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Maggie brushfire contained thanks to firefighting efforts and rain
Fast moving brushfire in Maggie contained thanks to firefighting efforts and rain
Afire that began Monday afternoon on Sheepback Mountain in Maggie Valley and initially spread quickly was 100% contained as of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 5.
According to a press release from Haywood County Emergency Services, it burned about 300 acres over just 24 hours.
“Several homes were threatened near Pless Underwood Road,” the release reads. “There were 17 homes in the evacuation area, all of which were saved by the diligent efforts of fire crews who worked through the night protecting homes as the fire moved through the densely wooded areas around them.”
However, prior to the fire being contained, within about an hour after it began, those homes were evacuated with many residents finding out via a message from “Haywood Alerts.”
“If you have to evacuate, do it now and do it quickly,” Haywood County Emergency Services Public Information Officer Allison Richmond told The Smoky Mountain News Monday afternoon when firefighting efforts were just beginning.
“It’s moving uphill pretty quickly,” she added at that time.
All evacuated residents, many of whom were directed to a reunification center at Cavalry Road Baptist Church, were able to return to their homes by Tuesday afternoon.
Crews from Maggie Valley Fire Department, the North Carolina Forest Service and more than two dozen fire departments from Haywood and surrounding counties responded, some of whom were on the scene for the full 24 hours. No firefighter injuries were reported.
“Maggie Valley Fire and Rescue sincerely appreciate all the support from the responding agencies on this fire. Your efforts were invaluable,” said Maggie Valley Fire Chief Scott Sutton.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to the enormous efforts of our county fire departments and our neighboring counties to fight this fire. Without their skill and dedication, it could not have gone as well as it did,” said Travis Donaldson, director of Haywood County Emergency Services.
Crews battling the blaze were given a good break Tuesday afternoon as at about 1 p.m. heavy rains moved into the area, which gave a “significant boost” to containment efforts.
Prior to the rains falling across the region, aircraft dumped water on the flames with a helicopter making trips to local sources and two air tankers going back and forth from Asheville.
Although the press release didn’t state the exact cause of the fire, the release reminded residents and visitors to think before burning anything in such hazardous conditions.
“During dry, windy weather like Haywood County has been experiencing, any outside fire can rapidly turn into an out-ofcontrol brush fire,” it read. “DO NOT burn outside during times like these. Watch NC Forest Services’ and Haywood Emergency Services’ social media pages for burning conditions updates.”
Kyle Perrotti photos
Margeaux Boles Photography
Crews quell fires as new weather system arrives
HaywoodBuilders.com 100 Charles St. WAYNESVILLE
The Hatcher Mountain Road/Indigo Lane Fire in Sevier County damaged more than
Ingles Nutrition Notes
300 structures. Sevier County Emergency Management photo written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
The wildfires that ripped through the mountains last week are now mostly under control, but as of Tuesday afternoon, April 5, fire danger remained high in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee — even as the first drops of rain from a large system headed north began to blanket the region.
On Friday, April 1, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park reopened roads, trails and campsites that had been shut down starting March 26 following ignition of the Thomas Divide Fire Complex and subsequent high wind events. The fire spread to 941 acres, but by March 31, it had reached 80% containment with little additional fire activity expected. Crews demobilized April 1, and the fire is now 100% contained. Roughly one-third of the acreage was in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with the remainder in Swain County jurisdiction. No structures were lost.
While the Thomas Divide Complex Fire did not cause any structure losses, a blaze that whipped up Wednesday, March 30, in Sevier County, Tennessee, burned a much larger area and caused extreme destruction. Now 98% contained, the Hatcher Mountain Road/Indigo Lane Fire covers 2,498 acres and affected more than 300 structures. On the Sevier/Blount County line the Seymour Fire is 75% contained at 678 acres, with at least two structures affected.
A separate fire started March 26, the Chimney Rock Fire in the Cherokee National Forest at Weavers Bend located about 5 miles northwest of Hot Springs. It is 90% contained at 180 acres and burning completely on national forest land, with no structures affected.
While the damage in Sevier County is significant — and, for some families, devastating — it is nevertheless on a much smaller scale than the Chimney Tops Fire that blazed through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in November 2016, burning 17,006 acres, damaging nearly 2,000 structures and claiming 14 lives.
With rain beginning to fall across the region as of press time April 1, fire danger for Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee was forecast as low to moderate for April 6. The National Weather Service forecast 0.5-1.5 inches of rain with locally higher amounts possible, but also risk of high winds.
The agency has issued a hazardous weather outlook for WNC, along with the piedmont region, northeast Georgia and upstate South Carolina, warning of locally heavy rainfall and isolated flooding, and a possibility of strong to severe storms with damaging winds and an isolated tornado, mostly south of Interstate 85. A subsequent round of thunderstorms is expected Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the greatest threat of damaging winds and isolated tornados west of I-26.
In eastern Tennessee, “strong gusty winds” were expected across the higher elevations and foothills Tuesday with speeds of 20-35 miles per hour and gusts up to 55 miles per hour. The National Weather Service warned severe storms are likely Wednesday afternoon and evening, with damaging winds the “main concern” and tornados and hail also possible. Why Food Borne Illness Can be Dangerous
How many times have you eaten a meal at home or out at a restaurant and had a bit of “tummy trouble” afterwards? Or perhaps you or a family member got quite sick after a meal and ended up in the doctor’s office or made a visit to urgent care or the emergency room because of more severe problems. The culprit could be food borne illness cause by pathogens or microbes that you didn’t know were in your food. For healthy individuals, a bout of food borne illness may be no big deal; but for at risk populations: infants/children, elderly/older adults, pregnant women, individuals with a compromised immune system,someone undergoing treatment for cancer
Food borne illness could be quite serious and put them in the hospital or having to deal with long-term complications. Tips to reduce your risk of food borne illness: · Wash hands before preparing or eating food. · Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. · Don’t cross contaminate by preparing cooked foods on the same surface with raw foods. · Look for the sanitation score for the restaurant when eating out. · When you eat at home or at a restaurant make sure foods are thoroughly cooked. For more information about food borne illness and food safety: cdc.gov/foodsafety/foodborne-germs.html
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian @InglesDietitian Leah McGrath - Dietitian
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BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
The friends and family of two Sylva boys who died following a tragic shooting incident Sunday, March 27, gathered in the dark Saturday, April 2, for a candlelight vigil at Sylva’s Bridge Park to commemorate lives ended too soon and show support for the grieving parents. Speakers — including the family’s pastor and friends of the boys — remembered them as loving, happy people who put God first in life, according to social media videos of the event.
“The candlelight vigil tonight truly blessed our hearts and souls as we heard beautiful stories and comments about how our boys touched the lives of their friends and community, and how they lived out their Christian testimonies each and every day,” the boys’ mother Rebecca Ensley said in a public Facebook post. “As we face the tough days ahead without them, we are saddened to no longer have them with us here on earth. The sorrow we feel is beyond measure. Yet, we find our hope and strength in knowing that we will see them again, and that while they were here, they left a lasting legacy of love for everyone they met.”
Law enforcement is still investigating the incident that claimed the lives of Noah Joseph Ensley, 15, and Bridger Owen Ensley, 10, but a recording of the 911 call reporting the tragedy reveals some details about what transpired.
The distraught caller, who identifies himself as the boys’ father Russell Ensley, was outdoors when he heard the gunshots, according to the redacted version of the 14 minute, 28 second call released to The Smoky Mountain News. When he came inside, he found both sons unconscious with gunshot wounds.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call, and Harris EMS transported both boys to Harris Hospital, where they received emergency care before being airlifted to Mission Hospital in Asheville. However, efforts to save them were unsuccessful. Noah died later that day, and Bridger passed away Monday, March 28.
A joint investigation between the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is ongoing, said Jackson County Major Shannon Queen. No charges have been filed in connection to the tragedy.
The Franklin License Plate Agency (LPA) will temporarily close on March 29 after the current contractor announced her retirement.
The agency at 353 Westgate Plaza in the Westgate Plaza Shopping Center will reopen under new ownership on April 5.
The current contractor of the LPA, Frieda Teem, has operated the agency since 1987.
In North Carolina, NCDMV oversees LPAs, but the agencies are managed by private businesses or local governments.
Three nearby license plate agencies offer service Monday through Friday: • Sylva, 454 E. Main St., from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., 828.586.3886 • Murphy, 1176 Andrews Rd., from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 828.837.9922 • Brevard, 20 E. Morgan St., from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 828.883.3251
After reopening, the agency will continue to operate from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, except on state holidays, and will be contracted to Kyle and Phoebe Donohue, who also operate the LPA in Murphy.
LPAs offer vehicle registration services and title transactions, as well as vehicle license plate renewals, replacement tags, handicap placards and duplicate registrations. There are currently 131 license plate agencies operating across North Carolina.
Services such as property tax payments and registration renewals can also be completed online at myncdmv.gov.
This Week at NCDOT
RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. Below are also featured in NCDOT Now, the department’s newscast.
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Distractions come in many forms, from cell phones ringing to passengers singing, and they can hamper drivers’ reactions to changing traffic conditions.
NCDOT reminds everyone to stay alert on the road. When you’re behind the wheel, the only thing you should be doing is driving.
Bridge Named for Long-Time Health Care Provider
A bridge in Graham County was officially unveiled last week bearing the name of Dr. Patricia J. Johnson.
Johnson served as the local primary care physician, specialist, emergency room doctor and obstetrician for more than 45 years in Graham County. She carried out her important work in a county with no hospitals.
In recognition of her extraordinary work, the North Carolina Board of Transportation unanimously approved a resolution dedicating the bridge in Dr. Johnson’s honor last fall.
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at 919.707.2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on ncdot.gov.
Tuckasegee man pleads guilty to knife assaults
A Tuckasegee man who twice used knives to slash the necks of two men on separate occasions is headed to prison, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said.
David Ray “Q-Tip” Sims, 46, pleaded guilty this week in Jackson County Superior Court to two counts assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.
Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Kuehnert sentenced Sims to serve 96-128 months in the Division of Adult Corrections.
Both assaults took place in Tuckasegee community, one on April 15, 2021, and the other on Oct. 20, 2019.
The most recent incident occurred on Crane Road. A man arrived home to find Sims at his house, where, because of prior theft, he’d been ordered not to be.
The victim repeatedly told Sims to leave. Sims would not. Just when the victim and another individual were headed to call law enforcement, Sims attacked the victim, slicing him with a knife on the left side of his neck, leaving a more than 4inch gash.
An emergency-room doctor told law enforcement that the victim “had been very fortunate to have not been fatally injured as the cut had barely missed severing a major artery, by millimeters,” according to the incident report.
On Oct. 20, 2019, Sims went to Los Garcia Tienda Store in Tuckasegee, where Sims accused an individual of stealing his bicycle. Again, Sims reached for his knife. He slashed at the victim, who moved back. The man suffered a 1-inch or so laceration.
Assistant District Attorney Andy Buckner prosecuted the case.
SPACE AVAILABLE
HCC graduate selected for academic excellence
Haywood Community College Criminal Justice Technology graduate Clarissa Shelton was selected as the college’s Academic Excellence Award winner. The wife, full-time employee and mother to a 9-year-old juggled many roles while completing the program completely online. After finishing high school about two decades ago, Shelton knew coming back to school was going to be a big change.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” she said, “but I knew it was going to be worth it. My experience at HCC has given me the tools I need to enter a career that I’m excited about.”
For the last 12 years, Shelton has worked at Mission Health System in the Security Dispatch Office. Her career goal is to become a probation officer.
“I want to help those that have made some unfortunate decisions get back on the right track,” Shelton said. “I hope to make a positive impact on those I will be supervising, as well as the community.”
Shelton has made a big impact at home. “I realized by doing homework at home it was being noticed by my son. At first, I thought it was taking time from being present with him, but really he was seeing that if you want something badly enough, it takes hard work and determination.”
Shelton finished HCC in December and plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree.
Registration for summer and fall semesters is now open. Visit haywood.edu or call 828.627.2821 for more information.
HCC Criminal Justice Technology graduate Clarissa Shelton was selected as the college’s Academic Excellence Award winner. Suzanna Moses photo
Nuclear Regulatory Commission grant to fund WCU scholarships
Thanks to a Nuclear Regulatory Commission grant, Western Carolina University’s College of Engineering and Technology will offer six scholarships for students studying in electrical power, mechanical and electrical disciplines.
Participating students will receive $5,000 per semester for their junior and senior years, provided academic milestones are achieved. The scholarships will be offered for the next two years. Recipients of the scholarship will agree to work in nuclear-related employment for six months after graduation for every year they received the award.
The NRC is the federal agency that regulates commercial nuclear power plants and other uses of nuclear materials.
“We at the College of Engineering and Technology are very thankful to NRC for providing numerous workforce development opportunities since 2016,” said Bora Karayaka, an associate professor who will coordinate the program on campus. “These grants helped our students go above and beyond their limits in nuclear-related industry and academia including U.S. National Laboratories, Eaton, NRC, Duke Energy and MIT, just to name a few.”
The scholarship program will utilize specific initiatives, such as the NRC learning community, Project Based Learning and Undergraduate Research, to prepare students for employment in nuclear-related fields including electric power, sustainability and clean energy.
“Students majoring in a bachelor’s degree in engineering with an electrical power concentration will have a clear advantage over the other disciplines to transition into this program,” Karayaka said.
Other NRC grant program leaders in the College of Engineering and Technology include Andy Ritenour, an assistant professor, and Chip Ferguson, a professor and interim dean, as well as Channa DeSilva, an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences.
For more information about the scholarship opportunity, contact Karayaka at 828.227.2472 or hbkarayaka@wcu.edu.
HCC Foundation Event to Benefit Campus Trail
The Haywood Community College Foundation will hold an event called Laughter & Libations from 6-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26, at Elevated Mountain Distilling Company in Maggie Valley. The funds raised will improve and expand the hiking trail on campus. With the purchase of a $50 ticket, participants will receive one drink ticket and heavy appetizers.
The HCC hiking trail is open to the community and is a popular destination for exploring the natural campus. Canine friends are always welcome. Winding throughout campus, the trail is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekends.
“HCC is an anchor for Haywood County. We want to reach out to our community and invite them not only to take classes and further their education but also to enjoy the beauty of what the campus can offer,” explained Hylah Birenbaum, HCC Executive Director of College Advancement. “To play a game of disc golf, wander through the rhododendron or dahlia gardens, and now go on a longer hike.”
Birenbaum notes that with an expanded walking trail, future opportunities could include cross country matches or sponsored trail runs.
Tickets to Laughter & Libations are available at eventbrite.com/e/290453342767. For more information about the event or to donate without attending, call 828.627.4522 or email hebirenbaum@haywood.edu.
WCU among top grad schoold
The 2023 ranking of graduate schools by U.S. News & World Report includes Western Carolina University, which offers master’s and doctoral degree programs online, in hybrid format, and through traditional classroom instruction at its Cullowhee campus and the Biltmore Park instructional site in Asheville.
WCU offers more than 45 graduate degrees and certificate programs, with a wide range of concentrations and specialties.
WCU was among the up-to approximately 300 institutions in individual categories reviewed. The following are the national evaluations by U.S. News and comments about each by Brian Kloeppel, dean of WCU’s Graduate School and Research.
Graduate Education. “Graduate enrollment has continued to grow at Western Carolina University and is currently at its highest level since 2010. The high-quality curricula delivered by excellent credentialed faculty in nationally ranked programs attracts students who enroll in flexible programs delivered in online, hybrid or residential formats.”
Social Work. “The Masters in Social Work program attracts applicants to its advanced-standing and traditional two-year program in Cullowhee and in Asheville by incorporating advanced clinical training and graduate mentoring with future potential employers in the Western North Carolina region and beyond.”
Part-Time MBA. “Students in the part-time MBA program are typically employees who are incorporating cutting-edge hybrid course-work that benefits them in their current position and is preparing them for future opportunities and promotions.”
Public Affairs. “MPA graduates learn from faculty and regional experts in a hybrid format at our Asheville location where they prepare for careers in county, state and federal public service or nonprofit organization management.”
Prospective students can view complete rankings, indicator values and institutional profiles through a subscription-based U.S. News Graduate School Compass. The tool also provides the full versions of specialty rankings in the broader disciplines, which include business analytics, constitutional law, environmental engineering, executive MBA, finance, marketing and nursing administration, among others.
For more information, visit grad.wcu.edu, call 828.227.7398 or email grad@wcu.edu.
A “Science at the Jackson Arts Market” will be held on consecutive Sundays in downtown Sylva on April 3 and April 10 to highlight the science behind crafts and gardening, in a free, family friendly event. The program is hosted by Jackson Arts Market in partnership with Western Carolina University and the North Carolina Science Festival. Local craftspeople and WCU scientists and students will demonstrate the science of glassblowing, gemstones, pottery making, blacksmithing and herb foraging, and even the life cycle of chickens. Other presentations will include self-guided tours to identify nutritional herbs, a Solar System Walk through downtown Sylva and, weather permitting, a safe solar viewing. Children also can design their own science mission patches and participate in a scavenger hunt. “Science at the Jackson Arts Market” is one of hundreds of such events organized by the N.C. Science Festival during the month of April and is made possible through support by the Biogen Foundation. Learn more atncscience festival.org/events/science-jackson-arts-market.
