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October 25-31, 2017 Vol. 19 Iss. 22

EBCI, Smokies work for plant gathering agreement Page 16 Gladys Knight concert to benefit community center Page 28

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: Municipal Election season is upon us in Western North Carolina, and six towns have candidates running for a chance to make a difference in their communities. Read about where they stand on issues before casting a vote in the Nov. 7 election. (Page 3)

News Development a priority in Canton aldermen race ......................................................3 Maggie Valley candidates ask for votes ........................................................................5 Five fight for future of Bryson City ..................................................................................8 Seven run for Dillsboro town board ..............................................................................9 Candidates excited about Franklin’s future ..............................................................11 Franklin mayor runs unopposed ..................................................................................13 Electric rate increase coming for Waynesville ........................................................15 EBCI, Smokies work toward plant gathering agreement ....................................16 Jack Ewing retires as leader of Lake Junaluska ......................................................17 Guilty pleas filed in marriage fraud case ..................................................................23

Opinion Do you write stories to dispel rumors? ......................................................................24

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Scott McLeod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@smokymountainnews.com Greg Boothroyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . greg@smokymountainnews.com Micah McClure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . micah@smokymountainnews.com Travis Bumgardner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . travis@smokymountainnews.com Chloe Collins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . chloe.c@smokymountainnews.com Robin Arramae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . robin.a@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Bradley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jc-ads@smokymountainnews.com Hylah Birenbaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hylah@smliv.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jessi Stone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jessi@smokymountainnews.com Holly Kays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holly@smokymountainnews.com Cory Vaillancourt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cory@smokymountainnews.com Garret K. Woodward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . garret@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Singletary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), George Ellison (writing), Gary Carden (writing), Don Hendershot (writing), Susanna Barbee (writing).

A&E Gladys Knight concert to benefit Canton community center ..............................28

Outdoors

Copyright 2017 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ Advertising copyright 2017 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Smoky Mountain News is available for free in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and parts of Buncombe counties. Limit one copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1, payable at the Smoky Mountain News office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of The Smoky Mountain News, take more than one copy of each issue.

Volunteers keep litter out of Haywood’s waterways ..............................................42

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Development a priority in Canton race C

the current board, especially in regards to alcohol. The public comment process surrounding a proposed “Brunch Bill” ordinance allowing for the earlier sales of alcohol on Sundays in Canton has been lengthy and evenly divided. With a brunch bill vote likely Oct. 26 — a meeting agenda hadn’t been released as of

alcohol in the town-owned Colonial Theater — a lucrative proposition that could help draw more prominent acts — Markey was succinct. “I would,” he said, provided that events that didn’t want it didn’t have to have it. “I don’t think the town needs to get into the alcohol sale business, but having it as an ability if we’re going to lease the space out

tion. With lagging infrastructure needs — especially in water/sewer systems — crying out for attention, “the costs are never going to get any cheaper if we just continue to move it down the road,” said Markey. Along those same lines, the town appears to have another infrastructure need, albeit of an entirely different sort.

Canton aldermanic candidates (left to right) Kristina Smith, James Markey and Carl Cortright speak during a forum held Oct. 19. Scott McLeod photo

“We all need a community for support, and that place is Canton.” — Kristina Smith, candidate for Canton alderwoman

would be acceptable.” Smith said that when talking about economic development, alcohol inevitably comes up, and that she’d support such an option; Cortright agreed. All three candidates referenced what they said was another inevitable alcohol conversation that would be part of revitalizing the town-owned Camp Hope property, which they also agreed was among their top priorities were they to be elected. “With my background in business marketing, one of the things I’d like to focus on is where can we maximize some of the tools we have in our toolbox,” Smith said. “We’re sitting in one right now. So one of the projects I would like to work on is how we can maximize recreational opportunities for Camp Hope and the Colonial.” Aside from development, infrastructure is a chief concern, but both are important for good reason; Canton has the highest property taxes in Haywood County, but, astonishingly, hasn’t seen an increase in a decade – effectively declining versus infla-

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press time — the issue could conceivably drag out into the new board’s tenure. “Overall, we do what’s best for the town,” said Smith. “If I was voting on it today, I would respectfully vote yes.” Cortright acknowledged that it was a sensitive issue, but said that supporters he’d heard from were more interested in the economic development signal the ordinance sends. “We have restaurants coming into town that operate on a very thin profit margin,” he said. “Any tools that you can get those businesses to succeed, that’s a good thing. My personal opinion – I’m for it.” Markey noted that no candidate advocates public drunkenness, but that he had an eye on economic development as well. “I don’t want this to be a deterrent for people looking at our town,” he said. More importantly, the candidates’ attitudes signal a significant shift in board mentality that will carry over into the economic development realm. When asked if he’d support the sales of

Months ago, Assistant Town Manager Jason Burrell was promoted to the position of town manager upon the departure of Seth Hendler-Voss. Burrell’s former post remains vacant, which is a larger loss to the town than it seems; the talented Hendler-Voss utilized Burrell effectively in his assistant role, but Burrell also played a crucial economic development role for the town. “The position of assistant town manager previously was also director of economic development. That is a huge job,” Smith said. “We’re currently asking one person to do the job that was managed by two,” Cortright said. “That’s an unreasonable expectation. I work in I.T. [and] I’m familiar with unreasonable expectations.” Markey agreed with both Cortright and Smith on the issue of an assistant town manager; despite the party affiliations, there aren’t many differences between Cortright the data architect, Markey the music teacher and Smith the marketer. But in a tight election with a ballot full of mostly-unknowns who all want a hand in directing Canton’s future, the winners and losers will likely be separated by just handfuls of votes. “All of us are built for service — to our families, to our communities, to each other,” Smith said. “We all need a community for support, and that place is Canton.”

October 25-31, 2017

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER anton Alderman Zeb Smathers isn’t quite mayor yet, but that didn’t stop one local brewery from releasing a “Mayor Smathers Victory Ale” over a month ago, nor has it stopped Smathers — who is running unopposed — from laying out an aggressive plan designed to make the last four years of Canton progress “pale in comparison.” “I’m excited — as soon as November 30 rolls around — to call our first meeting and for us to set up a work session that is very ambitious,” Smathers told the crowd at the Oct. 19 candidate forum sponsored by The Smoky Mountain News at the Colonial Theater. Two of Smathers’ fellow town board members — Mayor Mike Ray and Alderwoman Carole Edwards — declined to seek reelection this cycle, meaning that Alderman Ralph Hamlett and Alderwoman Gail Mull will be joined by two of four candidates currently seeking the seats of Edwards and Smathers. “We’ve been part of a great team, because we’ve been bold,” Smathers said at the forum. “We had a lot of people say, ‘There’s no way you can change Labor Day.’ We changed it, and it’s great. ‘There’s no way you can put the pool back.’ We have. ‘There’s no way you will have economic incentives and fill buildings with soda shops and breweries and bakeries and restaurants.’ We did that.” That progress has not come easy, he said, but he has confidence that the current slate of candidates would be welcome additions to the Smathers administration. “I have no doubt every one of these fine individuals who will join us in that boardroom in just a few weeks are bold, and creative and they’re ready to get the job done,” he said. Carl Cortright, James Markey and Kristina Smith spent the rest of the evening proving Smathers correct. A fourth candidate, Brent Holland, did not attend. Regardless of which of the four claims those two seats, the composition of the board will see a dramatic shift in both demographics as well as mindset; none of the three candidates present was born in Canton, nor in North Carolina, nor are any of them over the age of 40. Holland has ancient roots in Haywood County, is in his early 40s, and is a registered Democrat, like Smith. Cortright and Markey are unaffiliated. The departing Edwards and Ray are both Democrats much older than Holland, and they leave for Smathers to shepherd an enviable situation, compared to other municipalities; Canton’s proximity to Asheville will likely continue to attract residents and businesses for the near future, as will its relatively low housing costs. But Edwards and Ray take with them some of the most conservative opinions on

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October 25-31, 2017

Years ago... I got the flu (influenza). It wasn’t fun. I was miserably sick and ran a high fever for about 3 days. I ached all over, had no energy, no appetite, nothing tasted good and I couldn’t sleep. I was lucky. Some people who get the flu need to be hospitalized and some even die. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that influenza-related deaths from 2012-2013 were from 12,000-56,000. (It is often difficult to get an accurate number because the cause of death on the death certificate may be listed as pneumonia or other complications of seasonal influenza and not specifically listed as influenza.) For more informatioin on this please check out: www.cdc.gov/flu

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I get the flu vaccine every year so I reduce my risk of getting sick with the flu again. I also get a flu shot so I don’t pass the flu virus to others who may be more vulnerable like: • Someone with a chronic disease • Individuals with auto-immune diseases like Type 1 diabetes • Infants, children, and the elderly • Someone going through treatment for cancer whose immune system is compromised Geting the flu shot is not just about me, it’s about protecting other members of my community.

Please get a flu shot today!

Democrats gather at a fall rally in Canton Oct. 17. Cory Vaillancourt photo

lection Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Until then, residents of North Carolina can vote on various days and at various times at any early voting location in their county of residence.

HAYWOOD COUNTY Haywood County Senior Resource Center 81 Elmwood Way, Waynesville • Thursday, Oct. 19 – Friday, Oct. 20 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 23 – Friday, Oct. 27 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 30 – Friday, Nov. 3 8:30 a.m-5 p.m. • Saturday, Nov. 4 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

JACKSON COUNTY Jackson County Board of Elections office 876 Skyland Drive, Sylva • Thursday, Oct. 19 – Friday, Oct. 20 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 23 - Friday, Oct. 27 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 30 - Friday, Nov. 3 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. • Saturday, Nov. 4 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

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MACON C

Macon County Board of Elections office 5 West Main Street, Franklin • Thursday, Oct. 19 – Friday, Oct. 20 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 23 – Friday, Oct. 27 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 30 – Friday, Nov. 3 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • Saturday, Nov. 4 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Highlands Civic Center 600 North Fourth Street, Highlands • Thursday, Oct. 26 – Friday, Oct. 27 9 a.m.-4 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 30 - Friday, Nov. 3 9 a.m.-4 p.m. • Saturday, Nov. 4 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

SWAIN COUNTY Swain County Board Of Elections Office 1422 Highway 19 South, Bryson City • Thursday, Oct. 19 - Saturday, Oct. 21 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 23 - Saturday, Oct. 28 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 30 - Friday, Nov. 3 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • Saturday, Nov. 4 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

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Maggie Valley candidates ask for votes news

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER nlike Haywood County’s other contested municipal election — in Canton — two incumbents are running for reelection and seek to defend their seats from three challengers. But those challengers had a tough time making their case for change or demonstrating why aldermen Clayton Davis and Mike Eveland shouldn’t be returned to their posts. “They work their behinds off,” said Jasay Ketchum at The Smoky Mountain News candidate forum held Oct. 18 in the Maggie Valley Town Board room. “Some of the things they do, as a person I don’t approve of, but they do it for the best of the town.” As an example, Ketchum cited his opposition to a proposed brunch ordinance that’s been making the rounds in Western North Carolina governments since it was passed by the General Assembly earlier this year. “I would vote no, but really I feel like, why can’t they wait two hours? If it was up to me, I would go back to blue Sundays,” Ketchum said, of the era when alcohol sales were prohibited altogether on Sundays. “Sunday is the day of the Sabbath, and we shouldn’t be out there doing all that.” Fellow challenger Allen Alsbrooks, however, highlighted a rare yet cogent problem with the religious argument as he expressed his support for the brunch ordinance. “If we’re going to sell alcohol at 10 a.m. on Saturdays — my Sabbath — why don’t they sell it on Sundays?” said Alsbrooks, who is Jewish. The third challenger, Brooke Powell, said he’d personally vote no, too. “However, it’s not my decision — it’s the people in the town, the people who vote, the people who pay the taxes,” Powell said. “If they think that it’s best for the town, I’m all for it.” Aldermen Davis and Eveland declined to give their opinions on the proposed brunch ordinance, citing the fact that they will likely have to vote on the issue in an upcoming meeting. While the utility of a brunch ordinance in Maggie Valley is still questionable, it does carry with it economic development ramifications;

Candidates (left to right) Clayton Davis, Mike Eveland, Jasay Ketchum and Brooke Powell prepare for a Maggie Valley aldermanic forum Oct. 18. Scott McLeod photo But replacing the draw that once was Ghost Town is still the subject of much speculation. “Maggie Valley is the ideal location for a convention center,” Davis said, adding that although there’s not enough room for one up on Buck Mountain, the town could benefit immensely from one, or from increased use of the Eagles Nest facility on Soco Road. The tourism-based economy in Maggie Valley by far collects the lion’s share of room occupancy tax revenue, so the work of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority means more in Maggie than in most county municipalities; Eveland is the town’s representative on the TDA board, and serves as its finance chair. As such he’s party to discussions within the TDA of reorganizing the committee structure and possibly reevaluating spending priorities. “The last several years we’ve been making changes as to what we spend, and how we spend,” Eveland said. “A lot of the monies being spent two, three, five years ago just weren’t generating the type of interest [we want].”

Aside from differences over the brunch ordinance, there wasn’t a lot of contention from the challengers. “I have a great amount of respect for Nathan Clark, the town manager,” Powell said, adding that he couldn’t think of any poor decisions the current town board had made. “He knows this town up and down and I’m glad he’s in charge of it.” “The best thing that we’ve done is hire Chief Gilliland,” Eveland said, referring to the town’s news police chief. But Davis said the best thing he’s seen over the past two years is how much less drama there is. “I’ve been on the board for two years, and the most amazing thing for me during that two years is the number of times that the board voted unanimously,” Davis said. “There have been very few times we’ve had split votes. Part of the reason is when Nathan or the mayor presents something, they will give the pros and the cons and we’ll discuss them, listen to each other. That way instead of choosing up sides and fighting it out, we have the best thinking of the total board as a result.”

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FREE Oil Change & Service for Every Teacher in Macon County Just Our Way of Saying Thanks

October 25-31, 2017

those ramifications, however, are not quite the tonic Maggie’s sagging economy needs. Nor is a revitalized Ghost Town in the Sky, according to candidates. “It’s a lost cause,” Ketchum said of the shuttered mountaintop amusement park currently listed for nearly $6 million. “We need other things here besides that.” “Ghost Town is no longer, and will one day probably be something else,” said Powell. “I’m not waking up in the morning, praying and hoping something happens at Ghost Town,” Eveland said. “As a business owner who is looking at tourism and the local economy, we certainly would love to have something move in to Ghost Town that is tourism-related.” Eveland also said he’d have no problem if the property was redeveloped as residential. “As long as the land is developed and used properly, it will benefit the town.” Alsbrooks took a similar view of Ghost Town’s potential role in Maggie Valley. “To say that’s the only draw we have in Maggie Valley, that’s wrong,” he said. “We have plenty of other things to do to keep people active.”

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Bryson City election

Five fight for future of their hometown BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR he five candidates running for Bryson City Board of Aldermen all hold their hometown near and dear to their hearts, but they also have different ideas and hopes for its future. Voters will have to decide which two candidates share their vision for the town and who they want to represent their interests for the next four years. Janine Crisp and Rick Bryson are both seeking a second term on the board and political newcomers Ben King, Lisa Anthony and Rob Duplak are challenging the incumbents for their seats.

October 25-31, 2017

HERE’S WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING

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In such a small town that has historically had low voter turnout for municipal elections, this year’s race will hinge on who is successful at getting people to the polls. About 1,050 of Bryson City’s 1,400 residents are registered to vote, but only 233 showed up to cast a ballot during the 2015 election. Even though the 18- to 51-age bracket of voters makes up over half of the voting population, only about 35 percent of people in that age bracket voted in 2015. The challengers — who feel like they represent the younger, more progressive community members — are focused on improving voter turnout to increase their odds of winning. They’re hopeful they can get the younger folks to the polls and have a shot at unseating the incumbents. Although Alderman Heidi Woodard Ramsey was able to unseat an older incumbent during last year’s election, her more pro6 gressive agenda has been squashed by the

board majority on a couple of hot-button issues, including the closure of Fry Street and the local adoption of the brunch bill to allow 10 a.m. Sunday alcohol sales. If any of the challengers are able to claim the two aldermen seats, it could ultimately change the board’s direction for four years. Many Bryson City business owners have some animosity toward the current town board since the vote to not relinquish its right of way on Fry Street and also the board’s unwillingness to allow restaurants and grocers to sell alcohol beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday. They’ve come before the board to voice their complaints, but feel like they don’t have a voice in decisions since many of them don’t live in the town limits and therefore can’t cast a vote. The tourism industry has also been a source of contention in town. Bryson City only has a population of 1,400 residents, but as a gateway to the Smokies, the town is a tourism hub bustling with visitors during the summer and fall months. While tourism brings in much-needed sales tax and room tax revenue, many locals aren’t thrilled about the traffic, lower-paying service jobs and wear and tear on the town’s infrastructure that comes along with tourism. All the candidates are faced with the age-old question of how to preserve the town’s roots and maintain a small town identity while continuing to progress and grow as a community.

LISA ANTHONY • Age: 47 • Hometown: Bryson City • Education: Swain High School, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Western Carolina University • Profession: Behavioral health social worker at Cherokee Hospital • Political/community experience: Serves on The Restoration House board of directors Lisa Anthony was born and raised in Swain County, raised her two children there

and gives back to the community through her career as a social worker, but this is her first time running for any political office. Since recently buying a house and moving back into the Bryson City town limits, she’s getting reacquainted with what’s going on in town. She’s also been attending town board meetings and picking up on complaints from downtown business owners. “I’m passionate about social justice. I’ve been active with local politics and I just thought I have strengths I can bring to the table that can be helpful,” she said. “This community has given a lot to me and I want to give back while supporting growth and development.” Anthony sees the limited resources the town has to address many issues — the small police department struggling to combat the growing opioid epidemic, the town board struggling to keep up with infrastructure maintenance on a limited budget and to pay its employees a competitive wage. But as a social worker, she wants to use her skills as a mediator to improve collaboration between with the county, town, businesses, and other stakeholders to find practical solutions. While she doesn’t claim to have all the answers, Anthony wants to see the community come together to work on a comprehensive, long-term vision for the future of Bryson City. “I would like to see more town forums — opportunities for citizens to come in and voice their opinions,” she said. “I want us to have a conversation about what’s your vision for Bryson City. We need more public input and not polls taken by individuals.” Anthony was referring to several polls taken by members of the current board when it came time to vote on the Sunday alcohol sales issue. Woodward’s poll showed more people favoring the brunch bill while Alderman Jim Gribble’s own poll showed most people not approving of extending Sunday sales. In both cases, the aldermen were biased in that their polls only reached their circle of friends. “If we’re true representatives of the people, we have a responsibility to make decisions that best serve the people,” she said. “If I’m limiting myself to a small group of people and not opening it up to the entire spectrum of diverse community members, am I really hearing the voice of the people?” Despite some locals’ reluctance to accept outsiders as part of the community and to accept change as a way of life, Anthony said she embraces the growing diversity in Bryson City and wants to better utilize the wealth of knowledge that people bring with them when they choose to relocate to Bryson City. “I am open to listening and hearing other perspectives — diversity is great thing,” she said. Anthony said she was disappointed to see the town board not close Fry Street for pedestrian safety reasons — in fact it was one of the issues that made her want to run for office. She supports the closure of Fry Street to keep visitors safe and to support the economic impact the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad has on the community. She also was disappointed the board

chose to not pass the brunch bill despite overwhelming support from the local business community and that most other municipalities in the region have passed it. This issue came down to religion — Aldermen Jim Gribble, Janine Crisp and Rick Bryson didn’t think it was appropriate to be selling alcohol while people were in church. Anthony understands it can be a touchy subject but believes it’s possible to find a compromise. “I would have approved it — it would support our local businesses and increase their ability to meet the needs of tourists, and we are a tourist town,” she said. As for what the board has done well over the last several years, Anthony said she was encouraged to see the board working on improvements to streets, sidewalks and water and sewer infrastructure even if it appears to be at a slow pace.

“This community has given a lot to me and I want to give back while supporting growth and development.” — Lisa Anthony

After hearing the annual audit report last month, she’s also impressed that the town is in a healthy financial position with a 15month fund balance in case of emergencies. That healthy fund balance also allowed the town to purchase property outright for storage and maintenance needs instead of taking out a loan and paying interest. She’s also excited about the latest town initiative to begin a recycling program, which could hopefully be a new revenue stream, and implementing a more competitive pay scale to better recruit and retain employees. “I really just want to see people get out and vote. I want to see people engage in their civic duty and to be an aware, educated voter,” she said. “At the end of the day whether I win or lose, I’m a citizen and will continue to go to the meetings and voice my concerns — I’ll have a seat at the table or I’ll be a voice in the audience.”

RICK BRYSON

“Our auditor said we’re in good shape. We have 15 months of fund balance — that’s unheard of in a small town like ours. We’re in great shape financially.” — Rick Bryson

• Age: 51 • Hometown: Bryson City • Education: Swain High School, bachelor’s degree in business/accounting from Western Carolina University • Profession: Owner of Crisp Tax Services • Political/community experience: One term as Bryson City alderman, previously served on the Swain County Tourism Development Authority Board As a lifelong resident of Swain County, Janine Crisp feels a sense of duty to represent the local residents and be a voice of the people. She describes herself as a deliberate and analytical person who likes to collect all the information she can before taking a vote on issues. She bases her votes on what she sees as the best decision for the community as a whole, but sometimes being a voice of the people isn’t as easy as it sounds. After careful consideration, Crisp made her opposition clear when the brunch bill issue came before the board of aldermen. For a community in the Bible belt, she decided allowing early alcohol sales on Sunday was offensive to the religious community and shouldn’t be allowed. She also voted against a request from the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad and the Swain County Chamber of Commerce to relinquish the town’s right of way for Fry Street. If the town gave up its right of way the small street next to the train depot could have been closed to vehicular traffic to increase pedestrian safety. With those two controversial issues in mind, some in the business community have accused Crisp of trying to hold back progress in town, but she says that’s not true. While she said she wants to see the town grow and prosper, she also wants to preserve the town’s identity and character. She said many lifelong residents are afraid the town is moving in the wrong direction. “I want the best for my city in growth and moving forward — I am for that — but I still want us to be able to recognize the city we’ve always known,” Crisp said. “People feel like the home they’ve known is changing so drastically that it doesn’t feel like home anymore. I hope we can grow and prosper but not lose our identify and small town perspective.” Crisp feels good about what the board has been able to accomplish in the last four years. When she was first elected, she really wanted the board to come up with a long-range plan for repairing streets because so many were in disrepair. The aldermen did a complete inventory of town streets and prioritized their spending on those that needed it the most. The town has been able to repave 13 streets since she took office. That may not sound like much to some people, but Crisp

“I want the best for my city in growth and moving forward — I am for that — but I still want us to be able to recognize the city we’ve always known.” — Janine Crisp

replace lines under Carringer Street. Once that project is complete, Carringer can be repaved. The town is also purchasing new software that will allow the staff to map out the entire system and document where leaks have sprung up and where improvements have been made. If elected for a second term, Crisp looks forward to partnering more with the county commissioners and other stakeholders to figure out how they can work together to improve the community. Specifically, she wants to have a conversation with the county and Tourism Development Authority about using some of the room tax revenue to make improvements to streets and sidewalks in town.

Smoky Mountain News

tem is finally breaking even after losing money for a couple years,” Bryson said. Despite all the accomplishments done under Bryson’s tenure on the board, he knows there’s still some animosity from the downtown business community regarding the way he voted on the Fry Street and brunch bill issues. The businesses feel like they’re voice is being disregarded since many of the owners don’t live in the town limits, but Bryson said they’re being heard loud and clear. “We do listen to them but we don’t always agree with their interests. The brunch bill is a good example — people felt like it didn’t meet our community standards so we didn’t pass it — but you can’t say we’re not interest-

JANINE CRISP

said it’s quite the accomplishment given a lack of funding and all the obstacles. “Nothing moves fast because there’s so many constraints that hold us back,” she said. “Nothing is as simple or straightforward as it looks. We have to consider what’s under the street, the utility lines, and it’s a waste of time and money to pave a street that we know has old leaky water and sewer lines underneath it.” Crisp said aging infrastructure is definitely the most pressing issue facing Bryson City right now. Some of the town’s water and sewer pipes are 60 years old and are constantly having to be replaced. The town only receives about $40,000 a year in Powell Bill money from the state to go toward street repairs. It’s usually enough to cover one large street or maybe two small streets. Crisp hopes the town will be approved for a $1.7 million sewer improvement grant to

October 25-31, 2017

Rick Bryson is finishing up his first term on the board and wants a second term to see more projects through to fruition. He’s proud of the strides the town has made in the last four years, especially on a limited budget. “There are so many positive things to talk about,” he said. “Our auditor said we’re in good shape. We have 15 months of fund balance — that’s unheard of in a small town like ours. We’re in great shape financially.” During his first term, he said the board was able to install new digital water meters to cut down on the town’s unaccounted water loss — this was the first step toward quickly identifying leaks in the system. He said the town also purchased a smaller fire truck that helps firefighters reach houses on more narrow streets. That purchase helped improve the town’s fire safety and also helped residents gets a lower rate on their fire insurance premiums. Bryson also led an effort to get the Wildlife Resource Commission to designate Bryson City as a Trout City, which allows visitors to come fish on the Tuckasegee River for three days on a $5 license. If elected for a second term, Bryson said he wants to pursue starting a curbside recycling program for town residents. While the county offers recycling at the convenience center, a town pick-up service would increase the number of people who recycle and then the town could end up being the county’s largest supplier of recycled items. Recycling can become a revenue stream for the town if done properly. “We’ve contacted the state and they’ve agreed to act as a consultant to the town and guide us through the steps of getting the containers for recycling,” Bryson said. “It will not only make money, it will reduce our cost of carrying trash to the landfill.” Most recently, Bryson is proud the town was able to acquire property in town to use for storage and a maintenance facility. With such a healthy fund balance, the town was able to purchase the 7 acres outright instead of taking out a loan. “My joke is we operate out of shoebox — we don’t own anything in town — but this property will allow us to grow and improve our services,” he said. While challengers for the incumbents’ seats are looking to upset the status quo on the board, Bryson thinks the current board is working well together. “We’ve got a good team as it stands and we’re very oriented to meeting the needs of the residents. The aldermen’s prime task is to provide the essentials of life — provide clean water, make sure sewer and trash are taken care of, police and fire safety, make sure

ed in the merchants because tourism is our lifeblood here.” Overall, Bryson feels good about the level of services the town is providing and the town has done it without raising the property tax rate. Water and sewer rates have increased some, but only so they water and sewer fund is able to break even without being subsidized from the general fund.

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• Age: 72 • Hometown: Bryson City • Education: Swain High School; bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University • Profession: Retired public relations writer for an industrial manufacturing publication • Political/community experience: One term as Bryson City alderman, ran for the 11th District Congressional seat in 2016.

streets in safe condition,” he said. And when it comes to providing those essentials, he says the town is making great progress although some residents would like to see government move faster. It’s easier said than done — roads and sidewalks need to be repaired, but there’s no sense in repaving a street or installing a new sidewalk when the water and sewer pipes underneath those roads and sidewalks are 60 years old and will also need to be replaced soon. The town is replacing as many pipes as possible and fixing leaks when they pop up, but it’s an expensive task. To help offset some cost, the town has applied for $1.7 million Community Development Block Grant to use toward replacing sewer lines on Carringer Street, which can then be repaved. “When you look at the town’s infrastructure you gotta think of it as an old leaky boat — always trying to sink on you — but the sys-

S EE B RYSON CITY, PAGE 8 7

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B RYSON CITY, CONTINUED FROM 7 By law, the room tax revenue must be spent on marketing and promoting the county as a tourism destination but also a percentage of it can be used for tourism-related infrastructure. Since tourists are using the town streets, sidewalks and water and sewer system, it would make sense to reinvest some of those dollars for that purpose. “If our water, sewer, streets and sidewalks can’t hold up to the increasing demand from visitors, then why are we advertising for them to come here?” she said. Overall Crisp thinks the town is performing well with a healthy fund balance, a steady tax rate and efficient services. She attributes most of the success to the dedicated town employees. As a resident herself, she said she understands the difficulty of paying county and city taxes and wants people to feel like they get their money’s worth. “Paying double taxes is a tough thing for people who live paycheck to paycheck and I really try to look at paying taxes as an investment and as a resident I want to see dividends from those investments,” she said. “I hope people are seeing their hard-earned money paying off.”

orities if he is elected to the town board. “With a growing city, we have to have controlled growth and look to the future,” he said. “We need to be looking at the walkability of the town — that’s going to be very important to make this place a great place to live.” Duplak said having two new faces on the board would go along way to mending the relationship between the town government and the local business community. Two new members on the board could also completely change the voting patterns. He disagrees with the current board’s votes on Fry Street and the brunch bill and if two new aldermen are elected, he can see those votes being reconsidered. “Two new members could make a huge difference and could completely change how

October 25-31, 2017

ROB DUPLAK • Age: 24 • Hometown: Born in Florida, but moved to Bryson City as a young child • Education: Graduated from Swain High School; currently a sophomore at Western Carolina University majoring in parks and recreation management • Profession: Served in the U.S. Army; currently works for the National Parks Service packing up equipment on horses and mules for trail crews • Political/community experience: None

Smoky Mountain News

Rob Duplak might be the youngest candidate who’s ever run for alderman in Bryson City. He may not have much experience in town government, but his time spent serving in the U.S. Army has given him a much broader look at the world. “I spent a lot of time in different countries in Europe and the Middle East and I can say none of those places were close to being as beautiful as Bryson City,” he said. “I decided I wanted to come back and be part of growth in Bryson City. I’d like to see more young people get involved in topics and I’d like for them to be able to go off to college and come back here to find a job or open a business.” Duplak said that growth and opportunity isn’t going to come unless the community embraces the tourism industry, which is the main job creator in Bryson City right now. He doesn’t see much hope for the return of the good old days when residents could make a living in the logging or manufacturing industries. The town’s tourism season has been extended with businesses reporting numbers in October that compare to Fourth of July numbers. While that is great news for everyone in town, Duplak said he wants to help the town grow in a deliberate manner. 8 Establishing a greenway is one of his top pri-

“Two new members could make a huge difference and could completely change how that board votes. They get a whole lot of no’s, but I’m ready to say yes more than no.” — Rob Duplak

that board votes. They get a whole lot of no’s, but I’m ready to say yes more than no,” he said. “If I was a business owner I’d be frustrated too.” Other priorities include finding ways to improve traffic flow, which is something the North Carolina Department of Transportation is working on. Duplak would also like to see the town have discussions about the lack of parking downtown and try to come up with some solutions. He understands the financial difficulties the town faces with repairs streets and sidewalks and is also open to the idea of trying to get some room tax revenue allocated for town infrastructure. “That’s my big thing — if people are coming here let’s make the most of the money they’re bringing here and use it for infrastructure improvements,” he said.

