Smoky Mountain News | February 12, 2020

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February 12-18, 2020 Vol. 21 Iss. 37

Cherokee Tribal Council lifts media ban Page 14 Draft forest management plan released for comment Page 34

CONTENTS On the Cover: Reaching young voters and getting them engaged in the civic process continues to be a major goal for all political parties. While the data shows the number of young voters is on the rise, there are still a number of challenges to getting them to the polls. (Page 3) Jessi Stone photo

News Republicans seek to maintain control of Meadows’ seat ......................................5 Democrats fight to flip 11th Congressional District seat ........................................8 Democrats face off in Jackson commission race ....................................................12 Tribal Council lifts media ban ........................................................................................14 Five candidates seek Macon commission seats ....................................................16 Tribal Council OKs donation to Jackson Schools ..................................................19

Opinion Good manners and good food go a long way ........................................................20

A&E A conversation with Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee ..................................24

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Outdoors Draft forest management plan released for comment ..........................................34

Back Then A poet of the mountains ..................................................................................................47

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February 12-18, 2020

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Youth voters on the rise T

still one of the best ways to campaign.

“One thing that works for everybody is face-to-face contact — one face-to-face contact is worth more than all the TV ads in some ways,” he said. “We’ve also seen a decline in spending on TV ads and more specific messaging to young people, which is a lot easier now than it used to be. So candidates can talk less about Social Security to them and more about student loan debt for example.”

Pew Research Center reported that during the 2020 election, 1 in 10 eligible voters will be members of Generation Z (born after 1996) as the number of eligible Millennial voters (born 1981-96) has leveled off in the last four years. The Baby Boomer generation represented about 38 percent of the electorate in 2000 but now has dropped down to about 28 percent of the electorate.

Meanwhile, Millennials represent 27 percent of the electorate.

AN EMERGING FORCE These figures show why political campaigns remain focused on the youth vote — they will soon have a majority of the voting power. While the youth vote is set to overtake Boomers as the largest voting bloc nationwide, WNC communities still have a large retirement electorate. Myrna Campbell, chairwoman of the Haywood County Democrats, said data from the N.C. Democratic Party indicates that 18-34-yearold voters constitute just over 12 percent of registered Democrats in Haywood County.

“Getting just half of them to be active voters could have a significant impact, especially in local elections,” she said. “While 12 percent is not a huge number, the leadership of the Haywood County Democratic Party has worked diligently to identify issues/topics of interest to young voters and the environment/climate issues have emerged as major areas of interest.”

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Western Carolina University students attend an event organized by the Student Democracy Coalition to learn what will be on the March Primary ballot. Jessi Stone photo

Change in youth voter turnout from 2014 to 2018 Percentage of registered voters age 18-25 who cast ballots in 2014 and then in 2018, and the percentage increase 2014 2018 Increase HAYWOOD ...............................17.2% ........................29.8% ........................12.5% JACKSON .................................12.2% ........................32.8% ........................20.7% MACON....................................18.5% ........................31.8% ........................13.3% SWAIN .....................................20.2% ........................27.8%..........................7.6%

Source: Democracy North Carolina, a statewide nonpartisan organization that uses research, organizing, and advocacy to increase civic participation, reduce the influence of big money in politics, and remove systemic barriers to voting and serving in elected office.

February 12-18, 2020

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR he elusive youth voter. Politicians want to know what they’re thinking, what issues motivate them and what it takes to actually get them to the polls on Election Day. Attempting to reach the 18-29 age bracket of untapped voters continues to be a high priority for political campaigns yet it’s still the age bracket with the lowest rates of voter turnout historically. However, recent data does show youth voters are on the rise.

“I think campaigns are starting to crack the nut of youth voters,” said Dr. Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University. “It does look like youth turnout was up in the 2018 midterm election over the 2014 midterm election, and as for early signs in the 2020 election, in Iowa a fourth of the caucus-goers were youth voters. That’s a huge increase from four years ago.”

According to election data from Tufts University, youth voting did increase across the country in the 2018 midterm elections when compared to the 2014 election. In the majority of all states examined — 32 out of 42 — the increase in youth turnout exceeded the increase in turnout among the general electorate.

U.S. Census Bureau data shows that youth voter turnout went from 20 percent in 2014 to 36 percent in 2018, the largest percentage point increase for any age group — a 79 percent jump and a historic high. In 1982, youth voter turnout was at 51.9 percent and has hovered between 41-49 percent until 2018 when it shot up to 53.4 percent.

Cooper said the increase could be a result of more targeted messaging to youth voters through online platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Pandora regarding the issues they care about — something that wasn’t as easy to do 20 years ago when television was the main channel candidates used to reach voters. However, even with all the new ways to reach voters, that face-to-face contact is

Vote red, blue or purple — just vote

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR tudents at Western Carolina University have helped hundreds of their fellow Catamounts register to vote in the 2020 election, and at the end of the day, they say it doesn’t matter whether they register to vote red or blue — just as long as they show up to cast a ballot.

“The North Carolina Democratic Party tried to push us to do registrations the last few weeks and to register as many Democrats as we can, but there’s a lot of challenges when you try to do it that way,” said Stephen Hunter, president of the College Democrats at WCU. “We don’t care what party you are registering for — we just need you to

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vote because your opinion matters.”

With a growing number of students registered as unaffiliated, there have been more efforts on campus to engage students through a nonpartisan civic group instead of through the College Democrats or College Republicans.

Lane Perry, director of WCU's Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning, said the Student Democracy Coalition got started in January 2016 after WCU student Joanna Woodson wanted to find a way to engage students in the civic process and strengthen the democracy in a nonpartisan way. The student group turned in 50 more voter registrations last Friday, which was the deadline to register for the March 3 primary, but Perry said they’ve probably registered hundreds of students since classes started last August.

“The work of an engaged democracy demands and deserves efforts like those of the WCU Student Democracy Coalition,” Perry said. “Over time, the sustained dedication

of the student coalition members gains traction, builds capacity, sets an example for their peers and provides information for fellow students and the campus.”

Right now the group has about seven strong members leading efforts to register students and educate them about what will be on the March 3 ballot. On Monday night, the coalition held an event called “What’s on the Ballot?” and walked attendees through the entire Republican and Democratic ballots to explain the lesser known state offices.

They also answered any questions students might have about when and how to vote.

“An important message for us to convey for this coming primary is that IDs are not needed if student voters are already registered in Jackson County,” said Liam Currie, a sophomore political science major from Cary. “That’s big.

Though for those students who live in Jackson County,

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WCU works to engage student body

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February 12-18, 2020

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YOUTH, CONTINUED FROM 3 Ralph Slaughter, chairman of the Jackson County Republican Party, said the party has worked closely in conjunction with WCU’s College Republicans to develop future party leadership. In fact, former president of the College Republicans Kayce Lancaster is now vice chair of the county party.

“I think youth voters are most important because these are the people in the future that are really going to decide what happens in our future,” he said. “We’ve worked very hard to recruit college aged people who are now part of the Jackson party. Kayce is a very smart young lady and we’re pleased to have her on board.”

So how are they voting? Cooper said that has changed as well, and could be a reason more youth are registering to vote. They no longer feel pressured to register as one party or the other.

“There’s been a rise in unaffiliated voters, particularly in youth voters. Political parties is how we traditionally get people to vote, but people are increasingly opting out of party registration,” he said.

Even though young voters are more unaffiliated, Cooper said they still tend to vote more for Democrat and progressive candidates than they do for Republican or conservative candidates.

“There is evidence that in the last midterm the youth vote supported Democratic candidates in much larger numbers than they did four years before,” he said.

“And if more youth got out to vote, the evidence suggests that it would help the

WCU, CONTINUED FROM 3 including in on-campus residence halls, who are not yet registered, they can register and vote on campus at the same time during early voting with their student ID.”

CHALLENGES FOR YOUNG VOTERS

Smoky Mountain News

The Coalition isn’t the only student group working to register voters though.

WCU’s College Democrats have also been working since last fall to register as many people as possible regardless of party affiliation. By Friday afternoon, Miller said the College Democrats turned in another 150 new voter registrations, but it hasn’t come without challenges.

“It’s really important to get college students to register, but a lot of them don’t understand the necessity to vote or how easy it can be. They don’t know their school has a campus site or they think they have to go home to vote, but a lot of universities across the state, including Western, have voting sites on campus or close to campus,” Miller said.

Miller said getting students registered is only half the battle when many students are still confused about what the current laws are regarding voting in North Carolina. The Voter ID laws that the Republican-led legislature passed in 2013 required college students to show a photo ID with an address 4 that matched where they are registered to

Democratic Party more so than Republicans, but there’s a question about whether that’s because of age or if it’s generational. We wonder if it’s generational or if it’s just that young people tend to vote Democrat and older people tend to vote Republican.”

While that might be true in other more urban parts of the state and nation, Slaughter said, he has seen plenty of Republican support from WCU students.

“I think it’s entirely different out here where young people have grown up in the county,” he said. “I can only speak from what I’ve seen, but I think at Western at least we’re going to see a lot of youth supporting the Republican Party. Many of them do register unaffiliated but we do get a lot of their votes.”

Campbell said the N.C. Democratic Party’s data indicates that the 18-34 age group constitutes 28 percent of the total number of unaffiliated voters in Haywood County, making it critically important for Haywood Democrats to reach and engage with that unaffiliated younger population.

“I’m currently working with a nonpartisan group to maximize voter registration efforts, and voter registration forms will be available at all of our Democratic Party events,” she said. “In addition, we are trying to identify social settings where young people tend to congregate to set up registration tables.”

State universities are often labeled as liberal breeding grounds, but Cooper and others say that’s not what they’ve experienced at

WCU. While the data is somewhat dated now, polling done at North Carolina college campuses during the Obama-McCain race in 2008 showed the WCU electorate to be middle of the road.

“UNC-Chapel Hill was way left, Wingate was way right and WCU was smack dab in the middle,” Cooper said.

Lane Perry, advisor of the non-partisan Student Democracy Coalition at WCU, agreed that WCU students represent a broad range of political beliefs.

“A majority of our students who vote are unaffiliated voters. They’re not red or blue university — we’re more purple than anything else,” said Lane Perry, advisor of the Student Democracy Coalition at WCU. “Particularly in states with open primaries like North Carolina, being an unaffiliated voter is attractive for youth specifically because they’re still trying to figure out their personal and political values and those are not always mutually exclusive. They’re evolving as people and registering unaffiliated is a good place to feel out where you are.”

While the data is showing youth voters to be on the rise, and Cooper expects that to continue with the March 3 Primary coming up, he doesn’t think all the races on the ballot will get the attention they deserve.

“I’m still concerned about the ballot roll off. I think they’ll show up for the presidential primary and maybe will vote in the congressional races and hopefully the state legislature primary for Jackson County, but I think the lower down the ballot they get the higher the roll off will be,” he said.

because you didn't participate,” Miller said.

“People also like to say, ‘My vote won’t count’ but at the same time I think they are just thinking of the presidential election when our local positions should be taken seriously, especially the judge and county commissioner races.”

Tori Lee, a 25-year-old working professional in Haywood County, said she’s registered but hasn’t voted since she moved to North Carolina from Maryland to attend college. She stayed in the area after graduation, but said she still doesn’t have enough time to research the candidates and find time to take off from work to vote.

“I know I should vote but I don’t. I don’t even know who my options are to vote for and haven’t found that info to be easily accessible. Plus, my work schedule and time plays into both of those,” she said. “I also don’t think that my education ever emphasized the importance of it. I took a government course in high school, but I honestly don’t think I was ever required to take one in college.”

James Seidler, 27, of Haywood County, said misinformation and a lack of information keeps him from voting.

“Being unsure what sources are credible and not just selling a candidate, which leads to the vote feeling somewhat like a shot in the dark and it's not just positive options. A random vote can help a negative power,” he said. “The, ‘it doesn’t take long’ argument rarely includes the research portion of casting a vote.”

Others just don’t think their vote will

make a difference because all the candidates are the same whether there is a “D” or a “R” in front of their names.

“My personal opinion is that it doesn’t matter who is in the seat, they are only the spokesperson for what the government is wanting them to say or do,” said 19-year-old Waynesville resident Julia Grantham.

Perry said college students and other young voters are juggling a lot of priorities and sometimes voting just isn’t a priority, but just like anything else, it’s important to help them develop good habits at a young age.

“It’s never been easier to communicate right now in our society, but it’s still difficult because of all the noise that exists out there and the mixed messages youth receive on a daily basis,” he said. “Just like for New Year’s when you make a resolution, you are really just creating new habits — that’s what we’re trying to do with young voters, but they also have to make it a priority to be prepared, to re-register if they’ve moved and to understand what's happening in the community.”

There are many young people who have actively decided not to participate in the voting process for one reason or another, but Perry said students at WCU are excited about voting and being involved in the process.

“They’re excited about it and see themselves as being part of the solution,” he said. “For so many of them it’s their first time voting in their life and that’s so important because it’s the one that starts the most healthy habit that our democracy needs to survive.”

Liam Currie, a freshman at WCU and member of the Student Democracy Coalition, explains the different state offices to fellow students.

Jessi Stone photo

vote. For students who are from the other side of the state but live on WCU campus, the requirement would have created a hardship when trying to vote. The other options are to go home to vote or submit an absentee ballot.

“Having students go back home to vote is very suppressive. We have students here from Wilmington and the Outer Banks — they’re not going to go home to vote and sending in an absentee ballot is not something many people understand how to do,” Miller said. “But if we can get them to register here and vote here, it takes them three minutes when they have a 15-minute break between classes.”

The Student Democracy Coalition members have been quick to point out to students at their events that the Voter ID laws were ruled unconstitutional by the courts and that students do not need a photo ID to vote in the primary election. Students can vote on the second floor of the University Center during regular early voting hours or the coalition is offering a free shuttle on Election Day over to the Cullowhee Recreation Center to vote.

Even once they understand how easy getting to the polls can be, there are still plenty of other reasons why youth voters don’t cast ballots.

“I had a conversation with one person while doing a group registration and he asked me, ‘Is it bad to not want to register to vote?” I told him it was because otherwise your input into the election is invalid

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That leaves Davis, Bennett, Asheville’s Chuck Archerd and Hendersonville resident Madison Cawthorn as the only 11th District residents seeking the Republican nomination.

Archerd actually ran “against” his friend Meadows in the 2018 Primary Election, pulling 13.7 percent of the vote, but said he’d hoped he’d lose and that he was only running in the event that Meadows might take a job with the administration of President Donald Trump.

Cawthorn, age 24, has emerged as a surprisingly strong candidate, as evidenced by a recent appearance on the Fox & Friends television program.

A motivational speaker and real estate investor, Cawthorn has just as many pros and cons as any other candidate, but voters will have to pick one of them to defend Meadows’ near-decade of dominance in a district that has been remapped, but still holds a 5 to 7 percent Republican advantage.

Madison Cawthorn

MADISON CAWTHORN

Chuck Archerd one difference between him and his Republican primary opponents.

“I’m proud to be in a field of Republican candidates that all share pretty much the same values,” he said. “We’re all pro-gun.

We’re pro-God or pro-family. At the end of the day we all want border security. There’s not a lot of distinction among us, but the thing that I think does distinguish me from the other candidates is that I believe I’m the party’s best chance, if not only chance, at winning in November.”

That goes back to Cawthorn’s “message” versus “messenger” argument, especially with the recent addition of Ashville to the 11th Congressional District.

“We need a candidate who can reach into urban Buncombe County and reach these young undecided voters,” he said. “To be quite frank with you, I really don’t believe that these candidates in the Republican field are able to

Smoky Mountain News

There’s no problem with the Republican message, says Madison Cawthorn, but there is a problem with the Republican messengers.

“If you’re looking for a career politician, I’m definitely not your guy,” said Cawthorn.

Born near the end of the “millennial” generation, Cawthorn is a great example of the fact that not all young voters today are liberals.

“The biggest issue I’m concerned about is the rise of socialism, socialist sentiments, in the younger generation,” he said. “People are going so far left that I’m scared they’re gonna just destroy the America that we know unless we can convince them of the wisdom of conservatism.”

Cawthorn cites the popularity of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her Green New Deal as well as the prominence of Sen. Bernie Sanders as examples.

“At the end of the day, it’s a lot more government control,” said Cawthorn. “It’s a lot more taxes and it’s a lot less of the values and faith that built this country.”

The reasons, he said, come from a changing society that no longer values hard work and personal responsibility.

“Families in generations past had to work on farms, they had a lot of things they had to do,” he said. “Now, what I see in culture is that families are more socialist-based. I mean, the kids aren’t expected to do anything and then they point at something and say, ‘Mommy, I want that $1,000 phone’ and then they instantly get it. So when they are hit by the real world they see, ‘Oh, I don’t just get everything for free?’ To them that seems like it’s unfair, but in reality that’s just how the world works.”

Cawthorn believes that there’s really only

February 12-18, 2020

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER ast September at a Macon County GOP event, Franklin Republican and five-term Sen. Jim Davis announced that he wouldn’t be seeking re-election to his seat in the North Carolina General Assembly.

After a short speech by Davis, party officials whisked an American flag off a handsome white rocking chair and presented it to Davis as a sign of gratitude for 10 years of service in Raleigh as well as 10 years of service as a Macon County commissioner.

All it took to pull Davis out of that rocking chair was the surprise retirement of Asheville Republican Congressman Mark Meadows three months later.

“They’re threatening to repossess the chair,” Davis joked at an event in Haywood County last week.

The popular Meadows probably could have held the seat for as long as he wanted, especially given the racially gerrymandered district map that was struck down by courts last year, so as soon as news broke of Meadows’ decision one day before the end of the candidate filing period, a brief but intense period of high drama ensued; a dozen Republicans filed for the seat, seven of them from well outside the district itself.

None of them expected to be running in the 11th Congressional District GOP primary this year — except for one. Haywood County real estate broker Lynda Bennett was the first to announce her candidacy with a press release issued just three hours after Meadows’ decision was revealed — not to any of the media outlets in his sprawling Western North Carolina district, but to national outlet Politico.

Per Politico, the Asheville Tea PAC endorsed Bennett after a 6:15 a.m. conference call that same morning, before she’d even issued her press release.

Bennett also had a campaign website already up and running, giving rise to speculation that Meadows hoped to circumvent the primary process and pass his seat directly to Bennett — her domain name was registered on Oct. 28, almost two full months before Meadows’ announcement.

Quick and substantive support for Bennett from Meadows’ wife Debbie only served to bolster that speculation; also per Politico, N.C. 11th District GOP Chairman Aubrey Woodard said that his phone had been “ringing off the hook from people who [were] upset and discouraged” with Meadows’ apparent attempt to clear the field for Bennett.

Nevertheless, three more candidates from within the 17-county 11th District ended up filing as well, with one, Asheville resident Matthew Burril, dropping out in short order on account of business opportunities.

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Republicans seek to maintain control of Meadows’ seat

compete in the new ‘town square.’”

For better or worse, traditional political arenas like debates, forums, town halls, radio, television and print media are only part of the way candidates and elected officials communicate with their modern-day constituencies; as the only candidate raised in the internet age, Cawthorn thinks that gives him a distinct advantage.

“I can also compete for the hearts and minds of younger Americans,” he said.

“Whether that be on social media, on Instagram, on YouTube, with podcasts, with blog posts. I feel as if I’m very adept with social media, and so I feel like one of the things that distinguishes me is that not only can I reach the deep conservative base of Western North Carolina, but I can also reach undecided voters who just haven’t really been exposed to anybody who explains our ideals in a positive way that makes sense to them.”

Were he to progress to the General Election in November, Cawthorn recognizes that he won’t get all the votes, especially from the hardcore left, but he still thinks his conservative message holds broad appeal.

“I’m a conservative, and when I say that, I mean I want to conserve the power that Washington has. I want to get the dadgum government out of your life. I want you to have more money in your pocket and I want you to have less regulations telling you what you can and cannot do,” he said. “I want you to be able to live your life. No government bureaucrats should be telling you what you can and cannot do in your life.”

A strong anti-tax position is central to Cawthorn’s platform, something he thinks could swing enough votes to send him to Washington.

“We’re taxed on the money we make, we’re taxed on the things that we buy and then we’re taxed if we want to keep those things and hell, we’re taxed when we die with a death tax,” he said. “So at the end of the day, I think that my message really appeals to a lot of Americans because I just want to make sure that we are safe, that we’re not getting shot at, that our economy is good and our taxes are low so you have a safe place to raise your family and you have a lot of money so that you can prosper and have a great life.”

If Madison Cawthorn becomes Rep. Cawthorn this November, he said he’d be honored to be asked to join the influential House Freedom Caucus, an asymmetrical center of power within — and sometimes standing in opposition to — the greater Republican membership in the House.

Meadows recently stepped down as chair of the HFC, but deftly utilized the HFC over the years to exercise greater than expected influence.

“As a freshman Congressman there, you won’t have a lot of power, especially being a true conservative, even in the Republican party,” Cawthorn said. “I would feel like I was the minority so being able to combine my punching power with other conservatives who share my viewpoints, I feel like is a wise thing and it’s the best thing for Western North Carolina.”

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R EPUBLICANS, CONTINUED FROM 5

CHUCK ARCHERD

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

If past performance could be indicative of future returns, Chuck Archerd’s fateful encounter with Meadows back in 2018 may shed some light on why Archerd’s running again, and where Meadows is headed.

“Mark was sitting in my living room about three weeks before the filing period, and he was very unsure of what he was going to do, what the Lord wanted him to do, what Trump wanted him to do,” said Archerd of their conversation just prior to Meadows’ last successful re-election campaign. “He said, ‘Be ready because if Trump calls me, I’m going to go work for him.’”

As that filing deadline approached, Meadows said he’d run but Archerd was still concerned about what would happen if Meadows — by now a prominent national figure — was indeed called away by the president.

“I said, ‘Should I go down and file?’ He said, ‘I can’t tell you to do that.’ I said, ‘Should I not file?’ He said, ‘I can’t tell you to do that.’”

Archerd ended up filing, and explained that he wasn’t running against Meadows per se, but was running as a contingency.

“I would not run against Mark [because] for one, I couldn’t beat him,” Archerd laughed.

“But he’s also a good friend and I’ve appreciated what he’s done in Congress for us.”

Archerd was indeed successful in his 2018 bid to not win, but this time around, everything’s different. Unlike 2018, Meadows decided not to seek reelection and Archerd is running hard to win.

“I believe that I’m the best one to represent all of the citizens in the 11th District,” he said. “I think because of my core values. I’m a committed Christian, I’m a conservative businessman. I’ve got the skills to work hard up there and actually accomplish something even though when you’re only one of 435 House members, it’s not easy.”

Business experience, according to Archerd, is a big plus for him, as is not being a politician.

“As Mark said, you get a businessman up there and they talk about what they’re going to do, they figure out what steps it’s going to take to do it, they put a timetable on it, they assign responsibilities, and then they get results,” said Archerd. “That’s the difference between having politician sitting up there in the office and having what I would call a ‘citizen politician’ in office.”

One of the biggest issues on the Primary Election circuit, according to Archerd, is the country’s very broken immigration system — and how it spawns problematic sub-issues, like Buncombe County’s refusal to comply with detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Another is the federal deficit. Unlike most municipalities that must produce a balanced yearly budget as a matter of law, the federal government is free of that encumbrance. When spending exceeds revenue on the federal level, borrowing covers the difference and adds to the national debt. When 6 the opposite occurs, not only is the country

not borrowing, it is in theory paying back some of that debt.

During the Clinton administration, the deficit was curtailed so greatly that it actually became a budget surplus; it became a deficit once again during President George W. Bush’s first term around the time of the Iraq War, but declined during his second term. When Barack Obama took office at the outset of the Great Recession, the deficit exploded to its highest level in more than 60 years, but declined as recovery progressed.

Under President Trump, the deficit has again grown and is approaching levels not seen since the Great Recession.

“As a CPA, that’s a time bomb that’s out there and we need to address it and we need to get it under control,” Archerd said. “I don’t care what side of the political aisle you’re on, anybody with any financial sense knows that you can’t live beyond your means on a continual basis because eventually the bank or whoever’s buying the bonds, treasury bonds is not going to lend you money. I don’t live that way personally, and I don’t think the taxpayers should be living that way, either.”

The deficit issue certainly isn’t as attractive to most voters as are red-meat issues like guns and abortion, but the potential for a member of Congress to have a meaningful impact on the deficit is far greater.

“In a primary you talk abortion and guns, because you want to get the primary voters, but when you govern, you have to be looking at other issues because abortion and guns, from what I have seen and observed over the last 10 years, hasn’t changed a whole lot. So what, what are you really gonna accomplish?” said Archerd. “If I could go and based upon my Christian faith outlaw abortion, I would, but I don’t think you’re ever going to see that.

I mean, let’s be realistic about the world that we’re living in.”

Instead, Archerd clings tight to that private-sector, can-do attitude as the reason he should be the one to follow in the footsteps of Meadows.

“One thing that lately I’ve been quoting Mark Meadows on is what he calls ‘Washington-speak.’ That’s where the politicians sit around and talk about what they’re gonna do, and then they sit around and talk about what they’re gonna do, and then they sit around and talk about what they’re gonna do,” Archerd said. “We’re going to go in there, especially with a business background, and we’re going to go about it in a methodical way to see if we can improve the country and improve life for the citizens of the 11th District.”

LYNDA BENNETT Lynda Bennett is perhaps best known as a tireless Haywood County GOP volunteer over the past few decades, but it’s safe to say her candidacy quickly became known as the most controversial even before it had really started — and mostly among Republicans.

First, it was her 8:23 a.m. press release on Thursday, Dec. 19, announcing her candidacy before most people had even woken up to the news — posted on Politico at 5:03

Lynda Bennett

Jim Davis a.m. — that Meadows wouldn’t seek reelection.

Then, it was the 6:15 a.m. conference call that resulted in the Asheville Tea PAC endorsement, before any other candidates announced they’d be seeking Meadows’ seat alongside Bennett.

Then, it was the fact that her website was already set up and had been purchased on Oct. 28. Since then, she’s scooped up endorsements from Meadows and fellow House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.

That’s all relevant because at the time Meadows had issued his statement, the end of the 18-day filing period for candidates was less than 30 hours away, and at least a dozen of those hours were outside of normal business hours, leaving little time for other candidates to consider running much less filing.

Bennett insists that she didn’t have much warning.

“It’s a fairly long story, but I didn’t actually know until Wednesday before I registered,” Bennett said. “He had announced to his staff on Tuesday, and then he’d made some telephone calls in the district on Wednesday to several maybe officials, I’m not sure exactly who. And then the telephone calls started being made around the district on

Wednesday evening.”

