‘Chasing Rainbows:’ A show that sparkled
Downtown melée involved 20 people
— See REVIEW, Pg. B1
— See Story, Pg. A4
Coal ash spill cited at Skyland — See Story, Pg. A4
ILLE V E H AS ASHEVILLEʼS GREATEST NEWSPAPER
January 2016
Vol. 12, No. 2
An Independent Newspaper Serving Greater Asheville www.ashevilledailyplanet.com FREE
The concert that never was ....
Photo courtesy of FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE
A show, “Barbra and Frank: The Concert That Never Was,” was performed in December at Flat Rock Playhouse’s downtown Hendersonville venue. It featured two performers (above) portraying Barbra Streisand and the late Frank Sinatra. A review appears on Page B1.
Going scold turkey
The Advice Goddess Amy Alkon
Q: I have a bad temper, and I’m trying to change. Now when I’m mad, I leave the room to compose myself. Recently, my boyfriend said something that really upset me. Taking a break allowed me to calmly explain that he’d hurt my feelings. He apologized, and I could tell he truly felt bad — much worse than if I had raged on him. Can you explain this? — Formerly Volcanic
Want to know the answer?
See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A6
100-plus jobs at Mission up in air
From Staff Reports More than a hundred doctors and nurses at Mission Health in Asheville learned that their jobs could be in jeopardy after Mission indicated — just before Christmas — that it might sever ties with the company that employs them. Citing concerns about access to care and costs — now that the provider has been acquired by an “out-of-area, for-profit entity,” Mission told the workers that the hospital is looking at alternatives to extending a contract with AllCare Clinical Associates, which is a provider of anesthesia services. The action reportedly was taken swiftly after the nonprofit Mission was made aware that AllCare would be acquired by Surgery Partners. Both are for-profit entities. In a statement, Mission Health President and CEO Ron Paulus said the company is looking at alternatives, including employing its own doctors and nurses, which would sidestep AllCare altogether. Noting that the company already is posting the jobs, Mission said in a statement, “It is likely that we will not continue our agreement with them (AllCare) past April 30.” See MISSION, Page A7
Cellist files a discrimination complaint against symphony
From Staff Reports Months after she was baptized as a Seventh-Day Adventist, a professional South Carolina-based cellist has filed a lawsuit, claiming she later was terminated from her longtime job with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra because of her religious beliefs. Jacqueline Taylor, formerly a tenured principal cellist with the group for 22 years, lost her job after requesting not to work on her Sabbath, according to her civil rights complaint in U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The vast majority of similar civil lawsuits never reach trial, Asheville lawyer Grant Osborne told local news media. Meanwhile, four counts in Taylor’s complaint already have been dismissed.
The complaint names four defendants: ASO Executive Director David Whitehill, and three ASO board members, William Gettys, Irene Stoll and Jack Anderson. Taylor was baptized as a Seventh-Day Adventist on Jan. 4, 2014. The faith observes the Sabbath during the 24-hour period from sunset Friday through sunset Saturday. In March 2014, the ASO failed to grant Taylor an excused absence or offer an accommodation for her “firmly held religious belief and practices,” the complaint notes. Later, she was terminated and “lost a source of income, suffered irreparable damages to her professional career and experienced emotional distress.” See CELLIST, Page A7
A2 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
3 new council members sworn in Gwen Wisler unanimously elected vice mayor
From Staff Reports
The winners of November’s Asheville councilmanic election were sworn in on Dec. 1 at City Hall in a short-but-festive ceremony. Sworn-in were Brian Haynes, Julie Mayfield and Keith Young. They joined the four council holdovers — Mayor Esther Manheimer and council members Cecil Bothwell, Gordon Smith and Gwen Wisler. The newly seated governing body then voted 7-0 to pick Wisler as vice mayor. The swearing in and vice mayoral election are held every-other-year. This year, those taking the oath were all new members with no re-elected incumbents. Among them was the first African-American elected to the body since 2009. The proceedings included an honor guard from the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Asheville High School, leadDue to a production error, a headline on Lee Ballard’s column in December’s Daily Planet omitted a key word. The headline should have said: “Most politically correct group? Far-right Republicans.” • Due to a production error, the editorial in December’s Daily Plant contained an error in the sequence of those who failed to win in the most recent Asheville City Council election sequence. It should have said that Rich Lee was the top-finisher among those who failed to win seats on council, followed by former Vice Marc Marc Hunt and Lindsey Simerly.
ing the Pledge of Allegiance. In addition, senior firefighter Bentley Andrews, who accompanied herself on guitar, sang the national anthem. Also, an invocation was written by Manheimer’s father, Ron, who led audience members Vice Mayor in the singing of Gwen Wisler “Asheville Is Our Town” to the tune of “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie. Then, council members-elect each stood, surrounded by family, and swore to uphold local and national laws, as Buncombe County Chief District Court Judge J. Calvin Hill presided.
TO REPORT AN ERROR
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.
• Due to a production error, the headline on a letter to the editor by Richard D. Pope appeared incorrectly. The headline should have said: “Jesus was a radical — and a revolutionary.”
Afterward, the new members said they were humbled by the experience, thanked voters and said they looked forward to working together. Speaking first — and most briefly, Haynes, the Habitat for Humanity assistant manager, said he looked forward “to working with everyone on council.” Haynes added that he is “very proud of our city voters” and he drew laughs when he quipped that he thought “they did a good job. “I don’t want to let you down,” he said, more seriously. “I would also like to tell voters to stay involved. Join committees. Come to meetings. And let your voices be heard.” Mayfield, the co-director of the regional environmental advocacy group MountainTrue, reviewed the campaign and said candidates seeing their names on signs and in the newspapers run the risk of getting “a really big head. “But what this is for me is an incredibly humbling experience.” With the support of the public and other
council members, she expressed confidence that Asheville could be led to a place “where this city remains a great place for the people who live here” and where economic opportunity is increased every day “for more and more people. “My hope is also that we are able to come together as a city. We have some big challenges in front of us and we will do better in those challenges if we are together pulling in the same direction,” Mayfield said. Young, a deputy clerk of Buncombe County Superior Court and the first black council member to be elected in six years, said “our city is in a very transitional time, a very transformative time.” Young was the top vote-getter in the six-way election. All council members have the city’s best interests at heart, Young said, adding, “I’m looking forward to being able to roll my sleeves up and dig in and work with each and every one of you.”
On last day, Baldwin, Nesbitt file to run
From Staff Reports
Former Buncombe County Board of Education member Lisa Baldwin filed for a state Senate seat, while former county Republican Party Chairman Chad Nesbitt filed to run for county commissioners’ chairman on Dec. 21 — the last day of filing for the 2016 elections. What’s more, Democratic incumbents state Rep. Brian Turner and county Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger also gained Republican
opposition on the same day. Republican Kay Olsen of Leicester filed on the morning of Dec. 21 to run against Turner in House District 116, which includes most of the southern and western parts of the county. No other Republican filed. In addition, Republican Pat Cothran of Leicester filed Dec. 21 to run against Reisinger for register of deeds, creating a rematch of the 2012 race that Reisinger won.
Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 - A3
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A4 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
The Lake Julian power plant in Skyland
Duke Energy cited by N.C. for erosion at coal ash landfill
From Staff Reports
State regulators on Nov. 30 cited Duke Energy for two violations in connection with erosion problems at a coal ash landfill at the Asheville Regional Airport. However, no coal ash was washed away, according to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Quality. A notice of violation the state issued on Nov. 30 says a dirt layer 4 to 6 feet deep washed away at two places at the landfill, exposing a plastic liner that sits atop the ash. About 2.5 inches of rain were recorded at the airport in the three days before Duke discovered the problem during a routine quarterly inspection Oct. 29. Duke reported the issues on Nov. 2, the DEQ noted. Since 2007, workers have been burying ash from Duke’s generating plant at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road at the airport. The project increases the amount of flat land at the airport — and some of the acreage is being used to expand airport facilities.
Downtown melée involving 20 people ‘very uncommon,’ city police claim From Staff Reports
A brawl involving 20 people early Dec. 12 is highly unusual for downtown Asheville, according to city police Sgt. Evan Coward. However, a bar owner Ben Reese, who witnessed the melée, told local news media he sees late-night, alcohol-fueled scuffles frequently. When police arrived, a large fight was underway near Off the Wagon Dueling Piano Bar on North Market Street, according to arrest reports filed by city police. One person was arrested at 2:22 a.m. and the other at 2:30 a.m. Reese, who owns and manages the bar, said he saw the fight erupt shortly after 2 a.m. — and called police. When he went outside, he saw a guy who was “roughing up a girl, pushing her,” at one point putting his hand around her neck, he told the Asheville Citizen-Times.
Reese added that some men on the other side jumped the fray in the middle of the street, apparently in protest of the woman’s treatment. “Then all of a sudden a big fight ensued,” Reese told the Citizen-Times. “It’s my opinion that no one really wanted to fight. It looked like things were going to calm down and then, all of a sudden, people just flew in and just started throwing punches.” Ten to 12 police officers responded, Reese said, and those involved in the melée appeared to be about 21 to 30 years old. Police charged two people with attacking responding officers. “I was trying to take care of everyone (including) the bystanders that got caught up in the mix. It was just a horrible situation,” Reese said. At least two people were seriously hurt, the bar owner said, while EMS said one person was transported to Mission Hospital about 3:05 a.m. At least three to four people on the sidewalk
were videotaping the brawl, Reese said. Vincent Duquon Henry Jr., 27, of the 100 block of Choctaw Street, was charged with misdemeanor counts of assault on a government official, simple affray and intoxicated and disruptive,. According to warrants, Henry was striking a victim when officers approached. When an officer asked Henry to leave the scene, he yelled an obscenity, then “shoulder-checked” him and struck him in the back of his shoulder. Henry was placed under arrest and transported from the scene while the fight was still in progress, according to the warrant. Tilman Deangelo Jackson, 29, of the first block of Hunt Hill Place, was charged with assault on a government official, according to warrants. He is accused of assaulting a senior police officer by approaching him from behind and pushing him with his shoulder during the disturbance.
system spokesman Charlie Glazener. An initial fight involving two students occurred off-campus in the parking lot at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College, Glazener said. The second fight broke out near the high school’s art building shortly thereafter and
lasted less than a minute, Glazener said. A third fight broke out in the bus loop in front of the school. Order was restored relatively quickly, he noted. No charges were reported, as of the Daily Planet’s press deadline. The suspensions are up to 10 days, pending investigation, officials said.