BEN KING • Age: 28 • Hometown: Bryson City • Education: Swain High School, bachelor’s degree in marketing from Western Carolina University • Profession: Co-owner of Bryson Outdoors • Political/community experience: Serves on the Bryson City Downtown Merchants Association board through the Swain County Chamber of Commerce. Ben King is one of few downtown business owners that does live in the town limits and he hopes his presence on the town board can make other merchants feel like their opinion matters whether they can vote in town elections or not. “I started a business in Bryson and I’m choosing to make it my home by buying a house here — I’m building a life here and I wanted to be a part of the decisions being made for the town,” he said. As a member of the Downtown Merchants Association, King started attending town meetings about a year ago to get acquainted with the issues and to see how decisions were being made. More than anything he’d like to see more discussion and public input at the town board meetings. Right now, public comment is only allowed at the end of meetings after the board has already voted on important issues. Most town governments allow public comment at the beginning of meetings. King would like to see the town, county, chamber of commerce and TDA develop a better working relationship to make improvements together and grow the local economy by supporting tourism. “Tourism is going to be key for our future and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Manufacturing jobs are changing drastically — it’s not the jobs our parents once knew,” he said. “We all know the service industry isn’t the highest paying but they are important jobs and we have to have people who love to do it and they have to be able to afford to live there.” To address the issues of housing, jobs, business growth and infrastructure improvements, King would like to see stakeholders come together to create a five- to 10-year plan and take a proactive approach to how the town should grow. If elected, King said he would be more open to hearing the opinions and concerns from business owners whether they can cast a vote in the town election or not because it’s all connected. Historically, the town and county have been able to keep property taxes low because of the amount of sales and room tax revenues coming into the county. “The business community does feel very under represented — it is a sticky subject when you bring up how aldermen are elected. The town is supposed to be there for utilities and services but also to make the city function and businesses are very much a part of how we function and the sales tax they bring in affects the town’s budget. If we don’t have businesses to bring people here and sales tax goes down, the budget goes down and residents will see less services and higher taxes.”

King agreed that a better working relationship between the town, county and TDA would lead to more productive conversations about how the room tax should be used to improve infrastructure and take some of the financial pressure off the town. Looking into the town’s recent annual audit report — a total of 65 pages — King said the town is in pretty good shape, but he can see room for improvement. The water and sewer fund is barely breaking even, which is standard, but ideally the fund should have some profitability so the town can be saving for future maintenance and growth. However, he said it wouldn’t be wise for the town board to increase water and sewer rates right now considering the high amount of water loss happening in the system due to old pipes and leaks. Continuing

“We need to focus on how do we make Bryson City relevant to future generations but also not forget about our older generations that live here.” — Ben King

to replace the older water and sewer lines must be a top priority for the town before rates can be hiked. More than anything, King would just like to see more people get out and vote during this election so that whoever is elected is a true representative for what the residents really want in the future and not what a couple hundred people want — and those couple hundred residents are usually the ones who don’t want to see the town change. “We need to focus on how do we make Bryson City relevant to future generations but also not forget about our older generations that live here,” he said. “We are restrained by the amount of property we have in town — over-growth isn’t going to be an issue. It’s an obtainable goal to keep our small-town feel.”

Economic development, infrastructure election issues in Dillsboro

Dillsboro is slowly recovering from the 2008 double-whammy of the recession hitting at the same time the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad decided to relocate its main depot from Dillsboro to Bryson City.

DAVID GATES Gates, 56, has been on the town board since 2009 and owns Appalachian Funeral Home in Sylva. He’s a licensed contractor and has previously owned David’s Place and Bradley’s General Store in Dillsboro. He served on the Sylva Board of Commissioners for four years in the 1990s. He looks forward to four more years working to help Dillsboro prosper. TIM PARRIS Parris, 62, has been on the board since 2009. Born and raised in Dillsboro, he works in the equipment shop for the N.C. Department of Transportation in Sylva. He believes that the town board and merchant’s association together have accomplished much in the past eight years to move the town forward but still sees work to be done, such as building a restroom in Monteith Park and keeping roadbanks mowed. JAMES COCHRAN Cochran, 74, is not currently on the town board but served as an alderman from 1996 to 2009. He’s currently chairman of the town planning board. His career included 27 years in property management, both in South Florida and Western North Carolina. Cochran believes the town board is doing its job well now but considers himself a team player well qualified to help the town continue improving.

DAVID JONES Jones, 72, has lived in Dillsboro for 15 years and served on the town board for eight of those, 2009 to present. He is married with two children and two grandchildren, having spent his career as an administrator with Tri-County Community College in Murphy. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business. He believes the town board has done a lot of good for the town with the small budget it has to work with and plans to keep an eye out for anything the town can do to support the continued success of its economy. TIM HALL Hall, 58, has owned Bogart’s Restaurant and Tavern in Sylva since May 2005 and moved to Dillsboro shortly thereafter. A 1981 graduate of Appalachian State University, he’s been in the restaurant business since 1984. He’s never held elected office before but was president of the Yosef Advisory Board, which supports student athletes at App State, in the 1990s. He sees service on the town board as a chance to give back to his community and believes his perspective, as a younger person than most incumbents, could be valuable to the board.

Mayoral candidate Mayor Mike Fitzgerald is running unopposed for re-election. Fitzgerald, 65, has been the mayor since 2009. Before that, he was elected to serve as an alderman in 2005 after being appointed to fill a vacancy earlier that year. He currently chairs the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority as well as the Southwestern Rural Planning Organization. Fitzgerald owns Fitzgerald’s Shoe Shop in Sylva. He is married with six children.

Smoky Mountain News

As far as any associated problems, said candidate John Chinners, they will hopefully be minor and far outweighed by the many positive impacts of Dillsboro’s growth. “Will there be problems? There will probably be problems, but that’s progress unless we want to go back to the 1920s,” he said. The river park is not the only development that the prospective aldermen have their eyes on. Incumbents say they want to continue working on pedestrian connectivity, offering walkways stretching from Monteith Park all the way across the Tuckasegee to the river park. Keeping the town clean, supporting downtown merchants and catching up on paving projects are other oft-cited priorities. Current board members point to a number of projects that the town has worked on over the past four years as evidence that Dillsboro is headed in a good direction. The town developed an economic incentive program to help attract new businesses to town, and a new bridge now provides pedestrian access across Scotts Creek along Front Street, with a newly leased property nearby improving the parking situation. “We don’t have a lot of money, but I think we’re doing a lot with what little money we do have,” Jones said.

JOHN CHINNERS Chinners, 68, has owned Country Traditions in Dillsboro for the past 11 years. He’s never served on the town board before but has been president of the Dillsboro Merchants Association for two years. If elected, he looks forward to working to make Dillsboro a more pleasant place to live.

BEAUFORT RIDDLE Riddle, 77, is retired from a career that began as a store manager for A&P and ended with a switch to the automotive business, covering everything from sales to mechanics. He has lived in Dillsboro for 11 years and has been on the town board since his first election in 2009. Before that, he was a member of the planning board. If re-elected, he hopes to continue working to resurrect the downtown and make it a more pleasant place to shop and run a business.

October 25-31, 2017

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he years ahead are likely to be lively ones for the tiny town of Dillsboro, with a new river park and brewery among the most game-changing developments coming down the pike — and seven people are running for five seats on the town’s board of aldermen to see those changes through the next four years. With only 152 registered voters and a population of 245 according to 2016 census data, every vote will count. Four of the five incumbents are running for re-election, saying they’ve seen the board work well together over the last term and want to continue that progress. Meanwhile, three challengers are throwing their names in the ring for voters to consider. The incumbent mayor is also running for re-election, unopposed. All seven candidates agree that the incoming river park, to go in off of North River Road just outside town limits, is certain to be a boon for a town that depends on tourist traffic to support the shops and restaurants that line its streets. However, many of them said that it will be important for the next town board to keep its eyes open for ways to make the effort as successful as possible for town merchants and keep any associated problems as minimal as possible. “They’re concerned, and there were legitimate concerns,” candidate Tim Parris said of what he’s heard from some town residents. “The lighting, the traffic. The traffic is the biggest thing we’ll have to deal with. North River Road is bad now, and it will be worse then.” However, he said, “most of the people think it will be a good thing.” Candidate James Cochran, whose driveway spills out right across the road from the site of the future river park, said he has no criticisms of the park plans and believes it will be ultimately be good for Dillsboro. Candidate David Jones said he’d want to see the town do everything it could to support the river park, and that its installation would likely spur some new projects. “We’re going to have to do some additional lighting along Front Street. We’re going to have to provide a way to get from Dillsboro and easy access to the water park and back so people that come to enjoy that can also visit us and enjoy the town,” he said. Long-term plans for the river park would have a pedestrian bridge go in across the

Alderman candidates (pick five)

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Seven run for Dillsboro town board

Tuckasegee River to allow river park patrons to walk into downtown. That’s an important issue for many business owners who want to ensure that all the out-of-towners coming to raft and fish will be able to conveniently access downtown shops too. The number of those shops is growing, with the downtown slowly recovering from the 2008 double-whammy of the recession hitting at the same time the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad decided to relocate its main depot from Dillsboro to Bryson City. Storefronts are filling up once more, with the Haywood Smokehouse and Lee’s at the Depot two of the more significant additions of the past couple years. Innovation Brewing in Sylva announced in June that it would soon open a second location in Dillsboro. And, of course, there’s the river park, which at completion will offer rafting, fishing, camping and a variety of other outdoor recreation opportunities. “I think the future for Dillsboro is really good with the brewery coming to town, and I think the future should be good,” said candidate David Gates. “That’s going to be a big thing, a big boost to the community hopefully in Dillsboro,” said candidate Tim Hall.

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Contested race on tap for Forest Hills BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he Village of Forest Hills could have a new member on the town council depending on the outcome of this year’s general election. Two council seats are up for election, with both incumbents and one challenger in the race. Mayor Kolleen Begely is running unopposed for reelection to her seat. Forest Hills is one of the smallest municipalities in Jackson County, with only 333 registered voters and 380 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 estimate. It’s nestled across N.C. 107 from Western Carolina University in the Cullowhee area.

in government as far as our taxes are concerned. I want to know where my tax money is being other than the landscaped entrance of the village.”

COUNCILMEMBER CANDIDATES (PICK TWO)

Smoky Mountain News

October 25-31, 2017

CLARK CORWIN • Age: 66 • Background: Medical social worker with a master’s degree in social work. Married with two adult children, who were raised in the village. • Political experience: Currently a member of the board at the end of a second four-year term. Past chairman of the Village of Forest Hills planning board. • Reason to run: “I plan to serve our com-

CARL HOOPER • Age: 74 • Background: retired from a career with AT&T • Political experience: Currently a member of the board at the end of a second term, serving 2009-2017 • Reason to run: “There are some development issues that will be coming before us that I would like to be part of.”

Clark Corwin munity of the Village of Forest Hills to maintain sustainability of our local community including social, economic and environmentally. I hope to help with ongoing planning to address any development that may occur and preserve the future interest of our community.” JERRY RICE • Age: 58 • Background: Table games dealer at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, with past jobs including sales manager at Ramcell Cellular and adjunct computer information

Jerry Rice

Kolleen Begley

science instructor at Southwestern Community College. Married with three grown children and two grandchildren, as well as one grown stepchild and five stepgrandchildren. • Political experience: none. • Reason to run: “I have lived in Forrest Hills on and off since I was 7 years old. I remember when Forest Hills Country Club was operating and the neighborhood was a great place to grow up. During those good times there were no extra city taxes. Now we pay about half as much in taxes to the Village as we pay in county taxes. I want accountability

MAYORAL CANDIDATE KOLLEEN BEGLEY • Age: 49 • Background: Works in accounting and marketing for housing and construction industries, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Has lived in Forest Hills since 2004. • Political experience: Mayor since December 2013, with service on the budget committee and prior positions as town clerk and finance officer. • Reason to run: “To follow through and finish the work that the boards have been working on, mainly comprehensive planning, resident services and creating a sense of place based off of community input.”

Candidates excited about Franklin’s future BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR very election year there are a few hot button issues that entice candidates to throw their hats into the ring with an eye toward making big changes in their town government, but this year things seem different in Franklin. Six candidates are running for three open seats on the Franklin Town Council this year, but most of the candidates say they like the direction the town has been going and want to be a part of that process. The two incumbents — Barbara McRae and Billy Mashburn — say they’re proud of the progress being made as far as town council has been focused on creating a strong staff and working on improving the town’s infrastructure. The four challengers have goals they’d like to see become top town priorities, but for the most part they agree the last four years have been well spent by the current board.

viding adequate services. “I think my taxes are pretty high for the services rendered — I’d like to see the budget juggled around so people feel like they get more bang for their buck,” he said. “I’m sure there are people who’ve paid taxes for 30 years and don’t have sidewalks.”

JIMBO LEDFORD • Age: 41 • Hometown: From Oregon; has lived in Franklin for 14 years • Education: Trade school for plumbing • Profession: Owner of Jimbo’s Plumping • Political/community experience: Coaching youth soccer and softball, helping organize fundraisers for charities. Jimbo Ledford thinks his campaign posters may be giving people the wrong idea about how serious he is about being a town leader. His signs read, “Why Not?” but Ledford says that doesn’t mean he didn’t put a lot of thought into running for town council. He

79 WAYNESVILLE PLAZA WAYNESVILLE

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Franklin Election

way and extend it. I would love to see a complete loop and bike path,” Culpepper said. “Everyone gets in cars now, but if they can get out in the park and communicate with people on one-on-one level, that really helps with creating a sense of community.” Culpepper also thinks the town should do more to help grow small businesses instead of overregulating them with too many layers of government. He said the town regulations should work to conform around the business proposal instead of making the business jump through hoops. He’s in favor of a proposed River Overlay District to protect the river and hopefully expand the greenway as long as it will be also be business friendly. “One thing I’m worried about is the stringent setbacks — it’s in a floodplain so I’m not opposed to it — but if we can get people on a deck eating or drinking overlooking the river, that’s how you save the environment,” he said. When it comes to the downtown parking and traffic discussions, Culpepper said he’d like to see parallel parking on both sides of Main Street with the two one-way lanes

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remaining in the middle with more landscaping. He also thinks the crosswalks need to be more visible to protect pedestrians. The town has also been discussing what to do with the Whitmire property — about 12 acres of pristine land the town bought years ago to develop into a town hall complex. Since the town decided to go in a different direction, some council members think the town should sell the land for development while others think it would be best utilized as a town park or greenway or even some kind of mixed use. Since the town already owns it, Culpepper thinks the town should utilize it. “I wouldn’t be for buying it now, but we own it — why not mow it and let people enjoy it? Let people treat it like a park if it helps East Franklin as green space,” he said. “If an idea comes along of a private use or a public/private partnership we can look into that idea too. But the board should take its time — don’t make a rash decision — it doesn’t need to be sold immediately.” While he hasn’t gone over the town budget line by line yet, he does feel like there are ways to cut back on spending while still pro-

first considered running after he saw younger candidates Brandon McMahan and Adam Kimsey get elected during last year’s election. He also noticed the lack of community involvement at candidate forums and town meetings. “I decided I could do this, so I started going to town meetings to see how I can be involved and help the town,” Ledford said. “When I knew I could do it, I started asking myself ‘why not?’ and I realized the only answer was because I was afraid. I decided a long time ago I was not going to live my life based on fear.” If elected, Ledford said he’d like to see the town focus on training people for the jobs that are available in the county. With a shortage of tradesmen, he said the schools should focus on other educational opportunities other than traditional college. His second priority would be to alleviate the downtown parking and traffic issues. He doesn’t think turning the angled parking spots into parallel spots would solve the

S EE FRANKLIN, PAGE 12

Smoky Mountain News

With a successful business in Macon County and plans to keep his family here for the foreseeable future, David Culpepper said he’s running for town council so he can help continue the progress already being made. “It’s already a great place but I think my way of thinking and my outlook on things can help improve the town — eternal optimism is my mantra,” he said. Culpepper attends many of the town meetings already and offers his insight on different topics that come before the board. For the most part, he says his interactions with the town government has been positive, but said he would like the board to be more open to ideas that are presented. “They should look at how to facilitate ideas and shouldn’t just immediately say no,” he said. “We should think outside the box, ‘how can we do this?’” His top priority if elected is to make the town user-friendly for pedestrians and bicyclists. He was actively involved in the town’s process for putting together a Bike Walk Plan and would like to see the town begin working on some of those projects soon. “We need to capitalize more on the green-

October 25-31, 2017

• Age: 39 • Hometown: Franklin • Education: Franklin High School; bachelor’s degree in public relations/communications from WCU • Profession: Owner of Culpepper’s Otto Depot • Political/community experience: None

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FRANKLIN, CONTINUED FROM 11 problem but applauds the board for being willing to temporarily try different solutions to see what works best. “I would like to see most traffic taken out of downtown — make it one way and make it more welcoming and pedestrian friendly,” Ledford said. “There’s already roads that take you around Main Street anyway.” Lastly, Ledford said he’d like to see Franklin business owners have more say in things that impact them even if they don’t live in the town limits. Ledford thinks the current board and town staff are picking up steam and getting things done in a timely manner. “A lot of people have a like vision for the river district, and they’re focusing on improving the roads, working on infrastructure, looking on secondary water source,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of change and I want to help with that.” Ledford and others have made proposals for how they think the town should use the vacant Whitmire property, but the town hasn’t made any commitments. Ledford wants the town to keep the property since there isn’t much other green space available in the town. “Personally I’d love to see it saved and utilized. I think they can make money off the property and keep it — turn it into an outdoor conference center and a year-round park.” If elected, Ledford would like to look back in four years and see that the town improved

sidewalks and streets, completed the upgrade to the sewer treatment plant, solved the downtown parking issues and cooperated more with the county. With one of the lowest tax rates in the region, Ledford said he wouldn’t mind having to spend more money to get important projects done. “People are afraid of change, but it feels like Franklin is telling us what it wants to be and we just need to not stand in the way,” he said.

BILLY MASHBURN • Age: 65 • Hometown: Franklin • Education: Franklin High; two associate’s degrees from Southwestern Community College in business administration and paralegal technology • Profession: Paralegal for 36 years • Political/community experience: Appointed to the board to fill an unexpired term in 1992 and has been re-elected every four years since then. Billy Mashburn has served on the board for 25 years and has seen many changes in the way the town operates. Though he’s definitely put in his community service hours for a lifetime, he said he’s running again to offer his expertise on ongoing projects the town is undertaking. “The paramount reason I’m running again is because I like dealing with the problems of the town. We’re getting ready to start a water plant expansion and with things like

Smoky Mountain News

October 25-31, 2017

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Billy Mashburn that you have to be there for a while to learn the terminology and know what’s going on to be able to help put it together,” he said. “It would be beneficial to the town if I stayed to do that. I also like working with the employees of the town — they’re the best employees to work with.” Mashburn said the major accomplishments during his tenure have been the town’s ability to expand the sewer plant, expand the fire department, build a new police department and public works facility and move into the new town hall building. That’s some major undertakings for a small town, but he said it’s worked out well. Years ago, Mashburn voted in favor of the town purchasing the Whitmire property in order to build a town complex to house administration, police, fire and public works. The town did purchase the 12 acres but later decided to go in a different direction, leaving the town with a million-dollar piece of land and nothing to do with it. Now Mashburn thinks the town should sell it without any additional restrictions. “I think we should sell and get it back into the tax payers’ hands — nobody has been paying taxes on it for a while,” he said. “We have a UDO (unified development ordinance) and the restrictions we have would apply to the sale of that property.” Another top priority for Mashburn is to work on the parking and traffic issues on Main Street. He doesn’t think anyone wants to see parallel parking spots on Main Street, but he does agree the town needs to try a few options to see what works and what doesn’t. “We’ve talked and talked about it — we need to try a few things for a few weeks at a time and get general input from the public,” he said. “We have hired a new town engineer that has experience with the DOT and traffic flow and I think he’ll be of tremendous help.” Mashburn thinks the town has done a great job at keeping the tax rate low while providing great services for residents and visitors. While some don’t think the town should spend money to put on festivals, he thinks it’s a good use of money because it brings people into Franklin to spend money that goes back into the town coffers. “I don’t think anyone should be upset with their tax rate or services,” he said.

Barbara McRae

BARBARA MCRAE • Age: 75 • Hometown: With a father in the Air Force, she moved around quite a bit as a child but settled with her husband in Franklin in 1972. • Education: A bachelor’s degree in biology and philosophy, two years of graduate school studying physiology • Profession: Systems engineer for IBM, former editor of The Franklin Press • Political/community experience: One term as Franklin councilmember Barbara McRae said she learned a lot during her first term as a town councilmember and wants to use that knowledge to continue working toward some of her goals. The most important thing she learned is how working together and having a dependable and hardworking staff can make all the difference. “I learned how hard it is to get anything done as an individual,” she said. “But we have exceptional employees with good morale. If we’re going to get anything done we need to have good staff and board support.” If she’s re-elected to a second term, McRae said she would like to tackle the affordable housing issue in Franklin. For so many years no one wanted more zoning regulations, but now she says the town is seeing the long-term effects of that decision. She said it’s gotten to the point where residents are living in unsafe and deplorable living conditions because they can’t afford to pay more and landlords aren’t meeting minimum housing standards. “We have situations with ancient mobile homes — and I have nothing against mobile homes — but they can be dangerous,” she said. “I’d like to see us ban older units with inadequate electrical, no insulation and that don’t meet modern code. Some of our neighborhoods are really hurting.” To that end, McRae wants to see the town board update its minimum housing ordinance to increase enforcement and to institute harsher penalties for landlords who don’t meet standards. McRae is also active with a committee working toward strengthening the town’s

S EE FRANKLIN, PAGE 14

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Franklin mayor runs unopposed BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ob Scott is seeking his third term as mayor of Franklin, and it’s his second time running unopposed for the job. Scott sat on the town council for 10 years before deciding to run for mayor. During his first mayoral race, he said he’d be a one-term mayor, but he didn’t realize the mayor only serves twoyear terms while councilmembers serve four-year terms. Scott said he has much to be proud of during his first two terms. “One I am very proud of is changing the name of the town board from Board of Aldermen to Town Council. Aldermen is a tired, worn out term that basically means ‘old men.’ I have worked to give women a greater say and role in town government,” he said.

— Franklin Mayor Bob Scott

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Open government is also a cornerstone of Scott’s tenure. He’s worked hard to have more discussion at board meetings and also allowing the public to have a forum to voice concerns. “I am also proud that we have had no closed meetings in my last two years as mayor. I strongly support the public’s right to know what we are doing, and the Open Meetings and Public Records Laws,” he said. “I believe that in the past four years we have made great strides in changing the way we do business, to be more customer oriented and transparent.” For his third term, Scott said he wants to continue to make Franklin “family friendly” and open to all. “I plan to continue working with the Town Council and our town employees to improve the town's infrastructure and beautification projects for our residents,” he said. “I want people to know that I am accessible and open to any ideas and concerns our residents and visitors may have.”

October 25-31, 2017

“I believe we have made great strides in changing the way we do business, to be more customer oriented and transparent.”

charities but I don’t want my local government taking my money and telling me where to put it.”

October 25-31, 2017

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FRANKLIN, CONTINUED FROM 12 relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians by finding ways to preserve and highlight Nikwasi Mound in Franklin and create a heritage corridor in the region. “It looks really exciting for developing some stronger tourism and making cultural ties with our neighbors by creating a world class attraction,” she said. McRae feels like the town-owned Whitmire property could also tie into the redevelopment in East Franklin near Nikwasi with the creation of the River Overlay District. She has shown support for keeping the property under town ownership but is also open to proposals that will be presented to the town soon from a hired consultant. “I’m curious to see what the consultant comes up with but the more I talk to people the more I see housing is the most urgent need — low- and middle-income housing,” she said. “Employers say they could hire more people if there was housing they can live in.” The accomplishment she’s most proud of is the strong town government the board has built with the hiring of Town Manager Summer Woodard, Police Chief David Adams and Fire Chief Kevin Rohrer. The town’s Planning Director Justin Setser is also a dedicated employee with great ideas, she said. “When you have employees that go the extra mile for the town and enjoy their jobs and want to give that extra time, to me that makes all the difference,” McRae said. She also thinks the current board is functioning well by allowing for dissenting views, allowing more public input and being welcoming of younger people wanting to be involved in the town government.

ANGELA MOORE • Age: 36 • Hometown: Franklin • Education: Master’s degree in science and natural resources; certificate in GIS systems • Profession: Currently a stay-at-home mom; previous experience working with the National Park Service, UNC State University and the Town of Franklin • Political/community experience: Fourth time running for Franklin Town Council

Smoky Mountain News

Angela Moore rarely misses a town meeting or a chance to voice her opinion about

GREG RABY • • • •

Age: 49 Hometown: Franklin Education: Franklin High Profession: Self-employed for 16 years; owner of Mountain Septic Service • Political/community experience: Volunteer firefighter for Cullasaja Gorge Fire and Rescue

Angela Moore

Greg Raby

issues that come before the board. Her approach to the podium is often met with sighs from the audience, and the board rarely responds to her criticism, but she hasn’t yet given up on getting a seat on the other side of the table. “I really love helping the people in my community that don’t know how to navigate the system, but I can do so much more if I we’re part of the council and could be part of those debates,” she said. “As much as I catch some flack for my outspokenness — the council is not completely deaf to what I say.” Though her approach with the board is at times confrontational with accusations of corruption, Moore said she did have respect for the board members and thinks she can work with all of them to find common ground. Even if the votes don’t go her way, she said the residents are still better off hearing more open discussions during the meetings. Addressing the town’s ordinances is at the top of Moore’s priority list. She said board members’ should really take more time to read and understand the ordinances and regulations presented to them before taking a vote. For example, Moore regularly complains about the town’s minimum housing ordinance saying it’s over the top regulation and isn’t fairly enforced by town staff. “If you’re going to put one in place it should have been executed better. The restric-

tions are ridiculous and many homes don’t even meet those standards — you’re supposed to have a screen door on every door in the home,” she said. “You’ve got to make rules we can enforce across the board. I would like to see it rescinded.” Moore also wants to see the town pay down its debt load and believes the sewer expansion project could have waited a few more years until the town could pay down its debt. One way she thinks the town could pay down that debt is by selling off the Whitmire property and any other town property not being utilized. Even though downtown parking has been a big part of the town board’s discussions, Moore doesn’t think it’s an issue. The town has paid for multiple studies on downtown parking and traffic and hasn’t made any changes. “No worth while solution has been presented — I think we need to put this issue to rest,” she said. “We could use better signage to point to available parking for visitors and explore the idea of limiting vehicle size on Main Street as a solution.” Moore thinks the budget could be tightened up by removing the town’s festival spending and the community funding the town distributes to nonprofits each year. “Those festivals, while enjoyed by a lot of people and bring in tourists, are not serving the entire population,” she said. “I give to

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Greg Raby said there wasn’t one specific reason why he decided to run for town council, but he believes his experience could be beneficial for the town. “I don’t know, it’s just something I’ve never done before and it’s another avenue to give back to the community,” he said. He’s attended a few meetings and reads the newspapers to keep up with the current issues. He said his top priority is to help the town with infrastructure projects like the sewer plant expansion. In his line of work, he deals a lot with sewer and septic issues and wants to make sure the project is done right. “We’re going in the right direction but some things need to be addressed like the water plant expansion. A couple years ago they did a sewer expansion and I seen the ball dropped — not the town staff ’s fault but has to do with the engineers and contractors that did expansion,” Raby said. He also doesn’t see the big deal with parking on Main Street and thinks the town board should leave it the way it has always been. “I think they should find a solution for parking on the back streets or look at putting in a parking garage,” he said. “I sure hope they don’t do parallel parking — I don’t see that working.” Since the town didn’t use the Whitmire property for a new town government complex, Raby thinks the property should be sold. Ideally, he’d love to see if developed as affordable housing, additional lodging or a small convention center. As for the services he receives for his tax dollars, he thinks the town residents get a good return. “Everyone complains about tax rates but we’re always going to have to pay them so I want to see them used wisely,” he said.

