Smoky Mountain News | June 14, 2023

Millworkers bid farewell in Canton Page

Juneteenth: A community affair Page 14

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CONTENTS

On the Cover:

Trout farms have been a staple of Western North Carolina aquaculture for a while now, but amid a host of challenges created by an increasingly warm, dry climate and even burdensome government regulations, farmers are navigating tricky new roads. (Page 28) A pile of trout filets that were processed at Sunburst.

Holly Kays photo

News

Edwards rejects mill help..................................................................................................4

WCU projects larger freshman class for 2023..........................................................5

Millworkers pay emotional farewell and step into an uncertain world..................6

Sneed calls for forensic audit on cannabis LLC........................................................8

Waynesville detective honored by Red Cross for saving man’s life..................10 Center for Domestic Peace, Mountain Projects open new offices....................11

Younce to replace Taylor on tribal alcohol board....................................................12

Swain County finalizes budget ....................................................................................13

Juneteenth: a community affair......................................................................................14

Opinion

Schools aren’t on their knees begging yet, but........................................................18 Take the bait, or get more sleep?..................................................................................19

A&E

Tyler Ramsey to play Franklin..........................................................................................20

The truths of the imagination are still valuable..........................................................27

Outdoors

N.C. logs record 2022 bear harvest............................................................................31 Up on Moses Creek..........................................................................................................34

ADVERTISING SALES: Susanna Shetley. .

Amanda Bradley.

Sophia Burleigh.

C LASSIFIEDS: Scott Collier. .

N EWS E DITOR: Kyle Perrotti.

WRITING: Holly Kays.

Hannah McLeod.

Cory Vaillancourt.

Garret K. Woodward.

ACCOUNTING & O FFICE MANAGER: Amanda Singletary. .

D ISTRIBUTION: Scott Collier. .

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C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), Don Hendershot (writing), Thomas Crowe (writing)

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

I NFO & B ILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786

Ingles Nutrition Notes

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

TROUT TRIVIA

Thanks to the cool, clean water in Western NC we are fortunate to have trout farms that raise or farm rainbow trout for restaurants, supermarkets, farmers markets and for recreational use to stock streams. These are known as farmed fish or aquaculture. Some names you may be familiar with in trout farming locally are Sunburst Trout Farms in Waynesville and Carolina Mountain Trout in Andrews. You can findSunburst Trout Farms trout filets and many other products in Ingles Markets in Western NC. Carolina Mountain Trout are mostly sold to distributors to supply restaurants throughout the Southeast. Let’s see how much trout trivia you know (answers below).

1. What are“baby” or immature trout called?

2. What are some other types of trout that you might find in streams in Western NC?

3. What is the optimal water temperature for trout?

4. Y/N – Are rainbow trout carnivores?

4. Yes! Rainbow trout are considered exclusively carnivores. They will eat insects, worms, and even other trout.

70’s can cause trout to become stressed, and they won’t eat and high water temperatures can be fatal.

3. 44 degrees - 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperatures in the mid to upper

2. Brown trout, Brook trout, Rainbow trout

1. FINGERLING

Answers:

Leah McGrath - Dietitian

Ingles Markets… caring about your health

Specializing

Edwards rejects mill help

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR

As questions continue to swirl over what Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) did to prevent the loss of around 1,000 jobs at Pactiv Evergreen’s paper mill, Edwards is now coming under fire for politicizing a town hall held June 1 at Canton’s Pisgah High School, for rejecting help from Buncombe County legislators and for ridiculing them in the process.

“It's unfortunate to hear him disparage his constituents and to spurn the help of a group of elected officials eager to assist in this regional crisis,” said Rep. Caleb Rudow, a Democrat who represents North Carolina’s 116th House District. “I wish Congressman Edwards would spend more time focused on what's best for Haywood County and Western North Carolina and less on trying to score a few political points during a moment of crisis."

Rudow, along with fellow Buncombe House Democrats John Ager and Lindsey Prather, hosted a town hall on the same day as the Pisgah town hall, just a few miles down the road in Candler.

They were joined by Buncombe County Sen. Julie Mayfield, Holly Jones of the North Carolina Department of Justice, Drew Christy of Gov. Roy Cooper’s office and Erica Anderson of the Land of Sky

Regional Council.

At the Candler event, Rudow said they shared information with constituents on what local and state governments are concerned about and what they are working on, in an attempt to address what Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers has called a “Carolina crisis.”

Candler is in Buncombe County, where some mill workers live and some industries that support mill operations are affected by the closing of the 115-year-old facility.

Near the end of the Pisgah town hall, a member of the crowd asked Edwards what the difference was between the Candler meeting and the one he was attending in Canton, and how the two groups might work together.

“While I respectfully appreciate that a House member from Buncombe County is willing to have some conversation to see how they can help us over here in Haywood County, I'd suggest the best thing that the folks in Buncombe County could do to help Haywood County is to fix Buncombe County,” Edwards said. “Clean Buncombe County up, get the needles off the streets, get a DA in place and prosecute criminals to reduce crime and not allow the spill over into our haven over here.”

Edwards’ remark drew some applause from the crowd until a member of the audience, identified by Blue Ridge Public Radio as Charles King, clapped back at Edwards.

“First off, I want to say I’m a native of Haywood, spent 41-and-a-half years with Evergreen, however, I live in Buncombe County, right on the County line. I wasn't going to say anything. But any help regionally we can get, we need,” King said.

“That’s right,” another woman in the audience replied.

“I graduated from this school and I love this town and this county,” King continued. “But we have 200 employees in Waynesville losing their job, 47 left to work, and that's probably just months before they're gone. You have Blue Ridge Southern Railroad, you have at least three chip mills all the way down to Marion into East Tennessee that are losing their jobs … we need representation for the whole region.”

Smathers said he agreed that the mill’s closing, first announced on March 6, is indeed a regional crisis. King responded by saying that he didn’t want to see politics injected into that crisis.

“If somebody in Buncombe County is willing to help,” King said, “we need all the help we can get.”

Prather, who was present with Rudow and Ager at the Candler meeting, later called out Edwards for disparaging more than 270,000 of the Buncombe County residents that he represents in Congress.

“I don’t know that I can add much more in response to Congressman Edwards’ remarks than what the audience member and Mayor Smathers stated. They both articulated perfectly the need for a nonpartisan, regional perspective on the Canton plant closure, and our event highlighted many ways in which the closure impacts communities outside of Haywood County,” said Prather, who represents the southwestern portion of Buncombe County in the North Carolina House. “I’m not sure whether Congressman Edwards misunderstood the scope of the issue itself or of our event, but either way I’m disappointed and frankly confused that he would take that opportunity to ridicule an entire county of his own constituents as well as his fellow political coworkers. Congressman Edwards was himself a state legislator not too long ago; I would hope he had more respect for the office than that.”

Eric Ager, who also represents a portion of Buncombe County in the North Carolina House, bemoaned a lack of leadership from Edwards.

“Congressman Edwards never misses a chance to throw out some political red meat to his voters and it's often at Buncombe County's expense,” Ager said. “The opioid crisis is a scourge across the 11th Congressional District and trying to score political points rather than address the problem is not real leadership.”

It remains unclear what, if anything, Edwards did to prevent the closure of the mill.

On Feb. 8, a leaked memo indicated Pactiv planned to idle production on one of its four paper-making machines — a full month before the closing was announced.

When first informed of the development by The Smoky Mountain News on Feb. 8, Edwards refused to speak to The Smoky Mountain News about it. A followup email on Feb. 9 garnered no response.

Edwards hasn’t returned multiple interview requests from The Smoky Mountain News since his November, 2022 election.

During the Pisgah town hall, The Smoky Mountain News again asked Edwards what specific actions he’d taken between Feb. 8 and March 6 to avert the mill’s closing.

“I really reserve the right to respond to those media outlets that I've been able to build good relationships with that have reported the news fairly,” Edwards said, without citing any examples of “unfair” reporting. “I didn't respond to that question and I'm not gonna respond to this.”

Edwards ignored two more attempts to get him to answer the question.

“Ignoring journalists outside the friendly confines of the GOP echo chamber is one of the reasons that our political discourse has become so rancid,” Ager said. “Elected officials need to be accountable to voters, especially when it hurts.”

Unanswered questions remain after the closing of Pactiv Evergreen's Canton mill. Max Cooper photo

Western Carolina University currently enrolls just under 10,600

WCU projects larger freshman class for 2023

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF W RITER

After years of enrollment and retention numbers impacted by the pandemic and its associated restrictions, Western Carolina University expects to see the rebound continue when students return to campus this fall.

“The first-year cohort is on pace to be the largest entering class since COVID and has the potential to be one of the top three largest fall first-year cohorts,” Provost Richard Starnes told the WCU Board of Trustees’ Academic Affairs and Personnel Committee during a June 8 meeting.

No numbers are official until “census day,” which is the 10th day of classes in the new semester, but Starnes expects WCU to enroll about 2,100 first-year students for fall 2023. That figure would represent a roughly 10% increase from the 2022 cohort, which itself was a 12.5% jump from 2021. Firstyear enrollment was at its highest in 2018 and 2019, the two years after the N.C. Promise Tuition Plan was enacted but before the Coronavirus Pandemic arrived.

Starnes also projects that the freshmanto-sophomore retention rate will continue to climb after suffering a smackdown during the pandemic. Following a slew of low retention figures in the early 2000s, WCU made a concerted effort to boost that metric, reaching 81.4% in 2019. But fewer students returned for a second year after the pandemic arrived, with freshman-to-sophomore retention falling to 74.6% for the 2020 cohort and 71.3% for the 2021 cohort.

“We’re seeing a rebound back to what I would call closer to what we expect is normal,” Starnes said.

For the fall 2023 semester, Starnes said

WCU has seen an increase in applications from out-of-state students and expects to fill all 483 out-of-state first-year slots it’s allowed under rules set by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. Applications from North Carolina students have declined slightly, but the percentage of commitments has increased.

“We’re closing the deal with more North Carolina residents,” Starnes said. “It’s been a very active spring with campus tours.”

Meanwhile, transfer applications have faltered, something that Starnes believes reflects “softening” enrollment at community colleges statewide. In fall 2022, total enrollment in the North Carolina Community College System was 89.5% of what it was in fall 2019.

Though fall 2023 is expected to bring a larger freshman cohort, the overall student body will likely be smaller than in 2022. This spring, WCU graduated its secondlargest class in university history, after graduating its largest-ever class in 2021. Based on a four-year graduation timeline, the remaining students all come from the smaller cohorts that enrolled after the pandemic’s arrival.

Enrollment on census day in fall 2022 was 11,635 — Starnes expects the fall 2023 figure to fall somewhere in the “low to mid 11,000s.”

“Enrollment, particularly with undergraduates, is much like compound interest,” he said. “If you’re paying it and it goes down, it goes down quickly. But if you’re getting it, then it kind of compounds on the other end. So the larger the first-year classes, the greater the enrollment, sustainability, the support for the enrollment arc over time.”

The last of them

A lone pair of worker’s boots stands guard before several hard hats, zip-tied to the fence outside Evergreen Packaging’s Canton paper mill on June 8. Cory Vaillancourt

Their way of life now gone, millworkers pay emotional farewell and step into an uncertain world

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR

It was a day few thought would ever come to pass. Even after Pactiv Evergreen announced it would close its 115-year-old paper mill in Canton, some still held out hope that something could be done to save the mill, its jobs and the comfortable middle-class way of life it provided its workers. On June 8, the last of them left the mill for the final time.

“This is gone forever,” said Justin Medford, choking back tears. “I mean, it'll be a park, it'll be a bicycle track or be some crap that don't matter.”

Earlier that morning, Medford was sitting on his porch with his wife Karen, sipping a cup of coffee. The steam had stopped rising from the mill’s twin smokestacks nearly two weeks earlier, no longer visible from the Medfords’ Stamey Cove home. As Justin prepared to leave for work, his wife said the burly, blue-collar millworker broke down and cried like a baby.

Medford finished his final shift and walked out of “the chute” — a long, covered brick tunnel leading to the parking lot — around 2:30 p.m. that day. Passing between two fire department ladder trucks suspending a giant American flag softly swaying in the summer wind, Medford was among the first of the last. He now steps into an uncertain world; after 25 years working for the company at

the Waynesville plant, he left for two years but returned to work at the Canton mill for the last five. The company’s severance policy gives one week’s pay for each consecutive year of service, so in five weeks, he’ll be on his own.

“I'm apprehensive, 57 years old and starting over again,” he said. “I'm keeping my head up. I still believe in this country, and I still believe that there's a place for people like me.”

Perhaps as much as the money, he’ll

miss his friends.

“The only time that I have seen camaraderie like this is when I spent four years in the Navy,” he said. “This is the closest that I've seen, the last five years that I've spent working at the Canton mill.”

He’s not the only one.

“My foremen and my co-workers, they’re the best that I've ever had,” said Dean Gibson, a member of L shift who was supposed to start work at 5 p.m. that day and work overnight until about 4 a.m. Management let L shift go home after only an hour, with a full day’s pay. Gibson said all he and his comrades had done for the past few weeks was walk around the cavernous mill, anyway.

“I love them,” he said. “I'm gonna miss them. Everyone got along. We had good

times when it was time to laugh and we cried when it was time to cry. We were a family and having that broken up, that's what makes it so devastating.”

Like Medford, Gibson now faces an uncertain world, made all the more so by his checkered past.

Gibson worked at the mill for a few years in the 1990s until his arrest and conviction for drug trafficking. After being locked up for 17 years, Gibson saw his life sentence overturned, and he was released. The mill took him back nearly two years ago.

“They sure did,” Gibson said. “And I'm very thankful for that.”

The mill has been an important part of Gibson’s redemption arc.

“When I came out, when I got to the halfway house, I could have took 30 days and laid down and waited to ease my way back into society, you know, taking a transition period,” he said. “But I went to work within 72 hours getting out of prison and I've been working ever since.”

For a convicted felon, jobs aren’t always easy to find, but Gibson said he’s been looking for a new one since the announcement was made, and understands that when he finds it, it will likely be outside of Haywood County.

He’ll only receive one week of severance pay and hopes the gas he’ll need to drive to that new job doesn’t take too much of a bite out of his paychecks.

As for the future of Canton itself, Gibson hopes the town and the county can attract more of the good-paying union jobs that provided an average income nearly triple the county’s median.

“We have to get out there and make ourselves known,” he said. “Haywood County has a lot of good, hard workers, and our town officials should be out here courting some of these companies that's looking to build somewhere and let them know what type of people we have here. This place has always been rich with good, hard workers. And it's been proven, I mean, this mill wouldn’t have stood 115 years if the workers weren't dedicated.”

Ray Queen is one of them. Queen worked at the mill for about two years until a layoff in 1961 sidelined him for a time, but once he came back, he went on to work there for more than 57 years.

He described the mood in the mill as lonesome, and perhaps had already started to miss the place before he’d even left it.

“A lot of people is excited to be getting out, but then they're still sad that they’re leaving, leaving all their friends down here,” he said.

Queen faces a much more certain world than Medford and Gibson. At 82 years old, Queen finished his last shift about four hours before Gibson was scheduled to start his. Spry and jovial, Queen joked about how he’d spend his time.

“It’s gonna be rough,” he laughed. “I mean, I'll have to get up and go fishing, have to get up and take the old dog out and let him ride in the truck. It’s gonna be terrible.”

Shift workers leave Pactiv Evergreen’s Canton paper mill for the final time.

Cory Vaillancourt photo

Justin Medford (center) is joined by his mother, Ruth (left) and wife Karen (right) after working his last shift at the mill. Cory Vaillancourt photo

Sneed calls for forensic audit on cannabis LLC

Qualla Enterprises defends its record

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF W RITER

Principal Chief Richard Sneed renewed his concerns about the tribe’s medical cannabis company Qualla Enterprises LLC before Tribal Council this month when he presented a resolution requesting a forensic audit of the company’s finances.

“This resolution being presented for your consideration has one purpose, and that’s financial accountability,” he said during the June 1 meeting. “It’s not personal. It’s not political. It’s math. And in the case of this project the numbers just do not add up.”

The initial request for proposals to launch the medical cannabis business put the price tag at $50 million, and now the total ask is $95 million with “no explanation for dramatic cost overruns,” Sneed said.

Since the company was created in 2022, Tribal Council has allocated $31 million to get Qualla Enterprises up and running — a huge sum, but far less than the $95 million total requested. Tribal Council approved the additional $64 million during a divided vote in April, but Sneed vetoed the decision. He worried the funding could jeopardize the tribe’s casino business due to federal restrictions on how tribes can spend gambling revenues, and he called for a “full accounting” of how the enterprise had spent the funds received thus far.

