Greene’s sister accepts pay cut
‘Unnecessary Farce’: It’s madcap delight! — See REVIEW, Pg. B1
See STORY, Pg. A2
UNCA’s chancellor resigns after 3 years Mary K. Grant
— See STORY, Pg. A3
LLE I V HE AS ASHEVILLEʼS GREATEST NEWSPAPER
October 2017 Vol. 13, No. 11
An Independent Newspaper Serving Greater Asheville www.ashevilledailyplanet.com FREE
Activist’s disinvite sparks uproar
Governor tells of need to fight opioid crisis By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
blackeducator.blogspot.com photo
Charlotte-based activist and public speaker Bree Newsome, shown above scaling and removing a Confederate battle flag from a pole in front of the South Carolina Statehouse in 2015 — 10 days after a church shooting left nine black parishioners dead in Charleston, S.C, was disinvited from addressing students at Asheville Middle School during the last week of September. In the aftermath, a public uproar has ensued.
For details, see the story on Page A3
The Advice Goddess Amy Alkon
James and the Giant Leech Q: I’ve been dating this girl for just
over a month, and she never offers to pay for anything. I was okay with this in the beginning, as I saw it as a courtship thing. I guess I wonder whether this points to problems down the road with her not being a real partner, pulling her weight, etc. How do I politely broach this without blowing up the blooming relationship? — Feeling Used
Want to know the answer?
See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A11
SWANNANOA — A key step in tackling the nation’s opioid-addiction epidemic is to ensure that as many people as possible have health insurance, Gov. Roy Cooper said during a 20-minute speech to the Council of Independent Business Owners and its guests on Aug. 31. In underlining the magnitude of the epidemic, Cooper noted that more Americans now are killed by opioids than car wrecks. (Opioids are used to treat moderate to severe pain that may not respond well to other pain medications. They include heroin, synthetic heroin and several painkillers.) Despite the opioid problem, he lamented that Republicans in Washington are seeking to reduce the number of people with insurance by rewriting the Affordable Care Act. Cooper also said he would like the state General Assembly to vote to expand Medicaid. “We cannot take health insurance
away from millions of people and expect to have success against the opioid crisis,” the governor said. “It requires treatment. It requires prevention. And often, people just simply cannot afford it without cover-
Gov. Roy Cooper age.” The governor also touted the need for more spending on education so that the graduates can get good jobs — and to provide a talented workforce — for businesses and industries interested in locating or expanding in North Carolina. While education spending was increased this year by the leglistature, he said it was not enough. Clashes between Cooper, a Democrat, and the GOP-controlled General Assembly have been well-publicized, but the governor noted — with a note of apparent pride — that he does manage to work with the Republican legislators See GOVERNOR, Page A9
Mission-BCBSNC still not negotiating as contract termination looms Oct. 5
260K WNC customers with Blue Cross could be socked with higher health care costs
From Staff Reports
Mission Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina still were not talking to one another over their contract dispute, as of the Daily Planet’s Sept. 28 press deadline. With no negotiations, no rapid resolution can be realized, which would leave, as of Oct. 5, nearly 260,000 BCBSNC customers in Western North Carolina facing steeper “out of network” charges — that is, if they get care through Mission hospital, its doctors or any Mission-owned health-care facility. The contract expires between Mission and Blue Cross expires Oct. 5. Even if the two sides were able to reach a new agreement in the last week of September, there would not be enough time to implement it before the existing one expires, a Blue Cross official told the Asheville Citizen-Times on Sept. 23. “We know for a fact that Mission will be out of network on Oct.
Mission Hospital
5,” Mark Newman, vice president of Blue Cross’ network management, told the AC-T, adding that implementing a new agreement would take several weeks. Mission, which is the largest private employer in the state west of Charlotte, and BCBSNC dominate in WNC in, respectively, providing health care and health
care insurance coverage. Mission owns seven hospitals in the region and employes 12,000 workers, including 20 percent of the region’s physicians. Blue Cross is the state’s largest private insurer and it provides coverage to about 70 percent of those with nongovernmental policies. See MISSION-BCBSNC, Page A12
A2 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Ex-county manager’s sister changes jobs, takes $30K pay cut after probe announced
Wanda Greene
From Staff Reports The sister of former Buncombe County Manager Wanda Greene agreed to change her job title and to accept nearly $30,000 less in annual pay — a few days after a federal investigation of Greene and unnamed “others” was announced. Irene Wolfe, who has worked for Bunbcome since 2000, on Aug. 23 took a “voluntary reallignment” to become a county accountant. She previously was the financial services manager and made $106,051 — the third-highest salary in the department. She only trailed — in compensation — Controller Eric Hardy and Finance Director Tim Flora. She was involved in the county’s electronic funds transfer process for vendor payments. Wolfe, 57, will now earn $76,650 as an accountant. She is a younger sister of Greene, who retired this past summer after heading the county for nearly two decades. Greene is now the subject of a federal criminal investigation.
Chancellor at UNCA resigns after three years
From Staff Reports
Dr. Mary K. Grant, UNC Asheville’s chancellor, announced her resignation on Sept. 13 so that she can serve as president of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, located in Boston. Grant came to UNCA in 2015 as the seventh chancellor of the school, succeeding Anne Ponder, who retired after nine years at the helm. Before coming to Asehville, Grant had served as president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Grant’s resignation came “after just five semesters in her position” at UNCA, according to the Blue Banner, the school’s student newspaper. She will leave UNCA at the close of the fall semester to assume her new post. “The work at UNC Asheville has been my dream opportunity and I never thought that there would be something that would pull me,” Grant said. “To do this work on these national issues is just so important right now.” The Kennedy Institute serves as a museum specializing in the education of the U.S. Senate and the importance of participatory democracy. Current and former members of Congress comprise the board of directors, as well as those involved in higher education, much like Grant. Following Grant’s resignation, a search
LETTERS The Asheville Daily Planet invites Letters to the Editor of 200 words or less. Please include your name, mailing address, daytime telephone number and e-mail address. For more information, call (828) 252-6565. Send mail to: Letters, Asheville Daily Planet P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, NC 28814 Send e-mail to: letters@ashevilledailyplanet.com
committee will convene to find her successor, and a temporary replacement to fill her position until the search committee elects a new chancellor.
Wolfe is one of several relatives of Greene who have been employed by the county. Greene’s sister Peggy Hughes works in the identification bureau of the jail and makes $47,000 annually, as of March 2017. Greene’s son, Michael Greene, quit his county job on the same day the federal investigation was confirmed. He earned $120,350 annually. County Manager Mandy Stone later said his position will not be filled. Wolfe’s job change came just four days after the U.S. attorney’s office confirmed that Greene and others were under federal investigation. Officials, including county commissioners, have been mum on the issue. U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose has declined to release further details, calling it “a law enforcement matter.” Since 2004, the county has had a policy that requires commissioners to approve an employee hire if a close relative of the county is hired — a procedure that was put into place after the hiring of Michael Greene.
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Asheville Daily Planet — October 2017 - A3
Activist Bree Newsome disinvited from speaking at Asheville Middle
From Staff Reports
A public uproar has erupted after Charlotte-based activist Bree Newsome was disinvited from speaking at Asheville Middle School during the last week of September. The event was canceled due to a school policy on visiting speakers. In the aftermath, hundreds of comments were placed on Facebook by fellow activists, members of the community and supporters — mostly expressing outrage and disappointment at the school administration for denying Newsome the opportunity to share her story with Asheville students. However, Newsome still was scheduld to visit Asheville on Sept. 29, speaking from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium at an event that is open to the public. And on Sept. 30 she will attend the opening of the new art exhibition at the YMI. The exhibit features portraits – by artist Robert Shetterly — of civil rights leaders. There also will an unveiling — at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 30 — of a portrait of Newsome, who was arrested after she climbed a 30-foot flagpole on the grounds of the South Carolina statehouse in 2015 — and removed a Confederate battle flag that was flying. Her act occurred 10 days after a church shooting left nine black parishioners dead in Charleston, S.C. The photo of her action appeared in the news media and social media around the world — and made her a public figure. Newsome’s efforts have catapulted her into the role as a leader spearheading a nationwide movement to remove symbols of the Confederacy from public space. Ellie Richard, who organized the exhibition, expressed her objections to the disinvitation of Newsome to the Asheville City Board of Education on Sept. 25. However, it was to no avail, as the board took no action following her comments. Newsome now travels around the country, sharing her family’s history of slavery. She also works as a writer, director and consultant.
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Bree Newsome
Asheville’s school policy — stating that it does not allow speakers who advocate for unconstitutional or illegal acts — has led to a communitywide response in defense of Newsome. Carmen Ramos-Kennedy, president of the AshevilleBuncombe County NAACP, expressed shock that Newsome’s school speaking event was canceled because of her arrest involving civil disobedience. She contended that Newsome’s message was worth hearing, regardless of her arrest. Asheville City Schools did not comment on the matter, other than referring to its policy on
visiting speakers, which states: “In no instance shall a speaker who advocates unconstitutional or illegal acts or precedures be permitted to address students and no presentation or activities considered inconsistent with constitutional requirements or other applicable legal standards will be permitted.” Ashley Thublin, communications director at Asheville City Schools, told local news media that the policy refers to Newsome’s brush with the law. In the meantime, Catherine McClain, head of Hanger Hall School for Girls, said she would be honored to have Newsome speak to her students. McClain said that simply having an arrest record should not be the ultimate criteria in deciding whether someone should be allowed to speak to students. She added that an arrest record does not necessarily lessen the value of what one might have to say.
Asheville rated No. 9 on list of ‘least-stressed’ American cities
From Staff Reports Asheville placed ninth on a list of the lest-stressed cities in the United States, according to a study by the financial websie SmartAsset. The ranking was a significant improvement over last year, when the city known as “the Paris of the South” finished 23rd on a similar list. Asheville also earned the highest ranking of any North Carolina city in the study. The study developed a composite score for 512 U.S. cities, based on average work week hours, commute times, divorce and unemployment rates, entertainment options and hours that citizens spent sleeping. Derek Miller, a date journalist at SmartAsset, wrote, “Asheville is a good mix of relaxing — residents here get the eighth-most amount of sleep in the study — and fun.” Winning the top spot on the list was Duluth, Minn., which was cited for its short work weeks and the average amount of sleep residents report getting. Other top cities were Madison, Wisc., second-place; Iowa City, Iowa, third; Boulder, Colo. fourth; and Santa Fe, N.M., fifth. Asheville finished just behind eighthplace-winner Missoula, Montana, and ahead of Lawrence, Kansas. Asheville was ranked 43rd overall in its rate of entertainment establishments per 1,000 businesses — at 19.4.
