Chief Pontiac statue exits without fanfare — See STORY, Pg. A12
APD questioned on monitoring See STORY, Pg. A2
‘Broadway on the Rock’ flashes array of talent — See REVIEW, Pg. B1
LLE I V HE AS ASHEVILLEʼS GREATEST NEWSPAPER
August 2018
Vol. 14, No.9
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Lake Lure’s 9th Dirty Dancing Festival ready to rock
District elections become law in AVL
From Staff Reports
RALEIGH— District elections for seats on Asheville City Council passsed both chambers of the state General Assembly and was passed into law on June 28. The bill provides five council districts and two at-large council seats. “No current city council members are doublebunked,” the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-Hendersonville, noted in a press release immediately after its passage. “This bill also moves Asheville’s elections to November in evennumbered years and eliminates the primary for city council races,” Edwards pointed out. The measure, sponsored as Senate Bill 813, requiring districts passed the Special photo courtesy of LAKE LURE DIRTING DANCING FESTIVAL North Carolina General Assembly Members of the Asheville Ballet peform during last year’s Lake Lure Dirty Dancing Festival. The ninth last year. annual two-day gala, featuring dancing, along with beach and soul bands, will be held Aug. 24-25. The law required Asheville City Council to submit a map of proposed See story and more photos on Page B1 districts by November or have the legislature handle the responsibility. However, ouncil defied the instructions, deciding under the Rep. Chuck Edwards guidance of former City Attorney Robin Currin to instead hold a public referendum. The referendum could not be binding, but Currin indicated it was part of a legal strategy yet to play out. transportation. Senate Bill 285 proposed dividing the city into six disFrom Staff Reports Members of council — primarily Julie Mayfield and Gwen tricts. The purpose, supported by Republicans and members Wisler, who are both avid cyclists — support more of a ComThe Metropolitan Planning Organization on June 28 voted of the local business community, was to gain representation plete Streets approach. 15-3 to expedite the widening of I-240 in West Asheville. of their interests on a board dominated, now unanimously, On behalf of council, they continue to promote a design One new lane would be added in each direction. by progressive Democrats. that would convert Patton Avenue into a multimodal corridor The MPO is comprised of representatives who advise on Now that the districts are drawn, a cry has gone out that the flanked by quaint, well-landscaped businesses. The plan would Republicans in Raleigh are gerrymandering Democratically transportation planning in the region. Design engineers at the North Carolina Department of Trans- also facilitate walking downtown from West Asheville. dominated Asheville by intentionally splitting the black vote. The widening is known as Section A of the DOT’s planned portation and members of Asheville City Council continue a The allegations serve to further ignite tensions sparked by the three-decade struggle over building capacity in local highways. I-26 Connector project. Work on the improvements is schedhigh-profile beating of Johnnie Rush by Asheville Police Officer uled to begin in 2027. DOT officials have long charged the roads require widening to Chris Hickman. The incident, caught on police bodycam, was reduce congestion and accidents; their focus is on facilitating See I-240, Page A17 used as evidence of systemic racism in the police department and great person, yet I’m unable to city government as a whole. Current council members have been quick to respond to the stop thinking about him and complaints. The city’s organizational structure has been revised, wondering why he left. How do and committees reorganized to give minorities more voice. Q: I got ghosted — dumped I accept that it’s over so I can Further, every formal council meeting this year has given audiby a guy who just disappeared start dating again? ence to activists who want more oversight and attention to racial — Plagued on me, no explanation — after divides within the police department. Want to know the answer? three months of lovey-dovey Amy Alkon dating. Clearly, he isn’t a See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A17 See DISTRICT ELECTIONS, Page A17
Local officials’ MPO gives green light to I-240 widening plan through WAVL
The Advice Goddess
Fade diet
A2 - August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
APD chief fires 2nd police captain in three months
From Staff Reports
Asheville Police Chief Tammy Hooper on July 13 fired a second one of her three captains — Mark Byrd — in just three months. Details are not a matter of public record. Both terminations are being linked to the handling of the Johnnie Rush incident. Regarding Byrd’s firing, Hooper alleges he was being untruthful and uncooperative on top of having an unsatisfactory performance review. Conversely, Byrd’s lawyer claims the dismissal was retaliatory, intimidating and harassing. He claims his client was being punished for trying to shed light on “severe” mismanMark Byrd agement of the department. In a letter to Mayor Esther Manheimer, Byrd charged the chief was lying about delays in the investigation of the police brutalization of Rush. He also claimed Hooper was harassing one of his subordinates. Conflicting reports about the department’s handling of a November incident involving the chief’s spouse are also woven into the story. Those allegations are believed to have played some part in the May 1 termination of Captain Stony Gonce. Gonce was let-go for alleged intimidation of and hostility toward subordinates. He was also accused of interfering with the investigation of the Rush beating, frequently changing his story. His letter of dismissal charged he had violated 14 personnel policies. Byrd’s attorney plans to challenge his client’s dismissal.
Former police officer who beat black pedestrian cleared by U.S. From Staff Reports
Federal prosecutors on June 29 announced they will not charge ex-Asheville Police Officer Chris Hickman in the beating of Johnnie Rush. Bodycam video leaked to the Asheville Citizen Times shows Hickman beating Rush in the alleged jaywalking. Rush was walking home from a late work shift at the Cracker Barrel restaurant on a street that was deserted at that hour. Any events leading to the attack have not been made public. Investigations by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation all concluded
Chris Hickman
Johnny Rush
the incident, “does not give rise to a prosecutable violation of the federal criminal civil rights laws.” The U.S. Attorney’s office assured the investigations were complete and thorough, and that the prosecutors take civil rights issues very seriously.
Hickman will still face criminal charges for violating state law. Having left the department in January, he was arrested March 8 and charged with multiple counts of assault and communicating threats. He is scheduled to reappear in Buncombe County District Court on Aug. 21. Meanwhile, an inquiry has been opened by the State Bureau of Investigation into the leaking of the bodycam footage. Police bodycam footage is not a matter of public record, and it is protected by the state as personnel information and because it is susceptible to being edited to change narratives. See CLEARED, Page A17
City leaders spar over APD monitoring From Staff Reports
Asheville Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler and City Councilman Vijay Kapoor recently indicated that they believe threats received by the Asheville Police Department warranted actions taken. Conversely, Councilmen Brian Haynes and Keith Young disagreed, expressing concerns that the right to freedom of assembly had been violated. All council members were not at liberty to elaborate. During the week of July 16, news
outlets learned that police officers had been monitoring the local groups Asheville Black Lives Matter and Showing Up for Racial Justice. According to city spokespersons, the operation involved no more than the reading of certain persons’ social media accounts and plain-clothes attendance at public meetings. The precise alleged threats that were made cannot be discussed publically. The operation was discussed in closed session, meaning legal action is likely being taken against the city.
Council can discuss only three categories of material in closed session: a personnel matter pertaining to council’s direct appointees, a lawsuit involving the city, or an economic development package. The police operations were conducted in July and August 2016. The alleged threats were contemporary with protests by the two groups, which, in turn, followed the July 2 shooting of Jai Williams, just as several incidents involving white-on-black police crime were inflaming the nation. See MONITORING, Page A17
Asheville Daily Planet — August 2018 - A3
A4 - August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
Buncombe to accept $2M settlement in Greene case
From Staff Reports
In a closed meeting July 17, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously agreed to the first settlement in an attempt to recover taxpayer dollars federal investigators claim were squandered by the former county manager. An agreement was reached with Guardian Insurance and its broker, Consolidated Planning. The company sold the county 11 highpriced, whole-life policies — and one annuity for county employees. The commissioners agreed to accept $2,081,686.37, representing a $230,000 discount on the amount spent on the policies. The board has said it was misled into approving funds for the policies. The commissioners said were told they were approv-
Wanda Greene Michael Greene ing funds to settle a wrongful imprisonment case involving coercive interrogation tactics by a former county sheriff, when more than $2.3 million of the sum approved was used to
purchase the policies. Recipients of the policies were assured the benefit was not an uncommon practice across the state, and they were asked not to tell others they were among the select-few recipients. No master list was kept of the recipients, making discovery of the fraud difficult for investigators looking into other financial crimes in county government. No criminal intent was ascribed to the insurance agent nor the insurance company. They were not named in the lawsuit in order to protect negotiations. As terms of the settlement, the county signed a liability waiver protecting the insurance company and employees who had policies. All recipients of the policies, except former County Manager Wanda Greene and her son, Michael, had already reassigned them
to the county. Greene had two policies worth $700,000 each. Her son’s policy was valued at $419,000. Greene immediately cashed in her policies upon retirement; her son has refused to reassign his policy. The county has retained attorney Ron Payne to assist in recovering misappropriated funds that have come to light in an ongoing federal investigation. It is suing for over $950,000 in damages. Also as part of the civil suit the county has filed against Greene, three years of bank activity from her five State Employees’ Credit Union accounts has been subpoenaed. Pursuant to a summons, SECU revealed the five accounts have a combined balance of almost $120,000. The county also wants to examine the accounts of Greene’s son.
Straka’s video tells how the once-proud Democrat Party is now shoveling a narrative of victimhood on its subscribers, dehumanizing, stirring up division, and cultivating a culture of dependence on a government that cannot deliver its promises. It ends, saying, “Once upon a time I was a liberal. But liberalism has changed. And I will no longer be a part of an ideology or political party that represents everything that contradicts my values of unity, equal opportunity, personal empowerment, compassion, and love. So I am walking away. And I encourage all of you to do the same.” Duncan at first ignored posted responses, but then he replied to Emmet Carney, chair of the county’s Democrat Party. “[Straka] is resonating with a lot of people who no longer agree with the direction the Democrat Party
is taking. I have been a lifelong Democrat, but I will never accept the label of a socialist, nor do I believe in Marxist ideology.” He replied to another challenger echoing Zell Miller’s famous aphorism about not leaving the party; the party left him. A few Facebook “friends” replied, somewhat non-sequitur, that Duncan might have some skeletons in his closet. Duncan simply responded he would not be bullied, and then went further to say the threats and bullying by those who do not get their way are another thing he does not like about the direction the party is taking. As sheriff, Duncan tried unsuccessfully to warn against recent Asheville City Council and Buncombe County Commissioner decisions to “tie the hands” of law enforcement officers and subject their actions to political review.
Following the Johnnie Rush incident, both political bodies have acquiesced to intense pressure to restructure government and invest in policies that, in spite of calls for equity, actually accentuate physical and lifestyle differences among citizens. #WalkAway is one of many movements afoot urging unification through tolerance amidst polarizing and divisive rhetoric dominating political speech in the mainstream media. #WalkAway claims people of all stripes should be celebrated and decries the tribalism dividing the population into “identity groups” as echo chambers for us vs. them propaganda. Consistently, celebrating MLK Day on his Facebook page, Duncan posted, “I have decided to stick with love. ‘Hate is too great a burden to bear’ – Martin Luther King.”
