Mountain Xpress 01.24.24

OUR 30TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 30 NO. 26 JAN. 24-30, 2024

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 24-30, 2024

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JAN. 24-30, 2024

MOUNTAINX.COM

C ONTENT S

NEWS

NEWS

FEATURES 6

LOOKING AHEAD Interim Police Chief Mike Lamb taps into insider knowledge

11 EDUCATION BEAT Asheville school board workshops Parents’ Bill of Rights

PAGE 12 AROUND THE REGION Weaverville recently became the first municipality in the region to add electric vehicles to its police fleet. Other towns in Western North Carolina, including Black Mountain and Waynesville, also see EVs as the future of transportation in their communities. But the specific approach to EVs varies from town to town. Featured on this week’s cover is Derrick Burrell, a senior officer with the Weaverville Police Department.

A&C

WELLNESS

COVER PHOTO Cindy Kunst 20 SECOND CHANCES Advocates encourage workplaces to hire people in recovery

22 O BROTHER, THERE ARE THOU James and David Rowe achieve filmmaking dreams with ‘Breakwater’

COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick 4

LETTERS

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CARTOON: MOLTON

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CARTOON: BRENT BROWN

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NEWS

10 BUNCOMBE BEAT 12 FEATURES 17 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 20 WELLNESS

A&C

22 ARTS & CULTURE 24 COMMUNITY, BEER — AND A RANT Diatribe Brewing Co. anchors west side of Haywood Road

30 CLUBLAND 34 FREEWILL ASTROLOGY 34 CLASSIFIEDS 35 NY TIMES CROSSWORD

STA F F PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

2024

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

Wellness Issues

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OPINION

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

PEAK Academy criticism makes little sense [Regarding “PEAK Academy’s Leadership Misplaces Its Wisdom Button,” Jan. 17, Xpress:] The charge that PEAK Academy is a racist school makes little sense, given they do accept white students. More importantly, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction reports Asheville City Schools’ white student achievement scores are some five times higher than Black students [See “Reset Room: Charter School Puts a Dent in Asheville’s Racial Achievement Gap,” Nov. 8, Xpress].

PEAK Academy has cut that performance differential dramatically.

If Asheville schools redesigned their curriculum along the lines of PEAK Academy, there can be an increase in Black student performance across the system — which would be a significant corrective to the damage caused by real, historical racism.

The charge that PEAK Academy is racist because of its efforts to improve Black student performance seems a bit … well, what would you call it?

— Tom Plaut, Ph.D. Weaverville Emeritus professor of sociology Mars Hill University

Wells cares about citizens and community For more than three years, citizens of Buncombe County have had the benefit of being represented by Terri Wells on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. During this time, Terri worked tirelessly to represent all the people of Buncombe County, in addition to the citizens from her elected district. For 2024, her new District 2 will include Candler, Leicester, Swannanoa and all of North Buncombe, including Weaverville.

Terri was a friend long before being elected. My respect grew as I watched her do the work she has always done, first as a regular citizen and now as a commissioner. I’ve watched her show up for town halls, meet-and-greets in private homes and public meetings — whatever it takes to support her community in an effort to make her neighbors’ lives better. “She is everywhere,” is a comment often heard about Terri.

Terri does this for one reason. She cares about us and this place where we all live. The true measure of a real leader: someone who serves because they truly care about people, with actions to demonstrate it.

Without question, anyone who knows Terri, as a friend or a constit4

JAN. 24-30, 2024

C A RT O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N uent or a voter, will be happy to see her reelected in 2024. She still has more work to do. Buncombe County needs Terri Wells for commissioner.

— Nancy Waldrop Weaverville

Masking during pandemic shows care for self, others Right now COVID is severely surging locally and across the country, and infection levels are high. Many readers will want to ignore the rest of this writing; we are exhausted by this unremitting pandemic and many are coping by dissociating. Dissociation is a protective response to trauma, but not a state to live in endlessly, so please tune back in.

I’m writing to say that masking is an intelligent, adaptive, compassionate practice. If you’ve stopped, it’s never too late to start again.

When this country first introduced laws against drinking and driving, as well as laws enforcing seat-belt wearing, people were outraged by their “personal freedoms” being infringed upon. Nowadays, these safety measures are common sense. People who refuse them are understood to be acting irresponsibly, compromising their own and others’ safety.

Masking within a pandemic of a dangerous airborne virus is comparable. It’s a demonstration of care for yourself and others. It is not “living in the past,” as some mistakenly believe. It’s adapting to our reali-

MOUNTAINX.COM

ty and a near future where climate change will necessitate more masking as we navigate other pandemics and wildfire smoke.

These are not pleasant truths, but we must be willing to face and adjust to them; our collective survival depends on actively caring for one another in tumultuous times.

It’s now well-known that COVID causes lasting damage to all major organ systems. It also suppresses the immune system very similarly to HIV, and each reinfection leaves you more susceptible to long COVID and other serious illnesses. Over 18 million Americans are living with long COVID; that number is steadily rising. If you read about people suffering from long COVID — which I highly encourage — you wouldn’t wish it on yourself, and you’d certainly not want to be culpable for someone else developing it.

Taking COVID precautions protects the most vulnerable among us. Sadly, individualistic thinking has caused most to “move on,” to stop considering the most vulnerable, simultaneously separating themselves from this category. It’s imperative for people to understand that everyone is vulnerable to long COVID, including children.

One in 6 children who catch COVID develop symptoms of long COVID. Children are our future; they deserve a chance at healthy, long lives, and adults are responsible for ensuring this. We must advocate for science-based precautions in schools, which are hotbeds for virus transmission. Better equipping them to

mitigate COVID spread would be a boon for overall public health.

Linked here is a letter by Michael Hoerger outlining recommendations for how schools can keep kids safe: [avl.mx/dag]. Everyone should share this with school administrations and anyone who might have influence or decision-making authority when it comes to safety protocols in schools.

For those interested in understanding the immeasurably harmful minimization of COVID’s seriousness in the public sphere, please read this well-researched piece of writing: [avl.mx/dah].

For those who want insight into long COVID, here are two eye-opening accounts: [avl.mx/dai] and [avl.mx/daj].

Last, if you feel stuck in dissociation, it’s not surprising in a society that discourages people from feeling deeply. We’ve lost so much to the pandemic, but our culture doesn’t allow space for grieving and instead pushes “business as usual” (read: racialized capitalism).

Please grant yourself permission to grieve. Grief can be a transformative portal into a deeper relationship with oneself and with others; just like this pandemic could be a portal into practicing true reciprocal community care, if we allow it to be.

— V. King Asheville

Can we develop a new way of being religious?

Perhaps at best we can say of Asheville’s leaders and government officials that they sincerely do what they believe is good for our city. But we also need to ask, “What are our leaders doing for the working people in our democracy? The goal is to promote a secure way of life materially, psychologically and spiritually. In this regard, our local government merely conforms to a way of life that is devastatingly harmful for our city and our divided country! Recent demonstrations in the Asheville area keep calling for change.

Our institution’s job, whether it’s government, business, religion or civil society, is to support people as productive, contributing and sharing community members of a vibrant and prosperous living earth. The ideal being united and responsible for each other. Our Declaration of Independence declares we are all equal. All the spiritually mature major religions call for healing and integration as opposed to today’s political oppositional energy of domination and inequality.

Mountain Xpress published “Where Are the Involved Local Churches?”

[Oct. 18]. There are glimpses of churchgoers participating in efforts of peace, especially after the murderous inva-

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN sion of Palestine. In Asheville, various groups publicly are calling for an end to the murderous killing of children and families in Gaza. Locally, Land of the Sky United Church of Christ, Circle of Mercy, Quakers, Mennonites and the secular activities of the Veterans for Peace advocate for social justice needed for unity and peace.

I recognize the dedication of people in all religions for their outcry for peace and justice. But I ask again: Where are the local churches when it comes to supporting the local Veterans for Peace and other groups now visibly calling for a cease-fire in Palestine, ending the brutality of killing parents, children?

What can we do? Members of the church can encourage church ministers to advocate major changes in the American way of life. Church leaders can encourage and support members of the church to inform themselves of the great mystical, spiritual traditions of the church and the accomplishments of humankind.

Together we can create rituals of joy, wonder and awe of the mysterious miracle of human life. We are all one.

The church and parents can support and teach our children the heroic, courageous behavior needed to make our world a better, more united and more spiritual place. We adults can model and practice the virtues of compassion, kindness, forgiveness

and love in the public square. This is a huge starting point and requires the same determination, dedication and courage that we attribute to our military veterans.

Yes, I’m aware of the many good works Christians do in our community, but at this time in history, I cry to local churches to become visible in actively supporting nonviolent peacemaking rather than judging and blaming others. There’s no excuse to remain in the background.

As we begin a new year, let’s recognize the suffering in Palestine that has been happening. We can stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and peace workers in Israel and the Disunited States. The courage and ability to work for peace and justice are among the dearest and largest freedoms we have. I’m not talking about mere protest. I’m speaking for advocating a new way of being religious in the public square, exposing the deceitful logic that anyone has the right to kill children to avenge terrorism.

(Please let me know of any church or synagogue visibly advocating for an end to war and justice for all via esacco189@gmail.com.)

— Ed Sacco Asheville Editor’s note: A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx.com.

Hoping for a GOP win for governor The 2024 race for the governorship of North Carolina is off to a good start.

There are some good candidates who are soon to make the election a year for the history books. N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein is the front-runner for his party’s nomination. Stein has served as N.C. attorney general since 2017. Stein is from Wake County. He is seen as a very exceptional candidate. Another Democrat who joined in the race is former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Morgan. And Morgan announced his candidacy in September.

But the GOP has had two remarkable candidates who have come forward to compete for the 2024 GOP nomination for governor of North Carolina. And I think a member of the GOP should be voted as governor of North Carolina because we do need another Pat McCrory or James Martin as chief executive of the Tar Heel State for the good of the state of North Carolina.

Republican N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is seen as the front-runner to win the party’s nomination for N.C. governor. Robinson became the first Black person to be elected to lieutenant governor of North Carolina when he beat Yvonne Lewis

Holley back in 2020. I think he would not go to jail if he wins this election; and he’s very much alive in the next election. I mean I just hope that he wins this election! This would help North Carolina out very much indeed. The second person to fight for the 2024 Grand Old Party gubernatorial nomination is Andy Wells, who is a member of the N.C. Board of Transportation who also served in the N.C. Senate from 2015-20.

In an address to the Henderson County Board of Commissioners meeting Aug. 7, Robinson praised the state’s $3 billion budget surplus.

And on Oct. 11, Stein brought his NC Strong tour to the cities of Hickory and Asheville to connect with votes about the next election in 2024. So these two candidates have visited the Western North Carolina area many times before and will be in the area again during election 2024.

I hope a good member of the GOP emerges and is found to win the governorship of North Carolina in election year 2024. But if it isn’t one of those two GOP candidates who eventually get the nomination, I hope another great, reliable Republican candidate comes forward at the beginning of 2024 who could put the North Carolina governorship in GOP hands for the good of the Tar Heel State.

— Steven Hawkins Greenville, S.C.

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 24-30, 2024

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NEWS

Looking ahead

says. “Also, because of many of those roles, I had the opportunity to serve in collaboration with other internal and external partners, which helped me to build good relationships with the Sheriff’s Office, with state and federal agencies, as well as with local organizations such as the Asheville Downtown Association and different residence councils.”

Interim Police Chief Mike Lamb taps into insider knowledge

BY CHASE DAVIS cdavis@mountainx.com Having spent his entire career at the Asheville Police Department, few people understand the culture and history of Asheville like interim Chief Mike Lamb.

“In my 25 years with APD, I have been in and around Asheville in several different aspects and I’ve seen the community change over the years,” Lamb says. “I have come to realize that we can’t employ one policing strategy for the whole city of Asheville. Different communities have different expectations and different needs, and it is important that we understand that as a department.”

Under his command, Lamb plans to strengthen the force’s collaboration with the community, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and residents.

“I think we have great opportunities now. I have my experience, but I also have a command staff that has great internal experience and has been brought up from within the agency,” Lamb says. “I believe that our institutional knowledge combined with several innovative ideas that we have will propel the department into a strong and positive future. We just need the staffing to be able to pull it all off.”

KEEPING IT LOCAL An Asheville native, Lamb graduated from A.C. Reynolds High School and later Western Carolina University, where he received his bachelor’s in

criminal justice. Lamb says a community policing program led by former APD Chief Will Annarino during his senior year of college is what inspired him to apply to APD. “I thought it was really neat that [Annarino] had different segments of the community come and speak in the class. He taught about community policing concepts and collaborating with communities to have longer-lasting solutions to crime,” says Lamb.

“Going through the class and hearing from Chief Annarino and other community members piqued my interest in the Asheville Police Department, so before I graduated in ’97, I applied.”

Since being hired in February 1998, Lamb says, he’s worked in almost every capacity within the Police Department, rising through the ranks to deputy chief in June 2023 and now interim chief after the abrupt resignation of former Chief David Zack on Dec. 15.

“It was definitely not a call I was expecting,” Lamb says of Zack’s departure.

According to Lamb, everyone at APD was under the impression Zack would remain on for at least another year or two. “We knew [his time] was going to come at some point, and he stated on multiple occasions that it was his goal for the next chief to come from within the department.”

