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Western North Carolina’s Source for Weekly News, Entertainment, Arts, and Outdoor Information

November 23-29, 2016 Vol. 18 Iss. 26

Containment rising, wildfire growth slowing in WNC Page 4 Haywood moves to solve affordable housing crisis Page 21

From Our Family To Yours,

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: After 20 years of public service to Haywood County, Mark Swanger is retiring from his post as the chairman of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners. Swanger, who also served on the Haywood County School Board for many years, leaves behind a strong legacy of transparency and professionalism that has been instrumental in moving the county forward. (Page 6)

News Containment rising, fire growth slowing in WNC ......................................................4 Counties delayed in reporting final election results ..................................................5 Jackson seeks input on draft comprehensive plan ................................................12 Swain hospital makes changes to ER ........................................................................14 Franklin Chamber to change locations ......................................................................14 Canton undergoes visual rebranding ..........................................................................16 Another setback in Canton pool project ....................................................................17 Improvements planned for Waynesville concrete plant ........................................18 Haywood moves to solve affordable housing crisis ..............................................21

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Opinion Historians discover lifeless remains of the truth ......................................................22

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Christmas in Appalachia ................................................................................................32

Outdoors Students, farmers join forces to feed Haywood’s hungry ....................................42

The Naturalist’s Corner

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November 23-29, 2016

Creep on ..............................................................................................................................55

November 23-29, 2016

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news

Reining in fire

Flames from the Chestnut Knob Fire near Morganton can be seen from the highway.

Eric Haggart photo

Containment rising, fire growth slowing in WNC

usually reserved for lawn maintenance.

“I’m from California and I’ve never seen a leaf blower used to control a fire, but it makes sense,” Kliest said. “You’re blowing it back into the center of the fire.”

In addition to long days and creative techniques, the success of the firefighting effort over the past week is largely attributable to the sheer numbers of personnel. Currently, about 1,050 people are fighting fires west of Asheville. Another 330 people are assigned to the 6,424-acre Chestnut Knob Fire near Morganton and 902 are assigned to the 7,171acre Party Rock Fire near Lake Lure. The 14,757-acre Rock Mountain Fire, which started northwest of Clayton, Georgia and has crossed the line into Macon County, has 458 people assigned to it.

With so many experienced firefighters nearby, the team is better equipped to respond to new starts as soon as they’re reported, resulting in low acreages and high containment for fires originating over the past week or so. The largest of the newer starts is the 123-acre Cathey Gap Fire, located near Little Canada in Jackson County, but the rest of the new starts are less than 10 acres and not expected to grow.

“The positive side of having a fire this big in your state is you have so many firefighters here and the resources are so close to those fresh starts,” Kliest said.

Without rain, however, those fresh starts are likely to continue. The sprinkle the region received over the weekend did little except wet the ground for a few minutes, and the accompanying wind presented a significant

Report arson Arson the suspected cause of many of the wildfires blazing through Western North Carolina, and a $10,000 reward is offered in exchange for information leading to conviction.

• North Carolina is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading the arrest and conviction of those responsible for setting wildfires in the state. Report tips to Macon County Crimestoppers, 828.349.2600, or Jackson County Crimestoppers, 828.631.1125.

• The Bureau of Indian Affairs is offering $10,000 for information regarding arson fires on Indian lands in North CArolina. Report tips to WeTip, www.wetip.com or 800.472.7766.

challenge. Low humidity has also worked against the firefighters.

“We’re not getting the relative humidity recovery at night, which means we’re having fires burn at night as well as during the day and sometimes burning with almost the same intensity,” Schroeder said.

A front is expected to come through the area later this week, but no precipitation is expected — just wind. However, the wind is predicted to come from the southwest as opposed to the more common northwest direction, which could prove advantageous for some fires.

“The fire would have to work against the wind to jump its con-

D

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

Fire growth slowing

Donate to the cause

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bit exaggerated, as the Dobson 3 Fire burning on the Qualla Boundary, now encompassing 756 acres, started on Nov. 2 but wasn’t included in Forest Service wildfire data until Nov. 19.

“The acreage is staying the same. That is a

BY HOLLY KAYS very good bit of news,” said Steve Kliest, the STAFF WRITER espite gusty winds, dust-dry forests and Blue Team’s public information officer haninterminable drought, firefighters made dling the Boteler Fire.

Containment percentages have increased significant headway over the last week toward containing Western North Carolina’s substantially over the past week, with fireexplosive wildfire season, jumping on new fighters working tirelessly to build lines starts to keep their acreages low and limiting around the fires and burn back the vegetation around them to keep the fires from spreading. existing fires to minimal acreage growth.

“We have had some starts over the past On Nov. 15, three of the largest fires week but we’re able to address them quickly in the area — Boteler, Tellico and with operational people and have taken care Maple Springs — were 43, 68 and 15 of them,” said Todd Schroeder, public infor- percent contained, respectively. As mation officer for the U.S. Forest Service of Nov. 22, containment on the fires Southern Area Blue Team, which took over was 77, 91 and 69 percent.

Fires burning west of Asheville grew by less than 4 percent over Ensuring those containment management of the fire last week. “We’re the past week, a significant improvement from the 34.6-square pretty much improving lines on a couple of lines hold has involved more than mile growth of the previous one-week period. the large fires and just paying attention and simply constructing them. Typically, monitoring some of the other ones. We’re in a heavy fall rain will force the leaves FIRE NAME NEAREST TOWN ACREAGE ACREAGE ACREAGE CHANGE CHANGE off the trees more or less all at once, pretty good shape.”

NOV. 8 NOV. 15 NOV. 22 NOV. 8-15 NOV. 15-22 Between Nov. 15 and Nov. 22, the 25 fires but the drought has resulted in a Boardtree ................................Macon County .............0.............0.5............0.5............0.5 .............0 burning west of Asheville grew by only steady fall of leaf litter that is still Boteler Peak ...............................Hayesville .............2,532 .......8,967........9,043........6,435 ..........76 continuing.

This provides a steady 1,310.2 acres, about 3.8 percent of the overall Buck Creek..................................Highlands ................8 ..............8...............6...............0..............-2 34,684 acres. By contrast, fire acreage jumped stream of fuel and has posed an Bullpen .......................................Highlands ................0 ..............0...............6................................6 by 22,149 acres — 34.6 square miles — over ongoing risk to containment lines.

Cathy Gap Fire .........................Little Canada..............0 ..............0.............123.............0.............123 the previous one-week period of Nov. 8 to To address the issue, firefighters Charley Creek...............................Sapphire .................0 ..............3...............6...............3...............3 Nov. 15. And even the 1,310-acre increase is a have embraced a technology that’s Cliffside ......................................Highlands ..............101 ..........101...........110.............0...............9 Dicks Creek.....................................Sylva ..................726 ..........728...........729.............2...............1 Dobson 3 ....................................Cherokee .................0 ..............0.............756............................756 Grape Cove ...................................Franklin .................35 ............35.............11..............0.............-24 Howard Gap ..................................Clayton...................0 ..............0 .............0.2.............................0.2 Donations toward firefighting efforts have been many, generous, and in some cases Jones Gap ...................................Highlands ..............115 ..........115.............8...............0............-107 overwhelming. The U.S. Forest Service is asking individuals to call their county’s emerKnob .............................................Franklin ................664.........1,130........1,130 .........466.............0 gency management office to find out how best to support efforts there.

Maple Spring/Averys ...............Lake Santeelah.........2,178 .......7,515........7,788........5,337 .........273 • Swain County, 828.488.6021. At this point, donations such as bottled water are May Branch Sheep Mountain ......Cullowhee ..............175 ..........175...........175.............0...............0 simply being stored until the next event. However, local fire and rescue units have seen Moses Creek................................Cullowhee ...............30 ............30.............30..............0...............0 their equipment take a beating and would welcome cash donations to repair and Moss Knob ..................................Cullowhee ................7 ..............7...............7...............0...............0 replace it.

Mulberry........................................Clayton...................0 ..............0...............1...............0...............1 • Macon County, 828.349.2067. No cash or material donations are needed, but Muskrat Valley ........................Macon County .............0 ............103...........104...........103.............1 donations targeted to community fire departments and thank you notes and cards for Nick ............................................................................0 ..............0...............2...............0...............2 firefighters are welcomed.

Old Roughy .............................Lake Santeelah ............0 ............657...........657...........657.............0 • Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Items such as water, Gatorade, chap stick, Ridge Gap...................................Highlands ................0 ..............2...............1...............2..............-1 high-carb snacks and hand moisturizer are welcome and can be dropped off at the Tellico/Ferebee ................Macon/Swain county line .4,549 ......13,679......13,874.......9,130 .........195 Cherokee Fire Department.

Whitewater Falls .........................Highlands ...............10 ............23.............23.............13..............0 • Jackson County, 828.586.7592.

Wine Spring ..................................Franklin .................95 ............95.............93..............0..............-2 • Haywood County. No large incidents are currently underway in Haywood, so no call Total........................................................................11,225....33,373.5...34,683.7...22,148.5....1,310.2 4 is being made for donations at this time.

tainment line, but when you go to the opposite side of the fire that would be where your challenge would be,” Kliest said.

A chance of rain is currently in the forecast for consecutive days next week, but mountain weather is often hard to predict until it arrives. Multiple days of heavy rain will be needed to put WNC’s wildfires to bed, Kliest said.

As the firefighters work to quell the blazes, law enforcement is busy investigating the cause. Arson is suspected in most of the incidents, and cash rewards are being offered for information leading to arrest.

“In speaking with our law enforcement folks yesterday, my understanding was they were investigating about 31 different fires,” said Brian Haines, public information officer for the N.C. Forest Service. “They have eliminated five or six knowing those are not arson, and they are looking at the rest of them.”

Before an arson investigation can be pursued full-force, Haines said, every other possible cause must be eliminated. Fire can start from a variety of sources, including lightning, escaped campfires, overheating mechanical equipment and the like.

According to the Forest Service’s Incident Information System, many of the larger fires in the region have been determined to be human-caused, but whether accidental or purposeful is unknown. The IIS lists the Tellico, Rock Mountain, Knob, Dicks Creek,

Moses Creek and Cliffside fires, for example, as human-caused.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has determined that the 15 fires comprising the Dobson 3 Fire were arson and has arrested two people in connection with those fires, according to the tribe’s Emergency Management Supervisor Anthony Sequoyah.

The names of the individuals had not been released as of press time.

The 15 fires that merged to form the single larger fire were started on Nov. 2 and now cover 756 acres, with the perimeter 85 percent contained. The fire is located east and slightly south of Cherokee, close to where the Dicks Creek Fire is. However, the two fires are separate and not expected to merge.

Despite the extent of the wildfires, not a single home has been lost in the process. The only structure damaged so far as part of a wildfire — though other structure fires have occurred in the region unrelated to the wildfires — has been an abandoned outbuilding to the west of the Boteler Fire. That success is directly attributable to the hard work of firefighters to build and aggressively defend containment lines near dwellings.

“It’s never good news when you have an entire state impacted like this,” Kliest said.

“However, the silver lining in this cloud is that one structure and it wasn’t even a dwelling — that’s huge. You get hundreds of homes with fires like this.”

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approved and added to the totals, along with 83 others.

Although no candidates in the county saw their victories or losses overturned as a result of the additions, Gov. Pat McCrory, RCharlotte, — who trailed challenger and Attorney General Roy Cooper, D-Rocky Mount, by around 4,000 votes statewide on election night — did pick up 12 votes in Haywood County, outpacing Cooper 42 to 30 in this final round of balloting.

As of press time Tuesday, Nov. 22, several outlying counties hadn’t yet completed their canvases yet either.

In Macon County, Board of Elections Director Debbie George said they would convene at 2 p.m. Nov. 22 to consider issues similar to Haywood County’s.

In Swain County, the board will assemble at 4 p.m. Nov. 23 and in Jackson County, Board of Elections Director Lisa Lovedahl said that the board would tentatively meet Dec. 1, although that could change based on further direction from the state.

These pending results are, however, still important to McCrory, who has only watched his deficit grow since Nov. 8.

According to the State Board of Elections the afternoon of Nov. 22, McCrory — who has refused to concede to Cooper — now trails by 6,311 votes.

From Black Friday until Dec. 24

November 23-29, 2016

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER Haywood County’s election results are finally complete.

On Oct. 27, a ruling handed down by United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina Judge Loretta C. Biggs directed the Department of Motor Vehicles to liaise with state election officials to review the claims of some voters that they either registered or changed their addresses at the DMV even though such documentation was missing.

Biggs’ ruling further directed counties to accept the provisional ballots of these voters upon affirmation by the voter that they did indeed make the changes at the DMV unless the DMV could produce for each voter a signed statement by that voter declining voter registration modification.

The Haywood County Board of Elections canvas was to be completed at 11 a.m. Nov. 18, but the board approved a recess while awaiting the DMV to produce any evidence as to why any provisional ballots should or should not be counted.

Director Robert Inman said that there were only five such ballots in the county, one of which they’d already approved.

When the canvas reconvened on Nov. 22, the other four ballots in question were

HOLIDAY SPECIAL

news

McCrory picks up 12 votes in Haywood

5

news November 23-29, 2016

Mark Swanger campaigns at the polls on Election Day in 2008. After losing his commissioner seat in 2006, Swanger came back in 2008 and emerged as the top vote getter. File photo

The last chapter Reflections on Mark Swanger’s political era

Smoky Mountain News

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER ark Swanger tucked into his leather armchair beside a roaring gas fire, an expansive view of his Fines Creek family farm unfurling beyond the bay windows of his log home.

Calm, cool and collected as always, he was ready for another round of a marathon interview aimed at capturing the sweeping tenure of his 20-year political career in Haywood County.

It was a daunting undertaking. Few men can claim the lasting impact Swanger has made on his community for generations to come.

“We are very, very fortunate. He has been a great asset to this county,” said Juanita Dixon, a local political observer who’s closely followed Swanger’s career. “I have cried a few tears over it, asking him ‘Mark are you sure you won’t change your mind?’”

But, 16 years after retiring his FBI shield, Swanger, 65, is retiring once more, hanging up his commissioner name plate as well.

Patsy Davis, the director of Mountain Projects nonprofit, said Swanger was a tremendous leader with unrivaled diplomacy skills.

“He always gathered all the facts. I guess that was his background with the FBI — he 6 wanted as much information as you could

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give him and he would evaluate everything before making a recommendation,” Davis said.

Everyone who worked with Swanger during his two-decade political career — six as school board chairman and 12 as a county commissioner — cited his capacity for processing every conceivable option plus some and weighing their possible outcomes and consequences.

“He has a great mind. You could say he has a gift,” said Commissioner Kevin Ensley, one of Swanger’s close friends and long-time political ally. “He put his whole heart and mind into it. I think the whole board will miss that.”

As Swanger’s tenure draws to a close, his legacy transcends his many tangible accomplishments — from navigating crises like the Pigeon River floods of 2004 to securing a viable future for Haywood Regional Medical Center. His true hallmark as a leader was his diagnostic governing style.

“He brought an extreme intelligence with him. He had such a way about him of cutting to the core of something and not only seeing the problem but seeing the solution,” said Mary Ann Enloe, a former commissioner and political ally of Swanger’s. “I could trust him, that he had done his homework.”

As the chair of the Haywood Community College board, Enloe said she often thinks to

it wasn’t a very popular idea at first and was met with resistance,” Hipps said. “But that once again goes to his character. If he feels like something is the best thing to do for the county he holds true to that.”

Known as an ideas man, Swanger knew all his initiatives wouldn’t be embraced by the masses, whether it was enacting steep slope building rules, privatizing the county’s landfill or increasing taxes to cover raises for county employees.

But Swanger believed the true measure of a policy’s success would be judged by history — not the here and now, but whether it was right for future generations.

“He was very thoughtful and analytical in coming to decisions. We are in good shape as a county because of his leadership,” said Ted Carr, a Republican.

While Swanger is a Democrat, he paid little heed to parties when it came to local government. He worked with anyone he could to advance goals he thought would make Haywood County a better place.

At a going away reception last week, N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, presented Swanger with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s highest civilian honor for service to North Carolina.

For the first time in his 20-year political career, Swanger got choked up in public.

“This is beyond words for me,” Swanger said.

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herself, “OK, how would Mark handle this?”

ETTING IN THE LIGHT Swanger never went with his gut, nor crossed his fingers and hoped for the best. He One of the most lasting marks from had to know first — know how it would work, Swanger’s tenure is busting up good old boy how it would turn out, what the pitfalls were politics that all too often put the interests of and the contingency plan to contain damage those in power ahead of the greater good. His if something went south. platform during his first run in 2002 was “Everything of any import that I’ve clear: to bring government business out of done, I’ve tried to make it evidence-based. smoke-filled backrooms and into the open.

Otherwise you are just flailing around,” “The overriding concern I had was the Swanger said. “It is not unlike investigat- lack of transparency and the lack of good goving a crime.”

Swanger spent 32 “I care about what happens in years with the FBI, building complex cases on Haywood County. My children live here mobsters, drug traffickers and my grandchildren live here and it’s and corrupt politicians.

“I am very process orimy home and I care. I wanted good ented. If you have a good process you will generally schools for my grandchildren and good deliver a good product,” job opportunities for them and I Swanger said. “If you do it in any other way good wanted them to say with pride they decisions occur only by were from Haywood County.” accident. You can make a good decision with a bad — Mark Swanger process, it just won’t be very frequently.”

Swanger’s intellectual rhetoric isn’t the ernment,” Swanger said. “We had to get into type of sound bite that wins small town elec- the 21st century. And we couldn’t do that tions. But he wasn’t your usual politician. conducting the people’s business behind “He was a visionary who looked at not closed doors in a way that didn’t involve them only what was good for Haywood County at even if they wanted to be involved.” the time but, the future as well,” said CeCe Commissioners routinely discussed and Hipps, director of the Haywood County voted on issues without notice to the public.

Chamber of Commerce.

Meeting agendas — akin to a table of conHipps characterized Swanger as someone tents for what’s coming up — were a mere willing to ruffle feathers when needed, like his suggestion at best, with commissioners coninitiative to revamp the county’s economic cealing things they planned to do by leaving development program. them off the agenda.

“He felt like things needed to change, but Commissioner meetings were held in a

his own for much of the week while his wife pursued her PhD in South Carolina.

“I was Mr. Mom,” Swanger said.

Nonetheless, Swanger is known for his calculated planning, and has often been suspected of creating the climate of discontent that got him elected.

Swanger rejected the notion.

“Never trust a single-issue candidate. I was not a single-issue candidate,” Swanger said.

UPSETTING THE APPLE CART As a political powerhouse, Swanger inevitably left some carnage in his wake. You can’t run on an anti-establishment platform without a few heads rolling.

Swanger didn’t set out to rack up a body

As a threatening tropical storm barrels down on Haywood County in 2015, Swanger sits in on emergency meetings in preparation of possibly flooding along the Pigeon River. Planning and preparation were one of Swanger’s strong suits as a leader. File photo

“Mark makes things happen. I’ll give him his due. I won’t feel as comfortable knowing he’s not there. Even if we disagree on something, at least we knew all the facts and all the aspects so you don’t have tunnel vision.”

— Kirk Kirkpatrick, Haywood County commissioner

count. But when there’s a new captain at the wheel, you either get on board or jump ship.

Those dispatched by Swanger — and the power establishment who liked things the way they were — never forgave him.

“I’ve never worried about people being mad at me,” Swanger said. “You can’t make hard decisions without stepping on toes occasionally, you have to keep your eye on the greater good. Worrying about a few people’s feelings are counterproductive.”

His third year as commissioner, Swanger led a movement to fire the County Manager Jack Horton for insubordination. Horton was accused of concealing, doctoring and manipulating information he gave commissioners to steer them toward the decision he wanted to make.

This didn’t sit well with Swanger, a man

MICROMANAGER

Smoky Mountain News

way, very focused. I was impressed with his intellect the first time I met him.”

In hindsight, Swanger’s rise to office followed the same formula — both in his run for school board in 1996 and for county commissioner in 2002.

Each time, Swanger was the ringleader of an opposition movement and rode the tide of discontent into office. Swanger said he didn’t plan it that way.

“There was no nexus there at the time. It became apparent after the bond failed we needed some leadership,” Swanger said. “And academically we weren’t doing that well. We were mediocre compared to our peers.”

Swanger still had his hands full with his career and family in the mid-1990s. He was still working for the FBI as a regional field supervisor and was raising two daughters on

who hangs his hat on diligent research behind his decisions, so after a particularly egregious misstep Swanger, along with Ensley and Enloe — later dubbed the “gang of three” — fired Horton by a narrow 3-to-2 majority.

As school board chairman, Swanger was blamed for running off the superintendent at the time, Karen Campbell, although Swanger claims that is “revisionist history.” Campbell had applied for the superintendent’s job with Asheville City Schools a few months before Swanger was elected, and Swanger claims she would have moved on regardless.

Swanger also led a revamp of the Economic Development Commission early in his years as commissioner.

The county’s EDC board was stacked with upstanding and well-meaning business and civic leaders. But he thought their methods were outdated, and the economic development director was stuck in the 20th century, largely lacking the new kind of thinking needed to bring new kinds of jobs.

“Everything was still focused on manufacturing, bringing in a plant,” Swanger said. “It is a buffalo hunt if you’re looking for something that’s extinct. We weren’t going to recapture the manufacturing jobs because they weren’t to be had anywhere.”

Haywood County was “crucified” by a series of factory closings in the 1990s, Swanger said, and chasing factories to replace them with didn’t make sense.

But he had to get others to realize that there was a better way to do economic development, so he convened a blue-ribbon task force to study it.

“I believed if we really shined a light on it and looked at it critically, then most people and the majority would come to the conclusion there needed to be changes made,” Swanger said.

Ultimately, the old EDC was disbanded and a new one formed, with Swanger as cochair. The EDC director, Jay Hinson, seeing the writing on the wall, stepped down.

For Swanger, performance comes before personal allegiances. That was something he tried to change in the school system.

“It is not about doing people favors or hiring someone’s daughter who isn’t qualified. It is about being excellent,” Swanger said.

“Everything we do is about education.”

Swanger set a new bar for education in Haywood County, one that is still playing out today. Haywood County Schools are in the top 10 percent in academic performance, thanks to the shift in mentality Swanger ushered in.

“The expectation was that we were going to be an outstanding school system. I made it very clear that was our goal,” Swanger said. “Every employee has to buy into the fact that we are going to be an excellent school system.”

November 23-29, 2016

SERENDIPITY The most vexing and controversial issue in the run up to Swanger’s first run for county office was the construction of a new justice center. Anger over the cost of justice center — dubbed the “Taj Mahal of Justice” — and the botched design process had gripped the entire county. Commissioners flip-flopped frequently on where the justice center might go, and despite a public hue and cry over the design, commissioners blindly — or stubbornly, or both — forged on with their heads down.

Swanger saw the justice center drama as a symbol of willy-nilly decision-making.

“When I campaigned I said this is an example of bad government,” Swanger said.

“That building still doesn’t fit downtown Waynesville. I was for a justice center, I just wasn’t for that justice center.”

Swanger was one of 14 candidates running for just three commissioner seats in 2002 — proof of widespread public dissatisfaction.

When Swanger ran for school board in 1996, he was likewise swept into office on the coattails of a rallying cry. The school system was embroiled in controversy over an ill-fated

school bond. Swanger emerged as a leading opposition voice, and the movement catapulted him into office.

He wasn’t a well-known figure before the school bond drama in the mid-1990s. He’d just moved home to Haywood County in 1990 after an FBI career away from here.

It was a major upset when Swanger beat long-time school board chairman Robert “Bob” Cathey. Unwittingly or intentionally, Swanger had launched his career as a political powerhouse in Haywood County for the next two decades.

Upton, who became superintendent under Swanger, said it’s no surprise he prevailed.

“He out-works you. He out-researches you. He would go everywhere,” Upton said. “I think that separates him. And he is still that

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cramped basement down a narrow hall — an analogy in Swanger’s eyes to how business was conducted.

“You could get about 10 people in there and that was it. There was no outreach to try to accommodate the public. I knew the first order of business had to be the transparency of public board meetings,” Swanger said.

To help restore broken public confidence, commissioners imposed a waiting period before voting on major issues so the public would have time to digest what was being proposed.

Swanger also led a charge to start broadcasting commissioner meetings on a government channel. It was long before the days of online video, but for those who didn’t have cable, VHS tapes of the meetings were put in county libraries so no member of the public was unable to watch what their local government was up to.

Swanger won a statewide open government award from the N.C. Press Association for his sunshine campaign. The other commissioners followed Swanger’s lead and eventually transformed the commissioner’s public image and conduct from amateur hour to a professional board.

Ensley wagers that’s why the current board is the longest serving set of commissioners in the county’s history.

“I feel like we professionalized the board and the public isn’t afraid of being blindsided. I think that has brought stability to the board,” Ensley said. “Before it was a revolving door. They would get some guys in and throw them out.”

Swanger brought the same changes to the school board years earlier.

“He wanted to open things up — no more meetings before the board to decide what you are going to do before the official board meeting,” Commissioner Bill Upton recalled, who was hired as superintendent shortly after Swanger went on the school board.

