Dirty Dancing Festival? Hot! — See PHOTOS, Pg. B1
Biltmore wins poll recognition — See STORY, Pg. A5
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
‘Motown’ tribute show bedazzles FRP crowd See REVIEW, Pg. B1
LLE I V HE AS ASHEVILLEʼS GREATEST NEWSPAPER
September 2017 Vol. 13, No. 10
An Independent Newspaper Serving Greater Asheville www.ashevilledailyplanet.com FREE
Monument controversy erupts
Mission, Blue Cross each tout ‘options’ By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Special photo courtesy of AshevillePARC
Someone (above) temporarily placed a poster over the plaque in front of downtown Asheville’s Vance Monument, stating, “Tourists, Vance was a slaveowner.” Controversy continues to swirl over whether to remove or contextualize the monument. At left is a 1907 postcard, showing the monument in the city’s historic Pack Square. Donated photo See story on Page A2.
The Advice Goddess Amy Alkon
Yawn Juan
Q: My friend and I are debating why it is that men don’t want you when you want them yet they’re all gung-ho when you aren’t interested. She believes that we just want what we can’t have. Could it be that simple? — Pondering
Want to know the answer?
See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A9
A high-ranking official from each side shared his views on the contract standoff between Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina and Mission Health System — and sometimes threw verbal punches — on Aug. 4 during an issues forum of the Council of Independent Business Owners. In essence, the two speakers said other alternatives are available to their respective counterpart for medical care or medical insurance. About 100 people attended the meeting at UNC Asheville’s Sherrill Center. Their reassurances were aimed at the thousands of Western North Carolina residents with Blue Cross insurance who face worries — if the dispute is not resolved — of having to pay higher, out-of-network rates for care at Mission. Steve Crist, BCBSNC’s vice president of the company’s group markets, spoke for 12 minutes Jon Yeatman, Mission’s chief strategy officer and an Asheville native, spoke for about 20 minutes. An 18-minute question-and-answer session followed after both speakers had given their addresses. Crist began by noting that “many of you are customers of ours, so I’d like
JON YEATMAN Mission Health
STEVE CRIST BCBSNC
to say ‘thank you’ for your business.” He added that is was “unfortunate” that Mission has terminated its contract with BCBSNC, effective Oct. 5. “We’re not here to win a PR (public relations) battle,” Crist said. “If there is any fight to be won, however, it’s the fight to control health care costs. “There are several lenses to examine health care. First,” he said, there is “the lens of health care costs. As businessowners and leaders, you know healthcare costs are second behind business payroll and inventory.... “Blue Cross has been here 84 years. We’re the only health-care company serving all 100 North Carolina counties,” Crist noted. See OPTIONS, Page A9
NCDOT backs 6 lanes through W. AVL From Staff Reports The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced recently that it has decided to switch its backing to six travel lanes in the portion of the I-26 Connector project involving Interstate 240 through West Asheville. Over the decades, NCDOT generally has favored eights lanes for I-240 between the area west of Bowen Bridge and I-40, but the issue has been debated since discussions of the I-26 Connector began in the late 1980s. The 2.7-mile stretch of road has four travel lanes now. The change to six lanes was triggered by the results of a closer study of expected traffic, according to NCDOT engineers.
Besides deciding on whether to back eight or six travel lanes, the project includes making decisions — this year — on where to put sidewalks, bike lanes and greenway paths. In addition, NCDOT engineers have decided to drop plans to widen Interstate 40 — to as many as 12 lanes — between the I-26/I-40/I-240 interchange and Exit 44 on the western edge of the city. However, NCDOT has chosen to support an effort by neighborhood residents to reduce the footprint of the project around Amboy Road, Brevard Road and I-240. Other aspects of the I-26 Connector project include constructing a new crossing
of the French Broad River north of Bowen Bridge, rebuilding the I-26/I-40/I-240 interchange west of the WNC Farmers Market and making some improvements to I-40 between that interchange and the U.S. 19-23 interchange to the west. For its next step, the state will award the contract for work on the new bridge and new interchange in 2020, according to NCDOT’s master plan. Construction might not begin until 2021. Alas, the plan, adopted in late July, includes no funds for widening I-240 in West Asheville. Therefore, the work would not begin until at least 2028 — and could even begin much later.
A2 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Fate of Asheville’s 3 Confederate downtown markers remains clouded From Staff Reports
A debate is raging over whether to remove three Confederate monuments in downtown Asheville, including, most notably, a 65-foot-tall granite obelisk (installed in 1898) honoring Civil War Gov. Zebulon Vance, a northern Buncombe County native. Also possibly facing the ax are a plaque to Gen. Robert E. Lee in front of the Vance Monument in Pack Square — and a monument to the 60th Regiment of North Carolina Volunteers at the Buncombe County Courthouse. Meanwhile, Asheville City Council members have been unanimous in condemning white supremacist’s violent actions earlier in August around a Confederate monument to Gen. Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Va. However, council, along with residents, has been divided on what to do about the Vance Monument, prominently located in Pack Square, Asheville’s centerpoint. There has been much debate locally — and especially — on whether the Vance Monument constitutes a Confederate monument. To that end, the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources lists just two Confederate “monuments” in Asheville — one in the Newton Academy Cemetery off Biltmore Avenue and the other for the 60th Regiment at the courthouse. The department’s online list does not include the plaque to Lee or the Vance Monument, both in Pack Square. (Vance was also a Confederate officer.) However, councilmen Cecil Bothwell and Keith Young, the latter of whom is Asheville’s only black council member, are contending that the three downtown Confederate monuments should be removed. The Vance Monument memorializes Zebulon Baird Vance, who was born in Weaverville in 1830. He was elected and served as governor of North Carolina in 1862 during the Civil War. Bothwell said the city should endorse Gov. Roy Cooper’s call to remove all Confederate monuments in North Carolina — and that council should specifically state that it intends to take down the three Confederate monuments in downtown Asheville. What’s more, the city attorney’s office is looking into Asheville’s legal options regarding its Confederate monuments, given that a state law prohibits local governments from removing monuments. Councilwoman Julie Mayfield said that council needs to be “very careful not put the city into legal jeopardy.” Still, others in the community have called for leaving the Confederate monuments in place and make use of “contextualization” as a way to soften their impact. For instance, they have suggested that the Vance Monument could be contextualized by placing permanent panels around it, explaining Vance’s history in more detail and highlighting the accomplishments of local African-Americans. Besides condemning racism, council passed a resolution directing its Governance Committee to review “the relevant general statutes and other applicable laws related to historical markers and monuments on city property.” After that task is completed,
Mayor Esther Manheimer said that the city will devise a plan for public engagement on the issue of the monuments. In other monument activity, Asheville police arrested four people Aug. 18 morning, charging them with vandalizing a plaque honoring Gen. Lee and the Dixie Highway in front of the Vance Monument. Police said the four protesters were apprehended at the scene, when officers arrived at 7:40 a.m. Nicole Townsend, 27, Amy Cantrell, 45, Hillary Brown, 30, and Adrienne Sigmon, 34, all from Asheville, were charged with damage to real property by the Asheville Police Department. All four people have since been released. In the aftermath, Manheimer released a statement on behalf of council, asking activists to “excercise their rights peacefully, with respect for the law and with respect for others.” Following is Manheimer’s full statement: “Since Charlottesville, the people of Asheville have overwhelmingly expressed that they oppose Neo-Nazi and White Supremacist agendas, “Since Charlottesville, more people have become galvanized to work together to dismantle institutional racism and promote equity. It’s not just happening in Asheville — people all over America are taking to the streets to demonstrate their concerns and frustrations. “I call on everyone in Asheville to commit to peaceful, lawful, nonviolent means of expressing of your views. If you believe in the dignity of all people, if you are fighting for dignity for yourself or others, I encourage you to demonstrate that belief in all of your words and deeds. “We remind everyone that expressions of free speech must remain peaceful.” Meanwhile, an announcement was posted on Cantrell’s Facebook page after the incident and it read in part: “Today marks a week since Heather Heyer was murdered in Charlottesville while resisting white supremacists who came to defend the Robert E. Lee monument. Heather’s death comes after years of black people being slaughtered by the police and white silence in the face of institutionalized violence. “One of the calls to action made by Charlottesville organizers was to remove all confederate monuments. Today, organizers in Asheville made the decision to answer that call by attempting to remove our Robert E. Lee monument. “We understand that the removal of this monument would be symbolic of removing white supremacy from the very center of our City. We know that this must be connected to the deep work of ending systemic racism and white supremacy culture here.” In a related event, an Aug. 13 rally at the Vance Monument in Pack Square, which organizers called a “counter-demonstration” to the Charlottesville white nationalist rally, erupted into violence. A participant in the peace vigil — Michael Patrick Faulkner, 38, of Asheville — was charged with simple assault in an incident involving a WLOS-TV (Channel 13) reporter. The reporter was conducting a Facebook live stream when he reportedly was threatened and attacked .The man is seen in the video pushing the reporter several times, saying, “I will (expletive deleted) you up.”
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, September 12 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 3, 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 — September 2017 - A3
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A4 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Recently departed county manager under probe; son resigns day later Recently retired Buncombe County Manager Wanda Greene and others are under federal investigation, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. In addition, her 46-year-old son, Michael, who worked as the county’s business intelligence manager, resigned on Aug. 17 — the same day that the U.S. attorney’s office confirmed that she was under a probe. In the aftermath, the daily operations of Buncombe’s government will continue to operate with minimal interruption, County Attorney Michael Frue said Aug. 18. Regarding Wanda Greene, U.S. Attorney Jill Westermore said in a statement that her office has requested the county to place a “litigation hold on all county materials pertaining to this matter,” which means that officials have been directed to preserve records
that could become part of the investigation and preventing them from being dislosed publicly. Rose called the probe “a law enforcement matter” — and, other than noting that Greene and others were under investigation, did not release Wanda Greene any other details. Greene, whose annual salary was $241,791, retired June 30 after leading the 1,600-worker county government for more than two decades. At the time of her resignation, Brownie Newman, chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, said in an email to the commissioners that Greene was “one of the most outstanding county managers in our state and country.”
Her son, Michael Greene, who earned an annual salary of $120,350, had worked for the county for 14 years. He was the secondhighest paid person in the 12-worker budget management and services department, topped only by Director Diane Price. He has transferred within the county government four times — and most recently on July 26. County Manager Mandy Stone, a longtime employee who succeeded Greene, told the Asheville Citizen-Times that Michael Greene’s position did not exist before he took the job. The AC-T also reported that Stone said she does not plan to hire another business intelligence manager. Instead, she told the newspaper, the county will merge the job’s duties with other positions in the performance management team.