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER n electric rate study Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown called “sobering” was presented to the Waynesville Board of Aldermen Oct. 10 and shows shrewd fiscal management on behalf of the town, but an inevitable rate increase on the horizon. “We’ll probably phase it in in two 6 percent increases, one in January and one in July,” said Rob Hites, Waynesville’s town manager, who noted that the town hasn’t seen a residential rate increase in at least eight years. “There are not many people anywhere — retail, wholesale — that have held their

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October 25-31, 2017 Smoky Mountain News

That move alone will likely save the town millions; Duke’s offer to renew the contract at $79.3 million over 10 years — a figure that assumes Duke will be allowed to pass coal ash cleanup costs to consumers, as they’ve demanded — was far above Santee Cooper’s $54.1 million offer. “While we will have incredible savings, the rate we negotiated with Santee Cooper is still 8 percent higher than Duke’s,” Hites said. And for good reason — last year, rather than pass along a rate increase to customers, the town simply absorbed more than $200,000 in losses in the electric fund. The town can’t continue to operate the fund — which grossed $9.41 million last year — at a loss but there really aren’t any other viable ways to cut costs. Almost 90 percent of that $9.41 million is spent on purchasing wholesale power from Santee Cooper at the rates outlined in the contract. “Only 12 percent of that budget is for staff, supplies, maintenance, automobiles, gas or whatever,” Hites said. “If you say ‘I want to cut this 12 percent rate increase down to 2 percent, or not have one at all,’ I’ve only got 6 employees. That’s “There are not many people anywhere two crews of three. So if you get rid of half your — retail, wholesale — that have held employees, in an outage their prices steady for eight years. It’s you don’t have enough people to keep the system kind of overdue.” going when we have a storm. And if they don’t — Rob Hites, Waynesville town manager have any wire, or any transformers, they don’t prices steady for eight years,” Hites said. have any supplies to put up in a storm.” “It’s kind of overdue.” The proposed rate increase must be Waynesville is one of very few towns in approved by aldermen before it takes effect, North Carolina called “electric cities” but consumers will have just a little bit because the town purchases power from a more time to prepare. Brown wants the full wholesale supplier, and then resells it to board to be present for the vote, but due to customers while carrying out upgrades, upcoming scheduled absences by aldermen repairs, billing, and customer service. Julia Boyd Freeman and Gary Caldwell it “Any time you talk about electric rates, probably won’t even be heard until someit’s extremely important to a town,” said time in December. Louis Davis, a consultant who spoke on The proposed increase also compares behalf of the consultancy that carried out very favorably to proposals put forth by the electric rate study. Duke, which is asking its customers for up to Any “profit” generated from 16.9 percent more each month; that increase Waynesville’s 3,000 electric customers is would generate over $475 million in revenue, more accurately termed a “return on investincluding $300 million for costs related to ment,” as that money is deposited into the management and closure of coal ash pits. general fund. The North Carolina Utilities Power had been purchased from Duke Commission is currently in the public hearEnergy until recently, when the town ing process surrounding the proposed Duke switched to South Carolina-based Santee increase, and will not likely rule on it before Cooper. January.

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Electric rate increase coming for Waynesville

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Closer to harvest EBCI and Smokies work toward agreement for plant gathering in park boundaries BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER herokee tribal members could be gathering sochan plants from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as early as next spring after Tribal Council’s vote last week to fund the $68,100 needed to complete the regulatory process. “We appreciate the commitment that Principal Chief Sneed and the tribe are making to help us complete the required environmental assessment to better understand potential effects associated with traditional gathering,” said Clay Jordan, the park’s acting superintendent. “Through the assessment, managers will be able to determine whether traditional gathering can be done without significantly impacting the park sochan population.” Sochan, also known as the green-headed coneflower, has historically been an important food source for the Cherokee people, but gathering wild plants is prohibited on National Park Service land. With the largest national park east of the Mississippi abutting the Qualla Boundary — on land that originally belonged to the Cherokee people

Sochan, also known as the green-headed coneflower. Donated photo

Councilmember Perry Shell, of Big Cove. The road to legal gathering in the park is taking years longer than expected when discussions first began, he said, and in the meantime tribal elders have found themselves arrested for gathering native plants inside park boundaries. “My reaction was the same as yours when we received a letter from the park with their request for funding, and actually they had requested more,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed said in response to a similar sentiment from councilmember Tommye Saunooke taking issue with the price tag. However, he said, the fact is that even

getting the rule change in place was a major victory, as it had been vehemently opposed by some major environmental groups. The rule did pass, but getting a gathering agreement in place requires an environmental assessment, and no funding was attached to the rule change to fund such assessments. “We have a choice to make,” Sneed said. “We can either bite the bullet — we’re a tribe that has the resources to do it — or we can say, ‘Well, we don’t want to spend the money. You have a rule change federal government, you fund it.’ It will probably never get funded.” The other issue to consider,

Smoky Mountain News

October 25-31, 2017

— the inability to legally gather sochan and other culturally important plants there has long been a sticking point for many tribal members. In 2016, the federal government made a change to these rules, allowing members of federally recognized tribes to request to enter into agreements with the Park Service that would allow them to gather and remove culturally important plants and plant parts. However, the process is far from instantaneous, requiring meetings, agreements and studies for each individual plant species to be harvested before one leaf can be legally removed. The Park Service has to know where sochan grows in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, how dense those patches are and how much can be sustainably removed before it can decide how many permits should be offered to harvest how many plants. There’s no federal money available to answer any of those questions. That’s the conundrum that came up in Council when members discussed whether they should approve the $68,000. “This whole thing bothers me,” said

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the results of the environmental assessment will be favorable to tribal members desiring to gather sochan. McCoy has already completed a study on the effects of traditional Cherokee sochan harvesting at a test plot at Cherokee Central Schools and plans to publish the paper in the next couple months.

“The Cherokee method of harvest actually benefits the plant. The ones that we harvested produced more flower and fruit and seed than the ones that weren’t harvested. This is very extraordinary for a native plant.” — Joe-Ann McCoy

“The Cherokee method of harvest actually benefits the plant,” she told Tribal Council. “The ones that we harvested produced more flower and fruit and seed than the ones that weren’t harvested. This is very extraordinary for a native plant.” When mature, sochan grows a yellow, sunflower-like bloom with a greenish-yellow, cone-shaped center, but the flower isn’t what made the plant important to Cherokee people. They would harvest the young leaves in the early spring and boil them for a nutritious, cleansing dish after a long winter. Those greens are every bit as nutritious as the superfood kale, McCoy said. Tribal member Becky Walker, of Birdtown, took the podium to remind

Jack Ewing to retire as leader of Lake Junaluska

ment under Ewing’s leadership, it is also the foundation for everything the organization does. Under Ewing’s leadership, Lake Junaluska developed a sustainable business model following the loss of operational support from The United Methodist Church. The organization not only focused on “liv-

Jack Ewing. SMN photo ing within our means” but also reinvested in facility improvements that added value to the community and guests who visited Lake Junaluska. Over the past seven years, $7.5 million has been invested into improvements of the hotels, meeting spaces, dining hall and other facilities. Ewing’s leadership is also marked by the development and nurturing of staff through motivation by encouragement, recognition

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Lake Junaluska Executive Director Jack Ewing announced he will retire on Dec. 31, 2017. Over the past seven years Ewing has led Lake Junaluska following four guiding principles: clarity of mission, focus on place, support of staff and development of a sustainable business model. “Jack brought a vision to Lake Junaluska, and over the last seven years he has helped us live into that vision,” said Mike Warren, chairman of the Lake Junaluska Board of Trustees. “Lake Junaluska has thrived under his exceptional leadership, and the guiding principles he put in place will ensure that it continues to thrive well into the future.” Anyone who has visited Lake Junaluska over the past seven years has likely heard the mission statement: to be a place of Christian hospitality where lives are transformed through renewal of soul, mind and body. Not only have the staff and community learned and owned the mission state-

and reward. The staff has shared in the financial success of the organization through profit sharing during his tenure. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve Lake Junaluska these last seven years. I feel good about what we have achieved, but am most proud that we have always tried to do the right thing,” said Ewing. “We are looking forward to spending more time with our children and grandchildren as well as traveling.” When Ewing started as executive director of Lake Junaluska in January 2011, he brought to the position 35 years of experience in higher education. He served as president of two United Methodist institutions of higher education—Dakota Wesleyan University and The University of Mount Union. Immediately prior to joining Lake Junaluska, he was the executive director of the Foundation for Evangelism, an organization focused on leadership development in The United Methodist Church. The Lake Junaluska Board of Trustees has identified a search committee to begin the process of looking for a new executive director. John Russell, former chairman of the Lake Junaluska Board of Trustees, will lead the search committee. “During this interim period, we will rely on our strong, seasoned executive team to direct the important activities of Lake Junaluska,” said Warren. “I intend to be directly involved on a regular basis with the team to provide support for the organization during this transition.”

October 25-31, 2017

tribes who need that same information to get gathering agreements in place but are perhaps less financially able to fund such studies. The $68,000 would support staffing, operational and contractual costs for the study, the resolution states. The money goes to Friends of the Smokies, the park’s nonprofit partner, which will then see that those funds are spent for their intended purpose. “It is a pay to play. I don’t like it either,” said Joey Owle, director of the tribe’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “We’re having to jump through hoops that other people don’t, but that’s the nature of it.” However, Owle feels pretty certain that

Tribal Council of these nutritional and cultural benefits, urging them to appropriate the money regardless of how they may feel about the fairness of having to pay for the study. “We’re not just paying for something that’s a one-time thing, that only we will see the benefits of,” Walker said. “We’re investing in the future of the long-term members of our tribal community. This is an investment in our future. This is an investment in your grandchildren. This is an investment for those in our community who still value traditional methods.” “I appreciate those words,” Shell said. “That’s true. Also it still irks me that we’re having to pay for a law that the federal government passed in federal land.” Ultimately, however, Shell moved to pass the resolution, with councilmembers approving it unanimously. Sochan is not the only native plant that Cherokee tribal members would like to harvest in the park, but a separate environmental assessment and harvesting agreement is required for each species. Sochan was the easiest one to go after, but the tribe will likely begin the process to start harvesting ramps once the sochan agreement is complete. “What this will do is set up the framework, which will allow for the next time we go forward with some kind of EA, some kind of agreement for a different plan, we’ll have a framework and structure in place,” Owle said. “To me that helps streamline the process, reducing the cost.”

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Sneed said, is the decision’s effect on other tribes. The EBCI’s decision to fund the environmental assessment would set the precedent that Indian tribes should pay for these studies to be done. However, pointed out Joe-Ann McCoy, director of the Germplasm Repository at the N.C. Arboretum, completing the study could also help out other

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Boom or bust? New index charts Haywood’s economy BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER arlier this year, a series of stories in The Smoky Mountain News focusing on Haywood County’s economy explored its various economic sectors, the businesses that comprise them, the organizations that aid them and the ultimate financial impact of them. Those stories utilized but a small sliver of the abundant data collected by governments and available to the public online for free to paint a portrait — a lifelike still life — of the current state of things. But it’s dynamic data trends over time that yield actionable information, and although the collection and compilation of that data is now easier than ever, an understandable, impartial model that can be used by the general public to monitor the current state of the Haywood County economy did not exist. Until now.

Diane E. Sherrill, Attorney

Smoky Mountain News

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ment percentage, county sales/use tax collections in millions and the Town of Waynesville’s monthly building permit fees. The index shows county unemployment steady for August at a very low 4 percent, unchanged from the previous month and down from both the previous August’s 4.6 percent, and the 12-month average of 4.3 percent; drawbacks of this metric include differing degrees of “unemployment” and that the numbers aren’t seasonally adjusted – something the 12-month average seeks to ameliorate. Sales and use tax collections were down slightly from $3.15 million in July to $3.04 million in August, but were up from $2.89 million in August 2016 and beat the 12month average of $2.82 million.

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The sources for HEAVI come from three areas — major indicators, minor indicators and wages paid by sector. All three are then weighted and combined to form the HEAVI index score.

This metric is also highly seasonal in Haywood County, as is Waynesville’s building and sign permit fee total, which is subject to weather-related concerns but reflective of improvements, expansions and business investment in the county’s largest town. For September, Waynesville assessed fees of $4,215, down from $5,089 in August but up $89 from the previous September. That’s well below the 12-month average of $7,065 but that average is greatly swayed when large investors like Ingles, Publix and Chikfil-A begin new developments. Minor indicators include five components – the monthly collections from the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority’s 1 percent funds, separated out by zip code. These totals directly reflect both the amount of hotel rooms occupied in a given month as well as the cost of those rooms; they are ostensibly dollars coming from outside the county, and bring with them a lot of indirect spending on things like dining, shopping and sales taxes. For the month of June — there is a significant lag in data reporting from all sources in the index — the index shows that all five jurisdictions were up over the 12month average, except for Clyde. Maggie Valley and Waynesville, the two biggest, were also up slightly over the previous month and the previous June, as was Canton, but both Clyde and Lake Junaluska were off the previous month and the previous year. The final set of indicators tracks wages paid in the county by employers in three important sectors — the service industry, the manufacturing industry and the tourism industry. Data from these sectors is reported quarterly, and lags by at least a quarter or two in reporting; the most recent report contains data from the first quarter of 2017, meaning it’s

October 25-31, 2017

COMPARED TO WHAT? One of the unsung hallmarks of the Industrial Revolution was a more systematic approach to the collection of data; as that became more automated in the 20th and now 21st centuries thanks to the advent of computers, its usefulness in financial markets became undeniable. Companies began to combine various related data sets from one sector — say, manufacturing employment, production, inventories and orders — into mathematical formulas that would spit out a number. On a periodic basis, that number would be recalculated, resulting in an index.

“They’ve been used for a long time, and they’re used in regional economics quite a bit,” said Tom Tveidt, founder of Syneva Economics, a Waynesville-based consulting firm providing decision-makers in the public and private sectors economic analysis on local and regional levels. And while the index number itself isn’t really important, how it changes over time is; when identical data is subject to identical methodology, changes in the number are relatively dependable in both direction and scope. “Obviously things go in big trends, so just knowing what direction your economy is headed can be really valuable – not necessarily boiling down into the specifics,” Tveidt said. “So in that respect an index can give you sort of a heads up.” Creating an index that’s accessible to the general public – most of whom aren’t trained economists – is an important consideration. “For a more sophisticated reader hopefully the top line would grab their attention and lead them to the underlying data,” Tveidt said. “But then again, they show ‘up’ and they show ‘down’ and for some readers, that’s all they need.” With all that in mind, The Smoky Mountain News has created the Haywood Economic Activity and Vitality Index – HEAVI, for short. HEAVI consists of publicly available data from various reputable sources reporting measurable economic activity on a monthly or quarterly basis within a diverse geographic and economic cross-section of Haywood County. The data is then subject to a bit of

“homebrew” math that weights different sources based solely on their scale in order to produce a meaningful, stable number that will reflect both minor and major changes in the economy without overlooking or exaggerating them. The sources for HEAVI come from three areas — major indicators, minor indicators and wages paid by sector. All three are then weighted and combined to form the HEAVI index score. Major indicators include three components, reported monthly: county unemploy-

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Haywood Economic Activity and Vitality Index MAJOR INDICATORS • SCORE: 70.72 County unemployment percent Aug. 2017 4.0% • Previous month 4.0% tu • Previous year 4.6% q -0.6 • 12-mo. avg. 4.3% q -0.3 Sales & use tax collections (millions) Aug. 2017 $3.04 • Previous month $3.15 q -3.49% • Previous year $2.89 p 5.19% • 12-mo. avg. $2.82 p 7.80%

Waynesville building permit fees Sept. 2017 $4,215. $5,089 q -17.17% f• Previous month • Previous year $4,126 p 2.16% • 12-mo. avg. $7,065 q -40.34%

MINOR INDICATORS • SCORE: 86.52 TDA 1% Canton June 2017 • Previous month • Previous year • 12-mon. avg. TDA 1% Clyde June 2017 • Previous month • Previous year • 12-mon. avg.

$3,599 $2,609 p 37.95% $3,459 p 4.05% $2,342 p 53.67% $456 $568 $505 $567

q -19.72% q -9.70% q -19.58%

TDA 1% Maggie Valley June 2017 $20,275 • Previous month $13,292 p 52.54% • Previous year $20,195 p 0.40% • 12-mo. avg. $15,019 p 35.00%

SCORE 76.90 70.02

TDA 1% Waynesville June 2017 • Previous month • Previous year • 12-mo. avg.

chg. p 1.30% p 11.25%

$12,166 $9,974 p 21.98% $11,936 p 1.93% $8,678 p 40.19%

WAGES PAID BY SECTOR, IN MILLIONS SCORE: 76.45 Service 2017 Q1 • Previous qtr. • Previous year • 12-mo. avg.

$107.59 $117.43 q -8.38% $100.89 p 6.64% $111.21 q -3.26%

Manufacturing 2017 Q1 • Previous qtr. • Previous year • 12-mo. avg.

$33.69 $30.71 p 9.70% $32.01 p 5.25% $31.27 p 7.74%

Tourism 2017 Q1 • Previous qtr. • Previous year • 12-mo. avg.

$9.28 $10.80 q -14.07% $8.58 p 8.16% $10.41 q -10.85%

Sources: Haywood TDA; N.C. Department of Revenue; N.C. Department of Commerce; Town of Waynesville

Running the same data, from the same sources, through the same formula shows that HEAVI is up over the previous month’s 76.90, and well up from what it was last October, 70.02. As a general disclaimer, the scores don’t mean much on their own, so they shouldn’t be used as the sole arbiter of business or investment decisions, especially as they’re based on an armchair analysis of an admittedly arbitrary set of criteria that doesn’t nearly take all of Haywood County’s economic activity into consideration. But as HEAVI begins to periodically appear in the pages of the Smoky Mountain News — about once a month, as data are released — do keep an eye on it, and perhaps delve deeper into the data as they pertain to your situation, or to your community as a whole.

Smoky Mountain News

reflective of spending up to March 30. All three sectors were up from 2016 Q1, but service and tourism were below their previous quarter, which again highlights the inherent imperfections in any index — the previous quarter was the winter holiday season, when service and tourist industries are busier than in January. That fact alone isn’t therefore troubling, but 12-month service and tourism industry averages are both down as well. Manufacturing, however, is up, up, up — over the previous quarter, over the previous year and over the 12-month average. Thus the current HEAVI score for wages paid comes out to 76.45. Minor indicators this month total 86.52, and major indicators 70.72. These scores aren’t relative to each other, but do combine to create this month’s HEAVI score of 77.90.

Previous month Previous year

October 25-31, 2017

TDA 1% Lake Junaluska June 2017 $2,680 • Previous month $3,410 q -21.41% • Previous year $3,245 q -17.41% • 12-mo. avg. $2,236 p 19.86%

Oct. 18, 2017 HEAVI score: 77.90

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The Shining Rock Classical Academy Board of Directors accepted the resignation of School Director Ben Butler during a Sunday night special-called board meeting. His resignation is effective immediately. “While the school community is saddened by this unexpected event, the board and school leaders are prepared to move forward to strengthen the relationships that have been built in the school’s first years of operation. We thank Mr. Butler for his four years of dedication and tremendous work, and wish him the best on his journey,” Board Chairwoman Anna Eason stated in a press release. Moving forward, Assistant Principal Bonnie Brown will be the main point of contact for all teachers and staff. Director of Student Services Jerimy Rinker will be the main point of contact for parents. Business Manager Tara Keilberg will be the point person for business operations. The board has also engaged Dr. Tom Miller, a longtime partner and advisor to Shining Rock, and his charter-consulting firm Leaders Building Leaders to manage general operations and spearhead the search for a new school director. Miller has almost

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Shining Rock Classical Academy director resigns 10 years of experience with communitybased charter schools and fully supports the school's mission and students. He was formerly a longtime Education Consultant at the NCDPI Office of Charter Schools. He is also a National Board certified EC teacher, has been a charter school director, and currently serves as a board member for at least two North Carolina charters. It is the board’s goal to have a new director in place as quickly as possible, and anticipate that a candidate will not be in place until sometime in early 2018. “In a new school leader SRCA will seek someone who will not only drive high academic standards, but who will also build school culture among adults and children alike. The board also expects to renew the commitment to outdoor education. And yes, they are still committed to growth into high school, and will keep trying to find that path too,” Eason said. The board gave no reason for Butler’s sudden resignation. Before joining SRCA during the early planning phases of the school, Butler worked at two other TEAM CFA charter schools — Brevard Academy and Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy.

Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center will be offering a “Perfecting your Pitch” seminar from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at SCC’s Jackson Campus. This session will cover how to master your elevator pitch, offer the best networking practices and how to introduce your business to the rest of the world. Attendees will learn how to make sure their business and the message they want their business to portray comes across. To register, visit http://bit.ly/ncsbcn or call 828.339.4211.

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Poor Man’s lunch offered in Otto A Poor Man’s Lunch will be offered starting at noon Sunday, Oct 29, at the Otto Community Building to raise money for the Otto Community Development Center. Lunch will include hot dogs, potatoes, pinto beans, slaw and cornbread. Plates are $8 for adults and $4 for kids. There will also be a cakewalk, a 50/50 raffle and a quilt raffle.

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October 25-31, 2017

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Smoky Mountain News

October 25-31, 2017

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Trial of remaining defendants will likely be delayed

While Swayney’s guilty plea had not been officially entered as of press time, Gonzalez, Cucumber and Littlejohn have all entered theirs, each along with a factual basis laying out the version of events, outlined below, on which she and federal prosecutors agree. • Littlejohn said that McCoy and Perez solicited her participation in the marriage fraud scheme. At the time and throughout the fraudulent marriage, Littlejohn was in fact engaged to McCoy’s son Kallup McCoy. However, on July 16, 2015, Littlejohn traveled to Tennessee to marry co-defendant Shaul Levy, of Norfolk, Virginia. The two never engaged in a sexual relationship or lived together, but Levy paid McCoy a sum of money intended for Littlejohn. McCoy

TRIAL DELAYED A trial originally scheduled for Monday, Nov. 6, will likely be pushed back after Marsiano, Perez, McCoy and Taylor entered motions asking for more time to prepare the case. An Oct. 23 motion to continue from McCoy’s attorney contains some new information about the case. According to the document, discovery documents from the government allege that McCoy’s son Kallup McCoy was involved in the marriage fraud scheme as well, with Ruth McCoy conspiring to arrange the marriage of Kallup McCoy and Peltz, who Swayney is accused of marrying. From July 16 to Sept. 1 — the motion

Observe the moon at Bridge Park Western Carolina University and Southwestern Community College faculty will host a free telescope-assisted viewing of the moon from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at Bridge Park in Sylva. The event is part of 2017 International Observe the Moon Night, a worldwide, public celebration of lunar science and exploration held annually since 2010. Participants are encouraged to dress warmly for an evening outdoors. There will be a brief presentation on lunar phases and planet and constellation identification, with several telescopes on hand. In the event of inclement weather or overcast conditions, the viewing will be rescheduled for Thursday, Nov. 2. 828.227.2718.

Lutheran Church celebrates reformation Congregation members of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Clyde are busy preparing a fall Reformation Festival commemorating the 500-year anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation movement. On Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther, originally an Augustinian monk, posted the Ninety Five Theses on the door of the castle in Wittenberg, Germany. These were the standard by which the Lutheran religion and most Protestant faiths were founded. Our Savior Lutheran Church will hold a Reformation Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at the church, 785 Paragon Parkway in Clyde. German food, games for children, German band, information booths and more will be a part of this festival. Proceeds from the festival will be donated to a 7-year-old grandson of a congregation member and family to offset major medical costs with his surgeries and health care. For more information, call 828.456.6493.

Smoky Mountain News

GUILTY PLEAS ENTERED

variously puts the year as 2015 and 2016, though the timing of the case suggests the correct year would be 2015 — Kallup McCoy was jailed at the Swain County Jail after a deputy stopped his car and found a quantity of methamphetamine there, Ruth McCoy’s motion reads. Littlejohn was a passenger in the car but was not jailed. If the year is in fact 2015, this is the same day that she traveled to Tennessee to marry Levy. During his six weeks in jail, Kallup McCoy made 77 calls to Ruth McCoy and 19 calls to Littlejohn for a total duration of about nine hours. Those calls were recorded and entered as evidence in the case. Ruth McCoy’s motion to continue states that more time is needed to prepare for trial, as the voices on the calls can be difficult to hear and thus far her defense has been able to review only 36 of the 96 calls in a meaningful way. Ruth McCoy herself has not yet had a chance to listen to the entire nine hours of recordings. The phone recordings are far from being the only evidence in need of reviewing. Ruth McCoy has been the subject of three law enforcement searches related to this case, the motion states. Kallup McCoy’s home was searched on Feb. 10, 2017, after the Cherokee Tribal Court issued a warrant after Ruth McCoy allegedly committed an assault. Several days later, Ruth McCoy’s home was searched on a warrant signed Feb. 13, 2017, by U.S. Magistrate Dennis Howell to look for any documents related to immigration, marriages or citizenship. Investigators then searched Ruth McCoy’s office at the Cherokee Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, where she was deputy superintendent. She has been on administrative leave since charges were filed. Evidence provided by the government thus far includes 93 pages of witness interviews, case summaries, criminal histories and related documents provided to the defense on July 6 and 413 pages of FBI memoranda of interviews and immigration documents provided to the defense July 27. However, McCoy’s motion reads, there is also some information that the defense has requested from the government but has not yet received. This includes records detailing the Cherokee Indian Police Department’s involvement in investigating the case, documents surrounding the February searches of McCoy’s home and office and complete files of immigration documents. Without those documents in hand and without the time to adequately review the nine hours of recorded phone conversations, the motion reads, McCoy won’t be able to get her constitutionally guaranteed right to effective counsel at the Nov. 6 trial date. The government doesn’t oppose her motion to continue the case to the district court’s next criminal term.

Altrusa International of Waynesville is hosting Life Skills: Adulting 101 Workshop for Teens from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 28, at First Presbyterian Church at 305 North Main Street in Waynesville. This is a free educational workshop for teens 14-18 years old led by local business leaders on a variety of vital topics for rising adults, including auto insurance, food budgeting, money management, interviewing skills and more. Registration is requested at http://bit.do/adulting101. Attendees may also register at the door at the start of the event. Refreshments will be served. For more information, visit waynesvillealtrusa.org or email waynesvillealtrusa@gmail.com.

October 25-31, 2017

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER our people accused of entering into fraudulent marriages with non-U.S. citizens will plead guilty to the charge of marriage fraud, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Jessica Marie Gonzalez, Kaila Nikelle Cucumber and Jordan Elizabeth Littlejohn — all of Cherokee — have all pled guilty to the offense, with their pleas accepted by the court. Meanwhile, Kevin Dean Swayney, also of Cherokee, has entered a notice of intent to change his not guilty plea to guilty. The four defendants are part of a larger case charging 12 people in an organized effort to allegedly make money by performing marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizens seeking to strengthen their immigration case. A June 7 indictment alleged that Ruth McCoy and Golan Perez, of Cherokee, would work with Ofir Marsiano, of Pigeon Forge, to connect U.S. citizens with non-citizens who hoped that marriage to a U.S. citizen would improve their immigration status. McCoy and her husband Timothy Taylor, the indictment alleged, would act as sponsors for the non-citizens in exchange for a fee. The citizens who participated in the marriages would get paid as well. Warrants are still outstanding for the arrests of the non-citizens who allegedly participated in the marriages — Ilya Dostanov, 28, of Panama City, Florida; Ievgenii Reint, 26, of St. Simons Island, Georgia; Shaul Levy, 26, of Norfolk, Virginia; and Yana Peltz, 30, of Israel.

gave Littlejohn some of it but said she would “hold on to the rest.” After the marriage, the “couple” prepared for an immigration interview that was held on Dec. 15, 2015. The preparation included “providing false information to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, such as a false joint statement on how they met.” In total, Littlejohn received $1,500 for her participation. • Cucumber said that she went to Tennessee on June 17, 2015, to marry codefendant Reint. Love was not the reason for the marriage — Cucumber had never been to Reint’s home before, nor had the two ever had a sexual relationship. After the marriage, Reint paid Cucumber $3,000 and also helped with several other expenses. He paid her car insurance for several months starting in September 2016, paid her satellite television bill twice and paid her monthly electric bill on several occasions. He deposited the money in a joint account they’d created to help them appear more like a real couple. Cucumber was aware of her co-defendants’ fraudulent marriages throughout the term of her participation and in fact drove Gonzalez to Tennessee for her marriage ceremony. • Gonzalez said that she rode with Cucumber on June 17, 2015, to support her marriage to Reint, and while in Tennessee she met with Marsiano, who proposed that Gonzalez enter into a fraudulent marriage as well, for $3,000. Gonzalez agreed and entered into a marriage with Dostanov, receiving $2,000 at the time. The two have seen each other only once since their marriage, and because they failed to keep in contact no immigration interview was ever conducted. After the marriage, Gonzalez told McCoy that she hadn’t been paid the remainder of the money owed her, so McCoy coordinated a lunch meeting with Gonzalez and Perez at the Kobe Express in Cherokee, where Perez told Gonzalez to go to his souvenir shop near Burger King to get the remaining $1,000 she was owed.

