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October 14-20, 2015 Vol. 17 Iss. 20

Waynesville’s mayor race is talk of the town Page 7 Chief Lambert’s personnel changes draw debate Page 12

CONTENTS

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On the Cover: Last month, legendary Haywood County banjoist Raymond Fairchild was inducted into Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Bean Blossom, Indiana.

At 76, Fairchild is one the last remaining elder statesmen of the genre.

And for the better part of the last 30 years, he and his wife, Shirley, have owned and operated the Maggie Valley Opry House. For many, his induction is long overdue. For Fairchild, it’s another stop on the road of life, a journey that has taken the acclaimed musician around the world and back again.

(Page 24) Garret K. Woodward photo

News Neighbors nervous over proposed recycling operation ........................................4 Candidates pledge love of Waynesville ....................................................................6 Waynesville’s mayor race is talk of the town ............................................................7 Canton incumbents want continued progress ........................................................9 Steep slope hearing on for Jackson ........................................................................11 Chief Lambert’s personnel changes draw debate ..............................................12 Candidates want to continue Maggie’s progress ................................................14 Clyde board candidates debate the issues ..........................................................19

Opinion In search of the uplifting and the ephemeral ........................................................32

Outdoors Vets find comfort, camaraderie in fly fishing ..........................................................38

The Naturalist’s Corner Peak peeking....................................................................................................................55

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October 14-20, 2015

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Proposed recycling clearinghouse raises red flags for neighbors

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER commercial recycling sorting plant proposed in Haywood County is being met with skepticism by neighbors, who fear it will create noise, odors and traffic for the Beaverdam community.

“Has the county done the due diligence to know whether this really is a good fit?” asked Lynda Dixon, who lives near the proposed site.

Regional Recycling Solutions has struck a deal with the county to purchase a 55-acre tract in the Beaverdam Industrial Park. The county intends to sell the tract at a discounted price in exchange for the prospect of job creation — a minimum of 30 jobs average $30,000 a year, and potentially 70 jobs if the business does well and expands.

Some residents voiced concerns at a county commissioner meeting last week when the proposal was first announced, asking for more time to examine the pros and cons.

“We don’t know enough about this right now. How many trucks are we looking at?

What are they going to be hauling?” Debbie King asked during the public comment period at the commissioner’s meeting.

“We need to understand exactly what it is we are going to have in our community,” agreed Denny King, Debbie’s husband and a past candidate for county commissioner. “Is that a good use of that property?”

The plan calls for up to three large indoor processing facilities to mine waste streams for recyclable materials, which would then be resold as commodities.

Regional Recycling Solutions plans to utilize advanced processing equipment to harvest trash for recyclables.

Denny King questioned whether a garbage sorting line is really the type of economic development the county wants to pursue.

“I believe hauling 600 tons of waste per day into Beaverdam will harm the character and reputation of our community,” Denny said in a follow-up interview, although the exact tonnage that would come to the facility

Beaverdam resident Debbie King (from left) owner of Regional Recycling Solutions Ken Allison, Haywood EDC Director Mark Clasby and Denny King discuss the impact the new business will have on the community. Becky Johnson photo is only speculative.

County commissioners pointed out that the land is within a county-owned industrial park established in the 1990s, and the whole point was to recruit private industry to come there. Three other industries are located there.

“Whether we build there, at some point, someone is going to build on that 55 acres,” said Ken Allison, the owner of Regional Recycling Solutions.

Dixon said she and her husband settled in Beaverdam over a decade ago to be close to their jobs in Asheville yet live a more rural environment.

“That defines many of the ‘newcomers’ out here, as the commissioners refer to us,” Dixon said in a phone interview.

Dixon said even though the site is within an industrial park, commissioners should consider the type of industry being recruited.

“We thought the county commissioners would take a more measured approach and not have this attitude of ‘Oh it is an industrial

NO ZONING, NO VOICE A few residents followed Allison out of a commissioners’ meeting last week and began querying him in the hallway about specifics of his proposed operation. Allison gave out his business card and said he would be happy to hold a community meeting and talk about the project. However, Allison has yet to give the community a date when he could meet.

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park, you should be fine with it,’ implying industrial park means a noisy, dirty, nasty place,” Dixon said.

Allison countered the facility would be a “very good neighbor.” It will be totally enclosed in an indoor warehouse style building to prevent noise and would have filters on the roof to prevent odors.

“We are very conscious of the neighbors.

There is very little noise. Everything is indoors,” Allison said.

The site would also have evergreen screening and nice landscaping, he said.

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Allison, who’s from Henderson County, is no stranger to the NIMBY mentality — the acronym in land-use circles for “not in my backyard.” He dealt with it in Transylvania County where he proposed a biomass energy plant that would incinerate garbage and wood chips to make electricity, although it never came to fruition.

And he dealt with it in Buncombe County where he first proposed the recycling sorting center earlier this year. There, neighbors organized and successfully shot down Allison’s zoning permit.

With his sights now set on Haywood, Allison is once again facing some of the same concerns. The community has already started a Facebook page “Band Together for Beaverdam” and held a community meeting this week to air and share concerns.

Travis Wesley, a neighbor nearby, told Allison after the commissioners meeting last week that his property values would no doubt decline due to added noise and traffic increase.

“In my opinion, it would have zero impact on the property values,” Allison said.

Given Allison’s past proposal to build a waste-to-energy incinerator in Transylvania County, Debbie King wanted to know if that was in his long-range plan for Haywood.

Allison said no.

“We are not an incineration facility. We are not a landfill,” Allison said.

Debbie King also questioned why the county hadn’t notified people who live in the area about the proposed recycling facility. Debbie said she personally knocked on doors in the community neighboring the tract because she thought they should know. But the only reason she knew about it herself was because she follows commissioner meeting agendas and saw it listed as an upcoming topic.

“It’s not because our county government let us know about it,” Debby King said.

“People were totally in the dark. No one in Beaverdam knew anything about this.”

It wasn’t announced until now because private businessmen generally don’t talk about their ventures when they are still in the formation stage, replied Mark Clasby, economic development director.

This project was particularly sensitive because economic development incentives were being negotiated, he added.

Denny and Debbie King both

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ENTER STATE PERMIT The recycling sorting center would require a state environmental permit since it will be handling garbage.

While Allison’s end goal is to sort recyclables to sell off, there will inevitably be trash mixed up with it, thus triggering state permit requirements for trash facilities.

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Allison had a permit in the works earlier this year for the recycling center he wanted to put in Buncombe. It was on hold pending zoning approval.

The permit never underwent a full review since the zoning was denied, according to Allen Gaither, with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s solid waste division for the mountain region.

Allison will now have to reapply for a state permit for his new location in Haywood, but presumably the new application would largely mirror the old one.

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Haywood County has no zoning. In the name of private property rights, anyone can build anything, anywhere, regardless of what impact it might have on their neighbors, without public input or county permission.

“Many of the components would remain the same but the site plan would change,” Gaither predicted.

The permit would impose certain criteria regulating wind-blown debris, varmints and rain leaching through trash and running off-site, but they would be largely nonissues since it’s going to be indoors. One measure of solace is permit criteria preventing nuisance conditions for neighbors — such as odor.

“Certainly any nuisance conditions he would be required to mitigate,” Gaither said.

Allison said air filtration units would be installed in the roof of the building to cleanse air of odors if necessary.

Allison said stinky household trash isn’t the type of waste he hopes to sort at the facility, however.

“It would be a tiny percentage if any at all,” Allison said.

He plans to go after industrial and commercial trash with cleaner waste than your run-of-the-mill household trash and high percentage of recyclable commodities.

“He is wanting to find a niche,” Gaither said.

Nonetheless, just a few stowaway pizza slices comingled with truck load of cardboard means the operation technically counts as a “transfer station” when it comes to an environmental permit.

True-to-form transfer stations are essentially way stations for the waste stream — akin to a receiving terminal where trash is compacted, baled and loaded on to trucks bound for a final destination at a landfill somewhere. The permit wouldn’t impose criteria on how much garbage versus recycling he can process.

“If he gets a transfer station permit, by permit he would be able to take nothing but trash if he wanted to,” Gaither said.

Debbie King asked whether the left over garbage from the facility would be put in Haywood County’s landfill and fill it up prematurely.

Haywood County Administrator David Francis says no.

Waste passing through Allison’s facility would qualify as “out-of-county” trash. While the county does sell landfill space to out-ofcounty trash, the county caps the volume of outside trash, so any volume from Allison would just be part of the overall mix and fall within that same cap, according to Francis.

Further, the point-of-origin for outside trash accepted at Haywood’s landfill is limited to 18 counties in WNC. Francis said he believes left-over garbage from Allison’s facility will be trucked elsewhere for landfill disposal.

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said there should be a community meeting and public hearing on the proposed project.

However, Haywood County has no zoning. In the name of private property rights, anyone can build anything, anywhere, regardless of what impact it might have on their neighbors, without public input or county permission.

When Debbie King was asked if she thinks Haywood should adopt zoning to ensure neighbors’ rights are protected, she didn’t answer the question.

Dixon said the lack of zoning is one thing that has her concerned. Because of the industrial park status, deed restrictions prevent it from being retail or commercial, but there’s latitude within the industrial sector.

“Once he has this property, they can do anything they want to,” Dixon said.

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Waynesville’s mayor race is talk of the town Gavin Brown sweeps endorsements from aldermen candidates

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER aynesville Mayor Gavin Brown has the public endorsement of six out of the seven alderman candidates running for the town board this fall.

“His long record of service speaks for itself. I think he is as good as it gets in terms of dealing with budgets and town finances and is an absolutely superb representative for the town of Waynesville,” said Jon Feichter, a challenger for town alderman.

In sit-down interviews with The Smoky Mountain News over the past week, six of the seven alderman candidates said they support Gavin Brown Brown and none went on record supporting his challenger Jonnie Cure.

“In Gavin’s past two terms as mayor he has done an incredible job.

He has his hand on the pulse of what is going on the in the community,” Alderwoman Julia Jonnie Cure Freeman said.

Only candidate Kenny Mull said he hadn’t made up his mind when asked who he’s supporting.

“Neither nor,” Mull said. “I am just neutral on that subject. They both have good points and good ideas.”

Brown said the endorsements from the vast majority of aldermen candidates are a testament to his credibility.

“When you have six out of seven — and the seventh hasn’t made up his mind — that’s as good a range of support as anyone can expect. I am thankful I have such a broad range of support,” Brown said.

Cure said she is not too surprised how the endorsements shook out.

“Incumbents are always expected to win.

They are supposed to have an inside track.

They have been there a long time. So people who are entrenched tend to stay,” Cure said.

“Some people fear change.”

Cure said she isn’t daunted running against someone with Brown’s credentials or tenure.

She was a barrel racer as a girl, after all.

“I did every county fair in the state of Arkansas. So I have always been competitive from a very young age,” Cure said. “Competition doesn’t bother me. It stimulates me.”

Cure said more people are against Brown than let on.

“I can’t tell you how many people I meet with everyday who say, ‘I support you, but 6 don’t mention my name.’

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October 14-20, 2015

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“Why? Why would they say that? They are afraid of the repercussions of not supporting Gavin Brown,” Cure said.

‘BOMBTHROWER’ OR ‘BREATH OF FRESH AIR’ Brown hopes voters find the choice for mayor as clear-cut as the other candidates running for office. He cited his experience in understanding the logistics and finesse it takes to run a town.

“Why would you give up that opportunity if you have it?” Brown asked.

Brown said Cure doesn’t have the experience it takes to be mayor.

“Not only doesn’t she know what she is doing, she doesn’t know how to do it,” Brown said. “She is not a leader. She has been a bomb thrower and a finger pointer. If that’s what you want on the board, it would be exciting …”

Cure is known as a conservative activist who has routinely taken county government to task for what she perceives as a bureaucratic ivory tower mentality, wasteful spending and insider back scratching.

“For years I have stood on the outside and yelled through the windows. I am from the outside looking in. People are tired of insiders running their lives and spending their money. They want somebody who is not part of the machinery,” Cure said. “I call it a breath of fresh air.”

Cure said she might seem loud but she is speaking for all the residents who feel like they don’t have a voice. She has always spoken up and spoken her mind since she was a child. She was sent to finishing school with the rest of her sisters as a young woman, but ask her what went wrong, and she jokes “They didn’t finish me. You can’t take the barrel racer out of the girl.”

But Brown said Cure would drag the town down.

“Her style is showmanship, mine is statesmanship,” Brown said. “My strength is in the ability to gather some kind of compromise we can live with. She has a bulldog mentality and that’s OK, but it doesn’t get anything done.

She literally has to win every battle and doesn’t look at winning the war. The board could get into the situation of being dysfunctional.”

That’s a concern for the alderman candidates. Alderman Gary Caldwell has been on the town board 20 years —16 of those with Brown. While split votes are rare, Caldwell has been on the opposite side of issues from Brown more than any of the other sitting aldermen.

Still, he supports Brown, calling it a “no brainer.”

“There are some things we have disagreed on, but we have worked it out. It hasn’t been a problem with our relationship,” Caldwell said. “In the end, we go out hand-in-hand.”

The current town board can count on one hand the number of split votes they’ve had in the past four years.

“The dynamics of our board is that even

S EE MAYOR, PAGE 8

Jonnie Cure speaking at a recent candidate forum as Mayor Gavin Brown looks on. Becky Johnson photo

Meet the candidates Gavin Brown, 68, attorney Brown is running on a platform of his “vast experience and vast knowledge.”

“You don’t want to make a decision for political expediency. I have fostered the ability to rationally discuss things. There is a cost-benefit analysis every time you do something, not always in terms of money but in terms of the good will of the town, the standing of the town, the citizen’s perception of the town. Discretion is the better part of valor. At the end of the day that allows the citizens of your community to firmly establish themselves here and say, ‘This is where I want to live and where I want to carry on business.’ Are we going to walk backwards or walk forward proudly into the future together?”

Brown has been on the town board 16 years — eight as mayor and before that eight as alderman. Brown returned to Waynesville after going to law school at UNC-Chapel Hill and has been an attorney for 40 years. He started out as a defense trial lawyer, but transitioned to civil work, focusing on real estate, deeds and trusts. He takes pride in wearing his town pin with the motto ‘Progress with Vision’ every day.

Jonnie Cure, 73, real estate agent, investor and consultant Cure’s running on a platform of making town government more transparent, from putting video of town meetings online to proactively seeking public input on line-item budget appropriations.

“A small group of people — five — determine how and where that money is going to be spent with very little input from you the people. How about we let some people come sit at the table? You must not be left out of the process or left in the dark. I would be a mayor that educates and persuades. Instead of open door, how about open house? Take the concept of real estate and put a sign out front of town hall so people get to know their government. I will ask the questions that need to be asked in the name of the people of Waynesville. Make public input count and not just be symbolic.”

Cure is from Arkansas. She moved to Waynesville in 1990 seeking opportunities for her intellectually disabled daughter at Haywood Vocational Opportunities, which employs people with disabilities.

In 1992, she started the real estate company Southern Exposure, which had 38 employees at its peak before closing in 2008 as the recession set in.

She has remained involved in real estate as an investor, consultant, trainer and independent agent.

Lynn Bradley Lynn Bradley will appear on the ballot for mayor, but he’s telling people not to vote for him. After filing as a candidate, Bradley decided he didn’t want to run after all. It was too late to have his name struck from the ballot, however. He has endorsed Jonnie Cure.

Who loves Waynesville most?

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER andidates running for the Waynesville town board can’t seem to talk about their campaign platforms without first saying how much they love Waynesville, and, for good measure, repeating it often.

Sometimes very often.

If the election was a matter of who loved Waynesville most, it could be a seven-way tie. But only four will ultimately land a seat on the town board when the dust settles.

This week, you can get a flavor for what each candidate would bring to the board, and their take on Waynesville’s greatness.

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Philip Gibbs, 70, retired paper mill worker Gibbs is running on a dual platform of job creation and bridging the divide of Waynesville’s forgotten blue-collar majority.

Town board candidates: pick four

“It is a very beautiful small community. When I am stuck in traffic I think I could not be stuck in traffic at a better place. The good thing is you know everybody and the bad thing is you know everybody. It is a great place to live and I want to continue to make it a great place for generations to come.”

— Anthony Sutton

“When you travel to various meetings across the state, people know Waynesville, and they just love it. Just look at how many people have visited here and are now residents. They fell in love.”

— Gary Caldwell

“Waynesville is a great little town to live in. I want to help Waynesville grow and to be an even better place to work and raise a family.”

— Philip Gibbs

“I think people out of this area look at this as a nice place to visit. It makes me feel good to be able to say ‘Yeah that’s where we are from.’ To me Waynesville is still one of the greatest places in the world to live. That’s the reason people want to come here and I want to do my part to keep it that way.”

— Julia Freeman

— Kenny Mull

“We have become an example for other municipalities to follow, especially with our Main Street program. Other towns say ‘how can we do this?’ We need to want to work together to ensure the high quality of life while preserving the beauty and nature so much of us depend on.”

“I think Waynesville has an absolutely sterling reputation worldwide. You tell people that you are from Waynesville their face lights up. It is always ‘Oh my gosh, I love Waynesville, what a nice town Waynesville is.’

It is gratifying to hear that because that is what I believe.”

— Leroy Roberson

— Jon Feichter

He hopes to be a voice for the poor and working-class people who have been shuffled aside as Waynesville has evolved into a vibrant model town.

“These are the people we have to reach out to and take care of.

They are so unheard. It is sort of they are lost out there and nobody cares. The only thing we can think about is Philip Gibbs making Waynesville the way we want it to be so the elite can enjoy it. We are too busy with this town vision to see the other side of Waynesville. They say it seems like the town has forgotten about them.”

Gibbs pledges to represent the common man.

“Waynesville needs some new direction.

Waynesville needs some diversity.

Waynesville needs to loosen up their collar a little bit.”

Gibbs is one of the few candidates who has been going door to door in neighborhoods asking people for their vote. What’s his elevator speech?

“I want you to know I will be your voice and I will speak for you, but I need your help.”

Smoky Mountain News

Jon Feichter, 50, owner of New Meridian Technologies, an IT service firm providing computer and networking services If you’ve encountered Feichter on the campaign trail, you’ve probably heard the story of his youthful exuberance after graduating from college, when he pointed his car toward Atlanta and allegedly — as the story goes — told his mother he was never coming back.

Feichter soon found himself dying to get back to what he left behind and start his own family here, and his own company as well. He’s served on the town planning board since 2009, as his father did before

Julia Freeman, 48, director of REACH domestic violence nonprofit Freeman’s not only adept at moving in organizational and government structures but also understands what it means to serve others — a skill she has acquired as the director of REACH that makes her well-suited for the role of town board.

“I have a complete working knowledge of how governments work.

Working with state and federal budgets, that’s part of my job daily.

Giving back to the comJulia Freeman munity is also something I do on a daily basis. I bring an open mind and willingness to work with other people.”

Freeman has been on the town board four years.

“The decisions we make impact the community across the board. They are very serious decisions.”

Some are probably never on the public’s radar, but help make Waynesville better every day — whether it is installing grantfunded electric car charging outlets downtown, building a new police evidence room and in-house fingerprinting analysis lab, implementing wellness initiatives for employees or partnering with Frog Level merchants to put in historic street lamps, Freeman said, rattling off more than could fit here.

Freeman said the town’s employees are its best asset.

Here’s what candidates had to say about why they love Waynesville and how they think it is perceived by others.

October 14-20, 2015

Gary Caldwell, 62, regional printing and publication representative for Clarke Communication Caldwell has been on the town board for 20 years, offering institutional knowledge that’s an asset to the town.

“I feel like I am doing a service being there as long as I have and having the knowledge I have.”

He also prides himself on being a liaison Gary Caldwell for residents.

Caldwell is routinely called or stopped on the street — even passed notes in church sometimes — from residents who need help with an issue.

Earlier this month he got a call about a dangerous gulley that had opened up along the road shoulder in a blind curve.

“She said ‘Gary, I know you are the one I need to talk to.’ I get right on it, I don’t hesitate. I know the right resources to go to. I am probably the one on the board that is most in touch with the people out there.”

Caldwell first ran 20 years ago amid debate over whether to build a town recreation center.

“You had a group that was for it and a group that was against it. I was in the group that was for it. We bit the bullet and we did it.”

That was 20 years ago, and he’s still running.

him, and is now running for town board, in the footsteps of his mother, Libba.

“I was exposed to the value of public service early and often and it would have been next to impossible for me not to have developed that same desire.”

He hopes to bring a new generation of engagement between the town and its residents.

“That is one of the things that I am key on.

We need to find ways to seek out additional input. One of the things I would really focus on if elected is increasing the citizen participaJon Feichter tion.”

Feichter has some specific ideas on that front, too.

“The other thing that I’m extremely passionate about is collaborating with smart, engaged and enthusiastic people to tackle problems and come up with solutions together. I get such a charge out of coming together and finding the best possible solution.” www.electjonfeichter.com

“The beauty here is what really, really draws people. Who else in the world has water that’s first come, first served out of the mountains? We are very well known for our law enforcement here. Our police officers are top notch.”

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Town board candidates pledge undying devotion to Waynesville

What makes Waynesville great?

Kenny Mull, 61, co-owner of family-run Bob’s Sports Store It’s hard to say what Mull’s better known as: the owner of Bob’s Sport Store or Little League coach. He’s done both forever. Since the mid-1970s, he has been behind the count-

S EE ALDERMEN, PAGE 8 7

October 14-20, 2015

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MAYOR, CONTINUED FROM 6 though we have different opinions, we are respectful of one another and discuss things in a civil manner and in the end whatever decision is made we support each other and support that decision,” Freeman said.

Freeman has more in common on paper with Cure — they are the only women and the only Republicans in the race, although town elections are technically non-partisan. Still, Freeman said Brown is the clear choice to her.

Brown said his goal as mayor is to find consensus, not draw lines in the sand. He noted that in his eight years as mayor he has never used a gavel during a meeting, except to open and adjourn.

“You will get a lot better results if you are a consensus builder instead of a finger pointer. You don’t get things done by sticking your finger in someone’s chest,” said alderman challenger Anthony Sutton, who endorsed Brown. “I want someone who is smart and will get things done and someone who is a consensus builder.”

Brown was a harder sell for town board challenger Philip Gibbs. Brown wasn’t the default, out-of-the-gate choice in Gibbs’ view.

“I wasn’t going to endorse anybody until I saw what the candidates were and what their platform is. I wanted to listen to both sides,” Gibbs said.

In the end, he said is endorsing Brown.

But he added he could work with either.

Cure said she believes she can work with any of the alderman candidates if elected, even if Brown was their preferred choice. As for who Cure is endorsing for alderman, she isn’t naming names, but said she thinks the town needs “fresh faces.”

THE FLIP SIDE Brown has taken his share of criticism, primarily for not being in touch with the common man, being a little too country club and not blue collar enough.

Smoky Mountain News

ALDERMEN, CONTINUED FROM 7 er of the family-owned store or behind the pitcher’s mound on the Little League field.

Mull said he is a down-home local boy, and that’s the type of alderman he would want to be.

“I feel like I have a good rapport with the people. They know me and they can talk to me.

I want people to come to me and relate to me and feel comfortable.”

Even if what the Kenny Mull majority wants isn’t the best or mostinformed choice?

“You should still go with what the majorityof the people who put you in there want.”

Leroy Roberson, 71, retired optometrist Roberson said Waynesville’s track record and stellar reputation speak volumes for why voters should re-elect the 8 current board members.

Cure said she offers an alternative.

“I will be a South Main Street mayor,” Cure said, referring to her residence along the main drag. “I am right in the heart of town. I am right in the middle of the people of this town.”

Brown, the son of a doctor, said the stereotype that’s he’s a wealthy, well-heeled lawyer isn’t accurate.

“We have football on Friday night and church on Sunday and those are still the two biggest events in this town and I know that,” Brown said.

The recession wasn’t easy on attorneys who specialized in real estate, Brown said.

“I drive a 2000 Impala. I am like every other working stiff. I have to leave (this meeting) and go make a living,” Brown said during an early morning interview over coffee.

As for his wife’s fancy jewelry, well, most of it is from Belk’s, he said.

Still Brown has to overcome those who see him as an intellectual socialite.

“His personality can turn people off, but the job he does for the town makes him by far the best candidate and best person to serve as mayor,” said Alderman Leroy Roberson, who said he supports Brown, “without reservation.”

Brown can come across as highbrow when he rattles off the town’s debt load ($10.8 million) or how its industrial water rates compare to other towns in WNC (third lowest).

He hasn’t studied up just because it’s election time. He just has a knack for remembering numbers, said Freeman.

If they creep into his discussion, he isn’t doing it to flaunt his knowledge, Brown said.

“It’s not that I am a know-it-all or have all the answers, but I can give the people and the board a level of comfort that their decision is based on facts,” Brown said.

Caldwell said Brown’s skillset is valuable to the town.

“Gavin has got the skill level to work with situations that’s happening down in Raleigh, with our electrical contract, stuff like that,” Caldwell said. The town needs someone who

“Stay the course that we have. The wrong town board can sink it.”

It’s not an accident Waynesville is a great town.

“We don’t do things haphazardly. We have a very good reputation. I think the governance of Waynesville is well-thought of. We think about an issue, judge its merits, and make a decision based on the merits and what’s best for the town.”

Roberson served on the town board in the Leroy Roberson 1990s for five years and took a decade-long break before running again in 2007 — for a total of 12 years as alderman, although not consecutive.

Roberson said he wants the town to do what it can to ensure small, locally owned businesses aren’t trampled by out-of-town corporate chains.

“That is my primary platform, to support the small businesses and make sure they

What makes Waynesville great?

Here’s what candidates had to say about why they love Waynesville and how they think it is perceived by others.

Mayor candidates: pick one

“For the same reason anyone finds it attractive: small town, cordial people, easygoing lifestyle, opportunities for people willing to take a risk and go into business, the low crime rate.”

— Jonnie Cure

“Even putting aside my bias, I think we are recognized as the best small town in Western North Carolina. I hear this all the time. We have been able to maintain ties to the past while looking to the future.”

— Gavin Brown

can move in those circles, talk the talk and represent the town’s interests at a regional and state level, Caldwell said.

Brown gets a stipend of $10,000 a year. As for the hours he puts in, it’s hard to say, depending if you count the hours he spends

Coming next week Learn more about where Waynesville candidates stand on the issues, including their philosophy on spending versus cutting taxes, how to foster business growth, and the merger with Lake Junaluska. have the opportunity to succeed.”

Anthony Sutton, 43, accounting and systems manager for Biltmore Farms development group based in Asheville Sutton is running on a campaign platform of making Waynesville the best town in which to live, work and play, with specific ideas to enhance each arena of his “live, work and play” slogan — all the while maintaining the town’s character and fostering sustainable growth.

Sutton supports proactive planning and the town’s motto of “Progress with Vision.”

“You can’t put everything on autopilot. If you keep a plane on autopilot long enough, you crash. It is something that needs to be

“going over and over things in my mind.”

“It is my second job,” Brown said. “It is not about the big flashy stuff, it is about the day to day affairs of the town.”

Brown has a long resume of involvement and service in nonprofits and community organizations. He is currently on five boards, including Mountain Projects, Haywood Healthcare Foundation and the Haywood Economic Development Council, and that’s not counting past boards, like the Haywood Schools Foundation or Chamber of Commerce.

Brown said Cure hasn’t served on the boards of any foundations or nonprofits.

“None, not a single one,” Brown said. “I don’t think she knows how this community operates. Jonnie has no experience in any kind of leadership position or working with anybody. There’s nothing on her resume that says I have served on this board or have experience with this group.”

“I was busy making a living,” countered Cure, who ran her own real estate company for 16 years. “But I was moving at lightning speed through the community. If you want information about a community, go ask a good active real estate agent. They are the thread that runs totally through the community.”

Based on the sparse attendance at town meetings and public hearings, it would be easy to assume the general public is largely satisfied with how the town is operating. But Cure said that’s a false assumption.

“They think it won’t make a bit of difference if they show up at those meetings,” Cure said. “The people in Waynesville feel like they won’t be listened to. Why bother?”

She hopes to change that and do more to bring the general public into the fold of town government.

“There is an undercurrent that is awful of people who will not stand up to their government,” Cure said. “I have always encouraged other people to step up and I have recruited people to run for office. It is my turn to step up to the plate and play hardball. Really, it is time.”

fostered and looked after.”

Sutton started as a night auditor at a hotel in the Biltmore Farms development group, and quickly rose to upper level management thanks to his keenness for planning, analysis and goal tracking.

Sutton oversees a budget many times the size of Waynesville’s, which would make him an asset on the town board.

“You need a good mix on a town board.

You need someone on Anthony Sutton the board who is compassionate. You need someone on the board who will fight for the police and fire department. We don’t need to all be the same. But you need someone who is analytical and has a good financial background. It is not that you don’t trust the department heads that are doing it but you always wants someone who will challenge your perception of what is going on.” www.sutton4alderman.com

Challengers say more can be done

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THE ISSUES Mull said Canton’s problems are the same problems facing many small town governments. While Canton does have Evergreen Packaging that employees 1,000 people, the town has had a hard time attracting people and businesses to set up deep roots in town.

Small towns often deal with small budgets, limited resources and aging infrastructure. At the same time, the town wants to provide its residents with the services they’ve come to expect — road and pothole repairs, garbage and brush curbside pick up and recreational opportunities for all ages.

“Every small town wants to think their problems are unique, but they’re not — we have the same problems every little town has,” Mull said. “People are moving away, we need more foot traffic downtown, we’re trying to replace aging infrastructure like our water meters, but there’s always a shortage of money and we have to work within our budget.”

Mull and Hamlett say they’ve made great progress in addressing many of these concerns.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Age: 67 • Profession: Retired after 30 years working as an executive assistant at Evergreen Packaging, currently a part-time administrative assistant at the local union hall.

• Political experience: Two years as a Canton alderman • Why are you running? “I have had a twoyear term and I think we’ve started so many projects and so many things that need to be finished.”

Ralph Hamlett • Age: 64 • Profession: Tenured professor of political communication at Brevard College • Political experience: Two-year term as alderman; political consultant; political analyst for local, regional, national and international news organizations; elected chair of the Faculty Council for two terms at Brevard College.

• Why are you running? “I am running for re-election because of what this board —

Neal McCracken • Age: 68 • Profession: Retired after 30 years as a millwright at Dayco, a now-closed rubber goods plant that was in Hazelwood • Political experience: Serves on Canton ABC Board • Why are you running? “I love the town and I have a passion to see it grow.”

Kate Brown • Age: 79 • Profession: Retired after 39 years as a teacher assistant in Canton schools, currently teaches continuing education sewing classes at Haywood Community College.

• Political experience: None • Why are you running? “A lot of people have asked me to run, and I care about the town.”