From Staff Reports Asheville City Council voted unanimously on July 25 to give city residents an opportunity — via a referendum on Nov. 7 — to register whether they favor splitting the city into districts for all six City Council posts — or maintaining the status quo, with council members elected by all citizens. Council decided to put the question on the ballot, despite being under a mandate from the North Carolina General Assembly to
split itself into districts by 2019. Mayor Esther Manheimer said that council wants “to be able to ask the voters of Asheville if they want districts instead of having Raleigh simply impose districts upon us without having a say.” If voters reject Senate Bill 285, (aka “Equal Representation for Asheville”), the practical effect could be minimal, since the state law supersedes the will of residents or the council. However, other observers have said results
from such a referendum could be enough to trigger a lawsuit by the city against the state, as other local governments have done when facing election changes forced by the General Assembly. For instance, Greensboro and Wake County won their cases, reversing statemandated changes. The majority Democratic Buncombe County Board of Commissioners was forced into districts by the Republican-controlled General Assembly in 2011. In that instance, the board did not sue to stop the change.
From Staff Reports
Casting the dissenting votes in Buncombe were commissioners Joe Belcher and Robert Pressley. The action followed the enactment of a bill in the N.C. General Assembly on June 29 allowing local governments to decide on whether to allow alcoholic beverage sales. The new law went into effect on June 30. In enacting SB155, North Carolina joined 47 other states in allowing alcohol service before noon on Sundays. For Asheville, the move supports
council’s Strategic Operating Plan/Vision 2036 in the focus area of “Thriving Local Economy” by: “• Allowing the hospitality community and retail merchants to meet the needs of their customers. “• And it benefits the small business community by bringing customers into business districts earlier in the day.”
From Staff Reports
Despite N.C. mandate, Asheville council votes to hold referendum on districts
Sunday morning alcohol sales OK’d for Asheville, Buncombe
Asheville City Council voted unanimously on July 25 to allow local businesses to sell alcohol in the city at 10 a.m. — rather than the previous noon start time — on Sundays. Meanwhile, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 to take the same action on Aug. 15, also allowing alcohol sales in the county to begin at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Published monthly by Star Fleet Communications Inc. JOHN NORTH Publisher
Phone: (828) 252-6565 • Fax: (828) 252-6567 Mailing address: P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 Website: www.ashevilledailyplanet.com E-mail the following departments: News: news@ashevilledailyplanet.com Letters to the Editor: letters@ashevilledailyplanet.com Display Advertising: advertising@ashevilledailyplanet.com Classified line ads: classads@ashevilledailyplanet.com Circulation: circulation@ashevilledailyplanet.com Publisher: publisher@ashevilledailyplanet.com
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Asheville Daily Planet —September 2017 - A5
Biltmore Estate rated 14th on top trending U.S. attractions list
From Staff Reports
Biltmore Estate was named a “Top Trending U.S. Attraction” during this summer by TripAdvisor on July 26. The Asheville landmark ranked No. 14 out of 25 sites listed by the travel site in its “Seasonal Attractions Trend Index.” The rankings are based on year-over-year search activity on TripAdvisor. The travel site, which helps people find the latest reviews and lowest prices, bills itself as providing travelers with insight into the hottest attractions for summer,
Biltmore.com photo
based on year-over-year search activity on TripAdvisor. Biltmore made the list with a reported 17 percent increase in “traveler interest” this summer, compared with 2016. “With Americans looking to take advantage
of summer weather to explore the great outdoors, TripAdvisor data shows that attractions in nature are climbing to the top of our trend index this season,” said Brooke Ferencsik, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor, in a press release. Following is the complete list: 1. Grand Canyon South Rim – Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona 2. Seven Falls – Colorado Springs, Colorado 3. Chapel of the Holy Cross – Sedona, Arizona 4. Fenway Park – Boston, Massachusetts 5. Kualoa – Kaneohe, Hawaii 6. St. Louis Cathedral – New Orleans, Louisiana 7. Pikes Peak – Colorado Springs, Colorado 8. High Roller – Las Vegas, Nevada
9. Garden of the Gods – Colorado Springs, Colorado 10. Gateway Arch – Saint Louis, Missouri 11. Grand Teton – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming 12. Louisville Mega Cavern – Louisville, Kentucky 13. Tahquamenon Falls State Park – Paradise, Michigan 14. Biltmore Estate – Asheville, North Carolina 15. Minnehaha Park – Minneapolis, Minnesota 16. Cave of the Winds – Niagara Falls, New York 17. Watkins Glen State Park – Watkins Glen, New York 18. Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens – Dallas, Texas 19. Luray Caverns – Luray, Virginia 20. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve – Honolulu, Hawaii 21. The Johnny Cash Museum – Nashville, Tennessee 22. Mount Rushmore National Memorial – Keystone, South Dakota 23. Space Center Houston – Houston, Texas 24. Denver Botanic Gardens – Denver, Colorado 25. Horseshoe Bend – Page, Arizona
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A6 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Honduran Cuisine
OPEN NOW!
Located inside Dickie’s • Sara Vasquez, Owner
Serving breakfast 7:30-10:30 a.m. • Lunch and supper till 5:30 p.m.
Serving baleadas, fried chicken w/ green banana chips, Mexican plates, etc. •
(828) 713-9675
The ONLY authentic Honduran restaurant in Asheville!
Pollo Frito “Fried Chicken”
A quick and satisfying breakfast, lunch or dinner meal. Baleadas are thick flour tortillas folded over a variety of fillings, most typically know for a simple mix of beans, cheese and Honduran-style sour cream known as “mantequilla.”
Crispy fried chicken accompanied by green banana chips, topped with cabbage and a special handmade sauce.
Enchiladas Hondureñas
Breakfast
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A “tostada” topped with seasoned ground beef with fresh cheese, tomatoes and hard boiled eggs.
$7ºº
$ 5ºº
Most common Honduran breakfast. Scrambled eggs accompanied with fried beans, cheese, “mantequilla” and ripe plantain.
Tacos Hondureños
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Not your typical taco. A deep-fried tortilla stuffed with meat, chicken and veggie.
Pupusas
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A thick corn stuffed tortilla filled with chopped pork, beans and cheese.
Agua de Horchata • Agua de Tamarindo (Tamarind water) • Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus water)
Outdoor patio opening soon!
Asheville Daily Planet - September 2017 - A7
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A8 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
HEALING PRAYER TIME, 1-2 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 Sixth Ave. W., Hendersonville. A healing prayer time, during which prayers will be offered for those attending (whether for physical, emotional or spiritual issues), will be held. The service, which is held on the second Friday of each month, is nondenominational and open to all. 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. MYSTICAL POETRY/MUSIC BENEFIT CONCERT, 7 p.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. A program featuring mystical poetry and music will be presented by Mary White and Richard Shulman. “Mary White’s poetry … opens the listener to extraordinary mystical dimensions,” Unity noted. “Richard Shulman is an exquisite pianist, whose notes evoke the angelic realms while cascading the riches of those dimensions, bathing the listener in love, joy and wonder. The combination of their energy flowing through poetry and music is a potent uplifting experience.This evening will give you time to sit and soak in the wonder of your own soul.” Admission is $10 per person, with half of the proceeds going to charity.
Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. Unity will hold Ridge, 2014 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. only a single Sunday service (insteady of its A prayer vigil will be held usual two services) at 10:30 a.m. The service will in observance of 24th be followed by a cookout and music on the grounds. Annual Unity World Day The activities will mark the debut of the Fall Study of Prayer with the theme Series, honor Unity’s volunteers and provide an “Peace in the Midst.” opportunity to enjoy a special time of community fun Those interested in peace and celebration. are invited to join Unity at any point of the day as it holds a prayer vigil. Brief ceremonies will open and close the day — at 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. — and an invitation to pray through the labyrinth at noon. The rest of the day will be set aside for silent meditation in communion with the world-wide Unity family. “Times of great change challenge us to find our center in the midst of seeming chaos,” A program featuring mystical poetry and music will be preUnity noted. “The spiritual sented by Mary White and Richard Shulman at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at practice of finding peace Unity of the Blue Ridge in Mills River. right where you are, in the midst of any situation, has River Presbyterian Church, 10 Presybterian been the prescription of master teachers through the Church Rd., Mills River. A blessing of the pets ages ... We’re engaging people all over the world with will be held. “We’re inviting everyone to bring renewed spiritual energy to Pray Peace … Be Peace their pets, or come to remember and celebrate … Do Peace.” Admission is free. the life of a former pet,” Pastor Randall Boggs said. Attendees are asked to bring dogs on a leash — and cats or other pets in crates. Donations will benefit the New Hope program at Blue spetersongroup@hotmail.com MERGED SERVICE/FALL GALA/COOKOUT, Ridge Human Society. 10:30 a.m., Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2014 Old BENEDICTINE DAY PROGRAM, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Calvary Episcopal Church, Fletcher. The church will host its annual Benedictine Day with the theme “Always We Begin Again.” The program will be led by the Rev. Elizabeth Canham. Registration and coffee begin ar 10:30 a.m. The cost is $5 — and attendees are asked to bring their own lunches. To register, call the parish office at 684-6266, “SACRED” FILM SCREENING, 4 p.m., Fer guson Auditorium, A-B Tech, 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville. A screening of the film “Sacred” will be hosted by Asheville Interfaith.org. Directed by Academy Award-winner Thomas Lennon, “Sacred,” organizers of the screening said, “im merses the viewer in an exploration of spirituality across cultures and religions. This film explores faith as primary human experience — how it is used to navigate the milestones and crises of private life. The screening will be followed by a discussion and refreshments. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.
Saturday, Sept. 9
Friday, Sept. 14
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, Sept. 3
Labor Day Weekend Rummage Sale, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m., Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Avenue, Asheville. The synagogue will hold a two-day rummage sale at the same hours on Sept. 3 and 4. A large selection of quality recycled household items, boutique clothing, children’s stuff, arts and crafts supplies and garden goods will be offered for sale.
