Street, downtown Waynesville. No children under the age of 12.

• Opt-In Community Workshops, Swain County: 5:30 to 8 p.m. discussion Monday, Feb. 17, Swain County Technology and Training Center, 45 East Ridge Road Bryson City; Jackson County: 5:30 to 8 p.m. discussion Thursday, Feb. 20, Smoky Mountain Drive, Sylva; and Haywood County: 5:30 to 8 p.m. discussion Thursday, Feb. 27, Tuscola High School, 564 Tuscola School Road, Waynesville. www.optinswnc.org, Ben Brow, ben@placemakers.com; or 508.5002.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Group Travel Workshop, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, the Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center.

• Free 90-minute computer class: Intermediate Excel, 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, JCPL. 586.2016.

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

• 8th annual Great Sapphire Outhouse race, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, Sapphire Valley Ski Resort, three miles east of Cashiers. Fundraiser for CashiersHighlands Humane Society. $100 entry fee. Build your own or rent one for $25. www.skisapphirevalley.com or 743.2251 or 743.6159.

• Benefit concert for Feline Urgent Rescue of Western North Carolina (FUR), 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb.15, Colonial Theater, Canton. Tickets, $15. Proceeds to help build a no-kill feline sanctuary off Rabbit Skin Road in Waynesville. Tickets at Belle on Main Salon, High Country Style, Haywood Computer, Carlene’s on Miller, and Realty World Heritage Realty in Maggie. 550.6884 or visit www.facebook.com/FURofWNC. Donations welcomed, P.O. Box 1352, Waynesville, NC 28786.

BLOOD DRIVES Jackson • Lowe’s 2257 Sylva Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 21, 1716 N. Main St., Sylva. 586.1170 or log onto www.redcrossblood.org, keyword: Lowes

Haywood • Haywood Community College Blood Drive, 12:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 185 Freedlander Drive, Clyde.

800.733.2767or visit www.redcrossblood.org, keyword: HCC. • MedWest Haywood Blood Drive, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14, 75 Leroy George Road, Clyde.

800.733.2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org, keyword: Haywood.

• Indoor flea market, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, the Old Armory, 44 Boundary St., Waynesville.

• Haywood Community College Blood Drive, 3 to 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 112 Industrial Park Drive, Waynesville. 800.733.2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org, keyword: HCC.

$10 per booth, 456.9207 or email oldarmory@townofwaynesville.org.

Swain

• WCU Open House, Saturday, Feb. 15, Western Carolina University. 227.7317.

• National Entrepreneurship Week, Feb. 17-21, at Haywood Community College, Clyde. www.haywood.edu/news.

• Ribbon Cutting for Maggie’s Galley new location, 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1374 Sulfur Springs Road, Waynesville.

• Haywood County Tourism Development Authority marketing committee meeting, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, Conference Room, First Citizens Bank, Waynesville.

• “Business Networking in Waynesville,” 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, The Gateway Club, 37 Church St., Waynesville. 367.0488.

• Elected Officials Reception, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20, Laurel Ridge Country Club. Sponsored

by Haywood Chamber. 456.3021, mtinsley@haywoodchamber.com, www.haywoodchamber.com.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • Valentine’s Day Dinner, 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 14, First Baptist Church, Sylva. Childcare provided. $5 minimum donation accepted. Benefit for church’s upcoming mission trip to Washington D.C. www.fbcsylva.org.

• Waldroop Family Benefit, 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, South Macon Elementary School. Hamburger and hot dog dinner with fixings, silent auction, raffle items, kids games, cake auctions and a live DJ.

• Harrah’s Casino Cherokee Blood Drive, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee.

800.733.2767 or log onto www.redcrossblood.org, keyword: Harrahs • Cherokee Indian Hospital Blood Drives, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 268 Hospital Road, Cherokee. Sally Penick, 497.9163 ext. 6498 to schedule an appointment.

HEALTH MATTERS • Free blood pressure screenings at fred’s Pharmacy during February, American Heath Month. For each screening, fred’s will donate $1 to the American Heart Association, up to $50,000.

• Screening breast thermograms, Friday, Feb. 14, Dogwood Wellness, 114 W. Hemlock St., Dillsboro.

Appointments at 586.6262.

• “Stressed out bodies: Creating your healthy self,” with naturopath Michelle Sanderbeck, 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, auditorium, Haywood County Public Library, Waynesville. 356.2507.

RECREATION & FITNESS • Women’s Volleyball League registration through Feb. 14. $175 per team. League play will be held Tuesday nights beginning March 4, at Jackson County Center in Cullowhee. 293.3053, rec.jacksonnc.org.

• Discover the Heart of Yoga, 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Meeting Room, Macon County Public Library,

Franklin. Free and open to all levels. Robin Callahan.

524.3600.

• Spring soccer registration, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 1728 and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Jackson County Recreation Department. Must be at least 5 years old by Aug. 1 to participate. 293.3053 or jonathanparsons@jacksonnc.org.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Nature Nuts: Fred the Fish – 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 and Monday, Feb. 24, for ages 4 to 7. Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. Register at 877.4423 or www.ncwildlife.org.

• Eco Explorers: Fly-Tying – 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 and Monday, Feb. 24, for ages 8 to 13. Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. Register at 877.4423 or www.ncwildlife.org.

• “Frog Love in the Pink Beds,” 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, Cradle of Forestry Forest Discovery Center, Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, on N.C. Highway 276. Guided walk to find frog habitats near the Center and along a portion of the Pink Beds Trail. Free, but donations welcome. www.cradleofforestry.com.

• Mosaics and More, free art program, 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 21, Room 150, John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, Western Carolina University.

Children ages 6 and older. Donations appreciated.

Register at 506.5748, etapley@wcu.edu.

• 7th annual Father-Daughter Dance, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, Christian Learning Center of the First United Methodist Church of Sylva. Margaret Agee, 452-.820. $30 per couple, $5 for each additional daughter.