Sheriff Duncan laments direction of Dems, catches flak
From Staff Reports
Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan has received recognition for serving honorably the last 12 years. He is, actually, one of the longest-serving leaders of his stature in recent history in Asheville and Buncombe County to have not been scandalized. So, within months of his retirement, the sheriff, who was electVan Duncan ed as the Democrat in a partisan race, posted a video from the #WalkAway movement on his Facebook page. Hitting social media by storm, Brandon
Mission Health sets up trust as sale to HCA still pending
From Staff Reports
Mission Health announced July 16 that the Dogwood Health Trust was now a legal entity. As terms of the nonprofit hospital’s pending sale to for-profit, Nashville-based HCA, it was agreed that proceeds of the sale would go into a trust to expand access to healthcare in the region. Janice Brumit, who now serves on Mission’s board of directors, was named the organization’s founding chair. Brumit has also served on the boards of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and the Buncombe County Economic Development Coalition, and she was a UNC Asheville trustee. The trust is now taking nominations for candidates for other inaugural board members. Details about the fund’s mission have not been ironed out. Determining how the board will function and who will be the target beneficiaries will be a multi-year project. Once the board is seated, assessments of community needs and viable partners will be conducted, and priorities will be identified. The board will also study how other healthcare foundations function, obtain legal approvals, and “develop staff and infrastructure.” Mission’s CEO Dr Ron Paulus estimated the hospital system will sell for somewhere between $1billion to $2 billion, giving the
trust $50-$100 million as its beginning balance. At that, it would be the third largest foundation in the state. Grants would not be awarded until 2020.
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Asheville Daily Planet — August 2018 - A5
Asheville woman named 124th chief of N.C.’s Bar
Man charged with kicking dogs of homeless, being intoxicated
WILMINGTON — Jacqueline D. Grant of Asheville has been installed as the 124th president of the North Carolina Bar Association. Chief Justice Mark Martin of the N.C. Supreme Court administered the oath of office to Grant on the evening of June 23 at the Wilmington Convention Center. She will also serve as president of the North Carolina Bar Foundation.
A man was arrested on July 7 for allegedly kicking several dogs belonging to different homeless people in downtown Asheville. The man, Paul Jones, 33, also was accused of trying to pick a fight with another homeless man. In addition, Jones was charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals and intoxicated and disruptive behavior.
From Staff Reports
Grant is a partner and litigator with Roberts & Stevens, where she has Jackie Grant practiced her entire career. She is a graduate of Western Carolina University and the University of North Carolina School of Law. A lifelong Asheville resident, Grant is the daughter of Cathey Grant and Arthur Grant. Her mother held the Bible during the swearing-in ceremony.
From Staff Reports
In Jones’ arrest warrant, Asheville Police Department officer Verino Ruggiero wrote that Jones appeared to be intoxicated at the time. He later was held at the Buncombe County Detention Center in lieu of a $1,000 bond. Jones, who lists the AHOPE Day Center (a daytime homeless shelter) as his address, tried to start a fight with another man, who also calls AHOPE home, near the Asheville Museum of Sciences off Patton Avenue downtown, according to Asheville police.
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A6 — August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
4 charged with firing fireworks at firefighters, APD officers during blaze on Fourth of July
From Staff Reports
Asheville police responded to a 10:45 p.m. July 4 call to assist firefighters battling a structure fire — and four people — in West Asheville’s Pisgah View Apartments. The fire was under control, but residents had been aiming the fireworks; namely, pyrotechnic mortars and roman candles, at the emergency responders. When police officers arrived, they, too, became the targets of the fireworks. Police eventually stopped the assault by dispersing the crowd with pepper balls. No injuries were sustained by civilians or
From left are Angela Nichole Marko, 34, James Lee Dontae, 19, Jonathan Andrew Meija, 19, and Giovannia Alexis Meija, 19, all of whom were arrested on the Fourth of July after an incident near Pisgah View Apartments in Asheville. responders, but several government vehicles were damaged. Four were arrested, including Angela Nichole Marko, 34, who was charged with
assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, possession with intent to manufacture and sell a Schedule 2 controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and re-
sisting arrest. Also arrested for resisting law enforcement were James Lee Dontae, Jonathan Andrew Mejia and Giovannia Alexis Mejia, all 19, years old. In addition, Dontae also was charged with possession of up to a half-ounce of marijuana. The department said there were no reported injuries of emergency personnel or citizens. However, several city-owned vehicles sustained damage from the explosive devices. The incident remains under review, the Asheville Police Department said.
Commissioners, school board clash over late budget change From Staff Reports
The Buncombe County School Board expressed dissatisfaction with an 11th-hour change to the county budget. Just prior to its adoption, Buncombe County Commissioner Al Whitesides made a motion to grant both the Buncombe County and Asheville City school boards only a portion of their requested disbursements. Reading prepared remarks prior to the vote, Whitesides asked the commissioners to allocate $1,116,068 to the county school system and $209,428 to the city’s schools, and put the remaining $1,863,907 of the request in the county’s fund balance. Commissioner Ellen Frost, throughout the process, had raised concerns that her peers allocate funds to the county’s fire departments and school systems, but they have no way of knowing if the funds given are ever used for the stated purposes. Whitesides repeated the commissioners’ mantra of, “It’s a new day in Buncombe County.” Following the discovery
of mass inappropriate expenditures of public funds that opened a federal investigation involving the former county manager, Whitesides explained the commissioners are tightening down even on themselves as public stewards. Per Whitesides’ amendment, the balance of the schools’ requests would still be available to them; the school boards would only now have to submit a formal request and make a public presentation before the commissioners. Whitesides’ amendment was seconded and approved with the budget. At their June 28 meeting, members of the board of education spoke generally against the sudden blow to their anticipated budget. The move was described as discriminatory, since the commissioners did not require county department heads to demonstrate similar “proofs of poverty.” Whitesides had spoken abstractly, about “some questions [the commissioners] wanted answered.” To that, Buncombe County Schools’ attorney Dean Shatley countered that the school had concerns about what questions Whitesides had that were important enough to withhold
requested funding. Making his presentation before the commissioners in May, Superintendent Tony Baldwin had said the increases were needed for payroll and escalating utility costs. Academically, the school wanted $198,000 for math workbooks. Most of his emphasis, however, was on escalating needs for addressing behavioral health issues. Speaking in euphemisms, he alluded to the serious weight the latter loads on schools today. After Whitesides’ motion, Baldwin observed money for teacher pay is a recurring expense that cannot be addressed sustainably by a one-time fund-balance appropriation. Had the schools been given their full asks, the baseline for ongoing continuation budgets would have adjusted accordingly. While accusations flew that the amendment created distrust between the board and commissioners, supporters noted that any distrust could be cleared up with a simple presentation.
No plans have been submitted to the city’s design review process, which will be required. The site has been home to the fast-casual burger joint since 1986. While Fuddruckers has become somewhat of an institution, the combination of apartments and shops may be more conforming to the existing area. The city is already conducting a master-planning process to shape development in the north Charlotte Street corridor. Meanwhile, the Ashvegas website reported that Suzanne
Escovitz, president of a local neighborhood association, issued an email recently, asking neighbors to offer up their opinions of the proposal to the developer, the Asheville Planning & Zoning Commission and Asheville City Council. Ashvegas added, “Escovitz writes that the plan includes ‘several hundred apartment units” on the lot, as well as new ground floor retail spaces. There are green building elements to the construction, and a number of units will be set aside and rented as “affordable,” she wrote.
Fuddruckers site sold; apartments, shops proposed From Staff Reports
Earlier this month, Kassinger Development purchased 130 Charlotte Street in North Asheville, the lot on which Fuddruckers is situated. The developer intends to build a mixed-use complex with more than 200 residential units and 17,000 square feet of commercial space. Prior to the purchase, Kassinger had run the idea by neighbors and completed a traffic impact analysis. Details are still in the works and negotiable.
Free Medicare classes to be offered in Asheville area From Staff Reports
Late summer and early fall dates for free Medicare Choices Made Easy semseminars were recently announced by the Council on Aging of Buncombe County, in conjunction with Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program,. The classes explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties and ways to save money. The information sessions are free and open to the public. Those who are new to Medicare, caregivers and others who help senior citizens with their Medicare insurance should consider attending this informative class, the event organizers noted, adding that the information presented is unbiased and accurate. No products are sold, recommended or endorsed. To register for the town hall meeting or for any of the class sessions listed below (each class offers the same information), visit the Council on Aging of
Buncombe County website at coabc.org 40 N. Merrimon Ave., Ste 101, Woodor call 277-8288. fin. Classes are offered as follows: • Sept. 19: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Woodfin • Aug. 21: 2-4 p.m., South Buncombe YMCA, 40 N. Merrimon Ave., Ste 101, Library, 260 Overlook Road, Asheville. Woodfin. • Aug. 22: 1-3 p.m., Blue Ridge Com• Sept. 25: 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Blue munity Health Center, 2579 Chimney Ridge Community College Health SerRock Road, Hendersonville. vices, Community Room, 2579 Chim• Aug. 23: 2-4 p.m., A-B Tech, Madi- ney Rock Road, Hendersonville. son County campus, 4646 U.S. 25/70, Marshall. • Aug. 29: 2-4 p.m., at Black Mountain Library, 105 Dougherty St., Black Mountain. to the Daily Planet and stay in touch with the • Sept. 13: 9:30area ... and the world! 11:30 a.m., Reuter We will mail 12 issues a year to your home or busiFamily YMCA, ness for just $35 per year in Asheville/Buncombe County, $50 for everywhere else in the U.S., or $100 3 Town Square for outside the U.S. Send your mailing information Blvd., Asheville. and check (payable to “Asheville Daily Planet” to: • Sept. 19: Asheville Daily Planet 11 a.m.-1 p.m., P.O. Box 8490 Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 Woodfin YMCA,
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Asheville Daily Planet — August 2018 - A7 from ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ to ‘Dueling Banjos.’” Raleigh Ringers Director David Harris noted that, “since we are a community-based group, not related to any particular church or school, we have had the opportunity to explore many different kinds of music. We strive to reach the widest possible audience with the variety of music we play.” For tickets, which are $18, visit www.lakejunaluska.com/concerts or call (800) 965-9324.
Faith Notes Send us your faith notes
Please submit items to the Faith Notes by noon on the third Wednesday of each month, via email, at spirituality@ashevilledailyplanet.com, or fax to 252-6567, or mail c/o The Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490. Submissions will be accepted and printed at the discretion of the editor, space permitting. To place an ad for a faith event, call 252-6565.
Friday, Aug. 3
STOWEGOOD CONCERT, 7 p.m., Unity of The Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. StoweGood, an international touring duo based in Nashville, Tenn., and comprised of Grammy-nominated songwriter Karen Taylor Good and award-winning author Stowe Dailey, will perform in concert. The two author/songwriters enhance their keynote presentations, concerts and workshops “with a unique speaking style and powerful songs, which never fail to inspire, motivate and uplift their audiences,” Unity noted. Stowe Dailey is a singersongwriter, bestselling author and recent cancer survivor. She co-wrote the hit song, “Long Time Comin’,” for the group Shenandoah. She has co-authored five books, including “Flying High,” which was featured at the “I Can Do It” conference in Toronto!” Good is the Grammy-nominated songwriter of “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye” and other radio hits by Patty Loveless, Al Jarreau and Melissa Manchester, among others. She has recorded albums and movie soundtracks with Willie Nelson, Al Green and Dolly Parton. Her songs are used by Childhelp USA, the Compassionate Friends and the National Hospice Foundation. Recent presenters of a TEDx talk, the two women have shared their musical keynotes, workshops and concerts across the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. For tickets, which are $18, visit http://stowegood.com. LAKE JUNALUSKA SINGERS CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Stuart Auditorium, Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center, 20 Chapel Drive, Lake Junaluska. The Lake Junaluska Singers will perform in concert. Director Mary Huff said she is especially excited about the performance, which is titled “A Musical Feast.” The concert will include classical choral music by women composers, including Jocelyn Hagan, Diane Loomer, Eleanor Daley and Stephanie Martin, as well as spirituals, such as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Huff noted, “For this concert, we are going to have a wide variety of outstanding music — from beautiful
Stowe Dailey
Karen Taylor Good
arrangements by outstanding women composers to songs from American songwriter and performer James Taylor, who celebrates his 70th birthday this year. Attendees should expect an evening that will make the heart leap with joy and leave them smiling from ear to ear.” For tickets, which are $18, visit www.lakejunaluska.com/concerts or call (800) 965-9324.
Saturday, Aug. 4
FLEA MARKET, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Etowah United Methodist Church, 110 Brickyard Road (across from the Etowah Library), Etowah. The Giant Etowah Flea Market will include collectibles, electronics, power and hand tools, household appliances, kitchen ware, lawn and garden tools, artwork and linens. All proceeds will be given to support local and regional charities. The church youth also will be selling food onsite. RALEIGH RINGERS CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Stuart Auditorium, Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center, 20 Chapel Drive, Lake Junaluska. The Raleigh Ringers will perform in concert. The group is billed by the center as “an internationally acclaimed, advanced community handbell choir that plays unique interpretations of sacred, secular and popular music. Their music includes famous rock ‘n’ roll tunes arranged just for handbells. Expect to hear an amazing variety of songs — everything
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Thursday, Aug. 9
UNITY 101 CLASS, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Unity of The Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. The Rev. Darlene Strickland will lead a presentation on, and study of, Unity’s spiritual foundation and principles. The class is billed as “the perfect forum for those who are new to Unity and want to learn more... Also, a great refresher!” While the class is not a requisite for membership, it “is a great opportunity to learn more,” Unity noted.
Aug. 13, registration will be from 3-5 p.m., with hotel check-in beginning at 4 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., a worship service will be led by the Rev. Heidi Neumark, who is billed simply as a “preacher.” All-day-and-into-the-night programs will be offered Aug 14-15, featuring prominent speakers. On Aug. 14, from 8:15 to 9:15 p.m. , the day’s programs will be capped by a fireside chat on “Remembering the WisdomKeepers in Our Lives.” 8-9 p.m. On Aug. 15, the program will end on a lighter note with “Comedy Theater: Acts of Renewal” from 8-9 p.m. On Aug. 16, the program will conclude with a breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., a closing communion service led the Rev. Mitzi Johnson, billed as a “preacher and celebrant” from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 19
Friday, Aug. 10
CONCERT PIANIST PERFORMANCE, 4 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 204 Sixth Avenue West, Hendersonville. Concert pianist Alex Watson will perform sacred, classical and jazz solo piano music.
Monday, Aug. 13
The Asheville Daily Planet strives to be accurate in all articles published. Contact the News Department at news@ashevilledailyplanet.com, (828) 252-6565, or P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490.
SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHT, 7-9:30 p.m., Sandford Hall, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. The UUCA will screen its monthly Social Justice Movie Night offering, the title of which is to be announced. After the screening, a discussion will be held. All are welcome and admission is free. FESTIVAL OF WISDOM AND GRACE, 7-8:15 p.m., Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center, 20 Chapel Drive, Lake Junaluska. The annual Festival of Wisdom and Grace will be held Aug. 13-16. On
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Iconic Chief Pontiac statue removed, taken to Virginia From Staff Reports
To anybody wondering about that huge image of Chief Pontiac cruising around town on his back …. On July 13, the giant statue of a Native American marking Harry’s on the Hill was removed. Harry’s used to sell Pontiac cars when the statue went up. It served as advertising and was not unique to the dealership. It came from an era in Americana where huge fiberglass Chief Pontiacs, Sinclair Dinosaurs, and Muffler Men dotted the countryside. Chief Pontiac had stood at Harry’s for more than 50 years. The decision to remove him also came with the decision to remove a sales employee who had posted an “ugly” response to a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. She charged he had mistreated her because of her ethnic background. The huge “Indian” at the dealership only added insult to injury. The statue was donated to Joel Baker, who goes around the country “rescuing” the fiberglass statues. The chief first went to Baker’s business, American Giants, in Natural Bridge, Va., for restoration. After that, it will go to Pontiac, Michigan, where it will be a permanent installation in the PontiacOakland Transportation Museum, scheduled to open soon. The dealership had received a lot of offers for the chief; preliminary reports said he was going to go to Arizona. Harry’s owner, Pat Grimes said she liked the idea of sending him to Pontiac because people there will make the connection between the historical personage and the car brand. The statue was removed quietly and in
Special photo courtesy of NEWS 13/WLOS-TV
The statue of Chief Pontiac is taken down on July 13 and prepared for transport for repairs. less than an hour. In a private non-ceremony, the dealership was cordoned off by the police, and a crane was used to lift the chief onto the bed of a modified boat trailer. During the process, Baker remarked that the rescue may have been just in time. One of the metal supports inside the statue was
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terribly corroded, the chief’s fingers had begun to disintegrate, and he “was in need of a paint job.” As an aside, inside the statue, workers found arrowheads, a reminder of the old days when hooligans would use the chief for target practice after hours. While feedback on the statue’s removal
was intense and varied, Grimes believes she has done the right thing. In a statement to the press, Grimes wrote that the dealership was going to take, “whatever actions are needed to guarantee that no one at Harry’s on the Hill ever experiences anything like this again.”
Asheville Daily Planet — August 2018 — A13
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A14 — August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
The Daily Planet’s Opinion
City’s Chief Pontiac statue could have been much more
M
uch has been made of the recent departure of the 23-foot-tall “Muffler Man” statue of Chief Pontiac, which solemnly stood sentinel, gazing down on Asheville’s motor-vehicle choked Patton Avenue for more than 50 years, fronting Harry’s on the Hill automotive dealership. The large statue was one of thousands that, during the 1960s and ‘70s, were sold as publicity devices for roadside businesses, many of which were muffler shops, according to a July 19 story in the Cantin Automotive Insider. “These Muffler Men took the form of lumberjacks (the first Muffler Man was a model of Paul Bunyan), cowboys, spacemen, Indians like Asheville’s Chief Pontiac, and even bikini-clad women that reportedly bore a suspicious resemblance to First Lady Jackie Kennedy,” the publication noted. We know of no evidence that, at the time of their placement, the statues were meant to be condescending to Chief Pontiac (an 18th-century Ottawa war chief) in particular or to Native Americans in general. However, there seems to be no question that that is the perception among at least some of our local members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee today. Of course, the statue was the property of Harry’s on the Hill, which is a private business, so we fully respect the right of the car dealership to determine its fate. Still, we join at least some other Ashevillians in feeling a loss of the iconic fiberglass landmark. However, the decision to remove the statue followed an ugly incident between a former Harry’s car salesman and a Cherokee woman, which prompted the dealership to make a number of changes, including the decision that the statue, which it termed, “a relic from a different era,” had outlived its usefulness. (Besides, General Motors stopped making Pontiacs in 2010, anyway.) “As it turned out, the statue’s removal revealed that it was badly deteriorated and in need of repair. American Giants, a Virginia company that specializes in restoring Muffler Men, will repair Chief Pontiac. Reportedly, the statue will later be installed at the Pontiac-Oakland Museum of Pontiac, Illinois,” CAI reported. So we bid Chief Pontiac’s Asheville statue farewell — and only wish that a way could have been found to relocate it to some conspicuous location in the area — perhaps even to the Town of Cherokee, where it could serve as an educational tool, with signage that gives accurate context to what his statue represented — for future generations to contemplate several issues, including cultural appropriation.
Was Trump’s 2016 win good for Dems this year?
CHAPEL HILL — I thought I was so smart back in 2016 when I wrote that Democrats, who were confident they would defeat Donald Trump, should be pulling for him to win. A Trump win, I explained, could be a good thing, not for the country perhaps, but for the future of the Democratic Party. Barack Obama’s win in 2008 elated Democrats, but it hurt them in elections later on. So, I opined, a 2016 Trump victory would hurt Republicans in future elections. Obama’s 2008 victory seemed to be the prelude to a long period of Democratic dominance and control of the House and Senate. But it did not last long, because Obama’s victory provoked a powerful Tea Party-like response from an angry segment of the public who marched to the polls in 2010 and reversed Democratic gains and retook control of Congress. Therefore, I wrote, “if Trump were to win and become president, he would provoke anti-Trump and anti-Republican voters in the 2018 and 2020 elections, which would be monumental, surpassing even the antiObama reaction in 2010.” I backed up my prediction with some history that showed how the party of the incumbent president fares badly in midterm elections.