3 fights erupt at AHS; 17 students suspended From Staff Reports
Seventeen Asheville High School students were suspended after three fights broke out after school Dec. 16, officials said. No one was seriously injured in the fights, which started at 3:30 p.m., according to school
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A6 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Affordable housing situation? ‘A crisis’ By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
The problem of finding affordable housing in Asheville and Buncombe County is getting progressively worse, the Council of Independent Business Owners was told during a Dec. 4 meeting at Chick-fil-A restaurant in North Asheville. Providing an update on the area’s affordable housing were Pisgah Legal Services’ Robin Merrell, managing attorney; and Jim Barrett, executive director. “The state of affordable housing is bad” in Asheville and Buncombe, Merrell said. “I’m sure you’re all newspaper readers, so you know. “ She added that, “among lower-income folks, it’s a function of a zero percent vacancy rate. Last year, more than half of the people who died homeless, had a housing voucher. These were people with case management ... people to help them ... and they still couldn’t find a place to live. That’s bad.” Merrell asserted that “fewer and fewer of our mountain people can afford to own a home, so that means they need to find a rental. “So the state of affordable housing is bad. It’s
Advice Goddess
Continued from Page A1 It’s really smart to “take 10” when you’re angry — and not just because it takes that long to get the gasoline, pour it all over your boyfriend’s Xbox, and light it on fire. As I explained recently, screaming at a guy — a verbal attack — launches the same fight-or-flight defense system as trying to use the guy’s face as a bar rag. And once a person’s adrenaline gets let out of the gate, there’s no coaxing it back. That’s why “Braveheart” would be a Monty Python movie if the Scots, upon doing their battle cry, stopped, looked at one another, and then called to the English: “Say, luvvies…on second thought…shall we all put down these silly battle-axes, wash our faces, and chat out our differences o’er a cup o’ tea?” As for why your emotional makeover led your boyfriend to go more Zen monk than poo-flinging monkey, social psychologist C. Daniel Batson explains that we have two distinct emotional responses to perceiving another person in need. The first, “personal distress,” leads us to have an “egoistic” motivation — to focus on ourselves and how we can escape our own uncomfortable feelings. The other response is empathy — or really, “empathic concern,” which leads to an altruistic motivation: wanting to comfort the other person. You’re more likely to elicit the empathic response when your boyfriend doesn’t need to mount a defense — that is, when you approach him with quiet hurt and disappointment instead of like a hornet with boobs and a purse. Kudos to you for recognizing that having a feeling isn’t reason to hop on it and ride it like a hoverboard. But in light of how gnarly-hard impulse control can be, what’s most impressive are your adult timeouts — putting space between having a feeling and acting on it. It is good for your boyfriend to believe he can always count on you -- but not to explode and take his hand off like black-market fireworks you bought with the possum jerky out of the trunk of some guy’s car. • (c.) 2015, 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).
really bad. I call it a crisis. When we have people dying on the streets, it’s a crisis.... Any time we can have more density in affordable housing (as in the county), it drives down costs. And there’s a comparable ordinance in the city... that can also be a tool.” In a question-and-answer session that followed, an unidentified man attending the meeting then asserted that, “in the early ‘80s, there was a backlash to mobile home parks... The county made it more difficult to develop” them. “I’m curious if this is being looked at in any county or city. I think there’d be a lot of developers who would like to jump on that (mobile home park development) if it were available.” No answer was offered. A female meeting attendee asked, “Why isn’t money (that is) being put out by taxpayers going to developing sewer lines? If you used the same dollars you are using to subsidize housing, you could make more affordable lot options.” Again, no answer was offered. A male meeting attendee said, “I’d like to address the Section 8 issue. You can’t even get on the waiting list.” Another man said, “It seems like the county
could do a lot to make affordable housing available. Do you agree with that?” “I agree with that,” Merrell replied. “I need to point out that the entire county is not zoned.” At that point, Jon Creighton, assistant county manager and planning director, interjected, “The entire county is zoned.” “Yes it is zoned, but so much of it is zoned ‘open use,’” Merrell said to Creighton. “I do agree, though, that the community-oriented” approach “could be a great help.” CIBO member Mac Swicegood asserted, “The developer is going to build it (affordable housing) if he can make a profit.... We need to start focusing as a community on infrastructure. And the biggest thing we need is widening I-26.” “I agree with you greatly that work on I-26 is needed,” Merrell answered. “If we had some better jobs, we’d have a lot more people who can survive without subsidy.” Another male attendee of the meeting said, “I think what the county is doing with these incentives — because you’re saying ‘we’ll give you a tax break’” — is worrisome. “Just how many vouchers do we have for Section 8 in Buncombe County?”
“About 1,560 vouchers for Section 8,” Gene Bell, chief executive officer of the Asheville Housing Authority, replied. The man who asked the aforementioned question, then said, “That’s not many for Buncombe County. I’d encourage you to try this in the future.” In response, Bell said, “Right now, we’ve got about 1,530 people on our waiting list for rental units — and we only have 600 apartments available.” To that, Merrell said, “Yes, if you want to build something, build us some one-bedrooms.” Barrett then gave an overview of some of the services offered by Pisgah Legal Services. In other action at the CIBO meeting, Creighton gave an overview of recent changes to the Buncombe zoning ordinance. “A lot of things are just outdated with definitions that need to be changed... We wanted to make it (the zoning ordinance) easier.” On a third matter, an overview was given to recent changes in Asheville’s stormwater services department by McCray Coates, stormwater services manager; and Greg Shuler, public works director.
From Staff Reports
has — for years — has been a prononent for less impact on the city from the interstate. The state has divided the project into three sections: A, B, and C. The least controversial section, C, focuses on the intersection of three interstates to the west of Asheville: I-40, I-26 and I-240. Council suggested a state-proposed alternative that would be less expensive and encompass less land. Section B, which arguably has gotten the most attention, deals with I-26 and I-240, as the interstates cross from the west side of the
French Broad River to the east side. Of four proposed routes, council endorsed alternatives 4 and 4B. At an estimated $332 million, 4B is the most expensive. The 4 and 4B alternatives would build a new bridge for I-26 north of the existing Bowen Bridge. They would also build two smaller flyover bridges to the north for I-240 traffic. That plan would reduce the number of cars on Bowen Bridge and eliminate the need for drivers to weave across the span to continue onto interstates or to enter downtown on Patton Avenue.
Council to fight 8-laning of I-240 in W. AVL Asheville City Council voted 7-0 on Dec. 8 to tell officials at the N.C. Department of Transportation how it wants the new version of Interstate 26 routed through Asheville, including favoring six lanes — instead of the 8 lanes planned by DOT — on Interstate I-240 through West Asheville. The massive state infrastructure project, which could cost $750 million, is expected to fundamentally change Asheville and the region. In taking its stand, council called for minimizing the size of the project, removing I-240 traffic from the Bowen Bridge and, counter to state plans, not widening I-240 to eight lanes through West Asheville. The resolution was submitted along with public comments which the state accepted until Dec. 16. The state wants to make a decision on a route in 2016. “From my perspective this is probably going to be the largest infrastructure project we ever see in WNC,” Councilwoman Julie Mayfield noted on Dec. 8. As co-director of the environmental group MountainTrue, she
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Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 - A7
Huckabee focuses on Christmas sacrifices
From Staff Reports
Returning to his roots as a Baptist minister in Arkansas, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee reminisced about the first Christmas — and the Christmas he finally was given an electric guitar — during his Dec. 19 keynote speech at West Asheville’s Crowne Plaza Resort. Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, spoke at the Charles Taylor Holiday Dinner, which included several speakers. The annual gathering, hosted by Taylor (the former congressman from Brevard) drew more than 400 people. Taylor is cochairman of Huckabee’s campaign in North Carolina. Speaking first was North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, who urged support for a Veterans Restoration Quarters, saying it goes with his efforts to make this the most military-friendly state in the union. The VRQ, which is located in a former motel on Tunnel Road, serves formerly
Mike Huckabee Gov. Pat McCrory homeless veterans and is part of AshevilleBuncombe Community Christian Ministries. “If you need a charity to give to, give to this shelter,” McCrory urged. “It’s one of the most impressive organizations I’ve ever seen.. We need to help those who can’t help themselves while encouraging those who can help themselves. Thre are people suffering right now.” In addition, the governor touted leg-
Continued from Page A1 Frank Sutton, a practicing anesthesiologist and executive committee director for AllCare in Asheville, told Asheville radio station WCQS-FM (88.1) that his job is one of the ones on the line. He said employees learned Mission was posting their jobs on the morning of Dec. 21, when they came into work to find flyers advertising their positions. A Mission spokesperson said no one would be available to comment on the week of Dec. 20-27, but wanted to emphasize that the affected employees are AllCare employees, not Mission employees, and that Mission itself was not laying off anyone, saying it will be “business as usual” through the end of the contract, as Mission explored its options.
In addition, the aforementioned Mission employee provided a statement, credited to Ron Paulus, and dated Dec. 21, 2015: “As part of our ongoing commitment to provide quality healthcare, Mission Health continues to establish relationships that allow us to offer the breadth of services and excellent care that are important to our patients, families, physicians, and the community we serve. “Although Mission had been in discussions with AllCare Clinical Associates, PA, to provide anesthesiology services, we were just recently notified by them that they had been acquired by a for-profit competitor. Subsequently, we made a determination that it is in the best interests of our patients and Mission to explore all alternatives, including bringing the service
Continued from Page A1 In court papers and through its attorney Matthew Gilley, the ASO responded that it acted in accord with the law and could not accommodate Taylor’s request without being put under an unreasonable burden. In a letter written to Taylor’s agents on March 18, 2014, and filed as a court record, Whitehill said that “the orchestra respects her religious beliefs. But the time period she requests to be relieved of duties encompasses two key rehearsals, including the dress rehearsal, and for concerts, the actual performance.” Osborne, who specializes in employment law, told the Asheville Citizen-Times that the law does not stipulate that employers provide employees with accommodations they want or accommodations they deem fair. Rather, he said the law dictates employers refrain from ulawful discrimination. “The burden on employers is fairly light,” he told the AC-T, adding that if an employee cannot work on a day an employer deems critical, it is likely the employer does not have to offer the accommodation. “I think it would be fair to say that the employer would have a good argument that it would be an undo hardship,” Osborne said. Whitehill wrote in the March letter that the ASO does not have different shifts or the ability to swap positions, noting her request cannot be fulfilled “without significant and expensive hardship. “Ms. Taylor has worked very hard to be the principal of the cellists, but that
requrest that she be able to rehearse and perform with the cellists and with the orchestra.” In reference to upcoming Masterworks concert, Whitehill wrote Jacqueline Taylor later in the March letter that, “If Ms. Taylor is unwilling to attend the rehearsal on Friday and Saturday and perform at these concerts, then the ASO will have no choice but seek a replacement for these concerts. Please also understand that if Ms. Taylor is unable to attend both Friday night and Saturday morning rehearsals on a regular basis for next season, the ASO will not be able to renew her contract for next season.” Gilley, a South Carolina-based attorney, told the AC-T he believes Taylor’s allegations are “unfounded” and that the symphony acted appropriately. “This lawsuit will in no way distract the symphony from its mission to perform and promote symphonic music for the benefit, enjoyment and education for the people of Western North Carolina,” Gilley wrote in an email to the AC-T. The complaint also states that before being baptized, Taylor had made several requests to ASO management for excused absences from rehearsals, and “every request for an excused absence had been granted by management without question.”
