Smoky Mountain News | March 10, 2021 by Smoky Mountain News

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March 10-16, 2021 Vol. 22 Iss. 41

HERE plans homeless shelter for Jackson Page 9 Push for affordable housing in Waynesville Page 13

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: While summer camps were on hiatus during the height of the pandemic in 2020, many camps in Western North Carolina are reopening for summer 2021 with COVID-19 protocols in place. Parents will need to plan now to reserve a spot at some of the more popular week-long camps. (Page 4)

EDITOR/PUBLISHER: ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: ART DIRECTOR: DESIGN & WEBSITE: DESIGN & PRODUCTION: ADVERTISING SALES:

Scott McLeod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@smokymountainnews.com Greg Boothroyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . greg@smokymountainnews.com Micah McClure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . micah@smokymountainnews.com Travis Bumgardner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . travis@smokymountainnews.com Jessica Murray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jessica.m@smokymountainnews.com Susanna Shetley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Bradley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jc-ads@smokymountainnews.com Hylah Birenbaum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hylah@smokymountainnews.com Sophia Burleigh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sophia.b@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jessi Stone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jessi@smokymountainnews.com Holly Kays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holly@smokymountainnews.com Hannah McLeod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hannah@smokymountainnews.com Cory Vaillancourt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cory@smokymountainnews.com Garret K. Woodward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . garret@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Singletary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), George Ellison (writing), Don Hendershot (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing) Boyd Allsbrook (writing)

Summer Camp Guide Kids return to Camp Watia this summer ......................................................................5 Proud past, bright future: Camp Henry soldiers on ..................................................6 Rec Center delays summer camp decision ................................................................6 Waynesville Art School empowers kids ......................................................................7

News HERE plans homeless shelter for Jackson ................................................................9 WCU women create local branch of University Women ....................................10 Tough decisions in store for Waynesville budget ..................................................12 Feichter pushes for affordable housing in Waynesville ........................................13 Jackson forecasts budget increase ............................................................................14 Macon moves forward with middle school renovations ........................................18 Buncombe Commissioner wants Cawthorn’s seat ................................................20

Opinion A long overdue plan to cut childhood poverty ........................................................24 Getting my hands dirty and loving it ............................................................................25

A&E Big Nick’s Barbecue carries on family tradition ......................................................26

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CONTACT WAYNESVILLE | 144 Montgomery, Waynesville, NC 28786 P: 828.452.4251 | F: 828.452.3585 SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 P: 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789 INFO & BILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 Copyright 2021 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ Advertising copyright 2021 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Smoky Mountain News is available for free in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and parts of Buncombe counties. Limit one copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1, payable at the Smoky Mountain News office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of The Smoky Mountain News, take more than one copy of each issue.

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March 10-16, 2021

Group works for safer wildlife crossings on I-40 ....................................................30

289 Access Road, Waynesville ∙ 4524343 32 Asheville Hwy, Sylva ∙ 5868950 188 Georgia Road, Franklin ∙ 3494534 49 McDowell Street, Asheville ∙ 2547716 35 NC Hwy 141, Murphy ∙ 8358389

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QUESTION: What are some beverage suggestions March 10-16, 2021

for someone who has pre-diabetes or is trying to watch their carbohydrates/added sugar? ANSWER: Top of the list would have to be WATER. If you

don't care for the taste of your water try using a water filter or flavoring your water with non-caloric or low calorie flavor enhancer drops or slices of lemon/lime/orange. Other suggestions: • Coffee or tea (hot or iced) - sweeten with sugar substitutes. • Non caloric sparkling water or tonic water

Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza.

• "Diet" sodas with no calories • Kombucha (but be sure to check calories/added sugars)

• Dairy alternatives - be sure to check carbohydrate amount because many contain added sugars.

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• Fairlife milk (filtered so it has lower carbohydrate amount but still great source of protein and calcium)

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Balsam. $3,350-$3,550; ages 11-18. www.soarnc.org. SOAR Horseback Riding Camp. Jun 6-16, June 20-30, July 4-14, July 18-28, Aug. 111. Balsam. $3,650-$3,850; ages 11-18. www.soarnc.org. SOAR Expedition Camp. June 10-26, July 117, July 22 to Aug. 7. Balsam. $4,550; ages 13-18. www.soarnc.org. SOAR Academic Discovery Camp. June 8 to July 2; July 8 to Aug. 1. Balsam. $5,600. Ages 11-18. www.soarnc.org. SOAR Twice Exceptional Adventure. June 10-26, July 1-17. Balsam. $4,600. Ages 1215. www.soarnc.org. WCU typically offers an array of summer camp activities but is still deciding when and if to hold them this year. Check www.wcu.edu/engage/professional-enrichment/camps-and-programs-for-kids for updates.

March 10-16, 2021

Macon County

Summer camps Haywood County

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• SOAR Summer Adventure Camp. Sessions start June 5 through Aug. 7. Tuition ranges from $3,100 to $4,700 depending on the program. www.soarnc.org or 828.456.3435. • Smoky Mountain Sk8way. Eight-week day camp from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 8 through Aug. 7. Ages 6-14. $160 a week. 828.246.9124. Enrollment form at www.SmokyMountainSk8way.com. • Camp Henry at Lake Logan. Sessions June 6 through July 27. Cost ranges from $395 to $1,275 for different camps. Scholarships available. www.camphenry.net or 828.475.9264. • Waynesville Art School. Sessions begin June 1 and run through Aug. 13. Costs vary. www.waynesvilleartschool.com/summercamp-general-info or 828.246.9869. • Camp Daniel Boone. Sessions start on June 6 and run through July 18. Most sessions are already sold out, but some remain. www.campdanielboone.com or 828.254.6189 x121. 4

Jackson County • British Soccer Camp. June 7-11; July 19-23. Cullowhee. $97-$143. Ages 3-16. jcprd.recdesk.com. 828.631.2020. • Jackson County Fun for Kids Day Camp. Cashiers and Cullowhee. June to early August, with 2021 details TBD. Kindergarten through sixth grade. jcprd.recdesk.com. 828.631.2020. • Summer Symposium for Marching Arts. July 11-15. WCU campus. www.prideofthemountains.com. • SOAR Family Weekend Adventure. May 7-8. Balsam. $500 per family; ages 8-18. • SOAR Llama Trek Camp. June 6-15, June 20-29, July 4-13, July 18-27, Aug. 1-10. Balsam. $3,350-$3,550; ages 8-10. www.soarnc.org. • SOAR Classic Adventure Camp. June 5-15, June 19-29, July 3-13, July 17-27, July 31 to Aug. 10. Balsam. $3,350-$3,550; ages 1118. www.soarnc.org. • SOAR Canoeing Camp. June 5-15, June 1929, July 3-13, July 17-27, July 31 to Aug. 10.

• New Vision Training Center. Summer day camp opportunities for gymnastics, ninja training, bouldering, outside play, arts and crafts, games, and much more. Full days and half days. Snacks will be provided. Bring your own lunch. Ages 3-12. www.newvisiontrainingcenter.com or 828.524.1904. • Macon County Schools Summer Edventure Camp. 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 14 through July 31. Ages 5-12. Registration costs $30 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tuition is $1,057. Deadline is May 28. Call Lenora Clifton at 828.524.4414, Ext. 324 or https://sec.macon.k12.nc.us. • Bascom Art Center in Highlands. Summer art camp for ages 7-14. Sessions begin June 19 through Aug. 14. $175 a week. www.thebascom.org or 828.526.4949. • Danny Antoine’s Martial Arts & Fitness Academy in Franklin. Monday through Friday starting May 28 through Aug. 23. $135 per week. Each child must be sent with a packed lunch, two snacks, and a bottle of water. To register, call 828.332.0418. • Nantahala Learning Center Summer Program. $25-$35 per day Monday through Friday. Registration fee is $50. All field trip admission, transportation expenses, and materials is budgeted into the registration fee. Call 219.689.3443 for more info or visit www.nlcfranklin.com/summer-program. • Boys and Girls Club in Cashiers Summer Camp. 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily June 3 through July 26. $415 per student/$350 for additional family members. info@bgcplateau.org or 828.743.2775.

Swain County • YMCA Camp Watia. Weeklong sessions from June 13 through Aug. 13 for ages 7 to 15. Due to the pandemic, enrollment is currently capped, and a waiting list is available for families. $450-$750. Financial assistance available. www.ymcacampwatia.org. • Nantahala Outdoor Center. Whitewater

kayaking camp. Spots are limited. Five-day sessions in June and July. For ages 9 to 17. Starting at $900. 828.785.4977 or https://noc.com/courses/summer-daycamps/. • Camp Living Water Christian camp. Teen Camp (13-17) July 4-16; Junior Camp (712) July 25-30. $490 per camper. www.camplivingwater.com/summer-camp or 828.488.6012.

Buncombe County • Asheville Music School Summer Camps: Offering many different week-long day camps for ages 4-18. Campers learn different styles of music in a fun, team-oriented group setting. Camps include Rock Camp, Ukulele Camp, Harry Potter-themed Strings Camp, Music Explorations, Pop Rock Camp, Fiddle Camp, and more. Full-day camps run Mon-Fri, 9am - 4pm, half-day camps run 9am- 12pm, or 1pm - 4pm. Price range: $190-$350. Contact Program Director Kylie Irvin: programs@ashevillemusicschool.org. Full details at ashevillemusicschool.org • Asheville Performing Arts Academy Summer Camps. June 7 - Aug. 13, prices and ages vary. Visit https://theapaa.com/programs/summer. • Discovery Camp. North Carolina Arboretum. Weekly camps 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 7 - July 2 and July 19 - Aug. 13. Visit https://www.ncarboretum.org/educationprograms/discovery-camp/. • WNC Nature Center Summer Camp. For students entering first grade through fourth grade in fall 2021. Camps run 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 14 - Aug. 6. wildwnc.org/education/summer-camp/ • Summer day camps at the YMCA of Asheville. Ages 4-14. https://ymcawnc.org/summerdaycamps • Great Smokies Young Writers Workshop. Two-week session via Zoom, for two hours/day (one hour of poetry and one hour of prose, with a half hour break in between) with dates and times TBA. This workshop is open to rising 9th graders through rising first-year college students. Visit greatsmokies.unca.edu/young-writers-workshop/ • STEAM Studio SkillSet. July 5-9 [full day] Make Your Own Guitar (girls & non-binary age 13 - 18) $520. Tools and processes include Fusion 360, CNC Router, Waterjet, soldering circuits, hand tools. No experience necessary. July 12-16 [half day] Chirps and Chimes (girls and non-binary age 11 - 15) $415. Participants will make birdhouses and copper pipe windchimes. July 19-23 Illuminations (girls and non-binary age 13 18) $520. Participants will weld a pendant lamp, construct a wood and rice paper lamp, and sew a soft circuit. July 26-30 Furniture (girls and non-binary age 13 - 18) $520. Participants will build and customize a wooden bench. Email jregan@unca.edu or visit https://steamstudio.unca.edu/projects/skillset/. • Rockbrook Camp in Brevard. An overnight summer camp for girls ages 6-16. Two-, three- or four-week sessions available. ACA accredited and founded in 1921.

Kids return to Camp Watia this summer

March 10-16, 2021

near Lake Fontana in 2016, welcoming campers to unplug from their devices and explore all that the outdoors of Western North Carolina has to offer. The sleepover camp offers swimming, archery, hiking, games, campfires , canoeing, paddle boarding, theater, horseback riding and more. In addition to all the outdoor activities, Camp Watia boasts state-of-the-art facilities and amenities, including a large dining hall, a multi-use indoor recreation room, a 100foot-long water slide into a watering hole, an open-air pavilion, outdoor amphitheater, basketball court, soccer field and a hammock village to provide a place for relaxation. “We anticipate being able to run a majority of the favorites — the giant slide and mountain biking and art and crafts,” Hove said. “We also have a few new things

“We’ve been trying really hard to be as transparent about our processes as possible and they’ve appreciated that, but I think overall kids are really excited to get back to camp,” he said. “I think the big concern for all of our families is being able to let their kids run around with their friends and being in an outside environment because their emotional and physical health is critical to feel successful and feel a little more normal right now.” Since camp counselors are considered childcare workers and are included in North Carolina’s Group 3, Camp Watia’s staff is currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. “We’re highly encouraging all staff to jump in on that — it’s another puzzle piece for creating that safe bubble for campers this summer,” he said. Watia families are invited to join one of the virtual open houses coming up. The first will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 18, and the second from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 23. For more information and to sign up, visit ymcacampwatia.org/programs/current-families/covid-19. Camp Watia is also hiring for counselors, kitchen staff, lifeguards and more. To apply, visit ymcacampwatia.org/programs/work-watia/join-our-team.

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BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ids will be able to return to YMCA’s Camp Watia in Swain County this summer after taking a year off during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Camp Director Ryan Hove said he’s excited to welcome all the campers back this year with some adjustments to ensure everyone’s health and safety, including face coverings and regular health screenings. “We’re working through how to run activities as safely as possible. We’re currently building our protocols with our medical committee so we don’t have all the details yet, but we know masks will play a significant role for campers and staff,” he said. Camp Watia opened in Swain County

up our sleeves but we’re not sharing them quite yet.” Camp Watia is still waiting for more direction from the state on allowed capacity levels at the camp so as of right now, enrollment is being capped at 75 percent. In the meantime, YMCA is accepting families on a waiting list in hopes of being able to take more campers before camp starts this summer. While campers of different ages and different cabins are normally allowed to mix and mingle during the day, Hove said Camp Watia will be operating differently this year to keep the same groups of campers together and limit any risk of virus exposure. “We’re looking at utilizing a cohort and neighborhood model so each cabin will operate as a cohort and stay as a group through the day,” he said. “Typically the schedule is pretty mixed as far as ages and gender so they are allowed to build their own camp experience, but to reduce any spread, we want to create the safest experience we can for them.” Hove said the YMCA staff has fielded a lot of normal questions from families regarding masks and activities. Camp Watia is offering two upcoming virtual open house events to give parents the opportunity to have their concerns addressed in the next couple of weeks.

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Proud past, bright future: Camp Henry soldiers on BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER ounded in the 1950s, Camp Henry’s history is rooted in the logging operations that once dominated the area. Indeed, the Haywood County camp’s milelong lake was created when the site of a former logging camp was dammed up, but now the 300-acre property on the edge of the Pisgah National Forest is looking to build upon last year’s successes just as the nation starts to take its first tentative steps past the Coronavirus Pandemic. “We’re one of the only camps that operated last summer,” said Jessi LeFiles, executive director of Camp Henry. “We put a lot of COVID protocols in place following all of the guidelines that were given to us by the Department of Health and Human services and the CDC, but we did it in a way that the campers could still have fun.” LeFiles started with Camp Henry just as the pandemic began in earnest last winter, forcing camp directors to evaluate the feasibility of even opening the doors. “You know, they weren’t in prison,”

LeFiles said of last year’s campers. “They wore face coverings while they were inside getting food. We ate outside, they wore face coverings while they were playing in the cabins. Once they got in their bed, they could take them off. The rest of the time, we just picked games and fun activities where they could stay socially distanced and we kept the numbers low to keep the chances of COVID transmission low. From a safety standpoint, that’s something I’m proud of.” Camp Henry is perfectly situated to implement those socially distanced activities; the camp itself is spacious and tidy and is relatively isolated, hemmed in as it is between the Pigeon River and the towering ridges of the Shining Rock Wilderness Area. “We have something for everyone, so we have camps that are based on expeditions and you go backpacking and rafting and climbing,” LeFiles said. “And then we have a camp this summer that is a performing arts camp, so if your child isn’t the type of kid that wants to go rafting and climbing they can come here and be part of

Jessi LeFiles, executive director of Camp Henry, stands before the camp’s Alpine tower. Cory Vaillancourt photo a production and learn how to do directing or lighting or get singing instruction, play musical instruments. We try to provide something for any type of child, whatever they would like to do.” This year, there are more than a dozen different camp experiences for children from kindergarten through grade 12. There are also a number of options for parents who might find it difficult to afford a traditional camp experience for their child or children. LeFiles says they don’t like to

turn campers away if they can’t pay. “The camp is owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, which does mean that it has a spiritual aspect, but the other side of being part of the Episcopal Diocese is that we have a really great monetary support system,” said LeFiles. “They give us an amount for scholarships and then they also provide a network of donors that donate to our scholarship fund or set up their own individual scholarship funds.” That support helps bolster inclusiveness, so that more kids can experience Camp Henry’s proud past, while simultaneously becoming part of its bright future. “Camp Henry is a place where grandparents, parents, kids, they all come and they all have memories of this place and they all realize that it’s a special place,” LeFiles said. “We like to say it’s a thin place, a place where when you’re here, you feel a little bit closer to God or whatever your spirituality is. Kids feel like they can be more themselves. They forge friendships that they would probably never forge at school and for maybe reasons that I don’t even know, they come back year after year. The community piece is really what makes Camp Henry special.” For more information on Camp Henry’s programs, visit www.lakelogan.org/camphenry.

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March 10-16, 2021

Waynesville Rec delays summer camp decision

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER n a normal year, this would be the week that parents hoping to get their kids a coveted place in the enormously popular Base Camp Waynesville Summer Camp series would rush to the Waynesville Recreation Center as registration opened, hoping to snag one of the soon-to-vanish spots. But this is not a normal year. “We’re trying to wait as long as we possibly can, and then be making decisions on what we can and can’t do,” said Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department Director Rhett Langston. In 2019, the last year Base Camp was offered, there were eight weeks of camp, each enrolling 40 to 50 kids. Campers went hiking, swimming and rafting. They watched movies, played sports and got hands-on environmental education opportunities. There was a lot going on. Waynesville Rec offered camps for basketball, volleyball and soccer as well. But with things so uncertain as the pandemic continues — albeit now with a light at the end of the tunnel — Langston isn’t ready to pull the trigger on camp quite yet. Transportation is a big part of it. Many of the most popular summer camp activities require transportation off-premises, and Langston is not able to offer that at the moment. While there is not currently any state guidance specific to summer camps, guidance concerning childcare facilities advises discontinuing “in-person activities that involve bringing together large groups of people or activities that do not allow for social distancing (field trips, performances, etc.).” “What are you going to do if one day it thunderstorms all day?” he said. “If you can’t transport them anywhere off property, then what are you going to do?”