That doesn’t explain the oddly specific web domain www.lyndaforcongress.com, but Bennett said that she’d been considering a run for Meadows seat for some time now.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of years,” she said. “Several people had asked me several years ago if I’d be willing to run for Congress, and Mark had always said he wasn’t gonna do this forever. It was a pretty big decision. My husband and I had prayed about it and we weighed it out seriously out because we really wanted Mark Meadows to continue and we needed him on the national stage. He’s really making a name for himself, but if he was not willing to do it, then someone needed to take his place that was going to be a strong conservative and have similar values to his.”

If Bennett and/or Meadows thought the late announcement and early preparation would ward off other challengers, it was a grave miscalculation. Almost a dozen other Republicans filed on short notice, leaving Bennett as just one candidate running among many, instead of the only one running.

Not long after, the hits started coming from home; audio from a 2016 meeting of GOP activists purports to show Bennett was at the time a so-called “never Trumper.” That would be a big problem in a district where Trump was and is exceedingly popular, as is the incumbent congressman closely aligned with him.

The problem is it’s not true, according to Bennett, who recently told the Hendersonville Lightning that the audio “has been doctored more times than Nancy Pelosi’s eyes.”

“It’s obvious that we can only hear kind of a snippet of the conversation,” she said.

“It’s been taken completely out of context and that’s what I was doing was mimicking the ‘never Trumpers,’ [and] what I was hearing from the never Trumpers. The truth of the matter is pretty simple. They cut off the beginning and the end and you can hear in there where I said, ‘This is what I’m hearing,’ but they kind of lowered the sound volume on that. It’s really been manipulated a lot.”

Instead, Bennett said she’s stood by thencandidate Trump “openly and unashamedly” and points to her subsequent election as Haywood County Republican Party secretary after Trump’s 2016 victory, and her promotion to vice chair two years later.

“I just don’t believe our local Republicans would have supported a ‘never Trumper,’” she said. “I know I worked hard for President Trump in 2016 and once I’m elected, I’m going to proudly be one of his biggest allies.”

Despite the controversies, Bennett still has to face the same issues as her Republican and Democratic opponents seeking the seat and in regards to the opioid crisis has a multifaceted solution.

“It’s very important to work with a strong group such as the Freedom Caucus in Congress because they can help get things done,” she said. “When [the N.C. General Assembly] passed a law against the prescription drugs here in Western North Carolina, we saw an uptick in the usage and abuse of

North Carolina House District 11 Republicans CHUCK ARCHERD • Age: 62 • Residence: Asheville • Occupation: Retired CPA, small business owner, land developer • Political experience: Unsuccessful bids for Buncombe County commission, Buncombe County commission chairman, 2018 11th Congressional District GOP nomination LYNDA BENNETT • Age: 62 • Residence: Haywood County • Occupation: Licensed real estate broker • Political experience: First campaign MADISON CAWTHORN • Age: 24 • Residence: Hendersonville • Occupation: Motivational speaker, real estate investor • Political experience: First campaign JIM DAVIS • Age: 68 • Residence: Franklin • Occupation: Orthodontist • Political experience: 10 years Macon County Commission, 10 Years N.C. Senate

JIM DAVIS

Other candidates Candidates that do not live in a particular congressional district are still eligible to run in that district. At the close of the filing period, the following candidates had also declared their intent to run but with addresses outside the 11th Congressional District.

Democrats • Gina Collias, Kings Mountain

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Word around Ronald McDonaldland is that somebody’s coming to steal Sen. Jim Davis’ cheeseburgers, and it’s not the Hamburglar — it’s Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez.

“It’s the Green New Deal,” said Davis of his low-budget, high-impact campaign commercial where he decries political correctness and accuses liberals of telling people how to live, how to worship and even how to eat. “If you’ve watched any of the AOC commercials, and even Bloomberg has reported on this, they want to have everybody go be a vegan or go to vegetarian, so we just thought it would be kind of humorous to add that to the commercial.”

Davis is using the commercial to distinguish himself from the 10 other Republicans in his race, but most voters in the 11th District already know him from his decade of service as a conservative western voice in the General Assembly.

“My biggest issue is the debt and the deficit. I’m a real deficit hawk. I think we’ve shown in North Carolina how to cure a debt,” he said. “We have a lot of unfunded liabilities in North Carolina, but about $15 billion less

said. “These so-called red flag laws, when you allow your neighbor or a family member to declare you incompetent or unable or unsafe to own a firearm, that really opens it up to some nefarious people that would want to restrict your gun rights.”

A strong Second Amendment supporter, Davis mentioned knife attacks in London, where firearms are rare, as a reason why gun control doesn’t work.

“People that have ill intention can find another means to kill you,” he said. “Our founders felt that it was important to protect our right to self-protection and self-defense. I would be very reluctant to impose any unrealistic regulations to prohibit Americans from owning firearms.”

Over his two-decade career in government, Davis has often remarked that his heart is in local government, where he served 10 years as a Macon County commissioner.

When he moved on to the N.C. Senate in 2010 — two years before Meadows was first elected — he referred to himself as a “misplaced county commissioner” and a “Senator by necessity.”

Thus it may be surprising to some that Davis didn’t get Meadows’ endorsement, but Davis doesn’t think that will be an obstacle to victory on March 3.

“I haven’t thought about it that much,” he said of the non-endorsement. “The only problem is, he assured me, he verbally told me, that he wasn’t going to endorse anybody and he told that to a lot of people. I struggle with that, but I can’t un-ring that bell and I’m just going forward.”

What he’s going forward with, is his record.

“I’m qualified and I’m experienced and I’m eager to serve and I have a record,” said Davis. “I’m the only individual in the race in any party that has been elected to anything. I think that speaks volumes because I have a record of service and it’s not unique to any ideological spectrum. I’ve served all the citizens of my district and I think I’ve served them well. I haven’t served them perfectly, but I think I’ve served them well. It’s one thing to say you’re going to do something, but I can point to a record of what I’ve done.”

February 12-18, 2020

There’s 11 of us out there in the field at this time, and I have been extremely honored that the Senate Conservative Fund and the House Freedom Fund both endorsed me in the last week.”

than when we took over in 2011. We started with a $2.5 billion dollar budget deficit. We owed the feds $2.7 billion for unemployment compensation. We were losing over $400 million a year on the health insurance plan. We inherited a 10.4 percent unemployment rate and now it’s 3.7 percent. We’ve reduced taxes.

We’ve reduced regulations. We’ve kept spending to a combination of, for the most part, inflation and population growth and this year we had a $900 million surplus.”

He’s also well known as the primary architect of three of North Carolina’s most important bills addressing the opioid crisis.

“I was ignorant of the problem, but a wise man once told me it’s OK to be ignorant, it’s just not OK to stay ignorant,” he said. “This journey all started with [retired] Waynesville Chief of Police Bill Hollingsed. He came to me when I was first elected and told me that he was tired of putting young people in body bags.”

Through Davis’ STOP Act and subsequent legislation, prescription limits have been imposed and some restrictions on needle exchange programs have been lifted, but the scourge of drug addiction has morphed into a new phase.

“The theory is that this is going to drive people towards illicit drugs, heroin and stuff, but over time we’ve bent the curve. We started to bend the curve so that we have fewer people overdosing,” he said. “I’m very proud of the work that I and others have done in the North Carolina legislature. The biggest problem now is money for treatment, because we have so many individuals that that need it.”

Many believe that funding could come from better access to health care, but Davis isn’t a proponent of Medicaid expansion, or of the compromise Carolina Cares bill.

“I’m for doing away with Obamacare and giving everybody a health savings account so that everybody is in charge of their own healthcare,” he said. “It’s between the patient and the provider and then provide an excess major medical policy so that nobody is wiped out by a catastrophic health issue. That gets the government out of It and puts the onus where it belongs and that’s for the individual participant.”

Closely aligned with the president on immigration, Davis said Trump’s border wall and additional technological measures are a necessity.

“We are a very compassionate society and we give more away than just about everybody else put together in the world, but we can’t continue to absorb so many people that come here to live off of our social welfare system,” he said. “They impact our public safety, they impact education and we have to regulate who comes here. We want to attract people that want to come here and participate in the American dream. Those are the kinds of people that we want to come in to this country.”

Cheeseburgers aren’t the only thing at risk if Davis and the Republicans don’t maintain control of this seat, and of the Senate and presidency in November; also figuring prominently in Davis’ television commercial are, of course, guns.

“I think, that we are on a slippery slope when we start regulating gun ownership,” he

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street drugs. They’re more affordable and they’re much more dangerous and unpredictable and it causes a lot of deaths.”

Border security is a big part of stemming opioid abuse, according to Bennett; she support’s Trump’s border wall concept. She’s also f not so hot on Medicaid expansion and Obamacare.

“I’m not convinced that the left is trying to solve the problem and trying to provide y better health care for Americans. It seems like they’re really more intent on gaining control over our lives because Obamacare set the stage for a lot of the problems we see today l and we’ve got to start with repeal and replacement of Obamacare,” she said. “Statistics show that we have the most expensive health care in the world but if you ask folks if it’s the best that it can be or is there room for improvement, most folks will tell you that there is room for improvement.”

Improving that system according to Bennett comes from a consumer-focused approach, not one that focuses on drug comg panies and big hospitals. g Another hot-button issue, especially as late, is the Second Amendment; so-called g sanctuary resolutions have been making the f rounds, including in Bennett’s home county of Haywood — the same home county of Riley Howell, who was killed April 30 after tackling a mass shooter at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

“There’s no compromise on the Second Amendment,” she said. “The statistics that you should be reporting on that say that 500,000 to 3 million people a year use their firearms to defend themselves against vioy lence. That doesn’t get reported in the media anywhere. The only thing that ever gets reported is the 40,000 gun deaths.”

It’s not that those 40,000 deaths aren’t important, Bennett said, but they’d be far g higher without a strong conservative stance on the Second Amendment. An additional area where a strong conservative stance will y help, she said, is in controlling the growing federal deficit.

“One of the things that seems counterintuitive, especially to the left, is when you cut taxes you actually raise revenues and tax collections,” she said.

That’s usually true, but in the case of Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, study after study shows it’s not. y So then, why has the deficit still grown during a protracted economic boom under unified Republican control of the legislative branch from 2016 through 2018 and continuing Republican domination of the White House and the U.S. Senate since then?

“Part of that is because the Democrats are in control of the House,” Bennett said. “They l have a part to play in that, and they love to spend money.”

Bennett’s proud of her endorsements and conservative pedigree and hopes it will be enough to carry her through the crowded g Primary Election field, and then on through the General Election.

“I think the people should vote for me l over all the other candidates because I’m the most conservative candidate,” she said. “I am here because I want to follow in the conf servative footsteps of our Mark Meadows.

Republicans • Dan Driscoll, Winston-Salem • Steven Fekete, Jr., Lenoir • Dillon S. Gentry, Banner Elk • Wayne King, Kings Mountain • Joey Osborne, Hickory • Vance Patterson, Morganton 7

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Democrats fight to flip 11th Congressional District seat

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER he 2018 General Election was a momentous one for Democrats still smarting from the stunning 2016 loss by one of the most unpopular presidential candidates in history to one of the most unconventional presidential candidates in history.

Dems came out swinging in 2018, flipping enough seats to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives and breaking the vetoproof supermajority in the North Carolina General Assembly, but one seat they just couldn’t flip was that of N.C.’s 11th Congressional District Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Asheville.

Three Democrats — Hendersonville physician Scott Donaldson, Pisgah Forest college professor Steve Woodsmall and McDowell County small business owner Phillip Price — competed fiercely for the Democratic nomination, which ultimately went to Price.

Price proved the strongest competitor to Meadows since he first ran in 2012, but Price still lost in 2018 by more than 20 points during an election where Dems made gains across the board, across the country.

As the 2020 campaign began in earnest, Woodsmall again took up the fight, starting his campaign in March 2019. For a long time, he was the only candidate, until Mills River music producer Michael O’Shea joined him in October.

A few days later, courts demanded a remap of the district, drawing retired Air Force attorney and administrative law judge Moe Davis into the district and into the race on Dec. 2, the first day of the candidate filing period.

Davis, who’d just returned to his native state after a career spent elsewhere, served for a time as the chief prosecutor in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, until his concerns over the torture of suspects at CIA “black sites” led him to resign.

Price had hemmed and hawed over whether to give it another go, and on the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 18, endorsed O’Shea.

Hours later, Meadows stunned the political establishment by announcing he wouldn’t seek reelection to his seat.

The next day — the last day of the candidate filing period — Price jumped back into the race, joining Davis, O’Shea and Woodsmall.

Since then, the four have been hitting the road across this expansive 17-county district in pursuit of the 11th District Democratic nomination that will give one of them the best chance to flip the seat — which still holds a 5 to 7 point Republican lean — in nearly a decade.

As with the serious Republicans in the 8 race there are but minor differences in policy

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

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Steve Woodsmall

Michael O’Shea

positions among the Democrats, who’ve been listening to each other speak several times a week for several weeks now and are even starting to parrot each other on some issues.

They’re also well aware of the differences among themselves; those differences are nuanced but significant and will ultimately decide who gets to face the Republican nominee in November.

“We can pass federal legislation to hold the drug companies accountable because they’re part of that problem. They never really disclosed the fact that they knew how it addictive those drugs were and they continue to really misrepresent that,” he said.

Transitioning people suffering from addiction to rehab and drug courts instead of incarceration has been slow in coming. Much of rural North Carolina lacks the resources to address the issue in that way.

“We don’t do enough in terms of helping people that have those addiction issues and we’re locking them up when we should be giving them medical attention,” said Woodsmall. “We could always, from the federal level, provide funding to support those kinds of programs.”

Access to health care is also an obstacle to recovery for many as well as a general quality of life issue that’s been debated since long before the Affordable Care Act of 2010.

“I’m absolutely the only one for universal health care, single payer. Not everybody in the race is on that page,” he said. “A couple of folks support the public option, but I’ve done a lot of research on this personally. I’ve gone to numerous presentations by health care professionals and the resounding opinion of the majority is that the dual track system, or the hybrid system as some people call it, will not work for a couple of reasons.”

The first, said Woodsmall, is that preserving the private insurance system maintains the profit motive in health care, which hearkens back to his feelings about Citizens United.

“The second, just from a purely business standpoint, is that if you have a dual track system, the private insurers are going to be very, very selective as to who they will accept, both in terms of for existing conditions and high risk and high cost patients,” he said. “They will only take on people if they know they can

STEVE WOODSMALL The top five or six issues among Democrats in this race are largely the same, but as a retired Brevard College professor with master’s degree in business administration and a Ph.D. in organization and management, it’s no surprise that Woodsmall takes a 30,000-foot view of all of them.

“The polls show that the top issues are jobs and the economy, but when I go out and talk to people, they’re really concerned about health care,” Woodsmall said. “My personal number one issue, as it has always been, is passing a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. The money issue really is the root cause of basically all the problems we have now.”

Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission was a watershed 2010 Supreme Court ruling that effectively neutered the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act by allowing corporations, labor unions and nonprofits to make independent expenditures on behalf of or in opposition to political candidates.

In 2002, before the Act was passed, Big Pharma made more than $19.3 million in those so-called “soft money” contributions according to OpenSecrets.org, but during the next cycle, that dropped to just $2,250. After Citizens United, that number has ranged from $2.9 million to more than $20 million over a 10-year period during which an opioid crisis has ravaged the nation.

make money from them, which is going to overburden the government system with all the high risk and high cost people.”

Candidates on both sides of the aisle agree that the nation’s immigration system is badly broken, including the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act, which deferred deportation for children unlawfully in the United States; the Trump-ordered cessation of the program is currently on hold in courts.

Perhaps the most insulting failure of the current immigration system has led to the deportation of illegal immigrants who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States; like Moe Davis, Woodsmall is also retired Air Force.

But by far the most visible failure is the separation of children from parents who are apprehended during unlawful border crossings.

“We’ve got to give everybody who wants it a pathway to citizenship. There’s a right way to do that, but we’re treating people who cross the border illegally as felons and we’re putting them in cages and that’s just not the way to do it,” he said. “That’s not the America I think we want. We fail to remember that this country was founded by dreamers, for dreamers. Now that the old white people have gotten theirs, they want to keep the brown people out, which is absolutely ridiculous. That’s not what America’s all about.”

One thing America is all about, is guns — enshrined in the Second Amendment, the creator-endowed right to bear arms has led to the United States having both the highest percapita gun ownership rate in the world (120 firearms per 100 residents) and the greatest number of firearms in the world, almost 400 million or more than the next 42 nations combined.

“One of my mantras on the gun issue in this country is, it’s not a Second Amendment issue, it is absolutely a public safety issue,” he said. “Other than the money from the NRA and gun manufacturers, one of the reasons we can’t address that problem is because the people on the right are framing it from the fear perspective that everybody’s going to take away your guns.”

Woodsmall favors reasonable, responsible gun ownership and approves of restrictions on certain weapons, magazines and ammunition as well as an assault weapons ban, like the one that expired in 2004.

“We have kids doing active shooter drills in kindergarten on the first day of school with Walmart selling bulletproof backpacks,” he said. “You know, 97 percent of gun owners want more restrictions on guns. It’s not the gun owners that are the problem. Going back to my experience as a management expert, a huge part of being able to solve a problem effectively is how you frame that problem.

And we’ve got to do a better job of framing that problem for what it is, which is a public safety issue.”

Bringing Woodsmall’s management and money-focused platform full circle is the issue of the federal deficit, which has counterintuitively increased during a purportedly fiscally conservative Republican administration to levels not seen since the outset of the Great Recession in 2008.

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“The deficit has been run up by the Trump administration at the expense of the working people,” said Woodsmall.

“Immediately after he got elected, they added $1 trillion to the deficit right out of the gate and passed that tax cut for the top 1 percent.”

The deficit is the difference between the amount of revenue the federal government collects and spends. When it spends more than it collects, it incurs a deficit and has to borrow to make up the difference. That adds to the national debt, which as of press time was more than $23 trillion.

“We need to level out the tax base. We need to look at where we’re spending our money,” he said. “I’ll say this as a veteran and people raise their eyebrows when I do, but we’ve got to look at the defense budget, which is roughly $750 billion.”

The real war, Woodsmall said, is a cyber war, and the U.S. isn’t spending nearly enough money on it.

“I tell people all the time, I took the oath of office numerous times in the military, very similar to the oath that people take in Congress and that is to support and defend the Constitution and represent the people that you’re elected to represent,” he said. “It’s not to represent big money, it’s not to be loyal to the occupant of the White House or the Freedom Caucus or the party or the big donors. It’s about representing people here, and I think I can make a really good case to do that.”

ty. The way they all intertwine helps sustain the opioid crisis.

Although opioid addiction transcends geography and demographics, O’Shea’s fellow millennials were the first to bear witness to heretofore unthinkable levels of supply.

“One of my best childhood friends actually went through opioid addiction after he graduated with a 4.0 [gpa] from Western Carolina University. He couldn’t find a job in the Great Recession and I think that became a barrier for him in finding mental health counseling,” O’Shea said. “I think addiction directly stems from that, as well as economic prospects. When people are desperate, they turn to drugs. I think that’s obvious.”

Unwinding the opioid crisis, according to O’Shea, is about treating opioids as a health care issue and getting the money out of medicine.

“We have for-profit insurance companies, and a for-profit health care industry,” he said.

“I think that one of the reasons why we need to get profit out of health care is so there’s no profit motive to push pills, the same way we need to get profit out of the prison system, so there’s no profit motive to lock people up for their addiction problems.”

Profit motive is also partly at play in the nation’s immigration debate; employers can exploit undocumented workers with fewer repercussions than they can citizens, and forprofit prisons have been cashing in on the commodification of illegal immigrants, housing up to 73 percent of detainees according to a 2018 New York Times report.

“Yeah, we absolutely need to create a real, sensible path to citizenship,” said O’Shea, recalling an acquaintance’s reckoning with an extended, aggravating process. “There really isn’t one right now that doesn’t take extraordinarily long. It’s no wonder a lot of people end up here illegally. We can’t really stop the fact that they’re seeking asylum from their own countries, but we can make there be a path where they can come and pay taxes and contribute to our society instead of simply being in a position where they can’t pay taxes and they’re exploited by their employers.”

O’Shea’s generation has also been among the first to grow up with mass shootings as a

MICHAEL O’SHEA As the field’s only millennial, O’Shea has maintained a message grounded in that identity and in the fact that he and his cohorts will be the ones to experience the greatest effects of contemporary policymaking for the greatest amount of time.

“My top issues are economic inequality and climate change,” said O’Shea. “I have a hard time prioritizing which one is first, because I think they’re both super pressing and right now we need to be addressing things on multiple fronts.”

Most people in the 17-county 11th District are focused on the immediacies of poverty and health care access, he said, and those are largely issues of economic inequali-

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Moe Davis

February 12-18, 2020

Phillip Price

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February 12-18, 2020

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DEMOCRATS, CONTINUED FROM 9 regular occurrence.

“I was 12 years old when Columbine happened. Since then, the only major change to gun legislation that we’ve seen is they’ve let the federal ban on assault style weapons expire,” he said.

“Nothing me or anyone else on this slate are proposing [in terms of gun reform] are things that are wanted by less than half of America,” he said. “And most of these proposals are wanted by far more than that.”

O’Shea sees the trade off between losing some of his own rights and reducing some deaths as being a fair one.

“My wife teaches first grade, they have to do drills for this,” he said. “No one is getting out of elementary school without knowing exactly why they’re selling bulletproof backpacks at Walmart.”

Deficit spending is another one of those long-term issues that concern millennials like O’Shea, who’ll be making the interest payments on the nation’s growing $23 trillion debt for a lot longer than his competitors.

No single generation’s going to pay that off, but as Baby Boomers exit prime earning years and the much smaller Generation X steps up to service that debt, it’s millennials that will eventually end up on the hook.

“Yes. Literally. I mean, this is, this is something I like to joke about, that I’m 20 years younger than the next person on this slate and I don’t want to be living with it in my sixties,” he said.

The answer isn’t in spending less, said

O’Shea, it’s in spending smart, on things like Medicare for All. “I’m not willing to spend $600 billion extra in order to keep private insurance companies profitable,” said O’Shea of the potential savings he thinks implementation could provide. “Right now you have one in five children living in food insecure homes and childhood poverty is socially costing us over $1 trillion a year. The universal basic income proposal that I back would cost about $539 billion and take a huge dent out of the long term ramifications of poverty.”

Other proposals O’Shea says foster economic equality include an end to incarceration for minor drug crimes, closing corporate tax loopholes, fairer taxes for the middle class, lower spending on defense and the abolishment of student loan debt.

“A lot of my platform really is about spending more efficiently and getting that under control,” he said. “The things that differentiate me I think from everyone else are things like universal basic income. I’m the only candidate who’s been talking about things like Cambridge Analytica and the effects of social media companies on election process and how to address the oncoming changes in our modern economy because of automation and artificial intelligence.”

While O’Shea’s millennial generation will have to live through the consequences of those decisions for longer than most, but thanks to the proliferation of mass shootings, the scourge of opioids and the effects of global warming, they’ve already lived through more than most.

PHILLIP PRICE Like Woodsmall, Price ran in 2018 and as such came into this race with a cross-district network of supporters and a familiarity with the issues that affect residents of the 11th Congressional District, from Murphy to Montford.

“I’ve lived in six counties of the district for over 36 years and owned a small business for over 20 years, as well as been married for 23 years into a family that has deep roots throughout this district,” Price said.

As his campaign has evolved, so have his positions; while he still thinks that health care is the top issue, it’s rooted in the generational poverty that makes the 11th District the second-poorest congressional district in North Carolina and 393rd out of 436 congressional districts in terms of median household income.

“I’m supporting Medicare for all,” he said.

“It would increase funding for mental health and I think that’s a big part of combating the opioid problem. The health care system could have a positive effect on that problem.

My whole four-legged platform is about improving the economic situation in Western North Carolina. That would help with the opioid problem because I think that a lot of cases where people get hooked on opioids, it’s just out of desperation and depression due to their economic position. When you’re poor, when you don’t have a job, you don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.”

Admitting that there are other factors at play, Price said that the opioid crisis isn’t

strictly confined to the poor, although WNC skirts the underbelly of the opioid belt, a massive piece of real estate that stretches from central West Virginia down through eastern Kentucky and neighboring East Tennessee.

“That can be because of different reasons like over-prescribing of opioids and not understanding the power of the drugs and being misled by the pharmaceutical industry itself,” he said. “I think that they are guilty of pushing the drugs on the country and being misleading about their addictiveness.”

Streamlining the immigration system is another priority among both Democrats and Republicans, but the Dems at least agree on one tactic that won’t fix the problem.

“I don’t believe it involves a wall,” said Price. “I believe that we need to employ more asylum judges and case workers that can handle the flow of asylum seekers at the border so that we don’t have to turn them away and I believe that we need to address the people in the United States that employ undocumented immigrants and penalize them. We’ve got to provide an easier path to citizenship that doesn’t take years and years.”

On gun reform, Price maintains a position that implementing stricter controls shouldn’t upset adherents to the “shall not infringe” mantra.

“It is not an infringement on the Second Amendment to require universal background checks, to require registering a weapon as you would an automobile,” he said.

That includes re-registration when firearms are sold so that if crimes are commit-

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Michael O’Shea • Age: 32 • Residence: Mills River • Occupation: Music producer • Political experience: First campaign Phillip Price • Age: 53 • Residence: Dysartsville, Madison County • Occupation: Antique wood recycling business owner • Political experience: Successful 2018 bid for 11th Congressional District Democratic nomination, lost to Rep. Mark Meadows in the General Election Steve Woodsmall • Age: 64 • Residence: Pisgah Forest • Occupation: Retired college professor, retired Air Force • Political experience: Unsuccessful 2018 bid for 11th Congressional District Democratic nomination he said. “It was apparent that the company knew the addictive properties. They knew they were marketing to people that in many cases didn’t need the product. You had doctors that were willing to violate their oath in order to profit off of it and I think if we had a robust criminal prosecution of the enablers it would be a real deterrent because something else will come along behind this as the next drug crisis.”

The health care industry is a cause of, and perhaps a solution to, the negative impact of opioids; Davis’ position on health care differs from his opponents — most notably, Woodsmall — in that he thinks there’s still a place for a private option.

“My position is that health care is a fundamental human right. Everyone should have the ability to get treatment, whether it’s mental health or the flu,” he said. “I would support making a government-funded healthcare program available to everyone.”

What he wouldn’t do is advocate for that to be the only option.

“Many of the labor unions have negotiated good health care for their members and there’s some people that have health care that they like,” Davis said. “The bottom line is we’ve got to have some of those Republican votes and if you say we’re going to force you onto a government plan and you have no choice, we’ll be sitting around two years from now trying to figure out how we can flip this district.”

Immigration reform, for Davis, means

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A bit of a celebrity before he even entered the race, Shelby native Col. Morris Davis is a familiar face to regular viewers of ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, NPR and Fox News, and has a social media presence that ranges far and wide. But still, he admits he’s a bit behind in his efforts.

“The biggest challenge right now is just time, as I was the last one to start running after it became apparent that they were going to un-gerrymander the district,” said Davis.