Mission
Cellist
islation he signed in October, outlawing so-called “sanctuary cities.” He noted that he was proud to say Asheville is no longer a sanctuary city. Meanwhile, Huckabee quipped that “if I were God and was going to announce myself to the world, I probably would have made sure that I came at a time when there was satellite television that could give coverage all over the world. I would make sure that it was such a big event that not a single person missed it. It would be bigger than the Super Bowl.” Ironically, he said, “God showed up in a barn and was laid in its animals’ feeding trough. “God wanted to remind us of something,” Huckabee noted. “There is no place on this earth so low that He can’t find and get to us. The God that owns everything gave up everything in order to come in the most humble of ways.” At that point, Huckabee, 60, recalled his
own personal sacrifice. Specifically, at age 8, Huckabee said he saw the Beatles on television and decided to become the “fifth Beatle.” To that end, he asked his parents for an electic guitar for Christmas, but they said they could not afford such a gift for him. Huckabee continued to request an electric guitar each Christmas and, when he reached 11 years old, he told his parents firmly that he wanted an electric guitar for Christmas — or nothing at all. That is when he finally got one. He later learned that his parents had been making monthly payments on the guitar — costing $99 — for more than a year. “We were poor,” Huckabee said. “That was a huge amount of money for my family.” Becoming a musician jolted him out of his shyness and helped put him on his present path in life, he said. It was the second-greatest Christmas gift he ever received — after Christ’s birth. Huckabee said, prompting a standing ovation.
in-house. Accordingly, we have posted positions. We truly value and greatly appreciate AllCare’s clinicians and staff, and to ensure continuity for our patients we have entered into an interim agreement that runs through April 30, 2016. “We do not anticipate any interruption in services while we continue to consider all options for meeting our service needs by identifying partners who share our values and are able to contribute to the caring and safe environment we provide to our patients and community,” Paulus said in Mission’s statement.
In a follow-up statement, Paulus asserted, “I appreciate and respect AllCare’s decision to be acquired. They have every right to do with their organization what they choose to do. But for Mission, it comes down to a very simple choice. Our obligation is to make sure that care is available to all patients in Western North Carolina, whether they can pay for services or not. And with the information that AllCare no longer exists and Surgery Partners is the entity that controls all of the anesthesiologists and associated staff, that created very significant concerns for Mission.”
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A8 — January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 — A9
Sports Commentary
Panthers’ facts to confuse the masses
Tank Spencer is the host of a weekly sports talk show, “The Sports Tank,” on Asheville’s News Radio WWNC (570AM) that airs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Spencer also serves as WWNC’s news anchor, reporter and afternoon producer. This column features posts from his blog. The following was posted Dec. 22: FACT: The Carolina Panthers are knocking on the door of history. FACT: There are no facts to help us predict the future. FACT: Here are some facts to use in your endless debates over whether they’ll do the unthinkable. (All stats accurate as of Week 16) FACT: Carolina trailed Tampa Bay in total offense. FACT: The Panthers have scored more points than any other team in the league. FACT: In a “passing league,” the Panthers are in the bottom 10. FACT: Carolina ranks third in the league in rushing FACT: Carolina’s defense, for all of its hype, is tenth in points allowed. FACT: The Panthers force turnovers like no other team. 22 Interceptions. 13 Fumbles recovered.
Tank Spencer FACT: Cam Newton is still an inaccurate QB, ranking 30th in the league in completion percentage. FACT: Cam Newton has more TD’s than Tom Brady. Cam: 33 passing, 7 rushing – Brady: 35 passing, 3 rushing FACT: Cam Newton is still inaccurate on many passes and has few weapons at his disposal. FACT: Cam Newton’s passer rating is higher than Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Drew Brees, Eli Manning, and Aaron Rodgers. (98.9) We can all fully expect the Panthers to finish the regular season undefeated. The playoff run will be challenging and it’s anyone’s guess from there. The Seattle Seahawks appear to be the team with the hot hand (other than the Panthers). Let’s not forget the Panthers escaped with a win in Seattle earlier this year when the Seahawks were struggling.
Way beyond hip and trendy Asheville Daily Planet
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.
Sunday, Jan. 3
Burning Bowl Ceremony, 9:15 and 11 a.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. The Sunday services will welcome 2016 with uplifting music, andinspiring message, a powerful ritual “Freedom to Soar” and a burning bowl ceremony. The special musical guest will be Christy Snow. New Year’s Concert, 1 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. A New Year’s concert will feature Christy Snow as a special guest musician. She will perform during both morning services and will be offering a concert at 1 p.m. She is billed as “funny, talented and spiritually-centered,” with a show that is “uplifting, inspiring and entertaining.” Snow is a Charlotte-based singer, songwriter, recording artist, speaker, advocate, author, minister, spiritual coach and teacher. Whether through songs, concerts, classes, events or speaking, “she delivers the message of our connection to all living beings and our ability to contribute to our existence in a positive way,” Unity noted. Snow “believes in making a positive difference in the world by being that difference!” Attendees are urged to bring a bag lunch and plan to stay for the concert. A love offering of $15 is suggested, but all are welcome.
Wednesday, Jan. 6
A Course in Miracles Study Group, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2041 Old
Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. A Course in Miracles Study Group will meet on Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 6. Tim Norwood will facilitate. The Course is arranged throughout as a teaching device. It emphasizes application rather than theory, and experience rather than theology. It specifically states that “a universal theology is impossible, but a universal experience is not only possible but necessary.” (Manual, p. 77) Although Christian in statement, the Course deals with universal spiritual themes, Unity noted. It emphasizes that it is but one version of the universal curriculum. There are many others, this one differing from them only in form. They all lead to God in the end, Unity stated.
Friday, Jan. 8
12-STEP SERIES, 7-9 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. “Twelve Steps, Twelve Powers and You,” a new monthly series will be held on the second Friday of each month, beginning Jan. 8. January’s focus will be on “Honesty, Faith and Freedom.” Drawing on the first of the 12 steps, Unity’s 12 Powers of Man and the message of Martin Luther King Jr, the participants will explore honesty, faith and freedom as they relate to one’s life and what one may be witnessing/ experiencing in the world. A strong emphasis will be put on spirituality and creativity. Light refreshments will be provided. A love offering will be taken. For a reservation, email nicola@citcom. net or call 421-8615.
Thursday, Jan. 14
New to Unity CLASS, 6:30-8 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. The Rev. Darlene Strickland will lead a class geared toward those new to Unity. Students will learn more about Unity and its principles.
Friday, Jan. 15
Social Justice Movie NIGHT, Sandburg Hall, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. A film, with the title to be announced, will be shown for free.
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130 Shelburne Road West Asheville 252-5010 www.unityofasheville.com
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A Church Family for ONE and ALL Come as you are! Sunday Services Sunday Services 9:15 a.m. & 11 a.m. 10:00 a.m 9:30am & 11:00am Serving WNC for 60 years
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2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd. Mills River 28759 Rev. Chad O’Shea Rev. Darlene Strickland
www.unitync.net www.unityblueridgenc.org
A10 — January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
The Daily Planet’s Opinion
Duke Energy scores a hit
W
e thank Duke Energy for listening to legitimate concerns from the public and having the wisdom to change its plan to run a 45-mile transmission line across environmentally sensitive areas of Western North Carolina. The change also will eliminate the need for a new substation. Instead, Duke announced Nov. 4 a reconfiguration of plans — for its Lake Julian plant in Skyland — that involves the construction of two smaller natural gas plants to replace the one coal plant that the utility plans to shut down by 2020. Previously, Duke had said it would build one gas-fired generator to replace its coal-burning turbines. The two smaller units will allow one to provide backup for the other in case one goes down.
What’s more, Duke Energy officials issued a challenge to the WNC community — to make significant conservation efforts to reduce power demand throughout the region. Otherwise, they said, a third gasfired plant might be needed at Lake Julian by 2023, or so. “We’re eager to ramp up our efforts in working with the community to reduce power demand across the region through energy efficiency, demand response, renewable energy and other technologies to work collectively to avoid building additional generation in the area for as long as possible,” Duke’s Nov. 4 press release stated. To that end, we encourage individuals, businesses and various groups in our area to do all they can to improve energy efficiency and adopt renewable energy sources.
Good for Nicholas Sparks, good for N.C. CHAPEL HILL — “My books are all different,” Nicholas Sparks, the No. 1 New York Times best selling author who lives in New Bern, told a group of 500 fans on Oct. 13 at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Alumni Center. Except, he says, for two things. One is that there will always be a couple in love. The other is that the story will be set in North Carolina. With Sparks’s books selling more than 100 million copies worldwide, a lot of people have learned a lot about our state. Then there are the movies and television programs based on the books. These have put millions more in touch with North Carolina. The state government agencies responsible for boosting tourism and bringing economic development should put Sparks on the payroll. He may be doing more to bring attention to us than anybody else. The event in Chapel Hill was hosted by Flyleaf Books as a part of the launching of Sparks’s 20th novel, “See Me.” The new book is set in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, with a few side trips to Brunswick County and Jacksonville. Maria Sanchez, the female lead character, is a UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke Law graduate, who practices law in Wilmington after spending a few years as an assistant district attorney in Charlotte. Her family runs a popular Mexican restaurant in Wilmington. She is Sparks’s first Latino lead character. Colin Hancock, the male lead, is a heavily tattooed, muscular “hunk” with serious anger management issues and a criminal record for violence. He is trying to take a different turn. He tends bar at the beach to earn money to fund his courses at UNCWilmington and his plan to become a third grade teacher. Getting these two people together is Sparks’s first task, and it is the key to all of his stories, as he explained to me a few years ago. It is not complicated, he said. First, he gets his main characters in mind, usually a man and a woman. Then he figures out how he is going to get them together, or get them back together if they had a past relationship. Finally, he figures out how the story will
D.G. Martin end. “For me it’s either happy, sad, or bittersweet.” There are only these three possible endings, he says. If they are going to be happy in the end, Sparks says, something sad has to happen along the way. “Then,” he told me, “I have a story.” But “See Me” is more complicated. In addition to the developing romance between Maria and Colin, there is a looming threat to Maria and her family. It could be someone in Wilmington or someone with a grudge based on something that happened in Charlotte while she was prosecuting criminals. Sparks has added a mystery to the story and made it a thriller. He confesses that weaving in the mystery made writing “See Me” more challenging than his earlier books. He found himself backtracking and rewriting to be sure the mystery worked. In addition to being sure the clues to the mystery were properly disclosed along the way, Sparks wanted to build a sense of danger that grew as the story progressed. He wants his readers to be able to solve the mystery, but not until a page or two before it is revealed in the book. Will Sparks’s fan base support this combination of romance and mystery? Will the extra work he put into the new book pay off? We will know in a few days when the “best seller” reports are published. Preliminary sales reports are positive. And the enthusiasm of the crowd at Chapel Hill is a good indication that Sparks has hit another home run. Good for him. And good for North Carolina. • D.G. Martin hosts “North Carolina Bookwatch,” which airs at 9:30 p.m. Fridays and at 5 p.m. Sundays on UNC-TV.
