Smoky Mountain News | July 5, 2023

Pless aims to punish Maggie

Valley Page 6

‘Supporting a free press is, well, patriotic’ Page 18

On the Cover:

jessica.m@smokymountainnews.com Jack Snyder.

D IGITAL MARKETING S PECIALIST Stefanee Sherman. .

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: Jamie Cogdill.

D ISTRIBUTION: Scott Collier.

Outdoors

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

CONTACT

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Anti-social Social district proposal unlikely to reemerge after Waynesville tables it

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR

Waynesville’s consideration of a social district in its downtown core took an interesting turn on June 27, when members of the Town Council voted 4-1 to halt discussion of the issue — in effect, killing it.

“During the discussion, I made a motion to postpone discussion indefinitely,” said Council Member Anthony Sutton. “I do not believe the subject will come back up unless there is a groundswell of support from within the community.”

Social districts, which allow for the onstreet consumption of alcohol under tightly controlled parameters, were enabled by the Republican-dominated General Assembly in late 2021.

Each of Haywood County’s Republican legislators at that time — Sen. Kevin Corbin of Macon County, Rep. Mark Pless of Haywood County and Rep. Mike Clampitt of Swain County — voted for at least one of the two bills that would allow municipalities to decide for themselves if they wanted such a district.

A number of cities across North Carolina took advantage of the opportunity, from Greensboro to Kannapolis to Sylva.

On June 16, representatives from law enforcement in those three cities told The Smoky Mountain News that they’d encountered no problems related to social districts. Sylva Police Chief Chris Hatton said he didn’t think his department had even received a call related to its social district during its 14-month existence.

The Downtown Waynesville Commission, charged with administering the downtown municipal service district, presented the recommendation for a social district to the Town Council on June 13, along with the results of a survey conducted with 100 stakeholders including property owners, business owners, workers and downtown residents.

The survey indicated overwhelming support, on the order of 90%, and further recommended that the district be in effect each day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., rather than only on weekends or for special events.

“We were tasked by the Town Council to research and make a recommendation to them about instituting a Social District in downtown Waynesville. We did that,” said Jay Spiro, chair of the DWC. “After a thorough review and research of the impacts of social districts across the state, multiple public hearings and a survey of downtown property owners, residents and businesses, we made our recommendation.”

After a public comment session filled with exaggerated and even false claims on June 13, an even more protracted public comment session took place before the June 27 vote. Council Members described it vari-

ously as angry, hostile and vitriolic, with personal attacks levied on some Council Members.

Only one of the 20 or so members of the public who spoke were in favor of the district, a fact not lost on Sutton.

“There was overwhelming support through the poll from the DWC, but it would have been better if those people would have come to show their support; however, there was not one person from

“I think that there were a number of concerns that were raised about possible adverse impacts of a social district — public drunkenness, criminal behavior, underage drinking, lack of restroom facilities, the ability of police to enforce the laws,” he said. “There were no answers presented for these concerns.”

Dickson also questioned the actual economic benefit of the district to merchants and wonders if the DWC survey actually represents the viewpoint of the majority of the business community. He said that at this point, he’s not inclined to move forward with the social district, but he did note the hypocrisy inherent in the discourse from those who spoke during public comment — almost all of them registered Republicans.

“There do seem to be some inconsisten-

Creek several years ago.

Feichter’s always taken a populist approach to governing, especially on social media.

“One of my core political philosophies is that I have been elected to do the will of the people, if I can determine what that is,” he said. “From the people who spoke at the public hearing, plus the meeting where we called the public hearing (on June 1),, and phone calls and emails, it was clear that the overwhelming sentiment was that this was a resounding ‘no.’”

Two messages in particular affected Feichter the most — one from a recovering alcoholic who strives to avoid environments in which alcohol is served and thus felt they could be excluded from downtown events, and another from Bob Cummings, who

downtown district who showed up,” he said.

Sutton said he doesn’t support the district as proposed but might consider it again with modifications, like if it were only in operation for special events with permission of the Town Council. As the recommendation from the DWC was subject to modification by Town Council, members of Council could have altered the dates, times and locations of the district at will. Alternately, Council could have approved the district as proposed, or rejected it completely.

Like Sutton, Council Member Chuck Dickson also noted that almost no one came to speak in support of the DWC’s recommendation. Dickson expressed similar misgivings over the logistics of the proposed district.

cies in the arguments. This bill was proposed and passed by the Republicans in Raleigh. The primary push came from the N.C. Retail Merchants Association, not from the alcohol lobby. Even our local reps voted for one or the other bills establishing social districts,” Dickson said. “The idea of liberty is interesting when it seems many people want to be free to do whatever they want to do, but at the same time they want government to tell us what we can and can’t do. The differing views on that are sometimes not very logical.”

The strident opposition to the social district also had an effect on Council Member Jon Feichter, who said he couldn’t remember a more controversial issue since the debate over the apartments proposed for Plott

spoke respectfully in opposition to the district during the public hearing on behalf of Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke.

Wilke noted his opposition to the social district in a letter presented to Town Council on June 13.

The DWC survey didn’t carry much weight with Feichter, either, despite the 90% level of support.

“The first time I heard that figure my thought was, ‘Well what about the rest of Waynesville?’ Because I don’t know how you can differentiate between the people who live and work in downtown and the rest of Waynesville,” he said. “The folks outside the MSD have just as much of a vested interest in what happens downtown as the merchants and property owners. I would even extend that to folks who don’t live in Waynesville.”

Feichter was the only Council member to vote against tabling the social district proposal, not because he supports it but because he thinks it should have been voted down right then and there, thus settling the issue.

“I do not believe the subject will come back up unless there is a groundswell of support from within the community.”

Thousands of tourists visit downtown Waynesville each year. File photo

United Christian Ministries welcomes new director

United Christian Ministries of Jackson County has appointed a new Executive Director. Ann Selby replaced retiring Director, Karen Johnson.

“I am honored and look forward to continuing to serve the residents of Jackson County by giving of my time, my talents and my service. UCM meets the crucial needs of our community, helping our neighbors to live healthier and safer lives,” Selby said.

Selby comes to UCM with over 25 years of experience in Business Administration and Property Management. She has also been involved with numerous local nonprofit organizations prior to joining UCM. Selby received her Bachelor of Science from Western Carolina University and has lived in Jackson County for 32 years with her family.

UCM is a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency that is 100 % funded by donations and grants. UCM offers residents a client-choice food pantry with fresh fruits, vegetables, bakery items, canned goods, frozen meats, pasta, rice, cereal and staple items. UCM is the only agency in the county providing toiletry items (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, wipes and diapers). UCM provides limited financial assistance for critical past due bills such as rent, power, water and heating.

Credit Union named to list of Great Employers

Champion Credit Union announced it has been named to the Great Employers to Work for in North Carolina 2023 list by Best Companies Group, a BridgeTower Media Company. Champion Credit Union ranked 5th in the medium company category and was selected based on a detailed survey of its employees. This year marks the sixth year in a row that the credit union has been named to the list.

Best Companies Group’s annual award program identifies and honors the best places of employment in North Carolina. The ranking is based on an anonymous employee survey and an analysis of their responses about corporate culture, training and development, salary and benefits and overall employee satisfaction.

“A supportive, vibrant and inclusive organizational culture is consistently at the top of our strategic priorities because we realize its impact on overall success,” said Jake Robinson, President/CEO of Champion Credit Union. “We are blessed to have an exceptional group of employees who care for one another as if they are family. Receiving this distinction is an honor and something we are proud to share with our community.”

“I do think it was a mistake,” he said of tabling the proposal. “I feel like we should have made a stronger statement, one that was more reflective of the fact that the overwhelming majority did not want a social district downtown. In other words, the will of the people was clear and our actions should have lined up.”

He also expressed worry that some would consider the tabling as a ploy to push the issue off past the November elections.

Feichter said that like the rest of the Town Council, he’s running for reelection, but that he wouldn’t ever consider bringing the issue up again unless there’s a “180-degree turn” from current public sentiment.

Along with his family, Feichter owns two buildings within the proposed social district.

Julia Freeman, the lone Republican on Town Council, said she was on the fence about the social district, having received a number of emails in support, but that the outcome of the June 27 meeting was the correct one. A decision may be made in the future, or, the issue may never come up again, Freeman said.

“We are in absolutely no rush to pass this or not pass it,” she said, adding that she’d like to follow the results of this relatively new phenomenon across the state in the 40some communities that have already established social districts.

“What I need to hear is the fact that there’s been no adverse ramifications or increasing crime, drunkenness in the town and on the streets, homeless people rummaging through trash dumpsters, no increase in the Town of Waynesville’s need for police to patrol the district,” Freeman said.

Mayor Gary Caldwell didn’t need much convincing from the people who spoke at the meeting; during the June 13 call for public hearing, Caldwell said his Christian faith would prevent him from supporting the social district altogether, and his opinion hasn’t changed.

“I thought there would be more people to come and support it,” he said.

He did, however, express some concern over the tone of the comments, as well as the boisterous applause that followed some speakers. During public comment, speakers aren’t supposed to level personal attacks, ask questions or otherwise applaud or jeer speakers.

Caldwell said that after he’d gaveled some speakers from the podium, the tone changed somewhat.

“I hammed on ‘em a couple times about the clapping,” he said. “Please, just give us some respect.”

Spiro said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome of the June 27 meeting, given the context of the public hearing, and that the DWC would now continue with its responsibilities administering the MSD.

“The Waynesville Town Council has made their decision for now,” he said.

“Going forward the DWC will continue to implement our much broader mission, which includes our efforts to promote, enhance and beautify the downtown, create and organize the many enjoyable events downtown Waynesville is known for, recruit business and encourage and assist downtown property owners, residents and businesses by helping to make downtown Waynesville a great place to live, work, shop, eat and visit.”

Rep. Pless aims to punish Maggie

Tries to limit town’s zoning authority, offers de-annexation for some residents

BY KYLE PERROTTI

N EWS E DITOR

Mark Pless has escalated his war against three of the five Maggie Valley aldermen.

While Pless’ animosity toward the men — Mayor Mike Eveland and Aldermen Jim Owens and John Hinton — is nothing new, he’s now airing his grievances publicly in a way not seen until now. Last week, as he is actively seeking to limit Maggie Valley’s ability to establish zoning regulations in the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), he held a press conference to make his feelings known.

In North Carolina, extra-territorial jurisdiction refers to parcels of land adjacent to or otherwise outside of municipal boundaries where cities and towns nonetheless exercise certain powers, like zoning. Residents of ETJs don’t pay city taxes, but they also don’t get to vote in city elections.

“It’s nice to have an ETJ because you can have zoning in preparation for requests of annexation,” Maggie Valley Town Planner Kaitland Finkle told SMN last year when Pless floated a similar bill. “It’s a great tool to have.”

Pless emailed out a written statement ahead of the press conference that said the town board has “gone rogue” and is “trampling” on property owners’ rights.

“The mayor and two Aldermen have demonstrated how depraved they became

after being elected to office,” the statement reads.

The statement goes on to praise the other two aldermen, Phillip and Tammy Wight, whom he said have spoken up “for the people” and “stood against injustices being handed down by these men who moved here to destroy our Mountain way of life.”

Pless began the press conference, held at the Clarketon Motel — a Maggie Valley motel owned by the Wights — by explaining the context surrounding the legislation. It all began back in 2021 when the board sought to place a moratorium on new campgrounds not long after four RV parks had been approved within town limits. By a split vote, the board approved a moratorium on campgrounds, RV parks, RV Planned Unit Developments and RV storage. The moratorium lasted from January 2022 to June 2022.

Around that time, Pless said he met with Eveland, Hinton and then-Town Manager Nathan Clark at town hall so he could address an issue that “lots of folks” requested he do something about. The moratorium, Pless said, was perceived as unfair.

“And now [Eveland and Hinton] were saying, ‘You're not gonna decide; we're gonna decide, we're gonna pick what we are’,” Pless recalled. “And that's what I kept hearing.”

In his opening statement, Pless specifically called out the issue he had with the limitations on RV parks along Soco Road, Maggie Valley’s main strip, and said that such restrictive zoning — which would ultimately only likely affect a few people who

may want to do such a thing with their land — is putting the town on a slippery slope toward even more unfair or arbitrary zoning regulations. It boils down to property rights, Pless said. His bill would restrict the town’s ability to have any say as to what may be allowed in the outlying areas that are part of the town’s ETJ for five years.

“Why should they be able to enforce their zoning, which is mixed up and has no accountability?” Pless asked hypothetically.

Pless even said the town’s new 133-page unified development ordinance, which had been in the works for years, was created “to go after the fact that they didn’t like RV parks.” He said the precedent established by using a moratorium to limit RV park development could be applied to trample people’s property rights in whatever way the town may see fit.

Pless brought up two individuals to explain how the new ordinances regarding RV parks may hurt them. First up was Linda Taylor, a realtor who said she bought property off Moody Farm Road for about $365,000 back in 2006, property she said she’d recently been working with an investor to develop with hopes that one day a luxury RV park may get built. She said once the moratorium hit, the deal went sour. Taylor’s biggest issue was that she feels like that moratorium and subsequent

UDO were passed with no input from folks those things might affect.

“They never said anything to us,” Taylor said.

Next up was Philip Wight, who actually voted in favor of the UDO despite later showing animus toward it. He said he felt his business, The Clarketon Motel, was hampered by not being allowed to recalibrate to accommodate RVs.

“I can rent a room to who I want for the rest of my life, but I can’t create a PUD and have a nice high-end RV park that sells timeshares,” he said.

While Taylor and Wight’s stories were compelling, in his interview with SMN, Eveland pointed out that they both received the green light for the RV parks they were wanting to develop prior to the moratorium. However, the period to do something has lapsed.

Pless can’t do anything retroactively with his bill to negate the UDO’s authority in town limits since it’s already passed, but he did say that anyone interested in deannexation from the town should reach out to him. If they already have sewer and water connected to their homes, they can continue to use those services, although they would be charged the out-of-town rates. He said anyone interested in opting out of the town can simply give him a call.

“Send me a parcel number so I can deannex you,” he said.

While in the letter, Pless didn’t mention Owens and Hinton by name, he did at the press conference several times, along with Eveland. He said they have been bullying him, something he expects to continue. Similar to the letter, he essentially called them outsiders, meddlers coming to the mountains to change the way things have been done in the past.

“We have three aldermen; the earliest one got here in 2012, The last one got here in 2021 … they’re telling us how we need to do things,” he said.

Pless also reiterated the praise he had for the Wights in the letter at the press conference.

“My hat's off to Phillip and Tammy,” he said. “They've been in the trenches now for about a year and a half. You sit down and you look since this whole thing started, they have taken and taken and tried to stand and tried to stand just to be blown through.”

Considering how much of Pless’ opening statement involved airing political grievances, when asked whether the bill targeting Maggie Valley’s ETJ’s was essentially punishment for their RV moratorium, he didn’t beat around the bush and even called it retribution.

“I do some really bad stuff and I do some good stuff; it just depends on which side of the bed I crawl out of as to which you get sometimes,” he said.

Maggie Valley resident Linda Taylor (center) recalls her attempt to develop an RV park while Alderman Phillip Wight (left) and Rep. Mark Pless(right) look on. Kyle Perrotti photo

“I can rent a room to who I want for the rest of my life, but I can’t create a PUD and have a nice high-end RV park that sells timeshares.”

— Phillip Wight

Pless continues push for partisan elections in Haywood, Madison

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

What does a Senate bill giving the Apex Town Council the power to hire the town’s clerk have to do with partisan elections in Haywood and Madison counties? Everything, if you’re Rep. Mark Pless.

In May 2022, Pless, a Haywood Republican, introduced a bill that would have made all elections in Haywood County partisan. Pless’ bill came after an unsuccessful 2017 attempt by then-Rep. Michele Presnell (R-Burnsville).

About the only thing Pless’ 2022 bill did was generate an uproar from elected officials, who adamantly and overwhelmingly opposed it.

Undeterred, Pless introduced a similar bill in the House on March 2, 2023. That bill spared Haywood’s school board from having to hold partisan elections, after the school board flipped from Democrat to Republican control when several members changed party affiliations after being elected.

As a local bill, it wouldn’t make a stop on Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk.

“In order for us to do things [in Raleigh], we have to have an agreement between the members who represent the area,” Pless told The Smoky Mountain News on June 29. “I had an agreement with Sen. [Kevin] Corbin. I had an agreement with Rep. Clampitt when we were out here the last time. He’s portrayed it a little differently, Sen. Corbin did.”

Clampitt wasn’t involved this time, because his district was changed to exclude the portion of Haywood County he represented at the time.