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A4 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Asheville Daily Planet —October 2017 - A5
Asheville named best foodie town in U.S. (and in Southeast)
From Staff Reports Asheville recently was ranked No. 1 on RewardExpert’s national list of 2017’s Best American Foodie Towns, which compared 100 cities and towns with populations below 100,000. Asheville, sometimes referred to as “the Paris of the South,” also was ranked as RewardExpert’s top foodie town in the South Atlantic region. Meanwhile, Chapel Hill placed third on the national list and second regionally. (Burlington, Vt., was ranked No. 2 nationally.)
RewardExpert is a free web service that helps travelers fly for less money by maximizing their frequent-flyer miles and points — and credit-card rewards. RewardExpert used a number of key metrics to complete the report, including restaurants per capita with five stars on Yelp and TripAdvisor; presence of award-winning chefs and restaurants; total number of food festivals; and breweries and wineries per capita. The number of restaurants per capita was also a major factor in the ranking, and Asheville, with more than 700 restaurants, had the most of any town analyzed in the region.
“Food travel has become increasingly popular,” RewardExpert CEO and co-founder Roman Shteyn said. “Many travelers go to far-flung and big, urban destinations to experience culinary delights.” While many travelers feel they need to visit big cities to find the best food, Shteyn said, many who dine in Asheville know better. The survey recommended 12 Bones Smokehouse and White Duck Taco Shop in Asheville for lunch and afternoon snacks. For fine dining, RewardExpert recommended the Corner Kitchen. RewardExpert recommended Chapel Hill
restaurants Elements and Lantern Restaurant for fine dining. Elements won the OpenTable Diners Award in both 2015 and 2016, as well as awards of excellence from Trip Advisor and Wine Spectator. For a classic Southern chicken biscuit in Chapel Hill, RewardExpert recommended Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen or Time-Out.
Other towns that were ranked No. 1 in their region were Burlington, Vt., in the Northeast; Traverse City, Mic/h, in the Midwest; Santa Fe, N.M., in the Mountain West; Healdsburg, Calif., in the Pacific West; and Tuscaloosa, Ala., in the South Central region. Other area towns earning national ranking were Hilton Head, S.C., No. 11; Charlottesville, Va., No. 12; and Myrtle Beach, S.C., No. 13.
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A6 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Early voting begins for Oct. 10 primary for Asheville council From Staff Reports
Early voting began Sept. 21 — and will run through Oct. 7 — for the Asheville City Council and city mayoral primary election, which will be held on Oct. 10. Three candidates are running for mayor, including incumbent Esther Manheimer, along with challengers Martin Ramsey and Jonathan Wainscott. A fourth mayoral candidate, Jonathan Austin Glover, suspended his campaign in mid-September, noting that “it comes down to lack of financial resources.” He was the lone black candidate for mayor. Glover’s name will remain on the primary ballot. Primary voters are allowed to vote for one mayoral candidate. The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 7 general election. Meanwhile, 12 candidates are running for council, including Pratik Bhakta, incumbent Cecil Bothwell, Andrew Fletcher, Jeremy Goldstein, Vijay Kapoor, Jan (Howard) Kubiniec, Rich Lee, Kim Roney, Sheneika E. Smith, Adrian Vassallo, Dee Williams and incumbent Gwen Wisler, who serves as vice mayor. Primary voters will get to chose three council candidates. The six top vote-getters in the council race will move on to the general election. The winners will occupy three council seats. (There are seven members of council, including the mayor.) To vote early, citizens must visit Buncombe County Election Services at 77 McDowell St., entering via the Choctaw Street entrance. Voting hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, through Oct. 6. There also is early voting from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 7. Only those who are registered can vote. Those who are not registered will need to register by proving that one is an Asheville resident. That can be done by showing one of the follow: a current and valid photo ID, a current utility bill, a bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that show one’s name and address. Meanwhile, campaign finance reports for the period through the end of August showed that the 12 council candidates who are not competing for mayor had raised an average of $14,575, the highest on average since at least 2011. However, mayor candidates were averaging much less — at $2,341. That is minuscule when compared to the amount raised at the same point by mayoral candidates in the last race in 2013, when they averaged $14,308 in inflation-adjusted dollars. The reports show that Glover had raised $800, while Manheimer, an incumbent, collected $8,563. The two remaining canididates,
TO REPORT AN ERROR
The Asheville Daily Planet strives to be accurate in all articles published. Contact the News Department at news@ashevilledailyplanet.com, (828) 252-6565, or P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490.
Because of a production error, the jumpline on Page A10 for Letters to the Editor appeared incorrectly in September’s edition of the Asheville Daily Planet. It should have said the letters jumped to Page A11, instead of Page A12. Also, the “continued from” line on A11 appeared incorrectly. It should have said, “Continued from Page A10,” instead of “Continued from Page A1.”
Ramsey and Wainscott, had said at this point they would raise no more than $1,000. That means they were not required to turn in campaign finance documents. Glover, who worked as a soccer referee and financial planner, served as chairman of the Asheville Housing Authority Board of Directors. Glover was also on the Citizen-Times editorial board. Along with fellow candidate Ramsey, Glover signed up to run on July 21, the last day to file, making him the first minority mayoral candidate since 2009, when Terry Bellamy, who is African-American, was re-elected. Glover said he wants to focus on helping the city address financial pressures, reducing homelessness and drug addiction and close the “disparity in wages.” After dropping out of the race, Glover said he is not endorsing another candidate. In another election matter, six of the 12 council candidates showed up for a Sept. 13 forum at West Asheville Library to compete for the endorsement of the Asheville Democratic Socialists of America. About 100 people attended. The national DSA, according to the organization’s website, “is a political and activist organization, not a party.... Democratic Socialists believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few.” The six candidates appearing included Bothwell, Kubiniec, Lee, Roney, Smith and Williams. At the start of the forum, the moderators asked, “Do you consider yourself to be a socialist – and what does that mean to you?” Four of the six candidates present — Bothwell, Lee, Smith and Williams — said they did, indeed, consider themselves socialists, while Kubiniec and Roney said they did not. The afternoon after the forum, the Asheville DSA announced that Williams was its members’ choice for the organization’s endorsement. Finishing second in the DSA’s voting was Lee, followed by Roney in third place.
Published monthly by Star Fleet Communications Inc. JOHN NORTH Publisher
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NCDOT TO HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO HIGHLAND LAKE ROAD (S.R. 1783) FROM N.C. 225 TO U.S. 176, HENDERSON COUNTY STIP Project No. U-5887 The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting regarding the proposed improvements to Highland Lake Road (S.R. 1783) from N.C. 225 to U.S. 176, Henderson County. The purpose of this project is to improve the widths of the travel lanes and shoulders as well as pedestrian and bicycle connectivity along Highland Lake Road. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 17 at the City Operations Center, located at 305 Williams Street from 4 to 7 p.m. The public may attend at any time during the hours mentioned above. NCDOT representatives will be available to answer questions and listen to comments regarding the project. The opportunity to submit written comments will also be provided at the meeting or via phone, email, or mail by October 31, 2017. Comments received will be taken into consideration as the project develops. Please note that no formal presentation will be made. Project information and materials can be viewed as they become available online at http://www.ncdot. gov/projects/publicmeetings. For additional information, contact Reece Schuler, Vaughn & Melton by mail: 1318 F. Patton Avenue, Asheville NC, 22806 by phone: (828) 779-1788, or via email: rmschuler@vaughnmelton.com. NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Tamara Makhlouf, Human Environment Section via e-mail at tmakhlouf@ncdot.gov or by phone (919) 707-6072 as early as possible so that arrangements can be made. Persons who speak Spanish and do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800481-6494. Aquellas personas que hablan español y no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan antes de la reunión llamando al 1-800-481-6494.
Asheville Daily Planet - October 2017 - A7
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A8 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
pets in a carrier or on a leash (or bring a picture). They also are asked to bring offerings of pet food, bedding and money to contribute to a local pet adoption agency. A local veterinarian will be available to answer questions.
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, Oct. 1
PUMPKIN PATCH, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., church yard, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd., Asheville. Pumpkins will be offered for sale 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. until Halloween. SMITH WERHAN EVENT, 10 a.m., Hominy Baptist Church, 135 Candler School Road, Candler. The 16th annual Smith Werhan Distinctively Baptist Preaching Event will be featured. An informal presentation and question-and-answer session will be held at 10 a.m., followed by worship at 10:45 a.m., featuring guest preacher the Rev. Guy Sayles, a religion and philosophy faculty member at Mars Hill University. He also is an interim pastor at Calvary Baptist. Sayles is billed as one of the key leaders in the formation of the WNC Baptist Fellowship. CINEMA FORUM, 5-8 p.m., 2 Sandburg Hall, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. The CinemaForum 2 program will be held. BENEFIT FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS, 6 p.m., WNC Baptist Fellowship Church, 240 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. The Baptist Ministers Union of Asheville and Surrounding Areas will host a fundraiser for hurricane victims. The event will include singing groups and speakers.
Monday, Oct. 2
SENIORSALT IMPACT HYMN SING, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., The Billy Graham Training Center, 1 Porters Cove Road, Asheville. A SeniorSalt Impact Hymn Sing will be followed by a buffet-style meal. For tickets, visit www.thecove.org. LAND OF THE SKY BOYS PERFORMANCE, 10:30 a.m., Edgewood Baptist Church, 61 Moody Ave., Candler. The Land of the Sky Boys will perform during a homecoming service. WORLD COMMUNION U2CHARIST, 11 a.m.-noon, Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, 123 Kenilworth Road, Asheville. A celebration of the Eucharist will include a live band and the music of
Friday, Oct. 13 Charley Castex
Suzanne Giesemann
the Irish group U2. The offering will be dedicated to Loving Food Resources’ food pantry. CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAM, 5:30-7 p.m., Lenoir-Rhyne Graduate Studies, 3rd floor, Asheville Chamber of Commerce building, 36 Montford Ave., Asheville. Author Katharine Wilkinson will address “Science, Creativity and Compassion: 5 Solutions for Climate Change” in a program hosted by Creation Care Alliance of WNC.
Wednesday, Oct. 4
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS, 7 p.m., patio behind the sanctuary (outside), Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. A “Blessing of the Animals” will be held on the Feast of St. Francis. The brief service will feature “a prayerful appreciation for our pets and the larger community of animals with whom we share the earth will be held,” Unity noted. All are invited to bring their pets to be blessed. Members of the Healing Oasis will be available to individually pray with — and for — one’s pets following the service.
Friday, Oct. 6
YARD SALE, 8 a.m.-noon, Zion Hill Baptist Church, 1008 Newfound Road, Leicester. The church will host a yard sale, including many Christmas items, as a benefit for its senior adults ministry.
