12 Bones in RAD to be demolished
New Belgium’s tasting room to open in May — See STORY, Pg. A6
Group ‘channels’ The Carpenters
— See STORY, Pg. A6
— See REVIEW, Pg. B1
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May 2016
Vol. 12, No. 6
An Independent Newspaper Serving Greater Asheville www.ashevilledailyplanet.com FREE
Asheville pays tribute to Prince, ‘the ultimate rock star’
After losing Deschutes, blame cast, sparks fly From Staff Reports
Prince (above), a global rock star adored by fans and known for his mercurial brilliance and electrifying charisma on stage, was found dead early April 21 at his compound in Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minn. The cause of his death was unknown at presstime. Meanwhile, his Asheville fans celebrated his life and music with a late-night dance party — “like it’s 1999” — on April 23 at the Admiral restaurant
The mummy’s cursor
Q: I’m a woman in my 20s, and female friends and I find that, generally speaking, once a guy gets into a relationship, his texting dwindles into brief news bites, like “fell asleep!” or “phone died.” Why do men seem to lose interest in chatting by text like I do with my girlfriends? Are men just less feeling than women? — Annoyed A: Who says men aren’t emotional? “I don’t wanna talk about it!” is an emotion.
Donated photo
at 400 Haywood Rd. in West Asheville. Also, “Purple Rain” (a 1984 film starring Prince) was shown twice April 25 at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. on Merrimon Avenue— and the 7 p.m. showing was sold out. In addition, the Fine Arts Theatre in downtown Asheville scheduled screenings of “Purple Rain” — “in remembrance of Prince” — at 9:30 p.m. April 29 and April 30.
The Advice Goddess Amy Alkon
But actually, the male brain is not the emotional dead zone many women suspect it to be, with a few tumbleweeds and a Doritos bag blowing through in place of feelings. In fact, neuroscientist Tor Wager reviewed 65 brain imaging studies and found that men’s brains aren’t any less responsive to emotional stimuli than women’s. However, women do tend to be more emotionally expressive. See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A12
Verbal sparks are flying — along with fingerpointing — between two factions (splitting along party lines) on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners over just who is to blame for the March 22 decision by Deschutes Brewery to choose Roanoke, Va., instead of Asheville as the home for its East Coast facility. A key aspect of the deal, the purchase of property for Deschutes, also split down party lines, with the four Democrats on the commission favoring the move and the three Republicans opposing it. After a seven-hour commissioners’ meeting April 5, Democratic Commissioner Holly Jones said, “I am really concerned about the (135) people in our commmunity that would have had a good job if we hadn’t of gone off half-cocked... Those people are really short-changed by folks having their own agendas.” Moreover, Jones and her fellow Democratic commissioners charged that Republican Commissioner Miranda DeBruhl was partially — if not largely — to blame for Deschutes’ choosing Roanoke instead of Asheville for its new regional brewery site. DeBruhl, who represents District 1 on the board and is running for commissioners’ chair, countered that the land purchase supporters were speculating with taxpayer money. She also charged that the Democrats primarily wanted to “control” what happened with the deal’s property — and that her Democratic opponent for chair, Brownie Newman, had said “that he wanted to not allow (George Vanderbilt heir) Jack Cecil to build homes there.” See DESCHUTES, Page A8
Asheville council calls for HB2 repeal; considers anti-bias LGBT ordinance From Staff Reports
Asheville City Council is calling for the repeal of the state Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act (commonly known as House Bill 2 or just HB2) and is working collaboratively with other local governments and plans to work within the legal system to end discrimination. In addition, three councilmen are calling for the city to write an LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance now in anticipation of the overturning of a North Carolina law forbidding such local protections. The trio’s move follows a ruling by a federal appeals court saying a Virginia school board discriminated against a transgender teen by forbidding him from using the boys’ restroom.
Councilmen Cecil Bothwell, Brian Haynes and Keith Young said the city should write a local ordinance modeled after Charlotte’s. That ordinance drew attention for allowing transgender people to choose which bathroom to use and led Republican lawmakers to pass HB2, negating such local ordinances. In general, the Charlotte ordinance made it illegal for private businesses open to the public, such as hotels, to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity. “It is our belief that the Asheville City Council should prepare an ordinance modeled on the nondiscriminitory ordinance passed by the Charlotte City Council on Feb. 22,” Bothwell said in a news release sent to the Daily Planet. See HB2, Page A8
Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 — A2
‘Dirty Dancing’ remake moves ahead despite furor over HB2
Style
From Staff and Wire Reports
“Dirty Dancing” remake cast members include (from left) Debra Messing, Abigail Breslin, Colt Prattes and Nicole Scherzinger.
Katey Sagal joins ‘Dirty Dancing’ cast From Staff and Wire Reports
Another name was added in early April to the list of stars who have taken up residence in Western North Carolina for the filming of the remake of “Dirty Dancing” which is now in progress. Katey Sagal, star of “Married with Children” and “Sons of Cast members also include (from left) Sarah HighAnarchy,” has joined the cast land, Billy Dee Williams and Bruce Greenwood. as former beauty queen and Conference and Retreat Center near seductress Vivian Pressman, Hendersonville, where the crew set up its which was played by Miranda Garrison in production headquarters in March. the 1987 original. To date, the cast for the film includes Abigail Breslin (most known for “Zombieland,” “Little Miss Sunshine” and MTV’s “Scream Queens”) as Baby Houseman, dancer Colt Prattes Katey Sagal as Johnny Castle and Pussycat Dolls’ lead singer Nicole Scherzinger as Penny the dance instructor. “Modern Family’s” Sarah Hyland plays Baby’s older sister, Lisa, Billy Dee Williams of “Star Wars” was cast as Tito, and Debra Messing of “Will & Grace” and Bruce Greenwood of “Star Trek” and “I, Robot” will play Baby’s parents, Marjorie and Dr. Jake Houseman. Lionsgate TV is producing the special three-hour program to air on ABC networks. “Dirty Dancing,” which finished its pre-production phase on April 8, began filming in the area on April 11. Primary filming locations are the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers and the Kanuga
The television remake of the film “Dirty Dancing” is twirling and spinning ahead in Western North Carolina, even as North Carolina’s business reputation has suffered setbacks following controversy over passage of House Bill 2. The state caught flak recently after Gov. Pat McCrory signed a law that critics say discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. In the aftermath, several companies and their representatives have publicly voiced disagreement with the new law, including PayPal’s reversal of plans to launch a major expansion in the state. And leaders in the entertainment industry, a sector that’s traditionally supported pro-LGBT policies, have thrown their influence in the political ring, too.
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Trapeze gear stolen, delaying May opening
From Staff Reports The season-opening of Dare to Fly Trapeze at its new location at 254 Swannanoa River Road in Asheville has been delayed because someone stole company equipment critical for the net set up. In the theft, someone broke into the fly-rig storage shed and gear was stolen, according to co-owner Christine Aiken. “What is so peculiar is what the thieves took off with,” she wrote. “They took gear that is mission critical for our net set up, but really wouldn’t be of any value to anyone on the street.” The company was launched last summer on Broadway Street in North Asheville, but moved because of city permitting issues. Dare to Fly, which had planned to open May 1, now expects to replace its equipment “and be up and running in a week or so,” Aiken noted.
Two films are currently being shot in the Asheville area: Lionsgate Entertainment’s “Dirty Dancing” and the Fox Searchlight/ Film4 production “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Five other films are underway throughout the rest of the state. Lionsgate said it will move ahead with its plans to shoot in Henderson and Jackson counties, despite issuing a statement condemning the state’s new law. The company noted that it “will be hard-pressed to continue our relationship with North Carolina, if this regressive law remains on the books. “Our ‘Dirty Dancing’ 3-hour filmed musical event, which celebrates the principles of inclusiveness, diversity and tolerance, will go forward given our obligation to the hundreds of people in the state employed by the production,” the statement from Lionsgate asserted.
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A4 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
County, city budget plans to include no tax boosts
By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Neither Buncombe County nor Asheville will include a tax increase in their budget plans for the next fiscal year, the Council of Independent Business Owners were informed at an April 8 issues meeting at Chick-fil-A restaurant in North Asheville. County Manager Wanda Greene emphasized in her presentation that there will be no tax increase in the county’s fiscal 20162017 budget plan. She also reviewed the annual operating budget. Providing the City of Asheville’s budget plan was City Manager Gary Jackson, who said the only increases in the city’s proposed 2016-17 budget are for already-approved fees for water, storm drainage and garbage pickup. His office later confirmed to the Daily Planet that no tax increase would be included in his budget plan. On a third matter, Buncombe Tax Collector Gary Roberts explained the process for county property tax revaluation. The meeting drew about 50 people, including business-owners, government officials and others. Greene told CIBO, “I want to begin by saying that I am going to take a budget to the county commissioners that does not include a tax increase.” She added that the year “2016 was a really hard hit for us — with a $9 million loss from a lawsuit. So we’re going to finish 2016 with a (rare) loss. We plan to make that up in 2017. “We’re in touch with DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) nearly every day to make sure we meet our performance criteria. Depending on the program that’s being used, it affects how much we’re reimbursed. “It’s also an election year, so it’s a hit to our staffing. “We did get instructions from the state Board of Elections yesterday (April 7) that we must have at least six people at each precinct. We could get by with three (as the county has), but the state said we have to have six. So that will be a (budgetary) ‘hit’ — for temporary employees. “Two schools are opening…. We installed water lines for CTS ($120,000). We’re going to open Enka Elementary School in the fall. Usually, it costs $1 million to open a new school. We’re looking at about a $1.5 million increase in our health care costs. “Some constructions projects taking place include the Family Justice Center (bringing together a number of social services, especially those dealing with domestic violence, most county services, but some city). You hate to call it a ‘one-stop place,’ but it’s a ‘one-stop place.’ That will open in August. “Our 650-space parking deck on Cox Avenue will open soon. It’s still about 18 months out from completion. “And A-B Tech has its one-fourth-cent sales tax. We’re going to demolish the Rhododendron building and put something new there. “We’ve had to say a lot of ‘no’s’ on things... We will wait till May for the budget requests from the schools. “Our sales tax (reimbursement from the state) has been pretty good and is helping us balance our budget. Probably, I do anticipate we’ll see some changes in ’18. “As I said it’s my intent to bring the budget forward without any tax increase,” Greene concluded. During a question-and-answer session that followed, CIBO member Mac Swicegood said, “Unfunded mandates — tell us about them.” “I don’t know if y’all know it or not, but
the state tells us how we have to staff our social services staffing,” Greene said. “The cost of those positions is $1.8 million.” A man asked, “What is the county doing in terms of providing more affordable housing?” “We do participate in the housing consortium with the city,” Greene replied. “We do some projects, but I wouldn’t stand here and pretend we do as much as the city... We don’t have the (population) density,” but she said the county makes as much effort as is prudent to work with the city on such projects. A woman asked, “Why did the state mandate that you must have six paid workers at each precinct?” “Part of it has to do with the voter ID,” Greene answered. “We really don’t think we need six (workers) at every precinct. They did not tell us how they arrived at the number six. We will continue to ask about that.” Next, Jackson, the city manager, began his Asheville update by noting, “We are in better shape in terms of our accounting and finance than we’ve been in in five years. That’s the result of the city trying to manage its finances as much like a business as we can. “We have had people on council with a business perspective,” Jackson said, city (former councilman) Jan Davis as “a real help” over the years. We take this for granted, but we need some grounding. It really helps to have someone with a (business background and) long-term view in there. We are very fortunate to have (Councilwoman) Gwen Wisler as chair of the Finance Committee. “But we are in great shape. Looking back from a multi-year perspective… So looking back to 2009, our reserves went from 18 percent (of the budget) to under 15 percent. That was to balance the budget during the recession. Since then, we’ve been trying to increase our reserves. 15 percent is the gold standard and we’re now at 16.1 percent. “In this region, we’ve got 4 percent employment, valuations are going up. I think Montford was the only place hit last time in reassessments. “So, looking forward, we also had a robust local economy in the current year,” Jackson said, adding that maybe there is a $1 million surplus on a $100 million budget and “that will be money available for one-time investments. “So we think we’re going to be in a position to increase the fund balance to 16.9 to 17 percent and to have a surplus that can be spent. Under a million dollars of that amount will go into a big and comprehensive plan downtown — catching up on street repairs. And something like $1 million to invest in housing in the Lee-Walker Heights complex. “Well, the bad news for the rate-payer is part of the five-year plan has been to increase the water rates. What you’re seeing are very modest increases going in automatically. Same thing with storm drainage and garbage rates — they’re going up till we get to cost recovery from those using the services. “We’re going to need more police officers. So that will be a key consideration in next year’s budget. Likewise, we’re in undercoverage of North Asheville. We’re working on bringing online a fire station on the Broadway corridor to serve UNCA and the Merrimon Avenue area. “So that’s pretty much where we are in terms of our operating budget. “In terms of the capital budget, the car tax increase will generate $1.4 million, which will go into street maintenance. “More will be spent on the RAD (River Arts District) and Riverside. We’ve tendered offers to 40-plus property owners in the corridor. May 15 is the deadline to sell their prop-
erties. Otherwise, the city will take the properties. It’s a very exciting time on the river and a very exciting time on the South Slope, where we need additional parking facilities,” Jackson said, adding that parking needs should be examined there and in downtown. During a Q&A that followed, CIBO member Swicegood asked, “The RAD — we’ve been involved as an organization to have it developed for many years. It’s been friendly. Now it’s becoming ‘Big Brother with a Big Hammer’ that’s” making people mad. He urged city officials to show “some more sensitivity” in their interactions with the property-owners. Jackson thanked Swicegood for his sugges-
tion, but noted that city officials have gone to great lengths to interact on positive terms with the affected property-owners — “so people have had every opportunity to get positioned… and it’s evolved in a cooperative fashion.” Meanwhile, Gary Roberts, the county tax collector, said he would address “how do we set the appraisal date and what the tax office does.” He stressed that “the county commissioners are the only ones who can change tax values. In order to do that, they work with a tax collector. State law says counties are required to do reassessments at least once every eight years. Buncombe has chosen every four years since 1988.” See BUDGET PLANS, Page A14
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Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 - A5
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A6 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
City project to radically alter RAD
An artist’s rendering shows Asheville’s New Belgium brewery.