Friday, Sept. 8
PET BLESSING, 10 a.m., front lawn, Mills
Sunday, Oct. 8
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Continued from Page A1 “Twenty-five-thousand members enjoy ACA (Affordable Care Act) coverage in this area alone, with 500,000 (clients) across the state. “We’re also heavily regulated. You might say... ‘So what?’” Crist asserted. “So 85 percent of our” business is out of its decision-making hands, he said. “So Blue Cross has averaged less than 1 percent profit margins.” As for how BCBSNC and Mission reached an impasse, Crist said, “This contract came up for renewal on Aug. 1, 2017.” He added that Blue Cross needs “to stop paying for volume and start paying for value.” Crist stressed that his company is “seeking better care outcomes — and less duplication.” In an apparent jab at Yeatman, Crist then noted that “Mission — and this administration — has refused to move forward with this contract. Instead, it has issued a termination notice... A termination notice, to us, is not the beginning of negotiations, but rather, it’s the end of a negotiation.” With a smile, Crist said Mission’s offer to keep talking “is as if a spouse serves divorce papers — and then is asked to go to marriage counseling.” “Of all of our employer accounts in this western part of the state, 73 percent of the payment that goes to Mission is from selfadministered employers. “While it’s fun” to disparage “the big, bad insurance company, you’re not ‘sticking it’ to us (BCBSNC).” Indeed, Crist contended, by its actions, Mission is “‘sticking it’ to the self-funded local businesses.” Regarding its contract with Mission, BCBSNC “brought seniors into the discussion because they (Mission) canceled Medicare portion of the contract, too. “What happens next?” Crist, asked, rhetorically. He then answered his question by asserting that “there are 260,000 members in WNC who are impacted by this decision. We are taking this very seriously. Folks, we only have 90 days to bring calm to the situation, so that there can be a continuation of care.” Crist added, “Here’s our plan — on July 31, we sent out an awareness letter...” Next, BCBSNC will contact those undergoing an “active course of treatment... All of these are fantastic examples, where we do not want to disrupt care... “Yesterday alone, we had 327,000 contacts. We are ready to go on this discussion” — either to resolve the situation with Mission” or to move on. “We are encouraged by what’s happening outside the Mission Health” network in WNC. He said most of the claims Blue Cross paid in WNC over the last year went to providers that are not affiliated with Mission. “We are encouraged by the access that remains outside of the Mission Health system,” Crist said. He listed four areas of care — family medicine, radiology in a free-standing clinic, cardiovascular disease and orthopedic surgery – in which providers other than Mission accounted for more than half the dollars in claims that BCBSNC paid in 16 WNC counties. “The reason why I bring this up is simple. I was troubled by the article in the (Asheville) Citizen-Times on Sunday” that likened the Mission-BCBSNC negotiations “as nothing more than a battle between your local cable provider and premium channels.” Crist then said, “So Mission will be ‘out of network.’ So for those folks who can’t go to another specialist, we understand. The health plan simply reflects that Mission
Asheville Daily Planet — September 2017 - A9
costs more than the in-network provider. “I will close by saying this is a very serious issue. We are here for our patients and for Western North Carolina.” Mission’s Yeatman began by noting that “I’ve been in health care for 15 years, including six at Mission — and I’ve never done this before,” referring to the impasse with Blue Cross. “This is not where Mission typically spends its time. Our 12,000 employees at Mission spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” caring for its patients. “More than 105,000 people come into our emergency department. So we spend our time — 95 percent of it — providing health care services... We’re the only children’s hospital in the area. And the list goes on and on. “On a more personal level, that’s why I came back to Asheville. When I say ‘back,’ I mean I was born in Memorial Hospital. My parents lived on a dirt road in Arden”— and later divorced. Despite the challenges, Yeatman earned an MBA at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in health care management, and a bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University, with a major in finance. Yeatman noted that he is an active member of the Asheville community and enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. “When Dr. Ron Paulus (Mission’s president and chief executive officer) came here about seven years ago, I was the second person he hired. I love Asheville. I always was in awe of Memorial Hospital. It’s more than a job for me.” (Mission is North Carolina’s largest private employer west of Charlotte.) At that point, Yeatman said, “There are three points I’m hoping to communicate effectively today” as follows: • “Our request is reasonable, responsible and essential. • “Blue Cross has created a credibility challenge. • “They (BCBSNC) told us (Mission) this morning that they aren’t going to negotiate further with us. “The good news is you” have other options besides Blue Cross, Yeatman said. Speaking generally, he added that Mission is under constant pressure to make ends meet because “WNC is older, sicker and poorer than the rest of the state.” Regarding its current contract with Blue Cross, Yeatman said, “We’re paid below actual costs for three-quarters of our actual customers. “We’ve also seen a $20 million increase in our charity cases. So the net result in 2016 our entire operating margin was $24 million. Mission started fiscal 2016 at $84 million worse off... That’s the math problem. “We are locally owned. We’re the only locally owned health care system left in Western North Carolina. “Under Dr. Paulus, Mission has made it a priority to make sure our house is in (financial) order. Our cost per customer is $1,200 lower than our benchmark peer group.” In a jab at BCBSNC, Yeatman said, “Blue Cross sometimes talks about ‘costsharing,’but he wondered how “being paid below cost by Blue Cross” can be called “sharing.” What’s more, Yeatman said, “Because of our relentless focus on cost-cutting…. Mission’s loss is only 2.5 cents on the dollar – lower than both our for-profit and nonprofit peers.” He also noted that Mission has been named one of the top 15 health systems in the country. “We’re in the top 1 percent nationally” — and “this is the No. 1 hospital in North Carolina for heart attack survival. We’ve been (named) a top 50 cardiovascual hospital” numerous times. See OPTIONS, Page A12
Advice Goddess Continued from Page A1 A: In looking for love, a number of people confuse “the chase” with something closer to criminal stalking. In their defense, these ideas don’t come out of nowhere. For example, consider how creepy the Cupid dude with the little bow and arrow actually is. Basically, he’s the chubby baby version of the maniac hunting people down with a crossbow. The reality is, nobody pines for what’s easy to get or, worse, what’s chasing madly after them. It’s about value. Being easy to get or seeming desperate suggests one has what anthropologists call “low mate value.” Social psychologist Robert Cialdini explains this with “the scarcity principle,” which describes how the less available something is the more valuable it seems and the more we want it. Being scarce doesn’t necessarily equate to being more valuable; however, because of how psychologically painful we find regret — feeling that we screwed up and thus missed out — scarcity kicks us into a motivational state, making us all hot for whatever’s in short supply. This is the sales principle behind those chichi boutiques with just one item on a rack, as if they were a mini museum of the little black dress. There’s a good chance they have 20 more in the back. But putting out 20 sends a different message — like one of those shops with a big yellow sign, “Everything in the store, $15, including the dog.” Still, the scarcity principle sometimes gets falsely accused of causing a burgeoning relationship to tank when other factors are actually to blame. Consider whether you’re choosing wisely — going for someone who’s ready to be in a relationship. Some people who think they’re ready may not be. (Time — along with wanting to know in-
stead of just wanting to believe — will tell.) Others will admit that they aren’t ready. Believe them — or at least tread cautiously — and recognize the propensity many women have for Svengali-ette-alism: “I’ll be the one to change him!” (Kleenex has succeeded as a brand in no small part thanks to these women.) With someone who is a real possibility, you’ll have your best shot by coming off appropriately interested instead of stalkerishly so. If you tend to go from zero to texting a guy 36 times in a row while sitting in your car with binoculars trained on his house, figure out proactive ways to avoid that and other crazypants stuff you do. (Perhaps, for example, give your next-door neighbor custody of your phone and car keys upon coming home.) Sure, love is said to be “a journey,” but it shouldn’t be one that has something in common with being chased by feral hogs down a lonely country road. • (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.
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A10 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
The Daily Planet’s Opinion
Keep Vance Monument; add recognition of blacks
T
he future of the centerpiece of Asheville, the Vance Monument (located in Pack Square), is up in limbo, as of this writing. We think it is vitally important to preserve the 65-foot tall granite obelisk, erected in 1896 and designed by famed local architect Richard Sharp Smith. It was fashioned after the Washington monument. The towering structure reportedly was meant to be seen from the distance, something to reflect the far-reaching influence of its namesake, Zebulon Baird Vance (1830-1894). Vance, born near Weaverville, was a Confederate military officer in the American Civil War, governor of North Carolina, congressman, and U.S. senator. However, the monument’s prominence also has triggered recent calls for its removal because Vance owned slaves and raised a militia. Yet he also owned a reputation for preaching compassion for other marginalized people — in particular, Jews. What’s more, it should be noted that the Vance Monument is not a statue portraying a Confederate soldier, but rather an abstract-shaped memorial to Vance as one of North Carolina’s greatest statemen. We think a better path forward would be to build new monuments (near Vance’s) to slaves and sons of slaves who helped to build Asheville and make it the great — and diverse — city that it is today.
‘Cold Mountain’ 20 years later CHAPEL HILL — “It was not a book that required following from front to back, and Inman simply opened it at random, as he had done night after night in the hospital to read until he was calm enough for sleep.” That book was “Bartram’s Travels,” as described in Charles Frazier’s classic novel, “Cold Mountain.” Bartram’s book is a treasured possession of Inman, the wounded Confederate soldier who has deserted. As he makes his way from a Raleigh hospital to his home on Cold Mountain west of Asheville for a hoped-for reunion with his beloved Ada, he opens Bartram regularly to read its descriptions of plants, topography, animals and people. Similarly, in rereading “Cold Mountain” to mark this year’s 20th anniversary of its publication, I found that it, like Bartram, does not require reading from front to back. “Cold Mountain” has sold more than three million copies. It inspired a popular epic film—and an opera to be staged in Chapel Hill this fall. As North Carolina’s most admired work of literary fiction since perhaps, “Look Homeward Angel,” it should be on the bookshelf of every home in our state. I bet you have an old copy somewhere, one you may have not opened since you first read it. That is understandable because we are not much into rereading books. But this one, like Bartram’s, commands more than one reading. On its 20th anniversary year, “Cold Mountain” deserves a complete read. Perhaps there is no way you can read the entire book again. So here is a compromise. On this 20th anniversary, open your copy and read 20 pages. But which 20? There are so many options. I am not sure which ones I would pick. You could, just as Inman did with Bartram, open “Cold Mountain” at random and read a few pages. Frazier’s stories and lush language will mesmerize you. But there are so many other choices. • The story in the beginning of the book about Inman’s encounter with the blind peanut man near the state capital in Raleigh. • The goat woman, stuck in the high
D.G. Martin mountains. Her goats feed her and give her a reason to live. • Inman’s visit to a young war widow and her small child. After federal soldiers raid her house and take her pig and chickens, they pay a heavy price. Inman follows them, and extracts brutal revenge and returns the chickens and pig to the widow. Alternate chapters focus on Ada struggling against all odds at her farm near Cold Mountain to hold things together after her father’s death. The rough mountain girl Ruby’s arrival to help is memorable. She grabs the rooster that has been attacking Ada, wrings its neck, and cooks him for supper. The superstitious Ruby gives us a picture of farm life 150 years ago. Frazier writes, “The crops were growing well, largely, Ruby claimed, because they had been planted, at her insistence, in strict accordance with the signs. In Ruby’s mind, everything — setting fence posts, making sauerkraut, killing hogs — fell under the rule of the heavens... November, will kill a hog in the growing of the moon, for if we don’t the meat will lack grease and pork chops will cup up in the pan.” Frazier makes violent death compelling, beautifully and brutally awful. Battlefield horror at Fredericksburg, Inman’s dispatching of the treacherous owner of the house of ill repute, and the cruel murders by the home guard, spilt blood on “Cold Mountain’s” pages. “Cold Mountain” is full of chilling reminders of the senseless killing that becomes a part of every war. Pick up your copy of “Cold Mountain,” pick a spot at random and read 20 pages. There will be a problem. Once you get started, you won’t be able to stop. • D.G. Martin hosts “North Carolina Bookwatch,” which airs at 9:30 p.m. Fridays and at 5 p.m. Sundays on UNC-TV.