Sunday, Oct. 8
MERGED SERVICE/FALL GALA/COOKOUT, 10:30 a.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. Unity will hold only a single Sunday service (instead of its usual two services) at 10:30 a.m. The service will be followed by a cookout and music on the grounds. The activities will mark the debut of the Fall Study Series, honor Unity’s volunteers and provide an opportunity to enjoy community fun and celebration. BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS, 4 p.m., Calvary Episcopal Church, 2840 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville. The church will hold a blessing of the animals. Participants are asked to bring their
SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHT, 7 p.m., Sandford Hall, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. The UUCA will screen its monthly Social Justice Movie Night offering, which is to be announced. After the sreening, a discussion will be held. Admission is free.
She will share “fascinating evidence of what it means to be ‘guided by spirit.’” She will address questions, such as: “Are spirit guides and guardian angels real? Do we choose our guides or do they choose us? Do we all have access to guidance from spirit? How do we distinguish guidance from our own imagination? How do we tap into this guidance?” To register, which costs $25, visit http://giesemann.link/Guidance.
Saturday, Oct. 21
INTUITION WORKSHOP, 3-5 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. A workshop on “The Power and Practice of Intuition” will be led by psychic spiritual teacher Charley Castex. His “sixth-sense guidance is centered on big picture self- improvement,” Unity noted. The interactive workshop aims to provide hands-on experiential tools for cultivating one’s innate, intuitive potential. “Charley offers effective strategies and techniques for powerfully integrating intuition into everyday life,” Unity stated. To register, which costs $25, visit www. charleycastex.com, or call 251-5043.
Thursday, Nov. 2
“GIFT OF GUIDANCE” WORKSHOP, 7-9 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. A workshop on “The Gift of Guidance” will be led by Suzanne Giesemann.
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Continued from Page A1 He received standing ovations upon his introduction and at the conclusion of his speech. CIBO members and guests are known for firing tough questions at their speakers, but it was noted before Cooper’s speech that he would not be fielding any questions afterward because his day’s schedule was packed with meetings throughout Western North Carolina. Indeed, he departed shortly after speaking. About 130 people attended the CIBO luncheon meeting at Land of the Sky Shrine Club in Swannanoa. Among the many elected officials attending were Esther Manheimer, mayor of Asheville; and Brownie Newman, chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. Cooper is a Democrat, as are Manheimer and Newman. Manheimer introduced Cooper to the CIBO gathering, noting that he was born and raised in Nash County, before earning his law degree at UNC Chapel Hill. “When he was Senate Majority leader, he sought to ban payday lenders,” Manheimer noted. After being elected as state attorney general in 2000, he sought to overturn HB2 (aka “the bathroom bill.”) “As governor, he is willing to make lasting investments in our future... Roy Cooper also is committed to making sure North Carolina’s government looks like the people it represents,” thereby seeking to make the workforce more diverse. “He has a reputation as being honest, hardworking and ethical. He is a natural leader... It is my true honor to introduce to you our governor, Roy Cooper!” The crowd rose en masse to greet the governor as he approached the lectern. Cooper began his address by thanking Manheimer “for her kind remarks” and he said he was pleased to recognize a number of his “good friends” in the audience. He then added, “I wish I could stay longer today, but I’ve got an incredibly tight schedule. There’s a lot going on.” However, Cooper pointed out with a note of pride, “I promised you I’d come back (upon election) — and I am back.” Recognizing CIBO’s role in the business community, Cooper said, “I know that small independent businesses are the backbone of our economy in North Carolina.” He added that, as governor, he also realizes how important it is for him “to know when to help and when to stay out of the way.” Further, he said, “It is so important for us to work together for prosperity. “I come from Eastern North Carolina, so it’s particularly good for me to come out west.” To that end, Cooper noted that, as a result of Duke’s coal plant settlement, WNC residents will benefit from a cleaner environment “because of that effort we put together in North Carolina’s legislature.” He added, “I’m proud to come here, where the economy is at the top of the list....” On a personal note, the governor said, “I got my values from my Mom and Dad. I have worked as a legislator, an attorney general and now as governor. I did have a small business for a number of a years — an attorney’s office... “You know a CEO (chief executive officer) needs a mission statement.” To that end, Cooper said, “When people ask me why I want to be governor and what I want to see... I want a North Carolina where people are healthier, better-educated and have the opportunity to have money in their pockets so that they can live a more abundant life.” To CIBO’s members, Cooper said, “You’re helping that vision. What you do in the greater Asheville area, creating more
than 11,000 jobs for people,” including beer and survival gear “You employ veterans. You are our Sunday school teachers,. You are our community leaders. I’m grateful for that. And I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak to you today.” Further, he said, “Our small business and innovation communities are critical. At the same time, we want to recruit companies into our state. Not only across the country, but across the world... “They’re seeing it’s probably economically smart for them to come to the United States. So we’re seeing a growth in advanced manufacturing. “I also talk to CEOs of companies who are already here (in North Carolina), urging them to expand. The No. 1 thing I hear from those CEOs — the No. 1 thing I hear is (availability of) ‘workforce.’” Cooper said the CEOs constantly ask him, “‘Do you have the people I need to do the jobs I’ve got?’ “That discussion comes up, even before bringing up taxes,” he said with a laugh. “So what we have to do is make North Carolina a top 10 educational state by 2025. That’s critical. We’ve got to pull together to make it happen. “Now, you’ve read about the disagreements I’ve had with the legislature,” where Republicans control both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. “That’s very real. What you don’t read about is that I work very hard to work with the legislature. We want to send a signal that we’re a state that’s open to all people… We’re sending a signal that we offer incentive packages. “It’s important to have this kind of relationship because we need leaders who are willing to step up and build coalitions... I recommend everyone to, occasionally, take someone out to lunch with whom one has disagreements — and listen to them on why they think as they do.” What’s more, Cooper said, “We need more kids graduating from high school” in North Carolina. “We need more kids graduating from pre-kindergarten,” which studies he cited show, is an important stepping stone to future success. As for increasing education spending, the governor said he and the General Assembly “talked and talked about it. We increased it (the spending), but not enough... “The kids in schools need the kind of education that gives them critical-thinking skills... “Our community colleges and universities will be the focal point” for future job growth in North Carolina. The governor added, “We have one of the best community college systems in the country. Our colleges and universities are renowned. But we cannot allow them to fall into disrepair. “To have the kind of workforce we need, we have to invest in public education... “Another thing is investing in highspeed Internet” in rural areas, Cooper said. “There are a lot of households in rural North Carolina that don’t have broad-band access... We need to make sure we connect these small businesses. We have to do that. “I believe that we have an amazingly bright future for this state. We have all of the building blocks.” However, a problem that he finds especially vexing, he said, is “an epidemic of opioid abuse in North Carolina and across the country.... “We’re losing (through premature death) about four people per day in North Carolina. Our emergency rooms are being inundated with people. “Businesses are telling me it (the opioid crisis) is causing them (major) problems with lost productivity with their workers. We have to address it. I put forward a plan… As we know in law enforcement, at the level of the person who is using these substances, we can’t arrest our way out of this problem,” the governor said.
Asheville Daily Planet — October 2017 - A9
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A10 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
The Daily Planet’s Opinion
Downtown’s architecture declining; needs reversal
S
ince just before 1930, when the Great Depression hit, there has been a clear downward trajectory in the aesthetic beauty of the architecture in downtown Asheville (the so-called “Paris of the South”), and, sadly, the spiral seems to be accelerating with the current building boom of ugly-looking hotels — as well as other commercial buildings. With at least six more hotels projected to be built in or near the city’s downtown in before the end of the decade, we think it is time for those who care about Asheville to call for a halt to the architectural trashing of a once-magnificent-looking city. To that end, we agree with the assessment of John Penley, a political activist and photojournalist, who did not mince words when he recently said, “Could anyone tell me the reason all these new hotels being built in Asheville all look alike and are some of the most unattractive, totally ugly models of architecture that I have ever seen?” Downtown Asheville, as well as other parts of the city, benefited greatly from the presence of some of the world’s greatest architects who George Vanderbilt hired to work on his magnificent Biltmore House. In their spare time, they designed art deco-style buildings that still are truly dazzling and give Asheville it’s classic — and gorgeous — look. The architecturally dazzling city remained that way, inspiring succeeding architects to build a treasure trove of buildings until funds dried up with the advent of the Depression. Since then, hardly anything worthwhile architecturally has been built. The newer buildings are dull- and cheap-looking, more often than not resembling Soviet-style edifices. The city needs to set up a system which requires all new building be designed in an art deco style— or of a style that blends with it to protect Asheville’s architectural treasures.
Four books tell of four struggles CHAPEL HILL — Could a miracle hair straightening ignite a deadly epidemic? Can a scientist persuade you that the findings of his discipline show the existence of God? Can the research and experience of a young woman struggling to have a child provide aid and comfort to others in the same struggle? Can a best selling-author of legal thrillers change genres and write a successful literary thriller? Four books I suggest for your October reading will provide answers to these questions. When UNC-TV’s North Carolina Bookwatch opens its new season in October, it will feature all of these books. One of the great challenges for women with curly hair who want it to be straight is finding a beauty product to do that job. If there were a miracle natural product that worked well, it would be a roaring success. In UNC-Chapel Hill’s Michele Tracy Berger’s new novel “Reenu-You,” that success comes with consequences when a virus develops in the product’s users. It spreads across the country, leaving painful illness and death in its wake. In this setting Berger brings together five infected women, who meet for the first time, and struggle to beat the epidemic and the challenges to their relationships with each other. As discussed in earlier columns, PhD chemist and former North Carolina Gov. Jim Martin’s new book, “Revelation Through Science: Evolution in the Harmony of Science and Religion,” argues that belief in God and the findings of science are not incompatible. Whether or not you agree with this conclusion, his 400-page book is a comprehensive and remarkably understandable survey of astronomy, physics, biology, evolution, geology, paleontology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and genomics, including efforts to spark living organisms from inert chemicals. In a poignant magazine essay several years ago, a young N.C. State writing teacher, Belle Boggs, explored her deepest feelings about her seeming inability to have a much-desired child. She dealt with themes of hope, loss, and identity and explored the hosts of medical diagnoses and treatments as well as the human toll those things take. Because the essay struck a cord with so many people, she expanded that essay into a book, “The Art of Waiting; On
D.G. Martin Fertility, Medicine, and Motherhood.” Boggs lays out the many other aspects of fertility and infertility, including financial and legal complications that often accompany the regimen of treatments and results, both successful and unsuccessful. When John Grisham’s “Camino Island,” hit the bookshelves in June, some observers warned that its departure from his tried and true success formula of legal thrillers would doom its chances for success. Also, they noted that the new book’s June release broke his customary October pattern. And, they worried, the new book would compete with Grisham’s then latest best-seller “The Whistler.” They should not have worried. “The Whistler” continued to sell for months, and “Camino Island” immediately jumped to No.1 on The New York Times best-seller list and has remained high on that list all summer. How did Grisham break the mold and still produce a successful book? Although the new book is technically not a legal thriller because lawyers play only minor roles, it is still a Grisham thriller, with clever plot lines and a surprise ending. The Grisham magic is still there. Much of the action is set around Bruce Cable, a Florida rare book dealer and bookstore owner, who is suspected of possessing the original manuscripts of “The Great Gatsby” and four other novels written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. They have been stolen from the Princeton University library. Cable is the center of a group of writers, fans, and book collectors on Camino Island, a small resort community near Jacksonville, Fla. Insurance company investigators recruit a young novelist and UNC-Chapel Hill teacher to infiltrate the literary group and try to smoke out if and where Cable has the stolen papers. • D.G. Martin hosts “North Carolina Bookwatch,” which airs at noon Sundays and at 5 p.m. Thursdays on UNC-TV.