• Registration begins Feb. 17 for high performance volleyball clinics, March 20-May 15, Recreation Center in Cullowhee. For girls in 5th - 8th grades. $50.

Science & Nature • Celestial Valentine Event, 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, Pisgah National Forest. Reservations required; accepted until 3 p.m. day of the event. $20 per adult, $15 for seniors/military and $10 for children under 14.

Register and pay online at www.pari.edu or call 862.5554.

Literary (children) • Homework Help, 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Write On!. Children’s creative writing group, 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 12, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Culture Club: Egypt, 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, Macon County Public Library, Franklin.

• Mary Ann’s Book Club, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, Macon County Public Library, Franklin.

• Lego Club, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Macon County Public Library, Franklin.

• Valentine’s Workshop for Teens, 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, Haywood County Library, Canton. Katy Punch at kpunch@haywoodnc.net or 648.2924.

• New Tween Club, 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Haywood County Library, Canton. For children in grades 4-7. Katy Punch at kpunch@haywoodnc.net or 648.2924.

• Kids Valentine’s Day craft, 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Haywood County Public Library, Waynesville. Snack provided. 356.2511

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 • Children’s Story time: Be My Valentine, 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time: Pinkalicious, 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time: Rotary Readers, 11 a.m.

Monday, Feb. 17, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Homework Help, 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, JCPL. 586.2016.

POLITICAL GROUP EVENTS & LOCAL GOVERNMENT Dems • Jackson County Democratic Executive Committee meeting, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, Democratic Headquarters, 500 Mill St., Sylva.

GOP • Macon GOP Executive Board meeting, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb.13, Community Building, Hwy 441 in Franklin.

SUPPORT GROUPS • Macon County Cancer Support Group, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 13, cafeteria of Angel Medical Center, Riverview Street, Franklin.

A&E FESTIVALS, SPECIAL & SEASONAL EVENTS • PEANUTS™ The Valentine Express and Sweetheart Train, 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, historic Bryson City depot. 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

• Jackson County Genealogical Society program, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 13, Community Room, Historic Jackson County Courthouse, featuring bluegrass, gospel and traditional mountain music with Jessie Stephens, Jacob Jones & Friends. 631.2646.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • Bennie Anderson and The Drifters, with The Sock Hops, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Tickets, $15.

GreatMountainMusic.com or 866.273.4615.

• Homework Help, 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, JCPL. 586.2016.

• REO Speedwagon, 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center, 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee.

Must be 21 years old or older. Tickets start at $75. www.Ticketmaster.com.

• Children’s Story time: Valentine Mice, 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14, JCPL. 586.2016.

• WCU Wind Ensemble, 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, WCU. 227.7242.

• Western regional All-District Band rehearsals and performances, Feb. 14-15, Western Carolina University. Hosted by WCU’s School of Music and director of bands, John West. Clinic involves more than 350 middle and high school students. WCU School of Music, 227.7242.

• “A Doll’s House,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12-15 and at 3 p.m. Feb. 16, Hoey Auditorium, Western Carolina University. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and WCU faculty and staff, and $7 in advance and $10 the day of the show for students. www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479.

• Sunday Concert Series, with Piano Performance Team, 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, Haywood County Public Library, Waynesville. Free. 550.6190.

• Sunday Concert Series, with One Leg Up, 3 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 16, Haywood County Public Library, Canton. “Hot club” jazz trio. Free. 550.6190.

• Balaton Chamber Brass, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 18, recital hall of WCU’s Coulter Building, with a reception in the lobby immediately following the performance. 227.7242.

LITERARY (ADULTS) • The Write Ones, adult writing group, 6 p.m.

Thursday Feb. 13, Jackson County Public Library, Sylva. 586.2016.

• Date Night: Wine, Chocolate and Books, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14, City Lights Bookstore, Sylva. Martha Ezzard will talk about her vineyard and offer chocolate and wine samples for tasting. 586.9499.

• Coffee with the Poet Series, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, City Lights Bookstore, featuring Samuel Fox, 2014 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Collegiate Poet for Western Carolina. 586.9499.

NIGHT LIFE • Pianist/singer Sheila Gordon, Friday, Feb. 14 and jazz singer Eve Haslam, Saturday, Feb. 15 (ticketed event), The Classic Wineseller, Waynesville. 452.6000.

• The Mixx, 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, Frog Level Brewing, Waynesville, and at 10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, Alley Kats Tavern, Waynesville.

• The J&D Jazz Project, 7 p.m. Feb. 14, Tipping Point Brewing. Waynesville. Free. 246.9230.

MUSIC JAMS • “Picking in the Armory,” 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, Canton Armory, featuring Hearth of the South, and the Dixie Darlings and Mountain Traditions cloggers. Food, refreshments at 5:30 p.m.

• Ballroom dance, 8 to 10:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21, Angie’s Dance Academy, 115 Glance St., Clyde. Live Ballroom Music presented by Paul Indelicato. $10.

Ronnie, 734.8726 or Shirley, 734.8063.

FOOD & DRINK • Fundraising Brunch, Saturday, Feb. 15, Jackson County Farmers Market at The Community Table, 23 Central St., Sylva. Potato leek soup and biscuits courtesy of vendors Kathy and Keith Cirka, owners of Backwoods Bakery and Cakeworks. www.jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org.

ART/GALLERY EVENTS & OPENINGS • North Carolina potter Mark Hewitt, ceramics demonstrations, 9:30 a.m. to noon, in Room 151 and artist’s talk, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Room 130, Thursday, Feb. 13, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University. jbyrd@wcu.edu, 226.3595.

• Reception for local artist Lizzy Falcon, 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Macon County Public Library, Franklin. lizzyfalconart.com.

• Coffee and Chocolate Reception and Gallery talk for print maker and book artist Matt Liddle, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Rotunda Gallery in the Historic Courthouse, Jackson County Library Complex. Liddle’s exhibit, Selected Prints, will show through March 6.