“The negotiation was, let’s remove the

Eveland told SMN that the complaints about the UDO and the RV park moratorium are misguided. He noted that the process for the UDO started way back in 2015 and was dictated by state law. The prior one, voted in almost a decade prior to that point, was a “mixed bag of junk,” Eveland said.

“It was very hard to read,” he said. “When I got on the board at 2013 and it included Phillip Wight, we understood we needed to do some work on the UDO.”

At the time the RV PUDs were being discussed, it was initially understood by board members that only class A RVs would be allowed at the ideally high-end parks. Eventually class super-C, which is basically an RV on a diesel semitruck chassis, was added. However, the night of the vote for the PUDs, then Alderman Twinkle Patel floated the idea of adding all classes of RVs, including class B, which are more like vans than RVs.

On Patel’s motion, that plan passed,

school board and I will support the municipalities,” Pless said. “I removed the school board, and [Corbin] still held it up.”

Pless’ latest bill went nowhere fast — HB 264 passed its third reading in the House on May 3, and has been sitting in a Senate committee since May 25.

Corbin, reached on July 3, said he had nothing to do with the bill’s failure to advance and that hundreds of bills each year don’t make the cut — including some of his own, in the House.

The bill also affects the district of Sen. Ralph Hise (RMitchell), who represents Madison County and part of Haywood County.

But that wouldn’t be the end of Pless’ efforts to get the bill to the floor. Pless has continued to push for partisan elections in the two counties he represents because he says voters don’t know who candidates are without a letter next to their name.

Local leaders in Haywood and Madison municipalities say that shouldn’t matter, and that divisive national party platforms have little to do with small-town governance issues, like filling potholes.

Waynesville Town Council Member Chuck Dickson has repeatedly expressed the opinion that partisanship has no place in local government.

“Rep. Pless says that he thinks that having an ’R’ or ‘D’ next to our names helps to define us, and it does — but not to the ben-

leaving Eveland feeling blindsided.

“They came in with all this new paperwork and made it A, B and C, and said let’s vote on it and we’re done,” Eveland said.

“Once word got out about how the board handled it and how it got done, people were offended and upset. At that point, it became about campgrounds.”

Eveland admitted that it’s frustrating to be in a situation where the town is being punished by a state legislator who is interfering in its business. However, while he said some of the RV parks in town are clean and well-run, that isn’t the case across the board, so he doesn’t regret the decision to limit them along Soco Road.

Either way, he admitted that losing the power to regulate what happens in the ETJ hurts Maggie Valley’s ability to plan and execute its long-term vision, and the potential loss of tax revenue from people deannexing is also concerning.

“I don’t care if you lose a dime in tax value, that hurts us,” he said.

efit of small towns,” Dickson said. “In fact, it does the opposite. It divides us. It brings partisan national politics into local elections and we’re dealing with problems that transcend partisanship. We just want Mark Pless to work with us, and not divide us.”

Nevertheless, on June 28, Pless managed to get his partisan elections verbiage into SB 9 — a bill introduced on Jan. 25 by Wake County Democratic senators Gail Adcock and Sydney Batch. Originally, the bill was intended to strip the Wake County manager of the power to hire the Town of Apex’s clerk and instead vest that power with the Town Council.

With Pless’ partisan elections language now in the bill, Haywood and Madison municipalities of Canton, Clyde, Hot Springs, Maggie Valley, Marshall, Mars Hill and Waynesville would be required to conduct partisan elections, effective immediately.

Pless hasn’t picked up any additional support from elected officials since his previous attempt. In fact, his persistence and his procedural move have only steeled the resolve of those who were and remain vehemently opposed to it.

Mayor Gary Caldwell said on July 1 that he remains strongly opposed to the bill and had reached out to Corbin for help.

Waynesville Town Council Member Jon

Feichter said that after Pless’ push into SB 9, he’s even more opposed, as is fellow Town Council Member Anthony Sutton.

“I thought it was undemocratic, that it was trickery,” said Sutton. “I believe it has nothing to do with policy. He appears to have a personal vendetta and grudge against Maggie Valley, and we are all just collateral for that grudge. People in the area know exactly where we stand on the issues and what letter is after our name has nothing to do with conducting the business of town.”

Pless has been locked in a fight with some members of Maggie Valley’s governing board over development issues and has threatened to strip the municipality of its power over its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Perhaps the strongest criticism of Pless’ partisan ploy came from Waynesville Town Council Member Julia Freeman — the board’s lone Republican.

“Honestly, he’s an individual that’s not actively listening to his constituents or listening to elected officials in the community. I have not been contacted, and whoever these constituents are, I’d like to speak to them because they have not reached out to me,” Freeman said. “I don’t know who he’s representing, except maybe his own self interests.”

The last action on the bill took place in the House on June 28. Now, it’s sitting in the Senate committee on rules and operations, chaired by Republican Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick). Pless thinks that Corbin can help get the bill moving again, if he wants to.

“So he has two choices now,” Pless said of Corbin. “He can pass [the bill out of committee] or he can draw it out from the Senate. And we’ll know whether he held it up or whether it just didn’t happen.”

The senate adjourned on Thursday, and Corbin thinks they’ll only come back for a few specific votes, including on the budget, however, the bill will remain eligible for passage so long as the legislature is in session.

Mark Pless called the press conference in Maggie Valley to call attention to a bill he hopes will limits the town’s abilities to control zoning in its ETJ. Kyle Perrotti photo

“Rep. Pless says that he thinks that having an ‘R’ or ‘D’ next to our names helps to define us, and it does — but not to the benefit of small towns.”

— Waynesville Town Council Member Chuck Dickson

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

Jackson County has approved a plan to pay employees for assisting with the “unprecedented rate” of residential foster care services provided for children in the custody of the Jackson County Department of Social Services.

“This is an attempt to provide some additional pay to those employees who are having to spend nights and weekends with these children and above and beyond their comp time, which is time and a half, that they do receive,” said County Manager Don Adams.

From January through May, Adams estimates that there were about 75 days during which Jackson County staff were providing care for children.

“That’s a significant amount of days when you start talking about a five month period, 75 days, some fell on weekends or during weekdays and so forth,” said Adams.

In order to help compensate staff accordingly, county staff brought a temporary stipend policy to county commissioners for approval that would help pay for those employees who stay with and care for the children.

The stipend payments will be paid out per shift in addition to the accrual of compensatory time up to 240 hours. Those

working shifts from 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on weekdays will receive $75, and $90 for the 12:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. shift. All shifts of holidays and weekends will receive a $120 stipend. There will also be prorated stipends available for employees who can work parietal shifts.

“Jackson County Department of Social Services are experiencing an unprecedented rate of providing residential foster care for children,” said Adams. “They’re not aware there is a consistent issue and problem with finding placements for children who are in DSS custody. At the end of the day, when they are in DSS custody, it is the responsibility of the DSS director and employees to basically provide care to those children

until placement can be found.”

If the issue of providing residential foster care continues with consistency, the county may open the overtime positions to all county employees to help avoid burnout among DSS employees. This would also help in the case of emergencies to have a wider pool of adults available to care for the children.

“There is going to be a need to just open this up. I did have that direct conversation with the DSS director,” said Adams. “We should go ahead and set up an application process and go ahead and go through a process and create a list of county employees who are interested and start off with them being the second employee initially.

We need to still keep social workers with these children, but some of these children require two adults.”

Because of the frequency with which Jackson County DSS is providing residential care for foster children, there was some urgency in getting the stipend policy approved.

“Normally, this is something that you would wait till the beginning of the fiscal year, but they currently have children in custody right now,” said Adams. “I did have a conversation with the director, and he said if you make this effective tomorrow he can start complying with these shifts.”

The board unanimously approved the temporary payment policy during its June 20 meeting, and it went into effect the following day.

“Jackson County Department of Social Services are experiencing an unprecedented rate of providing residential foster care for children.

— County Manager Don Adams

Former WCU player’s gift supports athletics facilities improvements

Aformer two-time Western Carolina University Academic All-American football player wants to help ensure that future Catamount student-athletes have similar experiences.

That’s why alumnus Mike Wade, longtime supporter of WCU, has made new gifts and pledges totaling $250,000, with $225,000 going toward the enhancement of the university’s athletics facilities and $25,000 to the Catamount Club.

“For me, there is nothing like college football,” said Wade, a 1977 business administration graduate. “It is such a gladiator sport, where participants learn the value of getting up after being knocked down. It is such a lesson in life. The more you pick yourself up, the more likely you are to succeed in your career and with your family.”

“Mike and his wife, Regina, have been community champions here in Cullowhee for a long time,” said Alex Gary, director of athletics. “We are humbled by their willingness to step up once again, this time to support the university’s ambitious athletics facility plans.”

Wade played football at McDowell High School and signed a WCU football scholarship in 1972 – with the caveat that if he received a scholarship to play baseball elsewhere, he would opt for baseball. Wingate College offered that baseball scholarship, which Wade accepted. He had dreams of following in the footsteps of his father, who played professionally for the Chicago Cubs and Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers.

“After my first year at Wingate, it became clear to me that I was unlikely to play pro baseball and that football was the vehicle to get a college education made possible by an athletics scholarship,” said Wade, who transferred as a sophomore in 1974 and played defensive end for the Catamounts.

Wade moved to linebacker the next season, and the Catamounts opened the 1975 season against Division I opponent Toledo.

“We shocked them early and were leading 24-0 at half, but they had an AllAmerican quarterback who led them back in the second half, and we lost 32-31. It set the tone for the season, and we never recovered,” he said.

Which sets up Wade’s favorite moment as a student-athlete, a memory he says continues to make hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. Not surprisingly, it involves WCU’s former longtime rival, Appalachian State University.

“Going into the final game against Appalachian, our record was 2-7. The week before, we had lost to Furman, 35-0, which was the most-humiliating loss I have ever suffered playing sports,” Wade said. “App State that same weekend had beaten the University of South Carolina in Columbia

and needed a win against us to earn a Tangerine Bowl bid.”

Because of a rash of injuries, two WCU offensive players who had not even practiced defense that season started the game defensively, he said. App State was in the top 10

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nationally in total offense, scoring 42 points against South Carolina.

“The Asheville Citizen-Times said the betting line on the game was the temperature at gametime. We were given no shot to win,” Wade said. “App State took the opening kickoff and drove the ball to the 2-yard line, where it was first-and-goal. Four downs later, the ball was still at the 2-yard line. It was game on.”

The Catamounts went on to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns and claim a 2011 victory, the fifth consecutive win in WCU’s storied rivalry with App State. WCU held the Mountaineers to their lowest scoring total for the season, doing so with a patched-together defense rallied by a passionate home crowd. Wade said the memory still gives him goosebumps.

“I love Cullowhee and WCU,” he said.

“From the time I arrived in the fall of 1974, I knew this was my real home. I wasn’t born here, but this was home. My college years were filled with wonderful relationships and incredible experiences, and I am forever grateful. I have had a love affair with this place for almost 49 years, and it’s not over yet.”

It is out of that love that Wade has made the university a focus of his philanthropy. In 2019, he made a $1 million planned gift to support WCU’s athletics and arts scholarships and programs.

Among the campaign priorities are expansions for strength and conditioning, sports medicine and academic space for student-athletes. Updates to E.J. Whitmire Stadium will include a new press box, premium space for fans, a rebuilt east concourse, football offices and meeting space, and a new football locker room. WCU will look to vacate Camp Lab Gymnasium and open a new facility for the golf, track and field, and women’s soccer programs. Other improvements in the master plan will benefit all 16 Catamount athletics teams.

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More WNC students to receive free school meals

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

More students in Macon, Jackson and Haywood counties will receive free breakfast and lunch in the coming school year thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision and work by local school nutrition departments.

“I ran the data for this upcoming school year; all schools but Franklin High School and Highlands qualify for the 2023-24 school year,” said Macon County Child Nutrition Director David Lightner.

Previously, the only two schools eligible for the Community Eligibility Provision in Macon County were East Franklin and Union Academy. Students at those schools could eat lunch and breakfast for free without the need to fill out a free and reduced application. Now, all schools in Macon County will have free breakfast in lunch, besides FHS and Highlands.

“I think this is one of the most positive things I have heard for our families and school children in a long time,” said Macon School Board Member Hillary Wilkes. “Obviously we wish it was for all the schools, but it’s excellent news.”

The Community Eligibility Provision is a non-pricing meal service option for schools with low-income populations. CEP allows schools to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting the household applications that otherwise permit individual families to receive free or reduced-price school meals. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students eligible for free meals because they are foster, migrant, homeless or runaway, or based on their participation in other programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Medicaid.

In order to get the reimbursement amount needed from the United States Department of Agriculture, the department that administers the CEP, Macon County Schools will need to see about a 5% increase in meal participation.

“If we don’t increase participation, we could come up a little less than $88,000 short in reimbursement,” said Lightner. “So the key to this is having increased participation county wide at breakfast and lunch. Five percent,

Waynesville man sentenced for illegal machine guns

Jacob Ryan McClure, 25, of Waynesville. was sentenced to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised released for possession of machine guns.

According to documents filed with the court and the sentencing proceedings, on July 6, 2022, deputies with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office stopped McClure’s

we feel like it’s something that’s doable.”

While Lightner is confident the schools can get to a 5% increase in participation, members of the school board that approved the CEP during their June 26 board meeting decided that having widely available free meals for students was worth the possible cost incursion on reimbursement.

“It’s always been a concern, of all the boards I’ve served on, the children who this is their only source of nutrition,” said Macon Board of Education Chairman Jim Breedlove. “So being able to get it better, if we can afford it, is invaluable. Even if we don’t meet the 5%, this is a step that we need to take because it’s what is best for our students.”

“At the beginning of the pandemic, participation was very high, especially when we were delivering meals,” said Lightner. “Now

Carolina pivoted to create grab-and-go meals for students when schools went remote. When classes came back in session, schools were able to provide breakfast and lunch to all students free of charge thanks to waivers from the USDA which reimbursed schools for every meal served. The program was extended through the end of the 2021-22 school year but expired after that year.

When school nutrition departments went to set prices before the 2022-23 school year, they were not only dealing with the end of the waiver program, but also with rising inflation. Many school systems, including Macon County, had to increase meal prices by more than a dollar.

“I would be shocked if we didn’t exceed 5%. I know so many people who have scaled back eating at school because it went up over

ual families with opportunities beyond nutrition. Anybody that qualifies for free and reduced meals can in certain cases get reduced fees for certain extracurricular activities, testing and fee reductions for different programs.

“We have submitted a free and reduced application to the state which will continue to be available in paper form and online,” said Lightner.

Macon County Schools will maintain the same prices for lunch as the 2022-23 school year, as well as universal free breakfast for students at all schools, including FHS and Highlands.

Similar changes have been made in Haywood and Jackson county schools. In Haywood, while seven schools used to qualify for CEP, next year, all schools will.

In Jackson County, School Nutrition Director Laura Cabe presented several options to school board members for the number of schools that could participate in the CEP. Administration looked at the possibility of including all schools in the CEP; however, even with 10% increased participation in school meals, the school system would incur more costs than reimbursements by over $100,000.

Because of the Community Eligibility Provision, all students in several schools will be able to receive free meals.

we’ve fallen back to pre-pandemic rates, like right at it, but I believe a lot more students would be encouraged to eat with free meals.”

School Board member Hillary Wilkes noted that the fall in participation could have been due to the increase in meal costs. Prior to the 2022-23 school year, many school systems were setting meal prices for the first time since the COVID pandemic began. During those years, school nutrition programs throughout Western North

vehicle for a traffic violation. Over the course of the traffic stop, law enforcement found in McClure’s vehicle 97 illegal conversion devices, commonly known as “Glock switches,” which are used to convert firearms into machineguns. Law enforcement also seized four P80 pistols, which are privately manufactured firearms referred to as “Ghost guns,” that had been converted into machineguns with illegal

a dollar. I mean it was a whole dollar a day and then you add in multiple children,” said Wilkes. “I don’t have a personal problem with the 5%. I don’t think we’re gonna end up in the hole.”

Administration is still stressing the importance of families filling out the free and reduced lunch application. These forms not only allow for more accurate tracking that helps qualify for the Community Eligibility provision, they also help individ-

Glock switches. Law enforcement also recovered a conventional Glock firearm that had a Glock switch installed, an unregistered short-barreled 9mm rifle, 10 unregistered firearm silencers and $3,000 in cash.

According to court records, prior to the incident in Haywood County, in August 2021, McClure was arrested in Tennessee after law enforcement seized from McClure’s vehicle and rental cabin several firearms, including converted machine guns, an unregistered

The board ultimately decided to start the program this year with five schools — Blue Ridge School, Blue Ridge Early College, Cullowhee Valley, Smoky Mountain Elementary and Jackson Community School. If there is no change in participation in the coming school year, the school system would be in the hole about $50,000. However, if participation increases the school system could be ahead by about $30,000. The school system will have the opportunity to add more schools to the program with each coming year, but the five schools selected for the 2023-24 school year are locked into the program for the next four school years.

