SMN 12 27 17

www.smokymountainnews.com

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

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018 Vol. 19 Iss. 31

Committee to lead search for next WCU chancellor Page 4 Waynesville research station cultivating rare truffles Page 34

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: As we count down the last days of 2017, the year just isn’t complete without The Smoky Mountain News spoof awards where we take the time to find the humor in the headlines and honor those who made their mark. So take a break, share a few good laughs and get ready to wipe the slate clean for 2018.

Congratulations to our winners and if you didn’t receive an award, you have something to strive for in 2018. (Page 3)

Opinion

EDITOR/PUBLISHER: ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: ART DIRECTOR: DESIGN & WEBSITE: DESIGN & PRODUCTION: ADVERTISING SALES:

CLASSIFIEDS: NEWS EDITOR: WRITING:

If this is the new normal, God help us ........................................................................20

A&E A conversation with Langhorne Slim ..........................................................................24

ACCOUNTING & OFFICE MANAGER: DISTRIBUTION: CONTRIBUTING:

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

Outdoors

CONTACT

Resurrecting the truffle ....................................................................................................34

WAYNESVILLE | 144 Montgomery, Waynesville, NC 28786 P: 828.452.4251 | F: 828.452.3585

Back Then German utopian wanted a community in Cherokee................................................47

SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 P: 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789 INFO & BILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786

CORRECTION

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

A pair of stories covering the opioid epidemic in Western North Carolina published Dec. 20 contained an incorrect detail about one of Meridian Behavioral Health Services’ substance abuse programs. Meridian only offers a suboxone clinic. SMN regrets the error.

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Smoky Mountain News

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Fake news freakout! that the Guard exercise really only consisted of a few small smoke canisters and three paid “victims” lying on the ground, however, more than 5,000 people from West Asheville had already begun gentrifying the small Haywood County town before the announcement was made.

Media exposure goes to Town of Clyde’s head Wisely capitalizing on not one but two small, non-flooding related news stories in Haywood County’s finer periodicals over the past year, officials from the Town of Clyde announced last week a comprehensive rebranding strategy meant to capitalize on the small burg’s sudden and unprecedented rise to stardom in an effort to revitalize and expand one of the county’s sleepiest quarters. Initial plans presented by an out-oftown, out-of-state, fly-by-night operation seemed to center on the slogan, “What happens in ClydeVegas stays in ClydeVegas.”

All of this really happened in 2017

fact completely true* news stories.

Believe me, they’re tremendous. So, so very tremendous. Big league. And I will also tell you this — they’re amazing. The best.

Everyone’s always saying how they’re so, so amazing and tremendous and the very best.

That I can tell you.

True* News Stories (which are true*) *true = fake

Solution found for nation’s 1,500 Confederate monuments

Simulated chlorine leak in Canton briefly improves smell An N.C. Guard exercise held this past summer that simulated the release of deadly chlorine gas in Canton left many Cantonistas somehow feeling like the omnipresent smell of the town’s century-old paper mill had suddenly vanished. Town officials cautioned

In a rare, unsolicited, en banc opinion issued unanimously by the U.S. Fourth District Court of Appeals, justices ruled that the court was officially, finally and totally sick of North Carolina’s bullshit. “C’mon, y’all. Enough already. Cut this bullshit out.

All of it. This year alone, we’ve had to redo your elections, redraw your electoral districts and even tell you which bathroom to use,” reads the opinion, titled “In Re: North Carolina’s Bullshit.” Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Robert Gregory said, “Seriously. You know we also have to hear cases from other states too, right? You’re hogging up all the jurisprudence.”

Homeless, starving man elated to find painted rock The happenstance discovery of a whimsically painted rock earlier today by homeless drifter Colton Coldbert III gave the downand-out hobo the much-needed moral boost he needed after weeks of sleeping in boxcars and suckling solely from the teats of strangers. “Imagine the effort that went into this,” said Coldbert, who supposed it cost nearly $18 to thusly emblazon the rock, found outside the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Can you imagine what an amazing sandwich you could have bought with that kind of cash?” Coldbert, mid-way through his walk from the Raleigh Greyhound station to a shelter in Murphy, was noticeably moved by the small ray of sunlight the rock brought to his otherwise bleak existence. “Do you have a sandwich?” he said.

Haywood Republican Party begins kicking people in After spending much of the year shepherding formal proceedings that would ultimately result in the expulsion of several

As prophesized, the expansion of alcohol service in Canton has resulted in utter ruination for the traditional mountain milltown, which is now comprised solely of drug addicts, Satan-worshipping degenerates and homosexuals. Whereas calm once prevailed over the scrappy, respectable, blue-collar burg, now banditry and itinerant mobs of post-apocalyptic vagrants besiege morality at every turn. Wayfarers are urged to avoid Canton at all costs, especially during the hours of 10 a.m. through noon on Sundays, when roving packs of BMWs may be encountered searching for cheap champagne and a decent Hollandaise sauce.

Rastafarians set off smoke detectors during county commission invocation Smearing off a thick, cottony cloak of spiritual oppression all their own, a group of local Rastafarians took advantage of a recent ruling by the U.S. Fourth District Court of Appeals to deliver an invocation before a recent meeting of the Haywood County Board of County Commissioners. The air still pungent with a skunky, citrusy smell of sacramental herbs, commissioners then tabled every agenda item they were supposed to address and went into closed session per NCGS 143-318.11(a) to trade “Caddyshack” quotes over Cool Ranch Doritos, Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream and maybe some hackey sack.

Lake Junaluska to be renamed Amidst a comprehensive marketing campaign building on recent successes in brand management and name recognition meant to vault the vaunted community into the 21st century, Haywood County’s Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center recently announced that it will soon change the moniker it’s donned for generations. “It just makes spellcheck easier,” read a statement from the Lake John Alaska Conference and Retreat Center. “And that’s what Apple, Google and Microsoft call us anyhow.”

Following suit was local cultural institution Folkmoot, which was reportedly considering the names “Funk Melt,” “Foot Molt” and several other options not suitable for printing in a family newspaper such as this ducking one.

Smoky Mountain News

Bowing to pressure from people who say they’re a sign of hate but acknowledging the sentiment that they are a sign of heritage, civic leaders across the nation agreed that the country’s remaining 1,500 Confederate monuments should all be removed from their pedestals, melted down and recast into one giant monument. The monument would consist of more than 30,000 square feet of copper and stone and have a surface area five times that of the Statue of Liberty, making it among the world’s most massive statues. No site has yet been located for structure, which would be utterly unavoidable, visually, to anyone within a 30-mile radius or with an internet connection.

U.S. Court of Appeals sick of N.C.’s bullshit

Brunch Bill destroys entire town

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER Last year it was still just a quaint, silly little term — fake news.

Sure, it’s been around forever, but like democracy it requires an active, educated, informed populace to discern what is realistic and what is not in this, the great marketplace of ideas.

Perhaps because of this, the term “fake news” has taken on a virulent new visage in the last year — our President, of all people, who is not shy about dubbing anyone with the dubious distinction.

And sometimes he’s right! However, most times he’s not, but many across this great nation of ours have taken this as a cue to call anything they disagree with “fake news.”

Let me tell you something, people — 99.9999999 percent of it isn’t fake, especially the shit that’s logical conjecture based on an overwhelming preponderance of credible and publicly accessible evidence.

Those who knowingly create fake news should be forever banished, and those who are unaware they create it should be told to find new careers. The freedom of and the integrity of the press is vital to this republic; without it, how would we ever know about Watergate, or Abu Ghraib, or the subterranean reptilian Marxist globalist illuminati overlords that secretly and nefariously control our world?

We wouldn’t know, that’s how.

It’s hard, though, to tell what’s real and what’s not without delving deeply into the subject. Because that is hard and requires effort, I’m willing to relieve you of the obligation of active engagement by assuring you right upfront that the local, regional and national issues you’ve followed all year long, listed below, are not fake news and are in

2017 IN REVIEW

members of the Haywood County Republican Party from both the HCGOP and NCGOP, Haywood’s local Republican organization — which has no website, little money, few recent campaign victories and doesn’t return calls for comment — has had to resort to kicking people in to the party in order to maintain viability. Area woman Lana De Groot said she didn’t even know about the HCGOP “until I got a letter the other day saying I was now a vice chair of some precinct.” Upon then receiving a summons to a closed-door meeting accompanied by strict non-disclosure stipulations, De Groot’s locally legendary sweet potato casserole was deemed “disloyal” and subsequently issued a no-trespass order.

S EE FREAKOUT, PAGE 4 3

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Committee to lead search for WCU chancellor Western Carolina University announced the appointment of a 21-member search committee that will recommend a successor to Chancellor David O. Belcher.

The search committee includes representatives of the WCU Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, administration and students, as well as alumni and community members. The committee includes one non-voting member from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors — David Powers, who serves as the board’s liaison to WCU. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, who currently is serving as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at WCU, will assume the role of acting chancellor on Jan. 1, 2018. Belcher plans to go on medical leave effective Dec. 31. He has served as chancellor since 2011.

The search committee will recommend finalists to the full WCU Board of Trustees. The board must then recommend three finalists to UNC President Margaret Spellings, who will recommend one candidate to the UNC Board of Governors for approval.

ABC Chairman visit Cherokee Nation North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Chairman Zander Guy met with Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed and other representatives of the Tribal Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians during a Dec. 4 visit to Cherokee.

“The North Carolina ABC Commission and the Tribal ABC Commission share common goals of revenue, control and service for the benefit of the people within our jurisdictions.

As we find more opportunities to work together, I hope our relationship will continue to be strong and positive,” said ABC Commission Chairman Guy after the meeting.

In addition to meeting with Sneed and other leaders, Guy toured Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and reviewed the various security measures in place at the facility to prevent sales to underage or intoxicated guests.

The North Carolina ABC Commission ships approximately 6,000 cases of spirituous liquor to the Tribal ABC Commission annually. The Tribal ABC Commission is in charge of regulatory oversight of all alcohol within the Qualla Boundary of Western North Carolina.

Franklin forum to discuss 2018

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

"What are your predictions and trends for 2018?'" will be the topic for the Franklin Open Forum, which will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, at the Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub, located Downtown at 58 Stewart Street, Franklin. Those interested in an open exchange of ideas (dialog, not debate) are invited to attend. For more information, call 828.371.1020.

Learn how to have backyard chickens Backyard chickens can be wonderful pets, entertainment, garden helpers and food producers.

Bill Denton, who has a lot of experience raising backyard chickens, will share his experiences planning and starting his flock of meat chickens and cover such practical issues as housing, feeding and watering the flock and how to prepare them for the kitchen.

This free community program will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5 at the UU Fellowship, 85 Sierra Lane, Franklin. All are welcome to meet and greet at 5:30 p.m. and bring a covered dish to share at 6 p.m.

828.524.3691.

Smoky Mountain News

Landslide closes N.C. 28 through February

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A plan is in place to re-open N.C. 28 in Graham County by the end of February.

The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded an emergency contract to Graham County Land Company on Thursday to repair damage caused by a series of landslides over the weekend.

“We look forward to starting this repair and opening the highway in the coming weeks,” said Acting Division 14 Engineer Brian Burch.

The $1.29 million contract includes guidelines to stabilize the slide area — large enough to cover a football field — remove about 50,000 cubic yards of debris, reinforce the mountain with anchors and mesh and install 250 feet of rockfall fencing next to the road.

Work can begin as soon as Graham Land Company moves equipment into position.

“This is tedious, time-consuming and dangerous work,” Burch said. “We have worked with Graham County Land Company on other slide projects and they are experts in this field.”

An average of 900 vehicles per day use N.C. 28 and it is the primary access for the Town of Fontana Dam, the Fontana Village Resort as well as TVA’s Fontana Dam. The signed detour directs through traffic to use N.C. 143 and U.S. 129.

The road will remain closed to both vehicles and pedestrians until the work is completed and engineers declare the area safe. Much like an avalanche, rocks and boulders could tumble at any time for any reason. Concrete barriers have been placed on the road as a safety precaution.

FREAKOUT, CONTINUED FROM 3

Everyone suddenly history buff Memorizing dates and understanding complex geopolitical movements based on social, religious and economic trends isn’t for everyone. Like mathematics, the subject of history is tedious and unpopular among students of all ages, and especially so by fans of more popular classes like gym and recess. But all of a sudden, sources reported, everyone is actually an expert on the multifarious events and personalities that resulted in the secession of 13 states from the Union more than 156 years ago. With such logic and understanding now commonplace, it’s likely there will be no controversy in the coming year regarding Confederate monuments, Confederate flags or Confederates.

REAL NEWS Everyone suddenly Constitutional scholar Digging through case law and determining the intent of the ancient Greeks as envisioned through the eyes of the rich, white male slaveowners who wrote the U.S. Constitution isn’t for everyone. Like history, the subject of the Constitution is tedious and unpopular among students of all ages, and especially so by fans of more popular classes like lunch and bowling.

But all of a sudden, sources reported, everyone is actually an expert on the principals and principles that resulted in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution — and Bill of Rights — more than 230 years ago. With such logic and understanding now commonplace, it’s likely there will be no controversy in the coming year regarding states rights, the municipal regulation of speech or the role of public prayer in government meetings.

‘Haywood Five’ ink record deal Rambunctious regional sensation The Haywood Five earned a lot of airtime this summer when a promotional campaign initiated by the Haywood County Republican Party launched the group into local prominence.

After their act went statewide, representatives of the rebellious quintet announced the group’s signing by a major record label and plans for a forthcoming album. The group’s expected November release, Ain’t Nothing But a Party, will feature already well-known tracks like the huge club hit “G.O.P. (u ain’t me)” feat. MC Monroe Miller, “Elephant Man” feat. Jeremy “The Little General” Davis, and “Kings and Carrs are not my Tsars,” written and performed by DJ Yeager-meister. When reached for comment, the HCGOP had no comment about the H5, which has been banned from performing together within the state of North Carolina for the next half-decade.

Everything still just fine in Bethel Residents of the rural Bethel community were assured this past week that everything was, in fact, still just fine, as it had been in the past and was likely to be for the foreseeable future. It was, for the two-hundredsomethingth year in a row, widely reported that nothing of note had transpired in the previous year, including but not limited to changes in the existing community institutions and/or social order.

Ancient prophet shares meaning of life A 1,400-year old enchanted guru discovered living on the otherwise restricted slopes of Waynesville’s Allens Creek Reservoir says he’s discovered the meaning of life, and how all individuals and societies can achieve mutually beneficial and everlasting harmony. “It’s simple, really, you just have to…” (see Profit, p. 83)

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New Year’s SALE! MARKDOWNS throughout the store!

Help us ring in the new year by clearing out the old to make room for the new!

Affairs of the Heart

————————————————————————————— 120 N. Main St. • Waynesville 828.452.0526 • affairsoftheheartnc.com

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Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018 Smoky Mountain News 5

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Macon County residents protest the closure of the labor and delivery unit of Angel Medical Center. File photo

YEAR IN REVIEW

Smoky Mountain News

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

Before we ring in the New Year, The Smoky Mountain News likes to look back and reflect on the last year of news.

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The headlines that have graced our pages in 2017 have had an important impact on the people of Western North Carolina, and our staff has taken its job of reporting and analyzing those issues seriously.

However, just before those news stories become part of this region’s history and before we head into 2018, we like to look back at the year and find the humor in the issues we’ve reported on all year.

Our annual “Spoof Awards” pay tribute to the people, places and events that have rounded out 2017. Congratulations to those who made this year’s award list and if you didn’t make it in 2017, there’s plenty of time in 2018 to leave your mark.

Happy New Year!

THE RIGHTING THE RAILS AWARD The town of Bryson City deserves this award after a rocky ride in 2017. It’s difficult to please everyone, but the Board of Aldermen couldn’t seem to please anyone this year as they dealt with a constant push and pull from residents and merchants.

Downtown merchants fought for more progressive policies and actions from their town officials but felt like their requests fell on deaf ears while an older generation of voters in town fought to keep their quant mountain town from growing into a tourist hub they don’t recognize anymore.

The two biggest hot button issues were the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad’s request to close Fry Street for the annual Polar Express excursions and a request from restaurant owners to pass the brunch bill that would allow them to begin serving alcohol at 10 a.m. instead of having to wait until noon.

Every year the railroad comes before the board to ask for the temporary Fry Street closure from November through the beginning of January to accommodate the thousands of pedestrians milling around waiting to get on the train, and every year it’s a controversial discussion. Before a packed room of merchants who supported the street closure but didn’t get a chance to provide public input before the decision was made, the board voted 3-1 to deny the train’s request.

GSMR General Manager Kim Albritton had some harsh words for Alderman Rick Bryson as she left town hall. Backlash quickly ensued following the decision with rumors flying that the railroad was looking to move the train depot back to Dillsboro if Bryson City wouldn’t cooperate. The town ended up changing its vote once it got something in return — a right of way the town needed from the railroad to purchase a piece of property.

The 2017 town election also showed a split in voter opinion when incumbent Janine Crisp — who voted against the Fry Street closure and the brunch bill — was re-

elected but incumbent Rick Bryson was ousted. He was replaced by Ben King, a young downtown merchant who has expressed his support for passing the brunch bill and the closure of Fry Street.

The board change up could make a big difference in 2018. The board has already agreed to allow public comment at the beginning on its meetings instead of the end, and the brunch bill will be back up for discussion at its Jan. 8 meeting — showing it’s never too late to get back on the right track.

THE NO ROOM AT THE INN AWARD Just as the innkeepers in Bethlehem claimed they didn’t have room at the inn for Mary and Joseph during their most vulnerable moment, Angel Medical Center told expecting mothers in Franklin they were no longer welcome to deliver their babies at the local hospital.

Mary would have to deliver her sweet baby Jesus in a stable in the middle of the winter and moms in Macon County would have to travel to the next town to deliver their precious angels.

From a desk in Asheville, Angel Medical — a Mission Health affiliate — informed Macon County in late April that the labor and delivery unit would be closed as of mid-July.

The closure was a shock to the county and residents protested and rallied to keep it open, but the innkeepers refused. It simply cost too much money to continue delivering babies at AMC. While expecting moms don’t have to deliver their baby alone in a cold manger, they will have to either drive 30 minutes over Cowee Mountain to deliver at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva or drive over an hour to deliver at Mission Hospital in Asheville.

AMC then bestowed upon Franklin plans of constructing a brand new $45 million hospital within the next few years, but not even the new hospital will include a labor and delivery unit.

The classic Looney Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn was inspired by the popular character of Senator Claghorn, a blustery Southern politician played by Kenny Delmar

who was a regular character on a popular radio show of the 1940s.

Leghorn was notorious for using folksy catchphrases and telling jokes no one thought were funny — the same can be said for the newly elected N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City.

After three unsuccessful runs against incumbent Rep. Joe Sam Queen, DWaynesville, Clampitt was finally able to narrowly defeat him during the 2016 election thanks to the Trump wave he and other Republican candidates rode to victory.

In an effort to be a man of the people, Clampitt held town hall forums once a month throughout his district, but he always seemed to say the wrong thing to his constituents. Clampitt said he was just being misunderstood. “I keep pitchin’ ‘em and you keep missin’ ‘em,” as Foghorn Leghorn would put it.

During his first meeting in Haywood County, Clampitt was faced with about 60 residents — mostly progressives — asking tough questions about tough issues like health care, education funding, gun control, racism, immigration and discrimination.

But no matter the question, Clampitt only

THE SQUEAKY WHEEL AWARD As much as they’ve tried through the years, Swain County commissioners probably thought they’d never see the day when they would get the federal government to pony up the money it owes the county.

But that’s what happened in early September when Swain County received a $4 million check from the Department of Interior, proving once again that the squeaky wheel does in fact get the grease — eventually.

After spending decades trying to get the federal government to keep its promise of rebuilding the North Shore Road from Bryson City to Tennessee, Swain County settled for the promise of a $52 million payout. The county received a $12.8 million payment in 2010 but didn’t see another cent until this year.

Swain County leaders and North Carolina’s congressmen deserve this award for never giving up on this money promised to the people displaced when part of the county was flooded in the 1940s to create Fontana Dam. It has taken endless trips to Raleigh and Washington, D.C., legislation and lawsuits just to make the federal agencies understand the settlement agreement put in

THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS AWARD Hearts broke and bellies rumbled when Brenda O’Keefe announced in June that she would be closing down her beloved breakfast hub, Joey’s Pancake House.

O’Keefe and her dedicated staff deserve this award for feeding folks a hearty meal in Maggie Valley for over 50 years. Joey’s wasn’t just another quick breakfast joint — it was an institution revered by its patrons for its consistency, family-feel and Southern hospitality.

O’Keefe and her late husband Joey put their blood, sweat and tears into the place since it opened in 1966, and even on its last day, Brenda, now 70, could be found in the kitchen at 4 a.m. cooking that famous bacon and hash brown casserole. But all good things must come to an end, and Brenda and her staff were burned out.

Closing up shop was bittersweet as Joey’s had a swell of supporters to wish them well.

Once the announcement broke, people came from all over the country to have one last breakfast at Joey’s Pancake House.

THE OUT WITH THE OLD AWARD Change is hard. All too often people like to cling to the things in the past instead of accepting a new way even if the old way just isn’t working anymore.

F

Smoky Mountain News

THE FOGHORN LEGHORN AWARD

A Haywood County resident speaks to Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, during a town hall meeting.

place and to admit that the government does owe this money to Swain County. Now that another payment has been made, it should be easier for the commissioners to get their hands on the rest of the money. It’s a relief to see the light at the end of the tunnel after so many years.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

Western North Carolina residents just haven’t been able to comprehend some of the decisions being made by Mission Health this year. It got to the point where people just threw their hands up in frustration as nothing Mission did seemed to surprise them anymore.

First it was Mission’s decision to close labor and delivery at Angel Medical Center without much notice to the community.