• Pottery from the private collection of Joan Byrd and George Rector on display Feb. 17 through May 9, Fine Art Museum, Western Carolina University. Artist’s talk and reception, 5 p.m. Thursday, March 20. 227.3591.

• Works by pet artists Janice Swanger and James Smythe exhibited through February at The Mahogany House Art Gallery and Studios gallery, 240 Depot St., historic Frog Level, Waynesville. 246.0818.

CLASSES, PROGRAMS & DEMONSTRATIONS

• Tom House, Tomi Lunsford and Tommy Goldsmith, Songwriters in the Round series, 6 p.m. Feb. 15, Balsam Mountain Inn. $45 per person. www.balsammountaininn.net.

• Artist Sylvia Hirschhegger will demonstrate her painting from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Gallery 86, 86 N. Main St., Waynesville. 452.0593, info@haywoodarts.org.

• Carolina Dusk, Feb. 14; Quiet Lion, Feb. 15; Liz & A.J. Nance, Feb. 21; and Eric Hendrix & Friends, Feb. 22, City Lights Café, Sylva. www.citylightscafe.com.

• Claymates Pottery fundraisers: Feb. 19-20, 30 percent of sales to Catman2 of Cullowhee; Feb. 27-28, 30 percent of sales to Cullowhee United Methodist Church. 31 Front St., Dillsboro,631.3133, www.claymatespottery.com.

• 9 p.m. shows at the No Name Sports Pub, Sylva: The

• New horror movie, 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, Meeting Room, Macon County Public Library, Franklin. Rated R. 524.3600.

FILM & SCREEN • New Lens Film Series, “Summer of Love,” a look at the 1960s counterculture movement from the PBS program “American Experience,” 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, A.K. Hinds University Center, Western Carolina University. Free. 227.3839 or mchamber@wcu.edu.

Outdoors OUTINGS, HIKES & FIELDTRIPS • Wilderness hike, 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, Tallulah River Trailhead to Deep Gap and back. Five miles, moderate to strenuous. Meet at 9 a.m. at Westgate Plaza in Franklin to carpool. Leaders, Bill and Sharon Van Horn, 369.1983 for reservations. www.nantahalahikingclub.org or www.southeastwilderness50.org.

• Franklin Bird Club meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, Macon County Public Library. Program, “Learning to Watch Birds” by Larry Thompson, former southeast regional vice president of the National Audubon Society.

PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS • Climbing Mount Whitney with Jim Pader presentation, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, REI Asheville.

Register at www.rei.com/event/55549/session/85810.

• Casting: Level I –10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, for ages 12 and up, Lake Imaging in DuPont State Recreational Forest. Bring lunch. Register, 877.4423 • Wild South invites nominations for its Sixth Annual Roosevelt-Ashe Conservation Awards. Deadline for nominations is midnight Feb. 14. For more information, visit www.wildsouth.org.

• N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission public meeting for input in developing management plans for the Needmore game land in Macon and Swain counties, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Tartan Hall, First Presbyterian Church, 26 Church St., Franklin. www.ncwildlife.org.

• “Jewels From the Sky,” 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Sugarlands Visitor Center Training Room near Gatlinburg. Program on snow crystals presented by Kris Light. Register by Feb. 20. SmokiesInformation.org or call 888.898.9102, ext. 325, 222 or 254.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • MedWest Haywood Health & Fitness Center indoor triathlon, 8 a.m. Feb. 15 and March 15. Enter one or both races. Times will be totaled. MedWest Haywood Health & Fitness Center, 452.8080. MedWestHealth.org.

FARM & GARDEN • “Getting your soil ready for planting,” 2 to 3 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 17, auditorium, Haywood County Public Library, Waynesville, with master gardener Jim Janke.

356.2507.

• Macon County 4-H Spring Plant Sale, orders taken through Thursday, Feb. 20. Proceeds to Macon County 4-H. Fruit trees, plants. 349.2046.

• Business of Farming Conference, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. 20 workshops. $60, with a discount for multiple farm registrants. Register at www.asapconnections.org/conference.

Wedding Show JOIN US

MARCH 22, 2014 10 A.M.-3 P.M. FOR OUR FIRST

WEDDING SHOW AT THE MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB AND RESORT.

Sample food, view wedding videos, compare styles of photographers, florists, cake designers, wedding gowns, tuxedos, caterers and DJs. Also explore honeymoon destinations and check out cosmetics and jewelry.

828.926.4848 MaggieValleyClub.com

We are currently accepting vendors for the Wedding Show

Smoky Mountain News

• 3rd annual Valentines Wine and Dine, 6 to 8 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14, Claymates Pottery, 31 Front St., Dillsboro. Reservations required, 631.3133. www.claymatespottery.com.

• ‘Round the Fire, 7 p.m. Feb. 15; funk jam, 8 p.m. every Monday; and Cruso bluegrass jam, 7 p.m. every Tuesday, BearWaters Brewing Company, Waynesville.

246.0602.

• Family movie, 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, Marianna Black Library, Bryson City. Free. Featuring familyfriendly Monsters.

DANCE

• St. Valentine’s Day Tasting, 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 14, Papou’s Wine Shop, Sylva. Live music by pianist Jacob Crabtree. Tickets are $10 per person. Age 21 and older. www.papouswineshop.com.

• The Mixx, 8 p.m. Feb. 20; Twisted Trail, 9 p.m. Feb. 15 and Feb. 22; open mic every Monday; bluegrass jam every Tuesday, and DJ KO, 9 p.m. Feb. 21, Alley Kats Tavern, Waynesville. 828.226.7073.

• “Girl Rising,” a feature film inspired by the true stories of nine girls from nine countries, will be screened at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at the A.K. Hinds University Center theater at Western Carolina University. Narrated by movie stars including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez. Free. sacarter@wcu.edu or jwhitmire@wcu.edu.

February 12-18, 2014

• Pete Seeger tribute, 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, City Lights Bookstore, with local musician and storyteller Lee Knight. 586.9499.

Wilhelm Brothers, Feb. 13; Darren & The Buttered Toast, Feb. 14; PMA, Feb. 15; Morgan O’Kane, Feb. 18; Dylan Riddle, Feb. 20; Rachel Brooke, Feb. 21; and Natty Love Joys, Feb. 22. Free. www.nonamesportspub.com.

wnc calendar

• Frozen, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15 and 3 p.m. Feb. 16, Feichter Studio at Haywood Regional Arts Theatre, 250 Pigeon St., Waynesville. Frozen tells the story of the disappearance of a 10-year-old girl, Rhona. 456.6322, www.harttheatre.com. Hold over/snow dates: Feb. 2123.

Spaces are filling up rapidly and now is the time to secure your space. Contact Brenna Moore at (828) 926-4848 or Caitlin Noland at (828) 926-4831 for inquiries.

227-24

33

PRIME REAL ESTATE

INSIDE

Advertise in The Smoky Mountain News

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.

Rates: ■ Free — Residential yard sale ads, lost or found pet ads.

■ Free — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $12 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2.

■ $12 — 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.

■ $35 — 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

AUCTION

2 NEW LIVING ESTATES Fri. & Sat. from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Lots of Good Furniture, Home Decor, Art, Tons of Great Antiques, Everything Under the Sun! We are Frog Pond Downsizing Located at 255 Depot St., Waynesville. Look for the Frog on the Brick Building and You’ve Found Treasures & Bargains from the Origianl Estate Sale Company!

HARPER’S AUCTION COMPANY Antiques • Households • Collectibles • We Are Always Accepting Quality Consignments. Let Us Help You With Your Auction Needs.

We Even Come to You, Just Call for an Appointment.

47 Macon Center Dr. Franklin, NC 828.369.6999, Debra Harper NCAL# 9659 NCFL# 9671

REACH READERS ACROSS North Carolina for only $330. Run your 25-word classified line ad in 99 newspapers with one call to this newspaper or call NCPS 919.789.2083.

ARTS & CRAFTS 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

Classified Advertising: Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 | classads@smokymountainnews.com

AUCTION DECOYS, HUNTING MEMORABILIA Auction- Roy Willis Lifetime Collection - February 21st & 22nd. Core Sound Museum, Harkers Island.

ONLINE BIDDING, Antique & handcarved decoys, hunting-sporting & rare coastal memorabilia. www.HouseAuctionCompany.com.

252.729.1162, NCAL#7889

WAYNESVILLE TIRE, COO

Serving Haywood, Jackson & Surrounding Counties

MAJOR-BRAND TIRES FOR CARS, LIGHT & MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCKS, AND FARM TIRES.

Service truck available for on-site repairs 227-13

MON-FRI 7:30-5:00 • WAYNESVILLE PLAZA

828-456-5387

TAX SEIZURE AUCTION Saturday, February 22 @ 10am.

201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC. (East of Charlotte) Selling Vehicles, Road Tractors, Pickups, Motorcycles, Mechanic's Shop Equipment, 2007 Chevy Suburban, 25,000 miles! for NC Department of Unpaid Taxes. 704.791.8825 ncaf5479. ClassicAuctions.com

At Dodie’s Auction, 482 W. Main St, Sylva Saturday, Feb. 15th, 4:00 p.m.

Offering:

LEE & PATTY ENSLEY, OWNERS

ONLINE ONLY AUCTION W/ Bid Center, Custom Home & Lot Located in Pinehurst, NC, 2/28 at 8am to 3/7 at 3pm. Bid Center On Site, Iron Horse Auction Co., Inc., 800.997.2248. NCAL3936. www.ironhorseauction.com.

See Website for Details

SWEET HEART OF A SALE

R

DI

SC OV ER E

R

ATR

PE

INC.

CARWILE AUCTIONS INC. Saturdays, February 22 & March 1.

Construction-Farm-Shop Equipment. Antiques-Personal Property.

Charlotte-Nottoway Co., VA. www.carwileauctions.com info@carwileauctions.com or 434.547.9100 (VAAR392)

Features: Residuals From 2 Estates. Eugene Vosecky of Cullowhee, Deceased; Irene & Neval Simonds of Bryson City, Deceased; Plus Many Items from Anita Burns, Deceased & Helen Ramsey Stoval, Both of Jackson County.

We are Dusting & Cleaning the Entire Auction House!

Auctioneer: Dodie Allen Blaschik NCAL# 3410 Tel: 828.226.3921 or 828.735.4790 Preview: Sat. 11 - 4 pm - Snack Bar Open If You Miss This Auction, You Might Regret it!

The Sale with the Woman’s Touch! www.dodiesales.com

BUILDING MATERIALS HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING 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 SULLIVAN HARDWOOD FLOORS Installation- Finish - Refinish 828.399.1847.

AUTO PARTS DDI BUMPERS ETC. Quality on the Spot Repair & Painting. Don Hendershot 858.646.0871 cell 828.452.4569 office.

CARS - DOMESTIC DONATE YOUR CAR Fast Free Towing 24 hr. Response Tax Deduction United Breast Cancer Foundation Providing Free Mammograms & Breast Cancer Info888.759.9782. SAPA DONATE YOUR CAR Fast Free Towing. 24 hr. Response.

Tax Deduction. United Breast Cancer Foundation, Providing Free Mammograms & Breast Cancer Info 855.733.5472 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

CARS - DOMESTIC

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES BE YOUR OWN BOSS! Own a Yogurt, Dollar, Mailbox, Party, Teen, Clothing or Fitness Store.

Worldwide, 100% Financing, OAC. From $55,900 Turnkey!

800.385.2160 www.drss3.com EXCITING NEW, LOW COST, Home Based Service Franchise.

Be your own boss & “WOW” your customers with our easy to learn Tile & Grout rejuvenation services.

Call: 1.800.401.9597 Visit: TheGroutGeeks.com SAPA PROFITABLE NORTH CAROLINA Businesses For sale by owners.

Many types, sizes, locations, terms. $25k to $15M. Other states available. www.BizSale.com Call 1.800.617.4204

NEW PAY-FOR-EXPERIENCE Program pays up to $0.41/mile.

Class-A Professional Drivers Call 866.291.2631 for more details or visit: SuperServiceLLC.com

EMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE SPECIALIST Part-time, 20-25 hours/week.

Sought for Environmental Nonprofit (Balsam Mountain Trust).

Email: mskinner@bmtrust.org for a complete job description.

AIRLINE CAREERS BEGIN HERE Get FAA Approved Maintenance Training Financial Aid For Qualified Students - Housing Available Job Placement Assistance. Call Aviation Institute Of Maintenance 1.866.724.5403 WWW.FIXJETS.COM. SAPA ATTN: DRIVERS Top 1% Pay & CSA Friendly Equip.

Full Benefits + Quality Hometime.

No slip seating - Take truck home.

CDL-A Req. 877.258.8782. www.ad-drivers.com DRIVERS: OTR & Regional, Home Weekly/Bi Weekly Guaranteed! Paid Weekly + Monthly Bonuses, 90% No Touch/ 70% Drop & Hook, Paid Loaded & Empy/Rider Program BC/BS, Rx, Dental, Vision, 401K etc...

877.704.3773.

FIVE NURSE POSITIONS Southwestern Child Development Commission, Inc., a private nonprofit agency, is accepting applications to work with Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) Project. The NFP Project is an evidence-based home visitation program for first time parents. Positions will serve Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

• One (1) Nurse Supervisor.

MSN preferred. Desired experience includes: work in public/community health, home visitation, provision of maternal/ child health services, program management, one on one supervision and work with diverse populations.

• Four (4) Nurse Home Visitor positions. BSN required. Two years of recent experience in maternal/child health, public health, or mental/behavioral nursing and experience in home visitation are preferred.

All positions require current NC RN license in good standing and current CPR. Excellent verbal and written communication skills & basic computer skills required. Applicant must have a current NC Drivers License & insured vehicle available for work. Must be able to work flexible schedule including some evenings & weekends. Must be able to travel in area & out of state for education sessions.

Qualified bilingual (Spanish) candidates are needed. Competitive wages and full benefit package available. To apply, submit a NC State Application for Employment to the Human Resources Department, Southwestern Child Development Commission, Inc. PO Box 250 Webster, NC 28788.

Applications accepted until the positions filled.

EOE.

CHLOE IS SUCH A NICE GIRL, ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD, VERY FRIENDLY AND CUDDLY. SHE HAS BEAUTIFUL GREY AND WHITE MARKINGS AND WITH HER WONDERFUL PERSONALITY SHE'S A REAL TREASURE!

HARPER JUST TRY TO RESIST THIS FACE!! HARPER IS AN ADORABLE 2 MONTH OLD GOLDEN RETRIEVER/ AMERICAN BULLDOG MIX. WE JUST LOVE THIS LITTLE GUY!

HIGHLANDS-CASHIERS HOSPITAL Positions now available: ER and Med/Surg Registered Nurses, Radiologic Technologist, Medical Records Manager, Inpatient Coder, and Activities Assistant.

Benefits available the first of the month following 60 days of full-time employment. PreEmployment screening required.

Call Human Resources.

828.526.1376, or apply online at: www.highlandscashiershospital. org

HOME WEEKENDS. $1,000 sign on bonus. Regional flatbed. No tarp freight. Excellent pay and benefits. Owner/Ops welcome. Call 800.554.5661, ext. 331. www.tlxtransport.jobs IN YOUR EAR MUSIC EMPORIUM Local Independent Music Store is hiring ENTHUSIASTIC self-motivated individuals to complete a unique team. Must be able to multi-task and work under pressure. Must be proficient on a computer. Retail experience and guitar/instrument knowledge beneficial. Please apply in person Main St., Sylva.

MULT-LEVEL NON-PROFIT Seeking individual with a disability to assist people with disabilities in setting and reaching goals to live more independently.

Must have outgoing personality, ability to work independently and ability to interact with local, state and federal agencies. Work experience and level of education will be considered. Applications available at DisAbility Partners, 525 Mineral Springs Drive, Sylva, NC 28779. Or on our website: disabilitypartners.org NEED MEDICAL OFFICE TRAINEES! Become a Medical Office Assistant at CTI! No Experienced Needed!

Online Training gets you job ready!

HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. Careertechnical.edu/nc.

1.888.512.7122 NEW PAY-FOR-EXPERIENCE Program pays up to $0.41/mile.

Class-A Professional Drivers Call 866.291.2631 for more details or visit SuperServiceLLC.com NURSING CAREERS Begin Here - Get trained in months, not years. Small classes, no waiting list. Financial aid for qualified students. Apply now at Centura College 888.893.3477 OPEN DECK High Mileage Expedited Fleet.

Clean, predictable freight. Heavy Haul and Specialized also available. Company Trailers AT NO COST. Details at www.dailyrecruiting.com or 1.800.669.6414 OWNER OPERATORS CDL-A Up to $200,000 a year. Out 2 weeks. Home as many days as needed. Lease Purchase Available.

Sign on Bonus. 855.803.2846 TANKER & FLATBED COMPANY. Drivers/Independent Contractors!

Immediate Placement Available.

Best Opportunities in the Trucking Business. Call Today 800.277.0212 or www.driveforprime.com TOP 1% PAY & CSA Friendly Equip $$$ Up to 50 cpm $$$ Full Benefits + Pet & Rider CDL-A required. 1.888.592.4752. www.ad-drivers.com SAPA

Your Local Big Green Egg Dealer

BEST PRICE EVERYDAY

227-10

10-5 M-SAT. 12-4 SUN.

ON DELLWOOD RD. (HWY. 19) AT 20 SWANGER LANE WAYNESVILLE/MAGGIE VALLEY 828.926.8778

Ann knows real estate!

Ann Eavenson CRS, GRI, E-PRO

ann@mainstreetrealty.net

506-0542 CELL 227-18

101 South Main St. Waynesville

MainStreet Realty

(828) 452-2227

smokymountainnews.com

HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR TRAINING! Bulldozers, Backhoes, Excavators. 3 Week Hands On Program. Local Job Placement Assistance. National Certifications.

GI Benefits Eligible.

1.866.362.6497

227-42

EMPLOYMENT

February 12-18, 2014

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

NEED EXTRA MONEY? Want to Lose Weight and Improve Your Health? Now You Can! Checks Are Cut Weekly! Call For Samples While Supplies Last: 1.205.538.3803 SAPA

EMPLOYMENT

WNC MarketPlace

DONATE YOUR CAR, Truck or Boat to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. 800.337.9038.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

mainstreetrealty.net

find us at: facebook.com/smnews 35

WNC MarketPlace

FINANCIAL

FINANCIAL

FINANCIAL

SIGNATURE FINANCIAL PAYS CASH For Owner Financed (private) Mortgage Notes on Residential and Commercial Properties. Convert Your Monthly Payment in to CASH NOW! Call Today! 1.727.232.2442 - Florida All Others 1.855.844.8771 SAPA

$$$ACCESS LAWSUIT CASH NOW!!

Injury Lawsuit Dragging? Need fast $500-$500,000? Rates as low as 1/2% month. Call Now! 1.800.568.8321. www.lawcapital.com Not valid in North Carolina SAPA

PETS

BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

SAPA

FURNITURE PETS

COMPARE QUALITY & PRICE Shop Tupelo’s, 828.926.8778.

HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.725.2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

HAYWOOD BEDDING, INC. The best bedding at the best price!

533 Hazelwood Ave. Waynesville 828.456.4240 ELLIPTICAL TRAINER Almost New, $100. For more info call 828.648.6594.

Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400 OFFICE HOURS: Tues. & Wed. 10:00am - 5:00pm & Thurs. 10:00am- 12:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

FREE TO GOOD HOME 2 Female Chow puppies. Several Chihuahua puppies. Local, not a scam. Serious inquiries only.

For more info call 828.497.5366.

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

LAWN AND GARDEN 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

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT 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. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT 20 ACRES Only $119/month, $0 Down, Owner Financing, No Credit Checks! Near El Paso, Texas. Beautiful Mountain Views! Money Back Guarantee.

1.866.882.5263 Extension 81. www.SunsetRanches.net. SAPA AUCTION - VILAS, NC Sat. Feb. 22nd. 3-Level Home on 20+/-Acres. Adjoining 30+/-acre tract. Main level 1620+/- sq ft.; granite; cherry cabinets; Jacuzzi. www.RogersAuctionGroup.com 800.442.7906 NCAL#685 BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor shamrock13@charter.net McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

LOTS FOR SALE 2.819 ACRE TRACT Building Lot in great location.

Build your 2nd home log cabin here. Large 2-story building near HCC, was a Work Shop.

Reduced - Reduced $64,750 Call 828.627.2342.

219-32

www.smokymountainnews.com

February 12-18, 2014

Great Smokies Storage

36

10’x20’

92

$

20’x20’

160

$

ONE MONTH

FREE WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

828.506.4112 or 828.507.8828 Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

Puzzles can be found on page 38.

These are only the answers.

COMM. PROP. FOR SALE

VACATION RENTALS FLORIDA DISNEY Area Hotels, Suites & Condo’s As Low As $39.00 per night! Call 1.855.303.5528 Promo Code: SAPA. FOR SALE CHEAP Lifetime Ownership in Travel Resorts Camping Club with 1-2-3 Bedroom Cabins. 7 locations available to owners. Contact Gordon Wells 828.758.5722.

OCEAN ISLE BEACH, North Carolina's #1 Family Vacation Spot! Minutes from Myrtle Beach. Reserve your Vacation Today! www.CookeRealty.com or call 1.800.NCBEACH.

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT

MEDICAL

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6HDUFK IRU 3URSHUW\ 2QOLQH

6HDUFK WKH 0/6 DW VKDPURFN FRP 6DYH \RXU VHDUFK FULWHULD DQG UHFHLYH DXWRPDWLF XSGDWHV ZKHQ QHZ OLVWLQJV FRPH RQ WKH PDUNHW

FOR SALE 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.

ELLIPTICAL TRAINER Almost New, $100. For more info call 828.648.6594.

EXTENSION LADDER Extends over 20 feet, $75. For more info call 828.648.6594.

WRAP UP YOUR Holiday Shopping with 100 percent guaranteed, delivered-to-the-door Omaha Steaks! SAVE 67 PERCENT - PLUS 4 FREE Burgers - Many Gourmet Favorites ONLY $49.99.ORDER Today 1.800.715.2010 Use code “4937 CFW�, OmahaSteaks.com/holiday33

Beverly Hanks & Associates — beverly-hanks.com • • • • • • •

227-19

MOUNTAIN REALTY

Mieko

Thomson

Haywood Properties — haywoodproperties.com

mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com www.ncsmokies.com www.ncsmokies.com

2177 Russ Avenue Waynesville NC 28786

• Steve Cox — info@haywoodproperties.com

Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • Rob Roland — robrolandrealty.com • Ron Kwiatkowski — ronk.kwrealty.com

Fred Alter

Mountain Home Properties — mountaindream.com

ph. 828-564-1260 fred.alter@sothebysrealty.com

• Sammie Powell — smokiesproperty.com

Asheville | Waynesville | Naples

Main Street Realty — mainstreetrealty.net McGovern Real Estate & Property Management • Bruce McGovern — shamrock13.com

2992 MEMORIAL HWY., PO BOX 225 • LAKE LURE NC

www.PinnacleSIR.com

Preferred Properties 227-26\

227-04

PERSONAL A UNIQUE ADOPTIONS, Let Us Help! Personalized Adoption Plans. Financial Assistance, Housing, Relocation And More. Giving The Gift Of Life? You Deserve The Best. Call Us First!

1.888.637.8200. 24 hour HOTLINE. SAPA

VIAGRA 100mg and CIALIS 20mg!

40 Pills + 4 FREE for only $99. #1 Male Enhancement, Discreet Shipping. Save $500! Buy The Blue Pill! Now 1.800.491.8751 SAPA

MEET SINGLES RIGHT NOW! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now 1.888.909.9978. SAPA

• George Escaravage — gke333@gmail.com

Prudential Lifestyle Realty — vistasofwestfield.com Realty World Heritage Realty realtyworldheritage.com • Carolyn Lauter realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7766/

• Thomas & Christine Mallette

Full Service Property Management 828-456-6111 www.selecthomeswnc.com Residential and Commercial Long-Term Rentals

realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7767/

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty • • • • • • • • •

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com Brian K. Noland — brianknoland.com Connie Dennis — remax-maggievalleync.com Mark Stevens — remax-waynesvillenc.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

CANADA DRUG CENTER Is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90 percent on all your medication needs. Call Today 1.800.265.0768 for $25.00 off your first prescription and free shipping. SAPA

Michelle McElroy — beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig — beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey — beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither — esither@beverly-hanks.com Jerry Smith — beverly-hanks.com Billie Green — bgreen@beverly-hanks.com Pam Braun — pambraun@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty — sunburstrealty.com

ROKER/R /REALTOR EALTORÂŽÂŽ BBROKER

Cell (828) 226-2298 Cell

WANTED TO BUY CASH FOR UNEXPIRED Diabetic Test Strips! Free Shipping, Friendly Service, BEST prices and 24 hour payment! Call Mandy at 1.855.578.7477, or visit www.TestStripSearch.com Espanol 1.888.440.4001 SAPA

Haywood County Real Estate Agents

February 12-18, 2014

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.

%UXFH 0F*RYHUQ WNC MarketPlace

IN FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA Convenient Location. Two Buildings, Approx. 5,000 sq. ft. of Storage and Offices. 17 Roll-up Doors. A Four Room Office with Bathroom; A Two Room Office with Bathroom Plus Shower; One Large Office with Bathroom.

Ideal for Small Businesses (Plumbing, Electrical, AC/Heat, Salesroom, Etc.) Owners Motivated. 828.342.3170.

MEDICAL MEDICAL GUARDIAN Top-rated medical alarm and 24/7 medical alert monitoring. For a limited time, get free equipment, no activation fees, no commitment, a 2nd waterproof alert button for free and more - only $29.95 per month. 800.983.4906 SAPA

The Seller’s Agency — listwithphil.com • Phil Ferguson — philferguson@bellsouth.net 227-27

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE

828.452.4251 | ads@smokymountainnews.com 37

Super

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2014

MOUNTAIN OPENINGS

38

CROSSWORD

large white flowers 66 Like charged atoms ACROSS 68 Ovine mother 1 “Sorry, I goofed” 69 Author Bret 6 Take a shot at 70 Exterior car adorners 13 __ Vineyard (island 75 Store (up) south of Cape Cod) 76 Toward a boat’s stern 20 “Guitar Town” singer 79 - kick (football Steve action) 21 Italian wine 80 Cheer yells 22 So-so 81 Jurists’ gp.

23 Venue for American 83 Rural tower art in Manhattan 84 Hawked anew 25 Hyperactivity med85 Crusty treat ication 86 Some crisp red fruits 26 Mauna - (volcano in 89 Swirly marble Hawaii) 90 Fellini of film 27 Walk- - (minor roles) 92 Knocks it off 28 Mazda car 93 Sad notice in the 30 Young horse paper 31 Mozart work 95 With 124-Across, 33 California city south yonder of Monterey 96 Stuff making a big 38 Pep bang 39 Miracle Mets mem97 Mom on “Rhoda” ber Tommie 103 Puts in office by 40 German for “three” ballot 41 Given a makeover 107 Nothin’ at all 44 Air passage of the 108 Tax cheat’s dread lung 109 - Lanka 47 Loafs about 110 Hee- 52 Shakable liquid-filled 111 Carrier to Muscat souvenirs 113 Ensure a person’s 54 - Kim (rapper) ruin 55 - rasa 119 Enormous 56 Competes (for) 120 Wrap around 57 Dark deli bread 121 Sprayed, as a side58 Place to vote walk 59 Tehran inhabitants 122 Renters 60 Hdqrs. of law 123 Substance in chemenforcers ical analysis 61 Ontario’s capital, on 124 See 95-Across a sports ticker 63 Garden plants with DOWN

1 Whimpers 2 Boorish sort 3 The Beach Boys’ Wilson 4 Flier’s stat 5 Standing for 6 Brenneman and Tan 7 Highland hat 8 Capote, to his pals 9 Curve in a driving exam 10 West in film 11 Long feather 12 Language of India 13 Epitomes of self-sacrifice 14 Fly a jet, say 15 Like many sr. citizens 16 Faint residue 17 Saintly glows 18 Quick-footed 19 - message to (got in touch with) 24 Nail varnish 29 King of Saudi Arabia 32 Affirms 33 Taxi driver 34 Matches up 35 Vintage Olds cars 36 Grown-up boys 37 Intense mirth 41 Abbr. on an invitation 42 City NNW of Oklahoma City 43 Bucks’ partners 45 Place to hang apparel 46 Sword part 48 Humiliate 49 New Mexico tribe 50 Nobelist Wiesel 51 Back-talk 53 Utah senator Hatch 55 Pontifical crown

58 Puts in hock 61 “So long!”

62 “No Turn -” (traffic sign) 64 Sneaky laugh 65 - Lama 66 Bozo 67 Having a rug 70 Joyous Israeli dance 71 Certain blood type, briefly 72 Greek peak 73 Motel employee 74 Cup holder 76 Feels sickly 77 Skip town 78 Pitch 82 Borg of tennis 83 Large influx 86 Smallish bill 87 One- - (short plays) 88 Illuminator in a shirt pocket, perhaps 90 Puzzles (out) 91 Spoil, as food 94 Brown in fat 97 How fries are fried 98 Jean-Claude Van 99 Singer Edie 100 Lion features 101 Less mean 102 Plum center 104 Picked out 105 Zapping gun 106 82-Down, by birth 109 Back-to-school mo.

112 Ending for prop- or hex114 Fertilized cells 115 Tavern barrel 116 Corrida cheer 117 NCO part 118 “Nice one!”

answers on page 36

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Answers on Page 36

Remembering the glory of sports radio

L

George Ellison

et’s talk some sports radio. I began thinking about this piece the afternoon before the Super Bowl. The Panthers were out of it … but I still listened.

I’d listen to the play-by-play of a ping-pong match, so long as it’s broadcast on the radio.

We don’t have a TV. I do have six radios.

Two are in my vehicle: the AM-FM regular receiver, and a Sirius XM satellite hookup. There are three Sirius XM hookups located, respectively, in the kitchen, my office and the bedroom.

Columnist That way I won’t miss a play if I have to change rooms when Tar Heel football or basketball are on the air. (I probably need one in the bathroom, too.) And just in case the satellite crashes or an ice storm trashes the power lines, I can pull out Old Faithful: my CC Radio Plus battery-powered DX model receiver with a TV Band Weather Alert system.

If the Tar Heels aren’t playing, I can crank up as many as four football games at any given moment. That way, I can walk from room to room and out to the car and back, listening to Clemson-USC in the kitchen; Tennessee-Vanderbilt in my office;

BACK THEN Alabama-Auburn in the bedroom; and Miami-FSU in the vehicle or the yard.

The clarity of satellite radio has spoiled me. For decades I spent thousands of hours slowly scrolling through static-ridden AMFM signals, trying to catch the score of a game that was going down to the wire. I thought nothing of driving up on the knoll in town where the graveyard is located to get a better signal. And more than once I have driven up to the parking lot at Clingmans Dome. This will sound obsessive to some. But I’ll bet not a few guys out there are nodding their heads, remembering similar behavior.

Starting about 1995, hardcore politics practically drove sports talk radio off the AM-FM air waves. From about 1965 until then, however, was a golden age of radio sports programming: Pete Franklin in Cleveland, Bob Trumpy and Chris Collinsworth in Cincinnati, Bill King and Bob Bell in Nashville, Bernard “Buddy” Diliberto in New Orleans and the immortal Larry Munson in Atlanta.

“Hunker down you Bulldogs! … Hunker Down you hairy dogs! … Here comes Alabama down the field and we can’t stop them! … They’re coming at us and we can’t stop them! … They’re marching down the field like Sherman’s army and we can’t do anything about it! … Lord God Almighty! …

Hunker Down!”

That’d be Munson doing an AlabamaGeorgia game. You’d have thought the world was ending. Then he’d take a station break and you’d find out Georgia was ahead 24-10. But Munson was a piece of work.

When I don’t have a dog in the fight, as they say, who I root for is more often than not based upon geographical considerations; that is, the team farthest South will be mine. It’s a simple system. I’ve grown up in ACC country, so that’s my home base. I’ll pull for Georgia Tech versus Georgia. But if Georgia is playing Ohio State, I’ll pull for the Bulldogs. There are exceptions, of course. I wouldn’t root for Notre Dame if they were playing the North Pole.

I don’t like or understand ice hockey, but the only “sport” I won’t listen to is the one in which grown men dressed in jumpsuits sit on their behinds and drive machines counterclockwise in a circle. But I digress. The first sports radio event I can remember hearing was the Giants-Dodgers playoff in 1951 at the Polo Grounds in New York. Russ Hodges was calling it. I got all wrapped up in the broadcast and started rooting for the Dodgers. Charlie Dressen, the Dodgers’ manager, brought in Ralph Branca to seal the deal in the bottom of the ninth. But, alas, Branca served one up in Bobby Thomson’s wheelhouse and he hit “the shot that was heard around the world.”

Losing that way, for some reason, made me a diehard radio listener and Dodger fan.

One of my great regrets is never seeing a game in Eddet’s Field. I can still name the starting lineup for the 1955 squad that beat the Yankees in the World Series: Campy catching, Gil at first, Junior at second, Pee Wee at short, Jackie at third, Sandy in left, The Rifle in right and The Duke in center.

Duke Snyder was, in my unbiased opinion, better than Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle rolled into one. Carl Erskine was Greg Maddox before Maddox was born.

The rest of the staff wasn’t chopped liver: Don Newcomb, Preacher Roe, Clem Labine, Joe Black, Johnny Podres, et al.

Because of the influence of radio, the Dodgers were “my” team, until they moved to LA in the late 1950s. When I went off to college my mother promptly threw about a million dollars worth of pristine Dodgers baseball cards I had collected from Topps bubblegum packets.

In my opinion, the best sports talk guy on the radio right now is, hands down, Mark Packer, Billy Packer’s son. I listened to him for years on a station in Charlotte. Now he’s on Sirius XM (channel 91) weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m. Mark is one of the few modern-day talk show hosts and commentators who could hold his own with Buddy D. or Munson or the others from the golden age sports radio.

ww

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