Letters to the Editor
Issues-based coverage of town elections missing
W
hat I think is most missing from local news coverage is issue-based coverage of municipal elections in the small towns. Which candidates, for example, stand for affordable housing in Woodfin? Biltmore Forest? Weaverville? Fletcher? Canton? Black Mountain? Montreat? Old Fort? I have always wanted to know this and have never been able to easily find out. Why? Remember that political change MUST start at the local level, so our ONLY chance to get a good president tomorrow is by electing a good alderperson today. Alan Ditmore Leicester
In the big leagues, Trump’s a less-than-average president
President (Donald) Trump’s big league batting averages: DACA — .000, Health Care.000, Clean air protection — .000, Clean water protection — .000... and the list goes on. What to do? For starters, send him back to the minor leagues and disband the Electoral College! Herb Stark Mooresville
Trump ripped by media, but hatefulness ubiquitous No one has a monopoly on hatefulness; hate is ubiquitous. It’s just not what one ascribes to one’s self. Popular media ostensibly disparages President Trump, but to encounter such vehemence against our congressman, and wit-
nessing them being forcefully uncivil, was beyond belief. A culture war really exists as a horror to anyone expecting decorum. Congressman Patrick McHenry, RDenver, N.C., spoke in Buncombe County, giving everyone a chance to air their views. For them, it was more a chance to vent their spleens. After two hours, I asked myself, “Besides supporting the congressman, why am I here?” One of my neighbors was among the most explosive — I use that word without hyperbole — who after his rant and accusations, stormed out. It was contention after contention, a constant stream of yelling, demanding, shouting, booing that blanketed the congressman’s attempts to explain his positions on health plans and environment which went on for the entire event, yet he remained calm, chipper. Someone confided her fears that a very hostile young man who repeatedly interrupted loudly, looked suspiciously like he could transform into a terrorist. Surprisingly, one of their staff told me only in Buncombe did they encounter this kind of vitriol. Gee, I live here!!! Esther Huff Asheville
See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Page A11
Write a Letter to the Editor
The Asheville Daily Planet print letters to the editor, preferably less than 150 words in length. All letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number for confirmation purposes only. Send your opinions to Asheville Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 or e-mail them to letters@ AshevilleDailyPlanet.com.
The Candid Conservative
Trump is right
“We cannot solve life’s problems except by solving them.” — M. Scott Peck
The Problem
W
e live in the age of the lie. A guy named Scott Peck told us it was going to happen. In the early ‘80s, this renowned author of “The Road Less Traveled” wrote another, arguably even more important, book. “People of the Lie” was not an easy read. The author, a Christian psychiatrist, asserted that the generation of that time – my generation – was busily crafting a culture of liars in business, politics, medicine, religion, education, industry and the law. It was his take that this systemic corruption would one day take the heart out of our country. We’ve arrived at that time. Recovery will not be pleasant.
Really
Those who marvel at the evident bias and indifference to journalistic ethics demonstrated by most media outlets can find solace in the insights of Dr. Peck. He understood something that most of us don’t. Dishonesty – like anger, drugs, alcohol and every other short-cut to power or happiness – is addictive. The more you do it, the more you will do it and the less
Carl Mumpower you will know it. That’s because with every measure of addiction comes a matching measure of denial. Denial makes us stupid on top of hooked. Journalists have low immunity to the dishonesty virus. They’re rewarded with jobs, salaries, and praise for saying what people – including editors and program directions – want to hear. They are punished for being independent thinkers or otherwise devoted to their professional code of ethics. We thus find ourselves in the midst of a corrupted media storm of unprecedented intensity. By comparison, the turn of the last century’s “Yellow Journalism” scourge was amateur hour. One can thus explain why, when media lies are exposed, the illumination produces a counter-intuitive reaction. Like a losing gambler, the response to being called is doubling down versus rethinking the merits of the game. As with this generation’s opiate addicts, the media will not stop their deceptions until they self-destruct. There’s a fentanyl accelerator in the mix. His name is Donald Trump. See CANDID CONSERVATIVE, Page A14
Asheville Daily Planet - October 2017 - A11
Commentary Link between ‘Planet of the Apes,’ Trump’s triumph?
P
rofessor Cyril Underfoot is a quirky old relic of academia — renowned in his field of study but locally, a nut case. Students call him “Dr. Undertree” because he doesn’t meet one-onone in his office with female students. He never married, never came close. He has no friends, only professional colleagues. He makes (actually, funny) jokes about patriotism. He loves to watch his favorite movies again and again, still on VHS. Underfoot is an authority on the tensions between John Locke’s ideas of government by the people and popular movements that go wrong and become dictatorships. For all his expertise in government theory, he has never had the least interest in politics. His enjoyment lies in looking backward in history, not in following what he calls “democracy’s great obscenity.” He did like – no, he enjoyed – Ronald Reagan as president. He said his economic policies came from “a Styrofoam tower,” but he loved Reagan’s sense of humor. He plagiarizes Reagan jokes, especially the one about the three-legged chicken. A year ago, however, he happened to see Donald Trump’s acceptance speech at the
Letters to the editor Continued from Page A10
America needs to lower corporate tax rate to 15%
The last time our elected officials passed comprehensive tax reform was in 1986 — 31 years ago, before I was born. No wonder our economic growth annually hovers around 2.1 percent. Businesses are not investing in American jobs or American cities because it is simply too expensive. The corporate tax rate here is 30 percent. That means for every $100 made; businesses must pay $30 to the Federal Government. This does not encourage growth or productivity. Instead, it encourages companies to offshore jobs overseas and relocates manufacturing to countries that have low taxes. We must incentivize businesses to stay and create jobs in America. That’s why I support President Trump’s tax plan. U.S. companies have more than $2.5 trillion invested overseas. Imagine what that money would do if it were invested back at home. If Congress wants to promote the American economy and support American workers, they must lower the corporate tax rate to 15 percent – as the president is demanding. It’s time for them to do their job. Timothy Elkin Executive Board Member, BCGOP Asheville
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The Asheville Daily Planet print letters to the editor, preferably less than 150 words in length. All letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number for confirmation purposes only. Send your opinions to Asheville Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 or e-mail them to letters@
GOP convention on TV. As he listened to Trump’s promises of “law and order,” his mind was eerily drawn to Benito Mussolini’s rise in Italy in 1922. As a result of Trump’s speech, he followed the presidential campaign with mild interest. He once said with a knowing smile: “I’ve seen you before, Donald Trump – many times, in many countries.” Then one Wednesday in November, he followed his neat daily routine and went out for the local newspaper. He brought his paper over where his coffee and glasses waited. His usual interest is Eastern Europe’s trend toward dictatorship. But that morning, the front page screamed, “TRUMP TRIUMPHANT!” Underfoot’s first reaction was a chuckle. Then he broke into a long, resonant, ribcracking laugh. He managed to cough out the final words
of “Planet of the Apes,” when Charlton Heston sees Lady Liberty half-buried in beach sand: “They really did it! Those maniacs!” And he sputtered it again: “They really did it! They really did it!” He went to his computer immediately and subscribed to The New York Times. “This is going to be fun,” he said out loud. Underfoot had watched during the campaign the Trump assertions that he might have to expand libel laws to let him sue newspapers and how his generals would obey his orders. Trump was in Underfoot’s wheelhouse. Shortly before the inauguration, Underfoot put two 8x10 photographs in a proper envelope addressed to “The President-Elect, c/o the Secret Service, Trump Tower, 725 5th Ave., New York, NY 10022.” On the back of one photo he had written, “Benito Mussolini speaking to adoring crowds.” The second photo was the iconic shot of the executed Mussolini hanging upside down on meat hooks from a gas station in Milan with howling mobs all around. Underfoot wrote on the back: “The crowds no longer adore. The speaker no longer speaks.” The return address used his full name, Ph.D., and home address. He smiled as he
made a pot of coffee for the FBI when they came. They never did. For months, Underfoot read the Times with some eagerness. From time to time, he would mutter something to his waggy-tail mutt of a dog – like in late May when Trump called for the Senate to change its rules to make legislation easier. “Sloppie,” he said, “we both know the man is an ignoramus. He makes me laugh, sure, but there’s something more about him that keeps me stroking my beard. He lacks the political skill and discipline of Hitler or even Robert Mugabe. He’s like Viktor Orban in Hungary in his nationalism, but Orban is politically slick. Orban is somebody to worry about. Not Trump. And yet, ha-ha, here I am, still talking to you about him.” Then last week, he sat on his deck, looking far away. He’d been reading Times’ columnists and investigative reporters about the Mueller investigations. “Third World, Sloppie, that’s all he is. Money, money, get power, get rich.” Then he paused. “But Third World presidents do terrible things to become dictators, don’t they?” • Lee Ballard, who lives in Mars Hill, writes a blog at mountainsnail.com.