Swanger’s ousting of Horton and Hinson came back to bite him.

While his obsessive attention to detail was lauded by some, he was called out as a micromanager by critics trying to unseat him dur-

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SWANGER, CONTINUED FROM 7

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

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ing his 2006 re-election campaign.

But Swanger stood up for his management style — which he prefers to call “hands-on.”

“I despise being reactive,” Swanger said.

“Being chairman was a very consuming thing for me. I never went a day without thinking about county business, ever — vacation, holidays, whatever. I tried to anticipate problems before they became severe.”

As chairman, Swanger got an annual stipend of $15,000 plus health insurance, a meager compensation in exchange for the 30 to 35 hours a week he put in on average.

Commissioner Bill Upton, who served as superintendent during Swanger’s six years on the school board, said he was the same way then.

“He was always proactive and not reactive. He said to me as superintendent ‘The best surprise is no surprise,’” Upton recalled.

“We probably conversed every day, but that didn’t bother me. People have criticized him in the past for micromanagement, but if you don’t have someone intense and focused you don’t get anything done.”

But Swanger’s inclination to work alongside staff — pushing them to research all the options, justify every decision and quantify every outcome — was portrayed as iron-fisted by his critics, by those who didn’t like the changes he was making, particularly the firing of Horton.

A political action committee was formed with the intent of ousting Swanger and his main ally Commissioner Kevin Ensley. They both lost in 2006, Swanger by less than 100 votes.

Ensley doesn’t understand why Swanger was criticized for taking his role as an elected leader seriously.

“I know people say he is a little bit controlling, but he is like a watchdog really to make sure everything is done properly,” Ensley said.

Commissioner Mike Sorrells agreed.

“I think Mark took the idea that ‘the buck stops with me,’ or with the commissioners, so I am going to formulate policy. We were not a laissez faire board. We were an engaged board,” Sorrells said. “I fully expect and think that will continue.”

Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick, who came on the county board at the same tumultuous time as Swanger in 2002, will take his place as chairman of the board. Things will be different without Swanger around.

“Mark makes things happen. I’ll give him his due. I won’t feel as comfortable knowing he’s not there,” Kirkpatrick said. “Even if we disagree on something, at least we knew all the facts and all the aspects so you don’t have tunnel vision.”

Swanger and Kirkpatrick weren’t always on the same side, however. They were elected from opposing camps in 2002 — Swanger opposed the new justice center while Kirkpatrick supported it. They were on opposing sides of the vote to fire County Manager Jack Horton as well.

Tension between the two was apparent during their early years serving on the board.

“There was a lot of animosity there,” 8 Kirkpatrick said. “It’s not there anymore. I

have grown to have a great deal of respect for Mark and his leadership and he’s learned to respect me as well. We are friends now.”

Kirkpatrick still disagreed with Swanger occasionally, more so than anyone else on the board — from voting against little things like Swanger’s proposal to put sprinklers on the courthouse lawn to the big things like the $3.7 million animal shelter that Swanger championed his final year in office.

“We are able to disagree, but once a decision is made we are able to move forward in the same direction,” Kirkpatrick said.

In his early years on the school board, Swanger had to mend fences with past rivals as well. His campaign motto when running for school board — “change you can trust” — had disparaged the performance of some school board members and they didn’t take it well.

“Had I known I was going to lose the election by 59 votes I still would have done it,” Swanger said of firing Horton.

That’s typical of Swanger. He always owns his decisions and was always comfortable once he made them.

“Sometimes you have to make hard calls and decisions, and he didn’t shy away from them,” said Davis, the director of Mountain Projects nonprofit.

In 2008, Swanger ran again and carried the race as the top vote-getter.

“I’ve never actually given up many times in my life,” Swanger said of his comeback.

During his two-year hiatus from the board of commissioners, the county was shaken by a management scandal that threatened to close Haywood Regional Medical Center, the county’s only hospital.

Swanger’s campaign ad in 2008 pictured

if they weren’t paying attention.

Swanger also carried around an arsenal of jokes and was known to end a serious conversation with “Got one more second? I’ve got a joke for you.”

A GOLDEN ERA

After reclaiming his seat on the board, he served eight more years. It was a golden era characterized by stability, progress and professionalism.

“He looks at the broader picture. You’ve got to think and look where we are going. We can’t look back but have to look what’s out there and what can we do to make it better,” said Juanita Dixon.

Haywood County was lucky to have Swanger’s insightful leadership, Dixon said.

He permanently changed the county’s trajectory for the better for at least a generation to come.

Voters responded well.

Since 2008, no commissioner has been voted off the board, resulting in the longest team of commissioners in Haywood County’s history.

Swanger lives in the rural northern reaches of the county — a solid 25minute drive to town, mostly through countryside.

He cherishes the rural character of Haywood County but he rejects the stereotype of an Appalachian backwater.

“I wanted people to think of the county in a positive light,” Swanger said.

“There are those now who want us to remain in the 1950s and 60s.”

Swanger always wanted A young Mark Swanger puts on his problem-solving hat in the wake of a 2005 scandal, involving the to move the county formismanagement of flood relief funds by a non-profit. File photo ward, with good schools, a strong community college, They refused to back Swanger’s choice for him in front of the hospital with the words robust civic institutions and professional gova new superintendent, Bill Upton, the former “Leadership and Truth in Government when ernment. principal of Pisgah High School. Swanger got it’s needed most.”

But not even Swanger can brace against five members in his camp, but three refused Ensley said the hospital crisis made peo- everything. to budge. ple rethink their criticisms of Swanger.

There were the Pigeon River floods of “He called me and said ‘Do you want the “We got voted out because they accused 2004, a hospital to save and a recession to job or not on a 5-3 vote?’ I decided to take us of micromanaging and then the hospital navigate. that chance,” Upton said. ran aground the next year and I thought ‘You “The biggest crisis, or challenge that we The board division was eventually know, maybe micromanaging isn’t that bad,’” faced, was the recession, because the remequelled, however.

Ensley said. dies were so difficult,” Swanger said. “It had “It didn’t continue very long at all. We Former Commissioner Wade Francis said the most impact on people’s lives of any matsoon had the support of the full board,” Swanger didn’t back down in the face of oppo- ter we’ve dealt with and it was the longest Upton said. “You can’t argue with the results, sition, like the decision to cut down the maple duration.” and Mark not only had a plan for curriculum, trees on the lawn of the historic courthouse.

The county laid off 50 people and but to fix our school buildings that were in “People fought him on that, but I tell you, imposed furloughs and froze wages. bad shape.” it is beautiful,” Francis said. “He and that “It wasn’t fun,” Swanger said. “But I am board fought through that.” proud of how we handled it because I believe said he had misgivings about the we made the best of a bad situation. I think COMEBACK saleFrancis of Haywood Regional Medical Center, but we went through a very measured process and did a complete analysis of county servicSwanger believed his loss in the 2006 elec- had to admit Swanger was right on that, too.

“Since it has happened I think it has been es and needs and tried to reduce spending in tion was a fluke, not an indictment of his the areas that had the least impact and still leadership. Turnout was extremely low that a good thing,” Francis said.

While Swanger’s known for his calculat- provide a sufficient level of service.” year, giving those disgruntled by Horton’s firing demeanor, he wasn’t serious all the time.

When a problem struck, having Swanger ing a disproportional voice at the ballot box.

But Swanger said he wouldn’t change his A master of deadpan delivery, Swanger’s wry at the table was a relief. sense of humor would catch people off guard “Mark handles crisis well,” Upton said. “I mind if he could do it over again.

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“Planning is the key to everything. If you don’t plan you are always reacting. It may be under time constraints, and your chances of mistakes increase exponentially if you don’t plan.”

Swanger’s last eight years as commissioner didn’t pass without criticism. He was continually dogged at every turn by a faction of conservative watchdogs who routinely spoke out at county meetings and took to the internet airwaves with frequent indictments of Swanger and his fellow commissioners.

Swanger was accused of everything under the sun — from bankrupting the county to taking bribes.

But he always seemed unfazed.

“You come to expect these incessant ramblings. Seldom does the expected rattle me,” Swanger said.

On one hand, Swanger fancied himself as a champion of open government and welcoming of public discourse. But Swanger saw no place at the table for the conspiracy theory antics of the watchdog faction.

“You can’t allow yourself to become paralyzed by people whose goal is to paralyze and terrorize. It is just like U.S. policy not to negotiate with terrorists,” Swanger said.

The group’s self-appointed leader, Monroe Miller, sent hundreds of emails to county officials every year, seemingly aimed at hijacking county government.

“I think that was the intent, to wear them down,” Dixon said, who publicly spoke up in the commissioners’ defense a time or two.

“It was all I could do to hold my tongue up there. Good gracious, it was just craziness,” she said.

But no matter how much Miller skewered Swanger, he shrugged it off.

“I just viewed Monroe Miller as an unimportant distraction,” Swanger said.

When faced with a marauding critic, it would be human nature to circle the wagons and batten down the hatches. If county government went dark, Miller would be left without ammunition to use against them.

But Swanger said he didn’t do that.

“The only reason Monroe Miller had any information to manipulate and distort is because of how transparent and open we were. We never clamped down on anything we made public because of what he said,” Swanger said.

Still, it was a stressful time for county employees, who feared they would be next to land in Miller’s crosshairs for a public crucifixion. And that’s the part that made Swanger mad.

“That had more of an effect on me than the elected board being maligned,” Swanger said. “But they all held up remarkably well.

Not once did they not do their job. I think they knew we had their back.”

Still, a lie repeated loudly and often

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Swanger was always ready to roll up his sleeves and rise to the occasion. When a nonprofit agency that managed senior services for the county was embroiled in a scandal in 2005 involving the misappropriation of county funds, Swanger put a new policy in place requiring all non-profits that get county dollars to provide a copy of their annual audit as a condition of funding.

Rarely are elected leaders lauded for spending tax dollars on government buildings. But Swanger’s reign witnessed the biggest building spree in county government history.

During Swanger’s dozen years in office, the county built a new jail and sheriff ’s office, a new election office, a senior day care facility, a new county complex housing the health department, social services, planning and environmental health, a new emergency services base, a new animal shelter, two new buildings at Haywood Community College, and renovated the historic courthouse.

The systematic modernization of county facilities was needed after years of kicking the can down the road, according to Swanger.

While county facilities aren’t sexy to voters, they speak volumes for the county’s reputation.

“You have to present yourself as a successful community if you want other people to be interested in living here. We are judged on that and are compared to other communities,” Swanger said.

A DISTRACTION

November 23-29, 2016

— Mark Swanger

Swanger said the foresight his board had in tackling these projects now will save future generations from the burden of providing adequate county buildings. Swanger didn’t endorse opulence, but insisted on spending enough to build a quality building.

“To do anything else is a waste of money.

When you build a building cheaply, you are doing the taxpayers a disservice, because you are going to be building that same building over again in 20 years,” Swanger said.

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think it is his FBI training. He pays attention to detail.”

Swanger saw every crisis as a moment for introspection, trying to find ways the county would be better prepared next time.

After the floods of 2004, emergency management officials retooled their action plans, adopting new protocols that trigger a mobilized response well in advance of flood watches.

After Haywood Regional Medical Center ran aground, commissioners became more diligent in the appointment of hospital board members — refusing to simply rubber-stamp the CEO’s board picks like they had historically.

“I think we had more of a critical eye,” Swanger said.

And since the recession, the county’s reserves have been rebuilt to provide a cushion.

“Future boards, should there be a catastrophic event in the county, they will have resources,” Swanger said.

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SWANGER, CONTINUED FROM 9 enough can slowly creep into public consciousness. Yet Swanger nor any of the other commissioners attacked in Miller’s muckraking tirades were unseated, and that’s where Swanger gives voters credit.

“Most people don’t like bullies, and in my opinion Monroe Miller is a bully,” Swanger said. “We were making good decisions, we were making honest decisions, we were making transparent decisions. I believe the public saw through these distortions and lies.”

POWERHOUSE

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

Swanger claims he never set out to have a 20-year reign in Haywood County politics.

“I have never looked ahead to another term. I always concentrated on the present,” Swanger said.

When Swanger ran for school board in 1996, he didn’t plan on using it as a stepping stone for higher office. But he realized he had a bigger contribution to make.

“I saw my ability to make effective, real change in the community was limited just being on the school board,” Swanger said.

He toyed with the idea of a State House run when he was still on the school board.

“Ultimately, I didn’t want to spend half my life on I-40. I decided I could do as much or more good for my local community by being a county commissioner,” Swanger said.

Without fail, every two years Democratic Party leaders come knocking, hoping to recruit him to run for the State House or Senate. But he was committed to being a commissioner.

“I’d rather be one of five in Haywood County than one of 120 in Raleigh,” he said.

While Swanger’s influence on the county’s trajectory is undeniable, Swanger disagrees that he’s been a one-man machine.

“One person cannot do anything. It is a fivemember board. I had to have people who agreed in order to be able to accomplish what we’ve been able to accomplish the past two decades.”

He’s been the conductor, but not the only one in the orchestra. Something he came back to repeatedly during interviews.

“This isn’t just me. Please say that. I have always acknowledged you have to have partners on your board,” Swanger said.

Swanger’s tenure for the past eight years was marked by uncanny consensus, with dissenting votes by commissioners few and far between.

“We got a lot of grief sometimes that nobody ever votes ‘no.’ But the things we worked on were all to benefit the county, so why wouldn’t you vote for it?” Sorrells asked.

“It wasn’t that we were all rubber stamping each other, but we had the same vision.”

The consensus among commissioners these past eight years wasn’t an accident.

Swanger called his fellow commissioners frequently, sometimes daily, to fill them in on county business and ask their opinion on something being considered.

“When he would get on something and wanted it he would really push to get it. He wanted a consensus and he worked to get that, but we always made the comment that Mark could count to three,” Commissioner 10 Mike Sorrells said.

Mark Swanger wields a pair of scissors at the ribbon cutting for the historic courthouse renovation in 2009. Swanger’s tenure was marked by an aggressive construction campaign to modernize county facilities. Among the myriad construction projects, the renovation of the historic courthouse was a top accomplishment. File photo Swanger’s closest friend and ally on the board was Commissioner Kevin Ensley. The men talked daily. As a Republican, Ensley got heat from some in his party for being so chummy with Swanger and usually voting in lockstep with him.

Swanger said the relationship with Ensley wasn’t a one-way street.

“It is good to get Kevin’s perspective on things,” Swanger said. “The county is now almost evenly split on political philosophy, so I value his input. He’s a friend.”

Ensley said Swanger genuinely wanted to keep them in the loop.

“We bounced ideas off each other and it helped us come to a solution. If he called me with a problem, he would ask what I think about it,” Ensley said.

Swanger rejects the notion that his frequent contact with fellow board members was designed to shore up his agenda or keep the troops in line.

“We have a very intelligent board. There’s people with a lot of common sense. You get a better product if everyone is involved,” Swanger said.

Still, Swanger couldn’t always pull it off.

His final initiative in public office — building a $3.5 million animal shelter — was the only major issue where he couldn’t rally the whole board. Kirkpatrick and Sorrells both voted against it. The animal shelter is perhaps the biggest blemish on Swanger’s record in the court of public opinion.

“I think a lot of people out there in the community are disappointed with him building this,” Francis said.

But Swanger never tried to cut deals to get votes.

“You see politicians in DC say ‘If you vote for this I’ll vote for that.’ We never did any of

that. We did what was right for the county,” Ensley said.

Upton said he never felt pressured by Swanger’s frequent contact with the other commissioners.

“I know Mark better than anybody, and I go back to the comment I made earlier. He lets you voice your opinion one-on-one and you still come out friends,” Upton said. “I think he does two things well. He make sure the research is done by county staff and gets it

“He has a great mind.

You could say he has a gift. He put his whole heart and mind into it. I think the whole board will miss that.”

— Kevin Ensley, Haywood County commissioner

out to us, and lets us talk through the issues at meetings. You make a better decision when you get everybody’s viewpoint.”

When Swanger lost the commissioners election in 2006, Smoky Mountain News Editor Scott McLeod wrote in an editorial that Swanger’s trait as an idea man would be missed — an assessment that still rings true as Swanger steps down from public life for good.

“What Haywood County loses as Swanger prepares to depart is someone with ideas.

Whether one agreed or disagreed with Swanger, he implemented procedures to encourage public discourse and then tried to extract policy ideas from that input,” McLeod

wrote in the 2006 editorial.

Swanger was never locked in by the way things were, and was always looking for a better way.

“I have a hard time accepting the status quo,” Swanger said.

A fiscally conservative Democrat, Swanger didn’t play party politics.

Brandon Rogers, a Republican who won Swanger’s vacant seat in the recent November commissioner election — the chairman will be selected by commissioners after they are seated — said Swanger looked past opposing party affiliations.

“He treated me with utmost respect and made me feel welcome and offered me any support I needed,” Rogers said.

Swanger prefers to be called progressive rather than liberal.

“Liberalism has often been confused with irresponsibility,” Swanger said. “A progressive view doesn’t mean you are reckless with county funds.”

Despite a Democratic majority on the county board, Swanger’s tenure wasn’t characterized by runaway spending.

“With Mark, it was always about the taxpayer. He wanted to find solutions that ensured the taxpayer was getting the best bang for its buck,” said Patsy Davis, the director of Mountain Projects.

NO REGRETS

Swanger has surprisingly few regrets for a man who spent the past 20 years in local politics.

He couldn’t name a single case, despite digging deep in the mental filing cabinet, where he would have voted differently if given the chance.

recently a outdoor shooting range ordinance and rules regulating the proximity of highimpact development to churches, schools and nursing homes.

“There has been more planning than people can think,” Swanger said. “If you try to do it all at one time, you get nothing. You have to take what you can get sometimes. You can take a big enough bite that you will choke if you aren’t careful. But not enough has been done. There needs to be more planning without question.”

LIFE AND TIMES Swanger has justified his departure from public life as a second-crack at retirement, which is now overdue. He’s looking forward to more time with his grandkids on his farm in Fines Creek, and crossing off his bucket list traveling with his wife Sue, a professor in the Western Carolina University College of Business, including a long-anticipated a trip on the Trans-Siberian railroad.

Swanger is considered a native son of Haywood County, given his family roots in Fines Creek go back several generations. But he actually grew up in Brevard, where his dad moved to take a factory job with Ecusta.

Swanger dodged a little when asked who he got his intelligence from.

“That’s assuming I have intelligence,” Swanger said.

When pressed, Swanger gave in and shared the story of his great-grandfather. A farmer’s son from the hinterlands of Fines Creek, he got a scholarship to Vanderbilt and 371-14

“He out-works you. He out-researches you. I think that separates him.

And he is still that way, very focused. I was impressed with his intellect the first time I met him.”

— Bill Upton, Haywood County commissioner and former school board chair

went on to medical school.

He finished first in his class, but came back home to be a country doctor in his own Fines Creek community. That was 100 years ago, but Swanger still has his medical bag.

“He was just a brilliant man,” Swanger said.

Swanger’s family were typical Appalachian agrarians. “They were all very bright, but not highly educated,” Swanger said.

On the wall of Swanger’s home office, there’s a photo of himself as a young man with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. He aspired to be an FBI agent from a young age and worked his way up in the agency, eventually landing the role of a field supervisor overseeing FBI operations for East Tennessee. In 1990, he built a house on his family land and made Fines Creek his home for good.

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Running for office wasn’t on his mind then.

“No, I didn’t have any idea. I was just trying to raise a family and work,” he said.

Swanger said his political life had one over-arching goal above the rest.

“I care about what happens in Haywood County. My children live here and my grandchildren live here and it’s my home and I care,” Swanger said. “I wanted good schools for my grandchildren and good job opportunities for them and I wanted them to say with pride they were from Haywood County.”

Perhaps it’s fitting that an FBI agent who spent untold hours listening to wiretaps of corrupt politicians would go into politics himself.

To this day, Swanger abhors those who use their political posts for personal gain or financial leverage.

“We’d go eat lunch with somebody and they’d want to pay for it, and he wouldn’t let them. We had to pay for our own. To him even something small like that wasn’t alright,” Ensley said. “There’s nothing he’s ever done to benefit himself.”

That sentiment was expressed time and again by those asked to weigh in on Swanger’s tenure.

“The thing I always think of when I think of Mark Swanger is every decision I have ever been around him or watched him make, it has been in the best interest of those we serve.

It was never for some personal motive. You never had to worry about that with Mark,” Davis said. “Whether you agreed with his decisions or not, he always had the best interest of Haywood County at heart.”

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But he does have a major regret.

“I wish we had been able to do more in the way of land-use planning. I don’t want the county to be reactive to growth,” Swanger said. “Regardless of how you feel about the land, there has to be planning, otherwise you will end up with a county you don’t recognize over time. Haywood County is growing and changing, and planning is going to be the challenge of the next decade.”

Swanger wishes he’d gotten the ball rolling on land-use planning during his tenure. At a base level, it goes against his grain not to plan.

“Planning is the key to everything,” Swanger said. “If you don’t plan you are always reacting. It may be under time constraints, and your chances of mistakes increase exponentially if you don’t plan.”

But Swanger also holds deep reverence for Haywood County’s landscape and sense of place.

Land is important to Swanger personally.

His mountainside home overlooks 100 acres of rolling pasture and forest that have been in his family for generations. Over the years, he amassed tracts left to other heirs to keep the land intact and recently placed the acreage in a conservation easement to ensure its legacy and prevent it from ever being developed.

Swanger didn’t ignore land-use planning altogether.

There were many small steps over the past dozen years: a subdivision ordinance ensuring proper road construction, steep slope imposing a modicum of regulation on mountainside construction, a trailer park ordinance, a junkyard ordinance, and most

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Planning Jackson’s future

Smoky Mountain News

County seeks input on draft comprehensive plan

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BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER s the saying goes, change is life’s only constant — so Jackson County is looking for input to guide its approach to the changes that the next 25 years are likely to bring.

For the past two years, a steering committee made up of leaders from sectors spanning government, education, health, business and transportation has been working to hammer out a consensus on what the county’s future needs might be and how to meet them as they transpire. Now, a draft comprehensive plan is days away from being published and the Jackson County Planning Department is hosting a round of public meetings to get input on the document.

“I hope we get a lot of feedback,” said

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County Planner Michael Poston. “Positive or negative, at least it gives us an idea of how we put together this plan. This isn’t a stopping point. It’s not like we have this plan in draft form and we’re not going to make any changes to it. We want to take into account all those different comments that we get and see how it could make the plan better and more reflective of the community.”

The wide-ranging plan addresses everything from encouraging multi-modal transportation and increasing recreational opportunities to promoting community planning and increasing housing opportunities. It includes broad goals as well as specific objectives for a wide range of issues and Michael Poston breaks down the objectives into more than 200 “action items,” each of which is coded as either a short-term, mid-term, long-term or ongoing endeavor. Generally speaking, Poston said, a short-term project might be completed within three years, while a mid-term project would take four to 10 years and a long-term project would take more than 10 years.

“It’s not a sprint,” Poston said. “This isn’t something that’s all going to happen like that.

It takes time.”

But agreeing on the goals and starting discussions as to how to attain them is a pivotal component of growing the county in a positive direction, Poston said.

F

SMORGASBORD OF TOPICS

— Michael Poston, Jackson County planner

folks living in other counties that commute into Jackson County because they’re not finding a whole lot in that workforce type of housing market,” Poston said.

Developing policies that encourage highdensity housing — like condos and apartments — and ensuring that the infrastructure is in place to support that type of housing are two potential solutions mentioned in the draft plan. Policies to promote the maintenance of existing homes could also help, as could continued partnerships with assistance-providing organizations like Mountain Projects.

Broadband internet is another issue the plan addresses, and it goes hand-in-hand with housing.

“What do you do to buy a new home? You take out your phone and you’re looking — do I have a signal?” Poston said.

If potential residents can’t get internet at the property they’re investigating, they’re less likely to move in. Broadband availability is an issue across the mountains, with rugged topography and sparse populations making it difficult to deliver the service to the region’s remote hills and hollers.

Approaches outlined in the plan include encouraging open communication between various types of utility providers through formation of a utility consortium, which could lead to opportunities such as co-location and private partnerships. An inventory of existing resources should be completed, the plan says, along with exploration of funding options and a point person to pursue them. The plan outlines some specific partnerships that should be explored and suggests that wireless hot spots be created at locations such as fire stations, community centers and recreation centers.

Transportation planning also figures heavily into the plan, though a separate plan is currently being completed — guided by the same steering committee — to address transportation specifically.

Alternative transportation is a big push in

A MOVING TARGET Of course, another aspect of the plan will have to be flexibility. A county can anticipate the future, but it can never foresee it.

For instance, Poston said, Jackson County’s last comprehensive plan was completed in the early 2000s. Then, “2008 happened and every plan that was made before that — you can’t predict something like that.

That changed everything.”

But having some sense of direction is pivotal to making important advancements come to pass, even if those goals are attained years or even decades later than originally anticipated. The first comprehensive plan developed in Jackson County came about in 1974, and when Poston dug it up he discovered that many of the goals contained there didn’t come to pass until much later.

For instance, the plan called for creation of a water and sewer authority, adoption of subdivision standards, a sedimentation control ordinance and zoning in strategic areas.

The Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority didn’t come into being until 1992, a sedimentation control ordinance was adopted in 2000, Cashiers became the county’s first zoning district in 2003 and subdivision standards weren’t adopted until 2007.

“It takes time, but if you don’t start planning for it in 1974, by the time the ordinance came in 2004 you hadn’t talked about it,” Poston said.

Smoky Mountain News

Infrastructure has a bigger influence on development in the mountains than in flatter areas, because the topography doesn’t allow those systems to be ubiquitous.

“Water and sewer, that’s the big driver,” Mau said. “Where does it already exist and how can we encourage development in those areas?”

The plan recommends that small area plans be completed for unincorporated communities like Cullowhee, Cashiers and the U.S. 441 corridor. These plans would follow a process similar to the comprehensive plan but focus on those particular communities rather than on the county as a whole, creating a vision for the community’s future.

“You create a document that says what the community wants to be when it grows up,” Poston explained.

Housing is another pivotal issue that the draft plan explores. It’s hard for working families in Jackson County to find quality housing that’s accessible to their income level, Poston said, and that can result in economic loss to the county.

“What we hear anecdotally from the university and from the hospital is we see a lot of

A series of community meetings has been scheduled to take input on the draft Jackson County comprehensive plan, which outlines goals for the next two decades covering everything from education to infrastructure. All meetings will be drop-in sessions running from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Jackson County Planning Department is in the process of formatting the draft document and will post it at www.jacksonnc.org/planning.html prior to the first meeting.

• Tuesday, Nov. 29, at the Jackson County Department on Aging on 100 County Services Park, Sylva.

• Monday, Dec. 5, at the Tuckasegee VFW on 26 Canada Road, Tuckasegee.

• Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the Qualla Community Building on 180 Shoal Creek Church Loop, Whittier.

• Monday, Dec. 12, at the Cashiers Library on 249 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers.

• Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Savannah Community Building on 611 East Fork Road, Sylva.

November 23-29, 2016

“I hope we get a lot of feedback. Positive or negative, at least it gives us an idea of how we put together this plan. This isn’t a stopping point.”

Be heard

incorporate some of those concepts into how you grow to accommodate some of the growth we see coming.”

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Many topics are covered in the plan, and it’s difficult to predict which of them might provoke the most discussion, whether positive or negative.

“I think that’s going to depend on who happens to show up on a given night,” said Ron Mau, who represents the Village of Forest Hills on the steering committee and will take office as a Jackson County commissioner in December. “I think the big thing now is to get people to show up to these meetings.”

Poston expects that aspects of the plan dealing with land development might garner some comment, simply because land use regulations typically do generate concern among mountain residents. For the most part, however, he said the regulations being proposed in the plan would apply only to major subdivisions, not smaller projects such as parents wanting to subdivide their property to deed to their children.

However, land use will need to be a continuing topic of discussion as the county develops, Poston said. Jackson County has a limited supply of buildable land, with most of the land that’s suitable for construction falling within existing towns and communities.

“I think what that really leads to is we want to be really thoughtful in how we approach growth and development,” Poston said. “I think a lot of what we recommend in there (the plan) really looks at how we grow in areas that will have existing infrastructure and how we maintain that infrastructure.”

the draft plan. There’s a good reason for that, Poston said, and it has to do with Jackson County’s lack of accessible routes for road construction. Topography makes it expensive, if not impossible, to build new roads, so existing arteries have to handle the always-increasing number of cars on the road. For instance, N.C. 107 from Sylva to Cullowhee is currently in line for an improvement project that will markedly increase its traffic handling capacity, but by the time the 25 years covered by the new comprehensive plan is over, even expanded capacity may not be enough.

“Even calculating that improvement and what it would do to increase capacity, by 2040 — which is our target year — we’re actually nearing capacity on 107,” Poston said. “There’s not a lot of options to where you go from there. You can’t just go 100 feet over and build a new road. Multi-modal transportation becomes a conversation that can help with that.”

Multi-modal transportation could mean bike paths, walking trails and sidewalks.

Expansion of local and regional transit options could also play a role.

Infrastructure aimed at multi-modal transportation would be focused in places where populations are already concentrated, Poston said. For instance, Dillsboro, Sylva and Webster are already closely connected, so providing walking and biking routes between the three communities would make sense — much more sense than building sidewalks throughout Caney Fork, for instance.

“Not that it’s ever going to be Asheville or a big city,” Poston said, “but I think you can

13

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Swain hospital makes changes to ER Administrators promise the same level of service

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR wain Community Hospital has announced plans to change how it operates its Emergency Department, but administrators say the hospital will continue to provide the same level of 24-hour emergency care to patients.

Beginning Jan. 3, the emergency room at Swain will begin using a new model in which the ER is staffed with providers and nursing staff for 16 hours of the day (8 a.m. to midnight) and the remaining eight hours will be staffed with an “in-house provider.” That inhouse provider working overnight may not always be a physician — it could be a nurse practitioner or a physician’s assistant.

Steve Heatherly, CEO of Swain Community Hospital and Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, said that NPs and PAs could manage an ER department in the same capacity as a physician. Hospitals relying more on these mid-level providers as opposed to physicians is a trend that’s growing across the country, according to Heatherly.

“There are ERs in the country that operate with no physicians at all — they’re staffed exclusively by mid-level providers,” he said.

Lucretia F. Stargell, Swain Community Hospital administrator, said the in-house provider would be able to prioritize the degrees of urgency for patients coming into the emergency room as well as manage care for patients admitted in the hospital. With the very low volume of patients in the ER between midnight and 8 a.m., Stargell said she isn’t worried about patients experiencing a long wait or having to travel to another hospital.

“Swain Community Hospital is committed to delivering high-quality care close to home for the people of Western North Carolina,” she said. “To do this, we regularly evaluate our services to ensure that we are

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

S

providing access to the care our community members need, when and where they need it.”

Dr. Frank VanMiddlesworth, an ER physician at Swain Community Hospital, has been vocal in his opposition to the changes coming down the pipe for the emergency room. He said the decision was handed down unilaterally from Duke LifePoint — the for-profit company that purchased the hospital in 2013 — without input from the community.

“Without input from anyone who lives or works in Swain County, DLP has decided to eliminate the two night ER nurse positions at Swain Hospital — no ER can function without nurses,” he said. “This would be a severe blow to the health and welfare of our community and we ask all our residents to raise up the DLP administrators in prayer since this decision needs to be reconsidered.”

Heatherly said the decision to make a change in the ER was not made without careful thought and consideration by the hospitals’ joint board of directors. He said he is still working through the transition concerns with the hospital staff.

“We’ve discussed this openly with our board members who are representative of the community,” he said. “The past couple of weeks as we go through the process with staff, we’ve fielded tough questions, which is good because that helps us work it out.”

VanMiddlesworth said he was also concerned with how the change could impact Swain hospital’s longstanding designation as a Critical Access Hospital since it is the only hospital for 68 miles between Sylva and Murphy. He said cutting positions from the ER would threaten that designation, which allows the hospital to receive higher reimbursement for some services.

“Without nurses in the ER the highest level of care in Swain and Graham counties would be for patients to seek treatment at the ambulance stations where EMTs are trained in emergency services and would more quickly get patients to a functioning ER,” VanMiddlesworth said.

Again, hospital administrators say that isn’t true. Heatherly said the hospital has had an open dialogue with the state about its plans to change emergency services and the new plan has been approved.

“This is not a conversation that’s new to them in rural communities that have low volume overnight,” he said. “I find Dr. VanMiddlesworth’s comments unfortunate

and not always based in fact.”

Stargell said the hospital has also had an open discussion about the changes with Swain and Graham county commissioners and their respective Emergency Management departments. It’s important for EMTs to understand the new model and be able to make the most informed decisions when deciding where to transport a patient.

“We need their expertise and we need to work together as we plan to roll this out,” she said.

Heatherly also denied that the change was made simply to save money. As with any business, he said hospitals have to respond to changes in the market and adjust operations accordingly to best serve its customers.

Changing the model for how the ER functions will allow Swain hospital to reallocate resources where they are most needed.

“Certainly we’ve seen some changes in that market and we have to adapt our busi-

ness model to the changes,” he said. “These operational changes are designed to allow us to operate more efficiently and have a more sustainable model for Swain.”

Stargell said the change would allow Swain hospital to expand some other services — including endoscopy, a sleep lab, a new CT scanner, and the addition of more physicians to provide primary and subspecialty care. Having more physicians on staff means fewer residents will have to travel to other counties for medical services.

“In March we got a new pediatrician who is staying extremely busy in Swain County and next summer we’ll have another physician at Swain Family Care, so access is expanding,” she said.

While he couldn’t give a specific number, Heatherly acknowledged that the ER staffing changes would impact several hospital positions. He said they are working to shift people into different positions instead of laying them off.

“That’s one thing we’ve been very diligent about — we don’t want to lose good employees to the organization even if their job changes,” he said.

Lastly, Stargell wanted to assure residents that the hospital would still provide quality emergency services while continuing to expand in other needed areas. She said Swain Community Hospital is in good standing and the ER changes are not a precursor to a hospital closure.

“The ER is not closing — we’ll have a provider in the building and nursing staff in the building,” she said. “If people are having an emergency situation, they will come to the hospital to be evaluated and get further treatment if needed — the same standard as we have today — then they are transferred to the appropriate facility if needed.”

Franklin Chamber of Commerce finds new home Members asked to help through sponsorships

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR The Franklin Chamber of Commerce is looking for financial support from the community to purchase new office space.

Linda Harbuck, executive director of the chamber, said the chamber has been looking for new office space for several years but the need recently became more urgent. The North Carolina Department of Transportation will soon begin a bridge replacement project in Franklin that will cause traffic to be redirected at the intersection on Porter Street in front of the current chamber office.

14 “That traffic shift will necessitate our relocation,”

Harbuck said in a letter to members. “As many of you know, the chamber has been interested in relocating to a larger, updated facility for years. We wanted a more high-traffic location to give our members the highest possible exposure.

To that point, the perfect opportunity has been presented.”

The chamber is planning to purchase the former Simple Elegance building located at 98 Hyatt Road in the Holly Springs Shopping Center. Located on the U.S. 441 bypass, Harbuck said the location has traffic counts of over 19,000 vehicles a day — a significant increase over the Porter Street location.

“With excellent signage, our visibility will be greatly increased,” she said.

The new modernized building has two stories and about 8,000 square feet of space. Harbuck said the space would be used for the visitor center, a cyber café where visitors can use free Wi-Fi and a walk-through promotional area displaying things to do while visiting Franklin. The building would also

accommodate staff offices, office rental space, a conference room and a large open space for events and workshops.

The chamber is offering four options for members who want to help with the effort to purchase the new building.

Members can sponsor a room for $2,000 or sponsor a big screen TV for $2,000 or a donation. They can also sponsor booth space in the walk-through promotional area — $36 a month for a 12-sqaure foot booth and up to $180 a month for 90 square feet of booth space.

Members can pay for the booth space on an annual basis and are responsible for maintaining the display.

The chamber is also setting up appointments to show the rental and advertising space in the building, along with room sponsorship opportunities.

“We expect the four upstairs rental offices to go quickly,” Harbuck said. “We plan to have then rented by Dec. 15.”

To schedule an appointment, call 828.524.3161.

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Canton undergoes visual rebranding

16

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER To the naked eye, there appears to be a lot going right in Canton these days.

The town has recently attracted major businesses from Asheville and Waynesville — Western Carolina Freightliner and Bearwaters Brewing, respectively — and also seen vigorous new development in its recently streetscaped downtown corridor.

Now, Canton has its sights set on a comprehensive rebranding effort, meant to serve as a visual public relations statement of what the town is rapidly becoming.

“Image is everything,” said Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss. “Having a brand that’s inspiring, edgy and fresh conveys a municipality that has a vision.”

Indeed, the science of branding has been critically important for decades — recall Mail Pouch Tobacco, Coca-Cola and even Milton Glaser’s famous “I ♥ NY” campaign — and has become even more so in the internet age, where savvy businesspeople and upwardly mobile families alike can easily evaluate where, exactly, they’d like to live, work and play.

A municipality’s brand is among the first things one would encounter during a job or home search, and can make or break a first impression.

Canton Alderman Zeb Smathers attested to the importance of the new brand.

“The redesign of our town’s logo is the next bold step in redefining how others see Canton,” he said. It joins an improved website and marketing plan that we hope continues the success in having people across the region see Canton as viable small town for families, recreation and business.

Hendler-Voss supposes that this is the

first such effort undertaken by the town “probably since the ‘70s.”

This year’s town budget allocated $5,000 toward the design of a new logo, the colors, fonts, and styles of which will be incorporated into its new $25,000 website.

The proposed design, which will eventually become ubiquitous on the town’s marketing materials and other such branding opportunities, was presented to the town board by local design firm Creative Campfire.

Founded in 2014 by Maggie Valley native

Jacob Sutton, his brother Luke and lifelong friend Chris Pruett, Creative Campfire is a full-service marketing firm that produces audio, video, print advertising and graphic design for clients like Cataloochee Ski Area, Haywood Community College and Sunburst Farms.

Jacob Sutton attended Southwestern Community College, where he studied graphic design. He serves as the company’s creative director as well as director of photography for video production.

Sutton became a self-taught videographer after a suffering an injury that prevented him from snowboarding. He began filming friends snowboarding and “fell in love” with filmmaking, which then led him to travel throughout the west coast and Asia as director of photography for a professional snowboarding movie.

Luke Sutton is the firm’s photographer, colorist, and drone pilot; Pruett films, sometimes directs, does some design work and also heads up the audio department.

“Whether it’s video production, graphic design or photography, we live for telling

stories and strive to put story at the heart of each project,” Jacob Sutton said. “We wanted to tell Canton’s story.”

The story Sutton and his firm were trying to tell with their work on Canton’s logo is one that incorporates the major elements the town offers — industry and environment.

Sutton’s firm presented the preliminary logo to Canton’s town board Nov. 10.

Central to the image is the paper mill that has dominates the town’s landscape; illustrated in a deep grey, it lies embedded in but also in stark contrast to semicircular green arcs meant to portray Canton’s majestic mountain backdrop, as well as the wavy blue lines depicting the Pigeon River that runs through town.

All that imagery is enclosed by a big maroon “C” fashioned to look like the proverbial gears of industry that have driven Canton almost since the day it was a sleepy hamlet called Buford.

“We got an overwhelming amount of positive feedback on it,” Sutton said.

Canton’s Town Board will revisit the logo at its next scheduled meeting, where they will accept it, tweak it, send Creative Campfire back to the drawing board or do nothing at all.

“My final feeling on the logo will be determined by the opinions of the public,” Smathers said.

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER Canton officials may be starting to wonder if plans to replace the town’s aging public pool aren’t cursed.

Acquiring a USDA loan was supposed to be the easiest part of the process, but that failed to transpire when the federal agency reallocated funding for the loan program earlier this fall.

Town board members decided to push ahead anyway by seeking commercial financing for the project and ramping up grassroots fundraising. The board also asked for bids from contractors interested in taking on the work.

But as of Nov. 16, only one bid was submitted. North Carolina law requires three bids.

“I would discourage the public from reading too much into this outcome,” said Canton Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss.

“It’s not really indicative of the feasibility of the project.”

Hendler-Voss offered three reasons for the lack of bids — some contractors, he said, didn’t have enough time to prepare a bid, others couldn’t take on the project because it would have exceeded their bonding limits and still others were simply overburdened with existing work and didn’t have the capacity to take on another project.

Canton’s original timeline for the project had scheduled a required public hearing for Nov. 29, but because the town must now readvertise the call for bids, that public hearing has been rescheduled for Jan. 3.

Jan. 3 was supposed to be the day that the town applied for project approval from the Local Government Commission, however the LGC, Hendler-Voss said, needs to know that a public hearing has been held and also needs detailed information on how much the project will cost and who will perform the work.

Without a contractor, Canton doesn’t have an exact figure for how much the project will cost, which means Canton won’t have accurate loan information to present to the public and to the LGC. Groundbreaking was slated for February 2017 — a possibility that is looking less and less likely as the project makes halting progress; that, in turn, may push the pool’s projected late-June opening back even further.

“I still feel good about it,” Hendler-Voss said. “I think there’s a good chance the new pool will still be open by summer’s end.”

In the event the new pool project falls through completely, the existing pool will not reopen, he said, citing the cost of bringing it up to code. If that becomes the case, it would be the first time in at least 70 years that Western North Carolina residents won’t be able to while away their summer days in the area’s only public pool.

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Canton pool project hits another setback

17

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

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Expansion, safety improvements for Waynesville concrete plant

18

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER early a decade ago, Southern Concrete Materials began toying with the prospect of leaving its 201 Boundary St., location for more favorable digs.

Then the Great Recession hit.

But on Tuesday, Nov. 8, SCM sent a clear signal Western North Carolina is still slowly emerging from that recession.

Hoping to consolidate and expand its services, SCM recently purchased a 3.07-acre parcel at 120 Railroad St., that lies just north of and adjacent to a 4.8-acre parcel it already owns at 50 Vigoro Lane.

That Vigoro Lane parcel has been home to a redi-mix concrete plant used by SCM when business volume or construction site locations warrant. Regional Manager of SCM John Bryson said the plant had been in use when Walmart was built around 2008, and intermittently thereafter.

Several months ago, SCM asked the town of Waynesville to rezone the parcels from Hazelwood Urban Residential District in the case of Railroad Street and Hyatt Creek Regional Center Commercial for Vigoro Lane.

After passing the planning board Sept.

19, SCM’s request was temporarily tabled due to inadequate public notice for the town’s proposed public hearing. The request was then passed back to the planning board, where another public hearing was conduct-

N

ed Oct. 17.

The Town’s public hearing — the third on the issue — was held Nov. 8, and was also the third meeting to feature no comments from the general public whatsoever.

The planning board recommended to aldermen both times that the request be granted; Waynesville Development Services Director Elizabeth Teague likewise opined that the rezoning was in accord with the Waynesville 2020 land development plan.

By unaniThe newly-rezoned Vigoro mous vote, the Lane plant owned by Board of Southern Concrete Aldermen agreed Materials. Cory Vaillancourt photo with Teague and the planning board, granting SCM’s request to change both parcels to Commercial-Industrial District zoning, which will allow SCM to improve the parcels in order to accommodate what it hopes is an expanded operation.

A privately owned family company with a long history in Western North Carolina, SCM boasts past projects like the Biltmore

Building and the Federal Building in Asheville as well as the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. It also claims more than 175 mixer trucks, 300 employees and 30 locations in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Prior to the recession, the Boundary Street location employed about 22 people full-time, company officials said during the town’s public hearing. The business hopes to one day return to the 35-plus it employed before real estate markets crashed and lending markets tightened, putting the kibosh on new construction starts across the region.

Bryson said SCM currently runs less than 20 trucks each day to and from its Boundary Street location, where SCM has been since 1984. If things pan out, neighbors on Vigoro Lane could see up to 30 a day when business grows.

Judging from the lack of public concern and what Bryson said was a good relationship with neighbors in the residential district just north of the Railroad Street parcel, there shouldn’t be any problems with the increased traffic. “Even when we have operated two or three days in succession, we haven’t really had complaints,� he said. “I guess we’ll try to be prepared for that, but I wouldn’t say I’m anticipating that.�

Bryson was also optimistic about the prospect of leaving downtown, which he said “can get really busy.� But SCM officials said Nov. 8 that they wouldn’t be able to leave Boundary Street until they could somehow dispose of the property.

SCM also has plans to straighten out the hairpin turn on Vigoro Lane that leads in to the existing plant; currently, truck drivers heading in to the plant make an almost 180 degree turn to the left that leaves them crossing railroad tracks while looking back behind them, over their right shoulders.

The new grade crossing will be much straighter, safer, and more efficient in accommodating trucks entering and leaving the plant.

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Public restrooms, art coming to Hazelwood Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown tasked newly hired Town Manager Rob Hites with completing those negotiations, which ended up including a $5,400 payment to the trust for lost rent on buildings left vacant in anticipation of demolition.

Those buildings, the Olde Time Insurance building off Hazelwood Avenue and Bill’s Barber Shop on Brown Avenue, will indeed be demolished and a rough grading will be performed immediately, making way for expanded parking over the upcoming holidays.

As asphalt plants are expected to be closed for the season by the time the town completes demolition and grading, paving will not take place until early spring.

The demolition, paving and striping are expected to cost $100,000, but Aldermen Jon Feichter and Julia Freeman requested an additional $75,000 to construct public restrooms and purchase an electric vehicle charging station similar to the one at Waynesville’s old city hall.

The restrooms and charging station will be placed in the middle of the lot; a proposed section of the lot adjacent to Hazelwood Avenue will be dedicated as the Robert and Viola Forga public art parcel.

Terms of the lease will also allow the town to utilize the lot for street fairs or other temporary public events — something made much easier with the inclusion of the public restrooms.

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER The tiny but blossoming business community along Hazelwood Avenue is about to get a major boost from the town of Waynesville.

Lack of parking has long been an issue for the block-long central business district in the now-defunct municipality of Hazelwood, but now that an agreement has been reached to lease the lot, plans to expand and beautify it will move forward.

Business owners, employees and shoppers in the district can now look forward to a lot with almost triple the original capacity of 31 spaces, as well as public restrooms and a mini-park that will serve as home to yet another piece of Waynesville’s popular and successful public art program.

The lease — between Waynesville and property owner Viola N. Forga Living Trust — calls for payments of $850 per month for five years.

The lessee has the option to renew the lease four more times for five years each with a 9-percent increase in rent for each subsequent renewal, and will be responsible for the continual upkeep of the parcel, including regular repairs, trash disposal and sweeping.

Negotiations on that lease began last fall, but somehow slipped through the cracks as town officials became preoccupied with other matters.

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beverly-hanks.com for details on any property, enter the MLS # into quick search

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Water restrictions continue in WNC Municipalities and water districts in the region are still asking water customers to conserve water as drought conditions continue.

Waynesville water customers are under a voluntary conservation notice while Junaluska Sanitary District has asked its customers to reduce their normal water use by 5 percent.

Canton and Clyde have implemented Stage 2 of their water conservation procedures, which means customers are

expected to use 25 percent less water due to the drought conditions. Maggie Valley Sanitary District customers are still being asked to reduce usage by 10 percent.

Water customers in Jackson, Macon and Swain counties are all under a voluntary conservation notice.

Make a big impact by shopping small Shoppers who are planning to hit retailers the weekend after Thanksgiving should also remember to visit local mer-

chants for their holiday shopping for the Shop Small Saturday initiative.

“Small business represents 99.7 percent of all U.S. employers, and they provide jobs for 58 million Americans,” said Gregg Thompson, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's and North Carolina's leading small-business association.

Western North Carolina towns of Bryson City, Franklin, Sylva and Waynesville have no shortage of small-town businesses offering one-of-a-kind items perfect for anyone on your gift list.

Smoky Mountain News

and constitute a menace to the health, safety, morals and welfare of the citizens of the State and impair economic values.”

Troublingly, the law has asserted since its inception that there is a “serious shortage of decent, safe and sanitary housing in North Carolina that can be afforded by persons and families of moderate income.”

Aside from recognizing problems in the North Carolina housing market, the North Carolina Housing Authorities Law also gives the county the power to “investigate into living, dwelling and housing conditions and into the means and methods of improving such conditions,” which the county’s been actively doing for several months now.

This past spring, the county commissioned a task force to study the problem of affordable housing locally. The Haywood County Affordable Housing Task Force has since met twice, issuing a disturbing baseline study that says, among other things, that salaries aren’t keeping pace with housing prices, half of all renters in Haywood County and a third of homeowners pay too much and minimum wage workers must labor 86 hours a week just to afford average rents.

Other laws give the county the power to induce bond sales.

A conglomerate of companies including North Carolina-based Sari and Associates,

November 23-29, 2016

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER uring his tenure on the Haywood County Commission, retiring Chairman Mark Swanger has certainly shaped what the future of the county will look like for decades to come.

Whether it’s the transparency and professionalism he’s brought to county government or the more recent bricks-and-mortar works like the new animal shelter, Swanger’s handiwork is far too prolific to list.

But he may have just saved the best for last.

At his final meeting as chairman on Nov. 21, Swanger and the Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to begin addressing what many see as the county’s most pressing issue — affordable housing.

North Carolina General Statutes allow the county to act as a housing authority pursuant to the North Carolina Housing Authorities Law. That law — first passed in 1935 and last amended in 1987 — recognizes that “unsanitary or unsafe dwelling accommodations exist in urban and rural areas throughout the State.”

It goes on to state that “many persons of low income are forced to occupy overcrowded and congested dwelling accommodations” and that those conditions result in “an increase in and spread of disease and crime

revenues derived from the sale and/or rental of the units would be used to pay back the investors who purchased the bonds in the first place.

It’s not anticipated that the developers will use all $45 million for the project.

Francis said that they arrived at the number because if not enough bonds were issued, the county would again have to go through a lengthy process to issue more.

Some initial out-of-pocket costs during the process would be incurred by the county — all of which will be reimbursed by the developers. The relatively small size of the hospital project made the inducement of bonds cost prohibitive until the addition of the two other parcels, totaling about 20 acres.