In a May 5 document defending its business practices, Qualla Enterprises said it has spent only $21.6 million of the $31 million appropriated thus far and offered a breakdown of how that money has been used. The biggest ticket items were $3.4 million for a 20,000-square-foot drying facility, $3.1 million for 75 hoop houses, $2.7 million for a 20,000-square-foot extraction and processing building, $1.7 million for a 57,000square-foot indoor grow facility, $1.4 million for machinery and equipment and $1.4 million for a retail building. The $64 million was needed to finish the indoor grow facility and hire enough people to fully staff the operation, it said. The document was released to The Cherokee One Feather, but Qualla Enterprises has thus far ignored requests from The Smoky Mountain News to be sent a copy.

REASONS FOR CONCERN

During the June 1 meeting, Sneed ran through a laundry list of concerns about the LLC’s finances and an alleged lack of transparency by its governing board. The company is seeing incredible cost overruns, he said, with the $95 million ask to launch the business nearly double the $50 million originally presented in 2021.

The original plan called for glass greenhouses, but instead plastic-covered hoop houses were installed at a cost of $66,000 apiece. Sneed said that in a meeting with the

Qualla Enterprises Board he was told the hoop houses cost only $16,000 each and had “no explanation” for the additional $50,000. Later in the meeting, Vice Chair Albert Rose pointed to installation and siting costs as responsible for the difference.

When he requested documents from the board to help answer his questions, Sneed said, he was told he was not entitled to view that information.

“In dealing with the board, I’ve gotten zero documents that I’ve requested,” he said. “If that’s not a problem for you, we should probably have a talk after this, because that’s a problem for me. It certainly would be a problem for me if I was an investor in a business or a project — and we are investors in this project.”

Another issue, Sneed said, is that Qualla Enterprises has hired a lobbyist to represent it in Raleigh. That’s a “direct violation” of tribal law, he said. Cherokee Code states that any lobbyist hired by a tribal government, entity or organization must be approved through a resolution presented to Council, as must any legislation presented at the state or federal level.

“On this issue alone, there needs to be an investigation as to who initiated and approved this action on behalf of Qualla LLC,” he said.

Sneed had questions about payroll, too. A document shared during a work session with Qualla Enterprises showed monthly payroll costs of $3.3 million for July and August, he said, which seems like a high number given that payroll for the tribe’s 1,200 employees totals just above that at about $4 million per month.

According to the document provided to The Cherokee One Feather, Qualla Enterprises currently employs 54 people. When fully staffed at 477 employees, the document says, payroll is expected to cost $15.8 million per year, or $1.3 million per month.

RESPONSE FROM QUALLA ENTERPRISES

Attorney Darian Stanford of Sovereign Solutions Carolina, who works under contract for Qualla Enterprises, was swift to refute Sneed’s claims.

“There was, respectfully, so much misinformation in what was just presented to you all, and half-truths,” he told Tribal Council. “And I don’t even know where to start in trying to dispel all of them.”

First, he said, there have been no cost overruns. The $50 million Sneed referred to came from a budget prepared in November 2021 to cover one year of operations.

“As we stand before you, it’s June 1 of 2023,” he said. “We are almost two years later. And we have received $31 million, barely over half of what we requested almost two years ago. I’m not certain in what universe that represents a cost overrun in, but not any one I’m familiar with.”

As to the hoop houses, he said, due to slow funding from Tribal Council, the company couldn’t have afforded the state-of-theart greenhouses it had planned on using even if it wanted to. Additionally, Qualla Enterprises had expected to be operating at the old high school site, which was flat, paved and with access to water. The property on Cooper’s Creek didn’t have the infrastructure to support the glass greenhouses without significant upgrades.

However, the hoop houses turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as they work better in the high humidity environment of the Great Smoky Mountains. For $5 million, Qualla Enterprises will have 75 hoop houses capable of producing 121,500 pounds of cannabis per year, the company’s response document states. The system was designed under the guidance of Dr. Ryan Cox, who the United Nations employs to help impoverished countries grow food in inhospitable environments.

“The fact that these hoop houses keep getting criticized now blows me away,” Stanford said.

As to transparency, Stanford said Sneed’s claim that all he’s gotten is a one-page budget is “not remotely true.” He held up a brown binder before Council, saying he had given each of them a similar binder full of documentation. Stanford said he has reached out to Sneed seeking to meet and answer any additional questions but has not received a response.

Sneed replied to Stanford’s “impassioned response,” by saying none of his statements change the fact that the board itself has not yet provided any of the documents he’s asked for.

“While everything that Mr. Stanford has said may be 100% accurate, I don’t know,” he said. “We don’t work for him. We work for the people.”

TRIBAL COUNCIL’S REACTION

Qualla Enterprises is not the only LLC drawing questions from Tribal Council. Qualla Enterprises, EBCI Holdings LLC and Kituwah LLC have all received a letter from Tribal Council with a list of information to be provided during an upcoming meeting with Tribal Council June 27.

Stanford said this is an “excellent” plan. If Tribal Council still has concerns following the meeting, he said, “then by all means take a look at this information and forensic audit away.”

Members of Tribal Council seemed to have mixed opinions about Sneed’s focus on Qualla Enterprises but seemed to favor the idea of performing an audit on all three LLCs — though not necessarily a forensic audit. They voted unanimously to table the resolution for a decision after the June 27 meeting.

“If you guys want to do an audit, let’s do it,” said Vice Chairman Albert Rose. “But if we’re going to do it, F

The old bingo hall, currently under renovation, serves as the headquarters for Qualla Enterprises LLC. Holly Kays photo

I’d like to see one on Kituwah LLC. They’ve been in business for five years. I’d like to see one on them. EBCI Holdings.”

Birdtown Rep. Boyd Owle agreed, expressing support for both the project and the audit.

“Let’s do it, let’s get it over with and move along,” he said.

Snowbird/Cherokee County Rep. Adam Wachacha said performing an audit would “clear the air,” and suggested performing one on all three companies. He also suggested amending the resolution to require a financial audit, not a forensic audit. There’s a big difference between those two types of audits.

“If it’s the goal of Council to ensure there is not fraud occurring or illegal activities, then it should be a forensic audit,” said Finance Director Brandi Claxton. “A financial audit is unlikely to uncover those things.”

If the financial audit raises any questions, Wachacha said, a forensic audit could follow.

Big Cove Rep. Teresa McCoy also voiced

support for an audit — and objection to Sneed’s attitude toward Qualla Enterprises.

“I have no problem with an audit,” she said. “No problem at all, and I don’t think anyone in the room has said they have a problem with an audit, but for him [Sneed] to stand here and say that he’s not picked at this program is ridiculous, because he has been the main obstacle for the last year on this issue.”

The other two LLCs should be included, McCoy said, and while they’re at it, Tribal Council should make “a nice long list out of things around here that should be audited.”

She also suggested striking the word “forensic” from the resolution.

“I’m very concerned that I along with other elected officials who have asked questions about the project have been vilified and been accused of trying to stall or halt the project,” Sneed said. “Nothing could be further from the truth. Those of us who are asking questions about the business side and finances of the project are doing our duty as elected officials to ensure that tribal resources are being properly protected.”

Officials Promote Safety on 'Tail of the Dragon'

Tennessee and North Carolina officials reminded people Tuesday to drive safely if they travel along the “Tail of the Dragon,” a winding stretch of U.S. 129 bordering both states.

The “Tail of the Dragon” takes people on a ride that has become well-known, but dangerous for motorcyclists and automobile enthusiasts because the 11-mile stretch includes 314 curves.

Officials want people who travel the road to drive the speed limit, stay in their lane, keep a safe distance between vehicles, always wear a seat belt and never drive distracted.

“The mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee have some of the most appealing motorcycling terrain in the world, but that also means more motorcycle crashes than other places,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “This cross-border enforcement effort shows our common commitment to keeping all road users, including motorcycle riders, safe in this unique area by encouraging reasonable speeds and attentive driving.”

Participating Tuesday were officials with the N.C. State Highway Patrol, Swain County Sheriff Office, Tennessee Highway Safety Office and Tennessee law enforcement agencies.

In 2021 and 2022, there were 17 crashes on the North Carolina side of the Tail of the Dragon. Five of those crashes involved serious injuries. Twelve of the 17 crashes involved motorcycles.

For more safety tips, follow @NCGHSP on Facebook and @NC_GHSP on Twitter and Instagram. For more information, visit the Governor's Highway Safety Program webpage.

Attorney Darian Stanford defends Qualla Enterprises’ record before Tribal Council June 1.

Photo from EBCI livestream

Waynesville detective honored by Red Cross for saving man’s life

BY KYLE P ERROTTI

N EWS E DITOR

Waynesville Police Department Det. Paige Shell received an award for saving a man’s life at this year’s Salute to Western North Carolina Heroes, held by the Red Cross on June 7 at Highland Brewing Company in Asheville.

Shell received her award for saving a man’s life in May of last year. In an interview with The Smoky Mountain News, she recalled that day.

“They put out a call of a possible drowning at Lake Junaluska,” Shell said.

Shell was on duty as a detective. Although she had her badge and gun, she was in plain clothes — khaki pants, as she recalls. Upon arrival, Shell saw a man clinging to an overturned kayak in the middle of the water.

“When I got there, there was a fire department member trying to throw a rope to the man,” she said. “At the time, he seemed to be hanging on pretty good.”

Shell joined the effort to get the rope out to the kayak and tried to instruct the man to kick his feet and try to paddle back to the shore. But he was already too fatigued.

“He said he couldn’t hang on much longer,” Shell said.

She put on a life jacket, grabbed the rope and swam out to the man. She had him grab the rope and hold tight to the kayak while she pulled them back to the shore. Had she

not been there, there’s no telling how much longer he would have held on, how much longer he would have lived.

Shell’s no stranger to such situations where lives are at stake and quick decisions must be made. As a former member of WPD’s Special Response Team, she’s been on the scene of several dangerous standoffs, and she now serves on the county’s search and rescue team, which is particularly busy this time of year rescuing lost or injured hikers.

A 16-year veteran of WPD, Shell said that while she was well aware of the stakes that day out at Lake Junaluska, the act of rescuing the man itself was nothing more than training kicking in and knowing how to handle the situation.

“I guess it’s just one of those things,” she said. “Sometimes you have to act now.”

She said that while receiving recognition is always nice, it’s never really about that.

“It does feel good, but at the same time, I didn’t do it for anything else other than just trying to save that man out there in Lake Junaluska,” she said.

Shell was recognized by Waynesville Police Chief David Adams at a town meeting shortly after the heroic act, but that wasn’t the end of it. He also put her in to receive the award from the Red Cross. Adams said Shell’s actions on that day are merely indicative of what she brings to the department on a regular basis.

“She’s an excellent selfless detective and officer,” he said. “We’re glad to have her here.”

Waynesville Police Det. Paige Shell was awarded by the Red Cross for her lifesaving actions at a recent event in Asheville. Donated photo

Center for Domestic Peace, Mountain Projects open offices

HANNAH MCLEOD

STAFF W RITER

Two organizations committed to helping individuals and families in the community officially opened new offices in Sylva on Thursday, June 1. Mountain Projects and Center for Domestic Peace often work in tandem to help clients, and now that work will be facilitated by connected office space.

“One of the reasons we’re so excited about this space is we get to work together,” said Center for Domestic Peace Executive Director Wesley Myers.

The Center for Domestic Peace took over primary sexual assault and human

ture with eight bedrooms and a total capacity of 16. It will also have a shared kitchen, living space and room for other services.

The new CDP offices, located near the hospital in a building owned by the Evergreen Foundation, are also home to new Mountain Projects offices, which held its grand opening for the space on Thursday.

Both the nonprofits have been in the building providing services from the new location for the past several months. The work to renovate the space and make it appropriate for use by CDP and Mountain Projects wrapped up this month.

“So many of our clients are shared and

trafficking services in Jackson County in July of last year. Previously, those services were handled by REACH of Macon County after REACH of Jackson County ceased operations in 2012.

“We are the domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking services provider for Jackson County,” said Myers. “Last year we served 397 clients and this year we’re on track to serve about 550, so that’s a lot of folks who get a lot of services, from court advocacy to assistance with transportation to assistance with emergency shelter.”

With grant funds from the Dogwood Health Trust and American Rescue Plan money from Jackson County, the Center for Domestic Peace is also in the process of building a domestic violence shelter near Sylva. The shelter will be a two-story struc-

benefit from each other,” said Myers. “So being able to walk down the hall and find the person we need is so important. Our clients need all the support we can give them, and we’re doing our best to get it for them.”

Mountain Projects began in Sylva in 1965 and now also operates in Haywood County. It provides housing services, senior services and other programs for those in need.

“We operate 42 state, local and federal grants all directed to help people help themselves and make our community a better place to live,” said Mountain Projects Executive Director Patsy Davis.

The new offices are also located in the same complex as HERE of Jackson County, which provides services to people experiencing homelessness.

Younce to replace Taylor on tribal alcohol board

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The Cherokee Tribal Council voted unanimously June 1 to confirm Heather Younce as the newest member of the Tribal Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission following the resignation of former TABCC Chairman Pepper Taylor.

The body held a brief confirmation hearing Wednesday, May 24, in advance of the June 1 vote. Younce told Tribal Council that she’s from Painttown and graduated from Cherokee High School in 1994 and Montreat College in 2015, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She has been working in the compliance field since 2003, when she was hired by the Tribal Gaming Commission. From there she went to the compliance office at the Tribal Employment Rights Office, where she was employed at the time of her appointment to the TABCC.

Taylor resigned his post following a 2022 investigation from the Office of Internal Audit and Ethics that turned up a parade of red flags, including debit card transactions for food and beverage purchases totaling $76,421 over 15 months and $133,039 on travel and training in the same period. As chairman, Taylor was solely responsible for overseeing the Commission’s day-to-day operations, and according to Principal Chief Richard Sneed all the questionable debit card purchases were made by Taylor. After seeing the results of the investiga-

tion, Sneed asked for Taylor’s resignation.

Sneed had also sought the resignation of a second TABCC member, Shannon Ross, who in a separate Internal Audit and Ethics investigation was found to have, on multiple occasions, falsely identified himself to a casino bartender as an alcohol law enforcement officer. He was attempting to get the bartender to serve him a second drink while he already had his first in hand, the investigation found.

Ross refused to resign, prompting Sneed to submit a resolution to Tribal Council for its Feb. 2 meeting seeking to remove Ross for cause. However, Tribal Council showed little appetite for facilitating Ross’s removal. After a meandering 45-minute conversation, Sneed saw the resolution was not likely to pass and requested that it be withdrawn, a move Tribal Council approved unanimously. The move was intended to leave the door open for the TABCC to request Ross’s removal itself, but no such resolution was ever submitted.

Ross remains on the board, but his term expires on July 30, as does that of current chair Mara Nelson. Sabrina Arch is serving a term that expires in July 2025, and Mitch Littlejohn was appointed a term lasting through July 2026. Younce’s term will expire on July 30, 2024 — pending ratification from Principal Chief Richard Sneed — as she was appointed to Taylor’s unexpired term rather than to a full term of her own.

Heather Younce addresses Tribal Council during a May 24 confirmation hearing. Photo from EBCI livestream

Swain County finalizes budget

BY KYLE P ERROTTI N EWS E DITOR

Swain County passed its fiscal year 2023-24 budget with no tax increase, but it’s likely there will be a tax increase next year as multiple items were tabled.

The board voted on the budget — which comes in balanced at about $23.5 million — at its June 6 morning meeting by a margin of 3-2 with little discussion.

Commission Chairman Kevin Seagle and commissioners Roger Parsons and Phil Carson voted in favor of the budget while commissioners David Loftis and Kenneth Parton voted against it.

Loftis provided some insight into his reasoning for not supporting the budget. The county provided all employees a $1 per hour raise, but he said he would have liked to see the “smaller man,” those who do manual labor, get a larger raise while the “bigger ones,” those with college degrees, get less of a raise or even no raise.

“Inflation is not the same for a man who makes $60,000 a year versus one who makes $30,000,” he said.

While the tax rate was unchanged from last year at 36 cents per $100 of property valuation, at the May 16 budget workshop the board chose to kick the can down the road on a few items with the acknowledgement that taxes would likely need to be raised next year to pay for them.

First, they determined that they wouldn’t increase taxes to grant the county school system’s request for $800,000 to fill some holes in its own budget mostly caused by rising prices for supplies and utilities. Although they discussed the potential of a direct allocation from the fund balance, County Manager Kevin King noted that there was basically no funding available for that without a tax increase.