Despite Zack’s abrupt exit, Lamb says the former chief did not leave the department in disarray. “While [Zack’s departure] was sudden, I think he has set us up to where we are in a good place to move on and continue excelling as an agency.”

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REVIVING A COMMUNITY FOCUS

INTERNAL EXPERIENCE: Mike Lamb has worked in almost every capacity within the Asheville Police Department, rising through the ranks to deputy chief in June 2023 and now interim chief after the abrupt resignation of former Chief David Zack on Dec. 15. Photo courtesy of the Asheville Police Department Part of Lamb’s confidence stems from the many roles he’s held within the department: He previously oversaw the Public Housing Unit, APD’s Gang Unit and served as a member of APD’s Emergency Response Team, leading it for nine years. Lamb led the Community Engagement Division, served as the Patrol Division executive officer and Charlie District commander, where he oversaw the Central Business District, South French Broad, River Arts District and neighborhoods along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

That downtown perspective is particularly valuable as APD weathers complaints about perceived safety in the core business district.

“I enjoyed my time as Charlie District commander. It was a really strong time for the department because we had a set number of officers who did nothing but build relationships with people downtown,” Lamb says. “Having those relationships and knowing the needs of the community at that time really helped out.”

Lamb says his experiences across the different roles within APD has made the transition to chief easier.

“Being able to serve in so many different roles helped give me a greater understanding of the whole department’s operation and all of the various units and divisions that we have within the agency,” Lamb

Lamb says the department’s culture has been one of the biggest factors that has kept him in Asheville.

“As a department, we have developed really strong relationships and bonds over the years, and I think that has helped set us up as an agency to get where we are today. People know what the expectations are, they understand leadership styles, and they understand the goals and vision that helps to create a stronger department.”

Lamb emphasizes the importance of community engagement and collaboration and says he would like himself and his executive team to be “out there engaging with the community and with officers,” as well as with other city departments and other stakeholders.

“Sometimes it’s hard for me to sit in the office, so I would like to be out in the community more,” Lamb says. “If people want to have a meeting outside the agency within their community, I’d love to be able to go and speak to folks so they can see the executive team.”

Additionally, Lamb says he intends to further develop and improve the department’s relationship with Asheville City Council.

“I think it’s important to have a strong, positive relationship with Council so that they have a good understanding of what the agency is doing and how the agency is aligning with their goals and priorities,” Lamb says. “Thankfully in my time in the Community Engagement Division, I was able to talk and meet regularly with a variety of Council members.

I think it is something that we are continually working on.”

Lamb also spoke about the APD’s relationship with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. He says that while the two departments have had communication breakdowns in the past, officers from both departments generally have “a great working relationship on a day-to-day basis.”

“Asheville Police Department officers and Buncombe County deputies have a great boots-on-the-ground relationship, and that has never changed.

For example, we recently had a string of car break-ins, and with APD and

Buncombe County deputies working together, we were able to determine at least one of the rings that was doing these break-ins,” Lamb says.

“Sometimes, we as administrators just need to get out of the way and let the officers do their jobs.”

Lamb notes that he is in regular communication with Sheriff Quentin Miller, and they are working together to “collaborate and merge resources together so that we can provide more presence.”

“People that commit crimes in the City of Asheville don’t respect jurisdictional boundaries, so they’re not just going to commit crimes in the city, they also go out in the county and commit crimes,” Lamb says. “Both of us have a variety of stakeholders that have expectations of both of our agencies, so it’s important for both of us to work together to meet the public safety needs of the community.”

RECRUITMENT AND OFFICER MORALE Lamb says staffing levels still continue to be the biggest issue APD faces, with the department down 38%. APD should have 238 officers at full staff. As of now, APD has 174 officers, which includes 10 cadets graduating from Basic Law Enforcement Training and officers on medical, family, vacation or military leave.

The department calculates the percentage it’s understaffed by the number of officers actively serving the public.

“To put it into context, the number of officers that we have right now is less than the number that the department had when I was hired in 1998,” Lamb says. “Asheville’s population has grown drastically since then, so it amazes me daily the work that our officers do with the reduced staff. They’re still able to be out there protecting the community, but

I’m constantly concerned about their safety and the community’s safety, so it really has to be a priority to get our staffing back up.”

Lamb says recruitment efforts have been successful, with four officers undergoing field training, and another five getting ready to start Basic Law Enforcement Training.

The department also has been successful in recruiting officers from surrounding departments.

“Over the last year, we have been able to hire five lateral transfers,” Lamb says. “Historically, we had only had two laterals since 2015, so that’s been a great improvement.”

While staffing levels are slowly rising, officer burnout is a growing concern. Lamb says the department is taking a holistic approach to mitigate burnout. APD offers officers access to mental health clinicians and a wellness coordinator to help officers manage their nutrition and physical fitness and increase mental health awareness.

“We have also prioritized building a culture of being able to do nonpolice activities together. We will often do 5K races together, Spartan races and other things where we get together in our off time to be able to decompress,” says Lamb. “We also try to foster a strong family environment and encourage officers who are starting to feel burnout to come forward and ask for either rest days off or for help through the different services.”

As for Lamb’s personal goals of 2024, he hopes to have ‘interim’ removed from his title.

“The city manager is still determining what the best path forward is, but I am definitely interested in serving permanently as chief,” Lamb says. “I think the department is on a really strong path, and my goal in this position, whether as interim now or in a more permanent role in the future, is to continue with that momentum so that we can keep serving our community effectively.” X

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NEWS

Finding middle ground

Residents pack gym to discuss future of ACS schools

BY GREG PARLIER gparlier@mountainx.com School employees had to fetch more chairs for the about 200 parents, students and teachers who packed into Isaac Dickson Elementary’s gymnasium on a chilly school night Jan. 18 to share their opinions on the potential merger of two Asheville middle schools.

Asheville City Schools announced in November that the district may have to co-locate or merge its two middle schools, reminding some of the controversial closure of Asheville Primary School in 2021.

“When we close schools, we lose students, and that’s true from early elementary all the way through. You can’t cut one school and expect that to be the only loss,” said parent Christina Mason when a few participants were asked for final thoughts from the meeting.

Superintendent Maggie Fehrman kicked off what she called a “listening session” by presenting the district’s options for dealing with what she has called a confluence of financial challenges in previous public meetings.

She stressed throughout the evening that the district would balance its goal of creating equitable learning environments for all students, but she acknowledged that she must balance that with a “responsible and ethical management of financial resources.”

“Sometimes what’s best for our students is smaller clusters. Sometimes what’s best for students is a neighborhood school. Sometimes what’s best for students is more expensive.

And we need to make sure that we’re valuing the best programming for our students. So it’s not a ‘This is going to save the district money, we’re going to go with decision A.’ There’s lots of variables,” she said.

Options for Montford North Star Academy, which opened in 2017 on Montford Avenue to address burgeoning district enrollment at the time, include sharing space or merging with the larger Asheville Middle School at its campus on South French Broad Avenue, Fehrman said.

She also said finding a home for the Education and Career Academy, currently renting space at the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville’s Arthur R. Edington Center, is a priority. The final option is to make no changes, though she warned that might come with significant financial costs.

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JAN. 24-30, 2024

SEEKING INPUT: About 200 community members gathered at Isaac Dickson Elementary to hear Asheville City Schools’ options on how to handle shrinking enrollment and financial challenges, including the possible merger of the district’s two middle schools. Photo by Greg Parlier SHRINKING ENROLLMENT A top issue for the Asheville district and a theme for the night’s discussion was its shrinking enrollment numbers.

In 2017, the year MNSA opened, the district projected it would grow to about 4,800 students by the 2023-24 school year. Instead, the district peaked in 2016-17 with 4,620 students and has steadily shrunk since. The district currently enrolls about 3,900 students, 900 under those 2017 projections.

Meanwhile, charter school enrollment in Buncombe County has grown over the same time, up to 549 students this school year from 374 in 2016-17.

MNSA was designed as a small, innovative middle school meant to compete with area charter schools, according to Fehrman’s presentation.

By many metrics, it has succeeded.

Teachers say there is a waiting list for enrollment every year, and it was named a 2024 “School to Watch” by the N.C. Middle Level Educators Association.

Students at both MNSA and AMS have received high marks academically as well as several accolades for their respective bands and other extracurricular activities. And in a 2022 teacher working conditions survey, 100% of staff agree or strongly agree that MNSA is a good place to work and learn.

“There are really great things happening at both schools,” Fehrman said.

MOUNTAINX.COM

In looking for ways to save money and eliminate redundancies, the middle schools may be the lowest-hanging fruit. According to building capacity numbers released by ACS in November, the two middle schools’ facilities are both below 55% of maximum capacity, among the lowest in the district. MNSA in particular only fills about 28% of its facility, according to that dataset.

Some have said those numbers are misleading, since there is a waiting list to get into MNSA each year. Fehrman reported Jan. 18 that according to data collected by MNSA Principal Jo Landreth, MNSA is using two-thirds of its potential classrooms for core general education academics. Similarly, AMS is using 69% of its potential classrooms, she said.

It’s unclear why MNSA does not accept more students to fill its buildings.

District staff were not available by deadline Jan. 19 to respond to questions.

More detailed numbers are coming soon from the enrollment and capacity study the board commissioned at the end of last year, Fehrman said during the meeting.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS After Fehrman’s presentation, attendees broke into 11 groups of roughly 15 members to discuss a series of prompted questions and jot down

thoughts and ideas on an easel. There were also large pieces of paper hung on walls around the gym, marked as “bike racks” for those in attendance to write down questions for the district or note data points they would like to see to help inform decisions on the middle schools.

A common suggestion from attendees was to consider opening enrollment in district schools to those who live outside district lines.

Another suggested the district move central office operations to the MNSA campus and sell headquarters to help solve its financial shortcomings.

District staff will compile all the ideas people wrote down during the meeting and post them on the website, Fehrman said. She plans to hold several more input-gathering meetings to inform a future board decision on the topic, she said.

Despite palpable frustrations and fear about the future of the district throughout the small group discussions, there was appreciation for the first-year superintendent’s engagement efforts as well.

“We finally have the superintendent we’ve always needed,” one teacher remarked to a round of applause when asked for her takeaways from the event.

The final comment of the night from a student summed up the feelings in the district about MNSA. “Montford is not broken. Don’t fix it,” she said. X

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N EWS

BUNCOMBE BEAT

Sheriff’s Office to start downtown patrols Jan. 26 If you hang out in downtown Asheville late on weekend nights, you may notice sheriff’s deputies patrolling the streets starting next weekend.

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved a $56,000 budget amendment 6-0 (Commission Chair Brownie Newman was absent) on Jan. 16 to fund a proposal from Sheriff Quentin Miller to send four deputies downtown between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

BCSO also will pay a deputy to monitor video surveillance of the downtown area in the Real Time Intelligence Center. The initiative is slated to run Jan. 26 through June, Miller said.

“Right now, we’re simply saying we want to go downtown to show a presence because we know the staffing at the city has been challenging for them. And we want to support them,” Miller told commissioners at the Jan. 16 meeting.

The funding comes from money originally allocated to pay for school resource officers at Buncombe County Schools. The county set aside too much for that program.

Eventually, Miller hopes each deputy will pair up with an officer from the Asheville Police Department.

“Over the past few weeks, [APD Interim Chief Mike Lamb] and I have engaged in a series of discussions and meetings that have been productive. Based on our conversations, I am optimistic that this downtown initiative will be a joint effort with APD. My leadership team will be meeting with APD’s leadership team soon for further discussion, and I want to leave space for those meetings to bring forth the best possible ideas

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“It is also the Sheriff’s Office position that the time is now to forge such a partnership between all stakeholders,” the proposal states.

At the meeting, Miller drew a distinction between the initial downtown initiative and the co-responder model of policing. First, he envisions establishing a downtown presence.

Then, he hopes to weave in the co-responder model, something that already exists in small numbers.

“We really feel that we would like co-responders not just for downtown but for the entire county,” he said.

Miller pledged to release an assessment of the patrols within 90 days from the start of the downtown initiative.

Elections director gets raise

SHERIFF IN TOWN: The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved Sheriff Quentin Miller’s request for additional resources to send deputies to patrol downtown on Fridays and Saturdays between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Patrols will start Jan. 26. Photo by Greg Parlier as to how to implement this downtown initiative,” Miller said in a written statement to the press after the meeting.

APD spokesperson Samantha Booth called the ongoing talks about potential collaboration between Lamb and Miller “productive.”

“We can implement effective strategies by sharing the necessary resources to address public safety needs by working together,” Booth said.

The updated proposal pegged the cost for the extra patrols at $88,000 if BCSO worked alone and $56,000 if working with APD. A proposal unveiled in December requested $186,000 for six deputies patrolling both late night and an additional early evening time slot.

Aaron Sarver, public affairs director for BCSO, confirmed Jan. 18 that the $56,000 approved will allow the patrols to begin Jan. 26. Miller was unavailable for questions immediately after the vote.

According to BCSO’s proposal, each deputy will receive $75 an hour for the patrols beyond their typical duties, regardless of how much

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they typically make. Miller said the patrols would not take away from the Sheriff’s Office’s typical patrols and other duties.