Waiting doesn’t come without a cost. By this time in the season, the recreation department would normally have held a couple open houses to recruit summer hires, and

Campers navigate a rapid during a Base Camp Waynesville session. Donated photo

staff would be well into the planning phase. Langston estimates that he has until mid-to-late April, at the latest, to make a decision and still make camp happen, if doing so seems wise at that time. Some camp offerings are more COVID-safe by nature, as they rely more on outdoor activities, though transportation

needs complicate the safety component. Others, like basketball and volleyball camp, don’t require transportation but do involve intense physical activity indoors. Then there’s international soccer camp, which is staffed by people traveling from abroad — there’s no telling what kind of international travel restrictions might be in place by summertime. “We’re planners by trade, and the fact that we have to sit on our hands so to speak, that’s really nervewracking,” said Langston. “Like everyone else, we’re ready to go. Let’s get back to normal.” But the most important thing, he added, is to do so responsibly. “We want to make sure everyone’s safe,” he said. “We absolutely don’t want to do something we can’t control, and all of a sudden there’s an outbreak or a cluster of the virus here. What we’re trying to do is trying to wait and see how this thing plays out.”

Private Lessons | Bands | Outreach

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who are already in the same pod. Throughout the spring and summer, Waynesville Art School will offer classes for children of all ages. Some of the camps will be theme based, mythical creatures for instance, in which case students of different ages will work on different age-appropriate projects. This allows for siblings, or kids of different ages within the same pod to attend the same camp while working different projects, related by theme. Petrova feels that empowering kids through art, especially while they are living through the uncertainty of the pandemic is incredibly valuable. Teaching kids how to create art and providing them the time and space to create freely gives them the gift of an avenue for expression. “You don’t have to become a professional artist, you don’t, it just makes you express how you feel. It makes you express whatever is bottled up. You can work through your emotions,” she said. Saturday, April 3, Waynesville Art School will showcase a “Dragons and Castles” installation that includes the work of students from 4 years old to adults. Most of the materials for the installation are upcycled and found objects. For families interested in an art camp or class this Spring and Summer, Petrova recommends coming to the showcase. Waynesville Art School art camps will run through June, July and August. To find more information or register, visit www.waynesvilleartschool.com.

Uke Camp Rock Camp Pop Rock Fiddle Camp and MORE

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“The thing that struck me tremendously after we were able to re-open in mid-June is how much kids missed being around other kids. When I saw it, it was like the very first camp and, you know, after a lot going on, you can imagine how emotional it was to actually open the doors and actually see real people, with masks and shields and everything.” Waynesville Art School has been and will continue to follow strict social distancing guidelines. This means usually five students per class for ages 6 and under, and seven for ages 7 and older. There are certain exceptions for siblings or other children

March 10-16, 2021

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER aynesville Art School will celebrate its second anniversary this April 27, and as anyone with young children now understands, turning one, and then two, in the midst of a global pandemic is less than ideal. But Luba Petrova, founder and director of Waynesville Art School is optimistic. Not only about the upcoming season of camps and classes, but also about what art can provide to people of all ages during the stress of a global pandemic. Petrova began establishing Waynesville Art School a little over two years ago after having what she considered a “revelation” in New York City. She was there visiting a friend, who has an art school of her own and asked Petrova to substitute a class. “I had never considered it until that December day. I had never considered doing it full time for whatever reason. I don’t know why. The opportunity that my friend gave me where I just spent two hours teaching kids, I don’t know, it just opened my eyes,” she said. She recalls texting her brother during her trip home, telling him she was going to open an art school. This would have been nothing new for her family though because Petrova’s brother, mother and father were all teachers during their lives. “Maybe,” Petrova says, “it transcends a family.” Due to the rigorous education system in Russia, Petrova’s country of birth, she is well rounded with practice and experience in all mediums. That is what was expected at St. Petersburg Academy of the Arts, a solid foundation across the wide spectrum of art forms. But, Petrova naturally gravitated toward painting, drawing and printmaking, favoring the use of black and white. After immigrating to the United States and being accepted to The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Arts, Petrova added photography to her repertoire of preferred mediums. The revelation came that day in December 2018 Petrova signed a lease Jan. 7, and doors opened April 27, 2019. Less than a year after opening, the pandemic forced Waynesville Art School to temporarily close its doors. After taking time to figure out the legalities and logistics of running art classes during a pandemic, Waynesville Art School opened back up in mid-June 2020.

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Art school empowers kids during pandemic

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aging a dedicated shelter building wouldn’t be cheap, with one option HERE has been considering likely to cost $1 million to purchase and remodel. Another option would involve about $600,000 for renovations with ongoing lease payments between $5,000 and $7,500 per month. But hotel nights — even discounted ones — aren’t cheap either, and last winter Cochran saw an explosion of

Bob Cochran

“A congregate shelter will have significant upfront expenses, but would be a better fit for homeless services in the long term, allowing greater opportunities for more targeted individual and group services.” — Bob Cochran

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demand unlike anything he’d seen in the four years he’s been involved with the cold weather shelter. Back in the 2017-18 fiscal year, the Southwestern Child Development Commission managed the shelter and kept 12 rooms available. Prior to that, Jackson Neighbors in Need had provided eight rooms, with fewer than 20 room nights in all of 2009, the shelter’s first year. “Twelve was plenty,” said Cochran. “We didn’t have any issue with meeting needs locally.” Then the pandemic struck. The shelter opened on Nov. 1, and the number of residents went past 12 up to 15,

20, 25 and on to 44, costing HERE $17,000 or more each week. In total, HERE spent $65,000 on 1,752 hotel rooms during the month of December, compared to $58,000 for the entire winter of 2018-2019. “That’s when I sent an email to our board and said we’re going to have to put a cap on this,” said Cochran. “We can’t continue going in this direction. It could have conceivably continued past 44 (rooms).” In a normal year, HERE would have been wholly unable to afford $17,000 per week in hotel fees. Typically, the Jackson County government is HERE’s biggest funder, giving the nonprofit about $150,000 annually. However, the nonprofit expects to receive nearly $836,000 in CARES Act funding, of which about $175,000 is for the emergency shelter. As of now, HERE has received $81,000 for emergency shelter and $206,000 for housing stabilization. A chunk of that had to be used by the end of 2020, so in January HERE reduced the number of rooms to 19 — 15 for emergency shelter and four for the 30day program. HERE’s entire budget for fiscal year 202021 is $635,000, a figure that includes funding for programs besides emergency shelter, including housing stabilization — comprised of homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing programs — which serve a regional area that includes but is not limited to Jackson County. In addition to the CARES Act and Jackson County, HERE also receives funding from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Emergency Services Grant Office, Dogwood Health Foundation, Nantahala Health Foundation, the Evergreen Foundation, the Community Foundation of WNC, Church of the Good Shepherd, Wade Hampton Golf Club and the N.C. Coalition to End Homelessness, among others. On Feb. 3, HERE sent out a request for proposals to conduct a feasibility study that would provide the basis for a capital campaign to develop a dedicated homeless shelter, and it received three responses ahead of the deadline March 5. Those proposals came from Integrated Organizational Development Inc., Hunter-Kemper Consulting and Mountain Non-Profit Solutions LLC. An ad hoc committee from HERE’s board is currently evaluating the proposals and expects to make a recommendation to the full board in the next couple weeks. Once a proposal is chosen, Cochran expects the study to take about three months to complete. Ultimately, it would determine whether there is sufficient support for a successful capital campaign, evaluate available options and outline a plan of action. A grant from Dogwood Health Trust would pay to complete the study and launch a capital campaign. “We can’t do it soon enough,” said Cochran.

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BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER or more than a decade, groups serving Jackson County’s homeless population have done so on a shoestring and a thin supply of hotel rooms, but the nonprofit currently providing homeless services says the time has come for a dedicated shelter facility. “I think that the community has multiple interests, and one of them is to alleviate suffering and to address real human needs like homelessness,” said Housing Equity Resources and Education in Jackson County Director Bob Cochran. “But the other is to not become a regional homeless provider for beyond Jackson County.” Currently, when HERE determines that somebody qualifies for homeless services, they’re put up in a hotel room — either overnight as part of HERE’s cold weather shelter or for a longer period as part of its 30-day program to get transient people back on their feet. It’s a much nicer situation than your standard homeless shelter, and Cochran has found that people facing homelessness come from outside county borders hoping to get a room. While non-residents surely have needs every bit as acute as locals — “I would do the same thing” in that situation, said Cochran, particularly if children were involved — with limited resources and county-heavy funding, HERE is not designed to be a regional emergency shelter provider. “That’s the reason why I feel it’s important to begin transitioning and making plans for a more traditional congregate shelter that is very humane and safe and sanitary but at the same time doesn’t provide the same level of comfort and privacy that a hotel might,” he said. “There’s a balance to be struck there so that people maintain that healthy motivation to get into their own housing.” The hotel model has its advantages, including client privacy, 24/7 hotel staffing, little in the way of not-in-my-backyard concerns and zero up-front capital investment. But those benefits are offset by high ongoing operational costs, limited group programming, in-migration of people from outside the county and, “an inflated level of need by homeless individuals who prefer to pursue hotel accommodations provided by HERE over shelter available through more natural support systems such as family and friends,” reads HERE’s request for proposals. “Decreasing costs is an interest, but not the only goal,” said Cochran. “A congregate shelter will have significant upfront expenses, but would be a better fit for homeless services in the long term, allowing greater opportunities for more targeted individual and group services.” Though specifics depend on the property and development chosen, creating and man-

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HERE in Jackson plans considers homeless shelter project

Asheville 828-274-8822 Waynesville 828-407-4034 Sylva 828-586-9333 Reynolds Mountain 828-785-5825

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WCU women create local branch of University Women

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER he American Association of University Women was founded by a group of female college graduates in 1881 to advocate for women and help open the doors of higher education. One of the group’s first research endeavors involved an 1885 study disproving the prevailing myth that college impairs a woman’s fertility. One of its more recent studies? The economic impact of workplace sexual harassment. AAUW was founded by Marion Talbot, who became the Dean of the College of Women at the University of Chicago and a leading figure in higher education, and Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman to earn a degree in chemistry and a leader in the field of home economics. Until recently, there was no branch of AAUW in Western North Carolina. The journey toward creating one began five years ago when Dr. Mickey Randolph, professor of

Smoky Mountain News

March 10-16, 2021

psychology, and her best friend Dr. Carol Burton began discussing the idea of an AAUW NC university partner affiliation for the WCU campus. They created the affiliation, and found enthusiastic interest on campus from faculty, staff and students, from whom they organized their first board. Randolph had come to WCU 32 years earlier to restart one of its graduate programs. “In addition to teaching and research, I strongly believe in the service aspect of being a faculty member at WCU. I volunteer for several agencies in the region and have long been interested in women’s issues and the AAUW organization’s mission,” she said. As an affiliate of AAUW, the group was able to start a mentoring program for faculty, staff and students. This allowed women in the university to mentor each other on topics like resume writing, interviewing, applying for jobs and salary negotiation. The group also sponsored research sessions and held informal socials for women on campus

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to meet, something that was especially valuable for new faculty and staff. About two years ago the group decided to apply for official branch status within the AAUW. The formalization process succeeded, and WCU is the newest branch in the state of North Carolina. Branch status allows the group to have its own members who pay dues, which helps it to organize different types of events for women in the region and possibly a scholarship in the future. Under branch status the group has also added an official student organization that sponsors programs for students on campus. Last year, the WCU branch was involved in planning the AAUW NC annual conference, which was supposed to be held in Asheville in March 2020, but it was canceled due to the pandemic. Throughout the year the group has adapted to pandemic restrictions and this spring will host a four-part virtual series called “Pathways to Leadership.” The series will include talks with women from

law, politics, education and health care. The talks are available for anyone to attend, registration is available at the group’s website. “We are a part of the AAUW organization because we are very invested in its mission: gender equity, economic security, education, and advocacy. We are also strong proponents for the funding, research and mentoring this organization provides for women,” said Dr. Mickey Randolph, founder and president. The AAUW is committed to addressing issues that affect women today. This includes closing the pay gap and supporting fair-pay legislation, ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, legal policies protecting people from sexual harassment and discrimination and advocating for women socially, politically and economically. It is also involved in increasing the number of women in STEM fields and providing funding through grants and fellowships. Dr. Teri Domagalski is a professor of Management at WCU and a board member of the AAUW WCU branch. Her research has been in understanding the behavior and emotions of people in an employment context, management and organizational studies. When women on campus began organizing the local branch, she says, she pleaded to be given a spot on the board. “I wanted to be an integral voice in promoting AAUW because of both our local initiative, which was to offer mentoring to females around campus, and because what we envisioned for our branch chapter was aligned with the advocacy work of the other chapters across the state of North Carolina,” said Domagalski. She says it is important to have a branch here in WNC to provide an avenue and outlet for those interested in advocating for, empowering, and supporting women in the region. “I have a strong desire to champion and coach females who aspire to positions of leadership. Although it is not my goal to be a leader that is out front, I hope to be a resource to other women who possess the will and the skill to be in a position of influence,” said Domagalski. “AAUW is one avenue that affords me the opportunity to realize my objective.” To sign up to be a member of the local branch of the AAUW, or to support or participate in the group’s activities, visit https://aauwwcu.wixsite.com/aauwwcu.

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March 10-16, 2021

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER acon County became the first county in The Smoky Mountain News’ fourcounty coverage area to break the 20 percent mark on first doses, with the 7,759 people receiving first doses there as of March 8 equivalent to 21.64 percent of the county’s estimated population. It’s a big bump up for Macon, which until about a week ago had been lagging several percentage points behind regional leader Haywood. “We attribute this to what we have been saying since the beginning of the vaccine rollout, that if you give us more doses, we will find people to vaccinate,” said Emily Ritter, public information officer for Macon County Public Health. “With the help of other county agencies, the National Guard and local businesses offering their help, we have been able to continue to apply for special event allotments, which boost our supply and give us real hope.” While Macon is the first county in the region to cross the 20 percent threshold, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians did so weeks ago and estimates that 29 percent of its population had received a first dose as of March 8. The FDA’s recent approval of an emergency use authorization for the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine bodes well for a continued increase in doses. This week, Macon County received 1,700 first doses, of which 1,200 were Johnson & Johnson and 500 were Moderna. Haywood County is receiving a similar mix this week, with the county and Haywood Regional Medical Center expecting a combined 1,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines and 600 Moderna. Swain County received a smaller allotment

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Vaccine availability increases

of 300 Moderna vaccines, and no update was received from Jackson County as of press time. A new regional clinic at Western Carolina University is also contributing to increased vaccine distribution and expects to administer 2,070 Pfizer vaccines this week, its third in operation. Blue Ridge Health will administer an additional 100 vaccines in Haywood and 100 in Jackson this week, all Moderna. CVS is also providing vaccines, and regional hospitals are receiving doses. All vaccine providers contacted for this story said that they have not received reports of any serious reactions to the vaccine, though WCU Clinic Director Cortnee Lingerfelt said that, of a small number of people who reported feeling lightheaded after their shot last week, all said they had come to their appointment without eating breakfast. She recommends eating before getting vaccinated. Vaccine providers also said they have had great success in using all the doses provided to them. Lingerfelt said that two of last week’s doses were not used due to technical issues, but other than that all vaccine providers reached for this story said all allocated doses were administered. Increasing vaccination coverage comes as case numbers continue to fall. On Monday, March 8, only 1,228 new cases were reported statewide, the lowest since Oct. 19, 2020, when 1,144 cases were reported. As of March 8, Haywood County had reported 49 new cases in the last seven days, with 42 cases in Jackson, 19 in Macon and six in Swain. Vaccine distributors say that the continuing decrease in case counts is due to a combination of factors and is not solely the result of vaccinations taking effect. “Testing has dropped both as a consequence of less need but also the entities which had done the testing are now distributing vaccines,” said Aaron Ratliff of Blue Ridge Health. “The spike seen during and after the holidays in November, December and January was a direct consequence of behaviors such as travel, larger family/friend gatherings, relaxation of masks and social distancing. Finally, the first vaccines targeted to high-risk populations have helped reduce our infection rates and hospitalization rates.”

Vaccination by the numbers March 1

March 8

Haywood ..........9,892/6,038 ..............15.87/9.69 .............11,026/7,277 ............17.69/11.68 Jackson............6,119/2,489 ..............13.93/5.66...............7,531/2679................17.14/6.1 Swain .................2,183/966.................15.3/6.77 ...............2,534/1,089 ..............17.76/7.63 Macon ..............6,385/2,533 ..............17.81/7.06 ..............7,759/3,024 ..............21.64/8.43 EBCI .................3,525/1,488 ..................27/11 ..................3,776/2,830 ..................29/22 Statewide ...1,433,356/834,852.........13.67/7.96 .......1,921,931/1,372,475 ......18.32/13.09

*Tribal dose numbers from EBCI. All other dose numbers from NCDHHS. Data do not include doses administered through the federal long-term care facilities program or by tribal governments and may be subject to a 72-hour reporting lag. Population figures based on 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, excepting tribal figures, which are from the EBCI.

www.smokymountainnews.com

Smoky Mountain News

March 1

First/Second Doses Percent population Part/full vaccination Percent population

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Tough decisions in store for Waynesville budget BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR s the town of Waynesville digs into the budget process for the 2021-22 fiscal year, aldermen are again considering ways to improve the transparency and efficiency of government, spruce up the cashcow downtown district and augment public safety — all without handing residents a tax increase. The Coronavirus Pandemic did not, as some supposed a year ago, result in ruination for the town’s coffers, however a long list of expensive needs and wants will test the ability of new Mayor Gary Caldwell’s administration to craft a budget that maintains both the allure and the affordability of living in a town often referred to as “The Gateway to the Smokies.”

Smoky Mountain News

March 10-16, 2021

CHANGES TO MEETINGS For years, the town’s regular Board of Aldermen meetings have taken place on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. That practice will continue, but a temporary move of the meeting’s start time from 6:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. will now become permanent. That change will help meetings end earlier in the evening, however it’s not the only change being considered in that regard. A proposal to begin using a consent agenda was heard, and will likely appear on an upcoming agenda for a vote. Consent agendas, consisting largely of non-controversial housekeeping measures, are used by other local government units including Haywood County and allow for the passage of several items all at once. The town’s audio-visual system — dating back to the 1970s — will also receive an upgrade, to the tune of about $30,000. That includes new cameras and television display screens to make it easier for people to tune in from home, or for overflow crowds in the town hall to see and hear the action without overcrowding the board room. Additional security and safety measures at board meetings are also being considered in response to an incident last fall, when a story in The Mountaineer led people to believe that aldermen planned to vote on a mandatory mask ordinance that same night. An overflow crowd disrupted that meeting, and many who were present said they were aware of weapons possessed by some in attendance. State law prohibits open-carry and concealed carry at such government meetings. Rather than opting for a pricey walk-through detector, wands may end up being purchased and used by the town instead.

COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS Waynesville’s Main Street draws thousands of tourists each year, providing a significant boost to the local economy, but it hasn’t 12 seen major enhancements in quite some time

even though the Downtown Waynesville Association’s job is to take the initiative on such objectives. Mayor Gary Caldwell wants to change that. “Downtown Waynesville needs some improvements,” Caldwell told aldermen during the retreat. Right now, a gazebo is being considered, with a tentative location near the two metal figurines at the corner of North Main and Miller streets. As proposed, it would result in the elimination of two handicapped parking spaces, which aren’t ADA-compliant due to Miller’s Street’s sloping grade. Modeled after a large gazebo in downtown Franklin, the proposed gazebo would be an expensive project due to local fire codes. Downtown’s other park, in the oft-overlooked location facing the Historic Haywood Courthouse at the corner of North Main and Depot streets, could also be in line for a makeover or even a water feature to boost utilization. Frog Level also hasn’t escaped scrutiny; town officials will take another look at putting a fence back up between the Commerce Street parking lot and the railroad tracks that border it. Previously a fence had been installed, but it was removed after people kept backing into it. Lighting has also been a concern in the area, but aldermen expressed interest in a plan to place a dozen new light fixtures in the area, similar to the ones up on North Main Street. Those retro-style fixtures do a good job of illuminating the area, but they also shed light on one of the town’s most persistent, problematic issues. “It’s embarrassing,” Caldwell said of the condition of Main Street. “It’s like driving on a gravel road.” Main Street, as well as Pigeon Street, were both on a list of about 20 or so Waynesville streets slated to be resurfaced by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, but Pigeon and Main were removed from the list, from Raleigh, due to a funding crunch caused by the mismanagement of more than $740 million by NCDOT. Aldermen recommended pushing the issue up to Waynesville’s House Representative, Bryson City Republican Mike Clampitt, and will also ask for additional monies to repair other potholed streets. Although Waynesville’s retail and entertainment options are a big draw for visitors, all of that is predicated on the overall health of the surrounding environment. To that end, Alderman Chuck Dickson brought up the town’s current lack of recycling containers. Right now, the town is awaiting a grant that’s being worked on by the county. Once it’s approved, the county will bid out the containers, and the town will buy them directly from the county. Aldermen are also considering hydraulic upgrades to the town’s trash collection vehicles that would lift and empty refuse bins and thereby prevent employee injuries. The town is also studying the feasibility of getting out of the trash business and engag-

The Town of Waynesville Board of Aldermen met last week for budget talks. Donated photo ing a private company to perform the task, like those that serve Canton and Maggie Valley instead.

POLICING Public safety needs are seemingly neverending, with budget requests for facilities, personnel and vehicles a regular occurrence at budget meetings across the state. This year was no different for Waynesville, as Chief David Adams — celebrating a year on the job — seeks to continue the progress made in police reform since the murder of Minneapolis man George Floyd at the hands of police officers last summer. Alderman Anthony Sutton has made it a priority to ensure Waynesville’s police avoid lethal use-of-force incidents as much as possible. To that end, Adams reported that the town’s use-of-force policy had been revised to eliminate chokeholds except in case of emergency, and a dozen shotguns had been refurbished to fire plastic pellets instead of buckshot. Adams’ department also implemented the use of cloud-based body cams back in December, but Adams lamented the fact that as of right now, Waynesville is the only local department without tasers. Aldermen responded to Adams’ concern and approved his request to purchase some tasers, as well as another less-than-lethal weapon called the BolaWrap. Essentially, the BolaWrap is a pair of projectiles joined together by a long cord. When striking the target, the BolaWrap quickly spirals around the target, binding arms or legs and greatly impairing mobility. Adams said his previous department, Hendersonville, uses both tasers and BolaWraps.

FIRE PROTECTION The last time Waynesville raised property taxes — back in 2016, by more than 10 percent — it was mostly to hire more firefighters to ensure the understaffed department’s compliance with OSHA standards mandating a two-in, two-out rule: for two firefighters to enter a structure, there must also be two firefighters outside, in case rescue is needed.

This year, Waynesville officials will need to get creative to ensure Chief Joey Webb’s department has the facilities and equipment it so clearly needs. Webb explained that the National Fire Protection Association’s response standards demands that 15 people arrive at an incident in less than 9 minutes at least 90 percent of the time. In 2020, Waynesville’s fire department met that standard exactly zero times. Volunteerism is down across all sectors, Webb explained, and on average only seven or eight firefighters could respond to calls, even with mutual aid from other departments. Additionally, the department’s aging fleet of trucks is becoming a cause for concern. The average age of Waynesville’s firefighting vehicles is more than 18 years. The department’s ladder truck dates to 2004, and the tanker truck is about to begin its fourth decade of service. Adding additional personnel or newer vehicles would be a welcome development for the WFD, but almost none of that can happen until new facilities are considered. The station on North Main Street only has two bedrooms and would need an expansion, while the Hazelwood station, the department’s busiest even before new housing developments in the area come online, is also out of room and has no facilities for females. Webb said his department has more than $2 million in needs — not wants, needs. “As a fire chief it just makes me nervous,” Webb said. Town Manager Rob Hites suggested setting up a meeting with a bond attorney to evaluate funding options, possibly including the issuance of a general obligation bond that would require approval from voters. Per state law municipal budgets must be approved no later than June 30 each year. Direction from aldermen to Hites will determine what the preliminary budget looks like. Then, it will be presented to the public during a meeting, and will come up for a vote in a subsequent meeting, likely the first meeting in June. For more information or to contact Waynesville’s elected officials, visit www.waynesvillenc.gov.

A slide from Waynesville Alderman Jon Feichter’s affordable housing presentation details the rise in housing costs over the last few years. Donated photo

Rabies raccoon found in Macon

eichter’s presentation largely mirrored a Sept. 2, 2020, story in The Smoky Mountain News exploring housing cost burden.

Macon County does raise concern for our pets,” said Macon County Animal Services Section Administrator, Dr. Villiard.

Franklin breaks ground on new fire sub-station After months of work, preparation, and anticipation, Franklin Fire and Rescue announces the ground-breaking for a new sub-station. This new sub-station will serve the eastern portion of the Franklin Fire and Rescue District for many years to come, which will include the Holly Springs, Sanderstown and Watauga communities. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 10, at the site beside 301 NP&L Loop Rd. Covid-19 safety protocols will be observed and followed at this event.

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Smoky Mountain News

Macon County has identified a rabies positive raccoon. The raccoon attacked a resident’s dog and was killed by the owner. The raccoon was turned into Macon County Animal Services and sent to the state lab for testing. The dog was current on their rabies vaccination and received a rabies booster vaccine. The dog will remain under a 45-day quarantine. This occurred in the Smithbridge community of the county. In light of recent rabies positive animals, Macon County Animal Services will be sponsoring a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic to be held in March and April. More details will follow when the schedule is confirmed. Until then, Macon County residents are encouraged to contact their vet to ensure that their animals are up-to-date on all vaccinations. “While rabies is endemic in skunks, raccoons and bats in North Carolina, the recent increase in the number of detected cases in

thinking he would never come back, I was able to do that,” Feichter said. “The cost of housing in 2000 was pretty high, roughly comparable to Atlanta. Thinking about the opportunity in being able to return home, it was a blessing. I think about the next generation — our kids — not being able to have that same opportunity because the cost of housing has risen so exponentially.”

March 10-16, 2021

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR aynesville Alderman Jon Feichter says that he’s proud of the concrete steps previous town boards took to address the affordable housing crisis, but if the presentation he made during a March 4 budget retreat had any impact, the town will soon embrace a less passive approach to one of the region’s most troublesome issues. “Since fairly early in my first term, affordable housing has become one of my pet projects, and it stems from the fact that as somebody who grew up here and left

or other municipalities. Capitalizing that fund would require some income streams. Loan interest could help, as could carving out one cent of property tax dedicated to the trust, but both of those options would likely take years to build up enough principal to create a self-sustaining fund that only spends its income each year without having to dip into the principal. The quickest way to get a trust up and running would be through a general obligation bond, which would require voter buy-in. Alderman Chuck Dickson, who’s also been active in addressing the affordable housing issue, mentioned a litany of other local stakeholders working on the issue, including the Smoky Mountain Housing Partnership, Mountain Projects, Canopy, EACH and even the town’s own homelessness task force. “I absolutely do not want any kind of program to operate in a vacuum,” Feichter said. “One of the tenets I proposed was establishing and enhancing partnerships with organizations like the Smoky Mountain Housing Partnership, Mountain projects, Habitat for Humanity, the Waynesville Housing Authority and the [homelessness] task force that are doing this kind of work. Those folks have been in the game and pushing for so long, and my goal is to make sure that Waynesville is doing everything it possibly can to be an equal partner in that effort.” Feichter said he’d also be looking for ways to revitalize existing communities in Waynesville, perhaps in the manner of North Main Street’s redevelopment zone.

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Feichter pushes for affordable housing in Waynesville

In that story, county statistics on average home sale prices from the region’s MLS service were compared to median income from the U.S. Census Bureau. Using www.Bankrate.com to calculate the cost of a 30-year fixed mortgage at 4 percent with a down payment of 10 percent, affordability was then evaluated based on the “28 percent rule.” That rule states that homeowners should spend no more than 28 percent of adjusted gross income on housing cost, and the results of the story showed that in no county from Buncombe west could someone afford an average-priced home. Since that September story, it’s only gotten worse. An average home in Haywood County — then $285,050 — is now $305,000 or more. Wage growth remains stagnant. Waynesville’s poverty rate of 18 percent is higher than both Haywood County’s and North Carolina’s. When looking at area median income, Waynesville residents bring home on average 21 percent less than their Haywood County neighbors, and 28 percent less than other North Carolinians. “More than 43 percent of our citizens bring home less than $35,000 and another 12.2 percent bring home less than $50,000,” Feichter said during the presentation. Not surprisingly, 55 percent of Waynesville residents work in food service, entertainment, education, health care, social services or retail, which are typically among the lowest-paying jobs. That’s what led Feichter to propose an affordable housing trust fund that could provide low-interest loans to developers, possibly in collaboration with the county

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Jackson forecasts revenue increase School, park, justice center projects top capital wish list BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER espite the dire predictions of spring 2020, Jackson County’s budget prognosis for the 2021-2022 fiscal year is looking downright positive, commissioners learned during a Feb. 23 budget retreat. When the pandemic hit last year, Jackson County leaders reacted by passing a budget that assumed an 8 percent drop from the previous year’s sales tax collections. Instead, the county saw record-high sales tax collections and a bump in property tax collections following the completion of multiple new construction projects. As a result, County Manager Don Adams told the board, Jackson County will see $1.35 million in new spending capacity due to increased tax revenues over the coming year. About two-thirds of that is spoken for already. The county will need $398,000 to give its employees a 2 percent raise, as well as $265,000 to pay for increased operational expenses at Southwestern Community College following completion of the Health Sciences Building this summer. Increased

Smoky Mountain News

March 10-16, 2021

Contrary to initial predictions, sales and property tax revenues for 2020 increased compared to previous years. Jackson County graph health insurance costs will run the county $187,277, representing a 3 percent increase — a number that caused a sigh of relief for commissioners who had grown used to percentage increases in the double digits. However, the $496,000 net capacity increase does not account for any position

adjustments or the standard increases typically given to the Board of Education, SCC and the library. Also not accounted for in that number are the results of the 2021 property revaluation, which yielded a substantial increase in overall taxable value. Tax bills based on the new val-

ues will be mailed out in August, with payments considered late after Jan. 6, 2022. Keeping the same tax rate under the new, higher valuation would yield more revenue for the county, but commissioners could choose to lower the rate to keep property owners’ total bills simi-

Triple-win climate solutions: Weatherize for savings and comfort "Nature never did betray the heart that loved her." — William Wordsworth, 1798

ecord-smashing winter weather across the U.S. this month is making some of us notice drafty windows and doors or pockets of cold air in our houses and apartments. When extended power outages occur, these problems become more than annoyances. Fortunately, simple changes and upgrades can solve most of them, and your power company will conduct free energy audits to pinpoint the most effective ﬁxes. A good start is usually the attic. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recommends that attic insulation have R values of 38 to 60. The DOE estimates that 40% of home energy loss is caused by unnecessary air leaks. Common energy wasters are inadequate weatherstripping around outside doors, leaks around windows, insufficient attic insulation, and gaps around ductwork.

Multi-family housing with inadequate insulation and other energy-wasters should be ﬁxed for the sake of the landlord as well as tenants. Poorly-insulated dwellings can contribute to some renters having their power cut off because their bills skyrocket. Old gas space heaters running unsupervised all night can be ﬁre hazards. About 20 percent of US fossil fuel emissions come from homes. A U.S. professional organization the National Academy of Sciences and climate scientists elsewhere urge energy upgrades to buildings to reduce these contributors to the climate crisis.

WIN-WIN-WIN 1) By making our homes more efficient, we save money on power bills while contributing to local employment. 2) We are more comfortable, especially during extreme weather. 3) We are helping today’s babies and children have a future with fewer weather catastrophes. What homeowners, renters, landlords and developers can do now 1. Own a home? Contact your power company.

After getting an energy audit, carry out as many energy upgrades as you can afford. Rebates are likely to help. 2. If you plan to build a home or are a developer or public housing agency, join the new movement of smaller, more energy-efficient housing. Well-designed small homes have plenty of storage, and they feel spacious and airy. 3. If you are a landlord, get an energy audit of your properties and follow through with repairs and upgrades. 4. To save more money on power bills, unplug— don’t just turn off—every small electrical device when not using it. See the Forbes Magazine “Top 26 Energy Hogs, Turned Off” link below. 5. If you haven’t replaced conventional light bulbs with LED bulbs, even a few make a difference. They last so much longer, too. 6. More ideas and resources from Southern Living Magazine: www.southernliving.com/syndication/smart-home-strategies-to-maximize -your-energy-efficiency

WHAT YOU NEED TO ACT NOW • Duke Energy free home audit for single-family homeowners: www.dukeenergy.com/home/products/home-energyhouse-call • Duke Energy Progress energy-saving products and services for businesses, including landlords: www.duke-energy.com/business/pro-

ducts • Haywood EMC: adventure.touchstoneenergy.com/choosePath • U.S. Department of Energy Home Energy Guide: www.energy.gov/energysaver/services/energy-saver-guide-tips-saving-moneyand-energy-home • Descriptions of new eco-friendly insulation materials: www.tinyecohomelife.com/besteco-friendly-insulation/ • Southern Living Magazine, “30+ Small House Plans That Are Just the Right Size”: www.southernliving.com/homegarden/small-house-plans

WHO SAYS—THE EXPERTS • National Academy of Sciences. Research article “The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States” www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/07/14/192 2205117 • Forbes Magazine, “Top 26 Energy Hogs, Turned Off” www.forbes.com/pictures/efee45gejh/no-24crt-computer-display/#e3484bce1558 Mary Jane Curry edits the WNC Climate Action Coalition column Triple-win Climate Solutions. She is a ClimateReality® Leader and a retired university teacher-researcher. Alexandra Kirtley designed our logo and manages our website wncclimateaction.com

Stay informed Jackson County commissioners will discuss revenue-related decisions such as the property tax rate during a work session at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at the Cullowhee Fire Department. The meeting will livestream at bit.ly/jacksongov.

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Smoky Mountain News

@SmokyMtnNews

March 10-16, 2021

purpose, $750,000; a softball field upgrade at Fairview, $1 million; gym, performance stage and classroom renovations at Blue Ridge School, $5 million; a new bus garage, $2.5 million; and HVAC upgrades at the Smoky Mountain High School auxiliary gym, $1 million. The school system’s top priority is the single point-of-entry safety upgrade, said Interim Superintendent Tony Tipton, but after that the next two priorities are football stadium upgrades and the cafeteria classrooms at Fairview. Additionally, multiple commissioners expressed a desire to complete projects at Smoky Mountain High School that would close out needs outlined in the school’s master plan, which is now nearly 20 years old. However, commissioners are considering more than order of priority when planning these projects. They are weighing the possibility of a new state bond referendum, as well as which projects on the list are most likely to be funded with bond money. After investigating that question, Adams told commissioners that the $4.5 million project at the Fairview cafeteria and the $5 million Blue Ridge gym project would be most likely to qualify for bond funding. Removing that $9.5 million would leave commissioners with a list that could be reasonably accomplished within the next four or five years.

“I say that not to move Fairview down the list, but there’s some value to waiting for any real conversations on that until we can see what happens with the state bond,” Adams said. Commissioners are considering more than just public school projects. For years now, Jackson County Superior Court Judge Brad Letts has been telling commissioners that the courts need more space. Adams put down $1.5 million as a placeholder number for that project, but the true cost is unknown — especially because most of the county’s administrative functions are located in the same building as the courtrooms. The final cost will depend on whether those functions must be relocated, as well as on the cost of the expansion itself. Adams told commissioners that he’d start the process of selecting an architect for the project, and that person would help them discover its true scope. The board also spent a great deal of time talking about parks. For years, commissioners have been pushing to develop a pocket park in the Whittier community, but that has proven more difficult than expected, said Adams. “The only properties we’ve been finding so far run a half million plus,” he said. “What that does is it turns a pocket park conversation in Whittier to a million-dollar-plus conversation.” When the county first started using the phrase “pocket park,” it was with the understanding such a park might cost around $250,000, but the small park recently completed in the Savannah community ultimately cost twice that. If that’s how much these projects are going to run, Adams said, commissioners should consider funding them as part of the county’s Capital Improvement Plan rather than relying on dollars from its Conservation Preservation Recreation Fund. Other park projects on the list include river parks at Cullowhee and Dillsboro, and the Fairview Recreation Complex. “This is a list where I don’t know that we can give you a definitive answer today,” Chairman Brian McMahan told Adams after some discussion among the board members. “The consensus I’m hearing is that the Fairview Complex is ready to happen now. It is probably the most important to move on. The others have some moving parts to them that I don’t know that we could sit here and tell you which one to focus on next.” The Feb. 23 meeting was the first of several meetings planned to shape the 2021-22 budget, with the next one occurring at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 11, to discuss revenue. New budget requests from county departments and nonprofits will be presented during the April 13 work session, and during the work session on May 11, commissioners will discuss capital projects and new requests. Adams will present his recommended budget during the May 18 regular meeting, and the final document is scheduled for adoption June 15.