Letters to the Editor
Trump needs support to handle nation’s issues
Listening to the NPR “news” report on the impaneling of a grand jury to determine why and how Hillary (Clinton) could have possibly lost the 2016 election, it is hard not to ponder the depth of manipulation (think blackmail) that those members of the House and Senate must be under to provide support for this charade, particularly considering the preponderance of “nothing burgers” and the eight-month effort and expense to date yielding no wrong doing from the Whitehouse. This distraction all but ignores the exposed crimes of the accusers and their bosses, which have compromised national security, supported an in-house Senate and congressional foreign spy ring and engaged in dirty wars. (James) Comey’s BFF (Bob) Mueller is again in charge at a critical moment of treasonous deception (he was appointed five days prior to 9/11 and signed off on that official story, the planes/ fire did it all). So where is truth? Our American history has been so manipulated and flawed that most of us (myself included) were not even told of the existence of our first civilization from 100BC to 400 AD called the Mound Builders that grew outward from the upper Midwest. They had populations greater than that of Rome or London and city centers where now sits Cincinnati, St. Louis, Pittsburg and Nashville. Some of their earth work structures were as large as 40 acres, aligned to the lunar cycles and all built with the same high math and algebra common to the building of the Egyptian pyramids. Some artifacts found have ancient block Hebrew letters carved into rock, one such has a complete listing of the
Ten Commandments, found in Ohio, 1880ish. True history may also shine some light on why and who is bogging down President Trump in the swamp D.C. is built with (and on). Currently, as of this writing a lawyer named Mueller has hired 18 other lawyers and staff to ultimately protect three to eight other lawyers who are politicians, all paid for using American’s tax dollars. In the years following the American Revolution, England and their banks tried repeatedly to take control of America’s new government. In 1789 and again in 1810 the original 13th amendment to our Constitution was proposed called “The Titles of Nobility Amendment.” The intention of this law was to restrict those of title, special privileges or bestowed nobility from representing the people of this land by holding any political office. Of note, the term ”Esquire” was the English version of lawyer and whom this act was intended for. In 1812 the amendment effort was stopped due to war with ….. England, having 12 states voting for it, 2 against and 3 yet to vote (17 states total, requiring 13 to pass, North Carolina. ratified it Dec. 23, 1811). Not until 1819 after the war ended did Virginia become the last needed state required to ratify this amendment. Confusion, subterfuge and obfuscation followed, (very similar to today) derailing this effort to the extent that individual states did not know the amendment’s outcome and it never did become recognized as a law of the land, though a legally ratified amendment. Ten states and territories listed this 13th amendment as late as 1860 on their official Constitutions. See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Page A12
The Candid Conservative The progressive passion for fake love
“False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.” — Socrates
The Problem
E
arlier this summer, the Buncombe County Republican Party tendered a friendly challenge to organized political groups – “We’ll debate you on your turf, in your way and time, and on any subject. Our chair will sweeten the deal with a $100 contribution to the charity of your choice.” The mission was to step over malice and open the door to civil discourse. We were confident a conservative view would stand the scrutiny. There was also opportunity to challenge the lock of Asheville’s liberal good-old boy-girl-and-everything-in-between network. It worked. A few weeks back, we had our first debate on the resolution that funding should be increased for public education. North Carolina State Senator Jeff Jackson spoke in favor and I spoke against. It was a solid hour and a half of back and forth and questions and answers among a 140-something participants, four of whom by the way, were acknowledged Republicans. (Here’s a video link - https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=c7KZcuEK47g&feature=emuploademail) The two guys on the stage did a good job with the civil discourse thing. The audience? Well, let’s just say that dignity and maturity were not always in evidence. There are more debates to come. My wife is busy working doubles to pay for the
Carl Mumpower
charitable donations. In a 140-to-4 liberal-conservative reality, ridicule and abuse comes with the turf – but it’s not pleasant. Contrary to perceptions, I don’t have a thick skin. A thick skin leads to a thick head. At the end, I walked out with a smile – and a stark takeaway. The left doesn’t get love.
It begins with truth
Yep, that seems a contradiction to their carefully crafted reputation as a selfless collective of bleeding hearts. I admit the left does its fair share of wailing, whooping, moaning, groaning and even occasionally bleeding. That’s not love – it performing. Real love can’t be purchased as cheaply as Brand-X would have us believe.
Dishonesty and love can’t grow in the same garden
The absolute best way to mark an individual’s love credentials is their interest in truth. Without truth, love melts into something akin to a unicorn fantasy. It sounds good, but doesn’t really exist. Per a lost dedication to truth, we’re entering especially hazardous waters in today’s America. Ironically – in the age of information – truth is hard to find. See CANDID CONSERVATIVE, Page A14
Asheville Daily Planet - September 2017 - A11
Commentary Beware of N.C.’s slippery GOP-led General Assembly
T
his column asks one multiplechoice question: Are Republicans in Raleigh: (a) cynical, (b) ideologically berserk, (c) stupid, (d) pathetic, or (e) all of the above? Before you answer, read the case study that follows. North Carolina has had a Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) since 1974. From their website, “The commission designates areas of environmental concern, adopts rules and policies for coastal development within those areas, and certifies local land use plans.” In 1996, a science panel was added, organized by Dr. Stan Riggs, a distinguished geologist at East Carolina University, to advise the CRC on inlets, beaches, sea level rise and storm patterns as they make their long-range plans. It’s a terrific idea. North Carolina has 2100 square miles of low-lying coastline and inadequate barrier islands, and here’s a government commission with critical responsibility receiving the best available scientific advice. This arrangement worked well for 14 years. The meetings, Dr. Riggs said, were “truly exciting learning experiences.” Let’s see: 1996 + 14 years. Right. The GOP takeover of the General Assembly.
Lee Ballard Almost immediately (April 6, 2011) a bill was filed that bars state agencies from adopting any “rule, policy or planning guideline that defines a rate of sea-level change.” Two weeks after the bill passed, the U.S. Geological Survey reported that sea-level rise at Cape Hatteras and northward is accelerating four times the global average. And a Scientific American blog quipped: “[North Carolina] can escape sea level rise… by making it against the law.” But irony and humor were lost on the GOP legislature. They cut the CRC from 15 to 13 members and replaced eight environmentfriendly members. In 2010, the old CRC had issued a report, based on best science, that projected a 39inch seal level rise this century – enormously relevant data that would have guided how long-lasting roads and buildings should be built and guided where development should not be allowed.
Letters to the editor
Continued from Page A1 Lawyers and a legally ratified Amendment to the U.S. Constitution missing, who allowed these human leeches to occupy the front rows and how long will we allow them to rule? Like a farmer with his grain stores overrun with mice, the answer is not to burn down the barn but to get rid of the pests, for good. The deep state, those who want war, sell illegal weapons, protect drug lines, murder those who threaten them, addict our people to opioids, promote organ harvesting, sell children; this garbage is not Trump. He is in there for one reason, and it is the size of a mountain and as nasty as a trapped wildcat. Support the man and have faith that good/love will prevail. WILLIAM S. CHALK Asheville
Global poverty-reduction affects U.S. economy; don’t cut it in federal budget
Is foreign aid simply aid or is it an investment? Look at post-World War II Europe and the Marshall Plan. After the conclusion of the Second World War, the U.S. invested the equivalent of $110 billion in today’s dollars to assist in rebuilding Europe, along with our allies. Today, the U.S. exports $240 billion of goods from the European Union annually. There is potential for a similar situation with the world’s poorest countries today. As citizens of impoverished countries move from barely surviving into the global middleclass this creates new consumers of U.S. goods and products, which creates more American jobs, in turn boosting our economy. While 95 percent of potential consumers of U.S. goods and products live outside our borders, giving aid to these impoverished countries is an untapped resource. The Borgen Project – an innovative, national campaign – believes that leaders of the most powerful nation should be doing more to address global poverty. The nonprofit organization presents methods that make the U.S. more effective with existing aid dollars. Effectivity is important since the International Affairs Budget only makes up 0.8 percent of our federal budget. Bottom-line, protect the International Affairs Budget. Styrling Tangusso The Borgen Project Advocate Asheville
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But Republicans dismiss science. They listen to developers and real estate interests, big donors to the GOP, who don’t want negative thoughts to discourage prospects. And state agencies are doing their bidding. A year ago, Dr. Riggs resigned from the science panel. Scientists remaining give credit to Riggs for a 2015 report that shows greatest risk in the northern barrier islands, but it got no hearing. “We were playing games,” Riggs said of the panel. Prior to 2010, North Carolina was a national model for sea level preparation. The new CRC has reversed all that. They decreed that studies would only look at 30-year projections, instead of 100 years, which means preparation for only an eightinch rise. And they’re allowing outrageous development. The Raleigh News & Observer tells of one such development: “Sunset Beach West would… have 21 eight-bedroom houses with individual septic systems, wells and power generators next to a state nature preserve in an area with a fragile dunes system and the potential for flooding. The area is so unstable that federal regulations prohibit public utility connections.” When the town of Sunset Beach challenged the CRC decision, the General
Assembly considered a bill to de-annex the development land from the town. OK, now we’re ready for the multiplechoice question, and since I can’t hear your answers, I’ll give mine. Cynical? Ideologically berserk? I say the GOP is not being ideological in their actions on sea level rise in North Carolina. I don’t think they are motivated by any beliefs on climate change. They just hide behind ideology. The Republican Party in North Carolina bows down to one idol: keeping power. And that makes a god of developer money. The people on the coast are the clear losers – those who live there already and the poor suckers who buy houses that will certainly have to be moved. And don’t forget future generations. Republicans aren’t stupid. Their values are upside down, but they’re very skilled at politicizing everything. Pathetic? Anyone who admires slippery slime in their politicians would say “no, Republicans in Raleigh are not pathetic.” And the rest of us would also say “no” to calling them “pathetic.” We’re looking for a more depraved word. • Lee Ballard, who lives in Mars Hill, writes a blog at mountainsnail.com.
Plug-in electric vehicles beset by deceit 2 opportunities offered to fight back, learn the truth
By DAVE ERB
Special to the Daily Planet
Most media these days contain fake news about plugin electric vehicles (PEVs), such as: “Each Chevy Volt costs $75K to build, so GM loses over $40K on every unit. The resale value of PEVs will be atrociously low, presuming they survive the inevitable battery fires. It’s a good thing that nobody wants those glorified golf carts!” In reality, PEVs are desirable additions to the automotive scene, for reasons I discussed in an earlier article (see http://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/30984-reasons-conservatives-should-embrace-electric-cars-). So where do these lies come from, and why are they so persistent? Seekers of truth can rest assured that the variable cost to build a Volt is less than the wholesale price, and that each unit sold makes a positive contribution to GM’s bottom line. Sandy Munro’s infamous study claiming otherwise calculated its number by dividing the total cost of the Volt program as of summer 2012 by the 21,500 cars that had been built at that point. But new car development requires spending billions of dollars before the first unit is sold. It should be obvious that any recently-introduced car will look like a loser if judged by this particular calculation. Financial publications like Reuters and The Wall Street Journal certainly know better than to parrot this sort of nonsense, yet they were the ones that squawked the loudest. Similarly, the $7,500 tax credit on a new PEV means that there’s an instant “depreciation” of $7,500 off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) before the car is even purchased. Obviously, a percentage computed by dividing projected resale value by MSRP (i.e., ignoring the tax credit) will appear unfavorable for any PEV sold before the tax credits expire. The sole battery fire in a Chevy Volt occurred three weeks after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test. If NHTSA had followed GM’s published post-crash protocols before storing the car, that fire wouldn’t have occurred. Plus, if you’re still in your car three weeks after totaling it, you have bigger worries than fire. Nonetheless, GM came up with a fix, and recalled all Volts built up to that time to prevent a recurrence. The few highly publicized Tesla fires are more nuanced stories, but it’s worth noting that over 150,000 conventional vehicles catch fire in
this country every year, and almost none of them make headlines. Back in 2003, many publications were claiming that nobody would buy charge sustaining (plugless) hybrids, like the Toyota Prius. Look in any Asheville parking lot to see how that turned out. In 2013, PEVs won market share more than double that enjoyed by the Prius and its ilk at the same point in their evolution. PEV sales in the 12 months from July 2016 to June 2017 grew by 45 percent over the same period a year earlier. Does that sound like low demand? There are many reasons for the massive disinformation campaign being waged against PEVs. The threat PEVs pose to oil industry profits is obvious. Less clearly, a single well-timed negative news article can make millions for hedge fund managers who’ve shorted Tesla’s grossly overvalued stock. There’s plenty of money to pay lying weasels to peddle their deceit. But there are also plenty of reasons to fight the spin. Do you want to stop sending our mountain sons and daughters to die in the Middle East? Do you want to stop giving money to thugs who use it to corrupt our democracy? Would you like to breathe cleaner air? How about spending less money on transportation, while getting a higher quality ride? PEVs offer all of those advantages, and a whole lot more. The key to realizing them is to swim against the flood of lies. Two opportunities to do just that are coming up: 1) Filmmaker Pana Columbus and “Professor PlugIn” Dave Erb will present a talk entitled “Electric Vehicles: Local Movement, Global Impact” at 7 p.m. Wed., Sept. 6, at the Unitarian Universalist church (corner of Charlotte Street and Edwin Place in Asheville). 2) The Blue Ridge Electric Vehicle Club will hold its fourth annual National Drive Electric Week celebration, from noon to 4 p.m. Sun., Sept. 10, at the Asheville Outlets mall on Brevard Road. Club members, auto dealers, and others will display their plug-in electric vehicles, with many offering rides. See https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=939 and blueridgeevclub.com for further details. Please join us for one or both of these events. The truth is out there, for those who seek it. • EDITOR’S NOTE: Erb, an electric vehicle builder and enthusiast, is a lecturer in the Mechatronics Engineering Department at UNC Asheville.
A12 — September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Get back to negotiating table, CIBO member urges By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
Two top leaders from Mission Health and Blue Cross fielded questions — but mainly heard comments — for about 18 minutes after giving separate addresses about their contract standoff during an issues meeting of the Council of Independent Owners on Aug. 4 at UNC Asheville’s Sherrill Center. Local surveyor and CIBO member Mac Swicegood began the Q&A by noting, “I’d like to thank both of you for being here... But the word ‘negotiate’ doesn’t make any sense. Neither of you sound like you want to negotiate. “As business-owners, we have to decide which side we want to support. We’re the ones who are going to have to suffer because y’all can’t get along. “It’s time for you to get back to the negotiating table and get off your high horses,” Swicegood urged. To Blue Cross’ Steve Crist, Swicegood said, “They’re my hospital. You’re my insurer. Find an answer.” Neither Crist nor Mission’s Jon Yeatman responded. However, Crist instead seized the opportnity to contest Yeatman’s contention in his address that Blue Cross’ market share in North Carolina is 70 percent. “Please source that number. … I don’t know how we get to 70 percent marketshare. Now, if you’re going to cherrypick a number. There are three carriers in the Affordabe Care Act (aka Obamacare) market — Aetna, United and Blue Cross. Aetna and United pulled out,” leaving only BCBSNC. “It’s not a 70 percent marketshare.” A woman drew no comment from the two
Options
Continued from Page A9 “Despite all of that, we actually have lower prices... 23 percent lower than state averages and 18 percent lower than national averages. “In a normal business, the ‘game’ is over because people just choose you. But in the health care system, there is nothing normal,” Yeatman said. Even “with a mid-single-digit payment increase (by Blue Cross), there would be cuts” by Mission, he said. Yeatman then charged that “Blue Cross, through no fault of Mission, has created a credibility challenge. Blue Cross’ court argument” contends “that Mission is already too expensive. So the increase it’s seeking is” going to make Mission even more expensive. However, he noted that, ironically, Blue Cross, which awards hospitals for excellence, “has awarded Mission for its care in several categories” through the years. As Yeatman was listing Mission’s high rankings and awards, meeting attendee Tom Van Slambrouck interjected, “Some of those aren’t very relevant when you have people who can’t even afford your services.” In response, Yeatman said Mission’s prices are competitive with its peers. Also, he said, “If Blue Cross intends for Mission to not have a rate increase, then they clearly would expect you not to have a rate increase. But Blue Cross is raising rates 14 percent… According to Blue Cross, they’ve already asked you for rate increases... Blue Cross did earn a 13 percent margin in the first quarter.” Yeatman then said, “None of that means Blue Cross has to agree (with Mission). With more than 73 percent market share, Blue Cross completely dominates its field in the state.” In contrast, Yeatman said of Mission, “We’re big, but we’re only 5 percent of their market share in North Carolina.” Yeatman also cited a recent statement by
Mac Swicegood Mike Fryar officials when she asserted, “You say most of everything here is self-funded by local businesses. There are a lot of businesses here that are on federal Blue Cross that are getting burned at Mission. We’ve gone to Greenville (S.C.) for much lower-cost service.” Mike Fryar, a Fairview resident and member of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, said, “My problem is... Mission has bought everything up. They bought all the doctors. They bought everything in this town. There’s nothing left (around Asheville) that Mission doesn’t own...” To Yeatman, in particular, he said, “I guess you’re ‘broke’ because you’re buying everything.” (He cited several cases — involving himself and his wife Brenda — in which Mission had bought medical practices they patronized — and the resulting prices they had to pay after Mission take-overs had risen so much that they had to switch to more distant, non-Mission health care providers.) “So I don’t see where it’s helping me what you’ve said today — you’ve taken all the doctors. I have no place to go.” Yeatman responded by noting that, “As for Mission’s relationship with (acquiring) hospitals and physicians in the area — on
an unidentified BCBSNC spokesman contending that the annual percentage increase in the rates Blue Cross charges employers has been in the mid-single digits this year. “I may not be that great at math, but it seems like there’s some extra money somewhere,” Yeatman said. (Crist earlier had attributed at least a portion of the change in Blue Cross rates to higher costs for prescriptions and increased use of services.) On another point, Yeatman noted, “Blue Cross said we issued a ‘notice of termination.’ We did it because Blue Cross” failed to budge off its offer of no rate increase during months of talks. “We spent months negotiating in good faith. There was no movement. So we faced a choice between facing an uncertain fight or making catastrophic cuts... It’s their policy and their choice... We will resume negotiations (with Blue Cross) anywhere and any time.” On a kinder note to his Blue Cross coun-
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two of them, I called them. On all the others, they called us because their medical models were unsustainable... We wouldn’t have many of those services if they weren’t part of Mission.. We did those partnerships so that we could sustain those services as part of what we do.” A man then said, “I don’t know what the margin of difference between the two of you (Mission and Blue Cross) is. Are you willing to tell us what your margin of difference is?” “We’re not allowed to in the contract, but if Blue Cross” chooses to do so, that is its prerogative, Mission’s Yeatman said. Crist then countered, “I think the issue is the contract. While it’s catchy to say, ‘Forever zero!’ at the end of it, it says that if there’s no new contract, so the old contract remains in place. “I don’t know any of you who are guaranteed raises each year. You’re on a performance-based salary... So with Mission, we have a performance-based contract.” The Blue Cross official then said that “if Mission says, ‘You’re picking on us,’ 43 other hospitals across the state have joined us on this” — and Mission is the only holdout. As for Aetna, Signa and United being health care insurance options for Mission, Crist said they “have been in the contract for a number of years. So come in,” competitors. A man asserted, “First, Mission is buying a building on every street in the city and the county. I have a problem with that. It’s irrelevant when you can’t afford surgery. “When you talk about Mission being cheaper,” that clashes with his observation. “You’re going to force a lot of people from this county to go elsewhere to seek services. You guys (at Mission) have to stand up and
do what’s right. I know you’re way overpriced.” Someone muttered that maybe Asheville needs a second hospital, so that Mission would have to lower its costs to remain competitive. Neither of the speakers responded. Another man said, “Back to the gentleman from Blue Cross (Crist) — does your matrix fairly take into account the payment mix of 70 percent of Medicare and Medicaid” for Mission? “How fair is that matrix system to a system that is so heavily weighted with Medicare and Medicaid?” Crist replied, I can’t answer that question… I’ll say this, in closing, about an editorial” (in the Asheville Citizen-Times) saying that Blue Cross is responsible for Mission Health System’s profit margins... I don’t think we want to accept that responsibility.” A man said, “We, as a business, constrantly get double-digit increases” from Blue Cross. “Where’s the balance?” Crist answered, “About 80 percent of a claim is doctors… and 20 percent is for pharmacies.” The Blue Cross official then noted, “What we’re here today to talk about is ‘Econ 101.’ We could spend a lot of time today talking about cost per unit. Those are all prices. “The average member of Blue Cross uses one prescription per year. While this discussion is about price per unit, how many units get purchased in a health plan also drives your price.” Crist ended the Q&A by noting that, “when you have pent-up demand,” such as when the ACA (aka Obamacare) was passed, then prices jumped and the health care market still has not caught up to the demand.