Francis stressed that the issuance of the bonds is not a tax increase, and not a debt the county will incur; in essence, Francis said, there is “very low risk” to the county.

“These bonds do not constitute a debt or a pledge of money or credit of Haywood County,” he said. “Haywood County is the gatekeeper of the program. By passing this resolution we are saying this project has merit and should be pursued, and we’d like developers to begin the physical and fiscal work that needs to be done to initiate this project.”

Although commissioners did initiate the project with their vote Nov. 21, it’s only the first step. Developers must still qualify for the tax exempt bonds, which isn’t expected until August.

Between now and then, commissioners will still have to hold a public hearing, gain approval from the NC Local Government Commission and then take a final vote on the matter.

However, the commissioners who vote on the issue in 2017 aren’t exactly the ones who approved the preliminary measure Nov. 21.

Swanger’s retirement leaves an open seat on the commission, which will be filled by Brandon Rogers. Rogers was the top vote getter during the Nov. 8 election and will be sworn in before the next commission meeting, which takes place Dec. 5.

“I’m in favor of it,” said Rogers. “As I said during the campaign, affordable housing is high on my agenda of things I want to get taken care of, because it’s definitely an issue here in the county.”

Rogers said he felt comfortable with the initiative, as well as with the public’s perception of the deal.

“The risk is, a lot of people think there will be a tax increase, when that’s not the case,” he said. “Matter of fact, it will stay the same. If anything it [taxes] could go down possibly.”

news

Haywood moves to solve affordable housing crisis

Georgia-based Ironwood Capital and N.C.based Development Resources have requested the county use that power to issue $45 million in multi-family housing revenue bonds to finance the acquisition, renovation and construction of up to 300 affordable housing units.

Included in their plans are the repurposing of the troubled Historic Haywood Hospital — a $70,000 per year millstone around the county’s neck — and new construction on two parcels off Jule Noland Drive near another affordable housing complex for seniors.

The first parcel is a C-shaped 9.08-acre tract that wraps around and in front of Bojangle’s on Dellwood Road as well as behind it, and has frontage on both Russ Avenue and Dellwood Road. It’s currently owned by Harmon Graham Properties of Shelbyville, Tennessee, and was last assessed at $902,000.

The second is a 10.59-acre plot owned by Southland Community Development of Atlanta, which sits further along Jule Noland Drive, just east-southeast of The Great Laurels of Junaluska, an income- and agerestricted affordable housing community; the parcel backs up to single family homes on Rolling Green Drive and was last assessed at $529,500.

The conglomerate’s plan is to create about 50 senior housing units at the former hospital, and also build in some office space on the first floor. The other two parcels will eventually contain a hundred or more units each in a development now known as Brookmont Lofts.

Developer Sari and Associates is helmed

by Jim Sari, who headed the Landmark Group, which was unsuccessful in seeking tax credits for the hospital project last year. Only two such adaptive projects were chosen to receive the credits across the state, and only a handful in all of Western North Carolina.

County Tax Administrator David Francis told commissioners at the meeting that Sari and others hoped to try a different approach this time, as the prognosis for acquiring tax credits in 2017 looks less optimistic than it did in 2016.

Such was the genesis of the bond resolution.

“We’ve certainly tried everything else,” Swanger said.

Basically, the way it works is that the county will induce the sale of tax-exempt revenue bonds to investors on the open market; the developers will then use the proceeds from those sales to buy the land and rehabilitate or construct the new housing units.

Once the units are up and operating, the

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Historians discover lifeless remains of the truth this, perhaps, is how we in the traditional — and dare I say — media will meet our demise: fake news.

Solegitimate And just this past Saturday I was so optimistic that tradi-

Scott McLeod

tional journalism was somehow going to survive. I was visiting my daughter and some friends at Appalachian State and had a conversation with a college senior who is doing an internship at a High Country newspaper. He was full of that youthful excitement about journalism and was unrestrained about his desire to pursue a print newspaper job after seeing the effect his stories had in the small community his newspaper serves.

I came home thinking of my own ambitions at that age and believing that Editor young people like him would surely help our industry continue to do its important mission in our democratic society.

But maybe not. Not if we live in a time when the difference between truth and lies doesn’t matter, either because people are too lazy to search out the truth or they just don’t really care.

Such a chaotic, unfiltered state would contribute to the demise of legitimate newspapers, civil institutions and the very fabric of our country.

It was last Thursday and Friday when the stories about fake news began to gather steam. If you haven’t heard, the gist of this phenomenon is that purposely fabricated election stories with headlines like “Obama has invalidated election results,” created by hyper-partisans or people just out to make money, got more shares and more traction on Facebook and social media than true election stories. In the run-up to this election, most of these fake stories were pro-Trump and bashed the left,

Glad to live in a republic and not a democracy To the Editor: Thank you for publishing The Smoky Mountain News. We enjoy reading it every week. I would like to raise a few points regarding your opinion column in the Nov. 16 edition (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/18818).

First, remember the Electoral College issue only affects the presidential election. The branch of government the founding fathers intended to be the most crucial was the Congress, and of course we have large state/small state balance in the two-house structure. The executive branch was designed primarily to simply execute the laws passed by Congress.

If the president’s power was limited to the level spelled out in the Constitution, the presidential elections would be far less criticaI. I believe it is fair to say all of the founding fathers were very worried about the presidency becoming too powerful.

I refer you to the book recently reviewed by one of your book reviewers: Nine Presidents Who Screwed Up America: and Four Who Tried to Save Her. All Americans should support measures to reduce presiden-

but that’s not really the issue. (see the story here at https:www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/viral-fake-electionnews-outperformed-real-news-on-facebook?)

More important is the fact that a great many Americans apparently believe too much of what they read on social media.

Repeat something enough, see it on lots of people’s Facebook page or websites, and it must be true. Despite the fact that the hand-held computers in our pockets hold the accumulated learning of millenniums of human existence, we still believe the outrageous and untrue and what’s immediately in front of us on the screen, and then we share it or tout its veracity to others.

Here’s a very fundamental question and answer to ponder: “What happens to democracy in a post-factual age? We have no idea because it hasn’t happened before.”

I’m lifting that quote from UNC Asheville Professor Mark West’s answer to Asheville Citizen-Times Columnist John Boyle.

Boyle wrote a column Sunday on this subject and had contacted West, a professor of mass communications, to ask him about the fake news issue.

No matter which way you vote, we all know lies were more rampant in this election than ever before. Hillary changed her story about her emails and Trump just outright denied things he said just a few days earlier. He also raised questions about the legitimate transfer of power, judicial independence and freedom of the press, But it’s the impact of social media and the internet that is new to our electoral process. During this election I had very educated friends repeat “facts” that were totally fabricated, and they backed up those facts by telling me to “check it out on Google.” When I did, I often found that those so-called facts came from websites that were filled with outright lies, or the writers on the site took nuggets of truth and turned them into

outrageous opinion pieces that were then mistaken for news stories.

What’s most troubling about the post-election fallout — at least for me — is what it may mean for the media. First, let’s be clear that the very term “the media” is not easily defined.

Would you put The Smoky Mountain News in there with CNN or Fox? Is it fair to lump our local National Public Radio affiliates in with Rush Limbaugh when you use that phrase?

Obviously not.

And just as the media is not a monolithic entity, voters deserve the same treatment. Everyone who supported Hillary is not a flaming liberal and everyone who supported Trump is not bigoted or misogynistic. It’s ignorant to think as much. We all had our reasons for voting the way we did.

And just as has happened in the last several elections, it was a razor thin popular vote margin, a fact that is not going to change anytime soon.

Perhaps it’s time to re-emphasize civic education in our public schools. Thomas Jefferson said the purpose of a public education is “to give to every citizen the information he needs for the transaction of his own business … To understand his duties to his neighbors and country and to discharge with competence the functions confided to him by either.”

As digital media becomes more pervasive — and too much of it coming from complete hucksters — it is becoming more and more apparent that a lot of Americans are having a difficult time discharging those duties that Jefferson and the founders knew were vital for our republic to survive. It’s a recipe for a fractured, broiling electorate that won’t be able to compromise, find common ground and solve some big problems.

That’s bad news, not fake news.

(Reach Scott McLeod at info@smokymountainnews.com)

LETTERS tial power.

Second, my thoughts regarding the recent election results were similar to those in your piece until I listened to Rush Limbaugh’s programs over the past few days (sorry to refer to him. I’m sure you are not a proponent of his views but I believe these are valid points). He correctly pointed out that if the presidential race was based on popular vote both candidates would have campaigned much differently. Trump did not campaign in very blue states and Clinton did not campaign in red states.

What would the outcome be if they did?

We know that in states where they did both campaign Trump was more successful. And if the popular vote was the basis of the election, it would certainly result in more blue state Republicans and red state Democrats going to the polls. So the popular vote might have favored Trump if that was the format.

I support the Electoral College format for the presidential elections and am certainly glad we live in a republic, not a democracy.

Thanks for the opportunity to respond to your editorial.

John Johnson Lake Junaluska

reclaim your weekend

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visitnc.com/parks

A community that is truly stronger together

Susanna Barbee

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@SmokyMtnNews

And Look Around

You might just find what you wern’t looking for!

Clocks jewelry

Socks flags

Puzzles Signs

Scarves Rugs

Smoky Mountain News

welcome Central families and answer questions. I could tell Mrs. Arrington was determined to merge these two school communities systematically and compassionately.

The first dance of the year was the largest in quite some time and was a great way for former Central students and Junaluska students to hang out socially and make new friends. There have been other events with the same goal.

The Run/Walk-A-Thon is the largest fundraiser of the year. As part of this event, Haywood County businesses offer sponsorships and in turn, their logos are printed on the back of the t-shirts. Part of the money from the fundraiser is used to buy every student at Junalusksa Elementary a Run/WalkA-Thon T-shirt, so after this event, all students will have at least one shirt that unifies them.

With my mom passing away this past summer, I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to feel happy deep down. But I felt that as I sat in the gym.

I thought about the blending of two schools. I thought about the Waynesville community embracing the adjustment. I thought about how children are innately resilient and open to new adventures. I thought about staff from both Central and Junaluska working tirelessly to ensure all students feel part of the Junaluska family.

I watched tall, lanky basketball players spray shaving cream all over each other and stick red hot candies on their faces causing an eruption of giggles out of tiny faces. I watched cheerleaders jump on stage to dance with the kindergartners. I witnessed all of the THS teenagers run around the gym hugging students and giving high fives.

As part of the PTA, I know that over 30 surrounding businesses offered sponsorships for the event.

After the pep rally, I mentioned this column idea to Mrs. Arrington and told her I was going to use the slogan from Hilary’s campaign. She smiled and said that unequivocally, Junaluska really is a stronger school now.

From the moment she got the news that Central would be closing, she dove into the change with gusto and encouraged everyone else to do the same. Similar to what’s going on in our country, sometimes we don’t have control over the change that comes, but we do have control over one thing: how we react to it.

And I think most would agree that whatever comes our way, we’re stronger together.

(Susanna Barbee is a writer who lives in Haywood County. susanna.barbee@gmail.com.)

November 23-29, 2016

on’t worry. This column isn’t about the election. There’s plenty of that going on elsewhere.

With that being said, I really appreciated Hillary’s slogan during her campaign.

Stronger together. I like when a couple simple words unite to make an impact.

In my mind, this phrase could pertain to many realms of life.

Relationships, teams, communities, situations. So even though the election has concluded and Donald Trump is our president, I hope we don’t forget Hillary’s phrase, even if it’s Columnist just in our everyday lives.

I’m on the PTA at Junaluska Elementary.

My older son is a second-grader, and my four-year old will be a kindergartner next year. I love that little school so much. I like that older locals still call it Junaluska School with no “Elementary” included. It emphasizes how long it’s been part of this community. I respect entities with solid roots.

Principal Sherri Arrington calls her staff and students the “Junaluska family”. It’s not just warm and fuzzy verbiage; the atmosphere actually feels that way.

When Central Elementary closed its doors last summer, many stakeholders were concerned that students and faculty from Central would feel displaced. And perhaps folks at Junaluska and Hazelwood were worried how new faces and personalities would affect their stable, positive school climates.

Would they really be stronger together?

Last week, only a couple of days after the contentious election and surprising results, I sat in the gym at Junaluska Elementary during a pep rally for the school’s annual Run/Walk-A-Thon. The Tuscola High School basketball team and cheerleaders were in attendance to pep the kids up before the big event next week.

I was there to take photographs for the PTA’s Facebook page, but I became lost in my thoughts thinking about the blending of students from Junaluska and Central. I looked around the gym at the hundreds of smiling and cheering faces and realized there was no way to tell which kids were already at Junaluska and which came from Central.

Last July, when the PTA met for our summer meeting, Mrs. Arrington said folks were at the school every day to ensure Central staff had enough time to move in and situate their new classrooms. At the start of the new school year, there were several functions to

Affairs of the Heart

————————————————————————————— 120 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC • 828.452.0526

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tasteTHEmountains 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 APPLE ANDY'S RESTAURANT 3483 Soco Road, Maggie Valley located in Market Square. 828.944.0626. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Wednesday and Thursday.

Serving the freshest homemade sandwiches, wraps, and entrees such as country fried steak and grilled flounder. Full salad bar and made from scratch sides like potato salad, pinto beans and macaroni and cheese. www.appleandys.com

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.

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 Saturday. Carry out available. Located in downtown Waynesville, Bogart’s has been long-time noted for great steaks, soups, and

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

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.

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.

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.

BRYSON CITY CORK & BEAN A MOUNTAIN SOCIAL HOUSE 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934.

Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday brunch 9 a.m. to 3p.m., Full Menu 3 to 9 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 starting at 5pm every day. 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.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast seven days a week, from 8 am to 9:30 am – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-you-can-eat. Lunch every day from 12:00 till 2 pm. Evening cookouts on the terrace on weekends and Wednesdays, featuring steaks, ribs, chicken, and pork chops, to name a few. Bountiful family-style dinners on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with entrees that include prime rib, baked ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

hour starts at 6 pm, and dinner is served starting at 7 pm. 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 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 handcut 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.

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.

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.

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

Open nightly for dinner at 4 p.m.; Friday through Sunday 12 to 4 p.m. for lunch. Daily luncheon special at $6.99. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome. Takeout menu. Excellent service and hospitality.

JOEY'S PANCAKE HOUSE 4309 Soco Rd Maggie Valley.

828.926.0212. Winter hours: 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Joey’s is a family style restaurant that has been serving breakfast to the locals and visitors of Western North Carolina since 1966. Featuring a large variety of tempting pancakes, golden waffles, country style cured ham and seasonal specials spiked with flavor, Joey's is sure to please all appetites. Join us for what has become a tradition in these parts, breakfast at Joey’s.

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.

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

828.586.3555. Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch. Beer and wine. Free movies with showtimes at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Visit madbatterfoodandfilm.com for this week’s shows.

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.

We’ll feed your spirit, too.

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde

828-456-1997 blueroostersoutherngrill.com Monday-Friday Open at 11am 24

Real Local Families, Real Local Farms, Real Local Food

Cataloochee Ranch 119 Ranch Drive, Maggie Valley, NC 28751 | CataloocheeRanch.com | (828)926-1401

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

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

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

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

Serving the local community with great, scratch-made country cooking. Breakfast is served all day. Daily specials including Monday meatloaf, chicken and dumplings on Thursdays and Friday fish.

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

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

SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE 1941 Champion Drive. Canton 828.646.3750 Sunday through Thursday 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.

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

Let us Cater Your Holiday Parties, Large or Small WaynesvilleCatering.com

828-452-7837 WAYNESVILLE’S BEST BURGERS

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

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

TAP ROOM 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.

TRAILHEAD CAFE & BAKERY 18 N Main Street, Waynesville.

828.452.3881 Open 7 days a week Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 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. You're welcome to watch your pizza being created.

WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville.

828.246.0927. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

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.

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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.

Featuring daily $6 lunch specials and daily dinner specials such as $1 Taco Tuesdays and 45¢ Wednesday Wings. Backyard Bar is open every weekend thru October. Join us for every NFL game.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN SUB SHOP 29 Miller Street Waynesville 828.456.3400.

Open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. A Waynesville tradition, the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop has been serving great food for over 20 years. Come in and enjoy the relaxed, casual atmosphere. Sub breads are baked fresh every morning in Waynesville.

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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

for a delicious homemade meal and shared stories about their day? That time is now at Smokey Shadows. The menus are customizable for your special event. Group of eight or more can schedule their own dinner.

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25

A&E

Smoky Mountain News

26

CHRISTMAS

in APPALACHIA s the temperatures drop in Western North Carolina, the fun only heats up.

The holiday season here is filled with events and activities aimed to celebrate the best way we know how — with friends, family and visitors alike.

A

Families can partake in wagon rides, iceless skating, craft sales and art demonstrations, all the while enjoying authentic mountain music, clogging and parades through several downtowns. These are just some of the innumerable activities to be had. Each and every date, time and place found within this section, each community around the region opening their arms to share in the winter festivities.

It’s a winter wonderland out there. It’s yours for the taking, so reach out and grasp all Southern Appalachia has to offer.

On the tree ‘Hard Candy Christmas’ returns to WCU The 29th annual “Hard Candy Christmas” Art & Craft Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 25-26 in the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University.

The event features authentic crafts from the hands of 100 regional and local artists and craftsmen. The idea for the show originates from the depression days in the mountains, when Christmas was still celebrated, no matter how lean the year had been. Santa always left stockings stuffed with apples, oranges and hard candy. The best gifts were handmade with love.

There will be selections of clay art, woodcrafts, master jewelers, folk art, glass art, and specialty sweets and breads. Collectors of Old World Santa’s, heirloom ornaments and miniatures always find something new. The mountain beekeeper will bring honey, bees wax candles and wax ornaments.

Purchase a fresh mountain greenery wreath or scented dried fruit rope for your house. Order a Christmas quilt and meet the artisan who made it.

Admission is $4.50 for adults, children under 12 free. www.mountainartisans.net.

and sacred Christmas classics and experience a few new surprises in this live event/concert.

Tickets are $18. They can bepurchased at www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

Franklin becomes ‘Winter Wonderland’

Mountain Faith ‘Sound of Christmas’ International Bluegrass Music Association “Emerging Artist of the Year” act Mountain Faith will perform their “Sounds of Christmas” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Join Mountain Faith as they celebrate the sounds of the season with a live DVD taping onstage. Sing along with traditional

The Town of Franklin will once again celebrate Christmas in Western North Carolina with the following events: • The annual “Winter Wonderland” tree lighting ceremony and candlelight service will start at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, on the Town Square. Santa, free cider, cookies, wagon rides, live music, and more. The event will also happen with Santa and a 15-foot human-sized snow globe at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, which visitors can enter and take photos inside.

• The Christmas Parade will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, in downtown. Parade applications are available at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Entry fee is $25. Get an application by emailing cindy@franklin-chamber.com. Commercial floats are available for $525, contact facc@franklinchamber.com or 828.524.3161.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Karl Denson.

SMN: Where do you go in your head onstage?

KD: Just trying to focus on the music.

You’re either paddling or you’re in the water.

Music for me is a stream and you’re just try-

Want to go?

Stones sax player, improv legend rolls into WNC

Mountain Faith will perform their “Sounds of Christmas” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

SMN: You’re turning 60 in December.

What’s your mindset these days as that milestone approaches?

KD: It’s definitely startling. But, I’m still feeling good, so I’m not getting freaked out. I’m achieving goals. I’m having fun and playing music for a living. It’s a good life. I’m trying to celebrate every moment at this point.

SMN: I never take any of it for granted.

KD: That’s exactly where I’m at, too. I’ll be in the airport, just seeing as these people, all these different sized people. Kids.

Parents. All doing their thing, and there’s this plane outside that’ll carry all of us to our destination. I mean, here I am talking to you on this phone from across the country. It’s weird and beautiful that we’ve created this world that we can do all of that.

SMN: What’s a life performing music taught you about what it means to be a human being?

KD: That’s a good question. Music has afforded me the ability to travel. And you get to meet all kinds of different people.

It’s really about being connected to others and the world, seeing it for the amazing thing that it is. I’m completely freaked out by life in general, all these wild people and things. I’m working on a story lately with a friend about life, and you start considering all the possibilities, more philosophical ways of looking at life. You know, in what we do and who we are, we’re kind of a miracle.

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It’s a whirlwind.

With his group Tiny Universe, saxophonist Karl Denson seamFrog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host its lessly creates this vortex onstage, a fifth anniversary party with Resonant Rogues sonic hub where jazz, rock, funk (Americana) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. and soul collide, swirling around Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host one another like a street fight with Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/jam) at 9 p.m. no determined victor. The sights Friday, Nov. 25. and sounds hit the listener with such force, it will make you rethink Beloved longtime natural history writer George just what improvisational music Ellison will present his new essay collection at and live performance can be — 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Macon County and ultimately is — at least within Public Library in Franklin. the endless curiosity of Denson.

In recent years, Denson has The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will globe-trotted with The Rolling host The Dirty Soul Revival (rock/blues) at 10 Stones as their sax player, a position p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. that carries with it the heavy responsibility and big shoes of the me work harder to make my own catalogue late Bobby Keys, whose signature horn playing became the melodic core of classics like “Brown stronger. They’re just sitting on so many great songs and they just keep pulling them Sugar” and “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.” out. Every night, you get to these big giant And yet, Denson himself has carved out stadiums and they’re empty, then five hours his own space onstage with the “Greatest later they’re completely full.

Rock-N-Roll Band In The World,” where his iconic presence and second-to-none talents SMN: What can people expect with the radiate out over an audience as raucous and exuberant as they are thirsty for his frenzy of new Tiny Universe record (due out spring 2017)? intricate notes.

KD: It’s all about writing good songs, man. This record is about where we’re going Smoky Mountain News: What has that musically — me and the band, just trying to been like touring the world with the Stones?

Karl Denson: It’s been a cherry on top for figure out how to write quality, original songs.

I’ve been playing guitar the last few years, so me. They put on a great show and they work that’s been influencing some of the writing. really hard. It’s an eye-opener to watch these It’s fun though. I’ve got a couple of guitar 70-year-old guys that work as hard as they tunes under my belt, getting comfortable with do. It’s been my biggest learning experience, it, making it my own. Our intent is to mix and which is to see them rehearse, play their shows, and be completely focused. It’s amaz- match all kinds of different styles of music ing how large their catalogue is, and it makes and make it so people can really dance to it.

ing to catch that right current. There is this whole energy between the musicians and the audience. I’m more of an “in the moment” type of guy.

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Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at New Mountain Asheville. Denson will be joined onstage by Jimmy Herring, guitarist for Widespread Panic. Tickets are $30 per person and can be found at www.newmountainavl.com.

Scottish Shortbread

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

SMN: With the upcoming Asheville show, you’ll have Jimmy Herring joining you.

KD: Well, I’ve been sitting in with Widespread Panic forever, even before Jimmy was there, before [guitarist Michael] Houser died [in 2002]. I met Jimmy when he was playing with Phil [Lesh] & Friends (of The Grateful Dead).

And Jimmy sat in with us at the New Orleans Jazz Fest a couple years ago. So, I checked my end-of-year schedule, Jimmy made sure it was OK with his wife, and here we are. He’s just a virtuoso. When you’re near him, you’re standing next to somebody that can shred you.

27

arts & entertainment

On the tree 74 North Main Street, Waynesville

The Celts will hit the stage Dec. 4 in Franklin.

I would like to share my excitement with you about my new professional home. I've moved to Beverly-Hanks & Associates, but you, and the people you refer to me, will still be provided the same warm and professional service as always. Please update your address book with my new contact information. And if someone you know is thinking of buying or selling, please let me know. I will provide them with the best service imaginable.

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November 23-29, 2016

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Christmas with The Celts

World-renowned Irish musical act The Celts will perform a Christmas show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

The ensemble is a lively group whose performances include traditional Irish music and outstanding instrumentation. Ric Blair founded what was then called The Nashville Celts when he was a jazz major at the University of Cincinnati just over 15 years ago. He was inspired when he went to see an Irish group in concert. Today, Blair reigns as one of the country’s most respected performers and historians of Celtic music. Having shared the stage with artists such as Vince

Gill, Ricky Skaggs, and Patty Lovelace, The Celts unique blends make them popular with music fans of many genres.

In 2010, The Celts produced a successful pledge show for PBS, which aired across the country for three years, called “Christmas with The Celts.” In 2015, The Celts appeared on the PBS TV show Music City Roots and will soon host another PBS special called “Roots of Great American Music,” which will feature some of the top country, Irish, and pop music stars in the industry.

Tickets start at $24. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

Cherokee Lights & Legends The Cherokee Lights & Legends Christmas will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2-3 and 9-10 at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds.

This special Christmas event invites your family to stroll under the lights through fun, interactive displays that tell ancient Cherokee Christmas legends. You can also see the lighting of our 40-foot Christmas tree, have a visit with Santa, and take a spin on the synthetic ice rink.

Your family will also find a bonfire with Cherokee storytelling, two bouncy houses, a nine-hole mini-golf course, face painting, balloon animals, the opportunity to create a Par-T-Pet (similar to a Build-a-Bear®), and free cotton candy and popcorn. There will also be a New Year’s Eve fireworks show.