“I guess the question now is how healthy is our fund balance?” Carson asked.

King responded that they have about 16-17% of their annual operational expenses — basically a couple of months’ worth.

“Not enough to fully fund this without raising taxes,” King said.

The ultimate consensus was that the board didn’t want to raise taxes for that purpose, but they’d look at other funding sources down the road.

Next, the board discussed whether to increase property taxes to provide several paid firefighters to bolster a shrinking pool of volunteers at county fire departments. Right now, all firefighters are volunteer except two paid members of Bryson City Fire Department. King said it would cost about $75,000 per firefighter for wages and benefits. Funding enough paid positions to have two people at the fire stations 24/7

would lead to a property tax increase of about 3.3 cents.

Carson noted that since the pandemic

need to provide a petition to the board of commissioners, and then the tax would come before voters in the districts. If 35% of the total voters in a district vote in favor, the tax will be passed and implemented. Having those paid firefighters is likely to lead to lower homeowners’ insurance rates; paying on the front end may actually save money overall.

“The public has to pay whether we impose a fee or tax or it’s the insurance,” Carson said.

“They go out and measure road miles from the station 5 miles out,” Bryson said.

“People within 5 miles see improved insurance rates as ratings are lowered.”

Nonetheless, Parton expressed concerns over raising taxes in general.

“When we raise taxes on people, we’re hurting someone we don’t even acknowledge,” he said.

Seagle said either way, public safety is something that should always be seriously considered.

“When it comes to emergency services, I think more about lives than I do money,” he said.

for some paid positions through a budget amendment.

The final item they discussed at that meeting that didn’t make it into the budget would have provided some kind of home for foster children who are currently under the care of the county. Right now, paid county employees work shifts to stay with those kids every hour of every day.

“I’d venture to say we’ve spent a couple hundred thousand on a home for a couple children, and it’s not getting any better,” King said. “We can’t find anywhere for them.”

King mentioned that similar scenarios are playing out in counties across the region as more foster kids enter the system. For example, King said Jackson County has three kids living in the basement of a county facility. He ultimately recommended that the town purchase one or more homes suitable to house several foster children — perhaps something similar to the Broyhill Children’s Home in Haywood County.

“This is not going away, this is something that’s going to be here,” King said. “The county is trying to take care of kids in their custody.”

hit, volunteer numbers have dwindled more than ever. In addition, the demands of the modern workplace and family commitments have made it harder for people to find the time to volunteer.

“We’re in dire straits,” Carson said. “It’s time to do something or not do something.”

A contingent of local firefighters showed up, including Bryson City Fire Chief Charles Bryson and Alarka Fire Chief Keith Powell. Bryson was blunt in voicing his concern.

“The model we’ve used for the last 30 years won’t work anymore,” he said.

The men lamented how much of their time is taken up simply completing the necessary paperwork and that even just one employee whose job was to handle administrative tasks would go a long way.

“Having two paid personnel to take care of documentation, take care of trucks, and do record keeping — they don’t fight fires — would help,” Byrson said. “Volunteers don’t have time for admin work.”

Loftis expressed concern that paying a couple of employees at each department may leave a bitter taste in the mouths of unpaid volunteers, causing some to leave departments.

“If I wasn’t picked, I might just hang up my boots and go home,” Loftis said.

However, the firefighters present expressed that they have pride in being volunteers and enjoy the work; they simply wanted some of the burden eased by adding those paid employees.

Although property taxes weren’t raised to create those paid positions at fire departments, King brought up the possibility of using a fire tax specific to each fire district. For that to happen, each district would

The board agreed to revisit that item at the upcoming June 17 meeting, adding that it could potentially include funding

While the town is currently paying $2,300 per month to rent a home where county employees can watch over foster children as necessary, using a county crew to build a new house that could do the job might come in around just $80,000. The savings would be immediately noticeable.

Juneteenth: a community affair

Juneteenth celebration, the first of which took place in June of 2021.

“Our mission specifically, which we recently put together and we understand to be something that we’ll be sharpening and crafting as we move forward, is to celebrate, to educate, to worship and initiate,” Ash told the Smoky Mountain News at the time.

Originally envisioned as a worship service with a community celebration aspect, the idea has shifted toward more of a community event with less influence from worship in an effort to include and invite as much of the community as possible. In this form, clergy members would like to see several communities within the Smoky Mountain District have Juneteenth events of their own, rather than only one in Haywood.

“If this is going to be sustainable, it has to be more than a Methodist church event,” said Turman. “This has to become community owned.”

That’s why this year’s Juneteenth event became an effort not only by the church, but also the NAACP, the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center, Waynesville Parks and Recreation and others.

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER

For the third year in a row, First United Methodist Church in Waynesville is teaming up with community partners to celebrate Juneteenth — the federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. But while the event has taken place at Lake Junaluska in past years, this year, the community is invited to celebrate on Academy Street just outside of FUMC for a day of music, games, storytelling, food and good company.

“Our larger vision is for this celebration to really belong to the community; to be a community event,” said Keith Turman, pastor at First United Methodist Church and a Juneteenth organizer.

While the event will be celebrated at the Methodist church in Waynesville, it is a group effort by several churches and clergy members in the Smoky Mountain District of the United Methodist Church.

Back in the summer of 2020, when the United States erupted in protest and dialogue over police brutality and structural racism following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer, churches in the region took up the issue. Groups of leaders and congregants began to discuss what they could do to combat racism and injustice.

One of those groups was called the Justice and Reconciliation Team. Made up of members from throughout the Smoky Mountain District of the Methodist church, it was formed to address issues specific to the region. D’Andre Ash was one of the group’s first members.

Ash is a pastor in Macon County, working at both Iotla and Snow Hill Churches. Along with Turman, he is the co-chair of the Justice and Reconciliation Team.

“I was fortunate to be on the inaugural call when the Smoky Mountain District

Justice and Reconciliation Team was formed,” said Ash. “In subsequent calls, I was encouraged by other leaders to chair the committee. I would accept the recommendation only if someone co-chaired with me. I’m a proponent of shared leadership.”

When Ashe was officially appointed to serve in Macon County in 2021, where he had already been working for almost a year, he was the first Black pastor ever appointed in the Smoky Mountain District of the United Methodist Church.

“In 2020, we experienced what became known as the Floyd protests,” said Ash. “The political tension could not have been higher in the subsequent years. The work of pastoring changed — it required more compassion and patience for dialogue. It required a broader capacity for peacemaking. It required more love. And love is the critical distinction and an orienting concern for effective leadership in this new world.”

Out of the work by the Justice and Reconciliation Team grew the idea for a

“The vision is that the United Methodist Church just becomes one of many partners,” said Turman.

Juneteenth is an annual holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas were told of their freedom — two months after Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia, and over two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed.

In 2021, Juneteenth National Independence Day became the 12th federal holiday and the first day added to the list of federal holidays since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was added in 1983.

This year’s event will take place from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, on Academy Street in Waynesville. There will be music by Atlanta-based DJ Boss Ross; storytelling by Willa Brigham, the Children’s Theatre of Cincinatti, Pattie Lambe and Ann Woodford.

Sports and game equipment will be provided by Waynesville Base Camp and several food trucks will be on site.

Brigham is a two-time Emmy Award Winning host of the television show Smart Start Kids, an inspirational speaker, storyteller, writer and performing artist. She is a native of Tuskegee, Alabama and lives in North Carolina.

Brigham got her start as a storyteller in her own home, reciting stories to her children.

“I started simply because I bore children, and my children enjoyed me telling them stories more than they enjoyed me reading stories,” she said. “So, of course, I just started making up stories about them and had them help me tell the story which added a whole other dimension.”

From there, Brigham took her storytelling to more public spaces and the craft has taken her around the world.

Willa Brigham photo

Ann Miller Woodford will tell stories about Black history in Western North Carolina.

Andre Duagherty photo

“When people ask, I don’t say no, because I have a flair for a bit of flamboyancy,” said Brigham. “As my granny said, ‘she’s just a showpiece walking.’”

Brigham tells and performs all sorts of stories to just about anyone who is willing to listen, but the ultimate aim is not always entertainment.

“I educate, motivate, entertain and inspire via stories, song and poem,” said Brigham. “The spoken word has been a blessing for me.”

Brigham sees storytelling as an opportunity to teach and inspire people to do good in the world without directly telling people what to do.

“When you tell a story, you don’t have to preach the sermon,” said Brigham. “You just tell the story, and let the story do the talking. So when I tell stories that educate, motivate, entertain and inspire, it’s also passing along a lesson, a moral, an opportunity to make this world a better place, to be a blessing to somebody if you can.”

For something like a Juneteenth celebration, Brigham says she searches through her stories for ones that can relate acceptance, adversity and the basics of respecting other humans. Her goal for this performance is to inspire people to treat everyone with love and respect regardless of who they are. She wants to help people understand that all humans

Comprehensive contract to improve I-40 in Buncombe County

A comprehensive project to rehabilitate Interstate 40 through a section of Asheville includes a variety of improvements that will be performed by a local contractor.

are deserving of this basic right.

“It helps to bring to remembrance those injustices that were perpetrated do not have to carry on,” said Brigham. “It’s a chance for forgiveness, a chance to remember so we don’t repeat those same behaviors. Freedom is free when everybody is free.”

In addition to Brigham, local storyteller Ann Miller Woodford will speak on Black history in the local regions of Western North Carolina. Woodford is a professional artist dedicated to celebrating and revealing the untold life experiences of African Americans and rural people in far Western North Carolina through her art. In her work she uncovers the stories of descendants of formerly enslaved African Americans and works to dispel old stereotypes.

Woodford was part of the oral history project for the African American Experiences in the Smokies project conducted by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park beginning in 2018.

While the Juneteenth celebration in Haywood County may have started out at the hands of inspired members of the Methodist church, those same organizers are now hoping to watch it grow into a community affair.

“I remember last year when you had kids of all colors just running in the field, playing together,” said Turman. “If nothing else happens, but we just throw a party for the community and honor the African American community on this day that is important to them, I think it’s a success.”

As Juneteenth has become a federal holiday and is celebrated on a wider scale, with greater visibility, for Ash, it’s important to remember the work that Black communities have done for generations leading up to today and the reverence that many have given the holiday for so long.

“As novel as this particular Juneteenth celebration may seem, there have been people doing innovative and exciting justice work here long before I arrived,” said Ash. “So I have feelings of gratitude and joy. I have been encouraged and surprised by the enthusiasm and support that we’ve received from community members, the UMC, and various participating organizations.

The N.C. Department of Transportation recently awarded a $27.9 million contract to APAC Atlantic Inc DBA Harrison Construction Company of Asheville to improve multiple components of the interstate from Hendersonville Road (Exit 50) through the I-26 interchange.

This project will include pavement and bridge rehabilitation including the four bridges over Hominy Creek and two bridges over the French Broad River. The bridge rehabilitation will address spalling concrete substructure components and improve the riding surface on the bridge decks.

The project will also include rehabilitation of the existing asphalt, installation of new guardrail, replacement of concrete drainage ditches, curb and gutter and the

installation of new high visibility pavement markings.

Contract crews may begin work as soon as June 5 but will likely begin noticeable operations later this year. The contract is expected to be complete by spring 2026.

Traffic management plans include limiting most lane closures to overnight hours. The bridge repairs will have little impact on access to Hominy Creek and the French Broad River. Temporary river traffic warning signs will be posted at multiple access points to notify French Broad River users of project location.

D’Andre Ash.

Keith Turman.

Participants gather for worship during the inaugural Juneteenth Celebration at Lake Junaluska in 2021.

Motion Makers donates $500 to children’s program

Swain County Exceptional Children’s Teacher

Kim Holt was thrilled to learn Motion Makers Bicycle Shop donated $500 to her program to help facilitate community learning activities for students.

The students, in turn, worked together to come up with tee shirt designs for Motion Makers. They picked their favorite design and are making the shirts now and they’ll be available this summer. Proceeds from the shirts will go to the classroom.

“This donation will go a long way to teaching life skills,” Holt said. “We take the skills we work on in the classroom such as social, money and independent living. This will also help us go out in the communities where the students live and lets them explore jobs they might be interested in. Our goals are to teach self-advocacy, independence and job skills so that when the students graduate high school, they can become a contributing member of their community.”

Jeff Lawson appointed dean of WCU Graduate School and Research

The Western Carolina University Board of Trustees appointed Jeffrey K. Lawson as dean of the Graduate School and Research

A WCU professor of mathematics, Lawson has worked with the university since 2005. He first started as an associate professor and was promoted to professor in 2010. Lawson also served as the department head of mathematics and computer science for six years. In 2021, he served as the interim associate vice chancellor for student success with the Office of the Provost. Lawson is wellpublished and has performed thorough research. He also has been selected as a visiting researcher at Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, the University of Surrey, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the California Institute of Technology.

In his new position, Lawson’s responsibilities include coordinating graduate policy and chairing the Graduate Council’s Graduate Faculty and Policy Review Committee. He will also work with program directors and key staff on academic matters related to graduate programs, oversee graduate admis-

sions and enrolled student services, and advise the Graduate Student Association.

Five Haywood graduates awarded scholarships

Five Haywood County high school graduates were awarded the Pop and Marj Kelly Merit Scholarship at Haywood Community College. Luke McKenry, Kadence Hendricks and Austin Williams from Tuscola High School and Abram Burnette and Grady Glance from Pisgah High School were each awarded $10,000 for two years.

This competitive scholarship requires applicants to submit an essay, three letters of recommendation, as well as a list of their community and extracurricular school activities. In addition, recipients are required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.5.

Smoky Mountain High names basketball coach

Thomas Young has been selected as the new Smoky Mountain High School Varsity Men’s Basketball Head Coach for the 2023-2024 school year.

WCU Mountain Heritage Awards call for nominations

Young was the varsity men’s basketball assistant coach this past season, helping design offensive and defensive philosophies that are currently in place. He has established relationships with students and families throughout Jackson County Public Schools.

Beginning in high school, Young was a starter on the varsity basketball team for four years and was named all-conference three years in a row. He continued his basketball career at Brevard College while also assisting Coach Jones in game planning and strategy. Young graduated from Brevard College in 2009 as the salutatorian, with a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Management and Entrepreneurship, summa cum laude with a 3.95 GPA.

Young’s coaching background began in 2015, when he returned to his high school alma mater, Brevard High School, as the Junior Varsity men’s Basketball Head Coach. Throughout his career, Young has coached various groups including middle school, high school and travel leagues.

In 2017, he created a basketball league in Transylvania County for high school students from Western North Carolina, focusing on skill development and providing a safe place for basketball. In 2019, Young co-founded a travel basketball program as a feeder program for high school teams. This program is currently active with plans to

expand to other age groups in the near future. Thomas Young is currently a Business Education Teacher at Smoky Mountain High School.

SCC releases ‘Milestone,’ announces winners

Artists and writers from throughout Southwestern Community College’s service area gathered inside the Burrell Conference Center on Tuesday, May 9, for the official presentation of the 14th edition of “Milestone.”

Filled with more than 40 pages of original poetry, short stories, artwork and photography, the latest volume features a colorful jellyfish design created by SCC student Lucia French.

A biennial art and literature review published by SCC, “Milestone” aims to showcase creative expressions of Western North Carolina artists and writers. Student life funds the publication and the “Milestone” banquet.

“Everyone on our editorial committee was impressed by the quality of this year’s submissions,” said Hannah Sykes, SCC English instructor who served with Bob Keeling (Advertising & Graphic Design Program coordinator) as “Milestone” faculty advisors. “The cover design is beautiful, and the talent of all our writers and artists is evident on the pages inside.”

First prize in poetry this year was named in honor of the late Jean Ellen Forrister, a longtime SCC faculty member and administrator who also served on the college’s Board of Trustees from 2015-22.

Here are the winners of the various categories in this year’s “Milestone”:

Art: Sebastian Quigley of Maggie Valley (first place); Megan Parker of Highlands (second place).

Poetry: Betty Holt of Highlands (Jean Ellen Forrister Prize in Poetry); Linneah Grace Taylor of Sylva (second prize); Codi Arsenault (honorable mention)

Short Story: Emily Warrick of Sylva (first place); Betty Holt of Highlands (second place).

The Editorial Committee consisted of SCC faculty members Rebecca Branden, Chris Cox, Mike Park as well as Sykes. Megan Stiles, Southwestern’s Coordinator of Advertising and Graphic Design, oversaw the layout and design of this year’s edition.

