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May 13-19, 2020 Vol. 21 Iss. 50
Haywood businesses, leaders react to reopening Page 4 Dealing with addiction during the pandemic Page 7
NOW SERVING AT THE E-Z STOP IN CLYDE
CONTENTS On the Cover: Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials received a visit from the Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt just days before the park was set for a partial reopening Saturday, May 9. (Page 22) Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt walks with Smokies Superintendent Cassius Cash at Newfound Gap. Tami Heilemann/DOI photo
News Haywood businesses, leaders react to reopening ....................................................4 Mental health agencies still providing resources ......................................................6 Dealing with addiction during the pandemic ..............................................................7 Cherokee lifts border closure; casino to reopen ......................................................8 Jackson creates small business loan program ..........................................................9 Jackson loosens COVID-19 restrictions ..................................................................10 Election boards plan for special election ..................................................................11 Haywood government, schools scale back budget asks ....................................12 Community Almanac ........................................................................................................15
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Opinion What we do to survive, and why ..................................................................................16
A&E Wicked Fresh Seafood & Meat Market ......................................................................18
Back Then Birch stills were once common in the hills ................................................................31
Ingles Nutrition Notes May 13-19, 2020
written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath
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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 2020 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ Advertising copyright 2020 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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Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian
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Haywood businesses, leaders react to reopening BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER he debate across the state still simmers — too soon, too late, or, like Goldilocks’ porridge, just right? At 5p.m. Friday, May 8, North Carolina transitioned into phase one of Gov. Roy Cooper’s three-phase plan to lift restrictions on commercial activity deemed non-essential in his March 27 “stay home� order. If all goes well, phase two will commence in two or three weeks, further loosening restrictions. Phase three could come four to six weeks after that. Despite the rigid, one-size-fits-all nature of Cooper’s North Carolina plan, the story of reopening Western North Carolina is actually the story of three very different businesses, in three very different Haywood County towns, all very different from the rest of the state and the nation.
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Smoky Mountain News
May 13-19, 2020
WAYNESVILLE A quick 30-minutes on the interstate west from Asheville, Waynesville is the epitome of the small mountain tourist town — a quaint but bustling Main Street lined with retail establishments selling everything from coffee tables to clothing to cookware, with breweries and restaurants filling in the gaps. Mike Coble owns two Main street businesses, a gift shop called J Gabriel and an upscale boutique, Moonlight and Garbo. He also plans to open a baby store in the near future. “We kind of took a different approach than some of the vendors out there,� Coble said of his multi-level J Gabriel location. “Since we do have a back door, we were able to bring in shipments, let them quarantine down here and spray them down. We could work restocking as well as doing curbside sales and online shipping but businesswise, it knocked us down to about a fourth of our normal sales on a daily basis.� His boutique wasn’t so lucky, owing to the more personal nature of the retail clothing business, but when Coble did reopen his businesses on Saturday, May 9 — the day after Cooper’s phase one implementation — he said he had a great day, businesswise. He
The doors are now open at many retail businesses across Western North Carolina, including J Gabriel on Main Street in downtown Waynesville. Cory Vaillancourt photo
also said that the reopening couldn’t have come at a better time. “A lot of the landlords and a lot of our vendors gave us reprieve in April and even some in May, but they’re coming to the point where they’re running out of cash as well,� he said. “There was not going to be a reprieve coming for June, so for our town and for a lot of small businesses, we had to open now.� Still, Coble thinks that the March 27 order closing most businesses was “a pretty smart decision� and that the timing of the reopening was appropriate as well. “I think we’re spot on, right where we needed to be,� he said. “If we waited any longer, talking with other people downtown and with other small businesses around, we wouldn’t have made it if we had to wait another month.�
governor declared all non-essential businesses closed, it just broke my heart. I’m excited that they’re now able to be up and running.�
MAGGIE VALLEY Maggie Valley couldn’t be more different from Waynesville. With no true downtown, Maggie is almost a purely corporate entity first incorporated 46 years ago to service commercial customers along a thin strip of Soco Road. Since the 1960s those mostly mom-andpop businesses have largely followed the fortunes of the long-shuttered Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park. Although businesses of late have started to craft an identity of their own, the town’s economy is almost completely dependent on tourist-related lodging and retail businesses.
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Waynesville Mayor Gary Caldwell concurred with Coble’s sentiments on reopening, even suggesting it could have occurred sooner. “Especially for our businesses downtown,� Caldwell said. “I know they’re not essential businesses, but I do feel like at that time they had enough time for safety protocols to be in place.� Caldwell still supports Cooper’s actions in the initial days of the “stay home� order. “At the time that all this was occurring, it was all new to all of us,� he said. “It was scary, but I can understand him doing that until we got things worked out to see how it was going to go.� Now that Waynesville is moving forward with limited reopenings, Caldwell said he’s glad to see his hometown rebound. “It’s exciting,� said Caldwell. “I know the first morning I drove downtown after the
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“I fully support reopening with what the governor and the CDC and the Trump administration have laid out. You can agree or disagree, but this is the position we’re in,” he said. “There’s things people can say they would have done differently, but where we were as a nation at that time, if [Cooper] had not acted, we’d be in completely different shape.” Neighboring states, notably Georgia, were at the forefront of reopening, which inadvertently gave North Carolina, and Western North Carolina, a peek at its own future. “It was interesting that we waited a week past Tennessee and Georgia, and I know some people took issue with that, but I think that extra week allowed us to see how other states are performing,” Smathers said. “I think it gave us confidence to go into this phase with a lot more optimism.” Smathers admitted that after evaluating the effects of Cooper’s three-phase plan taking a step backward still isn’t out of the question, but like many business owners in the rest of Haywood County, he’s grateful to see progress. “It really did my soul well to see these small businesses survive,” he said. “In Canton we fought so long to attract businesses, but to see the grit and perseverance, it’s truly uplifting and gives me hope we’ll make it through this.”
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Although Canton is the closest Haywood County town to the region’s largest, most metropolitan city — Asheville — it’s possessed of a completely different character just as distinct as that of Maggie Valley and Waynesville. Canton is a blue-collar mountain mill town that historically struggled to attract retail tenants to its charming Main Street district but had been making progress until the pandemic emerged. “Friday at five I went downtown and the first store to open was [gift shop] Maddie’s on Main, and I was just blown away,” said Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. “There were people lined up outside waiting to go in.
“We waited a week past Tennessee and Georgia, and I know some people took issue with that, but I think that extra week allowed us to see how other states are performing. I think it gave us confidence to go into this phase with a lot more optimism.”
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People were driving by, honking their horn.” Celena Messer, owner of Messer’s Milltown Furniture said that her business was allowed to remain open during the “stay home” order because she sells lift chairs for people with limited mobility, but she still took a 50 percent hit. As neighboring businesses like Maddie’s were allowed to reopen, Messer said that the general uptick in commercial activity resulted in a good weekend for her. “We were just busy,” she said. “It’s like they let out a pack of wild dogs.” Messer said she doesn’t think it’s too early to begin Cooper’s phased reopening because the closures hurt small businesses badly; she only just purchased the shop around the beginning of what she couldn’t then know would be a terrible year, financially. “It’s just rotten,” she said. “I’m over 2020.” Smathers, however, thinks Cooper took a balanced approach to the situation.
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One of them, Chris & Friends Antiques and More, took a big hit when it closed in March. “I had probably $6,000 worth of stuff being held for customers down here that’s been canceled,” said owner Chris Smith. Smith doesn’t think closing businesses like this was the right move. “I do not,” he said. “I do not think it was the right move because so far all it’s impacted is small businesses. People come in my business one or two at a time. They don’t come in 30 deep like Walmart. They come in one or two at a time and we sanitize and we put the arrows down and I’ve even got a plexiglass thing that sits on the counter.” Smith reopened on May 8 in accordance with Gov. Cooper’s phase one proclamation, but said he’s not optimistic that his customers will come rushing back, owing to the realities of his tourist-driven business. “It’s probably going to be slow. People are scared. They looked at this big media bashing everything under the sun, scaring people to death and people are still scared,” Smith said. “I’ve got Florida customers that I talk to every day, and they’re like, ‘Sorry, we’re just afraid to come up there because we don’t know.’ I mean, that scares me because if they don’t, we won’t be in business for another month.” Smith does, however, commend local political leadership for their role in pushing for a reopening. “I’m lucky we have a great mayor that wants us to reopen and a great, great set of people — not everybody, but most people in our town,” he said. “The higher ups are really good people. Our mayor’s looking out for us.” That mayor, Mike Eveland, said he was excited to see some local businesses open in the valley again and thinks that at the time, Gov. Cooper’s “stay home” order seemed like the right thing to do. Eveland did say he wishes that the phase one designation would have come a week or two earlier, based on the specific situation in Haywood County, which has largely been spared from the brunt of the pandemic. Likewise, he hopes phase two, which would allow the limited opening of bars and restaurants, comes quickly. “I would prefer to see phase two come in two weeks instead of three,” he said. “I would like us to be a week or two ahead of where we are now.”
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Mental health agencies still providing resources
BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR hile some medical professionals warn of a second wave of COVID-19 cases across the nation, behavioral health experts say communities should be focused on flattening what they believe will be the second wave of COVID-19’s impact. “We must work quickly, collaboratively, and boldly to flatten the second curve of COVID-19 — the behavioral health effects of the disease,” said Kody H. Kinsley, Secretary for Behavioral Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. As social distancing and stay at home orders drag on in North Carolina, more people are struggling with isolation and loneliness. For the one in five people in the U.S. already struggling with mental illness, COVID-19 stresses could be exacerbating their symptoms. For others, this might be the first time they’ve experienced symptoms due to the stress and anxiety brought on by such an uncertain time. “Many people — including all of us, not just the people we serve — are experiencing anxiety and stress or loneliness right now,” said Tabatha Brafford, regional director of community relations for Appalachian Community Services. “And the people we were already serving before the pandemic that have a mental illness, they’ve seen more symptoms recently.” During a time when more people may be in need of more behavioral health support, they may not know where to turn or who to call or they may not think help is available during the pandemic. However, local behavioral health agencies like ACS and Meridian Behavioral Health Services want to make it clear that they are open and available in a number of capacities to help people through the pandemic even though they’ve had to change how some services are rendered. Some programs have had to be suspended while other services have expanded or moved online. Becca Swanger, Meridian Director for Jackson County, said her staff started to see the impact of COVID-19 in the weeks leading up to the state-issued restrictions to flatten the curve. “We started seeing less people coming in around mid-March — some of that was because it was right before the school system’s spring break and some was because people felt uncomfortable coming to our offices,” she said. “And things started moving quickly as the CDC changed recommendations on gathering and distancing between people.” For the following few weeks, protocols and CDC recommendations were changing 6 quickly as Meridian and ACS tried to keep up.
Smoky Mountain News
May 13-19, 2020
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month • 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year • 1 in 25 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year • 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year • 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24 SOURCE: NAMI “So much happened so quickly — it was a month of change after change after change, but I think now we’re in a place where we know what we need to know right now,” Brafford said. “And now we’re looking at when will we start opening back up and what will that look like and can we continue to do things the way we are doing?” So much of what Meridian and ACS has done in the past has included face-to-face contact with clients — adults and children alike — but the pandemic forced them to be creative and innovative to be able to still meet clients where they are. These agencies provide a host of group therapy and support group classes, intensive in-home family services, school programs and other walk-in emergency services. Swanger said Meridian had to think quickly about how to continue meeting its mission while also adhering to the changing guidelines to keep people safe. Meridian closed down its five resource education centers located in Transylvania, Jackson, Haywood, Macon and Cherokee and stopped holding group classes March 23. Staff was also waiting on some direction from the state about how to proceed going forward. “It took us a little while to figure out how we were going to provide services,” she said. “We had to close the walk-in centers because we were having too many people and we couldn’t keep people far enough apart.” Meridian continued with its community based teams — intensive in-home therapy, ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) and PACE (Peers Assisting in Community Engagement) — to do face-to-face services because at the time, the CDC recommendations only restricted gathering, but then social distancing protocols came into play and some more risk assessments had to be done. In the meantime, agencies worked closely with the state to hopefully loosen some restrictions that would allow behavioral health agencies to receive funding reimburse-
Meridian Behavioral Health Clinician Jamie Thomas visits with residents at a nursing home in Franklin. Donated photo
“The people we were already serving before the pandemic that have a mental illness, they’ve seen more symptoms recently.” — Tabatha Brafford, regional director of community relations for Appalachian Community Services
ments when using over-the-phone or certain tele-medicine services. Meridian is a nonprofit organization that relies on reimbursement from the state for clients covered by Medicaid — for child services, about 80 percent of funding comes from Medicaid, but a large majority of adult clients are uninsured and not covered by Medicaid. There’s a separate pot of state funding to cover uninsured patients, but those funds have been severely cut over the last several years. Meridian had to make sure the services they provide are reimbursable by the state, and before COVID-19, agencies weren’t allowed to bill for over-the-phone services. As soon as the state gave the go ahead, Meridian began doing telephone sessions with clients. “This allowed us to check in with our clients to make sure they were doing OK and had the things they needed without having to meet face to face,” Swanger said. Brafford said utilizing tele-medicine more has been a learning experience for many clients, but many are finding that they prefer having their medical appointment over the computer.