Admission is free to the celebration. Skating and photos with Santa are both $5, with most activities inside the Exhibit Hall at $7. www.visitcherokeenc.com.

Christmas comes to Stecoah There will be a handful of upcoming Christmas events at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville, which are as follows: • Breakfast with Santa — 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3: Join the center for breakfast with Santa and enjoy pancakes, sausage, juice, milk and coffee. After breakfast, Santa will be available for photos and wish lists. Bring your camera to capture this special event. Entry fee is $5 per person. Reservations preferred.

• Christmas in the Mountains — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3: Indoor arts and craft show and sale with visiting artisans just in time for holiday giving. The Schoolhouse Cafe will be open all day. www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.

On the tree

Children and teens ages 7 and up are welcome to attend a present making workshop at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, in the Canton Library auditorium.

In the workshop, they will be making keychains, ornaments, and more using Perler beads. The participants will be able to make something to keep and something to give as a gift. Call 828.648.2924 for more information.

Wrap a gift for a pet

Chorus presents Christmas concert The Haywood Community Chorus will hold its Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

The performance will be titled, “The Gifts of Christmas.” Kathy McNeil will be directing the chorus, along with guest accompanist Kyle Ritter, organist and choir master of All Souls Cathedral in Asheville. Music will include classical, traditional, and contemporary seasonal selections. Ritter will also join McNeil to perform two organ pieces arranged for four hands and four feet.

Admission is free, but donations accepted.

The Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation gift-wrap project will be held Dec. 1-24 at Mast General Store in downtown Waynesville.

Organizers are in need of donated wrapping materials and volunteers to work three-hour shifts at Mast General Store.

“Help save an innocent pet’s life,” said Tish O’Connor, co-coordinator of the giftwrapping project. “One hundred percent of the donations go towards taking care of the homeless dogs and cats in Sarge’s care. We need donations of holiday wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, tissue paper and gift bags

for this fundraising project.”

Mast General Store shoppers can bring their purchases to the gift wrapping table in the lobby and volunteers will box and wrap the holiday gifts for a donation to Sarge’s.

To donate wrapping materials, bring the items to Sarge’s Adoption Center, 256 Industrial Park Drive in Waynesville, from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Supply donations may also be taken to Mast General Store.

To sign up to help gift wrap at Mast Store, visit www.sargeanimals.org/mastgeneral-gift-wrap or call 828.400.5713.

Living nativity scene The 12th annual “Christmas Worship in a Stable” living nativity scene will be recreated from 5:30 to 6:10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the 3rd Generation Barn Loft on Frank Mann Road in Canton.

It will feature a short walk-through of live cast and animals, background music and scripture to illuminate a sense of awe and peace remembering the true meaning of Christmas. In addition, patrons will have the opportunity to donate a non-perishable food item at the Manger for The Community Kitchen soup kitchen.

Admission is free. www.3gbarnloft.com.

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On the tree arts & entertainment

Lights & Luminaries returns

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

‘Snowkus Pocus Cirque Holiday Show’ The “Snowkus Pocus Cirque Holiday Show” will usher in the season in an acrobatic way at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Performers will present wintry vignettes, including a bendy ballerina inside a living snow globe, a snowball battle between the North Wind and Jack Frost, and an aerial snow ballet.

town with a live nativity scene at Jarrett Memorial Baptist Church. The church will showcase the Nativity, with the Fellowship Hall open for a warm break from the cold where refreshments will be provided.

Children will love the Christmas atmosphere for they will find Rudolph and Santa’s elves strolling along the streets passing out candy canes, and they can share their wants and wishes at Santa’s Workshop in Town Hall. Dogwood Crafters will have music each night, plus “millions” of cookies, amongst numerous other activities around downtown.

There will be a free shuttle service from Monteith Park. www.visitdillsboro.org.

tact the Macon County Academic Foundation to purchase in advance or for group discounts. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

turned wood, fiber, photography, and more. www.folkschool.org or 828.837.2775.

Tickets will be available at the box office and online at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu, or by calling 828.227.2479. Tickets purchased in advance are significantly discounted: $5 for students, $13 for WCU faculty and staff, $18 for general admission, and $15 per ticket for groups of 20 or more. On the day of the event, regular ticket prices apply: $10 for students, $18 for WCU faculty and staff, and $23 for general admission.

The event is part of the 2016-17 Arts and Cultural Events series at Western Carolina University.

‘Christmas On the Green’ The Village Green will add some sparkle to your holidays with the fifth annual “Christmas On the Green” celebration starting at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, at the crossroads in Cashiers.

An afternoon and evening of fun with family and friends begins at the Gazebo of Come share your Christmas wishes with Santa from 2 to 5 p.m. The jolly fellow will visit with children of all ages. The event continues from 5 to 6 p.m. for the Cashiers Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. The evening features holiday music, warm drinks and s’more making around the fire pit.

The highlight of the day will be when the switch is turned on to illuminate the 65-foot spruce in the center of Cashiers. Chloe Crawford has been selected by The Village Green to serve as the honorary tree-lighter this year.

Consider a generous year-end, tax-deductible gift to The Village Green. Donations can be made online at www.villagegreencashiersnc.com or mailed to P.O. Box 2201, Cashiers, N.C. 28717.

For more information about The Village Green, call 828.743.3434.

Christmas Tea & Bazaar

• The 42st annual “Biggest Little Christmas Parade in the Smokies” will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in downtown Bryson City. Floats, fire trucks, classic cars, beauty queens and Santa. www.greatsmokies.com.

The Sylva Garden Club is hosting a Christmas Tea & Bazaar will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the • A special Christmas screening of the film “The Polar Express” will be shown at 7 First United Methodist Church of Sylva. p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, Finger foods, sweets, and tea will be at the Smoky served. Christmas crafts, specialty pecans, Mountain Center of silent auction, and raffle for door the Performing Arts in prize. Admission is $12 per ticket. Tickets Franklin. Pajamas, pillows, blankets and are available from SGC members and at the stuffed animals are encouraged. Doors door. All funds raised go to SGC’s beautificaopen at 6 p.m. for pictures with Santa. tion projects and scholarships.

Tickets are sold at the door for $5 or conwww.facebook.com/sylvagardenclub.

ALSO:

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The Festival of Lights & Luminaries will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2-3 and 9-10 in downtown Dillsboro.

With more than 2,500 candles in white bags lining the streets, the lights set the town aglow, the town will create a winter wonderland at the corner of Front and Webster streets.

Inviting aromas slip from inside the open shops and restaurants where you are provided complimentary refreshments, music and voices raised in song, and have opportunities to purchase special selections for Christmas giving. Lavishing then in the warm glow of the holiday evening, you can experience oldfashioned horse and buggy rides, and the real reason for the season in the middle of

• The Cherokee Christmas Parade will be at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, in downtown.

Floats, bands, Santa and more.

• The annual “Fireside Sale” will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown. The event showcases fine holiday crafts made by Folk School instructors and other talented artisans. Shoppers can browse for forged iron, jewelry, quilts,

• The downtown Waynesville Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, on Main Street. The theme is “Christmas Past, Christmas Present.” www.downtownwaynesville.com.

• The Cashiers Christmas Parade will be at noon Saturday, Dec. 10, in downtown. www.discoverjacksonnc.com.

• The Sylva Christmas Parade will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in downtown. www.discoverjacksonnc.com.

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arts & entertainment

On the tree Cowee Christmas The third annual Cowee Christmas Celebration will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.

The daylong event will include live music, arts and crafts activities, live artisan demonstrations, visit by Santa, cookies and lunch, and more.

For a full list of events, visit www.coweeschool.org.

Genealogical Society holds holiday party

November 23-29, 2016

“Oh What Fun, Good times, Good Cheer, It’s the most Wonderful Time of the Year” will be the theme for the “Holiday Party and Silent Auction” of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City.

Join them for an evening of music, fun, and holiday shopping. Silent auction items may include hand-made items, knives, novelties, tickets for area attractions, gift baskets, baked goods and more. Live mountain music will be provided by Jesse Stephens and Friends. Auction proceeds will go to offset operating expenses for the society and to purchase needed equipment.

Items are needed for the auction. Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon at the SCGHS Library in Bryson City. The SCGHS is a nonprofit organization. Donated auction items are tax deductible.

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Franklin’s Finest Community

Christmas in Bryson City Santa Claus and other Christmas activities will be held through Dec. 17 at the Swain County Heritage Museum in Bryson City.

• Letters to Santa: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Drop a line to Santa. All materials provided.

• Santa at the Museum: 1 to 4 p.m. Enjoy a free photo opportunity with Saint Nick on the porch of the cabin located in the museum. Cookies and cocoa served in the lobby. Santa will be there from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 26 and at the Christmas Parade on Dec. 3.

• Christmas Past — Mountain Traditions: 5 to 7 p.m.

This brand new program is designed with the whole family in mind. Held at the cabin in the museum, the event offers a fun, educational lecture on the Christmas meal, the felling and decorating of the tree, traditional toys and gifts, and more. Kids get to decorate the cabin tree with traditional Appalachian decorations, as well as making their own popcorn, cranberry, or paper string to take home for their tree. Cookies and cocoa provided in the visitor center lobby.

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On the beat

Don Pedi (left) and Bruce Greene will present a concert of old-time music on Dec. 1 at Western Carolina University.

The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host The Dirty Soul Revival (rock/blues) at 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. $5 at the door. www.thedirtysoulrevival.com.

The Balsam Range “Art of Music Festival” will be held Dec. 2-3 in the Stuart Auditorium at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center.

The event will feature country legend Marty Stuart, The Atlanta Pops miniOrchestra, Lonesome River Band, Whitewater Bluegrass Company, and two nights of Balsam Range (the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year.”)

The schedule is as follows: Friday, Dec. 2 • 7:30 p.m. – Balsam Range • 8:15 p.m. – Lonesome River Band • 9:30 p.m. – Jeff Collins, David Johnson, Tony Creasman with the Atlanta Pops miniOrchestra • 10:15 p.m. – Balsam Range with Atlanta Pops miniOrchestra Saturday, Dec. 3 • 6:30 p.m. – Whitewater Bluegrass Company • 7:30 p.m. – Balsam Range • 9 p.m. – Marty Stuart Marty Stuart.

The musical celebration

MILAN MILLER AT FROG LEVEL Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host International Bluegrass Music Association “Songwriter of the Year” nominee Milan Miller at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. Miller will be joined by Darren Nicholson, mandolinist for Balsam Range, the 2014 IBMA “Entertainer of the Year.” The show is free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet Western Carolina University’s School of Music will host the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building.

Founded in 1993, the quintet has performed throughout the U.S. and internationally with a repertoire ranging from classical to jazz, patriotic to pop. Members of the ensemble, the quintet-in-residence at WCU, are P. Bradley Ulrich, trumpet; David Ginn, trumpet; Travis Bennett, horn; Mike Schallock, tuba; and Zsolt Szabo, trombone.

Smoky Mountain News

DIRTY SOUL IN WAYNESVILLE

that features traditional, old-time and classic folk music on Saturdays from 8 to 10 p.m.

Born in New York City and raised in New Jersey, Greene has received worldwide acclaim for his performances of old-time Kentucky fiddle music and is considered to be one of the finest Southern Appalachian fiddlers of his generation. In the 1970s and 1980s, Greene immersed himself in the fiddle music of Kentucky, and the influence of the fiddlers he met led to the development of his own unique style. He moved to North Carolina in 1978 and is now one of only two living fiddle players listed on the OldTimeMusic.com website’s “Old-Time Fiddler’s Hall of Fame.” Greene’s most recent recording features 31 traditional Southern Appalachian fiddle tunes and includes Pedi performing on the mountain dulcimer.

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.

will not only include world class artists, but will also be an opportunity to attend workshops and visit the many attractions Haywood County and Western North Carolina has to offer.

Tickets are $25 per day/$40 both days for general admission and $35 per day/$60 both days for reserved seating.

For more information about the event, tickets and lodging, click on www.balsamrangeartofmusicfestival.com or call 800.222.4930.

November 23-29, 2016

The 2016-17 First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Concert and Jam Series will continue with a concert featuring old-time music virtuosos Don Pedi and Bruce Greene at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at Western Carolina University.

Their 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.

A native of Massachusetts, Pedi began playing the dulcimer in 1968 and has been living in Western North Carolina since 1973. He won top honors in the first dulcimer-playing contest he entered, which was at the legendary Fiddler’s Grove competition in Union Grove in 1974. Widely recognized over the decades as a pioneer in dulcimer music, Pedi retired from festival competitions in 1982 with more than 30 first-place ribbons and trophies. That same year, he met Greene, who became a friend and mentor. Pedi has been an on-air host at WCQS-FM, the National Public Radio affiliate in Asheville, since 1985, and he now hosts the station’s “Close to Home” show

Marty Stuart, Balsam Range at Lake J

arts & entertainment

Traditional music series features Pedi, Greene

Works scheduled to be played include: “Music for Brass Instruments” by Ingolf Dahl, “Quintet” by Michael Kamen, “Nano Music V” by local composer and musician Bryan Burkett, and “Four Movements for Five Brass” by Collier Jones.

Two solo euphonium works, “Tiamat”

by Lucy Pankhurst and “Elegie” by Peter Meechan, will feature former WCU School of Music faculty member Kenneth Kroesche, who is currently an associate professor of music at Oakland University in Oakland, Michigan.

The event is free. For more information, call the WCU School of Music at 828.227.7242 or visit www.smbq.org.

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arts & entertainment

On the beat • BearWaters Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host live music at 6 p.m. Nov. 24 and Dec. 1. www.bwbrewing.com.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Hope Griffin (singer-songwriter) Nov. 25, Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Nov. 26 and Dec. 3, and Bob Zullo (acoustic/folk) Dec. 2.

828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

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

828.488.8898.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Milan Miller & Darren Nicholson (Americana/bluegrass) 8 p.m. Nov. 25, Helena Hunt (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Nov. 26, Ben Wilson (singersongwriter) 7 p.m. Dec. 2 and the FLB fifth anniversary party with Resonant Rogues (Americana) 7 p.m. Dec. 3.

All shows are free. 828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

ALSO:

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

• The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (Waynesville) will host a “Smoky Mountain Christmas” at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Performers will include Anne Lough, David Magill, Angie Toomey and Steve Whiddon. $12 in advance, $15 at door. Proceeds benefit Haywood Early College High School. Advance tickets at The Jewelers Workbench and Maggie Valley Inn. Sponsored by High Country Style.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Nov. 23 and 30, a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Nov. 24 and Dec. 1, Earlaine Nov. 26 and Chris Jamison Dec. 3. All events begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/jam) at 9 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 25. Admission is a suggested donation of $5. www.madbatterfoodfilm.com.

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host a community music jam from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1. Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. Free. 828.488.3030.

• The Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host an old-time music concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 1.

Bring your own stringed instrument to participate in the jam session from 8 to 9 p.m.

Free. www.wcu.edu.

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Log Noggins with Billingsly (rock) Dec. 2 and The Colby Deitz Band (Americana/folk) Dec. 3. All shows are free and begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nonamesportspub.com.

• The Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Fred Kopp Nov. 25, Twelfth Fret Dec. 2 and The Sweet Charity Rockin’ Replay Christmas Set Dec. 3. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.

• Salty Dogs (Maggie Valley) will host Mile High Band (rock/classic) 8 p.m. Nov. 23, Karaoke by Jason Wyatt 8:30 p.m. Nov. 25 and 3rd Wheel Band 8 p.m. Nov. 26.

• Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company (Sapphire) will host a jazz brunch with Tyler Kittle & Friends from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sundays. 828.743.0220.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Jimandi at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays, “Funky Friday” with Bud Davis at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Isaish Breedlove (Americana) at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

• The Smoky Mountain Center of the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host Michael O’Brien (singer-songwriter) formerly of Newsong (Christian) at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2.

Tickets are $18 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

• The Stompin’ Ground (Maggie Valley) is now open for live mountain music and clogging at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

828.926.1288.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host a weekly Appalachian music night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays with Nitrograss.

828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host Andrew Rickman (acoustic/rock) Nov. 23, The Dirty Soul Revival (rock/blues) Nov. 25 and A.P.E. (rock) Nov. 26. All shows begin at 9 p.m.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host the Civic Orchestra Nov. 28, Jazz Band Nov. 29 and a Trumpet Recital Nov. 30 at the Recital Hall in the Coulter Building. All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. www.wcu.edu.

@SmokyMtnNews 34

On the street

Frog Level celebrates five years There will be a fifth anniversary celebration party for Frog Level Brewing Company on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the brewery in Waynesville.

The event will also feature a live performance by the Resonant Rogues (Americana) at 7 p.m. The daylong festivities are free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

Two local authors and the Bethel Rural Community Organization’s Historic Preservation Committee were among award winners at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Society of Historians (NCSH) in Wilkesboro.

“Historical Book Awards” went to Edie Hutchins Burnette for Mountain Echoes and to Carroll C. Jones for Rebel Rousers. Jones was further recognized when he received the prestigious “President’s Award” for his historical fiction Rebel Rousers, the second novel in his East Fork trilogy.

BRCO received a “Multimedia Award” for its DVD entitled “From New College to Springdale.” Doug Chambers who filmed and edited the video and Ted Carr, BRCO Historic Preservation Committee member, accepted the award.

Mountain Echoes explores the history of Haywood County in Western North Carolina, introducing readers to actual people, places and events from the past.

Originally written as weekly columns for The Asheville Citizen-Times, Burnette’s book is a compilation of some of her true accounts.

Rebel Rousers is the sequel to Carroll’s first novel, Master of the East Fork. It is a historical fiction story set during the American Civil War, and tells the coming-of-age tale of a youthful Rebel soldier who hails from the East Fork River valley. He is currently working on the third novel of his East Fork trilogy.

“From New College to Springdale,” narrated by Richard Alexander, recounts a unique educational institution that existed in Cruso Community of Haywood County in the 1930s. The school was the concept of the late Dr. Thomas Alexander, a professor at Columbia University, New York City, and father of Richard Alexander.

The North Carolina Society of Historians was established in December 1941 for the purpose of collecting, preserving and perpetuating North Carolina’s rich history and for recognizing those persons who fulfill the society’s objectives.

NCSH celebrated its Diamond Jubilee at this year’s Annual Awards Banquet held at the Stone Center in North Wilkesboro.

Autographed copies of Mountain Echoes and Rebel Rousers and the video are available at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

Author Edie Burnette.

arts & entertainment

Local writers, film wins awards

November 23-29, 2016 Smoky Mountain News 35

arts & entertainment

On the street

THANK YOU YO U

November 23-29, 2016

FOR FOR YOUR YO OUR SER RV VICE. SERVICE.

First Methodist ‘Meal & Sing’ The First United Methodist Church of Sylva will hold an “Open Door Meal & Sing” at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, in the church’s Christian Life Center.

Well-known area musicians Steve Whiddon and Angie Toomey will perform prior to and during the meal. Whiddon is known locally as “The Piano Man,” and has played professionally for the last 40 years. Toomey is a native of Haywood County and has been singing since she was a child, and for several years has been part of a bluegrass band.

A short devotional will be offered before the meal. The “Open Door Meal & Sing” event is held on the fifth Wednesday in those months that have one. Church members provide the food and beverages. All are welcome and invited to attend.

828.586.2358.

• Noted Cultural Heritage Director of Wild South Lamar Marshall will speak from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 3, in the basement of the Waynesville Public Library. The program will be titled, “The Ancient Lines and the White Settlement of The Tuckasegee Watershed.” This is the history of the early roads into Western North Carolina, the early settlements of the whites, the earlier settlements of the Cherokees and how both peoples lived in community. Conversation and refreshments are after the presentation. This is open to the public. There is no admission charge.

ALSO:

Smoky Mountain News

• A wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m.

Nov. 26 and Dec. 3 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. $5 per person. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.586.6300.

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• A free wine tasting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 26 and Dec. 3 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host a wine tasting on Wednesdays and a craft beer tasting on Thursdays. Both events run from 4 to 8 p.m. There will also be tapas from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. www.classicwineseller.com.

• 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.

On the wall

Pincu Pottery.

The 15th annual “Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 25-26 in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville.

With their studios open to the public, the self-guided driving tour highlights artisans who have built a livelihood with their creative talents. Media include pottery, bee’s wax lanterns and pillar candles, original paintings and drawings, fiber, quilts, photography, arti-

san cheeses and more.

The tour includes the Charles Heath Gallery, Elizabeth Ellison Watercolors, Pincu Pottery, Wild Fern Studios & Gallery, Bee Global Studio Gallery, Stecoah Artisans Gallery, Yellow Branch Pottery & Cheese, and more.

The Schoolhouse Café at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center will be open during both days of the Artisans Drive About. www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.

The life of Horace Kephart A showcase on the life and times of Horace Kephart will be on display through March 31 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University.

In 1904, Kephart was 42year-old librarian when he came to Western North Carolina looking for a fresh start in the Southern Appalachian wilderness. Over the next 27 years, his numerous articles and books captured a disappearing culture, provided practical advice for generations of outdoor enthusiasts, and spearheaded the movement to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Mountain Heritage Center’s Kephart Collection is composed of 127 objects, including his tent, sleeping bag, backpack and the writing desk.

828.227.7129.

season tickets

November 23-29, 2016

CATAMOUNT BASKETBALL

arts & entertainment

Stecoah ‘Drive About Tour’

Smoky Mountain News 37

arts & entertainment

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Sylva watercolor exhibit Cullowhee watercolorist Craig Forrest will present a 15-piece collection of new works at the It’s By Nature gallery in downtown Sylva. The opening reception will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at the gallery.

Forrest is a watercolorist from Cullowhee and is well respected and admired in the community. His 2010 show was purchased in its entirety and gifted to the new Jackson County Library complex where it now hangs in the old courthouse boardroom.

The show will run throughout the month of December. 828.631.3020 or www.itsbynature.com/upcomingevents.

November 23-29, 2016

828.456.3211 smokymtneye.com

On the wall

Smoky Mountain News

‘It’s a Small, Small Work’

38

The Haywood County Arts Council’s (HCAC) latest exhibit, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will run through Dec. 24 at their Gallery & Gifts showcase room in downtown Waynesville.

The 2016 exhibit features 60 artists and almost 200 individual works of art for sale.

The small work show was launched in 2008 in response to a declining economy and to demonstrate that original artwork can be affordable. Most businesses, homes and apartments can accommodate smaller works of art — and the show promotes buying local and regional work to help support artists in Western North Carolina. www.haywoodarts.org.

On the stage ‘Three Penny Opera’ in Highlands The Highlands Performing Arts Center will screen “Live via Satellite” the National Theatre of London’s production of “The Three Penny Opera” at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26.

Rory Kinnear is Mack the Knife in a new version of this landmark 20th century musical, captured live from the stage of the National Theatre. As London’s East End scrubs up for the coronation, Mr. and Mrs. Peachum gear up for a bumper day in the beggary business. Keeping tight control of the city’s underground — and their daughter’s whereabouts. Contains explicit language and behavior. Tickets are available online at www.highlandspac.org, at the door or by calling 828.526.9047.

On the wall SCC accepting art, literary submissions Submissions are now being accepted for the 2017 edition of Milestone, the biennial art and literary review published by Southwestern Community College.

Milestone is a publication that showcases the creative expressions of local writers and visual artists. All residents of Jackson, Macon, Swain counties and the Qualla Boundary, as well as SCC students and alumni, are eligible for submission.

Literary submissions must be postmarked

by Dec. 5 and sent to SCC Milestone: Attn.

Toni Knott; 447 College Drive; Sylva, N.C. 28779 or via email to tknott@southwesterncc.edu. Submissions in visual art must be postmarked by the same date and sent to the same address: Attn. Bob Keeling, or via email to bkeeling@southwesterncc.edu.

828.339.4314 or 828.339.4325.

A “Glass Ornament” class will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 and 9 at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro.

Time slots are available throughout the day, with each lasting 30 minutes. With the assistance of a resident artist, participants will work with molten glass to create a unique and beautiful piece of glass art. Cost is $30.

828.631.0271 or www.jcgep.org.

Balsam Christmas craft show The annual Balsam Christmas Arts & Crafts Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Balsam/WilletsOchre Hill Volunteer Fire Department in Sylva.

An array of crafts will be for sale, includ-

ing painting/prints of local scenery, handmade soaps, salves, lavender gifts, handcrafted pottery, handmade baskets, hand stitched and stamped greeting cards, handcrafted jewelry, stained glass boxes, embellished lamp shades, wreaths, scarves, bags and pocket books, among other items. A portion of all entry fees will benefit the fire department.

The event is free and open to the public.

arts & entertainment

Want to make a glass ornament?

• Laurey-Faye Dean will be the featured artist with a live demonstration and discussion at “The Potter’s Wheel” series from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 26 at The Wild Fern in Bryson City.

• 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 828.524.3600.

ALSO:

• “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.

November 23-29, 2016 Smoky Mountain News 39

40

Books

Smoky Mountain News

You might enjoy a visit to Broken Wheel, Iowa ne of the great joys of reading occurs when we bump into a book by an author we’ve never heard of, idly turn the pages, and then find ourselves becoming entranced by the words, the story, and the characters. We take the book home from the library or bookstore, read it as if under a spell, and leave the last word of the last sentence feeling ourselves changed by the encounter, as if Writer we have added some new component to our personality.

In The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend (Sourcebooks, 2016, $16.99, 395 pages), one of the themes explored

by Swedish novelist Katrina Bivald is this idea of the ways in which books shape, change, enchant, and connect readers.

The story opens when young Sara Lindqvist travels from Sweden to Broken Wheel, Iowa, to meet an older woman, Amy, with whom she has maintained a literary correspondence. Both women share a lively interest in literature — Sara works in a bookshop, and Amy is a voracious reader — and Amy invites Sara to visit her small, dying town for a vacation of reading and books.

Unfortunately, when Sara arrives, she finds the entire town in mourning. Amy has died of a lingering illness — she never told Sara of her disease — and Sara finds herself bereft and alone in Broken Wheel. The townspeople have heard about Sara from Amy before her death, and they draw together and take Sara into their community, settling her in Amy’s house, offering free groceries from the tiny store and free drinks at the local café, and providing a driver and a car for her.

To say more of the plot might not necessarily spoil the book for readers, but it would remove some of the pleasure in following this fine, whimsical tale.

Instead, let me offer you a few reasons for reading this novel.

First, the characters are genuine.

George the reformed alcoholic who drives for Sara; Caroline, the starchy middle-aged woman who acts as the town moralist until she falls for a man 20 years her junior; Andy and Carl, the two gay men who run the town tavern; Tom, the loner who is slowly drawn to Sara: these and all the other characters engage our attention.

In addition, Bivald gives us a realistic portrait of the struggles of small-town America. Broken Wheel is losing its

Jeff Minick

O

young people to the outside world (some of them have moved to the next town, hilariously named Hope); farmers have

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend Sourcebooks, 2016. 395 pages lost their fields and houses to the bank or sold them to investors; half the businesses on Main Street are shuttered.

People like Tom, Andy, and Carl are struggling to make a living.

Yet The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is not a novel of darkness or despair. Quite the opposite. Many of the residents of Broken Wheel are tough Iowans whose ancestors faced drought, blizzards, and crop failures. Moreover, Bivald brings a droll humor to the stories of these people. The growing attraction between Sara and Tom, and the town’s efforts to push them together; the sexual tension between Caroline and the young Josh; Grace’s constant laments about the falsity of most fiction: the various plots by the townspeople to boost the reputation of Broken Wheel and to keep Sara with them: all should bring a smile.

Amy and Sara’s love for literature also permeates the story. Throughout the novel we read some of the letters written

by Amy to Sara in which she discusses her favorite books and the gifts they have

brought to her life. When Sara find’s Amy’s treasure trove of literature, we see through her eyes and emotions the wonder of books. At the end of The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, Bivald, who clearly loves books herself, includes a list of the books and authors found in the novel and a short interview in which she enthusiastically discusses books and bookstores.

Bivald’s Sara Lindqvist also reminds us of the enormous — and often hidden — role one individual can play in others’ lives. Her growing affection for Broken Wheel and her involvement with her neighbors slowly changes both them and her.

Sara brings new life to the dying town, and the

by Katrina Bivald. town in turn helps her grow from a shy, withdrawn bibliophile into a courageous and independent young woman.

What most impressed me, however, about The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is Bivald’s ability to depict so accurately and so affectionately a midwestern American town and its people.

When asked in an online interview how she managed to place her story in such a setting without ever visiting Iowa, or for that matter, the United States, Bivald explained that she had read many books and watched many movies about life in small-town America. That she could write such a true-to-life story based on movies and books is a remarkable achievement.

Readers seeking fast-paced novels packed with action will want to avoid The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend. But if you are looking for love, romance, humor, intrigue, some bits of light philosophy, and solidlymade characters, you should, like Sara Lindqvist, pay a visit to Broken Wheel, Iowa.

Ellison releases natural history essays Beloved longtime natural history writer George Ellison has released his latest book, Literary Excursions in the Southern Highlands. He will be presenting his collection at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

The essay collections focuses on the abundant wonders of the Southern Highlands in a series of humorous, scientific and literary pieces, with illustrations by artist Elizabeth Ellison.

The couple lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina, in the shadow of the Great Smokies. Atop being a longtime contributor to The Smoky Mountain News and the Asheville Citizen-Times, he also conducts annual natural and human history workshops around the region. www.arcadiapublishing.com.

• Author Thomas Thibeault will read and discuss his latest book Fake at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. Set in newly liberated Holland in 1945, Fake follows the fortunes of Hans van Meegeren, the wealthiest artist in the world at the time. Van Meegeren made his money faking the paintings of Vermeer and selling his forgeries to Herman Goering.

ALSO:

New edition of rare regional classic Thanks to funding from the University of North Carolina Press, Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library will reissue the rare regional classic Twenty Years of Hunting and Fishing in the Great Smokies by Samuel Hunnicutt, originally published in 1926.

The grant from the Thomas W. Ross Fund to the library to undertake the endeavor was announced in early November.

Elizabeth Skene, WCU special and digital collections librarian, will lead the project.

Hunnicutt, a Swain County resident, was known for his wilderness prowess in the mountains prior to the establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The book was first published by S.B. Newman & Company of Knoxville, Tennessee, as a 216-page, soft-covered illustrated edition when he was 46 years old. “These stories written in book form are true, and told just exactly as happened, as near as I can remember,” he wrote.

One of the few surviving original books is a personal copy once owned by Horace Kephart and now held in the Kephart Collection of Hunter Library. An Ivy League-educated scholar, former librarian and leading outdoors writer of his time, Kephart became a proponent for the national park after moving to Swain County in 1904.

Hunnicutt was born in 1880, one of seven children of James Marion and Sarah Hunnicutt. As an adult, he and wife Leah lived on Hammer Branch, a tributary of Deep Creek near Bryson City that is now inside the national park.

“Together, they raised seven children, including my father, Charlie,” Edwards said. “I understand Sam made his living running a sawmill and operating a small country store on Deep Creek. When they had to leave the mountains (to make way for the coming of the park), I don’t believe he ever really got over it. He and his family loved Deep Creek and I can understand why — it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”

Hunnicutt died in 1969 and is buried in Buncombe County.

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November 23-29, 2016 Smoky Mountain News 41

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Bringing in the harvest Despite drought, students and farmers join forces to feed Haywood’s hungry

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER rmed with five-gallon buckets and a groundswell of energy, 14 teens from Balsam-based SOAR Camp descended on Eugene Christopher’s Waynesville farm this month with a simple task before them — feed the hungry of Haywood County by collecting as many potatoes as possible.

Clouds hung low over the waning daylight Nov. 11, air slightly hazier than usual from the smoke of nearby wildfires. The leafless November scene could have been a bleak one but for the liveliness of the soundscape, which featured the back-and-forth banter of high school kids freed from the rules of volume control that govern a typical school day. The rumbling of Christopher’s tractor served as the background to their shouts as he traversed the rows, turning the soil for harvest.

This was “gleaning 101,” as Haywood Gleaners volunteer Carol Larsen had explained to the group upon arrival.

“It takes the farmers to grow the crop, people like all of us to pick it up and it takes the organizations in Haywood County that we deliver the food to that help us distribute it,” she told the teens. “All three of those entities work together in an effort to solve and meet nutritional needs.”

Haywood Gleaners, a nonprofit that operates under the Christian organization Society of St. Andrew, is wrapping up its fourth season of existence, gathering crops left in the fields after harvest to distribute to Haywood County organizations serving people in need.

Since its inception, Haywood Gleaners has collected more than 110,000 pounds of food — 31,000 pounds this year alone.

A

Get involved The harvest season is over, but it’s not too early to set the stage for involvement with Haywood Gleaners in the springtime.

The organization brings together growers, volunteers and people in need of healthy food so that food that would otherwise rot in the ground finds its way to dinner tables across the county. Forms are available online for people who would like to help pick and distribute, farmers who would like to host gleans and sites that would like to distribute food. Email for information about organizing gleans with groups such as camps or school classes. www.haywoodgleaners.org or haywoodgleaners@gmail.com.

SOAR students load their potato harvest into boxes for delivery to those in need of fresh food.

Farmer Eugene Christopher digs up rows of potatoes for harvest by volunteers from the Balsam-based SOAR Camp. Holly Kays photo s

GLEANING 101 Larsen is always looking for ways to involve more people in the effort, so when she got an email from SOAR instructor Danielle Silvers asking about community service opportunities for her students, the question was a no-brainer.

However, unlike typical gleans when volunteers gather food after the farmer has already harvested his crop, the potato harvest was a first pass at extracting the produce from the ground. Christopher had planted the rows earlier that year with 50 pounds of seed potatoes provided by the gleaners, cultivating them all season long for harvest to feed Haywood’s hungry — not for his own profit.

“I thought it was a great opportunity for kids from the local SOAR residential camp to be exposed to another way to serve their com-

hope that the understanding is that there are things we might take for granted in our daily lives, that we realize there are people who don’t have that privilege of a daily meal,” Silvers said.

Angie James, 18, of Lexington, said that the experience has been making an impact on her, for sure.

“Last year I wasn’t really social, and this year I’m much more social and inclined to help out in the community and always looking for opportunities,” she said as she searched for potatoes.

The gleaning project is an opportunity she’s glad to have.

“All the stuff we’re doing to help the community, I feel like it’s really making an impact on everybody,” James said.

“It’s fun doing it for the community,” agreed her classmate Kelsey Gordon, 17, of Johnson City, Tennessee.

GAMBLING ON THE WEATHER

munity, another way to give back to Haywood County,” Larsen said.

The teens working the fields with the gleaners were part of SOAR’s boarding school program, which works with teens with diagnoses such as ADHD and ADD that make traditional educational environments difficult.

The school divides its 30 students into four groups, with each group completing a series of two-week segments throughout the aca-

demic year. At any given time, half the students are out on some sort of wilderness adventure — though schoolwork continues during that time — while the other half are in a more traditional school setting. Then, they switch.

SOAR also works to include some sort of community service in the classroom half, and that’s where gleaning comes in.

“These are very privileged kids, and we

In addition to instilling a passion for community service, Larsen also hoped to give the teens a glimpse of how heavily the farmer’s fate is intertwined with the weather.

“Haywood County is in a severe drought — so severe that we’ve got wildfires going on around us,” she explained to the group. “The lack of rain for a farmer to grow food is a critical problem.”

Haywood County is currently in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the third most severe of the four drought designations. The state’s four westernmost counties are currently classified as experiencing exceptional drought, the most severe designation. According to the National Weather Service, the

Make your own wreath outdoors

The art of wreath-making will be explained in a pair of upcoming workshops hosted by the Haywood County Master Gardeners and Jackson County Extension. â– A workshop will be offered 1:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at First Presbyterian Church in Sylva, an annual tradition for Jackson County Cooperative Extension.

Fresh greenery from a local Christmas tree farm will provide the raw materials. $10, with registration required at 828.586.4009. ■An incredible selection of fresh greenery, embellishments and Master Gardener knowledge is promised at this year’s Haywood County Master Gardener WreathMaking Event, with sessions 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Office. $20 covers all materials, though participants should bring their own pruners and gloves. Proceeds fund horticul-

Participants in a previous Haywood wreath-making event show off their creations. Donated photo tural projects and grants in Haywood County. Register at 828.452.3575 or mgarticles@charter.net.

Ski season starts at Cataloochee

Friday, Dec. 2, 6-9 pm

Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley opened for its 56th season on Monday, Nov. 21, with snowmakers churning out powder to satisfy skiers and snowboarders alike.

This year’s opening day comes slightly later than last year, when the season saw a Nov. 15 launch. The previous year, 2014, slopes opened Nov. 2, marking the third earliest opening day in history and allowing a total of 141 skiing days. The ski area’s average is 127 days of skiing and riding each winter.

The 2016-17 season is expected to run through March 26, 2017.

Cataloochee Ski Area is located off of Fie Top Road outside Maggie Valley. Snow reports and other information is available at www.cataloochee.com.

Smoky Mountain News

them for harvest by the gleaners. “It’s to his credit,� Larsen said. “We’ve gleaned corn here on his property twice this year, butternut squash, I forget what else.

This (the potatoes) is a crop that he just out of the generosity of his heart planted.�

When asked why he’d chosen to give of his time and his land in a year that’s been so hard for those who make their living from the ground, Christopher gave a mild-mannered response deflecting any implied praise of his contribution. “I don’t mind doing it for them. I don’t mind doing it at all,� he said. “I like to donate time, and the stuff that I grow and can’t get rid of, I let them have it.�

People don’t want to buy produce, he said, “unless it looks like a picture in a book.� The gleaners, however, are happy to take crops that make an ugly picture but a delicious meal.

By the end of the day, the SOAR campers had not only harvested 25 pounds of potatoes but also more than 500 pounds of winter squash gleaned from Christopher’s farm, which they then helped deliver to 18 partner organizations in Haywood County. The farmer also sent them home with some turnips to cook for themselves. “We’re very grateful for all of you because it’s your manpower and his (Christopher’s) growing ability that are giving people who might not otherwise be able to afford it healthy food,� Larsen told the group. “You’re a great workforce, and Haywood County is very grateful.�

November 23-29, 2016

Asheville weather station has received only 1.1 inches of rain since Sept. 1, far less than the normal value of 9.01 inches. Since January 1, the station has received 29.55 inches compared to the normal value of 40.62 inches.

The drought is affecting fire danger, river flows, drinking water supplies — and crop production. “I’m 76 years old and I’ve never seen this long a period of time this dry,� Christopher said. “Usually two or three weeks and you’ll get a rain.�

Christopher has been harvesting about half the crop he’d normally expect — there’s been no way to water the fields, because irrigation is not something that’s typically needed in the often-rainy Smokies. The harvest has been just enough to break even on the cost of seed and fertilizer, but not sufficient to turn a profit. “The farmer, he’s taking a gamble,�

Christopher said. “You never know what it’s going to do and you never know whether you’re going to get a hail storm or whether you’re going to get a freeze. You just never know.�

When he planted 50 pounds of seed potatoes provided by Haywood Gleaners this spring, Christopher couldn’t have known just how dry the season would become. In a normal year, Christopher said, he might have expected 15-20 bushels of potatoes off the two rows, but this year the harvest would be more like 3 or 4 bushels.

Nevertheless, as the drought intensified, he continued to cultivate the rows and prepare

828.456.1940 98 N. Main St., Waynesville twigsandleaves.com

43

outdoors

Game lands closed due to wildfires Game lands managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are facing temporary closure as a result of the wildfires spreading across Western North Carolina.

The Toxaway Game Land and South Mountains Game Land have been closed, and portions of game lands in the Nantahala National Forest are closed as well.

Depending on how quickly the fires spread and how long they last, officials may close additional roads or access to other

November 23-29, 2016

A new website highlighting land protection projects along the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is up and running, touting 76 properties totaling 63,948 acres that had been protected as of Dec. 31, 2015.

The work of eight partner land conservation organizations, the site includes photos, property descriptions and hiking information in addition to background on each of the partner land trusts and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It also features an interactive map.

“We hope this site will raise awareness about the great work being done by land

National Forest areas closed due to wildfire

Spreading wildfires have forced additional closures of trails, areas and roads in the Nantahala National Forest.

These newer closures cover the Chunky Gal area on the Tusquittee Ranger District, the Southern Firefighters burn leaf litter to Nantahala Wilderness area on create a boundary for the the Nantahala Ranger District oncoming wildfire. Donated photo and the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness Area on the Cheoah Ranger District.

Many other closures are also in effect, including the Appalachian Trail from the Georgia line to the Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City.

For a full list of closures, visit http://bit.ly/2g3nCAp.

Max Cooper photo

Parkway conservation projects celebrated in new website

game lands, if needed. Officials are keeping a close eye on the Chestnut Knob fire, which continues to spread, bringing it closer to South Mountains Game Land.

Updated closure information is available at www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Where-toHunt/Public-Places.

trusts to protect the integrity of the Blue Ridge Parkway,” said Reid Wilson, executive director of Conservation Trust for North Carolina. “We also hope it will serve as an interactive guide for visitors seeking hiking opportunities and more information about scenic views along the Parkway.”

The site compliments a recently published booklet that contains the same content.

Land trusts represented include Blue Ridge Conservancy, The Conservation Fund, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, Mainspring Conservation Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Piedmont Land Conservancy and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.

Visit protecttheblueridgeparkway.org.

Order a paper copy of the booklet at 919.828.4199, ext. 17, or info@ctnc.org.

Drought disaster declared in Swain and Jackson Swain and Jackson counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to losses from the ongoing drought.

In addition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture designation, the Fast Track drought monitor has triggered the Livestock Forage Program, so all livestock producers in Swain and Macon counties should contact their local Farm Service Agency Office to apply for assistance on grazing losses. Producers who have lost livestock due to the ongoing fires should also contact the FSA to apply for the Livestock Indemnity Program. Applications are open until Jan. 30, 2017.

Farmers and ranchers in counties contiguous to Swain and Jackson also qualify for disaster assistance. These producers have eight months from the time of disaster declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their losses.

There are also FSA assistance programs available that do not require a disaster declaration.

Further information is available to local USDA Service Centers. disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

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Smoky Mountain News

Drought increases disease risk in cattle

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Drought conditions are taking their toll on livestock operations in the area, according to Jackson County Cooperative Extension, causing a shortage of hay and increased risk of bovine pulmonary edema and emphysema, or ABPE. Brought on by an abrupt change in pasture conditions, ABPE causes cattle to present with signs of lung disease within two weeks of pasture change. Death often follows within two to four days of symptoms appearing.

Under normal stockpiling conditions, pasture change is less drastic from one pasture to another, but in severe drought conditions the problem is more pronounced.

Abruptly switching cattle from pastures with sparse, low-quality forage to pastures with lush, rapidly growing forage can trigger the disease. Hungry from their time in sparse pasture conditions, the animals tend to overeat when moved to more productive pasture.

Symptoms can include labored, shallow breathing, panting, an open frothy mouth and an extended neck and head indicating impaired breathing.

To prevent ABPE from developing, provide a more gradual adaptation to lush forage in a new pasture. Besides feeding hay, limiting cattle access to the new pasture for the first few days will aid the adaptation process.

If an outbreak of ABPE occurs, all animals should be removed from the lush pasture and fed good-quality hay. Movement of sick animals should be minimal and done with care. Sick animals with ABPE have a breathing problem and should not be handled in a manner that will increase their need for oxygen.

Other causes of cattle mortality during drought can include plant toxicity, as the limited pasture may mean animals are more likely to eat plants, buckeyes and acorns that they normally wouldn’t.

Solar grid proposed for the Smokies The proposed array would look similar to the one pictured here. Donated photo

Robert Sipes, Duke Energy’s Western North Carolina regional general manager.

Compliance processes to evaluate the potential positive and negative impacts of the project are underway, including evaluations under the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. If those processes clear, the project must also be approved by the N.C. Utilities Commission and the National Park Service.

While the Park Service can’t make any

decision until NEPA and NHPA processes finish, the park is “pleased to be considered for this project,” and sees it as supporting the existing sustainability initiative, Superintendent Cassius Cash said.

Public comments can be submitted by following the link titled “Mt. Sterling Sustainable Energy Project” at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/grsm or by mail to Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.

Due to heightened fire danger throughout the region, the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville will not have fire pits as part of its Winter Lights event — instead, the arboretum is asking ticketholders to swap out s’mores purchases for donations of supplies.

A collection bin to hold donations for firefighters and first responders battling North Carolina wildfires will be available inside the Baker Exhibit Center lobby. Requested items include bottled water, Gatorade, lip balm, saline eye drops, pre-packaged food and protein bars.

Supplies can be dropped off during regular arboretum hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or during the Winter Lights event that is now held nightly 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1.

Purchase tickets at www.ncarboretum.org/exhibits-events/winter-lights.

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Smoky Mountain News

Mowers • Trimmers • Chainsaws • Generators • Power Tools

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November 23-29, 2016

Arboretum collecting firefighting donations

Macon County residents will have a chance to bring their local knowledge to bear on land use and conservation planning decisions during a meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Jillian Howard, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia, will present the program as part of her dissertation Jillian Howard. work combinDonated photo ing salamander population data with information about how the citizens of Macon County value forest land for various uses. Howard will gather input from participants and also provide information about the land use regulatory landscape, local land conservation organizations, tax benefits of donating a conservation easement and how to protect natural resources at home.

The result of her research will be a map that identifies parcels that are high in both conservation value and habitat quality. The map will be publicly available and could be used to help people guide land acquisition for biodiversity conservation while avoiding potential land conflicts.

Free. Refreshments will be provided.

828.524.3600.

outdoors

A plan to replace a 3.5-mile overhead power line with a solar array to deliver energy to communications equipment atop Mount Sterling in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open for public comment through Dec. 13.

The existing overhead line extends from the park boundary at N.C. 284, Mount Sterling Road, to the Mount Sterling Fire Lookout Tower in Haywood County.

According to a press release from Duke Energy, which proposed the project, replacing the power line with solar panels would allow about 13 acres of park land currently maintained as a utility corridor to be returned to their natural state.

The proposed array would consist of 30 panels covering an area about 40 feet long, 15 feet wide and 10.5 feet tall at the highest point, with current estimates showing that fewer than 10 trees would need to be cleared.

The solar panels would be powered by a zincair battery to create a micro-grid, meaning that power supply to the communications tower would be available independently of the status of the overall grid system. While Duke Energy has conducted a number of microgrid research projects, this would be the company’s first outside the research realm.

“This project would allow us to take advantage of renewable energy resources to serve a customer’s distinct need in a less expensive and more reliable way,” said

Salamanders, land development and conservation topics for round-table

nctrustlawyer.com

828.524.8911

537 W. Main Street, Franklin, NC 28734

28 Maple St. • Sylva

45

outdoors

Proud to be providing free contact lens solution for our firefighters.

Exposure to smoke on can cause irritation to your eyes— symptoms such as burning sensations, redness, and tearing up are commonplace. Most of time eye irritation from smoke can be cured with the use of over-the-counter artificial tears and the use of a cold compress, but if your eyes remain irritated for longer than a few days you should consult your eye doctor.

Discover Grotto Falls A hike to Grotto Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will traverse old-growth hemlock forest with a scenic waterfall waiting at the trail’s end on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

The 7-mile hike includes 1,000 feet of elevation gain and will be guided by outdoor enthusiast and author Danny Bernstein. Grotto Falls, accessed by the Trillium Gap Trail, is the only waterfall in the park that allows hikers to walk behind the falls.

The hike is organized by Friends of the Smokies as part of its monthly Classic Hikes series. $20 for members and $35 for nonmembers, with a one-year membership included. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Smokies Trails Forever program, which supports trail rehabilitation in GSMNP. Register at www.hike.friendsofthesmokies.org.

Grotto Falls. Donated photo

Sustainable forestry an award-winner for EBCI

Smoky Mountain News

November 23-29, 2016

828.456.3211 smokymtneye.com

46

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was honored for its use of positive-impact forestry on the Qualla Boundary when the EBCI Office of Natural Resources won the 2016 EcoForester Award in a ceremony celebrating local forest products industry and sustainable forestry.

“They are truly working within the Cherokee traditional rule to ‘preserve and utilize our natural landscape with the consciousness of the seven generations unborn,’” according to a press release.

The awards were presented by the organizations Root Cause and EcoForesters. Root Cause works to raise awareness in the Southern Appalachians for the use of local forest products and sustainable forestry, while EcoForesters works to protect the forests of the Appalachians to ensure their longevity through positive-impact forest stewardship and natural resource education.

Hikers walk Old Settlers Trail. NPS photo

#OptOutside on Black Friday The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will offer an outdoor alternative to those who don’t wish to spend Black Friday under fluorescent lights with a pair of activities offered 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 25, part of the #OptOutside initiative.

“The Thanksgiving holiday weekend offers a perfect opportunity for people to build memories with friends and family along a trail,” said Superintendent Cassius

Cash. “Take some time to enjoy the serenity of these special mountains to recharge on your own or to reconnect with your loved ones.”

■ A walk through the historic Smokemont area will be offered at 10 a.m. starting from the Smokemont Baptist Church parking area in the North Carolina side of the park.

The route begins with a visit to the historic church, reaches the Bradley cemetery and traverses a portion of the Oconaluftee Turnpike, a wagon road across the Smokies built in the 1830s that linked farms and towns, and was used by Civil War troops.

Park staff leading the walk will illustrate the history of the area using maps and historic photographs.

■ A 4.5-mile hike along the lightly trafficked Old Sugarlands Trail will delight history buffs, beginning at 10 a.m. from the Sugarlands Visitor Center on the Tennessee side of the park. The trail passes by a quarry used to build the first paved roads over the mountains, wanders through what was once the center of the Sugarlands community and explores the ruins of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp.

The hike will take about four hours.

Participants should bring food, water and clothing for changeable weather. #OptOutside was launched last year by REI as a response to increased consumerism around the holidays.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • The Cataloochee Ski & Snowboard Swap Shop will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-4, at Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Haywood County Tourism Development Authority meets at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

Christmas Tea & Bazaar, which is from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the First United Methodist Church of Sylva. $12 per ticket. Tickets available from SGC members and at the door; funds go toward SGC’s beautification projects and scholarships. www.facebook.com/SylvaGardenClub.

