A seemingly dead-end situation became a life-changing moment for Alex Bell.

“We came back to school from a tournament and they said our program had been cut,” he said.

Like New York is known for its basketball legends, and Texas is known for its football stars, Western North Carolina has become one the big names in a slightly less conspicuous sport: competitive fly fishing.

Fly fishing was long dominated by regions in the Rockies and Sierras out West. But the sport has seen a shift in both interest and talent to the Southeast — and specifically the Smokies.

Craig Hartle just might have the best job in Western North Carolina.

The head golf professional for High Hampton Inn and Country Club in Cashiers, Hartle spends his days instructing any and all visitors ready to step foot on the majestic 18-hole course that snakes through the rich and varied landscape of the Southern Appalachians.

When he was a young boy, Jason Hardin fell in love.

It was a 1973 Harley-Davidson Sportster. Owned by his father, Hardin remembers watching his dad kick-start the bike in their basement. 

Strolling through downtown Bryson City, one tends to cross paths with the scent of delicious food wafting from a nearby building. Upon further inspection, that building is The Filling Station, a popular deli. That scent is their renowned flagship item — the Cuban sandwich.

Dieter Kuhn was 4,500 miles from his hometown in Germany when he came across Sylva, a small community tucked away in the heart of Western North Carolina.

“The Great Smoky Mountains are pretty unique, with a lot of similarities of terrain and temperature to the Black Forest (Germany),” he said. “It’s very comfortable here, and being part of this town reminds me of home.”

David Lippy was sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Orlando when it hit him.

“The city was so congested with vehicles,” he said “I had to go three miles to work from my house and it would take me a half hour one way.”

Amid the cherished traditions of Western North Carolina is the deep foundation of family and friends getting together to celebrate their heritage, whether it be through music, dance, food or craft. 

Why do we seek the high places? The easiest explanation for going to the mountains is for the scenery. Even so, there must be something ingrained in the human experience that draws us to lofty summits and places where we can look out over the landscape. The reasons vary from the practical to the spiritual.

Shane Williams knows exactly when he’s reached the essence of a river.

“For me, it’s all about the glide,” he said. “If you’ve ever been on a raft, boat, canoe, kayak or paddleboard, when you come across that current and hit the glide, it’s pretty magical.”

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has an amazing array of mini-ecosystems within its borders — from peaks over 6,000 feet to low valleys, from moist densely forested coves to dry meadows. A walk from mountain base to peak compares with traveling 1,250 miles north. Several resident plants and animals live only in the Smokies.

With a quiet step you stand a great chance of seeing some of the multitude of wildlife Western North Carolina has to offer. 

Although the rich history and culture of Western North Carolina is alive and thriving through the hands of our local artisans and performers, there are also numerous museums here preserving and perpetuating the heritage of Southern Appalachia. These buildings each pay homage to the crafts, sounds, and deeply held traditions of these ancient mountains and its people.

All of Western North Carolina is renowned for its fly fishing, and its reputation continues to grow. Jackson County has developed the first official, mapped fly fishing trail, and that has been emulated by Swain County. And of course there are plenty of outfitters and guides ready to take visitors to the best fishing holes in the mountains.

Below are just a few of the stops on Jackson County’s Fly Fishing Trail. For more information, visit www.flyfishingtrail.com.

Scott Creek

• The Stretch: Roughly 10 miles from headwaters near Balsam down to Sylva

• Access Point(s): Parking and access available via several pull-off areas along U.S. 23/74

• Type of Water: Hatchery supported

• Noteworthy: Stretch also includes North Fork Scott Creek and Buff Creek, which are very scenic

Caney Fork

• The Stretch: Roughly 10 miles from East Laporte Park to headwaters at fork of Mull Creek and Piney Mountain Creek

