Conservation plan coming for Jackson County Page 24
On the Cover:
The Fontana Regional Library system has a storied history serving the people of Swain, Macon and Jackson counties but has come under scrutiny in recent years as calls to dissolve the program have intensified. Most recently, an email was leaked indicating a potential plan to do just that. (Page 6) File photo
News
Settlement announced in Pactiv grant lawsuit............................................................4 Stormwater overhaul plan eyes future flood fixes for Waynesville........................5 Library board takes on late fees......................................................................................7 BearWaters plans rebuild with new focus after devastating floods..................10 Macon to add one animal control position................................................................12 Protesters rally in Western North Carolina against Trump, Musk ......................13
Opinion
Loving the locals — then, now and always................................................................14 Letters to the editor..........................................................................................................14
A&E
The power of three: Organ Fairchild rolls into WNC..............................................16 Blow the tannery whistle: Margaret Siler and the Sand Town Cherokees......18
Outdoors
Conservation plan coming for Jackson ......................................................................24 The Joyful Botanist: Dog days of winter......................................................................27
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C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing), Adam Bigelow (writing), Thomas Crowe (writing)
Fact: There is currently NO “bioengineered” or “GMO”
sold for commercial use in the U.S.
There may be research trials going on now in the U.S and in other countries for future crops that are genetically engineered /edited to provide them with certain traits like pest our drought resistance. There is a genetically engineered wheat that is drought tolerant that was approved in 2022 in Argentina.
Fact:
upset; there can be a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with gluten. Please make sure you speak to your primary care provider/ MD if you are experiencing stomach pain or have frequent issues with an upset stomach. Celiac disease should be ruled out with a simple blood test while you are still consuming gluten-containing foods. It’s also important not to ignore stomach issues which can be a symptom of serious health issues like an ulcer or even cancer.
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN
Leah McGrath - Dietitian
Jackson, Stein announce settlement in Pactiv grant lawsuit
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
Nearly $6 million in taxpayer money will be coming back to Haywood County after Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Gov. Josh Stein announced that a settlement has been reached in a lawsuit alleging that Pactiv Evergreen had violated the terms of a decade-old economic development grant agreement when it closed its Canton paper mill in 2023.
The grant agreement stipulated, among other things, that in exchange for $12 million over 10 years to convert its coalfired boilers to natural gas, Pactiv had to spend at least $51 million on improvements. The company actually spent $56 million. However, another condition of the agreement bound
“Pactiv broke its promise to the state and the people of Canton, and today’s settlement holds it accountable for violating its agreement,” Jackson said in a press release issued this morning. “This settlement will allow the people of Canton and Haywood County to immediately put millions back into rebuilding their economy after the mill’s closure, and it will shield them from future litigation from Pactiv. After a devastating few years, this deal gives the people of Canton funds they desperately need right now.”
The underpinnings of the lawsuit began in 2023, after The Smoky Mountain News was first to report that a 2014 economic development grant between the state and Pactiv was still active and that Pactiv would appear to be in violation of the grant’s terms if it followed through with plans to shutter its Canton mill.
That particular piece of information originally came from Troy Dills, who at the time was the president of the United Steelworkers Smoky Mountain Local 507 and had been challenging Pactiv’s compliance with the JMAC grant agreement since 2019.
Pancake Day returns to Waynesville
Pancake Day at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville is once again on the horizon. Lining up to get a plateful of pancakes, bacon and sausage on the last Tuesday in February is a tradition in the mountain community that dates back
his work with regard to Pactiv.
The winner of that race, former Congressman Jeff Jackson, said in Canton on Jan. 16 that “… there may be some attorneys in this litigation on the other side who were hoping that a new attorney general would dismiss this case,” but that he wanted to “send a message that that’s not going to happen, that I am the new attorney general and we’re going to continue with this case, because it’s a very straightforward matter of an agreement being broken.”
Jackson added that if the suit was successful in recovering some or all of the grant proceeds, “our intention is to get as much of that money here to Canton as possible.”
Trial in the matter had been set for May; however, settlement conferences had taken place without any resolution until today’s announcement.
According to details of the settlement, within 10 business days Pactiv will pay $6.25 million.
Haywood County will receive $2,732,611 and the Town of Canton will receive $2,732,611. Per Haywood Chamber President and CEO David Francis, Haywood County will also receive repayment of incentives it offered in conjunction with the JMAC agreement in the amount of $286,778. The Department of Commerce will receive $500,000.
“This is a big win,” Dills said. “Pactiv did not abide by their word. They were challenged. They fought. They lost. In the end, we won. Every resident of Canton, Haywood County and the State of North Carolina won. Pactiv lost.”
The relatively quick payment schedule means the county and Canton can begin using the money almost immediately, instead of waiting on costly, drawn-out litigation that could have lingered for years and produced a less lucrative result.
North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley noted that the access to capital would “not only drive future economic development but also help the community recover from the impacts of job loss, Tropical Storm Fred and Hurricane Helene.”
The settlement also releases the town of Canton from any threat of future litigation over the nearly no-cost wastewater treatment Pactiv and its predecessors had provided to the town since 1964 and requires Pactiv to withdraw all legal challenges to its 2023 and 2024 property tax payments, which could have cost the town and county upwards of $4 million.
announced its plans to close but Pactiv closed the mill anyway, in June 2023, throwing roughly 1,000 people out of work.
Attorney General Josh Stein, now governor, filed suit on May 23, 2024, telling SMN at the time that he’d hold Pactiv accountable for its obligations, which became something of a mantra during Stein’s campaign swings in the mountain west.
In a subsequent filing, Pactiv admitted that it had fulfilled “nearly all of its obligations under the JMAC agreement” but went on to assert that “there is no legal or factual basis to sustain the relief” sought by the state.
Stein said he was pleased with the settlement and that it represents a “new chapter” for the town.
“The people of Canton are so resilient; they lost the paper mill and have overcome two major floods in the past three years,” he said. “They will build a brighter future, and the state is committed to working right alongside them to help.”
During the runup to the 2024 election, both candidates vying to replace Stein as attorney general vowed to carry on
to 1956.
Through offering the meal free of charge, the church hopes to provide an opportunity for people to come together, share a meal and share stories with each other.
Pancake Day is quite an undertaking, and it takes a lot of people to make it possible and ensure its success. It takes over 400 volunteers to clean the space, serve seconds, cook bacon and
Kevin Ensley, chair of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners, called the settlement “a unique opportunity” to honor the mill’s proud past by envisioning a brighter future.
“As a community built on strong mountain values — hard work and unity — we will face the challenges ahead together,” Ensley said. “I believe we are laying the foundation for new industries that will once again transform Haywood County. My greatest hope is that we will stand proud of what we accomplish, setting the stage for growth and opportunity.”
Given the original purpose of the funds, it’s likely both Haywood County and Canton strongly consider using the settlement proceeds in the same way — for economic development.
“This settlement marks the beginning of a new chapter for Canton — a chapter that will build the hometown of tomorrow that reflects our grit, resilience, and commitment to our community,” said Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers. “I am grateful to the state for their hard work and securing these resources which will allow us to create new opportunities, jobs, and lasting stability without Pactiv.”
sausage, pray about it, call volunteers, donate time and/or money, flip pancakes, wash pots, pour batter, greet guests, fill syrup bottles, set up tables, welcome children, refill water pitchers, scrub pans, pack up supplies or perform any number of other tasks that need to be done to pull off this big day in the life of the community. Meals will be served from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at FUMC.
Pactiv Evergreen will repay a portion of a state grant after a settlement related to a paper mill it formerly operated in Canton. File photo
Stormwater overhaul plan eyes future flood fixes for Waynesville
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
In the months before Hurricane Helene, the Town of Waynesville initiated a comprehensive stormwater master planning process. Now that the project is about at the halfway point, consultants checked in with Town Council to give a progress update on some capital projects that could help mitigate damage during the region’s next extreme weather event.
The town was awarded a $400,000 Local Assistance for Stormwater Infrastructure Investments grant through the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2023. There is no local matching requirement, so no local taxpayer money will be spent on the three-year project. Administered by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the grant’s deliverable is an update to the town’s existing stormwater master plan from 2008 by the end of 2026.
“The updated plan will include an assent inventory assessment, a broad study to identify stormwater issues and improvements on town properties, an evaluation of areas where the sewer system is infiltrating the town’s stormwater system and other long-term planning initiatives. It will also identify potential capital improvement projects and offer specific recommendations,” Assistant Development Services Director Olga Grooman told Council Members on Feb. 11.
areas, town properties and stormwater control measures to analyze current conditions and resilience.
In September, the focus shifted to reporting and drafting a comprehensive stormwater master plan. Engineers and planners evaluated mitigation sites, mapped stormwater systems and developed conceptual capital projects.
Findings from that phase of the project led to the designation of areas of concern where pipes or structures were reaching capacity during a 10-year flood and roadway crossings with culverts or bridges were overtopping during a 50-year flood.
“So from that we identified over I think it was 42 areas throughout the town where we’re seeing that level of service not being met,” Haley Valdez, an engineer with WithersRavenel.
Of the 42, Valdez said they identified eight areas that might be good spots for future projects.
Three, including town’s public works building on Legion Drive, are in the area of Shelton Street.
More specifically, the updated plan will align with the town’s comprehensive land use plan and focus “both on water quality and quantity issues and identify sensitive areas of the town with crucial needs for stormwater infrastructure improvements and risk mitigation,” according to the preliminary project scope submitted by the town.
The project kicked off in November 2023, and the town engaged the multidisciplinary construction engineering consultancy WithersRavenel to perform the work, which began in earnest in 2024.
Starting that January, officials conducted extensive fieldwork and data collection to assess the town’s stormwater infrastructure, which included an inventory of assets, evaluations of potential mitigation sites and inspections of drainage systems, culverts and streams to determine their capacity to handle increasing precipitation.
Field testing identified necessary stormwater improvements and repairs, while a data gap analysis provided insight into existing vulnerabilities. The assessment also covered environmentally sensitive
Three more are in Hazelwood, including near the town’s finance office, on Hazelwood Avenue and on Kentucky Avenue.
The final two sites are in or very near Frog Level; however, Richland Creek isn’t one of them.
“In Frog Level, there is a lot of lowlying areas where we’re seeing big impacts from the stream itself, and that is a bigger undertaking and potentially has limited opportunities as far as a concept project for this,” Valdez said.
Instead, project areas include floodprone spots near the intersection of Charles Street and Branner Avenue as well as Haywood and Depot streets, where inefficiencies and lack of capacity hamper stormwater control.
Hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, cost estimates and engineering designs were incorporated to guide future improvements, and the final plan will outline long-term maintenance strategies, infrastructure replacements and flood hazard mitigation, integrating both green infrastructure and engineered solutions.
In June of this year, the public input phase of the project will begin. An initial presentation of the draft plan will be made to Town Council, before stakeholder meetings and a public workshop are scheduled. The plan should be largely complete by the end of the year, and will be presented to Council early in 2026, with adoption expected probably by summer.
Overdue: library board takes on late fees
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
The Macon County Library Board has signed an overture in opposition to the Fontana Regional Library System going fine-free, a topic that came up most recently during a November meeting of the Fontana Regional Library Board but may not be raised again.
“I think it’s appropriate for us to make an overture and, as an advisory board, to let Fontana [Regional Library Board] know what we’re thinking about it,” said Diann Catlin, who introduced the overture during the Feb. 4 Macon County Library Board meeting.
“But it might come up later, so it’s just that we want to make this as our stance,” said Leah Gaston. “This is a national trending issue, and it will probably come up again and we want our kids to learn responsibility and returning your library books is a form of responsibility. It’s a simple thing we can teach kids to do.”
usage, and fees for room usage — is estimated at $35,800 for the fiscal year 2024-25, compared to the starting revenue budget total of $3,949,157. That means fines and fees are estimated to make up just under 1%.
not at rehearsal, they were not able to perform the dance at recital.
“The estimated amount at the beginning of the fiscal year is different from the yearend actual amount,” Fitzmaurice said. “For example, in FY 2023-24, the estimated amount for fines and fees was $38,600, but the actual amount received was $41,017.23.”
However, the portion of the budget coming from overdue book fines is likely far less than 1%, because the fines and fees line item in the budget includes room rental fees, among other fees.
According to Fontana Regional Library Director Tracy Fitzmaurice, the discussion about whether to maintain library fines and fees has been around for several years. Fitzmaurice brought the topic up at a November FRL meeting because the North Carolina State Library had released new data which showed that, as of October, more than half of libraries in North Carolina are finefree, or partially fine-free.
When Catlin brought up the overture against the FRL system removing fines and fees for late items for minors, Fitzmaurice stated that the subject was not on the table for discussion and was not on the agenda for the FRL board at its next meeting.
“I do not see it being brought up again any time soon — especially with other possible cuts we could get through the federal government,” Fitzmaurice later told The Smoky Mountain News.
Still, multiple Macon board members thought it prudent to make their opinion on the topic clear to the FRL board.
The initial version of the overture, presented by Catlin, read, “whereas the Fontana Regional Library Board is considering removing fees from juveniles for late or lost books, this advisory board, the Macon County Library Board, urges the Fontana board to continue the fines and fees which not only bring in needed revenue to the public library, but also teach needed responsibility for those juveniles who are borrowing books and materials at no cost to them.”
However, one board member took issue with the idea of the library being on the hook for instilling responsibility.
“I know that you disagree with me; it’s the parent’s job to teach responsibility,” said Debbie Tallent.
“The trend is that there may be a poor child who cannot pay the fine, but it’s a library, and we’re letting people borrow books,” said Catlin. “You’re right, parents are in charge of this; however, even in school when there’s a discipline problem, people have to step in, and they have rules.”
Gaston inquired about how many children would be impacted by removing fines and fees and noted that the FRL board would need this information before they made any decision on the issue.
According to Fitzmaurice, revenues from fines and fees in the FRL budget — which includes overdue fines, fees for equipment
“Children learned quickly that they needed to encourage their parents to get them there on time,” Catlin said. “It’s just one of the things that as a teacher I used, and I think it’s the same thing. Like, put your ballet shoes in the basket otherwise when you’ve lost them you will go without them. It just helps to have somebody backing up what you say.”
Moxley brought up the fact that not all children are accessing the library from an even playing field.
“I want to advocate for children,” Moxley said. “My kids were blessed. We didn’t have to worry about paycheck to paycheck, but there’s a lot of people that do, or even less … there’s enough inequity. I’m on the fence about this because yes, it is the responsibility of the parents, but some parents aren’t responsible, and should that child be punished? There’s got to be some sort of a grace for some kids whose parents maybe think going out drinking is better than paying the bill for the library.”
“I
want to advocate for children. My kids were blessed. We didn’t have to worry about paycheck to paycheck, but
there’s a lot of people that do, or even less… there’s enough inequity. “
Marsha Moxley
Phillip Curcuru asked whether there might be a way to dismiss fees for families that can’t pay, while keeping the traditional fee structure in place.
“I think a default approach should be the traditional fee approach, but leave room for forgiveness, however that looks,” Curcuru said.
“Fines must be short of 1% of the total revenue because we do charge for room usage in each library,” said Fitzmaurice. “For example, Jackson County Public Library charges $300 for weddings, etc.”
Meeting space fees at the Macon County Library range from $25 to $150 depending on whether an individual, nonprofit or for-profit organization is renting the space, and for how long. These types of room rental fees were not part of the discussion for removal.
“I don’t have a problem at all, should it come up again in the FRL meeting, with continuing to have a fee charge; my problem is I don’t like putting the library as the responsible party,” said Tallent. “Parents are the responsible party in my book. That’s the only part of this that I have a problem with is taking out that last little line. Parents have to learn to be responsible if they’re not already.”
“So do children,” replied Catlin.
Catlin went on to describe her time as a dance teacher and an etiquette teacher, recalling that her rules were, if a dance student was
Gaston floated the idea of a scholarship through the Friends of the Library.
“If there were a few handfuls who weren’t able to pay their fees and fines, what if we approached the Friends of the Library? They provide money for programs and things like this they could provide some type of scholarship program for kids in need. That could be pursued,” said Gaston.
Moxley noted that not all libraries have a Friend of the Library organization.
Before voting on the overture the board decided to remove the language about teaching responsibility. Instead, board members inserted language from the official mission of the library, so that the final version passed by the board read, “The Macon County Library Board urges the Fontana Regional Library Board to continue the fines and fees which provide convenient access to resources and bring in needed revenue to the public library.”
The motion to approve the overture and send it on to the FRL board passed with seven affirmative votes and two abstentions.
Here’s a look at which counties impose late fees. North Carolina State Library graphic
Should I stay or should I go?
Leaked email urges covert FRL dissolution
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
Just months after Jackson, Macon and Swain counties reached an agreement to approve a new version of the Fontana Regional Library interlocal agreement following more than two years of controversy, an email originating from the account of a Macon County Library Board member plots a path for dissolution.
“Leaving the FRL needs to be discussed by commissioners in Macon and Jackson behind the scenes with a ‘surprise’ decision to leave when the time comes just as Yancey voted unanimously to leave their regional system while the regional library director was conveniently out of town,” the email reads. “If this possibility of exiting FRL is being discussed in the open, the lunatic left will mobilize and come out in full force with all their tired lies to create huge controversy. It must be kept behind the scenes until action.”
The email originated from the account of Macon County Library Board member Leah Gaston but is signed by “jim” after the first two sentences in the email; Jim Gaston is Leah’s husband. The recipient’s name on the email, which was leaked by an unidentified source but verified by The Smoky Mountain News, was redacted.
Jim Gaston has been a vocal advocate for dissolving the Fontana Regional Library since discussions to do so began more than two years ago. He has also advocated for cutting ties with the American Library Association.
Neither Leah nor Jim Gaston responded to requests for comment.
Macon County Commission Chairman Josh Young was the first to publicly denounce the email.
“Just for the record, I’d like to reiterate that we just signed a 10-year, bipartisan, good faith contract with Fontana Regional Library, and I don’t know where these emails are coming from; I hate to say I really don’t care,” Young said during a Feb. 11 Macon County Commission meeting. “We signed a 10-year good faith agreement, and I feel like that’s where we’re at with it, so I really don’t even put any merit to that email.”
The new Fontana Regional Library interlocal agreement, collaboratively workshopped and updated by all three counties in the system, was signed by Macon County in November.
“As liaison to the library, at this time I’d like to make a recommendation for the board to enter into contract with FRL interlocal agreement,” said Commissioner Danny Antoine during the Nov. 12 commission meeting. “Jackson County passed it, Swain County passed it, so if there’s no discussion on it, I’d like to make a motion to enter into that agreement.”
Antoine was the first commissioner to raise issues with the library back in March 2023, when he floated the idea of withdrawing Macon County from the Fontana Regional Library system due to his concerns with books containing LGBTQ content or themes. During a meeting at that time, Antoine said that he was working on pulling Macon County out of the system.
“For those of you who have stated about pulling out of the Fontana Regional System, believe me, I’m completely on board with that,” Antoine said at the time. “It’s not a simple process. It is a hard process that we’re definitely working super hard on, trying to figure out how to do this the best way because you can’t just pull out of that system and leave the library hanging by itself. We have to have a system in place to be able to make sure that the library is functioning correctly.”
a new version of the agreement that contained some significant changes to the revision previously put forth by Macon County.
Among the changes approved in the final interlocal agreement is the authority for commissioners to appoint members to the Fontana Regional Library Board. The document says that county commissioners “may” select from recommendations made by their respective county library board, though it is not required.
The email from Leah Gaston’s account states that “exiting the FRL must be justified as economic reasons. Less blowback and leftist drama. It’s all about the financials. If a county leaves the FRL, it is going to require much work to coordinate; probably the county manager of the exiting county(s). If Jackson and Macon can both simultaneously pull out of the FRL, the FRL ceases to exist and all FRL assets are divided equally
But that process turned out to be complicated and could possibly cost the county more money than it was already spending on the library, so Antoine and members of the public with similar concerns, turned to the FRL interlocal agreement that governs the regional library system.
Fontana Regional Library formed in 1944 when the Tennessee Valley Authority sponsored a regional bookmobile to visit the most remote areas of Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.
Today, the system offers full library services to the three counties. By combining cataloging, human resources, finance departments and information technology services for libraries in the three counties, administrators say it is cheaper for each county than if they were to provide for each of those departments individually. The regional agreement is renewed every 10 years and can be dissolved or withdrawn from at any time.
In November 2023, Macon County commissioners released an initial set of recommended changes to the FRL agreement. Almost a year later, in August 2024, Swain and Jackson County commissions approved
Fontana Regional Library with Fontana Regional Library funds and intended for Fontana Regional Library regional support services will remain assets of Fontana Regional Library.”
The author of the email appears to aim to circumvent that stipulation by orchestrating the simultaneous withdrawal of two counties from the system, thereby dissolving the system altogether.
Jackson County Commission Chairman Mark Letson said that there has been no discussion among Jackson County commissioners about pulling out of the Fontana Regional Library system.
“We worked really hard for a year to come to an agreement that all parties signed off on,” Letson told The Smoky Mountain News. “For me, it just doesn’t seem to be very responsible to then back out of that agreement… Right now, we’re not looking to leave. I think it’d be a detriment to our citizens if we did.”
Letson said that if those conversations did arise at some point in the future, “they’d be 100% public.”
“We’re not going to do something in secret,” Letson said.
The email references the June 28 departure of Yancey County from its regional library system which operated in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties.
According to reporting from Carolina Public Press, Yancey County Board of Commissioners voted to separate from the regional library system it has been a part of for more than 60 years following a monthslong political battle stemming from a Pride Month display at its public library.
AMY (Avery, Mitchell, Yancey) Regional Library Director Amber Briggs was at a conference in California when commissioners announced the June 28 special meeting in Burnsville during which the commission voted to withdraw.
between the 3 counties. This seems to be the best route if Jackson and Macon teamed up and worked through the exit together and also provided cover for each other by both leaving for financial reasons.”
“Yancey Co. is boldly exiting the AMY (Avery/Mitchell/Yancey) Regional Library System, but has received leftist drama since the Yancey Commissioners did not give reason for leaving,” the Gaston email reads. “Most assume it is because of LGBTQ cult activism at the library locations which brings out the controversy.”
“Just for the record, I’d like to reiterate that we just signed a 10-year, bipartisan, good faith contract with Fontana Regional Library, and I don’t know where these emails are coming from; I hate to say I really don’t care.”
Josh Young, Macon County Commission Chairman
The FRL interlocal agreement stipulates that if a county were to withdraw from the FRL system, “furniture and fixtures purchased by the Friends of the Library within the withdrawing county will remain with their respective library, and books and audiovisual materials will also remain with each library.”
However, “assets located in the local library facility that were purchased by
The Mountain Xpress reported that more than 300 Yancey County residents marched in protest of withdrawing from the AMY system in July following the county’s decision.
“Commissioners from Jackson and Macon should have all their economic reasons well organized before the decision,”
Macon County Public Library. File photo
the email goes on to say. “There is always the possibility that some of the current library staff will give the community a big middle finger and just walk away and quit rather than become staff at a newly created independent county library. At the very least, judging by the FRL leadership’s past behavior, these activists will not want to cooperate. We must be ready to paint the FRL leadership as unwilling to serve the community and have proven they desire control and activism over service to the public. There are many, many more individual county libraries throughout NC and America than there are regional system bureaucracies.”
The email goes on to say that “the public needs to be assured than an independent county library will meet and exceed the quality of the current FRL system. A few well-worded statements from the Commissioners board or county manager’s office might offer reassuring insight as to why the county will save money and how the library experience will be better.”
FRL Director Tracy Fitzmaurice told The Smoky Mountain News that when she was handed a copy of the email, she shared it with the County Managers Kevin King in Jackson and Warren Cabe in Macon.
the changes to the FRL agreement that were pushed through by this board, as well as appointments to the library boards in both Macon and Jackson county that have raised some eyebrows.”
In December, the Jackson County Commission appointed two new members to the library board despite requests from two incumbent board members for reappointment, and comments in support of the incumbents from the public.
“I would simply ask this board that if there is ever a consideration to exit the FRL, that it be done openly and honestly and allow the public to participate in that conversation,” Germaine continued. “I would strongly prefer to hear this board flatly reject any consideration of withdrawal and that the eight-decade cooperative arrangement continue into the future.”
Heather Johnson expressed her concerns about transparency regarding the election criteria and schedule for selecting the Macon County Library and Fontana Regional Library trustee members.
“Recently, the county commissioners denied the request for a second term of a Macon County Public Library board member. Then another application was pulled from over a year ago. There was no announcement of the opening, nor did they take the time to allow for applications,” said
“I have been assured that the counties have not been talking about the dissolution of Fontana Regional Library,” said Fitzmaurice.
Several members of the public took to the podium during Macon County’s Feb. 11 commission meeting to similarly denounce the email, and question commissioners’ library board appointments in both Macon and Jackson counties. No one at the meeting spoke in support of withdrawing from the Fontana Regional Library system.
“The FRL has served Macon, Jackson and Swain counties admirably for 80 years,” said David Germaine. “Over the last several years there has been some controversy that started with the display at the Macon County Library that offended some of our residents and has continued with book challenges and some, I think, unfair allegations against library staff and the FRL leadership. Although the uproar has somewhat quieted down recently, the FRL detractors nonetheless continue their efforts and have seen some success. Not only have there not been any more displays at the library, there are
Cherokee Preservation Foundation announces fall grants for 2024
The Cherokee Preservation Foundation awarded 10 grants to partners within Western North Carolina. Grants totaled more than $2.1 million and were awarded to projects advancing the Foundation’s mission of improving the quality of life for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and neighboring communities.
The 2024 fall grants were awarded to the following organizations and programs:
• Western Carolina University to support Cherokee language learning through Western Carolina University programming, which will increase the chances for survival of the Cherokee language for future generations. $223,014.
• EBCI Division of Commerce to support the marketing efforts of the Greater Cherokee Tourism Council (GCTC) and increase visitation by diversifying attractions & amenities in the town of Cherokee. $1,075,000.
Museum of the Cherokee People by purchasing Cherokee artwork. $40,000.
• Ray Kinsland Leadership Institute, Right Path Leadership, Fiscal Agent: Cherokee Boys Club to implement the Right Path program to develop cultural leadership opportunities for the Cherokee community based on the Cherokee Core Values and world view. $133,329.
• Ray Kinsland Leadership Institute, Cherokee Youth Council Fiscal Agent: Cherokee Boys Club to support the Cherokee Youth Council’s efforts to create selfless leaders with a traditional Cherokee world view who are also grounded in Cherokee Core values. $198,924.
• Mountain Discovery Charter School to support EBCI youth in developing a sense of awareness and cultural identity.
• Museum of The Cherokee People to increase the visitation and sustainability of the
• Conserving Carolina to increase the availability of white oak, rivercane and yellowroot for Cherokee artisans. $49,500.
• Western Region Educational Service Alliance to prepare the town of Cherokee’s future workforce with digital mastery and literacy skills. $206,855.00.
• The Center for Native Health, Inc. to identify, expand, and protect traditional Cherokee artisan resources for future generations. $114,300.
• WNC Nonprofit Pathways - Fiscal Agent: Community Foundation of WNC to support Cherokee and regional nonprofit organizations in enhancing sustainability and project impact through focused development and strategic initiatives $88,200.
NEEDED COMMISSIONERS VOLUNTEER
Johnson. “This coupled with the obvious inexperience or deliberate bad faith actions of those on the board shows why it is crucial that we have clear criteria for board appointments and applications are vetted properly for their ability and experience.”
Macon County is currently accepting applications for membership on the Fontana Regional Library board. The interlocal agreement states that a trustee must be a full-time, year-round resident. Terms are three years.
Betsy Baste took her time at the podium on Feb. 11 to remind Macon commissioners about sunshine laws, which prohibit public bodies from deliberating or making decisions privately.
“I know you know this, I know you don’t need reminding this, but I think some members of the public need reminding,” said Baste, before disseminating printed copies of the email to commissioners. “I just want you to have your own copy of that and know that the rest of us all have it and so we know that people are advocating for you to do illegal things and I trust you won’t.”
BearWaters Brewing plans rebuild
Beer making moves to Asheville but Canton keeps taproom
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
After two major floods in three years, BearWaters Brewing Company is adapting its business to ensure a future in downtown Canton. During a Feb. 13 town meeting, brewery representatives detailed their struggles and their vision for a new chapter, which includes shifting away from brewing on-site while expanding into a whole new line of business.
Since establishing its flagship Canton location in 2017, BearWaters owners and investors have pumped nearly $2 million into the business. However, flooding associated with Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27 left the riverside brewery closed once again, with extensive damage.
“What we’re staring down the barrel of right now, at a minimum, is a $500,000 renovation/repair to get it operational again,” said Kevin Sandefur, co-owner of BearWaters. “That’s a lot to process, but you know it’s a risk and an opportunity that we’re willing to take because we’re invested in the community. We’ve been here seven years. We formed a relationship with many of you in the room, and we feel a really kindred connection to the community, we want to continue what we’re doing.”
company has missed out on approximately $740,000 in revenue over the past five months, with staffing levels dropping from 89 full-time employees to just 26.
Despite applying for four local recovery grants, including one from the Haywood Advancement Foundation, the brewery did not receive funding.
That leaves the owners to rely solely on flood insurance, a process that has been slow and complicated according to Sandefur, who added that he has been working with Sen. Thom Tillis and Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) to address delays in accessing approved insurance funds.
“What we’re finding is we’re getting a lot of ‘ping pong’ action, where ‘We need one more thing before we could release those funds,’” Sandefur said, alluding to insurance industry practices he says have been clogging up the works. “It seems like a lot of stall tactics. The claims have been approved, and unfortunately, after our experience with [2021’s Tropical Storm] Fred, we did up our coverage, and we have good coverage on the building. The issue is accessing those funds for repairs.”
Unfortunately, concerns about future coverage have arisen.
“Flood insurance going forward may be an issue for us, because the one carrier we had now was covering two claims within a three-year period, and that’s a red flag for them, so they’re very leery of issuing any
As part of its recovery plan, BearWaters will cease brewing operations at its Canton location. Instead, production will move to Asheville through a new partnership with Green Man Brewery, a well-known craft beer producer.
Sandefur called it “sad,” but there are some benefits — removing the brewing equipment reduces liability, may help BearWaters in securing insurance coverage and opens up more real estate in the building to use as the company pivots to a new concept inspired by Western North Carolina’s iconic Nantahala Outdoor Center.
“I know it’s a little bit of a bummer that we won’t make the product right there, but consolidation in the industry is happening anyway. Utilizing other people’s capacity is a better alternative,” he said. “We get that equipment out of harm’s way, because that’s the bulk of the damage that we sustained this time. It really, really tore the brew system up.”
Although the Canton location will still serve as a taproom and eatery, the new venture would focus on activities like paddleboarding, kayaking, tubing and possibly ebike and e-scooter rentals or even a fishing outfitter — in line with a recent Visit Haywood study calling for more outdoor recreation opportunities for tourists and residents alike.
However, the company has raised concerns about the state of surrounding prop-
erties, including the damaged Moose Lodge
revitalized area, which Sandefur said currently resembles a “war zone.”
Town leaders expressed strong support for BearWaters’ resilience and commitment to Canton, recognizing the brewery as an anchor business that has drawn visitors from across the country and the world.
“I think y’all and businesses across Western North Carolina continuously are being let down by the lack of small business grants — and I said ‘grants,’” Mayor Zeb Smathers told Sandefur, echoing a rallying cry from the region’s business community about the need for direct financial assistance to affected businesses rather than long-term low-interest loans. “Washington and Raleigh still have not delivered anything [near] what’s needed.”
BearWaters’ struggles are not unique; despite a considerable rebound since Helene and positive news about the reopening of one lane in each direction along the currently closed stretch of Interstate 40 in March, many businesses are in a make-orbreak period where without significant assistance, they could vanish — taking jobs, tax revenue and tourism infrastructure with them.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Smathers continued. “The economy of Western North Carolina, our small business community, is extremely fragile, and it can still get us in a very dangerous place that really sucks us all in to an economic black hole. We’re F
For the second time in three years, floodwaters from the Pigeon River punished BearWaters Brewing in Canton, but owners say they’re building back. Cory Vaillancourt photo
not past that. There’s too many businesses leaving. I mean, in every county. I will keep harping on this, [and the] board has. It’s got to be grants — not loans.”
Alderman Ralph Hamlett issued a scathing reproach of the insurance industry somewhat related to his own personal situation. Hamlett’s home was destroyed on Aug. 17, 2021, during Tropical Storm Fred, after Smathers walked through floodwaters to pull him out of it. Hamlett’s still awaiting a buyout from FEMA and has been renting a nearby home since then.
“Insurance companies like their little game, don’t they? ‘Pay me every month, but don’t you dare use me, and then if you have to use me and use me again, I’ll cancel on you and I will try to get out of paying you what you’re owed by whatever hook and crook I can do,’” he said. “I would hope that one day, we force insurance companies to do what they say they’ll do when they take revenue from us to pay for their services, which oftentimes goes by the by.”
Hamlett’s also upset that his decaying home is still just sitting there within eyeshot of the brewery, contributing to the blight Sandefur mentioned as a negative impact on the perception of both BearWaters and Canton.
“When you try to welcome guests to our county, and they see, as you described it, ‘a war zone,’ and it’s my house, I’m kind of stuck, as you folks have been stuck,” Hamlett said.
“I would hope that one day, we force insurance companies to do what they say they’ll do when they take revenue from us to pay for their services, which oftentimes goes by the by.”
— Ralph Hamlett, Canton Alderman
Alderman Tim Shepard thanked Sandefur and co-owner Art O’Neil, who was also present at the meeting, for their tenacity and determination to bring the beloved business back.
“No one would have thought any less of you for saying, ‘Two times in three years? That’s just too much,’ but y’all are sitting here and your primary concern is to figure out how to come back and be part of the town,” Shepard said.
Even more so, Alderwoman Kristina Proctor noted that BearWaters was part of a small core of business owners who invested in the town when it was still somewhat rundown and ribbon-cuttings were rare.
“I got chills when you said that you were coming back,” Proctor said. “It will look different, and that’s OK. And so will all of us. So will all of Canton.”
Cleanup efforts at BearWaters have long been underway, and renovation work is set to begin next week.
Macon to add one animal control position
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
During a Feb. 11 Macon County Commissioners meeting, Interim Manager Warren Cabe announced that the county would be hiring a new position for animal control, a department that runs largely on the work of volunteers.
“As of this afternoon, on our Facebook page and our Macon County web page under our human resources section, there is an animal shelter attendant position that has been posted,” Cabe said, eliciting applause from the large crowd gathered during the regular February meeting.
In December of last year, Public Health Director Kathy McGaha and Board of Health Chairman Jerry Hermanson came before the county commission to address concerns brough to them by the army of volunteers that keeps animal control up and running.
“We very effectively use these large groups of volunteers to do a lot of work at the shelter, it keeps our staffing very low and of course our costs very low,” Hermanson said at the time. “But they pointed out a number of things of concern to the members of the Board of Health and so we asked the staff to do a complete dive into the operation, look at all the items that were brought up and look at in general where we’re going, what changes we’ve seen in the animal control effort that we’ve had in the last five or six years of so.”
McGaha and animal control staff sat down with volunteers and found that their main concerns were with staffing, building infrastructure, community spay and neuter programs, the animal control ordinance and training for employees and volunteers with staffing being the most urgent need.
So, in December, the health department requested one
full-time employee to be a shelter attendant. That employee was to be responsible for feeding, cleaning and generally taking care of the facilities, as well as the animals.
The county commission did not approve the additional position in December, but commissioners said they would consider the request during the upcoming budget process.
The issue came back before the board in January.
“One of the topics that was brought up at the last meeting, we talked about animal services and the shelter opera-
with exploring what options were available to the county and whether there were any interested parties.
However, in just one month, at the commission’s February meeting, Cabe announced that the county was seeking to hire an additional shelter attendant.
“[Kathy] McGaha needs some credit for that because she was able to use some funding for a contractual position through a staffing agency to hopefully help with some of those issues, at least until the end of June until we can research the issue a little bit more,” Cabe said.
tions and whether that could be facilitated by another outside agency, by contract, or some other method,” Cabe said during the Jan. 14 commissioners meeting.
Cabe got a consensus from the board to move forward
This announcement, early in the meeting, did not stop eight Macon residents from speaking publicly against the option to privatize or contract out animal control services in Macon County and in favor of additional staff.
“The mission of Macon County Animal Services is to protect human health, safety of residents, safeguard animals and promote human treatment. It’s meant to encourage the adoption of healthy and nonaggressive animals and promote responsible pet ownership,” said Constance Kneely. “But to achieve that we need adequate human, financial and infrastructural resources. An animal’s wellbeing is dependent on having appropriate staffing. With staffing shortages, we’re going to see a decline in animal care, increased overcrowding, higher rates of unnecessary euthanasia and a slower response to animal control issues that put the public at risk and the staff — they’re going to burn out.”
The Macon County Courthouse. File photo
Protesters rally against Trump
Attendees angered by Musk’s influence, Democrats’ inaction
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
On a holiday meant to honor the nation’s presidents — past and present — demonstrators in Jackson and Haywood counties joined others who gathered in cities across the country to protest what they describe as a dangerous concentration of power under Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Holding signs and chanting slogans, they voiced deep concerns about what they see as fundamental threats to democracy.
In Sylva, beneath the Jackson County Public Library, Nilofer Couture stood on the steps addressing a small but determined crowd.
“We’re not celebrating Presidents Day because we don’t really believe that he’s our president because he’s not speaking on behalf of all of us,” said Couture, who is an elected member of the Forest Hills Village Council. “We believe we can come together to fight this fascist government that is happening right now because they’re just taking away all our rights and just firing people. We need to stand together and support each other during this time.”
“In order for change to happen, this needs to not be a partisan movement. This needs to be a bipartisan movement to say, ‘Our democracy literally is at stake.’”
Helen Ryde
Couture, like others at the demonstration, expressed fears that democratic institutions were being eroded. She called for action before the next election, urging people to make their voices heard.
“We know that we don’t have power right now, but we do have the power of collective community and people,” she said. “We want to resist, openly and visibly, because we want people to know that we are not going anywhere.”
The concern over government overreach extends beyond Trump’s influence; demonstrators pointed to Musk’s growing interference in federal operations, including accessing important government systems and firing thousands of federal employees thought to be critical to the nation’s prosperity, security and reputation across the world.
Gayle Weiss was also part of the Sylva demonstration, which grew to more than 100 people just after it began under sunny skies at
noon on Feb. 17.
“Allowing an unelected, foreign-born billionaire with absolutely no oversight to access our most sensitive systems, including our IRS system, which would give them access to every American’s Social Security number, birthday, personal information, tax returns, the whole nine yards … it is so scary,” Weiss said. “It only took Hitler 53 days to take over Germany, right? And this guy is already on day 30.”
Weiss said she is willing to continue protesting as long as necessary, citing personal fears that the rights of marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ people, could be in jeopardy.
“I’m absolutely threatened,” she said. “So threatened that I’m going to take a gun class.”
While demonstrators criticized Trump and Musk, some also expressed frustration with the Democratic Party’s response. Couture said she wished Democratic leaders would be more visible and vocal.
“It seems like the activists in the country are taking power and showing up, and we need [Democratic officials] to show up for us as well,” she said.
know the guardrails are off the courts. You know the Supreme Court is a conservative majority. I don’t even think it’s conservative. That’s not even the word to describe it. They are obviously upholding their oath to one person, and that’s King Trump.”
Helen Ryde, who gathered with demonstrators in front of the historic Haywood County Courthouse, described the current state of American democracy as the result of long-term planning by conservative forces.
“This is not the work of the president that’s happening. It’s the work of decades of people who have been organizing under Project 2025 to overturn our democracy,” Ryde said, noting the small gathering of five people who showed up to the hastily-organized event. “When we said, ‘Save our democracy’ when we were getting ready for the election, I think people thought we were kind of being a little overreactive, like it wasn’t going to be that bad. And I don’t know how much more needs to happen before, people say, ‘Oh, it’s that bad and worse,’ because it is.
She also pushed back against the notion that the Presidents Day protests across the
Weiss was a bit more forgiving but still urged Democrats to be more forceful in their opposition to Trump and Musk.
“I think they’re doing what they can do. I mean, given that they are the minority party, I think that the entourage of Democratic lawyers out there, every time they’ve brought a case to court, Trump has lost, so that’s very encouraging,” she said.
“But I don’t think it’s enough.”
But Weiss simultaneously acknowledged that the courts, especially the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, appear to be biased against the interests of anyone except the man who appointed three of them.
“The guardrails are off,” she said. “You
nation were purely partisan.
“I believe that if folks who voted for Trump were fully aware of the implications of everything that’s happening, there would be more people standing with us right now,” she said. “In order for change to happen, this needs to not be a partisan movement. This needs to be a bipartisan movement to say, ‘Our democracy literally is at stake.’”
Demonstrators at the Haywood courthouse went largely unnoticed, however those in Sylva earned honks and waves of support from most who passed by in cars or on foot.
There were no counterdemonstrators at the Haywood or Jackson County events.
A small, noisy and growing group of demonstrators voiced opposition to President Donald Trump and his advisor Elon Musk near the steps of the Jackson County Library in Sylva on Feb. 17. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Loving the locals — then, now and always
This past weekend our family attended the 4th annual Waynesville Chili Cookoff Stroll in downtown. The event spanned the districts of Main Street, Frog Level and Haywood Street and lasted from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
As we meandered up and down the sidewalks and alleyways tasting a variety of chilis from traditional to brisket-based to white chicken, I was reminded of what an incredible town I live in and how privileged I am to call Waynesville home.
As we frolicked, we visited store owners who are friends and ran into many familiar faces up and down the street, catching up on life and recent happenings. We laughed, commented on the flavors in our cups or bowls and eventually became so full we couldn’t quite get to all of the stops. There were quite a few establishments we’d never visited before, helping me realize an event like the chili cookoff is a great way to not only give downtown merchants exposure but to introduce locals and tourists to new places. When we got home, we all commented how much fun we had.
February is a perfect time for such an event since it’s Love the Locals month. While I suggest we love the locals and support small businesses year-round, it’s nice to have a full month where we’re routinely reminded that shopping and dining locally isn’t only more enjoyable than shopping online but also puts money into the local economy via the pockets of business owners who will then put money back into the local economy, creating a cyclical effect that benefits everyone.
During this month, local stores offer promotions and discounts, encouraging patrons to visit. Along with fueling local prosperity, there are a number of other reasons to shop, dine and socialize at small businesses. Municipalities with a thriv-
Remember now next time you vote
To the Editor:
It has been hard to keep up with the news cycles during the first week of President Trump’s administration, but a few things deserve public ridicule. In his infinite wisdom, Trump pardoned and released about 1,500 January 6 criminal defendants into our communities to do violence and organize their militias. These are people who violently tried to interfere with the 2020 election certification process (we all saw it on television). During his campaign, Trump told us he would do this, and enough of us apparently didn’t believe him — he won. Believe him.
Second, President Trump rescinded a number of orders President Biden put in place. That alone is no big deal — presidents do this, Democrat and Republican alike. However, Trump scrapped a Biden executive order that required Health and Human Services to consider new health care delivery and pricing models that would lower prescription drug costs. Trump clearly does not care that folks are having to make choices about buying food or buying drugs that might be life saving, like insulin. Fortunately, it would take an act of Congress to reverse Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act giving Medicare authority to negotiate prices of some prescrip-
ing small business industry have stronger social ties and feel more attached to their communities. Additionally, small businesses create a smaller carbon footprint because not only do they have a shorter supply chain but they also feel more accountable to their town’s environmental initiatives. Local merchants also help preserve the character and “vibe” of a certain town or city.
Waynesville has a long history as a thriving business district. Several years ago I wrote an article for the Haywood Chamber of Commerce where I dug into this topic and truly enjoyed talking to long-time residents and those who have personally witnessed the evolution of Waynesville merchants. Ask any local to reminisce on days gone by and many will remember iconic downtown hot spots like the Open Air Curbside Market, Turner & Sons, Park Theatre, The Toggery, Whitman’s Bakery and more.
A handful of stores have been thriving much longer than most people realize. Since the 1930s, a member of the Massie family has owned one or more businesses on Main Street. The Toggery was a high-end department store owned by the Massie family. Many older individuals recall shopping for shoes and even mink-trimmed coats at The Toggery. The store closed its doors in 1981 and was shuttered for a decade before Mast General filled the space in 1991 and remains to this day.
Patricia Miller, owner of Affairs of the Heart, has been a Main Street business owner since 1996 when she opened a
LETTERS
tion drugs (for example, insulin is capped at $35 under Medicare rules). By the way, Sen. Tillis and Sen. Budd (a congressman at the time) did not vote for that law. Our current congressional representative, Chuck Edwards, opposes the law as well.
Next, Trump lost all reason and ordered federal agencies to freeze payments of federal funding — primarily grants and loans. This would potentially harm veteran’s organizations and non-profit organizations, including Sylva’s Community Table, Center for Domestic Peace and Mountain Projects. Trump’s action was cruel and inexplicable. Fortunately, people were not asleep and public backlash and a lawsuit forced the administration to reverse its order.
Finally, the unqualified but newly confirmed Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, stripped Gen. Mark Milley’s (former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) security detail and then ordered an investigation into his conduct. No doubt this action was done at the behest of Trump, who said in 2023 that the general, a Trump critic, committed treason and should be put to death. What country do we live in! It’s worth noting that our senators, Tillis and Budd, both voted to confirm Mr. Hegseth. In fact, Sen. Tillis provided the deciding vote to, reneging on a prior promise to oppose the nomination. It will be
craft store with her late mother. The original location was in the space currently occupied by Dillsboro Chocolate. In July of 1997, Patricia moved to 120 North Main, where the store still resides. What began as a small craft store where a mother and daughter sold handmade items is now a bustling gift shop popular with locals and tourists. As a fun side fact, during the 1920s, the building housing Affairs of the Heart had a swimming pool in the basement and a pool room and barber shop upstairs.
Richard Miller, owner of multiple Main Street businesses, including The Wineseller and Church Street Depot, credits much of Waynesville’s revitalization to the 1976 federal tax incentives created by Congress to promote historic preservation and community revitalization. When asked which businesses he remembers, Richard mentions The Red Wing Gift Shop, Medford Books, Tom’s Dairy Bar, Reliable Jewelers and a mom and pop grocery store located where The Waynesville Towers stands today.
In an era when many small towns are struggling, Waynesville continues to grow and evolve with the times. When the world at large feels uncertain and overwhelming, it’s helpful to focus on local living. Dine in the restaurant down the street, shop at the store owned by the woman you met at the gym, get your car serviced at a location within walking distance. We’ll be more proud of our time on earth when we look back and know we focused on friends, family and our communities, and the best way to support Waynesville and surrounding towns this month and always is to love the locals.
(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital media specialist. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)
good to remember this in 2026 — Tillis’ reelection year.
Ann Fulton Sylva
Grab the lifejackets and the suntan oil
To the Editor:
This just in! PresidentTrump is recommending everyone in WNC be moved out to somewhere else (maybe Gaza?) until the white horses can come to our rescue and fix this place. He assumes we all want out of here after the floods destroyed almost everything. Why would anyone really want to stay here? All of us originally came from somewhere else, anyway, so we can go back there, now. This decision comes after intense negotiations that lasted almost an hour with the governor of Tennessee. Not sure why Trump was in talks with someone who doesn’t live here, but hey, I’m not questioning him right now. He’s obviously on a roll like Bluto Blutarsky was in “Animal House” who asked “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” No! Let’s grab our old kit bags and move on!
Tentative plans are to flood the entire area from Blowing Rock down to Highlands. It’ll be easy, since the area is prone to flooding, anyway. He just has to turn on the water up
north and let it flow south like in California. The higher elevations will make beautiful islands for tourist junkets and the land around this new giant lake (Lake Trump, of course) will be ripe for development with resort hotels and casinos. Can’t wait to get in on the ground floor! (Well, maybe not the ground floor.)
Glenn Duerr Waynesville
GOP budget plan slashes Medicaid
To the Editor:
I asked Rep. Chuck Edwards about the massive changes made in our names by Elon Musk and others to reduce the size of government and he assured me that “Social Security will not be touched.” How can that be? Now, Edwards is proposing a budget that reduces Medicaid by almost $900 billion. That’s what pays for nursing homes. We’ll have to stretch our Social Security to pay for medical care. Medicare and Medicaid payments keep hospitals and doctors present and available here in Western North Carolina. I can’t think of a better way to reduce access to care here. We know how hard, inconvenient and expensive health care is already. We’re rural. We’ll lose. Charlotte Collins Sapphire
Susanna Shetley
Organ Fairchild will play Asheville Feb. 22. File photo
The power of three
Organ Fairchild rolls into WNC
this trio of lifelong friends circling back to one another, creating new music, and also finding wide recognition as of late by fans and critics alike, especially amid their live performance — this instrumental, improvisational crossroads of rock, jazz and fusion
“It was all about three friends spending some time together again and trying something new,” Ruch said. “So, the fact that this is all happening as we become 60-somethings is absolutely wild.”
Recently crossing over the five-year mark, what matters most to Ruch and his bandmates is the genuine sense of discovery and reaching new depths of their musicality and friendships along the way, whether it be onstage or on the road to the next perform-
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
When it comes to classic band formations, there’s something truly and uniquely special to the power of three — this trio of musicians coming together to create a melodic trinity of sonic exploration.
“The trio is such a freeing format, in that there can be a lot of space, spontaneity and dynamics in the music,” said Dave Ruch. “Each person’s contribution carries such weight and has the ability to dramatically alter the direction of the song simply by playing louder, quieter, taking a musical side road or playing with a new rhythm.”
Guitarist for rising instrumental trio Organ Fairchild, Ruch and his bandmates, keyboardist Joe Bellanti and drummer Corey Kertzie, emerged from the vibrant Buffalo, New York, jam-rock scene to create something all their own — in tone and in vision.
“I have always been a melody and harmony person — the musical aspect of a song is what attracts me to it,” Ruch said. “In fact, I have no idea what some of my alltime favorite songs are actually about since it’s not the lyrics or the story that draw me in.”
Although they formed Organ Fairchild in 2019, the three members of the band first played together as part of their first band in 1983. Honing their musical chops in a sixpiece rock band dubbed Wild Knights, that
original group specialized in covering Grateful Dead numbers. To note, the Wild Knights still occasionally host reunion gigs.
“The music had a bit of a freight-trainlike quality, in that it could be very hard to turn on a dime with that many musicians playing,” Ruch said of Wild Knights. “One
Want to go?
Instrumental funk/soul trio Organ Fairchild will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at One World Brewing in West Asheville. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $13.32 per person (tax included). For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to oneworldbrewing.com and visit the “Events” tab. To learn about Organ Fairchild,visit organfairchild.com.
person could stop playing completely and the rest of the band might or might not even notice.”
In later years, Kertzie found himself performing and touring with national acts, while Bellanti bounced around Buffalo music circles in a handful of bands. Ruch himself had a 25-year career as a full-time acoustic folk musician, only to pick up the electric guitar again right when the three friends (with Kertzie recently “giving up the road”) started jamming together by chance
in 2019.
“And it all happened by luck,” Ruch said. “We found ourselves on the same gig as three-fifths of the backing band for an old friend here in Buffalo. And when the rest of the band set down their instruments after sound check, the three of us remained on
“The excitement of creating this fresh, new music with my lifelong friends is all the motivation I need to keep going right now.”
— Dave Ruch
stage and started playing something.”
Ruch can’t remember what song the trio played, but he does vividly recall what he felt, not only within the music, but inside of himself.
“That was the moment when the idea came to my mind: I wonder if the three of us, who are old dear friends, could be a complete band,” Ruch said. “A week later, I called them both and asked if they wanted to give it a shot [at forming a band].”
Thus, Organ Fairchild came to fruition,
“It’s incredible how much deeper and more meaningful the friendship has become,” Ruch said. “Solidified no doubt by all the time on the road together and overcoming all the obstacles that come along with that. As Corey said very recently, ‘The road has turned us from friends into true brothers.’”
Even with finding this rich, vast creative landscape later in life, Ruch looks at the process itself of arriving to this point in his musical aspirations as something that took time to arrive at, where it’s about the journey to finding your true self in the musical realms the members of Organ Fairchild roamed before combining forces.
“The excitement of creating this fresh, new music with my lifelong friends is all the motivation I need to keep going right now,” Ruch said. “The playing field has changed for sure with the digital delivery of music, but the band’s goal is the same as it would have been long before the streaming era — to provide memorable live music experiences for people, and for ourselves.”
So, with the space allowed in the trio formation, whether physically or artistically, what does that lend itself to when it comes to the endless sonic possibilities within Organ Fairchild?
“All three of us have each other’s backs, which creates a huge ‘safety net,’ where we can, and do, go out on a limb musically,” Ruch said. “Confident that the others will be listening and responding and ready to pick up the slack if things go awry, which they certainly can, given the amount of improvisation that’s baked into our shows.”
In the midst of a live show, Ruch feels intricately and intrinsically connected to the music and the audience surrounding the stage, this sacred two-way street of energy and community in a shared experience that resides in the ancient act of performance.
“Music and live performance have an almost unparalleled ability to take us out of our own heads,” Ruch said. “[To] speak to us on emotional levels we barely understand and help us bond with our fellow human beings in a communal setting — that all seems like pretty valuable stuff to me.”
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
Ode to Judy Collins, ode to the power of ‘the now’
In conversation, Judy Collins is as feisty and charming as ever. At 85 years old, the legendary singer-songwriter remains on the road and onstage, this never-ending tour of sound and scope.
Bursting into the national scene with her breakthrough 1967 album “Wildflowers,” Collins recorded original material alongside the timeless works of Joni Mitchell (“Both Sides Now”) and Leonard Cohen (“Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”), who were both still unknown artists at the time.
And in the decades since, Collins has risen into the upper echelon of great American singersongwriters, where her stunning voice and mesmerizing stage presence remain as vibrant and purposeful as ever — this truly magnetic soul of kindness and compassion.
The Smoky Mountain News recently talked to Collins over the phone while she was preparing for gig later that evening in Tucson, Arizona.
And I thought that was very perceptive.
SMN: And I have solidarity with that. The thought being that if you make your backyard a better place, and if others do the same where they live, then hopefully it adds up to something bigger.
JC: That’s what’s true. Do what you can to make your life and the lives of those around you better. That’s my purpose in touring, in singing, in being an artist who’s been here for something like 65 years doing this in public.
Throughout the interaction, Collins spoke at-length about what she loves about the act of performance, how the open road remains as alluring as ever, and what it means to be an activist in modern world seemingly gone mad. Smoky Mountain News: You’ve been politically active your whole life and for the good of the people. What do you think about the chaos in our world right now?
Judy Collins: You know, one of the things that I believe in is focusing on your own story and your own path. And your own ability to make people in your audience have a relief, even for an hour-and-a-half to train their minds and their hearts on the good that they can create.
I remember talking to [legendary folk musician and activist] Pete Seeger a few years before his death. And I said, “Pete, what do you think about today? How do you feel about everything that’s going on?” And he said, “You know, I am very optimistic.” I said, “Why?” He said, “Because I see, all over this country, people are doing good works. They’re doing positive things. There are little clusters of groups, who are making a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.”
HOT PICKS
1
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Holly Williams will perform at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Ruffed Grouse Tavern at the Highlander Mountain House in Highlands.
2
A special stage production of “The Story of My Life” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21-22, 28, March 1 and 2 p.m. Feb. 23 and March 2 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
3
Jam-rock ensemble Prophets of Time will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva.
4
A special stage production of “Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Bardo Arts Center Performance Hall at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
5
North Carolina author Wayne Caldwell will share his latest poetry collection, “River Road,” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
SMN: Is there a rhyme or reason to what you choose to perform?
JC: What I do is to sit down with my books and choose the sequence, hopefully fresh every night. It usually is not the same as the night before or the night after. I like to tell stories, and that’s a big part of what I do. And I love to tell jokes. So, the combination seems to surround the music with something interesting. I have to laugh before I can make him cry.
SMN: When you think about those early years, starting out as a young artist in 1960s Greenwich Village, what really sticks out when you look back on that juncture in your life?
JC: The positive notion that people can make a change, always, as long as they decide to do so.
SMN: You’re on the road constantly, on tour and onstage. What does the idea of travel mean to you these days?
JC: I was the oldest of five [sisters]. When I was a little girl, my father was on the road and he was doing concerts all over the northwest. And so, I got the chance to learn what traveling is and what fun it is and what the positive effect of trees, deserts and mountains [are] on the soul. I got it from the time I was a little girl.
So, I love it. I love travel. And I think a lot of people don’t connect with travel. But, I think my bottom line understanding is that the effect of, as the day happens, what do you do with it?
Well, that’s a very big question. I do my prayer, I do my meditation. I eat my meals. I talk to friends. I look at the landscape. Every time I get on a plane, I’m thrilled.
SMN: What has the culmination of your life and career, thus far, taught you about what it means to be a human being?
JC: I’m not going to answer that. You can go read all kinds of books about that, but that’s not my subject. My subject is the present tense.
What do I think about? What do I do? Life is short. One of my friends said, “You know, we’re not here very long.” My husband of 46 years died on December the third. So, I know the truth of that.
We are just not here very long, and we better take up the time doing something positive and trying to help ourselves in the world. That’s my idea.
SMN: And I would surmise that you subscribe to the idea of “the now”?
JC: “The now” is all we have. It’s all we ever have, we just don’t know it some of the time. Don’t forget to smile.
Editor’s Note: Renowned singer-songwriter Judy Collins will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville. Tickets start at $66.50 per person, with seating upgrades available. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on worthamarts.org or call 828.257.4530.
Judy Collins will play Asheville Feb. 20. Shervin Lainez photo
Blow the tannery whistle
BY GARY CARDEN · S PECIAL TO SMN
Margaret Siler and the Sand Town Cherokees
By 1818, despite a growing number of settlers in the region west of the Balsams and along the Little Tennessee River, much of the land continued to be identified as “Cherokee land.”
However, when two young men from Sandy Mush in Buncombe County, Jacob Siler and Tom Britton, built a camp in the section that contained the Nikwasi Mound, they felt they were fully prepared to deal with Chief Santeela, who suddenly appeared the following morning and informed the two adventurers they were on Cherokee land and should “be gone immediately to their own homes.”
Due to the sad state of communications between settlers and Native Americans, Chief Santella did not know that much of the land around him had been “sold” the previous year to the white man in the Treaty of the Council of Chiefs.
Further, these two white men came bearing gifts: knives, colored cloth, guns. Reluctantly, Chief Santella agreed to wait for proof and several days later, found that his home now belonged to the White man. In addition, he received reports of villages being burned and an increase in the evergrowing number of whites who could drive the Cherokees from their land. He decided to seek compromise.
At this point, Jacob Siler sent word to his family in Sandy Mush that they should come immediately, for he felt that the land previously owned by the Cherokee was potentially the answer to their prayers. So, it was that Jacob’s brothers, William and John, came to build their homes on the banks of “the Cartoogejay.” However, there is another story here. It is recorded in a book written by Margaret Siler, who married Albert Siler, the son of William Siler (“Cherokee Indian Lore and Smoky Mountain Stories”).
Shortly after her marriage, Margaret discovered that there was over one hundred Cherokee living on William’s land and that they were called “the Sand Town Cherokees” because their homes were located around the
sandy banks of Muskrat Creek. She immediately established a friendship with their Chief Chuttahsotee and eventually she would learn to speak their language.
She and her father-in-law devoted a portion of their lives to recording the history, customs and legends of these members of a diminishing tribe.
What is most notable about this is William Siler ‘s decision to “deed” several hundred acres to the Cherokees. As a result, for a time (about two decades) the two cultures lived in harmony. Margaret learned that a large group of Cherokees had been forced to leave this region in the removal of the Cherokees in the 1830’s. However, in the years after the “Trail of Tears,” some of the Sand Hill Cherokees returned.
In addition, word spread among the Cherokees who had escaped or managed to hide from the forced removal. For a short time, the Sand Hill tribe came to represent a possible refuge for a number of weary and footsore Cherokees. So new arrivals brought a slight increase to the population of the Sand Town Cherokees which still maintained a tribal government and customs despite their reduction in numbers.
William often visited the old Chief Chuttahsotee on Sundays and read and attempted to explain Bible passages to him. As a result, the old chief came one day in 1872 to visit William and to make a request. He announced his intention to die on the next day and asked to be buried “like a White man.” Margaret notes that the old chief said, “Tomorrow, I will sit in the doorway of my home and watch the sun set for the last time.”
With William’s help, the old chief succeeded in receiving “a White man’s burial.”
It is not surprising that the old chief’s wife, Cunstaih (Sally) came one day after her husband’s death to make the same request. Like her husband, Sally announced her wish to join him.
Sally died on the following day as she
“sat in the doorway of her home watching the sun set.” So it is that the graves of the old chief and his wife are located in the Saint John’s Episcopal Church cemetery and is all that remains of the Cherokee settlement once known as Sand Town Cherokees.
Margaret called the Cherokee language “lipless.” She discovered that the language did not have the sound “b” or “p” and that they had difficulty pronouncing those sounds that required bringing the lips together. For example, they could not say “Albert” but said “Alquert.” I was told that Qualla got its name from Polly who had once owned a store in which the Cherokees traded. “Polly” became “Qualla.”
man who has managed to drive them from Sand Town creek!”
In writing this article, I read Margaret Siler’s marvelous book and developed an appreciation for her articles on the myths that she recorded and the subsequent research that she did.
Margaret published a series of newspaper articles and joined several academic organizations devoted to preserving the history, culture and traditions of North Carolina’s Indian tribes.
However, my appreciation for Margaret’s writing goes beyond research. In reading her personal expressions of her love for these mountains, rivers and people, she consistently reveals a personal empathy for her environment. I would like to close with a quote from one of Margaret’s personal appeals to the visiting public … come and see the Great Smokies!
“Ah, Traveler! Pause for the night. Sit on top of the world! Get off the man-made road! Get off the man-made trail!
“Watch the sun slip behind the far blue mountains.
“Watch it cling to the Clingman’s Dome in North Carolina or cap Mt. LeConte with the gesture of a good night kiss.
“The summer may give you the sight of a thunderstorm in the makings in the valley below. I have sat on a mountain top and watched a rain storm rain out while the sun has not left my lofty outlook.
However, despite the efforts of Margaret Siler and her father-in-law, the Sand Town Cherokees did not survive.
Margaret Siler awoke one morning to find no smoke rising from Sand Town. She asked her father-in-law why is there not a single Cherokee left on the deeded land. She also noted that she had hoped to write a definitive history of the Sand Town Cherokees.
Her father-in-law replied, “I don’t think that is possible. It takes a life-long friendship to know the Indian heart! He is too secretive to ever agree to be talked about from a book.”
William Siler always noted that every race that had contacted the Cherokees (White, Spanish, Black) had all proved to be untrustworthy. “Yes, now it is the White
“I have looked down on a rainbow. I have seen lightning set fire to a haystack off in a field down in a valley. I have crawled under overhang cliffs to get out of a hail storm. I have had thunder burst at my feet and roll off in big pieces down the mountain side. I have lain wrapped in a blanket on the top of a bald mountain watching the stars the whole night through on a moonless night in June. If it is autumn, tarry for the night!”
Gary Carden is one of Southern Appalachia’s most revered literary figures and has won a number of significant awards for his books and plays over the years, including the Book of the Year Award from the Appalachian Writers Association in 2001, the Brown Hudson Award for Folklore in 2006 and the North Carolina Arts Council Award for Literature in 2012. His most recent book, “Stories I lived to tell,” is available at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, or online through uncpress.org.
The graves of Chief Chuttahsotee and his wife Cunstaih are all that remains of the Cherokee settlement once known as Sand Town. Gary Carden photo
‘Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience’
‘Solstice’ will be at WCU Feb. 27. Donated photo
A special stage production of “Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Bardo Arts Center Performance Hall at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
This captivating circus show unfolds the story of a character who has lost his inner light, plunging him into a wondrous and surreal world where memories come to life and the ordinary becomes “extra”ordinary.
“Solstice” blends over eight acrobatic acts with lighting, costumes, music, scenery and snow to create a unique blend of poetry and circus in a 90-minute show. “Solstice” is an unforgettable celebration of the human spirit, where every member of the audience will feel like a kid again and remember what it was like to see snow fall for the first time.
For more information and a full schedule of events at the Bardo Arts Center, visit wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center. To purchase tickets to any of the performances, go to wcuarts.universitytickets.com.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “Aristocats: The Meow-sical” at 7 p.m. Feb. 28-March 1 and 2 p.m. March 1. smokymountainarts.com / 866.273.4615.
HART presents ‘The Story of My Life’
A special stage production of “The Story of My Life” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21-22, 28, March 1 and 2 p.m. Feb. 23 and March 2 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
An intimate and deeply moving musical, “The Story of My Life” celebrates the power of friendship and the memories that connect us. Following the lifelong bond between two childhood friends, Thomas and Alvin, this poignant tale explores how the stories we share — and the ones we leave untold — define our lives.
With a beautiful score and heartfelt lyrics, this two-person musical invites audiences to laugh, cry and reflect on the relationships that shape who we are. Honest and tender, it’s a theatrical experience that will stay with you long after the final note.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit harttheatre.org or call the box office at 828.456.6322.
On the beat
Holly Williams comes to Highlands
• American Legion Post 47 (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” 3 p.m. every Tuesday. Free and open to the public. 828.456.8691.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8-10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 / balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host an “Open Jam” 6 p.m. every Tuesday and semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.
• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every first Thursday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.307.2160 / breadheadstikishak.com.
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Helena Rose and Clint Roberts (Americana) 5 p.m. Feb. 22. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranchevents/live-music.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host Unspoken Tradition (Americana/bluegrass) 2 p.m. March 9 and “Open Mic Night” 6 p.m. March 14. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
Adam Bigelow
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Holly Williams will perform at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Ruffed Grouse Tavern at the Highlander Mountain House in Highlands.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host “Team Trivia” Mondays and Nathan Nelson (singersongwriter) Feb. 22. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 / curraheebrew.com.
The granddaughter of Hank Williams and daughter of Hank Williams Jr., Holly is also a retail entrepreneur, serial house renovator, lover of the South and her favorite title: “Mama.” She has released three critically acclaimed albums and also owns two of Nashville’s best retail spots, H. Audrey and White’s Mercantile.
Tickets are $28.52 per person. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit highlandermountainhouse.com or call 828.526.2590.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Different Light Feb. 21, Marley’s Chain Feb. 22, Mike Hollon (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. Feb. 23, Kevin Dolan & Paul Koptak Feb. 28 and Ben & The Borrowed Band March 1. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.
• Frog Quarters (Franklin) will host live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Free and open to the public. Located at 573 East Main St. 828.369.8488 / littletennessee.org.
• Gathering Room (Waynesville) will host an “Open Acoustic Jam” from 6:30-9:30 p.m. the last Friday of every month. All welcome to play or listen. 828.558.1333 / thegatheringroom828.com.
Jam-rock ensemble Prophets of Time will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at
A multi-genre blending rock band hailing from the mountains of Western North Carolina, the Prophets of Time are composed of six freewheeling spirits, the culmination of which being an energetic live show built around danceable rock-n-roll music. The show is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.349.2337 or visit lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host The O’Jays (soul/funk) 7:30 p.m. March 1. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” 6-9 p.m. every Thursday ($5 cover), “Bluegrass Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Sunday (free) and the “Salon Series” with Holly Williams (singer-songwriter) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 27 ($28.52 per person). 828.526.2590 / high-
Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva.
Holly Williams will play Highlands Feb. 27. File photo
Prophets of Time will play Sylva Dec. 20. File photo
On the beat
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic w/Phil” on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.
828.586.9678/ innovation-brewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” on Wednesdays and semiregular live music on the weekends. All events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.226.0262 / innovation-brewing.com.
• Junction Pub (Sylva) will host “Open Jam” on Sundays, “Marg Monday Karaoke” on Mondays, “Trivia” on Tuesdays, “Open Mic” on Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.370.2090 / facebook.com/jctpub.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Jamie Saylor (Americana) Feb. 21 and Ray Ferrara (country/rock) Feb. 22. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Prophets Of Time (rock/soul) Feb. 21 and Cody Marlow (roots/rock) Feb. 28. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Legends Sports Bar & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host an “Open Mic Night” 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday, Karaoke Thursdays (6 p.m.) and Saturdays (7 p.m.), with live music each Friday (8 p.m.). Free and open to the public. 828.944.0403 / facebook.com/legendssportsgrillmaggievalley.
• Listening Room (Franklin) will host Danny Schmidt (singer-songwriter) 2:30 p.m. March 2. Suggested donation $20. Located at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
• Macon County Public Library (Franklin) will host The Vagabonds (Americana) at 2 p.m. the first and third Monday and a “Song Circle” open jam from 3-6 p.m. the first Tuesday each month. Free and open to the public. 828.524.3600 or fontanalib.org.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host “Open Mic Night” w/Frank Lee every Thursday, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) Feb. 22 and Bird In Hand (Americana/indie) Feb. 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Old Edwards Inn (Highlands) will host live music in the Hummingbird Lounge at 5:30
p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Free and open to the public. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com.
• Otto Community Center (Otto) will host James Thompson (Americana) 4 p.m. Feb. 21. Bring a beverage and snack of your choice. Free and open to the public. 770.335.0967 / go2ottonc.com.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host Duo Catanza (classical guitar) 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
• Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro (Dillsboro) will host Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.586.1717 / facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Karaoke 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Trivia Night 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and “Open Mic with Dirty Dave” 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.
• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke w/Russell” every Monday and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105 / facebook.com/saltydogs2005.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Mike Yow (singer-songwriter) Feb. 20, Brian Ashley Jones (Americana) Feb. 22 and Kid Billy (blues/folk) Feb. 27. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 / scotsmanpublic.com.
• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.479.3364 / stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with Melissa McKinney (singer-songwriter) Feb. 20 and Remedy 58 (blues/soul) Feb. 27. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host “Bluegrass Wednesday” at 6 p.m. each week and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.8364 / theuglydogpub.com.
• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Karaoke With Lori Feb. 20 (free), Macon County Line Feb. 21, Topper Feb. 22, TNT Feb. 27, Second Chance Feb. 28 and Ellis Haven March 1. All shows are $5 at the door unless otherwise noted and begin at 8 p.m. 828.538.2488 / unpluggedpub.com.
• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts
Zoe & Cloyd will play Waynesville Feb. 21.
Sarah Johnston photo
Folkmoot welcomes Zoe & Cloyd
Popular Asheville-based Americana/folk act Zoe & Cloyd will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
The innovative “klezgrass” music of Zoe & Cloyd springs from the rich traditions and complementary styles of fiddler/vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist John Cloyd Miller.
Descending from a lineage of klezmer and jazz musicians, Weinstein trained classically in her home state of Massachusetts before moving south in 2004. Miller, a 12th generation North Carolinian and grandson of pioneering bluegrass fiddler, Jim Shumate, is a first-place winner of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest and the Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest.
Admission is “pay what you can,” with prices starting at $5 per person. For more information and/to purchase tickets, visit folkmoot.org.
‘Fire Up the Arts’
added to the challenges, delaying access to essential tools for the Canton school.
That’s why the Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC), in partnership with Quick Draw, has launched the “Fire Up the Arts” campaign to raise $7,000 to fully equip Pisgah High School’s ceramics program.
This funding will provide a high-quality kiln, professional-grade pottery wheel, durable bats for throwing clay, metal shelving for storage and a variety of glazes to spark creativity.
Thanks to an incredible deal on nearly new equipment, every dollar counts toward transforming the art room into a fully functional ceramics studio. To make your gift go even further, a generous donor has pledged to match up to $3,500 in donations through the end of February — doubling the impact of every contribution.
“Art education is critical for fostering creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills,” said Tonya Harwood, HCAC executive director. “Claywork, in particular, provides students with a unique opportunity to connect with their creativity in a tactile and rewarding way. We’re committed to ensuring Pisgah students have access to this experience.”
With your support, Pisgah High School students can experience the joy, challenge and reward of working with clay, bringing art back to life in their classroom.
To contribute, visit haywoodarts.org.
WCU faculty art showcase
Featuring works from faculty artisans at Western Carolina University, the 2025 School of Art & Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition will be displayed through May 2 in the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.
Outside of the classroom, faculty members in the School of Art & Design are active artists and scholars that make significant contributions to the arts. The exhibition provides students and the community with an opportunity to view recent works created by distinguished faculty members whose primary research output is studio-based.
The museum’s hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and until 7 p.m. on Thursday.
For more information, visit wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center.
On the table
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have its wine bar open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host semi-regular tap-takeovers from local and regional breweries on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.
• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. 828.538.0420.
• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. There will also be a special “Beer Train” on select dates. 800.872.4681 / gsmr.com.
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece. The materials for art works are supplied and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share with each other. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host an adult arts and crafts program at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Ages 16 and up. Space is limited to 10 participants. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. For a full list of classes, visit cre828.com. dawn@cre828.com / 828.283.0523.
• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. galleryzella.com / 517.881.0959.
• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of one’s skills. They welcome photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. haywoodarts.org.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. jcgep.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/swaincenter.
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. dogwoodcrafters.com/classes.html / 828.586.2248.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular arts and crafts workshops. coweeschool.org/events.
The Pisgah High art fundraiser is currently underway. Donated photo
Becoming Little Shell: the search for identity
Having grown up in proximity to a Cherokee community (Little Snowbird in Graham County), I’m familiar with and sensitive to the history and the psychology of Native peoples who have been marginalized and worse from their cultural roots and their homelands. Chris La Tray’s new book “Becoming Little Shell: A Landless Indian’s Journey Home,” (Milkweed Editions, 2024) is an indigenous telling of one man’s life and journey to find his true Native American roots and ancestry.
Having grown up in a family where his father refused to identify with his Native American origins and lineage, in midlife La Tray becomes focused on his own heredity and tribal identity, feeling instinctively that he wants to be Indian and knowing that he is Indian despite the refutation of his father.
els around the state.
But this is early on and the journey and the search progress: “I’m committed to uncovering the culture of my people. I’m committed to learning as much of the language as I can. I’ve always loved this land, and I’ve always loved Indian people. The more I dig into it, the more I interact with
magnificently wild Missouri River, free of dams. And the people who crossed over and back across them for decades, even centuries,” he ponders and then reveals in the present tense: “In the distance I hear magpies rasping out their greeting to the morning. In my mind’s eye I imagine people queued up here, laughing and cursing, urging their animals and two-wheeled carts across the river. I take some photos and wipe tears from the corner of my eye.”
In a book that reads like a travel journal that takes us throughout the state of Montana, we start out and travel with La Tray seeking living ancestors and the tracing of the history of his Native family name. Through diligent research and sought-out conversations with authors, activists, elders and historians, what he learns leads him to further implications as to his tribal heritage and eventually to the fact that he is certain that his bloodlines go back to the Little Shell Tribe, which is a part of the larger Chippewa Nation based in Montana and beyond.
“I have no record of my father ever identifying as anything but white. My dad never wanted to be viewed as Indian. I’m the opposite,” writes La Tray. Also, as an avid nature lover, he shares with us his love of the natural world, which would prove to be essential to his identifying with his Indian identity.
“Ever since I was young, one of my favorite things to do has been rambling around outdoors. Part of this is the result of being a child of the seventies in a household with essentially no television, living in a landscape nothing indoors could ever match,” he writes of his youth.
But the search for self goes on: “A nondescript office building in Great Falls, Montana, is the tribal headquarters of the Little Shell Chippewa tribe. By now I’m pretty confident I’m Little Shell. The purpose of my visit is the first step in attempting to prove it,” he writes as he continues his trav-
my Indian relatives, the more it blooms in my heart. The more it blooms in my spirit.
Focusing on this rhetoric over blood and race is a smoke screen to mask the slow roll of continued genocide,” he writes about the whole issue of DNA testing, tribal membership and blood quantum.
Now, we are Kerouac-like on the road with La Tray. “Driving, I stop and squint and imagine these plains crowded with immense herds of buffalo. Of elk, antelope, and wolves and grizzly bears. Rivers and creeks and all the birds that would gather there. A
Upcoming readings at City Lights
Without giving too much away, the rest of the book deals with the discovery and meeting of family and ancestral ties (“... for those of us with even the slightest knowledge of our family trees it’s usually only a generation of two before we find a common ancestor”); the Catholic religion related to removal and conversion (“to erase Indigenous spiritual practices and livelihoods”); BIA Indian Schools and Boarding Schools; the landscape of various parts of Montana and southern Canada and various settlements and town histories. All of this is described in detail in La Tray’s congenial conversational voice until the book’s end: “I set out to write this book as a Little Shell person in service to my Little Shell people, but now I find myself a Little Shell person in service to the world.”
(Thomas Crowe is a regular contributor to The Smoky Mountain News and is the author of the award-winning memoir Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods and is publisher of New Native Press.)
North Carolina author Wayne Caldwell will read from his new poetry collection, “River Road” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22. The collection follows Susan McFalls as she rebuilds her life in the Blue Ridge Mountains. “River Road” is a companion to Caldwell’s earlier poetry collection, “Woodsmoke.” Kristen Gentry and Halle Hill will read from their story collections, “Mama Said” and “Good Women,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library (Room 186) in Cullowhee. The event is in partnership with the Global Black Studies Program. Gentry’s “Mama Said” explores Black family life in Louisville, Ky., while Hill’s “Good Women” delves into the lives of 12 Black women across the Appalachian South. All readings are free and open to the public. For more information, visit citylightsnc.com or call 828.586.9499.
Writer Thomas Crowe
Conservation plan coming for Jackson
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
Jackson County is embarking on a conservation plan with goal of protecting certain tracts of land.
“Jackson County is, from a natural resources perspective, a phenomenal county,” said Owen Carson, senior ecologist at Equinox Environmental in a presentation to commissioners Feb. 4. “I would say it’s probably one of the premier counties in Western North Carolina and maybe across the state in terms of its biodiversity and its significance.”
According to Carson, the purpose of the conservation plan is to assess conservation
The conservation plan will aim to protect some of Jackson County’s most precious natural resources, such as Schoolhouse Falls.
priorities in the six townships that comprise the district to generate policy recommendations to protect their rural and scenic character and balance the conservation of their important elements with the development of the region.
“I also acknowledge that Jackson County has a wealth of farmland, forest land, rivers, streams, valleys, beautiful vistas, all of these things that we all hold near and dear to our hearts. They help make Jackson County what it is, and we think that they should be celebrated, and I hope that all of you do too,” said
Carson. “There is a lot here that is worth protecting and that is what this conservation plan effort is about.”
District four is the largest in Jackson County. At 170,000 acres, it is bigger than the rest of the districts added together, which total just about 125,000 acres. It contains Cashiers, Hamburg, Canada, Mountain, River and Caney Fork townships.
Equinox Environmental is the lead coordinator for the conservation plan project. The company has previously done work in Jackson County, perhaps most recently the planning
for the revamped Bridge Park Project.
The project is funded collaboratively with the county commission funding about half of the $167,500 total. The Tourism Development Authority and the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina also contributed funds.
“A lot of people came together to help make this project happen,” said Carson. “We’re thankful for that.”
A vision for the conservation plan has already been developed by the steering committee and says that F
File photo
Wildlife Resources Commission to discuss Conservation Access Pass
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) invites the public to attend upcoming forums to discuss implementation of a Conservation Access Pass currently under consideration. It would grant individuals who do not possess a NCWRC-issued hunting, fishing or trapping license, access to and use of NCWRC property, including:
• Over 2 million acres of game lands.
• Five NCWRC owned and managed shooting ranges.
• Over 250 Boating Access areas (BAAs) to more than
the plan will be “an authoritative blueprint to make responsible land use decisions that conserve and enhance the biodiverse mountainous landscape — forests, streams, rivers, farms, wetlands, and wildlife — in the face of ever-increasing development pressure and
100 bodies of water for non-registered vessel owners.
Four public forums, three in-person and one virtual, will be held where staff will provide information and answer questions about what is being considered, as well as gather public input and opinions to inform the Commission’s decision.
In Western North Carolina, there will be a forum from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. The virtual webinar will be held from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 4.
The virtual forum will be recorded and posted to NCWRC’s YouTube channel. Comments and questions may be submitted online. For more information visit ncwildlife.org/conservation-access-pass.
intense working group sessions to kind of distill what the purpose of the goals of this plan will be,” said Carson. “So this was a collaborative effort leading to these goals.”
The scope of the project was finalized at the end of September.
engagement and recommendations,” said Carson.
Near the end of the project the team will be distilling information into recommendations and developing the final conservation plan document to be submitted for review.
Part of the review of local ordinances will include a review of communities with similar conservation plans within the region and beyond.
resources by conserving and sustaining ecologically sensitive areas, farms, working lands, landscape integrity and natural vistas; promoting economic growth for farmers and the community by prioritizing farmland preservation; protecting the natural and beneficial functions of watersheds; advancing resilient development and open space strategies to adapt to future climate impacts; and empowering communities and educating people to be stewards of the land and to embrace Southern Appalachian natural and cultural heritage.
in October of last year,” said Carson. “And at the same time we have project download ses-
ing to work on a suitability assessment for conservation and development which is basically a mapping model that helps identify areas more suited for conservation or more suitable for development.”
“I would say it’s probably one of the premier counties in Western North Carolina and maybe across the state in terms of its biodiversity and its significance.”
— Owen Carson
While the steering committee helps to guide the project process, it will also work with and garner input from stakeholders like local officials, businesses, land trusts, farmers, developers, real estate agents and the general public within district four.
A lawyer with a firm in Catawba has agreed to review the ordinance recommendations and case studies pro bono for the project to ensure legality.
Commissioner Jenny Hooper asked whether the ordinance recommendations will apply to people who own land in Jackson County.
“The purpose of this plan is not to generate legal ordinances to apply to the community,” said Carson. “It’s to generate recommendations for you and for county planning to make informed decisions on conservation and land development moving forward. Our role is not to generate legal ordinance or code.”
“We’re pulling little bits of information from these examples that we feel have done a good job protecting their character in making these conservation-based plans,” said Carson. “But also, we’re considering looking at communities of a similar size completely outside of this region because there are dynamics that exist in those communities that are emulated here, and we didn’t want to restrict our geographic focus just to the southern Appalachian communities. We think it’s important to consider how other communities have experienced growth and change.”
In addition to meetings with the stakeholder groups, general public meetings will take place in both March and July.
“A lot of our community members represent a diverse set of groups, and what you see here in these goals reflects several
“As we move through the process, we will engage the public, we will gather that information, assess it and ultimately the final document will be a blend of information we collected at the front end, analyses, public
File photo
District four is the largest in Jackson County. At 170,000 acres, it is bigger than the rest of the districts added together, which total just about 125,000 acres. File photo
The Joyful Botanist
BY ADAM B IGELOW
Dog days of winter
While winter walks in the woods can sometimes seem devoid of botanical interest, especially for someone as flower-focused as I tend to be, there are plenty of evergreen plants, shrubs and trees to entice me onto a trail in the dormant season while I await the return of wildflowers.
DECEMBER 10TH THRU MARCH 8TH 9:00 AM – 10:00
One of the most common evergreen plants you may encounter on a winter stroll is the doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana), which tends to grow in moist, acidic soil near creeks and along trail sides. This member of the heath family (Ericaceae) is a low-growing shrub with arching branches, green glossy leaves that often take on a maroon color in winter and clusters of seed pods that persist through the winter under the leaves.
Doghobble blooms in the springtime with drooping clusters of creamy white bell-shaped, or urceolate flowers, that are pollinated by native bees, butterflies, moths and other generalist pollinating insects. The flowers are born in the axil, which is what we call the connecting point of a leaf and a stalk. While the axillary flowers of doghobble resemble those of its delicious relative the blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) instead of ripening into a sweet and tasty fruit like blueberry, the seeds of doghobble are contained inside a dry, hard capsule that splits open along five seams to release the seeds when they are mature.
terbush, dog-laurel, and switch-ivy. This last one stung a bit until I remembered that mountain-folk used to call mountain-laurel (Kalmia latifolia) “ivy.” That means many a smart-mouthed kid might have been tasked to go cut a switch from the doghobble to teach them a corporal lesson.
One of the most common evergreen plants you may encounter on a winter’s meander is the doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana), which tends to grow in moist, acidic soil near creeks and along trail sides. Adam Bigelow photo
Doghobble is a fun common name, though. It stems from the history of raising dogs to hunt bear in these mountains. While being chased through the woods by a pack of howling hounds, the big lumbering bear could crash right through a patch of Leucothoe without being bothered at all. But it would hobble the dogs who would get caught up in the tangled mass of branches. Hence the name doghobble. The arching growth habit of doghobble lends itself to providing a bit of safety for the bears, and in its being called “hobble.” There are other plants in the woods with the name hobble in them, including a shrub called witch hobble (Viburnum lantanoides). What connects these hobble plants is the ability of the arching branches to root themselves into the ground whenever the above-ground stem touches the soil. This makes walking through these hobbling plants very difficult for dogs and humans alike.
Doghobble is often used in landscaping applications here in the mountains, and can make a nice addition to a shady, woodland garden with acidic soil like we often find in the South. I tend to prefer its look in the wild over its manicured landscape look. However, it serves a good role of providing evergreen coverage.
These seed capsules develop in fall and will persist on the plant through the winter. As these fruits begin to ripen, they take on the look of a display of miniature pumpkins available for sale at garden centers for your fall decorations. Their diminutive size would only make these “pumpkins” suitable for a mouse’s stoop or a fairy’s cottage.
Among the many varied names that are given to this plant, doghobble is how most of us who live in Southern Appalachia know it. I have also seen it listed as drooping fet-
If you do find yourself wading through a colony of doghobble, look out for a pack of hunting dogs or a sniveling kid fearful of parental retribution. Maybe y’all could all hide out together. Along with winter birds and small animals, doghobble makes a good shelter and protective space for those hiding from hunters of all kinds.
(The Joyful Botanist leads weekly wildflower walks most Fridays and offers consultations and private group tours through Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions. bigelownc@gmail.com.)
Nonprofits partner to tackle non-native invasive plants in
Pisgah National Forest
For the past two weeks, local nonprofit organizations The Pisgah Conservancy and EcoForesters have worked together to tackle a decades-old issue within the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest: kudzu and other non-native invasive plants.
Unaffectionately known as “mile-a-minute” or “the vine that ate the South,” kudzu (Pueraria montana) is native to Japan and southeast China and was first introduced to the United States in the late 1800s. It was promoted as a solution for erosion control in the early-to-mid 1900s and has continued to spread throughout the southeast and beyond ever since then.
The Pisgah Conservancy’s Invasive Plant Management Crew and forestry technicians from EcoForesters worked side by side for a two-week period to remove and treat non-native invasive plants from areas along the Davidson River, which is a major tributary of the French Broad River. Major kudzu and other non-native invasive plant infestations like those found in the treatment area can negatively affect water quality, soil health and overall biodiversity.
The crews made impressive progress. They treated the entire 13-acre kudzu project area in a single week (the week of January 27), which was half of the anticipated treatment time. This allowed the crews to pivot in the second week (the week of February 3) and treat an additional 11-acre area along Avery Creek Road with a severe autumn olive infestation.
Removing and treating non-native invasive plants gives native plants, as well as the wildlife and habitats
Haywood County Master Gardeners offer plant clinic
The planting season is getting closer, and Master Gardeners are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and ornamental plants; disease, insect, weed or wildlife problems; soils (including soil test results) and fertilizers; freeze and frost damage; and cultural and chemical solutions to pest problems.
that depend on them, a fighting chance. This has been the primary goal of The Pisgah Conservancy’s Invasive Plant Management Crew since its launch in March 2024.
In their first nine months, the Invasive Plant Management Crew surveyed 355 acres within the Catheys Creek watershed area and treated 88 of those acres. They also provided critical support to the U.S. Forest Service alongside The Pisgah Conservancy’s Trail Crew by helping to clear and assess roads and trails in the weeks and months following Hurricane Helene.
In 2025 the Invasive Plant Management Crew will conduct initial treats at North Mills River Campground and Wash Creek Horse Camp, as well as return to the Catheys Creek watershed area and the areas treated during this two-week partnership with EcoForesters to perform follow-up treatments to further prevent the regrowth of non-native invasive plants.
The Pisgah Conservancy will host Pisgah Project Day, which is Pisgah’s largest volunteer day, on Saturday, April 26 in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. Each year this event brings local business sponsors, partner organizations, and hundreds of community volunteers together to tackle 20+ improvement projects throughout the Pisgah Ranger District in a single day.
The day’s projects include non-native invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, trail bridge repair and construction, trash pick-up, graffiti removal, gardening, and more. The day of hard work in the forest is followed by the official Pisgah Project Day after-party at Oskar Blues Brewery (Brevard). Volunteer registration for the event will open on March 19 on The Pisgah Conservancy’s website and will remain open through April 21.
Will Coffee (Pisgah Conservancy) displaying a cross section of the large wisteria vine. It is estimated to be 30-40 years old.
Send clear digital photos if possible, or people can call 828.456.3575 and describe their home gardening issue to the receptionist. Either way, a Haywood County Master Gardener Volunteer will reach out within a few days with research-based informa-
Email HaywoodEMGV@gmail.com with a det ailed description of the problem, plant, or insect.
People can also drop by the Extension office on Raccoon Road in Waynesville; the on-site clinic is staffed Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.
NHC offers ‘trail ambassador’ training
Join the Nantahala Hiking club this weekend for a training session to educate people how to become “trail ambassadors.”
The session will be held with the upcoming surge of northbound Appalachian Trail hikers that will hit Western North Carolina in the next couple of months. Trainees will come away being better equipped to share trail conditions and weather updates, offer wildlife interaction updates, speak about “Leave No Trace” principle and encourage hikers.
The training will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Lazy Hiker Brewing Company in Franklin.
Donated photo
Market PLACE WNC
MarketPlace information:
The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!
Rates:
• $15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.
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• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE
• $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less)
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Note: Highlighted ads automatically generate a border so if you’re placing an ad online and select a highlight color, the “add border” feature will not be available on the screen.
Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, McDOWELL COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE, DISTRICT COURT DIVISION, FILE # 22 JA 98
In Re: C. Smith, Minor Child
TO: Randall Smith, respondent father of the male child C. Smith, born February 14, 2008, in Haywood County, TN, conceived with Brittany Winchester.
NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS RE: ABUSE/NEGLECT/DEPENDENCY PETITION
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a petition has been
Social Services alleging juvenile is a neglected juvenile.
You have a right to be -
to hire one, the Court(828) 655-4100
A pre-adjudication hear8, 2025. The adjudication and dispositional hearings are to be held at the March 5, 2025 sessionhouse (21 S. Main Street, Marion, NC 28752).
You are required to March 31, 2025. Further noticesor a subsequent order
based on the criteria set out in N.C.G.S. § parental rights as to the child involved:
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION Case No.25E000030-490
Margaret Sabrina Kumar
against the Estate to May 19 2025, or this
All persons indebted to Executor 705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION Case No.25E000069-430 David F Kuehn, having Curtis S Kuehn to the undersigned on or May 12 2025, or
All persons indebted to
NC 28752
Aaron G. Walker
Marion,
Executor
47 Fern St
Canton, NC 28716
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000028-490
Susan Silvestri aka Susie Silvestri
against the Estate to May 12 2025, or this
All persons indebted to
Executor
705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779
PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE – UPDATED ANNUAL AND 5-YR PHA PLAN
Mountain Projects, Inc.
– NC152 Annual and 5-Year Plans Fiscal Year 07/2025
Mountain Projects, Inc.
2025 Public Housing Agency (PHA) Annual Plan and 2025-2030 5-Year Plan
These plans outline our goals and strategies
DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY: The proposed plans
at 2177 Asheville Road and Mountain Projects, Inc. Website org PUBLIC HEARING DETAILS: Mountain Projects, Inc. invites all interested parties to attend a public hearing to provide
AM Location: Mountain
and suggestions. Public planning process.
please contact Mountain Projects, Inc. at (828)
org.
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