Opinion

On main street, things won’t ever be the same

The world changed over the weekend, especially on main street. And it likely won’t ever again look the same as it did on Friday, not with the Covid-19 hell storm unleashing its fury.

I’m the eternal optimist if ever there was one. But, what I’m picking up these last two days are fears that are so strong they are palpable, pulsing down the street and into everyone’s psyche.

This is not about the health care side of this pandemic and how many will die and how many will get sick. That’s an extremely important story, and you can find plenty of news about that on other pages in this issue.

I’m talking about the economic disaster barreling down on main street, Anytown USA, as a result of the pandemic. The street with restaurants, galleries, lawyer’s offices, accountants, breweries and furniture stores, with bartenders and servers dressed in black headed to work mid-mornings, professional workers grouping up for lunch at the local eateries, teachers laughing and talking about their days while gathered after work at their favorite pub.

Because a lot of those Main Street businesses — and those in the suburbs and in rural areas — aren’t going to survive this. Shutting down for a few days or a few weeks will be the death of far too many entrepreneurial dreams. Those who work in government at the local, state or federal level don’t have a clue about how many small businesses can’t just keep

paying workers, keep paying their suppliers, keep paying rent or mortgage and keep paying off debt when there is no cash coming in the door.

So yeah, we’ll come out of this. The main streets in

Western North Carolina and the country over will still be there when the crowds come back and the cash registers and credit card machines are whirring again. But the guy I’ve known for years who runs the restaurant down the street could very likely be in another town doing something different. The woman who runs the gallery where I get my wife gifts for her birthday and holidays may be stocking grocery store shelves somewhere because the owner of her business just couldn’t find a way to keep the doors open.

It’s a frightening future when hard-working people all over the country are having to count on politicians to get them through a hard time. We’ve often heard people accuse them — the politicians — of not knowing anything about Main Street and how it works. As I look down the road and see at least four to eight weeks of shutdowns and definite slowdowns, I’m hoping we’re wrong.

I’m hoping those leaders in Washington D.C. and Raleigh Editor Scott McLeod

OK, so things are looking bad throughout the region after Tuesday’s mandatory closure of restaurants and bars. Do what you are able to support local businesses. They need it now more than ever.

get this right and provide help not only to the large industries owned by their fat-cat donors, but to the workers soon to lose their jobs and the small entrepreneurs who employ those workers and who are the bedrock of this economy.

My son works at UNC Charlotte’s swimming pool, but he is effectively laid off because the campus shut down the pool. For him, it was extra spending money. For a whole lot of students at campuses all over the country, those jobs pay rent and tuition and buy food. They need help.

When economic downturns loom, the ripple effects are easy to predict: restaurant closes, employees laid off, all of a sudden rent, car payments, groceries, insurance, school tuition, etc., all of it crashes at once or perhaps slowly, over a couple months.

I have hope those most at-risk survive the coronavirus, that local workers aren’t devastated by the economic fallout, that the small business owners I call friends make it to the other side of whatever this is we’re in. Right now what we have are a multitude of scary questions and very few answers.

(Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)

Demand nuclear disarmament now To the Editor:

In September 2019, I attended a meeting “Nuclear Disarmament Now: What can we do?” Prior to this meeting, this issue was not at the top of my agenda. However, after hearing the speakers and reviewing the information provided, I became aware of the urgency of taking action and informing others about an impending crisis that impacts us as individuals and our earth.

In January 2017, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists reset the hands of the Doomsday clock to two minutes to midnight. “The danger cannot be overstated,” said the scientists. A growing number of military and policy experts including those from the far right are calling for the United States to take concrete steps toward complete nuclear disarmament. They are saying our nuclear arsenal makes us less secure, not more secure.

On July 7, 2017, on the floor of the United Nations General Assembly, 122 nations voted to adopt the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The treaty bans the use, threatened use, possession, development, production, testing deployment or transfer of nuclear weapons under international law. It will enter into legal force once 50 nations have signed and ratified it. As of November 2019, 80 nations have signed the treaty and 34 have ratified it. The United States has not signed the treaty.

While many think North Korea (or maybe Iran in view of recent events) may be the most imminent nuclear threat to us, the greatest threat to our security is our nuclear weapons, which we use to threaten others and they use to justify their own nuclear ambitions.

Recent legislation that has been introduced includes a resolution “Embracing the Goals and Provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” (HR 302) calls on the president to align U.S. policy with the goals of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and make nuclear disarmament the centerpiece of national security policy.

“Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2019” (HR 669 and SB 200) would require a declaration of war from Congress in order to launch a nuclear first strike. The requirement would not apply in the event of a nuclear attack on the United States or its allies. HR 921 and SB 272 would establish U.S. policy to not use nuclear weapons first. For more information, contact Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (www.ananuclear.org) or Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (www.orepa.org).