With Assistant Town Manager and Economic Development Director Jason Burrell leading the charge, the Canton board approved an economic development initiative that lays the groundwork for recruiting, retaining and expanding business. make other purchases at local merchants. Mull said the town board has been trying to not only give the town a facelift to attract businesses but also do a better job of marketing what the town has to offer.

Kate Brown “In another four years I hope Canton will be a place where people can buy things and where there will be more businesses,” Mull said. “I hope downtown will be viable in the future.”

Brown said she remembers the days Neal McCracken when she could do all her shopping without leaving Canton. Now all she sees is empty buildings and more businesses closing down.

“I don’t know what the problem is — other small towns like Bryson City are booming,” she said.

Brown said one thing the town could do to retain businesses is to be appreciative of the few that are opening in downtown. She said she personally sent flower arrangements to Kobe Express and a new tattoo parlor that opened recently downtown to welcome them to the community.

“Any time a new business comes to town we should recognize them and thank them — it’s just the right thing to do,” Brown said. “If we recognize new businesses, the word of mouth spreads.”

McCracken said he could see things starting to pick up downtown. With the town’s new ordinance in place, he hopes commercial property owners will invest more in their properties to attract more businesses. More businesses will translate into more pedestrian traffic and slower vehicle traffic through downtown, he said.

“We need to fix the buildings up and get good businesses in there that want to stay there,” McCracken said. “I’d like for our kids to be able to stay here and have work to do.”

McCracken applauded the current board for working with the economic development group at the North Carolina School of Government to advise the town on how to find businesses that are a good fit for Canton.

LABOR DAY CELEBRATION Providing residents with entertainment and recreational opportunities was an important issue in the last election and continues to be on the minds of candidates and residents.

Attendance at the town’s Labor Day Celebration has been declining for many years. Many thought the town knew it needed

Smoky Mountain News

The current board adopted a downtown commercial maintenance ordinance to hold commercial property owners accountable for the appearance of their buildings. With Assistant Town Manager and Economic Development Director Jason Burrell leading the charge, the board approved an economic development initiative that lays the groundwork for recruiting, retaining and expanding business.

“Two years ago, I promised positive change for Canton in areas of economic development, revitalization of downtown and new businesses to Canton,” Hamlett said. “We have witnessed seven new businesses locating to Canton on our watch.”

Mull said there is no reason why businesses can’t prosper in Canton. With 1,000 employees at the mill, she said they all need places to buy clothes, eat lunch or dinner and

Gail Mull

and I as a member of it — have been able to accomplish: initiatives for economic development, revitalization of the downtown and bringing businesses to Canton. I want to continue to fulfill the vision that we have set.”

October 14-20, 2015

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR he town of Canton elected a whole new board two years ago when all four aldermen decided not to run for another term.

The new board ran on promises of meaningful change and growth for the mill town, and it has been chipping away at those promises little by little — revamping the town’s longstanding Labor Day Celebration, making recreation improvements, creating a plan to replace the community swimming pool, creating an economic development plan and improving the appearance of the downtown.

Staggered terms in Canton began with the 2013 election, and Aldermen Ralph Hamlett and Gail Mull were both elected to two-year terms. Now they are seeking a four-year term to see those projects through to completion.

“We’ve got momentum going right now, and if we stand still we’re going to go backRalph Hamlett ward,” Mull said.

“We’re never going to get back to Canton’s glory days and that’s OK because our kids and grandkids don’t want that — they want something different.”

Mull and Hamlett say they are not running against each other. They Gail Mull have made it clear at several public appearances that they want the voters of Canton to re-elect both of them so they can continue their agenda for the town.

Hamlett said the work the current board is doing will provide for long-term success that will hopefully carry forward to future boards.

“I hope the trust that I have earned from the voters will give me, Gail Mull and the board the opportunity to continue the positive direction we have begun,” Hamlett said.

The two incumbents face competition from two newcomers to Canton politics — Kate Brown and Neal McCracken. Even though this is the first time the two candidates have run for office, they are no strangers to Canton and the issues facing the town.

McCracken was one of the founding members of FOCUS of Canton, the volunteer group that started the popular MaterFest in Canton more than 10 years ago. As a downtown Canton building owner, he knows many of the downtown merchants and understands the challenges they are up against.

“I’ve done quite a bit for the town,” McCracken said. “I try to go to all the board

meetings and keep up with the issues.”

Kate Brown has lived in Canton for more than 50 years. It’s where she raised her own three children and also helped raise everyone else’s children during her 39 years as a teacher assistant in elementary school classrooms.

She still teaches sewing at Haywood Community College and fits uniforms for the school athletic programs. Brown already serves as a member of two of Canton’s advisory committees, including the Community Appearance Commission and the Historical Commission.

“I don’t know much about politics, but I can learn,” she said. “I walk 4 miles around town every morning so I see what’s going on in Canton.”

Who’s running?

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Canton incumbents want continued progress

S EE CANTON, PAGE 10 9

October 14-20, 2015

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CANTON, CONTINUED FROM 9 to make drastic changes after seeing the dismal attendance at the 2014 festivities. It took a lot of public input, planning, marketing and money to pull it off, but the 2015 Labor Day Celebration brought in an estimated 13,000 people to Canton.

Some weren’t happy that the town made certain changes to the traditional celebration, including expanding the live music choices and holding events at Sorrells Street Park in downtown. While all the events are usually held at the recreation park, the town board voted to move some events to the Sorrells Street Park because it would expose more people to downtown Canton.

The town also decided not to have carnival rides this year because of the high cost for rides that weren’t high quality. The money went toward booking more bands, offering more quality food trucks and arts and crafts vendors.

Mull said it was the best Labor Day she can remember in Canton and it only cost the town about $10,000 because of sponsorships.

“It was worth every dime and then some,” she said.

Hamlett said the revamped Labor Day was about more than providing entertainment for residents — it was part of the town’s marketing strategy to promote the new Canton brand. The event pulled in people from surrounding areas outside of Haywood County and it gave Canton some great publicity.

“This was an investment to let people know — to steal a line from (Alderman) Zeb Smathers — ‘Canton is open for business,’” Hamlett said. “The investment was well worth it and for the most part we met our budget.”

McCracken said some people weren’t happy with the changes made to Labor Day but agreed it was the best he has seen in years.

“The town spent a lot of money, but I think it was well worth it,” he said. “I understand we had to make some changes to attract

the younger folks — it’s just hard for the older folks to get out of the same routine.”

Brown said the biggest complaint she heard about Labor Day was from the younger generations. She said she spoke to many college-aged students who returned home from school to attend the event but were disappointed that the carnival rides weren’t there anymore. She said they also didn’t like that things were spread out in different locations.

“I’m all for change if it works,” Brown said. “But people have themselves programmed a certain way and when it doesn’t work, they are disappointed.”

WHAT’S AT STAKE? What will voters really be deciding when they vote in the Canton election? The incumbents say it’s simple — voters will have to decide whether they like the direction the current board is moving.

Hamlett said changing the board makeup now might slow the pace of change or even alter the direction and undo the progress the board has made.

“In this election, the voters will decide if the direction that the board has set is one that the people want to follow. The question for the voter is, is Canton better off than it was two years ago?” Hamlett said. “If that answer is ‘yes,’ the people should keep the current board by returning Gail and I to office for four more years.”

Mull can rattle off a long list of accomplishments that the board has initiated in the last two years — giving employees a raise while not increasing taxes, restructuring the town’s health care plan to save $200,000, installing new water meters, hiring a design consultant team and applying for funds to replace the community swimming pool, adopting an economic development initiative, making Labor Day a success and fighting legal battles to keep ownership of Camp Hope.

“Ralph and I offer hope that we can do this — we have a proven record of hard work

Smoky Mountain News

become contentious. Brown said she wants to see the board and mayor work together without arguing or holding grudges.

“It shouldn’t be a contest,” she said. “We have to work together to make things happen.”

McCracken echoes Brown’s statement.

“I want to listen to the people and see what they want and need,” he said. “I hope I can bring a lot of common sense to the town.”

Hamlett said the board members and the mayor might disagree with each other but they are not disagreeable. When disagreements arise, Hamlett said he tries to keep his comments based on possible solutions instead of differences in personalities.

“Gail and I have not always agreed, nor have we always voted the same, but we are friends. We use the disagreements as opportunities to reach solutions together,” he said.

“And after the vote, even if we do vote differently, we support the majority vote and embrace it. We do not harbor ill feeling but are ready to move on to the next issue.”

and we’re moving Canton forward,” Mull said. “There’s a spirit of optimism right now.

I don’t promise things I can’t deliver — we’ve put things in place for the future but it’s a long process.”

McCracken said he thinks the current board has accomplished a lot but also thinks more could be done to develop the U.S. 19/23 corridor and improve the appearance of the I40 accesses to town. He would also like to see more funding go toward road and pothole repairs in town.

Brown said the town board needed to do a better job of listening to what the people in Canton want. Listening to constituents would be one of the skills Brown said she would bring to the office if elected.

“People want the board to listen to them — it doesn’t mean you can do everything, but the citizens should be heard,” she said.

There have been several instances where the aldermen and the mayor have disagreed on issues and at times board meetings have

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Soldier’s Heart performs at the 109th annual Canton Labor Day Celebration. Becky Seymour photo

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Steep slope hearing on for Jackson

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The 411 What: Hearing on amendments to Jackson County’s Mountain Hillside Development Ordinance.

When: 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Where: Room A201 of the Jackson County Administration Building in Sylva.

What: The revised ordinance contains a number of technical edits and two significant amendments. First, the county’s slope calculation formula would change to more closely mirror that of other counties, as Jackson’s formula has been criticized for being too subjective. Secondly, the applicability would change from slopes of 30 percent and up to only slopes of 35 percent and up, as information from Appalachian Landslide Consultants indicated to the planning board that slope becomes a factor in landslides only after about 36 percent.

For more: The proposed amendments are online at www.jacksonnc.org/planning.html under “ordinance amendments.”

n’t want to pass something that would later be challenged on a technicality.

After discussing the issue with David Owens of the University of North Carolina’s School of Government, however, Commission Chairman McMahan said he’s confident the county is moving under the correct procedure.

“If I were going to project how this would turn out if it went to litigation, I suspect a court would say it is not a zoning ordinance — it’s a public health and safety ordinance,” Owens said, though adding the caveat that it’s impossible to tell for sure what a court would think absent an actual case. However, all the mailings and advertisements required for a zoning ordinance are “a pretty expensive proposition,” Owens said, so it’s not something you want to do if you don’t have to.

“We feel confident that we were right on schedule anyway and everything was as it was supposed to be,” McMahan said.

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October 14-20, 2015

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER fter two years of revisions, hearings and public debate, Jackson County’s steep slope ordinance is now approaching the finish line with a final public hearing scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Jackson County Administration Building in Sylva.

“Hopefully this time we’re going to put it to rest,” said Jackson County Commission Chairman Brian McMahan.

The hearing, aiming to take input on revisions to the county’s 2007 Mountain Hillside Development Ordinance, has been a long time in coming, with work on a rewrite starting back in 2013 when a different board of commissioners with a different prevailing viewpoint was seated. That board felt that the regulations surrounding development on steep slopes were too onerous and wanted them loosened.

But when a planning board hearing on the rules in February 2014 drew a crowd unanimously opposed to the loosened regulations, the issue became a political lightning rod. With an election coming up in November, commissioners told the planning board they didn’t want to make any decisions about the ordinance until after Election Day. Voters elected a new board with a majority opposed to loosened regulation, and the planning board — whose composition had also flipped to reflect a more pro-regulation viewpoint — was instructed to review the rules but not weaken them. The proposed ordinance out for public comment right now has only a few substantial differences from the original.

The final hearing was supposed to take place last month, but commissioners called the Sept. 22 hearing off just days beforehand due to fear that they may have, inadvertently, not advertised it widely enough.

The question hinged on whether courts would see the steep slope ordinance as a general ordinance or as a zoning ordinance.

More aggressive advertising is required for zoning ordinances, and commissioners did-

Lead testing continues at SCC firing range

@SmokyMtnNews

Smoky Mountain News

After recently expanded testing continued to show elevated lead levels at Southwestern Community College’s firing range, college officials are going forward with the latest recommendations from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources to determine the precise project scope.

ECS Carolinas, LLP, an Asheville-based engineering firm contracted by SCC, is obtaining soil and sediment samples from an area near the Tuckaseigee River and downhill from the range to determine how far the lead has spread over the years. The college and ECS, acting in concert with NC-DENR’s counsel, will have the new samples tested while mapping out strategies for permanently remediating runoff and excavating the lead currently in the ground.

SCC has operated the range since the early 1980s on North River Road in Jackson County.

“We have relied on the recommendations of NC-DENR from the start to ensure that we handle this the right way,” said Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC. “We met with NC-DENR officials last week (Oct. 2) to get their guidance on what we need to do next, and our response is to do exactly what they advise. Our goal is to resolve this situation as thoroughly and responsibly as possible.

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Chief Lambert’s personnel changes draw debate Ex-employees charge political motivation; Lambert defends changes

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER atrick Lambert didn’t waste any time making waves in his first full day as principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. That Tuesday morning, a handful of tribal employees received official letters stating their services were no longer needed, prompting an emotional meeting of the ex-employees, their families, Lambert, Vice Chief Richie Sneed and Tribal Council Oct. 8.

“I need justification,” said Mollie Grant, who had served as director of EBCI Emergency Management. “I would like to know why. What did I do to be demoted?”

Speaker after speaker at the Tribal Council meeting asked a variation of the same question, most declaring political affiliation as the only possible cause, many shedding tears and appearing with kids and spouses in tow.

“I feel like I am getting punished because of who I supported,” Grant said.

John Cameron Cooper agreed, telling council that former Principal Chief Michell Hicks was a close friend of his father’s and, by extension, of himself and his wife Brandi.

Brandi Cooper was transferred from her job as director of the Heart-to-Heart Child Advocacy Center to a much lower-paying position.

“The only reason she’s standing here today is because of that relationship (with Michell Hicks),” said John Cameron Cooper, standing before council with his wife and daughter. “Now I want to tell you, sir (Patrick Lambert), are you going to pay for this child to have a roof over her head?”

Lambert listened but didn’t waver on his message. Politics did not influence the trans-

October 14-20, 2015

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fers, he said. He was only carrying out the mandate voters had placed upon him when they catapulted him to office with 71 percent of the vote. The 14 letters that went out Oct. 6 are the only ones he plans to send out, he said. The six people who saw their positions eliminated were deputy-level employees, which typically change when a new administration comes in, and he’s planning to reorganize the way those positions work. The eight people who were transferred to other positions, Lambert said, are aware of the

Angie Kephart, who had served on the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise board, tells Tribal Council her perspective on being forced out of the position.

Image from Tribal Council video recording

reasons why, and they have nothing to do with politics.

“Quite frankly, the actions I’m taking are about transparency and doing what the people are asking for,” he said.

That applies to more than just personnel changes. Lambert’s had all TVs removed from tribal offices. He’s requiring that all telephones are answered, all desks manned.

“The work from home mentality is over with,” he said.

Moreover, he’s in the midst of doing forensic audits of multiple departments.

“There’s been some crimes committed, and I fully intend to pursue this,” Lambert said.

Lambert wouldn’t comment on the specific reasons why the employees were termi-

nated or transferred, as that’s a private personnel matter, but maintained each decision had a real, compelling reason behind it.

A QUESTION OF PROCEDURE But why go about it the way that he did?

It was jarring, at best, to get the letter out of the blue, from a pair of uniformed officers at a time when his department was all-handon-deck with the Cherokee Indian Fair, said Jason Lambert, who until Oct. 6 was the tribe’s director of commerce. But more importantly, Jason Lambert said, the process didn’t jive with tribal code.

“There is no doubt that Principal Chief Patrick Lambert and Vice Chief Richie Sneed violated multiple sections of the tribal code within 24 hours of taking their oaths of office,” Jason Lambert said. “My question to you, Tribal Council, is what are you going to do as our legislative body about it?”

“This bloodshed right now is on your back also, because that’s what it is — bloodshed,” former Principal Chief Michell Hicks agreed, addressing Sneed and Patrick Lambert.

Under the reorganization, Jason Lambert’s position was eliminated. The officers who delivered the letter had been told to watch him read it and then have him turn over any tribal property in his possession.

The termination was immediate.

Jason Lambert cited the section of Cherokee code dealing with involuntary separation, with states that reorganization requires a joint plan from the chief and vice chief, and states employees be given two weeks’ notice and the opportunity to trans-

A laundry list of the first week Emotion and controversy surrounded the personnel decisions Principal Chief Patrick Lambert announced Oct. 6, but a slew of other actions went through as well with a good bit less hubbub surrounding them.

■ Received authorization to work on a draft tribal Constitution.

■ Reinstated a 5 percent 401k match for tribal employees. The match had been capped at 3 percent in recent years.

■ Received authorization to conduct a tribal census.

■ Negotiated an agreement for fire and emergency medical services at the Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel in Murphy that won’t require the tribe to build new facilities.

■ Doubled the amount tribal elders and handicapped people receive at Christmas from $250 to $500.

“I’m going to stick to my word,” Lambert said. “We’ve talked about a lot of different things in the campaign, a lot of goals and things that need to be fixed on behalf of the tribe, so I came out of the gate meeting a few of those head on.”

fer to a job of the same pay grade or higher.

“The letter that was delivered to me from Principal Chief Patrick H. Lambert desecrated tribal law,” said Jason Lambert, who has used this particular section of tribal code before when leading a reorganization of his own department.

Not so, maintained Patrick Lambert.

“I’ve had myself checked through legal, through HR, and both of those divisions of the tribe had both checked off that this was done within proper boundaries,” Patrick Lambert said in a follow-up interview. “Now it’s never an easy process, but it happens and I made sure that we

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Former chief Hicks will no longer direct Tribal Gaming Commission Smoky Mountain News

Former Principal Chief Michell Hicks was all set to take over the tribe’s highest-paying job — director of the Tribal Gaming Commission — when his political term ended Oct. 5, but now that offer’s off the table.

The TGC board’s Sept. 11 announcement that Hicks would take the job met anger from many tribal members who felt that the selection process had been politically influenced, as Hicks had appointed all three board members and negotiated his salary as TGC director with them while still in office.

“I think that’s created a sense in the community that it was a dirty deal,” said new Principal Chief Patrick Lambert, who held the executive director’s position for 22 years before his run for chief.

Hours after his inauguration, Lambert submitted a resolution to the Tribal Council on Oct. 5 asking that the three sitting TGC board members be removed, charging that Hicks’ hire was “nothing more than political payback,” the 12 scenario was rife with “conflicts of interest” and the TGC had

breached tribal code by allowing board member Sheila Davis to be considered for the director’s position. Council voted unanimously to relieve Don Rose, Bob Blankenship and Sheila Davis of their seats on the board.

“I don’t have any trouble removing the current TGC board,” Councilmember Teresa McCoy, of Big Cove, said. “I have no trouble probably doing it a year ago if the truth be known, or two years ago for that matter.”

In their place, Lambert instated — with council’s approval — Robert Saunooke and Walter “Dan” McCoy, with a third candidate to be recommended later. The new commissioners then rescinded Hicks’ offer of employment.

Hicks, Blankenship and Davis were all present at the Oct. 8 hearing of fired and demoted employees, and all had strong words for Lambert.

“We tried to do everything properly and we knew this is the number one paying job in this tribe and there were going to be a lot of people interested in it, and there was going to

be political pressure,” Blankenship said.

The TGC contracted with the New Mexico-based firm Valliant Consulting Group to handle the hiring process, from advertising to reviewing resumes. The firm then gave the TGC a ranked list of the top five candidates, and the board interviewed the top three, offering the job to the top-ranked candidate. That wasn’t Hicks — salary negotiations didn’t work out with the top candidate, so the offer went to Hicks, who ranked second.

According to Blankenship, Lambert had initially asked the TGC to hold off on hiring until after he took office, and when the board refused, he told them if Hicks was selected he would do everything he could to reverse the decision.

Davis, meanwhile, told council that she was upset she’d been removed because she didn’t feel there was anything wrong with her applying for the job, as she was not part of the actual hiring process.

— by Holly Kays, staff writer

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Smoky Mountain News

were handling it properly.”

Patrick Lambert referred to another section of tribal law, which deals with levels of organizational authority and gives the principal chief the authority to “maintain and revise as necessary” the tribe’s organizational structure, and said that terminated employees are being given two weeks’ pay.

“I’m changing the structure of the tribe in terms of lines of reporting authority, making it more accountable, more streamlined, more efficient,” Patrick Lambert said.

Angela Kephart, however, who had sat on the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise board, begged to differ. Her letter, she told council, merely voiced Patrick Lambert’s acceptance of her resignation — even though she hadn’t resigned.

“He then said, ‘I received information you resigned from this board,’” Kephart said, recounting her subsequent phone call with Patrick Lambert. “I said, ‘No, I hadn’t.’ Then he immediately gets defensive and said, ‘Angie, I’m trying to do this in a nice and polite way, but if you want to take that route, I’ll take it to council and I’ll have you removed from that board.”

There are plenty of reasons Kephart shouldn’t be on the board, Patrick Lambert said, and he wanted to give her the chance to resign quietly.

“I understand the people here today are upset about things, but as I stated earlier there’s certain things that happened in these jobs that they understand,” Patrick Lambert said. “The people elected me to make these changes.”

Grant, however, said she wanted to see the reasons written in black and white.

“It would have saved a lot of trouble for us. We would have known where to go if there was justification in here of what we did,” Grant said. “Why didn’t he (Patrick Lambert) call us in his office and say, ‘This is what you’ve done wrong and why you’re being bumped from a level 11 to a level 3?’

All of these employees, we’re wondering what we did other than support the other party.”

Councilmembers seemed sympathetic to the ex-employees’ plight.

“That’s one of the things we talked about earlier with him (Patrick Lambert),” said Chairman Bill Taylor. “He said that he’s willing to do the one-oneone with each and every one of you and discuss it. I think that probably should have come first.”

“I think it went too far on too many levels, and I can’t help but think and in my heart believe that some of this was political payback,” said Vice Chair Brandon Jones.

However, many people applaud Patrick Lambert’s actions, praising them as evidence that he’s following through on his campaign promise to ‘clean house.’

“Several (of the affected workers) were not professional in doing their jobs,” said Lea Wolf, a tribal member who runs Tsa-La-Gi Voice, a popular Facebook group for Cherokee people to exchange news and views, speaking from personal experience. “Phone calls were not returned, attitudes and unprofessionalism were at the top of that list. My personal opinion is they didn’t just get kicked out in the cold. He did offer another job.”

While the transfer letters offered jobs of much lower responsibility and pay than the positions their recipients had held, Patrick Lambert said those replacement positions were “placeholders” rather than hard and fast offers.

“In my mind each one of them had the opportunity to come talk to me,” Patrick Lambert said.

“Three of them have already. I think they’re more satisfied than they were.”

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news

Candidates: Maggie Valley is moving forward Newcomers want to help lead town to success

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR he four candidates vying for two seats on the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen can all agree on one point — the town is in much better shape than it was two years ago.

“Two years ago Maggie Valley was a town that was kind of down — the board of aldermen weren’t able to agree on various issues.

There was a 2-to-2 split so the board was not able to perform its primary function,” said Alderwoman Janet Banks, who is seeking reelection. “People of Maggie Valley were upset — the meetings were loud and disrespectful and made for a lot of front page news in a negative way.”

It was that dysfunction that made Banks run in 2013 to fill an unexpired term on the board that had been left vacant for a year because the board couldn’t agree on an appointment. Now she is running for a complete four-year term to see some of the board’s projects through to fruition.

“I set out with two main goals — to work with a full board and to provide a positive atmosphere to interact with each other in a respectful manner,” she said. “Everyone on the board has worked hard to do that. We’ve come together to make some tough decisions.”

Nikki McCauley, owner of Salty Dogs Seafood and Grill, has lived and worked in the valley for 10 years. She said she used to be more active in town politics years ago but all the bickering on the board deterred her from getting involved.

“I got really frustrated listening to them argue and not getting anywhere,” she said.

“But they seem to be doing OK now.”

Billy Case, a real estate broker with Beverly Hanks, has been active in Maggie Valley politics for many years as a town planning board member. This is his third time running for a seat on the board.

“I think the town has improved in the last two years — I don’t hear the bickering I heard and don’t see it highlighted in the newspapers as much and people aren’t coming to the meetings for the entertainment,” he said.

“But I’ve failed to see any concrete changes.”

Maggie Valley is in the process of putting together a comprehensive plan to develop a town center.

With input from community members, a consulting firm will present several options and different projects the board can work on for the next 5-10 years to create a town center.

BRING ON THE BUSINESS

maintain that tax rate for two more years.

Wight said cutting impact fees and reducing water/sewer tap fees for businesses also helped the town gain business growth.

“We’ve had some positive growth and it has not been at the expense of the taxpayers — that’s what I ran on,” he said. “Transparency has also gotten better — the more open and transparent your government is, the more trust people have in the government.”

Now that the board is able to function and get along with each other and the town meetings are no longer attracting the same kind of crowds, candidates feel like the real work can begin. While they all have the same goal of economic growth for the tourist town, they have different ideas of how to take it to the next level.

If elected, McCauley said her goals are to help the town follow

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Cullowhee Fire Department’s 39th Annual

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Alderman Phillip Wight is the other incumbent seeking a second four-year term on the board. Wight ran alongside the late Mayor Ron DeSimone four years ago with the promise of being a fiscally responsible voice of the people.

“I’m the only alderman who’s tried to give back to the taxpayers by reducing fees and cutting taxes — that’s what I’m running on again,” he said.

Even though Wight and DeSimone ran Janet Banks together in 2013, it didn’t take long before he and the mayor went their separate ways.

They didn’t see eye to eye on many important issues facing the town, including budget spending, increasing the county’s occupancy tax Phillip Wight and annexation disputes.

Even with the disagreements on the board, Wight said he was able to deliver on his promises to pay off debt and cut taxes without reducing services to residents and businesses.

He led the effort to cut the town’s taxes by 3 percent in 2013, and the town has been able to

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Janet Banks • Age: 70 • Profession: Retired nursing school professor • Political experience: Two years as Maggie Valley alderman, worked for various candidate campaigns over the years.

• Why are you running? “I want to continue the path former Mayor Ron DeSimone set out for us to make Maggie Valley economically viable for the next 10 to 15 years.”

Billy Case • Age: 61 • Profession: Real estate broker • Political experience: Maggie Valley planning board for six years, chairman for a year • Why are you running? “I’m running to continue to promote Maggie Valley as a great place to live and own a business.”

Nikki McCauley

Phillip Wight • Age: 47 • Profession: Co-owner of Clarkton Motel and owner of a heating and cooling business • Political experience: Four years as a Maggie Valley alderman • Why are you running? “I am running to represent the taxpayers of Maggie Valley, make smart fiscal decisions, decrease spending and ensure a debtfree future.”

through with its goals to improve the town’s economy. She wants to see more businesses opening and wants Maggie to go back to a more family-friendly atmosphere. She said a better marketing plan was needed to put the town back on the map.

“When I was growing up everybody knew where Maggie Valley was and envied you for being here and now people in Asheville don’t even know where Maggie Valley is,” she said.

Case said one of his goals if elected is to create an economic development director position to recruit and retain businesses. He

S EE MAGGIE, PAGE 16

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LeRoy Roberson Waynesville Board of Aldermen Supports small businesses, the backbone of Waynesville’s economy that creates jobs Maintain Waynesville’s strong financial standing Develop solutions for current and future traffic problems Plan for adequate water and sewer services Work together to ensure a high quality of life while preserving the beauty and nature that so many of us depend on

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*Editor’s note: Kirsten Warstler filed to run for alderman but has since moved outside Maggie Valley and is no longer qualified to run for office. Her name will still appear on the ballot.

N O V E M B E R

October 14-20, 2015

f • Age: 49 • Profession: Restaurant owner for 10 years, worked for the Kennedy Space Center for 21 years in Florida.

• Political experience: Serving as secretary for Space Center union.

• Why are you running? “I want to see Maggie Valley become successful again — I want to see Maggie Valley move forward and flourish.”

V O T E

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Who’s running?

said the position would function similarly to the Downtown Waynesville Association.

“We have a really good town manager and a town planner, but we need someone day-today out there trying to fill and improve those empty buildings with businesses that will complement Maggie Valley,” he said.

For more than 30 years, Maggie Valley businesses relied on Ghost Town in the Sky — a mountaintop amusement park — to bring tourists to the valley, but now people are realizing they can’t lean on one entity to support the economy.

“We’ve got to stop hitching our wagon to Ghost Town,” Case said. “Maggie Valley is the gateway to the Smokies and people will come to see the mountains regardless of what kind of manmade tourism attractions we have.”

He said the town could also benefit from having a convention center to hold large groups of visitors and Billy Case also from having more activities for children.

“The waterpark in Cherokee is always full,” he said. “We need more family space places like that.”

Case said the town can have an active role in making the town appealing for new busiNikki McCauley nesses, but it isn’t the town’s responsibility to help fund private business improvements. He is not in favor of reducing tap fees and eliminating impact fees for businesses.

“A lot of people think the town owes it to businesses to be successful but that’s not how capitalism works,” he said. “Taxpayers can’t foot the bill for private individuals.”

Banks said the board has been working toward making Maggie Valley more attractive for tourists and businesses by increasing parks and greenways spaces, enforcing ordinances regulating junk cars, signs, overgrown brush and other unsightly views along the U.S. 19 corridor.

The town is also in the process of putting together a comprehensive plan to develop a town center area in Maggie Valley. With input from community members, a consulting firm will present several options and different projects the board can work on for the next 5 to 10 years to create a town center.

Maggie Valley doesn’t have a downtown or Main Street like Waynesville or Canton, so the board has to think of creative ways to create a downtown feel for visitors.

“We want to create an area that will lead to people stopping and more pedestrian traffic. We want the kind of atmosphere where people want to get out and look around,” Banks said. “We just have to figure out how to do that. Funding can come through grants, some from the town’s general fund money and other budget savings.”

Wight said tourism dollars in Maggie Valley are on the rise, but he would like to see

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MAGGIE, CONTINUED FROM 15 news

Maggie Valley promoted as its own destination. Right now, he said the Tourism Development Authority spends the occupancy tax revenue to market Haywood County as a whole more than the individual towns.

“Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Canton — everyone has their own identity and advertising as a whole doesn’t work as well,” he said.

“Seems like the TDA just wants to make their job easier.”

FINDING THE MONEY

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2015

Small town budgeting has become more of a struggle since the recession, and Maggie Valley is no exception. Revenues have dropped and expenses continue to increase.

Case said the current board has done a good job of building up its reserve funds. The fund contains about $3 million, which is a year’s worth of operating expenses.

Case said a healthy reserve fund is important to have in case of emergency, including natural disasters.

“You just don’t know what will happen in emergency situations, and the people expect the town and government to respond,” he said.

Case said the town had been successful at minimizing taxes and staying within a reasonable budget while maintaining services.