The initiative was first presented at the commissioners’ Dec. 5 meeting, after downtown business owners made it clear to Miller that an increased law enforcement presence was needed downtown.

With the help of Donnie Parks, former Hendersonville police chief and part-time adviser to Miller, a four-phase proposal was drawn up to expand a co-responder model across the county using partner organizations to address issues related to the area’s homeless population.

Phase two of that proposal would assign BCSO deputies to work with community paramedics, an existing mental health clinical practitioner and a critical incident project manager, yet to be hired, to implement a co-responder model downtown.

Subsequent phases would expand the co-responder model and develop a long-term plan, including expanding partnerships with various organizations addressing homelessness, according to the proposal.

Presented with new information illustrating the complexity of elections in Buncombe County, commissioners voted 6-0 to give Elections Director Corinne Duncan about a 5% raise.

Duncan, who previously made $109,222 annually, will now make $115,000, retroactive to July 1, as requested by the Buncombe County Board of Elections.

Commissioners were convinced by data presented by Buncombe Human Resources Director Sharon Burke that showed that next to comparable counties, Buncombe has more voting locations, a high number of voting districts and the highest voter turnout.

Unlike all other county department directors, whose salary is set by the county manager, the election director’s salary is recommended by the county Board of Elections and approved by the County Commission, per state statute. The director’s salary “shall be commensurate with the salary paid to directors in counties similarly situated and similar in population and number of registered voters,” according to state law.

At the Jan. 2 meeting, commissioners were unsure of the raise and requested the additional information from staff.

(This story was updated Jan. 18 to reflect a clarification on funding of the Sheriff’s Office’s proposal after Public Affairs Director Aaron Sarver responded to requests.)

— Greg Parlier X

EDUCATION BEAT

Asheville school board workshops Parents’ Bill of Rights

MINIMIZE HARM: During its annual board retreat Jan. 18, the Asheville City Board of Education went line by line through Parents’ Bill of Rights policies in an attempt to minimize the effects of what members said is a harmful law. Photo courtesy of Asheville City Schools The Asheville City Board of Education continues to rewrite its policies in an effort to limit what board members say would be undue harm to LGBTQ+ students caused by the state Parents’ Bill of Rights law passed last year.

For more than three hours during its board retreat Jan. 18, the board went line by line through the seven policies affected by law, adjusting language as they went.

“Understanding that the law as written will impact the LGBTQ+ community so deeply, we as a board want to be so deliberate about the language so as to limit its harm as much as possible,” said board Chair George Sieburg after the meeting.

Throughout, board attorney Chris Campbell and board members commented on the difficulty of crafting a policy in response to a law they say is in direct conflict with their own mission.

“Ten, 15, 20, 25 years ago laws were much more straightforward in terms of practical issues, and not values [and] societal issues,” acknowledged Campbell before the board dug into the policies.

“Unfortunately, social wars are playing out in public schools. … I don’t think it’s inappropriate to say that’s unfortunate.”

The board referenced recommendations by the N.C. School Boards Association as well as changes already approved by Durham Public Schools and Buncombe County

Schools while making their suggestions to Campbell.

In some cases, the board simply referred to language that exists elsewhere in its policies, rather than using what the law suggested.

Board member Rebecca Strimer said the law, for the most part, takes policies that already exist in some way and grandstands about them.

“They are not bestowing upon parents rights that they didn’t already have,” she said. “I would love to send the message to our community that when we find problematic language, that we respond with existing solid procedures that protect students, rather than creating new language that hasn’t existed before.”

The board followed that logic when suggesting edits to the policy with some of the most controversial language, parental involvement.

In one section, that policy requires parents to be notified before students can request that their pronouns be changed to match their identity.

Strimer said this was one of the pieces of the law that she found most harmful, asking students to “live in the shadows” instead of feeling that they can be open with their teachers.

“This is the harm. We’ve distilled it,” she said.

The board elected to change language to simply refer to the law, rather than restate what board member Amy Ray said was harmful language written in the law.

Campbell said he would use the phrase “in accordance with federal and state law and board policies” instead.

They also discussed what could happen if the state law is found to be in violation of federal anti-discrimination law, as has been suggested by the Campaign for Southern Equality in its Title IX complaint against the Buncombe County Board of Education in December.

Ray said that any lawsuit against the district would have to identify specific harm that resulted as a result of the policy; it isn’t enough to just have the policies themselves on the books.

No public comment was scheduled for the meeting, but Sieburg permit-

ted two attendees to speak before the board. Parents Christina Mason and Allison Scott both spoke out against the policies, which they said were discriminatory and ludicrous.

“Shame on us adults for not protecting our children from lawmakers making schools hostile places to be queer or learn about the full spectrum of humanity. All of our children need to hear that we love, accept and celebrate them for who they are,” Mason said.

More public comment will be heard on updates made to the policies at the board’s Feb. 5 work session and Feb. 12 board meeting. The board is expected to pass a final version of the policies Feb. 12.

— Greg Parlier X

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FEA T U RE S

Around the region

Weaverville, other towns plan for EV future

BY JUSTIN McGUIRE jmcguire@mountainx.com Small-town officials in Western North Carolina agree on one thing: Electric vehicles will be a big part of transportation planning in their communities.

But the specific approach to EVs varies from town to town. Weaverville, for instance, recently added two MachEs to its police fleet. Waynesville and Black Mountain have focused on building public charging stations while taking a more cautious approach to buying vehicles.

“We consider the conversion to electric vehicles as a process,” explains Rob Hites, town manager of Waynesville, which recently set a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. “We could simply jump headfirst into the market, but we prefer to let other people road test and see if there’s any issues with them before we buy them. But we’re committed to converting as much of our fleet as possible to electric.”

All the towns face challenges as they look for ways to reduce emissions, cuts fuel costs and provide an infrastrucutre that supports EV owners. Concerns run from costs and availability to reliability to selling taxpayers on the benefits of EVs. It turns out adopting a new technology comes with some headaches. But officials say the effort of figuring it all out will be worthwhile.

“We know we are in a competition with other similarly sized mountain communities to attract tourists and would-be homebuyers,” says Willam Hite, chair of Waynesville’s Environmental Sustainability Board, which was created to help the town reach the 2050 goal. “The community that conveys to its residents the most

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LEADING THE CHARGE: Weaverville Police Chief Ron Davis hopes that shifting to electric vehicles will significantly reduce the department’s fuel usage. Photo by Cindy Kunst climate-forward position, backed up by evidence-based policies, will be best positioned to excel in the 21st century.”

JURY IS OUT When Ron Davis became Weaverville’s police chief in 2019, he made reducing the department’s fuel costs a priority. To that end, the department added 11 hybrid Ford Police Interceptors to its fleet starting in 2020 and has phased out all but two fully gas powered vehicles.

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The hybrids, which use gas and electricity, have allowed the department to cut fuel consumption from about 12,000 gallons a year to 9,000 and saved on maintenance costs, Davis says.

To build on that success, Davis and Town Manager Serena Coffey decided to purchase the two Ford Mustang Mach-Es and a Ford Lighting truck.

They believe Weaverville is the first municipality in WNC to have fully electric police vehicles.

“We are a little ahead when it comes to EVs in law enforcement,” Coffey says.

The base cost for the Mach-Es was about $50,000, though Davis says the exact price of each vehicle is hard to calculate because each had to be upfitted with aftermarket radios, radar, modems and more. One was paid for with net profits from the Weaverville ABC store, which is owned and operated by a Town Council-appointed board.

Putting the Mach-Es, which were purchased in September, into service has been a challenge. Until recently, the department had only one charging point available to service two cars.

That changed when Weaverville added three charging stations at Town Hall for town government employees.

Also, supply chain issues have made it difficult to equip the vehicles with some necessary features.

“In the EV I’m driving right now, for example, there’s one cable that I was missing from a radio that connects the radio control head to the interface that’s mounted in the trunk,” Davis says. “I couldn’t use the radio. I don’t want to have an officer with a radio that doesn’t work in a car. But that doesn’t have anything to do with it being electric.”

He hopes having the EVs in the fleet this year will decrease fuel consumption to about 7,000 gallons.

Coffey says to make the EVs truly effective for law enforcement purposes, the town will have to find a way to eventually add some Level 3 chargers, also known as DC fast chargers, which can add around 100-250 miles of range in 30-45 minutes. The town’s Level 2 chargers can add about 12-32 miles of driving range for each hour of charging.

“Let’s say our officers come into the office, and there’s an accident down the street,” she says. “They don’t have the time to sit and wait for a couple of hours to get the vehicle charged. So we really need the DC fast chargers, but those are very difficult to come by right now. And then paying for them is even more difficult.”

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F E AT UR E S But despite such challenges, Coffey thinks Weaverville will continue to add EVs as it replaces fleet vehicles.

“I don’t foresee us going backwards,” she says. “We still have some hybrids that are not ready for replacement yet and won’t be for a few more years, but our goal is to eventually be 100% electric, at least in the Police Department.”

Weaverville has no current plans to add public charging stations, Coffey says.

“We found that places like Ingles and ... places like that have many of them that are often sitting unused.

And so we decided to bypass that,” she explains. “I do expect that we’ll circle back to that at some point in time.”

CAUTIOUS APPROACH After Weaverville added its two police EVs, word spread fast to other Western North Carolina municipalities. Officials reached out to Davis and Coffey with questions: How were the police using them? How much did they cost? Were they reliable? How long did it take to charge them?

Waynesville Town Manager Hites was one of the officials who contacted Weaverville. The Haywood County

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town has had one EV — a Nissan Leaf — and some hybrids in its fleet for years, but those cars are mostly used for town administrative purposes.

Given costs and uncertainties about the technology, Hites says the town is not ready to take the plunge on buying more EVs yet, despite Waynesville’s pledge to be emission-free by 2050.

“We’ve been talking about it and are trying to develop a program where we can use police vehicles,” he says. “The issue that we’re facing is that we have to design a way where we can charge the vehicles given that the police officers take them home with them at night.”

The Town of Black Mountain is taking a similarly cautious approach to investing in EVs. In 2022, the Town Council adopted a policy saying purchasing EVs should be a priority when feasible for its fleet. So far, though, the town has not bought any.

“Our goal is to be cognizant of climate change and try to act accordingly, but also not jump so quickly that we end up spending a lot more money and a lot more time on electric vehicles when they’re not quite ready yet,” Town Manager Josh Harrold says. “We do look at electric vehicle pricing as we’re getting our other

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vehicles, but there’s not a lot out there at this time.”

But despite cautious approaches about buying EVs, Waynesville and Black Mountain are taking other steps.

Over the summer, Waynesville installed a Level 2 charging station at its downtown parking lot and another at the Waynesville Recreation Center.

More recently, it activated a fastcharging station at the parking lot. The chargers were paid for through state grants funded by North Carolina’s share of the 2016 Volkswagen settlement, an agreement between the German automaker and the federal government. The agreement resolvedclaims that VW violated the Clean Air Act by selling diesel vehicles that violated EPA standards. As part of the settlement, VW agreed to spend $2 billion to promote the use of zero emission vehicles and infrastructure.

“We didn’t have any public charging stations at all in Waynesville and we thought we needed to fill that gap,” Hites says “Now people that are shopping downtown will have access to get 150, 180 miles in 30 minutes at that [fast] charging station.”

Black Mountain has public charging stations at the Police Department, the Black Mountain Library and the Lakeview Center for Active Aging, Harrold says. The latter two were purchased through VW settlement money.

Hite, the chair of Waynesville’s Environmental Sustainability Board, says even more public charging stations are needed, and Waynesville and other towns should be more willing to spend municipal funds on them.

“Those of us leading the charge know that much more must be done to achieve carbon neutrality, but we are clear-eyed about the steps we must take to get there,” he says.

“People come to your town, they want to charge, they want to sort of kill two birds with one stone, they want to eat, shop, and they want to charge their vehicles at the same time.”

The key for all cities and towns going forward is going to be explaining to taxpayers the financial advantages of clean-energy investments such as police cars, he contends.

“There are going to be people who scream that that money could have been spent on police officer salaries or something. And that’s a great opportunity for education because the cost of ownership is going to be less. It’s important that police officers who drive EVs talk to other police officers and police departments about it.

I don’t know that the clarion call of climate change has really resonated in a more conservative area, but in small towns like Waynesville, cost savings to the taxpayer is where you can really get the public at large on board.” X

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR JAN. 24 - FEB. 01, 2024 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-only events  More info, page 27  More info, page 28 WELLNESS Therapeutic Recreation Adult Morning Movement Active games, physical activities, and sports for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over. Advanced registration at avlrec. com required.

WE (1/24, 31), 10am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave Free Zumba Gold Fitness program that involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance.

Free, but donations for the instructor are appreciated. For more information please call (828) 350-2058.

WE (1/24, 31), noon, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Tai Chi Fan This class helps build balance and whole body awareness. All ages and ability levels welcome. Fans will be provided.

WE (1/24, 31), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Community Yoga & Mindfulness Free monthly event with Inspired Change Yoga that will lead you into a morning of breathwork, meditation and yoga. Bring your own mat.

WE (1/24), 11:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave Tai Chi for Balance A gentle Tai Chi exercise class to help improve balance, mobility, and quality of life. All ages are welcome.

WE (1/24, 31), Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Tai Chi for Beginners A class for anyone interested in Tai Chi and building balance, whole body awareness and other health benefits.