Continued from Page A1 A: This woman lives paycheck to paycheck. Unfortunately, it’s your paycheck. At this point, you’re probably musing on the perfect birthday gift for her -- a sparkly little Hello Kitty crowbar she can use to pry open her wallet. However, mystifying as it is that she has never squeaked out the words “This one’s on me!” consider that if there’s one thing heterosexual men and women have in common these days, it’s confusion over who exactly is supposed to pay on dates. The problem driving the confusion is a sort of Godzilla vs. Mothra clash between age-old evolved emotions (still driving us today) and modern-day beliefs about male and female equality. As I explain with some frequency (per big cross-cultural studies by evolutionary psychologist David Buss, among others), women evolved to seek male partners who show they are willing and able to invest in any children they might have. Whether the particular woman actually wants children is immaterial -- as in, of zero interest to her emotions. Anthropologist John Marshall Townsend observes from his research and others’ that women’s emotions evolved to act as a sort of police force for a man’s level of commitment -- making women feel bad when the investment isn’t there. This leads women to either push a man to invest or ditch him and find a man who will. Men coevolved to expect this, meaning that men evolved to try to appeal to the ladies by showing (or successfully faking) generosity, high status, and earning power. Many people mistakenly assume evolved adaptations like this will change with the times, as in, “Ye Olde Evolved Emotions, I’d like to introduce you to Gloria Steinem and the women’s movement.” Unfortunately, evolution is not a lickety-
split process -- especially when it comes to our psychological engine panel. In fact, anthropologist Donald Symons explains that “natural selection takes hundreds or thousands of generations” (generations being 20- to 30-year periods) “to fashion any complex cognitive adaptation.” So women, even now -- even highly successful women who can comfortably pay for their own meals (and everyone else’s in the restaurant) -- have their emotions pushing them to look for a man who shows generosity, as well as the ability to “provide.” This is reflected in the findings by sociologist Janet Lever and her colleagues from a survey of heterosexual men and women -- 17,067 “unmarried and non-cohabitating” heterosexuals, ages 18 to 65 -- on the extent to which they embrace or reject the traditional “man pays” dating behavior. (Surprisingly, millennials’ responses were generally pretty close percentage-wise to those of older adults -- mostly within a few percentage points.) A snapshot of the responses from women: Overall, 57 percent of women said yes to “I always offer to help pay even on the first date.” But check out the mixed feelings: Many women (39 percent) wished men would reject their offer to pay. But many (40 percent of women) said they are bothered when men don’t accept their money. Hello, confusing financial stew! Men’s responses were similarly contradictory. Overall, more than half the men -- 64 percent -- said that after the first few dates, the woman should help pay expenses, and nearly half (44 percent) said they would stop dating a woman who never offers to pay. Yet, men overwhelmingly -- that is, 76 percent of men -- feel guilty if they don’t pay the bill on dates. So, the reality is, like all of these conflicted men, some women just aren’t sure
where the lines are on whether to chip in and when. (Of course, some women are conveniently unsure.) As for this woman you’re seeing, it is possible that she’s waiting until you two are “exclusive” to start picking up the tab. Instead of assuming the worst, do two things: First, observe and reflect on her behavior and attitudes -- so far and as you get to know her -- and see whether they suggest an interest in partnership or princess-ship. Second, simply ask: “Hey, we’ve been dating for a while, and it seems like we should start sharing the costs. Where do you stand on that?” See what she says and take it from there -- tempting as it is to opt for a passive-aggressive approach, like panhandling outside the restaurant where you’re meeting her: “Hey, Amber. You’re early!…Meet ya inside. Just trying to beg enough for the tip.” • (c.) 2017, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol. com (advicegoddess.com). Weekly radio show: blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon • Order Amy Alkon’s book, “Good Manners For Nice People Who Sometimes Say The F-Word” (St. Martin’s Press, June 3, 2014).
Lee Ballard
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Mission-BCBSNC Continued from Page A1 Both sides have said they are willing to restart discussions on Oct. 5. “After Oct. 5, we’re ready to resume negotiations... It’ll be a clean slate,” Newsome told the AC-T. However, Mission said there is no reason to wait and is willing to restart discussions before or after Oct. 5. The health care system “is now, always has been and always will be ready, able and willing to negotiate with BCBSNC without any precondition of any kind, Rowena Buffett Timms, Mission’s head of government and community relations, said. On July 5, Mission gave notice that is was terminating its contract with Blue Cross, saying the insurers demand that Mission accept no increase in the rates it charges Blue Cross for care is unreasonable and threatens Mission’s long-term financial health. If Mission had not given the notice, it would have been forced to provide care without a rate increase indefinitely, Mission’s leaders have contended. Meanwhile, Blue Cross has said that it must control health care costs and that 40-plus of the state’s 110 hospitals have accepted contracts similar to the one it offered Mission. Blue Cross has refused to negotiate a new contract unless Mission rescinds the termination notice, a move Mission said it will not make, resulting in the stalemate that appears likely to continue
until Oct. 5. “If Mission were to rescind the termination, we’ll be back to the table immediately to discuss fair and equitable reimbursement” for care at Mission, Blue Cross’ Newman told the AC-T. However, he said Blue Cross will not Ron Paulus drop its requirement that Mission cancel its termination notice. Holding firm, Mission’s Buffett Timms said the notice should not be a barrier to ongoing talks. “We find it nonsensical, counterproductive and frankly, childish, that (Blue Cross officials) believe that any problem can be solved without speaking,” she said. Meanwhile, Ron Paulus, Mission’s chief executive officer, wrote in a guest column in the AC-T on Sept. 3: “How much is enough? “A barrage of negative advertising and misleading claims from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina have generated a common question: ‘How much is enough?’ Since reporting more than half a billion dollars of profit ($542 million) for the first six months of 2017 — that important question has new and very profound meaning.
“Let’s put BCBSNC’s extraordinary profits into context: it would take Mission more than 15 years to earn what BCBSNC did in just six months. If Mission accepted BCBSNCs below zero or “forever zero” contract offers, we would be devastated — slowly, but surely over the coming years. “But with just over 3 percent of its last six months’ profit, BCBSNC could cover Mission’s requested paymentincrease and support quality health care for our 1 million residents — and not rate increase for any consumer or employer; alternatively, it could use that profit to cover Mission’s requested payment increase for more than 25 years. “My repeated requests to even discuss a contract have always been immediately rejected....” Paulus wrote. Later in the column, the CEO noted, “Everyone in Western North Carolina — not ust BCBSNC’s customers — needs Mission and BCBSNC to work together. Mission needs your support to ask BCBSNC to break its nonsensical vow of silence, focus on the people of WNC and talk to Mission about a contract. As long as the issue remains BCBSNC’s profit, control and power, we all lose; but if we focus on improving health and managing costs effectively together, we all win. “We can only hope BCBSNC’s board — and its new CEO who begins Oct. 1— know how much really is enough,” Paulus concluded,
UNCA moves up to No. 7 in U.S. News rankings From Staff Reports
UNC Asheville has moved up to No. 7 in U.S. News and World Report’s Ranking of Public Liberal Arts Colleges; Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects, Management & Accountancy, Affordability and Admissions Recognized Nationally. Specifically, UNCA tied for the seventh spot among public liberal arts colleges in U.S. News and World Report’s new “2018 Best Colleges,” released online on Sept. 12. The university also earns recognition as one of the 25 National Liberal Arts Colleges where students graduate with the least amount of debt – an average of $22,026 for UNC Asheville graduates with debt, several thousand below the state and national average – and with 47 percent of UNCA gradu-
ates debt-free. U.S. News and World Report also highlights schools with outstanding programs linked to student success. Among these programs, UNCA earned top marks for Undergraduate Research/ Creative Projects. This “enriched offering” gained recognition among university peers, including college presidents, chief academic officers and deans of admissions, who nominated institutions with stellar examples of research as well as learning communities, internships, service learning, study abroad, capstone projects, and writing in the disciplines. “UNC Asheville continues to be an innovator and leader in the liberal arts, and it is an honor to stand with our colleagues on this national list. This ranking recognizes
the important and exceptional work of our faculty, staff and students,” Chancellor Mary K. Grant said.
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A14 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Mumpower Continued from Page A10
he’s done.
Today’s President Trump is little different that yesterday’s Donald Trump. He’s always been a flamboyant personality with unrestrained chutzpah. Such people, however successful, are easily crafted into targets for ridicule. That didn’t matter when he was riding the ups and downs of casino life in Atlantic City. It matters greatly when he’s riding the ups and downs of the presidency. Fortunately for those of us still reaching for the point of truth, being an easy target doesn’t make one’s a powerless target. That’s because truth is like Godzilla. You can hurt it or even ignore it, but you can’t kill it. It will inevitably stomp out your stuffing and reveal the frail, fragile and feeble nature of deceptions, lies and distortions. Nonetheless, our duly elected president finds himself in a position not unlike that of a gladiator taking on the Roman power structure. Though he doesn’t make it easy on his supporters, he still has half of America believing in him. That’s because more of us than not reject the central value of people of the lie – image matters more than substance. Our current president is definitely not a style guy. He’s a mover and shaker – and for those of us who believe Washington is a swampish fulfillment of Dr. Peck’s visionary prediction, a much-needed voice of candor. As such, he’s one of the few people who might be able to slow down the wholesale sacrifice of our constitutional republic to greed, vanity and folly. Oh yes, there’s a bonus – so far, he’s been pretty much right about everything
Yes, I know. Everything you hear, see, and read – declares he’s done the opposite. Telling lies with enthusiasm is not a conversion tool. For the sake of argument, take a moment and think of one thing the president has done over the past eight months that has caused harm or otherwise result in disaster or reversal of fortune? All he’s done is irritate, offend, thwart, impair, confuse or agitate his antagonists. For conservativeminded realists, that’s a good thing. Yes, I know, according to an army of journalists – most of whom surely skipped their mandatory two-hour lecture on ethics – he’s mucked it up at every turn. With due consideration to this “People of the Lie” fraternity, no matter how cleverly you echo a lie, it’s still a lie.
An easy target
Somebody stop me!