“The schools that won’t be selected to participate in CEP, they will still have complete opportunities to fill out a meal application, to qualify based on household size and income,” said Laura Cabe. “I will also do a download for the Department of Health and Human Services to qualify students to be directly certified. So that does not leave out anybody. We will always do all that we can to qualify as many students as we can.”

silencer, narcotics and over $10,000 in cash.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Tennessee brought federal charges against McClure in connection with this offense. Those charges were later transferred to the U.S. District Court in the Western District of North Carolina.

On March 3, McClure pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of machine guns in connection with both federal cases. McClure remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

Healthcare Foundation aims to fight food insecurity

BY KYLE PERROTTI N EWS E DITOR

As residents in counties across Western North Carolina continue to face food insecurity issues, the Haywood Health Care Foundation is stepping up to put a dent in the problem for two of the community’s most vulnerable groups — children and elderly individuals.

To further that effort, the nonprofit has announced it is using the proceeds from this year’s golf tournament to go toward fighting hunger. Money raised last year went toward Haywood Community College’s new nursing building, but this year, the organization identified another problem it wanted to address.

Haywood County Health and Human Services Director Sarah Henderson is on the Healthcare Foundation Board and sits on the committee charged with putting the golf tournament together.

“We wanted to focus on need in community with the mill closure and grocery prices,” she said. “We tried to see how we could touch a large group of people while also serving the community.”

That included considering both kids who may not eat much if anything at home and older folks who use Meals on Wheels.

Meals on Wheels is a service through which about 700 meals are delivered every week to elderly residents who don’t cook for themselves and don’t have much family around to ensure they are eating well. Henderson said there’s about a 45% gap between what Health and Human Services pays for the service and what they’re given by the state for the program. That amounts to about $16,500.

Henderson noted that Meals on Wheels is important to some of these residents, especially those who are isolated, because it may be the most human interaction they get all week.

“Not only are we feeding them, but we may be nurturing other aspects of their lives,” she said. “And we find other needs by seeing them. Maybe they need social services.”

The other population heavily impacted by food insecurity is children whose parents have had trouble putting food on the table for their families amid rampant inflation coming off the tail-end of the pandemic shutdowns.

Allison Francis has been Haywood County Schools’ nutrition director for 14

years. She said the need for nutrition assistance skyrocketed during those shutdowns. At that time, the school system provided a curbside meal service that offered food at no cost to anyone in the community under the age of 18. In the almost two years that program ran, it served over 1 million meals in Haywood.

“We got so many comments from the community about how nice it was that people could get those meals,” Francis said.

But the food insecurity issues highlighted by the pandemic haven’t waned much.

Francis said she has managers at schools who tell her there are kids who come in Monday “starving” after not getting food during the weekend. Of course, having to deal with food insecurity causes plenty of issues for students, including a lack of focus in the classroom.

“If you come to school and you didn’t have much for dinner the night before and you don’t have breakfast, and you’re hungry and your stomach is growling, that makes it hard,” Francis said.

With 57% of Haywood County students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the approval recently came through to allow all students to receive free breakfast and lunch without having to fill out any forms.

However, there are some students whose need goes even beyond lunch and dinner. Some go back for seconds to either get food for dinner or some to take home for the weekend. These additional servings are not covered. The school system has an angel fund that relies on donations and grants to cover the difference.

CeCe Hipps co-chairs the foundation’s golf committee along with her husband, Rob Roland. She said the committee and the larger board is excited to use funds raised at the event to benefit some of the most vulnerable members of the community. She said the event itself, long a staple in Haywood County, will be a ton of fun. At the end of the day, golfers will have the chance to gather at Laurel Ridge’s clubhouse to receive awards and enjoy a pasta dinner.

“This is going to be a great event raising money for our nonprofit health foundation,” she said. “All the proceeds will go toward the food insecurity issue some people face in the county.”

Anyone interested in donating, volunteering or participating in the tournament should reach out to the foundation at 828.452.8343.

MCS moves to consolidate FHS and Union Academy

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER

If Macon County succeeds in constructing a new high school, which could be contingent on receiving a Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund grant, the school system will consolidate Union Academy and Franklin High School into the same campus.

The move would not only benefit the students of Union Academy, who would have access to more resources through FHS, it could also improve the school district’s chances of receiving grant money.

Academy and Franklin High School to put it in a better position to win the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund grant. One of the qualifiers for that grant is consolidation of two schools. However, for LS3P to move forward in the planning process with Franklin High School and Union Academy administration and staff on how to incorporate Union Academy into the design of the new project, the school board had to approve the consolidation.

“Without a new high school, we would not consolidate Franklin High School and Union

from the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund grant on a new high school, were the county to receive that grant. Baldwin estimates that the school system will know the results of the grant application in September. If the school system wins the grant it applied for, it would get as much at $50-60 million toward the new high school project.

“Administration at the central office have been working on the design of the new high school. One of the challenges has been how to incorporate Union Academy, as a school within a school, where do you locate that? That’s going to continue to be a challenge, but they are working on all of those things,” said Baldwin.

According to the board’s lawyer, John Henning, there is no downside to the board approving the consolidation of Union Academy and Franklin High School because the move is contingent on the new high school project coming to fruition.

ing, Breedlove did mention that it could be used as space for preschool classes in the future.

Board member Hillary Wilkes reported that the liaison committee had an extensive meeting about merging the two schools.

“I had some doubts, but after coming out of that meeting, it really did seem like there was a consensus that it was the right thing to do going forward even without the grant being involved,” said Wilkes. “I do think it’s going to be the best choice. But it is certainly very appealing to have it help with the grant.”

Board member Diedre Breeden agreed that beyond receiving the grant, consolidating the two schools is in the best interest of the students.

“As we move forward for our FHS grant, combining Union Academy and Franklin High School is a very favorable thing to look at doing in terms of increasing the probability of receiving the grant,” Macon County Board of Education Chairman Jim Breedlove said during a June 26 meeting.

In February, the school system began looking at the possibility of consolidation of Union

Academy,” said Superintendent Chris Baldwin. “However, in order for us to move forward with this project, the board needs to approve the consolidation contingent upon that new project moving forward.”

Last month, Macon County Commissioners signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Education that the county would use any money received

“I don’t know of any downside to agreeing to this,” said Henning. “You’re talking about consolidation of physical space that they’re gonna be on, this is not closure of any school. I don’t know of any mechanism that binds you to anything if you don’t get the grant and aren’t constructing something, you can go on ahead as you already have been operating without taking further steps. You’re not committed to anything.”

While there are no concrete plans for what would become of the Union Academy build-

“A lot of it hinges on the grant, a lot of our conversation hinges on the grant, but the consensus I felt like at our last meeting when we were all together was, this is what’s best for the students because of how it’s going to enhance the opportunities that they’re going to be exposed to,” said Breeden. “I want to make sure, yes the grant is super important, but this is a good opportunity for our students and a really good step moving forward.”

The board unanimously approved the consolidation in the case that Macon County follows through with the new high school project.

“As Diedre said, this is a chance for the students to take advantage of a lot of good things,” said Breedlove.

Union Academy will be incorporated into the new Franklin High School. MCS photo

Employee retention improving at WCU

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The massive employee turnover Western Carolina University has seen over the past two years is now trending downward, but the university is still parting ways with more employees than was the norm before 2020.

“We’re still up from where we were prior to coming out of COVID, but things seem to be moving in the right direction,” WCU Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Cory Causby told the Board of Trustees Academic Affairs and Personnel Committee June 8.

Between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023 — June numbers are projected and will become final later this month — WCU recorded 148 voluntary turnovers. The term is used when an employee leaves because they want to, not because they’ve been fired or reached retirement. While that’s nearly 50% higher than the prior four-year average of 100.5 annual voluntary turnovers, it’s 26.7% lower than the highwater mark of 202 set in the 20212022 fiscal year.

Of the last 12 months, 10 months saw voluntary turnover totals at or below those recorded the previous year. In February and April, voluntary turnovers came in below the four-year average as well.

“That’s encouraging to me,” Causby told trustees. “I’d like to continue to see that going down.”

Turnover is down across the board, but the rate of decrease varies among different types of employees.

Staff employees who are exempt from the State Human Resources Act of North Carolina — mostly professional, salaried positions that do not receive overtime — bounced back the strongest. The 44 voluntary separations recorded in 2022-2023 was just 6.7% over the four-year average of 41.25 and down 41.3% from the 2021-2022 fiscal year, when 75 such departures were recorded.

Faculty turnover saw the slowest rebound — the 31 turnovers recorded in 2022-23 were just 11.4% less than the 35 that occurred in 2021-2022, and more than double the four-year average of 14.25.

In the middle were staff members who fall under the State Human Resources Act. The 73 voluntary turnovers within this group during 20222023 was 20.7% less than the 92 recorded in 20212022 but still 62.2% higher than the four-year aver-

age of 45 turnovers.

WCU is not alone in its difficulty retaining employees — or in its seeming progress reversing the trend. While 2020 saw historically low turnover as people sought to hang on to whatever stability was available during the pandemic’s initial onslaught, rates surged across the University of North Carolina System in 2021. System staff had pointed to inflation, stagnant salaries, childcare challenges and the so-called “Great Resignation” that swept the nation following the pandemic as contributors to the trend.

“WCU’s reduction in voluntary turnover rates as compared to FY22 appears to be consistent with what is being seen across the UNC System,” Causby said in an email. “Over the past year WCU’s retention efforts have included significant investments in faculty and staff salaries and resources for mental health and wellbeing.”

In an employee survey conducted in 2022, WCU faculty and staff expressed high satisfaction compared to other UNC institutions, coming in third in overall positive responses among 17 institutions surveyed. However, in response to a question asking for reasons they might consider leaving their job, 73% of respondents said they’d think about it for a more competitive salary, while 32% said better work/life balance or better opportunities for advancement would make it worth contemplating.

While faculty and staff received a combined 6% raise in the 2021 and 2022 state budgets, even this unprecedented amount fails to offset inflation of 9.4% that occurred between November 2021 and May 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator. The 2023 state budget has yet to be finalized.

Even before the pandemic, salaries at WCU were lagging. A 2021 analysis by WCU business professor Sean Mulholland, who is now director of the Center for Study of Free Enterprise, showed that inflationadjusted salaries at WCU reached below negative 8% between 2010 and 2019.

Despite the challenges, Causby said WCU has had better luck with hiring in recent months than it has over the last couple years.

“We’ve been more effective at hiring over the last six to 12 months than we were the previous 12 months,” he told trustees. “Our pools have increased, the quality of the pools have increased, and so it’s been really encouraging in that regard.”

More employees are leaving their positions than prior to the pandemic, but the spike in departures seen in fiscal year 2022 has fallen in 2023. WCU graph

Cherokee constitution debate continues

Ballot deadline approaching

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

Over nearly three hours Wednesday, June 21, Tribal Council heard from attorneys offering dire warnings about the unintended consequences that could befall the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians should it adopt a proposed constitution — and from tribal members imploring the body to trust voters to decide whether the document should become the tribe’s first constitution in more than 150 years.

Tribal Council is expected to make a final decision on the referendum question determining the fate of the constitutional effort during its next meeting Thursday, July 13. Though most Tribal Council members listed at least one or two things they did not like about the document, the majority voiced support for allowing a referendum vote during the General Election Thursday, Sept. 7.

Officially, the proposed constitution is already authorized to appear on the ballot. Tribal Council voted on that in April, with no discussion and unanimous approval.

Principal Chief Richard Sneed took no action, allowing the resolution to pass into effect unsigned after 30 days.

But in the weeks following the vote, Attorney General Mike McConnell began raising questions about how the proposed constitution might negatively impact the tribe, should it be adopted. In June, he introduced a resolution seeking to replace the constitution referendum with a series of four questions that would amend the Charter and Governing Document and rename it as a constitution. Council voted to table that resolution and schedule the June 21 work session.

OBJECTIONS FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

The discussion covered a lot of territory but came down to a fundamental disagreement as to whether certain sections of the proposed constitution would have detrimental impacts on the tribe — as argued by McConnell and Senior Associate Attorney General Hannah Smith — or whether the flaws were minor and easily fixed through the accessible amendment process described in the document.

The proposed constitution has a “substantial” number of issues that would jeopardize tribal government functions “at the highest level,” Smith said.

“We would have to go to court and fight about it,” she said. “We don’t need a constitution that right out of the gate provides litigation opportunities and unclear powers and limitations.”

Top of the list of issues with the document, she said, was its likely impact on the tribe’s ability to enter into business agreements with non-tribal entities. The proposed

constitution states that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians “shall be conclusively immune from any cause whatsoever as an established sovereign.” While it includes a limited waiver that allows it to be sued within the tribal court system in relation to rights guaranteed by the constitution, it does not state that waivers are available for the purposes of contracts and business agreements.

“If the proposed constitution passes at referendum … [the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise] could no longer seek loans, do any major construction, and couldn’t enter other various agreements with management firms, etc.,” Smith wrote in a June 30 commentary published in The Cherokee One Feather. “Similarly, the Tribe’s other legal entities could no longer come before the Council to ask for limited waivers of immunity either.”

She also took issue with provisions in the article setting up the judicial branch. The current Charter and Governing Document, which stands as the tribe’s supreme law, does not include a judicial branch of government at all — the tribal court system was created through a law of Tribal Council and could be dismantled with the same.

While Smith is “on board” with enshrining this branch of government in the tribe’s foundational legal document, she believes the wording contained in the proposed constitution would “derail” the judiciary as it currently exists. In a May 30 letter of Mary Herr of the Swain County Democrats Whittier/Cherokee Precinct referenced during the June 21 meeting, Smith wrote that language in the proposed constitution would “make it impossible” for the tribe to maintain the standards that it needs to exercise expanded criminal jurisdiction as provided by the federal Violence Against Women Act. It would also restrain judges from “making rulings consistent with Cherokee values, customs and traditions” by “forcing certain federal rulings to take precedent,” she wrote.

Both Smith and McConnell criticized the role of the Cherokee Community Club Council in the selection of judges, constitu-

tional amendment process and in other areas of the proposed constitution, saying the document set the Council up as an unelected fourth branch of government. The Community Club Council is a volunteer organization made up of leaders from the each of the tribe’s nine community clubs.

Under the proposed constitution, the Constitution Convention during which amendments could be proposed for referendum vote would run from a budget prepared by the Cherokee Community Club Council and be attended by an equal number of delegates “from each branch of government; Legislative, Executive, Judicial, and from the Cherokee Community Club Council.” Meanwhile, recommendations for judicial appointments would be submitted by a panel consisting of officers of the Community Club

the chief’s election once every four years, but the proposed constitution would reduce the turnout requirement for amendments to 33%.

“We wanted to make it possible to amend the constitution,” Arneach said. “Not improbable. Which, that’s where the charter is right now.”

As to Smith’s concerns about the Community Club Council’s establishment as a fourth branch of government, that’s incorrect, Arneach said. The Council is tasked with organizing the Constitutional Convention, but not with passing legislation, he said, and while the Council is “part of the interview process” for selecting justices, the final decision still lies with Tribal Council.

“The Community Club Council has no legislative ability,” Arneach said. “They have no authority at all.”

Arneach didn’t address concerns about the constitution preventing limited waivers of sovereign immunity in business deals, but he and other speakers emphasized the ability to amend the document as issues arise. Even the Charter has many flaws, they pointed out, along with set-in-stone provisions that are flat-out ignored. In Section 19, the Charter mandates that a tribal census be carried out every 10 years and used to determine weighted votes on Tribal Council. But the tribal census currently underway is the first since 2001.

Council and members of the judiciary. Tribal Council would confirm these appointments.

“Community Club Council should not be a fourth branch of government,” said Attorney General Mike McConnell. “And that’s what they’re setting themselves up to be.”

ONGOING SUPPORT

Proponents of the proposed constitution admitted that the document had flaws but said that Smith and McConnell had grossly exaggerated their impact — and inexplicably delayed communicating their concerns. Several of the points that Smith made in her initial comments to Tribal Council were flat wrong, said Constitution Committee Chairman Lloyd Arneach.

For example, Smith stated that the tribe would be stuck with the constitution it approved for at least two decades, because the document allows for amendments to be made only every 20 years. But the document actually says that a Constitutional Convention to consider amendments shall be held “at least” every 20 years.

Amending the current Charter requires a voter turnout of at least 51%, all but guaranteeing changes can be considered only during

“That makes the argument of the Attorney General’s Office a little watery to me,” Robert Jumper, editor of the Cherokee One Feather and member of the Constitution Committee, wrote in a June 30 editorial. “They claim that the constitution, if accepted by the People, and used to replace the Charter would be this nearly irrevocable law that would be catastrophic in its inflexibility and would hamstring tribal negotiations because of the ‘shall’ language in it, then why isn’t that true of the Charter, where ‘shall’ language is ignored by the government without consequence to the government for years.”