“We’re using tele-counseling quite a bit now and I think we’re doing well with this type of delivery. A lot of people like that they don’t have to leave their home — they don’t have to look for a ride or buy gas to get there,” she said. While tele-medicine has been a great tool, the fact is there are still many people in Western North Carolina who don’t have internet or even a cell phone with service to be able to access a tele-health call or video. To help overcome that hurdle, Vaya Health, the organization responsible for overseeing public funding for mental health in WNC, started a new initiative to get Smartphones into the hands of people in need. Vaya purchased 500 smartphones with data in April from Verizon Wireless to distribute to network providers like Meridian and ACS that successfully applied to participate in the initiative. Local providers can then give those phones out to clients in need of services. “We’ve been working with our providers to offer maximum flexibility while maintaining quality standards in delivering services to members,” said Allison Inman, Vaya director of communications. However, some services still need to be done in person and sometimes a client’s immediate mental health needs can be more important than the risk of contracting coronavirus. “We evaluate cases daily trying to decide where the higher risk is and assessing the hierarchy of needs — do they have food, can they get their medication, do they need to go to their doctor’s appointment,” Swanger said. “Sometimes the risk of not doing those things is greater than potential exposure to the coronavirus. When we do have to interact with clients, we’re doing our best with wearing masks, gloves and using hand sanitizer.”
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Dealing with addiction during pandemic
also going through these things.” Help is still available for people who are struggling through the COVID-19 Pandemic. If you’re interested in video/phone services through Meridian, call 828.631.3973 or visit meridianbhs.org for a complete list of online support groups to join. To access services through ACS, call 828.837.0071 to speak to someone. ACS’s walk-in centers are still open as well and are following strict screening guidelines. ACS’s crisis line is 888.315.2880. “The crisis number is available 24/7 or just walk in to one of our centers. Don’t get caught up in a diagnosis right now. It’s just important to know it’s a stressful time for everyone and you can just call and talk to someone without having it turn into longterm treatment,” Brafford said. “Sometimes you just need to talk to someone, and support is there.”
“Boredom is a huge trigger for most people in early recovery and the inability to participate in some of their regular recovery activities has led some to relapse.” — Kyler Robbins, clinical lead for substance abuse services in Haywood County at Meridian Behavioral Health Services
to stay home and stay safe; every one of us who does have that privilege, should.” Among the essential services still open during the bulk of the shutdown were ABC stores. Because alcohol withdrawal is fatal, closing ABC stores could have put higher amounts of stress on emergency departments and hospitals, and ultimately, resulted in more deaths. “Severe alcohol withdrawal is fatal and can occur even when someone suddenly switches from liquor to a lower alcohol content that might be accessible otherwise (beer, wine) if ABC stores were to close,” said Taylor. Despite all the change, there are still several services available to people struggling with drug and alcohol use, addiction, and
mental health. Meridian Behavioral Health Services rolled out the peer supported Warm Line on May 4, available to all five counties that the organization serves (Cherokee, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Tansylvania). The Warm Line is available from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. each day and is operated by certified peer support specialists. Peer Support Specialists are people with lived experience of either substance use disorder and/or mental health challenges in their own lives. These specialists, having gone through the recovery process, are trained and certified by the state of North Carolina to be able to assist others in their recovery journey. “It’s important for us to let people know that there are peers on the Warm Line because we’ve worked in grocery stores, we’ve worked in restaurants, we’ve had all kinds of different jobs, said Amber Church, a certified peer support specialist at Meridian. “A lot of us are older and we’ve found our vocation along the way as peers. So we can relate, and also help people receive the help they need.” Church said peers can connect callers with further services at Meridian BHS when they call the Warm Line. She urges the community to stick together during this time. “Keep an eye on your neighbors… many of us can motivate ourselves when we’re bored or stuck at home, but some people can’t. I encourage the community to care for and keep an eye out for those people,” Church said. Specialists worry that as the pandemic subsides, on whatever timeline that may be, mental health will decline further as it does. On May 12 NPR’s Yuki Noguchi reported that although suicide rates usually drop in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, they often spike directly after that drop. The Meridian BHS Warm Line number is 828.339.1552. For more information about services offered by Meridian, call 828.631.3973 or visit meridianbhs.org.
Smoky Mountain News
While schools are still out and many staff members aren’t working in their normal roles, Swanger said they’re taking the extra time to make sure they’re giving back to the community. Some employees have been helping deliver meals to students, making masks or making window visits to nursing homes. Peer support specialists connected with local inmates by sending them letters that included their own mugshot from the past and their most recent picture in an effort to give inmates hope that they can turn their lives around too. “We’re trying to do innovative things now while we have the time to do it — donating blood, volunteering on Earth Day to pick up trash or plant trees — and making sure we take care of our employees’ wellness is super important at this time as well,” g Swanger said. “They’re experiencing the pandemic as well and it’s tough to show up for people you’re trying to help when you’re
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is around other people who may or may not be practicing good health precautions. The person who is homeless and indigent does not have access to the privilege of grocery delivery,” said Carina Taylor, team lead for the Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT) at Meridian. “The person who experiences paranoia and psychosis may only talk to a provider face to face. For every one of my clients who experiences addiction and/or mental health symptoms and may not have the stability or resources to have the privilege
May 13-19, 2020
1 through May 10, 2019,” he said. “In regards to calls for service involving mental health issues, many co-exist as chemical dependency, substance and alcohol abuse either diagnosed or undiagnosed therefore, our monthly calls for service in this area remain steady.” According to the CDC website, “conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes. These conditions are known as social determinants of health.” Social determinants of health are more critical than ever as COVID-19 spreads across the globe. The pandemic has caused social and economic conditions to change rapidly, in major ways. Many people are out of work, children and teens are home from school, parks, restaurants and stores are closed. According to Robbins, DSS has had to discontinue visitations due to risk, which means many parents cannot see children that are in placement. “Many times, seeing children is a huge motivator for recovery,” he said. Dealing with these changes, and the uncertainty of what will come next can cause incredible stress for people. And for some, dealing with that stress means greater dependency on, or a return to, alcohol or drugs. In an article for Harvard Health Publishing, Dr. Peter Grinspoon, said, “Heightened anxiety is a near-universal trigger for drug use, and it is difficult to think of a more stressful event — for all of us — than this pandemic.” Drug and alcohol use are known to lower immune system strength and response capabilities putting users at greater risk for contracting coronavirus. In addition, not all people have the ability to remain safe and at home. “When someone is experiencing addiction and/or mental health symptoms, they may not have the stability or resources to have the privilege to stay home and stay safe. The person in active addiction who seeks a substance
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BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER ddiction is a disease of isolation. This is a common truth in the culture of recovery. So it is understandable that social distancing and isolation runs counter to most efforts of participating in a recovery community. “We have seen a lot of people struggling with increased use due to being isolated. In addition, there is a lack of accountability in some ways. Boredom is a huge trigger for most people in early recovery and the inability to participate in some of their regular recovery activities has led some to relapse,” said Kyler Robbins, clinical lead for substance abuse services in Haywood County at Meridian Behavioral Health Services. The Coronavirus Pandemic, the ensuing shutdown and economic downturn have created a ripple effect of problems far beyond the virus itself. The pandemic has exacerbated alcohol and drug use, addiction and overdoses in the region. Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran recently told county commissioners “We’ve had a lot of overdoses and several deaths including on the reservation (Qualla Boundary). We’ve seen 32 overdoses in a couple weeks’ period and at least seven deaths.” In Macon County, Sheriff Robert Holland reported having transported 41 involuntary commitment orders as of May 2020. The total number of involuntary commitments in Macon County in 2019 was 46, showing a significant increase in mental health and addiction issues. Chief Deputy Jeff Haynes with the Haywood County Sheriff ’s Office said their county numbers have remained more consistent when comparing last year. During the two month COVID-19 timeframe of March 1 through May 10, there had been a total of 28 overdoses and two deaths throughout Haywood County. “This two month total is 25% lower than the previous year of 37 overdoses and zero deaths, during the same timeframe of March
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Cherokee lifts border closure; casino announces gradual reopening BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER lmost 60 days after closing their doors to help slow the spread of COVID19, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos will begin a gradual reopening of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River on Monday, May 18.
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CHEROKEE LIFTS
May 13-19, 2020
TRAFFIC CHECKPOINTS The decision coincides with the Principal Chief Richard Sneed’s May 5 announcement that checkpoints that had been limiting access to the Qualla Boundary since March 21 would be lifted beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, May 8, along with a curfew that had been in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway also lifted closures near Cherokee last weekend. “We’ve got to reopen the economy,” he said in a May 5 video explaining the decision. “We can’t stay closed indefinitely.” Relieving officers of their duty to monitor the three checkpoints in question around the clock will also free up the police department to better attend to other matters, said Sneed. “We also need them to be focusing on the drug epidemic and the overdoses we’re having and the fatalities from that,” said Sneed. “We really need them to get back to what their mission is.” However, a checkpoint has been set up at the entrance to the retail plaza where Food Lion is located to ensure that only locals visit the grocery store and nearby establishments.
REOPENING THE CASINO
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In the casinos, areas where social distancing can be practiced will be the first to welcome guests during this phased reopening. These include the gaming floor, hotel and some restaurants, with occupancy limited to 30 percent. Spa, valet, poker, buffet and con-
Cars stop at the police checkpoints located at the U.S. 441 entrance to the Qualla Boundary. Checkpoints are no longer in effect as of 10 p.m. May 8. Holly Kays photo cert offerings will remain closed at this time. To make social distancing possible, casino and hotel access will be by invitation only at first, with small groups of customers receiving email invitations as early as May 13, according to a press release from Harrah’s. The number of invitations may increase over time as it becomes appropriate to do so. Members of the EBCI will also be able to access both casinos during this time. Furloughed employees will begin returning to work as their respective work areas ramp up operation. While employees continued to receive pay during the initial month of closure, most employees have been on furlough since April 16. Before beginning work, each employee will complete a screening, which will include a questionnaire and temperature check, with facemasks required while on duty. “This is uncharted territory for the casino industry, but what is clear is that when we return to work it will not be exactly as it was prior to closing,” said Senior Vice President
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and General Manager Brooks Robinson. “We look forward to welcoming back our guests and team members, also understanding that social distancing is going to be a part of our business and lives for a while.” The casino has hired an infectious disease control team to offer advice for new safety and hygiene protocols, Sneed said during a May 8 video update. “I’m really impressed,” Public Health and Human Services Director Vickie Bradley said in the video. “They have dotted every ‘i’ and crossed every ‘t’ to do all that they can to ensure that customers and workers are safe.”
CHEROKEE’S PLAN The tribe is also planning a gradual reopening of the economy and government services. In Executive Order No. 12, issued May 7, Sneed said that retail establishments, hotels and campgrounds would be permitted to open at 50 percent capacity on May 15, provided that they follow strict cleaning and
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social distancing procedures. While in public, people will be required to wear cloth face coverings. Outdoor recreation areas, including Mingo Falls, Soco Falls, Oconaluftee Island Park, Fire Mountain Trails, tribal enterprise fishing waters, picnic areas and tribal back roads will also reopen May 15. An opening date for salons, theaters, spas, bowling alleys, public playgrounds and barber shops will be announced later. While Sneed had initially considered May 18 as a reopening date for tribal operations, federal CARES Act funding arrived and made it financially feasible to push that date off a bit. Tribal offices now plan to reopen on Monday, June 8. Until that time, inactive employees will continue to receive pay based on 68 hours per two-week pay period, and they will be able to record hours worked or use accrued leave to make up the 12-hour shortfall. Tribal government is also working with the Cherokee Boys Club, Cherokee Central Schools and the Cherokee Indian Hospital to use the federal money to benefit those employees as well, said Sneed. “As always, our concern locally is for our tribal elders and those with compromised immune systems and those with underlying health conditions,” he said in the May 8 video. In response to that concern, Sneed said, he has directed Emergency Management Services to develop a plan for doing shopping and grocery delivery for elderly and immunocompromised residents. Sneed said that it’s time to begin a gradual reopening of tribal lands and businesses, because Cherokee has successfully flattened the curve and prevented the initial appearance of COVID-19 from overwhelming its hospitals. So far, testing has turned up nine positives and 15 presumptive positives among community members, but none of those cases have required hospitalization. Those low numbers come despite the fact that Cherokee has done more testing per capita than anybody in the state, said Bradley, with about 1 percent of total tests coming back positive. While that data shows Cherokee as meeting the criteria to start reopening, testing and contract tracing will likely only increase over the coming months, she said. “This is going to be ongoing. This doesn’t stop in June, July or August,” said Bradley. “This is our new norm.”
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Jackson creates small business loan program
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May 13-19, 2020 Smoky Mountain News
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ackson County has allocated $324,000 for a new program that will provide short-term, low-interest loans to small businesses that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. Commissioners approved creation of the All In Jackson Fund during their Tuesday, May 5 meeting. “The commissioners recognize that these are extraordinary times in which small businesses have been forced to operate within,” Chairman Brian McMahan said in a statement. “Some businesses have been able to offer limited services in a survival mode, while others have not been as fortunate and have had to temporarily close their doors. The All In Jackson County Fund is the first of the board’s efforts to provide some local relief to our local economy.” Through the fund, small businesses can apply for loans ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 to be used for payroll, accounts payable, fixed debts or other bills the business is unable to pay due to coronavirus impacts, but funds cannot be used to refinance existing debt. No payments will be required for the first six months of the loan, but interest will accrue at 4 percent during that time. After six months, the principal will convert to a second phase of three years at 5.5 percent interest. It is expected that many loans will ultimately be repaid from other funding resources like Small Business Administration Disaster Loans. However, said Jackson County Economic Development Director
Rich Price, the All In Jackson program will “quickly and efficiently get this funding into the hands of our business owners, their employees and their creditors.” To be eligible for a loan, a business must have fewer than 50 employees, including part-timers, be principally based in Jackson County and have a physical location there. Recipients must be for-profit businesses with a demonstrated revenue loss of 25 percent or more due to COVID-19, and they must agree to provide impact data. Commissioners authorized the loan through an amendment to the county’s Revolving Loan Fund Program, adding a section at the end that allows the county to use the funds for businesses suffering losses due to COVID-19. The section states that, unlike in the standard Revolving Loan Fund program, these loans can be used for operating costs as well as for capital expenses and allows for the terms of these loans to be different from the terms described for typical Revolving Loan Fund awards. An additional section allows the county to use the fund this way during future states of emergency as well, unrelated to COVID-19. Such uses could be authorized “by simple resolution without the need for a public hearing.” Jackson County is partnering with the nonprofit Mountain BizWorks to administer the All In Jackson Fund, and while the initial allocation is for $324,000, the county’s contract with Mountain BizWorks allows for a fund of up to $750,000. The county could authorize additional funding in the future, but contributions are also welcome from foundations, organizations and individuals. Mountain BizWorks administers a similar fund for Haywood County, called the Haywood Recovery Fund. The loan sizes and terms for that fund are similar to those stipulated for the All In Jackson Fund, with some differences. Those differences include a size limit of 25 employees for eligible businesses and a requirement that applicants have been in business for at least 12 months. For more information about the All In Jackson Fund, visit www.allinjacksonnc.com. Information about the Haywood Recovery Fund is available at www.mountainbizworks.org/hrf.