HOLIDAY GIVING

• Registration is underway for a “Presenting with Impact” workshop, which is from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, at Western Carolina University’s instructional site at Biltmore Park Town Square in Asheville.

Explore a concrete approach for connecting with an audience and delivering a message integrated with body and voice. $125. Visit Pdp.wcu.edu and click on “Business and Management” or call 227.3070.

• The ninth annual Community Food Drive is being conducted by the Town of Waynesville through Dec. 9. Nonperishable items accepted at the following town offices during regular business hours: Police Department/Development Services Office, Municipal Building, Hazelwood Office, Fire Station 1, the Waynesville Recreation Center, and the Old Armory.

456.4838.

• An “Improve Your Branding” workshop will be led by Roger Brooks from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee. Includes sessions on finding your unique selling proposition, successful brands are built on product development and creating your digital marketing plan. $100.

Register: http://tinyurl.com/jcd7htq. Presented by Smoky Mountain Host, which will have its annual meeting after the workshop.

• Donations are being accepted from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, at 394 Champion Drive for the Community Kitchen Yard Sale, which is Dec. 10.

• Smoky Mountain Host’s annual meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • The Sarge’s gift wrap project will be underway during regular store hours from Dec. 1-24 at the Waynesville Mast General Store. Bring purchases to the gift-wrapping table and get your gift wrapped for a donation to Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation. Sign up to help wrap: www.sargesanimals.org/mast-general-gift-wrap.

400.5713.

• The Franklin House’s inaugural holiday wreaths fundraiser event is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 186 One Center Court in Franklin. Bid on your favorite wreath. Door prizes, wine, cheese, cookies, coffee and teas. RSVP: 371.2875 or 200.7091.

• Lake Logan Conference Center is hosting a Christmas Tea from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 25 Wormy Chestnut Lane in Canton. The event will be collecting mittens for the Children of Haywood County’s Backpacks of Love program. Christmas carols, hayride and tasty treats. $5 for adults; children admitted free with unwrapped gift of new mittens for another child.

• “A Smoky Mountain Christmas at HART Theater” – a fundraising event for Haywood Early College – is at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. Silent auction, food/hygiene drive.

Performances by Anne Lough, David Magill, Angie Toomey and Steve Whiddon. Tickets: $12 in advance or $15 at the door. $12 at the door with goods donation.

Advance tickets available at the Jewelers Workbench and Maggie Valley Inn. Sponsored by High Country Style.

• Burger King Fundraiser night, Monday, Dec. 5, the night of the Waynesville Parade. Come out and support Clyde Elementary PTA on your way to or from the parade.

HEALTH MATTERS • Assistance with Marketplace Open Enrollment is available through Mountain Projects. Enrollment through the Affordable Care Act is currently open and lasts until Jan. 31. 452.1447 or 800.627.1548.

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 at Cherokee Indian Hospital in Cherokee. www.redcrossblood.org or 800.733.2767.

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. www.redcrossblood.org or 800.RED.CROSS. • The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. www.redcrossblood.org or 800.RED.CROSS. • A support group meeting for those with Parkinsons Disease and their caregivers will be held at 2 p.m. on Nov. 30 at the Waynesville Senior Resource Center.

Group will continue to meet monthly on the last day Wednesday of the month.

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Haywood Regional Medical Center Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. www.redcrossblood.org or 800.RED.CROSS. • “Get Covered Haywood!” – an opportunity to learn about affordable care health insurance options – is from noon-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Waynesville Library. 452.1447.

• Harris Regional Hospital Palliative Care and Hospice will hold a special memorial service at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 in the hospital’s main lobby for family members, friends and loved ones who are no longer with us.

• Medicare Part D & Advantage Plans will be reviewed

by SHIIP specialist John Chicoine from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, in the Waynesville Library Auditorium.

First come, first served. 356.2800.

• Donations are being accepted for the auction portion of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society’s holiday party, which is Dec. 1. Items may be dropped off from 8 a.m.-noon on Monday through Friday at the SCGHS Library at 200 Main Street in Bryson City.

488.2932.

• Walking in the Canton Armory starts Monday, Dec. 5, at 71 Penland Street across from Canton Middle School Open from 7:45-9 a.m. on Mondays through Fridays.

Open until spring. parks@cantonnc.com.

• Tickets are on sale for the Sylva Garden Club’s

• Zumba! Classes are held from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesdays

RECREATION AND FITNESS

Smoky Mountain News

through Dec. 13. $5 per class. More classes scheduled starting Jan. 10 ($60 for 15 classes). 648.2363 or parks@cantonnc.com.

• Ultimate Frisbee games are held from 5:30-8 p.m. on Mondays at the Cullowhee Recreation Park. Organized

by Jackson County Parks & Recreation. Pick-up style.

293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

• The Wednesday Croquet Group meets from 10 a.m.noon at the Vance Street Park across from the shelter.

For senior players ages 55 or older. 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Pickleball is from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesdays through Thursdays at First Methodist Church in Sylva. $1 each time you play; equipment provided. 293.3053.

POLITICAL • A lunch-and-discussion group will be held by the League of Women Voters at noon on the second Thursday of each month at Tartan Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin. RSVP for lunch: lwvmacon@wild-dog-mountain.info or 524.8369.

• Highlands Mayor Patrick Taylor has coffee and an open public discussion with Highlands residents from 11 a.m.-noon on the last Friday of each month at Hudson Library in Highlands. www.fontanalib.org or 526.3031.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Beloved longtime natural history writer George Ellison will present his new essay collection at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

• Author Thomas Thibeault will read and discuss his latest book Fake at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. Set in newly liberated Holland in 1945, Fake follows the fortunes of Hans van Meegeren, the weathiest artist in the world at the time.

Van Meegeren made his money faking the paintings of Vermeer and selling his forgeries to Herman Goering.

• George Ellison will present “Literary Excursions in the Southern Highlands” on Dec. 7 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

• The Theme Team Book Club will be presented by the Waynesville Library from 2-4 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. Pick any book from a chosen them; each participant gets a chance to discuss his/her book. Signup required: 356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.

• 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.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The Jackson County Senior Center will host its annual Craft Show from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, in the Heritage Room at the Department on Aging in Sylva. Christmas music performance at 12:30 p.m.; lunch is $5.

KIDS & FAMILIES • “Plug in and Read,” a digital story time designed to help preschoolers (ages 4-6) learn early literacy skills, is held at 2 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at Canton Public Library. Visit www.haywoodlibrary.org or call 648.2924, sign-up required.

• Children of all ages and their caregivers are invited to join Ms. Katy at the Canton Library on Thursday,

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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 December 8th at 6:00 p.m. for a special evening storytime. We will be reading and learning about animals that hibernate and building bear caves in the children’s room. Please call 648-2924 for more information.

• The Canton Library offers a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) program each month. On Tuesday, December 20th at 4:00 p.m. we will be making “snow” from different recipes. Children will use their observation skills to decide which recipe makes the most realistic snow. Children ages 6-12 are welcome to attend. Please call 648-2924 for more information.

• Registration is underway for the Haywood County Youth Recreation Basketball League. Age groups range from 5-6 to 11-12. Age cut-off is Aug. 31. Games start Dec. 17. Register anytime at the HCRP office in Waynesville. 452.6789 or drtaylor@haywoodnc.net.

• A Tuesday Library Club for ages 5-12 meets at 4 p.m. each Tuesday (except for the fifth Tuesday on months that occurs) at the Canton Library. Hands-on activities like exercise, cooking, LEGOs, science experiments and crafts. 648.2924 or kpunch@haywoodnc.net.

• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City. A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 828.538.2054.

• Stories, songs and a craft are offered for ages zerosix (and caregivers) at 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• A program called “Imagine”, an art program for children 8-12 meets at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library. Program contains art, writing, and drama. 586.2016.

• Rompin’ Stompin’, an hourlong storytime with music, movement and books, is held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays and at 11 a.m. on Fridays at Canton Library.

For ages zero to six. 648.2924.

• Crafternoons are at 2:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• Library Olympics will be held at 2 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. Children age 5 and up get active through relay races, bingo, mini golf.

586.2016.

• Get Moving, a program for children ages 5-12 to encourage children to live a healthy life through exercise and healthy eating, will be held on the first Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. 648.2924 • Full STEAM Ahead, a program for children ages 5-12 to allow them to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics through fun hands-on activities. Program open to the first 15 participants, at 4 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at Canton Public Library. 648.2924.

• Family Story Time is held on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 0-6. Stories, songs, dance and crafting. 648.2924.

wnc calendar

• Rompin’ Stompin’ Story Time is held on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and Fridays 11 a.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 0-6. An hour long story time full of music and movement. 648.2924.

• Storytimes are held at 10 and 10:40 a.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• After-School Art Adventure will be on from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at The Bascom in Highlands.

For ages 5 to 10, Art Adventure is a class that explores the creative process of drawing, painting, printmaking, clay, sculpture, fiber art, and crafts by utilizing a variety of media. The students will investigate some of the most popular techniques and theories in art history and will be exposed to contemporary as well as folk art traditions. Tuition is $40 for a fourclass package. www.thebascom.org.

ONGOING KIDS ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS • Wednesdays in the Stacks, “WITS”, a new program for children in grades 3-6, on the third Wednesdays of the month from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Macon County Library. WITS will include lots of fun games, prizes, and hands-on activities. This club replaces book club previous held on the third Thursdays of the month. 526.3600.

• Fun Friday, everything science, is held at 4 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Teen Coffeehouse is at 4:30 p.m. on the first, third, and fourth Tuesday at Jackson County Public Library.

Spend time with other teens talking and sharing. 12 and up. 586.2016.

November 23-29, 2016

• Youth Outright meets every Sunday from 4 p.m. -6 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville for ages 14-20. Youth Outright is a youth advocacy and leadership program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in 18 counties in Western North Carolina. www.youthoutright.org.

• Youth Outright meets the third Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville for ages 11-13. Youth Outright is a youth advocacy and leadership program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in 18 counties in Western North Carolina. www.youthoutright.org.

• Rock and Read is at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at Jackson County Public Library. 586-2016.

• WNC Martial Arts will hold karate classes from 67:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the Old Armory in Waynesville. For more info, contact Margaret Williams at 301.0649 or mvwilliams39@gmail.com.

Smoky Mountain News

• Book Buddies for ages 0-3 is from 9:30-10:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

• Page Pals for ages 3-5 is from 10:30-11:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

• Story time and kids can make their own piece of art from 10 a.m.-noon every Saturday during the Family Art event sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council at the Jackson County Farmers Market located at the Community Table, downtown Sylva. On the first Saturday of each month, there is a scavenger hunt with prizes. 399.0290 or www.jacksoncountyfarmermarket.org.

• A Teen Advisory Group meets at 4 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss YA books and teen program events. http://haywoodlibrary.libguides.com/teen or 648.2924.

• Michael’s Kids Club will be held for ages 3-and-up from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at Michael’s in Waynesville. $2 per child for 30 minutes of creative crafts. 452.7680.

• A Lowe’s Build and Grow session for ages 3-and-up 48 is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays at the

Sylva (586.1170) and Waynesville (456.9999) Lowe’s stores. Free.

about historical women. Club members read and do activities. Free. 586.9499.

facc@franklin-chamber.com or 524.3161. Grand Marshall will be 105 year old Rose Clark.

• Art classes are available for kids 10 and older from 4:15-5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. $15 per class. 787.2865 or www.thebascom.org.

• Adventure Club on Tuesdays 3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. for grades K-2 at the Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• The annual tree lighting “Winter Wonderland” ceremony and candlelight service will start at 5 p.m. Nov. 26 on the Franklin town square, with free cider, cookies, wagon rides and live music. Lighting of the tree will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 activities will resume with an addition of a human size snowglobe, take a photo inside.

• Art Adventure classes are taught for ages 5-10 from 3:30-4:45 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. Theme: metal. Instructor: Bonnie Abbott. $20 per month. 787.2865.

• Free, weekly, after-school enrichment classes are offered by the Bascom and MCAA from 3-5 p.m. on Thursdays at Macon Middle School through a grant from the Jim McRae Endowment for the Visual Arts. To register, contact Bonnie Abbott at 743.0200.

•A Lego club will meet at 4 p.m. every fourth Thursday of the month, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Library provides Legos and Duplos for ages 3 and up. Free. 488.3030.

•A community breastfeeding information and support group meets from 10:30 am.-noon on the first Saturday of each month in the main lobby of the Smoky Mountain OB/GYN Office in Sylva. Free; refreshments provided. For information, contact Brandi Nations (770.519.2903), Stephanie Faulkner (506.1185 or www.birthnaturalwnc), or Teresa Bryant (587-8223).

• Science Club is held at 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month for grades K-6 at the Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• Macon County 4-H Needlers club, a group of youth learning the art and expression of knitting and crochet crafts, meets on the second Tuesday of each month.

For information, call 349.2046.

• A Franklin Kids’ Creation Station is held from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at uptown Gallery in Franklin.

Snacks provided. $20 tuition. 743.0200.

• SafeKids USA Blue Dragon Tae Kwon Do School offers defense training with after-school classes Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings.

627.3949 or www.bluedragontkd.net.

• Culture Club on the second Wednesday of the month, 1 to 2 p.m. for K-6 graders. Guest speakers, books, photos, crafts and food from different countries and cultures. Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• Children’s craft time, fourth Wednesday, 3:45 p.m. at Cashiers Community Library. 743.0215 • The Wee Naturalist program, which is for children ages 2-5 (with a parent or guardian), is held from 1011:30 a.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays at the North Carolina Arboretum. Age-appropriate activities such as nature walks, garden exploration, stories, crafts and visits from classroom animals $7 cost per child; $3 more for each additional child in a family. Register at: www.ncarboretum.org/education-programs/youthfamily-programs/wee-naturalist

KIDS MOVIES • A family movie will be shown at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Movie is an animated adventure about yellow, second fiddles who’ve served despicable villains throughout history. 488.3030.

• A special Christmas screening of the film “The Polar Express” will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Smoky Mountain Center of the Performing Arts in Franklin. Pajamas, pillows, blankets and stuffed animals are encouraged. Doors open at 6 p.m. for pictures with Santa. Tickets are sold at the door for $5 or contact the Macon County Academic Foundation to purchase in advance or for group discounts. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

• A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• Family story time for ages zero to six years old is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• A Lego Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 3:30-5 p.m. at Waynesville Library.

452.5169.

• A Lego Club meet the second Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. at Cashiers Community Library.

743.0215.

• A Lego Club meets at 4 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Legos and Duplos provided for ages three and up.

488.3030.

• Teen time 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursdays at Waynesville Library. A program for teens and tweens held each week. Each week is different, snacks provided. 3562511 • Homework Help, 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays for students in grades 2 through 6, Canton Branch Library. Former schoolteacher turned Youth Services Librarian Katy Punch offers homework help on a first-come, firstserved basis. Katy, 648.2924.

•Teen Advisory Group, first Wednesday of each month at 4 p.m. For ages 13-18. Teens can enjoy snacks while discussing popular young adult books, help plan events and displays for children and teens at the library, and participate in community service projects.

Canton Library, 648.2924.

• The American Girls Club meets at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. The club meets one Saturday a month, call for details. Club is based on a book series

• Children and teens ages 7 and up are welcome to attend a present making workshop in the Canton Library auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 29 starting at 3:30 p.m. Making keychains, ornaments, and more using Perler beads. The participants will be able to make something to keep and something to give as a gift. Please call 648-2924 for more information.

• Christmas Past – Mountain Traditions: 5 to 7 p.m.

This brand new program is designed with the whole family in mind. Held at the cabin in the museum, the event offers a fun, educational lecture on the Christmas meal, the felling and decorating of the tree, traditional toys and gifts, and more. Kids get to decorate the cabin tree with traditional Appalachian decorations, as well as making their own popcorn, cranberry, or paper string to take home for their tree.

Cookies and cocoa provided in the visitor center lobby.

800.867.9246.

• Registration is underway for a wreath-making workshop, which is scheduled for 1:30-4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, at First Presbyterian Church in Sylva. $10 fee includes wreath ring and greenery. 586.4009.

• Canton Christmas Parade, “Silver Bells” will be held Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. cantonnc.com.

• Dillsboro Lights and Luminaries runs on the Friday and Saturdays of Dec. 2-3 and Dec. 9-10 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• A Lego Club meets the second Thursday of the month at 4 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. at the Macon County Public Library. 526.3600.

• A Lego Club meets the fourth Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m. at Jackson County Public Library. 5862016.

• Santa Claus and other Christmas activities will be held from now till Dec. 17 at the Swain County Heritage Museum in Bryson City. 800.867.9246.

Letters to Santa: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Drop a line to Santa.

All materials provided. Santa at the Museum: 1 to 4 p.m. Enjoy a free photo opportunity with jolly St. Nick on the porch of the cabin located in the museum.

Cookies and cocoa served in the lobby. Santa will be there from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 26 and at the Christmas Parade on Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.

A&E FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS • The 15th annual “Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 25-26 in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville.

HOLIDAYS • David Pruitt of Franklin will be the featured artist at the 29th annual Hard Candy Christmas Arts & Crafts Show, which is Nov. 25-26 insides the Ramsey Center on Western Carolina University’s campus in Cullowhee.

Corn brooms, rag rugs, hand weaving, goat milk soap, bee’s wax candles and ornaments. $4.50 for adults; children under 12 admitted free. www.MountainArtisans.net or 524.3405.

• Christmas on the Green is scheduled from 2-6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25, at the Village Green in Cashiers.

Christmas wishes with Santa from 2-5 p.m.; Christmas tree lighting ceremony from 5-6 p.m. www.villagegreencashiersnc.com or 743.3434.

• The Franklin Christmas Parade will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, in downtown. Parade applications are available at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Entry fee is $25. You can also get an application by emailing cindy@franklin-chamber.com.

Commercial floats are available for $525, contact

• Cherokee Lights and Legends Christmas will be celebrated starting Friday Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Event will take place on Friday and Saturdays in December except for the 23rd and 24th. Enjoy interactive displays of Cherokee legends, ice skating, a 40 ft. Christmas tree and more at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. 800.438.1601.

Admission free with fees for activities.

• The 12th annual Christmas Worship in a Stable is from 5:30-6:10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the 3rd Generation Barn Loft outside Canton. 84 Frank Mann Road. 3gbarnloft.com.

• Breakfast with Santa — 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3: Join Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville for breakfast with Santa and enjoy pancakes, sausage, juice, milk and coffee. After breakfast, Santa will be available for photos and wish lists. Bring your camera to capture this special event. Entry fee is $5 per person.

Reservations preferred. www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• Breakfast with Santa is at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Department on Aging in Sylva.

• The 3rd annual Cowee Christmas Celebration will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin. The daylong event will include live music, arts and crafts activities, live artisan demonstrations, visit by Santa, cookies and lunch, and more.

For a full list of events and times, click on www.coweepotteryschool.org.

• Highlands Christmas Parade will be Dec. 3 at 11 a.m.

• Sylva Christmas Parade, “A Cinema Christmas” is Dec. 3 at 3 pm on Main St. in Sylva. Rain date is Dec. 4.

• Waynesville Christmas Parade, “Christmas Past, Christmas Present” will be Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. on Main St.

wnc calendar

• The 42st annual “Biggest Little Christmas Parade in the Smokies” will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in downtown Bryson City. Floats, fire trucks, classic cars, beauty queens and Santa. www.greatsmokies.com/christmas.

• A Night Before Christmas will be on Saturday, Dec. 10 in downtown Waynesville. Live music, caroling, Bethlehem Market Place, wagon rides, Santa and more. 6 to 9 p.m.

• Cashiers Christmas Parade, “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly” will be Dec. 10 at 12 p.m. 743.5191.

Parade entries now being accepted.

• Cherokee Christmas Parade will be Dec. 10 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Parade route is from the Cherokee Bear Zoo to The Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

800.438.1601.

• Christmas in the Park will be held on Friday, Dec. 16 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Recreation Park in Cullowhee. Visit Santa, roast marshmallows and enjoy other activities. 293.3053 or http://www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • The National Theatre of London’s production of “Three Penny Opera” will be livestreamed at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 26, at the Highlands Performing Arts Center. Tickets: highlandspac.org, 526.9047 or at the door at 507 Chestnut Street in Highlands.

• The Western Carolina University Civic Orchestra will hold its annual fall concert at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 28 in the Coulter Recital Hall in Cullowhee. 227.7242.

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host a community music jam from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1. Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. Free. 828.488.3030.

• International Bluegrass Music Association “Emerging Artist of the Year” act Mountain Faith will perform their “Sounds of Christmas” at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets are $18. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

November 23-29, 2016

• Area musicians Steve Whiddon and Angie Toomey will perform at the Open Door Meal & Sing at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the First United Methodist Church of Sylva. Devotional will precede the meal. 586.2358.

• Western Carolina University’s Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, in Cullowhee. 227.7242 or smbq.org.

• The “Snowkus Pocus Cirque Holiday Show” is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Performers present wintry vignettes. Preregistration required: tcbowers1@catamount.wcu.edu (for WCU students); or hensley@wcu.edu (all others).

Smoky Mountain News

• The Haywood Community Chorus will hold its “The Gifts of Christmas” concert at 7 pm. On Sunday, Dec. 4, at Waynesville First United Methodist Church. Guest accompanist is Kyle Ritter, organist and choir master of All Souls Cathedral in Asheville. Donations welcome.

• Celtic Women: home for Christmas, The Symphony Tour will be held at Harrah’s in Cherokee on Dec. 9 at 9 pm. Tickets are $42 and up. www.harrahcherokee.com.

• HART’s holiday production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” will be held Dec. 10-11 and 17-18. www.harttheatre.org.

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wnc calendar

• Music and Clogging is held from 8-10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays at the Stomping Ground at 3116 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. 926.1288.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • The annual Autumn Balsam Arts and Craft Show is from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Balsam Fire Department.

• Laurey-Faye Dean will be the featured artist with a live demonstration and discussion at “The Potter’s Wheel” series from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 26 at The Wild Fern in Bryson City.

• An iPhone-iPad User Group meeting for all levels is from 1-3 p.m. on Nov. 30 in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room in Franklin. Sign up: 524.3600 or visit the reference desk.

• Registration is underway for a welt-felting, hands-on workshop, which will be offered at 6 p.m. on, Thursday, Dec. 1, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

Create a hat or slippers for winter. Preregistration required: tcbowers1@catamount.wcu.edu (for WCU students); or hensley@wcu.edu (all others).

• Lamar Marshall, cultural director of Wild South, will speak from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Dec. 3, in the basement of the Waynesville Public Library. Topic is “The Ancient Lines and White Settlement of the Tuckasegee Watershed.”

• The annual “Fireside Sale” will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown. The event showcases fine holiday crafts made by Folk School instructors and other talented artisans. Shoppers can browse for forged iron, jewelry, quilts, turned wood, fiber, photography, and more. www.folkschool.org or 828.837.2775.

November 23-29, 2016

• “Public demonstrations: Agent of change or ‘virtue signaling?’” will be the topic of the Franklin Open Forum at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5, at the Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub in downtown Franklin. Dialog, not debate. 371.1020.

• Submissions are now being accepted for the 2017 edition of Milestone, the biennial art and literary review published by Southwestern Community College. Firstand second-place cash prizes will be awarded in three categories: Poetry, Prose (short story or nonfiction works) and Visual Arts, including photography. In addition, one cash prize will be awarded for Cover Art. Open to residents of Jackson, Macon, Swain counties and the Qualla Boundary – as well as SCC students and alumni. Info and submissions (by Dec. 5): tknott@southwesterncc.edu or bkeeling@southwesterncc.edu. Info: 339.4314 or 339.4325.

Smoky Mountain News

• The Dusty Pallet is the newest art gallery in Franklin.

The studio is located in downtown at 52 East Main Street. Are you ready for a paint party? For only $35, the gallery provides everything you need to create your own masterpiece. Watch for our days and times at their website, www.thedustypallet.com. Call and schedule

your group at 524.5676. The shop is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• 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.

• 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.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES

R

www.ThePrintHaus.com

641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC (3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse)

828-456-HAUS (4287)

• An exhibition entitled “This is a Photograph: Exploring Contemporary Applications of Photographic Chemistry” is on display at Penland School of Crafts near Spruce Pine. 765.6211 or penland.org/gallery.

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s exhibit entitled “It’s a Small, Small Work” is on display through Dec. 24 at 86 N. Main Street in Waynesville. Sixty artists and nearly 200 individual works of art for sale. www.HaywoodArts.org.

• New artist and medium will be featured every month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

FILM & SCREEN • Adult movie time, 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Jackson County Public Library. Call for title of movie. 586.2016.

Outdoors • A discussion on “Influencing Land Use and Conservations Planning Decisions in Macon County” with Jillian Howard is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room.

• A “Recent Work” exhibit by Cullowhee watercolorist Craig Forrest is scheduled for 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, at It’s by Nature gallery at 678 West Main Street in Sylva. 631.3020 or itsbynature.com/upcomingevents.

• A Fly Rod Building class will be presented by Tommy Thomas, former president of the National Chapter of Trout Unlimited, from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from through Dec. 15 at Haywood Community College. Register: 565.4240.