A parade of successes
Dropping out of the Paris Climate Accords was an act of courage. This fantasy in international cooperation was an image over substance thing from day one. It gave most of the participants a pass on significant climate action while it set America up for further economic hardship. That last bit has clearly not mattered to our leaders for decades and it can be measured by another thing Trump has been right about. Every active trade agreement we have is skewed against the United States. Yes, we benefit from trade agreements, but the way it’s set up now has us doing the equivalent of paying full sticker price for a car that’s not made very well. For confirmation look no further than China. Under current trade arrangements,
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they get to restrict our imports; subsidize select industries; steal our technology; pirate our patents; and secure unimpaired markets in the U.S. That’s not free trade or fair trade – it’s fixed trade and Trump is right to try to do something about it. Don’t believe that NAFTA should be an exception. Mexico and Canada don’t have China’s totally shameless approach to trade, but they are certainly addicted to game rigged in their favor. Consider the latest NAFTA nonsense whereby Canada has complained that having right-to-work states that don’t mandate unions gives us an unfair trade advantage. That’s kind of like a spouse abuser complaining about his wife’s cellphone access to the police. Trump’s firm but fair approach is – once again – right on target. Trump was also right on Korea. Thanks to a parade of “kick-the-can” presidents, he’s inherited a nuclear armed petulant little doughboy slobbering on the world. Think pitcher with one pitch. Take away his toys and assassins and what you have is a nation of starving zombies. What Trump has done very right is to stimulate Korea to double down on their military investments. That’s an unsustainable mission and the hope is that their corrupt leadership collapses before the rest of the world’s despots help Kim Inc. become a truly viable nuclear power. Wearing him out is the best worse-case strategy we have to avoid war – now or later. Trump was spot-on with Charlottesville. His observation that both sides were wrong was validated in spades by videos of that event and others. Hats off to the gentleman for refusing to do the usual politically correct pandering. That’s important because we have an entrenched “People of the Lie” pattern in America today. Though conservative voices admirably and persistently
disavowed right-wing extremists, liberal voices reliably and disingenuously excuse left-wing extremists. That leaves an equation whereby the crazy-right in white hoods are rightfully disenfranchised while the crazy-left Antifa types in black hoodies are enabled. The KKK’s moment in history has passed. The left’s black shirts are just beginning. Trump has more achievements than I have space, so let’s conclude his success parade with a quick list – a constitutionalist Supreme Court appointee; a surging stock market and economy; Europe’s acquiescence on carrying more NATO weight; dramatic decreases in illegal border entries; ISIS in retreat; realism on ObamaCare’s unsustainable promises; moratorium on “big government” federal regulatory grabs and non-essential hires; reversal of antipolice political atmosphere; and a personal favorite – a profound intrusion on the entitlement, power-grabs and narcissistic silliness of the left. Wow, that last paragraph felt good.
Where from here?
Trump will continue to irritate his opponents and supporters alike. He has his own “trumping” style of leadership — and it’s not designed to endear. It does hold the potential to disrupt, rearrange, challenge and change a political reality long secured by a bodyguard of lies and liars. Dr. Peck would suggest that Trump and his supporters, however, unpredictable, grating or confusing in style, may herald a better era. Here’s to the possibility of a new American age birthed by “People of the Truth.” • Carl Mumpower, a psychologist and former elected official, is chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party. He can be reached at drmumpower@aol.com.
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Special Section PULLOUT
Asheville Daily Planet — October 2017
Originals or covers? 2 singers offer contrasts
By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Steven Pelland entertained the crowd with a set of his original songs during a concert Sept. 15 in the upstairs lounge at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall in West Asheville. Ryan Guerra performed the opening set, doing mostly covers of the Beatles and James Taylor. Pelland, a Fall River, Mass., native, performed an array of songs on guitar and sang, often accompanied by a keyboardist. At times, he sounded a bit like “sensitive guy” rocker Jackson Browne. Among Pelland’s memorable songs was
Steven Pelland
Ryan Guerra
“Let’s Figure It Out,” which he billed as “my upbeat protest song.” Further into his act, Pelland quipped, “Man,
B1
I might have to do a James Taylor cover,” but he noted — playfully — that Guerra already had played Taylor’s best songs earlier. “The thing is, even though I’ve been a big fan of James Taylor ... To get his presence and guitar work — it takes a lot of work. So I avoided that.... I spent a lot of time looking in the mirror, because no one else wanted to hear me.” For an encore, Pelland played his only cover — of Taylor’s “Millworker.” He introduced the song by saying, “Thank God that Ryan didn’t play this one.” The audience applauded his efforts at length. See SHOW, Page B7
Mural of honeybees sparkles
Donated photo
Upon the completion of a eye-catching honeybee mural on the side of its building, Wild Mountain Bees in Weaverville recently hosted an open studio/meet-and-greet event, featuring the mural’s artist, Matthew Willey, of The Good of the Hive. Willey spoke at the event, noting that his mission is to paint 50,000 honeybees.
Shelley Wright Return to Lake Lure Inn: Facing my fears
M
y friend, Joshua P. Warren of Haunted Asheville, teamed up with Christian MacLeod, president of the Asheville Cryptid Society, to put on the Creeps and Cryptids Mystery Van Tour that departed from Asheville on Sept. 16. As we wove our way through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, we were treated to accounts of “little people,” UFOs, ghosts and cryptids (creatures which may or may not exist) such as Bigfoot and dog men. Even as I was listening to fascinating stories, I couldn’t keep my mind from wandering to one of our stops just a couple of hours away, The Lake Lure Inn. It hasn’t even been a decade yet, but it feels like a lifetime ago. A lifetime since I stayed at the Lake Lure Inn and had one of the worst ghostly experiences of my life. By worst, I mean one of the most damaging and dangerous weekends of my life. I recounted this experience in my very first column for the Asheville Daily Planet in December 2015. I don’t even need to reread it. It’s burned in my memory forever: blood dripping down one of the outside columns and pooling thickly and darkly around the base, my face morphing into a cat and then back again, over and over in the jacuzzi inside my room that night; the woman who woke me up the next morning whispering in my ear, encouraging me to get up and walk into the bathroom and slit my wrists. “Come on, it’ll be so easy,” she coaxed soothingly. I wonder how many people she actually talked into doing it? And then the final horror, waiting for me when I got home. I found my cat laying on the dining room rug dead. All kinds of thoughts are swirling through my head as we drive to the AllisonDeaver House, the oldest home in Transylvania County, replete with its own ghosts of family members who died long ago. It’s not lost on me that these are the last days of summer. The leaves are starting to change, the nights have grown cool and even the bright, sunny days carry a tinge of chill now. See WRIGHT, Page B7
‘Unnecessary Farce’ serves up necessary laughs
By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Photo courtesty of HART
The mayor and a police officer make sparks fly in “Unnecessary Farce.”
WAYNESVILLE — With the threat of Hurricane Irma looming, the show “Unnecessary Farce” provided pre-storm relief via muchneeded laughter during the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre show’s Sept. 9 performance. The production, which filled about threefourths of the 253 seats in HART’s Performing Arts Center, ran Aug. 25-Sept. 10. The show lasted about an hour and 45 minutes, along with a 15-minute intermission. The comedy, written by Paul Slade Smith, was directed by Julie Kinter and was billed (under a “Do not distrurb please” sign) as: “Two cops. Three Crooks. Eight doors. Go.” In a “From the Director” message in the
show’s program, Kinter noted that, through the years, she has directed a number of plays — along the lines of “Unnecesary Farce” — that demonstrate mastery of the art of farcical comedy, “where situations are so exaggerated and improbable, one can’t help but laugh at such buffoonery.” She added, “I’ve often heard the sophisticated theatergoer(s) snub their nose(s) at such vaudevillian pieces and, all I can say is, we can’t take life so serious(ly) all the time. Allow yourself the guilty pleasure of a laugh at the naughty and the silly!” A Miami, Fla., production in 2015 was described by a Miami Herald reviewer as “about as substantial as cotton candy,” but, as with the Miami production, HART’s Kintner was able to squeeze every possible laugh out
of an admittedly goofy plot by making excellent use of her strong seven-person cast. That cast included officers Eric Sheridan (Chase Wells) and Billy Dwyer (Anna Denson), accountant Karen Brown (Sarah Lipham), Mayor Meekly (David Spivey), Agent Frank (Dan Dutterer), Todd (David Krarup) and Mary Meekly (Holly Cope). The show is set in two adjoining economy hotel rooms — with eight doors — in an American town. Suffice it to say, there are a lot of door openings and closings, along with a few locked doors and door slams. In Room 317, the mayor (Spivey), who is suspected of embezzling, is set to meet with his “hot” new female accountant (Lipham), who has uncovered millions in misplaced funds. See ‘UNNECESSARY FARCE,’ Page B7
B2 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
A show paying tribute to the music of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross (left) will be performed through Oct. 8 at the downtown Hendersonville venue of Flat Rock Playhouse.
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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, Oct. 1
LIONEL RICHIE/DIANA ROSS TRIBUTE SHOW, 2 p.m., downtown venue of Flat Rock Playhouse, downtown Hendersonville. A tribute show, “The Music of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross,” will be presented through Oct. 8. Thursdays shows are at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org, or call 693-0731. “KING MACKEREL” PRODUCTION, 2 p.m., N.C. Stage Co., 15 Stage Lane, downtown Asheville. The NCSC will perform the play “King Mackerel and the Blues Are Running” through Oct. 8. The play features tall tales and rolling songs that are billed as transporting audiences to the Outer Banks for a pleasant spate of fun and fishing. Staging a benefit to save the Corncake Inlet Inn, “the lively cast of fishermen-musicians sing up a storm, tell fish stories and ghost stories — and relate accounts of first loves and ones that got away Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays. For tickets, visit ncstage.org, or call 239-0263. “WIT” PRODUCTION, 2 p.m., Hendersonville Community Theatre, 229 S. Washington St., Hendersonville. The HCT will perform the play “Wit” through Oct. 11. “Wit” is billed as an award-winning play featuring a renowned English professor who is diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer and put into a chemotherapy program. “She reassesses her life, tranforming both herself and the audience,” HCT noted. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. For tickets, visit www.hendersonvillecommmunitytheatre.org, or call 692-1082.
Monday, Oct. 2
CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAM, 5:30-7 p.m., Lenoir-Rhyne University, 36 Montford Ave, Asheville. a Creation Care Alliance program “Science, Solutions, and Compassion: 5 Ways Forward” will be presented. The CCA will explore five solutions to address climate change from Katharine Wilkinson’s book book “Drawdown: the Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to
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Reverse Global Warming.” The CCA will explore how faith communities can act on solutions in Western North Carolina, with Wilkinson on hand to serves as its guide for the evening.
Tuesday, Oct. 3
REVERSING GLOBAL WARMING TALK, 6 p.m., The Collider, 1 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. The Creation Care Alliance will host a conversation with senior writer Katharine Wilkinson and CNN columnist John Sutter on “Reversing Global Warming.” Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with light refreshments. The talk will start at 6. ARTRAGEOUS” SHOW, 6:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. “Artrageous” will be performed. It is billed as “a one-of -a- kind interactive performance that incorporates many different art forms on the same stage. The audience will get to experience live art, music, dance, life-sized puppetry, and get to be part of the show. The images created include well-known pop icons. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1328. WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL LECTURE, 7:30 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. “Crisis in Venezuela” will be addressed by Maria Moreno. Admission to WAC presentations at UNCA is $10 for the public — and free to WAC members and UNCA students.
Wednesday, Oct. 4
CITIZENS-POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, 5 p.m., first floor Conference Room, Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St., downtown Asheville.The Citizen-Police Advisory Committee, organized by the City of Asheville, will meet. The meeting is free and open to the public. SIERRA CLUB MEETING, 7-9 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, North Asheville. “Fossil Fuel Divestment and Responsible Investing” will be addressed by Peter Krull at a meeting of the Wenoca Group Sierra Club, Krull is chief executive officer and director of investments at Earth Equity Advisors (formerly Krull & Co.). He will discuss fossil fuel divestment and responsible investing. Attendees will “learn how to judge different investment opportunities and pick those that are most closely aligned with your values,” the club noted. The event is free and open to the public.
