Smoky Mountain News | March 6, 2024

CONTENTS

On the Cover:

It has been a year since the shocking announcement that Canton’s Pactiv Evergreen papermill would close down was made public. Since then, town, county and state officials have scrambled to find resources for workers while hoping to hold the company accountable for any economic and environmental fallout. The Smoky Mountain News has published a timeline that spans six pages to highlight the significant events. Max Cooper photo

News

New leadership for Haywood County Schools..........................................................4

Despite a year of progress, post-mill challenges remain in Canton......................6

Pigeon River slowly bounces back as environmental violations mount............12

Jackson County Schools receives safety grant........................................................14

Opinion

Finding alignment on the fourth anniversary of COVID-19..................................18

Challenging false claims and legislative barriers......................................................19

A&E

Appalachian blues: A conversation with Scott Low................................................20 HART presents ‘Silent Sky’............................................................................................23

Outdoors

Common fly could help address pollution, boost sustainability..........................28

Up Moses Creek: The Window Strike ......................................................................34

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jack.s@smokymountainnews.com

D IGITAL MARKETING S PECIALIST Stefanee Sherman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . stefanee@mtnsouthmedia.com

ADVERTISING SALES: Susanna Shetley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com

Amanda Bradley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . amanda.b@smokymountainnews.com

Sophia Burleigh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sophia.b@smokymountainnews.com

C LASSIFIEDS: Scott Collier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com

N EWS E DITOR: Kyle Perrotti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kyle.p@smokymountainnews.com

WRITING: Holly Kays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holly@smokymountainnews.com

Hannah McLeod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hannah@smokymountainnews.com

Cory Vaillancourt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cory@smokymountainnews.com

Garret K. Woodward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . garret@smokymountainnews.com

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah Ingles

3 USES FOR PLAIN GREEK YOGUR

One item I often have in my fridge is plain Greek like it because it has no added sugars, is high in pr a source of calcium and contains probiotics that may help with gut health.

Here are 3 ways I like to use plain Greek yogurt:

• Smoothies — I make smoothies with milk, frozen bananas, plain Greek yogurt, a dash of cinnamon and vanilla (and sometimes I add a sweetener).

• Breakfast — a small bowl of Greek yogurt with a sprinkle of granola or cereal and fresh fruit.

• Dip — I make a dip or topping using Greek yogurt mixed with garlic, a squeeze of lemon, a little mayonnaise, dried or fresh dill and salt and pepper

yogurt. I protein, may zen n and h a ittle per.

Do you keep plain Greek yogurt in your fridge? How do you use it?

How do

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian

@InglesDietitian

Leah McGrath - Dietitian

New leadership for Haywood County Schools

Finance director returns, two schools see new principals

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER

The Haywood County School Board approved several personnel recommendations last week that saw the return of a previous finance director and new principals for two schools.

“We had an opening for our finance director,” said Superintendent Trevor Putnam. “Finance directors are extremely hard to find, and we are very fortunate in Haywood County to be able to select Ms. Leanna Moody as our new finance officer.”

According to Putnam there are currently three school finance directorships open across the state.

Leanna Moody has worked for the school system for 15 years and previously worked as finance director for Haywood County Schools before having to leave the post in 2020 due to health concerns.

“Ms. Moody has been with us before in that capacity and she did a good job and we are so tickled to have her back in that role,” said Putnam.

Directly before this appointment to finance director for the second time in her career, Moody was working at Tuscola High School.

“Thank you so much for this opportunity to return as your finance director. It’s an honor and a privilege that

Legal Action sought for injuries in Haywood explosive fire safety drill

Conrad & Scherer, a litigation firm with its headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has filed a lawsuit against Fireblast Global, Inc., James R. Nelson, and Steve Sposato, on behalf of Demetrius Massey, who suffered serious injuries due to a massive explosion during a fire safety training exercise.

you’ve entrusted me with this duty once again,” said Moody. “I’m looking forward to being back in the role at Central Office and working with each of you again.”

“Congratulations, glad to have you back,” said Chairman Chuck Francis.

With Byron Burnette leaving his post as principal at Clyde Elementary, Putnam announced Karley Wells as his replacement.

“We had a vacancy at Clyde Elementary, and I am honored to present the new principal at Clyde Elementary who has done a great job at Riverbend, Ms. Karley Wells,” Putnam said.

Prior to the new appointment, Wells was working as principal at Riverbend Elementary School and before that, assistant principal at Pisgah High School.

“I would like to extend my thanks to you for giving me this opportunity and for believing in me once again,” said Wells. “Dr. Putnam for entrusting me with our future and for being the leader that always brings up others around him.”

Wells is a product of Haywood County Schools and started her career as a teacher at Clyde Elementary.

“I’m standing here today because of my colleagues at Clyde who took this young teacher and taught me so much, the Clyde community who trusted me to educate their children and the Clyde cardinals who reminded me of my ‘why’ every single day,” said Wells. “I’m excited for the opportunity to return to the school and community where my educational career started, and I’m blessed to be a Cardinal again.”

The incident occurred Aug. 5, 2022, at Haywood Community College’s Public Safety Training Facility in Clyde.

Massey, a fire and rescue training coordinator with over 15 years of service, sustained first- and second-degree burns to over 11% of his body, requiring significant skin grafts, and attorneys claim he has suffered permanent scarring, emotional distress and loss of life enjoyment. The lawsuit alleges negligence, gross negligence and willful or wanton conduct by the defendants, leading to the explosion that caused Massey’s injuries.

With Wells moving to Clyde Elementary, this left a vacancy at Riverbend Elementary School. Putnam announced that Layna Cope, who was working as assistant principal at Pisgah High School, will move into that role.

“Ms. Layna Cope has served faithfully as assistant principal as Pisgah,” said Putnam. “We are pleased to have her as our principal at Riverbend Elementary School.”

Cope is a Haywood County native and a product of Haywood County Schools. Prior to her work as assistant principal at Pisgah High School she worked as a teacher at Tuscola High School.

“Thank you so much for this opportunity and for entrusting me as the new principal at Riverbend Elementary School,” said Cope. “Haywood County Schools holds a very special place in my heart. It’s where I grew up, found a love for learning and I got my first teaching and assistant principal position. I would not be half the leader I am today without my colleagues’ and principals’ support.”

Testing data released in 2023 showed Riverbend Elementary School to be the highest performing elementary school in the 14 counties of the western region of North Carolina.

“Riverbend Elementary is not just a school, it is a vibrant community of learners, educators and families united by a shared commitment to academic excellence,” said Cope. “I am humbled and honored to now be a part of the Riverbend community and I cannot wait to meet each one of you. Thank you again for this incredible opportunity.”

Steven Osber, a Senior Partner at Conrad & Scherer and lead counsel in the case, said, “This lawsuit aims to ensure accountability for those responsible, particularly individuals entrusted with the safety and well-being of others, for their actions and oversights that led to this tragic incident. Our client’s life has been forever changed, and we are committed to seeking justice and ensuring that such a preventable accident never happens again.”

The complaint outlines how Fireblast Global, Inc. allegedly failed to adhere to safe-

ty standards and neglected proper maintenance and training, which directly contributed to the explosion. Despite previous incidents and signs of system malfunctions, the defendants did not take adequate measures to prevent this catastrophic event.

In a press release, it is stated that Conrad & Scherer is determined to pursue all avenues to secure compensation for Massey’s significant medical expenses, lost income and ongoing suffering, as well as seeking punitive damages for the egregious disregard for the safety and well-being of others.

Leanna Moody. File photo

Karley Wells. File photo

Layna Cope. File photo

How to find the right fit for summer camp

Many adults fondly recall their days at summer camp. The increase in households with two working parents has made it more important than ever to find a camp to accommodate youngsters who need to remain engaged and entertained throughout over summer vacation. That reality has led to more summer camp options, but it’s not always so easy finding one that’s the right fit for a child.

No two children are the same and kids change quite a bit as they grow up. So a camp that worked for an older child or even one that accommodated a younger camper may not make the perfect fit this summer. With that in mind, parents can consider these tips to find the right summer camp for their children.

• Ask around. Even if no two campers are the same, it can benefit parents to ask around when shopping for a summer camp.

before making a final decision. Involve kids in the search by showing them websites of prospective camps and asking them what they think of each one. If attending an inperson consultation, bring kids along so they can form their own impression.

• Make sure the camp suits your schedule. Kids’ preferences are not the only opinions to consider. In households with two working parents, moms and dads must find

Summer camp spots are limited and it’s not uncommon for competition for available spaces to develop, which can make it more difficult to gather information. However, ask neighbors whose children have outgrown summer camp if there’s one they might recommend (or would not recommend).

• Pursue a package deal. Though package deals might not result in lower rates, approaching a camp with the parents of your child’s friend or friends may work in your favor. Kids undoubtedly will be more excited about camp if their friends will be there as well. Camp officials may see these quasipackage deals as beneficial and a quick and easy way to fill spots.

• Ask kids how they want to spend summer. Specialized camps run the gamut from sports camps focusing on a particular sport to general outdoor recreation camps to camps that cater to young musicians. More general camps offer a wide range of activities throughout the summer, and that might appeal to children less interested in specialized camps. Ask youngsters for their input

a camp that aligns with their work schedule. Many camps offer half-day sessions and/or full-day sessions, but some offer just one or the other. If parents need full-day sessions, they might need to begin their search early to ensure they can secure a spot before they fill up.

• Identify what you can afford. Camp costs vary significantly, so parents should identify how much they can afford before they begin their search. Doing so may eliminate various camps right off the bat, saving parents precious time as they try to find a camp for their children before spots fill up. Many towns offer local camps at schools, and these may be an affordable option. Parents also should know that many camps allow them to pick certain weeks or days of the week a child will attend rather than insisting kids attend camp for the duration of the summer.

Summer camp season is right around the corner. Parents and children can work together to identify a camp that will ensure this summer is filled with fun.

Folded

Chronicling the closure of Pactiv Evergreen’s Canton paper mill

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR

2023

Feb. 8

n A leaked, undated memo obtained exclusively by The Smoky Mountain News reveals plans by Pactiv Evergreen to shut down one of the Canton mill’s four paper-making machines due to declining demand.

Feb. 13

n An official from the United Steel Workers Smoky Mountain Local 507 says he thinks the curtailment in output at the mill may be related to union contract talks.

March 6

n SMN breaks the stunning announcement of the mill’s closing on Facebook after Politics Editor Cory Vaillancourt, acting on a tip, blends into an employees-only meeting where workers are told the mill will close by summer.

History will whisper through the mountain mists that once upon a time, Pactiv Evergreen’s paper mill in Canton stood as a symbol of industry and economic prosperity for generations.

But behind its towering façade, the specter of mismanagement and malfeasance eventually led to a botched closing announcement, a health care coverage crisis and more than a thousand workers helplessly watching their good-paying jobs evaporate like morning dew in the midday summer sun.

Uncertainty continues to haunt Canton and the region, as decades of long-buried damage done to the environment finally see the light of day.

The future of the company-owned site and its critical wastewater infrastructure both remain vague as local govern-

after Pactiv Evergreen’s

upgrading the century-old facility.

ments brace for unthinkable budgetary impact.

The events that ensued, however, are much more than a timeline of tragedy.

They are a testament to a community still reeling from a deadly flood two years prior coming together as one across political and socioeconomic lines to forge a way forward. They are proof that the people of Canton and Haywood County are guided by compassion and charity, even in the face of inhumanity and greed. They are a demonstration that Mother Nature is eager to heal from what humans have wrought.

These events doubtless marked the end of an era. But one day, history will again whisper that they also marked the beginning of another.

n Vaillancourt’s account of Racki’s comments remains the only first-hand documentation of what Pactiv told its workers about the closing.

n Racki also says that the company will work with the town on the operation of the mill’s wastewater treatment plant, which since the 1960s has treated all of Canton’s municipal waste for free. According to the agreement, in the event of a closure Pactiv must continue to operate the plant for two years.

March 7

n The first story on the mill’s closing appears on SMN’s website just hours after the announcement. In it, then-Vice President of Beverage Merchandising Byron Racki cites market conditions and the huge cost of

n As the community explores ways to help laid-off mill workers find employment, SMN is first to report that four of Pactiv’s top executives, including Racki, sold more than $660,000 in company stock just four days before laying off almost 1,000 workers.

n Garret K. Woodward, SMN’s arts and entertainment editor, discusses the closing with Canton native Tim Surrett, bassist for bluegrass powerhouse Balsam Range. The group’s song, “Papertown” had become an anthem for the town, especially in the wake of deadly flooding in August 2021.

March 8

n In his weekly column, Woodward reflects on the closing of the mill and the similarities to the 2005 closing of a Wyeth-Ayerst pharmaceutical plant in his home town, the tiny Canadian border village of Rouses Point, New York.

March 14

n SMN is first to report that Pactiv may be in violation of the terms of a $12 million state economic development grant from 2014 if the company fol-

The paper mill at the heart of Canton for 115 years closed for good on June 8, 2023 just three months after the closing was first announced. File photo

Moments

announcement that it would soon shutter the mill, the sun sets on more than a century of papermaking in Canton. Cory Vaillancourt photo

Miles ahead, miles to go

Despite a year of progress, post-mill challenges remain in Canton

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

Not a lot of people remember the date the whistle last blew or the date the last workers put their well-worn tools down and took their shiny plastic helmets off for the final time, but everyone seems to remember the date of Pactiv Evergreen’s shocking announcement — the date that marked the end of one era, and the beginning of another.

“That was, to us, the death,” said Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. “You can tell me when someone died, but you can’t tell me the day of the funeral.”

The community would have little time to mourn the closing of the century-old paper mill at the heart of Canton. Key state, regional and local partners immediately stepped in to provide a soft landing for the mill’s workers and their families, and began working on infrastructure and real estate issues, a process that continues one year later.

In terms of where Canton was a year ago it’s now miles ahead, but local leaders are still focused on the miles ahead.

Tommy Long, an electrical instrumentation technician at the mill for nearly 25 years, had just stepped out the back of the shop after fixing a coal-fired steam boiler. Sitting on a stack of pallets a little after 5 p.m. on March 6, 2023, he got a text. Then, a coworker stopped to chat. Then, another. They were all telling him the same thing.

“It resonates in my mind like the day the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded, the day John F. Kennedy got shot,” Long said.

lows through with its plans to close the mill. Per the grant application, the average wage at the mill is listed as $84,199 — nearly triple the per capita average in Haywood County.

n Locally, Haywood Community College quickly becomes the nexus of community response efforts as Haywood County government surveys business owners on the fiscal impact of the closure.

n SMN’s Kyle Perrotti reports on the potential impact of the closure on Papertown’s gritty blue-collar identity.