He wants to see the town continue to pay off debt, including debt on the police station.

McCauley said she hears many complaints about the police department budget being too high or taxes being too high and wants to be informed about the reasoning behind the budget before deciding whether anything can be cut. She favors spending money as long as it benefits Maggie Valley as a whole by bringing in more businesses and creating local jobs.

“Everyone is struggling to pay their bills and they’re living day-to-day, and I want to

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see them back on their feet,” she said. “I want my son to be able to come back here and raise a family.”

Wight said it was his goal to continue to pay down the town’s debt and for the town not to enter into any more future debt.

During his first term, he said the board was successful at paying off $300,000 worth of debt on the town hall and festival grounds, but his only regret was that the savings was not specifically earmarked to pay down other debt — it simply went back into the general fund.

Wight did not vote in favor of the town budget for 2015-16 because it included a new tax for residents — a $5 per vehicle charge.

“I wasn’t in favor of that because it hurts the taxpayers of Maggie Valley,” he said.

“Just like the business privilege tax, I think it’s unfair.”

Banks said that $5 vehicle fee was needed to help the town fill a small revenue hole in the budget.

“Due to the increased number of roads the town’s taking in, we had a huge hole in the budget for road repair and maintenance,” she said. “We had three options — take money from the general fund, which is not a good idea; we could increase property tax; or we could do a vehicle assessment, which the state law allows us to do when we need a small amount of revenue.”

Banks said the fee would raise about $10,000 a year to put toward road maintenance, pothole repairs and snow plowing in the winter. With a loss in revenue from the state and a 25 percent increase in health insurance costs, Banks said balancing a budget becomes a daunting task when residents expect a high level of service.

“There’s no fat left in the budget. People will like to say it can be cut, but realistically since the recession of 2008, municipalities don’t have any fat,” Banks said. “It doesn’t mean the budget can’t be cut, but you’d have to lay people off and cut services.”

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Cherokee officer dies from work-related injury Anthony “Tony” Lossiah, a Cherokee Indian Police Department patrol officer, died at Mission Hospital in Asheville on Tuesday, Oct. 6, after succumbing to complications stemming from an injury sustained while performing his law enforcement duties.

Lossiah served the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the public at large as an officer for more than 17 years in many capacities.

“Tony will be sorely missed. I can’t imagine what his wife, children and family are feeling throughout this loss. But I do know what it’s like to lose a friend and co-worker,” said Officer Ben Reed, who until recently served as police chief. “It’s certainly not easy, but God said His Grace was sufficient. Tony was certainly one of a kind and I have enjoyed knowing him and working beside him. My prayers are with the family.

Please help me pray for our officers and our community.”

Jackson NAACP to meet in Macon County www.VisitNCSmokies.com

The Jackson County-based NAACP’s monthly membership meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Macon County’s St. Cyprian Episcopal Church, located at 216 Roller Mill Road, Franklin.

Rev. Dorrie Pratt invites all NAACP members and her congregation, along with the public — from Franklin and surrounding counties — for a special program that will begin about 10:30 a.m. Everyone present is invited to participate as readers from brief prepared scripts.

The third 2015 reenactment of “The Black History Theater” again presents four major periods of African American history in the United States: Beginnings in the New World, The First Reconstruction, The 2nd Reconstruction and Bridge to the Future.

WHAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE Wight hopes his record speaks for itself — he’s stood by his promises even when it meant he was a lone voice on the board. He’s supported lowering taxes, reducing financial burdens on businesses by temporarily eliminating impact fees and has worked for transparency on the board.

“My personal goals were accomplished and I hope people respect that,” Wight said. “I feel like I have their best interest at heart and I try to represent the taxpayers. I hope I’ve proven that and I hope I’ve earned their vote.”

If Maggie Valley does see positive growth in the near future, Wight said it should benefit the taxpayers and not put more of a financial burden on them. His opinion may not always be the opinion of the entire

together. It’s hard to be business- and resident-friendly but it all needs to go together.”

Case’s ultimate goal is to promote the valley as a tourism destination to improve the economy. He wants to do that by improving safety and slowing down traffic along the U.S. 19 corridor, marketing the festival grounds and other assets and supporting the town center plan.

If the wrong individuals are elected, Case said, the town could very quickly revert back to the same cronyism and bickering that has happened in the past. He doesn’t want that to happen.

“I think I stand out from other candidates because I’m not an incumbent,” he said. “I’m a native, so I know the problems that exist, and I serve on the planning board so I know the ordinances and regulations that need to be enforced.”

Banks said voters decided in the 2013 election that they wanted change, and change is what they got. She said this election will come down to whether voters want the current board to continue down the path it’s on or elect new people who may change the direction.

“You have two different sets of people running for office — people who are experienced and know about municipal government versus people who’ve had no experience in municipal government and haven’t made any effort in the last two years to familiarize themselves with government,” Banks said.

“I’m happy people want to step up and serve, but it would have been nice to see them the last two years.”

Boyd Freeman

October 14-20, 2015

t c e l E Re Julia

news

The uptick in Maggie Valley’s tourism economy was apparent during this year’s Fourth of July weekend, as motels were full and the streets packed with visitors. Jessi Stone photo

board, but Wight said he still feels like he has some influence just by voicing a different viewpoint.

He has consistently voted against increasing the county’s occupancy tax collected from hotels and motels from 4 percent to 6 percent because he doesn’t think Maggie Valley would get its fair share of the additional revenue. Since Maggie Valley hotels collect more than 55 percent of the revenue, Wight feels like a majority of the revenue should return to Maggie instead of being distributed to all the municipalities.

“I understand the importance of partnering with municipalities, but my first and foremost priority is Maggie Valley,” he said.

McCauley doesn’t claim to have all the answers on how to get Maggie Valley back to what it was 10 years ago when she moved there, but she promises to have an open mind and an open ear.

“I want to get involved so I know more about what’s going on,” she said. “If elected, I’d be there to address any problems and would have an open door so people can come talk to me about anything.”

McCauley said she would bring a fresh perspective to town government as a business owner and a taxpaying resident. She said she is prepared to work well with whoever is elected on the board and as mayor.

“I can see things from both sides. I can listen to everyone’s point of view and get along with them even if it’s something I strongly disagree with and let them know. I’m going to vote where my heart tells me,” she said. “I want to see more of the community working

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Clyde board candidates debate the issues

The Clyde town election has six people running for four seats. Cindy Golden is running against incumbent Jerry Walker for the mayor’s seat, and Melanie Cochran is challenging Frank Lay for his seat on the board, which he was appointed to earlier this year. Incumbent board members James Mashburn and Dann Jesse are running unopposed.

Cynthia (Cindy) Golden

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• Age: 36 • Professional background: Owner of art-to-order business Golden Expressions, currently pursuing a master’s degree in theology, former missionary in Scotland and Nicaragua.

• Political experience: Golden has not held elected office before.

• Reason to run: “In the last five years having lived in Clyde, I’ve seen little to no change, and there are things I’d like to see done. I believe that I can help propel those things into motion.”

Jerry Walker Cynthia (Cindy) Golden

Jerry Walker

• Age: 79 • Professional background: Worked for 41 years in maintenance for the Champion International mill in Canton, now owned by Evergreen Packaging.

• Political experience: Served 24 years as Clyde alderman and 11 years as mayor.

• Reason to run: “I’ve got some stuff started that I’d like to see finished.”

Melanie Cochran • Age: 38 • Professional background: Worked as a dental assistant for 12 years and worked 2.5 years with the Haywood County Department of Health and Human Services.

• Political experience: Cochran has not held elected office before.

• Reason to run: “I know that Clyde can grow, and I would like to see the growth of Clyde and the community pull together like they did back in 2004 from the flood.”

Melanie Cochran

Dann Jesse

Frank Lay • Age: 47 • Professional background: Has been a licensed attorney since 1996, currently operating his own practice focusing on criminal law with some domestic and government work.

• Political experience: Lay was appointed to fill an unexpired term on the Clyde board four months ago.

• Reason to run: “There are issues to me of interest and concern, and I want to give back to the community.”

October 14-20, 2015

Dann Jesse

Frank Lay

James Mashburn

According to Lay, improving Internet service should be a priority for the new board.

“I think that high-speed Internet access to all the homes helps us to teach our kids,” he said. “It really gives us a lot of opportunities.”

The town had been working on the issue with Maggie Valley Mayor Ron DeSimone, Walker said, but after DeSimone died this summer in a tragic construction accident, that effort stalled.

“I think it is a huge service that needs to be researched, further delved into,” Golden said.

• Age: 58 • Professional background: Has worked 35 years for Evergreen Packaging, currently as systems engineering manager.

• Political experience: Jesse was appointed to the town board in April to fill an unexpired term.

• Reason to run: “I raised my family here and I feel like it is a good place to raise a family. I want to maintain that atmosphere that worked for us.”

James Mashburn • Age: 75 • Professional background: Career included work as tax appraiser for Haywood County and 29 years as a supervisor at Dayco Corporation.

• Political experience: Served 11 years as Clyde alderman • Reason to run: “To be perfectly honest, I like my job. I like the people in Clyde. I’m excited to do it. It’s a good thing for me to do.”

Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER lyde may be a tiny little two-stoplight town, but at a recent candidate forum, the panel of contenders for seats in the upcoming town board elections was full of ideas on how to grow the town while maintaining its closeknit heritage.

Communication and community involvement were chief among the topics of conversation, with challengers and recently appointed board members suggesting that the town should make government accessibility a priority. Namely, the board should think seriously about changing its traditional 3 p.m. Wednesday meeting time.

“I believe these meetings should be moved to the evenings where more of the community could attend,” said Melanie Cochran, who is challenging incumbent Frank Lay. Cynthia Golden, a challenger for the mayor’s seat, agreed, adding that because Clyde business owners who don’t live in town limits can’t vote in its elections, board meetings are one of the few ways for their voices to be heard.

She’d like to hold the meetings at a time when they’ll be able to make it.

“There are decisions being made for them that they don’t have a say in,” Golden said.

Lay and Dan Jesse, an incumbent board member who is running unopposed, agreed that evening meetings would promote more community involvement in town decisions and said they’d make the issue a priority if re-elected.

Incumbents James Mashburn and Mayor Jerry Walker, however, disagreed.

“We’ve got a lot of old people in this area, and they don’t like to get out after dark and such as that and we changed it on that reason years ago,” Walker said.

Some candidates added that, regardless of meeting times, the town should look at promoting other avenues of communication — perhaps publishing the town’s quarterly newsletter monthly instead, or putting a sign in front of town hall advertising upcoming events.

“I think signs posted in front of town hall would help a lot of people participate in the community,” Cochran said.

Curb appeal was another big topic of conversation. Clyde is a small town, but it’s a great town, candidates said. The town’s appearance should reflect that, so ongoing beautification projects should be a priority.

But beyond that, some candidates said, the town should look at spearheading some festivals and special events, perhaps with the aim of creating revenue for the town outside of what it takes in from property taxes, which candidates said they would not raise.

“I believe that there are ways that we can start small,” Golden said. For instance, what if the town created its own drive-in movie theater? Vendors could be invited, perhaps a small admission charged, and it would be a chance for the town to come together and enjoy a nostalgic pastime.

Golden said she’d also like to spend time learning from other communities that have successfully created artistic and shopping districts, such as the River Arts District in Asheville.

“We can’t just sit back and let Clyde fade away,” Golden said. “We have to take action, and action means change.”

Not everyone thinks that Clyde needs to become a hub for shopping and festivals to be successful, though. Walker has lived on Smathers Street in Clyde for more than 40 years and feels the town has a pretty solid identity already.

“We got festivals in Canton and festivals in Waynesville, and we just never have worried about having a festival of any kind, but we do have activities,” Walker said.

The cast of characters news

Moving a small town forward

19

20

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

In search of the uplifting and the ephemeral

ollege professors can explain the meaning of the above passage in great detail and bring in all kinds of symbolism and parallels to religion and what-not. And many of those same educated folks will likely disagree with my interpretation, but I remember when I first read the poem as a college junior and — even though I seldom “get” great poetry on the first read — the words made perfect sense. “At the still point,” in the moment, when the world around one ceases to exist and it is just that singular thought, that feeling, that memory, that experience, that exalted state of mind or being.

I was driving through my neighborhood on the way home just a couple of nights ago when an owl swooped into my line of vision, in flight maybe 15 feet above the ground. I immediately slowed so I could safely take my eyes off the road and caught just a momentary glimpse of the raptor gliding up and into the forest. This was during one of the few breaks in the incessant rain that has been soaking the mountains.

An immediate adrenaline rush washed over me. Whenever I encounter raptors up close — the owls in my neck of the

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The ugly truth about tribal politics To the Editor: As the tribal elections drew closer and closer, it became fairly obvious early on that Patrick Lambert would become the new principal chief of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Speculations on where outgoing Chief Michell Hicks might go next and what changes Lambert might bring spread like wildfire.

After Lambert became chief-elect, Chief Hicks was offered and accepted a position as commissioner of the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise, the intermediary board between council and the casino; the same position Lambert left to run for chief.

Within 48 hours of Lambert taking office, not only was this offer rescinded, but rumors of the firing of the entire commission followed. Lambert filed a lawsuit against the old Council for the pay raises and back-pay issue of last year. For the last week, the people have told stories of losing their jobs, culminating in the phrase “Lambert is cleaning house.”

And though the people rejoice at the news of suing the old council for the allegedly illegal pay raises, they miss the bigger issue: Chief Hicks refused to hear protests from enrolled citizens in Council, breaking millennia of Cherokee tradition.

It has always been the way of the Cherokee

woods glide into my headlights a couple of times a year — a sense of awe and wonder take over. I remember the first time I saw the bald eagle at Lake Junaluska alight from a tree, and remember feeling the same, a heightened sense of awareness.

The next morning I was recalling the sight of the owl and thinking about those sights and sounds and smells and memories that in a momentary flash take us outside of the rational and orderly world where we spend most of our lives. Some of those moments are primordial, like the rushing glimpse of Editor a raptor. Others are more emotional or spiritual, things that still — and hopefully always will — make my heart pound and remind me of life’s wonders, of all that is beautiful and amazing.

I live for those moments that make you catch your breath and marvel at the world, those fleeting instances when life seems right and full of endless possibility. Too often our dayto-day existence tends toward the mundane. And then one of these moments, and — at least for me — an affirmation that there is more to life than meets the eye.

What makes me marvel?

• The Milky Way on a clear night. Say what you want, but the stars have always fascinated me, and the realization that there are countless other planets and stars and solar systems and galaxies out there still mesmerizes me. When I look up and can clearly see the blanket of gauzy white backlighting the

Scott McLeod

“At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless; Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is, But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity, Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards, Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point, There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.”

— T.S. Eliot, “The Four Quartets”

to allow any person of the age of reason to speak before Council. In the old days, Council could not adjourn until anyone and everyone who wished to speak had been heard, and decisions were made by consensus, keeping the next seven generations in mind.

While some enrolled members are pleased with Chief Lambert’s rapid change, others are already calling for his impeachment, going so far as to protest outside the Council House only yesterday (Thursday, Oct. 8) during the annual Fall Festival.

The outrage over financial mismanagement should be secondary to the outrage of the bucking of tradition. It isn’t.

Just last week, Elder Amanda Swimmer addressed Tribal Council over an issue of her estate. Her first language is Cherokee, and she addressed the Council in the Cherokee Language. Council assigned Beloved Woman Myrtle Driver to translate Swimmer’s address because … none of them spoke Cherokee fluently.

The Cherokee culture is an endangered creature. Have we, as a People, become so complacent and entitled to care more for political and financial gain than for our language and tradition?

While other nations of Indian Country battle for basic human rights as running water and electricity, the Eastern Cherokee bicker amongst each other about how to manage a multi-million dollar industry.

While the Navajo require their Chief to

night sky, it gets me.

• A finely crafted sentence or paragraph. Like the stanza from T.S. Eliot above, a great sentence, a great metaphor, or a powerful poem can stop me in my tracks. No other way to say it.

• A beautiful woman who doesn’t know it. When single I was seldom attracted to the blatant beauties who spent too long primping. Instead I gravitated to those whose beauty was in their gusto for life and attitude toward those around them. I was lucky enough to marry one.

• Dropping anchor on the sailboat. My wife’s father has a sailboat he keeps at New Bern, and over the years Lori and I and our children have spent many days and nights moving around the Pamlico Sound on that boat and have chartered others in the Caribbean. After working the wind and sails and lines all day, finding the perfect spot to settle in, make dinner, talk about the day and have a cocktail epitomizes serenity and satisfaction.

• Déjà vu moments. It happens to everyone, doesn’t it, when the present somehow feels like it’s happened already, when for a moment an event or a scene that is happening right then seems a memory, but there’s no way that it could be?

Unexplainable.

There are many, many others — anticipation of my daughters arriving home for a visit, listening to live music with my wife, the smell of collards cooking that instantly takes me back to my mom’s kitchen and a torrent of childhood memories, an exhausted body after a tough workout — and countless more that I have J yet to experience. “At the still point of the turning world.”

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

LOOKING FOR OPINIONS The Smoky Mountain News encourages readers to express their opinions through letters to the editor or guest columns. All viewpoints are welcome. Send to Scott McLeod at info@smokymountainnews.com., fax to 828.452.3585, or mail to PO Box 629, Waynesville, NC, 28786. speak Navajo fluently to be eligible to run for office, the EBCI Tribal Council does not have a single Cherokee speaker among them.

Sequoyah is the only man in recorded history to create a writing system without first being literate. His creation of the Syllabary led to the first bilingual newspaper in the USA: The Cherokee Phoenix out of New Echota, Georgia, created by Rev. Worcester and Elias Boudinot was published in English and Syllabary. The Cherokee Star was the first bilingual magazine, published in Tahlequa, Oklahoma.

The only three indigenous languages used in both world wars were the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Comanche. And while the Navajo have broadcast the Super Bowl in their own language for the last 30 or so years, you’d be hard pressed to find a fluent Cherokee speaker in Cherokee, N.C. There are more Cherokee speakers in the United Kituah Band

and the Cherokee Nation (Oklahoma) than there are in the EBCI. We lose 10 speakers a year as the elders pass into the next world.

So is it truly a surprise that Miss Mandy needed a translator to address her own Tribal Council? ᎨᏗᏒᎳᏂ ᏩᏴ ᏫᎴᎢᎶᎩ Cherokee

Editor’s note: It wasn’t Chief Patrick Lambert but the group “EBCI for Justice and Accountability” (spearheaded by a group of three Cherokee women) that filed the lawsuit over the controversial pay raises. The Tribal Council is actually the entity that shut down citizen debate in the council house, not Chief Michell Hicks.

Waynesville library slipping in quality To the Editor: When I moved to Waynesville in 1987 the library was the pride of the mountains. It was even better than Raleigh’s, where I had lived three decades. Forty-five percent of the county population is over 39, so more reading material is needed for an older population. After I returned from living in Texas the past seven years, I was dismayed to see the library down at the heels.

The computers especially were a problem. They are very heavily

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Free enterprise gives people the freedom to flourish

I

SCC, to install it myself. No, no one can touch it. Maybe they could get an intern from WCU? No, the intern came from HCC and didn’t do it.

I checked with a state legislator and learned that libraries just received substantial upgrades of funding, but clearly funds are only part of the problem. I plan to see the county commissioners about this. But thank you for printing my letter and letting others know.

Cornelia S. Cree Waynesville

Edward J. Lopez

used, usually by unemployed 20-somethings applying for jobs online, students who cannot afford their own computer, by seniors, and by visitors who are traveling and won’t tote a printer to a motel room. They are old, say 20 years. In fact, the operating system is no longer supported by Windows.

The staff is always kind, patient and helpful, so I asked what was going on. It seems that attempts to upgrade or supervise the computers are lacking. Software to upgrade has been on the shelf for a while, maybe even as long as a year. I offered, since I taught it at

APPLE CREEK CAFE 32 Felmet St., Waynesville.

828.456.9888. Open Monday-Friday with lunch form 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and family-style dinner 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Home to an extensive build your own sandwich menu as well as specialty salads, soups burgers and more. With local ingredients and madefrom-scratch recipes using a variety of good-for-you ingredients Apple Creek Cafe is sure to become your favorite spot.

Station) 828.648.3838 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturaday & Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers.

We use 1st quality fresh not pre-prepared products to make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items. Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997.

Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slowsimmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts.

Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily.

Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast seven days a week, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-you-can-eat.

Lunch every day from 12 till 2 p.m.

Evening cookouts on the terrace on weekends and Wednesdays (weather permitting), featuring steaks, ribs, chicken, and pork chops, to name a few. Bountiful family-style dinners on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with entrees that include prime rib, baked ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social hour starts at 6pm, and dinner is served starting at 7pm.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ 6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas

CHEF’S TABLE 30 Church St., Waynesville.

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Paid in part by Haywood County T o ourism www .visitncsmokies.com Tourism www.visitncsmokies.com 828-452-6000 828-452-6000 classicwineseller.com classicwineseller.com 20 20 Church Church Street, Street, Waynesville, Waynesville, NC NC

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Smoky Mountain News

Three times per semester students can attend the Free Enterprise Speaker Series, where they can broaden their education, think critically about important issues of the day, and get up-close exposure to prominent experts and public figures in the world.

None of this is by accident, of course.

WCU’s mission statement requires that my colleagues and I provide opportunities for our students to consider all points of view. We happily pursue these lofty intellectual goals, and we proudly celebrate when we achieve them. It is wrong to belittle these efforts, reducing them to propaganda, just for a little leg up in the political game.

Finally, Mr. Kowal would have readers believe that capitalism (a term coined by Karl Marx himself ) impoverishes working families while corporate fat cats rake in the dough. This might be the case in the mythical capitalism peddled by Mr. Kowal, and it certainly tends to happen in the crony capitalism favored by most of our national politicians. But in the naturally occurring system of free enterprise capitalism, all people are free to flourish.

And they do. Free enterprise capitalism means limited government, light regulation, sound money, and the free flow of goods, capital and labor. Mountains of evidence attest that living conditions, life expectancy, civil rights, unemployment, corruption, child labor, infant mortality, and yes incomes, are all improved when a people’s social systems come closer to free enterprise capitalism. It is the only system that allows peaceful, prosperous and just interaction of free people.

Uninformed grumbling might play well in the political arena. It can also be a satisfying way to blow off steam. But at Western Carolina University, we teach that it shouldn’t be confused with reasoned, factbased discourse. That is the standard to which we hold our students. Personally, I think that is the standard The Smoky Mountain News should hold its editorial contributors to as well.

(Edward J. Lopez is WCU’s BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism. He can be reached at ejlopez@email.wcu.edu.)

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

October 14-20, 2015

n his Oct. 7 letter to the editor, Franklin political activist Dan Kowal cautioned readers not to “buy the corporate charm offensive” coming out of Western Carolina University’s Free Enterprise Speaker Series.

As WCU’s BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism, I oversee the Speaker Series and would like to correct the inaccuracies in Mr. Kowal’s account.

First, Mr. Kowal would have readers believe that BB&T Bank is a corrupt Guest Columnist behemoth that rigs the political process to take money and jobs from working families. His smoking gun is Wikipedia’s statement that BB&T accepted $3.1 billion in TARP bailout money.

The truth is that the federal government forced that money on BB&T, as it did upon other healthy banks. The reason? Because the Fed and Treasury didn’t want to stigmatize the insolvent banks who really did need the money. That’s why BB&T’s Chairman, John Allison, wrote an open letter to Congress protesting all bank bailouts. And that’s why Mr. Allison also blasted TARP as a “huge rip-off ” when BB&T paid the money back in June 2009. It takes but a light scratch beneath the Wikipedia surface to confirm these facts.

Second, Mr. Kowal claims that outside money is hard at work funding corporate propaganda at WCU. The truth is, WCU offers a wide range of intellectual opportunities on a daily basis to our students. ᎩThrough the Center for Service learning, students engage in social activism, community building, and organizing for social change. Just last week an impressive schedule of events celebrated GLBTQ awareness.

And each year countless events mark Constitution Day, Earth Day and more.

Overall there are 150-plus recognized student organizations on campus, each with a faculty advisor, and each with a calendar that brims with activity.

Our students are even exposed to the principles of free enterprise capitalism.

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Cataloochee Ranch 21

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OPEN TO THE PUBLIC LUNCH • DINNER SUNDAY BRUNCH October 14-20, 2015

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Smoky Mountain News

CITY BAKERY 18 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.3881. Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us in our historic location for scratch made soups and daily specials. Breakfast is made to order daily: Gourmet cheddar & scallion biscuits served with bacon, sausage and eggs; smoked trout bagel plate; quiche and fresh fruit parfait. We bake a wide variety of breads daily, specializing in traditional french breads. All of our breads are hand shaped. Lunch: Fresh salads, panini sandwiches. Enjoy outdoor dinning on the deck. Private room available for meetings.

CITY LIGHTS CAFE Spring Street in downtown Sylva.

828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasty, healthy and quick.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more. Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly.

Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

THE CLASSIC WINESELLER 20 Church Street, Waynesville.

828.452.6000. Underground retail wine and craft beer shop, restaurant, and intimate live music venue. Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday serving freshly prepared small plates, tapas, charcuterie, desserts. Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

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828-926-4816

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1819 Country Club Drive Maggie Valley, NC 22

828.452.6210. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu.

Extensive selection of wine and beer.

Reservations honored.

MAGGIEVALLEYCLUB.COM

COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT 3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley.

828.926.1820 Open Daily 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., closed Tuesday. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet.

Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.

FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE 44 Church St. Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in modern regional dishes.

Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

GUADALUPE CAFÉ 606 W. Main Street, Sylva.

828.586.9877. Open 7 days a week at 5 p.m. Located in the historic Hooper’s Drugstore, Guadalupe Café is a chef-owned and operated restaurant serving Caribbean inspired fare complimented by a quirky selection of wines and microbrews.

Supporting local farmers of organic produce, livestock, hand-crafted cheese, and using sustainably harvested seafood.

J. ARTHUR’S RESTAURANT AT MAGGIE VALLEY U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. 828.926.1817.

Lunch Saturday and Sunday noon to 2:30 p.m., dinner nightly starting at 4:30 p.m.

World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome. Take-out menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.

JUKEBOX JUNCTION U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel. 828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM 617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva.

828.586.3555. Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch.

Beer and wine. Free movies with showtimes at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Visit madbatterfoodandfilm.com for this week’s shows.

MOUNTAIN PERKS ESPRESSO BAR & CAFÉ 9 Depot St., Bryson City. 828.488.9561.

Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections.

Bagels, wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and quiche with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts.

PAPERTOWN GRILL 153 Main St., Canton. 828.648.1455 Open 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Serving the local community with great, scratch-made country cooking. Breakfast is

PATIO BISTRO 30 Church Street, Waynesville.

828.454.0070. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Breakfast bagels and sandwiches, gourmet coffee, deli sandwiches for lunch with homemade soups, quiches, and desserts. Wide selection of wine and beer. Outdoor and indoor dining.

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 828.926.0201 Open Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m and Sunday 7:30 a.m to 9 p.m. Full service restaurant serving steaks, prime rib, seafood and dinner specials.

SOUTHERN BOOT, LOUISIANA CUISINE 67 Branner Avenue, Waynesville.

828.246.0053 Lunch served from MondaySaturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner served Monday-Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m & Thursday Saturday 5 to 9 p.m. Southern Boot serves delicious Louisianian food while providing a friendly music venue for musicians of all ages. Feel at home no matter where you’re from. Greeting all customers at the door with a smile.

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REEKSIDE COYSTER HOUSE & GRILL

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TUESDAY: 75¢ Oysters after 4pm WEDNESDAY: AYCE Fish & Shrimp THURSDAY: AYCE Crab Leg FRIDAY: Surf-N-Turf Special SATURDAY: Seafood Trio Special SUNDAY: Low Country Boil

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828.452.7837 3 blocks from Main St. in Waynesville

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828.586.1985 • CLOSED MONDAYS

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SPEEDY’S PIZZA 285 Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.3800.

Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Family-owned for 30 years. Serving hand-tossed pizza made to order, pasta, subs, gourmet salads, calzones and seafood. Also serving excellent prime rib on Thursdays. Dine in or take out available.

Located across from the Fire Station.

TAP ROOM SPORTS BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Dr. Waynesville 828.456.5988. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Enjoy soups, sandwiches, salads and hearty appetizers along with a full bar menu in our casual, smoke-free neighborhood grill.

TWIN MAPLES FARMHOUSE 63 North Hill Street, Waynesville.

828.452.7837. Open for Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Located just two blocks from downtown Waynesville, Twin Maples is available for weddings, receptions, family reunions, birthday parties, showers, luncheons, corporate meetings and retreats.

VITO’S PIZZA 607 Highlands Rd., Franklin.

828.369.9890. Established here in in 1998. Come to Franklin and enjoy our laid back place, a place you can sit back, relax and enjoy our 62” HDTV. Our Pizza dough, sauce, meatballs, and sausage are all made from scratch by Vito.

828-456-1997 blueroostersoutherngrill.com

— Real Local People, Real Local Food — 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, North Carolina Monday-Friday Open at 11am

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Smoky Mountain News

ORGANIC BEANS COFFEE COMPANY 1110 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.668.2326. Open 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Happily committed to brewing and serving innovative, uniquely delicious coffees — and making the world a better place. 100% of our coffee is Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic, all slow-roasted to bring out every note of indigenous flavor.

Bakery offerings include cakes, muffins, cookies and more. Each one is made from scratch in Asheville using only the freshest, all natural ingredients available. We are proud to offer gluten-free and vegan options.

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.

Classic Italian dishes, exceptional steaks and seafood (available in full and lighter sizes), thin crust pizza, homemade soups, salads hand tossed at your table. Fine wine and beer selection. Casual atmosphere, dine indoors, outside on the patio or at the bar. Reservations appreciated.

83 Asheville Hwy. Sylva, NC

October 14-20, 2015

MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB 1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.

served all day. Daily specials including Monday meatloaf, chicken and dumplings on Thursdays and Friday fish.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Franklin NC 28734 Next to the new Super Walmart & Verizon

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23

A&E

Smoky Mountain News

24

The Road to Bean Blossom

Raymond Fairchild enters Bluegrass Hall of Fame

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER eading north on State Road 135, just outside the small town of Nashville, Indiana, the stretch of pavement curves along a mountain ridge, as if you’re rolling along the spine of a snake. Though the last rays of summer are still holding strong back in Western North Carolina, fall colors had spilled onto the endless landscape of multi-colored trees and sheered cornfields in the heartland of America.

With Nashville in the rearview mirror, you roll up and down the foothills of rural Brown County. Soon, a large bright yellow sign appears to your right. You almost have to slam your brakes when it makes itself known at the last second. In big letters it states, “Bill Monroe’s Memorial Music Park & Campground — Home of the Brown County Jamboree.”

Approaching the front gate, an elderly woman, someone’s grandmother in these parts probably, slides the window over and greets you with a smile. You’re here. You’ve arrived.