Letters to the Editor
U.S. is on path to oblivion unless big changes occur
What do ISIS and the Khmer Rouge of 1970 Cambodia have in common? The short answer is that both began as small obscure factions, destined to remain so without the catastrophic intervention of overwhelming force upon their homeland, culture and families. Both were targeted to focus public attention on the enemy de jour, justifying full throttle aggression, rubber stamped by congressmen and senators destined to become well paid lobbyists and consultants for the war machine. In both cases local freedom fighters are the problem, weapons of war are the reaction (via regime change/ infrastructure devastation), while expanding American corporate control is the solution, lifting all capitalists’ boats (yachts, sorry) again ; problem-reaction-solution with a side order of heroin (that’s billions with a B), again. During the period from 1969 to1973, America dropped the equivalent explosives of fiveHiroshima bombs on Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge posed as the local army to defend the people, to protect them from those who drop bombs; 5000 native volun-
teers swelled to over 200,000. This evolution of enemy is not lost with those who want and make war. Plans to create ISIS, like 9/11, were completed years before their event horizon times were determined. Recruitment of the ISIS misguided freedom fighters is guaranteed and lends itself to local crazies around the world, doing desperate, horrific things for the wrong reasons to the wrong people. Collateral damage is only a statistic to hardened commanders. America now buys blood, outsourcing most functions to mercenaries and subcontractors, doing much of our own killing remotely from video parlors with drones. America has the Pentagon and bunker buster bombs, while “they” have backpacks, abandon Iraqis (U.S. supplied) weapons and cell phones. The day after Pearl Harbor, 1 million men joined the American armed forces. Is there really any difference? What is different is how the war game is played, the global aspirations driving the deception, a compliant media and the overarching Black military projects (many of which it is said have ”gone rogue”).
See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Page A11
The Candid Conservative
Picking a president
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” ― Winston S. Churchill
O
h boy – here we go again. In less than a year, we’ll be trudging to the polls attempting to find a landing strip for our dignity. The odds of success are about the same as winning the giant panda bear at a carnival. Both these enterprises are rigged in favor of the house. As a precursor to armed revolution, voting remains one of our few means for fighting back. Keeping America on a solvent and rational path – or at least slowing the decline – is a worthy reason to leave the recliner once every four years. Be ye a fan of conservatism or liberalism – here’s a quick guide on upping your game with ten vetting tools. Don’t expect your candidate to fit like a glove – they only pretend to be perfect. Besides, history tells us we get the leaders we earn – a very scary thought, indeed.
What Matters
More than casual awareness of America’s success equation— our unique country was founded on a simple equation: Liberty + Opportunity + Responsibility = Success We’ve never been perfect with this demanding formula, but right up until this century we hit the mark more often than not. Since then, we’ve been busily ignoring, abandoning or corrupting one piece of the puzzle or the other with the party enthusiasm of a teenager with out-of-town parents. Leaders – real ones – look backward as surely as forward. The wisdom of the ages is hard won and ignored to our peril. Picking a president indifferent to America’s traditional success equation is like picking Barney Fife to head up the FBI. Good with words, but not too good— Anyone in public office must have the
Carl Mumpower ability to craft words. Being crafty with words is another matter altogether. Far too many politicians have mastered the art of dodging truth and consequence. As the Bible suggests, “You shall know them by their deeds.” Whereas it may be true that most all of us occasionally stomp on the truth, the ones to watch out for are those who make it a practice. It is not possible to lead the free world without a truthful compass. Constitutional enthusiasm – run from anyone describing the Constitution as a work in progress. That call reveals naivety or resentment of the true mission of our grounding document – constraining government. Funny how so many who achieve public office believe they have unique vision and answers. The Constitution stands between us and these vanity kings. All candidates for higher office have rash moments, so give them one mulligan. Any pattern of constitutional error or indifference reveals an opportunist – not a president. Frugality — for most politicians spending other people’s money is an easy and irresistible temptation. Raiding the public coffers is almost as addictive as crack rock. Anyone attempting to lay hold to America’s rudder needs a track record of fiscal restraint. Resist any candidate who is comfortable buying votes with debt that will be repaid by the unborn. Distance from special interest groups— To understand America’s growing fragmentation, consider the impact of specialinterest groups – non-profit as surely as for-profit.
See CANDID CONSERVATIVE, Page A14
Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 — A11
Commentary
Trump, evangelicals: strange bedfellows
A
mind-bending photograph has snaked its way around the Internet. It shows Donald Trump mobbed by visibly euphoric fans. One woman is holding her baby up as though for a Trump blessing. A hand-printed sign draws the eye: “Thank you, Lord Jesus, for PRESIDENT TRUMP.” Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of the 11,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas, gave the invocation at a Trump rally, asking “a special blessing upon Don-
Letters
Continued from Page A10 America now has over 190 major military bases around the world, waiting not to defend liberty and the democratic way, but to respond and complete orders, not to question why — any provocation, innocent mistake or setup and that trigger will pull. Through this aggression under the guise of defense we are turning the world against itself, assuring mutual destruction for the humble, the weak, the dispossessed and the innocent. With an uninformed population propaganda is taken for fact, patriotism is confused with nationalism, and provocation due to misinformation is greatly increased, promoting fear and the real potential for WW3. Anyone care? Will we continue to support mindless war profiteering, ignoring the true facts, programmed to comply as Mr. George Orwell forecast in his book, “1984”? Maybe nothing has really changed. Our Founding Fathers did not include women or slaves in their inalienable rights. Our First Nation indigenous people once ruled this entire great land and now are the poorest, most isolated of our family. All others who came to America were called immigrants, and are now referred to as refugees. Few among us are originally from here. Have we forgotten our roots? As the problem-reaction-solution pattern requires, politicians are quickly finding their targets and assigning blame. America is being gutted, raw. Has there been any real change… no we didn’t. The idea of one world, one people, one love and one Earth has been just a tease. No we can’t …… let this happen to the dream. No we will not support mindless war. No we won’t put weapons before food, kindness and love, No we won’t fear our neighbor, No we won’t believe in the controlled propaganda; “not in my name” can begin today…. if you choose. Our only solution is to take personal responsibility in our individual life to be the change we intend. The Constitution is an amazing document, lest we forget sworn duties are to uphold these principles and not those of the misguided few who may now be in power or authority and are traitors to justice and the American dream. We are out of time, friends. It’s now or never. Namaste! WILLIAM S. CHALK Asheville See LETTERS, Page A14
Lee Ballard ald Trump.” Franklin Graham has taken Trump’s side in his call for banning Muslim immigration. I attended a conservative Christian college and a conservative Christian seminary, and I served 20 years with a conservative missionary organization. I’m familiar with conservative Christianity. At least, I thought I was. Everything I know about evangelical Christians would argue that they could not possibly – ever! – support Donald Trump. He doesn’t smoke or drink, but beside that, nothing about Trump, as a man, should appeal to evangelicals. The conservative Christian college I attended was Wheaton College, sometimes known as the “Evangelical West Point.” Wheaton touts as their alumni: Billy Graham, Sen. Dan Coates (R-IN), speechwriter/columnist Michael Gerson, Wes Craven (of “Nighmare on Elm Street” fame), and (indicted) former House Speaker Dennis Hastert . They do not tout as an alumnus – nor do they invite – super-liberal, 12-term U.S. Rep. Dr. Jim McDermott (D-WA).
! d e r a p e r P e B
Wheaton is the ultimate in conservative Christianity, the ultimate in evangelicalism. I’ve heard it said they’re more conservative than they are Christian. If there’s an “Evangelicals for Trump” parade going on, it should be passing through Wheaton. But it’s not. When Jerry Falwell Jr. — president of Liberty University who had previously called Trump “a great new friend” — urged the student body to arm themselves and “end those Muslims,” if there’s an attack on the campus, 20 Wheaton student leaders responded by publishing “An Open Letter to Leaders in the Evangelical Community.” It said in part: “While these sorts of remarks epitomize the ever-growing fear and hostility directed toward Muslims, we as Evangelical Christians hold that Christ calls us not to react with religious oppression or violence — instead, we have the responsibility to live out fearless love in order to pursue unity.” Other evangelicals also oppose Christian Trumpism. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote an op-ed piece in The New York Times. “Most illogical,” he wrote, “is (Trump’s) support from evangelicals and other social conservatives. To back Mr. Trump, these voters must repudiate everything they believe.” Why do we see such an opposite conclusion by the Dallas guy, Jerry Falwell and Franklin Graham?
The Atlantic magazine had these observations about Trump evangelicals: “Not only are conservative Christians solidly Republican, they are also fierce traditionalists who feel that their values are increasingly under assault by modern society.… They are drawn to a candidate who hails from outside the Beltway… because they think the Washington establishment has abandoned them. And they appreciate someone who makes no apology for using politically incorrect rhetoric — even if this includes a bit of profanity or misogyny.” Does all this mean there are two kinds of conservative Christians? In the big picture, no. A whopping majority of evangelicals will always vote Republican. They are, after all, conservative in their politics. The division comes when secular politics intrudes. One group tests the spirit behind various messages and messengers. The other group seems to be swept away by the trivia of fierce anti-liberalism (Jeffress says that President Obama “hates us”) and American nationalism. Myself, as a Democrat, I’d love to see Donald Trump win the GOP nomination. (He won’t.) But as a Christian, I’m sad to watch the phenomenon of Evangelical Trumpism. As they used to say, something’s not right about this picture. • Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill.
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A12 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Commentary
Fear or hope for GOP? You decide Jeff Messer is the host of a daily radio talk show on Asheville’s WPEK (880AM, The Revolution) that airs from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. This column features posts from his daily blog. • The following was posted on Dec. 15: new poll shows that Republican leaning voters rank national security/terror as their No. 1 concern. Now, how much of this is legit, versus programmed paranoia driven by people like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, is up for debate. But 5 percent say that it is their top priority. Things like deficit spending, health, education, etc., all rank in the teens or lower in the polls. The GOP is used to selling fear and paranoia, but Trump is, well, Trumping them all with the fear and insanity. He is giving ignorant and hateful people permission to indulge the worst ugliness within themselves. It is funny to see the rest of the GOP field have to flee as fast as it can to the center after having sold out repeatedly to the far right. Of course, they may pass Hillary Clinton on their way back to the middle, which is sadly funny on some levels. You know it is getting bad when some in the GOP are trying to float the notion that Trump is an agent of the left, sent to destroy the Republican Party that was already cannibalizing itself. Wouldn’t that be funny, if it proved true? Sadly, it is only wishful thinking on their part. No, the GOP has a problem. It has a lot of supporters who want hate and violence to rule the day. And if they are passionate enough to fight for it, they might get their way. Naturally, the mainstay GOP are trying to stop that from happening, despite having helped create the sentiment. Of course, at the end of the day, at best, they represent roughly 30 to 40 percent of less than 50 percent of the population. It was recently calculated that, in a general election, Trump’s vast support on the right equates to 8 to 10 percent return come November. Not exactly epic, is it? Ross Perot did that well his second time around. So, in spite of the media noise, there’s no real there there. And that should give us all some relief. But not the GOP, as Trump’s rise and rage have caught it up in its wake in ways that could spell a certain doom for the modern Republican Party. Can they recover from this? I don’t see how. Well, unless the rest of us let them. And that’s where I have to draw the line. We cannot — at any cost — throw them a life preserver. No matter how much they kick and scream, when they go down, we all have to collectively let them drown in a sea filled with the flop sweat and spittle of their own hate and rhetoric. Ten years from now will not look anything like 10 years ago. And the sooner we all understand that the future is upon us, we can either work with the change that’s coming or be victims of it when it comes. It will be harder and uglier if we ignore the reality of the future. I’d rather get on board now and work toward it, than be crushed under it later due to ignorance. America deserves better. We’re on the verge of taking a major step toward achieving that. And that step comes when the GOP comes to a close as a major force in America. They did it to themselves. Pity them not.
A
Jeff Messer The following was posted on Dec. 9:
Trump too far? Latest in a long line of hate-filled talk
GOP Presidential front-runner Donald Trump has ascended and held onto a solid base of support, mostly on babbling nonsense and a lot of racist-heavy, fascist-light talk. And people of a certain paranoid ignorance have been lapping it up If Trump handed out arm bands for his faithful followers to wear as they take to the streets for racial cleansing after his next stump speech, don’t be surprised to see masses of people doing just that — oblivious to history and how it can tragically repeat itself. Trump has now proposed banning people of the Muslim religion from being allowed into the US. Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses. Only they are tired from being on 24/7 hate and rage, they are poor from voting for the GOP for decades, and they are huddle masses of armed gangs of vigilante thugs who are doing the dirty work for the peddlers of hate like Trump and Ted Cruz, and many others who are shills for the right wing hate machine. Of course, Trump can’t implement such a concept. No more than Jeb Bush can “just tell” if someone is and honest to goodness Christian if they say it is so, for the Bible told them so. There’s no way for this to happen. And it only makes it more offensive to consider that Trump made his big speech on the same day as the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, which led to Japanese internment camps in America in the paranoia and fear that followed. That was a real black eye for America, then, and it seems lost on Trump that perhaps this is not something to try and bring back. But there he was, promoting eerily similar concepts to a frothing and rabid crowd of faithful supporters. I have maintained for some time that Trump has hit the ceiling of his support, in the high 20 to low 30 percent range, which is culled from roughly 50 percent of the
population being polled. If the two parties split the nation 50/50, Trump holds 30 percent of 50 percent. Which, if you think about it, is pretty small. Yet, he gets a camera and microphone pointed at him every time he opens his mouth. Recently, a few polls show him climbing up to mid thirty percent range, which may prove that he has not yet hit his ceiling. And news that Ted Cruz has passed him in one single Iowa poll, should give pause. Hate and ignorance are mighty popular on the GOP side of the ledger these days. And at least Trump and Cruz are milking it for all it is worth. The mainline GOP certainly seem scared of their leading man, and his nearest rivals. They thought for sure that Trump’s wild talk would take him down early in the process, yet here we are six months in, and he is still in the lead with no signs of slowing. Will his latest talk hurt him? Probably not. And the GOP are bringing out some big guns to try and take him down. I’ve seen
Bob Dole being interviewed, calling out this new GOP field of hate talkers. And, if you want to know how desperate the GOP is, and how crazy Trump has gotten with his loose talk about walls, bans of religions, and ethnic cleansing, Dick Cheney actually came out against Trump’s proposal, saying “that’s not what we’re about.” Let me just say that, if Dick Cheney thinks you’ve gone too far, you have gone too far — and then some. Dick Cheney — the man who gave us some of the ugliest, most hateful leadership in the nation’s history. And he thinks Trump is too far out there past the edges of the far right. Let that sink in for a moment. Will it hurt Trump? Are you kidding? With his 30 percent of the GOP’S 50 percent, this is what they’ve been waiting for. This is their moment. And they are going to roll in it like a paddock of pigs in deep mud. This is Trump’s America. We’re just watching the reality TV show version of it.
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Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 — A13
Commentary
Everyone is to blame (except the left)
Pete Kaliner is the host of a daily radio talk show on Asheville’s WWNC (570AM) that airs from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. This column features posts from his daily blog. • The following was posted on Nov. 30: hen a guy starts shooting outside a Planned Parenthood clinic, I admit that my first inclination is to think: “He’s probably motivated by his anti-abortion views.” This is the same reaction leftists and the media (but I repeat myself) had in the wake of the Colorado shooting that left three dead (including an evangelical Christian pastor) and nine wounded. But after this initial thought, I did not rush to social media or my blog to attack all the people who I believe inspired the guy to murder. Why? Well, because I have no proof about why he attacked those people. And the more we learn about Robert Lewis Dear, the more it becomes obvious that he was deranged... and had been for a long time — just like most of mass murderers we’ve seen over the last 30 years or so. But, taking the left’s lead... I guess I could blame them all for the on-camera murders of two TV journalists. For the assassinations of two NYPD cops sitting in their cruiser. For the executions of Christians at an Oregon college. If this is the standard, then let’s start applying it equally to all the attackers. But as Jim Geraghty at National Review Online documents today, the outrage and blame only seem to go one way with leftists, though.
W
Pete Kaliner So, forgive me if I don’t trust a government bureaucrat or official with secretly adding or deleting people to a “watch list.” In fact, prohibiting peaceful, law-abiding Muslims from exercising their constitutional rights based on mere government suspicion seems awfully Islamophobic. Perhaps if we had a more objective media landscape we’d see this asked of the Attorney General and his Democratic Party allies. Obviously, Democrats know there is no chance that this will ever become law. And even if it did, it would likely face constitutional challenges. But that’s not the point. It’s about getting casting Republicans as “soft on terrorism” and “willing to let Americans get murdered by terrorists because the NRA says so.” Of course, this requires Democratic leaders to assume their voters are stupid. Because the alternative is that they really do want to strip away constitutional protections based on suspicion and not conviction. Exit question: Does the North Carolina attorney general (and other Democrats) support prohibiting people on “watch lists” from voting?
The following was posted on Dec. 14:
Happy birthday, Dick Van Dyke!
The famed actor and maker of childhood memories for millions of kids turned 90 years old.... From CNN: In November, Van Dyke shared with CNN iReport contributor Julie Ellerton his
secrets to staying young, which somehow include eating all the ice cream and candy he can get his hands on. “Don’t do anything that isn’t fun,” Van Dyke said, sitting in a dressing room at the Malibu Playhouse, where he performs with his a capella group Dick Van Dyke and The Vantastix. “I may have reached that point in life where I don’t have to do anything that isn’t fun.” He said lots of exercise and movement keep him going.
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The following was posted on Dec. 8:
N.C. attorney general rejects due process
So, this is pretty disturbing. The top North Carolina law enforcement official wants to strip away the constitutional right to due process from innocent people. From the Asheville Citizen-Times: Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper on Monday urged Republican elected officials to pass legislation preventing people on the federal government’s database of known or suspected terrorists from buying guns in North Carolina. With the idea stifled again nationally last week in the U.S. Senate, Cooper said North Carolina should take the lead to block firearm sales in the state to people on the FBI’s “terrorist watch list.” “Stopping terror suspects from getting weapons that could harm our state and its people makes common sense,” Cooper said in a news release. “Even if Washington won’t act, we can.” The “watch list” includes the No Fly List, which Democrats, the media (but I repeat myself), and the ACLU have opposed for about decade. Indeed, these same parties have argued the No Fly List ensnares innocent Muslims who never know they’ve been placed on the list and find it nearly impossible to get off the list once they do. The No Fly List has included Yusuf Islam (the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens), the late Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy, and Democratic Congressman John Lewis.
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A14 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Letters to the Editor Continued from Page A11
On transportation, council should stop complaining
Asheville City Council should quit whining at the results of their own policies. Council caused, and continues to cause daily, the eight-lane highways it complains about, and so will deserve them unless they reverse course fast. Council used the UDO to displace workforce housing up to 50 miles out, while subsidizing urban industrial jobs for skilled suburban commuters. Both council policies increased commuting drastically and forced the demand for eight lanes to Fletcher, so they need to quit whining, look in the mirror and act fast to promote urban homes and suburban jobs. The Paris skyline looks like a donut, as will Asheville’s, if council doesn’t shape up. Alan Ditmore Leicester
Why is the media waging war on Bernie Sanders?
In the last few days the Sanders campaign has appropriately raised a storm about the Bernie Blackout and the wildly disproportionate time of coverage the main-
stream news media has given to Trump and all other candidates. But, the blatant bias and misleading way in which the news is reported is equally important. This morning, Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, Bloomberg News reported on the results of its new poll taken a few days earlier. The headline of the news story reads “Clinton Increases Iowa Lead Over Sanders.” The New York Times used this story as the basis of its article headlined, “Hillary Clinton Widens Lead Over Bernie Sanders in Iowa Poll.” CBS says, “Clinton Expands Lead Over Sanders in Iowa.” The Washington Post? “Bernie Sanders’ Momentum Problem.” Now lets take a close look at this new poll released by Bloomberg in conjunction with The Des Moines Register. It claims that 48 percent of likely Democratic participants in the caucuses favor Clinton, while 39 percent favor Sanders. In other words, Clinton is up by only 9 percent, according to this poll. Wait a minute! On Dec. 8, Monmouth University released a poll giving Clinton a lead of 55 percent to 33 percent — a 22 percent percent lead! Now it’s only 9 percent! Doesn’t this mean that Sanders is gaining rapidly? Yes, it does, if we accept the validity of
Candid Conservative Continued from Page A10 The common interests get lost in an equation commonly finding special interests evolving into selfish interests. These groups wield enormous power in their ability to sidestep the common good, technologically manipulate the electorate, and buy political allegiances with campaign contributions. Take time to track the match between contributions, voting records and after-office employment for elected officials. Care with our liberties — Next in line to spending our money comes pilfering our freedoms. Making rules that control the other guy is fun and provides the illusion one is doing something productive. Every new law leads to a ton of new rules, bureaucratic oversight and abuse potentials. It comes down to a simple choice of big government – with a resulting loss of individual authority and control – or big people. A good president is into the latter. Resistance to power seductions — The minute one takes office, goblins start nibbling away at integrity and public service dedications. It’s a subtle process that rarely comes as directly as a black money bag. It’s the power of being accepted, praised, supported, appointed, and re-elected that corrupts most elected officials. Very few people have the strength to slip these temptations and stand for something better. Power is a drug that is extremely addictive and heartily attached to denial. We do not need power addicts in the White House. Administrative experience — For the same reason you wouldn’t want a first year medical resident-in-training to operate on your brain, you don’t want an inexperienced public figure running your country. Untested elected officials, celebrities and personalities almost always make lousy leaders. There’s too big a gap between being able to talk things and run things. Per the impact of our most recent inexperienced national administrator, the next one needs to be the real deal. Principles before party, politics, popularity or power— This one is tough. In that most everyone is attached to the last three, politicians who prioritize the first are swimming against a strong tide. Still, there are examples of leaders – 11th District Congressman Mark Meadows is one – who
attempt a higher reach. Eagles don’t flock and that’s one way to spot a principle driven leader. They can get along with people, but they do not do so at the price of their values, standards and guiding principles. A producer vs. a seducer — Look for people whose career has periods of productive action. Place keepers, posers and political conmen – and conwomen – are good at looking like they are doing something, but a serious review of their record reveals something different. For the same reason there’s a difference in a man pretending to dig a ditch on a stage and a real man digging a ditch in a swamp, there’s a difference in a political seducer and a leader. Increasingly, in America, things are getting swampier as we embrace the former over the latter. What Should a Conservative Do? No politician running for the highest office comes without blemishes. That’s where the 80-20 rule comes in. If you find a candidate who meets 80 percent of the above criteria, that’s reason to give them consideration. The 80-20 rule is important not only as a way to screen for the best of the best. It’s also a way to stop the character assassination conservatives routinely unload on their candidates. Note that the left does just the opposite in ignoring red flags and patterns of misbehavior. Conservatives pick at their candidates warts until they bleed to death. If you find a man or woman who can meet your filters 80 percent of the time, you may have a place to hang your hat. But remember the majority of today’s voters aren’t looking for a leader; they’re looking for whoever will give them the best deal. On that basis your candidate may lose — but they won’t steal the dignity of your vote. If you’re a conservative attempting to hold the line in a fallen world with a slipping America, that may be the best you can get. What should a liberal do? The ten filters still apply – just flip the reasoning…. • Carl Mumpower is a former vice mayor and former member of Asheville City Council.