Mission CEO Dr. Ron Paulus held the press conference in Asheville — an hour and a half away from those affected — and refused to have a public meeting in Franklin to answer resident’s questions and concerns.

At that press conference, Mission leaders were specifically asked if they anticipated any other closures coming down the pike and said they had no other cuts in mind. Not even a month later, Mission announced it would be closing its women and children’s practices in Sylva to consolidate those services in Franklin — even though women couldn’t deliver their babies in Franklin.

Then in July, Mission Health announced its intentions to let its contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina lapse at the beginning of October because negotiations on reimbursement rates were not in Mission’s favor. Mission launched a public relations attack against BCBS through print and social media advertising probably thinking the backlash would force BCBS back to the negotiating table, but that plan backfired.

BCBS cut off all communications with Mission and their contract did in fact lapse Oct. 5, leaving thousands of people with BCBS coverage to pay higher out-of-pocket costs to stay with their Mission provider or find another provider still in network with the largest health insurer in the state.

The two parties did finally reach an agreement in early December, but the terms are confidential so we’ll never know if Mission got its way or not — until your medical bills start rolling in.

Lastly, Mission Health is required to obtain a new certificate of need to build a new Angel Medical Center in Franklin. To do that, a public hearing is required through the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

The hearing was held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, in Franklin but someone forgot to inform the local media outlets, county and town leaders and residents. Mission claims the DHHS is solely responsible for advertising the meeting, but would it have really been too much to ask for Mission’s large public relations team to send an email to the press, buy an ad in the paper, or even post the information on Angel Medical Center’s Facebook page? We just can’t even with them.

responded with “I’ll get back to you,” “I’ll have to research that some more” or he would tell some lengthy anecdote that left constituents scratching their heads.

Clampitt stepped in it again during another Haywood town hall in September when he was questioned about his support of the Confederate flag and accused of being a racist. To clear his name as a racist, Clampitt once again told a long story about a time when he refused to unfairly discipline a black firefighter during his tenure as a fire captain in Charlotte.

“You’re way off, I say you’re way off this time son!”

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THE ‘I JUST CAN’T EVEN!’ AWARD

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news An aerial shot of construction at the newly expanded Ingles off Russ Avenue in Waynesville.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

A Shot Above WNC photo

The town of Franklin deserves recognition for recognizing an outdated term wasn’t working anymore and for making the change.

Like many municipal governments in Western North Carolina, Franklin’s board has been referred to as the Franklin Board of Aldermen since its inception.

However, during an annual planning meeting, Mayor Bob Scott brought up the fact that the term alderman literally translates into “old man.” Acknowledging that the town board now includes two women as well as two men under the age of 40, Scott asked the board to consider changing the board’s title to something more appropriate.

Without much fanfare, and with support from many young women in the community, the board approved changing its name to the Franklin Town Council and board members are now referred to as gender-neutral “councilmembers.” It may seem like a logical, small move but it’s actually a pretty progressive step for a small Appalachian town like Franklin. Kudos!

THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD AWARD Smoky Mountain News

Never has there been so much excitement over new grocery stores opening in Waynesville as there was in 2017.

If anyone wanted their social media post to go viral, all they had to do was post a picture of the newly expanded Ingles on Russ Avenue, the newly expanded Hazelwood Ingles on Brown Avenue or the prep work being done at the new Publix site right across from the new Ingles on Russ Avenue.

In a town of 10,000, one has to wonder how many grocery stores Waynesville can support, but they’re being welcomed with open arms. On the long-awaited opening day of the new Ingles on Russ Avenue, you would have thought there had been a celebrity sighting inside, but no — people were just lined up to get their milk and bread.

The excitement over food options will continue throughout 2018 with the new 8 Publix scheduled to open in early 2019.

THE MR. CONGENIALITY AWARD Jack Ewing, retiring director of Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, is the recipient of the coveted Mr. Congeniality Award.

Past recipients have included David Belcher, chancellor of Western Carolina University, and Greg Christopher, Haywood

year, BearWaters Brewing relaunched its company in June, a now-vibrant establishment that has become a social hub and economic beacon for the rebuilding of the downtown Canton corridor.

“It’s been a journey that definitely has had its twists and turn, and there were definitely times where we didn’t know if we’d make it or not. But, with lots of perseverance and determination, we kept fighting and fighting, and we got our breakthrough,” owner/brewmaster Kevin Sandefur said. “I’ve fallen in love with the building, it’s overwhelming and turned out way beyond my expectations. If you focus on what’s at the end of the road, it can happen — [BearWaters] is living proof of that. I’ve had a lot of false starts, but to cross over the goal line, it’s like, ‘My god, this can be done.’”

In late July, Tipping Point Brewing decided to close its doors on Main Street in Waynesville after celebrating five years in business. When asked just what led to the decision, owner/brewmaster Jon Bowman noted that the choice to shutdown wasn’t financial but rather existential.

“I’m an avid [mountain biker] who doesn’t get to cycle,” Bowman said. “I’m making a lifestyle change, and getting out of the restaurant business. [My] passion is the beer.

About three months ago, we found a spot I could not turn down [and] I signed the lease two months ago.”

Located in the Lumberyard Arts District of Brevard, within riding distance of DuPont State Forest (the city and forest both mountain biking meccas), Bowman’s new brewery, Peaks & Creeks, has been brewing and pouring beer over the last few months.

THE TURNING THE CORNER AWARD

Jack Ewing.

County sheriff. It’s rare to find someone in a leadership role that doesn’t find himself subject to daily doses of criticism, but Ewing is one of those exceptional leaders.

For the last seven years, he has led the conference center through a tough transitional phase to develop a sustainable business model. He will also be remembered as a leader who held true to Lake Junaluska’s mission of providing a place of “Christian hospitality where lives are transformed through renewal of soul, mind and body.”

When the Town of Canton relaunched its Labor Day Festival a couple years ago, it was in a crucial move to reinvent the century-old event — and also the downtown itself.

This award goes to Canton, which is something of a template for countless small towns in America looking to find a new footing and identity to navigate an uncertain economic future. For a downtown that was — by most accounts — seemingly written off by the rest of the region as “dead” and “abandoned,” things sure have changed for Canton in recent memory.

Just the last couple years, several new businesses have popped up in Canton.

Anchoring both ends of downtown are the Southern Porch and BearWaters Brewing.

The restaurant and the brewery have each become beacons of commerce, social hubs of energy and enthusiasm, where locals and visitors alike find themselves not just passing through Canton anymore, but actually stopping and enjoying themselves.

And with national bluegrass headliners performing at this year’s Labor Day Festival, town officials will be the first to say that though the road is long, it’s also bountiful, especially with the right attitudes and folks ready to make something of pride and progress for their community.

YEAR IN REVIEW “To have Sam Bush and Ricky Skaggs join Balsam Range and others at Labor Day is further proof of the ‘Canton Comeback.’ The whole celebration is a dedicated effort to show the whole region that a small mill town can fight its way back,” said Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. “With the opening of many new businesses including the success of our first brewery, BearWaters, we are excited to show off our success through great music and food. We hope by doing so that we encourage people to move to Canton, open businesses, and join us as we keep pushing forward.”

THE FIVE GOING ON 10 AWARD In the first 10 years together, Balsam Range has gone from an up-and-coming Haywood County band to an internationallyknown stage act and perennial favorites at the International Bluegrass Music Association awards, the highest

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THE REAL TIPPING POINT AWARD This award goes to Waynesville, which had the most breweries west of Asheville. Of those four, only Boojum Brewing and Frog Level Brewing remain at the end of 2017.

After leaving Waynesville for Canton last

Balsam Range. David Simchock photo

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The Huey Slick that crashed while delivering supplies, mail and ammunition during the Vietnam War. The film clip of the crash happening recently appeared in the new Ken Burns documentary, ‘The Vietnam War,’ during Episode 3 (at the one-hour and 14-minute mark).

For the last three decades, James “Jim�

Joyce of Waynesville has run his own compao ny, Green Mountain International, which

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Smoky Mountain News

THE COUNT YOUR LUCKY STARS AWARD

supplies polyurethane and epoxy products for the construction industry. He grew up in Chicago, went to college in Cleveland, and bounced around the country doing all kinds of work. At 75, he’s seen a lot of things, met a lot of folks, and found a lot of success. But, the thing he’s most proud of is his service as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. For the better part of three years in the 1960s, Joyce served his country, and also made it home safely from the death and devastation that painted a bloody picture of Vietnam and surrounding countries. For many years after the war, not a day went by that Joyce didn’t think about his time in battle, his friends who never came home, the faces of those he fought against.

So, it was no surprise the images and memories that flooded his mind when a film clip of his helicopter crashing made it into the new Ken Burns documentary, “The Vietnam War� — a 10-part, 18-hour odyssey from the legendary filmmaker that was broadcast by PBS. Smoky Mountain News: So, explain to me how that whole incident went down. It’s a pretty jarring clip...

Jim Joyce: Yeah, it is. We dropped off the guys’ breakfast and the mail courier and the ammunition. We lifted up to take off. I noticed we were blowing sand on the troops trying to eat their breakfast. And I decided to move over closer to the tree line to give them some room, and I ran into a tree. As soon as we struck the tree, not very far in (makes a one-inch gap between his fingers), it broke every control in the ship, no control of the helicopter. We started spinning.

SMN: The whole thing just collapses, just like a tin can getting stepped on‌ JJ: Yeah. The first thing [going through my head] was, “Oh, shit, how’d that happen?â€?

And then it was terror trying to get this damn thing on the ground before it gets too high in the air. There’s a thing called a “collective,� and that gets you back on the ground. The copilot and I were on [the collective] as hard as we could. The documentarian had no idea we were going to crash.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

honors in the genre. In that decade, they’ve won the IBMA for “Album of the Year� (2013, 2017), “Song of the Year� (2011, 2015) and “Entertainer of the Year� (2014). “It’s been an incredible 10 years. I don’t think any of us in Balsam Range would have said the first year we played, that all five would still be together after 10 years — because that just doesn’t happen in bands, particularly in bluegrass,� lead singer/fiddler Buddy Melton said.

And yet, Balsam Range has never taken for granted their talents, and also admiration from musical peers and fans alike. “It's a great honor to be nominated yearafter-year. It says to me that we continue to do something right,� guitarist Caleb Smith said. “We strive to find great lyrics to set our music apart in the genre in that when someone hears our music on the air waves there is no doubt that they know it's Balsam Range.�

Atop the band’s continued success, Balsam Range’s second annual “Art of Music Festival� was once again a huge hit in early December when the two-day event took the stage in the Stuart Auditorium at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center.

Bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy, this year’s lineup included Flatt Lonesome, Bryan Sutton, Noam Pikelny, Darrell Scott, and more. “To get that vision, Haywood County has got to come together and have people who see the vision, who want the same vision, and are willing to work together. It’s going to take a lot of support,� Melton said. �If you want to draw people into your area, you’ve got to have something to draw them in. Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking, fishing, biking — we have lots to offer. And if you throw on top of that high-quality entertainment, then you’re going to draw people from all over.�

@SmokyMtnNews

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from hundreds a year in the Jackson County kill shelter to only eight last year to none this year so far.”

And throughout his efforts to save local cats, Sims has been collecting cat memorabilia. Over the last three decades, he’s amassed around 7,000 items that are cat related, from advertisements to toys, statues to ancient artifacts. With over 5,000 of those items in the museum, Sims is constantly amazed by the folks that come in every day, cat lovers and the curious alike, from across the county and around the globe.

“Cats are very clean, very independent, but still loving, where they come up to you when you’re feeling bad, rub against you and make you feel better,” Sims said. “They’re beautiful animals, very smart. They can do so many things, and a cat will keep on loving you as long as it lives.”

Smoky Mountain News

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

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This was this guy’s lucky day [to capture that clip.] My door gunner broke his thumb — that was it.

THE WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW AWARD “For us being so new, this is a huge thing,” said Taylor Yates, brewmaster of Currahee Brewing in Franklin. “We’re still trying to get established. Something like this on a national level just does wonders for us. When you’re new, it really gets you that exposure and notoriety you hope for.”

What happened was the announcement that Currahee’s “Kawi” won a bronze medal for “Coffee Stout or Porter” at The Great American Beer Festival held in early October in Denver, Colorado. With over 800 breweries and around 4,000 craft beer entries, the GABF is one of the premier competitions anywhere in the world.

“It’s validation. It’s your life’s work, your career, what you hope to achieve since you started home-brewing,” Yates said. “You kind of hit the big time, your hard work is paying off in spades. [With Currahee] being open for 18 months is the biggest thing, I think. It shows a lot of character — the key word is consistency.”

Two counties over in Haywood, Kevin Sandefur, co-owner/brewer at BearWaters Brewing Company in Canton, also “struck gold” at the GABF with a bronze medal in the “Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale” category.

A fun play-on-words in regards to the nearby paper mill in downtown Canton, “Smells Like Money” is an ode to the pride that permeates the blue-collar mountain town, one built on industry and innovation. “[This is a] bronze medal in a very competitive category. It gives us the foundation to build on, something to strive for, a great segue for developing better beers, a perfect foundation for us to go into the future with,”

The American Museum of The House Cat is filled to the brim with over 5,000 artifacts and collectibles that tell the long and rich history of our beloved felines.

4,000-square-foot building, cats can run loose, intermingle with other cats and exercise. Sims estimated over 3,000 cats have come through “Catman 2” in the last 15 years, with 60 housed there currently.

“We also offer a low cost or no cost spay and neuter program,” Sims said. “We’ve gone

Now settled into their news digs in the Hazelwood district of Waynesville, Blue Ridge Books also celebrated 10 years as one of the premier bookstores in Western North Carolina.

Co-owner Allison Lee has run the store with Jo Gilley for the last seven years. And as Blue Ridge Books celebrated 10 years of operation in July, Lee can’t help but be thankful for the countless customers that look to the business as something of importance — economically, academically, and intrinsically.

“Ten years is a long time,” Lee said. “Ten years is a long time in this day and age, in this economy, with technology and online purchasing. It’s a long time for a Main Street business — and we’re proud of that.”

Of the many initiatives and partnerships Blue Ridge Books has garnered, none stand taller than the one with the Head Start programs in Haywood and Jackson counties.

Atop the register at the bookstore, there’s a change jar. And all of that

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he said. “We feel incredibly fortunate that everything seems to be falling into place.

[The] new location has been so incredibly welcomed by folks in the community coming here every day.”

THE PURRFECT IDEA AWARD In a modern world where the house cat has become a pop culture icon, it was a pretty genius idea when Harold Sims launched The American Museum of The House Cat on U.S. 441 between Dillsboro and Franklin.

“People are very impressed, they’re just blown away by what they’re seeing,” Sims said.

“There’s Egyptian mythology, wind-up toys, everything — it’s a place to learn, it’s educational and entertaining at the same time.”

Sims’ longtime nonprofit shelter, “Catman 2,” which is now located in Cullowhee, is a no kill, no cage shelter. In the

YEAR IN REVIEW

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SUNDAY 11:30-12:30: Mixed Level Flow Yoga w/ Kendall • 4-5: Beginner Flow w/ Maura

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THE MUSICIANS’ MUSICIAN AWARD

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Smoky Mountain News

With the sudden death of legendary Haywood County banjoist Steve Sutton this year, the region — and the world — has lost one of the great pickers and torchbearers of bluegrass and mountain music. A longtime member of the Darren Nicholson Band and Whitewater Bluegrass Company, Sutton was 60 years old when he passed away in his sleep on May 13, one day shy of his 61st birthday.

“I basically owe my musical career to him,” said mandolinist Darren Nicholson of IBMA “Entertainer of the Year” bluegrass act Balsam Range, who was Sutton’s best friend and longtime collaborator. “He got me my first professional job, which led to all the relationships that are still relevant in my current career. I had a $300 Harmony mandolin, a beginner instrument, then graduated to a hand-built mandolin that Eddie Rose loaned me. Steve believed in me so much that he took me to Strains of Music in Waynesville and paid cash for a Gibson mandolin. We never looked back. We

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

Steve Sutton.

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change, along with generous donations from the Smoky Mountain Chess Club (which plays in the store every Thursday afternoon), has provided hundreds of books for young children.

“Each student has been able to take home three books a year, all purchased by our customers and using discounts,” Lee said. “And the kids learn about how you care for a book, how you open a book, and how you read a story — it’s so important to get children reading early on.”

When asked about what, perhaps, her hopes are for the next decade at Blue Ridge Books, Lee was quick to respond.

“We love coming to work, we really do,” Lee said. “It’s about being led by your love of books, trying to respond the best you can to your customers, and knowing who your customers are — what they want, what they need, and how to be involved in the community.

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news More than 50 spikes were found intentionally placed on the popular trail at Pinnacle Park in Sylva.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

were best friends ever since, and went so many miles all over the United States and around the world. We were always laughing together and loving life. Steve was kind to everyone he met and helped countless people — he just had a good heart.”

A Grammy-nominated, multiple IBMA award-winner himself, Sutton graduated from Tuscola High School in Waynesville.

Upon graduation, he was simultaneously offered gigs with the “Godfather of Bluegrass”

Bill Monroe and bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin.

“But, Jimmy offered me something like $10 more a week, so I took it,” Sutton chuckled in a 2015 interview with The Smoky Mountain News.

In 1974, Sutton joined Martin on the road, kicking off a career that took him across the globe, ultimately gracing the Grand Ole Opry stage numerous times. Sutton also had stints with Alecia Nugent and Rhonda

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Canton Alderman Dr. Ralph Hamlett proposed a controversial parade entry policy last October. Cory Vaillancourt photo Vincent. And through his lifelong pursuit of bluegrass and mountain music, Sutton also remembered where it all began, alongside banjo great and Bluegrass Hall of Famer Raymond Fairchild. “[Steve’s] talent and free-flowing sense of humor constantly fed that professional effort to the highest levels,” said Marc Pruett, Grammy-winning banjoist of Balsam Range.

“Steve was a valued, respected member of a heritage-schooled, living culture. He was the real deal, and his warm smile and larger-thanlife talent leaves a void in our mountains that can’t be filled.”

“There’s a major hole in Western North Carolina music and the bluegrass world,” Nicholson added. “Steve said a thousand times, especially when we would be belly laughing about something — ‘Darren, as long as you live, I will never die.’ There’s a major hole in my musical existence, and bigger hole in my heart. Steve was the best friend and mentor that anyone could ask for.”

Smoky Mountain News

THE WATCH YOUR STEP AWARD

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In a bizarre discovery, over 50 intentionally placed spikes were identified and removed from the popular trail system at Pinnacle Park in Sylva.

On Feb. 11, a group of local runners were traversing the trail in preparation for the upcoming Assault on Black Rock footrace.

Coming down a remote section of the East Fork Trail, one of the runners stepped on a nail, injuring himself. Upon reaching the parking lot at the trailhead, the runner notified officials of the incident, stating he found two spikes where he’d gotten hurt. The runner went to the hospital after to receive a tetanus shot.

Officials then headed up to where the incident happened, only to find eight more spikes within the vicinity. Town of Sylva called an emergency meeting, where local officials and volunteers decided to scour the trail system with leaf blowers and metal detectors following close behind. In that

YEAR IN REVIEW search, 10 more nails were located.

A $1,000 reward has been offered for information about the incident. Call the Sylva Police Department at 828.586.2916. As of now, there are still no leads on suspects, but officials think whoever placed the spikes might be someone local. It was noted that nails were found all the way to a park boundary gate at the end of the Parris Branch Road, a little-known access point into the heart of the mountain, within a short hike to the summit of Black Rock.

THE REBEL ROUSER AWARD Canton Alderman Dr. Ralph Hamlett’s response to complaints about Confederate imagery being displayed at this year’s Canton Labor Day Parade — the South’s oldest — was met with approximately the same effect as kicking a beehive.

In October, Hamlett proposed a parade entry policy that would ban from municipal parades displays of vulgarity, nudity, illegal activity or symbols of hate.

Common sense stuff, to be sure, but as the Anti Defamation League defines the Confederate flag as a symbol of hate, its display would be also prohibited from municipal events.

Hamlett’s proposal was greeted at the next town board meeting by a room packed with supposed history buffs and constitutional scholars — both of which Hamlett actually is, seeing as how he’s a professor of political communica-

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Smoky Mountain News

Although advocates admit it’s a tax, albeit one not generally paid by locals, detractors maintain that a tax is a tax is a tax, and that increasing the room tax could drive budgetconscious tourists to less-taxed jurisdictions.

Nevertheless, Haywood County collects about $1.2 million a year in room occupancy taxes — 4 percent of every room, every night that room is occupied. The money is spent mostly on marketing the county, and has a tremendous local impact.

In 2013, a proposed increase in that rate of 2 cents looked likely to pass the state legislature, pushing the TDA’s gross collections to about $1.8 million a year. Then-Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, filed the bill in the House, and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, filed an identical one in the Senate.

But the third member of

Switch and get

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

When Brandon Rogers ran for a seat on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners last year, it was clear that the impressive young Republican businessman from Canton had done his homework.

Rogers was rewarded for his appeal — and hard campaign work — with a substantial victory; he came in first out of four candidates, almost earning more votes than the two Democrats combined, and bested popular incumbent Republican Commissioner and second place finisher Kevin Ensley by more than a thousand votes.

During his campaign, Rogers, like all other candidates, expressed his support for the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority’s desire to increase the county’s room occupancy tax by 2 percentage points to 6 percent — a rate consistent with neighboring counties that would augment the estimated $200-something dollar tax savings to each Haywood County resident by 50 percent.

When time came for Rogers to vote on a resolution of support for the request, however, he became one of just two local elected officials — out of nearly 20 — to vote against it.

While we’re disappointed, we won’t hold it against him; after all, George Washington was once an officer in the British Army, and if he hadn’t flip-flopped on the whole “Monarchy is awesome!” thing, we’d probably all be speaking British right now.

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tions at Brevard College. All of them decried his proposal.