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lar to what they’re currently paying. Commissioners will discuss these issues during a work session at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 11. That meeting will stream at bit.ly/jacksongov. Meanwhile, commissioners face a number of competing priorities for that new funding. The largest list of requests comes from Jackson County Public Schools, which has eight priority projects requiring a total of $16 million to complete, in addition to a $4.5 million school safety project to convert its campuses to a single point-of-entry design that is already moving forward. These projects include ADA compliance upgrades to the Smoky Mountain High School football stadium, which would cost between $70,000 and $250,000; slope stabilization following a landslide that occurred last year on the Scotts Creek Elementary School property, $800,000 to $1 million; a larger cafeteria and new classrooms at Fairview Elementary School, $4.5 million; a track for Smoky Mountain High School on the Jones Street property bought for that

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Maggie Valley begins budget talks BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER aggie Valley town officials are cautiously optimistic about the coming budget year after preliminary reports show the pandemic did not have the devastating financial effect many had originally feared. At a March 8 budget retreat, the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen and staff were upbeat about the 2021-22 budget. The actual budget for the upcoming fiscal year does not have to be approved until June 30. Town Manager Nathan Clark and aldermen discussed some projects that are three to five years down the line as they look to future development in the town. For Maggie Valley, much of that economic development rests on the shoulders of its natural beauty. Almost all of the major projects planned for the 2021-22 budget and beyond relate in some capacity to beautification, tourism and ecological development. These are projects that in turn increase property values in Maggie. Clark recommended a tax rate decrease from the current 43 cents per $100 of property value. He recommended a rate between 39 and 41 cents, which he says make sense based on the current projections about about the county’s revaluation of real property. Most residents can expect increases in their home values, meaning the town can decrease tax rates and still collect the same amount of revenue. The improvement project approved for Soco Road in March 2020 was halted shortly after town approval due to DOT budget complexities during the pandemic. According to Clark, all DOT projects have since been given permission to resume and the town is meeting with NCDOT and American Engineering to review designs for the project. Clark said it could be complete in one to two years.

Smoky Mountain News

March 10-16, 2021

The town has been working for several years to renovate the Town Hall building. During the pandemic year those improvements were halted, partly for budget concerns and partly because there were less visitors to the building. Improvements could begin again this year and take place over the next several years with work on the entrance, cafeteria and common area. Town hall may also become home to a new veteran’s memorial statue and a public works storage building. The memorial statue was mentioned by every alderman as they listed their budget priorities. Possible designs were discussed but the memorial statue will likely be placed outside of town hall and include a plaque commemorating veterans’ service. A storage building will be constructed and used to store town decorations in the off season, including the new, extra-large “Ski Town” sign. The town is leaning toward putting the storage building on town hall property to minimize costs for the needed space. The cost is estimated at $125,600. Even more upgrades are likely in store for the festival grounds. Clark and aldermen discussed the importance of the festival grounds for driving economic development by bringing large scale events to Maggie Valley, like the drive-in concert series that was able to continue even through pandemic restrictions. The town discussed improvements to the pavilion at the festival grounds, which was constructed in 1995. The Wi-Fi network, installed in 2013, is also in need of an upgrade. According to Clark, vendors at the festival grounds have Wi-Fi connectivity issues regularly. Another project likely to take off in 2021 is the waterfall park project proposed for the Old Still Road waterfall property. In 2020 the

town hired Mosaic Civic Studio to create conceptual development plans for a waterfall park on the property. Because the 8-acre property the town owns is situated in a residential area, public feedback has been mixed. Mayor Mike Eveland said that regardless of what decision the town comes to, it will move forward this year. The town has owned the property since the early 2000s and has not developed it in that time. Eveland said the town will either decide to develop the property or sell it. Several budget items are likely in store for the Maggie Valley Police Department. The most pressing of which may be the policy and procedure manual updates. Due to changing attitudes around policing and best practices,

local police departments are having to review their policies. Maggie Valley Police Chief Russ Gilliland said the department will need up to $10,000 to pay a police department specialty law firm to help review policies and procedures. The police department is also looking to purchase another dog to enhance the K-9 unit so that there can be a dog on every shift, a new police department server, two new police cars, and in-car camera systems. Gilliland noted that there is more legislation coming down the line that, if passed, would further change the logistics and legalities of policing. If that legislation becomes law, it could mean more police budget necessities.

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Repairs needed on U.S. 64 at Bridal Veil Falls

March 10-16, 2021

N.C. Department of Transportation crews will perform a difficult repair on U.S. 64 at Bridal Veil Falls in Macon County from March 29 to April 16. The highway will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day and will operate in a one-lane pattern with a traffic signal overnight for the duration of the operation. The one-lane pattern will remain in place from April 2-5 for Easter weekend. “These repairs need to be made in order to secure the structural integrity of the road,” Division 14 Maintenance Engineer Wesley Grindstaff said. “It’s necessary to limit the possibility of long-term damage to the highway, and it’s necessary for the safety of visitors and residents in the area.” Traffic will be detoured on Buck Creek Road when the road is closed. Drivers heading east from Franklin will turn left onto Buck Creek Road and follow it for 11 miles until the intersection with U.S. 64 east of Highlands. Drivers heading west from Highlands will take U.S. 64 east out of town and turn left onto Buck Creek Road. All drivers should factor extra time into their travels. Heavy rains from Hurricane Zeta in October damaged the drainage pipe under U.S. 64 that carries water from the popular natural attraction under the highway and washed away material supporting the highway. NCDOT crews will remove the broken pipe and install a new pipe under the roadway. They will also rebuild the slope below the road by building a new embankment one stone at a time. NCDOT officials have developed a plan with the U.S. Forest Service to limit impacts on the forest below the road. “Rebuilding the slope will be very tedious work in very tight quarters,” Grindstaff said. “Instead of dumping stones, each stone will have to be passed from excavator to excavator one at a time. Crews will work as safely and efficiently as possible to have the road safely open to full capacity as soon as possible.”

WCU to have in-person commencement Smoky Mountain News

After a series of virtual commencement ceremonies due to COVID-19 in 2020, Western Carolina University will resume modified, in-person commencement activities this spring for the class of 2021. The ceremonies will take place the weekend of May 14-16 and will comply with the governor’s current executive order regarding mass gatherings. Face coverings will be required of all graduates and guests and commencement will be livestreamed. Specific details on times and locations will be forthcoming. The decision to hold in-person commencement ceremonies comes after Chancellor Kelli Brown announced that the university is planning to resume, conditions permitting, an academic and on-campus schedule in August that is as normal as possible.

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Macon moves forward with middle school renovations

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR t the 11th hour, Macon County Commissioners called a special meeting to discuss whether to move forward with an $8 million renovation project at Macon Middle School or to take a step back and reevaluate the county’s school infrastructure needs. Commissioners have already been discussing the project for several years, moving through the process of assessing the needs, hiring engineers and architects to design the project and putting it out to bid. Financial Director Lori Hall reminded the board that the deadline to secure the loan was quickly approaching. At the last commissioner meeting in February following a public hearing, the board voted unanimously to approve the lowest bid of $8.1 million from New Atlanta out of Charlotte as well as a resolution to finance the project and refinance some existing debt for a total loan amount of $10.5 million.

Smoky Mountain News

March 10-16, 2021

Newly-elected Commissioner Josh Young had some concern about the project at that time, but since he was coming in at the end of those discussions, he voted in favor of it. “I wasn’t here for the discussions, but I think we’re just putting a Band-Aid on it,” he said during the Feb. 9 meeting. “I think it could be better spent.” At the beginning of the Feb. 26 called meeting, Commission Chairman Jim Tate said Young called him a couple of weeks ago with what he likes to call “commissioner anguish” about the vote he had taken Feb. 9. “He expressed he had significant reservations about proceeding with this project and presented a very quick scenario of a different idea,” Tate explained. “It may be too late in the process to introduce the idea, but I told him he had my support to introduce this concept. He thinks we’re making a big mistake and that there’s a better solution.” Young said he wasn’t there to undermine a project that’s been in the works for several years, but if he didn’t take the opportunity to

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present a potentially better plan, he’d regret it. “It’s not my job to play Monday morning quarterback but if I kept it inside, I’d regret it,” he said. Instead of spending $8 million right now on what he called a Band-Aid, Young said he’d like to see the county step back and create a plan that could solve all of the school facility problems in Macon. He said he’d done some research and put together a plan that would give the Macon elementary schools more capacity while also solving the issues at Macon Middle and Franklin High. Instead of investing $8 million into renovating a 1974 building, Young suggested demolishing it and building an entirely new facility on the tract. He said the county could also increase the footprint of that property by purchasing 14 acres of adjacent land from Phil Drake, which would increase the Macon Middle property from 34 acres to 48 acres. The additional property could then be enough room to build a new high school as well. “If we plan this right we can at this point shift all grades up,” Young said. Kindergarten through third grade would be at the elementary schools, fourth and fifth at the intermediate school, sixth through eighth at the middle and ninth through 12th at the high school. He also said the county should consider more consolidation efforts to save money and to free up older school facilities to be sold off in an attempt to save more money. Rabun County Schools system across the state line in Georgia is a good example of those efforts paying off, Young added. With $25 million in the county’s fund balance, Young suggested a combination of bond, loan and fund balance to pay for the project in order to avoid raising taxes for at least another five years. While it sounds good in theory, the reality is stepping back from the Macon Middle project right now would mean the county would be out of $1 million already put into the preliminary work and also Young’s plan would take 10 years to complete. In the meantime, the work needed at Macon Middle is more immediate. Commissioner Ronnie Beale said it was important for Young to know the history of the project. As a liaison to the school board for many years, Beale said he’s confident both boards had explored all possibilities and

came to the best plan for improvements. He’s aware there’s still much to be done to get all the facilities where they need to be, but reminded him of how far they’ve come. “I think we’ve done more than anyone without a tax increase,” he said, adding the county has spent $25 million on school facilities in the last 10 years. Beale said he’s been assured the project will add decades to Macon Middle’s lifespan — something he considers more than a bandage. He also questioned the ability to put a new high school at the same location considering there are already congestion issues on Wells Grove Road, adding that the Department of Transportation had already looked at that possibility. “I appreciate Josh looking at these things but unfortunately these are things we’ve already looked at. We’ve looked at that land before Drake acquired it and most of the land isn’t usable because it’s in a swamp,” Beale said. Beale did agree the old Macon Middle School wasn’t designed for today’s safety protocols because there are too many points of entry, but the county has also taken steps to improve security measures. “For now, I think this is the best we can do. We can’t lose a million dollars to postpone this thing again because that’s all we’d be doing,” he said. “We don’t even know what schools will look like in 10 years because of COVID.” Commissioner Gary Shields, a former educator and school board liaison, said he agreed with Beale that the plans for the renovation need to move forward now. He said that the road could not handle the traffic that a new high school would create, especially during sporting events. However, he does support Young’s suggestion that more longrange planning needs to be done. Commissioner Paul Higdon said he strongly supported Young’s plan and was also in favor of a more comprehensive plan for replacing school facilities. One part of Young’s presentation that all commissioners agreed on is to add a new athletic building to the scope of work so that students have somewhere to change clothes prior to a game. After more discussion, the board voted 3 to 2 in favor of moving forward with the Macon Middle renovations as previously planned. Young and Higdon were opposed.

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Enroll in diabetes program news

The Diabetes Prevention Program is a lifestyle change program dedicated to preventing type 2 diabetes through a series of 24 one-hour group classes taught by a trained health educator/lifestyle coach. DPP is a fun, yearlong program that gives participants the information and tools needed to maintain a healthy weight, prepare and eat healthy meals and be more physically active. It also connects participants facing similar challenges to increase the chances of success. A DPP interest session will be held by Haywood County Health and Human Services on March 25. Thanks to a grant administered by NC State University, the classes are now free and will include incentives, such as food scales, resistance bands and cookbooks. HHSA is excited to report that its program is now fully recognized by the f Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Anyone interested in learning more about or participating in DPP can contact Megan Hauser at 828.356.2272. Clinicians can refer patients who are either at increased risk or have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes to join DPP. f Classes will be held using a virtual format starting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 25.

Repaving coming to WNC highways March 10-16, 2021 Smoky Mountain News

N.C. Department of Transportation officials recently awarded three contracts to resurface highways in Cherokee, Jackson and Henderson counties. The three contracts combine to cover more than 20.3 miles of four-lane highway with a new surface, new reflective paint and new reflective markers for a combined cost of $22.4 million. Contract crews are allowed to begin resurfacing these highways as soon as April 15. Exact dates and locations will be determined by the contractor. • U.S. 74 in Jackson County — APAC/Harrison of Asheville earned a $7.9 million contract to resurface 6.4 miles of U.S. from the Swain County line to South Pines Mountain Road 74 — including ramps to and from U.S. 441 — with the contract calling for completion in October. • U.S. 25 in Henderson County — Rogers Group from Greenville, S.C. earned at $4 million contract to resurface 5.8 miles of U.S. 25 from Exit 5 to the South Carolina state line with the contract calling for completion in October. • U.S. 19/74/129 in Cherokee County — APAC/Harrison earned a $10.5 million contract to resurface 8.1 miles of U.S. 19/74/129 from N.C. 141 to U.S. 64 near Murphy with the contract calling for completion in October 2022.

March 10-16, 2021

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Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara launched her NC11 campaign last week. Donated photo

Buncombe Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara wants Cawthorn’s seat

Smoky Mountain News

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR ome people will say a gay woman who’s a Christian minister just can’t get elected in the South. Those are the very first words spoken by Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara in a launch video for her 2022 congressional campaign. Although she’s already proved the skeptics wrong — Beach-Ferrara is currently serving her second term as a Buncombe County Commissioner — she’s looking to do it again in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. “I’m running because Western North Carolina families deserve better than they’re getting from Madison Cawthorn. My faith teaches me that leadership starts with empathy, compassion and listening and then getting to work to help people. That’s the kind of leadership I want to offer instead of the division and mean-spiritedness we’re getting now,” Beach-Ferrara said in a press release. “This is going to be a campaign built on bringing people together, finding common ground, organizing everywhere and talking about the issues that actually matter to people’s lives.” Beach-Ferrara, who lives in Asheville 20 with wife Meghann Burke, is a United

Church of Christ minister and a founding executive director of the Campaign for Southern Equality, an Asheville-based nonprofit working to reduce legal, political, health care and income inequalities for LGBTQ people. Raised in Chapel Hill, Beach-Ferrara holds an undergraduate degree from Brown University, a Master of Fine Arts and a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School. She also served on the Biden Foundation’s Advisory Council for Advancing LGBTQ Equality. While Beach-Ferrara may or may not be the first Democrat to enter the race formally, she’s thus far been the loudest. Previous Democratic nominee Moe Davis, who lost to Cawthorn by 12 points in November 2020, filed his statement of candidacy on Feb. 22 but still has a statement on his website saying he’s “exploring” the idea of running again. Henderson County businessman, Iraq War veteran and Democrat Josh Remillard, who lost a 2020 bid for North Carolina’s 117th House District by 21 points, filed his FEC statement of organization on Feb. 25 and is expected to make a formal announcement soon.

Another potential Democratic candidate, Jay Carey, is also exploring a run, and it’s likely he’s not the last. Cawthorn has been a controversial personality almost since the moment he joined 11 other Republicans in seeking the seat then held by Mark Meadows. Meadows announced he wouldn’t seek re-election a day before the filing period ended in December 2019, and then abandoned the seat shortly after President Donald Trump’s first impeachment to become Trump’s chief of staff. Meadows’ seat remained empty throughout the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic as well as during votes for some of the largest federal spending packages in U.S. history. During the 2020 campaign, Cawthorn faced allegation after allegation — Nazi sympathies, white supremacist imagery, sexual harassment of women — but his national profile got a big boost when he spoke at the Republican National Convention on Aug. 26. Just three days after he was sworn in, Cawthorn spoke at the now-infamous “stop the steal” rally held by President Trump on Jan. 6, immediately prior to the insurrection. Since then, he’s been scrutinized for his potential role in helping to incite a crowd to storm the capitol building and another round of sexual harassment allegations has emerged. To make matters worse for Cawthorn, a key supporter in the law enforcement community repudiated him, and his own state senator, powerful Hendersonville Republican Chuck Edwards, chastised Cawthorn not once but twice and appears to be lining up for a primary challenge. Edwards will also have a hand in drawing

the new maps that should be ready in time for the 2022 Primary Election. With North Carolina expected to gain an additional seat in the U.S. House, it’s anyone’s guess as to what the 11th Congressional District looks like come election time. While Beach-Ferrara’s first words to the 11th District may have been bold, she closes her video with another strong message to the skeptics. “This barbecue-loving, football-watching proud Southern mom of three is running for Congress,” she said. “And you better believe I’m running to win.” A day after announcing her entry into the race, Beach-Ferrara issued a press release stating she’d raised $100,000 in 24 hours. While she’s got millions more to go to be competitive against Cawthorn, she’s got plenty of time to raise it — the Primary Election is still more than a year away. The Smoky Mountain News: Looking back on this district over the last maybe 10 years or so, we’ve had some very similar issues in every General Election. The first one that I’d like to talk about is common sense gun reform. Jasmine Beach Ferrara: I believe in the right to gun ownership and I also believe in safe communities. I know it’s possible for us to support gun ownership and also take common sense steps to make sure that everyone stays safe. I’m a mom and I think, like parents everywhere, there are few things that scare me more than the thought of a school shooting. We’ve all lived through too many of those to not do something to help keep our children and our community safe. So I support common sense gun laws, and things like comprehensive background checks to help keep us safe, red flag laws. SMN: Another one of these seemingly persistent issues is Medicaid expansion. That’s certainly a General Assembly matter, but the excuse that I continue to hear from opponents is that we don’t know if the federal government one day is going to stop that 90 percent funding level and maybe slash it to 50 or 20 or zero. If this is something we want, why don’t we elect Congresspersons who pledge to continue to fund the expansion of Medicaid expansion? JBF: Health care is a basic right, and far too many people across Western North Carolina struggle because our country doesn’t treat it as a basic right. It’s long past time for this to be a top priority at every level of government. We need to ensure that there’s access to affordable care. No one should get a serious diagnosis like cancer and have to immediately worry about whether they can afford their treatment. And you’re right — in North Carolina, two of the top issues that I hear about from people all the time are the urgent need to expand Medicaid and also the urgent need to shore up our rural health care systems to and make sure that folks in rural communities and small towns have the access they need to get care in their hometown. These would be top priority issues for me in D.C.

