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By Boyd Allsbrook • SMN Contributor | What do To Kill A Mockingbird, Harry Potter, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and 1984 all have in common? Apart the obvious fact of their bookhood, you’d struggle to find anything thematically similar between them. But this assortment of classics, modern novels, and fantasies are all related in an important way. All have, at some point, been banned from schools or libraries.
This is the season of “winter squash.” Winter Squash like acorn, spaghetti squash, hubbard, kabocha, delicata, butternut and pumpkin are the hard skinned cousins to summer squash (zucchini and yellow squash). Winter squash come in a variety of colors and sizes and make a beautiful fall display — but are also nutritious and delicious to eat.
Every industry, including the supermarket world, has their own lingo. How many of these supermarket terms and abbreviations do you know or have you heard when you are in your local Ingles store?
Pink Regalia, located in Waynesville and Asheville, is the second retailer in the nation to carry the newest technology for breast cancer surgery recovery.
The census deadline is Sept. 30, and response rates are low in WNC counties, meaning that the region could miss out on millions of dollars in federal funding over the next 10 years if citizens don’t submit their responses in the next week.
The transition from summer to fall brings with it a sense of excitement for favorite pastimes, favorite foods and of course, favorite beers. The breweries throughout Western North Carolina never disappoint when it comes to offering up new seasonal brews — some that encourage us to hold on to late summer as long as we can and others that fully embrace the cooler weather coming our way. Here are just a few of our favorites right now.
To the Editor:
Whatever categories are on a home-schooled student’s report card, “works well with others” is probably not one of them.
That’s something for families to consider if a long-range goal is to be admitted to one of the nation’s armed services academies. Leadership potential is their most important criterion.
Madison Cawthorn’s experience is a cautionary tale.
Until he was called on it, Cawthorn, the Republican nominee for Congress in District 11, had voters believe he was bound for the U.S. Naval Academy before an automobile accident, in which he was a passenger, disabled him.
In fact, the Academy had already rejected his application. Cawthorn admitted that under oath in 2017 during unsuccessful litigation against the driver’s insurance company. His failure to be as candid with voters three years later raises a question about his integrity.
Cawthorn had no explanation when the Asheville Watchdog, an on-line news site, first asked about it.
But he says now that then-Rep. Mark Meadows, who was sponsoring him for the Academy, told him that “there must have been something wrong with my nomination and he would work on it.”
“So I was still awaiting my acceptance at the time of my accident.”
Meadows probably did say that. It’s what many a congressman might do if he wanted to let a disappointed constituent down lightly. But the problem was not likely the nomination itself. After all, the Academy would hesitate to cross a congressman over some technicality.
However, Meadows knew, or should have known, that Annapolis is highly selective. Barely 8 of every 100 applicants were offered admission this year. Home-schooled applicants like Cawthorn have it harder no matter who nominates them, even if their SAT scores are better than his were.
According to data provided by the Naval Academy’s Public Affairs office, only 12 of the 269 home-schooled students who applied for the present plebe class of 2023 received letters of acceptance. Three of them were to the Academy’s prep school rather than to Annapolis itself.
That’s an admission rate of 4 percent, less than half the 8.3 percent of applicants who were offered admission overall.
“Although many home-schoolers are able to qualify academically for admission, many find their overall records relatively weak in the area of extracurricular activities,” the Annapolis web site explains. “This is the portion of the application process we use to predict leadership potential.”
The Academy’ Class of 2023 “snapshot” shows that 92 percent of the new midshipmen were varsity athletes. 72 percent were captains or co-captains of their teams, 67 percent were student body leaders, 66 percent took part in dramatics, public speaking or debating, 65 percent were in the National Honor Society, and 48 percent reported church group activities. Those statistics obviously overlap.
The site lists various ways for home schoolers to get equivalent experience. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and local club sports are among them.
“There are no additional requirements for home schoolers,” the Academy explains, but goes on to note that “it is sometimes more challenging to review non-traditional records.”
The site details basic requirements for admission, among them “four years of math courses, including a strong foundation in geometry, algebra, and trigonometry.” It adds that “experience in pre-calculus is also very valuable, if it does not interfere with the aforementioned courses.” It goes on to stipulate “one year of chemistry, with lab if possible, and four years of course work in English “with special attention to the study and practice of effective writing.”
To “further enhance” the home schooler’s chances for admission, the Academy also recommends “at least two years” of foreign language including “regular use of the spoken language” and a one-year course in physics, “with lab if possible.”
Those are exacting standards but most public schools are able to meet them because their faculties comprise multiple talents. On the other hand, there can’t be many home schools where a parent is so versatile.
Considering how few are admitted, it’s no disgrace to be rejected by the Naval Academy. Cawthorn should stop implying that it was Meadows’s fault.
Martin Dyckman
Asheville
To the Editor:
I recently hiked to the top of Wayah Bald. Stunning views, and sobering to see the remnants of the massive fire that ran up the mountain and destroyed the fire tower. It’s been beautifully restored thanks to the Forest Service and volunteers. One of my companions recalled how her home was destroyed in the Gatlinburg fire a few years ago. And I remembered the severe drought and the smoke over Haywood county from Jackson County fires a few years ago.
Fast forward to 2020 and the fires engulfing the West Coast after 114 degrees in L.A. Then think about the massive crop destruction in the Midwest from unheard-of hurricane force winds. Think about the seven named tropical storms that hit the continental U.S. before the end of August — first time ever.
Now recall 2004. Seven feet of water in downtown Canton after two hurricanes stalled over our mountains and dumped 22 inches of rain. Not long ago I visited my old medical school in Houston. Hurricane Harvey dumped 55 inches of rain and broke all records — in 48 hours — and wreaked havoc in East Texas. By the way, this happened exactly 10 days after the Trump administration disbanded the Flood Control Task force that had been established under the Obama Administration.
Climate change is not a “Chinese hoax to steal our jobs,” as Donald Trump stated. Just as the 190,000-plus deaths from Covid-19 are not a hoax or just “a bad cold” that will go away by itself, “like a miracle.”
Climate change is here and will affect every county in the U.S. Our local supporters of President Trump — Sen. Thom Tillis, Mike Clampitt, and Madison Cawthorn — insult our intelligence with their endless chatter about “big government,” “socialism,” and “the science isn’t proven yet,” whether referring to the climate crisis or dealing with the pandemic. Our response to both is urgent and must be based on science and trust.
Science and the decency to care for our neighbors — be they in Haywood County, Iowa, Texas or Oregon. Vote as if the Earth depends on it— it does!
Stephen Wall, MD
Haywood County
As the sweltering heat is nearing an end, the fall season provides many enjoyable outdoor activities. Utilizing the beauty of East Tennessee with a picnic can encourage locals and travelers to stay closer to home.
On. Sept. 17, Gov. Roy Cooper authorized Plan A in-person opening of schools for all elementary students in Kindergarten through fifth grade.
The Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency, in consultation with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has identified a COVID-19 cluster connected to Enchanting Hair Fashions in Canton.
Western North Carolina voters are invited to participate in the first-ever online candidate forum featuring two candidates who are running to represent House District 120 in the North Carolina General Assembly: Karl Gillespie (R) of Franklin and Susan Landis (D) of Murphy.
As a means to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a nationwide order this week to temporarily halt evictions for millions of renters who meet certain criteria. The order went into effect Friday, Sept. 4 and lasts through Dec. 31, 2020.
Unless a new agreement is signed, patients with Blue Cross, Blue Shield Medicare Advantage Plans will have to pay out-of-network prices for services at Duke LifePoint hospitals beginning Jan. 1, 2021.
By Whitney White
Living abroad with my family is simultaneously good, weird, and freeing. As I sit down to pen these thoughts, I‘ve just kissed my eldest goodbye and sent him off to school. On a bus? Nope. He's walking, and he's only 6. Culturally, this behavior is expected in Germany.
Two parcels totaling 219 acres will eventually be added to the Nantahala National Forest thanks to a recently completed conservation project from the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
One of the tracts contains Big Creek, a headwater tributary of the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River. The other is located on Tanasee Ridge and can potentially provide an alternate gateway to Panthertown Valley, a popular area for outdoor recreation. Both have long been priorities for addition to the Nantahala National Forest.
Clay Jordan will soon leave the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after landing a job as superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, beginning Nov. 8.
On Sept. 2, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler and WNC Communities Executive Director Jennifer Ferre cosigned a pledge to continue support for the Hemlock Restoration Initiative.
To the Editor:
Consider this case study in trust: A meteorologist reports the track of a category 2 hurricane, explaining that it will not come close to the U.S. mainland. It will, she says with confidence, curve to the north Atlantic without making landfall and “disappear.”
To the Editor:
If you were hanging around outside one of the NC-11 Congressional debates at WCU’s main campus in Cullowhee or its satellite classrooms at Biltmore Park, on Sept 4 or 5, it would have been hard to miss a lively crowd of Madison Cawthorn supporters honking car horns and waving flags. You might even wonder, where were Moe Davis’s cheering supporters? Doesn’t he have any?
To the Editor:
As the campaign for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District enters its final months, I’d like to draw attention to Madison Cawthorn’s position on health care reform.
To the Editor:
As another Election day approaches, I feel compelled to express my thoughts and opinions to my community. I am very concerned about how the future will be impacted by the results of our upcoming November 2020 election. This election feels much more consequential to me than any other in my lifetime.
By Mike Leatherwood • Guest Columnist | When I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers in 1963, I took this oath: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
HIGHTS (Helping Inspire Gifts of Hope, Trust and Service) works with communities’ most at-risk youth to provide meaningful service opportunities, adventure activities, job training and essential mental health services in Jackson, Haywood, Macon and Swain counties. HIGHTS goal is to develop essential life skills and instill feelings of community belongingness in our clients.
Republican Mike Clampitt and Democrat Rep. Joe Sam Queen, candidates for the North Carolina House of Representative District 119, will appear at a virtual town hall hosted by The Smoky Mountain News and Blue Ridge Public Radio.
Students in Haywood County will return to in-person learning Monday, Sept. 28, after being fully remote since the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic in mid-March.
Many of us have had significant changes in our lives and schedules due to the Pandemic and we are cooking at home more than ever before. With many restaurants closed to inside dining or only open at partial capacity we may also be eating out less.
Haywood Regional Medical Center, a Duke LifePoint Hospital, announced that Greg Caples has been named its new chief executive officer, effective Sept. 30.
Congressional candidates’ claims rated for truthfulness
By Sally Kestin and Peter H. Lewis
AVL Watchdog
In their first public face-off, the candidates vying for the increasingly competitive 11th district congressional seat, Republican Madison Cawthorn and Democrat Moe Davis, touted their differences on just about all issues and hurled accusations, with each calling the other “fast and loose” with the facts. Who was telling the truth? AVL Watchdog fact-checked some of the claims made at the Sept. 4-5 debates at Western Carolina University and rated them as true, false or misleading.
Waynesville native and Tuscola High School graduate Samuel Lalemand is serving aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which is continuing to conduct operations in the Indo-Pacific region. Petty Officer 2nd Class Lalemand, an aviation machinist’s mate, tests F/A-18 Super Hornet engines.
The Southwestern Commission Council of Governments is pleased to announce the availability of low interest loans for small businesses and entrepreneurs adversely affected by COVID-19. Loans are available to qualifying applicants in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties.
The exterior walls of Western Carolina University’s Scott and Walker residence halls — a pair of nine-story, no-frills, 1960s-era, dormitory-style student housing facilities — are scheduled to begin tumbling down Wednesday, Sept. 16, along with floors and ceilings.
Due to the pandemic, Friends of the Smokies has had to cancel its annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon, which it typically holds at the end of August to raise money for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
A virtual book club through the Highlands Biological Foundation this fall will cover the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.
The Waynesville Recreation Center and Old Armory will reopene for additional activities at 30 percent capacity at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, in response to Gov. Roy Cooper’s announcement that North Carolina is entering Phase 2.5 of reopening.
The Jackson County Recreation Centers in Cullowhee and Cashiers will reopen on Monday, Sept. 14, but with significant operational changes.
Law enforcement is investigating an early morning shooting that occurred just before 3 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, near milepost 364 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The fall color forecast is looking dim for 2020, according to the annual prognostication offered by Western Carolina University biology professor Beverly Collins.
At midnight Friday, Sept. 4, a pair of experienced Smokies hikers embarked on a 900-mile challenge in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with the goal of raising $60,000 for the park’s Preventative Search and Rescue program.
To the Editor:
I keep hearing the term systemic racism. I assume this means racism built into our nation’s systems and policies for years and years. I guess the latest example in our media is supposed to be the black persons killed by cops even though many more whites by far are killed by cops annually than blacks.
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | It’s 10 O’Clock on a Monday morning. I stroll into J. Gabriel Home and Gifts on Waynesville’s Main Street and am greeted by a blur of commotion. Though the store’s just opened, people are already popping in and milling around displays of jewelry, clothes and chocolate truffles. There’s a flash of grey fur by my feet and I’m suddenly being nuzzled by a gorgeous ice-eyed husky. Pleasantly shocked, I reach down to pet it, but am interrupted by a short whistle that sends the dog careening away across the shop.
Joseph William Lomas, 25, of Cherokee, died while being detained at the Swain County Detention Center on Aug. 28.
When Haywood-area Realtors merged with their Charlotte counterparts earlier this year to create the Canopy Realtors Association, one big reason was the opportunity to dispense charitable support that would address unmet housing and educational needs.
Recently I was able to participate in a Zoom webinar by the NC Muscadine Growers Association to learn more about muscadine grapes, how and where they are grown in North Carolina, some of the different varieties and I even got to sample some different types of muscadine grapes.
The Jackson County Board of Education voted to proceed with Phase 2 of the district’s reentry plan at their work session on Sept. 1. Interim Superintendent Dr. Tony Tipton recommended the change that allows students to return to their classrooms on an A/B schedule beginning Sept. 14.
On Thursday, the new Carolina Black Millionaire Edition game delivered its first $1 million prize to Caterra Ponton of Clyde.
Autumn leaves and the natural beauty of fall colors across Western North Carolina are a seasonal sensation that draw thousands of visitors and locals alike - and prompts an annual prognostication by Western Carolina University biology professor Beverly Collins.
Following Governor Cooper’s press conference Tuesday, Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center will begin a phased reopening plan to best navigate the health and safety of patients and guests.