“Welcome to Bean Blossom, the ‘Home of Bluegrass,’” she proudly stated.

H

THAT HIGH, LONESOME SOUND

My journey to Bean Blossom began a little over three years ago. Although I was aware of bluegrass, and somewhat dabbled in seeing it performed live, that “high, lonesome sound” didn’t click until I arrived in Haywood County in 2012. I’ve always said you can’t throw a rock in this area without hitting a picker, or at least someone who will follow the sounds of bluegrass and mountain music to the ends of the earth.

Look around Waynesville, Sylva, greater Western North Carolina, and you’ll find a plethora of string instruments, all held and plucked by those with a grin from ear-to-ear.

From backporch friends and family on a Saturday afternoon to International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year” Balsam Range (who have seemingly won every honor possible at the IBMAs), Wednesday night jam sessions at the watering hole around the corner to up-and-comers Mountain Faith taking the stage at Radio City Music Hall in front of millions on the “America’s Got Talent” hit television show. It’s all here, and more.

The more I’ve wandered down this rabbit hole, as a journalist and a music lover, the more questions I have about just what this sound is, what it means to those who nurture it, and what does the future hold for honest music that some might say has been passed by in a modern world of fast-paced priorities, short atten-

Bill Monroe’s Memorial Park and Campground j in Bean Blossom, Indiana. Garret K. Woodward photo

“With Raymond, it wasn’t tricks or gimmicks. He’d take that banjo and make it do things nobody had ever seen before.

Hell, I’ve seen Raymond play Earl Scruggs’ own banjo and it still sounded like Raymond.”

— Steve Sutton, banjoist

tion spans and instant gratification, where substance is often traded in for bright lights, loud noises and gimmicks.

And the one person who has fascinated me the most in all my melodic travels around Southern Appalachia is renowned banjoist Raymond Fairchild. Tucked away in the Maggie Valley Opry House for the better part of the last 30 years, Fairchild, at 76, has been performing and touring since he was a teenager.

Once crowned “The Fastest Banjo Player in the World,” Fairchild has played from Timbuktu to Kalamazoo and everywhere in-between, selling millions of records and captivating audiences every night of the week. If there’s a stage to play, he would unbuckle his case, pull out his banjo and stun whoever was in earshot.

Soon knocking on the door of 80, I find my fascination with Fairchild has evolved into a bonafide friendship. I want to document what he has to say or think, and what the “good ole days” were like. Part of that drive comes from my blossoming passion to track down these mountain music and bluegrass old-timers

before they’re gone. Part of it comes from the mere fact that Raymond Fairchild is a legend, and yet, why is nobody jotting down his story or giving him the recognition he deserves?

Some might say it’s because Fairchild had more enemies than friends, while others say it’s because he got off the road a while back due to health issues. Perhaps it’s a little bit of column A and B, or just the aches and pains, emotionally and physically, of simply getting older. But whatever the case, it all resides within a music industry that resembles plate spinning when it comes to staying in the public eye, staying on the charts, and staying relevant in the hearts of the fans.

And when Fairchild was chosen this year to be inducted into Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Bean Blossom on Sept. 26, a renewed sense of interest also emerged. Some folks thought he was long dead. Some figured he was unable to play anymore. But nobody questioned his place in the Hall of Fame or whether he was deserving of the honor.

It was about time he was placed up there in

southern Indiana, besides the likes of Jimmy Martin, Doyle Lawson, and Jim & Jesse. It was also about time for my own ambitions to throw me on the road once again, in search of not only Raymond Fairchild, but also the fate of bluegrass.

FINGERS LIKE LIGHTNING

So, just who is Raymond Fairchild?

“Raymond Fairchild is an icon to me, of mountain music and of bluegrass banjo,” said Marc Pruett, banjoist of Balsam Range. “He was, and is, very gifted. He has the fastest, quickest right hand thumb I think I’ve ever seen. He and Don Reno were the only two guys I can think of who were that fast and that talented. The way Raymond plays the banjo pulls such a sensitive, accurate melody out of it that most players just can’t do it.”

A Grammy-winning musician and bluegrass legend in his own right, Pruett remembers being a kid and seeing Fairchild playing alongside the road, performing at the Hillbilly Funhouse (now a campground) in Maggie Valley. It was the mid1960s, a time when the town was bustling with tourists along a two-lane road, a far cry from the five-lane easy access to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort these days.

“Back then, the musicians would play and place speakers near the road. There was no air conditioning in most cars, so folks had their

S EE B EAN B LOSSOM, PAGE 26 —

Garret K. Woodward photo

A conversation with Raymond Fairchild

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER

Garret K. Woodward: So, how are you feeling these days?

Raymond Fairchild: Well, I feel pretty good. But, you know, as you get older, you feel worse.

I was told “good luck.”

GKW: Did you ever think you’d ever make it to 76?

RF: Years ago, I didn’t think I’d make 76, but it feels pretty good, though there ain’t no such thing as your golden years.

“What separates [bluegrass] from other types of music is when you see a band working together, it’s like a team of horses. You’ve got a team of horses out in the field, with the plow, and if one horse is lying down not doing their job, you ain’t going to get much work done.”

— Raymond Fairchild

GKW: Do you remember the first time you came here?

RF: I believe it was 1977 or 1978. I played all over the United States and the world, but Bean Blossom was always on my mind. I used to listen to Bill on the radio when I was a kid. I listened to him and I wondered what he looked like. I listened to his voice. I wondered if he was great big man or a little short man. When I finally met him, I realized he was a powerful man. P-o-w-e-r-f-u-l. He had such a range in his voice where he could go down low to the dirt or he could sing to the top of the trees. Listen to “Danny Boy” if you want to listen to the range of Bill Monroe.

GKW: What does this induction into his Bluegrass Hall of Fame mean?

RF: Well, I’m 76. It would have been way more exciting 10 or 15 years ago.

GKW: You’re saying it should have happened a lot earlier?

RF: Dwight Dillman (owner of the Hall of Fame and campground) is the man that thought enough of me to induct me. I appreciate it. But, it ain’t no big thrill. It don’t mean as much to me now.

Smoky Mountain News

part moonshiner, part businessman, all-around picker and grinner, Raymond is another voice in the rich tapestry of heritage and history that continues to make this region one of the most mysterious and storied in the world. As I left the Opry House during that first encounter, Raymond pulled me aside. He looked me dead in the eye, with a thousand-yard stare that gets more than his point across. He was sizing me up, if but for a moment.

“You know you’re the only journalist I’ve met that ain’t full of shit,” he smiled. “And if you keep it that way, you’ll do well in life.”

You see, what people don’t understand is how someone so talented as Raymond could be so stubborn. Personally, I never looked at his motives or life choices as stubborn — far from it. Raymond always stuck to his guns, and proceeded into the directions that were most beneficial for the moral and financial stability of his family. With little formal education, and from the most modest of upbringings, Raymond Fairchild has taken his time on this earth and made something truly unique of himself — a legend.

GKW: What does it mean to be here in Bean Blossom?

RF: It means a lot to me because Bill Monroe started Bean Blossom, and when you listen to bluegrass music, only one man really played bluegrass music, and that man was Bill Monroe — the rest are copycats. Bill started it, and the rest have tried to replicate it. Now, there are great singers and great pickers, don’t get me wrong, but true bluegrass is only one man — Bill Monroe. Flatt and Scruggs was more country, The Stanley brothers were definitely mountain music, The Osborne Brothers were more country, and Jimmy Martin was more country. A lot of them weren’t like Bill, but they went and changed their sound to do what he did. You can try all you want, but only Bill Monroe can play Bill Monroe. Bill was one in a hill. Do you know what that means? It means if you raised a tater patch, he’d be one in a hill. There was only one Bill.

October 14-20, 2015

In August 2012, as one of my first assignments for The Smoky Mountain News, I found myself at the doorstep of the Maggie Valley Opry House. Owned and operated by acclaimed banjoist Raymond Fairchild, I was told “good luck” when it came to actually having a civil interview with the bluegrass icon. Referred to as “crabby” or “ironclad,” I wondered just how well my sit-down with him would actually go.

At that time, the Opry House was entering its 25th year, still running seven nights a week from May through October, with Fairchild, 73, and his wife, Shirley, always keeping the light on. In its prime some years back, the building would be filled to the brim with bluegrass lovers from far and wide, all eager to lay eyes and ears on the five-time world banjo champion in the flesh. These days, there are more empty seats than filled ones, more faded black and white photos lining the walls than new additions. But, the sounds radiating from the stage were as fierce and commanding as ever.

“It’s great here, but people just don’t turn out to sit like I think they should. They got other music on their mind, especially the youngsters,” Raymond said. “Some of the old people will come here and sit, but very few young people. I think bluegrass and mountain music are the greatest sounds in the world and they’ve done suffered. Music doesn’t have to be jazzed up, but this suffers.”

Strolling up to the front entrance, Raymond and his longtime cronies were sitting on ripped out car backseats and musty couches, pickin’ mountain melodies, perhaps even tossing around an old wise tale or two. To the untrained eye, it was a scene where one might think you’re just looking at a forgotten pile of junk and broken parts — of metal, of fabric, and of flesh. But, to those with curiosity and an ear for pure gold, it was the center of the universe.

“Twenty-five years means I’m 25 years older. I ain’t got rich, but I could have done things and ended up a lot worse,” Raymond chuckled. “My wife started the Opry House. I was on the road, doing 200 shows a year, when she started this.

She wanted to open a place for nothing but mountain music.

If you want to live to be old, don’t walk through that door with an electric instrument. You’re dead on the spot. She loves mountain music that much, all acoustic. That was our goal and that’s the way it’s going to stay.”

I sat there with Raymond for over an hour. We covered his entire career, from numerous onstage performances at the Grand Ole Opry to the mesmerizing nature of his hit single “Whoa Mule,” selling two million records (a rarity in the music industry, let alone in bluegrass) to the future of the sounds he cherishes most. He was sincere as he was skeptical on my being there. Raymond is a man of few words, and yet, it only takes a few words to truly understand quite possibly the most misunderstood figure in bluegrass.

“Well, I don’t know how long I’ll be here at the Opry House. I may be here five years or this may be my last year,” he said. “My wife’s having problems. She’s sick. I’m sick. But when I leave here, it’ll be a sad day. With a quarter century, this has become a second home. I’m here for the people and of course you got to charge to pay the light bill and the rent.

I’m here for them. I just hope they would realize this is the place to hear it.”

We finished our interview, and I felt I got what a came for — a singular story of success and survival. Part Cherokee,

arts & entertainment

Stand tall or don’t stand at all

And when it was announced this year that Raymond, now 76, would be inducted into Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Bean Blossom, Indiana, it seemed an ideal time to head up there and have another rendezvous with him. We discussed just what his legacy is, and how his faith in the perpetuation of bluegrass has never wavered. As others may have jumped the ship for shore, Raymond will always hold steady in his convictions, come hell or high water.

Raymond Fairchild backstage in Bean Blossom, Indiana.

GKW: Why? RF: Well, because I was younger and working then. It could have helped get bigger stages and shows when I was touring more. I don’t need no recognition now. Hell, I’m dead. [Laughs]. Somebody asked me the other day what

S EE FAIRCHILD, PAGE 26 25

arts & entertainment

FAIRCHILD, CONTINUED FROM 25

Bobby Osborne onstage in Bean Blossom, Indiana.

kind of future are you looking forward to, and I told them “a short one.”

Garret K. Woodward photo

GKW: What do you want your legacy to be?

RF: Well, I don’t care. I won’t be around anyhow, so what would I care?

GKW: What about as a musician?

RF: There are three styles of banjo — Earl Scruggs, Don Reno, and Raymond Fairchild. That’s it right there. The rest are copycats.

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2015

GKW: Explain to me the animal that is the banjo.

RF: I chose the banjo because I always loved the sound. In fact, I picked the guitar for many years before I played banjo.

I still have the first banjo my daddy ever bought me, a 1956 RB-150 Gibson. I’ve still got it, and I’ve been offered a good price for it. But it means the world to me.

It’s the banjo I raised my family with, the one I cut many records with.

GKW: When I talked to bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson, he said you should have been inducted into the Hall of Fame years ago.

RF: Well, Doyle is a man with his own style. Ain’t nobody need to try and copy Doyle Lawson or The Osborne Brothers or Jimmy Martin. And that’s why Jimmy fussed so much because he needed a hundred percent from his guys. He could stand there surrounded by six guys and he could immediately tell which instrument was out of tune. He was what you could call a perfectionist.

GKW: What do you see as the fate of bluegrass?

RF: Bluegrass is not going to die, but it’s going to change whether you and me like it or not.

GKW: What makes bluegrass and mountain music so special?

RF: What separates it from other types of music is when you see a band working together, it’s like a team of horses. You’ve got a team of horses out in the field, with the plow, and if one horse is lying down not doing their job, you ain’t going to get much work done. Four or five men up there, everyone doing their part with timing, melody and singing, and one man, even in the best five, can drag them down and kill’em.

GKW: The Bluegrass Hall of Fame has names like Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Flatt & Scruggs, and now Raymond Fairchild, in it. What do you think about that?

RF: Well, I think it’s great because all of them are masters. It does mean something to be in there — it’s an honor. I’m 76 years old, and been at it and in the music industry for 62 years. I’m glad I made it, you know? I’ve traveled thousands upon thousands upon thousands of 26 miles, and I’m still here.

“When I heard Bill Monroe play on the Grand Ole Opry, I fell in love with that sound. There’s always been bluegrass and there always will be. You can’t hide behind bluegrass. You can’t hide anything. If you can’t play, you might as well get off of the stage.”

— Bobby Osborne

B EAN B LOSSOM, CONTINUED FROM 24 windows rolled down and could hear the music when they passed,” Pruett said. “And my goodness, was that music powerful. You could hear it a quarter-mile or more away.”

To this day, Pruett never forgot the influence Fairchild had on his musical aspirations.

Alongside Flatt & Scruggs on the radio and television, Pruett places Fairchild up there as one of the first who helped pave the way to his ultimate passion in life.

“For me personally, Raymond has been a friend and an inspiration musically,” he said.

“He is a person who is determined to work hard, with a strong ethic to make a living from his talents, and I just have the utmost respect for that.”

Those sentiments and memories are something echoed from another acclaimed Haywood County banjoist, Steve Sutton. A Grammy-nominated, multiple IBMA award-

winner, Sutton has toured with the likes of Jimmy Martin, Alecia Nugent, and Rhonda Vincent, to name a few. And through his lifelong pursuit of bluegrass and mountain music, Sutton also remembers where it all began.

“Raymond was the first banjo player I ever saw in person,” Sutton reminisced. “It was 1965, I was about 7 years old, watching Flatt and Scruggs on TV. I loved watching Earl Scruggs play that banjo, and my daddy said he knew of a guy who played up on the side of the road in Maggie Valley.”

Sutton was in awe of Fairchild’s intricate playing. He’d never seen something like that, and immediately wanted to be up there, onstage, doing the same thing.

“I wanted to play,” Sutton said. “I asked my daddy right then and there if I could get a banjo, and I did that Christmas. I learned how to play through the winter, and come spring, I was over there at the Hillbilly Funhouse playing alongside Raymond, learn-

ing everything I could from him, watching everything he did.”

In an effort to maybe get a few extra tips from passerby tourists, Fairchild would pass off Sutton as his son onstage, saying the folks in the crowd (Sutton’s parents) were kind enough to watch him for Fairchild when he was up there trying make money “to pay the electric bill.”

“And if we drew a crowd, we’d pass the hat around and it’d fill up with tips,” Sutton chuckled. “And Raymond would always give me all the money in the hat, which is what I saved up and used to buy my first real nice banjo a couple years later.”

Sutton never forgot Fairchild’s generosity, nor the influence he had on the starry-eyed youngster ready and eager to take on the world, which for bluegrass musicians is the Grand Ole Opry and Bean Blossom (something Sutton has done numerous times since then).

“He was just so unique in his style, and still is. Nobody can play like Raymond. He was such a stylist, just like Don Reno and Earl Scruggs — he could play anything,” Sutton said. “With Raymond, it wasn’t tricks or gimmicks. He’d take that banjo and make it do things nobody had ever seen before. Hell, I’ve seen Raymond play Earl Scruggs own banjo and it still sounded like Raymond.”

What about Fairchild being perhaps overlooked for years? j “Well, Raymond quit touring a lot and stayed home at the Opry House, and in this day and age, you get forgotten so fast,” Sutton noted. “I really hate that a lot of people didn’t get to see Raymond in his prime, or even know he’s up there in the Opry House, because he is one the greatest that ever was.

He was so respected by all of his peers and all of the top-tier banjoists.”

And now that he’s getting inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame?

“Hopefully, it’s just the beginning of some recognition that’s long overdue,” Sutton added. “Bean Blossom is certainly a fitting place for him to be honored, and I hope this could someday mean he also gets honored by the IBMAs. I’ve learned so much from Raymond and he deserves every bit of this induction.”

INDIANA INDUCTION

Streaming into Bill Monroe’s Memorial Music Park & Campground in Bean Blossom, you find yourself entering a space, a bubble I think, where the atmosphere takes on a different feel than anywhere else. The air takes on a more carefree tone, where your stride slows down and your mind is at ease. You gaze up at trees hanging overhead and look down at stones along your path, all the while wondering just what sights and sounds they have witnessed. It’s the type of place you swear you’ve been before, even if it’s the first time you’ve ever stepped foot on the property — you’re at home, even if you started out thousands of miles away.

It’s Friday, and though Fairchild isn’t going to be inducted for another 24 hours, I take the opportunity to immerse myself in the sacred location and distinctive people I’ve read and heard about for years. This is the

being inducted.

“I remember as a kid seeing Raymond on the Grand Ole Opry, and I cannot tell you how many times I went and saw him play at the Maggie Valley Opry House — he is a legend and an idol of mine,” Brayden said.

“Raymond is a living legend,” Summer added. “He was really good to us growing up, always encouraging us when we were just starting. You always know what you’re going to get with a Raymond Fairchild show, and that’s real music from the heart.”

arts & entertainment

THE HOME OF BILL MONROE

Ronnie Reno

“It’s about the young people, where I hope they learn from the older ones who have made it work — this music needs someone to take care of it.”

— Larry Sparks

and white hair, there’s a youthful vibe that shoots through them, as if time has no meaning in the presence of songs immortal.

It’s a sense of pure love and appreciation at Bean Blossom. You see it everywhere. Folks are silent during each performance. You could hear a pin drop. They’re here to hear every note played, every musician who takes center stage and let’s his or her heart push through the speakers and into the heavens above.

And standing there, during Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver’s magical set of angelic vocal harmonies and joyous pickin’, I started to wonder — why in the hell am I pretty much the only person under 55 here? Where is everybody? Aren’t there bluegrass freaks like myself, my age, who would claw their way to Bean Blossom if they just knew who was here?

“Well, most kids your age don’t appreciate these guys,” an older gentleman said to me back at the campground, around a fire, as he handed me a beer. “Most kids your age like these hippy bands who jam, and son, that

Jesse McReynolds ain’t bluegrass — it just ain’t.”

“No matter what it is, hippy band or traditional, it’s about string music and being part of something bigger than yourself,” another said from across the fire. “This music needs to live, and thrive, and this is the mecca for that.”

“You need to tell all those young folks back home just what you saw here,” a lady nearby added. “You need to tell them just how special this is, that it’ll be gone someday if they don’t come here and bring Bean Blossom into the next generation.”

“To be honest, when I saw Jesse McReynolds (of Jim & Jesse) up there playing today, I thought he was long dead,” I replied.

“He sounded incredible up there, and yet, I thought he passed away years ago.”

I paused for a moment when that statement came out of my mouth. Standing backstage next to McReynolds earlier, I had no idea who he was until someone introduced him to me. At 86, his live show was something to behold, full of trademark old-school bluegrass and mountain music, with friendly banter between each melody. A true showman, where others could stand to take note and see just “how it’s done.”

“At my age, I’m just thankful to be anywhere,” McReynolds laughed backstage. “I’ve been coming to Bean Blossom since the early 1950s. This is acoustic music, ain’t nothing added to it. It brings people together, and this is the place to be — the heart of bluegrass.”

MAN OF THE HOUR Early Saturday morning. The sun has only been up a short while. And though it may seem early to rise for a 30-year-old journalist, most of the attendees are already on their third cup of coffee and planning out what’s for lunch.

After tracking down some bacon and eggs, I head towards the main pavilion to find a place to sit. Halfway through my meal an old tour bus rolls up. It parks itself a few yards away. A moment later, Raymond Fairchild appears. The man of the hour has arrived. He walks with a slight limp through the morning dew of the grass, the dust of the roads surrounding the performance field.

Smoky Mountain News

tering by. It’s Ronnie Reno, son of late banjo legend Don Reno. Front man these days for The Reno Tradition, Ronnie was born and bred on Bean Blossom, coming here as a kid and watching his day perform in the 1950s.

“It’s a special feeling to come and play, and be, here,” he said. “I was raised in bluegrass, and back then, it wasn’t even called that. It was ‘hillbilly’ or ‘traditional.’ This music isn’t mechanical. You can’t go in a studio and replicate what you see onstage here. It is what it is — it’s America’s music.”

Seeing as Ronnie’s father is Don Reno, I have to ask his thoughts on Raymond Fairchild.

“In terms of the banjo, there’s my dad and Raymond, and then everyone else,” Ronnie said. “Raymond is a wonderful banjo player.

I’ve always enjoyed his showmanship, and it means a lot that he’s getting inducted this year.”

Leaving the bus lot, I head towards the stage. A pretty basic structure of wood and nails, the building is anything but ordinary, especially when one sees all the autographs on the back walls, where if you look closely, you can see “Merle Haggard,” “Dr. Ralph Stanley” and “Peter Rowan,” among an endless alphabet soup of signatures.

Around the corner, on the back balcony, Summer (fiddle) and Brayden (banjo) McMahan of Mountain Faith are warming up for their performance in the coming minutes.

The Sylva-based group recently had their first number one hit on the national bluegrass charts, with Summer taking home the IBMA “Momentum Award – Vocalist” that following week, which spotlights the finest up-andcoming bluegrass outfits. Fresh off their star appearance on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” at Radio City Music Hall, she looks at Bean Blossom as the pinnacle of bluegrass stages alongside the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I’ve dreamed of playing Bean Blossom my whole life,” she said. “I walked around early this morning and you can just feel it, the legends that have come here. We’ve worked our whole lives to play this venue, and it’s a real honor to get up there.”

Also Western North Carolina natives, Mountain Faith are well aware of the importance of Raymond Fairchild, one of their own,

It’s Friday evening and the music is in full swing. All throughout the day troves of folks steadily emerge from their campsites and RVs, many in jean overalls, a cowboy hat, with handkerchiefs hanging from back pockets. By the time Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top Xpress step up to the microphone, the crowd is restless. The want to here the voice of “Bobby Boy,” with numerous voices shouting song requests from the darkness, the most popular of which being “Ruby Are You Mad.” Osborne plows through his set. Though his hands may shake a tad strapping on his mandolin, once the instrument is around his neck, his fingers flutter up and down the fret board like a hummingbird. The band is cooking behind him, running on all cylinders. Finally, his signature howl radiates from the speakers, “Ohhh Ruuuubbbbbyyyyyy, honey are you mad at your man?” The crowd erupts in applause, cheering on Osborne. And though the audience is made up of mostly hearing aids

October 14-20, 2015

41st anniversary of the fall festival (Uncle Pen Days, when the Hall of Fame induction occurs) and also the 49th year of the spring celebration. Stepping onto a nearby tour bus, a firm handshake is extended my way from legendary mandolinist Doyle Lawson who was set to play that evening.

“For me, and for a lot of people, Bean Blossom is hallowed ground,” he said. “I always look forward to coming here. Each time we get off the highway in Columbus, head through Nashville and up to Bean Blossom, I always think of Bill [Monroe]. I see him in my mind like it was yesterday.”

At 71, Lawson is considered an elder statesman of bluegrass. It’s an odd thing for him to ponder, thinking back on being a young kid around the likes of Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and Jimmy Martin. But, it’s also the nature of the beast that is life — a constantly moving wheel of time and space, purpose and pursuit.

“I know you can’t undo the past, and time marches on, but it means a whole lot to me that Bean Blossom is still here, that Bill’s festival is still here after all these years. It’s a privilege to play that stage,” he said. “I’ve been playing bluegrass since I was 11 years old. It all started with hearing Bill Monroe on the radio when I was a kid. Something about that high, lonesome tenor voice of his, something about that sound known as bluegrass just got into my heart and it never left.”

When asked about Raymond Fairchild being inducted this year, an honor Lawson himself received in year’s past, he gets quiet for a moment, with a laugh soon echoing out of a big smile.

“It’s ‘Fairchild Style’ — Raymond always played the way Raymond wanted to play,” he said. “Raymond is an individual. He carved his own way, and that’s what’s so great about him. He and I grew up in the old days when it was important to have your own identity. He’s not only a great guy, he is one of fastest and finest banjo pickers I’ve ever seen.”

A couple buses over sits Bobby Osbourne, iconic front man for The Osborne Brothers, a group whose faces would easily be found on the Mount Rushmore of bluegrass, mountain and country music. Known for their hits “Rocky Top” and “Ruby Are You Mad,” only Bobby, age 83, still hits the road these days, walking onstage each night in innumerable towns and cities, doing what it is he was put on this earth to do — play music.

“I got started out in country music in the 1950s, but when I heard Bill Monroe play on the Grand Ole Opry, I fell in love with that sound,” he said. “There’s always been bluegrass and there always will be. You can’t hide behind bluegrass. You can’t hide anything. If you can’t play, you might as well get off of the stage.”

What about Raymond Fairchild getting added to the Hall of Fame this weekend, alongside names like The Osborne Brothers?

“I’ve known Raymond a long, long time,” Bobby said. “He’s always been a great guy, a great player, with a great band. He being inducted should have happened before, but it’s just his turn right now, and he deserves to be in here with the rest of us.”

Saying goodbye to Osborne, I step off his bus and immediately recognize a face saun-

S EE B EAN B LOSSOM, PAGE 28 27

Popping open his cases, he displays a handful of banjos, a few of which are for sale if the right price is suggested. There are boxes upon boxes of albums ready to be taken home. Once he has set up shop, we head for the tour bus for a sit-down interview (see page 25). He’s cordial, a tad feisty, with a presence that demands your attention. After about 15 minutes I turn off my recorder, but not before Fairchild introduces me to his bus driver, Bill Scoggins.

“You need to say hello to my friend Bill,” Fairchild stated. “If you don’t talk to this fine man, you might as well not write about me.

Bill has been with me for years. We’ve traveled hundreds of thousands of miles together.”

A long-time friend of Fairchild’s, Scoggins also played for several years with him onstage at the Maggie Valley Opry House.

“Raymond is the best banjo picker I ever saw,” Scoggins said. “He does thing most can’t, he can make it almost talk like a human being. He’s one of the last of that original generation. You don’t hear people play like that anymore. This induction is important to him, to me, to his fans, and to bluegrass music as a whole.”

A few hours later, Fairchild is sitting up onstage, in front of the entire Bean Blossom faithful. There’s a slight grin creeping up from each side of his mouth. For a man who usually plays it straight ahead and is a little rough around the edges, Fairchild is truly humbled by the induction ceremony. Standing proudly behind him is Scoggins, with a few noticeable

Bill Scoggins tears in his eyes.

Stepping up to the microphone, bluegrass legend Larry Sparks gives a speech to present Fairchild with the honor. Fairchild’s grin turns into a full-fledged smile when a letter is read to him by Sparks. It’s a letter from another legend of the genre, another dear friend from along Fairchild’s long and sometimes arduous journey — Alison Krauss. A Hall of Famer himself (at Bean Blossom and the IBMAs), Sparks knows just how important this award is.

“This honor is your work and your life,” Sparks said afterwards. “It’s for all those friends and family, those people and those

Raymond Fairchild with Larry Sparks. fans who stayed with you all these years.

When you’re walking on the grounds of Bean Blossom, you’re walking on the grounds of history.”

Like many, Sparks also feels Fairchild’s induction is long overdue.

“Raymond has been with us a long time and he deserves to be in here as much as anybody who is already there,” he said. “He’s an original. When you heard him play, you knew exactly who is was.”

In a couple hours it’ll be Sunday. I pack up my gear and ready myself for the seven hour trek back to Haywood County. Walking back up the hill from the stage, I see Sparks signing

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2015

arts & entertainment

B EAN B LOSSOM, CONTINUED FROM 27

SMOKY MOUNTAIN INDIAN MOTORCYCLE 82 LOCUST DR, WAYNESVILLE, NC 28786 (828) 452-7276 - WWW.SMSH.CO 28

a few autographs and talking with a handful of friendly faces. They eventually mosey on, with Sparks standing there, by himself. I approach him and ask for a few more minutes of his time. I want to know, what’s next for all of this, for Bean Blossom and bluegrass in general?

“You can ‘drive’ any car you want, but you got to stay within the lines, the boundaries that make bluegrass great. It’s not easy to do, but that’s what it’ll take to survive,” he said, scanning the property. “It’s about the young people, where I hope they learn from the older ones who have made it work — this music needs someone to take care of it.”

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

HOT PICKS 1 2 3 4 5

— Zach DuPont

Editor’s Note: The DuPont Brothers will be performing on Friday, Oct. 16, at Nantahala Brewing Company in Bryson City; Saturday, Oct. 17, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville; and Thursday, Oct. 22, at The Altamont Theatre in Asheville. For more information on the band or tickets, click on www.dupontbrothersmusic.com or www.nantahalabrewing.com or www.38main.com or www.thealtamont.com.

JOIN US FOR ARTS EVENTS AT WCU OCT. 19 | MON. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $

FOA Members Concert: The Steep Canyon Rangers OCT. 22 | THUR. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | FREE

Guest Speaker: Morphosis Architects: Ideas Without Walls OCT. 25 | SUN. 3PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $

Performance: United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra OCT. 30 | FRI. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $

Performance: Asheville Lyric Opera: Barber of Seville

SAVE THE DATE: NOV. 22 | SUN. 3PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $

DAVID HOLT’S STATE OF MUSIC LIVE

Smoky Mountain News

“The music is all twisted up with our travels in the most fantastic way — one of the best things a songwriter can do is get more life experience to share and the road is filled with fodder for contemplation.”

SMN: What are you coming across out there on the open road of America? In that, how is what you’re witnessing and immersing yourself in affecting your outlook as performers, as artists and songwriters?

ZD: Touring is beautiful, fun, challenging, full of exploration, and lonely all at the same time. It’s like hanging out in a free sample bar of America. You get a short little taste of each city, town and state. Meet the people, eat the food, play the tunes, then go on your way. When you’re moving from first impression to the next, it tends to bring out the best in you. We’ve always found that aspect of the road to be fascinating. We get to sort of reinvent ourselves on a daily basis and through that process new aspects and corners of our personalities are revealed. The music is all twisted up with our travels in the most fantastic way — one of the best things a songwriter can do is get more life experi-

SMN: What do you see as the place of the singer-songwriter in this modern world? Is the idea of an honest lyrical content and persona onstage or off as important now as ever?