SMN: The overarching question about the November 2022 election is what this district ends up looking like. Do you have any insight into that or any feelings on how we may look at this map in a year? JBF: When I announced that I’d be running for re-election in 2020 for county commission, the maps were being redrawn and the lines weren’t finalized until several months after that. I won that campaign by organizing everywhere, listening to folks, running very strong field operations. That’s exactly how we’ll be building this campaign, which is organizing in every corner of the district, talking to folks who haven’t heard from a campaign for a while and also building big tables of folks who are ready to focus on meeting the needs of people in Western North Carolina. SMN: Tell me one good thing that Madison Cawthorn has done for this district since he was elected. JBF: Let me tell you about the kind of campaign that I’m planning to run, which is a campaign built on love and hope and faith. I think those are the things that are important as we think about how we bring our community together. I’m actually less interested in talking about Madison Cawthorn and more about what’s possible in Western North Carolina, talking about the politics of bringing people together around a shared vision of how we can help lift people’s lives up.

Smoky Mountain News

SMN: What do you think you learned from watching Moe Davis last year? JBF: I’ve learned a lot from watching everyone who has run in this district on both sides of the aisle. And what I know about organizing I know because I’ve spent the last decade of my life or more organizing all across the South, including in a lot of small towns and rural communities. I know this as a minister and I know this as a county commissioner — our politics are at our best when it’s about the people who are involved. It’s about focusing on policies that speak to our highest dreams, our deepest values, and a shared sense of purpose. That’s exactly the kind of campaign it will be. I’ll be building from a strategic level. We’ll be organizing everywhere in the district because that’s how you build strong campaigns. We’ll be talking to folks who perhaps haven’t heard from a

SMN: One of the important things I think we learned last time is the important distinction between a Primary Election and a General Election. Some of the folks I’ve spoken to already about your campaign say that you may be too liberal to win a General Election in this district. How do you respond to that? JBF: When I first ran for county commission in 2016, folks told me I wasn’t gonna win. I ended up winning. When I ran this last cycle for re-election, I was running against a very popular Republican and people told me I wasn’t going to win. I ended up winning. The way I’ve won these races is twofold, and it’s the way I approached being on county commission, the way I’d approach being in Congress, which is that our politics and the work of our government is about serving our people. And it’s about listening to what matters to people and developing policy solutions to respond to that. That approach is what I’ve done at county commission. You know, until quite recently we had a bipartisan body there, and I’m very proud of the work that I was able to do along with Republican and Democratic colleagues, to respond to them as critical issues in people’s lives, whether it’s expanding access to treatment for opiate addiction, expanding access to pre-K. So what I like to do when people say that is just say, look at my track record, but also let’s talk about the here and now, and let’s talk about how we move forward together.

March 10-16, 2021

SMN: I don’t know that we’ve had a county commissioner as a congressperson maybe ever, but certainly not within recent memory. How has your experience on the Buncombe commission prepared you to go to Washington? JBF: It has been and continues to be such an honor to serve on county commission and my role and responsibility there is very much like the role and responsibility of a Congressperson. I think it starts by listening closely to people about what matters to them, what they need, what they dream of, and then finding ways to translate that into policies and actions that actually help people. When you actually look at the portfolio of issues that county commissions work on, there’s actually a lot of mirroring of federal policy priorities. You’ve mentioned a couple of them so far — things like rural broadband — but some of the top priority issues that I focus on in county commission are things like responding to the opiate crisis and the mental health crisis in our community, expanding access to early childhood education and pre-K and job creation to help create a stronger economy where folks can get jobs they can raise a family on. A big part of why I’m running is the track record I’ve built as a county commissioner and the lessons I’ve learned in that process, and the fact that I know that what we also need in Western North Carolina is strong leadership on the federal level to wake up every day and focus on exactly those issues.

Democratic candidate in quite some time and we’ll be building a campaign that’s running to win.

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SMN: The last of these persistent issues is rural broadband. We’ve made some good advances with help from the state and especially the federal level with the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. It’s a windfall for these western counties and most are fairly pleased with the amounts, if not the pace. Do you think that there’s more that can be done from a federal level? JBF: This has got to be a top priority. How do federal, state and local governments and other anchor institutions work together to expand access but also accelerate the pace at which we’re expanding access? We need to think about this like we would any utility. I see people from across the political spectrum coming together and getting to work on solutions.

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Business

Smoky Mountain News

Snake Song shop opens in Sylva The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Snake Song. Located at 610 West Main Street (the former location of The Cut Cocktail Lounge), Snake Song has entrances on both Mill and Main Streets. Snake Song specializes in bulk herbs, plants, pottery, flowers, culinary and medicinal herb products and more. For more information, email snakesongfarm@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page.

Free tax webinars The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College, in coordination with Small Business Centers in the WNC Region, will offer a free three-part Small Business Tax virtual learning series featuring representatives from the North Carolina Department of Revenue. The Small Business Tax series will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, April 6 (Business Tax Essentials), April 20 (NC Withholding 101) and May 4 (Sales & Use Tax Workshop). Visit sbc.haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 to register.

Maggie Realtors receive awards Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Heritage in Maggie Valley, part of a network with more than 12,500 independent sales associates and 390 offices across the United States, Canada, Jamaica, and The Bahamas, has received special recognition for the P.A.I.G.E. Award and the Technology Award. The P.A.I.G.E. Award honors one company and one sales professional or team for their dedication and consistent display of the brand’s core values; Passion, Authenticity, Inclusion, Growth and Excellence (P.A.I.G.E.) to expand their business and provide excellent service. The Technology Award recognizes one company highly focused on cutting-edge technology and the effective use of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s technology tools. The collective efforts of the outstanding agents and staff of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Heritage have contributed to the achievement of this award, continuing to demonstrate they are true leaders in the real estate

industry. “We are honored to receive the PAIGE and Technology awards,” noted Thomas and Christine Mallette, Brokers/Owners. “The collective efforts of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Heritage outstanding agents and staff have contributed to the achievement of this award. We admire their commitment to consistently exceeding expectations in all facets of their performance.” To learn more, visit www.bhgheritage.com.

Harrah’s donates to Swain fund Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort recently donated $2,000 to The Swain County United Gift Fund, which will be applied to the fund’s 2021 campaign to raise funds for participating nonprofits in Swain County. By conducting a consolidated fund drive for the participating nonprofit organizations in Swain County, SCUGF enables those nonprofits to focus more on service delivery to the community and less on fundraising. Donors like the idea of “giving once to benefit many.” The 2020 fund drive raised over $70,000 that is being distributed to 17 Swain County nonprofits, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Swain County, Bryson City Food Pantry, Coalition for a Safe and Drug Free Swain County, Family Resource Center of Swain County, Friends of Bryson City Cemetery, the Giving Spoon, Hope Springs Eternal, Julia Hunt Scholarship Fund, Marianna Black Library, Maroon Strong Foundation, Mountain Mediation, Restoration House, Smoky Mountain Community Theater, Swain Arts Enrichment, Swain County Caring Corner, Swain/Qualla SAFE, and Together We Raise of Swain County. SCUGF is a donor-advised fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina

(a 501c3 charitable organization) that provides professional management.

UCB named ‘Top Financial Institution’ United Community Bank was recently recognized with multiple Greenwich Excellence Awards for U.S. Small Business Banking for the year ended 2020. United received five awards in total, two of which were national honors for Overall Satisfaction and Likelihood to Recommend. The awards are given annually by Greenwich Associates, the leading global provider of data and analytics to the financial services industry. This is the third consecutive year the bank has been recognized by Greenwich Associates for its strength in small business lending. “Our team stepped up in new ways to support our clients during the economic downturn and I am proud to see them recognized for their hard work,” added Rich Bradshaw, President and Chief Banking Officer. “Small businesses are the backbones of their communities and we felt it was our duty to not only help them through the pandemic, but also to position them to emerge even stronger. I congratulate all of our United bankers on this well-deserved recognition.”

New dentist at Highsmith Dental Practice Dr. Sylvia Jernigan, DDS recently joined Dr. John Highsmith and his dental team in Clyde as an associate dentist. Jernigan brings a wealth of knowledge and a caring, service-oriented demeanor. A native of Poland, Jernigan practiced dentistry there and worked as a U.S. dental assistant before earning a second DDS degree to practice here. Jernigan earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland, and practiced dentistry in Zgierz. She worked in Clyde as a dental assistant with Dr. Highsmith and in Savannah with Dr. Brad Durham. Her U.S. continuing education includes training in cosmetic dentistry, neuromuscular (functional) dentistry, TMJ, and muscle trigger points. In December 2020, Jernigan earned her second DDS degree from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. For more information, visit www.DrHighsmith.com, or call 828.627.9282.

Stanberry Insurance earns elite status Builders Mutual Insurance Company is pleased to announce that out of more than 750 agencies, Stanberry Insurance Agency qualified to join Builders Reserve, the top individual Builders Mutual agency partners across our market footprint. “Stanberry Insurance continues to show positive growth and profitability and we are extremely pleased to recognize them as a Builders Reserve

agency. This elite status is designated only to our premier agency partners. Builders Mutual will continue to work closely with Stanberry Insurance to provide unparalleled service and support to both the agency and our mutual customers,” said Brad Moock, Vice President of Business Development with Builders Mutual Insurance Company. Stanberry Insurance focuses on writing insurance for customers in the construction industry and maintains a close working relationship with Builders Mutual.

First Citizens Bank donates $250,000 The board of directors of the North Carolina Community Foundation has announced a gift of $250,000 from Raleigh-headquartered First Citizens Bank for the North Carolina Healing Communities Fund, NCCF’s fund to benefit COVID19 pandemic response across the state. The gift will support the Fund in providing critical resources for nonprofit organizations in North Carolina that have been impacted severely by COVID 19 through revenue loss and increased demand. The Fund’s focus will be to support nonprofits in marginalized communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus and its economic impacts and have been underserved by other sources of financial assistance, specifically communities of lower wealth, communities of color, mostly rural communities and where English may not be the primary language.

Free social media webinars at HCC The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a free four-part Results-Driven Social Media webinar series 6 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays, through March 23. Participants will learn concepts from understanding the different social media platforms and how to get results through social media to how to use paid ads online with speaker Martin Brossman. The next session will be March 16 — Getting Ongoing Results for Social Media-Keeping It Going and Growing! Attendees will begin building a marketing and social media plan. The session will address building a social media schedule, plan and policy development, social media management, and customer service. “Integrating It All and the Right Use of Paid Ads Online-Using Paid Ads Right That Work” will be held March 23. The final session in this series will address the fundamentals of Facebook and Google paid ads, platform analytics, getting on directories and how to find out which directories your small business needs to be on. Attendees will also learn more about staying connected to your customer, email marketing and integration, building a way to adapt and change to market shifts, and keeping score – monitoring your reputation online. Visit sbc.haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 to register.

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

A long overdue plan to cut childhood poverty T

Let’s honor a different history To the Editor: I am so sick of hearing this argument that we’re “changing” or “erasing” history by changing statues or county namesakes. The history of the Civil War and the history of how we treated Native Americans in this country will always be the same, because the past is the past. However, we can choose which parts of history we want to honor. Statues, memorials, and namesakes are created to honor people or events. Should we have statues honoring people who fought for a cause that, at its core, was over slavery? Should we have our county be named after a man who forced people off the land they’d inhabited for thousands of years so that white people could live there? It’s ironic that people talk about these things as if we’re changing history when the very history books used in most schools (at least when I was growing up) conveniently avoid the parts of our history that involved mass genocide and forced labor of Native Americans and instead paint the history of our country’s beginnings as some peaceful, “rainbows and butterflies” story, where the colonists had a nice dinner with the Native Americans and the Natives taught the settlers how to forage and grow food for themselves. They also don’t talk about how Native American children were forcibly separated from their parents and sent to boarding schools where their culture was stripped away from them, their names were replaced with

be addressed. But let’s also look at wage stagnation, which has been the result of economic decisions made by lawmakers at the state and federal level. Anyone can google and find an avalanche of reports on wage statistics, and nearly every one reveals that real wages for those in the bottom 20 percent of earners has declined since the 1970s. Low-wage workers are working just as hard but have less buying power, hence the rising poverty level of their children. And so despite all the important issues we can discuss about the why’s and the how’s of child poverty, the Editor truth is that these children need help. The new proposal would pay families earning less than $150,000 per year $300 per month for every child under 6 and $250 for every child over 6 until that child reached 18 years of age. The benefit, according to one report, could cut child poverty in the U.S. by half, according to an analysis by Columbia University. More than 93 percent of U.S. children would receive a benefit under the plan. Think about just one challenge facing every family and how much more dire it is for those in poverty — childcare. Last week’s cover story in The Smoky Mountain News went

Scott McLeod

he Covid relief bill now working its way through Congress will mark a transformation in the way this country treats poor children. It’s about damn time. First the numbers, which vary ever-so-slightly from yearto-year, but which should be appalling to the citizens of the world’s richest country: 24 percent in Swain County, 26.6 percent in Macon, 22.5 percent in Jackson and 22.5 percent in Haywood. That the number of children living in poverty every single day of their lives. Right at one-fourth of the youngsters we see around our community every day. And what is poverty? It’s defined as a family of four making less than $26,200 per year, but what that translates to is working families — many of them single-parent households — unable to pay for childcare, clothes, constantly living with food insecurity, fearing any unexpected automobile repair, medical emergency, dealing with embarrassing situations at school or when their kids play sports and the costs eat into the family’s meager earnings. Can any citizen of this country who is in a comfortable economic position tell me how they could even imagine making a household of four work on $504 per week? No, because it’s just not feasible. Look, we can discuss how some of those parents made bad choices, perhaps don’t have a great work ethic, didn’t take school seriously, all of those type arguments about how choices have consequences. Those are important issues and need to

LETTERS European names (to “civilize” and “Christianize” them), and they were often abused. So, who’s really wanting to erase history here? Sports stadiums have their names changed every time they get a new sponsor. So what’s so wrong with simply changing the namesake of our county? No trouble is involved as it would be with doing a full out name change. It’s simply a symbolic gesture that would mean a lot to the people whose land falls within the county border and whose original land, in reality, all of us outside the Qualla Boundary are living on now. It seems like a no-brainer to have our county be named after a good man who lived in this area and who was part of a tribe whose original territory covered this entire region, rather than an atrocious man who wasn’t from here and who forced thousands of people off of their land so that white people could live there instead. So how about we try to repair some of the wrongs that were inflicted on our neighbors and choose a different history to honor? Rachel Smith Whittier

Trump is a threat To the Editor: The other day a friend of mine made this remark: “I never want to hear Trump supporters mention morality (as in the Moral Majority) again. They have bowed down to his steady stream of lies as though the rest of us merely have to accept lying as a way of life

into great detail about our fragile childcare system in Western North Carolina. This payment won’t solve this issue for families, but it will certainly help parents concentrate on finding jobs or going back to school and earning the chance to enter a better-paying profession. This new payment plan will be in place for one year, but many on both sides of the political spectrum think it’s long overdue and should become permanent. Some conservatives like that the monthly income encourages a spouse to stay home with their children instead of other benefits — like subsidies for childcare — which encourage parents to work away from home and leave child-rearing duties to daycares. Libertarians have argued that direct payments to families — unlike benefit plans that provide food or medical care —allow families to make their own decisions on how to spend the money. Since welfare benefits were slashed in the 1990s under Bill Clinton, many Democrats have argued for this kind of direct payments to families of poor children. We know that moving children out of poverty gives them a much better chance at succeeding in life, earning their own way once they enter adulthood. When that happens, we save money on other social programs and the criminal justice system. If we lift children out of poverty, we forge a better society. Again, it’s about damn time. (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)

in America.” Another said, ”Do people not see the blatant hypocrisy in chanting ‘Lock her up!’ about Hillary Clinton’s peripheral role in the tragic deaths in Benghazi while they tolerate Donald Trump’s central role in inciting an insurrection that resulted in a violent break-in and multiple deaths in the Capitol of the United States of America?” Hillary Clinton has weathered hours upon hours of investigations that resulted in no charges of wrongdoing against her. Since the January 6, 2021, insurrection is so recent the investigation of Donald Trump has only begun. His failure/refusal to use his mighty power to protect the people in the capitol that day will haunt everyone who has a conscience coupled with a strong devotion to democracy as the cornerstone of our government. In short, Clinton’s actions and inactions did not threaten democracy. Donald Trump’s did. If you believe this verse from John 8:32 (KJV), how do you follow Trump: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” What have his lies done to our democracy? Dave Waldrop Webster

Cawthorn should have stayed to vote To the Editor: I’m writing to express my outrage regarding Madison Cawthorn’s bogus attempt to defend his proxy vote when the House of

Representatives voted on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. His first offense was trying to project blame on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.,claiming she purposely changed the floor schedule knowing that he and about 10 other Republican members were scheduled to speak on Friday at CPAC in Orlando. Speaker Pelosi is a master vote counter and it’s not uncommon for her to modify the floor schedule if there’s an issue that needs further attention before calling for a vote. She knew how Cawthorn and his CPAC comrades were going to vote, so she had no need to work around them. Secondly, is “an ongoing public health emergency” really a legitimate excuse for Cawthorn’s absence when he traveled to a Code Red state? In addition, CPAC was pretty much a maskless event. All things considered, the U.S. House chamber was a safer environment for him. Finally, Cawthorn tossed out a classic “whataboutism” by claiming that Democrats had cast proxy votes “from yachts, mansions and speaking events.” Perhaps that is true, but it’s unlikely that they claimed a “public health emergency” as the reason for their absence. For those of you who may not be familiar with the term, “whataboutism” is typically associated with Russian or Soviet propaganda. Cawthorn has openly admitted that his primary focus is “comms” (publicity), not legislating. In short, it’s all about the show for him and speaking at CPAC presented a better opportunity for him to be a star than being

S EE LETTERS, PAGE 25

Getting my hands dirty and loving it

Susanna Shetley

Voting rights bill deserves support To the Editor: Voting records show that North Carolina and Haywood County had the largest voter turnout ever in the last election. That’s great, because our democracy depends on citizens voting. And that’ whey it’s important to understand the proposed voting rights act that is heading to the U.S. Senate for consideration. It was created from well-established voting practices, from both red and blue states. The proposed law would ensure that registered voters in all states have access to early voting for at least 14 days. Were you one of the 23,256 Haywood County residents who voted early? Both Republican and Democratic voters regularly take advantage of early voting. Currently, 39 states provide for early voting. Why not adopt this for all states? Do you know someone who registered to vote at the DMV while renewing their license? This was a time saver for me. My friends have also registered to vote online via the N.C. State Board of Election website. Sixteen states already offer this type

