12
Pickleball craze sweeps into Western NC Page 30
On the Cover:
A Macon County man who’s a veteran and has survived two bouts of cancer has dedicated his life to helping others battle the disease, including a 7-yearold Franklin girl. (Page 6) Braulio Fonseca faces a 2-mile, open water race in sub-50-degree water. Jason Lindsey photo
News
New DWI legislation could tighten BAC limits............................................................4 Tuscola coach who resigned hired in Swain............................................................10
Haywood TDA hires new director................................................................................12
Tribal alcohol board spending scrutinized..................................................................14
Evergreen shuts down one paper machine..............................................................16
Former Tribal Councilman owns up to alcoholism..................................................19
Opinion
Finding connections in a siloed world........................................................................20 Working together to alleviate climate damage..........................................................20
A&E
New daily news podcast off and running..................................................................22
Outdoors
Pickleball enthusiasts tout game’s appeal, benefits................................................36
A story titled "Bike swap: With Motion Makers exit, Bryson City Outdoors expands in Cherokee,” which appeared on page 30 of the Feb. 1 issue, incorrectly stated that Kent Cranford founded Motion Makers 36 years ago. Cranford purchased the company in 2007 from Dave Molin, and the original owners were Norman and Diane Harrell. SMN regrets the error.
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ACCOUNTING & O FFICE MANAGER: Amanda Singletary. .
D ISTRIBUTION: Scott Collier. . .
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Western North Carolina has one of the most proactive anti-drunk driving forces in the state, and now a contingent from this region is pushing for a new set of laws that will further restrictions.
Late last month, the WNC Regional DWI Task Force convened at the Waynesville Police Station to weigh in on legislation sponsored by Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Swain), some of which seeks to crack down on DWIs — such as one that would lower the legal limit for driving from a blood alcohol content of .08 to .05 — and one of which seeks to provide an easier transition for those who successfully complete DWI recovery court.
Heading up the meeting was Ellen Pitt, a career nurse who dedicated her life to curbing drunk driving in the early 2000s. Joining Pitt were law enforcement officers from local police departments, sheriff’s offices, the Highway Patrol and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. In addition, Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke and Jackson County Sheriff Doug Farmer were in attendance, as was Justin Philbeck, who works for the Conference of District Attorneys providing resources and training specifically regarding DWI prosecution to those who represent the state.
Pitt first talked about trends in DWI arrests, including the prevalence of offenders who have a pending DWI charge already hanging over their head and used those examples to make the case for the bills that were about to be discussed.
“We want offenders to understand there will be consequences,” Pitt told the group.
One of the most notable bills would lower the legal blood alcohol content of a driver from .08 to .05. While the National Transportation Safety Board recommended this change for all states back in 2012, Utah is the only one so far to adopt the lowered standard. Washington and New York have both seen bills introduced to do that this year, and North Carolina may follow suit.
The potential change was discussed at the meeting.
“Utah did that, and they’ve had nothing but success,” Pitt said.
“I’ve had people who are .06 who are snookered,” a deputy from Jackson County said.
Right now, if a DWI is charged and the suspect blows a .09, that is considered a mitigating factor, meaning it could lessen their sentence. One change floated at the meeting was to remove that mitigating factor altogether.
“Driving a .09 is a crime, so why are we mitigating your sentence if it’s a crime?” Pitt said.
In addition to that relatively straightforward proposed change, Rep. Clampitt also introduced a bill to allow the specific reading from a portable breathalyzer test, also known
as the roadside breathalyzer, to be used to develop probable cause to charge a driver with a DWI. It currently can only be used by officers to determine whether there is alcohol present in the bloodstream, but specific numbers are not to be considered.
The portable breathalyzer is a handheld device. Inserted into that device is a disposable plastic straw into which a suspected impaired driver blows. Having such a readily available tool at officers’ disposal is a significant advantage, considering issues they said they’ve had nailing down an admissible BAC before someone has time for that number to lower prior to doing the admissible intoxilyzer at the magistrate’s office or having blood drawn at the hospital.
Philbeck said that from a prosecutor’s perspective, this change could make probable cause hearings — typically about an hour long — shorter and more efficient.
“It would make my job easier in the sense that oftentimes, the probable cause motion is the longest type of motion in a DWI case,” Philbeck said.
Assuming judges buy into the change, it could also cut down on judge shopping by defense attorneys looking for the most lenient option.
Haywood County Chief Deputy Matthew Trantham asked if judges would be required to accept that probable cause. Philbeck said
that while judges’ definitions of probable cause may vary, those who don’t accept it may at least have to face political pressure for their decisions.
While officers were excited about this potential change, one voiced a couple of concerns. First, it’s likely defense attorneys will have another item to scrutinize when fighting for their clients. To use the result for probable cause, officers will have to ensure the PBTs — portable breathalyzers — are calibrated and properly used and that the results are properly documented.
“If probable cause for alcohol DWIs boils down to PBTs, the new battleground will be the PBTs and whether they were used correctly and calibrated,” Philbeck said.
Also, one man asked about the potential that officers could grow too reliant on that number and lose proficiency on conducted standardized roadside sobriety tests.
“Approach every DWI like you don’t have that number,” Philbeck warned the officers.
North Carolina Police Chiefs Association Executive Director Bill Hollingsed, who served as Waynesville’s police chief for 20 years, was present for the meeting. In an interview with SMN afterward, he said he’s not too concerned about officers’ losing their field sobriety test proficiency since it is a standardized lesson included in the basic law enforcement training program every prospec-
tive officer goes through.
Hollingsed’s office typically weighs in on legislation as it goes through the gamut in the General Assembly. He said he personally likes that specific bill as discussed during the meeting.
“It provides a sample at the time of the stop,” he said of the PBT. “There’s all kinds of built-in delays in getting somebody to a facility to administer an intoxilyzer or take a blood sample.”
Hollingsed added that he expects his organization will weigh in on the legislation.
“We have a full-time legal liaison that works with the legislature on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “They’ll discuss bills that are proposed.”
Several items regarding the revocation and reinstatement of driver’s licenses were discussed. One change would cover a current loophole for the 30-day civil revocation of a driver’s license due to a DWI charge. Under current law, the only circumstances for revocation are blowing over a .08, blowing over a .04 for commercial drivers or registering any alcohol for a driver under 21.
About one-quarter of DWIs in North Carolina don’t meet one of those standards, with a large portion of those involving drivers impaired by a substance other than alcohol. A couple of people asked about whether a person could have their license revoked for refusing to do a roadside PBT, but Philbeck pointed out that the Supreme Court has generally not seen such laws in a favorable light, meaning that may be a bridge too far.
While most of what was talked about involved an increased ability to arrest people for DWIs and further restrictions after they’re charged, one proposed change would make things easier for offenders whose drunk driving didn’t result in any injuries or death that complete DWI treatment court by reinstating their license and paying some of their fees.
“We want to reward good behavior as we should be doing and then punish the bad guys that don’t even try,” Pitt said. “People that come from sobriety court want to start their life over. We think that it’s fair enough.”
That bill is a slightly different version of one that was introduced in the Senate in February 2019 by now retired Macon County Republican Sen. Jim Davis and former Sen. Terry Van Duyn, a Buncombe County Democrat.
Davis said he thought the prior bill may have failed in committee because it had a Democratic cosponsor, although he admitted he wasn’t entirely sure. He added that he thinks the new bill might stand a pretty good chance in the current legislature.
“It’s rewarding good behavior,” Davis said. “People may make mistakes, and there’s never an excuse for driving impaired, but nevertheless people do it and if they do and get caught … I think it’s a safety valve that people can make a mistake and still be redeemed.”
Pitt told the officers in the crowd that while her task force aims to put more teeth on the state’s DWI laws, she also realizes how valuable it is to have them out there enforcing whatever is on the books.
“At a time when a lot of things are going toward recovery courts
Megan Emily Tate, 28, of Sylva, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf last month and pleaded guilty to distributing a substance that contained fentanyl which resulted in serious bodily injury, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees North Carolina, and Jackson County Sheriff Doug Farmer joined U.S. Attorney King in making the announcement.
According to filed court documents and the plea hearing, in April 2021, deputies with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Tate for suspected distribution of fentanyl. Court records show that while Tate was in custody at the Jackson County Detention Center, she supplied two inmates with fentanyl, causing them to overdose. As a result, both overdose victims were transported to the hospital, and one victim was placed on a ventilator. Both victims later recovered from their drug overdose. According to court documents, over the course of the investigation
into the drug overdose incidents, law enforcement determined that Tate had supplied each victim with a substance that contained fentanyl, which Tate was able to conceal and later retrieve from a body cavity.
According to the DEA, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat in the United States. According to the CDC, more than 100,000 people in the United States died of drug overdoses and drug poisonings in the 12-month period ending in January 2022. Sixty-seven percent of those deaths involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Some of these deaths were attributed to fentanyl mixed with other illicit drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, with many users unaware they were actually taking fentanyl.
Tate is currently in federal custody. At sentencing, Tate faces a sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA’s Asheville Post of Duty and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
An act of arson will cost James Ralph Brady, 55, of Cherokee, four years in prison, five years of supervised release and $10,000 in restitution.
Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department joined Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, in making the announcement Jan. 26. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pritchard prosecuted the case.
According to filed court documents, on July 25, 2021, a residential structural fire was reported at 37 Bob Owle Road in Cherokee. The residence is a single-wide trailer and the fire was set to an exterior wall, with damage done throughout the residence.
Court records reveal that Brady was on
… we still have to stay focused on enforcement,” she said. “If people don’t get convicted, sometimes they don’t get forced into recovery.”
Clampitt talked to the officers about the process of trying to get his bills signed into law. First, he will bring the bills to a law enforcement working group he’s a part of.
“When I bring a bill into that group, that’s where the headaches start,” he said.
After another meeting held the Friday after the one with law enforcement where more input was gathered from other members of the regional taskforce, the bills were sent to drafting. As of Feb. 13, one bill was filed but the rest were “in the hopper,” as Clampitt put it. Clampitt said he believed Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Macon) would sponsor the Senate companion bills. Corbin didn’t respond to an interview request from SMN
house arrest on tribal charges at the time, and that his ankle monitoring device pinged at the residence near the time the fire was discovered. According to court documents, when Brady was questioned by tribal police, he admitted throwing an incendiary device commonly called a “Molotov cocktail” near the residence before it caught fire. Law enforcement records show that Brady thought his intended target lived at the residence but was mistaken and that he had no dispute with the actual victim. The victim was able to put the fire out, but not before substantial damage was done to the home.
Brady is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
and has not yet filed anything regarding DWIs in the Senate.
Clampitt said that of the over 1,000 bills filed in the House, maybe 10% will get signed into law, so any bill is fighting the odds, but he still felt confident.
“I foresee bipartisan support,” he said.
At the late-January meeting, Pitt did what she could to ensure legislators feel pressure to act on Clapmitt’s bills.
“You’ll have to email them and call them and tell them this is what you want,” she said to the officers.
Both Philbeck and Clampitt expressed their gratitude for the work Pitt puts into not only advocating for victims but pushing for stricter laws and more accountability.
“We have an advocate in Western North Carolina who does all this for no pay,” he said.
“She doesn’t get the recognition she deserves.”
written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath
Often we may see or hear people proclaim that certain products, treatments, foods or ingredients in foods are “natural” and therefore better. This is known as a logical fallacy, an ‘Appeal to Nature/Natural’ and is often used as a way of charging consumers more for products. Just because something is natural doesn’t necessarily or automatically mean it is better for you. There are many things that are natural that can be harmful… poisonous mushrooms, bacteria, viruses, poisonous snakes and spiders, unpasteurized/raw milk…. even excessive sunshine can be damaging to our eyes and skin. We are fortunate to have medications and treatments and even ingredients in foods that are safe to use and consume that are not found in nature.
Bottom Line: When you hear people invoke the “natural” fallacy, be a cautious consumer.
“MDCS has anactivitythat isperfectforyou. Whetheryou'reathleticor artistic,orsomewherein between,thereisalways somethingforyoutodo,and agroupforyoutofind.”
~ Lurae M. 8th GRADE
HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
In a few short weeks, 47 people will charge from the shores of the island home to the infamous Alcatraz Prison into the freezing water that isolates it. Those brave souls will battle frigid temperatures, currents, wildlife and weather for two miles in an open water swim race to the California mainland, with little else than a swim cap, goggles and the thick skin of wetsuits to shield them from those unpredictable elements. However, among the frenzy making its way across San Francisco Bay, there will be at least one bare human body bracing the cold without neoprene protection.
The elements, and anyone else that gets close enough to witness, will see that the bare skin is covered in a thousand tiny symbols that make up the names of hundreds of people who have encountered cancer in their lifetime.
Braulio Fonseca was born in Costa Rica in 1982 and moved to the United States with his mother at an early age.
Growing up in the rural Burningtown community of Macon County, he was hyper-creative and wildly athletic, playing almost every sport he could find his way into throughout middle school and high school. But there was one place he saw his future going.
“I was raised by a truck driving, typical white American stepdad and we grew up on Vietnam movies and Army movies, and I was in Burningtown, North Carolina,” said Fonseca of his childhood. “So it was like we were little soldiers our whole lives and never aimed in the way of college. That was not even in the discussion, it was Army forever.”
With the military weighing heavily on his childhood existence, Fonseca would write letters to those serving in the armed forces.
Once in high school he wrote for the Franklin Press.
“I’ve been a writer my whole life,” he said. “But as a child, I thought [the military] was the greatest accomplishment, it was the best that was there. That was really the most respectable thing I could do.”
And so four days after high school graduation, Fonseca enlisted in the United States Army and soon thereafter found himself stationed in Korea. While there, some of the practice missions Fonseca and his unit were assigned to involved air defense — firing off TOW missiles, a type of anti-tank weapon guided by wires. In wartime, when TOW missiles are fired, personnel cut the wires and keep moving. However, because these were practice missions, there was cleanup to be done. The next part of the job involved using a wheel and that wire to crank the missile cartridges back in.
“We were bringing back this depleted uranium packaging, putting it back in our tanks and then taking it back to our base where we would dispose of it in some other fashion rather than leaving it out,” said Fonseca. “A lot of people came back with stuff.”
Sept. 11, 2001, would change everything about his military experience. After that day, nothing was the same.
“The military changed a lot after 9/11,” said Fonseca. “There were a lot of different things happening between the lifestyle that
is Korea versus stateside military bases.”
Prior to 9/11, Fonseca swam competitively and ran for the Eighth Army Track Team, but after the terrorist attacks, those types of activities went out the window.
“When I got home everything was setting up for deployment,” he said. “Before, we were just playing games. When you’re stateside your commanders don’t live on base with you, they go home. But this time, they’re all there, in the barracks, the captain and everybody, we’re all in this together. We’re deployed for a year or more. Everyone’s away from their families and everyone reacts to that differently. So you get to see sides of your leadership that you don’t normally see. That can be a positive or a negative.”
In the first year after returning from Korea, Fonseca developed unfamiliar and concerning health symptoms. Ever the athlete, he had become engrossed in biking upon his return to the states, but after a while, he was unable to even sit on a bike. There were times when, while hanging out with friends, he would pass out, experience severe groin pain or have bouts of nausea. The pain became so intense and regular that Fonseca’s vision could go black and he would stay completely aware, engaged in whatever he was doing.
Eventually, he found the mass.
“The moment I touched it, it felt like I just got arrested,” Fonseca said.
“Like that anxiety when you get
blue-lighted, or if you’re getting in trouble. I knew instantly that that’s what it was. It wasn’t even a doubt in my mind. I had surgery within 24 hours.”
Doctors diagnosed Fonseca with testicular cancer and within a week he started radiation treatments.
“It’s one of the weirdest things to say but that saved my life,” he said. “It saved my life from who I was. I was an angry 18-year-old boy, with no identity and this stripped down the ego of that kid and created me. I was a totally different person.”
Fonseca would be in and out of the Army before he was 21 years old. Once it was clear that he would survive the cancer and its treatment, he was given the option to stay in or get out.
“At that point, one, I’d seen enough to come to the realization that it wasn’t this thing that I dreamt it was. I was actually so disappointed in the leadership, the people, I mean I just wasn’t expecting what it was,” Fonseca said. “And, two, I’m an artist. I had no business being a soldier. That was not for me.”
Years later, after reconnecting with someone from his unit while on a road trip from Chicago to Florida, Fonseca would find out that he was discharged just five days before several members of his unit were killed in Afghanistan.
“So it saved my life spiritually from creating a new person, but literally I could have
been in one of those Bradleys that got hit with a roadside bomb,” he said.
Leaving Fort Hood after treatment and discharge, Fonseca put it all behind him. He not only left the Army, but almost all memory of what had happened.
“I don’t know if it is because of the cancer treatments or whatever,” Fonseca said.
“Once I drove off the base it was like it never happened. The Army, the cancer, nothing.”
Fonseca moved to Florida, became a lifeguard, grew his hair out and lived life to the fullest. He remembers feeling truly happy during that time. Meanwhile, the memories of what had passed were stored tightly away somewhere in the back of his mind. He was starting over.
Willow Wright is seven years old. She lives in Franklin with her brother and parents Amber and Jay Wright. She is the daughter the Wrights never thought they would have.
Jay was one of 18 children, 14 of whom were adopted. The Wrights always knew they wanted to adopt in addition to having children of their own. Years of expensive fertility interventions aimed at getting pregnant were to no avail and about eight years ago, the Wrights found out that one of the young children they had been fostering was ready for adoption. Shortly after their first child, a 4year-old boy, came to be a permanent part of
the family, the Wrights found out that they were six weeks pregnant with Willow.
Willow will turn eight years old on May 1. Her parents describe her as the type of kid that runs a mile a minute. In her father’s words she is “nonstop smiles and fun, doesn’t know a stranger. She’ll meet a kid and two minutes later come and ask if her new friend can come over.”
One day last fall, Willow began exhibiting flu-like symptoms, running a fever and throwing up. Jay had just gotten off of the night shift for Macon County Sheriff’s office where he works and Amber told him that Willow would need to stay home with him that day. She crawled into bed with her father and they both fell asleep.
The next day the fever had not abated and her parents took her to the doctor. Tests for the flu and other common illnesses were negative so the doctor suggested running tests for appendicitis. Instead of appendicitis, scans showed a large mass on Willow’s kidney. She needed immediate transfer to Mission Hospital in Asheville, but the ambulance wouldn’t be ready to take her until four o’clock that afternoon. Jay and Amber weren’t taking any chances. They signed a waiver and drove Willow directly over to Mission on their own.
Further testing revealed that the mass on Willow’s kidney was solid, and she underwent surgery to remove it on Oct. 26, 2022.
Doctors told the Wrights that Willow had a Stage 3 Wilms Tumor, which means that the cancer found in the kidney could not be completely removed with surgery. Intense chemotherapy and radiation would follow.
“There are a lot of ups and downs, good days and bad,” said Jay. “Thankfully she has not lost her personality. If she wore a hat and you didn’t know her hair was missing, other than a little bit of weight loss you wouldn’t know any difference.”
Her treatment has been harsh. The first week after surgery Willow received radiation every day, as well as chemotherapy on the first and last days of the week. For the next two and a half months she received chemotherapy every week, with a double dose every third week.
“Those days are really rough on her emotionally and physically,” said Jay. “She feels sick and she vomits. You try to stay strong but sometimes you’ve got to walk away, cry in a corner by yourself or away from her so you don’t show it to her.”
For Jay and Amber, the grief and stress come in waves. Seemingly at random, driving down the road or glancing at a picture on a cellphone, comprehension becomes total and the emotions are too much to handle.
“For the most part, Willow’s been so strong,” said Jay. “She gets tired easily in the
afternoon, things that didn’t used to bother her or wouldn’t upset her will sometimes make her just break down. My wife has been very strong. It’s probably going to hit her after all this.”
“After all this” will begin this spring, after Willow receives her last scheduled treatment on May 15.
After some years working as a lifeguard in Florida, relishing in the warm weather, healthy lifestyle and time and space to write, Fonseca received another surprise. The amicable boss he had looked up to for so long fired him.
“I was surrounded by an incredible group of people, and they had an enormous influence on me in a phenomenal way,” said Fonseca. “My boss was like, ‘look, you can’t sit out here forever.’ I did get comfortable, very comfortable. It was like living in Neverland. Every day was Saturday, getting paid to sit on the beach and exercise and read.”
“It was just a beautiful time. But not stimulating. I wasn’t growing as a human. My boss was a phenomenal mentor. He was like ‘you gotta go to school.’
So Fonseca took off for Columbia College in Chicago to study writing. Five years later, in 2012, he received his degree and began traveling back and forth between LA and the Windy City as he built a successful creative career. First in commercials as a production assistant, and eventually on into set design, prop styling, and from there, pivoted into print advertising photoshoots.
Bonnie Brown is a freelance artist and producer. She lives in California and met Fonseca when he was hired as a production associate for a photoshoot she was running in Chicago. She was impressed with him from the start, both personally and professionally, and they would stay close in the years to come.
“Braulio is a team player in every sense of the word, and super professional, strong as an ox,” said Brown. “He is skilled at most aspects of photography production and is an incredible photographer to boot. He is a gentle soul. An old soul.”
Shortly after his first opportunities in print advertising photoshoots began to materialize, symptoms similar to those he had experienced 15 years earlier while in Fort Hood, Texas, began to return.
“I knew it in the same way I knew it the first time. I knew I had it again except this time, totally different mentality,” said Fonseca. It was cancer, again. But this time, Fonseca’s mental health spiraled and he couldn’t find it in himself to put life and work on hold in the manner that cancer treatment demands.
“I don’t care, I’m not doing chemo. I’m not doing that again,” Fonseca recalls think-
ing. “The mental health side of it started to come tumbling down. I felt like the only thing I had was what I’d been working for, those opportunities. I thought, ‘I’ll just work till I die, whatever.’ I was in print and just started getting into some big, big deals. I put off chemo to do an NBA photoshoot and was sick as a dog.”
Fonseca knows how it sounds. Denial? Perhaps. Determination? More likely. He had worked hard at doing what he loved to have the opportunities that could make or break his career. Getting the chance to work on an Adidas/ NBA photoshoot was not something he was willing to give up, no mat-
when chemo stole his hair and ravaged his body, all the way through recovery.
“The only way I was going to do chemo, is if I did something with it,” Fonseca says of the decision. “I wanted to make a project. It had to be creative. I wasn’t just going to do it to save me, I wanted to create something while it was happening. So I decided to write a book.”
This time around, the cancer was situated in Fonseca’s lymph nodes, which meant it would require chemotherapy. Receiving chemo three times per day, he was unable to leave the hospital throughout the entire treatment process. While radiation uses
this didn’t keep his community from doing what they could to help Fonseca survive.
Following treatment he went back to sunny Clearwater, Florida, where friends from his time lifeguarding had room for him to live while recovering. There was space and support for the fragile state in which he found both his mind and body. In addition, his creative community conducted a fundraiser which amassed over $30,000 in two days. It changed Fonseca’s whole attitude toward healing.
“It blew me away,” he says, choking back tears. “I was not really fighting until that happened. And then I just felt this love, you know, like all these people, strangers around them, everywhere. That kind of money and everything, I was like ‘I gotta do better. I can’t sit here and be this way.’”
Thanks to the support of his community, he was able to recover in relative peace. He could maintain an apartment in Chicago and live in Florida with his friends, focusing all his attention on getting healthy. Moving his body, especially swimming, became central to recovery.
“I jumped in the pool with my two girlfriends and there’s something about being physical, I’ll never forget it,” Fonseca said. “The action of watching my arm and taking that breath and every time I breathe I couldn’t help but think about being in that bed. How miserable I was.”
“I’ll do this forever,” he remembers thinking. “I can do this forever. Like this is it? This isn’t even hard anymore. Training, this is all I want to do.”
Movement was it. All he wanted to do; all he could do. He didn’t stop moving, whether walking or swimming all day long. Anything to keep from sitting, or worse, lying down.
“Because once you’re in that bed with a port in you, you’re handcuffed, you’re in prison,” he said. “It was a weird combination of survivor’s guilt, because at the end of the day, my cancer doesn’t compare to what real suffering is. People go through way worse cancer experiences than what I did. I just felt I had to do something for them.”
After his first open water swim, the Hurricane Man 2.4-mile, all bets were off. Fonseca knew he wanted — even needed — an event like that every year. “That’s when everything really changed,” he said.
ter the consequences.
“It took a long time to start making the real money,” said Fonseca. “This was that job, that paycheck that changed my life.”
Eventually, he did decide to seek treatment for his second bout with cancer. A creative connection made through work, in part, provided the impetus he needed. A colleague worked with him to photograph the whole, grueling process of treatment. He captured Fonseca in his lowest moments,
high-energy beams to target and kill cancer cells at a specific tumor site, chemotherapy targets cancer cells throughout the body, usually by using cytotoxic medications administered intravenously.
“It was very dark,” he said. “Very, very dark experience. Nothing like the first.”
It was a weighty ordeal; one he was unwilling to put others through. No one was allowed to come to the hospital. Even his mother was never permitted by his side. But
The next year he upped the ante, swimming around the Florida Keys, a 12.5-mile open water swim. By the end of it, finishing in third place, Fonseca’s body was arrested with cramps. He had finished, but he was suffering, when an announcement came over the loudspeaker for everyone to cheer on another finisher who was about to complete the race. There, a man without arms, who had just completed the entire swim, was making his way out of the water.
“I felt that big,” Fonseca says with point-
no matter what the outcome is. That’s the epitome of what people do when they fight cancer.”
– Braulio FonsecaThe list of names Fonseca bears on his skin during the open water race grows every year. Braulio Fonseca photo
Just over a month after resigning from his position as head football coach at Tuscola High School following allegations of sexual harassment, Chris Brookshire has been hired at Swain County Schools.
According to the human resources department at Swain County Schools, Brookshire was recommended for a temporary interim non-instructional position. His employment was made official when voted upon by the board of education at its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Feb. 13.
“Based on the recommendations that have come to me, I recommend the Swain County Board of Education employ Christopher Brookshire in an interim position as an attendance and new century scholar coordinator effective Jan. 30, 2023,” said Superintendent Mark Sale.
The board of education approved this recommendation unanimously.
Sale also recommended that the school board “employ Christopher Brookshire as bus driver substitute effective Feb. 1, 2023,” said Sale.
The board also approved this recommendation unanimously.
In December, Haywood County Schools Human Resources Department received multiple reports of Brookshire making inappropriate and unprofessional comments toward female colleagues. Brookshire was first suspended with pay on Dec. 7, and subsequently suspended without pay on Dec. 16. Superintendent of Haywood County Schools Trevor Putnam accepted Brookshire’s resignation on Monday, Jan. 2.
Brookshire had been hired as a physical education teacher, head football coach, weights coach and junior varsity boys’ basketball assistant coach in January 2020.
“There have been allegations made against me to Haywood County Schools’ Human Resources Department that I have made comments toward female co-workers that are inappropriate or unprofessional,” said Brookshire in a statement following his resignation. “I apologize to anyone who I may have spoken with in a way that they deemed offensive or hurtful. It was not my intent to harm or offend anyone. I have determined that it is time for me to resign, as I in no way would want do [sic] anything to compromise the integrity of Tuscola High School, Tuscola football, or myself. I am grateful for my time at Tuscola and the support I’ve received from the school community. I want nothing but the best for my players and the success of the football program moving forward.”
Tuscola High School Principal Heather Blackmon was suspended with pay from the school system on Dec. 16 in a related incident. She resigned on Feb. 6.
er finger and thumb squeezed together. “And that changed my life. I don’t even know what suffering is at all. Way off.”
In that moment his mindset shifted. He never wanted to win anything ever again. He didn’t even want to be in the top three. He wanted to find something so impossibly difficult that he would fail.
“That’s my dedication. That’s my truth,” he said. He would find that failure the very first time he attempted to swim from Alcatraz Island, across San Francisco Bay to the California mainland with no wetsuit to protect from the freezing cold water.
In the years following his second great battle with cancer, Fonseca began to formulate how he would help others through the fight he knew all too well. He decided he would raise money to go directly to someone in the midst of the struggle. Not some large, money-making entity with obscure tactics and little to show after years of work and billions of dollars, but one real human, fighting a very real fight.
“Braulio is a powerhouse, it seems unfathomable to think he had once been struggling for his life,” said Brown. “Here is a guy who not only has beaten cancer twice but has taken it upon himself to raise awareness and funding so that others can survive cancer.”
Fonseca decided to couple those fundraising efforts with his own desire to seek out the limits of existence, the wild in the world — the need to move his body, the need to be challenged, perhaps even defeated.
The swim from Alcatraz to St. Francis Beach was the perfect trial, and in 2019 he plunged from the shores of the island for the first time, no wetsuit, but with something else adorning his skin.
On his chest, Fonseca bore the names of two close friends. On his back, the names of 100 others. Anyone he knew, anyone his friends knew who had been affected by cancer whether they had passed away, were currently fighting or had survived their battle.
“I call them cancer warriors, not survivors,” said Fonseca. “Everyone was a warrior. Because for me to say that I survived and then my two girlfriends didn’t, to say that they lost their battle just didn’t really sit well with me.”
Fonseca named the newly born nonprofit aimed at helping those in their battle with cancer ‘A Warrior’s Way Cancer Fund.’ It became an emotional process for everyone involved, especially for those people who had lost loved ones to cancer.
“I put it out there to the universe and said, I need these names to help me get across. They’re powerful and they’re alive,” he said. “These are spirits reincarnated and active. They say they’re seeing them alive. It changed the way I thought about it, the way the family members thought about it. I didn’t know what it was going to do to me but every new name, every new story, everything that would happen, any donation, it’s a lot to hold.”
“And then of course that year, I didn’t make it.”
Part way through his first attempt to race across the bay in 2019, hypothermia closed in gradually, and then all at once. Fonseca woke up in the emergency room. He had done what he had set out to do, attempted something so difficult, he had failed. But even that failure didn’t register as success.
“That was no way to pay tribute, I just felt like I failed all these people,” said Fonseca. “But there’s something really beautiful about failing, trying no matter what the outcome is. That’s the epitome of what people do when they fight cancer.”
Because Fonseca had a clear understanding that someone losing a battle with cancer is not failure, he was able to tune in to whatever was coming next, accepting the first swim as just that. The first of more to come.
With the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Fonseca moved home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. He studied Wim Hof, the Dutch cold water and breath work enthusiast, started protracted cold-water immersion, trained in Lake Glenville and at this point in time hasn’t had a warm shower in years.
To learn more or donate to A Warriors Way Cancer Fund, visit gofundme.com/f/swimming-for-willow-wright.
“It was brutal,” he said, “but it worked.”
With more time to prepare, more names covering his skin each year, Fonseca has crossed the bay in sub-50-degree water two years in a row, each time raising money for someone facing their fight with cancer. Now, he’s aiming to do it again. On March 11, with a list of names that continues to grow, Fonseca will swim in honor of 7-year-old Franklin resident Willow Wright. All donations raised for the swim this year will go to Willow and her family as they face what lies ahead.
And it’s not just the money that is making an impact.
Last spring, Brown underwent an annual mammogram. The test found a small tumor which, after more testing and a long week of waiting, turned out to be invasive ductal carcinoma — a fairly common type of breast cancer.
“That phone call really does change your life — which at that point became all about gaining knowledge, and working through fear, towards survival,” said Brown. “I didn’t know of anyone I could talk to, who had survived cancer, so it was comforting that Braulio was out there, as a beacon of hope during that time.”
This year, when Fonseca takes to the freezing water, Brown’s name will fit in somewhere alongside the hundreds of others scrawled across his skin.
“It will be an incredible honor,” she said. “I’m getting choked up thinking about it.”
After Willow’s diagnosis last fall, her mother Amber made a post on Facebook to help inform friends and family of what the family was facing. Not long after, Jay got a call from Fonseca, someone he hadn’t seen in years but remembered playing sports with when they were growing up in Franklin.
“He asked if he could raise funds for Willow,” said Jay. “We were surprised and extremely thankful. One of the benefits of living in a smaller community is the output of support you get which has shown through this entire process. We were blessed, thankful and honored that he would choose Willow to be who he focused his fundraising for this time.”
Throughout all of this, Jay and Amber have witnessed their daughter’s strength, watched as she has held tight to her vivacious personality, and been in awe of her ability to remain herself.
“She makes a lot of people laugh,” said Jay. “She just wants to enjoy life and have fun and she doesn’t let anything stop her.”
Haywood County’s Tourism Development Authority will enter a new era with the announcement of an executive director to replace the retiring Lynn Collins.
“I am extraordinarily excited to move to Haywood County, learn more about what makes the destination special and immerse myself in the community as I work to bring national attention to the region,” said Corrina Ruffieux (pronounced “roof-E-air”).
The TDA is the authority that collects, tracks and spends the room occupancy tax, currently set by statute at 4%. The TDA’s board evaluates ways to spend the money, which must be used to further the county’s tourism industry. Some of the revenue must be spent in the zip code from which it was collected, and the rest is unrestricted.
Last May, Collins announced that she’d retire by the end of 2022, but she ended up sticking around to help with the hiring and transition process. Collins joined the TDA early in 2009,and presided over a period of prolonged and expansive growth.
In 2016, Collins lobbied unsuccessfully for an increase in the 4% room tax rate. Most recently, Collins guided the TDA through the shutdowns and disruptions associated with the Coronavirus Pandemic. Last year, Haywood’s TDA had its biggest year in the
organization’s 39-year history.
As of November 2022 — the last month for which data are available — all reporting zip codes listed collections of 118% to 151% above year-to-date projections. Those collections come from 1,726 units across the county.
Originally from Connecticut, Ruffieux graduated from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, with a degree in biology and minors in both vocal performance and paleontology. Her career in tourism began, appropriately enough, at a Connecticut attraction called The Dinosaur Place, where she served as general manager and director of marketing for 12 years.
Ruffieux also served on the board of an organization called Mystic Coast & Country, a tourism bureau covering the eastern third of Connecticut. After that it was Visit New England and Colonial Williamsburg, and then on to Elizabeth City, where she currently serves in the same executive director that she’ll assume in Haywood County in early April.
“I think my favorite part about this industry is the opportunity to always be learning,” she said. “Each community has its own unique nuances and challenges, and you have to kind of dig in and figure out what those might be, and then how can you make the best of them.”
Indeed, Ruffieux’s lifelong love of learn-
ing is one of the things that pushed her over the top in the interview process, according to TDA Board Chairman Chris Corbin.
“She’s got extensive experience in the industry. She had some really positive energy in our interview. The enthusiasm came across, as did the amount of research she did ahead of time,” Corbin said. “She was very
prepared.”
Pasquotank County, where Ruffieux currently works, is about two-thirds the size of Haywood County in terms of population. Annual room occupancy tax collections there total around $800,000 — far lower than Haywood’s annual $3 million figure — but Ruffieux has worked to increase them with events like the popular Coast Guard Marathon, which takes place this year from March 2-4.
One of the first things Ruffieux will do when she arrives in Haywood County, according to Corbin, is help with a strategic plan that’s already underway.
“I’ve done a few strategic plans,” Ruffieux said. “I actually did one when I first arrived here in Elizabeth City, because they had never done one, which is always a very different approach. And we actually just refreshed it. I’ll be leaving the community with a brand-new tourism strategic plan. I’m looking forward to looking at [the forthcoming Haywood plan] — it’ll be a great way for me to really deeply learn about Haywood County, by being involved in that process.”
Corbin also has another task for Ruffieux.
“One of the things that we talked about was really getting the TDA out there doing some public advocacy for the TDA locally, to let folks know what we do and how the TDA is working to keep folks coming here, and how the tourism indus- F
try in general contributes to the betterment of everyone’s life here in Haywood County,” Corbin said. “It’s a big industry, it’s a big driver for tax dollars, and for jobs.”
Haywood’s TDA took a big first step toward that effort last summer, when the so-called “one-time special project fund” doled out $500,000 to five local projects that would enhance tourism offerings while also providing recreational opportunities for locals.
In Western North Carolina, TDAs and the tourism industry in general have come under scrutiny for enabling the affordable housing crisis through the proliferation of short-term rentals like AirBnbs. Some have also questioned the ongoing need for TDA marketing efforts, as the region is clearly a well-known tourist hotspot.
Ruffieux cautioned that the calls to justify the usefulness of TDAs like Haywood aren’t limited to the county, the state or even the nation.
“Destinations International, which is an organization that works with DMOs [destination management organizations, like the Haywood TDA], essentially has a whole group of people that focus on what they call ‘advocacy,’” she said. “I would propose we start by developing an advocacy plan. A big part of that is cultivating relationships and partnerships and helping people understand that what tourism brings to a community is way more than ‘heads in beds’ and occupancy tax.”
Corbin also mentioned that the Haywood TDA may again revisit a controversial initiative that failed at least twice in the past decade — increasing the 4% room occupancy tax rate.
“I think it’s probably a little too early to say, just knowing the climate and history behind it,” he said. “It’s never something that I would say, ‘Hey, that’s probably on the horizon,’ but I anticipate that it’s possi-
ble that it would happen again.”
If that’s to happen any time in Ruffieux’s tenure here, she’ll need significant leadership skills to push it across the finish line.
Fortunately, Haywood’s TDA has hired not just a highly qualified non-profit executive but also a proven community leader who recently showcased her skills in a most unexpected way.
“They had that police-involved shooting a couple years ago, and that was a very divisive time.” Corbin said. “She felt like it was one of her duties and responsibilities to try to unite as much as possible and help city through that. It was a trying time and we were impressed by that, too.”
In April 2021, Andrew Brown Jr. was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies who were serving warrants for drug trafficking. Protestors marched each day for more than a month, and Elizabeth City’s mayor declared a state of emergency. The shooting was ruled as justified, but Brown’s family accepted a $3 million settlement from their $30 million civil suit.
“The community got very divided. City council stopped talking to county commissioners, the mayor stopped talking to the chair of the county commissioners and city manager and the county manager,” Ruffieux said. “It was just an extraordinarily difficult, emotional time and tourism was impacted. You can’t run a marketing campaign that says ‘Pack up the kids and come to Elizabeth City,’ when you’re in the national news for a police-involved shooting.”
Ruffieux called her tourism industry peers in places that had experienced similar incidents — in Charlottesville, Virginia, Louisville, Kentucky and St. Louis — and asked them what to do. They suggested hiring a diversity consultant.
“We adopted a diversity, equity and inclusion plan specific to tourism. And that will be a work in progress probably forever. I don’t think that when a tragedy like that happens it goes away, but you can always look at it and make it better,” she said. “That was what I hoped we could do, leveraging the power of tourism to do it.”
Celebrate Black History Month with some savory soul food at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center. Take-out or eat-in meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24, or until food runs out.
Choose from fried chicken or fried fish, collard greens, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, cornbread, dessert and a drink — all for just $12. Proceeds benefit the PCMDC’s after school and summer programs for children, senior fellowship opportunities, the multicultural library and more. Donations and volunteers are appreciated.
The Pigeon Center is located at 450 Pigeon Street, in Waynesville. For more information, call 828.452.7232.
“I think my favorite part about this industry is the opportunity to always be learning.”
— Corrine Ruffieux
be served a second cocktail while he still had one in hand. Ross was red-lighted for being intoxicated and driven home by Chief ALE Officer Josh Taylor, the report says.
The investigation concluded that Ross was guilty of four violations of the tribe’s standards of ethical conduct. Ross used the prestige of his office to advance personal interests; threatened, intimidated or disciplined another person as reprisal for a legitimate action taken by that person; participated in a private activity that detracted from the dignity of the office or interfered with performance of official duties; and failed to maintain or enhance the honesty and integrity of his office and safeguard the reputation of the EBCI as a whole, Internal Audit and Ethics found.
As he did in Taylor’s case, Sneed offered Ross the opportunity to resign. But Ross chose not to — prompting Sneed to submit a resolution to Tribal Council seeking his removal.
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF W RITERApair of reports investigating issues at the Tribal Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has resulted in turnover on the board and turmoil in Tribal Council chambers.
The documents, which the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Office of Internal Audit and Ethics completed in November, probe allegations of financial mismanagement within the board and of repeated misconduct by one of the board’s members while consuming alcohol at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. As a result, TABCC Chairman Pepper Taylor has resigned his position and Principal Chief Richard Sneed is urging Council to remove TABCC Commissioner Shannon Ross.
The first document, a review of internal controls at the TABCC dated Nov. 2, turned up a parade of red flags, including debit card transactions for food and beverage purchases totaling $76,421 over 15 months and $133,039 on travel and training in the same period.
The TABCC’s five commissioners were responsible for 62.6% of those travel and training expenses, while the remaining 37.5% was split between the organization’s seven alcohol law enforcement agents. Internal Audit found that 71% of analyzed travel expenses did not comply with a policy stating that travel must be reconciled within five days of return. Additionally, the TABCC made $213,074 in donations and sponsorships without documenting alcohol education provided with them, as the commission’s policy requires with each donation.
The audit turned up other issues as well. The TABCC, which had a budget of $2.46 mil-
lion in 2022, was operating without bylaws, a formal governance structure or segregation of duties in major processes. There was no fiscal management policy and no process for adding vendors to the accounting system. Some transactions such as professional services were not supported with a contract.
Since it was established in 2009, the TABCC has gone from serving one customer — the casino — to regulating alcohol sales throughout tribal lands and operating a liquor store with eight employees. In fiscal year 2021, the organization brought in $2.7 million and distributed $389,000 of that back to the tribe. Over the past year, the TABCC’s seven ALE agents have provided alcohol training to 2,200 casino employees as well as employees of the 29 establishments permitted to sell alcohol, also responding to an estimated 375 calls and performing about 500 compliance inspections.
Despite this broad scope of activities, the TABCC Chair is solely responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations with direct reports to the office manager, store manager and Chief ALE agent.
The TABCC offered a response to each of Internal Audit and Ethics’ eight major findings, saying that it agreed with the findings and planned to implement changes addressing them by Dec. 9. In particular, the TABCC said it had started the process of switching from debit/credit cards to credit cards to improve accountability, and that it would be reviewing the credit card policy to make any changes necessary to fit program needs.
But Sneed said a mea culpa wasn’t enough to absolve Chairman Pepper Taylor of responsibility and told him he could resign or face removal. Taylor chose to resign. Sneed said he asked for Taylor’s resignation and not for the whole board’s because Taylor had control of the debit card and was responsible for all the
questionable transactions in the itemized list Internal Audit and Ethics provided him.
“They sent me their spreadsheet and the spreadsheet had the date of the charge, where it was charged at and who made the charge,” Sneed said in an interview. “And they were all by Pepper Taylor, every single one of them.”
Mara Nelson is the board’s new chair.
Just a few weeks after providing tribal leadership the document that led to Taylor’s resignation, Internal Audit and Ethics finished an investigation of a different TABCC member, Shannon Ross.
The complaint lists three dates — Aug. 20, 24 and 25, 2022, — on which Ross falsely identified himself as an alcohol law enforcement officer to a casino bartender, attempting to get the bartender to serve him a second drink while he still had his first in hand. The report’s conclusions were based on interviews with TABCC commissioners and ALE officers who witnessed or were aware of the incidents, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino personnel and video from the casino.
On the second occasion, Aug. 24, Ross was “being loud and obnoxious and using terrible language causing guests to leave the area,” the report says, and when the bartender encountered him later that evening Ross tried to get the bartender to serve him a second drink while he already had one in hand. When the bartender told Ross that would be a violation of casino policy, Ross said he was an ALE officer, was responsible for writing the law, and knew the bartender was wrong about the policy, the report says. Just after midnight Aug. 25, the beverage supervisor was called to Sports Book Bar 2 to deal with Ross, who again identified himself as an ALE officer and argued that he should
“At the end of the day it’s a privilege to be in an appointed position, and when you are on the alcohol commission and you are tasked with compliance to the regulations set forth in 18B of the Cherokee code and you go to the casino, which is the largest customer, and you’re berating bartenders and you’re intoxicated, being belligerent and you get red-lighted, that’s a problem,” Sneed told Tribal Council Feb. 2.
However, Tribal Council wasn’t eager to follow through on Sneed’s recommendation. During a meandering 45-minute discussion, Tribal Council members initially hedged about discussing the contents of the report at all, saying it wouldn’t be proper to do so without Ross present to defend himself.
Painttown Rep. Dike Sneed relayed a request from Ross that the resolution be tabled until March, when Ross could be present. He noted that the report states Internal Audit and Ethics received a response from Ross on Sep. 6, five days after a copy of the complaint was initially sent him, but said that Ross had yet to be interviewed on the matter and was simply given a copy of the “one-sided” report. However, the report states that Ross was scheduled for an interview on two occasions but failed to show up to either.
Several other Council members said they had been in contact with Ross about the allegations, and some maintained that because the report concludes with a recommendation that Ross be fined $1,000 and submit to an alcohol assessment — but does not recommend his removal — Tribal Council should not take it upon themselves to remove him.
“I have read through the report, and the recommendation for the violation is just a fine and some alcohol assessment classes,” said Vice Chair Albert Rose. “It doesn’t say removal.”
“I think that if we allow Ethics to go through with their recommendation, then we shouldn’t jerk him up and kick him again,” added Big Cove Rep. F
Teresa McCoy. “I understand the situation is serious. I understand from the ethics documentation, but I also want to say on behalf of anybody that goes through the ethics, they need to really pay close attention to did they or did they not get a due process. Do they get a real hearing? That sort of thing.”
However, Attorney General Mike McConnell said there’s a simple reason the report doesn’t recommend removal.
“They won’t make that recommendation,” he said. “I’ve had this conversation with them, and they won’t make it because it’s not within their authority to do it.”
Tribal law states that only a majority vote of Tribal Council can remove a member of the TABCC board. Removal must be “for cause,” the law says.
Others implied Chief Sneed wasn’t going far enough by seeking to oust Taylor and Ross from the board. Surely impersonating an officer and logging such large amounts of questionable expenses would trigger criminal charges, they said.
“The things that’s alleged, why didn’t procedurally he get charged?” said Big Cove resident Lori Taylor. “I mean, impersonating an officer is a felony.”
Tribal law states that it’s illegal to “falsely pretend to hold a position in the public service with the purpose to induce another to submit to such pretended official authority or otherwise to act in reliance upon that pretense to his prejudice.” The crime is punishable by up to three years in prison and $15,000 in fines.
In a follow-up interview, Sneed said that to his knowledge the Internal Audit and Ethics reports have not been sent to the tribal prosecutor. He said there is “no clear indication” that a crime has been committed, as there was no fiscal management policy in TABCC at the time for Taylor to violate and that Ross “wasn’t flashing a badge or anything like that” when he claimed to be an ALE officer.
“Whether or not saying, ‘I’m an ALE officer’ constitutes impersonating an officer or an actual criminal act, I don’t know,” Sneed said. “We will definitely look into that. But right now, I’m just trying to get through this process of having him removed because he’s disqualified himself from serving in that capacity.”
Throughout the conversation ran an undercurrent that burst to the surface with a comment from the audience that led Chairman Richard French to clear the chambers — though the meeting continued to broadcast.
“I’m married to his ex-wife,” Sneed said, voicing the tension. “That’s it. That has no meaning or purpose in this discussion.”
Sneed married his wife, who had previously been married to Ross, in January 2022. He beat back against rumor that his efforts to remove Ross were borne out of personal animosity, pointing out the investigation did not originate from his office and that he responded to the findings against Ross and Taylor in the same way — by offering them a chance to resign and pledging to seek their removal should they choose not to.
“Had I treated him differently than I treated Commissioner Taylor, there might be
some validity to that argument, but the reality is I treated both gentlemen the exact same way,” Sneed said.
Seeing that the resolution had little chance of passing, Sneed requested that Tribal Council withdraw it, and that move passed unanimously.
“If that’s how it’s going to be, I will withdraw the resolution, and I will wait for TABCC to bring in a resolution to have him removed, and then there can be zero conflict where they’re saying, ‘Well, this is just me going after Shannon,’” Sneed said. “Because I’m not.”
Over the last couple decades, the tribe has created a growing number of independent boards and commissions that operate with large budgets and make consequential decisions. Asked what he’d like to see change to prevent future findings like those contained in the report that prompted Taylor’s resignation, Sneed pointed to an ordinance he tried to introduce in January but which Chairman Richard French refused to place on the agenda.
The ordinance would have required the tribe’s boards, committees and commissions to appear before Tribal Council quarterly and answer the body’s questions about their activities. Typically, any ordinances submitted on time and in the proper format are included on the agenda, read into the record, and brought back for a vote or debate the next month.
However, Sneed’s ordinance was not placed on the agenda and French did not give a direct answer when Sneed asked what aspect of the submitted format was improper. After spending 30 minutes debating the merits of the resolution Sneed had not been allowed to submit, Tribal Council voted 7-5 against adding it to the agenda. Opposing a motion to consider the ordinance were Painttown Reps. Michael Stamper and Dike Sneed; Wolfetown Reps. Andrew Oocumma and Bo Crowe; Big Cove Rep. Teresa McCoy and Chairman Richard French; and Vice Chairman Albert Rose.
Nevertheless, Tribal Council is likely to discuss Sneed’s suggestions again. The February agenda included an ordinance that Sneed said is “almost the exact same” as his, but submitted by the Community Club Council. That submission was deemed read and tabled without issue.
“In the short term that gives some level of oversight,” Sneed said. “That’s all it does, give some level of oversight, some level of accountability.”
In the long term, Sneed would like to see the tribe contract with an outside attorney to go through the disparate sections of code setting up the tribe’s various appointed bodies and bring in ordinance changes to establish some continuity between them.
“These boards and commissions have been created over the course of the last 25 years,” he said. “And there’s not a lot of continuity between the reporting, the accountability, how people are appointed, how people are removed.”
Neither Taylor nor Ross returned a request for comment.
When Canton officials and administrators met for their annual budget retreat last year, Town Manager Nick Scheuer’s presentation was riddled with question marks — signs of uncertainty after widespread flooding caused more than $18 million in damages to town infrastructure and killed six.
This year, almost all of last year’s questions have been answered as the town looks to complete the recovery process and move forward focusing on infrastructure and on its employees.
“Where we are now, it’s a celebration. We’ve got a town behind us, and a town that we fight for,” Alderman Ralph Hamlett said during the Feb. 9 retreat. “I think all of us in this room are optimistic about the way forward.”
With so many projects completed or underway or complete, managing cash flow will be a priority for Scheuer and CFO Natalie Walker.
On the revenue side, Canton’s ad valorem tax collection rate is right where it needs to be, and sales tax revenue remains strong, suggesting the upsurge wasn’t just an artifact of the Coronavirus Pandemic. As of November, sales tax collections were up by $72,000 year-to-date over last fiscal year.
The biggest highlight was the fact that the town has received $10 million in grant funding or direct allocations from the General Assembly — a substantial amount, given the town’s annual general fund of about $7.5 million.
Most if not all of those grants and allocations were directly related to damage suffered when the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred inundated parts of Bethel, Canton, Clyde and Cruso in August 2021.
Renovation of the Champion Credit Union Aquatic Center has been completed. The dog park has been restored. Repairs to the walking trail are done. Design and build awards for the armory, the Colonial Theatre, the fire department, police department and town hall have been issued. Sites for the new town hall and police department have been purchased, and selection of a
Last week, reports obtained exclusively by The Smoky Mountain News revealed that Canton’s Pactiv-Evergreen Packaging would scale back production by idling one of its four paper-making machines.
The company cited a decrease in demand, but as more information becomes available, it appears the “curtailment” of PM20 could be a tactic employed by Evergreen for leverage in a long-simmering contract dispute with the company’s unionized workforce.
“The company is stating that the core cause of the curtailment is a drop in demand,” said Troy Dills, president of the United Steelworkers Smoky Mountain Local 507, which represents 85% of employees at Pactiv-Evergreen’s Canton mill. “We don’t have anything to contradict that, but it would make sense to me that if a buyer is seeing that our labor agreement has been expired going on a year now, they might look for another avenue, just to maintain assurances that their orders will be fulfilled.”
On Feb. 8, SMN acquired a leaked, undated internal memo from mill General Manager John McCarthy stating that the mill would idle one of its massive machines.
“There has been a sharp downturn in the Uncoated Free Sheet (UFS) market due to reduced customer demand and an increase in UFS imports from other parts of the world,” the memo reads. “As a result of this downturn, our recent UFS manufacturing output has exceeded our sales and our warehouses are now full of product with very little additional space available and no indication of change in market conditions for the foreseeable future. As such, the Company has decided to idle PM20 to more closely match our UFS production to customer demand.”
The PM20 machine, built in 1960, produces fine writing and envelope-grade paper. According to a market report issued by Global Newswire in 2022, total domestic demand is projected to be 7.7 million metric tons in 2026, albeit at an annual growth rate of -1.2% from 2022 to 2026.
The report names the healthcare sector as the largest consumer of UFS paper and blames an increase in foreign imports, as well as raw materials cost, for the shrinking demand.
Pactiv-Evergreen has ignored multiple requests for comment from SMN. A source within Evergreen told SMN that the PM20 machine had already been idled when they showed up for work in Canton on Feb. 8.
Officially called a curtailment, the idling of PM20 could be temporary and last only a
few weeks or months, according to the memo. During that time, workers will make upgrades and mechanical improvements to the machine, preserving its ability to be restarted.
Of the three paper machines — along with a liquid packaging machine — PM20 is the largest, although its output is less than half of the plant’s production by weight.
The memo goes on to state that all PM20 personnel, whether salaried or hourly, will be reassigned in order to avert layoffs and that the company worked with the union to ensure there would be no job loss associated with the curtailment. Dills said around 40 workers would be affected.
two separate contract offers late last year over wage issues and were to resume negotiations with the company this past January, but those discussions were postponed and haven’t yet been rescheduled.
“We have presented the company reasonable terms in good faith that are proportionate to the changes in the economy,” Dills said. “The company needs to acknowledge that inflation is real and also acknowledge the contributions of these employees, who got them through the COVID crisis. They deserve a fair contract. The request that’s been made is reasonable. We’re hopeful that they will come back to the table with that understanding.”
The contract impasse puts the timing of the curtailment in a different light, as does the company’s recent financial performance.
A Nov. 7, 2022 report from The Fly, a financial news website focusing on publicly traded companies like Pactiv-Evergreen, quotes CFO Jon Baksht as saying the company was “cautiously optimistic that its strong year to date will continue into the fourth quarter” after a substantial reduction in debt.
The same day, Pactiv-Evergreen announced that on Dec. 15 it would issue a 10-cent dividend per share to holders of common stock as of Nov. 30.
Those terms were verified in a signed memorandum of agreement between company officials and the union, dated Feb. 7. The agreement will expire in six months.
A second source within Evergreen reported that workers on the PM20 machine would be reassigned beginning Monday, Feb. 13.
Another undated memo from PactivEvergreen, titled “PM20 Idle Communication Strategy” says that the seniority, pay and vacations of affected workers won’t be impacted.
The memo also states that the company evaluates market conditions regularly, but only made the decision to curtail PM20 “late last week” — probably in early February — due to rapidly shifting demand over the past 60 days.
Other information in the memo suggests PM20 was chosen for curtailment because other machines, PM11 and PM12, are more flexible in terms of output and can also produce the same grade of paper as PM20, even though they are slower.
The mill’s other machine, PM19, makes a special grade of paper used in the packaging of liquids, like milk cartons.
There are currently no plans to idle any other machines in the mill, according to the memo, and the possibility of restarting PM20 remains.
“When/if market dynamics change, we will evaluate our available capacity against the overall demand for Uncoated Freesheet,” it reads.
Workers in Canton have been operating without a contract since May, 2022. Dills said the members of the Canton local voted down
The report also notes that in just one year, Pactiv-Evergreen’s earnings per share went from 8.5 cents to $1.82.
In August, Pactiv-Evergreen adjusted its fiscal year 2022 EBITDA forecast of $705 million to between $750 million and $770 million. Revenues in the third quarter of 2022 topped $1.5 billion, and Pactiv-Evergreen issued another adjusted EBITDA forecast of $780 million, up from $760 million.
“Pactiv Evergreen’s earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. Just as heartening, insiders both own and are buying more stock,” reads the report.
Company insiders, according to the report, own 78% of shares. Jonathan Rich, Pactiv-Evergreen’s chairman, recently purchased more than $490,000 worth of shares at $9.80 per share.
As of 1 p.m. on Feb. 13, Pactiv-Evergreen’s stock (NASDAQ: PTVE) was trading right at $11 per share. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock reached a low of $8.31 and a high of $12.46 — well off a recent high of $18.50 on Dec. 11, 2020.
Pactiv-Evergreen’s operations in Haywood County make it one of the largest, if not the largest, employers in the county, above county schools, county administration and the Ingles grocery store chain.
Founded as the Champion Fibre Company in 1908, the mill has stood at the center — literally and figuratively — of the lives of generations of Canton residents. Pactiv-Evergreen employees more than 16,000 people worldwide, and the Canton operation is estimated around 1,500.
Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) refused multiple requests to be interviewed for this story.
location for the new fire department is well underway. All FEMA projects have either been obligated or are in the final stages of obligation.
“I think people forget that this was just 18 months ago,” Scheuer said, displaying a photo of flooded-out downtown Canton. “It just speaks to the resiliency of our community.”
To date, recovery expenditures have topped $4.8 million. Revenue from FEMA and flood insurance totals $4.3 million, leaving a net $533,000 deficit, however more money is on the way.
“We’re still deep in the recovery process, and we just need to be cognizant of that,” Scheuer said, adding that he felt the town would be “made whole” and come away with some generational infrastructure improvements at no cost to Canton’s taxpayers.
Stormwater culverts have been replaced throughout the town. Sidewalk work on Newfound Road is finished. A temporary bridge at Chestnut Mountain — meant to provide access for first responders in case of emergency — is complete, after flooding washed the previous bridge away. The wastewater pre-treatment facility is done, as is the purchase of additional land to allow for future expansion. The filter plant has been improved, and more improvements are coming.
With so many flood-related projects in the rearview mirror, it’s easy to forget that before the flood, Canton was devoting significant attention to recreation due to demands from residents as well as a desire to capitalize on the town’s proximity to booming Asheville and its oppressive housing market.
Alderman Tim Shepard noted that Sorrells Street Park, created after the flood in 2004, was “really coming together.” At the recreation park, basketball courts have been resurfaced and pickleball court equipment is being installed.
The town has also raised more than $280,000 for an all-abilities playground, and recently selected the same designers, Carolina Parks & Play, as the Town of Waynesville did back in 2018. News of whether a $500,000 grant will be awarded by the state’s Accessibility for Parks (AFP) program is expected in early March.
Scheuer mentioned that there’s been anecdotal evidence that the recent addition of Chestnut Mountain to the town’s offerings is increasing visitation to the area. A forthcoming Montreat University economic impact study is expected to confirm that, even before new trails are opened to the public this summer.
Flood recovery, recreational improvements and modest population growth will continue to highlight future infrastructure needs that aren’t strictly related to the effects of the flood.
A water system regionalization study is expected soon, as recent droughts have also exposed vulnerabilities in the delivery of safe, clean water across Haywood County.
Alderwoman Kristina Proctor said that managing the infrastructure of a growing town was her chief concern. Mayor ProTemp Gail Mull, along with Hamlett, was a bit more specific in mentioning wastewater treatment.
Scheuer estimates that such a project, if undertaken, would take five to seven years and cost upward of $30 million. Now is the time, Scheuer said, to begin asking the General Assembly for direct allocations toward the project.
Mayor Zeb Smathers mentioned that the town also needs to begin making more assertive asks of the North Carolina Department of Transportation,because the town’s roads weren’t originally designed to handle the volume, size and weight of current traffic.
As an alternate east-west route through Western North Carolina, Canton can quickly become snarled with traffic whenever anything happens on Interstate 40, from the gorge to Interstate 26.
“If we don’t get help, this is going to be a major crisis for us,” Smathers said.
The town’s Powell Bill funding only amounts to about $160,000 a year, Walker told the board, and about $100,000 of that is gone in an instant — for potholes, salt, plowing equipment and the like — leaving a paltry $60,000 for repaving. Repaving is expensive, and $60,000 would do almost nothing to improve the condition of some of Canton’s worst roads.
During the meeting, Smathers and Shepard floated the idea of resurrecting a municipal vehicle tax, like Waynesville and Maggie Valley have.
Although a nominal $30 per-vehicle charge would likely double the amount of money available for repaving each year, residents strongly opposed such a proposition when it was brought up in 2018. Inflation and an uncertain economic forecast will likely make that a tough sell this year as well, should the board pursue it.
A property tax increase remains extremely unlikely, according to Smathers; however, Walker said that there may be a small increase in water, sewer and/or trash fees.
Proctor went on to express her desire to continue supporting Canton’s most valuable resource — the employees who have helped guide the town through the recovery process — by including a cost-of-living increase at 13% as well as continuing the customary Christmas bonus, merit-based hourly increases, robust insurance coverage and 401k match.
“Our staff carries the Town of Canton,” she said. “They serve our citizens, showing up and running toward crisis every time. They support our town in ways we never see and understand the importance of their roles in our community. It’s our job to show them our appreciation by any means we can afford.”
The town’s 2023-2024 budget book is now with department heads, who will review it and submit requests for staff to review by early March. Per General Statutes, local government units must pass annual budgets by July 1 each year. A public hearing will be conducted before adoption.
Appearing in Tribal Council chambers for the first time since facing criminal charges in October, former Wolfetown Rep. Bill Taylor gave an emotional testimony Wednesday, Feb. 1, to set the record straight on what did — and did not — happen the evening of Oct. 6, 2022.
“Today I stand before you a humbled and changing man,” Taylor said as he stood surrounded by his wife, daughter and father-inlaw. “Let me emphasize, a changing man. I stand before you an open book today with nothing to hide.”
Taylor pleaded guilty Jan. 9 to reckless endangerment and reckless driving stemming from the incident in which he hit his wife’s car with his truck while she was in it. Charges of impaired driving, assault on a female domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon were dropped. He told Tribal Council that the incident was a “rock bottom” moment for him borne of an ongoing struggle with alcoholism — but that he never behaved violently toward his wife.
“It was an accident, a dangerous accident,” he said. “It was no physical contact with my wife at all. If you know me and my wife, we’ve been together for 36 years. Been married for 34. Not one time in our marriage has there ever been domestic violence.”
Taylor said that he’d been a functioning alcoholic for years, drinking daily ever since taking his first drink at the age of 13. He spent nearly 10 years on Tribal Council, two of them as chairman, and frequently traveled to Raleigh and Washington, D.C., to meet with high-profile decisionmakers — but was able to do that demanding job despite his habit. Last year, his dependency worsened, and by August 2022 his drinking had gotten so bad that his wife, son and daughter sat him down in the living room and delivered an ultimatum: get help, or lose his family.
“It got to the point where I guess beer wasn’t doing enough. The last three days before I went to detox, I drank a case of beer a day and a gallon of moonshine on top of it. All three days,” Taylor said, voice quavering. “Yeah, I know. I’m embarrassed. I’m ashamed, or I was at that time.”
He went into detox on Labor Day weekend and stayed there for about a week, remaining sober for two months.
“Then came the week of the [Cherokee Indian] Fair,” he said. “Now I’m already in
my second year of my fifth term when I hit the lowest of lows. I hit rock bottom on October sixth. I relapsed to start drinking again.”
He woke up two days later, home alone, and went to his son’s house to look for his wife. She wasn’t there but showed up as he was leaving. She “took off,” and Taylor followed her — both of them driving recklessly, he said. As she turned into her parents’ driveway, she stopped quickly in front of him, and he ran into her car.
Taylor said it was the wakeup call he needed to start turning his life around.
“I guess I’m glad it happened,” he said. “I’m sober now, starting a new life.”
Taylor said he’s been sober for over 100 days, praying daily, reading recovery literature and going to meetings. Christmas 2022 was an important one for the Taylor family.
“My son is 19 and my daughter’s 34,” he said in a follow-up discussion with Council Feb. 2. “But I think this year may have been the first holidays I spent sober with my family.”
Along with the tearful testimony, Taylor — as well as his wife, daughter and father-inlaw — criticized how the incident was handled in Tribal Council and in the wider community.
“My biggest concern is that my dad was tried before y’all before he ever got a fair trial in a courtroom,” said Taylor’s daughter, Nichole Roberts. “He had to give up his livelihood before ever being convicted in front of a judge. He never put his hands on her. She’s not even the one who called the police.”
Morgan Calhoun, Taylor’s father-in-law, reiterated that his daughter was never in any
physical danger from her husband.
“A lot of people don’t know the truth, but yet they’re ready to start gossiping. That’s wrong. That is wrong,” he said. “But anyway, I’m just glad that Bill has took the steps to do something about his issue, and I hope that he continues it, and he’s got our support.”
“If y’all know me and Bill, he would never intentionally hurt me,” said Taylor’s wife, Katrina. “Never. Never has.”
Taylor said he resigned his position because if he didn’t he would likely have been impeached. With a pending criminal case, he would not have been able to defend himself in an impeachment hearing. Council needs a better process to handle such situations, he said, because each member of Tribal Council is one accusation away from losing their career and reputation.
“I was being tried here before I was being tried in court,” he said. “And I couldn’t say anything in here because my case was already in court.”
Tribal law states that any Council member who resigns while under investigation for criminal activity “shall” forfeit their right to retirement benefits — pending Tribal Council passing a resolution to that effect by a two-thirds majority. However, Tribal Council never passed any such resolution, and following his speech Feb. 1 Taylor submitted a resolution of his own specifying that he should receive a pension based on 10 years of service. He resigned a couple weeks into his 10th year, but tribal law says the full
year can be credited if an elected official resigns due to medical reasons.
The resolution cites the American Medical Association’s recognition of alcoholism as a medical condition and says it has had a “farreaching and harmful impact on his [Taylor’s] health and on his ability to perform the duties of his office.” It also points out that his court case has been resolved “to the satisfaction of all parties” and that he was neither charged with nor convicted of a felony.
Tribal Council passed the resolution unanimously. After the vote, members offered warm words for the former Wolfetown representative.
“I grew up in an alcoholic home,” said Snowbird/Cherokee County Rep. Adam Wachacha. “Everybody knew my dad. He was wonderful here, but he wasn’t so great at home. When he stopped drinking 10 years prior to his passing, that was probably the best 10 years of life that I had with him because I got to enjoy him being him.”
Wachacha said that period of sobriety led to healing from past hurts, and he expressed confidence that Taylor’s new lifestyle will be better for him and his family.
Rep. Andrew Oocumma, who won the seat Taylor vacated in a special election Dec. 15, said that he’s proud to be in the seat but also proud to call Taylor a friend.
“I just hope I can live up to some of those standards because I know that you helped a lot of people and a lot of people do still support you in Wolfetown and Big Y,” he said. “A lot of people will come to conclusions about things and discount folks’ character, but I think you definitely brought a lot to the tribe and the seat. I still hope to learn from you moving forward.”
While Taylor is out of office for the moment, he hinted heavily at hopes for a political future within the tribe, citing the strong relationships he’s built over the years with various state, federal and tribal leaders.
“I’m not done,“ he said. “I’ll be back. Heck, I might even run for chief — I don’t know.”
Astudy conducted by the scholarly journal, Science, found that lack of human connection can be more harmful to your health than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies of humans and animals suggested that social isolation is a major risk factor for mortality from widely varying causes.
Before becoming a writer, I was a teacher and school psychologist. Every psychology course emphasized the importance of relationships in terms of overall mental health. Yes, nutrition, exercise and other factors affect our wellness, but as social beings, we are meant to support, love and care for each other.
Throughout anthropological history, tribes, clans and other tight knit groups have been a mainstay of human societies, but as technology advances, raw connection seems to be dissipating. While technology offers numerous benefits and makes many components of life more efficient, it also allows us to function with minimal interaction.
Where once we had to go into a physical bank to make a deposit or withdraw money, we can now complete those tasks through an app or at an ATM. Where once we had to meet face-to-face for meetings and conversations, we now conduct online meetings. And although we can see other faces during a Zoom call or Google Meet, it’s simply not the same as sitting in the same physical space as someone else. Then again, even within the same room or at the same table in a restaurant, you’ll see families staring at their phones instead of engaging with one another.
We were already a disconnected society before COVID-19, but the Pandemic furthered this divide. Not only were servic-
es such as grocery pick-up, curbside takeout, hands-free delivery, telehealth and others, created and perfected during the days of social distancing, but many people simply forgot how to socialize after being in isolation for so long.
It’s been almost three years since the start of the pandemic and there are individuals who still rarely leave their homes for fear of getting sick or experiencing social anxiety. The pandemic physically severed our nation and politically ripped us apart. The collateral damage continues. Even on a local level where I live in Haywood County, there is strife between the two local high schools, Tuscola and Pisgah. What was once a friendly rivalry has become a bitter feud in a lot of ways. Amidst student transfers, employee resignations and other incidents, a county which was once amicably cohesive is splintering. I worry about the young people caught in the crossfire.
I attended the Tuscola-Pisgah basketball game. During halftime and in between games, I saw students running back and forth saying hello, hugging and taking selfies with friends from the other side. On social media, I see teenagers from both high schools hanging out or dating. These observations give me hope that things will eventually turn around. Oftentimes, we simply need to look to our young people for guidance.
Whether it’s a global pandemic or opposing high schools trying to find common footing, the good news is that we can
On April 17, 2021, volunteers from Haywood Waterways, Haywood Community College, Climate Action Coalition, and others, gathered at River’s Edge Park in Clyde. Our job was to plant native species of deep-rooted trees and shrubs to stabilize the banks of the Pigeon River. There was a sense of urgency. When the job was done and over 40 specimens were planted, the group gathered together to share some thoughts.
Unknown to some, it was explained that in September 2004 the entire area, and much of Clyde, was under water. Hurricanes Ivan and Frances had dumped 22 inches of rain onto Haywood County. The Pigeon River had jumped its banks. These two storms took over 90 lives moving across the southern U.S., causing more than $20 billion in damage.
The 2004 floods were called 100-year events, but folks doubted that it would be 100 years before the next weather disaster. The Town of Clyde made a bold decision, and with federal and state assistance, River’s Edge Park was designed to create a “safety valve” for Clyde should the Pigeon River jump its banks again.
On August 17, 2021, four months to the
day after the repair work at the River’s Edge Park, Hurricane Fred arrived with 16 inches of rain. Hundreds of homes in Haywood County were damaged and six lives were lost as the Pigeon River once again rampaged. But the Town of Clyde suffered far less than in 2004. River’s Edge Park had done its job.
As is traditional in Haywood County, hundreds of volunteers quickly joined together to aid in the recovery. Barely a month after the disaster, a group of citizens met to discuss the need to prepare for future climate challenges. A series of discussions over the next few months included Haywood Waterways, Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy, N.C. Land and Water, Haywood County Soil and Water, Climate Action Coalition and others.
Work with the Land and Water Fund in Raleigh resulted in a successful grant application for $200,000. Administered by Haywood Waterways, this “planning grant” will allow
do better. We must do better because if we lose genuine connection with others, life becomes dark and purposeless. Division impacts human connection and strained human connection deteriorates our health.
Many retirees or elderly folks find comfort in their churches, at the gym, or among other communities. This is because they know they need the comfort of connection to thrive in old age. I’ve written a few columns about my dad and his new home in a local apartment complex. I’ve watched him make friends, host bingo nights, help out other tenants with transportation and cook dinner for neighbors. Although he misses my mom tremendously, he’s thriving because of his connections with family and his many new friends.
There are other examples similar to my dad’s where people who were struggling gained strength once they found their tribe. When you think of it, life’s most beautiful memories are moments when we’re connecting with others. Rarely do memorable highlight reels involve isolation.
I feel like we’re at a crossroads. Suicide rates are up, depression and anxiety are on the rise, political unrest is worse than ever. Sometimes we just need to stop and slow down. Stop hustling, stop competing, stop worrying, stop yelling, stop arguing, stop debating. Instead, start listening, start observing, start helping, start giving, start trusting, start understanding.
We don’t have to make it so complicated. As feeling beings, we can do this. We all have the capacity to love and be kind, and over time, subtle shifts will move mountains.
(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and social media specialist. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)
engineering expertise to analyze the situation in the Pigeon River and Hominy Creek areas. A goal is to propose “shovel-ready” projects — some perhaps along the lines of the Clyde River’s Edge Park — to prevent the kind of destruction experienced in 2004 and 2021. This planning grant puts Haywood County in position towards the goal of winning several million dollars of funds already allocated for flood relief.
Rep. Chuck Edwards — the newly elected congressman for our district — recently visited the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Asheville. The scientists there and throughout the climate science community continue to warn of increasingly intense weather events. We will not be able to wait 100 years for the next disaster.
In visiting NOAA, Congressman Edwards has shown his interest. Hopefully he will help secure funding for critical infrastructure projects needed to protect mountain communities like Haywood County from expected climate challenges.
It’s clear that thousands of people yearly are leaving heat-stricken cities and floodprone areas near the coasts. They are seeking the beauty and stability of mountain communities. In the new world of “climate refugees,” development and infrastructure must be carefully monitored by local government and citizens. Non-polluting energy sources must be encouraged and our precious farmland and forests must be protected.
To the Editor:
I enjoy the articles written by Chris Cox. They are always thoughtful and thought provoking. I particularly appreciated his Feb. 8 article about meeting Jean Ellen Magers and beginning his work at Southwestern Community College. We never know when life will take a turn. Often some unexpected event or person or conversation will push us in a new direction. Chris’ one hour conversation 28 years ago changed his life. Luckily he was open to it. He is better for it and so is Southwestern.
By the way Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen are as good as any. Richie Holt Asheville
In recovering from natural disasters, Western North Carolina has shown courage and compassion. Preparing for future extreme climate events also requires urgency and determination. The community has shown it can respond with both.
(Dr. Stephen Wall is a member of the newly formed Environmental Action Community of Western North Carolina (EAC). The views expressed here are his own. swall127@gmail.com.)
After 20 years in daily newspapers, journalist Matt Peiken took a buyout from the St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press in 2007 and embarked upon his first foray into the entrepreneurial world — a daily video program called “3 Minute Egg.” Over nearly three years, he produced more than 300 short documentary videos that eventually became a preYouTube era public television hit.
Bouncing around to other entrepreneurial and corporate gigs, Peiken landed at Blue Ridge Public Radio in Asheville nearly six years ago as an arts and entertainment producer and quickly became known for his insightful, nuanced coverage of a very creative city’s very creative inhabitants.
But as part of the recent exodus of talent from BPR, Peiken is once again embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and all that it entails.
Peiken recently sat down with The Smoky Mountain News to talk about the siloed media climate in Western North Carolina, how best to tie it all together, and why his newest effort, a daily podcast called “The Overlook,” is not to be overlooked.
The Smoky Mountain News: What was it that gave you the idea for “The Overlook?”
Matt Peiken: I couldn’t work for this general manager anymore. That was the big thing. He started in July. I knew from the moment he interviewed for the job when we had a chance to meet them online. In my return survey I said, “Under no circumstances should he be hired.” I wrote that verbatim. And sure enough, they hired him and he proved to be worse than I thought. I could no longer ethically work for him.
Secondarily to that, I see the landscape in the job market. I know ageism exists. Different other social factors exist. More people of color definitely need to be in public radio, younger people need to be hired. I completely support that, and at the same time, I am not any of that.
I’ve learned so much about what works and what doesn’t work, why things work in the media landscape. What I am doing, other cities are already experiencing. Asheville is ripe for a topical daily podcast, and I’m the person to do it. I have a name here to at least some minor degree. I have some credibility here as a journal-
ist. I know the terrain, and to do a general interest podcast that talks to people in the news, talks to people in the arts, there’s an audience here for it. The only way it fails is if I fail it.
SMN: And at the same time, Asheville is more of a news desert than it’s ever been.
MP: The term “news desert” gets thrown around a lot. I think there are only four, maybe five journalism outlets in Asheville, of any degree. I wouldn’t call it a news desert, and the people who are at the Citizen-Times, they’re good, they work hard. But everybody is in their own silo. Nobody’s connecting any of it. At the spine of what I’m doing with “The Overlook” is interviewing journalists about the things they’re covering, but it’s not just interviewing journalists, it’s finding topics. For instance, in one of my upcoming episodes, I just had the question, “Why aren’t there more corporations, larger corporations that offer high-paying jobs to an educated workforce?”
SMN: “The Overlook” airs five days a week, for about 30 minutes. Right now, you’re a oneman band. How are you going to sustain that?
MP: I’ve never been married to a 9-to-5, you know? I work early. I work late. I’m kind of I’m fueled by this work. I think when you go into something entrepreneurial, you tap into a reservoir of fuel that you just don’t have when you’re working for somebody else. I have a lot of motivation to make this thing succeed. I don’t care about the time that it takes. I definitely need somebody who’s going to oversee sales, I can’t do that myself in the long run, but I will say it’ll be easier for me to recruit somebody who has experience in that realm when I have success on my own. When people hear what advertisements in my show sound like — I’m doing something that isn’t offered anywhere else. The upper tier of advertisements, these are conversational interviews that don’t sound like an ad. It sounds like the person’s offering advice or their view on the landscape of something. When business owners hear how these ads sound, they’re going to say, “I want that.”
SMN: One year from now, what do you want people to say about “The Overlook?”
MP: “When I listen to ‘The Overlook,’ I know about Asheville in a way I didn’t before.”
How many people are media junkies in this town — local media junkies who read Mountain X and the Times and AVL Watchdog? Probably very few. Once in a while, there’s a page like Asheville Politics on Facebook, and people will post some stories from different outlets, but nobody’s connected to all of it. My show is very much meant for people invested in living in Asheville. It is not meant for tourists. It’s meant for people who care about the nitty gritty of what sets the pulse of the city and what it means to live here and the stakes involved and the frustration and the appreciation of what does work here and what is awesome here in a way that you only know if you live here. That’s who my show is for.
“The Overlook” podcast premiered on Monday, Feb. 13, and is available on all major streaming platforms. Find out everything you need to know, including social media profiles, ways to listen, and Matt Peiken’s contact information at linktr.ee/avloverlook.
“I know the terrain, and to do a general interest podcast that talks to people in the news, talks to people in the arts, there’s an audience here for it. The only way it fails is if I fail it.”
It was nearing midnight on Saturday. The rock band in the corner of the bar had just put the finishing touches on its evening set. Packing up their gear, the rest of us in the crowd headed towards the bar counter to pay up for our libations.
Signing the receipt, I turned to head for the door, but not before someone yelled out, “Does anybody have Narcan?” It took a moment or so for my mind to register exactly what this query was asking the general public. Is this for real? Sure enough, there was an unknown person slumped over in their seat.
Apparently, there might have been an overdose. None of us were sure, but it didn’t seem good for the person involved. Looking down at the person, it was obvious that there was more than just alcohol involved. I recognized that glassy, “nobody is home” look in the person’s eyes, the mumbling and fading light within. This was clearly drugs.
Almost immediately, a police officer arrived on the scene. Knowing that I keep a packet of Narcan nasal spray in my truck, I ran to the parking lot. Rummaging through a center console filled with old Taco Bell napkins and small hand tools, I located the Narcan box.
Darting back into the bar, I handed the Narcan to the police officer. Not sure if it helped, but I had the packet readily available. EMTs and the fire department arrived soon thereafter. You just never know. Always keep Narcan on you. You maybe never need to use it, hopefully. But, you never know. Who knows when someone in need, well, will need it?
All thoughts and good vibes for that person. The next day, I had heard that they were awake when being put in the ambulance. But, regardless, the scene was jarring for many of us, if anything troubling. Someone asked me if I felt affected by the scene that unfolded before our eyes last Saturday. And, I must say, I wasn’t.
Yes, the genuine compassion for human life (whether family, friend, or stranger) and fight-or-flight quick action in my heart-ofhearts remains at my core. But, sadly, over-
doses and situations like that are so common these days, where many in my generation find ourselves somewhat numb to these seemingly every day occurrences.
My biggest takeaway for the whole ordeal was the idea of knowledge and preparation, of the lack thereof. Everyone should have Narcan in their glovebox, purse, backpack, or wherever. Overdoses can happen anywhere, and at any time. There’s no rhyme or reason as to when one might cross paths with a suspected overdose.
As we all know well, drugs and addiction itself runs across the spectrum of economic status, social circles, and cultural realms. In all my extended travels, I’ve known addicts of all types: athletes, homeless, teachers, counselors, rich folks, poor folks, and so on. It’s a dead horse at this point to even try and make socioeconomic arguments about
Grammy-nominated wind quintet Imani Winds will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
who drugs affects. Plain and simple? It’s all of society.
When I got back to my apartment on Saturday night, I started to wonder: just how many folks had Narcan on them, whether behind the bar counter or in the crowd? And, if Narcan is available, how many know how to properly administer it? What about CPR? How many of us are trained in that, or have brushed up on the sporadic training we received in health class in high school those many years ago?
All of those questions ricocheting around my mind conjured a flood of memories from my native North Country of Upstate New York. Just like any community in America these days, my hometown and the surrounding areas have been severely ravaged by the effects of opiates and addiction. Truth be told, I’d need a few hands at this point to count the actual, real deal friends I’ve lost to addition over the years. And I know I’m not alone in that notion.
Sure, drugs and addiction have been around as long as humans have been conscious of what mind-altering substances can do to us. And yes, there’s been a huge drug problem in our country for decades, one
“The Sondheim Tribute Revue” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17-18, 24-25 and 2 p.m. Feb. 19 and 26 in the Fangmeyer Theatre at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
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Darren Nicholson will host an intimate evening of songs and stories at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley.
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Rock act Andrew Thelston Band will continue his February residency at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville.
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A special ”Murder Mystery Dinner” will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin.
with no end in sight. Reagan’s “War on Drugs” itself became more of an onslaught, just exacerbating the problem ultimately, and with no real solutions in how to combat and overcome it. Alas, I hold out hope. I do.
But, one wonders about us Millennials who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s onward, this period of time where we — as little kids — were massively prescribed (for good or ill) Ritalin and Adderall, and all while the opiate crisis of Oxycodone and Hydrocodone began rearing its head in our social circles as teenagers and college kids, up through our now adulthood, many of us now with families of our own.
What’s wild is that the trials and tribulations of our peers facing addiction is such commonplace here in 2023, we just seem to accept it as our daily reality. None of us want to accept it, but it’s so ingrained in our lives and our culture, to which we are well-aware of what’s going on, and we are, in all sincerity, eternally compassionate.
But, it seems we’re all in a fog about the whole thing, maybe even tuning out on addiction, whether we realize it or not. Even myself, who carries Narcan with me, found the bar scene last weekend kind of a wake-up call to be more proactive in helping others, or at least being prepared enough to aid in a situation if need be. Are you? Let’s keep the conversation going. I remain optimistic.
Editor’s Note: Naloxone (naloxone HCL) is an FDA-approved medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by blocking receptors in the brain and restoring breathing. To learn more about Narcan and/or to find the nearest location to get Narcan to keep with you for harm reduction, go to naloxonesaves.org. For CPR courses, click on redcross.org/take-aclass/cpr.
is what you make it, and if you make it death, well rest your soul awayA view of the North Country. (Garret K. Woodward photo)
Scotsman in Waynesville.
Formed in 2020, Adamas Entertainment is a Western North Carolina event company, specializing in live music gatherings of all shapes, sizes, and genres. Recently, Adamas Entertainment held its highly-successful “Jingle Jam,” which raised thousands of dollars for REACH of Haywood County.
In honor of its third anniversary, Haywood County-based Adamas Entertainment will host a celebratory birthday party at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at The
Celebrate Black History Month with an evening of interactive West African drumming at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.
Presenting drumming and culture workshops to thousands over the last 25 years, music educator Fonziba Koster will bring 30 authentic West African Jembe drums for a hands-on drumming experience.
Fonziba holds a B.A. degree in Music Education, has studied and performed extensively with master drummers from West Africa, and has lived with a family
Renowned Americana/bluegrass artist Darren Nicholson will host an intimate evening of songs and stories at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley.
A Grammy-nominee and winner of 13 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, Nicholson has taken his own brand of mountain music around the world. A regular for years on the Grand Ole
Hailing from Lenoir, J.J. Hipps & The Hideaway will hit the stage at 8 p.m. The group is a power rock trio that explores the endless depths of the blues, where a typical whirlwind set touches upon the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers Band, and much more.
The show is free and open to the public. As well, there will be a 50/50 raffle, with proceeds going to REACH of Haywood County.
To learn more about Adamas Entertainment, go to adamasentertainment.com. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.
of drummers in the Ivory Coast. As well, Koster will conduct African drumming and culture workshops in Macon County’s Public Schools in February through the Arts Council’s Artists-in-theSchools Program.
Attendees are invited to bring a drum if they have one. People of all ages are welcome. To learn more about Koster, click on fonzibadrums.com.
The event is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted to support Artists-in-the-Schools. The library is located at 149 Siler Farm Road in Franklin, with well-lit parking and wheelchair access.
This program is produced by the Arts Council of Macon County. For more information, call 828.524.ARTS or email arts4all@dnet.net.
Opry, and a founding member of acclaimed bluegrass group Balsam Range, Nicholson now spends his time recording, writing new songs, and performing as a solo act.
Tickets are $20. 828.926.1717 or meadowlarkmotel.com.
Appalachian/indie singer-songwriter
Jackson Grimm & The Bull Moose Party will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at The Scotsman in Waynesville.
Grimm marries folk/pop melodies with the lonesome sound of traditional Appalachian music. In a region with a strong music culture, it is no surprise that Grimm’s songwriting is representative of his musical birthplace: Asheville.
The performance is free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.
The twice Grammy-nominated wind quintet Imani Winds will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
The ensemble will present their show “Black and Brown,” an entire program celebrating composers of color such as Wayne Shorter, Paquito D’Rivera, and Valerie Coleman. The WCU School of Music and Bardo Arts Center are the sponsors of this public performance.
For over 20 years, Imani Winds has been on an artistic and entrepreneurial journey to becoming role models as a primarily African American wind quintet. The ensemble’s repertoire embraces traditional chamber music. As a 21st-century group, Imani Winds is devoutly committed to expanding the wind quintet repertoire by commissioning music from new voices that reflect historical events and the times in which we currently live.
Popular Asheville rock act Andrew Thelston Band will continue his special month-long residency every Saturday evening in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville.
Performance dates will be Feb. 18, and 25. All shows begin at 9 p.m.
In terms of musical ambassadors within the melodic melting pot of a scene that is Western North Carolina, you’d be hardpressed to find an artist as dedicated and inclusive as that of Andrew Thelston.
Throughout his exploration of these
The group has expanded the wind quintet repertoire with their many exciting collaborations and commissions and have entertained audiences worldwide for over a quarter of a century. Imani Winds also serves as the faculty wind quintet at the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, which brings together young instrumentalists and composers from across North America to New York City every summer. Doors will open thirty minutes before the concert. Guests may purchase tickets by visiting arts.wcu.edu/tickets, by calling the Box Office at 828.227.2479, or by buying tickets on the day of the performance. The Box Office is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Visit arts.wcu.edu/imaniwinds to learn more about the live performance and WCU residency. To see BAC’s full calendar of events, please visit arts.wcu.edu/explore or call 828.227.ARTS.
mountains and its inhabitants, Thelston has remained a sponge of sorts, always soaking in the knowledge and wisdom of astute musicians, the sacred act of performance, and the ancient craft of creation — either in collaboration, in passing, through a recording or in the presence of live music.
The culmination of these vast, ongoing experiences and interactions remains the fire of intent within Thelston to hold steady and navigate his own course, which currently is The Andrew Thelston Band — a rock/soul ensemble of power and swagger. Free and open to the public. For more on Thelston, click on facebook.com/andrewthelstonmusic.
• Altered Frequencies (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.342.8014 or alteredfrequencies.net.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8-10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 or balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host a semi-regular acoustic jam with the Main Street NoTones from 7-9 p.m. every first and third Thursday of the month. Free and open to the public. For more information, click on blueridgebeerhub.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” on Wednesdays and semiregular live music on the weekends. All events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host “Music Bingo” 6 p.m. Tuesdays, trivia 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Open Mic 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and Lillie Syracuse (singer-songwriter) Feb. 24. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host karaoke at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Andrew Thelston (rock/jam) Feb. 18 and 25. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.246.0350 or boojumbrewing.com.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host Nathan Nelson Band 7 p.m. Feb. 18. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 or curraheebrew.com.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” on select dates. Tickets start at $25 per person. oldedwardshospitality.com/orchardsessions.
• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. For tickets, click on folkmoot.org.
• Fontana Village Resort Wildwood Grill will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 800.849.2258 or fontanavillage.com.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Seth & Sara (Americana) Feb. 17. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.
• Frog Quarters (Franklin) will host Melody Lowery (guitar/piano) Feb. 18 and Barry Roma (vocals) Feb. 25. All shows are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free and open to the public. Located at 573 East Main Street. littletennessee.org or 828.369.8488.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. For a full schedule of events and/or to buy tickets, caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Trivia Night with Kirk” from 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday, Open Mic Night every Wednesday, Bethany Conerly (singer-songwriter) Feb. 18 and Michael Strivelli (singer-songwriter) Feb. 25. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host trivia 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Old Time Jam 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host Darren Nicholson (Americana/bluegrass) 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18. Tickets are $20. 828.926.1717 or meadowlarkmotel.com.
• Moss Valley (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. Food trucks and beverages available onsite. Bring a lawn chair. Presented by Drake Software.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Woolybooger (blues/indie) Feb. 17, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) Feb. 18, Kate Thomas (singer-songwriter) Feb. 24 and Steve Heffker (singer-songwriter) Feb. 25. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Dirty Grass Players (Americana/bluegrass) Feb. 17, Hotdog Sunrise (Americana/indie) Feb. 18 and Humps & The Blackouts with Home Cooked Meal (Americana/country) Feb. 24. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.641.9797 or nantahalabrewing.com.
• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows behind at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. noc.com.
• Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host Molly Parden (Americana/folk) 8 p.m. Feb. 25. Doors at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at the shop. 828.246.9264 or orchardcoffeeroasters.com.
• Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro (Dillsboro) will host Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.586.1717 or facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.
Rising singer-songwriter Molly Parden will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at Orchard Coffee in Waynesville.
Born in Jonesboro, Georgia, to a family of nine children that had little exposure to music apart from a church hymnal, Parden’s career in music is something of a mystery — something that happened to her more than it was ever anything she set out for.
When none of her siblings took a particular interest in music at a young age, Pardon inherited a violin built by her great uncle when she was eight years old, discov-
ering her lifelong love for music through the haunting simplicity of melodies long before she ever heard pop music, picked up a guitar, or started singing songs of her own.
Parden moved to Nashville in 2013, and soon discovered she could pay her bills as a singer, providing her memorable and uniquely captivating harmony vocals on over 50 records in just a few years.
What resulted is a voice that is as haunting as it is comforting, beautifully raw and yet effortlessly just out of reach, a disarming union of aloofness and intimacy that runs throughout her songs
Tickets are $20 and only available at the shop. 828.246.9264 or orchardcoffeeroasters.com.
is
A fund-raising swim sponsored by Braulio Fonseca and local nonprofit “A Warriors Way Cancer Fund Inc.,” is being held March 11.
You can donate online to help defray the family’s costs by going to www.gofundme.com/f/swimmingfor-willow-wright or scanning the QR code in this ad
• Haywood County Arts Council is participating in the Downtown Waynesville Commission’s “Love the Locals” campaign throughout the month of February. Locals can purchase Haywood Handmade merchandise for 20% off, including 2023 calendars, youth craft kits, locally designed and printed T-shirts, and more. The Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, click on haywoodarts.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. For more information on the upcoming classes and/or to sign-up, click on southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/ swain-center.
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will host an array of upcoming art classes and workshops. For more information and a full schedule of activities, click on dogwoodcrafters.com/classes.html or call 828.586.2248.
be shown and talking with communities in that region about their cultural connections with water.
For this iteration of her BREACH series, Leonard visited the Western North Carolina region in October 2022 and met with members of the Cherokee community, WCU faculty in the sciences, scholars in the Cherokee Studies program, and WCU students.
Leonard visited several sites connected with water and fishing, including the Tribal Trout Hatchery in Cherokee and a historic fish weir on the Tuckasegee River. These conversations informed the final look and content of her installation, from her color palette and audio soundtrack to the shapes painted on the walls.
An artist reception will take place from 57 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Fine Art Museum. This event will include a gallery talk by Leonard, along with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Free parking available.
The immersive installation ”Courtney M. Leonard — BREACH: Logbook | CORIOLIS” is being showcased through May 5 in the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
Created by the Shinnecock Nation ceram-
ic artist as part of Leonard’s BREACH series, the exhibition explores cultural and historical connections to water, fishing practices, and sustainability.
Leonard begins her installation projects by visiting the location where her work will
The Fine Art Museum exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. Standard museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. If you have any questions, please call 828.227.ARTS. For more information, click on arts.wcu.edu/breach.
• The Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Jackson Grimm (Americana/indie) Feb. 16, We Three Swing (jazz) Feb. 17, Rene Russell (Americana) Feb. 23, J.J. Hipps & The Hideaway (rock/blues) Feb. 24 and Jon Cox Band (country/rock) Feb. 25. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.
• SlopeSide Tavern (Sapphire) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.743.8655 or slopesidetavern.com.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. smokymountainarts.com or 828.524.1598.
• Southern Porch (Canton) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.492.8009 or southern-porch.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.743.3000 or theuglydogpub.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.8364 or theuglydogpub.com.
• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host JC “The Parrothead” Feb. 15 and 22, Steve Weams & The Caribbean Cowboys Feb. 16, Wayne Buckner Feb. 17, Carolina Freightshakers (rock/oldies) Feb. 18, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) Feb. 23, Macon County Line Feb. 24 and High Sierra Feb. 25. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.
• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows are at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 or valleycigarandwineco.com.
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.7440 or valley-tavern.com.
• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 9:30 p.m. 828.456.4750 or facebook.com/waternhole.bar.
• Wine Bar & Cellar (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.631.3075 or facebook.com/thewinebarandcellar.
• Yonder Community Market (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. Donations encouraged. 828.200.2169 or eatrealfoodinc.com.
Honoring the work of the late Stephen Sondheim, “The Sondheim Tribute Revue” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17-18, 24-25 and 2 p.m. Feb. 19 and 26 in the Fangmeyer Theatre at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
An iconic American composer/lyricist, Sondheim wasn’t afraid to weave a tale of the real human experience or even dark themes through his sophisticated and often complex music style.
Sondheim is credited with several Broadway hits, including “Into the Woods,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Company,” and “Sunday in the Park with George,” amongst countless others.
Vocalists Adrianne Blanks, Matt Blanks, Matt Edwardson, Lara Hollaway, Mandy Vollrath and Dominic Michael Aquilino will be paying tribute with songs such as “Pretty Women,” “Being Alive,” “It Takes Two,” and many more.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students. Patrons will also be able to enjoy Cabaret style seating with snacks, desserts, and wine.
To purchase tickets, click on harttheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at 828.456.6322. Winter Box Office hours are 35 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
The Haywood Arts Regional Theater in Waynesville is currently offering a wide variety of classes in the theater arts for all ages, young and old. Whether you are just starting out or want to hone your skills, HART has opportunities for you.
Classes run through March 2. HART prides itself on offering reasonably priced classes so that they can keep the arts alive in Haywood County. Browse the selection of spring classes at harttheatre.org and sign up today for a chance to change your life and discover your hidden talents and passions.
For more information, contact Artistic Director Candice Dickinson at 646.647.4546 or email candice@harttheatre.org.
• ”Murder Mystery Dinner” will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin. There has been a murder at The Cherry Creek Saloon. Join Lost in Time Entertainment and Lazy Hiker for a fun evening trying to figure out: “Who done it?”
Come dressed in your best “Wild West Days” attire. Tickets are $55, which includes the evening’s entertainment, a barbecue buffet, and a pint of beer (or wine/cider). For more information, call 828.349.2337 or click on lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. For more information on upcoming events, wine tastings and special dinners, click on waynesvillewine.com.
• A free wine tasting will be held from 6-8 p.m. every Thursday and 2-5 p.m. every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.
• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. For more information, call 828.538.0420.
• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. 800.872.4681 or gsmr.com.
“Appalachia can give us an eye towards how the national personality refracts like a diamond into a thousand rays”
— Imani PerryThe subtitle to National Book Awardwinning author Imani Perry’s new book “South To America” (Harper Collins, 2022, 383 pages) pretty much sums up the contents of the book: “A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation.”
Written in a multi-genre style and what is a combination of travel memoir, history and social politics, Perry takes us on a roadtrip through the South to some of its major cities and historic locations.
Written with a personal flair as well as high-caliber penmanship, like a tourguide, she, place by place, chapter by chapter, opens up the landscape and the history of the cotton-growing plantation South “to legitimize the fact that America and the U.S. was bred and raised on Southern economics, culture and ethics and remains so today.”
Imani Perry, a native of Alabama, who “grew up among people who eat both sweet and unsweet cornbread,” and who is currently on the faculty at Princeton University, starts her pilgrimage in West Virginia and Harper’s Ferry, and muses as she looks through the windows into the historic train station there that honors John Brown who led the slave revolt there in 1859: “From a child (John Brown) loved to dwell beneath the open sky. The many voices of the woods, and fields, and mountains, spoke to him a familiar language. He understood the habits of plants and animals of birds and trees and flowers ....” She then quotes Edgar Allan Poe, whose
ancestors were from the mining cultures of Alabama and South Carolina, and who preferred the name Appalachia to the given name for the new nation of Alleghania. Perry’s sojourn in Appalachia then moves south and slightly west through the mountains of Kentucky and then to Tennessee.
From Appalachia, we go a little eastward to Virginia to the Shenandoah Valley and Charlottesville and the home of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello, as Perry mentions that a significant number of her ancestors were 18th century Virginians. On this Virginia sojourn we visit Newport News, Norfolk, Jamestown and Williamsburg — all in the “breadbasket of the Confederacy.”
From Virginia we go west again to Louisville, Kentucky. “Although Kentucky stayed in the Union, it was never a completely Unionidentified state. Perhaps the most telling evidence of this is the song ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’” Perry writes and goes on to mention the love for horse racing (the Kentucky Derby) and Kentucky bourbon.
From Kentucky we slide up and over to Annapolis, Maryland. “I wanted to travel to Maryland, to see something about my ancestral beginnings. The Mason-Dixon Line sits at the bottom of the state in which I live, Pennsylvania, and at the top of Maryland.” she says. “Some refer to this part of the country as the ‘urban South,’ but you’d be hardpressed to find a Deep Southerner who would ever call Maryland or Washington, D.C., the South,” she continues (as she wanders up and down the brick streets near the water in Annapolis in block-heeled sandals that were giving her big blisters and where the market was established for people to sell their wares). From Annapolis we go to Boonsboro to visit the Crystal Grottoes that are sink-holes that collapsed into an underground grotto of caves that are now a favorite tourist destination and which is the
sight of significant early American history. And then we are on to “the ironic capital” of Washington, D.C., along the Potomac River, where, as one might imagine, we visit malls, monuments and national museums — symbolic of much of American history as we know it — as well as also visiting the underbelly and the unknown not detailed in American educational history books.
Following the initial section titled “Origin Stories,” section II is titled “The Solidified South,” and includes stops in Upper Alabama, including a trip to Huntsville and Perry’s family home of her great-great-grandmother. Then on to Muscle Shoals known for the plethora of wellknown music groups and artists such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson and James Brown that either came from there or evolved from Muscle Shoals Sound Studios back in the 1960s. From Alabama we’re on to “Tobacco Road in the Bible Belt” and familiar territory here in “the new South” of North Carolina. Quoting Faulkner, Perry takes us to Cape Fear, Wilmington, Durham and Duke University (where she studied in a graduate program in the 1990s), and Greensboro, also mentioning James Taylor’s N.C. history and his song “Carolina On My Mind.”
From North Carolina, it’s on to Atlanta and what Perry calls “the King of the South” — a city of establishment and excess; or “the cutting edge on unsteady ground.” And from Atlanta we travel to Nashville and Memphis, both cities also famous for their legendary musical traditions.
In the last section of “South to America” titled “Water People,” we visit the seashore vista of Sea Island, Georgia, and the Gullah Geechee culture on the way to Savannah with its counter-culture and fine dining. Then it’s on to Florida and New Orleans and finally to “paradise” in the Bahamas and Havana, Cuba. What a trip, as we used to say back in the 1960s. Quite the journey of hotspots in the South related to American history. Or, as Perry concludes: “If America is to be salvific, it can only be so because underneath our skyscrapers lie the people who have tasted the red clay, the loamy soil. If their dreams can become ‘we’ dreams, hope will spring. And if we want it, if we aren’t afraid to grab it, we have to look South, to America.”
(Thomas Crowe is a regular contributer to The Smoky Mountain News and author of the multi-award-winning non-fiction nature memoir Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods.)
A monthly book club is being currently offered at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Each month, a library staff member will be discussing some of the new book titles that the library has received. Particular attention will be paid to “under the radar” titles and authors, new releases and other books that the staff is excited about. All are welcome and no registration is required. For more information on when the club will meet, please call the library at 828.586.2016.
This club is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. The JCPL is a member of Fontana Regional Library (fontanalib.org).
It’s 4 p.m. on Thursday, which for a growing subset of Haywood County residents means only one thing — it’s time to play pickleball.
“So many people converge on the place, we try to get here early so we can play before everybody gets here,” says Maggie Valley resident Victoria Cowles, 66, after finishing the first game of the evening Feb. 9. “Because then we have to rotate out.”
In a couple of hours, she said, all three courts will be full, with benches of people waiting their turn to play. Cowles and her husband T.J., also 66, are at the Old Armory in Waynesville as soon as the courts open, playing doubles with the Lees, a Waynesville couple they’re used to seeing on the pickleball court. It’s a social sport, which is part of why the Cowles and the Lees love it so much.
“I didn’t know any of these people before a year ago,” says Jane Lee, 65.
“And now we know like 30 new people,” says Cowles, finishing the thought. “Seriously, it’s a way to get to know people. And we do things outside of pickleball.”
The game is “addictive,” she says — T.J.
had already played three hours of pickleball that morning before returning for afternoon play, and he’s typically on the court 15 hours a week. It’s fun, and easy on the body compared to similar sports like tennis.
“It’s a game that everybody can play,” says T.J., adding, “You want to give it a try?”
He hands over an extra racket, and I join Maggie Valley resident Alyson Wells, 49, for an impromptu session of Pickleball 101. The ball must bounce in the first two volleys after a serve. Grip the racket like a hammer to make it easier to respond when the ball arrives. First one to score 11 points wins.
I miss the first several hits completely and feel slightly embarrassed about standing on a court with three other people who spend hours a day perfecting their game. But with a couple of pointers from Wells and a few more minutes of practice, I’m making my serves and returning the ball. Scurrying around the court, which is one-quarter the size of a tennis court, gets me warm but not sweaty in my jeans and long sleeves.
I’m starting to see the appeal.
So are a growing number of people — both in Western North Carolina and across the nation.
The latest Outdoor Industry Association
As its popularity increases, so do the opportunities to play pickleball. To find a nearby court, visit pickleheads.com or call your local recreation department.
Outdoor Participation Trends Report, which monitors interest in 122 sports and outdoor activities, names pickleball the country’s fastest-growing activity — since the report first included pickleball in 2014, participation has nearly doubled. In 2021, an estimated 4.82 million people reported playing it at least once, the report found — a 14.8% jump since 2020 and a 39.3% increase since 2019.
Other sources put the total number of players even higher. A new report from the Association of Pickleball Professionals shows that 14% of adult Americans — 36.5 million people — played pickleball at least once between August 2021 and August 2022. Of those players, 45% said they plan to play pickleball more often over the next six months than in the previous six-month period.
“The sport is really growing like crazy, like no sport has grown in a long, long time,” said Brandon Mackie, co-founder of Pickleheads, which bills itself as a “digital home” for pickleball.
Mackie believes the sport’s appeal has to do with its low barrier to entry and function as a social outlet.
“It’s a very gentle learning curve, so folks
can go out their first time, have fun, even win games. And that’s just not true of sports like golf or tennis that could require months of lessons and practice to get the point where you’re enjoying the sport,” he said, adding, “But at the same time, it’s a hard sport to master. People don’t just get bored of it. There’s competitive play at the highest levels.”
Pickleball has traditionally appealed mainly to older players looking for low-impact ways to stay active. But the average age of pickleball players is dropping. In 2021, players under 24 were the fastest-growing age group, increasing 21% compared to 10% for players 55 and older, according to the Pickleheads website citing the SFIA Single Sport Participation Report on Pickleball.
Mackie links the growth in younger players to fallout from the pandemic.
“The dates for the pandemic is pretty well correlated with the rise of pickleball, especially among young people,” he said. “If you think about a lot of the folks that were trapped inside during lockdown and whatnot, pickleball I think was a really important outlet for people to be able to go out and socialize responsibly.”
Because the courts are so much smaller than tennis courts, it’s easier to have a casual conversation during gameplay, and more people can use any given space at the same time. It’s the perfect recipe for making and maintaining friendships while keeping a safe distance. As younger people discovered the sport, they also began to share it on social media, further amplifying its reach. The #pickleball hashtag on Instagram has nearly 415,000 posts.
“Now even though the lockdown has kind of run its course, we’re kind of going back to normal, people haven’t stopped playing,” Mackie said. “They stuck with it. They’ve seen how much fun it is and how important it is to their friend group. “
Luke Kinsland, director of Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department, said that pickleball has “catapulted pretty big” locally over the past five to six years. As more people have flocked the sport, they’ve begun demanding better facilities and more hours to play.
“They’re a big, passionate group,” he said, “We’re trying to harness it the best we can.”
Currently, the Waynesville Recreation Center offers pickleball classes 9 a.m. to noon Monday and Wednesday, and the department hosts dozens of hours of open play at two different locations. The Old Armory is open for play 7 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday as well as 4-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. While the schedule varies at the rec center, Kinsland said there’s typically around 40 hours of opportunity there.
But even that isn’t enough to meet demand. Cowles said it’s not unusual to have 12 people playing at the Old Armory and another dozen sitting
The N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority has approved $13.7 million to fund 11 capital improvement projects at state parks, including $900,000 for maintenance facility renovations at Mount Mitchell State Park.
The Authority, which oversees the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, approved the investments at a virtual meeting Jan. 9.
“These much-needed park improvement projects will bring several of our state parks facilities at some of our most visited parks up to modern standards to improve our visitors’ experiences in the parks,” said N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural
Resources Secretary D. Reid Wilson. “We remain grateful to the General Assembly and Governor Roy Cooper for providing significantly increased investments in the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund over the last two years, a clear recognition of the importance of our state parks to the people and economy of North Carolina.”
Other funded projects include maintenance facility renovations at Carolina Beach, overlook and trail improvements at Crowders Mountain, a disc golf course at Falls Lake, family campground renovations at Hanging Rock, a new restroom at Mount Jefferson and renovation of shower houses at Jordan Lake.
money into pickleball-specific courts when the department is already able to offer so many hours of play with its current facilities. The department’s master plan, completed in 2017, doesn’t call for dedicated pickleball facilities.
“But honestly, that could change,” Kinsland said. “We may be updating the master plan in the next few years, and when we do that there may be a public input meeting that has an enormous demand for pickleball, and that will go into consideration for the master plan.”
Head to the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville Saturday, Feb. 18, for a day of bird-related festivities.
The day will include beginner bird walks, bird crafts and live bird demonstrations available to the public, all to celebrate the Great Backyard Bird Count, a worldwide bird counting event organized by the Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology that takes place Feb. 17-20. The arboretum event is free, though the standard $16 parking rate applies.
Great Backyard Bird Count events are also taking place Feb. 17-18 at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands, including bird strolls 9-10 a.m. and a family-friendly event 3-5 p.m. Feb. 18.
The Great Backyard Bird Count was launched in 1998. 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. To participate, report sightings online at birdcount.org.
Start off the year with an early-season slalom race Saturday, Feb. 25, on the Nantahala River at the Nantahala Outdoor Center.
Hosted by the Nantahala Racing Club, the Glacier Breaker Slalom is open to paddlers of all ages with course difficulty suitable for novice through intermediate paddlers. The course starts just above the NOC Founder’s Bridge and ends upstream of the highway bridge, consisting of 18-20 slalom gates and running through the 2013 Worlds Hole. Racers are encouraged to use slalom-specific boats and have at least class 2 river running skills.
Racing will take place 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entry fee is $20 payable at check-in, with registration required by noon Feb. 24. Learn more at nantahalaracingclub.com/glacier-breaker.
on the benches against the back of the room, waiting for a court to open.
“We need permanent facilities, we really do,” Wells said as she got ready to play Feb. 9.
The Old Armory works alright for pickleball, she said, but the rafters crisscrossing the high ceilings frustrate any hits that fly too far vertically. And because the courts are temporary, sometimes they disappear when some other event eclipses regular pickleball hours.
“When that schedule changes, they are so passionate about pickleball that they do like it if you change the schedule on them,” Kinsland said.
Kinsland isn’t sure it makes sense to put
While permanent facilities are likely a ways off for Waynesville Parks and Recreation, new courts are on the way in Waynesville. Haywood County Recreation and Parks has budgeted $345,000 to build six outdoor courts at Allens Creek Park, anticipated for completion in spring 2024. Pickleball equipment is being installed at Canton Recreation Park.
Courts are popping up across the region, in fact. There are pickleball opportunities at Lake Junaluska, Sylva, Cashiers, Franklin and Highlands, as well — and enthusiasts don’t see demand slacking anytime soon.
“It’s just a great sport,” Well said. “It just opens up community. It supports community, getting involved and getting to know people. It’s hard to explain.”
It may still be cold outside, but it’s time to think about buying a share of a local CSA this season.
CSA — community supported agriculture — has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food direct from a farm.
Typically, members or “share-holders” of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the upcoming growing season. However, many CSA memberships are available for “buy-in” on a weekly or monthly payment schedule.
In return, CSA members receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Most CSA boxes are available weekly or bi-weekly. Some farms also offer a “mix and match” or “marketstyle” CSA. Refer to individual farms for membership details.
Farms in Haywood County offering CSA programs include Our Fiddlehead Farm, Mighty Gnome Market Garden, Shady Brook Farm, Sustainabillies, Ten Acre Garden and WNC Urban Farms. For more information about CSA programs at these farms, visit buyhaywood.com/directory/csa-community-supported-agriculture. A list of CSAs covering all of Western North Carolina is available at asapconnections.org/csa.
Learn all about container gardening at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.
Minda Daughtry of Jackson County Cooperative Extension will offer a demonstration showing what containers, soil and plants work best for different situations. Container gardening allows people to grow food with limited space, such as on a patio, windowsill, balcony or entry area. The program is a demonstration, not a workshop, and no registration is required. Free and cosponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. Contact 828.586.2016 or jcpladults@fontanalib.org with questions.
Get involved with efforts to save the hemlock trees with two upcoming events focusing on treating these forest giants to withstand the hemlock wooly adelgid.
■ Learn about treatment options for hemlock trees with a class 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. N.C. pesticide credits, ISA continuing education units and Blue Ridge Naturalist/Blue Ridge Eco-gardener credits are available. Hemlock Restoration Initiative staff members Thom Green and Ally Melrose will teach the course. Cost is $20 per adult, with arboretum members receiving a 10% discount. Sign up at ncar-
boretum.org.
■ Help re-treat hemlock trees at the Davidson River Campground in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard on Saturday, Feb. 25. The area is flat with easy access to the trees, and several volunteers are needed. To sign up email volunteer@savehemlocksnc.org by Feb. 21.
The hemlock wooly adelgid is an invasive insect that feeds on, and ultimately kills, hemlock trees. The Hemlock Restoration Initiative aims to restore these trees to their native habitats throughout North Carolina and to mitigate damage caused by the adelgid.
Registration is now open for MountainTrue’s spring schedule of guided adventures, with the first one coming up Saturday, Feb. 25, near Hiawassee, Georgia. On this hike, participants will learn how to identify trees during the wintertime with MountainTrue Western Region Program Coordinator Tony Ward.
Other outings planned for the spring include birdwatching, wildflower identification and snorkeling.
Sign up at mountaintrue.org/eventscalendar/category/outings.
Equine infectious anemia has been found in 19 horses located in nine counties, including Henderson County. Of the 19 horses, 17 have been euthanized to prevent further spread.
In addition to Henderson County, the disease has been found in Duplin, Forsyth, Mecklenburg, Randolph, Sampson, Surry, Yadkin and Wake counties. Most cases were associated with unsanctioned horse racing. All facilities with infectious horses were
placed under quarantine, and remaining horses will be observed and retested in 60 days.
EIA is an incurable disease commonly spread by biting flies or shared medical equipment between equines, such as horses, mules and donkeys. Clinical signs include fever, weakness, weight loss, anemia, edema and death. However, many infected equine may not show symptoms. All infected equine, including those that are asymptomatic, are carriers of the disease. The disease does not affect people.
Although the disease is common in other parts of the world, the United States typically has few cases due to regular testing before exhibition or crossing state lines.
Prescribed burns on about 925 acres of fields in Cades Cove are planned to occur by Friday, March 3. The acreage will be split into three burn units, Maple Branch, Tipton Oliver and Cemetery Marsh.
Over the last 20 years, managers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have conducted these burns in the spring and fall to reduce fields, restore meadow habitats and maintain Cades Cove’s historic landscape. Staff closely monitor fire weather conditions to conduct burns when it will
Construction of 4 miles of new trail will soon be underway on the Grandfather Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest in Old Fort, part of a planned 42mile trail expansion in the Old Fort area. This includes the 1-mile Meadows Loop
be safe and effective to do so. Burns boost native plant species that provide high-quality cover and foraging opportunities for a diversity of wildlife, including deer, turkeys and ground-nesting birds.
Visitors should expect to see firefighters and equipment along Hyatt Lane, Cades Cove Loop Road and Sparks Lane. The area will remain open, but brief delays and closures may occur, particularly on Sparks Lane. Motorists should reduce speed in work zones and refrain from stopping in roadways.
Trail, which will be ADA-accessible and located next to the Old Fort Gateway Trailhead, a 100-car parking area that opened in June. The trail will provide interpretation and opportunities for fishing and wildlife viewing. It is funded by McDowell County through a grant from the North Carolina Water Resources Program. Construction starts this month.
The remaining mileage will come from the 3-mile Bernard Mountain Trail for hiking and biking, located north of the Point Lookout Trail and following the rocky ridge that parallels the mountain biking favorite Kitsuma Trail. Funding comes partially from the McDowell County Tourism Development Authority. Construction starts in late winter.
Together, the trails represent a $400,000 investment in public lands near Old Fort. They are the product of the collaboration between Camp Grier’s G5 Trail Collective, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, People on the Move Old Fort and the U.S. Forest Service Grandfather Ranger District, collectively known as the Catawba Vale Collaborative.
15 Trails Open
3 Aerial Lifts
2 Surface Lifts
50-55 Inch Base
Weekdays: 9:00am – 10pm
Weekends: 8:30am – 10pm
Among my favorite types of plants that grow year-round, and tend to especially shine in the wintertime, are mosses. Mosses are incredibly beautiful and incredibly diverse members of the plant kingdom that tend to get a short shrift from people who either don’t notice them at all or think that they only indicate a problem. And that is too bad, for while they certainly are short, they are also beautiful and as deserving of study and attention as any tree or wildflower.
the seminal book on moss gardening and propagation. She also maintains a great website, mountainmoss.com, that can be used to help identify mosses, and you can even purchase mosses there to use in your own garden or moss lawn creations.
And speaking of moss lawns, another friend I have in the moss world is Paul Moore, aka “The Moss Man” who has a beautiful and low-maintenance moss lawn at his home outside of Nashville, Tennessee. This lawn is green and growing all yearround and is a great eco-friendly replace-
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Mosses are non-vascular plants, which means that unlike flowering plants, shrubs and trees, mosses and other non-vascular plants like liverworts, hornworts and algae do not have specialized cells that can be used to carry water and mineral nutrients upwards into plant tissues and can’t transport sugar and carbohydrates down into the roots. In fact, mosses don’t even have roots that grow into the soil, wood or rocks that they grow on. Rather, mosses attach themselves to their growing medium by way of small, thin, root-like structures called rhizoids that produce acids and glues that help them stick to the growing surface.
Puzzles can be found on page 38
These are only the answers.
Mosses also differ from other plants in their reproductive method. They don’t produce flowers, pollen, seeds or fruits but rather reproduce by spores, similar to ferns and mushrooms, and rely mostly on the wind to disperse and spread the spores. The spores are produced in a structure called a sporophyte that sticks up above the moss leaves and aids in dispersal by being higher than the surrounding moss to help catch the wind upon release. Mosses can also increase their spread and grow into new locations when pieces of moss dislodge, or fragment, from the colony and find a new home to begin growing.
Studying mosses and learning their names and how to differentiate the different species is a challenging skill that involves the use of magnifiers like jeweler’s loupes, and microscopes. You can learn a lot about different mosses through a few different resources like books, workshops and websites. One of the best resources in the world for learning moss just happens to be the local expert Annie Martin of Mountain Moss Enterprises based in Brevard. Mossin’ Annie, as she is known, is the author of “The Magical World of Moss Gardening”
ment for a traditional grass lawn. Moss lawns require no fertilizing, and the minimal maintenance includes hand-pulling small weeds, removing leaves in the fall, and the occasional watering in dry times if you want to “green” it back up. Paul’s moss lawn is so beautiful, it has been featured in Southern Living, among other publications.
If you want to get really deep into the world of moss, I encourage you to find and read a most beautiful book by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Ph.D., called “Gathering Moss, a Natural and Cultural History of Mosses.” Kimmerer is not only a botanist and educator at the State University of New York but is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a beautifully poetic writer and essayist.
I encourage you, on your winter walks in the woods, to slow down and spend some time in the sublime smallness of moss. For as Kimmerer says in her book, “Mosses and other small beings issue an invitation to dwell for a time right at the limits of ordinary perception. All it requires of us is attentiveness. Look in a certain way and a whole new world can be revealed.” A whole new world, indeed.
(Adam Bigelow lives in Cullowhee and leads weekly wildflower walks and ecotours through Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions. bigelownc@gmail.com.)
• The Jackson County Farmers Market meets every Saturday November through March 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and April through October 9 a.m.-noon at Bridge Park in Sylva, 110 Railroad St. Special events listed on Facebook and Instagram.
• The Jackson Arts Market takes place from 1-5 p.m. every Saturday at 533 West Main St. in Sylva with live music and an array of local artists.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park is once again welcoming visitors. It is open to the public each week 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Public classes will resume this spring. JCGEP will also host live glassblowing demonstrations at Innovation Station during the Lights and Luminaries festival in Dillsboro. For more information email info@jacksonnc.org or 828.631.0271.
• Haywood Community College will host “Relationship Marketing, Your Ground game: Relationship Marketing Series” from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16. Seminars are free to attend. To see the full schedule and register, go to sbc.haywood.edu.
• Haywood Community College Foundation is hosting a concert to support student needs on Saturday, March 4, at 3 p.m. in the HCC Charles Beall Auditorium. The Blue Ridge Orchestra will showcase Musique Ménage, a concert of contrasts, featuring Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 — “The Great” — and original music by local artists Fancy and the Gentlemen. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.haywood.edu/orchestra
• Haywood Pathways Center’s 5th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser will take place 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23, at Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Waynesville. For more information visit https://www.haywoodpathwayscenter.org/empty-bowlsfundraiser/ or call 828.246.0332.
• Bakti Yoga, taught by Suzanne Berryhill, will take place from 6-7:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost is $22 or one class credit. To see the class calendar or to register visit http://waynesvilleyogacenter.com/class-schedule/.
• Juice + Jams Yoga class with Jake (BYOB) will take place 5:30-6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Theme? Cheryl Crow + other 90’s. Cost is $22 or one class credit. To see the class calendar or to register visit http://waynesvilleyogacenter.com/classschedule/.
• Yoga for Special Considerations, a weekend-long workshop will take place Friday - Sunday, Feb. 24-26, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. https://waynesvilleyogacenter.com/event/yoga-for-special-considerations/.
• Mountain Area pregnancy Services and the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor work together to provide a casual support group for prenatal and breastfeeding individuals from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesdays at Mountain Area Pregnancy Services, 177 N Main St. Waynesville, NC. All are welcome, registration is recommended. For more information please call 828.558.4550.
• The Western Waters Chapter of The Sons of the American Revolution will have their winter quarter meeting 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 18, at the
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Waynesville branch of The Haywood County Library in the downstairs auditorium. Wayne Bryson will present a program on his newly published book about the early gunsmiths of Haywood County. Anyone is welcome.
• Knit Night takes place at 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month at The Stecoah Valley Center. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP is recommended: 828.479.3364 or amber@stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• Sylva Writers Group meets at 10:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at City Lights Bookstore. For more information contact sylvawriters@gmail.com.
• Professor Bart D. Ehrman, Biblical scholar and author of six New York Times bestselling books including “Jesus” and “The Triumph of Christianity,” will speak and answer questions at 7 p.m. Friday, April 14, at the Queen Auditorium in the Folkmoot Friendship Center at 112 Virginia Ave. in Waynesville. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door Tickets may be purchased at Blue Ridge Books or by calling 828.226.5921.
• Tremont Writers Conference, an intensive five-day retreat for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry will take place Wednesday, Oct. 25-29. Applications to participate in the event may be submitted online now through April 30 at writers.gsmit.org.
• Creative Writing Club will take place at 3:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Macon County Public Library. The writing club is intended for ages 8-12. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.
• Move and Groove Storytime takes place 10:30-11 a.m. every Thursday, at the Canton branch of the Haywood County Public Library. Exciting, interactive music and movement story time ideal for children 2-6 years old. For more information contact Ashlyn at ashlyn.godleski@haywoodcountync.gov or at 828.356.2567.
• Storytime takes place at 10 a.m. every Tuesday at the Macon County Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.
• Culture Talk takes place at 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Macon County Public Library. Travel the world from inside your library. This event features guest speakers and food sampling from the location being discussed. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.
• Art afternoon takes place at 3:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Macon County Public Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.
Methodist Church in Waynesville. A livestream will be available through the First UMC Waynesville YouTube channel. For more information visit www.voicesinthelaurel.org.
• Stephen Sondheim Tribute Revue will show at HART Theater Friday - Sunday, Feb. 17-26. For showtime information or to purchase tickets visit harttheatre.org or call the box office at 828.456.6322.
• Voices in the Laurel will sponsor Movie MADness, a community Multicultural Arts Day from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at First Baptist Church in Waynesville. While admission is free, space is limited, so make your reservation today at www.voicesinthelaurel.org.
• Helena Hunt will play traditional tunes for a Sunday afternoon concert from 3-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Public Library. For more information contact Jennifer at jennifer.stuart@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2561.
• Green Energy Park will celebrate its reopening with the “Fire Arts Festival” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the Green Energy Park, 1/2 mile past Huddle House in Dillsboro. For more information visit www.JCGEP.org.
• Paint and Sip at Waynesville Art School will be held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7-9:30 p.m. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit PaintAndSipWaynesville.com/upcoming-events. Registration is required, $45.
• A free wine tasting will be held from 6-8 p.m. every Thursday and 2-5 p.m. every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.
• Take a trip around the world with four different wines every Friday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday 11a.m.-6 p.m. at the Bryson City Wine Market. Pick from artisan Charcuterie Foods to enjoy with wines. 828.538.0420
• Cooking classes take place at the McKinley Edwards Inn from 6-8:30 p.m. on Thursday nights. To reserve your spot call 828.488.9626.
• Chess 101 takes place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. every Friday in the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Public Library. No registration required, for more information call 828.648.2924.
• Wired Wednesday, one-on-one technology help is available at 3-5 p.m. every Wednesday at the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Library. For more information or to register, call 828.648.2924.
• Uptown Gallery, 30 East Main St. Franklin, will be offering Children’s Art Classes Wednesdays afternoons. Adult workshops in watercolor, acrylic paint pouring, encaustic and glass fusing are also offered. Free painting is available 10 a.m.-3 p.m. every Monday in the classroom. A membership meeting takes place on the second Sunday of the month at 3 p.m. All are welcome. Call 828.349.4607 for more information.
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• Hike in the Lake Logan Retreat area at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17, with Haywood County Recreation and Parks. The hike starts just before Lake Logan and ends lakeside. All hikes are $10. Sign up at bit.ly/haywoodrec.
• The Highlands Biological Station will celebrate the Great Backyard Bird Count on Friday, Feb. 17, and Saturday, Feb. 18.
• Learn all about container gardening at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. The program is a demonstration, not a workshop, and no registration is required. Free and co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. Contact 828.586.2016 or jcpl-adults@fontanalib.org with questions.
• A bike class for kids will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 18, an REI in Asheville. Aimed for ages 5-12, with adults expected to attend as well. Cost is $79 and space is limited. Sign up at rei.com/events.
• Learn about hellbenders during a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, at the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center near Franklin. For more information visit coweeschool.org.
• Master Gardener Volunteer Bonnie Refinski-Knight will host a seminar on gardening from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Center in Waynesville. Cost is $10.
• Learn about treatment options for hemlock trees with a class 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. N.C. pesticide credits, ISA continuing education units and Blue Ridge Naturalist/Blue Ridge Eco-gardener credits are available. Hemlock Restoration Initiative staff members Thom Green and Ally Melrose will teach the course. Cost is $20 per adult, with arboretum members receiving a 10% discount. Sign up at ncarboretum.org.
• Help re-treat hemlock trees at the Davidson River Campground in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard on Saturday, Feb. 25. The area is flat with easy access to the trees, and several volunteers are needed. To sign up email volunteer@savehemlocksnc.org by Feb. 21.
• Explore a section of the Art Loeb Trail at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, with Haywood County Recreation and Hikes. All hikes are $10. Sign up at bit.ly/haywoodrec.
• Start off the year with an early-season slalom race Saturday, Feb. 25, on the Nantahala River at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Racing will take place 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entry fee is $20 payable at check-in, with registration required by noon Feb. 24. Learn more at nantahalaracingclub.com/glacier-breaker.
• The Haywood County Elementary Honors Chorus and Voices in the Laurel Concert Choir will present “Haywood Voices Sing We Are One,” a multi-cultural concert at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at First United
• “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m.3 p.m. on Thursdays at The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. 828.349.4607 or pm14034@yahoo.com.
• The annual Haywood County Extension Master Gardener plant sale is now underway, with pre-paid orders due by March 3. Find order forms online at haywood.ces.ncsu.edu, pick them up at the Extension Office on Raccoon Road in Waynesville or contact 828.456.3575 or mgarticles@charter.net.
The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!
Rates:
• $15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.
• Free — Lost or found pet ads.
• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*
• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance
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• $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less)
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• Boost in Print
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NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.17 E 616
Teresa B. Summey,
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS LAND CLEARING LOWER OLD #4 HOUSING
DONATE YOUR VEHICLE
DRINKING PROBLEM?
Teresa Summey
Greer, P.C.
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.2023 E 000046
Electronics
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Beverly Hanks & Associates- beverly-hanks.com
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• Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff@beverly-hanks.com
• Darrin Graves - dgraves@beverly-hanks.com
ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com
• Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com
• Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com
• Randy Flanigan - 706-207-9436
• Steve Mauldin - 828-734-4864
EXP Realty
• Ashley Owens Rutkosky - ashley.rutkosky@exp.realty
Keller Williams Realty - kellerwilliamswaynesville.com
• The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com
• Ron Breese - ronbreese.com
• Landen Stevenson- landen@landenkstevenson.com
Lakeshore Realty
• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com
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Mountain Creek Real Estate
• Ron Rosendahl - 828-593-8700
McGovern Real Estate & Property Management
• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com
Premier Sotheby's International Realty
• DeAnn Suchy - deann.suchy@premiersir.com
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• Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com
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• Billy Case- billyncase@gmail.com
Rob Roland Realty
• Rob Roland - 828-400-1923
Smoky Mountain Retreat Realty
• Tom Johnson - tomsj7@gmail.com
• Sherell Johnson - Sherellwj@aol.com
1 Tone of an environment
2 Validated, as a claim
3 Period of Model T's
4 Right-hand book page
5 Pickle choice
6 Ending with
BLACK MALE CAT, ARTU 10 year old, sweet house-panther; loves toys and high places. Sometimes lap cat, sometimes independent. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ ashevillehumane.org
PITBULL TERRIER MIX, BROWN&WHITE, LADYGODIVA 6 year old girl who’s always smiling. Loves hiking and treats, and knows some commands. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ashevillehumane.org
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ANSWERS ON PAGE
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Answers on 34