D.G. Martin In the 1994 elections, two years after Bill Clinton won the presidency, Democrats lost 54 seats and control of the House. They lost nine seats and control of the U.S. Senate. In 2006, two years after George W. Bush won reelection, Republicans lost 32 seats and control of the U.S. House. They lost six seats and control of the U.S. Senate. In 2010, two years after Barack Obama won the presidency, Democrats lost 64 seats and control of the House. They lost five seats in the Senate and kept control only by a two-vote margin. In 2014, two years after Barack Obama won reelection, Democrats lost 13 House seats. They also lost nine seats and control of the U.S. Senate. I argued that a Trump win in 2016 would assure Democratic victories in 2018 and beyond. See MARTIN, Page A15
Letters to the Editor
Trump’s Helsinki insults caled threat to democracy
A
t President Trump’s recent meeting in Helsinki, Finland, Putin once again denied any involvement “by the state,” in the 2016 presidential election. Trump called the U. S. government investigation of Russian interference “a disaster for our country,” “false news” and a “witch hunt.” Instead of a diplomatic triumph, Trump blamed the U.S. for hostility between the two countries. He also ignored Mueller’s12 Russian indictments and continued his pattern of praising Putin, essentially giving Putin a penalty-free green light to continue Russian intelligence activities against America. Trump’s final insult to America was his demeaning and reckless statement that “thanks to U. S. foolishness and stupidity, our relationship has never been worse.” America’s president has become a national security risk, an apologist for Putin’s espionage against the United States of America. He has aided a known enemy who has just attacked one of the most sacred of our institutions and successfully helped President Putin in his continuing efforts to destabilize and polarize America. In siding with Putin and Russia, Trump is taking the word of a former KGB agent over the assessment of all U.S. Intelligence Agencies, over two administrations, Republican and Democratic, and the Republican Senate Intelligence Committee. Donald Trump believes the Russian President. And doesn’t believe the United States Intelligence Community. It’s all right there in his own statements. Amazing, terrifying and treacherous. Terry Brant Brevard
Trump termed a ‘gaslighter’ who plays voters for fools
Let me add my perspective to the Donald Trump debate: Trump is merely a skillfull, manipulative “gaslighter” and con-artist who intentionally appeals to our worst inner qualities because he believes that this is who and what 51 percent of us are. Namely angry, lonely, fearful, bitter, resentful, spiteful, selfish and self-absorbed cold-hearted haters, some of whom fear projections that one day over 50 percent of the USA will be non-white. He plays all of us for fools and suckers because he does not believe most of the stupid things that he cleverly spoons out to us. Get it? It’s all an ACT. Some of us have fallen for his ACT. He must laugh at us every day, both his supporters as well as his critics — at least the ones who think he is sincere. Stewart B. Epstein Rochester, N.Y.
A ‘people’s revolution’ urged to restore freedom
America is in the final stages of transformation into a police and surveillance state that so closely mimics the Orwellian Big Brother police and serveillance state inside British author George Orwell’s dystopian sci-fi novel “1984,” that it’s easy to believe that our Big Brother government in Washington used “1984” as a blueprint for creating an Orwellian Big Brother police ans surveilance satate in post-911 America! The woman’s revolution and LGBTQ should be put on the back-burner and all Americans should join forces to wage a second American revolution to overthrow our tyrants and despotic Big Brother government in Washington. See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Page A16
The Candid Conservative
Conservatives in wonderland
“I’m a Christian first, and a mean-spirited, bigoted conservative second – and don’t you ever forget it.” — Ann Coulter The problem iving in the epicenter of liberal conformity as a conservative is a bit like navigating 1930s’ Germany as a Jew. Instead of the brown-shirted thugs in beerhalls conspiring our demise, we have anti-brewery Antifa vandals in West Asheville bookstores. Asheville’s progressively controlled education system is similarly hell-bent on purging the right-minded. If you doubt it, check out UNCA. Like Bavaria of old, the irony of a liberal arts university tolerating only one brand of thinking is lost in their zeal for ideological purity. My favorite measurement of totalitarian leanings is the 7-0 liberal super-majority lock on our governing body. Even the remote possibility of district elections adding a conservative thinker has generated apoplexy. An endless 7-0 Asheville City Council, where diversity is limited to revolving liberals attempting to outdo one another’s extremism – not a peep? The conservative minority is working to undo the left’s lock. Our plan is to disrupt Asheville’s tattoo parlors, head shops and retro used clothing stores. Minus these cherished resources, it’s our hope the grass-fed liberal hordes will move or perish. Relentlessly faced with the left’s wearisome habituation to extremism over realism, we
L
Carl Mumpower
appreciate that some independent spirits are reconsidering. For those thus conflicted here’s a few solid reasons to take a look at Plan B. Discernment versus judgment Conservatives get that humans are prone to judgment. Though the left likes to pretend a lack of bias, watch their reactions to independent thinkers, Christians or those sporting a MAGA hat. Conservatives take a different approach. Our core values are attached to nature. The constant pressure of her demand for personal responsibility keeps us humble. We work to separate discernment from judgment. The former requires objective assessment of what works and doesn’t without condemnation. The latter is reactive, usually thoughtless and filled with censure. Witness the Academy Awards progressive extravaganza for evidence of where the left hangs out. Well-behaved men don’t make history either Our current president’s predecessor prided himself in shining imagery and oratory. He spent eight years polishing those credentials. See CANDID CONSERVATIVE, Page A16
Asheville Daily Planet — August 2018 - A15
Commentary
How will history see the times we live in?
W
hen now is history, I’ll be dead and gone. And, man, I’d really love to know what’s going to be said and written, say, 50 years from now about the days we’re in now. Things happen every day that have never happened before. Superficially, history tells us how things turned out. Richard Nixon resigned Aug. 9, 1974. But with the passage of time, historians have described the details that brought him down. Our own superficial history begins on Nov. 8, 2016, and every day we strain to try and figure how things will turn out. North Carolina in the spring of 1861 was like our time today. Several Southern states had seceded from the Union but not North Carolina. Our General Assembly was opposed to secession. A referendum to hold a convention to consider secession was voted down. Only plantation centers in Eastern Carolina were in favor. A Wilmington newspaper editorialized that “South Carolina has been nothing but trouble from the beginning. We must not follow them.” But when President Lincoln called for North Carolina to give troops to help put down the rebellion in other Southern states, everything changed. The North Carolina History Project tells of Zebulon Vance at the moment he heard about Lincoln’s troop request: “With arms upraised, (Vance) was pleading for the preservation of the Union: ‘When my hand came down from that impassioned gesticulation,’ he said, ‘it fell slowly and sadly by the side of a secessionist.’” North Carolina, and WNC in particular, had no enthusiasm for secession. And many who voted for secession in the convention knew the Confederacy would destroy the South. And it’s telling that after the vote for secession, the
Martin
Continued from Page A14 On the other hand, had Hillary Clinton won in 2016, her party would be experiencing legislative losses in this year’s mid-term elections. In 2020, running for reelection, Clinton would be facing angry voters rising up again against the establishment and demanding change. Republican enthusiasm and the anger of Clinton haters would then make the Republican nominee the overwhelming favorite to beat her bid for reelection. Republicans would also have a good chance to sweep state legislative races as they did in 2010, opening the door for more gerrymandered redistricting that would ensure their control of the U.S. House and state legislatures for years to come. All this still sounds reasonable. What did I miss? First, although a blue wave of anger could still drive Democrats to the polls this fall, there is a matching red wave of ardent Trump voters. What accounts for their enthusiasm?
Lee Ballard convention also voted not to put the question to the people in another referendum. It all came down to decisions. When leaders make decisions, they bring good or ill for their people. Our state’s leaders’ decision to go with Southern neighbors over the Union (for reasons I can’t understand) was terrible. In the end, reluctant North Carolina contributed more men and supplies to the Confederacy than any other state, and we suffered more casualties. If we put ourselves back in 1861, reading a newspaper, we can feel their anger, their fears, their bewilderment. What’s wrong with those people we sent to Raleigh? Almost precisely what we feel right now about our government in Washington. One-third of Americans are so loyal to President Trump that they support him even when he says and does things that are not in our national interest. They believe his obvious lies. They trust him when corruption is all around him. And their devotion scares Republican lawmakers out of their wits – and their constitutional responsibilities. We’re bewildered. Like our forefathers in 1861, we’re angry and often pessimistic. We think of great nations that have fallen from within. People in 1861 were right to worry. Their leaders would make the horrendous decision to secede. And we are right to worry about the decision that Republicans have made not to check President Trump. Their timidity is shameful by any measure. We look with hope to November and a possible Democratic takeover of the House of
Representatives. If they control House committees, they can call for answers. They can change Washington. The Mueller Report will tell us a lot about criminals and traitors. History will tell us everything. Is Republican silence and inaction out of fear of their constituents, as supposed, or are they really hoping that Russian interference will rescue them in November? Historians will find out. Is President Trump’s irrationality from senility? Or will they find he has no American patriotism, only his self-interest?
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According to Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen, a former aide to Senator Jesse Helms, even lukewarm Trump supporters, “energized by the left’s nonstop, over-thetop attacks on Trump are not peeling those voters away from him; they are pushing them further into the president’s camp.” You do not have to agree with Thiessen to see that Trump’s core support is still solid and motivated. Secondly, Democrats are still struggling to find messages that will excite their base without turning off more moderate Democrats. If the angry factions of the party drive away the moderates, they will find that they cannot make a winning blue wave this fall by themselves. Maybe Democrats can still make progress in the upcoming elections, but I was certainly wrong to imply that it would happen automatically. • D.G. Martin hosts “North Carolina Bookwatch,” which airs at noon Sundays and at 5 p.m. Thursdays on UNC-TV.
Will spineless D.C. Republicans be consigned to the same rubbish heap as those who didn’t confront slavery in the Nineteenth Century? Will Limbaugh and Fox News be a laughing stock? Will Trump’s one-third stay with him if thick turns to thin? Who will be seen as heroes of our democracy? I’d love to know. My grandchildren will. • Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill. For more “stuff Ballard wrote,” visit mountainsnail.com.
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August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
Candid Conservative
Continued from Page A14 Conservatives understand those are not the skill sets necessary to draining a swamp. Donald Trump struggles to get a C-minus on imagery. His successes and commitment to courageously lead versus safely dogpaddle merit an A-plus. Conservatives aren’t sexist. We understand that neither well-behaved women nor men make history – and that swamps are muddy places less vulnerable to charm than conviction.