March 15

n Holly Kays, SMN’s outdoors editor, talks to environmental groups about how the closing of the mill could actually improve conditions for flora and fauna in the Pigeon River downstream from the mill.

“It’s a day I’ll never forget.”

An unusual late afternoon meeting called by Pactiv had just concluded, and word was beginning to trickle out that the mill would close in three months. Long recalls feelings of abandonment and betrayal, but it wasn’t a complete surprise.

Racked with turnover, the company had stopped hiring from within, opting instead for recent college grads who struggled to fit in and became disillusioned with the Dickensian atmosphere at the 115-year-old mill. Critical pieces of equipment weren’t being maintained or repaired, downtime

increased, and production suffered as the market sagged.

The vicious cycles at play were similar to those that led to the demise of a Kannapolis company called Pillowtex, in 2003.

Weeks after Pactiv made its announcement, somebody somewhere along the line remembered that several academics had the foresight to chronicle the closing of Pillowtex and the community’s response.

S EE CHALLENGES, PAGE 8

n Ben Best, a 94-year-old retiree from Crabtree, remembers millworkers having a sense of pride in their jobs and how his mill income kept the family’s 180-acre farm going.

March 16

n North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says he believes that Pactiv will indeed be in violation of the terms of the $12 million JMAC grant if the mill closes.

March 22

n With mandatory WARN notices hitting mailboxes — informing workers of their last day — the international union places Canton’s USW Local 507 under administratorship, stripping titles and duties from the union’s local leaders to ensure the continuity of union operations as employees begin to lose their jobs or leave.

n Concerns also begin to emerge over toxic

materials and pollution that may be lurking beneath the sprawling 185-acre mill site owned by Pactiv.

March 24

n The financial implications of Pactiv’s closure prompt Canton’s town government to explore austerity measures in the coming year’s budget.

March 29

n Pactiv receives a notice of violation from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality after a Sept. 20, 2022 water quality test reveals pollution nearly 50% higher than legal limits. It is Pactiv’s 11th violation since May, 2021.

n Haywood County Community and Economic Development Director David Francis confirms that a story published in the Waynesville Mountaineer falsely stated that Pactiv’s small

satellite facility in Waynesville would soon close. The story shocked already-nervous workers, but the facility remains open as of March 2024.

n Union leaders continue bargaining with Pactiv on severance pay for departing workers.

April 5

n Haywood County Schools Superintendent Trevor Putnam makes an unusual financial ask of the General Assembly in light of already declining school enrollment projected to continue in light of job loss at the mill.

April 12

n Gov. Roy Cooper travels to Pisgah High School, joining Haywood County Commission Chairman Kevin Ensley and mayors of all four county municipalities, including Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers, who calls the rapidly developing situation “a Carolina crisis.”

Shortly after Pactiv’s announcement, signs encouraging people to pray began popping up around the mill. Max Cooper photo

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When what’s now called “the Pillowtex report” began to make the rounds in Haywood County, local leaders realized they were already following the same response protocols without even knowing it, and were even ahead of the game in many respects. According to the report, five days after the July 30, 2003 mass layoffs at Pillowtex — around 4,800 workers were given pink slips that day, without warning — a community center opened, providing multi-level services. Three days later, worker orientation sessions began to be held at the plant, a job resource center opened and the local community college spooled up workforce development programs that ultimately served more than 1,600 former Pillowtex employees.

Haywood had these initiatives in place during a similar time frame and before the mill had even closed.

Long, who is also a Haywood County commissioner, said that one of the first phone calls he made was to Shelley White, president of Haywood Community College.

“We were concentrating on, ‘Hey, we’ve got to take care of our people,’” Long said. “That was my main focus as an elected official. I wanted to make sure that the government was doing all it could possibly do to facilitate retraining.”

Haywood Community College quickly become a clearinghouse for all things mill-related, but not by accident. White had already experienced a similar situation when she previously worked at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.

“It was during the time right before the Great Recession, where there were a lot of company closings happening,” she said. “My job was to go out and meet with people who had just found out they were going to be losing their jobs and talk to them about training and talk to them about educational opportunities.”

n SMN’s Hannah McLeod reports that pulp and paper classes offered to students at Pisgah HIgh School will continue.

April 14

n Mayor Smathers announces that the town of Canton will eventually get the mill’s iconic steam-powered whistles and other artifacts.

May 3

n NC Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Elisabeth Biser tells local leaders she plans to hold Pactiv accountable for cleaning up any messes left behind.

n Like the Town of Canton, Haywood County Schools begins crafting its annual budget, adjusting it to account for declining enrollment and other issues associated with the Canton mill closure.

Backdropped by the mill, Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers (right) speaks during a prayer vigil for mill workers in Sorrells Street Park as (left to right) Rep. Mark Pless, Alderman Ralph Hamlett, Alderwoman Kristina Proctor and Mayor Pro Tem Gail Mull look on. Cory Vaillancourt photo

Steam escaping from the mill — once a common sight in Canton — now exists only in photos and the memories of residents. Max Cooper photo.

S EE CHALLENGES, PAGE 10

May 10

n Unlike local governments and the school system, Haywood Community College is in growth mode, requesting a 10% increase in its budget at least partially to fund expanded workforce development and instruction for displaced mill workers.

May 18

n Pactiv stuns the community again — this time, by asking for a break on its property tax bill for the 185-acre mill site. According to the company, “The true value of the subject real property is substantially lower than the tax office’s appraised value.”

May 22

n Pactiv stuns the community yet again — this time, by failing to inform its health care coverage provider of its intention to close, thus creating a dangerous health care coverage gap for its soon-to-be unemployed workers.

May 24

n The subject of the mill’s closing dominates a panel discussion on the future of Western North Carolina’s forests, highlighting unforeseen and potentially negative impacts on forest ecology.

n Pactiv receives two new air quality violation notices from the N.C. Division of Air Quality, bringing its total violations since May 2021 to 13.

n The mill’s steam-powered whistle, long a fixture of life in Canton, blows at the mill for the

last time. Church bells chimed 115 times for each year the mill had been open.

May 31

n In anticipation of a hearing on Pactiv’s property tax reduction request, Mayor Smathers says he plans to fight. NC Attorney General Josh Stein visits Canton and reiterates that the state will also fight to enforce the terms of the $12 million JMAC grant.

June 2

n Pactiv’s property tax reduction request is soundly rejected during a meeting of the Haywood County Board of Equalization and Review.

June 7

n Darryl Hinnant, mayor of Kannapolis, speaks at a town hall, revealing lessons learned when a large employer in his town closed more than 20 years ago. The ensuing revitalization is widely seen as a success story.

n At that same town hall, Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) refuses to tell his constituents what he did to prevent the mill’s closure after SMN informed him of trouble more than a month before Pactiv’s March 6 announcement and rejects help from adjoining Buncombe County.

June 8

n Millworkers pay an emotional farewell in Canton, as the last shift ends. Workers leaving the mill for the last time are greeted as heroes.

As with the pharmacy tech, medical coding and customer service programs for Pillowtex workers at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, HCC launched a CDL truck driving program in partnership with Caldwell Community College.

Within the first week after the announcement, HCC established the Haywood Strong scholarship fund to help mill employees pay tuition. By the end of 2023, White estimates, the fund had distributed more than $50,000. Five months after the closing announcement, HCC graduated its first class of truckers, all former mill workers.

Figures recently released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce show almost no change in Haywood County’s unemployment that year, while Kannapolis saw a 5% spike in the immediate aftermath of Pillowtex closing.

Haywood County’s rapid response team was also able to help Pactiv workers avoid — just barely — the three-month health care coverage gap that Pillowtex workers experienced. Benefits for Pillowtex workers were terminated the same day the workers were, while Pactiv neglected to inform its insurer that it was closing, causing a delay that left some workers to go without expensive doctor visits and medications they could no longer afford.

“We all kind of banded together and said, ‘Okay, how are how are we going to solve this?’ And so by summer there were some steps that were able to be taken to help put resources in place so that folks wouldn’t go without health insurance,” White said.

Ironically, the closing of the mill may end up having a positive effect on the county’s workforce.

“I think some of the longer-term impacts for the college will be the funds that we were able to receive from the General Assembly this past year to make further investments in workforce programming and facilities and equipment,” White said. “That’s going to help position us to continue to be responsive for those workforce needs in the future.”

Of the $6 million, half will be used for improvements at the High Tech Center, including new equipment for machining and electrical programs. The other half will be used for career and technical programs and for bringing the truck driving program fully under HCC’s purview.

“I think that looking back over how fast we’ve moved over the past year as a community, it feels to me like we had the right people in the right places to problem-solve,” White said.

Another less quantifiable way Canton’s response has equaled or exceeded that of Kannapolis is in planning for the future of the site.

“We had the largest textile mill in North America under one roof,” said Daryl Hinnant, mayor of Kannapolis, at a Pisgah High School town hall held last June. “Over 6 million square-feet, larger than the Pentagon, under one roof. This was a white elephant in the middle of our town. Literally in the middle of town.”

Although the downtown redevelopment in Kannapolis is seen as a success, it took nearly 20 years for a billionaire developer to swoop in, buy the land and partner with the University of North Carolina system and the state on a research campus concept that created around 1,000 good-paying, mostly white-collar jobs. The developer also sold 50 acres to the town for $100,000 each. Since then, Kannapolis has seen mixed use development, new businesses, more housing and a new minor league baseball stadium.

In Canton, closed-door economic development discussions have been taking place with Pactiv for months

over the 185-acre parcel that straddles the Pigeon River, right in the middle of town. Pactiv still owns it, but it’s thought that a milieu of state and local governments along with community-oriented nonprofits are cobbling together an offer for Pactiv’s consideration.

That carrot, however, comes with a couple of sticks.

The first is the threat of a state lawsuit over a $12 million economic development grant, the terms of which Gov. Cooper says Pactiv violated by not maintaining employment levels agreed to in the grant. The other is the industrial development moratorium Canton enacted last July. Essentially, it prevents Pactiv from selling the parcel to another industrial concern without the town having a say in the matter.

Concerns over pollution may give some potential buyers pause, as Pactiv continues to rack up environmental violations, even though the mill has been closed for nearly nine months.

Much of the parcel lies in areas prone to flooding, limiting its uses, but much of it does not.

Smathers says he’d like the site to become a success story of its own.

“I want to see a location that produces the strongest and most diverse economy in Western North Carolina, one that includes manufacturing, but also includes mixed opportunities, whether that be recreational or commercial use. I would love to see an education component,” he said. “The other thing is flooding. I mean it, and I’ve said it over and over again — the one hill that I will die on is that some of it has to be flood relief and mitigation. We do not know what that site is going to be in the future, but we do know another flood will impact us. We have to prepare for that.”

He’d also like to see some historic preservation.

“So often we talk about what’s next, but we forget about the people and places and sacrifices that made us who we were, and are and I think that is a huge component of this,” Smathers said. “It’s a constant reminder of what made not just Canton, but this country, great.”

Ultimately, it’s up to Pactiv to sell or not to sell. As was the case in Kannapolis, it’s a real possibility that the site could languish for years, unused.

“I hope that’s not the reality, and I promise you, that’s not the goal. This place, this economy and these people deserve not to have that happen,” Smathers said. “We’re working and have been working exceptionally hard behind the scenes in seeing what the options are, and I’m cautiously optimistic that won’t happen.”

The one area where Canton isn’t ahead of Kannapolis in the recovery process is by far the most puzzling. Pactiv has for decades treated the town’s wastewater, but a two-year agreement for Pactiv to continue operating the wastewater treatment plant will soon end.

Canton has $38 million from the General Assembly, but not the site. Once it acquires one, permitting and construction will take years. Kannapolis came to an agreement with Pillowtex to take over its wastewater treatment plant within six months of the closing.

“We have an idea what our plan is with wastewater six or seven years from now, and with the help of our legislative delegation in Raleigh, we know what the future looks like, but in the present, knowing that the mill will only run wastewater until 2025, that is a huge challenge for us on so many fronts,” Smathers said.

Still, Smathers remains optimistic even as he recalls naysayers who thought the town would simply dry up after such a devastating loss.

“There are amazing days ahead, partly because of the character and the strength of this town and the people who are still here,” he said. “There will be a great ending to this story.”

Just ahead of the mill’s last shift, some workers left personal protective gear outside. Cory

Continuing the cleanup

Pigeon River slowly bounces back as mill environmental violations mount

BY KYLE P ERROTTI

N EWS E DITOR

Once Pactiv Evergreen’s Canton paper mill shut down for good, people wondered how the Pigeon River and the aquatic life it supports would change.

While the results have been promising with several species seeming to thrive, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Concerns have grown over what the mill has left behind during its century-plus of operation, and while there are still questions, some answers have emerged as air and water environmental violations have mounted. Pactiv Evergreen has received seven notices of violation from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) since it closed last June and 22 since May 2021, an average of about 1.3 every two months.

Some are tied to the shutdown itself, and some have only been revealed in light of the closing. The most recent violations were issued Feb. 2 and Feb. 6 of this year following fecal coliform concentrations in discharge from the wastewater treatment plant back in October of last year.

A few violations, even some of the most recent, are tied to a black-liquor seep dating back to an ongoing problem that first received a notice of violation in 1994. Agency staff have spotted black liquor deposits, a toxic byproduct of papermaking, on multiple occasions since then.

Some violations seem more overt than others. On July 10, a notice of violation (NOV) accused the company of dumping chemicals directly into the mill’s wastewater treatment system rather than disposing of them properly, as required by the company’s permit.

According to the NOV, when DEQ’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) discussed the complaint with facility staff, personnel said their actions did not fall outside of regulations contained in Pactiv Evergreen’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit. After DWR told staff that direct disposal of raw materials is not covered under its permit, workers argued that virgin chemicals could be dis-

June 21

n Canton logs its eighth minor earthquake since May 23, prompting as-yet unfounded speculation that the mill — or perhaps a higher power — may somehow be responsible.

June 28

n Based on similar situations across the country, the closure of the Pactiv’s Canton mill promises to leave complex environmental footprint behind.

July 10

n Pactiv’s latest notice of violation from NCDEQ accuses the company of illegally dumping chemicals during the shutdown process. It is Pactiv’s 14th NOV since May 2021.

July 13

n Canton government passes an industrial development moratorium aimed at Pactiv, to ensure the town has a say in whatever might move into Pactiv’s 185-acre site. The moratorium is revokable by the town at any time.

posed of through the wastewater system, that such activities were allowed within the permit and that “this type of process was inherent to shutdown operations.”

The NOV stated clearly that isn’t case. However, Pactiv countered that claim in a letter it sent to DWR.

“Importantly, the discharge of the cleaning solution and sanitizer to the WWTP [wastewater treatment plant] during the shutdown, both of which were properly discharged to and treated at the WWTP when used in the normal operation of the mill, did not harm the beneficial bacteria or upset the aerobic treatment processes at the WWTP,” the letter states.