Submissions for the 2025 edition will be accepted through Dec. 6, 2024. These may be sent to Milestone@SouthwesternCC.edu. For more information or questions, call 828.339.4463 (poetry and prose) or 828.339.4317 (artwork).

Nominations are being accepted for the annual Mountain Heritage Awards, which recognize contributions of regional artists, nonprofit leaders and an array of organizations for their commitment to Appalachian culture and for the preservation or interpretation of the history of Southern Appalachia.

Presented by the Mountain Heritage Center, recipients are honored during ceremonies at Mountain Heritage Day which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Western Carolina University.

Honorees are selected by a committee comprised of community and WCU representatives. The awards recognize an individual and an organization for distinguished service, accomplishments, influence or expertise in maintaining the cultural viability of the region.

Nominations should be five pages or less, with a list of the nominee’s accomplishments, awards and recognition; information about the nominee’s influence in the relevant field of expertise, such as crafts, music or organizational cause; or information about the nominee’s role as a teacher, advocate, leader or curator of mountain culture. Include a website address if applicable; the mailing address of the nominee; the founding date for organizational nominees.

Nominations should be delivered no later than Monday, July 17, to the Mountain Heritage Center, located in Room 240 of WCU’s Hunter Library; mailed to Mountain Heritage Center, 1 University Drive, Cullowhee NC, 28723; or emailed to mhd@wcu.edu.

For more information about the history of the festival and the awards, visit the Mountain Heritage Day website.

Top row: Josh Haigler, Kevin Hessler, Bernard Hinker. Bottom row: Kim Holt, Eeva Haigler, Josiah Bjerkness and Nolan Griggs.

Schools aren’t on their knees begging yet, but …

So this is what it’s come to.

We had just adjourned a meeting of the Haywood Community College Foundation Board. As we began shuffling papers and packing up, one member said she had something to say but wanted to make sure the official meeting was over. In other words, the request would be a purely personal ask and not part of our official meeting. The ask?

“Can y’all do anything to help crowd source a computer teacher for one of Haywood County’s elementary schools?”

I’m paraphrasing, but that was it.

We’ve been reporting for some time about the funding challenges among our local school systems, but who could have imagined that the great education state of North Carolina — with our proud university and community college systems, with a history of once being a leading Southern state for public education — would be reduced to this.

As our local school systems struggle, the state legislature is continuing its efforts to dismantle our public schools across the state. Both houses of the legislature have passed a bill that would offer school vouchers to families of any income to send their children to private and parochial schools. The state Office of Management and Budget estimates the bill could take an additional $200 million away from public schools and hit rural school systems particularly hard. With a supermajority now in both houses, the GOP-led legislature is almost sure to override the promised veto of this bill by Gov. Roy Cooper.

Oh, and guess what? While state political leaders are writing laws about what can and can’t be taught regarding critical race theory and sexuality in our public school, they continue to support testing measures and other bureaucratic litmus tests for measuring achievement at our public schools. Meanwhile, the teachers and administrators and students at most of those private schools are not subjected to these standards and mandates. So private schools — some attended

Law-and-order Republicans are silent

To the Editor:

It is truly disheartening to see the response of elected Republicans to the indictment of Donald Trump. During the Watergate saga, it was Republicans who showed Nixon the door. True conservatives, such as Berry Goldwater, confirmed that Nixon had to go.

Contrast that to the current response in this era of depleted ethics. Instead of being outraged that Trump blatantly violated the law, Republicans and Trump supporters claim that the issue is political rather than a violation of law. The “law-and-order” Republicans want to attack the FBI and other law enforcement when Republicans are under investigation. Taking and keeping documents to which he was not entitled and then lying about retaining some of them are clearly violations of the law. If Obama had done this, Republicans would be shouting for his indictment from the rooftops.

Instead, Republicans are making excuses and using the old “yes, but” routine. Trump bellows about the boxes of documents Biden gave to the University of Delaware. Those documents are from his years in the Senate, which are not covered by the Presidential

only by the very wealthy — will get our tax money that could be going to pay for that teacher in a Haywood County elementary school but be free from most of those culture war mandates legislators seem intent on passing.

I fear for public education under our current political leadership.

•••

Anyone who travels by air and lives in Western North Carolina has likely come to appreciate the little gem that is the Asheville Regional Airport, especially compared to almost any other airport in the country. No achingly long security lines, no arriving three hours before departure, no headache-inducing hassles with parking. Well, if you’ve traveled lately, then you know that the airport — like much in our region — is growing and things are changing.

A recent press release from the airport tells us that the Asheville Airport served 1.8 million customers in 2022 and is third busiest in the state. It’s adding 600 additional parking spaces and will now shuttle passengers from long-term parking areas. The new recommendation is to arrive two hours before departure.

Growth is inevitable, growth is often good. But damn, I hate to see this little airport grow up and become as harried and painful as most other regional hubs. It will be a loss for all of us.

•••

In North Carolina, it took a state law passed two years ago to allow adults to walk the streets with alcoholic drinks in

LETTERS

Records Act of 1979 enacted after Watergate. While legally everyone is innocent until proven guilty, the publicly known facts in the case strongly suggest that Trump has violated the law. Given the facts, anyone with two functioning synapses will conclude that laws were violated. Ten salient facts are:

1. Trump took (stole) documents to which he was not entitled to his Florida residence.

2. The documents should be secured in the National Archives.

3. Some of the documents where highly classified.

4. Reports state that there was information on nuclear capabilities. This could be a serious security threat.

5. It has been reported that some of the documents appear to be related to intelligence operations. Such information could endanger people working for the United States.

6. When asked to return the documents Trump gave back only some of the documents and had his lawyers lie about it.

7. There was enough evidence that Trump was hiding documents that a judge granted a search warrant.

8. When the search was conducted, additional documents were found.

9. Many of the documents were unsecured

their hands — albeit only in certain areas.

Sylva was one of the first towns in the state to approve one of those “social districts,” which allow people of legal drinking age to walk the sidewalks with beverages in their hands and visit stores and other retail merchants who think it’s OK for patrons to shop while imbibing. Waynesville will consider a similar measure in a few weeks after holding a public hearing this past Tuesday.

With all this hullabaloo about carrying beer around in a cup, one of my co-workers assessed the situation this way: why does it take so much to make it legal to carry a beer around when we’ve made it so easy to carry something much more dangerous — guns — almost anywhere?

Crazy country indeed.

•••

As an editor, I’ve always tried to encourage journalists to be creative as writers. Sometimes formulaic news writing is best, but other times one should try to tell a story with as much color and descriptive language as you can get into it. If I do say so myself, right now this newspaper has some fantastic writers.

In case you missed it, here’s a line from Cory Vaillancourt’s recent story on the last whistle blowing at the Canton mill: “After five minutes of silence, the town’s faith community joined in with a tribute of its own — church bells chimed a hundred fifteen times, for each year the mill had been open.”

I’m a Gordon Lightfoot fanatic, so I recognized Cory’s homage to the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and one of its best lines: “The church bell chimed ‘til it rang twenty-nine times, for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Love it.

(Scott McLeod is the publisher and editor of The Smoky Mountain News. info@smokymountainnews.com.)

meaning that other people could have had access.

10. There is a phone conversation where Trump acknowledges that a document he has is classified and that he now does not have the authority to declassify it.

If we are a nation of laws with an adherence to the Constitution, Trump must be held accountable. The aforementioned facts are irrefutable, but there are many more questions. Some of those include:

1. Why did Trump take and keep the documents?

2. What did he do or intend to do with them?

3. Did he sell or otherwise share some of the information with foreign actors?

4. Did any foreign agents get access to the stored documents since many documents were just laying around in the office, personal areas, and in an unsecured store room?

5. In October 2021 the CIA noted that many of our intelligence operatives were

being killed. Could information about our operatives have been in the documents Trump kept?

These are just a few questions that come to mind.

In any case, all true Americans should be concerned about a former President, who has no regard for the law or national security. The appropriate action for elected officials would be to allow the law to take its course and keep partisan gamesmanship out of the discussion. Norman Hoffman

Waynesville

Editor Scott McLeod

Take the bait, or get more sleep?

Ican hear my son rolling around upstairs.

He’s in this pretty pricey chair he bought with his own money, one that was just “perfect” for gaming with his friends. They play complex, interactive, usually violent video games that would take me months to comprehend. Sometimes, shouting is involved, epithets, accusations and so on. Fine, but why does he need a chair with wheels?

It’s a little after midnight. I’ve just finished up my daily Wordle, and since the Dodgers are on an east coast road trip and their game is already over, I’d like to get some sleep. I send my son a text message asking him to play with no more rolling or epithets. The old man needs some shut-eye.

But I’m kidding myself. I turn off the lamp and fluff up my pillow, turning it upside down so I can burrow my head down into the cool side, one of life’s great, unsung pleasures. The ceiling fan is on, the sound machine drenching the room in white noise. These are my sleep ingredients, but not tonight. I’m as alert as my dogs are while watching me eat dinner.

I turn from one side to the other, flipping my pillow again, now that it has warmed up as I review my usual list of selfrecriminations. I’m drinking too much coffee. I’m not doing enough cardio. I’ve got too much on my mind, a half dozen thoughts racing in every direction like the dogs in the back yard chasing squirrels.

My phone vibrates for a second on the nightstand in the darkness, black as ink. A few moments later, it vibrates again. Either someone is texting me or Tammy is sending me TikToks while watching “Scrubs” reruns downstairs in the guest room. She likes sending me TikToks that are unbearably adorable or unassailably wise.

Someone might have found a baby fox abandoned behind a barn and filmed themselves washing it up in the kitchen sink. Some relationship sage might be giving four tips on how to rekindle the fading embers of romance for couples who have been together a long time and — let’s face it — have begun taking each other for granted without even realizing it … if you can imagine such a thing.

Someone else might be in India, frolicking in the mud with a baby elephant, which we could do, too, damn it, if only we had the vision, a couple of passports and the

joie de vivre. Wouldn’t I like to frolic with baby elephants in the mud? Well, wouldn’t I?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. Am I curious enough to choose the road that leads to picking up my phone, which will inevitably entail turning on the lamp, propping myself up in bed and making a trip to the kitchen to retrieve some mixed nuts and a Sprite while I ponder these new TikToks or respond to whatever text messages there may be.

Am I hungry enough for a banana sandwich? Should I watch the first 20 minutes of “The Big Lebowski”? What are my friends up to on Facebook?

Or should I summon the discipline to leave the phone right where it is, inert and enveloped in darkness, until all of these thoughts lift from my consciousness like morning fog from the lake and I can at last sink into the delicious, velvety nothingness of sleep?

If I could fall asleep in the next half hour or so, I might get as many as seven full hours instead of my usual six or less. What kind of dynamo would I be tomorrow if I woke up that well-rested?

I turn back over, yawn, stretch and shudder, then reach for the phone. The light from the screen flickers in the darkness like a lit match. There is a text from a friend, a fellow Dodger fan that says, “The Dodgers will finally be back home tomorrow night. Let’s hope they can figure out their bullpen, which has been rancid!”

And there are TikToks from Tammy, one featuring a squirrel eating a piece of a banana and then growling when the guy tries to take it away. I didn’t know that squirrels could growl, so I have learned something. Also, there’s a TikTok about introverts, which is set to the theme song from the television show, “Friends,” a show I always hated. The TikTok is better, even though it doesn’t have Jennifer Aniston.

Now, there is no question that I will be turning on the lamp and stacking up the pillows so I can sit up in the bed. No question that I will be heading to the kitchen to make some microwave popcorn for the 1 a.m. screening of “The Big Lebowski,” because what kind of monster can stop watching that movie after 20 minutes?

Upstairs, the perfect chair sounds like a bowling ball rolling down the lane, accompanied by a shrill complaint screeched by my son, who has shattered his previous vow of silence.

Evidently, some guy named Josh is a real bastard.

(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher who lives in Haywood County. jchriscox@live.com.)

catherine.proben@allentate.com

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No more shadow, no more sorrow

Tyler Ramsey to play Franklin

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR

At the core of any great singer-songwriter lies this inherent trait of stage presence, one where an entire room, no matter the size, is pulled in by this lyrical tractor beam — all eyes, emotions and energies aimed in one direction at a single voice.

For Tyler Ramsey, it’s being able to honestly connect with the listener, whether it be a packed room amid a live show or just someone throwing on his melodies in their own time and space.

“Writing is simply a release for me,” Ramsey said. “[It’s] a way for me to process my own path through this life. Some of the time I get it right — my aim is always honesty in writing.”

Albeit a genuinely humble soul, don’t let Ramsey’s words fool you. When it comes to the modern-day singer-songwriter, Ramsey remains a bastion of musical talent and lyrical aptitude — a melodic voice-of-reason and safe haven amid a 21st century world seemingly gone mad.

“What I’m after [is] still trying to make myself a better guitarist, a better writer and a better human,” the 50-year-old noted. “[And] it’s felt crazy lately trying to figure out what the [music] industry part is doing. I think it’s a horrible ‘business’ and all the people in it seem to be scrambling to even understand how to make it work — more and more I’d like to sidestep the whole mess.”

Want to go?

Acclaimed singer-songwriter and former member of Americana/indie group Band of Horses, Tyler Ramsey will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at Yonder Community Market in Franklin. Admission is a suggested donation of $20. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to eatrealfoodinc.com. Bring your own lawn chair. Wine, craft beer and cider are also available for purchase onsite, alongside a wide selection of organic snacks.

To learn about Tyler Ramsey, go to

has pursued in recent years. Formerly a member of juggernaut Americana/indie outfit Band of Horses, Ramsey spent a decade playing guitar and singing in a group that routinely headlines major festivals and performs alongside some of the biggest rock-n-roll acts on the planet.

In 2017, Ramsey left the mainstage and the bright spotlight of Band of Horses in an effort to, perhaps, find solid footing in his own personal life and musical endeavors — creatively and spiritually.

“I don’t think it’s just my age, but the last few years felt like they’ve tried to kick the hell out of me, at least career-wise having to stop touring and just wait — [it was] such a huge shift in my life,” Ramsey said. “But, really being a father to my two children has shifted all things. Every day, I’m trying to slow down the wheels, so I can just watch and be with my family and absorb all the moments I get with them.”

A longtime resident of Western North Carolina, Ramsey has called Candler home for many years now, happily.

“I first fell in love with the history of this area — or my idea of what that was — [and] what I imagined this place to be,” Ramsey said. “My ideas of it were based on images of people like Doc Watson, the country blues players that used to travel through this area or the old-time music that was all over and whatever encounters I had with those older musicians.”

One of those old-time Western North Carolina musicians

Ramsey encountered was the late Etta Baker. A highly-regarded blues/folk guitarist and singer, Baker’s work has influenced the likes of Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan. She passed away in 2006 at age 93.

“I once knocked on Etta’s door and she invited my friend and I in. And I sat across from her and we played guitar together for an hour until she had to go,” Ramsey recalled. “Lately, it’s been more of the landscape [of Western North Carolina] that feeds me — images I keep from walking in the woods or just the smell of the air coming down from the mountain behind my house at night.”

If anything, everything Ramsey has absorbed in his travels — onstage and on the road — is continually pushed through the unique lens of his words and guitar chords. It’s a whirlwind of sound and scope, all radiating from one human being with guitar in-hand, a silent room of curious souls awaiting the next number of beauty and grace conjured by Ramsey with such ease.

“I’m more and more drawn to playing intimate shows for people. Stripping away smoke and mirrors and really just being in a room with people and trying to create a moment — for myself and for anyone that is there,” Ramsey said. “The music I appreciate lately removes all those distractions and leaves you with just that moment, the one you are in. It doesn’t require a lighting truck or dance moves or really much of anything — just one person with a guitar and a room full of people that want to listen.”

Tyler Ramsey. Donated Photo

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Ode to the girl from the North Country, ode to a year of grief later

Pulling up to the entrance of an old logging road in the depths of Balsam Gap between Sylva and Waynesville, a hot sun hovered. Lace up the running shoes and duck under a shady tree canopy along the isolated dirt road of solitude.

Late Saturday afternoon. A slight haze overtaking the mountain ridges in the distance looking towards Cullowhee and Cherokee. The scent of new forest growth and fresh earth emerging into the last of spring, onward into the frolicking nature of soon-to-be-here summer shenanigans and agreeable weather.

Within the first half-mile of the eventual three-mile trot, the mind began to drift and wander, thoughts and emotions ricocheting amid the space between the ears, as per usual once you become vulnerable to the intricate energy singularly found in the depths of a solo run down a silent dirt path — the only sounds that of your feet underneath you, your breathing now finding a comfortable pace.