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BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ackson County has lifted some local regulations aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 with a Superseding Declaration of a Local State of Emergency that went into effect at 5 p.m. Friday, May 8, the same time that an executive order from Gov. Roy Cooper put North Carolina into Phase 1 of reopening. In an order issued Monday, March 23, the county banned gatherings of 10 or more people and lodging facilities like hotels and Airbnbs with leases of 30 days or less, allowing some exemptions, including homeless services and lodging for essential workers. A subsequent order issued Monday, March 30, required people coming to Jackson County from outside the state or country to remain in their homes for 14 days following their arrival, with exemptions for essential workers crossing state lines for their jobs. The order issued last week rescinded the restrictions imposed by these earlier orders but strongly advised residents to continue practices aimed at reducing transmission, and it asked non-residents to avoid visiting Jackson County at this time. The terms of the order apply in the municipalities of Sylva, Dillsboro, Webster and Forest Hills as well, and the original State of Emergency declared on March 10 remains in effect. “Though lodging facilities such as hotels, motels and short-term rentals are allowed to have a limited opening under Executive Order No. 138, individuals need
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to remain vigilant to stop the spread of this virus,” the order reads. “Jackson County looks forward to the return of tourists to the area when appropriate, but this is not the time for a vacation.” When leaving their homes, residents are asked to stay at least 6 feet away from those who are not part of their immediate household; to wear a cloth face covering in indoor public spaces, as well as outdoor public spaces where it’s not possible to maintain a 6-foot distance from others; to carry and use hand sanitizer when leaving home; to wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds whenever possible; and to regularly clean high-touch surfaces like steering wheels, wallets and phones. Residents should stay home if sick. County Commission Chairman Brian McMahan issued the order following discussion at a May 5 commissioners meeting. During that meeting, he said that while he believes it’s prudent to lift the regulations in question, restrictions could tighten up again in the future should Jackson County experience an outbreak as visitation picks up. “This is going to be a trial and error,” McMahan said. “As we start to see people come here and visit, the numbers are going to show some potential spikes. We’ll just have to be very careful and watch and adjust accordingly.” State guidance lays out four metrics for measuring progress and lifting restrictions. These are sustained leveling or decreased trajectory over 14 days of: COVID-like illness surveillance, lab-confirmed cases, percent of positive tests and hospitalizations. Health Director Shelley Carraway told commissioners that, while the county doesn’t check all those boxes, it has the monitoring in place to assess the situation and respond as it changes.
“As we reopen things, these data points will help us see if there’s suddenly a second surge so we can jump in and take action,” she said. Carraway said that the hospitals have been in good shape “since day one,” so that fourth criterion is checked. Her department does not have definitive data on the trajectory of COVID-like illnesses but is working to acquire it. The state uses representative sites from across North Carolina to evaluate this metric, but because none of those sites are located in Jackson County, Carraway’s office has to do its own research. Currently, this involves giving some employees the task of calling every provider in the county every week to ask how many patients they’ve seen with COVID-like symptoms. Carraway said Jackson County is not currently meeting the second and third metrics related to case counts and percentage of positive tests. Between April 27 and May 11, confirmed cases among full-time residents nearly doubled, from 12 cases to 20. The percent of positive tests has jumped from 2 to 4.5 percent. However, said Carraway, the county has drastically increased the number of tests it’s performed over that same time period, and 13 of the 22 positives among county residents as of Tuesday, May 12, are associated with a single outbreak at the Apodaca Science Building construction site at Western Carolina University. County health providers have diagnosed an additional 20 non-residents with the disease, and of those 19 were associated with the construction site. “If it hadn’t been for that terrible outbreak, we would have been at seven (cases),” Carraway told commissioners. “Maybe once this outbreak’s gone and we don’t have another one, we’ll be OK.” The outbreak at WCU has now been contained, and the jobsite reopened last week, said Deputy Director Melissa McKnight. The construction company, Skanska USA, has implemented temperature testing for workers and those entering the jobsite, she said.
Testing drive coming to Sylva The Walmart in Sylva has been selected as one of five in the country to host a drive-thru testing event, Jackson County Health Director Shelley Carraway announced during a May 5 meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. Few details are available at this point, but the department has been told that people will be able to sign up using an app the company created and that a Walmart pharmacist will administer the test. Carraway said the county might see a spike in positive case counts following the event as asymptomatic cases are revealed, and that this will create work for the health department as it seeks to trace and test the contacts of these positive cases. “We will be ahead of the curve and right on target, having that big event getting us rocking and rolling with testing,” she said.
Second primary, voting in the pandemic I
tion, casting a ballot without leaving home. No excuse is necessary. The State Board office is discussing how to make voting by mail easier, while making sure that the 100 county boards of elections can process an expected increase in mail-in ballots. On March 30, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles and the State Board of Elections launched a service that allows online voter registration and online updates to existing voter information. Previously, DMV customers had to be completing another sort of transaction on the DMV website in order to update voter information or register Madison Cawthorn to vote online. The updated service is free and is intended to assist boards of elections at a time when the pandemic has restricted public access to county board offices. Because the State Board is requiring counties within the 11th congressional district to submit plans for the new June 23 election day, County board of elections offices have been working to determine the safest and most effective voting plans for the second primary. Haywood County Board of Elections approved a plan on April 21 to be reviewed
by the State Board of Elections. The plan includes consolidating 29 original precincts to 11. Each affected voter would be notified by mail and signage would be posted at precincts not in use, with information about where voters should be voting on June 23. Macon County presented a plan to the State Board of Elections that would consolidate 15 polling precincts to three sites for the second primary. Elections Director Melanie Thibault said “the turnout for a second primary is very low. And with our current situation at this time, we are preparing for an even lower turnout.” Macon County plans to have PPE for all poll workers and voters on Election Day. “I would strongly advise voters that would like to vote in the Second Primary Election that are worried about contracting COVID-19 to contact their County Board of Elections and request an absentee by mail ballot to be sent to them,” Thibault said. Jackson County Board of Elections office, though closed to the public, has voter registration forms and absentee request forms directly outside its office with a secure drop box that staff check daily. Elections Director Lisa Lovedahl said that because health conditions are likely to fluctuate prior to the second primary, the board is making plans that can adjust with the county’s needs. “We are securing safety glass shields, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, gloves and
masks for the office and polling sites. There will be various plans for appropriate social distancing based on conditions,” she said. Jackson County also proposed a plan to the state board to combine precinct locations at the biggest precincts available. Precincts were chosen for their large open areas inside and outside that could allow for social distancing on election day. “By combining locations we anticipate adequate staffing on election day, even if conditions deteriorate only days before election day,” Lovedahl said. “Curbside voting in the voter’s vehicles has always been available to voters with barriers to coming inside to vote. We hope to expand this process for voters who may not wish to come inside for health concerns. Thinking outside the box, but within the law will allow us to process voters as efficiently as possible while ensuring everyone’s safety.” In March, Brinson Bell convened the Task Force on Elections & COVID-19 Response. Made up of members of the State Board, county boards of elections and Emergency Management Representatives, the task force has recommended several legislative changes for safer elections during the pandemic. For up-to-date news and information about the novel coronavirus and its effect on North Carolina elections, go to www.ncsbe.gov/coronavirus.
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May 13-19, 2020
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BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER n an executive order on March 20, Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina Board of Elections moved the second Republican primary for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District to June 23. The election was originally scheduled for May 12. The only contest on the ballot for the second primary is between republican candidates for U.S. House of Representatives Lynda Bennett and Madison Cawthorn. Brinson Bell’s decision to move the primary came after conLynda Bennett sulting state emergency officials, Republican Party leaders and election officials in the counties that make up the 11th district. The same executive order gave county boards of elections the power to move or consolidate voting precincts for the second primary, with the consent of the State Board of Elections. The flexibility ensured polling sites would be available, safe and staffed with enough precinct officials. The State Board also made clear that all voters can vote by mail during every elec-
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Haywood County government, schools scale back budget proposals BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER very year around this time, local governments, community colleges and public schools are busy crafting budgets for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1. In a normal year, budgeting is a year round process, however this is anything but a normal year. “We’ve been having discussions on how COVID-19 might affect our budget request, but some of that’s unknown,” said Dr. Shelly White, president of Haywood Community College since last December. White made the remarks during a county budget work session on May 4, where Haywood County Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Nolte and Haywood County Manager Bryant Morehead gave presentations of their own, all tempered with caution. Plans and projections made prior to the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic are all out the window at this point, and White’s budget, her first as HCC president, asks for a small 3 percent increase over last year. Under the proposal, salaries would grow from $1,105,700 to $1,130,120, or $24,420. Materials, supplies, service agreements, fuel and legal expenses are expected to increase
from $539,168 to $545,580 or $6,412. Contracted services also require a small increase from $460,752 to $470,752, a growth of $10,000. Utility cost, based on estimates from Duke Energy, represents the largest increase, from $578,150 to $625,150 or $47,000. The only capital request made by White is a parking lot maintenance machine needed to replace an older model, at $30,000. “I know it’s not ideal,” said Morehead at the conclusion of White’s presentation, “but I appreciate her work on getting it to 3 percent.” Following suit, Nolte, accompanied by new finance director Leanna Moody, presented a flat budget that only shows an increase in pay (2 percent for all positions), an increase in statemandated retirement contributions (from 19.7 percent to 21.5 percent) and an increase in hospitalization payments, from $6,306 to $6,647. Those increases represent a total growth of almost $450,000 against a $17 million local current expense budget. Nolte’s budget strategy was summed up in the first few lines of his budget message, “ … our primary focus points for the 2020-21 budget are (1) to recruit maintain and support employees in their passionate and productive work (2) limit expansion items in the
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local current expense budget and (3) adjust the budget as appropriate to account for unexpected impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.” Some things, however, just can’t wait. Associate Superintendent Dr. Trevor Putnam presented HCS’ capital budget requests, which remain unchanged from what he asked commissioners for back in early March. After years of budget cuts during the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008, HCS has been playing catch-up on critical infrastructure needs like awning repairs, equipment for the maintenance department, gravel for playgrounds and new HVAC units. Those requests total $900,000 — the same amount allocated in the current year’s budget, and an increase from $750,000 two years ago. Prior to that, HCS saw capital outlays in the $200,000 range for several years, meaning they’ve been “nursing” some equipment along well past its useful life to avoid paying the full replacement cost. Morehead rounded out the budget presentations with a slideshow giving a “state of the county” overview tracking the activity of various county operations over the past year. Most showed small declines compared to March 2019, including county EMS calls, sheriff service of civil process documents,
county clinic visits, single-family dwelling permits issued, real estate transactions and IT helpdesk tickets. The county library, closed due to the pandemic in March, reported visitation down from about 20,000 in March 2019 to about 9,000 in March 2020. Some categories, however, showed increases, like immunizations, the number of deed and estate transfers and the number of children in foster care. Morehead was especially concerned about the future of foster care with the assumption that people may now be more reluctant to let strangers into their homes. On the revenue side, general fund revenue requests were just over $85 million, a small increase from the current fiscal year’s adopted projection of $83.9 million, but Morehead’s conservative recommended figure is closer to $81.3 million, including a worst-case scenario of a 25 percent decrease in sales tax revenue. Cuts include merit pay, COLA and Christmas bonuses for county employees. More than $7 million in fund balance will be required to balance the budget at its current projection, compared to $3.6 million in fund balance used during the current fiscal year. Morehead will spend the next week meeting with commissioners and administrators; he’s tentatively scheduled to present his recommended budget to commissioners on May 18, and the required public hearing on the budget should come on May 26. That leaves the budget ready for possible approval on June 1, with a backup approval date of June 15.
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Three more COVID cases in Haywood news
Haywood County Public Health received notice May 11 that three more Haywood County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. The individuals are in isolation at home. The individuals are residents of Haywood County. One had recent out-of-state travel history; the other two had none. Haywood County Public Health nurses are identifying close contacts of these individuals. To protect individual privacy, no further information will be released. Based on the information provided by the individuals in close contact, county health officials will assess risks of exposure, determine which if any additional measures are needed such as temperature and symptom checks, quarantine, and/or testing. The first 16 cases of COVID-19 in Haywood County are categorized as recovered. The other five remain in isolation. Haywood was also notified of a false positive COVID-19 lab test. The positive test result was received by a local provider and reported to the health department in April. Because the individual was asymptomatic, a second test was performed and came back “invalid.” Two subsequent tests were negative. “After consultation with N.C. Department of Public Health, it is determined for us to remove a positive from our case count,” said Haywood County Health Director Patrick Johnson. “This just points out that any test, not just the COVID tests, can give a result at times that is falsely positive or negative,” stated Dr. Mark Jaben, Haywood County Medical Director. “For this reason, any test result has to be interpreted along with the circumstances, in this case, contacts, symptoms, and health condition.”