• Access Point(s): Access via Caney Fork Road (SR 1737), avoid posted land

• Type of Water: Undesignated

• Noteworthy: Respect private landowners

Tanasee Creek

• The Stretch: Roughly 2-3 miles from Tanasee Creek bridge up to headwaters

• Access Point(s): Parking and access available at bridge on Tanasee Creek Road (SR 1762)

• Type of Water: Wild Trout

• Noteworthy: Very scenic stretch in the Nantahala National Forest

Panthertown Creek

• The Stretch: Entire stream, roughly 3 miles

• Access Point(s):  Parking and access at end of Breedlove Rd (SR 1121), with 2-mile walk to creek

• Type of Water: Catch and release single hook artificial lure

• Noteworthy: Located in Panthertown Valley, which is known as the “Yosemite of the East” because of its bowl shape and rocky bluffs

Raven Fork

• The Stretch: Starts at Blue Ridge Parkway bridge near Cherokee and goes north for 2.2 miles

• Access Point(s): Parking and access via several pull-off areas along Big Cove Road; paths run along stream

• Type of Water: Catch and release fly fishing only

• Noteworthy: Cherokee Trophy Water; Cherokee annual permit and daily permit required

Whitewater River

• The Stretch: Roughly 2-3 miles from N.C. 107 down to the South Carolina state line

• Access Point(s): Parking and access along N.C. 107, a few miles south of Cashiers

• Type of Water: Wild Trout

• Noteworthy: Flows into Whitewater Falls, the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi

West Fork Tuckasegee River

• The Stretch: From small reservoir at Thorpe Power House upstream several hundred yards

• Access Point(s): Parking and access available both sides of N.C. 107 near Thorpe Power House

• Type of Water: Hatchery supported

• Noteworthy: Although hatchery supported, this has nice concentration of stream-raised fish

Tuckasegee River

(East Laporte Park to N.C. 107 Bridge)

• The Stretch: Roughly 2-3 miles from park to bridge

• Access Point(s): Parking and access available at East Laporte Park and pull-off areas along Old Cullowhee Road

• Type of Water: Hatchery supported

• Noteworthy: East Laporte Park has picnic tables and public restrooms

Savannah Creek

• The Stretch: About 10 miles from headwaters in Pumpkintown into Tuckasegee River

• Access Point(s): Parking and access available via several pull-offs along U.S. 23/441

• Type of Water: Hatchery supported

• Noteworthy: Access limited the closer you get to the Tuckasegee River

Tuckasegee River

(NC 107 Bridge to Dillsboro park)

• The Stretch: Roughly 4-5 mile stretch from bridge to the riverside park in Dillsboro

• Access Point(s): Parking and access available via numerous pull-offs along North River Road

• Type of Water: Delayed harvest

• Noteworthy: Best place to achieve the Tuckasegee Slam (catch all three species in one spot)

Greens Creek

• The Stretch: About 3-4 miles from Macon County line to Savannah Creek

• Access Point(s): Various places along Greens Creek Road (SR 1370)

• Type of Water: Wild Trout, undesignated, hatchery supported

• Noteworthy: Portion of the creek flows through the Nantahala National Forest

Tuckasegee River

(in Dillsboro)

• The Stretch: About 1 mile from Dillsboro park through town

• Access Point(s): Various places between park and Best Western River Escape Inn

• Type of Water: Hatchery supported

• Noteworthy: Includes two lodging options: Best Western River Escape Inn and Dillsboro Inn

Lower Tuckasegee River

(Barker’s Creek Bridge to Whittier)

• The Stretch: Roughly 8-10 miles from bridge to Whittier

• Access Point(s): Parking and access via pull-offs and businesses along U.S. 19/74 freeway

• Type of Water: Hatchery supported, undesignated

• Noteworthy: The stretch is also home to smallmouth bass

• Colonial Theatre, Canton

828.235.2760 • www.cantonnc.com

• Franklin High School Fine Arts Center

828.524.2787

• Haywood Arts Regional Theatre, Waynesville

828.456.6322 • www.harttheater.org

Live music is an important part of the heritage of Western North Carolina. Here’s a listing of venues that regularly have bands in the region.