Arneach also questioned the timing of these concerns from the Attorney General’s Office. When the group presented an earlier draft of the constitution years ago, Arneach said, McConnell approached him with concerns, and Arneach invited him to participate in the revision process. But that didn’t happen. The Constitution Committee didn’t hear from McConnell’s office when the Community Club Council held its Constitutional Convention, or during the two weeks between Tribal Council’s vote and the proposed referendum being submitted to tribal government.

“They had two weeks to look at the document, to have those issues and concerns brought to you prior to your meeting,” Arneach said. “If they had issues, why not voice it before your meeting?”

A TICKING CLOCK

From members of the public and Community Club Council members attending the meeting, the message was clear.

“All you guys are up for re-

Constitution Committee Chairman Lloyd Arneach addresses Tribal Council June 21. EBCI Livestream photo

election,” said Missy Crowe, a member of the Yellowhill community. “You want us to trust you with our vote. Then do me a favor. Trust the people with our vote and let us vote for this constitution.”

It appears that most Tribal Council members agree. In response to a request from Elvia Walkingstick, each of the 12 Council members spoke in turn to deliver their thoughts on the proposal.

Nearly all of them named something they didn’t like about the current document. Many took issue with a provision establishing 25 as the minimum age for a Tribal Council member — something Smith alleged in the letter to Herr “retracts existing rights for tribal members aged 18-24.”

However, only two of the 12 Council members — Birdtown Rep. Boyd Owle and Painttown Rep. Dike Sneed — said they’d likely vote against allowing the planned referendum vote to stand.

“When this comes up next month will I vote for it, will I vote against it? I have to be honest, I’ll probably vote against it,” Owle said.

The other members all said they’d support letting the people decide, though some of those said they weren’t sure whether they personally would vote in favor of the constitution at the ballot box.

“A lot of [voters] hate that they’re put in this position, because they feel that the document wasn’t ready to go, and so they almost feel like they would have to vote against it, and they don’t want to. And so they’re struggling,” said Snowbird/Cherokee County Rep. Adam Wachacha. “And that’s what I’m doing. I’m struggling too. Because I love a lot of the stuff that’s in this constitution. There’s a lot of great language that’s in this constitution. But there are things that may hinder me from supporting it as a voter myself when the referendum happens.”

Others were more sanguine about the proposal and its potential to improve life and legal protections for tribal members for generations to come.

“This document, every soul, every member of this tribe, it will have a positive impact for them,” said Big Cove Rep. Teresa McCoy.

The clock is ticking to decide the referendum’s fate. In some sense, it’s already run out.

Arneach, who is also a member of the EBCI Board of Elections, said the deadline for changes to ballot language is July 21. Tribal Council will consider McConnell’s resolution to replace the constitution referendum with a series of referendum questions amending the charter during its next meeting July 13, but any action of Tribal Council must pass to Principal Chief Richard Sneed before becoming effective. Sneed has 30 days to sign, veto or pass into law unsigned any action of Council – a timeframe that runs past the July 21 deadline.

“I am more than happy to sit down with Tribal Council, with AG’s office, with anybody else, Community Club, to work on the document,” Arneach said. “But it has to be in the timeframe we that we need. Right now, we don’t have the time.”

SCC lands Dogwood Health Trust grant

To help create a pipeline of future health care workers for the region, Dogwood Health Trust has awarded a $500,000 grant to Southwestern Community College’s Health Sciences Division.

The funding will establish a Project SHIFT (SCC Health-career Initiative for Teens) office, which aims to recruit enough prospective students to maximize the capacity of SCC’s 16 health care career fields – many of which are housed in the recently dedicated Don Tomas Health Sciences Center.

Included in the grant are salaries for two fulltime positions as well as stipends for ambassadors to represent the 16 Health Sciences programs. There’s also funding to endow scholarships that will cover the last-dollar educational expenses of Project SHIFT participants.

“There’s a tremendous need, both locally and nationally, for more health care workers,” said Dr. Thom Brooks, Executive Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. “We are uniquely qualified to help meet that need in Western North Carolina because we’ve got a beautiful new Health Sciences building loaded with state-of-the-art health care training technology. This grant enhances our ability to get into local schools and help steer even more students toward health care fields.”

Also in the grant is funding for 16 mobile demonstration kits – one for each of Southwestern’s Health Sciences programs. Those kits can be taken to local high schools as well as community events to help demonstrate what’s involved in each career path.

The initial grant, which marks Dogwood’s largest investment to date at SCC, covers the Project SHIFT office for two years.

If successful in its efforts over that period, SCC will seek a continuation of the grant funding for future years.

For more information about health care career paths at Southwestern Community College, call 828.339.4198 or pjudson@southwesterncc.edu.

School implements recycling program

A recent collaboration between Junaluska Elementary fifth graders, Haywood Community College students and Haywood County Solid Waste and Recycling will keep about 90,000 juice and milk cartons out of the county landfill each school year.

The project began last summer when HCC’s environmental science students and Environmental Leadership Club invited the county’s recycling coordinator, Zondra Kuykendall, to teach them about local recycling.

HCC’s students used a students-teaching-students model to connect with the younger students and gain hands-on learning beyond the classroom.

For the first training in February, HCC students used games such as “chasing arrows” and “wishcycling” to share details about recycling contami-

nation. One HCC student dressed up as a “bag monster” made from plastic shopping bags to illustrate how many bags the average U.S. family uses each year. During the second training in May, students designed recycling art to advertise the new program.

The recycling program will continue next year.

“Recycling a few milk cartons and juice boxes seems like such a small thing,” said Roberts.

“Junaluska Elementary students drink an average 325 cartons of milk and 180 boxes of juice at breakfast and lunch, which means more than 500 milk and juice containers can be recycled per day, 2,500 per week, and about 90,000 per school year.”

Community Foundation awards scholarships

The Community Foundation of Western North

Carolina (CFWNC) recently approved scholarships totaling $558,000 to 96 WNC students in 53 schools in 19 counties. More than 60 volunteers from the community worked to review applications and select recipients.

Top recipients in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area are:

• Winson Zhang from Pisgah High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $14,000 over four years.

• Canon Helpman from Swain County High School who was awarded the Gene and Lee Meyer Scholarship valued at $12,000 over four years.

• Carly Hester from Smoky Mountain High School who was awarded the Gene and Lee Meyer Scholarship valued at $12,000 over four years.

• Ben Payne from Swain County High School who was awarded the Gene and Lee Meyer Scholarship valued at $12,000 over four years.

Scholarship endowments can have broad eli-

WCU collaborates with Cherokee on exhibit planning project

A campuswide and community driven project will soon be underway to recenter Cherokee history and culture on Western Carolina University’s campus.

gibility criteria or can be focused on a particular school or county, offered to students pursuing a degree in a stated field or available to those who will attend a designated college or university.

“Being able to volunteer as a member of a CFWNC scholarship committee has been immensely rewarding,” said Leslie Barry, a volunteer reviewer for the Irving Jacob Reuter Award. “I feel particularly invested in the process, as I attended WNC public schools myself and now my husband, Hal, and I have children in our public school system. After reviewing these scholarship students through the lens of an alumnus, a parent, and, now, a committee member, I can honestly say the caliber of students in our area is extraordinary and we, as a community, should be extremely proud to recognize and celebrate them.”

CFWNC works with families, businesses and nonprofits to strengthen communities through the creation of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking. A permanent charitable resource, the Foundation manages over 1,200 funds and facilitated $23.5 million in grants last year bringing total giving to more than $328 million since its founding in 1978. Learn more at cfwnc.org.

Human Services grads honored in SCC pinning ceremony

Five new graduates of Southwestern Community College’s Human Services Technology (HST) program are ready to help address the opioid and mental health crises facing the region and nation.

Matt Litchford of Franklin, Railey Martin of Sylva, Ashley Moore of Clyde and Kayla Smathers and Katelynn Ledford-McCoy of Cherokee were honored with a pinning ceremony on May 16 at SCC’s Jackson Campus.

“All of these graduates bring different backgrounds and natural abilities to our field, but one attribute they have in common is a desire to make this world a better place,” said Crystal Rhynes, who oversees the HST program at Southwestern. “I’m extremely proud of all of them for the progress they’ve made and the eagerness with which they’re entering our profession.”

Three of the graduates received associate degrees in both HST and Addiction and Recovery Studies: Ledford-McCoy, Moore and Smathers. Litchford and Martin earned HST certificates. For more information about Southwestern Community College and the programs it offers, visit southwesterncc.edu, call 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC location.

The Cherokee Preservation Foundation, a nonprofit organization on the Qualla Boundary focused on Cherokee cultural and historic preservation, is funding an expansive exhibit planning project to express Cherokee culture, language and voices at WCU.

WCU sits on Tali Tsisquayahi, Two Sparrows Place, which is ancestral Cherokee land. Carmen Huffman, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is collaborating with WCU faculty, staff and students, and most importantly Cherokee organizations and community members, to create a master plan of exhibits across campus that recognize the living Cherokee culture in and around WCU.

“There have been lots of ideas about what we would want to do for a long time,” Huffman said. “Now, what we’ve done is build in a mechanism to bring those ideas to fruition. It’s no longer ‘I wish we had this.’

Let’s stop wishing; let’s have.”

Planning efforts have begun and will continue throughout the 2023-2024 academic year. Updates on the Cherokee Exhibits Project at WCU will be forthcoming.

For more information, contact Huffman at chuffman@email.wcu.edu.

Jill Ellern, SCC’s Director of Healthcare Simulation Learning, shows Nursing student Mandy Tessin how to use some of the new virtual reality headsets.

Supporting a free press is, well, patriotic

The cookouts are over, the red, white and blue decorations are coming off the patios and tables and are being prepared for storage to await July 4, 2024. We’ve watched the parades and marveled at the fireworks. Independence Day is now in the rearview mirror, but what about patriotism and what it means for Americans in mid-2023?

Perhaps it’s why I’m in this business, but the free press and patriotism have always had a symbiotic relationship for me. The wars that our soldiers risk their lives to win are often over the very ideals and issues that play out every day in the pages of newspapers large and small: political parties arguing over the issues and programs they want their nominees to support, town aldermen deciding whether citizens should be able to consume alcohol while walking around town, deciding how much we should spend on trying to determine where future floods might occur and how to prevent them (all issues from articles that appeared in our paper and on our website in the last week).

These are seemingly mundane matters, true. But in many countries, it’s not the citizens who make these decisions. In many countries, you criticize your leaders, and you go to jail; you ask for more freedoms, and you’re totally ignored; if the press reports on these matters, it’s shut down and editors or reporters are imprisoned. The “press” in many countries is just a megaphone for despots who murder their own people without regret.

I spent the first 10 years of my life as the third son of an enlisted Navy man, and as a child I believed the U.S. infallible. For three years we were stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in the late 1960s. The U.S. base in Guantanamo is on a large bay, but there is also a fenced portion separating it from Cuba’s population with land mines. Every now and then a

Cuban would show up on the base seeking asylum. Some of these swam over, often through shark-infested waters; some ventured through minefields hoping to escape repression. Some didn’t make it, losing their lives in the attempt.

And so here I was, in elementary school, hearing stories from my mom and dad and the other service men talking about these people who risked their lives to taste the freedom that we often take for granted. It made quite the impression.

I was reading Editor and Publisher – a journalism trade publication — over the weekend. The publisher of that magazine is Mike Blinder, and he says his favorite founding father is Benjamin Franklin: “If asked who my ‘BFF’ is (Best Founding Father), I would respond, ‘Hands down, Benjamin Franklin,’ for several reasons. First, he literally invented the concept of free speech and an ‘unfettered press,’ starting as a teenage apprentice offering commentary as the middle-aged widow ‘Mrs. Silence Dogood.’ Then he later regularly practiced these rights through his reporting as the publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette.”

From Ben Franklin’s days until now, the free press is still doing noble work in this country. I witness Smoky Mountain News’ reporters do it regularly, and I subscribe to every print paper in this region and visit most of the online news sites and can attest to the fact that the courageous journalism is happening every day continues in Western North Carolina.

Supporting a free press is, to me, patriotic. Without an independent press, our country would not have become the

symbol of freedom that still inspires many around the world. It’s part of our American identity, this notion that we will argue and fight over our ideological viewpoints, and that we are free to do so.

At one time, newspapers may have been the most popular method of advertising one’s business to potential customers. Now, we provide one of many marketing options, and the business model is changing dramatically. Many newspapers are closing their print and online editions, and it’s estimated that about 70 million Americans — nearly 22 percent of the population — live in news deserts that have no print or online journalists who cover local government. It doesn’t take much imagination to think that those communities may not be very responsive to taxpayers’ wishes.

All are invited to The Smoky Mountain News Birthday Bash from 5-7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 7, in the SMN parking lot. Please join us for food and spirits.

This week, The Smoky Mountain News will celebrate its 24th anniversary. It’s been quite a ride, one that’s witnessed dramatic changes to our business model while we’ve still maintained a strong investment in both community news and investigative journalism. I want to thank our readers, our advertisers, and the donors who’ve made contributions to help us continue our work.

One of our freelance writers signs off on his emails with the phrase “Write on.” And we will, all in hopes of making this place we call home a better place to live.

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

Plastics everywhere — should we be worried?

BY STEVE WALL G UEST COLUMNIST

Ababy whale washed up on a beach.

Eighty-eight pounds of plastics were found in its stomach. Should we care?

Two hundred brands of bottled water were tested. Only 17 were found to be free of microscopic plastic particles. Is this a problem?

The “Plastics Blob” floating in the Pacific is one and a half times the size of Texas. What can I do about that?

Why have nations around the world, and communities in the USA, declared July 2023 “Plastic Free July?”

What exactly are plastics? Why should folks in Western North Carolina care about this at all?

If current trends continue, plastics production will consume 20-30% of all the oil and gas the world produces. This increasing production will release hundreds of millions of tons of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. Can we expect more extreme flooding events in the Pigeon River Watershed? More polluted air drifting down from Canadian wildfires?

Once used and discarded, plastics break down into smaller and smaller particles that stay around for hundreds of years. We now

find microplastics in the 6-mile deep Marianas Trench in the Pacific, and on the peaks of Mount Everest.

In the U.S., we use about 300 million plastic shopping bags a day! The average American family uses over 1,000 bags a year. A large store that serves 1,500 families distributes 1.5 million plastic bags a year.

We use approximately 300 million plastic bottles a day in the United States. Only 10% of all this plastic is recycled. The rest goes into the giant waste bin called Earth, where it all breaks down into trillions of microparticles that hang around for many centuries.

But is it really bad for us?

Chemicals found in plastic items or used during the manufacturing process are a concern for human health. Phthalates are the chemicals that make plastics flexible and thin.

It’s likely that these chemicals cause serious effects on human reproduction. Female infertility, gestational diabetes and increased miscarriages were noted in animal and human studies. Miscarriages in the U.S. are now

and other containers. It is now banned in baby bottles but still widely used. BPA mimics the action of the female hormone estrogen. Studies showed that exposure can lower sperm counts and cause fetal abnormalities. Sperm counts in U.S. men have declined over 30% during the past few decades. Plastics exposure is probably a major factor.

So what can you do?

Ask your grocery manager if it would be cheaper for the store, and better for our community, if they gave everyone reusable bags that can be used repeatedly. Suggest that their store become a community leader for sustainability with the effort to reduce plastics. Instead of plastic throw away bottles that harm the environment and our health, use BPA-free reusables and tap water. Save money, and help prevent major public health and environmental problems.

Will it make a difference? If enough of us do this, it will.

around 30% of pregnancies and increasing. Micro plastics may be a big part of the problem.

BPA is another component of the plastics industry, used for stiffness in water bottles

And check out the “Plastics Free July” event at 6:30 p.m. on July 6 at Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville.

(Steve Wall is a retired pediatrician and a member of the Environmental Action Community of WNC, a 501c3 non-profit organization. www.eacwnc.org.)

Editor Scott McLeod

Being mindful of Mother Nature’s gifts

Lately we’ve been enjoying the hummingbirds each morning on our back deck. We have two hummingbird feeders and have been diligent about keeping the sugar water fresh. Early each day, we take our coffee and quietly sit, awaiting their brief stints at the feeders.

I’ve written before about how hummingbirds make me think of my mom. She loved watching the hummingbirds on her own porch and in the months after her passing, the small creatures would visit me more frequently than usual and hover for longer periods of time. I am confident this was her comforting me from afar.