these polls. But, the reporting on the polls by the MSM has spun the facts to try to make the public believe the exact opposite. It turns out that today’s Bloomberg report is comparing its latest results to the last poll THEY took in early October before the first debate and before Joe Biden left the race. In that earlier poll Clinton had 42 percent compared to Sanders 37percent. In other words most of Clinton’s gain can be attributed to Biden’s departure. It did not come at the expense of Sanders’ support that actually increased 2 percent, as well, in the latest poll. Since early October, much has happened. Biden left. There have been two Democratic debates. The Bengazi hearings have come and gone. The terrorist attacks in Paris took place. According to the mainstream news media Hillary’s poll numbers have soared and she is again the “inevitable” Democratic Nominee six weeks before the first primary ballots have been cast. Wouldn’t it make more sense to compare these latest poll results to results gathered in the last week or two, rather than to results gathered in the beginning of October? To do so would reveal that Bernie Sanders has continued to build momentum at the expense of Clinton’s support. But, the mainstream media doesn’t want to report that. This dynamic is another indication that we are involved in a revolution. The mainstream media is at war with the Bernie Sanders campaign. The corporate media and their Wall Street/billionaire class owners recognize the Sanders’ candidacy as a real threat to its longstanding dominance over the American people and they are conducting themselves against this campaign in a way no less hostile than they would be against a foreign enemy at war with the United States of America. Truth is no longer a goal or criteria in reporting. The object of reporting is now purely for the manipulation of public opinion. Fortunately, most people no longer get most of their news from the mainstream news media. Social media and news from the World Wide Web floods the consciousness of new America. We are going to win this war. Avram Friedman Sylva • Friedman is executive director of the Canary Coalition, a nonprofit organization concerned with air quality and pollution in the Smoky Mountains.
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Calendar of Events & Style
Special Section PULLOUT
Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016
2 ‘voices of the century’ aflame as Barbra, Frank By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Special photo courtesy of FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE
Sharon Owens and Sebastian Anzaldo perform recently as Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra.
HENDERSONVILLE — “Barbra and Frank: The Christmas Concert That Never Was” was a stellar show featuring two long-time singers-impressionists — and it was greeted with a sustained standing ovation at its conclusion Dec. 12 at Flat Rock Playhouse’s downtown Hendersonville stage. Turning in superb performances were — direct from Las Vegas — Sharon Owens, as Barbra Streisand; and Sebastian Anzaldo, as the late Frank Sinatra. They had their intonations, mannerisms and dress down to a “T.” Another strong point of the show was that those who attended were left knowing much more than when they arrived, as the performance featured many informative details about the lives of each of these performers, who were billed — at least in the show — as “the voices of the century,” referrring to the 20th century. The show featured Christmas songs on which the performers put the Streisand and Sinatra spin, as well as their classic songs. It also was noted that Sinatra’s 100th birthday would have been Dec. 12. The show ended Dec. 20. As was noted at the beginning of the show, Streisand and Sinatra never performed together in a concert, although they taped a duet in separate recording sessions. “Barbra and Frank” depicts what it might have been like to have them teamed up for a Christmas concert. The biggest problem with the show was its use of recorded music, rather than a small orchestra, although the economics of putting on the production probably make that alternative financially unfeasible. On the bright side, Hendersonville’s George Wilkins provided “live” piano accompaniment — as well as an appropriate backdrop and many humorous asides during the show — to the two singers. The show started with a 1993 version “I’ve Got a Crush on You,” the one song that Streisand and Sinatra actually had teamed up on in real life. See CONCERT, Page B8
‘Chasing Rainbows’ proves to be a sparkler
FLAT ROCK — “Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz,” the show that traces the life of Judy Garland, sparkled in its world premiere Nov. 27 on the mainstage of Flat Rock Playhouse. The premise of the musical (which closed Dec. 19) is that, to understand Garland, one must listen to the music. Indeed, the iconic singer once said that “the history of my life is in my songs.” The show gives an overview of Garland’s life from ages 6 to 16 and includes such classics as “Over the Rainbow,” “I Can Give You Anything But Love” and “Broadway Rhythm.” She was neither a beauty queen nor had a big voice, but she had amazing talent, as the show reveals. After Flat Rock, the show, staged by Tina Marie Casamento Libby, will travel next year to Connecticut’s Godspeed Opera House, which is famous for having ushered several shows to Broadway. See ‘RAINBOWS,’ Page B9
See X, Page Bx
See X, Page B?
Special photo courtesy of FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE
Ruby Rakos plays Dorothy (Judy Garland) in ruby-red slippers, as a wicked witch casts a spell.
Rhoda Weaver ascends with ‘At Last,’ ‘Chain of Fools’ By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Special photo courtesy of HERB WAY
Rhoda Weaver wails.
BLACK MOUNTAIN — Rhoda Weaver and the Soul Mates proved to be a smash with Weaver’s lush vocal performance of the Etta James’ classic “At Last” during a Dec. 5 concert at White Horse music hall. Other highlights from the two-set concert spanning 2.5 hours were Weaver’s vocal pyrotechnics on Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” and her masterful adjustment to a completely different vocal style (1977-era rock) on Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” With the Christmas shopping season and yule activities in full tilt on a chilly night, the crowd totaling maybe 50 people was sparse, but it made up for the
B1
size with effusive enthusiasm for the performers. When the show ended with a rousing rendition of Jackie DeShannon’s “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” the crowd — en masse — took to its feet, cheering and applauding, at length. That prompted the band to perform one encore, The Temptations’ “Shakey Ground.” Weaver opened the concert by announcing that “we’re going to bring you people a little bit of everything tonight.” The band’s flyers announced that it played Motown, soul, “R&B” and more. The group featured Weaver as lead vocalist, except for a few songs on which Famous Amos Jackson, the keyboardist, sang lead. The four-piece backup group also included a guitarist, bassist and percussionist. See RHODA, Page B9
Shelley Wright
Palm reading: Sexy subterfuge or diagnostic tool?
S
how of hands: Who thinks taking someone’s hands in their own and asking if they want their fortune told is sexier than asking what their sign is? Palm reading, or chiromancy, is definitely sexy, but it’s way more than just pressing and stroking and tugging flesh. It’s a tool. But the art is in the intuition and interpretation. “I will molest your hands with fervor!” I promised my friend Carter at his invitation to read his palms any time I wanted. Go back three weeks earlier, as I drank my mimosa at the Champagne Bar and chatted with my friends. In walks Carter who takes a seat beside me and asks what I was up to. From there, it all went downhill. I told him I was boning up on my palmreading skills and somehow, his hands ended up in my own. He was uncomfortable, at times, but as with a car accident, he couldn’t look away. He didn’t pull away either. Was it my soft, caressing touch? Was it the thoughtful insight I shared about the life he used to live and drastically changed as an adult? We’d hardly gotten started when he abruptly got up and left. He was truly freaked out. In a manly way, of course. Such is how it is when you’re a palm reader. One of the most important things anyone can learn is how to read people — to figure out what they’ll do, based on their habits, their upbringing, economic status, age, gender, interests, etc. I don’t know why profiling is such a dirty word, where law enforcement and criminology are concerned, but it’s perfectly acceptable in marketing, where companies target certain groups based on these same concepts. I study people. I look them in the eye, I shake their hand, I pay attention to their mannerisms and I size them up. It’s not as glamorous or scientific as profiling, but it works for me. And I believe that the best part of palm reading is getting confirmation that my instincts and first impressions are correct. It’s all there in the palms: where you came from, your childhood hurts and struggles, the intimate little details that only your close friends and family know about — to where you are now, what you’ve become. I can tell you what kind of personality type you are and your likes and dislikes. I cannot tell you when you’re going to die, but I can likely give you a clue as to how. It’s downright scary how much you can find out by looking at someone’s hands. I still find myself glancing at hands, even those of the people I see on TV. Reading for Carter was not my first foray into reading palms. I read three years ago for Thirteenth Night, a carnival of sorts held on every floor at The Grove House in downtown Asheville. It was chock full of fortune-telling, including tarot cards, energy readings and ghost hunts. See WRIGHT, Page B9
B2 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
The Sock Hops, a doo-wop group, will perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts at Franklin.
Calendar
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Send us your calendar items
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.
Friday, Jan. 1
POLAR PLUNGE, noon, Lake Lure Beach, 2930 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure. The annual Lake Lure New Year’s Day Polar Plune will be hosted by the Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge. Registration is 10:30-11:30 a.m. The fee is $20 and includes a Polar Plunge beanie. After the plunge, features will include a costume contest, cash prizes, hot chocolate and games.
Saturday, Jan. 2
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Wednesday, Jan. 6
DIALOGUE CAFE, 6 p.m., Firestorm Cafe & Books, 610 Haywood Road, West Asheville. Dialogue Cafe will feature interviews and dialogue with persons in all walks of life; a forum especially for activists in the field of social justice, women’s rights, nutrition and health and the healing arts. It is billed as a circular forum of conversation; packed with subjects and themes, which are both simple and complex. Through dialogue, it guides the most complex and political issues, connecting and reapplying them to everyday life, one’s communities and the global picture. SIERRA CLUB MEETING, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. Drew Jones of Climate Interactive will analyze the United Nations’ climate negotiations of December 2015 in Paris in his simulator to show what work remains to address climate change. He led a hands-on interactive session on climate change for the Sierra Club on May 6.
See CALENDAR, Page B3
CLIMATE CONCERT REPORT, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road, West Asheville. A report from the recent Paris Climate Conference will be presented. Drew Jones of Climate Interactive and Said Abdallah will be the speakers at the event, hosted by Jim Barton of the Asheville chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby.
Tuesday, Jan. 5
RACIAL JUSTICE DISCUSSION GROUP, 10 a.m., Firestorm Cafe & Books, 610 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Asheville’s Showing up for Racial Justice, part of a national network of groups educating and organizing white people to act as part of a multiracial majority for racial justice, will host its weekly discussion group on risk-taking, accountability, mutual interest and how to call more white people into racial justice work. Those with a passion for working with white people on racial justice are welcome. BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION, 7 p.m., Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café, Haywood St., downtown Asheville. The Current Events Book Club will discuss “The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History.” ANTI-MILITARIST PUPPET SHOW, 7 p.m., Firestorm Cafe and Books, 610 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. “Fire with Fire: Anti-Militarist Puppet Show” will be held. In cranks, banners and spazzy sketch, Total War Puppets will excavate traces of militarism from the U.S.’ most intimate depths. Puppets will be inquiring about America’s most recent sexual encounter with a weapon of mass destruction, its exploits in revenge, its plan to save the urban children and its involvement in “the recent unpleasantness.” The show is intended for adults. A discussion will follow performance. Suggested donation is $5-$20, but no one will be turned away.
TO REPORT AN ERROR
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Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 - B3
Calendar of Events Continued from Page B2
Thursday, Jan. 7
COMPASSIONATE COMMUNICATION CLASSES, 4-6 p.m., the Rainbow School, west Asheville. A series of classes, “Compassionate Communication Within Our Families,” will focus on developing and practicing skills and consciousness for creating and deepening honest, compassionate and effective communication within one’s family and will be led by Roberta Wall. The classes will be held on Jan. 7, 14, 21 and 28. Costs are $100 for all four sessions if paid in full by Dec. 30 —and $120 after Dec. 30 or at the door. Childcare ($12) for those over five year old is available, but preregistration is necessary for childcare. For more information and to register, call Kristin at Rainbow School, 258-9264, ext. 155, or email info@steps2peace.com.
Friday, Jan. 8
ASHEVILLE CLEAN WATER NEW YEAR’S PARTY, 5-7 p.m., downtown Asheville. Asheville Clean Water will hold its New Year’s Party.
Saturday, Jan. 9
CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY MEETING, 12:303 p.m., Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Citizens Climate Lobby will meet. The group advocates for a carbon fee and dividend, which would impose a fee on fossil fuels at point entry — and the fee would be refunded to individuals and families. GIVING CIRCLE MEETING, 1:30-4:30 p.m., Asheville Art Museum, downtown Asheville. Cothink: Creating the New Narrative in Western N.C. will meet. The group is a “giving circle” that uses its collective time, talent and treasure towards investment strategies that address education, economic mobility/opportunity, and leadership development towards impacting some of the most critical social issues facing African-American and Latino communities in Asheville and WNC. GREGG ALLMAN CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Rocker Gregg Allman will perform in concert.
Road, West Asheville. Author Tim Kuhner will address “Capitalism v. Democracy: Money in Politics and the Free Market Constitution” and how that relates to the 2016 presidential elections, which are on course to be the most expensive in history. Kuhner will explain how the Supreme Court has constructed the system and prevented citizens from changing it. Kuhner’s “Capitalism v. Democracy” is billed as a radical exposé of legalized corruption in the United States. Also, he will present what is billed as a revolutionary idea for reforming the system and making elections, candidates, and political parties accountable to the people.
HARD TO RECYCLE COLLECTION,10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1298 Patton Avenue, Asheville, and satellite collection from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1461 Sand Hill Road, Candler. A free-to-the-public recycling event will accept items of all sorts.
Sunday, Jan. 17
ETHICAL MEETING, 2-3:30 p.m., Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road, Asheville. Jan Blunt, MPA, will address “The Hidden, Devious Opportunity in North Carolina’s K-12 Opportunity Scholarships” at the monthly meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society
of Asheville. Blunt will discuss how North Carolina’s K-12 school vouchers, so-called “opportunity scholarships,” are, on the surface, about providing low-income parents with more school choices for their students. The details tell a different story, she claims. Attendees will learn how tax dollars intended for public schools are being sent to private religious schools without accountability or transparency for how the funds are spent, what their students are taught, or by whom. An informal discussion and refreshments will follow the presentation. All are welcome.
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Friday, Jan. 15
BLUES CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., The Foundation Perfomring Arts Center, Isothermal Community College, Spindale. Eric Bibb will perform accoustic blues. For tickets, call 286-9990 or visit FoundationShows.org.
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Saturday, Jan. 16
PRAYER BREAKFAST, 8:30 a.m., Crowne Plaza Resort, West Asheville. The MLK Association of Asheville and Buncombe County will hold its 5th Annual Prayer Breakfast. During more than three decades of honoring King, the group has brought the residents of Asheville, Buncombe County and surrounding areas together physically and spiritually as we seek to fulfill the dream of equality and equal opportunity articulated by Martin Luther King Jr. For tickets by telephone, or for more information, call 828-335-6896 or 828-281-1624.
See CALENDAR, Page B4
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Monday, Jan. 11
TRANSITION ASHEVILLE SOCIAL/FILM, 6:30 to 8 p.m., St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 337 Charlotte St., Asheville. The movie “A Convenient Truth” will be shown at the Transition Asheville social. The informative, inspirational documentary aims to share ideas to provoke environment-friendly and cost-effective changes in cities worldwide. The documentary focuses on innovations in transportation, recycling, social benefits including affordable housing, seasonal parks, and the processes that transformed Curitiba into one of the most livable cities in the world. VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING, 6:30 p.m., Firestorm Cafe & Books, 610 Haywood Road, West Asheville. Western North Carolina’s Veterans for Peace will meet to coordinate group activities and programs. The local chapter is part of a global organization of military veterans and allies whose collective efforts are to build a culture of peace by using its members’ experiences and lifting its voices. The group informs the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs of wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars. Its network is comprised of more than 140 chapters worldwide whose work includes educating the public, advocating for a dismantling of the war economy, providing services that assist veterans and victims of war, and most significantly, working to end all wars. JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL-PALESTINE MEETING, 9:30 a.m., Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, 117 Montreat Road, Black Mountain. The group Just Peace for Israel-Palestine will meet.
Tuesday, Jan. 12
LIBERTARIAN MEETING, 7 p.m., Oakleaf Furniture, 130 Miller St., downtown Waynesville. The Haywood County Libertarian Party meets on the second Tuesday of the month. Open discussion and debate are encouraged with all perspectives and persuasions welcomed, regardless of political or religious affiliation.
Wednesday, Jan. 13
MONEY IN POLITICS PRESENTATION, 7:30 p.m., Firestorm Cafe & Books, 610 Haywood
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Bluesman Eric Bibb will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at The Foundation Performing Arts Center at Isothermal Community College in Spindale.
Calendar
Continued from Page B3
of
Events
Monday, Jan. 18
PEACE MARCH/RALLY, 11:30 a.m., St. James AME Church, 44 Hildebrand St., Asheville. A peace march and rally will be held, followed at noon by a march to Pack Square Park. TRANSITION ASHEVILLE MEETING, 5:30-7 p.m., First Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 Oak S., downtown Asheville. A meeting of Common Table and those who are interested in Transition Asheville will be held.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
LUNCH AND LEARN SERIES, noon-1 p.m., 114 Intercultural Center, Highsmith Union, UNC Asheville. The Lunch and Learn Series will show that service learning can be act of social justice within itself. Attendees will join those in UNCA’s Multicultural Student Programs in exploring the intersections of social justice, activis, and service learning. In this facilitated dialogue, attendees will learn ways in which serving one’s community can inspire social change. STATE OF BLACK ASHEVILLE LECTURE, 6 p.m., 221-222 Highsmith Union, UNC Asheville. A “State of Black Asheville” lecture will be facilitated by Dr. Dwight Mullen, a UNCA professor of political science. CLIMATE JUSTICE/CALL TO HOPE EVENT, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Alumni Hall at UNC Asheville. “Our Common Home: Reflections on the Pope’s Encyclical, Climate Justice, and the Call to Hope” will be presented. The panel event is sponsored by the Wake Forest University School of Divinity’s Food, Faith and Religious Leadership Initiative, and co-sponsored by the Office of Sustainability at UNCA and Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina.
Wednesday, Jan. 20
JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL-PALESTINE MEETING, noon, Community Room, Brooks-Howell, Merrimon Avenue, Asheville. The Peace for Israel-Palestine meeting will be held and attendees are invoted to bring a bag lunch. The gathering is for for sharing possible JPIP initiatives, sharing good reads, discussing issues.
Thursday, Jan. 21
MLK WEEK KEYNOTE SPEAKER, 7 p.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. UNCA’s Martin Luther King Week keynote speaker will be Asheville native Terry Bellamy, who was elected
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to Asheville City Council in 1999 and, in 2005, became Asheville’s first African-American mayor.
See CALENDAR, Page B5
828-236-9800
Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 — B5
Greg Allman will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Event Center in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee.
Calendar of Events Continued from Page B4
Friday, Jan. 22
SOCK HOPS CONCERT, 7 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. The doo-wop quartet The Sock Hops will perform in concert. For tickets, visit GreatMountainMusic. com, or call 524-1598. FILM SHOWING, 8 p.m., The Grotto, Highsmith Union, UNC Asheville. The film “Selma” will be shown. It chronicles Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., in 1965. KORESH DANCE COMPANY PERFORMANCE, 8 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, downtown Asheville. The Koresh Dance Company will perform at 8 p.m. Jan. 22-23.
Sunday, Jan. 24
JUICE NEWTON CONCERT, 3 p.m., John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee. Juice Newton, an American pop and country singer, songwriter and guitarist, will perform in concert. She has received five Grammy award nominations in the pop and country best female vocalist categories. Her hit songs include “Angel of the Morning,” “Queen of Hearts,” “The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known),” “Love’s Been a Little Bit hard on Me,” “Break It to Me Gently,” “You Make Me Want to Make You Mine,” “Hurt,” and “Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers).”
Monday, Jan. 25
BUILDING BRIDGES, 7-9 p.m., MAHEC, 123 Hendersonville Road, Asheville. The seminar is an introduction to the dynamics of racism and is an opportunity to explore how race has impacted our relationships, communities and institutions. Past participants are welcome. The next session of Building Bridges begins Jan. 25 and ends March 21. Cost is $35.
Friday, Jan. 29
JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL-PALESTINE MEETING, 3:15 p.m., Media Room, Brooks-Howell, Merrimon Avenue, Asheville. The Peace for Israel-Palestine meeting will be held and attendees are invoted to bring a bag lunch. The gathering is for for sharing possible JPIP initiatives, sharing good reads, discussing issues. COMMUNITY DEBATES, 5:30 p.m., auditorium, Asheville High School, Asheville. A community debate will feature four prominent citizens who will debate against, and in support of, the different resolutions. The final debate in the three-part series will be held April 8, 2016. Two-person teams will debate substantive issues including race relations, and the organic food/eat-local movements. Admission is free.