• A three-month ceramics exhibit at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum is currently in Cullowhee. Fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or 227.3591.

• “Contemporary Clay,” curated by Heather Mae Erickson, is an exhibition that examines the evolving, expanded field of clay and ceramics. It will run through Dec. 16 in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

• Registration is underway for ski/snowboard lessons at the Cataloochee Ski Resort. For ages 8-up. Sundays for five weeks: Jan. 8, 22, 29, Feb. 5 and 12. Lesson is from 1:30-3 p.m.; lift ticket valid from 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Lift only: $109; lift and lesson: $135. 293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

FARM AND GARDEN

• The exhibit “Emissaries of Peace: 1762 Cherokee & British Delegations” features Cherokee clothing, feather capes, beads, and other artifacts. It is currently on display at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and also available for travel. www.cherokeemuseum.org or bduncan@cherokeemuseum.org.

• Registration is underway for a “Master Gardener Wreath-Making Event,” which is from 10 a.m.-noon and from 1-3 p.m. on Dec. 3 at the Cooperative Extension Office in Waynesville. Materials provided; learn from master gardeners. $20. Reservations: 456.3575 or mgarticles@charter.net.

• Artist Melba Cooper will be exhibiting her stunning

• Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension

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THE PRINT HAUS INC. GROUP

• The “Photography of Bayard Wootten” exhibit is on display through Nov. 23 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

• Applications are being accepted through Dec. 1 for the “Best of the West” exhibit, featuring work from artists in Jackson and Swain Counties. Exhibit runs from January to July at the N.C. Welcome Center. For info or to apply, write: ArtistsCount@gmail.com.

It’s time to get your together for The Holidays!

Authorized ShipCenter

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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

series of paintings, “POLLINATION,” at Cullowhee Mountain Arts’ (CMA) Studio in downtown Sylva. www.cullowheemountainarts.org/up-in-the-studioevents or 342.6913.

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509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC (Located in the NAPA Auto Parts Center)

828-586-HAUS (4287)

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).

• The Macon County Poultry Club of Franklin meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cooperative Extension Office on Thomas Heights Rd, Open to the public. 369.3916.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • The fourth annual Cold Turkey 5K and Little Turkeys FUN! Run/Walk will be held at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 24 — Thanksgiving Day — at Franklin’s Tassee Shelter Greenway Park. The out-and-back 5K begins at 9:30 a.m., with the Little Turkeys FUN! Run/Walk for those 10 and under starting at 9 a.m. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Proceeds will benefit a local nonprofit to be announced soon. $25, with prices increasing to $30 Nov. 9. www.active.com.

• Turkey Trot 5K is Nov. 24 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. $35. Supports a variety of nonprofits locally and around the world. www.imathlete.com.

• Tacky Christmas Sweater 5K is Saturday, Nov. 26, at Oak Forest United Methodist Church in Hayesville.

Proceeds benefit youth and children’s programs at the church. Must wear a tacky Christmas sweater. $25. www.active.com.

• Registration is underway for the Run 2017 5K Run & Walk, which is Jan. 1 at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. 293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org

HIKING CLUBS • Carolina Mountain Club will have an 11.7-mile hike with a 3,000-mile ascent on Nov. 27 on the Round Top Ridge Trail. For info and reservations, contact leader Tish Desjardins at 380.1452 or desraylet@aol.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have an eight-mile hike with a 2,200-foot ascent on Nov. 30 at Buckwheat Knob Coontree Loop. For info and reservations, contact leader Laura Frisbie at 337.5845 or laurafrisbie@charter.net.

• Great Smoky Mountains Association will have its final hike of the “Hike 100 with GSMA” on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Cades Cove Picnic Area in Townsend, Tenn. www.smokiesinformation.org/info/hike-100-with-GSMA. • Friends of the Smokies will have a seven-mile hike on Tuesday, Dec. 6, to Grotto Falls on Trillium Gap Trail.

Elevation gain of 1,000 feet. Led by author and outdoor enthusiast Danny Bernstein. $20 for members; $35 for new members. Register: Hike.FriendsoftheSmokies.org.

• The Carolina Mountain Club will have its annual seven-mile Cookie Hike with a 1,200-foot ascent on Dec. 7. For info and reservations, contact leaders Ken and Carol Deal at 274.7070 or cnkdeal@charter.net.

Puzzles can be found on page 54.

These are only the answers.

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

Great Smokies Storage 10’x20’

92

$

20’x20’

160

$

ONE MONTH

FREE WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

828.506.4112 or 828.507.8828 Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

HOLIDAY AUCTION Sat. Nov. 26, 2016, 12Noon-Til? Location: Almond Auction, US Hwy 74/19/23 South of Bryson City.

Auctioneer: Dodie Allen Blaschik NCAL# 3410, Floor Mgr: Dwight Burrell NCFL# 5584. Call 828.586.3634 or 828.488.3043 for Info & Directions.

Combination of 2 Estates Sale Alan & Connie Dyleski of Cashiers, Living. Gail Briggs Nolen of Barkers Creek, Deceased.

Special Offering: Needle Point Historical Tapestry.

View Partial Inventory at: www.dodieallen.com 10% Buyer Premium- Come Early to Preview, Concession Open Cash or Check w/ Proper ID. Dodie’s Auction & Realty 828.586.3634, NCAL#3410, Real Estate Broker NC License226385 ‘The Sale w/ The Woman’s Touch’ TAX SEIZURE AUCTION Sat. Dec. 3 @ 10a.m., 201 S. Central Ave., Locust, NC. Selling 25+ Vehicles, Tools, Equipment for NCDOR & Others. ‘67 Mustangs, Danalis, ‘13 Altima 40K, Machine Shop Tools, 15+ Lista Cabinets.

704.791.8825 NCAF5479 www.ClassicAuctions.com

AUCTION

ABSOLUTE FARM AUCTION Thurs. Dec. 8, 2016 @ 11a.m.

Owner: Charles Harrell; Stantosburg, NC 27883. 5% BP. Call EB Webb 252.245.1405 or visit: www.meekinsauction.com ADVERTISE YOUR Auction, Job Opening, Event, Items For Sale, etc. in this newspaper plus 100 other newspapers across the state for only $375. For more information, contact the classified department of this newspaper or call 919.516.8018, ads@ncpress.com

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE AN APPLICATION FOR 2017-2018 COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT FUNDING Mountain Projects Inc. Community Action Agency is completing an application for the Community Services Block Grant Program for funding in 2017-2018. Mountain Projects will be requesting $213,789 for the Central Intake and referral Programs in Haywood and Jackson Counties. A small amount of funding will be used to support the GED Program in Jackson County. The review and approval of this application is scheduled for December 13th, 2016.

FROG POND ESTATE SALES HELPING IN HARD TIMES

DOWNSIZING ESTATE SALES CLEAN OUT SERVICE • COMPANY TRANSFER • DIVORCE • LOST LOVED ONE

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

LEGAL NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE Mountain Projects Inc. is planning to submit a proposal to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity for a three-year grant under the Community Services Block Grant program. Public input is requested to utilize funding.

The public hearings will be held in Haywood County at 10:00 am on Monday December 5th, 2016 at Mountain Projects office located at 2251 Old Balsam Rd. Waynesville, NC 28786 and in Jackson County at 10:00 a.m. on Monday December 12th at Mountain Projects office located at 25 Schulman St. Sylva, NC 28779.

BUILDING MATERIALS

HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING FOR SALE: HEATILATOR I-60 Wood Burning Fireplace, for Built In Applications, Large Firebox Opening, with 30ft. Chimney.

New in Original Packaging, $600 For More Info Call 828.696.5039.

BATHTUB REFINISHING Renew or change the color of your bathtub, tile or sink. Fiberglass repair specialists! 5 year warranty.

Locally owned since 1989. CarolinasTubDoctor.com. 888.988.4430.

ACORN STAIRLIFTS. The Affordable Solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & Save. Please call 1.800.291.2712 for FREE DVD and brochure.

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

WNC MarketPlace

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, IFree 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

CARS A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR For Breast Cancer! Help United Breast Foundation Education, Prevention, & Support Programs. Fast Free Pickup - 24 Hr Response - Tax Deduction 855.306.7348 SAPA CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!!

Top Dollar! Free Towing From Home, Office or body Shop. All Makes/Models 2000-2016. Same Day Pick-Up Available! Call Now: 1.800.761.9396 SAPA

www.smokymountainnews.com

November 23-29, 2016

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52

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1880 Dellwood Rd., Waynesville 828.926.1177

FINANCIAL BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

SAPA LOWEST HOME MORTGAGE Rates & Fast Approvals by Phone!!!! Programs available for Good & Bad Credit. Call 910.401.3153 Today for a Free Consultation.

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!

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RICHLAND GARDEN CLUB IS SPONSORING A

PERSONALIZED LETTER FROM SANTA TO BE MAILED TO GOOD LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS. PROCEEDS GO TO CONTINUING OUR NON-PROFIT LOCAL BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT! DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING THIS FORM WITH PAYMENT OF $5.00 FOR EACH NAME IS DECEMBER 10, 2016. SEND TO: RGC SANTA LETTER, 136 RAVEN ROCK RD., WAYNESVILLE, NC 28786. QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL 828-452-9306 OR EMAIL TO: ENHEFNER@BELLSOUTH.NET CHILD’S NAME _______________________________________ MAILING ADDRESS: STREET OR PO BOX _______________________________________ CITY ___________________STATE________ZIP___________ TRADITIONAL__________OR RELIGIOUS____________LETTER

EMPLOYMENT

PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS Meridian is seeking Peer Support Specialists to work within a number of recovery oriented programs within our agency. Being a Peer Support Specialist provides an opportunity for individuals to transform their own personal lived experience with mental health and/or addiction challenges into a tool for inspiring hope for recovery in others. Applicants must demonstrate maturity in their own recovery process, have a HS Diploma or GED, valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and have moderate computer skills. If you are seeking some basic information about the role of Peer Support Specialists within the public behavioral health system, please go to NC Peer Support Specialist Certification Site: http://pss.unc.edu/ You do not have to be a certified peer support specialist prior to employment. For further information about these positions, visit the employment section of our website at: www.meridianbhs.org If interested, apply by completing the mini application and submitting your resume.

FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Automotive Systems Technology Instructor (10-month contract), Certified Nursing Instructor. 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 U.S. NAVY IS HIRING Elite tech training withgreat pay, benefits, vacation, $ for school. HS grads ages 17-34. Call Mon.-Fri. 800.662.7419

EMPLOYMENT B.H. GRANING LANDSCAPES, INC Now hiring for the position of crew member - the grass is growing and so is our business come join our team. Full-time year round work, competitive wages, good work environment.

Please call 828.586.8303 for more info or email resume to: roger.murajda@bhlandscapes. com BECOME A REGISTERED NURSE-RN No Waiting List! Attend accredited Nursing School, Classes online in our blended program. Weekend clinical schedules. Financial Aid Available for those who qualify.

Call Admissions 813.932.1710. www.medicalprepinstitute.org DRIVE WITH UBER. No experience is required, but you'll need a Smartphone. It's fun and easy. For more information, call: 1.800.927.8560 DRIVER TRAINEES Paid CDL Training Stevens Transport will cover all costs! No Experience Needed! Earn $800 per week!

Local CDL Training! Call now 1.888.748.4137 or visit: drive4stevens.com ENTRY LEVEL Heavy Equipment Operator Career.

Get Trained - Get Certified - Get Hired! Bulldozers, Backhoes & Excavators. Immediate Lifetime Job Placement. VA Benefits.

1.866.362.6497 HIRING SKILLED UPHOLSTERER And Canvas Fabricator with experience in sewing, patterning and upholstering for boat/ yacht industry.

Email resume to marvinroberts@live.com or call 252.726.1660.

MEDICAL BILLING & CODING Training! Become a Medical Office Specialist now! No Experience Needed! Online Training can get you job ready! 1.888.512.7122 HS Diploma/GED & computer needed. careertechnical.edu/nc

CAVALIER ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Offering 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400

SPORTSMAN LOG CABINS 8 MODELS 828-361-3232

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

OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday 12:30pm - 4:00pm & Friday. 8:00am- 4:00pm 50 Duckett Cove Road, Waynesville

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

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 NEAR TRYON, NC EQUESTRIAN Center, 7.84 acres of pasture, creek frontage, partially fenced $59,900. Also Mtn View acreage w/paved access starting at $24,900. 828.286.1666

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.

OUR HUNTERS WILL PAY Top $$$ To hunt your land. Call for a Free Base Camp Leasing info packet & Quote. 1.866.309.1507 www.BaseCampLeasing.com

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

MOBILE HOMES FOR SALE REPOSSESSED MOBILE HOMES. Move in ready. No rent option, but buying could be cheaper than rent!

Owner financing on select homes with approved credit.

336.790.0162

VACATION RENTALS FLAGLER BEACH FLORIDA Oceanfront Vacation Rental, Tripadvisor Award, Furnished Studio, 1-2-3 BR’s, Full Kitchens, WiFi, TV, Pool. Seasonal Specials.

1.386.517.6700 or visit: www.fbvr.net YOUR AD COULD REACH 1.6 MILLION HOMES ACROSS NC! Your classified ad could be reaching over 1.6 Million Homes across North Carolina! Place your ad with The Smoky Mountain News on the NC Statewide Classified Ad Network- 118 NC newspapers for a low cost of $375 for 25-word ad to appear in each paper! Additional words are $10 each. The whole state at your fingertips! It's a smart advertising buy! Call Scott Collier at 828.452.4251 or for more information visit the N.C. Press Association's website at: ncpress.com

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE FOR YOU 1 Month Free with 12 Month Rental. Maggie Valley, Hwy. 19, 1106 Soco Rd. For more information call Torry

828.734.6500, 828.734.6700 maggievalleyselfstorage.com GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE Conveniently located off 19/23

by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160.

Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more info.

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400 Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS: Monday & Wednesday 8:00am - 4:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

Phone# 1.828.273.3639 TDD# 1.800.735.2962 This is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

LAWN & GARDEN

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

FURNITURE 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

ITEMS FOR SALE OVER 2,500 VINYL RECORDS Country, Rock & Roll, Gospel. $500 or best offer. For more info call 864.993.3900

CHAMPION SUPPLY Janitorial supplies. Professional cleaning products, vacuums, janitorial paper products, swimming pool chemicals, environmentally friendly chemicals, indoor & outdoor light bulbs, odor elimination products, equipment repair including household vacuums. Free delivery across WNC. www.championsupply.com 800.222.0581, 828.225.1075.

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.300N

Haywood County Real Estate Agents Beverly Hanks & Associates

Dan Womack BROKER

243.1126

828.

WANTED TO BUY CASH FOR UNEXPIRED Diabetic Test Strips! Free shipping.

Best Prices & 24 hr payment!

Call 1.855.378.1147 www.TestStripSearch.com Habla Español.

SAPA

MOUNTAIN REALTY

26 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC • 828-564-9393

BRUNSWICK 8 FT. REGULATION POOL TABLE

Committed to Exceeding Expectations

10 CUE STICKS & 1 BRIDGE

$1,000 - Pick Up Only

M

O

arilynn brig

Residential Broker Associate

• • • • •

beverly-hanks.com Ann Eavenson - AnnEavenson@beverly-hanks.com Randy Flanigan - RandyFlanigan@beverly-hanks.com Michelle McElroy - MichelleMcElroy@beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig - MarilynnObrig@beverly-hanks.com Brooke Parrott - BrookeParrott@beverly-hanks.com

• • • •

Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither - EllenSither@beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey - MikeStamey@beverly-hanks.com Pamela Williams - PamelaWilliams@beverly-hanks.com

Emerson Group • George Escaravage - george@emersongroupus.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com • Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com • Rick Boarder - sunburstrealty.com EXP Realty • Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

Haywood Properties - haywoodproperties.com • Steve Cox - info@haywoodproperties.com Keller Williams Realty

www.Beverly-Hanks.com

kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • Sam Hopkins - samhopkins.kwrealty.com

Lakeshore Realty • Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

ROB ROLAND 828-400-1923

RROLAND33@GMAIL.COM

Find the home you are looking for at www.robrolandrealty.com

MALT - A BIG GOOFBALL REDTICK COONHOUND ABOUT 3 YEARS OLD & NEEDS SOME MORE MEAT ON HIM, & THEN HE'LL BE QUITE THE HANDSOME FELLOW. HE'S A SWEET BOY, AND FAIRLY ENERGETIC, SO HE'LL DO BEST WITH AN ACTIVE FAMILY WITH ROOM FOR HIM TO ROMP AND TIME TO GIVE HIM ATTENTION.

mountaindream.com • Sammie Powell - smokiesproperty.com

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management • Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

Realty World Heritage Realty realtyworldheritage.com • Carolyn Lauter realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7766 • Martha Sawyer realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7769

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty SFR, ECO, GREEN

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com • Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com • Mieko Thomson - ncsmokies.com

147 Walnut Street • WayneSville

828.506.7137

aspivey@sunburstrealty.com

www.amyspivey.com

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

• The Morris Team - maggievalleyproperty.com • The Real Team - the-real-team.com

smokymountainnews.com

UHURA - AN ADORABLE DILUTE CALICO KITTEN ABOUT 12 WEEKS OLD. SHE HAS BEAUTIFUL MARKINGS AND WE THINK SHE'LL BE A STUNNING ADULT KITTY. UHURA IS FRIENDLY AND AFFECTIONATE, AND LOVES TO PLAY WITH THE OTHER KITTENS IN THE CATTERY AT SARGE'S.

Mountain Home Properties

November 23-29, 2016

(828) 550-2810

mobrig@Beverly-Hanks.com

Al Rasi 828.421.5472 - Franklin, NC.

WNC MarketPlace

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

ITEMS FOR SALE

• Ron Breese - ronbreese.com • Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

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

www.smokymountainnews.com

November 23-29, 2016

WNC MarketPlace

Super

54

CROSSWORD

VOWELS ON VACATION ACROSS 1 Throat ailment 6 Rial earner 12 Final Four inits.

16 “It was only OK” 19 English dramatist George 20 Singer/fiddler Krauss 21 MP3 player attachment 23 Took a big step to relieve debt [IEOAUY] 25 Worker “standing by” 26 Enjoy 27 Surpasses 29 Wanton man 30 Carry on, as business 34 Mind-altering chemical substances [YOAIEU] 38 Rip off 39 Musical gourd 42 Composer of many marches 43 Withdrawn 44 Hebrew “A” 47 Transformed 49 Tirade 51 Cooking contest since 1949 [IUYAEO] 53 Study of bonds between atoms [OEUAYI] 59 Poker-pot promise 60 Of an average 62 Episodic drama 63 Basic human intelligence 66 U. URL ending 69 Hunter constellation 71 Fencing move 72 Spanish for “that” 73 President before Rutherford Birchard Hayes [UYEIOA]

77 “Imagine!”

2 — Aviv 78 Disney movie 3 Johnnie Walker blend 80 Daughter of Desi 4 Pixie-like Arnaz 5 Livens (up) 81 Posed (for) 6 TV chef Martin 82 Suffix with Oktober 7 Caribou kin 83 Zedong’s theories 8 Joan of art 85 “G’day” sayer 9 NBA broadcaster 88 Shower with flowers, 10 Steno’s aid e.g.

11 Ear bone 90 “Sicko” and “Super 12 Kansas river Size Me,” e.g. [OUEAYI] 13 Upper limit 92 “Dear Abby” is one 14 Consist of [YIAEOU] 15 Wet mo.

98 Mazar of “Entourage” 16 Part of GMC 99 From sunup to sun17 Adequate down 18 Joan of Arc’s crime 101 Follower of “had a 22 Like steel farm” 24 Joist or lintel 102 Morris, e.g.

28 Windows boxes?

105 Gone up 30 Web, to flies 108 Naval clerk 31 Bun 110 Flutter 32 Low- — diet 111 In great demand 33 Major hike [IYOUAE] 35 Perm part 114 Trapped by a bliz36 Bygone emperors zard 37 “Peanuts” boy Linus 117 Sheltered, nautically — 118 Plaza Hotel girl 40 Radio-switch letters 121 Leslie Caron musical 41 Sidewalk eatery 122 Seder time 45 Fraternity letters 126 Thwarters of Boris 46 “Silicon Valley” airer Badenov [OYAUIE] 48 Arab chiefs 131 Neighbor of a 50 No — traffic Sudanese 52 Wishes away 132 “SOS!” 54 Been abed 133 “So do I” 55 Obstructs 134 The, to Rene 56 Burn slightly 135 Suffix with disk 57 Zoo pens 136 Palace of Paris 58 Wintry mix 137 For — (dirt-cheap) 61 Ding-a-lings 63 Online health info site DOWN 64 Stern with a violin 1 UV-blocking stat 65 May greeting card

opener 67 Fast Net svc.

68 Normal 70 Gun org.

73 People itemizing 74 Bathtub gunk 75 — beat (hesitate) 76 Abbr. on a food label 79 Tough spot 82 Central points 84 The head honcho 86 Capri, e.g.

87 Inside: Prefix 89 Verse tribute 91 Sole, for one 93 Obstructs 94 Blue color 95 Preface 96 Skirt style 97 Both-hands-up time 100 Rhapsodic 102 Small church 103 Blazing 104 Hurdle for a grad student 106 E’erlasting 107 Titans’ org.

109 Longtime Steelers coach Chuck 112 In case that 113 Musical Mel 115 Wife of Fred Flintstone 116 Actor Cary 119 Vodka brand 120 Outer limits 123 Mined metal 124 Animal doc 125 Devour 127 2000 Peace Nobelist Kim — Jung 128 “Toodles” 129 “— -Tiki” 130 Ship record

answers on page 50

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WEEKLY SUDOKU Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Answers on Page 50

The naturalist’s corner

BY DON H ENDERSHOT

Creep on t’s been about a month since my family and I enjoyed our assault on Whitetop.

OK, so in reality, it’s more like a jaunt from Whitetop. It’s still a 17-mile bike ride.

OK, OK, it’s a 17-mile bike cruise, downhill.

The greatest exercise you will get will be in your fingers as you continuously apply the brakes to slow your descent. But it is a gorgeous ride and I think most shuttles/bike rentals provide big cushy seats (I know ours did) so you don’t have to walk like John Wayne for two days after completing your one and only 17-mile bike ride of the year.

The Virginia Creeper Trail is a 34-mile trail open to bikers, hikers and horseback riders. It starts (top to bottom) near the North Carolina line at Whitetop Station and ends in Abingdon, Va. According to legend, the trail began as a Native American trading route. At the start of the 20th Century the route became home to the Virginia-Carolina Railroad. The trail got its name “Virginia Creeper” because the early steam locomotives had to creep up the steep grades to reach Whitetop Station.

The Creeper Trail was completed in 1984. It is maintained through public-pri-

I

vate partnerships with the USDA Forest Service, the towns of Abingdon and Damascus and the “Creeper Keeper” volunteers. The trail was inducted into the Railsto-Trails Conservancy’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in 2014.

We biked the 17-mile section from Whitetop, elevation 3,500 feet, down to Damascus, elevation 1,900 feet, a drop of roughly 1,600 feet in elevation. Much of this section of trail follows Whitetop Laurel Creek through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. The trail surface is crushed limestone and cinder left over from the railroad bed. It is hard packed and mostly smooth. Several bridges and trestles provide numerous scenic stream crossings.

This is not your wilderness experience.

There are potty stops and even restaurants along the way. We went in the middle of the busy autumn season and we weren’t alone.

In fact when we disembarked at Whitetop and saw the throngs — one group had 22 people riding together — I began to have misgivings. But 17 miles is a long way and people travel at their own pace and have their own agenda and things quickly get spaced out. There were several times when it seemed we were the only bikers on the trail.

One of the bridges along the Virginia Creeper Trail.

Don Hendershot photo

It took us a leisurely four hours or so to complete the trip including lunch at the Creeper Trail Café. The café is supposedly noted for its “world famous chocolate cake” and the impetus of the ride was to celebrate Denise’s birthday so we couldn’t pass it up. I don’t know how the cake registered on the wow-ometer — I did notice there was none left on any of the plates. But I can definitely give a thumbs-up to the pinto beans and cornbread.

It was a beautiful scenic ride and the

entire family from 11-year-old Maddie to 14year-old Izzy to 39-year-old Mom and Dad had a great time. In fact, I think we are going to invest some of our Christmas money in a few pairs of those exercise “grippers” so we can get our fingers in shape to do the Creeper twice next year. I looked at a blooming-date list for wildflowers, and I think a late spring ride would be the perfect companion ride for the autumn cruise.

Don Hendershot is a writer and naturalist.

He can be reached a ddihen1@bellsouth.net.

November 23-29, 2016 Smoky Mountain News 55

Appalachian Christmas November 23-29, 2016

Book today! lakejunaluska.com/christmas 800-222-4930

Friday, Dec. 9:

Reserved seating: $23

Handel’s Messiah Concert – 7:30 p.m.

General admission seating: $18

Saturday, Dec. 10: Appalachian Christmas Craft Show 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Cockman Family Concert – 2 p.m.

Point of Grace Christmas Concert – 7:30 p.m.

Smoky Mountain News

All concerts take place in Stuart Auditorium

Handel's Messiah concert

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Lodging & meal packages are available (limited availability)