TH (1/25, 2/1), MO (1/29), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Nia Dance Fitness A sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts,

dance arts and healing arts.

TH (1/25, 2/1), 9:30am, TU (1/30), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Asheville Women's Breathwork Circle A transformative and empowering women's circle where the power of our breath meets the strength and healing of sisterhood. Space is limited to 12 and preregistration required.

TH (1/25), 6pm, WellSpring Wellness Center, Tunnel Rd Qigong for Health A part of traditional Chinese medicine that involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind and spirit.

FR (1/26), TU (1/30), 9am, SA (1/27), 11am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Creative Flow: Yoga in the Galleries A creative flow experience that combines the beauty of art with the power of mindful movement. All-levels are welcome. Please bring your own mat.

SA (1/27), 9:30am, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Yoga for Everyone A free-in person yoga class for all ages and abilities that is led by registered yoga instructor Mandy. Bring your own mat, water bottle and mask. Registration required.

SA (1/27), 9:30am, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Soothing Somatic & Singing Shabbat Circle Drawing from Qi Gong, body dialogue, and sound healing, this restorative circle will offer a guided practice in grounding the body and soothing the nervous system.

SA (1/27), 10am,The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave Magnetic Minds: Depression & Bipolar Support Group Free weekly peer-led meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges. Email depressionbipolarasheville@gmail.com or call

or text (828) 367-7660 for more info.

SA (1/27), 2pm, 1316 Ste C Parkwood Rd Wild Souls Authentic Movement w/Renee Trudeau Enjoy release, movement and connection with like-minded women.

SU (1/28), 9:30am, Dunn’s Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard Winter Flow w/Jamie Knox This class builds heat in the body and releases excess water, so we can be our strongest and fittest, boosting our immune system and staving off depression.

No need to pre-register. Walk-ins welcome.

SU (1/28), 10:30am, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd Gentle Yoga for Queer & GNC Folks This class is centered towards creating an affirming and inclusive space for queer and gender non-conforming individuals.

SU (1/28), 1:30pm, W Asheville Yoga, 602 Haywood Rd Barre Fusion A high energy low impact practice that shapes, sculpts, and tones the body like a dancer. No experience necessary, open to all levels.

MO (1/29), 10am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Mettā Meditation In-person guided meditation focused on benevolence & loving-kindness. Free and open to beginners and experienced practitioners.

MO (1/29), 7pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

ART Artwork of Leaflin Lore Winecoff Experience Leaflin's artistic evolution showcased in this exhibition, where diverse works capture the essence of her creative journey spanning the past few years. Gallery open Monday through Friday, 8:30am. Exhibition through March 2.

John M. Crawford Jr. Gallery, 360 Asheville School Rd Creating Textures: Focus Gallery Exhibition This exhibition features the work of five Guild members: Michael Hatch, Valerie Berlage, Joseph Rhodes, Barry Rhodes, and Joanna Warren. Each artist will display their own respectable arts and crafts during this exhibition. Open daily, 10

ACCLAIMED VANCOUVER PIANIST: Central United Methodist Church hosts an intimate piano recital featuring award-winning pianist David Fung on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. Fung has curated a lineup of pieces by legendary piano masters that showcase the range and emotional depth of the piano. Photo courtesy of Roger Mastroianni am. Exhibition through Feb., 2024.

Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Pkwy Conversation Through Craft This event showcases the stories and works of local Southern Highland Craft Guild members, Mike Hatch, Erica Bailey, Neal Howard and Kristin Schoonover.

TH (1/25), 4:30pm, Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa Spark of the Eagle Dancer: The Collecting Legacy of Lambert Wilson This exhibition celebrates the legacy of Lambert Wilson, a passionate collector of contemporary Native American art. Gallery open Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through June 28, 2024 WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee Counter/Balance: Gifts of John & Robyn Horn A presentation of important examples of contemporary American craft, including woodworking, metalsmithing, fiber and pottery by renowned American artists. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday.

Exhibition through July.

29, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Family Paint Night Everything needed to create painting masterpieces during this fun family night out will be provided.

Creativity and all ages are invited.

FR (1/26), 5:30pm, Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St Opening Reception: Vera B. Williams / Stories A special exhibition premiere of Vera B. William's new work that highlights unexplored aspects of her artistic practice and eights of life. Refreshments will be provided.

FR (1/26), 5:30pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St Western North Carolina Glass: Selections from the Collection Western North Carolina is important in the history of American glass art. A variety of techniques and a willingness to push boundaries of the medium can be seen in this selection of works.

Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday.

Exhibition through April 15, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Painting w/Animals Enjoy a story time before beginning this step-by-step class to paint a box turtle. You'll also be able to take a break and meet a real turtle and explore the

WNC nature center.

MO (1/29), 10am, WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Rd The Colors of Pink This exhibition features 18 of the building's 30 artists and explores the studio's unusual name as well as the role color plays in each work.

Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am, and Sunday, noon. Exhibition through Feb. 3, 2024.

Pink Dog Gallery, 348 Depot St American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960 This exhibition features works created during the 1940s–1960s.

Much of the art during this time expressed the uncertainty of the era, often relying on automatism and biomorphic forms.

Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday.

Exhibition through April 29, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing & Painting This exhibition offers viewers an opportunity to explore a singular and still vigorous aspect of American photorealism. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed on Tuesday.

Exhibition through Feb. 5, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Vera B. Williams: Stories This retrospective will showcase the complete range of award-winning author and illustrator Vera B. Williams' life and work. It will highlight her time at Black Mountain College, her political activism, her work as an author and illustrator and more.

Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through May. 11, 2024.

See p28 Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

COMMUNITY MUSIC Citizen Swing A night of curated local jazz talent and classic cocktails that happens twice a month. The fun starts with some cool, old jazz vinyl, and then continues with live sets

by Connor Law and Adam Rose.

WE (1/24), 6pm, Citizen Vinyl, 14 O Henry Ave Synthesizer Sound Bath w/LOGOS This month's installment of the Synthesizer Sound Bath features composer and sound designer Logos. Listen to meditative musical experiences, blending analog synthesizers and acoustic instruments in quadraphonic sound.

SA (1/27), 7pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

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Pan Harmonia's 24th Season w/Maria Parrini This program will delight with dance forms by Ravel, Schumann, Bartok ranging from intimate and extravagant to luminous, raucous and explosive.

SU (1/28), 3pm, First Presbyterian Church Piano Recital w/David Fung Award-winning pianist David Fung has curated a star-studded line up of pieces that showcase the full range and emotional depth of the piano.

TU (1/30), 7pm, Central United Methodist Church, 27 Church St Member Only Concert w/Whitney Mongé A monthly show featuring outstanding musical performances. This month Whitney Mongé will grace the stage.

TH (2/1), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Scenius Series: Drew Montgomery, David Elliot & Jeff Santiago Scenius singer and songwriter series presents a listening room experience featuring songs and stories with a talented line up of local artists.

TH (2/1), 8pm PULP, 103 Hilliard Ave

JAN. 24-30, 2024

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C OMMU N IT Y CA L EN D AR

LITERARY Sensory Story Time Each session features a story followed by a related sensory activity designed to activate toddlers’ senses. Each participant receives a copy of the book to take home.

WE (1/24), 5pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave You'll Do: Marcia Zug w/Emily Suski Marcia Zug discusses her book, You'll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other than Love, with Emily Suski. This is a hybrid event, with in-person and virtual options to attend.

TH (1/25), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St Mountain Strong: Tales of Growing Up in WNC Archivist Ashley McGhee Whittle and storyteller Sherry Lovett will host an evening of stories about coming of age in families of the rural communities of our mountains.

FR (1/26), 7pm, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville

John Lane: Gullies of My People Author, poet and naturalist John Lan presents his newest book, Gullies of My People.

SA (1/27), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva Badass Bitches Deserve to Have Their Stories Told A book reading, discussion, and author signing with feminist biographer Lisa Lee Curtis. Lisa takes a short look at many women throughout history and how their stories have either been underplayed or disregarded altogether.

SA (1/27), 5pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd The Adventures of Amazing Grace w/Erika Ferrari Lopez Erika Ferrari Lopez discusses her book, The Adventures of Amazing Grace. This in-person only event will be held at Malaprop's. Please register to attend.

SU (1/28), 5pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St The Language of God: Book Study The Language of God

by Francis Collins provides a testament

to the power of faith in the midst of suffering without faltering from its logical stride.

Register with Jim Stoltenberg, celide1947@ gmail.com.

TU (1/30), 10am, Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville Local Book Club Fair An opportunity to learn more about local book club options. This program will feature short presentations from representatives from a dozen local book clubs and some time to chat.

TU (1/30), 6pm, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St When the Jessamine Grows w/Donna Everhart Donna Everhart discusses her latest book, When the Jessamine Grows. This is a hybrid event with limited in-store seating and the option to attend online.

Registration is required.

WE (1/31), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

THEATER & FILM History Hour: Nature's Wisdom Thru Native Eyes When storytelling,

native wisdom and nature’s intelligence converge, something beautiful can arise.

That’s the theme of the new film Nature’s Wisdom Thru Native Eyes by award-winning documentary filmmaker David Weintraub and the Center for Cultural Preservation.

TH (1/25), 6:30pm, OLLI/Reuter Center, UNCA, 300 Campus View Rd Fantasia On Mysterium: The Epic Immersive Theatrical Recital A genre-busting reimagining of a traditional piano recital and theatrical play, blended with artistically created immersive visuals that accompany both the storytelling and the live performances of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin's piano works.

TH (1/25), FR (1/26) SA (1/27), 7:30pm, WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee Parsons Dance: Student Series Recommended for grades 4-12. The Student Series is open to school groups, homeschoolers, community groups and families.

FR (1/26), 10am, Wortham Center For The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave Lisa Peterson & Denis O'Hare Presents: An Iliad An adaptation of Homer's epic masterpiece into an evening of theater at its best: intimate, incisive, and urgent.

FR (1/26), SA (1/27), 7pm, SU (1/28), 2 p.m. Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 West State St, Black Mountain Parsons Dance Through endless creativity and self-expression, striking choreography and powerful music, Parsons Dance creates unforgettable performances that push the boundaries of dance and bring life-affirming artistry to audiences across the globe.

FR (1/26), SA (1/27), 8pm, Wortham Center For The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave The Dummies Guide to Murdering Your Husband: A Staged Reading A pair of filthy rich and disgruntled husbands escape for a romantic get away in a remote mountain cabin unaware that each has hatched a plot to murder the other.

FR (1/26), SA (1/27), 7:30pm, 35below, 35 E Walnut St Reasonably Priced Babies: The Winter of Our Discotheque Show Asheville's premier improv comedy troupe brings a night of lights, music and laughter to change dreadful marches to delightful measures.

SU (1/28), 6:30pm, Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co., 675 Merrimon Ave

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS The Future is AI-rriving In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to leverage various AI-powered tools to streamline their workflows, automate tedious tasks, and make informed decisions.

Free with registration at avl.mx/d9r.

WE (1/24), 10am, Bridging the Gap from Employee to Entrepreneur This class will teach you how to use a retirement plan for leveraging a tax write off, the differences between SEP, Simple, 401K, and 403Bs, and what kind of business benefits from each, depending on the structure. Registration is required.

WE (1/24), noon, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

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JAN. 24-30, 2024

MOUNTAINX.COM

Lil’ Picasso’s Toddler Art Help little ones embrace their imagination and creativity to develop problem solving, refine motor skills, and creatively to express emotions.

WE (1/24), 1:30pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave Eightfold Path Study Group A group will gather to study the Eightfold Path Program. Kris Kramer will host the group as a fellow participant and student.

WE (1/24, 31), 3pm, Black Mountain Public Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain Aerial Silks Foundations Learn how to properly ascend, descend, and create stunning shapes on the silks while emphasizing safety and proper form. Participants of all ages and all abilities are welcome.

WE (1/24, 31), 4pm and 5;30pm, Amethyst Realm, 244 Short Coxe Ave Change Your Palate Cooking Demo This free food demonstration is open to everyone but tailored towards those with type 2 diabetes or hypertension and/ or their caretakers. Our featured host is Change Your Palate's very own Shaniqua Simuel.

WE (1/24), 4pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave Peace Education Program An innovative series of video-based workshops that help people discover their own inner strength and personal peace.

WE (1/24, 31), 5pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave Southside Walking Club Gather with others and walk inside Grant Southside Center's gym or outside if it's a nice morning.

TH (1/25, 2/1), TU (1/30), 10:30am, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St Kids & Teens Kung Fu Learn fighting skills as well as conflict resolution and mindfulness.

First class is free to see if it’s a good fit for you.

TH (1/25, 2/1), MO (1/29), TU (1/30), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 One-Pan Meals Each week we’ll cook inexpensive options that you can make at-home, but without all the usual prep and cleaning time in the kitchen. For more information, contact Jessica Mollet at (828) 649-2411.

TH (1/25, 2/1), 5pm, Madison County Cooperative Ext Office, 258 Carolina Ln Marshall

The Quill & Ink Justin Souther, Senior Buyer and Bookstore Manager, will explain the criteria and steps to list a book with Malaprop’s Bookstore/ Café.

TH (1/25), 1:30pm, S Asheville Library, 260 Overlook Rd Access to Capital This workshop is here to guide you through the process to secure a business loan.

Registration is required at avl.mx/d9n.

TH (1/25), 2pm, Online Family Cooking Class These cooking classes teach fundamental skills to kids ages 7-10 alongside an adult from their family or community while focusing on fun, collaboration, and learning. All ingredients are provided. Each youth must be registered alongside one adult.

TH (1/25, 2/1), 5pm, Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St Empowerment Collective: Conversation w/ Tara Nyanga & Marisol Colette An in-person upscale networking and speaking series that highlights the remarkable stories of women who have defied odds, shattered glass ceilings, and triumphed in their personal and professional lives.

TH (1/25), 6pm, Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr Lifestyle Choices A group discussion for 14 to 19 year-olds that offers an opportunity for young males to engage in open discussion regarding their behaviors and community involvement.

TH (1/25), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St Leo Full Moon Sister Circle Together we will gather in sacred space to honor the energies of the Leo Full Moon.

TH (1/25), 7pm, Albemarle Office Building, 247 Charlotte St GRINDFest 2024 Insider's Peek An opportunity for anyone interested in exploring sponsorship opportunities, to get an insider's look at the dynamic and impactful event that’s in store.

FR (1/26), 10am, Grind AVL, 346 Depot St Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault In this two hour training, you will learn how to best intervene when harm is happening.

FR (1/26), 11am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave Brown Bag Lunches Listen to Joey Borders discuss local land management history,

how it influences current conditions, and current forestry trends and challenges.

FR (1/26), noon, Bent Creek Experimental Forest Training Center, 1577 Brevard Rd Montford Story Time Kids listen to a book and participate in an activity that pertains to the story. Each participant receives a copy of the book to take home.

FR (1/26), 5pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave Skate Jam Clinics Bring your own skates or rent a pair as instructors spread the love of roller skating.

FR (1/26), 5pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd Kids Night Out Kids ages 5 to 13 can enjoy festive games, creative works of art and make new friends.

Pre-registration is required.

FR (1/26), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St How to Start a Small Business This class will give you a solid base on what is needed to define, start, and run a small business. Register at avl.mx/dan.

SA (1/27), 9am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler Bid Whist Make bids, call trumps, and win tricks. Every Saturday for fun competition with the community.

SA (1/27), 1pm, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St Art Demos & Makeand-Take: Stamping & Miniatures Gayle Woody will showcase how to make print and stamp cards for Valentine’s Day or any occasion.

SA (1/27), noon, Twigs & Leaves Gallery, 98 N Main St, Waynesville Weekly Sunday Scrabble Club Weekly scrabble play.

All scrabble gear provided.

SU (1/28), 1:30pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Country Tea Dance & Line Dance Come to learn to line dance or show off your boot scooting skills with Jerri and the crew from Stepping Out. SU (1/28), 4pm, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd Writing Your Legacy A seven-week class offered by Aging Gracefully based on the book, Writing Your Legacy: The Step-by-

Step Guide to Crafting Your Life Story.

MO (1/29), 10am, Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville Cornhole Smash Learn about the game and its benefits from national champion Dillon Pressley. This course is a five week round robin season ending with a tournament.

MO (1/29), 11am, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd Icehouse Entrepreneurship Program An experiential, problem-based learning program designed to expose participants to the fundamental aspects of an entrepreneurial mindset. Free but registration is required.

MO (1/29), 5pm, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler Moontime Magic Series A workshop series on the magic of menstruation led by GREYA. Get in touch with your inner seasons and connect with other magical people.

MO (1/29), 6:30pm, The Well at Mountain Magic, 3 Louisiana Ave

Therapeutic Recreation Adult Crafting & Cooking A variety of cooking and crafts for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over each week.

Advance registration at avlrec.com is required.

TU (1/30), 10am, Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd Free Six-Week Pottery Class Learn the basics of pottery in this six-week course. Start when it’s convenient for you and continue for the next six weeks. Space limited, advance registration required.

TU (1/30), 2pm, Grove St Community Center, 36 Grove Ste Toddler Discovery Time Crafts, games, and playtime for youngsters.

Advance registration at avlrec.com is required.

TU (1/30), 10am, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Energetic Defense: Series 2 Learn practical techniques to safeguard and elevate your energy.

TU (1/30), 6pm, Skinny Beats Drum Shop and Gallery, 4 Eagle St

August Briggs Wine Tasting The shop will sample wines from the California-based August Briggs Winery. All samples are free and no reservation are required. See p27 TU (1/30), 4pm, Metro Wines, 169 Charlotte St Why Your New Year’s Resolution Failed & How To Fix It Learn to build new habits that last and actually feel easy through ancient wisdom from yoga and ayurveda on the mind as well as modern behavioral psychology to change our habits.

TU (1/30), 7pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave Open Spin A space to come learn and practice djing in front of a non-judgemental audience. A local DJ will be around to help where they can or point you in the right direction.

TU (1/30), 9pm, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd, Ste 101 On Stage Alaska This session features information about an ultimate cruise journey through the great land of Alaska with experts from AAA Travel and Holland America Line on site to answer

questions. Reserve your seat online at AAA.com/ HollandAmerica.

WE (1/31), 6pm, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Asheville Downtown, 42 Tunnel Rd Faster & Looser: Stand Up Comedy Writing Workshop A one night workshop led by Erin Terry of Eyes Up Here Comedy. Bring your notebooks and be ready with 3-5mins of material to share and work on with the group.

WE (1/31), 8pm, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd, Ste 101 Embroiderers' Guild of America: Laurel Chapter Chapter Vice President, Carlie Holdredge, will instruct chapter members on creating a heart-shaped embroidered sampler. There is a kit fee for this project.

TH (2/1), 9:30am, Horse Shoe Community Church, 3 Banner Farm Rd, Mills River How to Be Present in Your Body Lynh Nguyen, certified in Emotional Resolution, offers a basic understanding of how emotions are made, become stuck, and how to resolve these emotions in the moment they happen.

TH (2/1), 6:30pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

along Riverside Drive.

WE (1/24, 31), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr

Pinewood Derby Racing Go through a start-tofinish process shaping and designing, adding weights, and racing pinewood cars with a focus on creativity, friendly competition, and positive sportsmanship.

TH (2/1), 6:30pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Wallflower Makers' Market A locally run, BIPOC owned makers’ market focused on supporting artists, growers, and makers in the WNC area. Featuring vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, house plants, fruits and veggies.

SU (1/28), 11am, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Free Intro to On Camera Auditions Class Learn the ropes of self-submitting for TV, film, and commercials, even if you're a total newbie.

TH (2/1), 7:30pm, Misfit Improv & Acting School, 573 Fairview Rd Unit 21A

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

LOCAL MARKETS RAD Farmers Market Winter Season Browse 30+ local vendors all winter long with fresh produce, pastured meats, baked goods, honey, and more. Safely accessible by bike or foot on the greenway, plus free public parking

30 Battery Park Ave • Downtown Asheville • WE SHIP NATIONWIDE!

SUNFROOT.COM

Trans Talent Show This is an open mic for transgender people to perform any talents and art forms. All are welcome to attend and 10% of tickets and donations will be donated to a local Trans organization.

SA (1/27), 7pm, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd, Ste 101 Block Party for Medicaid Beneficiaries This event will bring together beneficiaries, healthcare providers and community organizations to offer education on Medicaid Expansion. This

family-friendly event will also feature sweet treats, giveaways, inflatables, arts and crafts, and a DJ too.

SA (1/27), noon, Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING MANNA FoodBank Mobile Market All markets are free and open to anyone who needs support with groceries. Walk through in just minutes.

WE (1/24), 11am, Fernihurst Mansion, 16 Fernihurst Dr, A-B Tech Oakley Community Closet A cost-free opportunity to shop clothes, shoes, and toys. Donations for Oakley Community Closet happily accepted at Murphy-Oakley Community Center throughout the week.

Please call (828) 232-4529 to coordinate donations.

TH (1/25), 6:30pm, Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd Drunk Spelling Bee for Literacy Together There will be six rounds of spelling words. This event is to help raise money for the nonprofit

of the month, Literacy Together.

TH (1/25), 7pm, The Whale: A Craft Beer Collective, 507 Haywood Rd Warming Shelter & Sanctuary In addition to a warm, welcoming space to share a meal with neighbors, Saturday sanctuary offers restrooms, phone charging, videos, popcorn and a safe place to rest.

SA (1/27), 11am, First Presbyterian Church Asheville, 40 Church St Beer & Hymns A night of brining people together to raise their glasses, raise their voices, and raise funds for organizations that change the world.

MO (1/29), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain R2S Reading Tutor Support unlocking a student's potential.

Volunteer as a Read to Succeed tutor with training included. Work one-to-one or in small groups during and after school. Register at avl.mx/d9g to volunteer.

WE (1/31), 6pm, Online

Open 10-9pm • 7 days a week

828.545.7970

@SUNFROOTAVL

MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 24-30, 2024

19

WELLNESS

Second chances Advocates encourage workplaces to hire people in recovery

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN jwakeman@mountainx.com Two years ago, Amanda Layton applied for a job at a restaurant and found an unexpected opportunity for a fresh start.

It was a management position at MOD Pizza in Asheville. The interviewer revealed that the nationwide chain is a second-chance employer, meaning it hires people reentering the workforce after incarceration.

In many cases, people who were incarcerated are also in recovery from addiction.

Layton, who left prison in 2018 and was embarking on recovery again, says she “was almost in tears” at the interview. She recalls, “The guy was like, ‘What’s wrong?’ And I was like, ‘This is me! This was meant to be!

This is me you’re talking about!’”

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MOD hired Layton in 2021, and her district manager “understood, and he wasn’t judgmental at all” that she was in recovery. Other restaurant jobs had felt like a dead end. But she says the trust and responsibility that came with a management role boosted her confidence and gave her an opportunity to shine.

During Layton’s 1 1/2 years at MOD, she hired other people who were in recovery or reentering the workforce after incarceration. “I’ve found that people who need that second chance were my best employees,” she tells Xpress.

Today, Layton, who celebrated three years in recovery on Jan. 10, helps others get their lives back on track. In addition to being a certified peer support specialist, she’s an advocacy coordinator for an initiative with Operation Gateway that connects people in recovery with recovery-friendly workplaces.

Workplaces that hire and then support people in recovery are helping them get their lives back on track, says Operation Gateway Executive Director and founder Philip Cooper.

“Being a recovery-friendly employer is a big game changer,” he says.

Advocates work to identify workplaces in the community that are already recovery-friendly and to encourage more employers to become so, explains Sue Polston, director of recovery services for People’s Recovery Initiative for Solutions and More, or PRISM. They also offer a helping hand to employers who need more information on how to best support these workers and their needs.

MOUNTAINX.COM

GOT YOUR BACK: Operation Gateway’s Tess Monty, left, a peer support specialist, and Executive Director Philip Cooper, right, connect people who are in recovery with recovery-friendly employers. Photo courtesy of Monty THE IMPORTANCE OF SECOND CHANCES Federal law permits employers to take a person’s criminal record into account with final decisions on hiring, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. People with certain criminal records are prohibited from some jobs. But other than those circumstances, the EEOC encourages employers to consider whether the individual’s criminal history is actually relevant to the “risks and responsibilities of the job.”

Yet some people in recovery or who reenter the workforce after incarceration find that employers won’t even interview them. This happens most with felony charges, especially drug-related ones, and the stigma that those charges carry, explains Tess Monty, a certified community health worker, certified peer support specialist and “change agent” with Operation Gateway.

Some employers do, of course, hire individuals regardless of their pasts.

But that pool of employers can be small and may not always meet the worker’s needs, like supporting a family. In 2021, a formerly incarcerated person one year after exiting prison earned a median annual wage of $7,343, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce Labor and Economic Analysis. (The federal poverty guideline is $15,060 for one person in 2024, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)

Polston from PRISM, who is also executive director of Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness and a peer support specialist, struggled with that situation herself. “I can speak from my own personal experience 10 years ago plus,” she says. “On paper, I am a thief. My charges are all larceny charges. Who’s going to trust me?” After prison, her only job offer was at a fast-food restaurant that paid $7.25 an hour. The wage was so low that she struggled to afford her transitional housing and basic necessities like toiletries. She says having such few job opportunities available to her was “very frustrating.”

Lack of support for recovery can create stumbling blocks and stress for folks who are otherwise on a positive track, explains Monty. For example, a worker in recovery may not be able to pick up a last-minute shift or have flexible schedules on certain days because of recovery meetings or meetings with parole officers. But advocates encourage employers to reframe a worker’s commitment to those responsibilities as a testament to their resilience and determination. They also suggest that workers in recovery may have more gratitude for being employed, as well as a stronger work ethic due to a desire to prove themselves.

Those attributes can apply to individuals reentering the workforce after incarceration as well. “People coming out of prison are very motivated and passionate about finding a job and getting their lives together,” says Monty.

SUPPORTING RECOVERY TOGETHER Supporters of recovery-friendly workplaces are reaching out to businesses one by one. PRISM founder Marilyn Shannon, who is based in Wake County, says her nonprofit has collated databases of businesses in numerous local industries, including manufacturing, hospitality and construction. It also has databases of the largest employers in Asheville, Hendersonville and the region. She cold calls businesses on the list, asks to speak to the person who does the hiring and then explains the benefits of being a recovery-friendly workplace.

According to the N.C. Department of Commerce Labor and Economic Analysis, North Carolina had only 0.9 job seekers per job opening in April 2023, and only one job seeker per opening in October 2022. “Most businesses need employees, so when I can get to educate them about this pool of people, who are wonderful, loving, great humans, they’re interested,” Shannon says. (PRISM hosted a conference Jan. 17-18 in Hendersonville for employers and human resources managers on recovery-related topics in the workplace.)

When businesses decide they want to be recovery-friendly, Shannon connects them with Kit Roberts, director of recovery-friendly workplace programs at WCI, an employer association based in Asheville. In September, the N.C. Workforce Development Coalition, which is part of WCI, received a nearly $300,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. The award allows Roberts to directly engage employers about how substance use disorders impact their workforce, and the how and why of becoming recovery-friendly.

Businesses recruited to the cause get help connecting to potential employees. Operation Gateway has a list of recovery-friendly business-

es and employers in Asheville, and the initiative assists with placing people in environments that will be supportive of their needs. These employers can also learn about trainings addressing recovery and mental health topics from peer support specialists. A discussion on how to informally certify local businesses — much like the statewide nonprofit Recovery Friendly NC designates businesses as recovery-friendly — is underway.

NORMALIZING THE CONVERSATION Employers need to be realistic about the fact that some employees use drugs, some may be in active addiction and some may be in recovery, says Cooper. Employers shouldn’t assume they’ll never have to address the situation of an employee who has overdosed or an employee who becomes active in their addiction again. Avoiding these topics keeps real issues in the workplace under wraps, he believes. Secrecy related to recovery, addiction and mental health can be harmful to employees — even deadly.

“Whether they want to be recovery-friendly or not, they’ve got people at their companies that do drugs, so it would behoove them to be knowledgeable about resources,” Cooper says.

He suggests posting signage in common areas as a way for employers to acknowledge their workers’ needs.

He recommends posting information about 988, the federal suicide hotline, and information about recovery support. Even small gestures like that can destigmatize private struggles.

“Being recovery-friendly requires a company to normalize the conversation about recovery as well as addiction,” says Cooper. “It’s an environment where people don’t get caught off guard if you’re talking about drugs or overdoses.” X

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MOUNTAINX.COM

JAN. 24-30, 2024

21

ARTS & CULTURE

Come preview the wonders of an Alaskan journey

O brother, there are thou

James and David Rowe achieve filmmaking dreams with ‘Breakwater’

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com

EXPERT PLANNING ADVICE • VIEW STUNNING FILM FOOTAGE Wed., January 31, 2024 • 6-9pm Holiday Inn Express & Suites 42 Tunnel Road in Asheville Reserve your seat online at AAA.com/HollandAmerica

Joel and Ethan Coen. Albert and David Maysles. Peter and Bobby Farrelly. David and Jerry Zucker.

Albert and Allen Hughes.

Brother duos have a long, fruitful history in the film industry. And with the release of the new thriller Breakwater, Asheville natives James and David Rowe join that esteemed lineage.

Written and directed by James with musical contributions from David, the film follows newly paroled con Dovey (Darren Mann, Paramount+’s “1923”) as he fulfills a promise to his incarcerated friend Ray (Dermot Mulroney, My Best Friend’s Wedding) to check in on the older man’s estranged daughter (Alyssa Goss). But upon his arrival in the North Carolina coastal town of Currituck, Dovey finds himself caught in a dangerous web of lies and deception.

As Oscar season revs up, Xpress spoke with the Rowes about their latest collaboration, the state of the North Carolina film industry and how their hometown continues to inspire them.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE The Rowes grew up in North Asheville in a home where their parents, Carol and Gary, encouraged the boys’ creative pursuits. Music was an early love for both brothers, each of whom took guitar lessons at Musician’s Workshop, which recently closed after a 56-year run. “[David] got his first drum set there and then he got much better than me at guitar,” James says with a laugh. “I was like, ‘I have to figure out something else to do that will make me happy and that I can have some success in.’”

While David — who recently moved to Mills River after two decades in Athens, Ga. — formed bands and began playing local clubs in the early 1990s, James was mentored by Asheville High School art, film and photography teacher Tom Williams about the collaborative nature of filmmaking. During that time, James says the city’s arts scene began to feel more vibrant and accessible for young people, resulting in an increasing number of film production opportunities.

“It allowed me to start to dip my foot in the pool of commercials that were shooting there,” says James,

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JAN. 24-30, 2024

MOUNTAINX.COM

TWO OF A KIND: Asheville natives and brothers David Rowe, left, and James Rowe had their most in-depth artistic collaboration yet on James’ new film, Breakwater. Photo by Cinequest who’s based in Los Angeles but keeps a home in Asheville. “And I got on as a production assistant on this or that and then ultimately [was cast in] The Last of the Mohicans, the Michael Mann film that came to town.”

Fresh out of high school, James played a British soldier and was on the Asheville-area set for six weeks in summer 1991. In addition to being around Mann, he kept watch on cinematographer Dante Spinotti and stars Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeline Stowe, absorbing all that he could.

“I didn’t know much about filmmaking at all; but just standing on that set, being near a camera all the time … it just allowed me to watch the process of making a very big movie,” James says. “That’s where I really got bitten by the bug and ultimately decided to pursue that when I was at [UNC] Chapel Hill.”

SIBLING SYNCHRONICITY A few years later, David was studying at Berklee College of Music in

Boston when James asked if he’d like to write the guitar parts for Sax Man, the jazz-inspired short film he’d made as an undergraduate exit project.

David agreed and recruited some of his classmates to round out the score.

PBS bought the short film, and it earned James an invitation to attend the American Film Institute as a directing fellow. While there, he developed his first feature screenplay, which became the 1999 crime drama Blue Ridge Fall, starring Chris Isaak and Amy Irving.

Though James wanted David to score his feature debut, his brother was on the road as a touring musician. Greg Edmonson (Fox’s “King of the Hill”) stepped in as the film’s composer. After the project was complete, James turned his attention to screenwriting and teaching for 20-plus years. But when the opportunity arose to direct Breakwater, he prioritized working with David again.

“I knew there was going to be a lot of regional music — a lot of roots rock, and that’s what David does,” James

field guide

says. “So I said, ‘Whatever song we use for this centerpiece performance that [actor] Celia Rose Gooding[’s character Jess] ends up singing, I would love for you to rearrange that song for a live performance and for Celia’s voice.”

James selected The Carolina Chocolate Drops’ “Kissin’ and Cussin’,” and David recorded every instrumental part for the new arrangement. But as the time to shoot the scene neared, the New York-based Gooding, whose work in the rock musical Jagged Little Pill earned her a Grammy Award as well as a Tony Award nomination, had yet to track her vocals.

In turn, the team arranged for David to set up a makeshift studio at the Hilton in Wilmington, where the cast and crew were staying during the shoot. However, while waiting in the lobby for Gooding’s arrival, he felt as if he were making a big mistake.

“I’m like, ‘Man, this is just not professional. I wonder what she’s going to say,’” David says. “She’s like, ‘I’ve recorded a million times like this in New York. You’re going to have me sing into a curtain, aren’t you?’

I’m like, ‘Yeah, exactly. Welcome to the studio, Grammy-award-winning singer. There’s some Hilton coffee over here.’”

David also recruited musicians to play alongside him as the bandmates of Gooding’s character. Additionally, he helped the film’s Spanish composer, Roque Baños who, according to James, was having trouble finding guitarists in Madrid who could play a certain way.

After hearing David’s arrangement of “Kissin’ and Cussin’,” Baños invited him out to Los Angeles to help write and record some guitar parts.

CAROLINA INCENTIVES In addition to filming in Wilmington during the 25-day shoot, the Breakwater production also got to use the Currituck Beach Lighthouse as well as the Hoke Correctional Institution in Raeford, both of which play key roles in the story.

James says his project was one of approximately six films and TV shows simultaneously shooting in Wilmington at that point in 2021. He feels it’s a sign that the state’s industry is finally bouncing back from the 2016 HB2 “bathroom bill,” which ostracized the transgender community and its allies, prompting productions to shun North Carolina. And the state’s current 25% grant-based system, which made it possible for Breakwater to shoot in its intended setting, is likewise helpful.

“Incentives will always be important, because so many states now offer them and they are a big part of the calculus when putting a movie together,” he says. “Cinespace [Studios]

bought Screen Gems’ sound stages in Wilmington last year, and Dark Horse Studios has a few stages down there, too. The infrastructure is there, and the crews are really good.”

But before Rowe’s production got to the coast, Asheville unintentionally played a key role in the film’s development. When the COVID-19 pandemic was ramping up in spring 2020, James sensed it would be less hectic for him and his family to be at their Asheville home than in Los Angeles. The timing coincided with his planning work for Breakwater and wound up enhancing that stage of the production.

“It was a great place to prep because I think there would have been a lot more distractions had I been in LA,” James says. “Much of the [script’s] final draft was written in Asheville, surrounded only by my family and the neighborhood bears.”

He adds that being in Western North Carolina lessened the tension of an inherently anxious time and allowed him to “just focus on imagining the film and how it would be ultimately realized.” And by working remotely in the previsualization process with storyboard artist Tyler Gooden, cinematographer Kai Krauss and production designer Michael Paul Clausen, this block of the creative team discovered a new kind of freedom when it came to sharing visual ideas.

“All of us were finding out the benefits of Zoom and the ability to throw stuff up really quickly [over video conferencing] and show stuff in a way that maybe we had never done before COVID,” James says. “We would have normally been in a room with tear sheets or emailing stuff and then talking about it later.”

The ability to virtually combine forces makes working from Asheville more plausible for filmmakers, and the Rowes see potential among local creatives to accomplish their cinematic goals. They encourage like-minded artists to team up and start making short films, music videos and other projects — and the brothers may be looking for some of these dedicated individuals themselves before long.

“What David and I would love to see, and can imagine happening, is a more organic film movement arising in Asheville out of what is already a rich music and art scene, the way it did in Austin back in the ’90s,” James says. “There’s so much talent here — all those musicians, performers and artisans make it a very attractive place to collaborate. We’d love to help spark that and we have a project we’re working on right now that could land here, if it comes together the way we hope.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/d9p. X

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ARTS & C U L T U R E

BEER

Community, beer — and a rant Diatribe Brewing Co. anchors west side of Haywood Road

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com “I’m known for getting worked up on lots of topics — especially beer,” says Dave Byer, co-owner of Diatribe Brewing Co., which opened last fall at 1042 Haywood Road. “I get very opinionated.”

Long before running his own brewery, Byer was known for his oratory moments at Asheville Brewers Supply.

The shop’s owner, Tedd Cleveger, eventually began advertising his business’s regular homebrewer meetups as featuring “pizza, beer and a rant.”

“It became the thing that people expected,” Byer recalls with a laugh.

“And if I came in tired and wasn’t worked up about something, people started prodding me with a topic. Like, ‘Hey, what do you think about this new beer?’”

The long-standing tradition of friends getting opinionated at pubs is at the heart of Diatribe Brewing Co., which Byer operates with his partner, Betty Dunajski. The new brewery is located in the former UpCountry Brewing Co. space — itself the former home of Altamont Brewing, which sold to UpCountry in 2016. UpCountry closed its West Asheville branch in May 2023, focusing its efforts on its Brevard location, allowing Byer and Dunajski to realize their long-held dream.

ONE-MAN BAND Byer started homebrewing in 2008 and later worked at a number of local breweries, including Sweeten Creek Brewing’s 10-barrel operation, Green

ON THE BOARD: Diatribe Brewing Co. owners Dave Byer, left, and Betty Dunajski opened West Asheville’s newest brewery in fall 2023. Photo by Edwin Arnaudin Man Brewery’s 30-barrel system and Eluvium Brewing Co.’s 5-barrel system in Weaverville. Starting in 2012, he commuted to these jobs while he and Dunajski, whose background is in graphic design, were homesteading in the Spring Creek area of Hot Springs.

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There, they worked 15 acres, grew food and lived off the land as much as possible. They also did extensive fermenting of their produce and, if their property was more conducive to increased wastewater management and car traffic, they might

have opened a farm brewery. Their homebrewing experiments included such oddities as wood nettle beers alongside more traditional styles.

The couple moved back to West Asheville in 2021. And when UpCountry — located two miles from their house — became available, they jumped at the opportunity to have a neighborhood-model taproom brewery that wasn’t reliant on production brewing.

“There’s no change of use in the building, so we didn’t have to do anything. We didn’t have to put in any crazy new sidewalks or anything that’s required by the city,” Dunajski says. “It costs a lot of money to start a business, but not doing the change of use [permitting] really helped keep the costs low.”

UpCountry’s 7-barrel brewhouse came with the building, and though Byer notes it’s not the exact system he would build if given the chance, its volume is close to ideal. “It’s in that sweet

field guide

Asheville to

spot between all the sizes I’ve done,” he says. “I like doing all the process.”

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS “I’m a big believer in the evolution of beer,” Byer says. “There’s a reason why German lagers and English session ales lasted for so long, whereas nettle beers died out.”

While Byer is happy to try his hand at newer styles like cold IPAs, the Diatribe tap list is primarily populated by such brews as an Irish Extra Stout, Czech Dark Lager and English Dark Mild.

The brewery also features a LUKR faucet for side pours and a beer engine for cask ales. The latter device’s mere existence at Diatribe is somewhat of an oddity — doubly so when it’s pouring the English Dark Mild.

“It’s funny because that’s a style that breweries are like, ‘Oh, that won’t sell. We don’t want to make it.’ And same with beer engines,” Byer says.

“So, I basically got a piece of equipment that wouldn’t sell beer and then put a beer that wouldn’t sell on it. It’s like a double whammy.”

And yet, the combined cask and draft sales of the English Dark Mild have outpaced the Hazy IPA — typically one of the most popular styles in any brewery across the country.

“There’s so much of a beer community, especially in this West Asheville neighborhood, that people come in, and when they see that they’re like, ‘What’s on it?’” Byer says. “They know what it is and they’re so excited because there’s only two other breweries in the city limits doing [cask ales].”

While Byer and Dunajski were disappointed when neighboring business Grata Pizzeria closed in July, they hope another restaurant will move in soon. In the meantime, they plan on having food trucks starting in spring and are turning the outdoor walk-in cooler into a beer garden.

The return of a brewery on the Patton Avenue end of Haywood Road has steadily attracted neighborhood customers. But the owners are also serving clientele from Candler and other folks who don’t want to venture downtown for local craft beer and appreciate a laid-back atmosphere.

“The goal is to have a lot of [beers] around 4% [ABV] or even lower,” he says. “We’ve got cushion chairs and brought back the big bar like Altamont had — kind of get a little bit of an English pub inspiration where it’s people sitting around. It’s not about TVs or blaring music. It’s about sitting around with the community, drinking a few rounds — because it’s low ABV — and talking to your friends.”

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A R TS & CU LTU R E

FOOD ROUNDUP

What’s new in food Nine Mile launches a brewery inside its Montford location Aaron Thomas, co-owner of Nine Mile restaurants, says he and his business partners did not set out to launch a brewery inside the company’s Montford Avenue location.

But a few years ago, when neighboring business Harmony Interiors relocated, the Nine Mile team expanded its Montford location.

Initially, the team planned to keep Harmony Interiors’ home theater layout. “We were going to ... have private movie showings where customers could eat Nine Mile, watch a movie and rent the room out,” Thomas says.

But the associated costs, the group soon realized, were too expensive.

Pivoting, the team landed on a brewery. What the group thought would take a couple of months morphed into a much longer project on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than three years later, Thomas describes the brewery’s debut as a major victory. “It just feels really good to not have given up,” he says.

Nine Mile’s former kitchen manager, Evan Boose, is heading the brewery. Thomas notes Boose had no brewing experience but went all in, working with other local breweries to learn the craft. Thomas points to Matt Huntley, head brewer at The Bier Garden, as a particularly helpful mentor who took Boose under his wing. “[Boose] did a crash course for probably six to eight months,” Thomas says. “He’s always been really passionate about making a good product. ... It’s a testament to

his character of paying attention to detail and understanding why even the small things are important.”

According to Thomas, Nine Mile is currently offering a couple stouts, a Mexican lager and a popular Juicy IPA. “Our goal is to have six to seven beers, with probably four flagship beers that always stay the same,” Thomas says. The brewery is also looking into hard seltzers.

The Nine Mile brewery is at 233 Montford Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/ax3.

Coffee by day, dance party by night The Radical, a new hotel in the River Arts District, recently celebrated the launch of its third and final eatery. Restaurateur Jacob Sessoms’ after/glow is a cafe and bar, operating 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Daytime counter service includes espresso, drip coffee from Counter Culture Coffee, selections from Dobra Tea and specialty drinks.

“We serve a draft latte that’s very delicious,” says barista David Angioletti. “It’s basically our take on if a Guinness was a coffee and had that frothiness to it. You can make it with any flavor, but we recommend doing orange creamsicle.”

Each day at 3 p.m. the cafe transitions into a cocktail bar serving handcrafted drinks. Currently, after/ glow also features a rotating set of DJs Thursday-Sunday nights.

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Winery and will be joined by its owner, August Briggs. All samples are free and no reservations are required.

“We have chosen wines that represent the new grapes coming from Napa Valley,” says John Kerr, co-owner of Metro Wines, in a press release.

Metro Wines is at 169 Charlotte St. For more information, visit avl.mx/da9.

Happy Veganuary Each January, the U.K.-based nonprofit Veganuary hosts its an annual vegan challenge, inviting individuals and businesses to learn more about the benefits of a plant-based diet.

Mellow Mushroom is participating this year by bringing back one of its most popular vegan dishes, the Miss Mushroom pizza, as well as introducing its new Lavender Groove mocktail. Both items will be available at all Mellow Mushroom locations through Monday, March 4.

Mellow Mushroom is at 50 Broadway. To learn more, visit avl.mx/da8.

grits, biscuits and gravy, and fried chicken and waffles.

Wagner describes the restaurant ambiance as “total queen energy.”

Both the decor and recipes celebrate the strong women who’ve influenced the cuisine.

Regina’s is at 1400 Patton Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/crx.

A Noble move Noble Cider closed its 49 Rankin Ave location on Jan. 14.

The Cidery, at 356 New Leicester Highway, remains open.

“Your favorite glass of draft cider or mead will be waiting for you at The Cidery, during this temporary pause in our downtown presence,” says owner and cidermaker Lief Stevens, in a press release. “We hope to find the perfect space for our new Asheville taproom very soon, and when we do we look forward to welcoming you with even more delicious cider, mead and snacks”.

For more information, visit avl.mx/d9v.

Regina’s ranks No.2

CHEERS: Evan Boose, Nine Mile’s head brewer, prepares the latest batch.

Photo by Aaron Thomas “Our ambiance and vibe in the morning is very relaxed,” Angioletti says. “We ramp up more toward the evening and by 8 o’clock we’re out here partying.” after/glow is at 95 Roberts St. For more information, visit avl.mx/d9u.

Wine about it Metro Wines is hosting its latest tasting on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 4-6 p.m.

The shop will sample wines from the California-based August Briggs

— Brionna Dallara X

Earlier this month, USA Today ranked Regina’s as the second “best new restaurant in the U.S. that you need to try in 2024.”

The West Asheville spot is the only North Carolina-based restaurant ranked.

“We’re superexcited that all of our hard work is getting recognized and that more people are getting a taste for our food,” says co-owner Lisa Wagner. “It’s gotten a superpositive reaction from people these first six months, and we’re happy to share it with more people. We could not be more thrilled.”

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ARTS & C U L T U R E

ROUNDUP

Around Town BMCM+AC kicks off 2024 with latest exhibit Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center is ringing in 2024 with its latest exhibit, Vera B. Williams/Stories.

Williams, who attended the renowned Black Mountain College from 1945-50, was an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, as well as a political activist.

An opening reception will take place Friday, Jan. 26, 5:30-8 p.m., followed by a conversation with musicologist and sociocultural historian Mark Davenport on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 11 a.m.

Davenport’s mother, Patsy Lynch Wood, was college roommates and best friends with Williams.

“They both got their degrees in music and art the same year together,” says Davenport. “After they left Black Mountain, they went on to form a very influential, intentional artists community in New York.”

The art community Gate Hill Cooperative, also known as The Land, is the subject of Davenport’s forthcoming book, Community, Art, Education, and the Search for Meaning: From Black Mountain College to the Gate Hill Cooperative.

Davenport, who grew up and lived in Gate Hill for 36 years, says his personal connection made the research “that much more exciting and personal.” His close ties with many of the individuals featured in the book, he believes, “brings a lot of life into the story.”

Much of the material that will be on display at the exhibit, Davenport says, is contributed directly from the Vera B. Williams Trust. And sev-

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Grade: A-minus — Edwin Arnaudin

eral of the items are rare archives.

Davenport adds that all of Williams’ children will attend his upcoming talk, making the event a family affair.

Vera B. Williams/Stories runs through Saturday, May 11, at Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, 120 College St. For more information, visit avl.mx/da3.

Painting Potter-y Fans of Harry Potter, take note: On Friday, Jan. 26, 6-8 p.m., Fired Up! Creative Lounge will host muggles at both its Asheville and Hendersonville locations.

Cassidy Chester, manager of the art lounge, says that participants are invited to come in with spellbinding designs already in mind, but the lounge also sets aside selected pieces reminiscent of the theme.

“One of my favorite ones is that we have a box that is actually shaped like a book,” Chester says.

Other paintable prospects include a bearded mug (suggestive of the character Dumbledore), a dragon mug and a pub mug (perfect for butterbeer).

Themed refreshments and activities will also be available. Tickets are $8 and do not include pottery pieces.

Fired Up! Creative Lounge’s Asheville location is at 26 Wall St. The Hendersonville location is inside the Blue Ridge Mall at 1800 4 Seasons Blvd. For more information, visit avl.mx/da4.

Shake it off, Swifties In the mood to dance? On Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m., The Orange Peel is hosting The TS Dance Party, celebrating all things Taylor Swift. Participants are encouraged to put on their best Eras Tour outfit, grab a friend and let sparks fly on the dance floor. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The Orange Peel is at 101 Biltmore Ave. Tickets for the event are $25 per person. For more information, visit avl.mx/da5.

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Eric Knoche’s solo exhibition, Circles, is on display at Blue Spiral 1 through Wednesday, Feb. 21.

MOUNTAINX.COM

DEAR FRIENDS: The late Vera B. Williams, right, was an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. Her life story will be the focus of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center’s latest exhibit. Also featured is Patsy Lynch Wood, a fellow artist and graduate of Black Mountain College, and Williams’ lifelong friend. Photo by Mark Davenport “Eric Knoche’s latest series of circular clay sculptures emerge from a dynamic interplay of results from materials used, kiln placement and firing technique,” says Blair Guggenheim, assistant director of Blue Spiral 1. The works, she adds, echo “influences of ancient architecture and the Earth itself.”

Blue Spiral 1 is at 38 Biltmore Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/da6.

H’s “Catdaddy’s Hour of Smooth,” followed by Christy Rhodes’ “Hissy Fits” and Kimberly McGrady’s “You Stole My Heart.”

Additionally, some returning shows have changed time slots. For example, the community-focused “Open Air” is now airing on Wednesdays at 11 a.m., and “Out of Limits” with Otto Mattox is now scheduled for Thursdays at 10 p.m.

For a full schedule, visit avl.mx/prxs.

Calling all paper artists

Tracey Morgan Gallery heads south

Tyger Tyger Gallery has announced its first juried open call for art submissions. The gallery is only accepting works done on paper. Selected submissions will either appear in a spring group exhibit or placed on consignment in the gallery for six months. All juried works will also appear on the Tyger Tyger website. Artists can submit up to three pieces. The deadline is Thursday, Feb. 1. Accepted artists will be notified by Saturday, Feb. 17.

For more information on how to submit, visit avl.mx/da7.

New jams for the new year 103.3 Asheville FM recently announced its current programming.

Z, a teen programmer from the station’s show “The New Wave,” is now hosting the “Oddity Garden” on Sundays at noon. Meanwhile, Tuesdays will have a whole new lineup starting at 5 p.m. with host Wes

Tracey Morgan Gallery is relocating from its South Slope location to 22 London Road, a 9,000-square-foot space owned by Randy Shull and Hedy Fischer.

“While we have loved our exhibition space in Asheville’s South Slope neighborhood, we are thrilled to be moving to the beautiful 22London.org building,” reads a Tracey Morgan Gallery press release. “In addition to [Shull and Fischer] presenting annual museum-quality exhibitions from the personal collection, which are open to the public, the space is home to Randy’s studio, Mountain Metal Works, as well as several other area artists.”

According to the Tracey Morgan Gallery website, its opening exhibit in the new space will launch in March.

For more information, visit avl.mx/prxt.

— Brionna Dallara X

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HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Well-Crafted Music w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Music Session, 7pm

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OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Bluegrass Jam w/Derek McCoy & Friends, 6pm

27 CLUB SkyWay 61, Virigina Sweet & Dead Sons (rock'n'roll), 8pm

INDIE-POP BAND: On Friday, Jan. 26, Charlotte-based indie-pop band Oceanic plays at Shakey’s, starting at 9 p.m. Influenced by bands including Coldplay and The 1975, Oceanic works to create high-energy shows that also feature artistic visual effects. Photo courtesy of Daniel Carrai BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Mike Kenton & Jim Tanner (jazz), 5:30pm

BLK MTN PIZZA & ALE HOUSE Billy Presnell (folk, Americana), 6pm

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CROW & QUILL Sparrow & Her Wingmen (jazz, swing), 8pm DIFFERENT WRLD Hoel Hugo, Sunhouse & Yesterday's Clothes (indie-rock, alt-rock, folk), 9pm EULOGY Shadow Resonance w/ DJ Duchess, 8pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

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HOUSE OF BLACK CAT MAGIC, CO. Low-Cost Community Cat Neuter Clinic, 8:30am JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm LAZOOM ROOM BAR & GORILLA Ashevillians Comedy Showcase, 7pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. West End String Band (bluegrass, roots, acoustic), 7pm

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THE ONE STOP Hurt & Skip (blues, soul, country), 10pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN Jon Cox & Ginny McAfee Duo (Americana), 7pm THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO. Chilltonic (funk, pop, alt-rock), 6pm THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN Vaden Landers (country), 6pm THE WHITE RABBIT AT WATER STREET Neon Dreams (disco, synth-pop, electro), 9pm

EULOGY Dance Floor Rapture w/ DJ Lil Meow Meow, 8pm

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OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. TrancEnd (prog-rock), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING Cory Phillips (pop, soul, R&B), 8pm

BURTON STREET COMMUNITY CENTER Family Trivia Night, 5pm CORK & KEG Zydeco Ya Ya (Cajun, Zydeco), 8pm CROW & QUILL Meschiya Lake's New Orleans Jazz Band, 8pm EULOGY Laniidae, Celaris, The Dirty Low Down & Reflect & Refine (metal, post-hardcore), 8pm FLEETWOOD'S 40, 20, 10s (Americana, country), 9pm HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Deep River (country), 6pm

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JACK OF THE WOOD PUB • Nobody's Darling String Band, 4pm • Nordmoe & The Rodeo (country), 9pm

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OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Abbey Elmore Band (indie, pop), 8pm

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BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

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C LU BL A N D SHILOH & GAINES Laura Blackley & The Wildflowers (Appalachian, rock'n'roll, folk), 9pm

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THE BURGER BAR Best Worst Karaoke, 9pm THE GREY EAGLE Sold Out: Ocie Elliott w/Joshua Hyslop (folk), 8pm THE ODD Party Foul Drag: Saturday Night Tease, 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL The Taylor Party (dance party), 8pm THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN Shane O'Brien & Andrew Poirier Duo (bluegrass), 7pm

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MONDAY, JANUARY 29

WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT DJ Abu Disarray, 7pm

27 CLUB Karaoke Monday, 9pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Comedy Show, 8pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR CaroMia, Rahm, Iannuci & Jaze Uries (dream-pop, soul, R&B), 8pm

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28

DSSOLVR Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

CATAWBA BREWING CO. SOUTH SLOPE ASHEVILLE Comedy at Catawba: Nick Murphy, 6:30pm

FLEETWOOD'S Best Ever Karaoke, 8pm

EULOGY At Your Funeral (emo), 8pm

HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB Open Mic w/Taylor Martin & Special Guests, 7:15pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo! Pub Trivia w/ Jason Mencer, 7:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Takes All Kinds Open Mic Nights, 7pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Open Mic Tuesday, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Open Mic Downtown, 7:30pm

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Mashup Mondays w/The JLloyd Mashup Band, 8pm

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

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Mr Jimmy & Friends (blues), 7pm THE ORANGE PEEL The Milk Carton Kids (folk), 8pm THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO. Trivia w/Billy, 7pm

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30

185 KING STREET Trivia & Karaoke Night, 7pm 27 CLUB 1402, Ghostdaughter, Roachspliff & Andrew's False Consciousness (rock), 8pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic, 8pm ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Trivia! Trivia!, 6:30pm

ARCHETYPE BREWING Trivia Tuesday, 6:30pm

BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Trivia Night w/PartyGrampa, 7pm

EULOGY The Wake: Hip Hop Showcase, 8pm

DIFFERENT WRLD Everybody But You Bro Open Mic, 6pm

FLEETWOOD'S Spooky Tuesdays: All Vinyl DJs, 9pm

EULOGY Colin Miller, Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band (folk, indie-rock, lo-fi), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Team Trivia, 7pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST The Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Grateful Dead tribute), 6pm

FLEETWOOD'S Tall Juan, Seismic Sutra & Tight (psych, garage, rockabilly), 9pm

SHAKEY'S Booty Tuesday w/DJ Roselle, 9pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Well-Crafted Music w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Tuesday Night Open Jam, 8pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5pm

SUN: Cosmic Appalachian Soul Sundays, 7pm MON: Ping-Pong Tournament, 6pm TUE: Open Jam w/ house band the Lactones, 8pm WED: Poetry Open Mic AVL, 8:30pm/8pm signup

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EULOGY Pleasure Principles w/ Brandon Manitoba (newwave, italo, synths), 8pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Humpday Hootenanny (funk, rock), 10pm

FLEETWOOD'S Search & Destroy Punk Karaoke, 9pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Latin Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8:30pm SHAKEY'S Sexy Service Industry Night, 10pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic, 8pm THE DRAFTSMAN BAR + LOUNGE Trivia Nights, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE The JLloyd Mashup (Paul Simon tribute), 7pm URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Trivia, 6:30pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

Adult Superstore HEATING UP THE BEDROOM SINCE 1998

ONE WORLD BREWING Tony Soldati (rock'n'roll, funk), 7pm OUTSIDER BREWING Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1

THE GREY EAGLE That 1 Guy (prog-jazz, alt-rock), 8pm

BLK MTN PIZZA & ALE HOUSE Billy Presnell (folk, Americana), 6pm

THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT BREWING CO. Peggy Ratusz & Kelly Jones (blues), 6pm

BLUE GHOST BREWING CO. BG Trivia, 6:30pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Saylor Brothers & Friends (jamgrass), 6:30pm

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F R E E W I L L A S T R O L O G Y BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Dani Shapiro has published six novels, three bestselling memoirs and a host of articles in major magazines.

She co-founded a writer’s conference, teaches at top universities, and does a regular podcast.

We can conclude she is successful. Here’s her secret: She feels that summoning courage is more important than being confident. Taking bold action to accomplish what you want is more crucial than cultivating self-assurance. I propose that in the coming weeks, you apply her principles to your own ambitions.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Throughout history, there has never been a culture without religious, mythical and supernatural beliefs. The vast majority of the world’s people have believed in magic and divinity. Does that mean it’s all true and real? Of course not. But nor does it mean that none of it is true and real. Ultra-rationalists who dismiss the spiritual life are possessed by hubris. Everything I’ve said here is prelude to my oracle for you: Some of the events in the next three weeks will be the result of magic and divinity. Your homework is to discern which are and which aren’t.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Several wise people have assured me that the pursuit of wealth, power, popularity, and happiness isn’t as important as the quest for meaningfulness. If you feel your life story is interesting, rich, and full of purpose, you are successful. This will be a featured theme for you in the coming months, Gemini. If you have ever fantasized about your destiny resembling an ancient myth, a revered fairy tale, a thousand-page novel, or an epic film, you will get your wish.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Life as we live it is unaccompanied by signposts,” wrote author Holly Hickler. I disagree with her assessment, especially in regard to your upcoming future. Although you may not encounter literal markers bearing information to guide you, you will encounter metaphorical signals that are clear and strong. Be alert for them, Cancerian. They might not match your expectations about what signposts should be, though. So expand your concepts of how they might appear.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I wrote a book called Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings. Among its main messages: There’s high value in cultivating an attitude that actively looks for the best in life and regards problems as potential opportunities. When I was working on the book, no one needed to hear this advice more than me! Even now, I still have a long way to go before mastering the outlook I call “crafty optimism.” I am still subject to dark thoughts and worried feelings — even though I know the majority of them are irrational or not based on the truth of what’s happening. In other words, I am earnestly trying to learn the very themes I have been called to teach. What’s the equivalent in your life, Leo? Now is an excellent time to upgrade your skill at expressing abilities and understandings you wish everyone had.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 1951, filmmaker Akira Kurosawa made a movie adapted from The Idiot, a novel by his favorite author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Kurosawa was not yet as famous and influential as we would later become. That’s why he agreed to his studio’s demand to cut 99 minutes from his original 265-minute version. But this turned out to be a bad idea. Viewers of the film had a hard time understanding the chopped-up story. Most of the critics’ reviews were negative. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, with two intentions: 1.

I encourage you to do minor editing on your labor of love. 2 But don’t agree to anything like the extensive revisions that Kurosawa did.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I have selected a poem for you to tape on your refrigerator door for the next eight weeks. It’s by 13th-century Zen poet Wu–Men. He wrote: “Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, / a cool

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breeze in summer, snow in winter. / If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.” My wish for you, Libra — which is also my prediction for you — is that you will have extra power to empty your mind of unnecessary things. More than ever, you will be acutely content to focus on the few essentials that appeal to your wild heart and tender soul.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Psychologist Carl Jung wrote, “Motherlove is one of the most moving and unforgettable memories of our lives, the mysterious root of all growth and change; the love that means homecoming, shelter, and the long silence from which everything begins and in which everything ends.” To place yourself in rapt alignment with current cosmic rhythms, Scorpio, you will do whatever’s necessary to get a strong dose of the blessing Jung described. If your own mother isn’t available or is insufficient for this profound immersion, find other maternal sources. Borrow a wise woman elder or immerse yourself in Goddess worship. Be intensely intent on basking in a nurturing glow that welcomes you and loves you exactly as you are — and makes you feel deeply at home in the world.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In a set of famous experiments, physiologist Ivan Pavlov taught dogs to have an automatic response to a particular stimulus. He rang a bell while providing the dogs with food they loved. After a while, the dogs began salivating with hunger simply when they heard the bell, even though no food was offered. Ever since, “Pavlov’s dogs” has been a phrase that refers to the ease with which animals’ instinctual natures can be conditioned. I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Pavlov had used cats instead of dogs for his research. Would felines have submitted to such scientific shenanigans?

I doubt it. These ruminations are my way of urging you to be more like a cat than a dog in the coming weeks. Resist efforts to train you, tame you, or manipulate you into compliance.

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GIVE THE GIFT OF

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Before poet Louise Glück published her first book, Firstborn, it was rejected by 28 publishers. When it finally emerged, she suffered from writer’s block. Her next book didn’t appear until eight years after the first one. Her third book arrived five years later, and her fourth required another five years.

Slow going! But here’s the happy ending: By the time she died at age 80, she had published 21 books and won the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for Literature. By my astrological reckoning, you are now at a phase, in your own development, comparable to the time after Glück’s fourth book: well-primed, fully geared up, and ready to make robust progress.

GORGEOUS

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath,” wrote author F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I’d like to expand that metaphor and apply it to you, Aquarius. I propose that your best thinking and decision-making in the coming weeks will be like swimming under water while holding your breath. What I mean is that you’ll get the best results by doing what feels unnatural. You will get yourself in the right mood if you bravely go down below the surface and into the depths and feel your way around.

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In honor of this pivotal time in your life story, I offer four pronouncements. 1. You can now be released from a history that has repeated itself too often.

To expedite this happy shift, indulge in a big cry and laugh about how boring that repeated history has become. 2. You can finish paying off your karmic debt to someone you hurt. How? Change yourself to ensure you won’t ever act that way again. 3. You can better forgive those who wounded you if you forgive yourself for being vulnerable to them. 4. Every time you divest yourself of an illusion, you will clearly see how others’ illusions have been affecting you.

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T HE N E W Y O R K T I ME S C R O S S W O R D P U ZZLE edited by Will Shortz | No. 1220

ACROSS 1 Quartet that reunited in 2022 to “perform” as holograms 5 Hell’s Half ___ (Wyoming landmark) 9 Chromosomes come in them 14 Croc, for one 15 Big name in bubbly 16 Condition linked with grinding teeth 17 District on the western coast of Hawaii 18 Craisin brand 20 Female scholars 22 Lead-in to zone 23 Smallish batteries 24 Author Patchett 27 Components of Mars’s Viking and Pathfinder 30 Intrinsic makeup 33 Fabric whose name is French for “cloth” 35 Hirsute cousin of old TV 36 Gooey addition to a charcuterie board 37 Where turn signals are found 41 Delicacies for which Aveiro, Portugal, is known 42 “Surely you don’t mean me!?”

43 Speechless expression 44 Showstoppers?

45 Bach composition 48 Scratch, say 49 It might be cocked or bent 50 N.B.A.’s Westbrook, to fans 52 Grammy winners for “Jump (for My Love)” (1984) 59 “Apologies for bothering you …”

60 Massage deeply 62 Mosquito, by nature 63 Chip in 64 Ski lift 65 Dutch settlers of South Africa

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DOWN 1 “Oh, no!”

2 Explode 3 Pro ___ 4 Best effort 5 Egyptian sun god 6 Result of some spinning 7 Danger for a mariner 8 Abbreviated abbreviation 9 They might be served carbonara or puttanesca 10 Datebook data: Abbr.

11 About, on a memo 12 Vanguard’s opposite 13 “Survey ___ …” (“Family Feud” catchphrase) 19 Almost adjoining 21 Swiss mathematician who introduced functional notation 24 Totally confused 25 Prominent 26 Physicist Bohr

28 You can count on it 29 Abbreviated abbreviation 30 Amateur pediatrician, informally 31 Strong, silent type?

32 Norse pantheon 34 Paul for whom a guitar is named 36 Backside 38 Turkish inn 39 Prefix with apology or denial 40 “He is richest who is content with the ___”: Socrates 45 Supplies, as a soiree 46 Stiff bristle, botanically

58 61

47 Elephant or warthog, e.g.

49 Put in 51 Company with Counting Sheep commercials 52 Last name in soft drinks 53 Reds state 54 “Not hungry yet, but thanks anyway” 55 Word with “Revolutionary” or “Tobacco,” in book titles 56 In one’s right mind 57 ___ Stark, Lord Eddard’s eldest on “Game of Thrones” 58 Unit of meat or marble 61 Fish hatchlings

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