As the recent election has changed the composition of the board, and the next parade isn’t until Labor Day, and the town’s Dec. 8 Christmas parade passed without incident — not counting some flyers posted on poles along the parade route by a white supremacist group — the proposal probably won’t see action any time soon, but both Hamlett and newly-elected Mayor Zeb Smathers insist it will be dealt with in some manner, soon.

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Haywood County’s delegation to the General Assembly – Rep. Michele Presnell, RBurnsville, shot it down.

There was great hope among some that a victory in the 2016 election by Rhonda Cole Schandevel, D-Canton, would drive Presnell from power and remove the lone legislative holdout on the proposal.

Schandevel did not succeed, but the TDA took their request to every local government unit — where it again saw strong support — anyway, and was again torpedoed by Presnell, the recipient of this year’s “You’ll Get Nothing And Like It” award for acting as the Judge Smails to Haywood County’s Spaulding.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

THE POND WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU AWARD Generations of Haywood County residents hold treasured memories of lazing on a sunny afternoon in the summertime at one of the region’s few remaining municipal pools in Canton.

But after a few kinks arose during the process of replacing the leaky depression-era concretion, it looked for a time that locals given the choice between waiting for a new pool or finding other ways to keep cool might be better off in a golf course pond.

In 2016, the town’s main recreational goal was to begin construction of a new pool by that fall; that fell through because of the unexpected loss of an all-but-assured USDA loan. Facing a substantial tax hike in a town that hasn’t raised them at all for more than a decade, Canton instead sought out a commercial loan, acquired approval from the Local Government Commission and began the $2.2 million project earlier this year.

Although much of this summer’s swimming season passed before the pool finally opened in late fall, a tip of the hat goes out to the Canton Board of Aldermen/women, former Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss, and current Town Manager Jason Burrell for their patience, persistence and insistence in reviving a cherished Western North Carolina tradition.

THE IF YOU CAN’T JOIN ‘EM, BEAT ‘EM AWARD Smoky Mountain News

A political insurgency met with a counterinsurgency that ultimately resulted in the creation of a rebellious alliance isn’t just the plot of the nine existing Star Wars movies – it’s also the recent history of the Haywood County Republican Party.

While we’re hesitant to ascribe the roles of Luke, Rey, Vader or Palpatine to anyone on either side, the long-simmering beefs between the HCGOP and the Haywood Republican Alliance resulted this year in a series of petitions, procedures and proceedings that led to five local Republican activists being brought up on formal charges of party disloyalty by the North Carolina Republican Party.

Eddie Cabe, Jeremy Davis, Monroe Miller, Richard West and Paul Yeager — cleverly dubbed the Haywood Five, in the spirit of the 14 Chicago Seven — were so named in a resolu-

Richard Reeves is closing in on almost 3,000 cords of wood split, stacked and delivered to the needy since 2005. Donated photo tion passed by the HCGOP May 23, requesting the NCGOP take the “strongest possible action” against them.

On Nov. 11, Cabe, Miller and West weren’t present in Cary when the NCGOP expelled them from the party and handed them five-year bans for, among other things, actions allegedly supporting other candidates. Davis was present at the hearing and got three years for social media posts he said he didn’t make.

But then there’s Yeager, who shared a Facebook post from the Gary Johnson for President page displaying a bawdy joke about Hillary Clinton being a “left” nut, and Donald Trump being a “right” nut, but Johnson going hard right down the split in the middle.

Yeager beat the charges, meaning he’s still eligible to join an organization that tried to kick him out after he’d already willingly left it, should he so desire.

THE WIZARD OF SAWS AWARD The first words we hear from L. Frank Baum’s wood-chopping Tin Man in his classic “Wizard of Oz” works are “More oil.”

If that Tin Man was instead area man Richard Reeves, his first words would have probably been “More wood.”

Since 2005, Reeves, who’s right around 70 years old, has devoted countless hours to gathering, chopping, splitting, stacking and delivering wood to some of the area’s neediest families.

Reeves, a retired educator, began spending his free time clearing brush on some old parcels of family land, until one day, Josh Pearman, the youth minister at his church,

Long’s Chapel United Methodist, approached him about helping out a family in need.

More than a decade later, Reeves estimates he’s delivered at least 2,800 cords of wood, enough to stretch 9 miles end to end, or to make a 6-foot tall stack completely covering a football field.

YEAR IN REVIEW Reeves doesn’t generally accept payment for his work, saying instead that he’d been paid

by God “up front,” with a rewarding career, personal health and a wonderful family.

He has, however, in those 12 years accepted a haircut, a coffee cup holder, a jar of pickled beets, two jars of walnuts, two tomatoes, six jars of pickles, an assortment of Christmas candies, some fast food coupons and a walking stick.

Oh yeah — he also accepted a custommade wooden casket, given to him by a woodworker who refused to accept free wood from Reeves unless he could in turn do something special for the man who’s warmed the hearts — and toes — of so many, for so long.

THE TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL AWARD Even the announcement in February 2016, that a Waynesville school would soon close left some students in tears and some parents shocked — among them, local attorney Mark R. Melrose.

Before it eventually did close that June, Melrose filed suit against the Haywood County Board of Education in May, alleging open meetings oversights, school board policy violations and ulterior motives by the board, who according to Melrose wanted to use the former Central Elementary School as administrative space.

Melrose’s suit sought to stop the closing, but after a few legal skirmishes with board attorney Pat Smathers, it was clear that would not happen; in fact, it was probably never likely, although Melrose proceeded with his suit, probably just to prove a few points.

And it looks like that’s exactly what it did — the suit was settled this past spring, more than a year after the closing was first announced.

Both parties are subject to a gag order on the matter, but a tersely-articulated 57-word statement attached to the settlement agreement maintains that the board “does not admit it violated the law or its own policies, but agrees it would have been preferable if circumstances had permitted to have provided more advanced public notice of its intention to vote on January 11, 2016, to study the possible closure of Central Elementary School.”

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Billy McDowell (right) and wife Gladys Knight have big plans for a former school in Canton.

Cory Vaillancourt photo

THE NEITHER ONE OF US WANTS TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY GOODBYE AWARD

THE HEART AND SOUL AWARD Last fall, the N.C. Department of Transportation announced a much needed upgrade to Waynesville’s busy Russ Avenue, which is projected to see increasing traffic over the next 20 years as businesses continue to settle along the bustling commercial corridor.

After five long years of studies, surveys, petitions and public input, the effort to merge Lake Junaluska and Waynesville is, finally, water over the dam.

The almost 800 homes that surround the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center make it a unique environment — while not quite a municipality, it’s more than a homeowner’s association.

And while it sometimes has the needs of a municipality, including infrastructure and policing, it doesn’t always have the ability to provide or afford those needs.

Over the course of those five years, bills were introduced in the N.C. General Assembly — in 2013, 2014 and 2015 — that would have resulted in merging the two entities were stymied by Rep. Michele Presnell, RBurnsville.

The Water Over The Dam Award isn’t for Presnell, though; it’s for the residents and leaders of Lake Junaluska, who have finally decided to focus on the one thing they can control — self-sustainability.

To their credit, Junaluskans have also avoided pointing either of the hand’s first two fingers at one very obvious target.

“We did our best. We gave it a shot. It didn’t work. It’s OK. Let’s move on,” said Lake Junaluska Executive Director Jack Ewing, who is about as much of a class act as you’re likely to find in Haywood County, or anywhere else.

Emergency responders rescued David Crockett from the Shining Rock Wilderness.

From investigating to witnessing to adjudicating, the Cherokee Tribal Council tried its hand at nearly every part of the legal process during this year’s impeachment of thenPrincipal Chief Patrick Lambert.

The impeachment issue dominated public life in Cherokee throughout 2017, with Lambert’s opponents claiming that his conduct while in office made him unfit to serve and standing behind a list of 12 charges warranting impeachment — they ranged from illegally entering his hotel into a room contract with Harrah’s Cherokee Casino to executing contracts without proper approval.

Meanwhile, Lambert and his many supporters maintained that the charges against him were trumped-up or downright fabricated, and that the impeachment was payback for Lambert’s calling the FBI to investigate alleged corruption in tribal politics.

Tribal Council members were involved in the impeachment process from start to finish, ordering the investigation whose results formed the basis for impeachment, issuing subpoenas as the investigation progressed, drafting articles of impeachment, presiding over the impeachment hearing and voting on the outcome. Two Tribal Council members — Albert Rose and Bo Crowe — even stepped down from their places around the horseshoe to testify as witnesses before climbing back up to sit as part of the adjudicating body.

While Crowe and Rose did not vote on the specific impeachment article they testified about, they did vote on the remaining articles of impeachment.

Time and time again, the vote broke down the same way — with Councilmembers Teresa McCoy, of Big Cove; Richard French, of Big Cove, and Tommye Saunooke, of Painttown, against impeachment and the remaining nine in favor. Some criticized the Tribal Council as having already made up its mind on the outcome 15

Smoky Mountain News

THE DAVY CROCKETT AWARD Just like his namesake from the roughand-tumble frontier days of yesteryear, 23year-old Charlotte resident David Crockett felt the call of the wild when he and his friend Sultan Alraddadi ventured into the Shining Rock Wilderness for a day hike this January.

But Crockett could have used some of the famed frontiersman’s savvy when he faced a trail intersection armed only with a smartphone app. A wrong turn led to a two-day campout during what would end up being some of the coldest weather in 2017.

Haywood County 911 first fielded Crockett’s call at 8:27 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 6, about 16 hours after he and Alraddadi had set out for their planned 8-mile hike. They didn’t

THE JACK OF ALL TRADES AWARD

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

The Historic Reynolds School in Canton’s traditionally-black Gibsontown neighborhood left such an impact on a young Billy McDowell that he hadn’t forgotten it even after leaving the area where he grew up, building a successful business and decades later marrying Motown legend Gladys Knight.

But as the segregation-era school fell into disuse, it also fell into disrepair. More than just a dangerous eyesore, the dilapidated structure also represented the loss of a community institution in a community where institutions are far too few.

By 2014, with plaster walls crumbling and floors falling in, many thought it might just be best to say goodbye to the old school.

McDowell, however, was able to acquire the building at auction, generously forsaking the

birthday gift his wife had wanted to give him — a building near Lake Lure where he could have, as he’d once dreamed, open up a burgers, beer and bikers kind of joint.

That dream deferred, the newly-established Reynolds School Foundation is now tops on McDowell’s to-do list, so much so that he — in conjunction with his wife, county superstars Little Big Town, local musical sensation Lyric, and comedy superstar George Wallace — held an Asheville concert this past fall to raise money for the building’s new purpose, a proposed $5 million community center that will, if all goes according to plan, open in 2019.

THE WATER OVER THE DAM AWARD

know the name of the trailhead, the trail or the road they’d driven to get there. They were cold and hungry, and the cell phone was lacking for both battery and service.

Search and rescue crews analyzed the clues from Crockett’s call to guess at where the two might be, searching all day and into the night as temperatures fell and snow began to fall, but with no luck. Then, at 8:11 the following morning, Crockett reached dispatch one more time. The searchers were relieved to hear that Crockett and Alraddadi, though very cold, were still alive.

Just before 5 p.m. that day, crews from a State Highway Patrol helicopter found the hikers using thermal imaging during a flyover. They relayed those coordinates to the N.C. Emergency Helicopter and Aquatic Rescue Team, which retrieved the hikers and flew them for evaluation at Mission Hospital in Asheville.

All’s well that ends well, but Crockett might consider coming prepared with a coonskin cap and musket — or at least with a nonelectronic map — before venturing into the wilderness again.

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But in direct defiance of requests made by Waynesville officials, the plans presented by DOT would have also eviscerated historic Walnut Street in the process.

Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown then made an unusual move when he called for a period of public comment prior to a Dec. 13 town board meeting, and then called an additional special meeting Jan. 5 that packed the house and featured universal condemnation of the plans.

DOT then said it would issue plans with less alterations to Walnut Street, and finally, almost a year later, released plans with almost no alterations to Walnut Street. Brown responded by calling the DOT a kinder, gentler DOT than the one he’d worked with in years past, saying this past Novemeber that it appears the DOT “has a heart and soul now.”

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tion and enrollment, added 200 new endowed scholarships and underwent multiple major construction projects.

The goodbye has been difficult, but just as Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lazlo will always have Paris, the Belchers will always have Cullowhee.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

THE ‘IT’S ALWAYS BEEN DONE THIS WAY’ AWARD

before the hearing began. However, councilmembers denied that supposition.

Ultimately, after four days of impeachment hearings — which themselves followed many days of court hearings to answer the litany of legal questions the impeachment brought up — the time came to vote. Tribal Council found Lambert guilty on eight of the 12 articles of impeachment, with all but one of those eight following the 9-3 voting pattern that had pervaded the entire process.

Lambert was removed from office effective immediately, with Vice Chief Richard Sneed sworn in as principal chief the same day.

Despite their demonstrated ability to serve as jacks of all trades legal, only three of the seven pro-impeachment councilmembers who ran managed to win re-election this fall.

YEAR IN REVIEW

THE FOR THE LOVE OF (BLOODY) MARY AWARD

Western North Carolina residents revealed themselves to have strong opinions about Bloody Marys and mimosas when communities across the region debated adoption of a state law that would allow the drinks to be served a few hours earlier on Sunday mornings than allowed before.

Known as the Brunch Bill, this state law gave counties and municipalities the option of allowing alcohol to be served and sold beginning at 10 a.m. on Sundays, rather than the noon start time previously in effect. The two-hour shift proved a lightning rod in WNC communities, with the tourism industry making its plea for elected leaders to adopt the extension as a way to spur economic activity, even as anti-alcohol community members — many of whom based their opinion on religious convictions — expressed vehement opposition to any expansion of the availability of alcohol.

So far, Waynesville, Sylva, Franklin and Canton have adopted the ordinance, with 16 Bryson City voting it down and Jackson

Smoky Mountain News

Named after the popular refrain of its inaugural winner, this award goes to Dennis Edward “Bill” Taylor, erstwhile chairman of the Cherokee Tribal Council.

Taylor chaired the body for a tumultuous two-year term that featured quite a few things that had never been done before, in any sort of way — including the launch of an FBI investigation into the Qualla Housing Authority, of whose board Taylor was a member, and the first removal by impeachment of a Cherokee chief in recent history.

Tribal Council meetings were often contentious under Taylor’s leadership, with vocal public opposition to many of the body’s decisions. Taylor could often be heard responding to such opposition with a familiar phrase: “It’s always been done this way.”

Top: Principal Chief Patrick Lambert speaks to his supporters after being impeached by Tribal Council. Above: David and Susan Belcher during WCU’s 2017 Homecoming.

County and Maggie Valley yet to decide. The election of a pro-Brunch Bill alderman in Bryson City could change the equation, with the board scheduled to revisit the issue during a Jan. 8 meeting. The subject has not been brought up in Haywood, Swain or Macon county government.

THE CASABLANCA AWARD Tears were as abundant around the Western Carolina University campus this month as at any screening of “Casablanca,” with each day bringing the Catamount Nation one step closer to the departure of its beloved chancellor.

Chancellor David Belcher announced in November that he’d be going on medical leave, effective Dec. 31, after treatment stopped working on a brain tumor he’s been fighting since April 2016. He doesn’t intend to return to

his position after his medical leave expires.

Belcher had surgery on the tumor after it was initially discovered, and the procedure and follow-up treatment seemed to be successful. However, the cancer returned in August, prompting Belcher to embark on a new treatment regimen. Doctors later determined that the treatment wasn’t working, prompting Belcher’s November announcement. WCU Provost Alison Morrison-Shetlar will serve as acting chancellor, with a diverse 21-member board now in place to search for a permanent replacement.

News of Belcher’s departure sent waves of emotion throughout the Catamount Nation.

During his six-plus years as chancellor, Belcher had managed to gain the respect and appreciation of community leaders, students, WCU employees and many others from across the region. Under his leadership, Western experienced steady gains in reten-

That assertion wasn’t always true, however. In one notable instance, elders from the Snowbird community entered a protest of the February legislation Tribal Council had passed beginning the impeachment process.

Taylor declined to allow the protest resolution to be read, or to allow any discussion on the matter, before calling for a vote — explaining, once again, that it’s always been done this way, with Tribal Council taking an up-anddown vote free of any pesky discussion or factfinding. Analysis of previous protest resolutions at Tribal Council meetings revealed that was not always the case, with protests on the May 5, 2016, and April 7, 2016, agendas resulting in 13 and six minutes of discussion, respectively, before coming to a vote.

Taylor ran for re-election to a 2017-2019 term but lost his seat when he came in the last of four Wolfetown candidates in the General Election. Democracy has always been done that way.

THE PINK FLOYD AWARD The dark side of the moon was the only side of the moon visible from Western North Carolina the afternoon of Monday, Aug. 21, causing a mass migration of the

THE OLD BALL AND CHAIN AWARD

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TO ANYONE SUFFERING WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES OR PRE-DIABETES IT'S TIME TO QUIT SUFFERING AND LIVE AGAIN. If you're diagnosed with cancer you're refered to an oncologist; If you suffer a heart attack you're sent to a cardiologist. Even if you suffer from corns, calluses or ingrown toenails you're sent to a podiatrist, so ask yourself... is your type 2 diabetes any less important than someone with foot problems? Here's your answer- Type 2 Diabetes is the number one for-profit health care problem in America. Pharmaceutical companies make Billions on top of Billions each year pedaling drugs that have severe long term side effects and they depend on people not educating themselves and staying on their 'customer for life' program. yes no

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Smoky Mountain News

This cynical interpretation of the marriage bond could turn literal for 12 people facing charges in an alleged marriage fraud conspiracy based in Cherokee.

The defendants include Ruth Marie Sequoyah McCoy, deputy superintendant of the Cherokee Bureau of Indian Affairs Office, who would allegedly work with Golan Perez, of Cherokee, and Ofir Marsiano, of Pigeon Forge, to connect U.S. citizens with non-citizens who hoped that marriage to a U.S. citizen would improve their immigration status.

McCoy’s husband Timothy Taylor would allegedly help sometimes as well.

If convicted, McCoy and Perez could face a maximum sentence of 20 years and Marsiano a maximum of 25 years. However, it’s possible that McCoy, at least, could be facing time beyond that resulting from the outcome of the marriage fraud case. A court document filed Oct. 30 stated that the government “is investigating the Defendant (McCoy) in connection with charges that go beyond what the Grand Jury alleges in the present (marriage fraud) indictment.”

The four U.S. citizens who entered into the fraudulent marriages have pled guilty to one charge of marriage fraud, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine — the original charges would have carried a maximum penalty of 10 years. While specifics of the plea agreements are not public, an Oct. 30 court document shows that at least some of the agreements required the defendants to serve as witnesses in the case. The four non-citizens accused in the case were never arrested.

McCoy, Taylor, Perez and Marsiano are scheduled for a trial before U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger at 9 a.m. Monday, March 5, in Courtroom 1 of the U.S. District Court in Asheville.

WAYNESVILLE TIRE, INC.

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curious — who, collectively, are the recipients of this award.

Called the Great American Solar Eclipse, the Aug. 21 event was the first time that a solar eclipse had passed from one coast of the U.S. to the other since 1918, and the 70mile-wide path of totality landed right across WNC. Visitors poured in from north and south to see the moon cover the sun in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or downtown Sylva, or Andrews — which lay right on the centerline of totality — or any of countless other places. The N.C. Department of Transportation logged vehicle counts that vastly exceeded expectations, estimating 126,000 people leaving the mountains the night of the eclipse and many more sleeping in lodging accommodations booked to capacity.

With traffic crawling along at approximately a snail’s pace, the drive home may have been frustrating for some eclipse-viewers. But many of those who attended that great gig in the sky found a little traffic to be a worthy price to pay for the memory of a day with two sunrises, and an afternoon lulled into premature evening by a moon covering a sun, corona shimmering about the edges.

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Impeachment hearing scheduled for Chief Lambert racing the origin of Haywood GOP turmoil Page 14

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Health

Smoky Mountain News

RN Residency Program at an Open House on Thursday, Jan. 25.

The event will be hosted at 1 Hospital Drive (sixth floor) in Asheville; new nurses can drop in between 4:30 and 7 p.m. to learn more. The program is open to any new nurses in the community, as well as current Mission Health team members.

Learn about opportunities in many practice areas across Mission Health and talk with nursing managers and directors.

The New Graduate RN Residency Program offers a yearlong, full-time paid nursing positions.

These give new nurses the opportunity to grow in their nursing practice and gain clinical experience across a variety of settings in a supportive environment that includes mentoring, professional development and peer support.

For more information, contact Carl Witherspoon at Carl.Witherspoon@msj.org, or Wanda Ryan at Wanda.Ryan@msj.org.

SCC receives recovery grant College can be an especially rough time for students recovering from drug or alcohol addiction while going through the normal stresses of day-to-day college life.

To help support these students, Southwestern Community College applied for and was awarded a $3,000 grant that is funded through Transforming Youth Recovery.

The grant funds will go toward creating a safe place for students to go so they can get away from the pressure to use drugs or alcohol, create sober and fun activities to meet people with like-minds and offer support groups on campus that are easily accessible.

SCC currently provides two weekly student-led support groups and has been collaborating with Catamounts for Recovery, Western Carolina University’s collegiate recovery program and will continue to work with WCU as SCC students transition from the community college setting to a four-year university.

For more information about Transforming Youth Recovery, visit www.transformingyouthrecovery.org.

Walk-in orthopaedic clinic opens Haywood Regional Medical Center has announced that Western Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists now offers a walk-in orthopaedic clinic.

“We understand that sometimes injuries do not happen when it’s most convenient,” said Benjamin Debelak, DO, Western Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists. “We want to make sure that we are there for the community when an immediate, but non-life-threatening, orthopaedic injury has occurred. Our experienced team of providers and staff will be able to treat injuries that do not require emergency room care, and also with the convenience of no referral or appointment necessary.”