Altrusa offers ‘Adulting’ workshop

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Guilty pleas filed in marriage fraud case

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Do you write stories to dispel rumors?

If truth doesn’t matter, we are doomed Norman Hoffman

Some time ago a cartoon had Donald Trump’s press secretary and Kelly Ann Conway dressed as Burger King employees under a banner “Home of the Whopper” and Conway saying, “Do you want lies with that?” Lies seem to be the staple of the Trump administration. Now we find that retired Gen. John Kelly, Trump’s chief of staff, is also among the liars. He attacked a congresswoman by making false statements about a speech she made at the dedication of an FBI building named after two fallen agents. Kelly Guest Columnist did not make a misstatement or error — he lied. Finding out that a general is capable of lying should not be a surprise. It was generals lying about our early “successes” in Vietnam that helped get us so deep into that disastrous war. Lies have become daily experiences in the Trump administration. Let’s not call them “inaccuracies” — they are lies. An inaccuracy can be an honest mistake, but what we are seeing are deliberate, calculated lies. There is no pretext that the lies are based in anything other than pure fantasy and the imagination of the liar. Virtually every Trump tweet has at least one lie in the 140 characters. A friend of Trump reportedly commented that Trump would lie about the time of day just for practice. Trump’s rise to prominence was based on the “birther” lie. This was the claim that Obama could not be president

were pulling me aside or gently guiding me away from nearby ears with a hand on my elbow: “What’s up in Haywood County with all the resignations and now the county manager? Have you heard anything?” “Someone said it was related to Wanda Greene,” who was Buncombe County’s manager and is reportedly under some kind of federal criminal investigation as information comes out about massive salary payouts to herself, relatives and coworkers. It turned into one of those rare times in journalism, an instance where debunking rumors somehow seemed the appropriate avenue and entirely necessary. And so we wrote a story asking about the resignation of Dove and several others. Here’s Haywood County Editor Commission Chairman Kirk Kirkpatrick’s response: “I can understand why people would want to make a connection between this and Buncombe County, but there’s not” a connection, he said. We in the media business take heat for spreading untruths. But sometimes — as in this case — we take it upon ourselves

Scott McLeod

“A lie can run around the world before the truth has its boots on.” That’s one of the few quotes or sayings I can summon up at will. At some point it was etched into my memory. An internet search credits it to Terry Pratchett, a recently deceased but very popular British author of fantasy novels whom I have never read. As you might expect, lies and rumors are things we deal with often in this business. I get at least one unsigned, scribbled letter a week accusing someone of something, imploring the newspaper to look into this or that. Sometimes they are comical in their attempts at anonymity, but even then they very often make damaging accusations against decent people. And then there are the run-of-the-mill rumors that seem to be more prevalent than ever. A Facebook post or an email comes across that falls into the conspiracy theory category but will start getting lots of traffic and suddenly an innocent, decent person is in the crosshairs of the online crazies. When Haywood County Manager Ira Dove resigned unexpectedly earlier this month, the rumor mill caught fire. Every avenue we explored turned up no smoking gun, no evidence that anything untoward or unethical was behind his decision. But everywhere I went for the next couple of weeks, people

because he was not born in the U.S. Not only was this false; it was irrelevant. McCain was born in Panama; Romney was born in Mexico; and Cruz was born in Canada — yet there was no question about their ability to run for president. Why? Because their mothers, like Obama’s, were American citizens. So Trump’s initial entry into politics was not only a calculated lie but also a racist strategy because the difference between Obama and the other three men was the color of his skin. Since then we have seen Trump consistently and persistently make lying the norm rather than the exception. Every time he uses the phrase “fake news” we now know that he is reacting to something based on documentable facts that he does not like. He even claimed to have invented the word “fake” in an interview. In reality the word goes back to at least 1775. Trump has not drained any swamp. He has created a greater and deeper swamp than we have ever seen. The consistent lying has made it difficult for many to distinguish the lies from the truth. The problem is that lies that are repeated often enough become credible to some no matter how ridiculous the lie. The superficial lies also detract from critical issues. We are talking about Kelly’s lies instead of the fact that the Trump tax cuts will pay for tax cuts to billionaires by cutting Medicare and will increase the deficit. We are not talking about the fact that all of the Republican healthcare “plans” would exclude millions from being able to afford health insurance. In short, lies deflect the media coverage to relatively trivial issues instead of discussions of substance. Maybe the greatest danger of the Trump administration is not the estrangement with our allies or the posturing about North Korea. The greatest danger is that Americans may no longer value the truth and verifiable facts. No society can exist if it does not value the truth. Once everyone can act in accordance with his or her point of view instead of reality we are doomed. (Norman Hoffman lives in Waynesville. He can be reached at wncfacts@gmail.com)

to try and dispel rumors. In researching the connection between journalism and rumors, I came across this from Bob Woodward, the famous Washington Post investigative journalist who helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. “There are people who take rumors and embellish them in a way that can be devastating. And this pollution has to be eradicated by people in our business as best we can.” In this case, everyone was looking for a smoking gun when Dove retired. As far as I can tell, there isn’t one. I don’t know him well, but what I do know of Dove would have led me to that same conclusion even before we did the reporting. He spent many years in Haywood County doing good work to help citizens and the employees who labored alongside him. And after we spent some time looking under rocks and behind closed doors, that’s what I still believe. This has always been a very unique profession. In this era when our president famously discredits the media on an almost daily basis, when the number of mediums with which we share information growing at a furious pace, journalism by reporters and editors who work hard to get things right and adhere to old-school standards still matters. (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com.)

Kneeling in protest is a proper protest

To the Editor: Will Americans allow the symbol of “liberty and justice for all” to be more highly regarded than actual liberty and justice for all? Have the flag and the national anthem become more important than our written Constitution? Some people are saying that wealthy athletes should not protest racial injustice during the playing of the national anthem. Then where and when should protesters protest? Do we not all have the right to protest the injustices we see around us? When Walmart wants to sell us something they place the item where we are very likely to see it. How many people actually agree with famous football coach Mike Ditka when he opines that there hasn’t been any racial oppression in the last one hundred years? Come on, coach! Would Ditka recognize Martin Luther King’s photo if he saw it? Dr. King lost his life over the struggle for equality in America. According to the King James Bible, when Cain killed Abel he asked God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Will Americans choose to be their brother’s keeper? Or will we opt to deny our brothers (and sisters) the liberty and justice that all people want? Will we harden our hearts to those among us who are a different color? Then what will we do with the millions who are racially mixed already? In spite of what some want there is no way to turn back the hands on the clock. Bob Dylan told us, “The times they are a’changin’. You can google that fact or call him up on your rotary telephone (if you still have one). Dave Waldrop Webster

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.

range of motion. Along the way, physical therapists also educate patients about pain, serving as a dedicated teammate for patients on their wellness journeys. Instead of addiction, depression and withdrawal symptoms, physical therapy leads to increased independence, identification of Guest Columnist health concerns and prevention of additional health problems through movement and exercise. If you or a loved one are among the many Americans who are being prescribed opioids, know that there are better options for pain management. Professionals within the field of physical therapy are eager to help remove the bandage over chronic pain by treating the true root of the problem and providing support on the journey to healthy pain management and an improved way of life. Choose physical therapy. (Maria Gruetzmacher Hammon is a first-year student in Western Carolina University’s doctoral program in physical therapy and a resident of Stillwater, Minnesota.)

Maria Hammon

Susanna Barbee

ike placing a bandage over a deep wound and hoping it will just go away, opiate painkillers are prescribed to a growing number of Americans each year. Unfortunately, these medications do not address the true cause of the pain and often lead down a dark path. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four patients who are prescribed opioids for long-term noncancer pain in primary care settings struggle with addiction and face an increased risk of turning to heroin usage. Furthermore, the downward spiral of opioid addiction leads to more than 1,000 people being treated in emergency departments each day for misusing prescription opioids. While this sounds dire, there is an encouraging alternative to achieving healthy pain management. This alternative not only provides pain relief, but also education, support and a road toward a healthier lifestyle. The alternative to putting a bandage over pain is to treat the root cause through physical therapy. With the backing of the CDC, physical therapy is one of the recommended non-opioid alternatives for pain relief. Physical therapy alleviates pain through helping patients improve strength, flexibility and

tasteTHEmountains

BLOSSOM ON MAIN 128 N. Main Street, Waynesville. 828.454.5400. Open for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Mild, medium, to hot and spicy, our food is cooked to your like-able temperature. Forget the myth that all Thai food is spicy. Traditional Thai food is known to be quite healthy, making use of natural and fresh ingredients, paired with lots of spices, herbs, and vegetables. Vegetarians

and health conscious individuals will not be disappointed as fresh vegetables and tofu are available in most of our menu as well as wines and saki chosen to compliment the unique flavors of Thai cuisine. 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; slow-simmered 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. Call-ahead seating available.

Smoky Mountain News

While I no longer buy or make the costumes in August, the conversations start then. The ride to school each morning is our favorite time to talk, before their little minds get tired and clogged from a day full of stimulation, so ever since school started this year, we’ve been banging around costume ideas and finally settled a couple weeks ago on Ben 10 and a pilot. After a rough month personally, I’m excited about a night of frivolous ghoulish fun. Let’s hope the Ben 10 costume works out. I’ve yet to start making it. And even though I’m not a huge fan of candy in general, I’ve certainly been caught stealing bubble gum or a Snickers bar from the boys’ treat bags. So, whether you’ll be holding the hand of a tiny Superman or attending an adult-only soiree, I hope you have a good time. Here’s to a wickedly fun evening, indeed. (Susanna Barbee can be reached at susanna.barbee@gmail.com.)

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 25-31, 2017

n less than a week, I’ll spend Tuesday evening traipsing the streets of Waynesville watching two little boys knock on doors and end the night with bags full of sugary candy and gum. I’m a bit of a health nut and try to keep yucky ingredients and coloring out of my children’s diets, but on Halloween, I push my additive/preservative paranoia aside to be a spirited parent and embrace the evening’s wicked vibe. I loved trick-or-treating when I was a kid. My sister and I are both October babies, so I’m not sure if the spooky stars were aligned just right or what, but she and I both enjoy Columnist Halloween. I’ve written before about growing up in Weaverville. As little girls, we visited the same houses and businesses year after year, which offered a level of fun and comfort only small towns can know and understand. Our childhood costumes spanned the gamut, from ghosts to clowns to punk rockers. One year I dressed as the white cat from the Broadway musical “Cats.” I wore a long-sleeve white unitard (a full-body leotard) with pink fur glued around the neckline, cuffs and ankles. I had a tail, ears and we teased my waist-length hair with so much hair spray, it stuck out like a lion’s mane. Top that off with a black nose and painted whiskers and voila, I was transformed into the cat I’d watched on stage in New York City the year before. In fifth grade, I dressed up as the plant from “Little Shop of Horrors.” I know, seems like a bizarre choice, but then again, I wasn’t a completely typical kid. We had a dance that year called the Boo Bash and were encouraged to wear our costumes. My friends were dressed as Madonna, Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Miss America. Meanwhile, my entire body was painted green and my limbs were speckled with leaves, as I attempted to mimic the carnivorous plant named Audrey II. I won best costume at that dance. When I became a parent myself, I couldn’t wait to dress up my baby boy for his first Halloween. I was so excited, I bought his monkey costume in August. Fast forward and now I’ve been buying and creating costumes for eight years. These days, I’m hot gluing and visiting Walmart the night before to make sure the costumes are ready the day of. It’s interesting how each child develops his different thoughts and desires when it comes to Halloween costumes. My little one is “all boy” and year after year asks to be a super hero or Ninja Turtle or Power Ranger. My older son, on the total flipside, always requests a scary or classic costume. He’s been a vampire, hobo clown, pirate, mummy, Frankenstein and a grumpy old man, among a few other things. My eldest also has this thing about being dif-

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Embracing the wicked vibe of Halloween

ferent than everyone else. He doesn’t want to walk through Auburn Park and pass a clone of himself, so for the past four years, I’ve hand made his costumes. The most-involved DIY costume thus far was a mummy costume I created when he was five. It involved ripping an old sheet to shreds, dying them with tea bags, then hot gluing the brownish pieces onto an old jogging suit. It was pretty fun to make and even more fun to watch the heads turn as he walked down the street. This year, my little one wants to be Ben Tennyson, who is a character from an animated TV series. We stumbled upon the show one day, and he became enamored with it. Ben 10 (short for Ben Tennyson) is a boy who acquires a watchlike alien device (the Omnitrix). This device allows the wearer to transform into 10 different alien creatures who then battle the bad guys. Low and behold, Amazon nor Walmart nor anyone sell a Ben 10 costume in its entirety, so I visited Michaels the other day and purchased the needed materials to make it myself. Thankfully, my older son plans to dress as a pilot which is an easy costume to assemble. After flying several times over the past two years, he’s grown interested in all types of planes as well as the art and skill of flying itself.

BOGART’S 303 S. Main St., Waynesville. 828.452.1313. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and

tasteTHEmountains

128 N. Main St., Waynesville

WINE • BEER • SAKE Gluten-Free, Vegan & Vegetarian options

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Monday through Saturday. Dinner 5 to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sunday. We specialize in hand-cut, all natural steaks from local farms, incredible burgers, and other classic american comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available.

Name That Song!

Oct. 31at 6:30pm Reserve Your Table Now!

Hours:11:30-9:00

(828) 454-5400

BlossomOnMain.com October 25-31, 2017

Saturday. Carry out available. Located in downtown Waynesville, Bogart’s has been long-time noted for great steaks, soups, and salads. Casual family atmosphere in a rustic old-time setting with a menu noted for its practical value. Live Bluegrass/String Band music every Thursday. Walking distance of Waynesville’s unique shops and seasonal festival activities and within one mile of Waynesville Country Club.

Nutrition Facts serving size : ab out 50 p ag es Am ount per Serving Calories 0 % Daily Value * Tot al Fat 0g

Reg ional New s

100%

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Smoky Mountain News

* Percent Weekly values b ased on Hayw ood, Jackson, M acon, Sw ain and Buncom b e d iet s.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ 6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday 8 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 preprepared 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. 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 menu every day from 12 to 2 p.m. Saturday night will feature an evening cookout on the terrace, with choices such as steak and shrimp. On all other nights of the week, the chef will prepare dinner with locally-sourced vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social hour starts at 6 p.m., and dinner is served starting at 7 p.m. So join us for mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Please call for reservations. CHEF’S TABLE 30 Church St., Waynesville. 828.452.6210. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde

828-456-1997 blueroostersoutherngrill.com Monday-Friday Open at 11am 26

Real Local Families, Real Local Farms, Real Local Food

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. CHURCH STREET DEPOT 34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville. 828.246.6505. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mouthwatering all beef burgers and dogs, hand-dipped, hand-spun real ice cream shakes and floats, fresh hand-cut fries. Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot. 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. COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT 3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley. 828.926.1820 Winter hours: Wednesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. 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. EVERETT HOTEL & BISTRO 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934. Open daily for dinner at 4:30 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday Brunch from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Serving fresh and delicious weekday morning lite fare, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Freshly prepared menu offerings range from house-made soups & salads, lite fare & tapas, crepes, specialty sandwiches and burgers. Be sure

not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials. Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. Enjoy craft beers on tap, as well as our full bar and eclectic wine list. FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde. 828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95. FRANKIE’S ITALIAN TRATTORIA 1037 Soco Rd. Maggie Valley. 828.926.6216 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Father and son team Frank and Louis Perrone cook up dinners steeped in Italian tradition. With recipies passed down from generations gone by, the Perrones have brought a bit of Italy to Maggie Valley. 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. 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. Open for dinner at 4:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. 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.

tasteTHEmountains JUKEBOX JUNCTION U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel. 828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 8 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.

11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Carry out available. Sagebrush features hand carved steaks, chicken and award winning BBQ ribs. We have fresh salads, seasonal vegetables and scrumptious deserts. Extensive selection of local craft beers and a full bar. Catering special events is one of our specialties.

LOS AMIGOS 366 Russ Ave. in the Bi-Lo Plaza. 828.456.7870. Open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy the lunch prices Monday through Sunday, also enjoy our outdoor patio.

SALTY DOG'S SEAFOOD & GRILL 3567 Soco Road, Maggie Valley. 828.926.9105. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Full service bar and restaurant located in the center of Maggie Valley.

MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM 617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva. 828.586.3555. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch. Beer and wine. Free movies Thursday trought Saturday. Visit madbatterfoodfilm.com for this week’s shows. 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.

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.

SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE 1941 Champion Drive, Canton 828.646.3750 895 Russ Ave., Waynesville 828.452.5822. Sunday through Thursday

TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville. 828.456.3551. Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, the Tap Room Bar & Grill has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com.

Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza.

Closed Tues.

Sun. 12-9 p.m.

Dine-In ~ Take Out ~ Delivery

Sandwiches • Burgers • Wraps 32 Felmet Street (828) 246-0927

The Freestylers

An Authentic Italian Pizzeria & Restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Just to serve you! 243 Paragon Parkway | Clyde Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Open Sundays Noon to 8p.m.

828-476-5058 NEW LOCATION OPEN! Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m • Closed Sundays

499 Champion Drive | Canton

Friday, October 28th at 7 p.m. 3 E JACKSON ST. • SYLVA, NC

www.CityLightsCafe.com

Present this coupon and recieve:

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WAYNESVILLE’S BEST BURGERS

TRAILHEAD CAFE & BAKERY 18 N Main Street, Waynesville. 828.452.3881 Open 7 days a week. You will find a delicious selection of pastries & donuts, breakfast & lunch along with a fresh coffee & barista selection. Happy Trails! 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. The recipes have been in the family for 50 years (don't ask for the recipes cuz’ you won't get it!) Each Pizza is hand tossed and made with TLC. WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville. 828.246.0927. Open Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Opened in May 2016, The Waynesville Pizza Company has earned a reputation for having the best hand-tossed pizza in the area. Featuring a custom bar with more than 20 beers and a rustic, family friendly dining room. Menu includes salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, gourmet pizza, homemade desserts, and a loaded salad bar. The Cuban sandwich is considered by most to be the best in town.

MON.-SAT. 11 A.M.-8 P.M.

34 CHURCH ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.246.6505 Mtwitter.com/ChurchStDepot C facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot

Let Us Cater Your Next Event & Holiday Gatherings

Smoky Mountain News

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley 828.926.0201 Home of the Maggie Valley Pizzeria. We deliver after 4 p.m. daily to all of Maggie Valley, J-Creek area, and Lake Junaluska. Monday through Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. country buffet and salad bar from 5 to 9 p.m. $11.95 with Steve Whiddon on piano. Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 to 8 p.m. 11:30 to 3 p.m. family style, fried chicken, ham, fried fish, salad bar, along with all the fixings, $11.95. Check out our events and menu at rendezvousmaggievalley.com

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.

Saturday 12 p.m.-10 p.m.

October 25-31, 2017

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.

SMOKEY SHADOWS LODGE 323 Smoky Shadows Lane, Maggie Valley 828.926.0001. Check Facebook page for hours, which vary. Call early when serving because restaurant fills up fast. Remember when families joined each other at the table for a delicious homemade meal and shared stories about their day? That time is now at Smokey Shadows.

Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

828-452-7837

WaynesvilleCatering.com

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Smoky Mountain News

Growing up in freedom Gladys Knight. Derek Blanks photo

began to decay, as did the social fabric of the community around it. “Probably the most dramatic thing that happened was that everybody in your community went to the same school,” McDowell said, “But, then when they closed it down, you lost them until you got to junior high and that was really traumatic because a lot of your friends weren’t there anymore and you had to make new friends in a whole new environment.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY A church bought the building but soon sold it, whereupon it became a repository for junk. McDowell then took it upon himself to develop a relationship with the owner. “He was a really nice man, he just didn’t know how important it was to the community, because the community sold it, so he didn’t think it was that big a deal,” McDowelll said.

“You want to be better than just getting by. If you’ve got time to do something, then do something to help someone else.” — Billy McDowell

Gladys Knight performance to benefit proposed Canton community center BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER ust outside of a small Western North Carolina community known as “Papertown USA” sits a dilapidated 84-year old brick schoolhouse surrounded by an even smaller, mostly African-American community known as “Gibsontown.” “It was a very boxed-in world,” said Billy McDowell, who grew up in the neighborhood. “That world was all you knew. The internet wasn’t here, and so the only thing we had was the six and 11 o’clock news, which we never watched.” The segregated Reynolds School was an integral part of the somewhat insular community until it closed and fell into disrepair. But, McDowell, who now owns the building, sees a $5-million community center by 2019. With a little help from wife Gladys Knight — and friends, including country sensation Little Big Town — McDowell’s Reynolds Community Foundation will take its first steps

towards that goal with a star-studded benefit performance in Asheville this Sunday night. “That night we’re just going to concentrate on fun,” McDowell said. “We’re just going to have a lot of fun and I think Gladys will be extremely entertaining, because this is something she’s doing from her heart.” McDowell’s heart still holds fond memories of growing up in segregated, isolated, poverty-stricken Gibsontown, which is why he passed on the opportunity to open a Billy McDowell restaurant in favor of acquiring the school and adjoining 6.5 acres at auction for $80,000 in 2013. His mother used to cook at the school, which McDowell attended until the third grade; it sits so close to adjoining houses that school events were, by necessity, community events. “To have it 200 yards behind the house that I grew up in made it even that much closer,” he said. “The band would actually march through the neighborhood and we would get behind them with pots and pans and things like that.” When the school closed in the mid-1960s, it

If not for that, Lake Lure might today have a restaurant called “Billy’s Bikes and Burgers.” “If anybody steals that idea I’m going to kill them,” he laughed. McDowell’s birthday gift from his wife was to be a building he’d had his sights set on, until a fateful phone call. “I heard that Reynolds was about to go up for auction, and I asked my wife, ‘Hey, would you mind if I didn’t buy the thing for myself but if I went and tried to buy the school?’” “It’s your birthday gift,” Knight told him. “You do whatever you want.” He bid at auction, and had driven just four miles from the school when he got another fateful phone call telling him he’d won. “I pulled over and cried,” he said. “It felt like a triumph for me, but it felt like a triumph for the whole community because we owned it again.” Since then, McDowell has focused on his vision for revitalizing the school – and the community. “You have a broken window syndrome there,” he said. “If you walk around and see

Knight: ‘We’re all human beings’ Reynolds School owner Billy McDowell’s wife, “Empress of Soul” Gladys Knight, isn’t native to Haywood County like he is, but she did grow up in similar circumstances in Atlanta, which helps explain her passion for his Reynolds Community Foundation. “We lived right down the street from the school, and we had community back then,” she said. “Have you heard about that lately? Where people are friends, and you don’t have to ask to go to somebody’s house?” Most of her friends at school were the same kids that lived in her community, she said, and helping one another was a way of life, despite whatever differences may have existed. That’s not as prevalent anymore, according to Knight. “The world has become quite, in my opinion – a humble opinion – quite selfish now. Everybody’s in their own little pocket, on their own lil’ bag, and that kind of stuff,” she explained. “You don’t watch out for your neighbors and your friends.” That behavior is often learned in childhood, but community centers like the one proposed by McDowell and Knight could help build bonds that establish and cultivate a common humanity. “As kids, you don’t have as much difference as it is with grownups putting that ugly stuff out there about people being different,” she said. “You know, we’re all human beings.”

that on a day-to-day basis as a child, you kind of get this defeatist attitude in your head.” What McDowell wants kids to see is a rejuvenated community that stands as a “protest against mediocrity.” “You want to be better than just getting by,” he said. “If you’ve got time to do something, then do something to help someone else.” Despite the disadvantages McDowell and others in Gibsontown once faced, “growing up in freedom,” he said, is what he remembers most. “We were kind of not privy to all the violence and stuff that was going on the world and we got to be children,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing that I’m trying to do right now is give the kids a childhood.”

Want to go? An evening with “Gladys Knight & Friends” with Little Big Town, Lyric, and other special guests at 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville. Tickets start at $50 per person. Proceeds go to the establishment of the Reynolds School community center in Canton. For more information or to purchase tickets, click on www.rhscommunityfoundation.org.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Foo Fighters. Brantley Gutierrez photo

‘It’s times like these you learn to live again’

Brett Young and Carly Pearce are the artists scheduled to perform at Western Carolina University’s Homecoming Concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center.

When the Foos launched into “Times Like These,” it really hit home for me, just how far away those days were, let alone my physical hometown, from where I was that night in Knoxville, still trying to make sense of life itself, but, this time, more aware and confident, maybe even trusting, in the cosmos: “I’m a new day rising / I’m a brand new sky / To hang the stars upon tonight / I am a little divided / Do I stay or run away / And leave it all behind?” They say the older you get, the more you start to circle back to the music of your youth. Partly, because as time goes along, and the faces and spaces change, the only real familiar, linear and constant thing to you is the music of your youth. It comforts you when you’re far from home — physically and emotionally — where you’re just trying to get through the night, holding onto the first light of tomorrow spilling through your bedroom window. And it’s also that same music that gives you the strength and courage to keep moving forward, that we’re all the same, and we’ll all get through whatever it is that is bothering us, because at the end of the day, you’re alive, and that’s all that matters. It’s a sentiment — and core philosophy — that Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters have waved high and proudly since their inception those many years ago, something I felt, so damn deeply, when they ended the Knoxville show with “Everlong,” an iconic anthem of my generation: “If everything could ever feel this real forever / If anything could ever be this good again / The only thing I’ll ever ask of you / You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when…” Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

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October 26,* 27 at 7:30 pm October 29 at 2:00 pm

Smoky Mountain News

It was right around the third song or so that the goosebumps kept appearing. Up and down my arms, the The Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling will be raised hair and skin resulting held from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27-28 at the from the massive sound and Oconaluftee Islands Park. stage presence of the Foo Fighters, the saviors of rock-n-roll The immensely popular WNC Pottery Festival in the modern era, one could easwill be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, ily surmise. Nov. 4, in downtown Dillsboro. When I was growing up, there was no bigger band, to me Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will at least, than the Foo Fighters. host Frank & Allie (bluegrass/Americana) at 6 They, alongside Stone Temple p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. Pilots and The Tragically Hip. No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Humps That trio made up the vast & The Blackouts (psychobilly) at 9:30 p.m. majority of music in my handFriday Oct. 27 and 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, held CD player while I wanat The Water’n Hole in Waynesville. dered the hallways of middle school and high school during the late 1990s/early 2000s on the Canadian the hard-earned wrinkles on our faces magically disappear, the kick in your step returnborder of Upstate New York. ing with ease, as your body feels years Sadly enough, that Foos show in Knoxville, Tennessee, last Wednesday was the younger, your soul never aging a day in your heart-of-hearts. same day the world learned of the untimely Standing there, watching the Foos tear death of T-Hip front man Gord Downie from down the enormous Thompson-Boling a short and highly-publicized battle with Arena on the University of Tennessee cambrain cancer. And it was only a couple years pus, I couldn’t help think of where I was, ago that STP frontman Scott Weiland unexpectedly passed away, with my interview with and what I was doing, or wanting to ultimately do, when those radio hits and him being one of his last. So, there I was, my beloved deep catalog melodies first radiated soul hurting from the cornerstones of my out of my stereo. musical life — first Scott, then Gord — now I don’t think there was a teenager in the gone, and yet, there’s Foos front man Dave late 1990s that didn’t own the Foos sophoGrohl onstage bellowing out song after song more album, “The Colour And The Shape.” that made up my childhood and adolescence. Many of those unforgettable songs The funny thing with music is its uncan(“Monkey Wrench,” “My Hero,” “Everlong”) ny ability to be a real-life time capsule. You were staples of MTV. They were tunes that hear a song you loved from your past, and soaked into the pop culture of America at you’re immediately transported back to the that time. From teen films like “Varsity exact moment you either first heard it, or Blues” to their force-of-nature late night TV whatever key interaction happened in your appearances or the Foos rollickingly hilarilife as that song was playing overhead or in ous interviews and cleaver music videos. front of you. Within those songs immortal,

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“They say the older you get, the more you start to circle back to the music of your youth. Partly, because as time goes along, and the faces and spaces change, the only real familiar, linear and constant thing to you is the music of your youth.”

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arts & entertainment

This must be the place

That album, and the next one, “There Is Nothing Left To Lose” (1999), filled my ears throughout middle school, a melodic protection from the ills of walking the plank of social hierarchy — locker rooms, cafeterias, hallways, awkward dances in the gymnasium, birthday parties, and Saturday night gatherings, many of which I never found out about until I overheard recaps in Monday morning homeroom. I vividly remember “Breakout” and “Learning to Fly” in my headphones during those long bus trips to cross-country invitationals, wondering if high school or college would be any different than what I had experienced, or was currently experiencing.

Adults $26 Seniors $24 Students $13 *Special $16 tickets for all Adults on Thursdays. Special $8 Tickets for all Students on Thursdays & Sundays.

The Performing Arts Center at the Shelton House 250 Pigeon St. in Waynesville, NC

For More Information and Tickets:

828-456-6322 | www.harttheatre.org This project was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

arts & entertainment

Let Us Help With Your Winter Needs! On the beat • Laser Oil Heater • Buck Wood or Gas Heaters • Ashley Wood Heater • Knox Wood Cook Stove

MASSIE FURNITURE CO., INC.

October 25-31, 2017

45 N. Main St., Waynesville • (828) 456-3311 • (828) 452-5792 Free Delivery • Easy Terms • Open 8:30-5:30

Country stars to play WCU Homecoming Concert Brett Young and Carly Carly Pearce. Pearce are the artists scheduled to perform at Western Carolina University’s Homecoming Concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. Young, the only country performer on Shazam’s “Emerging Artists of 2017” list, is making his first headlining tour this fall. Young released his self-titled debut album earlier this year. The album features his No. 1 gold-certified debut single “Sleep Without You.” His follow-up single, “In Case You Didn’t Know,” made Young the first country artist to hit the platinum-certification sales mark in 2017. Young’s latest single, “Like I Loved You,” is currently on the charts. In addition to his headlining tour, Young is currently touring with Lady Antebellum’s “You Look Good World Tour 2017.” Earlier this year, he toured with Luke Bryan’s “Kill The Lights Tour.”

Pearce, another country newcomer, is expected to release her debut album this fall. Her current hit single, “Every Little Thing,” is in the top 20 Billboard country airplay chart. All WCU student tickets will be $10 for floor seats and $7.50 for arena seats. Public tickets will be $15 for floor seats and $12.50 for arena seats (plus taxes and fees). The concert is presented by the Department of Campus Activities and Residential Living. Tickets can be purchased at the Ramsey Center box office or online at ramsey.wcu.edu.

Workshops, jamming and more!

Dec.1-2,2017 Dec.1-2,2017 Lake Junaluska, NC

Tickets on sale NOW

Smoky Mountain News

featuring:

Darrell Scott Bryan Sutton and an All Star Band Flatt Lonesome Balsam Range The Atlanta Pops Mini-Orchestra Mike Snyder White Water Bluegrass Co. Lodging Packages available · www.balsamrangeartofmusicfestival.com

Buncombe Turnpike.

Music series features Buncombe Turnpike The 2017-18 “First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Series” at Western Carolina University continues with a concert featuring the Asheville-based bluegrass band Buncombe Turnpike on Thursday, Nov. 2. The band’s 7 p.m. performance in the ground-floor auditorium of H.F. Robinson Administration Building will be followed by an 8 p.m. jam session in which local musicians are invited to participate. Buncombe Turnpike was founded by lead singer and bass player Tom Godleski in 1997, and other members of the current band include Darrell Earwood, guitar; David Hyatt, mandolin; Don Lewis, fiddle, Seth Rhinehart,

banjo; and Korey Warren, mandolin. The group plays tunes ranging from traditional to contemporary bluegrass, with some gospel and original songs thrown in the mix. Sponsored by WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center, the First Thursday concerts and jam sessions will continue through next spring, with programs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Upcoming concerts will feature the Haywood Ramblers on Thursday, Dec. 7, and Keith Shuler on Thursday, Feb. 1. The events are free and open to the public. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam sessions, which also are open to those who just want to listen. For more information, call the Mountain Heritage Center at 828.227.7129.

On the beat

‘Sunday at the Opry’ Darren Nicholson.

WCU chorus presents fall concert Piano lessons for senior adults

The “Sunday at the Opry” will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, at The Colonial Theater in Canton. Join the Opry for a special Veteran’s Day event in the heart of Canton. Local musicians Darren Nicholson, Jessi Stone, Lorraine Conard, J. Creek Cloggers, and more will perform as Grand Ole Opry greats for a fun afternoon of country classics in honor of those who have served.

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Smoky Mountain News

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The Western Carolina University School of Music will present its annual fall choral concert Thursday, Oct. 26, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. The free concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and will feature music that explores the meaning of home. Songs will include a shapenote hymn familiar to the Great Smoky Mountains region, an a cappella arrangement of a Dolly Parton ballad and a special Cherokee-themed collaboration. Performing will be the WCU Concert Choir, an auditioned choir of 28 students, and the University Chorus, a large choir of 100 singers. The choirs will be joined by Cherokee performers Matthew Tooni, flute, and John Toineeta, storyteller. For more information, contact the WCU School of Music at 828.227.7242, or visit www.facebook.com/westerncarolinauniversitychoirs.

October 25-31, 2017

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Tickets available at Eventbrite, by calling 828.452.0593, visiting the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville (86 North Main Street) or at the Colonial in Canton (no credit cards at this location). Sponsored by the Town of Canton. Cost is $15 (+ tax) for adults, $5 (+ tax) children. Veterans admitted for free (though a ticket is required to reserve your seat).

The Haywood County Arts Council’s popular “Mind the Music!” classes have extended registration for the fall session. If you are aged 55 and older and you wish to learn to play the piano, these classes are for you. The class will run for five weeks, starting the week of Nov. 6. Studies show that older adults who actively participate in music benefit in many areas of life, including physical, mental, psychological, and social. These lessons will be ideal for older adults that may have taken (or wished they had taken) piano lessons as children. Students are invited to learn in a no-stress environment, with small classes of only two to four people. The cost for the five classes is $60, plus a materials

arts & entertainment

fee for a music book (less than $20). If you are interested in signing up for classes, email director@haywoodarts.org or call 828.452.0593. The number of classes/spaces offered is limited. For more information, visit www.haywoodarts.org.

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On the beat arts & entertainment

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host Heidi Holton (blues/folk) Oct. 27, Tom Edwards (singer-songwriter) Oct. 28 and Troy Underwood (singer-songwriter) Nov. 4. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com. • Bosu’s Wine Shop (Waynesville) will host a jazz evening with the Kittle/Collings Duo from 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday. Free and open to the public. www.waynesvillewine.com. • The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host James Hammel (guitar/vocals) Oct. 27, Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Oct. 28 and Nov. 4, and Kevin Lorenz (guitar) Nov. 3. All shows are free (unless otherwise noted) and begin at 7 p.m. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

ALSO:

• Derailed Bar & Lounge (Bryson City) will have music at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.488.8898.

October 25-31, 2017

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Marc Keller (singer-songwriter) 2 p.m. Oct. 28 and Back South (Americana/rock) Nov. 4. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. There will also be a Community Rhythm Circle every Tuesday at 7 p.m. with free drum circle lessons at 6:30 p.m. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

ART AFTER DARK:

Smoky Mountain News

Demonstration by Jewelry Artist

Pegi Pike

November 3rd 6-9 P.M.

“WHERE ART DANCES WITH NATURE” 98 NORTH MAIN ST. • WAYNESVILLE, NC • 828.456.1940 32

MON.-SAT.10-5:30 • SUN.1-4 • WWW.TWIGSANDLEAVES.COM

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Oct. 26 and Nov. 2. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com. • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Karaoke Oct. 27 and Frogtown (bluegrass) Oct. 28. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host a “Jazz Night” from 6 to 8 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com. • Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Frank & Allie (bluegrass/Americana) Oct. 28 and Liz Nance & Friends (Americana) Nov. 4. All shows are free and are from 6 to 9 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com. • No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Humps & The Blackouts (psychobilly) Oct. 27 and Darren & The Buttered Toast (soul/funk) Oct. 28. All shows are free and begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nonamesportspub.com.

• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday with Mike Farrington of Post Hole Diggers. Free and open to the public. • Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and an Open Jam with Rick 8 p.m. Thursdays. • Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Susan at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com. • Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host line dancing every Friday at 7 p.m. and contra dancing every other Friday at 8 p.m. 828.586.6440. • The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com. • Tunes on the Tuck (Bryson City) will host The Grove Band (Americana) Oct. 28 at Riverfront Park. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com. • Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host Fortress Oct. 27 and The Orange Constant Nov. 3. • Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host Grandpa’s Cough Medicine (bluegrass/Americana) Oct. 27 and Log Noggins Nov. 3. • The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host DJ Dance Party Oct. 27 and Humps & The Blackouts (psychobilly) Oct. 28. All shows begin at 10 p.m. • Waynesville Pizza Company will have an open mic night at 7 p.m. Oct. 30. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0927 or www.waynesvillepizza.com. • The Waynesville Public Library will host Possum on a Whale (bluegrass/Americana) at 3 p.m. Oct. 28. Free and open to the public. • Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host Courtney Stiwalt recital Oct. 25 and Choir Concert Oct. 26. All events are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Coulter Building. There will be bluegrass music at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at the HFR Auditorium, free and open to the public, with an open jam at 8 p.m. www.wcu.edu.

@SmokyMtnNews

On the beat

Country superstar Gary Allan will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. The California native released his first album, “Used Heart for Sale,” in 1996 and since then has released eight additional studio albums selling over seven million albums, been certified platinum on three back-to-back albums, and been certified gold five times. He’s described as “dark and dreamy” in Entertainment Weekly, “soulful and rough around the edges” in Playboy and deemed a “maverick” by Rolling Stone. For more information or tickets, visit www.harrahscherokee.com or call 800.745.3000.

Legendary country stars Alabama will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, at Harrah’s Cherokee. Alabama is the band that changed everything. They reeled off 21 straight number one singles, a record that will probably never be equaled in any genre. They brought youthful energy, sex appeal and a rocking edge that broadened country’s audience and opened the door to self-contained bands from then on, and they undertook a journey that led, 73 million albums later, to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.harrahscherokee.com or call 800.745.3000.

“GO BACK FOR MURDER”

Smoky Mountain News

WRITTEN by Agatha Christie, DIRECTED by Toby Allman PRODUCED by special arrangement with Samuel French Company FRIDAY, OCT. 27 • 7:30 PM SATURDAY, OCT. 28 • 7:30 PM SUNDAY, OCT. 29 • 3:00 PM MONDAY, OCT. 30 • 7:30 PM Adults - $10, Students (ages 6-18) - $5, under age 6 are free Box office opens one hour prior to showtime.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY THEATRE 134 Main Street • Bryson City 828-508-6645 • www.smctheatre.com • @smctheatre

263-194

After receiving a letter from beyond the grave, Carla Crale believes her mother, who died in prison, was wrongly convicted of her father’s murder. In a passionate attempt to clear her name, she persuades those present on the day of her father’s death to return to the scene of the crime and ‘go back’ 15 years to recount their version of events.

The Haywood Community Band’s season finale will feature musical highlights of the 2017 season at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, in the sanctuary of Waynesville’s First United Methodist Church. The band, with the highest membership in its history, will perform favorite selec-

Through donations received at the concerts, the Haywood Community Band has helped to further the education of local students through scholarship funds for young musicians to attend summer band camps. To date, thousands of dollars in scholarships have been awarded to young people. The band also receives, reconditions, and loans woodwind and brass instruments to local music students. The concert is free and open to the public. The church is located at the corner of Haywood Street and Academy Street. www.haywoodcommunityband.org.

October 25-31, 2017

THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY THEATRE PRESENTS ITS FALL PRODUCTION

Final Community Band show of 2017

tions from the 2017 season. A highlight will be the performance of “Peace Still My Soul,” the theme from Finlandia by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, arranged for concert band with Mary Thomas on the church’s magnificent Casavant pipe organ.

arts & entertainment

Gary Allan returns to Cherokee

Alabama brings country to Harrah’s

On the street arts & entertainment

WCU Homecoming parade, campus events

Bookstore Lost Hauntings of Appalachia Friday, October 27th at 6:30 p.m.

A Natural History of Nantahala Saturday, October 28th at 3 p.m. 3 EAST JACKSON STREET • SYLVA

October 25-31, 2017

828/586-9499 • citylightsnc.com

Smoky Mountain News

ESTABLISHED IN 1942 Visit the newly remodeled lounge for: • Local Ice Cream • Beer & WIne • Full Coffee Bar • Theater Snacks

SHOWTIMES Same Kind of Different as Me Wed. 25th - 7pm Thurs. 26th - 7pm Fri. 27th - 7pm Sat. 28th - 1, 4, 7pm Sun 29th - 12, 7pm Mon. 30th - 7pm Tues. 31st - 7pm

Kids & Family Love The Strand!

Western Carolina University will celebrate Homecoming 2017 through Sunday, Oct. 29, with the theme “Catamount Proud.” • Thursday, Oct. 26, up-and-coming country stars Brett Young and Carly Pearce will perform in a concert beginning at 8 p.m. in the Ramsey Center. • Friday, Oct. 27, will tee off bright and early with “The Mutt” Catamount Football Golf Classic, which is named in honor of late WCU football coach Alphonso “Mutt” Degraffenreid. Play will take place at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville. Later that day, WCU’s annual Homecoming parade kicks off at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Sylva. Participants will include community and student floats, WCU’s cheerleaders and dance team, the Homecoming court and the university’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band. • Saturday, Oct. 28, features the Zombie 5-K Chase Race at 9 a.m., Chancellor’s Brunch and Alumni Awards event at 10 a.m., tailgating from noon until 3:30 p.m., the WCU football team’s game against Furman

Darius Jamal “D.J.” Williams and his friends on the WCU cheerleading squad celebrate after his announcement as Homecoming king in 2016. at 3:30 p.m. and the African-American Alumni Postgame Reception at 6:30 p.m. • Homecoming activities will end on a musical note on Sunday, Oct. 29 with the Inspirational Choir’s annual Homecoming concert beginning at 2 p.m. in the UC Grandroom.

‘Plow Day & Harvest Festival’

New Sylva brewery opens

The annual “Plow Day & Harvest Festival” will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Darnell Farms in Bryson City. This old-fashioned event is a hit with the entire family. Music jam, food, crafts, pumpkin patch, hayrides, and old-time farming demonstrations. $10 parking. Get lost in our very own themed Corn Maze. There will be fresh made mountain barbecue, as well as pumpkin pies and apple pies for sale. Stock up on all our homegrown fall decorations, and choose from 25 different varieties of pumpkins, gourds, and decorative squash. www.facebook.com/darnellfarmsnc. • The Spirit of the Smokies Classic Car Show sponsored by the Sylva Rotary will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, in Dillsboro. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Over 100 classic cars and other vehicles. • “Laughing Balsam Sangha,” a meeting for Mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, meets will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at 318 Skyland Drive in Sylva. Included are sitting and walking meditation, and Dharma discussion. Free admission. For more information, please call 828.335.8210, and “Like” them on Facebook.

ALSO:

The “Grand Opening” for Balsam Falls Brewing Company will be held Oct. 27-29 in downtown Sylva. Located in the former Evolution Wine Kitchen building on Main Street, Balsam Falls will have live music, food vendors on Friday and Saturday, with fresh pints on tap all weekend. There will also be a “Hoppy Halloween Costume Contest” starting at 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, click on www.facebook.com/balsamfallbrewing or call 828.631.1987.

to 11 p.m. on Tuesdays, Trivia at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and a Guitar Hero Tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. 828.586.6440. • There will be a free wine tasting from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120. • A free wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.631.3075.

For Latest Movie Times:

38main.com

Bring ad in for free kids popcorn!

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host the Jackson County Corn Hole Association on Monday evenings ($5 buy in, 100 percent payout), Karaoke with Captain Moose from 7

More information about all Homecoming activities, including details on signing up to attend or participate, is available online by visiting homecoming.wcu.edu and clicking on the event schedules for students and alumni.

• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house

wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com. • The Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express will depart at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 27, and noon and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 28-29 at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. On board the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. Activities will include: campfire marshmallows, a coloring station, temporary tattoos, trick or treating, bouncy house, hayrides and live musical entertainment. For tickets, visit www.gsmr.com or 800.872.4681.

On the street

popular component of Western Carolina University’s annual Mountain Heritage Day are the judged and juried contests, and other competitions. At the 43rd annual event held Saturday, Sept. 30, nearly 300 people entered various events with dozens taking home ribbons or trophies. Results are listed below. The awards are given to an individual and organization for outstanding contributions to the preservation or interpretation of the history and culture of southern Appalachia or outstanding contributions to research and interpretation of regional issues. Honorees are chosen by a special committee, with Helen Cable Vance and the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County receiving recognition this year. Pat Kaemmerling, chair of WCU’s Board of Trustees, presented the awards. She told the crowd Vance was born in 1926 in the nowdefunct town of Proctor in Swain County and moved at 17 with her family from the area now known as the North Shore, for the building of Fontana dam and lake.

Steve Sutton.

Jim Rowell, retired director of public relations at WCU and former chair of the festival committee, said of Haskett: “Besides being a fixture on the festival grounds every year, he is a part of all aspects of Mountain Heritage Day, from planning and promoting to putting it all together. Not only does he apply his considerable talents throughout the day, he is incredibly organized and efficient in the weeks leading up to today, and positive and respectful of everyone involved, which says something, because we have more than 150

volunteers, 140 vendors, 70 faculty and staff, not to mention the thousands of guests, coming together.” The 2017 festival was dedicated to the memory and musical legacy of Steve Sutton, a longtime event performer and supporter who passed away unexpectedly in May at the age of 61. “Steve gave his best, whether on guitar or banjo, whether standing on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry or sitting on a folding chair at a fundraiser for a volunteer fire department,” said Pam Meister, director of WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center. She presented a special plaque in noting the dedication to Sutton’s mother, Bonnie. “He was always humble and gracious, always witty and fun. We remember his devotion to his alma mater, Western Carolina University, and to Mountain Heritage Day, an event he loved and supported. We hold those memories dear, and wish we could again hold the man,” Meister said. Jackson County 4-H, in association with Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, held a series of regional youth talents shows and held the championship at Mountain Heritage Day. First place went to Lillian Chase, 13, of Weaverville, second place to Jacey Begnaud, 11, of Franklin, and third place to Sayumi DeSilva, 12, of Sylva. The 44th annual Mountain Heritage Day is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. To learn more about WCU’s premier festival, visit www.mountainheritageday.com or call 828.227.3039.

WNC Pottery Festival

Haywood Arts ‘Studio Tour’

‘It’s a Small, Small Work’ exhibit The immensely popular WNC Pottery Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in downtown Dillsboro. Showcasing the work of more than 40 master potters from 13 states. A variety of clay art styles will be presented. The event is juried and the lineup of potters is second-tonone. The “WNC Clay Olympics” and lighting of the wood-fired kiln will be held on Friday, Nov. 3 Admission is $5. For more information, call 828.631.5100 or call 828.586.3601.

The Haywood County Arts Council annual show, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will be held Nov. 3 to Dec. 23 in HCAC Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville. The show provides a unique opportunity for budding artists to exhibit their work, as well as the opportunity for more seasoned artists to test their boundaries. All pieces submitted are exactly 12” or

SCC to offer holiday cards class Southwestern Community College will be offering a holiday card making class from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday nights Oct. 26 through Nov. 16 at SCC’s Macon Campus in Franklin. Techniques learned will range from beginner to advanced, but no prior experience is required. Class will be limited to 10, which will enable each student to complete their projects within each two-hour workshop. Projects created may include holiday greeting cards, packaging (boxes, bags, gift card holders) and gift items. The cost is $55, which includes all materials. For more information or to register, contact SCC’s continuing education office at 828.339.4657, visit www.southwesterncc.edu or stop by your nearest SCC location. 35

Smoky Mountain News

This October, local residents and visitors are invited to view work from Haywood County artists who operate studios in this county. Though there will not be a “Studio Tour” in 2017, this show will fill a gap and create excitement for next year’s tour. You can view the work of 22 local artists through Oct. 28. The “Studio Tour” is organized by a dedicated group of Haywood County artists who are very interested in having this event back on the schedule for 2018. www.haywoodarts.org or www.facebook.com/openstudioshaywood.

smaller in every dimension, including base, matting, and frame. All artwork is for sale, priced at $300 or less, and must have been created in the last two years. Commission will be the gallery’s usual 60 percent (artist) to 40 percent (HCAC) split. www.haywoodarts.org or 828.452.0593.

October 25-31, 2017

On the wall

arts & entertainment

Mountain Heritage Day award winners

“Early on, Helen realized that the promises of the federal government to allow access to the 26 cemeteries that were located in the area prior to the flooding were not materializing,” Kaemmerling said. “She made it her life’s work to correct the breach of promise and establish ways to honor the previous residents who resided in villages that were flooded with the creation of the Fontana Dam. Helen established the North Shore Cemetery and Historical Association of Swain County and under her leadership and influence has ensured that all the cemeteries were found, locations marked and preserved forever. She has been a driving pioneer in this effort and was never afraid to speak up for her and other families’ heritage in the area.” Kaemmerling said the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County is dedicated to preserving and sharing the culture, folkways and history of the southern Appalachians, and as with any great community organization, it has partnered with multiple agencies to accomplish its goals. “As one of the founders of the association, Shirley Ridge, said, ‘Heritage is the living part of us, more than just reading or learning, it is a part of who we are,’” Kaemmerling said. The award is presented to an individual on the festival committee for outstanding contributions and exceptional service. It was given to Mark Haskett, event co-chair and director of photography and video services in the WCU Office of Communications and Public Relations.

October 25-31, 2017

arts & entertainment

On the wall Jackson celebrates NC art The Jackson County Arts Council announced that it is one of 170 organizations across North Carolina to participate in a Statewide Arts Celebration to recognize the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina Arts Council. Arts and cultural organizations in all 100 North Carolina counties will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina Arts Council in October with music, dance, exhibitions, fall festivals, and more. The Jackson County Arts Council is proud to sponsor and/or co-sponsor the following events: • Jan Boyer’s alcohol ink paintings will be on display in the Rotunda Gallery at the Jackson County Public Library through the end of October. • Gallery One on Main Street in Sylva will spotlight the artwork of Joe Meigs and other local artists for the month of October. • Darren Nicholson, of Balsam Range, will be in concert at the Jackson County Library Community Room at 6 p.m. Oct. 26. The Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) will be the opening act. This event is co-sponsored by The Jackson County Arts Council and the Jackson County Library and is free of charge. Information on events sponsored by Jackson County Arts Council can also be found at www.jacksoncountysrts.org. To learn more about 50th anniversary activities visit www.ncarts50.org. Follow NC Arts Council’s 50th anniversary celebration at #NCArts50 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

• Local artist and skilled jewelry maker Lawrie Williams is offering another wire art class devoted entirely to making the “Tree of Life” pendant from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the Jackson County Extension Office in Sylva. The cost is only $10 and you’ll need to bring your jewelry pliers if you have them, otherwise all materials and tools will be supplied. To register, call the Sylva Extension Office at 828.586.4009. • Make some special handmade metal ornaments for your Christmas tree or to give as gifts when you attend the next Dogwood Crafters educational program. A Hammered Metal Ornament workshop will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge. Retired art teacher and current Dogwood Crafter Joan Marsden, will be the instructor. Participants will use aluminum wire to bend and shape ornaments: stars, hearts, trees. The ornaments will be hammered on an anvil to add texture and strength and finished with ribbon for hanging. Cost for the workshop is $9. Register to attend by calling Dogwood Crafters at 828.586.2248 by Monday, Oct. 30.

ALSO:

‘Click & Sip Workshop’ The “Click & Sip Workshop” will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at Gallery Zella in Bryson City. Enjoy mastering photography techniques used by professionals. Attend with a buddy, daughter, son or even your sweetheart. Take home an incredible memory of your trip to the mountains — your own original fine art photograph. Your instructor, Drew Campbell, is known as the area’s finest photography teacher. Students will be presented with various techniques to improve photo composition and how to properly use light to create superior photos. Cost is $50, which includes 8x12 metal print. 828.488.3638 or visit www.galleryzella.com. time. For more information or to register, visit www.jcgep.org. • The READ Fundraiser will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Alpaca blankets, assorted textiles, and jewelry from Ecuador will be on sale. Proceeds fund READ (Rural Education and Development) in providing libraries, computer education, and high school scholarships to villages in the Andean mountains. For more information, call City Lights Bookstore 828.586.9499. • Local crafter and instructor Junetta Pell will be teaching a new basket making workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 26-27 at the Jackson County Extension Office in Sylva. She will be teaching how to make the “Beauty of Autumn Basket” that includes a

wooden base, smoked stakes, and a beautiful twill weave. Call the Extension Office at 828.586.4009 to register and for the supply list. Cost for this fun project is only $25. Class size is limited. • Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host a free movie night at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For the full schedule of screenings, visit www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com. • The Waynesville Fiber Friends will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of the month at the Panacea Coffee House in Waynesville. All crafters and beginners interested in learning are invited. You can keep up with them through their Facebook group or by calling 828.276.6226 for more information. • “Paint Nite Waynesville” will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursdays (Nov. 2, 16, 30) at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Sign up for either event on the Paint Night Waynesville Facebook page or call Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com. • There will be a “Thursday Painters Open Studio” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Bring a bag lunch, project and supplies. Free to the public. Membership not required. For information, call 828.349.4607. • A “Youth Art Class” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Appalachian Art Farm on 22 Morris Street in Sylva. All ages welcome. $10 includes instruction, materials and snack. For more information, email appalachianartfarm@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

Smoky Mountain News

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Smoky Mountain News

as Weena and sophomore Kaitlin Rose Jencks Colin Wasmund, theatre instructor in as the voice of the Eloi. Student cast members Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen, has announced the cast for in “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” include sophomore Caleb Gerber as Captain Farragut the upcoming radio production “A Sci-Fi Double Feature” that will feature H.G. Wells’ and junior Matt Howie as Ned Land. As the show’s composer and music direc“The Time Machine” and Jules Verne’s tor, Frazier created an all-original musical “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” This is the ninth in a series of annual aca- score for the production. The tones and colors of the music will highlight the shifting demic-based entertainment productions emotions of the drama ranging from action mounted in collaboration with three departand adventure to an eerie late-night ments and two colleges at WCU. Wasmund is directing the show while Bruce Frazier, the encounter with the Morlocks in “The “Time Machine,” Frazier said. For “20,000 Leagues university’s Belk Distinguished Professor of Commercial and Electronic Music, is serving Under the Sea,” he composed a special theme for Captain Nemo’s pipe organ as musical director and Don Connelly, head aboard the submarine Nautilus. of the Department of Communication, is writer and producer. The radio production will be staged before a live audience at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for faculty and staff, and $5 for students. Proceeds from the event are used to fund scholarships in the participating academic departments. Members of the cast and production team for ‘A Sci-Fi Double Each of the shows Feature’ look over a set of blueprints for the Nautilus submarine in the series hearkens from ‘20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’ prior to a recent rehearsal. The back to the “Golden Age of Radio,” featurradio show will be presented Tuesday, Oct. 31, at WCU’s John W. ing a live orchestra Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. and sound effects and produced only once The WCU Artist-In-Residence Orchestra, before a live audience. The production group conducted by Frazier, will provide musical has won eight national broadcasting awards for its unique projects. The Oct. 31 show will accompaniment for the show. The ensemble represents a partnership between the unibe recorded for future radio broadcast. versity and the Asheville Symphony Actors will include WCU students, staff and faculty, and members of the community. Orchestra in which WCU students play alongside professionals in a collaborative “We were met with an incredible turnout at orchestral experience. our auditions,” Wasmund said. “With that Funding for “A Sci-Fi Double Feature” is amount of talent, our casting decisions were provided by WCU’s College of Arts and extremely difficult, but we were incredibly Sciences, College of Fine and Performing fortunate to have such a turnout.” Arts, Department of Communication, • David Evanoff, a nanomaterials School of Music, School of Stage and Screen, chemist and head of the Department of and the Carol Grotnes Belk Endowment. Chemistry and Physics, will portray the Tickets for the performance are available Actor in “The Time Machine” and Captain at the Bardo Arts Center box office, online at Nemo in “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or by calling the • Eric Eichenlaub, theatre instructor in box office at 828.227.2479. The show starts the School of Stage and Screen, will portray promptly at 7:30 p.m. and no one will be the Time Traveler in “The Time Machine.” admitted after it has started. The production • Howard Allman of Sylva, a WCU alumgroup has raised nearly $40,000 in student nus, plays the role of Professor Arronax, a French professor of marine biology who is cap- scholarship funds through its radio shows through the years. tured by Captain Nemo in “20,000 Leagues.” For more information, contact Connelly • WCU student cast members in “The at 828.227.3851. Time Machine” include freshman Mica Pratt

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arts & entertainment

WCU’s upcoming ‘Sci-Fi Double Feature’ radio show

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The Highlands Performing Arts Center will screen, “Live via Satellite,” the National Theatre of London’s production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ” at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. Sonia Friedman Productions present Imelda Staunton (Gypsy, Vera Drake, the Harry Potter films), Conleth Hill (Game Of Thrones, The Producers), Luke Treadaway (A Street Cat Named Bob, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Hollow Crown) and Imogen Poots (A Long Way Down, Jane Eyre) in James Macdonald’s critically acclaimed, fivestar production of Edward Albee’s landmark play. In the early hours of the morning on the campus of an American college, Martha, much to her husband George’s displeasure, has invited the new professor and his wife to their home for some after-party drinks. As the alcohol flows and dawn approaches, the young couple are drawn into George and Martha’s toxic games until the evening reaches its climax in a moment of devastating truth-telling. Tickets are available at the door, online at www.highlandspac.org or by calling 828.526.9047.

Staged reading of WCU play Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen will present a staged reading of “The Amazing Always,” London-based playwright Ross Howard’s newest play, as part of the school’s Niggli New Works Reading Series. The free readings are set for 7:30 p.m. on both Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, at WCU’s Niggli Theatre. During a staged reading, members of the cast read directly from the script without costumes, and stage directions also are read aloud from the script. Howard’s work has been produced widely in the U.S. and United Kingdom, said Jayme McGhan, director of the School of Stage and Screen, who will direct the reading. “‘The Amazing Always’ is a dark and intimate family epic around the intrigue and the occult of NFL football in the United States,” McGhan said. “When you are in the game of ‘America’s Game’ and your family owns a team, you already have a golden ticket to one of the nation’s most exclusive clubs. But, through three generations, the Always have been a house divided.” Named in honor of the late WCU playwright, novelist and theatre professor Josefina Niggli, the series is dedicated to advancing new plays and musicals for the American stage. “This is a unique opportunity for the performance students in the School of Stage and Screen to work on a new piece of theatre

with a professional writer in residence,” McGhan said. For more information, contact the School of Stage and Screen at 828.227.7491.