“I think we’ve had a fundraising advantage over the other candidates so we’re able to do advertising and that kind of outreach that they can’t afford to do.”

From a legal or law-enforcement perspective, Davis says that the opioid crisis is a multifaceted problem, but there are steps that can be taken on a federal level.

“There’s not a whole lot of difference between what’s happened with opioids and your regular drug cartel selling other drugs,”

Moe Davis • Age: 61 • Residence: Asheville • Occupation: retired Air Force attorney, judge • Political experience: First campaign

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MOE DAVIS

North Carolina House District 11 Democrats

holding employers who hire illegal immigrants accountable.

“Like our president, who’s hired dozens of undocumented workers because they’re easy to exploit,” he said. “Right now, the system focuses on the powerless rather than the powerful.

So if you put Trump in prison for a couple of weeks, I imagine that employers would take their obligation more seriously than they do.”

Davis also decries the elimination of DACA deferrals, the deportation of veterans and the scarcity of resources needed to process immigration requests.

“I retired as an administrative law judge for the Department of Labor and I’ve got friends that are immigration judges,” he said.

“They’re just overwhelmed with cases. A lot of the folks coming to the border are legitimate asylum seekers that are fleeing poverty and persecution, and we need to have more judges in place so they get a prompt hearing on their asylum claims rather than being turned away.”

As a hunter who grew up in rural Cleveland County as well as a career military veteran, Davis holds strong feelings on the Second Amendment.

“If you’ve seen the Jim Davis ad, him standing there with a pistol and a pile of cheeseburgers, he said the liberal Democrats are going to come take your guns and your cheeseburgers,” he said. “He says he’s going to go to Washington and stand up and fight to save your guns and your cheeseburgers.

Well, I’ve got guns, and a grill, so his argument is what I would call fake news.”

In a perfect world, only military personnel have assault weapons, according to Davis.

He supports a constitutional right to one pistol, one rifle, and one shotgun, as well as stricter background checks and red flag laws.

He also supports a national policy that would allow for more than just those three firearms, but only after extensive training, testing and licensing.

Finally, in reference to the deficit, Davis blames the Trump tax cuts and a bloated military budget.

“I would begin by repealing the Trump tax cuts and that would essentially put us back to zero,” he said. “I taught fiscal law at the Air Force JAG school. In my view, our fiscal policy is upside down and top-driven rather than bottom-lifting. We have a system where at the end of the fiscal year in September, you’re encouraged to go out and spend every penny you’ve got because if you don’t spend it this year, you obviously don’t need it next year.”

As to the effect Trump will have on the race for the 11th Congressional District seat currently held by one of his biggest supporters, Davis believes that Trump has done himself and his party few favors over the past few years.

“Clearly, Democrats are energized and they’re going to turn out and they’re going to vote,” he said. “I think there are enough of those old traditional Reagan Republicans out there that are offended by Trump’s conduct and offended by those that enable it. They’re offended by the debt and the deficit. I think that I can win over those disaffected Republicans that believe in sanity, so I’m as optimistic I can win in March as I can win in November.”

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C ted, responsible parties can be located and a held accountable. s “It wouldn’t be as easy for a child to get a h hold of a weapon or a neighbor or friend or a t spouse or somebody because people would be more conscious about where that weapon s is at all times,” Price said. t The nation’s growing budget deficit d results from two components — income, and y expenditure. Price has ideas about both. f “The first thing I would do is rework the g tax code. We have to get the 1 percent, the wealthiest at the top, to pay their fair share, s and we must get corporations to actually pay d taxes,” he said. “Many, many corporations n pay zero percent. That ain’t right.”

On the spending side, Price notes that taxpayd ers pay approximately $300 billion a year for e “bodyguards” [U.S. military personnel] - whose mission is essentially to protect the interests of oil companies overseas.

I According to Reagan-era Secretary of the n Navy John Lehman, that’s almost half of all d military spending.

“We, the taxpayers, are paying basically t mercenaries to protect a private industry’s product overseas,” he said. “That ties into my n environmental policy. We’ve got to get off of t fossil fuel immediately and as soon as we have no more interest in fossil fuels, there’s $300 billion-plus in our budget that could be reald located somewhere else, like health care.” d If he again receives the Democratic nomiu nation in the 11th District, Price will draw on a life lived in the Western North Carolina n mountains as inspiration for his campaign against whomever emerges from the Republican side.

“I aspire to not just represent my party. I am running for this office to represent every single person in the 11th District. The reason that I believe that I’m the best choice for that job is that I have the most comprehensive understanding of who the people are, how they live and where they live. I am a product of Western North Carolina. I have friends who live in single-wide trailers and some who live in million-dollar homes. I get along with all of them. To represent a group of people, you must be one of them, and I am one of us.”

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Democrats face off in Jackson commission race

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ith Republican Commissioner Ron Mau leaving his seat for a run at N.C. House District 119, three Democrats are vying for a chance to face Republican Tom Stribling in the General Election for the District 3 seat on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners.

They’re all Democrats, but they represent a range of backgrounds and philosophies. One candidate is a farmer, another is a businessman and another a dietician. One is a life-long Jackson County resident, another a native who moved away and returned to raise a family. A third adopted the county after arriving in 2007. Two are men, one is a woman, and all three want a chance to represent the Cullowhee area for the next four years.

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February 12-18, 2020

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What will be your top three priorities if elected?

Susan Bogardus: Boosting affordable housing opportunities for working people, supporting local businesses so that they can pay employees living wages and improving infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists — especially in communities near Western Carolina University.

Cody Lewis: Fiscal responsibility, improving broadband access and finding and completing small projects in outlying communities that could make a big difference in the lives of those residents.

Brad Stillwell: Creating a new county-paid firefighter position, establishing a county fairgrounds that could host community events and help keep youth off the streets, and just generally helping out the community.

What is your opinion on plans to seek a bond referendum to build an indoor pool?

Lewis: In general, an indoor pool is a needed amenity in the community. However, it’s difficult to give an opinion on this specific effort until a final cost estimate and more concrete plans are released.

Stillwell: Many in the community want an indoor pool, but it would be unwise to raise taxes for the purpose of building and maintaining one — he is undecided on the issue.

Who’s running?

CODY LEWIS • Age: 32 • Background: Born and raised in Sylva, Lewis went to Florida State University, where he earned both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA. After seven years in banking and three as CFO of a pharmaceutical consulting company, he and his wife returned to Sylva last year to run his family’s convenience store businesses and raise their two young children.

• Political experience: After college Lewis interned for a state representative in Florida, and he has been on the alumni board for FSU’s business college for the past six years.

Cody Lewis

Brad Stillwell

Residents already pay enough in taxes; if there were a tax increase, it should go toward a paid firefighter rather than toward an indoor pool.

Bogardus: Putting out a referendum is a wise move and will allow voters to give their definitive input as to whether they are willing to pay more taxes to have a pool. There’s a good chance voters won’t approve the referendum, but it’s a good idea to put the question out there.

the building while the nonprofit supports operating costs.

“I think there’s this feeling that people should get up and stand on their own feet — we shouldn’t be giving them so much,” she said. “But my mind is, how do we get them there?”

Lewis: Current trends seem to indicate that a brick-and-mortar shelter will be needed in the future. The county will have to be involved and will likely continue to take the lead in the effort, but nonprofit partnerships will be important to lessen the load on taxpayers.

What is your opinion on the status of the county’s efforts to expand services for the homeless? Going forward, what should be the county’s role in providing these services?

Stillwell: A brick-and-mortar shelter should be built down the road as part of a long-range plan. Local government should spearhead the effort, but the county shouldn’t go it alone — if the shelter is built in the town of Sylva, then the town should help fund it.

Bogardus: A year-round, standalone homeless shelter is needed in Jackson County, but finding the money to pay for it could be difficult. Eventually, there should be a partnership between the county and nonprofits in which the county pays for and maintains

How can commissioners support improved broadband access?

Bogardus: Better broadband is essential to improving educational opportunities, and, to a lesser extent, supporting small business.

However, any significant infrastructure funding will have to come from the state, not the county. The most the county could do would be to create some type of regulation requiring new construction to include broadband access, but locals might not support that type of ordinance.

Lewis: There are strict limits on government funding for broadband projects, so the county’s role should be to find grant money

• Reason to run: “Something my grandfather instilled in my brother and I at a young age is that if you have something to give to the community, that you should. I feel like I’ve gained a lot of experience in banking, in finance, in owning and operating a small business and being around state government and local government enough that I can provide some good experience to the community as a whole.”

month-old son.

• Political experience: Stillwell currently serves on the county’s Farmland Preservation Board, a position he’s held for 12 years, and has also served on the local Farm Service Agency board.

• Reason to run: “I wanted to have someone that could speak for the people that don’t get out and try to do the best I can with the working folks and our communities.”

BRAD STILLWELL • Age: 45 • Background: A Jackson County native, Stillwell has been at the Savannah Fire Department for nearly 30 years and runs a cow/calf farm. He’s married with a 19-

SUSAN BOGARDUS • Age: 63 • Background: As an “Air Force brat,” Bogardus moved all over the country growing up but has been in Jackson County for the past 13 years. She is a registered dieti-

Susan Bogardus

and help motivate the private sector to work toward solutions. The collaboration between b Western Carolina University and Morris L Broadband to carry broadband cable on a WCU electric poles is an example of a recent successful endeavor. Addressing this problem a will have positive impacts for education, eco- t t nomic development and health care.

“I think we would just have to be an advo- c cate, and if we could be more than that u through the rural development grants that o are out there, I think we should take advan- a tage of that,” he said.

Stillwell: Something needs to be done, i but private companies will have to spear- t head the solution. The county should stay up-to-date on the issue and possibly consid- “ er helping out with future projects. g However, no funding commitment should t result in a tax hike. e What’s the best approach to furthering eco- b nomic development in Jackson County?

Lewis: Home value has always been a h major economic driver, and lack of internet m connectivity adversely impacts both home s values and businesses’ willingness to locate in p Jackson County. That’s unfortub nate, since small business is the i

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cian with a doctorate in nutrition sciences.

She has worked at WCU and as an organic grower at the Jackson County Farmer’s Market, and she’s currently a dietician at the Cherokee Indian Hospital.

• Political experience: Bogardus has long been active in the Jackson County Democratic Party, serving as both precinct chair and assistant chair since arriving to the area in 2007.

• Reason to run: “I feel compelled to run this time because of the people that I work with from Circles of Hope. I think they’re the ones who have made me realize how difficult it is to get a job and keep a job, how tied that is into transportation and housing.”

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CHOICE OF DESSERT Lewis: The project seems like a done deal at this point, but the county should be looking for anything it can do to lessen the impact. That could mean reducing relocation-related fees from the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority or simply making an effort to talk with individual businesses about what they need to help them stay in Sylva following relocation.

What can the county do to improve access to affordable housing for workers in the county?

Bogardus: There are some positive signs such as the Mountain Projects development underway on Second Avenue in Sylva.

However, a greater inventory of starter homes in the $140,000 to $150,000 range is needed. Aiding with renovations or demolitions of existing structures is an option. The county could also work to communicate to builders that there is a market for smaller homes. Options such as condos and townhouses could also help alleviate the problem.

“I think we could do better if we could help developers see there’s a market for what they want to build,” she said.

Lewis: The county’s direct role in solving the issue will be a limited one, but it’s an issue deserving of attention. The county should look for opportunities to partner with nonprofits like Mountain Projects and examine if there are any regulatory obstacles to private development that should be removed or tax incentives that should be provided.

“It’s hard for the county to get involved in actual real estate development outside of county-assisted living,” he said. “That’s not the place of the county. I don’t think we want the county competing with developers.”

Stillwell: The housing issue is a tough one, and solutions are hard to find. Perhaps the county could offer some assistance to homeowners looking to maintain existing structures. However, there’s not too much land available for building new structures.

“I’d say we have to look around and see what’s available to see what we could do with what we’ve got already,” he said.

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As the N.C. 107 project moves forward, what should be the county’s rule in ensuring the best possible outcome?

Stillwell: The project will be detrimental, causing 55 businesses responsible for more than 300 jobs to relocate.

“I just hate to see people lose jobs,” he said. “I don’t know what we could do. I wish there was something I could say to ease everything right now, but it looks like that’s kind of out of my hands.”

Bogardus: Many of the issues on N.C. 107 are the result of poor planning and increased traffic from WCU. The county can help ease the pain by staying in touch with affected businesses and helping those that are able to relocate within Jackson County publicize their new locations.

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February 12-18, 2020

backbone of Jackson County. At his business, Lewis has seen firsthand the challenges poor access presents.

“I think the driver of our economy has always been small business, and it will continue to be a significant amount of it based in tourism, and that’s OK. That something we can expand on and something we can continue to drive,” he said. “If you build up enough of those small little wins, it will have as big of an impact as one large single employer.”

Stillwell: It’s difficult to name a specific industry as the way of the future, but one thing is certain — more jobs are needed.

“We need jobs in here bad,” said Stillwell.

“We need to get somebody in here that’s going to employ people.”

Bogardus: Jackson County doesn’t have the space or the workforce to attract a huge employer like a factory — it relies on small business.

“Our base economy is education and health care,” she said. “That’s the base economy. The growing economy on top of that is all small business.”

Luckily, Jackson County already has multiple organizations that work to support small business endeavors, but the N.C. 107 project is likely to set back growth in that sector.

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The North Carolina Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, March 3, but early voting will take place beginning Thursday, Feb. 13 across North Carolina.

Through Saturday, Feb. 29, sites across the state will be open to those who want to cast their ballots in advance of Election Day. No reason is needed for those who wish to use what is called “In-Person Absentee Voting” or “One-Stop Absentee Voting,” and voters can alternatively make their selections by mail as well.

As a partisan primary, voters will choose from among candidates according to party registration. Unaffiliated voters may choose a ballot from the Democratic, Libertarian or Republican parties, but may not vote in the Green Party or Constitution Party primaries.

Unaffiliated voters who choose a party will not see a change in their unaffiliated registration status.

To vote early, voters must appear at one of several sites in their home county between those dates. Most voters don’t need to show identification, but those who are voting for the first time or utilizing same-day registration might, so it’s probably best just to bring it along just in case.

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Tribal Council lifts media ban Reporters to be allowed in chambers with council permission

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ribal Council expressed its support of the free press during a thoughtful discussion between its members and Smoky Mountain News Publisher Scott McLeod on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

McLeod addressed council as part of the monthly Requests for Time agenda to ask that members consider lifting restrictions on media access to the chambers. Since April 2018, no media representatives other than those employed by the tribally owned Cherokee One Feather have been permitted in the chambers other than for specific photo opportunities.

In his comments, McLeod spoke to the responsibility governmental and media organizations both have toward community members and to the need for both sectors to do their respective parts toward building the trust that is necessary to serving that population.

“Working together, a responsible media and responsible government can help ensure that community members whose time is rightly dedicated to providing for and spending time with their families have access to the information they need to understand what’s happening in their tribal government and to cast aside rumor in favor of fact,” McLeod said.

To do that job well, McLeod said, it’s essential that members of the media have the ability to be physically present while discussions are being had and decisions made.

He presented letters in support of lifting the ban from several different media outlets, including Blue Ridge Public Radio, The Sylva Herald, The Smoky Mountain Times, The Mountain Xpress, The Raleigh News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer. He also presented a support letter from Travis Long, a tribal member who is a photojournalist for the News & Observer. The

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

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Smoky Mountain News Publisher Scott McLeod addresses Tribal Council. EBCI video image Cherokee One Feather has on multiple occasions published editorials opposing the media ban.

The ban was enacted on April 5, 2018, when Tribal Council voted 11-1 to prevent any media representative save those employed by The One Feather from entering the chambers. The move stemmed from Painttown Representative Tommye Saunooke’s assertion that a March 14, 2018, story in The Smoky Mountain News had quoted her inaccurately, a position she reiterated during the Feb. 5 meeting. A review of her comments contained in the video at http://bit.ly/3bxqx1x and the published news story at http://bit.ly/38kErCn showed that the quote was accurate.

McLeod received a generally positive reception from council members, with multiple representatives voicing their support for the free press.

“We were freshmen councilmen when

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that came up, and I think without discussing it we voted hastily on it without getting all the facts,” said Yellowhill Representative Tom Wahnetah, whose first term began in October 2017. “I know the press does nowadays catch a lot of rap about being fake news, and I’m sure some of it is. But I do believe in free press.”

“That’s one of the votes I wished I could have taken back, because as I see it we have people in Jackson County that don’t have the opportunity to come down here (to the chambers) but a lot of them read The Smoky Mountain News. That’s where they get their information,” added Birdtown Representative Boyd Owl, who took office at the same time as Wahnetah.

Having multiple outlets covering the Qualla Boundary will only benefit the community, One Feather Editor Robert Jumper wrote in a Feb. 7 editorial responding to the Feb. 5 discussion.

“There are stories that The Smoky Mountain News covers about our community that we do not and there are stories that the Cherokee One Feather covers in our community that the Smoky Mountain News does not,” Jumper wrote. “To me, that is the importance of having multiple media outlets covering the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. While we have two of the best writers and journalists in the business working for us, they cannot possibly cover all the goings-on on the Boundary and those off the Boundary. And, when we in the media do cover the same story, it is a positive thing that we see and report the same facts from different perspectives.”

Painttown Representative Dike Sneed, whose first term began in October, said that occasionally critical press coverage is part of the job.

“We’ve chosen this profession,” he said.

“We’re going to have to have a thick skin when it comes to it.”

Birdtown Representative Boyd Owl echoed that sentiment and suggested that reporters work to include opinions from tribal members in addition to quotes from elected officials.

“Sometimes when we make a decision in here, it’s not always a popular decision,” he said. “Sometimes you’ve got to put other people’s comments on there too, not just council members or Chief or Vice Chief.”

Chairman Adam Wachacha said that, as a military veteran, he has respect for the laws of the United States and the role of the free press but that, as a member of tribal government, he has to balance that view with an understanding of the tribe’s status as a sovereign nation.

“Those are things that we have to take full accountability of, being tribal leaders here on the Boundary,” he said.

That said, the tribe’s Free Press Act could use some strengthening, Wachacha said. As it stands now, the act’s provisions pertain exclusively to The One Feather, not to media outlets in general.

“I think we need to elaborate a little bit more on the Free Press Act so it does include other papers,” Wachacha said.

“While this is a huge step in the right direction, equal attention needs to be given to the antiquated processes for the release of public documents and a lack of a structured public information officer system,” Jumper

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wrote in response to that comment. “In some cases, decision makers simply don’t acknowledge receipt of a request as a reason for not providing requested documents. The press and citizenry should not be kept in the dark, passed over or delayed because of structural deficiencies and outdated policies.

An informed citizenry is an essential part of representative government.”

While the majority of council voiced support for allowing outside media back into the chambers and for the importance of news coverage in general, several of them cautioned McLeod as to the importance of ensuring that such coverage is fair and accurate.

“I just want everything to be accurate and not misquoting somebody,” said Big Cove Representative Richard French. “One thing I don’t like is when someone in here is reporting and somebody gives a facial expression on something that comes up.

They take that picture, and that’s what gets published. We don’t want that. If you want to be in here, you’ve got to be kind to us too.

Quote what’s been said and say it right.”

McLeod assured council members that accurate reporting is in the paper’s best interest as well.

“We’re not outsiders,” he said. “We’re not CNN, we’re not FOX News. We are a local business reporting on local people that we see in church, in community stores, at soccer games, at football games. We know if we don’t get it right, we’re going to hear about it, as we should, and we take pride in doing it right.”

Birdtown Representative Albert Rose, meanwhile, questioned whether there was any need for members of the media to sit in the chambers, given that the meetings are broadcast online and via local television.

“Can you explain to me, what is the difference sitting right outside the door listening and sitting in the chambers?” said Rose.

“Think about any kind of digital relationship,” McLeod replied. “Think about how that’s all our kids do now and how different that is when you get a text from somebody or even listen to a video versus being face-toface with that person. It’s just not the same.”

The ban enacted in 2018 was a simple floor policy passed without any supporting documentation. As Wachacha explained it, it was a procedural decision adopted by the 2017-2019 council and not necessarily applicable to the current body. No vote was needed to overturn the ban. By consensus, Tribal Council agreed to a new system in which members of the media will be permitted to sit in the chambers as long as they ask for and obtain permission from the chairman prior to the meeting in question.

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Five candidates seek Macon commission seats

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ive candidates will be running in the primary election for a chance to claim an open seat on the Macon County Board of Commissioners.

Voters filling out a Democratic ballot will have to choose between Betty Cloer Wallace, who unsuccessfully ran for commissioner in 2018, and political newcomer Olga Lampkin.

Voters filling out a Republican ballot will vote for one of three candidates — Josh Young, Terry Bradley or Bryan Rauers.

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February 12-18, 2020

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Why are you running for commissioner?

Lampkin: I am running for county commissioner because it would be rewarding to be involved in making decisions for our future. I want to advocate for other hardworking parents in our county who are trying to make the best of the world for their children. I think that the issues that come before the County Commission should not be dealt with in a partisan manner, because what is good for Macon County is good for all of us.

Rauers: First, I only considered running after being asked to do so by two friends for whom I have great respect. After much thought and prayer I decided I would like to be a solution and not a complainer or problem. I also believe that owning and operating two businesses and having two children in the Macon County School System makes me fully vested in our county and gives me every

What is the

Orthodox Christian Church?

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imply, it is the Church founded by Jesus Christ, established by the Apostles, and handed down through the centuries to today. oly Resurrection Orthodox Church is a canonical mission Church meeting in Waynesville. Our services are in English, all are welcomed to worship with us, and we have a special outreach to the poor and the lost, and to those who seek to love God by loving others.

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reason to make Macon County be the best it can possibly be.

Wallace: My half-century of experience in public service has been a lifetime of preparation for serving as a Macon County Commissioner; and I want to work toward practical and sustainable change, to up-end the top-down voting bloc that has controlled our Board of Commissioners for many years, and to change our status quo trajectory, economic and social, that is resulting in a growing exodus of young families from our county.

Bradley: I would like to continue my legacy of public service as a Macon County Commissioner utilizing my experiences to help guide the decisions that will be made by the Board of Commissioners to benefit the residents and visitors of our community.

Describe your leadership style?

Lampkin: I am an open-minded and empathetic listener. I seek guidance from others who are successful and take into consideration their wisdom and experience when contemplating options, before I make decisions.

I rely on research and facts but can come up with creative solutions. I know that success is a team effort, so I encourage others to use their skills and abilities as we all work together toward a common goal.

Rauers: My leadership style is simple.

When trying to make a decision on a certain topic I gather all the information I can. Then I look to people who have knowledge and

experience on the topic before making a decision. After considering how it will affect everyone involved, I make a decision.

Wallace: Participatory. Within the parameters of any public government job or elected position, everyone being affected has the right to participate, to ask questions, to express opinions and make suggestions. We are a nation of laws, and elected officials must ensure that within our governmental system, the democratic process should be transparent and bubble up from “we the people”— not mandated from the top down in an authoritarian or secretive manner.

Bradley: Transformational leadership. I have a vision and the willingness to share my experience to the citizens of Macon County.

If elected, what are your top three goals to improve the county for residents/businesses?

Lampkin: We need to use the empty buildings in Macon County to meet our needs, both present and in the future. Things like indoor recreation for our youth and teens, drug treatment facilities, prisoner housing and affordable transiOlga Lampkin tional housing could be creatively addressed using already-existing buildings. Continued support of Macon County Schools, with full funding for our classrooms, athletics, and the arts, would be beneficial to both individual residents and Bryan Rauers businesses. Finally, we need access to high speed, reliable internet for all. Students rely on the internet for homework.

Rauers: Broadband, education, and arming our law enforcement and emergency personnel with the most up-to-date tools necessary to fight our drug epidemic.

Wallace: Jobs paying a living wage plus benefits, opportunity for advancement, and retirement, which depends upon affordable housing, better schools, and health care.

Health care expansion, including recruitment of doctors and other healthcare personnel, and increased variety of

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Meet the candidates OLGA LAMPKIN • Age: 48 • Hometown: Redlands, Florida; moved to Macon County in August 2015 • Professional background: Paralegal since 1990 • Political background: Secretary of The Canary Coalition since 2017 BRYAN RAUERS • Age: 50 • Hometown: Grew up in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, but moved to Franklin 17 years ago.

• Professional background: Automotive and tractor business. After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1992, he started a career in the automotive industry.

• Political background: Registered Republican since the age of 18. Never held political office but has been involved with several local campaigns over the years.

BETTY CLOER WALLACE • Age: 76 • Hometown: Franklin • Professional background: Four university degrees, including Ed.D. in Administration from the University of Georgia; Associate Superintendent of Macon County Schools; Director of Western Regional Education Center; Superintendent, Vance County Schools and Assistant State Superintendent, N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

She’s also a book author and a tree farmer.

• Political background: Served two terms as secretary of the N.C. Democratic Party; State Democratic Executive Committee and State Executive Council; First woman in N.C. to run for U.S. Senate; Candidate for Macon County Commissioner in 2018.

TERRY W. BRADLEY • Age: 59 • Hometown: Franklin • Professional background: Retired chief of police with Franklin Police Department • Political background: None

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With state funding for education stagnant, commissioners increased taxes last year to adequately fund Macon County Schools. Did you agree with the board’s decision?

Lampkin: I agree with the commission’s decision to increase taxes to fund our schools.

The slight increase in our taxes, which allowed for additional public school funding, is an investment that will pay off in the future. Schools should receive sufficient funding so that teachers and parents are not supplementing supplies. Allocated funds should include amounts to fully fund arts programs, both during school and after.

Rauers: Yes, I completely agree with our county commissioners. Our children are our future and if we care about our county for the years to come we have to invest in our children. This also means that we must have

schools that are updated and safe and that we keep our teachers pay competitive so that we continue to employ the best.

Wallace: Yes, I agreed with their decision, but only as a one-time stop-gap measure. It is a disingenuous cop out to always say that taxes are raised “for schools” instead of admitting that taxes often fund special interest pork projects that consume tax money that could have been given to our schools. County commissioners are responsible for providing adequate school facilities, while the state and local school boards are responsible for operation of the schools, albeit our local school board is often reduced to begging our county commissioners for additional funding simply to stay afloat, which is not a pretty sight. As our state legislature continues its juggernaut toward privatization of our public schools, we cannot simply blame the state for cutting our funds.

Bradley: I think it is very important to support public education and there is increased budget pressure placed on Macon County due to increases in school population and unfunded mandates from State and Federal programs. One of the main issues currently facing Macon County will be the future replacement or renovation of the Franklin High School facilities. We also need to continue to evaluate local supplements for teacher pay and support staff in order to retain our investment in these resources.

Editor’s note: Josh Young is also running for county commissioner in the March 3 primary but did not respond to the candidate questionnaire by press time Tuesday.