Harkleroad to leave HRMC
The Annual Cemetery Decoration at Lauada routinely scheduled for the fourth Sunday in May will be held May 24 this year. Lauada Cemetery, known by many as the cemetery with the small white crosses on the hill west of Bryson City at Almond on U.S. 19, is home to many who were re-interred from Dorsey, Judson, Monteith, Delozier and Hyde when Fontana Lake was built. Lauada has sometimes been included as a “Northshore cemetery.” However, given that the cemetery is outdoors and there is not a specific gathering time, people are encouraged to participate as they normally do for decoration as long as they practice social distancing.
Smoky Mountain News
Lauada Cemetery to be decorated
May 13-19, 2020
Haywood Regional Medical Center announced that CEO Rod Harkleroad will step down from his role, effective June 5. Harkleroad, who has been with HRMC since 2016, has been named CEO for Frye Regional Medical Center, a Duke LifePoint facility in Hickory. “I am honored to have been part of HRMC and Haywood County for the last four years,” said Harkleroad. “We have a wonderful team of dedicated employees, physicians and volunteers with a genuine commitment to advancing the health of our community. I am so proud of our accomplishments and feel confident that the future is bright for HRMC. During his tenure, HRMC received Rod Harkleroad numerous accolades and achievements including a Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade A for the past four consecutive reporting periods. HRMC was named an Accredited Chest Pain Center in 2016 and a Screening Center of Excellence by the Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) in 2019. In 2018, Harkleroad implemented the community paramedicine program with Haywood County, and in 2019, HRMC was awarded the 2018 High Five Award by LifePoint Health, which is the highest honor a LifePoint hospital can receive. Chris Fensterle, who has been serving as interim CEO at FRMC, will join HRMC as interim CEO in early June, and a national search for a permanent leader has been initiated.
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HAYWOOD May 13-19, 2020
COUNTY ABOVE: Sgt. Gene Williamson
We’re In This Together
CARES
After a 30year career with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Sgt. Gene Williamson retired in 2014, but he didnʼt stay retired for long. In 2015, he joined the Haywood County Sheri 's o ce and has been there ever since. He is currently assigned to the Justice Center, where he supervises the Baili s. He said that like everyone else, the use of masks, gloves, hand washing and hand sanitizers have become a common practice, but his role at the Justice Center hasn't changed. They are still there to serve the citizens.
Smoky Mountain News
“One of the biggest changes I've seen is that for the most part, people are focusing on the needs of others rather than themselves. We all need to remember what is really important in life. God has blessed me during my career, and I'm blessed for the opportunity I've been given to serve others in our community,” Williamson said.
For more information on Covid-19 in Haywood County visit: www.haywoodcountync.gov/684/Coronavirus-Covid-19-Information
www.haywoodcountync.gov Haywood County COVID-19 Helpline: (828) 356-2019 Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m.
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Community Almanac
Smoky Mountain News
Safe Kids Macon County provides safety kids seats
Josh Randall with Macon EMS.
SECU to provide $10 million for COVID-19 relief The State Employees’ Credit Union and SECU Foundation Boards of Directors announced a commitment of up to $10 million to assist with COVID19 disaster relief efforts across North Carolina. The combined funding — $5 million each from the Credit Union and the Foundation — will help multiple nonprofit organizations meet basic food, clothing, shelter and financial assistance needs statewide. The donations will also support frontline medical providers and others as they carry out their missions to help the most vulnerable North Carolinians during this pandemic crisis. “With such a sizable commitment, we will be able to partner with many top-notch service providers who make a difference in the lives of North Carolinians every day,” added Mike Lord, President and CEO of State Employees’ Credit Union. “We will distribute funds where the need is immediate using structures already in place to provide the assistance. The Credit Union and Foundation are united in aiding our communities. We are here to help during this challenging time.”
Nonprofits received emergency grants The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina announced 25 grants totaling $166,650 from its Emergency and Disaster Response Fund to nonprofits addressing COVID-19 pandemic response and relief efforts in 18 counties of Western North Carolina including the Qualla Boundary. This third round of grants brings the total amount distributed to $729,550 in three weeks. The grants represent a coordinated response to immediate human service needs not covered or not yet covered by other emergency funding sources. The grants support nonprofits addressing sudden
Safe Kids Macon County is proud to work with Macon County EMS partners to ensure they have new, safe, child passenger seats for their ambulances. When EMS transport pediatric patients, they ensure that all pediatric patients less than 40 pounds are restrained with an approved restraint device either secured to the stretcher or the “captain’s chair.” They carry a car seat on all of their ambulances for this purpose for when the patient’s family does not have one or when theirs has been involved in an accident. Due to space issues on ambulances, the car seats are carried in an outside compartment. These compartments are “sealed” however over time, dust and grime do leave the seats in a condition where they are no longer able to keep them clean and they must periodically replace them. Safe Kids Macon County works with various local and state agencies to secure grants for child passenger safety seats. Together, this partnership helps keep EMS costs down and continue to provide for the safe transport of pediatric patients in our community. Safe Kids Macon County works with Safe Kids Worldwide to reduce the number of preventable injuries in children. and increased demands due to the pandemic. A complete list of grants is available at www.cfwnc.org. The Fund awards grants weekly on a rolling basis through a simple, expedited process. In addition to CFWNC, Dogwood Health Trust and WNC Bridge Foundation, funding partners include AMY Wellness Foundation, Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund, HCA Healthcare Foundation, Nantahala Health Foundation, Pisgah Health Foundation, Ramble Charitable Fund and Wells Fargo.
McKay named ‘Main Street Champion’ Alex McKay of Waynesville was recently named a 2019 North Carolina Main Street Champion. Main Street Champions are individuals that work and advocate for revitalized downtowns. “Vibrant downtown districts are important drivers of North Carolina’s economic prosperity,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “These honorees have shown great dedication to improving their communities and we’re proud to honor their diligence as Main Street Champions.” Forty-five Champions received 2019 honors for contributions to their Main Street programs and downtown districts. McKay serves as vice president of the Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society.
Pathways, WCU receive award The Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning at Western Carolina University and the Haywood Pathways Center of Waynesville have been recognized with the 2020 Community Partner Award by North Carolina Campus Compact. The university has been associated with
Haywood Pathways Center since the center’s beginning in 2014, with WCU students, faculty and staff helping transform an old prison in Waynesville into a soup kitchen, homeless shelter and halfway house. A capstone class in WCU’s Integrated Health Sciences Program began a collaborative initiative where students developed an asset map and needs assessment for the center’s board of directors. The students also interviewed clients, served dinner each week, and offered tutoring and childcare services so that parents could attend support meetings and developmental programming. The program also helped about 100 center residents receive dental care.
Haywood Fund awards $67,669 in grants The Fund for Haywood County and the J. Aaron and Adora H. Prevost Endowment Fund awarded 12 grants in its recent grant cycle. A grant from the Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund, for beautification, streetscape improvements and other public amenities in Waynesville, made one grant bringing total grantmaking in Haywood County to $67,669. Since 1994, The Fund for Haywood County, in partnership with CFWNC, has awarded grants totaling $1,171,688. The 2020 grants are: • $3,240 to Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry • $2,500 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas • $2,500 to Clothes To Kids of Haywood County • $7,000 to Community Kitchen • $5,100 to Fines Creek Community Association • $2,500 to Girls on the Run of WNC • $5,000 to Haywood Community College • $3,239 to Haywood Pathways Center • $7,000 to KARE (Kids Advocacy Resource Effort) • $4,500 to Plains United Methodist • $4,000 to The Salvation Army, Waynesville Corps
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• $7,000 to Vecinos Farmworker Health Program • $14,090 to Town of Waynesville from the Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund
Community Foundation awards grants The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina continues to review and distribute grants on an expedited schedule to support frontline human service organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in 18 counties of Western North Carolina including the Qualla Boundary. Sixteen grants totaling $120,700 from its collaborative Emergency and Disaster Response Fund (EDRF) were announced recently, bringing the total amount distributed to $850,250 in four weeks. The grants represent a coordinated regional response by regional funders, fundholders, corporate partners and donors. The goal is to help fill critical voids as individuals, families and nonprofits await support from the government and other sources. As the scope of the crisis worsened, CFWNC rallied regional funders, redirected charitable assets and cancelled several public events. Most sponsors of these events converted financial commitments to the events to support for the emergency response effort. Donations to the EDRF total more than $1 million, with seed funding coming from CFWNC, Dogwood Health Trust and WNC Bridge Foundation as well as other funding partners including AMY Wellness Foundation, Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund, The Glass Foundation, Mission HCA Healthcare Foundation – North Carolina Division, Nantahala Health Foundation, Pisgah Health Foundation, Ramble Charitable Fund and Wells Fargo.
Apply for grant funds The Evergreen Foundation board of directors is accepting grant proposals for the first quarter 2020-21. Proposals for this cycle are due by May 29. Grant proposals submitted via email should be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on the due date. Mailed proposals must be postmarked by 5 p.m. Applications and information on applying for funding can be found on the Evergreen Foundation website www.evergreenfoundationnc.org or by calling the office at 828.456.8005. To be considered for grant funding, organizations must be qualified for exemption as a public charity and must be providing support and services to individuals in the target population groups: behavioral health; and/or substance use disorders; or services for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (BH, SU, I/DD). Organizations applying for support of a prevention program must be proposing an evidence based project. The foundation encourages coordination with other funding sources and service providers to leverage funding in the region. Foundation grants are available to support programs and services in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. For more information, visit www.evergreenfoundationnc.org.
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Opinion
Smoky Mountain News
What we do to survive, and why I
Take action now to protect voting To the Editor: Long lines, limited polling place hours, inconvenient polling locations, not getting time off work and the COVID-19 virus all make one of our most sacred rights — voting — a hurdle for many Americans. All states need to offer no-excuse mail-in absentee voting to every eligible voter to ensure that everyone has the ability to vote. Last week, a Texas state judge said that he’ll issue an order allowing all Texans to vote absentee due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, less than an hour after the attorney general’s office threatened criminal prosecution for groups recommending voters concerned about contracting the virus request absentee ballots (Texas is one of a number of states that requires voters to present an excuse in order to vote absentee). While the Texas order is certain to be appealed, just this past weekend, Gov. Cuomo of New York issued an executive order to lift all “mandatory excuses” to vote absentee in that state. Many states are embracing voting reform. Virginia, for example, recently established automatic voter registration through the state Department of Motor Vehicles, meaning all
and that model was accelerated as the 2008 recession hit us hard. We have a couple of magazines, numerous custom publications to order, and more. That side of our business is also suffering, but it has helped though the years and will continue to do so in the future. All our eggs aren’t in one basket. In the beginning and the end, though, our model starts with our local advertisers. We appreciate every one of the local businesses who spend their marketing dollars with us. If you’re perusing this paper or our websites or our newsletters, go out of your way to spend your hardearned dollars with them. They need you now more than ever. Then, there are our readers and supporters. Back in November, we Editor started asking readers for donations to help support our business. We thought many of you who have been reading for 20 years — and who were in a position to do so — might see fit to make a contribution. The timing of that ask was both lucky and somewhat prescient. Five months later came the pandemic and the disruption, and the response from readers has been nothing short of overwhelming. We’ve received checks in the mail, online payments, and people walking in the door and handing us envelopes with money. It has been gratifying for our staff to realize that people think local news and this newspaper are important. Again, thank you all. And we’re taking advantage of other avenues. We’ve received SBA money and have applied for a low-interest loan from the state Golden Leaf Rapid Recovery Fund. These monies will help us chart our way through this current crisis.
Scott McLeod
t seems every time I sit down to write these days, it has something to do with journalism and the state of our industry. Forgive me my obsession, but during this time of isolation it’s difficult to concentrate for long on any other topic. I am obsessed — a strong word, I know, but the truth — with steering our company through this strange, once-ina-lifetime business disruption. (I suspect that many business owners are suffering the same middle-of-the-night, toss-and-turn moments. I wish you all success in figuring it out.) As most know, local and national journalism — especially traditional print newspapers and their websites — have been struggling for years. There are plenty of statistics on job and revenue losses documenting that fact. The primary reason is ad revenue moving online, where behemoths like Google and Facebook gobble up around 80 percent of that online revenue. The rest of us get to nibble on their crumbs. Then came this pandemic, which has ravaged the industry. More layoffs and potential closings, etc. We originally cut eight full-time equivalencies and many of our freelancers. We are now undergoing a phased re-hiring of all of those people. The other side of that coin, however, has become even more clear as we move through this pandemic: communities suffer when they lose their newspapers or some source to cover local and regional governments and community events. Participation in civic life erodes when there is no local journalism. Voter turnout decreases and the cost of government — higher taxes, more waste — are the consequence of the lack of credible news. Joshua Benton, the director of the Nieman Journalism Lab, said this: “Local newspapers are basically little machines that spit out healthier democracies.” So how is The Smoky Mountain News navigating a course through this unprecedented disruption? For one, we started diversifying our business 15 years ago,
LETTERS eligible DMV customers will automatically be registered unless they opt out (at least a form is offered in North Carolina). Virginia also made Election Day a state holiday, removed the excuse requirement to vote absentee, allowed voters to permanently receive an absentee mail ballot in all future elections, extended the close of polling on Election Day an additional hour and established alternative in-person voting methods such as curbside voting. Some states have already acted quickly to allow residents to vote at home by sending ballots or absentee ballot applications by mail to all their citizens but in 15 states, voters still need to submit an excuse to be able to vote at home. Just this month, absentee voting in Wisconsin went from 5 to 71 percent. Our own state is among only five others to have no-excuse absentee voting, joined by Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Florida. Kentucky Gov. Beshear’s recent executive order says that all voters “should use mail-in voting.” Utah Republican Gov. Gary Herbert has signed a bill to conduct Utah’s June 30 primaries entirely by mail and cancel in-person voting, except for those with disabilities. All 53 North Dakota counties say they will conduct the state’s June 9 primaries
And in what is a perhaps ironic twist, we’ve received grants from Facebook. Many in the media — me included — have blamed them over the years for doing harm to local newspapers. But when I heard they were first giving out grants for COVID-19 coverage, I took the time and applied. We were awarded $5,000 in early April. Then Facebook announced a second round of grants, the Facebook Journalism Project COVID 19 program, aimed at helping local media outlets (profit and nonprofit, online or print) to cover the pandemic for the rest of 2020, and to take steps to improve their business model. The mission, according to the project’s website, is this: “… to strengthen the connection between journalists and the communities they serve. It also helps to address the news industry’s core business challenges.” We were awarded a $75,000 grant that came with very specific parameters: continue pandemic coverage and upgrade our digital products. I was shocked to win, but I also felt we were deserving. And — kind of like public radio — I think we need to let readers know that we got the grant. Trust me when I say the terms in no way ask us to compromise our coverage of Facebook or its owner Mark Zuckerberg or anything like that. Our company would not go down that path, never. My point is that we are pursuing all these revenue streams for a very simple reason: so we can afford to continue to provide uncompromising, honest journalism for this region. Ryan Tuck is a professor at UNC and runs a statewide journalism blog called NC Local. In emails with him, this is what I said about getting the grant: “You know, we have learned a lot about our business over the last two months, and it has reinforced the need to be nimble and quick on our feet. I want to foster a company culture that says act like a start-up, always be hungry, that nothing is sacred except survival, and it’s imperative we survive so we can produce ethical, meaningful journalism that helps this region navigate the uncertain future that lies ahead.” (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)
entirely by mail, following an executive order from Republican Gov. Doug Burgum. We need to act now to ensure that all voters can safely participate in our elections this November. If we act together, we can win the funding and reforms we need to protect our vote. Ralph Andrew Waynesville
America should open up To the Editor: Some people call it common sense, others call it critical thinking or logic, and it is so essential to human kind that the survival of the species depends on it. I am befuddled about those who don’t understand it, practice it or agree with it, as if you can argue about whether humankind should live or die. The high visibility of anti-intellectual, antiscientific attitudes can be traced right back to President Trump, who proudly flaunts his disdain for learning. I want society to open back up as much as anyone, but I don’t want it at the expense of mega death. The logic is pretty straight-forward: test, use PPE, practice social distancing, get the numbers down,THEN open up cautiously.