terpart, Yeatman said, “I appreciate that they have” one of the company’s top officials — Crist — at the CIBO meeting. Despite the Mission-BCBSNC clash, “You don’t have to agree with Mission or Blue Cross. You could turn to the market. As you’ve seen, we’ve recently signed contracts with Aetna and Signa. The market has weighed in and agrees that Mission provides good service at good rates. “We like good partners. Both Signa and Aetna are convinced that their arrangements will make them very competitive in the employer market. They would be more than happy to work with you (the employers who comprise much of CIBO’s membership) on
a new (insurance) agreement” on behalf of their employees. “You should talk to your broker about your options.” Yeatman added, “We also understand these changes are difficult. We are sorry for the impact on you and your businesses. “Mission Health is this community’s asset. The community owns it. For 125 years, Mission has” served Asheville in particular and Western North Carolina in general. “We know we’re talking about your money. We’re local. Our board is local. “Agreeing to Blue Cross’ demonstrably unfair terms will put the hospital in peril,” Yeatman concluded. “We believe they are done negotiating.”
Asheville Daily Planet — September 2017 — A13
A14 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Mumpower
Continued from Page A10 It’s not because truth is fluid. Our capacity for finding and embracing the truth may be flexible, but truth isn’t. We miss it most often because we don’t really want it. The education funding debate provided numerous examples of truth aversion. My favorite was the license a majority of attendees gave themselves to boo or otherwise erupt when they heard something with which they disagreed. Keep in mind this was a formal debate in a public school. The behavior of a significant number of the adult attendees would have gotten them sent to the principal’s office. Truth is like Freddie Kruger – you can hurt it or ignore it, but you can’t kill it. That was tough on some in the audience. Frail, fragile and feeble are the nature of deceptions, lies and distortions. If one has to shout to protect their version of truth, it’s probably one of the latter. Facebook postings echoed throughout the state were also revealing. My statement – absolutely true by the way – “We’re treating our teachers like prostitutes.” – became “GOP debater calls teachers prostitutes!” If one has to take those kinds of liberties to prop up their ersatz version of the truth – well, let’s just say there’s a pirate at the helm.
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Statistics and clear progress on reversing teacher pay realities were also variously ignored, manipulated or attacked. Example – eight years of charted progress under Raleigh’s Republican leadership was dismissed with the claim that we haven’t kept up with inflation. The fact that nobody else has – including about everyone reading this article – was actively disregarded. That in 2016 North Carolina was a top tier state in progress on education funding was similarly sacked. Heck, our progress was even ahead of New York – a state that spends an average of $24,000 per student versus our $8,000. If the dedication is recycling a preferred narrative, truth becomes an inconvenience. That matters for one pivotal reason – without truth, we are not safe. If we’re not safe – nothing works. A classic misunderstanding of love Progressives find solace in fake love. Three standouts – enabling, dependency and lust – look like love in the same way moonshine looks like water. Likewise, they produce temporary happiness that ends in a headache. Enabling finds us attempting to uplift someone without an attachment to the power of realism, choice and responsibility. Enabling is like a burp. It gives an illusion of relief but nothing much happens but noise. Giving a pain pill to a cancer sufferer and claiming a cure is not love. Enablers are admirably resolute in their public defense of the disadvantaged. It’s downhill from there. Throwing fake science, platitudes or other people’s money at people problems have no trackable connection to success – it does give a vanity fix to
the enabler. Nothing marks the fake lover more quickly than an interest in fostering dependency. Fish nets serve the fisherman, not the fish. No matter how much the anti-nature left sells their rescue fantasy, the necessity of personal effort, good choices and accountability will always be central to the course of human experience. The soft relentless messages of nature – not the loud propaganda of human manipulators – tells us so. For good reason lust comes in last on the imposter list. It’s the lowest form of cheap love. The confusion is understandable because lust makes one feel temporary fondness for the object of their affections. For the same reason affinity for a just delivered pizza doesn’t survive the evening, lust, too, loses its flavor. No one reveals the muddle between lust and love better than the LBGTQ fraternity. L-O-V-E is a central part of their marketing campaign. In similarity to a Madison Avenue effort to conceal cigarette cancer connections with glamour, this group works hard to cover a movement arguably much more devoted to pee-pees than hearts. Ask any friend wrestling with gender confusion about the lead attraction in the LBGTQ community. It’s sex, but please don’t take my word or theirs. If you’ve got the courage, take a look at the LBGTQ personals and dating sites. You’ll have to wash your eyes out with soap to flush the imagery. “Grinder’ isn’t DIY link on processing organic flour. Promising free stuff At the heart of the left’s loveless message is a simple equation – the promise of something for nothing. “Free” is a fake four-letter word. It doesn’t realistically exist in nature. What does exist – as evidenced by our affection for lotteries, Hollywood fantasies
and politicians who promise opportunity without accountability – is a widespread hope for rescue from the hardships of life. The left is there to help. Not with real love, but a false promise of something for nothing that never quite seems to happen. Picture a mule behind a dangled carrot. What’s the real deal? If we’ve got the left giving us lessons in all the things that real love isn’t, what is? I’ll keep it simple – love is anything you do for the growth and betterment of others or yourself. The devil is in the details. The demanding nature of this definition starts with the word “do.’”Real love is an action thing above all else. Talking, feeling and thinking are good – but they are not action. That “growth and betterment” clause locks love into a very tight space. If our actions do not uplift character, potentials, behavior, opportunities, etc., then what we’re doing isn’t loving. Real love helps people become better people. To the extent the left has been running America for decades, are we getting better? Fatter, angrier, more selfish, lazier, less moral, and more dependent, perhaps. Better like tires, TVs and computers – not even close. Independent thinkers can’t stop this cultural slide, but they can help slow it down. Every day provides opportunities, like debates, to practice real love even in tough circumstances. That’s OK – heroes are birthed more often amidst friction and fraction than tranquility. Be a hero – love your fellow man, as God tells you, too. Our friends on the left will help by continuing to demonstrate what not to do…. • 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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A16 — September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
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Entertainment & Calendar of Events
Special Section PULLOUT
B1
Asheville Daily Planet — September 2017
REVIEW: Tribute joyfully showcased Motown’s music, moves
By JOHN NORTH
john@ashevilledailyplanet.com
HENDERSONVILLE — The performance of “The Music of Motown Summer Nights” showed that Flat Rock Playhouse has soul — including the iconic spirited call-and-response vocals and silky-smooth group choreography — during an Aug. 12 performance at its downtown Hendersonville venue. All 250 seats were filled for the show that
ran Aug. 3-13. FRP workers noted that all of the performances were sold out except for a couple that were near-sellouts. The show, comprised of two 40-minute sets, started with Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street” and ended with the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” which brought the audience to its feet, begging for an encore. Shortly thereafter, FRP’s tribute group, which never left the stage, delighted the crowd when it cranked up for its one encore — a rousing rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain
High Enough,” immortalized by the late vocal duo, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Despite another thundering standing ovation, the house lights were turned on and the entertainers bowed and left the stage for the night. The talented quartet of vocalists included Dustin Braley, Alfred Jackson, Sha’Leah Stubblefield and Martina Sykes. The band, directed by Wilson J. Moss, who also played keyboard and backup vocals, included Ryan Guerra, guitar and backup vocals; Daniel Iannucci, bass; Andrew Rogel-
Having the time of their lives
berg, keyboard; and Phil Bronson, drums. The production manager was Adam Goodrum, the lighting director was C.J. Barnwell and the sound designer was Kurt Conway. The show was a delight, but it would have been even better if the emcee had shared more about the history of Motown Records and its founder Berry Gordy, and the music’s vitality and historical impact, especially in breaking down barriers between blacks and whites. See MOTOWN, Page B7
Shelley Wright
The saga of a cursed coin
M Daily Planet staff photos
The 8th Annual Dirty Dancing Festival drew large crowds on Aug. 18-19 at Lake Lure. An all-time record of 3,400 people attended the 30th anniversary celebration of the film that was shot — in part — at Lake Lure, organizers said. The turnout topped last year’s attendance by about 1,500. Above left and right are members of the Asheville Ballet Co., who performed some dance routines from the film. Below right is The Mighty Kicks dance band performing, as some dancers (bottom left) kick up their heels on the portable dance floor. The first night’s highlght was an outdoor screening — on a huge outdoor screen — of the classic film that featured Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. The all-day events on Aug. 19 included live dance bands, dirty dancing exhibitions, a shag dance competition, dance lessons, lake lifts, watermelon races.
y friend, Greg Capps, has a friend who lives near Seattle with whom he has sold and traded coins for years. It’s always fun to see what you get in the mail and, in this particular package, his friend had sent him a coin he knew nothing about, but that had cool occult-looking markings. He just threw it in the pile for free. What’s the first thing you do when you get something you don’t know a thing about? You excitedly research it. He did a quick search of a word that was etched into the coin: “Teufeltot.” It was the German word for devil. A quick search for tuefel on coins yielded a cache of scary pictures, but none that looked like the coin in the mail. “From what I remember when I had it in hand, it was a thick brassy planchet that did not match any coin I am familiar with. I always just thought it may have been a blank slug to begin with,” explains Greg. Knowing my friend for around 25 years now, I know he’s not one for drama and is a skeptic when it comes to paranormal phenomena, so when he asked me if I wanted to hear a story about his cursed coin, I jumped at it! For him to make this leap that a coin is cursed based on a string of very bad luck is huge. But so was the bad luck. “I had a bad series of events around 2009-2010,” explains Greg. “The auto market dried up, I ended an eight-year job and my birthmother died.” Still, he carried that coin around in the cup holder of his car for almost a year.
See WRIGHT, Page B7
REVIEW: Andrew Lloyd Webber salute features 2 knockouts
By JOHN NORTH
john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com
FLAT ROCK — The show “The Music of the Night: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber” demonstrated the amazing depth and breadth of Webber’s musical legacy during an Aug. 26 performance on the mainstage at Flat Rock Playhouse.