Please contact your legislators in Congress asking whether they support any of the proposed legislation and urge others to do the same. Now is the time; we must stand up to be heard. Our future demands an end to LETTERS

nuclear armament now.

Mary A. Herr Cherokee

Trump’s pardons tell a story To the Editor:

Is it possible Donald Trump and the Republican Party he seems to have successfully hijacked have (together) made corruption the political norm in the United States? I’m asking for a friend.

Joel Stein (Los Angeles Times) asked a similar question. “Why did President Trump pardon a rogue’s gallery of white-collar criminals?” Stein went on to state: “… many people assume he commuted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s sentence and pardoned junk bond king Michael Milken, tax cheat Bernard Kerik, and others, simply because they were friends or because he owed them a favor.” In Trump’s world view (which we Americans have witnessed with our own eyes and ears), cheating is neither here nor there, it’s irrelevant and these white-collar crooks he pardoned had been unfairly persecuted for doing what everybody else does, it’s no big deal.

Blagojevich is calling himself a “political prisoner” even though he was caught, among other crimes, demanding that the CEO of a children’s hospital give his campaign $50,000 or see its public funding cut off. Stein states succinctly in layman’s terms, “it’s clear who benefits from accepting corruption as normal and inevitable — the strongmen trampling democracy around the globe.” Clearly Donald Trump fits that genre; in fact, it’s not only characteristic of Trump, he excels at it. In Trump’s world (and that of those he surrounds himself ), truth is inconsequential, totally unimportant. Conversely Trump seems to take extraordinary pride in his own lies, the number and severity of which are legend.

It was a severe blow to our system of checks and balances that Trump remained in office following his impeachment, dodging justice by disregarding the Constitution and refusing to comply with subpoenas.

Our government’s inability to oversee the executive branch coupled with Trump’s distain for truth and justice has substantially crippled our government and contributed significantly to making corruption normal and acceptable. This is a severe threat to our most fundamental institutions and to the very foundations of our democracy.

By remaining silent, or by supporting Donald Trump in any way, shape or form, we become (either knowingly or unwittingly) accomplices, co-conspirators in the devaluing and ultimate death of America’s most cherished and treasured moral standards and guiding principles. Are you willing to let that happen? God help us.

David L. Snell Franklin

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If it feels like we’ve seen this all before, it’s because we have. All of a sudden, we are all characters in our very own dystopian movie, with a virus on the loose that has already killed thousands of people around the world and has the potential to kill millions, a feckless President whose utter ineptitude has made a bad situation much worse, and a country that by the beginning of this week was on the verge of complete lockdown. In an effort to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading at a catastrophic level, the country has resorted to measures most of us could not have imagined just a month ago. Schools are either closing or desperately trying to transition classes to an online format. Many workplaces are doing the same.

Travel has been throttled, vacations canceled, the entire entertainment industry crippled. In the same week, the NBA suspended play indefinitely, the NCAA canceled its annual basketball tournament, and Major League Baseball postponed the beginning of the season for several weeks, if not months.

Music festivals around the country have been canceled, including MerleFest, a crushing blow to the economy in Wilkes County and to Wilkes Community College. This year’s lineup included Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, John Prine, Melissa Ethridge, Mavis Staples, and dozens of others. According to Dr. Jeff Cox, president of Wilkes Community College (full disclosure: he’s my brother), tickets were selling for this year’s festival at a record pace.

There are stories like this everywhere, with devastating repercussions not only for the economy, but for all of those people whose livelihoods depend on these events. Even so, leaders across the country are doing what President Trump could not and has not, which is to make tough decisions for the public good, while also expressing sympathy for those affected by those decisions and appealing to everyone for unity in a difficult, frightening time. Because that’s what leaders do.

By contrast, let’s examine what Trump has done, and not done. In 2018, his administration fired members of the Pandemic Response team and did not replace them, while also slashing the CDC budget to fight Columnist Chris Cox

global pandemics. He has, from the beginning, downplayed the potential threat of the virus, saying it is like the flu (it isn’t — the mortality rate of the coronavirus is 10 times higher, according to actual experts in the field), while also flatly lying that “we’ll have a vaccine in a fairly quick manner” (experts project 12-18 months), among dozens of other misleading statements.

Obviously, the virus is not the president’s fault, but at a time when authentic leadership might have made a difference not only in meeting the public health challenges and slowing the spread of the virus but also in calming the fears of a frantic nation, we have a president whose narcissism makes him about as poorly cast in that role as one could possibly imagine. In the end, everything is always about him. Which is why it’s a good thing that other, more genuine and effective leaders have filled the vacuum and did what had to be done to contain the virus.

Predictably, Americans are all over the place in their own attitudes and responses to the rapidly changing landscape of the past couple of weeks. Some people have been hunkered down for a week or more already, surrounded by a makeshift fort of toilet paper rolls and bottles of hand sanitizer, as if they are not expecting to leave the house (or their Y2K bunkers) again until around Thanksgiving, if then.

Others are carrying on as usual, going to restaurants, the theater, the gym, or anywhere else they please as if the entire threat is either exaggerated or a hoax, as some conspiracy theorists suggest.

Most of us are somewhere in the middle, washing our hands eight times a day, making daily decisions about when and where to venture out, trying to practice “social distancing” without isolating altogether — at least not yet — and staying as positive and as centered as we can in such unsettling times.

As you find your own way, remember this: for every jerk out there buying up all the hand sanitizer in six counties and then trying to sell it online for a profit, there are five people out there taking groceries to shut-ins, donating money to strapped charities, and looking for any chance they can find to make a difference. As Fred Rogers once said, “Look for the helpers.”

That’s the America I remember, the great one. Even in these troubled times — especially in these troubled times — it’s good to see her again.

(Chris Cox is a teacher and writer. jchriscox@live.com)

Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slowsimmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts. Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily. Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available.

BOOJUM BREWING COMPANY 50 N Main Street, Waynesville. 828.246.0350. Taproom Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Gem Bar Open Tuesday through Sunday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Enjoy lunch, dinner or drinks at Boojum’s Downtown Waynesville restaurant & bar. Choose from 16 taps of our fresh, delicious & ever rotating Boojum Beer plus cider, wine & craft cocktails. The taproom features seasonal pub faire including tasty burgers, sandwiches, shareables and daily specials that pair perfectly with our beer. Cozy up inside or take in the mountain air on our back deck."

CHEF’S TABLE 30 Church St., Waynesville. 828.452.6210. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu. Extensive selection of wine and beer. Reservations honored.

CITY LIGHTS CAFE Spring Street in downtown Sylva. 828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more. Outside patio seating. Free WiFi, pet-friendly. Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT 3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley. 828.926.1820 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet. Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde. 828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95.

MAD BATTER KITCHEN 617 W. Main St, Downtown Sylva. 828.586.3555. In collaboration with Lazy Hiker Brewing Co. Open 7 days a week; Saturday & Sunday Brunch until 2 p.m. Hand-tossed pizza, local grass-fed beef and rice bowls. Scratch-made and beer inspired menu with lots of vegetarian, vegan & gluten free options. Free live music and movies. Visit madbatterkitchen.net for this week’s events.

MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB 1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine. Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT 2804 Soco Road, Maggie Valley. 828.926.0425. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Daily specials including soups, sandwiches and southern dishes along with featured dishes such as fresh fried chicken, rainbow trout, country ham, pork chops and more. Breakfast all day including omelets, pancakes, biscuits & gravy. facebook.com/carversmvr; instagram @carvers_mvr.

SOUTH PHILLY ITALIAN PASTA & SUBS 2768 Asheville Hwy., Canton. 828.593.3580. Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m. Pick-up or carryout only. Call in orders. Pasta and subs. Large portions!

WATAMI SUSHI AND NOODLES RESTAURANT 33 S. Main Street, Waynesville. 828.231.3476. Open 7 days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. on Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Healthy, fresh, delicious and high-quality Asian food such as Sushi and Sashimi, Hibachi and Teriyaki, Pad Thai, Wok Lo Men and Thai Coconut Noodle Soup. Sushi, Hibachi and Teriyaki lunch specials every day. Gluten free options available. Full sushi bar and new chocolate wine bar. New party room available for weddings, birthdays or special occasions. Live bluegrass Sundays from 6-9 p.m. with Sons of Ralph. Reservations and online ordering available. www.watamisushinoodles.com

WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville. 828.246.0927. Open Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Opened in May 2016, The Waynesville Pizza Company has earned a reputation for having the best hand-tossed pizza in the area. Featuring a custom bar with more than 20 beers and a rustic, family friendly dining room. Menu includes salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, gourmet pizza, homemade desserts, and a loaded salad bar. The Cuban sandwich is considered by most to be the best in town.

TAKE OUT ORDER ONLINE OR COME IN AND ORDER

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watamisushinoodles.com · 828.246.6888 33 S. Main St. #101 · Waynesville OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK New Party Room Available Book Us for Your Next Event We Accept Reservations & Offer Online Ordering Join us Sundays 6-9PM LIVE MUSIC! Bluegrass: Sons of Ralph Gluten Free Options Available ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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

Friday/Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday 12-9 p.m.

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

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