International Paper and Pactiv Evergreen in the wake of the black liquor seep’s discovery, which spurred various sampling events to understand the extent and impact of the contamination.

In June, Pactiv Evergreen consultant Ensafe sampled the Pigeon River near one of the seepage areas. A preliminary report showed extremely high levels of several heavy metals in one of the sampling sites, a pit dug along the exposed riverbank. Lead levels were 2,796 times higher than the state standard. Copper was 332 times higher, chromium 21 times higher, nickel 17 times higher, zinc five times higher and arsenic nearly four times higher. Beryllium came in more than 30% above the state limit. However, the report noted that the “vast majority” of sites and chemicals analyzed came in below detection limits.

Currently, there are two active cleanups onsite, resulting from issues with above-ground storage tanks. The first is in

“The WWTP did not observe any spikes in pH beyond the anticipated spikes associated with the black liquor discharges,” it later states. “Further, the WWTP complied with all monitored parameters during this period, and no violation of water quality standards was detected.”

Perhaps the most concerning NOV was issued to

July 26

n Laid-off millworkers still struggle with the health care coverage crisis created by Pactiv’s lack of communication with its insurer. Some canceled doctor visits, rationed expensive medications or went without.

July 27

the wake of a release of gasoline from an underground pump supply line from a tank in early 2021. Oil containment booms were deployed, and three monitoring wells were installed. Pactiv Evergreen must continue operating them until contaminant concentrations fall below regulatory standards.  F

n Pactiv Evergreen contests the July 10 chemical dumping allegations.

Aug. 2

n Downstream fish populations explode following the mill’s closure less than two months prior.

Aug. 9

n Pactiv earns its 15th notice of violation since May 2021 for toxic wastewater. Over that period, Pactiv has averaged one NOV every two months.

Aug. 16

n Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson visits Canton’s Chestnut Mountain Park and discusses opportunities for supplementing the area’s outdoor recreation economy.

n HCC graduates its first class of truck drivers. The program was created specifically to provide mill workers with opportunities for a new careers.

Aug. 17

n DEQ Secretary Biser returns to Canton, saying that accountability and remediation of black liquor and fuel oil seeps remain a priority.

Aug. 21

n Dashing the hopes of those who thought the mill might one day reopen, Pactiv removes the huge smokestacks that once towered over site.

Aug. 30

n Sen. Thom Tillis hosts a brief but wide-ranging town hall at BearWaters Brewing in Canton, taking questions from elected officials and municipal administrators.

Sept. 19

n Pactiv earns another notice of violation from NCDEQ, this time for water toxicity. It is Pactiv’s 16th since May 2021.

Sept. 27

n Haywood County’s legislative delegation — Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Macon), Sen. Ralph Hise

A whitetail shiner caught during sampling is held up with the mill in the background. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Haywood County Republican Rep. Mark Pless (left) speaks on Aug. 17 in Canton with Elizabeth Biser, secretary of North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality. Cory Vaillancourt photo

The second was a release of No. 6 fuel oil that was observed on the Pigeon River in June 2021. The source was determined to be either a tank or transfer line on site. Oil booms were deployed, and a firm engaged for a subsurface investigation. But in August 2022, an oil sheen was once more observed on the river, presumed to be from the same source.

While some issues were noticed because of the shutdown, the tally of violations had been running up years before the announcement that the mill was closing, even beyond the existing black liquor seep. In November 2022, SMN reported that complaints poured into Asheville’s DEQ office alleging that a strange white dust from the mill was covering vehicles. It was believed that the problem sprung up because of a faulty dust collection system.

“This morning a strange, thick white fog appeared that left a gritty, fine white powder on both sides of my vehicles,” one complaint read. “Even after a thorough car wash, the grit remains.”

“What have we been breathing, who is handling the damage to our vehicles and our persons, are there long-term effects we need to be concerned about?” another complaint read.

Even as it’s struggled to control dust deposition, Evergreen has logged multiple water quality violations over the past year and a half. On Nov. 23, 2021, the mill’s environmental staff found dead fish and trace amounts of foam downstream. At the same time, a discharge monitoring report found that biological oxygen demand — the amount of oxygen aquatic microorganisms use up — was higher than allowed under state regulations, posing a problem for native aquatic species. DWR issued two notices of violation, one focusing on the biological oxygen demand exceedance and the other citing five specific water quality violations surrounding the fish kill.

accountable as we do all actors in the state.”

Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers said he’s appreciated Biser and DEQ’s analysis and accountability.

“From zero-hour, DEQ has been an absolutely tremendous partner for the town and the county,” Smathers said. “The solutions are workable, but they’re making [Pactiv] Evergreen do what they’re supposed to, and we expect that to continue.”

mountain stream, anything over 80 degrees is incredibly warm.

This lines up with what environmental groups hoped to see following the shutdown. Those groups have envisioned a Canton that can pay homage to its blue-collar roots while shifting its economy to put outdoor recreation front and center. Now, some believe the potential to attract paddlers and anglers might lie ahead.

Luke Etchison, a river conservation biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, said that while they were hoping to get out in the fall for further analysis, they weren’t able to, but biologists do plan on going late spring or early summer of this year to continue sampling. Anecdotally, he said it seems like many species had great years, and he believes the cause is likely the closure of the mill. While there were some species that didn’t seem to have a noticeable change, Etchison thinks they may see signs of that this year.

As the mill has accumulated violations, DEQ has continued to make it clear it plans on holding the company accountable. During a visit from NCDEQ Secretary Elizabeth Biser in May, she said she wants to use “all authority and available resources” to ensure a full environmental assessment is conducted.

“Notices of violation are what we use whenever there are violations that are observed or are noted,” Biser said during a separate August visit. “Those evaluations, I believe, so far have spoken for themselves. We will continue to hold Pactiv

(R-Mitchell) and Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood)

— comes through with record-setting funding to address critical needs, including $38 million for Canton’s future wastewater treatment needs.

Oct. 4

n Southwestern Commission Workforce Development Director David Garrett tells Haywood County commissioners that substantial grant funding remains available for dislocated workers to retrain or to learn new skills.

Oct. 25

n Planning for a post-mill Canton becomes a critical issue in advance of the November municipal election, as the N.C. Collaboratory, headquartered at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, begins a two- to three-year research project aimed at understanding contamination levels outside the fence line of the shuttered mill.

Oct. 26

n Fecal coliform concentrations earn Pactiv its 17th notice of violation since May 2021.

While concerns continue over contamination related to ongoing cleanups, there is also good news. A DEQ survey of aquatic creatures conducted downstream from the mill site in August of last year yielded the first-ever “good” bioclassification at that site in the 39 years and 17 observations on record. In addition, in July of last year, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission sampled fish populations at three sites downstream from the mill and found double the diversity and 15 times the number of fish logged during a previous sampling event in May, when the mill was still operating.

When the mill was operational, the water it released was warmer than the water it took in. Data gathered in preparation for the permit renewal showed that between 2016 and 2018, the average temperature difference was 6 degrees. There were 161 days with a temperature difference greater than 10 degrees, and 118 days with downstream water temperatures greater than 80 degrees. One day in 2016 when the river above the mill measured 77 degrees, the downstream reach marked its peak temperature of 90 degrees. For a

Nov. 8

n The declining condition of Pactiv-owned Lake Logan as well as the stability of the lake’s dam play a role in the cancellations of the Lake Logan triathlons.

n Two of Canton’s longtime governing board members, Mayor Pro Tem Gail Mull and Alderman Ralph Hamlett, are both reelected to four-year terms.

“We have some species for which the peak is typically early May, so the fact that we didn’t find any juveniles before made me think they just didn’t have the opportunity to spawn,” he said, adding that they also plan to reintroduce certain species. “We can start doing some of the stuff we were doing in the upper French Broad River here.”

Going forward, the concern is that further analysis may turn up PFAS, a potentially harmful chemical that breaks down slowly. PFAS is often used in the paper industry, especially for food product packaging like that made in the Canton plant. If so, the PFAS could also be buried at the mill’s landfills. If those chemicals leach into the ground from those landfills, serious problems could arise.

The group conducting research to monitor for PFAS and other toxic substances is the N.C. Collaboratory out of UNC Chapel Hill.

The purpose of the testing is not so much to assign blame for the presence of any contaminants found (it’s difficult to prove how a particular chemical came to be present in a sample) and to force a suspected polluter to clean it up, but rather to develop a “to do” list of issues to be addressed.

To start, the project will likely extend 18-24 months, but the effort may ultimately last longer than that — closer to 36 months. The Collaboratory, which is planning the project in partnership with the DEQ, anticipates investing $250,000 to $500,000 over time.

Nov. 9

n Canton passes a preliminary project budget ordinance for the new wastewater treatment plant, although a site has not yet been selected.

Nov. 15

n After alleging poor market conditions caused the mill’s closing, Pactiv is blamed for milk carton shortages in schools, jails and assisted living facilities.

2024

Jan. 3

n NCAG Josh Stein, currently running for governor, may not be in position to continue to hold Pactiv accountable — including a possible lawsuit over the JMAC grant — after the November election, but the top Republican and Democratic candidates for attorney general promise to continue Stein’s vigilance.

Jan. 10

n Local leaders say Canton’s first post-mill municipal budget will be results-oriented but will

also reflect declining revenues due to the shutdown.

n A release of leachate from the mill’s landfill leachate ponds on Dec. 4, 2023, and another toxic wastewater discharge on Dec. 22, 2023, earns Pactiv two more notices of violation from NCDEQ, its 19th and 20th since May 2021.

Feb. 6

n Two more fecal coliform violations earn Pactiv its 21st and 22nd notices of violation since May 2021 — bringing the total to seven since the mill closed in June 2023.

Feb. 21

n A somewhat dormant Haywood County nonprofit with experience in massive economic development projects signs a new agreement with the county, asserting a greater economic development role in the future, just as the county announces a substantial economic development planning effort to address a post-mill economy and other regional challenges.

Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers leads University of North Carolina Chapel Hill faculty and administrators on a tour of Canton Oct. 19. Holly Kays photo

A kayak-view photo looks upstream from the paper mill site in Canton. Anna Alsobrook/MountainTrue photo

Jackson County Schools receives safety grant

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER

Jackson County Schools will install over 100 new security cameras throughout the school system after it received over a quarter of a million dollars from the Center for Safer Schools’ Safety Grant Program.

“The grant covers three areas, two of which are related to mental health services for our students, and then the third for technology specifically for cameras,” said Deputy Superintendent Jake Buchanan.

The school system received a total of $278,410 in grant funds. Of that, $45,000 will be allocated to services for students in crisis, just under $10,000 will be put towards training to increase school safety and the remaining amount will be used to purchase security cameras for Jackson County Schools.

“We’re super excited about this one,” said Buchanan.

According to Buchanan, the money will allow JCPS to replace and update some of its older cameras, as well as install over 100 cameras in completely new locations.

“Those camera locations have been determined by our safety walk-throughs that we do every fall,” Buchanan said.

The school system conducts safety walkthroughs with school and county staff, including Emergency Management Director Todd Dillard, the county manager, EMS Manager for Harris Regional Hospital Matthew Burrell, Fire Marshal Michael Forbis, Jamie Ashe who represents the Sheriff’s Office as the sergeant for School Resource Officers, the SRO at each school and the school’s admin team.

Together this group combed through each school and identified locations where law enforcement, school administration or emergency management had concerns about areas that weren’t covered.

“We have received this grant in previous years, and it was usually around $15,000 to $20,000,” Buchanan said. “But when we saw the amount that the legislature had put into the budget, which was much more than it had ever been, we actually submitted a grant for a much larger amount of money.”

This budget cycle the North Carolina

General Assembly designated $35 million in funding for school safety grants through the Center for Safer Schools, operated by the North Carolina Department of Public Instructions. Of that, just over $8 million was given to charter schools in the state and $26.9 million was given to traditional school districts. The largest allocation went to

“This is another big step in keeping our students as safe as they can be.”

— Deputy Superintendent Jake Buchanan

Gaston County Schools for $750,000.

Haywood County Schools received $300,000 in this round of grant funds through the Center for Safer Schools, Macon County Schools received $300,000 and Swain County Schools received $96,600. Shining Rock Classical Academy, the charter school in Haywood, received $101,000, and Summit Charter School in Jackson received $22,663.

The school system has previously worked to create single points of entry for all its schools — a $7 million project funded by the county commission — and secure classroom doors. In 2022, the school system received a $420,008 grant from Community Oriented Policing Services to install electronic locks with access control on 300 classroom doors, as well as implement a new digital radio system that provided reliable communication to remote areas of the county.

“This is another big step in keeping our students as safe as they can be,” Buchanan said at the time. “Along with our current single point of entry project, we will have multiple layers of security at each school.”

Buchanan asked for permission from the school board to undergo the full RFP process to spend up to $223,557 for security cameras only with money from the grant. The funding requires no local match. The board approved the plan unanimously.

JCPS will install over 100 new security cameras. File photo

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Haywood County Arts Council Hosts Unique Exhibit

In 2004, my life was completely changed when one of my twin boys was born with Down syndrome. Initially, I felt as though my world had crumbled, envisioning the worst possible outcomes. However, as this little boy, named Jake, grew and nestled his way into our hearts, I came to realize that we had so much to gain from this experience. Jake has singlehandedly revolutionized our family’s perspective on the world.

County Special Olympics, and Haywood Vocational Opportunities. In order to ensure a diverse and inclusive representation, Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) will be accepting applications for this show until March 1st. We encourage all artists with unique abilities to seize this opportunity and share their exceptional talents with our community. Contact HCAC for more information or applications.

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aynesville . Main St. • W

828.452.052 affairsoftheheartnc.co 6 • om

S o Susan H

RE S IDENTIAL BR O KER A SS (828)400-1078

SOC IATE oper

As the executive director of the Haywood County Arts Council, I have the unique opportunity to host an exhibit that will offer a glimpse into this extraordinary world. I am excited to announce a very special art exhibit at the Haywood County Arts Council gallery. Entitled “Challenge Me, Art by Differently Abled Artists,” this exhibition will run from March 8th to April 7th, with an opening reception on March 8th. The gallery will not only showcase the vibrant artwork created by Jake, but also feature the remarkable works of other differently abled artists we have had the privilege of meeting organizations such as The ARC of Haywood County, Haywood

This exhibition serves as a celebration of the remarkable abilities possessed by individuals with different abilities. It is a testament to the power of art to transcend barriers and foster understanding and appreciation. We invite you to join us in this inspiring journey, as we explore the boundless creativity and resilience of these exceptional artists.