Tasting room at New Belgium to open May 2
New Belgium brewery will open its sparkling new “Liquid Center” tasting room on May 2 at 21 Craven St. in West Asheville, Beer fans will be able to taste locally brewed New Belgium beers for the first time at the brewery’s new location on the west bank of the French Broad River. Tasting room hours will be 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. Brewery tours start this summer. “Our riverside tap room is clad in local artist-made bars, tables and chairs crafted from nearly 14 linear miles of repurposed wood we salvaged from the stockyard formerly onsite,” a New Beglium press release noted. “A cantilevered deck sits above the new greenway and French Broad River, local food trucks will offer tasty treats, and an event lawn will host bike-in movies and general outdoor fun starting this summer.”
From Staff Reports The city of Asheville in early April began acquiring an estimated $6 million worth of land rights in the River Arts District as part of a $50 million transportation infrastructure project. Funded by a combination of local, state and federal money, the improvements will include road realignment, sidewalks, bike lanes, greenways and public art. As major construction gets underway next year, dramatic visual changes will take place. Plans call for partial demolition of 12 Bones Smokehouse and three buildings at the intersection of Riverside, Craven and Haywood streets. Plats finalized April 5 show the city’s plans for right-of-way and easement access
to private property. About 48 parcels and 35 property-owners will be compensated for easements and right-of-way changes, according to Stephanie Monson Dahl, riverfront office director. The city plans to complete the acquisition process by June 30, assuming property owners accept offers based on appraisals by an independent, state-approved contractor. Acquisitions that require adjudication — if property owners cannot negotiate a desirable deal — could extend that timeline. “The pieces of property that are being acquired are being acquired for all of the transportation needs associated with the roadway, whether that’s the stormwater or the required street tree plantings or the bicycle lanes,”
Dahl said. “The vast majority of this is the city buying small strips of land from property owners for the roadway facilities.” Each property owner will have a specific agreement with the city that includes compensation for right-of-way and easements for drainage, utilities, greenways and temporary construction staging areas. The majority of the affected properties adjoin a 2.2-mile stretch of Riverside Drive from Southern States farm equipment supplier on the north end to Amboy Road on the southern end. The city is also seeking new right-of-way agreements at properties adjacent to the five-point intersection at the center of the River Arts District where Lyman, Depot and Roberts streets meet Clingman Avenue.
From Staff Reports
“12 Bones is not going away,” he said in early April. “We’ll be just fine.” At of the Daily Planet’s deadline, the Kings are debating over several possible sites for a fall or winter relocation. King and his wife Angela, who bought the restaurant in 2013, have known that the move would be necessary for some time. “Once we signed our current lease over two years ago, we saw the writing on the wall then and started looking around,” he said. So far, the Kings have decided against a move to Phil Mechanic Studios or to the RAD Lofts (a new buildng that will bring residential units, office and retail space to the former
Dave Steel property). They said both locations were lacking in parking — an issue at the current RAD location. The Lofts, said King, did not work for a variety of reasons — the biggest issue being that the property was too new. “We’ve tried to find something that fits us,” he said. “If it’s possible, it would be nice to go into an older building that kind of has that old-school RAD feel — rustic, gritty, I think that’s who we are.” All possible venues for 12 Bones’ relocation are larger and allow for outdoor seating, King said.
12 Bones RAD location to be demolished The flagship location of 12 Bones Smokehouse, located in the River Arts District, will be at least partially demolished soon so that Riverside Drive can be straightened as part of Asheville’s improvement plan for the River Arts District. 12 Bones, which has occupied the building since 2005, has been an ultra-popular local eatery that even has attracted visits from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle. Despite the big changes, 12 Bones owner Bryan King is emphasizing that his restaurant will continue to operate in the RAD.
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2 charged with stealing tips in West Asheville
From Staff Reports
Two people were accused in mid-April of walking into three restaurants in West Asheville and stealing more than $160 in tips, according to law enforcement warrants. Parker Wade Davis, 23, of 35 Cordova St., was charged with three felony counts of larceny. He is accused of taking about $50 in tips from West End Bakery, about $30 in tips from Edna’s on the River, and about $80 in tips from Biscuit Head. Meanwhile, Brittney Lynn Penley, 23, also of 35 Cordova St., was charged with three aiding and abetting charges, which are felonies in this case, according to an arrest report by the
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Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 - A7
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Woman, 47, charged with killing boyfriend denied bond From Staff Reports A woman charged with killing her boyfriend in December was denied bond on April 4 and will remain in custody at the Buncombe County Detention Facility, according to District Attorney Todd Williams. Robin Renee Richardson, 47, is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Timothy Lee Fry, 51, according to warrants. Richardson is accused of killing Fry with a gunshot wound to the chest on Dec. 11 at her home on Crestwood Drive, according to reports. According to a 911 call made around 8 p.m. on Dec. 11, Richardson told authori-
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ties, “I just shot my boyfriend.” Fry worked at Asheville’s WLOS-TV for about 15 years. He worked as a regional sales manager.
Police investigating shooting at teen party at Event Center
From Staff Reports Police say they responded to a fight at the Asheville Ballroom & Event Center on Sweeten Creek Road in Asheville, where one person was shot and taken to the hospital on the afternoon of April 9. Asheville Police arrived on scene just after 12:20 p.m. where they found a large crowd and Rakeem Smith, 26, injured as a result of a gunshot wound, said police spokeswoman Christina Hallingse in an email April 11. Smith was transported to Mission Hospital with serious injuries, but was in stable condition as of Monday morning, Hallingse said. The facility was booked for a private event that was chaperoned, said Cathy Corn, owner of the Asheville Ballroom & Dance Center on Sunday. The group was celebrating a birthday party for a 16-year-old when an argument began, Hallingse said. At some point shots were fired, the police spokeswoman added. Security footage from the event shows that a group of teenagers crashed the party and fighting began, Corn said after she watched the footage. There was no damage to the facility, Corn
added. Police continue to investigate the incident and no arrests have been made as of the Daily Planet’s press deadline.
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Published monthly by Star Fleet Communications Inc. JOHN NORTH Publisher Phone: (828) 252-6565 • Fax: (828) 252-6567 Mailing address: P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 Website: www.ashevilledailyplanet.com E-mail the following departments:
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A8 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Deschutes
Continued from Page A1 The Bend, Ore.-based brewery, offering up to 237 relatively high-paying jobs, made the decision in March after more than two years of mostly behind-the-scenes negotiations between company leaders, county officials and local economic developers connected to the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. Deschutes is the sixth-largest American craft brewery. More than 100 East Coast sites were proposed to the brewery, but the final cut came down to Asheville and Roanoke. To lure Deschutes, the two finalist cities proferred offers estimated at a combined $12 million to $25 million in taxpayer-funded incentives. While no exact figures are available, records show Asheville and Buncombe possibly offered as much as a combined $4.4 million to $6 million. Also, if the property had been given to Deschutes, the total would have been $12.8 million. In turn, the project would have included an investment by Deschutes of $135 million to $200 million, which would generate an estimated $1.3 million per year in local property taxes, county officials said. As an incentive to Deschutes, the commissioners last year voted 4-3 (with the Democrats voting “yes” and the Republicans “no”) to purchase a $6.8 million parcel — and offer it as a brewery site — in South Asheville’s Bent Creek area, along the west bank of the French Broad River and accessible by Ferry Road. After making the purchase from Henderson County, Buncombe was immediately reimbursed for the half the value ($3.4 million) by Asheville — owed because of a politically complex water deal in which Asheville was allowed to build a Mills River drinking water facility in 1999.
HB2
Continued from Page A1 “We should be ready to move forward on that (nondisriminatory) promise when the court rules on the North Carolina law.” Other council members said they supported the idea, although a few questioned the need for the announcement and suggested the council move forward in a more deliberate way. Council originally had decided against following Charlotte’s lead, saying on March 8 that the city legal staff had advised that Asheville did not need to make a change for something that is not an issue here. The legal staff pointed that Charlotte passed its rule to change a prior ordinance that explicitly left out bathroom choice for transgender people. However, calls for opposition grew after Republican lawmakers quickly overruled the Charlotte ordinance with what is now internationally known as HB2. Opposition was especially strong in Asheville, which has a large LGBT population and the state’s highest number of same-sex couples per capita, when counted by county. In other local HB2 developments, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce said it expects to take no position on the bill.
Get your
Holly Jones
Miranda DeBruhl
After the brewery deal fell through, the commissioners on April 7, voted 7-0 to sell the property purchased only to lure Deschutes. In a separate motion at the April 7 meeting, DeBruhl and fellow Republican Joe Belcher asked that the minutes of a March 17, 2015 emergency closed session regarding the land purchase be amended to include more details about their opposition to the purchase. DeBruhl’s motion failed 3-4. She also argued that her problem with the minutes could be solved by recording the minutes, a move which Democrats have declined to do. Chairman David Gantt said it would hurt economic development deals where confidentiality is a critical factor. When DeBruhl was asked several times by Gantt if she herself had recorded the minutes, she did not respond. The Democratic commissioners eventually voted 4-3 to approve the minutes as they were written. However, that vote was preceded by almost an hour-long debate in which verbal sparks flew and commissioners spoke over and interrupted each other. Gantt had to assert himself to keep order. Because the Deschutes deal involved the “beer and alcohol industry,” Belcher said he was not going to support it in any event. He also asked that the minutes “show I said I was not comfortable with speculating on a land purchase.” DeBruhl then asserted that the minutes
“Given that HB2 is a hot topic, I’m sure it will arise” at an early April two-day retreat planned by the chamber, “but we don’t plan to take an official action at the retreat,” chamber Chief Executive Officer Kit Cramer said in early April. “Given that the bill has already passed, and that there is already rumor of changes, we will monitor the situation when the new legislative session starts at the end of the month” of April, Cramer said. Meanwhile, some other chambers in North Carolina have taken stances opposing the legislation, including the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce. The legislation was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Pat McCrory on March 23. McCrory has said some changes are possible in the law, after the General Assembly reconvened on April 25. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer also expressed her opposition to HB2, noting in a statement that “Asheville is a welcoming city that thrives on diversity and equality.”