Our leap of faith is not toward man Not all conservatives are Christians, but most are. We’ve made a conscious choice to embrace the time-tested values of the spiritual faith that arguably made our world. Why? Because we don’t see anything coming out of the hands of man that works better. That doesn’t mean we live in detachment. We just find it works better to face life with a loving value system telling us how best to deal with human imperfections. We’re patient with the left finding comfort in the erudite clarity of the “Big Bang Theory.” We like simple math Conservatives appreciate America’s traditional success equation. There’s simplicity and realism in that simple formula – Liberty + Opportunity + Responsibility = Prosperity. Every other political movement in America likes to pretend you can leave out ingredients and produce the same outcome. For that reason, if no other, you should be a conservative. We love the 2nd Amendment Antagonists love to pontificate about militias, hunting privileges, gun violence and Constitutional “flexibility.” Conservatives read
history and understand the 2nd Amendment is about something infinitely more important – the right to and means of self-protection. We like the fact America has 10 times more armed citizens that China has soldiers. We like that governing control freaks are more afraid of us than we are of them. We like the fact that lawful citizens can purchase modern firearms as a counter to similarly armed bad-guys. We like that women – with their acknowledged physical limitations – can carry a small equalizer against those who would exploit that vulnerability. The left – per word and deed – wants to disarm us for their comfort at the expense of our safety. Read about gun-control ground-zero – Chicago – for clarity of how well that works. Fond of Mother Nature The left is constantly trying to find a way around nature’s truths. Their political seduction mantra thus tracks to a central theme – the promise of something for nothing. In contrast, nature persistently tells us nothing is free. We have to earn it all. Conservatives get the reality that life is an uphill climb versus a downhill stroll. It’s a more demanding view, but nature rewards those who embrace her truths just as surely as she gets around to punishing those who don’t. Conservatives don’t try to fool Mother Nature. Gender swapping isn’t easy Going back to that discernment versus judgment thing, conservatives get that gender exchange isn’t a seamless walk to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Working against Mother Nature’s clear preference for two genders is a tough undertaking. Should people be free to make that choice – sure. Should they be able to recruit the young and naive; shut-down social discourse on
Letters to the editor
Continued from Page A14 And to restore our liberty and freedom and privacy and to create a new government of the People, by the People and for the People, a government that both respects and protects our liberty and freedom and privacy... a government that constantly seeks to increase our liberty and freedom and privacy. Once the people’s revolution has overthrown the tyranny and restored our liberty and freedom and privacy and created a government which preserves, protects and defends our liberty and freedoms and privacy, women can return to waging a women’s revolution and gays can return to fighting for LGBTQ rights. But to fight for women’s rights and gay rights now — while our government is turning our country into a police state — would be counter-revolutionary because it would take our minds and hearts off the revolution!!! RICHARD D. POPE Hendersonville
David Brown’s candidacy backed for honesty, heart
I attended a rally for David Wilson Brown, the Democratic candidate for the 10th District U.S. House of Representatives seat held by Republican Patrick McHenry, and I want to say the man is real. He is sincere and dedicated to decency, fairness, honesty and to representing common people. I enjoyed seeing him dance spontaneously and affectionately with his grade-school-age daughter in an inconspicuous corner of the room as music played, convincing me of his authentic good humanity. I watched him hold back tears speaking
of his dedication to making a world his two young children could feel the same optimism that past generations have taken for granted, but now is threatened by growing cynicism and corruption, by economic unfairness, a degrading environment, and the unraveling of democracy so that the powerful and wealthy can grab more power and wealth. I saw genuine anger at his opponent, at President Trump, and the Republican Party who are undermining our democratic, environmental, and regulatory safeguards creating an American oligarchy of the wealthy and corporations. He’s not slick, nor a natural public speaker, but as he spoke, his sincerity took over and he grew in eloquence and won my heart and the hearts of those attending. He’ll fight for people’s right to healthcare, educational opportunity, 21st Century goodpaying jobs, the environment and an honest government that is the servant of the people and not the wealthy. It will be difficult for him to win in the dishonestly gerrymandered 10th District that snakes from Gastonia to the southeast portion of Asheville (breaking up the Democratic-leaning city), designed to rig the election for Republican victory, but it can be done if honest people support this honest man. Bill Walz Asheville See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Page A17
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alternative thinking; or otherwise conceal the hardships associated with their convictions – no. It’s not about hate – it’s about a resistance to pretense. It’s not about color either Though the left likes to toss the “racism” card about like fall leaves blowing in the wind, conservatives get the deeper truths of our current divide. What’s pulling us apart is not color – it’s the choices, character and cultural convictions that some of us are making. Any man who judges a person by something they can’t control – like color – is a fool. Any man who fails to discern the importance of good choices, character and cultural convictions falls into the same pit. Conservatives believe the left abuses minorities – and if you don’t believe that, check out the murder rates, public housing miseries, abortion statistics and economic realities that have descended on their watch. Normal Isn’t extremism Beats the heck out of me how the left and their media marketing agents constantly manage to call conservatives extremists. For clarification, ask yourself which value system “The Greatest Generation” embraced – and then ponder which side is on the right side of reason. While the Democratic Party of this notso-great generation doubles down on open borders, men in women’s bathrooms, abortion, 2nd Amendment antagonism, anti-Christian and anti-police sentiments, conservatives are on the road less traveled. We like the time-tested values that have made America a beacon of hope to the world. Yes Myrtle, that means conservatives still believe in the word “normal.” We don’t treat ourselves too seriously As you’ll note from the up top quote, conservatives are more into humor than hate. Most
of us prefer to quietly go about our business and leave other people to theirs. We don’t need to be masters of the universe. We believe we can disagree with people without needing to cut their heads off. Conservatives don’t get compelling urges to do stuff like rip-up historical monuments; embrace the “F” word as an enlightened form of social commentary; or knit and sport pink vagina hats as we throw people out of restaurants because we don’t like their hats. Conservatives also appreciate civil debate. We find it intriguing that Asheville’s progressives avoid those opportunities like the plague – except when everyone else at the table is a progressive. Speaking of which, being students of humanity as well as nature, we conservatives have watched Asheville’s conformity parade and note how many progressives can’t find their happy place without a glass or a bowl. Excuse us if we don’t duplicate a model of social intercourse that doesn’t work without lubrication. On a final note, may I share we’re very fond of “Alice in Wonderland?” As conservatives in Asheville, we realize that to keep our head – we have to keep a sense of humor.… • Carl Mumpower, a psychologist and former elected official, is chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party. He can be reached at drmumpower@aol.com.
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A17 — August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
Advice Goddess
Continued from Page A1 A: It’s hard on the ego to learn why somebody’s leaving you, but it beats needing a Ouija board. It’s the mystery that’s causing the problem. Typically, when rotten things happen to us, our feel-bad emotions (like anger and sadness) rise up — driving us to take a wiser course of action the next time so we’ll keep those bad feelings from popping by again: “Wassup? Got any beer?” Knowing the wiser course starts with knowing what to avoid. But all you’ve got is a terrible itch — the itch of uncertainty about why this guy vanished — and little hope of yanking him in to give you answers: “Wanted/Reward — ex-boyfriend who ghosted me, last seen on 3/11/2018 carrying the remains of my dignity in a green reusable bag.”
However, you can probably dupe your mind into believing it has the answer. Research by cognitive neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga suggests our mind is quick to create stories to fill in and make sense out of incomplete information — and then we tend to go right ahead and believe our stories. To take advantage of this, imagine a possible reason the guy vamoosed on you — and then just decide to accept it as THE reason. What might also help is transforming your thoughts of the guy into a material object — a piece of garbage, in fact — and throwing it away. And yes, I get that this sounds absurd, but there’s a growing area of social science research — embodied cognition — that finds taking action is a highly efficient way to change our feelings. Accordingly, social psychologist Pablo Brinol had research participants write a nega-
Continued from Page A1 In the heat of racial tensions, as council has mounted a Herculean effort at calming through intensive listening and response, calls to divide along racial lines are now escalating in another quarter. Edwards denies charges that racism played into the drawing of the map. He took full responsibility for oversight of the process. Edwards noted that GIS cartographers say sufficient data is not available on the demographics of the districts to support the racism charges. Ironically, since the legislature began pushing district elections, Vijay Kapoor,
a business-savvy Democrat from South Asheville, was elected to council. Keith Young and Sheneika Smith, both AfricanAmericans, were also elected. The new districts will double-bunk Young with Councilman Brian Haynes. Any Republicans running from South Asheville will have to run against Kapoor, who has built a record of representing sound business practices and government accountability. Then again, its possible that something in Currin’s legal strategy is yet to unfurl. Meanwhile, in a press release posted on June 29, Edwards said, “After operating a
District elections
I-240
Continued from Page A1 Early challengers to the improvements argued, “If you build it, they will come;” meaning wider roads invite more automobile traffic. And this was not the direction government leaders should be taking in light of climate concerns. Detractors, however, have countered that traffic backups, such as the weekly Sunday afternoon fiasco, cause a lot of idling, which, they say, is not good for the environment, either. County Chair Brownie Newman, who formerly advocated against the widening, is now supporting expedition. He and County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara argued expediting the project did not necessarily close opportunities to persuade the DOT to adopt a quality design. Moving this project’s timeframe up to coincide with work on Sections B and C, however, would introduce efficiencies in project management, saving money and resources. The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President for Public Policy
A ‘people’s revolution’ urged to restore freedom
As one with the mileage to remember when Asheville’s daily attempted journalistic balance, I grieve today’s bias devotions. Affirmation of that transition can be found in John Boyle’s Sunday (July 15) article on Sheriff Duncan’s concerns with the ever-
In the mood for shrug
I’m a 35-year-old guy. My fiancee broke up with me a year ago. I was devastated. We don’t have any contact now, but I still love her. I haven’t been on one
City Council election process that has gone fundamentally unchanged since 1935, I am pleased that the citizens of Asheville will now employ an election system that will offer a stronger voice for more of its citizens.” He added, “The most populated cities in North Carolina have previously converted to a system that incorporates some form of districted elections. With the passage of S813, Asheville can now benefit from an increased candidate pool, accountability of council members to a specific geographic area, and a clear understanding by the citizens of where they should turn if they have concerns.
Monitoring
date since our breakup, and I reminisce about her constantly. My guy friends are like, “Move on, dude. Get a life!” But honestly, that’s not that helpful. What is the best way to get over an ex besides time? — Stuck That which does not kill you makes you crap company on poker night. “Jeez, man, quit crying on the cards!” Your buddies surely mean well in taking the “just say the magic words!” approach — “Get over it! Lotta fish in the sea, man!” — but you’re trying to recover from a breakup, not summon a genie. Lingering feelings of love for your fiancee are the problem. As for a solution, research by cognitive psychologist Sandra J.E. Langeslag suggests you can decrease those feelings through “negative reappraisal” of your ex-partner — basically looking back and trying to see all the “bad” in her. See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A18
“I am excited that this laborious and sometimes controversial matter appears to be behind us. It is my since hope now that I, the Asheville City Council, and the entire Buncombe County Legislative Delegation may work together to turn our attention to other matters of concern for the citizens of Asheville. “I often hear of, and I recognize the challenges that Asheville faces to confront our growing population and infrastructure needs. I look forward to work with all involved to help us face these challenges,” Edwards said, in concluding his press release.
Corey Atkins cautioned that failure to expedite the project could subject the project to yet another round of traffic studies. The DOT is currently revising its plans, and new data could lead engineers to definitively conclude the road must be eight lanes, instead of the six for which they have settled under public pressure. Atkins said completing scheduled work on both ends of the project — Sections B and C — would only create a bottleneck until 2027, when construction would again cause delays. A point-scale used by the DOT that prioritizes projects in terms of congestion and the number of traffic incidents ranked Sections B and C higher than Section A. Projects are also weighted in terms of the priorities of local leadership. The MPO vote will raise the score for the widening project. The project is estimated to cost $600$800 million, depending on the final design selected. Work on crossing the French Broad River and streamlining interchanges for I-40, I-26, and I-240 in West Asheville was already scheduled to begin in 2020.
Continued from Page A2 Demonstrations included a sit-in at the downtown police station. The shooting, following investigation, was later ruled to be justified; reports said Williams had defied officer’s orders and been reaching for a gun at the time. Haynes was of the opinion the alleged threats did not rise to a level justifying the allocation of police resources toward the operation. Since leadership in both groups is on a first-name basis with police officers, Haynes said open and frank discussions about the threats would have been preferable. Agreeing with Haynes that news of the operation works against building trust between minority communities and the police department, Delores Venable, representing Asheville Black Lives Matter, said it was grounds for social justice organizations to stop “coming to the table” with officers. Leadership in both groups denies any threats were made and that their groups would resort to violence. Venable calls the monitoring “intimidation.”
Years ago, while Asheville’s police department was headed by another chief, former City Councilman Cecil Bothwell complained about police videotaping public rallies, which included conservative Tea Party events. Official statements from city spokespersons about the operation have been politically-correct and devoid of content, conservatives have contended.
expanding “liberal-socialist” leanings of his party. Predictably, no conservative voices were cited. The same tried-and-true progressive professor was misused to affirm Boyle’s conclusions and dependable Republican Party vilification. My conclusion – this journalist is as wrong in his course as Sheriff Duncan is right in reconsidering his. In suggesting “Republican extremism” leaves our good Sheriff nowhere to go, Mr. Boyle reliably demonstrated his inability to count beyond the number two. “Our side is good – the other is bad” is not a sophisti-
cated model of political discernment. Republicans are better at math – we can count to three. We recognize the radicalism of today’s Democratic Party; consistently reject our own extremists; and embrace standards of time-tested normality in the middle. The C-T is so busy defending the expanding irrationality of the liberal-progressivesocialist movement, they’ve lost their ability to even spell N-O-R-M-A-L. While the Democratic Party doubles down on open borders, men in women’s bathrooms, abortion, gun control, antiChristian and anti-police sentiments, the
Republican Party is rejecting these extremist positions for something better – values that have made America a beacon of inspiration to the world. As one recognizing the crucial importance of a daily paper devoted to journalistic balance and integrity over advocacy, I look forward to a day when the C-T can again count to three. Carl Mumpower Chair Buncombe Republican Party Asheville
Letters to the editor Continued from Page A16 EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter to the editor originally appeared in Asheville Citizen Times.
tive thought on a piece of paper and then rip the paper up and throw it into a nearby trash can. This actually led to participants “mentally disposing” of their disturbing thinking to a great degree. Should the guy sneak back into your thoughts, don’t worry; just widen the shot. Shift your focus from him to yourself — looking at how you maybe crossed your fingers that you had a keeper instead of seeing whether that actually was the case. Understanding what you should do differently is the first step toward expanding the male companionship in your life — amusing as it can be to spend your nights watching your current partner get loaded on catnip and try to make sweet love to your throw pillows.
Cleared
Continued from Page A2 The video was leaked to Citizen Times reporter Joel Burgess, and the newspaper is not cooperating with requests to divulge its sources. Both Asheville Police Chief Tammy Hooper and District Attorney Todd Williams have said the leak should be investigated, but that the police department, is not, as some have contended, the correct body to conduct that investigation.
A18 - August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
Advice Goddess
Continued from Page A17 For example, focus on her annoying habits and rude and stupid things she said and did. When Langeslag’s research participants mentally trashed their ex-partner, it did diminish the love they felt for their ex...yay! However, there was a side effect: All of this negative thinking — not surprisingly — made participants feel pretty bummed out. But helpfully, Langeslag came around with a second strategy that helped them block out the feelbad: distraction — answering questions “about positive things unrelated to the breakup or the partner (e.g., What is your favorite food? Why?).” Probably an even better source of distraction is turning to what Langeslag calls a “secondary task” (like playing a video game). Keep up the negativity and the distracting secondary tasks and before long, you should find yourself ready for a levelthree distraction: losing yourself in a forest of Tinder hussies.
Credible fret
I’m a 34-year-old woman in a two-year relationship with a guy. I’ve never been the jealous type. Yet, I do feel oddly possessive and jealous in this relationship, especially lately. My friends say this a sign I need to “work on” myself. Really? If so, how? What do I need to do? — Worried “Hey, where’s the boyfriend?” your friend asks as she plops down on the couch next to you. You look at your phone: “Well, according to my tracking device, he’s at the end of Main, turning right onto Slauson.” Jealousy gets a bad rap. Sure, it’s sometimes a sign that your self-worth is in the toilet. But it can also be a sign that your boyfriend has been sneaking off to the toilet at work with his boss’s busty assistant. Evolutionary psychologist David Buss notes that sexual jealousy appears to be one of the “mate guarding adaptations” that evolved over human history — a sort of police dog of emotions to protect us from being cheated on. Buss observes that sexual jealousy is activated by “threats to mate retention,” including “the presence of mate poachers” (rivals trying to lure your partner away), “cues to infidelity, or even subtle signals that suggest that a partner might be dissatisfied with the current relationship.” But there are signals, and then there are meaningful signals. A possibly helpful thing to recognize is that we have overprotective defense systems. “Defense expression is often excessive,” observes psychiatrist and evolutionary psychologist
Randolph Nesse. This isn’t an accident or a design flaw. It’s evolution saying, “Hey, hon, let’s be on the safe side here.” Consider the smoke alarm that’s a little oversensitive. This can be annoying when it screams for the hook and ladders whenever the neighbor lights incense next to her tub. But it’s far less annoying than waking up to your toes being crisped by your flaming bedroom rug. Figure out the source of your feelings so you can address it. Is there something amiss in your psychology that leads you to be overly sensitive — to see a threat where it doesn’t really exist — or are you sensing some meaningful danger to your relationship? It’s one thing to follow the person you love with your eyes as he walks off; it’s another thing entirely to do it with a pair of high-powered binoculars and a bug sewn into his laptop bag.
Seize the meh
I’m a 31-year-old guy who got really hurt after a relationship ended a few years back. Now I just don’t date women whom I’ll ever really care about because I don’t ever want to feel how I felt when my previous relationship ended. My friends say I’m being a coward and missing out, but, hey, I’m not depressed over any chicks. I think I’m being smart in protecting myself. Maybe more people should take this approach. — Comfortably Numb These days, your relationships probably start when you eyeball a woman on the street: “Whoa! I bet she’d be seriously mediocre in bed!” Next, you discover that she’s a real yawn out of the sack, too — and you’re in! Now, it’s possible that you’re way more emotionally sensitive than most people, to the point where a loss that others would eventually recover from hits you like a never-ending colonoscopy (with, um, artisanal anesthesia: “If you’ll just bite this stick...”). Even if you are super sensitive, avoiding the pain comes at a substantial price: living a gray goulash of a life, spending every day with some uninspiring somebody you don’t really care about. But consider that we evolved to be resilient — to heal from emotional injuries as we do physical ones. However, in order for you to do this — and to see that you might actually be able to stand the pain of loss — you need to view resilience not as some mysterious emotional gift but as a practice. Resilience comes out of what clinical psychologist Salvatore Maddi calls
“hardiness.” He writes that “hardiness ... provides the courage and motivation to do the hard, strategic work of turning stressful circumstances from potential disasters into growth opportunities.” His research finds that hardiness is made up of three “interrelated attitudes,” which he calls the three Cs: Commitment, Control, and Challenge. Commitment is the desire to engage with people and life instead of pulling away and isolating yourself. Control is the motivation to take action to improve your life “rather than sinking into passivity and powerlessness.” Challenge is the willingness to face the stress life throws at you and use it as a learning experience “rather than playing it safe by avoiding uncertainties and potential threats.” These attitudes might not come naturally to you. But you can choose to take them up, same as you might other “unnatural practices,” like monogamy and wearing deodorant. Understanding that there are steps you can take to recover from heartbreak might give you the courage to go for a woman you really love. Sure, that woman might leave you -— causing you big-time pain. But consider that risk avoidance — like by being with a woman you don’t really care about — isn’t pain avoidance. The pain is just different. It’s low-dose extended-release — like frequently experiencing the post-sex horror that leads you to want to grab your clothes and make a run for it before the woman next to you wakes up. And then you remember a couple of essential points: She’s your wife, not some Tinder rando, and it’s your apartment.
Give pizza a chance
I’m a straight 36-year-old woman, and I recently lost a lot of weight. My doctor’s happy. My girlfriends think I look great. They’re all “How’d you do it?” “You look like a model!” However, my male friends think I’m too skinny now. Is there a big difference in what the sexes
consider a good body?
— Slim
Though women assume that men think the ideal female body shape is modeliciously skinny, consider that construction workers rarely yell out, “Hey, Hotstuff! Great set of ribs!” In studies exploring men’s and women’s ideas of the ideal female body weight, women consistently “perceive men as being attracted to thinner female figures than is true in reality,” writes social psychologist Viren Swami. And it isn’t just North American men who like fleshier women. Swami ran a massive survey — of 7,434 men and women in 26 countries, across 10 world regions — and “men across all world regions except East Asia selected a significantly heavier figure as being most physically attractive compared to what women believed was most attractive to men.” Swami and his colleagues speculate that “women exposed to magazines marketed to women may form skewed perceptions of what body types are most appealing to men.” But don’t despair. Swami’s study and others measure the preferences of the “average” man. There is no such person. Or, as an epidemiologist friend of mine often reminds me, there are “individual differences” — meaning individuals’ preferences vary. In other words, there are men out there who will be seriously into a woman like you — a woman who can do amazing feats in the bedroom, like removing a pair of skinny jeans without calling 911 and asking for firemen to come over with the Jaws of Life. • (c.) 2018, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol. com (advicegoddess.com). Weekly radio show: blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon
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A20 — August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet PAID ADVERTISEMENT
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Entertainment & Calendar of Events
Special Section PULLOUT
B1
Asheville Daily Planet — August 2018
‘Broadway on the Rock’ rocks N.C. Arboretum website photo
The Summer Lights concert series will be held at 8 p.m. Aug. 3-4 at the N.C. Arboretum in South Asheville
Arboretum to feature Symphonic Winds at Summer Lights gala
Special photos courtesy of TREADSHOTS
Performing several lively — and crowd-pleasing — tightly choreographed numbers during “Broadway on the Rock” show are dancers from Pat’s School of Dance in Hendersonville.
4 singers sizzle in red-hot revue of Broadway songs
By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
F
LAT ROCK — The musical revue, “Broadway on the Rock,” was touted by the Flat Rock Playhouse as an exploration of “the passion, spectacle and delights that define the blockbuster hits of Broadway.” And the FRP delivered on that promise, based on the scintillating performance witnessed by this reviewer on July 21, the show’s final night. (“Broadway on the Rock ran July 6-21.) About 300 people attended the final evening performance in the 506-seat auditorium, but the matinee earlier the same day reportedly was sold-out — as were many of the show’s performances. “Broadway on the Rock” featured a 50-minute first act and a 45-minute second act,. While all four of the featured vocalists
The four featured singers in Flat Rock Playhouse’s “Broadway on the Rock Show” — who not only displayed their stellar vocal talents but also showed their commanding stage presence — are (from left) Lindsay O’Neill, Sean Cooper, Alfred Jackson and Alexa Green. performed well, Alfred Jackson was, far and away, the standout, and Alexa Green was clearly the next best singer in the show. As Cooper quoted Dorothy before the group’s rendition of the show’s finale, “Home” from the show “The Wiz” (a remake of “The Wizard of Oz) musical: “When I think of Home I think of place
Where there’s love overflowing....” Cooper then noted that the phrase from “The Wiz” encapsulates how he and the members of “Broadway on the Rock” feel about the Playhouse and its audience. After the performance of “Home,” the audience gave a rousing and sustained standing ovation to the show. See ‘BROADWAY’ REVIEW, Page B7
S
From Staff Reports ummer Lights, an outdoor summer concert series and light show, will hold its final 2018 summer shows from 8 to 10 p.m. Aug. 3-4 in the North Carolina Arboretum’s Outdoor Events Amphitheater in South Asheville. Guests will be treated to a musical performance by the Blue Ridge Orchestra’s acclaimed Symphonic Winds, an all-volunteer ensemble conducted by Milton Crotts. After sunset, a specially designed light show that is synchronized to music will be displayed behind the amphitheater’s woodland backdrop. Event proceeds will help support the Arboretum’s programs, exhibits and facilities year-round, the venue noted. Gates will open at 7 p.m. for ticket-holders, and the show will begin promptly at 8 p.m., the Arboretum noted. Reserved seating is available for guests who purchase Premium Seating tickets. Lawn seating will be available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Lawn seating ticket-holders are also welcome to bring folding chairs and blankets to place on the lawn above the Amphitheater. From 7 to 9 p.m., ticket-holders may also visit the Making Scents exhibit and Connections Gallery gift shop inside the Baker Exhibit Center, and the Arboretum’s Rocky Cove Railroad will be running before the show. Bent Creek Bistro will sell food and beverages, including beer and wine, available for purchase during the show. Outside food and beverage is prohibited. If a show is cancelled due to inclement weather before intermission, all ticket-holders will have the opportunity to exchange their ticket for a different night or request a refund.
Dirty Dancing Festival aims to dazzle with film, dancing, fun As the late, great Patrick Swayze said in the film, ‘Nobody puts Baby in a corner!’
L
From Staff Reports AKE LURE — The 9th Annual Lake Lure Dirty Dancing Festival, celebrating the 1987 cult classic movie that was partially filmed at the lake, will feature a potpourri of activities — especially showcasing dancing and live beach and soul music — in Morse Park Meadows on Aug. 24-25. For dancing, including the many and varied group lessons that will be offered, a tented basketball court in the park will provide a sizable dance floor. Last year, the Dirty Dancing Festival
celebrated the 30th anniversary of the film and commemorated the 65th birthday of its star, Patrick Swayze, who played the part of Johnny. Jennifer Grey was his co-star as Baby. (Swayze died in 2009 of pancreatic cancer.) Only 3,000 tickets will be available. “Named the “Number 1 Most-Watched Film by Women” by the BBC News, ‘Dirty Dancing’s’ impact on pop culture remains timeless,” a press release stated. “Named one of the top 10 most beautiful man-made lakes in the world by National Geographic, Lake Lure is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Located about 27 miles from Asheville, Lake Lure sits in the Hickory Nut
Gorge, surrounded by lush mountain tops and sheer granite cliffs.” The festival will begin on the evening of Aug. 24, highlighted by a free lakeside screening of the original movie on a giant inflatable screen, beginning at 9 p.m. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs, blankets, sunscreen ... and insect repellent. Other Aug. 24 events will include two 5:30 p.m. events — a shag social and a performance by the Lake Lure Cloggers. And at 6:30 p.m., The Extraordinaires, a Hickory-based band, will perform “variety, funk, dance and beach” music. See DIRTY DANCING FESTIVAL, Page B7
Photo courtesy of LAKE LURE DIRTY DANCING FESTIVAL
The film “Dirty Dancing” will be shown outside on a big screen at dusk on Aug. 25.
B2 - August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet
Special photo from creedence-revisited.com
Creedence Clearwater Revival founding members — and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members — Stu Cook and Doug “Cosmo” Clifford perform in the fiveman group Creedence Clearwater Revisited, which will play at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 on the South Terrace of the Biltmore House in Asheville.
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Please submit items to the Calendar of Events by noon on the third Wednesday of each month, via e-mail, at calendar@ashevilledailyplanet. com, or fax to 252-6567, or mail c/o The Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 288148490. Submissions will be accepted and printed at the discretion of the editor, space permitting. To place an ad for an event, call 252-6565.
Wednesday, Aug. 1
“MAMMA MIA!” MUSICAL, 2 and 7:30 p.m., mainstage, Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock. “Mamma Mia,” billed as “the No. 1 most-requested musical at Flat Rock Playhouse and an international phenomenon,” will be performed through Aug. 18. Regarding the show, the FRP noted, “Dance the night away to such ABBA favorites as ‘Dancing Queen,’ ‘Take a Chance on Me,’ ‘The Winner Takes It All’ and ‘Thank You for the Music’ in this delightful musical comedy and Broadway sensation.” Showtimes vary. For tickets, which are $17-$55, call the box office at 6930731 or visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.
Thursday, Aug. 2
C.S. LEWIS STAGE SHOW, 7 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave., downtown Asheville. The show “C.S. Lewis on Stage: The Most Reluctant Convert” will be performed Aug. 2-3. The Aug. 3 show will start at 8 p.m. For tickets, visit CSLewisOnStage.com or call 257-4530. CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISTED CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., South Terrace, the Biltmore House, Asheville.The bands Creedence Clearwater Revisited and Night Ranger will perform in an outdoor concert. For tickets, visit biltmore.com/concerts. “‘70s SUMMER NIGHTS” TRIBUTE CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Flat Rock Playhouse’s downtown Hendersonville venue, 125 S. Main St., downtown Hendersonville. The tribute show “‘70s Summer Nights” will be performed through Aug. 12. Regarding the show, the FRP noted, “You don’t have to take ‘a midnight train to Georgia’ to hear the best chart-toppers of one of the most defining musical decades of the century. We’ll take you back in time with such hits as ‘Stayin Alive,’ ‘Papa Was a Rolling Stone,’ ‘I Can See Clearly Now,’ ‘Do That to Me One More Time,’ ‘How Deep Is Your Love,’ ‘My Sharona,’ ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song,’ ‘Bridge Over Trouble Water’ and more….” Showtimes vary. For tickets, which are $35, call the box office at 6930731 or visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.
Friday, Aug. 3
FRENCH BROAD PLAYBOYS BAND OUTDOOR CONCERT, 4-8:45 p.m., gazebo, Antler Village, Biltmore Estate, Asheville. The French Broad Playboys band will perform under the gazebo in the Live
Music at the Bandstand concert series. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs and/or blankets. THE NIGHT MOVE BAND OUTDOOR CONCERT, 7-9 p.m., Visitors Center, 201 S. Main St., downtown Hendersonville. The annual Music on Main concert series will feature the Night Move Band. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs and blankets. No backpacks, coolers, alcoholic beverages or pets are allowed. Admission is free. JAY LENO COMEDY STANDUP SHOW, 7:30 p.m., South Terrace, the Biltmore House, Asheville. Jay Leno will perform a standup comedy show. For tickets, visit biltmore.com/concerts. BON JOVI TRIBUTE SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Slippery When Wet, billed as “the ultimate Bon Jovi tribute” band, will perform in concert. The group “has taken the exact live arrangements from Bon Jovi’s 2000’s Crush tour, 2002’s Bounce tour, 2005’s Have a Nice Day tour, 2008’s Lost Highway Tour and 2010’s The Circle tour, to form a show that has the power to give even the most intimate venue the feel of an arena concert,” the SMCPA noted. “The band’s shows are the most-attended and highest-grossing of any tributes in the country and in 2007 the band was officially authorized by Bon Jovi for their entertaining stage performances.” For tickets, which are $18 and $20, visit www. greatmountainmusic.com. “HAIRSPRAY JR.” PRODUCTION, 7:30 p.m., Hendersonville Community Theatre, 229 S. Washington St., downtown Hendersonville. The musical “Hairspray Jr.” will be performed through Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays. For tickets, which are $26 for adults, $20 for students ages 18 and up, and $15 for students under age 18, visit hendersonvilletheatre. org, or call 692-1082. SUMMER LIGHTS CONCERTS, 8-10 p.m., Outdoor Events Amphitheater, North Carolina Arboretum, South Asheville. The Arboretum, a 434acre public garden located just south of Asheville, will conclude its Summer Lights outdoor concert series 8-10 p.m. Aug. 3-4. Summer Lights will feature a musical performance by Blue Ridge Orchestra’s Symphonic Winds, an all-volunteer ensemble conducted by Milton Crotts. After sunset, a specially designed light show, synchronized to music, will be displayed behind the amphitheater’s woodland backdrop. The BRO’s Symphonic Winds will perform an array of pop and show tunes, including highlights from “West Side Story” and “Les Miserables,” big-band-era favorites and a tribute to composer Aaron Copeland. The concert will begin and end with two iconic Sousa marches — “El Capitan” and “Stars and Stripes Forever.” For tickets, which are $30 for premium seating, $18 (for adults) and $12 (for children ages 5 to 11), call 665-2492 or visit www.ncarboretum.org.
See CALENDAR, Page B3
Life is short. Dance in the right shoes!
Dance shoes, Accessories & Solutions for Beginner, Social & Professional Dancers Amy Barnes — 828.450.3756 Kitty Williams — 828.778.2785 Jason Barnes — 828.450-4063 291 Sweeten Creek Rd, Asheville
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Asheville Daily Planet - August 2018 - B3
Shown in their 1960s’ prime as the top male groups of Motown Records, The Temptations (top left) and The Four Tops (bottom left) will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17 on the South Terrace of the Biltmore House in Asheville.
Dances at the VFW
North Main Street, Hendersonville
Donated photos
Calendar of Events Continued from Page B2
Saturday, Aug. 4
CLAY LUNSFORD BAND OUTDOOR CONCERT, 4-8:45 p.m., gazebo, Antler Village, Biltmore Estate, Asheville. The Freeport Jazz Band will perform jazz music under the gazebo in the Live Music at the Bandstand concert series. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs and/or blankets. CONCERT/DANCE, 6-8 p.m., parking lot, Firehouse Subs, 825 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville. The band Fine Line will perform play rock music hits for listening or dancing. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free.
Sunday, Aug. 5
OUTDOOR CONCERT, 2-6:45 p.m., gazebo, Antler Village, Biltmore Estate, Asheville. A yet to be announced band will perform under the gazebo in the Live Music at the Bandstand concert series. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs and/or blankets.
Tuesday, Aug. 7
GROOVIN’ ON GROVEMONT OUTDOOR CONCERT, 6-7:30 p.m., Grovemont Square, next to Swannanoa Library, 101 W. Charleston Ave., Swannanoa. The Groovin’ on Grovemont summer outdoor concert series will feature Rhoda Weaver and the Soul Mates, an Asheville-based band comprisingf three seasoned musicians whose powerhouse lead vocalist has been singing for more than 30 years. “The band plays everything from Motown to the Animals to Etta James to Fleetwood Mac,” the event organizers noted. “Its goal is to lift people up through music.” Concessions will sold by the The Big Easy, including jambalaya, red beans and rice and more from The Social Pizzeria. Admission to the concert is free. FOR KING & COUNTRY CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., South Terrace, the Biltmore House, Asheville. The bands For King & Country and Lauren Daigle will perform contemporary Christian music. For tickets, visit biltmore.com/concerts.
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Wednesday, Aug. 8
PARK RHYTHMS OUTDOOR CONCERT, 7-9 p.m., Lake Tomahawk, Black Mountain. The band Beyond Blue will perform blues, rock, funk and jazz in a free concert. Food vendors will be onsite.
Friday, Aug. 10
ELLIOTT AND THE UNTOUCHABLES OUTDOOR CONCERT, 4-8:45 p.m., gazebo, Antler Village, Biltmore Estate, Asheville. The band Elliott & the Untouchables will perform jazz and blues music in the gazebo in the Live Music at the Bandstand concert series. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs and/or blankets. GOTCHA GROOVE BAND OUTDOOR CONCERT, 7-9 p.m., Visitors Center, 201 S. Main St., downtown Hendersonville. The annual Music on Main concert series will feature the Gotcha Groove band. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs and blankets. No backpacks, coolers, alcoholic beverages or pets are allowed. Admission is free. OUTdOOR FILM sCREENING, 7-9 p.m., Lake Tomahawk, Black Mountain. The film “The Sandlot” will be screened. Attendees are urged to bring a lawnchair and/or blanket. Food will be available onsite. Admission is free. OUTdOOR FILM sCREENING, 8 p.m., Roger McGuire Green, Pack Square Park, Asheville. The film “Breaking Legs” will be screened as part of the City of Asheville’s monthly Movies in the Park series. Atttendees are urged to bring a lawnchair and blanket. Children’s activities will begin at 6:30, followed by the film screening at dusk. Admission is free. OUTdOOR FILM sCREENING, 8 p.m., Jackson Park, Hendersonville. The film “Wonder” will be screened. Attendees are urged to bring a blanket and/or lawnchair. Concessions will be available. Admission to the Henderson County Parks & Recreation Movies in the Park event is free. In the event of rain, the movie will be moved inside the Athletics & Activity Center Gym.
Saturday, Aug. 11
CLAY LUNSFORD BAND OUTDOOR CONCERT, 4-8:45 p.m., gazebo, Antler Village, Biltmore Estate, Asheville. The Clay Lunsford Band will perform jazz music in the gazebo in the Live Music at the Bandstand concert series. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs and/or blankets. CONCERT/DANCE, 6-8 p.m., parking lot, Firehouse Subs, 825 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville. The band Dino & the Dreamers will perform play rock music hits from the past for listening or dancing. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free.
See CALENDAR, Page B6
• Tuesdays —Shag and Swing • Wednesdays — Ballroom and Country Lesson at 6:30 p.m. • Dancing 7-9 p.m. Requests are always welcome. $5 per person with cash bar downstairs.
Dances at the Asheville Ballroom Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville
• Friday, Aug. 3 • Saturday, Aug. 25 Lesson at 7 p.m. • Dancing 8-10:30 p.m. $10 per person. Light snacks served.
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Wedding lessons and package discounts available
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DVIDA-certified dancewithkitty@gmail.com
(828) 778-2785
B4 — August 2018 — Asheville Daily Planet
Asheville Daily Planet — August 2018 — B5
‘Dirty Dancing’ festival
Continued from Page B1 Then, throughout the day on Aug. 25, festival-goers will “have the time of your life,” according to an event press release, with live music, dancing, watermeloncarrying, art, food, beer, wine and the lake lift competition finale, The Aug. 25 events — in chronological order — include the following: • Between 9 and 5 p.m., (periodically), the Asheville Ballet will perform dance segments from the film. • 9:15 a.m., the band The Prophets, featuring Gene Pharr, will perform soul and beach music. • Noon, the Flashback Party Band will perform beach music and oldies. • 1:30 p.m., the Amateur Shag Competition will begin. • 2 p.m., the Silk Groove Band will perform beach and soul music. • 3 p.m., rehearsals begin for Kellerman’s Talent Show. • 3:45 p.m., Kellerman’s Talent Show begins. • 5 p.m., the Lake-Lift Competition will conclude the festival. • 6-11 p.m., a Dirty Dancing After Party, to be held lakeside at Rumbling Bald Resort, will feature a 10-piece brass band, dancing and a beach cookout. Admission is free. Also, throughout the festival, author Sue Tabashnik will be participate in a “meet and greet” with festival-goers. She is the award-winning writer behind the Dirty Dancing tribute books and the Patrick Swayze legacy tribute book. She also will sign books — and her books will be available for sale throughout the festival.
Photo courtesy of LAKE LURE DIRTY DANCING FESTIVAL
Members of the Asheville Ballet perform a scene from the film “Dirty Dancing” during last year’s Lake Lure Dirty Dancing Festival. “And don’t miss Sue’s special stage appearance on Friday night before the Lakeside screening of the movie!” the event organizers noted. Tickets for adults (age 11 and older) are $25 in advance through July 31 — and $30 online after Aug 1 and at the gate, if tickets remain. For children ages 4-10, tickets are $10/advance — and $15 after Aug 1. Paid parking will be available in two nearby lots — 3105 Memorial Highway and 2556 Memorial Highway — with shuttle included. Free parking also will be available along the lake, enabling attendees to walk to the festival via the boardwalk. For those buying tickets online, the festival’s website is www.dirtydancingfestival.com. The festival benefits the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, to help find a cure, as a tribute to Swayze, the film’s late star.
‘Broadway’ revue
Continued from Page B1 Jackson turned in lots of excellent renditions of songs, but most memorable to this reviewer was his spellbinding “Maria.” Besides the aforementioned Jackson and Green, the other two featured singers were Lindsay O’Neill and Sean Cooper, both of whom showed great promise. The band, led by Alex Shields (who played keyboard No. 1), was superb. The other band members included Andrew Rogelberg, keyboard No. 2; Chris Imhoff, trumpet; Sabrina Kumar, reeds; Bill Altman, guitar; Daniel Iannucci, bass; and Paul Babelay, drums. The sound designer was Ashli Arnold Crump. Also deserving accolades were Production Manager Adam Goodrum, Stage Manager Elly Leidner (assisted by Constantina Barile, Costumer Director Ashli Arnold Crump and Lighting Director C.J. Barnwell. The show was conceived, directed and choreographed by Matthew Glover, who did a splendid job. As Glover stated in the program’s liner notes, “Many of you may remember the moment you first discovered Broadway musicals. I do. “I was four years old, sitting in front of the TV on a family vacation. I remember seeing a woman running up hillsides, twirling and dancing. There were children, like me, and women in black and white dresses who also sang and danced. I was hooked. ‘The Sound of Music’ introduced me to the world of Broadway and I’ve never looked back. “After directing last season’s successful run of ‘The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber,’ I was excited and thrilled to conceive
and create another show. Ideas and show tunes immediately began to swirl around in my head — so many songs, in fact, that it felt impossible to refine! Over time and several drafts, the arch took shape, and some melodies even morphed into medleys. While you may not recognize every number, trust that each song you hear tonight was carefully crafted to take you on a musical journey through Broadway history. “My hope is that you’ll leave with a kick in your step, humming a show tune. “And who knows, perhaps this production will be that ‘first moment’ of inspiration for another young person.” The show started the sheer curtain remaining drawn, with the band silhoutted behind it, performing “Overture of Overtures.” The first-act songs included “Broadway Suite,” “Rodgers and Hammerstein Suite,” “Let’s Fall in Love,” “Maria/Somewhere,” “Flesh Failures/Let the Sunshine In,” “As Long As He Needs Me,” “Almost Like Being in Love,” “Being Alive,” “I Got Love” and “What I Did for Love/One.” The second act opened with “Jellicle Ball,” followed by “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” “Why God, Why,” “Les Miserables Suite,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “In His Eyes,” “Wicked Suite” and the finale, “Home.” The roughly 40-voice FRP Chorus added much to the show, with spirited and on-key harmony and background vocals. The Pat’s School of Dance dancers included Caroline Jones, Jasmine Hyatt, Brianna Haston, Kaitlyn Harrington, Tori Gunning, Trinity Luce, Breena Orr, Claire Parker, Alexis VanHook, Autumn Freeman, Alli Surrette and Kat Siefert.
Asheville Daily Planet - August 2018 - B7
B8 - August 2018 - Asheville Daily Planet