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How would you continue to work toward bringing broadband in Macon?

Lampkin: In order to thoroughly answer this, I would need to know more about what steps have already been taken. Also, the Town of Highlands was successful in bringing internet to their community, so I would talk to their town officials to see what they did. I know that there is recent legislation, some passed and some stalled, that addresses broadband, so I would review those bills and talk with commissioners in other counties that are facing the same problem.

Rauers: I would continue to work with the other commissioners as well as our leaders in Raleigh to get State assistance. I would also look to Washington for assistance. President Trump said in his State of the Union address that he was going to allocate funds for broadband to rural areas in our country. That’s obviously a priority for the entire country. It will take everyone working together to make this happen.

Wallace: Frontier failed to meet FCC

A recent space-needs study showed multiple needs for the county’s infrastructure, including a recommendation to consolidate the jail, justice center and sheriff’s office. What are the top infrastructure projects in your opinion and what are your thoughts on the consolidation project?

Lampkin: At 898 pages, the space-needs study is comprehensive and, obviously, quite lengthy, and I have not had the opportunity to review it all. I agree that the jail, justice center and sheriff ’s office could use modernization and, perhaps, consolidation, but I feel that some of that estimated $77 million would be better spent elsewhere. I understand that there is currently a lack of space for females and a lack of a commercial kitchen. Instead of a new justice center to house the courthouse, detention center and sheriff ’s office, I wonder if the possibility of expanding and updating the current facilities has been explored.

As to other projects, I think renovating the senior center and constructing a library and community center in Nantahala are projects that are much needed and would be beneficial to the county.

Rauers: I first want to applaud the county manager and the county commissioners for hiring an outside firm to analyze the county’s infrastructure. I think the county manager as well as commissioners should study the findings and determine/prioritize what needs to be done first. Then can start the process of how the county can fund these projects. There are currently many infrastructure needs at our schools. We are going to have to analyze and prioritize which projects need to be put first.

Wallace: The $300,000 space-needs study recently completed was preordained to fit our existing programs and services — except for promotion of a new and outrageously expen-

sive courthouse and detention center.

Schools facilities were not included in the study; therefore, the study was actually not a study of our comprehensive needs but a rubber stamp of the status quo and special interests. We do need a review of our comprehensive needs, along with projected costs for each capital item, but not another study to justify special interest projects. Nor do we need a $77 million edifice to law enforcement and our slow-as-molasses court system.

Bradley: There are concerns being raised about courthouse security, inmate population, and other departments having growth issues. If elected I would work to find workable solutions that are economically viable and financially sustainable.

February 12-18, 2020

What are the top issues facing Macon County right now?

Lampkin: There is an obvious need for employment opportunities, but incentives are needed to encourage businesses to move to our county to provide jobs. We cannot hope to woo businesses and the families they would employ without housing, medical and recreational options. I think opioids and meth are the scourge of our county. I am interested in analyzing what measures have been tried in the past, and to help us take new steps forward toward some level of success. The lack of reliable high speed internet is another problem, and is addressed separately.

Rauers: I would continue to work with the other commissioners as well as our leaders in Raleigh to get state assistance. I would also look to Washington for assistance. President Trump said in his State of the Union address that he was going to allocate funds for broadband to rural areas in our country. That’s obviously a priority for the entire country. It will take everyone working together to make this happen.

Wallace: The poverty rate of 30.1 percent, which depends upon jobs, affordable housing and childcare. A lack of adequate health care for every segment of our population. Drug trafficking and drug-related crime, involving both law enforcement and the court system.

Bradley: Education. We must develop in conjunction with the Board of Education a long-term plan for facilities expansion or renovation. We also must work to retain our dedicated faculty and support staff members through innovative programs to reward them for their commitment. Sustainable economic growth. We must seek a more diversified economic foundation based upon a multifaceted approach of industry, trades, tourism, and agriculture. Broadband availability. All facets of our lives are dependent upon reliable high speed connectivity.

broadband requirements for the Connect America Fund for rural areas that stipulated reaching 80 percent of rural locations by December 2019, but we can help Morris expand, or bring in a company with competitive pricing such as the company serving Rabun and Habersham counties, or look at satellite access, albeit cost and limited access would be problematic.

We cannot provide or sustain any local effort to improve our connectivity without federal and state assistance.

Bradley: The county’s role in expanding access to broadband is Betty Cloer twofold. They must Wallace function as a facilitator and as a conduit. As a facilitator the county should engage knowledgeable parties into a taskforce to study and make recommendations. Evaluate which technologies work within our geographic limitations. As a conduit the Terry W. Bradley county must serve as the gateway for funding from federal and state grants. We must dedicate resources to identify and apply aggressively for these funds.

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urgent care and specialty clinics. Broadband expansion countywide.

Bradley: Sustainable economic growth. We must seek a more diversified economic foundation based upon a multifaceted approach of industry, trades, tourism and agriculture.

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Tribal Council OKs donation to Jackson Schools

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already has 40 units of an older model of the panels in place, as well as three of the new version with another 26 scheduled to arrive this month.

In addition, the donation will provide $35,000 to buy 49 student work tables and 126 chairs to upgrade seven middle school classrooms at SMES. The resolution states that the purchase will “allow for better interaction and collaboration between students, staff and materials.”

The vote to approve the donation was divided, with Vice Chairman David Wolfe, Big Cove Representative Richard French, Wolfetown Representative Chelsea Saunooke and Wolfetown Representative Bo Crowe opposed to its passage. Big Cove Representative Perry Shell was absent, and the remaining seven council members voted in favor.

However, even the council members who ultimately opposed the resolution said they felt the expenditure was valid. They just wanted to see council pass some guidelines governing donations to outside school systems before appropriating the money. They favored tabling the resolution for a work session rather than passing it that same day.

“There are a lot of grant funding opportunities that could be sought after as well,” said Chelsea Saunooke. “One of the things I’d like to see are policies put in place. What did this school system seek after before coming for something like this? It’s our due dili-

gence to be fiscally responsible.”

Having a policy in place would allow Tribal Council to ensure that it treats the various school systems where enrolled children attend fairly and equally, French added.

“We can’t pick and choose what schools we’re going to help,” said French. “If we’re going to help them, we need to help them all.”

“We value our partnership with Chief Sneed and the Tribal Council. All parties are interested in seeing our students achieve and grow personally and academically.”

— Superintendent Dr. Kim Elliott

Council members pointed out that the tribe has been putting forward a substantial amount of money lately to help out non-tribal school systems, including $186,000 to extend the water line at Smokey Mountain Elementary School and $100,000 for improvements to the stadium at Robbinsville High School.

“It seems like we’re funding the operations out there in my mind,” Wolfe said of the SMES expenditure. “If they couldn’t

fund the water system, I don’t know how they’d keep the doors open.”

Supporters of the resolution agreed that Tribal Council should develop a written policy before approving any additional similar requests but felt that this purchase was important enough to fund now.

“I don’t care where you go to school,” said Tommye Saunooke. “If you’re enrolled, you have that right. The parent makes that choice to send that child wherever they want to. They went into real detail — if you’d look at it you can see — and they didn’t ask for any more than they needed, so I’m going to stick with moving to pass.”

“I too agree that we do need policy on this, but these children need these panels now,” Wahnetah added. “We don’t need to do a work session to wait on this. These kids are in school right now, today, needing these panels and these chairs to sit on, and work on. These desks. They can’t wait for us to debate policy over their education.”

The resolution passed with seven council members in favor and four opposed for a weighted vote of 38-55. It requires a signature from Principal Chief Richard Sneed to become effective.

If ratified, the money will come from the tribe’s general fund. The school system expects to receive the panels within a month of ordering and to have them all installed by the time the new school year begins in August.

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BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ribal Council approved an $89,745 donation to Jackson County Schools during its Budget Council meeting Tuesday, Feb. 4, money that will pay for desks, chairs and smart blackboards system classrooms.

“We value our partnership with Chief Sneed and the Tribal Council,” said Superintendent Dr. Kim Elliott. “All parties are interested in seeing our students achieve and grow personally and academically. I sincerely appreciate the open communication and the genuine care for all students.”

Smokey Mountain Elementary School Principal Mike Treadway and Smoky Mountain High School Principal Evelyn Graning have been in ongoing conversations with Painttown Representative Tommye Saunooke and Yellowhill Representative Tom Wahnetah about how to help students at those schools — in 2018-2019, Jackson County Schools enrolled 231 tribal members. The resolution, submitted by Saunooke and Wahnetah, was the outcome of those conversations.

The one-time donation includes $55,000 for 25 ActivPanel Nickel units, a product that is described on the company’s website as an “all-in-one, reliable solution for schools looking to replace outdated whiteboard systems with an easy-to-use and highly capable interactive display.” The school system

February 12-18, 2020 Smoky Mountain News

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@voteronmau

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Good manners and good food go a long way I

Trump deserves all the criticism To the Editor: These comments are offered in rebuttal to a previously published letter.

The first sentence in the letter states “The hysterical, savage, and frenzied attacks on President Trump by Democrats, the media, powerful deep state and political establishment has been going on since the day he was elected.”

I submit that this is partially true. I for one (not part of most of the groups mentioned and certainly not a member of the “global elite” because I don’t have any money) have opposed him ever since he lied and accused Obama of not being an American. Also, the attacks on Trump have been met with equal vigor and vitriol by Trump and his supporters. I note that Trump has plenty of heeled

comes from, and raising it or killing it yourself if it comes down to that. Being Appalachian means recognizing the value and dignity of all work. It means, at least for me, that I am polite to outsiders and listen to what they have to offer because I have a big debt that can’t be paid: my European ancestors were outsiders of the worst kind when they arrived here among the Cherokee. It means respecting other people’s property and allowing them to have a place where they and theirs Guest Columnist feel safe, and in situations where someone is wronged, requiring restitution from those who did the wrong.

For me, being Southern means recognizing what we should hold on to and what we should let go of. If it means keeping the Confederate statues, then it also means we need to put a few others right there beside them to tell the other side of the story. Being Southern means assessing where we are now, and what it’s built on, and then having an honest conversation with all parties involved, from those affected by racism and bigotry and greed in 1838, or 1860, or 2020. It also means having an honest conversation about how to set things right with those who are affected by our past and our present prosperity. It means taking a quintessentially Christian approach to making sure that my good life is not the result of someone else’s past or present suffering, and, yes, I’m talking about the Cherokee Removal, about slavery, and about immigration.

So I have to speak out myself, because I’m privileged by who I am and what I’ve been given, much of it unearned, all of it the accident of genetics and place of birth. I have to speak out because I have been teaching students for 32 years that courage is a habit of mind. I have to speak out because I admire Fannie Lou Hamer, Pat Tillman, and Mohandas Gandhi. I have to speak out because I admire Marie Junaluska, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ta Nehisi-Coates, and Veronica Nicholas. I have to speak out because I admire

Dawn Gilchrist

’m not comfortable writing this, and that’s why I have to write it. In the past three weeks, I’ve given three different people advice that goes against my belief in the value of courage.

One of these people is a friend whose family pet was shot and killed in her driveway for no reason except that the young man who shot it had a gun and an opportunity. The other is a couple, also friends, who object to Sylva’s prominently displayed Confederate statue. In each separate conversation, I advised my friends to remain quiet because, as I told them, “Speaking out on these issues will change nothing, and you will only suffer if you try to change a culture.” I do believe that the culture of Jackson County, though in so many ways rich and worth preserving, is still very much insular, blindly protective of those we consider “our own,” and equally blind to the continued harm being done by romanticizing and whitewashing a flawed past. I believe this, and yet I would give my friends the same advice today as I did a few weeks ago, and it is because they are not from here.

But I am. I am from here, and I love this place. I am from here, and so I can speak. I am from here: my mother’s family are Wilsons and Hoopers from Glenville, and my father’s are Walls and Gilchrists from Almond. I am from here, and I love people with pickup trucks and mountain dialects, who are a good shot, and who put food in their freezer with their own hands. I am from here, and I’ll put my husband’s sweet iced tea up against anybody’s. I’ll put my biscuit recipe and my Southern-ness and my Appalachian-ness up against anybody’s. For that matter, I’ll put my family up against anybody’s, from my newest great-nephew to my siblings to my tough-as-nails mother. I love this place, and that is why I am ashamed of how we Southern Appalachian people here in Jackson County can be willfully ignorant and woefully stubborn when it comes to intentional and unintentional cruelty.

For me, being Appalachian is not about your accent, it’s about how you approach living. It means not killing just because you can, but having a strict code that dictates your behavior with a gun or any other weapon. It means valuing life, both human and animal, but knowing where your food

LETTERS supporters who contribute generously to try to keep him in office.

What is totally true is that Trump is singularly unfit to hold public office. His countless lies, nasty rhetoric, misuse of his office, and traitorous behavior toward Russian interference in our electoral processes are clear (to cite Sen. Lamar Alexander). His views on global climate change are a threat to us all. His tax breaks for the wealthy (he promised to balance the budget — remember that one?) are increasing our staggering debt and will come back to burden our children. His trade efforts are hurting family farms and have yet to show positive results. He promised to bring back our industrial base and that has not materialized. His foreign policy supports dictators around the world. Further, Trump’s attacks on the “media,” meaning anyone who disagrees with him, are disgraceful and untrue because

those who speak and act on behalf of the vulnerable. And, finally, I have to speak out because I told three courageous people that they should not, so I will do it instead.

I admire those who can effect change without resorting to bad behavior, to incivility, or to violence. I know this is going against the trend of the last decades in the United States, but the trend of tweeting insults seems to convince no one on any side of any argument to change their minds about anything except to up the ante of their own arsenal. I would like it if our Southern Appalachian county, if Jackson County, could go against the contentious grain of the rest of the country. I would admire it if we could move forward and not be a microcosm of those ugly aspects of the greater United States, but could take our differing viewpoints, our oldest and newest populations, our wholesome traditions and our questionable ones, and have the courage to sit down at the same table.

I suppose, if I could draw a picture of what that kind of courage might look like, it would be a big dinner table set up at the top of the steps leading to our library from Main Street.

My friend whose family pet was shot would be there, and so would the young man who shot it. My friends who dislike the Confederate statue would be there, and so would the Sons of the Confederacy. And there would be those who love guns and those who don’t; those who romanticize the Southern past and those who demonize it; those who are vegetarians and those who are hunters; those of every gender and identification, including no gender; those who are tree-huggers and those who are loggers; and all those who’ve lost along with those who’ve caused loss.

In the center of the table would be a pitcher of sweet iced tea and a plate of oven-hot biscuits with plenty of butter.

Everyone would be required to pour the person next to them a glass of tea and to pass the biscuits. Everyone would be required to have at least two bites before the conversation could begin, and no one could talk with their mouth full. It just might work. Nothing else has, and these are some good recipes.

(Gilchrist has been a public school teacher in Swain and Jackson counties for more than two decades. dawngilc@gmail.com)

the “media” reports what he does (except for Fox News, which totally supports him) I only hope that there are enough Democrats and others to rid us of him in November.

Owen Rothberg Waynesville

Why I’m backing O’Shea for Congress To the Editor: I served two terms on Asheville’s City Council and am a former candidate for Congress in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. In other words, I’m pretty engaged in electoral politics. I bring that experience to every election, evaluating candidates in light of their platforms and with regard to their personal commitment to ideas that I believe are in the best interest of our

community, the state and the nation.

In this year’s congressional race in the 11th District Democratic Primary, I offer my full endorsement of Michael O’Shea. There is no issue more important to our collective future than addressing the global climate crisis.

O’Shea fully supports the Green New Deal which is the only plan offered that has any chance of averting the life-threatening effect of our current policies. Further, O’Shea has endorsed Bernie Sanders, the only presidential candidate whose platform might move the United States toward economic justice, demanding that the wealthy pay their fair share.

Western North Carolina needs Michael O’Shea to represent our interests and to reverse the devastating efforts of Rep. Mark Meadows who has done all he could do to advance benefits for the rich during his years in office.

Cecil Bothwell Asheville

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

Susanna Shetley

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February 12-18, 2020 Smoky Mountain News

ately I’ve been pondering the meaning of life. If everyone took their very best skills and traits and put those into the universe, think how amazing the world could be. I’ve also been considering what the future holds for my two boys and other children. With melting glaciers, yelling politicians, sports Columnist heroes dying in helicopter crashes and bizarre, deadly viruses spreading across the globe, it’s a wonder our youngest generations wake up hopeful each day.

Truthfully, though, there were similar tragedies and global disasters when I grew up in the 1980s. I remember being glued to the TV when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded or watching those gaunt, haunting faces of AIDS patients. Later in the 1990s, I recall some of my teachers crying at school as family members were called to The Gulf War. I remember the plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr. and the car accident that killed Princess Diana.

To make the point, every generation has its share of historical and societal heartaches that define a particular zeitgeist and influence a person’s coming of age years. As a mom, it’s different watching the world affect my children as opposed to it impacting me.

It makes me curious how we adults can influence younger generations to be better, smarter and more aware, to live with intention and optimism instead of apathy and defeat.

Recently I attended the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference in New York City. As a former middle school teacher, mom to two avid readers and a picture book author, I was in heaven being around other likeminded individuals and having the opportunity to hear legends in the industry such as James Patterson, Lin Oliver, Jerry Pinkney and Kate Messner, among many others.

The conference focused on picture books, middle grades books (ages 8 to 12) and young adult books (ages 12 to 18). One theme resonated. Yes, we write because we love the craft, but authors of children’s and adolescent books mainly write to inspire future generations.

It’s a beautiful thought that children

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opinion

Changing the world one book at a time

reading a book in the early 1900s felt a similar joy as modern young people. Written stories always have and always will transform young hearts. They have helped generations of children and adolescents learn empathy, love, kindness, tolerance and compassion, concepts that are universal and timeless.

Beyond overarching themes, today’s books help kids understand challenging situations and moments such as death, divorce, climate change, gun control or feelings of being transgendered or gay.

At the conference I learned that while young adult novel sales have somewhat flatlined over the past few years, the middle grades industry is flourishing.

At ages 8 and 11, both of my boys are in those precious middle-grades years. They don’t yet have phones and have no interest in social media or streaming TV shows.

They both love to read the old-fashioned way. When traveling in the car, I love looking in the rearview mirror and seeing their little faces buried in the pages of a book.

My older son has been on the Junaluska Elementary Battle of the Books team for two years. He loves many genres including historical fiction, realistic fiction and fantasy. My youngest son is more into graphic and comedic novels. It’s fun to watch them develop a sense of what they enjoy.

As opposed to middle grades, adolescents in the young adult group have phones and spend a lot of time listening to music, audio books or streaming TV shows and movies. My generation didn’t have these options. The propensity to be on phones is showing in book sales for this cohort. When I see kids in this age range holding an actual book, it makes me happy because there are so many distractions to pull them away.

I’m trying to hold on to this precious stage my boys are in, especially my older child who starts middle school next year. As a sixth-grader, with a lot of new experiences and stimulation, I hope his love of books and reading continues. I will be doing everything I can to help, such as being an ardent reader myself, ensuring books are around the house, encouraging book buying at book fairs and bookstores, continuing to visit the local library and gifting books at holidays and birthdays.

It’s easy to feel helpless in a world like ours, but when I see a bright-eyed child reading a book, I feel a sense of peace. Even with all the technology available, kids are still choosing to read books. That alone tells me that all is not lost. When it comes to using our talents and skills to make the world a better place, we can do something as simple yet profound as encouraging a child to read, because ultimately, so much is at stake in those black and white pages.

(Susanna Shetley is a digital marketing specialist, editor and writer for Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com)

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tasteTHE mountains

Mon/Wed/Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday/Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Closed Tuesday

Sunday 12-9 p.m.

Sandwiches • Burgers • Wraps 32 Felmet Street (828) 246-0927

Fixed price dinner options

February 13,14 &15 BIG SWEETHEART - $60 Appetizer, 2 Entrees with Salads, Shared Dessert and Bottle of Wine or Champagne SWEETHEART SPLIT - $40 Entree to Split, 2 Salads, Shared Dessert and Bottle of Wine or Champagne Special Entrees & Regular Menu Entrees Available $

1 OFF PINTS OF BEER OR WINE BY THE GLASS BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE DESSERT CREPES 3 E JACKSON ST. • SYLVA, NC

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

www.CityLightsCafe.com Wine • Cigars • Champagne Dinners & Tastings

Events begin at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted.

For Reservations Call 828-452-6000 TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11, 5PM - 7PM Share the Love Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser. Meet & Greet fundraiser for Haywood Habitat for Humanity. Free wine and hors d'oeuvres, suggested donation of $20 per person.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 29 @ 7PM Wine & Food Pairing With Guest Chef Elisabeth McCutcheon. Five wines & food pairings selected from the cookbook, "Felidia" by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, $60 all-Inclusive.

828-452-6000 · classicwineseller.com 22 20 Church Street, Waynesville, NC

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 BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slow-simmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts.

Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily.

Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available.

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

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

BOOJUM BREWING COMPANY 50 N Main Street, Waynesville.

828.246.0350. Taproom Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Gem Bar Open Tuesday through Sunday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Enjoy lunch, dinner or drinks at Boojum’s Downtown Waynesville restaurant & bar. Choose from 16 taps of our fresh, delicious & ever rotating Boojum Beer plus cider, wine & craft cocktails. The taproom features seasonal pub faire including tasty burgers, sandwiches, shareables and daily specials that pair perfectly with our beer. Cozy up inside or take in the mountain air on our back deck."

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner nightly at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Wine Down Wednesday’s: ½ off wine by the bottle. We specialize in handcut, all natural steaks from local farms, incredible burgers, and other classic american comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available.

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

From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu. Extensive selection of wine and beer. Reservations honored.

CHURCH STREET DEPOT 34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville.

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

CITY 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.

THE CLASSIC WINESELLER 20 Church Street, Waynesville.

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

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

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

828.926.1820 Winter hours: Wednesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. 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.

EVERETT HOTEL & BISTRO 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934.

Open daily for dinner at 4:30 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday Brunch from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner from 4:30-9:30 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 sandwiches and burgers. Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials. 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.

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde.

828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95.

FIREFLY TAPS & GRILL 128 N. Main St., Waynesville 828.454.5400. Simple, delicious food. A must experience in WNC. Located in downtown Waynesville with an atmosphere that will warm your heart and your belly! Local and regional beers on tap. Full bar, vegetarian options, kids menu, and more.

Reservations accepted. Daily specials. Live music every Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m.

Open Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE 44 Church St., Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving dinner 5 to 9 p.m.

Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 9:30 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.

Reservations accepted. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

HARMON’S DEN BISTRO 250 Pigeon St., Waynesville 828.456.6322. Harmon’s Den is located in the Fangmeyer Theater at HART. Open 5:309 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday (Bistro closes at 7:30 p.m. on nights when there is a show in the Fangmeyer Theater) with Sunday brunch at 11 a.m. that includes breakfast and lunch items. Harmon’s Den offers a complete menu with cocktails, wine list, and area beers on tap. Enjoy casual dining with the guarantee of making it to the performance in time, then rub shoulders with the cast afterward with post-show food and beverage service. Reservations recommended. www.harmonsden.harttheatre.org HAZELWOOD FARMACY & SODA FOUNTAIN 429 Hazelwood Avenue, Waynesville.

828.246.6996. Open six days a week, closed Wednesday. 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday brunch 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast until noon, old-fashioned luncheonette and diner comfort food.

Historic full service soda fountain.

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

Open for dinner at 4:30 Tuesday through Sunday. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads.

All ABC permits and open year-round.

Children always welcome. Take-out menu.

Excellent service and hospitality.

Reservations appreciated.

JOEY'S PANCAKE HOUSE 4309 Soco Rd Maggie Valley.

828.926.0212. Open seven days a week! 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Joey’s is a family-friendly restaurant that has been serving breakfast to locals and visitors of Western North Carolina for decades. Featuring a large variety of tempting pancakes, golden waffles, country style cured ham and seasonal specials spiked with flavor, Joey's is sure to please all appetites. Join us for what has become a tradition in these parts, breakfast at Joey’s.

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

828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner.

The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

KANINI’S 1196 N. Main St., Waynesville.

828.452.5187. Lunch Monday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., eat in or carry out. Closed Sunday. A made-from-scratch

tasteTHE mountains kitchen using fresh ingredients. Offering a variety of meals to go from frozen meals to be stored and cooked later to “Dinners to Go” that are made fresh and ready to enjoyed that day. We also specialize in catering any event from from corporate lunches to weddings. kaninis.com MAD BATTER KITCHEN 617 W. Main St, Downtown Sylva.

828.586.3555. In collaboration with Lazy Hiker Brewing Co. Open 7 days a week; Saturday & Sunday Brunch until 2 p.m.

Hand-tossed pizza, local grass-fed beef and rice bowls. Scratch-made and beer inspired menu with lots of vegetarian, vegan & gluten free options. Free live music and movies.

Visit madbatterkitchen.net for this week’s events.

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

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

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

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT 2804 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.926.0425. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Daily specials including soups, sandwiches and southern dishes along with featured dishes such as fresh fried chicken, rainbow trout, country ham, pork chops and more.

Breakfast all day including omelets, pancakes, biscuits & gravy. facebook.com/carversmvr; instagram @carvers_mvr.

PIGEON RIVER GRILLE 101 Park St., Canton.

828.492.1422. Open Tuesday through Thursday 3 to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday noon to 9 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m. Southerninspired restaurant serving simply prepared, fresh food sourced from top purveyors.

Located riverside at Bearwaters Brewing, enjoy daily specials, sandwiches, wings, fish

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT since 1952

Daily Specials: Soups, Sandwiches & Southern Dishes

Featured Dishes: Fresh Fried Chicken, Rainbow Trout, Country Ham, Pork-chops & more

Breakfast : Omelets, Pancakes, Biscuits & Gravy!

Breakfast served all day!

OPEN DAILY 7 A.M. TO 8 P.M. SUNDAY 8 A.M. TO 8 P.M. CLOSED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 2804 SOCO RD. • MAGGIE VALLEY 828.926.0425 • Facebook.com/carversmvr Instagram- @carvers_mvr

SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE 1941 Champion Drive, Canton 828.646.3750 895 Russ Ave., Waynesville 828.452.5822. Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Carry out available.

Sagebrush features hand carved steaks, chicken and award winning BBQ ribs. We have fresh salads, seasonal vegetables and scrumptious deserts. Extensive selection of local craft beers and a full bar. Catering special events is one of our specialties.

SALTY DOG'S SEAFOOD & GRILL 3567 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.926.9105. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Full service bar and restaurant located in the center of Maggie Valley.

Featuring daily $6 lunch specials and daily dinner specials such as $1 Taco Tuesdays and 45¢ Wednesday Wings. Backyard Bar is open every weekend thru October. Join us for every NFL game.