Almost immediately, I started thinking about my late friend, Stephanie Van Nortwick, who was tragically killed in a car accident a year ago this past week in rural Virginia. The crash was June 7, 2022, with her untimely passing coming on June 9 in the ICU at the UVA University Hospital in Charlottesville. To note, Steph was an organ donor whose generosity helped give a better life to four individuals.

Originally going by Steph Wilkins, I befriended her way back in high school in the North Country of Upstate New York. As a competitive runner in those days, I met her and several other local athletes at a track camp offered one summer at nearby St. Lawrence University. We’d all known each other for years, fighting it out on the track and in the backwoods during cross-country season.

But, at that point, our interactions were only at arm’s length, with track camp offering several other avenues of possible friendship. It was also at track camp where she had a budding relationship with Adam Van Nortwick, the best runner in our conference with numerous records and awards to his name.

Track camp was also a setting that introduced me to my high school sweetheart. She went to same high school as Adam in Saranac Lake, with Steph in the next district just down the road in Tupper Lake. Me? I was over an hour away up Route 3 and Interstate 87 at Northeastern Clinton — eager to leave whenever I could escape to the sincere friendships and jovial adventures that awaited me.

Following track camp, we started meeting up every weekend during our final year of high school, venturing around the vast landscape of the ancient Adirondack Mountains

— camping, hiking, boating, swimming or simply just daydreaming about our unknown futures on the dock at Adam’s parents’ home on Kiwassa Lake.

At age 38, those memories are over 20 years ago. And although much has changed and shifted in our respective lives, those images — people, places and things — have remained close to the surface of our daily lives. Innocent, joyous times while we were comingof-age, soon-to-be released upon the world of adulthood and impending responsibilities. And we never lost touch after high school.

There were weddings and reunions later down the line, with Steph and Adam’s nuptials being such a memorable celebration those many years ago at a tiny stone church near Paul Smith’s College. There was the occasional mid-summer rendezvous at Adam’s parents’ lake house where we caught up with one another about life — once again daydreaming about the unknown future ahead.

Skip ahead to the recent jaunt in the woods of Southern Appalachia, that old logging road in the heart of Balsam Gap. Late Saturday afternoon. Sunshine piercing through the shaded tree canopy. Silence, save for the sounds of running shoes crunching along the dirt path, my breathing finding its ideal rhythm along the trek. The endless streams of thoughts and emotions to digest and make sense of.

A year has now passed since Steph left us, exiting this earthly plane for the next realm — whatever and wherever that may be — somewhere out there in the cosmic ether of the universe. Her husband and two young children are slowly learning how to cope with the searing grief and move forward in this still-unfolding new reality, with Steph’s family and friends also doing the same in their own ways and means.

The grief never leaves, as those who experience the loss of a loved one can attest. You just simply learn how to walk beside it. You learn how to carry the weight of grief along the often-bumpy road of life, each loved one lost a cherished item stored in your spiritual suitcase en route to the subsequent chapter of your existence.

From time-to-time, I think about the absolute numbness and catatonic feeling of self that was felt when I walked out the ICU in Charlottesville, just after I said goodbye to Steph for the last time — mere hours before the hospital machines were turned off and she was peacefully let go into an eternal slumber.

That devastating grief was heavy and dragged me down for several months thereafter, where I became distant in daily interactions and endeavors. But, as with grief itself, eventually comes the return of your old self, but you’re a little more worn-in and matured in the matters of life and death. Your old self is back, but it’s different now, and it will never be the same. It never is.

And yet, you must continue to hold your head high and remain tuned in to the present moment at-hand, in sheer gratitude for the here and now — for not only your late friend, but also yourself and those surrounding you, all of which eagerly awaiting your next move of purpose, passion and compassion.

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

HOT PICKS

1

The 5th annual Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival will return June 16-17 to the Shelton House in Waynesville.

2 Renowned bluegrass/jam group

Mountain Heart will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17, on the lawn stage at the Historic Cowee School in Franklin.

3

A special production of “Calendar Girls” will grace the stage at 7:30 p.m. June 16-17, 23-24, 29-30, July 1 and 2 p.m. June 18, 25 and July 2 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

4

The Marianna Black Library will continue its “Summer Music Series” with an evening of Americana/folk music from singersongwriter Liz Nance at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at the library in Bryson City.

5 Cashiers Live (Cashiers) will host To The Limit (Eagles tribute) at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 17.

The backroad to the running trail in Balsam Gap. Garret K. Woodward photo

Americana, indie in WNC

The Maggie Valley Band will perform at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at SlopeSide Tavern in Sapphire. There will also be a show at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at Whiteside Brewing in Cashiers.

A blend of old-time mountain, Americana and psychedelic folk music, the Haywood County group is fronted by siblings Whitney and Caroline Miller. The duo has gone through several changes since they first set out on their melodic adventure several years ago.

But, what remains is the unbreakable bond of sisterhood, something that’s become a stronghold — and strong suit — in what it will take to break into the next level of their promising careers. Both shows are free and open to the public. For more on the group, go to themaggievalleyband.com.

‘Concerts on the Creek’

The Town of Sylva, Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department and Jackson County Chamber of Commerce are proud to present the 14th annual season of the “Concerts on the Creek” music series.

Classic rock/R&B outfit The V8s will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, June 16, at the gazebo in Bridge Park in downtown Sylva. On any given night, the band will deliver their smokin’ hot versions of songs by artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Johnny Rivers, Van Morrison and much more.

These events are free with donations encouraged. Everyone is welcome. Dogs must be on a leash. No smoking, vaping, coolers or tents allowed. Bring a chair or blanket. There will be food trucks available on most nights.

For more information, please contact the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce at 828.586.2155 or visit the Concerts on the Creek Facebook page. A full schedule of dates and performers can be found at mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.

Bryson City community jam

A community jam will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer or anything unplugged is invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of the Sawmill Creek Porch Band.

The community jams offer a chance for musicians of all ages and levels of ability to share music they have learned over the years or learn old-time mountain songs. The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month — spring, summer, fall.

This program received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded

Frog Level’s ‘Summer Soirée’

Presented by Adamas Entertainment, the “Summer Soirée” featuring Abby Bryant & The Echoes and J. Rex & His High Mountain Pals will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at The Lineside, a brand new indoor music venue at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville.

A music minister’s daughter turned fierce front woman, Asheville-based Abby Bryant has cemented her presence as a standout in Americana and soul with her band’s debut album “Not Your Little Girl.” The 13-track LP features Bryant’s raw vocal talent supported by the confident and dynamic backing group, The Echoes, and establishes a strong foundation for the band in the world of vintage-inspired Americana and soul rock.

Fronted by Jerad Davis of beloved Western North Carolina Americana/bluegrass outfit Ol’ Dirty Bathtub, the High Mountain Pals is a collection of some of the finest pickers-n-grinners in this part of Southern Appalachia.

Doors at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Open to all ages. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on froglevelbrewing.com/events.

by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment of the Arts. 828.488.3030.

Dulcimer group ‘Pic’ & Play’

The Pic’ & Play Mountain Dulcimer Players will be resuming in-person jam sessions at the St. John’s Episcopal Church basement fellowship hall in Sylva.

The group welcomes all beginners and experienced dulcimer players, including mountain (lap) dulcimer and hammered dulcimer players. Songs played include traditional mountain tunes, hymns and more modern music. The group meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of every month in the basement of St. John’s.

Pic’ & Play has been playing together since 1995. The more experienced members wel-

come new players, help them navigate their instruments, and guide them through some of the basics of tuning, strumming and playing.

The mountain dulcimer, also known as a fretted dulcimer or a lap dulcimer, is a uniquely American instrument. It evolved from the German scheitholz sometime in the early 1800s in Appalachia and was largely known only in this region until popularized more broadly in the 1950s.

For more information, call Kathy Jaqua at 828.349.3930 or Don Selzer at 828.293.0074.

Marianna ‘Summer Music Series’

The Marianna Black Library will continue its “Summer Music Series” with an evening of Americana/folk music from singer-songwriter Liz Nance at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 22,

at the library in Bryson City.

Nance has been playing music since she was 13 years old, when she took up the bass guitar to play along with her aunt and uncle. It wasn’t too long before she started playing the guitar and, by the time she was 18, she was writing her own songs.

Nance moved to Bryson City in 2004 to start a “summer job” at the NOC and, since then, she has become a fixture in the community. She now writes most of her own music. When she covers someone else’s song, she always adds their own creative twists and turns.

Other performances scheduled for the “Summer Music Series” will include Kelli Dodd June 29 and Frank Lee on July 13.

Free and open to the public. For more information or driving directions, call the library at 828.488.3030 or go to fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

The Maggie Valley Band is a rising regional act.

File photo

Abby Bryant will play Waynesville June 24. File photo

The V8s will perform in Sylva June 16. File photo

On the beat

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8-10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 or balsamfallsbrewing.com.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host a semi-regular acoustic jam with the Main Street NoTones from 7-9 p.m. every first and third Thursday of the month. Free and open to the public. For more information, go to blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host music bingo 7 p.m. Mondays, karaoke at 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. Chilitonic June 17 and Beer & Loathing June 24. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.246.0350 or boojumbrewing.com.

• Cashiers Live (Cashiers) will host To The Limit (Eagles tribute) 7 p.m. June 17. Tickets are $40 for adults, $12 for kids under age 12. VIP options available. Doors at 6 p.m. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to cashierslive.com.

• Concerts On The Creek (Sylva) will host The V8s (classic rock/R&B) June 16 and Gotcha Groove (R&B/soul) June 23 at Bridge Park in Sylva. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. 828.586.2155 or mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host Mountain Heart (bluegrass) 6 p.m. June 17. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children. blueridgemusicnc.com/concerts.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host Hunter Blaylock (singer-songwriter) June 17. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 or curraheebrew.com.

• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” with Erick Baker (singer-songwriter) June 15 and Andrew Wooten with Caroline’s Roost July 12. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $25 per person. For tickets, go to oldedwardshospitality.com/orchardsessions.

• First United Methodist Church (Franklin) will host Mountain Voices Chorus Concert 7 p.m. June 22. Admission is free, with donations requested to support Mountain Voices. 828.524.3644.

• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host Josh Goforth (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. June 16. Tickets are $20 for adults. Ages 12 and under free. Doors at 5:30 p.m. For tickets, go to folkmoot.org.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will host Steady Hand String Band (Americana) June 16 and Southern Highland Band (Americana) June 23 at Town Square on Main Street. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host its weekly “Tuesday Jazz Series” at 5:30 p.m., Tuxedo Junction June 17 and “Summer Soirée” with Abby Bryant & The Echoes (soul/rock) and J. Rex & His High Mountain Pals (bluegrass/jam) 6:30 p.m. June 24 (admission $10 in advance). All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.

• Groovin’ on the Green (Cashiers) will host Zorki with Bill Berg (Americana/folk) June 23. Shows begin at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Donations encouraged. villagegreencashiersnc.com/concerts.

• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host Rock Holler June 16, The Whitewater Heathens June 17, Blue Jazz June 22, Jay Drummonds June 23 and Macon County Line June 24. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. happsplace.com or 828.742.5700.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will Colt Ford (country/rock) 9 p.m. June 16. For a full schedule of events and/or to buy tickets, caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host a Sunday Bluegrass Residency noon to 2:30 p.m. and Erin Rae (singer-songwriter) 8:30 p.m. June 22. Tickets are $35. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to highlandermountainhouse.com.

• Highlands Performing Arts Center will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. For tickets, go to highlandsperformingarts.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Trivia Night with Kirk” from 7-9 p.m. every Monday, Open Mic Night every Wednesday, Jesse Williams (singer-songwriter) June 17, Jason Lyles (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. June 23 and Tyler Kemmerling (singer-songwriter) June 24. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.

• Jackson County Public Library (Sylva) will host The Jazz Cats (jazz/swing) 6 p.m. June 15 in the Community Room. 828.586.2016 or jcpl-adults@fontanalib.org.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host “Music Bingo” 6 p.m. Tuesdays, trivia 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Open Mic 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’Blues (blues/rock) July 1. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host trivia 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Old Time Jam 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music

on the weekends. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lineside at Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host the “Summer Soirée” with Abby Bryant & The Echoes (soul/rock) and J. Rex & His High Mountain Pals (bluegrass/jam) 6:30 p.m. June 24. Admission is $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Open to all ages. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) “Summer Music Series” will continue with Liz Nance (singer-songwriter) June 22, Kelli Dodd (singer-songwriter) June 29 and Frank Lee (old-time/folk) July 13. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 828.488.3030 or go to fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host Trivia Thursdays 6:30 p.m. and Woolybooger & The Ragtime Drifters (blues/indie) 7 p.m. June 23. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to meadowlarkmotel.com or 828.926.1717.

• Moss Valley (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. Food trucks and beverages available onsite. Bring a lawn chair. Presented by Drake Software.

• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host Wayne McAllister (singer-songwriter) June 16, Tyler Kemmerling (singer-songwriter) June 17, Susie Copeland (singer-songwriter) June 23 and Rene Russell (rock/folk) June 24. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105.

• Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will host Dive Bar Divas June 17 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park on Pine Street. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• The Scotsman (Waynesville) will host a “Celtic Jam” 2-5 p.m. Sundays, Alma Russ (Americana/indie) June 15, Skies Of Avalon (alt-rock) 9 p.m. June 16, Celtic Road Jam 4 p.m. June 17 and Jackson Grimm (Americana/ indie) June 22. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.

• SlopeSide Tavern (Sapphire) will host The Maggie Valley Band (Americana/indie) 6 p.m. June 15 and Kevin Daniel & The Bottom Line 7 p.m. June 22. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.743.8655 or slopesidetavern.com.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host Debbie Gibson June 16 and Authentic Unlimited (bluegrass) June 23. Both shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to smokymountainarts.com or 828.524.1598.

ALSO:

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Twelfth Fret (Americana) June 16, Zip Robertson (singer-songwriter) June 17, Wyatt Espalin (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. June 18, George Ausman (singersongwriter) June 23, Ron Neill (singer-songwriter) June 24 and Zip Robertson (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. June 25. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Music On The River (Cherokee) will host semi-regular live music on the Water Beetle Stage. For more information, go to visitcherokeenc.com and go to the “Events” tab.

• Nantahala Brewing Outpost (Sylva) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.641.9797 or nantahalabrewing.com.

• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Tugalo Holler (bluegrass) June 24. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-on-the-square.html.

• Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro (Dillsboro) will host Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.586.1717 or facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.

• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) “An Appalachian Evening” live music series will feature The Kruger Brothers June 24 and Buncombe Turnpike July 1. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or go to stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host “Bluegrass Wednesday” at 6:30 p.m. each week and Darren Nicholson (Americana/bluegrass) 8 p.m. May 26. 828.526.8364 or theuglydogpub.com.

• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Karaoke with Lori June 14, Blackjack Country June 15, Macon County Line June 16, Keil Nathan Smith & Sudden Change June 17, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) June 22, Tricia Ann Band (country/rock) June 23 and Carolina Freightshakers (classic rock/oldies) June 24. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Andy Ferrell June 16, Maggie Valley Band June 17, Arnold Hill (rock/jam) June 23 and Jason Lyles (singer-songwriter) June 24. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.743.6000 or whitesidebrewing.com.

• Yonder Community Market (Franklin) will host Tyler Ramsey (indie/folk) 7 p.m. June 17 and Tim Easton (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. June 25. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to eatrealfoodinc.com.

On the beat

Cowee School welcomes Mountain Heart

Renowned bluegrass/jam group

Mountain Heart will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17, on the lawn stage at the Historic Cowee School in Franklin.

The band has been fearlessly revolutionizing the way acoustic music can be presented and played, its name has been synonymous with cutting-edge excellence in acoustic music circles since the group’s creation.

Mountain Heart, or its individual members, have been nominated for Grammys, ACM and CMA awards. The band has also been nominated for, and won, multiple

IBMAs.

They have appeared on the revered stage of the Grand Ole Opry in excess of 130 times, and have shared the stage with acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Montgomery Gentry, Merle Haggard, George Jones and Brad Paisley to Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, The Avett Brothers, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Punch Brothers, Levon Helm, John Fogerty and many more.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children. Rain or shine. Tickets available at coweeschool.org/music.

Kruger Brothers return to Stecoah

The “An Appalachian Evening” series will kick off its 2023 season with a performance by The Kruger Brothers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.

The annual summer concert series offers an ever-changing schedule of bluegrass, folk and old-time mountain music by award-winning artists — quality entertainment for the entire family.

Rich in cultural heritage, the series continues to be a favorite with locals and visitors alike. The concert will be held in the airconditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.

Since their formal introduction to American audiences in 1997, The Kruger Brothers’ remarkable discipline, creativity and their ability to infuse classical music into folk music has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music.

In their ever-expanding body of work — featuring Swiss brothers Jens Kruger (banjo and vocals) and Uwe Kruger (guitar and lead vocals) and Joel Landsberg (bass and vocals) — The

Kruger Brothers personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American musical tradition. Their original music is crafted around their discerning taste — the result unpretentious, cultivated and delightfully fresh.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for students grade K-12. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or go to stecoahvalleycenter.com.

Dr. Dennis Dawson Dr. Matt Davis Dr. Robert Przynosch

Dr. Robert DelBene Dr. William Banks Dr. Tyler May

Mountain Heart is an acclaimed bluegrass act. File photo

The Kruger Brothers will play Stecoah June 24. File photo)

On the street

Taste of Scotland Festival

The 23rd annual Taste of Scotland Festival will be held June 16-18 at locations around Franklin.

The festival is a celebration of the heritage brought to these mountains, that of the Scots and Scots Irish, along with celebrating the historic relationships with the Cherokee.

The Taste of Scotland Festival celebrates the history and heritage of our area and encourages everyone to participate. Scottish foods, music, clan parade, vendors and crafters, Highland Games competition, herding dog demonstrations and more.

• “Clan Parade” will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, June 16, on Main Street in Franklin. Free live music at 6:30 p.m. behind Rathskellers Coffee Haus & Pub. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Bring your own lawn chair.

• The Taste of Scotland Festival and Highlands Games will be held on Saturday, June 17, at the Macon County Fairgrounds at 1436 Georgia Road in Franklin. Admission is $10 for ages 16 and over. Free for ages five

On the wall

and under, with $5 for ages 5-15.

• The 35th anniversary celebration of the Scottish Tartans Museum & Heritage Center will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at the museum in downtown Franklin. Live performers, vendors, demonstrations, lectures from local historians of the Eastern Band of Cherokee and the museum.

• “Kirkin of the Tartans” will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 18, at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Franklin. Live music thereafter featuring Caledonia Women (Celtic) at 3 p.m. in the chapel of the church.

To learn more about the festival and its full schedule of events, go to tasteofscotland.org and click on the “Schedule 2023” tab or call 252.474.7022.

Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend

The 5th annual Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival will return June 16-17 to the Shelton House in Waynesville.

A fundraising event for the preservation of the historic home, also known as “The Museum of NC Handicrafts,” there will be artisans and demonstrations onsite, as well as food trucks/vendors and live Appalachian music on the front porch.

Live music will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Performers include Cold Mountain Bluegrass, Beansidhe, Cider House, Alex Travers, Ginny McAfee, Sadie Wicker &

Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling

The Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling will be held from 7-9 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays through Oct. 31 at the Oconaluftee Islands Park in Cherokee. Sit by a bonfire, alongside a river, and listen to some of Cherokee’s best storytellers. The bonfire is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 800.438.1601 or go to visitcherokeenc.com.

Friends, Chris Minick, Appalachian Consort, Lorraine Connor and Paddywack.

The Shelton House has a 43-year history as “The Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts,” featuring talented artists and artisans from across North Carolina. It is also listed as a stop on the “Blue Ridge Craft Trail” and on the “Appalachian Mural Trail.”

Free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. All donations go to the preservation of the historic site. Sponsors for the event are also welcome. Bring your lawn chairs.

For more information, click on sheltonhouse.org or call 828.452.1551.

ALSO:

• Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley will offer free admission to Haywood County residents on the first Saturday of each month throughout its 2023 season. The collection features over 375 of the world’s rarest and most soughtafter American motorcycles from over 30 manufacturers. The museum is located at 62 Vintage Lane in Maggie Valley and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday until Nov. 20. For more information about the museum and its collections, visit wheelsthroughtime.com.

• Call for artists and musicians for the “Youth Arts Festival” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. Artists needed to demonstrate, as well as musicians to perform. If interested, email chelseamiller@jacksonnc.org or call 828.631.0271.

6:30-8:30 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month through September at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Artisan vendors and more. For more information, go to noc.com.

ALSO:

• “Art After Dark” will take place from 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 7, in downtown Waynesville. Each first Friday of the month (May-December), Main Street transforms into an evening of art, live music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors alike. For more information, go to downtownwaynesville.com.

• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of one’s skills. They welcome photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. For more information, email waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net or follow them on Facebook: Waynesville Photography Club.

• Summer Artisans Market will be held from

• Farmer’s Market (with artisans) will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through October at 117 Island St. in Bryson City. Stop by the old barn by the river for local, homegrown produce, as well as baked goods, jellies and preserves, authentic crafts and more. Food truck, picnic tables and live music. Leashed pets are welcome. Outdoor event. 828.488.7857.

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

• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. For more information on the upcoming classes and/or to sign-up, go to southwesterncc.edu/scclocations/swain-center.

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

The Taste of Scotland rolls into Franklin June 16-18. File photo

The Cherokee Bonfire is a family-friendly gathering.

File photo

Beansidhe is a popular Celtic band in WNC. File photo

‘Calendar Girls’ runs through July 2 in Waynesville.

Donated photo

HART presents ‘Calendar Girls’

A special production of “Calendar Girls” will grace the stage at 7:30 p.m. June 16-17, 23-24, 29-30, July 1 and 2 p.m. June 18, 25 and July 2 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

“Calendar Girls” is a comedy based on a true story in 1999 when 11 W.I. members posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukemia Research Fund. To note, the W.I. is the Women’s Institute, a community organization in the United Kingdom since 1897.

The play is based on the 2003 film of the same name, starring two grand dames of British cinema, Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. Adapted by Tim Firth, it premiered in a UK Tour in 2009 and quickly became the fastest-selling play in British theatre history.

When Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow Women’s Institute members to pose nude with them for an “alternative” calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence.

The news of the women’s charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend upon their town. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie’s friendship is put to the test under the strain of their newfound fame. This play contains the suggestion of nudity and some mature language. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on harttheatre.org or call the Box Office at 828.456.6322.

‘Unto These Hills’ outdoor drama

The “Unto These Hills” stage production will be held at 7 p.m. nightly throughout the summer at the Cherokee Mountainside Theatre.

This decades-old acclaimed outdoor drama traces the Cherokee people through the eons, through the zenith of their power, through the heartbreak of the Trail of Tears, finally ending, appropriately, in the present day, where the Cherokee people, much like their newly rescripted drama, continue to rewrite their place in the world — a place based on traditional Cherokee values and modern sensibilities.

For more information on show dates and/or to purchase tickets, go to visitcherokeenc.com and click on the “Events” tab.

‘Unto These Hills’ is a longtime Cherokee show. File photo

• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. For more information on upcoming events, wine tastings and special dinners, go to waynesvillewine.com.

• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. For more information, call

828.538.0420.

On the table ALSO:

• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. As well, there will be a “Beer Train to Dillsboro” at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on gsmr.com.

Truths of the imagination are still valuable

“The Novel, Who Needs It?” (Encounter Books, 2023, 152 pages) is the latest work by Joseph Epstein, master of the essay, author of 31 books, 86 years old, and still going strong.

To this short meditation on the novel and its place in our lives Epstein brings a lifetime of reading. Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Dickens, Edith Wharton, Willa Cather — throw in scores of other novelists, male and female, old writers and moderns, and you have a man who is a walking library.

Several of Epstein’s books and many of his hundreds of essays have also focused on fiction with appreciations and criticisms. In addition, he served a long stint as editor of “The American Scholar,” the quarterly of Phi Beta Kappa, and taught for three decades in the English Department at Northwestern University.

“The Novel, Who Needs It?” brings many of these writers into play. Mixed in as well, as in his other books, are enlightening asides and brief personal sketches. This combination makes for lively and entertaining writing.

Epstein spends well over half of his book pointing out the various and often unique benefits derived from reading the serious novel: its allowance for the reader’s emotional engagement, the truths it speaks out of the realm of the imagination, its psychological insights, its ability to inspire us to become better than we are. Epstein attempts to make the case that in many respects the most profound of novels offer us unique gifts among the arts. He writes, “The genre, unlike any other literary genre, provides truths of an important kind unavailable elsewhere in literature or anywhere else.”

Later in his examination, Epstein considers the transformative effects on readers living alongside the characters in the best of novels, the ways their experiences interact with our own: “What a novel can do, by presenting a life or lives different from, sometimes foreign to, one’s own, is to expand one’s sympathies (sometimes), alter one’s taste (often), widen the lenses of one’s own experiences (always), and take one outside of oneself (if one is lucky).”

Somewhat oddly, Epstein only defines with precision, or with as much precision as is possible, what he means by “serious novels” in the book’s final pages. “By “serious,” he writes, “I mean novels and stories that possess a certain unmistakable gravity — fiction that implicitly asks the right questions … they take human nature as the great puzzle it is … they put the breath of life into their characters, and through these characters they explore the conundrums life poses for us all.”

Epstein also raises a decades-long debate on the novel’s viability. For many years, as he points out, some critics and commentators have pointed out that the novel is dead or dying: “the funeral announcement for the novel is an old standby for the gloomy minded.” Here, by the way, he isn’t referring to the best-sellers and the thousands of stories that every year find their way into print, but once again to those novels that comprise

“In his book, Rieff contended that we are no longer living in a culture where honor and dignity, courage and kindness, are primary, but instead in one in which self-esteem and self-gratification are the chief goals.”

Although he gives a nod to the benefits of psychotherapy and pharmacology for those suffering real trauma, like schizophrenia and bipolar disease, Epstein notes that “psychobabble is the order of the day” and that “Great literature is about the role of destiny and moral conflict. The therapeutic culture is about individual happiness…Under the reign of therapy triumphant, the goal of self-esteem has replaced the longing for strong character.”

“the richness of human experience.”

Yet he himself fears that this often-predicted death may now be at hand. Like some bedside physician of literature, he takes the temperature and pulse of his ailing patient, and finds several pathogens that have “put the fate of the novel in peril.” These include the internet and digital culture that place speed and brevity above books and long thoughts, the political correctness that already harnesses the instincts and liberties of so many writers, the hundreds of creative writing programs that tend to produce writers long on style and short on experiences outside of the academy and contemporary publishing, where profit rather than art is the bottom line.

Of all these debilitating causes, however, Epstein identifies our therapeutic culture as the principal suspect in the demise of the novel. Citing Philip Rieff’s 1966 book, “The Triumph of the Therapeutic,” Epstein writes,

The confessional mode that figures in so much of today’s literature, including fiction, and the quest for self-fulfillment that forms the central plot in so many novels bear out Epstein’s arguments. The stories told by some modern writers — I’m thinking here of Mark Helprin’s “A Soldier of the Great War” — still espouse such character values as honor, dignity, courage and suffering, but in so many more novels the characters have only happiness as the most desirable of ends.

As to where he stands on the serious novel’s importance for the human soul, Epstein’s last sentence in his book leaves us in no doubt: “To turn to the question put by this book’s title, ‘The Novel, Who Needs It?,’ the answer is that we all do, including even people who wouldn’t think of reading novels — we all need it, and in this, the great age of distraction we may just need it more than ever before.”

If you enjoy reading books about books, as I do, or if you’re interested in the novel as an art form and its value for our hearts and minds, Epstein’s your man.

(Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust On Their Wings,” and two works of nonfiction, “Learning As I Go” and “Movies Make the Man.” minick0301@gmail.com.)

Writer Jeff Minick

Fish on the farm

Tour highlights importance, challenges of mountain aquaculture

BY HOLLY KAYS OUTDOORS E DITOR

Whenever Wes Eason runs across a potential customer who’s hesitant about eating farm-raised fish, he points to the picture on the front of the Sunburst Trout Farms brochure. It’s the same photograph that hangs on the wall of the business’s processing facility in Waynesville — an aerial shot showing the raceways zigzagging just below Lake Logan Dam, the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest filling the rest of the frame.

“That speaks for itself,” he said.

EFFORT TO EDUCATE

Eason, who co-owns Sunburst with his brother, Ben, was the first stop on an all-day tour showcasing Western North Carolina’s aquaculture industry Friday, June 9. Standing along the raceways in the cool morning air, Eason spoke to a group that included agriculture professionals, educators, members of the media and elected representatives — N.C. Rep. Lindsey Prather (D-

Buncombe) and a field representative for NC11 Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson). Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-Macon) would address the group during a dinner program later that day.

“The fact that we are here is a huge advantage,” Eason said above the gentle roar of water spilling from the Lake Logan Dam, just visible through the trees circling the farm. “We'd be hard pressed to find a watershed like this if we were just starting out.”

Sunburst Trout, which was founded by Eason’s grandfather, Dick Jennings, got its start in 1948 under the name Cashiers Valley Trout Farm. The family moved its troutgrowing operation to the current site near Lake Logan in the 1960s. Upstream, there’s nothing but national forest until the Pigeon River’s headwaters near the county line. The water that Sunburst diverts from the Pigeon, then runs through its raceways and cleans up before sending it back to the river, is about as clean as it gets. That’s important, because for trout clean water is more than a luxury.

“They just won’t survive if it’s not pure and clean,” Eason said. “They’re very sensitive creatures.”

Sponsored by the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission, N.C. Farm Bureau and N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the aquaculture tour was

the second in a series of “Best of the West” agriculture tours aimed at increasing understanding of the importance agriculture in Western North Carolina has to the rest of the state — and understanding of the obstacles the farmers who form its backbone face every day. Three-quarters of the funding came from the NCDACS pool of funds left over at the end of the budget year from vacant positions within the department.

North Carolina’s population is increasing, but its agricultural acreage is decreasing — meaning fewer people have the automatic introduction to farming that occurs when your neighbors’ livelihoods revolve around growing food.

“It's basically just to help educate, which I think is becoming more and more important for agriculture, because even though agriculture is the largest industry in the state, there's not many of us working in agriculture,” said Sim McIver, assistant director of domestic and horticulture marketing for Got to Be N.C., an initiative of NCDACS. “It's a low percentage, so the ones that don't work in agriculture, we have to educate them on what we do.”

FROM FARM TO TABLE

Fish farming might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about agriculture, but it offers an incredibly efficient way to produce animal proteins for dinner plates across America. For every 1.1 pounds of feed Eason puts in the water, he gets about a pound of growth on his fish. For other animals, the return is much smaller — for beef cattle, for example, it takes somewhere between 4.5 and 7.5 pounds of feed to achieve one pound of growth.

After touring the raceways, Eason took the group to the processing plant, where every week about 6,400 pounds of fish is transformed into fillets, smoked or made into specialty products like trout jerky. Sunburst is North Carolina’s second-largest supplier of trout.

“Nothing’s older than 24 hours out of the water when it leaves the facility,” Eason said.

Despite the hundreds of thousands of pounds the business processes each year, it’s close to a zero-waste operation. Meat left on the bones when the filets are cut is extricated for use in jerky, while

Trout fins pepper the surface of the water at Sunburst Trout Farms below Lake Logan. Holly Kays photo

Wes Eason, co-owner of Sunburst Trout Farms, speaks to the tour group near the raceways. Holly Kays photo

Howard Brown, owner of Carolina Mountain Trout, shows the group around his fish farm in Cherokee. Holly Kays photo

F

the fish guts are picked up for use in fertilizer.

For the afternoon, the group headed to Cherokee for a traditional meal prepared by the Native American Indian Women’s Association and a visit to a fish farm in Big Cove operated by Andrews-based Carolina Mountain Trout.

Launched in the early 1980s, Carolina Mountain Trout is a newer company than Sunburst but an even larger producer. Its Cherokee farm is located about 25 minutes toward the north end of the picturesque Big Cove community, and at any one time there’s about 420,000 pounds of fish swimming there. The trout are processed at a facility in Andrews, where two-thirds of the fish that Carolina Mountain Trout processes come from other area farms, making it the largest trout organization east of the Mississippi River.

GRAPPLING WITH MOTHER NATURE

Growing fish may sound simple, but it’s hard work. As the fish grow, the farmer must monitor them to make sure the raceways aren’t overcrowded, and that the fish are healthy and free of disease. Fish are constantly being moved around, as the larger ones head off for processing and newly hatched fish, typically about two inches long, are dropped off. Carolina Mountain Trout owner Howard Brown purchases about 1.2 million of these fingerlings each year, and his staff vaccinate each by hand to guard against the most common diseases afflicting trout.

The biggest challenge, though, is mother nature, Eason said. Trout need clear, cold water to grow — 57 degrees is perfect. But during a dry, hot summer, when the lake gets low and the water heats up, trout struggle. They stop growing, and mortality rates increase.

Too much water is a problem as well. In addition to the lives and homes Tropical Storm Fred destroyed as it roared through Cruso in 2021, the flood demolished Sunburst’s satellite trout farm along U.S. 276, sending 70,000 pounds of trout swimming away. The company now has funding to rebuild that farm but is waiting for the county to finish a stabilization project in the area to begin construction.

A separate flood that occurred much longer ago has imperiled Carolina Mountain Trout’s operations. Back before the company built its fish farm in Cherokee, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians realigned a portion of Ravens Fork to facilitate a paving project on Big Cove Road, building a diversionary dam in the late 1970s. After severe flooding in 1992, the creek bed was stabilized with wire Gabion baskets as a temporary fix. But now those baskets are disintegrating, and with each new rain erosion deepens along the edge of the trout farm. In 2020, the Bureau of Indian Affairs identified the dam as a hazard at risk of failure.

EBCI Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Joey Owle hopes to see the problem fixed soon. The

tribe has gathered funding to remove the dam and restore the downstream reach, hoping to start construction sometime next summer.

“When you try to take nature and manipulate it to that scale, you're going to end up with these kinds of issues, and having to go back and continually stabilize,” Owle said. “And so hopefully, with this next project, it’s something that will last much longer than 20 years with the Gabion baskets.”

REGULATORY CHALLENGES

Fish farmers also struggle against more bureaucratic challenges. Howard Brown, president of Carolina Mountain Trout, is working to create new technology in response to tightening limits on the amount of water he’s allowed to divert.

These new limits are “a big deal,” he said — so now he’s working with researchers to develop new technology that will allow him

to cost-effectively clean and recirculate water within the trout farm, reducing the amount he needs to draw from the creek. He hopes to try out the first unit by the end of the year.

“To me, that's really the only alternative,” he said.

Government regulations have a direct impact on trout farmers’ day-to-day lives, their budgets and the viability of their businesses — so McIver was pleased that so many legislators participated in the tour.

“I think it’s great that we had some political folks come in on this trip, because it's going to be important to educate them as well, because they're going make decisions based on what they know,” McIver said. “And if they don't know anything about agriculture, then they're going to make decisions that will negatively impact.”

One of the participating legislators, Gillespie, is already quite familiar with the world of agriculture — he runs a cattle

farm in Macon County. During a dinner reception following the tour, he told the group about his recent efforts to combat what he understands to be burdensome regulations on fish farmers.

Gillespie said trout producers in WNC began contacting him with concerns about a new N.C. Division of Water Resources rule requiring them to test discharge from their farms quarterly rather than annually, as had previously been required — without compensation for the cost of the additional testing. Gillespie said he couldn’t find any past issues that may have spurred this change beyond a general philosophy from federal agencies offering comment during the rulemaking process that more frequent testing means any potential problem will be caught more quickly.

“In itself that makes perfect sense,” Gillespie said. “Check the oil in your car every morning, you will know if you’re low on oil. Anybody do that?”

Gillespie has been working to get the quarterly test requirement repealed and expects to be successful in that endeavor. The repeal was accepted as an amendment to the North Carolina Farm Act of 2023, which has passed through both houses and now awaits action from Gov. Roy Cooper.

Aquaculture is a significant part of the U.S. and North Carolina economy, but it could be larger. The U.S. imports the overwhelming majority of the fish it consumes, Brown said. The United States must find more creative ways to boost its production of food fish.

“People need to understand how valuable us growing our own food is,” said Leah McGrath, a consultant who helped organize the tour and a dietician by trade. “I mean, it is incredibly valuable. When we saw that during the pandemic, when you have disruptions in the food supply, being able to have a local food supply is really important.”

EBCI Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Joey Owle addressed the tour group at the trout farm in Cherokee. Holly Kays photo

Workers extract fish meat missed by the filet machine for use in trout jerky. Holly Kays photo

N.C. logs record 2022 bear harvest

A record number of black bears were killed during the 2022 bear hunting season, according to records from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Statewide, hunters harvested 4,056 bears, an 11% increase from the 2021 season. The coastal and mountain regions both logged record-breaking harvest totals — 2,533 and 1,468 bears, respectively — while the piedmont region experienced its third-highest recorded harvest, 55 bears.

In the mountains, the high harvest numbers are likely connected to the poor acorn crop observed last fall, said the Wildlife Commission’s black bear and furbearer biologist Colleen Olfenbuttel.

“When acorn production is poor, bears will move more in search of fall foods, making them more vulnerable to both vehicle mortality and legal hunter harvest,” Olfenbuttel said.

On the coast, the record harvest is understood to reflect continued interest in hunting this region due to its reputation for large bears and, in some areas, high bear densities.

Like the overall harvest, female bear harvest was up 11% from 2022, representing 40% of the statewide harvest. Harvesting female bears has a more significant impact on bear populations than harvesting male bears. As the statewide bear population continues to grow, the Wildlife Commission is trying to curb growth to stabilize bear populations.

Most bears were harvested on private lands, with only 16% of the harvest occurring on Wildlife Commission game lands, but in the mountains, 34% of the harvest occurred on game lands. Most successful hunters used dogs, but the number of still hunters increased — 41% of successful hunters used still hunting, the highest percentage since the Wildlife Commission began requesting this information in 2009. The 2022 bear harvest produced an estimated 591,700 plates of food.

To view the entire harvest report, visit ncwildlife.org/learning/species/mammals/black-bear and look under the Surveys and Reports section.

Hunting, fishing licenses to be temporarily unavailable

Hunting and fishing licenses, as well as vessel registrations, will not be available for purchase between 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 27, and 8 a.m. Saturday, July 1, as the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission transitions to a new registration system.

Those who need to purchase a license or register or renew a vessel registration should do so before June 27. They are avail-

Arboretum donates truckloads of flowers

Following its Bloom with a View event, the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville donated flowers and plants to various organizations in Western North Carolina, including Haywood Community College.

HCC picked up two truckloads of hydrangeas and Oriental lilies from the arboretum in early May, planning to use them in flower beds around campus this summer. The plants are currently housed in the on-campus greenhouse and tended by volunteers from HCC’s Green Leaf Initiative volunteer group as well as its campus development staff.

Become a Master Gardener

The 2023 Master Gardener class is now forming in Haywood County, with applications accepted for a 13-week course starting Thursday, Aug. 3.

Training sessions will be held on 13 consecutive Thursday mornings plus one local field trip to be held on a Saturday morning. Topics will include soils and fertilizers; lawns and weeds; woody ornamentals; landscaping with native plants; vegetable gardening; pesticide selection and use; insect and disease problem diagnostics; plant identification; integrated pest management; and plant propagation.

Graduates of the program become Master Gardener Volunteers who help the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service provide research-based information to Haywood County residents about lawn, garden and landscape care, with an emphasis on environmental stewardship.

Course cost of $175 covers materials and fees. Candidates must be full-time Haywood County residents and agree to volunteer at least 40 hours in various activities in the 12 months after the class. For more information, contact 828.456.3575 or mgarticles@charter.net.

able online at ncwildlife.org, in person through various retail outlets that sell them and at most Division of Marine Fisheries offices, as well as by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The number for licenses is 888.248.6834 and the number for vessels is 800.628.3773.

This transition will not impact the sale of Division of Marine Fisheries’ commercial fishing, for-hire, or Recreational Commercial Gear licenses, as they are housed under a separate computer system.

Smokies podcast miniseries wins national award

A podcast of the Great Smoky Mountains Association, the miniseries “Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music” won the award for Outstanding Public Engagement during the 2023 Public Lands Alliance Partnership Awards. Funded by the African American Experiences in the Smokies Project in collaboration with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the miniseries shines a light on the contributions of Black musicians to the songs of Southern Appalachia. Hosted by Dr. William Turner and Dr. Ted Olson, “Sepia Tones” features interviews with musical guests and scholars to highlight this significant influence, which is not widely known to the general public.

The PLA Partnership Awards program is designed to celebrate the best in public lands partnerships, recognizing leading-edge achievements in the preservation of public lands and the enrichment of visitors. “Sepia Tones” is distributed through GSMA’s podcast “Smoky Mountain Air.”

A hunter looks down at the results of a successful hunt. NCWRC photo

Hydrangeas bloom in the campus greenhouse at Haywood Community College. HCC photo

Help band birds

Help scientists band birds this summer with the “A Bird’s Eye View” program at Highlands Biological Station June 22, July 3, July 12, July 25 and Aug. 2.

On these dates, participants will have a chance to engage with scientists, learn about bird ecology and conservation and immerse themselves in the wonders of nature. In the Highlands Botanical Garden, attendees will observe the banding process and discover the intricate lives these winged creatures lead.

These free programs highlight research through the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship project. Led by Blue Ridge Bird Observatory and funded by the Highlands Biological Foundation, the work at Highlands takes places every summer from May to August. Scientists band birds and collect data that allows them to gain insights into population trends, migration patterns and overall bird health.

Learn more or register at highlandsbiological.org.

A northern parula is one of many bird species found at the Highlands Biological Station. Lauren Whitenack photo

Campground closed in Cherokee National Forest

Horse Creek Campground in the Cherokee National Forest near Greeneville, Tennessee, is closed until further notice due to increasing bear encounters.

Campers have been reporting dangerous bear encounters on national forest campgrounds north of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the Cherokee National Forest, visitors must store unattended food in bear resistant containers, in a vehicle in solid, non-pliable materials or suspended at least 12 feet off the ground.

For more information, call 423.476.9700.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

May finished cool and dry in N.C.

North Carolina saw its 26th coolest May in the last 129 years, with the National Centers for Environmental Information reporting a preliminary statewide average temperature of 64.4 degrees, 2.5 degrees below the 1991-2020 average.

While the mountain region was overall at or below the average temperature, temperatures in the middle and eastern parts of the state came in further below normal. The coldest site was Mount Mitchell, measuring 23 degrees on May 1, and Wilmington was the hottest, measuring 93 degrees on May 9.

May was also drier than average, with an average statewide precipitation of 3.11 inches making it the 37th driest May since 1895. Highlands, for example, was 2.6 inches below normal, logging its 34th driest May in the past 121 years. Areas west of Waynesville picked up less than half an inch of rain over an otherwise wet Memorial Day weekend. Currently, 22 counties, including Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Clay, Graham, Henderson and Transylvania are abnormally dry.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting near-normal activity during hurricane season this year, with a 40% chance of near-normal activity, 30% chance of above-normal and 30% chance of below-normal activity.

Pitch in with Panthertown

Friends of Panthertown is hosting a series of trail work days this summer, and all are invited to come pitch in.

Scheduled work days are Saturday, June 17 and Saturday, July 15 meeting at the Cold Mountain Gap Trailhead, and Tuesday, Aug. 1 and Saturday, Aug. 19 meeting at the Salt Rock Gap Trailhead.

No previous trail work experience is necessary. Work days typically run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with about 5 miles of hiking on moderate trails while doing trail corridor clearing, pruning and some tread and drain work.

Sign up at panthertown.org/contact. Learn more at panthertown.org/volunteer.

Stretch out at Waterrock

Meet hiking guide and yoga instructor Tara Scarborough for gentle yoga as the sunsets at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, at Waterrock Knob.

Participants should bring their own mat or towel. Cost is $10. To sign up, look under the hikes listing at haywoodcountync.gov/recreation.

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Panthertown guidebook

publisher

donates

to stewardship nonprofit

Panthertown Map Association, non-profit publishers of Burt Kornegay's “A Guide's Guide to Panthertown,” has made a $7,500 donation to Friends of Panthertown in support of their ongoing conservation, education and stewardship work in Panthertown Valley.

Friends of Panthertown is the U.S. Forest Service’s nonprofit partner in conserving Panthertown as a backcountry natural resource and to enable sustainable recreation. The donation funds will help the organization assess, maintain and improve

Changes proposed for stormwater infrastructure grants

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is proposing changes to its priority rating system for stormwater infrastructure grants and offering draft intended use plans for state revolving funds. Public comment on these items will be accepted through 5 p.m. June 30. The intended use plans address administration of water and wastewater infrastructure funding through the State Revolving Funds, including emerging contaminant funding made available through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The department follows intended use plans to apply for and administer the State Revolving Funds. The department and the State Water Infrastructure Authority use priority rating systems to score applica-

the trail system and backcountry campsites in the valley. Friends of Panthertown staff and volunteers work to maintain 30 miles of trail spread out over 6,311 acres.

tions for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects in North Carolina. The program offers low-interest loans with principal forgiveness for water infrastructure, including water and wastewater treatment facilities, wastewater collection systems, water distribution systems, reclaimed water facilities, energy efficiency upgrades, stormwater control measures and stream restoration projects.

Changes include providing high priority to PFAS “forever chemical” compounds included in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation. The same prioritization has been added to the Priority Rating System for the Community Development Block Grant –Infrastructure Program. Six plans or rating systems are available for comment. Learn more at deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-infrastructure/news-events-training-public-commentopportunities.

Apple growers to vote on assessment

North Carolina apple growers will vote Tuesday, June 27, in a referendum conducted by the N.C. Apple Growers Association regarding assessments for apples sold to first purchasers in the state.

The method and amount of assessment being considered will remain as it has been in the past. Individuals may belong to multiple categories and are responsible to each where applicable. Under the referendum, packers will pay 5 cents per pack bushel, processors will pay 5 cents per hundred weight, roadside markets $100 per year and growers 5 cents per hundred weight.

Funds from the assessment will be used to promote marketing, research, use and sale of North Carolina apples. N.C. State University will collect and tabulate the votes. Voting will take place at county extension offices during regular business hours in counties where commercial apple growing occurs.

Plant natives in the veggie garden

Horticulturist Adam Bigelow will present “Native plants for the vegetable garden” during a lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 22, as part of the Highlands Biological Foundation’s Zahner Conservation Lecture Series at Highlands Nature Center.

Bigelow’s talk will explore the numerous benefits of native flora while offering insights into the detrimental impacts of invasive species. He’ll discuss how native plants attract beneficial insects, add natural beauty to vegetable and flower gar-

dens and even contribute to a nutritious dinner plate, while also exploring the versatile roles that native plants play in enhancing both vegetable gardens and landscapes.

Bigelow is a seasoned horticulturist and amateur botanist who lives in Cullowhee. He owns Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions, an eco-tour business specializing in guided plant walks, and he writes a twice-monthly plant column for The Smoky Mountain News.

The program is sponsored by Vicki and Donny Ferguson, and a small reception will follow the talk. Free Zahner lectures will be held weekly at 6 p.m. on Thursdays through Aug. 10. For a full schedule, visit highlandsbiological.org.

Burt Kornegay (left) hands off the donation to Friends of Panthertown Executive Director Jason Kimenker.

Puzzles can be found on page 38

These are only the answers.

Up Moses Creek

BY B URT KORNEGAY

Snapper, Part II

(Editor’s note: The first installment of this story was published in the May 10 issue of The Smoky Mountain News and is online at smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/355 96-up-moses-creek.)

Snapper’s usual breathing spot in our pond is next to a flat rock that juts out from the bank a few inches under water. Every 15 to 20 minutes the turtle swims out from under the rock, turns and clasps it with its front claws, then extends its neck slowly up toward the surface until just its head is out. Its breathing stance is so exact that if you took snapshots day after day, all of them would seem to be duplicates — except that in one a cloud is reflected in the water, and in another an electric-blue damselfly perches like a hood ornament on the tip of the turtle’s horny snout.

One day we invited friends to join us on the porch for lunch and Snapper viewing. Both are keen nature observers, and the husband, a retired biology professor, is an avid photographer. Fred got out of his car with a camera outfitted with a super-telephoto zoom lens. There was something lethal looking about that long, black lens. I quipped that it could pass for the scope on a sniper’s rifle. Fred laughed, said he hunted when he was young and admitted that photographing a wild animal did bring the hunter out in him a little.

We sat on the porch eating sandwiches, with the camera at the ready. Fred said if he got a good shot, he’d send us a copy. We watched and ate and talked quietly, and watched and talked quietly — for over two hours. But Snapper never showed.

Maybe Fred’s camera made him look like a one-eyed, flesh-eating Cyclops to the turtle, giving it second thoughts about coming to the surface. Or maybe the turtle just chose that particular midday to practice for winter hibernation by holding its breath.

Finally, Fred walked down to the pond to photograph the compliant damselflies. We watched him move forward in a slight crouch, lifting the heavy camera from time to time. Then he and Marianna left. I wondered if they thought we had led them on about our turtle. Come to think of it, I can’t remember anyone else ever having seen it!

Once a neighbor did ask if she could tempt the turtle up by feeding it chicken necks — so her granddaughter could see the beast. We nipped that idea in the bud. The pond is clothing-optional, and I don’t want Snapper to spot me floating above

and think, “Chicken neck.”

After Fred and Marianna left, the day turned hot and muggy, so Becky went for a cooling float. No sooner had she gotten back to the porch than I heard her say, “He’s up!” And there was Snapper in the usual spot, as if posing for a picture. I swam later, and when I was back on the porch, Snapper rose again, picture perfect.

Not satisfied with sightings from the porch, one afternoon I crept to the pond and sat on a rock nearby. I was as still as a statue, my binoculars trained on the breathing spot. The sun was out, the day hot. Sweat dripped off my elbows. A fly walked around on the back of my neck. And on the submerged flat rock, as if to divert me in the everlasting interlude, some toothpick of a creature swayed from side to side on legs no thicker than hairs.

When, all of a sudden, there rose behind it a monstrous brown and yellow head. It filled my binocular lenses and my eyes. Claws came out and clasped the rock. A leathery neck began to lengthen. Then two nostrils showed above the surface, looking like twin craters on the tip of a volcanic island cone. Now, so slow the movement seemed tectonic, an eye emerged from the water, its black pupil contracting in the light, while the yellow iris grew wide.

I was stunned by the celestial beauty of that eye. It looked like the solar eclipse I’d seen in 2017 when — Moses Creek becoming still and dark — the sun turned into a black pupil in the sky. Not vacant black, not flat black, but, at totality, a glossy, brimful, almost see-through jet black, surrounded by a yellow corona raying out to points.

Twice I watched the turtle’s eyelid slowly close. Then the eye and head were gone, leaving behind nothing but a widening ripple on the pond’s surface. I realized that I had moved a finger. That slight movement and Snapper’s vanishing were one.

Burt and Becky Kornegay live in Jackson County. To see more work from photographer Christian Alessandro Perez, visit alephrocco.com.

A snapping turtle opens its eye wide. Christian Alessandro Perez photo

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The Jackson County Farmers Market meets every Saturday November through March 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and April through October 9 a.m.-noon at Bridge Park in Sylva, 110 Railroad St. Special events listed on Facebook and Instagram.

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

• The Cogburn reunion will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 24, at the Cruso Community Center, 13186 Cruso Road. Bring a dish of food and/or drinks to share. Meat and paper products will be provided.

VOLUNTEERS

• The Green Energy Park is seeking artists to demonstrate/ provide kid-friendly activities, as well as musicians to perform, for the Youth Art’s Festival slated to take place 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park. If interested, contact Chelsea Seaman at chelseamiller@jacksonnc.org or call the office at 828.631.0271.

H EALTH AND WELLNESS

• The Macon County Library will offer free lunches, provided by the Macon County Public School system 1111:30 a.m. June 5 through July 31, except Monday July 4. For kids up to age 18.

• Mountain Area pregnancy Services and the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor work together to provide a casual support group for prenatal and breastfeeding individuals from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesdays at Mountain Area Pregnancy Services, 177 N Main St. Waynesville, NC. All are welcome, registration is recommended. For more information, please call 828.558.4550.

CLUBS AND M EETINGS

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

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

• Knit Night takes place at 5:30-7:30 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month at The Stecoah Valley Center. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP is recommended: 828.479.3364 or amber@stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• Sylva Writers Group meets at 10:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at City Lights Bookstore. For more information contact sylvawriters@gmail.com.

AUTHORS AND B OOKS

• New York Times Bestselling novelist Karen Kingsbury will speak at an event at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. The event is sponsored by the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center and 101.3 The Light FM. Tickets are available at SmokyPartners.com or by calling 828.349.3200.

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

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

For more information about Karen Kingsbury, visit karenkingsbury.com.

• Tremont Writers Conference, an intensive five-day retreat for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry will take place Wednesday, Oct. 25-29. Applications to participate in the event may be submitted online now through April 30 at writers.gsmit.org.

K IDS & FAMILIES

• Creative Writing Club will take place at 3:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Macon County Public Library. The writing club is intended for ages 8-12. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Move and Groove Storytime takes place 10:30-11 a.m. every Thursday, at the Canton branch of the Haywood County Public Library. Exciting, interactive music and movement story time ideal for children 2-6 years old. For more information contact Ashlyn at ashlyn.godleski@haywoodcountync.gov or at 828.356.2567.

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

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

• Next Chapter Book Club Haywood is a fun, energetic and highly interactive book club, ideal for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The group meets every second and fourth Monday of the month. For more information, email Jennifer at jennifer.stuart@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2561.

• Storytime takes place at 10 a.m. every Tuesday at the Macon County Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Toddler’s Rock takes place at 10 a.m. every Monday at the Macon County Library. Get ready to rock with songs, books, rhymes and playing with instruments. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Culture Talk takes place at 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Macon County Public Library. Travel the world from inside your library. This event features guest speakers and food sampling from the location being discussed. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Art afternoon takes place at 3:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Macon County Public Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

17, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets are on sale at smokypartners.com. For more information call 828.349.3200.

• Mountain Voices Chorus will hold a concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at First United Methodist Church in Franklin.

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

• Paint and Sip at Waynesville Art School will be held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7-9:30 p.m. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit PaintAndSipWaynesville.com/upcoming-events. Registration is required, $45.

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

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

F OOD AND D RINK

• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. For more information on upcoming events, wine tastings and special dinners, click on waynesvillewine.com.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 6-8 p.m. every Thursday and 2-5 p.m. every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

• Take a trip around the world with four different wines every Friday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday 11a.m.-6 p.m. at the Bryson City Wine Market. Pick from artisan Charcuterie Foods to enjoy with wines. 828.538.0420

• Cooking classes take place at the McKinley Edwards Inn from 6-8:30 p.m. on Thursday nights. To reserve your spot call 828.488.9626.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS

• Blacksmithing Fundamentals, a class taught by Brock Martin designed to introduce students to the art of blacksmithing, will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1, at the Green Energy Park in Jackson County. Cost is $160, due at registration. Space is limited. For more information or to register, contact the Green Energy Park at 828.631.0271.

• “Armor Construction: Gothic Gauntlet,” a class that teaches various techniques involved in constructing armor, will be offered 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturdays, August 5-6, at the Green Energy Park in Jackson County. Cost is $550, space is limited, pre-registration required. For more information or to register, contact the GEP at 828.631.0271.

• Chess 101 takes place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. every Friday in the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Public Library. No registration required, for more information call 828.648.2924.

Visit

n Complete listings of local music scene

n Regional festivals

n Art gallery events and openings

n Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers

n Civic and social club gatherings

classroom. A membership meeting takes place on the second Sunday of the month at 3 p.m. All are welcome. Call 828.349.4607 for more information.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES

• “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m.3 p.m. on Thursdays at The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. 828.349.4607 or pm14034@yahoo.com.

Outdoors

• The Highlands Biological Foundation will kick off its annual Zahner Conservation Lecture Series at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 15, with a talk from biologist Allen Hurlbert titled “Birds, Big Data and Citizen Science: Understanding the Impacts of Global Change.” Lectures will be held each Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Highlands Nature Center through Aug. 10, with topics ranging from microplastics to regional geology to historical Cherokee landscapes. Free, through sponsorship from Kim and Rich Daugherty and Kathy and Bestor Ward. The full lineup of Zahner lectures is online at highlandsbiological.org.

• The Cashiers Historical Society will host the Jan Wyatt Symposium, “Talking Trout,” on Thursday, June 15, at Canyon Kitchen in Lonesome Valley, Sapphire. For more information visit cahsiershistoricalsociety.org.

• The 2023 Jan Wyatt Symposium will explore unanswered questions about local trout species and their health and wellbeing Thursday, June 15, at Canyon Kitchen in Sapphire. Cost is $100, and proceeds will benefit the Cashiers Historical Society. Sign up under “Events” at cashiershistoricalsociety.org.

• Go camping with the family during an event Friday, June 16, through Saturday, June 17, at Ralph J. Andrews Campground on Lake Glenville in Jackson County. Register at jcprd.recdesk.com/community/program.

• An event with Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling author, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June

• Wired Wednesday, one-on-one technology help is available at 3-5 p.m. every Wednesday at the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Library. For more information or to register, call 828.648.2924.

• Uptown Gallery, 30 East Main St. Franklin, will be offering Children’s Art Classes Wednesdays afternoons. Adult workshops in watercolor, acrylic paint pouring, encaustic and glass fusing are also offered. Free painting is available 10 a.m.-3 p.m. every Monday in the

• Haywood County Master Gardener volunteers offer a virtual plant clinic to answer any questions. Leave a message at the Cooperative Extension Office at 828.456.3575 or email haywoodemgv@gmail.com with a description of any homeowner gardening issue, including lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and ornamental plants; disease, insect, weed or wildlife problems; soils (including soil test results) and fertilizers; freeze and frost damage; and cultural and chemical solutions to plant problems. Within a few days, a Haywood County Master Gardener Volunteer will get back to you with research-based information.

• Blue Ridge Mountain Divers offers monthly open water diver scuba certification classes. This is the basic class needed to become a certified scuba diver. Pool sessions are held at Waynesville Recreation Center pool. Prior registration required. Register online at blueridgemountaindivers.com or call 864.710.1567.

Market PLACE WNC

Legals

MarketPlace information:

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

Rates:

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

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE

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

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

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

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

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

p: 828.452.4251 · f:828.452.3585

classads@smokymountainnews.com www.wncmarketplace.com

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.2023 E 000309 Joyce Angelina Sutton,

Billy Denver Henry JR Aug 24 2023

Announcements

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE

Auction CONSTRUCTION-TRUCK AUCTION

ABSOLUTE ESTATE AUCTION

Administrator 128 Welch Messer Dr Clyde, NC 28721

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.23-E-363

Doris S.

Washam Sep 14 2023

ANOINTED REVIVAL

Estate of Kenneth Wayne Pace (Deceased) Saturday, June 17th, 2023 - 10 am LIVE ONSITE AUCTION and ONLINE BIDDING

WWW.EJ-AUCTION.

COM Location: 1084 Old Howard Gap Rd Saluda, NC 28773

ABSOLUTE ESTATE AUCTION Online Only Estate of Ray Field Lunsford (Deceased) Online Bidding Starts Monday, June 19th, 2023 Lots Start Closing 6:00 PM Friday, June 30th, 2023 WWW.EJ-AUCTION.COM Pickup Location: Asheville, NC 28805 Pickup

Times: Wednesday, July 5th and Thursday, July 6th 2:00 pm till 6:00 pm

Executor 48 Franklin Farm Road Fletcher, NC 28732

DRINKING PROBLEM?

Many large trucks, equipment and tools have been tucked away in the woods for years. Now the items will be sold to the Highest Bidder. All items will have to be removed before June 24th, 2023 if not the items will be considered abandoned. Partial Listing: Antique Cars and Trucks, Construction Equipment, Road Tractors, Shop full of tools and misc. So Much at this Auction EDWARD JOHNSON AUCTIONEERS, INC Hot Springs, NC NC8134 NC8496 (828) 593-9649

Partial Listing: Hand Tools, Hand Saws, Tool Boxes, Antique Barrels, Pressure Washer, Stihl Weed Eater, Jack Stands, Pipe Wrenches, Chain Binders and Lots More EDWARD JOHNSON AUCTIONEERS, INC Hot Springs, NC NC8134 NC8496 (828) 593-9649

Business For Sale

TURNKEY RESTAURANT BUSINESS FOR SALE $250,000 A rare opportunity to purchase an established, turn key restaurant in Haywood County. Prime location with access to all major highways. Call Bruce McGovern - McGovern Property Mgt & Sales

(828) 283-2112 mc-

governpropertymgt@ gmail.com

Business Opportunities

TEACHING ASSISTANT

Haywood Co. Real Estate Agents

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate - Heritage

• Carolyn Lauter - carolyn@bhgheritage.com

Allen Tate/Beverly-Hanks Realtors - beverly-hanks.com

HOME INSPECTION

CAREER Don’t settle for a job, when you can have a career in home inspection. Home Inspectors earn $300 plus daily inspecting homes during real estate sales. You can be licensed in less than 8 weeks. Let us help you build a business with Training and Preparation for State Licensure. www.THITcenter. com (336) 516-2084 gregoryengineers@ cs.com

Electronics

HOME INTERNET NOW AVAILABLE

Employment

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM!

MILL TOWN STRONG Career and Resource Fair. Friday June 16, 2023. 11:00am - 4:00pm. Smoky Mountain Event Center (formerly Haywood Co Fairgrounds). 758 Crabtree Road Waynesville NC. Meet employers in manufacturing, logistics, public safety, construction, government, hospitality, healtcare, IT, education and more! Tap into free resources to help with employment services, career counseling, short-term training, prescription sign-up, refurbished laptops and starting your own business. FREE LAPTOP AND LUNCH

MEDICAL BILLING

Evergreen workers with mill badge that sign in at NCWorks table. Event hosted by NCWorks. For more information call 828.558.6170 or email haywoodcounty@ ncworks.gov.

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM!

• Billie Green - bgreen@allentate.com

• Brian K. Noland - bknoland@allentate.com

• Anne Page - apage@allentate.com

• Jerry Powell - jpowell@allentate.com

• Catherine Proben - cproben@allentate.com

• Ellen Sither - esither@allentate.com

• Karen Hollingsed- khollingsed@allentate.com

• John Keith - jkeith@allentate.com

• Randall Rogers - rrogers@allentate.com

• Susan Hooper - shooper@allentate.com

• Hunter Wyman - hwyman@allentate.com

•Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff@allentate.com

•Darrin Graves - dgraves@allentate.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com

•Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com

• Randy Flanigan - 706-207-9436

• Steve Mauldin - 828-734-4864

Keller Williams Realty - kellerwilliamswaynesville.com

•The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

• Ron Breese - ronbreese.com

• Landen Stevenson- landen@landenkstevenson.com

Lakeshore Realty

• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Mountain Dreams Realty- maggievalleyhomesales.com

• Lyndia Massey- buyfromlyndia@yahoo.com

Mountain Creek Real Estate

• Ron Rosendahl - 828-593-8700

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

RE/MAX Executive - remax-waynesvillenc.com remax-maggievalleync.com

• The Real Team - TheRealTeamNC.com

• Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

•Mary Hansen - mwhansen@charter.net

• Billy Case- billyncase@gmail.com

Rob Roland Realty

• Rob Roland - 828-400-1923

Smoky Mountain Retreat Realty

• Tom Johnson - tomsj7@gmail.com

• Sherell Johnson - Sherellwj@aol.com

BEGIN A NEW CAREER

SUPER CROSSWORD

Home Goods

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY

Pets

HOUND MIX, BROWN/ BLACK/WHITE — JUDITH 6 yr-old girl; friendly. Loves trail hikes and car rides, and playing with other dogs. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ ashevillehumane.org

DON’T PAY

Homes For Sale

LONG DISTANCE MOVING:

KITTENS!! Asheville Humane Society has kittens available for adoption; all 2-6 months old and cute as can be! Fee includes vaccination and spay/neuter. (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ ashevillehumane.org

Real Estate Announcements

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

Rentals

TIMESHARE CANCELLATION EXPERTS.

ANSWERS ON PAGE 34

Here’s How It Works:

BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES

Entertainment

OFFICE SUITE FOR

398 sq ft, utilities included (not internet/ phone) -$1,002.88

pm- Fiber broadband packages available. Security, generator, common area, post box, conference room available. Contactforevangelism.org, (828) 454-6800 ext. 1 tfarmer@foundationforevangelism.org

HUGHESNET SATELLITE INTERNET –

WATER DAMAGE TO YOUR HOME?

Health/Beauty

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Ino

Legal, Financial and Tax

DO YOU OWE OVER $10,000

Home Improvement

REPLACE YOUR ROOF

OFFICE SUITE FOR

551 sq ft, utilities included (not internet/ phone) -$1,354.58 pm- Fiber broadband packages available. Security, generator, common area, post box, conference room available. Contactforevangelism.org, (828) 454-6800 ext. 1evangelism.org

VENUES AVAILABLE TO RENT

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER!

CREDIT CARD DEBT RELIEF!

Wanted to Buy

TOP CA$H PAID FOR

3BR, 2BA $379,900 | #3898841

Summerset | 5BR, 4BA, 1HB | $882,000 | #3879523