Smoky Mountain News

or trellises. Vertical gardens are less susceptible to fungal disease and easier to maintain because you can work standing up. Try succession planting: Planting in stages offers easier maintenance and a longer period with fruitful bounty. With proper planning, you can even plant multiple rounds of the same plant, such as lettuce. Plant compatible combinations: Plants that don’t grow in harmony will rob one another of important nutrients; however, if you plant companion plants, they work together to increase growth. Companion planting can also save time and money. I’m a lifelong lover of nature and a person who embraces products such as essential oils, herbal teas and farm-fresh vegetables. Gardening and composting are activities I’ve tried numerous times, sometimes successfully and other times, not so much. As with children and puppies, gardening takes patience. I feel like I’m pretty good with children and puppies, so I just need to pretend like my seedlings and buds are more babies to care for and nurture. Moreover, the act of gardening offers numerous benefits aside from baskets full of veggies and herbs. Along with physical activity, the contact with the natural world provides a boost in mood and overall wellbeing. If you’re gardening alone, it’s a time for thought and reflection, and if you’re gardening with family or friends, it offers a chance for bonding. During the pandemic, many folks have taken on gardening as a way to ease stress and escape from everyday woes. I heard a news clip recently that called 2020 “The year of loss and a lost year.” While I do think it’s been a year of loss for numerous individuals, I don’t think it’s been a lost year. Whether gardening or another hobby, the pandemic encouraged people to look outside the box for happiness, relaxation and fun. I didn’t have a ton of success last year in regard to abundance, but we had fun building raised beds and planting veggies and herbs. This year I’m feeling energized on many levels, not merely for my garden but for a lovelier, more hopeful spring all around. (Susanna Shetley is an editor, writer and digital media specialist with The Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com)

present to cast a “No” vote on the House floor. Myrna Campbell Waynesville

of voter registration. The proposed law would expand these conveniences to all states. Doesn’t that make sense? More voters cast their ballots by mail in 2020 than ever before, including 6,197 in Haywood County. And 29 states, from Alaska to Florida, currently allow voters to request a mail-in ballot without providing an excuse. This law will standardize procedures for voting by mail to make them secure, easy to navigate, and limit rejections of ballots cast by eligible voters. Why not implement best practices for all states? Some people say that the federal government shouldn’t be involved in elections. Article I, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to enact voting laws. These laws have historically been supported by both Republicans and Democrats. Over 60 percent of Americans across the political spectrum support this law. Now is the time for unity. Republicans and Democrats can come together to strengthen and unify our voting system. Please contact Senators Tillis and Burr and ask them to support this voting rights act. One last thing. Would you like to see fewer political TV ads? This law will tackle the influence of big money in politics and prohibit foreign money in U.S. elections. Then maybe the political budgets will dry up and we can get back to watching “Dancing with the Stars.” Jean Wright Franklin

March 10-16, 2021

moved from Maggie Valley to Waynesville last fall. My house in Maggie was on the side of Soco Road where there is little to no sun. While that was great for the summertime utility bill, it wasn’t conducive to gardening. I tried hard to make things grow in my shady yard, but photosynthesis is an important part of the growing process. Unfortunately, I had zero control over this life-sustaining force. It could be that I have a bit of a black thumb, but I’m faithful that’s not the case. Our new yard is full of sunshine and the previous owner left raised boxes for us. I don’t need a massive garden to be Columnist happy, just the staples — a variety of lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, zucchini and maybe some peppers. I’m starting to think having a green thumb may be a myth. Perhaps “green thumb” simply means significant preparation and patience. When researching for this column and for my new life as a stellar gardener, I Googled “how to be a successful gardener.” This is what I learned from the Gardening Channel: Create a garden plan: Each plant needs different amounts of sun and water, as well as unique values of pH in the soil. Spending time to create a layout and timeline of the garden will prove helpful. Keep garden records: The previous owners sent us a spreadsheet of their gardening records. I didn’t realize people actually did this, but they had great luck gardening on our property so I’m going to follow their lead. Save seeds: If one is keeping records then it’s easy to know which seeds took hold and which did not. For the plants that grew well, save some of the seeds for next year. Store seeds in a sealed container in a cool, dry place. Soil quality: For smaller gardens, raised beds help maintain soil quality. They also make maintaining the soil more manageable. My boyfriend built raised beds at our Maggie Valley house, and it was a fun project for the kids. Luckily, we’ll use the existing beds at our new home. Go vertical: Whether you have a small or large plot, you can benefit from using stakes

LETTERS, CONTINUED FROM 24

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Patience, passion and pork

Big Nick’s Barbecue in Sylva (pictured) has become a culinary haven of sorts for barbecue fiends, foodies and the curious alike. The company recently opened its second location in Murphy.

Big Nick’s Barbecue carries on family tradition

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR oming off Exit 85 on the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, a funny thing happens to drivers when they’re about halfway down the hill heading into Sylva — they start to get hungry. It isn’t the chain restaurants dotting the busy four-lane road, nor is it the sense of nourishment needed after another day running around the mountains. Rather, it’s the tantalizing scent of fresh barbecue wafting into your vehicle. “We’ve got barbecue until we don’t, then you’ll just have to come back tomorrow,” Tim Fisk said. “We don’t want to make so much barbecue that it just sits around — by doing that, the quality of the barbecue suffers. It’s all about freshness and making everything from scratch, every single day.” Owner of Big Nick’s Barbecue in Sylva, Fisk is the second generation of a storied barbecue family. His late father, “Big Nick,” was a beloved name in southern barbecue. A legendary pit-master, Big Nick owned and operated several successful barbecue joints from Florida to Western North Carolina, most notably the Rib Country locations in Murphy, Hayesville and North Georgia.

Tim Fisk When Big Nick passed away four years ago, Fisk decided it was time to leave the family business and go out on his own. Amid 25 years of experience in the barbecue world, he wanted to strip down the approach and menu to just the bare bones — barbecue, burgers and a handful of sides offered, all under a simple banner and ambiance. Thus, Big Nick’s Barbecue came to fruition

in Sylva, taking over the small brick-n-mortar building that once held Robbie’s, a cherished burger spot that had been a familiar part of Jackson County’s culinary identity for over 50 years. Recently, Big Nick’s also opened a second location in Murphy. “We wanted a low overhead, one where the entire focus was on the barbecue and nothing else. And we wanted a small dining room with a focus on takeout ordering,” Fisk said. “In this day and age of the pandemic, everyone wants to do takeout, and this place is tailor-made for that — either call in an order or pull up and honk for service.” Fisk estimated that the Sylva location feeds upward of 150 folks each day, with the Murphy location providing barbecue for somewhere between 300-400 hungry patrons. The wellportioned and hearty barbecue is as mouthwatering as it is in demand (which is high), with several signature sauces available for dipping and finger-lickin’. “We’re trying to really get back to that barbecue place, that roadside stop we all remember from long ago. We’re here from 7:30 in the morning until 8:30 every night, all to make sure everything is done correctly,” Fisk said. “We have very high standards for our barbecue. For us, it’s like this fun puzzle we have to figure out and put together every day — it’s a deep passion.” Leaning back in his chair in the dining

Hungry? Big Nick’s Barbecue is located at 7 East Sylva Shopping Center in Sylva and at 630 U.S. Highway 64 in Murphy. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (or sold out) in Sylva (828.631.3891) and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (or sold out) in Murphy (828.516.5201). For more information, email tim@bignicksbbq.com or visit www.bignicksbbq.com. room, Fisk adjusts his facial mask and his trusty Big Nick’s Barbecue hat. He readies himself to head back into the kitchen at the culmination of this newspaper interview. Although it’s mid-afternoon, there’s still lots of barbecue left to be sold and an endless stream of customers, as heard by the constant ringing of the phone behind the counter or incessant honking outside. When asked what his father, Big Nick, would think of “all of this,” Fisk can’t help but smile ear-to-ear, a jovial chuckle echoing throughout the dining room. “Oh, he’d love it. He’d like seeing his name on the building, seeing how we prepare the barbecue just the way he did, the same standards and everything,” Fisk said. “We remember the old man every day — this place is a tribute to him.”

arts & entertainment

This must be the place BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

You are the rock on the riverbed, growing smoother every year

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, 2006. Burlington, Vermont (across Lake Champlain from my hometown of Plattsburgh, New York). Initially, I spent my time with them delivering heavy boxes of magazines to local/regional bars and venues, transcribing endless interviews, and browsing through a pile of albums from record labels for possible review. But, eventually, the gracious editor/publisher, Mike McKinley, started letting me write short album reviews and attending Vermont music festivals throughout the summer as a representative of the magazine. He also taught me everything I know about writing, the main (and most important) point being “write what you feel, be honest with the reader.” Is this what you truly want to say? If not, what would you actually say? That fall of 2006, during my senior year, I returned back to the Paradise to see The Nocturnals again. But, this time, I circled back in my new role, as a music journalist. It was my first real deal show assignment. I was still 21 and the band wasn’t much older, maybe just a couple years or so. We were all so young, and so new to the music industry. This was before all the chaos that would come later on down the line. Brighteyed and bushy-tailed. We were all standing at the starting line of our careers, our eventual fates.

It’s crazy to look back on all that, onward to where we all stand today. That original band from Feb. 18, 2006, is no more. Old members left. New members came into the fold. Big money contracts. Creative differences. Divorces. Some members still play music. Others left the business completely. And so on. The usual gauntlet of things in the music industry for an act on a meteoric rise, sadly. Seems like a million years ago. Seems like yesterday. I followed the Nocturnals all around America, seeing them onstage in San Francisco, Jackson Hole, Denver, Michigan, Maine, etc. Each show was as awe-inspiring as the next — those fleeting, magical moments in time, onstage and off. I’m also thankful that my ol’ buddy Scott Tournet (former Nocturnals guitarist and founding member) and I have stayed in touch, remaining friends all these years later. We continue to cross paths every so often when he passes through Asheville with his latest project, this whirlwind of rock and world fusion music dubbed Elektric Voodoo. That, and the music of The Nocturnals remains, as it always does within songs immortal that are written across the walls of your heart and soul. Turn up the stereo and let the musical time machine take you away once again. Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

March 10-16, 2021

unday morning. Sunshine and blue skies piercing through my dusty bedroom window. I’ve been up an hour or so. And yet, I can’t seem to fully fall back asleep. I keep trying, but remain in this dreamlike state, that void between the waking world and the depths of your subconscious. The laptop near the bed is quietly radiating the sounds of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. It’s a live show recording from Feb. 18, 2006, captured at the Paradise Rock Club on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. Rolling over in bed to turn up the volume of the stereo, I catch eyes with the show date ticking across the screen and it hits me: How can that be 15 years ago? Where has the time gone? Where have all those greatly missed faces and places disappeared to? Feb. 18, 2006. I attended that show. Turning 21 years old earlier that month, I was a junior at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. As a lifelong music freak, I’d be at shows every weekend, usually nearby at the legendary Toad’s Place in downtown New Haven. Back then, I kept hearing about this badass new rock band out of Vermont, hailing from my native Champlain Valley: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. People said it was like Bonnie Raitt or Susan Tedeschi fronting Crazy Horse, this melodic intersection of rock, blues and soul. Sold. Count me in. Sitting in my cramped dorm room, I cruised around on my laptop in search of performances to catch around “The Constitution State” and greater New England. A show listing popped up for The Nocturnals at the Paradise. I jumped on the $15 ticket. A week later, I skipped class and jumped into my 1998 Isuzu Hombre pickup truck, bolting out of campus and onto the

highway: Interstate 91 to I-84 to I-90 and right into the heart of Beantown. Feb. 18, 2016, was a life-changing show, whether or not I realized it at the time. Nothing was ever really the same in the trajectory of my existence after that night, personally and professionally. The Paradise is such a crazy spot, this Mad Max “Thunderdome” style venue. Multiple levels. People stacked all over the place surrounding the small stage. Walking in, I grabbed a beer and stood in the back. Sold out show. Packed house. Grace & Co. waltzed onstage and launched into “Nothing But The Water.” Grace stood alone at the microphone and howled the introduction of the song, her trusty tambourine echoing across the raucous room. Soon, the rest of the group exploded into sound and purpose as the tune unfolded. It was staggering. The band’s presence was incredibly mesmerizing. By the end of the show, I had worked my way to the front of the stage and remember vividly standing at the feet of Grace during “Stop The Bus.” In that moment, I would have followed that band to the ends of the earth. And I did, I really did for a period in my 20s. That night shifted my mind into genuinely pursuing journalism, especially in the realm of the written word in reference to live music. At that time, I’d only been toying with the idea for a little while, doing small album reviews and such for the school newspaper, the Quinnipiac Chronicle. Witnessing The Nocturnals at the Paradise flipped on some sort of switch within my mind — sparking this deep ambition and unrelenting passion — where I left the Paradise performance eager to write about what I saw and heard: to share my thoughts on it with the world, or at least whoever would stop and read what I had to say. By that summer of 2006, I had miraculously (more so, serendipitously) gotten an internship with the now-defunct but dearly missed State of Mind Music Magazine in

Smoky Mountain News 27

arts & entertainment

On the street Natti Love Joys.

inates from the cult all female reggae group Love Joys, where she recorded two albums under the legendary Wackies label run by Lloyd Barnes (Bullwackie). The show is free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

Franklin art classes

HCAC clay stamp class

Reggae, soul rolls into WNC

March 10-16, 2021

The Natti Love Joys will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin. A roots-rock-reggae band that has been playing live since 2003, the group consists of husband and wife duo Anthony “Jatti” Allen and Sonia “Marla” Allen (formerly Sonia Abel). Jatti was previously the bassist for the reggae group The Congos, while Marla orig-

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. www.balsamfallsbrewing.com. • Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.elevatedmountain.com. • Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

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ALSO:

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The Waymores March 13 and Natti Love Joys March 20. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host The Waymores March 12 and Shane Meade March 26. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the week-

The “Inspired by Nature” clay stamp class with Jan Kolenda will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. Participants will learn how to create slab patterns using handmade stamps and natural objects. All materials provided. Tools, clay, firing and glazing included. Finished work will be returned to you between 7-10 days. Maximum of eight participants. Masks are required. Cost is $45 per person. Bring cash or a check in the amount of $45. Checks must be made payable to “Jan Kolenda.” To RSVP, call 828.452.0593. For more information, click on www.haywoodarts.org.

Uptown Gallery. There will be a wide array of new and ongoing art classes offered in the coming weeks and months at the Uptown Gallery in downtown Franklin. To ensure health protocols there will be a limited number of students in each class. Covid protocols will be observed. Students need to be willing to wear a mask throughout the entire class. Please do not come if you are experiencing any health symptoms. For more information and/or a full list of classes, click on www.franklinuptowngallery.com or call 828.349.4607.

ends. 828.456.4750 or www.facebook.com/waternhole.bar. • Open call for artists to sell their work in the Carriage House Gift Shop at the historic Shelton House in Waynesville. For details, call 757.894.2293. • “Paint & Pour” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. March 17 at Balsam Falls Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $20 per person. All materials provided. Please RSVP at the Balsam Falls Brewing Facebook page. • The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Winter Member’s Show” will be held through March 27 in the Gallery & Gifts showroom at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville. Original work for 24 local artisans. Free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org. • The Bethel Christian Academy will be hosting the “Papertown Spring Market” fundraiser on March 13. There will be booths for local vendors to set up and sell their products: boutique clothing, home decor, handmade items, jewelry, and more. If you have any questions or would like to set up a booth, call 828.734.9733. • There will be a free wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

The Waymores.

Lazy Hiker welcomes Americana act Atlanta-based duo The Waymores will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva. The duo will also perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin. Kira Annalise and Willie Heath Neal are The Waymores and they’re the epitome of acoustic country music. He was born in a cop car, lived in and out of foster care and

served in the Navy. She used to get stage fright until she was swept up by his charm and grit, started writing country songs and never looked back. Now, they travel the world together, writing songs from the road and bringing their intimate and fun stage presence to audiences around Southern Appalachia and beyond. www.thewaymores.com.

On the shelf

Jeff Minick

about guilt, she advises her audience to “pretend you’re counseling someone else,” to “imagine that a friend of yours has come to share that they did exactly what you did …. What would you tell them?” She adds, “Chances are you’d be way more gracious and likely, much more constructive when giving them advice than you are with yourself.” There is much to admire in Didn’t See

“You’re so hungry you want to die. You’re so hungry you begin to obsess over your next juice — even though it’s three hours away and made

We might have done without the “whole pooping-my-pants episode” brought on by this diet, but otherwise she had me smiling in this part of the book. I had two objections to the book. First, in offering advice and revealing part of her own story, Hollis tells readers that as she was editing Didn’t See That Coming her 16-year-old marriage fell apart. Though she returns to this crisis several times, her account of that breakup is muddled. The reader leaves her description feeling as if she has softened or hidden certain incidents, which is strange coming from a woman who prides herself on her truth telling. And in her Prologue, Hollis writes, “Don’t fear your own weakness, fear drowning in despair for the rest of your time on earth because you were too afraid to confront your pain. In the following pages I will try to do my best to do just that. I will examine the pain and break it apart and laugh at it when possible and cry over it when necessary, but I will not — ever again in my life — cover up my pain to make other people more comfortable. “And neither should you.” Here I must partially disagree. Hollis is of the confessional crowd, believing in the value of counseling — she’s apparently spent 23 years in therapy — and I agree we can find hope and help by sharing our emotions with family and friends. But I’m also a believer in restraint, and that includes holding back my pain with certain people, those I don’t know well, for example, or those who either are suffering their own mishaps or who are themselves uncomfortable dealing with another’s tragedy. Those quarrels aside, Didn’t See That Coming offers guidance and comfort to those suffering through a hard season. (Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust On Their Wings, and two works of nonfiction, Learning As I Go and Movies Make the Man. minick0301@gmail.com)

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New book on Smokies railways Acclaimed author Bob Plott will present his latest work, Smoky Mountain Railways, during a special drop-in book signing at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Plott will also make an appearance at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. The Great Smoky Mountains were a remote and inaccessible place with no major highways or railroads until well after the Civil War. Using first enslaved and later convict labor, the Western North Carolina Railroad and Murphy Branch connected the mountains with the remainder of the state by 1891. The railroad brought commerce and tourism, and tourists and rail buffs continue to come to Bryson City to experience travel by steam train on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The history of this line is a story like no other. It is a tale filled with tragedy, heroism, brains, blood, sweat, tears, nitroglycerin and humor. Local authors Jacob Morgan Plott and Bob Plott tell the story of a line that refused to die. Bob and Jacob continue to perpetuate the family legacy, raising Plott hounds at their North Carolina home. www.bobplott.com.

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That Coming. Hollis writes as if she were speaking directly to the reader, she’s often clear and blunt with her advice, and most of the examples she uses to shore up her points are valuable. Her account of her brother’s death by suicide is sweet, sad, and instructive; she’s the one who as a teenager was in the house when he shot himself, and Hollis takes the reader through the emotional turmoil that tragedy brought to her in the years following. Hollis also exhibits a lively sense of humor. Here’s part of her description of a juice cleanse she underwent with some friends:

of, like, beetroot and seaweed. As I recall we were allowed to have one solid ‘meal’ a day, but it could only be leafy greens. “Who designed this plan for us? Satan, I’m sure.”

March 10-16, 2021

y sister, her husband, and a friend recently visited me for several days. Though I don’t own a television, there’s a DVD player downstairs along with a modest collection of movies, and I offered several times to bring it to the living room for their entertainment. Each time they waved me away, explaining they were content just to read. And read they did, all three of them, several hours each day, sitting still and silent in the den or the living room, absorbed in print and pages, and whisked away to heaven knows where in their imaginations. When I passed Writer through the room, I was several times struck again by a thought that has recurred throughout the years: Few sights touch me more deeply than to see a reader completely entranced by a book. Whether in the classroom where I used to teach or in the coffee shop I enjoy, the sight of a reader moves me. There is a beauty in those faces comparable to those vistas I find at the shore or in the mountains. Now on to this week’s review. In Didn’t See That Coming: Putting Life Back Together When Your World Falls Apart (William Morrow, 2020, 227 pages), motivational speaker and best-selling author Rachel Hollis looks at how we can survive catastrophes: the death of a loved one, divorce, lost jobs, failed relationships, and other personal disasters. Through chapters like “Stop Questioning Your Suffering,” “Try On Another Perspective,” “Get Real About Your Finances,” and “Chose Joy Even When Life Sucks,” Hollis offers readers a multitude of stories and anecdotes, many of them personal, about suffering and pain, and advice on how to keep going through the darkness these hardships bring. At the end of each chapter, Hollis includes a short section “Things That Helped Me.” Here she both summarizes the points of the chapter and gives the reader specific steps to take in handling their emotions and their difficulties. Regarding finances, for example, she directs them to seek out guidance if they feel unable to save money or control their spending. Writing

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

A mother bear and her cubs make a dangerous journey across Interstate 40. Susan Detwiler photo

Searching for safe passage Group works for safer WATCHING THE CROSSINGS Hunter, senior program manager for wildlife crossings on I-40 the Jeff National Parks Conservation Association BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER rowing up in eastern Kentucky, Frances Figart loved any chance to glimpse the diverse wildlife species roaming those Appalachian foothills — except when the sightings occurred after the creatures had become roadkill, something that occurred all too frequently. She felt their deaths keenly. “I can remember when I was a young driver running over a snake once, and I was so upset by that one individual death that I just turned around and went home and didn’t go to my job,” she said. “I called in sick and I just really took it personally.” Figart eventually had to learn how to shelve those feelings, go to work and move on with her day. But even now, at 57, “a part of me has always continued to react just like that young child that was a teenager,” she said. That lifelong reaction drew her to become an impassioned member of the Safe Passage: The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project, a group of people and organizations dedicated to providing safe ways for wildlife to cross Interstate 40 and other area roadways. In addition to her day job as creative services director for the Great Smoky Mountains Association, Figart serves as outreach committee chair for the Safe Passage Fund Coalition, which comprises The Conservation Fund, Defenders of Wildlife, Great Smoky Mountains Association, National Park Conservation Association, North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Wildlands Network. .

and collaborative facilitator for the project, first gathered the group of federal, state and non-governmental organizations that eventually became Safe Passage in Asheville in February 2017, an effort that built on two decades of conversation beginning with Hugh Irwin’s 2002 publication Return of the Great Forest. The 2017 discussion was spurred by the 12 Mile Project, a U.S. Forest Service plan to expand elk habitat on both sides of the highway. “You have to think about how the animals are going to respond to that, because you don’t want elk in the road,” said Hunter. The search for shelter, food and mates often requires animals to make dangerous road crossings. Between 2017 and 2019, there were 56,868 wildlife-vehicle collisions reported in North Carolina, and likely many more that went unreported, with five human fatalities. As roads get busier and climate change spurs species migration, that number is only expected to rise — but solutions like wildlife overpasses, culverts and fencing used to guide animals to safe crossing spots could help. The Safe Passage effort began with funding research to investigate how wildlife interact with the road now. Those results could

then be used to justify future mitigation efforts. When researchers learned in April 2019 that the N.C. Department of Transportation would replace four bridges in the Pigeon River Gorge over the coming years, the effort gained urgency. Wildlands Network, NCPA and the N.C. Wildlife Federation partnered on the research effort, with Wildlands and NCPA performing the fieldwork. “This is a once-in-75-years-or-so opportunity to make a difference, because once they replace the bridge, it’s kind of baked in for the life of the structure,” said Hunter. Liz Hillard and Steve Goodman, researchers with Wildlands and NCPA, have been exploring the issue since 2018 and are now analyzing their data for publication later this year. “Our research really is focused on elk, bear and deer,” said Hillard. “One, because they have this higher human safety component. Hitting an elk would be very severe, as well as bear and deer. We imagine providing safe passage for them along the roadway is going to help improve other wildlife species.” Hillard and Goodman have been working to identify problem areas and wildlife crossing hotspots by collaring elk, monitoring camera traps and studying roadkill levels. Based on a compilation of data gathered during driving tours of the road and records from the N.C. and Tennessee Departments of

Get involved To learn more about Smokies Safe Passage or to make a donation, visit www.smokiessafepassage.org. Frances Figart’s new book Search for Safe Passage is available at Great Smoky Mountains National Park bookstores or online at www.smokiesinformation.org.

Transportation, between September 2018 and December 2020, 140 large animals have been killed on the road. This includes 72 bear, 55 white-tailed deer, one elk and 12 animals whose species was unspecified in DOT records. “It is a significant amount of wildlife,” said Hillard. “It’s heartbreaking to see.” While Hillard had some preliminary impressions to share, she doesn’t expect to have any comprehensive information available until the summer. However, she could say that elk GPS data have shown that the Waterville Bridge underpass and the Appalachian Trail crossing are areas of interest. The researchers put up a total of 120 trail cameras throughout the gorge, including at 15 structures such as bridges, overpasses and culverts. Interestingly, Hillard said, the metal culverts used to move water under the interstate get a lot of animal activity, with many species — even those too large to fit through them — coming to check them out. “Animals are finding these opportunities and using some of these structures, but they weren’t built with wildlife in mind,” she said.

RAISING FUNDS, RAISING AWARENESS Safe Passage wants to ensure that, in the future, these structures are built to accommodate wildlife needs. Time is of the essence. The first bridge replacement project in the Pigeon River Gorge — Harmon Den Road — is slated to begin this fall. “Nobody wants to hit an animal with their car — I don’t care who you are,” said Hunter. “So there’s been tremendous support.” Support will have to be more than verbal acquiescence, however, and making the wildlife-friendly crossings a reality will require more than just state funding. Though some federal money might come through, that’s not certain, so the Safe Passage Fund Coalition is raising money to help defray the cost. Current plans for the Harmon Den Road bridge call for a 9-foot-tall wildlife fence and paths under the bridge to keep animals from crossing the highway while also providing access from one side to the other. The DOT is also considering using wildlife guards — similar to cattle guards — to keep deer and elk from walking up the exit ramps. “These measures will hopefully encourage wildlife to use the area under the bridge to cross I-40, which would be safer for drivers and wildlife,” said DOT spokesman David Uchiyama. “The animal safety additions are included in the $9.5 million estimate for this project. The Safe Passage Group is seeking funding for fencing outside the project limits.” In addition to funds, Safe Passage is raising awareness. That’s where Figart’s focus is. “I am so passionate about this topic that once I got involved with the discussions, I realized that I could really

A wildlife overpass provides animals a safe way across Highway 93 on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. Marcel Hujiser photo

By the numbers

Source: NCDOT, FHWA, Montana State University

A camera trap photo shows a bobcat using existing culverts to cross I-40. NPCA/Wildlands Network photo

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reach. But that role expanded when Safe Passage colleague Taylor Barnhill asked her during an informal backyard dinner when she was going to start a children’s book for Safe Passages. “At first I protested that I had too many other obligations,” Figart said. “But over the next six weekends, I wrote the eight-chapter book, channeling the 11-year-old kid in me and creating a narrative I would have enjoyed reading with my own mother at

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March 10-16, 2021

• 26,000: vehicles that travel Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River Gorge daily. • $6,000: average cost of a deer-vehicle collision. • 56,868: number of reported N.C. wildlifevehicle collisions, 2017-2019. • 26,000: annual human injuries due to wildlife collisions on U.S. roads. • 1 to 2 million: large animals killed annually on U.S. roads • $12 billion: annual property damage due to wildlife collisions on U.S. roads • 200: annual human fatalities due to wildlife collisions on U.S. roads

that age.” In February, the Great Smoky Mountains Association published the result of that effort, a 122-page book for kids 7 to 13 titled A Search for Safe Passage. Featuring illustrations by Emma DuFort, the book tells the story of best friends Bear and Deer, who grew up together on the north side of a beautiful Appalachian gorge. Their grandparents could travel freely on either side of a fastflowing river, but now the dangerous Human Highway divides the gorge. One night, two strangers arrive from the opposite side with news that leads to tough decisions, a life-changing adventure, new friends and a search for safe passage. The book also features a robust educational appendix that includes information about the species that appear in the book, the importance of safe road crossings and even a song, written by Figart. The book has earned initial praise from conservationists and biologists, and from retired highway engineer Terry McGuire. “Through the journey of a variety of likeable forest animals, concepts of road ecology and the effect of highways on wildlife movement are introduced in a simple, understandable manner,” he wrote. “This book gives young influencers the tools to impact how we as a society address highway wildlife mortality in the future.” The present situation is concerning, but without intervention the future will likely be even more so. As forested land continues to disappear in favor of development, bastions like the Smokies will become increasingly important, and connectivity across their acreage even more vital. And as climate change marches on, animals will have even more reasons to search for safe passage toward more habitable lands. A projection map from The Nature Conservancy forecasts that many of their paths will converge in the Southern Appalachians. It’s a big job, but the momentum is promising. When he started facilitating the effort Hunter, now 59, had assumed he’d retire before seeing any concrete results, but with the Harmon Den Bridge project on the horizon, that’s no longer the case. “It’s moving faster than I expected,” he said.

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lend my expertise in terms of networking,” she said. Figart first joined the project in 2018 with a passion for the topic and a resolve to lend her expertise in networking and out-

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outdoors

New operator chosen for livestock market After 10 years running the WNC Regional Livestock Market, John Queen is retiring from the job, and the WNC Communities Board of Directors announced that Doctors Steven and Melissa Matthews, a veterinarian group that currently operates the Cleveland County Agriculture Livestock Exchange in Shelby, will take his place. Queen will continue to operate the market through March 31, and the Matthews will be in place for the first Monday sale in April. WNC Communities has worked with livestock producers in WNC for more than 70 years and initiated the WNC Regional Livestock Market project. It holds the asset and leases the market to a for-profit operator. Since opening in 2011, the market has sold more than 142,000 head of cattle for $121 million. WNC Communities completed the selection process for the new operator in a

short period of time so that not one market day would be missed during the transition. In the span of a month, the nonprofit formed a selection committee, sought out applicants, evaluated proposals, reached out to stakeholders for feedback and chose a new operator from among five qualified applicants. “The deciding factor in this closely competitive process was who possessed the best overall program for working with local producers to gain patronization of the market,” said L.T. Ward, vice president of WNC Communities. Producers said they wanted the operator to help them get the best market price with a reasonable selling fee, an enjoyable selling experience, educational programs and opportunities for special sales such as the sale of small ruminants — a strong suit of the Shelby market the Matthews currently run. The selection was announced at the market on Monday, March 1, during a presentation preceding the weekly sale. It is available at www.wnccommunities.org.

Ozone season begins

Smoky Mountain News

March 10-16, 2021

The 2021 ozone season began March 1, signaling the resumption of daily air quality forecasts across North Carolina. Through Oct. 31, these county-based forecasts from the N.C. Division of Air Quality will include statewide ozone forecasts as well as year-round forecasts for fine particle pollution. Ozone forms in the air when nitrogen oxides react with hydrocarbons on warm, sunny days with little wind. Next-day and extended products are issued by 3 p.m. with a morning update by 10 a.m. Find it at https://bit.ly/3ssiwcd.

SNOW RE PO RT REPO ORT 17 7T ails Opeen n Trrrail 3A Ae erria ial Liftts s 2S u fa ur ac e Lifftt Su ace 6 5-9 5 IIn nch Base se 65 95

Prescribed burn planned A 175-acre prescribed burn is planned for this week along the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Wears Valley to the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area, on the Tennessee side of the park. The burn will take place between March 8 and March 11, depending on weather. Burn operations are expected to take two days. The project aims to reduce the amount

of flammable brush near the residential homes that sit near the park boundary. For firefighter and public safety, Wear Cove Gap Road will be closed from the Metcalf Bottoms Bridge to the park boundary at Wear Cove Gap. Additionally, a section of Roundtop Trail and the Little Brier Gap Trail parking area will be closed. Smoke will be visible in the area.

Prescribed burns planned for Jackson, Macon counties

• DeWeese Ridge unit in Upper Burningtown, 894 acres • Panther Knob unit at Siler Bald, 3,000 acres

Over the coming months, the U.S. Forest Service plans to conduct 10 prescribed burns in the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest in Macon and Jackson counties. These low-to-medium-intensity burns aim to create healthier, more resilient forests that are better able to support wildlife while also reducing the risk of wildfire. Planned burns in Macon County:

• Buzzard Knob unit on Rainbow Springs Road, 695 acres • Water Shed 31 unit at Coweeta Hydrologic Station, 276 acres • Bull Pen unit at Bull Pen Road and Chattooga River, 722 acres • Fire Gap unit at Wayah Road and Rainbow Springs Road, 1,751 acres

Planned burns in Jackson County: • Awl Knob unit in Little Canada, 243 acres • Sugar Creek Ridge unit in Little Canada, 255 acres • Rich Mountain unit in Little Canada, 1,201 acres • Locust Gap unit in the Wayehutta OHV Area, 255 acres The dates and actual units burned will depend on weather conditions. Crews will wait for proper wind and humidity conditions to conduct the burns, and burns will occur only when environmental conditions permit. Some roads or trails may be closed to ensure safety while the burns take place. For updates, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nfnc or on Twitter at twitter.com/NFsNCarolina.

Trout stocking delayed on the Nantahala FACE CO C VERINGS REQUIRED

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Firefighters conduct a prescribed burn on the area in 2009. NPS photo

A trout stocking on the Nantahala River planned for March 5 has been delayed to March 12 due to emergency repairs to Duke Energy’s Nantahala Powerhouse. “The powerhouse repairs are resulting in higher than normal flows into the Delayed Harvest portion of the river from Nantahala Reservoir,” said N.C. Wildlife Commission Regional Fishery Supervisor Doug Besler. “In order to prevent stocked trout from moving out of the river under these high flow conditions, the Commission has decided to reschedule the stocking until the work is complete and river flows are back at a normal schedule.” Wildlife Commission staff will continue to monitor the situation and updates will be posted to the agency’s Delayed Harvest stocking schedule at www.ncwildlife.org/portals/0/fishing/documents/2021/delayed-harvest-2021.pdf.

sure, and the Townsend entrance, which serves Cades Cove, marked a 2.1 percent increase. The surge follows a 20-year trend of increasing visitation in the Smokies. Over the last year, park managers have been working with local communities and visitors to discuss the challenges posed by this heightened level of use and to discuss possible solutions for the years ahead.

Ellen Sither esither@beverly-hanks.com (828) 734-8305

Michelle McElroy BROKER ASSOCIATE (828) 400-9463 michelle@beverly-hanks.com Haywood County Real Estate Expert & Top Producing REALTOR®

Rob Roland BROKER

While many sections of the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway saw a marked decrease in annual visitation compared to 2019 — including a park-wide decrease of 6 percent for the year as a whole— the Parkway’s southern end in WNC saw a huge jump, despite nearly two months of complete closure to vehicles. The U.S. 441 entrance recorded 192,209 visits last year, a 37.1 percent jump from 2019. The U.S. 23/74 entrance at Balsam Gap saw a 35.7 percent increase, the U.S. 19 entrance at Soco Gap saw a 33.6 percent increase and the N.C. 215 entrance saw a 26.5 percent increase. The entrance at U.S. 276 saw a smaller but still significant 14.2 percent increase. “The 2020 visitation reminds us that the Parkway’s 1930s design approach, to maximize scenic views and recreational access, continues to be relevant today for those looking for respite and renewal,” said Blue Ridge Parkway Acting Superintendent Alexa Viets. For in-depth park statistics, visit irma.nps.gov/STATS. — Holly Kays, outdoors editor

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espite the pandemic — or perhaps because of it — Western North Carolina was home to two of the nation’s three most visited National Park Service units in 2020. Last year, the Blue Ridge Parkway recorded 14.1 million visits, making it the nation’s most-visited unit, while the Great Smoky Mountains National Park received 12.1 million visits, making it the third most-visited unit and far-and-away the most visited national park, claiming quadruple the number of visits of second-place Yellowstone National Park, with 3.8 million. “I’m proud of our staff and partners who worked diligently to develop COVID-safe protocols that enabled us to safely provide access to the park during a time when people were desperate to spend time in this special place for healing and refuge,” said Smokies Superintendent Cassius Cash. “But, this increase in use didn’t come without a cost. Visitors experienced even more congestion, the busiest places in the park became even busier, and visitors often left behind litter and damaged roadsides from out-ofbounds parking.” While both the Parkway and the Smokies recorded lower visitation numbers in 2020 than in 2019, the parks were actually much busier during the height of the season. Both parks enacted significant and lengthy closures at the beginning of the pandemic, but once they reopened, people came in record numbers. Between June and December, when most Smokies roads were open, the park had one million more visits than during the same time period in 2019 and 2.3 million more visits than the ten-year average for that time period. The park set individual monthly visitation records for each month August through December, with November visitation coming in 28.2 percent higher than November 2019. Roads, trails, frontcountry campgrounds and backcountry campsites were all busier than normal. Once frontcountry campgrounds opened in September, use increased more than 33 percent for the remainder of the year over the same time period in 2019. In the backcountry, June through December camping increased 47 percent over the same time period in 2019. The Oconaluftee entrance in Cherokee saw a smaller share of this increase, with overall visitation through that entrance falling 11 percent compared to 2019, while the Gatlinburg entrance had 6.5 percent fewer visits than the previous year. Outlying areas of the Smokies actually saw a 0.9 percent increase over 2019, despite the spring clo-

outdoors

WNC claims two of 2020’s three most visited National Park units

Waynesville Greenway section closed temporarily

Disc golf after dark A game of glow-in-the-dark disc golf will commence at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at the Waynesville Recreation Park. The disc golf course begins in front of the Waynesville Recreation Center at 550 Vance Street. The course will be illuminated until around 9 a.m. Free. Contact Colt Miller with questions at cmiller@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030.

Celebrate salamanders A week of virtual programming celebrating salamanders is now underway, offered by the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. With 64 distinct species of salamander — many of which are found in Western North

Carolina — North Carolina has more salamander species than any state in the country. The 26th annual Reptile and Amphibian Days runs through March 13, putting the spotlight on salamanders. For a schedule, or to register for programs, visit www.naturalsciences.org.

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Smoky Mountain News

The Waynesville Greenway between the end of Industrial Park Drive and the U.S. 19 parking lot across from South Lakeshore Drive is closed through March 17 due to core sampling and repairs. Tim Plowman, tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030, ext. 2508.

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Black Folks Camp Too Founder Earl B. Hunter Jr. joins Crowders Mountain State Park Superintendent Glen George, along with a BFCT adventuring crew. Donated photo

Partnership will promote Black participation in outdoor rec A partnership between the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and Brevard-based Black Folks Camp Too is expected to encourage outdoor participation and engagement with diverse communities. The partnership will be developed through the department’s new Parks and Trails for Health initiative, or PATH. PATH combines physical activity in parks, greenways and other outdoor spaces with educational opportunities. Black Folks Camp Too is a marketingdriven business that aims to increase diversity in the outdoor industry by making it easier, more interesting and more fun for Black people to go camping, accomplished by removing fears, adding knowledge and inviting more Black families to spend time outside. “It’s just a fact — Black folks are not enjoying the life-giving benefits of spending time outside in nature,” said BFCT founder Earl B. Hunter Jr. “And outdoor brands have not found a successful way to engage with this valuable consumer. Yes, removing fear is part of the answer, but so is offering

knowledge and simply extending more invitations. This is why we are so pumped to be partnering with the state of North Carolina’s DNCR PATH initiative.” Hunter founded BFCT in 2019, after his experience as an executive in the RV/outdoor industry showed him the massive missed opportunity for Black folks and outdoor brands. Hunter now promotes “outdoor industry ROI” — return on inclusion. Positive changes are taking place, though slowly. According to the 2019 North American Camping Report from Kampgrounds of America, the percentage of new campers from multicultural groups outpaced that of white campers, 51 to 49 percent. The 2018 KOA report showed that the percent of Black American campers rose from 6 to 8 percent between 2012 and 2017 and that 14 percent of new campers in 2018 were Black. In the past few years, 34 percent of non-white millennials said they had recently started camping, compared to 18 percent of white millennials. Campers under the age of 25 are the most ethnically diverse, according to the report. www.ncdcr.gov/PATH

Connect to the spirit of the Smokies

n Session three: “Oconaluftee, Smoky Mountain Elk and More,” 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1. n Session four: “Black Bears: Their Nature and Habitat,” 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 5. n Session five: “Basic Hiking Skills and Backpacking with Confidence,” 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 10. n Session six: “Backcountry First Aid and Survival Skills,” 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. n Session seven: “Elkmont Transition and Change,” 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6. n Session eight: “The Future of Great Smoky Mountains National Park: How You Can Get Involved,” 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17. Registration is $449 per adult, with a discounted rate of $849 available for two adults. Register at http://bit.ly/3uXmmWs or call 865.974.1051 to receive the discounted rate. Space limited.

The “Spirit of the Smokies” certificate program is starting up again, offered by the University of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain Field School for adults who love the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and desire a deeper connection to this landscape. This will be the field school’s 44th season. The program consists of eight sessions spread from March to November that explore everything from geology to wildflowers to first aid. n Session one: “The Geological and Ecological Foundation and Culture and History of Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 24. n Session two: “The Wildflowers of Greenbrier,” 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 17.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Papertown Spring Market will take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Bethel Christian Academy, 100 Park St. There will be local vendors and food. Admission is free. For vendor information contact Jessica Jones 828.734.9733. • Spring Fling Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Canton Armory, 71 Penland Street, Canton. There will be local vendors and food on sight. • Fines Creek Annual Easter Dinner (Drive-thru) & Egg Hunt will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at the Fines Creek Community Center. Price for adults is $8. All proceeds benefit the local MANNA Foodbank. • Opening Day of the Farmer’s Market & Shelton House Easter Candy Give Away will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 3. The Easter Bunny's helpers from Shelton House will be at the opening of the Famer's Market to pass out Easter Candy to all children. • The Shelton House Museum, Barn and Gift Shop will hold Opening Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 1. The Shelton house will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, withe tours offered on the hour.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College, in coordination with Small Business Centers in the WNC Region, will offer a free three-part Small Business Tax virtual learning series featuring representatives from the North Carolina Department of Revenue. The Small Business Tax series will be held on Tuesdays, April 6, April 20 and May 4, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Visit SBC.Haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 for additional information or to register. • The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College is offering a free "Empowering Mountain Food Systems - Agribusiness" webinar series. The four-part series is designed to address the unique needs of current and prospective agribusinesses. Upcoming classes include Farmland Transition to be held 9-10 a.m. Friday, March 19, and Agritourism to be held 9-10 a.m. Wednesday, April 28. Interested current and prospective agriculture-based businesses and entrepreneurs are welcome to register for a single session or all four. Visit SBC.Haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 for additional information or to register.

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS • The annual Adopt-A-Highway Spring Litter Sweep is coming up April 10 to 24, and volunteers are needed to help the N.C. Department of Transportation remove litter from roadsides. Volunteers will receive cleanup supplies such as trash bags, gloves and safety vests and are encouraged to follow COVID-19 safety guidance while out and about. Sign up at bit.ly/3c7vtez or call 919.707.297.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS • Registration is now open for Lake Junaluska’s four two-night Marriage Enrichment Retreats in 2021, with the first coming up March 14-16. Ned Martin, a licensed clinical mental health counselor who also holds a Master of Divinity degree, will lead the retreats to be held March 14-16, May 2-4, July 25-27 and Sept. 12-14. Lake Junaluska is a place of Christian hospitality where lives are transformed through renewal of soul, mind and body. For more information about Lake Junaluska programs and events, visit www.lakejunaluska.com.

Smoky Mountain News

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Author Bob Plott will present his latest work, Smoky Mountain Railways, during a special drop-in book signing at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Plott will also make an appearance at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

POLITICAL CORNER • The 2021 precinct organizing meetings will be held via Zoom at 7:00 pm on Monday, March 15. To ensure security, participants MUST pre-register by Saturday, March 13. The pre-registration link can be found on the Haywood Democratic Party website: www.haywooddemocrats.org For additional information, contact Democrat Headquarters: haywooddemocrats@gmail.com or call 828.452.9607. • Macon County Democratic Women will hold their March monthly meeting online at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16. Please contact jean.work.wright@gmail.com to obtain a Zoom link.

A&E

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Winter Member’s Show” will be held Feb. 5-27 in the Gallery & Gifts showroom at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville. Original work for 24 local artisans. Free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The Waymores March 13 and Natti Love Joys March 20. All shows begin at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host The Waymores March 12 and Shane Meade March 26. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. www.balsamfallsbrewing.com. • Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host live music semiregularly on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com. • “Paint & Pour” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. March 17, at Balsam Falls Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $20 per person. All materials provided. RSVP at the Balsam Falls Brewing Facebook page.

FOOD AND DRINK • There will be a free wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m. every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Winter Member’s Show” will be held March 5-27 in the Gallery & Gifts showroom at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville.

Original work for 24 local artisans. Free and open to the public. www.haywoodarts.org. • The “Inspired by Nature” clay stamp class with Jan Kolenda will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. Maximum of eight participants. Masks are required. Cost is $45 per person. Please bring cash or a check in the amount of $45. Checks must be made payable to “Jan Kolenda.” To RSVP, call 828.452.0593. For more information, click on www.haywoodarts.org. • “Connecting Legacies: A First Look at the Dreier Black Mountain College Archive” features archival objects from the Theodore Dreier Sr. Document Collection presented alongside artworks from the Asheville Art Museum’s Black Mountain College (BMC) Collection to explore the connections between artworks and ephemera. The exhibition is on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery through May 17. General admission is always free for Museum Members, UNC Asheville students, and children under 6; $15 per adult; $13 per senior (65+); and $10 per student (child 6–17 or degree-seeking college students with valid ID). Admission tickets are available at www.ashevilleart.org/visit.

FILM & SCREEN • Western Carolina University’s Bardo Arts Center presents, “Picture Character,” from March 14-17, a documentary exploring the history and impact of the nowubiquitous emojis. Stream this documentary for free from March 14-17. Once you begin watching the documentary, you have 24 hours to finish. Watch on a browser or through the EventiveTV App. Learn more and pre-order your free ticket at arts.wcu.edu/picturecharacter.

Outdoors

• Macon County 4-H is taking orders on fruit and berry plants through Friday, March 12, for its annual 4-H Plant Sale. The order form is available at www.macon.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/02/2021annual-4-hplant-sale. Submit orders with payment by March 12 and pick up plants April 7-9. Proceeds benefit Macon County 4-H. 828.349.2046.

• A trout stocking on the Nantahala River planned for March 5 has been delayed to March 12 due to emergency repairs to Duke Energy’s Nantahala Powerhouse. Wildlife Commission staff will continue to monitor the situation and updates will be posted to the agency’s Delayed Harvest stocking schedule at www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Fishing/documents/2021/D elayed-Harvest-2021.pdf. • A game of glow-in-the-dark disc golf will commence at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at the Waynesville Recreation Park. The disc golf course begins in front of the Waynesville Recreation Center at 550 Vance Street. The course will be illuminated until around 9 a.m. Free. Contact Colt Miller with questions at cmiller@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030. • A week of virtual programming celebrating salamanders is now underway, offered by the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. The 26th annual Reptile and Amphibian Days runs through March 13, putting the spotlight on salamanders. For a schedule, or to register for programs, visit www.naturalsciences.org. • The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard is shifting back to in-person classes, with free outdoor

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: n n n n

Complete listings of local music scene Regional festivals Art gallery events and openings Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers n Civic and social club gatherings workshops hosted by N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission staff planned throughout March. Free, with pre-registration required at www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Education-Centers/Pisgah/ or by calling 828.877.4423. • A series of horticulture classes aimed at home gardeners will be offered in the New Year through Haywood County Cooperative Extension. Upcoming sessions are Introduction to Home Food Preservation; March 18, Landscaping with Native Plants; April 13, Pruning Trees & Shrubs. Classes, taught by extension agents and experienced Master Gardener volunteers, will last for approximately two hours and be held via Zoom until face-to-face training is possible. Sign up by emailing mgarticles@charter.net. Cost is $10 per class. • The Assault on BlackRock trail race is set for Saturday, March 20, next year, and proceeds will benefit the Southwestern Community College Student Emergency Fund. Registration is $25 in advance or $30 on race day. The Student Emergency Fund proceeds will benefit helps SCC students who encounter unforeseen financial emergencies. Register at www.ultrasignup.com. • Registration is now open for Discovery Camp at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. Camps will be offered weekly from Jun 7 through July 2 and July 19 through Aug. 13. They’re open to rising second through seventh graders, who will spend the week exploring the great outdoors in the 434-acre Arboretum campus. Learn more or sign up at www.ncarboretum.org/educationprograms/discovery-camp.

HIKING CLUBS • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 3mile hike on Saturday, March 13 on the Appalachian Trail to Wesser Tower. The club will meet at Cowee School at 9:00 a.m. Call leader Larry Barnett, 828-2269123, for reservations. Visitors are welcome. • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a strenuous 7mile hike on Tuesday, March 16, on MillerTrek at Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris, GA. The club will meet at Brasstown Valley Resort at 10 a.m. Call leaders Steve James and Linda Brookshire, 706.949.5274, for reservations. Visitors are welcome. • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a strenuous 9mile hike on Saturday, March 20, on the Twenty Mile Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The club will meet at 441 Sanderstown Park and Ride at 8:30 a.m. Call leader Katharine Brown, 421-4178, for reservations. Visitors are welcome. • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take an easy 4-mile Greenway stroll on Sunday, March 21, with a stop at Charlie's Gazebo for beginning hikers and meditators. The club will meet at Tassee Shelter on Ulco Dr. in Franklin at 1 p.m. Call leader Deborah Gregory, 4210008, for reservations. Visitors are welcome. • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4.5mile hike on Saturday, March 27, to Round Mountain near Cashiers. The club will meet at Cashiers Recreation Park at 10 a.m. Call Leaders, Mike and Susan Kettles, 828.743.1079, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

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SUPER

CROSSWORD

STICKY SITUATIONS ACROSS 1 Plates, e.g. 6 "Star Wars" villain -- the Hutt 11 Longtime fashion mag 16 "Got it!" 19 Muslim god 20 Has left the office, say 21 Bilbao locale 22 "Whether -- nobler ..." 23 Sudden-death extra in a golf tournament 25 Supermodel Klum 26 Hi-fi platters 27 Cook gently 28 Behave obsequiously 31 Secretive U.S. org. 32 Redding of song 36 Opp. of horizontal 37 Film preview 38 Sort who's at hand whenever needed 42 Part of a hunting outfit 43 Lucy of "Kung Fu Panda" 44 French painter Rosa 45 Narcissists 48 Bone: Prefix 50 Insult, informally 51 YWCA part 54 Yule, briefly 57 Small Vlasic offering 63 Domestic 67 Explorer Ericson 68 Glossy surface 69 "As above," in a footnote 70 Morning joe, maybe 75 Tear to bits 76 Gambols 78 Inventory 79 Board, as a ship 81 One who's distraught

86 87 88 90 94 98 101 102 103 108 111 112 113 114 117 120 121 122

126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133

with feelings 1/16 ounce Perfectly "-- aboard!" Baker's unit Pec-building exercises Tilling tools, to Brits King, in Caen Old Peruvian Connections making people feel close Big name in hygiene products "QED" part Beneficiary Certain PC readout Purplish fruit spread Male ducks -- Lingus Rivulet What the last word of 23, 28-, 38-, 57-, 70-, 81-, 103- or 114-Across is a synonym of Hang behind Giant in life insurance Televised "... and vice --" Hip-hop "Dr." Hide, as loot Old Russian dynasts German city

DOWN 1 Does a fist bump, colloquially 2 Chicago's home 3 Close loudly 4 The Caribbean's -Islands 5 Slipper, e.g. 6 Peanut butter brand

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 24 29 30 33 34 35 38 39 40 41 46 47 49 51 52 53 55 56 58 59 60 61 62

Volcano stuff Startling cry Light source in a socket Had dinner at a friend's house, e.g. Note equivalent to 66Down Not necessarily against Spoke In the -- of (during) In readiness Map-filled references Most with it Alleges Ice-cream alternative, for short "Scream" director Craven Sitarist Shankar Weight unit With a sharp picture, briefly Shrek creator William "Gigli" co-star, familiarly Certain nuclear weapon, for short "Be silent!" Adolescent Country's econ. measure Suffix of medical conditions Free (from) Plump bird "-- From Muskogee" (1969 hit) Annoys Circle part Ionian, e.g. Upper crust Purity of a color Razor-sharp Advanced Lead-in to skeleton

63 64 65 66 71 72 73 74 77 80 82 83 84 85 89 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 104 105 106 107 109 110 115 116 118 119 123 124 125

Give a job to Former Laker Lamar Office letter Note equivalent to 11Down Do a tax task J.D. Salinger title girl "-- be my pleasure" Baby of a boomer In -- (as first found) Big name in beer brewing "Alley --!" Conde -Mall lure Spill clumsily Guitar's kin Con artists Abridge Took cover Patchy horse Vague Plague Fit as a fiddle Sound of falling hail F-J link One of two in "crocodile" Wading birds R&B singer -- Badu -- Mahal Accuses PLO head Mahmoud Brimless cap "The Godfather" score composer Nino Some med. scans All-night bash Comic Laurel Eon subunit Bonn article TSA requests

ANSWERS ON PAGE 34

Real Estate Announcements GOT LAND? Our Hunters will Pay Top $$$ to hunt your land. Call for a FREE info packet & Quote. 1-866-309-1507 BaseCampLeasing.com SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a /RDQ 0RGL¿FDWLRQ" ,V WKH bank threatening foreclosure? CALL Homeowner’s Relief Line now! FREE CONSULTATION 844-359-4330 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise ‘any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination’. Familial status includes children under 18 living with parents or legal guardians and pregnant women. This newspaper will not

knowingly accept any advertising for real estate in violation of this law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.

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For Sale

MILITARY SURPLUS W/C Pants/Shirts, Jackets. Military Boots ON SALE. Cold Weather Clothing, Field Gear, Sleep Bags, Packs, Bags. 828-349-3140.

Wanted to Buy 1960’S AND 1970’S LAND ROVERS Whole or Parts - Especially interested in series Rovers sold from Harrell’s Motor Sales in Waynesville Wanted to restore to keep local. 828-506-5733

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, Answers on 34 the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

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March 10-16, 2021

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2020 FORD F-150 XL & XLT 1.9% APR for 60 mos. + $1,500 Bonus Cash

Smoky Mountain News

March 10-16, 2021

$1,500 Bonus Cash (PGM #13892). Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit financing. 1.9% APR financing for 60 months at $17.48 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment (PGM #21212). Not available on Raptor. Residency restrictions apply. For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 3/31/21. See dealer for qualifications and complete details..

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$500 Bonus Cash (PGM #13876). Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit financing. 0.9% APR financing for 60 months at $17.05 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment (PGM #21212). Residency restrictions apply. For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 3/31/21. See dealer for qualifications and complete details.

Smoky Mountain News | March 10, 2021

Articles inside

Macon moves forward with middle school renovations

A long overdue plan to cut childhood poverty

Getting my hands dirty and loving it

Jackson forecasts budget increase

Tough decisions in store for Waynesville budget

Buncombe Commissioner wants Cawthorn’s seat ................................................2

plans homeless shelter for JacksonHERE

Summer Camp Guide

A&E

Feichter pushes for affordable housing in Waynesville

Waynesville Art School empowers kids

WCU women create local branch of University Women