Like, you put your socks on before your shoes. What is so hard about that, folks? Obama had America prepared for such a pandemic, but Trump dismantled that program so he could rid the government of the ‘taint’ of one of our best leaders (who happens to be fairly adept at logic.) And then he gave the extra cash from a hollowed out government to his rich friends with a tax break. Yes, the bestest, most beautiful businessman. The time to gear up production of PPEs and research an effective test and vaccine was in February or March. The administration had been warned several months earlier. Where has he been, what has he done with his time, beside jeering at prepared people as perpetrating a hoax and abdicating all responsibility? He tells states they are on their own, then intercepts their shipments and doles them out to red states. This is not the behavior of a leader. Caryl Brt Waynesville
Let’s help stop the spread To the Editor: I am not writing about a political
Time to re-ignite national service programs
issue but a health issue. I am a senior citizen with a heart condition placing me in a highrisk category, so am extremely concerned about staying COVID-19 free. Therefore it is discouraging to visit grocery stores and see many people without masks. I wear mine to protect you and your family in case I have the virus and don’t show any symptoms and don’t know I have it. I would hope you would care about protecting me and my family from the possibility that you may have it. My life and that of others may depend on it. I have many friends who fear going to the stores for this reason. One friend has an extremely highrisk young child and is afraid she will bring it back home to him. Some stores do have special hours for high-risk shoppers and the opportunity to order online and pick up, but that is limiting and shoppers not wearing masks may also shop during those special hours so the masked shoppers are still exposed to those unmasked shoppers. I heard this quote in
several places: “having some people wear masks and some not is like having a peeing section in the swimming pool.” A solution to this could be to establish morning mask-only shopping for a few hours each day, leaving the vast majority of shopping time available to mask-optional shoppers. I was at Haywood Appliances in Clyde the other day and was pleased to note that no one was allowed in without a mask and some were provided. I’m also hearing that most, if not all, airlines are requiring all passengers to wear one. I also heard the CEO of Walmart state that one of his main concerns was customers who did not follow CDC guidelines for wearing masks and maintaining social distance from others. If you are also concerned, please share this idea with the managers of local stores you use. We’re all in this together, so let’s help each other stay safe and stop the spread. Nancy Copeland Waynesville
Bob Scott
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Smoky Mountain News
We see the results of their service to this day. Especially in the National Forest. Voluntary national service has some bipartisan support. As we dig out from this pandemic, let us look seriously at giving our young citizens the opportunity to serve. There are far more young people wanting to serve than our government provides. Public service funding has been seriously cut while corporate funding has soared. Can a nation survive when we do not encourage and make public service available? Our young’uns want to be a part. Nationally we are seeing membership in civic clubs, veterans’ organizations, and so forth, decline. I think it is because we have tended to play down service as we have turned politics into a profession rather than a service. Let us consider bailing out our younger generation with the opportunity for local, state and national service. Now. We can pay for it. COVID-19 gives us the excuse for doing so. In 1963 I had finished basic training and active duty in the National Guard when I was accepted into the Peace Corps to work in Panama, rural health. But I had to make a choice between the Peace Corps or to attend officer candidate school. I chose the latter. I often wonder what the Peace Corps would have made of me as a person if I had spent two years in rural Panama? I do not think either the Army or the Peace Corps would consider an old geezer such as myself this late in life. So, open those doors for the younger generation. Give them a chance to serve. I have memories. I can sit and think. What if …? (Bob Scott is Mayor of Franklin. scoopscott@aol.com)
May 13-19, 2020
OVID-19 has given me the opportunity to sit and think. Not just daydream. I am not sure whether this is good or bad. This is one of those times. I thought back to the time six months ago when everything was normal. A young lady and a young gentleman, both Franklin High School grads now finishing college, asked me to write them a letter of reference. I was honored to do so. I believe we will hear great triumphs from them as they experience life. FHS does that. I hope both will go into national service. If we learn anything from this Guest Columnist shutdown it is public service is one of the highest callings a person can experience. Which brings me to my point for today. We need local, state and national service. I agree with one of my favorite columnists, David Brooks of the New York Times, who wrote this week that there is a passionate, idealistic generation out there that “sees the emergency, wants to serve those around them and groans to live up to this moment.” At no time that I can remember have we had as many people in politics who never served in the military, the Peace Corps, Public Health Service, or AmeriCorps teaching students in inner-city schools. We are seeing the need in rural areas such as ours for these programs. Many of the people who helped build Franklin and Macon County came here as members of the CCC during the Great Depression. They stayed on. Integrating into the community.
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BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER hen Richard Gray was 9 years old, he would get up at 3:30 a.m. and ride his bicycle down to the docks on the coast of Maine to help the lobstermen of his hometown of Gouldsboro. “I’d load up bait trays, fuel boats, put traps on boats,” Gray said. “Then, I’d jump back on my bike and ride to school, only to ride back to the docks after school to unload the boats. I was probably the only 9-year-old making $75 bucks a day.” Reminiscing about his early days in the seafood industry, Gray sits at a table in the middle of the Wicked Fresh Seafood & Meat Market. Located just off Main Street in downtown Waynesville, the business will celebrate one year in operation next month. “Those first couple of months after we opened, we were wondering if we’d done the right thing, everything was slow and people weren’t coming in,” Gray said. “But, things have been picking up since then, especially recently with people [under the current circumstances] being at home and cooking more.” With Gray at the helm, Wicked Fresh is a direct line to seafood from Maine. The live lobsters are shipped overnight from his cousin’s boat, while the prized scallops and rest of the seafood selection are harvested from an array of independent vendors up and down the coast.
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A&E
Smoky Mountain News
MOUNTAINS TO SEA Wicked Fresh Seafood & Meat Market
“In the seafood and meat business, you can’t bring in anything mediocre. Every piece we sell is our reputation on the line — it has to be the good stuff.” — Richard Gray
“If I call my cousin with a lobster order before 3 p.m. then I can have fresh lobster from his boat up in Maine to my store in Waynesville by 10:30 the next morning,” Gray marveled. Though a Mainer through and through, Gray found Western North Carolina via Florida. After a short stint as a CNA down there, he and his fiancé, Wicked Fresh co-owner Maria Cintron, packed up their family and belongings and headed for Haywood County after a serendipitous trip to Maggie Valley. “We just fell in love with this area, the people are so friendly and welcoming, just like the folks back in Maine — everyone seems to take a genuine interest in each other, and that matters,” Gray said. Looking back, Gray, now 51, can only smile and shake his head in awe when he talks about being a teenager and deciding to drop out of high school to become a full-time Maine lobstermen. “The money was just so good. I was a freshman and I could make more than my stepdad was at that time,” Gray said. “When you work on the ocean, you can make a good living. You’ve got to work your ass off, but you can make a good living.” Being out in the elements on the mighty Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the sheer beauty and raw splendor of Mother Nature, with a complete freedom to haul fish and make a living with his hands — it all appealed to Gray.
Want to know more? Wicked Fresh Seafood & Meat Market is located at 171 Montgomery Street in Waynesville. For more information, click on www.facebook.com/wickedfreshseafood, call 828.476.5020 or email wickedfreshseafoodwnc@gmail.com. “I was lucky enough to hook up with this old-timer. He’s since passed, but he showed me how to do things and how to do them his way, which was the right way,” Gray said. “Years later, I ended up bowling in a men’s league with him when he was around 85 years old. The stories these old lobstermen would tell — it was unbelievable.” When he was 19, Gray joined the U.S. Army and served in the Gulf War. It was an extremely difficult and emotional experience for Gray, who found himself in the midst of fierce combat, memories that still echo loudly in his mind. After seven and a half years in the military, Gray returned to civilian life. “After I got out of the Army, I went right back to Maine and into the woods for seclusion — I didn’t want anything to do with anybody,” Gray solemnly said. “But, it was the birth of my daughter that ‘brought me back.’ It was a full circle kind of thing where I wanted
to make sure that I’m there to walk her down the aisle someday.” These days, Gray’s teenage daughter helps out at Wicked Fresh. It means a lot to Gray to see her learn the family business, the value of hard work, and to interact with customers. “I’m a lucky guy to be a dad to that little girl,” Gray said, pointing to his daughter behind the store register. “She’s 14 years old and could just be at home right now sleeping in like most 14-year olds. But, she’s up and here every day from open to close. I hope this is something she’d like to stick with, but I just like getting to spend the days with her.” Rising up from the table at Wicked Fresh, Gray reenters his workday, which, thankfully, has been filled lately by the sounds of the phone ringing with folks in search of fresh fish. “In the seafood and meat business, you can’t bring in anything mediocre. Every piece we sell is our reputation on the line — it has to be the good stuff,” Gray said. And though Gray’s over 1,200 miles away from Gouldsboro, that distance seems that much closer with each lobster sold, each customer walking away happily with fresh seafood. “When I go home to Maine, I still go out on the boat with the guys,” Gray said. “When you’re out there on the ocean and all you hear are the seagulls, the hum of the boat and the waves crashing — it’s therapeutic. Once you’re a fisherman, it never leaves your blood.”
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
(photo: Garret K. Woodward)
It was the work of the quiet mountains, this torrent of purity at my feet
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Smoky Mountain News
alking out of my apartment this past Tuesday, the morning sun illuminated the mud plastered all over the side of my ole Toyota Tacoma. It was time to edit and put out the newspaper, but the only thing I could think about was when I could once again escape into the wildness. In the last six days, I’ve gone on six adventures into the woods. Mostly in a quest to go trail running, I’ve found myself in the depths of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee, each time as awe-inspiring and invigorating as the next. Being out in the elements amid a jog along a meandering ridge or hike up a steep mountainside is a Zen zone of sorts that I continually seek, as I can imagine is the same kind of feeling for many of y’all reading this column. But, during this quarantine, the urge to disappear into the forest has amplified in my heart and soul, where once I’m done writing
(and my assignments) in the morning, I’m immediately jumping into my pickup and taking off for the hills, only to return back to my humble abode sometime around dinner. It all started last Thursday afternoon. Looking outside the office window of the newsroom, the clouds were dark and ominous, with raindrops soon hitting the roof of the building. But, no matter, just throw on another layer of dri-fit and hit the trails behind Western Carolina University. It’s just rainwater, who cares? And besides, splashing through mud puddles never gets old, didn’t you know? By the next morning, my legs felt great from the WCU run, so I decided to find another trail. With an empty afternoon in front of me, I took off in search of a remote access point on the Appalachian Trail. In an effort to purposely get lost and find myself in the process, every-so-often I’ll fill up my gas tank and try to locate these AT access points on desolate Forest Service roads. Aside from the simple fun of discovery, it’s a wild thing to track down these far-off trail crossings where one can head up the AT and reach certain spots that would normally take days to hike towards. Jumping off Exit 451 on Interstate 40 at
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May 13-19, 2020
Martha Sundquist State Forest.