All 506 seats were filled for the show, which runs through Sept. 3. The FRP previously performed the show in April 2011. There were two stunning performances — on “Superstar” and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” both from the 1970 rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Webber produced the music and Tim Rice wrote the lyrics for the show that now is billed as a “global phenomenon.”
“I Don’t Know How to Love Him” was the first song of the night, following the “Opening Medley” (which served as an overture). Clad in a gorgeous teal gown and singing beautifully — as she strummed an acoustic guitar — was Julie Foldesi. Meanwhile, Jason Wooten was simply smashing in singing — with attitude and a terrific tenor voice — the song “Superstar” in the
role of Judas Iscariot, wherein he asks Jesus a series of questions that go unanswered. Weber, 69, is considered one of the best-ever musical theater composers, having received an Academy Award, four Grammy awards and seven Tony awards. In 2001, The New York Times referred to him as “the most commercially successful composer in history” See WEBBER, Page B7
B2 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
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The Atlanta Pleasure Band will be the featured band at 7 p.m. Sept. 2 at the annual North Carlina Apple Festival on the outdoor stage that will be erected for the gala in front of the historical Henderson County Courthouse on Main Street in downtown Hendersonville.
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Friday, Sept. 1
STATE APPLE FESTIVAL, 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. The annual North Carolina Apple Festival will be held Sept. 1-4. Highlights include freshly picked apples for purchase, arts and crafts, festival food and live bands. The festival draws an average of more than 60,000 people from throughout the Southeast. See separate listings for the nightly highlight band for Sept. 1-3. Other entertainment includes the Ryan Perry Band (Top 40 country music), Liverpool ((all Beatles music), the Super ‘60s Band, as well as cloggers, bluegrass and rock ‘n’ roll bands. Admission to the festival is free. BUDDY K BAND CONCERT/DANCE, 7 p.m., stage in front of historic Henderson County Courthouse, Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. The Buddy K Band will play big-band-era favorites as part of the North Carolina Apple Festival. Many of the attendees dance to the music, while others listen to it. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free. “THE ROARING TWENTIES” VARIETY SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Hendersonville Community Theatre, 229 S. Washington St., downtown Hendersonville. The HCT is performing “The Roaring Twenties” show through Sept. 3. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The show is billed as a “unique immersive theater experience where audience members will enter a Chicago speak-easy during Prohibition. This variety show combines individual ‘acts;’ solos, duets, comedy turns, dance numbers and audience participation. It features classic songs. For tickets, visit hendersonvillecommunitytheatre.org or call 692-1082. CROWDER CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. David Wallace Crowder, known by his mononymous stage name Crowder since 2012, will perform in concert. He is an American Christian folktronica musician. He was the lead singer in the defunct David Crowder Band. For tickets, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com. ROLLING STONES TRIBUTE SHOW, 8 p.m., The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., downtown Asheville. The tribute band — Satisfaction/The International Rolling Stones Show — will showcase what is billed as “the most authentic cast and costuming of its kind” in a salute to the British rock band The Rolling Stones. The band provides a “colorful” performance of 50 years of classic hits. For tickets, which are $10 in advance and $12 on the day of the show, visit www.orangepeel.com ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER TRIBUTE SHOW, 8 p.m., mainstage, Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock. A tribute show, “Music of the Night: The Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber,” will be performed through Sept. 3. Webber is billed by the FRP as
“one of the best musical theater composers of all time.” Among his top hits are “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” “Evita,” “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera.” Showtimes vary. For tickets, visit www. flatrockplayhouse.org. “EVERYTHING IS ROSIE” SHOW, 8 p.m., Playhouse Downtown, 125 N. Main St., downtown Hendersonville. “Everything Is Rosie” is billed as “a loving tribute to the late Rosemary Clooney who had a long career, spanning from pop star fame in the 1950s to jazz recording artist in the 1990s.” In the one-woman show, Wendy Jones (“Smokey Joe’s Cafe”) will tell the compelling story of Clooney, interweaving notable Clooney songs from such composers as George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Duke Ellington. “This is a fun, touching and heartfelt tribute to one of America’s songbook sweethearts,” the FRP noted. Showtimes are 2 and 8 p.m. Sept. 2 and 2 p.m. Sept. 3. For tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org. MOTOWN TRIBUTE CONCERT, 8 p.m., The Foundation Performing Arts Center, Isothermal Community College, Spindale. The Legacy Motown Revue, four talented performers who dance and sing — backed by a six-piece horn band, will pay tribute to legendary icons of Motown. For tickets, visit FoundationShows.org. HANK WILLIAMS JR. CONCERT, 9 p.m., The Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Resort, Cherokee. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. will perform in concert. Among his greatest hits are “Family Tradition,” “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound” and “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight.” For tickets or more information about the concert, visit www.harrahscherokee.com.
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Saturday, Sept. 2
OUTDOOR CONCERT/DANCE, 6-8 p.m., parking lot, Firehouse Subs, 825 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville. The band Deano & the Dreamers will perform hits from the past, as many in the crowd dance. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free. ATLANTA PLEASURE BAND CONCERT/ DANCE, 7 p.m., stage in front of historic Henderson County Courthosue, Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. The Atlanta Pleasure Band will perform the hits of today and yesterday as part of the North Carolina Apple Festival. Many of the attendees dance to the music, while others listen to it. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free. SYMPHONY CONCERT, 7 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, 8 Biltmore Ave., downtown Asheville. The Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra will perform in “The 3 B’s” as part of the 5th Annual World Masterwork Series. The HSO will feature the works of three pianists — Brahms, Bach and Beethoven.
Sunday, Sept. 3
THE TONY HOWARD BAND CONCERT/DANCE, 7 p.m., stage in front of historic Henderson County Courthosue, Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. The Tony Howard Band will perform the hits of today and yesterday as part of the North Carolina Apple Festival. Many of the attendees dance to the music, while others listen to it. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free.
See CALENDAR, Page B3
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Asheville Daily Planet - September 2017 - B3
Darius Rucker (left), former lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, will perform in concert at 9 p.m. Sept 22 in the Event Center at Cherokee Casino Resort at Cherokee.
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Calendar of Events Continued from Page B2
Monday, Sept. 4
KING APPLE PARADE, 2:30 p.m., beginning at Oakland Street off U.S. 64 West, Hendersonville. The annual North Carolina Apple Festival will conclude with the King Apple Parade — professional floats, bands, youth groups, antique cars, firetrucks and many others. The parade follows a route that begins at Five Points just in front of Hendersonville High School’s football stadium, goes down Main Street and ends at Barnwell Street in downtown Hendersonville. Meanwhile, the street festival’s finale will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Hendersonville’s Main Street.
Wednesday, Sept. 6
“FACES OF POVERTY” FILM SCREENING/Q&A, 7-9 p.m., Congregation Beth HaTephila, 43 Liberty St., Asheville. A short film, “Faces of Poverty,” produced by Asheville’s Just Economics, will be screened, followed by a question-and-answer session. The program is part of a statewide “Call for Action for Raising Wages,” starting Labor Day. Two programs will be held locally. See Sept. 17 listing for details on the second program. The event is hosted by Carolina Jews for Justice/West and Just Economics. All are welcome to attend. Admission is free.
Monday, Sept. 11
MOUNTAIN STATE FAIR, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. WNC Agricultural Center, 775 Boylston Hwy., Fletcher. The annual Mountain State Fair will run Sept. 11-16. The fair celebrates the people, agriculture, art and tradition that make the region exceptional. Its mission is to create unique experiences at an exceptional value in a safe, clean environment that is accessible to all. Gate admission is $9 for adults — and $5 for children and senior citizens. Admission is free for children ages 5 and younger.
Tuesday, Sept. 12
DAVID BROOKS SPEECH, 7 p.m., Kimmel Arena, UNC Ashevllle. David Brooks will give the keynote address for UNCA’s Founders Day. He is billed as a leading conservative analyst of American culture and politics. Brooks writes biweekly columns for The New York Times and provides analysis on various television and radio issues’ discussion shows. Doors open at 6 p.m. Neither backpacks, nor outside food and drinks, will be permitted, as per security protocol. Also, all bags will be checked at the door. For advance tickets, which are free but limited to the 3,200 seats available, visit events. unca.edu. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 14
MICHAEL BOLTON CONCERT, 7:30 pm., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. Michael Bolton will perform in concert. Bolton, the multiple Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and social activist, has sold
TO REPORT AN ERROR
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more than 65 million albums and singles worldwide. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1679. BILL ENGVALL COMEDY PERFORMANCE, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Comedian Bill Engvall will perform. For tickets, which are $46, $53 and $60, visit www. greatmountainmusic.com.
Friday, Sept. 15
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION, 11:30 a.m., Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 W. State St., Black Mountain. The SVM&HC Book Club will meet to discuss Richard D. Starnes’ 2010 book, “Creating the Land of the Sky: Tourism and Society in WNC.” All are welcome to attend. Admission is free. DOWNTOWN AFTER 5 CONCERT, 5-9 p.m., North Lexington Avenue (near the I-240 overpass, downtown Asheville. The DA5 summer outdoor concert series finale will feature — at 7 p.m. — the headliner, Billy Strings & Special Guests, a highenergy bluegrass band. Opening at 5 p.m. will be Whiskey Shivers, which plays bluegrass-fueled America with a punk-rock energy. Admission is free. AMADEUS PRODUCTION, 8 p.m., mainstage, Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock. “Amadeus” will be performed through Sept. 30. Showtimes vary. For tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org. KRUGER BROTHERS CONCERT, 8 p.m., Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon. The Kruger Brothers will perform a concert of songs billed as “classical/Americana fusion.” For tickets, call the box office or visit 859-8322 or visit tryonarts.org. MOVIES IN THE PARK, dusk, Pack Square Park, downtown Asheville.The film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” will be shown in the season finale of the Movies in the Park summer series. Attendees are urged to bring blankets and/or lawnchairs. Admission is free.
Saturday, Sept. 16
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. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs. Admission is free. AIR SUPPLY CONCERT, 7:30 pm., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The band Air Supply will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1679. DOOBIE BROTHERS CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., The Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, Cherokee. The Doobie Brothers, a rock band from San Jose, Calif., will perform in concert. The group has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide throughout its career. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.
Wednesday, Sept. 20
“KING MACKEREL” PLAY, 7:30 p.m., N.C. Stage Co., 15 Stage Lane, downtown Asehville. The production “King Mackerel and the Blues Are Running” will be staged Sept. 20-Oct. 8. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. For tickets, visit ncstage.org or call 239-0263.