Thursday, Oct. 5
PAN HARMONIA CONCERT, 6 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St., Asheville. The group Pan Harmonia, comprised of flute, bassoon and guitar, will perform “On This Harvest Moon.” Music will include works by Swedish sound designer Fredrik Holm, J.S. Bach, and Brazilian Choro master Ernesto Nazareth. “Enjoy an acoustic show with a varied yet inclusive program for all music lovers in the signature style of Pan Harmonia,” a press release noted. Admission is free. AUTHOR EVENT,7 p.m., Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, 123 Kenilworth Rd., Asheville. “An Evening with Altered Genes” will be presented by “Twisted Truth” author Steve Druker: A questionand-answer session will follow his program.
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Asheville Daily Planet - October 2017 - B3
The rock band ZZ Top will perform in concert at 9 p.m. Oct. 6 at The Event Center at Harrah’s Cherokee Casion Resort in Cherokee.
Donated photo
Calendar of Events Continued from Page B2
Thursday, Oct. 5
“SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN” MUSICAL COMEDY, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. The Overlook Theatre Co. will present “Smoke on the Mountain,” billed as “a rip-roaring musical comedy revival,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19 and 21. Set in the 1930s, the musical tale introduces the singing Sanders family, who perform its traditional and bluegrass gospel songs for the members of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in celebration of their new electric light bulb. Consisting of almost 30 gospel tunes and the rich stories of the Sanders family’s history on the gospel circuit, “Smoke on the Mountain,” the SMCPA noted, “is full of laughs and toe-tapping bluegrass as the characters and the audience realize with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of heart, anything is possible.” The full two-act theatrical presentation featues Mountain Faith as the Sanders Family Band. For tickets, which are $17 for adults and $12 for children, visit www. greatmountainmusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615.
Friday, Oct. 6
“LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS” MUSICAL COMEDY, 8 p.m., Mainstage, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greenville Hwy., Flat Rock. “The Little Shop of Horrors” will be performed through Oct. 21. Billed as one of the longest-running Off-Broadway hits of all time, it will be making its FRP debut. The musical comedy is about a boy and his blood-thirsty plant. It features “a sensational score reminiscent of early 1960s rock ‘n’ roll, doo-wop and early Motown.” For tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org. ZZ TOP CONCERT, 9 p.m., The Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Cherokee. The band ZZ Top will perform as part of its 20th anniversary concert series. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000.
Saturday, Oct. 7
ECONOMIC EQUALITY CONFERENCE, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., YMI Cultural Center, 39 S. Market St., downtown Asheville. The third annual “Bringing It Home: Building a Local Economy for Everyone” conference will be hosted by Self-Help Credit Union. While the conference’s main venue will be the YMI, some workshops will be held next door at The Block Off Biltmore and at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. This year’s conference theme is “Connecting the Dots: Working Together Toward a Stronger, More Equitable Local Economy.” The keynote speaker will be Deena Hayes-Greene, managing director of the Racial Equity Institute of Greensboro. Hayes-Greene specializes in trainings that include — according to a press release — “an in-depth analysis of systemic and historically constructed racism and its impact on contemporary systems and institutions across” the nation. Child care and transportation with the city limits are available, if requested in advance with registration. Breakfast and lunch will be served by a “cornucopia of caterers,” featuring local businesses owned by people of color. Free parking will be available at the corners of Spruce and Marjorie streets, or at the bottom of the hill at the corner of Market and South Charlotte streets. The event is free to the public, with registration available on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, visit www.bringingithomewnc.org. OUTDOOR CONCERT/DANCE, 6-8 p.m., parking lot, Firehouse Subs, 825 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville. The band TNT will perform hits from the past, as many in the crowd dance. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free.
EDDIE MONEY CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The 1980s vintage rock hitmaker Eddie Money will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1328.
Sunday, Oct. 8
“I HAVE THIS HOPE” TOUR CONCERT, 6:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The “I Have This Hope” tour entertainers will perform in concert. Featured will be Tenth Avenue North, along with Brandon Heath and Jon McClaughlin. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville. com, or call (423) 638-1328.
Wednesday, Oct. 11
JAMES HUNTER SIX CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., lawn, The Peace Center, downtown Greenville, S.C. The James Hunter Six, a soul-blues band from Essex, England, will perform. Hunter has drawn comparisons to Sam Cooke for his smooth soul vocals and song-stylings. For tickets, visit peacecenter.org.
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Thursday, Oct. 12
DAVID BROOKS LECTURE, 7 p.m., Kimmel Arena in the Wilma M. Sherrill Center, UNC Asheville. The Founders Day keynote lecture will feature David Brooks, a conservative columnist for The New York Times. UNCA referred to Brooks as “a leading analyst of American culture and politics.” Brooks’ lecture was rescheduled from Sept. 12 because of “the uncertainty of the path and impact of Hurricane Irma. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The Founders Day keynote lecture is a free, ticketed event. Ticketholders wishing to maintain their reservations for the rescheduled lecture on Oct. 12 may do so by visiting www.uncadavidbrooksrescheduled.eventbrite.com by Sept. 30. Any tickets that have not been reserved by that date will be made available at 10 a.m. Oct. 2 for individuals wishing to attend the lecture. For more information, contact UNCA Events & Conferences Office at 251.6853 or email events@unca.edu. ROBERT CRAY BAND CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The Robert Cray Band will peform in concert. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1328.
Friday, Oct. 13
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION, 11:30 a.m., The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, Black Mountain. A free book club will discuss Charles Frazier’s 2012 work, “Nightwoods.” Participants are encouraged to bring a bag lunch and a copy of the month’s chosen selection to participate in a casual discussion. Coffee and tea will be provided. LITERARY COUNCIL SPEAKER/DINNER/AUCTION, 6-9 p.m., Renaissance Asheville hotel, downtown Asheville. Ann Patchett, a New York Times bestselling author, will be the keynote speaker at the Literary Council of Buncombe County’s 10th annual Authors for Literacy Dinner and Silent Auction. Patchett is the author of seven bestselling novels.” The program will begin with a cocktail hour, followed by a three-course dinner and presentation by a current Literacy Council student. Patchett then will give the keynote presentation and autograph guests’ books. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Literacy Council’s programs. For event tickets, which are $75, visit www.litcouncil.com, or call LuAnn Arena at 254-3442 ext. 206.
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B4 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
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Asheville Daily Planet - October 2017 - B5
B6 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Calendar
Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. The show “A Glimpse of ‘His Last Days’” will be presented. The show is a musical, pictorial and live stage presentation of Jesus’ last days based on a cantata by Dallas Holmes. The choir and cast of the Tallulah Falls, Ga., outdoor passion drama will bring a glimpse of “His Last Days” from their 35 years of summer enactments of Jesus’ life. The SMCPA noted that this is “not just an Easter story — but a continual timeless narrative of faith.” For tickets, which are $10 for adults and $5 for children, visit www. greatmountainmusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615. ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The soul band St. Paul & the Broken Bones will peform in concert. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1328.
Continued from Page B3
Friday, Oct. 13
“SMOKE ON THE MOUNTAIN” MUSICAL COMEDY, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. The Overlook Theatre Co. will present “Smoke on the Mountain,” billed as “a rip-roaring musical comedy revival,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19 and 21. Set in the 1930s, the musical tale introduces the singing Sanders family, who perform its traditional and bluegrass gospel songs for the members of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in celebration of their new electric light bulb. Consisting of almost 30 gospel tunes and the rich stories of the Sanders family’s history on the gospel circuit, “Smoke on the Mountain,” the SMCPA noted, “is full of laughs and toe-tapping bluegrass as the characters and the audience realize with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of heart, anything is possible.” The full two-act theatrical presentation featues Mountain Faith as the Sanders Family Band. For tickets, which are $17 for adults and $12 for children, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615. PAN HARMONIA CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Biltmore United Methodist Church, 376 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville. The group Pan Harmonia, comprised of flute, bassoon and guitar, will perform an “All Hallowed Viola — Music of J.S. Bach, Zoltan Kodaly, Henri Vieuxtemps, andPaul Hindemith. Admission is $20 in advanc, $25 day of show and $5 for military and students. For advance tickets, visit www.PanHarmonia.org.
Saturday, Oct. 14
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BROTHERS & SISTERS CONCERT, 7:30-9:30 p.m., The Foundation Performing Arts Center, Isothermal Community College, Spindale. A concert — “An Evening of Brothers and Sisters” — will be performed. The Malpass Brothers and Quebe Sisters will perform in a two-act evening of country, Western and Americana music. For tickets, visit www.foundationshows.org.
Sunday, Oct. 15
LATIN AMERICA LECTURE, 2-3:30 p.m., 2-3:30 p.m., Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Rd., Asheville. “Latin America: What the Left Got Right and What It Got Wrong” will be addressed by Dada Maheshvarananda at the monthly meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville. Maheshvarananda , having taught and organized for social justice in Brazil (1992-2003) and in Venezuela (2003-2016), will be able to provide a hands-on perspective. Informal discussion and refreshments will follow the presentation. All are welcome to attend.
Monday, Oct. 16
HALOCAUST SURVIROR TALK, 6-8 p.m. Ferguson Auditorium, A-B Tech, Asheville. A program, “An Evening with Dr. Walter Ziffer, Holocaust Survivor,” will be presented. Ziffer, adjunct faculty at UNC Asheville and Mars Hill University and author of his most recent book, “Confronting the Silence: A Holocaust Survivor’s Search for God”. Participants may hear Ziffer’s story of surviving the Holocaust through the Polish and German invasions of his home country, his 1942 deportation and his experiences in eight Nazi concentration camps. His presentation will be followed by a short question-and-answer session with the audience. Ziffer was born in Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) in 1927, where his father was the last president of the local Jewish congregation. His town was occupied by German Nazi forces in 1939 and Jews were driven into the ghetto. By 1942, they were deported to Auschwitz where only a handful survived. Ziffer was in the concentration camp Waldenburg/Gross Rosen when it was liberated by the Soviet Army in 1945. He arrived in the U.S. in 1948, where he graduated from high school and attended Vanderbilt University. He holds two masters degrees — in biblical studies and theology — from the Graduate School of Theology of Oberlin, College. His doctorate in theology is from the University of Strasbourg, France. Space will be limited to the first 400 people who arrive. Admission is free. Doors open at 5 p.m. Parking is available adjacent to the building.