Slowing down my pace of life is a new intention for me. After a bout of unexpected panic attacks in 2021, I realized I had minimal balance within my body between highly-stimulated, activated periods of living and slow and easy periods of living. Since then, it’s been a goal to listen to my body and relax when needed.

By relaxing, I don’t mean lounging around watching TV. For me, “relaxation” may involve long walks outside, time on the water, being truly present with my loved ones, reading, disconnecting from technology and being playful. These are the things that nourish me and soothe my nervous system.

This summer, especially, I’ve made these intentions a priority. Last week, we only had one child at home while the other three were enjoying an experience called Wilderness Trail. This left my 11-year-old son home all week without siblings. I decided to make it somewhat of a staycation where he and I spent quality time together. We went to an Asheville Tourist game, horseback riding at Smokemont, mini-golfing in Maggie Valley and had fun with some activities at Lake Junaluska. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it was a series of special moments between him and me. Even though we were busy, I still felt relaxed at the week’s end because I allowed myself to be playful and mindful.

Along with being playful, I’m realizing more and more how glorious it is to simply be still. Past generations had silence inherently built into their lives. Being connected to technology 24-7 was an unfathomable option. In the past, people sat at the dinner table without phones dinging in the background. They only watched the news once a day. They sat on porches or took walks in the evenings. In the car, they talked to each other and maybe kids fought in the backseat, but at least they weren’t isolated behind earbuds and a device.

Technology has afforded us many luxu-

ries and efficiencies, but at the same time, it’s made our world very noisy. All of this noise wreaks havoc on our nervous systems, making us feel activated more than necessary. The good news is, we have control over how much “noise” we allow into our lives.

Some people need a wake-up call to realize this. The panic attacks, as stressful as they were, helped me understand there was too much external stimulation in my realm.

I’m a person who requires harmony between hectic commotion and quiet time.

I’m grateful to have realized this. Interestingly, I’m feeling more productive and in control in this new state of mind than I felt in my previous hustle-and-bustle state. By giving my mind and body the rest it needs, I’m more focused and creative when the time comes to work and produce.

As we watch the hummingbirds each day, I’m becoming increasingly intrigued by them. They’ve always been lovely and symbolic for me, but these days, I’m also curious about their prowess as a species. The simple fact they flap their wings so fast it creates a humming noise is astonishing. Additionally, they are only found in the Western Hemisphere of the globe. How lucky are we to live where they live?

They can travel 500 miles in a single go and visit up to 1,000 flowers a day. Even though they understandably prefer natural nectar over sugar water in bird feeders, they’ll still visit your feeder if you keep it clean and replace the water frequently. As a little tip, only use regular sugar as opposed to honey or another type of sweetener. Also, don’t use food coloring. Apparently, some folks feel hummingbirds are more attracted to colored water, but that’s a myth and the coloring could harm them.

I don’t remember watching hummingbirds when I was a little girl, but I want my kids to know about them and make it a part of their early morning routine as they grow up. The morning hours are sacred in their own right. Watching the hummingbirds is a cherry on top.

As my life unfolds, I can feel myself gaining the wisdom that only comes with experience and lessons learned. Each day I understand more and more the importance of love and gratitude, and not only love and gratitude for one another but also for Mother Nature and all she has to offer our hearts, souls and minds. Whether it’s the sound of a running creek, a full moon in a dark sky, or a tiny, incredible hummingbird drinking sweet nectar, these are the things that truly matter. It’s not social media or news coverage or political unrest, it’s the micro-moments of our days that, if we allow them, encourage us to be the best versions of ourselves.

(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital media consultant with The Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)

Columnist Susanna Shetley

Grow together Paul Hoffman of Greensky Bluegrass

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR

Since its inception in 2000, Greensky Bluegrass has grown from a scrappy string ensemble to one of the premier live stage acts currently touring the country.

It’s been a long road from the group’s humble beginnings at local open mic nights and breweries in its native Kalamazoo, Michigan, and beyond. And, in that time, the quintet has become a melodic bridge between the bluegrass, jam, rock and electronica scenes.

Amid those vastly different realms, Greensky Bluegrass has navigated through those numerous physical stages and emotionally sonic moments with such ease. That’s partly due to their deep and sincere collaborations with such a wide variety of groups and styles, but mostly because Greensky Bluegrass remains a sponge — of sound, wisdom and purpose.

And at the helm of Greensky Bluegrass is singer/mandolinist Paul Hoffman. Sitting on a wooden bench backstage at The Salvage Station in Asheville, Hoffman gazes across the French Broad River and back to the large outdoor stage where his band will perform later that evening, a sold-out crowd of thousands soon to appear.

The de facto leader of the band, Hoffman has become sort of a touchstone of not only modern bluegrass and jam music, but the music scene in general — a musical landscape with as much of a catch-me-if-you-can attitude as it is a place of unlimited possibility.

Want

Smoky Mountain News: With the jam-grass scene right now, things are really blowing up with acts like Greensky, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Billy Strings, where the top tier bands are selling out these massive venues — it’s a rock show at this point.

Paul Hoffman: It’s definitely a rock show. And, every year, it’s growing. Being out playing smaller [outdoor] sheds or boutique amphitheaters, it’s been really fun.

SMN: How do you measure success these days? I mean, the band has already exceeded a lot of the old boundaries of string music and broken through the ceilings that bluegrass has dealt with over the decades.

PH: Being able to do tours like this [current one] makes me feel pretty successful, you know? Being out of the bar [scene] and playing venues like the Wolf Trap [in Vienna, Virginia, recently], just this gorgeous place where you’re like, “Wow, we get to play here.”

Then, the next night we played on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore — right on the beach, with the carnival next to us, this stark opposite of settings. It was beautiful and we’re grateful to be able to perform at these incredible spots.

SMN: Greensky seems to always record its albums at Echo Mountain right here in Asheville. What is it about this city and that studio where you guys keep coming back?

PH: It’s just this cool studio. It’s an old church and we love it. [Echo Mountain manager] Jessica [Tomasin] is great and so is the whole crew that works there. It’s always nice to be here — [Asheville] is where most of our songs were born.

Asheville has always been important. The first place we thought where we could “make it” was Asheville. We’d play Barley’s Taproom on the bluegrass night, driving all the way down here for that gig, something like 200 bucks on a Tuesday. Then, we’d play up in Black Mountain for 150 bucks and somewhere else for 200 bucks and go home — that’s how it all started for us.

SMN: With Greensky soon approaching the 25-year mark, you’ve been in this band all of your adult life. Do you remember your life before the band?

PH: I’m kind of doing what I wanted to do. I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to be a performer all of my life, so here I am performing — I live for it.

SMN: Looking back, you were 18 years old with a mandolin in Michigan. Playing open mic nights and making friends. How did you get into bluegrass?

PH: Through the Grateful Dead, David Grisman and Old & In The Way. And then I went saw Grisman and Ratdog at the Hookahville [music festival in Ohio]. It was the day I graduated from high school. I got in the car, went to Hookahville and saw Grisman playing. I thought, “That’s really cool. I might get one of those things.”

Then, I bought a mandolin. And I didn’t even know what bluegrass was. I had no idea who Bill Monroe was. I didn’t know the context of it all. I was just totally going for it.

And I still don’t what bluegrass is, which is why we’re not very bluegrass-y, because we’re just kind of doing our thing. I love playing bluegrass, but it’s not about the bluegrass as much as it’s about this acoustic ensemble thing — the challenge is be a heavy metal band with a banjo.

We’re always coming up with new ideas and ways to do things. How could this harder? How could this be tougher? How can this be darker, louder? I’m constantly up there [onstage] reaching for something. And sometimes, I get it. Sometimes I touch it and see it. And sometimes I can’t find it at all.

I think about other players who can play anything and then they have the burden of thinking of new things to play. They have to come up with new ideas to play because they can play everything. I come up with ideas and then struggle to play them. So, I choose the way I’ve got it versus the other way — I’d hate to be able to play anything and then have no

Greensky Bluegrass will play Asheville July 21-22. Donated photo

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Stuck in Columbia with the North Country blues again

At 6 p.m. this past Friday, I was supposed to be walking into my 20th high school reunion at the Latitude 45 bar in the small Canadian Border town of Rouses Point, New York (population: 2,225).

But, instead, I found myself checking into the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. I had just finished a hot and sweaty jog down a remote section of the Palmetto Trail along an old farm road just outside the town of Prosperity. Valet the old pickup truck. Grab the room keys and head for the eleventh floor.

Plopping down on the big king bed, it was 6:15 p.m. Outside the hotel window was downtown. Hot and hazy. Temperature in the low 90s with oppressive humidity. I started thinking about the reunion, how familiar faces from my past many moons ago were slowly trickling into Latitude.

It would surely be cold Labatt Blue bottles along the bar counter, maybe even some shots of cheap Canadian whiskey, too. Belly laughter and rehashed memories. Remembering old sports victories, gymnasium dances, cafeteria shenanigans and classrooms full of teachers we’ll never forget. That, and backwoods bonfires and teenage transgressions.

Sitting on the barstools at Latitude, there’s lots more grey hair atop the conversing heads (myself included if I’d been in attendance) and dyed hair since those days of senior portraits and yearbooks — of the early 2000s when the promise of tomorrow seemed great and true, within reach and ours for the taking.

And yet, there I stood. Age 38 and holdin’ steady. Not as fast as I used to be during those long-gone dusty memories sprinting down the track and setting school records. But, I’m still chugging along. Head held high. Screw the haters. Embrace the lovers. Never forget where you came from. Never be complacent in your lifelong dreams and your daily endeavors. Kindness breeds kindness. Work hard, but don’t forget play.

Those thoughts in mind, I recall a recent Instagram post from juggernaut singer-songwriter and all-around-badass Margo Price, “This is your reminder to be yourself and fucking own it.” She also mentioned sometime not long ago about simply being kind, but also not taking shit from anyone. True that, my sister. True that.

The eleventh floor of the Columbia Sheraton. Exactly 1,025.1 miles from door to door to Latitude. Over 15 hours via car. Several hundreds of dollars via air. Lord knows the logistics via train. Hours and days and days and hours in a mad scramble to make it back home to the North Country.

No matter, grab a Budweiser from the mini-fridge and wait for your turn to take a shower as your girlfriend continues to get ready in the bathroom for dinner that we’re hoping to grab ‘round the corner within the next hour.

High-end tacos and $11 margaritas are awaiting us. Well worth it, in my opinion. House made sour mix with flavor and zest is just what the doctor ordered. But, for now, sit up on the big king bed. Take a big pull from the glass bottle. Swallow the cool liquid with a slight sigh. Not in anger or resentment, nor sadness or disappointment, either.

Hell, sometimes all you can do is sigh and reflect — at what’s in the rearview mirror of life, at what lies ahead through the unknowns of the windshield, but mostly turning to your right to take inventory of what beauty and possibility sits in the passenger’s seat of the here and now.

Following dinner, my girlfriend and I wandered around downtown Columbia. It was still pretty damn hot, especially in jeans

HOT PICKS

and boots. But, I’d given up at that point on trying to remain cool, physically and aesthetically. Embrace the sweat. Deal with it. It’s part of life. We’ll laugh about this somewhere down the line. We always do, my dear. Strolling down Main Street towards Gervais, the South Carolina State House loomed in the distance. Majestic and haunting. A location of much sadness and travesty, much hope and triumph. Meander the property and take in the architectural spectacle from numerous angles. Stand and observe the power and prestige that’s also walked these same stone steps over the countless decades of turmoil and progress.

Historical markers with etched words surrounding the Capitol. Reminders of dark moments in Columbia’s past. The Civil War and Sherman’s March in the 1860s. The Civil Rights Movement and peaceful protests gone awry exactly a century later. And here we are in 2023. Gazing ‘round the same spot. Gentrification and construction. Homeless people and expensive sports cars on the same corner.

In that moment and setting, my girlfriend

The “An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by Andy Leftwich at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.

1

The 14th annual season of the “Concerts on the Creek” music series will host Arnold Hill at 7 p.m. Friday, July 7, at the gazebo in Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

2

A cherished gathering of locals and visitors alike, “Art After Dark” will take place from 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 7, in downtown Waynesville.

3

4

The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) will open its latest exhibit, “Water,” featuring artist member artwork that is inspired by water, with a special reception at 5 p.m. Friday, July 7, at the HCAC showroom and gallery in downtown Waynesville.

5

Writers Denton Loving and Patti Meredith will share selections from their recent works at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

snapped me out of my trance of time and space, this existential mindset of humanity. Where we were, where we are, where we may go from here, for good or ill. She asked what I was thinking about, and if I was “still disappointed about missing the reunion.”

No, I turned to her and replied with an honest grin, “It is what it is, and that’s all it is. Tomorrow is a new day. Onward.” Besides, by my logic, everyone had already closed their bar tabs and headed home from Latitude to ready themselves for the Fourth of July parade come Sunday.

Heading back to the Sheraton, we quietly walked across the lobby to the elevator bank. Hitting the button labeled “11,” it was a slow ride up. Down the silent hallway to Room 1109. Flick on the lights. Turn up the air-conditioning. Get into your PJs.

Grab a nightcap from the mini-fridge. Plop down onto the big king bed. Flick on the TV. Reruns of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Smile in gratitude for the ideal late-night programming. Take a pull from the glass bottle of the cool liquid. Crack your knuckles. Stretch out. Cool off. Adjust the pillow behind your back. By the first TV commercial, my girlfriend was fast asleep next to me. Off to dreamland until tomorrow morning. Take off her glasses for her and put them on the nightstand. Roll back over, grab for the remote and turn down the TV volume a tad.

Thoughts about articles due in the coming weeks. Thoughts of upcoming trips out west and up to the North Country at a later date. Thoughts of the reunion now over until the next one in five years. Thoughts of that starting line of life in Rouses Point and everything that’s unfolded since then. Be grateful. Be hungry. Be kind. Dammit, be kind.

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

Columbia is the capital of South Carolina.

Garret K. Woodward photo

All in the family: Riverwood Pottery

BY MADI ROSE S PECIAL TO THE S MOKY MOUNTAIN N EWS

Artist family Brant, Karen and Zan Barnes make pottery a philosophical journey that encompasses every portion of their lives. From the moment they wake, the family is set in motion to create works that range from purposeful kitchen utensils to vases with innovative surface designs that utilize today’s advanced technology.

They have dedicated a majority of their lives to creating pottery, even operating a ceramic open studio/store for 26 years in Dillsboro. Throughout their careers, there has been a message at the center of it all — sharing the joy of their craft with others.

Although the family now all work in the medium of pottery, each member started off on a different path. For Brant Barnes, he has always identified as a visual artist, but not necessarily in the field of ceramics.

“Being an artist is one thing because I’ve been doing this my whole life, but being a potter is knowledge,” Brant said. “I had never touched clay before. I went in [to college] as a painter and came out a potter — I was 22 when I first touched clay.”

Brant describes his area of work as being kitchen-based function ware with a specialization in glazes fired at a temperature of cone 10. He enjoys pushing the boundaries of purpose and design, toying with what can come of this, saying that experimentation is what makes the object’s functionality better.

Karen comes from a family with rich art making traditions. In college, she studied performance. After marrying Brant and having their daughter, Zan, Karen shifted her vision into the realm of visual arts, considering following her mother’s footsteps in fiber work. But, she decided taking a path into pottery would be of benefit to the family’s income.

“It would be a whole lot easier for us to be a one craft family — you have to run a business for each of the crafts that you do,” Karen said.

Karen started out building pieces by hand from clay and eventually gained

Smoky Mountain Made

enough experience to begin throwing vessels, such as cups and jugs, on a potter’s wheel. Her area of work utilizes throwing and hand-building techniques to create face jugs, a regional phenomenon that became popular when the local area experienced its first boom in tourism.

As well, Karen crafts her pieces with specific stories and personalities, ranging from hand-sized spherical jugs made into gleeful farm animals to tall coffee mugs boasting emotions of sadness or anger.

Initially, Zan didn’t have plans of joining

Ceramics at the University of North Texas. The works Zan creates are functional vessels with experimental surface designs, utilizing a Cricut machine to create stencils that are attached to the surface of a piece and then brushed over with a colorful clay slip. Most recently, Zan completed a series of pieces with surface designs that feature a variety of cryptids, including Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster.

the family craft. But, throughout her life in some shape or form, opportunities to work in clay arose.

“As a teenager, I had very little interest in what my parents did,” Zan said. “I made work through high school a little bit. I went to theater school. And did a studio art minor. When I was working at Western [Carolina University], the summers I spent in the studio making pots.”

Through this continued exposure to the craft, Zan made the decision to shift her career path into the world of visual arts, going on to earn her Masters of Fine Arts in

In 1995, the family began their studio residence at Riverwood Pottery in Dillsboro. Here they sold their own works and operated an open studio where shop visitors could view the Barnes creating works and have the opportunity to make a piece themselves.