This is one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the Smokies, one easily witnessed by all the vehicles with mountain bikes strapped to the back or top. Pretty straightforward as to why so may partake of this sport: the Smokies contain some of the best bike trails anywhere. Here are the popular spots:

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road that winds for 469 miles from the southern end of Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive in Virginia to U.S. 441 at Oconaluftee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee.

Whether one is an avid outdoorsman or an occasional hiker, there is something special about making a gorgeous waterfall the destination for a hike.

In this mountain region, there are a handful of top-notch public courses, including the Sequoyah National in Cherokee (designed by Robert Trent Jones II) and the historic 27 holes at Waynesville Inn, Golf Resort and Spa. In the Cashiers area of Jackson County, the scenic High Hampton Inn is regarded as one of the most picturesque courses in the country. Other courses include:

Blue Ridge Parkway

The famed scenic motorway winds through the best scenery the mountains have to offer, studded with overlooks to stop and soak in the views. The section of the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Smoky Mountains boasts the highest elevation and most panoramic ridgelines of the 469-mile route. 

Tail of the Dragon

No doubt one of the most famous motorcycle routes in the world, the Tail of the Dragon offers 318 curves in 11 miles. There are plenty of great rides on roads off U.S. 129 so its best to plan your trip before you go. A great resource is tailofthedragon.com. The route is ranked No. 3 in the nation by American Motorcyclist magazine.

Cherohala Skyway

Long corners and endless vistas make this sky-high road and enthusiasts dream.

Serving up 60 miles of scenic mountain cruising, the Skyway climbs to 5,400 feet from Robbinsville to Tellico Plains, Tenn. But be prepared. There are no restrooms or gas stations along the 36-mile Skyway.

Newfound Gap

U.S. 441 twists and winds its way from the Oconaluftee River Valley up and over a 5,000 foot divide in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, offering long-range views, forested tunnels and rushing rivers. The scenic route is studded with points of interest, including the Oconaluftee Visitors Center, Mingus Mill, picnic areas or Clingmans Dome.

Andrews 

• Hoppy Trout Brewing Company 828.835.2111 • www.hoppytroutbrewing.com

• Snowbird Mountains Brewery 678.419.3035 • www.snowbirdmountainsbrewery.com  

Bryson City 

• Mountain Layers Brewing 828.538.0115 • www.mtnlayersbeer.com 

• Nantahala Brewing 828.488.2337 • www.nantahalabrewing.com 

Canton 

• BearWaters Brewing 828.246.0602 • www.bwbrewing.com 

Cashiers 

• Whiteside Brewing 828.743.6000 • www.whitesidebrewing.com

Cherokee 

• Native Brews Tap & Grill 828.497.2739 • www.native-brews.com 

Dillsboro 

• Innovation Brewing 828.586.9678 • www.innovation-brewing.com 

Franklin 

• Currahee Brewing 828.634.0078 • www.curraheebrew.com 

• Lazy Hiker Brewing 828.342.5133 • www.lazyhikerbrewing.com 

Hayesville 

• Hayesville Brewing 828.835.6010 

• Nocturnal Brewing 828.305.7337 • www.nocturnalbrewing.com 

Highlands 

• Satulah Mountain Brewing 

828.482.9794 • www.satulahmountainbrewing.com

Maggie Valley 

• BearWaters Brewing (Outpost) 828.944.0009 • bearwatersbrewing.com 

Murphy 

• Valley River Brewery 828.837.2337 • www.valleyriverbreweries.com 

Sapphire 

• Sapphire Valley Brewing 828.743.0220 • www.sapphirebrewingcompany.com 

Sylva 

• Balsam Falls Brewing 828.631.1987 • www.fb.com/balsamfallsbrewing 

• Innovation Brewing 828.586.9678 • www.innovation-brewing.com

• Lazy Hiker Brewing 828.349.2337 • www.lazyhikerbrewing.com 

• Nantahala Brewing (Outpost) 828.641.9797 • www.nantahalabrewing.com 

Waynesville 

• 7 Clans Brewing 828.454.5664 • www.7clansbrewing.com 

• Boojum Brewing 828.944.0888 • www.boojumbrewing.com 

• Frog Level Brewing 828.454.5664 • www.froglevelbrewing.com 

To the Editor:

