Home Care In Highlands, NC

Time flies, and the Highlands High School Class of 2005 recently came together for their 20th reunion weekend – reminiscing, reconnecting, and sharing memories of growing up in Highlands.

For this close-knit group, the weekend wasn’t just about catching up; it was about celebrating the lifelong bond with people they still consider family.

Classmates Angela Aspinwall Brown, Kayla McCall Bryson, Alex Osteen, McKenzie Thompson, and Erin Munger Estes sat down for an interview.

They all agreed that they were like family, having spent 15 school years together, beginning with Mrs. Wilma Gordon’s Preschool. They also shared that the Highlands Community was like family because everyone knew everyone and everyone watched out for you – and when necessary weren’t afraid to tattle on you – but we won’t go into that.

They felt safe.

Stories of Mrs. Wilma’s brought smiles to all their faces and memories started flowing as they remembered the weekly walks to the Hudson Library to check out a book and the Halloween parades when they all dressed in their costumes and held a parade down Main Street. Their parents lined the street to watch, all the business owners came out to say hello, and all the passersby watched and waved. They felt 10 feet tall.

Some recalled that in later years at elementary school, Mrs. Gordon’s son, Dana, worked there and never let anyone go hungry. If someone’s lunch account ran short, he quietly covered the cost.

Throughout their school years, many teachers left a lasting impact. Cathy McIntyre Ross was especially supportive and involved, even attending one of the reunion events with a poster board of class memories. Jane DeWolf helped them remember formulas and equations by turning them into songs — songs they still remember. Coach Mueller was funny and inspiring. Coach Smith always seemed like their number-one fan.

Speaking of coaches, school sports were an important part of most of their lives and while they may have started out as rag tag teams in the beginning, they excelled by the end, dominating in both soccer and basketball – all with incredible community support.

They loved High School Band and are sad that Highlands School no longer has a band.

When not in school they spent hours talking on corded phones. They hung out at the Rec Park, attended church and youth groups, and ate at their favorite spots – SweeTreats, Mountain Fresh, Hilltop Grill, Rib Country, Don Leon’s, Pescado’s, and The Pizza Place.

They felt loved, embraced, seen and valued in Highlands, and as they look back, they know that all children should be so lucky.

When I first arrived in Highlands in August of 1971, our community hospital was equipped with a Korean War vintage X-ray machine whose films needed chemical processing. We eventually had a mobile CT scanner that came once a week, and then our own scanner installed in the basement of what is now the Peggy Crosby Center. Things improved when the new hospital opened in March of 1993.

With the opening of the new hospital, we had up-to-date portable and stationary X-ray machines. The CT scanner was up to date as well—a real X-ray department! Over time, computed radiology (CR Technology) was installed along with PACS. We then purchased an MRI machine. There was no room in the hospital, so it was installed in the Jane Woodruff Clinic, across the parking lot. This created challenges, with sick patients occasionally moved by ambulance from one building to another. This process tied up EMS. Other challenges included needing a medical doctor onsite for emergencies when injecting contrast for MRI studies.

Now, after two years of planning and a five-million-dollar capital investment, the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Imaging Department is about to see a major upgrade. The CT suite has been enlarged and features state-of-the-art equipment. The new CT scanner, a 128-slice machine, reduces exam time and offers better image quality. It also contains metal reduction software that creates images with less distortion from metal implants like hip prostheses.

Similarly, the new MRI has much better resolution and offers the opportunity for future upgrades if needed. This wide bore MRI can finish a scan with better quality in less time for most procedures. With the unit now located in the hospital, patients no longer need ambulance transport to another building, allowing staff to care for more patients throughout the day.

To make room for these improvements, the rehab gym was moved to a larger, more open space, where some of the hospital’s administrative offices had previously been housed. In addition, the hospital’s laboratory was enlarged and two rooms for phlebotomy were added.

Tom Neal, Highlands-Cashiers CEO/CNO, and Lori Smith, Regional Manager-Imaging, expect the total project to be finished by the end of September, enhancing our ability to provide the best care to our community for years to come.

For more information on Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and the services we offer, visit missionhealth.org/highlands or call (828) 526-1200.

The Highlands Chamber of Commerce proudly honored exceptional individuals and organizations at its annual Fall Finale Business After Hours, held September 25 at Trailborn Highlands. The event gathered Chamber members to celebrate outstanding contributions that exemplify leadership, service, and dedication to the Highlands community.

Bryan Lewis, Chamber Vice Chair, Ryan Bryson. Bryson Enterprises (received the Del Roberts Award for Outstanding Business), Blye Hunsinger, Chamber Board Chair and Johanna Fein, Chamber Executive Director.

2025 Honorees:

Volunteer of the Year: Tracy Foor

This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates exemplary leadership, commitment to volunteerism, and community service. As President of the Highlands Historical Society, Tracy devoted countless hours combing through archives to uncover photos and stories that commemorated Highlands’ 150th anniversary. His work has been featured in the Chamber’s 2025 Experience Guide and shared weekly through local newspapers. Tracy also spearheaded the innovative Historic Buildings Audio Tour, which uses QR codes on plaques around town to bring Highlands’ rich history to life.

Del Roberts Award for Outstanding Business: Bryson Enterprises

Established in 2005, this award honors businesses or individuals who have made unselfish and lasting contributions to Highlands’ business community. Bryson Enterprises has been a cornerstone of Highlands for more than 45 years, and their impact in 2025 extended far beyond business as usual. When Hurricane Helene caused a washout on Highway 106/Dillard Road, cutting off access for students, workers, supplies, and visitors, the Bryson team worked swiftly to make critical repairs. They reopened the road weeks ahead of schedule. This achievement underscored their deep commitment to serving Highlands.

Robert B. Dupree Award for Outstanding Community Service: Brian Stiehler

This prestigious award recognizes a long-standing and distinguished record of selfless service. For more than 14 years, Brian served as a Town Commissioner and consistently put community first. His leadership has strengthened Highlands through initiatives such as supporting the Scholarship Golf Tournament, chairing and serving on numerous committees including for the Chamber, and championing the creation of an inclusive playground. This project is poised to become a lasting part of his legacy.

“It was a pleasure to be able to acknowledge and thank each of our award winners,” said Johanna Fein, Executive Director of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC. “For the work they do, for the spirit they bring, and for their ongoing support of the Town of Highlands.”

For more information on the Highlands Chamber of Commerce, call 828-526-5841 or visit highlandschamber.org.

Nestled atop the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, where rhododendrons line winding streets and Fraser firs brush carpeted hills, the Highlands-Cashiers Film Festival – slated for September 18–21 at the Highlands Performing Arts Center – offers more than cinema. It’s a celebration of storytelling, community, and the enduring power of place.

Day one of the festival features a powerful moment: an exclusive sneak preview of The Gardener, set primarily in Highlands, where much of its story was brought to life.

Produced and directed by Dabney Day, the story centers on Sabena Weathers (Radha Mitchell), a high-powered executive teetering on the edge of a corporate takeover. On a fateful drive home, she encounters a raven that leads her to a mountaintop property and a neglected garden. There, she meets Walter, an unassuming gardener whose presence gently guides her toward healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Adding tension to Sabena’s unraveling world is Tom, her attorney, played by David Andrews—an accomplished actor and North Carolina resident whose grounded portrayal adds both complexity and suspense. Whether Tom is ally or adversary remains uncertain until the film’s final moments.

“For me, The Gardener is a reflection of life’s quiet truths,” Day shares. “We each have our own higher power, our own small voice that knows the way. And when we choose to listen, to pay attention, we are forever changed.”

Featuring an original score by acclaimed composer Jeremy Little and a cast that brings depth and nuance, The Gardener stands at the heart of this year’s festival.

“Bringing this film to life was a tapestry woven from many generous hearts. Three in particular, Mike Macke, my beloved, and Ray and Diane McPhail, whose magical home became our set and gave the production an authenticity and warmth you’ll feel in every frame,” continues Day.

She adds, “Diane’s radiant kindness infused the air, while Ray—ever the steady hero—kept his distance but gave us his full blessing. The Highlands community itself wrapped us in support, from flower shops to restaurants, to the Highlands Hatter, where our Walter, the gardener played by William Miller, and master craftsman Derek ‘Duke’ created the extraordinary hat Walter wears—a style symbol in its own right.”

Diane, an artist and author, reflects: “To see our garden transformed into a living set was surreal. Dabney treated it with reverence. It wasn’t just backdrop—it was character.” She pauses, then smiles. “And now, to welcome our neighbors here for the Festival’s Soirée—it feels like the garden is giving something back.”

At its core, The Gardener is a meditation on love, loss, and the quiet art of release. Woven with symbolism and dreamlike transitions, the film invites viewers to journey through memory, presence, and the shadowed terrain of fear. Like life itself, it drifts between reality and reverie—reminding us, gently, that life is truly ‘but a dream.’

But the festival doesn’t stop at premieres – it reaches into the vaults of cult cinema to honor one of Highlands’ own. On Saturday night, the horror-thriller Grizzly (1976) returns to the screen, starring the late Andrew Prine, a longtime Highlands resident and beloved figure. Described as “Jaws on a tight budget,” Grizzly follows a park ranger’s desperate attempt to stop an 18-foot, 2,000-pound man-eating bear terrorizing a national forest. Shot in nearby Clayton, Georgia, the film featured several local extras, including members of the Rickman family. It was during this production that Prine met teenager Mary Bynum – now the owner of McCulley’s in Highlands – cementing a connection between Hollywood and the Highlands that endures to this day.

The screening includes a tribute clip featuring Prine, who passed away in Paris in 2022. Known for his roles in Chisum, CSI, and Quentin Tarantino’s favorite 1970s genre films, Prine is remembered not only for his talent but for his humility and kindness. “He was our favorite cowboy,” says festival organizer Heather Lowe. “This screening is our way of saying thank you.”

The festival’s heartbeat is its commitment to place. Over four days, more than 50 features and shorts—from independent dramas to beloved classics—will screen in venues that feel as welcoming as a neighbor’s living room. Filmmakers sit elbow to elbow with local residents who share a love of story. By day, they trade tips over coffee in local cafés; by night, churches and galleries transform into pop-up screening rooms.

Hollywood glitz arrives courtesy of Illeana Douglas, who on September 19 will introduce and discuss her breakout role in Ghost World. Known for memorable turns in Goodfellas, Cape Fear, and Grace of My Heart, Douglas brings a dual lens as performer and film historian. In a moderated Q&A, she’ll explore the indie spirit that made Ghost World a cult touchstone and share stories from her new book, Connecticut in the Movies. Festivalgoers will leave with fresh insight into how setting shapes cinematic storytelling—whether on a bustling city street or a sleepy mountain town.

The following afternoon, Catherine Wyler, daughter of legendary director William Wyler, will illuminate her father’s legacy in a special presentation. Alongside a newly restored screening of Roman Holiday, Wyler will offer a personal documentary tracing the behind-the-scenes evolution of her family’s cinematic heritage. From Audrey Hepburn’s debut to the Golden Age glamour that defined her father’s work, Catherine’s perspective bridges Hollywood lore and Highlands’ admiration for timeless artistry.

Beyond premieres and powerhouses, the festival champions grassroots voices. Seminars on Technicolor restoration, panel discussions with set decorator Bill Brzeski (Matilda), and hands-on workshops for young filmmakers ensure that every guest can participate – not just spectate.

When the credits roll on Sunday, the celebration continues with Highlands Porchfest, a free music event that spills onto front stoops and sidewalks. Banjo players, poets, and bluegrass trios will share stages carved from folding chairs and front steps, extending the festival’s invitation to create – and connect – long after the film reels rewind.

In Highlands and Cashiers, cinema is more than entertainment. It’s a shared experience, a spark for conversation, and a bridge between neighbors. This inaugural festival may be new, but its roots run deep in the soil of a town that knows how to tell a story.

For tickets and more information about the festival’s slate of events, workshops, and lectures, visit highlandscashiersfilmfestival.com.

Often, when one finds good barbecue, an establishment’s atmosphere and décor is anywhere from staid to downright hole-in-the-wall. Yet, those slow-smoked meats and delectable sauces are what patrons are after, so appearances and extras might be overlooked.

Well, at Highlands Smokehouse, guests can have it all. Not only have the meats been sought after for years, due to the process of slow-cooking them in a large, underground pit smoker, but the rest of the food is distinct and freshly made in-house and the setting is invitingly rustic.

In fact, dining there feels more like a visit to a mountain home – with its high ceilings and wood paneling. Plus, the covered and vaulted deck is indicative of many Plateau homes’ outdoor rooms.

Our excellent and informative waitress, “Molly,” shared exuberantly that some of the menu items were distinct to a classic barbecue restaurant, and she was not kidding. One favorite, under the “Snacks” heading is called “Burnt Ends.” While it may not sound that appetizing, its title captures the countless culinary customers who truly love those overdone, crispier end pieces. These, from slow-cooked brisket, are served with a unique Cheerwine BBQ sauce and onion straws.

Pickled jalapenos accompany Brisket Queso and BBQ Nachos, and slightly spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are cooled with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Speaking of dressings, Highlands Smokehouse makes its own basil green goddess dressing that brings about a unique and appealing flavor profile to its three salad offerings: Smokehouse, Buffalo Chicken, and Big Green.

The latter piqued interest, with lettuces mixed with crunchy cabbage, scallions, and celery; and it did not disappoint. All of the salads, offered with five other dressings besides green goddess, can be made into a hearty meal by adding chopped pork, smoked chicken, roasted portobello, chopped brisket, chicken tenders, chicken salad, or shrimp.

And do not expect any frozen, commercial-kitchen-style sides to accompany melt-in-your-mouth meats. The house-made sides are grandma-approved recipes. For instance, the mac and cheese showcases oversized elbow pasta drenched in a creamy sauce and baked just enough to form a slight crust. The okra is lightly breaded and fried crispy – no greasy mess. Smokehouse beans reveal the establishment’s signature smoky alure, and the other 10 sides hit the quality and freshness mark as well.

While the pit-smoked meats are front and center on the menu, and there are five sauces to try, a Smokehouse burger, sandwiches, and tacos are selections as well.

Pairing perfectly with barbecue fare are cocktails, wines, and beer – as well as teas, sodas, and house-made lemonade. Ten different and rotating draft beer selections, many of which are from regional breweries, are available. Plus, popular brands in bottles and cans are mainstays.

One drink special that proved especially refreshing on a warm day was the Peach Bourbon Smash, made with fresh pureed peaches purchased at a nearby produce stand, and a splash of ginger ale and lemon juice. Also tried was one of the favorite house cocktails called Spicy Paloma. It features Lunazul tequila accented with grapefruit and – the kick – habanero bitters!

A true barbecue meal tends to fill up its customers, but the locally made and in-house-made desserts, cheesecakes, banana pudding, and key lime pie are must-tries. Or, at the very least, order to-go desserts to consume as a late-night snack, after the satiated feeling of a wonderful Highlands Smokehouse meal wears off and you are left wanting more.

Visit highlandssmokehouse.com for more information.