“Riverwood was a real, super special place for a long time,” Karen said. The family’s favorite memories from the shop were the people they met and had an impact on along the way. Brant details when a visitor created a piece, it was dated, fired, and when they came back to visit, they could pick it up.

“We had a box for every year we were there,” Karen said. “One of my favorites is the dad who came by and said his son was

getting married, that back when he was a kid he made a turtle. We found the turtle, so he gave it to him for a wedding gift.”

Although Riverwood Pottery closed in 2021, the family continues to sell their artwork in several different locations, including Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro and their own storefront website: riverwoodpottery.com.

But there are concerns about what the future holds for the family’s chosen media. The frequent use of plastic in today’s society has led to a decrease in functional pottery, Brant noted.

Brant details that before plastic’s advent, clay was utilized for most kitchenware and common household items. Single use plastics have now taken over the market for their ease and price point. There is also concern with lack of exposure to pottery that has led to a generational change in the viewpoint of ceramics.

“I don’t sell to people my own age at craft fairs,” Zan said. “It’s just a changing dynamic.”

This might be the case, but the Barnes realize the impact they can have on individuals through education. To do this, the artists avidly demonstrate and showcase their making process, teaching at places such as John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, and participating in “Clay Day” hosted by the Southern Highland Craft Guild, where they’re all members.

The Barnes family finds there are many joys in clay including the ritual of morning coffee; taking the time to carefully select which mug they created that will be perfect for their enjoyment.

The family trio takes delight in the expansive universe of pottery, but they do not aim to keep this bliss to themselves. For these artists, spreading their love for this craft with others gives them all contentment in the world.

Smoky Mountain Made is a series of articles that focuses attention on the region’s talented visual artists. A project of The Smoky Mountain News, the series was curated by Anna Fariello with sponsorship from the Jackson County Arts Council. Smoky Mountain News is seeking sponsors to continue this series beyond Jackson County. Contact Anna Fariello at anna.fariello@icloud.com or Scott McLeod at info@smokymountainnews.com

Potter Brant Barnes is an acclaimed WNC artisan.

Donated photo

On the beat

‘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.

Arnold Hill will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, July 7, at the gazebo in Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

Arnold Hill is an alternative rock and Americana band based out of the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Identified by their lyrical storytelling, rich three-part harmonies, and dynamic instrumentation, Arnold Hill brings presence and energy to every stage they play.

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 onsite

for this event.

These concerts are organized and produced by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Sylva and the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department.

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.

Chamber music returns to Waynesville

The popular Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas (CMSC) will perform at 4 p.m. July 9, 16 and 30 at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

People new to chamber music will find the concerts uplifting, with compositions by edgy, exciting modern artists and works of art by Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Mozart and Chopin.

The CMSC, formerly the Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival, is a premier chamber music festival in the Carolinas, now in its 54th season. In a series of 10 concerts in July, CMSC will share exceptional music performances with audiences in Waynesville, Asheville and Greenville, South Carolina. Taking place in small venues, the festival creates an up-close and personal interaction between performers and audiences.

“We have an impressive lineup of great and diverse compositions performed by some of the most sought out musicians in America,” said CMSC artistic director, Inessa Zaretsky.

This year, Zaretsky appointed J & Rachel Freivogel as associate artistic directors. The Freivogels, members of the Jasper String Quartet, have been coming to

Carolinas for 12 years, thrilling audiences with their musicianship.

The JSQ is recognized as one of the leading American string quartets on the performance stage today. CMSC is as proud of the high caliber of musicians in residence, as it is of its unique approach to performance.

A new twist will include music of Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla during the last July concert, complete with a virtuoso accordion performance. The musicians performing in the CMSC concerts love to share their passion for music with the audiences.

Each Waynesville performance will be followed by a meet and greet with the artists and a reception serving light food. Season tickets and individual tickets are available online or at the church. Students will be admitted free.

Single tickets are $30, with season tickets $75 and all are available at cmscarolina.com. Donations to the CMSC can be made online and are appreciated to support these performances.

For Waynesville information, call Steve Wall at 828.400.6465. The First United Methodist Church is located at 566 South Haywood St. in Waynesville.

• 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., DJ

ALSO:

Kountry July 7, Rossedafareye (jam/rock) July 8 and Ben & The Borrowed Band July 15. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.246.0350 or boojumbrewing.com.

• Cashiers Live (Cashiers) will host RCA (The Beatles tribute) 7 p.m. July 8. 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 Arnold Hill (rock/jam) July 7 and Bird In Hand (Americana/indie) July 14 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 moun-

tainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host The Clydes (Americana/indie) 6 p.m. July 15. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to coweeschool.org/music.

• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” featuring Andrew Wooten w/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.

• Fontana Village Resort Wildwood Grill will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 800.849.2258 or fontanavillage.com.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will host The Foxfire Boys (Americana) July 7 and Curtis Blackwell Band July 14 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. and the “Boogie Down Bash” w/Pleasure Chest (rock/soul) & Andrew Scotchie (rock/blues) 6:30 p.m. July 15 (admission $10 in advance, $12 at the door). 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.

• Frog Quarters (Franklin) will host live music on Saturdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free and open to the public. Located at 573 East Main Street. littletennessee.org or 828.369.8488.

• Groovin’ on the Green (Cashiers) will host McIntosh & The Lionhearts July 7. Shows begin at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Donations encouraged. villagegreencashiersnc.com/concerts.

• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host Jay Drummond (singer-songwriter) July 7, The Remnants (Americana) July 8, Doug Ramsey (singer-songwriter) July 13, Wobblers July 14 and Macon County Line July 15. 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 host Air Supply 9 p.m. July 7. 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 the “Salon Series” w/Caleb Caudle (singer-songwriter) 8:30 p.m. July 27. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to highlandermountainhouse.com.

• Highlands Performing Arts Center will host Jenene (pop/soul) 7:30 p.m. July 16. 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 and Andy Ferrell (singer-songwriter) July 15. 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.

• 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 semi-regular live music on the weekends. 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 Grizzly Mammoth 8 p.m. July 17. 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 “Boogie Down Bash” w/Pleasure Chest (rock/soul) & Andrew Scotchie (rock/blues) 6:30 p.m. July 15. 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

Arnold Hill will perform in Sylva July 7. Donated photo

Ready for the ‘Boogie Down Bash’?

Presented by Adamas Entertainment, the “Boogie Down Bash” featuring Pleasure Chest and Andrew Scotchie will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at The Lineside, the brand-new music venue at Frog Level Brewing Company in Waynesville.

Since 2012, Pleasure Chest remains one of the most rollicking blues-n-soul acts in Asheville and greater Western North Carolina. The high-octane stage show is a whirlwind of rock, blues, soul, indie-rock and Motown classics and originals alike. “Voted the #1 Rock Band in Western

North Carolina since 2015” by Mountain Xpress readers, Andrew Scotchie is a regional legend when it comes to original rock and blues stylings.

To note, The Lineside is the big red building between Frog Level Brewing and The Green Room on Commerce Street in Waynesville. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 day of show. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7 p.m.

For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to froglevelbrewing.com and click on the “Event Calendar” tab.

Indie, folk at Meadowlark

Singer-songwriter Andrew Wakefield will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at The Speakeasy in the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley.

Wakefield is an Asheville artist with an extensive and eclectic catalog of compositions ranging from guitar-driven bluegrass to folk, old-time, newgrass, rock, Americana, and more.

Boasting an exceptional knack for song-craft and a boundless passion for the guitar, Wakefield has fast become a local fixture, while word of his talent continues to spread throughout the Southeast and beyond.

Wakefield is also a contributing member of The Well Drinkers and a former member of Supper Break and Cynefin.

Career highlights include appearing at Merlefest, performing with Molly Tuttle and Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, members of Billy Strings, Town Mountain, Fireside Collective, Songs From the Road Band, Jon Stickley Trio, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, George Clinton and Jeff Sipe, among others.

The show is free and open to the public. For more information, go to meadowlarkmotel.com or 828.926.1717.

Frank Lee (old-time/folk) July 13 and Lee Knight (Americana/folk) July 27. 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., Andrew Wakefield (singer-songwriter) July 8 and Ginny McAfee (singer-songwriter) July 14. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to meadowlarkmotel.com or 828.926.1717.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host an “Open Mic w/Frank Lee” Wednesdays, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) July 7, Zip Robertson (singer-songwriter) July 8, Adam Bolt (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. July 9, Frank Lee (old-time/folk) July 14 and Heidi Holton (blues/folk) July 16. 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 Different Light 6 p.m. July 7. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.641.9797 or nantahalabrewing.com.

• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host Bayou Diesel July 7 and Pioneer Chicken Shack July 8. All shows behind at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. noc.com/events.

• Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.246.9264 or orchardcoffeeroasters.com.

• Pickin’ In The Park (Canton) will host Rick Morris Band July 7 and Steve Jordan Band July 14. Local clogging groups will also be onsite to perform. Shows are 6 to 9 p.m. at the Canton Rec Park located at 77 Penland St. Free and open to the public. cantonnc.com.

• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Caribbean Cowboys (oldies/beach) July 8. 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.

• Salty’s Dogs Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke w/Russell” every Monday, Rich Manz (singer-songwriter) July 7, Ginny McAfee (singer-songwriter) July 8, Peacock Party Planet July 14 and Hayden Shepard (singer-songwriter) July 15. Free and open to

the public. 828.926.9105.

• Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will host Bill Mattocks July 8 and Lazrluvr July 15 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, Descolada (Americana) July 6, Christina Chandler Trio (Americana/soul) July 7, Tricia Ann (acoustic) July 13 and Spiro & Friends (rock/soul) July 14. 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 ALT Trio July 6. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.743.8655 or slopesidetavern.com.

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. 828.526.8364 or theuglydogpub.com.

• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Blackjack Country July 6, Outlaw Whiskey July 7, Keil Nathan Smith & Sudden Change July 8, TNT July 12, Blue, July 13, Jon Cox (country/rock) July 14 and Mile High Band (rock/oldies) July 15. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.

• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 or valleycigarandwineco.com.

ALSO:

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to smokymountainarts.com or 828.524.1598.

• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) “An Appalachian Evening” live music series will feature Andy Leftwich July 8 and The Amanda Cook Band July 15. All shows begin

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Angela East (singer-songwriter) July 7, Spare Parts (Americana) July 8, Jay Drummond (singer-songwriter) July 14 and Kid Billy (Americana/indie) July 15. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.743.6000 or whitesidebrewing.com.

• Yonder Community Market (Franklin) will host Webb Wilder (singer-songwriter) Webb Wilder 7 p.m. July 15. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to eatrealfoodinc.com.

Andrew Wakefield will play Maggie Valley July 8. File photo

Pleasure Chest will play Waynesville July 15. File photo

HCAC exhibit focuses on ‘Water’

The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) will open its latest exhibit, “Water,” featuring artist member artwork that is inspired by water, with a special reception at 5 p.m. Friday, July 7, at the HCAC showroom and gallery in downtown Waynesville.

With work created by over 42 local artists, the show demonstrates the remarkable talent that resides right here in Western North Carolina, showcasing work in diverse media such as photography, painting, fiber arts and glass.

The reception will include a needle felting demonstration by artist Heidi Bleacher, whose whimsical and enchanting felt sculptures are sure to delight the inner child in all of us.

The exhibit will run through July 31. The Haywood Handmade Gallery is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.

For more information and a full schedule of events and workshops, click on haywoodarts.org.

• “Summer Artisan Market” will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month through September at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) in Nantahala Gorge. Free and open to the public. noc.com/events.

• 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.

Waynesville art walk, live music

A cherished gathering of locals and visitors alike, “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.

Nantahala Outdoor Center. Artisan vendors and more. For more information, go to noc.com.

• 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.

On the table

• “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.

ALSO:

• 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 6:30-8:30 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month through September at the

• 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, click on southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/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.

ALSO:

• “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.

• “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. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or go to gsmr.com.

Local artisans are featured at the HCAC gallery. Marnie Brooks photo

T. Pennington is a featured artisan at ‘Art After Dark.’ File photo

On the beat

‘An Appalachian Evening’

The “An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by Andy Leftwich at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8, 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 air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.

Four-time Grammy-winning instrumentalist Leftwich began playing the fiddle at the age of six, entering his first contest at seven, and winning the National Championship for

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 welcome 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.

Beginners at the age of 12. Adding mandolin and guitar to his arsenal, Leftwich began playing professionally at 15.

Since joining Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder in 2001, Leftwich has completed a solo album (“Ride,” Skaggs Family Records), recorded two critically-acclaimed albums as a member of trio Three Ring Circle (with dobro player Rob Ickes and bassist Dave Pomeroy), and built an impressive list of studio credits, lending his talents to acts such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Keith & Kristyn Getty, Dailey & Vincent and many more.

Tickets are $20 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.

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

Bryson City community jam

A community jam will be held from 67:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, 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 by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment of the Arts. 828.488.3030.

Front Street Arts & Crafts

The 8th annual Front Street Arts & Crafts Show will showcase some of the finest regional artisans from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 15, in downtown Dillsboro. Dozens of booths will display and have for your perusal the handmade craftsmanship of regional fine artists and crafters intermingled with the sounds of family entertainment. Vendors will line Front Street offering a choice of many handmade items, including soaps, baskets, pottery, jewelry, bird houses and much more. There will also be a performance by singer-songwriter Anna Victoria (10:30 a.m.), pop/soul act Suzie Copeland (noon and 1 p.m.) and Americana duo Twelfth Fret (2 p.m.).

Front Street offers a wide array of WNC artists. File photo

The arts and crafts show is free and open to the public. You can even bring your dog (on a leash).

For more information and a full schedule of events, go to visitdillsboro.com. You can also call 828.506.8331.

Hometown Heritage Festival

The 9th annual Hometown Heritage Festival will return from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 15, in downtown Franklin. Live demonstrations will be showcased and will feature the essence of life in Southern Appalachia. There will also be

live music, entertainment, games and food. Free and open to the public. Hosted by the Streets of Franklin Heritage Association. Sponsored by the Macon County TDA and TDC. For more information, visit streetsoffranklinnc.org.

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 click on visitcherokeenc.com.

ALSO:

• Sunflower Hippie Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Darnell Farms in Bryson City. The sunflower fields will be full and ready for photo opportunities, fresh picking or just to hang out by. There will also be a variety of hippie-style vendors, VW bugs and buses, tie-dye station, Hula hoop dancers, bubble gardens and great live music. A food truck will also be onsite. For more information, email hotheadevents@gmail.com.

On the stage

• 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 sought-after 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.

‘Unto These Hills’ outdoor drama

‘Unto

The “Unto These Hills” stage production will be held at 8 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. Pre-show entertainment begins at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 7 p.m. For more information on show dates and/or to purchase tickets, go to visitcherokeenc.com and click on the “Events” tab.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host a special stage production of “Bye, Bye Birdie: A Musical Comedy” at 7:30 p.m. July 14-15 and 21-22. Tickets are $17 for adults, $13 for students. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on smokymountainarts.com or 828.524.1598.

The Cherokee Bonfire is a family-friendly gathering. File photo

Notes on a novel and a collection of verse

The day before my June getaway to the beach ended, I developed a bad case of bookshop lust. I’d brought a bag of books for the week, some for work, others for pleasure, and certainly didn’t need to add to that trove of literature, but there it was, the siren call of the printed word, the lure of adventure, and the possibility of finding some nugget of gold tucked away on a dusty shelf.

So off I drove to Surf City’s Sugar Island, a two-story shop crammed with secondhand books, antiques, local paintings and pottery, baked goods, and coffee. The staff had loosely grouped the books by genre — fiction, cookbooks, and so forth — but had made no further attempt at order. Treading the crisscrossing aisles among the bookcases and antiques on the second floor, I had nearly given up any hope of finding something special to read when “The Lost and Found Bookshop” caught my eye. Always a sucker for any “book about books,” I bought the novel, read a few chapters back at the beach, packed it up with my other books, and resumed reading it on my arrival home the following evening.

“The Lost and Found Bookshop” (William Morrow, 2021, 432 pages) by the prolific and best-selling author Susan Wiggs tells the story of Natalie Harper, an inventory manager for a major California wine company. On the day the company is celebrating a major business coup, thanks to Natalie, her mother and her boyfriend, a pilot, die in a plane crash on their way to the event. Her mother’s tragic death leaves Natalie in charge of her mom’s San Francisco bookshop and caretaker for her beloved grandfather, Andrew, who is in the early stages of

dementia.

For these and other reasons — she despises her job, despite her talents — Natalie leaves the wine company, moves back into the shop where she grew up and where her grandfather has lived his entire life, and begins dealing with the enormous debts left behind by her mother.