Brownie Newman Joe Belcher should include Newman’s comment about his fear of Asheville developer Jack Cecil gaining “control” of the property. “Clearly, it was said (by Newman) that we’ve got to buy the property now,” DeBruhl said, adding that Newman said that “we need to control it. We need to control what goes there.” While it was late (about 11 p.m.), Gantt said it was an appropriate time for all of the commissioners to express their feelings on the deal since there were no more concerns about confidentiality. Gantt then said DeBruhl likely harmed the deal by publicly casting doubt on whether it would work, calling it “a fairy tale” and “a joke.” He also said DeBruhl called Deschutes’ president and asked “when they were going to make their mind up, right at a critical time … We were right in the middle of heavy negotiations.” Gantt added that economic developer Ben Teague sent the commissioners an e-mail saying Deschutes was concerned that confidential aspects of the deal were being revealed. DeBruhl said she called Deschutes President Michael Lalonde because a deadline it had given for making a decision had passed. “For seven months, multiple decision dates we were told came and went. For seven months, we discussed this,” she said. “Having something in writing, a letter of intent, a contract, something. There was nothing.”
A multi-day conference schedule in August for the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville has been cancelled in response to the passage of the recent state law, HB2, costs Asheville an estimated $1.5 million in lost economic revenue — and that is not counting the amount that would have been paid directly to the historic inn. HB2, in part, is a North Carolina law that requires transgender people to use a bathroom that corresponds to the gender identification on their birth certificates rather than the gender with which they idenitfy. The Michigan-based W.K. Kellogg Foundation was scheduled
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Mumpower, Nesbitt seek to sue HB2 opponents From Staff Reports
Asheville-area conservative political activists Carl Mumpower and Chad Nesbitt are offering a $3,000 reward to anyone who can find a way to sue HB2 opponents who are seeking to reverse the March 23 passage of the state law. The offer issued April 11 said what it calls an “organized effort to exert financial pressure against our elected officials with the explicite agenda or reversing legislation has the taint of extortion, blackmail, intimidation or other form intentional coercion.” The pair’s statement seeks “a viable means to bringing civil, criminal, administrative or other form of legal redress again the parties involved in this act of coercion.”
HB2 costs Asheville $1.5M conference From Staff Reports
Spring
to hold a four-day conference, “Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Summitt,” at the the Omni, bringing some 500 visitors to Asheville. In Kellogg’s cancellation statement, the foundation said it is disappointed “with North Carolina’s failure to protect all human rights. “As a result, we are canceling this four-day conference that would have brought over 500 people to North Carolina and generated millions of dollars in economic activity for the state’s economy. The event now will be held in December and in a different state. We will provide additional details about the summit at a later date.” As of late April, more than 100 corporations had criticized the HB2 bill.
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Sports Commentary
Panthers 2016 games to watch
Tank Spencer is the host of a weekly sports talk show, “The Sports Tank,” on Asheville’s News Radio WWNC (570-AM) 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.
T
The following was posted April 15:
he Carolina Panthers enter the 2016 season looking for a fourth straight NFC South Division title, and the only thing that might stop that from happening ... is themselves. The Panthers have — thusfar in the offseason — done a fantastic job of addressing their biggest needs, such as franchising Josh Norman, cutting and resigning at a discount Charles Johnson, adding depth at defensive tackle by signing Paul Soliai, and bringing in under-rated speedster corner Brandon Boykin. The offense still needs work as the offensive line could use some tuning up. The schedule has been released and it features some tough matchups for the Panthers. Here are the major ones to watch: WEEK 1 - 9/8 - Panthers @ Broncos Thursday Night Football The Panthers get a chance at revenge for the beating Von Miller and the Broncos put on them in the Super Bowl. The Broncos have done okay in the offseason, aside from getting a reliable quarterback. Will it be Mark Sanchez, whom they traded for? Is RGIII or Johnny Football a possibility? Do they take a QB in the draft? If they do draft a QB of the future, chances are he won’t start Week 1. Despite my hatred for the “Sanchise,” I think Denver wins the rematch too. OUTCOME: LOSS WEEK 3 - 9/25 - Panthers vs. Vikings Another 2015 playoff team that sits on the schedule. The Vikings should be as formidable as they were last season, and depending on what they do in the draft they could be better. I still think Carolina is the better team regardless of what the Vikes do. OUTCOME: WIN WEEK 4 - 10/2 - Panthers @ Falcons The Falcons beat the Panthers in Week 15, a game no one thought they could win. Carolina tends to struggle in Atlanta and this year prob-
Tank Spencer ably won’t be much different. How much will the salt from last year’s perfect season spoiler play? That remains to be seen. OUTCOME: LOSS WEEK 5 - 10/10 - Panthers vs. Buccaneers Monday Night Football “Oh here it comes, Tank’s gonna pump up his Bucs to make himself feel better about losing 8 of the last 10 against the Panthers.” No, sorry to let you down. The Bucs will be better this season, but I doubt they win either game against the Panthers this year. Well, maybe the season finale in Tampa, if Carolina rests guys for the playoffs. OUTCOME: WIN WEEK 8 - 10/30 - Panthers vs. Cardinals The Panthers took care of Arizona in embarrassing fashion in the NFC Championship game. They may not blow them out this time, but it should be a better contest. That is, unless Carson Palmer plays even worse than he did in January. OUTCOME: WIN WEEK 10 - 11/13 - Panthers vs. Kansas City This is another tough matchup, but one in which the scheduling gods smiled upon Carolina. The fact that they don’t have to go to Arrowhead is a mark in their favor. The Kansas City game should be another defensive, intense contest. OUTCOME: WIN WEEK 13 - 12/4 - Panthers @ Seahawks Sunday Night Football It’s the newest, best rivalry in the NFL. Once again Carolina travels to Seattle. Seattle has lost the last two games against the Panthers, but before that had won five in a row. It’s always a tight game and this year should be no different. OUTCOME: LOSS • Overall, I’m projecting the Panthers to be 13-3 with another division title and possibly the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Sports shorts
UNCA freshman standout transferring
UNC Asheville freshman men’s basketball standout Dwayne Sutton informed the Bulldogs’ coaches in early April that he wants to transfer to another school. The team’s head coach, Nick McDevitt, and his assistants said they have a good relationship with Sutton, a 6-foot-5 guard from Louisville. Sutton scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in UNCA’s 77-68 win over Winthrop in the nationally televised Big South Conference championship game. He scored 11 points and snatched four rebounds in the Bulldogs’ 86-56 loss to Villinova in the first-round of the NCAA tournament. In addition, backup freshman guard Trae
Bryant also tweeted that he is planning to leave the Bulldogs. McDevitt said Bryant has family issues and is looking into enrolling at a school close to his home in Wilmington.
Kirkpatrick named top coach
UNC Asheville’s Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick was named the Division 1 women’s basketball coach of the year by HERO Sports in late March. Kirkpatrick’s team won 26 games, won the Big South regular-season championship for the first time and played in the NCAA tournament. HERO is a website dedicated to college athletics.
Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 - A9
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, May 1
CONCERT, 2 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Rd., Mills River. Eddie Watkins Jr. will perform in concert. “My music is an expression of all the experiences of my life,” he noted. “Growing up in the ghettos of Detroit, playing bass on recordings with the Temptations and Marvin Gaye at 17, being ‘brought up’ by the Motown greats, becoming a studio musician, making lots of money, moving to Los Angeles with Motown, substance abuse and recovery led to a spiritual search.” When he became involved in Religious Science in 1997, songs woke him up, pouring out of him, Watkins said. He has recorded with Marvin Gaye, Quincy Jones, James Brown, Santana, Cher, Diana Ross, Herbie Hancock, Pattie Labelle, The Pointer Sisters, Peter Frampton, Gato Barbieri, The Temptations, Phyllis Hyman, Norman Conners, Thelma Houston, Nancy Wilson, among others. SERVICE/ORGAN RECITAL, 5 p.m., St. James Episcopal Church, 766 N. Main St., Hendersonville. The church’s choir will sing Choral Evensong for Easter. Afterward, an organ recital will be performed by Jamie Hitel, director fo Christ Church in Greenwich, Conn. He will play works by Bach, Tomkins, Alain, Sandvold and Franck on the church’s Harrison & Harrison organ.
Wednesday, May 4
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER EVENTS, 6:30-8 p.m., the stage and green in front of City Hall, downtown Asheville. A number of National Day of Prayer events will be held May 4-5 and 7. On May 4, a communitywide meeting will be led by community pastors with a community choir. On May 5 (from 9 a.m.-noon) prayer sessions will be held, followed (from 12:30-2 p.m.) by a midday proclamation service. On May 7 (5-8 p.m.), a youth event will feature music by Koat of Armour and a speaker, Randy Shepherd. Admission is free.
Friday, May 6
SPEAKER, 7-9 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville.
Eddie Watkins Jr., who recorded with Motown greats Marvin Gaye and The Temptations (among others), will perform in concert at 2 p.m. May 1 at Unity of the Blue Ridge at 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Road in Mills River. Dr. Barbara Wagner, an Austrian physician, will address “Healing on the Spiritual Path — Medically Verifiable.” Admission is free and open to the public — but donations will be accepted.
Saturday, May 7
CHICKEN DINNER FUNDRAISER, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Asheville Mennonite Church, 49 Bull Mountain Road, Asheville. The church will hold its semiannual smoked-chicken dinner and bake sale. Members will slow-smoke more than 900 chicken halves, sold as chicken alone, or as full 1/4- or 1/2-chicken dinners with cole slaw, baked beans and a roll. A bake sale offers a selection of pies, breads, cakes, cookies and more. All items are packaged in carry-out containers, but may be eaten in the covered outdoor dining area. Proceeds will support mission projects and other needs.
Monday, May 9
CONCERT, 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, East Chestnut Street and Merrimon Avenue, Asheville. Lyra, a vocal ensemble from Russia, will perform Russian chant and folk songs. Admission is free but donations will be accepted.
Friday, May 13
SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM, 2 and 7 p.m., Sandburg Hall Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. The UUCA’s Social Justice Movie Night (and matinee) will feature a film to be announced. Admission is free.
Tuesday, May 24
BELL RINGERS CONCERT, 7 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 Sixth Ave. W., Hendersonville. The Blue Ridge Ringers, billed as “Western North Carolina’s premier community handbell ensemble,” will perform in a wide range of music — from jazz to gospel to classic. Admission is free.
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A10 — May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
The Daily Planet’s Opinion
Let’s join forces to create a more resilient Asheville
W
e heartily endorse Ashevillage’s drive — throughout May — to sign up 828 residents to each take a specific positive environmental action for Asheville’s first Community Resilience Challenge. (The “828” is from Asheville’s telephone area code.) “One person planting a tree alone, it doesn’t seem that important, but scale that up to the 83,000 people in Asheville or the 238,000 in Buncombe County....” said Janeel Kapoor, founding director of Asheville, a local nonprofit dedicated to sustainable solutions. “All of our citizens can take some action at a local level.” For instance, Kapoor said that every garden, every tree, every solar panel adds up when it comes to building a more resilient community in the face of a changing climate. The event began in 2010 in California, documenting efforts by individuals, families, churches, schools, businesses and others to save water, grow food, conserve energy, reduce waste or build community. To that end, we encourage residents who believe “it takes a village to save a planet” to sign up by visiting ashevillage.org/comunity-resilience-challenge/
What’s behind the ‘Bathroom Bill?’ CHAPEL HILL — Was passing the new “Bathroom Bill” the biggest mistake the current North Carolina General Assembly has made so far? Or was it just one in a series of similar overreaching legislative efforts that offend groups of citizens, discourage businesses and organizations from dealing with our state, and subject us to ridicule? Or, instead, was it another carefully thought out political ploy to affect election results this fall, this time by mobilizing a group of angry voters to protect the positions of those in power? The Bathroom Law, or House Bill 2, or “An Act to Provide for Single-Sex Multiple Occupancy Bathroom and Changing Facilities in Schools and Public Agencies and to Create Statewide Consistency in Regulation of Employment and Public Accommodations,” its official title, overturned a nondiscrimination ordinance adopted by the Charlotte City Council on February 22. Charlotte added sexual orientation and gender identity to categories protected by existing nondiscrimination ordinances. It also provided that transgender people could use the bathroom of the gender they identified with. On March 21 House Speaker Tim Moore and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest called a special session for March 23 to deal with the issue. In a rushed session, with limited time for review and discussion, House Bill 2 passed; Gov. Pat McCrory signed; and it became law on the same day. The new law provides that all public bathrooms of government agencies “be designated for and only used by persons based on their biological sex.” It did more. It prohibited local government from expanding state non-discrimination protections or establishing minimum wages higher than the state standards. State non-discrimination laws do not protect gay and transgender people. The state’s minimum wage is $7.50 an hour. The response from across the nation came quickly. According to an Associated Press report, the High Point Furniture Market said, “dozens of buyers have said their employees won’t attend to shop the new offerings of manufacturers and wholesalers. Opponents of the law also are on social media calling for a boycott of the market, which has an annual statewide economic impact of $5 billion.” The NCAA and the NFL signaled that the
D.G. Martin state’s backtracking on non-discrimination could affect their plans for events in North Carolina. Some observers said the new law threatens billions of dollars in federal education funding. U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx said that federal transportation dollars might be imperiled. More than 100 corporate leaders, including those of Bank of America, IBM, Apple, Intel, Google, and American Airlines, signed a letter calling for the repeal of the new law. According to the letter, the new law “will make it far more challenging for businesses across the state to recruit and retain the nation’s best and brightest workers and attract the most talented students from across the nation. It will also diminish the state’s draw as a destination for tourism, new businesses, and economic activity.” Did House Speaker Tim Moore have any idea that there would be so much negative and financially detrimental reaction to the new law? If he did, the lesson for him should be that the orderly, slow, careful examination of proposed new laws that usually accompanies proposed legislation in regular sessions ought to be followed in every possible case. But Speaker Moore already knows this lesson. I think he would have preferred a more deliberative process if his hand were not being forced by an ultra-conservative faction of the House Republican caucus that thinks he is too moderate. On the other hand, a wise and experienced former legislator told me the other day, “Don’t be fooled, D.G. They knew exactly what they were doing. This new law will mobilize their base and add two percent to their voter turnout in the fall— maybe just enough to win the governor’s race for them.” • 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
Voter opts to support ‘a more pragmatic Hillary’
Recently I sat next to a man wearing a Bernie campaign button. When I took note, our conversation covered a range of issues. In my walks in the Five Points neighborhood I encounter an impressive number of pro-Bernie signs. Bernie won Asheville handily, but lost the overall N.C. primary, meaning Hillary Clinton received the largest number of delegates and continues to amass a larger total of voter support. To my recent associate I pointed out that Bernie’s supporters are enthusiastic and delusional. They have certainly contributed an awesome campaign chest. Nevertheless, his proposals for governing will require complete Democratic control of the U.S. House. The aim to break up Wall Street banks is a will ‘o the wisp. (To this check out the informed observation of Barney Frank). Giving university tuition free to public university students (actually funded by the states) would require reducing the military budget to miserliness. Bernie’s announcement of a revolution is part of the dream sequence. For a “for instance,” how are we here in Asheville to vote Democratic replacements for Rep.
Patrick McHenry (10th district), or Rep. Mark Meadows (11th)? I subscribe to a more pragmatic Hillary, better prepared to work with a Republican House majority (hopefully diminished). Direct your contributions to “Hillary for America.” LeGrand Smith Asheville
Asheville should not follow Charlotte’s lead
I hesitate to comment on the HB-2 issue, but think it is just a big waste of money to redefine existing anti-discrimination laws. If the city wants to protect the rights of small minorities, fine with me, spend the money. However, if they are going to do it, don’t do like Charlotte and muddy the waters by trying to fix what is not broken. Individuals of either sex (that they chose to define) have been using either restroom forever with little problem. It only becomes a problem if one can be identified (normally by dress clothes and actions) as being of the gender that should not be in a restroom. Catlin (Bruce) Jenner probably would not even be noticed in a woman’s restroom, but would be questioned in a man’s restroom in a dress. See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Page A11
The Candid Conservative
Be afraid — very afraid
“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” — Thomas Jefferson
The problem
T
he largest “leap of faith” flock in Asheville is neither Protestant, Catholic nor Jewish. That title rests firmly in the hands of the progressive-liberal-socialist movement. Under the guise of love, progress, and diversity, these folks have morphed into the most successful ideological force in 21st century America. To the extent they’re a daring group of obsessive control freaks (think Islamic jihadists without bombs and guns) culturists of more altruistic faiths should fear them – and contest their success. Let’s start with a look at five ways these PLS jihadists are sawing the head off our culture.
The commandant-in-chief
The current point man for the PLS movement is finishing out his last year as America’s commander-in-chief. That this political celebrity has functioned more surely as a commandant than a commander can be frightfully demonstrated. The U.S. Constitution is our culture’s organizing foundation. Its frame contains four distinct missions – constraining government; supporting the rule of law; protecting the citizenry; and sustaining liberties. As regards walk over talk, Barack Obama has devoted his entire career to doing precisely the opposite. One need look no further than his Stateof-the-Union addresses, border indifference, presidential appointees, and regulatory expansions for confirmation. In each case Obama’s compass aims to inflate government’s hand on everything and trample the limping legacy of the Founding Fathers. Such is the mark of the political sociopath. Through the rule-of-law, smart societies are governed by time-test values that sup-
Carl Mumpower port liberty, opportunity, and responsibility. Rule-by-personality, personal preference, passion, power and political agenda are the preferred motivations of our current president. By ignoring Congress and stacking the judiciary with constitutional opportunists, he is corrupting the balance-of-power framework that has sustained us for centuries. That’s the antithesis of the mission he swore to uphold. Watch the stellar example of his autocratic agenda – ObamaCare – implode on itself and remember how it happened and who made it happen. As governments grow, people shrink. Every new rule, social engineering effort, tax, bureaucracy, unfunded mandate, or government employee crowds out a matching chunk of liberty. Obama is the king of the fairytale that bigger government equals better us.
Nazis in training
You may have noted the hysteria a few weeks back when – courtesy of a chalk lothario’s Zorro like mischief – a platoon of liberal control zombies masquerading as Emory University students had to scurry for their “safe zones.” The words ‘Trump in ‘16” necessitated crisis-intervention counseling, oxygen and spinach smoothies for the stricken. Across the nation, what were once called institutions of higher learning are fast becoming in-patient psychiatric retreat centers devoted to soothing the hysteria of obsessive social regulators/scholars. Note the malice when these special little snowflakes land near the non-conforming. Hell hath no fury as a progressive-liberalsocialist scorned. See CANDID CONSERVATIVE, Page A14
Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 — A11
Commentary
Letters to the Editor
Raleigh Republicans anything but selfless
A
n obscure Republican congressman from Michigan wrote something truly remarkable: “The Christian who enters politics must do so with the aim of achieving political justice. He does this by subjecting his own personal ambition and desires to the scrutiny of God’s revelation in the Scriptures. And as God gives the grace to do so, he learns to make the needs of his neighbor his own. In so doing, his search for justice becomes an act of sacrificial love.” Paul Brentwood Henry served four terms and was elected to a fifth term when he died in 1993. He was a solid evangelical conservative. His congressional district included super-conservative Grand Rapids. What did Henry write here? He verbalized an attitude, didn’t he – a magnificent outlook on power. It’s almost like he’s saying: The more power Christians gain, the more they should be servants of the people. Jesus taught his disciples (Luke 22:26): “The one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.” As a member of Congress, Henry had real political power. And yet he writes about subjecting personal ambition and desire to the needs of others. He even calls it sacrificial love. It goes without saying that this philosophy should guide all politicians, Christian or not – humbly, diligently accepting as one’s life priority the needs of one’s neighbor. After all, the citizen-legislator is literally representing his neighbors. Conveniently for this discussion, we have a large group of Christians with political power right here in North Carolina: the majority Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly. They certainly make much of their faith, and they certainly have power. How are they doing? I’ve heard Raleigh Republicans called hypocrites and “pseudo-Christians.” Maybe that’s because for their five years in power, they haven’t done anything that could remotely be called selfless service to the people. They took power in 2010 through a vicious, rotten campaign of character assassinations, and they’ve consistently followed that model ever since. Their methods? Deception. Right after taking power in 2011, they staged hearings around the state to get citizen input on redistricting. But what do you know, that was precisely the time when their computers were slicing up counties and precincts to create districts that ensure huge Republican majorities. There was no debate and no explanations. Election outcomes are now automatic – so citizen neighbors’ votes are meaningless. Lying. I’ll choose two from a five-year stream of lies. Claiming “voter fraud,” Republicans enacted a sweeping “election reform” package in 2013. It was, plain to the naked eye, designed to suppress Democrat voting. In fact, studies have shown that voter fraud is almost nonexistent. Investigations found 31 cases of voter impersonation in a billion votes cast. The now-famous House Bill 2 gave Republicans a grand stage for lying. The whole idea, plain again, is to stir up evangelical voters ahead of November’s general election
Lee Ballard by squelching the growing gay rights movement. The“men in women’s locker rooms” allegation is a duh-level disguise. Those of you who are familiar with HB2, get a pad and count the lies in this interview with Dan Bishop, one of the GOP sponsors of HB2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJsOT5 3Atdo&feature=youtu.be. Most Democrats in the General Assembly are Christians, too, of course, but they don’t parade their faith like Republicans do, and they don’t have power. They don’t have opportunity to demonstrate Paul Henry’s principle of selfless service. Not yet anyway. Wouldn’t you love to see the 2016 Democratic campaign strategy sound like Paul Henry wrote it? Maybe something like: “We come to you as humble servants with only one goal: to make your life better. We’re not seeking power. We’re politicians, but we promise never to show it.” I’m realistic enough to think it could happen. • Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill.
Continued from Page A10 Let’s keep the restroom issue out of a bill used to protect the civil rights of individuals. If we have to put it in I propose a single restroom to be used by all individuals with no discrimination at all. (After all many countries don’t have individual restrooms and it would be less expensive). Also that would kill the issue once and for all. Allyn M. Aldrich Asheville
Punishment looms for America’s God-deniers
America continues to deny God and The Word of God. These haters of God continue to deny the historical fact that America was founded by people who believed in the Living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God who said that in the beginning He created the Heavens and the Earth and later created everything in them and that He did it for his pleasure. Each colony was founded by a different Christian denomination. Generally, a whole church congregation left their home country and shipped to what is now our America, as a church/unit. Each colony established its church denomination as that colony’s church, and taxed the residents to support it. This practice continued even after the colonies became states. When the U.S. Constitution was approved the colonies believed in the sovereignty of God Almighty over all. Because of that, most colonies specified, in their approval, that all those appointed or voted to serve in America’s three branches of government be professed Christians who knew God, and God’s Word contained in
the Holy Bible, both the Old and the New Testament. Unfortunately, we now send some people to all three branches of our government who have no idea about God or what His Commandments to Man are. They have twisted God’s word, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights and its subsequent amendments, so that everything goes. So, yes, history does show that America was founded as a Christian nation under God. And yes, one of the founding fathers was a deist (one who believes God created Heaven and Earth but then left it entirely up to man). But Benjamin Franklin’s mistake only shows how smart, educated people can be ignorant of God’s Biblical history, which clearly shows God had an active hand and is still playing a part in this world. But the important thing to know is that God will punish and destroy the wicked, most of mankind, because they rejected His plan of salvation, which He offered, through the blood of Christ. How soon, only God knows! Manuel Ybarra Jr. Coalgate, Okla.
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A12 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Commentary
North Carolina HB2 talk is flush with fallacies 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 April 20: t’s not all about who pees in which bathroom. No. It is not. And, no it never was. The Charlotte Bathroom ordinance was a clever excuse for the NC GOP to pass the most massive government over-reach in recent memory. And they packaged and sold it — to both sides — as being about creepy men pretending to be women to go into the lady’s room. (Which they can do already, and it is already a crime.) What HB2 is attempting to get away with is the very antithesis of what the GOP claim to be all about. They want less government intrusion, they support local government, and giving businesses the right to chose how they run their businesses. But like Sen. Thom Tillis’s early 2015 idiocy about taking down the over-reaching regulations that make us put up signs in re-
Jeff Messer
I
strooms telling staff to wash hands, this one does not hold up to even basic scrutiny. Of course, it should be noted that the GOP from North Carolina seems to spend an inordinate amount of time pondering on the goings on of public restrooms, which may be cause to worry in and of itself. When Tillis went all deregulation-ist over hand-washing, and got backed into a corner when he had to declare that, for his plan to work, the businesses taking down those bathroom signs would have to hang signs warning customers that they did not require staff to wash hands. So, a regulation sign to replace a regulation sign. Sigh. With HB2, the fallout is more severe. Never mind that Georgia was smarter than North Carolina by avoiding the economic
Advice Goddess
Continued from Page A1 This difference makes sense, as women evolved to be the caregivers of the species -tending to the needs of babies (who typically require a more nurturing response than “Bring it, bro!”). Men, on the other hand, evolved to be the warriors of the species -- competing for the alpha dog spot by clubbing a rhino or the most hombres from another tribe. This has had an effect on how men express themselves. As sex differences researcher Joyce Benenson explains, when you’re a warrior, revealing your feelings -- like having a good cry on the battlefield -- puts you at a disadvantage. (Kind of like going out in a T-shirt with a big arrow and “Your spear here!”) Conversationally, where men and woman differ is in why they talk and what they talk about. Linguist Deborah Tannen describes male versus female styles of communication as “report” versus “rapport.” In short, while women use conversation (including texting) as a form of bonding, for men, it’s a tool. And just like other tools, men use it as needed. As my boyfriend put it, “you bring out the wrench when you have a loose nut; you don’t go around looking for nuts to fasten. Also, afterward, you put the wrench away; there’s no ‘Let’s us boys get together and explore how we feel about wrenches.’” This explains why many guys text more in the chase phase, when they need to “talk chick,” to a degree, to reel you in. Once they have you, they fall back to what’s more natural for them -- texting merely to say stuff like “late!” or “w/get wine” (the SMS form of grunting). But this should simply be seen as a different style of communicating, not a deficient one. You judge whether a man cares about you by the sum of his actions, not by his pointer finger action. And besides, if you demand that he text you like a woman, he’s within his rights to expect you to act like a man -- by carrying his luggage like a pack mule while he totters behind you in heels or by chasing a mugger while he stands on the corner crying softly and hoping you’ll come out of it alive.
Hush to judgment
My boyfriend introduces me as his girlfriend to his parents, friends, co-workers,
etc. However, he doesn’t like to Facebook the intimate details of his life, including our relationship. My friends think it’s a red flag that he doesn’t post about us on Facebook. Do you think they’re right? — Hidden Your boyfriend doesn’t post what he had for lunch -- and probably not because he’s embarrassed to be seen with his sandwich or he’s looking to cheat on it with a plate of spaghetti. Even criminals have the right to remain silent. But that isn’t what your boyfriend’s trying to do. In fact, he’s public about your relationship; he just draws the line at publicizing it on social media -- as in, having a bunch of people he doesn’t know know a bunch of things about him. (In economics, this is called “information asymmetry.”) In other words, your friends seem to be confusing privacy with secrecy. Secrecy is about having something to hide -- often something shady you’ve done -- while privacy is about choosing who gets the scoop on your life. There’s this notion that if you aren’t doing anything wrong, you’ve got nothing to hide. Well, you aren’t doing anything wrong on the toilet, but you probably don’t want to replace your bathroom walls with glass and set up bleachers in the backyard. Apparently, your boyfriend just expects people to put in effort to invade his privacy -- rather than his being all “Welcome to our relationship! The usher will lead you to your seats -13A and B, right by the headboard. We look forward to your comments. Even if you’re an Internet troll. Even if you’re a bot!” • (c.) 2016, 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).
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calamity by not signing similar legislation into law. Never mind that HB2 is clearly an illegal law that will be fully defeated in Federal court. Never mind that Gov. Pat McCrory is losing points rapidly toward his reelection. Who seriously thought that this was a winning issue in an election year? HB2, upon deeper examination (and don’t kid yourself, it doesn’t have to go that deep) we discover that it basically strips local cities and governments of the ability to govern themselves, accordingly. It also prevents ANYONE from being able to sue within state courts if they themselves are discriminated against. On any level. For example: An atheist business-owner can now post signs denying service to Christians, and it is perfectly legal. And you can’t sue in North Carolina courts over it. How about that? Persecution time? If you think the LGBT community are raising a ruckus over HB2, just wait until a right-wing Christian gets turned out over it.
Raising hell doesn’t even begin to tell you what kind of stink they would make. And you know I’m right about that. So who does HB2 benefit? Clearly, no one. Not even the North Carolina GOP who are getting hammered over it from multiple sides. So, if they thought this was the one piece of legislation that would make their re-election. As we sit on the precipice of potential economic disaster, brought on by the growing list of major companies that are boycotting North Carolina over this, one has to wonder what the whole thing was actually all about, if it benefits not even the legislators who pushed it so hastily through. Why the rush? And now, why the rush to try and plug holes in the sinking ship that they themselves shot the holes into? North Carolina is a real head-scratcher on a number of levels these days. And, sadly, too many people are buying into the superficial aspects of the whole thing. Stop just window-shopping, North Carolina!
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Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 — A13
Commentary
Politifact’s HB2 fact check: mostly false 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 April 18: o much for “fact checking.” PolitiFact is out with its latest HB2-related fact check against (North Carolina) Gov. Pat McCrory. It examined this statement McCrory made on “Meet The Press:” “The city of Charlotte passed a bathroom ordinance mandate on every private-sector employer in Charlotte, N.C.” PolitiFact rates this as “mostly false” because: The ordinance would have applied to place of public accommodation, like hotels and stores and other places selling goods and services to the public. While that is a big category, the ordinance would not have applied to private clubs, nonprofits or organizations with viewpoints that would have been at odds with the law, nor would have it really impacted business that don’t deal with customers. The talking point contains an element of truth but exaggerates the scope of the law. We rate his statement Mostly False. However, PolitiFact ignores a key part of the law that Charlotte City Council removed. All of this section was repealed: Sec. 12-59. - Prohibited sex discrimina-
S
Pete Kaliner tion. (a) It shall be unlawful to deny a person, because of sex, the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a restaurant, hotel, or motel. (b) This section shall not apply to the following: (1) Restrooms, shower rooms, bathhouses and similar facilities which are in their nature distinctly private. (2) YMCA, YWCA and similar types of dormitory lodging facilities. (3) A private club or other establishment not, in fact, open to the public. (Code 1985, § 12-39) All three exemptions were repealed. And, by doing so, the law WOULD apply to all of these facilities. Charlotte attorney and N.C. Representative Dan Bishop, R-Mecklenburg, noted the obvious implications: If “gender identity” and “gender expression” mean that a transgender must be allowed to use the bathroom and shower of choice, then “sex” means that ALL men must be permitted to use women’s facilities and vice versa. The city attorney says that’s
not what was intended, but it is what the language says. Charlotte City Attorney Bob Hagemann, dismisses these concerns: Bishop, a lawyer, said the way the city changed the wording of an existing ordinance made it illegal to have separate bathrooms, locker rooms or even showers for men and women. “In other words,” Bishop said in a statement, “just as it would be illegal for a business to discriminate by saying ‘whites only,’ it is now illegal within Charlotte city limits to have ‘male only’ or ‘female only’ bathrooms, showers, etc.” Not quite, City Attorney Bob Hagemann said. In a memo to Mayor Jennifer Roberts and council members, Hagemann said Bishop’s argument runs “counter to common sense” as well as interpretations of similar statutes. “It was not the city’s intent to eliminate
gender-specific facilities,” Hagemann wrote. • Hagemann said the city will bring no enforcement actions against public accommodations with separate bathrooms. By noting it wasn’t council’s intent to eliminate sex-segregated facilities and promising that the city won’t bring enforcement action, Hagemann is, essentially, admitting that the law does exactly what Rep. Bishop said it does.
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A14 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Candid Conservative Continued from Page A10
multaneously feels compelled and licensed to direct everything that moves? When you think of the fourth rung of government, think of cancer. To grow, the bad stuff has to eat the good stuff.
The Bible suggests you shall know them by their deeds. In the case of the Left, no matter how much they talk about love, compassion, caring and giving, their deeds are revealed in malice, force, power, control and condemnation of any thinking differing from their own. Hate to break it to the history-deficient, but that’s the secret formula for fascism.
Social engineering
There are a bunch of people out there who believe they are uniquely enlightened on the ways of the world. They have a mission to stuff the rest of us into their box. The idea they might be wrong rarely dawns on these folks. The high coming out of playing God is too exciting to waste time on reflection and reason. The LBGT movement offers an example. In recent years they have moved from a role of education and social justice to recruitment and power. Validation of this trend is especially noticeable among adolescents and young adults. Those thus struggling to find their place in a crazy world are easily tempted to question nature’s gender decisions and adapt their own out of fear, convenience, rebellion or a need to belong. Unfortunately, though we are free to make our own choices, we are not free to avoid the consequences. Living outside of one’s natural gender is a difficult process that no amount of social reprogramming can erase. Gender confusion is cause for compassion — not celebration. And yet that is precisely the mission of this political group – to bully the rest of us into accepting and endorsing their boundary deficient reality as special. With all due respect to these guys, gals and the strugglers in-between, gender-swapping, same-sex marriage, and free-range bathroom access offer stronger testimony to sadness than specialness.
The 4th rung of government
The Founding Fathers thought three branches of government – executive, legislative, and judicial – would best cover our bases. Over the past 100-plus years, politicians – on both sides – have decided that four would be a better number and have created an undeclared administrative branch. If you think those first three are scary and/or incompetent, wait until you hear about this one. Did you know that 80 percent of the rules, regulations and other governmental burdens you face come not from laws passed by Congress, but through edicts assumed by bureaucrats? Yep, as our elected officials have busily added one department of this, commission of that, and agency of such, unelected public officials have taken over our government. Remember that time-tested reference on “power corrupts?” Well it’s being validated day in and day out by a phalanx of unionized government employees needing to justify their existence. Though we can’t protect our borders, win our wars or balance our budgets, these administrative munchkins are on a mission to micromanage everything else – and it’s not just in Washington. From up there to right here, if a new rule, regulation or other government intrusion on your personal liberties is applied, odds are there’s a liberal politician backing the play. Isn’t it fascinating that the Left prides itself on being “progressive,” but si-
Budget plans
Postponement politics
Look around Asheville. It’s clear we’re experiencing a surge of prosperity. Unfortunately, much of that shininess is funded on the backs of our children and grandchildren. City debt is growing, county debt is
Continued from Page A4 Roberts added, “During the recession from 2008 to 2013, we (Buncombe) did fewer reassessments. That’s the only time I’ve know that we’ve gotten away from the four-year period. If the sales ratio goes within certain figures, Buncombe County is required to do a reassessment.” Regarding current appraisals, the county tax collector said that Buncombe “has a lot (of properties) in the 70 percent” of value range, such as “the South Slope of the River Arts District” in Asheville, “while Barnardsville is more than 90 percent. Woodfin is lower at 82 percent.
Montreat is about 92 percent — so their assessment to market (value) is pretty good... There is a big range of tax ratios — and that’s one of the things I’m always looking at.” Just a week before the CIBO meeting, Roberts said, “We’ve been approved to do the reappraisal. We look at every influence, every improvement....” He noted that one of his goals is “to get the appraisals done pretty much this fall .. Once we have the values complete on Jan. 1, 2017, we will mail out these values. We send the tax bills out in August. “We usually have relatively few appeals,” Roberts noted.