In his guest column in the Jan. 17 edition, Martin Dyckman proposes to “eliminate the power of the Electoral College.” I submit that his proposal about how to do that virtually eliminates the need for it altogether and might as well be seen as the last stage in the ongoing reduction of the states from sovereign entities in a sovereign union to dependent provinces of an all-powerful federal leviathan.

Mr. Dyckman proposes that each state should enter a compact to cast all that state’s electoral votes for the winner of the nationwide popular vote, no matter who wins the state’s popular vote. This would result in further conversion of this country’s political system into a virtual direct democracy, which means that it would be only a matter of time before it became a tyranny, possibly after passage through a period of rank anarchy and civil strife.

This is not to say that the Electoral College system could not stand some serious reformation: Even when one clears away the vestiges of TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) that called forth this particular column, there is a need for such reform, so long as it preserves the republican nature of the American Constitutional order.

Accordingly, I would propose that states enter into a compact to cast their electoral votes according to which candidate receives the most votes in each Congressional District, with the two that correspond with the Senate seats being given to the statewide winner. In 2016, that would probably have meant that Mrs. Clinton would have garnered one or two of North Carolina’s 15 votes instead of the zero with which she finished.

This is a system that at least two states — Maine and Nebraska — already use and which another — Virginia — has been considering in a modified form. Like Mr. Dyckman’s proposal, it requires no federal amendment. All that is necessary is the willingness of the state legislatures to enact it.

Such a plan would accomplish one of the objectives that Mr. Dyckman says he wants much more efficiently than his own proposal, in that it would impel candidates for the presidency to allocate their campaign resources more generally than they do at present.

Certainly, the ideal would be to incorporate the Congressional District method into the federal Constitution, but I suspect that Mr. Dyckman is correct in his assessment that such an effort, at least for the moment, is futile. It will be difficult enough in this state, given the bipartisan willingness to rise above principle when political power is at stake. However, it is worth a try, and I strongly encourage our Reps. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, Rep. Keith Corbin, R-Franklin, and Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Burnsville, and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, to submit and support a bill to make it happen.

Samuel Edwards

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Imagine yourselves involved in a delicate negotiation in which feelings run high on both sides. It would be important in good faith dealings to maintain confidentiality in the meetings so that in case of initial failure to reach an agreement the process could continue. Even if the disagreements are so great that a successful outcome is not possible at the present time, there would be a path forward for future negotiations.

What do you suppose would happen to these efforts if in the middle of the proceedings one of the principals decides to go public and air details of the meeting that puts the opposing side in a bad light and could be misunderstood by others? This not only hurts the negotiation but hurts everyone concerned.

I think you see where I’m going. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, upon realizing that he and his feckless Republican enablers would not be able to “roll” President Trump by mousetrapping him into a bad compromise, decided to tattle on him to the press which wasted no time in endlessly repeating the b-a-a-a-d word the president either used or allegedly used. Of course this poisoned the well.

It should be fairly obvious that the Democrats see DACA as an issue, i.e., an unsolved problem, more useful to them than having a solution. Where is their vaunted compassion for the so-called Dreamers? It seems they are serious only so far as their hypocrisy is concerned. Democrat is not the right word anyway; it’s more like Demagoguecrat. When they are in power they expect everyone to not question the legitimacy of elections (but don’t look too close!), but when they are out of power they act as if they had a Divine Right to Rule (if they even believe in the Divine) and feel free to question the legitimacy of the present administration.