Despite her grief at the loss of her mom, her concern for Andrew, and her daily battles with bills and threats of foreclosure, Natalie reveals herself as a warrior, a strong young woman who tries every option to keep the store afloat. Meanwhile, she also meets Peach Gallagher, the repairman and musician whom she hires to fix up the old building, and Trevor Dashwood, a wildly successful children’s novelist, and finds herself attracted to both men.

Along the way, we also learn some history about the Spanish-American War, where Andrew’s father died, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, some bits and pieces about newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, and Chinese culture. Through stories told to him by his father, who was left an orphan by the quake, Andrew believes that the creaky, old Lost and Found Bookshop may contain treasures of immense value, which adds intrigue to the story.

As a foreshadowing of the changes in her heart and her life, and of the possibilities of wealth concealed by her ancestors, during her remarks at her mother’s funeral Natalie cites a passage from Roald Dahl’s “The Minpins,” a book her mother read to her as a child: “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

By the end of “The Lost and Found Bookshop,” Natalie once again comes to believe in life’s magic and great secrets. So should we all.

•••

For a complete change of subject and

Loving, Meredith joint reading

direction, let’s take a look at “The New Oxford Book of War Poetry (Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 2014, 448 pages). This one snagged my attention at the library, and while I don’t intend to read it through, this ambitious gathering of 292 poems and selections from longer works is well worth some time. Here are well-known poets like Homer, Virgil, A.E. Housman, Rudyard Kipling, and so many more, all writing about some aspect of war. Here too as well are less familiar writers of verse, like James Fenton and Peter Porter, whose “Your Attention Please” about nuclear war speaks to us especially today.

Reading some of these verses, composed mostly by British and American poets, made me aware once again of an important connection between technology and poetry about war.

Up until the last 250 years or so, most war poetry spoke of attributes like gallantry, courage, and prowess. With the arrival of the slaughter-houses which passed for battlefields in World War I, this poetic point of view has drastically changed. Machine guns, tanks, aircraft, and all the other paraphernalia of modern war have long since replaced the horses and spears of earlier eras. As the editor of this collection, Jon Stallworthy, writes, “So long as warrior met warrior in equal combat with a sword or a lance, poets could celebrate their courage and chivalry, but as technology put ever-increasing distance between combatants and, then, ceased to distinguish between combatant and civilian, poets more and more responded to ‘man’s inhumanity to man.’”

It is right that we should honor those who have fought, bled, and died in our country’s wars. But never, I suspect, will we honor war itself, especially as conducted by those diminished souls who egg us into conflicts without just cause. Too often we’ve seen that those baying loudest for war have no thought for that 20-year-old brought to an early grave by their words. Written after the First World War, in which he lost his only son, Kipling’s poem sums up all those who would press us into more global conflicts:

If any question why we died,

Tell them, because our fathers lied. (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.)

Writers Denton Loving and Patti Meredith will share selections from their recent works at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Loving is the author of the poetry collections “Crimes Against Birds” (Main Street Rag) and his most recent work, “Tamp” (Mercer University Press). He earned the Master of Fine Arts in Writing and Literature from Bennington College. He is a co-founder and editor at EastOver Press and its literary journal Cutleaf.

Meredith grew up in Galax, Virginia. Most of her stories are set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but her debut novel, “South of Heaven,” takes place in the North Carolina Sandhills, where her family’s roots run deep. After graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in horticulture, she was fortunate to cultivate a career in television production and marketing.

To reserve copies, please call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

Writer Jeff Minick

Building the vision

Cherokee tribes, which are the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. If the artifacts that McCarson has found buried in the garden at his home just down the road are any indication, a rich history is waiting to be uncovered there — he’s discovered an array of arrowheads, stone tools and a beautifully carved stone raven head while growing his vegetables over the years.

The family’s connection to the ranch dates back to 1790, when Uriah Davis acquired a land grant for the property.

“We’re going to try to build on that history,” Phillips said.

Right now, he’s trying to collect as much information as possible about what’s on the property and how it was used in years gone by so that the park can offer abundant education and interpretation opportunities to visitors.

Pisgah View State Park aims for 2025 open

BY HOLLY KAYS OUTDOORS E DITOR

Harold McCarson isn’t surprised to see a deer standing in the road as he steps out of the familiar white farmhouse that served as the headquarters of Pisgah View Ranch for decades. He’s also not surprised to see that the deer is not alone. Within moments, he’s spotted its fawn’s ears sticking up from the tall grass of the meadow and a congregation of wild turkeys gathered in the lawn on the opposite side.

“We’ve got so much wildlife,” he said. “They’re safe here. You can drive right by them, and they just stand there and look at you.”

Where the road ends, the wilderness begins. Beyond the pavement lies thousands of acres of undeveloped forestland covering the mountainous Buncombe-Haywood county line. The deer, turkey and countless other creatures living on the ranch property have all the space they need.

McCarson is one of the “Branchwater children” — the collection of Cogburn, Davis and McCarson kids who lived at the end of the branches coming out of the ranch. He was born and raised there, returning to the ranch for the last couple decades of his working life to take care of horses and whatever needed doing around the farm.

But all good things come to an end, and nearly 80 years after opening the ranch in 1941, the Cogburn family members who owned the property decided it was time to transition out of running the ranch. The land,

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a breathtaking 1,600 acres just south of Candler with clear views of Mount Pisgah, could have been divvied up for high-end housing.

Instead, it became North Carolina’s newest state park.

“I’m so happy it’s turned into a park, it’s not being developed,” said McCarson, who is now a seasonal employee for the new Pisgah View State Park. “I played here when I was a kid and roamed these mountains, and I’d hate to have seen it get developed. Everybody’s happy right now with the way it’s turning out.”

BUILDING ON HISTORY

Pisgah View State Park was officially created in 2019, but that enabling legislation didn’t include money to buy the land or do the work needed to open it to the public. The 2021 state budget bill provided funding to buy the land, and in 2022 the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund appropriated $300,000 for a 1.7acre inholding at the park, as well as money for the master planning process that must be completed before the park opens. The park is expected to greet its first visitors in 2025.

At the helm of that effort is Pisgah View State Park’s first superintendent, Tyson Phillips, who was hired in September 2022. Like McCarson, he grew up in Candler and cares deeply about the place he’s charged with protecting.

“On Thursday nights, they would have square dancing at the lodge, barbeque,” he recalled. “So as kids we used to come over, and we used to hang out and run around. It was just a great community event, growing up. Of course, the food that they used to cook here — they had the traditional country cooking, breakfast, lunch and dinner. This place has a lot of sentimental value to a lot of different people that spent a lot of time here on vacations over the years.”

Its story goes back much further than the ranch’s opening in 1941. Five federally recognized tribes have ancestral connections to the land: the Muscogee Creek Nation, the Catawba Indian Nation and the three

THE PLANNING PROCESS

But there’s still a lot to do before scheduling opening day.

Right now, Pisgah View State Park is at the beginning of a master planning process that’s expected to take 18-24 months to complete. Asheville-based Equinox Environmental began the project in March.

Once complete, the master plan will lay out a 30-year vision for the park, identifying projects that must be completed immediately as a condition of getting the park open, and those to be prioritized in the longer term. The plan will also include cost estimates and financing options.

“A lot of that comes into the expertise of the division and the consultant, but also the input from stakeholders, both in the community and statewide, because state parks are statewide,” said David Head, Park Planning Program manager for N.C. State Parks. “But most importantly the input from the stakeholders here.”

Starting this fall, three public information meetings will take place to gather input from the public, which will be used to shape the plan. Planners are also interviewing various stakeholder groups — people interested in historic preservation, horseback riding and hiking, for example.

“A lot of that comes down to taking all those inputs and then figuring out what the park’s going to look like in the future,” Head said. “But also looking at the rich history that this park has, being the Pisgah View Ranch.”

Traditionally, the ranch property has had a lot of use from equestrians, hikers and campers. The plan will attempt to honor those traditions while also satisfying the parameters of how a state park must operate.

STUDENTS OF THE LAND

The consultant team is still working to inventory the natural and cultural resources the property holds.

“Right now they’re just in fact finding, looking at what’s out here, the flora, fauna, all that kind of stuff, getting familiar with the park,” Head said.

It’s a big project. The ranch property totals more than 2.5 square miles, much of it mountainous, and none of it previously studied — formally, at least. McCarson and his extended family have been students of the land their whole lives.

Scooting along the trails on a State Parks ATV, McCarson navigates each bump and water crossing with ease. He stops the vehicle occasionally to point out a shrub whose inner bark can be used to draw out spider venom, a long cascade that becomes a gorgeous waterfall in high water or a spot that’s blanketed with trillium in the springtime. He knows every foot of the property’s 15 miles of horse trails like an old friend.

The park ranges from 2,600 feet in elevation where it bottoms out at the end of Pisgah View Ranch Road up to 4,600 feet as it approaches the ridge marking the boundary between Haywood and Buncombe counties. It contains five tributaries to Hominy Creek. Near the bottom, tulip-poplar trees grow in the draws, with berry bushes sprawling wherever a lapse in cover allows the sun to break through. Higher up, squirrels make a racket as they race down the drier slopes where oak trees stand tall. McCarson wasn’t exaggerating when he spoke of the property’s diverse wildlife. By 10:30 a.m., the summer sun was already high and hot enough to keep most creatures resting until the evening’s cool, but evidence of their presence was easy to find. Recent rains left puddles and spots of mud in every dip of the trail, each one holding a collection of pawprints — bear, deer and raccoon.

THE BIG PICTURE

The conservation effort at Pisgah View isn’t just about the ranch’s 2,000 acres. It’s part of a larger effort from the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, which facilitated the conservation purchase, to protect the forested but privately owned land along the HaywoodBuncombe county line from future development. The ranch is adjacent to other permanently conserved lands that connect it to more than 120,000 con-

Learn the latest about Pisgah View State Park, including dates for future public input meetings, at ncparks.gov/state-parks/pisgah-viewstate-park.

These stables were the staging ground for Pisgah View Ranch’s equestrian programs. Holly Kays photo

A bear’s print sinks into the mud on a trail. Holly Kays photo

tiguously protected acres, including the Pisgah National Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway, private conservation easements and state game lands.

“We’re going to keep adding property,” Phillips said. “As the park continues to grow, we’re having more landowners approach us that adjoin the property, that are willing to sell to the state, because they want to see it preserved. Nobody wants to see houses on these ridgelines.”

Eventually, he said, he’d love to see land conservation and trail building efforts connect Pisgah View State Park to Canton’s new Chestnut Mountain Nature Park. As the crow flies, the two are less than 5 miles apart, though the shortest driving route totals 13.5 miles.

A big part of Phillips’ job thus far has been going out on the land to mark boundaries and make “good contacts” with surrounding landowners.

“We’ve been pretty successful at it so far,” he said, though noting some neighbors have concerns about issues like traffic volume after the park opens.

Before Pisgah View can expand its acreage, it must solidify the acres it already has. Some of the property has been officially conveyed to N.C. State Parks, while other parcels are still in progress. In all, the initial park will total 1,600 to 2,000 acres, depending on final measurements from the land survey.

Once the acquisitions are complete and the master plan final, the park will turn its

Race Lake Logan

The annual Lake Logan Multisport Festival is just a month away, with three trisport events coming up in Haywood County Aug. 5-6.

The weekend will kick off Saturday, Aug. 5, with a half-ironman race that includes a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run. Then, Sunday, Aug. 6, will offer an international triathlon race — a 1,500-meter swim, 24-mile bike ride and 10-kilometer run — as well as the shorter

sprint triathlon, featuring a 500-meter swim, 12-mile bike ride and 5-kilometer run.

If you’re not competing, get up early to watch the athletes swim across the mountain lake before switching into biking and running gear. Anyone driving N.C. 215 and the Bethel area that weekend should plan for delays as they share the route with racers.

Learn more or sign up at www.gloryhoundevents.com/event/lake-logan-multisport-festival.

attention to securing funding to carry out the plan. One of the most expensive — but most important — items will be updating the underground utilities at the bottom of the property. The park will likely open with limited inital amenities.

Go fishing

Learn to fly fish this month with lessons and expeditions offered by Haywood County Recreation.

Tommy Thomas will teach a two-day beginner’s course on casting 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays, July 14 and 21, on Richland Creek in the Waynesville Recreation Park. At 5:30 p.m. Mondays, July 10 and 17, Ray Sugg will lead fly fishing expeditions for participants with basic skills at Mary Rathbone Park in Maggie Valley.

For the casting course, no fishing license is required and loaner rods are available. For the expedition, a fishing license is required and participants must bring their own rod and flies.

The N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund will likely be a major source of funding. Additionally, N.C. State Parks is typically budgeted $8-9 million for such projects, to be shared among all 42 parks. The state legislature could also decide to speed development by granting a special pot of funding.

There are still hurdles to jump, but those involved with the process believe they’re worth jumping.

“The backcountry here is gorgeous,” Head said. “You get up there and you get what truly the Southern Appalachian mountains feel like and should be.”

Registration for either program is $10. Sign up at haywoodcountync.gov/recreation.

Get certified with Waynesville Rec

A variety of American Red Cross certifications are now available from the Waynesville Recreation Center, either by appointment, one-on-one or in a group.

Offerings include Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers, Water Safety Instructor, Lifeguarding Instructor, CPR, AED, First Aid, Wilderness Emergency Care and Lifeguarding Instructor/Instructor Trainer Review.

For more information, contact David Bradley at davidbradley55@charter.net or 828.456.2030.

Haywood group campaigns to phase out single-use plastics

The Environmental Action Community of WNC is celebrating PlasticFree July with an initiative encouraging all Haywood County restaurants, cafes and coffee shops to phase out single-use plastic items like straws, takeout containers, utensils and condiment packages.

Volunteers from the EAC’s Green Business Initiative team will visit restaurants and provide guidance and support for an “Ask First” policy, instead of automatically distributing plastic items to customers. Through

this movement, the EAC aims to facilitate lasting change in local restaurant practices

Single-use plastic items are a major contributor to environmental damage.

The convenience of these products comes at a high cost, as most plastics end up in landfills, oceans and other natural habitats, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems, and ultimately to human health.

Recent research confirms that exposure to a component in plastics called BPA lowers men’s sperm counts and contributes to infertility in women.

Plastic Free July is a world-wide project of the Australia-based Plastic Free Foundation. For more information visit plasticfreejuly.org, or EAC’s website at eacwnc.org.

Pisgah View State Park Superintendent Tyson Phillips (left) stands in front of headquarters with N.C. State Parks Planning Program Manager David Head. Holly Kays photo

McCarson shows the collection of artifacts he’s found on his nearby property. Holly Kays photo

The oldest building on the property was built in 1790 by Uriah Davis. Holly Kays photo

Plane crash debris removed from Browning Knob

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 27, the National Park Service airlifted the wreckage of a 1983 plane crash near Waterrock Knob that has proven popular with both hikers and travel writers.

The crash occurred on Nov. 24, 1983 — Thanksgiving Day — when the plane was just 11 miles from its destination in Sylva. It had left from West Chicago, Illinois, earlier that day, according to an investigation report from the National Transportation Safety Board. The night was dark and rainy, and the pilot was impaired, with a blood alcohol level of .04%. The final radar contact was at 6,100 feet about 1 mile from the crash site. Two people — the pilot and the plane’s single passenger — died when the plane struck the mountain.

The engines were removed from the site after the crash, but the fuselage, wings and other debris were left behind at the remote location on Browning Knob. Over the years,

WNC represented in conservation awards

Two Western North Carolina people and organizations were recognized in this year’s Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards, presented by the N.C. Wildlife Federation.

The 59th annual awards honor 18 recipients, including the yet-to-be-announced winners of wildlife enforcement and marine patrol officers of the year.

“Each year, we’re amazed by the commitment and creativity of North Carolinians working to protect the wildlife, air, water and land we all depend on,” said T. Edward Nickens, NCWF awards committee chair. “This year’s conservation heroes are land stewardship champions, water advocates and leaders in the preservation of unique ecosystems — and we’re thrilled to be able to honor them in person at our banquet this year.”

The Asheville-based professional forestry

Crash debris is removed via helicopter Tuesday, June 27, near Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway. NPS photo

the site became an increasingly popular hiking destination, spurred on by attention from social media and various websites. According to the National Park Service, this high volume of use had caused safety concerns surrounding hikers getting lost or injured on the rugged trails, and resource concerns due to “severe damage” to rare and sensitive species.

While not in Park Service ownership at the time of the crash, the crash site is now part of the Blue Ridge Parkway after it was

nonprofit EcoForesters was named Conservation Organization of the Year for its work to conserve and restore Appalachian forests in North Carolina through stewardship, education and collaboration. By assisting landowners with ecologically sustainable forest management plans and addressing invasive plants, Ecoforesters empowers and supports forest stewardship while bridging gaps in agency capacity.