Saturday, Jan. 30
“THE FOUR LOVES” CONCERT, 7:30 a.m., The Foundation Perfomring Arts Center, Isothermal Community College, Spindale. The men’s vocal ensemble CANTUS will perform “The Four Loves,” which explores the most complex human emotion.. For tickets, call 286-9990 or visit FoundationShows.org. HOT SARDINES CONCERT, 8 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, downtown Asheville. The Hot Sardines will perform in concert.
Friday, Feb. 19
ANNUAL BLUEGRASS CONCERT, 1-5 and 7 p.m.-midnight, Crowne Plaza Resort, Asheville. The 21st Annual Bluegrass First Class event will run Jan. 19-21. Saturday’s hours are the same as Friday’s, while Sunday’s are 8-10 a.m. Among the performers will be Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Daily and Vincent and Carolina Blue. Tickets are $49 per day for Friday or Saturday — or $98 for both days. For tickets, call 275-8650.
B6 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 — B7
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B8 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Concert
Continued from Page B1 Following “Crush,” some of the memorable first-set songs during the Dec. 10 performance were “Luck Be a Lady,” “Evergreen,” “Woman in Love,” “Enough Is Enough,” “Strangers in the Night,” “One for My Baby,” “That’s Life,” “A Quarter to Three,” “Hello, Dolly,” “People” and Sinatra’s signature song, “My Way.” An interesting medley melded Sinatra’s “It Was a Very Good Year” and Streisand’s “The Way We Were.” Owens and Anzaldo also sang rousing versions of Sinatra’s “flying” songs, including “Come Fly With Me” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” Unfortunately, Anzaldo, who was recovering from a cold, sounded a bit hoarse at times, but not to the point that it detracted from his renditions of Sinatra’s classics. The second set featured mostly Christmas songs, featuring Streisand’s and Sinatra’s spins, including “It’s the Most Wonderful Time,” “Let It Snow,” “Santa, Baby,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Another highlight of the show were the glamorous outfits worn by Owens that so were the style of Streisand in her prime. One was black, another white and the last one, red. Also making the show sparkle were the constant back-and-forth comic rejoinders between the two performers that one could well imagine would have occurred if the two ever had actually taken the stage together for a show. Later in show, Owens asked the audience if anyone had been married for 30, 40, 50 and 60 years. To her surprise, three people — a couple and a woman attending without
‘Simply Sinatra’ thrills crowd by channeling ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ (his way) By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Special photo courtesy of FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE
Show attendees might have had to blink twice to realize that Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra were not performing before them during performances at Flat Rock Playhouse’s Hendersonville stage. her husband — said they had been married for 61 years. In honor of the longevity of their marriages, Owens sang Streisand’s “Evergreen.” She also got the crowd moving during her performance of Streisand’s “Enough Is Enough,” which Owens described as a disco-style song. She pointed out that several grey-haired concert-goers were doing the “windshield wiper” move — gyrating with their bodies to the left and right while remaining seated in celebration of disco music. In addition, Owens spoke, at length and in the first-person, about Streisand’s exhaustive efforts on the 1983 romantic musical drama “Yentl.” Streisand directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film, which centers on a young girl who defies tradition by discussing and debating Jewish law and theology with her rabbi father.
World-renowned Frank Sinatra interpreter Steve Lippia joined with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra for a dazzling “Simply Sinatra Christmas” concert on Dec. 11 at downtown Asheville’s Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in the U.S. Cellular Center. Conducting the concert was maestro James Fellenbaum, resident conductor of the Knoxville (Tenn.) Symphony Orchestra. Most of the TWA’s 2,400-plus seats were filled for the concert, which was held on the eve of Sinatra’s 100th birthday — Dec. 12. (Sinatra died on May 14, 1998.) During the performance, Lippia praised Sinatra as the best popular singer ever — and marveled that he recorded about 1,500 songs, as well as having a successful career as an actor in the movies. To honor Sinatra for his 100th birthday, Lippia said he “would love to blow the roof off tonight” with his renditions of the great songs of “Ol’ Blue Eyes.” The program included such Christmas hits as “Let It Snow,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “White Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “Ave Maria,” “Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Moonlight in Vermont.” However, most of the show featured iconic Sinatra classics, including “Come Fly With Me,” “I’ve Got You Under My
Skin,” “Luck Be a Lady,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “Theme From New York, New York” and “My Way.” Lippia, who is considered one of the top interpreters of American songbook standards as well as traditional Special photo courtesy of ASO pop music, has Steve Lippia headlined successful, extended engagements in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. He has performed with about 100 symphony orchestras in the United States and Canada. The concert started — in Broadway overture style — with a medley of Sinatra hits from the 1955 film version of “Guys and Dolls.” As noted, Sinatra starred in the movie as Nathan Detroit, who runs an illegal floating crap game. At that point, Lippia walked onto the stage and launched into “I’ve Got the World on a String,” followed by “The Best Is Yet to Come.” The Sinatra interpreter then told the crowd, “It’s so cool to be here in Asheville. I’ve been here as a tourist, but never to perform.” He also praised the ASO for its musical excellence.
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Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 - B9
‘Rainbows’
Continued from Page B1 The show uses Garland’s songs to tell how a young girl named Frances Ethel Gumm became a singing legend and beloved star of “The Wizard of Oz.” As the show depicts, an early inspiration for Garland was her father Frank, who was the love of her life. He died when she was 14 years old — and Garland claimed that his death haunted her the rest of her life.
Disappointingly, “Chasing Rainbows” follows Garland only as far as the big break in “The Wizard of Oz.” It would have been interesting if a quick overview of the rest of her rather interesting and often tragic life were depicted. As the show notes, the role of Dorothy almost went to someone else. The studio wanted a box office star who could sell tickets. In fact, studio director Louis B. Mayer referred to Garland as his “little hunchback” but she instead proved to be a spark plug of a girl. — Reviewed by JOHN NORTH Daily Planet
Continued from Page B1 I donned my best gypsy attire, outfitted myself with flashy rings and a sache that jingled with fake gold coins. I must say, my table was one of the busiest there. Even New York Times bestselling author William Forstchen followed me around all night waiting for me to read his palms. Most of what I learned about palmistry is from Johnny Fincham’s book “Palmistry: Apprentice to Pro in Twenty-Four Hours.” I’ve picked up many different palmistry books over the years, but this one rang true. I liked its straightforward approach and it was wickedly accurate. Thank goodness the lights were low that night because I hadn’t gotten to the part in the book about reading the lines in the palms! But one thing I noticed right away: I had a lot to say. And it wasn’t all coming from the hands I was studying. That’s where the intuition took over. I found that I started talking and didn’t stop until there was nothing left to say. No one came over to tell me when the reading should be up. It was over when it was over.
One man hugged me, dropped a nice tip in the “Tip the Tipsy Gypsy” tip jar and told me he was a recovering drug addict and everything I had told him was true. He looked like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders and his future was bright. I helped someone! I had several more eager customers that night and I felt more confident with each one. The night passed very quickly. While I don’t read palms very much anymore, I’m still fascinated by people and continue to study their habits and try to figure out why they do what they do. Sometimes it’s funny. Sometimes tragic. But it’s always an interesting insight into the human condition. • Shelley Wright, an Asheville native, is a paranormal investigator. She works at Wright’s Coin Shop in Asheville and is a weekly participant in the “Speaking of Strange” radio show from 9 p.m. to midnight on most Saturdays on Asheville’s WWNC-AM (570).
Wright
Special photo courtesy HERB WAY
Rhoda Weaver and the Soul Mates perform at White Horse/Black Mountain.
Rhoda
Continued from Page B1 The show began with Sam and Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” followed by Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood” and Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason.” Without a doubt, “Chain of Fools” was the first set’s highlight,” but Weaver also sang a soulful, deliberate and hauntingly beautiful version of John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me” in which she had the audience clapping along — and joining her to sing the last verse. Weaver was masterful with her powerhouse vocals, but the band, at times, had a
bit of a muddy sound, for whatever reason. Jackson’s vocals on such songs as “A Change Is Gonna Come” and “Ain’t That Peculiar,” were passable, but not in the same ballpark as Weaver’s and, therefore, seemed incongruous. In the second set, “At Last” proved to be Weaver’s shining moment of the night and is, arguably, her signature song at this point in the Asheville native’s career. Also memorable was her version of “Hallelujah,” with the accompaniment of just one bandmate on acoustic guitar.
B10 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Style
Make your own beer, wine, cider and mead!
Be sure to try on clothes before purchasing them
We have WNC’s largest selection of ingredients and supplies.
By AMANDA SWAFFORD Special to the Daily Planet
One thing that happens frequently while shopping is the devastatingly false representation of extremely flattering garments on the hanger. You love the fabric, the colour the texture, but, your not sure how it even works. They always look like a swag of fabric hanging there confused. Many of the designs that fit the best need to be tried on to understand the unique and flattering, classy fit that often gets overlooked. Don’t be shy! The fabric and cut of the garment are the most important indicators of style adventure. So next time if you like the fabric, and are not sure of the form, try it on, ask the stylist working to help you figure it out, engage with the garments and designers. Many times until they are worn amazing cuts get left behind, and then popow the designers vision is manifest and you get an exciting surprise! We love hangers, we are grateful for all they do, keeping everything off the floor and neatly aligned and in order of visual purpose.
Elvis Presley played the custom Gibson Ebony Dove, a gift from his father, at concerts all over the world before he gave it to a fan in Asheville.
Elvis’ guitar left in Asheville in 1975 to be auctioned off From Staff Reports The Gibson Ebony Dove guitar that Elvis Presley gave to a fan in Asheville 40 years ago will be up for auction Jan. 7 through Graceland Auctions of Memphis, Tenn., which is associated with Elvis’ estate The guitar is expected to fetch $300,000$500,000. The three consecutive nights of Asheville Elvis concerts in 1975 drew more than 20,000 people to the Civic Center (now the U.S. Cellular Center). A fan was handed the guitar in the middle of a show — for reasons unknown — and it has been held in a local bank vault ever since.
Special photo courtesy of Royal Peasantry Design
Models Amanda Swafford and Danielle Miller exhibit eclectic fashions.
Fortunately, clothes are made for body and soul, and not for merchandising perfection, so if you wanna get a flattering and unique fit, TRY IT ON! It’s satisfaction every time. • Swafford is aesthetic advisor at Royal Peasantry boutique in downtown Asheville.
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Lead actor Baby named in remake of ‘Dirty Dancing’
Asheville Daily Planet — January 2016 — B11
From Staff Reports
Abigail Breslin
Abigail Breslin will portray Baby in the television remake of “Dirty Dancing” that was scheduled to be filmed in Western North Carolina earlier this year, Entertainment Weekly announced on Dec. 8. Breslin, who starred in “Little Miss Sunshine,” will portray Baby, who falls in love with a dance instructor at the resort where her family is vacationing. Entertainment Weekly said that “ABC has officially greenlit a new three-hour musical version of the 1987 hit romantic drama that starred Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey....”
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B12 - January 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet