Mountain Xpress 01.05.22

OU R 28TH Y E A R OF W E E K LY I N DE PE N DE N T N E W S, A RTS & E V E N TS FOR W E STE R N NORTH CA ROL I NA VOL . 28 NO. 23 JA N. 5 -11, 2022

C O NT E NT S

FEATURES

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2021 ran Western North Carolina a bit ragged, so it’s time to catch a breather with our annual Humor Issue. You’ll find wacky predictions for the coming year, a full spread of local cartoons, a take on Ashevillearea dating and much more.

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6 DROP BY DROP Weaverville reconsiders water treatment expansion plan

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OPINION

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.

field guide

Asheville to

Why destroy homeless camp?

“People who are homeless are not social inadequates. They are people without homes.” — Sheila M. In early December, I watched as the encampment behind the Haywood Street church was destroyed by the DOT. This was a camp that grew from one tent to a small group of 15-20 tents. I had spent some time talking to the people living there and was always met with stories and kindness. I had heard a minister had called to complain about garbage, fires and fights. What minister would call to get a camp dismembered when they have nowhere to go?

The camp seemed more like a family in the making. The people I met were just trying to survive. In 20-degree weather. They were grateful, respectful, hopeful and kind. I am sure there were some fights, some people struggling with drugs, but I also know they were living close to people who cared deeply for them.

For their futures, for their health.

People providing food, warm clothing, counseling and hope.

Our neighborhoods have brought me tons of blankets, clothing, toiletries and whatever the church had stated they needed. One person filled my porch with brand-new jeans when the church stated it needed smaller men’s sizes to fit the homeless youths. But the fact is, these people will never have a chance without help, a place to live and kindness.

I want to clarify that it was not the Haywood Street minister who called and reported the camp. It would be nice to know what minister called and what Bible he/she reads.

The Haywood Street Congregation had been working with, feeding and counseling the people at the camp.

The camp was not surrounded by neighborhoods but by the expressway. The people in the camp were supporting each other the best they could. The camp provided some safety and access to food, clothing and health needs. So, now where do they go — and who cares? They are still homeless; they still need help; they still need a place to set up camp, a place to try to survive the winter.

Call the DOT and ask why and where it had planned to help them go so they could be safe, warm and not upset commerce and tourists. This was a perfect place for them, from my point of view. It provided some safety, friendship and was close to help. Whatever problems the camp had were minor compared to being constantly uprooted, sent away to wherever away is.

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C A RT O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N It is easy to forget what we do not see. It is not easy to see people’s meager belongings being bulldozed and put in a dumpster. Faith requires risk, and this camp seemed to provide a place, a home. When I drove by the camp, it seemed like the wings of the church. An angel in the making. So, keep bringing coats, underwear, blankets, sleeping bags, tents and dog food to my porch at 197 Cumberland Ave. in Montford.

If you are inclined, call the DOT. It should be noted here that the police were great, kind and respectful to the people and that there were other organizations trying to help.

“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.”

— Mother Teresa — Lisa Morphew Asheville

Why should tax dollars support homeless?

The homeless are a menace in Asheville as they are everywhere in the USA. They have a sense of entitlement and arrogance, and the civic authorities everywhere pander to them. They refuse to work and build a life for themselves like most people.

I have seen some of them with iPhones, iPads and other devices plugged into the nearby power socket, while smoking away and generally

creating a nuisance all around. They are unhygienic and stink.

I do not see why my tax dollars should be used to continue to support this toxic way of living.

— Pradeep Darooka Arden

Vindicated that idiotic kitchen ban lifted Gotta say I am gratified, astonished, aggravated, annoyed and vindicated that Asheville City Council has much belatedly arrived at a policy I was fighting for 13 years ago (on Council) — the sensible idea that those property owners legally operating short-term rentals should be allowed to have full kitchens in their units [“Council OKs Ramada Proposal Despite Transparency Concerns,” Dec. 22, Xpress].

The money squandered by the city attempting to enforce the “no kitchen” law with annual and sometimes “surprise” inspections, the fines imposed on the operators who were occasionally caught, the expense imposed on those who complied with the law (reconfiguring kitchen spaces), the anger engendered by those of us who reported noncompliant hosts who were never investigated or penalized — all of that, since 2018, is attributable to my former (and some continuing) Council members who voted for the idiotic ban on kitchen ranges in the first place.

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

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What a totally moronic waste of tax dollars and what an amazing example of bureaucratic stupidity.

The city has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars encouraging snitches and paying a commercial firm to comb the web for violators, while, at the same time, failing to shut down operators (even in my neighborhood) in blatant violation of the law.

But, hey, “I told you so” only goes so far. I will be voting against (again) any remaining Council member who voted for the 2018 “Home, Home With No Range” rule in this year’s election.

— Cecil Bothwell Asheville

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OPINION

I was dismayed at the recent pronouncements by Sen. Chuck Edwards that were included in the Mountain Xpress [“WNC’s State Lawmakers Reflect Amid Electoral Uncertainty,” Dec. 15; and “Green in Brief: State Budget Brings Millions in Environmental Funding to WNC,” Dec. 8].

First, he noted that the maps drawn for North Carolina followed previous court orders. That in no way should imply that the maps were drawn fairly. Two reputable nonpartisan organizations — the Princeton Gerrymandering Project and FiveThirtyEight — concluded that the maps drawn gave a significant advantage to the Republican majority. In fact, the former went so far as to grade all the maps that were approved — U.S. Congressional, N.C. Senate and N.C. House — as an F. There were other maps drawn that were graded significantly higher, but none of those were considered by the N.C. General Assembly.

Second, Sen. Edwards stated he was thrilled he could “partner with Rep. [Tim] Moffitt [R-Henderson] and Rep. [Jake] Johnson [R-Henderson] to ensure our WNC voice was heard loud and clear” in helping to create the North Carolina budget. Those are not the voices of all in WNC. Buncombe County has four members to the N.C. General Assembly who are Democrats, and while some of them eventually voted to approve the budget, it was not an easy decision. Why were they not referenced by Sen. Edwards?

This North Carolina budget omitted several important items, such as Medicaid expansion and funding public education at the level needed to align with the Leandro court decision.

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If North Carolina is going to move forward, all of the state should be included. That does not appear to be the case with the present leadership in the N.C. General Assembly.

— Ron Katz Asheville

Let City Council know concerns about green space reduction Thank you, Mountain Xpress, for Perrin de Jong’s informative commentary on Dec. 8 [“Pavement or Paradise? Asheville’s Future Is Yours to Decide”]. Remember “Big Yellow Taxi” where the refrain goes, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. … Paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” What about the trees? “Put ’em in a tree museum. … charged the people a dollar and a half just to see ’em.”

Is there going to be a sellout by City Council on Feb. 8? Not if the seven of them keep their pledges made to the whole of us and remember their own resolutions.

None of them are going to take anything like the money some other passin’ folks are going make at Asheville humanity’s expense if this amendment passes. And shorten this civilization’s life span.

Perrin revealed the cryptically named “open space amendment,” which will effectively reduce open space requirements in Asheville construction. There are further effects such as reduction of our oxygen and H2O. There is a wonderful and direct relationship among soil health, green plants and us humans (and all mammals). In

simplest terms, it’s called life. Let City Council not ignore another relationship — between absorption of carbon from the air and the production of oxygen. It’s also called life. (Oh, I had teachers who called it photosynthesis.)

What part of trees and green space, versus impermeable surfaces where water runoff adds to the waste stream of everyday city life, do we dare ignore further?

Replacement of tree cover prevents absorption of water into the soil and hence diminishes the aquifer.

More of these hardscapes (buildings, asphalt, et al.) causes rising (yes, still rising) temperatures. Will City Council choose to ignore this, instead reinforcing a battle-Mother-Nature mentality?

There is so much wrong with this reduction in green space that I am in horror that it is even being entertained here in Asheville.

Considering City Council’s climate-change resilience pledge, just where does their resolution lie?

There should be a 7-0 vote in City Council in defeating this amendment. So, if you are sad and worried about the future of our air, water and health, then contact your City Council at AshevilleNCCouncil@ ashevillenc.gov and let them hear you.

— Lawrence Williamson Asheville

I want a divorce, too I live in NC-11, and I also want a divorce from Madison Cawthorn!

— David Bloom Swannanoa

C AR T O O N B Y IRE N E O L D S

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

The importance of family Family is the most fundamental part and piece of society. Strong families are the bedrock base of many communities, churches and neighborhoods all across America and the world. Family members who are close to each other could sustain themselves through trying times and hardship, and make them strong people.

My parents, Tommie and Janice Hawkins, will celebrate their 64th anniversary on Monday, Jan. 17.

Through the years, as my brother Tommie has said, they both have been “devastating people” who would always come to the rescue and encourage all of us. My mother, Janice, through the years worked as an insurance agent and social worker, and my father while I was growing up worked as a janitor in the family business. My parents taught all us seven children a good work ethic, and this also was instilled in my older siblings’ children as well.

My sisters Janice Lee and Shirley at our family gatherings would tell our father, ‘“Get off the floor, Pop Pop!” Because Mama and Pop would always love to sing and dance when we were out of town, and our

mother Janice was always a beautiful singer at our family parties.

North Carolina and South Carolina have been a region through the years that has championed family values. The great leaders of our region have said you should “put children first and put families first.” And North Carolina has been a beautiful place to visit on weekend getaways with my family, and South Carolina has been a great home where my family has lived and worked during our long, eventful and happy lives here.

I want to celebrate my parents’ 64th anniversary. I want to thank them for always being good people who never changed, and I’m glad they taught us to be good people like them as well. And on their next anniversary, I want to thank them for being still around here with us.

— Steven Hawkins Greenville, S.C.

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NEWS

Drop by drop

Weaverville reconsiders water treatment expansion plan

BY SARA MURPHY hello@saramurphyphd.com Though they’ve been neighbors for years, James Heinl and Sarah Bivins tend to meet face to face only at local events. That’s because they live across from each other on the Ivy River: Heinl, a general contractor, built his Buncombe County home in 2017, whereas Bivins’ Laughing River Farm (est. 2013) is in Madison County. The river, which measures at most 35 feet across between their properties, serves as the boundary.

Heinl and Bivins share another neighbor just upriver: the Lawrence T. Sprinkle Jr. Water Treatment Facility, which provides about half of the more than 4,500 residents of the town of Weaverville and over 1,000 customers beyond town limits with clean drinking water. In operation since 1996, the plant can draw a maximum of 1.5 million gallons of water per day from the Ivy — an amount that would fill over 37,000 bathtubs and weigh over 6,250 tons.

Both Bivins and Heinl have noted dips in the river’s flow over the last couple of years. “In the summertime, we go tubing,” Bivins says. “But lately, it’s like there’s not enough water in the river, so you have to get out and carry yourself over rocks.”

So when Bivins told Heinl in August that Weaverville Town Council was considering expanding the plant to a capacity of 3 million GPD, he immediately became concerned.

Heinl read all he could about the expansion, including a 2017 engineering report that estimated the project would cost $7 million. He started the nonprofit Save Ivy River to advocate for alternative ways of increasing the town’s water capacity. And he was in the audience at the Weaverville Town Council Oct. 12, when Asheville engineering firm WithersRavenel delivered an updated cost estimate: approximately $13 million, almost double the 2017 quote.

“If they’d come back with a 30% increase [in cost], I think it would have passed that night,” Weaverville Council member Andrew Nagle says. Instead, the council decided to take a step back. Nagle, Vice Mayor Jeff McKenna and Council member John Chase have formed a committee to review WithersRavenel’s figures, hear the concerns raised by Save Ivy River and provide the full council with an updated assessment of the need for expansion.

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

HOUSE IN THE WOODS: The pump house for Weaverville’s water treatment plant is authorized to draw up to 1.5 million gallons of water per day from the Ivy River. Photo by Sara Murphy There are many current and future stakeholders to consider: the plant’s customers, who will bear the costs of the expansion if it goes ahead; rural Buncombe County residents, who depend on the plant for clean water; prospective Madison County residents, who may need water in the future; people who enjoy the Ivy River recreationally; and plants and animals that call the Ivy home.

“We’ve got to be really good stewards of the resources,” says McKenna. “[Water] is a finite resource.”

NUMBERS GAMES

Weaverville Water Superintendent Trent Duncan estimates that the plant’s customers currently use between 630,000 and 650,000 GPD, or 47%-48% of available capacity.

However, when both undeveloped land that has been approved for water hookups and the 200,000 GPD allocated to Mars Hill for emergency use are included in the calculations, the plant’s official capacity jumps to around 70%. State guidelines require public water systems to begin planning for expansion when they reach

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80% of capacity and begin building at 90%.

When Town Council members first heard these numbers around 2016, Nagle recalls, they panicked slightly.

Six years on, however, he says a better understanding of the data on which that requirement is based has led him to a different conclusion. “I don’t think there’s this panic emergency anymore,” he says.

That change in perspective is largely due to concerns about the appropriateness of state guidelines.

The state’s daily flow requirements for buildings, for instance, were set in 1994, when most toilets and shower fixtures did not adhere to current federally mandated low-flow standards.

North Carolina requires 400 GPD per residential household, even though its residents used an estimated 70 GPD per person, or about 180 GPD per household, as of 2015 according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

“Anything from that distance back to today’s current time needs to be reevaluated,” suggests state Rep. Mark Pless. The Republican’s district includes Madison County, where the town of Marshall may need the Ivy River as a future water source given potential contamination prob-

lems with its well system. He plans to speak with the state Department of Environmental Quality about reviewing its guidelines soon.

Nagle also questions the need to include some of the water allocations currently factored in by state regulations. Mars Hill, for instance, has never dipped into the emergency reserves Weaverville is required to keep available. “​​Why are we counting that?” he asks. “That’s ridiculous.”

Nevertheless, Duncan points out, he must use current guidelines when planning for the plant. And expansion projects don’t happen overnight.

“From the time you start looking at it, getting funding and doing the permitting, to breaking ground and then running a drop of water through your new system, it’s about a five-year process,” he says. That’s if everything goes smoothly.

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

Meanwhile, Heinl objects to a different number: the claim, made

by WithersRavenel in October, that the river’s mean gauge height would decrease by less than an inch by

2075 if the plant expanded to 3 million GPD. To get that figure, WithersRavenel used data from a USGS measurement site located 8.7 miles downstream from the plant and its pump house. But because multiple streams flow into the Ivy between the pump house and the USGS site, Heinl argues, this data likely overstates the robustness of the river at the point where the pump house draws water.

He conducted his own depth and flow measurements of these streams and estimates the actual flow at the pump house is about 85% of the USGS estimate.

“If an expert went out there and did a stream gauge, they might find it a little less or a little more,” Heinl acknowledges. That’s why he hopes that the town will conduct flow tests right at the pump house; Pless says he’s also pushing for another study to give Weaverville the most accurate data. “The town should be interested in an updated flow study that models future conditions because it could also become a supply issue for them,” says Mariah Hughes of the nonprofit Ivy River Partners, which focuses on improving water quality.

She notes that the state of the Ivy has changed significantly since the DEQ first issued its permit, which estimated that 4 million GPD could be withdrawn without environmental harm, in the 1990s.

Unique species like the Eastern hellbender salamander live in the Ivy, and the suitability of their environments depends on the river’s flow.

However, it’s unclear how much the Ivy has changed since the original permit was issued, especially around the plant.

To that end, Ivy River Partners has commissioned an aquatic biologist to conduct studies of insect populations, which are particularly sensitive to environmental changes, to establish a baseline of the river’s health. “This will give us a tool to monitor future impacts to the Ivy, including from droughts, changes in land use and increased water usage,” Hughes says.

have alternatives” to drawing more water from the Ivy, he says, such as retrofitting outdated fixtures and purchasing water from Asheville. “In 50 years, we may not.”

For Duncan, expansion is about ensuring future residents don’t have to worry about access to clean water.

“You wouldn’t want to put your family on a plane that’s half full of fuel, knowing that it can’t make it to this destination,” he says. He also stresses that expansion to 3 million GPD doesn’t mean withdrawing that amount anytime soon.

“I want to see the whole picture and try to go in a pace with everybody’s interests … taken into consideration,” says Pless. “We have to share this world, so I guess the best way to do it is to make sure that we play well with each other.”

As the new year continues, Weaverville Council members will consider all of the numbers carefully and take as much as time as necessary to make a well-informed decision. “We’ve agreed to … give [the] Save the Ivy River folks equal time to WithersRavenel,” Nagle says.

“I think it’s always good to hear both sides, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle,” he adds. X

FOR THE FUTURE

While Heinl, Duncan, Pless and others may hold different views about the plant’s need to expand, they all share a concern for future residents of Weaverville, north Buncombe and Madison counties who will depend on the Ivy for clean water, scenic beauty and recreation.

“It’s about 50, 60, 70 years from now,” Heinl says. “Right now, we

ON THE LEVEL: James Heinl, whose dock house is pictured, is concerned that further withdraws from the Ivy River could lower its level, impacting both wildlife and recreational use. Photo by Sara Murphy MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

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N EWS

BUNCOMBE BEAT

N.C. House vacancies pave way for new faces in 2022 It started on Nov. 29, when Rep. Susan Fisher announced on the floor of the N.C. House that she would step down as District 114’s representative.

Just hours later, Rep. Brian Turner announced he would not seek reelection to a fifth term for House District 116.

And Dec. 3, Rep. John Ager announced that he, too, would not seek reelection in District 115, after first winning the House seat in 2015.

All three of the multiterm Democrats representing Buncombe County in the N.C. House had thus bowed out of the 2022 election cycle. Jeff Rose, chair of the Buncombe County Democratic Party, described the string of announcements in a Dec. 5 statement to fellow party members as “a tough week if you’re a Buncombe Democrat.”

“It’s sad for us. Collectively, the folks we’re losing have had many decades of experience serving in the legislature,” Rose tells Xpress.

At the same time, he continues, the vacancies will create opportunities for new faces within the party.

REASONS FOR LEAVIN’

The three representatives offer a range of reasons for stepping down, including a demanding legislative schedule and newly drawn district lines.

Fisher, who has served in the N.C. General Assembly since 2004, called her decision “difficult and in many ways, sad” in a Nov. 30 press release but said she planned to spend more time in Asheville and with her family who live abroad.

She did not respond to multiple requests for further comment.

In a press release, Turner cited the increasing length and unpredictability of the legislative session as the primary reasons for his decision. Although the General Assembly is supposed to wrap up its main session at the end of June, coinciding with the end of the state’s fiscal year, recent years have seen lawmakers work well into the fall. (The annual pay for state legislators, just under $14,000, has not increased since 1995.)

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

OUT OF OFFICE: From left, multiterm Democratic Reps. Brian Turner, John Ager and Susan Fisher announced their retirements within days of each of other, clearing the way for entirely new Buncombe County representation at the state House level. Photos courtesy of those pictured Speaking with Xpress, Turner adds that, while the newly drawn districts appear to resemble those of maps deemed unconstitutional gerrymanders in 2011 and in 2016, the lines weren’t a factor in choosing not to run.

“For the most part, the district remains pretty similar to what it was that I won 2014 through 2018,” Turner says. “At the end of the day, the new map didn’t really factor into my decision because it’s very similar to the district I had won three times already.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Ager wrote in a statement released Dec. 3 that he was ready for a new generation of lawmakers to tackle the issues facing Western North Carolina. In a Dec. 16 email to Xpress, Ager also noted that the redistricting process had played a role in his decision.

He cited an early version of the maps that would have shifted District 115 to become more competitive for Republicans, saying he would have run to keep the seat under those lines. “But I really wanted someone with fresh eyes to represent my constituents, and four terms are enough,” he said.

UP NEXT

Fisher’s retirement will be effective Monday, Jan. 31. Rose says local Democratic leaders are already preparing to fill the District 114 vacancy.

On Thursday, Jan. 6, the party will hold an election for the seat at its headquarters, 951 Old Fairview Road in Asheville, at 7 p.m. Roughly 80 members of the party’s Executive Committee, composed of members

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who reside in District 114 based on the 2020 district map, may nominate a candidate and cast a ballot.

The candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote will be formally appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper Tuesday, Feb. 1, and will serve out the remainder of the 2020-22 term.

So far, Rose says that only Leicester resident and former Buncombe County Board of Commissioners candidate Taylon Breeden has announced her candidacy for the seat, but he is expecting more party members to vie for the role. “There’s a few other people I know who are very strongly considering it; I just don’t want to get ahead of any of their announcements,” he says.

In District 115, Eric Ager, a retired Navy commander and the eldest son of John Ager, announced his candidacy in a Dec. 6 press release. The junior Ager has listed mental health care, housing, cybersecurity, environmental protection and public education among his priorities.

And in District 116, educator Lindsey Prather has thrown her hat into the ring — a move endorsed by Turner, for whom she has served as a campaign worker.

“I think she is uniquely positioned to talk about the kitchen table issues that the folks of 116 are really concerned about,” he says.

“I think she stands a good chance of running and winning.”

— Brooke Randle X

New districts challenged; election filing halted Redistricting, or the redrawing of the boundaries for races in the U.S. House and state General Assembly, occurs every 10 years. State lawmakers must use census data to shape districts that contain a roughly equal number of voters, but they otherwise have considerable leeway in drawing the maps. As has occurred in past election cycles, the districts developed by the Republican-majority legislature have incurred legal challenges that are complicating North Carolina’s elections.

The N.C. League of Conservation Voters and other voting groups brought a lawsuit challenging the maps and claiming that they have been gerrymandered to benefit Republican candidates. On Dec. 8, the N.C. Supreme Court suspended candidate filing for all offices for the 2022 primary election and ordered the N.C. Court of Appeals to issue a decision on the new maps by Tuesday, Jan. 11. The Supreme Court also pushed the date of the primary back more than two months, from Tuesday, March 8 to Tuesday, May 17.

Rose notes that the court’s decision on the districts will also impact the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners because the districts are tied to the state House. That arrangement, unique in North Carolina, was established in 2012 at the behest of Republican Rep. Tim Moffitt, who now represents Henderson County.

While lawmakers must take state House incumbency into consideration when redrawing district maps, they do not need to consider county commissioner incumbency. As the lines now stand, Buncombe’s District 2 was redrawn by the state to include no current county commissioners; Democratic Commissioners Al Whitesides and Amanda Edwards, who represent current Districts 1 and 2, respectively, were drawn into District 1 and would therefore run against each other after serving their current terms. X

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

9

FEATURES

Q&A with Robert Bennett of Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia The COVID-19 pandemic shook up life for Robert Bennett when his job as a mechanical engineer disappeared — not that he was mad about it.

“I didn’t like engineering; I just fell back on my degree,” the UNC Charlotte graduate recalls. Instead, he seized the opportunity to turn his gig hosting Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia, which he had done since 2018, into a full-time job.

“I was doing trivia just as a hobby, a fun side job to have,” Bennett explains. “I decided I liked trivia way better, so why not devote myself to that and make a living off of it?”

Bennett is the master of ceremonies for four bar trivia nights in Asheville each week: The Golden Pineapple on Mondays, French Broad River Brewery on Tuesdays, 12 Bones Brewery South on Wednesdays and alternating Noble Cider locations on Sundays. He spoke with Xpress about the logic underpinning his trivia rules, whom he would want on his trivia “dream team” and why drinking that second piña colada slushie might lead your team to victory. (Or at least help you loosen up a bit.)

This interview has been condensed for length and edited for clarity.

Are you really good at trivia?

Honestly, I am terrible at trivia. I just enjoy the fun. It’s something to do on the weekdays that gets you out of the house that a group of friends can do.

If you’re not good at trivia, how did you become a trivia night host?

My friends and I used to go to a weekly trivia show. One week I had an idea for a round, and I told the

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

HAVE ANOTHER DRINK: Robert Bennett, the host of Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia, says people who play while sober tend to second-guess their responses. Photo courtesy of Bennett host [Best of WNC trivia night MC winner Kipper Schauer] about it. He said, “Cool, if you write that for me, I’ll pay you for it.”

So I did, and that turned into me writing more and more. Then he got a job as the morning disc jockey on Mix 96.5, so I ended up doing all his writing. I would sub in for him when he was sick or out of town. And I was like, “I want my own show!” So he helped me get set up.

Why the focus on pop culture trivia?

My biggest issue with trivia throughout the years has been seeing people get upset about not knowing something. With pop culture

MOUNTAINX.COM

trivia in general, if you don’t know it, you don’t feel too bad about it. My only goal is that everyone leaves not feeling stupid, because you shouldn’t feel bad about not knowing something at a bar trivia!

How much do you research each category? Like, if you’re doing a round of “Star Wars” trivia, do you watch every single “Star Wars” movie first?

Usually it’s just enough research to get the answers. I write four different shows a week, so I can’t spend too much time on any one topic or question, research-wise.

At the beginning of each trivia night, everyone recites an oath promising not to argue with you over the answers.

Yeah — “I won’t argue with Robert whether or not I should get points for something when I’m obviously wrong and being a douchebag about it.” One, it makes people laugh, and two, if I open up the door for questioning me, the timing of the show gets thrown off. The bars like the shows to be two hours long. Having done it so long at this point, I have the timing down to a science.

What do you think matters more for excelling at trivia: book smarts or a good memory?

On an individual basis? Memory.

But my trivia is team trivia, so the biggest factor is diversity in your

team — having a group of people that are into different things, come from separate age groups, come from different backgrounds. Having diversity in your team is the biggest factor into what goes into being a “superteam,” one that wins on a more consistent basis than the others.

How many superteams are there in Asheville?

Between my four shows, I probably have over a dozen superteams.

There are that many‽ Is there any point in a regular person going to trivia night and trying to beat a superteam?

Yeah, absolutely! The teams fade in and out over time. They’ll come every week for a while and then bounce for a couple months.

Do you have a “dream team” that you’d like to host a trivia night for?

My dream trivia team would consist of Steve Martin. He’s going to show up one week, I just know it!

Every week, someone always asks me, “Is Steve here?”

I hope that happens for you. OK, who else is on your dream trivia team?

All my favorite bartenders from my shows. I usually have the same bartenders every week because that’s the night they work. I love them, and they never get to play.

And then my buddies Kipper and Mitch Fortune, who also does Totally Rad Trivia. Kipper did the first Totally Rad Trivia, and it was ‘80s synthwave-themed. Which explains the “totally rad” part.

What’s the ideal number of people to have on a trivia team?

Six. That’s the maximum I allow.

The joke reason is that if you have more than five friends, you don’t need to win at trivia — your life’s great. The real answer is that if I allow more, then teams of Godknows-how-many-people will show up and dominate to a point where the teams that are two people on a date won’t have a chance.

Can you tell if a trivia team is on a date?

Oh, absolutely. First dates are the easiest, because they’re so awkward when you talk to them. And then the married couples that show up are just overly happy — treating it like a Saturday night at the club because it’s their one night out.

Do you think having more drinks during trivia night helps or hinders a team’s chances of winning?

Oh, a well-lubricated team always does better because they’re not in their heads as much. When you’re sober, you tend to second-guess yourself more easily.

— Jessica Wakeman X

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

11

ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES

FEA T U RE S

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

Illustrating a point Billy Borne’s 1922 cartoons

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As in years past, we revisit cartoonist Billy Borne’s work as part of our latest Humor Issue. For over two decades, starting in 1907, Borne offered commentary on local, national and international matters through his illustrations, published in The Asheville Citizen.

Our focus here, however, is exclusively on 1922. As readers will see, Borne’s cartoons from this period reveal a year of significant growth for Asheville, following the previous year’s recession-turned-depression.

Also in the mix is local politics, taxes, environmental concerns and tourism. X

Published Jan. 4, 1922

Published Jan. 27, 1922

Published March 7, 1922

Published April 7, 1922

Published April 23, 1922

Published May 4, 1922

JAN. 5-11, 2022

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Published May 25, 1922

Published June 3, 1922

Published June 26, 1922

Published July 29, 1922

Published July 31, 1922

Published Dec. 28, 1922 MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

13

FEATURES

XPRESSERS ALMANAC

WHAT WILL 2022 BRING?

BY XPRESS STAFF news@mountainx.com Editor’s note: The following content, unlike the rest of Mountain Xpress’ award-winning coverage of local news and events throughout the rest of the year, is 100% fake.

Top five most likely secret locations for the dismantled Vance Monument • M ayor Esther Manheimer’s garage, just behind the Hanukkah decorations and above the riding lawnmower.

• Carl Mumpower’s garage, under unopened boxes of Mumpower 2015 campaign signs.

• The bottom of Hominy Creek.

Everyone’s too scared of E. coli to go near it.

• The defunct underground bathrooms beneath the monument’s former site.

• Surprisingly heavy giant Jenga on the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. grounds.

field guide

Asheville to

New Edition coming soon

Contact us today! • advertise@mountainx.com

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

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• Madison Cawthorn completely forgets what U.S. House district he’s running for and starts a rally speech with “Hello, Cleveland!”

• Everyone forgets about the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District race except perennial candidate Alan Ditmore, who wins and finally gets to put contraceptives in the drinking water.

• Scandal erupts after Council candidate Andrew Fletcher is captured on an iPhone laying down a sick Van Halen guitar solo.

• Sheriff Quentin Miller blows entire reelection budget on impeccable hat wardrobe, wins anyway.

• GOP candidates do Lady Gaga karaoke night at Burger Bar.

Top 10 new initiatives from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority • South Slope hydration IV stations to help drinkers finish their brewery crawl.

• Holographic projection of the Vance Monument so new tourists know what they’re missing.

• Direct monorail from Asheville Regional Airport to the Biltmore Estate.

• Forget greenways — try goldways, paved with bricks of the precious metal.

• The Hightanic, a French Broad riverboat devoted to consumption of craft delta-8.

• Barbecue trough.

• Bear-BNB: a new rental platform that lets tourists sleep in black bear dens. Dens will be subject to 12% occupancy tax due to the high probability of visitors getting eaten.

• Downtown hop-on, hop-off zip line transit system.

• World’s Largest Biscuit.

Top five events from the 2022 midterm campaign trail

• Mecha robot suit for Explore Asheville President and CEO Vic Isley to crush all local opposition.

Top five forms Asheville’s reparations will actually take

• Due to high real estate and livestock prices, “40 acres and a mule” becomes “40 square feet and a guinea pig.”

• Giant public art project memorializing City Council’s vote to approve reparations.

• One AsheCoin crypto token per person. To the moon, baby!

• Lifetime supply of CBD products to take the edge off ongoing structural racism.

• Fat city contracts to well-off Black consultants — oh wait, that one’s real.

Top 10 WNC media phenomena

• Due to declining ad revenue, Mountain Xpress transitions from weekly to quarterly publication, rebrands as Mountain Slow Lane.

• Tribune Papers head Clint Parker starts wearing togas, speaking Latin, demanding the power of ius intercessionis to intervene on behalf of the plebians.

• WLOS sets up live traffic cam to monitor lines at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge.

• Citizen Times Answer Man John Boyle is plagued by mysterious Question Man, who turns out to be John Boyle in a Riddler costume.

• Improper handling of Asheville Blade decapitates editor David Forbes.

• Hendersonville Lightning partners with Thor for series of PSAs on extreme weather and climate change.

• UNC Asheville’s Blue Banner earns collegiate publication award for Best Newsprint Rolling Paper.

• Suffering from CTE following his 2020 concussion, Skyline News honcho Chad Nesbitt names himself new Carolina Panthers starting quarterback.

• AVL Watchdog offices experience flea infestation. Paper rebrands as AVL Hellbender; pest problem subsides within seconds.

• Former WLOS anchor Darcel Grimes cures COVID-19, finally granted sainthood.

Top five things Asheville men will find inside their beards

• Baby armadillo.

• Cheat sheets for Totally Rad Trivia.

• “I voted!” sticker stuck on the back of an “I’m vaccinated!” sticker.

• Extra poop bags for the dog park.

• Partially melted Sunshine Sammie.

Top five New Year’s Resolutions from the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners

• Hire more experienced workers.

Like this woman with decades of county government employment and a doctorate in business administration — Granda Weene?

• Finally get around to drinking former County Manager Mandy Stone’s leftover wine collection.

• Enact moratorium on new bee hotel construction in response to Chair Brownie Newman’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad picnic experience.

• Let lone Republican member Robert Pressley pass one ordinance as a treat.

• Just call it a day and let the developers run the show.

Top 10 ways the Asheville Police Department will boost recruitment

• Pimp My Squad Car with built-in doughnut fryer.

• Place billboards outside Asheville City Schools playgrounds targeting the coveted Cops and Robbers demographic.

• Let patrol officers smoke all the weed they can frisk.

• Complimentary reusable stabresistant water bottles.

• One word: Robocops.

• Replace boring patrol bicycles with friggin’ sweet Onewheels.

• TikTok campaign featuring a tapdancing Chief David Zack in full coat and tails.

• Half-off any medium drink at participating McDonald’s with every 10 arrests.

• Conscription program for everyone who posts “Blue Lives Matter” on Facebook.

• Free belly rubs — whether or not you’re a K-9.

• The abandoned Patton Avenue Kmart parking lot at midnight.

• Potluck at your no-dairy, no-gluten, no-GMO, no-MSG neighbor’s house.

• Under your porch in winter, no matter how much they claim they want to meet a black bear.

• The Treasure Club on Grateful Dead Night.

Top five items in the Chamber of Commerce’s new ‘Welcome to Asheville!’ gift baskets

• Neon orange safety vests for braving crosswalks.

• Tear-away pants for sudden temperature shifts.

• Hiking boots for walking from remote parking spaces to downtown.

• Bear repellent.

• Coupon for one free Subaru Outback with a “Coexist” bumper sticker and “Don’t move here, we’re full” bumper sticker.

Top 10 New Year’s resolutions of downtown characters

• Bobby Sax will put down the ducky, because he wants to play the saxophone.

• Hare Krishna guy will join your book club.

• Amazing Pubcycle will limit customers to exactly 78 “woos” per hour.

• Silver Drummer Girl will add Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” to repertoire.

• The dog-wearing juggler’s dog will wear a dog and start juggling, further blowing stoner minds everywhere.

• Man wearing “Jesus Saves” sandwich board will give free lessons on vocal projection to area musicians.

• Antwon Small will clone himself to diversify into country line and group wedding dances.

• The guy with the pet boa constrictor will get really good with a Slinky to appease squeamish tourists.

• Sister Bad Habit will only hump buildings on days that end with “y.”

• Slam Duncan will partner with Franny’s Farmacy to launch an entire line of hemp-leaf formal wear. X

Top five most popular Asheville baby names

• Delta-8.

• Zebulon.

• WAXamillion.

• Bowie Jangles.

• Harrah’s Cherokee (if the price is right).

Top five places to avoid taking your parents when they visit Asheville • The Whole Foods on Merrimon Avenue, which is marginally yet perceptively less bougie than the Whole Foods on South Tunnel Road.

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

15

FEATURES

Mountain Xpress personals

GirlGoneCountry

Dating in Asheville is hard. Sometimes it feels as if everyone is already paired up with their 2.5 kids and a Subaru, and the only folks left on Tinder are married couples hunting their no-strings-attached “unicorn.” Fortunately, these five sexy singles are looking for love — or at the very least, looking to go tubing and make out at Zillacoah afterward.

About me: Priced out of a large Northeastern city, now pricing locals out of West Asheville. Terrified of black bears.

— Xpress staff X

GirlGoneCountry

ClimbDeezHills About me: Would live off the land if I could, but I’ve got a gig as a part-time kayak instructor for REI to buy more gear.

Looking for: Someone who’ll make a big show of picking up the entire tab at The Golden Pineapple while announcing, “This would have been three times as expensive in Brooklyn!”

Interests: Discovering lost pieces of gorp in my beard; Squatching; renovating an old school bus in the woods. It’s not as creepy as it sounds, I promise.

ClimbDeezHills

Interests: Bookmarking articles about raising backyard chickens; reluctantly replacing all my heels with Chacos; bemoaning that the closest Ikea is 130 miles away. Seriously, how do you people live like this?

Get in touch if: You know how to set up a tent.

Looking for: A lady who doesn’t mind going without heat. Or running water. Or basic social skills.

Get in touch if: You think the smell of man sweat is rugged. And you’re cool with me bringing my dog everywhere. Everywhere.

Contact us today!

828-251-1333 x1 advertise@mountainx.com

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

Wellness 2022 Issues Publish Jan. 26 & Feb. 2

MOUNTAINX.COM

Introducing the

DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

Coming Soon!

A citizen’s guide to local government decision-making Contact Us Today! 828-251-1333 x 1 • advertise@mountainx.com

LetsGoBrandon010621

AmericanPaleMale

About me: Jesus-loving patriot with more Second Amendment stickers on my bumper than any pickup truck in WNC.

About me: Just your typical guy in his 20s trying to find my passion, except I’m 38.

Interests: Commenting on Xpress articles online; loving “The Punisher” without really getting it; scrolling through other men’s profiles on Tinder, but only to see if they’re holding bigger fish than I am.

Looking for: A strong, independent woman with a great job, a solid housing situation and a very, very generous soul. Also, you have a better TV than my mom.

Looking for: A traditional woman who knows how to cook a steak, gut a hog and give a barn-burning speech against critical race theory at the local school board.

Interests: Appreciating craft cannabis; streaming 12 daily hours of Call of Duty: Warzone on Twitch; dreaming of the day my Transformersthemed brewery gets off the ground.

LetsGoBrandon010621

GoodVibrator

Get in touch if: You’re cool with our dates never getting any nicer than happy hour at The Double Crown. Also, we’re going Dutch, right? X

Get in touch if: You want to be on the winning team in 2024.

GoodVibrator About me: A child of stardust and sunshine, twirling through life on fairy wings and the whispers of a New Age. And my daddy’s 401(k).

AmericanPaleMale

Interests: Selling macramé dream catchers over Instagram; saltwater floating; long walks in the woods searching for turkey feathers.

Looking for: That quartz in the rough who hopes to one day squeeze my hand as I birth our children in a kiddie pool in our tiny home’s living room/bathroom/kitchen/ yoga studio.

Get in touch if: You were called to do so in a mugwort-induced prophetic dream.

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

17

FEATURES BEER SCOUT

Fly me to the moon Hi-Wire announces lunar location

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com Editor’s note: The following story, unlike the rest of Mountain Xpress’s award-winning coverage of local news and events throughout the rest of the year, is 100% fake.

In the wake of opening new taprooms in Charlotte, Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky., Hi-Wire Brewing has announced plans for its eighth location — on the moon.

Located on the site of a former scientific monitoring station in the up-and-coming Sea of Tranquility, which Hi-Wire co-founder Chris Frosaker refers to as “the lunar surface’s South Slope,” the Crater Outpost marks one small step for beer, one giant leap for intergalactic tippling.

“I’m a huge NASA nerd and love everything about the moon, so to call this a dream come true is an understatement,” Frosaker says.

Co-owner Adam Charnack refers to the latest location as home to “a developing market,” but he “has a good feeling” that colonization will soon be on the way.

“We try to be ahead of the curve.

Just like in Wilmington, we’ll set up the circus and let the customer come to us,” Charnack says. “I mean, look: We had two strikes against us at [Hi-Wire’s original] Hilliard [location] — the ghost of Craggy [Brewing Co.] and the Hot Spot. I think we can handle a little lack of oxygen.”

Hi-Wire has also announced a distribution deal with Blue X, the new spacefaring monopoly created

by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk, thereby cornering the market on technology that prevents beer from freezing on its way out of Earth’s atmosphere.

To commemorate the new taproom, Hi-Wire head brewer and self-professed “lunartic” Luke Holgate is working on a signature beer, which he’ll make with thawed lunar ice. Top candidates thus far include the Dark Side of the Moon Imperial Stout and Neil Armstrong English Ale. “Maybe a Stanley Kubrick-themed lager, just to mess with people,” Holgate adds.

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

SPACE ODDITY: Hi-Wire Brewing’s footprint now extends to everyone’s favorite crust.

Meanwhile, director of retail operations Christine Weaver is excited about working with her first pressurized taproom but less enthused about the likely initial lack of canine visitors. “Until space tourism treats four-legged travelers with the same respect as twolegged ones, it will never achieve its full potential,” she says.

And considering Hi-Wire’s rapid expansion, it seems unlikely that the brewery will stop at the moon.

Asked if Mars might be next, Frosaker replied, “Let’s not get crazy, now.”

He then paused, stroked his beard, and in his best Kevin Garnett voice, bellowed, “Anything is possible!”

Fresh off playing the titular role in Asheville Community Theatre’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire, the caboose — who was born with the Norfolk and Western Railway running number 518604 but goes by “Cab” — dazzled the

“Thomas” team with his versatility and “iron will.” His reward? The role of Bill the Chartreuse Engine and the chance to carry on a family tradition.

“My uncle was in The Fugitive, and my maternal grandmother was in Buster Keaton’s The General,” Cab says. “We’re also related to two of the boxcars from the original Murder on the Orient Express, but they don’t acknowledge us.

Some bad grease there.”

Though Cab has yet to portray an engine in his stage work, he’s confident in his abilities and looks forward to further proving that “cabooses can do more than play stereotypical caboose roles.” Cab describes Bill as “a key member of the Magic Railroad team” and will be joined by a mix of locomotive veterans and newcomers.

Also in the ensemble is Ringo Starr, who agreed to reprise his role as Mr. Conductor after Peter Jackson’s Get Back reminded people how affable he can be.

A hologram of the late, great George Carlin will fill in for Starr on occasion.

Whistle Hop co-owner and head brewer Tom Miceli is still in the process of interviewing train cars to fill Cab’s tracks and notes that he’ll miss running lines with his star employee during lulls.

“We’re proud to be the service industry employer for this particular thespian,” Micelli says. “The staff and I are confident that Cab will go on to do great things, but if it doesn’t work out, he’s always got a place out here in the ’View.” X

I CHOO-CHOO-CHOOSE YOU Already home to Gladys Knight, Tiger Woods (sort of) and Michelle and Barack Obama (prove me wrong), Fairview added another celebrity earlier this month with the news that Whistle Hop Brewing Co.’s caboose taproom has been cast in the reboot of “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.”

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RAIL LIFE: Cab promises to thank every Fairview resident in his Oscar speech.

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

19

FEA T U RE S

20

JAN. 5-11, 2022

THE FUNNY PAGES

MOUNTAINX.COM

BY BRENT BROWN

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR JANUARY 5-13, 2022 For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.

Online Events = Shaded WELLNESS

ART

Sparkle Time - Holistic Senior Exercise Aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibilty.

Proof of vaccinations and booster required.

WE (1/5),MO (1/10), 10:30am, Avery’s Creek Community Center, 899 Glennbridge Rd SE Arden Montford Tai Chi Hosted by local acupuncturist Tyler White.

All ages.

TH (1/6), 9-10am, free, Montford Recreation Center, 34 Pearson Dr Queer & Trans Yoga Class For everyone who identifies outside the lines and hasn't felt comfortable in a traditional yoga space.

TH (1/6), 6pm, avl.mx/b1t LGBTQ Sweat Your Prayers A safe space for the LGBTQ community.

SA (1/8), 9:30am, $12-22, Haw Creek Commons, 315 Old Haw Creek Rd Quest4Life 5Rhythms Waves Class Weekly instructional classes based on Gabrielle Roth's work.

Masks are required.

No dance experience necessary.

TU (1/11), 7pm, $12-22, Terpsicorps Academy, 1501 Patton Ave Yoga and the 12 Steps of Recovery (Y12SR) Addresses addiction as a mental, physical and spiritual disease.

WE (1/12), 8:30am, Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S Liberty St

A Dance of Images and Words: The Nancy Graves/Pedro Cuperman Tango Portfolio Featuring Graves’s eight prints alongside the portfolio frontispiece and a page of Cuperman’s text.

WE (1/5), TH (1/6), FR (1/7), SA (1/8), SU (1/9), MO (1/10), 11am-6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square Gestures: Mid-Century Abstraction from the Collection Drawn from the museum’s collection with additional select loans. Explores works in a variety of media.

WE (1/5, 12), TH (1/6, 13), FR (1/7), SA (1/8), SU (1/9), MO (1/10), 11am-6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square Modernist Design at Black Mountain College Highlights the museum’s collection of design from Black Mountain College and situates it in the context of its influences and surroundings at BMC. WE (1/5, 12), TH (1/6, 13), FR (1/7), SA (1/8), SU (1/9), MO (1/10), 11am-6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square Ruminations on Memory Features all nine prints from Robert Rauschenberg’s Ruminations portfolio, Judy Chicago’s Retrospective in a Box portfolio, and selections from the

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE: Asheville Gallery of Art’s January show, Mountain Inspirations, will run daily through Monday, Jan. 31, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. An event to meet the artists will be Friday, Jan. 7, 5-8 p.m. The exhibit features works by Jan Smith, Mandy Kjellstrom and Raymond Byram. Photo courtesy of Asheville Gallery of Art Museum's Collection.

WE (1/5, 12), TH (1/6, 13), FR (1/7), SA (1/8), SU (1/9), MO (1/10), 11am-6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square

Unearthing Our Forgotten Past Explores the Spanish occupation of Fort San Juan and the native people who lived in the Joara area of WNC. Sponsored by the Western NC Historical

Sign up now for

Deborah’s School of Shoemaking Handmade Shoemaking Classes Beginner classes start on Saturday, January 15 • 1-5pm 8 Sessions: 4 hours each, 1x a week Reserve your spot: (828) 450-4202

deborahshoemakershoes.com/school/ 22

JAN. 5-11, 2022

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Association.

TH (12/16), 10:30am, Smith-McDowell House Museum, 283 Victoria Rd Revanant Group show responding to the pandemic and a “post-pandemic” world.

WE (1/5, 12), TH (1/6, 13), FR (1/7), SA (1/8), 11am-7pm, Continuum Art, 147 ste C, 1st Ave E, Hendersonville Edges Exhibition Opening A reception to celebrate the January exhibition, which features a wide array of techniques. Artist demos and conversations.

SA (1/8), 1pm, Free, Trackside Studios, 375 Depot St Nocturne A collection of works in a variety of media that celebrates the drama and mystery of the night.

WE (1/5, 12), TH (1/6, 13), FR (1/7), SA (1/8), MO (1/10), TU (1/11),

10am-5pm, SU (1/9), 12-5pm, Momentum Gallery , 24 N. Lexington Ave Small Work/Big Impact An annual exhibition that assembles intimately-scaled works in a variety of media by gallery artists and special guests. Open daily 10-6, Sundays 12-5. Through Feb. 19, Momentum Gallery , 24 N. Lexington Ave Mountain Inspirations Featuring three new artists: Jan Smith, Mandy Kjellstrom, and Raymond Byram.

Daily from 11am-6pm, through Jan. 31, Asheville Gallery of Art, 82 Patton Ave ᎢᏛᏍᎦ ᏫᏥᏤᎢ ᎠᎵᏰᎵᏒ Weaving Across Time Showcases the works of nine Eastern Band Cherokee basket makers. M-F through Apr. 22, 11am, Center for Craft, 67 Broadway

ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS

SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD

The Bush Market Local artisanal goods and South African fare with live music from Leisureville.

SU (1/9), 11am, The Bush Farmhouse, 151 S Ridgeway Dr, Black Mountain

Miss Malaprop's Storytime Recommended for ages 3-9. Registration required.

WE (1/5), 10am, avl.mx/7b9

Mini Market Pop Up A variety of local vendors in arts, crafts, and artisanal products.

SU (1/9), 11:30am, Highland Brewing Downtown Taproom, 56 Patton Ave

Intro to Flash Fiction Discussion and practice of the genre include microfiction, nanofiction, shortshort fiction, sudden fiction and prose poetry. Sponsored by Buncombe County and the Fairview Friends of the Library.

WE (1/5), 10:30am, Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview

Hops, Pigs & Plants Featuring a variety of vendors, curated by The Artful Plant.

SU (1/9), 5pm, Free,12 Bones Brewery, 2350 Hendersonville Rd, Arden

Geeta Kapur presents To Drink from the Well in conversation w/Dr. Dwight Mullen A discussion of Kapur's book about UNC Chapel Hill.

WE (1/5), 6pm, Registration required, avl.mx/b0z

Malaprop's Book Club Participants will discuss The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard.

WE (1/5), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/9s5 Swannanoa Library Book Club Discussion of Eleanor Olipant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.

TH (1/6), 4pm, avl.mx/b11 Julia Smith and Joanna Pearson in Conversation Conversation between Smith, author of the memoir The Sum of Trifles, and Pearson, author of Now You Know It All. Sponsored

by Malaprop's.

TH (1/6), 6pm, Registration required, avl.mx/azb East Asheville Library Book Club Participants will discuss The 100 Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin.

TH (1/6), 6:30pm, avl.mx/b1u Malaprop's Crime and Politics Book Club Participants will discuss A Silent Fury: The El Bordo Mine Fire by Yuri Herrera.

TH (1/6), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/ahj Winter of Poetry: Imagery & Allusion Artist-in-Residence David Barratt will share his poetry as well as his process and concepts

of poetry creation and performance, in-person and via Zoom. For Zoom option and for physical address, please email ccc.avl.nc@gmail. com at least 24 hours in advance of the session.

SA (1/8), 10:45am, Free Poetrio: Paul Jones, Aruni Kashyap, Pat Riviere-Seel Monthly poetry event featuring three poets.

SU (1/9), 4pm, Registration required, avl.mx/b1j Malaprop's Mystery Book Club Participants will discuss The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude.

MO (1/10), 7pm, Registration required, avl.mx/7jn Megan Shepherd Launches Dog Star, in conversation w/Amy Cherrix The authors discuss Shepherd's new book in hybrid event. Registration required for in-person and virtual.

TU (1/11), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St Discussion Bound Book Club Participants will discuss Even as We Breathe

by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle.

WE (1/12), 12pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square Jay Hardwig launches Just Maria in conversation w/Allan Wolf The authors will discuss

Hardwig's new book in a hybrid event. Registration required for in-person and virtual.

WE (1/12), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St Reader Meet Writer: The Last House on the Street w/Diane Chamberlain Participants will discuss Chamberlain's new book. Registration required.

TH (1/13), 7pm, avl.mx/b1m

CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS WNC Chapter of Project Linus Meeting to process blanket donations to give out in 12 WNC counties. Contact Ellen Knoefel at (828)6458800 gknoefel@charter.net or Pat Crawford(828)883-8746 in Transylvania County.

TU (1/4), TBD Asheville Skate-ville All levels. Every Wednesday.

WE (1/5), 8:30am, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd Laurel Chapter of the Embroiderers' Guild of America Annual outreach to Project Linus. We will be creating no-sew fleece blankets with instruction provided

by Roberta Smith.

TH (1/6), 9:30am, Cummings United Methodist Church, 3 Banner Farm Rd, Horse Shoe WNC Sierra Club Teams with Black Folks Camp Too Earl B. Hunter, Jr., founder and president, will talk to Sierra Club members and friends about how his company is encouraging Black people to participate in camping, particularly in America’s National Parks.

TH (1/6), 7pm, Free avl.mx/b0o WNCHA History Hour: African American Music Traditions in WNC Speakers Dr. William H. Turner and Dr. Ted Olson will discuss how African Americans have played a largely unrecognized role in creating and expanding the musical landscape of the Appalachian region.

TH (1/13), 6pm, $5-10, avl.mx/b17

FOOD & BEER RAD Winter Farmers Market Local growers and makers, located in the River Arts District.

WE (1/5), 3pm, Pleb Urban Winery, 289 Lyman St

YMCA Mobile Market Bring grocery bags and get fresh food.

TH (1/6), 4:30pm, Free Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Rd, Candler ASAP Winter Farmers Market SA (1/8), 10am, A-B Tech Conference Center, 340 Victoria Rd River Arts District Winter Market Local produce, cheese, breads, meats and more.

SA (1/8), 3pm, Pleb Urban Winery, 289 Lyman St

FESTIVALS Twelfth Night Partake in a slice of King Cake and become the King or Queen for the Asheville Mardi Gras season. Music by DJ Chilligan. Both in person and virtual.

TH (1/6), 7pm, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave

OUTDOORS 2022 Virtual Hiking Challenge The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Virtual Hiking Challenge

sets a goal for you to complete 60 miles in 60 days at your own pace. Sign up online before Feb. 1.

SA (1/8), 12am, Online

SPIRITUALITY Online Baha'i Sunday Devotional All are welcome to share prayers, readings, music, and inspiration at this weekly gathering, via Zoom.

SU (1/9), 10am, avl.mx/a9m Jewish Power Hour Weekly Torah class via Zoom. All are welcome.

TH (1/13), 6pm, Online

VOLUNTEERING Experiential Garden Volunteers Needed Looking for people who are interested in landscaping, gardening, carpentry, and art.

Please contact Polly Phillips at pphillips@ verneremail.org.

HEMP & HEALTH Our NEW Dispensary in South Slope is now open!

Featuring Franny’s Farm Foods in store only

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

231 Biltmore Ave.

across from McCormick Field

ASHEVILLE (8 2 8) 5 0 5 -7 10 5

SOU TH SLOPE (8 2 8) 5 0 5 -7 10 5

HENDERSON VILLE (8 2 8) 6 9 7-7 3 0 0

WWW.FRANNYSFARMACY.COM

WINTERGREEN: The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Winter Farmers Market will begin Saturday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at A-B Tech’s downtown campus. The market, which will be held weekly through the end of March, will feature 45 local vendors of produce and products. Photo courtesy of ASAP MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

23

WELLNESS

VR at the VA

Charles George leads virtual reality use for veterans

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN jwakeman@mountainx.com Caitlin Rawlins, innovation specialist for the Western North Carolina Veteran Affairs Health Care System, remembers vividly the first time that a patient at the Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center long-term care facility used virtual reality.

“She had cognitive impairment, a history of needing stays on our inpatient psychiatric ward because of agitation or restlessness,” Rawlins explains. Then a nurse equipped the patient with a VR headset for the first time. “It was like she became a completely different person — she was wandering through this environment that was allowing her to walk through the woods, climb rocks and jump across a river.”

That virtual landscape also had deer, birds and butterflies, which brought this bed-bound patient back to times she’d enjoyed amongst the natural beauty of WNC. “Getting to be around animals and actually being able to walk — it was pretty incredible,” Rawlins continues. The patient used VR for “about an hour straight … her head was just spinning. She was so giddy.”

Charles George nurse Lynn Mennin, who works frequently with veterans who have limited physical mobility or speech, recalls giving one patient, unable to speak following a stroke, the chance to try out the computer-simulated 3D landscape of VR. Placing the headset over his eyes, she says, temporarily brought a new world into his hospital room. “He was clapping during virtual reality, pointing, and just had this big grin on his face,” Mennin explains. “He’ll look at me and [gesture that he wants the VR goggles] — like, ‘I want to try that again.’”

Over 100 VA medical centers use VR, with most starting in the past 18 months, says Rawlins. Charles George was a comparatively early adopter, acquiring its first two VR headsets in July 2018. The technology is in the early stages of being deployed in public and private health care settings worldwide. “Virtual reality in health care for clinical purposes is still in its infancy, really,” she says.

At Charles George, patients can use VR for the treatment of anxiety; stress reduction; acute and chronic pain; cognitive issues, like dementia, 24

JAN. 5-11, 2022

ANOTHER WORLD: Thomas Schultz, a patient at Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, does a virtual reality session from his hospital bed. Photo courtesy of CGDVAMC Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease; and physical and occupational therapy, Rawlins explains. And the facility was the country’s first VA hospital to use the technology, in conjunction with nerve blockers, as a replacement for general anesthesia.

ANOTHER WORLD

VR treatments at Charles George are led by nurses in its complementary integrative health care program, which provides treatments like aromatherapy, meditation and mindfulness practice and healing touch. The program has been at the hospital since 2013 to offer options for patients seeking care that complements traditional Western medicine.

Four years ago, Rawlins — then a nurse on the post-surgical ward — noted that there weren’t many

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non-pharmacological options to help patients manage pain after surgery. In addition to needing distractions from pain, she says, patients can often feel bored and understimulated during hospital stays.

Around this time, Dr. Joe Morgan, an anesthesiologist and CEO of Boonebased Wellovate, came to speak at Charles George. The company’s physicians had created VR software called Waya Health that sought to address pain management and anxiety. Following conversations with Rawlins and others at Charles George, the hospital purchased two Waya Health headsets and began using them with patients in 2018 as part of a pilot study. Over 350 patients at the hospital have since used the technology, Rawlins says.

Clinicians are trained to recognize who isn’t a good prospect for VR,

like patients with an active seizure disorder or pacemaker. (VR hardware commonly contains magnets and can interrupt the magnetically activated switch in pacemakers.) Beyond that, nurses say the training needed for both health care providers and patients to use VR is minimal.

Morgan says Charles George is an ideal laboratory for exploring clinical uses of VR because it isn’t guided by the profit motivations of private health care, which he claims can hinder innovation. “They can take bleeding edge technology like this and say, ‘Let’s see how we can use this to enable providers and help patients,’” he explains.

“They don’t have to get as tied up in, ‘How do we justify this? How much money is this going to bring in?’”

Rawlins says she doesn’t have an exact figure on the expense of the VR program, as some equipment has been purchased and some donated.

Additionally, the cost of software subscriptions varies by product. Charles George currently has 23 VR units, and another 27 units will be delivered at the beginning of the year. Of that total, 5 units will be donated temporarily, 18 will be permanent donations and 27 will be paid for by the facility.

According to Rawlins’ research, conducted from 2018 to 2020, 92% of 128 participants reported a distraction from their discomfort and 89% reported a reduction in stress. Ninety-six percent of participants said they enjoyed the VR experience; the top complaint among detractors was “cybersickness,” aka virtual motion sickness.

(Cybersickness is also an issue with VR used recreationally, Morgan says, recalling a floating-in-outerspace scenario that once made him feel nauseous.)

Rawlins’ findings led to her receipt of a $25,000 grant from a American Nurses Credential Center Pathway Award, which allowed her to purchase additional VR software and expand it to all Charles George inpatient care, as well as short-term rehab, long-term care and hospice at its Community Living Center. Rawlins also received a $55,000 grant from the VHA Innovators Network allowing her to lead the implementation of VR at Charles George’s outpatient facilities, as well as VA medical centers in Biloxi, Miss.; Little Rock, Ark; Memphis, Tenn.; and Reno, Nev. Given her successes in this area, Rawlins recently became co-lead of the VHA Extended Reality Network, or XR network, coordinating innovation in the area at VAs nationwide. Extended reality is an umbrella term referring to VR in conjunction augmented reality (where the physical world is enhanced with computer-generated content) and

mixed reality (a mix of the physical and digital worlds).

equine therapy that allows the patient to virtually “brush” a horse.

GROWTH SPURT

As more VR health care products become available, Charles George has expanded its offerings. In 2020, Rawlins says, the hospital purchased products from AppliedVR and BehaVR, which primarily focus on chronic pain, and Bravemind, which focuses on prolonged exposure therapy for veterans experiencing PTSD. It also received a donation through Soldier Strong, a nonprofit providing technology to veterans, to procure REAL System, which focuses on strengthening the upper body.

The first forays into VR at Charles George required the headsets to be plugged into “high-end gaming laptops,” Morgan says, and patients needed hand-held controllers. Now, the majority of headsets are wireless, and patients with difficulty using their arms can navigate VR by sight alone.

“It has advanced to the point where you don’t even need controllers — you can literally select things in virtual reality using only your eyes,” says Rawlins. “It monitors your eye movements, and if you keep your gaze on something long enough, it’ll actually select it for you.”

Right now, Charles George’s VR setups don’t have a tactile component.

But Rawlins explains that several VAs are investigating the uses of VR with haptic feedback — responsive movement — for patients. For example, she says one program is exploring VR

‘CHASING DRAGONS’

The VHA XR network, which Rawlins co-leads, and the VHA Innovation Ecosystem are collaborating with Wellovate on a second pilot study. VA medical centers in 12 locations are testing the clinical effectiveness of VR for six different uses: pain, anxiety, fall risk assessment, neurological risk assessment, palliative care and procedural use, such as in operating rooms.

Rawlins says she is particularly excited about equipping physical therapy patients with VR headsets for at-home use. “It’s like a gamified approach to physical and occupational therapy,” she says. “On their end, it looks like they’re popping balloons or chasing dragons. On the clinician’s end, they can access via the clinician portal all of the range-of-motion data related to that person’s interaction with the virtual environment.”

Chasing dragons over VR isn’t just about making at-home physical therapy exercises more fun, she continues.

As a component of telehealth, VR also has the potential to reach more homebound veterans.

For now, the focus remains on finding what works. “How effective is VR at pain management, for anxiety management, for PTSD?” says Rawlins.

“These are all things very much still in process. … I’m excited to see where it goes.” X

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 5-11, 2022

25

ARTS & CULTURE

If you really want to know...

Asheville comedians address important local issues

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com Comedy is hard. Comedy during a pandemic is even more of a challenge. But Asheville’s funny folks are up to the task. As part of our Humor Issue, Xpress spammed the inboxes of Carin Metzger, Petey Smith-McDowell, Morgan Bost and Tom Chalmers with random and at times intentionally absurd questions and received equally random and absurd answers.

Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

What was the strangest local experience you had in 2021 that you thought would inspire material but was too bizarre to capture as a joke?

Chalmers: The City Council meeting when they considered the new noise ordinance. There was a rally cry from those in the music industry to turn out so we didn’t have to turn it down. So, anyone who was in a band, dated someone in a band or had ever seen a band showed up in support of subwoofers in the streets. It was like the scene in Animal House where the Deltas had to defend themselves to Dean Wormer after being placed on “double-secret probation,” with Andrew Fletcher in the role of Otter, fraternity president.

But the fodder for comedy faded as countless community activists reworked Dr. Seuss poems that portrayed the city overlords as Grinches.

Things got more grim when a Council member made a quip, ironically asking if anyone in attendance knew how to get the speakers in the overspill area to work, before voting to limit the very livelihood of those in attendance.

Metzger: Maybe not truly bizarre, but I saw a young family in the South Slope — the (presumed) father was holding a baby while the (presumed) mother was lovingly pushing a stroller full of beer. Maybe IPA stands for Inadequate Parental Attachment and ESB is E-Stranged Baby? Every day can be Take Your Infant to the Bar Day in Asheville!

Smith-McDowell: I went into Whole Foods on Tunnel Road. Now, I’m not a Whole Foods regular by any means. I grew up eating meat from Eckerd’s as a child. (If you get that reference, get your will and testament ready because you’re knocking on death’s door.) So, I made my 26

JAN. 5-11, 2022

ON THE RECORD: Clockwise from top left, Morgan Bost, Tom Chalmers, Carin Metzger and Petey Smith-McDowell aren’t afraid of the serious questions. Bost photo by Lisa San; Chalmers photo by David Joe Miller; Metzger photo by Cheyenne Dancy; Smith-McDowell photo courtesy of the artist way down to the frozen food aisle where it was just me and a guy with dreadlocks and an iguana on his shoulder — and when I say “iguana,” I mean basically a mini Game of Thrones dragon.

Then, a lady who looked a lot like Catherine O’Hara in Beetlejuice came around the corner with one of those giant show poodles, like the ones from the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I’m pretty sure the dog was LeBron James in a dog suit, it was that big. And all of a sudden, LeBark saw the mini-dragon and

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started barking and the iguana started hissing, and the woman screamed, “Charlie!” And the guy screamed, “Francesca!” And at this point, I didn’t know if they named their pets people-names or if that was their names and they knew each other.

As the barking and hissing escalated, employees arrived to separate the two. I said to myself, “Is this lady’s service poodle barking at this dreaded white man’s service iguana, in a frozen food aisle in Whole Foods on a Wednesday? This is the whitest thing

I have ever seen. Is this white-onwhite crime? What is happening!?!” superhero does What Asheville need?

Metzger: $30,000 Over Asking Man! Will swoop in at any home sale with $30,000 cash to outbid out-oftown homebuyers.

Smith-McDowell: The hero this town needs would not be paid enough. They would be overworked, creatively drained and honestly would probably turn into a villain.

Then it would be up to us, the people of Asheville, to take them down.

And by “people of Asheville,” I mean people who’ve lived here over 10 years. Not any of you people calling the Civic Center the Harrah’s Casino Center. I don’t care what the sign says! It’s the Civic Center! If you say U.S. Cellular Center, move to Brevard! I know I sound old in this answer, but I want the record to show I’m 32.

Chalmers: I think we’ve heard enough from the Marvel Universe lately, so I’ll go old-school “Electric Company” and say this city could be saved by Letterman, who can rescue a situation just by swapping out a letter. “Oh no! Here comes the Pub Cycle!” Fear not! Just by switching that “b” to a “g,” it’s now the Pug Cycle. So, instead of a mobile bevy of obnoxious bachelorettes, it’s now a portable basket of cute tiny dogs that don’t breathe so good. If nothing else, we could at least turn hotels into hovels and hovels into hotels where it best serves the community.

Bost: Alfred the Affordable Housing Alligator and their friends Melody the Medicaid Mouse, Leezle the Living Wage Lizard, Taz the Transportation Toad, Chesney the Childcare Cheetah and Ed the Equity Emu. Together, this ragtag team of anthropomorphic pals fight to make Asheville a city that serves its citizens, not just a haven for developers and tourists. Wages, transportation, health care, child care and affordable housing are all interconnected, and this gaggle of adorable, yet scary superheroes use their powers to push local officials to enact real, equitable change in these areas rather than just pay lip service. They would also have a food blog, naturally.

Asheville has become sentient and, naturally, joined social media. You’ve been following these accounts for the past year — which posts have proven most memorable?

Metzger: Asheville’s top posts would have to be: No. 1: After years of seeing topless marches and rallies, the Vance Monument, feeling left out, decided to take off its top permanently; No. 2: Asheville tattoo artists offered complimentary face tattoos for anyone who kept “forgetting their mask”; No. 3: Asheville Vegan Society, accused of being antifa, protested that they are just anti-feta.

Bost: I imagine Asheville would, like everyone else, only show the good parts: heavily filtered Instagram pics of beer and mountains but no mention of the city’s removal of campsites for the unhoused. The culinary content would be fire (is that what the kids are saying?), but

Asheville would miss the mark with a post geared at the service industry titled “TikTok Tips to Smile Through the Spit!”

Smith-McDowell: Asheville is a total sellout, posting “live, laugh, love” quotes and edited pictures of Starbucks coffee while staying in the city’s newest hotel built across the street from a sinkhole. And it posts all this while wearing band shirts without a clue who the band is. Asheville is a dad going through a midlife crisis where he’s snowboarding and eating Taco Bell but goes to bed at 7:30 p.m. Asheville used to be a hippie, but now is trying to keep up with the times — when that was never what the city was about.

If you could be locked inside one of Asheville’s businesses, city buildings or historic sites after hours, what would be your location of choice and how would you spend your time?

Bost: My initial reaction was to research historic sites to try and sound smart, but honestly, just lock me up in Cúrate and throw away the key. I’d roll around in jamón and goat cheese while eating pastries and blood sausage, and I’d sleep in a giant bowl of paella, my little head nestled in squid. Alfred the Affordable Housing Alligator and my other superhero animal friends could come over and drink Spanish wines. I’m newly alcohol-free, so I can’t drink, but I’d still smell the wines, which is (almost) as good.

Disclaimer: Neither Katie Button

nor myself are financially responsible for this fantasy.

Metzger: Western North Carolina’s OG skyscraper, the Jackson Building.

I would buy two dozen doughnuts in the basement level at Stay Glazed, run up to the top of the building, perch rodeo style on one of the grotesques and alternately snack and see if I could hit a target on the sidewalk below. Doughnut tempt me, Mountain X — I have a sweet tooth and terrible aim.

Smith-McDowell: Biltmore House. I think they’re missing out on some extra revenue. They could rent it out at night for a live reenactment of the movie Clue — like, go full murder mystery in the Biltmore House at night. I know it looks so beautiful, regal and historic during the day, but at night it looks like Dracula’s parents’ house — full true-crime podcast level creepy after 6 p.m. The money prints itself. And while we’re at it, turn Grove Park Inn into a Willy Wonka-style hotel. You just get lost in there. Did you get a room or did you come for a work convention?

You don’t even know anymore? One moment, you’re in the land of pure imagination; next moment, you’re in a dueling piano bar in front of a giant fireplace that can turn this whole hotel into a crematorium real fast if you get too close to it.

Chalmers: I would want to be locked inside the Grove Park Inn in December and go all Godzilla on that gingerbread house exhibit, just stomping and stuffing my face all the way to the sea. X

2022

2017

Wellness Issues

Publish Jan. 26 & Feb. 2 828-251-1333 x 1 advertise@mountainx.com

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JAN. 5-11, 2022

27

ARTS & CU L T U R E

HISTORY

Murder, she wrote

Local author examines Western North Carolina’s violent past

BY THOMAS CALDER tcalder@mountainx.com There’s no telling what Western North Carolina resident Charles York thought in 1885 as he stabbed to death his brother John. Furthermore, it’s unclear if Charles realized his 6-yearold nephew, William, witnessed the murder of his father. But one thing is for sure: Charles never could have imagined that 130 years later, his nephew’s great-granddaughter would be scanning old newspapers to piece together his crime and eventual escape from the Asheville jail.

But at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s precisely how local author Nadia Dean spent her time, scouring the online database newspapers.com in search of anything she could find about the fratricide. In the process, the author discovered a number of other fascinating murders that made headlines centuries before but have since faded over time.

Her latest book, Murder in the Mountains: Historic True Crime in Western North Carolina explores 10 such tales, including her family story.

Going beyond mere bloodshed, the accounts also shed light on the roles of alcohol, racism, honor and vengeance in the shaping of the region’s violent past.

“As I searched for compelling stories from the history of the Smoky Mountains, I found a common thread that runs through all of them,” Dean writes in her author’s note at the start of the book. “Resentments allowed to grow out of control, in the end, control everything.”

PRECURSORS TO MORE VIOLENCE

BLOODY HISTORY: In her latest book, Murder in the Mountains: Historic True Crime in Western North Carolina, local author Nadia Dean examines 10 deadly crimes from the region’s past. Author photo courtesy of Dean

WHOM GOD PARDONS

From the opening chapter, “Emotional Insanity,” Dean’s book makes clear that even the most civilized can succumb to murderous rage and that a community’s interpretation of the law is often swayed, if not corrupted, by cultural norms.

In 1851, such was the case when a long-standing feud between William Waightstill Avery and Samuel Fleming escalated first to a physical attack and later murder. The two men both represented the western part of the state in the North Carolina

House of Commons. Despite clashing political philosophies, what ultimately propelled them into a violent and deadly exchange began after Fleming cowhide-whipped Avery for accusations of fraud amid a legal dispute.

“Since cowhiding was seen as a tool of authority over slaves, Southern white men felt it carried extra dishonor when applied against a white man,” Dean writes in the book. “One newspaper at the time wrote, ‘A man might bear the fist of another, or his cane; or any other weapon without dishonor except a cowhide, for to no other does such a stigma attach itself as to that.’”

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Therefore, the paper concluded, “‘any man who cold-bloodedly cowhided another forfeited his right to live.’”

Within a month of the attack, Avery shot and killed Fleming inside Morganton’s courthouse. Fleming’s death left his five children without a father. And though Avery turned himself in, a jury quickly acquitted the killer of the crime.

In his closing argument, Avery’s attorney, John Bynum, stated what many at the time felt about a man’s right to reclaim his honor through murder: “No doubt God forgives Mr. Avery. And whom God pardons, men dare not punish.”

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Along with stories of murder, Dean’s 10 chapters are filled with historical asides that place the events in a broader context. In Chapter 8, “The Lynching of Bob Brackett,” for example, the author details the ubiquity of lynch mobs in the 19th century following the Emancipation Proclamation.

“In North Carolina alone, there were one hundred and sixty documented lynchings,” Dean writes.

“North Carolina’s attorney general began keeping track of crime statistics in 1889, and in the years that followed, there were more lynchings than legal executions in the state.”

Other historical factoids offer glimpses into the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan in WNC, the evolution of the state’s death penalty and a former social event known as “court week,” which involved a weeklong open market where goods were sold and entertainment had.

But, as Dean makes clear, not everyone approved of the annual gathering. U.S. senator and Asheville native Augustus S. Merrimon wrote in an 1853 diary entry, “Scores of women attend this court for the sole purpose of drinking and pandering to the lustful passions of dirty Men.” Through such asides, Dean offers readers much-needed levity amid otherwise brutal and heavy tales. Yet, the book’s main stories also provide a number of plot twists that will keep readers entertained and surprised.

But ultimately, Dean views Murder in the Mountains as a warning. “I think these stories are important because they illustrate that human nature has to be corralled,” she says. “Especially today when you look at how uncivilized people are with each other and how easy it is to sit behind a keyboard and type a really nasty and hateful thing that you wouldn’t have the nerve to say to someone’s face.

These are the kinds of precursors to more violence.” X

FOOD ROUNDUP

What’s new in food

Peanut butter and jelly, shrimp and grits, beans and greens — everyone has a favorite food pairing. For New Hampshire native Brendan Kotlus, it was bagels and lox. “Growing up in the Northeast, I probably ate bagels and lox weekly,” he says.

But when he turned 17, Kotlus decided to pursue a vegan lifestyle.

“Lox is one of the few things I’ve really missed,” he says of the now 13-year-old decision. “It was very hard to give that up.”

Over the last year, however, Kotlus and his wife, Seva, have worked to satisfy that long-held craving — developing a carrot-based lox recipe that they first began tinkering with in their home, before renting a space in the Blue Ridge Food Ventures commercial kitchen. In December, Brendan delivered the first round of 8-ounce packages of Faux Lox to the West Village Market, where it joins fellow Asheville-made Darë Vegan Cheese and Roots Hummus.

Since that time, Faux Lox Foods has expanded its local reach, finding cooler space in French Broad Food Co-Op, Hendersonville Community Co-Op, Brookside Health Foods and Food Matters Market in Brevard.

Meanwhile, all three Green Sage Café locations will also begin carrying the product this month. “I think the Faux Lox made with carrots is one of the coolest new plant-based foods to hit the market,” says Randy Talley, owner of Green Sage. “It’s great to have a fishy-flavored plant-based lox that looks, tastes and eats great!”

The three cafes intend to offer a vegan version of its avocado lox breakfast sandwich, as well as pho lox tacos with honey lime slaw, avocado, sriracha sauce and chimichurri mayonnaise.

In addition to landing in more retail stores, Faux Lox’s business plan for 2022 is to continue developing new products. “I have ideas for a couple of other things that don’t exist in vegan sections of markets that I think will do well,” says Brendan. “We are having fun working on recipes.”

To learn more about Faux Lox Foods, visit avl.mx/b1n.

Love story

Media personality Samantha Brown has a life to envy — traveling to locations all over the world to visit local attractions and sample regional cuisine, all while getting paid to do it. The fifth season of

Faux Lox Foods launches in Asheville

LOXA LOVE: Brendan and Seva Kotlus tested multiple recipes and methods before launching Faux Lox Foods, a plantbased vegan alternative to conventional lox. Photo courtesy Brendan Kotlus the two-time Emmy Award-winning series “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love” kicks off in easy-to-love Asheville. Airing on PBS Saturday, Jan. 8, the 30-minute episode features several local stops, including Brown’s visits to the Biltmore Estate, The Block, Chai Pani, Eda Rhyne Distillery and Citizen Vinyl. Some of the episode’s featured locals include DeWayne Barton of Hood Huggers International, Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani and producer Gar Ragland, founder of Citizen Vinyl.

For more information on the series, visit avl.mx/b1p.

Love, Italian style Local artist David Skinner invites residents on a vicarious trip through Ciao Asheville’s latest “Italy Off the Beaten Path” series, hosted by Metro Wines. Designed to spotlight lesser-known Italian areas, the latest event will focus on Spannocchia, nestled in the Tuscan hills about 25 miles west of Siena. No stranger to the area, Skinner hosts annual painting workshops in the town at a 12th-century estate that now operates as an organic working farm. In his presentation — which includes a small wine tasting of a red and white representative of the region — Skinner will share the history of the estate, discuss local foods and wines, and announce details of his next painting workshop in summer 2022.

The latest class takes place Thursday, Jan. 13, 5:30 p.m. at Metro Wines, 169 Charlotte St. Tickets are $10. Reserve a spot by calling 828-5759525 or visit avl.mx/b1q.

Growth spurt

al Spring Conference is returning to fully in-person, Friday, March 18-Sunday, March 20 at Mars Hill University in Mars Hill.

Cameron Farlow, executive director of OGS, is urging interested participants to take advantage of the early-bird registration discount, touting the excitement over the new col-

Keeping Asheville Weird Since 2010 CONTINUES ON PAGE 30

After 18 months of virtual presentations and hybrids events, the Organic Growers School 29th annu-

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AR T S & C UL T U R E laboration with Mother Earth News.

“We’re particularly excited about the opportunities this collaboration opens up for participants to learn and share innovative farming, gardening and living techniques,” she says in a release announcing the partnership with the veteran media group.

The conference will offer more than 100 practical and regionally appropriate workshops on organic growing, sustainable living, an exhibit stage for author talks, a Mother Earth News bookstore and more.

People who sign up before Monday, Jan. 31 will save $30. Register for the full weekend or specific events at avl.mx/8xd.

Church family

In a recent Facebook post, Newton Clark III, owner of Chiesa, an Italian restaurant in Montford, announced the August closure caused by staffing issues would be permanent. In the announcement, he said: “It is no secret that the last two years have brought many challenges and changes that none of us could have ever imagined. We have made the difficult decision to close Chiesa

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permanently. …. There are few jobs that give you the privilege of sharing a meal with friends and family, meeting new people and celebrating significant life events every night of the week. We have worked hard to deliver a nightly memorable experience that would provide ‘food for the soul.’”

Housed in a former church, Clark tells Xpress that Chiesa’s well-earned reputation as a neighborhood restaurant was aided by the innkeepers of a dozen nearby bed-and-breakfasts, who regularly sent guests to dine there.

After making the announcement, Clark says he and his wife have been overwhelmed by the community response. “I’m so grateful for all the love and compassion,” he says. “I loved what I did, and this wasn’t how I saw it ending. That said, Chiesa was a church, and at one point I worked in a Christian bookstore, where they’d say, ‘If you want to see God laugh, tell him your plans!’”

Open and shut

In other opening news, after an extensive renovation that closed

the restaurant for five months, Green Sage Café’s downtown location reopened in mid-December at 5 Broadway. Green Sage stores are also at 633 Merrimon Ave. and in South Asheville at 1800 Hendersonville Road.

Meanwhile, in South Asheville, Early Girl Eatery has opened its third location at 1378 Hendersonville Road. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be enjoyed indoors, on a patio and in a temperature-controlled covered porch. The other two Early Girls are at 8 Wall St. and 444 Haywood Road, with plans to expand to Charlotte location come spring.

December also saw multiple restaurants announce temporary closures due to ongoing staffing issues, COVID exposures and challenges finding tests and test sites.

This is expected to continue into January, particularly post-holiday traveling and gathering. Local eateries and the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association recommend checking social media or calling your planned destination in advance to check winter operating hours.

— Kay West X

ROUNDUP

Around Town

Local workshops teach shoemaking skills The hum of a sewing machine was a constant presence in Deborah Robertson’s life growing up.

“My grandmother made all of her clothing and was very dedicated to getting her stitches just right,” says Robertson, an award-winning shoemaker and former Community Calendar editor for Xpress. “I think it was this devotion to making that led me to shoemaking.”

Robertson now hopes to pass that love of traditional cordwaining to others in the Asheville area.

Deborah’s School of Shoemaking will hold a series of four eight-week classes starting this month and running through the end of July. The first, Oxford or Derby? You Choose, begins Saturday, Jan. 15, and requires no shoemaking experience.

Each class runs four hours and will focus on such shoe types as boots, Mary Janes, monk straps and sandals.

“The workshop covers all the skills required for making shoes by hand and begins with measuring,” Robertson explains. “Fit is the most important aspect of shoemaking, and we will spend the first class learning about which measurements to take and practice taking one another’s measurements.”

According to Robertson, handmade shoemaking is experiencing a wave of popularity for a number of reasons.

“First and foremost, the creation of handmade crafts, and especially shoemaking, connects the head, the hands and the heart in a way that results in pure joy and a deep feeling of accomplishment,” she says. “To create for yourself a pair of shoes that you designed and built from scratch, that fit well, feel comfortable and are pleasing to the eye, well ... there’s nothing better than that, nothing compares.”

Classes are available Saturdays, 1-5 p.m., or Wednesdays, 5-9 p.m.

All students must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. For more information, including pricing, visit avl.mx/b1h.

Deep tradition

Ramona Lossie and Mary W. Thompson are determined to keep the ancient Cherokee art of basketmaking alive for future generations.

“There aren’t that many weavers left, and most are elderly,” says Lossie. “And if it’s not passed on, it dies. But we won’t let that happen.”

Lossie and Thompson are among nine Eastern Band Cherokee artists whose work is showcased in the Center for Craft’s exhibition ᎢᏛᏍᎦ ᏫᏥᏤᎢ ᎠᎵᏰᎵᏒ Weaving Across Time. The show, which opened in December, will be on view until Friday, April 22.

The exhibition features 45 works — eight mats, 12 miniatures and 25 baskets — made within the last 20 years, using two of the oldest materials in Cherokee basketmaking tradition: mountain river cane and white oak. Unlike basket weavers, basketmakers are heavily invested in each stage of the process, including sourcing the river cane, felling trees and gathering plants for dyes.

“As a Cherokee artist, I hope visiting guests understand how much time and effort goes into the creation of my basketry,” Thompson says.

“This is an important part of our history, and our cultural practices need to be continued. Not everything can be bought online.”

Thompson adds that her baskets are symbolic of Cherokee resilience.

The Center for Craft, 67 Broadway, is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Visitors can reserve 30-minute time slots for unguided visits to explore current exhibitions. For more information or to reserve a time slot, visit avl.mx/b1i.

Dragon tales

Jeff Hutchins made up Denton the Dragon when telling stories to his then-3-year-old daughter, Rachel. That led to Hutchins’ 2013 children’s book series, Denton the Dragon in Tales of Bubbleland.

And now the Black Mountain resident has written a musical based on the character.

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts will present Denton the Dragon: The Musical! Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., Jan. 7-15, along with two matinee performances Sunday, Jan. 9, and Friday, Jan. 14, both at 2 p.m. The play will feature five professional actors playing multiple roles.

Featuring 14 original songs, the musical tells the story of Denton, a

A MILE IN HER SHOES: Deborah Robertson is an award-winning shoemaker who will teach the shoemaking process in upcoming workshops. “When I teach a new skill, I show and explain why we are accomplishing the task in this way and in this order,” she says. Photo by Michele Patterson 3-year-old dragon, who relocates to the city after living in a cave and must learn the cultural norms of his new community.

“After a career in television, Denton is my first foray into theater,” says Denton, who retired to Black Mountain with his wife 13 years ago.

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is at 225 W. State St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children.

For tickets or more information, visit avl.mx/8yh.

including glass art, oils, acrylics, cold wax, encaustic, mixed media, textile art, portraiture, landscape and abstracts.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 32

Pink Dog show

Pink Dog Creative will host an exhibit of nine artists at its River Arts District studio Friday, Jan. 7-Sunday, April 3. The studio will hold a reception on Thursday, Feb. 10, 5-7:30 p.m.

The exhibit will feature a wide range of mediums and styles, MOUNTAINX.COM

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A R TS & CU LTU R E The featured artists are Lynn Bregman Blass, Karen Keil Brown, Julieta Fumberg, Leene Hermann, Gayle Paul, Joseph Pearson, Sarah St Laurent, Larry Turner and Cindy Walton.

Pink Dog Creative is at 348 Depot St. Gallery hours are WednesdaySaturday, noon-4 p.m. For more information, go to avl.mx/5p2.

Cherokee museum appointments The Museum of the Cherokee Indian has appointed Evan Mathis as director of collections and exhibitions and Michael Slee as director of operations.

Mathis will manage the care, safety and security of the MCI’s paper and object collections and assist in the scheduling, design and implementation of exhibitions. Slee will oversee the museum’s day-today operations, including facilities and financials.

Mathis was most recently the supply department manager for Cherokee Indian Hospital. While not an enrolled member, he is an artist of Cherokee descent with close ties to the community.

Slee spent a decade at Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Transit.

He is a citizen of the ECBI, a member of the Long Hair Clan and a member of both Raven Rock Stomp Grounds and the Walelu Indian Ball Team.

The Museum of the Cherokee Indian is at 589 Tsali Blvd. in Cherokee. For more information, visit avl.mx/b1c.

Hendersonville auditions The Hendersonville Theatre is looking for actors, singers, dancers and those interested in working behind the scenes for three upcoming shows.

The group will hold auditions for those 18 and older for Sister Amnesia’s Nunsense Jamboree and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It also will hold interviews for people 16 and older for technical positions for both productions, as well as Red White and Tuna.

The auditions and interviews will be held Saturday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 9, 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Main Stage Auditorium, 226 S. Washington St., Hendersonville.

No experience is required.

Sign up for a slot at avl.mx/b1e and fill out an audition 32

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form at avl.mx/b1f. For more information, go to avl.mx/b1g.

Clogging around the world The Bailey Mountain Cloggers, Mars Hill University’s precision dancing team, has been invited to perform at Festival Days, an international folklore festival that will be held June 22-26 in Paralia, Greece.

“Traveling abroad to represent the USA, North Carolina and our university is an absolute honor,” Danielle Plimpton, managing director of the cloggers, says in a press release. “Not only do we share our dance and music traditions with the world, but we have the chance to experience other cultures and learn dances from several countries.”

The team’s most recent international trip included performances in Ireland and Portugal in 2019.

In October, BMC won its 29th national championship, and the group performed in the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade in November.

For more information, visit avl.mx/b1d.

— Justin McGuire X

MOVIE LISTINGS Edwin Arnaudin’s latest critiques of new films available to view in local theaters and on popular streaming services include: THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH: Writer/director Joel Coen (sans brother Ethan) delivers this stunning B&W adaptation of the Shakespeare classic, bolstered by a superb Denzel Washington performance, mesmerizing production design and inventive twists on well-worn material. Grade: A. Rated R DON’T LOOK UP: A potent, hilarious and terrifying metaphor for climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, Adam McKay’s latest star-studded film lets Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence flex their funny bones in the name of quality satire.

Grade: A-minus. Rated R

Find full reviews and local film info at ashevillemovies.com patreon.com/ashevillemovies

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CLUBLAND

OLDIES BUT GOODIES: Retired husband and wife Jean and Alan Satz will play at Hendersonville’s 305 Lounge & Eatery Friday, Jan. 7, 5-7 p.m. The acoustic duo, called Geriatric Jukebox, performs songs from the 1960s and ’70s. Photo courtesy of Geriatric Jukebox

k

The featured icon indicates which venues or artists require proof of vaccination for upcoming shows. Due to the evolving nature of the matter, the list may not be comprehensive.

Before heading out, please check with all venues for complete information on any vaccine or negative COVID-19 requirements.

For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5 12 BONES BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

185 KING STREET Trivia Night, 7pm BREWSKIES Free Pool, 12pm CASCADE LOUNGE Wednesday Bluegrass Jam, 5pm

CITIZEN VINYL Open Folk, 6pm HI-WIRE BREWING BIG TOP Free Weekly Trivia Night, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Latin Night Wednesdays, 7pm SILVERADOS Open Mic, 7pm

ICONIC KITCHEN & DRINKS Marc Keller (acoustic), 6pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm

OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Getaway Comedy w/ Sean Patton, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. French Broad Valley Mountain Music Jam, 6pm

THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN The B's (jazz, standards), 7pm

TRISKELION BREWING CO. TriskaTrivia, 7pm TURGUA BREWING CO Trivia Night w/Pub Trivia Nerds, 6pm

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6 12 BONES BREWERY Musical Bingo w/DJ Bar-One, 7pm

185 KING STREET The Neverwhere Trio (piano, cello, guitar), 7pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Karaoke w/Karaoke Jackazz, 8pm

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm FLEETWOOD'S Terraoke (karaoke), 6pm GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM Gluten-Free Comedy (open mic), 6pm

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RYE KNOT KITCHEN BREWERY DISTILLERY Chris Flanders (acoustic), 6pm THE 2ND ACT Russ Wilson & The 2nd Act Orchestra (swing), 7pm

BEN'S TUNE UP Offended! Open Mic (comedy), 9:30pm

JAN. 5-11, 2022

OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm

131 MAIN Aaron LaFalce (soul, rock, pop), 6pm

305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm

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HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Drag Music Bingo w/ Divine the Bearded Lady, 6pm

THE GREY EAGLE The Late Shifters (Southern rock, jam) k 8pm

FRIDAY, JANUARY 7 185 KING STREET The Kenny George Band (country, Southern rock), 8pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Geriatric Jukebox (oldies), 5pm BREWSKIES Karaoke, 10pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Ben Phantom (singer-songwriter), 3pm

CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats (oldies) k 8pm

SILVERADOS Keil Nathan Smith (country), 9pm

CROW & QUILL DJ Dr. Filth (old school rock)k 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS ToF, Dropsonic & The Poles (rock), 8pm

DRY FALLS BREWING CO. Mark McDonald (alt rock), 7pm FLEETWOOD'S Lo Wolf, Mando Saenz & Derik Hultquist (country, folk), 8pm GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM Christina Chandler (folk, soul, Americana), 7pm OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST The Knotty G’s, 7pm SILVERADOS Jon Cox Band (honky tonk), 9pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Aunt Vicki w/ Bombay Gasoline & The Floral Hygienists (folk), 8pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Getaway Comedy: Andy Sandford, 7pm THE GREY EAGLE John Paul White w/ Alexa Rose (classic country, singer-songwriter)k 8pm THE ODDITORIUM Sly Grog Benefit Show, 1pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. The Kenny George Band (country, Southern rock), 7pm UPCOUNTRY BREWING BREVARD The Knotty G’s, 6pm WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT DJ Abu Disarray, 7pm

SUNDAY, JANUARY 9

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Getaway Comedy: Maddie Wiener, 8pm

BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Ken & Nichole (acoustic), 2pm

THE GREY EAGLE Sam Burchfield & Will Blackburn (Appalachian folk, singer-songwriter) k 9pm

BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Clay Johnson (singer-songwriter), 2pm

THE ODDITORIUM Cold Kiss of Deathfest (metal), 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL Cursive, Jeremy Enigk, The Appleseed Cast (indie rock), 8pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. Trevor Darden (acoustic), 7pm WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT Susie Copeland (rock, pop, blues), 7pm

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8 185 KING STREET Magenta Sunshine (funk, jazz, soul), 10:30pm BREWSKIES Pool Tournament Saturdays, 7pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Hope Griffin (folk, Americana), 2pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Carver and Carmody (acoustic), 2pm DRY FALLS BREWING CO. Pleasantly Wild (alt rock), 7pm FLEETWOOD'S Lavender Blue w/ Lily Ophelia and Bats (folk, singer-songwriter), 8pm GUIDON BREWING High Sierra (acoustic trio), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Soul Jazz Sundays w/ Taylor Pierson Trio, 3pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Blues and Brews, 1pm ICONIC KITCHEN + DRINKS The Knotty G’s, 2pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Sunday Jazz Jam w/ The Fully Vaccinated Jazz Trio, 1pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Pat and the Pissers (hardcore, punk), 8pm THE GREY EAGLE An Evening w/The Stolen Faces (Grateful Dead tribute)k 8pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. Johnnie Blackwell (rock, blues), 3pm WHISTLE HOP BREWING The Knotty G’s, 4pm

MONDAY, JANUARY 10 BREWSKIES Open Jam w/the legendary Tall Paul, 7:30pm DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke, 10pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Totally Rad Trivia w/ Mitch Fortune, 6pm

Cheers to a better New Year from your friends at Smoky Park SMOKYPARK.COM 350 RIVERSIDE DR. ASHEVILLE, NC 28801 828-350-0315

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C L UB L AND LITTLE JUMBO Fly Casual Organ Trio featuring Brian Felix (jazz)k 7pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Mr Jimmy & Friends (blues), 7pm

305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm

HI-WIRE BREWING BIG TOP Free Weekly Trivia Night, 7pm

THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN The B's (jazz, standards), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Monday Mashup w/ Grant Green Jr. (jazz), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Washed Out (chillwave, synth pop) k 8pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING Trivia Night, 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Falcon 3 (improvisational), 6pm

TRISKELION BREWING CO. TriskaTrivia, 7pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Trivia by the River w/ James Harrod, 8pm THE GOLDEN PINEAPPLE Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 8pm

TUESDAY, JANUARY 11 185 KING STREET Tuesday Casual Collaborations Hosted

by Travis Book ft. Tim O'Brien, 6pm

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OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Team Trivia, 7pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Dead tribute), 6pm THE GREY EAGLE Citizen Cope (rock) k 8pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. Irish Session (Celtic), 7pm

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12 12 BONES BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm 185 KING STREET Trivia Night, 7pm BREWSKIES Free Pool, 12pm

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CASCADE LOUNGE Wednesday Bluegrass Jam, 5pm CITIZEN VINYL Open Folk, 6pm

ICONIC KITCHEN & DRINKS Marc Keller (acoustic), 6pm OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. French Broad Valley Mountain Music Jam, 6pm

TURGUA BREWING CO Trivia Night w/Pub Trivia Nerds, 6pm

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13 131 MAIN Aaron LaFalce (soul, rock, pop), 6pm 185 KING STREET Christiana, Bugel & Stickley (Americana), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Latin Night Wednesdays, 7pm

305 LOUNGE & EATERY Bob Sherill (singer-songwriter), 1pm

SILVERADOS Open Mic, 7pm

BEN'S TUNE UP Offended! Open Mic (comedy), 9:30pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Chaotic Comedy at The Getaway, 7pm THE GREY EAGLE Travis Book Happy Hour w/Tim O'Brien (Americana)k 7pm

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE General Trivia Night, 7pm FLEETWOOD'S Terraoke (karaoke), 6pm

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HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Drag Music Bingo w/ Divine the Bearded Lady, 6pm OFF THE WAGON All Request Piano Show, 8pm PULP Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic , 7:30pm RYE KNOT KITCHEN BREWERY DISTILLERY Chris Flanders (acoustic), 6pm THE 2ND ACT Russ Wilson & The 2nd Act Orchestra (swing), 7pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Karaoke w/Karaoke Jackazz, 8pm TRISKELION BREWING CO. Jason's Krazy Karaoke, 6:30pm

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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the fantasy tale “The Wizard of Oz,” a tornado lifts the hero Dorothy from her modest home in rural Kansas to a magical realm called Oz. There she experiences many provocative and entertaining adventures.

Nonetheless, she longs to return to where she started from. A friendly witch helps her find the way back to Kansas, which requires her to click her ruby slippers together three times and say, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.” I suspect, Aries, that there’ll be a different ending to your epic tale in 2022. At some point, you will decide you prefer to stay in your new world. Maybe you’ll even click your ruby slippers together and say, “There’s no place like Oz, there’s no place like Oz.” (Thanks to author David Lazar for that last line.)

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Fifty-five percent of the people who live in Toronto speak primarily English or French. But for the other 45 percent, their mother tongue is a different language, including Portuguese, Tagalog, Italian, Tamil, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin. I wish you could spend some time there in the coming months. In my astrological opinion, you would benefit from being exposed to maximum cultural diversity. You would thrive by being around a broad spectrum of influences from multiple backgrounds. If you can’t manage a trip to Toronto or another richly diverse place, do your best to approximate the same experience.

Give yourself the gift of splendorous variety.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): One of your primary meditations throughout 2022 should be the following advice from The Laws of Human Nature, a book by motivational author Robert Greene. He writes, “In ancient times, many great leaders felt that they were descended from gods and part divine. Such self-belief would translate into high levels of confidence that others would feed off and recognize. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy. You do not need to indulge in such grandiose thoughts, but feeling that you are destined for something great or important will give you a degree of resilience when people oppose or resist you. You will not internalize the doubts that come from such moments. You will have an enterprising spirit. You will continually try new things, even taking risks, confident in your ability to bounce back from failures and feeling destined to succeed.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I would love to unabashedly encourage you to travel widely and explore wildly in 2022. I would rejoice if I could brazenly authorize you to escape your comfort zone and wander in the frontiers. It’s not often the planetary omens offer us Cancerians such an unambiguous mandate to engage in exhilarating adventures and intelligent risks. There’s only one problem: that annoying inconvenience known as the pandemic. We really do have to exercise caution in our pursuit of expansive encounters.

Luckily, you now have extra ingenuity about the project of staying safe as you enlarge your world.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I suspect that your life in 2022 might feature themes beloved by Leo author Emily Brontë (1818–1848). “No coward soul is mine,” she wrote, “No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere.” I suggest making that one of your mottoes. Here’s another guiding inspiration from Brontë , via one of her poems: “I’ll walk where my own nature would be leading: / It vexes me to choose another guide: / Where the grey flocks in ferny glens are feeding; / Where the wild wind blows on the mountain-side.” Here’s one more of Brontë’s thoughts especially suitable for your use in the coming months: “I’ll be as dirty as I please, and I like to be dirty, and I will be dirty!”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): What reversals and turnabouts would you like to experience in 2022, Virgo? Which situations would you like to transform dramatically? Are there imbalances of power you would like to rectify? Contradictions you’d love to dissolve? Misplaced priorities you could correct?

All these things are possible in the coming months if you are creative and resourceful enough. With your dynamic efforts, the last could be first, the low could be high and the weak could become strong.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Everything good I’ve ever gotten in my life, I only got because I gave something else up,” wrote author Elizabeth Gilbert.

That has often been true for me. For example, if I hadn’t given up my beloved music career, I wouldn’t have had the time and energy to become a skillful astrology writer with a big audience. What about you, Libra? In my reckoning, Gilbert’s observation should be a major theme for you in 2022.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Author C. S. Lewis wrote that we don’t simply want to behold beauty.

We “want to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” If there were ever a time when you could get abundant tastes of that extravagant pleasure, Scorpio, it would be in the coming months.

If you make it a goal, if you set an intention, you may enjoy more deep mergers and delightful interactions with beauty than you have had since 2010.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian singer-songwriter Tom Waits began his career in 1969. He achieved modest success during the next 11 years. But his career headed in an even more successful direction after he met Kathleen Brennan, who became his wife and collaborator. In a 1988 interview, Waits said, “She’s got the whole dark forest living inside of her. She pushes me into areas I would not go, and I’d say that a lot of the things I’m trying to do now, she’s encouraged.” In 2022, Sagittarius, I’ll invite you to go looking for the deep dark forest within yourself. I’m sure it’s in there somewhere. If you explore it with luxuriant curiosity, it will ultimately inspire you to generate unprecedented breakthroughs. Yes, it might sometimes be spooky — but in ways that ultimately prove lucky.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn-born Muhammad Ali was far more than a superb professional boxer. He was an activist, entertainer, and philanthropist who gathered much wisdom in his 74 years. I’ve chosen one of his quotes to be your guide in the coming months. I hope it will motivate you to rigorously manage the sometimes pesky and demanding details that will ultimately enable you to score a big victory. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you down,” Ali said. “It’s the pebble in your shoe.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): At a pivotal moment in his evolution, Aquarian playwright Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) swore an oath to himself. I’ll tell you about it here because I hope it will inspire you to make a comparable vow to yourself about how you’ll live your life in 2022. Author Robert Greene is the source of the quote. He says that Chekhov promised himself he would engage in “no more bowing and apologizing to people; no more complaining and blaming; no more disorderly living and wasting time. The answer to everything was work and love, work and love. He had to spread this message to his family and save them. He had to share it with humanity through his stories and plays.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here’s what Piscean author Anaïs Nin wrote in one of her diaries: “When I first faced pain, I was shattered. When I first met failure, defeat, denial, loss, death, I died. Not today.

I believe in my power, in my magic, and I do not die. I survive, I love, live, continue.” According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Pisces, you could claim her triumphant declaration as your own in 2022, with special emphasis on this: “I believe in my power, in my magic. I survive, I love, live, continue.” This will be a golden age, a time when you harvest the fruits of many years of labor.

MOUNTAINX.COM

MARKETPLACE

BY ROB BREZSNY

REAL ESTATE & RENTALS | ROOMMATES | JOBS | SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENTS | CLASSES & WORKSHOPS | MIND, BODY, SPIRIT MUSICIANS’ SERVICES | PETS | AUTOMOTIVE | XCHANGE | ADULT Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to advertise@mountainx.com REAL ESTATE LAND FOR SALE MOUNTAIN PROPERTY WITH VIEWS FOR SALE Beautiful mountain property located in Swannanoa. Private and 10 minutes from Asheville.

25.7 acres of gorgeous mountain property with building sites. $259,000. Call Wayne at Purcell Realty at 828-279-8562 for more information.

EMPLOYMENT GENERAL SEAMSTRESSES/SEWERS NEEDED TO WORK FROM HOME FOR LOCAL COMPANY Part-time/full-time sewers need to sew our medical scrubs. Experience in sewing mens/womans clothing and owning your own serger and regular sewing machine is required. Contact info@ largesizescrubs.com.

DRIVERS/ DELIVERY

MOUNTAIN XPRESS DELIVERY Mountain Xpress is seeking an energetic, reliable, independent contractor for part-time weekly newspaper delivery. The contractor must have a safe driving record, a reliable vehicle with proper insurance and registration, and be able to lift 50 lbs. without strain. Distribution of papers is on Tuesday afternoons and typically lasts about 7-8 hours per week. Occasional Wednesday morning delivery is is sometimes needed or an option. E-mail distro@ mountainx.com. No phone calls or walk-ins please. Central Downtown Asheville route.

SALES/MARKETING

SALES PROFESSIONAL Mountain Xpress is looking to add a new member to our sales team. This is a full-time position with benefits.

Ideal candidates are personable, organized, motivated, and can present confidently, while working within a structure. Necessary skills include clear and professional communications (via phone, email, and in-person meetings), detailed

record-keeping, and working well in a team environment. While no outside sales experience is required, experience dealing with varied and challenging situations is helpful. The position largely entails account development and lead generation (including coldcalling), account management, assisting clients with marketing and branding strategies, and working to meet or exceed sales goals. If you are a high energy, positive, cooperative person looking to join an independent, communityminded organization, please send a resume and cover letter (no walk-ins, please) explaining why you are a good fit for Mountain Xpress to: xpressjob@mountainx.com

SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCED MAKERS (SEWERS) NEEDED FOR A COOL PROJECT Trekroll has part time employment for a team of talented cut & sew types. $20 hr, flexible 16 hrs a week, 4-6 weeks project duration beginning January. Join us! Please contact us at info@trekroll. com for more information.

WAREHOUSE OPERATOR The Warehouse Operator 1 is a critical contributor to the production processes throughout the Brewery. Reporting to the Warehouse Supervisor, this role is part of a rotational staffing plan where the warehouse operator is trained and able to perform all duties of the warehouse, including but not limited to: Receiving trucks, loading trucks, providing production support, building partial pallets utilizing the Bomber/Tygard, conducting inventory counts, utilizing scanners and understanding the WMS system. In addition to these duties, Warehouse Operators are expected to utilize inventory best practices such as: accurate inventory creation, accurate inventory moves, timely cycle counts and adjustments, and prioritization of FIFO during shipping. A successful Warehouse Operator 1 will be proficient at performing all of these essential warehouse functions. https://sierranevada.com/careers/

RESTAURANT/ FOOD DISHWASHERS PT & FT: SIERRA NEVADA BREWING $1,000 SIGN ON BONUS + BENEFITS The Dishwasher, who reports to the BOH

HIRING?

Supervisor, is a member of the kitchen team who will receive and organize products; wash and sanitize equipment, plates, utensils, and spaces; stock equipment as needed in order to maintain proper BOH operations for the continuity of the guest experience. https:// sierranevada.com/careers/ LINE COOK: SIERRA NEVADA BREWING $1,000 SIGN ON BONUS + BENEFITS The Line Cook is a member of the kitchen team, who will work closely with all other positions in the Back of the House operations to prep, cook, and expedite food to the guests ordering onsite, delivery, and to-go.The Line Cook, who reports to the BOH Supervisor Team, operates grills, fryers, broilers, and other commercial cooking equipment to prepare and serve food. https://sierranevada.com/ careers/

MEDICAL/ HEALTH CARE HIRING: DENTAL ASSISTANT We are looking for a highly motivated individual to work under the supervision of the dentist and is responsible for a wide range of tasks in the office, ranging from patient care to laboratory functions, to tracking monthly statistics.

This position is very varied and requires a diverse set of skills: clinical, clerical, interpersonal, technological and more.

Deborah G. Anders Adult & Family Dentistry Please send resume to: info@andersdds. com. (828) 669-8781 3094 • US 70 Hwy., Black Mountain, NC 28711.

HIRING: DENTAL HYGIENIST We are looking for a dental hygienist to join our team to promote dental health by completing dental prophylaxis; providing oral hygiene instructions, taking X-rays, charting conditions of decay & disease; performing procedures in compliance with the dental practice act. Please email your resume to info@ andersdds.com.

Deborah G. Anders Adult & Family Dentistry (828)-669-8781.

HUMAN SERVICES LEAD LEARNING CENTER ASSISTANT This position will assist the after school & Summer Enrichment Program Manager in planning and implementing after school and summer enrichment

programming in Learning Centers and other community based sites. https://childrenfirstcisbc.org/ STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST Children First Communities in Schools is looking for someone who has experience in education, mentoring or social services and can help us continue to improve how we serve people of color. Specifically, we are seeking candidates that are representative of the communities that we serve.

Student Support Specialists have the ability to form their plan based on what the school and students most need. We are looking for an organized, self-starter who can receive feedback and adjust accordingly. Interested applicants will need to submit a cover letter, resume and three professional references by email to employment@ childrenfirstbc.org.

TEACHING/ EDUCATION A-B TECH IS HIRING A-B Tech is currently taking applications for a Adjunct Instructor- Part-Time limited position Adjunct Instructor, Cosmetology(Position needs to be filled immediately). For more details and to apply: https://www.abtcc.peopleadmin.com/postings/5923

YOUTH LITERACY DIRECTOR Literacy Together seeks a YL Director to provide leadership and specialized training to volunteer tutors for K-5th grade students who are behind grade in reading. For full info: https://lit-together. org/job-openings/.

SERVICES AUDIO/VIDEO HUGHESNET SATELLITE INTERNET Finally, no hard data limits! Call Today for speeds up to 25mbps as low as $59.99/ mo! $75 gift card, terms apply.

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THE N EW Y OR K TI M ES C ROSSWORD P UZ Z LE CAREGIVERS COMPANION • CAREGIVER • LIVE-IN VACCINATED • Alzheimer's Experienced • Heart failure and bed sore care • Hospice reference letter • Nonsmoker, with cat, seeks live-in position • References • Arnold, (828) 273-2922.

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BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work…

You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 844-511-1836. (AAN CAN) CAO’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023 AT 3PM. Community Action Opportunities (CAO) will submit an application for $966,284 to the Office of Economic Opportunity Community Services Block Grant in order to continue operating a self-sufficiency project in FY 2022 - 2023. CAO provides comprehensive case management services in Buncombe, Madison, McDowell, Henderson, Transylvania and Polk Counties who meet the federal income guidelines and work/are able to work. Further details about the program can be found: communityactionopportunities.org/life-works/ CAO's Board of Directors - Executive Committee will meet to review and approve the application Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 3pm. The public is welcome to attend virtually. Email kate.singogo@ tcqr.org at least 24 hours prior to the webinar to receive login information. Call 828-252-2495 or email with questions.

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 1-855-554-4616.

The Mission Program Information and Tuition is located at CareerTechnical. edu/consumer-information.

(AAN CAN) DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service Starting at $59.99/month!

Free Installation! 160+ channels available. Call Now to Get the Most Sports & Entertainment on TV! 877-310-2472 (AAN CAN) DONATE YOUR CAR TO KIDS Your donation helps fund the search for missing children.

Accepting Trucks, Motorcycles & RV’s , too! Fast Free Pickup – Running or Not - 24 Hour Response - Maximum Tax Donation – Call 877-266-0681 (AAN CAN) NOTICE OF UNCLAIMED PROPERTY The following is a list of unclaimed and confiscated property at the Asheville Police Department: electronic equipment; cameras; clothing; lawn and garden equipment; personal items; tools; weapons (including firearms): jewelry: automotive items; building supplies; bikes and other miscellaneous items.

Anyone with a legitimate claim or interest in this property has 30 days from the date of this publication to make a claim.

Unclaimed items will be disposed of according to statutory law. For further information, or to file a claim, contact the Asheville Police Department Property and Evidence Section, 828-232-4576. NOTICE OF DISPOSITION The following is a list of unclaimed and confiscated property at the Asheville Police Department tagged for disposition: audio and video

equipment; cameras; clothing; lawn and garden equipment; personal items; tools; weapons (including firearms): jewelry: automotive items; building supplies; bikes and other miscellaneous. All items will be disposed of 30 days from date of posting. Items to be auctioned will be displayed on www.propertyroom.com.

SAVE MONEY ON EXPENSIVE AUTO REPAIRS! Our vehicle service program can save you up to 60% off dealer prices and provides you excellent coverage! Call for a free quote: 866-915-2263 (Mon-Fri :9am-4pm PST)

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT COUNSELING SERVICES ASTRO-COUNSELING Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions.

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NEWER MODELS too! Call 866-535-9689 (AAN CAN)

edited by Will Shortz | No. 1201

ACROSS

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1 Titan of industry

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5 Peyote and prickly pear 10 Bash 14 Crazy, in Spanish 15 Literary partner of Porthos and Aramis

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23 Golf course supply

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24 Totally wreck, as a noob

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36 Suffix with auction

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22 Roast host

33 Went it alone

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28 Little prince taking a bath?

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21 Source of milk for Manchego cheese

26 Ripped

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17 Play a wrong note during a violin sonata?

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PUZZLE BY CHRISTOPHER YOUNGS

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16 Like the Australian outback

20 Artist Kahlo

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65 First word of Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns”

27 Anthem contraction

45 1996 musical set in New York’s Alphabet City

66 Where Nintendo is headquartered

29 Hey, for horses?

28 Delegation

46 Vote out, say

30 Obsessed captain

49 Amnesia in soap operas, e.g.

31 Roll of stamps

50 Diminished

38 Smooths (out)

32 Timbre

39 Largest artificial satellite in orbit, before 9-Down

33 Filter (through)

51 Voice with an Echo

37 “Get out!”

40 Leave a mark on 41 Muppet’s makeup 42 One might read “Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee” 43 No-can-do 44 “We all put things on TV sometimes”?

47 Fretboard locale 48 D.C. player 49 American acquisition of 2001 52 Condescend (to) 55 Lip balm brand with a podshaped container 57 Pink-red hue 59 Headline after Jane becomes queen?

62 Something to regress to 63 Numbers for a diva 64 Very top

67 Mother of Helen of Troy

DOWN 1 Heads of staff?

2 Swordsman with a horse named Tornado 3 Nostril-burning 4 Church cross 5 Only domestic species in the family Felidae

52 Singer Lovato

34 ___ O’s (Post cereal)

53 Hawks have sharp ones

35 “Whatever ___ wants, ___ gets” (“Damn Yankees” lyric)

54 Modern home of ancient Persepolis

39 Skill never performed by 15-Across, oddly enough

56 Birthplace of seven U.S. presidents

40 Grab suddenly

58 Kind of thermometer

6 She created the olive tree, in myth

42 Word with stand or drop

60 Barrel wood

7 ___ toy

43 Actress Thurman

8 In a relationship 9 39-Across successor: Abbr.

10 What wearing a shirt at the beach might get you 11 Former attorney general Holder 12 One of three in the foreground of “American Gothic” 13 Upper hand 18 Home of the first pizza 19 Actress Hatcher 25 Calendar abbr.

61 General on a menu

ANSWER TO 12/22/21 NY TIMES PUZZLE

S C A R E

A U D E N

S T U N T

U T A H

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B L A I R

Y O G A L I M A N

S Y I E B A H R Y O O D U A N P M A A U A P C E O R

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A L A A N W A O R A D R S I E N T U O S E D

R O W D Y T E E C M E R E

M S A W A R E M A D S E M P S E A M T A D M R O B B N A L S A E C T K

T O N E D

A S H W I E E S S

G O E D M O A T I L I T B S R O O N

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