Brandon Jones of Fontana Dam was named Public Lands Conservationist of the Year. Jones launched a successful cleanup effort for Lake Fontana, removing more than 200,000 pounds of trash from the lake and its shoreline in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through partnerships with organizations like the Wildlife Federation and Mainspring Conservation Trust, the initiative has made a significant impact and inspired others to take ownership of the cleanup, making it the most extensive cleanup on national park lands.

Award winners will be honored during a banquet Saturday, Sept. 9, in Cary.

Adventure through whimsical woods at Chimney Rock

The new Whimsical Woods Family Adventure event will come to Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15.

The event will begin with a workshop allowing guests to create their own functional lantern from recycled bottles, followed by a classic summer cookout. Then, attendees will join professional puppeteers as they wield their wildlife-themed recycled material creations in a parade around the park’s Great Woodland Adventure Trail, a 0.6-mile loop that will transform from trail to enchanted forest for the night.

Cost includes admission and dinner: $35 for adults, $25 for park passholders, $20 for youth and $14 for youth passholders. Learn more at chimneyrockpark.com/event/whimsical-woods-family-adventure.

Go birding

Check out the birds along the new Dahlia Trail System at Haywood Community College during a birding expe-

dition at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13. Howard Browers will lead the walk, meeting at HCC’s Hemlock Building. Loaner binoculars are available. Cost is $10. Sign up at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

donated in 2016.

“While we understand the interest associated with this site, the resource damage and visitor safety issues presented too great a threat to take no action,” said Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout. “Caring for these special places requires everyone’s cooperation, and we ask that everyone play a role in the protection of this place and not cause any further damage or injury to the resources or themselves by going

off trail to find this site.”

Visitors should not continue hiking to the site, said Parkway Spokesperson Leesa Brandon, and over the coming weeks the Parkway will work with trail club partners and volunteers to take steps to restore the landscape.

Because the crash site is so remote, removing the debris required a helicopter airlift. The nonprofit Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation funded the $37,000 cost.

“Given the level of resource damage in recent years at this site and our interest in supporting the National Park Service mission to protect these places in perpetuity, we are glad to help ensure protection of this habitat while also considering the safety of park visitors,” said Foundation CEO Carolyn Ward.

The area holds cultural significance for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and is one of four high-elevation sites on the Parkway with a concentration of rare and sensitive species, including pinkshell azaleas. The area has been the focus of a large-scale initiative to add more than 5,000 acres to Parkway lands.

Holly Kays, outdoors editor

Celebrate a centennial

The Carolina Mountain Club is inviting the community to help celebrate its 100th birthday 15 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville.

“We hope this event will inspire future conservationists and recreationists to help us continue our legacy of caring for our beautiful landscape here in Western North Carolina,” said CMC President Tom Weaver. “Here’s to 100 more years.”

This free, family-friendly party will feature

more than 20 booths from local nonprofit partners, guided hikes, kids’ activities, live music and food trucks and ice cream. Entrance to the arboretum will be free for those attending the party.

Headquartered in Asheville and founded in 1923, Carolina Mountain Club is the oldest and largest hiking and trail maintenance organization in the South. CMC leads more than five hikes a week and encourages hiking through a series of “Challenges.” Learn more at carolinamountainclub.org.

Delve into the world of rattlesnakes

Free screenings of the wildlife documentary “RATTLED: Conserving Rattlesnakes in Appalachia” will be offered at 2 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at the Highlands Nature Center in Highlands.

Produced by the Orianne Society, the film offers breathtaking footage and exploration of critical conservation efforts surrounding timber rattlesnakes, shedding light on their natural history, ecology and vital role in the delicate Appalachian ecosystem. The film unravels the species’ secrets, debunks common myths and reveals the biggest threats to rattlesnakes and the landscape they depend on.

After each 25-minute show, attendees will have a chance to meet The Orianne Society’s educational animals, learn valuable tips on staying safe in snake country, and have snake-related questions answered by venomous snake expert and CEO of The Orianne Society Chris Jenkins.

Carolina Mountain Club trail maintenance volunteers get some work done. CMC photo

A bridge across Virginia Route 130, shown in a 1958 photo, is among those slated for repair.

Bridge work planned for the Parkway

Over the coming weeks, maintenance work will begin on six bridges on the Blue Ridge Parkway, including two in the Asheville and Linville Gorge areas.

Workers will replace bearings and joints and address other minor concrete repairs. While work is underway, single-lane traffic control will be in effect during the day, and full evening closures with short detours are possible. Work at all locations is expected

to be complete by September.

Project locations are mileposts 388.1388.8 at U.S. 25 in Asheville; milepost 316.5 with work on two bridges along Linville Spur Road; milepost 121.4 near Roanoke, Virginia; and milepost 61.4 at Otter Creek, Virginia.

There are more than 170 bridges along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is one of the nation’s largest designed landscapes. Multiple road projects are underway on the Parkway this season. Visit nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.ht m for road status updates before traveling.

Outdoor activities offered for youth

Youth have multiple opportunities to get outdoors this month with a variety of events offered by Haywood County Recreation and Parks.

• From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 8, youth 10-18 are invited to ride the trails at Chestnut Mountain in Canton with experienced mountain bike instructor Alex Kirby. The group will meet at the trailhead for basic instruction and safety reminders before hitting the trails. Loaner bikes and helmets are provided. Free.

• Youth 10-18 can learn basic paddleboarding from instructor Lisa Cook 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, July 7 and Thursday, July 13, meeting at Lake Junaluska Outfitters. Cost is $5.

• Youth basketball camps for elementary and middle school students are scheduled throughout the summer, taught by Kevin Cantwell. Elementary school camps will be July 1012 and 24-26, while middle school camps will be July 17-19 and July 19 through Aug. 2. All camps will be held 10 a.m. to noon at Waynesville Middle School or the Old Hazelwood Gym at Folkmoot. Cost is $20.

• A fly fishing class for youth 10-18 will be offered at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, at Lake Junaluska. Ray Sugg will teach the class, which will meet at the park below the lake’s lower dam. Rods and flies will be provided. Cost is $5. Register at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

Max Patch restrictions extended

Restrictions on use at Max Patch in the Pisgah National Forest will remain in effect through June 30, 2026, extending a two-year ban on certain activities instituted on July 1, 2021.

For the next three years, the iconic destination will be closed to overnight camping, campfires, groups larger than 10 people, animals, bicycles or off-trail use. The area will close an hour after sunset and reopen an hour before sunrise each day.

The restrictions were put in place to protect the popular site and the health and safety of the public. Max Patch had incurred damage from user-created trails, litter, human waste and other negative impacts stemming from the large influx of people looking to get outdoors during the pandemic. Over the past two years, Max Patch has recovered to the point that some of the user-created trails have begun to heal.

“In addition to the trails recovering, we have seen a large decrease in fire ring scars and litter across the bald,” said District Ranger Jen Barnhart. “We have also seen less congestion due to the reduced illegal parking in the area.”

The Forest Service has been working with the Carolina Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Spring Creek community members to educate, outreach and complete the needed restoration work. All parties will work now and, in the future, to monitor and communicate additional needed action to continue the restoration of Max Patch and to ensure the area remains a safe and enjoyable place for everyone to enjoy responsibly.

For more information, call 828.689.9694. The new closure order is online at bit.ly/3PCcz4U.

Experience

perfect for all walks of life, from families to golf groups to ladies who lunch.We pride ourselves on using fresh ingredients from our gardens and supporting local farmers. The details are priority.

Blue Ridge Parkway Historic Photograph Collection

Notes from a Plant Nerd

BY ADAM B IGELOW

St. John’s wort

Among the many plants that signify the start of summer, perhaps none is more showy than St. John’s wort (Hypericum spp.) From its soft, rounded, blueish-green leaves to the vividly striking yellow of the flower petals, to the often numerous and showy stamens, St. John’s wort brings a smile to my face every time I see it in flower.

There are numerous species of St. John’s wort that grow in the mountains around us. Some are herbaceous plants, dying back to the ground and regrowing from the roots each year. Others are deciduous woody species, whose stems remain above ground through the winter, regrowing leaves each spring from those above ground stems. Some species are large plants with big yellow flowers, while others are so small that it takes a keen eye to even notice the plants, and a magnifying glass or macro lens to see the flowers.

But no matter the size and growth habit of the species, St. John’s wort plants all share a few characteristics that can help you in their identification. The flower petals are all yellow, with color ranging from a pale, lemony yellow to a deeply orange hue depending on the species. Leaves of St. John’s wort are arranged oppositely along the stem, meaning that wherever one leaf emerges from the stem, there will be another leaf growing on the other side of the stem. The leaves themselves have a rounded tip and have a “soft” look to them, that I can’t really describe other than saying that they look soft.

Among my favorites of this species are the woody shrub forms of this plant. The shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum) has a beautiful, mounded growth habit with numerous leaves and showy large yellow flowers with only a few blooms growing at the end of the stem. The prolific growth of the leaves on this shrub provides the second part of the Latin name “prolificum.” The bushy St. John’s wort (Hypericum densiflorum) has leaves that are narrower than its shrubby relative, with smaller and more numerous flowers both at the end of the branch, and in the middle where the leaves attach to the stem, giving it a fuller and more dense overall blooming. Hence the name “densiflorum.”

The name St. John’s wort derives from the peak of this plant’s blooming in the northern hemisphere, which corresponds to the celebration of John the Baptist in the Catholic church on St. John’s Day, which is June 24th. The genus name of Hypericum derives from this plant’s use in summer celebrations that predate Christianity in Europe. Flowers of St. John’s wort resemble the sun and were hung over top of religious icons in altars to celebrate the height of summer. The prefix “hyper” means above and suffix “-icum” refers to icons. Hence, hypericum means above the icon.

There are numerous species of St. John’s wort, all with different sizes and growth habits but with similarities in identification and medicinal use.

Herbaceous species of St. John’s wort, meaning those species that die back to the ground every year for the winter and regrow in the spring, are known for their use in herbalism to effectively treat and prevent depression and anxiety. There is a medicinal species that is native to Europe, Hypericum perfoliatum, that was introduced to North America and has become an invasive species. One great way to control its spread is to harvest it and use it to prepare medicine. It is identifiable by taking a leaf and holding it up to light, where you will see tiny, clear holes in the leaf where light shines through giving the leaf a “perforated” look like a sheet of notebook paper that is easily torn.

A similarly medicinal, yet native species is the spotted St. John’s wort (Hypericum punctatum) so named because when you hold its leaves up to the sun and look at the underside of the leaf, you will see little black spots or dots on the leaf. Punctate is a botanical word that means spotted. The way I remember that is thinking about punctuation, and how the period at the end of a sentence is a little black dot.

In no way do I mean to make light of the serious disease of depression, nor the great benefit that many people receive from taking St. John’s wort to relieve the symptoms. But no matter what is going on in my life, every time I see the beautiful flowers of St. John’s wort blooming, I immediately feel better, and a smile grows on my face. Give yourself some sunshine and plant some St. John’s wort in your landscape. It might help you feel better, too.

(Adam Bigelow lives in Cullowhee and leads weekly wildflower walks most Fridays and offers consultations and private group tours through Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions. bigelownc@gmail.com.)

Adam Bigelow photo

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The Jackson Arts Market takes place from 1-5 p.m. every Saturday at 533 West Main St. in Sylva with live music and an array of local artists.

• A panel discussion on Plastic Free July will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at Grace Episcopal Church in Waynesville. Expert panelists will lead a community conversation on how individuals, groups, businesses and local governments can reduce plastic pollution. Sponsored by Environmental Action Community of WNC, a non-profit. For more information visit eacwnc.org/event.

• Environmental Action Community of WNC will have plastic pollution and remediation displays and information available throughout the month of July on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Historic Haywood Farmers Market in Waynesville, Thursdays from 4-7 p.m. at the Mill Town Farmers Market in Canton, and all day Saturday, July 22, at Grace Episcopal Church in Waynesville. For more information visit eacwnc.org/event.

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. to 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. 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

• Tremont Writers Conference, an intensive five-day retreat for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry will

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

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

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.

• 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.

A&E

• “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture” will host the Women’s History Trail program “Voices from the Past,” a set of dramatic monologues bringing to life the three 19th Century women depicted in the sculpture, “Sowing the Seeds of the Future,” at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 17, at Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center in Franklin.

• Folkmoot International Day will celebrate dance, music, crafts and food of many world cultures and Appalachian mountains 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, July 29, in downtown Waynesville. For more information visit folkmoot.org.

• The 8th Annual Front Street Arts and Crafts Show will take place Saturday, July 15, in Dillsboro. There will be artists, crafter, live music, vendors and food. For more information call 828.506.8331 or go to visitdillsboro.com.

• 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.

• 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

• Folkmoot’s Summer Soirée fundraiser will take place 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center. There will be a variety of cuisines from different parts of the world, live music from local artists, different culturally inspired rooms and a silent

auction. Tickets are $50, visit folkmoot.org to purchase.

• “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.

• 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

• A four-week Feldenkrais class series begins at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Conference Room A1. Feldenkrais uses gentle movement and directed attention to promote reduction of pain, increase range of movement, improve flexibility and coordination. Cost $60 for the series, $20 per class for walk-ins. To register email Annallys at eetm2023@proton.me or call 505.438.9109.

• A glassblowing class (ornament or paperweight) will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 8, at the Green Energy Park in Jackson County. With the assistance of a glass artist, participants will gather molten glass, add colors, then create and shape their piece. Cost is $50. To register for a class, contact the GEP 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.

• 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 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

• Haywood County Recreation and Parks will lead a hike on Wednesday, July 5, from Bear Pen Gap to Haywood Gap on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. A 5.3-mile walk, led

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com

n Complete listings of local music scene

n Regional festivals

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by Kathy and Steve, will have an elevation gain of 1,239 feet. Hike registration is $10. Sign up at haywoodcountync.gov/recreation.

• Celebrate women in the outdoors during the Nantahala Outdoor Center’s annual Not Your Average Ladies Night 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 5. Learn more at noc.com/events/not-your-avg-ladies-night.

• Geologist and author Bill Jacobs will discuss the captivating geologic history of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau during a free lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at the Highlands Nature Center. For more information, including a full lecture lineup, visit highlandsbiological.org.

• Youth 10-18 can learn basic paddleboarding from instructor Lisa Cook 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, July 7 and Thursday, July 13, meeting at Lake Junaluska Outfitters. Cost is $5. Register at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

• From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 8, youth 10-18 are invited to ride the trails at Chestnut Mountain in Canton with experienced mountain bike instructor Alex Kirby. The group will meet at the trailhead for basic instruction and safety reminders before hitting the trails. Loaner bikes and helmets are provided. Free. Register at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

• A two-day fishing tournament will offer $10,000 in prizes, Saturday, July 8, through Sunday, July 9, in rivers all across the Qualla Boundary, except for 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters. Fishing will start one hour before sunrise and end one hour after sunset each day, with prize redemption open 2-4 p.m. each tournament day. Register anywhere Cherokee fishing licenses are sold. 828.369.6110.

• A fly fishing class for youth 10-18 will be offered at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, at Lake Junaluska. Ray Sugg will teach the class, which will meet at the park below the lake’s lower dam. Rods and flies will be provided. Cost is $5. Register at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

• Haywood County Recreation and Parks will lead a hike on Wednesday, July 12, on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail to Skinny Dip Falls. This easy-to-moderate hike is 3.3 miles long with an elevation gain of 875 feet. Hike registration is $10. Sign up at haywoodcountync.gov/recreation.

• Check out the birds along the new Dahlia Trail System at Haywood Community College during a birding expedition at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13. Howard Browers will lead the walk, meeting at HCC’s Hemlock Building. Loaner binoculars are available. Cost is $10. Sign up at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

• A designation ceremony for the W.C. Coker Old Growth Forest will take place 4-6 p.m. Thursday, July 13. Following the dedication, the Highlands Biological Foundation will host a Zahner Conservation Lecture beginning at 6 p.m. at the Highlands Nature Center titled “History of National Forest Management in the Chattanooga River Watershed, and the Compelling Case for a New Mission for the Forest Service.” For more information visit highlandsbiological.org.

• The new Whimsical Woods Family Adventure event will come to Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Cost includes admis-

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.

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

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• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

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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.23-E-363

Irma A. Woody, having Doris S. Washam of Haywood Sep 14 2023, or

Executor 48 Franklin Farm Road Fletcher, NC 28732

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Case No.2023 E 000399of John Ray HardinOct 05 2023, or Administrator 137 Reynolds Dr Canton NC 28716

NOTICE OF PROCEEDING AND SERVICE OR PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY HAYWOOD IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT

2023.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF JACKSON IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO: 22 SP 6

TEACHING ASSISTANT

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