Thursday, Oct. 19
GERSHWIN IN CABARET SHOW, 7:30 p.m., The Foundation Performing Arts Center, Isothermal Community College, Spindale. A show — “The Magic
Sunday, Oct. 29 Donated photo
The Robert Cray Band, shown in action at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2015, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, Tenn. of Gershwin” — will be performed cabaret-style by Joseph Webb’s Jazz Era Revue. The two-hour cabaret show celebrates the American classics of George and Ira Gershwin. “Dr. Webb’s Revue is composed of seven accomplished area musicians, backed by a brilliant young jazz pianist,” The Foundation noted. “It is set in a re-creation of the ambiance of a New Yorkstyle jazz club — everyone will be at tables in The Foundation lobby, with black tablecloths, mirrors and candles, (minus the smoke and live fire). In the spirit of the club atmosphere, snack foods are provided for all attendees, and various non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase during the show.” For tickets, visit www.foundationshows.org.
Saturday, Oct. 21
OUTDOOR CONCERT/DANCE, 6-8 p.m., parking lot, Firehouse Subs, 825 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville. The band Sound Investment will perform hits from the past, as many in the crowd dance. The gala is billed as a “Halloween event.” Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free. ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY CONCERT, 8 p.m., Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in the U.S. Cellular Center, downtown Asheville. The second concert in the Masterworks series will be “Journeys,” with Rei Hotoda as conductor and Sandeep Das performing on tabla. The program will feature Beethoven’s Piana Concerto No. 5 “Emperor;” Listz’s Les presludes, Symphonic Poem No. 3; and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol. For tickets, which are $24 to $69, visit ashevillesymphony.org, or call 254-7046.
Wednesday, Oct. 25
“RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN” PRODUCTION, 7:30 p.m., N.C. Stage Co., 15 Stage Lane, downtown Asheville. The NCSC will perform the play “Rapture, Blister, Burn” through Nov. 19. The play depicts Catherine and Gwen — after grad school — choose opposite paths. Catherine built a career as a rock star academic, while Gwen built a home with her husband and children. Decades later, each woman covets the other’s life, commencing a dangerous game of musical chairs — the prize being Gwen’s husband. “With searing insight and trademark wit,” this comedy is an unflinching look at modern-day gender politics. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays. For tickets, visit ncstage.org, or call 239-0263.
Thursday, Oct. 26
DOWNHOME GOSPEL CONCERT, 7 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. The Downhome Gospel Concert will feature Ivan Parker, the Talleys and the Whisnants. For tickets, which are $20, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615. “THE WOMEN OF WOODSTOCK” TRIBUTE SHOW, 7:30 p.m., downtown venue of Flat Rock Playhouse, downtown Hendersonville. A tribute show, “The Women of Woodstock,” will be presented Oct. 26-Nov. 4. Thursdays shows are at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org, or call 693-0731.
Friday, Oct. 27
“DIAL M FOR MURDER” PRODUCTION, 8 p.m.,
Mainstage, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greenville Hwy., Flat Rock. “Dial M for Murder” will be performed through Nov. 11. It is billed as “a classic whodunit just in time for the fall... ‘Dial M for Murder’ is a sophisticated, chillingly sinister thriller, brimming with madness, murder and mayhem that will hold you spellbound with suspense. Showtimes vary. For tickets, visit www. flatrockplayhouse.org. GARY ALLAN CONCERT, 9 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Cherokee. Country singer-guitarist Gary Allan will perform in concert. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com.
Saturday, Oct. 28
NAKBA TOUR SPEAKERS, 3-5 p.m., The Block Off Biltmore, 39 S. Market St., downtown Asheville. Two stateless Palestinians from Lebanon, Khawla Hammad and Amena Elashkar, will speak about their lives as part of the North America Nakba Tour. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. “HIS LAST DAYS” SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Smoky
STEVIE LEE COMBS MUSIC FUNDRAISER, 5-8 p.m., rooftop bar, Aloft hotel, Biltmore Avenue, downtown Asheville. The finale of the Sundays Live@Aloft rooftop concert series will feature Steve Lee Combs Music, raising funds for Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue. The suggested donation is $5 per person.
Saturday, Nov. 4
DAILEY & VINCENT CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. The duo, Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, will perform in concert. The duo “has been hailed throughout the music industry as one of the most exciting, reputable and elite bluegrass bands in America, having won numerous awards for their uniquely contagious and riveting music,” the SMCPA noted, including:three Grammy Award Nominations for the 2014 “Bluegrass Album of the Year;” 14IBMAAwards (International Bluegrass Music Awards) as three-time “Entertainer of the Year,” three-time “Vocal Group of the Year” and “Album of the Year” and four Dove Awards with three “Bluegrass Album of the Year” awards and “Bluegrass Song of the Year.” The SMCPA also noted that “Dailey and Vincent have been dubbed as the ‘Rockstars of Bluegrass.’” For tickets, which are $22 and $27, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615.
Wright
Continued from Page B1 We’re moving inexorably closer to the time of the year where the veil between the living and the dead grows thinner and I wonder how many of the dead will show up for us today. Will they remember me? At long last, we arrive in Chimney Rock. We crane our necks as we gaze up at the big rock and listen to more ghostly tales. Then we make a quick stop at the rock shop. I needed to stock up on some protection before facing that God-forbidden inn & found some quartz, shungite & selenite to add to what I’d already stuffed in my pockets that morning. My fellow travelers had already heard about my misadventures at the Lake Lure Inn and were ready to lend their own protection and help me make sense of what happened. Some walked with me to make sure I was okay, some snapped pictures all around me to see if anything was following me around. In the end, all I felt was dizziness and a headache. I was clammy and it felt like a tremendous weight was pressing down on my chest. The second and third floors felt progressively more oppressive and I couldn’t figure our exactly which room I had stayed in. Nothing looked familiar and with a wedding party in full swing, it was
Show
Continued from Page B1 Ryan Guerra, who has performed in a number of tribute shows at Flat Rock Playhouse, provided the opening act with a one-hour set . He noted that the crowd would see that “I’m obviously a big Beatles and James Taylor fan.” Among the most memorable songs performed by Guerra were “Here Comes the Sun” and “In My Life,” both by the Beatles; and “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely” by Taylor. Guerra also performed “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” by the Beatles, “You’ve Got a Friend” by Taylor; “A Real Straight Shooter”
hard to explore where we wanted. As we made our way back to the van, I felt lighter and was glad I’d faced my fears. Nothing attacked me. Only one thing left to check on and that wouldn’t happen til I got home. Our last stop was Helen’s Bridge. Everyone who grew up in Asheville knew the story. Helen had a beautiful daughter who went to a party and died tragically in a fire. Helen was so overcome by grief that she hanged herself from the bridge which was beside the house where her daughter died. On some nights if you chant, “Helen come out” three times, she’ll appear. Or you’ll have car trouble or your keys will go missing from the ignition. Others say she appears from nowhere and walks up to strangers in their cars and asks if they’ve seen her daughter. We all exited the van and walked in the humid darkness a short distance to the bridge. We spoke in unison, “Helen come forth” three times. We stayed perfectly quiet save for the clicking of cameras as some of our group tried to capture photographic evidence. We uttered the chant three more times. And then three more. My whole left side was almost numb due to a freezing wind that was only present under the bridge. Others felt it too. And then the silence was broken with excited exclamations that they had captured a weird mist. And then we saw Melvin show Joshua what he captured. It was a mist alright. But
by the Mamas and Papas, “Norwegian Wood” by the Beatles, “Fire and Rain” by Taylor, “All My Loving” by the Beatles and “Shower My World” by Taylor. Guerra noted that “Fire and Rain” is one of his favorite songs and, indeed, his rendition of that hit was, arguably, the high point of his performance. Another highlight of Guerra’s set was his finale — an interweaving of the Beatles’ “Blackbird” with bits of Taylor’s “In My Mind I’m Going to Carolina.”
‘Unnecessary Farce’
between veteran officer Eric Sheridan (Wells) Continued from Page B1 and the accountant (Lipham), with the In Room 315 next door, two undercover woman reversing the traditional gender roles cops (Wells and Denson) are supposed to and often hotly pursuing her willing man. record the meeting on videotape. Also humorous was the mayor’s repeated But there was some confusion as to appearances in Room 317 for the longwho is in which room, who’s watching the delayed meeting with the accountant, during video, who’s taken the money, who’s hired which — every time — there were multiple a hit man, and why the accountant keeps characters ending up in the same bad in comtaking off her clothes. promising positions. Agent Frank Dutterer serves as the mayHART remaining 2017 shows include or’s security assistant, Scottish hitman Todd “The Glass Managerie,” Sept. 22-Oct. 8; (Krarup) Ballard) is the supposed cold“Zombie Prom — The Musical;” Oct. 13-29; blooded killer, and the mayor’s wife Mary and “Parallel Lives,” Nov. 10-19. (Cope) is a woman not nearly as meek as she initially appears. An especially amusing aspect of the show Write a Letter to the Editor was Krarup’s Scott brogue, which was so thick that when he issue threats — even some The Asheville Daily Planet print letters to the editor, preferably less than 150 of the fatal variety — the subjects of his words in length. All letters must be threats would appear dumbfounded and ask signed and include a daytime telephone him to repeat himself because they could not number for confirmation purposes only. understand his accent. Send your opinions to Asheville Daily At times, it became akin to a game of Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. charades, as the characters guessed what he 28814-8490 or e-mail them to letters@ was saying. Finally, rookie policewoman Billy AshevilleDailyPlanet.com. Dwyer (Denson), who wore her uniform to an undercover sting operation and was armed with a squirt gun, was the one who was able to understand the Scotsman’s threats and translate them to Weather-permitting the others, thereby building a 75 years’ experience surprising rapport with Todd. 246-2934 The key romance was
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Jumble Sale 423-2400
Asheville Daily Planet - October 2017 - B7
there was a weird halo on one side and... what was that on the left? Holy crap! That was a lady in a white dress! We chanted in unison again, our group frantically taking more pictures in hopes of capturing the lady again. We were all in high spirits as we got out of the van to go home, everyone promising to go home and analyze their pictures for anything they might have missed and share the ones that looked promising. It was a really great day. We toured beautiful paranormal and cryptid hot spots all over the Blue Ridge Mountains, I faced
down a horrible ghostly event that haunted me for years, we caught amazing evidence at Helen’s Bridge and best of all, I came home and found my cats safe and sound. • Shelley Wright, an Asheville native, is a paranormal investigator. She owns and runs Nevermore Mystical Arts shop and works at Wright’s Coin Shop, both in Asheville. Wright also is a weekly participant in the “Speaking of Strange” radio show from 9 p.m. to midnight on most Saturdays on Asheville’s WWNCAM (570).
B8 - October 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet