MAGGIE VALLEY — After months of uncertainty, Festival Director Audrey Hager finally learned about her future in Maggie — with a friendly joke. It was the tail end of Tuesday's Maggie Valley Board of Alderman meeting, and the board had just come out of closed session when Alderman Mike Matthews delivered the news.

"Audrey, I'm sorry. I didn't work out," he said, keeping an entirely straight face. "We're going to have to ask to stay a little longer."

And so she will. Though Hager had originally agreed to stay on through the end of the month, she will now be working with the town indefinitely — and continue to be full-time, as well. At the meeting she sounded happy, and perhaps a little relieved, that this whole ordeal is over.

"Really?" she asked, appreciatively. "Thank you, guys, so much."