Christie murder mystery in Bryson A stage production of Agatha Christie’s “Go Back For Murder” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27-28 and 30, and at 3 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Smoky Mountain Community Theatre in Bryson City. After receiving a letter from beyond the grave, Carla Crale believes her mother, who died in prison, was wrongly convicted of her father’s murder. In a passionate attempt to clear her name, she persuades those present on the day of her father’s death to return to the scene of the crime and “go back” 15 years to recount their version of events. An unusual take on the traditional murder mystery, the action of the play slips seamlessly from past to present, examining the danger of relying on personal testimony warped by time, prejudice and perception. By studying each suspect’s testimony, and the various inconsistencies between them, the drama arrives at a disturbing and terrible truth. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for students ages 6 to 18. Under age 6 is free. The box office opens one-hour prior to show time. For more information call 828.488.8227 or www.facebook.com/smctheatre.

On the haunt

As summer finally gives way to fall, and the leaves achieve their majestic colors, only to fade to the ground, the folks of Western North Carolina gear up for the most frightful time of the year — Halloween. From haunted houses to hayrides, bonfires to trick-or-treating, there’s as many activities for kids and adults alike as there is brands of candy that’ll surely be handed out to the masses in gusto. So, grab your costume, let your imagination run wild, and join in on the fun in our backyard.

There will be a special weekend Halloween extravaganza Oct. 27-28 at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurants in Waynesville. • Friday, Oct. 27: Halloween party. Live music from 8 to 11 p.m. by Scoundrel’s Lounge. Costume contest at 10:30 p.m. Food and craft beer specials. Free to attend. • Saturday, Oct. 28: Halloween Costume Party, presented by REACH of Haywood County and Mad Anthony’s. $20 per person. Tickets available at REACH and Mad Anthony’s. 7 p.m. doors open. ‘Round the Fire will perform from 8 to 11 p.m. Costume contest at 10 p.m. DJ from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Door prizes and giveaways. Proceeds to go to REACH. For more information, call 828.246.9249.

Southwestern Community College’s “Shocktoberfest” features the work of Advertising & Graphic Design students.

• The Halloween “Enchanted Forest” will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Highland Botanical Garden. Trick-ortreating around the trail while seeing and meeting some of the native animal characters. There will also be fun activities at the Nature Center. Entry is $1. Sponsored by the Highland Biological Foundation. www.highlandsbiological.org. • “Treats on the Street” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, on Main Street in Waynesville. Children’s activities and more. www.downtownwaynesville.com. • “Halloween in the Park” will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Macon County Veteran’s Memorial Park in Franklin. 828.349.2090.

• The “Pumpkin Patch” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at the Jackson County Parks and Recreation between Sylva and Dillsboro. 828.293.3053.

p.m. Oct. 31 at Blue Ridge Healthcare on the Mountains in Sylva. 828.631.1600.

From 6 to 11 p.m. Oct. 27 and 6 p.m. to midnight Oct. 28.

• The “Trunk or Treat” Halloween celebration will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Cabbage Rose located at 3388 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Costume contest for kids, adults and pets. Best decorated car or truck. Live music, bounce house, food, activities, and more. Free admission. Proceeds from the event go to Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter. For more information, call 828.926.3079.

ALSO:

• “Trick and Treats” will be held from 5 to 7

Franklin’s ‘Classic Monsters Haunt’

• There will be a “Pumpkin Carving Party” from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. www.nantahalabrewing.com. • “Treat Street” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 in downtown Sylva. 828.586.2719. • The sixth annual “Halloween Bash” will be from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro in Sylva. Costume party and live music by Noonday Sun. Free to attend. • The “Haunted Island” will be Oct. 27-28 at the Oconaluftee Island Park in Cherokee.

• The “Halloween Trick or Treat” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 in downtown Dillsboro. • The “Downtown Trick or Treat” will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, in Bryson City. www.greatsmokies.com. Sponsored by Duke Energy, Swain Community Hospital and Swain County Tourism Development Authority. 800.867.9246.

Smoky Mountain News

Thrill seekers and monster lovers will be in for a treat during the “Classic Monster Haunt” on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Scottish Tartans Museum in Franklin. The museum, Breacan Clann, and “Bring

The annual Halloween Carnival will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Fines Creek Community Center. The event will include games, food, bingo, cakewalk, face painting, haunted house, and much more. Game admission ranges from 25 cents to $5. Dinner will be $8. Hosted by the Fines Creek Community Association. All proceeds go to help local families in need during the Christmas season. For more information, email sabrina@sabrinagreenephotos.com.

October 25-31, 2017

The Haywood County Fairground will host its annual “Fall Festival” from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Oct 28 in Lake Junaluska. The Costume Contest will be at 6 p.m. with prizes for all. Gift bags for winners in four divisions and the “Best in Show” will receive $20. Activities throughout the evening include cupcake walks, kids bingo, bouncy house, haunted hay ride (with several tractors this year), games and activities for kids, guest appearances by T-Rex & Friends, food trucks, candy, drinks to purchase, Smoke House (Fire Safety Education for Children) Admission is $5 per car or five packages of

a non-perishable food items. The Charity Food Focus this year is the Harvest of Hope for Haywood County Schools Pantry, which services the Haywood County Backpack Program. This drive is in partnership with the Ole Smoky Antique Tractor Club who has taken on the cause as well. The backpack program provides filled backpacks for kids in need to take home over the weekend with nutritious foods they can fix themselves. Suggested items are: Breakfast foods (oatmeal packets, granola bars, individual cereal boxes), canned/boxed goods (soup, pop-top cans of ravioli, tuna), snacks (peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, fruit cups, pudding) and drinks (juice boxes, Kool-Aid mix). For more information, visit www.haywoodcountyfairgrounds.org.

‘Shocktoberfest’ at SCC Southwestern Community College’s Advertising & Graphic Design Students will open up their “Shocktoberfest” Halloween display and exhibit from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the Burrell Building at the Jackson Campus in Sylva. “Every year I am blown away by how hard our students work to put together these Halloween creations,” said Bob Keeling, SCC’s advertising & graphic design program coordinator. “This is a celebration of past and present students and the many years that our program has put together these Halloween displays.” Walk-through and trick-or-treating will be free. Booths from a variety of SCC clubs, face painting, desserts and activities will also be available for a minimal expense. “Our advertising and graphic design students have done an amazing job on these Halloween displays for years,” said Cheryl Contino-Conner, SCC’s dean of students. “Up until now, only SCC students were able to enjoy the sights and frights of the Halloween production. We’re so excited at the opportunity to share this event with our community.” For more information about “Shocktoberfest,” visit www.southwesterncc.edu or call 828.339.4000.

Fines Creek Halloween fundraiser

Haywood ‘Fall Festival’

It To Life” Productions will host the “Classic Monster Haunt.” This event is a fundraiser for the museum and Breacan Clann. People will be given a theatrical guided tour that begins with tales of Scottish folk monsters that are related to classic horror cinema. Expect to see versions of the Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and much more. The matinee show will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and is rated PG. The evening show will be from 7 to 10 p.m. and is rated PG-13. Adult admission will be $4 per person and child admission will be $2 per person. Tickets are on sale now and will be that night. For more information, call 828.524.7472

arts & entertainment

Trick or Treat in WNC

Mad Anthony’s Halloween celebration

• A Halloween story time and trick or treat costume parade will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The program is for ages 10 and under. 828.524.3600. 39

‘Zombie Prom: The Musical’

Goblins invade the Green

A special Halloween production of “Zombie Prom: The Musical” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. 26-27, and at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. The Zombies are coming! The Zombies are coming! Just in time for Halloween HART is staging its most outrageous show of the year, “Zombie Prom the musical.” This rock and roll Off Broadway hit is set in the atomic 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal. Pretty senior Toffee has fallen for the class bad boy. Family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee’s heart. He still wants to graduate, but most of all he wants to take Toffee to the prom. The show is inspired by the atomic horror films of the 1950s that saw giant ants, blobs, and other giant radiated creatures wreaking havoc on urban populations. With rock n’ roll themed music the show is a suitable romp for the entire family. In addition to the show, HART is also throwing a “Zombie Prom” on Saturday, Oct. 28. The new Fangmeyer Theater is being transformed into a 1950’s gym with prom

Mummies and Daddies will be invade during the “Goblins In the Green” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at The Village Green in Cashiers. “Dress in your favorite silly or scary costume and you could win a prize.” said Ann Self, executive director of The Village Green. Goblins In the Green is organized and presented in partnership by the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department and The Village Green along with many area merchants who support the event. Among the activities will be a costume contest at 7 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the best boy and girl costume as well as the best owner and pet coordinating costume. Music, dancing, games and some tricks and treats will add to the festivities. “Goblins In the Green” is a free, community wide event for residents and visitors to the Highlands- Cashiers Plateau. For more information, visit www.villagegreencashiersnc.com. You can also “Like” The Village Green on Facebook or follow on Twitter @cashiersgreen.

food and beverages, costume prizes and magic. Zombies of all types are welcome, from nuclear zombies to Walking Dead zombies, and the event is open to all ages. HART’s production is being directed by Mark Jones and features: Karen CovingtonYow, Dominic Aquilino, Clara Burrus, Maximilian Koger, Erin McCarson, Dwight Chiles, Alexa Edelman, Charlie Wilson,

Heather Bronson, Kris Saucedo, Jessica Garland, Martine Rose, Kelsey Sewell and Frank Davis. Be sure to make your reservations for dining at Harmons’ Den before the show. Special discount tickets for the Thursday, Oct. 19 and 26 performance. For tickets and reservations, call 828.456.6322 or visit www.harttheatre.org.

Smoky Mountain News

October 25-31, 2017

arts & entertainment

On the haunt

a website to take you to places where there are no websites.

Log on. Plan a getaway. Let yourself unplug.

Books

Smoky Mountain News

New book delves into ‘Death of Europe’ struction are the practices derived from this philosophy. Deconstruction means taking

Jeff Minick

Recently I came across an online article on Powerline regarding French president Emmanuel Macron. I knew little of President Macron, only that as a youth he married his high school teacher, 24 years his senior, and that during his first three months in office he spent $31,000 paying his make-up artist. To call him a fop might Writer serve as a prime example of litotes. And yet …. In a recent interview in Der Spiegel — Powerline added the bold print — Macron made this statement: I am a strong believer that modern political life must rediscover a sense for symbolism. We need to develop a kind of political heroism. I don’t mean that I want to play the hero. But we need to be amenable once again to creating grand narratives. If you like, post-modernism was the worst thing that could have happened to our democracy. The idea that you have to deconstruct and destroy all grand narratives is not a good one. Since then, trust has evaporated in everything and everyone. I am sometimes surprised that it is the media that are the first ones to exhibit a lack of trust in grand narratives. They believe that destroying something is part of their journalistic purpose because something grand must inevitably contain an element of evil … where does this hate for the so-called grand narrative come from? ... Why can’t there be such a thing as democratic heroism? Perhaps exactly that is our task: rediscovering something like that together for the 21st century. For those unfamiliar with deconstructionism, I offer you the first definition that pops up online: “a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language that emphasizes the internal workings of language and conceptual systems, the relational quality of meaning, and the assumptions implicit in forms of expression.” Quite a mouthful, yes? What Emmanuel Macron means by decon-

apart any narrative: a Hemingway novel, the reputation of Robert E. Lee or Abraham Lincoln, a presidential speech, or the history of an entire country, all the while searching for evidence of racism, sexism, capitalism, and all the other isms by which we live today. Deconstructionists, as Macron points out, tear apart a narrative, and then, like some child who has dismantled a clock, toddle off, leaving the wreckage on the carpet. Nothing replaces the clock. In The Strange Death Of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam (Bloomsbury, 2017, 343 pages), veteran editor and reporter Douglas Murray delves into the ongoing clash

of cultures in Western Europe. For years, Murray traveled across the continent, compiling data not just on the crisis of Muslim immigration, but also on the attitudes of Europeans toward their past, their future, and the ongoing influx of foreigners from Africa and the Middle East. In digging for an answer as to why so many Europeans, especially among the elite, have lost the will to control their borders and their destiny, Murray examines such phenomena as the deconstruction of European history, European fatigue with religion and ideology, declining birth rates, guilt over their colonial past, and a widespread sense among the elite that European culture and values no longer matter. It is this detailed exploration of European attitudes and beliefs that sets Murray’s work apart from other books dealing with immigration and the sweeping changes it is bringing to so many European countries. In what the reviewer from London’s Sunday Times called a “brilliant, important and profoundly depressing book,” Murray takes us to the heart of European ennui and reveals that this culture, in so many ways an empty vessel, simply lacks the will to resist what amounts to an invasion from the South. In his chapter “Tiredness,” for instance, Murray lays out the consequences of the decline of Christianity in Europe. The deconstruction of the Bible by 19th century German scholastics combined with Darwinian theory and philosophy irreparably damaged Christianity. The Europeans tried to replace this thousand-year-old foundation of their culture with ideologies: Darwinism, Marxism,

Fascism, Existentialism, and Socialism. None worked as a replacement for religion, and Marxism and Fascism killed tens of millions of people. As a result, according to Murray, Europeans have lost faith in their “beliefs, traditions and legitimacy.” They have forgotten what their ancestors knew: “… that everything you love, even the greatest and most cultured civilizations in history, can be swept away by people who are unworthy of them.” Today this soulless European civilization finds itself confronted by millions of migrants who are religious believers, who practice their faith, and who all too often regard their hosts as infidels deserving destruction. In the last 10 years, for example, hundreds of attacks — bombings, shootings, stabbings, rapes — have left their mark on countries like Germany, Britain, and France. A chasm has also grown between European politicians and the man in the street. In poll after poll cited by Murray, majorities of people want immigration eliminated or vastly reduced, and many of those polled believe that Muslim immigrants in particular reject European liberal values. Meanwhile, European mucky-mucks — the politicians, the academics, many in the media — ignore the polls and blithely continue their policies of immigration without integration. The Strange Death Of Europe confirms Flannery O’Connor’s observation — here I paraphrase — that in the absence of faith, we govern by tenderness, and tenderness leads to the gas chamber. Compassion without a moral framework of justice or truth, or even of commonsense, brings dire consequences. European compassion toward refugees without regard to the preservation of their own culture has brought on this catastrophe. The Strange Death Of Europe constitutes an elegy to that dying European civilization and issues a warning about the failures of multiculturalism. We are witnessing the death of Europe as we think of Europe, where without radical change the sounds above its cities and towns will not be the bells of churches but of calls to prayer from mosques. (Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher. Minick0301@gmail.com.)

Lost hauntings of Southern Appalachia Gregg Clark will present his book Ghost Country at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Clark is an eighth-grade English and history teacher at Macon Middle School in Franklin. He and his wife, Pauletta, also a Macon County teacher, own and operate “Where Shadows Walk, Historic Ghost Tours of Western North Carolina.” Clark, whose ancestors date back to the founding of the region, pairs his passion for history, legends and ghosts with his love of the great American short story. Ghost Country features 31 ghost stories from across Western North Carolina. In the book, readers will hear, for the first time, the true and dark haunting tale of the final surrender of the American Civil War on Franklin’s Main Street. They’ll hear the never-before told tales of Granny Beck, the Witch of Caney Fork. They’ll learn of strange beasts, demons, legends, killers and the ghosts that haunt the past and the present in the mystic, misty southern Appalachian Mountains. To reserve copies, call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Keeping the river clean Adopt-a-Stream volunteers keep litter out of Haywood’s waterways BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER t’s a sunny, abnormally warm October afternoon, and Tom Anspach is ready to meet it with a canoe on the Pigeon River. But Anspach, accompanied by 19-year-old Josh Arford, isn’t there to paddle for miles or fish for trout. He’s there to fish for trash. “I don’t like fishing, but I like fishing trash out of the river,” said Anspach, who works at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College when he’s not chasing down litter. A Canton resident, Anspach lives right along the Pigeon River and has been doing these paddle-driven litter pickups for about 10 years, getting out four or five times a year to drag the accumulations of beer cans, fishing worm containers, old tires and various other eyesores out of the river and into the trash where they belong. But, after Haywood Waterways Association launched its Adopt-a-

Stream Program in 2009, Anspach saw a way to fit his efforts under a larger banner, adopting the section of the Pigeon that runs through the Canton Recreation Park. For a while, his name was on the Adopt-aStream sign installed on the road paralleling the river, but then some younger people got interested in lending a hand. “A bunch of kids from the high school wanted to be part of it, so I was like, ‘Why don’t you guys put your sign on it?’” Anspach said. Now, the Pisgah High School Ecology Club is listed as adopter of the river section. It’s up to them to plan and execute the river cleanups. Usually, between four and seven people chip in on a river cleanup, but on this particular day it was just Anspach, Arford, and Arford’s mother Shelley Arford. Anspach and Josh Arford teamed up to take a canoe, while Shelley Arford picked up a trash grabber to snag litter strewn along the walking path at

Josh Arford and Tom Anspach push off the canoe (bottom, pictured left to right) and then set out in search of trash to pick up (top two images). Holly Kays photos

the top of the river bank. “It’s just a good thing to do because there’s a lot of problems with littering right now,” said Josh Arford who is now looking for his own section of river to adopt. Anspach can back him up on that one. He’s found some crazy stuff in the water — “I can’t tell you unless you’re over the age of 18,” he said, when asked what the weirdest find has been — and plenty of stuff that’s just plain gross. “Diapers. A lot of diapers,” he said. “That’s how we judge how dirty the cleanup is, is by the diapers. Right now we’re at one diaper.” Other common finds include scrap metal, black plastic from irrigation infrastructure, beer cans and blue fishing worm containers. Though, not all discoveries are trash-oriented. Once, Anspach stumbled upon some ancient Native American petroglyphs on the riverbank, verified by U.S. Forest Service

Streams for adoption There are endless sections of stream throughout Haywood County waiting for somebody to adopt them. Individuals and groups alike are welcome to apply.

Requirements are: n A commitment to cleaning the adopted stream at least once a year. n Committing to adopt the stream for at least two years. n Reporting results after each cleanup, including pounds of trash removed, number of volunteers and hours worked. To adopt a stream, or get put on a list of people invited to help with monthly cleanups at streams throughout the county, contact Christine O’Brien, christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com or 828.476.4667.

Archeologist Scott Ashcraft. To do the entire section of adopted stream would take about eight hours, Anspach said, but he usually divides it up into smaller sections that take one or two hours at a time. All told, the section they covered that day only entailed a few hundred yards, but nevertheless it yielded 100 pounds of trash. That’s a lot of trash, but it’s significantly less than the usual haul. Typically, that section of river will turn up about 150 pounds of trash. “It just seems like it’s getting cleaner and cleaner every time we do it,” Anspach said. Even 150 pounds would be just a small piece of the 22 tons — that’s 44,000 pounds — of trash that Adopt-a-Stream volunteers have removed since the program started in 2009. Currently, about 16 groups are involved with the program, the high end of a fluctuating number that began with nine groups at the program’s inception. At a minimum, groups need to commit to adopting the stream for two years and doing at least one cleanup a year, with Haywood Waterways providing bags, gloves and trash grabbers. However, the minimum is just a starting point. “We have those who are super gung-ho, which is Tom,” said Christine O’Brien, who coordinates the program. “He’s like our poster child of the Adopt-A-Stream program.” O’Brien encourages multiple, shorter cleanups each year in lieu of one big one, because trash is constantly entering the stream through storm drains and windblown litter. More regular attention can make the job easier each time around, something that the ecology club volunteers have certainly experienced during their time on the job. Getting out a canoe and paddling giant trash bags through the river itself is one of the more hands-on meth-

Serenity Garden complete in Waynesville Bill Litty. The garden is part of a larger vision — presented to the Waynesville Board of Aldermen in spring 2016 — to transform the Recreation Park into a full-fledged arboretum, and the Waynesville Garden Club will tackle the next project toward that goal. The club plans to install a pollinator garden near the Recreation Center that will attract and support butterfly and insect life while also educating passers-by about these essential members of the cycle of plant development. Horticulture students from Haywood Community College are growing plants for the garden. So far the garden clubs are funding these projects through their small budgets, with the town providing in-kind labor and equipment. However, additional funding is needed to purchase signs and develop media information for the public.

More than 900 young spruce trees were planted in the Black Balsam area of the Pisgah National Forest this fall, thanks to dozens of volunteers and members of the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative. The volunteers carried the trees on foot and on horseback to their new home deep in the forest, making at least seven trips down the Flat Laurel Branch Trail with some logging 14 miles for the day. The trees, grown by the Southern Highlands Reserve in Lake Toxaway, are part of a longer-term effort to restore red spruce to its high-elevation native habitat in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Red spruce is a keystone species in the endangered spruce-fir ecosystem, which was decimated by logging and wildfires in the early 1900s. These ecosystems are vital to endangered species such as the Carolina northern flying squirrel.

A long list of organizations composes the partnership committed to red spruce restoration, and SASRI itself is a collaboration-based organization with many partners. Going forward, the Southern Highlands Reserve will continue to grow red spruce trees and SASRI will continue to prioritize areas for restoration.

Learn to plant with native species Horticulturist Adam Bigelow will discuss native replacements for invasive landscape plants during a program at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, in the fellowship hall of the First Presbyterian Church of Sylva. Bigelow is the garden manager of the Cullowhee Community Garden and a guide at Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions. The presentation is offered as part of the Sylva Garden Club’s regular monthly meeting. Refreshments will be served and a brief business meeting will precede the presentation.

Grass coming to Waynesville dog park The mulched dog parks at the Waynesville Recreation Park will be seeded with grass come springtime, the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department has decided. One side of the dog park will be closed March 1 to March 30 for reseeding, with the second side closed April 1 to May 1 when the first reopens. A dog park will always be available. 828.456.2030.

{Celebrating the Southern Appalachians}

Farmers markets prepare for winter With the close of October, farmers markets across the region are winding down, with most markets closing until spring at the end of the month. n The Jackson County Farmers Market will have its last outdoor market of the season 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 28, at Bridge Park in Sylva. Starting in November, the market will move indoors to The Community Table with new hours, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. n The Haywood Historic Farmers Market and Waynesville Tailgate Market in Waynesville; ‘Whee Farmers Market in Cullowhee and Franklin Farmers Tailgate Market in Franklin will hold their last farmers markets Saturday, Oct. 28. n The Swain County Farmers Market in Bryson City will hold its last farmers market Friday, Oct. 27. Most markets resume in April or May of each year. www.smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/12881-find-a-farmers-market.

will more than likely end up in a stream somewhere, if nobody picks it up. Everybody has a part to play in keeping streams clean. And it’s an effort that’s well worth the time, O’Brien said. Environmentally and economically, the impacts are tangible. “It shows that we care about our environment,” she said. “It keeps our rivers and streams safe for fishing or swimming, and also it keeps it clean so when we have visitors come they’re more likely to come back, so there’s an economic impact to keeping our streams clean. A lot of these creeks are trout-supporting streams, and we want people to come back to Haywood County and stay a while.”

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ods of stream cleanup. But O’Brien stresses that there’s a job for everybody when it comes to getting rid of litter, regardless of physical ability. “Some of the larger items may be down in the creek, so that would be getting the big pieces of eyesore out. Cleaning up parking lots and stuff like that keeps a lot of the little stuff like plastic bottles and aluminum cans out that are also eyesores. I would weigh any of those equally as effective at cleaning up our rivers and creeks,” she said. Even picking up trash from a parking lot, she said, counts as stream cleanup in her book. Because every piece of plastic and discarded bottle blowing around a parking lot

October 25-31, 2017

The first project of the Town of Waynesville Arboretum has celebrated its first full year of growth and blooming, with the new Serenity Garden now complete in the Waynesville Recreation Park next to the new bridge installed along the path between the skate park and the dog park. Excavation of the Serenity Garden began in July 2016, and within three months the garden design, purchase and planting of young trees and shrubs was completed. The plantings all made it through the winter and are now showing their identities in full bloom. There is a garden bench for sitting next to the sound of running water from the Shelton Branch stream. The Mountain View Garden Club is now maintaining the garden to keep it looking perfect, and the garden was built through the club’s collaboration with Waynesville employees Jonathan Yates and

Volunteers plant hundreds of spruce

outdoors

The Serenity Garden, created and maintained by the Mountain View Garden Club, is the first project in the Town of Waynesville arboretum project. Donated photo

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outdoors

HAYWOOD COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS FALL GAMES CELEBRATION!

The Haywood County Special Olympics held the first Fall Games Celebration on Saturday, October 14th, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. A total of 25 athletes that participated in gold, soccer, bocce, and basketball came together to celebrate all of the hard work that they had done over the last six weeks. This celebration was made possible due to the hard work and dedication of a dozen volunteers and coaches that took time out of their schedule for the athletes. The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department employees are very thankful for them would like to congratulate all of the athletes for a job well done!

WAYNESVILLE

PARKS AND RECREATION October 25-31, 2017

828.456.2030

Meet Charlotte Figi.

Smoky Mountain News

Special Olympics athletes celebrate a well-played season Haywood County Special Olympics held its first Fall Games Celebration Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Waynesville Recreation Center, honoring the 25 athletes who participated in golf, soccer, bocce and basketball over the past six weeks. The celebration was possible due to the hard work and dedication of a dozen volunteers and coaches who gave their time to support these athletes. Opportunities to volunteer will abound in future seasons. To help, contact Tim Petrea at tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

Bike trials return to NOC The North American Bike Trials Series will hit Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County Nov. 3-5, offering varied courses and competition divisions. All participants will complete six sections two times each for a total of 12 sections, working their way through various obstacles in a dash for the finish. The only exception is the Day 2 Elite Finals, when competitors will complete four sections two times each for a total of eight sections. Classes are kids, beginner, sport, expert and elite, with medals awarded to the top three finishers in each. Pre-registration is 1-2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, with competitions starting at 10 a.m. Nov. 4; elite competitors face off at 10 a.m. Nov. 5. Entry is $15 to $150, depending on category, but it’s free to watch. www.noc.com/events/north-american-trials-series.

Race through November At just 3 months old, she experienced her ﬁrst seizure, an experience that would send her family on a path that would change the world. Charlotte was suffering from 300 grand mal seizures per week when they met the Stanley Brothers, who had been developing proprietary hemp genetics. Together they created a hemp oil extract that was introduced into Charlotte’s diet in hopes of providing her relief. Charlotte didn’t have a single seizure during the ﬁrst seven days of treatment, which was a clear sign that the Figis had stumbled onto something extraordinary. Today she is a nine year old who is thriving and enjoying life. The Stanley brothers assure consumers that the oil maintains a 30:1 ratio of CBD to THC. THC is the psychoactive compound that produces the “high” effect in marijuana. Thanks to Charlotte’s Web, Charlotte can now live life like a normal child. She is able to feed herself and sleep through the night. Her autistic symptoms have virtually disappeared. As such, her mind is clear, and her attention is focused. Her brain is recovering, and she is happy. Visit cwhemp.com for more info. The World's Most Trusted Hemp Extract

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Special Olympics athletes celebrate the end of a successful season. Donated photo

From turkey day struts to a half marathon, November is full of opportunities to jog alongside other runners in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Find your race and get moving. n The Conquer the Mountain Half Marathon will step off at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, from the Tassee Shelter of the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin. Proceeds will benefit the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center. The race cut-off time will be 1:30 p.m. $45 for individuals; $60 for twoperson teams. Prices increase after Oct. 28. www.active.com. n The Kickin’ Asphalt 5K/10K will be held in downtown Murphy beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. The route travels through historic downtown with the 10K route heading out and back to take in the countryside. $20-$30, depending on age or distance. www.active.com. n The Cherokee 5K Turkey Strut will offer a beautiful course beginning and ending at Kituwah Mound near Bryson City, starting at noon Saturday, Nov. 18. Hosted by Cherokee Choices, the run welcomes every-

one from avid runners to walkers, with a variety of age groups offered. Proceeds will benefit the Cherokee Braves Booster Club, which supports athletes at Cherokee Central Schools. www.runsignup.com. n The Cold Turkey 5K will return to Franklin on Thanksgiving Day, 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 23. The Little Turkeys FUN! Run/Walk for kids will begin at 9 a.m. with the 5K starting at 9:30 a.m. The route goes along the Little Tennessee Greenway. A portion of the funds will go to a nonprofit in Macon County, to be announced at a later date. $25. www.active.com.

Parkway Foundation celebrates 20 years View from Sharp Top Mountain. Donated photo

surveys, trail repair, the Kids in Parks program, getting Moses H. Cone Memorial Park on the National Register of Historic Places, and enhancing visitor amenities at poplar spots such as Waterrock Knob and

Graveyard Fields. Sponsored by Biltmore. Space limited. Tickets are $100 and available online at www.brpfoundation.org/20yearsstrong or by calling 866.308.2773, ext. 245.

Hike Boogerman A hike along the Boogerman Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Cataloochee Valley will explore old-growth forests, streams and historic buildings Saturday, Nov. 4. Steve Winchester, an avid hiker and member of multiple conservation associations, will lead the hike. The 7.4-mile loop trail gains 1,040 feet in elevation and is rated as moderate in difficulty. The event is part of Haywood Waterways Association’s “Get to Know Your Watershed” series of outdoor recreation activities designed to raise awareness of Haywood County’s natural beauty. Free for HWA members with a $5 donation requested from nonmembers. Memberships start at $25. Space limited. Sign up with Christine O’Brien at christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com or 828.476.4667.