There is no self-reflection or sense of irony here, being oblivious not only to nuance but to what should be obvious. If anyone had someone as a close acquaintance that acted toward them in such a manner, he would soon be given a wide berth if his behavior didn’t improve. How is it then that we have such dishonorable behavior by those in high places that cannot maintain confidentiality and good faith but want to act as if they were playing a video game called “Get Trump”?

   Apropos Martin Luther King Day and dovetailing with the above, mention must be made that because some took a principled stand and courageously suffered for it back in the heyday of the civil rights movement does not give license to be scoundrels in the present day, entitled to slander as racists those with whom they disagree.

I have a dream, too. I dream of a day in which ALL people are judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Sadly, Dr. King’s dream has been betrayed because today it is fashionable for so much judgment to be based on skin color.

David Parker

Sylva

To the Editor:

I am 69, a seven-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and a Vietnam veteran.

There are so many things wrong about the current Trump administration. What a disappointment our executive branch must be to most of Congress, as it is to most Americans. I ask that our congressional delegation take a deep breath and consider your constituents. This administration will go away — hopefully sooner rather than later — but your constituents will not, and we will remember.

Mr. Trump has constantly demonstrated his lack of knowledge, skill, or abilities to do anything except kill Americans by his policy of enabling the wealthy, while he himself robs us blind through emoluments. I must credit him his ability to con.

Congress must not allow America to suffer for the sake of his ego. There are certainly many important matters that need attention. None of these has been addressed during this administration’s term as of yet. The one major item that was touted, the massive tax cut for rich families and corporations, is in fact a setback to American progress.

What we need is effective oversight and management. We are so far from that today.

Bill Taylor

Bryson City

Dear friends in beautiful Bryson City,

As the mayor of Murphy I want to sincerely thank the Bryson City mayor, council and all citizens for graciously sending Chad Simons our way. I realize you have some big shoes to fill as we did when our town manager, Ann Payne, decided to take her much-deserved retirement after 24 years of excellent service.

Beyond a very long history of being football rivals, Bryson City and Murphy must continue to work together in the best interest of our citizens, business communities and Western North Carolina overall. Murphy¹s door is wide open for collaboration and teaming together on the many opportunities we have ahead.

We look forward to working with everyone in Bryson City, and thank you again for sharing your talent with us.

Rick Ramsey

Murphy

Republicans in the House and Senate supported a tax bill that was opposed by the majority of Americans. They insisted on passing a flawed, hastily-tacked-together bill with no discussion beyond the Republican caucus in both houses. Why?

Those few of us who will see our federal taxes go down should know that we’re benefitting because the Republicans in the House and Senate have no problem with killing and taking food from the mouths of impoverished children, sick children of the working poor and struggling middle class, and adults with intellectual or physical disabilities. Republicans have admitted that they will sooner or later choose to cut Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security to repay big donors and buy upper-middle and upper class votes. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office told us that 13 million people will lose their present health insurance. What many Americans worry about most is prescription medicine costs, yet the White House has already said they can’t keep their promise to bring your medicine bills down.

Are the majority of Americans actually going to benefit from the tax bill? First, let’s define which North Carolina voters we’re talking about because what’s middle class in every state differs in housing and food costs, local and state taxes, and so on.

According to the US Census Bureau, in North Carolina you’re middle class if you make between $33,890 to $101,170 a year. Every non-partisan expert group (for example, Pew Research/Business Insider and Kaiser Family Foundation) said that the lower middle class ($33,800 to about $56,227 per year household income) won’t see much difference. Half of North Carolinians make less than $50,584 a year. In other words, most Trump supporters will get a few crumbs of crow pie for their loyalty.

The Tax Policy Center explained that only the richest families, the top 1 to nearly 5 percent in the U.S. will see much change. Worse still, by 2027 53 percent of Americans will be paying more tax under the new tax bill. So for over half of Americans, the new Republican tax law is going to make you poorer in the long run.

If you are in that lower middle to mid-range in household income — $33,800 to about $68,795 — your tax savings will likely be wiped out by other costs rising, especially higher medical costs, including insurance. Experts predict that health insurance under the Trump administration policies will increase by at least 10 percent. To make matters worse for the middle class, you’ll gradually lose your standard deductions.

So why on earth did Republicans and Trump do this to most of the people who voted them into office? Because the tiny, rich minority of their supporters who gave them huge donations didn’t mind robbing the middle class to make themselves richer. Apparently they believe that their puppets in Congress really can fool all of the people all of the time. Only time will tell whether enough middle class voters are that gullible.

Mary Jane Curry

Haywood County

A $740 grant from the Jim McRae Endowment for the Visual Arts will fuel efforts to create a Women’s History Trail in Macon County, celebrating the lives and accomplishments of Macon County women with a trail to “walk in her steps.”

North Carolina State Parks has logged its fourth consecutive year of record visitation, with 19.4 million visits to the state’s 39 parks in 2017.

Ideas for the future of the land surrounding Waterrock Knob and Plott Balsam are welcome during a public hearing slated for 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.

Fees for frontcountry campgrounds and picnic pavilions in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be a little higher after March 1.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays offer special opportunities at Cataloochee Ski Area, with programs now available for homeschoolers and families.

Paul Wolf, leader of Southwestern Community College’s Outdoor Leadership Program, has been chosen as a member of the international Association of Experiential Education’s accreditation council and standards committee.

The Blue Ridge Parkway will soon acquire an additional 46 acres in Jackson County thanks to a pair of land acquisitions completed by the Conservation Trust for North Carolina.

By Will Studenc

To the Editor:

It is easy to understand Dr. Stephen Wall’s compassion for young children. Knowing Dr. Wall well, I hold him in high regard for this. When Congressman Mark Meadows, R-Asheville, gave Dr. Wall assurance that CHIP would be funded, Dr. Wall should know that he could take it to the bank! This letter addresses Dr. Wall’s misdirected frustration in his Dec. 27 letter to the editor (www.smokymountainnews.com/archives/item/21429).

Funding for CHIP expired on 9/30/17. The House of Representatives passed HR 3922 on Nov. 3, 2017, extending funding for CHIP and other important public health programs. Rep. Meadows supported passage of a full five-year re-authorization of CHIP and funding for two years for community health centers. (https://energycommerce.house.gov/news/press-release/house-passes-responsible-commonsense-bill-extending-funding-chip-critical-public-health-programs)

In regard to Dr. Wall’s bashing of our state legislators, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has a statutory formula to “redistribute funds” to cover state shortfalls that may occur in the absence of funded FY 2018 CHIP allotments. There is nothing more our state legislators are required to do. (https://energycommerce.house.gov/news/press-release/house-passes-cr-extending-temporary-funding-critical-public-health-programs-relief-states-need-chip-funds/)

Rather than use the SMN to mislead the public, attention should be directed to the obstructionist Democrats in Washington. Hillary Clinton’s “resist, resist, resist” policy is not the way to accomplish anything. Republicans proposed a generous reauthorization of CHIP. Why does it not go through? House Democrats object because they do not want millionaires and billionaires to pay for the new spending on children’s health insurance. Senate Democrats object because they want to attach tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to insurance companies. Aren’t the Dems the ones shouting the rich should pay their fair share? (http://thefederalist.com/2017/10/11/democrats-hold-kids-health-subsidies-hostage-protect-millionaires)

Dr. Wall’s concern and energy is appreciated, just misdirected, as the facts show.

Ted Carr

Bethel

To the Editor:

It’s been interesting to read the controversy about the Sunday “brunch bill” enactment in Bryson City, Jackson County and other locales in the region.

Might I suggest we take it one step further and allow both pouring and sales of alcoholic beverages 24/7 until Trump exits the White House.

As far as the so-called religious community objecting to booze with Sunday brunch, you surrendered your standing when you supported the “two” Corinthians pretender Trump.

Franklin Graham, John Hagee and all the others of the “religious” ilk are no different than temple priests in the days of old. They are only interested in power.

It’s been reported by fact-checkers Trump lied or told more than 1,900 falsehoods during 350 days in office. How do you tell when Trump lies? He opens his … (fill in the blank).

The president doesn’t know a Corinthian from an Ephesian or what happened to Saul on his way to Damascus, yet you blindly follow this truly weak, self-absorbed president.

Here’s one for you people who wear religion on your sleeves. Who is the “father of lies?” Think about it.

“Hey bartender, I think I’ll have a mimosa with that order of eggs benedict. Nah, make it a Dirty Girl Blonde, some hash browns scattered and smothered, and scrambled eggs.”

By the way, here’s to Noah and his vineyards. Cheers. Selah.

James Budd

Bryson City

Waynesville attorney Mark Melrose has announced his intentions to run for Superior Court Judge for the 30th Judicial District of North Carolina.

First-term District Attorney Ashley Welch recently announced her candidacy for re-election at the GEM Country Republican Women’s Club meeting in Franklin.

The Women’s History Trail (WHT), a project of Folk Heritage Association of Macon County, has received a $740 grant from the Jim McRae Endowment for the Visual Arts.

Working families in Western North Carolina know that when you earn less money, you tend to use less electricity to make ends meet. When you’re struggling to pay the bills and the mortgage and to put food on the table, you learn to be careful about turning off the lights when you leave the room, and throwing on another sweater before turning up the thermostat. But Duke Energy Carolinas wants to increase our energy rates 16.7 percent — or by $18.72 per month. And with their new mandatory fee, all families would be charged a minimum of $17.79 per month — about $213 per year — even if they never turned their lights on.

Taste of Local - Ingles Markets in West Waynesville (Hazelwood) • 1678 Brown Ave. Thursday, January 25th 3-6pm.

To the Editor:

In light of Mr. Holliday’s letter to the editor on Jan. 3, I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to some of his claims. Regardless of the fact that the League of Conservation Voters spent more than $3 million in 2016 against me, more than nearly any other group, his claims about my record simply don’t align with reality.

The truth is that I have long supported not only the protection of North Carolina’s unique and beautiful environmental landmarks, but also the tourism economy that accompanies it.

For years, I have pushed to fully and permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program widely considered one of the most successful conservation programs in our nation’s history.

Using royalties from offshore oil and gas sales, the Land and Water Conservation Fund maintains hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands so that the American people, like Mr. Holliday, can enjoy them for generations to come. Some of North Carolina’s most beloved monuments including Chimney Rock, Catawba Falls and the Blue Ridge Parkway were made possible by this important conservation fund.

I also recently introduced a bill to reauthorize the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (reported on by the Smoky Mountain News), which while providing several million dollars to 25 counties in Western North Carolina, supported 30,000 jobs and stimulated nearly $2.4 billion in tourism and economic activity.

If this isn’t supporting conservation and North Carolina tourism, then I don’t know what is.

Sen. Richard Burr

To the Editor:

The column written by Martin Dyckman in the Jan. 3 issue of The Smoky Mountain News attacking President Trump appeals only to the lowest animal instincts of jealousy and envy of others. Therein lies the reason I left either political party and am now amongst the growing Independent movement of people who think for themselves and don’t need a political ideology. And certainly not the sick ideology espoused by Mr. Dyckman.

Mr. Dyckman may be intelligent and I must assume he is, but nowhere do I see any evidence of wisdom on his part, nor do I see he is a student of anthropology or has a degree in psychology. His inferred criticism of the 149 million Americans who are happy to see their savings grow under President Trump is disheartening to say the least. Or, his criticism of the rich who already pay 80 percent of all federal taxes while he only pays a paltry 3 percent is outrageous.

President Trump knows a rising tide will float all boats, and that’s what his ideology is all about.

Bob Wilson

Franklin

To the Editor:

As a member of the Swain County community, I believe there is a long overdue amount of gratitude that the citizens of my beloved county owe to our Sen. Thom Tillis and U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke for helping us receive a partial payment on the, also, long overdue North Shore (1943) Agreement, or the idiom referred to by locals as “the Road to Nowhere.”

This agreement, which was initially made in 1943, was more on the lines of a promise by the federal government to build a 30-mile road back to the home places, graveyards, and property of many Swain County citizens, whose homes were flooded in the making of Fontana Dam. Granted, with much respect to those citizens, Fontana Dam was a huge facilitator in the United States victory in World War II. Regardless, over a half a century later many Swain County citizens who were promised this agreement, some who are now passed on, are still fighting for at least the mildest compensation of the lost homes.

Sixty-four years post agreement, and the promise of a 30-mile road was changed via memorandum to a cash settlement of $52 million. Personally, to our economical benefit, the road would have probably had a much more of a detrimental impact on the developing tourism, that now influxes our local economy. It’s quite doubtful that we would have as many visitors, hikers, fisherman, etc. come see our breathtaking views in the Great Smoky Mountains if it there was highway cutting right through the middle of it. So the cash agreement was a much more beneficial and practical settlement on the issue, especially for a land-locked town that hosts nearly forty-percent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s half-million acres. A blessing and curse; the blessed fact that over 10 million visitors come the Great Smoky Mountains National Park every year and that it supplies quite a few jobs for this area, and the curse that most revenue for this park does not go back into Swain County, directly.

The progress that you have made by helping receive a partial payment on the North Shore agreement, is the light at the end of the tunnel for the relationship between Swain County and our federal government. I hope that the leaves of history continue to change in a positive aspect for my home, and that we all continue to work together in unity, undivided by opposing politics, and brought together by fostering the economic growth of Swain County by continuing to make sure that the appropriated funds issued with be used respectively and beneficially to our town. Hopefully, by Swain County doing their due-diligence with the funds, the remaining $35.2 million can be released, satisfying the long-lived agreement.

Afton Darnell Roberts

Bryson City

To the Editor:

I recently read Boyd Holliday’s letter to the editor about the environmental damage our senators are doing to Western North Carolina. I know that Sens. Richard Burr, and Thom Tillis, are choosing to deny support to legislation that will improve the environment because they think doing so is more likely to improve the economy, but I’m not sure they recognize the repercussions of making those choices. But, I do know for certain that they will never act differently if we, as constituents, don’t tell them to.

As Holliday stated, WNC is founded on its environment’s health — it helps feed the tourism industry (which supports the economy that our senators care so deeply about) and it helps keeps WNC citizens happy and healthy.

We’ve all heard about how economically strong places like China are, and how environmentally unhealthy they are. The key to creating the best possible situations for N.C. citizens lies not in focusing on one aspect of a healthy state, but finding a good balance between all aspects. And if our senators are not putting in enough effort into supporting the environment, then our state as a whole, and especially WNC, will suffer.

I implore readers to take action and ask Sens. Burr and Tillis to take action and protect Western North Carolina by supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate, Air, and Energy Research, refusing the major cuts proposed by President Trump. Call them at 202.224.3121 and ensure that our communities have a better future!

Jordanna Swartz

Swannanoa

The Carolina Mountain Club was awarded the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 2017 Enduring Service Award, recognizing the efforts of the club’s 150 members to build and maintain trails on Parkway land.

In sharp contrast to the blazing wildfire season of fall 2016, December 2017 drew to a close with only one fire over 1 acre reported in the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest.

The Waynesville Recreation Center logged a record attendance for the second year running, with 180,611 visits in 2017.