SD: There’s a song for everyone out there, and lots of pop is brilliant in its own right, but honest and true songs have always withstood the test of time. That approach resonates in our writing style. We tend to draw from the most real experiences life has given to us. Appealing to the humanness within our listeners is important to us. We want them to think and to feel. In that tradition, the songwriter has always provoked personalized emotional connection through authentic lyrics. It could be a song encapsulating a specific time period or a very potent memory, or specific group of tunes that helped carry someone through a period of pain or growth.

Songs have a way of attaching themselves to our lives. That’s what makes them timeless — the good ones don’t have expiration dates.

October 14-20, 2015

It’s about chipping away.

When you come into this world, you’re a block of unknown potential. Untouched and ready to be molded into whatever shape and size your ultimate destiny takes. And those lines and curves of your being come from experience, from wandering and discovering, on your own, just what you’re made of.

Like a snake shedding skin, each passing year is another layer of your character revealed. For myself, those subterranean depths emerge from endless travel. It’s crisscrossing America, from coast to coast, town to town, The DuPont Brothers. in order to soak in the essence of all that surrounds me. I want to see it all, experience every possible angle of whatever it is that presents itself to me.

For The DuPont Brothers, it’s “The Queen of Bluegrass” Rhonda Vincent & just that. The Vermont-based The Rage will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. Americana/folk duo has spent 16, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. the better part of the last three years ricocheting up and down The Western Carolina University the Eastern Seaboard, absorbing Homecoming 2015 will be Oct. 21-25 in their everyday interactions and Cullowhee and Sylva. channeling them — distilling them into the songbird tone, cosA homebrew and chili cook-off will be held at mic lyrics and intricate guitar 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Frog Level chords that has become their sigBrewing in Waynesville. nature sound.

The Trail Magic No. 12 release party will be And within that time, they’ve Oct. 16-17 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson garnered quite the following City. Live music by The DuPont Brothers around Western North Carolina.

(Americana/folk) Oct. 16 at 8 p.m.

Anyone amid their presence becomes immediately entranced The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) by their stage act. You’re witnesswill have Abbie Morin (Americana/jazz) at 9 ing something unique, somep.m. Oct. 17. thing you can’t quite put your finger on, but you know you tion that it is has been the healthiest thing need to immerse yourself in it until the we could possibly do to grow our band. answer is revealed, for whatever questions your soul might be pondering in the grand After a huge push the last couple of years, we’re starting to see a humbling enchantscheme of things. ment in the eyes of the audience and excitement about the music we’re creating and Smoky Mountain News: What does the how we’re presenting it. current landscape of The DuPont Brothers look like? What do you see?

SMN: You have established yourselves Zack DuPont: Lately, we’ve really hit as road warriors over the last couple of our stride as a touring act and how we years — consistent touring, constantly crefunction out on the road. There is no ques-

ence to share and the road is filled with fodder for contemplation.

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

ating new material. What has this shown you about the work ethic and potential of The DuPont Brothers?

Sam DuPont: We’re living it now. It’s more real than ever before and it’s invigorating that we’ve been able to grow so much with just the support of a publicist. All the miles, towns and shows are positively impacting our progress, which is all any act can hope for. Awareness and focus towards building a solid administrative plan has been a real help, too. We try to take the business side as seriously as we do the music to keep ourselves on track and the train in motion.

VISIT THE FINE ART MUSEUM FOR ONGOING EXHIBITS | FINEARTMUSEUM.WCU.EDU

EVENTS ARE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE COLLEGE OF FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS AT WCU. JOIN FRIENDS OF THE ARTS TODAY!

FOR MORE INFO – 828.227.7028 | ARTS.WCU.EDU 29

presents

TELLICO Tellico is a recent product of Asheville NC’s thriving roots music scene, its members well-schooled in bluegrass but with an unbridled organic Appalachiacana sound. This new band as of 2014 features the singing and songwriting of Anya Hinkle (guitar, fiddle, vocals) and Stig Stiglets (bass, vocals), formerly of Dehlia Low, with Aaron Ballance (also formerly of Dehlia Low) on dobro and Jed Willis (formerly of Town Mountain, Wooden Toothe) on mandolin and clawhammer banjo.

Well known for their rootsy, authentic singing and vocal harmony, as well as in the hard-edge nostalgic yet modern themes of their songwriting, the quartet combines some of the finest voices, songs and instrumental prowess in western North Carolina and beyond.

In previous lineups, the band’s members have performed at some of the nation’s most prestigious festivals and venues including Merlefest, Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Mountain Song Festival, and the Freight and Salvage. Aaron also won the Rockygrass Dobro

in concert

Competition in 2010. Anya, Stig and Aaron also recorded under the Rebel Records label in 2011 for Dehlia Low’s “Ravens and Crows” album.

“Tellico’s music is easy enough to understand at first: acoustic music rooted in Appalachian traditions that is memorable and well played, with a female lead singer whose voice is as dreamy and sad as it is soulful and sweet. But there's so much more to it than that, and uncovering all the layers of what makes Tellico special can become a kind of captivating mystery story. Here you have members of bands Dehlia Low and Town Mountain making music that is both true to their roots but unique and fresh. Its music that can appeal to die-hard old-time, bluegrass, ragtime and blues fans while bending the ears of folks who never liked songs that even came close to a pair of overalls. Front and center is the voice of Anya Hinkle, who reminds me of Billie Holiday in a Carter Family setting; she seals the deal. I’m very much looking forward to hearing their first album.”

— Joe Kendrick, Director, WNCW 88.7 FM

SATURDAY, OCT. 17 • 7 P.M. $10 General Admission; Children 6-16 half price; Under 6 free

www.CoweeSchool.org/music.html and can be picked up at Cowee School the night of the show, or may be purchased at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce.

Season tickets are also available.

October 14-20, 2015

We Can Help!

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Smoky Mountain News

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This year’s concert series is sponsored in part by:

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Grammy Award-winning bluegrass supergroup Steep Canyon Rangers will perform at a membership concert for the Western Carolina University Friends of the Arts at 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 19, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee.

The Rangers started as a group of friends playing music together for fun at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but after more than a dozen years together, their performance credits have grown to include television shows “Austin City Limits,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” the “Today” show and “Bluegrass Underground;” radio shows “A Prairie Home Companion,” “The Grand Ole Opry” and “Mountain Stage;” and celebrity events like the Neil Young Bridge School Benefit.

Their first album collaboration with banjo-picking actor/comedian Steve Martin in 2011, “Rare Bird Alert,” won them the Entertainers of the Year recognition from the International Bluegrass Music Association and the album was nominated for a Grammy award in 2012. In 2013, the group’s album “Nobody Knows You” won the Grammy in the Best Bluegrass Album category. They were nominated by the IBMA again in 2014

Bookstore

Coffee with Poet Tina Barr THURSDAY, OCT. 15 • 10:30 A.M.

arts & entertainment

WCU Friends welcome Steep Canyon Rangers

Ron Rash to Read at the JCPL FRIDAY, OCT. 16 • 6:30 P.M. 3 EAST JACKSON STREET • SYLVA

828/586-9499 • citylightsnc.com

Steep Canyon Rangers will play Cullowhee on Oct. 19. Donated photo for the Instrumental Performance of the Year award for the song “Graveyard Fields.”

Members of Friends of the Arts can receive free tickets to the concert. The number of free tickets available to a member corresponds to the level of participation in the organization, from one ticket at the student level up to six at the highest level. Remaining tickets will go on

sale for $35 at the box office of the Bardo Arts Center at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16.

The concert is sponsored by Dale’s Pale Ale, SevenBar Aviation, Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital and celebrates the fifth anniversary of the Friends of the Arts. www.wcu.edu or 828.227.7028.

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Ulrich, Naigus recitals at WCU

Community band presents the sounds of America The Haywood Community Band will present a concert of music that recalls the breadth of the American landscape at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Maggie Valley Community Pavilion.

Attendees will hear the “Blue Ridge Saga”

by James Swearingen, a folk setting that

reflects on the beauty and history of the Blue Ridge Mountains, “Kentucky – 1800” based on three traditional tunes reminiscent of the years when the pioneers were forging West, and the American folk song “The Water Is Wide.” Also on the program are the beloved AfricanAmerican spiritual “My Lord, What a Mornin’,” “National Emblem March,” the theme from John Williams’ film score “The Cowboys,” an arrangement of “This is My Country,” and the 1960s song “On Broadway.”

The free program is sponsored by the Maggie Valley Civic Association and supported in part by a grant from the Haywood County Arts Council. The community band has its final performance of the 2015 season at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

If you are interested in performing with the band, contact Rhonda Wilson Kram at 828.456.4880. Rehearsals for the 2016 season begin the first Thursday of March next year.

Customer Appreciation Day Country Road Farms NURSERY AND TACK & WESTERN STORE

Saturday, October 17 11am - 4pm

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Bluegrass Music with the Carmel Ridge Band of Chesnee, SC

from 11am - 3pm

Smoky Mountain News

There will be two upcoming music recitals in the Coulter Building at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

Bradley Ulrich, professor of trumpet, will perform music written by fellow faculty member Bruce Frazier at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Ulrich will be accompanied by Lillian Buss-Pearson (piano), Caroline Ulrich (flute), Amy Gilreath of Illinois State University and Larry Black (both trumpets), along with members of the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet and WCU Trumpet Ensemble. The recital will feature “Blue Ridge Suite,” a four-movement composition for solo trumpet and brass quintet, visually accompanied by a slideshow of scenes from Southern Appalachia.

Compositions written and performed by James Naigus, a music instructor from the

University of Iowa, will be performed at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. Naigus will be performing on both horn and piano. He will be joined on the program by WCU faculty members Travis Bennett (horn) and Zsolt Szabo (trombone).

Both events are free. www.wcu.edu.

Legendary crooner Tony Bennett will perform at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Harrah’s Cherokee. Tickets start at $45.50. www.harrahs cherokee.com.

October 14-20, 2015

‘The Queen of Bluegrass’ Rhonda Vincent & The Rage will perform at 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 16, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Tickets start at $75. www.38main.com or 828.283.0079.

41 HALL TOWN ROAD SYLVA, NC MON-SAT 8-5 HIGHWAY 441 2 MILES S. OF DILLSBORO

828.586.5515

WWW.COUNTRYROADFARMS.COM

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arts & entertainment

On the beat

Hunter Hayes to play WCU

• BearWaters Brewing Company (Waynesville) will have My Brother The Bear (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Oct. 16 and Hustle Souls 8 p.m. Oct. 17. www.bwbrewing.com.

Country star Hunter Hayes will begin his “21 Tour” at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center at Western Carolina University.

His tour features 21 dates at 21 college campuses across the country. Earlier this year, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist teamed with streaming music service Spotify to identify college markets with a high density of passionate Hunter Hayes fans. WCU was among that group. Hayes, 23, is a fourtime Grammy nominee and Country Music Association Award winner for “New Artist of the Year” in 2012.

Tickets are $20 for students and $25 for the general public. They can be purchased at the Ramsey box office, or online at ramsey.wcu.edu.

The concert is sponsored by the departments of Campus Activities and Residential Living. Ryan Lafferty will be the opener.

• The Bryson City Train Depot “Music in the Mountains” concert series will have The Josh Fields Band Oct. 17 and Blue Eyed Girl Oct. 24. All shows are free and begin at 6:30 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.

October 14-20, 2015

Ubuntu Choir to play Cullowhee The Ubuntu Choir of the Great Smoky Mountains will present a program of choral music to benefit the Clean Slate Coalition at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Cullowhee United Methodist Church on the campus of Western Carolina University.

Clean Slate, a nonprofit transitional housing program for women leaving incarceration, drug treatment, and other difficult environments, was founded in 2010 by a coalition

ALSO:

• Canton Public Library will host the Cruso Circle Play & Jam at 3 p.m. Oct. 18.

Members of the group play mandolin, guitar, drums, bass and slide guitar. Free.

• City Lights Café (Sylva) will have Andrew Danner (singer-songwriter) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 18. www.citylightscafe.com.

Hunter Hayes will play Oct. 22 in Cullowhee. Donated photo

of community leaders and individuals in Jackson and Macon Counties.

Comprised of singers from Jackson and Macon Counties and areas in North Georgia, the Ubuntu choir of the Great Smoky Mountains is a 40-member acapella group that sings uplifting sacred and secular music from around the world. The concert will include music from Hawaii, New Zealand, South Africa, Cameroon, Morocco, Australia, England, France, Canada, and the United States.

828.506.4221 or marshacrites52@gmail.com.

Friday, October 16th • 8:00 p.m.

Rhonda Vincent and the rage Smoky Mountain News

Famously crowned as "The New Queen of Bluegrass" by the Wall Street Journal.

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With The Lorraine Conard Band opening at 7pm

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The Dupont Brothers

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• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have The Flea Bitten Dogs (Americana/pop) Oct. 16, Lacy Green (singer-songwriter) Oct. 22 and Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Oct. 23. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m.

828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• The Historic Cowee School will host Tellico (Americana/bluegrass) at 7 p.m. Oct. 17. $10 per person. www.coweeschool.org.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) summer concert series will have The Mountain Dulcimer Group Oct. 16 and Macon Grass Band Oct. 23. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will have Porch 40 (funk/rock) 8 p.m. Oct. 17, James Stinnett (singer-songwriter) 8 p.m. Oct. 23

and Through the Hills (Americana/bluegrass) 7 p.m. Oct. 24. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Oct. 14 and 21, a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Oct. 15 and 22.

8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Zorki on Oct. 16 and Chalwa Oct. 17. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Mad Anthony’s Bottle Shop & Beer Garden (Waynesville) will have Heidi Holton (Americana/blues) Oct. 16 and The Paper Crowns (Americana/folk) Oct. 23. All events begin at 9 p.m.

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will hold community music jam from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15. Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. Free. 828.488.3030.

• Nantahala Brewing Company (Bryson City) will have The DuPont Brothers (Americana/folk) Oct. 16 and The Moon & You (Americana/folk) Oct. 23. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will have Lorin Walking Madsen & Randall Conrad Olinger Oct. 16, If Birds Could Fly Oct. 17, The Hooten Hallers (hard rock/blues) Oct. 19, Dylan Riddle & Chuck Spencer Oct. 23 and Tail Light Rebellion Oct. 24. All shows are free and begin at 9 p.m. 828.586.2750 or www.nonamesportspub.com.

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314-11

On the beat

Better Quality, Better Prices

Office and Retail Building for Lease

• Tipping Point Brewing (Waynesville) will have Dave Desmelik (singer-songwriter) Oct. 16. All shows are free and begin at 9 p.m.

• Tuck’s Tap & Grill (Cullowhee) will have College Night featuring DJ X at 10 p.m. Oct. 22, Queen B & The Stingers 9 p.m. Oct. 23 and PMA (jam/rock) 9 p.m. Oct. 24.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host The United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra at 3 p.m. Oct. 25. Tickets are $21 for adults, $16 for WCU faculty and staff, $7 for students and children. www.wcu.edu.

Saturday & Sunday ~ 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HAYWOOD COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS HWY. 209 • LAKE JUNALUSKA, NC

Handmade Arts & Crafts FREE Admission & Parking Food • All Indoors Directions: From I-40 take Exit 24; Go South on Hwy 209 3.7 miles on left.

From Hwy 19/23 take Exit 104; Go North on Hwy 209 1 mile on right.

For more information, visit www.bracaorg.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will have Grand Ol’ Uproar Oct. 16, Abbie Morin (Americana/jazz) Oct. 17, Tail Light Rebellion Oct. 23 and The French Broads Oct. 24. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

OCTOBER 17 & 18

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• Swain County Center for the Arts (Bryson City) will host The Freestylers (classic rock) at 6 p.m. Oct. 17. www.swain.k12.nc.us/cfta.

Arts & Craft Show October 14-20, 2015

• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will have an open mic night at 7 p.m. Oct. 22.

Signup begins at 6 p.m. www.38main.com.

Fall Leaves

To Waynesville

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• Smoky Mountain Sub Shop (Waynesville) will host Jonah Riddle & Carolina Express Band (bluegrass/gospel) at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.

828.456.3400 or www.smokymountainsubshop.com.

31st Annual

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• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will have Josh Turner (Christian/country) at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23.

Tickets start at $45. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

ON DELLWOOD ROAD (HWY. 19) AT 20 SWANGER LANE WAYNESVILLE/MAGGIE VALLEY 10-5 M-SAT. 12-4 SUN. 828.926.8778 tupelosonline.com

ss

ALSO:

Call John Keith, Broker Associate 828-550-2837 JKEITH@Beverly-Hanks.com

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• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will have Jimandi (folk/rock) every Wednesday at 7 p.m. and a rotating series of local performers on Fridays at 9 p.m. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

419 N. Haywood St. 1780 Sq.Ft. 7 parking spaces $1500 monthly for rent

By

• The Pickin’ on the Square (Franklin) summer concert series will have Ms. Kitty & The Big City Band (variety) Oct. 17. The show begin at 7:30 p.m. An open mic starts at 6:30 p.m. Free. www.franklinnc.com.

409 N. Haywood St. 2410 Sq.Ft. 12 parking spaces $2600 monthly for rent

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• O’Malley’s Pub & Grill (Sylva) will have Jesse Stephens & Ben Morgan Oct. 16, Stella Rising Oct. 23 and Arnold Hill (Americana) Oct. 24. All shows are free and begin at 9 p.m. 828.631.0554.

arts & entertainment

• Oconaluftee Visitors Center (Cherokee) will have an old-time music jam from 1 to 3 p.m.

Oct. 17. All skill levels welcomed.

314-23

• Waynesville Public Library will host Betina Morgan & The Wabi Sabi Singers (folk/harp) at 3 p.m. Oct. 17. Free.

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On the street arts & entertainment

PumpkinFest rolls into Franklin

PumpkinFest returns to Franklin on Oct. 24. Donated photo

October 14-20, 2015

The 19th Annual PumpkinFest will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, in downtown Franklin.

During this event you can take part in some traditional and some very non-traditional fall festivities. Bring your pumpkin or purchase one downtown (limited supply) and sign up early for the World Famous Pumpkin Roll. The “roll” takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with signup running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The winner receives $100 cash. Other highlights of the day include a screaming contest, costume parade/contest, pumpkin pie eating contest, along with arts and crafts, food vendors, and live entertainment for all ages.

PumpkinFest is made possible by the Franklin Main Street Program, Town of Franklin, Franklin TDA and Macon County TDC. www.pumpinfestfranklin.com or 828.524.2516.

Waynesville celebrates apple harvest The Apple Harvest Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, in downtown Waynesville.

The one-day festival has grown into the

region’s premier juried arts and crafts event and celebration of all things apple. This year’s festival will feature over 150 exhibitors, live entertainment and great food amid more than 40,000 festival attendees strolling the street.

Free. www.haywoodapplefest.com.

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newsdesk crafts

Smoky Mountain News

On the stage

Irish drama at HART

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#193 - free table leveler

The award-winning drama “The Weir” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16-17, 23-24 and 30-31, and at 3 p.m. Oct. 18 and 25 and Nov. 1 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Written by Connor McPherson and set in an Irish pub, the story follows two men who begin telling tales to scare the new young woman who has moved into town. Then it’s her turn and the events move into territory, which has inspired many to consider this play a modern masterpiece. In a poll conducted by the Royal National Theater in London “The Weir” was ranked #40 in the list of the 100 greatest plays ever written, tying with Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame,” Arthur Miller’s “View From The Bridge,” and Eugene O’Neil’s “The Iceman Cometh.” When it opened in 1999, it won the prestigious Lawrence Olivier Award for Best Play.

Tickets are $24 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $11 for students. A special $7 discount will be available for students on Sundays.

828.456.6322 or www.harttheatre.org.

Protect your world Auto ~ Home Life ~ Retirement

• The Plow Day Festival will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Darnell Farms in Bryson City. Hayrides, plowing demonstrations and live bluegrass music.

Ice cream and fresh produce will be available for purchase. Free. 828.488.2376 or www.greatsmokies.com. • A “Wine & Dineâ€? benefit for REACH’s new VanDrake Shelter will be held at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 15, at Meritage Bistro in Highlands. Five-course wine dinner. $75 per person. 828.526.1019. www.reachofmaconcounty.org.

ALSO:

• A homebrew and chili cook-off will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Entrants for the homebrew competition must register beforehand to compete. www.froglevelbrewing.com or 828.454.5664.

• A “Back to the Futureâ€? costume party will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at BearWaters Brewing Company in Waynesville. www.bwbrewing.com. • A gem show will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 15-18 at the corner of U.S. 441 and Lake Emory Road. Sponsored by T&D Shows. 828.371.9618 or www.franklinchamber.com. • An Octoberfest Tailgate sponsored by the Knights of Columbus will be held at 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 16, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

David Mesimer (828) 452-2815 283 North Haywood St. Waynesville david.mesimer@allstate.com

Insurance subject to terms, qualifications and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co.. Life insurance and annuities issued by Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE, Allstate Life Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL, and American Heritage Life Insurance Company, Jacksonville, FL. In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge, NY. Northbrook, IL. Š 2010 Allstate Insurance Co.

CORN MAZE NOW OPEN The Cold Mountain Corn Maze is now open in Bethel. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday through Friday and 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All inclusive ticket is $10 for ages 4 and older, ages 3 and younger free. Hayride, bonfires, snacks, and more. 828.648.8575.

5 OCTOBER 11:

Russ Wilson & His Trio • The Community Chili Cook Off will be from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at the Waynesville Public Library. All recipes are welcome, beans or no beans. Participants will also be judges with prizes given out. kolsen@haywoodnc.net or 828.356.2507. • Spooky Storytelling will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 15-17 and 22-24 at the Storytelling Center in Bryson City. Tales of the spirits, “Haints, Boogers and Witches of the Southern Highlands,â€? spun by storyteller Tim Hall.

Free. www.greatsmokies.com. • The Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express will depart at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 16 and 23, and noon and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 17-18 and 24-25 at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad train depot in Bryson City. Peanuts characters in costume, children’s activities, and more.

800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

OCTOBER 18: Steve Trio17 SATURDAY, SA A TURDDavidowski AY, OCTOBER OCTOBER 17 Sidney Barnes & Richard Shulman

OCTOBER 25: SATURDAY, SA ATUKeith RDAYDavis , OCTOBER OCTO BER 24 24 Trio

The 9th Street Stompers $39.99 per person includes four-course dinner with live jazz. $44.99 per person $44.99 p er p erson includes includes All shows at 7pm. four-course dinner with live jazz.

Glenville museum to open in 2016 Owners of Signal Ridge Marina in Glenville, Donnie Shuey and Mary Shuey recently handed the key of their former boat rental building to the Glenville Areas Historical Society for use as the group’s historical museum.

The Shuey family, after having moved their marina operation to larger and more modern quarters, decided to make a lasting contribution to the community. The Glenville Area Historical Society turned out to be the lucky recipient of the generous

donation for the use of the building.

The building, renovated and updated by the Shueys, is now ready for the GAHS move in. The group plans to have permanent exhibits as well as a schedule of temporary shows May to October beginning in 2016.

GAHS plans to open the museum doors in early summer 2016 with a Grand Opening planned for July. Volunteers are welcome and needed for exhibit installations as well as for manning the museum during open hours.

To contribute, join, volunteer and to request a membership brochure email historicalsocietyglenillearea@yahoo.com or call 828.743.1658.

Smoky Mountain News

All shows at 7:00pm.

October 14-20, 2015

• Goblins in the Green will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at The Village Green in Cashiers. Costume contest, trick or treating, spooky inflatables, hayrides, and more. Free.

828.743.3434 or www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.

arts & entertainment

• The Trail Magic No. 12 release party will be Oct. 16-17 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. Keg will be tapped at 6 p.m. Oct. 16, with live music by The DuPont Brothers (Americana/folk) at 8 p.m. Bottles will be released at noon on Oct. 17. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

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On the street

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arts & entertainment

On the wall “People stop me to tell me that

Art workshop series at WCU

my teeth

Western Carolina University’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education is offering five weeks of unusual art projects through a Community Art Workshops series.

Participants will learn a new art form each week. The series of workshops will include classes focusing on Ikebana (the Japanese art form of arranging flowers), natural fabric dye, encaustic painting (otherwise known as hot wax painting), monotypes with natural materials, and gourd art.

The workshops run Oct. 19 through Nov. 16. Classes will meet each Monday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 150 of the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.

The fee, which covers all supplies, is $49 for students and $99 for all others. artclasses.wcu.edu or 828.227.7397.

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828.634.7813 From porcelain veneers, crowns and bridges to facelift dentures and dental implants, Dr. Highsmith can transform the appearance and restore the health of your smile.

~ Judy Actual Patient

The Maggie Valley Arts & Crafts Fall Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 17-18 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

Visitors can expect to find seasonal items, yard art, paintings, photography, pottery, wooden bowls, furniture, jewelry, bath products and more. In addition to the crafting vendor booths, there will be chainsaw artist Jeremy Buckner showing off his talents. Food vendors will also be onsite. “This is both the visitor’s and vendor’s favorite Maggie Valley craft festival out of the year,� said Teresa Smith, Maggie Valley Chamber Executive Director. “Fall season just adds to the experience of the festival. The leaves are changing into their vibrant colors, the temperature is nice and cool, and all those warm festival pies and foods make for a great day.�

828.926.1686 or www.maggievalley.org.

It’s a smile that people will notice. But more importantly, it’s a smile that will help you look and feel your very best.

All restorations and lab work by North Carolina’s only AACD accredited lab technician. $BMM %S )JHITNJUI UPEBZ r 828.634.7813.

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October 14-20, 2015

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Diplomate

• A hands on rag quilt class will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 22-23 at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension in Sylva.

Instructor Ann Johnson will lead the workshop. $10 per person. 828.586.4009 or kerri_rayburn@ncsu.edu. • There is an open call for craft vendors for the Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Bethel United Methodist Church. Cost is $10 per table. 828.235.9360.

Don't Forget About The Money in Your HSA!

• A gallery talk will be held by artist and author Joseph Meigs at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at the Jackson County Library Annex in Sylva. Meigs’ photography and paintings will be on display at the library until Nov. 11. The event is sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council. www.jacksoncountyarts.org.

ALSO:

• A photography exhibit and reception showcasing the work of Drew Campbell will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Swain County Center for the Arts in Bryson City. The Freestylers (classic rock) will perform prior to the reception. The collection will run in the center through November. www.swain.k12.nc.ys/cfta.

Come see us today for a new pair of glasses or contacts.

828.456.3211 www.smokymtneye.com ACCEPTING MAJOR MEDICAL & VISION INSURANCE PLANS

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Maggie celebrates fall, arts and crafts

From Hwy. 19/23 take Exit 104 towards Lake Junaluska; continue 1/2 mile to Haywood Medical Park on the left.

314-81

• A “Make Your Own Glass Pumpkinâ€? class will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. Time slots will last from 45 minutes to an hour. In each session you will learn the basics of working with glass, some of the history of glass blowing, and important safety guidelines. $40 per person. To register, 828.631.0271 or www.jcgep.org. • The Haywood County Arts Council will host a nonprofit night from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville.

$5 wine tastings. Prizes and raffles. www.haywoodarts.org. • The Groovy Movie Club will show the film “Far From The Madding Crowdâ€? at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, in Waynesville. A mostly organic potluck dinner will precede the screening at 6:30 p.m. The mission of the Groovy Movie Club is to show excellent films with a message. A discussion will follow for all who wish to participate. Free. 828.926.2508 or 828.454.5949 or johnbuckleyx@gmail.com. • A Plein Air landscape painting workshop “Using Our Triadic Circle with Monet’s Perfect Graysâ€? will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. Oct. 17 at The Bascom in Highlands. The class will be held by Chris DiDomizio. To signup, 828.787.2865 or registrar@thebascom.org. • A Craft Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 17 at the First Presbyterian Church in Waynesville. The fair will be held in conjunction with the Church Street Art & Craft Fair (Oct. 10) and Apple Festival (Oct. 17). • The “Come Paint with Charles Kidz Programâ€? will be at 4 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City. $20 per child. Materials and snacks included. 828.538.2054. • “Chasing Graceâ€? (family drama), filmed in Waynesville, will be screened at 7 p.m. Oct. 14-15, and 2 and 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Tickets are $6.50, with a $3.25 matinee pass for 2 and 4 p.m. showings. “Jurassic Worldâ€? will be screened at 7 p.m. Oct. 20-23, 4 and 7 p.m.

Oct. 24, and 2 and 4 p.m. Oct. 25. A free screening of “Wallace and Gromit the Curse of the Were Rabbit� will be at noon and 2 p.m. on Saturdays in October. www.38main.com or call 828.283.0079.

On the wall

Haywood Art Studio Tour

The “Holiday Locust Wood Painting” workshop will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 10, 17 and 24 at Southwestern Community College in Sylva.

Each day, Doreyl Ammons Cain, noted pastel artist, will lead you to find your own creative style. You’ll discover how to work with soft pastels on Bristol paper using unique techniques to sketch a rough draft of your holiday image, experimenting with composition,

The Haywood Art Studio Tour will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 23-24.

The show will offer a sampling of the work from 22 local artists who will open their studios to the public. A number of these artists will be hosting 16 other artists who live in hard-to-reach areas of the county, forming small cluster groups. Visitors are encouraged to stop in the Haywood County Arts Council gallery, pick up a Haywood Art Studio Tour map and begin planning their routes to see the art Haywood County has to offer.

Participants in the 2015 Studio Tour work in diverse media including clay, fiber, wood, jewelry, glass, mixed media, sculpture and two-dimensional applications. The Arts Council’s Haywood Art Studio Tour Show complements the full tour, offering visitors a taste of what they’ll experience in late October and helping them choose which studios they would like to visit. www.haywoodarts.org.

color, line and tone before the acrylic painting begins. You’ll discover how to mix hundreds of colors from five primary mural acrylic colors — the way to use four different brush types and many techniques for applying acrylics on wood, dry brush, wash and overlaying.

The deadline to signup is Oct. 23.

828.339.4426.

Film celebrates ‘A Course in Miracles’

Broom-making class in Sylva

Spiritual pioneer James Twyman, best known for his New York Times bestseller The Moses Code, will host the largest A Course in Miracles 50th anniversary celebration in history by sharing his latest film, A Chorus in Miracles, in over 350 churches nationwide this month. A screening will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 23-24 at The Creative Thought Center in Waynesville.

Because of the profound nature of the work scribed by Helen Schucman, A Chorus in Miracles is a must-see film for long-time A Course in Miracles students, those newly embarking on their own transformational journey and any person with an interest in spirituality and how it changes our lives. A Course in Miracles has been called The New Age Bible by some, heretical by others and life changing by millions all over the globe.

The genesis of the documentary began when Twyman decided to put the 365 lessons from A Course in Miracles to music, lessons that are shared with nearly 20,000 people every day. Though it has been the most monumental task of his life, it has also inspired him to live The Course in ways he couldn’t have imagined.

Mickey Sizemore will lead a broommaking workshop at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

Explore this Appalachian craft and the basics of broom-making while making your very own cobweb broom. The cobweb broom is made to access hard to reach areas, including those pesky cobwebs in corners. Moderate hand and arm strength are needed to make the broom. It may be helpful to wear long pants. It is also recommended to bring an old towel or apron to wear. The class is limited to 6 people. For further information and to sign up for the class, call the library at 586-2016.

Sizemore attended Western Carolina University in the 80s and has just recently moved back into the area from Tennessee. He owns and operates Gray Branch Soaps a handmade bath and body bar business from his home in Cullowhee.

Mickey has taught weekend sessions at Warren Wilson on the art of broom making This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. The class is free and open to the public.

828.586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.

OUR CAMP. OUR KIDS. OUR FUTURE.

YMCA CAMP WATIA A child in nature is magical! Nestled among the mountains and waterfalls of Swain County, YMCA Camp Watia will be an affordable overnight summer camp for all of WNC’s children.

It will help our community’s children grow, explore, and make friends in a nurturing and fun environment. Put some magic in a child’s life. Give to YMCA Camp Watia today!

Performances by The Josh Fields Band, Tangled Feet Stompers, and more All You Can Eat Chili Only $5 per person • Crafters • Live Music

Smoky Mountain News

Saturday, October 17 Chili Cook Off 11am to 3pm Fall Festival 11am to 6pm Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot

October 14-20, 2015

25th Annual Bryson City

arts & entertainment

Locust wood workshop

YOU CAN MAKE THE DREAM A REALITY Learn more about YMCA Camp Watia

» ymcacampwatia.org « Vanessa Salomo Scully 828 210 9656 | vscully@ymcawnc.org

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Books

Smoky Mountain News

Touchstones: Seven novels that carry weight nglish writer Graham Greene used to divide his literary works into entertainments, which we might call thrillers, and novels, which he regarded as his more serious books.

Many of us who read fiction make a similar division. We go to some books and authors primarily for pleasure. An example: Whenever a new novel by James Lee Burke or Stephen Hunter hits the bookstores, my heart leaps at the idea of a weekWriter end spent following detective Dave Robicheaux or sniper Bob Lee Swagger. Only a month later, the plots and secondary characters of these stories have vanished from my mind: I live in these pages for the pure pleasure of the moment. These are my popcorn books, my comfort books, the books I read for momentary diversion or delight.

Other novels, far fewer in number, work a different sort of magic on us. Their characters and words enter into us and become a part of our interior landscape, helping to shape our souls and changing the way we engage the world. To these stories we return again and again as if seeking the advice of an old friend, desirous of reassurance and inspiration.

The seven novels below, all written by male authors, have brought great gifts to me over the past 20 years. Other books belong on this list as well, but I have limited my choices to these seven twentieth century novels. They are arranged here in no particular order. In my next review, I will run a similar list of female authors.

Jeff Minick

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comedic and deadly serious, Earthly Powers shows Burgess at the height of his own earthly powers. Several times every year, I return to

Anthony Burgess’ Earthly Powers Considered by many to be Burgess’ masterpiece, this weighty book is narrated by John Marchal Toomey — a writer, a homosexual, and a man who witnesses many of the evils of the twentieth century. Packed with action ranging from the Far East to Nazi Germany, Earthly Powers examines religion, sex, politics, and morality. Both brightly

entangled with a prostitute, he accidentally kills a man, the house in which he lives is haunted, and he himself is haunted by such luminaries as Luther and Nietzsche.

When my life seems whirling out of control, Mickelsson’s Ghosts has often offered me laughter and solace.

Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair.

this book for its stunning prose, its take on the fallen state of humankind, and its reminder that love comes to us in many different shapes and forms.

Mark Helprin’s A Soldier of the Great War. Born into a wealthy Roman family, Alessandro Giulliani finds his idyllic youth shattered by World War I. We first meet him half a century later when Alessandro, a retired professor of aesthetics, shares the story of his life with a young industrial worker. Every time I peruse A Soldier of the Great War, which is about once a week, I am reminded of the value of behaving nobly and bravely in dire circumstances and of the beauty of the world around me. I keep several copies of this book on-hand to give to young men who have need of it.

John Gardner’s Mickelsson’s Ghosts.

Peter J. Mickelsson, professor of philosophy, is in trouble. He drinks too much, he is divorced and broke, the IRS is after him, he is

Panowich presents Appalachian crime noir Author Brian Panowich will discuss his debut novel Bull Mountain at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Set in the mountains of North Georgia, the story straddles the line between literary and crime and will appeal to readers of Cormac McCarthy and Philipp Meyer, but also to fans of more traditional crime writers like James Lee Burke and George Pelecanos.

Bull Mountain is a dark and violent story of multigenerational crime

Maurice Bendrix, author and cynic, falls in love with Sarah Miles, wife of a high-ranking civil servant.

When Sarah unaccountably breaks off their affair, Bendrix, driven by jealousy and hatred, digs deep into Sarah’s troubled past and mysterious present. In recounting the way so many of us bumble about in our religious faith and in using the atheist Bendrix as his foil, Greene peers deeply into the human heart, love, and faith.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Of the books listed here, Fitzgerald’s masterpiece has had the longest run in my life. In my 20s, I read and reread it so much that I memorized some of the passages. For the last 10 years, I have taught Gatsby to Advanced Placement Literature classes. With every reading, I discover something new or draw a fresh

and retribution. The narrative unfolds from multiple points of view as it chronicles the criminal pursuits and acts of vengeance that have kept the troubled Burroughs clan in control of the surrounding community. Panowich is a firefighter and former musician who lives in East Georgia with his wife and four children. www.citylightsnc.com.

Rathskeller poetry night There will be an open-mic poetry night held at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub in Franklin.

lesson from Gatsby’s life. Lately, I have wondered whether Fitzgerald isn’t telling us that the things we want most in life may be the very things that kill us.

Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove.

This saga of a cattle drive from Texas to Montana, headed up by former Texas Rangers Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call, features a host of memorable characters and the hardships of the trail: storms, floods, outlaws, Indians. Lonesome Dove gives us good men and bad men, and a few men who are truly evil. When I want to put a little grit in my backbone, I travel to Lonesome Dove and hit the trail with Gus and Call.

Anton Myrer’s Once An Eagle.

Back in my 20s, I read this story of Sam Damon’s rise through the ranks in the Army from World War I to Vietnam. I became so enamored of the book — and Myrer’s other books — that I began a brief correspondence with him. He was kind enough to autograph copies of three of his books that I mailed to him. In Once An Eagle, he wrote: “For Jeffrey Minick — Writer — and friend, who has discovered where the real battle lies … Anton Myrer.” To be frank, I didn’t know what he meant by “the real battle,” and he died before I could ask him, but Myrer himself clearly believed that the real battle lies within the light and darkness of the human heart. Sam Damon serves as my example of a man who learns the gritty lessons of leadership and the need to resist our enemies not only on foreign battlefields, but here at home as well.

Composing this list has revealed to me the value I place on certain virtues, virtues which I may not always practice, but which I cherish.

These books also help explain me to myself and remind me of the possibilities in my life.

Drawing up such a list made for an interesting and revealing experiment. If you are a reader of fiction, I encourage you to try it yourself. Jot down those books that shine in your life, and consider what you have taken from them.

(Jeff Minick is a teacher and writer. He can be contacted at minick0301@gmail.com.)

All area poets and lovers of poetry are invited to read or recite their original works, as well as share their favorite works by other poets, in the Rathskeller’s relaxed, intimate atmosphere. No preregistration is needed. Participants are given stage time on a firstcome basis.

The Rathskeller sells specialty beers, coffees, teas, soft drinks, healthful baked sandwiches, pretzels, and cookies. This event is produced by the Arts Council of Macon County, supported by the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources. Free. arts4all@dnet.net or 828.524.ARTS.

Coffee with the Poet welcomes Barr The Coffee with the Poet series will continue with Tina Barr at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Barr will present her second collection of poetry, Kaleidoscope. Former poet laureate, Joseph Bathanti has said, “This is a poet writing at the height of her powers.” Barr’s Fellowships include the National Endowment for the Arts, Tennessee Arts Commission, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, MacDowell Colony and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She lives in Black Mountain with her husband.

The Coffee with the Poet series gathers the third Thursday of each month and is cosponsored by the NetWest chapter of the North Carolina Writer’s Network.

828.586.9499.

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• The Literary Hour, a poetry and prose reading, will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown. The reading will be in the Keith House. Poets and writers Mary Michelle Keller and Lucy Cole Gratton will be the featured readers. Free.

ALSO:

• Author Joseph M. Edwards will host a signing for his book Life in Mikey’s Mind from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop in Waynesville.

Smoky Mountain News

Acclaimed Southern Appalachian writer Ron Rash will discuss his latest novel Above the Waterfall at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, and at 11 a.m.

Saturday, Oct. 17, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

In this poetic and haunting tale set in contemporary Appalachia, The New York Times bestselling author illuminates lives shaped by violence and a powerful connection to the land.

Les, a longtime sheriff, is just weeks from retirement when he is forced to contend with the ravages of crystal meth and his own corruption in his small Appalachian town. Meanwhile, Becky, a park ranger with a harrowing past, finds solace amid the lyrical beauty of the North Carolina mountains.

Enduring the mistakes and tragedies that have indelibly marked them, they are drawn together by a reverence for the natural world.

When an embittered elderly local is accused of poisoning a trout stream on the property of a nearby resort, Les and Becky are plunged into deep and dangerous waters, forced to navigate currents of disillusionment and betrayal that will force them to question themselves and test their tentative bond and threaten to carry them over the edge.

The events are free and seating is limited. www.citylightsnc.com or www.blueridgebooksnc.com.

October 14-20, 2015

Ron Rash to present new work

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Healing in the waters Disabled vets find comfort, camaraderie in fly fishing

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ut of Ed Norris’ 68 years of life, Vietnam accounts for just one. Those months he spent deployed with the U.S. Marine Corps are now almost half a century distant, but Norris’s time in the service changed his life forever, the emotional and physical evidence still apparent.

“There were times when I worked at a job I wore a suit, and walking down the street a truck backfired,” he said. “I hit the deck. I turned around and had to go home and change clothes because I messed up my suit.”

Norris never feels comfortable in a crowd.

He suffers mini seizures that affect his speech and behaviors. When sitting down he always picks a spot with his back to the wall.

But three years ago, Norris, of Hendersonville, joined Project Healing Waters, and things started to change.

Founded in 2005, Project Healing Waters now has chapters nationwide that use fly fishing as a form of physical and emotional rehabilitation for disabled veterans. The definition of “disabled” is wide, spanning everything from post-traumatic stress syndrome to limb loss.

“When I started learning how to tie flies, I just went to another world,” Norris said. “I forgot about everything. I was just concentrating on how to tie the flies. I forgot about all my pain, the aches, everything that was going on.”

It’s proven an important form of healing for Norris, who on Oct. 9 was hanging around the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians in Cherokee, waiting for the Healing Waters retreat weekend to get started.

It would be his third weekend fly fishing in Cherokee with the Healing Waters crew, who pour in from North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina for the annual retreat.

The weekend includes fly tying and casting clinics, guided and individual fishing and a reunion banquet, where, said organizer Rick Queen, of Waynesville, “there will be hugs and (hand)shakes. You’ll see tears shed.”

Every year, the retreat attracts some newcomers, but there’s also a stable of returning anglers who see each other only at this and

O

other regional Healing Waters events. This year, 37 participants signed up. The camaraderie is as important a component to the program as the fishing itself.

“You just can’t do the military stuff and it not change your perspective,” said Joy Deitle, of Waynesville. “You just can’t. And people that’s not in the military don’t understand that.”

Deitle, 58, retired from the Navy in 2001 after 17 years as a physician’s assistant, spend-

“I don’t think the way other people think,” Deitle said. “Right now in my neighborhood we have a dirt road. Ten families use that dirt road, but only three of us maintain it. If that was a group of veterans, you can bet they would come together and form a committee and say, ‘What do we do to get this dirt road in shape?’”

In Project Healing Waters, she found her team of veterans. Deitle drives to Asheville three times a week to participate in the chapter there, tying flies and shooting the breeze with people who understand.

“It’s very therapeutic,” she said. “(Some nights) I’m just so tired I don’t want to go, but then you go and it’s just relaxing to sit there and tie flies. We pick at each other and make jokes and it’s just a lot of fun.”

The meetings are great. But for Deitle, the fishing is the best part. She fishes with a rod she built herself as a new member of Healing Waters, and it’s always a point of pride to pull one out of the water, no matter its size. But

“I would come back from the military or back from deployment, and that would be the time to spend together,” he said.

When he heard about Healing Waters, he said, “I wasn’t looking to be a participant. I was looking to be a volunteer and show our veterans what it does for me.”

Now, he heads up the program at the Charlie Norwood V.A. Medical Center, where veterans come for weeks or months to get treatment. Healing Waters gives them a chance to learn a new skill and break up the monotony of the day.

“Justin [Walker] gives them an alternative, and I think it’s very valuable,” said Joel Breakstone, a veteran himself who volunteers with Walker.

Fly fishing is a limitless sport, Walker said, with many areas of expertise to be explored and emphasis on technique rather than brute strength — meaning that it’s accessible to people whose physical abilities aren’t what they once were.

Above: Veterans Joel Breakstone (left) and Justin Walker practice casting outside the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians. Right: Ron Gaddy of the Trout Unlimited Cataloochee chapter demonstrates fly tying. Holly Kays photos ing a chunk of that time aboard an aircraft carrier with 5,200 other people. She missed a lot of Christmases at home, gave up a lot of the space and privacy that most people enjoy to accommodate the necessities of life aboard a densely populated ship. After retiring, she moved to Waynesville and started riding horses until she found herself battling breast cancer, of which she’s a survivor.

She’s had diverse, powerful experiences in her life, and it can be hard to find people who understand, who see life the same way.

“When I started learning how to tie flies, I just went to another world. I forgot about everything. I was just concentrating on how to tie the flies. I forgot about all my pain, the aches, everything that was going on.”

— Ed Norris

just being outdoors, away from the chaos of everyday life, is the best part. One of her favorite memories is the day she was out with the group when they stumbled across a huge bull elk, looking across the river to where a female elk with calves stood, calling to him.

“Didn’t catch any fish that day, fell in the river twice, but seeing that big bull there and the mother with the babies on the other side of the river was really an impressive experience,” she said.

Justin Walker, a program director for Healing Waters from Augusta, Georgia, knows well the healing power of fly fishing.

An Army veteran of three combat tours whose father also served in the military, Walker’s been fishing for a long time. It was how he and his dad bonded, a tradition they continued when Walker joined the military himself.

The skills are important, and Healing Waters participants are more than happy to geek out on innovative fly patterns and the plethora of fishing memorabilia at the new museum in Cherokee. But at its heart, the program is about much more than that.

“My wife has been really glad I got involved with Project Healing Waters,” Norris said. “She’s seen the difference in my behaviors. I’m more calmer and she’s glad to see me go fishing, go tie flies, get me out of the house.”

It’s a good thing to get out for, the vets agreed, even as they faced a forecast full of rain for their annual get-together. The fish bite better in the rain, anyway, and regardless of the weather, you get to see the people.

“It’s sort of like a family unit,” Deitle said.

See the Chimney at night

A nocturnal, kid-friendly Halloween event will give visitors a rare glimpse of Chimney Rock State Park at night, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.

Park in the Dark will feature campfire stories, a nocturnal creature program, stargazing with the Asheville Astronomy Club and self-guided night hikes to Chimney Rock, where costumed creatures will perform educational skits. $5 entry and free for children under 5, with a portion of proceeds benefitting Friends of Chimney Rock State Park. Space is limited — register at 800.277.9611.

Chimney Rock State Park is located along U.S. 64 in Rutherford County, about 1.5 hours from Waynesville.

Share your view of Chimney Rock A photo contest looking for the best images of Chimney Rock State Park is seeking entries through Nov. 27.

With the theme “what’s your view?” the contest welcomes amateur and professional photographers, with up to three submissions per person allowed. Prizes will be awarded for first and second place entries as well as the people’s choice, determined by Facebook and Instagram.

Free entry. www.chimneyrockpark.com/photocontest2015_fall.php.

Sponsorships sought. Contact advisor Jennifer Cragg, jcragg@haywood.k12.nc.us.

A 5K run/walk to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Macon and Jackson will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24, the same day as the Pumpkin Fest in downtown Franklin.

The Pumpkin Run 5K will begin at 9 a.m. on the Little Tennessee Greenway, taking in fall colors along the trail. $35. Register at www.active.com or email bringingit2life@gmail.com to request an entry form.

Zombie run season

Canton 5K to get spooky Experience the thrill of running for your life during the inaugural Zombie Rush 5K at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, through Canton Recreation Park and Pisgah High School campus.

Hosted by Pisgah’s Sports and Entertainment Marketing II class, this “3.1 miles of terror” is filled with challenging hills, sharp curves and ravenous zombies.

The “zombies” chase participants, attempting to transform them into one of the walking dead. $20 through Nov. 1 and $25 afterward.

Register at tinyurl.com/phszombierush.

NOCtoberbest will kick off with a pumpkin decorating session — pumpkins, decorations and carving materials supplied

OCT. 15-18 U.S. CELLULAR CENTER

DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE, NC

THU.-SAT.: 10AM-6PM SUN.: 10AM-5PM

Smoky Mountain News

Paddlers pursue pumpkins on the Nantahala during Nantahala Outdoor Center’s annual Pumpkin Pursuit. NOC photo

October 14-20, 2015

A celebration of all things fall will be held noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Nantahala Outdoor Center.

A walk-a-thon to raise awareness for Samaritan’s Feet, a humanitarian group dedicated to distributing shoes in impoverished counties, will take place 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 19, at the Catamount Athletic Complex of Western Carolina University.

Participants will go barefoot, walking around the track while a DJ plays music, hot chocolate is served and learning stations about Africa operate along the track.

The event is organized by the WCU Center for Service Learning. Contact Lane Perry, laneperry@wcu.edu or 828.227.2643.

OVER 200 JURIED ARTISTS CRAFT DEMONSTRATIONS LIVE REGIONAL MUSIC

Volunteer coaches are needed to help train Special Olympics athletes in alpine skiing, snowboarding and basketball for the upcoming season in Waynesville.

Currently, snow sports are practiced at Cataloochee Ski Area with the Winter Games held Jan. 3-4 in Boone. For basketball, teams are working toward a local tournament March 12.

Contact Tim Petrea of the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department by Oct. 15. tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030.

— and award all children a prize for their finished creations. A costume contest, campfire, corn hole contest and live music will also keep the day festive.

But much of the day will center around the Great Pumpkin Pursuit, a free-for-all paddling dash through Nantahala Falls as participants collect pumpkins floating in the water en route to the finish. Three NOC rafts filled with pumpkins will lead the pumpkin dash, with expert guides tossing pumpkins out as they go. Kayakers will then rush to gather as many pumpkins as possible.

Spectators along the bank are also allowed to gather pumpkins that wash ashore. Numbers written on the pumpkins will correspond to raffle tickets.

Free. NOC is located along U.S. 74 about 14 miles west of Bryson City. Full schedule is online at www.noc.com/events.

Walk barefoot for a purpose

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

Special Olympics coaches needed

Pumpkin pursuit returning to NOC

The Zombie 5K Race Chase will return to Western Carolina University at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 31, with “zombies” attempting to steal flags from runners as they complete the 5K course. Proceeds will support physical therapy services and research. $20. www.active.com.

WWW.CRAFTGUILD.ORG

828-298-7928 JIM SAMS WOODART

Donated photo

Pumpkin run gearing up in Franklin

outdoors

The lights of Lake Lure spread out beneath Chimney Rock at night.

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outdoors

Apple-picking for a good cause

Donated photo

Celebrate an old-fashioned harvest

October 14-20, 2015

The annual Fall Plow Day at Darnell Farms in Bryson City Saturday, Oct. 24, will feature a full day of plowing demonstrations with teams of horses and mules as well as music, clogging, hayrides, crafts, a bonfire and more autumn activities.

Musicians are invited to bring their instruments for a jam, and seasonal food will be available for sale. The festivities will begin at 9 a.m. and continue as long as everyone’s still having fun. Darnell Farms is located at 2300 Governors Island Road outside of Bryson City.

828.488.2376.

Kids who want to lend a hand toward feeding the hungry can help harvest the season’s left-over apples from a Waynesville orchard during a special picking day on Saturday, Oct. 17, organized by the Haywood Gleaners.

Volunteers of all ages will pick apples to be donated to more than 30 organizations in Haywood County, from soup kitchens to nursing homes. The most efficient way to harvest apples is to shake the trees, toppling the fruit to the ground for kids to pick up. If the harvest is plentiful enough, volunteers will get to take some apples home for themselves.

Haywood Gleaners is an organization founded through the Christian group Society of Saint Andrews whose mission is to collect quality produce that would otherwise rot on the ground and distribute it to people in need. The group does a variety of gleans throughout the harvest season and is always looking for volunteers, with signup information available on their website.

An upcoming event with the Haywood Gleaners will give kids a chance to pick applies for those in need. Donated photo To sign up and receive directions to the site, email haywoodgleaners@gmail.com or

Seed lending explained A tutorial on seed lending — what it is and how to do it — will be held 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.

Kathy Olsen, adult services coordinator at the Haywood County Public Library in Waynesville, will discuss the library’s new venture into seed lending. The library launched its seed library in early 2014, allowing gardeners to borrow heirloom vegetable seeds for free and, after planting a crop, save seeds to return to the library in the fall.

Free. The event is part of a regular meeting of the Tuscola Garden Club. 828.246.0437.

October Specials

Lake Junaluska Concerts Fall

Singers

Stuart Auditorium

Oct. 16 7:30 p.m.

|

Liquid Facelifts $1350

Laser Specials

150 Units of Dysport,

2 Restylane Silk (available to first 10 people.) $1250 50 Units of Botox, 2 syringes of Juvederm $675 25 Units of Botox, 1 syringe of Juvederm

Oct. 17 4:00 p.m.

Filler Specials

treat sun damage, brown spots & wrinkles $500 AFT/Pixel laser treatment of face, neck & upper chest.

HCG / b-12 $150 20 HCG & FREE B12 lipo injection

Hand Rejuvination

Bellafill 3 for $1800

5 for $2500 Dysport buy 150 units get 30 FREE

Leg Vein Removal $550 full leg treatment & free pair of compression hose.

NEW SERVICE! $1000 2 syringes of Radisse & a deep chemical peel

10% OFF any surgery over $4000 that is paid in full during October

JOHN HAMEL M.D.

309-25

Smoky Mountain News

contact glean manager Alice Herring, 540.645.2254. www.haywoodgleaners.org.

Reserved seating: $22.50 (all ages) General admission seating: $17.50

HICKORY • NEBO • GASTONIA • WAXHAW BRYSON CITY • ASHEVILLE MALL • MOORESVILLE FREE CONSULTATION: 877-252-5273

• COMPLETELASERCLINIC.COM

Tickets available online at Lakejunaluska.com/concert-tickets

Or in person at:

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The Bethea Welcome Center 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. | 91 N. Lakeshore Dr. Lake Junaluska, NC 28745

facebook.com/smnews

outdoors

Talbryn Porter, right, works to install mile markers at Lake Junaluska for his Eagle Scout project.

Donated photo

New mile-markers at Lake J Thanks to an Eagle Scout project from 14-year-old Talbryn Porter, the Lake Junaluska walking path is now sporting new mile markers.

Along with a team of eight Boy Scouts and adult leaders from Troop 309, Porter installed markers every half-mile around the 3.8-mile trail, using materials donated by a resident of the lake who wishes to remain anonymous.

“People really seem to like the idea of markers around the lake,” Porter said.

“Several times while we were digging people would tell us it was a great idea.”

A student at Haywood Early College in his eighth year as a Scout, Porter is aiming to be one of the 2 percent of all Scouts who have achieved the Eagle Scout rank since Boy Scouts started in 1912. At 14, he’s well ahead of the average age of 17 for new Eagle Scouts.

Cattlemen’s association programs and dinner

The Choice is

Black &White Brooke Parrott Broker Associate 828.734.2146

Learn about state forests

bparrott@beverly-hanks.com

A crash course on the North Carolina Forest Service will be offered 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Friends of the Greenway headquarters in Franklin.

Bobby Mashburn, county ranger for the N.C. Forest Service, will discuss the importance of state forests, programs available to private landowners, professional assistance available from the county office and the work the state does on behalf of North Carolina Forest resources. Questions will be encouraged.

FROG Quarters is located at 573 E. Main Street. 828.369.8488.

5BR/2.5 BA on 3 acres in Beaverdam

October 14-20, 2015

A meeting of the Jackson, Macon and Swain County Cattlemen’s Association from 7 to 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Jackson County Extension Center will offer a pair of educational programs and dinner to boot.

There will be a soil testing demonstration, led by Joe Deal of Macon County Extension. Robert Hawk, Extension director for Swain and Jackson counties, will talk about using evergreen trees to provide winter warmth, summer shade and protection for spring calving. Norway spruce seedlings will be given away and dinner will be served.

Robert Hawk, 828.586.4009, 828.488.3848 or robert_hawk@ncsu.edu.

Photo contest to showcase best of the MST

Enjoy over 3 acres and this 5 bedroom/2.5 bath home at this convenient location in the Beaverdam Community just minutes to Buncombe County and Waynesville. Home features an open floor plan, bonus room or office and over 3000 square feet. The master bedroom is on the main level and home boasts TONS of storage space. Also Includes Pin #8668-02-9782. MLS 551318 $279,000

Beverly-Hanks.com

Smoky Mountain News

Photo-worthy moments are plentiful on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Holly Kays photo

A contest seeking the best of images from the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is open through Oct. 31.

Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is organizing the contest, with categories for views from the trail, people on the trail and photos by youth under 18. First, second and third prize winners in each category will receive cash and gift certificates. Free entry. www.ncmst.org/getinvolved/photo-contest.

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State solar tax credit to disappear outdoors

about the rules and regs surrounding solar.

The North Carolina Legislature did not renew the state’s solar tax credit, which will now expire on Dec. 31.

That means that people counting on applying the credit for their new solar systems will need to have them in place and approved by Duke Energy before November to be eligible. The 30 percent federal credit will remain in effect, howA state tax credit for solar panel ever. installation will soon disappear. Donated photo Solarize WNC, an initiative to connect people wanting to get Katie Bray, katie@cleanenergyfor.us. started in solar with the information and www.cleanenergyfor.us/clean-energy-fordiscounted prices to make it happen, will wnc. continue to be a source of information

OCTOBER 17 & 18 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

North Carolina all caught up on rainfall

Maggie Valley Festival Grounds ————————————————————— For more information visit www.maggievalley.org or call 828.926.1686.

October 14-20, 2015

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After receiving more than three months’ worth of rainfall in the course of one week, North Carolina is not experiencing any drought conditions for the first time since May 12.

As of Sept. 29, more than two-thirds of the state was experiencing drought or abnormally dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought

Monitor. Portions of Haywood, Jackson, Swain and Macon were classified as “abnormally dry,” with some parts of Haywood and Jackson experiencing moderate drought.

The Oct. 6 map, however, shows a state completely devoid of drought and dry conditions. Between those two dates, some areas of the mountains received more than 10 inches of rain, prompting fears of widespread flooding and mudslides, which, fortunately, proved unfounded.

DENR blog keeps tabs on environmental news The N.C. Department of Environment Quality, formally known as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, now has a blog dedicated to the agency’s news and views on environmental issues in the state and nation.

Accessible from DEQ’s home page, the Environmentally Speaking blog aims to keep readers informed about topics such as energy, air quality, coal ash and more. portal.ncdenr.org/web/guest/denr-blog.

Smoky Mountain News

NC ranks high in clean energy job growth

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North Carolina came in fifth nationwide in a recent ranking of states that added jobs in clean energy and clean transportation in the second quarter of 2015. North Carolina added 700 jobs tied to the sector.

According to the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs, nearly 10,500 clean energy and clean transportation jobs were announced nationwide during the second quarter of 2015.

The full report is available at bit.ly/1LE0QNr. www.cleanenergyworksforus.org.

Boxwood disease found in Jackson and Macon A serious boxwood disease known as boxwood blight, Calonectria pseudonaviculata, has been confirmed on the Highlands Plateau in Macon and Jackson counties, and homeowners are being encouraged to remove diseased plants.

The disease causes leaf loss and decline of boxwoods, and once introduced it’s difficult and costly to control. Spores can be spread through contaminated plant material, gar-

den tools or clothing. The telltale signs of infection include brown leaf spots, black streaks on green twigs and leaf drop starting at the bottom of the plant.

Because the disease can’t be effectively controlled once underway, removal of diseased plants is recommended. However, the pathogen will survive in the soil for five to six years after plant removal.

For comprehensive recommendations, visit www.ext.vt.edu/topics/agriculture/commercial-horticulture/boxwood-blight/ or your local Cooperative Extension Center.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • The Community Chili Cook Off will be from noon-2 p.m. on Oct. 16, at the Waynesville Public Library.

Participants will also be judges with prizes given out. kolsen@haywoodnc.net or 356.2507.

• The Trail Magic No. 12 release party will be Oct. 1617 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. Keg will be tapped at 6 p.m. on Oct. 16, with live music by The DuPont Brothers (Americana/folk) at 8 p.m. Bottles will be released at noon on Oct. 17.

• The 25th annual Chili Cook-Off will be held from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Oct. 17, at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad Depot in Bryson City. Applications must be submitted to the Swain County Chamber of Commerce.

Karen Wilmot at 488.3681, 800.867.9246 or chamber@greatsmokies.com.

• Registration is under way for the second annual LEAD: WNC summit, which is Oct. 20 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Theme is “Enhancing the Quality of Life in Western North Carolina.” Speakers include Jeff Seraphine, president of the Eastern Group of Lifepoint Health; Harry R. Phillips, chief medical officer for Duke Lifepoint and Steve Heatherly, CEO of Harris Regional and Swain Community Hospitals. The event is sect for 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. Registration is $109 includes lunch.

227.3015, www.leadwnc.edu or dshopkins@wcu.edu.

• Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library will hold its annual book sale from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, in Cullowhee. Books, CDs, DVDs, maps and other media. Cash only. 227.3729 or ksginanni@email.wcu.edu.

• Western Carolina University will host its annual Tournament of Champions featuring 19 of the best high school marching bands from four states from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Oct. 17. WCU’s band performs at 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the preliminaries and $8 for finals ($10 if purchased after 4 p.m.). Group rate is $8 for each (15 or more persons paid by one check). Children under 12 admitted free when accompanied by adult. 227.2999 or staffcoordinator@wcu.edu. www.prideofthemountains.com.

• Arne Emerson, an architect working with building a new U.S. embassy in Lebanon, will lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Western Carolina University’s John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center as a School of Art and Design “Ideas Without Walls” presentation. Free and open to the public.

• Western Carolina University’s Homecoming is scheduled for Oct. 21-25 in Cullowhee and Sylva. The Homecoming parade is at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23 in downtown Sylva.

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: ■ Complete listings of local music scene ■ Regional festivals ■ Art gallery events and openings ■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers ■ Civic and social club gatherings • The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will hold a ribbon cutting for the new $80 million, 150,000 squarefoot hospital at 10 a.m. on Oct. 15. Open to the public.

Tours will be offered following the ceremony.

• A seminar entitled “How to Find Your Customers” will be offered by the Haywood Community College Small Business Center from 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 20 in the 1500 Student Center Auditorium in Clyde. Discover methods to uncover competition and their competitive advantage. Online registration is encouraged: sbc.haywood.edu or 627.4512.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Successful Entrepreneurship Series will be offered from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays through Nov. 17 at Western Carolina University’s Biltmore Campus in South Asheville. Free. 712.5918, wendy@cmtcoatings.com or 712.5918.

• A computer class entitled “Keeping Safe and Secure in the Digital Age” is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 14, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

Overview of threats and vulnerabilities associated with the use of home computers, home networks, email and general Internet browsing. 586.2016.

• Tickets are on sale now for Haywood County Habitat for Humanity’s House Mixer. Event is from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. $35 ticket includes beverage ticket and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Live and silent auction. 452.7960.

• A “Wine & Dine” benefit for REACH’s new VanDrake Shelter will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 15, at Meritage Bistro in Highlands. Five-course wine dinner. $75 per person. To make reservations, call 828.526.1019. www.reachofmaconcounty.org.

• P.E.O Chapter AW of Waynesville is holding a fundraising yard sale from 8 a.m.-noon on Oct. 17, at 75 Cripple Creek Drive in Waynesville. P.E.O is a philanthropic educational organization promoting educational opportunities for women.

• A regional breast cancer charity truck show, “Beards for Boobs,” will be held from noon-7 p.m. on Oct. 17, at the Cherokee Expo Center.

• The Ubuntu Choir of the Great Smoky Mountains will offer a singfest to benefit the Clean Slate Coalition at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Cullowhee United Methodist Church. 40-member acapella group. Love offering will be taken at the concert’s conclusion.

• A seminar entitled “Business Taxes” will be offered by the Haywood Community College Small Business Center from 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 20 in the 1500 Student Center Auditorium in Clyde. Learn about basic requirements to help businesses in the state understand the laws and obligations necessary to be compliant. Online registration is encouraged: sbc.haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• A barefoot walk-a-thon to raise awareness for a Samaritan’s Feet is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 19, at the Catamount Athletic Conference at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Samaritan’s Feet is a humanitarian group that distributes shoes to impoverished communities around the world. laneperry@wcu.edu or 227.2643.

• An Entrepreneur Networking Night, organized by the Macon County EDC and Certified Entrepreneurial Community Leadership team, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, at the Lazy Hiker Brewing Company. Free; registration is required: www.maconedc.com/entrepreneur.html.

• Tickets are on sale now for a benefit concert featuring Joyce Guyer, a soprano and Waynesville Resident. The event is scheduled for Oct. 23 at Grace in the Mountains Episcopal Church. Proceeds benefit the Haywood County Arts Council. Tickets are $25 each.

452.0593 or visit the Haywood County Arts Council Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville. HaywoodArts.org.

• Western Carolina University Chancellor’s Brunch and Alumni Awards Ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Oct. 24, in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center in Cullowhee. $15 per person. RSVP by Oct. 16: magill@wcu.edu • Reservations are being accepted for Youth Outright’s Oct. 16 free workshop entitled: “Creating Safe Spaces: Working with LGBTQ Youth in Western North Carolina.”

The workshop is from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Franklin, 89 Sierra Drive, Franklin. http://youthoutright.org.

• A free seminar entitled “Doing Business with the Government” will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 9-11 a.m. on Oct. 27, at HCC’s Regional High Technology Center. Info about Internet-based procurement systems launched by the Federal and North Carolina governments.

SBC.Haywood.edu or call 627.4512.

• A homebrew and chili cook-off will be held at 4 p.m. on Oct. 24, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville.

• Oconaluftee Indian Village, which replicates 18thcentury Cherokee Life, is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 17 in Cherokee. visitcherokeenc.com.

Smoky Mountain News

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • Dine Out in October, an effort to support restaurants who support strong and effective services that respond to domestic violence and sexual assaults in Jackson County, features the following restaurants: Sazon (4:308:30 p.m. on Oct. 14); Jack the Dipper (noon-8 p.m. on Oct. 14); El Panino (4:30-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 16); El Patron (5-9 p.m. on Oct. 19); Coffee Shop (5 p.m.-close on Oct. 20); Mad Batter (5 p.m.-close on Oct. 21); and Bogarts (4:30 p.m.-close on Oct. 26). Restaurants will donate a percentage of sales at the designated times/dates to help the Jackson County Domestic Violence Task Force.

• Contributions are being sought for the Glenville Area Historical Society’s historical museum, which plans to open next year. historicalsocietyglenvillearea@yahoo.com or 743.1658.

HOLIDAY GIVING • The Maggie Valley Lodging Association is accepting donations for its annual Turkey Drive at Thanksgiving. A $25 donation provides a full Thanksgiving meal for a family that would otherwise go without. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 1175, Maggie Valley, NC 28751 or www.visitmaggie.com.

HEALTH MATTERS • A free, weekly grief support group will meet from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at the SECU Hospice House in Franklin. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• Project Lazarus meets at 3 p.m. on Oct. 15, at the Jackson County Public Library’s Conference Room.

• The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 2-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Clyde Elementary.

800.733.2767 or www.redcrossblood.org.

• The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Lowe’s in Franklin.

800.733.2767 or www.redcrossblood.org.

• The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Central United Methodist Church in Canton. 800.733.2767 or www.redcrossblood.org.

• The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from noon-4:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 at Masonic Lodge in Waynesville. 800.733.2767 or www.redcrossblood.org.

• A “Tuesdays to Thrive” wellness education event focused on cancer prevention and survivorship is scheduled for 6-7 p.m. on Oct. 20, at Western Carolina University’s Health and Human Sciences Building, Room 204. $5 fee includes meal.

45

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

• The College of Health and Human Sciences at Western Carolina University will host a panel discussion on Parkinson’s disease and the role of caregivers from 4-5:30 p.m. on Oct. 22, in Room 204 of the College of Health and Human Sciences in Cullowhee. Free; 227.3379 or ogletree@wcu.edu.

• An American Red Cross blood drive is scheduled for 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Lowe’s in Sylva.

800.733.2767 or www.redcrossblood.org.

• An American Red Cross blood drive is scheduled for 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Swain Community Hospital in Bryson City. 800.733.2767 or www.redcrossblood.org.

• The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 3:30-8 p.m. on Oct. 27 at Haywood Community College in Clyde. 800.733.2767 or www.redcrossblood.org.

• Ladies Night Out Program on the topic of breast and cervical cancer is scheduled for 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 at Angel Medical Center.

• “ECA on the Move!” – a walking program organized

by Jackson County Extension and Community Association – meets from 9-10 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. It’s an effort to meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 10,000 steps per day. 586.4009.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • Healthy Haywood Fitness Challenge runs through Nov. 23. Registration is the week of Oct. 13-16. $10; open to all ages. Experience a variety of local fitness centers.

Kickoff event is 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 12, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. www.healthyhaywood.org, mhauser@haywoodnc.net or 452.6675, ext. 2272.

• Western Carolina University’s Alumni Scholarship Homecoming Golf Tournament starts at 11 a.m. on Oct. 23, at the Maggie Valley Golf Club. $100 per person; includes one mulligan and two raffle tickets. RSVP’s by Friday, Oct. 16: 877.440.9990, 227.7335 or bbusby@wcu.edu.

• Western Carolina University’s Homecoming football game against Samford is at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 in Cullowhee. Tailgating begins at noon. 800.344.6928.

• Western Carolina University women’s scocer team will play Samford at 2 p.m. on Oct. 25, in Cullowhee.

POLITICAL CORNER • The Jackson County-based NAACP’s monthly membership meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 17, at Macon County’s St. Cyprian Episcopal Church in Franklin.

• The Jackson County Democratic Party will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, at Party headquarters in Sylva. 293.3999.

• Swain County Democrats will hold a rally from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 24, at Riverfront Park in Bryson City. Free food and opportunity to meet candidates.

• The Macon County Democratic Women’s annual chili cook-off supper is from 5:30-7 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Otto Community Building. Keynote speaker is retired Superior Court Judge James U. Downs. Donations welcome.

524.5282 or 524.9991.

• A roundup of the recent N.C. legislative session is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 27, at Lazy Hiker Brewing Company in Franklin.

46

Smoky Mountain News October 14-20, 2015

wnc calendar

• The Literary Hour, a poetry and prose reading, will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 15, at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown.

The reading will be in the Keith House. Poets and writers Mary Michelle Keller and Lucy Cole Gratton will be the featured readers. Free.

• Ron Rash will have a book signing at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 16, at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Author Joseph M. Edwards will host a signing for his book “Life in Mikey’s Mind” from 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop in Waynesville.

• Tickets for Ron Rash’s presentation of his new book, “Above the Waterfall” are available with a purchase of the book at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. The presentation is 11 a.m. on Oct. 17.

• Author Pierce Mobley will hold a signing for his book “The Innkeeper’s Gift” from 1-4 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Gear Head Inn in Whittier. www.greatsmokies.com.

• A poetry night is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, at Rathskeller CoffeHaus & Pub in Franklin. Area poets and poetry lovers are invited to read or recite original works and favorites. Arts4all@dnet.net or 524.ARTS.

• Registration will be under way through Oct. 30 for Youth Basketball at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. $45 for girls and boys in grades second through seventh.

Coaches are needed in all divisions. http://rec.jacksonnc.org.

• Just Write is at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Teen Coffeehouse is at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Home-school adventure paddle sessions are offered from 1-2:45 p.m. through October at Lake Junaluska. $45 for members (for an eight-week session) or $55 for nonmembers.

456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillnenc.gov.

KIDS MOVIES • “Wallace and Gromit the Curse of the Were Rabbit is being shown for free on Saturdays in October at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. at the Strand in Waynesville. 283.0079.

• A Halloween-themed family movie will be shown at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Film is about a suburban home that’s become physically animated by a vengeful human soul. 488.3030.

• Family movie time Thursdays, 3:45 p.m. at Albert Carlton, Cashiers Community Library.

Free with popcorn. Call for title. 743.0215.

• “Last Lecture” will be delivered by Vicki Szabo, WCU associate professor of history, at 4 p.m. on Oct. 22, in the theater of the University Center on Western Carolina University’s campus in Cullowhee.

• English professor Annette Debo will present “Poets are Lyric Historians: The Necessary Past for African-American poets at 1 p.m. on Oct. 25 as part of the “English on the Ides” series at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. pmworley@wcu.edu or more@citylightsnc.com.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The Jackson County Senior Center will have an outing to the Deal Farms corn maze, hayride, pumpkin patch and Dairy Queen at 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 16. 586.5494.

• A tennis ball foot fitness with WCU Dance professor is scheduled for Oct. 21 at the Jackson Senior Center. 586.5494.

• A senior trip to view fall foliage is being organized by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 27. $7 for members; $9 for nonmembers. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.org.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Fun Friday, everything science, is held at 3:30 on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Family Fun Night is at 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• The Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express will depart at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 16 and noon and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 17-18 at the Great Smoky Mountains

• The Maggie Valley Arts and Crafts Fall Festival is Oct. 17-18 at Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. The festival runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on both days. Free entry and parking. Seasonal items, yard art, paintings, photography, pottery, wooden bowls, furniture, food and more.

Look for the festival on Facebook for a sneak peek of crafts that will be at the festival; 926.1686 or www.maggievalley.org.

• The 25th annual Chili Cook-Off will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 17, at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad Depot in Bryson City.

• Antioch Baptist Church Fall Festival and Sale is from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Haywood County Fairgrounds in Waynesville. Clothing, crafts, knick knacks, canned goods, baked goods and clothing. 452.9164.

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Accredited Buyers Representative, NAR Green, ECO Certified, E-Certified

828.734.9265

margie@4smokys.com

Committed to Exceeding Expectations

Marilynn Obrig

Residential Broker Associate

(828) 550-2810

mobrig@Beverly-Hanks.com

www.Beverly-Hanks.com 314-37

The Real Team

JOLENE HOCOTT • LYN DONLEY MARLYN DICKINSON

HALLOWEEN

A&E FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS • The annual Scarecrow Festival will be held through Oct. 31. Homeowners, businesses, schools and organizations are invited to compete and support the Swain County Schools Foundation. Winners will be announced on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Chili Cook Off & Fall Festival. Entry fee is $25. Pick up an application at the Swain County Chamber of Commerce or download at: www.greatsmokies.com/Pdfs-weeklyevents/Scarecrows-Oct-2015.pdf.

• The Inspirations, a gospel group, will host the “Singing in the Smokies” fall color festival at 11 a.m. from Oct. 15-17 at Inspiration Park in Bryson City. Thursday performances will include The Inspirations and The Kingsmen.

Friday will showcase the Old Fashioned Singing Chuck Wagon Gang, Troy Burns Family, and The Inspirations. Saturday will present the Family & Friends Tour, Archie Watkins, The McKameys, and The Inspirations. Tickets are $20 per night, children 12 and under admitted free. www.theinspirations.com.

•The 26th annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree is scheduled for Oct. 16-19 at the Macon County Community Building just south of Franklin off U.S. Highway 441. $2 admission; children under 12 are admitted for free. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. 524.3161 or 800.336.7829.

• Due to inclement weather, Dillsboro’s ninthannual ColorFest was rescheduled for Oct. 17.

More than 40 fine arts and fine craft vendors, food and entertainment. 631.0900.

36 S. MAIN ST. WAYNESVILLE

• A “Back to the Future” costume party will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at BearWaters Brewing Company in Waynesville. www.bwbrewing.com.

Real Experience.

Real Service. Real Results.

828.452.3727

• The third annual Goblins on the Green is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 23, at the Village Green Commons in Cashiers. Activities and prizes for best costumes. www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.

www.The-Real-Team.com

mountain realty 1904 S. main St. • Waynesville

• Nantahala Outdoor Center’s NOCtoberfest is scheduled for noon-5 p.m. on Oct. 24, in Nantahala. Pumpkin decorating contest, cornhole and live music. Free. www.noc.com/events.

Michelle McElroy RESIDENTIAL BROKER ASSOCIATE

• Plow Day starts at 9 a.m. on Oct. 24, at Darnell Farms in Bryson City. Activities for all ages including plowing demonstrations, music, clogging, hayrides, bonfire, food crafts and more.

E-PRO, CNHS, RCC, SFR

828.400.9463 Cell michelle@beverly-hanks.com

• The 19th annual PumpkinFest is scheduled for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Oct. 24, in downtown Franklin. Traditional and non-traditional fall festivities include “World Famous Pumpkin Roll,” pie-eating contest, costume contest/parade and more. www.pumpkinfestfranklin.com or 524.2516.

74 North Main St. • Waynesville 828.452.5809 314-39

Jerry Smith

• The second-annual Haunted High is scheduled for Oct. 24-25, at Asheville High.

Fundraiser for Asheville High School Band.

Open from 10 p.m.-midnight on Friday and 811 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $10 and available at the door or in advance from http://wordpress.ashevillehighbands.com/haun ted-high.

828-734-8765 jsmith201@kw.com 314-34

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • A production of “Over the River and Through the Woods” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 15-17 and 22-24 and at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 18 and 25 at the Highlands Performing Arts Center. 526.8084 or www.highlandscashiersplayers.org.

Smoky Mountain News

• A pottery-painting activity, organized by Jackson Senior Center, is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Claymates in Dillsboro. 586.5494.

• The 27th annual Apple Harvest Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 in downtown Waynesville. Live music, clogging, arts and crafts demonstrations, apples, apple cider, apple pies and more.

I can show and negotiate a sale for you on any property in the MLS.

October 14-20, 2015

• Author Brian Panowich will discuss his debut novel “Bull Mountain” at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 23, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. It’s a dark, violent story of multigenerational crime and retribution. www.citylightsnc.com.

• The Harvest Festival is scheduled for Oct. 16-18 at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in Robbinsville. Free. Events include campfire and storytelling (6-8 p.m. on Friday); and live music (11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday). A comedy performance by The Cleverly’s costs $25 for adults and $10 for children in grades K-12 at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. From 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, various gospel groups will perform. www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.

wnc calendar

• The Coffee with the Poet series will continue with Tina Barr at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 15, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. 586.9499.

Railroad train depot in Bryson City.

800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

314-78

AUTHORS AND BOOKS

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Office: 828-926-5155 kellerwilliamswaynesville.com 214-64

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

47

wnc calendar

• Mountain Dulcimer Group performs at 6 p.m. on Oct. 16 as part of the Friday Night Live summer concert series in Highlands. Free. www.highlandschamber.org.

• “The Queen of Bluegrass” Rhonda Vincent & The Rage will perform at 8 p.m. on Oct. 16, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Tickets start at $75. www.38main.com or 283.0079.

• Lake Junaluska Singers Concert is set for 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 17, at the Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center. $22.50 for reserved seats; $17.50 for general admission. www.lakejunaluska.com/events/singers/concert_tickets or 800.222.4930. Part of Choir Music Weekend.

Program rates available: tmcdowell@lakejunaluska.com or 454.6681; www.lakejunaluska.com/choirmusic.

• The Dupont Brothers (blood harmony and fingerstyle guitar arrangements) perform on Oct. 17, at The Strand Theater in Waynesville.

• Betina Morgan and Singers will perform at 3 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Waynesville branch public library.

Morgan plays classic folk music on a handcrafted, 31string, gothic harp. Free.

• The Pickin’ on the Square (Franklin) summer concert series will have Ms. Kitty & The Big City Band (variety) at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. An open mic starts at 6:30 p.m. Free. www.franklinnc.com.

• Sidney Barnes & Richard Shulman will perform as part of the Classic Wineseller’s “Fall for Jazz” series at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, in Waynesville. Tickets are $44.99, which includes a four-course dinner.

452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• The Bryson City Train Depot “Music in the Mountains” concert series will feature The Josh Fields Band at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. Free. www.greatsmokies.com.

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2015

• The Historic Cowee School will host Tellico (Americana/bluegrass) at 7 p.m. on Oct. 17. $10 per person. www.coweeschool.org.

• Masters of Illusion “Believe The Impossible” professional magic Halloween showcase is set for 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 17, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.

Tickets start at $7.50. www.harrahscherokee.com.

• Humorist Jeanne Robertson will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 17, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets start at $20.

524.1598 or www.greatmountainmusic.com.

• An immersive theatrical experience for Connor McPherson’s “The Weir,” featuring an Irish Pub with working taps, will open Oct. 17 at HART in Waynesville. Tickets are $24 for adults, $20 for seniors, $11 for students; $7 discount tickets for students on Sundays. Box office hours are 1-5 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday; 456.6322 or www.harttheatre.org.

• Swain County Center for the Arts (Bryson City) will host The Freestylers (classic rock) at 6 p.m. Oct. 17. www.swain.k12.nc.us/cfta.

• Haywood Community Band will present a concert of music recalling the breadth of the American landscape at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 18, at the Maggie Valley Community Pavilion. Free.

• Cruso Circle Play and Jam will perform at 3 p.m. on Oct. 18, at the Canton branch public library. Mandolin, guitar, drums, bass and slide guitar. Free.

• Steep Canyon Rangers, a Grammy Award-winning bluegrass group, performs at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 19, at Western Carolina University’s John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee. Free for members of Friends of the Arts; $35 for others that go on sale at 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, at the Bardo Arts Center box office. www.wcu.edu or 227.7028.

• A recital featuring Bradley Ulrich, professor of trumpet at Western Carolina University, performing music written for him by fellow faculty member Bruce Frazier, at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, in the Coulter Building on WCU’s campus in Cullowhee. Free. 227.7242.

• A comedy show featuring Colin Jost, “anchor” for

• Tickets are on sale now for a concert featuring country music artist Hunter Hayes. The event is set for 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Western Carolina University’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center in Cullowhee. Concert will also include country singer Ryan Lafferty. Tickets are $20 for students and $25 (plus facility fee and taxes) to the general public.

Tickets are available at the Ramsey Center’s box office or www.ramsey.wcu.edu.

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• The Freeway Revival (rock) will perform as part of the Groovin’ On the Green in Cashiers at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 at 9 p.m., at Village Commons in Cashiers.

Free. visitcashiersvalley.com.

• Tickets are on sale for classic singer Tony Bennett’s concert on Oct. 23 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. www.TicketMaster.com or 800.745.3000.

• Mountain Dulcimer Group performs at 6 p.m. on Oct. 23 as part of the Friday Night Live summer concert series in Highlands. Free. www.highlandschamber.org.

• The 9th Street Stompers will perform at 7 p.m. on Oct. 24, as part the Classic Wineseller’s “Fall for Jazz” series in Waynesville. Tickets are $44.99, which includes a four-course dinner. 452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Lacy Green performs on Oct. 22, at the Classic Wineseller in Waynesville.

• The Bryson City Train Depot “Music in the Mountains” concert series will feature Blue Eyed Girl at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 24. Free. www.greatsmokies.com.

• Jonah Riddle & Carolina Express will perform at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop in Waynesville. 456.3400 or smokymountainsubshop.com.

• Western Carolina University’s Inspirational Choir will offer a concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25, in the University Center Grandroom in Cullowhee. www.homecoming.wcu.edu.

• A Homecoming concert featuring rising country star Hunter Hayes will begin at 8 p.m. Oct. 23 at Western Carolina University’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center in Cullowhee. Hayes is a four-time Grammy nominee and was named New Artist of the Year in 2012 by the Country Music Association.

Advance tickets are $20 for WCU students and $25 for all others, and all tickets are $25 on the day of the show. Tickets are available at ramsey.wcu.edu or by calling 227.7722.

• A performance by the Gibson Brothers (bluegrass) is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Oct. 28 at Cataloochee Ranch. Tickets are $75 per person, including dinner at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are required: 926.1401.

• Tickets are on sale for the Voices in the Laurel: A Little Night Music Fall Concert, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, at First Baptist Church in Waynesville. $10 for adults, $5 for children. www.voicesinthelaurel.org.

• Joe Cruz performs on Oct. 23 at the Classic Wineseller in Waynesville.

• Tickets are on sale for comedian Ron White’s Nov. 6 performance at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. www.TicketMaster.com or 800.745.3000.

• Josh Turner (Christian/country) performs at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at $45. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

• Tickets are on sale for an upcoming concert featuring Jamie Laval, U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion. The concert is at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday,

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Haywood art Studio tour 2015 Friday October 23 & Saturday October 24, 10a - 5p ^ƚƵĚŝŽ ƚŽƵƌ ƐŚŽǁ͗ October 1-29 at Haywood County Arts Council Gallery Θ 'ŝŌ Ɛ͕ ϴϲ E DĂŝŶ ^ƚƌĞĞƚ͕ Waynesville KƉĞŶŝŶŐ ƌĞĐĞƉƟ ŽŶ͗ KĐƚŽďĞƌ Ϯ͕ ϱƉͲϵƉ ƌŽĐŚƵƌĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĂƉƐ͗ Haywood County Arts ŽƵŶĐŝů 'ĂůůĞƌLJ Θ 'ŝŌ Ɛ Žƌ ŽŶ ŽƵƌ &ĂĐĞŬ ƉĂŐĞ

Find us on Facebook. Federally Insured by NCUA *$100,000 will be divided between the public school systems in Haywood, Buncombe, Henderson, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Madison, and Transylvania Counties based on the number of students per system. **Loan approval based on JYLKP[^VY[OPULZZ *LY[HPU YLZ[YPJ[PVUZ HWWS` (WWSPJHISL [V SVHUZ ILPUN YLÄUHUJLK MYVT HUV[OLY SLUKLY )` \WSVHKPUN `V\Y picture to our social media pages, you give Champion Credit Union permission to use it in future promotions.

48

the “Weekend Update” segment of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, at the Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Comedian Jose Barrientos will host the show. Also performing is Chloe Hilliard. Free for WCU students with ID; tickets for all others cost $10 apiece and are available at www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

KƉĞŶ^ƚƵĚŝŽƐ,ĂLJǁŽŽĚ

• The Haywood Dancers Ballroom Dance is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Angie Dance Academy in Clyde. 734.8063.

• Tom Ruffin will demonstrate the art of broom making at 11 a.m. on Oct. 17, at the historic Rickman Store in Franklin.

• An indoor flea market is scheduled for 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 17, at The Old Armory in Waynesville. Booths are $10 each for selling items. Takes place every third Saturday. 456.9207.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education is offering five weeks of unusual art projects through a Community Art Workshops series on Mondays from Oct. 19-Nov. 16.

Classes met from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 150 of the Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Fee: $49 for students; $99 for others. Artclasses.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• The Sylva Photo Club will have a full-day seminar about Lightroom photo editing software presented by Robert McAnally from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Cullowhee Methodist Church. $40 donation for nonmembers; $35 for members. Reservations required: 293.9820.

• The Monthly Creating Community Workshop is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 17, in the Atrium of the Jackson County Public Library. Free. Topic is Broom Making with Mickey Sizemore. 586.2016.

• A hands-on, Rag Quilt class will be offered through the Jackson County Cooperative Extension from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Oct. 22-23. $10. 586.4009 or kerri_rayburn@ncsu.edu.

• Registration is underway for a Holiday Locust Wood Painting Workshop, which starts on Nov. 10 at Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus.

Leader will be Doreyl Ammons Cain. 339.4426.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • A gallery talk and exhibition featuring artist and author Joseph Meigs is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 16, in the Rotunda Gallery of the Jackson County Library Annex in Sylva. Meigs’ work will be on exhibit until Nov. 11. Free.

• The 10th Annual Autumn Juried Group Exhibit of the Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association Asheville Region entitled “Southern Appalachian Splendor Through the Seasons,” will be hosted through the New Year by the Green Sage Cafe in Asheville. www.cnpaasheville.org.

• Haywood County Arts Council will host artists from the Haywood Art Studio Tour starting in October at the Gallery & Gifts Space in Waynesville. A sampling of work from 22 local artists who will open their studios to the public from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24. Self-guided. Opening reception is from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 2. www.HaywoodArts.org.

• An exhibition of Maya contemporary works will be featured through Friday, Oct. 30 at Western Carolina University’s Fine Art Museum in Cullowhee.

• The Mountain Heritage Center is hosting the exhibit

This 6.6 mile trip includes a Hike from Young Harris Ga. To Brass Town Bald. It is a 6.6 Mile Hike and also includes a walk up the summit of Brass Town Bald. Lunch Should be packed and plan on stopping for a meal in Franklin on the return trip.

FILM & SCREEN • “Chasing Grace” will be shown through Oct. 18 at The Strand in Waynesville. Showtimes at www.38main.com • A new drama with Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons will be shown at 2 and 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room. A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who’ll stop at nothing to realize a student’s potential. 524.3600.

• A classic comedy starring Robert Young and Maureen O’Hara will be shown at 2 p.m. on Oct. 23, in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room. A suburban couple with three sons seeks a babysitter but winds up with an applicant they weren’t expecting. 524.3600.

• The second offering in the Southern Circuit Film Series, “Shield and Spear,” screens at 7 p.m. on Oct. 26, at Western Carolina University’s University Center theater. Film explores stories about identity, art, race and freedom of expression in South Africa 20 years into democracy. www.shieldspear.com.

• “Jurassic World” will be shown through Oct. 20-29 at The Strand in Waynesville. Showtimes at www.38main.com • “Nosferatu” will be shown at 7 p.m. on Oct. 30-31 at The Strand in Waynesville. www.38main.com • Adult movie time, 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Jackson County Public Library. Call for title of movie. 586.2016.

Outdoors • Kayaking paddle sessions will be offered from 9:3011:30 a.m. on Thursdays this fall at Lake Junaluska. $8 members; $12 for nonmembers. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillnenc.gov.

• A gem show will be held from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Oct. 15-18 at the corner of U.S. 441 and Lake Emory Road.

371.9618 or www.franklin-chamber.com.

• An Octoberfest Tailgate will be held at 5 p.m. on Oct. 16, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• The Macon Aero Modelers will host an invitational RC fly-in event at 10 a.m. on Oct. 17, at the Otto Aerodrome. Pilots of the Macon Aeromodelers Club will put their skill on displaying flying micro and largescale model aircraft. Admission is $5, with food available (hot dog plate $5, barbecue plate $7). Proceeds benefit the Macon County Public Library. bruners@dnet.net

ALL HIKES ARE $5/MEMBERS, $7/N0N-MEMBERS

WAYNESVILLE

RECREATION CENTER 550 Vance St. • Waynesville • 828.456.2030

www.townofwaynesville.org 309-03

We Can Help Investments IRAs Annuities 529 Plans Life Insurance CD’s and Bonds

Smoky Mountain News

• Recent works by local artist Justin Moe are on display throughout October in the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. www.artbyjustinmoe.weebly.com or www.facebook.com/artbyjustinmoe.

• Western North Carolina pottery pieces on loan from the collection of Rodney Leftwich are on display from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays at the Shelton House in Waynesville. www.sheltonhouse.org.

MON. OCT. 26 • 9 A.M. WAGON TRAIN TRAIL

October 14-20, 2015

• Local crafters can sign up to sell items at a craft fair from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Bethel United Methodist Church. $10 for table reservation.

235.9360.

• A contemporary exhibit is open at the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

The exhibit is intended to challenge the way beliefs about the natural world are formed. Entitled “Connections: Diane Fox & Beauvais Lyons,” the exhibit pairs photographs by Fox with lithography by Lyons. An artists’ talk and reception is set for 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19; the exhibit remains at WCU through Friday, Jan. 15. The museum is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays with extended hours to 7 p.m. on Thursday. Admission and parking are free.

227.3591 or fineartmuseum.wcu.edu.

Join Us for Our Last Fall Hike wnc calendar

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS

“Collecting for the Community,” an exploration of the diversity and variety to be found in Western North Carolina. Visiting hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Thursdays.

Larry East, CFP®

Vice President - Investments

J. Chad Muri, CRPC Financial Advisor

Jack Webb, Financial Advisor Shannon E. Carlock

Senior Registered Client Associate

828.456.7407 Investment and insurance products: NOT FDIC NO Bank MAY Lose Insured Guarantee Value Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

52 Walnut St., Suite #6 Waynesville, NC 28786 Next to Haywood County Chamber of Commerce

314-47

Nov. 7, at The Strand Theatre in Waynesville. Tickets are $20 for adults; $12 for students, and can be purchased at www.38main.com or by calling 283.0079.

Info at www.JamieLaval.com.

49

wnc calendar

• The John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet has been rescheduled for Oct. 17, in Pisgah Forest.

• The Highlands Plateau Greenway will conduct its monthly work day from 9 a.m.-noon on Oct. 17 and Nov. 21. Ran Shaffner at highlandsgreenway@nctv.com or call 526.5622.

• The Franklin Bird club will feature “Tropical Smorgasbord” – a presentation by John and Cathy Sill – at 7 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the Macon County Public Library. www.franklinbirdclub.com or 524.5234.

• Retired Delta captain Marc Sharp will share Adventures in Flight instruction from his experiences as a private and commercial instructor at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Macon County Airport near Franklin. Free; public is welcome. Fred Alexander at aeroscribbler@gmail.com or 506.5869.

• The Franklin Appalachian Trail Community Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 at the Lazy Hiker Brewing Company Event Room in Franklin.

• A day trip to Bear Lake will be organized by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Oct. 21. $20 for members; $30 for nonmembers. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillnenc.gov.

• A Greenway Gathering about “Why it’s important to know about the N.C. Forest Service” is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Oct. 22, at FROG Quarters in Franklin.

Conversation will be led by Bobby Mashburn, county ranger for the N.C. Forest Service.

• An opportunity to see Chimney Rock State Park after hours is scheduled for Oct. 24. Family-friendly, nocturnal event. $5 per person; free for children under 5.

Preregister by calling 800.277.9611. www.chimneyrockpark.com.

• A WMI-Wilderness First Aid class is scheduled for Oct. 24-25 in Flat Rock. Learn the fundamentals of remote first aid. 293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.edu.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • Registration is under way for the “Power of Pink 5K run/walk.” The event is Oct. 24. Volunteers needed; contact mhauser@haywoodnc.net or 356.2275. www.imathlete.com/events/EventOverview.aspx?fEID= 25002.

• Pumpkin Run 5K Run/Walk, a benefit for the Habitat for Humanity of Macon and Jackson Counties, starts at 9 a.m. on Oct. 24 at the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin. $35 entry fee or $15 without event t-shirt.

Bringingit2life@gmail.com or active.com.

• Registration is under way for the Cherokee Zombie Run, which will be held from noon-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25. $25 for regular registration (Oct. 2-15) or $30 for late registration (Oct. 16-25). Info: www.hauntedcherokee.com; register at www.imathlete.com.

• The Trick or Treat 5 miler and Spooky Sprinter 1miler races, are Oct. 30. greg@pisgahareasorba.org or www.pisgahareasorba.org.

• Registration is underway for the Pink-a-Book 5K race that will benefit the Macon Hope Closet, a resource for anyone touched by cancer. The race is at 11 a.m. on Oct. 31. Entry fee is $20 until Oct. 30; $25 on race day. Register at active.com. Info: maconhopecloset@yahoo.com.

• Registration is underway for the Zombie 5K Race Chase, which starts at 4 p.m. on Oct. 31, at Western Carolina University. Early bird price of $20 is good through Oct. 15: www.active.com. Proceeds support physical therapy services.

• Cherokee Harvest half-marathon and 5K is at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the Acquoni Events Center. Benefits the Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation.

• The Conquer the Mountain Half-Marathon will be held Nov. 7, in Franklin. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center for medical care at the center’s clinics as well

as other needs. Individual and two-person team registrations are available. $30 to $45 per person, depending on registration date and team status. Register at www.active.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a six-mile hike with a 1,300-foot elevation gain, from Slate Rock Creek – Pilot Cove on Oct. 14. Jack Fitzgerald at 685.2897 or suejackfitz@bellsouth.net.

• Registration is underway for Pisgah High School’s Zombie Rush 5K. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at Canton Recreation Park and Pisgah’s campus. Register at tinyurl.com/phszombierush. For info about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jennifer Cragg at jcragg@haywood.k12.nc.us.

• A hike from Flat Laurel Creek to Sam’s Knob (7 miles) will be organized by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Oct. 14.

Cost is $5 for members; $7 for non-members.

456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillnenc.gov.

FARM & GARDEN • Registration deadline for the annual Western Regional Symposium entitled “Passionate Mountain Gardening” is Oct. 15. Event is scheduled for 8:45 a.m.-4:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Doubletree Biltmore Hotel Asheville. $55 fee includes full-day seminars, continental breakfast, lunch and dessert break. www.buncombemastergardener.org.

• Haywood Gleaners will host an apple gleaning event at 10 a.m. on Oct. 17, in Waynesville. 645.2254 or haywoodgleaners@gmail.com. www.haywoodgleaners.org.

• Tuscola Garden Club presents Kathy Olsen, Haywood librarian, to discuss new heirloom and rare vegetable Seed Lending Library program at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 20, at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.

246.0437 or 400.1461.

• The Jackson, Macon and Swain (JMS) County Cattlemen’s Association will meet from 7-9 p.m. on Oct. 20 in Sylva. Soil testing demonstration by Macon County Agricultural Agent Joe Deal. 586.4009, 488.3848 or robert_hawk@ncsu.edu.

HIKING CLUBS • A Happy Hikers outing to John Rock (four miles) is scheduled for Oct. 14. 586.5494. http://rec.jacksonnc.org.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a 5-mile moderate hike, elevation change 630 ft., on Oct. 17, to Sam Knob off the Blue Ridge Parkway on Black Balsam FS road with 360-degree views from summit of Knob at 6130 ft. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Bi-Lo parking lot in Franklin. Gail Lehman, 524.5298, for reservations. • Carolina Mountain Club will have a fourmile hike with a 900-foot elevation gain on Oct. 18 at Sam Knob. Chris Allen at 707.6500 or cpallen@gmail.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a seven-mile hike with a 1,000-foot ascent on Oct. 21. Stuart English at 384.4870 or stuengo@comporium.net.

• A Happy Hikers outing to Siler Bald (four miles) is scheduled for Oct. 21. 586.5494. http://rec.jacksonnc.org.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a 12-mile, very strenuous hike, with an elevation change of 3,000 feet., on Oct. 24 to Mt. Cammerer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, beginning at Big Creek Ranger Station. Don O’Neal, 586.5723, for reservations and info.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a 4-mile moderate hike, with an elevation change of 500 feet pm Oct. 24, to Lower Whitewater Falls, beginning at the Bad Creek parking area, with views of Lake Jocassee along the way and great view of the falls downriver.

Mike and Susan Kettles at 743.1079 for reservations and info.

314-30

October 14-20, 2015

314-90

Come On In and Look Around ...

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Smoky Mountain News

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Puzzles can be found on page 54.

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Affairs of the Heart

————————————————————————————— 120 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC • 828.452.0526

50

PRIME REAL ESTATE Advertise in The Smoky Mountain News

ARTS & CRAFTS

MarketPlace information:

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The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

Rates:

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■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.

■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads, ■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $15 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2.

If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.

■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad or colored background.

■ $50 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.

■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.

■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.

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Classified Advertising: Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com

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LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC

Project No. 2601-040

NOTICE OF APPLICATION ACCEPTED FOR FILING AND SOLICITING COMMENTS, MOTIONS TO INTERVENE, AND PROTESTS (September 30, 2015) Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection: a. Application Type: Request to amend the project boundary b. Project No: 2601-040 c. Date Filed: September 23, 2015 d. Applicant: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC e. Name of Project: Bryson Hydroelectric Project f. Location: Oconaluftee River in Swain County, North Carolina. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 USC 791a - 825r h. Applicant Contact: Jeff Lineberger, Director of Water Strategy & Hydro Licensing, Duke Energy, 526 South Church Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-1006; Telephone: (704) 382-5942; Email: jeff.lineberger@dukeenergy.com i. FERC Contact: Mark Carter at (678) 245-3083; Email: mark.carter@ferc.gov

October 14-20, 2015

j. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and protests: October 30, 2015 The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file motions to intervene, protests, comments, or recommendations using the Commission’s eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20426. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-2601-040. k. Description of Request: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC proposes to amend the project boundary in order to resolve a property ownership issue with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who owns lands adjacent to the project. The proposed project boundary would include 0.41 acre of new lands and exclude 5.66 acres of existing project lands for a net decrease of 5.25 acres of project lands, and would result in a decrease in the amount of shoreline in the project boundary from 2.11 miles to 2.10 miles. The application states that the proposed project boundary would only include property that is necessary for the safe and effective operation of the project, and states that the removal of project lands would not affect operations, public infrastructure, recreational use, or environmental resources. l. Locations of the Application: A copy of the application is available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission's Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street, NE, Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling (202) 502-8371. This filing may also be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov using the "eLibrary" link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field (P-2601) to access the document. You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, call 1-866208-3676 or e-mail FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item (h) above. Agencies may obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant.

www.smokymountainnews.com

m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission. n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214, respectively. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application. o. Filing and Service of Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “PROTEST”, or “MOTION TO INTERVENE” as applicable; (2) set forth in the heading the name of the applicant and the project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone number of the person commenting, protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All comments, motions to intervene, or protests must set forth their evidentiary basis. Any filing made by an intervenor must be accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 385.2010.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary.

52

ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2015, MEREDITH CORPORATION Filed an application with the FCC to transfer control of the licensee of W47DY-D, Channel 47, Canton/Waynesville, North Carolina, from the Shareholders of Meredith Corporation to the Shareholders of Meredith Media General Corporation. This station rebroadcasts WHNS(TV), Channel 21, Greenville, South Carolina.

W47DY-D operates with 5 kW of power from a transmitter located at 35-34-06N, 82-54-27W. The attributable officers, directors and stockholders of Meredith Corporation are Stephen Lacy, John Zieser, Joseph Ceryanec, Edwin Meredith, IV, Dianna Mell Meredith Frazier, Philip Marineau, Elizabeth Tallett, Joel Johnson, Mary Sue Coleman, Donald Berg, Frederick Henry, Paul Karpowicz, Steven Cappaert, Thomas Harty, and the Anna K. Meredith Endowment Trust.

The attributable officers, directors, and stockholders of Meredith Media General Corporation will consist of individuals and entities drawn from the following list: Soohyung Kim; John Muse; Donald Baer; Donald Berg; J. Stewart Bryan III; Diana Cantor; Steven Cappaert; Andrew Carington; Royal Carson III; Joesph Ceryanec; Mary Sue Coleman; HC Charles Diao; Dennis Fitzsimons; Dianna Mell Meredith Frazier; Thomas Harty; Frederick Henry; Joel Johnson; Paul Karpowicz; Stephen Lacy; Philip Marineau; Douglas McCormick; Deborah McDermott; Timothy Mulvaney; Robert Richter; Wyndham Robertson; Vincent Sadusky; Thomas Sullivan; Elizabeth Tallett; James Woodward; John Zieser; Standard General Fund, LP; Standard General Fund GP LLC; Standard General LP; Standard General Communications, LLC; Standard General Holdings LP; Standard General S Corp.; Acme Amalgamated Holdings LLC; Standard General GP; Standard General Management LLC; Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Equity Fund II, LP; HM3/GP Partners, LP; Hicks, Muse GP Partners III, LP; Hicks, Muse Fund III Incorporated; David Knickel; William Neisel; Linda Thompson; and Andrew Rosen.

A copy of the application and related materials are available for public viewing at https://stations.fcc.gov/ and at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 Twelfth Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.

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FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1.800.698.9217 DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, INC Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions.

Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson.

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Anti-Slip Floors. American Made.

Installation Included. Call 800.807.7219 for $750 Off.

EMPLOYMENT AVERITT EXPRESS Start Pay: 40 to 43.5 CPM + Fuel Bonus! Get Home EVERY Week + Excellent Benefits. CDL-A req. Recent Tractor/Trailer School Grads Welcome. Call Today: 888.602.7440 OR Apply@AverittCareers.com. EOE/AA including Veterans and Disabled.

EMPLOYMENT ATTN: DRIVERS $2K Sign-On Bonus. Recent Pay Increase! We Put Drivers First! Family Company w/ 401K. Beautiful Trucks. CDL-A Req - 877.258.8782. www.drive4melton.com DRIVERS: COMPANY & OP’s New Pay Package. Paid Weekly/ Direct Deposit, Consistent Home Time & Benefits. Assigned Newer Trucks. Lease Purchase Available Regional & OTR. CDL-A. 25yoa 855.995.7557 FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Programmer/Analyst II. Associate Vice President of Corporate & Continuing Education. Plumbing Dept.

Chair/Instructor. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com /. Human Resources Office. Phone: 910.678.8378 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu.

An Equal Opportunity Employer.

CAN YOU DIG IT? Heavy Equipment Operator Career!

We Offer Training and Certifications Running Bulldozers, Backhoes and Excavators. Lifetime Job Placement. VA Benefits Eligible!

1.866.362.6497 DRIVER TRAINEES Paid CDL Training! Stevens Transport Will Cover All Costs! No Experience Needed! Earn $800 per week! Local CDL Training!

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AXL A 10 WEEK OLD FUZZBALL KITTEN WITH BEAUTIFUL TABBY MARKINGS. HE IS A REAL CHARACTER AND WILL SURELY ENTERTAIN HIS NEW FAMILY WITH HIS PLAYFUL ANTICS.

SALEM A ONE YEAR OLD MIXED BREED DOG, WHO LOOKS A LOT LIKE A JACK RUSSELL TERRIER WITH UNUSUALLY LONG LEGS. HE IS ACTIVE AND FUN, BUT NOT HYPER, AND WILL BE A DELIGHTFUL FAMILY COMPANION DOG.

FULL-TIME OFFICE MANAGER For a Fast-Paced Environment with Comprehensive Quickbooks Knowledge & Administration/ Bookkeeping & Accounting Experience. Must be Proficient in Excel. Looking for a Detail Oriented Person. Starting Salary $29,120 Email Resume to: WNCjobs@gmail.com

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD IN BRYSON CITY Is Hiring for Seasonal Parking Attendant, Train Cleaning Attendant and POLAR EXPRESS Event Staff. Earn Train Passes, Retail and Food Discounts, Passes to Area Attractions, and More!

Applications Available at the Bryson City Depot or online at: www.gsmr.com/jobs

MAKE $1000 WEEKLY!!

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Helping Home Workers Since 2001!

Genuine Opportunity. NO Experience Required. Start Immediately. www.NewMailers.com SAPA

RUN YOUR CLASSIFIED In 100 North Carolina newspapers for only $375 for a 25-word ad.

Call this newspaper at 828.452.4251 for details.

WANT TO FLATBED? Call us! - Free Healthcare! Hiring Class A CDL Drivers for Regional & OTR. Pay starting at 40cpm.

Call 864.649.2063 or visit drive4jgr.com EOE.

SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1.800.371.1734 to start your application today!

FURNITURE MATTRESS CLEARANCE SALE 50 - 80% Off Retail! Queen Sets From $150. Financing Available $40 Down & Take it Home 828.552.0955 COMPARE QUALITY & PRICE Shop Tupelo’s, 828.926.8778.

HAYWOOD BEDDING, INC. The best bedding at the best price!

533 Hazelwood Ave. Waynesville 828.456.4240

LAWN AND GARDEN BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment.

Handmade in Haywood County. 1 for $20, 2 or More for $15 each.

828.593.8321 HEMLOCK HEALERS, INC. Dedicated to Saving Our Hemlocks. Owner/Operator Frank Varvoutis, NC Pesticide Applicator’s License #22864. 48 Spruce St. Maggie Valley, NC 828.734.7819 828.926.7883, Email: hemlockhealers@yahoo.com SAWMILLS From only $4397.00- MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmillCut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship! FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1.800.578.1363 Ext.300N

PETS JAMISON’S KENNEL BEAGLE CLUB Training Hunting Dogs. Will start pups at 6 months old, $50 Sign up per dog. Will Run big dogs at $5 an hour per dog. For more info 828.508.9727. For Sale- Male & Female AKC Registered Beagles Good Running Dogs! $200 each.

Hours:

Tuesday-Friday, 12 Noon - 6 pm 182 Richland Street, Waynesville

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on an equal opportunity basis.

A RIVER RUNS THRU IT In NC. 3 acres w/2bed 2bath log cabin. $159,900. Huge screened porch, fpl, one-level. Hurry!

866.738.5522

67 ACRES OFF PRESSLEY CREEK IN CULLOWHEE NEAR WCU. Includes 2/BR 2/BA, 1600 sq. ft. house, workshop & garage. Property borders Forest Service and offers long range views to the Parkway. Good road system in, several potential additional house sites, very private, good potential family compound, ideal for conservation easement.

Details at: www.918gapbranch.com or Call 828.586.0165

828.734.2146

BROKER ASSOCIATE

bparrott@beverly-hanks.com Visit beverly-hanks.com/agents/bparrott

to see what others are saying!

BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

LEASE TO OWN 1/2 Acre Lots with Mobile Homes & Empty 1/2 Acre + Lots!

Located Next to Cherokee Indian Reservation, 2.5 Miles from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

For More Information Please Call 828.506.0578

SFR, ECO, GREEN

147 WALNUT STREET • WAYNESVILLE

828.506.7137

aspivey@sunburstrealty.com

www.sunburstrealty.com/amy-spivey

HOMES FOR RENT UNFURNISHED 3/BR 2/BA HOUSE In Clyde Area. All Appliances, Decks, Ceiling Fans, Central Heat/AC. Includes Yard Maintenance. $880/mo. Deposit Req., Lease, No Smoking/Pets.

828.734.9409 or 828.246.0918

COMM. PROP. FOR RENT ARTIST STUDIO SPACE AVAILABLE FOR RENT Located in Waynesville’s Historic Frog Level District, 3 spaces available. Each space is 8 x 8 feet. Can be combined. Studios located in 4,000 sq. ft. building with established gallery. Create and sell art in studio, to gallery customers. Call 828.246.0818 for more details.

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

314-33

James R. ‘Randy’ Flanigan Broker, Licensed Auctioneer, Realtor®

Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400 Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS: Tues. & Wed. 10:00am - 5:00pm & Thurs. 10:00am- 12:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.725.2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

Experienced in auctions, conventional listings and vacation home sales.

smokymountainnews.com

MOUNTAIN PROJECTS, INC. Is looking for general contractors, electricians and plumbers for rehabilitation of homes. RRP Lead Certified Firms are Needed.

Please contact Vivian Bumgarner at 828.452.1447 ext. 119, with any questions about certifications and qualifications. Minority and Women Owned Businesses are Encouraged to Apply.

SELL YOUR STRUCTURED Settlement or annuity payments for CASH NOW. You don't have to wait for your future payments any longer! Call 1.800.316.0271.

Prevent Unwanted Litters!

The Heat Is On! Spay/Neuter For Haywood Pets As Low As $10.

Operation Pit is in Effect!

Free Spay/Neuter, Microchip & Vaccines For Haywood Pitbull Types & Mixes!

BROOKE PARROTT

October 14-20, 2015

NEED MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES! Doctors & Hospitals need Medical Office Staff! No Experienced Needed! Online Training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. Careertechnical.edu/nc.

1.888.512.7122

REDUCE YOUR PAST TAX BILL By as much as 75 Percent. Stop Levies, Liens and Wage Garnishments. Call The Tax DR Now to see if you Qualify 1.800.396.9719

HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT

314-05

HELP WANTED Looking to become a wonderful addition to a dental office? We are searching for a certified Dental Assistant to be the one to complete our amazing team. Send resume to: apply2assist@yahoo.com You will enjoy this great group and our awesome patients we are privileged to serve.

BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

SAPA

PETS

WNC MarketPlace

AVIATION GRADS Work With Jetblue, Boeing, Delta, And Others- Start Here With Hands-On Training For FAA Certification. Financial Aid If Qualified.

Call Aviation Institute Of Maintenance 1.866.724.5403 SAPA

FINANCIAL

314-25

EMPLOYMENT

101 S. Main St. Waynesville rflanigan@beverly-hanks.com Cell:706.207.9436 Office:828.456.2227

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

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www.smokymountainnews.com

October 14-20, 2015

WNC MarketPlace

Super

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CROSSWORD

NABBING YEARLY AWARDS 69 Riddle, part 4 73 Ball holder 74 Sword or rifle ACROSS 1 A hiker may commune 76 Art of public speaking with it 78 Falco of “Nurse 7 Chop Jackie” 12 Gets entry to 79 German’s “love” 20 Worked hard for 82 Prefix with lingual 21 The “veni” of “veni, 83 Church area vidi, vici” 87 Riddle, part 5 22 Slope at the base of 93 German’s “I” a mountain 95 Oven-dry 23 Start of a riddle 96 Lines to Penn Sta. 25 Funny actress Barr 97 Placed paper in 26 By way of incorrectly, as a printer 27 Big vase 98 Slangy denial 28 Western U.S. gas 99 TV title alien brand 100 “- only known!”

30 Police attack 103 ROY G. 31 Riddle, part 2 104 OR staffers 37 Geller of the para105 End of the riddle normal 111 Israeli diplomat 38 Naval acad. grad’s Abba rank 39 Gender-altering suf- 112 Pressing appliance 113 - Canals (Superiorfix 40 Punk music subgenre Huron linkup) 114 Time gone by 41 Fawn bearer 115 Appeals for 42 Steady pay 119 Riddle’s answer 44 Learning ctr.

46 Mimicking mockingly 124 Competing directly 48 Gender-altering suf- 125 Ring shape 126 City near San Diego fix 127 Those going off 49 Riddle, part 3 course 54 TV’s Foxx 128 Binge at a mall, say 55 “Bali -” (“South 129 Hawk variety Pacific” tune) 56 - Rock (Australian DOWN landmark) 1 With 58-Down, Enya’s 57 Colorful duck music genre 60 Mix with alternate 2 Hot tub user’s sigh layers of fat 64 Priests, bishops, etc. 3 Worked hard 4 - the cows come home 66 Polar worker

5 Crisis signal 6 Old Tokyo 7 Oldsmobile Cutlass 8 The Huskies of the NCAA 9 Light touch 10 Mark in “Fr Elise” 11 View closely 12 Frizzy dos 13 Pigeon noise 14 NYSE listings 15 Summer, in Saint-L 16 Biting 17 Arid stretch in Egypt 18 Weather-affecting currents 19 Large hammers 24 Wordplays 29 Split along the grain 31 Hunger for 32 Novelist Seton 33 Longtime pop brand 34 Princes, e.g.

35 Present opener?

36 Springy stick 37 Tech’s client 43 “You - both know ...”

44 Body of bees 45 Santiago site 47 Even, in golf 50 Opponents of “us” 51 Noel singer 52 Water: Prefix 53 Sport- - (rugged ride) 58 See 1-Down 59 Caustic alkali 61 Cpl. or SFC 62 Heavy weight 63 One-celled creature 64 106, to Cato 65 Zodiac beast 66 Sheep that’s a she 67 Was in front 68 Divine cure deliverer

70 Role filler 71 Layers of matted earth 72 The Rolling Stones’ “You Can Make - You Try” 75 Stew tidbit 77 Scottish denials 79 Like lettuce and spinach 80 “- all true!”

81 Swimmer Williams 84 Adobe Acrobat, e.g.

85 Composer Camille Saint- 86 Pre-takeoff guesses, for short 88 Impish kid 89 Lie about 90 Blore or Idle 91 Islamic VIP 92 Coastal resort areas 93 Eats 94 Disabling wheel clamp 101 Takes in 102 Tire brand 103 Org. with fraternal lodges 106 Soulful Baker 107 Stops lying 108 In the style of: Suffix 109 Extinguish 110 Press into small folds 116 Playfully shy 117 Ending for Denver 118 Bare crag 120 LGA landing 121 “Alice” spin-off 122 Enzyme name ender 123 “Wahoo!”

answers on page 50

VACATION RENTALS PROPERTY RENTAL ON CASCADING CREEK Sophisticated and distinctive in its beauty, this 3/BR, 3.5/BA Lodge Styled Home creates a new experience with every open door.

Surrounded by the luscious mountain range that gives the Great Smoky Mountains it’s name, its hard not to feel at home. Newly custom reconstruction embraces the authentic feel that the handmade furnishings

by High Country Furniture gives.

Accompanied with a full finished basement-turned pool room, the possibilities are endless in this ideal mountain vacation home.

Less than 8 min. to I-40. $1,850 per month plus utilities.

Also Available for Sale!

Motivated Seller Reduced Price of $329,000, Taking Offers.

Fully Furnished. For more info 865.603.8167

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE FOR YOU 1 Month Free with 12 Month Rental. Maggie Valley, Hwy. 19, 1106 Soco Rd. For more information call Torry

828.734.6500, 828.734.6700 maggievalleyselfstorage.com

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE Conveniently located off 19/23

by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160.

Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more info.

PERSONAL A CHILDLESS Married couple seeks to adopt.

Will be hands-on mom/work-fromhome dad. Financial security.

Expenses PAID. Lucy & Adam 1.844.275.0355. SAPA A UNIQUE ADOPTIONS, Let Us Help! Personalized Adoption Plans. Financial Assistance, Housing, Relocation And More. Giving The Gift Of Life? You Deserve The Best. Call Us First!

1.888.637.8200. 24 hour HOTLINE. MAKE A CONNECTION. Real People, Flirty Chat. Meet singles right now! Call LiveLinks. Try it FREE. Call now 1.888.909.9978 18+. SAPA

SERVICES ACE PRESSURE WASHING Providing pressure washing for driveways, gutters, siding & decks (sealed or stained). We can also help with plumbing; such as installing toilets, garbage disposals, dishwashers and faucets. Call Steve today at 828.476.1097.

SERVICES LIFE ALERT. 24/7.

One press of a button sends help FAST! Medical, Fire, Burglar. Even if you can't reach a phone! FREE Brochure. CALL 800.316.0745.

DIRECTV Starting at $19.99/mo. FREE Installation. FREE 3 months of HBO SHOWTIME CINEMAX STARZ. Free HD/DVR Upgrade! 2015 NFL Sunday Ticket Included (Select Packages) New Customers Only. CALL 1.800.421.2049 SAPA EMERGENCIES CAN STRIKE At any time. Wise Food Storage makes it easy to prepare with tasty, easy-to-cook meals that have a 25-year shelf life. FREE sample.

Call: 800.621.2952

YARD SALES MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE Sat. Oct. 17th, 9a.m. - 2p.m.

2 Lawn mowers, some tools, collectibles, furniture, clothing, pictures, frames, exercise equipment and much more. 251 Balsam Drive, Waynesville. Follow Signs.

828.456.8655 WAYNESVILLE AREA YARD SALE Sat. Oct. 17th 9a.m. - 2p.m. at 2219 Russ Ave (Before Hwy 19/23).

Wheel-chair, Walker, Gas Grill, Brand Name Clothing - All Sizes, Comforters, Quilts, Kitchen Items, Everything Under the Sun. Call for more info 828.452.4554

WEEKLY SUDOKU Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Answers on Page 50

The naturalist’s corner

BY DON H ENDERSHOT

Peak peeking he deluge we slogged through a couple of weeks ago certainly didn’t help this fall’s color palette. But not to worry, there’s still plenty to see. I made a short trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway from U.S. 23/74 to Richland Balsam to see what was happening — and it’s happening. Looks to me like this weekend will likely be peak for elevations between 3,500 feet and 4,500 feet.

There is already a lot of steel grey above that, but it’s the middle of October.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a good deal of red. We haven’t had (to my knowledge) many of those crisp cool nights followed by sunshine — a process that turns the sugars trapped in the leaves into anthocyanin, producing the red color. Red and sugar maples, oaks, sumacs, dogwoods, sassafras and sourwoods commonly produce red color of various shades and hues.

There are countless factors that come into play to create all this fetching autumn color. Climatic conditions, soil type, the physiology of the species and even the health of the particular plant all play a part, and it’s possible to see a golden yellow red maple standing just a feet away from a scar-

T

let red, red maple.

But one tree seems to be consistently red, and that’s the sourwood. It seems the reason for this is the sourwood’s autumn or annual leaf “senescence” (that’s when the leaf stops producing chlorophyll; the abscission layer forms and the tree drops the leaf ) begins earlier than most trees and the sun gets to work on those sugars. You can almost always count on sourwood to produce deep red to maroon color every fall.

Some species that commonly produce yellow to orange color in the fall include silver maple, beech, basswood, tulip poplar and the hickories. I really love seeing the golden/orange of hickories every autumn.

To see all this color you need to get outside. And, truthfully, as long as you’re outside and open to it — you’ll find color every-

dlelight, then suddenly pop out to see a sourwood blazing in the sunlight.

If you want to get off the Parkway, here is a drive that I have recommended for years — you can do the whole drive or amend it to fit your schedule and/or location: Take U.S. 276 from Waynesville to Bethel and pick up N.C. 215. Drive N.C. 215 through Shining Rock Wilderness and across the Blue Ridge Parkway. After the Parkway, N.C. 215 is a windy, high-elevation drive until it starts to fall down toward Rosman and U.S. 64. From N.C. 215 you get a good view of Roy Taylor Forest to the southwest.

At Rosman, take U.S. 64 West through Sapphire Valley to Cashiers and on to Highlands.

You will be immersed in color.

Continue on U.S. 64 West from Highlands through the Cullasaja Gorge to Franklin. The gorge provides spectacular scenery.

In Franklin, pick up U.S. 441 North to Dillsboro. The drive out of Franklin may start out a little boring, but the Cowee Autumn on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Mountains are sure to spice it up.

Don Hendershot photo At Dillsboro you will pick up U.S. 23/74 East back to Waynesville. If you drive this road often, you ever-changing; a pull-off on one side of the may not pay a lot of attention. But coming road will show mountainsides bathed in from Sylva, the Balsam Mountains provide golden sunlight while a pull-off on the other outstanding vistas during peak color. side will show color peeking from shady (Don Hendershot is a writer and naturalist. He crevices. You might drive through fog for 20 can be reached a ddihen1@bellsouth.net.) minutes, where the hickories glow like canwhere right now — on the way to the post office; going for a run; and/or headed to car line. But to immerse yourself you might want to make a little more effort.

No doubt the Blue Ridge Parkway is the default leaf-lookers’ tour in Western North Carolina. And for good reason. It can put you up close and personal with striking individual specimens of color along the road shoulder, or it can give you miles of vista across undulating carpets of color. Plus it’s

October 14-20, 2015 Smoky Mountain News 55

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2015

AMERICA’S BEST SELLING LINEUP OF UTILITY VEHICLES*

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828-648-2313 1-800-532-4631

www.kwford.com kenwilsonford@kwford.com 56

10,500 MILES PER YEAR. 36 MONTH LEASE NOT ALL BUYERS WILL QUALIFY. W.A.C. DEALER RETAINS ALL REBATES AND INCENTIVES. MUST FINANCE WITH FORD CREDIT.SALE PRICE: ESCAPE $25,995; EDGE $28,410; EXPLORER $33,718. OFFER VALID THRU 10/31/15.

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