Mark your calendars for March 8th and prepare to be captivated by the extraordinary works on display at Haywood Handmade gallery. Together, let us embrace the beauty of diversity and recognize the immense contributions made by differently abled artists.

Contact:

Tonya

Harwood Executive Director director@haywoodarts.org

e .

susan . hooper@allentate

susanhooper@allentate com

As a resident of Haywood County for over 35 years, I have developed a deep understanding of the local real estate market. Being an active participant in the community and staying informed with the latest trends and developments in the area, I have established myself as a local expert.

As a real estate professional with an unwaveringcommitmenttocustomer

Susan Hoop proffeessional ever known. of (North Ca seller, but as a T both Teexas a time and skil properties w customer ser unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, I am the right choice for you when it comes to buying, selling, or investing in property in Western North Carolina.

I’m dedicated to leveraging my knowledge of the region’s unique characteristics to help you achieve your real estate goals. Don’t hesitate to contact me today to learn more about how I can guide you through the real estate process and make your dream a reality.

er is one of the most real estate agents Ihave Ispeak not only as an out rolina) state property affoormer agent myself in nd Florida. I know the ls it takes to buy and sell hile providing the best vice possible throughout

pg the process. Susan excelled in every wayy. She and Iworked together (1,000 t) f miles apar foor more than seven ecomm months wher u unication was a keyy. . That communication resulted in ersinaf y off two propert ffe foour-month listing, the second one ending in a successful sale. I couldn't be more pleased working through the process with Susan. I highly recommend her to annyyone who wants to work with the very best.

— Suzanne L. Cruver

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Finding alignment on the anniversary of COVID

Many folks seem out of alignment these days, and I’ve been thinking about why that may be. The uncertainty and unpredictability of the pandemic affected us deeply and highlighted the fragility of not only our day-to-day routines and comforts but of life in general. One day we had a sense of security in almost everything and the next day, it was gone, never to return fully to pre-pandemic levels.

Once things settled after COVID-19, society attempted to return to life as it had been before 2020, only to realize things didn’t feel the same. The monumental pause in life as we’d always known it came with consequences, both good and bad. It made us question things like the 9-to-5 work week and virtual learning. It helped progress online services related to banking, shopping and dining. But at the same time, it made us retract from other people and rely heavily on a world viewed through our computer and phone screens.

Humans are social beings with brains more suited for cave dwelling than advanced tech, so it’s no wonder we stumbled around trying to figure out how to live an existence that made us socially distance ourselves from one another. With all these shifts happening simultaneously, of course we were bound to feel a bit discombobulated once we emerged on the other side.

Even though we’re approaching four years since the start of the pandemic, it’s clear that an people are still trying to readjust, and with this comes deep self-reflection. Something about the pandemic prompted questions such as, “Is this who I really want to be?” and “Is this the job I want to keep doing for another 10 or 20 years?” or “Is this truly the town or city where I want to live?” and “Are my relationships building me up or tearing me down?” or “What unhealthy habits do I need to shed?”

Time to abolish Electoral College

To the Editor:

In this country we don’t vote for a president. There is an intermediary called an elector whom we vote for when we vote for a presidential candidate. This might seem like a technicality, but it’s not. We have to hope this person votes for the candidate to whom he/she has pledged in our behalf, or that an imposter doesn’t somehow replace this person, or that the vice president doesn’t reject him/her for some reason when counting the votes. Our last election showed how tenuous this blind faith might turn out to be. And even if everyone does the right thing, a candidate could still lose despite receiving more votes. This is a weird way to select a leader. No other developed country has this archaic system.

Our Founding Fathers weren’t that keen on letting the common man vote (not to mention women, Blacks or people without property). They were afraid an uninformed ‘rabble’ wouldn’t be able to make good choices if given the vote. They feared the ‘tyranny of the majority.’ So, after months of wrangling, they came up with the Electoral College. We have evolved over the centuries to include women,

Sometimes I wonder if this was the divine purpose for the pandemic, to rattle things just enough so we were forced to finally look inward instead of being so dependent on the outside world to guide, reward and protect us. For me, personally, I’ve done a lot of soul searching and inner work since the start of the pandemic and while some of it has felt messy and challenging, I feel wiser and more grateful for every aspect of my life. Certain things, like a walk outside or watching a movie with my kids or taking a road trip, seem more magical and intentional than they used to.  When considering whether you feel in alignment with your true self, here are some questions to consider. Do you feel frustrated and why? Are you feeling hyperactive or restless? If so, when do you feel most restless? Do you feel unhappy or empty? Do you require frequent changes to feel stimulated? Is it hard for you to relax? Do you have motivation to get out of bed each day? Are you questioning your abilities and knowledge? Does your work feel purposeful? Why or why not? Are you spending time with people that deplete or increase your energy? What are your deepest desires?

Simply taking time to answer these questions will offer you tremendous insight into your inner world and your motivation for many aspects of your life. This exercise will also help you discover what small changes you can make to feel more aligned.

I believe it’s completely okay to not be the same person you were before the pandemic. In fact, that means you’ve

LETTERS

Blacks and those of any minority and ethnic group in the electorate. But we still don’t vote directly for a president. Consequently, two of the last four presidents got less votes than their opponents. This turns on its head the democratic principle of ‘one person, one vote’.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton got 2.8 million more votes than Trump, but lost the electoral vote. In 2020 Biden won by over 7 million votes. But a change of less than 50,000 votes in swing states states could have swung the election to Trump. This is why Trump fought so hard to change the results, or even the electors, in these states. It had nothing to do with the national popular vote count which he lost bigly. So, we now have the tyranny of the minority thanks to the Electoral College.

According to a Pew Research poll, a majority of Americans continue to support replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote. The Electoral College is written into the Constitution so it might be necessary to amend it. There are several ongoing efforts to eliminate or reform it. And the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact could abolish the Electoral College without an amendment to the Constitution. It may seem like a longshot, but it’s worth pursuing when a majority of Americans support it. It’s precari-

grown as a human being. I’ve felt out of alignment in my life numerous times, and I can vouch that assessing my own behavior, feelings and values is the absolute best way to figure out where I can make positive, impactful changes.

There are a few strategies for realignment that work for everyone. The first is to get outside more often because Mother Nature is never out of alignment. She knows when to change seasons, when flowers should bloom, when birds need to migrate, and on and on. Think about the consistency of moon phases and how their predictability month after month feels comforting. Simply appreciating changes in nature will help your body feel more relaxed and alive.

The second way is to give back from a place of love. Offering what you can to others, as long as it’s not taxing on your energy or finances, will offer a special type of satisfaction. Before responding to a person or a situation, ask yourself if you’re acting from a place of love, kindness and compassion and if the answer is “no,” reevaluate why you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ll begin to see patterns that will help you restructure life in a way that feels meaningful.

Thirdly, follow your curiosity. When you do this, you’ll learn more and more about a topic or issue or field of study, which will help you discover your true passions. We’re about to experience the fourth anniversary of the pandemic (notice I didn’t say “celebrate”), and as we do, I think it’s a perfect time to pat ourselves on the back for the growth we’ve made but also ask ourselves if we’re feeling out of alignment and if so, what areas of our lives need attention.

(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital media specialist with The Smoky Mountain News and Smoky Mountain Living magazine. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)

ous to trust our country’s leadership to this absurd anachronism.

Glenn Duer Waynesville

GOP seeks to divide, not to lead

To the Editor:

Nikki Haley, in a February 21 interview with National Public Radio, said: “I think what’s really important is to know that the majority of Americans dislike Donald Trump and Joe Biden,” she said. “So we think that there needs to be an alternative.”

I think what’s really important to know is that Nikki Haley clearly lies, as do all MAGAts. A majority of Americans voted for Biden. He’s done a good job, given the neverending radical extremist Republican obstruction, heavily influenced by Putin’s Russian intelligence agencies (read about the GOP’s chief impeachment witness Smirnov, and his ties to Russian intelligence). The Republicans care more about dividing America and leaving our allies out in the cold and imposing their version of “Christian” law upon our nation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a principal player in the January 6 insurrection, doesn’t care about the border or our allies, he sent the

House home without acting on important legislation essential to our national security, and then went to Mar-a-Largo for a photo op with his traitorous leader and fellow insurrectionist former President Trump, no doubt receiving further instructions about sowing American division and stalling all American progress.

The Biden-Harris administration has had notable achievements in building America “from the middle out and the bottom up.” This in contrast to the GOP, the party of tax cuts for the least needy, de-funding the IRS, de-regulating powerful entities and zooming national debt. Their “trickle-down” economic lie has resulted in enormous income inequalities and lack of growth for the ordinary American, and historic concentrations of wealth and power to a few elites. It seems all the media can focus on is the age of the candidates. Maybe that sells more stuff?

It is sadly true that history repeats itself. “America First” was the slogan used by folks who were big fans of Hitler and thought America should stay out of that fight. We know how that worked out. Where would we be today if we’d remained neutral? It will be horrendous if peace-loving people have to rise up again and again, forever, to defeat wouldbe oppressors and tyranny.

Bil Aylor Swain County

Columnist

Susanna Shetley

Challenging false claims and legislative barriers

As keepers of our traditions and sovereignty, we vehemently oppose any attempts to exploit or appropriate the rich cultural legacy of Cherokee people. Our identity is deeply rooted in our history and connection to our land. Yet, despite our resilience, we face persistent challenges from individuals and groups who seek to exploit our culture and history for their own ends.

We have sought for many years the return of historical Cherokee lands in Tennessee. With the support of the local community in Tennessee and Congressman Chuck Fleischmann from Tennessee, the federal legislation to return those historical lands is being blocked by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) because he objects to our protection of Cherokee identity in relation to the Lumbees in North Carolina, a group that continues to claim Cherokee ancestry as a basis for federal recognition. In fact, the Lumbee legislation would enshrine into federal law that all persons on the Lumbee “source documents” would be considered full blood, 4/4, Indians, despite genealogical evidence that demonstrates that Lumbees have a difficult time showing Indian ancestry.

Indigenous communities. We will continue to urge policymakers and regulatory bodies to enact stringent measures to maintain the federal recognition process and prevent the exploitation of Indian identity for personal and political gain. We must uphold the integrity of the federal recognition process and ensure that it remains a fair and just mechanism for acknowledging the sovereignty and rights of true Indigenous nations. Right now, state groups are beginning to dictate to federal politicians’ issues impacting federally recognized tribes including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, on important policy

issues.

For generations, our ancestors have resisted oppression and fought for our rights and dignity. Today, we must carry on their legacy by speaking out against injustice and advocating for our communities’ well-being and sovereignty.

This isn’t just about defending ourselves; it’s about defending what’s right.

It is imperative to recognize that protection of Cherokee land and identity is not a trend — it is a sacred part of who we are as a people. Falsely claiming Cherokee and other Indian identity and culture not only dishonors our ancestors but also perpetuates harm-

ful stereotypes and erases the lived experiences of genuine Native communities. We will continue to stand vigilant in North Carolina and across all regions of the nation in our efforts to protect Indigenous culture and sovereignty for future generations.

(Michell Hicks is the principal chief of The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), a federally recognized Native American tribe located in Western North Carolina, United States. Hicks is a CPA who was recently re-elected and previously served three terms as Principal Chief and is a former Executive Director of Budget and Finance.)

Sen. Tillis also is blocking the return of sacred land in South Dakota. The Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act seeks to safeguard 40 acres of land on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota — a significant historical site commemorating the victims of the Wounded Knee Massacre. This legislation aims to prohibit commercial development on the site and grant increased authority over it to the Oglala Lakota and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes, that have recently gained ownership of the land outlined in the bill. However, progress on this bill has halted due to opposition from Tillis. His insistence on linking its advancement to legislative recognition of the self-identified Lumbees as a tribe has caused the bill to be held up indefinitely.

The fate of this bill, which aims to protect and honor the site of the massacre and burial ground of our Indian relatives, now rests in the hands of the Lumbee as they seek federal recognition by attempting to bypass the Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA). Senator Tillis has outsourced his position on the Wounded Knee Massacre bill to the Lumbees.

Apart from the Wounded Knee Memorial Bill, the Senate is gearing up to examine the U.S. Truth and Healing Commission bill. This proposal seeks the establishment of a commission tasked with investigating and recognizing historical injustices and abuses experienced by Indigenous peoples, particularly those stemming from Indian boarding schools. We urge the Senate to support the passage of two crucial bills that profoundly impact

Guest Columnist

Michelle Hicks

Appalachian blues

A conversation with Scott Low

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR

At 46, Scott Low has a lot to be thankful for.

Beyond his enduring career as a beloved singer-songwriter in the mountains of Southern Appalachia, he’s also a husband, father and fly-fishing guide, one who also owns and operates the Hatch Camp & Art Farm in the rural countryside of Clayton, Georgia.

“I see 50 years old a few miles away and knew it was time to let the art flow and nail some chapters down in my trail of art,” Low said. “I’ve often been jaded by the music business, but now that I have a stage in my front yard, I’ve found a new path with blue and Appalachian music — I feel surrendered to the art.”

That liberation of the creative self at this

juncture of his life is at the heart of Low’s latest album, “The Appalachian Blues.” A raw mixture of blues, indie-folk and alt-country ala Charlie Parr or Taj Mahal, it’s a real portrait of an artist seeking truth through passion.

“Happiness, joy and bliss, even through sad music or the blues, has become the goal — make art that makes the soul move,” Low said. “I’ve never been one to search for hits, maybe to my detriment. So, now I’ve found this sound of Piedmont blues meets Delta blues with a little traditional Appalachia mixed in — it feels like home, I cannot put this down.

To be blunt, it’s one thing to do your own thing as an artist in this modern era of knowns and unknowns, it’s another to do it and do it well, all with integrity and curiosity intact — Scott Low harnesses both in abundance.

Want to go?

Singer-songwriter Scott Low will be hosting a special album release party for his latest record, “The Appalachian Blues,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in The Ruffed Grouse Tavern at the Highlander Mountain House in Highlands.

Admission is $5 at the door. There will also be a $20 “Burger & Beer” special. For more information, go to facebook.com/scottlowsongs or highlandermountainhouse.com.

To learn more about the Hatch Camp & Art Farm and its upcoming schedule of events, go to facebook.com/hatchcamp.

“A venue owner once put a note in my tip jar that read ‘keep making art, not just entertainment.’ That hit me like a train,” Low said. “Music serves so many different purposes to everyone and at different times of the day or life — it means different things to you and me.”

Originally from Pinehurst, Low grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, only to spend his teenage years in Kalamazoo, Michigan. And it was there in the Great Lake State where Low had his epiphany of becoming a musician, specifically witnessing the legend and lore of live performance from the likes of Buddy Guy, Bob Dylan and Phish, who each took the stage at the Kalamazoo State Theater.