WCOS walk-in orthopaedic clinic will offer treatment for numerous injuries. This includes injuries to hand, wrist, shoulder, arm, elbow, hip, leg, knee, foot or ankle. The clinic can also serve broken bones, sprains, strains, injured ligaments or tendons and sports related injuries.

No appointment or referral is necessary, and patients will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Long-term problems, like overuse injuries and chronic joint pain, are best treated by making an appointment for thorough evaluation.

Visit WesternCarolinOrtho.com or call 828.452.4131.

Mission COO makes top 100 list Jill Hoggard Green, chief operating officer for Mission Health and president of Mission Hospital, earned a place on the 2017 Becker’s Healthcare list of the country’s 130 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know.

Becker’s Healthcare, a prominent provider of industry and legal news for healthcare leaders and publisher of Becker’s Hospital Review, assessed nominations from across the country and made

their selections based upon each nominee’s record of leadership and professional achievements.

Green’s professional history includes serving as an oncology nurse at Intermountain Healthcare’s LDS Hospital and later holding multiple leadership positions in patient care and quality improvement within Intermountain Health Care, Salt Lake City. Prior to joining Mission Health, Green was the Regional Chief Operating Officer for PeaceHealth’s Oregon Region, part of a nine-hospital system based in the Pacific Northwest.

“I’m very grateful to be recognized for my work,” said Green. “But mindful that this recognition is the direct result of the dedication of each Mission Health team member who diligently works to create exceptional patient and family experiences. It’s only by striving to achieve our shared vision that we can provide the best care to our community.”

Social worker joins Swain hospital Swain Community Hospital has hired Daniel J. Schultz, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), as the new therapist at the Senior Life Solutions program located on Hospital Hill.

John Stoeckel, LCSW, will retire later this year after being with the program since its opening in 2011. Senior Life Solutions is an outpatient group therapy program designed to meet the unique needs of adults over the age of 65 struggling with depression and anxiety often related to aging.

Anyone can refer an individual to the program including family members, physicians, self or other health professionals. Individuals in the program have access to group therapy and appointments with Schultz and Dr. Gerald Travis, who serves as medical director of the program.

Schultz received a Master of Social Work degree from Florida State University in Tallahassee after completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

828.488.4044 or www.myswaincommunity.com.

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Haywood’s home care gets high marks Waynesville’s Brian Center gets new name Sava Senior Care, LLC, has announced the newly named Haywood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center formerly known as The Brian Center.

“Our new name encompasses all of Haywood County,” said Administrator Tony Abela. “We are thrilled to continue to assist our residents with excellent skilled nursing care and rehabilitation services. We encourage everyone to come visit our updated facility and see the many new changes we have made.”

Haywood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is located at 516 Wall Street in Waynesville and can be reached at 828.452.3154.

New physician joins Harris Women’s Care Harris Regional Hospital, a Duke LifePoint hospital, recently hired Dr. Alvin Strasburger to join Harris Women’s Care.

Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, Strasburger completed his residency training at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center and Kings County Hospital Center Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Brooklyn, NY after graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

Harris Women’s Care is located at 70 The Village Overlook across the street from the hospital.

To find a physician, call 844.414.DOCS.

Open House offered for nursing program If you are a registered nurse with less than one year of experience or will be graduating from a nursing program by February, Mission Health invites you to learn more about its New Graduate

In recently released results, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Five-Star Quality Rating System recognized Home Care Services of Haywood Regional Medical Center with a 5-star rating in patient satisfaction.

According to the data, the Waynesville home health provider achieved the highest rating possible in the patient satisfaction category. The star rating system was instituted by CMS as part of its Home Health Compare website to provide a “tool for consumers to use when choosing a home health care provider.” The system ranks providers in two categories: “Quality of Patient Care” and “Patient Satisfaction.”

Home Care Services of Haywood Regional Medical Center is part of LHC Group, a national provider of post-acute care services with over 14,000 employees operating more than 450 locations in 27 states.

Grant to expand palliative care Four Seasons Compassion for Life was recently awarded $750,000 from The Duke Endowment for a grant entitled “Project ECHO to Expand Palliative Care Access Across the Carolinas.”

Four Seasons will use the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model to train and mentor providers in rural communities across the Carolinas in how to deliver high quality palliative care services. Palliative care addresses the needs of people living with a serious illness through symptom management, psychosocial, spiritual care, advance care planning, and coordination with community-based resources to improve quality of life for both the patient and family.

“We are grateful to be recipients of this grant as it furthers our vision of innovating healthcare so that we can influence humanity through trusted care,” said Four Seasons Chief Executive Officer Millicent Burke-Sinclair.

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

If this is the new normal, God help us A

Whom should we admire the most?

To the Editor: My daddy served in the U.S. Army. My oldest brother retired from the U.S. Air Force.

One brother served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. His twin brother served three years in the U.S. Army. I served four years in the U.S. Navy.

Who, then, merits admiration when I study two prominent men in America today?

One is Donald Trump. He either could not or would not wear a uniform during the Vietnam War. Instead he stayed at home and amassed a fortune off the fat of this great land.

The other is Robert Mueller, a U.S. Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War. Mueller also served our country as Director of the FBI from 2001-2013 (under George W. Bush and Barack Obama).

Now the world is witnessing the concentrated effort by Donald Trump to discredit Mueller as special counsel whose duty is to discover the truth regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election as well as the possi-

our country. You can’t debate with someone who repeatedly traffics in blatant lies and counterfeit bluster. This is not about politics or policy, it’s about the vulgarity, baseness, and the contempt for tradition that Trump embodies. It’s about his cult of personality, how so many of his admirers — and the current Republican leadership — adapt their reasoning to support a flawed leader rather than demand their leader rise to the level of his office.

And so the country adapts to Trump by allowing our standards to spiral downward. I remember my seventh-grade teacher Mrs. Ashley admonishing me when I started acting Editor up with my new ne’er-do-well best friend Steve (who would eventually drop out before we got to high school).

“Scott, it’s too bad you have chosen to sink to Steve’s level of behavior rather than working a little harder to lift him up,” she told me. I was 13 and thought it was cool to sneak cigarettes on the playground, to sidle up beside him while he made suggestive remarks to our female classmates, to diss our teachers while waiting in line for the bathroom and lunch. Juvenile behavior, but at 13 it seemed so daring and so rebellious.

Our president is 71 years old and still excitedly embraces the character traits of an adolescent. He couldn’t get through

Scott McLeod

s the new year dawns and I take account of everything that’s happened in the past 12 months, it’s Donald Trump that grabs the top spot in my “what the hell happened here” category.

I’m a proud American, and for some reason that seems something unpopular to say these days. I’m no patriot and have never been tested in that manner or served in the Armed Forces, but I still cherish what this country stands for: freedom, equality, a place where one can rise to the level of their own ability, a place that lends a hand to those struggling to gain freedom or achieve success. Above all, a place that strives to achieve a moral high ground in both domestic and international relations.

Today, though, I find myself waxing nostalgic about Barack Obama and George W. Bush, and all the presidents who preceded them. I look far to my right at Vice President Mike Pence, and almost apologetically wish he somehow could become the man to sit behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office.

You see, I’ve always enjoyed arguing and discussing politics and the important issues facing this country. My friends on the left will shower me with criticism when I tell them Pence is my man over the next three years, but unashamedly I’ll tell them the country would be better off if we could somehow rid ourselves of his boss.

Donald Trump is demeaning the office and by extension

bility that members of the Trump Presidential Campaign colluded with Russian operatives.

Neither Trump nor Mueller is un-flawed.

Neither are you and I. But, if I had to hunker down in a foxhole in defense of our democratic republic I would pick the man who has already served over the one who audaciously claims he is serving us now.

Now, how would you choose your man?

Dave Waldrop Webster

Thank God and Democrats for Medicaid To the Editor: How can anyone call themselves a Christian and support President Trump and his Republican cronies in Congress who are willing to send thousands of people to their deaths?

There are two places these “warm-hearted, compassionate, family-value, evangelical” hypocrites need to visit. One is the Duke Children’s Hospital located in Durham, North Carolina. The other is the Brenner Children’s

any of the debates with his GOP challengers or Hillary Clinton without demeaning his opponents. Among his targets both during the campaign and since assuming the presidency are heroic veterans, all kinds of women, people with disabilities, U.S. citizens with any sort of non-European heritage, and many, many more. He has praised foreign despots and white supremacists and divided the country like no other president before him.

Trump’s campaign promise to upend Washington, D.C., conventions helped get him elected, but his kind of change should not be welcome. We had all hoped he would become more “presidential” after winning. Instead, we regularly get false and shameful tweets, low-brow commentary and disgraceful, ignorant behavior. I dislike catchphrases like “the new normal,” but this it: a president whom no one believes can refrain from uttering outright lies and embarrassing attacks.

Call me quaint, call me naïve, call me whatever, but I hope we are not at that tipping point for which my seventh-grade teacher scolded me. Will our next president — perhaps some other celebrity turned politician who relies on twitter, insults and braggadocio — further drag down the office? Will we at some point in the future look at Trump as, perhaps, really not that bad for the country or the presidency compared to his successor?

God help us if that scenario plays out.

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

LETTERS Hospital located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Are these cold-hearted people saying they don’t have any problem putting these pitiful, sickly, beautiful children under a gravestone?

Thanks to the grace of God, good doctors, and great staff members at these two hospitals, our family now has a healthy 10-year-old.

Thank God and the Democrats for Medicaid.

Charles Miller Waynesville

Politicians throw children to the wolves To the Editor: After 29 years as a pediatrician in Western North Carolina, with over 120,000 patient visits under my belt, I can say that I have never felt so disheartened and, frankly, disgusted by the action and inaction of our elected representatives as far as the health of our children and many pregnant women are con-

cerned.

I have a young patient with a rare, probably lifelong and potentially life-threatening infection. His medication costs thousands of dollars a month. He has Health Choice (CHIP) insurance, funded mainly by the U.S. Congress. Congressman Mark Meadows, RAsheville, assured me on Oct. 24 that CHIP would be funded within a week or two at the most! It has NOT been funded and 9 million children in the richest country in history are about to be thrown to the wolves.

Our local state representatives: Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Burnsville, and Sen. Jim Davis, RFranklin, have as far as I know said nothing about the hundreds of families in their district about to be affected. Will our elected representatives step up and pressure Congress to get this done?

And I also ask congressmen Meadows and Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-Gastonia, to publicly pledge that they will oppose any attempt to pay for the tax cut by cutting Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP or Social Security!

Stephen Wall, MD FAAP Waynesville

This is my family, and yours

Chris Cox

E

AT

The Rendezvous RESTAURANT & LOUNGE At the Maggie Valley Inn

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325-7

Smoky Mountain News

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Ring In 2018

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

Janie’s. By noon, the house was filled with family of all ages. My Aunt Lillie, who just turned 84, sat across from my niece, Katelyn, who is expecting her second child in less than a month.

My mother made her way through a cluster of people chatting in the kitchen. It has only been a few short weeks since she lost her husband to cancer, but she seems to be bearing up well. When he said the blessing, my Uncle John R made reference to all of those we have lost over the years, vital, irreplaceable, unforgettable people who blessed us, loved us, laughed with us, and moved on well before we were ready to let them go.

I remember vividly how shocked I was after my father died 17 years ago when I realized how fundamentally unchanged the world seemed without him. Everywhere I went, people seemed to be going about their business: a mother and daughter buying supplies for a birthday party at the grocery store, a high school boy in a pick-up truck burning rubber when the light turned green, a jogger taking advantage of moderate December temperatures to sneak in a run before the next cold snap, a barber shop humming along with every chair filled and it nearly five o’clock, some poor teenage girl pulled over by a town cop, probably trembling as the officer hunched over talking to her through the driver’s window. The breeze, the sun dipping into the mountains, birds taking turns at the feeders, the sound of the meteorologist on the local news, too chipper for her own damn good, high pressure building in on Tuesday. The streetlights clicking on before dark.

I don’t know what I expected, but not this. I saw it as an affront. The world must somehow take greater notice of the loss of such a man, of such a one as this, must understand that everything is not the same, and never will be.

I know better now. I look around me on this Christmas Eve at Aunt Janie’s house and see the truth of it. My father and all of these other amazing people were not lost and are not gone, but are instead forever a part of this beautiful tapestry, our family, this life, these traditions, that unfurl year after year, developing and expanding to include new people, just as wonderful, everyone in their place and time, laughing, and loving, gathering to celebrate, to remember, and to honor our life together — our lives together.

That is my family, and yours, too, I bet.

From mine to yours, we wish you a merry Christmas and a new year filled with hope, wonder, and joy, and the peace that comes with finding, understanding, and ultimately celebrating your place in the tapestry of life.

(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher.

Jchriscox@live.com)

opinion

xcept for the year our daughter, Kayden, got the flu and we had to make the best of spending Christmas at home with one of our youngsters battling a fever of 102, our kids are accustomed to hitting the road pretty early on Christmas Day. Ordinarily, they have no more than a couple of hours to marvel over their presents from Santa before they have to strap in and nestle in the backseat of the car for a long winter’s nap of three hours or so, about the time in takes to get to my hometown of Sparta.

Every year, we go up to see our family, most of whom live in or near Sparta, to eat, visit, worship, and generally enjoy each other for a couple of days while our friends and neighbors tend to our dogs. The presents — the ones that can’t be toted — wait patiently under the tree for the children to come back Columnist for some proper playtime. You might think the kids would fuss about leaving their toys behind for a couple of days, but since it is all they’ve ever known, they consider it one of our traditions and therefore, in a strange way, cherish it in the same way that they always look forward to baking cookies with their mother, reading “The Night Before Christmas” with their father, and watching mean old, flint-hearted Ben Weaver find reasons to get locked up so he can spend Christmas with Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, and the rest of the Mayberry family on “The Andy Griffith Show.”

As they get older, our children have discovered, perhaps to their surprise and definitely to the surprise of their parents, that our traditions are more important to them than any of the items that made this year’s Christmas list. We imagined that this epiphany would not come until they were in their 20s at the earliest, but here they are in their teens, curling up in my lap like Great Danes who believe they are Chihuahuas, and for a few precious minutes, the inexorable march of time is suspended as Santa urges on Donner and Blitzen and the recliner groans underneath the weight of the years and pounds that have accumulated around our dreams of a Christmas not past or future, but ever present.

At Thanksgiving, we found out that our cousin, Brooke, would be coming home from Brooklyn, but would have to fly out early on Christmas morning. In order for the extended family to be together, we would need to change our tradition of having Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, so we gathered on Christmas Eve at my Aunt

Reservations Recommended

70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley • 828.926.0201 21

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

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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 AMMONS DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT & DAIRY BAR 1451 Dellwwod Rd., Waynesville.

828.926.0734. Open 7 days a week 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Celebrating over 25 years.

Enjoy world famous hot dogs as well as burgers, seafood, hushpuppies, hot wings and chicken. Be sure to save room for dessert.

The cobbler, pie and cake selections are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

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 BLOSSOM ON MAIN 128 N. Main Street, Waynesville.

828.454.5400. Open for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Mild, medium, to hot and spicy, our food is cooked to your like-able temperature.

Forget the myth that all Thai food is spicy.

Traditional Thai food is known to be quite healthy, making use of natural and fresh ingredients, paired with lots of spices, herbs, and vegetables. Vegetarians and health conscious individuals will not be disappointed as fresh vegetables and tofu are available in most of our menu as well as wines and saki chosen to compliment the unique flavors of Thai cuisine.

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slow-simmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts.

Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily.

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

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 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.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch daily 11:30 a.m. to

2:30 p.m.; dinner nightly at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Wine Down Wednesday’s: ½ off wine by the bottle. We specialize in handcut, all natural steaks from local farms, incredible burgers, and other classic american comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast from 8 to 9:30 a.m. – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-youcan-eat. Lunch menu from 12 to 2 p.m. with fresh salads, homemade soups and sandwiches. In the evening, social hour begins at 6 p.m.; dinner is served at 7 p.m., with entrees such as seared salmon, oven-roasted chicken and cast-iron skillet pork chops, complemented by locally-sourced vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer fine wines and local craft beer. Please call for reservations and join us for mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view.

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. Also on facebook and twitter.

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

828.926.1820 Winter hours: Wednesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet.

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

EVERETT HOTEL & BISTRO 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934.

Open daily for dinner at 4:30 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday Brunch from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Serving fresh and delicious weekday morning lite fare, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Freshly prepared menu offerings range from house-made soups & salads, lite fare & tapas, crepes, specialty sandwiches and burgers. Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials. Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. Enjoy craft beers on tap, as well as our full bar and eclectic wine list.

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde.

828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95.

FRANKIE’S ITALIAN TRATTORIA 1037 Soco Rd. Maggie Valley.

828.926.6216 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday-Saturday. Father and son team Frank and Louis Perrone cook up dinners steeped in Italian tradition. With recipies passed down from generations gone by, the Perrones have brought a bit of Italy to Maggie Valley. frankiestrattoria.com FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE 44 Church St., Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in modern regional dishes. Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

GUADALUPE CAFÉ 606 W. Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.9877.

Open 7 days a week at 5 p.m. Located in the historic Hooper’s Drugstore, Guadalupe Café is a chef-owned and operated restaurant serving Caribbean inspired fare complimented by a quirky selection of wines and microbrews. Supporting local farmers of organic produce, livestock, hand-crafted cheese, and using sustainably harvested seafood.

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

Open for dinner at 4:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome.

Take-out menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.

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.

tasteTHEmountains LOS AMIGOS 366 Russ Ave. in the Bi-Lo Plaza.

828.456.7870. Open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy the lunch prices Monday through Sunday, also enjoy our outdoor patio.

PATIO BISTRO 30 Church Street, Waynesville.

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

Outdoor and indoor dining.

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

828.586.3555. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch.

Beer and wine. Free movies Thursday trought Saturday. Visit madbatterfoodfilm.com for this week’s shows.

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

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.

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT 2804 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.926.0425. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Daily specials including soups, sandwiches and southern dishes along with featured dishes such as fresh fried chicken, rainbow trout, country ham, pork chops and more.

Breakfast all day including omelets, pancakes, biscuits & gravy. facebook.com/carversmvr; instagram @carvers_mvr.

NEWFOUND LODGE RESTAURANT 1303 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee (Located on 441 North at entrance to GSMNP).

828.497.4590. Open 7 a.m. daily.

Established in 1946 and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Family style dining for adults and children.

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.

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

Daily Specials:

Soups, Sandwiches & Southern Dishes Featured Dishes:

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.

Fresh Fried Chicken, Rainbow Trout, Country Ham, Pork-chops & more Breakfast Served All Day!

Omelets, Pancakes, Biscuits & Gravy!

OPEN ON DEC. 24, 25, & 31 12 P.M.-6 P.M.

OPEN ON NEW YEARS DAY JANUARY 1: REGULAR HOURS, 7 A.M.-3 P.M.

2804 SOCO RD. • MAGGIE VALLEY 828.926.0425 • Facebook.com/carversmvr Instagram- @carvers_mvr

SUNDAY BRUNCH

TRAILHEAD CAFE & BAKERY 18 N Main Street, Waynesville.

828.452.3881 Open 7 days a week. You will find a delicious selection of pastries & donuts, breakfast & lunch along with a fresh coffee & barista selection. Happy Trails!

VITO’S PIZZA 607 Highlands Rd., Franklin.

828.369.9890. Established here in in 1998. Come to Franklin and enjoy our laid back place, a place you can sit back, relax and enjoy our 62” HDTV. Our Pizza dough, sauce, meatballs, and sausage are all made from scratch by Vito. The recipes have been in the family for 50 years (don’t ask for the recipes cuz’ you won’t get it!) Each Pizza is hand tossed and made with TLC. You’re welcome to watch your pizza being created.

WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville.

828.246.0927. Open Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Opened in May 2016, The Waynesville Pizza Company has earned a reputation for having the best hand-tossed pizza in the area. Featuring a custom bar with more than 20 beers and a rustic, family friendly dining room. Menu includes salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, gourmet pizza, homemade desserts, and a loaded salad bar. The Cuban sandwich is considered by most to be the best in town.

AT BEARWATERS BREWING

101 PARK ST. CANTON 828.492.1422 PIGEONRIVERGRILLE.COM MON-THUR 3-8 • FRI, SAT, SUN 12-8

WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU Not that we would want to, you see.

It's no fun selling wine Without sharing with thee!

BUT MOST OF ALL, YOU! You've stood by us again; My accountants tell me you've a fondness for Zin! SO AS YOU SETTLE IN For a long winter's nap, We implore you to unfold A United States map.

FIND THE WINESELLER; Go ahead chart a route.

Make a plan for a visit; We'll sure have a hoot.

SO FROM OUR FAMILY HERE To your family there, wishing Happy Holidays, Good Health, And a Prosperous New Year!

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

YOUR FRIENDS AT THE WINESELLER WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU Not that we would want to, you see.

It's no fun selling wine Without sharing with thee!

BUT MOST OF ALL, YOU! You've stood by us again; My accountants tell me you've a fondness for Zin! SO AS YOU SETTLE IN For a long winter's nap, We implore you to unfold A United States map.

FIND THE WINESELLER; Go ahead chart a route.

Make a plan for a visit; We'll sure have a hoot.

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde MON.-SAT. 11 A.M.-8 P.M.

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

Real Local Families, Real Local Farms, Real Local Food

Smoky Mountain News

WAYNESVILLE’S BEST BURGERS

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

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

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.

SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE 1941 Champion Drive, Canton 828.646.3750 895 Russ Ave., Waynesville 828.452.5822. 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. The menus are customizable for your special event. Group of eight or more can schedule their own dinner.

MAGGIE VALLEY Holiday RESTAURANT Hours:

SO FROM OUR FAMILY HERE To your family there, wishing Happy Holidays, Good Health, And a Prosperous New Year!

YOUR FRIENDS AT THE WINESELLER

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Smoky Mountain News

shit happens again. Take a step forward, two steps back. But, my optimistic side, is that we break down some of these walls and barriers.