SMOKEY SHADOWS LODGE 323 Smoky Shadows Lane, Maggie Valley 828.926.0001. Check Facebook page for hours, which vary. Call early when serving because restaurant fills up fast. Remember when families joined each other at the table for a delicious homemade meal and shared stories about their day? That time is now at Smokey Shadows. The menus are customizable for your special event. Group of eight or more can schedule their own dinner.

TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.3551. Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, the Tap Room Bar & Grill has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com.

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. WATAMI SUSHI AND NOODLES RESTAURANT 33 S. Main Street, Waynesville.

828.231.3476. Open 7 days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. on Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11:30 a.m.9 p.m. Sunday. Healthy, fresh, delicious and high-quality Asian food such as Sushi and Sashimi, Hibachi and Teriyaki, Pad Thai, Wok Lo Men and Thai Coconut Noodle Soup.

Sushi, Hibachi and Teriyaki lunch specials every day. Gluten free options available. Full sushi bar and new chocolate wine bar. New party room available for weddings, birthdays or special occasions. Live bluegrass Sundays from 6-9 p.m. with Sons of Ralph.

Reservations and online ordering available. www.watamisushinoodles.com WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville.

828.246.0927. Open Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Opened in May 2016, The Waynesville Pizza Company has earned a reputation for having the best hand-tossed pizza in the area. Featuring a custom bar with more than 20 beers and a rustic, family friendly dining room. Menu includes salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, gourmet pizza, homemade desserts, and a loaded salad bar. The Cuban sandwich is considered by most to be the best in town.

Country Vittles RESTAURANT

& GIFT SHOP

Featuring a Full Menu with Daily Specials PRIVATE DINING ROOM AVAILABLE FOR EVENTS

We Accept Reservations & Offer Online Ordering

Join us Sundays 6-9PM

LIVE MUSIC!

Gluten Free Options Available

Bluegrass: Sons of Ralph

New Party Room Available ~ ~ ~ ~ Book Us for Your Next Event ~ ~

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

watamisushinoodles.com · 828.246.6888 33 S. Main St. #101 · Waynesville

Mad for Drag!

Anti-Valentine's Day Dance

February 15 • 10PM $5 cover 18+Only

LAZY HIKER TAPROOM

617 W Main St. Sylva

Benefit show for

WCU's SAGA

MadBatterKitchen.net Downtown Sylva • 828.586.3555

Valentine’s Day Dinner for Two FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY

FEBRUARY 14-16

Come and enjoy a great dinner for two on those special nights for sweethearts!

———————————————

FOR ONLY

35.99

$

+ TAX ———————————————

Dinner Includes:

Smoky Mountain News

Carver's

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley 828.926.0201 Home of the Maggie Valley Pizzeria. We deliver after 4 p.m. daily to all of Maggie Valley, J-Creek area, and Lake Junaluska.

Monday through Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. country buffet and salad bar from 5 to 9 p.m. $11.95 with Steve Whiddon on piano.

Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 to 8 p.m. 11:30 to 3 p.m. family style, fried chicken, ham, fried fish, salad bar, along with all the fixings, $11.95.

Check out our events and menu at rendezvousmaggievalley.com

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.

February 12-18, 2020

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

Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections. Bagels, wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and quiche with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts.

and chips, flatbreads, soups, salads, and more. Be sure to save room for a slice of the delicious house made cake. Relaxing inside/outside dining and spacious gathering areas for large groups.

Two 8oz Ribeyes plus 2 sides

Monday-Sunday 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Tuesday

3589 SOCO RD. MAGGIE VALLEY

828.926.1820

35 EAST MAIN ST. • SYLVA 828.586.6532

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Can’t rock my dream face Joel Cummins of Umphrey’s McGee

Joel Cummins.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER or the better part of a quarter-century, Umphrey’s McGee has remained one of the most fundamental and innovative acts on the live music scene.

Originating at the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, Indiana) in 1997, the band soon called nearby Chicago, Illinois, home.

But, the group’s reach has unrelentingly extended in seemingly every direction — geographically and sonically — from the Midwestern musical hub.

With a thick thread of rock-n-roll running through its roots, the sextet has never shied away from diving deep into other genres — from metal to punk, pop to electronica. For Umphrey’s McGee, it’s always been about exploring the endless depths of improvisational possibility, taking a chance on a night of melodic magic that’ll never be replicated.

The Smoky Mountain News recently caught up with Umphrey’s McGee keyboardist Joel Cummins ahead of the ensemble’s upcoming two-night run in Asheville. He spoke of the band’s early days, what kept the group going, and what it means still be charting new creative territory.

F

Smoky Mountain News: The band is approaching 23 years together. What do you think about that?

Joel Cummins: You know, it’s interesting because there’s definitely the feeling that we’ve been doing this for a long time. But, at the same time, when we get out on the road, get up onstage and are playing together — in a lot of ways it still feels very youthful and invigorated.

And I’m sure part of it is that I get to make music with five of my best friends. We just kind of kept trying to push things musically and not be ever satisfied with where things are always — continuing to work on new music and to push forward. So, I think that’s really our lifeblood, that desire to keep trying new things.

SMN: Was that the intent coming out of the gate or did the band evolved into that?

JC: Honestly, when we started, we were just trying to postpone the inevitable of what we thought was, “Eventually, we’re going to have to quit screwing around playing music and get some other jobs. We’ll have to sitting behind a desk.” We were really just trying to make [the music] happen and see if anybody cared — fortunately, we’re still doing that 23 years in now.

SMN: When you look at those early years, what was it that really kept the band going?

JC: We took a cue from some of the other bands in the more jam-oriented scene — trying to write as much as we could, play as much variety with our set list as possible. And I think that was originally probably what had people coming back to see us again.

That’s one of the most challenging things to try to do as a live musician, [which] is [to] not only get somebody to come out for the first time, but then to try to get them to stay interested in wanting to come out and see the band again.

SMN: You’ve been able to have this career creating and performing music around the world, and you’ve interacted with people of all walks of life — what has that taught you about what it means to be a human being?

JC: I mean, certainly that we have more in common with each other than not. I think

Want to go?

Umphrey’s McGee will perform on Feb. 1415 at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena in downtown Asheville. Doors at 5:30 p.m. with show time at 6:30 p.m. Openers for both nights will be Billy Strings (bluegrass/jam) and Empire Strikes Brass (jazz/soul).

Tickets for each night are $37.50 in advance, $40 day of show. Two-day and VIP passes are available. Visit www.umphreys.com and click on the “Tour” tab.

As well, Joel Cummins will host a special solo performance at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at Isis Music Hall in West Asheville.

Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 day of show.

All proceeds will benefit Conscious Alliance, a hunger relief organization. Visit www.isisasheville.com and click on the “Calendar” tab.

that’s one of the really important things for getting out there in the world, and not just visiting different cities in the [United States].

Music is one of these things that can bring everybody together, whether it has lyrics or not. And I think that’s probably what keeps bringing me back to it.

You know, I’m a big sports fan, too. But, I don’t necessarily feel that [same] way when I go to a sporting event. Obviously, it’s cool if your team wins, and you and the fans of that team can celebrate that.

But, with music you should never have the feeling like you lost the game when you leave.

[It’s] something that’s a pretty special feeling [each and every time] — only music can create that.

Editor’s Note: If you would like to listen to the entire free stream of the audio conversation of this interview, go to YouTube and search: “Joel Cummins Garret K. Woodward.”

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

If I ever loved once, you know I never loved right by you

The “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio” exhibit will feature a talk by Marie T. Cochran from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.

I

CASUAL FINE DINING WITH LIVE MUSIC COVERED PATIO LATE NIGHT MENU

KITCHEN 743 TUESDAY THRU SUNDAY FROM 5PM UNTIL...

SUNDAY BRUNCH 10AM TO 2PM

Smoky Mountain News

t had been several years Country music singer-songwriter Ashley Campbell since we’d sat down over a will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the drink and chatted. An old Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts friend and former lover, she in Franklin. reached out randomly on a recent rainy day.

The annual “Outhouse Races” will return to the “I’m having a shitty day. slopes from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Let’s meet for a beer?” the Sapphire Valley Resort. out-of-the-blue text stated.

Sure, I figured, always up for A production of Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome hearty conversation with Playground Injuries” will hit the stage at 7:30 good, genuine folk. p.m. Feb. 14-15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Situated in a corner of the Theatre in Waynesville. local brewery taproom, the A musical production of “Let The Good Times raindrops were heavy outside Roll” will be performed at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13-15 the windows. Her bright smile at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing and positive persona were Arts in Franklin. still intact, so was the sheer determination to find stabilithe right direction on my end, too (knock on ty in her existence, personally and profeswood). But, why was companionship and sionally.

Since I had last saw her, the newborn she partnership amid the cosmos constantly just brought into this world is now a toddler and out of grasp? Like two ships passing in the night, timing has never been in my favor is co-parenting smoothly with her ex. All when it comes to femme fatales and taking involved are happy and healthy, as is her the plunge into something more bountiful new small business, of which she’s thriving than initial encounters and fleeting flings. well enough to open up another location.

But, I stood by my old adage, “We all But, the “meet for a beer” came from a have our own victories in our own time.” tumultuous breakup, which left a bad taste Whether it be love, life or career, comparing in her mouth in regards to love. yourselves to others never ends well. You “Why is everything in my life going well, but I can’t seem to find love and happiness?” usually find yourself tearing down your emotional and physical state in an effort to “keep she muttered, slowly gazing out the window up with Joneses.” Aside from that, if someto the passerby traffic on Main Street. thing is too good to be true (especially if I concurred. Things had been going in

February 12-18, 2020

HOT PICKS 1 2 3 4 5

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

plastered all over social media), then it probably is.

Deep into the conversation, I reminded her that all that matters in life is “love, compassion and creative fulfillment.” Everything else? Just details. It’s not being starry-eyed — it’s the truth. Be able to give and receive love. Show compassion toward humanity, whether it be friend or stranger alike. And seek creative fulfillment, for a true and honest (and passionate) purpose in life is a life well-lived. Simply put, go with the flow and see where life takes you.

And as we ordered another round and dove into other topics within our lives, it dawned on me that Valentine’s Day was quickly coming up on the calendar. With all this talk about “love lost, love found, love lost again,” I started reminiscing about that feeling that causes such ache and intensity in that beating muscle in your chest.

It had been a long, long time since I could remember (let alone visually picture) a real deal V-Day celebration and what it meant to sincerely and unapologetically be in love with a face that I wished to emerge into (and end) the day with.

Along my journey through life, there’s been three V-Days that really stuck out. One in high school, college and post-college. Each with a girl that I figured I’d someday call my wife. Head held high, I was optimistic. And though each faltered and disappeared into the unknown night, I still remain optimistic — I mean, what else can you be when it comes to seizing that carp(e) everyone talks about?

Senior year with my high school sweetheart. Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. Nice steak dinner and a movie for the two of us in Lake Placid. Strolling the downtown strip, looking into shop windows at things we might be able to afford one day.

Thoughts of our impending freshman year at college, miles apart and yet eager to see what the next chapter held.

Sophomore year at Quinnipiac University.

I’d met my girlfriend a week before V-Day at a dorm room keg party for my birthday.

Immediately smitten with her, I asked her out for V-Day. She wore a little black dress, myself in a tweed sport coat that was once my father’s. Dinner at a nice restaurant on the Long Island Sound. We were 20 years old, but didn’t get asked for ID when ordering drinks. Laughter and salutes to a love found amid young adulthood chaos.

Post-college and back up in the Adirondacks. A few months into this relationship, she and I went for an extremely fancy candlelit meal at a mountain lodge. I had just enough money from freelance articles to cover the bill. Her mother called ahead and bought us a bottle of wine — Oregon pinot noir, my favorite. We were happy, and I’d hoped to propose to her by that time the following year.

So, from this point forward, how about we view V-Day as love not only for (significant) others, but also for ourselves, too, eh?

Self-love. Appreciation for having the will and drive to get up every day and give our best to our hopes and dreams. I think we all could use a little more of that in this day and age. Onward.

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

AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE EVENTS 743 HAYWOOD RD • WEST ASHEVILLE

ISISASHEVILLE.COM 828.575.2737

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arts & entertainment

On the beat

‘Americana Concert’ with Balsam Range

Fisk Jubilee Singers.

WCU welcomes Fisk Jubilee Singers

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

The Fisk Jubilee Singers will be performing at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

The Fisk Jubilee Singers are vocal artists and students at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, who sing and travel worldwide.

Joining the Fisk Jubilee Singers as a special guest on select songs will be the WCU Concert Choir. The event is part of the Arts and Cultural Events series.

The original Fisk Jubilee Singers introduced “slave songs” to the world in 1871 and were instrumental in preserving this unique

Rising country star in Franklin

American musical tradition known today as Negro spirituals. They broke racial barriers in the U.S. and abroad in the late 19th century and entertained kings and queens in Europe. At the same time, they raised money in support of their beloved school.

In 2008, the Fisk Jubilee Singers were selected as a recipient of the 2008 National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest honor for artists and patrons of the arts.

Tickets for the performance are $5 for WCU students; $10 for non-WCU students and WCU faculty and staff; and $15 for general admission online or at the Bardo Arts Center box office.

For tickets and group sales, contact the Bardo Arts Center Box Office at 828.227.2479 or online at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

Ashley Campbell.

Country music singer-songwriter Ashley Campbell will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Her music combines the old-school country sound with contemporary Americana, rootsy folk, and country-pop. Campbell is authentic and has a deep appreciation for the history and traditions of country music.

Tickets start at $15 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com or call 828.273.4615.

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Along with great music there will be food trucks, including Fuego: Modern American Cuisine and Appalachian Smoke BBQ. To wash down the delicious food, beer and wine will be available for purchase by those over the age of 21.

For the younger attendees, a face painter and a bounce house will keep them entertained. There will be open-air seating and room for a picnic, so bring you blankets and lawn chairs.

Early bird tickets are now available for purchase at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts (86 North Main Street in Waynesville) or online through Eventbrite. Before April 30, VIP tickets are $75 each and include a VIP parking pass, official “Americana Concert” Tshirt, and access to the VIP tent.

Early bird general admission for those 21 and over is $30 per person, and ages 12-20 is $20 per person.

After May 1, a VIP ticket will be $85, admission for ages 21 and up is $40, and ages 12-20 is $25. Children 11 and under are free but must be registered. Tickets will not be available for sale on the day of the concert.

For more information about the Haywood County Arts Council, visit www.haywoodarts.org.

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The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) is pleased to present its “Americana Concert” featuring Balsam Range and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra on Sunday, May 24, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 5:30 p.m.

The concert will include Balsam Range favorites along with the music of Aaron Copland, George M. Cohan, Duke Ellington, Henry Mancini, George Gershwin and The Charlie Daniels Band.

Balsam Range is a five-person acoustic band from Haywood County. It has won 13 awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, produced eight albums, and been featured in Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and Billboard.

The Atlanta Pops Orchestra plays concerts across the southeast and often accompanies other acts. Dr. Jason Altieri is the current Conductor and Music Director of the Atlanta Pops Orchestra as well as the Associate Conductor for the Reno Philharmonic and director of the Orchestra Program at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The Atlanta Pops Orchestra and Balsam Range previously have collaborated on two albums.

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On the beat

• BearWaters Brewing (Canton) will host Bohemian Jean (singer/songwriter) from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 6 and 13. Free and open to the public. www.blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Boojum Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host a bluegrass open mic every Wednesday, an all-genres open mic every Thursday, Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/alt-country) Feb. 21 and Andrew Thelston Band (indie/rock) Feb. 22. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.boojumbrewing.com.

ALSO:

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host John Duncan Feb. 15 and Pullin’ Strings (Grateful Dead tribute). All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Feb. 12 and 19, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Feb. 13 and 20, with Seth Brand 7 p.m. Feb. 15 and Feather 3 p.m. Feb. 23. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Isis Music Hall (West Asheville) will host My New Favorites (Americana/honky tonk) 7 p.m.

Feb. 12, Dana & Susan Robinson (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. Feb. 13, Kate Lee & Forrest O’Connor (Americana/folk) 7 p.m.

Feb. 14, Kat Williams (blues/soul) 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14, Tim Easton (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Jack Broadbent (folk/rock) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 15, The Promise Is Hope (singersongwriter) 6 p.m. Feb. 16, Joel Cummins (rock) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16, Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions w/Darren Nicholson Band 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 18, Greg Klyma (folk/indie) 6 p.m. Feb. 19 and Christie Lenee & Daniel Champagne (Americana/folk) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 19. www.isisasheville.com.

• Legends Sports Grill (Maggie Valley) will host music semi-regularly on weekends.

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• Mad Anthony’s Taproom will host Bohemian Jean (singer/songwriter) from 7 to 9 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host the “Stone Soup” open mic night every Tuesday, Alma Russ (Americana/folk) Feb. 14, Bird In Hand (Americana/indie) Feb. 15, Scott James Stambaugh (singer-songwriter) Feb. 21 and Somebody’s Child (Americana) Feb. 22. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host April B. & The Cool Feb. 14, Into The Fog Feb. 21 and Dirty Grass Players 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday. www.pub319socialhouse.com.

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Gary Carter Feb. 14, The Tuners Feb. 15, Heidi Holton Feb. 21 and Scott Stetson Feb. 22. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.

• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a Trivia w/Kelsey Jo 8 p.m. Thursdays.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Dylan Doyle 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6 (tickets are $10). 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic Night” on Mondays, karaoke on Thursdays and semi-regular music on Fridays and Saturdays. All events at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

828.456.4750.

Ingles Nutrition Notes written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

Will this Diet Work?

It seems like every year (and sometimes every month) there’s a new weight loss diet that makes the news. From the “Grapefruit Diet” and the “Cabbage Soup” diet where specific foods are eaten regularly to versions of low carbohydrate diets like Atkins and Keto and more recently some version of fasting. But will these diets work for you if your goal is weight loss?

The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is “yes.” Any diet that restricts calories has the potential of achieving weight loss… BUT… the real question should be, “Can I lose weight AND keep it off?”

Here are some RED FLAGS that a trendy diet may not be for you: Sustainability- Is this way of eating something you can see yourself sticking with long term? Is it expensive and hard to follow?

Social Life- How will this way of eating affect your social life? Will you be able to enjoy meals with family and friends and dining out?

Sports – Dos this diet encourage you to be active and exercise in addition to restricting calories or does it promise weight loss without this? Activity and exercise help with flexibility, may help reduce stress and improve cardiovascular health.

Supplements- Does the diet force you to rely on purchasing supplements to get important nutrients you are eliminating from your diet?

Stamina – If you are restricting calories do you have the stamina (energy) for your daily activities at work and at home with your family?

If the weight loss diet has one or more of these RED FLAGS take a minute to consider if it is worth it to try.

Often when people ask me about a SENSIBLE weigh to improve eating and activity habits and achieve weight loss I refer them to the USDA’s Choose My Plate website and app that has tips, recipes and health goals and is FREE! https://www.choosemyplate.gov/

Smoky Mountain News

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Lovesick Karaoke” Feb. 14 and Isaiah Breedlove Feb. 22. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host In Flight Feb. 14, Andrew Thelston Band Feb. 21 and Shabudikah Feb. 22. All shows are at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

February 12-18, 2020

• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host the “Voice Sing Off” and dessert tasting at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16.

Mini-concert by Voices in the Laurel and select regional young vocal soloists. Tickets are $12. www.voicesinthelaurel.org or call 828.564.3310.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Tea 4 Three Feb. 15, Kirk Fleta Feb. 21 and Natti Love Joys Feb. 22. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

arts & entertainment

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with The Trailer Hippies Feb. 14, Robert Ferguson Feb. 15, George Ausman 4 p.m. Feb. 16, Tom Edwards Feb. 21, Blue Revue Feb. 22 and Bill Vespasian 4 p.m. Feb. 23. Shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

Quality Trailers, Quality Prices

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian

@InglesDietitian Leah McGrath - Dietitian 800.334.4936 Ingles Markets… caring about your health

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On the street arts & entertainment

Open call for volunteers

The Shelton House.

The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events.

Alongside help for events and gatherings, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson, and other positions.

Upcoming main events include the Blue Ridge Heritage Festival June 19-21, Shelton House Halloween “Haunting on the Hill” Oct. 27-31 and Shelton House “Tinsel Trail & Appalachian Christmas.”

For more information, visit www.sheltonhouse.org or call 828.452.1551.

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The Women of Waynesville will host the second annual “Manly Man Auction” at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant.

The event will be held to raise funds for the Lynda Chovan Memorial Scholarship.

Attendees will be able to bid on a variety of professional services being donated by highly-qualified men in the community.

Auction items include being a brewer for the day with Matt Normal at Frog Level Brewing, dance lessons with Ryan Sechser at Haywood Dance Tonight, landscaping services from Rob Kolaski, car detailing services from Dave Elder, estate planning services from attorney Chase Well, and more.

newsdesk crafts

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

‘Manly Man’ charity auction

Waynesville historic speaker series 1.

2.

3.

4. #3 - free flier

Presented by The Town of Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission, the fifth annual “Haywood Ramblings” will once again take place this spring.

A speaker series on the historic resources and rich cultural heritage of Waynesville and Haywood County, the events will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month in the courtroom of The Historic Courthouse in downtown Waynesville.

• Thursday, March 5: “The Mountaineer: History in The Moment,” presented by Kathy

All donations will benefit WOW’s scholarship fund, established several years ago through the Haywood County Schools Foundation to honor WOW’s late founding member Lynda Chovan. Each year, WOW awards scholarship funds to deserving young women graduating from Haywood County Schools.

“Last year’s Manly Man Auction raised over $2,000 in less than two hours and it was so much fun,” said WOW President Tatia Childers. “We appreciate the men willing to donate their skills to help young women go to college.”

WOW’s mission is to support the needs of women and children in Haywood County.

There is no cover charge for the “Manly Man Auction” event. If you have a service you would like to donate for the auction, call 828.550.9978.

Ross. Unlike history books, newspapers record events from an immediate perspective, with no takebacks once they are published.

This talk will take a look at some of The Mountaineer’s most spectacular, peculiar, and even painful stories of the past century.

• Thursday, April 2: “Touching the Face of History: The Story of The Plott Hound,” presented by Bob Plott. Hear stories of the origins of North Carolina’s official state dog, the Plott Hound. From Germany to the mountains of North Carolina, the breed’s 200-year history resulted in the development of what many consider to be one of the world’s finest hunting breeds.

Free and open to the public.

On the street

Ready for the ‘Outhouse Races’?

Open call for Greening Up

be accepted through March 15.

For more information, email greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.

‘Flannel Party & Axe Throwing’ There will be a special “Flannel Party & Axe Throwing” event from 2 to 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro.

Carolina Axe Throwing will be at the taproom with their mobile axe throwing setup.

They provide safe throwing lanes and even have a trainer on-site.

Cost is $10 for the training session, $5 for each additional game. Flannel attire is highly encouraged. Live music featuring Seth Brand from 7 to 9 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

Smoky Mountain News

There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentallythemed booths at the 23rd annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in downtown Sylva.

Celebrating the new spring in the mountains, the festival has become a beloved regional event. The festival typically enjoys crowds upwards 12,000 attendees and has 175 vendor booth spaces. In addition to a variety of arts, crafts, and food vendors, attendees can enjoy a 5K run, youth talent contest, beverage arts featuring local craft breweries and live music throughout the day.

Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will

In honor of the “Love The Locals” campaign during the month of February, Laurel Ridge Country Club is inviting you to experience club life during the month of February.

“We desire to serve our local community by providing an environment for families and friends to enjoy each other and make lasting memories here in our town.” said VP of Operations Sarah James Speier. “We have a beautiful family-friendly club that offers unmatched dining, concerts, entertainment, golf, kids camps, swimming and tennis, and is convenient.”

Laurel Ridge has been the best kept secret of Waynesville, working in the background to impact Haywood County by supporting clubs such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Altrusa, The Chamber of Commerce, the local Sheriff ’s Department, and Haywood County Schools Foundation to name a few.

Upcoming specials and events include the following: • Golf in February for $35, this includes your cart. Play the challenging and fun mountain course at a rare and exclusive price point & ask about our Golf Memberships that start at $135/month.

• Every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. bring the crew to discover the “Sunday Spread! Brunch,” which includes a full breakfast buffet and made-to-order omelet station as well as lunch favorites and local specialties. All you can eat, with a cash bar available.

• 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 14: “Valentine’s Dine & Dance, Let’s Salsa!”

Learn to Salsa with your honey and taste the flavorful art of Laurel Ridge’s culinary team, who are all locals, too.

Professional Latino & Ballroom dance instruction will be given by Richard & Sue Cicchetti from Dance for Life. Bring comfortable shoes. By reservation only, 828.452.0545 (x 140).

• Feb. 25: “Fat Tuesday & Open House.” Open to the public for lunch this day only, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

“Meet the Staff ” cocktail hour from 5 to 6 p.m. to learn more about membership.

Finally, enjoy a New Orleans Style family buffet from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Call to make your reservation, 828.452.0545 (x 140).

• Membership special: Join Laurel Ridge for half-off the initiation fee or 60 percent off if you have a member refer you in February.

For more information, call 828.452.0545 (x 131), find them on Facebook or visit www.laurelridgeexperience.com.

February 12-18, 2020

A beloved winter spectacle in Western North Carolina, the annual “Outhouse Races” will return to the slopes from 3 to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15, at Sapphire Valley Resort.

Crazy? Maybe. Dangerous? Perhaps. Fun? Without a doubt. Dozens of outhouses race to compete for the throne. Spectators come from throughout the southeast to line the course and cheer on those brave enough to see if the outhouse crashes and burns or sails across the finish line.

The “Outhouse Races” have been named a “Top 20” event in the Southeast for February

by Southeast Tourism Society.

Your homemade outhouses can be made of wood, cardboard, plastic, or any other homemade items. There are three people to a team and outhouses are secured on a set of skis, which can be provided to you by the Sapphire Valley Ski Area. These skis are pushed by two team members, while one team member “sits” inside.

Outhouses are equipped with a seat with at least one hole, and a roll of toilet paper or alternative wiping source. The race course is a two-lane track on packed snow (or on ice), with two teams racing each other head to head over a length of approximately 120 feet (40 yards), the first 30 feet being propelled by the pushers and the last 90 feet under its own gravitational power.

This event is as exciting as “Drag Racing” if you use your imagination. Outhouses can be very simple, or as elaborate as anyone wants them to be. www.sapphirevalley.com or 828.743.7663.

Come experience Laurel Ridge

arts & entertainment

Nick Breedlove photo

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arts & entertainment

On the wall

Sylva Art + Design Committee art event The Sylva Art + Design Committee is pleased to announce a unique pop-up gallery event that will feature the artistic creations of children ages 5-18 in the Western North Carolina region.

“Nature Through A Child’s Eye” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Viva Arts Studio in downtown Sylva.

The event will focus on environmentally themed artwork created by the youth of our community in order to highlight a uniquely honest perspective on a global topic.

The show will aim to encompass the use of all art mediums including ceramics, painting, sculpture, drawing, and multimedia so long as dimensions do not exceed 12x12 inches. All submissions will be available for purchase and can be picked up after the completion of the exhibition.

Contrary to previous events, the totality of funds raised (100 percent donation) throughout the duration of the show will be equally

distributed between SADC and the Sylva Community Garden in order to further the betterment of the community through arts, education, and environmental awareness.

If you have a child that you think may want to be a participant, or you yourself are from the ages of 5-18, be on the lookout for a soon to be released “Call for Artists!”

This project is supported by the NC Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. Viva Arts Studio is located on 456 West Main Street in downtown Sylva.

For further information about the event or to apply for your child to be an exhibiting artist, contact the Sylva Art + Design Committee at sylvaartdesign@gmail.com or Viva Arts Studio at vivaartsstudio@gmail.com.

You can also follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sylvapublicart or on Instagram @sylvaarts.

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

WCU Fine Art Museum exhibitions

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The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center is pleased to present a range of photography, glasswork, and vitreography on display from now through May 1.

• “Time and Again: Glass Works by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post” Funded in part by the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, the exhibition brings together two Penland-based artists whose works explore ideas about time, history, memory, and the antique.

In many of their works, objects from the past are remade and reimagined in glass, creating a bridge between past and present.

• “Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” This new exhibition features aerial photographs that explore the relationship between humans and the WNC landscape. Taken by Alex S. MacLean, a renowned artist and pilot with over 45 years of experience photographing the land from the bird’s eye perspective of an airplane, these newly commissioned images focus on the seven westernmost counties of North Carolina.

MacLean’s striking images capture the unique qualities of the region’s built environment while also raising broader questions about humanity’s impact on the land through agriculture, energy, industry, and housing.

“The Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m.

March 19, with a gallery talk from Alex S. MacLean at 5:45 p.m. This exhibition is supported by a grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

HCC Professional Crafts clay exhibition

‘Rolling Up Rows of Mulch Fabric, Erastus, North Carolina,’ by Alex S. MacLean.

• “Claire Van Vliet: Stone and Sky” This new exhibition highlights landscape prints by Claire Van Vliet, a renowned printmaker and book artist. Between 1993 and 2010, Van Vliet completed several residencies at Harvey Littleton Studios in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where she experimented with the medium of vitreography, a form of printmaking that uses a glass plate to produce a printed image.

Fascinated by rocks of all kinds, Van Vliet produced detailed images of rock formations from around the world, including Wind Cave in New Mexico, Kilclooney More in Ireland, and the Moeraki Coast in New Zealand.

This exhibition brings together a selection of these vitreographs, drawn from the WCU Fine Art Museum’s Permanent Collection, and provides a glimpse into the artist’s creative process.

The exhibition includes a rare opportunity to view one of the original glass plates used in the vitreograph printing process.

The museum exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public with free parking on site. Regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays until 7 p.m.

For information, visit arts.wcu.edu/museum or call 828.227.ARTS.

Haywood Community College’s latest showcase “HCC Clay in Retrospect,” an exhibition featuring the work of 20 artists from the college’s 46 years of clay programming, is now on display at the school in Clyde.

These artists represent the rich history of craftspeople who have studied professional crafts clay at HCC. Gary Clontz founded the college’s clay program in 1974 and together with his colleagues, expanded the program to include areas of study in fiber, jewelry and wood. Now in its 44th year, HCC Professional Crafts Program is the only one of its kind in the country.

“HCC Clay in Retrospect” runs now through April 22 and is located on the second floor of the Creative Arts Building on the HCC campus. The public is invited to a closing reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, with a gallery talk beginning at 4:30 p.m.

The Professional Crafts program is a two-year commitment, focusing on all aspects of becoming an independent craft professional. In addition to sharpening their technical and artistic skills, students also create a marketable line of production work, plan a studio, and become familiar with the craft market.

For more information about HCC’s clay program, call 828.627.4671 or email eareason@haywood.edu.

w w w . s m o k y m o u n t a i n n e w s . c o m

On the wall

On the table

‘Affrilachian Artist’ studio exhibit

• Stonehouse Pottery (Waynesville) will be doing an Open Studio Tour and Sale the first Sunday of each month to help support our local nonprofits. Each month highlights a different artist and that artists chooses his or her nonprofit. Stonehouse Pottery and the artist then give a portion of the proceeds as a donation to that nonprofit.

• The Weekly Open Studio art classes will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville,

As part of the Winter Arts Smokies Style series, “The Art of Chocolate” will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in downtown Waynesville.

Sponsored by The Galleries of Haywood County, several merchants and restaurants plan to offer entertainment, special chocolate surprises and other specials. Look for the “red hearts” designating the establishments with specials.

The following events will also be held at the Haywood County Arts Council: • 11 a.m. to noon — Gallery talk by “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio Exhibit” curator Marie Cochran.

• Noon to 4 p.m. — Rich hot chocolate and chocolate treats.

ALSO:

• A free wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13 and 20, and 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 15 and 22 at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.

Instructor will be Betina Morgan. Open to all artists, at any stage of development, and in the medium of your choice. Cost is $25 per class. There will also be a Youth Art Class from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Cost is $15 per class. Contact Morgan at 828.550.6190 or email bmk.morgan@yahoo.com.

• The Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters,” features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present.

The exhibit will run through April.

Smoky Mountain News

• The Macon County Art Association will present encaustic classes taught by Karen Smith on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin. No experience or supplies required. From 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 16, Mary Ellen Tully will host a class on contemporary Shibori using fiber dyes to make scarves. Mardi Gras masks handmade by MCAA members will be available at the Uptown Gallery up until the Mardi Gras celebration in Franklin on Feb. 22. Betsey Sloan will be teaching a class making sheep out of gourds from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 29.

828.349.4607 or www.franklinuptowngallery.com.

The eighth annua ArtShare exhibit will run March 6 through March 28 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.

ArtShare is a showing of fine works of art which have been donated to or consigned with the HCAC. HCAC welcomes pieces from collectors that may be downsizing, changing décor, or who wish to consign estate items to benefit the arts in this community. ArtShare was born out of a desire to allow collectors to be able to pass on art for someone else to enjoy.

The HCAC will accept donations or consigned items in the gallery on March 2 or 3.

Inventory sheets are due no later than Feb. 26. Even if collectors have participated in the past, we encourage them to participate again.

Artists may participate by sharing their own work, but only if donating.

If you have questions, call the HCAC at 828.452.0593. For more information about donating, including show contracts and inventory lists, visit www.haywoodarts.org.

‘Art of Chocolate’ returns

• The “Valentine’s Dinner & Dance” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Fines Creek Community Center. Steak dinner and dance is $15. Dance only is $5, with dinner only $12. Kids ages 6 and under are free. Cake walk and 50/50 raffle.

Music by Running Wolfe & The Renegades and the Fines Creek Flatfooters. www.fb.me/finescreekorg.

February 12-18, 2020

The “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio” exhibit will run through Feb. 29 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.

The showcase is designed to invite dialogue about the presence and experience of people of color in our region. The exhibition features four African-American artists and selected work which celebrates the land or the lived experiences of Western North Carolina and the Appalachian region.

Marie T. Cochran, founding curator of the Affrilachian Artist Project will present the the work in a diverse array of media and styles from folk art to contemporary art.

Cochran is featured in the book Southern Women, produced by the editors of Garden & Gun magazine. Her artwork is included in the exhibition Appalachia NOW at the Asheville Art Museum.

Featured artists in this show are: LaKeisha Blount, Rahkie Mateen, Trey Miles, and the

HCAC ArtShare returns

• 1 to 3 p.m. — Demonstration by jewelry artist Deb Parmele.

• 3 p.m. — Live music by Ubuntu of the Great Smoky Mountains. African and Appalachian traditional songs performed acapella.

For more information, visit www.visitncsmokies.com.

ALSO:

• A “Beginner Step-By-Step” adult painting class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. There is also a class at 6:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at Balsam Fall Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $25 with all supplies provided. For more information, contact Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560 or wncpaintevents@gmail.com.

arts & entertainment

late Victoria Casey-McDonald. The artists represent a range of ages. Some are local residents and others are alumni of Western Carolina University.

Gallery are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Cochran will host a gallery talk from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 15, at HCAC. As well, the closing reception will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at HCAC. www.haywoodarts.org.

HaywoodBuilders.com

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arts & entertainment

On the stage

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HART presents ‘Gruesome Playground Injuries’

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this issue can be delivered to you Sometimes it's a little better to travel than to arrive — Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance killboy.com photo

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W W W. b l u e r i d g e m o t o r c y c l i n g m a g a z i n e . c o m

A production of Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

The play is a romantic tale of Kayleen and Doug whose lives intersect over the course of 30 years at the most bizarre intervals leading the two childhood friends to compare scars and the physical calamities that keep drawing them together.

HART’s production is being directed by Doug Savitt and features Candice Dickinson and Allen Chandler. Chandler was seen last

summer as Bill Sykes in “Oliver,” which Dickinson directed. She has also been seen at HART in “Chicago” and “The Producers.”

To make a reservation, call the HART Box Office at 828.456.6322 anytime and simply leave your name, the number of tickets you need and the performance you wish to attend. Seating is general admission, but reservations are recommended. Visit www.harttheatre.org.

The Harmons’ Den Bistro will also be open for dining before all performances, with the menu on the HART website.

Dinner show in Franklin

All tickets include fresh fruit salad, choice of hamburger or hotdog with the fixings, French fries, coleslaw and a classic miniature ice cream sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry.

Tables serve parties of six. Groups larger than six will need to separate. All seating is general seating. www.greatmountainmusic.com.

A musical production of “Let The Good Times Roll” will be performed at 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 13-15 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

When a group of high school friends hear their favorite old hangout, The Burger Bop Diner, is about to be torn down, they gather one last time to relive the memories, music, romance and fun of their youth. As they recall the stories of days gone by, they are transported back in time to the doo-wop singing, poodle skirt-wearing joy of the 1950s.

This one-of-a-kind musical production is served live on stage, where the audience gets to participate in the hand-jivin’ fun.

• The “Mad for Drag!” anti-Valentine’s Day dance will be held at 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Lazy Hiker Brewing taproom in Sylva. Cover is $5.

ALSO:

Books

Smoky Mountain News

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Heads up gents: last-minute tips for Valentine’s o book review this week. Just some last minute advice for men about the Feast of Love.

It’s V-Day, guys; time to hit the beaches.

And once again you’ve forgotten to find a gift for that special someone in your life.

Like some of you, I too have stood at Ingles on Valentine’s Day, flowers in one hand, some candy in the other, looking as shame-faced as the other gents waiting in the check-out line. Go ahead and buy the Writer flowers and candy, but here are some last-minute tips in the literary department that might give a special glow to your love on this Valentine’s Day. But first some general advice.

Never ever mock Valentine’s Day. Never say that the holiday was concocted by chocolatiers, Hallmark, or florists. And never do as my brother once did. Married now for four decades, several years ago he suggested to his wife that they skip Valentine’s Day because “it was really for the young and they were too old.” When he told me he’d uttered that last statement, I was laughing so hard I could barely hear the rest of his story. I’ll leave it to your imagination as to how his suggestion went down. Being thrown in the doghouse doesn’t begin to describe it. Think of a dungeon instead.

And for heaven’s sakes, don’t slog your way through V-Day. Since you’re going to celebrate it anyway, why not do it up right and have some fun? Make the day a huge celebration. Go out to a fancy restaurant. Break open a special bottle of champagne. Instead of a dozen roses, buy two-dozen. Instead of moaning about Valentine’s Day, party hearty. Life’s

ed by category: “Sad Love,” “Erotic,” “I Miss You,” “Teen Love,” and so on. You might pick out a classic poem, like Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43 “How Do I Love Thee?”

Relic of St. Valentine in the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. wikipedia

Jeff Minick

N

too short not to add another celebration to the calendar.

Now for some tips involving literary gifts that will cost you little or nothing, but which

should bring joy and deep pleasure to your spouse or lover.

First, head for your local bookstore and look for a volume of love poetry or one of those tiny gift books about romance, the ones whose covers usually feature roses or a picture of a couple walking along the beach. Write an affectionate inscription on the flyleaf, have it wrapped, and along with the flowers, candy, and card present the package to your beloved.

Next, hit the Internet, Google “famous love poems,” and select a verse you like — and more importantly, one that would bring pleasure to your beloved other. At the “Poetry Foundation,” you’ll even find love poems list-

Ron Rash wins Sidney Lanier Prize Ron Rash, Western Carolina University’s John Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Cultural Studies in the Department of English, will soon add to his lengthy list of awards.

Rash, a poet, short story writer and novelist, will be awarded the 2020 Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature by Mercer University’s Spencer B. King Jr. Center for Southern Studies. The prize will be presented on April 18.

“The Lanier Prize is especially meaningful to me because, as a beginning writer, the work of several previous winners was crucial, especially that of Lee Smith, Wendell Berry, Ernest Gaines and Fred Chappell,” Rash said. “Their writing continues to inspire me, and I am honored to join them as Lanier Prize winners.”

The Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature was first awarded in 2012 and is named for the 19th-century Southern poet who was

or Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” Poke around online, and you might discover a poet whose name and work are entirely unfamiliar to you, but whose verse fits your beloved like a ring on the finger.

If you’re a believer in the Old Book, you can always go to 1 Corinthians 13. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast…” Ancient words, but powerful enough to adorn many a wedding ceremony.

Now write out the poem, tuck it into an envelope, and present it along with the other gifts. When the one you love opens the envelope, consider reading the poem aloud. That

born in Macon, Georgia. The prize is awarded to writers who have engaged and extended the tradition of writing about the South.

Rash, who was born in Chester, South Carolina, and earned his undergraduate degree from Gardner-Webb and master’s degree from Clemson University, is the author of the New York Times bestseller Serena (which was a 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction finalist) and Above the Waterfall. Other prizewinning novels include The Cove, One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River and The World Made Straight.

“In poetry and prose, Ron Rash depicts the lives and longings of people living precariously in Southern Appalachia,” said David A. Davis, chair of the Lanier Prize committee and associate professor of English at Mercer. “His work describes both God and nature as unforgiving, leaving people to struggle and work to survive while they search for brief moments of peach. Rash has made major contributions to the complicated tradition of Southern writing, and the Sidney Lanier Prize committee is proud to present him with the prize recognition of his work.”

reading may embarrass you, but bear in mind many find embarrassment endearing.

Better still, write your love a letter, preferably by hand. (My own chicken-scratching has long precluded pen from paper.) Tell that one your feelings. Share some intimate thoughts — not necessarily sexual in nature, but real and true emotions. Be specific.

Mention the good times and leave the bad ones for another day.

And remember: sincerity is what counts. It helps if you can write well, but being yourself on that piece of paper is the goalpost. If you have a knack for drawing, add a sketch or two to the note. If humor is your forte, unleash that wit. If you have something you have long wanted to say but can’t push the words past your tongue, then let your fingers do the talking.

Consider telling or reading a story to your loved one. O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi may be set at Christmas, but the point of the story centers on the sacrifices made by Jim and Della for each other. The Internet again offers scores of possibilities. At planetofsuccess.com, for example, we find “The Most Beautiful Short Love Stories,” a collection mini-stories that touch the heart.

Valentine’s Day has value in that it focuses our attention on the one we love. It accents our relationship, reminds us of our affection, and offers the chance to demonstrate a depth of feeling often buried by the circumstances of daily life.

But why stop there? Why not make every day a sort of valentine with a kiss or a hug, a glance of the eye, a note lying on the pillow of the bed, a thank you when that morning coffee appears at your elbow, an unexpected gift, a simple “I love you?”

Show that special person in your life your love.

(Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher. minick0301@gmail.com)

Library starts Silent Book Club The Jackson County Public Library will launch a Silent Book Club at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at The Paper Mill Lounge in Sylva.

The club will continue on the second Thursday of each month.

Everyone is invited to attend.

The Silent Book Club is a national movement of unique book clubs. The idea is that people gather together, socialize a little, enjoy food and beverages, do some silent reading of the book they brought, and then reconvene to discuss the books they are reading.

The uniqueness of this kind of book club is that each person is reading the book that they choose. There is no debate over a common book. The Silent Book Club is also a wonderful way to broaden one’s own literary horizons by listening and participating in passionate discussions of many different books.

For more information, please call the library at 828.586.2016.

The Jackson County Public Library is a member of Fontana Regional Library (www.fontanalib.org).

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Draft forest management plan released

Public comment opens Feb. 14; final plan expected summer 2021

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER long-awaited draft of the plan that will guide management of the PisgahNantahala National Forest for the next generation has been released, with the public comment period officially opening on Valentine’s Day and extending through Thursday, May 14.

Early planning for the revision began in late 2012, with a notice of intent to revise it published in early 2014 — at that time, it was anticipated that a draft plan would be released in June 2015. Robust public input and marked contention over what the plan should do in regard to wilderness designation and logging caused the U.S. Forest Service to announce in March 2015 that it would delay the release by a few months, and in summer

A

2016 another delay was announced, with a draft plan then expected at the end of that year. A raging wildfire season in fall 2016 monopolized the attention of Forest Service staff members who would otherwise be working on the plan, lengthening the timeline. In 2017, the Forest Service released proposed building blocks for the yet-to-be-completed plan and said the full draft would come out sometime in 2018.

The draft was finally released on Friday, Feb. 7, with adoption of a final plan expected in summer 2021.

BUILT ON PUBLIC INPUT The lengthy timeline is a direct result of the Forest Service’s efforts to engage the public throughout the process and incorporate

Looking Glass Rock (above) and Looking Glass Falls are two of the many places within the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest with special value for recreation. Donated photos

that feedback along the way, said forest revision team leader Michelle Aldridge.

“I think it’s important to note that 20 years ago when we wrote our current forest plan, this day would be the day when we got our first public involvement,” she said in an interview the day of the draft’s release. “We no longer wait until we release a proposed plan and draft EIS to get public input.”

Instead, the first opportunities for public comment were held in 2013. Since then, the Forest Service has hosted 47 meetings and attended dozens of others hosted by stakeholders in the plan revision.

“We’ve had extensive collaboration that helped inform where we are today,” Aldridge said.

Now that it’s been released, the plan will go through a 90-day public comment period.

Forest Service staff will spend the summer and fall reading and incorporating that feedback, with a draft decision expected to be released this time next year. After that release, the public will have two months to file objections to the decision and the Forest Service will have three months to respond to those objections. Then, likely in mid-2021, a final plan will be adopted.

work across boundaries with neighboring lands. Extensive dialogue with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was also essential to the plan’s development. The Forest Service coordinated with the tribe on language and desired management within the Trail of Tears Heritage Corridor.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH

PLANNING FOR WILDERNESS

The proposed plan is quite different from the existing one in substance as well as process.

“The previous forest plan, the one we’re operating on right now, is really focused on outputs, not outcomes,” said Aldridge. “It treats all vegetation the same way.”

The new plan, meanwhile, divides the entire forest into ecological communities, treating each forest type differently depending on what will work best for that particular ecosystem.

The new plan’s emphasis on partnerships is also markedly different from the existing approach. That focus evolved following public comment on the building blocks for plan objectives that the Forest Service released in 2017.

“We heard, ‘That’s great, but we’d like you to do more,’” said Aldridge. “We said, ‘We can’t do more with our existing capacity and budget, but we hear you and we’d like to do more too.’”

As a result, the Forest Service doubled its analysis to look at two tiers of objectives — the first tier showing what the agency could do with its existing resources and the second tier showing what it could do with help from partners. When you consider that the species analysis alone looked at 1,046 species, analyzing four different alternatives for each on two tiers using multiple timeframes, it’s not hard to see why the plan took so long to develop, said Aldridge.

The plan also emphasizes values that are important to people, both recreationally and culturally. It divides the forest into 12 geographic areas that outline goals for connecting people to the land as well as opportunities to

A key controversy in public meetings leading up to the plan’s development was the question of how best to protect the forest’s special places. Some stakeholder groups strongly supported a plan that would drastically increase the acreage recommended as congressionally designated wilderness. Others said that additional wilderness designation would hamstring effective forest management and that the priority should be to boost the share of young forest habitat through increased timber harvesting and prescribed burning.

The draft plan consists of four alternatives — one that would contain no changes from the existing plan adopted in 1987, and three that would offer varying levels of change in varying ways. The team worked to strike a balance within each alternative so that all perspectives would be represented within each choice, said Aldridge.

“We tried to make sure that every interest wins in every alternative,” she said. “We used that input to provide alternatives that provide a win-win for each interest.”

Anyone who sat through the heated public meetings of 2014 and 2015 would likely agree that creating a solution that all sides acknowledge as a win-win is a hefty challenge, but Aldridge said she’s excited about the results of her team’s years of work. The plan’s recommendations concerning wilderness and logging are a good example, she said.

Currently, the Pisgah-Nantahala contains six congressionally designated wilderness areas totaling 66,400 acres, as well as five congressionally designated Wilderness Study Areas, three of which were recommended for designation in the 1987

Be heard The U.S. Forest Service is planning a series of open houses throughout the region in March and April to take input on the draft forest management plan. Additional sessions will be scheduled later, but currently scheduled meetings, to be held 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. will be: n Tuesday, March 10, at the Foothills Conference Center in Morganton. n Monday, March 16, at the Brevard Library in Brevard. n Thursday, March 19, at the Brasstown Community Center in Brasstown. n Tuesday, March 24, at the First Presbyterian Church’s Tartan Hall in Franklin.

Additional meetings will be scheduled with dates posted at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision.

Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

The draft forest management plan, along with maps and other supporting documents, is online for public review at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision.

The site contains many hundreds of pages of information. Michelle Aldridge, team lead for the forest planning process, recommends looking first at the consolidated objectives document, which provides a summary of what the plan proposes to do. The reader’s guide is also a helpful document, providing an overview of what’s included in various aspects of the plan as well as page numbers within the plan itself where readers can go to learn more about each topic.

A portal to submit comments online won’t

amount of land in active management, said Aldridge.

Finally, Alternative D offers a middle-ofthe-road approach, recommending 74,173 wilderness acres. Of the 15 areas contained in the alternative, four are existing wilderness study areas and nine are extensions of existing wilderness areas. By focusing on increasing the size of existing wilderness areas, the alternative seeks to preserve wilderness characteristics where they already exist and to exclude pieces of land that already contain uses that would not be allowed under the Wilderness Act, such as highly developed trails, areas of ongoing active management and fields maintained as wildlife openings.

PROPOSALS FOR ACTIVE MANAGEMENT In terms of total acreage to be treated with logging or prescribed burning, alternatives B, C and D are identical. However, they differ as to which parts of the forest would have those treatments as an option.

Between 2001 and 2018, annual timber harvest in the 1 million-acre national forest has averaged between 800 and 1,000 acres, about one-one-hundredth of one percent of the forest’s total area. Under the Tier 1 plan — the plan that uses only existing agency resources — the Forest Service would log up to 1,600 acres annually. With help from be activated until Feb. 14 — check the website after that date for more information.

Written comments can be mailed to Plan Revision Team, National Forests in North Carolina, 160 Zillicoa St., Asheville, N.C. 28801 and must be postmarked by May 14.

The Forest Service relies on the information contained in each comment — not the volume of comments received — to make decisions.

Comments that have the best chance of influencing the outcome will focus on solutions rather than general advocacy or opposition to an idea. Impactful comments also describe specific management types or resources, as well as locations, especially when using these specific locations to make a broader point applicable to other areas of the forest.

partners, the agency would log up to 3,800 acres each year.

Over the next decade, that would mean logging about 1.5 percent of the forest under the Tier 1 plan and 3.8 percent under the Tier 2 plan. It’s likely that some of those areas would be targeted for repeated treatments, meaning that it wouldn’t be correct to double those percentages to arrive at a 20-year figure, said Aldridge — some tracts would likely be logged more than once in that longer timeframe.

For prescribed burning, the Tier 1 plan would treat 6,500 to 10,000 acres each year, emphasizing fire-adapted shortleaf pine, pine-oak/heath, dry-mesic oak and dry oak communities. At Tier 2 levels, up to 20,000 acres would be treated each year.

A consistent concern for forest managers has been the increasing average age of forest stands across the landscape. Changes in management over the past century mean that most of the trees growing in Western North Carolina are similar in age — there’s a shortage of young forest habitat in the region but also fewer old-growth acres than desired.

“There is a need to diversify the patch size and ecozone representation of old growth forest to provide greater resiliency in the long term,” read the portion of the plan’s reader’s guide relating to old growth management. “There are differences of opinion about how much of the forest should be managed as old growth, and the best way to provide old growth forest conditions, including whether the forests should be allowed to age naturally or be manipulated to expedite the development of old growth characteristics.”

Each alternative recommends identifying a different number of acres for the plan’s old growth network. With 202,524 acres, Alternative B would identify fewer acres than the 211,118 acres in the current plan — but Alternative B also contains the largest number of acres for recommended wilderness. Alternative C, which contains the fewest recommended wilderness acres, would have the most number of acres earmarked for old growth, at 255,968.

Alternative D rests in the middle, with 226,015 acres.

Smoky Mountain News

Read the plan

and Monday, Feb. 17. Participants can count birds for as little as 15 minutes or for as long

as they wish over one or more of the four days, completing those counts in their backyard or anywhere in the world. Each checklist submitted helps researchers learn more about how birds are doing and how to protect them. Last year, more than 160,000 participants submitted their observations online, creating the largest instantaneous snapshot of bird populations ever recorded.

To participate, report sightings online at www.birdcount.org.

February 12-18, 2020

plan but all of which have been and will continue to be managed as wilderness.

Alternative A — the alternative that reflects the forest’s status under the current plan and is not considered viable for future planning — recommends that only the 15,226 acres contained in the existing three wilderness study areas continue to be managed as recommended wilderness.

Alternative B boasts the biggest jump in recommended wilderness, including all five Wilderness Study Areas as well as 18 additional areas, for a total of 126,333 acres.

However, that same alternative also contains provisions likely to be favorable to groups that are not big proponents of wilderness designation.

“In that alternative where we recommend the most acres for wilderness, that’s also our alternative that includes the most land in active management,” said Aldridge.

“So there again we’re providing a win-win for multiple interests in one alternative.”

At only 11,120 acres, Alternative C includes the smallest amount of recommended wilderness compared to the others but has the most acres proposed for backcountry management. These backcountry areas would contain many of the primitive recreation opportunities afforded by wilderness areas but without some of the associated constraints, such as prohibitions on mountain bike use and limits on group size.

The alternative contains a “moderate”

The cardinal’s bright red plumage is especially visible during the winter months. Donated photo

outdoors

The Highlands Biological Station in Highlands will celebrate the Great Backyard Bird Count on Monday, Feb. 17, a worldwide event organized by the Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

From 10 to 11:30 a.m., birders of all skill levels are invited to join in on an easy walk around campus in search of feathered friends. The group will meet at the Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Road, and the walk will be canceled in case of severe weather.

The Great Backyard Bird Count was launched in 1998, and this year bird watchers of all ages are invited to help create a realtime snapshot of bird populations by reporting their sightings between Friday, Feb. 14,

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outdoors

Land conserved for new Morganton park The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina has acquired 330 acres of what is expected to be a 651-acre project in Morganton.

The nonprofit decided in late 2019 to purchase the property in two phases after the sellers agreed to a contract extension contingent on purchasing half the land in January 2020. Foothills Conservancy is working to raise $1 million to acquire the remaining 321 acres by May.

The plan is to make the property, called the Oak Hill Community Park and Forest, into a future destination for hiking, mountain biking, outdoor education, archeological exploration and community events. The 330-acre tract will permanently protect a segment of Canoe Creek as well as its tributary streams, forested uplands, agricultural land and scenic views of the Blue Ridge and South Mountains. A celebration of the conservation achievement will be held on the property March 28.

To donate or find out more about the March 28 event, visit www.foothillsconservancy.org.

When completed, the 651-acre Oak Hill Community Park and Forest will offer opportunity for various types of outdoor recreation. Donated photo

Artists speak to human-planet relationship A display featuring more than 50 pieces of art focused on generating public attention surrounding the unintended consequences of human interaction with nature will be on display through May 10 at the Baker Exhibit Center within the N.C. Arboretum.

Environmental Impact II is produced and curated by David J. Wagner, covering topics including global climate change, the

Gulf oil spill, unabated logging and mining, loss of bee populations and more. More than 20 leading contemporary artists lend their voice to the fragility and hopeful resiliency of Planet Earth.

In addition to the display, the arboretum is offering a handful of adult education courses to help participants delve deeper into the impact humans have on the environment. Learn more at www.ncarboretum.org.

Smoky Mountain News

February 12-18, 2020

Visit N.C. Farms app seeks feedback LECONTE CENTER, PIGEON FORGE

MARCH 4 -7

Business of Farming Conference returns to Asheville More than 500 quilts on display and 60 onsite vendors

Classes oered by internationally-recognized quilting instructors Celebrate our 26th Anniversary and enjoy all our special activities and giveaways!

Free Admission | No Parking Fee

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A listening session to gather input on the Visit N.C. Farms app will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Southwestern Community College Small Business Center in Sylva.

Piloted in Orange County, the app has expanded to include destinations across the state through funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. More communities will be added in 2020 with the eventual goal of including destinations from all 100 counties.

Free, with pre-registration required at bit.ly/VisitNCFarms or by emailing Victoria Patterson at victoria.patterson@ncagr.gov. Lunch provided by the N.C. Farm Bureau.

mountainquiltfest.com for more information

The annual Business of Farming Conference will return to Asheville Saturday, Feb. 22, giving farmers of all experience levels a chance to learn more about the business side of agriculture.

The conference will offer more than a dozen workshops led by farmers and regional professionals; the popular Grower-

Buyer meeting; individual support on legal, tax, labor, recordkeeping and marketing issues during an extended lunch; a free summit and leadership training for farmers market managers; and a new farmers market fundraising forum.

The conference is organized by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project with support from a long list of sponsors. Registration is $95, with a discount for farm partners registering together.

Register at www.asapconnections.org or call 828.236.1282.

Hike three waterfalls and two lakes Check out five of the best water features in Dupont Forest with a 10-mile hike from the Carolina Mountain Club on Sunday, Feb. 16.

With meeting places offered in Asheville and Pisgah Forest, the group will carpool to the trailhead, hiking to Triple Falls, High Falls and then Lake Dense, which will serve as the lunch stop. The hikers will then take Conservation Road to cross the dam at Lake Julia, hiking to Bridal Veil Falls and then using three different roads to return to the starting point.

Visitors welcome, but no dogs. RSVP to hike leader Susan Hutson, 336.406.9279 or picassue48@gmail.com.

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

Thank you to the Haywood County community for supporting the Plunge.

- Haywood Waterways Association

outdoors

Special thanks to our sponsors and the 113 Plungers that braved the 43 degree pool temperatures.

Together, we raised $39,000 for Kids in the Creek and our environmental education programs!

February 12-18, 2020

Skyland Camp for Girls

Smoky Mountain News

reclaim your weekend

|

visitnc.com/parks

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Helping Seniors With Their Needs outdoors

We can handle your day to day financial transactions, including assistance with check writing, payment of monthly bills and coordination of other services.

The Waynesville Seed Library relies on donations. Donated photo

If you have limited mobility, contact us about an in-home visit.

Norris Elder Services, LLC 828-452-2256

Norris Professional Building 177 North Main St., Waynesville www.norriselderservices.com www.norrisandassoc.com

February 12-18, 2020

Let Us Sell Your House

The #1 Listing & Selling Team In Haywood County

Noland-Proben Team

Brian K. Noland & Catherine Proben RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONALS bknoland@beverly-hanks.com • 828.734.5201 cproben@beverly-hanks.com • 828.734.9157

Smoky Mountain News

The Seed Library of Waynesville will open on Monday, Feb. 24, and will remain so until all seeds are gone. Seed donations are now being accepted.

Seeds for donation should be open-pollinated and clearly marked to include the grower’s contact information. Inventory will be listed under the “Seed Library” tab at www.haywoodlibrary.org.

To successfully share seeds, keep in

mind these tips: n Know whether the parent plant is a hybrid or open-pollinated variety, as well as its genus and species name. n Know how your plants pollinate in order to prevent cross-pollination. n If you’re a beginning seed saver, keep it simple by saving seed from self-pollinating plants.

828.356.2507.

Learn about a plant-based lifestyle

74 N. Main Street, Waynesville

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Donate to the Seed Library

Puzzles can be found on page 46 These are only the answers.

A discussion on getting hormones in balance and improving heart health will be offered at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at 280 Marsh Lily Lane in Sylva.

The discussion will be part of the regular meeting of the Plant Based Group. Participants are invited to bring a plant-based dish to share if possible.

Make a mini garden Get in a springtime mood by learning how to make a garden bench miniature, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, or Friday, Feb. 21, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Renae Dotson, who has been making and teaching dollhouse miniatures for more than 20 years, will show participants in the adults-only class how to make several varieties of mini plants, plant pots and other gardening items. Supply cost is $20, with pre-registration required by contacting Dotson at 828.342.8919.

Show the Forest Service some love This Valentine’s Day, MountainTrue is delivering cards, flowers and other tokens of affection to the Tusquitee Ranger District office in Murphy, and the public is invited to join in.

The group will gather at the ranger office at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14. Members of the public are invited to bring their own Valentine’s Day card for U.S. Forest Service staff working there.

MountainTrue is planning the event in conjunction with the release of the draft forest management plan for the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest as a way to encourage the Forest Service to adopt a plan that protects the forest’s many unique and precious qualities. Cards have been gathered at MountainTrue events and at meet-ups at area breweries.

Final decision issued on Twelve Mile Project

leading to dominance by red maple and blackgum. These dense stands of trees make it difficult for young oaks to mature — harvesting some trees will allow more light to reach the forest floor, improve the growth of remaining trees and create young forest habitat. The project will also ensure small patches of old-growth forest remain dispersed across the landscape.

Sunday hunting topic of public hearing

Restoring woodlands and shortleaf pine, stream restoration and transportation improvements were also identified as opportunities for improvement, as were frequent thinning and prescribed burning to maintain the open canopy.

Find more details at https://go.usa.gov/xddej or contact Project Lead Jason Herron, 828.689.9694.

A public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at Haywood Community College Regional High Technology Center Auditorium in Clyde will take input on the topic of Sunday hunting on state game lands.

The hearing will be one of six held across the state to identify issues and options related to Sunday hunting on game lands. The separate and complex issue of hunting migratory birds on Sundays will not be a topic for these meetings.

The Outdoor Heritage Act of 2015 removed a prohibition on Sunday hunting with firearms that had been in place in North Carolina since 1868. The Outdoor Heritage Enhanced Act of 2017 then allowed for Sunday hunting on public lands. After that law passed, the Wildlife Commission began gathering data and public input to help inform its decision on whether to allow Sunday hunting on game lands.

On Sundays, hunters will still be prohibited from hunting with a firearm between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., hunting deer with dogs and hunting within 500 yards of a place of worship.

Give feedback on rec department services

outdoors

A years-long environmental assessment process is complete with the issuance of a final decision on the Twelve Mile Project on the Appalachian Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest in Haywood County.

Work will begin this year and continue for 10 years or more.

The U.S. Forest Service says the project will allow for the maintenance of a healthy and diverse forest that supports wildlife, provides a sustainable timber output, improves water quality and aquatic habitat and bolsters forest access.

“Many people helped us throughout the planning of this project, and I thank them for working with us to identify what needs to change on this landscape and how to achieve our goals while being responsive to public comments and environmental concerns,” said Appalachian District Ranger Richard Thornburgh.

The project began with an assessment and analysis of the area’s forest composition, wildlife habitat and transportation infrastructure. The study results show that forest stands have departed from their natural range of variation, with the loss of the American chestnut and fire suppression

@SmokyMtnNews

The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department is seeking input on its customer service with an online survey.

The short survey is online at www.waynesvillenc.gov/departments/parks-recreation/public-survey.

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February 12-18, 2020

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Smoky Mountain News

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • The largest recreational ski race program in the world, NASTAR Public Racing, will be held from 9-11 a.m. on Saturdays through the end of February in Cataloochee. Fun, competitive and easily accessible racing program that allows racers of all ages and abilities to compare themselves with each other, regardless of when and where they race, using a racer handicap system. Cost: $10 for two runs or $20 for unlimited runs. Register at the resort or nastar.com.

• WNC Bridge Foundation will hold nine listening sessions in February across Western NC, including Haywood and Jackson Counties. The foundation awarded $3 million to local nonprofits last year. Complete list of sessions: https://tinyurl.com/tngtsyg. RSVP: grants@wncbridge.org. More info: WNCBridge.org.

• Laurel Ridge Country Club is opening its doors to the public in February for discount golf, Sunday brunch (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), Valentine’s Dine and Dance, Let’s Salsa!

(5:30-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 14) and more. Info and reservations: 452.0545, ext. 140.

• Tax-Aide volunteers will be available to assist with federal and state income tax preparation and filing through April 14 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Service is provided by appointment from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays. Appointments: 524.3600 or visit the library at 149 Siler Road.

• Volunteers are available to assist with federal and state income tax preparation and filing through April 14 at two locations in Jackson County. Assistance is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays at the Department on Aging in Sylva. The same service is also provided by appointment from 2:30-6:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Appointments: 586.2016.

• The Southwestern Commission’s Area Agency on Aging will hold a public hearing at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, to review the Regional Four-Year Aging Services Plan through 2024, at 125 Bonnie Lane in Sylva.

• Waynesville Parks and Recreation’s Base Camp is seeking summer camp counselors. Recruitment event is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday Feb. 13, at the Waynesville Recreation Center for potential counselors to find out what summer camp is like and simulate the mental and physical hoops of a typical day. Info: 456.2030 or cmiller@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Macon County nonprofit organizations have until Feb. 13 to apply for county funds through the Macon County Community Funding Pool. Application forms and instructions available at www.maconnc.org. First-time applicants must call 524.3600 or 342.7872 to discuss proposals.

• Down Home Haywood holds its monthly community meetings at 1 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month at 301 N. Haywood St. Tackling issues like healthcare, wages, housing and more. chelsea@downhomenc.org.

• Southwestern Community College is seeking nominations for the SCC Foundation’s second-annual Distinguished Alumni Award. Deadline is March 1.

Nomination form: www.southwesterncc.edu/award. Info: 339.4227 or k_posey@southwesterncc.edu.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Registration is underway for a seminar entitled “Choosing Your Small Business Legal Entity,” which will be offered online through Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 9-10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com • The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a seminar on “How to Start a Business” from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, in the college’s Regional High Technology Center, Room 3021, in Clyde. Speaker is Russ Seagle, executive director of The Sequoyah Fund, Inc., in Cherokee. Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for a “Steps to Financial Literacy Seminar” that will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 9-11 a.m. on Feb. 20 in the College’s Regional High Tech Center, Room 3021, in Waynesville. Info and registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for a “Website Construction 101: Learn the Basics of Coding” workshop that will be offered by Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment department from 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, and again on Friday, April 3, for those who want a next-level course.

Registration fee: $139. For info and to register: pdp.wcu.edu and click on “For-profit and Nonprofit Professional Development Workshops” or 227.7397.

• Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center will host a regional learning session for the Visit NC Farms app from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Feb. 26 in Sylva.

Opportunity for agriculture, tourism and economic development leaders across the state to learn more about the app and get involved. Preregistration required: bit.ly/VisitNCFarms or Victoria.patterson@ncagr.gov.

• Registration is underway for an employment law workshop entitled “What Every Outdoor Business Must Know about Employment Law” that will be offered by Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville.

Networking lunch from 1-2 p.m. Registration fee: $89.

For info and to register: learn.wcu.edu/outdoor-employment-law or 227.7397.

• Registration is underway for a “Business Plan Bootcamp” offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, in the college’s Public Services Training Facility, Room 9105, in Clyde. Speaker is Russ Seagle, executive director of the Sequoyah Fund in Cherokee. For info or to register: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center is accepting registrations for a nonprofit summit from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3-4, in the college’s Public Services Training Facility, Room 9105, in Clyde.

To register or get more info: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for a two-part workshop entitled “The Tenets of Project Management” that will be offered by Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment from 9 a.m.-noon on consecutive Tuesdays, March 17-24, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville. Early bird registration fee (through Feb. 14): $249; fee after Feb. 15: $279. For info or to register: pdp.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment is accepting registrations for a workshop entitled “Understanding the Unique Culture of Military Applicants” that will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville. Cost $89; includes a networking lunch. For info or to register: pdp.wcu.edu and click on: “For-profit

and Nonprofit Professional Development Workshops” or call 227.7397.

• Registration is underway for “The School Leadership for Equity Summit” that will be offered from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20, at the Crest Center in Asheville. Theme is “What is Equity?” Hear from regional, state and national educational leaders about how they are building equitable and socially just classrooms, schools and districts. Registration fee: $85; includes light breakfast and lunch. Info: jrweiler@email.wcu.edu. Info about registration: https://tinyurl.com/ugdbm6c OR 227.7397.

• Registration is underway for a seminar entitled “How to Write a Business Plan,” which will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, in Clyde.

Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for “Marketing Your Business,” a seminar that will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 5:308:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, in Clyde. Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment is accepting registration for a two-part, Six Sigma Whitebelt training that will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays, April 7 and 14, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville. Topics include team dynamics in Lean Six Sigma projects, tenets of effective project charters, valid measuring systems and more.

Registration fee: $249 before March 7 or $279 after. For info or to register: pdp.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• Submissions are being accepted for Southwestern Community College’s Cultural Fusion art/literature contest, which will be featured during the Cultural Fusion Festival on Wednesday, April 15, on the college’s Jackson Campus. Submissions accepted through April 1 in “Artwork or Photography” or “Literature (poetry, short stories, prose).” Info: 339.4325, tknott@southwesterncc.edu or SouthwesternCC.edu.

• Registration is underway for several session of a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician program through Landmark Learning. Upcoming sessions include May 23-June 19, July 11-Aug. 7 and Oct. 3-30. www.landmarklearning.org.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • Raffle tickets on sale now for a chance to win a $250 Ingles gift card, $100 Walmart card or a $50 Butts on the Creek gift card. All proceeds raised will go to Camp Ability, who provides activities and summer camp for children in Western North Carolina who have disabilities. www.campabilitywnc.org. Raffle tickets are $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 6 tickets, or $10 for 15 tickets. Drawing will be held at the fundraising concert on March 7.

Winners do not have to be in attendance to win. Buy tickets by contacting Wende Goode at 246.2256.

• The Women of Waynesville will host the second annual “Manly Man Auction” at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant. The event will be held to raise funds for the Lynda Chovan Memorial Scholarship. Attendees will be able to bid on a variety of professional services being donated by highly-qualified men in the community. All donations will benefit WOW’s scholarship fund, established several years ago through the Haywood County Schools Foundation to honor WOW’s late founding member Lynda Chovan.

If you have a service you would like to donate for the auction, call 828.550.9978.

• A Valentine’s Dinner & Dance is set for 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Fines Creek Community Center, 190 Fines Creek Rd., in Clyde. Music by Running Wolfe and the Renegades; dancing with the Fines Creek Flatfooters. Dinner and dance: $15; Dinner only: $12;

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: n n n n

Complete listings of local music scene Regional festivals Art gallery events and openings Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers n Civic and social club gatherings Dance only: $5; ages 6-under: Free. Proceeds go to FCCA in supporting scholarship, community needs and Manna Foodbank. www.fb.me/finescreekorg.

• Tickets are on sale now for the second annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser, held by Haywood Pathways Center, at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 at HART Theater in Waynesville.

Cost ranges from $25-40 for adults and $10-15 for children. Purchase tickets: haywoodpathwayscenter.org, at Pathways Center, 179 Hemlock St. in Waynesville or 246.0332.

• Bowl for Kids’ Sake is set for Feb. 29 and March 14 for Swain and Haywood County, respectively. Fundraiser for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Western North Carolina.

Times, places, registrations and more: bbbswnc.org.

• A three band concert will benefit Camp Ability at 6 p.m. on March 7. Purchase tickets online to hear The Resonant Rouges, the Greenliners and Red Clay Revival as they perform a benefit concert at the Colonial Theater in Canton. Tickets are $10 with all proceeds going to Camp Ability. Camp Ability provides activities and camps for children who have disabilities. www.campabilitywnc.org. Purchase tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/uuynkeo • Tickets are on sale for the inaugural Great Smokies Eco Adventure, a multifaceted fundraising event for Discover Life in America set for April 19-21 near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Includes glamping at A Walk in the Woods’ luxurious off-grid camp near Cosby, gourmet food and drink, guided nature hikes and live music.

Cost: $1,500. Proceeds support DLiA, which coordinates the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory in the park. Tickets: www.dlia.org.

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS • The Haywood Rotary Club will hold a Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Feb. 22 at Haywood Community College’s Sunrise Café in Clyde. Sign up or make a donation: https://tinyurl.com/vmqmytb.

• Junaluska Elementary School 3rd-5th grade students are seeking volunteers to help with a Random Acts of Kindness Week project. Their goal is to pack 30,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger. Planning meeting is at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, at Junaluska Elementary.

Info: jsollie@haywood.k12.nc.us or 456.2407.

• REACH of Haywood County is seeking new volunteers and will hold a Volunteer Training Day from 9:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29, at the REACH office, 627 N. Main St., in Waynesville. REACH is a domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse prevention and intervention nonprofit. RSVP: 456.7898 or BQreach@aol.com.

• The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events. Alongside help for events and gatherings, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson, and other positions. Upcoming main events include the Blue Ridge Heritage Festival June 19-21, Shelton House Halloween “Haunting on the Hill” Oct. 27-31 and Shelton House “Tinsel Trail & Appalachian Christmas.” www.sheltonhouse.org or 452.1551.

• Feline Urgent Rescue is seeking volunteers and sponsors. Info: 422.2704, www.furofwnc.org, www.facebook.com/furofwnc or 844.888.CATS (2287).

HEALTH MATTERS • First Citizens Bank and the American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, at 51 Main Street in Bryson City. Info and appointments: https://tinyurl.com/um3bu77.

• Community Acupuncture will be offered from noon-5 on Wednesdays and 1-6 p.m. on Fridays at Sylva Yoga. sylvayoga@gmail.com.

• Mindfulness Meditation is offered at 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Sylva Yoga. sylvayoga@gmail.com.

• “Yoga for Back Care” will be offered from noon-1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Waynesville Yoga Center.

Cost: $15. Reservations and info: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• “Slow Flow Yoga with Heart-Opening Cacao” will be offered from 5:30-7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $30 advance; $35 day of. Reservations and info: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• “Winter Sound Healing with Cranial Fascia Release” will be offered from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $25.

Reservations and info: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• A session on “Understanding Childhood Trauma” will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Bryson City Methodist Church. Film “Resilience” will be played, and counselor Neil Holden will share strategies to help with interventions. Hot dog dinner and child care for ages 3-12. Register by Feb. 17: 488.4455 or www.renewbrysoncity.org.

• Plant-Based Group meets at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 280 Marsh Lily Lane in Sylva. Discuss natural approaches to getting hormones in balance and improving heart health. Bring plant-based dish to share if possible.

• “Meditating with the Five Senses” will be offered from noon-2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $30. Reservations and info: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • ZUMBA is offered at First United Methodist in Waynesville in the Youth Room on Thursdays at 6 p.m. starting Feb. 20 with Patti Burke. Check Facebook page Patti Burke Zumba Students for additional information such as holiday or weather related cancelations. $5 per class. https://pattiburke.zumba.com • “Gal-entines: Buti Yoga, Barre + Bubbles” will be offered from 5:30-7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15. Reservations and info: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• “Yoga Games” will be offered from 2-4 p.m. on

• ZUMBA is offered at Dance Tonight Haywood Studio, 62 ½ Main Street in Canton on Saturdays, at 10 a.m. with Patti Burke. Check Facebook page Patti Burke Zumba Students for additional information such as holiday or weather related cancelations. $5 per class.

• Registration is underway through the end of February for a women’s volleyball league that will be offered Tuesday nights beginning March 17 at the Cullowhee Recreation Center. Fee is $200 per team or join a free-agent team for $25. Coaches meeting is at 6 p.m. on March 5. Info and registration: 293.3053, ext. 6, or andrewsherling@jacksonnc.org.

• Reduced-price skiing and snowboarding will be offered through the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department from 5:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays through March 6 at Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley. Register: www.rec.jacksonnc.org, 293.3053, ext. 9 or mollyneary@jacksonnc.org.

POLITICAL • The Haywood County Democratic Party will hold precinct organizational meetings at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15. Complete listing of locations: www.haywooddemocrats.org. Info: 452.9607 or haywooddemocrats@gmail.com.

• Haywood County Democrats will hold annual precinct meetings from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 15, at community polling locations. https://tinyurl.com/sabkas3

• The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Book Club is held at 2 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800 • Senior Sale Day is on the third Friday of every month at the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore. Patrons 60 and older get 20 percent off all purchases.

Proceeds benefit the Sylva Library.

• Pinochle game is played at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• A Canasta card game is set for 1 p.m. on Mondays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• A Parkinson’s Support Group is held at 2 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Kid Create: An art and music experience for kindergarten-fourth grade students is offered from 3:30-

5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at First Baptist Church in Waynesville. Fbcwaynesville.org/after-school/kidcreate.

• The STEAM Club meets at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. STEAM is Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math. Info: 488.3030, ext. 130.

• Homeschoolers get special rates at Cataloochee Ski Area by presenting their homeschool credentials on Tuesdays at the ticket center. Rates are $25 for lift tickets and $50 for lift, lesson and rental. Lift and rental ticket is $35. Rates apply only to skiing from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

• Wednesdays are family days at Cataloochee Ski Area with children 17-under receiving a free lift ticket when accompanied by a parent purchasing a full-price adult lift ticket. Regular rental and lesson rates apply.

Only on non-holiday Wednesdays.

• Registration is underway for the 2020 Region 8 Western Regional Science fair, which is set for Thursday and Friday, Feb. 13-14, in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Thursday’s event is for grades 3-5; Friday is for grades 6-12. Info: sciencefair.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department’s Base Camp Summer Camp will hold an open house for parents at 6 p.m. on Feb. 18, 20 and 27 – and at 9 a.m. on Feb. 29 – at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Info: 456.2030 or cmiller@waynesvillenc.gov.

• The 13th annual Father Daughter Dance is set for 68 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Christian Life Center at Sylva First United Methodist Church. $30 per couple (in advance) or $40 (at the door), $5 for each additional daughter. Info: 586.2358.

• Sign-ups are underway for “Mardi Gras in the Mountains,” a children’s costume contest, pet cos-

• The annual organizational precinct meeting for the Swain County Democratic Party Whittier-Cherokee precinct is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Southwestern Community College’s Swain Center, 60 Almond School Road in Bryson City. Info: 488.1234.

10’x10’

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• The Jackson County Republican Party monthly meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, at the Republican Headquarters Office at 52 Front Street in Dillsboro. 743.6491 or 743.0910.

• The Jackson County Democratic Party will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at party headquarters, 500 Mill St. in Sylva.

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65

PER MONTH

• The Cashiers/Glenville Republican Party precinct meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at the VFW Post, 4012 Highway 107N in Glenville.

743.6491 or 743.0910.

• The Jackson County NAACP meets at 10 a.m. on the third Saturday each month at Liberty Baptist Church in Sylva.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • The Jackson County Public Library will launch a Silent Book Club at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at The Paper Mill Lounge in Sylva. The club will continue on the second Thursday of each month. Everyone is invited to attend. The Silent Book Club is a national movement of unique book clubs. The idea is that people gather together, socialize a little, enjoy food and beverages, do some silent reading of the book they brought, and then reconvene to discuss the books they are reading. 586.2016. (www.fontanalib.org).

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The “Senior Follies” will return to Macon County.

This event is part of the SilverARTS division of the

Great Smokies

STORAGE Call 828.506.4112

Smoky Mountain News

• “Spine-Tacular: Movement Strategies for a Healthy Spine” will be offered from 1-2:15 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15.

Reservations and info: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• A coaching program will start Feb. 17 for athletes seeking help preparing for the Lake Logan International and Sprint Triathlons, which are set for Sunday, Aug. 2, in Haywood County. Led by Julie Springsteen of Baucco Coaching. 3-to-4 group training sessions plus daily coaching plan. Cost: $90 per four weeks or one-time payment of $475. Contact: Julie.ajbcoaching@gmail.com.

N.C. Senior Games. In partnership with the Macon County Senior Games, the Arts Council will be producing the 2020 “Senior Follies” show. The games will be held April 27 through May 16. Anyone age 50 and over who resides in Macon County for at least three months a year can participate. Performing artists may compete in the following categories/disciplines: Comedy/Drama, Dance/Line Dance, Instrumental, or Vocal Music. peekaboomom@gmail.com.

February 12-18, 2020

• Haywood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center will hold a Heart and Health Awareness Event from 4-6 p.m. on Feb. 18 at 516 N. Wall St. in Waynesville. Info: 452.3154.

Saturday, Feb. 15, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $35. Reservations and info: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

wnc calendar

• There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentally-themed booths at the 23rd annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in downtown Sylva. Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through March 15. greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.

greatsmokiesstorage.com Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

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wnc calendar

tume contest and pantomime music parade that will be held on Feb. 22 on Main Street in Franklin.

Proceeds benefit Appalachian Animal Rescue Center in Franklin. For details on participation, sponsorships and volunteers: 369.0092.

• The Sylva Art + Design Committee is pleased to announce a unique pop-up gallery event that will feature the artistic creations of children ages 5-18 in the Western North Carolina region. “Nature Through A Child’s Eye” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Viva Arts Studio in downtown Sylva. If you have a child that you think may want to be a participant ages of 5-18 apply by emailing sylvaartdesign@gmail.com or vivaartsstudio@gmail.com.

Facebook at www.facebook.com/sylvapublicart or on Instagram @sylvaarts. All submissions will be available for purchase and can be picked up after the completion of the exhibition. All money raised will be equally distributed between SADC and the Sylva Community Garden in order to further the betterment of the community through arts, education, and environmental awareness.

• Mountain Discovery Charter School, a K-8 charter school in Bryson City, is holding open enrollment through March 6 at www.mountaindiscovery.org.

• Registration is underway for the Challenger International Soccer Camp, which will be offered to ages 3-14 from July 20-24 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Costs vary based on age group from $90-197. Separate goalkeeper and scorer program is $25 for ages 6-14 from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday. Register: challengersports.com. Info: 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

KIDS FILMS

February 12-18, 2020

• “Dolittle” will be showing through Feb. 13 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “Sonic the Hedgehog” will start showing Feb. 13 through Feb. 20 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets.

Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” will be showing Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. as part of the free Saturday morning promotion at The Strand on Main in downtown Waynesville. 38main.com or 283.0079 • “Bolt” will be showing Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. as part of the free Saturday morning promotion at The Strand on Main in downtown Waynesville. 38main.com or 283.0079 • “Bee Movie” will be showing Feb. 29 at 11 a.m. as part of the free Saturday morning promotion at The Strand on Main in downtown Waynesville. 38main.com or 283.0079

Smoky Mountain News

• A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

A&E

• As part of the Winter Arts Smokies Style series, “The Art of Chocolate” will be held from noon to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15, in downtown Waynesville.

Sponsored by The Galleries of Haywood County, several merchants and restaurants plan to offer entertainment, special chocolate surprises and other specials.

Look for the “red hearts” designating the establishments with specials.

• “Flannel Party & Axe Throwing” event from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Innovation Station in 42 Dillsboro. Carolina Axe Throwing will be at the tap-

room with their mobile axe throwing setup. They provide safe throwing lanes and even have a trainer onsite to teach you how to throw. Cost is $10 for the training session, $5 for each additional game. Flannel attire is highly encouraged. Live music featuring Seth Brand from 7 to 9 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• The Veterans of Foreign Wars Riders Group Post 5202 will hold its ninth annual “Bikers in Boxers, As Bare as You Dare” event from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on March 7 in Waynesville. Entertainment, food, prizes and comradery. Donations: $10, $25 and $30.

Includes meal, door prizes and entertainment. Info: daigre1@yahoo.com or 593.1647.

FOOD & DRINK The “Mad for Drag!” anti-Valentine’s Day dance will be held at 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Lazy Hiker Brewing taproom in Sylva. Cover is $5.

• Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville is offering lunch on Saturdays, “Lunch with us” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring fresh seasonal menu with outdoor seating weather permitting. 452.0120 or www.waynesvillewine.com.

• Bryson City Wine Market offers flights from 4-7 p.m. on Fridays and from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays. Flight of four wines for $5.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • The Fisk Jubilee Singers, will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, in the University Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Tickets: $5 for WCU students, $10 for non-WCU students and WCU faculty and staff and $15 for general admission. Available at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479.

• A musical production of “Let The Good Times Roll” will perform at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13-15 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

All tickets include: fresh fruit salad, choice of hamburger or hotdog with the fixings, french fries, coleslaw and a classic miniature ice cream sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry. Tables serve parties of six. Groups larger than six will need to separate. All seating is general seating. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on www.greatmountainmusic.com.

• A production of Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries” is on stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1415 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. To make a reservation, 456.6322 or www.harttheatre.org. The Harmons’ Den Bistro will also be open for dining before all performances, with the menu on the HART website.

• Voices in the Laurel will present “Voices Sing Off” and dessert tasting at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, at HART Theatre in Waynesville. Mini-concert of Voices in the Laurel choirs and select regional young vocal soloists. Tickets: $12 in advance; $15 at the door, $6 ages 5-10. www.voicesinthelaurel.org or 564.3310.

• Country music singer-songwriter Ashley Campbell will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Tickets start at $15 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 273.4615.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • The Jackson County Public Library offers e-services support from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays in Sylva. For those with new devices or need help accessing library resources. Appointments: 586.2016.

•, Mary Ellen Tully will host a class on contemporary Shibori using fiber dyes to make scarves from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 16 at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin.

Info: 349.4607 or www.franklinuptowngallery.com.

• Dr. Anne Rogers will present “The Lasting Impact of Cherokee Culture” at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, at

Cowee School, 51 Cowee School Drive in Franklin. Part of the “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture” series.

• “Passengers Aloft” is the topic of the Aviation Historical Society program scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Macon County Airport, 1251 Airport Road, near Franklin. aeroscribbler@gmail.com or 506.5869.

• A pop-up book club will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, in the Waynesville Library Auditorium. Read whatever book you choose and be prepared to share about it with others.

• Macon County Art Association will have Mardi Gras masks handmade by members for sale at the Uptown Gallery until the Mardi Gras celebration in Franklin on Feb. 22.

• Betsey Sloan will be teaching a class making sheep out of gourds from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 29 at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin. 349.4607 or www.franklinuptowngallery.com.

• The Macon County Art Association’s Uptown Gallery will host a class on making sheep out of gourds from 1-3 p.m. on Feb. 29 at 30 E. Main St. in Franklin. Use fiber dyes to make scarves. Info: 349.4607 or www.franklinuptowngallery.com.

• The Weekly Open Studio art classes will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville, Instructor will be Betina Morgan. Open to all artists, at any stage of development, and in the medium of your choice. Cost is $25 per class. There will also be a Youth Art Class from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Cost is $15 per class. Contact Morgan at 550.6190 or email bmk.morgan@yahoo.com.

• Friends of the Canton Area Historical Museum will meet at 11 a.m. every third Tuesday at the museum, 36 Park Street in Canton.

• Encouraging art classes for beginning through advanced adults are offered by the Inspired Art Ministry at the following times and dates: Drawing classes from 1-4 p.m. on Mondays; painting classes from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesdays. Info: 456.9197, charspaintings@msn.com or www.iamclasses.wbs.com.

• Indoor Flea Market is set for 7 a.m.-2 p.m. every third Saturday at the Old Armory in Waynesville.

456.9207.

• Watercolor classes are set for 1:30 p.m. every third Saturday at the Creative Thought Center on Pigeon Street in Waynesville. Cost: $25 or $20 if you bring your own equipment. theHouseArtist@gmail.com.

• The Dave Drake Studio Barn offers a variety of ceramic and raku classes by appointment as well as weekly drawing, writers and community knitters groups. Info: 787.2865.

• The Old Armory will host an indoor flea market from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on every third Saturday. Booths are $10 each for selling items. 456.9207.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • The “Affrilachian Artist Travelling Studio” exhibit will run through Feb. 29 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. Gallery are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Cochran will host a gallery talk from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 15, at HCAC. As well, the closing reception will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at HCAC. www.haywoodarts.org.

• “HCC Clay in Retrospect” runs now through April 22 and is located on the second floor of the Creative Arts Building on the HCC campus. The public is invited to a closing reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, with a gallery talk beginning at 4:30 p.m. “HCC Clay in Restrospect” is an exhibition featuring the work of 20 artists from the college’s 46 years of clay programming. Mandatory coursework includes photog-

raphy of finished pieces for gaining entrance into craft shows, creating a business plan, and designing and building a studio tailored to fit production needs.

627.4671 or eareason@haywood.edu.

• Jenean Hornbuckle, a landscape painter, is currently showing her works, at the Rotunda Gallery in the Sylva library. info@jacksoncountyarts.org or 507.9820.

• Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host an exhibit by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist José Galvez on Latino life in North Carolina in the museum’s second-floor gallery at Hunter Library. The center’s first bilingual exhibit, “Al Norte al Norte” will be on display through Friday, April 10. Admission is free. The 51 black-and-white photos are from a 10-year project to capture images of daily life of Latinos living in North Carolina, from business owners to farmers at work, multi-generations of families at home and at church, and other candid moments. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. 227.7129.

• Art exhibit, “Time and Again” – a glass works exhibit by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post – will take place through May 1 at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee. arts.wcu.edu/museum or 227-ARTS. • A display featuring more than 50 pieces of art focused on generating public attention surrounding the unintended consequences of human interaction with nature will be on display through May 10 at the Baker Exhibit Center within the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. www.ncarboretum.org.

• Cherokee Indian Hospital is issuing a “Call to Artists” for the new Analenisgi Inpatient Unit. The mission is to create community pride and ownership using a variety of culturally significant, healing art mediums. Enrolled EBCI members will be given preference. Mediums can include, but are not limited to, paintings (oil, acrylic, pastels, watercolor) photography, fiber arts, metal, mixed media and sculpture.

Please email legendweaverstudios@gmail.com if you want the formal “Call to Artists” application and information.

• Applications are being accepted for artists who want their work included in monthly gallery exhibits or retail spaces through the Haywood County Arts Council. HaywoodArts.org or GalleryGifts@HaywoodArts.org.

• The Museum of the Cherokee Indian has recently opened a major new exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters.” It features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present. The exhibit will run through April.

FILM & SCREEN • “Just Mercy” will be showing through Feb. 13 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “Just Mercy” will be showing through Feb. 13 at The Strand on Main in downtown Waynesville. For showtimes, pricing & tickets visit 38main.com or 283.0079 • “Birds of Prey” will be showing through Feb. 20 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “The Gentlemen” will be showing Feb. 14 through Feb. 19 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “Call of the Wild” will be start showing Feb. 20 through Feb. 27 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smoky-

mountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is seeking opinions on Sunday hunting through an online survey through Feb. 2, and a public forum is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Haywood Community College Regional High Technology Center Auditorium in Clyde.

Survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/SundayHunting.

• A regional botanist will lead an excursion through a rare plant community on Saturday, Feb. 15, in Macon County. Led by Ed Schwartzman, who holds a master’s degree in conservation biology and spent 10 years working as a biologist for the N.C. Natural Heritage Program. Offered through Alarka Institute. Cost: $55. Registration: www.alarkaexpeditions.com/upcoming-events.

• The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Hatchery Supported Trout Waters is open from 7 a.m. until one-half-hour after sunset until last day of February. tinyurl.com/yae8ffqn.

• Volunteers are being sought to help re-pot native azaleas from 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays through Thursdays at the Southern Highlands Reserve in Lake Toxaway. For info, and to schedule a shift: anorton@southernhighlandsreserve.org.

• A no-drop relaxed cycling road ride will roll from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays through the end of October from Motion Makers Bicycle Shop in Sylva. Routes vary and are open to cyclists of all levels. Organized by Motion Makers, 586.6925.

• A weekly nighttime mountain bike ride is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Mondays from the Ledford Branch Trailhead at Bent Creek in Asheville. Organized by Motion Makers Bicycles. 633.2227.

• A 25-mile cycling ride covering the back roads from Sylva to Balsam leaves at 6 p.m.

Tuesdays from Motion Makers Bicycle Shop in Sylva. The route includes 1,600 feet of elevation gain. Organized by Motion Makers, 586.6925.

• The annual “Outhouse Races” will return to the slopes from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Sapphire Valley Resort. Outhouses can be very simple, or as elaborate as anyone wants them to be. www.sapphirevalley.com or 743.7663.

• A beginner-friendly social cycling ride for women will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Mondays from the Bent Creek Ledford Parking Lot, covering 5-to-8 miles of mountain bike trails.

Start back in the fall. Organized By Motion Makers Bicycle Shop. 633.2227.

• The Highlands Biological Station in Highlands will celebrate the Great Backyard Bird Count from 10-11:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, at 930 Horse Cove Road in Highlands. Worldwide event organized by the Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Easy walk around campus looking for birds. www.birdcount.org.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club holds a Saturday Work Hike on the fourth Saturday of each month. 369.1983.

• An opportunity to learn about winter hikes and waterfalls in Western North Carolina will be offered from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at REI in Asheville. Registration required: www.rei.com/events.

• Registration is underway for the 10th annual Three River Fly Fishing Festival, which will be held April 30-May 2 in Highlands. Entry: $450 per team before Feb. 28 or $500 after.

For info, to register or sponsor: hilary@highlandhiker.com or 526.0441.

• Landmark Learning will offer courses in Wilderness First Responder, dates: March 715 and March 14-22 in Cullowhee. Info: www.landmarklearning.org.

• Learn how to get the most out of a trip to America’s most-visited national park during a program offered from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11 at REI in Asheville.

Offered by Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

• Registration is underway for the Landmark Outdoor Educator Semester, which is offered May 14-June 30, through Landmark Learning. www.landmarklearning.org.

• Sons of the American Legion will present a

• A Spay/Neuter Clinic is offered from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays at 182 Richland Street in Waynesville. As low as $10. 452.1329.

• North Carolina residents are invited to participate in the “NC’s Candid Critters” – the largest camera trap survey ever. Residents of Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties can participate in a brief online training process then borrow a camera trap from any Fontana Regional Library location. Info: NCCandidCritters.org or www.fontanalib.org.

• The Franklin Appalachian Trail Community Council meets at 10 a.m. every second Tuesday in Franklin. Contact Kristina Moe at kmoe@fontanalib.org for location.

Franklintraildays.com.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • The Cataloochee Thursday Night Race League is open to skiers and snowboarders 18 years or older from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Feb. 27. Individuals race against the clock on a modified GS or slalom course for the better of two runs. The top three challengers in men’s and women’s age divisions win prizes. Helmets and goggles required. $15 to race or $35 for race entry and night lift ticket. https://tinyurl.com/y9ys99hu.

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONAL

bknoland@beverly-hanks.com

828.734.5201

74 North Main Street Waynesville, NC 28786

828.452.5809

• Garden workdays are held from 3 p.m. until dusk every Wednesday at Cullowhee Community Garden, 65 S. Painter Road.

Weeding, mulching, general garden maintenance. 587.8212.

• Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension Office on Acquoni Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every fourth Friday to learn about USDA Farm Service Agency programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. Info: 488.2684, ext. 2 (Wednesday through Friday) or 524.3175, ext.

2 (Monday through Wednesday).

• The Macon County Poultry Club of Franklin meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cooperative Extension Office on Thomas Heights Rd, Open to the public.

369.3916.

HIKING CLUBS • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate, eight-mile hike with an elevation gain of 1,100 feet on Saturday, Feb. 15, from Camp Branch to the Bartram Trail. Info and reservations: 524.5298.

• Carolina Mountain Club will hold a 7.5-mile hike with an 800-foot elevation gain on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Hardtimes P.L. No. 1.

Info and reservations: 460.7066 or barbc129@gmail.com.

Ellen Sither esither@beverly-hanks.com (828) 734-8305

• Carolina Mountain Club will have an eightmile hike with a 1,320-foot ascent on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Buckhorn Gap and Club Gap Loop. Info and reservations: 606.3989, jqs290@gmail.com, 606.1490 or quilter290@gmail.com.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a strenuous six-mile hike with an elevation change of 1,000 feet on Sunday, Feb. 23, on the Bartram Trail. Info and reservations: 421.4178.

• The Nantahala Hiking club will take an easy, 1.5-mile hike with an elevation change of 200 feet on Sunday, Feb. 23, on Lakeside Trail. Info and reservations: 526.6480.

• Carolina Mountain Club will take a 12-mile hike with a 1,500-foot ascent on Sunday, Feb. 23, on Buck Spring Trail. Info and reservations: 704.877.7804 or waltersharon204@gmail.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will hold a 10-mile hike with a 500-foot ascent on Saturday, Feb. 29, at Asheville Camino del Norte Walk. Info and reservations: 450.0747 or danny@hikertohiker.com.

• Nantahala Hiking Club holds monthly trail maintenance days from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on every fourth Saturday at 173 Carl Slagle Road in Franklin. Info and to register: 369.1983.

• Hike of the Week is at 10 a.m. every Friday at varying locations along the parkway. Led by National Park Service rangers. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.

Juli Rogers, REALTOR 828.734.3668

JuliMeaseRogers@gmail.com 71 N. MAIN STREET | WAYNESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

828.564.9393

Laura Thomas

BROKER ASSOCIATE —————————————

(828) 734-8478

Smoky Mountain News

• Landmark Learning is offering several options to take a Wilderness First Responder Recertification class, Feb. 28 in Cullowhee and March 1 in Brevard. Registration is also underway for courses on www.landmarklearning.org.

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recruiting volunteers to assist the Trails Forever trail crew for a rehabilitation project on the Rainbow Falls Trail from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Sign up or get more info: 497.1949, Adam_Monroe@nps.gov or https://friendsofthesmokies.org/trailsforever/vo lunteer.

• The annual Haywood County Extension Master Gardener plant sale is underway and accepting pre-paid orders through Feb. 27.

Forms are available at www.haywood.ces.ncsu.edu, 456.3575 or mgarticles@charter.net.

Brian Noland

February 12-18, 2020

• The Highlands Plateau Greenway will hold its monthly work day from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 15, on the Greenway Trail.

Bring work gloves and bottled water. RSVP: jward@ward-scott.com.

FARM AND GARDEN • Registration is underway for the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s annual Business of Farming Conference, which will be held from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Feb. 22 at the AB Tech Conference Center in Asheville. Cost: $95. asapconnections.org or 236.1282.

wnc calendar

Outdoors

Turkey Shoot at 9 a.m. every Saturday through April at 171 Legion Dr. in Waynesville. $2 per round; refreshments provided. Weather permitting. 456.8691.

lthomas@beverly-hanks.com

43

Market WNC PLACE

Announcements

MarketPlace information:

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County.

Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!

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p: 828.452.4251 · f:828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com www.wncmarketplace.com 44

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INTENT TO APPLY FOR GRANT Mountain Projects Inc. Community Action Agency is completing an application for the Community Services Block Grant Program for funding in 2020-2021. Mountain Projects will be requesting $214,681 for the Central Intake and Referral Programs in Haywood and Jackson counties. The review and approval of this application is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2020.

Auction RECEIVERSHIP AUCTION For Earthworx 360, LLC, Toro Dingo Lift, Zero Turn Mowers, Blowers, Trimmers & More Online Only, Begins Closing 2/26/20 at 12pm, Property at Iron Horse Sales Facility, ironhorseauction.com, 800.997.2248, NCAL 3936 AUCTION 175+ Guns 225+ Pocketwatches Militar y/ LeverAction Collection Saturday F e b .1 5 @ 1 2 N O O N LEINBACH AUCTION GALLERY 9497 Hwy 150 Clemmons, NC 27012 336-4169614 NCAL#5871 A U C T I O N Z I P. C O M ID#5969

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February 12-18, 2020

Employment

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As simple as checking your email. Complete online training provided. Visit for details: https://bit.ly/2yewvor BROWN TRUCKING Is looking for Company Drivers & Owner Operators. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2yrs of tractor trailer exp. OTR or Regional in last 3yrs, good MVR & PSP. Apply: driverforbrown.com DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Full-time Haywood & Jackson Co. Mountain Projects, Inc. is seeking to hire an Assistant Executive Director. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration RU D UHODWHG ¿HOG 0XVW have knowledge and H[SHULHQFH LQ QRQ SUR¿W operations, grant management, supervision, public speaking, grant writing and fundraising.

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PAINTERS & ROOFERS NEEDED! Coating manufacture looking for companies or individuals to apply coating systems on commercial roofs in North or South Carolina. CALL 740656-0177

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR JACKSON COUNTY REACH of Macon County and the Center for Domestic Peace are seeking a full-time Assistant Director for Jackson County. This position would report to the REACH of Macon County Executive Director and their work location would be at WKH 520& &'3 RI¿FH located in Sylva with some travel to Franklin and throughout Jackson County. This position will be responsible for preparing and submitting grant applications; for Jackson County programmatic and annual reporting; for the supervision of Jackson County program staff and services; for direct client victim services and hotline coverage.

Additionally, the AD will work cooperatively with the Board of Directors of the CDP including community outreach, constituent education, and local fundraising. A minimum of a 4 year degree or equivalent experience and an understanding of the philosophy and mission of REACH of Macon County and CDP. Please see this link below for additional information on job posting. Please submit resumes to: reach@ reachofmaconcounty. org. (828) 369-5544 reach@reachofmaconcounty.org WNC MarketPlace

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45

SUPER

CROSSWORD

RISING TO THE DEBATE ACROSS 1 While away the hours 9 Amorphous, sunken-into seats 17 Book divs.

20 Adopts, as a belief 21 Do a new layout of 22 Marina del -, California 23 Start of a riddle 25 Musician Yoko 26 Fixes a seam, say 27 Drink served with scones 28 Suffix with final or solo 29 Heroic poetry 30 Riddle, part 2 37 7-Eleven drink 41 Isn't on target 42 Contract inker, e.g.

43 "Stones for -" (1988 film) 44 San -, California 46 Most fake 48 Riddle, part 3 51 With 57-Across, descent before pulling a rip cord 52 Chilean cheer 53 Praise publicly 54 Margarita glass liner 57 See 51-Across 60 1990s Philippine president 62 Ad entreaty 64 ET of TV 67 Riddle, part 4 71 "Rock and Roll, Hoochie " 72 Gel alternative 74 Bow rub-on 75 "- Cassius has a lean and hungry look": Julius Caesar

77 78 79 81 85 92 94 95 96 97 98 99 104 105 106 107 111 112 119 120 121 122 123 124

- Sunday Let out Xenon, e.g.

Fesses (up) Riddle, part 5 Deliver news about Capacious One of Jupiter's moons Rare Italian violins Trial run Watched kids for cash End of the riddle Tip jar bills Mimicker "- There Was You" - ghanouj Poetry Out Loud org.

Riddle's answer Wind up Tendency to stick together "Casino Royale" Bond girl player Rds. Outburst of wild emotion Tokyo "ta-ta"

DOWN 1 Sunday seats 2 Court champ Arthur 3 Shoot forth 4 Male heirs 5 "Tsk!" 6 "Semi-" suffix 7 Get together 8 Road twists 9 Male sib 10 Always, to bards 11 Astern 12 Feature of a perfect ball game 13 Audacious

14 15 16 17 18 19

24 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 44 45 46 47 49 50 55 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 68 69

Just slightly Slender fish Hog home Certain liquid fuel container High-tech map subjects Natalie Portman's childhood home on Long Island "Bali -" Most tense Twist Skin cream brand Ensnares Cookie giant Lead singer Beginning on Have supper Son of Willy Loman Skyscraper beam Many an app Anguish Actor Gibson Had supper Sainted pope FDR follower Hit the links Boxing punch London lav 16 eighths Tummy "six-pack" Actor Marvin Interstate stop Pal, in Calais Earlier "No - do!"

Rock blaster Mauna Big magazine pitches Suze with financial tips Stir up, as silt

70 73 76 78 79 80 82 83 84 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 97 98 100 101 102 103 107 108 109 110 112 113 114 115 116 117 118

NASDAQ kin Polishes Bride's belongings Green start?

Big Red, e.g.

Poet Lowell "- calling?"

California's - Valley TDs, e.g.

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February 12-18, 2020

WNC MarketPlace

A poet of the mountains Editor’s note: This first appeared in a February 2010 issue of The Smoky Mountain News.

T

George Ellison

his past weekend was given over to reorganizing the books in my home library. In the process, I relocated a volume of poems I had feared was long lost.

My favorite “Appalachian” poets would be Robert Morgan, Kay Stripling Byer, and James Still.

I never met James Still, but we corresponded in the 1970s with some frequency.

Wilma Dykeman and her husband, James Stokely, close friends of Still’s, had suggested I might enjoy his Columnist work. They especially recommended “Hounds on the Mountain,” a collection of poems that had appeared in 1937 when he was generally recognized as “one of the strongest voices to emerge in Appalachian literature.”

Born in 1906 in LaFayette, Alabama, Still was librarian at the Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky during the 1930s. Following a stint in the Air Force during World War II, he became a freelance writer. In 1952 he returned to the Hindman Settlement School, again as the librarian. He

BACK THEN stayed on for 10 years or more but left that post to teach and write.

After I did indeed become enthusiastic about Still, who was somewhat reclusive, Wilma Dykeman said he would like to hear from me. At that time, for various reasons, Still had not, to my knowledge, published a book of any sort for almost 25 years and was pleased to be remembered. He did, of course, resurrect his career in the mid-1970s and go on to publish various poetry collections, novels, and children’s books, so that he is now sometimes referred to as the “Dean of Appalachian Literature.”

I have apparently lost our correspondence, but, sure enough, the volume that reappeared this weekend was “Hounds on the Mountain,” published by The Viking Press in a “first edition limited to seven hundred fifty numbered copies of which seven hundred are for sale.” My copy is hand-numbered in ink as being “435.” I had mailed it to Still, asking if he’d sign it. It came back inscribed on the front flyleaf: “For / George Ellison / Who has kept my poems / in his heart all ‘these sleeping years,’— / with greetings, and gratitude. / James Still / November 25, 1975.”

From the Mountains, From the Valley (University of Kentucky Press, 2001) collects all of Still’s poems, including those that

appeared in “Hounds of the Mountain.” I reread them this weekend with delight and remembrance of a fine poet. I recommend them to you. Here are some sample stanzas: from “Rain on the Cumberlands” Rain in the beechwood trees. Rain upon the wanderer Whose breath lies cold upon the mountainside, Caught up with broken horns within the nettled grass, With hooves relinquished on the breathing stones Eaten with rain-strokes. from “Hounds on the Mountain” Hounds on the mountain ….

Grey and swift spinning the quarry shall turn At the cove’s ending, at the slow day’s breaking, And lave the violent shadows with her blood. from “Graveyard” There is no town so quiet on any earth, Nor any house so dark upon the mind.

Only the night is here, and the dead Under the hard blind eyes of hill and tree.

Here lives sleep. Here the dead are free. from “Horseback in the Rain” To the stone, to the mud With hoofs busy clattering In a fog-wrinkled spreading Of waters? Halt not. Stay not.

Ride the storm with no ending On a road unarriving. from “Spring on Troublesome Creek” Not all of us were warm, not all of us.

We are winter-lean, our faces are sharp with cold And there is the smell of wood smoke in our clothes; Not all of us were warm, though we have hugged the fire Through the long chilled nights.

From “Mountain Dulcimer” The dulcimer sings from fretted throat Of the doe’s swift poise, the fox’s fleeting step And the music of hounds upon the outward slope Stirring the night, drumming the ridge-strewn way.

From “Child in the Hills” Where on these hills are tracks a small foot made, Where rests the echo of his voice calling to the crows In sprouting corn? Here are tall trees his eyes Have measured to their tops, here lies fallow earth Unfurrowed by terracing plows these sleeping years.

(George Ellison is a writer and naturalist who lives in Bryson City. info@georgeellison.com)

February 12-18, 2020 Smoky Mountain News 47

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