“Buddy Guy in 1992 moved me,” Low said. “And I go back and listen to the great Piedmont and Delta blues artists, where the guitar is really an extension of the voice with call and answer, not drawn out solos over 12-bar blues — Mississippi John Hurt, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Mance Lipscomb, Blind Willie Johnson.”

From Kalamazoo, Low hit the road and began the long, winding journey to North Georgia. Initially playing in Michigan punk bands, Low eventually found himself in a jamband in Bellingham, Washington. Then, there was jazz school in Vancouver, Canada, only to soon land in the Atlanta live music scene.

“To some, music is just background noise. Some folks have their 27 songs they stand upon, while some folks’ music is purely coincidental,” Low said. “But, then there’s the other

side, music that makes you crazy obsessive and you know every word and album and even the personal details of an artist’s life — I’ve always followed what moved me from blues to grunge, jam to jazz, southern rock to songwriters.”

So, why the blues? What about this sacred music and its history?

“Even though it comes from African American oppression and finding some joy or escape in the darkest times, the blues lives within all American music,” Low said. “When I began this road, I was worried about cultural appropriation and I’ve tried very hard to respect the hard, terrible things that racism and slavery have done to this country. And I’ve found what I feel is an authentic way to serve my songs and the history and culture of the blues.”

With “The Appalachian Blues” now making its way around the back hollers and Main Streets of North Georgia and greater Southern Appalachia, Low is looking forward to not only hosting a slew of gigs this summer at Hatch Camp & Art Farm, but also simply wandering and pondering this all too crazy world of ours, a grin ear-to-ear in gratitude — business as usual for this old soul, carefree being.

“Like John Prine said, ‘I remember everything,’ and I want to — my kids’ first fish, my wife’s most recent kiss, the song that moves everyone it touches,” Low said. “As artists, we get to leave a trail of our art as a story that can last as long as it’s kept alive —  I hope my kids and family can look back and remember the joy, love and heartbreaks I’ve experienced and remember.”

Scott Low will play Highlands March 7. Donated photo

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Ode to the written word, ode to putting the paper to bed

HOT PICKS

1

Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host Eireann’s Call (Celtic/rock) at 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 14.

It’s a lot quieter this week at The Smoky Mountain News. Not just because of the unusually warm weather this past weekend sparking folks to frolic and head for the hills. But, more so, it’s the recent transition of fellow colleagues into their new endeavors.

To note, our Outdoors Editor Holly Kays just accepted what is arguably a dream job for her, running around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and writing about it for Smokies Life (formerly the Great Smoky Mountains Association). As well, one of our longtime advertising representatives, Sophia Burleigh, is also starting a new gig.

As always, we here at the newspaper champion growth of the individual — either personally or professionally, either with us or with another avenue of one’s journey through life. And yet, it never gets easier to see familiar faces you once knew on a day-in-day-out basis, only to now maybe cross paths with by happenstance. If anything, we’re damn happy for both of’em and wish’em the best.

Walking into the office Saturday morning to grab some files for a story I’m working on, it was surreal to pass by the desks of my former co-workers. Once covered with papers, pencils, pens and notebooks, usually a buzz of energy come Tuesdays when we “put the paper to bed” (to press), now cleaned off for the next person to occupy the literal and figurative space.

Leaving the office and moseying to the coffee shop for some caffeine refreshment before diving headlong into the realm of the written word, I couldn’t help but think about all the people, places and things all of us here at the paper have experienced since the inception of the publication 25 years ago.

To start at the beginning, when I applied for the position of arts and entertainment editor here in June 2012, Holly also applied for the job, unbeknownst to me. I got the gig and relocated to Waynesville sight-unseen. Holly would eventually roll into town a year or so later when our publisher, Scott McLeod, kept her resume and called her up to see if she was interested in the newly-opened outdoors editor position. That was over a decade ago.

What’s crazy is when Holly and I started

working together, we realized we had a lot more in common than we thought. To preface, when I graduated college in Connecticut in 2007, I took off for the west and landed at the Teton Valley News, a tiny community paper in Driggs, Idaho. About a year later, I started doing some work for a rival town paper across the street called the Valley Citizen. Turns out, Holly had also lived in Driggs and worked for the Valley Citizen before venturing to Haywood County. How wild, eh?

With Sophia, we hit it off immediately when she got hired to be in ad sales. During one Friday afternoon happy hour social in our office parking lot, I finally got to meet her fiancé, Grahm. Like two long lost brothers, we ended up becoming fast friends over some bourbon shared and enjoyed in gusto. A year later, I was asked by them to officiate their wedding. It was a true honor to do so.

And then, I think about just what it is we at the newspaper go through on a daily basis. Organized chaos, to say the least. Never-ending emails and phone calls to nail down assignments or potential advertisers. Late night writing on deadline. Early morning editorial meetings. Election night coverage. Breaking news stories. Cover features of great effort and care. It’s overwhelming, but at least you know you’re not alone in the trenches.

I’ve worked at The Smoky Mountain News going on 12 years now. Some 17 years total as a professional journalist, 18 if you count that senior year in college when I really decided this is what I wanted to ultimately do with my life, my time on this floating rock through space. Hundreds of articles and thousands of interviews in that time. All those faces and sentiments, those words and bylines.

Off the top of my head, there have been so many publications I’ve written for: Quinnipiac University Chronicle (Connecticut), State of Mind Music Magazine (Vermont), Williston Observer (Vermont), Teton Valley New (Idaho), Planet Jackson Hole (Wyoming), Valley Citizen (Idaho), Press-Republican (New York), Adirondack Daily Entertainment (New York), Roving Festival Writer (Michigan), Fourth Coast Entertainment Magazine (New

2 Lauren Gunderson’s inspirational play “Silent Sky” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. March 8-9 and 2 p.m. March 10 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

3 The Haywood Community College Foundation inaugural “Evening of Art” event will be held from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, March 14, in the Sycamore building located on the main campus of HCC in Clyde.

4 The Scotsman (Waynesville) will host The Get Right Band (rock/ soul) at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 9.

5 Phil Jamison will host a program on the history of Southern Appalachian dance at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

York), Cider Magazine (Vermont), UpstateLIVE (New York). And so on. The list is endless, with many of those media outlets mentioned now-defunct.

These days, beyond my full-time work as the arts and entertainment editor at The Smoky Mountain News, I’m also the music editor for our sister publication Smoky Mountain Living magazine. And this is all atop overseeing the content for a bevy of in-house travel magazine that, as of last count, was somewhere around 15 or so annual publications.

Aside from that, I’m a regular contributor for Rolling Stone, a dream I’ve had since I first opened the legendary magazine in middle school. I also write for The Bluegrass Situation based in Los Angeles, California. And, from time-to-time, for the Lake Champlain Weekly, a news magazine in my hometown of Plattsburgh, New York, which is a way to stay in the know of what’s going in my native North Country and help facilitate the local music scene.

Throughout it all, countless memories float across my field-of-vision — where it began and where it stands. State of Mind Editor Mike McKinley who pretty much taught me everything I know about journalism. My former photographer Andrew Wyatt who used to travel the country with me documenting music festivals. Long gone reporter colleagues and a slew of former editors. Twelve years here at SMN and I still think I’ll never be able to top Scott McLeod as a boss when it comes to creative freedom and trust.

But, as important as the work itself it in this whirlwind, rollercoaster industry that is newspapers and magazines, what remains to be the essence — the glue and fuel to keep going — are those people you work with in the trenches and out in the field. We’re all in this together. The gratitude is real and tangible.

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

Louisville, Kentucky, sits on the Ohio River. Garret K. Woodward photo

On the beat

Americana, folk at Mountain Layers

Jackson County Americana/folk duo Bird in Hand will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, March 15, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City.

The road less traveled has always been the way for husband-and-wife duo Bird in Hand. Bryan and Megan Thurman call the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina home and the region is directly reflected in their music. Bird in Hand is upbeat and new while still rooted in the traditions of American folk.

The two have played all over the Appalachian region, as well as across the country, and share an onstage chemistry that demands attention. They need to be seen live to understand the meaning of “Appalachian Thunder Folk.”

You can find their debut EP, “Due North,” online at birdinhandmusic.com. The show is free and open to the public. For more information, go to mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Angry Elk Brewing (Whittier) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows are free and open to the public. 828.497.1015 or facebook.com/angryelkbrewingco.

• 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, go to blueridgebeerhub.com.

ALSO:

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host music bingo 7 p.m. Mondays, karaoke 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, trivia 7 p.m. Thursdays, open mic night 10 p.m. and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.246.0350 or boojumbrewing.com.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Jacob Johnson (guitar/vocals) 7 p.m. March 15-16 for a special dinner performance ($49.99 per person). Limited seating. Reservations required. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host an Open Mic Night 6-8 p.m. March 8 and semi-regular live music on the weekends. For more information and/or to pur-

Rock rolls into Scotsman

Celebrating the fourth anniversary of Adamas Entertainment, Spiro Nicolopoulous Blues Apocalypse will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 8, with The Get Right Band at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville.

A popular Asheville-based power trio, The Get Right Band fuses a slew of genres into a melting pot of its own sonic template, weaving seamlessly between indie-rock, Americana, R&B and soul.

A collaboration of some of the finest musicians in the region, Spiro Nicolopoulous Blues Apocalypse is fronted by Nicolopoulos, a highly skilled guitarist/vocalist known for his work in The Paper Crowns and other local acts ranging from funk ensembles to classic rock tribute showcases.

The Spiro Nicolopoulous Blues Apocalypse performance is free and open to the public, with The Get Right Band a $5 cover at the door.

For more information, call 828.246.6292 or go to scotsmanpublic.com.

chase tickets, go to coweeschool.org/music.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 or curraheebrew.com.

• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Fireside at the Farm” sessions on select weekends. For more information, go to oldedwardshospitality.com.

• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host Eireann’s Call (Celtic/rock) 7 p.m. March 14. Tickets are $22 per person. For a full schedule of events and/or to purchase tickets, go to folkmoot.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host its weekly “Tuesday Jazz Series” w/We Three Swing at 5:30 p.m., JR March 8, Muddy Guthrie March 9, Community Drum Circle March 14, Rich Manz Trio March 15 and Adrianne Blanks Trio March 16. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.

• Frog Quarters (Franklin) will host live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays w/The Shifty Sisters (Americana) March 9 and Barry Roma (swing/country) March 16. Free and open to the public. Located at 573 East Main Street. littletennessee.org or 828.369.8488.

• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows

begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. happsplace.com or 828.742.5700.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host 38 Special (classic rock) 9 p.m. March 15. For a full schedule of events and/or to buy tickets, caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” on Thursday evenings, “Sunday Bluegrass Residency” from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the “Salon Series” with S.G. Goodman (Americana/indie) 8:30 p.m. March 21. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to highlandermountainhouse.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic w/Phil” Wednesdays, The Knotty G’s March 9 and J.C. Tokes March 16. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” on Wednesdays and semi-regular 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 Karaoke on the second/fourth Friday of the month, Gregory Clinton (jazz/blues) March 9 and Blue Jazz March 16. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music

Bingo” 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Gregory Clinton (jazz/blues) March 8 and Blue Jazz March 15. 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 semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to meadowlarkmotel.com or call 828.926.1717.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host an “Open Mic w/Frank Lee” Wednesdays, Shane Meade (indie/soul) March 8, Zip Roberston (singer-songwriter) March 9, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) 5 p.m. March 10, Bird In Hand (Americana/indie) March 15, Liz Petty (singer-songwriter) March 16 and Woolybooger (blues/folk) 5 p.m. March 17. All shows begin at 6 p.m unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.246.9264 or orchardcoffeeroasters.com.

• Otto Community Center (Otto) will host its “Monthly Music Jam” 6-9 p.m. March 14 (Americana/old-time). Musicians of all levels are welcome to join in. Bring a beverage and snack of your choice. Free and open to the public. go2ottonc.com or 770.335.0967

• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular live music on the week-

Bird in Hand will play Bryson City March 15. File photo

The Get Right Band will play Waynesville March 9. File photo

On the beat

ends. 828.389.ARTS or thepeacocknc.org.

• Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro (Dillsboro) will host Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public.

828.586.1717 or facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796.

• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke w/Russell” every Monday and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105.

• Sauced (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9585 or saucedwnc.com.

• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Jack McKeon & Amelia Ransom (Americana) March 7, Spiro Nicolopoulous Blues Apocalypse (rock/blues) March 8, The Get Right Band (rock/soul) March 9, Jackson Grimm (Americana/folk) March 14, Smashing Mouths (rock/pop) March 15, Celtic Road Jam 4 p.m. March 16, Stonehen (Americana/Celtic) March 16, Celtic Road Jam 2 p.m. March 17 and Carter Giegerich & Friends (Americana/old-time) 5 p.m. March 17. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.

Macon Library welcomes renowned clogger, author

The Arts Council of Macon County will present nationally known author, scholar, flatfoot dancer and old-time musician Phil Jamison in a program on the history of Southern Appalachian dance at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Jamison is a Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame and America’s Clogging Hall of Fame inductee, having danced with the Green Grass Cloggers for 40 years. As well, he has performed and taught at music festivals and dance events across the United States and overseas.

One of the country’s leading scholars of traditional Appalachian dance, his 2015 book, “Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance,” tells the story behind the square dances, step dances, reels and other forms of dance practiced in Southern Appalachia, from their European, African American and Native American roots to the present day.

To note, Jamison also teaches traditional music and dance at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa. To learn more

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to smokymountainarts.com or 866.273.4615.

• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or go to stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Whiskey Mountain March 8, Ricky Gunter (country/rock) March 9, Mountain Gypsy (Americana, free) March 14, Outlaw Whiskey March 15 and Macon County Line March 16. All shows are $5 at the door and begin at 8 p.m. 828.538.2488.

• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host semi-regular 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.

• Yonder Community Market (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to eatrealfoodinc.com.

• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts

On the stage

HART presents ‘Silent Sky’

inspired by the real-life Harvard Astronomy computer and pioneer female American astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt. Her discovery of how to effectively measure vast distances to remote galaxies led to a shift in the understanding of the nature of the universe.

about Jamison’s book and career, go to philjamison.com.

Light refreshments will be served at this pay-what-you-can event. The Macon County Public Library is at 149 Siler Farm Road in Franklin. Ample parking and wheelchair accessibility will be available. Bad weather date is 3 p.m. Sunday, March 17.

The event is sponsored by Chris & Ron Lewis and is produced by the Arts Council of Macon County. For details, call 828.524.ARTS or email arts4all@dnet.net.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre, in association with Multiverse Theatre Collective, will present Lauren Gunderson’s inspirational play “Silent Sky” at 7:30 p.m. March 8-9 and 2 p.m., March 10, in the Fangmeyer Theater on the HART campus in Waynesville.

Written by Gunderson, the same playwright that brought you “The Book of Will” and “The Revolutionists,” “Silent Sky” is a play

ALSO:

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host legendary comedian Jeff Foxworthy at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 15. For a full schedule of events and/or to buy tickets, caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• “Grease: The Musical” will hit the stage at 7 p.m. March 15-16, 22-23 and 2:30 p.m. March 17 and 24, at the Swain Arts Center in Bryson City. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for students. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to swainartscenter.com or call 828.488.7843.

• Cherokee Dance & Chants will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Bill Dyer will teach Cherokee dance and chants, with the program geared towards youth ages 6-

On the table

• “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, go to waynesvillewine.com.

• “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 infor-

When Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she is assigned into a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer, Edward Pickering, who has no time for the women’s probing theories.

As Leavitt, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love.

To make ticket reservations, go to harttheatre.org or call the HART Box Office at 828.456.6322.

12. A lifelong student of Native American culture, Dyar was teacher/coach of the Tsali Lodge (Western North Carolina’s chapter of the Boy Scout’s Order of the Arrow) four-time national award-winning Historic Group Dance Team. Free and open to the public. For more information, email arts4all@dnet.net or call 828.524.ARTS.

• “Alice in Wonderland: The Musical” will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, March 15, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Scotty Corbin directs Overlook Theatre Company in a tuneful twist to Lewis Carroll’s classic tale of Alice’s down-the-rabbit-hole adventure — a magical hour of fun songs and curiouser storytelling. Tickets are $14 advance, $17 at the door. For more information, go to smokymountainarts.com or call 828.524.1598.

mation, 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. There will also be a special “Beer Train” on select dates. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or go to gsmr.com.

ALSO:

Phil Jamison. File photo

‘Silent Sky’ will run at HART through March 10. Donated photo

On the wall

Haywood Arts differently abled exhibition

BY TONYA D. HARWOOD S PECIAL TO SMN

In 2004, my life was completely changed when one of my twin boys was born with Down Syndrome. Initially, I felt as though my world had crumbled, envisioning the worst possible outcomes.

However, as this little boy, named Jake, grew and nestled his way into our hearts, I came to realize that we had so much to gain from this experience. Jake has single-handedly revolutionized our family’s perspective on the world.

As the executive director of the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville, I have the unique opportunity to host an exhibit that will offer Haywood County a glimpse into this extraordinary world.

I’m excited to announce a very special art exhibit at the HCAC Handmade Gallery. Entitled “Challenge Me, Art by Differently Abled Artists,” this exhibition will run from March 6 to April 7, with an opening reception to be held on Friday, March 8, at the gallery.

Jake is the son of HCAC Executive Director Tonya D. Harwood. Donated photo

The gallery will not only showcase the vibrant artwork created by my son Jake, but also feature the remarkable works of other differently abled artists we have had the privilege of meeting organizations such as The ARC of Haywood County, Haywood County Special Olympics and Haywood Vocational Opportunities.

This exhibition celebrates the remarkable abilities possessed by individuals with different abilities. It is a testament to the power of art to transcend barriers and foster understanding and appreciation. We invite you to join us in this inspiring journey, as we explore the boundless creativity and resilience of these exceptional artists.

Together, let us embrace the beauty of diversity and recognize the immense contributions made by differently abled artists.

For more information, please go to haywoodarts.org.

HCC Foundation Professional Crafts fundraiser

The Haywood Community College Foundation inaugural “Evening of Art” event to support the needs of HCC’s Professional Crafts program will be held from 6-9 p.m.

Thursday, March 14, in the Sycamore building located on the main campus of HCC in Clyde.

With live jazz, dancing, appetizers, buffet dinner, studio tours and a silent auction, this elegant event will be an added special touch to the spring event calendar in Haywood County.

The Professional Crafts program at HCC

offers degrees, diplomas, and certificates in four mediums to provide students not only with the ability to perfect their craft, but to even run or start their own business. The wood, fiber, clay, and jewelry focus areas are a draw for artists from across the country.

The funds raised from the “Evening of Art” will support field trips, specialty training opportunities, and needed supplies to make their craft creations.

One of the highlights of the evening is the silent auction. This auction will feature works of art from HCC instructors, students, and local artisans such as Margaret Roberts, Lexington Glassworks, Sarah Wells Rolland, Phillip D’Angelo and Teresa Pennington, amongst others.

This event will welcome the 18-piece Asheville Jazz Orchestra to campus and will also feature building and studio tours, as well as live demonstrations. Funding for special needs for the HCC students could not be supported without the generous donations from community members like you.

To get a sneak peek at the silent auction items or to purchase your ticket, visit haywood.edu/foundation/foundation-event.

Tickets are $75 per person ($45 tax deductible) and include appetizers, buffet dinner, refreshments, dancing, live music and viewing of the studios and demonstrations.

For more information, email Foundation Director Hylah Birenbaum at hebirenbaum@haywood.edu or call 828.627.4544.

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• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host its “Maker Series” from 10-11 a.m. March 16. Coffee and conversation with local artisans and crafters. For more information, go to coweeschool.org/music.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host its “March Makers Market” from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 9. Local arts/crafts vendors and more. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.

• “Arts & Crafts of Bhutan” presentation will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Presenter Dennis Desmond lived and worked in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan from 1994 to 1999. During the month of March, he will exhibit his collection of traditional Bhutanese arts and crafts at the library, ranging from handcrafted implements of daily living to intricate religious artworks that follow centuries-old traditions. For more information, call the library at 828.524.3600.

• “Youth Art Month” will be held through March at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Artwork from local Macon County students K-12 will be on display. A reception will be held from 35 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at the gallery. For more information, call 828.349.4607 or go to franklinuptowngallery.com.

• “Spark of the Eagle Dancer: The Collecting Legacy of Lambert Wilson” will run through June 28 in the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. This exhibition brings together a selection of baskets, pottery, carving, painting, photography and more. To learn more about the exhibition and reception, please go to arts.wcu.edu/spark. The Fine Art Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. For a full list of classes, go to cre828.com. For more information on CRE828, email dawn@cre828.com or call 828.283.0523.

• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, go to galleryzella.com or call 517.881.0959.

• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of

one’s skills. They welcome photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. For more information, email waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net or follow them on Facebook: Waynesville Photography Club.

• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide-range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. The HCAC gallery is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 11 a.m to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information and a full schedule, go to haywoodarts.org.

• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. For more information and a full schedule, go to jcgep.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, go to southwesterncc.edu/scclocations/swain-center.

• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. For more information and a full schedule of activities, go to dogwoodcrafters.com/classes or call 828.586.2248.

WCU undergraduate exhibition, reception

The 56th annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition will run through March 22 at the Fine Art Museum in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

The exhibition is one of the longest-running Catamount art traditions. For emerging artists, this exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity to share their artwork with a larger public and to enhance their skills in presenting artwork in a professional gallery setting.

Students’ work is reviewed by an outside art professional, one who has the challenge of making selections from the many talented students who apply. This year’s judge is Erika Diamond, a textile-focused artist, curator and educator based in Asheville.

WCU artists include Katie Barnett, Adam Bryant, Alexis Bumgardner, Jessie Butner, Matthew Cain, Zoila Carrasco, Nathalie Catalán, Isaiah Davis, Sally Drumheller, Rhiannon Eason, Anilia Hornsby, Gillian Kaminski, Kiara Leary, Madi Livingston, Joshua Masters, Gloria Melo-Estrada, Naomi Michelle, Michaela Morse, Berlyn Perdomo, Jessica Rial, Alexis Shafir, Samantha Taube, Daniel Velazquez Perez, Lydia Vereen and Gogaji Renn Yang.

An awards ceremony and reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at the WCU Fine Art Museum The reception will include a talk from the artists, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Free parking is available.

For more information, go to wcu.edu/bardo-artscenter/blog/posts/56th-annual-juried.aspx.

A unique self-help guide: ‘The Artist’s Way’

It’s always beneficial to revisit a classic and Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” (J. P. Tarcher/Putnam, 1992, 272 pages) is one I’ve circled back to very often. This self-help book has been a trusty companion of mine since I first read it three years ago. At this point, I’ve suggested and promoted it so much, I should be getting paid for marketing.

Now, I’ve always had artistic hobbies — sketching, writing, painting — so when I was first suggested it, the title appealed to me right away. However, for those who perhaps don’t see themselves as artistically inclined, I ask you to withhold your dismissal that this is only for artists. As Cameron explains in her introduction, everyone, by virtue of being a human, has the ability to create. That comes in all sorts of forms and degrees but that creating is something we all do even though for most people it’s blocked up and disregarded.

Cameron says that art with a capital A prevents people from being creative, that most people believe creativity to be the work of a highly skilled and brilliant elite. But that’s not true. Art, or creativity, is for everyone. It’s the way we express something about ourselves and if we focus on that, rather than focusing on it as dependent on the approval of others, we can help ourselves live a more fulfilled and meaningful life.

“The Artist’s Way” is set up as a 12-week program.

or demanding; they are, in fact, very easy and enjoyable.

Throughout the entire book, there are two things that remain unchanged: what Cameron calls the “Morning Page” and the “Artist Date.” The first must be done everyday. First thing when you wake up, you take three sheets of paper and write stream-ofconsciousness until the end of the pages. What you write are not supposed to be coherent, well-formulated thoughts. They are not journalistic musings or reflections. I think of it more like word vomit. Whatever is on your mind, no matter how petty or trivial, gets thrown on the page. The point is that we all have our worries, irritations, concerns and frustrations. When we don’t put them somewhere, they block us up for the rest of the day. This writing moves you to feel more peace now that you’re working it through the page.

of poetry. Take a drive through backroads and listen to your favorite album. Go to that new movie you’ve been wanting to see. This date with yourself doesn’t need to be expensive or extravagant. It just needs to be something that you want to do and you do it on your own. It sounds easy, but I struggle to get myself to follow this part of Cameron’s program.

Cameron’s concept of creativity is very beautiful and straightforward. Everyone has a Censor, that inner voice that justifies avoiding creativity and criticizes what we do create. Everyone also has an Artist Child and for most people, that inner child has been wounded by the traumas of our life and hides away, too afraid to express our vulnerability through creativity. The first time I read “The Artist’s Way,” I was astounded to hear the voice in my head criticizing me with the exact words Cameron had predicted. I was shocked to heal hurts I didn’t realize I had held onto so deeply. Although this book is on creative healing, it is equally therapeutic in terms of personal growth.

Each week has a chapter on a different topic with Cameron’s reflections and advice, whether that be regaining independence, recovering a sense of identity or building integrity. At the end of each chapter she gives approximately 10 exercises or tasks you are to complete in that week. These tasks are not time-consuming

“The Artist Date” occurs weekly. No one else is allowed there: it’s a date between you and your inner artist, what Cameron calls your “Artist Child.” Think of something you like to do and do it. If you like reading and writing poetry, grab a cup of coffee, go to a bookstore, and treat yourself to a collection

If you are a blocked artist, this is the book for you. If you’re reading this and a little hobby of yours just popped in your head and you brushed it away, this is for you. If you’re reading this thinking, “I have no creative bone in my body,” this book is definitely for you. I’m still trying to figure out why we make ourselves miserable by refusing to pursue what fulfills us, but the fact of the matter is, we do. Julia Cameron presents an alternative: one where we can function creatively, consistently and practically.

I can’t sing the praises of Cameron’s writing enough. Dogeared, bookmarked, and underlined, this book is always there with a new insight when I need it. “The Artist’s Way” used to sit front and center on one of my many bookshelves, but I look at it so often that it’s found a permanent home on my nightstand.

(Anna Barren teaches fifth grade and is a lifelong lover of books. annab4376@gmail.com.)

Writer Anna Barren

Soldiers for sustainability

be used to recycle papermaking waste, the authors wrote, future research should focus on improved pretreatments for papermaking waste.

Perhaps, said Tomberlin, black liquor waste will never work as a main diet for black soldier flies but could be added in as part of a more diverse diet.

“There are some substrates that you just can’t give 100% to an animal,” he said. “That’s like anything, right? You can’t just feed a pig corn and survive. You have to come up with a nice, balanced diet. So with this material you’re referring to, it may be a formulation you have to come up with how to use it as an ingredient in the feed given to the black soldier fly larvae.”

Perhaps the more immediately feasible industrial application for black soldier flies is as a recycling method for livestock waste and feed for the livestock themselves. Such waste often creates pollution problems for communities surrounding concentrated industrial livestock operations, its runoff contaminating land and water. Black soldier flies could offer a simple, sustainable solution to processing it.

Common fly could help address pollution, boost sustainability

BY HOLLY KAYS OUTDOORS E DITOR

They can eat just about anything and multiply like crazy. They live all over the world, in a variety of environments — wherever you go, they’re likely nearby.

It sounds like the intro to a sci-fi or horror film, but actually it’s just a description of the black soldier fly, a ubiquitous bug that is not only harmless, but also the subject of a new wave of hopeful research. Some scientists believe the insect could help solve a plethora of pollution problems — while producing nutrient-rich fertilizer at the same time.

“It’s a rapidly expanding and diversifying industry that creates huge opportunities for people throughout the world so that we can recycle materials that historically have had no value,”said Jeff Tomberlin, a professor at Texas A&M University and a leading black soldier fly researcher.

Tomberlin has been working with the insects since 1998, when the Georgia native began his Ph.D. at University of Georgia. While people have been interested in the black soldier fly for more than 100 years, it’s only been in the last couple decades that research into its potential has taken off in earnest. Tomberlin’s advisor was one of the first, beginning his research in the 1980s, giving Tomberlin a fast pass to the forefront of black soldier fly research.

“I think my upbringing had a big impact on my career choice, just because I grew up in a community where sustainability and community is really important. I think those seeds were planted early in my life,” he said.

With adults measuring more than half an inch long and displaying sleek, metallic black wings and a loud buzz, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is often mistaken for a

wasp. However, it’s actually a fly, has no stinger and won’t harm humans. In the Southeastern U.S., it thrives during the late spring and early fall, laying its eggs in moist, organic material — livestock waste, dumpsters, carrion and compost.

It’s the larvae that hatch from those eggs that are the subject of research interest from Tomberlin and others. During the approximately two weeks it takes them to go from newly hatched larvae to fully developed maggots, sometimes measuring more than an inch long, the black soldier flies eat voraciously — anything from apple peels and meat trimmings to soup bones and animal waste. When they’re ready to pupate, they crawl out of the substrate, leaving behind a compost that can be used as a fertilizer.

There’s also some research suggesting that black soldier flies could be used to recycle black liquor solids, a toxic material left over from papermaking. At the shuttered paper mill in Canton, an ongoing black liquor seep has spurred numerous environmental violations and water quality concerns, and years’ worth of waste continues to be stored at a series of nearby landfills. Some are lined, and some are not.

The idea of using a natural process like black soldier fly composting to forestall such pollution issues in the future is alluring, but it’s also not practical — at least, not yet.

“I know there has been some effort on it, but I can’t say that the data were indicative that it could be done,” Tomberlin said.

One study from a trio of Swedish authors, published in 2020, found that nutrients in papermaking waste aren’t readily available to black soldier fly larvae, who were able to convert less than half a percent of that waste into biomass. A 2021 study by the same authors tried fermenting the waste before feeding it to the larvae, and while they found that the larvae were able to convert the waste at a higher rate, about 95% of the nutrients remained inaccessible for the insects. To strengthen the possibility that black soldier flies could one day

The maggots have potential as a nutritious livestock feed. Depending on the larvae’s diet, they can be high in fat, protein and essential amino acids. And they’re efficient at converting their feed to larval weight — research shows that every 2,000 pounds of larvae food generates about 600 pounds of larvae, Tomberlin said.

“When you think about circular economies and this idea of efficiency, the black soldier fly can serve as another channel through which waste streams can be diverted and converted to these products that could be of value,” Tomberlin said.

However, there are some hurdles to overcome before black soldier flies become a ubiquitous livestock feed. A key requirement would be to get the price down so that black soldier fly larvae become competitive with other livestock feed ingredients, and communication with the public is important too.

“[That means] getting the community to understand that we’re not trying to produce black soldier flies to feed directly to people,” Tomberlin said. “We’re just trying to take care of animals’ — livestock’s — normal behavior of being insectivorous, consuming insects. So we’re really just trying to maximize our ability to harness what nature’s offering.”

Often mistaken for wasps, black soldier flies are harmless to humans and found worldwide.

Amy Dickerson photo

Black soldier fly maggots often reach 1 inch in length and are high in protein, fat and essential amino acids. Amy Dickerson photo

Keep telling the story

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF W RITER AND OUTDOORS E DITOR

When I first arrived in Western North Carolina just after New Year’s Day, 2014, I wasn’t planning to stay.

My new job at The Smoky Mountain News had brought me back to the Appalachians from the Mountain West, where I’d spent the last couple years trying to launch a career, and for that, I was grateful. But at 25, two years felt like a good long time to do anything, and I figured that was all I needed to inject some continuity into my fragmented resume, explore the local hiking trails and consider my next steps. I would never have guessed a decade would go by before the time came for something new.

At SMN, I quickly realized, I’d happened upon something that’s become all too rare in the world of journalism — a newspaper dedicated to quality over quantity, where I could let curiosity take the wheel, and take the time I needed to fully understand and tell each story.

The more I looked, the more stories I found to tell. Over the past decade, I’ve covered wildfires, elections, a forest planning process, a police shooting and an impeachment. Plus, countless less-standard stories motivated by my own desire to know more — a look at how A.T. hikers get their trail names, a deep dive into efforts to rebrand kudzu as an agricultural resource, a feature showing how Western Carolina University’s marching band draws enrollment and an indepth look at the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women on tribal lands, to name a few.

My time at SMN has been a happy season of my professional life, but all seasons eventually come to an end. This time next week, I’ll be starting my new job as lead writer for Smokies Life (formerly the Great Smoky Mountains Association), where I’ll continue to tell the stories of the Smokies’ places and people in a variety of formats. You might even read some of those pieces in SMN.

In many ways, this new job fulfills the vision I had for my life while in college — getting paid to write about the natural world that has fascinated me since childhood. But in my nearly 12 years as a newspaper reporter, I’ve also developed a deep appreciation for journalism’s vital role in society, and an acute awareness of what a strange and dangerous time this is for that cornerstone of democracy.

In countless communities, newspapers are shrinking or folding altogether. Seasoned journalists are being laid off to satisfy cost-cutting measures for massive corporations whose shareholders have no real interest in the wellbeing of the communities their newspapers serve. As a result, government meetings go uncovered, abuses of power unchallenged, and citizens uninformed. Instead of serving as a true “first draft of history,” these newspapers’ evershrinking pages hold a smattering of surface-level content, most of which is only

loosely relevant to the local community.

At the same time, journalists at what used to be considered the nation’s most prestigious publications make life harder for those trying to serve their local and regional communities. Too many of them seem to have traded in a career spent in search of truth, led by curiosity, for one dedicated to proving a predetermined thesis.

In my experience, that generalization rarely extends to local newsrooms. I, like everyone I’ve worked with over the years at SMN, do my grocery shopping, go out to dinner, walk my dog and perform all the other little rituals of daily life in the communities I write about. We live here, and we have a direct incentive to do the right thing by both our sources and our community.

But good journalism is predicated on trust — between source and reporter, and between writer and reader — and the erosion of these standards at the national level impacts both relationships at the local level. It drives a wedge between local reporters and readers who judge them as guilty by association, and it also makes it increasingly difficult for local journalists to refer in shorthand to a nationally reported story, trusting that the national journalist got the premise right.

So the job is harder than ever before, but the stakes are just as high. Studies have associated strong local journalism with preventing overspending and misconduct by governments and companies, increasing voter turnout and fostering a more informed, less biased electorate. Communities without this kind of coverage are referred to as news deserts — what we need instead are wellwatered ecosystems populated by journalists who continue to seek out the truth and report the facts as they find them.

Thankfully, WNC, unlike many other places in the country, has a slew of such journalists. I exit The Smoky Mountain News team with a profound appreciation for the job they do, and optimism that they’ll continue the hard work of finding and telling the stories that most need to be told.

Holly Kays File photo

WNC outdoors recreation survey highlights economic impact of industry

The MADE X MTNS Partnership released the results of the Western North Carolina Outdoor Recreation Participation Survey, conducted in partnership with the Center for Economic Research & Policy Analysis at Appalachian State University and the Institute of Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana, to establish a foundational dataset supporting the economic impact of outdoor recreation participation in the region.

The survey results reflect $4.9 billion in economic output, 48,000 full-time jobs created and $197.5 million in county-level tax revenues across the region, all generated through outdoor recreation. The survey also focuses on the average amount of time and money that visitors spend during visits to the region, as well as popular outdoor recreation activities, including: day hiking, nature viewing, scenic driving, fishing, vehicle camping, motorized boating, backpacking and mountain biking.

The survey targeted outdoor recreation participants across 25 counties and the Qualla Boundary, and successfully captured insights from 1,786 respondents from key states — Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia — representing visitors to WNC.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest hikes, work projects

March brings unstable weather in the mountains, but it can also ushers in occasional springlike conditions. A pair of events at the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest will give folks an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

At 9 a.m. March 19, workers and volunteers will apply cold patch to entrance roads, as well as linseed oil to the kiosk. There will also be other projects available. The work session will end with a hotdog lunch.

At 10 a.m. March 28, hikers will gather across the street from Fontana Village’s Pitstop Gas Station for a history hike. Bring water, as well as snacks and lunch.

SOLDIER FLY CONTINUED FROM 28

Finally, navigating the regulatory web. Farmers are currently allowed to feed black soldier flies to their livestock — but only if the flies are fed on a specific diet. Tomberlin would like to see those rules relaxed to allow for more types of materials to be recycled as feed for the flies.

However, there’s no obstacle to individuals setting up a black soldier fly bin at home, whether the goal is to generate food for a flock of backyard chickens or simply to recycle food scraps that would otherwise go in the landfill. Construction is simple — a plastic tote fitted with PVC

pipe to offer adult flies a way in up top, an exit for the mature larvae on the side and ramps for them to climb from the food up to the exit. Exiting the feeding area when it’s time to pupate is an instinctive behavior for the insects, allowing the fully grown larvae to be collected in a bucket. The tote also needs a dry spot, like a suspended piece of corrugated cardboard, for the adult flies to lay their eggs.

“I think if managed properly, it could have a massively positive impact,”

Tomberlin said. “We’re talking about material that has limited use now being converted to products of value.”

Some researchers are investigating whether black soldier flies could be used to recycle black liquor papermaking waste, such as this deposit found contaminating the Pigeon River in Canton in early 2022. File photo

File photo

Land protected in Sandy Mush

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) closed on a conservation easement to protect 29 acres of farmland. The new conservation easement at Full Sun Farm will permanently preserve important agricultural soils and ensure that the land remains available for local farm production for future generations.

The farm adjoins more than 220 acres of protected, scenic farmland in the Sandy Mush valley. This newly protected tract fits between SAHC’s first agricultural conservation easement in Sandy Mush and other farmland protected by SAHC and Buncombe County. Permanent protection of the land will also help preserve the scenic beauty along Bald Creek Road.

Over 95% of the recently conserved 29 acres at Full Sun Farm contains important agricultural soils, including 17 acres of nationally important Prime Soils (61.4%), 8.4 acres State Important Soils (30.3%) and 1 acre Locally Important Soils (3.6%).

This conservation easement on Full Sun Farm was made possible by grant funding from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services’ Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements (NRCS ACEP-ALE program), generous support from the Stanback family, a philanthropic $15,000 contribution from The Biltmore Company and a $31,000 grant from Buncombe County toward transaction costs to complete the project. The landowners donated a significant portion of the value of this conservation easement.

Biotech leader contributes $90,000 to study microbial life in Smokies

Microbial Insights has donated over $90,000 worth of advanced microbial analyses to support Discover Life in America’s research initiatives within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

This collaboration aims to deepen the understanding of microscopic organisms inhabiting the park’s soil, investigating their interactions within diverse environments and potential changes over time.

The project involved the collection of soil samples from 22 distinct locations across the park, with three additional sampling sites scheduled for collection during the winter months. These sampling spots span a spectrum of ecosystems within the park, ranging from grassy balds, diverse hardwood forests, spruce/fir forests, caves, roadside locations and native grasslands that encompass various watersheds.

Samples were taken from 22 diverse locations. Donated photo

Green Energy Park returns to normal hours

After completing its maintenance cycle, Jackson County’s Green Energy Park in Dillsboro will resume normal operations and will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday classes will resume in April. For more information, go to jcgep.org.

Smokies see increased visitation

Last week, the National Park Service announced that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022.

At Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 2023 visitation was 3% higher than 2022. With 13.3 million visits, it is the second highest year on record at the park,

after 2021. June through October were the busiest months, with over 1 million visits each month. Over the last decade, the park has averaged nearly 12 million visits per year.

“This year’s data shows that Great Smoky Mountains National Park continues to resonate with millions of visitors,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “People come here to build deeper connections with the park, seek adventures, and make new discoveries.”

Join educational hike March 18

A UNC-Asheville geology professor will lead an educational hike March 18. Professor Jeff Wilcox will lead a hike, during which he will talk about the importance of trees and vegetation on streams and flooding. The hike is about two miles round-trip with the option of adding an additional two miles after the main hike is done. Hikers will gather at 1 p.m. at the Bradley Falls Overlook trail parking lot.

Among the 29 acres protected is scenic farmland. Donated photo

The Smokies yet again earned the designation of the country’s most visited national park. File photo

Join Smoky Mountain Beekeepers for a series of talks

Red maples are popping, and it appears spring has sprung. As the weather improves, local beekeepers’ hives are buzzing back to life.

Join the Smoky Mountain Beekeepers Association in Swain County for a series of discussions meant to inform anyone with an interest in beekeeping, from those with no hives and an interest to those with large apiaries. Here’s a look at what lies ahead.

• March 14: NC apiary inspector Lewis Cauble will share his knowledge about how to keep hives healthy as we head into spring.

• April 11: NC Extension Agent Minda Daughtry will talk about the various pollens collected by pollinators and the food values associate with them.

Learn about what to plant for your pollinator garden.

• May 9: Bob Binnie, owner of Blue Ridge Honey will offer in-depth look at the chemistry of honey. Binnie is regarded as the premier commercial beekeeper in our area.

• June 13: Smoky Mountain News News Editor Kyle Perrotti will share what he learned during his investigation into the prevalence of fake, fraudulent and adulterated honey.

Learn about conservation in WNC

The speaker series “Where We Live: History, Nature, and Culture” will continue this month with a presentation explaining the role that the Mainspring Conservation Trust plays in the region.

Formed in 1997, Mainspring is concerned about the impact rapid development may have on Western North Carolina’s mountains, streams, farmlands and heritage, in addition to recent threats posed by wildfires, increasing

extinction rates and intensifying weather patterns.

This talk will dissect the strategies that Mainspring uses to identify high-priority conservation areas, from bottomland agricultural fields with incredibly fertile soils to isolated mountaintops that form islands in the clouds, while focusing on the ecological data that informs its decision making.

Skye Cahoon, Mainspring’s Conservation Outreach associate, will host the event, which is to take place at 6:30 p.m. on March 18, at the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center in Franklin.

March kicks off 2024 ozone season

March 1 marked the beginning of the 2024 ozone season as state and local environmental agencies renew their daily air quality forecasts for ozone across North Carolina.

Ground-level ozone forms in the air when nitrogen oxides react with hydrocarbons in the presence of heat and sunlight. High levels of ozone have been linked to heart and lung conditions, including asthma, particularly in young children, older adults and other sensitive groups.

Ozone levels on North Carolina’s highest ozone days continue to decline due to steady reductions in emissions from its primary air pollution sources: power plants, industry and motor vehicles.

The air quality forecasts for all of North Carolina are available through the Air Quality Portal, a mobile-friendly website launched in partnership with the North Carolina State Climate Office. Forecasts are also available through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow website and app.

Road maintenance shuts down roads in WNC recreation area

The U.S. Forest Service is working on road maintenance and improvement projects in the Fires Creek Recreation Area near Hayesville. The Forest Service roads listed below will be closed for an estimated four months while work is completed.

• Fires Creek (FSR 340) — closed just

beyond Bristol Field Horse Camp at the intersection of Little Fires Creek (FSR 340B) and Mile Marker 5.5 (FSR 340)

• Long Branch (FSR 340C)

• Big Stamp (FSR 427)

• Brushy Ridge (FSR 427A)

The Forest Service asks that anyone traveling in the area uses caution while traveling on FSR 340 from Fires Creek Picnic Area to the point of road closure at the intersection of Little Fires Creek Road (FSR 340B). Gravel trucks will be using this route to access the work area.

Smoky Mountain Beekeepers Association President Fred Crawford shows how bees build cells in a hive. Kyle Perrotti photo

Up Moses Creek

BY B URT KORNEGAY

One day last December, a flock of robins descended on the loaded winterberry hollies in our yard, their red breasts making the clump look like it was hung with big Christmas tree ornaments. But when the hungry flock flew off later, the birds left the bushes bare of red breasts and red berries.

berry mash vomited on the pane, with holly seeds in it. He seemed to be panting his life away.

Since the robin knows my study window as well as I know his hollies, I wondered if a hawk had snatched at him, and, panicked, he’d flown headlong into the glass. Or maybe he’d eaten too many fermented berries, as robins are known to do, and had been flying drunk.

I got the shoebox we keep for window strikes. We put stunned birds in it and set it in a quiet place. When we open the lid later, either the bird will dart out or we’ll find it dead. Years ago, Becky started noting every bird we boxed. Out of 31 birds total, 23 have flown.

Noon. The robin is still breathing hard, but his beak is closed and his wings are tucked in, a sign they’re not broken. I decide not to box him.

12:30 p.m. The robin has sidled up to a dead branch on the grass. He’s regained wits enough to make himself less exposed. A bit of down flutters beside him, and there’s a red berry at his tail that he must have passed entire. He looks through the window at me.

12:55 p.m. The robin is breathing quietly now, eyes closed. He’s put himself into a kind of box.

2:10 p.m. Becky drives up to the back door and carries in groceries, not knowing the robin is close. The bird watches. She joins me to look through the window — and remembers that when she pulled up, she’d noticed a hawk circling.

Well ... except for a scattering of berries and one redbreast we call the Solitary Robin, a male. He’s been a regular in the hollies for several winters, along with a hermit thrush. The two squabble over the berries, even though the robin stays in the branches to eat while the thrush forages on the ground below for fallen fruit. Their winter world revolves around the hollies.

4 p.m. I go out to split firewood, walking past the robin. He doesn’t move. Returning an hour later, I see he’s now in a patch of weeds under the red cedar tree. Becky says a chipmunk was scampering around in the grass and it had made the bird uneasy.

When I leave at sunrise for my daily walk, the hollies are bird-less, but when I return, the robin and hermit thrush are there. The thrush flies off at the sight of me, but the robin holds his perch, his breast looking like a newly risen sun. He’s living up to his name “Robin,” which goes back to ancient German and means “bright glory.” On cloudy days, his sun stays bright. As I approach, I can point out the very branch in a nearby red cedar tree the robin will finally fly to, with a querulous cry.

“He probably thinks you’re pretty predictable, too,” Becky says.

At 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 31, while I was in my study, a bang shook the window beside me, and the sun went dark. Looking out, I saw the robin lying senseless on the grass, his wings spread, his beak wide open. He’d hit the glass so hard there was a splatter of

9:30 p.m. We return from visiting friends, and I check on the robin. The night is turning cold, so I take the bird box with me. Ten hours have passed since the window strike. When my flashlight beam lands on the robin, still in the weeds, he flies heavily up into the cedar.

The next day, returning from my walk, the hermit thrush had the hollies to himself. The next day he was alone again. But when I went out mid-afternoon to split more wood, there was Solitary Robin preening his sunbright breast.

It’s been over a month now since the window strike and through the glass I watch the robin drive off the hermit thrush. Life is back to normal. He perches high in the hollies, puffs out his breast, flicks his wings as if flexing feathered biceps and plucks a berry — King of the Clump.

I leave the red splatter on the window. Burt and Becky Kornegay live in Jackson County. “Up Moses Creek” comes out the second Wednesday of each month.

Robin Redbreast lives up to his name. Tim Carstens photo.

WNC Calendar

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The Jackson County Farmers Market meets every Saturday November through March 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and April through October 9 a.m. to 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.

• Cowee School Farmer’s Market is held Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m., at 51 Cowee School Drive in Franklin. The market has produce, plant starts, eggs, baked goods, flowers, food trucks and music. For more information or for an application, visit www.coweeschool.org or call 828.369.4080.

H EALTH AND WELLNESS

• The Pollinators Foundation offers weekly Mindful Movement Qigong classes for all ages to reduce stress and improve health and well-being. Classes take place 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Folkmoot Center in Waynesville. For more information visit thepollinatorsfoundation.org or contact Marga Fripp at margacfripp@gmail.com 828.424.1398.

• The Pollinators Foundation and The Share Project host weekly Happy Hour Nature Walks 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at Lake Junaluska. The group meets at the Labyrinth. For more information visit thepollinatorsfoundation.org or contact Marga Fripp at margacfripp@gmail.com 828.424.1398.

• 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.

CLUBS AND M EETINGS

• The Western Carolina Cribbage Club meets every Monday at 6 p.m. An eclectic group of young and old, male and female. The group supplies boards, cards, pegs and are always willing to help those still learning the finer points of the game. For more information contact kei3ph@bellsouth.net.

• Chess 101 takes place 3:30-4:30 p.m. every Friday at the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Library. For more information, email Ashlyn Godleski at ashlyn.godleski@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2567.

• The Canton Branch of the Haywood County Public Library Creative Writing Group meets 10:30 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. For more information, email Jennifer at jennifer.stuart@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2561.

• 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 Wednesday mornings at City Lights Books. If interested contact sylvawriters@gmail.com.

• A Novel Escape Book Club takes place at 6:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month at the Novel Escape

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com

Bookstore (60 E Main St, Franklin). Every other month one book is selected for discussion. On alternate months the meeting is round-table discussion in which participants share what they’ve read lately. For more information call the bookstore at 828.369.9059 or visit anovelescapefranklin.wordpress.com.

• Silent Book Club takes place at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Novel Escape Bookstore (60 E Main St, Franklin). Bring your own book and whatever makes you feel cozy and enjoy a quiet, uninterrupted hour of reading among friends.

K IDS AND FAMILIES

• Lucky LEGO STEAM, a St. Patrick’s Day-themed STEAM edition of LEGO Club will take place at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at the Jackson County Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.586.2016.

• A special “Rain and Rainbows” themed family night will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at the Jackson County Library. There will be light refreshments along with science experiments and activities. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.586.2016.

• On Mondays, the Macon County Library will host Lady Violet, a King Charles Spaniel service dog, for children to practice their reading skills. Children who feel nervous reading aloud to an adult tend to feel more comfortable with a pet or a service animal. Sign up for a time to read with Lady Violet or to one of the library’s reading friends at the children’s desk or call 828.524.3600.

• On Tuesdays, Kelly Curtis will offer reading services to families from 3:30 -5:30 p.m. at the Macon County Public Library. Families may sign up for a 30-minute time spot at the children’s desk or by calling 828.524.3600.

• 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.

• Mother Goose Storytime takes place 10:30-11 a.m. every Wednesday, at the Waynesville branch of the Haywood County Public Library. Ideal for children from birth to 2 years old. For more information, contact Lisa at lisa.hartzell@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2511.

• Wiggle Worms Storytime takes place 10:30-11 a.m. every Tuesday, at the Waynesville branch of the Haywood County Public Library. Ideal for children 2-6 years old. For more information contact Lisa at lisa.hartzell@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2511.

• Next Chapter Book Club Haywood is a fun, energetic and highly interactive book club, ideal for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The group meets every second and fourth Monday of the

month. For more information, email Jennifer at jennifer.stuart@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2561.

• 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.

• Toddler’s Rock takes place at 10 a.m. every Monday at the Macon County Library. Get ready to rock with songs, books, rhymes and playing with instruments. 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.

A&E

• Uptown Gallery in Franklin is celebrating Youth Art Month. During the month of March, stop by the gallery to see Macon County Schools K-12 student artwork on display. A reception will be held 3-5 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at Uptown Gallery. For more information visit franklinuptowngallery@gmail.com.

• The Pollinators Foundation at Folkmoot offers creative arts playshops to reduce stress and cultivate joy and compassionate connection. More information at thepollinatorsfoundation.org/events, or contact Marga at margacfripp@gmail.com, or 828.424.1398.

• Trivia Night is hosted 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Thursday evening at the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley. For more information visit meadowlarkmotel.com.

• 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.

• Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at 308 North Haywood St. in downtown Waynesville. Over two dozen artisans selling handmade and vintage goods. Special events will be held when scheduled. mountainmakersmarket.com.

• Smoky Mountain Event Center presents Bingo Night with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. and games starting at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday and fourth Monday of the month. For more information visit smokymountaineventcenter.com.

F OOD AND D RINK

• “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 trip around the world with four different wines every Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to

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.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS

• 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. to 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.

Outdoors

• A turkey shoot will be held 9 a.m. Saturdays at the American Legion in Waynesville, continuing weekly through mid-April 2024. Breakfast food will be available for sale, with cash prizes offered. The event is weather-dependent. The American Legion is located on 171 Legion Drive in Waynesville.

• MountainTrue, in partnership with Mainspring Conservation Trust, will host a community volunteer workday to control non-native invasive plants and restore native habitat to the Jackson County Greenway from 1-4 p.m. Fridays, March 8 and April 12, and Saturday, March 16. No experience necessary, tools and training provided. Register in advance and find more information at mountaintrue.org.

• The annual Haywood County Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale is now underway, with orders due pre-paid by Friday, March 8. Order forms are available online at go.ncsu.edu/haywoodplantsales or by email to HCMGplantsale@gmail.com. They’re also in physical form at the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Office on Raccoon Road in Waynesville. 828.456.3575.

MarketPlace information:

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!

Rates:

• $15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance

Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE

• $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less)

• Boost Online — Have your ad featured at top of category online $4

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

Note: Highlighted ads automatically generate a border so if you’re placing an ad online and select a highlight color, the “add border” feature will not be available on the screen.

Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com

p: 828.452.4251 · f:828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com www.wncmarketplace.com

PLACE WNC

Legals

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.2024 E 00085

Vickie A West, having -

istrator of the Estate of Faye Barker Adams

notify all persons having May 21 2024, or this Administrator

105 Sommerset Lane Easley, SC 29642

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.2024 E 000105

Donna Messer Hunter, -

tate of Maggie ParaLee Messer

this is to notify all persons May 14 2024, or Administrator

368 Dolan Road Waynesville, NC 28786

Announcements

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Auction

CLAYTOR LAKE VIRGINIA REALESTATE AUCTION:

HOME IMPROVEMENT AUCTION -

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Employment

CERTIFIED APPLICATION COUNSELOR-MACON COUNTY Are you an outgoing person with access to healthcare

Sales & Marketing Professional

The Smoky Mountain News is look for a full-time employee to sell print and digital advertising. We are a weekly newspaper (The Smoky Mountain News), a nationally distributed regional lifestyle magazine (Smoky Mountain Living) and a nationally distributed regional motorcycle magazine (Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine), and the publisher of a dozen additional once-a-year magazines for various entities (chambers of commerce, tourism development agencies, local businesses). This position will also help small businesses develop digital marketing plans using our websites, e-newsletters, and various social media platforms. We are a family-oriented company that values community involvement. This is not a remote position but there is work that can be done off-site. Salary, commissions, PTO, 401K, cell-phone reimbursement, mileage reimbursement, health club membership, and more. Contact Greg Boothroyd at greg@smokymountainnews.com or 828.506.4112.

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Real Estate Announcements

PUBLISHER’S NOTICEing in this newspaper isor national origin, or an in-

ACROSS

1 Friendly and cheerful

7 Custard apple relative

12 Peevish state

16 Air gun ammo

19 With no secrecy

20 Caribbean resort island

21 Physiques, for short

22 Suffix with east

23 Door-bashing device

25 Working hard

26 Grazing field

27 Politician Alexandria --Cortez

28 Bud Light mascot Spuds MacKenzie, for one

31 A verb often follows it

34 Vex

36 Winning tic-tac-toe row

37 "Hoarders" channel

38 "Full House" acting pair

41 Sideways-moving arachnid

43 Judo teacher

44 Test taker

46 Sailors, informally

47 "The Villain" actor Jack

50 Gain's offset

51 Ignited

53 "If I Only Had the Nerve" singer

59 "Ka-POW!"

60 Me, in Lyon

63 On -- with (equal to)

64 One of the Kennedys

65 Org. with merit badges

67 Leaning

69 Mother of Jesus

71 Things to step on in washrooms

73 Moon that's home to the Ewoks

74 Top-secret U.S. org.

75 Dialect of Aramaic

76 Ad biz award

77 French article

78 CEO's deg.

80 Flashy, diving soccer move

82 Put a flaw in

83 Dog in "The Thin Man"

85 Hockey's Phil, to fans

86 Manufacture

89 Leaned back

93 Negev's land

98 "Fatal Attraction"

Oscar nominee

100 Feta, for one

103 Official order

104 Prevarication

105 Spiral-shelled mollusk

106 Rep on the street

107 Luxury writing implement

110 Eye ring

113 Rhinoplasty doc

114 Nastase of tennis fame

115 Halibut, sole and flounder

120 Beatified Mlle.

121 Madams' counterparts

122 Eldest of the Musketeers

123 1998 Masters champ

Mark

124 One of the Kennedys

125 Hug's partner

126 Century's 100

127 All 12 of its symbols are featured in this puzzle

DOWN

1 Dollop

2 Clean air org.

3 Court divider

4 Chants

5 Actor Baldwin

6 Vega's constellation

7 Grill-marked sandwiches

8 French forest region

9 Brand of faucet filters

10 Cry like --

11 Bank bought by Chase, for short

12 Govt. advances for mom-and-pops

13 Opposite of destined

14 "And When --" (1969 hit)

15 Certain high-heel feature

16 Go-Go's singer Carlisle

17 Offspring producer

18 Ones entrapping

24 "Vidi," in English

29 "Slow" primate

30 Bonnie of blues rock

31 Antis' votes

32 Corrida cry

33 Sailor's org.

35 It runs on a 52-Down

39 -- -do-well

40 Bill of tennis

41 "Hurry it up!"

42 Actress Ward

45 Balm additive

48 Female grad

49 Chatty birds

52 Apple buy

53 Went spelunking

54 Think aloud

55 Prison units

56 2012 Ben Affleck

thriller

57 Turkish money unit

58 Bitterly cold

59 Adherents of an Iranian religion

60 Thousand: Prefix

61 -- acid (fat product)

62 "There, there"

65 Georgia politician Bob 66 Michael of the band R.E.M.

68 Small nail

70 "-- la Douce"

71 Drink-related party abbr.

72 Suffix with micro- or kaleido-

75 Read quickly

79 "I'm c-c-cold!"

80 Start to wake

81 Light snack

82 Small rodents, jocularly 83 Sore feeling

84 Slumber

86 Star of "I'm No Angel"

87 Slower than allegretto

88 Like bootees

90 Cream-filled pastries

91 Big head

92 Contributor

94 Covered anew, as a book

95 -- Lingus

96 Suffix with Senegal

97 Guided

99 In harm's way

101 Transversely

102 Those people

105 100-buck bill

108 Roman 1,052

109 Auction website

111 "The Wizard --"

112 Celeb's ride

116 Radio host

Charlamagne -- God

117 "Bali --"

118 Epoch

119 Small pouch

ANSWERS ON PAGE 34

newspaper will notvertising for real estate in

PROPERTY OWNERS

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SUDOKU

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Answers on 34