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off the chain, and we owe about $55 billion at the state level. The real point of danger is the debt avalanche building out of Washington. Twenty-trillion dollars is such a fantastic figure that it seems unreal – so large it eclipses our capacity to reason it out. Concepts beyond our cognitive paygrade tend to get laid aside. We’ll worry about gas going up a quarter and ignore the fact every taxpayer in America owes $130,000 toward the national debt. That’s the equivalent of a home loan without a home. Living large today at the expense of tomorrow is a liberal concept embraced by both parties and it necessitates an adolescent mindset. We’ve been choosing teenage leaders for decades and are about to discover the consequences of postponement politics.
Solutions
America’s 21st century progressive-liberal-socialists make up for lack of realism with a ton of enthusiasm. Irrationality combined with passion makes Jack a dangerous boy in need of adult supervision. For the conservative-minded, may I suggest a three-step process for challenging the false gods of the left? Step One – be afraid, very afraid. Two – reconsider the fantasy America is immune from cultural self-destruction. Three – step over all that and find your rightful place in the fight. For the liberal-minded, I suggest a onestep process. Stop ignoring the laws of nature…. Thanks for spending a few minutes with a candid conservative! • Carl Mumpower is a psychologist and former elected official. He can be reached at drmumpower@aol.com.
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A16 — May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
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for adjustable beds, Colton Mattress can build the bed that is perfect for you. It makes beds with infinite mattress positions and that include head and foot massage. Create your own adjustments to relieve back pain, improve circulation, and sleep deeply. Any mattress Colton Mattress builds — including the luxurious Pantheon line, the fine Heirloom collection and the durable Artisan series — can be turned into an adjustable bed. Want a super-firm mattress, a super-soft mattress or something in between? Colton Matress can create the precise firmness you desire. It sells a lot of beds made with latex, a natural material that naturally inhibits dust mites, mold and mildew. Derived from the tropical rubber tree, latex instantaneously conforms to the shape of your body, relieving pressure points for an uninterrupted sleep. Talalay latex used by Colton reduces high-pressure areas that shut off capillary blood flow and cause you to toss and turn all night. Mattresses made from Cooling Gel Memory Foam conform to the body, relieve pressure points and aid circulation. Choices range from pillowy soft to bodycontouring firm. The Cooling Gel Memory Foam provides additional support and cooler sleeping surface. Memory foam mattresses virtually eliminate motion transfer (and you won’t feel your sleep partner move). Emerson stated, “We offer a 30-day comfort guarantee because we want you to love your new mattress.” When you purchase a new mattress from Colton, they will donate your old mattress to people in need, if it is still sleepable. There are 25 different models to choose from
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Entertainment & Calendar
Carpenters tribute show channels the ‘voice of an angel’ By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
SPINDALE — It was, indeed, “white lace and promises — a kiss for luck and we’re on our way,” as lead singer Lisa Rock expertly and passionately “channeled” the vocals — and the spirit — of singer-extraordinaire Karen Carpenter in her smashing tribute concert “Close to You: The Music of The Carpenters” on April 16 at The Foundation Performing Arts Center at Isothermal Community College. The show’s two sets, split by a 20-minute intermission, lasted 60 minutes and 40 minutes, respectively. There also was a five-minute encore. The performance drew 427 people — more than a few of whom left misty-eyed after hearing Rock’s superb vocal salute to Karen Carpenter, who an unnamed music writer at dangerousminds. net website described as taking “me to that happy safe place when I was young and everything seemed possible.” The show concluded The Foundation’s 2015-16 Salon Series — its 17th year of hosting shows. Among the highlights were a near-noteperfect rendition of the starry-eyed crush song “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” The Carpenters’ breakout song that was its first No. 1 hit; as well as a lovely, layered and fired-up rendition of “Sing” and — my personal favorite of the show — a rendition of The Carpenters’ ethereal cover of The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride.” (In a web posting on the YouTube website of The Carpenters’ “Ticket to Ride,” Tony Alexander wrote of Karen’s vocals, “God must have had to have
Special Section PULLOUT
B1
Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016
Shelley Wright
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Lisa Rock passionately captures Karen Carpenter’s unique voice in this photo from a previous show. that perfect 100 No. 1 singles, five No. 2 singles and 15 voice back, to teach angels how to sing.”) Adult Contemporary No. 1 hits. Rock, also a playwright, was superb in At one point during the show, Rock, singing the Karen Carpenter leads that are in who is not a drummer, tapped out a nifty a contralto vocal range — and an unexrhythm or two on the drums, much to the pected treat was the beautiful harmonies by delight of both her highly skilled, six-piece, her two backup singers (Melissa Minyard Chicago-based band — and the audience. and Micky York), serving as a mesmerizing While Karen’s skills as a drummer earned counterpoint to Rock’s searing leads that admiration from drumming luminaries and were aided by her four-octave range. peers, she is best-known — by far — for (Karen Carpenter reportedly had a threeoctave range — and ex-Beatle Paul McCart- her vocal performances, Rock noted. Another positive in the show were the ney once said she was, in his opinion, the many bits of history and trivia that Rock greatest-ever female singer. She was 5-foot4 and, in the early days of the group, was the shared about The Carpenters in general and Karen in particular. Also laudable was the drummer as well as lead singer.) show’s efforts to raise money for eating Karen’s brother Richard, the other half disorder awareness and treatment. Karen of the Grammy Award-winning duo (and the lone survivor), was a record producer, died tragically at age 32 in 1983 from heart arranger, pianist, keyboardist, occasional failure caused by complications related lyricist, and composer. Richard also joined from anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder with Karen on harmony vocals — and from which she suffered that was little played keyboards on stage – to produce known at the time. what repeatedly has been described as “unHer death led to increased visibility and abashedly catchy pop music” that captured awareness of eating disorders. After Karen’s the attention of a generation. death, singer-actress Olivia Newton-John, “The thing about Karen Carpenter’s who was considered one of Karen’s best voice is that it’s magically haunting and friends (maybe the best), discussed in public soothing, captivating and mysterious, light how she might have encouraged Karen to and dark,” Lori Melton of Axis website seek help sooner. Karen Carpenter is the most wrote. “She engages listeners and draws famous person to have ever died of anorexia. them into an intimate space to hold what “We all know Karen died from anorexia,” equates to a close conversation with a Rock said later in the show, but “ we don’t cherished friend. Carpenters songs resonate want her to be remembered for that, but with all kinds of emotion, including happi(rather) for her golden voice.” She noted that ness, sorrow, longing, loss and love.” a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her During a career that spanned 14 years, group’s CDs go to the anorexia foundation. The Carpenters recorded 11 albums and 31 See CARPENTERS, Page B7 singles that spawned three Billboard Hot
I
lead a charmed life. I’m surrounded by the best family and friends anyone could hope for. But I’m also surrounded by the best spirits anyone could hope for. I’m never truly alone and I’ve come to come to appreciate that spiritual presence. It’s comforting and protective and has kept me out of trouble more often than not. Sometimes, though, even I have felt the need for extra “protection.” I had two events happen in the same week that seemed, at first, to be very thoughtful. These events happened a few years ago during July. My cat, Serena, was dying of kidney disease and slept all of the time. One day she was still asleep when I was ready to leave for work, so I only made up my side of the bed, thinking that I’d make up hers when I returned from work. When I got home that afternoon, her side of the bed was already made up! I wasn’t the least bit thrown by that. I’ve had help from spirits before and I was so exhausted that I was thankful for the assistance. A few days later, I got takeout from my favorite restaurant and wanted to watch TV while I ate it. I had torn open a new bag of tortilla chips too far down, so I decided to take my tray to the kitchen first and then come back for the chips so that I didn’t leave a trail along the way. But when I got to the kitchen, the bag of chips was already waiting for me! They were sitting on the stove. I couldn’t help but walk back to the couch to look and, sure enough, they were no longer there. Ever the optimist and no stranger to weird events happening around me, I was again thankful for the assist. I was relating these events to a friend of mine a few nights later. He didn’t look at these things in a positive light at all. In fact, to hear him talk about it, it all sounded pretty sinister. I still remember him asking me: “If something is strong enough to do these things, what else is it capable of?” See WRIGHT, Page B7
With ‘last man standing,’ Starship still entertaining
By Dave Rowe
Jefferson Airplane vocalist. As Calvert sang and Starship played, fans An entertaining example of a packed close to the stage lineage was exhibited April 9 at and jumped up and down. the U.S. Cellular Center in downDoing the lion’s share town Asheville. of the vocal work was Starship, an off-shoot of the Mickey Thomas, 67, (the iconic late-1960s rock group, so-called “last man standJefferson Airplane, played a ing” — or only original 6,500-seat venue that was filled member) who sang a third-of-the-way, delivering a Mickey Thomas sings diverse, nearly two-hour set. with Stephanie Calvert in a alongside Slick, now 75, in the Jefferson Starship The biggest response of the night previous concert. incantation of the outfit. from the largely grey-haired crowd “We have a 50-year history,” he told the U.S. Celcame when Starship vocalist Stephanie Calvert — young and clad in black — belted out “White lular Center crowd, “and we’re still evolving.” Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love” — two songs He then strapped on an acoustic guitar strongly associated with Grace Slick, the original and he and the rest of the electric band Special to the Daily Planet
went into a 10-minute-or-so jazz fusion excursion. Crowd response was minimal. Most of the music, however, drew loud applause — polished versions of the poprock Starship anthems that sold millions of records in the 1980s. “We were between albums and we didn’t know what we were going to do,” said Thomas in introducing “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” It turned out to be the biggest single we ever had.” Starship, whose most recent CD is 2013’s “Loveless Fascination,” also played “We Built This City,” a catchy rocking ode to power and greed. “I see it as a protest song against the way things can be in the music industry,” Thomas said. Sporting sunglasses and dancing some of the night with his microphone stand, Thomas came
to the fore of the show business world in 1978, when he was a member of the Elvin Bishop Group. Thomas was the lead vocalist on EBG’s hit, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.” At the Asheville concert, he displayed a well-preserved set of pipes in putting the song across. Impressive also was guitarist John Roth, who finished off his solo by plucking out the notes with his teeth. The North Tower Band, an all-white soul band from Raleigh, opened the show.With a horn section and determination, the group entertained the crowd for 45 minutes or so. Proceeds from the benefit, hosted by the Asheville Firefighters Association, will go to a Chapel Hill camp for children burned in fires, a local victim’s program and a coat distribution program.
B2 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
A tribute show, “The Music of the Beach Boys” (pictured above in their early days), presented by the Garden State Boys, will conclude with a matinee finale at 2 p.m. May 1 at Flat Rock Playhouse’s downtown Hendersonville venue.
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Please submit items to the Calendar of Events by noon on the third Wednesday of each month, via e-mail, at calendar@ashevilledailyplanet. com, or fax to 252-6567, or mail c/o The Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 288148490. Submissions will be accepted and printed at the discretion of the editor, space permitting. To place an ad for an event, call 252-6565.
Sunday, May 1
BEACH BOYS TRIBUTE SHOW, 2 p.m., Flat Rock Playhouse’s Hendersonville stage, Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. A tribute show, “The Music of the Beach Boys,” which began April 21, will conclude on May 1. For tickets, visit flatrockplayhouse.org. SHOW, 2 p.m., Mainstage, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. The show “Million Dollar Quartet” will be performed through May 21, with varying showtimes. Inspired by a true story, “Million Dollar Quartet” dramatizes the impromptu jam session featuring Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. The show include the hit songs “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Hound Dog,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and many more. Showtimes vary after the opening day. For tickets, which are $15 to $40, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org, or call 693-0731. STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT, 2:30-4:30 p.m., White Horse music hall, 105 Montreat Road, Black Mountain. Singer-songwriter Kat Williams will sing and participate in a dialogue on race, along with two other people of different ethnicities. The emcee will be Drew Reisinger, Buncombe County Register of Deeds and creator of the renowned slave records project. For tickets, which are $10 for the general public, or $8 for students under 21, email Roberta Madden at robertamadden@yahoo.com, or call her at 4190730 or (225) 315-0303.
Tuesday, May 3
CONVERSATION WITH A JOURNALIST, 7 p.m., YMI Cultural Center, Market Street, downtown Asheville. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and long-time Washington Post writer David E. Hoffman will sit down for a conversation with Warren Wilson College President Steve Solnick. “We’re going to be covering a lot of ground in what I hope is a lively discussion, Solnick said. Admission is free and open to the public. WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL TALK, 7:30 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. Jim Lenburg will present “President Xi’s Dream and Chinese Reality” in the concluding talk of the World Affairs Council spring series at UNCA. Admission is $10 for the public and free for WAC members and UNCA students.
Friday, May 6
PLANT SALE FUNDRAISER, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., lawn, Sycamore Building, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Asheville. The 10th annual A-B Tech Plant Sale will be held. All plants were raised from seed in the Sycamore greenhouse at the college. Proceeds will benefit the Sarah R. Gnilka Memorial Scholarship.
Saturday, May 7
UNCA COMMENCEMENT, 9 a.m., the quad, UNC Asheville. The speaker at UNCA’s commecement ceremony, which recognizes the 2016 graduating class, will be Virgil L. Smith, former publisher of the Asheville Citizen-Times and a trustee emeritus of UNCA. The university will confer honorary degrees on Smith as well as local entrepreneur John Cram and pioneering businesswoman Julia Ray. AUTHOR’S TALK, 6 p.m., The Millroom, 66 Asheland Avenue, downtown Asheville. Red wolf author and expert DeLene Beeland will be the keynote speaker at the 8th annual Wild South Green Gala. The Ashevillebased author of “The Secret World of Red Wolves: The Fight to Save North America’s Other Wolf,” will address the history and status of the endangered red wolf, of which there are fewer than 50 left in the wild.
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Remember the neediest! x “Million Dollar Quartet” will open April 28, with shows at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and run (at varying times) through May 21 at the Mainstage of Flat Rock Playhouse in Flat Rock. Inspired by a true story, the show dramatizes an impromptu jam session featuring Elvis Presley (seated above), Jerry Lee Lewis (left), Carl Perkins (center) and Johnny Cash (right).
Calendar of Events Continued from Page B2
Saturday, May 7
CHRIS YOUNG CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Country artist Chris Young will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000. RESTLESS HEART CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The group Restless Heart will perform in concert. For tickets, visit boxoffice@npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1679. ILLUSIONS SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Nelson Illusions’ “Smoke & Mystery” tour will present what is billed as the largest touring illusion show in the United States. For tickets, which are $18, visit GreatMountainMusic.com, or call 524-1498.
Monday, May 9
RESTORE DEMOCRACY MEETING, 7 p.m., North Asheville Library, Merrimon Avenue, Asheville. United to Restore Democracy will hold a planning meeting focusing on processing and discussing the guest speakers and other opportunities available for the group in the continued time of transition.
Tuesday, May 10
VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING, 6:30 p.m., Firestorm Cafe & Books, 610 Haywood Road, Asheville. Western North Carolina Veterans for Peace meets on the second Tuesday to coordinate group activities and programs.Veterans For Peace is 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 their voices.
Thursday, May 12
WALK A MILE ASHEVILLE, 9 a.m., Pack Square Park/Roger McGuire Green, downtown Asheville. Walk a Mile Asheville will celebrate the seventh annual people’s march against rape, sexual assault and gender violence. Rape is commonly seen as a women’s issue even though it affects countless men. Walk a Mile Asheville is a chance for local men and women to take a stand on the issue by participating in a one mile walk through downtown Asheville. Many of the men will wear high heel shoes – which gives them a chance to take a closer look at gender stereotypes that contribute to a culture where sexual violence is common. We are encouraging both men and women to walk in the shoes of another. As in years past you will see men in heels of all heights. However, while wearing heels is encouraged, it is certainly not necessary to attend.
EAGLES TRIBUTE SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Flat Rock Playhouse’s Hendersonville stage, Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. A tribute show, “The Music of the the Eagles,” opens and runs at various showtimes through May 22. For tickets, visit flatrockplayhouse.org.
See CALENDAR, Page B4
B4 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet
Female-fronted band Halestorm will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. May 14 in the Event Center at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee.
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Events
Saturday, May 14
WARREN WILSON COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT, 10 a.m., lawn, Sunderland Residence Hall, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. Ray Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America, the U.S. affiliate of Oxfam International, will be the 2016 commencement speaker for WWC. Oxfam International works to end global poverty. Offenheiser’s speech — “Practical Radicals Wanted to Change the World: Are You Ready?” — will serves as the charge to nearly 160 graduating seniors. CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY, 12:30-3 p.m., Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road, Asheville. Citizens Climate Lobby is advocating for a carbon fee and dividend, which would impose a fee on fossil fuels at point entry. Under the plan, the fee would be refunded to individuals and families. There is bipartisan support in Congress as this will create jobs and help grow the economy, boosting renewables. A-B TECH COMMENCEMENT, 2 p.m., U.S. Cellular Center, downtown Asheville. Don C. Locke, a member of the board of trustees at AshevilleBuncombe Technical Community College, will deliver the keynote address for A-B Tech 2016 commencement. Locke, who serces as vice chair of the A-B Tech board, retired in July 2007 from UNC Asheville as director of diversity and multiculturalism. While at North Carolina State University, he was named a Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He previously served as director of the Asheville Graduate Center and director of the N.C. State University doctoral program in Adult and Community College Education at the Asheville Graduate Center. FIX THE WORLD PRESENTATION, 2 p.m., Asheville Friends Meeting, 227 Edgewood Road, Asheville. A program will be presented on “How Do We Fix Our Broken World?” Regarding the program, a press release noted, “We need hope, we need change, we need justice — and we have help. In this divided world Maitreya, the world teacher, is stepping forward. His mission has begun. Mastery and his group of enlightened teachers are here to help us reverse the dam-
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age we have done to our planet and inspired us to create a new civilization based on sharing the world’s resources and justice — the way to lasting peace.” Admission to the presentation, sponsored by Share International Southeast, is free. COOKING SHOW, 6:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. The Taste of Home Cooking School will feature a two-hour demonstration of what are billed as “exciting recipes, cooking tips and innovative produce.” For tickets, which are $17, visit GreatMountainMusic. com, or call 524-1498. HALESTORM CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Female-fronted band Halestorm will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
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Sunday, May 15
SHOW, 3 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The Circue Zuma Zuma show will be performed. For tickets, visit boxoffice@npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1679.
Wednesday, May 18
GREEN DRINKS ASHEVILLE MEETING, 5:30 p.m., University Board Room, Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville, board room, LenoirRhyne University, 36 Montford Ave., Asheville. Green Drinks Asheville will hold a sustainability and social justice meet-up.
Thursday, May 19
CONCERT, 7-9 p.m., South Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. The eight-piece ensemble Major and the Monback from Norfolk, Va., will perform in the opener of the fourth annual Rhythm & Brews concert series, which runs through September. The band features a lively horn and powerful rhythm section that merges retro 1960s rock and roll with the high energy and horn-laden grit of Southern soul.
Saturday, May 21
WILLIE NELSON/MERLE HAGGARD CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Country music icons Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000. CHONDRA PIERCE COMEDY SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Comedian Chondra Pierce will perform in a show billed as featuring “an abundance of unpretentious Southern charm and laser-sharp wit.” For tickets, which are $20 and $25, visit GreatMountainMusic.com, or call 524-1498.
See CALENDAR, Page B5
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Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 — B5
Rocker Jackson Brown will perform in concert at 8 p.m. May 28 at the U.S. Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St., downtown Asheville.
Calendar of Events Continued from Page B4
Sunday, May 22
MILLS RIVER WORKDAY,1-5 p.m., Mills River Park, 124 Town Center Drive, Mills River. The Mills River Partnership, a nonprofit organization, is holding its third annual Mills River Day. The theme is “The River Connects Us,” and the free event will feature live music, food, a raffle and fun educational activities that illustrate the river’s importance for agriculture, education and the community.
Tuesday, May 24
AUTHOR TALK, 7 p.m., Malaprops BookstoreCafé, 55 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. Jeff Halper will discuss his new book, “War Against the People: Israel, the Palestinians and Global Pacification.”
Wednesday, May 25
ASHEVILLE IN THE 1980S PROGRAM, 6-7 p.m., North Carolina Room, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. The library’s series of monthly panels and explorations of the 1980s, when Asheville was beginning to reinvent itself, will feature “Businesses, Restaurants and Food Stores,” with Rob Pulleyn will serve as the moderator. Admission is free.
Thursday, May 26
ROMANTIC COMEDY, 2 p.m., Mainstage, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. The Norm Foster romantic comedy “The Affections of May” opens May 26 — and continues at various showtimes through June 4. For tickets, which are $15 to $40, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org, or call 693-0731.
Friday, May 27
RASCAL FLATTS CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Rascal Flatts will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 7453000. CONCERT, 8 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 S. Pack Place, downtown Asheville. Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.dwtheatre.com, or call 257-4530.
Saturday, May 28
JACKSON BROWNE CONCERT, 8 p.m., U.S. Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. Jackson Browne will perform in concert. For tickets, which are $50 to $100, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
Friday, June 3
JOHNNY RIVER CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. American rocker Johnny Rivers will perform in concert. Among his many hits over the years were the award-winning “Secret Agent Man,” as well as his renditions of “Maybelline” and “Rainy Night in Georgia.” For tickets, which are $25, $30 and $35, visit GreatMountainMusic.com, or call 524-1498.
Friday, June 17
COMEDY SHOW, 9 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Comedian Gabriel Iglesias will perform. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
Thursday, June 30
TOBY KEITH CONCERT, 8 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Toby Keith — on his “Interstates and Tailgates Tour” — will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
Friday, July 29
AARON LEWIS CONCERT, 9 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. Aaron Lewis will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
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May 9 - 25
B6 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet ‘Oop-shoop, shang-a-langa, jigga-bop….’
Under the Streetlamp puts the bop in retro pop By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — The vocal quartet Under the Streetlamp wooed an adoring crowd with the romantic vocals of the doo-wop era during an April 8 concert at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. About 1,000 people attended the show that featured songs before, during and after the doo-wop era in the 1,200-seat auditorium. The concert, which comprised one 100-minute set and a 10-minute encore, showcased the four-man vocal quartet out front, wearing matching burgundy silk suits and ties, pink shirts and shiny black shoes. The high-energy, fancy-stepping foursome featured terrific vocals (especially with their four-part harmony), mesmerizing choreography that often mimicked that of the bygone groups of the doo-wop era. They also had a genuine ability to build rapport with the audience — and to joke with one another during the show, while imparting bits of trivia about the songs and their original singers — and an obvious love of the music. The show’s biggest flaw — from this critic’s perspective — was its failure to include more songs by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons songs. A medley — or maybe full renditions of “Sherry” and a few others — would have been a joy to hear, given that the group got its start after its original members left the
Broadway musical “Jersey Boys” — Donated photo in a quest to find fame and fortune The male vocal quartet Under the Streetlamp, which performed April 8 in Greeneville, Tenn., is shown above in a recent concert. on their own. To their the guitar. For “Runaway,” Wiley pulled credit, they did perform “Who Loves You” out a beautiful Carolina blue hollow-body by Valli. electric guitar, noting that it was from his Still, that oversight did not seriously immusician father’s extensive collection of pair a concert that clicked on all cylinders guitars. — and delighted the audience. As the sad song ended about the excrutiUnder the Streetlamp’s talented sevenating pain of losing a much-loved girlpiece band, included a guitarist, bassist, friend, the crowd erupted into applause. With a note of pride, Wiley then asked, percussionist and keyboardist — and a blazing horn section, with a trumpter, saxo- “How many of you have seen us on PBS?” Some in the audience applauded in phonist and trombonist. All of the instruresponse. mentalists hailed from Chicago. Next, the hard-working foursome sat on The show began with “Rock and Roll Is a row of side-by-side stools and sang a gorHere to Stay,” followed by “Blue Moon” geous medley of songs, “What a Wonderful and “Dancing in the Street.” At that point, group member Shonn Wiley World,” “Up on the Roof,” “This Magic Moment” and “Stand By Me,” which especially asked the crowd, “Is there anybody in in the their harmonic capabilities. mood to hear some of the classic hits of rock accentuated After major applause, one of the singers ‘n’ roll from the American Radio Songtold the crowd, “Because of our relationbook?” The audience cheered in reply. ship with public television, the boys and I The group then unleashed one of its big have had the pleasure of cruising the counguns — in the opening salvo of songs — try” in the group’s crusade to bring about a with its dramatic rendition of Del Shanrebirth of old-time rock ‘n’ roll. non’s “My Little Runaway.” He added that “we began (on Broadway) For the first and only time during the with ‘Jersey Boys,’” which was “where we show, a vocalist not only sang, but played met,” as performers in the show that depicts
the rise, fall and resurrection into heaven of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. “People used to make music (singing) under the humblest of spotlights — the corner streetlamp” in urban areas of the United States, he noted. With a smile, he added, “It was a time when you could understand the words.” The group then got the audience clapping along, as it fired into a rousing rendition of Dion and the Belmonts’ “Runaround Sue” — and later had the audience singing along. The group’s version of Bobby Darin’s “Dream Lover” also proved to be a crowd-pleaser. A vocalist noted that “we sing a lot of songs about love” because “the best songs were written about love.” Waxing philosophical, he added, “To experience that ‘mountaintop’ of love, you have to go through a few ‘valleys,’” — the heartache of relationships that completely fail — or ones that falter before they work. He said that is what The Skyliners had in mind when they sang, “Since I Don’t Have You,” which Streetlamp then performed The song ended with the refrain: “I don’t have anything, Since I don’t have ... you----!” The final “you” was sung in a falsetto that seemed to be fueled by jet propulsion — much to the audience’s obvious delight. The quartet then gathered into a formation resembling a huddle in football — and started snapping their fingers in unison, as they broke into an ethereal version of the Beach Boys’ “Surfer Girl,” with some lyric fragments from “God Only Knows” teased into the chorus. “Surfer Girl” turned out to be the start of a 15-minute medley of Beach Boys’ hits, as the group segued into “California Girls,” “Don’t Worry, Baby” and concluding with the group’s magnum opus, “Good Vibrations.” Interestingly, even though the songs were woven together in medley form — at least two of them were performed at length. As the audience gave some of its loudest applause of the night for the Beach Boys medley, the group launched into the Beatles’ “Got to Get You Into My Life,” with one bit of the refrain from “She Loves You” woven cleverly into the chorus, giving an playful and interesting new twist on a classic hit. See STREETLAMP, Page B7
Asheville Daily Planet — May 2016 — B7
Carpenters
Continued from Page B1 On the critical side, the choice of the encore, “A Song for You,” might have been appropriate — if the tribute show’s creators only wanted to leave that sweet sentiment in the crowd’s thoughts as the show ended. However, it was a weak finale for what was otherwise a delightful, dynamic show. Alas, the night ended with a whimper instead of a much-deserved bang. Also, the show’s choice to perform — as the second song of the night — “We’ve Only Just Begun,” one of the greatest Carpenters songs, was decidedly premature. The crowd was just warming up, as was the singer and the band, when the enormously popular song was performed. (Of course, it must be tempting to put a song with such a name at the beginning of a show. No doubt, the crowd would have enjoyed it much more later in the show.) Also, even though Christmas is increasingly distant, it was a shame that the show left out a performance of “Merry Christmas, Darling,” which remains one of the most-cherished holiday classics in which Karen’s angelic voice glides through a wistful song about missing a loved one at Christmas. The show began with the song “Yesterday Once More,” after which Rock welcomed the audience with an enthusiastic, “”Good evening, Spindale!” The crowd cheered loudly in response. Then, in an unusual move for any group (after playing just one song), Rock introduced the members of her six-piece band. The band included a pianist, bassist, percussionist, a “reed” specialist (who played flute, clarinet, saxophone and other instruments), keyboardist/backup male singer and a tamborinist/backup female singer. Pianist Ken McMullen, who also is the band leader, performed on The Foundation’s Steinway piano, over which both Rock and McMullen expressed delight several times during the show. Rock said that she grew up in Warren, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland, and was exposed to a lot of different kinds of music as she was growing up — thanks to her parents’ eclectic tastes. She said she always especially loved the songs by The Carpenters — and particularly the singing of Karen Carpenter. Rock noted that the next song, “We’ve Only Just Begun,” was one of the Carpenters’ biggest hits” and was inspired by a bank commercial. The applause for the second song of the night was fairly strong, but nothing like one would expect after hearing such a splendid rendition of one of the duo’s greatest songs. Next, Rock said that “The Carpenters also covered a lot of songs by others, resulting in major hits, as the group launched into “There’s a Kind of a Hush” by Herman’s Hermits; Delaney and Bonnie’s “Superstar,” a song which prompted singer Bette Middler to mock Karen’s wholesome image; and “Rainy Days and Mondays,” written by Roger Nichols and
Paul Williams; and a song that became a No. 1 hit three separate times — “Please, Mr. Postman.” It first topped the charts in 1961 as performed by The Marvelettes, and then again in 1963 with The Beatles. The Carpenters’ version was a mega-hit in 1975 — and the Spindale audience clapped along enthusiastically to the tribute group’s rendition of “Please, Mr. Postman” and applauded mightily after it was finished. Then the show featured a performance of “For All We Know,” for which the duo won an Oscar — the song hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Easy Listening chart. The song was written by the group Bread for the 1970 film “Lovers and Other Strangers.” Also memorable from the first set was “Only Yesterday,” which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts in 1975. The first set ended with a high note, with an ethereal rendition of the Carpenters’ cover of “Ticket to Ride” and a slightly rearranged “Sing.” “Ticket to Ride” featured Rock front and center, flanked by her two backup singers, with just piano accompaniment. Rock said that The Carpenters “were great Beatles fans” and that their cover of “Ticket to Ride” reached No. 54 and it was their first song to make the charts. During “Sing,” the audience was invited to sing the lead, followed by the two backup singers, then Rock finally — after teasing the crowd with her delay — sang Karen’s part. The second set began with The Carpenters’ cover of “When I Fall in Love,” followed by “It’s Going to Take Some Time.” (On the latter, Rock spoke of Ella Fitgerald’s friendship with Karen and the Carpenters’ record 15 No. 1 hits — “the best ever done” — and that it took Elton John 40 years to match that feat.) Rock told how she suffered from appendix problems before a show near Cleveland, as an introduction to two songs — “Hurting Each Other” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You,” She then did a Carpenters country hit, “Top of the World,” which hit No. 2 on the country charts. Rock noted that Olivia Newton-John, who originally was a coun-
try singer from Australia, was not greeted warmly when she first arrived in Nashville — and that Lynn Anderson was the only musician who warmly reached out in welcome to her. Soon afterward, Karen and Olivia met at a nightclub in London and were fast friends ever since, Rock said. Next, Rock said that Tony Peluso joined The Carpenters on “Goodbye to Love” for a studio session in 1972 and stayed with the band after that. He even rejected an offer to join Paul McCartney and Wings because he liked Karen and Richard — and the music they performed — so much. The tribute group then launched into “Goodbye to Love,” which featured Peluso who was notable for his “fuzz” guitar-playing. At that point, Rock said that the group would play Karen’s favorite Carpenters song, “I Need to Be in Love,” noting that Karen had difficulties in dealing with love with men. For instance, she reportedly desperately wanted to have children, but in 1980 she finally married someone (real-estate developer Thomas James Burris on Aug, 31, 1980) who, it later was revealed, concealed from her that he had had a vasectomy. That marriage is thought to have broken Karen’s spirit — and was the worst thing that could have happened to her, Rock said. The regular show closed with a spectacularly moving “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” after which the audience gave the tribute group a loud and sustained standing ovation, prompting the band members to return to the stage to sing “A Song for You.” That prompted another standing ovation, but Rock told the audience, “Thanks, again, for spending your night with us,” as the group bowed, waved and departed the stage permanently. Afterward, Rock and her bandmates signed autographs in the lobby outside the auditorium, at which time she spoke to the Asheville Daily Planet a bit about her tribute show, her charity effort and her thoughts on the Karen Carpenter. “So Karen said the biggest thing in her life was love,” Rock said in the postconcert interview. Also notable was that she and Richard recorded “(They Long to Be) Close To You” when “she was just 18” years old. Further, she noted, “Karen … everyone called her ‘the voice of an angel.’ She just wanted to make music… For Karen, that never stopped. She call herself ‘a drummer who sings’ — she was a phenomenal drummer.” With a quick laugh, Rock quipped that, in contrast, “I’m a singer who sings.” As for the anorexia issue, Rock said, “We didn’t want to make it public” that the show is raising money for the anorexia foundation, but did so anyway. Controversy is involved because some “people are literally (going) hungry right now. We’re fully aware” of the different aspects of the issue that make it complex. As for why “We’ve Only Just Begun” was performed so early in the show, Rock said, “Because it has the longest sustained notes.” Because the song is such a challenge to sing, she wanted to do it right after the opening, so that she would have sufficient time to recover to sing some of the other complex songs later in the show.
Continued from Page B6 Next, the group delighted the crowd with its salute to Elvis Presley — with a red-hot rendition of “Burning Love.” The singer of Elvis’ part, who is from Memphis , said he was an Elvis impersonator at one time in his career — and his previous practice showed. When the applause for the Elvis hit died down, a group member said, “We honor these great stars” of early rock ‘n’ roll, “but there were greats out there before Elvis and the Beatles. Johnny Ray was Elvis — before Elvis was Elvis.” He added
that Ray still has not been honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — “and I think it’s a shame.” A mesmerizing performance of Ray’s biggest hit, “Cry,” followed. As the song progressed, the singer ripped off his coat and tossed it onto the stage behind him, yanked his tie askew and dropped to his knees, emphasizing the emotion he was expressing. The crowd was enthralled — and cheered heartily. Next, the group performed Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady,” emphasizing sexy, discoera choreography (especially hip gyrations)
that seemed to delight the women in the audience. When one of the group members teased the singer of “Cry” that his performance was akin to that of a Chippendale male stripper, the latter shot back (with a smile), “If I’m like a Chippendale, you’re like ‘the thunder from down under,’” referring to his Tom Jonesstyle hip movement. The crowd laughed. The group also sang the lively “Jump Jive an’ Wail.” As the group closed out the show, the crowd cheered for an encore — and was rewarded with several songs, including Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher.”
Streetlamp
Richard and Karen Carpenter are shown in their prime in the 1960s.
Wright
Continued from Page B1 My drive home was not as carefree as usual. My friend’s words were playing over and over in my head and I was dreading going home with each passing mile. What if he was right? There is a cemetery at the top of my road and I’m fortunate to have made friends with the residents. It was late when I pulled my car over to the side. I sat there and talked to the headstones and explained what happened that week and that I was feeling a little uneasy about going home, since I wasn’t so sure I’d be alone. And if I wasn’t, what would happen? I asked if anyone would be willing to help me and come to my house and spend the night and keep me safe. All of a sudden, it felt like my car was full of people! I drove the short distance to my house and we all got out and walked inside. I thanked them for their help and went straight to bed. I slept like a baby! When I got up the next morning, they were all gone. And to my surprise, they took the spirit that had inhabited my house that week with them! I still utter my heartfelt thanks to them when I drive by. This may have been the first time I ever consciously asked for help. And it’s available to anyone who asks for it. So many people have scary things happening in their homes and they don’t know what to do. Call out to anything friendly that may be there to protect you. For that matter, we all have friends and family who have passed away and would have protected us in life. They’ll do the same in death. Just ask. I promise they’ll help you. Some spirits also look to comfort you. About 10 years ago, I had surgery and needed human help, so my mom stayed with me for a week. She slept in my room with me. I woke up in the middle of the night but I didn’t know why. I wasn’t in pain, so I knew it wasn’t time for pain meds. And then I felt it. A warm hand was stroking my arm up and down in a very loving, comforting way, as if to say, “It’s OK. I’m here and you’re going to be fine.” The feeling of love and compassion was so overwhelming. I tried my best to get Mom’s attention. A paranormal experience finally takes place right there with her and she slept through the whole thing! But then, I felt so comforted by the experience, that I promptly fell back asleep. • 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).
Remember the neediest!
B8 - May 2016 - Asheville Daily Planet