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the state line of North Carolina and Tennessee, I took a right down the gravel road. It was about an hour and a half drive to the access point, where I lost cell service a half-hour into the jaunt. Pavement turned to gravel turned to dirt turned to mud. Eventually, I wound up passing through the Martha Sundquist State Forest way out in the middle of nowhere. Kept going. Didn’t find the AT access point (not this time, at least), but did stumble across another trailhead. The Brown Gap Trail. Screw it, this’ll do, eh? Three-mile roundtrip trek up the mountainside along a roaring creek. The trail was unkempt, where I was probably the first person to traverse it in years. Wandered by small waterfalls and through thickets. Back down to the truck. Grabbed my ukulele and my copy of Studs Terkel’s seminal book Hard Times (quite a poignant read for our current era, by the way). Soon realized the dirt road I was parked on was the state line. Plucked my uke and read a little out of the book. Surreal scene, physically and emotionally, as I sat there. Hopped in the truck to head home, but took my time. Slowly cruising by vast, untouched meadows and evening sunshine peering through old trees high above. At one point, I even came across the burial site of a Civil War soldier, up near this creek, all by itself. Continued on. Saw an old abandoned homestead in a field. Stopped the truck and walked across the field to it. Stepped inside and saw the handmade stone fireplace, the beautiful wood hammered in decades or centuries ago. Thought about all the meals cooked over that fireplace. Thought about the long-gone faces that called the place “home.” Walked back across the field to the truck and pondered the infinite sunsets that have fallen over this landscape. Crossed back into North Carolina. My heart and soul vibrated, as always when in the presence of adventures held close. And that’s been the theme of the last week, which is trying to make every day into some sort of adventure. Take off and find a new road to wander down, a new river to sit by or trail to immerse yourself in. Get your shoes and your ole truck muddy. Enjoy the moment that Mother Nature has provided you for that day. These last six days have realigned my deep love and passion for the backwoods, something I’ve been too busy as of late to dive into, where the only time to go for a run — between assignments during the week or being on the road during the weekend — usually involved jogging atop some pavement in some downtown. This “new normal” we find ourselves in has been difficult for many to navigate, including myself at certain junctures of this isolation period. But, I’m finding that this time alone has been ideal for self-reflection, and for personal healing. It has been an ongoing process of cathartic thoughts and actions, of which I hold my head high and in optimism for what the future holds — for all of us. Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
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Smoky Mountain News
May 13-19, 2020
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Books
Smoky Mountain News
Strange times Libraries, Memorial Day, and the Coronavirus
Jeff Minick
Strange times breed strange circumstances. Many of the books reviewed here come from my public library. I visit there often, three and four times a week, and meander around looking at the new releases, selecting ones I want to read and deem worthy of review. Writer With the library having been closed for weeks because of the coronavirus, that option was off the table. But when I learned from my daughter that the librarians would deliver books to patrons in the parking lot, it was Christmas in May for me. I phoned, listened to a machine for a brief time, punched in a number, and was soon talking to Cecilia. “What books do you want?” she asked me after confirming that yes, she would bring the books to me. Here I was stymied. I had looked online at their holdings, found the two books I desired were unavailable, and explained to her I usually browsed the shelves to find what I wanted. “Surprise me,” I told her, and asked her to select six books, three fiction and three nonfiction, explaining they needed a publishing date no earlier than 2019. Two hours later I arrived in the parking lot and telephoned to announce my arrival. Cecilia followed a special protocol in delivering the books to me. Wearing a mask and gloves, she pushed a library cart through a side door and met me on the sidewalk. She stepped back, I took the plastic bag of books from the cart, she took hold of the cart, and I handed her a bag of biscotti, brownies, and
other goodies, all wrapped and sealed in plastic, I’d bought for her and her coworkers at my beloved coffee shop, which is offering takeout service during the pandemic. Cecilia gingerly accepted the bag, and the transaction was complete. When I thanked her for her efforts, she
informed me that two other librarians had helped make the selections, which amused me. I imagined them with their heads together, asking one another, “So what does this Minick character like to read?” Had they looked up my checkout record on their computer? Whatever they did, their selections delighted me. I’ve already begun Martha MacCallum’s Unknown Valor, the story of her relatives who fought the Japanese in World War II, and at least three of their other picks will surely hold my attention: Steve Berry’s The Warsaw Protocol, a suspense novel; Ariana Neumann’s When Time Stopped, a memoir of a Jewish father trapped in Germany; and Anna Napolitano’s novel, Dear Edward. Next time I will bring pastries and flowers.
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••• Memorial Day this year will also be strange. We’ll still enjoy a three-day weekend, and we can only hope the stay-at-home orders will be eased or rescinded entirely, yet music concerts and sporting contests will remain out of bounds, vacations to the beach curtailed, and in some places, backyard barbeques restricted to a certain number of people. But perhaps we might gain from a more subdued celebration of Memorial Day. For this special day was never intended as a day of pleasure, but as a time to remember those soldiers, sailors, and airmen from all our wars who gave their lives for our liberties. We can pay homage to those men and women in all sorts of ways. Some of us might visit a soldier’s grave and adorn it with flowers, push a small flag into the earth beside the headstone, or trim the grass around that headstone. We might visit the courthouse in our community with its monuments honoring those who died, often with their names engraved on bronze or in stone. We might observe the National Moment of Remembrance, an act of Congress in 2000 asking Americans to pause at 3 p.m. local time and for 60 seconds maintain a silence in honor of those who died in our wars. And we might take a few minutes to read some poetry appropriate to this day of remembrance. If we go online and Google “Memorial Day Poetry,” we find a score or more of sites devoted to that topic. Here is John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields” with its well-known opening lines, “In Flanders fields the poppies
blow/Between the crosses, row on row.” Here, too, we find appropriate verses by other famous poets like Walt Whitman, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Rupert Brooke. We can also discover poems less familiar to us, like Merrill Glass’s “But You Didn’t:” Remember the time you lent me your car and I dented it? I thought you’d kill me... But you didn’t. Remember the time I forgot to tell you the dance was formal, and you came in jeans? I thought you’d hate me... But you didn’t. Remember the times I’d flirt with other boys just to make you jealous, and you were? I thought you’d drop me... But you didn’t. There were plenty of things you did to put up with me, to keep me happy, to love me, and there are so many things I wanted to tell you when you returned from Vietnam... But you didn’t. Finally, we might ponder Abraham Lincoln’s words when he spoke in 1863 at the dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: “… that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Honor the past, honor those who gave their lives for our present, and we can give our children and grandchildren the future. (Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher. minick0301@gmail.com)
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Outdoors
Smoky Mountain News
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VISIT FROM INTERIOR SECRETARY
Smokies reopens DOI Secretary makes visit; Tribe, Parkway also increase public access BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER isitors from 26 different states and Washington, D.C., traveled to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last weekend after it opened for the first time since coronavirus concerns prompted a complete closure March 24.
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(RE)OPENING WEEKEND Overall the weekend went well, according to Smokies Spokesperson Dana Soehn, though not all visitors complied with park guidelines asking visitors to avoid crowded areas and practice social distancing. “The Smokies was a busy place this weekend, but conditions never became overwhelming for staff or visitor congestion,” said Soehn. “Core park roads were open, providing access
Stay safe While the park has entered its first phase of reopening, visitor cooperation is needed to ensure that the Smokies can remain open in face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Observe these rules while visiting. • If you’re not feeling well or have had contact with somebody who tested positive for COVID-19, stay home. • Start early to avoid crowds. If you come across a full parking lot, don’t park along the road shoulder. Find a new destination. • Maintain at least 6 feet between yourself and others, including park employees. • Pack in and out everything you may need for the day, including water, snacks and hand sanitizer. Many of the restrooms may be closed in the early stages of reopening.
GSMNP photo
to iconic locations like Cades Cove and Newfound Gap, with direct access to over 50 trailheads where people could go for a short hike or access the vast network of backcountry trails. Aside from a few hotspots, visitor use was dispersed across open areas in the park.” The Smokies was just one of many parks across the nation to close down as U.S. coronavirus cases picked up. The park had initially tried to reduce risk by closing specific facilities, like visitor centers and campgrounds, but visitation only increased as other traditional spring break destinations like beaches closed and people who may have otherwise sought out these locations turned to the Smokies instead. On Tuesday, March 24, the park announced that it would close all of its roads and trails after a weekend in which about 30,000 people entered the park each day, making safe social distancing difficult to come by in many areas. Though no specific visitation figures are currently available for the weekend of May 9, visitor use was generally dispersed and people generally respectful, Soehn said. People were good about remaining 6 feet away when speaking to employees, and for the most part visitors were able to find ample, non-congested places to hike. That said, despite several of the park’s most popular hikes being closed, there were still too many people at wellknown places like Rainbow Falls Trail, where parking lots overflowed. At Rainbow Falls, people parked along the roadside for about a mile to access the trailhead. “At these places, there seemed to be little regard for following social distancing guidance in the parking lots, destinations and restroom areas,” said Soehn. “People should keep this in mind as they make hiking choices.” The weekend did include one search and rescue operation in which the crew carried out a hiker located about 1.5 miles from the trailhead. All emergency response team members wore masks and gloves and were able to safely complete the operation, Soehn said.
Mountains National Park has joined the list of National Parks that are safely expanding access to the public.” The National Park Service includes 419 different units, and reopening will look different for each one, said Bernhardt, depending on the park’s particular resources and the local community’s particular approach to coronavirus prevention. “We really are trying to line up exactly with the governors,” he said in an interview May 5. “I think it’s much easier for local land
The park was still closed on Tuesday, May 5, when U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt traveled from Washington, D.C., for his first visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He spent time in parkside communities and met with park employees to hear firsthand how the closure was affecting them. “It was an honor to have the Secretary here to express his concern for the health and safety of our employees,” said Smokies Superintendent Cassius Cash. “The Smokies is one of the busiest parks in the system, and it is important for us to provide opportunities for our leadership to hear from the men and women on the front lines. No one can articulate the challenges of providing visitor services during this pandemic better than our employees.” Bernhardt began his day in Cherokee, visiting the tribe’s drive-thru testing facility and then working with Principal Chief Richard Sneed to pack and hand out meals at Cherokee Central Schools, along with reusable face masks that he had brought along for the purpose. The masks are an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is working with Visitors park along the road for a mile past Rainbow Falls Trail partners to distribute after the trailhead parking lot fills up. Dana Soehn/NPS photo them to critical infrastructure workers who don’t need medical grade masks, vulnerable managers if they know that they’re lining up populations and other communities nationto a set of standards that are consistent with wide. what the community’s doing, and not someFrom Cherokee, Bernhardt went to thing that’s disparate.” Oconaluftee Visitor Center for a 30-minute That said, there will be some common chat with park employees before driving up to themes across Park Service lands when it Newfound Gap and back down to Sugarlands comes to post-pandemic operations. Visitor Center to meet with a separate group Generally speaking, parks will open up of employees on the Tennessee side of the trails and roads first and from there move to park. specific facilities, Bernhardt said. Parks are “It was my privilege to meet with maintefollowing a national protocol in which they nance crews, law enforcement officers and look at each service and facility provided prior National Park employees at the Great Smoky to the pandemic and then decide which servMountains National Park, who have continices they can and cannot continue to provide ued their work,” Bernhardt said. “As the within the confines of CDC, state and local majority of our park units have health guidelines. remained accessible during this challenging “It will be driven by where are time, it’s great that the Great Smoky the governors, what are our staffing
Forest plan comment period extended
outdoors
Originally slated to end May 14, the public comment period for the Nantahala and Pisgah forest plan will now extend through June 29. The period was elongated in response to disruption caused by the coronavirus. In particular, the crisis prevented the U.S. Forest Service from holding the open house events it had planned. Going forward, the planning team will host a series of virtual open houses during which they will answer public questions using conference calls. The open houses do not require internet access to attend. Virtual open houses will be held: n Thursday, May 28, 6:30-8 p.m. n Tuesday, June 2, 7:30-9 a.m. n Thursday, June 4, 5:30-7 p.m. n Monday, June 8, noon-1:30 p.m. To join, call 888.251.2949 or
215.861.0694 using access code 3889103#. Similar to an open house meeting, information will be organized by topics such as recreation, wildlife, timber and wilderness. In addition to the proposed plan and analysis, a full suite of supporting materials is already online, including a two-minute introductory video, a visual reader’s guide, an overview presentation, detailed presentations, questions and answers on multiple topics and interactive maps. Submit questions in advance by email to sm.fs.nfsncqandas@usda.gov. This email address is exclusively for submitting questions for the telephone question and answer sessions. Comments on the proposed plan must be submitted through the online commenting system or by mail. For more information, including the aforementioned supporting materials and instructions for submitting questions and comments, visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision.
Free virtual summer camp available Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt speaks with a maintenance crew at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tami Heilemann/DOI photo capabilities and can folks maintain social distance,” Bernhardt said.
A PHASED REOPENING
On the North Carolina side, the primary roads for accessing the Smokies are U.S.
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Smoky Mountain News
REGIONAL COORDINATION
Allergies getting you down?
May 13-19, 2020
The park announced its initial reopening plan April 30 after N.C. Gov Roy Cooper indicated that he would not extend the state’s Stay At Home order past its May 8 expiration date. The park plans to reopen in a series of four phases, with an assessment period of at least two weeks between each. On May 9, most of the Smokies’ roads and trails were available for public use, but many other facilities remained closed. “As long as the virus infection rates remain low in the region and there is a general downward trend, the park will gradually increase access and services,” said Soehn. Generally speaking, the second phase of reopening will include more roads and restrooms, as well as some campgrounds. By the third phase, all park roads, restrooms, campgrounds and picnic areas will open. The fourth and final phase will include resumption of all public programs, school programs and special events. The post-pandemic status quo will look different than that which existed prior to the closure. Plexiglas shields will be installed in the visitor centers, maintenance workers will wear personal protective equipment when cleaning restrooms and new procedures will be in place for disinfecting buildings and responding to emergencies.
441 through the Qualla Boundary and the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, by late March coronavirus concerns had prompted closure of both accesses. Regional coordination resulted in those closures being lifted just in time for the Smokies’ first phase of reopening. On Friday, May 8, the Blue Ridge Parkway announced that it would reopen its southernmost 14 miles — the Parkway’s terminus is at the Smokies’ entrance — on May 9, even as much of the Parkway’s remaining route through Western North Carolina remained closed through May 15. “We know the park’s recreation opportunities and scenic beauty provide important ways to connect with our natural environment during this time, and for many a leisurely drive on the Parkway provides solace,” said Parkway Superintendent J.D. Lee. “Our phased approach to the 2020 visitor season is focused on balancing the enjoyment and protection of this park with the enjoyment and protection of our visitors.” Lee’s decision followed Principal Chief Richard Sneed’s May 5 announcement that checkpoints limiting access to the Qualla Boundary and a curfew that had been in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 p.m. would end effective 10 p.m. May 8. The tribe has set up a new checkpoint to ensure that only locals use its single shopping plaza, and many businesses will remain closed for the time being in an effort to discourage tourists from stopping in Cherokee on their way to the park. Still, Sneed said, it’s important for the park, the tribe and the region as a whole to find a way to exist sustainably in this new normal. “We’re going to have to adapt, because we can’t stay closed indefinitely,” he said. “We just can’t.”
The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina will hold its annual summer camp virtually this year in response to COVID-19 concerns — and it will be free to all campers. Our Big Backyard, open to children ages 6 to 10 and scheduled for the entire month of July, will include activities that focus on environmental awareness, art and creativity, healthy food choices and outdoor activities. Campers will receive weekly activity kits every Monday in July that contain all the supplies and materials needed to complete activities throughout the week. The contents of the kits are funded by grants, private gifts and in-kind donations from local businesses. Conservancy staff is working with N.C. Cooperative Extension Office, Burke County Center and TOSS to develop educational and art activities. Space is limited, with spots available for a first-come, first-served basis. Sign up at www.foothillsconservancy.org/obb by June 1. Contact Beth Willard-Patton or Sophie Shelton, 828.437.9930.
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0% for 84 months + Defer Three Payments Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit Financing. Customer can defer first payment up to 120 days (PGM #21126). Deferral requires Ford Credit financing. 0% APR financing for 84 months at $11.90 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment (PGM #21128). This program is NOT compatible with other public, private offers or direct offers. For APR rates other than 0%, interest will continue to accrue during deferral period. For PA residents, only available on 0% APR financing. Not available on Super Duty, F-150 Raptor or other specialty vehicles. Residency restrictions apply. For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 5/31/20. See dealer for program compatibility restrictions/exceptions, qualifications and complete details.
May 13-19, 2020
NEW 2019 FORD SUPER DUTY
0% for 60 months + Defer Three Payments Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit financing. 0% APR financing for 60 months at $16.67 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment (PGM #21096). Residency restrictions apply. This program is NOT compatible with other public, private offers or direct offers. For APR rates other than 0%, interest will continue to accrue during deferral period. For PA residents, only available on 0% APR financing. For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 5/31/20. See dealer for program compatibility restrictions/exceptions, qualifications and complete details..
Smoky Mountain News
NEW 2020 FORD MODELS
0% for 72 months + Defer Three Payments Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit financing. 0% APR financing for 72 months at $13.89 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment (PGM #21084). This program is NOT compatible with other public, private offers or direct offers. For APR rates other than 0%, interest will continue to accrue during deferral period. For PA residents, only available on 0% APR financing. Not available on Super Duty, F150 Raptor or other specialty vehicles. Residency restrictions apply. For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 5/31/20. See dealer for program compatibility restrictions/exceptions, qualifications and complete details.
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Phase reopening starts in the Smokies
page at https://go.nps.gov/roadinfo for more information. Seasonal visitor service facilities including campgrounds, picnic areas, restrooms and visitor centers remain closed at this time. In Virginia, closures are still in effect for miles 0 to 13 adjacent to Shenandoah National Park, milepost 85.9 at Peaks of Otter and milepost 92.5 at Sharp Top. “Our phased approach to the 2020 visitor season is focused on balancing the enjoyment and protection of this park with the enjoyment and protection of our visitors,” said Parkway Superintendent J.D. Lee. “I encourage everyone who visits the Parkway in the coming days to recreate responsibly while here, whether that’s social distancing on park trails or driving safely on this beautiful, scenic drive.” In the coming weeks, the Blue Ridge Parkway will examine each facility function and service to ensure operations comply with current public health guidance. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid highrisk outdoor activities. Updates on park operations are available at www.nps.gov/blri and the Parkway’s social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
Balsam Mountain Road, Heintooga Round Bottom Road, Straight Fork Road and Twentymile Road. Visitor centers and campgrounds remain closed, but the Sugarlands Riding Stables are open. Cades Cove Riding Stables and LeConte Lodge will reopen on May 18 and the Cades Cove Campstore and Smokemont Riding Stables will reopen on May 23. The Smoky Mountain Riding Stables’ reopening date is pending. Dates are subject to change. Special Park Use Permits will be issued only to groups of 10 or fewer for outdoor locations and durations up to 30 minutes.
May 13-19, 2020
The Blue Ridge Parkway has reopened its southernmost 14 miles and plans to reopen additional gates this weekend once seasonal mowing and road preparations are complete. Reopened areas in North Carolina include: n Mileposts 292-296.5 near Blowing Rock, including Moses Cone Parking Area and Bass Lake Parking Lot. n Mileposts 298.6-308 through Grandfather Mountain area, including Rough Ridge and Linn Cove Viaduct. n Milepost 316.4 Linville Falls Spur Road, including parking at Linville Falls trailheads. n Mileposts 334-342 including Crabtree Falls Area near Little Switzerland. n Mileposts 355-375.6 from Mt. Mitchell to Ox Creek, including Craggy Gardens. n Milepost 377.4, parking areas at Craven Gap (Town Mountain Rd) for Mountainsto-Sea Trail access. n Milepost 384.7, roadside parking at MST Trailheads at U.S. 74A Parkway access ramps. n Mileposts 393 to 469 from French Broad River Overlook and south to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Road maintenance projects are underway in some of these areas. Visitors may experience delays or one-lane closures and should check the Parkway’s Road Closure
outdoors
Parkway begins reopening
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park opened most trails and roads when it entered its first phase of reopening last weekend, but some areas and facilities remain closed. Newfound Gap Road, Little River Road, Cherokee Orchard Road, Laurel Creek Road, Lakeview Drive Road, Deep Creek Road, Gatlinburg Bypass and Wear Cove Road are now open. Cades Cove Loop Road will open daily at 8 a.m., with no closures for bicycle-only traffic at this time. Restrooms are open at Newfound Gap, Sugarlands Visitor Center, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Cable Mill in Cades Cove, Abram Falls Trailhead, Rainbow Falls Trailhead and at all open picnic areas. Open picnic areas include Chimney Tops and Cades Cove. The picnic areas at Collins Creek, Metcalf Bottoms and Deep Creek area open, but their pavilions are closed. Laurel Falls, Alum Cave and Chimney Tops Trails are still closed, as is the Clingmans Dome Tower. However, all other trails and backcountry campsites and shelter are now open, though with reduced capacity limits. Many trailheads will not be accessible due to road access. Backcountry permits are now available, but A.T. thru-hiker permits are not.
The following roads remain closed to motorists but are available for pedestrians and cyclists: Clingmans Dome Road, Elkmont Road, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Tremont Road, Greenbrier Road, Cosby Road, Big Creek Road, Old N.C. 284, Cataloochee Road, Abrams Creek Road, Forge Creek Road, Rich Mountain Road, Little Greenbrier Road,
Arboretum lifts closure
rooms available. The arboretum will continue to operate under its fall and winter property hours schedule, closing at 7 p.m. with the incoming gate closing an hour beforehand at 6 p.m. n Parking fee payments may be made with credit cards only, not cash. n All on-site programming remains suspended, but online classes are available for registration on the website at www.ncarboretum.org.
Smoky Mountain News
Trails at the 434-acre N.C. Arboretum in Asheville reopened on Saturday, May 9, as the campus begins Phase 1 resumed operations. Restrictions will be in place during this phase. n The number of cars will be limited to 50 percent capacity, and the main parking area will be inaccessible due to heavy construction. n Guests are encouraged to use the trail system only. Garden access may be restricted in certain areas with one-way routes in use. n Groups of 10 or more are discouraged, and guests are asked to stay 6 feet away from others. Face coverings are encouraged while on the property. n Both buildings and the Bonsai Exhibition Garden will remain closed, with portable rest-
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Watch for giant hornets The Asian giant hornet has yet to be detected in North Carolina, but the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is asking residents to keep an eye out and report sightings of the pest. The world’s largest species of hornet, the insects measure 1.5 to 2 inches long and have an orange-yellow head with prominent eyes, and black-and-yellow stripes on their abdomens. They do not generally attack people or pets but are known to rapidly destroy beehives.
“There are many wasp and hornet lookalikes that are beneficial insects, so residents are asked to exercise caution before deciding to kill any large hornets,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. Cicada killers and European hornets do occur in North Carolina and can be confused with the Asian Giant Hornet. To report a suspected sighting, take a photo and submit it using the instructions at projects.ncsu.edu/cals/plantpath/extension/clinic/submit-sample.html.
Smoky Mountain News
May 13-19, 2020
Present with 4-H
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Great Smokies
STORAGE Call 828.506.4112
Haywood County youth ages 5 to 18 are invited to participate in the 4-H Presentation Competition, with submissions due by Tuesday, June 9. To participate, 4-H members research a topic of interest and prepare a 5- to 10-minute presentation that includes a visual aid such as a poster, PowerPoint or prop as they explain their topic to a panel of judges. Categories are ages 8-10, 11-13 and 14-18, with a noncompetitive category for ages 5-7. First-place winners in each age division receive a $20 Cloverbucks certificate and advance to the District Activity Day competition, which this year will be held electronically as youth submit a one-take video without editing. Presenters can get held with their presentations on Tuesday afternoons using Zoom. Contact 4H Agent Coley Bartholomew for details at coley_bartholomew@ncsu.edu.
greatsmokiesstorage.com
Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage goes virtual
Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction
The annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was one of the causalities of coronavirus cancellations, but an online version of the event is now underway. The virtual event runs from May 11-17 and uses the app iNaturalist to allow participants to add observations such as pictures and sound recordings of all the usual groups of organisms they would normally see during the pilgrimage, including wildflower, trees, ferns, mosses, insects, spiders, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Observations can be logged anywhere, not confined to park or even regional boundaries. No knowledge about identifying organisms is necessary to participate — biologists, park officials and other pilgrims will all help identify organisms while also providing some chat and discussion.
Puzzles can be found on page 30 These are only the answers.
Sign up at https://bit.ly/35TmYR8. It’s free to participate, but pilgrims are asked to donate enough to cover the cost of the event, which is about $5 per person. Sponsored by the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society with partnerships from the Great Smoky Mountains Association, University of Tennessee, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Association of Southeastern Biologists, National Park Service and Visit Gatlinburg.
WNC Calendar PLEASE CHECK WITH ORGANIZERS TO ENSURE EVENTS HAVE NOT BEEN CANCELED BEFORE TRAVELING TO AN EVENT LISTED BELOW. • Keller Williams Great Smokies Realty, Waynesville associates will be collecting nonperishable food items through May 14 to support Haywood Christian Ministries. Items can be dropped off at 434 Russ Ave., Waynesville, through May 14. For more information, visit kw.com. • The community is invited to donate blood between 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. May 13 at Smoky Mountain Sk8way & Fun Zone in Waynesville. A disco themed drive complete with disco music, disco ball and, of course, a cantina of snacks and drinks will be provided. To make an appointment or to learn more, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, or call 1.800.RED.CROSS. • The Jackson County Branch of the NC NAACP meeting scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16, will be held online. The program topic is "Confronting the Rise of Racial Violence in the COVID Era." Email jcnaacp54ab@gmail.com to receive instructions to join online. The public is welcome to join this meeting. • The Jackson County Democratic Party will hold its monthly meeting virtually on Tuesday, May 19. Anyone interested in attending should contact Frank Burrell, chairman, at 828.586.8782. Everyone who attends regularly should receive an invitation via email. • North Shore Cemetery Association announced the cancellation of all North Shore Cemetery Decorations through June 15. At present, all group activities within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are suspended through June 15 and this may change in the future given the complexity and unknown factors concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. • The Annual Cemetery Decoration at Lauada Cemetery routinely scheduled for the fourth Sunday in May will be held May 24 this year. Lauada known by many as the cemetery with the small white crosses on the hill west of Bryson City at Almond on U.S. 19. • Bardo Arts Center has a new webpage dedicated to virtual opportunities at arts.wcu.edu/virtual. Highlights include a series of Thursday lunchtime webinar presentations, which will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube, as well as through the arts.wcu.edu/virtual website. The Thursday webinar series opens with a theatrical talkback, followed by three webinars related to WCU Fine Art Museum exhibitions. • All Fontana Regional Library locations in Macon, Jackson, and Swain counties will remain closed until further notice. • Moe Davis, the Democratic nominee for Congress in the 11th District, will be hosting a series of "Moe Talks" Facebook Live virtual town halls. There will be two events to be held at the same time each week: from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Mondays and from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursdays. Topics will change week to week. Viewers can submit questions in advance to the @MoeDavisforCongress Facebook Page.
BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Join Pisgah Legal’s virtual Justice Matters Tour from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 21, to find out more about how civil legal aid can be an effective anti-poverty tool and our response to the COVID-19 crisis, including being a resource for community members facing unemployment, a loss of health insurance, and domestic violence situations. To register, visit https://www.pisgahlegal.org/justice-matters-tour/. • Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment will be offering a four-week online introduction to Cherokee language course, enti-
n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com tled, “Cherokee 101 – Online,” July 6-31. Registration fee is $129. EBCI members and Veterans of the US Armed Forces may register for $89. For more information and to register, visit http://learn.wcu.edu/language. • Small business owners can find materials and services to support business growth at Fontana Regional Library’s locations in Macon, Jackson and Swain Counties. Computer classes and one-on-one assistance available. 586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org. • Concealed Carry Academy, LLC, will hold a concealed carry class from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 16. Call 828.356.5454 for details. Visit www.wecancarry.com.
VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS • The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events. Alongside help for events and gatherings, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson, and other positions. • Haywood Vocational Opportunities is seeking donations of goods, services, time and support for the second annual “HVO Stans Up to PTSD Veteran Community Resource, Education and Job Fair,” which will be held on June 27. 454.6857. • Feline Urgent Rescue is seeking volunteers and sponsors. Info: 422.2704, www.furofwnc.org, www.facebook.com/furofwnc or 844.888.CATS (2287). • Cat adoption hours are from noon-5 p.m. on Fridays and noon-4 p.m. on Saturdays at 453 Jones Cove Road in Clyde. Adoption fee: $10 for cats one-year and older. Check out available cats at www.petharbor.com. 452.1329 or 550.3662. Senior Companion volunteers are being sought to serve with the Land of the Sky Senior Companion Program in Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Madison Counties. Serve older adults who want to remain living independently at home in those counties. • Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking volunteers to assist rangers with managing traffic and establishing safe wildlife viewing areas within the Cataloochee Valley area. To register for training or get more info: Kathleen_stuart@nps.gov or 497.1914. • Haywood Regional Medical Center is seeking volunteers of all ages for ongoing support at the hospital, outpatient care center and the Homestead. For info and to apply: 452.8301, stop by the information desk in the lobby or volunteer@haymed.org. Anyone interested in becoming a hospice volunteer can call 452.5039. • STAR Rescue Ranch is seeking volunteers to help with horse care, fundraising events, barn maintenance and more at the only equine rescue in Haywood County. 828.400.4940. • Volunteer opportunities are available throughout the region, call John at the Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center and get started sharing your talents. 356.2833. • Phone Assurance Volunteers are needed to make daily or weekly wellness check-in calls for the Haywood County Senior Resource Center. 356.2800.
KIDS & FAMILIES • The Kathryn Byer Memorial Poetry Contest celebrates our mountains and our connection to them in our everyday lives. It is open to all Jackson County students, K-
Smoky Mountain News
12. The poets are divided into three categories: K-4th grade, 5th-8th grade, and 9-12th. Three winners, in addition to Honorable Mentions, will be chosen in each category. Poems should be no longer than 40 lines, but can be much shorter, of course. Poems should be submitted to City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, either in person, mail or by email to more@citylightsnc.com by April 10. Please include “Poetry Contest” in the subject line. The winners in each category will receive gift certificates to City Lights Bookstore and will be invited to read at Greening up the Mountains at 3 p.m. April 25 at City Lights Bookstore. Winners will be announced by April 20. 586.9499. • The Sylva Art + Design Committee is pleased to announce a unique pop-up gallery event that will feature the artistic creations of children ages 5-18 in the Western North Carolina region. “Nature Through A Child’s Eye” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Viva Arts Studio in downtown Sylva. If you have a child that you think may want to be a participant ages of 5-18 apply by emailing sylvaartdesign@gmail.com or vivaartsstudio@gmail.com. Facebook at www.facebook.com/sylvapublicart or on Instagram @sylvaarts. All submissions will be available for purchase and can be picked up after the completion of the exhibition. All money raised will be equally distributed between SADC and the Sylva Community Garden in order to further the betterment of the community through arts, education, and environmental awareness. • Registration is underway for the Challenger International Soccer Camp, which will be offered to ages 3-14 from July 20-24 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Costs vary based on age group from $90-197. Separate goalkeeper and scorer program is $25 for ages 6-14 from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday. Register: challengersports.com. Info: 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov. • Waynesville Art School offers the Young Artist Program in the afternoons for 5-6 year old, 7-8 year old, 9-12 year old. Intro to Printmaking and Evening studies in arts is offered for 13-19 year old. Waynesville Art School is located at 303 N. Haywood Street. Info: 246.9869, info@waynesvilleartschool.com or visit WaynesvilleArtSchool.com for schedule and to register. • Mountain Wildlife offers wildlife education programs for schools and organizations in Western North Carolina, free of charge. If you are interested in having them visit your group contact them at blackbears66@gmail.com, 743.9648 or visit the website at www.mountainwildlifedays.com.
Ongoing HEALTH MATTERS • Free dental clinic for low-income patients, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment at Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project Dental Clinic on the upper level of Laurel Terrace in Cashiers. 743.3393. • The Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers, 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, provides free care to uninsured patients who meet financial need requirements and live or work in Highlands and Cashiers. $10 donation suggested. The clinic is in the Macon County Recreation and Health Building off Buck Creek Road. 526.1991.
VOLUNTEERING • The Haywood County Meals on Wheels program has route openings for volunteer drivers. Substitute drivers
27
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 also needed. • P.A.W.S. Adoption Days first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the front lawn at Charleston Station, Bryson City. • The Community Kitchen in Canton is in need of volunteers. Opportunities range from planning a meal updating their webpage. 648.0014. • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Haywood County is now accepting applications for boys and girls within the Haywood County area between the ages of 6 and 14 who could benefit from an approved adult mentor/role model. No cost to the family. 356.2148. • Gathering Table, 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, at The Community Center, Route 64, Cashiers. Provides fresh, nutritious dinners to all members of the community regardless of ability to pay. Volunteers always needed and donations gratefully accepted. 743.9880. • The Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center has many new openings for volunteers throughout the region. Learn about a wide-range of volunteer opportunities with a variety of non-profit agencies, including respite work, domestic violence hotline volunteers, meal delivery drivers, court mediators, Habitat for Humanity house building, foster grandparenting, charity thrift shops, the Elk Bugle Corps for the Great Smokies National Park and many more. 356.2833. • Community Care Clinic of Franklin needs volunteers for a variety of tasks including nursing/clinical, clerical and administrative and communications and marketing. 349.2085. • Catman2 Shelter in Jackson County needs volunteers for morning feeding and general shelter chores. 293.0892 or hsims@catman2.org. • The Volunteer Water Inventory Network (VWIN) is looking for people to work one to two hours a month taking water samples from local creeks and streams. Fill up empty bottles, collect water samples, and return full bottles. 926.1308 or www.haywoodwaterways.org. • The Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society maintains a museum located in the historical courthouse in room 308. The HCHGS is seeking articles and objects of historical value to Haywood County that anyone would like to share. 456.3923. • REACH of Haywood County is looking for volunteers who would like to assist in its newly expanded resale store. 456 Hazelwood Avenue. 456.7898.
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RESALE STORE ASSOCIATE - Parttime Jackson County: Mountain Projects, Inc. Is currently accepting applications for a Resale Store Associate. Must have experience in retail sales, cash register and customer service. Long periods of standing, must be able to lift 35 lbs., and familiar with social media. Apply online at: www.mountainprojects. org. EOE/AA
LPN NEEDED PHYSICIAN OFFICE Full time LPN position available in Western North Carolina. Oncology experience preferred. M-F, 8-5. Competitive salary with excellent corporate EHQH¿WV 3OHDVH HPDLO resume to: resumes@ ioa.com
AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Get FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Financial DLG IRU TXDOL¿HG VWXdents - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-4416890. WORK FROM ANYWHERE You have an internet connection? 13 positions available. Start as soon as today. As simple as checking your email. Complete online training provided. Visit for details: https://bit.ly/2yewvor MEDICAL BILLING & CODING TRAINING. New Students Only. Call & Press 1. 100% online courses. Financial Aid Available for those who qualify. Call 833-990-0354 MAD BATTER KITCHEN Located in Downtown Sylva is hiring for Cooks. Please respond by emailing: madbatterevents@gmail.com
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29
SUPER
CROSSWORD
TWO-CHANNEL CONNECTION ACROSS 1 Old Glory, for one 5 Up in smoke 11 Refluxes of tides 15 Ankle-knee connector 19 I, to Greeks 20 "Speak up!" 21 Ark captain 22 Chipotle item 23 "Great job, play more!"? 25 Be sweet on 26 Wilson of film 27 One half of a 45 28 Eat 29 Stingy type 30 Get a B, e.g. 31 Mauna 33 Sharp rise in new findings? 36 Napoleon’s birthplace 40 Gem, e.g. 41 Writer - Jackson Braun 42 - out (supplement) 43 Ice melter 45 - word (coinage for one occasion) 48 Throbs 49 Perpetual pampering? 53 Country singer Evans 55 Born, to Gigi 56 Gridiron gp. 57 Repulsive 59 Fiennes or Macchio 62 Fishermen, often 65 "Hear No Evil" star Matlin 67 Really move on the dance floor 71 Round of applause all for
73
75 76 78 79 81 83 84 87 89 93 96 98 99 100 102 105 107 111 112 113 114 116 120 121 122 124 125 126 127 128 129 130
oneself? Company symbol on a container of breathing gas? Capital of Croatia Scrape the bottom of Flushes Antipasto bit Loved by "- Beso" (1962 hit) 56-Across stats Old phone part Distinctive feature of blasting material? Is on hold, say Spanish for "silver" Draft-eligible Item in a pod Congenital Bands of three Most morose Quaint theater where everyone hung out? Post-it note abbr. Soccer immortal Change formally Slugger Willie Evade artfully "Woe is me" - de foie gras Alternate title for this puzzle Madison Avenue prize Hens and cows Bright-shining Appellation Composer Jerome Acoustic pair Pint-size
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Otherwise
DOWN 1 Small lies 2 Actress Singer 3 Just slightly 4 Judges’ mallets 5 Bar drink 6 Cherished 7 Intelligible 8 Hunky guy 9 Most scant 10 Before, to Kipling 11 Spices up 12 Idaho city 13 Cake creator 14 Singer Crow 15 Cork up, as a bottle 16 Maui native 17 Emulate Tara Lipinski 18 "Baloney!" 24 Certain woodwind player 29 Early hi-fi format 32 Berry rich in antioxidants 34 See eye to eye (with) 35 Sis, say 36 Frame of a cartoon 37 Japanese island 38 Calling the shots 39 Nearly 44 WJM anchor Baxter 46 Pop singer Mariah 47 Chunk of history 50 Animal at "una corrida" 51 East - (Asian nation) 52 Spotted, as money 54 Playwright Edward 58 Ad catchphrase 60 Little lake
61 62 63 64 66 68 69 70 72 74 77 80 82 84 85 86 88 90 91 92 94 95 97 101 103 104 106 108 109 110 115 117 118 119 122 123
Texas - (poker game) Singer Scaggs Stunt legend Knievel Very zealous Put out Freaks out Tunes out Canon - Rebel Best possible Bad-pun responses Keep waiting Mr. Big However, briefly Pair of identical products sold as a unit Writer Steel "Babbitt" author Lewis White Rabbit’s woe Tree flutterer New royal of 1981 Kit Confronts Canonized Fr. woman Walked (on) Slip away Electrical resistance measure Subject to legal action Singer Warwick Large city in Nebraska Ward off Ordinance Withered "You’re on!" Mouth parts Lightish sword Salary ceiling Actor Bruce
ANSWERS ON PAGE 26
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May 13-19, 2020
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Birch stills were once common in the hills Editor’s note: This George Ellison column first appeared in a May 2003 edition of The Smoky Mountain News.
A
George Ellison
ll this spring, golden birch catkins were dangling throughout the woodlands of the Smokies region. These are the male, pollen-carrying part of the sweet birch (Betula lenta), also known as black, cherry, or mahogany birch. They served as a reminder that moonshine stills weren’t the only kind of stills that once proliferated the region. Indeed, there was a time more than a century ago — way back in the 1800s — when birch stills were more common Columnist than moonshine stills. For one thing, they weren’t illegal and didn’t need to be hidden. Birch stills were used to produce the extract known variously as birch oil or oil of wintergreen. This wintergreen extract was used to flavor candies, medicines and drugs. Another source for the extract had been the dainty little woodlands plant named wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), also
BACK THEN called checkerberry or teaberry. But sweet birch became the more popular source in the latter part of the 19th century. The only description I’ve been able to find for a birch still is contained in John Parris’ These Storied Mountains (1972). In a chapter aptly titled “The Birch Distillery,” he quotes an old-timer named Bergin Arrowwood: Birch catkins “When I was a boy, my father had a still that he would move about through the mountains to wherever he run on a good stand of sweet birches. Back then sweet birch was the source of wintergreen oil. “He would strip the bark from the sweet birches and distill the oil. His still was made out of two-inch wood that would hold steam. There was a cap over it and a pipe or worm went into it. It had a furnace like an old-time molasses furnace. “As the oil was distilled, it came out of the worm and dropped off into a can of water. Instead of floatin’ like most oils, it sank to the bottom of the can of water. “It would take a day and night to make a run, which would be from about a half gal-
lon to three quarts. It fetched $1.25 a pint and folks back then thought that was pretty good money.” Arrowwood is correct. In the 19th century, $1.25 for a full day’s (and night’s) work was very good money. For instance, as late as the 1930s construction workers along the Blue Ridge Parkway were paid just 30 cents an hour. But, of course, they thought that
was “pretty good money,” and it was. The problem with birch distilling, however, was the devastating amounts of sweet birch required to produce a single quart of oil. After all of the choice bark from the larger trees had been stripped and processed, the birch distillers turned to birch saplings — using both bark and wood
chips — as their source. It required 100 or so of these saplings to render a single quart of the oil from the crude stills. The sweet birch stands in our forests were spared total decimation by the fortuitous development of synthetic oil of wintergreen. This process combines wood alcohol and salicylic acid. Old-time mountaineers also made beer, tea, and syrup from the sap of the sweet birch tree via processes that one can still utilize. The tea-making process is real simple. Gather a little bark and strip out the inner red side. Cut this inner bark into small pieces and pour boiling water over it. Making birch syrup is probably a waste of time. After going to the trouble to tap the trees in early spring, you’ll only get about a pint of syrup per 10 gallons of boiled sap. A recipe for birch beer that reads as follows appears in several sources: “Tap the trunk as the Sugar Maple is tapped, in spring when the sap is rising and the buds are just swelling; jug the sap and throw in a handful of shelled corn, and natural fermentation ... will finish the job for you.” One of the sources appends the warning about birch beer: “It has a reputation for stimulating the appetite. But more than a glass or two at a time is liable to stimulate other things, for it has a kick like a mule.” (George Ellison is a writer and naturalist who lives in Bryson City. info@georgeellison.com.)
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