That people who root for one team can look the people in the eye that root for the other team, and see if there are more commonalities than there are things that are being shoved down our throats. Maybe not look towards these politicians or “leaders” for the answers.

Stand up for ourselves more, stand up for the individual more, for our sisters and our brothers. And I think it’s happening to some extent.

It is happening more, people are opening their eyes a little bit more than previously.

Langhorne Slim.

Harvey Robinson photo

SMN: Well, your music definitely has a camaraderie and inclusive nature to it…

LS: Unless someone is a racist, homophobic shithead — and that’s my opinion that, that person would be a shithead — is that everybody else has beauty and redeeming qualities. And even maybe those people (shitheads) do, I don’t know. But, that to point fingers, to push each other further apart, isn’t the way to do it. Someone doesn’t need to agree with me, I don’t care anymore. I don’t have to agree with them, and they don’t have to agree with me. But, there is nothing to be gained bys t dividing further.

House of my soul A conversation with Langhorne Slim

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER The sound echoes a tone of inclusion and timelessness.

When you listen to Langhorne Slim, you’re hearing something oddly familiar, but also new and innovative at the same time. You let the songs soak into your skin, pushing ever so deeper into your carefully guarded soul. The words remind you of your past, faces you haven’t seen in years, but miss dearly. Each melody conjures memories, perhaps cherished moments, of loved ones either six feet under and long gone or six feet away where the emotional distance could still be bridged with a simple interaction.

With his latest album, “Lost at Last: Vol. 1,” Langhorne Slim brings the world he sees, or maybe one day hopes to see, into focus — clarity in the presence of chaos. The record is about letting go, where you ultimately find yourself the exact second you surrender to the cosmos, where vulnerability to the unknown is a strength and not a weakness. Between the lines of the lyrics is a meandering thread of reconnection in a disconnected world, where modern technology has gotten in the way of the lost art that is face-to-face communication.

Smoky Mountain News: When I was listening to the album, it was the first time in a long time I’ve felt pretty light, in terms of the heaviness of this year. That line in the first song, “life

is confusing and people are insane,” I felt that.

Langhorne Slim: You feel it because it’s true. I feel it because it’s true. There is hope within the fact that “life is confusing and people are insane.” I think we’ve all been aware of that, but this year has certainly brought that into the forefront of our minds and consciousness. It’s been a wild one. I’m feeling it around me. And it’s not if you vote Democrat or Republican. It’s more of an energetic, dare I say spiritual thing, where people have become disgusted, who just can’t take any more of the fear mongering and division, and that’s on both sides. We hear it from our president, and we hear it in the media, left wing or right wing. At some point, we identify more as humans.

There’s a boiling point, where people are pushed so far to buy into a side, and get disgusted, and sick of it, and say, “fuck this, we’re actually human beings, and we can live a life more positive and connected than this.” I do get a sense that there’s more nastiness ahead of us, that there always has been and always will be, but also that there is real hope for this [next] year, and going forward.

SMN: What do you think about the adage, “nothing’s the same, everything’s the same”?

LS: I think that everything is the same. I don’t think that “this” is brand new, but I think it looks a little bit different. The non-optimistic part of myself is that is like, “people live and they learn, and then they forget.” And the same

Want to go?

Singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim & The Lost at Last Band will perform at 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, at The Orange Peel in Asheville. Opening act will be Pierce Edens.

The Lost at Last Band will feature members/former members from The Avett Brothers, Hurray For the Riff Raff, The Law, and The War Eagles. Langhorne Slim’s new album, “Lost at Last: Vol. 1,” is now available for purchase and on all music streaming services or on his site, www.langhorneslim.com.

The show is for ages 18 and over.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of show. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.theorangepeel.net.

SMN: The title of the new album, “Lost atm Last,” does that come from the idea of just let-s ting go and leaving yourself vulnerable to thep Y cosmos?

LS: You nailed it. Said it better than I wouldm “ of. That’s exactly what it is. m SMN: And I guess seeing intrinsic beauty inr P that vulnerability?

LS: One-hundred percent. Not attaching identity to careers and to relationships, top opening up as many channels as we can withinW ourselves, to being as open as we can.f Vulnerability, I believe, is a great strength thatW we’re taught is a weakness. These are beautiful,P mighty strengths that all humans possess. AndR that by covering them up, by acting tough andt hiding them, is what drives people to madness s and sickness…

S c SMN: And hypocrisy… c LS: Absolutely. t SMN: What has a life immersed in music,A travel and interacting with people, taught youI about what it means to be a human being? a LS: So we can end where we started.g There’s so much more that we have in common. Everybody’s smile is beautiful.m Everybody, when you look them in the eye, youf can feel a connection. And thank goodnessg through the language and the spirit of music,o it enables me to do that all over the world. But,f you do learn that there’s so much beauty outu there — it’s a big place — and that buying intom these negative, dark notions is not the way toa go. People can think it’s just “hippy shit.” I sayc it’s ancient shit, and I believe that it is as real as it can be. There is a better world for us to bel n living in.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Winter in the North Country.

Garret K. Woodward photo

‘Keep on rolling, my old buddy…’

28 Walnut St. Waynesville

828.456.3021 HaywoodChamber.com

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Smoky Mountain News

Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Porch Once the roads became 40 (funk/rock) w/Colby Deitz Band sketchy, I became familiar with (Americana/rock) at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. the territory.

Christmas morning. With The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will more than eight inches of fresh host Post Hole Diggers (Americana/punk) at snow falling at my girlfriend’s 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. parents’ house in Albany, New The fourth annual “Ruby Drop” will be held at York, on Christmas Eve, it was a 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, on Main Street in mad dash up Interstate 87 (aka: downtown Franklin.

“The Northway”) to make it to my folks’ old farmhouse in the The New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration will rural countryside outside of be held on Sunday, Dec. 31, at the Cherokee Plattsburgh.

Indian Fairgrounds.

Over 1,100 miles of cold, hard pavement between my The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Waynesville apartment and the a special New Year’s Eve “Eve” bash with farmhouse. Eastern Tennessee to Mean Mary & The Contrarys (Americana) at Western Virginia to Central 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30.

Pennsylvania to the Capital Region of New York, onward to the frigid depths of my native North Country. those very mountains, years ago with old friends, former lovers or alone in my The veins and arteries of the circulatory thoughts and actions. system that is the Eisenhower Interstate When the sign for Clinton County System of the United States remains an intriappeared on the interstate, just outside of cate web of unknown adventure and endless Keeseville, it was the same sign I blew past curiosity. And when I find myself cruising heading home following college graduation through Albany northbound, entering the in Connecticut, heading home following my Adirondack Mountains, time ceases to exist. year out West following that, heading home It’s all one thing, one huge moment of ups after all my travels and trials and tribulaand downs of a restless mind felt in one sintions thereafter, only to see the backside of gle second. that sign when my internal directional markAll of which comes flooding back into er aimed for Western North Carolina some my field of vision when the gas station coffive years ago. fee gets cool enough to sip with an urgent It’s funny how you can physically become gusto, the ideal classic rock song comes so far away and detached from your origins, over the scratchy radio, and all I have in but immediately brought back into the fold front of me are the last remaining miles once you step over the threshold of your paruntil I pull into that driveway I left those many moons ago — when youthful exuber- ents’ front door, the same woodstove roaring, same voices echoing “who, what, and ance transitioned into adult truths and where?” about whatever the topics of the day consequences. are (usually the same topics you encountered Drifting into the ancient peaks and valthis time last year). leys of the Adirondacks, I began to remiThen there are things you miss, beyond nisce of my days climbing to the top of

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

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himself has to shed the multiple layers of the thick skin of his past by running, never stopping until the last of his demons and fears gets erased from this earth, “And then in the desert, when the sun comes up, I couldn’t tell where heaven stopped and the earth began.”

Earlier that day, before the recliner and channel surfacing, I went for run. It was about 10 degrees outside when my 75-yearold father dropped me off some four miles from their house, way out in the midst of frozen cornfields and icy backroads, in the shadow of the Adirondacks, where the land soon rolls flat and lonesome into Canada just a handful of miles to the north.

Beyond the crunch of my running shoes atop the snowy pavement, I could hear my rhythmic breathing, the occasional backyard dog barking at me in the distance, a few scattered vehicles blowing past my pace, wondering “just who in the hell is running in this weather?”

And I got a lot of thinking done in those four miles, where the last three decades of my life somehow caught up with me during each step and stride along my route. It was a mental crossroads where one minute seems like a thousand years, or miles, depending on how you look at it.

I look at it with a sense of awe and sincere wonder. It throws a few logs on the fire within to keep going, always chasing after that next year or mile, or fork in the road when you trust your instincts and look upward in gratitude.

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

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

that woodstove and those voices. The creaking of old wooden floorboards as your bloodline walks above you to their slumber for the night. The way the cold northern winds shake the snow from whimsical branches. And the silence — the sacred silence — of simply laying into that backroom recliner, making sense of the time that has passed since you first were sitting in that exact spot — then at 22, now at 32.

Not having cable or even a television since I relocated to Haywood County, it was weird channel surfacing on my parents’ large HD TV. Hundreds of channels, most with really nothing to say or show. Click, click, click, Nothing. Right around the moment I was about to give up on any semblance of credible viewing pleasure, I came across the 1990s classic “Forrest Gump.”

When the film came out, I was 9 years old. And in the 23 years since then, it’s never left my subconscious. The story of one man wandering aimlessly into a world gone mad with politics and celebrity, gone far from home, resonates deeply in me. Not to mention I was given a crash-course in great American rock-n-roll with its iconic soundtrack.

The film struck a chord within me that rings true to this day. Something about the idea you can be anybody you want to be and do anything you want to do, and how fate, chance, and sometimes pure luck, plays into the whole formula of what it takes to figure oneself out amid the greater good.

My favorite segment of “Forrest Gump” is the running part. It’s when Forrest Gump

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25

On the beat arts & entertainment

‘Songwriters in the Round’ Thom Bresh.

Left: Leslie Ellis and Casey Kelly.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

Bryson City community jam A community holiday jam will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

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. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of Grampa’s Music in Bryson City.

The community jams offer a chance for musicians of all ages and levels of ability to share music they have learned over the years or learn old-time mountain songs. The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month — year-round. This program received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment of the Arts.

828.488.3030.

The popular “Songwriters in the Round” series will host a special New Year’s Eve celebration with musicians Casey Kelly, Leslie Ellis and Thom Bresh starting at 6 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 31, at Balsam Mountain Inn. For Ellis, Broadway was always the goal and after several memorable performances in major productions like “La Cage Aux Folles” and “City of Angels,” she landed the lead role in “CATS” singing “Memory.” She eventually became a session vocalist for Sony Music singing background for the likes of Barbra Streisand, Faith Hill, Toni Braxton, and Celine Dion. A well-timed call in the late 1990s led to her singing “My Heart Will Go

On” with Celine Dion for the soundtrack of “Titanic.” They went on to win a Grammy for “Record of the Year.”

Kelly’s body of work is wide-reaching and well-respected in and out of the Nashville music scene. From writing signature hits for George Strait, like “The Cowboy Rides Away” and “Soon” for Tanya Tucker, to touring with Loggins & Messina, BB King, The Beach Boys and more, his songwriting and vocal skills are heralded.

Bresh was born in Hollywood, California, and raised in the middle of guitar royalty. His father, Merle Travis, was the most influential American guitarist of the 20th century. As

Chet Atkins put it, “Thom Bresh is a world class guitarist that deserves to be heard.”

The Balsam Mountain Inn began its “Songwriters in the Round” series over 20 years ago, and modeled it after similar performances at Nashville’s Bluebird Café. Many performances feature Grammy and CMA award winners, and all include writers of many top-ranked songs.

A buffet dinner is included in the $85 price.

Seating in the dining room begins at 6 p.m. with the performance at 7:30 p.m. The New Year’s countdown will begin at 10 p.m. in the lobby. To purchase tickets, call 828.456.9498 or www.balsammountaininn.net.

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Smoky Mountain News

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On the beat

• Isis Music Hall (Asheville) will host Hannah Kaminer & The Heartbreak Highlight Reel 7 p.m. Dec. 27, Greg Ruby & Friends 7 p.m.

Dec. 28, Duncan Wickel 7 p.m. Dec. 29, Akira Satake & Anya Hinkle 7 p.m. Dec. 30, Dark Water Rising w/Tony Eltora 9 p.m. Dec. 30 and Jon Stickley Trio & The Digs w/Josh Phillips & Friends 8:30 p.m. Dec. 31. For more information about the performances and/or to purchase tickets, click on www.isisasheville.com.

ALSO:

Porch 40.

PORCH 40, COLBY DEITZ GET ‘LAZY’ There will be a New Year’s Eve performance with Porch 40 (funk/rock) and Colby Deitz Band (Americana/rock) at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin. 828.349.BEER or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” with Alma Russ (Americana/bluegrass) Dec. 30. All shows are free and begin at 5 p.m. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 28. Free and open to the public. www.blueridgebeerhub.com.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host a special New Year’s Eve “Eve” bash with Mean Mary & The Contrarys (Americana) at 7 p.m. Dec. 30, with a four-

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Twelfth Fret (Americana/folk) Dec. 30.

All shows are free and are from 6 to 9 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and an Open Jam with Rick 8 p.m. Thursdays.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Susan at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host line dancing every Friday at 7 p.m. and contra dancing every other Friday at 8 p.m.

828.586.6440.

• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host Ginny McAfee (singer-songwriter) Dec. 29, Alma Russ (Americana/folk) Dec. 30 and Post Hole Diggers (Americana/punk) Dec. 31. All shows begin at 10 p.m.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host Andrew Chastain (singer-songwriter) Dec. 30. All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. www.curraheebrew.com.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Songwriters in the Round” at 6 p.m. Dec. 31. $85, which includes buffet. www.balsammountaininn.net.

course dinner at $75 per person.

828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Liz Nance & Friends (Americana/folk) Dec. 29, Tea 4 Three (Americana) Dec. 30 and Porch 40 (funk/rock) w/Colby Deitz Band (Americana/rock) Dec. 31. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday with Mike Farrington of Post Hole Diggers. Free and open to the public.

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

828.488.8898.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host So What Band 9 p.m. Dec. 31. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. There will also be a Community Rhythm Circle every Tuesday at 7 p.m. with free drum circle lessons at 6:30 p.m. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

Come Rock in the New Year with Us!

Colby Deitz Band and PORCH 40 8pm to 2am

Smoky Mountain News

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE RENDEZVOUS The Rendezvous at Maggie Valley Inn will host Stone Crazy Band (classic rock/pop) for its New Year’s Eve Celebration from 9 p.m. to midnight Sunday, Dec. 31.

Call for a reservation at 828.926.0201.

arts & entertainment

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Dec. 27 and Jan. 3, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Dec. 28 and Jan. 4. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

Saturday, December 30th · 8pm Tea 4 Three 188 W. MAIN STREET · FRANKLIN · LAZYHIKERBREWING.COM 27

On the street arts & entertainment

The life and wild times of Sam Hunnicutt Align goals, investments, and the right advice to make the perfect blend Life changes, markets fluctuate, and your portfolio might need an adjustment to keep you on track toward achieving your goals. If you’re wondering whether you have the right investments in your portfolio, we’d be happy to give you a professional evaluation. It could be the only thing you need is more cream in your coffee, but your investments are worth an important second look.

Call today for a complimentary consultation over coffee.

Granville Younce , CFP® Financial Advisor 52 Walnut Street, Suite 6 Waynesville, NC 28786 Office: (828) 456-7407 granville.younce@wfadvisors.com www.home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/gran

Larry East CFP® First Vice President – Investments 52 Walnut St., Suite 6 Waynesville, NC 28786 Office: (828) 456-7407 larry.east@wellsfargoadvisors.com https://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/larry.east

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

Larry East CFP® First Vice President – Investments 52 Walnut St., Suite 6 Waynesville, NC 28786 Office: (828) 456-7407 larry.east@wellsfargoadvisors.com https://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/larry.east

99918-v1 A2121

Granville Younce , CFP® Financial Advisor 52 Walnut Street, Suite 6 Waynesville, NC 28786 Office: (828) 456-7407 granville.younce@wfadvisors.com www.home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/granville.younce

Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

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newsdesk crafts

Smoky Mountain News

0916-04574

1.

2.

3.

4. #3 - free flier

Don Casada will be presentSam Hunnicutt. ing “Sam Hunnicutt and His Hunting and Fishing Buddies” during the next meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City.

Hunnicutt’s companions covered the social spectrum — teachers, pastors, county sheriffs, state legislators, fellow farmers, violin makers, medical doctors, veterans of the Civil and Spanish-American Wars, blue bloods of the first rank from Newport, Rhode Island, and New York City, murderers and outlaws.

The educational achievements of Hunnicutt’s buddies ranged from fourth grade to Ph.D. from Princeton. Yet, neither the backwoods where he was most at home nor Hunnicutt himself were respecters of persons — all were treated equally.

Casada is the president of the Friends of Casada’s presentation will draw from the Bryson City Cemetery. He has done extensive stories in Hunnicutt’s book Twenty Years of research on the backcountry of the Great Hunting and Fishing in Great Smoky Smoky Mountains National Park, having Mountains. The stories related aspects of the located and marked the coordinates of some lives of Hunnicutts’s companions as well as the nature of the terrain they traversed show- 600 former homesites in Swain County from Straight Fork to below Twenty-Mile Creek. ing unequaled insights into the nature of Written directions are on the Swain society and the culture of the time.

County Genealogy website www.swaingeCasada, a native of Swain County has “mostly retired,” and lives in Bryson City with nealogy.com. Conversation and refreshments will follow the presentation. This is his wife Susan, in the 127-year old house on free and open to the public.

Stanley Black Hill where Casada was raised.

Franklin’s ‘Ruby Drop’ returns The fourth annual “Ruby Drop” will be held at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, on Main Street in downtown Franklin.

The Motor Company Grill and Crabtree General Store are planning the family-friendly New Year’s Eve event, which will be in Franklin’s Town Square.

Throughout the evening, there will be live entertainment, assorted games, and other activities. Just before midnight they will have a countdown and be lowering the ruby. The ruby is 6 feet tall and 7 feet in diameter with over 1,300 led lights.

For more information, visit www.franklin-chamber.com.

On the street • There will be a free wine tasting from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 30 and Jan. 6 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

• A New Year’s Eve celebration will be held on Sunday, Dec. 31, at the Fontana Village Resort. Dinner buffet, live music and midnight champagne toast. For more information or to make a reservation, call 828.498.2115.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 30 and Jan. 6 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.631.3075.

• “Laughing Balsam Sangha,” a meeting for Mindfullness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at 318 Skyland Drive in Sylva. Included are sitting and walking meditation, and Dharma discussion. Free admission. For more information, call 828.335.8210, and “Like” them on Facebook.

ALSO:

Michael Cox.

Old Edwards wine dinner There will be a wine dinner on Saturday, Jan. 13, at The Farm at Old Edwards in Highlands.

Aside from an evening of tastings and discussions, there will also be live music from Wirewood.

Tickets are $155 per person. RSVP at 828.787.2635 or 828.787.2620. www.oldedwardsinn.com/schugwinedinner.

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host the Jackson County Corn Hole Association on Monday evenings ($5 buy in, 100 percent payout), Karaoke with Captain Moose from 7 to 11 p.m. on Tuesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and a Guitar Hero Tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursdays.

828.586.6440.

arts & entertainment

• The New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration will be held on Sunday, Dec. 31, at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds. For more information, call 828.359.6490.

• 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.

• There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentally-themed booths at the 21st annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 28, in downtown Sylva.

Celebrating the new spring in the mountains, the festival has become a beloved regional event. Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through April 1. For more information, call 828.554.1035 or email greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

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Smoky Mountain News

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29

On the wall arts & entertainment

from painting and printmaking to book arts, sculpture, ceramics, and contemporary craft.

As the museum continues to research and interpret the collection, purchases and gifts expand and strengthen its holdings. New acquisitions find their way into the collection through a variety of routes and particularly through the generosity of donors.

All WCU Fine Art Museum exhibitions are free and open to the public. For further information, visit go.wcu.edu/wcucollects or call 828.227.3591.

The WCU Fine Art Museum boasts four art galleries with exhibitions year-round. The Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. www.wcu.edu.

Smoky Mountain News

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

Art showcase in Franklin

30

Painter Janell Garner will be on display throughout the month of December at the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room in Franklin. The works will also be available for purchase.

“My love for art and nature started when I was just a little girl. When I wasn’t drawing, coloring or painting, I was exploring in the woods by the creek,” Garner said. “As a retired massage therapist, I decided to get myself back to what my passion is. Living in the beautiful North Carolina mountains inspires me every day. It could be a view, animals, still life, or one of my favorites — people’s pets. I love to capture and express the beauty of God’s creations with paints, pastels, and even in collage.”

The showcase can be viewed during normal library visiting hours.

Fine Art Museum new acquisitions The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at the Bardo Arts Center is pleased to present the exhibition “WCU Collects: Recent Acquisitions” through Jan. 26 in Cullowhee.

This WCU Collects exhibition showcases a selection of artworks recently given to the museum and includes a number of artists not previously represented in the collection. The WCU Fine Art Museum stewards a collection of more than 1,500 art objects in all media —

• Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host a free movie night at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For the full schedule of screenings, click on www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

• The Waynesville Fiber Friends will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of the month at the Panacea Coffee House in Waynesville. All crafters and beginners interested in learning are invited. You can keep up with them through their Facebook group or by calling 828.276.6226 for more information.

ALSO:

• “Paint Nite Waynesville” will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursdays (Jan. 4) at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Sign up for either event on the Paint Night Waynesville Facebook page or call Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

• There will be a “Thursday Painters Open Studio” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Bring a bag lunch, project and supplies. Free to the public. Membership not required. For information, call 828.349.4607.

• A “Youth Art Class” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Appalachian Art Farm on 22 Morris Street in Sylva. All ages welcome. $10 includes instruction, materials and snack. For more information, email appalachianartfarm@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

New photo exhibit at SCC Teri Leigh Teed has been selected as a featured artist for the Burrell Center Gallery at Southwest Community College in Sylva. Teed’s exhibit, “Season of Light,” will run through Dec. 31.

“Season of Light” is Teed’s newest series of fine art photographs taken in the Nantahala Forest from the morning of the Autumn Equinox and leading up to Thanksgiving. Her photographs are accompanied by stories and poetry written by Teed that reflect on the physical and spiritual light of the season.

A native of Columbia, South Carolina,

Teed is a multi-dimensional, award-winning artist based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina near Sylva. Along with her visual artwork, Teed is also a songwriter of folk music and the author of “Seasons of the South, the Original Homegrown and Musical Storytelling Show,” which raises awareness for regenerative agriculture.

“Healing Spirit Art” has been the name of Teed’s artwork since 2005. She blends fine art nature and landscape photography, stories, poetry, and songs with positive, inspirational and healing thoughts and energies. Her logo features a mountain laurel branch, which represents her love for the western North Carolina mountains she calls home. To join the community of Love, Peace and Goodwill and share #HealingSpiritArt with the world please visit www.terileighteed.com.

Winter Adult Coed Volleyball League Open to all players 18 years or older as of January 1, 2018.

Teams will be limited to 12 players with a minimum of six players. Fee will be based on number of teams.

Organizational meeting: Wednesday, January 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Waynesville Rec Center.

arts & entertainment

{Celebrating the Southern Appalachians}

Smoky Mountain Living celebrates the mountain region’s culture, music, art, and special places. We tell our stories for those who are lucky enough to live here and those who want to stay in touch with the place they love.

Subscribe or learn more at smliv.com MAGAZINE

WAYNESVILLE

PARKS AND RECREATION or email

828.456.2030 dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018 Smoky Mountain News 31

32

Books

Smoky Mountain News

Fitzgerald biography looks at his vision of America “That is the land of lost content, I see it shining plain, The happy highways where I went And cannot come again.”

— A.E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, XL hile being mentally flogged by the headlines and news stories of the past weeks, I thought several times of the above lines from A.E. Housman. Our motivation for such reminiscences differed.

Housman was contemplating a man’s wistful view of his youth, while I was thinking of a poor, maligned “Shining Writer City upon a Hill,” otherwise known as the United States of America.

Whether the United States was ever a land of content, lost or otherwise, I cannot say, but most of us would surely agree that discontent is today lord of the land. Indeed, polls released in the last three or four years indicate that we Americans are about as jolly as Ebenezer Scrooge on the day before Christmas.

Part of this current melancholy stems from personal economic and social conditions. Wages have not kept pace with inflation, and in spite of (or perhaps because of ) such vehicles as Facebook and Twitter, more people than ever claim they feel more isolated and unhappy.

In this stew of discontent we also find two other key ingredients: politics and culture. We have evolved into a fractious society, with each day’s headlines bringing new accusations, shrill messages of hate, and charges, proven and unproven, of corruption and evil.

Identity politics — and though I have never heard the term, identity culture — lie at the heart of this rancor. We lump ourselves, or else find ourselves lumped, into opposing camps: blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians; Christians, non-Christians; progressives, conservatives; men, women; gay, straight; young, old; rich, poor. When we look into the mirror,

and some of us gaze obsessively into that glass, we may see ourselves as various combinations of the groups claiming our loyalties:

Jeff Minick

W

black and straight, conservative and gay, young and female, rich and progressive, and any other blend we care to dream up.

But how many of us look into that mirror

and see an American?

How many of us wonder what America means today? Or what it means to be an American, for that matter?

In Paradise Lost: A Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Harvard University Press, 2017, 397 pages), writer and professor David Brown reveals how and why Scott Fitzgerald wrestled with those questions for most of his professional life.

When I spotted Paradise Lost on the new bookshelf of the public library, my first thought was: Another Fitzgerald biography?

Really? How many of these do we need?

Then I opened the book, read the first six pages of “Introduction — Clio and Scott,” and realized that yes, we needed one more biography of the author of such American classics as The

Great Gatsby and Tender Is The Night. We needed Professor Brown, who from that first reference to Clio, the Muse of History, tackles Fitzgerald’s deep interest in America, its meaning, and its history.

As indicated in the title, Paradise Lost offers an examination of Fitzgerald’s life. Here those of us acquainted with his story find ourselves on familiar ground: his midwestern boyhood and youth, his successes and failures at Princeton, his service in the Army, his marriage to Zelda and their embodiment of the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age, his life overseas, the time spent in such diverse places as Maryland, Asheville, and Hollywood.

Throughout these excursions, however, Brown looks at Scott Fitzgerald less as a literary personage than “as a cultural historian, the annalist as novelist who recorded the wildly fluctuating fortunes of America in the boom twenties and the bust thirties.” This is the vital difference between Brown and other Fitzgerald chroniclers. From short stories like “The Diamond As Big As The Ritz” and “Babylon Revisited” and from Fitzgerald’s novels like The Great Gatsby and Tender Is The Night, Brown share with us Fitzgerald’s intense interest in America, the ways he tried to set down his impressions of the interactions between a lost past and the rapid changes in the aftermath of World War I, and his exploration of American values and “the American dream.”

Brown’s investigation of The Last Tycoon, though brief, is particularly rewarding. This unfinished Hollywood novel has received deserved critical praise for certain lyrical passages and for its depiction of Hollywood in the 1930s. As Brown points out, Monroe Stahr, a producer and the hero of The Last Tycoon, fully embodies Fitzgerald’s visions of an American hero. Stahr surpasses even Jay Gatsby in his pursuit of the American dream.

Gatsby is “compromised by fatal flaws,” but “Stahr retains the strengths and virtues of a great commander who leads by the force of his genius and the appeal of his vision.” Like other Fitzgerald protagonists, and perhaps like most of us, Stahr finally loses the battle to realize his dream, but in him we sense greatness in his capabilities and efforts.

A new year is once again here. As we enter into that year, perhaps the time has come to push aside the rancor felt toward others, to stop the shouting and the imprecations, and to count our blessings without feeling the need to curse those we regard as enemies of our democracy. In his work, Fitzgerald pondered the meaning and mystery of America.

We might consider doing the same.

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Resurrecting the truffle Researchers look to learn about cultivation potential in N.C.

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER n Old World delicacy tied to myths of the supernatural, the truffle is often construed as a rare exotic, likely to grace only the most expensive of culinary creations.

But truffle cultivation is seeing a surge in North Carolina, with more than 200 truffle growers popping up across the state since word began spreading in the 1990s.

One of those truffle farms is located right in the heart of Waynesville, a research project at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Mountain Research Station aiming to dispel myths and build a structure of facts around the growing of truffles in this part of the world.

“Our research was borne out of the fact that people were just kind of going for it, and all of the resources were coming from Europe and all of the research was coming out of Europe, which is obviously different from here,” said Leonora Stephanile, a horticultural research assistant on the project.

Frank and Betty Garland, owners of the pioneering Garland Truffles business in Hillsborough, donated the first set of trees planted at the test farm in 2010, inoculating them with the truffle fungus beforehand.

A

Seven years later, Stephanile and the others working on the project have put in many hours of thought and action toward the goal of learning as much as possible about the cultivation of a crop that is still shrouded in mystery.

While truffles were once a booming business in Europe — the native home of the black perigord species now being grown in Waynesville — production came to a screeching halt after the world wars of the early 1900s destroyed many of the rural lands where they had grown. That gap in production caused a parallel gap in knowledge, and it’s been just in the last few decades that the world has started to relearn the art of truffle cultivation.

Until even more recently, most of that knowledge has come out of France and Spain, where the truffle has traditionally been grown. While there’s much to be learned from truffle experts in that part of the world, a crop’s cultivation is always particular to the specific climate where it’s being raised. As more people became interested in growing truffles in the U.S., the need arose for research specific to the area, and experts more readily accessible than those living their lives an ocean away.

Small in size but featuring a robust aroma, a truffle is unearthed in the orchard.

Donated photo

What is a truffle?

A truffle is a type of mushroom that grows as the result of a symbiotic relationship between tree roots and fungus. With a pungent, aromatic odor, the truffle is a coveted seasoning in a variety of dishes.

While a select few species are typically grown commercially, about 190 species of truffle have been identified in the Northern Hemisphere. The truffles typically form underground and must be harvested with the help of dogs trained to sniff them out.

Learn more at trufflegrowers.com.

Truffle dog handler Lois Martin and her dog Monza search the orchard for truffles. Donated photo

Enter N.C. Cooperative Extension.

After the Garlands donated the trees, the organization landed a grant from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services called the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which allowed researchers to conduct various studies in the newly established truffle orchard.

On a cloudy December day in Waynesville, the patch of hazelnut trees on the test farm was quiet — but for the occasional caw of a crow — with recent rain darkening the exposed clay surrounding the trees’ entrance to the ground.

That exposed soil is a good sign, Stephanile said. The truffle fungus has an allelopathic effect on the soil, meaning that it keeps other vegetation from growing nearby.

That allows the truffle fungus to thrive free from competition.

The truffle itself grows as the result of a mutually beneficial relationship between the tree and the fungus. The fungus latches onto the tree’s roots and takes energy from them to sustain itself. In return, it mines nutrients from the soil for the tree to use. Eventually, truffles form — little pebble-like growths that

Stephanile describes as akin to textured dinosaur skin. Most of the time they form invisible, underground, meaning that specially trained truffle dogs are required to sniff them out.

A truffle grower can expect to start seeing truffles around year seven, and the test farm seems to be right on track, with the first truffles in the 7-year-old orchard discovered this fall, five of them so far. Stephanile hopes to find more in the coming months, with January thought to be the peak season for truffle production.

It hasn’t been a passive process. After planting the trees, the team covered the ground below them with black landscaping plastic to keep weeds away, taking that plastic off once the trees reached three years old.

Meanwhile, they began liming the orchard to achieve the high pH that truffles need to thrive. Because the host trees, hazelnuts, don’t necessarily love the alkaline soil, liming was a balancing act, with the team gradually increasing the pH year by year so the trees could adapt over time.

“This year we finally got our soils back up to about the target

F

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The Asheville Truffle Experience The truffle is growing in notoriety in the Asheville area, with the Asheville Truffle Experience Feb. 23-25 coming to offer the interested an opportunity to experience every facet of truffle culture. The event will offer tastings, wine-paired dinners, speakers, demonstrations and hands-on culinary lessons.

A truffle dog demonstration at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville will also be part of the event. Registration is offered online at www.ashevilletruffle.com/index.html, with package and a la carte prices both available.

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first truffles were harvested after that treatment began — so far, so good.

Some research has indicated that truffles grow better with a bit more sunlight, so to test that theory the team tried cutting down every other tree in the orchard. As it turns out, those cut-down trees are where the five truffles harvested so far were found.

“We’re wondering if maybe that shock to the tree’s system had something to do with why we’re getting truffles, but we don’t know enough to say it was this or it was that,” Stephanile said. “We’ve only harvested five truffles. From a statistical point of view, that’s not enough to say why they were where they were.”

The hope is that there will be some more firm answers to those questions in the years ahead. Assuming that the trees survive, the team hopes to continue the research. For all its allure and potential for profit — black perigord truffles can fetch $500 a pound, easy — the truffle is still something of a mystery crop. There are myriad questions as to how much water, how much sunlight or what species or cultivar of tree will produce the best crop.

Future experiments, Stephanile said, could include testing its growth on oak trees, trying a polyculture orchard with oaks and hazelnuts and experimenting with spacing.

“There are definitely lots of things that we would like to do moving forward,” she said.

Smoky Mountain News

Research assistant Leonora Stephanile stands in the orchard, flags at the ready to mark any truffles located. Holly Kays photo

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

range, and we got truffles,” Stephanile said.

“We’re thinking that’s probably why we did, but we’re also taking a look at the weather.”

The team took other measures, as well.

About this time last year, they found early evidence of a blight that has wiped out other truffle orchards completely. Truffle growers have been hesitant to treat the blight with fungicide, out of fear that the chemical would destroy the truffles as well.

“We’re trying to dispel that myth,” Stephanile said.

The blight on the test farm trees is now being controlled with fungicide, and the

outdoors

Winter volleyball is starting up in Waynesville, with options available for pickup and team play alike. n Open play and practice for anyone 18 years old as of Jan. 1 will be offered at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center, Jan. 3 through Feb. 7. Free for members; $4 for nonmembers. n An organizational meeting for a winter adult co-ed volleyball league will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 24., at the Waynesville Recreation Center. The league is open to all players 18 or older as of Jan. 1, with each team holding six to 12 players. Fee will be based on interest.

Donald Hummel, dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030.

35

outdoors

Bill aims to reauthorize Blue Ridge National Heritage Area A bill to extend authorization of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area by four years has been filed in the U.S. Senate under the name “Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act of 2017.”

Introduced by N.C. Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, S. 2225 has been read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

“This program has boosted the tourism economy in our state by billions with only a fraction of that coming from federal coffers,” Burr said. “By extending this authorization for an additional four years, millions more will be able to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and culture of Western North Carolina for a long time to come.”

“The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area plays a vital role in the Western North Carolina tourism industry, creating thousands of jobs and contributing billions of dollars to the local economy,” Tillis added.

The BRNHA was established in 2003 by legislation stating that it would end 15 years after enactment, putting its sunset at 2018.

The bill Tillis and Burr introduced would

extend that sunset date to 19 years after the original enactment.

The BRNHA spans 25 counties in Western North Carolina, aiming preserve and develop the region’s distinctive culture. Since its inception, it has provided more than 154 grants totaling $2.1 million, supporting more

Tiffany Henry speaks with participants at the farm school.

Donated photo

than 30,000 jobs and an annual economic impact of $2.39 billion.

Appalachian Farm School returns

Get the scoop on tourism and trout

An eight-week training course for anyone interested in operating an agriculturebased business will kick off Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Southwestern Community College in Sylva.

About to enter its fourth year, the Appalachian Farm School is a pioneering program aiming to teach participants the business aspects of farming so they can be successful doing what they love. Topics include: business planning, farm evaluation, goal setting, marketing, pricing, understanding the numbers and more. In addition to learning about business, partici-

Jackson County’s tourism director Nick Breedlove will talk about the impact of fly fishing on tourism during a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, at the United Community Bank in Sylva.

The presentation is offered as part of the Tuckaseigee River Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s regular monthly meeting, with dinner available for $5 and a raffle to win a handcrafted fly rod. Visitors welcome.

Smoky Mountain News

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

349-39

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Bill Morris will be talking about bioidentical hormone replacement for men and women Oct. 15, 7 p.m. at Kim’s Pharmacy.

Call to reserve a spot — 452.2313.

pants will also have the chance to learn about resources available to them within the region and to talk to subject-matter experts who can provide the tools and confidence needed to be successful.

Sessions will be offered 6-9 p.m. each Tuesday from Jan. 9 to Feb. 27, in SCC’s Burrell Building. Free. Through a partnership of the SCC Small Business College, N.C. Cooperative Extension and the N.C. Department of Agriculture.

Register at www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc or contact Tiffany Henry at t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4426.

Hunt safely A free hunter safety certification course will be offered 6-9:30 p.m. Jan. 8 and 9 at Haywood Community College.

Offered by HCC’s Department of Arts, Sciences and Natural Resources in partnership with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the course will be held in room 3322 of building 3300.

Participants must come both days to get certified.

Free and no age limits, though classes are taught at a sixth-grade level and tests must be completed without assistance. The certification is accepted in every state and province in North America.

Pre-registration required at www.ncwildlife.org.

Cabbage patch kid Third-grader Emily Prince, of Fletcher, won the North Carolina contest in the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program when she grew a 32-pounds cabbage this summer.

This year, more than 1 million third-graders in 48 contiguous states participated in the program, growing colossal cabbages in hopes of winning the “best in state” title and a $1,000 savings bond from Bonnie Plants.

Each year, Bonnie Plants trucks free oversized cabbage plant starters to third-grade classrooms whose teachers have signed up for the free program online at www.bonnieplants.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

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District Ranger leaves Murphy Angela Gee, district ranger on the Cheoah and Tusquitee Ranger Districts of the Nantahala National Forest, has left the position after accepting a job on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado.

“Working in North Carolina has been an incredible experience,” Gee said. “I met and worked with a lot of wonderful people who care deeply about our national forests. While I look forward to my new position, it was hard to say goodbye. I’ll truly miss working with the national forests in North Carolina.”

Brandon Houck, a zone wildlife biologist on the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming, will temporarily fill Gee’s vacant

position as acting district ranger beginning

Brandon Houck. Donated photo Jan. 8. Before working for the U.S. Forest Service, Houck served for 14 years as western director of conservation operations for the National Wild Turkey Federation.

The Forest Service is in the process of finding a permanent replacement for Gee.

Hike the MST in nine minutes

Smoky Mountain News

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

A nine-minute tour of the 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail is now available from the comfort of any couch within reach of an internet connection.

On Sept. 9, the trail’s 40th birthday, more than 1,700 people collaborated to hike the entire trail in a single day. Volunteer Jerry Barker turned the photos hikers sent into a video that pictures the trail from Clingmans Dome to Jockey’s Ridge, also capturing the beauty and fun of that special day.

The video is available at http://bit.ly/2C28ou3.

38

Ring in the New Year with a hike

gather in the parking lot to take a 2-mile hike to Upper Bear Wallow Falls. Those who wish a shorter 1-mile walk can drive around to Bear Wallow Picnic Shelter and wait for the other hikers to arrive before proceeding A North Carolina New Year’s tradition to Upper Bear Wallow Falls. 828.966.9099. of adventure, exercise and connection with n Grandfather Mountain State Park. A nature will continue with more than 40 1.5-mile hike exploring a new section of the guided First Day Hikes in N.C. State Parks Profile Trail will travel from the parking on Monday, Jan. 1. area to the Watauga River and back.

The hikes range from short leg-stretchStarting at 1 p.m. from the Profile Trail ers to multi-mile rambles, most featuring Parking Area, the hike will Hikers at Chimney pass through acidic and Rock State Park. rich cove forests, and cross several small streams.

Hike difficulty will depend on weather conditions.

828.963.9522. n Chimney Rock State Park. A 3-mile hike from the park’s front entrance up the main road to the base of Chimney Rock will be offered 8 to 10 a.m.

Hikers will meet at the park entrance next to the Old Rock Café and learn about park history during their trek, with a shuttle service provided back to the front gate at educational programs led by rangers along the end of the hike. 828.625.1823. the way. Parks offering First Day hikes in n Lake James State Park. A 2-mile hike will Western North Carolina include: start at the Paddy’s Creek Area bathhouse n Gorges State Park. Hikers will have their breezeway at 10 a.m. 828.584.7728. choice of adventure with a First Day event n Mount Mitchell State Park. A short onethat will begin at 1 p.m. in the visitor center hour hike will explore the Balsam Nature with a 15-minute video about the park’s hisTrail, with hikers meeting at noon at the tory and a chance to tour the LEED-certiUpper Summit Parking Lot. 828.675.4611. fied center. Afterward, participants will

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • A retirement reception honoring Jack Ewing, Lake Junaluska’s Executive Director, is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29, in the Harrell Center Auditorium at 710 N. Lakeshore Drive in Lake Junaluska. Light refreshments. Ewing served as executive director for seven years and officially retires on Dec. 31. www.lakejunaluska.com.

• Academy at SOAR students (7th-12th grades) will hold their annual Student Cook-Off on Jan. 12 at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. Students prepare dishes from different cultures around the world and present them to judges.

• Cruise in Maggie Valley event is held from 1-5 p.m. every Sunday at 2771 Soco Road. Vendors: $10 per space. Cruising@MaggieValleyAntiques.com.

• Qualla Boundary Historical Society meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Everyone is welcome.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Jackson County’s tourism director Nick Breedlove will talk about the impact of fly fishing on tourism during a presentation that’s part of the Tuckaseigee River Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 2, at the United Community Bank in Sylva.

• The fourth annual Appalachian Farm School, organized by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center and its partners, will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays from Jan. 9-Feb. 27 in the Burrell Building on SCC’s Jackson Campus in Sylva. Designed for anyone in the agriculture business. Topics include business planning, farm evaluation, goal setting and more. Registration required: www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc. Info: t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4426.

• Registration is underway for the spring semester at Haywood Community College. Classes start Monday, Jan. 8. 627.4500 or haywood.edu.

• Haywood Community College will offer a hunter safety course from 6-9:30 p.m. on Jan. 8-9 on the HCC campus, building 3300, room 3322, in Clyde. Participants must attend both evenings to receive certification.

Preregistration is required: www.ncwildlife.org.

• Concealed Carry Handgun Classes will be offered from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Jan. 20 and Feb. 17 at Bethel Grocery Hunting & Fishing at 5692 Pigeon Road in Waynesville. 648.5797 or bethelgrocery@gmail.com.

• Small business owners can find materials and services to support business growth at Fontana Regional Library’s locations in Macon, Jackson and Swain Counties. Computer classes and one-on-one assistance also available. 586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.

• A meeting of current and former employees of the Waynesville plant of Champion/Blue Ridge/Evergreen is held at 8 a.m. on the first Monday of each month at BoJangles near Lake Junaluska’s entrance.

• One-on-one computer lessons are offered weekly at the Waynesville and Canton branches of the Haywood County Public Library. Lesson slots are available from 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Canton and from 3-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Library. Sign up at the front desk of either library or call 356.2507 for the Waynesville Library or 648.2924 for the Canton Library.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • City Lights Bookstore (Sylva) 19th annual “Giving Tree” program is now underway. The program collects

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. books and gives them to the agencies in time for the children to receive books for Christmas. All “Giving Tree” purchases will receive a 20 percent discount.

586.9499.

• The Waynesville Art Gallery Association has partnered with Clothes to Kids in Haywood County with a mission of clothing local children during this time of year. The clothing drive will receive donations between December 13th and January 13th, 2018. Drop off their donated items at several storefronts in downtown Waynesville.

They will collect items until January 13th, at which time, all donations will be delivered to Clothes for Kids in Lake Junaluska. Drop off locations on Main Street are: The Jewelers Workbench, Twigs and Leaves Gallery, Affairs of the Heart, Burlwood Gallery, Cedar Hill Art Studio and the Haywood County Arts Council. 456.2260 or Carrie Keith at 456.1940.

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS • The Good Samaritan clinic of Haywood County seeks volunteers to help uninsured patients receive medications, vision care and other health and spiritual-related services in Waynesville. Clinic is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday. 454.5287 or crocco@gcshaywood.org.

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking volunteers to assist rangers with managing traffic and establishing safe wildlife viewing areas within the Cataloochee Valley area. To register for training or get more info: karl_danforth@nps.gov.

• Haywood Regional Medical Center is seeking volunteers of all ages for ongoing support at the hospital, outpatient care center and the Homestead. For info and to apply: 452.8301, stop by the information desk in the lobby or volunteer@haymed.org. Anyone interested in becoming a hospice volunteer can call 452.5039.

• STAR Rescue Ranch is seeking volunteers to help with horse care, fundraising events, barn maintenance and more at the only equine rescue in Haywood County.

828.400.4940.

• Volunteer Opportunities are available throughout the region, call John at the Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center today and get started sharing your talents. 3562833 • Phone Assurance Volunteers are needed to make daily or weekly wellness check-in calls for the Haywood County Senior Resource Center. 356.2816.

HEALTH MATTERS

Smoky Mountain News

or Canton Rec Park.

MyHaywoodRegional.com/WalkwithaDoc. • Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) meets at noon on Saturdays at the First United Methodist Church Outreach Center at 171 Main St. in Franklin. 407.758.6433 or adultchildren.org.

• Western Carolina University’s student-run, Mountain Area Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic will be open from 6-8:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. 227.3527.

• The Haywood County Health & Human Services Public Health Services Division is offering a Night Clinic from 4-6:30 p.m. on the third Monday of every month in Waynesville. Services include family planning, immunizations, pregnancy testing, STD testing and treatment. Appointments: 452.6675.

• The Jackson County Department of Public Health will offer a general clinic from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 587.8225.

• A Food Addicts Anonymous Twelve-Step fellowship group meets at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays at Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville. www.foodaddictsanonymous.org.

• Big Brother/Big Sister, a one-evening preparation class for children who are about to greet a new baby into their family, is offered for children ages 3-10 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. 452.8440 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses.

• Mothers Connection, an ongoing social gathering for mothers and their babies, meets from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays excluding holidays at Haywood Regional Medical Center. 452.8440 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses.

• A support group meeting for those with Parkinsons Disease and their caregivers will be held at 2 p.m. on the last day Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Senior Resource Center.

• A support group for anyone with Multiple Sclerosis, family and friends meets twice each month: at 2 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the Heritage Room at the Jackson County Senior Center in Sylva and at 5:30 p.m. on the second Thursday at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Info: 293.2503.

• Dogwood Insight Center presents health talks at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month.

• Free childbirth and breastfeeding classes are available at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva. Classes are offered bimonthly on an ongoing basis. Register or get more info: 586.7907.

• Angel Medical Center’s diabetes support group meets at 4 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the AMC dining room. 369.4166.

• A support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), family, friends and caregivers will meet at 5:45 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Jackson County Public Library conference room in Sylva.

293.2503.

• A free weekly grief support group is open to the public from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at SECU Hospice House in Franklin. Hosted by Four Seasons Compassion for Life Bereavement Team. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• A support group for anyone with MS, family & friends meets monthly at 6:45 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the conference room of Jackson Co. Library in Sylva. No Fee, sponsored by National MS Society. Local contact: Gordon Gaebel 828-293-2503.

• A monthly grief processing support group will meet from 4-5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Homestead Hospice and Palliative Care in Clyde.

452.5039.

• “Laughing Balsam Sangha,” a meeting for Mindfullness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, meets will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at 318 Skyland Drive in Sylva. Included are sitting and walking meditation, and Dharma discussion. Free admission.

335.8210, and “Like” them on Facebook.

• A “Walk With A Doc” program is scheduled for 10 a.m. each Saturday at the Lake Junaluska Kern Center

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• A free, weekly grief support group will meet from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at the SECU Hospice House in Franklin. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• “ECA on the Move!” – a walking program organized

by Jackson County Extension and Community Association – meets from 9-10 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. It’s an effort to meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 10,000 steps per day. 586.4009.

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 • A Tuesday Meditation Group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Franklin.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • Open volleyball play and practice for anyone 18 years old as of Jan. 1 will be offered at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center, Jan. 3 through Feb. 7.

Free for members; $4 for nonmembers. Donald Hummel, dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030.

• Pickleball, a cross between tennis, badminton and ping-pong, will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Old Hazelwood Gym in Waynesville. $3 per visit, or $20 for a 10-visit card.

452.6789 or iansmith@haywoodcountync.gov.

• Yoga is being offered at the Fitness Connection in Waynesville. First class is free. Info: 476.0179 or 550.1640.

• ZUMBA! Classes, are offered from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesdays, at the Canton Armory. $5 per class. 648.2363 or parks@cantonnc.com.

• Tai chi is offered from 10:45-11:45 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. It’s also offered from 1-2 p.m. on Thursdays. Taught by Bill Muerdter. For info about the classes or HRHFC memberships and offerings, call 452.8080 or visit MyHaywoodRegional.com/Fitness.

• 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 and Thursdays and from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday nights at First Methodist Church in Sylva. $1 each time you play; equipment provided. 293.3053.

• Cardio Lunch class will meet from noon-1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 16 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Flexible Fitness class will meet from 4:30-5:15 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 16 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members.

456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Pump It Up class will meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 16 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• The Canton Armory is open to the public for walking from 7:45-9 a.m. on Monday through Friday unless the facility is booked till spring. 648.2363. parks@cantonnc.com.

wnc calendar

SPIRITUAL • Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreat with Celia Whitler (speaker and worship band), which will be held Jan. 12-15. Featuring comedian John Felts. Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

• Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreat featuring Cecilia Tucker (speaker) and The Advice (worship band). Retreat is from Jan. 26-28.

Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

• Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreat featuring Chris Sasser (speaker) and The Advice (worship band) Retreat is from Feb. 2-4.

Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

• Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreat featuring Eddie Willis (speaker), Abbye West Pates (worship band) and Joshua Lozoff (illusionist). Retreat is from Feb. 16-19. Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

• Registration is underway for the Interfaith Peace Conference, which is Thursday through Sunday, March 1-4, in Lake Junaluska. Topic centers around communicating with civility and respect while upholding core values and religious traditions. Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders will offer lectures, worship, music, prayer and meditation. $150 per person. $60 for students. $10 for CEU credits. www.lakejunaluska.com/peace or 800.222.4930.

POLITICAL • The Swain County Democratic Party will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the Swain County Senior Center, 125 Brendle Street, in Bryson City. 488.1118.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

• The Haywood County Libertarian Party is now meet-

ing at Blue Ridge Books on Main Street from 4:30-6 p.m. every second Monday of the month. These meetings will be for discussion on current events, and are open to the public.

• 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.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • The “Coffee with the Poet” series gathers at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva the third Thursday of each month and is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Writers Network. 586.9499.

• Canton Book Club meets at 3:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, at the Canton Library.

648.2924.

• Cookin’ the Books will be held at noon on the last Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Public Library. A book club focused on cookbooks. All members choose a recipe from the book and bring it to share.

The group will discuss the good and bad aspects of the chosen cookbook. 356.2507.

• Banned Book Club meets from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. For those who enjoy literature and intellectual conversation. 456.6000, blueridgebooks@ymail.com or www.blueridgebooksnc.com.

• Waynesville Book Club at 5:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at Waynesville Library Meet to discuss books, which are chosen by each member (taking turns) and provided by the library. New members are welcome. For more information, 356.2507.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players

Smoky Mountain News

• Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina – an effort to help area residents commit to a healthier lifestyle, will meet from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

• A Silver Sneakers Cardio Fit class will meet from 1011 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 60 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Book Club is held at 2 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800 • Senior croquet for ages 55 and older is offered from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Vance Street Park in front of Waynesville Recreation Center.

Free. For info, contact Donald Hummel at 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Mondays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Senior Sale Day is on the third Friday of every month at the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore. Patrons 60 and older get 20 percent off all purchases. Proceeds benefit the Sylva Library.

• Pinochle game is played at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

• Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

356.2813.

KIDS & FAMILIES • A kids’ nature discovery program will be offered to ages 3-5 and kindergarten through third grade through

the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department.

Younger ages will meet at 4 p.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 20) at Cullowhee Recreation Center. The older ages meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 20). $10 per child.

Pre-register: www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

• A “Youth Art Class” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Appalachian Art Farm on 22 Morris Street in Sylva. All ages welcome. $10 includes instruction, materials and snack. For more information, email appalachianartfarm@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

• Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreats, which start Dec. 29. Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

KIDS FILMS • A family movie will be shown at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. A classic comedy where a talking pig rescues a drowning boy. For info, including title: 488.3030.

• The Highlands Biological Foundation will offer a series of nature-themed films and documentaries shown at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of January, February and March in Highlands. For info on each show, call 526.2221.

• “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” will be playing at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20-21, 7 p.m. & 9:55 p.m. on Dec. 22, 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m., & 9:55 p.m. on Dec. 23, 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. on Dec. 24-25, 7 p.m. Dec. 26-29, 1 p.m., 4 p.m., & 7 p.m., Dec. 30-Jan. 1, and 7 p.m. on Jan. 2-4 at the Strand on Main in Waynesville. See website for tickets and pricing. www.38main.com.

• “Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas” with Jim Carey will be playing at 6:30 on Dec. 22 at the Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free. 586.3555.

• “The Lego Ninjago Movie” will be playing at 6:30

A G U A R A N T E E D G R E AT N I G H T O U T

PHILLIP PHILLIPS

ALICE COOPER

BRET MICHAELS ROCKFEST

GAB RIEL “FLUFF Y” IGLESIAS

FEBRUARY 9

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to join games at 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 926.6567.

M A R C H 17

WITH SPECIAL GUEST FIREHOUSE

M A R C H 10

MARCH 23

Puzzles can be found on page 46.

These are only the answers.

Visit ticketmasster.com or call 1-800-745-3000 to purchase tickets.

Caesars.com

Show(s) subject to change or cancellation. Must be 21 years of age or older to enter casino floor and to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. An Enterprise of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. ©2017, Caesars License Company, LLC.

p.m. on Dec. 29 at the Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free. 586.3555.

KIDS STORY TIMES HAYWOOD • Mother Goose Time, a story time for babies and toddlers (5 months to 2 years) and their parents/caregivers, is held at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Waynesville Library. 452.5169 • Family Story Time, 11 a.m. Wednesdays at the Waynesville Public Library. Stories, songs, crafts.

452.5169.

• Movers and Shakers story time is at 11 a.m. every Thursday at the Waynesville Library. For all ages.

Movement, books, songs and more. 452.5169.

• Family storytime with crafts, second Saturday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at the Waynesville library. 4525169.

• 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.

JACKSON • Baby Storytime is at 11 a.m. on Thursdays at the Jackson County Public Library. Songs, fingerplays and stories for infants through toddlers. 586.2016 • Kid’s story time Saturdays, 11 a.m., all ages at City Lights in Sylva 586.9449.

• Kids story time, Fridays 11 a.m., Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. at Jackson County Public Library. Story time includes books, puppets, finger plays, songs and crafts. 586.2016.

• Pre-school story time, second Wednesday, 11 a.m. at Cashiers Community Library. 743.0215.

• Rock and Read storytime, 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016 • Preschool Story time, Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m., Marianna Black Library. After a book or two is read, the children participate in games, songs, finger plays, puppet play and make a craft to take home.

488.3030.

MACON • Paws 4 Reading, a family story time, will be held from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. second Thursday of the month at Macon County Public Library. Children can read to a therapy dog. (grades K-6). 524.3600.

• Toddlers Rock, Mondays, 10 a.m., Macon Public Library. Music, movement and instruments (Designed for children 0-24 months, but all ages are welcome).

• Family Story Time is held at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

524.3600.

• Bilingual Story time – 6 to 6:30 p.m., on Thursday, Nov. 10. Program reads a children’s book in English and Spanish at the Macon County Public Library.

526.3600.

A&E HOLIDAY • “Letters to Santa” will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Dec. 23 at the Swain County Heritage Museum in Bryson City. Drop a line for Santa.

Materials provided. Call the museum for Santa appearances: 800.867.9246.

• Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation will have its annual gift-wrapping project for shoppers during regular stores through Dec. 24 at Mast General Store on Main Street in Waynesville. Organizers need wrapping materials and volunteers to work three-hour shifts.

Sign up: http://tinyurl.com/yco6ssdo. www.sargeanimals.org.

• A community holiday jam will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 488.3030.

• New Year’s Eve Fireworks will be launched on Dec. 31 at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds. 359.6492.

• A New Year’s Eve celebration will be held on Sunday, Dec. 31, at the Fontana Village Resort. Dinner buffet, live music and midnight champagne toast. For more information or to make a reservation, call 828.498.2115.

FOOD & DRINK • A Schug Wine Dinner with winemaker Micheal Cox is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Farm at Old Edwards in Highlands. Live music by Wirewood. $155 per person. Reservations: 787.2635 or 787.2620. oldedwardsinn.com/schugwinedinner.

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host the Jackson County Corn Hole Association on Monday evenings ($5 buy in, 100-percent payout), Karaoke with Captain Moose from 7 to 11 p.m. on Tuesdays, Trivia at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and a Guitar Hero Tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. 586.6440.

• “Brown Bag at the Depot” – an opportunity to gather with neighbors – is at noon every Friday at Sylva’s newest park at the corner of Spring and Mill Street along Railroad Ave. For info, contact Paige Dowling at townmanager@townofsylva.org.

• Graceann’s Amazing Breakfast is 8-10 a.m. every Tuesday in the Sapphire Room at the Sapphire Valley Community Center. $8.50 for adults; $5 for children.

Includes coffee and orange juice. 743.7663.

• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5-7 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.

• A game day will occur from 2-9 p.m. every third Saturday of the month at Papou’s Wine Shop & Bar in Sylva. Bring dice, cards or board games.

586.6300.

Smoky Mountain News

• Family Story Time for ages 0 to 7 years is held at 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 524.3600.

• The annual “Christmas On the Green” celebration will run through New Year’s Day at The Village Green.

The 13-acre park in the heart of Cashiers will feature thousands of twinkling lights. For more information visit www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

SWAIN

• The John C. Campbell Folk School Craft Shop showcases finely made gifts from over 300 talented craftspeople. The Craft Shop offers 15 percent off all items through Dec. 23.

• Tickets are on sale for the N.C. Arboretum’s Winter Lights event, which runs through Dec. 31. Tickets: $18 for adults; $12 for children and $15 per person in groups of 20 or more. Members get a $2 discount per ticket. www.ncwinterlights.com.

wnc calendar

• A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• The “Polar Express” will depart on select dates throughout December from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot in Bryson City. www.gsmr.com.

• A community holiday jam will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 488.3030.

• A wine tasting will be held from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. $5 per person. www.papouswineshop.com or 586.6300.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Saturdays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 452.0120.

• A wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on

41

wnc calendar

Wednesdays The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Free with dinner ($15 minimum). 452.6000.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • The Kittle/Collings Duo (jazz) performs from 6-9 p.m. every Friday at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com.

• Guadalupe Café (Sylva) will host Folks’ Songs (world/fusion) from 7 to 9 p.m. on Fridays.

• Open Mic Night is from 7-9 p.m. on Saturdays at The Strand on 38 Main in Waynesville. 283.0079 or www.38main.com.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • A community music jam will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 6 p.m., in the auditorium of the Marianna Black Library in downtown Bryson City.

Facilitated by Larry Barnett of Sawmill Creek Porch Band. 488.3030.

• Don Casada will present “Sam Hunnicutt and His Hunting and Fishing Buddies” at the next meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society.

Meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 4 at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City. www.swaingeneaology.com.

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

• Mountain Dulcimer Players Club meets from 2 to 4 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of each month at the Bryson City United Methodist Church. Knowledge of music not required, tablature method used. 488.6697.

• 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.

• Pick and Play Dulcimer Group of Sylva meets at 1:30 p.m. on the first, third and fifth Saturday of every month in the fellowship hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church. 293.0074.

• The Jackson Rangers Camp 1917 will hold monthly meetings at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Barkers Creek Community Center. Members are being sought to participate in honor guard graveside events and honor Confederate soldiers. The Confederate Rose, a ladies auxiliary group that supports active members, meets at the same time and location. 736.6222 or jrcamp1917@hotmail.com.

• “Stitch,” the community gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.

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

• The Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center in Clyde. All skill levels welcome.

Waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.

• A community art group meets at 10 a.m. every Wednesday at the Hudson Library in Highlands.

828.526.3031.

• Waynesville Fiber Friends welcomes fiber artists of every kind: crochet, knitting, cross-stitching and more, from 10 a.m.-noon on the second Saturday of each month at Panacea Coffee House in Waynesville.

276.6226.

• Free one-on-one technology help is offered every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Hudson Library in Highlands. Call 526.3031 to make an appointment.

• Appalachian Art Farm will host a free art session from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Community Table in Sylva. 273.9682 or MyriahStrivelli@gmail.com.

• The High Country Quilt Guild meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the First Methodist Church in Waynesville. www.highcountryquilters.wordpress.com.

• The Bryson City Lion meet at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month at the Iron Skillet in Bryson City.

• “Paint Nite Waynesville” will be held at 7 p.m. every other Thursday at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville.

Sign up on the Paint Night Waynesville Facebook page (www.facebook.com/paintwaynesville) or call Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

• There will be a “Thursday Painters Open Studio” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Bring a bag lunch, project and supplies. Free to the public. Membership not required. For information, call 828.349.4607.

Smoky Mountain News

camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own.

Beginners are welcome as well as those who already enjoy this new trend. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 524.3600.

• Coloring Club will be hosted on the second Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m. at Canton Library.

Color pencils and color pages supplied. For ages 8 to 108. 648.2924.

• Beginners Chess Club is held on Fridays at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 8-108 invited to participate. 648.2924.

• Cribbage is at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Maggie Valley Inn. 410.440.7652 or 926.3978.

• An Antique, Vintage & Handcrafted Flea Market starts at 8 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 3029 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Bring your own table/tent. Spaces rent for $10 a day or $25 for all three days.

• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public 42 Library in Franklin. An afternoon of creativity and

• A writer’s group meets at 1 p.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands. 526.3031.

FILM & SCREEN • “Stronger” with Jack Gyllenhaal will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free. 586.3555.

• The Franklin Early Music Group meets every Monday at 9 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. 369.5192.

• The Nikwasi Dulcimer Players meet every Thursday afternoon from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Franklin. All are welcome.

524.1040 or 524.2294.

ARTS GROUP MEETINGS • Blue Ridge Mountain Quilt Guild, 6 to 9 p.m. fourth Thursday, January through October, and third Thursday, November and December in Canton. 316.1517 or on Facebook at Blue Ridge Mtn. Quilt Guild.

• Smoky Mountain Knitting Guild meets every Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. Blue Ridge Books, Waynesville. 246.0789.

• Nifty Needles group, which meets at First United Methodist Church in Sylva, is seeking new members to help knit and crochet warm, useful items for those in need. Supplies (yarn and needles) and lessons provided.

• The Tuesday Quilters meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday at the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church on N.C. 107. Bring your machine and whatever quilt you are working on.

Outdoors

• “Victoria & Abdul” will be showing at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 30 at the Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free.

586.3555.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have an eight-mile hike on Sunday, Jan. 7, at Case Camp-Seniard Ridge Loop.

1,800-foot ascent. Reservations and info: 703.395.5879 or heyk127@hotmail.com.

• Free movies are shown every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva.

Madbatterfoodfilm.com.

• The Asheville Winter Bike League offers structured group rides at 10 a.m. every Saturday through Jan. 28. https://tinyurl.com/ycgp8a4s.

MUSIC JAMS AND GROUPS • Golden Aires singing group practices at 9:15 a.m. every fourth Wednesday of the month at Jackson County Department on Aging/Senior Center in Sylva. Secular and religious music. Performances given at area nursing homes. Musical instruments also welcome.

586.5494.

• Old-time music jam from 1-3 p.m. the first and third Saturday of the month at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on U.S. 441 outside Cherokee. November through April is just the third Saturday. 497.1904.

• A community music jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Marianna Black Library in Downtown Bryson City.

Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer – anything unplugged – is invited to join. Singers and listeners are also welcome.

• Cruso Circle Play & Jam, 7 p.m. every Tuesday, Cruso Community Center and Friendship Club in Cruso. www.facebook.com/crusocircleplayjam.

• A Spay/Neuter Clinic is offered from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays at 182 Richland Street in Waynesville. As low as $10. 452.1329.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • The Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department will host the “Run in 2018 5K, Run, Walk and Fun Run on Jan. 1. Advance registration ($20) at https://tinyurl.com/h7sbnyg. Race day registration ($25) is at the Recreation Center in Cullowhee. Info: 293.3053, ext. 7; or jeniferpressley@jacksonnc.org.

FARM AND GARDEN • Haywood County Extension is accepting applications for the 2018 Master Gardener class, which will be held Tuesday mornings from Jan. 9-April 24. 456.3575 or sarah_scott@ncsu.edu.

HIKING CLUBS

• Karaoke is held at 7 p.m. every other Friday at the American Legion Post 47 in Waynesville. Open to all members and their guests. 456.8691.

• A moderately difficult hike to the top of Looking Glass Rock in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31. Organized by Carolina Mountain Club. RSVP necessary: 367.7792 or dbass3607@gmail.com.

• Men Macon Music, canella singing, meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday in the Chapel of First Presbyterian Church, 26 Church St., Franklin. Visitors welcome.

524.9692.

• Nantahala Hiking Club holds monthly trail maintenance days from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on every fourth Saturday at 173 Carl Slagle Road in Franklin. Info and to register: 369.1983.

• Hike of the Week is at 10 a.m. every Friday at varying locations along the parkway. Led by National Park Service rangers. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.

• Friends of the Smokies hikes are offered on the second Tuesday of each month. www.friendsofthesmokies.org/hikes.html.

• Nantahala Hiking Club based in Macon County holds weekly Saturday hikes in the Nantahala National Forest and beyond. www.nantahalahikingclub.org • High Country Hikers, based out of Hendersonville but hiking throughout Western North Carolina, plans hikes every Monday and Thursday. Schedules, meeting places and more information are available on their website, www.highcountryhikers.org.

• Carolina Mountain Club hosts more than 150 hikes a year, including options for full days on weekends, full days on Wednesdays and half days on Sundays. Nonmembers contact event leaders. www.carolinamountainclub.org • Mountain High Hikers, based in Young Harris, Ga., leads several hikes per week. Guests should contact hike leader. www.mountainhighhikers.org.

• Smoky Mountain Hiking Club, located in East Tennessee, makes weekly hikes in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park as well as surrounding areas. www.smhclub.org.

• Benton MacKaye Trail Association incorporates outings for hikes, trail maintenance and other work trips.

No experience is necessary to participate. www.bmta.org.

• Diamond Brand’s Women’s Hiking Group meets on the third Saturday of every month. For more information, e-mail awilliams@diamondbrand.com or call 684.6262.

OUTDOOR CLUBS • The Jackson County Poultry Club will hold its regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office. The club is for adults and children and includes a monthly meeting with a program and a support network for those raising birds. For info, call 586.4009 or write heather_gordon@ncsu.edu.

• The North Carolina Catch program, a three-phase conservation education effort focusing on aquatic environments, will be offered through May 15. The program is offered by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department. Free for members; daily admission for nonmembers. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Cold Mountain Photographic Society is a camera/photography club for amateurs and professionals who want to learn about and share their knowledge of photography with others. Must be 18 or older to join.

Meetings are held at 7 p.m. the second Monday of each month in the conference room of Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center, 262 Leroy George Drive in Clyde. More information at www.cmpsnc.org or info@cmpsnc.org.

• The Cherokee Runners meets each month on the 1st and 15th of the month (if the first falls on Sunday, the group meets on the 2nd), at the Age Link Conference Room. Group runs are being held each Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. starting at the Flame. www.cherokeerunners.com.

• Pigeon Valley Bassmasters Club will meet at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at J&S Cafeteria, Enka, Exit 44 off I-40. 712.2846.

• Macon County Horse Association meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at the Macon County Fairgrounds Alumni Building. Education program and business meeting. ddoster@fs.fed.us.

• The Macon County Beekeepers Association meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the extension office located on Thomas Heights Road next to Jim Brown Chrysler on Highlands Road. New members welcome.

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

CONST-TRK-FARM-AUCTION 12-27-17 at 8:00am in Lumberton, NC 10% Buyer’s Premium www.meekinsauction.com NCLN858 910.739.0547 LAND FOR SALE? Reach buyers across the state in over 100 newspapers for only $375. Call this newspaper or Wendi Ray at NC Press Services, 919.516.8009.

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

BUILDING MATERIALS HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING

Great Smokies Storage 10’x20’ $

92

20’x20’ $

160

ONE MONTH

FREE WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

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Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

ACORN STAIRLIFTS. The affordable solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1.855.808.9573 for FREE DVD and brochure.

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Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson.

Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316 NEED A WALK IN TUB? Getting in and out of the tub can be easier than ever before. Walk in Tubs are designed to prevent slipping with textured mats and hand rails. They also have and textured pads to keep your head above water. Call Today for More info.

855.789.3291 SAPA 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 GOT MOLDOr think you might have it? Mold can be hazardous to you and your family’s health! Get rid of it now!

Call our experts and get a quote today! 844.766.3858 SAPA

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

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING CALL EMPIRE TODAY To schedule a Free in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring.

Call Today! 1.855.929.7756 SAWMILLS From only $4397.00 - Make & Save Money with your own bandmillCut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship! FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1.800.578.1363 Ext.300N SAFE STEP WALK-IN TUB Alert for Seniors. Bathroom falls can be fatal. Approved by Arthritis Foundation. Therapeutic Jets. Less Than 4 Inch Step-In. Wide Door.

Anti-Slip Floors. American Made.

Installation Included. Call for more information 800.807.7219 and for $750 Off. HAYWOOD BEDDING, INC. The best bedding at the best price!

533 Hazelwood Ave. Waynesville 828.456.4240

CARS A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR For Breast Cancer! Help United Breast Foundation Education, Prevention, & Support Programs.

Fast Free Pickup -24 Hr ResponseTax Deduction 855.701.6346 AUTO INSURANCE Starting At $49/ Month! Call for your fee rate comparison to see how much you can save! Call: 855.970.1224 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!!

Top Dollar Offer! Free Towing From Home, Office or Body Shop. All Makes/Models 2000-2016. Same Day Pick-Up Available! Call Now: 1.800.761.9396 DONATE YOUR CAR To Charity. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes.

Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details. 855.972.0354 GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1.855.617.2024

WNC MarketPlace

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

FRONT DESK/OFFICE MANAGER Full Time or Part Time: Maggie Valley Cabin Resort Seeks a Versatile, Energetic & Experienced Front Desk Employee. Customer Service & Computer Exp. Req. Weekends, Nights & Holidays a Must! Call 828.926.1388 FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following position: Accounting Technician. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com Human Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

EXPERIENCED ACCOUNT Executive/Manager: Needed for the Lincoln Times-News. A strong work ethic, ability to lead staff, and increase sales are required. Send resumes to: resumes@lincolntimesnews.com

FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Respiratory Therapy Clinical Instructor (Part-time Raleigh Area).

For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.comHuman Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer SEEKING AN INDIVIDUAL To Provide Direct Client Services for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence, to Create and Support a Fundraising Plan for Jackson County Victim Services, and to Develop and Implement Education, Marketing, and Outreach Materials. If Interested, Please Submit a Resume to REACH of Macon County, PO Box 228 Franklin, NC 28744 or Send to: reach@reachofmaconcounty.org

ABBY - THE CUTEST LITTLE "POCKET PITTIE" WE'VE EVER SEEN. SHE IS WEIGHS ABOUT 30 LBS. AND IS ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD. SHE WAS A STRAY, SO WE DON'T KNOW HER HISTORY BUT WE DO KNOW SHE IS A DELIGHTFUL, FRIENDLY AND SWEET GOOFBALL WHO MAKES US ALL LAUGH.

www.smokymountainnews.com

PENN - A BIG TABBY BOY ONLY ABOUT 1-2 YEARS OLD. HE IS A QUIET, CALM KITTY WHO PREFERS LOUNGING IN HIS BOX BETWEEN SNACKS, ALTHOUGH HE DOES ENJOY ATTENTION FROM HUMAN FRIENDS AS WELL. HE WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE A GREAT CUDDLE BUDDY ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT!

Kaye Matthews 828-421-1724 “Any agent can show you a house — I will find you a HOME.”

Your Agent. Your Neighbor.

WAYNESVILLE OFFICE:

Great Smokys Realty 44

828-564-1950 www.4smokys.com

36 S. Main St. Waynesville

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING Get FAA certification to fix planes.

Approved for military benefits.

Financial Aid if qualified. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866.441.6890 SAPA BROWN TRUCKING Is looking for COMPANY DRIVERS and OWNER OPERATORS. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2 years of tractor trailer experience OTR or Regional (Multiple states) in the last 3 years, good MVR and PSP. Apply: www.driveforbrown.com.

Contact Brandon Collins.

919.291.7416.

EARN $500 A DAY: Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Wants Insurance Agents • Leads, No Cold Calls • Commissions Paid Daily • Agency Training • Life License Required. Call 1.888.713.6020 FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Assistant Director of Bookstore, Dean of Corporate & Industry Training, & Senior Library Assistant. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com Human Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY SPECIALIST Position requires three years construction experience along with three years management, including Supervision and Budget Management. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in Government Grants.

Strong knowledge of Building Codes, knowledge of Housing Renovation Guidelines. Must be flexible and willing to work on Construction Site in Non-Traditional Hours as well as in Office Management. Business Degree preferred along with Construction Credentials.

Applications will be taken at: www.mountainprojects.org or 2251 Old Balsam Rd., Waynesville, or 25 Schulman St., Sylva. EOE/AA

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

LAWN & GARDEN BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment.

Handmade in Haywood County. 1 for $20, 2 or More for $15 each.

828.593.8321

CAVALIER ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

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

PETS HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

Prevent Unwanted Litters!

The Heat Is On! Spay/Neuter For Haywood Pets As Low As $10.

Operation Pit is in Effect!

Free Spay/Neuter, Microchip & Vaccines For Haywood Pitbull Types & Mixes!

Hours:

Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm 182 Richland Street, Waynesville

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT GOT LAND? Our Hunters will Pay Top $$$ To hunt your land. Call for a Free info packet & Quote. 1.866.309.1507 www.BaseCampLeasing.com

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

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.

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Offering 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $420.00

We Are Offering 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting From $465.00

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

Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS:

OFFICE HOURS:

Tuesday & Thursday 8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

50 Duckett Cove Road, Waynesville, NC 28786

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

Phone# 1.828.456.6776 TDD# 1.800.725.2962

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.735.2962

Equal Housing Opportunity

Equal Housing Opportunity

——————————————

GEORGE

ESCARAVAGE

Mike Stamey

mstamey@beverly-hanks.com

828-508-9607

BROKER/REALTOR

—————————————— 28 WOODLAND ASTER WAY

ASHEVILLE, NC 28804

828.400.0901

GESCAR@BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

74 NORTH MAIN ST. • WAYNESVILLE, NC

www.beverly-hanks.com

HOMES FOR SALE

SOUTHPORT, N.C. FOR SALE, Waterfront resort hotel condominiums. Pre construction prices.

Amazing views. Private fishing pier. Full kitchens. Waterfront swimming pool. Cooke Realty 910.616.1795 contactcooke@gmail.com

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE Conveniently located off 19/23

by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160.

Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more info.

FINANCIAL

OVER $10K IN DEBT? Be debt free in 24-48 months.

Pay a fraction of what you owe.

A+ BBB rated. Call National Debt Relief Now 844.235.9343.

SAPA YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE With Bad Credit and High Interest Rates! Get a FREE Consultation Today, and Start Improving your Credit Now. Call 855.705.7246 Today! SAPA

PERSONAL

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 $330 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

mydoterra.com/blueridge wellness A PLACE FOR MOM. The nation's largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1.800.717.0139

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

cproben@beverly-hanks.com

Haywood County Real Estate Agents

74 N. Main St., Waynesville, NC

828.452.5809

Berkshire Hathaway • • • • • • •

ATTENTION VIAGRA USERS: Generic 100 mg blue pills or Generic 20 mg yellow pills. Get 45 plus 5 free $99 + S/H. Guaranteed, no prescription necessary. Call 855.292.6607 FDA-REGISTERED Hearing Aids. 100% Risk-Free! 45Day Home Trial. Comfort Fit. Crisp Clear Sound. If you decide to keep it, PAY ONLY $299 per aid. FREE Shipping. Call Hearing Help Express 1. 866.744.6150 GOT KNEE PAIN? Back Pain? Shoulder Pain? Get a pain-relieving brace at little or NO cost to you. Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1.800.591.5582 LUNG CANCER? And Age 60+? You And Your Family May Be Entitled To Significant Cash Award. Call 866.590.3140 for Information. No Risk. No Money Out Of Pocket.

MEDICARE DOESN’T COVER All of your medical expenses. A Medicare Supplemental Plan can help cover costs that Medicare does not. Get a free quote today by calling now. 1.877.212.8839 MOBILEHELP, America's Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You're Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts!

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1.877.293.5144.

OXYGEN Anytime. Anywhere. No tanks to refill. No deliveries. The All-New Inogen One G4 is only 2.8 pounds!

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Call 855.969.8854 PORTABLE OXYGEN Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit!

Call 855.711.0380 SUFFERING FROM HEARING LOSS? You might qualify for ListenClear’s FREE 45-day, in-home trial of revolutionary, practically invisible, hearing aids. Experience the difference - FOR FREE! Call 844.715.3358.

berkshirehathawayhs.com Ira Atkins Margie MacDonald Kaye Matthews Donna Miano Robert Sales Jay Spiro Bill Thagard

Beverly Hanks & Associates

Ann Eavenson R B A ESIDENTIAL

ROKER

SSOCIATE

ann@beverly-hanks.com

www.beverly-hanks.com

828.506.0542

828.452.5809 office

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

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

ERA Sunburst Realty sunburstrealty.com • Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com • Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com

Keller Williams Realty SFR, ECO, GREEN

kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

Lakeshore Realty • Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com 147 WALNUT STREET • WAYNESVILLE

828.506.7137

aspivey@sunburstrealty.com

www.sunburstrealty.com/amy-spivey

Mountain Home Properties mountaindream.com • Cindy Dubose - cdubose@mountaindream.com

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management • Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

Steve Mauldin

828.734.4864

smauldin@beverly-hanks.com

74 N. Main St.,Waynesville

828.452.5809

beverly-hanks.com

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty • • • • •

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

smokymountainnews.com

STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS Or Alcohol? Addicted to Pills? Talk to someone who cares. Call The Addiction Hope & Help Line for a free assessment. 800.511.6075

WELLNESS ADVOCATE

Catherine Proben

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

MEDICAL

WNC MarketPlace

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

SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the bank threatening foreclosure? CALL Homeowner’s Relief Line now! FREE CONSULTATION 844.359.4330

Rob Roland Realty • Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE 828.452.4251 | ads@smokymountainnews.com 45

www.smokymountainnews.com

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

WNC MarketPlace

Super

46

CROSSWORD

ONE-OFF SONGS OF THE SEASON ACROSS 1 Wall St. whiz 4 Capote, informally 7 Milky gemstones 12 “Avatar” actress Zoe 19 1,760-yard footrace 21 Juliet’s lover 22 Big name in hair care 23 Puzzled 24 Shy around all of humanity?

26 Adorn big shopping centers?

28 Letters on an ambulance 29 Lavish attention (on) 30 “Bali —” 31 Prefix like “equi-” 32 More recent 33 Transport Kriss Kringle on a small, wheeled cart?

43 Middle name of Mozart 44 Yeats’ “The Wild Swans at —” 45 Teen’s skin woe 46 Brazil’s — Paulo 49 Bulletproof vest material 50 Fastener holding a sleigh tinkler in place?

53 Foreman foe 54 Moo — 56 Address with dots in it 57 Tomahawks 58 Takes five 61 Rides that aren’t new 67 Debt note 69 Rogers or Acuff playing percussion as a child?

74 Droid 75 Fait accompli 76 Blights

78 Kin of karate 81 Poker player Ungar 83 Sow, e.g.

85 See 10-Down 86 Reason you might give for not buying a china plate?

93 Mother of Rajiv Gandhi 96 Chatter 97 Hurry 98 False front 99 With dignity 100 Vacation in Italy’s capital?

103 In accordance with 106 Profs’ aides 107 Gigi’s “yes” 108 Voting place 109 Fancy carp 110 Earliest tune that singer Billy ever wrote?

119 Far off driving one’s Ford pickup?

122 Japanese massage 123 Divided into new districts 124 Hindu maxim collection 125 ‘Bama rival 126 Hypnotic states 127 “Let’s roll!”

128 Purview of Gov. Cuomo 129 Dipso DOWN 1 In — rush 2 Religious act 3 Urban model — Chyna 4 Horse gait 5 Likely traffic snarl times 6 Opens, as a tomb 7 Sea predator

8 Billiards 9 — nitrate (fuel additive) 10 With 85-Across, “Dig in!”

11 — Canals 12 Gossipy chatterer 13 Hoppy brews 14 Decree 15 Cellphone components 16 Cursor, often 17 “Affliction” star 18 Birch cousin 20 Deer cousin 25 Pianist John 27 Prefix with life or land 31 Big name in frozen drinks 32 Part of NBA: Abbr.

33 Capital of Senegal 34 Brunch dish 35 Luxuriant 36 “Bad” cholesterol, for short 37 Vocal vote 38 Chem., e.g.

39 Multitude 40 Yule drink 41 Not sound 42 Actress Langtry 46 Baseball’s Red — 47 Pro 48 Go-aheads 50 Rightful deserts 51 They show certain transit routes 52 Actress Dern 55 Shanty 59 Tim of football 60 — Poke (candy) 62 “Do Ya” gp.

63 Lion lair 64 B-to-F run 65 Suffix with drunk

66 Wish undone 68 Sun or moon 70 “Yes, that guy!”

71 1,051, to Nero 72 Iroquois tribe 73 Per annum 77 Doesn’t exit 78 Irish dance 79 Yankee land 80 Small dollop 82 Arboreal frogs 84 In the way a lass would 87 2011 Marvel Comics film 88 Problems for vain sorts 89 Snarling mutt 90 Chart buster 91 “Sorta” suffix 92 — -wee Herman 94 “— will not!”

95 Clunker 99 Adds abundantly 100 Swear by 101 C-worthy 102 Polloi lead-in 103 In two, say 104 Scatterer of seeds 105 City square 109 Patella locale 110 Certain bolt holder 111 Altitudes: Abbr.

112 Architect Saarinen 113 Drescher of “The Nanny” 114 Lashes (up) 115 Traffic clog 116 Redding of soul 117 Canadian fuel brand 118 Deep desire 120 Company abbr.

121 “— was saying ...”

answers on page 40

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Answers on Page 40

German utopian wanted a community in Cherokee Note: This is the second of a two-part series about Christian Priber, an utopian socialist whose beliefs — including free love — caused him in the mid-1730s to “flee” from Germany and eventually into the Southern Appalachians, where he intended with the aid of the Cherokee, to establish a Kingdom of Paradise in which those beliefs could be implemented. Many of his contemporaries and present-day historians have suspected that Priber was a Jesuit spy of some sort, but it’s 99.9 percent certain he was an early 18th century German idealist on the run.

George Ellison

I

BACK THEN Telliko, etc. [and] established Moytoy [head man at Tellico who befriended him as] Emperor and himself as Secretary of State or Prime Minister.”

Priber wanted the town of Coosawattee in northwest Georgia to be the capital of his kingdom, because it was situated in “better land.” And he also insisted the land historically had been Cherokee rather than Creek as it was in the 1730s.

What did the Cherokees hope to gain out of all this maneuvering? Among other things, Priber taught them weights and measures, which infuriated the British who had been short-changing the Indians in every trade for decades. And he also set about establishing political alliances with the French that would be unfavorable to the British “Paradise” was to be mainly comprised of Cherokees but anybody, even Creek and Catawba Indians as well as escaped black slaves capable of instigating riots, were to be welcomed.

As early as 1739 the British in Charleston offered 402 pounds to Colonel Joseph Fox to find Priber among the Cherokee and return him to the city. The reward was to be paid by the English Board of Trade. Priber was eventually captured by the Creek Indians and turned over to Captain Richard Kent of the Georgia Rangers. When he was transferred to Governor Oglethorpe at Fort Frederica on the Georgia coast. Priber reputedly had a Cherokee dictionary written “in his own hand.” It is not known what happened to the work, which was reported missing at the time of Priber’s death in the mid-1740s.

James Adair observed that “after bearing his misfortunes a considerable time with great constance, happily for us, he died in confinement, — though he deserved a much better fate.”

(George Ellison is a naturalist and writer.

He can be reached at info@georgeellison.com.)

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Myth: Processed foods are bad!

Fact: Processing simply means taking a food item from an original state to a version that is edible.

A cow provides milk which is processed to become the milk we buy at Ingles, cheese, or yogurt.

Soybeans are processed to become hummus. Many grains have to be milled ( a

Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2018

n 1742, at Great Tellico — a Cherokee town located in present-day east Tennessee — Antoine Bellofoy, a French prisoner recently captured by the Cherokees, told Priber that: “… for 20 years he had been working to put into execution the plan about which he had talked to us; that seven or eight years before he had been obliged to flee his country, where they wished to arrest Columnist him for having desired to put his project into execution; that he had gone over to England, and from there to Carolina, and had also been obliged to depart thence for the same reason, 18 months after having arrived there; that having found among the ‘Cherakis’ sure refuge he had been working there for four years upon the establishment which he had been planning for twenty.”

James Adair, an influential trader and historian who knew Priber, noted that he arrived in Tellico “adorned with every qualification that constitutes a gentleman but soon after he arrived at the upper towns … he exchanged his clothes and every thing he brought with him, and by that means, made friends with the head warriors of great

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type of processing) so they can be made into cereals or breads. Of course there are also food ingredients and crops that are in fats, sugar and/or sodium like candy or "junk" foods that shouldn't be a regular part of our diets.

Bottom Line: Processing of foods is not necessarily a bad thing!

Museum of the Cherokee Indian image

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highly processed and made into foods that are high

47

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EEquilibar,r, LLC F Fletcher Warehousing Com mpany Foundation For The Caroliinas F FFrench Broad River Garden Club G Herbs Gaia G Granny’s Kitchen H Hands of Sean Perry Co. H Haywood County TDA Highland Brewing Compaany H Hi-Wire H Hi Wire Brewing H HomeTrust Bank Ingles Intentional Growth Center K & Deborah Wilson Fou Ken undation LLarry’s ’ Beans L Leap Frog To Tours M General Store Mast M f l’ Mayfel’s Mission Health

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Photo: o Dave Allen