See CALENDAR, Page B6
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B4 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Asheville Daily Planet - September 2017 - B5
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B6 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet
Calendar
Saturday, Oct. 7
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.
Continued from Page B3
Thursday, Sept. 21
RHYTHM & BREWS CONCERT, 7-9 p.m., Main Street (between Caswell and Allen streets), downtown Hendersonville. For its season finale, the summer Rhythm & Brews outdoor concert series will headline the band Back-Up Planet, a progressive funk-rock band based out of Nashville, Tenn. In addition to 1970s rock and funk, the band plays high-energy improv, a touch of pop and a sliver of metal. Earlier, from 5 to 7 p.m., local singers-songwriters and opening acts will perform. The event also will showcase local brews. Admission is free. THE FOUR TOPS CONCERT, 7:30 pm., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The iconic Motown band The Four Tops will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www. npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1679.
Friday, Sept. 22
DARIUS RUCKER CONCERT, 9 p.m., The Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Cherokee. Darius Rucker, former lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, will perform as part of his 20th anniversary concert series. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000.
Saturday, Sept. 23
TREVOR NOAH CONCERT, 7 p.m., Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, U.S. Cellular Center, downtown Asheville. Trevor Noah will perform in concert. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, call (800) 745-3000 or visit the U.S. Cellular Center Box Office. CONCERTS IN THE PARK, 7-9 p.m., Cecil Park, (in front of Hickory Tavern and Brixx Wood Fired Pizza), Biltmore Park Town Square, South Asheville. The dance band Tuxedo Junction will perform hits from the past in an outdoor concert. Admission is free. THE SUFFERS CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., The Foundation Performing Arts Center, Isothermal Community College, Spindale The award-winning band The Suffers will bring what is billed as “a fresh approach” to what they have coined “Gulf Coast Soul” — and sometimes “Third Coast Soul.” The award-winning 10-piece ensemble from Houston, Texas, are aiming “to shake up the notion that they’re another soul revival band. For ticket, which are $20, $25 and $30, visit www.FoundationShows.org or call 286-9990.
Sunday, Sept. 24
CARIBBEAN COWBOYS CONCERT/DANCE, 5-8 p.m., rooftop stage, Aloft hotel, downtown Asheville. The third in a series of benefit concerts will feature a performance by the band The Caribbean Cowboys. Attendees may dance — or just listen — to the music. Proceeds will benefit the Asheville Area Arts Council. A donation of $5 per person is suggested.
Monday, Sept. 25
FATHER JOHN MISTY CONCERT, 8 p.m., U.S.
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.
Saturday, Oct. 21 Wikipedia photo
Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Cellular Center, downtown Asheville. Popular indie-rock musician Joshua Tillman (aka Father John Misty) will perform in concert. Tickets, which range from $25.50 to $45.50, are available by visiting Ticketmaster.com, calling (800) 745-3000 or visiting the U.S. Cellular Center Box Office.
Thursday, Sept. 28
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FORUM/RECEPTION, 7 p.m., Sherrill Center, Kimmel Arena, UNC Asheville. Award-winning author Matthew Desmond will speak at an affordable housing forum. Desmond, author of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winner, “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” will be this year’s keynote speaker at Pisgah Legal Service’s seventh annual Poverty Forum. Desmond, a sociology professor at Princeton University, “argues that a loss of housing isn’t merely a symptom but is a direct cause of poverty,” a news release noted. A cocktail reception will precede the forum at 5:30 p.m. For tickets, which are $50 per person for the reception and forum, and $15 per person for the forum only, contact Betsy Ellis at Pisgah Legal Services at 210-3444. LIONEL RICHIE/DIANA ROSS TRIBUTE SHOW, 7:30 p.m., downtown venue of Flat Rock Playhouse, downtown Hendersonville. A tribute show, “The Music of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross,” will be presented Sept. 28-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.
Friday, Sept. 29
SIMON & GARFUNKEL TRIBUTE CONCERT, 7:30 pm., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The band The Simon & Garfunkel Story will perform the duo’s hits in concert. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1679.
Saturday, Sept. 30
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7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn will perform in concert. Fleck is a 16time Grammy Award-winning banjoist. Washburn, who is married to Fleck, is a clawhammer banjo player and singer. For tickets, which are $46, $53 and $60, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com. THE BAND PERRY CONCERT, 7:30 pm., Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Greeneville, Tenn. The Band Perry will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.npacgreeneville.com, or call (423) 638-1679.
Friday, Oct. 6
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.
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.
Thursday, Oct. 26
“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.
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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.
Motown
Continued from Page B1 Another aspect of the show that was much-missed by this critic was the absence of horns. You can’t really have classic Motown music without the horns. I wish the FRP had sprung for some folks wailing away on saxophones and trumpets. Still, the crowd did not seem troubled by the missing horns. Besides providing a terrific show, it was a nice touch by the Playhouse to project classic photos of the Motown greats onto the backdrop behind the stage, while their songs were being performed. After “Dancing in the Street,” some of the first-set highlight songs include Marvin Gay’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” The Supremes’ “Baby Love,” Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She
Lovely?” Mary Wells’ “My Guy” and The Temptations’ “My Girl.” The second set opened with the Jackson 5’s “ABC,” with other highlights including The Supremes’ “Stop! in the Name of Love,” Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” Martha & the Vandellas’ “Heat Wave,” The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” and The Four Tops’ “Reach Out (I’ll Be There).” A highlight included a woman from the crowd (although it was surely rehearsed) racing out to dance with lead vocalist Jackson to “Only the Lonely.” The woman played the pursuer with some hot, sexy moves, while Jackson, to much comic effect, tried to run the other way. Perhaps one of the top musical — and visual efforts — of the show occurred during “Reach Out (I’ll Be There),” where all four singers, led by Brakey, were so revved up and “into’” the song, one could visualize them rocketing into outer space.
Photos courtesy of FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE
Among the featured vocalists in “Music of the Night” are (from left) Julie Foldesi, Guy Lemonnier and Lindsay O’Neil.
Webber
Continued from Page B1 Besides “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Webber has written the music for nearly a dozen Broadway mega-hits including “Starlight Express,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “Evita” and most recently, “School of Rock.” The FRP noted in a promotion that, “with a career that has spanned over half a century, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s work has defined a musical theater generation.” The show’s format is a one-hour first set, a 15-minute intermission and a 45-minute second set. In addition to the top-notch performances of “Superstar” and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” the show’s dazzling numbers include “The Music of the Night,” “Variations” (an instrumental) and “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” The four featured vocalists include Julie Foldesi, Guy Lemonnier (an original member of Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Lindsey O’Neil and Jason Wooten. “The Music of the Night” also includes the backup singing efforts of the 33-member Flat Rock Chorus, whose vocal director is Diane David. The show was directed by Matthew Glover. Other contributors included Adam Goodrum, production manager, Lenora Thom, music director; Amelia Driscall, stage manager; C.J. Hartwell, lighting designer; Ashli Arnold Crump, costume designer; Kurt Conway, sound designer; and Paul Feraldi, props master. Besides leading the band, Thom also played — with obvious gusto — keyboard, along with Mariya Potapova, violin; Jim Anthony, reeds; David Gaines, keyboard; Bill Altman, guitar; Ryan Guerra, bass; and Paul Babelay, drums. Following “Opening Melody” and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” the first set included “Oh, What a Circus” / Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” “Phantom of the Opera / All I Ask of You,” “Starlight Express” / ”I Believe in My Heart” / ”No Matter What,”
Wright
Asheville Daily Planet - September 2017 - B7
candelabra, a crown with a cross through it, the No. 3, the word “Teufeltot” inscribed around the top edge and some other picture I couldn’t quite make out. Continued from Page B1 It looked like someone had hand-tooled I am well-versed in coinage, as this is the their own coin to bind something to it in family business and I have spent the past order to get it to do the artist’s bidding. The 14 years actively working in it. fact that “teufel” means devil does not lead Greg has also spent the better part of his life around coins, too, both as a collector and me to believe someone wanted the edge in playing the ponies or that this had anything working in various coin shops. That being to do with money at all. said, I often wondered if one day, I would I asked Greg if he felt any different or come upon a coin that gave me bad vibes. acted any differently during After all, we’ve had other the time he owned the coin. occult items come into the He reported that he didn’t coin shop before and nothing feel any different, but “I bad happened. I have “gotremember feeling relief when I ten things” off of objects I’ve threw it in the river, the Swantouched before and it’s usually nanoa river to be specific....in far from pleasant. Oteen [North Carolina] near In fact, all of my friends know Exit 55.” not to ask me to go antiquing He reports that soon after with them for this very reason. that, the string of bad luck Antiques tend to hold a record Donated photo stopped and life got back to of the sum of either good or bad A cursed coin? normal pretty quickly. events surrounding them. I asked him if he ever told At best, they give off a certain “heavihis friend what happened. “I never told the ness.” There’s even a name for touching an item and getting information or impressions guy since he threw it in on a trade we did for free. In other words, it was a gift and I off of it. It’s called psychometry. You can didn’t want to seem unappreciative.” get feelings, words or even pictures. I’ve So, next time you come across something gotten all three. With the millions of coins old and storied, remember that just because that flowed into the coin shop over the you don’t believe in curses doesn’t mean years, you would think we’d come across they don’t believe in you. something hinkey. We did have a jewel• encrusted gold box one time that gave us Shelley Wright, an Asheville native, nothing but grief, but that’s another story... is a paranormal investigator. She owns It’s not like this mysterious coin was and runs Nevermore Mystical Arts shop part of a shipwreck. It wasn’t buried with and works at Wright’s Coin Shop, both a ghost guarding it or a curse attached to it in Asheville. Wright also is a weekly the way you see it in the Mummy movies. participant in the “Speaking of Strange” It was a round object that looked for all radio show from 9 p.m. to midnight on the world like something a human being most Saturdays on Asheville’s WWNChad carved. It had weird symbols like a AM (570).
Dance with poise and confidence on that special day!
Jason Wooten sings the lead to “Superstar,” as Lindsey O’Neil provides backup vocals. “Pie Jesu,” “Variations,” “Music of the Night” and “And the Music Kept Rolling In.” The second set opened with “The Vaults of Heaven,” followed by “Tell Me on a Sunday”/”Take That Look Off Your Face,” “It’s Easy for You”/”Cold,” “As If We Never Said Goodbye”/”Sunset Boulevard,” “Whislte Down the Wind,” “Memory” and “Superstar.” The tribute performance closed with a yet-to-be officially released song — “Till I Hear You Sing” — from an upcoming Webber show. The crowd responded with a sustained standing ovation.
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B8 - September 2017 - Asheville Daily Planet