An all-day symposium examining the intersection of architecture and climate science will be held Friday, Nov. 3, at The Collider, located on the top floor of 1 Haywood Street in Asheville. “The time is here for all of us in the industry to take responsibility and make buildings more sustainable,” said Asheville architect Emily Coleman Wolf, one of the organizers. The symposium, “Climate Adaptive Design: Building Science Meets Climate Science” will incorporate problem-based learning and draw from case studies to show practical measures architects can take to lessen the negative impact buildings have on climate change. In addition to a full day of speakers, keynote speaker Victor Olgyay will discuss his personal history of designing with climate in mind 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, and a sustainability tour of New Belgium Brewing will be offered 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3. $195 for AIA members; $225 for nonmembers. Student and government discounts available. Space limited. Sign up at http://bit.ly/2z988nX.

outdoors

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation will celebrate its 20th anniversary with an evening of dinner, drinks and awards, 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Lioncrest at Biltmore. The festivities will include a brief performance by National Heritage Award recipient Wayne C. Henderson and Junior Appalachian Musician Program founder Helen White. Foundation CEO Carolyn Ward and Chase Pickering, great-greatgrandson of George W. Vanderbilt, will speak about the Parkway’s importance and the role everyone can play in its future. “We reached this milestone because of so many people who believe in safeguarding the Blue Ridge Parkway experience now and for future generations,” Ward said. “Their enthusiasm for this magnificent place continuously inspires us to accomplish more each year.” During the last decades, the Foundation has invested more than $12 million in the Parkway, with projects including wildlife

Conference joins climate science and architecture

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October 25-31, 2017 Smoky Mountain News 45

outdoors

HCC students dominate at lumberjack meet

where they finished in second place, one point away from the first-place winner. Team captain is student Brian Canaday. Trainer and coach is HCC graduate Ben Kniceley.

The Haywood Community College Lumberjack Team placed first out of 10 teams in this year’s John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet, held at the Cradle of Forestry in America Oct. 7. HCC students placed in 19 of 22 total events, with the competition including several four-year schools such as Western

First place winners:

Chris Lile shares a moment with a wolf. Monty Sloan photo

James Bryan, archery C.J. Ingram, men’s axe throw Josh Noah, orienteering Kirby Farris, men’s pole climb Morgan Martin, women’s pole climb Morgan Martin and Taylor Mashburn, water boil; women’s crosscut Morgan Martin and Nash Dawkins, Jack and Jill crosscut Nash Dawkins and C.J. Ingram, Men’s crosscut Jacob Darr, men’s crosscut singlebuck

Second place winners: Morgan Martin and Josh Noah, dendrology Morgan Martin, women’s stock saw

Third place winners: Morgan Martin, women’s axe throw; women’s bolt split C.J. Ingram, men’s horizontal speed chop Jonathan Carreto, Gary Fitzgerald, Heidi Morgan and Josh Noah, quiz bowl

Fourth place winners: Noah Henderson, men’s bolt split James Bryan and C.J. Ingram, pole fell Bryan Canaday, men’s vertical block chop

October 25-31, 2017

Carolina University, Appalachian State University, North Carolina State University and Warren Wilson College. “We have some extremely motivated students on the team this year including lots of brand new students to timbersports,” said HCC forest management instructor James Jeuck, Ph.D. “With only six weeks of practice time, these students really did a great job.” Prior to this event, the team competed in the 2017 Kentucky Wood Expo Conclave

Waynesville native to study lemurs Waynesville native Christopher Lile is on his way to Madagascar for three months following his graduation from GardnerWebb University this year. After graduation, Lile completed an internship at Wolf Park in Battle Ground, Indiana, where he researched and trained grey wolves. Now, he’s headed for three months studying lemurs in Madagascar — an island off the coast of Africa — as a volunteer for the Omaha Zoo’s Department of

Learn about Cherokee fisheries Mike Lavoie, program manager for fisheries and wildlife management at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the United Community Bank in Sylva. The talk will be delivered as part of the Trout Unlimited Tuckaseigee River Chapter’s regular monthly meeting, with nonmembers welcome to join. Dinner is offered at 6:30 p.m. for $5, with a raffle as well for a chance to win a new fly rod crafted by chapter member Jim Mills. www.tuckaseigee.tu.org.

Smoky Mountain News

Get certified in hunter safety A hunter safety course resulting in a certification that’s valid in every North American state and province will be offered 6-9:30 p.m. Nov. 6-7 at Haywood Community College in Clyde. In addition to firearm safety, instruction includes ethics and responsibility, conservation and wildlife management, wildlife

mobile technology to help you get a lot less mobile. Log on. Plan a trip. And start kicking back.

Conservation Genetics. His work involves following and observing lemurs throughout the day, recording social interactions, feeding habits and behaviors. Upon returning from Madagascar, Lile plans to complete a more advanced internship with Wolf Park to research the cognition of red and grey wolves. In the future, he would like to pursue a doctorate in primatology, behavioral ecology or a similar field.

identification, survival, first aid, specialty hunting and tree stand safety. Free through a partnership of HCC’s Department of Arts, Sciences and Natural Resources and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. No minimum age, but classes are taught at the sixth-grade level and participants must take a test without assistance. Attendance to both sessions required. Additional courses will be offered Dec. 18-19. Pre-registration required at www.ncwildlife.org.

Nantahala history coming to Sylva The history and splendor of the Nantahala National Forest will take center stage during a book reading 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at City Lights Bookstore. Author Marci Spencer will present her new book, Nantahala National Forest: A History. Created in 1920, the 500,000-acre forest dominates the rugged southwestern corner of North Carolina, its many rivers making the region one of the nation’s wettest and its varied topography holding secrets of cultural and natural history. Reserve copies at City Lights, 828.586.9499.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS •The Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28 at the Oconaluftee Islands Park. Sit by a bonfire, alongside a river, and listen to some of Cherokee’s best storytellers. The bonfire is free and open to the public. www.visitcherokeenc.com. • A commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation movement is scheduled for 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Oct. 28 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Clyde. German food, games, music, info booths and more. 456.6493. • Western Carolina University will celebrate Homecoming 2017 through Sunday, Oct. 29, with the theme “Catamount Proud.” Activities will range from comedy and country music shows to the annual Homecoming parade, golf tournament and football game complete with the halftime crowning of the Homecoming king and queen. homecoming.wcu.edu • Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital will hold community forums over the next couple of months to share updates on hospital services, expansions of services and results from the hospitals’ quality outcomes. Swain’s forum is from 3:30-5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Swain County Senior Center in Bryson City. Harris’ is from 10 a.m.-noon on Friday, Dec. 8, at the Jackson County Library in Sylva. www.myharrisregional.com, www.myswaincommunity.com or 586.7000. • Applications are now available for the Waynesville Christmas Parade, which is at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 4, on Main Street. Registration ranges from $20-30. info@downtownwaynesville.com or 456.3517. Applications are due by noon on Friday, Nov. 17. • Registration is underway to sign up an entry for the 43rd annual Cashiers Christmas Parade, which is at noon on Saturday, Dec. 9. http://tinyurl.com/y94jp8yd. • Folkmoot is organizing a trip to Greece that will depart Dec. 26 and return on Jan. 3. To register or get more info: http://folkmoot.org/Greece or 452.2997.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center will hold a WordPress Intensive Summit for the Small Business Owner on Thursdays 26-2, “using Analytics to Develop your Business Platform is from 4-7 p.m. on Oct. 26; and a “WordPress Summit” is Nov. 2. Led by Boomer Sassman. Register and get more info: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512. • Southwestern Community College will host a “Civil Discussion” on the topic of “How do we pay for public education” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Burrell Building on SCC’s Jackson Campus. Featuring Dr. Kim Elliott, interim superintendent of Jackson County Public Schools, and Carter Petty, director for Mountain Discovery Charter School. Moderated by Dr. Bucky Dann, SCC instructor. www.southwesterncc.edu or 339.4000.

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. • Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center will be offering a “Storytelling for Non-Profits” seminar from 9 a.m.–noon on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce in Franklin. Registration required: http://bit.ly/ncsbcn. Info: www.southwesterncc.edu/SBC or 339.4211. • Mountain Mediation Services will offer Community Mediation Training from Nov. 8-10 at the Southwestern Planning Commission in Sylva. $250 tuition covers instruction, manuals, handouts and refreshments. Registration deadline is Nov. 1. 631.5252 or www.mountainmediation.org. Info: 341.5717. • “Climate Adaptive Design: Building Science Meets Climate Science” is scheduled for 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m. on Nov. 3 at The Collider in Asheville. Learn how to make buildings more sustainable. $195 for AIA (American Institute of Architects) members; $225 for nonmembers. Student and government discounts available. Register and get more details: http://bit.ly/2z988nX. Info: info@aiaasheville.org. Preand post-conference events (“Design with Climate: A Personal History” and “New Belgium Brewing Sustainability Tour”) are set for 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 2-3, respectively. Register: http://bit.ly/2idnUux. • A Hunter Safety Course will be offered two more times from 6-9:30 p.m. on Nov. 6-7 and Dec. 18-19 on the Haywood Community College Campus, Building 3300, Room 3322, in Clyde. Participants must attend both nights to receive certification from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Preregistration required: www.ncwildlife.org. • A Life @ Western program entitled “Asheville Symphony” with David Whitehill is scheduled for Nov. 7 at Western Carolina University’s H.F. Robinson Building Auditorium. For people over 50. life@wcu.edu or 227.3022. • Registration is underway for a financial education class on “Understanding Credit,” which will be offered by OnTrack from 6-7:30 p.m. on Nov. 9, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Preregistration required: 452.7960.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • United Christian Ministries will have fundraisers at the following days, times and locations – with 10 percent of all proceeds going to help Jackson County families in need: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Half Past of Sylva; 5 p.m.-closing on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Wendy’s of Sylva; 4 p.m.-closing on Thursday, Nov. 9, at Coach’s in Dillsboro; and 4-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at Pizza Hut of Sylva.

• An open house for Harris Regional Hospital’s new emergency department is scheduled for 3-5 p.m. on Oct. 30 in Sylva.

• The READ Fundraiser will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Alpaca blankets, assorted textiles, and jewelry from Ecuador will be on sale. Proceeds fund READ (Rural Education and Development) in providing libraries, computer education, and high school scholarships to villages in the Andean mountains. For more information, please call City Lights Bookstore 586.9499. • A “Poor Man’s Lunch” is scheduled for noon on Sunday, Oct. 29, at Otto Community Building. Hot dogs, potatoes, slaw, cornbread, pinto beans, 50-50 raffle, cakewalk and more. $8 for adults; $4 for kids. Fundraiser for the Otto Community Dev.

• The Jackson County Board of Adjustment will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 30, at the Department of Aging in Sylva. www.planning.jacksonnc.org or 631.2255.

• A Potato Bar Fundraiser will be held at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, at First United Methodist Church in Sylva. $5 minimum donation. Proceeds will be used to

• A “Perfecting Your Pitch” seminar will be offered by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, at the college’s Jackson Campus in Sylva. Learn how to master your elevator pitch, get tips on networking practices and how to introduce your business to the world. Registration required: http://bit.ly/ncsbcn. Info: www.southwesterncc.edu/SBC or 339.4211.

Smoky Mountain News

purchase new equipment for Early Learning Center’s use on the outdoor playground and in the church gym. 586.2358. • Tickets are on sale now for a “Middle Eastern Friendship Dinner” and short film, “Bon Voyage,” that will be offered starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, at Folkmoot Friendship Center as part of Western Carolina University’s International Education Week in Waynesville. Tickets: $15 for adults; $10 for students. 452.2997 or Folkmoot.org.

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

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS • REACH of Haywood County will hold training for other nonprofits, businesses and faith-based organizations from 9:30-11:45 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, at the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office in Waynesville. REACH is a domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse intervention and prevention agency. 456.7898 or bqreach@aol.com.

HEALTH MATTERS • A “Tired Leg/Varicose Vein” educational program will be offered at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Vein Center on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde. Led by Dr. Al Mina, MD, FACS, and Dr. Joshua Rudd, DO. Register: 452.8346. RSVP required. • A diabetes management education opportunity for senior citizens will be offered from 4-6 p.m. on Mondays from through Nov. 6 at First Baptist Church of Waynesville. Info: 356.2272. • CarePartners Bereavement Department will host a “Surviving the Holidays” workshop from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 and from noon-1 p.m. on Nov. 14 at 68 Sweeten Creek Road in Asheville. For those coping with grief. Info and reservations: 251.0126. • “Laughing Balsam Sangha,” a meeting for Mindfullness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, meets will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at 318 Skyland Drive in Sylva. Included are sitting and walking meditation, and Dharma discussion. Free admission. 335.8210, and “Like” them on Facebook. • A “Walk With A Doc” program is scheduled for 10 a.m. each Saturday at the Lake Junaluska Kern Center or Canton Rec Park. MyHaywoodRegional.com/WalkwithaDoc. • Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) meets at noon on Saturdays at the First United Methodist Church Outreach Center at 171 Main St. in Franklin. 407.758.6433 or adultchildren.org. • Western Carolina University’s student-run, Mountain Area Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic will be open from 6-8:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. 227.3527. • The Jackson County Department of Public Health will offer a general clinic from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 587.8225. • A Food Addicts Anonymous Twelve-Step fellowship group meets at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays at Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville. www.foodaddictsanonymous.org. • Big Brother/Big Sister, a one-evening preparation class for children who are about to greet a new baby into their family, is offered for children ages 3-10 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. 452.8440 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses. • Mothers Connection, an ongoing social gathering for mothers and their babies, meets from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays excluding holidays at Haywood Regional Medical Center. 452.8440 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses.

• A support group meeting for those with Parkinsons Disease and their caregivers will be held at 2 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Senior Resource Center. • A monthly grief support group sponsored by The Meditation Center meets at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 East Main Street in Sylva. Info: www.meditatewnc.org or 356.1105. • Free childbirth and breastfeeding classes are available at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva. Classes are offered bimonthly on an ongoing basis. Register or get more info: 586.7907. • A free weekly grief support group is open to the public from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at SECU Hospice House in Franklin. Hosted by Four Seasons Compassion for Life Bereavement Team. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org. • A Men’s Night Out will take place at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of the hospital on the first Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 E. Main St. in Sylva. www.meditate-wnc.org or 356.1105. • 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. • “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 • “Halloween Costume Yoga” will be offered from 5:306:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. $14 drop-in or class packages: http://waynesvilleyogacenter.com or 246.6570. • A “Thriller Bhangra Dance” will be offered from 1:303:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. $30: waynesvilleyogacenter.com or 246.6570.

SPIRITUAL • Registration is underway for the Interfaith Peace Conference, which is Nov. 16-19, at Lake Junaluska. Affirming the community of Abrahamic faiths (Christians, Jews, Muslims) and other religious traditions to advance the work of reconciliation and peace. Lodging and meal packages available. www.lakejunaluska.com.

POLITICAL • Tickets are on sale for the 25th annual Charles Taylor Holiday Dinner, which is Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Crown Plaza Resort in Asheville. Taylor is the longest-serving Republican U.S. Representative in WNC history (19912007). Tickets: $60. Checks can be mailed to Charles Taylor, P.O. Box 7587, Asheville, NC 28802. Info: 243.2187 or tasmothers@yahoo.com.

wnc calendar

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Students in Southwestern Community College’s educational opportunities program will read from their book “Through Their Eyes: The Quill Took Flight,” from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 26 in the Burrell Building on SCC’s Jackson Campus. Book features writings in the students’ native tongues along with translations to English. Books can be purchased on Amazon.com. www.southwesterncc.edu or 339.4262. • Gregg Clark will present his book Ghost Country at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. To reserve copies please call City Lights Bookstore at 586.9499. • Cookin’ the Books will be held at noon on the last Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Public Library. A book club focused on cookbooks. All members choose a recipe from the book and bring it to share. The group will discuss the good and bad aspects of the chosen cookbook. 356.2507. • Banned Book Club meets from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. For those who enjoy literature and intellectual conversation. 456.6000, blueridgebooks@ymail.com or www.blueridgebooksnc.com. • Waynesville Book Club at 5:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at Waynesville Library Meet to discuss books, which are chosen by each member (taking turns) and provided by the library. New members are welcome. For more information, 356.2507.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES

October 25-31, 2017

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s popular “Mind the Music!” classes have extended registration for the fall session. If you are aged 55 and older and you wish to learn to play the piano, these classes are for you. The class will run for five weeks, starting the week of Nov. 6. The cost for the five classes is $60, plus a materials fee for a music book (less than $20). director@haywoodarts.org or 452.0593. www.haywoodarts.org. • A Life @ Western program on “Astronomy” featuring Enrique Gomez is scheduled for 10 a.m.-noon on Oct. 31 at Western Carolina University’s HF Robinson Building Auditorium. For people over 50. life@wcu.edu or 227.3022. • The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 926.6567. • A Silver Sneakers Cardio Fit class will meet from 1011 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 60 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

Smoky Mountain News

• Senior croquet for ages 55 and older is offered from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Vance Street Park in front of Waynesville Recreation Center.

Free. For info, contact Donald Hummel at 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov. • A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Mondays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800. • Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

KIDS & FAMILIES • A kids’ nature discovery program will be offered to ages 3-5 and kindergarten through third grade through the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department. Younger ages will meet at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays (Oct. 25, Nov. 15 and Dec. 20) at Cullowhee Recreation Center. The older ages meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays (Oct. 25, Nov. 15 and Dec. 20). $10 per child. Pre-register: www.rec.jacksonnc.org. • The Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express will depart at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 27, and noon and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 28-29 at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. For tickets, click on www.gsmr.com or 800.872.4681. • “Kids Yoga Spooktacular” will be offered from noon-1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. $18: http://waynesvilleyogacenter.com or 246.6570. • “Life Skills: Adulting 101” – a workshop for teens – is scheduled for 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, at First Presbyterian Church at 305 N. Main Street in Waynesville. For ages 14-18. Led by local business leaders. Presented by Altrusa International of Waynesville. Preregister: http://bit.do/adulting101. Info: waynesvillealtrusa@gmail.com. • A “Youth Art Class” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Appalachian Art Farm on 22 Morris Street in Sylva. All ages welcome. $10 includes instruction, materials and snack. For more information, email appalachianartfarm@gmail.com or find them on Facebook. • Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreats, which start Dec. 29. Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

vehicles, modified street machines, trucks, street rods and farm equipment. Registration is at 9 a.m. www.sylvarotaryclub.org/spirit-of-the-smokies-carshow.php. • The annual “Plow Day & Harvest Festival” will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Darnell Farms in Bryson City. This old-fashioned event is a hit with the entire family. Music jam, food, crafts, pumpkin patch, hayrides, and old-time farming demonstrations. $10 parking. Get lost in our very own themed Corn Maze. There will be fresh made mountain barbecue, as well as pumpkin pies and apple pies for sale. 25 different varieties of pumpkins, gourds, and decorative squash. www.facebook.com/darnellfarmsnc. • “Art After Dark” will be from 6 to 9 p.m. the first Friday of the month (May-December), in downtown Waynesville. Each Main Street transforms into an evening of art, music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors. www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com. • The immensely popular WNC Pottery Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in downtown Dillsboro. Showcasing the work of more than 40 master potters from 13 states. A variety of clay art styles will be presented. The event is juried and the lineup of potters is second-to-none. The “WNC Clay Olympics” and lighting of the wood-fired kiln will be held on Friday, Nov. 3. Admission is $5. 631.5100 or 586.3601.

HALLOWEEN • There will be a “Pumpkin Carving Party” from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. www.nantahalabrewing.com. • The Halloween Enchanted Forest is open from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Highlands Botanical Garden in Highlands. $1 per person. • “Goblins in the Green” is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, at the Village Green Commons in Cashiers. Costume contest, activities, music, trickor-treating and more. www.villagegreencashiersnc.com. • The “Pumpkin Patch” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at the Jackson County Parks and Recreation between Sylva and Dillsboro. 293.3053.

A&E FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS • The 19th annual Spirit of the Smokies Car Show is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Oct. 28 on Front Street in Dillsboro. All proceeds benefit local non-profit organizations. Classic cars, motorcycles, special interest

Puzzles can be found on page 54. These are only the answers.

• A Haunted Island experience will be presented by the Cherokee Historical Association on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28. Open from 6-11 p.m. on Friday and from 6 p.m.-midnight on Saturday. www.hauntedcherokee.com. • The fourth annual Screamfest is at 7 p.m. on Oct. 25-Nov. 1 in Cherokee. www.hauntedcherokee.com. • Fall-themed activities and contests will be held during NOCtoberfest from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Pumpkin decorat-

ing, costume contest and “Great Pumpkin Pursuit” race. Race registration is from noon-2 p.m. 735.5082. • The sixth annual “Halloween Bash” will be from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro in Sylva. Costume party and live music by Noonday Sun. Free to attend. • The “Trunk or Treat” Halloween celebration will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Cabbage Rose located at 3388 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Costume contest for kids, adults and pets. Best decorated car or truck. Live music, bounce house, food, activities, and more. Free admission. Proceeds from the event go to Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter. 926.3079. • The annual Halloween Carnival will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Fines Creek Community Center. The event will include games, food, bingo, cake walk, face painting, haunted house, and much more. Game admission ranges from $0.25 to $5. Dinner will be $8. Hosted by the Fines Creek Community Association. All proceeds go to help local families in need during the Christmas season. sabrina@sabrinagreenephotos.com. • “Classic Monsters Haunt” will be from 2-5 p.m. and 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 28 at the Scottish Tartans Museum in Franklin. Matinee is PG; evening is PG-13. Admission: $4 for adults; $2 for children. Theatrical guided tour with tales of Scottish folk monsters related to classic horror cinema. • The “Haunted Island” will be Oct. 27-28 at the Oconaluftee Island Park in Cherokee. From 6 to 11 p.m. Oct. 27 and 6 p.m. to midnight Oct. 28. • The Haywood County Fairgrounds will host its annual Fall Festival from 5-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 in Waynesville. Seasonal games and activities. www.haywoodcountyfairgrounds.org. • The sixth annual “Halloween Bash” will be from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro in Sylva. Costume party and live music by Noonday Sun. Free to attend. • A “Shocktoberfest” Halloween Display, built by Southwestern Community College’s advertising and graphic design students, will be opened to the public from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the Burrell Building on the Jackson Campus in Sylva. Trick-or-treating, walkthroughs, face painting desserts and activities. www.southwesterncc.edu or 339.4000. • “Treat Street” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 in downtown Sylva. 586.2719. • A Halloween story time and trick or treat costume parade will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The program is for ages 10 and under. 524.3600. • The eighth-annual “Treats on the Street” for Halloween is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, in downtown Waynesville. Businesses interested in participating can contact Jamie Cogdill at 456.3517 or

jamie@downtownwaynesville.com. www.downtownwaynesville.com.

• “Trick and Treats” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at Blue Ridge Healthcare on the Mountains in Sylva. 828.631.1600. • The “Downtown Trick or Treat” will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, in Bryson City. www.greatsmokies.com. Sponsored by Duke Energy, Swain Community Hospital and Swain County Tourism Development Authority. 800.867.9246.

FOOD & DRINK • Registration is underway for the Thanksgiving Buffet at Lake Junaluska. Event is Nov. 4. Reservations required. www.lakejunaluska.com.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • The Western Carolina University School of Music presents its annual fall choral concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Bardo Fine & Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee. Cherokee performers Matthew Tooni (flute) and John Toineeta (storyteller) will join the choirs. Info: 227.7242 or http://tinyurl.com/yddwd5hz. • Country superstar Gary Allan will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. www.harrahscherokee.com or 800.745.3000. • The Smoky Mountain Community Theatre’s production of “Go Back for Murder at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28; and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29. Final show is at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 30. Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for age 6-18; and free for children under six. 508.6645 or 550.0144.

• “Zombie Prom” the musical will be presented through Oct. 29 at HART in Waynesville. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 and 27; and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29. Reservations: 456.6322 or www.harttheatre.org. • Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host a Courtney Stiwalt recital Oct. 25 and Choir Concert Oct. 26. All events are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Coulter Building. www.wcu.edu. • Tickets are on sale now for Western Carolina University’s Homecoming Concert featuring country singers Brett Young and Carly Pearce. The concert is at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center in Cullowhee. Purchase tickets at ramsey.wcu.edu.

• Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen will present a staged reading of “The Amazing Always,” London-based playwright Ross Howard’s newest play, as part of the school’s Niggli New Works Reading Series. The free readings are set for 7:30 p.m. on both Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, at WCU’s Niggli Theatre. 227.7491.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • Three metal-working courses will be offered in October and November with local metalsmith William Rogers: Blacksmithing basics, hammered copper and mobile wind sculpture. For families, groups of friends, couples and children. Afternoon classes from 3-6 p.m.; evening classes from 5:30-8:30 p.m. For info and to register: RogersMetals@gmail.com or 293.3777. • A “Make Your Own Glass Pumpkin” workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park. Time slots are 45 minutes; Cost is $40. Learn basics of working with glass, some history on glass blowing and safety guidelines. Ages 13-18 may participate with parent present. Register: 631.0271. Info: www.jcgep.org. • The N.C. Humanities Council will present “The Way We Worked” – a collaboration with the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibition Service – through Nov. 7 at the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. A celebration of 150 years of America’s Workforce. www.nchumanities.org. • Registration is underway for a basket-making workshop featuring local crafter Junetta Pell. Learn how to make a Beauty of Autumn Basket from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26-27. $25. 586.4009. • The “Click & Sip Workshop” will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at Gallery Zella in Bryson City. Enjoy mastering photography techniques used by professionals. Cost is $50, which includes 8x12 metal print. 488.3638 or www.galleryzella.com. • A “Women in the Woods” series will be hosted by the N.C. Cooperative Extension in Haywood County from mid-October until mid-November. Sessions are Oct. 27, Nov. 3 and Nov. 17. Facilitated by Dr. James Jeuck of Haywood Community College. More info or to register: 456.3575. • Registration is underway for a class with jewelry maker Lawrie Williams. Learn to make a Tree of Life pendant from 12:30-3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the Jackson County Extension Office in Sylva. $10. 586.4009.

• The Haywood Community Band’s season finale will feature musical highlights of the 2017 season at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, in the sanctuary of Waynesville’s First United Methodist Church. www.haywoodcommunityband.org.

• Registration is underway for a holiday card making class that will be offered by Southwestern Community College from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursdays from Oct. 26-Nov. 16, at SCC’s Macon Campus. $55 cost includes materials. Register or get more info: 339.4657 or www.southwesterncc.edu.

• The Waynesville Public Library will host Possum on a Whale (bluegrass/Americana) at 3 p.m. Oct. 28. Free and open to the public. • Tickets are on sale now for Western Carolina University’s “Sci-Fi Double Feature” featuring H.G.

• Sign-ups are underway for the 26th annual Haywood Arts Regional trip to broadway, which is May 10-13. Cost is $1,575 per person. $500 deposit due by March 1; balance due April 1. HART, P.O. Box 1024, Waynesville, NC 28786.

Smoky Mountain News

• Country superstar Gary Allan will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. www.harrahscherokee.com or 800.745.3000.

• The “Sunday at the Opry” will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, at The Colonial Theater in Canton. Local musicians Darren Nicholson, Jessi Stone, Lorraine Conard, J. Creek Cloggers, and more will perform as Grand Ole Opry greats for a fun afternoon of country classics in honor of those who have served. Tickets available at Eventbrite, by calling 452.0593, visiting the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville (86 North Main Street) or at the Colonial in Canton (no credit cards at this location). Cost is $15 (+ tax) for adults, $5 (+ tax) children. Veterans admitted for free (though ticket required to reserve your seat).

October 25-31, 2017

• The Highlands Performing Arts Center will screen the National Theatre of London’s production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, live via satellite, at 507 Chestnut Street in Highlands. Tickets available at the door, at highlandspac.org or by calling 526.9047.

• Legendary country stars Alabama will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, at Harrah’s Cherokee. www.harrahscherokee.com or 800.745.3000.

wnc calendar

• The “Halloween Trick or Treat” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 in downtown Dillsboro.

Wells’ “The Time Machine” and Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Performance at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. $15 for general admission; $10 for faculty and staff; $5 for students. Proceeds fund scholarships in participating academic departments. https://www.wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center/ or 227.2479.

wnc calendar

• The Bryson City Lion meet at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month at the Iron Skillet in Bryson City. • “Paint Nite Waynesville” will be held at 6:30 p.m. every other Thursday at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. There will also be “Painting at the Porch” at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Southern Porch in Canton. Sign up for either event on the Paint Night Waynesville Facebook page (search event: Brush N. Brew) or call Robin Smathers at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com. • There will be a “Thursday Painters Open Studio” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Bring a bag lunch, project and supplies. Free to the public. Membership not required. For information, call 828.349.4607. • Beginners Chess Club is held on Fridays at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 8-108 invited to participate. 648.2924. • Cribbage is at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Maggie Valley Inn. 410.440.7652 or 926.3978. • An Antique, Vintage & Handcrafted Flea Market starts at 8 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 3029 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Bring your own table/tent. Spaces rent for $10 a day or $25 for all three days. • The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. An afternoon of creativity and camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own. Beginners are welcome as well as those who already enjoy this new trend. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 524.3600.

October 25-31, 2017

• Haywood County Arts Council is inviting artist members to participate in its annual Artist Member Show. Download a show contract/inventory sheet from www.haywoodarts.org. Send completed forms to gallery@haywoodarts.org or P.O. Box 306; Waynesville, N.C. 28786. • The Jackson Rangers Camp 1917 will hold monthly meetings at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Barkers Creek Community Center. Members are being sought to participate in honor guard graveside events and honor Confederate soldiers. The Confederate Rose, a ladies auxiliary group that supports active members, meets at the same time and location. 736.6222 or jrcamp1917@hotmail.com. • “Stitch,” the community gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.

Meeting Room in Canton. Show is entitled “Waynesville and Environs, a Black & White Perspective.” 648.2924.

for members; $78 for nonmembers. Sign up at http://bit.ly/2yj1wEc.

• The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center will host the exhibit “WCU Collects: Recent Acquisitions” through Jan. 26. 227.3591.

• A “Women’s Introduction to Fly Fishing” class will be offered to ages 12-up from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Oct. 28 at Pisgah Wildlife Education Center in Brevard. Register: http://tinyurl.com/jq4r6x3.

• The “Meet the Artist” reception with Brian Hannum (pianist), Drew Campbell (photographer) and Jon Houglum (painter) will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at Gallery Zella in Bryson City. For more information, call 828.488.3638 or click on www.galleryzella.com. • Work from Haywood County artists who operate studios in the county will be on display through Oct. 28 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. HaywoodArts.org. • Exhibit “Conversation/What Remains” featuring artists Rachel Meginnes and Kelly O’Briant will be on display through Nov. 19, at Penland Gallery near Spruce Pine. 765.6211 or penland.org/gallery. • Artists are sought to participate in the Haywood County Arts Council’s 10th annual small work show “It’s a Small, Small Work,” which is scheduled for Nov. 3-Dec. 23 in the HCAC Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville. $20 per artist entering the show. Application and info: www.haywoodarts.org, info@haywoodarts.org or 452.0593. • In the WCU Fine Art Museum main gallery through Dec. 8 is the nationally traveling exhibition “Return from Exile: Contemporary Southeastern Indian Art,” curated by Tony A. Tiger, Bobby C. Martin, and Jace Weaver. The symposium will be held on from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10, followed by a reception honoring the “Return from Exile” exhibition from 5 to 7 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. The symposium includes a ticketed keynote performance from Canadian First Nation electronic music group A Tribe Called Red at 7:30 p.m. arts.wcu.edu/tribe. The museum is also presenting “WCU Collects: Recent Acquisitions.” This exhibition showcases a selection of artworks recently given to the museum and includes a number of artists not previously represented in the collection. www.wcu.edu.

FILM & SCREEN • “Same Kind of Different as Me” will be showing Oct. 28 at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m., Oct. 25-27 at 7 p.m., Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at The Strand on Main in Waynesville. See website for tickets and pricing. www.38main.com. • Free movies are shown every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Madbatterfoodfilm.com.

• The Sew Easy Girls meet from noon-3 p.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office’s conference room. Learn how to sew. 586.4009.

Smoky Mountain News

• A community art group meets at 10 a.m. every Wednesday at the Hudson Library in Highlands. 828.526.3031. • A writer’s group meets at 1 p.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands. 526.3031. • Free one-on-one technology help is offered every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Hudson Library in Highlands. Call 526.3031 to make an appointment.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • Jan Boyer’s alcohol ink paintings will be on display in the Rotunda Gallery at the Jackson County Public Library through the end of October. • Gallery One on Main Street in Sylva will spotlight the artwork of Joe Meigs and other local artists for the month of October.

• Linda Dickinson’s display of black-and-white photography is being displayed at the Canton Public Library

Outdoors • A Spay/Neuter Clinic is offered from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays at 182 Richland Street in Waynesville. As low as $10. 452.1329. • Base Camp Cullowhee will hold its fifth annual outdoor gear sale and swap from noon-5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25, on the lawn of the university’s Hinds University Center in Cullowhee. Table: $10 for individuals or $30 for businesses. Reservations: 227.8813 or basecamp@wcu.edu. • The nuts and bolts of hiking the Appalachian Trail will be covered during a seminar from 6:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at REI in Asheville. Led by thruhiker Gary Sizer. Sign up: www.rei.com/learn.html. • An overview of wildlife rehabilitation, complete with a trip to the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Banner Elk, will be offered during an all-day class Friday, Oct. 27, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. $68

• Learn your mosses, hornworts and liverworts with botanical wizard Ed Schwartzman during the Autumn Bryophyte Workshop, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28. Microscopes, materials, a vegetarian lunch and an afternoon happy hour are provided. Space limited. $65 or $75 after Oct. 23. • A work hike will be held Saturday, Oct. 28, to remove graffiti on the Appalachian Trail near Franklin. 369.1983. • A “Winged Wonders” butterfly exhibit is on display through Oct. 29 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. http://www.ncarboretum.org/event/winged-wondersstep-world-butterflies/all. • Rumble in the Rhododendron is Nov. 4-5 in Cherokee Enterprise Waters in Cherokee. 359.6110. • A nature photography workshop is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, at Chimney Rock State Park. Led by professional photographer Chuck Hill of Hendersonville. $100 cost includes lunch and a Chimney Rock Park annual pass. $75 for passholders. Register: 625.9611. • The Tuckaseigee River Chapter (No. 373) of Trout Unlimited meets at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the United Community Bank in Sylva. • Tickets are on sale now for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s 20th anniversary celebration, which is Nov. 9 at Biltmore. Dinner, drinks and awards ceremony. Tickets: $100 and available at brpfoundation.org/20yearsstrong or 866.308.2773. • Registration is underway for the Ginseng Marketplace, which is from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 258 Carolina Lane in Marshall. Hosted by the N.C. Ginseng Association. Tickets: $30. Register: http://tinyurl.com/yd4t75sp.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • Registration is underway for the Zombie 5K Chase Race, which will provide a chance to run against the undead at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, on the Western Carolina University Campus. Runners will wear flags that “zombies” will attempt to steal as they run the course. Anyone who can’t make it to the finish line with at least one flag will be turned into one of the walking dead. Proceeds will support the Mountain Area Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic. Open to ages 10 and under, with runners under 18 required to sign a waiver. $25. www.active.com. • A Zombie Run will be held by the Cherokee Historical Association at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 at Island Park in Cherokee. www.hauntedcherokee.com. • The N.C. American Bike Trials Series is Nov. 3-5 at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County. Registration: 1-2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, $15 to $150, depending on category. www.noc.com/events/northamerican-trials-series. • The Conquer the Mountain Half Marathon is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, from the Tassee Shelter of the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin. Proceeds will benefit the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center. The race cut-off time will be 1:30 p.m. $45 for individuals; $60 for two-person teams. Prices increase after Oct. 28. www.active.com. • The Kickin’ Asphalt 5K/10K starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, in downtown Murphy. The route travels through historic downtown with the 10K route heading out and back to take in the countryside. $20$30, depending on age or distance. www.active.com. • Registration is underway for the Cherokee 5K Turkey Strut, which is Saturday, Nov. 18, beginning and ending at Kituwah Mound near Bryson City, starting at

noon Saturday, Nov. 18. Hosted by Cherokee Choices, the run welcomes everyone from avid runners to walkers, with a variety of age groups offered. Proceeds will benefit the Cherokee Braves Booster Club, which supports athletes at Cherokee Central Schools. www.runsignup.com. • Registration is underway for the Cold Turkey 5K, which starts at 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 23 in Franklin. The Little Turkeys FUN! Run/Walk for kids will begin at 9 a.m. with the 5K starting at 9:30 a.m. The route goes along the Little Tennessee Greenway. A portion of the funds will go to a nonprofit in Macon County, to be announced at a later date. $25. www.active.com.

FARM AND GARDEN • Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension Office on Acquoni Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every fourth Friday to learn about USDA Farm Service Agency programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. Info: 488.2684, ext. 2 (Wednesday through Friday) or 524.3175, ext. 2 (Monday through Wednesday).

FARMERS MARKET • The Jackson County Farmers Market will have its last outdoor market of the season from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Oct. 28, at Bridge Park in Sylva. Starting in November, the market will move indoors to The Community Table with new hours, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Info: 393.5236. jacksoncountyfarmersmarket@gmail.com or website jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org. • A community tailgate market for local growers is open from 3-7 p.m. every Wednesday at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers. 734.3434, info@villagegreencashiersnc.com or www.villagegreencashiersnc.com. • Haywood Historic Farmers Market will hold their last market on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 8 to noon in the parking lot of HART Theatre in Waynesville. haywoodfarmersmarket@gmail.com, www.waynesvillefarmersmarket.com or www.facebook.com/HaywoodHistoricFarmersMarket. • The Original Waynesville Tailgate Market will hold their last market this Saturday, Oct. 28 from 8 a.m.noon at 171 Legion Drive in Waynesville (behind Bogart’s). 456.1830 or vrogers12@att.net. • The Franklin Farmers Tailgate Market will hold their last market this Saturday, Oct. 28 from 8 a.m.-noon on East Palmer Street across from Drake Software in Franklin. 349.2049 or alan_durden@ncsu.edu. • Swain County Farmers Market will hold their last market this Friday, Oct. 27 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the barn on Island Street in Bryson City. 488.3848 or Christine_bredenkamp@ncsu.edu.

HIKING CLUBS • Guided hikes along the woodland trails of the N.C. Arboretum will be offered at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays in October. Led by trained volunteer guides. For ages 8-up. $14 parking fee for nonmembers. • Carolina Mountain Club will have a 7.5-mile hike with a 1,500-foot ascent on Oct. 25 at Mt. Mitchell. Reservations and info: 460.7066 or barbc129@gmail.com. • Carolina Mountain Club will have a 7.5-mile hike with a 1,500-foot ascent on Oct. 28 at Mt. Mitchell. Info and reservations: 460.7066 or barbc129@gmail.com. • Carolina Mountain Club will have a 5.4-mile hike with a 1,300-foot ascent on Oct. 29 at Trombatore Trail. Reservations and info: 516.721.6156 or karingarden@yahoo.com. • Carolina Mountain Club will have a 12-mile hike with a 3,000-foot ascent on Oct. 29 at Black Mountain Crest Trail. Info and reservations: 812.314.5587,

PRIME REAL ESTATE Advertise in The Smoky Mountain News

AUCTION

MarketPlace information: 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:

■ 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.

Classified Advertising: Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com

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AUCTION

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SOLD! ADVERTISE YOUR AUCTION In over 100 newspapers across the state for only $375. Call your local newspaper or Wendi Ray at NC Press Services, 919.516.8009 for more information.

HOME IMPROVEMENT AUCTION Saturday, November 4 @10am 201 S. Central Ave., Locust, NC. Cabinet Sets, Doors, Carpet, Tile, Hardwood, Bath Vanities, Windows, Lighting, Patio Sets, Trim, Appliances, Name Brand Tools. Check website for details. 704.507.1449 ncaf5479 www.ClassicAuctions.com

JAMISON CUSTOM PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING Interior, exterior, all your pressure washing needs and more. Specialize in Removal of Carpenter Bees - Cedar or Log Homes or Painted or Siding! Call or Text Now for a Free Estimate at 828.508.9727

SOUTHPORT, N.C. FOR SALE, Waterfront resort hotel condominiums. Pre construction prices. Amazing views. Private fishing pier. Full kitchens. Waterfront swimming pool. Cooke Realty 910.616.1795 contactcooke@gmail.com ESTATE AUCTION Farm, Agricultural, Construction Equipment, Trucks & More! BID ON-SITE & ONLINE! Saturday @8:30AM, 4363 Dodlyt Rd., Heathsville, VA. Accepting quality consignments daily! VAAL#16 www.motleys.com | 804.232.3300 |

PAINTING

BUILDING MATERIALS

HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned. DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions. Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson. Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316

FROG POND ESTATE SALES HELPING IN HARD TIMES

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WE ARE KNOWN FOR HONESTY & INTEGRITY 828-734-3874 18 COMMERCE STREET WAYNESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28786 WWW.FROGLEVELDOWNSIZING.COM

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING

ALL THINGS BASEMENTY! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold Control Free Estimates! Call 1.800.698.9217 SAPA ACORN STAIRLIFTS. The Affordable Solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1.800.615.4064 for FREE DVD and brochure. NEED A WALK IN TUB? Getting in and out of the tub can be easier than ever before. Walk in Tubs are designed to prevent slipping with textured mats and hand rails. They also have and textured pads to keep your head above water. Call Today for More information. 855.789.3291 GOT MOLDOr think you might have it? Mold can be hazardous to you and your family’s health! Get rid of it now! Call our experts and get a quote today! 844.766.3858 SAPA HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CARS -

AUTO INSURANCE Starting at $49/ Month! Call for your fee rate comparison to see how much you can save! Call: 855.970.1224 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! Top Dollar Offer! Free Towing From Home, Office or Body Shop. All Makes/Models 2000-2016. Same Day Pick-Up Available! Call Now: 1.800.761.9396 DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details. 855.972.0354

WNC MarketPlace

BUSINESS FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT

RETAIL/RESTARAUNT BUSINESS For Sale, located in Maggie Valley, NC. Call 828.734.1665 for more information.

EMPLOYMENT FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Physical Therapist Assistant Instructor (10-month Contract). For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com Human Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer

October 25-31, 2017

AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING – Get FAA Technician certification.. Approved for military benefits. Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866.724.5403 SAPA

MAD BATTER In Downtown Sylva is now hiring for Kitchen Help & Servers. Please Come by and Fill Out an Application, Tueday - Friday Between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. BROWN TRUCKING Is looking for COMPANY DRIVERS and OWNER OPERATORS. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2 years of tractor trailer experience OTR or Regional (Multiple states) in the last 3 years, good MVR and PSP. Apply: www.driveforbrown.com. Contact Brandon Collins. 919.291.7416. FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: CDL Instructor (Part-time) and Security Shift Supervisor. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com Human Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer

WALLY - A BIG FLUFFY SIBERIAN HUSKY MIX WHO LOVES TO "TALK". HE'LL CARRY ON A CONVERSATION AS LONG AS SOMEONE WILL HOLD UP THEIR END. WE THINK HE'S AN ADORABLE DOG WITH TONS OF PERSONALITY, AND HE'LL BE GREAT COMPANY FOR HIS LUCKY ADOPTERS.

www.smokymountainnews.com

BIRCHWOOD - A LOVELY TABBY FEMALE ABOUT ONE YEAR OLD. SHE IS A FRIENDLY, CONFIDENT KITTY WHO ENJOYS HUMAN ATTENTION. SHE'S PLAYFUL AND FUN, AND WILL BRING A LOT OF JOY TO HER NEW FAMILY. AND WOW, DOES SHE HAVE BIG EYES!

with service appointment

- WAIT STAFF NEEDED NCCAT (Cullowhee) Seeking Wait Staff for Temporary, Part-Time Work 6-8 Hours per Week. Compensation: $10/hr. This Position will be Responsible for Serving Food in a Dining Hall; Transporting Food Items; Day-toDay Sanitation; General Dining Room Cleaning Duties and Other Duties as Required. To Apply, Visit: www.nccat.org/aboutus/employ ment-and-hr or Call 828.293.5202 and ask for Ian Talarico. NCCAT is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer NUCLEAR POWER TRAINEE Paid Training, great salary, benefits, $ for school. Gain valued skills. No exp needed medical/ dental, vacation. HS grads ages 17-34. Call Monday-Friday 800.662.7419 DRIVE WITH UBER. No experience is required, but you'll need a Smartphone. It's fun and easy. For more information, call: 1.800.655.7452 FRONT DESK/OFFICE MANAGER Full Time or Part Time: Maggie Valley Cabin Resort Seeks a Versatile, Energetic & Experienced Front Desk Employee. Customer Service & Computer Exp. Req. Weekends, Nights & Holidays a Must! Call 828.926.1388 GOT YOUR EARS ON? Find your next driver by advertising statewide in over 100 newspapers for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at NC Press Services for more info 919.516.8009. HOME WORKERS!! Easy Legitimate Work, Great Pay! Assemble Products At Home And Other Mystery Shopping Opportunities Galore - No Experience Needed. For More Details, Send $2.00 With A Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope to: Publishers Market Source, P.O. Box 1122, Merrillville, IN 46411

ROKER

SSOCIATE

ann@beverly-hanks.com

www.beverly-hanks.com

860 Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC

LOCAL DRIVERS WANTED! Be your own boss. Flexible hours. Unlimited earning potential. Must be 21 with valid U.S. drivers license, insurance & reliable vehicle. Call 855.750.9313

JACKSON COUNTY Is recruiting for a Director of Transit. The position serves as department head and provides management and supervision over the administrative and operational functions of the Jackson County transit system. Responsibilities include coordinating provision of transportation services for residents and visitors of Jackson County, preparing and updating the annual capital improvement schedule, developing and updating departmental policies and procedures, maintaining and evaluating driver and staff training programs, overseeing federal drug and alcohol program compliance, monitoring vehicle utilization, and negotiating and executing agency contracts. Administrative duties include department budget preparation and management, supervision of departmental staff, grant application and management, serving on various boards and committees and other duties as assigned. Applicant should possess bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, logistics, or related field and five to ten years of directly related rural transit system experience or equivalent education and experience that demonstrates competency in rural transit system operations and management. Prefer a candidate with advanced knowledge about community-based transit system operations, principles and practices, applicable federal, state, and local laws governing transit systems and funding sources to supplement transportation services. Applicant must have a valid NC driver license and must be willing to relocate to Jackson County if not already a resident. Salary commensurate with education and experience. Salary range minimum $43,340.37. Jackson County provides employer paid medical and dental benefits. To apply, submit a NC State Application to the Sylva branch of the NCWorks Career Center or the Jackson County Human Resources Office. EOE.

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EMPLOYMENT EARN $500 A DAY: Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Wants Insurance Agents • Leads, No Cold Calls • Commissions Paid Daily • Agency Training • Life License Required. Call 1.888.713.6020

FINANCIAL OVER $10K IN DEBT? Be debt free in 24-48 months. Pay a fraction of what you owe. A+ BBB rated. Call National Debt Relief 844.235.9343. SAPA SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1.800.670.4805 to start your application today!

FURNITURE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD IN BRYSON CITY Is currently hiring! We currently have vacancies for Event Staff to work on THE POLAR EXPRESS, Property Maintenance Worker, Parking Attendant, Ticket Agent and Retail Sales Associate. Earn train passes, retail & food discounts, passes to area attractions and more! Full Job Descriptions and Applications are Available at: www.gsmr.com/jobs You may also get an application from the Bryson City Depot. GOT CANDIDATES? Find your next hire in over 100 newspapers across the state for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at NC Press Services for more info 919.516.8009. IN YOUR EAR MUSIC IS HIRING! Looking for Enthusiastic selfmotivated individuals with Dynamic Personality to complete a unique team. Must be able to multi-task and work under pressure. Must be Passionate about sharing the Music Experience and all it embodies with others. Looking for creative thinkers and problem solvers who can put out fires or shake their Groove Thing in an instant. Previous Retail Experience Preferred for this Position. Main Street, Sylva, NC. AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING Get FAA certification to fix planes. Approved for military benefits. Financial Aid if qualified. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866.441.6890 for more info. SAPA

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 JAMISON TREE SERVICE AND DEBREE REMOVAL The Feeling of Fall Cleanup is in the Air! No Job Too Big or Too Small! Call or Text Now for a Free Estimate at 828.508.9727 SAWMILLS From only $4397.00 - Make & Save Money with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship! FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1.800.578.1363 Ext.300

PETS SERVICES & SUPPLIES USE PATENTED HAPPY JACK FLEA Beacon to Control Fleas in the Home without Toxic Chemicals or Expensive Exterminators. Find at: Tractor Supply, Fleabeacon.com

PETS SERVICES & SUPPLIES

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! Hours:

Tuesday-Friday, 12 Noon - 6 pm 182 Richland Street, Waynesville

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT 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

LAND FOR SALE? Reach buyers across the state in over 100 newspapers for only $375. Call this newspaper or Wendi Ray at NC Press Services, 919.516.8009. HUNT YOUR OWN LAND Or Build Dream Cabin 68 acres on Hwy. 21 Alleghany & Wilkes Co., NC Selling: Sat, Oct. 14 @ 11am NCAL#685 336.789.2926 RogersAuctionGroup.com

——————————————

GEORGE

ESCARAVAGE BROKER/REALTOR

—————————————— 28 WOODLAND ASTER WAY

ASHEVILLE, NC 28804

828.400.0901

GESCAR@BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

HOMES FOR SALE BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

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 information.

CAVALIER ARMS APARTMENTS Offering 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $420.00

Judy Meyers 26 N. MAIN STREET • WAYNESVILLE (O) 828-564-9393 (C) 828-734-2899 JAMEYERS@CHARTER.NET

remax-waynesvillenc.com

Committed to Exceeding Expectations

Marilynn Obrig

Residential Broker Associate

(828) 550-2810

Beverly Hanks & Associates • • • • • • • • • • • • •

beverly-hanks.com Ann Eavenson - anneavenson@beverly-hanks.com George Escaravage - gescar@beverly-hanks.com Billie Green - BGreen@beverly-hanks.com Michelle McElroy - michellemcelroy@beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig - mobrig@beverly-hanks.com Steve Mauldin - Smauldin@beverly-hanks.com Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com Brooke Parrott - bparrott@beverly-hanks.com Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither - ellensither@beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com • Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com • Rick Boarder - sunburstrealty.com Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

mobrig@Beverly-Hanks.com

www.Beverly-Hanks.com

Lakeshore Realty • Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Section 8 Accepted - Rental Assistance When Available Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

Mountain Home Properties SFR, ECO, GREEN

OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday & Thursday 8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. 50 Duckett Cove Road, Waynesville

Phone # 1-828-456-6776 TDD # 1-800-725-2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS We Are Offering 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting From $465.00 Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

828.506.7137

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.735.2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

aspivey@sunburstrealty.com

www.sunburstrealty.com/amy-spivey

Catherine Proben Cell: 828-734-9157 Ofﬁce: 828-452-5809

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty • • • • •

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com Holly Fletcher - hollyfletcher1975@gmail.com The Real Team - the-real-team.com Ron Breese - ronbreese.com Landen Stevenson - Landen@landenstevenson.com Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

cproben@beverly-hanks.com

OFFICE HOURS: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm 168E Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

Rob Roland Realty 74 N. Main St., Waynesville, NC

• Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

smokymountainnews.com

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS

147 WALNUT STREET • WAYNESVILLE

mountaindream.com • Cindy Dubose - cdubose@mountaindream.com

October 25-31, 2017

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Haywood County Real Estate Agents

WNC MarketPlace

HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT

828.452.5809

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE 828.452.4251 | ads@smokymountainnews.com 53

www.smokymountainnews.com

October 25-31, 2017

WNC MarketPlace

Super

WINE-INFUSED

CROSSWORD

77 Brazilian hot spot, DOWN in brief 1 Round figure ACROSS 78 Autumn pear 2 Back bones 1 Broilers, e.g. 79 — and aah 3 Top Untouchable 6 Incited, with “on” 80 Lamarr of “Algiers” 4 West African country 11 Emit violently 82 Wine-sipping night- 5 Zool., for one 15 Jules Verne captain club vocalist? 6 Two-options-only 19 Holy artifact 87 Adventurous 7 FBI figures 20 Persona 91 Response to “Am 8 West African country 21 Witty Bombeck not!” 9 Big head 22 In between 92 Negative or positive 10 The, to 67-Across 23 Wine-loving thing 11 Make sure of actress? 93 Klutzy person 12 Madrid art museum 26 Ruination 95 Bush-league 13 Grounded bird 27 Tot’s “piggy” 96 Wine aficionados’ 14 Ear clogger 28 “The horror!” electoral race? 15 Big wheel 29 “— be a pleasure” 102 Fancy resort 16 PC-to-PC notes 30 Meter inserts 105 Juan’s “two” 17 Mickey’s girlfriend 31 Fixed charge 106 Wedding vow 18 City in Texas 33 Like pretty decent 107 Plumlike fruit 24 Bellboy, often wine? 108 Feel sorry about 25 More flighty 38 “Son of,” in Arabic 109 Wine-fancying jazz 30 Huge guns 39 Actress Garr trumpeter? 31 Viewed thing 41 Used to live 114 Graphic material 32 One who’s expiating 42 Untold eras with no gray areas 34 MYOB part 43 Pirate’s place 116 See 60-Down 35 Road coater 44 Olympic sport that 117 Bridal bio word 36 Toon unit wine drinkers compete 118 Work measures 37 — polloi in? 120 Fix illegally 40 Radio’s Don 50 Wears 121 Muddy earth 45 Terra — 51 Knead 122 Planetary features 46 Really hate 52 Academic URL ender formed from wine? 47 Joseph of ice cream 53 Lubed (up) 128 News tidbit 48 Raw fish dish 57 Exam giver 129 Opera tune 49 PC image file 59 Comedian telling 130 Queasy 54 Vault (over) jokes about wine? 131 “The Brandon — 55 Raines of old 64 Cedar, say Story” (1998 film) Hollywood 66 Egg cells 132 Sutures 56 Pivotal WWII event 67 Franz’s skit partner 133 Banana skin 58 Military info-gather68 In the way of 134 Horses’ runs ing 69 Spanish pot 135 Build upon 60 With 116-Across, 72 Vegetable piece “Mildred Pierce” actress dipped in wine? 61 Betray by finking 76 “Fix” at the vet’s 62 Every single

63 Tattooed 65 “Anyone —?” 69 Ocean threat 70 Fibbing type 71 Ear piece 73 — out (depict something via charades) 74 Drench, in dialect 75 2003-07 Fox teen drama 76 Arab country 78 Ponder 81 Get a bit wet 83 Sci-fi ability 84 “... or — thought” 85 Cuts into 86 Arena yells 88 Firmly fixed 89 Not pressing 90 Wave to, say 94 Easy victims 97 Chaney of silents 98 Suffix with 9-Down 99 Idaho county 100 Typed guffaw 101 A bit wet 102 Hindu sages 103 Fool’s gold 104 British prince 110 Swarms 111 Actress Potts 112 Like princes 113 Famous fable writer 115 Did it wrong 119 Bring down, as a building 122 Q-Tip’s style 123 Hot temper 124 Woodsy, e.g. 125 Egg — yung 126 Hellenic vowel 127 — Paulo

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The naturalist’s corner BY DON H ENDERSHOT

Stay calm and creep on wo years in a row — for this Hendershot family that’s like a tradition. We pedaled the Virginia Creeper Trail again this year for my bride’s birthday. We did it last year and you can read about it here: www.smokymountainnews.com/ archives/item/18877-creep-on. The Creeper trail is cool. It’s 34 miles long and runs — top to bottom — from just inside North Carolina near Whitetop Station to Abingdon, Va. It follows the bed of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad from Abingdon to Whitetop. We did the most popular section last year — the 17-mile descent from Whitetop to Damascus. Don’t let the 17 miles fool you; all you need to know is how to sit on a bike without falling off and where the brakes are. But the ride is gorgeous; most of it follows Whitetop Laurel Creek through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. This year we decided to try something different — like actually pedaling — and to see a different part of the trail. We had tried to do a bit of the lower trail between Abingdon and Damascus years ago when Izzy was just big enough to pedal and

Maddie was still in a stroller. We rented a stroller for Maddie, to tow behind one of our bikes, but Maddie was having no part of it. So Denise and Izzy rode and I strapped Maddie in our auto and we tried to catch them at different intersections. This was quite a “throw-back” adventure in its own right — using maps and estimating time of travel to try and coordinate meet-ups. But the thing that registered most deeply with Denise was the beauty of the rolling Virginia farmlands they pedaled through. So this year we arranged for our shuttle — Blue Blaze — to drop us at Old Alvarado Station and we would pedal back to Damascus. Old Alvarado is eight miles from Damascus and about halfway between Abingdon and Damascus. OK so I know you bikers out there are going — an eight-mile bike ride, that’s half an hour. But our buildup to the Creeper every year is a week we spend on Isle of Palms where we do a 3-mile loop once or twice a day for a week. I’ve learned in my short tenure in this life that an exercise that turns out easier than anticipated gets a much more favorable review than an exercise that was harder than anticipated. So, confident that we could do the eight miles

Virginia Creeper Trail. Don Hendershot photo

back to Damascus, without calling search and rescue, I scheduled our shuttle. When we got to Alvarado Station, Denise says. “Oh, I remember this,” and starts detailing the trip long ago with Izzy. It’s Mom’s birthday and she’s pretty convincing so we follow along. Guess what? She’s right. Less than two miles back towards Abingdon we crossed a bridge at the confluence of the south and middle forks of the Holston River and dived into the rolling farmlands Denise remembered. It was bucolic. We rode on a little

enjoying the scenery — but then nervous about our now nearly 10-mile ride back to Damascus turned around. We were in no hurry, had packed water and snacks and enjoyed a leisurely ride back to Damascus. Maybe it was too easy? We are considering going all the way from Abingdon to Damascus next year? But we’ve also heard of a “Galax Trail” in Virginia that might require some research. (Don Hendershot is a naturalist and a writer who lives in Haywood County. He can be reached at ddihen1@bellsouth.net)

October 25-31, 2017 Smoky Mountain News 55

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