Mountain Xpress 02.06.19

OUR 25TH YEAR OF WEE KLY I NDE PE NDE NT NEWS, ARTS & EVE NTS FOR WE STE R N NORTH CAROLI NA VOL. 25 NO. 29 FE B. 6 -12, 2019

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WELLNESS SERIES, PART 2 In the second part of our winter Wellness special issues, we examine the many ways that our community grapples with what we can control and what we can’t — from vaccinations to the influence our microbiomes have on our health — plus, more local residents offer resolutions on promoting their own health and that of our community.

COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick

Linda Newman

NEWS

FEATURES

• Life Transitions • Relationship Issues • Increase Self Esteem • Addiction Recovery • Sexuality/Sex Therapy • Career/Money Issues • Trauma/Grief/Loss Support • Anxiety/Depression/Stress

9 FAIR PAY Just Economics boosts Buncombe’s living wage rate

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FOOD

51 SOUND BITES Local podcasts tell the stories of WNC’s food and farms

A&E

50 TREE TALES Dogwood Alliance highlights diverse voices for forest preservation

60 EVERY POEM IS A LOVE POEM Three local poets launch collections

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Series 6

Part Two

STEPPING UP

21 SHUT-EYE 34 BELLYFUL OF HEALTH

14 BUNCOMBE BEAT City OKs extra funds for outside attorneys as legal limbo continues

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OPINION

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

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ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson MANAGING EDITOR: Virginia Daffron A&E EDITOR/WRITER: Alli Marshall FOOD EDITOR/WRITER: Gina Smith GREEN SCENE EDITOR/WRITER: Daniel Walton OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose STAFF REPORTERS/WRITERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Virginia Daffron, David Floyd, Brooke Randle, Daniel Walton

Mission Health deal reveals community lesson Mission Health’s Rowena Buffett Timms’ disparaging of citizens expressing their concerns about the Mission/HCA sale terms and Dogwood Health Trust board composition is a real head-scratcher.

It’s doubly puzzling after witnessing Josh Stein, North Carolina’s attorney general, praising those same citizens Jan. 16 for guiding his office toward the positive changes made in that sale agreement and DHT board makeup.

Why would Mission’s senior VP for government and community relations (community relations, no less) describe citizens in the Mountain Xpress (Dec.12) as an “organized, self-interested opposition,” adding “we all know that a small group of loud voices can create an illusion of broader views” [“Get on Board: Mission Health’s Approach to Dogwood Health Trust Worries Local Nonprofits”].

She’s talking about the YWCA, the NAACP, the mayor of Highlands, the people of Spruce Pine and many other organizations and individuals who have been working decades to make WNC better.

What is those citizens’ “self-interest?”

It reminds me of a community meeting, 30 years ago, where the mayor of Knoxville berated neighborhood residents who opposed the closing of a fire station with, “The only reason you

oppose it is that you live near the fire station.” Well, duh.

Every community organizer has heard insulated officials say such things. Ms. Buffett Timms, just the most recent, was apparently trying to discredit and cower into silence people working to ensure positive change. The we-know-what-isbest bubble forms when officials lose touch with their own institution’s stated goals and with the community’s pulse.

Why didn’t she simply ask to meet with them/us and listen?

It’s a lesson for anyone engaged in community-betterment organizing not to be cowed but to continue pushing for what is best. Just ask AG Josh Stein.

— Monroe Gilmour Coordinator, WNC Citizens Ending Institutional Bigotry (WNCCEIB) Black Mountain

Mission’s sale: one of the greatest local political cons It appears the sale of the Mission hospital system is complete. May one suggest this will go down as one of the greatest political cons in our community’s history?

In scope, it compares with the illadvised, Democratically led, but bipartisan-supported effort [circa 2005] to steal Asheville’s water system. The media have been similarly complicit in echoing the talking points of this plan’s marketing agents instead of

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O PINION

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

more sincere investigative reporting. We’ve been getting a lot on what’s going to happen — very little on why it’s going to happen.

In truth, the loss of control of our hospital could be a good thing.

Although going from first string to third is a curious measure of progress, Mission has been marching toward disaster for years. Don’t believe that hospital administrators and board members walk away from success.

Abuses by our city’s army of illegal aliens, drug entrepreneurs and other folks evading the responsibility of carrying their own weight; chronic Medicare and Medicaid underfunding by “promise something for nothing” politicians; government hypercontrol; and dare we say questionable administration have secured failure.

On that latter point, the people running the show at Mission have been shamefully culpable in failing to publicly declare their hurdles on a more timely and transparent basis.

Making it this long can be tracked in large part to a practice of chronic understaffing. Staffing problems are normal in emergent situations — staff shortages day after day, year after year, department after department

C A R T O O N B Y I R E NE O L DS evolve into undeclared policy. The resulting savings — substantial in scope — have helped prop up this sick patient.

So, where will it all land now that it appears the sale has gone through? Most assuredly, past sins like those noted above will be lost in the tangles of a switch from nonprofit to for-profit status.

We will have thus been witness to an equivalent process whereby the New England Patriots were traded for the Cleveland Browns. Though both wear uniforms and play football, how they play is different. It will take a few seasons to realize the folly of this exchange.

— Carl Mumpower Asheville

‘Opportunity Zones’ highlight need to defend neighborhoods Pursue a policy, however misguided, for long enough, and you’re almost certain to see results. After half a century of ethnic cleansing, the East End — which proudly describes itself as Asheville’s oldest African-American neighborhood — is, according to the Census Bureau’s latest estimates, two-thirds white.

In part, at least, that change can be traced to the three apartment complexes that were dumped among the single-family homes on the slopes of Beaucatcher Mountain.

With interest rates rising, there was at least some hope that the pace of such unwelcome changes would slow. But no.

The 2017 tax law includes the designation of Opportunity Zones — a tax dodge that allows speculators to avoid some or all of the tax due on their activities, helping 4

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

to offset part, at least, of increased interest rates.

Crucially, there is no requirement that projects financed this way demonstrate any benefit to their host neighborhood, either before, during or after they are completed. It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out what kind of investments will be heading our way — not because Asheville is a cool city, or because our neighborhoods need help, but to avoid paying taxes.

Most of the city, apart from downtown, has been turned into a playground for property speculators, local or distant. Our only — feeble — weapon to restrain their excesses is ensure that the county and city aggressively deploy the land-use and zoning tools they have to defend our neighborhoods. Otherwise, our ability to resist will be like that of a video game hero stumbling into the final boss’s lair with just the wooden shield and rusty sword he had when he started out.

Council Resolution 18-269 of Oct. 23 last — with its promise to “promote equitable growth, development without displacement and healthy communities of opportunity for all residents in and around Opportunity Zones” — seems like a hopeful sign. But the highly visible evidence of the hotel gold rush is not.

— Geoff Kemmish Asheville

‘Heel Thyself’ by going barefoot The article “Heel Thyself: Area Practitioners Offer Different Takes on Cause, Treatment of Leading Foot Complaint” that came out in the Jan. 30 Mountain Xpress was very interesting.

But it does seem odd to me that with all the various foot problems suffered by people in our modern society, the obvious solution is not special devices to fix your feet or to wear special shoes, but to stop wearing shoes at all.

It has been estimated that approximately 90 percent of all foot problems are either directly caused by or exacerbated by shoe-wearing. Prescribing a different type of shoe will never get to the root cause of these problems, which is basically that any kind of shoe does damage to feet over time.

During a long working career when I was required to wear closed shoes, my own feet were severely damaged as a result, even requiring several surgeries to correct some of the problems.

When I was able to retire, I was determined to have healthy feet again. So, after considerable research into any

C A R T O O N B Y B R E NT B R O W N and all legal, medical and health issues related to going barefoot all the time and everywhere, I made the decision to never wear shoes again.

That was 16 years ago, and my feet are now the strongest and healthiest part of my body.

Human feet were designed and intended to function and serve us well without “support” or otherwise needing to be covered or bound up in footwear. There is no logical reason why anyone would ever need to have their feet covered or “protected” by shoes or other footwear, with the exception of certain conditions that would immediately or very quickly cause injury or damage, such as extreme weather conditions, caustic chemicals, fire or similar conditions. Mere risk or “what if?” are not necessarily good or logical reasons for needing footwear, but only personal preferences.

— Kriss Sands Mars Hill

in Asheville, and continued loss of our green canopy will result in loss of the sense of place that is uniquely Asheville.

Our trees absorb excess amounts of carbon dioxide and return oxygen to the air we breathe. Trees’ root systems absorb stormwater runoff; trees cool us in the summer and provide buffers from damaging winds. The beauty that trees provide is immeasurable.

Asheville needs to add an urban forester and staffing to its city government to protect our trees from future danger. A comprehensive urban forest master plan and updated ordinances governing tree removal and restriction of invasive nonnative plantings (such as English ivy) are needed. Linking these to Asheville’s existing Comprehensive Plan is essential to see this become a reality and for true protection for our wonderful trees. Thank you.

— Cathy Walsh Asheville

City should act to save urban trees

Correction

Eight percent of our urban forest — all the trees in Asheville — were lost in the past 10 years.

Development and largely unregulated tree removal are the contributing factors. There is no agency or department charged with the protection of our trees

A letter to the editor in our Jan. 30 issue, “Stay Vigilant to Ensure Health Care System Serves Citizens” misstated one of the letter writer’s credentials. Kae Livsey has a master’s in public health.

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OPINION

Stepping up

Part Two

Series

Let’s join forces to create a truly healthy community

BY DR. DANIEL FRAYNE There’s a shift underway that’s causing health care providers to move beyond the walls of their clinics and hospitals and into the community to better support their patients’ well-being.

For a century, our health care system focused on treating disease. More recently, we’ve started emphasizing preventive care and access to primary care. In 2017, the U.S. spent $3.5 trillion on health care — far more than any other developed country. Yet our overall life expectancy as well as infant mortality, maternal mortality, disease and disability rates are far worse. Why? Four words: social determinants of health. This has been public health professionals’ focus for decades. But for your doctor and the health care system?

Not so much.

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF WHAT? People’s health begins where they live, learn, work and play, not inside a doctor’s office. Medical care accounts for only 15-20 percent of what promotes long-term health and quality of life.

Far more significant are the conditions we live with every day, most of which are caused by forces beyond individual control. Our well-being is greatly affected by whether we have access to stable housing, safe places to walk and play, education, transportation, employment, and supportive friends and family; whether we experience racism, toxic stress or adverse childhood events; and even by the health of our parents before we were born.

Our current health care system doesn’t typically address these social determinants — which may explain why our community isn’t achieving the health outcomes we would expect, given our large financial investment.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE (TO BE HEALTHY) Make no mistake: Your individual health is influenced by your community’s health. And that, in turn, is impacted by the distribution of power, money and other resources, which varies widely among neighborhoods. In fact, your ZIP code is a better predictor of your health

DR. DANIEL FRAYNE status and life expectancy than your genetic code.

Consider childhood obesity. More than a third of Buncombe County’s elementary students are overweight.

But while many ascribe this to individual choices, research shows that low-income children and youths are more likely to be overweight or obese.

And being overweight or obese as a child or teen leads to being overweight or obese as an adult and having health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Further

HOLISTIC OASIS

complicating the picture is the fact that children born to obese mothers or mothers who have diabetes are more likely to have obesity and diabetes themselves — it’s a cycle.

In order to break it, our community needs to focus on the things that can have the biggest impact on women’s and children’s health by targeting poverty, food insecurity, toxic stress, access to health care before and after pregnancy, housing, educational opportunities and other social determinants.

In Buncombe County, about 21 percent of children live in food-insecure households. An estimated 20 percent of women of reproductive age have no health insurance coverage (except during pregnancy). If we look at the data by race, the intergenerational impact of racism is painfully clear.

People of color in our community fare worse in every area — including health outcomes, educational achievement, employment opportunities and housing. Black infants are three times as likely as white infants to die before their first birthday. Only about 70 percent of black students graduate from Asheville High in four years, compared with about 90 percent of white students.

HOW CAN WE STRENGTHEN OUR DETERMINATION? Poverty, food and housing insecurity, violence, lack of transportation, racial disparities and other social determinants are complex problems

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that no one person, organization or sector can solve.

The only way we can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to achieve optimal health is to work together with a shared and well-coordinated commitment to improving our community’s health. And by everyone, I mean community members, health care providers, schools, businesses, service organizations, government agencies and policymakers.

Here in Western North Carolina, we’re uniquely poised to take advantage of multiple opportunities that are aligning to make real systems change and health care transformation possible.

Our robust integrated network includes many talented, dedicated health care providers. WNC Healthy Impact, a partnership between local health departments and hospital systems, is helping guide community health improvements across the region. Asheville and Buncombe County officials are prioritizing and investing in early childhood health, affordable housing and transportation.

Here at the Mountain Area Health Education Center, we’ve partnered with the University of North Carolina to expand and train our rural health care workforce, develop a new master’s degree in public health and establish a research division focused on population health issues. MAHEC employs all of Buncombe County’s school-based nurses, and we’ve partnered with Pisgah Legal Services to embed a lawyer in our clinics to help patients with housing, transportation,

intimate partner violence and health insurance coverage issues.

The Buncombe County Health Department recently committed to a 10-year focus on reducing infant mortality. Mothering Asheville, a community partnership, seeks to address this and other health disparities by providing community-based doulas, employed by MAHEC, who support high-risk, low-income mothers to improve birth and maternal outcomes.

Programs like this have gained national attention as models for how communities can address social determinants of health within their borders.

With this solid foundation, our community is well-positioned to use the potential influx of resources from the Dogwood Health Trust to address social determinants of health, as encouraged by the Medicaid Transformation Project. The time is right to strengthen our determination to address these bigger influences.

Imagine what would happen if all of us committed today to focusing on the underlying social determinants of health. What if every child born in WNC were healthy and well-educated, regardless of race, ethnicity, family income or ZIP code? How would it look if we all stood shoulder to shoulder, partner to partner, and closed the gaps for all our children?

In 20 years — a single generation — we could create a community where everyone thrives. X Daniel Frayne, M.D., a practicing family physician who is president of MAHEC, is a national consultant on women’s preconception health issues.

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OPINION

30 YEARS AND GROWING Local news is here to stay

X MARKS THE SPOT: Publisher Jeff Fobes (center, holding the X) launched Green Line, the predecessor of Mountain Xpress, in 1987. Shown here with most of the paper’s current staff, Fobes never expected then that his upstart publication would eventually rival the town’s daily newspaper in size and reporting power. With the most recent layoffs at the Citizen Times on Jan. 22, however, that’s the new reality. Photo by Cindy Kunst

BY VIRGINIA DAFFRON vdaffron@mountainx.com Flashback to 1987: Xpress Publisher Jeff Fobes was gathering a group of volunteer activists to put together and publish Green Line, the monthly newspaper of the Western North Carolina Green party. For the first couple of years, if you wanted a seat at the fledgling publication’s table, you could have it — but you had to bring your own chair, Jeff recalls.

Over 30 years later, some of those early contributors’ castoff chairs still linger in Mountain Xpress’ office. But while the mismatched furniture and alternative-media attitude remain at the successor to Jeff’s scrappy first publication, Xpress now employs nearly as many journalists as the daily Citizen Times up the street.

Following the most recent Citizen Times layoffs of five editorial staffers announced Jan. 22, part of nationwide cuts by parent company Gannett Co., columnist and reporter John Boyle wrote on Twitter that the reductions whittled the Citizen

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Times newsroom’s strength to 13.

That’s down from over 70 at the turn of the 21st century.

Today, Mountain Xpress’ editorial team numbers 10, joined by another 18 local employees in its advertising, design, administration and distribution departments.

Approaching something like parity with Asheville’s once-mighty daily newspaper has more to do with the dire economics of the news business in 2019 than the triumph of independent, locally owned media, but the fact remains: Thanks to the support of our readers and advertisers, Mountain Xpress is still standing, and not merely as a shadow of its former self. We have a strong team and a sustainable business, and we take seriously our responsibility to deliver information about the news, arts and culture of this community.

While Xpress can’t replace the volume of the coverage provided by a fully resourced Citizen Times or one of the other daily newspapers that served this community over the course of the last century, we will continue to report on the topics that have been our mainstays for

many years: local government and economy; the region’s environment; arts and entertainment; food; history; health and wellness; opinion; and community happenings.

Supporting our local journalism is as simple as picking up your free copy of Xpress every week or visiting our website at mountainx.com (no paywall!). Want to do more?

Make a point of patronizing our local advertisers. Thank them for spending some of their advertising dollars with an independent media outlet.

Now more than ever, we hope our work will inspire readers to join in the community conversation at the local level, where the impact of citizen action is greatest. That’s our mission, and you can help us achieve it by sending us your news tips, story ideas and letters to the editor.

We’re not going anywhere, and we look forward to continuing to bear witness as the story of Western North Carolina unfolds. X Virginia Daffron is managing editor of Xpress — and she writes stories, too.

NEWS

FAIR PAY

Just Economics boosts Buncombe’s living wage rate

GEARED UP: Ryan Houston, center, started his landscaping business on a shoestring budget almost 20 years ago. Now, Lawn-N-Order Landscaping employs almost a dozen people. It’s one of 425 businesses that have been living-wage certified by Just Economics. Photo by Micajah McCurry

BY DAVID FLOYD dfloyd@mountainx.com Building a business from the ground up is a test of endurance.

Ryan Houston, who owns Lawn-N-Order Landscaping in Weaverville, remembers making about $5,000 in his first year as an entrepreneur.

At age 18, he quit his job as a cook after learning how much the restaurant’s landscaper made. “It was up in the six figures,” Houston recalls.

“I put in my two-week notice the very same day.”

The business was launched on a shoestring, however. He had an old truck that leaked oil, making it necessary to place a cardboard box underneath the vehicle every time he parked, and he had to borrow his first string trimmer. For $10, he made about 300 copies at the library of a flyer he’d designed himself.

Over the years, Houston’s company grew, though a large portion of the revenues ended up getting reinvested in the business. That, of course, cut into his own earnings.

“There’s several years that I didn’t make a living wage,” he reveals.

Nearly 20 years later, Houston employs close to a dozen people and is one of about 425 local businesses that have been certified by Just Economics, a nonprofit that calculates living wage rates for Buncombe and some other Western North Carolina counties.

“We’re a small but loud organization and really believe that it’s not a sustainable economy if people are living at such low wages,” says Carmen Ramos-Kennedy, who directs the living wage program.

In early January, the organization raised its living wage rate for Buncombe County by 65 cents, to $12.15 per hour for workers with employer-provided health insurance and $13.65 for those without insurance.

The latter figure is almost twice the federal government’s $7.25 minimum wage. But in Asheville, which is known for its high cost of living, Ramos-Kennedy says she can’t imagine anyone surviving on that minimal standard.

“I don’t know how they do it,” she says. “It’s impossible. They must live five or six people to an apartment.”

CONTINUES ON PAGE 10 MOUNTAINX.COM

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HOUSING CRUNCHED: Employees in Buncombe County earning minimum wage are spending more on rent now than they were in 2009, when the federal government last increased the rate. The Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends that no more than 30 percent of income be spent on housing. Meanwhile, local employees earning a living wage — $11.35 without employer-provided health insurance in 2009 and $13.65 now, according to Just Economics — have weathered the increase in local rent fairly well. Graphic by Scott Southwick; data from Just Economics, HUD

BY THE NUMBERS

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Just Economics’ living wage rate is based on the idea that person who works full time should be able to afford a one-bedroom apartment in addition to their other expenses.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recommends that no more than 30 percent of an individual’s gross income be spent on housing.

To arrive at its figure, Just Economics takes a four-year average of monthly fair market rents in Buncombe County — $709 per month for 2016 through 2019 — and divides it by 30 percent to get the approximate monthly expenses for a person living in the county. The resulting figure is then multipled by 12 to get annual expenses; divided by 2,080 (40 hours per week times 52 weeks), yielding the hourly living wage, rounded to the nearest nickel.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE Although they’re not certified by Just Economics, two of the region’s biggest employers — Buncombe

County and the city of Asheville — do have living wage policies in place.

“The city’s policy explicitly states the way in which they need to adjust and when they need to adjust the wage rate,” says Vicki Meath, Just Economics’ executive director.

“Whereas the county has a policy, but it’s a little less clear.”

Still, many Buncombe County municipalities have previously accepted the Just Economics rate as the minimum wage for their employees, notes Meath, and at least some may update their pay scales at the beginning of their next fiscal year.

According to county records, all of Buncombe’s roughly 1,400 permanent full- and part-time employees already make more than $12.15 an hour. But 45 of the county’s 132 temporary part-time employees, who don’t receive health insurance, fall short of $13.65 an hour. That includes library assistants, security guards and laborers. In fact, 18 pages make $11 per hour, which is less than even Just Economics’ previous living wage rate.

In 2012, the Board of Commissioners established a county policy

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DRAINING WORK: Employees of Lawn-N-Order Landscaping set a river stone dry bed along the road in front of a home. Working as a landscaper can be exhausting, says owner Ryan Houston, which makes it important to ensure employees are properly compensated for their work. Photo by Micajah McCurry of paying permanent full- and parttime employees a living wage. But the resolution doesn’t mention temporary workers. “That policy didn’t specify methods for adjustment,” says Meath, “and it didn’t clarify who all was covered.”

Despite the ambiguity, however, Meath says the county has been using Just Economics’ universal living wage formula to make periodic adjustments.

Asheville, meanwhile, currently has 222 temporary employees who don’t receive any benefits and fall below the new $13.65 rate.

The disparity between the two local governments might seem stark, but Meath says it has to do with the difference in the types of positions they offer, which reflects differences in the core services they provide.

“The city tends to have more of those

part-time seasonal positions that are potentially low, because of the nature of the work,” Meath explains.

Those positions include concessionaires, bartenders and ushers who work at the U.S. Cellular Center and seasonal jobs in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Jaime Joyner, interim director of Asheville’s Human Resources Department, says that number will grow once spring arrives. In keeping with city policy, however, the plan is to bring those employees up to the new living wage rate by July 1, the start of the next fiscal year. The move is estimated to cost $107,000, she reports.

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N EWS er Brad, says he definitely sees in the local brewing industry. If they paid less than fair market rates, says Greig, “In the beer world, we wouldn’t be able to compete at all.”

The company recently hired a new assistant brewer whose wages could top out at $18-$20 per hour, he notes.

Houston, too, sees advantages in paying workers in his landscaping business fairly: It has led to higher productivity, healthier workers, reduced turnover, stronger loyalty and fewer disciplinary problems, he reports.

And even though some of his hires are for entry-level positions, the physically demanding nature of the work and the amount of training required to use the equipment means Lawn-N-Order almost has to pay a decent wage. “We wear our jobs home,” he explains. “I know everybody does, to a degree, but we go home physically and mentally tired.”

Ultimately, however, these factors affect all employers, RamosKennedy maintains. Whatever the nature of the work, “It’s in the business’s best interest to pay a living wage,” she says simply. X

In the meantime, though, both the county and city are ahead of most local governments across the state, Meath maintains: They’re among the handful of such entities that actually have a relevant policy on the books.

“Asheville and Buncombe County, and the same with Weaverville, Montreat, Canton … explicitly state that they are committed to paying a living wage rate,” she points out.

BEST INTERESTS Ramos-Kennedy believes paying a living wage is essential for local businesses that want to hire talented employees. To begin with, it helps them stay competitive — particularly since, as of last November, Buncombe’s 2.7 percent unemployment rate was the lowest in the state.

“If the business next door to you is the same business as yours and they’re paying $15 an hour, you have to step up,” says Ramos-Kennedy.

It’s a phenomenon that Greig Hillman, who co-owns Hillman Beer with his wife, Brandi, and broth-

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ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RELEASES STATE OF OUR WORKFORCE RESULTS More than 720 employers across Western North Carolina have shared their outlook on job growth, local talent and hiring challenges through the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s State of Our Workforce survey.

Respondents came from 10 counties and industries ranging from retail to information technologies.

Nearly 67 percent of surveyed businesses expected to grow their workforce over the next three years, representing up to 26,700 new jobs for the region.

The manufacturing and hospitality industries anticipated the largest hiring booms — up to 7,556 and 6,618 jobs, respectively — but all sectors planned for at least some expansion.

These potential gains equate to a 7 percent increase in the area’s workforce. “We are glad to see employers are growing in trend with our growing population but we also have to figure out how to attract new talent to our region and tap into untapped populations in our region in order to fill these positions,” said chamber project manager April Brown in a press release.

The full results of the survey are available online (avl.mx/5ns), as is a chamber explainer article (avl.mx/5nt).

HENDERSON COUNTY LAUNCHES MANUFACTURING APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

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Beginning this spring, seniors in the Henderson County Public Schools system will have another option after graduation. Participants in the Made in Henderson County Manufacturing Apprenticeship will gain paid work experience at

one of four local companies while earning a tuition-free mechatronics engineering certificate from Blue Ridge Community College over three semesters.

Elkamet, WestRock, Meritor and GF Linamar have agreed to take apprentices and will guarantee a job offer for all who complete the program. In a press release, Wendy Frye, director of high schools for HCPS, called the initiative “a perfect example of our community partners working together in support of our students.”

Program kickoff events are scheduled at Blue Ridge Community College on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 16, at 10 a.m. The participating companies will also be offering tours in late spring for interested families. Applications for the program are available online (avl.mx/5nr) and must be completed by Monday, April 1.

WNC REAL ESTATE SALES SLOW AS PRICES INCREASE Local real estate company Beverly-Hanks released its end-of-year 2018 Real Estate Market Report, analyzing trends across nine Western North Carolina counties. Neal Hanks Jr., the firm’s president, said that the number of homes sold in the region during 2018 increased by only 2 percent, a figure he called “relatively flat,” but added that Asheville-area home prices had appreciated by 9.5 percent over the past year.

“With no meaningful additional supply on the horizon, we expect that prices will continue to rise,” Hanks said in a press release announcing the report. “Supply concerns may dampen some enthusiasm for homeownership and will likely slow price increases.”

Hanks noted that, in Buncombe County, sales

of homes under $300,000 had decreased by 15 percent over the past year due to tight supply. The full report and a video explaining the results are available online (avl.mx/5nu).

ROUND OF APPLAUSE • Business North Carolina magazine named four Asheville leaders to its NC Power 100 list: Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kit Cramer, Biltmore Farms CEO Jack Cecil, Highland Brewing Co. President Leah Wong Ashburn and Mission Health CEO Dr. Ron Paulus.

• Dr. Chris Parsons and Dr. James M. Radford, both of Pardee UNC Health Care, were named to the Best Doctors in America.

MAKING MOVES • Formation PR + Brand, a public relations and branding agency focused on education, health care, nonprofit, public health and regional planning clients, is relocating from Flat Rock to downtown Hendersonville’s Seventh Avenue. The company will announce a ribboncutting ceremony for its new location at 735 Locust St. sometime in the next few months.

• Swannanoa-based Beacon Linens, the successor to the Beacon Manufacturing Co. founded in 1904, is reviving its Native Americaninspired Beacon Blankets brand. Six designs are currently available through the company’s website (avl.mx/5nv).

• The Mast General Store, a collection of retail establishments based in Valle Crucis and with locations throughout Western North Carolina, will open a new store in Roanoka, Va., in 2020. X

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

13

BUNCOMBE BEAT

City OKs extra funds for outside attorneys as legal limbo continues After more than four months of searching, Asheville City Council has yet to find a permanent replacement for former City Attorney Robin Currin. At Council’s Jan. 22 meeting, Mayor Esther Manheimer said the city would readvertise the position — after she and her colleagues unanimously approved an additional $300,000 for outside legal services.

In a staff report issued before the meeting, Assistant City Manager Cathy Ball explained that an additional $200,000 was necessary to retain interim City Attorney Sabrina Rockoff and her colleagues with local firm McGuire, Wood & Bissette “due to the delay in hiring a new city attorney.” The remaining $100,000, Ball wrote, was required for “other outside legal service expenses that have exceeded initial estimates.”

Ball did not specify the recipients or purposes of those outside legal expenses in the staff report, and she did not respond to a request for comment by press time. However, Manheimer suggested at the meeting that some

THE WAY IT USED TO BE: Robin Currin, left, served as Asheville’s city attorney under Mayor Esther Manheimer, right, for more than four years before departing in September. Photo by Alicia Funderburk of the money will pay for guidance on how Asheville should respond to the City Council election districting imposed by Raleigh lawmakers last June.

“Rockoff is not an expert in election law; it’s sort of a specialty area of law,” Manheimer said. “But there are some

attorneys in the state that are experts in this area, and we’ve asked her to reach out to some to advise us about what our options are.”

Those comments came after several residents, including recent Council candidate Kim Roney, called for the city to fight the districting plan. In a 2017 referendum, 75 percent of Asheville voters rejected a change to the current at-large system.

Although Council member Julie Mayfield mentioned — before quickly being hushed to avoid breaking attorney-client privilege — that Currin had presented about the districts in a closed session before her September departure, the city has taken no further action on the matter. Manheimer added that Asheville would not be challenging the change of Council elections to even years, which she said she requested from Sen. Terry Van Duyn, D-Buncombe, after the districting bill appeared likely to pass in the General Assembly.

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The rest of the newly approved expenses could be attributable to a staff shortage resulting from the exits of two other city lawyers.

Former Deputy City Attorney Kelly Langteau-Ball and Assistant City Attorney Catherine Hofmann both resigned their posts around the same time as Currin; an Xpress public records request from October found that the two were involved in 22 ongoing litigations. Attempts to reach both attorneys for comment at the time were unsuccessful.

Langteau-Ball, for example, was responsible for representing the city in 10 cases related to eminent domain disputes from the River Arts District Transportation Improvement Project.

The Chapel Hill- and Raleigh-based firm Brown & Bunch is now working with Assistant City Attorneys Eric Edgerton and John Maddux in those proceedings.

Outside firm Poyner Spruill is also representing Asheville in two of the city’s most contentious cases, both previously handled by Hofmann and Currin in tandem. One, now under consideration by the N.C. Supreme Court, concerns the city’s denial of a permit to PHG Asheville for an eight-story hotel at 192 Haywood St.; the other is Asheville’s attempt to reclaim over $1 million in unpaid fines from Reid Thompson for operating unpermitted vacation rentals on Maxwell Street.

All money for these legal needs will come from the city’s unassigned General Fund balance. Ball noted that “a complete update to revenues and expenses and fund balance projections will be provided to City Council as part of the Q2 financial report in February.”

Campbell lays out Asheville to-dos at her first CIBO breakfast

Art Nouveau China Cabinet TRS Inventory on Shakedown St. STEPPING OUT: Asheville City Manager Debra Campbell left the podium behind as she addressed the Council of Independent Business Owners. Photo by Daniel Walton

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Debra Campbell, Asheville’s new city manager, eschewed the podium when introducing herself to the Council of Independent Business Owners at the group’s Feb. 1 breakfast meeting. The symbolic lack of separation between Campbell and her audience seemed to mesh with the philosophy she outlined for her tenure in the city’s top unelected post.

“I did not come to this community to be a mover or a shaker. I came to this community to assimilate — to become a part of the community,” Campbell declared to a crowd of about 50 people.

“I think that if I assimilate, then that means that I’m going to collaborate.”

Since leaving her previous role as Charlotte’s assistant city manager to take the Asheville job in December, Campbell said, she has focused on meeting as many community stakeholders as possible. Those discussions, she explained, have led to a slate of priorities with the common theme of making the city “the best partner that we can be.”

Campbell named a shortage of affordable housing as a “tremendous hurdle” to Asheville’s development, noting that high rents and mortgages may dissuade talented employees from coming to the city. She also mentioned the achievement gap between black and white students at Asheville City Schools (see ‘Beat back this monster,’ Xpress, Jan. 30), which has been the worst among all school districts in North Carolina since at least 2015.

“This may be a lane that you all may not think the city ought to be in,” Campbell said, “[but] again, if we’re going to be a premier city, all of our kids need to be educated, and they need to be prepared to be our future workforce.”

Last but not least, Campbell added, was a “significant need” for capital investments. She suggested that, even after Asheville’s 2016 issue of $74 million in bond funding, the city would explore “revenue diversification” through additional streams of income. In November, then-interim City Manager Cathy Ball proposed new sales and prepared food and beverage taxes for potential voter referendums in 2020.

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15

N EWS property tax,” Campbell said. “We’ve just got to figure out a different way.”

The most specific policy Campbell outlined at the meeting came in response to an audience question about “predictability” in the city’s permitting and development process.

She explained that, while Asheville’s zoning ordinance outlines specific requirements for projects, City Council and developers often hash out details such as affordable housing incentives after a proposal has already cleared initial review.

“We can encourage Council to adopt a policy that says [affordable housing] is an expectation — not that it’s negotiated at the dais when you come to Council, but that it’s discussed with staff much earlier upstream in the process,” Campbell said. A recent 416-unit subdivision in South Asheville, for example, added an affordable housing condition on the day of its Council approval vote.

In closing, Campbell thanked her hosts and emphasized that her remarks were just the start of her involvement with the business community. “I will be knocking on your door,” she said. “This is a partnership.”

— Daniel Walton X

Citizens’ Climate Lobby asks tourism agency for legislative support

TEAM GREEN: Jim Tolbert and Steffi Rausch of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby address Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority members regarding the impact of climate change on the county’s tourism industry. Photo by Virginia Daffron Jim Tolbert, outreach director for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a grassroots nonprofit that supports climate change legislation, addressed board members of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority regarding the effects of climate change on the tourism industry during the public comment portion of the organization’s Jan. 30 meeting.

Piggybacking off comments about extensive recent flooding damage to the city’s John B. Lewis Soccer complex by Demp Bradford, executive director of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, Tolbert explained how climate-related weather events could affect the future of tourism in Asheville.

“You’ve already talked about it with flooding; we’ve just seen rather minor flooding, if you look at the fact that North Carolina downstate has seen two 1,000-year storms since I last spoke to you,” Tolbert told the TDA members.

“You can see the potential impact if any of those storms would have taken a little different track.”

Tolbert then pointed to other weather events that have caused damage to areas surrounding Asheville and their lasting effects on tourism.

“You can also look at the economic impact in Sevier County over in Tennessee, in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, after a severely dry season when

16

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

the fires came over there,” Tolbert said. “We had some smoke over here.

That might have scared some people away, but there they had a much harder time bringing people back after people heard what the fires had done.”

Tolbert encouraged TDA members to support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (avl.mx/5nq), a bill that aims to reduce carbon emissions through a tax on fossil fuel companies.

The legislation, which he said “has Republican and Democratic cosponsors in the [U.S.] House,” would return the proceeds from this tax to U.S. households as a monthly energy dividend. He said the bill therefore provides a way to reduce carbon emissions without transferring costs to taxpayers.

“It keeps money in the economy. It keeps the economy healthy, which I think is critical to keep driving people on vacations. People will continue to have vacations. I think of it as, in terms of supporting tourism here, a very sound policy to maintain the whole economy,” Tolbert explained.

Speaking with Xpress after the meeting, Tolbert said his bid to the TDA is a part of a multipronged approach by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. The group plans to address all parts of local government to bring awareness and garner support for the bill and other climate changerelated legislation.

“It’s relevant for the [BCTDA] to be talking about climate change,” Tolbert said. “It is their directive to increase overnight stays in Asheville, and to me part of that includes how we are looking at climate mitigation policy that actually will assure that we don’t hurt overnight stays.”

Reached after the meeting, Stephanie Brown, president and CEO of Explore Asheville, did not indicate that the BCTDA would give its direct support for the climate bill at this time. However, she acknowledged the efforts of Tolbert and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby in creating discussion around the issue.

“I appreciate the thoughtfulness of Jim and [Steffi Rausch] to highlight some of the impacts of climate change on tourism and the time they took to share those insights with the BCTDA,” Brown said.

— Brooke Randle X

City gives $975,000 grant back to TDA

PATH PAUSED: The long-promised Beaucatcher Greenway, now delayed until 2024, will trace a 1.2-mile route from Memorial Stadium to Helen’s Bridge. Map provided by the city of Asheville It’s not every day that the city of Asheville returns nearly $1 million in grant money to a funder, but that’s what happened on Jan. 30 at the monthly meeting of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority.

The city received a $1 million grant to create “Riverfront Destination 2.0” in 2015, said Pat Kappes, director of public affairs for Explore Asheville, the BCTDA-funded convention and visitors bureau. The package included $25,000 to create a crosswalk and river access on Amboy Road, which have been completed.

But the majority of the award was a $975,000 contribution toward construction of the Beaucatcher Greenway,

which the city will now remove from its budget. The 1.2-mile project proposes to create a “wooded corridor below the crest and on the western side of the Beaucatcher Mountain’s ridge, with commanding views of downtown Asheville,” according to the city’s greenways website.

The terms of the grant required that the greenway open to the public by June 30, 2018. As of Jan. 30, the city’s classification of its status was “shovel-ready but pending funding,” with no construction actually begun.

“There’s been significant change in scope and direction from the city of

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NEWS BRIEFS

N EWS Asheville,” Kappes told board members. “So their update is to let us know that they’re not moving forward with that greenway at this point.”

Stephanie Brown, Explore Asheville’s president and CEO, noted that returning the money to the Tourism Product Development Fund pot will make it available for other local projects.

Asheville City Council member Julie Mayfield, who is a nonvoting member of the board, quipped that, while the city was “giving money back” in this case, “We’ll come for it again.”

After the meeting, city spokesperson Polly McDaniel clarified the status of the project. “The Beaucatcher Greenway is still planned to be built.

The land remains publicly owned.

The estimated time for construction is 2024,” she wrote in an email, adding in response to a follow-up question that

the route of the planned greenway has not changed. Since 2012, the city has spent $362,398 on design, engineering and other project costs.

As Xpress reported in 2016, initial plans for a 10-foot-wide paved path had by then given way to an alternate approach focused on the use of natural surfaces, scaled-back tree removal and fewer retaining walls. At that time, Iona Thomas of Stewart, the engineering and planning firm contracted to perform the greenway design, estimated that the eventual price tag for the project would top $4 million due to increases in construction costs.

Construction bids for the project opened on Dec. 16, 2016, ranged from $4.6 million to $9.3 million from five bidders.

— Virginia Daffron X

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by Virginia Daffron | vdaffron@mountainx.com MISSION HEALTH BECOMES HCA HEALTHCARE HCA Healthcare completed its acquisition of Mission Health, ending 130 years of local ownership of the former nonprofit health care entity.

In a press release, HCA called itself “a leading health care provider with 185 hospitals and approximately 1,800 sites of care in 21 states and the United Kingdom.” The company paid approximately $1.5 billion for the six-hospital Mission Health system, which is now a new operating division of HCA. The press release included the following “benefits and highlights” of the transaction: • HCA Healthcare will build a 120-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital in Asheville.

• HCA Healthcare will build a new replacement hospital for Angel Medical Center in Franklin.

• HCA Healthcare will complete the new stateof-the-art Mission Hospital for Advanced Medicine in Asheville.

• In addition to the new behavioral health hospital, replacement hospital and new tower, HCA Healthcare will invest $232 million in capital in Mission Health facilities.

• HCA Healthcare will create a $25 million Innovation Fund focused on improving health care service delivery and spurring economic development.

• Mission Health will adopt HCA Healthcare’s more expansive charity care policy.

• HCA Healthcare is providing assurances that certain health care services will be maintained.

DOGWOOD HEALTH TRUST ESTABLISHED As a result of the HCA acquisition of Mission Health, proceeds of the

sale created the Dogwood Health Trust, a nonprofit foundation whose purpose is “to dramatically improve the health and well-being of all people and communities in Western North Carolina,” according to a press release from the trust.

DHT reiterated its intent to use its resources to address “social determinants of health” — which include early childhood development, education, economic stability and physical surroundings.

One of its first investments, the press release said, “is an agreement to provide $25 million over five years to fund programs and services addressing substanceuse disorder for residents of Western North Carolina.

As one of Dogwood’s commitments to the N.C. Attorney General’s office in connection with its review of the Mission Health-HCA purchase, the trust will support programs developed by the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.”

The current 11-member DHT board is conducting a national search for a chief executive officer and plans to “hold public meetings in each of Western North Carolina’s three regions to gather input from fellow residents about community needs and funding priorities.”

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY RESUMES OPERATIONS After normal winter operations were put on hold for more than a month due to the partial shutdown of the federal government, Blue Ridge Parkway staff got back to work on Jan. 28. Although the parkway’s visitor centers are now open to the public, some portions of the route remain closed, in part due to a backlog of maintenance issues that went unaddressed during the shutdown.

“We had several weather events before and during the lapse that will continue to impact parkway travel in the coming days and weeks,” said park Superintendent J. D. Lee in a press release.

“We appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation as we prioritize work to provide access to this special resource.”

Updated information on the parkway’s status is available online at nps. gov/blri. The nonprofit Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway is also organizing volunteer efforts to assist with the cleanup; more information is available at friendsbrp.org or by calling 540-772-2992.

NONPROFIT MOVES • Kate Pett, executive director of the Asheville City Schools Foundation, plans to leave the organization on March 29 to support the development of Thrive Asheville. In a press release announcing her departure, ACSF board of directors President George Sieburg praised Pett’s more than 10 years of “exceptional leadership” and said the organization would engage a consultant to assist in the transition.

• Beth Maczka, CEO of YWCA Asheville, announced her intention to step down from the role in May. Maczka provided no specific rationale behind the move in a YWCA press release, noting only that it was “time to pass the baton to the next leader.” The organization will hold two listening sessions for community input on its next leader 3-4 and 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the YWCA Multipurpose Room; childcare, light refreshments and Spanish-language interpretation will be available. X

FEA T U RE S

ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES

SLEEPWORLD of Asheville

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

‘The strenuous business of war’ High schools students participate in World War II efforts

‘AMAZING WORKMANSHIP’: In 1943, students from Stephens-Lee High School helped the wartime effort by designing model airplanes used by the Navy for training purposes. Pictured, from left, are Stephens-Lee teacher L.T. Haith, Stephens-Lee student Vincent Walter Christopher and Asheville Colored Public Library librarian Irene Hendrick. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville On Dec. 8, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan, officially entering World War II. Over the course of the next 45 months, wartime efforts consumed the country. One of the earliest initiatives worked to combat a problem that seemed to pervade all regions of the country: America’s would-be soldiers were badly out of shape.

According to the Sept. 13, 1942 Sunday edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times, “The emphasis that the war effort has placed on the problem of conditioning men for the armed forces, has resulted in a far-reaching program to correct some of the ‘softness’ that has been encountered among the selectees, through more attention to physical education in the high schools.”

Both Asheville and Buncombe County schools partook of the new physical fitness programs introduced throughout the country. Candler High School Principal Frank C. Hill underwent a monthlong training session in

Chapel Hill, where he learned “the latest methods used in conditioning men for the strenuous business of war,” the paper reported.

After his training, Hill conducted a three-day boot camp at Lee Edwards High School (later renamed Asheville High School), instructing teachers, coaches and staff in the program’s featured exercises.

These new courses were specifically designed for junior and senior boys, the paper reported, with a particular effort “to get the type of student who has heretofore been known as ‘bookish’ or ‘non-athletic’ to participate in the new program, the reason being that this is the student who needs this work the most.”

On Oct. 11, 1942, the Sunday edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times featured a series of photographs from Candler High School’s new obstacle course.

According to the write-up, 55 boys took part in the physical fitness program each day. “Running the 660-yard

course is part of the program, and the 22 obstacles give the students a real work out,” the paper noted.

Some of the course’s specific drills included an inverted “V” ladder, rope swing, jungle climb and 10-foot wall scale.

The following month, members of the Girls’ “A” Club at Lee Edwards High School joined in the campaign by renaming their group the Physical Fitness Corps. Among the organization’s many purposes, declared the Nov. 1 Sunday edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times, “is to promote ideals of health, to promote service to the community in the war effort, [and] to encourage training to aid in the war effort[.]”

As the academic year came to an end, students at Canton High School concluded their physical training program with a ceremonial Saturday morning jog. In total, 13 students, along with their coach C.C. Poindexter, ran 25 miles from Canton to Asheville. According to the May 2, 1943, Sunday edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times, “All boys made the trip and were in good condition, except for a few sore muscles and tired feet.”

In addition to physical fitness programs, students across the nation were also actively involved in selling war bonds, as well as participating in various initiatives, including a model aircraft project.

On May 5, 1943, The Asheville Citizen reported that 30 students from Stephens-Lee (Asheville’s former all-black high school), crafted 20 such models, including American, British, Russian, German, Italian and Japanese planes. The designs were eventually sent to the Navy.

“Each is painted black in order that the persons studying them will learn to distinguish the plane by its shape and distinctive features rather than by a color scheme,” the article reported. “During the past two years, accurate scale-model aircraft have proved a highly successful training device for teaching recognition.”

The Asheville Citizen went on to praise the Stephens-Lee group for their “amazing workmanship,” noting that the students “show rightful pride in their work and plan to continue with the project as long as the fighting services need model planes.”

Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents. X

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Part Two

SPOILED FOR CHOICE: Asheville-area aficionados of health-and-wellness treatment modalities such as massage, bodywork, acupuncture, herbal medicine and many more have plenty of options. Here, massage therapist Steve Mohrman works with a client.

Photo by Joe Pellegrino

“Health is a matter of choice, not a mystery of chance.”

— Aristotle

With all due respect to the ancient philosopher, in 2019 we’re more apt to believe that both choice and chance play a role in determining our health and well-being.

This week’s Wellness special issue, the second in our annual winter series, grapples with the interplay between what we can control and what we can’t.

For example, achieving the goal of restful slumber can feel very mysterious indeed to a new parent desperate to soothe a crying infant in the wee hours. Local sleep consultants and medical experts weigh in to shed some light on encouraging healthy sleep habits in babies and young children (see page 21).

Those living with mental illness can experience a profound loss of control during times of crisis. A psychiatric advance directive is a legal document that allows any person to specify the types of treatments they believe will be most beneficial should they experience a psychiatric illness (see page 28).

Emerging research is revealing connections between health and the teaming colonies of microbiota that live within and are essential to each human being. If all of us rely upon and are affected by millions of tiny creatures, what does that say about our individual ability to control our own health? (see page 34) A recent outbreak of chickenpox in Buncombe County (which has the state’s largest number of vaccination exemption claims) confronts us with issues of personal choice and communal responsibility. Should the state compel every person without a medical reason to avoid vaccinations to receive them? (see page 38) Vignettes of several community members’ health-related resolutions for 2019 and a thoughtful look at an emerging theory of public health from the Mountain Area Health Education Center (see page 6) round out this issue. Be well! X 20

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SHUT-EYE

Sleep consultants share advice for getting infants and toddlers to bed In the moment, you’re tired. But that’s to be expected. When it comes to newborns, everyone knows the evenings are long. They have to be. “A small infant isn’t supposed to sleep through the night,” explains Dr. Lauren Keely Carlisle of French Broad Pediatrics. A baby’s small stomach, Keely Carlisle continues, requires frequent feedings.

For this reason, most newborns won’t experience a full-night’s sleep until the three-month mark. However, this breakthrough isn’t a guarantee.

And for some local parents who spoke with Xpress, the 90-day milestone came and went unnoticed during a string of sleepless nights. Desperate, they took to the internet for solutions. In the process, some discovered new callings as actual sleep consultants, doing what they could to help fellow parents and their newborns find some much needed shut-eye.

INSPIRATION IN WEE-WEE HOURS

LIFE IS BUT A DREAM: For both new parents and newborns, sleep can often be hard to come by. Local sleep consultants offer some strategies for getting babies (and therefore caregivers) the rest they need. Photo by Robert Cernuda

BY THOMAS CALDER tcalder@mountainx.com If there’s one question people love to ask new parents it’s this: How’s the baby sleeping?

You aren’t normally a cynical person, but because you haven’t slept for more than two consecutive hours in nearly three weeks you’re suddenly convinced a smirk flashed across the questioner’s otherwise earnest expres-

sion. The world, you’re now certain, thrives on schadenfreude.

Of course, nobody is rooting for a sleepless household. And though the answer seems obvious (“Do you not see the bags under my eyes?!?”), you eventually come to understand this frequently asked question is a coverall. What your neighbors, coworkers, family members and friends are actually asking you is this: “How are things going and are you OK?”

On Jan. 11, 2016, Kim Rogers gave birth to her son Julian. He arrived four weeks early. Soon after his delivery, Julian was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD. As a new mother and solo parent, Rogers spent the first few weeks of Julian’s life in the neonatal intensive care unit at Mission Hospital.

“I was sleep-deprived and trying to get a milk supply going,” Rogers remembers. “On an emotional level, I felt severe stress and isolation.”

Things settled down for a brief period after leaving the hospital. During that time, Rogers caught up on her sleep and thought her son’s early struggles were behind them.

“Then we hit what is commonly known as the four-month sleep regression,” she says.

From that point on, Julian began waking every hour. “I felt like I was dying,” remembers Rogers. “But my biggest fear was that in my sleepdeprived delusion, I was going to fall on him and he would die, and then my whole life would be over.”

When Julian was 5 months, Rogers discovered Dana Obleman’s Sleep Sense Program, which she says changed her life in a number of ways.

According to Rogers, the program

CONTINUES ON PAGE 22

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offers two main plans. One allows parents to stay in the room with their child in order to console and touch the infant, before gradually removing themselves from the space over a period of six-nine days. The other involves parents checking in on the child at certain intervals each night.

Rogers’ early success implementing the program in her own life inspired the new mother to seek out a number of certifications, ultimately leading to her career as a sleep consultant, where she now works to improve upon and individualize Obleman’s one-size-fits-all approach.

“What the [Sleep Sense Program] book doesn’t get into so much,” Rogers told Xpress by email, “is how to work with a family on where they sleep, and the transitioning of the routines, naps and feeds to ensure better rhythm overall, or the timing of nighttime feeds. … All of that is individual, and another reason why parents need support on this journey.”

NO PROPS PLEASE Rogers works with children from infants to teens. However, the majority of her clients fall between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. Her services typically include an initial consultation with parents followed by a personalized program paired with monthlong support.

Meanwhile, in Hendersonville, fellow sleep consultant Candice Cox provides similar services. Like Rogers, Cox came into the profession after a yearlong struggle getting her son Dawson to sleep.

Much of what both consultants focus on is developing consistent routines within households, void of standard sleep props. “The most common prop is nursing or bottle feeding to sleep,” says Cox. Other typical props include parents rocking their child, bouncing with their infant on a yoga ball or driving babies around in the car until they fall asleep.

HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

Steve Mohrman: Manage stress and anxiety What do you see as the top health challenge facing WNC? I think there is a collective anxiety in the nation. I know I feel it; I see that my clients feel it. Stress manifests in the body in very negative ways, and right now there’s a generalized anxiety about what’s going on in the world.

What’s the best thing you’ve done for your own health lately?

Stop reading the news first thing in the morning. Taking that time for quiet reflection and meditation.

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Is there something new you plan to do to boost your health in 2019?

My wife is a health coach, and she and I just did a nutritional cleanse to ring in the new year. The cleanse is nutrition- and protein-rich at the front end, and then there are two days of fasting with a little bit of nutritional support with herbs in a drink. We’ve committed to doing that quarterly — processing out the crap and putting in the good.

What piece of advice would you give others to help them have a happier, healthier new year?

Enjoy the beauty of the mountains. We have so many resources for that here. The

STEVE MOHRMAN people I see on a regular basis who feel really grounded and joy-filled are active and enjoying those resources, whether it’s by hiking, running, biking or getting on the river. I recommend that to everybody.

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— Kim Dinan X

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PERSONALIZED APPROACH: Kim Rogers became a sleep consultant shortly after her son Julian was born in 2016. Since that time, she has worked with over 200 clients. Photo courtesy of Rogers The problem with any and all of these props, say both consultants, is that they condition the child to become reliant upon a given approach, which ultimately requires parents to repeat the technique throughout the night.

Keely Carlisle agrees with the analysis. “We all go through periods of deep and light sleep,” she explains. “During those periods of light sleep, if the child happens to wake up and the [prop] isn’t there … they’re more likely to stay up and be like: ‘Where is my breast milk?

Where is my [pacifier]? Where is my parent rocking me?’”

But, continues Keely Carlisle, if a child is at the developmental stage where it is able to sleep through the night — and if the baby’s needs have been properly attended to prior to sleep — a certain amount of crying is normal and doesn’t necessarily require immediate attention.

Instinct, however, drives most parents to pick up and console their upset child. “It’s so hard not to because we automatically hear the cry and want to stop it,” says Keely Carlisle.

Addressing this urge, notes Rogers and Cox, is where their service is often most helpful.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 25

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INVALUABLE: For nearly a year, Kia Asberg struggled to get her son Erik to sleep for more than an hour at a time. After working with Kim Rogers, she and her son now sleep through the night. Photo courtesy of Asberg

SAFE SLEEP PRACTICES According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about 3,500 sleep-related deaths among babies in the United States each year. Below are safe sleep practices recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

• Until a child’s first birthday, babies should sleep on their backs both for naps and during the night.

• Babies should sleep on a tight-fitting, firm mattress and fitted sheet.

• Keep soft objects — including pillows, quilts, comforters, blankets,

stuffed animals and bumper pads — out of your baby’s crib. These items increase the risk of suffocation and strangulation.

• Never place your baby on a couch, sofa or armchair for naps or evening sleep.

• Parents should consider having their baby sleep in the same room with them for at least the first six months. Bed sharing, however, is not recommended.

For additional information, visit AAP.org.

Series ‘IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT’ In 2016, Kia Asberg gave birth to her son Erik. Like Rogers, she too was a solo parent. And like Rogers’ son Julian, Erik also started showing signs of sleep regression at around 4 months.

At first, Asberg did what many parents do. “I read every book there is,” she says. But at 11 months, without any signs of improvement, Asberg sought professional help, eventually leading her to Rogers.

The experience, she says, “was absolutely invaluable.” Rogers helped establish a bedtime routine, as well as reinforce some of the habits Asberg already had in place.

“In the heat of the moment it’s easy to forget the things you’ve read,” Asberg explains. “It helps to have a person who is knowledgeable and who can remind you of what you’re doing and how it’s helping the child.”

Asberg says improvements in Erik’s sleep were noticeable within three nights of implementing Rogers’ sleep program. Since that time, there have been some setbacks due to seasonal illnesses, travel and developmental milestones. But in general, Asberg has continued to adhere to Rogers’ plan with ongoing success.

“I’m able to put him to bed at the same time each night,” she says. “He wakes up happy and that means the world to have your child rested.”

ENTER SANDMAN Both Rogers and Cox agree there is not a one-size-fits-all approach for developing healthy sleeping habits. At the same time, there are some common suggestions they often recommend.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 26

HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

Climate change is also a health issue, says Josh Dorfman + 1st NC Board Approved School #1

What do you see as the top health challenge facing WNC? I wouldn’t necessarily say that climate change is the top health challenge facing WNC, but it can lead to more respiratory illness, asthma and allergies, and of course we get concerned when we see things like wildfires. We’re also seeing the spread of vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease. Twenty years ago, Lyme disease was mostly limited to the Northeast, but it’s spreading, and many researchers attribute that to a warming planet.

What’s the best thing you’ve done for your own health lately?

Right before the Christmas holiday, I started meditating twice a day for 20 minutes. I am less stressed, have more mental clarity, and I am happier. It has been a wonderful experience.

Is there something new you plan to do to boost your health in 2019?

I am committing to writing an hour a day. I feel like if I do that, by the end of the year, I might have something on paper that I could feel really proud of. I try to write early in the morning, but if I have to, I will squeeze it in late at night once my kids are asleep.

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Josh Dorfman is CEO of The Collider, which aims to create breakthrough solutions that help cities, companies and citizens adapt to a changing climate.

— Kim Dinan X

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Series “I always like to suggest that parents go ahead and dim the lights about an hour before starting bedtime,” says Cox. “Low lights help the child’s body produce melatonin, which helps them become sleepy.”

In addition, Cox recommends incorporating baths into the bedtime ritual: “This is a really good way to cue a child’s body and brain that sleep is coming.” Feeding comes next, she notes, followed lastly by story time.

According to both Rogers and Cox, as well as Keely Carlisle, this final step is crucial. It creates space between feeding and sleep, which helps break the common association babies develop between the two happenings. Once story time is over, Cox says, “it’s important that you lay them down in their crib while they’re still awake,” so that the child can learn how to soothe themselves into their evening slumber.

HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER Again, both sleep consultants emphasize that their programs typically apply to infants 6 months or

older. “With newborns there’s a lot of picking up and holding,” says Rogers.

“We don’t want a newborn baby to cry. Newborn babies need to be close to mom and close to dad.”

But for older infants and toddlers, transitioning away from common crutches and props can help the whole household find a decent night’s sleep. And a well-rested family, says Keely Carlisle, is not just a healthier family, but a happier overall unit.

“It’s hard to enjoy this beautiful creature that is developing in front of you if you’re dragging,” the pediatrician says. “Parents are also more likely to lose patience if they’re tired.

And, as beautiful as our children are, patience is required to be a parent.”

Patience is also required when confronted by the thoughtful, albeit annoyingly repetitive question that people tend to ask all new parents. But hopefully the next time your neighbor, co-worker, family member or friend wants to know how the baby’s sleeping, you can tell them, with clarity, that the evenings are going just fine.

Editor’s note: Writer Thomas Calder is the proud new sleep-deprived father of a 3-month-old daughter. X

HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

Combat obesity, curb stress, says Karla Furnari What do you see as the top health challenge facing WNC? Obesity and the lack of knowledge about how people can eat healthy and get exercise using only what they have at their house. People think walking isn’t something that’s worth doing, but it is. Just walking a couple of minutes a day can help.

What’s the best thing you’ve done for your own health lately?

I’ve always been pretty healthy. I work out a lot, I eat well and I don’t drink on a regular basis. I’ve also always been active in sports, and I still play in an adult soccer league.

Is there something new you plan to do to boost your health in 2019?

I am going to try to sleep better. I’m trying to get into bed before 10 p.m. every day rather than waiting until midnight.

What piece of advice would you give others to help them have a happier, healthier new year?

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KARLA FURNARI Don’t worry and stress over things you can’t fix. If it’s not within your ability to change it, just let it go. Stress brings your attitude and your mental state down, and that’s never good.

Karla Furnari is the local coordinator for the Buncombe County Special Olympics, which provides year-round athletic opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

— Kim Dinan X

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When Faith Rhyne needed help to head off an oncoming mental health crisis, she turned to emergency health providers. But before she knew it, she was being restrained and forcibly medicated, triggering a full-blown panic attack.

Rhyne knew that she had PTSD. Her health care providers did not.

“It was really, really horrifying,” Rhyne recalls. “I know that everybody was doing their best and acting by protocol, but if I’m in a position where I’m overwhelmed and in distress to an extent that I’m not able to effectively communicate my needs and preferences, I lose power.”

While at the time the experience left her feeling helpless, it also spurred her to action years later.

Today Rhyne works as a certified peer support specialist at Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness in Asheville. Part of her work involves helping people with substance abuse, trauma and mental health issues fill out psychiatric advance directives — a document that allows patients to provide clear instructions about their mental health care to providers during times of crisis.

While it has been years since Rhyne has needed a mental health intervention, she hopes that spreading awareness of psychiatric advance directives, known as PADs, will help other individuals take a proactive approach to their care and maintain a sense of control during times of uncertainty.

“It’s scary for an individual to feel out of control. It can be really terrifying and really traumatic for individuals, not to mention for family members,” Rhyne says. “Having a psychiatric advance directive is at least a way to say, ‘This is what you might see and this is what’s going to be helpful for me,’ and to help create a dialogue between individuals and their supporters so we can make a road map for care.”

TAKING CHARGE: Faith Rhyne works as a peer support specialist to walk people through the process of filling out a psychiatric advance directive for mental health care.

Photo by Brooke Randle ‘THE ADVANCE DIRECTIVE YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF’ Angeleigh Dorsey, senior managing attorney at Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Senior Law Project in Asheville, says PADs are legal documents that may provide people a way to express their health care desires ahead of a mental health crisis.

PADs are drafted when they are well enough to provide informed consent of their mental health preferences.

While the document has been in use for more than 20 years, it has recently gained popularity among health care and legal professionals.

“I did a presentation for Legal Aid at a conference a couple of years ago titled ‘The Advance Directive You’ve Never Heard Of’ because most people, even attorneys who have been doing these documents forever, are really not aware of this particular piece of health care planning,” Dorsey says.

Series Today, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 25 states, including North Carolina, have laws that permit psychiatric advance directives. Patients in states without legislation that supports PADs can still engage in health care planning through documents such as a health care power of attorney or a living will.

A PAD, however, is different from these because they provide specific instructions to health care providers, such as what types of medications a patient prefers, what types of treatments they wish to decline and details about how a patient might react during a crisis.

Dorsey, who also serves as a board member for NAMI of Western Carolina, says while all forms of health care planning have their advantages, PADs provide specific instructions for mental health and can be completed without legal representation.

People can find PAD forms through N.C. Secretary of State’s office website and are required to sign the document in the presence of a notary public and two witnesses who are not relatives.

“It’s very straightforward,” Dorsey says. “It does take a little bit of effort to get the right people there for you to sign this document, but really, they’re designed for people to fill these out and complete them.”

TAKING REQUESTS Dr. Craig Martin, chief medical officer for Vaya Health, a care organization based in Asheville for people facing mental illness, substance abuse or intellectual disabilities in Western North Carolina, says people who face recurring mental illness that requires occasional hospitalization would benefit the most from obtaining a PAD. “There’s a subset of mental illness called ‘serious and persistent mental illness.’ It would probably be comparable to something like Type 1 diabetes where, despite your best attempts to keep it under control, sometimes your blood sugars may go too high or too low and you might have to go to the hospital for stabilization,” Martin says.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 30

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Series Martin, who has worked as a psychiatrist with adults and children for more than three decades, says PADs allow patients to inform providers of what medications help, as well as those that have caused negative reactions.

“If you’ve been put on a medicine in the past and you had a terrible reaction, what’s called a dystonic reaction, where your head twists and your throat freezes up and you have a hard time relaxing your muscles, it can be pretty terrifying,” Martin says. “You wouldn’t want to have to be put on that medicine again, but the doctor in the emergency department might not know that about you unless there was some resource to find out what works and what doesn’t work.”

Requests can include a variety of specific information about care, such as a patient’s desire for physical touch, to be left only with certain individuals or for providers to use certain words or phrases of reassurance. Dorsey says many of her clients include their refusal of electroconvulsive therapy, the passing of electrical currents through the

brain, intended to calm severe mental health symptoms.

“I work with older adults, so all of my folks are over 60, and the people of that generation, I think, a lot of times equate it with the treatment in the ‘40s and ‘50s, when people would get that shock therapy,” Dorsey says.

“My understanding is that it’s not the same thing as what they do today, but that’s just a common one. People don’t want the shock treatment.”

LIMITATIONS While PADs are a legally binding document, their power may be legally overridden by health care providers through civil commitment law, a legal process that requires patients to be involuntarily committed when health care professionals deem such treatment to be necessary.

Patients may also find that some of their directives require specialized medical equipment or are not included among current methods or techniques accepted by health care professionals.

“Let’s say I that when I have problems with my thinking, I want a

Series whirlpool bath three times a day and I’m admitted to a hospital that doesn’t have a whirlpool bath or they’re concerned that this type of therapy might not be the best thing for me,” Martin explains. “The hospital is not obligated to do something it can’t do and they’re also not obligated to do something that’s not considered best practices.”

Doctors may also override a PAD when medical treatment is found to be absolutely necessary to save a patient’s life.

“The other thing that you have to think about is what is an emergency situation,” Martin says. “Let’s say that I put on my form that I never want any psychiatric medicine at all because I don’t believe in it and the doctors try everything else and I’m still not getting better and, in fact, I’m getting worse. Then there is the capacity to override a directive just to help save the life of the person.”

Dorsey notes that those with a PAD maintain the right to change or remove the document as long as they are well.

“It’s a revocable document, so you can always change your mind.

As long as you’re capable, you’re in mental health recovery and you’re doing fine, you can change these documents.

“When you go to the hospital when you’re in crisis and you want to change your mind then, you can’t [make changes],” Dorsey says. “However, if down the road you’re still well and you decide, ‘Well maybe that medication is OK or maybe I’d be OK with this,’ or if you decide that you’re well enough and you don’t need this, you can revoke it as long as you are capable at the time.”

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HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

First things first, says Jennifer Teague What do you see as the top health challenge facing WNC? If you can’t meet your basic needs, you can’t focus on the next level of health and wellness. Both in my own life and through the Council on Aging, our goal is to help people meet their basic needs, whether that is heating, housing, food, transportation or financial assistance. Once those needs are met, I believe we can help people start thinking about the additional health and wellness pieces of their lives. In my own life, it is exercise and making sure I’m not sedentary.

What’s the best thing you’ve done for your own health lately?

About four years ago I was incredibly sedentary. I was overweight and I didn’t eat very well. It was in January that I decided I wanted to make a change and started going to a yoga class. Then I became a certified yoga instructor. I lost 55 pounds: It changed my life. Yoga impacted so much more than just exercise.

It changed the way I sit, stand and walk.

Is there something new you plan to do to boost your health in 2019?

I’m doing one thing every day for my own self-care. I started crocheting, so I will take intentional time out of my day to crochet, do yoga or take a walk. Our physical, emotional and mental well-being are so tied together. We get so wrapped up

JENNIFER TEAGUE thinking we have to go to the gym and run 5 miles or lift the heaviest weights, but self-care doesn’t have to be physical. Can you do something to take care of yourself emotionally, spiritually or mentally each day?

Jennifer Teague is executive director of the Council on Aging of Buncombe County, which provides resources, support services and education to individuals ages 60 and older and their families.

— Kim Dinan X

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Series TAKING CONTROL Rhyne’s work as a peer support specialist allows her to provide free help to people seeking to complete a psychiatric advance directive. The process of filling out a PAD, she says, provides a proactive way for individuals to assess their own mental health triggers and how to manage them.

“Whether or not you ever use that document, the process itself creates the opportunity for the person to kind of think about ‘What does happen if I go into crisis? What all is involved in that for me? And what would be helpful?’” Rhyne says. “It can be a real opportunity for people to develop not just self-awareness but to share that with their family members. Even if it’s never used, there’s still just a lot of value in crisis planning.”

As more people seek to take control of their mental health care through the use of a PAD, Rhyne hopes the documents will help facilitate an open dialogue among individuals, family members and health care providers.

“We live in a culture where you’re supposed to be OK. You get up and do the things that you plan to do and deal with this stressor and that stressor and that schedule and meet these expectations,” Rhyne says. “If somebody starts feel-

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ing like ‘I am not OK,’ that can be a really difficult thing to acknowledge both to yourself and to your employer, your family member, it’s a tough conversation to have.

I think the more sensitive we are and the more humanizing these sorts of difficulties are, maybe we’re getting better at having those conversations.” X

LEARN MORE For more information or assistance with completing PADs, contact: Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness 297 Haywood St., Asheville 828-552-3858 NAMI Western Carolina 356 Biltmore Ave. Asheville 828-505-7353 RHA Behavioral Health Services - Asheville 356 Biltmore Ave. Asheville 828-254-2700

HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

This year Marit Weikel is doing yoga with cats

2019

issues

publish

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Marit Weikel, a licensed professional counselor at Mission Weight Management, says her work keeps her knee-deep in eating awareness and health coaching. But this year, she says, her own health focus is on clearing out the old to make room for the new.

“We had gotten into a rut with the food in our house, so I was going to pull out some cookbooks and get inspired,” Weikel explains. “But I couldn’t reach the cookbooks because my bookshelf was jam-packed. I realized there was a lot of clutter and disorganization in my home, so I started cleaning out the things that are no longer of use to me. I’m letting go and making room.”

For 2019, Weikel has resolved to build on the good habits she’s established over the last few years, such as her yoga practice, and infuse those habits with new and exciting twists.

MARIT WEIKEL “I saw on Facebook that there was a yoga class with kittens,” she says.

“Normally I wouldn’t have done it because it’s not part of my routine.

But I thought, how often do I get to do yoga with kittens? Do whatever makes it fun for you.”.

— Kim Dinan X

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BELLYFUL OF HEALTH

Local practitioners embrace the gut microbiome

BY DANIEL WALTON dwalton@mountainx.com Something very small was wrong with Jaydee Sedmak. A combination of fasting and colon hydrotherapy, she says, had disrupted the balance of microorganisms in her digestive system, leading to a condition called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Each individual bug was just a couple of millionths of a meter in length, but her problems were anything but tiny.

“I had lost a lot of weight, I had extreme fatigue, my hormones were extremely out of whack,” Sedmak recalls of her health at the end of 2016. Having lost her normal complement of beneficial microorganisms and gained an excess of unhelpful ones, she says, her digestive and endocrine systems “started to come unraveled.”

Trips to several “more mainstream” practices, Sedmak says, resulted only in doctors confused about SIBO and recommendations for gas and heartburn medicine. Even a visit to a natural health center in Oregon failed to yield a successful treatment plan.

She reports that her symptoms only began to lift after she started seeing Dr. Cynthia Libert, an Asheville-based functional medicine practitioner, and got to the gut of the problem.

Through a combination of thyroid hormones, supplements and dietary changes, Libert helped Sedmak clear up her SIBO and reestablish a healthy gut microbiome: the complex ecosystem of bacteria,

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TESTING CENTER: Genova Diagnostics, headquartered in Asheville’s Montford neighborhood, offers clinical assessments of the gut microbiome. Photo by David Floyd

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fungi and other microorganisms that lives in a mutual relationship with the human body. She regained weight, restored her normal hormone balance — and gave birth to a healthy baby boy in 2018.

Libert is among the growing number of local health professionals who believe that a focus on the microbiome can transform medicine in general as radically as it transformed Sedmak’s health. New research, she says, has hinted at the gut’s surprising influence in matters far beyond digestion.

“We’re just learning that the microbiome has a central role in many of

our chronic degenerative diseases, autoimmune conditions and mental illnesses,” Libert says. “It’s certainly early in the process in terms of exactly how to manipulate the microbiome, to have therapeutic interventions when those conditions develop, but I think there’s a ton of evidence showing that we need to be much more proactive about protecting it.”

SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT In a healthy gut microbiome, Libert explains, microorganisms produce compounds that promote the health of

their human hosts as well. Bacteria in the colon, for example, break down dietary fiber into a chemical called butyrate, which in turn feeds human colon cells and protects them against inflammation and cancer.

Other microorganisms make substances that serve as signals for healthy brain functioning. Libert says that when the normal microbiome balance gets thrown off, the brain can react with inflammation as if it had been injured. That response, she says, can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.

“As people age, the microbiome tends to undergo a marked shift and decrease in diversity, especially in nursing homes,” Libert says. “When you have that decrease, you can also get what we call dysbiosis, where there’s an imbalance of the healthy and unfriendly bacteria.”

Even heart disease may be related to the balance of bacteria, suggests Dr. Doreen Saltiel of Genova Diagnostics, an Asheville-based company that offers clinical microbiome testing. Inflammation of artery walls, she says, is associated with coronary events — and recent research has found ties between that inflammation and signals from the gut.

“The functional medicine community takes the approach that the gut is the lens through which you should view health and disease, because 70 to 80 percent of the immune system lives in the gut,” Saltiel says. “Altering the gut microbiome probably plays a huge role in disease manifestation.”

Series

PLANT POWER: Todd Stone, an integrated natural medicine practitioner in Arden, turns to botanicals such as Chinese goldthread and cayenne pepper instead of pharmaceutical antibiotics to help preserve the gut microbiome. Photo courtesy of Todd Stone ALL FOR ONE Due to the complexity of the microbiome, with hundreds of bacterial species identified in the human gut, health practitioners are increasingly taking a holistic approach to its improvement.

Todd Stone, an integrated natural medicine practitioner in Arden, contrasts this strategy with the use of probiotic pills containing specific strains of microbes.

“I think popular media, and even functional medicine culture, tells people that you need to be constantly replenishing [microbes], you need to be taking a probiotic,” Stone says. But people with chronic health problems, he continues, should examine what’s inside rather than rely on external support.

“I use the crack house analogy: If you send families into the neighborhood and they all die, you’ve got to think about the neighborhood,” Stone explains. “You’ve got to clean up the crack houses and make it a nice neighborhood, and then they will live and thrive naturally.”

Libert agrees, albeit in less colorful terms. “The vast majority of what I do is lifestyle medicine interventions that are just going to cultivate a healthy environment for the friendly bacteria to thrive,”

she explains. “That just goes back to the basics in terms of diet: not eating processed foods, getting plenty of fiber, getting a lot of diversity with different types of fruits and vegetables,” she explains.

Both Stone and Libert are also wary of using pharmaceutical antibiotics to treat their patients. Although these drugs kill harmful microorganisms, they can wipe out much of the beneficial microbiome at the same time, making it more difficult for the body to return to a healthy bacterial composition.

Instead, the practitioners more often turn to natural medicines that they say help the body naturally fight bacterial imbalances. Libert favors a beneficial yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii, in treating Clostridium difficile infection, while Stone says he’s successfully used Chinese goldthread and cayenne pepper to combat ulcerative colitis.

“This isn’t mainstream yet; it isn’t in the textbook that you read in medical school, but it’s kind of pieced together from the emerging literature and the training that I’m getting from the Institute of Functional Medicine,” Libert explains. “I’m just trying to really apply the latest [research], in terms of looking at studies and not waiting 20 years for it to trickle down into practice.”

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DOWN THE ROAD Saltiel acknowledges that members of the conventional medical community have been slower than their alternative counterparts to embrace the microbiome as a lens for health. While the basic research has been promising, she says, few outcomes studies — experiments that compare results for similar patients under different treatments — have been conducted for microbiome interventions.

The American Gastroenterological Association, wrote Dr. Gail Hecht of the professional body’s Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education in a 2014 review article, agrees that “manipulation of the gut microbiome is quite likely to have a major influence on the treatment of several diseases in the future as the involvement and related mechanisms are further defined.” However, the organization advises practitioners to “exercise patience” when it comes to addressing disease through the gut.

“We must proceed with caution when considering altering the micro-

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says. “Every clinician should be thinking about the gut microbiome when they see any kind of patient.”

Sedmak, who attributes her health turnaround to the recovery of her gut, says her own approach to well-being has shifted in light of what she learned about the microbiome. Instead of “pushing the limits” of her health through measures like fasting and colon therapy, she’s learned to practice intuitive eating and give her gut what it needs to take care of itself.

“I was doing those things out of a concept of what I thought I should do to be healthy, instead of really checking in with my own body and what was healthy for me,” Sedmak explains. “I realized that trying to meet these idols of drinking my green smoothie every day and doing yoga and eating only organic food was actually harming me, because I was so disconnected from what my body really needed.” X

HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

Mental health is key, says Jan Calder

Saturday April 13, 2019

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biome in humans; it is possible that decades in the future, we will realize that other currently unforeseen problems have been created as a result,” Hecht wrote. “Recognizing these potential pitfalls in the face of the major preventative and therapeutic power of the gut microbiome, the AGA has made this area an important priority for the organization.”

Genova has tried to bring greater rigor to the microbiome, Saltiel says, by analyzing data from over 177,000 of its stool profiles. By establishing associations between microbial species, metabolic biomarkers and different health conditions, she explains, the company can help health practitioners determine the significance of irregularities.

“When you tie the microbiome to digestion and inflammation, you start to tell a story of how the crosstalk between hormones, signaling and the gut systemically controls or maintains homeostasis,” Saltiel

What do you see as the top health challenge facing WNC? We’ve been involved with CHIP, the community health improvement plan, and some of the objectives that have been identified for the next few years are mental health (which ties to the severe opioid epidemic), maternal health and infant mortality. We support that here through our women’s empowerment program. Diabetes is also a national and local concern. We address that at the YWCA with our diabetes wellness and prevention program.

What’s the best thing you’ve done for your own health lately?

Sleep. I’m making sure I have an inviting and comfortable sleep environment. The room is dark, the temperature is correct, and I don’t have technology in my bedroom at all. I’m being really intentional about going to bed early, based on what time I get up, so I can get eight hours because that’s what I need to function well.

Is there something new you plan to do to boost your health in 2019?

We have an intern from A-B Tech who will be leading a boxing class here at the YWCA, and I’m thinking about taking that.

We also have new Schwinn spin bikes in our renovated fitness center, and I’m going to try that as well. I’ve always ridden my bicycle outside.

JAN CALDER What piece of advice would you give others to help them have a happier, healthier new year?

What is very helpful is to set goals that are specific with a time limitation, so that one can wrap one’s arms around that. I also think it’s important to plan for tomorrow but then take a step back and live in the present. Most anxiety and depression come from thinking about the future or the past. When you’re living in the moment, you’re much more likely to be happy.

Jan Calder is the chief health and wellness officer at the Asheville YWCA.

— Kim Dinan X

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Still Bending Over Backwards For Our Clients

STUCK

Rise in immunization exemptions threatens community health, doctors say

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CLAIMING AN EXEMPTION: During the last school year, 145 children in Buncombe County received religious exemptions from one or more of the vaccinations required within 30 days of enrolling in school. A chickenpox outbreak in October brought increased attention to the county’s status as having the highest rate of such exemptions in the state.

BY KAY WEST kswest55@comcast.net When Dr. Jennifer Mullendore told the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners last October that immunization exemptions for local kindergartners had jumped again, she didn’t know that at least one local child was already sick with chickenpox. Mullendore is the medical director at Buncombe County Health and Human Services.

By the end of that month, 28 children had contracted the illness, all of them at the Asheville Waldorf School.

The eventual total of 37 students (all of them unimmunized) and three community members diagnosed with the virus constituted the most in the state since the varicella vaccine became available in 1995 and the immuniza-

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tion was required for school enrollment.

According to Alice Elio, school health program manager at the Mountain Area Health Education Center, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers five or more related cases of chickenpox to constitute an outbreak.

Mullendore, a family medicine physician, mother and outspoken advocate of immunization, didn’t come to the Board of Commissioners’ Oct. 2 meeting seeking additional funding or policy changes. She merely cited facts: In the 2017-18 school year, 145 children in Buncombe County — 5.7 percent of kindergarten students — received religious exemptions from one or more of the vaccinations required within 30 days of enrolling in school. The previous year, that number (which has consistently been the highest among all North Carolina counties, according

to the state Department of Health and Human Services) had sat at 4.9 percent, already up dramatically from just 1.6 percent in 2002-03. In the 2017-18 school year, the statewide rate was 1.2 percent; among the top 10 urban counties, New Hanover (2.3 percent) was the nexthighest after Buncombe.

Although it’s relatively rare, chickenpox — which is highly contagious — can result in serious complications, including bacterial infections, pneumonia, encephalitis and even death, according to the CDC. The issue, however, isn’t limited to North Carolina or even the U.S. Since 2009, the number of religious or philosophical exemptions has increased in 12 of the 18 states that allow them, according to a 2018 study published in the journal PLOS Medicine. And in Europe, where immunization rates

Series among some groups have also dropped, outbreaks of measles, another highly contagious disease, caused at least 37 deaths in the first half of last year, the World Health Organization reports.

The agency recently included “vaccine hesitancy” in a list of “Ten Threats to Global Health in 2019.”

In the U.S., hostility toward vaccines and fears of government intrusion date back at least to the 19th century, when states began passing mandatory smallpox vaccination laws. And in recent years, British gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield and American pediatrician Bob Sears have triggered major controversies with their writ-

ings questioning the safety of vaccines.

Wakefield subsequently had his license revoked, and last June, Sears was placed on probation by the California Medical Board, yet both men still have passionate, loyal adherents, and the underlying issues persist.

LEGAL EXEMPTIONS North Carolina allows two types of immunization exemptions. Medical

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HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

Mental and physical health are strongly linked, says Rhonda Cox What do you see as the top health challenge facing WNC? I think the top health challenge is addressing the impact of mental health on physical health and vice versa. Sometimes we don’t realize the impact each has on the other. A person with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes has twice the incidence rate of depression, and when you’re depressed, it can be really difficult to have the energy to exercise or eat well or even take your medication. That has a corresponding effect on your overall health and wellness.

What’s the best thing you’ve done for your own health lately?

Every few years I try to learn a new sport. Just under two years ago I took up mixed martial arts. I train with a great group of folks and have a lot of opportunities to laugh at myself. Learning something new that requires different kinds of physical activity has been a lot of fun.

Is there something new you plan to do to boost your health in 2019?

The most important thing for me is treating wellness activities like an appointment. I work for a wellness CEO who travels extensively, and she told me, “You are the only one who can set your schedule.”

I was sitting in my car lamenting how on earth I would make time to take care of myself, and when I got done with my litany of excuses, I realized I had to make some choices about what I was going to say yes and no to while juggling all of the real-life responsibilities I had.

Deciding I had choices, making those appointments and knowing that small steps add up was life-changing.

Exclusive to RHONDA COX If you could give one piece of advice on how to have a happier, healthier new year, what would it be?

It really is practicing what health care providers preach and finding a balance physically, spiritually and emotionally. For me, that means taking time to rest, eating well, doing things I enjoy and, most importantly, offering others and myself some grace. We are all perfectly imperfect.

Rhonda Cox is chief population health officer at Vaya Health, a public managed care organization that coordinates mental health, substance use and intellectual/developmental disability services in Western North Carolina

— Kim Dinan X

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exemptions, which must be documented by a physician licensed in the state, are rare. Instead, most of the Buncombe requests were based on religious beliefs.

Within the passionate and opposing positions taken in the vaccination debate, however, the religious exemption has sparked its share of distrust and defensiveness.

Elio of MAHEC has about 28,800 Buncombe County students on her watch. North Carolina law mandates that all public, private and religious schools file an immunization report with the state Department of Health and Human Services within 60 days of the start of the school year, including the number of kindergartners, seventh-grade students and those new to North Carolina who have a valid medical or religious exemption from any required immunization.

But schools aren’t required to specify which vaccinations students are being exempted from — and both the local Health Department and MAHEC say that’s also a concern.

Meanwhile, Elio is skeptical about religious exemptions in general. “All a parent or guardian needs to do is write a letter with the name of the child, their date of birth, and state that they have a bona fide religious belief. Nothing is required to back it up,” she explains. “That is considered compliant, and the child can attend school without immunizations.”

Mullendore, too, has doubts about the policy. “My sense, based on our experience in talking to people who take this exemption, is it is more of a personal philosophical belief or a mistrust of vaccinations than it is religion, but North Carolina law does not accept personal beliefs as a reason not to immunize,” she explains.

At least one Waldorf School parent takes issue with those objections, however. “The county very clearly thinks people are faking their [religious] exemption, that they are not religious people,” says this father, whose two kindergarten-aged children were granted religious exemptions. “We disagree with that. There are a lot of different ways to be spiritual and practice different faiths. Part of our faith and spirituality includes not putting toxic foreign substances into our bodies and our children’s bodies.” Because of threatening comments directed toward the school and parents following the chickenpox outbreak, he agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity.

SHARED CONCERNS Mullendore wasn’t looking into a crystal ball when she told the county commissioners about the latest uptick in religious exemptions, but she says the chickenpox outbreak came as no sur-

prise to her and other health professionals who’ve been watching those numbers with increasing concern. “We knew the stats were not good and that it was only a matter of time before an outbreak happened: We just didn’t know what it would be.”

In the 2017-18 school year, 10 schools in the county — all but one of them either private or charter — reported religious exemption rates of 10 percent or more. The Waldorf School had the highest rate: 19 of 28 kindergartners (67.9 percent). Across all grades, 110 of 152 students at the school (72.4 percent) had exemptions as of November. The lone noncharter public school on the list was Asheville Primary, at 24 percent.

“People tend to be with people with similar beliefs and lifestyles,” Mullendore observes.

Elio agrees. “Asheville is a place that embraces a healthy lifestyle: no bad chemicals in our foods or our gardens; we embrace what is natural, which is a good thing. But people who include vaccinating as unnatural is a challenge.”

The anonymous Waldorf parent, however, says, “The vaccination exemption rates were not a factor at all in our decision. We didn’t ask or know.”

Instead, he explains, “We were attracted to the school because we felt that the teachers were incredibly in touch with creating an emotionally, spiritually safe and healthy environment for kids.”

He and his wife, both highly educated professionals, researched vaccinations while she was pregnant and based their decision on five factors: the ingredients in vaccines; their belief in building natural immunity to disease;

experience with someone close to them who suffered a significant reaction they believe was caused by the polio vaccine; distrust of the pharmaceutical industry; and cases where a child contracted a disease despite getting immunized. His wife, he says, wasn’t vaccinated as a child but is very healthy.

“We asked around for pediatric practices comfortable with families that choose not to vaccinate,” he reveals.

“We ended up with a pediatrician who told us to vaccinate but respected our decision not to. We feel strongly in our reasons, but we respect and understand that other people have other reasons, and that many people have reasons to vaccinate. We respect people’s medical decisions about their kids.”

COMMON GOAL In her position as vice president of children’s services and chief of pediatrics at Mission Children’s Hospital/ Mission Health, Dr. Susan Mims says she welcomes conversations with parents who have chosen not to immunize.

“I focus on our common goal: to keep their children healthy and safe. Every parent wants what’s best for their child, and they’re gathering information from all different sources. The first thing I try to do is understand what their concerns are, get their questions on the table, talk through their concerns and hopefully resolve them. I want them to feel heard.

It is important to be in a trusting relationship with your pediatrician or family doctor and have respectful dialogue.”

BID TO END N.C.’S RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FAILS State Sen. Terry Van Duyn, a Buncombe County Democrat, found out how heated the vaccination issue is back in 2015, when she and two Republican colleagues, Sens. Jeff Tarte of Mecklenburg County and Tamara Barringer of Wake County, introduced a bill to end religious exemptions from required immunizations. Van Duyn had originally proposed a bill specifying requirements for religious exemptions but wound up signing on to a more restrictive measure that had majority-party support.

“My bill said you could be exempted because you want to be, as long as you first talked to a health care professional,” Van Duyn explains. “Sen. Tarte suggested we run his bill, which was pretty draconian. It simply said no more religious exemptions, period.”

When Tarte’s proposed legislation became public, dozens of protesters gathered at the State Legislative Building in Raleigh to vehemently register their disapproval, decrying what they called medical terrorism.

“I had a committee meeting to go to and could not get out of my office,” Van Duyn recalls. “I did not feel physically threatened, but I had to call security to help me get through the crowd. We made everybody mad — liberals, conservatives, libertarians.” The bill was withdrawn, though Van Duyn says she hasn’t ruled out introducing a more measured version. X

Series Among the concerns Mims says she typically hears are pain from multiple shots, side effects of vaccines, ingredients in vaccines, the number of shots in the immunization schedule and whether all of them are really necessary. But the uncertainty and doubts, she and others maintain, are actually the ironic byproduct of the success of vaccines, which have sometimes resulted in several generations of parents having no knowledge or experience of the disease in question.

Mims says that in researching vaccine history, she sought out people raised before the development of vaccines that are now common. “In the 1940s, there was a polio outbreak in Hickory,” she notes. “Parents lived in such fear that their children would contract this disease and be crippled, paralyzed or face life in an iron lung. My father was in Western North Carolina, and he wasn’t allowed out of his house the entire summer. We have enjoyed growing up without that fear because of what a vaccine offers.”

FEARS IN COLLISION Nonetheless, fear is evident on both sides of the debate: parents who fear

the ingredients in vaccinations or their side effects, despite years of rigorous testing, ongoing monitoring and scientific evidence to the contrary; and the medical community, which fears outbreaks of serious illnesses caused by high religious exemption rates in geographic clusters.

An ongoing measles outbreak in Washington state has produced 37 confirmed cases to date, almost all of them known to be unimmunized; on Jan. 25, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide public health emergency. Washington and bordering Oregon both allow vaccine exemptions for personal and philosophical reasons. And in New York state, more than 200 cases of measles have been confirmed in observant Jewish communities since last October.

Measles is highly contagious: According to the CDC, 90 percent of unvaccinated people who come in contact with someone who has the disease will contract it. In the decade before 1963, when a vaccine became available, an estimated 400-500 people died of measles each year, 48,000 were hospitalized and 1,000 developed encephalitis.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 42

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Those numbers have declined precipitously since the vaccine was introduced. “I’m a doctor, and I have never seen a case of measles,” says Mullendore. “But we see what has happened in other communities with high rates of vaccine exemptions, and we know it can happen.”

Mims shares her concerns. “With so many exemptions, you’re rolling the dice,” she points out. “If someone with a disease or exposed to it comes into a community with low vaccination rates, they can spread the disease before they even know they have it. It’s the match that lights the fire.

“My personal passion escalated a few years ago when I saw a 4-monthold baby die of pertussis — whooping cough, a vaccine-preventable disease,” notes Mims. “At 4 months, this baby wasn’t able to be vaccinated, but having a vaccinated community around that baby would have been a very important means to prevent that death. Seeing a baby suffocate broke my heart. You hope it doesn’t take deaths or diseases to realize what vaccines do for us, but we are seeing pockets of outbreaks as we see more people choose not to vaccinate, and that’s what concerns me.”

According to the CDC, the varicella vaccine prevents more than 3.5 million cases of chickenpox, 9,000 hospitalizations and 100 deaths each year.

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These medical professionals don’t believe that scaring parents or attacking their strongly held beliefs is an effective strategy. Yet attacked and frightened is precisely how the parents of unimmunized Waldorf School students say they felt when they received letters from Buncombe County Public Health Director Jannine Shepard imposing a 21-day quarantine that not only kept those children out of school but confined them to their homes.

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“We were pretty shocked,” says the Waldorf father of two. “Our first reaction was scrambling to find in-home child care so we could work, and our next reaction was fear because of the way we were being described in the media, in online comments on those stories and in calls coming into the school. We were fearful for our children’s safety.”

These parents also felt that the county had overstepped its authority. Asheville attorney Lakota Denton represented 55 of the quarantined children and immediately started legal action on their behalf.

Two weeks later, Superior Court Judge Richard S. Gottlieb ruled that the county could keep the children out of school but not confined to their homes.

“We thought the judge got it right,” says Denton. “But we are concerned it took a judge to tell our county Health Department they cannot confine over 100 healthy children to their homes for three weeks.”

Repeated attempts by Xpress to speak with other anti-immunization parents, and with local naturopathic and pediatric practices, were unsuccessful.

FINDING COMMON GROUND Meanwhile, the underlying clash between individual and collective rights remains unresolved. And if every parent wants what’s best for their child, how do both ends of the spectrum come together to establish what is also best for the community at large?

“Before we had a child, my wife and I generally didn’t trust vaccines,” the anonymous Waldorf parent explains.

“But then you see your little baby and the last thing in the world you want is for your kid to get sick, so you really have to weigh it out. For us, it came down to not wanting to purposely put toxins — whether for polio, whooping cough or chickenpox — in our kids’ bodies. I know people will say that not vaccinating your kids endangers everyone else.

We feel that the risk of long-term health consequences from vaccines outweighs any other risk from not vaccinating.”

Mims, however, stresses that “Many, many studies have been done to prove the safety of vaccines. Nothing is 100 percent safe. But some of the information out there, especially with the internet, is not evidence-based. So all I can do is get that to my patients.” More than half of the families expressing concern about vaccines, she says, “do end up getting their children vaccinated” after receiving evidence-based information.

To that end, the Health Department teamed up last March with MAHEC and Mims to form the Immunization Coalition, inviting public health officials, doctors, nurses, school officials and parents to quarterly public meetings where they could sit down together and have dialogue. But while health sector participation has been high, outreach to parents, private schools and the faith community has been less successful.

Mullendore says that’s been frustrating for her. “I’m a doctor, a public health provider and a mother,” she notes. “I don’t want this to be an adversarial relationship. I want to have discussions with people who have made the decision not to vaccinate, to hear why and what brought them to that decision. I want to understand better so we can address and ease their concerns.”

Mims concurs. “There will be some folks we will never convince and whose minds we will never change,” she concedes. “But by making sure I get the large body of evidence that exists about the benefits of vaccines, and having a respectful conversation in a relationship where there is trust, many parents who were hesitant will choose to vaccinate their children. That’s the best we can do right now.”

To learn more about the Immunization Coalition, contact Ellis.Vaughn@ buncombecounty.org and ask to be put on the email list for notifications and updates. X

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Calendar WELLNESS ONLINE INTRODUCTION TO WILDERNESSFUSION (PD.) FREE. Thursday, February 28th, 6-9PM. We are an Earth based healing school rooted in the philosophy of choice.

Alexander, NC. Online registration required: wildernessfusion.com/ mt-xpress.

SECRETS OF NATURAL WALKING (PD.) Workshop, Sat & Sun, Feb.9-10,1-5pm. $150.

Call to register: 828-2156033. natural-walking. com. Proper alignment = healthy joints, energized body, calm minds. "Let Your Walking Be Your Healing" SHOJI SPA & LODGE • 7 DAYS A WEEK (PD.) Private Japanese-style outdoor hot tubs, cold plunge, sauna and lodging. 8 minutes from town.

Bring a friend to escape and renew! Best massages in Asheville! 828299-0999. shojiretreats.com SOUND HEALING • SATURDAY • SUNDAY (PD.) Every Saturday, 11am and Sundays, 12 noon.

Experience deep relaxation with crystal bowls, gongs, didgeridoo and other peaceful instruments. • Donation suggested. At Skinny Beats Sound Shop, 4 Eagle Street. skinnybeatsdrums.com WAVE STUDIOS NEW WEEKLY CLASSES (PD.) Give them a try! Zumba 10am Mon and Wed,

Vinyasa Flow 5pm Tues., Flow & Roll noon Fri. All classes $10. Full schedule: www.waveasheville.com ADVENTHEALTH HENDERSONVILLE 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville • FR (2/8), noon-1pm - Lunch and Learn: Cancer Prevention: The Importance of Screening and Education. Free and a complimentary lunch coupon.

• SUNDAYS, (2/10) through (2/24), 1-5pm Three-session, 12-hour childbirth course offers all the essentials to prepare you for labor, childbirth and the care of your newborn. Registration required. Free.

ASHEVILLE FUNCTIONAL FORUM rowan.l@icloud.com • 2nd MONDAYS, 6:308:30pm - Meetup for practitioners and patients of integrative and functional medicine to share and learn. Information: rowan.l@icloud.com.

Free to attend. Held at EarthFare - Westgate, 66 Westgate Parkway

Walking exercise class.

Free.

• Through MO (2/11) Open registration for the “YOUnique” workshop to explore personality and health. Workshop date: Saturday, Feb. 16.

Registration required: kepfotzer@gracehendersonville.com. Free.

HAYWOOD COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 157 Paragon Parkway, Clyde • TU (2/12), noon-2pm - Naloxone Training and Distribution drop-in program. Participants receive free naloxone, harm reduction resources and information on substance use services. Free.

JUBILEE COMMUNITY CHURCH 46 Wall St., 828-252-5335, jubileecommunity.org • TUESDAYS (2/5) until (2/26), 5:45-7:45pm - "Let's Make Herbal Medicines for the Winter," workshop. $20 per class.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS 828-250-4260 • WEDNESDAYS, 3-4pm - Adaptive crossfit classes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Free. Held at South Slope CrossFit, 217 Coxe Ave., Suite B

PEACE EDUCATION PROGRAM jtfbuilder@gmail.com • WEDNESDAYS through (3/27), 6:30-7:30pm "Discover Your Inner Resources," inner peace educational program.

Information: jtfbuilder@ gmail.com. Free. Held at Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Drive

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 9am -

TAOIST TAI CHI SOCIETY taoist.org/usa/locations/ asheville • WEDNESDAYS, 3-4:30pm - Beginner tai chi class and information session for the

class series. First class is free. Held at Town and Mountain Training Center, 261 Asheland Ave. • TH (2/7), 9-10:30am - Free introduction to Taoist Tai Chi and information session for the beginner class series.

First class is free. Held at Ox Creek Community Center, 346 Ox Creek Road, Weaverville THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE 39 South Market St., 828-254-9277, theblockoffbiltmore.com • SUNDAYS (2/10) through (3/3), 5-7pm - Embodied reading and discussion of David Grossman's book, Falling Out of Time. On the subject of community grief.

Registration required: saidosio@gmail.com.

Admission by donation.

THE MEDITATION CENTER 894 E. Main St., Sylva, 828-356-1105, meditate-wnc.org • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, 6-8pm - "Inner Guidance from an Open Heart," class with meditation and discussion. $10.

SUPPORT GROUPS ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS & DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES adultchildren.org • Visit mountainx.com/ support for full listings.

ADVENTHEALTH HENDERSONVILLE 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville • WEDNESDAYS, 10-11am - New begin-

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ADVENTHEALTH SOUTH ASHEVILLE 15 Skyland Inn Drive, Arden • 2nd THURSDAYS, 6:30pm -

CAROLINA RESOURCE CENTER FOR EATING DISORDERS

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS • For a full list of meetings in WNC, call 828-254-8539 or aancmco.org ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUP 828-231-2198, bjsmucker@gmail.com • 1st & 3rd THURSDAYS, 7-8:30pm - Learning and sharing in a caring setting about dealing with one's own anxiety. Held at NAMI Offices, 356 Biltmore Ave. ASHEVILLE WOMEN FOR SOBRIETY 215-536-8026, womenforsobriety.org • THURSDAYS, 6:308pm – Held at YWCA of Asheville, 185 S. French Broad Ave. ASPERGER'S TEENS UNITED facebook.com/groups/ AspergersTeensUnited • For teens (13-19) and their parents. Meets

50 S. French Broad Ave., #250, 828-337-4685, thecenternc.org • WEDNESDAYS, 6-7pm – Adult support group, ages 18+.

CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT 828-989-1555, deb.casaccia@gmail.com • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, 6 pm – Held in a private home.

CODEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS 828-242-7127 • SATURDAYS, 11:15am – Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. • TUESDAYS 7:30pm Held at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 22B New Leicester Highway DEBTORS ANONYMOUS debtorsanonymous.org • MONDAYS, 7pm - Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St.

DEPRESSION AND BIPOLAR SUPPORT ALLIANCE 828-367-7660, depressionbipolarasheville.com • SATURDAYS, 2-3pm – Held at Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance Meeting Place, 1316-C Parkwood Road FOOD ADDICTS ANONYMOUS 828-242-2173 • SATURDAYS, 11amHeld at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 22B New Leicester Highway FOUR SEASONS COMPASSION FOR LIFE 828-233-0948, fourseasonscfl.org • 2nd MONDAYS, 9am - Men's grief support group. Held at Mediterranean Restaurant, 57 College St. • TUESDAYS, 3:304:30pm - Grief support group. Held at Four Seasons - Checkpoint, 373 Biltmore Ave. • THURSDAYS, 12:30pm - Grief support group.

Held at SECU Hospice House, 272 Maple St., Franklin G.E.T. R.E.A.L. phoenix69@bellsouth.net • 2nd SATURDAYS, 2pm - Group for people with

chronic 'invisible' autoimmune diseases. Held at Bill Moore Community Park, 85 Howard Gap Road, Fletcher GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS 828-483-6175 • THURSDAYS, noon1pm - Held at Biltmore United Methodist Church, 378 Hendersonville Road GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • 2nd THURSDAYS, 1-3pm - Seeds of Hope chronic condition support group. Registration required: 828-693-4890 ex. 304.

HAYWOOD COUNTY COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS 828-400-6480 • 1st THURSDAYS - Support group for families who have lost a child of any age. Held at Long's Chapel United Methodist, 133 Old Clyde Road, Waynesville HIGHLAND FARMS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 200 Tabernacle Road, Black Mountain

HEALTH RESOLUTIONS

Keep moving, advises Dr. Jeff Heck

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“The top health challenges for WNC are the same that all of America has,” says Dr. Jeff Heck, CEO of the Mountain Area Health Education Center. “That’s the need for increased physical activity, the need for controlling obesity, eliminating smoking and substance abuse.” MAHEC trains the next generation of health care professionals in WNC. But Heck points out that many other factors also have a significant impact on WNC residents’ health outcomes.

These challenging social determinants, he says, “have to do with racial inequities, access to care in rural communities and other contributors like transportation and child care. If we could solve some of those, it would make for healthier families, and we’d need a lot less health care.”

DR. JEFF HECK Despite all those challenges, however, Heck’s top piece of advice for how to have a happier and healthier new year is pretty simple. “I tell my patients there’s not a pill I could give them that would be better than regular exercise.”

— Kim Dinan X

Calendar • TU (2/12), 9:30-11:30am - MemoryCaregivers Network Support Group, open to anyone caring for a person with memory loss.

HOMICIDE SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUP jparks@ grandcreative.com • 2nd TUESDAYS, 7-8pm - Homicide Survivors Support Group. Held at YWCA of Asheville, 185 S. French Broad Ave. HOPE CONNECTIONS 828-575-2701, Hopeconnections@ crestviewrecovery.org • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 6-7:30pm - Clinically led support group for loved ones of addicts and alcoholics. Held at Crest View Recovery Center, 90 Asheland Ave., Suite D LIFE LIMITING ILLNESS SUPPORT GROUP 386-801-2606 • TUESDAYS, 6:30-8pm For adults managing the challenges of life limiting illnesses. Held at Secrets of a Duchess, 1439 Merrimon Ave. LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN 828-776-4809 • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, 6:30pm - Hosted by American Chronic Pain Association. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa MEMORY LOSS CAREGIVERS network@ memorycare.org • 2nd TUESDAYS, 9:30am – Held at Highland Farms Retirement Community, 200 Tabernacle Road, Black Mountain • 2nd THURSDAYS, 1-3pm – Held at Pisgah Valley Retirement Community, 95 Holcombe Cove Road, Candler MINDFULNESS AND 12 STEP RECOVERY avl12step@gmail.com • WEDNESDAYS, 7:308:45pm - Mindfulness meditation practice and 12 step program. Held at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 22B New Leicester Highway MISSION CHILDREN'S FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK 828-213-9787

• 2nd TUESDAYS, 5:30-7:30pm - Mission Children's Family Support Network youth group from ages 11 to 21.

Dinner is provided.

Held at Mission Reuter Children's Center, 11 Vanderbilt Park Drive MOUNTAIN MAMAS PEER SUPPORT GROUP facebook.com/ mountainmamasgroup • 2nd THURSDAYS, 1-3pm - Held at The Family Place, 970 Old Hendersonville Highway, Brevard MY DADDY TAUGHT ME THAT mydaddytaughtmethat. org • MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS, 6-8pm Men's discussion group.

Free. Held at My Daddy Taught Me That Meeting Place, 16-A Pisgah View Apartments NARANON nar-anon.org • WEDNESDAYS, 12:30pm - For relatives and friends concerned about the addiction or drug problem of a loved one. Held at First United Methodist Church of Hendersonville, 204 6th Ave. W., Hendersonville NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS 828-505-7353, namiwnc.org, namiwc2015@gmail.com • 2nd MONDAYS, 11am - Connection group for individuals dealing with mental illness. Held at NAMI Offices, 356 Biltmore Ave. ORIGINAL RECOVERY 828-214-0961, originalrecovery.org, riley@seekhealing.org • WEDNESDAYS, 6:308pm - Alternative support group organization meeting to discuss service projects, workshops and social events to support the recovery community.

Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 7:30pm - Meditation meeting. Held at Original Recovery, 70 Woodfin Place, Suite 212 • MONDAYS, 6:30pm - Walk in the Park, meetings at area parks. Held

at Original Recovery, 70 Woodfin Place, Suite 212 OUR VOICE 35 Woodfin St., 828-2520562, ourvoicenc.org • Ongoing drop-in group for female identified survivors of sexual violence.

OVERCOMERS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 828-665-9499 • WEDNESDAYS, noon-1pm - Held at First Christian Church of Candler, 470 Enka Lake Road, Candler OVERCOMERS RECOVERY SUPPORT GROUP rchovey@sos-mission.org • MONDAYS, 6pm - Christian 12-step program. Held at SOS Anglican Mission, 1944 Hendersonville Road OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS • Regional number: 277-1975.

Visit mountainx.com/ support/ for full listings.

RECOVERING COUPLES ANONYMOUS recovering-couples.org • MONDAYS 6:307:30pm - For couples where at least one member is recovering from addiction. Held at Foster Seventh Day Adventists Church, 375 Hendersonville Road REFUGE RECOVERY 828-225-6422, refugerecovery.org • For a full list of meetings in WNC, call 828-225-6422 or visit refugerecovery.org SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS saa-recovery.org/ Meetings/UnitedStates • SUNDAYS, 7pm - Held at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St. • MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS, 6pm - Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. SMART RECOVERY 828-407-0460 • FRIDAYS,2pm - Held at Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, 370 N Louisiana Ave. • TUESDAYS, 6-7pm - Held at Unitarian Universalists of Transylvania County, 24 Varsity St., Brevard

• THURSDAYS, 6pm Held at Grace Episcopal Church, 871 Merrimon Ave. SUNRISE PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEER SERVICES facebook.com/ Sunriseinasheville • TUESDAYS through THURSDAYS, 1-3pm Peer support services for mental health, substance abuse and wellness.

Held at Kairos West Community Center, 610002 Haywood Road SUPPORTIVE PARENTS OF TRANSKIDS spotasheville@gmail.com • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, 7pm - For parents to discuss the joys, transitions and challenges of parenting a transkid. Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. WIDOWS IN NEED OF GRIEF SUPPORT 828-356-1105, meditate-wnc.org • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 7pm - Peer support group for anyone who has survived the death of their spouse, partner, child or other closed loved one. Registration required. Held at The Meditation Center, 894 E. Main St., Sylva WNC ASPERGER'S ADULTS UNITED facebook.com/ WncAspergers AdultsUnited, wncautisticsunited@gmail. com.

• 2nd SATURDAYS, 2-4pm - Occasionally meets additional Saturdays. Contact for details. Held at Hyphen, 81 Patton Ave. • 2nd SATURDAYS, 3-5:30pm - Monthly meet and greet. Bring a finger-food dish to share.

Free. Held at The Autism Society, 306 Summit St. WOMENHEART OF ASHEVILLE 786-586-7800, wh-asheville@ womenheart.org • 2nd THURSDAYS, 10am - Support group for women with heart disease. Held at Skyland Fire Department, 9 Miller Road, Skyland

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR FEB. 6-14, 2019

CALENDAR GUIDELINES For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, ext.

137. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, ext. 320.

VALENTINE’S DAY EVENTS ANIMALS BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty. org/governing/depts/ library • TU (2/12), 5:30pm - Live Birds of Prey program with Balsam Mountain Trust and Blue Ridge Naturalists.

Free. Held at West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Road • TU (2/12), 6:30pm - Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society president Tom Tribble teaches how to make a difference for birds by making spaces more birdfriendly. Free. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa PINK DOG CREATIVE 348 Depot St., Suite 101 • SA (2/9), noon-3pm - ‘Pink Puppy,’ an adoption event, fundraiser and exhibit to benefit Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. Free to attend.

WNC NATURE CENTER 75 Gashes Creek Road, 828-298-5600, wildwnc.org • Opening for the new red panda exhibit as part of the Prehistoric Appalachia project.

Admission fees apply.

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FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

=T BENEFITS ARTHUR R. EDINGTON EDUCATION AND CAREER CENTER 133 Livingston St., 828-254-1995 SA (2/9), 7-9pm Proceeds from the 4th Annual Sweethearts Supper, Songs and Silent Auction event benefit Youth Transformed for Life.

Registration required: ytltraining.org. $50/$90 couples.

T

ATTIC SALT THEATRE The Mills at Riverside, 2002 Riverside Drive, Suite 42-O FR (2/8) & SA (2/9), 7pm - Proceeds from "The Happy Together Revue: The Love Edition," cabaret benefit Attic Salt Theatre. Tickets: bit.ly/2UklQPm. $20.

T

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF ASHEVILLE juniorleagueofasheville.org • FR (2/8), 6-9pm Proceeds from this silent auction and volunteer reception benefit the Junior League of Asheville.

Free to attend. Held at Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE 39 South Market St., 828-254-9277, theblockoffbiltmore. com TH (2/14), 7-9pm - Proceeds from the 3rd Annual Valentease Burlesque and Variety Show benefit Our Voice. Performances,

T

MOUNTAINX.COM

raffle and silent auction. $12.

AB Tech Enka/Candler Campus, 1465 Sand Hill Road, Candler

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY FORSYTH BUILDING 104 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee • WE (2/6), 5pm - Free Enterprise Speaker Series hosts author, entrepreneur and educator Jeff Percival.

Free.

A-B TECH SMALL BUSINESS CENTER 1465 Sand Hill Road, Candler, 828-3987950, abtech.edu/sbc • WE (2/6), 9-11am Preparing for a Small Business Loan class.

Registration required.

Free to attend.

• SA (2/9), 9am-noon - SCORE: Marketing Your Business with Google class.

Registration required.

Free to attend.

• TU (2/12), 10-11:30am - Business Formation class.

Registration required.

Free to attend.

• TU (2/12), noon4:30pm - Marketing with a Bang class.

Registration required.

Free to attend.

• WE (2/13), 5:308:30pm - How to Start a Nonprofit Entity class. Registration required. Free to attend.

A-B TECH SMALL BUSINESS CENTER 828-398-7950, abtech.edu/sbc • TH (2/7), 6-7:30pm - The Business of Agritourism: Do You Have what it Takes to be an Agripreneur?, the second seminar in a seven-part series.

Registration required.

Free. Held at Madison County Cooperative Extension Office, 258 Carolina Lane, Marshall • TH (2/14), 6-7:30pm - The Business of Agritourism: Business Planning Part 1, the third seminar in a seven-part series.

Registration required.

Free. Held at Madison County Cooperative Extension Office, 258 Carolina Lane, Marshall ASHEVILLE SCORE COUNSELORS TO SMALL BUSINESS 828-271-4786, ashevillescore.org • SA (2/9), 9am Marketing Your Business with Google class. Free. Held at

CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS BEEKEEPING 101 (PD.) Buncombe County Beekeeper’s Club offering hands-on event for all skills needed to become a successful beekeeper.

Sat Feb 16th, 8am5pm; Sun Feb 17th, 11am-4:30pm Warren Wilson College 701 Warren Wilson Rd. Swannanoa. Visit link to register! wncbees.org 828-712-6074 EMPYREAN ARTS CLASSES (PD.) FIT HAPPENS on Wednesdays 6pm.

AERIAL FLEXIBILITY on Mondays 6pm and Fridays 1pm INTRO TO PARTNER ACROBATICS on Sundays 6:30pm.

BEGINNING AERIAL ARTS on Sundays 2:15pm, Tuesdays 1:00pm, Wednesdays 7:30pm, Thursdays 5:15pm, Saturdays 2:30pm.

EMPYREANARTS. ORG. 828.782.3321.

32 Banks AvenueStudio 107&108.

AMERICAN LEGION POST NC 77 216 4th Ave. W., Hendersonville • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, noon - Korean War Veterans Association, General Frank Blazey Chapter 314, general meeting. Lunch at noon, meeting at 1pm. Free to attend.

ASHEVILLE CHESS CLUB 828-779-0319, vincentvanjoe@gmail. com

YEAR OF THE EARTH PIG: Lunar New Year, commemorated in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia and Tibet, is observed at the turn of the lunisolar calendar, a calendar based on both the moon phase and the time of the solar year. This year is the Year of the Pig and is predicted to bring health, wealth and happiness to those who avoid conflicts and excessive gambling. Folkmoot’s Lunar New Year Dinner is hosted by Chinese language students and their teachers. Guests at this celebration will learn about various cultures in Asia and enjoy a music and dance performance as well as traditional Chinese foods. Celebrants can participate in Chinese paper cutting, calligraphy, origami and language lessons. The Folkmoot Friendship Dinner will be held Friday, Feb. 8, 6-8 p.m. at the Folkmoot Friendship Center. Limited seating is available. Lunar New Year tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased in advance at 828.452.2997 or Folkmoot.org. Photo courtesy of Folkmoot (p. 47) • WEDNESDAYS, 6:30pm - Sets provided.

All ages and skill levels welcome. Beginners lessons available. Free.

Held at North Asheville Recreation Center, 37 E. Larchmont Road ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE 43 Patton Ave., 828-254-7162, colburnmuseum.org TH (2/14), 7-9pm - 'Make & Mingle: Valentine's Date Night

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and Mixer,' events for geeks and makers ages 21 and up. Event includes craft beer and science demonstrations and activities. $20.

ASHEVILLE NEWCOMERS CLUB ashevillenewcomersclub. com • 2nd MONDAYS, 9:30am - Monthly meeting for women new to Asheville. Free to attend.

ASHEVILLE ROTARY CLUB rotaryasheville.org • THURSDAYS, noon1:30pm - General meeting. Free. Held at Renaissance Asheville Hotel, 31 Woodfin St. ASHEVILLE TAROT CIRCLE meetup.com/ Asheville-Tarot-Circle/ • 2nd SUNDAYS, noon - General meeting.

Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books &

Coffee, 610 Haywood Road BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • WE (2/6), 11am Library Bingo. Free.

Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • TH (2/7), 3:30pm Leicester Friends of the Library meeting.

Free. Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester

• 1st & 3rd THURSDAYS, 5pm Spanish Conversation Group for adults. Free.

Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. CUMMINGS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3 Banner Farm Road, Horse Shoe • TH (2/7), 10am-noon - General meeting and program to make a stitched on heart pen.

Free.

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • SU (2/10), 3-5pm - 'Black, White and Notes In Between,' class. Registration: avl.mx/5mk. Free to attend.

LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 828-774-3000, facebook.com/ Leicester.Community.

Center • 2nd TUESDAYS, 7pm - Public board meeting.

Free.

MOUNTAINS BRANCH LIBRARY 150 Bill's Creek Road, Lake Lure, 828-287-6392, mountainsbranchlibrary.org • 2nd TUESDAYS, 3pm - Genealogy Club.

Free.

ONTRACK WNC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • WE (2/6), noon1:30pm - "Budgeting and Debt," class.

Registration required.

Free.

• TH (2/14), 5:307pm - "Emotions and Spending," class.

Registration required.

Free.

YMCA - ASHEVILLE 30 Woodfin St., 828-210-9622, ymcawnc.org/centers/ asheville WE (2/13), 6-7:30pm - Partner Cooking Class: Cooking with Love, hands-on partner cook-

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ing class. Registration: 828-575-2939 or email lfurgiuele@ymcawnc. org. $30 YMCA members/$40 nonmembers.

ECO FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UCC OF HENDERSONVILLE 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville, 828-692-8630, fcchendersonville.org • SU (2/10), 9am Weekly Adult Forum: Climate Change and the Sacred Earth, Part 3, by Ed O'Keefe.

Free.

GREEN OPPORTUNITIES TRAINING PROGRAM INFORMATION SESSION greenopportunities.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 3:30-4:30pm - Green Opportunities holds a Training Program Information Session to learn about training and employment pathways. Free. Held at Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center, 133 Livingston St. LIVING WEB FARMS 176 Kimzey Road, Mills River, 828-505-1660, livingwebfarms.org • TU (2/12), 5-8pm - Fundamentals of permaculture design workshop. $10.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF ASHEVILLE 1 Edwin Place, 828-254-6001, uuasheville.org • TH (2/7), 7-9pm "Driving to Net Zero," presentation by Dave Hrivnak. Free.

seed exchange, special guests.

Organicgrowersschool. org. (828) 214-7833.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION CENTER 49 Mt. Carmel Road, Suite 102, 828-255-5522 • SA (2/16), 1-3pm - Saturday Seminar: Pruning Tools Workshop, What Tools to Use and Tool Sharpening.

Registration required.

Free.

ORGANIC GROWERS SCHOOL 828-552-4979, organicgrowersschool. org • TU (2/12), 4-8:30pm - "Navigating Farm Labor: How to Structure Labor on the Small Farm," workshop includes dinner.

Registration required. $40. Held at Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy's Community Farm, 180 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander PUBLIC LECTURES AT MARS HILL mhu.edu • MO (2/11), 3:304:30pm - "Around Here: Growing and Eating Heirloom Tomatoes," presentation with Chris Smith of Sow True Seed.

Free. Held at The Ramsey Center in Renfro Library, 100 Athletic St., Mars Hill WNC FARMERS MARKET 570 Brevard Road, 828-253-1691 SA (2/9), noon1pm - Valentine’s Day celebration, make your own Valentine and sample themed food.

Free to attend.

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FARM & GARDEN 26TH ANNUAL ORGANIC GROWERS SCHOOL SPRING CONFERENCE (PD.) March 8-10, 2019. at Mars Hill University, NC. 150+ practical, affordable, regionallyappropriate workshops on organic growing, homesteading, farming, permaculture. Trade show,

FOOD & BEER BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty. org/governing/depts/ library TU (2/12), 4:306:30pm - Drop in and decorate cookies to give to your sweetheart. Free. Held at Leicester Library,

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1561 Alexander Road, Leicester FOLKMOOT FRIENDSHIP CENTER 112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville, 828-452-2997 • FR (2/8), 6-8pm - Lunar New Year Celebration featuring a Chinese dinner, cultural activities and performances. $18/$10 student.

• 2nd SATURDAYS, 6-9pm - Second Saturday Market featuring vendors, live music, dance lessons, food and beverages.

Free to attend/$10-$15 for dinner/$5 per dance lesson.

paign coordinated

by National Nurses United to promote Medicare for All. Free.

CITY OF ASHEVILLE 828-251-1122, ashevillenc.gov • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 5pm - Citizens-Police Advisory Committee meeting. Free. Meets in the 1st Floor Conference Room.

Held at Public Works

Building, 161 S. Charlotte St. • TU (2/12), 5pm Asheville City Council public hearing. Free.

Held at Asheville City Hall, 70 Court Plaza DR. WESLEY GRANT SR. SOUTHSIDE CENTER 285 Livingston St., 828-259-5483 • WE (2/6), 6-7:30pm - Community input

sought on candidate profile for Asheville’s next Police Chief.

Child care and Spanish interpretive services will be provided.

INDIVISIBLE COMMON GROUNDWNC Indivisible-sylva.com • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 6:30-8pm - General meeting. Free. Held at St. David's Episcopal

Church, 286 Forest Hills Road, Sylva

KIDS APPLE VALLEY MODEL RAILROAD & MUSEUM 650 Maple St, Hendersonville, avmrc.com • WEDNESDAYS, 1-3pm & SATURDAYS, 10am-2pm - Open

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS ASHEVILLE TEA PARTY ashevilleteaparty.org • TU (2/12), 7-9pm Chris Gaubatz speaks on his undercover operations after 9/11. $5. Held at Skyland Fire Department, 9 Miller Road, Skyland • WE (2/13), 1-3pm Chris Gaubatz speaks on his undercover operations after 9/11. $5. Held at Hendersonville City Operations Building, 305 Williams St., Hendersonville BLUE RIDGE REPUBLICAN WOMEN’S CLUB facebook.com/ BRRWC • 2nd THURSDAYS, 6pm - General meeting. Free to attend.

Held at Gondolier Restaurant, 1360 Tunnel Road.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS 951 Old Fairview Road, 828-274-4482 • MO (2/11), 6:30pm - Forum on Medicaid Expansion in North Carolina to inform the public. Coordinated

by Progressive Democrats of Buncombe County.

Free.

• TU (2/12), 6pm - Medicare for All Barnstorming Event: Join a national cam-

greenteasushiasheville.com

Small SAKI or House Wine on the house!*

* With $30 Purchase Limit one per table

TUESDAY 02/14/19 ONLY

Happy Valentine’s Day!

2 Regent Park Blvd. | 828-252-8300 Like us on facebook.com/greenteasushi MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

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CONSCIOUS PARTY

C OMMU N IT Y CA L EN D AR

house featuring operating model trains and historic memorabilia. Free.

ARMS AROUND ASD 191 Charlotte St. • SA (2/9), 6-8:30pm - Autistic Teens present Improv night with Jessica Barlow.

Free.

ASHEVILLE ART MUSEUM 175 Biltmore Ave, 828-253-3227 • 2nd TUESDAYS, 11am-12:30pm - Homeschool program for grades 1-4. Registration required: 828-2533227 ext. 124. $4 per student.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty. org/governing/ depts/library • WE (2/6), 11:30am - Parents and Toddlers (ages 18 months – 3 years) are welcome to join us Wednesdays after Toddler Storytime at 11. Free. Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 4-5:30pm - Heroes Unlimited, role playing game for grades 6-12.

Registration required. Free.

Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview • FR (2/8), 7pm - The children's librarians are teaming up to offer a triple-teller experience for the whole family. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • 2nd SATURDAYS, 1-4pm & LAST WEDNESDAYS, 4-6pm - Teen Dungeons and Dragons for ages 12 and up. Registration required: 828-2504720. Free. Held at Pack Memorial

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FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

Admission by donation. Held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St.

Library, 67 Haywood St. • MONDAYS, 10:30am - Spanish story time for children of all ages.

Free. Held at EnkaCandler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler WE (2/13), 10:30am-noon Calling all princes and princesses.

Wear your finest for our annual Valentine's Tea Party. Fine china, crafts and preschool storytime included. Free.

Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • WE (2/13), 11am - Tiny Tots Yoga is for babies and toddlers that are crawling to 2 years with a caregiver (parent, friend, or guardian). Free.

Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa

REVOLVE 521 Riverside Drive, #179, revolveavl.org/ • TH (2/7), 6-8pm - "A Full-Bodied Discussion of the Sex Work Spectrum," panel discussion in conjunction with the exhibition New York

By Night 1990 1996.

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FLETCHER LIBRARY 120 Library Road, Fletcher, 828-687-1218, library.hendersoncountync.org • WEDNESDAYS, 10:30am - Family story time. Free.

HOMEWORK DINER PROGRAM A strategy to support students and their families with tutoring, building parentteacher relationships, a nutritious meal, community resources and workforce readiness. Free.

• MONDAYS, 5:30-7pm - Held at Erwin Middle School, 20 Erwin Hills Road • TUESDAYS, 5-7pm - Held at Asheville Middle School, 211 S French Broad Ave. • TUESDAYS, 5:307pm - Held at Enka Middle School, 390 Asbury Road, Candler

by Deborah Robertson

FUND ME A BUS STOP: Montford’s neighborhood hallmark bus stop was devastated by a drunk driver in May. The city of Asheville will not fund the restoration because it is not a standard bus stop, however the city will approve the rebuild if funds are raised from the community. A fundraising initiative to rebuild the bus stop was launched Feb. 1 via GoFundMe. Also on Feb. 1, the Montford Neighborhood Association began taking donations. Chiesa restaurant will dedicate its Community Collection Box to the rebuilding of the bus stop and will match contributions up to $1,000. Little Jumbo is dedicating Feb. 19 to the bus stop, donating 10 percent of total sales to the rebuild. The cost to rebuild is $14,000. Photo courtesy of Ross Terry

• THURSDAYS, 5:307pm - Held at Owen Middle School, 730 Old US Highway 70, Swannanoa MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-254-6734, malaprops.com • WEDNESDAYS, 10am - Miss Malaprop’s Story Time for ages 3-9. Free to attend.

OUTDOORS CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK (PD.) Enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Lure, trails for all levels of hikers, an Animal Discovery Den and 404-foot waterfall.

Plan your adventure at chimneyrockpark.com

MOUNTAINX.COM

SIGN UP NOW FOR INLINE HOCKEY (PD.) Youth and Adult divisions at Carrier Park.

• Free registration for new players. ashevillehockey.org PISGAH CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED pisgahchaptertu.org/ New-Meetinginformation.html • 2nd THURSDAYS, 7pm - General meeting and presentations.

Free to attend. Held at Ecusta Brewing, 49 Pisgah Highway, Suite 3, Pisgah Forest

PARENTING BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 180 W Campus Drive, Flat Rock, 828-4125488, phoenixrisinghealing.com • TH (2/7), 6pm - Open house for

Henderson County Early College high school. Deadline for enrollment applications is Friday, Feb. 22. Free to attend.

HAYWOOD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 262 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, 828-452-8440, myhaywoodregional. com • THURSDAYS, 11:30am-1:30pm Social gathering for mothers and their babies. Registration required. Free to attend.

• TH (2/7), 7-9pm - Your Amazing Newborn. Registration required. Free to attend.

• TH (2/14), 7-9pm - Breastfeeding A-Z. Registration required.

Free to attend.

PUBLIC LECTURES FIRESTORM BOOKS & COFFEE 610 Haywood Road, 828-255-8115, firestorm.coop • SA (2/9), 11am1pm - Dialog Cafe with Robert “Zack” Zachary speaking on The Proper and more Effectual Method on the Teaching of AfroAmerican History. Free to attend.

HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC homewardbound.wnc. org TH (2/14), noon1:30pm - "Open Your Hearts," lunch, short film and panel presentation regarding women and homelessness. Registration: eleanor@ homewardboundwnc. org or 828-793-0072.

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THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE 39 South Market St., 828-254-9277, theblockoffbiltmore.com • TH (2/7), 5:308:30pm - Robert “Zack” Zachary lectures on The Proper and more Effectual Method on the Teaching of AfroAmerican History. $15.

THE COLLIDER 1 Haywood St., Suite 401, 1828, thecollider.org/ • WE (2/13), 6-7pm - Building our City Speaker Series with Kimber Lanning, Founder and Executive Director of Local First Arizona, a statewide organization implementing innovative strategies for new models of economic development. Registration: avl.mx/5lx. Free.

THE WCU BARDO ARTS CENTER 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee, 828.227.2479 • TU (2/12), 5pm Political commentator Michael Steele to speak honoring high-achieving students. Reception afterwards held in Star Lobby. Free.

UNC-ASHEVILLE REUTER CENTER 1 Campus View Road • TU (2/12), 7:30pm - World Affairs Council’s Great Decisions Series: Cyber Conflict and

Geopolitics with Mike Duncan. $10/ Free to WAC members and UNCA students.

SENIORS BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty. org/governing/ depts/library • TUESDAYS and FRIDAYS until FR (3/29), 11am - Geri-Fit: Free exercise class for Seniors. Bring a workout stretch band. Registration required. Free.

Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF WNC 828-253-2900 • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 11am2pm - The Asheville Elder Club Group Respite program for individuals with memory challenges and people of all faiths. Registration required. $30. Held at 2 Doctors Park, Suite E • WEDNESDAYS, 11am-2pm - The Hendersonville Elder Club for individuals with memory challenges and people of all faiths. Registration required. $30. Held at Agudas Israel Congregation, 505 Glasgow Lane, Hendersonville OLLI AT UNCA 828-251-6140, olliasheville.com • FRIDAYS (2/1) until (2/15), 9-11am - "Living with Dementia: Life after a Diagnosis," presentation. Free.

Information: alz. org/northcarolina.

Held in Room 207.

Held at UNCAsheville Reuter Center, 1 Campus View Road UNC-ASHEVILLE REUTER CENTER 1 Campus View Road

Send your event listings to calendar@mountainx.com • FR (2/8), 4pm Medicare Choices Made Easy. Free.

SPIRITUALITY ASTROCOUNSELING (PD.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services.

Christy Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229.

DE-STRESS, GET HAPPY & CONNECT (PD.) Mindfulness Meditation at the Asheville Insight Meditation Center.

Group Meditation: Weekly on Thursdays at 7pm & Sundays at 10am. ashevillemeditation. com, info@ ashevillemeditation. com.

EXPERIENCE THE SOUND OF SOUL (PD.) Sing HU, the most beautiful prayer, and open your heart to balance, inner peace, Divine love, and spiritual self-discovery.

• Love is Love, and you are that. HU is the Sound of Soul.

Spiritual discussion follows. Sponsored

by ECKANKAR. • Date: Sunday, February 10, 2019, 11am. Eckankar Center of Asheville, 797 Haywood Rd. (“Cork and Craft” building, lower level), Asheville NC 28806, 828-254-6775. (free event). eckankar-nc.org LEARN TO MEDITATE (PD.) Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation class at Asheville Insight Meditation Center, 1st Mondays of each month at 7pm – 8:30pm. ashevillemeditation. com, info@ ashevillemeditation. com.

THE WORLD TEACHER FOR ALL HUMANITY (PD.) The Christ (aka: Maitreya Buddha, the Mahdi, Krishna...) will soon speak to everyone; will not send anyone to hell; is inspiring wonderful, major world changes.

Share-International. org GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W., Hendersonville, 828693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • 2nd FRIDAYS, 1-2pm - Nondenominational healing prayer group.

Free.

GROCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 954 Tunnel Road, 828-298-6195, groceumc.org • 2nd & 4th MONDAYS, 6:308:30pm - A Course in Miracles, study group. Information: 828-712-5472. Free.

URBAN DHARMA 828-225-6422, udharmanc.com/ • THURSDAYS, 7:309pm - Open Sangha night. Free. Held at Urban Dharma, 77 W. Walnut St.

VOLUNTEERING MAKE A DIFFERENCE - BE A MENTOR (PD.) As a mentor with Journeymen, you make a profound impact in the lives of teenage boys as they journey toward becoming men of integrity. We offer group mentoring and rites of passage to boys ages 12-17 and are enrolling qualified adult male mentors now. Will you answer the call?

Learn more: journeymenasheville@ gmail.com or 828230-7353.

TUTOR ADULTS IN NEED WITH THE LITERACY COUNCIL (PD.) 43% of adults with low literacy live in poverty. Volunteer

and help our neighbors rise above the confines of poverty. Orientation 2/7(10am) or 3/4(10am) RSVP: volunteers@litcouncil. com. Learn more: litcouncil.com.

CONSERVING CAROLINA carolinamountain.org • FR (2/8), 9:30am2pm - Volunteer Workday at Ulinski Preserve, a rare Southern Appalachian bog habitat. Carpool from Conserving Carolina Hendersonville office. Registration: volunteer@conservingcarolina.org or 828-679-5777 ext.

211.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 40 Church St., 828-253-1431, fpcasheville.org • SATURDAYS Volunteers needed to cook, serve, play and clean up for Saturday Sanctuary, hospitality to the homeless. Registration required: avl.mx/5ig, sanctuarysaturday@ gmail.com or 828253-1431.

HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC 218 Patton Ave., 828-258-1695, homewardboundwnc. org • THURSDAYS, 11am, 2nd TUESDAYS, 5:30pm & 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 8:30am - "Welcome Home Tour," tours to find out how Homeward Bound is working to end homelessness and how the public can help. Registration required: tours@ homewardboundwnc. org or 828-785-9840.

Free.

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF ASHEVILLE juniorleagueofasheville.org • SA (2/9), 10am-3pm - Volunteer Expo, event for attendees to learn about more than 60 local nonprofits. Free. Held at Crowne Plaza Expo

Center, 1 Resort Drive MOUNTAINTRUE 29 N Market St., mountaintrue.org • FR (2/8), 10am4pm - French Broad Riverkeeper and MountainTrue combat sediment erosion by planting live-

2019 Poetry Contest

stakes along eroding riverbanks.

STITCHES OF LOVE 828-575-9195 • 2nd MONDAYS, 7-9pm - Volunteer to stitch or crochet handmade articles for local charities. All skill levels welcome.

Held at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 3070 Sweeten Creek Road TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM OF WNC 828-513-0498, tipofwnc.org • Through WE (2/27) - Applications accepted for crisis team volunteers. Training held Thursday, Feb. 28 through Saturday, Mar. 9. Registration and information: tipofwnc.org or 828-595-4391. Held at Skyland Fire Department, 9 Miller Road, Skyland WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT 828-252-7489, wncap.org

Xpress announces a 2019 poetry contest in celebration of National Poetry Month and our four-issue Sustainability series in April.

Poets are asked to submit work around the theme of what Western North Carolina’s environment means to you.

Poems should be no longer than one typed page in a 12-point font and must be previously unpublished.

Submissions will be accepted throughout the month of February.

The contest will close at midnight on Thursday, Feb. 28.

Email the poem in the body of the message or as a Doc attachment to amarshall@mountainx.com.

The subject line should read “Xpress poetry contest.”

Include the author’s full name and contact information in the email. Only one submission is allowed per person. There is no cost to enter.

A winning poem will be determined by a local poet of note, to be named soon.

The winner will be published online and in print in one of our April issues.

The contest is not open to Xpress employees or freelance contributors.

• 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 10amnoon - Volunteer to deliver food boxes to homebound people living with HIV/AIDS. Registration: 828252-7489 ext.315 or wncapvolunteer@ wncap.org.

For more volunteering opportunities visit mountainx.com/ volunteering

Contact Alli Marshall at amarshall@mountainx.com with any questions MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

49

GREEN SCENE

TREE TALES

Dogwood Alliance boosts diverse voices for forest preservation

BY KIM DINAN dinankim@gmail.com It’s not quite accurate to say that Daniel White, better known as “The Blackalachian,” had never before spent a night outdoors before embarking on the Appalachian Trail. A few days prior to beginning the nearly 2,200-mile trek, he pitched a tent and slept in his backyard, his first taste of the life he would experience for the next five months.

As an Asheville native and selfdescribed “goldmouth rapper” who grew up in the historically AfricanAmerican neighborhood of Shiloh, White says he had “no idea” about what awaited him in the wilderness. But in January 2017, when he posted a simple query on Facebook in frustration with political divisiveness — “I wonder if I could survive in the woods?” — a challenge from his cousin to “Go hike the Appalachian Trail” planted the seed for a radical change of pace.

White recently shared his unlikely path to the woods with the Dogwood Alliance as the latest entry in the conservation nonprofit’s Stories Happen in Forests video series (avl.mx/5n7).

According to Amanda Rodriguez, the Asheville-based organization’s marketing director, the short films help viewers realize the importance of wild places beyond the usual environmentalist talking points.

“People have a lot of unexpected, surprising, beautiful and heartwarming stories that happen in the forest,” Rodriguez says. “It’s not just about acres and clean water and deforestation: It’s also about the really unique human connection that people have with forests.”

The series, launched in April 2017, highlights the diversity of those stories by featuring speakers of different ages, races and life backgrounds. In one video, for example, Noah Davis explains how he struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism before entering wilderness-based therapy at the now-closed Four Circles Recovery Center in Henderson County.

“The woods are more than just somewhere to go fish, hunt or play,” says Davis. “It’s where I can go and my brain stops spinning.”

In another entry, local fifth-grader Lila Finlay shares how her participation in Muddy Sneakers, a Brevard-based environmental education program, helps 50

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

TRAIL HEAD: “The Blackalachian,” Asheville native Daniel White, shares his experience as a hiking neophyte on the Appalachian Trail as part of the Dogwood Alliance’s Stories Happen in Forests series. Photo courtesy of the Dogwood Alliance her understand the real-world basis of what she learns in science class. Yet another video focuses on the reprieve that retired environmental biologist JC Woodley found in the woods after being diagnosed with polio as a child.

This variety of voices stands out, says Emily Zucchino, Dogwood Alliance’s community network manager, when compared to the historically white and exclusionary environmental movement. “This movement has suffered by failing to bring in the diverse expertise and diverse voices that it needs to be successful,” she says.

White agrees that representation is critical for encouraging a broader base of forest advocates. “You won’t go to a place where you don’t feel welcomed or you don’t see anyone that looks like you,” he says. “That’s not on one single person; I’m not putting the burden on all white people and saying, ‘You need to make it more inclusive.’ I’m just saying, representation matters.”

The hiker notes that race did play a role in his journey along the Appalachian Trail. From daily microaggressions like being asked why black people don’t hike to being driven from a campsite by men “howling like wolves” just a mile south of the Mason-Dixon line, White’s experi-

ences made him question if the woods were an inclusive space.

But by documenting his own hike on YouTube and Instagram, as well as sharing the story with Dogwood Alliance, White hopes to shift the impressions that people of color have about the outdoors. “Nine times out of 10, it’s good people out there,” he says.

Zucchino says that Dogwood Alliance will continue to make new videos that represent the full spectrum of people who use the forest. Additionally, the nonprofit is working on a compilation of its 12 current videos, which it may submit to film festivals or screen together with live storytelling events.

Storytelling, Zucchino says, “taps into something that speaks to people — and not just our traditional base of supporters who are already green allies.” She notes that the video series has become one of the nonprofit’s most popular and powerful promotional efforts.

“Rather than focusing on what can be really depressing and negative around forest destruction and community destruction, [the videos] help us remember that we fight for forests so that people can continue to have stories like this,” Zucchino says. “It’s a beautiful thing that we’re fighting for.” X

FOOD

SOUND BITES

Local podcasts tell the stories of WNC’s food and farming scenes

BY KIM WINTER MAKO kwint69@hotmail.com Asheville’s food scene continues to explode with farmers markets, restaurants, coffee shops and breweries, so it makes sense that food podcasts would rise like artisan bread out of our creative culinary town. There aren’t many, but the shows that exist explore interests for foodies, farmers and cooks, and share informative, humorous and sometimes poignant stories. Here are a few to chew on.

Growing Local Now entering its fourth year, Growing Local is a partnership between Jen Nathan Orris and the Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project. The show airs its roughly fourminute episodes weekly on WNCW. “The stories have really grown,” says Orris. “The first year was local essays. Then it developed into more of an NPR-style radio story.” Orris says her collaboration with ASAP is one of her favorite things she’s done in her professional life.

Her background is in documentary radio production, and her focus, she says, is on storytelling. “I think about each episode as a mini-documentary where I want to convey the feeling of being at this farm or with this person,” she explains. “A narrative arc is important to me: How did they get started with their idea, how did it grow, what did they learn? Sometimes there’s a funny story or two along the way.

Whatever we can fit into four minutes.”

Growing Local is interested in exploring food systems in Western North Carolina through stories of individual farmers, consumers and restaurants as a way to get to the broader theme of how food moves through the region.

ASAP has deep connections with farmers and often helps guide Orris to stories, but she does the reporting, writes a script and works with ASAP to finalize wording and focus.

Ambient sounds play a large role, says Orris, in grounding the listener with a sense of place. In the episode titled “Harvesting Rice at Lee’s One Fortune Farm,” we hear the recorded sound of her shoes glopping through mud as rice farmer Tou Lee warns, “In some places, the water will get up to your ankle; it’s very mucky.”

KITCHEN CONVERSATIONS: For their podcast, Skillet, Cass Herrington, left, and Jen Nathan Orris interview farmers, chefs and activists in their kitchens while cooking a meal. “Sometimes storytellers open up about family, identity and even loss,” says Herrington. “Some episodes are humorous, while others might require a tissue.” Photo by Rich Orris Episodes air weekly at 8:50 a.m.

Monday on WNCW and can also be found on SoundCloud and iTunes. Learn more at asapconnections.org/category/ radio-broadcasts.

Skillet Orris also has a hand in Skillet, a new podcast about food, memory and the flavors that bind us together. The creators describe it as a cross between oral history and a cooking show and developed it from a belief that the best conversations happen around the table and sharing stories while dinner is being prepared.

Orris co-hosts the show with Cass Herrington. “We pass the microphone over to storytellers in their home kitchens,” says Herrington. “We step back, listen and share a delicious meal.

Sometimes storytellers open up about family, identity and even loss. Some episodes are humorous, while others might require a tissue.”

Skillet drops biweekly, with each episode running about 30 minutes. Four of the first season’s eight episodes have aired, and the rest will continue to post every other Tuesday.

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Orris had the original idea for Skillet but says that when she met Herrington, “I realized what a tremendous asset she would be. We have puzzle-piece personalities: She’s outgoing and extroverted, while I find joy in the editing process.”

Herrington was a radio producer and reporter in Kentucky before moving to Asheville recently for her husband’s medical job. She Googled “radio reporters Asheville” and found Orris, who she then blindly emailed for advice on freelancing.

Once Herrington arrived and met Orris in person, “there was this immediate conversation that felt age-old. We formed a fast friendship,” says Herrington.

Storytellers on the show are “farmers, grandmothers, chefs, activists and anyone who stirs a pot,” says Orris. Something Herrington and Orris had in common was a frustration with food media. “We want to hear from people with a different experience,” says Herrington. “People who didn’t necessarily go to culinary school but are passionate about something.”

“Part of our mission is to foster an inclusive space, a platform to help shine a spotlight on more types of voices and stories,” Orris adds.

In one episode, Louisville, Ky., chef Bruce Ucán prepares a dish called tok-sel lima beans while sharing stories about his

mother, his work life beginning at age 11 and racism he faced in his native Mexico.

In another, Leicester farmer Robin Reeves cooks her grandmother’s chicken and dumplings while discussing the farm that’s been in her family for seven generations and the changes they’ve had to make to keep it.

Season one of Skillet focuses on WNC and Kentucky, but the podcast aims to eventually have a national reach. At this point, the project is self-funded, so budget plays a factor, but Orris and Herrington hope to travel more widely in the future.

Find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Radio Public. Learn more at skilletpodcast.com.

The Dirty Spoon The Dirty Spoon is an eclectic audio collage with a musical and literary bent.

Its creator, Jonathan Ammons, describes it as “a radio show and online journal of consumable culture curating the latest in music, essays, memoirs and interviews with chefs, authors, aficionados and aunties from around the world.”

Nine episodes have aired, comprising season one. Season two will resume

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after a short break. The show airs monthly with Ammons and Catherine Campbell co-hosting. Inspiring and thoughtful music selections begin each hour-long show and thread through, “setting the pace and mood for the stories,” says Ammons. He says he considers each show “a custom mixtape of sorts.”

“We want to provide something entertaining, comforting, shed light on things that are hard to talk about and also how food traditions can be simple, beautiful,” Campbell adds.

Dirty Spoon began as a food and beverage blog. Ammons, who writes for several local publications, including Mountain Xpress, was frustrated by the constraints of writing about touchier topics on the Asheville food scene. “I used the blog as a vehicle to publish interviews that had been truncated.

It caught on as a place where service industry people could have their say, chefs, cooks and bartenders could rant and rave,” he explains. Thus, the origin of the show’s name.

Campbell volunteered to help edit.

When she joined full time, and Katrin Dohse came on to illustrate, Dirty Spoon transformed into an online journal. Ammons has a degree in audio engineering, so the transition to radio felt like a natural step, he says. Setting out, they wanted to create something like, “This American Life but for chefs,” says Ammons.

Originally, the focus was local. But now, Campbell says, “It’s rippled outward with an interest in Southern food traditions and the food industry in the face of global change.” Following the natural trajectory of the show, Campbell began to actively seek submissions for content. Now story ideas come from all over the United States.

Ammons handles interviews, music, sound, mixing and production.

Campbell handles editing, website, marketing and sourcing stories. It’s a labor of love. They currently have no funding, although they recently set up a Patreon account. Goals include securing funding and paying contributors.

Episodes air monthly on 103.7-FM WPVM and can be found on Google Podcasts, SoundCloud and iTunes.

Learn more at dirty-spoon.com.

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February 16, 2-5pm, Argentinian Wine Tasting Join us as we sample 6 wines from Argentina showcasing producer Finca Decero.

Tasting fee of $5/person will be refunded with purchase.

5 All Souls Crescent, Asheville NC 28803 (Off-street parking in rear of building) (828) 552-3905 • ashevillewinesalon.com

AVL Food Fans AVL Food Fans arrived early on the scene in June 2015 with hosts Stu Helm and chef Joe Scully. The hourlong show stopped production in October 2017, but 88 episodes are still available online. Find those at spreaker.com/ show/avl-food-fans. X

SMALL BITES

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

Affairs of the heart

SWEET LOVE: French Broad Chocolate and several other local restaurants, breweries and nonprofits are offering a variety of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Photo by Eliza Bell Photography; courtesy of French Broad Chocolate In the 1987 comedy The Princess Pride, Billy Crystal’s character, Miracle Max, declares: “Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice MLT — mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich. When the mutton is nice and lean, and the tomato is ripe — they’re so perky. I love that.”

Alas, it appears our fine local eateries have overlooked the MLT option for this year’s Valentine’s Day celebration. Still, there are plenty of other unique ways to observe the holiday.

Below are some Valentine’s Dayrelated events taking place in and around Asheville.

course meal prepared by chef Clarence Robinson from Cooking with Comedy Catering and chef Quita Johnson of Ms. Quita’s Kitchen. Highlights from the menu include bang bang shrimp, mango jerk chicken or Hempeh, and red velvet cupcakes.

The fundraiser runs 7-10 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Arthur R. Edington Center, 133 Livingston St. Tickets are $50 for individuals and $90 for couples. To purchase, visit avl.mx/5mn.

Sweethearts Supper

The Grey Eagle will team up with Foothills Brewing and French Broad Chocolate for a pre-Valentine’s Day truffle and beer pairing. The event will feature five pairings, along with discussions led by representatives from the brewery and the chocolate factory.

The pairing runs 3-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave. Tickets are $20. To purchase, visit avl.mx/5mt.

Youth Transformed for Life, a local nonprofit that provides after-school and summer programs for disadvantaged teenagers and young adults re-entering the workforce, will host its fourth annual Sweethearts Supper, Songs & Silent Auction fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 9. The event will feature a four-

Truffles and beer

Rocky Horror Valentine’s Show The weekend before Valentine’s Day, Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. will celebrate with a screening of the original Rocky Horror Picture Show accompanied by a shadow cast performance by the Unexpected Pleasure RHPS Troupe.

Prop bags will be sold at the event for $5. Food and beer will also be available for purchase. Attendees 18 and younger must be accompanied by a guardian.

Rocky Horror Valentine’s Show runs 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co., 675 Merrimon Ave. Tickets are $6. To purchase, visit avl.mx/5mp.

Asheville Truffle Experience Pre-Valentine’s Day celebrations continue with the Asheville Truffle

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FOOD Experience. The full weekend of events will start with a tasting welcome session hosted with chef William Dissen at Market Place Restaurant on Friday, Feb. 8. The following evening, Isa’s Bistro will host a multicourse wine-paired truffle dinner. Additional happenings include a cooking demo, a truffle market and a truffle orchard visit.

Asheville Truffle Experience runs Friday-Sunday, Feb. 8-10. Times, locations and prices vary. For a complete list, visit avl.mx/prty.

All You Need Is Love and Justice Ginger’s Revenge will host All You Need Is Love and Justice, a benefit for Pisgah Legal Services, a local nonprofit that provides free legal advice, pro bono lawyers and community legal services for underserved populations in Western North Carolina. Each guest will receive three small plates from Gan Shan Station and three desserts from French Broad Chocolate, all paired with beverages from Ginger’s Revenge.

The benefit runs 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, at Ginger’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Drive. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple. To purchase, visit avl.mx/5mq.

SWEETHEARTS SUPPER: Youth Transformed for Life will host its fourth annual Sweethearts Supper, Songs & Silent Auction as part of its pre-Valentine’s Day celebration. Photo courtesy of Youth Transformed for Life. feature special Valentine’s Day cocktails, karaoke and a kiss camera. The special cocktail menu will feature concoctions including Silk Panties (gin, Campari, cappelletti, Dolin rouge, rose water, orange blossom and Aquafaba), a chocolate martini (vodka, amontillado sherry, creme de cacao) and Le Pasión (reposed tequila, Luxardo, amaro flora and lemon). Desserts prepared by the Buxton Hall Barbecue bakery will also be available for purchase.

Kiss Cam Karaoke MG Road will host Valentine’s Day Kiss Cam Karaoke. The event will

Valentine’s Day Dinner

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Karaoke runs 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at MG Road, 19 Wall St. For more information, visit avl.mx/5mr.

Valentine’s Day at Jargon Jargon will offer a special prix fixe, four-course Valentine’s Day menu.

Highlights include beet salad, blue crab, braised short ribs and lavender crème brûlée. Guests will also receive half a glass of Champagne. The restaurant’s regular menu will not be available that night.

Dinner runs 5-10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at Jargon, 715 Haywood Road.

Tickets are $75 per person; price does not include gratuity, additional alcohol or sales tax. To make a reservation, visit avl.mx/5ms.

LaZoom’s Love Bus LaZoom will host a Valentine’s Day bus ride featuring live music by Lyric, Champagne and treats from French Broad Chocolate and Poppy Popcorn.

The event will also include a comedy performance piece featuring the late, great Julia Child at the Wedge at Foundation The Love Bus runs 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, leaving from the LaZoom Room, 76 Biltmore Ave. Tickets are $40 per person. The ride is for ages 21 and older.

For more, visit avl.mx/5mw.

Festival of Sweetness Lookout Brewing Co. will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Festival of Sweetness. Guests are encouraged to bring a dessert treat to share, and Lookout will provide a sundae bar and classic treats, including root beer floats. All are welcome, including children and dogs.

The sweetness runs 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at Lookout Brewing Co., 103 S. Ridgeway Ave., Black Mountain. For more, visit avl.mx/5mx.

Crêperie & Café dinner Crêperie & Café will host a private Valentine’s Day dinner with a threecourse menu featuring such dishes as avocado arancini, Genoa salami and ham, and tiramisu crumble. The dinner also includes a choice of wine and a glass of sparkling Lamarca Prosecco.

The dinner runs 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at Crêperie & Café, 113 N. Main St., Weaverville. Tickets are $100 per couple. Seating is limited. Reservations are required. Call 828-484-9448.

Silver and Cherry’s Prime Rib Fantasy East Fork pottery factory will host a five-course Valentine’s Day dinner prepared by chef Silver Cousler with natural wines selected by wine

expert Cherry locovozzi. The menu will feature prime rib carved tableside, and there will be a mini-photo session for couples.

Silver & Cherry’s Prime Rib Fantasy dinner begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at East Fork Factory, 531 Short McDowell Ave. Tickets are $120 per person. Visit avl.mx/5n0.

Valentine’s Prix Fixe at Rezaz Rezaz will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a prix fixe three-course dinner. Menu highlights include Lebanese lobster and rice bisque, raw tenderloin tartare and smoked duck breast.

Dinner runs 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at Rezaz, 28 Hendersonville Road. Tickets are $49 per person. To make reservations, call 828-277-1510.

Visit avl.mx/5nd.

Le Vine Noir The Conundrum Speakeasy will host A Valentine’s Edition: Le Vine Noir, Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 14-17.

The event includes Champagne, chocolate and a comedy wine tasting in the dark.

Le Vine Noir runs Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 14-17, at Conundrum, 1 Battle Square. Times vary. Tickets are $45 per person. Visit avl.mx/5my.

Candlelight supper The Historic Johnson Farm will host a candlelight supper on Friday, Feb. 15. The evening will include a tour that explores the farm’s summer boarder experience between the years 1913-58.

Dinner, prepared by chef Lisa Wilson of Savory Thyme Personal Chef, will

include pork tenderloin with herbed cream sauce, scalloped tomatoes, corn fritters and maple pecan green beans.

Dessert will include pound cake and ice cream.

The candlelight supper begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at the Historic Johnson Farm, 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville. Tickets are $100 per couple. Seating is limited. For reservations, call 828-891-6585 or email jfarm@ hcpsnc.org. For details, visit avl.mx/5mz.

Valentine dance and silent auction On Saturday, Feb. 16, Delta House Life Development of Asheville Inc. will present Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler, a valentine dance and silent auction at the YMI Cultural Center. The event will feature music by DJ Andre Simone along with hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine.

The dance and silent auction run 7:3011:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at the YMI Cultural Center, 39 Market St. Tickets are $55. To purchase, visit avl.mx/5ne.

Sunil’s Indian Supper

local, ingredient driven cuisine. since 1979

NOW TAKING VALENTINE’S DAY RESERVATIONS 3 Course Prix Fixe Menu for $65 per person 20 Wall St. (828) 252-4162 www.marketplace-restaurant.com

Once the last of the heart-shaped chocolates have been consumed, West End Bakery will help ease you out of your sugar-high love fest with Sunil’s Indian Supper. The dinner will feature sunchoke pav bhaji (savory veggie curry with fluffy toasted bread); dal tadka with greens, makai tikki (corn fritters) masala yogurt and turmeric pickle; Carolina Gold Rice, pork vindaloo, egg, kuchumbar (salad) and papadam; and chocolate terrine. Participants are asked to bring their own beverages.

Supper runs 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at West End Bakery, 757 Haywood Road. Tickets are $26. To purchase, visit avl.mx/5na. X

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CAROLINA BEER GUY

FOOD

by Tony Kiss | avlbeerguy@gmail.com

Beyond Beer City It’s a long haul from Asheville to Taiwan, but that’s the journey one of Western North Carolina’s earliest craft brewing pioneers has taken.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Jonas Rembert opened two of the city’s first four breweries: Benefit Brewing, the operation at Jack of the Wood pub that became Green Man Brewery, followed by French Broad River Brewing Co. (now French Broad River Brewery) near Biltmore Village.

Then in 2007, he walked away from craft brewing and relocated to China and then Taiwan to begin a new life teaching English as a second language.

“I just took a short break. I was going to take a 7 1/2-month [teaching] contract in China,” Rembert says in a phone interview from his home. “And I think that was 11-1/2 years ago.”

Rembert soon met his Taiwanese wife Ai Ping Chen, and their son Chevalier Rembert is now 9 years old.

The former brewer seems completely

KEEPING IN TOUCH

LEGEND ABROAD: Jonas Rembert, who started two of Asheville’s first breweries, now teaches English in Taiwan. Photo courtesy of Rembert comfortable in his current situation, an ocean away from the craft beverage scene he helped create and build.

Now, he’s written a book about his life in and out of beer, Starlight in a Glass: Home Brewing as an Existential Journey. The ebook covers Rembert’s life from his days following the Grateful Dead to brewing to his current life in Taiwan. It is available online through most major ebook retailers.

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“At first, teaching was a way to have a working vacation, to earn a living,” he says. “I found I have a real passion for it.

Teaching is something I’ve been interested in. I really needed a break from the beer business and from North Carolina, where I had spent my whole life.”

Rembert works in an elementary school. “It’s a school like any other,” he says. “You can get the students at different levels. They’ve all had a little bit of exposure [to English].”

Though he’s now well-versed in the teaching routine and speaks enough Chinese to “understand everything that’s going on,” Rembert says he was initially “scared to death” of the assignment. His students speak Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese, a southern Chinese dialect.

“On the surface, you’re teaching them to read and write and grammar skills — but you’re getting kids to think,” Rembert says. “Taiwan has a somewhat rigid edu-

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Asheville brewing pioneer Jonas Rembert pursues new adventures overseas

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cational system. These kids are doing 40-60 hours a week of classes and homework. When you teach them in a different way, from a Western perspective, you get them to think and expose them to things like art and culture that they would have never seen before.”

Rembert lives in the central Taiwanese city of Taichung, the population of which currently totals 2.7 million. “Life is very laid-back,” he says. “Even in a big city, people have very country attitudes.

You’ll see older people walking in the middle of the street or riding their bicycles in traffic, like [it was] 50 years ago, not acknowledging that the world has changed around them.”

He continues, “We live in a traditional neighborhood and can walk across the street to a modern grocery store. But we can walk 10 minutes to a traditional market, which is like going back 100 years.

There’s an element there that I find rich and exciting.”

While Rembert is long removed from his brewing days, what he learned in that business continues to serve him today as an educator. “You have to be completely patient and control many thing at once,” he says. “On any given brew day, you would have six different things going on — a host of things. Managing your classroom can be like that. You have students with different needs [and] different methods that they respond to.”

Rembert has maintained friendships and admiration in the Asheville beer scene. Among his local friends is Scott Pyatt, co-founder of Catawba Brewing Co., who traveled to New York with Rembert to purchase the brewing equipment that went into French Broad River Brewing Co. “We had a lot of fun in the early days,” Pyatt says. “I met him before he made his first batch of beer [in 1997 at Jack of the Wood]. We had no mutual friends, but we liked each other. He had a little 7-barrel system. It was oldschool, but I thought it was fancy.”

They also went to beer festivals together. “That’s the way it was 20 years ago,” he says. “We were a small group of people.”

Mike Rangel, president of Asheville Brewing Co., purchased the first keg of beer sold by French Broad. “In those days, you needed a strong personality — and Jonas was always a big thinker,” Rangel says. “He had a lot of confidence in himself. He’s a very selfmotivated person and a smart guy.”

Another cohort was Ben Pierson, who brewed at Green Man and Lexington Avenue Brewery before starting his own Swamp Rabbit Brewery in nearby Travelers Rest, S.C. Pierson helped off-load the equipment at French Broad.

“Jonas loved the business,” he says.

“He was driven. Like all of us, he felt he made the best beer on the planet — or he was going to try.”

While his fellow industry pioneers continue to grow the Asheville area’s brewing scene, Rembert enjoys a decent variety of beer in Taiwan. “The Belgians have a micromarket here,” he says. “If you go to your convenience store, it’s mostly your mainstream Taiwanese or Japanese beer, or Budweiser and Heineken. There are a few breweries on the island.”

Rembert says he has not homebrewed in Taiwan — mostly because the warm weather makes it difficult — but misses the work and frequently craves sour beer.

“I’m going to have to come back to Asheville as a tourist and walk around the city and do a pub crawl,” he says.

“I’m happy to have been a part of that early scene, but I’ve moved on to new and exciting things.” X

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CAROLINA BEER GUY

by Tony Kiss | avlbeerguy@gmail.com

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Guidon Brewing Co. opens in Hendersonville

Is Hendersonville getting its own version of Asheville’s South Slope brewing district?

Though the numbers aren’t quite on the level of its Buncombe County neighbors, a small cluster of breweries has set up shop in the modestly sized downtown’s Seventh and Eighth Avenue area. The latest player is Guidon Brewing Co., next door to Southern Appalachian Brewery and one street over from Triskelion Brewing Co. Guidon takes its name from a type of military flag, which inspired the brewery’s logo. The operation is owned by Connie and Mike Baer, the latter of whom was a homebrewer for 15 years and had a career in the U.S. Army.

“When I was leaving the Army, I was honestly having a hard time finding a job because I didn’t have any industry experience,” Baer says. “I was living

NOW POURING: Guidon Brewing Co. co-owner and U.S. Army veteran Mike Baer named the brewery after a military flag. Image courtesy of Guidon Brewing Co. down in Georgia, and a friend of mine was in the beer industry. He suggested I open a brewery.”

The Baers started scouting locations, beginning with a recommendation to check out Gatlinburg, Tenn.

Mike had also heard about Asheville from a colleague, information that wound up coming in handy.

“Gatlinburg was not what we were looking for,” he says. “On our way back to Georgia, we saw the [highway] sign for Asheville, so we stopped and liked what we saw. We hit a few breweries and decided it was a place worth looking into.”

Rather than join the busy Asheville beer scene, the Baers picked Hendersonville for their brewery. At first, however, Mike wasn’t excited about being next to the long-established Southern Appalachian.

“We didn’t want to seem too aggressive or threatening,” he says.

“But the condition of the building was right, the cost was right, and this is an up-and-coming part of town. We made it a point to go to [Southern Appalachian] to tell them [of our plans]. The other breweries in town have been more than helpful to us.”

Guidon is brewing on a 3.5-barrel system. The brewery opened Jan. 16 58

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

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with a porter, stout, pale ale, IPA and a cream ale. Baer eventually wants to add lagers, which will be crafted

by Dustin Griffin, formerly of One World Brewing. Baer is also looking at some limited self-distribution.

“We’re not a brewery that will make 20 different beers,” he says.

“We’ll have eight to nine yearround beers and a couple of rotating seasonal selections.”

The Baers have created what Mike calls a “cozy, inviting atmosphere” for their taproom. They built a deck, and there’s a loft with couches and chairs. There’s also a dedicated dart space, live music on weekends and a Tuesday open mic night on the horizon.

As for deciphering Guidon’s logo, the “B” stands for Baer, the “4” represents the couple and their two children, and the “2” reflects the family union of the U.S. and Connie Baer’s homeland of Germany.

Guidon Brewing Co. is at 415 Eighth Ave. E., Hendersonville. Tasting room hours during the winter are 4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, noon10 p.m. Saturday and noon-9 p.m.

Sunday. The tasting room is closed Mondays. For more details, visit guidonbrewing.com. X

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

EVERY POEM IS A LOVE POEM Nickole Brown, Jessica Jacobs and Melissa Crowe launch collections of verse

BY ALLI MARSHALL amarshall@mountainx.com Poets Nickole Brown and Jessica Jacobs chose to move to Asheville from Little Rock, Ark., because “the writing community is absolutely fantastic. Malaprop’s [alone] had enough gravity to pull us there,” says Brown.

Jacobs adds, “We had these beautiful opportunities at the different [literary] series to try out [our] poems in earlier drafts and see how they live in the air, and to revise them based on that.”

Those poems are now being released in the form of Brown’s chapbook To Those Who Were Our First Gods, about her work with and observations of animals; and Jacobs’ collection Take Me with You, Wherever You’re Going, which juxtaposes her coming of age in Florida with her marriage to Brown. They will launch those works — along with fellow poet Melissa Crowe, who shares her new book, Dear Terror, Dear Splendor — at Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Asheville campus on Saturday, Feb. 9.

Crowe’s poetry collection also tells the story of her marriage. It “tracks my move from North to South with my Texas-born husband; when we were deciding on what neutral, congenial ground we could live and thrive together, we picked Asheville,” she explains. “I wrote so much of the book there — it provided a crucial remove from the landscape (both inner and outer) of my childhood and young adulthood.” Crowe is now a lecturer and MFA program coordinator at UNC Wilmington.

Following the Lenoir-Rhyne event, Brown and Jacobs will embark on an extensive book tour — their second in tandem. And while it’s kismet that their books were published at the same time, the pair often travel together to teach at various literary events. “Especially when we’re able to get in front of younger audiences, [often] it’s the only time they’ve seen an out couple together,” says Jacobs.

When she was a young person coming to understand her own sexuality, “the couple of women I knew, who

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MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME: In Asheville, “I get to be my fully adult, queer, artist self,” says Nickole Brown, left. “And be Southern,” adds Brown’s wife, Jessica Jacobs, center. “I make cornbread … hell, yeah, I make it in a cast-iron skillet,” Brown says. The two share a triple poetry book launch with fellow writer Melissa Crowe, right. Author photos, from left, by Joli Livaudais, Lily Darragh and Mark Crowe

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let me know the life I wanted was possible … along with books, is what saved me.”

Those in-person encounters with readers and listeners bring many opportunities to relate. “I love it when I’m able to deliver a poem and someone who perhaps doesn’t read poetry at all will come up to me and say, ‘I didn’t know a poem could do that.’ …

It’s really what feeds me through those long hours alone at my desk,” says Brown. “If I can write something that creates that kind of connection, it’s not just me navel-gazing.”

Dedicated researchers, Brown and Jacobs use their tours to delve more deeply into subjects of interest. Plus, “We try to pick something unique in each place we visit,” Jacobs says.

Speaking to Xpress while in Florida for a literary festival, the two were planning to visit a bird sanctuary and wooden roller coaster with another poet friend.

On another trip to Florida, Jacobs visited her childhood home with its lakeside dock, a site often revisited in Take Me with You, Wherever You’re Going. In the poem “13th birthday and something told me to wake early,” Jacobs captures the ache and longing of puberty from that dock: “If fear / is metal in the mouth; desire, burnt sugar on the tongue; what was the taste / of that day? Of that fish-jumped, sunstunned morning?”

There’s an element of personal evolution to Crowe’s book, too: During the 20 years that her poems span, “I birthed and raised a daughter,” she says. “Those early poems are about pregnancy, childbirth and nursing an infant” while the final poem is dedicated to Crowe’s daughter, Annabelle, on her 18th birthday.

“I feel like these two facts combined — how long it took to write the poems and how they tell the whole story of mothering a child from the

womb to the ‘empty nest,’ combine to make the collection a coming-ofage story in a kind of special way,” she says. “I also reach back into memory and tell some stories of my own upbringing in rural northern Maine. … Like anyone who writes, I think I’m trying to sift the gold — or spin the gold? To reckon and render in equal measure.”

Crowe adds, “So many of the poems are elegies, but every single poem is a love poem.”

A similar statement could be made of Jacobs’ work. While her identity is intricately linked to Florida, that state is also a place she longed to escape.

Her writing about the cold, gray environs and isolation of New York City, where she escaped to, is equally as vibrant and image-drenched. Though she’s also an essayist, the poems of Jacobs’ new collection — at once narrative and lyrical — read like the

The

most natural expression of the story she shares.

Brown studied fiction while working on her MFA. “I love story. It’s my point of origin — but I don’t necessarily believe in plot,” she says with a laugh.

Poetry seems a foregone conclusion for her, too, though after a friend posed the question, “What would you have been if not a writer?” Brown found herself responding, “A zoologist.” She then purchased 75 books about animals, and Jacobs gave her a season pass to the zoo in Little Rock, where Brown showed up so often the trainers invited her into the enclosures to feed the animals.

“When we moved [to Asheville] … I got in touch with all the animal organizations to see if they needed help. Most of them needed help scooping poop,” Brown says. “I just wanted to be near the animals.” After a shift at Animal Haven of Asheville, she spends an hour sitting in her car writing down all that she’s seen and heard and smelled.

The results, in To Those Who Were Our First Gods, include the sensoryrich “The Scat of It,” elevating feces to something transcendent: “A stench maybe for us but for everything else,” she writes, “a bouquet of gratitude.”

“There’s something about getting to know the animals and the life that’s right there in my own home that has become the most important to me,” says Brown, who was raised in Kentucky.

These days, she finds herself writing about the hellbender salamander and the Eastern woodrat, “which is literally almost extinct now.”

The animal world, she continues, “is not something I have to turn on a nature show to see.” And, through poetry, not something she has to be a zoologist to write about. X

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WHAT Launch party for books

by Nickole Brown, Jessica Jacobs and Melissa Crowe WHERE Lenoir-Rhyne University Asheville Campus 36 Montford Ave. second-floor boardroom WHEN Saturday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. Free. avl.mx/5ln

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A&E

by Bill Kopp

bill@musoscribe.com

TAJ MAHAL’S AMERICAN EPIC In addition to being an accomplished and often awarded musician, Taj Mahal established himself years ago as one of music’s foremost cultural historians. Not simply an entertainer and performer, he creates genrespanning music that embodies his commitment to the study, honor and preservation of indigenous styles of music. Taj Mahal returns to Asheville on Saturday, Feb. 16, for a concert with his trio at Isis Music Hall.

One of the earliest and most prominent musicians to be tagged with the world-music label, Taj Mahal has been making albums as a solo artist since 1968. Before that, he was a member of an overlooked band called the Rising Sons, featuring fellow musical folklorist/archivist Ry Cooder. Mahal’s approach to music has always found him with one foot in the present and the other firmly planted in exploration of the past.

He expresses a deep appreciation, too, for the music of Appalachia.

Asheville and Western North Carolina are frequently on his tour itineraries, whether he’s playing solo, with his Phantom Blues Band, or — as for the upcoming Isis date — with longtime associates Kester Smith on drums and bassist Bill Rich in the Taj Mahal Trio.

Mahal compares audiences in the region to what he encounters elsewhere. “We play all over the South, and it’s just different,” he says. “People have manners. Folks come to dance; they come to have a nice time.”

He recalls a specific memory: “Some cloggers — both black and white — got up there and really just threw down,” he says. The spontaneous and unplanned act of audience members dancing deeply resonat-

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The legendary musician returns to Asheville with his trio

THAT’S WHO I AM: Taj Mahal, center, is a songwriter, musician, folklorist and historian. One of the first recording artists to explore world music, his music reflects his keen interest in the history and culture surrounding American music forms. The Taj Mahal Trio plays Isis Music Hall on Feb. 16. Photo by Taylor Crothers

MOUNTAINX.COM

ed with the musician. “When you’re playing the music, you hope that it’s inspiring people to feel that way about it. And it’s a lot of fun to see people still keeping that tradition up. I really enjoy it.”

In 2017, Mahal’s interest in the history of recorded music led him to involvement with filmmaker Bernard MacMahon’s The American Epic Sessions, a documentary exploring the little-known origins of the first electrical sound recording device. That groundbreaking machine has a connection to Western North Carolina: It was used

to capture a performance of “I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground” in 1928

by Mars Hill musician Bascom Lamar Lunsford, known as the “Minstrel of the Appalachians.”

For MacMahon’s film and soundtrack album, Mahal cut three songs recorded by a modern-day reconstruction of the device. He came away from the experience with a greater appreciation for its place in history. “Everyone who listens to music today, their ability to hear [recorded] music goes back to that particular machine,” he says. “It completely changed the way people

listened,” because prior to its invention, unless witnessing live musical performances, people were limited to their imagination. He quotes the film’s narrator, Robert Redford: “It was the first time American heard itself.”

In an even wider sense, Taj Mahal values music for its ability to bridge cultural differences. “I’ll give you an example,” he offers. “Years ago, I worked on a big dairy farm. I milked 70 Holstein cows twice a day by myself, carried the milk and everything. The family was French-Canadian and English, and the grandfather came to

me one day and asked me did I know a song called ‘Jole Blon.’ He said that it was the national anthem of the Cajuns, the Acadian French.” Mahal wasn’t familiar with the tune, but in future years he would hear various live and recorded versions of “Jole Blon.”

During the making of The American Epic Sessions, Mahal learned more about the song and its origins in a 1929 recording by Cajun trio the Breaux Brothers. “That’s the kind of stuff that I took away from that [experience,]” says Mahal. “That’s really fabulous, American folklore and deep culture.

When you’re trying to figure out what American culture is, well, it’s going to be a mosaic with lots of people contributing to it.”

Mahal continues to contribute to the music of the Americas — and world music — himself. To date, he has released more than 30 albums, including collaborations with indigenous musicians from India, Hawaii and Africa. His most recent release is 2017’s Grammy-winning TajMo, a collaboration with Keb’ Mo’.

With the trio, Mahal plays guitar, piano and banjo. And while audiences are likely to hear his betterknown tunes, “Fishin’ Blues” from

1969’s Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home among them, a Taj Mahal show maintains an element of unpredictability.

“I’ve never done a set list,” he says. “I don’t have to turn around and call the name of a song; they can usually tell by what notes I start warming up on, is where we’re going to go.

“I get up there and feel the music, and, it goes from that. Sure, I’ll do a song I know people like, as long as people are really responding to it. And if they don’t particularly respond to it,” he says with a laugh, “there are a whole lot of other tunes.” X

WHO Taj Mahal Trio WHERE Isis Music Hall 745 Haywood Road isisasheville.com WHEN Saturday, Feb. 16, 8:30 p.m. sold out at press time

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A&E

by Paul Clark

paul2011clark@gmail.com

FOR A LAUGH Comedy has had an up-anddown history in Asheville. “This is a big experiment for us,” says Pola Laughlin, Renaissance Asheville Hotel sales director. “But there are so many comedy acts here in Asheville, at smaller events, all kinds of bars and breweries.

There’s a market for it. We’re going to cross our fingers.”

So, the Renaissance Asheville Hotel decided to go all in for two nights of comedy Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8 and 9.

Renaissance Comedy Weekend will feature nationally touring standup comedians who have appeared on shows such as “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Last Comic Standing,” “Conan,” “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Late Show with David Letterman.” There will be three comics each night, plus an emcee. The Saturday closer, Michael Palascak, a finalist on “Last Comic Standing,” has performed on every late-night show.

The other comics scheduled to appear are Rocky Dale Davis, Mia Jackson, Brent Blakeney, Andy Hendrickson, Caitlin Peluffo and Grant Lyon. Peluffo, Davis and Jackson have made national TV appearances in recent weeks.

This year, the Asheville Comedy Festival celebrated its 12th anniversary, and the LaZoom Comedy Tours have been rolling around greater downtown for years. But there is currently no comedy club in town like the Asheville Comedy Club, formerly located on Biltmore Avenue, which closed in 2003. The Grove Park Inn has scaled back its late-winter Comedy Classic

GOOD HUMOR: Mia Jackson, top left, who has appeared on “Last Comic Standing” and opened for Amy Schumer, shares trenchant observations about dating, dealing with your boyfriend’s roommates and what it’s like to be tall (she’s 6 feet), which are dead-on and hilarious. “You can tell she’s been funny since she was a little bitty thing,” says Pola Laughlin of the Renaissance Asheville Hotel, where the two-night Renaissance Comedy Weekend will take place. Also, pictured, clockwise from top right, are comedians Grant Lyon, Caitlin Peluffo and Michael Palascak. Photos courtesy of the comedians

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Renaissance Comedy Weekend brings nationally touring acts to Asheville

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Weekend to one night (March 16 this year). The Orange Peel occasionally has comedy shows, and, while The Funny Business Comedy Club at the S&W Cafeteria Building is no more, the Funny Business Agency — the company supplying the comics for the Renaissance Comedy Weekend — produces comedy shows at The Grey Eagle.

Both of the Feb. 8 and 9 shows will be “clean,” Laughlin says. “What you don’t want to have is edgy. [Edgy] is funny, but for people in a hotel, that’s not what you want to bring your family to. Mia Jackson, she’s totally hilarious. You can tell she’s

been funny since she was a little bitty thing.”

Jackson, who appeared on “Last Comic Standing,” is particularly hot right now. She has been opening for Amy Schumer in big venues all over the country, and this year she’ll have her own half-hour special on Comedy Central.

Jackson is that person you wish worked in your office (which she did, as a corporate trainer before becoming a comedian five years ago). Her trenchant observations about dating, dealing with your boyfriend’s roommates and what it’s like to be tall (she’s 6 feet) are dead-on and hilarious. She’s best-friend material —

warm, funny, sympathetic, someone who makes it easy to laugh at scary things like breaking up and receiving inappropriate gifts.

The comedian pulls tidbits like these out of thin air, she tells Xpress. Sometimes she sets aside a block of time to write new material. But often, she jots her experiences down just after they happen to her. Or after she tells a story to a friend.

“One of my girlfriends,” she says, “if I call her with some dramatic news and I’m going on about how I’m going to fall apart, she’s laughing the whole time. I’ll go, ‘I am having a problem here.’ And she’ll say, ‘I know, but it’s funny.’”

Jackson’s humor is personal, she says. “I try to make it relatable to everybody. Everyone has a relationship issue, whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Even if my thing didn’t happen to you, you might think there’s a crazy connection to what happened to you the other day.”

Making comedy out of personal moments helps her — all of us, really — deal with the pain, Jackson believes. Some of the things she talks about onstage are things she thought she’d never share publicly.

But when she does, “it takes the sting off things,” she says.

“The joke I do about getting pulled over by police, which we know is a thing that is happening right now, I decided when it happened multiple times in six months, let me talk about this and inject some humor so I can show that I am being pulled over for a ridiculous reason. It’s like saying to people, ‘Lighten up.’” X

WHAT Renaissance Comedy Weekend avl.mx/5mm WHERE Renaissance Asheville Hotel 31 Woodfin St. WHEN Friday, Feb. 8, and Saturday, Feb. 9, 8-10:30 p.m. $25 general each night/$35 VIP

THEATER REVIEW

by Jeff Messer | upstge@yahoo.com

‘Bop And Evey’ at HART

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH 7:30PM

ERIKA WENNERSTROM (OF HEARTLESS BASTARDS)

743 HAYWOOD RD • 828-575-2737 ISISASHEVILLE.COM FAMILY DYNAMICS: Erin McCarson, left, as Evelyn, reunites with her brother Rob, played by David Yeates, right, over Christmas. Unresolved emotional issues flare between them in the international debut of the Irish play Bop and Evey. Photo by John Highsmith The Feichter Studio at Haywood Arts Regional Theatre has been an actordriven space since its inception. Studio shows are typically more experimental, edgier and often quirkier fare — in other words, things that a theater company would not put on its mainstage during the summer. Fitting that bill is an Irish play called Bop and Evey, onstage through Sunday, Feb. 10.

Actor and director David Yeates came to HART by way of Ireland and has been a key part of the theater for the past three years. It’s his connection to Irish playwright Caoimhin O Rian that led to this show getting on the studio schedule. O Rian’s play grew out of a college course assignment to write a scene in a nonsensical language.

Inspired by the outcome, O Rian crafted a full-length play around that scene.

HART’s production has the distinction of being the first time the show has been produced outside Ireland.

Yeates plays Rob with a comfortable ease. He clearly revels in bringing a character from his homeland to life. Rob is a ne’er-do-well slacker who has somehow wound up back in his parents’ home, trying to sort out his life and find direction.

He’s hapless and has the appearance of a caged animal when the show begins.

Erin McCarson arrives wrapped in winter attire and dragging a heap of luggage behind her. Her Evelyn, unlike Rob, has gone off and made something of her life and seems to be begrudgingly back for Christmas with the family. Along with her suitcases, she also carries a lot of unresolved emotional baggage. McCarson brings a haunting sadness to her performance, yet early on she shows immense comedic chops when she tries to sleep on a far-too-tiny sofa and contorts into a host of configurations in an attempt to get comfortable.

The parents (only seen in photographs on the walls) are away, and Rob has a mostly prepared turkey, awaiting a call from his mother to signal him to finish cooking it in time for the parents’ return. But something is clearly amiss.

Evelyn’s unresolved issues and her fear of confronting her parents leads to some tension between the siblings who slip back into adolescent behavior toward one another. Chaos begins to reign, and the house is turned literally and emotionally upside down, culminating in a game in which they speak a made-up language from their childhood (from where the

names Bop and Evey originate). But the subtext reveals many a secret as to why Evelyn is so terrified of being back there.

The show is a lean, tension-filled piece that gives both actors a chance to run the emotional gamut. Steve Lloyd is credited as director, but he admits that the production is mostly the work of the two actors, with only his consultation.

Such is the way of the studio.

In 22 years of studio productions, HART has earned a loyal following, and most shows sell out quickly. Early reservations are highly recommended. X

Comfort in a Crust

WHAT Bop And Evey WHERE HART Theatre’s Feichter Studio 250 Piegeon St. Waynesville harttheatre.org WHEN Through Sunday, Feb. 10 Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

Sundays at 2 p.m. $13

202 Stone Ridge Blvd • AVL, NC 28804

828.545.0664 potpieshop.com MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

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A&E

by Edwin Arnaudin | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com

Mountain Soul Party In organizing the Mountain Soul Party for the past four years, Juan Holladay has consistently striven for community building by looping in multiple generations of local musicians, representing a range of genres. The Secret B-Sides frontman again hosts the latest celebration of area talent on Sunday, Feb. 10, at Ambrose West. The all-ages show gets underway at 7 p.m. with Asheville Music School youth ensembles Defective Swing and Failure Is an Option. The rest of the bill is composed of a solo performance by Mike Martinez of Natural Born Leaders, a duo set from Jordan Okrend, as well as showcases by female trio Kismet and the Secret B-Sides, with revered vocalist Sidney Barnes. Special guest musicians will also take part in the evening. $8 advance/$10 day of show. ambrosewest.com.

Photo collage by Holladay

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Satsang Hailing from Montana, the three men of Satsang mix together folk rock, soul and hip-hop for a sound that’s earned them opening slots on tours for Michael Franti & Spearhead and Nahko and Medicine for the People. Drawing its name from a Sanskrit word that means “being with the truth,” the band is set to release Kulture, its third full-length studio album, on March 22. Frontman Drew McManus refers to the 11-song collection as “the amalgamation of all of my musical influences, ranging from ’90s hip-hop to ’70s rock.” According to the group’s Facebook page, the second verse of lead single “So Far” was recorded “in a closet in Asheville” after Satsang played The BLOCK Off Biltmore last September. The band returns to town Friday, Feb. 8, at Asheville Music Hall. Local roots rockers Noah Proudfoot and the Botanicals kickstart the evening at 9 p.m. $15. ashevillemusichall.com. Photo by Mark Cluney

Laura Esther Wolfson

QuickChester

Winner of the 2017 Iowa Prize for Literary Nonfiction, Laura Esther Wolfson’s For Single Mothers Working As Train Conductors weaves together memoir, travel writing and essay into a cohesive work. In the collection, the Russian translator hops from Paris to upstate New York to the Republic of Georgia to the United Nations, covering such topics as divorce, boring jobs, battling degenerative lung disease and understanding Judaism.

There’s also the titular essay, which chronicles Wolfson donating contraceptives to a woman in the Soviet Union. She’ll present her latest publication in conversation with Asheville’s own Elizabeth Kostova (The Swan Thieves; The Shadow Land) at Malaprop’s on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. The event was originally slated for last December. Free to attend. malaprops.com. Author photo courtesy of Wolfson

In his Atlanta days, Mark Chester served as the vocalist and percussionist for The Flying Oatsmen, a cover band specializing in jam and funk songs. Upon moving with his family to Asheville slightly more than a decade ago to run Fired Up! Creative Lounge, he put a greater emphasis on growing his guitar and songwriting skills and found a creative partner in local guitarist Paul Quick. The duo began performing as QuickChester, and they have since recruited Kate Barber (flute) and Ed Barber (bass guitar), and now the group is ready to share its debut CD, Cocoon. For the record release show on Sunday, Feb. 10, at The Grey Eagle, Chester has recruited The Flying Oatsmen to help bring the album’s full-band sound to the stage. The show begins at 8 p.m. $10. thegreyeagle.com. Photo courtesy of Chester

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

A & E CALENDAR VALENTINE’S DAY EVENTS ART BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER 120 College St., 828-350-8484, blackmountaincollege. org • WE (2/6), 5-7pm - Get to know the coalition of nonprofits focused on enriching the community. Reservations: avl.mx/5nm. Free.

• WE (2/13), noon-1pm - Explore the Politics exhibition with Connie Bostic, co-curator of the exhibition. Free to attend.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library Through (2/14) Unlimited Valentine making. Kids are welcome to make enough for their whole class or more. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • SA (2/9), 11am12:30pm - Cleaster Cotton leads mixed media art workshop through the Asheville Area Arts Council for veteran families.

Registration: 828258-0710. Free. Held at Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • SA (2/9), 1pm - An open group of artists and budding artists interested in forming an Artist Trading Cards swap. Free. Held at Black Mountain Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain

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HAYWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE Regional High Technology Center, 112 Industrial Park Drive, Waynesville, 828-258-8737 • WE (2/13), 1pm Sarah Rose Lejeune, visiting artist lecture. Free.

HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 86 N Main St., Waynesville, 828-4520593, haywoodarts.org/

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35 E. Walnut St., 828-254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org • MO (2/11) & TU (2/12), 6-9pm - Auditions for Alice in Wonderland.

T SA (2/9), 4-5:30pm

THE CENTER FOR CRAFT 67 Broadway, 828-785-1357, craftcreativitydesign.org/ • Through FR (2/8) Curatorial Fellowship, a yearlong program for emerging craft curators.

Application: avl.mx/5lz.

• Through (2/8) Materials-based research grant encourages mutually-beneficial collaboration between craft and the STEM fields. Application: avl. mx/5m1.

• Through FR (2/8) Windgate Museum Internship for emerging craft curators.

Application: avl.mx/5m0.

- Valentine Wine and Paint Class with Joan Doyle. Registration required. $30/$25 members.

HAYWOOD COUNTY LIBRARY-CANTON 11 Pennsylvania Ave., Canton, 828-648-2924, haywoodlibrary.org • Through (3/31) Ashley Calhoun paintings. Free.

• Through (3/31) Russell Wyatt photography. Free.

ODYSSEY COOPERATIVE ART GALLERY 238 Clingman Ave., 828-285-9700, facebook.com/ odysseycoopgallery • 2nd SATURDAYS, 11am-5pm - "Second Saturday Celebration," event with food, music and artist demonstrations. Free to attend.

PINK DOG CREATIVE 348 Depot St., Suite 101 • SA (2/9), noon-3pm - ‘Pink Puppy,’ an adoption event, fundraiser, and exhibit to benefit Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. Free to attend.

TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 828-859-8322, tryonarts.org • 2nd and 4th TUESDAYS, 10:30am Lectures and discussion in winter and spring.

2nd Tuesday features a lecture on music by Dr. Elizabeth Child.

4th Tuesday discuss great works of art.

Registration required.

Free.

VANCE BIRTHPLACE 911 Reems Creek Road, Weaverville, 838-645-6706, nchistoricsites.org/vance SA (2/9), 9am-5pm Drop-in event to create an 1850s style love letter. Free.

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DANCE

DANCE IT OUT: Asheville Community Theatre’s musical version of the 1984 film Footloose takes you back to the ’80s with its original hits combined with some new songs performed by a cast of 39 singers and dancers from Western North Carolina. The two leads, Ren and Ariel, are played by Asheville newcomers Dillon Giles and Anne Lowell and are joined onstage by married-in-real-life couple Jeff and Missy Stone, who play Reverend Shaw Moore and his wife, Vi. Asheville Community Theatre’s production is directed by Jerry Crouch with musical direction by Lynda Shuler. Footloose opens Friday, Feb. 8, and runs through Sunday, March 3, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Two additional performances are scheduled for Thursday nights Feb. 21 and 28. Tickets are available at ashevilletheatre.org, 828254-1320 or in person at the Asheville Community Theatre Box Office. For opening weekend, all tickets are discounted at $26. Other opening weekend perks include complimentary champagne on opening night, complimentary chocolate on Saturday night and a talk-back with the cast and crew after the Sunday matinee. Tickets are $30 and $15 for those younger than 17. Photo courtesy of Asheville Community Theatre (p. _68)

WAYNESVILLE BRANCH OF HAYWOOD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 678 S. Haywood St., Waynesville, 828-452-5169 • Through (3/31) - Patty Johnson Coulter drawings.

Free.

• Through (3/31) - Jason Woodard paintings. Free.

• Through (3/31) - Molly Harrington-Weaver paintings. Free.

• Through (3/31) - Linda Blount paintings. Free.

ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS ASHEVILLE DESIGNER TOY EXPO (PD.) Unboxing Asheville presents *Assembly Required, the Asheville Designer Toy Expo February 16th and 17th

at Highland Brewing.

Representing brands such as Suckadelic, Killer Bootlegs and Junk Fed Toys, *Assembly Required brings together art toy, bootleg and designer toy artists from across the country, to present and sell their work. $5 entry/ kids ten and under free. *Assembly Required is sponsored by Morgan’s Comic’s, 103.3 Asheville FM and Appalachian Pinball Museum.

OPEN HEARTS ART CENTER 217 Coxe Ave. SA (2/9), 4-7pm Valentine pop up market and paper flower bouquet delivery service for MO (2/11) through WE (2/13), 9am-2pm. $50 for flowers

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and delivery. Opening recep-

tion for A Show of Love.

LEARN TWO-STEP & EAST COAST SWING (PD.) Two 2-hour dance classes: • Saturday, February 9th: “TwoStep & Tacos” at Grey Eagle and • Monday, February 11th: “East Coast Swing” at Wild Wings Café downtown. $20 each. 828-333 0715.

Info, Registration online at Danceforlife.net

AUDITIONS & CALL TO ARTISTS ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE

THE GEEK THE COLLECTOR THE ENTHUSIAST THE FANatic THE connoisseur THE aficionado GET YOUR FIX. VINYL RECORDS, CDS, DVDS

BALLROOM DANCE LESSONS folkmoot.org • MONDAYS through (2/25), 6-7:30pm Ballroom dance lessons.

Registration required. $10. Held at Folkmoot Friendship Center,

112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville HARVEST HOUSE 205 Kenilworth Road, 828-350-2051 • WEDNESDAYS, noon1pm - Intermediate/ advanced contemporary line dancing. $5.

MONDAY NIGHT CONTRA DANCE 828-712-0115, oldfarmersball.com • MONDAYS, 7:3010:30pm - Community contra dance. $7.

Held at The Center for Art and Spirit at St. George's Episcopal Church, 1 School Road OLD FARMER'S BALL oldfarmersball.com • 2nd SUNDAYS, 3-5pm - Family contra/square dances for families with children ages 6-12. All ages welcome. Free.

Held at Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Road

MUSIC AFRICAN DRUM LESSONS AT SKINNY BEATS DRUM SHOP (PD.) Wednesdays 6pm. Billy Zanski teaches a fun approach to connecting with your inner rhythm.

Drop-ins welcome. • Drums provided. $15/ class. (828) 768-2826. skinnybeatsdrums.com ASHEVILLE DRUM CIRCLE • FRIDAYS, 6-9:50pm - Asheville outdoor drum circle. Free. Held at Pritchard Park, 4 College St.

Mr. K’s

BUY • SELL • TRADE

Used Books, CD’s DVD’s & more Over 10,000 SQ FT of used books, CDs, DVDs, collectibles, video games, audio books, vinyl records, comic books & more!

800 Fairview Road Asheville (River Ridge Shopping Center)

299-1145 • www.mrksusedbooks.com MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

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A& E CA LEN DA R FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE 2661 Highway 225, Flat Rock, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • TH (2/14) through SU (2/17) - The Music of the Beatles and Eagles, live music show. Thurs.: 7:30pm. Fri. & Sat.: 8pm Sat. & Sun.: 2pm. $35.

MADSTONE CAFE & CATCHING LIGHT BOOKS 732 Centennial Dr., Suite 5, Cullowhee • TH (2/7), 7-9pm - First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Series featuring three traditional musicians who make up the band Cullowheezer. Free.

PUBSING 828-254-1114 • 2nd SUNDAYS, 4-6pm - Gospel jam and singalong. Free to attend.

Held at Habitat Tavern & Commons, 174 Broadway

SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD ASHEVILLE WRITERS' SOCIAL allimarshall@bellsouth.net • 1st WEDNESDAYS, 6-7:30pm - NC Writer's Network group meeting and networking. Free to attend. Held at Battery Park Book Exchange, 1 Page Ave., #101 BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 180 W Campus Drive, Flat Rock, 828-412-5488, phoenixrisinghealing.com • Through (3/1) - The Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition accepting submissions. Prize and publication in storySouth.

Registration: avl.mx/5lv. $15.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • Through (2/28) - Write a love note about your library to send to the County Commissioners.

All materials provided.

Free. Held at Black Mountain Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain • WEDNESDAYS until (3/20), 4:30pm Beginner's Spanish class for adults with Geri Solomon. Registration required. Free. Held at

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GALLERY DIRECTORY

by Deborah Robertson Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • SA (2/9), 3pm - West Asheville Book Club: How to Stop Time by Matt Haig and/or Life After Life

by Kate Atkinson. Free.

Held at West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Road • TU (2/12), 1pm - Book Club: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

Free. Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • TU (2/12), 6pm - Winter Words, a storytelling program for adults with local storytellers Gwenda Ledbetter and David Novak. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • WE (2/13), 4-5:30pm Join us for creative writing exercises, to meet other writers and to help shape a writer’s community. This month's assignment: write 300-500 words about a childhood memory. Free.

Held at Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road FIRESTORM BOOKS & COFFEE 610 Haywood Road, 828-255-8115, firestorm.coop • 2nd & 4th FRIDAYS, 2:30pm - Wild Words writing group. Free to attend.

• SA (2/9), 3pm - Author Michael Roberto asks us to reconsider the nature of fascism and its American manifestations.

Free to attend.

FLETCHER LIBRARY 120 Library Road, Fletcher, 828-687-1218, library.hendersoncountync.org • 2nd THURSDAYS, 10:30am - Book Club.

Free.

• 2nd THURSDAYS, 1:30pm - Writers' Guild.

Free.

JUBILEE COMMUNITY CHURCH 46 Wall St., 828-252-5335, jubileecommunity.org • WEDNESDAYS (2/6) until (3/13) - Poetry class focused on affirmations.

Information: majoaffirmativepoetry.com. Admission by donation.

MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-254-6734, malaprops.com

MOUNTAINX.COM

• WE (2/6), 6pm - Leonard Pitts, Jr. presents his book The Last Thing You Surrender. Free to attend.

• WE (2/6), 7pm - Jay Jacoby leads a discussion of Improvement by Joan Silber. Free to attend.

• TH (2/7), 6pm - Robert Turner presents his book, Carrots Don't Grow on Trees: Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities. Free to attend.

• MO (2/11), 6pm - Garth Davis, MD, presents his book, Proteinaholic: How Our Obsession with Meat Is Killing Us and What We Can Do about It. Free to attend.

• MO (2/11), 7pm - Host Tena Frank discusses Magpie Murders: A Novel

by Anthony Horowitz.

Free to attend.

• TU (2/12), noon - The pick for February is My Soul Has Grown Deep: Black Art from the American South by Cheryl Finley, Randall R. Griffey, Amelia Peck and Darryl Pinckney. Free to attend.

• TU (2/12), 6pm - Laura E. Wolfson presents her book, For Single Mothers Working As Train Conductors, in conversation with Elizabeth Kostova. Free to attend.

• WE (2/13), 6pm - Judy Goldman presents her book, Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap. Free to attend.

• WE (2/13), 6pm - Judy Goldman presents her book, Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap. Free to attend.

• TH (2/14), 6pm DaMaris Hill presents her book, A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing. Free to attend.

NEW DIMENSIONS TOASTMASTERS 828-329-4190 • THURSDAYS, noon1pm - General meeting.

Information: 828-3294190. Free to attend. Held at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, 33 Meadow Road NORTH CAROLINA WRITERS' NETWORK ncwriters.org • Until FR (2/15) - Short story submissions accepted for The 2019 Doris Betts Fiction Prize. Submission and

Guidelines: avl.mx/5k7 Free.

THEATER ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE 35 E. Walnut St., 828-2541320, ashevilletheatre.org • SA (2/9), 10am - Little One-Inch, fairy tale. $7.

• FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (2/8) through (3/3) - Footloose, musical drama. Fri.-Sat.: 7:30pm & Sun.: 2:30pm, with additional shows Feb. 21 & 28. $15-$26.

ATTIC SALT THEATRE The Mills at Riverside, 2002 Riverside Drive, Suite 42-O FR (2/8) & SA (2/9), 7pm - The Happy Together Revue: The Love Edition, a cabaret created and directed by Ellen Pappas and produced by Blaine Greenfield. $20.

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MARSHALL CONTAINER CO. 10 South Main St., Marshall, 803-727-4807 TH (2/14), 6:3010:30pm - Black Hearts Valentine's Mixer: Experimental theatre, impromptu creative performances and shenanigans. Free to attend.

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NC STAGE COMPANY 15 Stage Lane, 828-239-0263 • WEDNESDAYS through SATURDAYS until (2/17), 7:30pm - Jeeves at Sea, satire. Wed.-Sat.: 7:30pm & Sun.: 2pm, with Saturday matinees on Feb. 9 & 16, 2pm. $20$46; $10/students.

THE MAGNETIC THEATRE 375 Depot St., 828-239-9250 • FR (2/1), SA (2/2) & SA (2/9), 7pm & SU (2/10), 2pm - Once on this Island, Jr., musical presented by Middle School Academy Students. $15.

TRYON LITTLE THEATER 516 S. Trade St., Tryon, 828-859-2466, tltinfo.org • THURSDAY through SUNDAY (2/14) until (2/17) - Mamma Mia!, musical dramedy. Thurs., Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sat.: 2:30pm. Sun.: 3pm. $25/$15 children.

310 ART 191 Lyman St., #310, 828-776-2716, 310art.com • Through TU (4/2) Atypical Dimensions: Voluminous Watercolors

by Nadine Charlsen.

AMERICAN FOLK ART AND FRAMING 64 Biltmore Ave., 828-281-2134, amerifolk.com TH (2/7) through TH (2/21) - The 15th Annual Miniature Show features 12 artists working in a variety of media.

Reception: Friday, Feb. 8, 5-7pm.

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ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL 1 Page Ave., 828-2580710, ashevillearts.com • FR (1/18) through FR (2/22) - Carve: Process of Reduction, curated

by Nina Kawar, is seven artists working in clay, wood, glass, printmaking and paper.

ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART 82 Patton Ave., 828-251-5796, ashevillegallery-of-art. com • Through TH (2/28) - Fresh Paint features paintings by two new members, Joseph Pearson and Susan Webb Tregay.

BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER 120 College St., 828-350-8484, blackmountaincollege. org • Through SA (5/18) - Aaron Siskind: A Painter’s Photographer and Works on Paper.

• Through SA (5/18) - Politics at Black Mountain College, a variety of media: artwork, images, texts and audio.

ELIZABETH HOLDEN GALLERY 701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa • Through FR (2/22) - 10th Annual Drawing Discourse Juried International Exhibition features 59 works of contemporary drawing.

HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 86 N Main St., Waynesville, 828-4520593, haywoodarts.org/

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS: The 15th annual Miniatures Show at American Folk Art features 12 of the gallery’s artists working within the size restriction of 7 by 9 inches or less. This limit requires small components that are often cached and saved for use in the miniatures exhibition. Participating artists include Ellie Ali, Lucy Hunnicutt, Liz Sullivan, Karl Mullen, Ellen Langford, Cornbread, Wayne Hewell, Chris Bruno, Kent Ambler, Shawn Ireland, Tres Taylor and Buddy Snipe. Timed during the depths of winter, specifically for Valentine’s Day, the exhibit is an appreciation of the smallest and finest things in life. The show runs from Thursday, Feb. 7, through Thursday, Feb. 21. A reception is planned for Friday, Feb. 8, 5-7 p.m. Photo of Kent Ambler’s, Redwing 1 and Redwing 2, woodcuts, courtesy of Morgan Ford • Through SA (2/23) - Juried exhibit of 28 local artists working in a variety of mediums: oil, acrylic, clay, watercolor, forged steel, coldwax, collage, wood, glass, fiber, jewelry, egg tempera, photography and mixed media.

MAJIK STUDIOS 207 207 Coxe Ave., Studio 13 • Through FR (3/29) - The first group show of Majik Studios artists, Teaching and Reaching, five artists working in paint, illustration and paper marbeling.

NORTH CAROLINA GLASS CENTER 140 Roberts St., Suite C, 828-505-3552, ncglasscenter.org • Through TH (2/28) Exhibition featuring glass work by Ben GreeneColonesse.

REVOLVE 521 Riverside Drive, #179, revolveavl.org/ • Through SA (3/30) - New York By Night 1990 - 1996, exhibition of photographs

by Joanne Chan.

• TH (2/7) through SA (3/30) - V, exhibition of gouache paintings and embroidery.

Reception: Thursday, Feb. 7, 5-6pm.

SPIERS GALLERY 1 College Dr., Brevard, brevard.edu/

• Through FR (2/15) - Lori Park showcases An Invitation to a Show, an exhibition of sculpture installation.

TAYLOR GALLERY 122 Riverside Drive, Suite A FR (2/9) through SU (3/3) - What is Love?, a group show themed on body image, showcaseing the painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry and glass/ceramics of 12 artists. Reception: Saturday, Feb. 9, 4-7 pm.

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THE REFINERY 207 Coxe Ave., ashevillearts.com • Through (3/29) - Work of North Windy Ridge Intermediate students including: mandalas, self portraits, ceramic art and animal collages.

THE TRYON DEPOT ROOM 22 Depot St., Tryon, 828-859-7001, tryondepotroom.com • Through (3/31) - Richard Oversmith's recent paintings.

TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 828-859-8322, tryonarts.org • FR (2/8) through FR (3/15) - Red-Carpet Artist of the Year show for Tryon Arts & Craft School. Reception: Friday, Feb. 8, 6-8:30pm.

WEIZENBLATT ART GALLERY AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY 79 Cascade St, Mars Hill • Through FR (2/8) Polaroids and Other Instant Photos retrospective exhibition by Jay Kranyik of 125 Polaroid and Instax images.

• WE (2/13) through (3/15) - Margaret Curtis: New Paintings, painting exhibition.

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, FINE ART MUSEUM AT BARDO ARTS CENTER 199 Centennial Drive Cullowhee, wcu.edu/bardoarts-center/fine-art-museum/ • Through FR (5/1) - School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition.

• Through (5/3) - Defining America, exhibition in a variety of media.

• Through (5/3) - Outspoken, America Meredith paintings that incorporate Cherokee syllabary.

WOOLWORTH WALK 25 Haywood St., 828-254-9234 • Through WE (2/27) - Sixth Annual Second’s Sale at FW Gallery.

Contact the galleries for hours and admission fees

CLUBLAND

TURN, TURN, TURN: The country-roots group Asleep At the Wheel credits its big break to a 1973 Rolling Stone interview in which Van Morrison said, “There’s some relatively unknown group around that I really dig: Asleep at the Wheel. They play great country music.” Over its 40-plus-years career, the outfit has released more than 25 albums and received nine Grammy awards. The current String Band tour offers a stripped-down version of the band. Asleep At the Wheel performs at Diana Wortham Theater on Saturday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m. $30 advance/$40 day of show. dwtheatre.com.

Photo courtesy of band

VALENTINE’S DAY EVENTS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6 ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Chili Slaw Sessions w/ Tom Kirschbaum & Friends, 6:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Mark Bumgardner, 7:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 3:00PM CARMEL'S KITCHEN AND BAR Jazz Night w/ Adi the Monk, 5:30PM CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats, 7:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesday w/ Vaden Landers Band +DJ, 9:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Lassyu, Poet Radio & Shutterings, 8:00PM FUNKATORIUM Saylor Bros, 6:30PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesday, 6:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Lauren Anderson & Meg Williams, 7:00PM

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SLY GROG LOUNGE Monthly Monster Maker: Exquisite Corpse, 6:00PM

LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ TimO, 10:00PM

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night hosted by Jason DeCristofaro, 6:30PM

LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM

STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE One Leg Husky, 6:00PM

NANTAHALA BREWING - ASHEVILLE OUTPOST Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert (7:30pm sign up), 8:00PM ODDITORIUM Uncle Kurtis, Sane Voids (psych rock), 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar, 9:00PM PULP NOjO w/ The #40Boyz, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY French Broad Valley Music Association Mountain Music Jam, 6:00PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Asheville's Most Wanted Funk Bandits, Kazz & Unk, 8:00PM THE GREY EAGLE DeVotchKa w/ Neyla Pekarek & The Contenders, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio (jazz, funk, soul), 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT The Half That Matters w/ Jaeb & Shutterings, 9:00PM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7 ARCHETYPE BREWING Canned Heat Vinyl Night, 5:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray & the Space Cooties, 7:30PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Billy Gilmore of Grass is Dead & Friends, 7:00PM BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Alien Music Club, 8:00PM BEN'S TUNE UP Offended Open Comedy Mic, 9:00PM BLACK MOUNTAIN ALE HOUSE Bluegrass Jam w/ The Big Deal Band, 8:00PM

TOWN PUMP Open Mic w/ David, 9:00PM

BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Billy Litz, 7:00PM

TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Blues & Soul Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Open Mic Night, 6:00PM

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 8:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Music Bingo, 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN UNCA Drummer Will Younts, 7:30PM

BYWATER Open Mic Night, 7:00PM DOUBLE CROWN OLD GOLD w/ DJ Jasper (killer rock n' soul vinyl), 10:00PM FLEETWOOD'S rickoLus & Minorcan, 9:00PM

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

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C LUBLAND FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER True Home Open Mic, 6:30PM FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Liam Pendergrass, 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM The Hot Club of Asheville, 6:00PM

COMING SOON WED 2/6 5-9PM–SUSHI NIGHT 7:00PM–LAUREN ANDERSON & MEG WILLIAMS

THU 2/7 7:00PM–ALEXA ROSE W/ KATHRYN O’SHEA

FRI 2/8

7:00PM–CHUCK BRODSKY WITH CHRIS ROSSER 8:30PM–ALASDAIR FRASER AND NATALIE HAAS

SATURDAY 2/9

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Thursday Night Blues w/ The Patrick Dodd Trio, 6:00PM

TUE 2/12 7:30PM–TUES. BLUEGRASS SESSIONS W/ WEARY TRAVELERS

WED 2/13 5-9PM–SUSHI NIGHT

7:00PM–THE KENNEDYS CD RELEASE TOUR 8:30PM–CHRIS WILHELM AND FRIENDS

THU 2/14 7:00PM–SAMSON AND DELILAH: THE MUSIC OF ALISON KRAUSS AND ROBERT PLANT 8:30PM–DIVAS LIVE! VALENTINE’S EDITION 8:30PM–DIVAS LIVE! VALENTINE’S FRI 2/15 EDITION 7:00PM–MARGO CILKER & FIELD HEAT WITH AN AMERICAN FORREST

SAT 2/16 8:30PM–TAJ MAHAL TRIO

SUN 2/17 6:00PM–THE PROMISE IS HOPE 7:30PM–DECLAN O’ROURKE CHRONICLES OF THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE

TUE 2/19 7:30PM–TUES. BLUEGRASS SESSIONS W/ DRYMAN MOUNTAIN BOYS

WED 2/20 7:00PM–ROBINSON TREACHER LIVE ACOUSTIC

ISISASHEVILLE.COM DINNER MENU TIL 9:30PM LATE NIGHT MENU TIL 12AM

TUES-SUN 5PM-until 743 HAYWOOD RD 828-575-2737

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FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

THE MOTHLIGHT Jon Hatchett Band w/ Hearts Gone South, 9:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9:30PM

LAZY DIAMOND Adoption/Benefit for WoofMeow Animal Shelter, w/ Krektones, Drunken Prayer, and DJ Lilo, 6:00PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Americana Evenings w/ Anya Hinkle, 8:00PM

ODDITORIUM Party Foul Weekly Drag, 9:00PM

SUN 2/10

THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Burger Kings (rock n' roll), 9:00PM

TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Jesse Barry & The Jam (blues, rock'n Roll), 9:00PM

OWL BAKERY Thursday Night Jazz, 7:30PM

6:00PM–MATT NAKOA 7:30PM–ERIKA WENNERSTROM (OF HEARTLSESS BASTARDS)

THE GREY EAGLE The Lil' Smokies w/ The Michigan Rattlers, 9:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Alexa Rose & Kathryn O'Shea, 7:00PM

LOBSTER TRAP Hank Bones, 6:30PM

9:00PM–DAVID BROMBERG QUINTET

THE BARRELHOUSE Trivia w/ Geeks Who Drink, 7:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Mitch's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM lespecial, 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Roots & Dore (blues), 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: West Side Funk Jam, 9:00PM PULP Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR The Paper Crowns, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Chalwa Thursday Night Residency, 7:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Jay Brown, 7:30PM SALVAGE STATION Trivia, 7:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Ben Phan (jazz, funk), 7:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Open Mic Night, 7:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE The Gravyhouse Storytellers (1920's blues afterparty), 9:30PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN David LaMotte (acoustic guitar), 7:30PM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8 AMBROSE WEST Folk Soul Revival, 9:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Jody Carroll (deep roots & blues), 7:30PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Charlie Traveler Presents: Satsang w/ Noah Proudfoot & the Botanicals (folk, soul, hip-hop), 9:00PM BEN'S TUNE UP Throwback dance Party w/ DJ Kilby, 10:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Acoustic Swing, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Trivia, 6:30PM BYWATER Black Garter Revue Presents: Jailbirds, 9:00PM

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CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Hot Trail Mix, 7:00PM CORK & KEG Wayne Erbsen & The Whippersnappers, 8:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Rock n' Soul Obscurities w/ Wild Vinyl DJ, 10:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Glove, Kitty Tsunami & TV Set, 9:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Dr. Ocular (jam, funk), 10:00PM

WED

6

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Sinners & Saints, 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM The Cigar Brothers, 8:00PM GASTRO PUB AT HOPEY Open Mic Night w/ Heather Taylor, 7:00PM GINGER'S REVENGE Hibiscus Lavender Bottle Release w/ UniHorn, 4:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Porch 40, 7:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Chuck Brodsky w/ Chris Rosser, 7:00PM Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB CarLeans w/ Old North State, 8:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Hot n' Nasty (rock n' soul vinyl) w/ DJ Hissy Cruise, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP HillBilly Diamonds, 6:30PM LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE Riyen Roots, 8:00PM MOE'S ORIGINAL BBQ WOODFIN Banjo Mitch Duo, 7:00PM NEW BELGIUM BREWERY Hot Club of the Mountains, 5:30PM ODDITORIUM GGR's Burlesque Battle: Beastie Boys vs. Spice Girls (18+), 9:00PM

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Duke Of Lizards (PHISH Tribute), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Liquid Stranger w/ LSDream, Champagne Drip, G-Rex & Lucii, 9:00PM PACK'S TAVERN DJ Moto, 9:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Arriba Latin Jazz Group, 7:00PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Buddy K Big Band (big band, swing), 8:00PM

TRUTH, Khiva, Undergrowth Showcase (DJ Sets), 9:00PM

Hard Rocket, 8:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

BANKS AVE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9 AMBROSE WEST Worthwhile Sounds Presents: Hawktail, 8:00PM

SES: Satisfaction Every Saturday, 9:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Ionize, 7:00PM

THU

SUN

THE MUSIC OF PHISH FOR KIDS, 12PM

QUICKCHESTER

THE LIL SMOKIES

10

RAYLAND BAXTER

MON

SAT

PRE-VALENTINE TRUFFLE & BEER PAIRING, 3-4PM

TUE

MATT SELLARS

SAT

THE STEEL WOODS

WED

DANTE ELEPHANTE

7

FRI

8

9 9

W/ THE MICHIGAN RATTLERS

11

W/ ILLITERATE LIGHT

12 13

W/ JOSH CARD, 8PM

FEAT. THE FLYING OATSMEN, 7PM ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL & 103.3 ASHEVILLE FM PRESENT

APRIL B. & THE COOL + COWBOY JUDY W/ BILLY LITZ (OF HUSTLE SOULS)

W/ TOM ANGST, DEL SUR, INDIGO DE SOUZA

Asheville’s longest running live music venue • 185 Clingman Ave TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HARVEST RECORDS & THEGREYEAGLE.COM

SALVAGE STATION Asheville Circus, 8:30PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Jamie Gorsuch, 5:00PM Todd Cecil & The Back South, 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Thunderchief, Night Beers, Deathtapes, 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Vinylly Friday!, 6:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Flashback Friday at the Block: Blake Ellege's Karolina Kats (rockabilly), 7:30PM THE GREY EAGLE Rayland Baxter w/ Illiterate Light, 9:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Curt Castle Album Release Show w/ Riley Parker & Nathanael Jordan, 9:30PM

ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Purple rocks, 9:00PM

THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM Whose Live Anyway?, 8:00PM

THIS WEEK AT AVL MUSIC HALL

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

SUN

10

W/ NEYLA PEKAREK, THE CONTENDERS

PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Frank Bang & The Secret Stash w/ Daniel Johnston, 9:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Fridays feat. members of Phuncle Sam acoustic, 5:30PM

WEEKLY EVENTS

TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Melissa McKinney Group, 10:00PM

DEVOTCHKA

THIS WEEK AT THE ONE STOP:

THU 2/7 FRI 2/8 SAT 2/9

DO CA$ N H

Lespecial - [Groove/Rock/Funk/Dub] Dreads for Brains - [Psychedelic Reggae] Little Bird - [Indie Rock]

AT IO

N$

UPCOMING SHOWS - ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL:

& FRIENDS

w/ Noah Proudfoot & the Botanicals

SATSANG

TRUTH, KHIVA, UNDERGROWTH SHOWCASE

THURSDAY – 2/7 S HOW : 8 pm (D OORS : 7pm) adv . $10.00

FRIDAY – 2/8 S HOW : 9 pm (D OORS : 8 pm) T ICKETS : $15.00

SATURDAY – 2/9 S HOW : 9:30 pm (D OORS : 9 pm) T ICKETS : $15.00

BILLY GILMORE (OF THE GRASS IS DEAD)

TUESDAY:

Turntable Tuesday - 10pm

CHARLIE TRAVELERS PRESENT:

WEDNESDAY:

THURSDAY:

FRIDAY:

disclaimer comedy

Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia - 6:30pm

F ree Dead F riday - 5pm

9:30pm

2/15 2/16 2/22 2/23 2/28 3/1

Phuncle Sam Harmonia Benefit ft. Somatoast & Futexture Brandon “Taz” Niederauer The Digs & Friends Throwback Dance Party Dirt Monkey w/ illanthropy., Dredlok & Maat Phutureprimitive w/ Edamame

TICKETS & FULL CALENDAR AVAILABLE AT ASHEVILLEMUSICHALL.COM

@AVLMusicHall MOUNTAINX.COM

@OneStopAVL FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

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Local

Bizarre Love Triangle

Special Release: Feb. 14th French Broad Cacao Nibs and Strawberries

Doggie Fashion Show & Adoption Fair February 20th: 6-9pm

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Monthly Challenge

Tues. Feb 26th- 6:30pm

24 BUXTON AVE. SOUTH SLOPE 210 HAYWOOD RD. WAVL URBANORCHARDCIDER.COM 520 Haywood Rd.

WEST ASHEVILLE Thu. 2/7

9pm- West Side Funk Jam $3 Selected Pints

Fri. 2/8

9pm- Duke of Lizards (PHISH Tribute) $5

Sat. 2/9

9pm- Phuncle Sam (Full Band) Jam $5

Mon. 2/11

8:30pm- Jazz Jam

Wed. 2/13

9pm- Latin Night w/DJ Oscar

Thu. 2/14

9pm- West Side Funk Jam $3 Selected Pints

Fri. 2/15

9pm- In Plain Sight $5 House/Electronica

Sat. 2/16

9pm- tomatoband

Live music several nights a week at both locations! at oneworldbrewing.com Mon-Wed 3pm-12am Thu-Sat 12pm-1am Sun 12pm-10pm 72

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SUGAR AND SPICE: The Sly Grog Lounge and Beer City Music Fest present the Rock Hard Heart-throbs show. Regional groups on the lineup including Western North Carolinian Southern rock outfit Rory Kelly (pictured), Crimson Soil, The Raz and Electric Phantom. The event also offers heart-shaped goodies, prizes and a kissing booth. Check out the pre-Valentine showcase at Sly Grog Saturday, Feb. 9, at 9 p.m. $7. slygrog.wordpress.com. Photo courtesy of band

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Blake Ellege & The Country Resonators, 6:00PM CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Grand Ole Uproar, 7:00PM CHESTNUT Jazz Brunch w/ The Low keys (original jazz music), 12:00PM CORK & KEG The Barsters, 8:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Soul Motion Dance Party w/ DJ Dr. Filth, 10:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Mega Colossus, Velvet Reaper, Earth Collider, 9:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Supatight (jam, funk), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Random Animals, 6:00PM GINGER'S REVENGE Hibiscus Lavender Bottle Release Party w/ Tina Collins (indie folk), & Motif (jazz, funk), 2:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Laura Blackley and The Wildflowers, 7:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 David Bromberg Quintet, 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Resonant Rogues, 9:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Saturday Swing-a-ling w/ DJs Arieh & Chrissy, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Sean Mason Trio, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Live Synth Saturdays, 7:00PM MG ROAD Late Night Dance Parties w/ DJ Lil Meow Meow, 10:00PM ODDITORIUM The Hooliganz, Cloud City Caskets, Pleasure To Burn (rock, punk), 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Little Bird, 10:00PM

PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR MPH, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Andrew Thelston Band, 8:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE The Secret Band, 8:00PM SALVAGE STATION Tauk w/ People's Blues of Richmond, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Daddy Rabbit (blues, rock), 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Rock Hard HeartThrobs: Rory Kelly, Crimson Soil, The Raz, Electric Phantom, 9:00PM

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STATIC AGE RECORDS Katheryn O'Shea, Mel & Fate, Cowbaby (folk, songwriter), 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Gene Holdway, 6:00PM

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Phuncle Sam Jam, 9:00PM

THE ARTISAN OF FLAT ROCK Malcolm Holcombe w/ Riyen Roots, 7:30PM

ORANGE PEEL Young the Giant w/ Sure Sure, 8:00PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE CommUNITY Salsa & Latin Saturday Dance Night w/ DJ Edi Fuentes (lesson, 9:00PM), 9:30PM

PACK'S TAVERN Carolina Lowdown Band, 9:30PM

THE GREY EAGLE Learn to Dance: Two Step w/ Richard & Sue Cicchetti, 12:00PM The Steel Woods w/ Josh Card, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Lenny P, 7:30PM The Shane Gang, 10:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Jarvis Jenkins Band, 10:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN The Belfast Boys (Irish traditional music), 8:00PM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10 AMBROSE WEST Fourth Annual Mountain Soul Party, 7:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Post-Brunch Blues, 4:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Classical Guitar Society Meeting & Player's Circle, 1:00PM Pot Luck & Musician's Jam, 3:30PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Chris Jamison, 7:00PM

BYWATER Sunday Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Brennan Carroll, 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM Bluegrass Brunch w/ Gary Macfiddle, 11:00AM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 1:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Matt Nakoa, 6:00PM Erika Wennerstrom (Heartless Bastards), 7:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Traditional Irish/Celtic Jam Session, 3:00PM JARGON Sunday Blunch: Mark Guest and Mary Pearson (jazz), 11:00AM LAZY DIAMOND Punk Night w/ DJ Chubberbird, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP MandoCyn, 6:30PM ORANGE PEEL Soul Celebration Honoring C.D. Daniel w/ Molly Parti, LEAF Dance Troupe, April B & The Cool, Jeff Santiago y Los Gatos & more, 5:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Trivia Night, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6:30PM SALVAGE STATION Grateful Sunday, 8:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Peter Fraser, 2:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE UNCA Sunday Jazz Jam, 7:00PM THE BARRELHOUSE Open Mic w/ Billy Litz, 6:00PM THE GREY EAGLE The Music of Phish for Kids w/ Rock n' Roll Playhouse, 12:30PM QuickChester feat. The Flying Oatsmen Album Release Show, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11 ARCHETYPE BREWING Old Time Jam, 5:00PM CASCADE LOUNGE Game Night, 6:00PM

DAYS INN & CONFERENCE CENTER Guitar League Asheville, 6:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke w/ KJ Tim-O, 10:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Nerdy Talk Trivia, 6:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo Trivia, 7:30PM Open Mic, 9:30PM LOBSTER TRAP Bobby Miller and Friends, 6:30PM ODDITORIUM Risque Monday Burlesque Hosted by Deb Au Are (18+), 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Open Mic Night, 7:30PM

TAVERN Downtown on the Park Eclectic Menu • Over 30 Taps • Patio 15 TV’s • Sports Room • 110” Projector Event Space • Shuffleboard Open 7 Days 11am - Late Night LIVE M R A COV USIC , E V E N ER CHARGE!

FRI. 2/8 DJ MoTo

(dance hits, pop)

SAT. 2/9 Carolina Lowdown Band (classic hits, dance)

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Jazz Mondays hosted by Ray Ring & Jason DeCristofaro, 8:30PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Mountain Music Mondays Jam (all skill levels welcome!), 8:00PM

20 S. Spruce St. • 225.6944 packStavern.com

SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Open Mic Night w/ It Takes All Kinds, 7:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Porch Magazine 531 (storytelling, music), 6:30PM THE GREY EAGLE Winter Chill: Local Music Series w/ April B & The Cool and Cowboy Judy, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Leo Johnson (Gypsy jazz), 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Valley Queen, 9:00PM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12 ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Gypsy Jazz Jam w/ Steve Karla & Phil Alley, 7:30PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 11:00PM BEN'S TUNE UP Leading Ladies of Asheville, 7:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Circus Mutt, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Trivia, 6:30PM

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Flashback Friday’s Vintage Dance Night!

2/8: Karolina Kats 2/15: 42nd Street Band 7:30 -10:30pm • $5 cover 39 S. Market St., Asheville, NC 28801 254-9277 • theblockoffbiltmore.com

DOUBLE CROWN Sonic Satan Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10:00PM

LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Synth Club, 7:00PM

SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Team Trivia, 7:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions hosted by Weary Travelers, 7:30PM

NOBLE KAVA Open Jam, 8:00PM

SLY GROG LOUNGE When Particles Collide, Her Pilots, Tan Universe, 8:00PM

LAZY DIAMOND Noiz Oasis w/ DJ Salty Stax (post-punk vinyl), 10:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Turntable Tuesday, 10:00PM

LOBSTER TRAP Jay Brown, 6:30PM

ODDITORIUM Free Open Mic Comedy, 9:00PM

ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Pizza Karaoke Night, 9:00PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Swing Asheville Tuesday's Valentine's Day Dance w/ by Sparrow & Her Wingmen, 9:00PM Late Night Blues Dance, 11:00PM

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THE GREY EAGLE Matt Sellars Album Release Show w/ Billy Litz of Hustle Souls, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Leo Johnson (Gypsy jazz), 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT W00DY W/ 3 Cherries & Nostalgianoid, 9:00PM THE SOCIAL Open Mic w/ Riyen Roots, 8:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Early Funk Jam (funk, jazz), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Robert's Twin Leaf Trivia, 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Jam, 6:30PM Open Mic, 8:30PM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Bity City Blues Jam w/ host Chicago Don, 7:30PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Billy Owens, 7:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 3:00PM CARMEL'S KITCHEN AND BAR Jazz Night w/ Adi the Monk, 5:30PM CORK & KEG Horace Trahan & the Ossun Express, 7:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesday w/ Jessie & The Jinx + DJ, 9:00PM FUNKATORIUM Saylor Bros, 6:30PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesday, 6:00PM

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ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 The Kennedys CD Release Tour, 7:00PM Chris Wilhelm & Friends, 8:30PM LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim-O, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM NANTAHALA BREWING ASHEVILLE OUTPOST Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert (7:30pm sign up), 8:00PM ODDITORIUM Cliché Presents: The Roast of Priscilla Chambers ( 18+), 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Night w/ DJ Oscar, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY French Broad Valley Music Association Mountain Music Jam, 6:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Circuit Bending Workshop 101: Presented by Foxy & Company & Sly Grog, 6:00PM SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night hosted by Jason DeCristofaro, 6:30PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE The Get Right Band, 6:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Asheville's Most Wanted Funk Bandits, Kazz & Unk, 8:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Dante Elephante w/ Tom Angst, Del Sur & Indigo De Souza, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio (jazz, funk, soul), 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Blues & Soul Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM

MOVIES

REVIEWS & LISTINGS

BY SCOTT DOUGLAS & FRANCIS X. FRIEL

HHHHH = H PICK OF THE WEEK H

The 2019 Academy Award nominees for Animated Short Film are a relatively strong group with few standouts.

The 2019 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films HHHH DIRECTOR: Various PLAYERS: Various SHORT ANIMATION COMPILATION RATED NR THE STORY: This year’s nominees in consideration for the Best Animated Short Academy Award.

THE LOWDOWN: A bit underwhelming in comparison to last year’s lineup, the 2019 animated shorts are uniformly likable if not overwhelmingly so.

While not as oppressively bleak as their Live Action counterparts, the 2019 Oscar-nominated Animated Short Films are still not up to the standard set by years past — but hey, at least Kobe Bryant’s not here to pat himself on the back again this time

around. Some frivolous, some deeply felt, this year’s nominees represent a more even slate than last year — meaning we don’t have the lows of Dear Basketball, but we’re also missing anything resembling the highs of Garden Party. If this slate doesn’t quite measure up, they’re somewhat more kid-friendly than last year, so there’s that.

Animal Behavior. Directors: Alison Snowden and David Fine. Country: Canada. 14 minutes. Looks like someone saw the title of Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist and took it literally without watching the show. This group-therapy session involving a cat, a leech, a pig, a bird and a praying mantis led by a dog doctor who overcame his own butt-sniffing addiction plays things cute. That it does so with a

high degree of predictability isn’t necessarily a failing, although I don’t see this one being a genuine contender for the award.

Bao. Director: Domee Shi. Country: U.S. 8 minutes. If you saw The Incredibles 2, you probably caught Bao beforehand, so you likely already know what you think of it. For those of you who missed it in theaters the first time, Bao is the sort of saccharine, highly polished pabulum Pixar has become known for these days, distinguished solely by its heavily ethnic slant. If you’ve seen it, watch it again and tell me it’s not about infanticide and cannibalism. I mean, it’s probably not, but that reading could be argued…

Late Afternoon. Director: Louise Bagnall. Country: Ireland. 10 minutes. A genuinely effective use of animation as a visual medium, Late Afternoon is tailor-made for the Academy. It’s a deeply touching portrait of an elderly woman confronted by dementia, with a focus placed on not only the subjective experience of its protagonist but also the strain that experience places on her relationship with her daughter/caregiver. Bring your hankies for this one.

One Small Step. Directors: Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas.

Countries: U.S. and China. 8 minutes.

Another heartstring tugger, this time centered on the relationship between a little girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut and her supportive cobbler father. Maybe a touch on the trite side, it’s still an effective piece of animation that avoids the syrupy-sweet excess of its Pixar competition. Not my favorite of the bunch, but a definite possibility for this year’s statue.

Weekends.

Director: Trevor Jimenez. Country: U.S. 15 minutes.

Easily the most entertaining and original work among these shorts, Weekends is also potentially the most personal and emotionally honest. With a Plympton-esque visual aesthetic and some viscerally engaging Symbolist dream sequences, this story of a young boy coping with his parents’ divorce goes to some very fun places while still carrying some real emotional weight.

It’s also one of the only films I can think of with both Erik Satie and Dire Straits on the soundtrack, so bonus

MAX RATING points for that. My favorite of the lot, which means there’s not a snowball’s chance that it’ll win.

Not Rated.

Opens Friday at Grail Moviehouse.

REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM

Xpress reviews virtually all upcoming movies, with two or three of the most noteworthy appearing in print. You can find our online reviews at mountainx.com/ movies/reviews. This week, they include: MISS BALA

S

OSCAR SHORTS – LIVE ACTION SHORTS

HHHS

OSCAR SHORTS – ANIMATED SHORTS (PICK OF THE WEEK) HHHH

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MOVIES

The 2019 Oscar Nominated Live-Action Short Films

Fauve. Director: Jeremy Comte. Country: Canada. 16 minutes. Another case of kids running wild, this time with a more evocative setting. Deeply disturbing and frustratingly obtuse, Fauve packs more of a punch than Detainment but still doesn’t make much of a point. Maybe something about foxes? At the very least, director Comte’s tale of two unattended minors, whose prank war takes on serious consequences, boasts a unique aesthetic acumen that merits audiences’ consideration, even if it’s unlikely to garner the same from the Academy.

Marguerite. Director: Marianne Farley.

Country: Canada. 19 minutes. This story of an elderly woman trying to die with dignity and the home nurse tasked with caring for her during the process is perfectly tailored fodder for a doddering Academy.

Who doesn’t harbor regrets about missed romantic opportunities? And who isn’t haunted by the specter of a lonely death?

Well, that’s about all that’s on offer in this well-meaning but largely forgettable melodrama. That very capacity for morbid self-indulgence is also why this one will probably take home the shiny statue.

Madre. Director: Rodrigo Sorogoyen.

Country: Spain. 19 minutes. A tense, claustrophobic psychological thriller that ultimately goes nowhere, Madre is possibly the most filmic entry in this year’s roster. This story of a mother trying to track down her lost son gets ugly fast, but it boasts some solid performances and uses its setting to expert effect. Definitely the most arthouse-friendly entry in the 2019 competition. Definitely zero chance of winning the Oscar.

Skin. Director: Guy Nattiv. Country: U.S. 20 minutes. The only entry from the U.S. in this year’s competition is a thoroughly American product. Largely an exercise in exploitative race-baiting, Skin still features an unexpected twist that almost outweighs its sadistic sensibilities. Almost. With a recognizable B-list cast, including character actor Jonathan Tucker and Danielle Macdonald (of Patti Cake$ fame — or infamy), this is potentially another safe bet for a self-obsessed Academy’s vote this year. What that says about the people voting, I will leave to your evaluation.

Not Rated.

Opens Friday at Grail Moviehouse.

HHHS DIRECTOR: Various PLAYERS: Various LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM COMPILATION RATED NR THE STORY: This year’s collection of Academy Award nominees for Best Live Action Short.

THE LOWDOWN: Depressing, distressing and self-obsessing, the films in competition for the 2019 Live Action Short Oscar are some of my least favorite in recent memory.

As a group, this year’s Live Action Short nominees are a pretty dour bunch. While 2018 saw a resurgence of politically minded agitprop, the Academy voters of 2019 seem preoccupied with the fears of an aging populace. Whether it’s hoodlum kids running amok or elderly hospice patients pining after long-lost loves, everything on the ballot for this year’s award founders in a sea of unaddressed anxiety and sociological hand-wringing. If that sounds like a good time to you, well, here you have it.

Detainment. Director: Vincent Lambe.

Country: Ireland. 30 minutes. Having already grabbed headlines on the basis of its salacious source material, this drawn-out recounting of the brutal 1993 murder of a Brittish toddler by two 10-year-old delinquents is an odd choice for any awards consideration, much less an Oscar. Playing like little more than an overwrought episode of a TV police procedural, it’s a tawdry piece of exploitation cinema that makes no meaningful point about the case it’s recounting.

Frankly, I don’t know why this film exists.

FILM BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE MUSEUM & ARTS CENTER 120 College St., 828-350-8484, blackmountaincollege.org • SA (2/9), 7pm - Vonnie Quest, film-

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maker and founder of Afro+ProjectionLAB, presents the cinema art program 'Reclamations of Blackness.' Free to attend.

THE WCU BARDO ARTS CENTER 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee,

REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM

828-227-2479, wcu.edu/ bardo-arts-center/ • SU (2/10), 3pm Pre-recorded, encore screening from the National Theatre in London of Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch. $10-$15.

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UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF ASHEVILLE 1 Edwin Place, 828-254-6001, uuasheville.org • FR (2/8), 7pm Dawnland, documentary film screening. Free.

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

FAMILY TIES: Brooklyn-based filmmaker Dave Chan poses with his parents, whom he only recently found out adopted him as a child. The Secret of B, a documentary chronicling Chan’s search for his birth parents, will be directed by his longtime friend, Asheville-based filmmaker Jill Boniske. Photo courtesy of Navy Yard Films • Designed to allow viewers to use film as their window into the minds and culture of Israel, the monthly Israeli Film Series — a collaboration between Grail Moviehouse, 45 S. French Broad Ave., and the Asheville Jewish Community Center — continues Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. with Ben-Gurion, Epilogue. The 2016 documentary uses six hours of neverbefore-seen footage from 1968, in which then 82-year-old former Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion reflects on his personal and professional lives and hopes for peace in the Middle East. A discussion will follow the film. Tickets are $8 and available online or at the Grail box office. grailmoviehouse.com • On Monday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m., Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., kicks off its “Janeane Garofathon” with a screening of Reality Bites. According to the event description, “If you’re the type of person who likes to get things done while watching a movie, we’ll have sewing supplies available and tables set up. Bring clothes to mend, your sewing supplies if you have some, fix your clothes and watch our girl Janeane Garofalo.” The series will continue one Monday night each month and feature other films starring Garofalo. Free. avl.mx/5fu • The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., hosts a screening of Old School on Monday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m. Free to attend. theorangepeel.net

• The Kickstarter campaign for The Secret of B, directed by Asheville-based filmmaker and critic Jill Boniske, was launched on Tuesday, Jan. 29. The documentary centers on her longtime friend, Brooklyn-based filmmaker Dave Chan, who, within the last few years, learned he was adopted as a child. The project will chronicle Chan’s search for his biological parents and involve the subject and director traveling to Hong Kong, where Chan was born. The crowdfunding campaign seeks to raise money for travel, film and DNA test expenses, as well as hiring private investigators. It’s an “all or nothing” campaign, meaning that the project will only be funded if it reaches its $10,000 goal by Thursday, Feb. 28.

Backer rewards include a private link to view the finished film and an invitation to its theatrical premiere, which the filmmakers estimate will be March 2023. avl.mx/5nb • Tickets are on sale for the Women’s Adventure Film Tour, which stops at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite 200, on Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m. The program is composed of inspirational short films featuring women in stories about climbing, diving, mountaineering, mountain biking, skiing, surfing and other sports. The tour launched in Australia in 2017, then played select locations in Asia and the United Kingdom. It’s making its U.S. debut in 2019. Tickets are $18 and available online. womensadventurefilmtour.com X

SP E CI A L SCREENI NGS

Dick Miller Double Feature HHHHH DIRECTOR: Roger Corman PLAYERS: Dick Miller, Jack Nicholson, Charles B. Griffith, Barboura Morris, Anthony Carbone HORROR COMEDY Rated NR The Asheville Film Society kicks off its 2019 screenings with a bang by honoring the lengthy and illustrious career of legendary character actor Dick Miller with a double bill showcasing some of the recently deceased icon’s best work with schlock auteur Roger Corman. First up, we have Corman’s 1960 The Little Shop of Horrors, a camp classic shot in two days with no budget that would go on to inspire a glitzed-up musical and a Hollywood remake — both of which failed to measure up to the genuine article. We’re following that with one of Corman’s best pictures and easily my favorite Dick Miller performance, A Bucket of Blood (1959). Sharing sets and a screenwriter with Little Shop, Bucket captures everything that made both Corman and Miller legends in the independent film world and turned them into household names (at least in the right sort of households). Come celebrate the triumphant return of the AFS at our new home — Eurisko Beer Co. on downtown Asheville’s South Slope — and get ready for great things to come in 2019! The Asheville Film Society presents The Little Shop of Horrors and A Bucket of Blood on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. with an introduction from Xpress film critic Scott Douglas at Eurisko Beer Co., 255 Short Come Ave, Asheville.

Love on the Run HHHHS DIRECTOR: François Truffaut PLAYERS: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Marie-France Pisier, Claude Jade, Dani, Dorothee, Daniel Mesguich ROMANTIC COMEDY DRAMA Rated PG François Truffaut’s sixth and final film of his Antoine Doinel series — which began with Truffaut’s first film, The 400 Blows (1959) — is mostly a pure delight and a fine conclusion to the series. The only problem with Love on the Run (1979) — which catches up with the 30-something Antoine for the first time since 1970’s Bed & Board — is the comprehensibility to the uninitiated of all the flashbacks to the earlier films. Offhand, I’d say that only a basic familiarity with the concept is all that’s needed. If you do get its wavelength, though, it’s a charmer. This excerpt was drawn from a review by Ken Hanke published on April 29, 2014. Classic World Cinema

by Courtyard Gallery will present Love on the Run on Friday, Feb. 8, at the new Flood Gallery location in Black Mountain, 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black Mountain.

S T ARTIN G F R ID AY

Cold Pursuit Action thriller from director Hans Peter Moland, starring Liam Neeson and Laura Dern. According to the studio: “Nels Coxman (Neeson), a family man whose quiet life with his wife (Dern) is upended following the mysterious death of their son.

Nels’ search for justice turns into a vengeful hunt for Viking (Tom Bateman), a drug lord he believes is connected to the death. As one by one of Viking’s associates “disappear,” Nels goes from upstanding citizen to ice-cold vigilante, letting nothing — and no one — get in his way.” Early reviews positive. (R)

The 2019 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films See Scott Douglas’ review

The 2019 Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films See Scott Douglas’ review

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part Star-studded sequel from director Mike Mitchell and writers Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. According to the studio: “It’s been five years since everything was awesome, and the citizens of Bricksburg are now facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than it can be rebuilt. The battle to defeat the invaders and restore harmony to the LEGO universe will take Emmet (Chris Pratt), Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett) and their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds, including a strange galaxy where everything is a musical. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.” Early reviews positive. (PG)

The Thief HHH DIRECTOR: Russell Rouse PLAYERS: Ray Milland, Martin Gabel, Harry Bronson, Rita Vale, Rex O’Malley, Rita Gam RED SCARE THRILLER Rated NR The Thief (1952) is your basic McCarthy-era, Red Scare stuff, with traitor-scientist (Ray Milland) selling our atomic secrets to the enemy. There is, however, a gimmick: It has no dialogue. No, it’s not a silent movie, but nobody ever says anything. Yes, that’s as forced, fake and finally tedious as it sounds, but it does make the film unique, and it keeps it from anti-commie speechifying. More a curio than anything, but blessed with a lot of unintended amusement involving spies who would only draw attention to themselves with their shifty antics. This excerpt was taken from a review by Ken Hanke published on Feb. 25, 2014. The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Thief on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

Valentine’s Day Double Feature HHHHH DIRECTOR: Roger Corman; Joseph Green PLAYERS: Betsy Jones-Moreland, Antony Carbone, Robert Towne; Jason Evers, Virginia Leith, Anthony La Penna HORROR Rated NR Valentine’s Day may well be a holiday manufactured by greeting card companies, but that doesn’t mean the Thursday Horror Picture Show crew doesn’t feel the love. We’ll be celebrating this most saccharine of special occasions by presenting our own version of a love letter to horror fans with a double bill to die for. Since it’s also Oscar season, we’ll start off with The Last Woman on Earth (1960), directed by Roger Corman, which was the debut of Academy Award-winning screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown, The Last Detail). We follow up that bombshell with 1962’s The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, a film that only a lunatic would think was romantic. Fortunately, you have just such a lunatic programming for the THPS! The Thursday Horror Picture Show presents The Last Woman on Earth and The Brain That Wouldn’t Die on Thursday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. with an introduction from Xpress head film critic Scott Douglas at Eurisko Beer Co., 255 Short Coxe Ave., Asheville.

What Men Want Comedy from director Adam Shankman, starring Taraji P. Henson. According to the studio: “Ali Davis (Henson) is a successful sports agent who’s constantly boxed out by her male colleagues. When Ali is passed up for a well-deserved promotion, she questions what else she needs to do to succeed in a man’s world ... until she gains the ability to hear men’s thoughts! With her newfound power, Ali looks to outsmart her colleagues as she races to sign the next basketball superstar, but the lengths she has to go to will put her relationship with her best friends and a potential new love interest (Aldis Hodge) to the test.” No early reviews. (R)

Kids Issues

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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Climbing mountains has been a popular adventure since the 19th century, but there are still many peaks around the world that no one has ever ascended. They include the 24,591-fothigh Muchu Chhish in Pakistan, 23,691-foot Karjiang South in Tibet and 12,600-foot Sauyr Zhotasy on the border of China and Kazakhstan. If there are any Aries mountaineers reading this horoscope who have been dreaming about conquering an unclimbed peak, 2019 will be a great time to do it, and now would be a perfect moment to plan or launch your quest.

As for the rest of you Aries, what’s your personal equivalent of reaching the top of an unclimbed peak?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Eminem’s song “Lose Yourself” was a featured track in the movie 8 Mile, and it won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2003. The creator himself was not present at the Oscar ceremony to accept his award, however. He was so convinced his song would lose that he stayed home. At the moment that presenter Barbra Streisand announced Eminem’s triumph, he was asleep in front of the TV with his daughter, who was watching cartoons.

In contrast to him, I hope you will be fully available and on the scene for the recognition or acknowledgment that should be coming your way sometime soon.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Multitalented Libran singer and actor Donald Glover uses the name of Childish Gambino when he performs his music. How did he select that alias? He used an online random name generator created by the rap group Wu-Tang Clan. I tried the same generator and got “Fearless Warlock” as my new moniker. You might want to try it yourself, Libra. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to add layers to your identity and expand your persona and mutate your self-image. The generator is here: tinyurl. com/yournewname. (P.S.: If you don’t like the first one you’re offered, keep trying until you get one you like.)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Salvator Mundi sold for $450 million in 2017.

Just 12 years earlier, an art collector had bought it for $10,000. Why did its value increase so extravagantly?

Because in 2005, no one was sure it was an authentic da Vinci painting. It was damaged and had been covered with other layers of paint that hid the original image.

After extensive efforts at restoration, the truth about it emerged. I foresee the possibility of a comparable, if less dramatic, development in your life during the next 10 months, Scorpio. Your work to rehabilitate or renovate an underestimated resource could bring big dividends.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): While enjoying its leisure time, the peregrine falcon glides around at 50 miles per hour. But when it’s motivated by the desire to eat, it may swoop and dart at a velocity of 220 miles per hour.

Amazing! In accordance with your astrological omens, Gemini, I propose that we make the peregrine falcon your spirit creature for the next three weeks. I suspect you will have extraordinary speed and agility and focus whenever you’re hunting for exactly what you want. So here’s a crucial question: What exactly do you want?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): We can behold colors because of specialized cells in our eyes called cones. Most of us have three types of cones, but a few rare people have four. This enables them to see far more hues than the rest of us. Are you a tetrachromat, a person with super-vision? Whether you are or not, I suspect you will have extra powerful perceptual capacities in the coming weeks. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you will be able to see more than you usually do. The world will seem brighter and deeper and more vivid. I urge you to deploy your temporary superpower to maximum advantage.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Now and then the sun shines and rain falls at the same time. The meteorological name for the phenomenon is “sunshower,” but folklore provides other terms. Hawaiians may call it “liquid sunshine” or “ghost rain.” Speakers of the Tangkhul language in India imagine it as “the wedding of a human and spirit.” Some Russians refer to it as “mushroom rain,” since it’s thought to encourage the growth of mushrooms. Whatever you might prefer to call it, Cancerian, I suspect that the foreseeable future will bring you delightful paradoxes in a similar vein. And in my opinion, that will be very lucky for you, since you’ll be in the right frame of mind and spirit to thrive amidst just such situations.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There are two kinds of minor, boring little tasks. One is when you’re attending to a detail that’s not in service to a higher purpose; the other is when you’re attending to a detail that is a crucial step in the process of fulfilling an important goal. An example of the first might be when you try in vain to scour a permanent stain on a part of the kitchen counter that no one ever sees. An example of the second is when you download an update for an existing piece of software so your computer works better and you can raise your efficiency levels as you pursue a pet project. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to keep this distinction in mind as you focus on the minor, boring little tasks that are crucial steps in the process of eventually fulfilling an important goal.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A study by the Fidelity financial services company revealed that in 43 percent of all couples, neither partner has an accurate knowledge of how much money the other partner earns.

Meanwhile, research by the National Institute of Health concludes that among heterosexual couples, 36 percent of husbands misperceive how frequently their wives have orgasms. I bring this to your attention in order to sharpen your focus on how crucial it is to communicate clearly with your closest allies. I mean, it’s rarely a good idea to be ignorant about what’s going on with those close to you, but it’ll be an especially bad idea during the next six weeks.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Can you sit on your own head? Not many people can. It requires great flexibility. Before comedian Robin Williams was famous, he spontaneously did just that when he auditioned for the role of the extraterrestrial immigrant Mork, the hero of the TV sitcom Mork and Mindy. The casting director was impressed with Williams’ odd but amusing gesture, and hired him immediately. If you’re presented with an opportunity sometime soon, I encourage you to be inspired by the comedian’s ingenuity. What might you do to cinch your audition, to make a splashy first impression, to convince interested parties that you’re the right person?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Torre Mayor is one of the tallest skyscrapers in Mexico City. When workers finished its construction in 2003, it was one of the world’s most earthquake-proof buildings, designed to hold steady during an 8.5-level temblor. Over the course of 2019, Virgo, I’d love to see you erect the metaphorical equivalent of that unshakable structure in your own life. The astrological omens suggest that doing so is quite possible. And the coming weeks will be an excellent time to launch that project or intensify your efforts to manifest it.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Twitter wit Notorious Debi Hope advises us, “Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assho--s.”

That’s wise counsel for you to keep in mind during the next three weeks. Let me add a few corollaries. First, stave off any temptation you might have to believe that others know what’s good for you better than you do. Second, figure out what everyone thinks of you and aggressively liberate yourself from their opinions.

Third, if anyone even hints at not giving you the respect you deserve, banish them for at least three weeks.

FEB. 6 - 12, 2019

MOUNTAINX.COM

MARKETPLACE

BY ROB BREZSNY

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LAND FOR SALE BUILDING LOT FOR SALE One Acre in the Gated Private Community of Wolf Laurel. Golf, Country Club, Fitness & Equestrian Center. 30 minutes to downtown Asheville. $9,500, peteblackshaw@gmail.com

RENTALS CONDOS/ TOWNHOMES FOR RENT NORTH ASHEVILLE TOWNHOUSES 1 mile from Downtown Asheville. Hardwood floors, nice North Asheville neighborhood on busline. • No pets. 1BR/1BA: $745 • 2BR/1BA: $845 • 3BR/1BA: $945. Call 828-252-4334.

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ROOMS FOR RENT ROOM RENTAL- SOUTH ASHEVILLE On bus line, vegetarian food included, no pets, super quiet.

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EMPLOYMENT

plus Sun, Mon, Tues animal care (1-2 hours/day). wendy@dryridgefarm.org for details.

NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES - HIRING ADVENTURE GUIDES FOR 2019 Thrill, Educate and Inspire!

Seeking adventurous and enthusiastic people to join our team. An experience of a life time! Learn more at www.navitat.com TROLLEY TOUR GUIDES If you are a "people person," love Asheville, have a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and clean driving record you could be a great Tour Guide.

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RESTAURANT/ FOOD LINE/PREP COOK WANTED Pomodoros East is hiring full time, reliable line/ prep cooks. 2 years experience needed. Will be working salad/pizza/sautee stations as well as prep.

Apply in person at 1070 Tunnel Rd.

MEDICAL/ HEALTH CARE RN / LPN / CNA Full & Part Time RN/LPN/CNA positions & all shifts available $1000 sign on Bonus and other Incentives for RN/LPN’s Plus other great benefits 828-210-4518 smims@deerfieldwnc.org

Development Manager.

This position is a member of the senior leadership team and responsible for leading the organization in meeting our development goals to support our mission of empowering children and families to meet their full potential and surrounding students with support. This includes successful planning, execution, and evaluation of fundraising for the organization including donor development, grants and special events. • Go to https://childrenfirstcisbc. org/employment/ for a full job description and application details.

TEACHING/ EDUCATION AFTERSCHOOL COUNSELOR ArtSpace Charter School. AfterSchool Counselor, Part-Time. Applicants must be available 3-5:45 or 6 pm, Monday-Friday and some Wednesdays 12-6pm. $10/hour. Qualified applicants must be creative, energetic, dependable and experienced with children, grades K-8. • Duties include planning and leading group games/crafts and homework assistance. Other schedules will be considered on a substitute basis. • Email resume to: tami.magidson@ artspacecharter.org with the subject heading “AfterSchool Counselor.”

HUMAN SERVICES RESIDENTIAL WORKERS NEEDED! Direct Support Provider: Residential Services- Provides resident directed support for adults with disabilities in a group home setting. Assists residents with activities of daily living and facilitates social, leisure, and recreational opportunities. Assists residents in meal preparation and medication administration. Ability to work independently and keep accurate documentation is required. High school diploma/GED required. Background checks and DMV check required. Full Time with benefits.

Full-time position requires overnight and weekend stay that begins Friday afternoon through Monday morning. (Resident level of care does not require staff to be awake overnight-Sleep Stipend provided). Please visit company website for more details and application process- www.tvsinc.org

GENERAL

PROFESSIONAL/ MANAGEMENT

DRY RIDGE FARM IS HIRING Pastured pork, beef, & egg farm in Mars Hill seeks employee 2 full days/week

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Children First/Communities In Schools is hiring a Resource

INTERESTED IN WORKING AT A-B TECH? Full-Time, Part-Time and Adjunct Positions available. Come help people achieve their dreams!

Apply for open positions at abtcc.peopleadmin.com

ARTS/MEDIA 103.3 ASHEVILLE FM SEEKS SALES PROFESSIONAL 103.3 Asheville FM seeks broadcast/digital sales professional to be our ambassador to the community and sell sponsorships. Visit www. ashevillefm.org/jobs for full description. Resumes to hiring@ashevillefm.org.

An equal opportunity employer! ashevillefm.org ASSISTANT DIRECTOR NEEDED Womansong of Asheville, a women's community chorus, seeks a part-time Assistant Director.

Candidates should have excellent musical and people skills and be wellorganized, flexible, collaborative. Deadline 2/13/19 www.womansong.org www.womansong.org

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To learn more, call Ultimate Medical Academy: 877-625-9048. (AAN CAN)

XCHANGE ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES I BUY OLD PAPER MONEY Buying old paper money, notes, bonds, documents, etc. Asheville, WNC and East TN. • Top value offered. Questions welcome!

Call (865) 207-8994 or papermoneybuy@gmail.com

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SERVICES BEAUTY/SALON STYLIST POSITION AVAILABLE Full Circle Salon is looking for experienced and education focused stylist. Commission and booth rental both available. mmennone@yahoo.com

EDUCATION/ TUTORING NEED HELP WRITING THAT PAPER? Expert English and writing tutor for all ages. 30 years experience • published author • MA in English rmorrison_writes@ charter.net

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ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS LUNG CANCER? And Age 60+? You And Your Family May Be Entitled To Significant Cash Award. Call 844898-7142 for Information.

No Risk. No Money Out Of Pocket. (AAN CAN) NOTICE OF UNCLAIMED PROPERTY The following is a list of unclaimed and confiscated property at the Asheville Police Department: electronic equipment; cameras; clothing; lawn and garden equipment; personal items; tools; weapons (including firearms): jewelry: automotive items; building supplies; bikes and other miscellaneous items. Anyone with a legitimate claim or interest in this property has 30 days from the date of this publication to make a claim. Unclaimed items will be disposed of according to statutory law. For further information, or to file a claim, contact the Asheville Police Department Property and Evidence Section, 828-232-4576. NOTICE OF DISPOSITION The following is a list of unclaimed and confiscated property at the Asheville Police Department tagged for disposition: audio and video equipment; cameras; clothing; lawn and garden equipment; personal items; tools; weapons (including firearms): jewelry: automotive items; building supplies; bikes and other miscellaneous. All items will be disposed of 30 days from date of posting. Items to be auctioned will be displayed on www.propertyroom.com.

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LEGAL NOTICES STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SWAIN IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18-CVD- 290 NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS

BY PUBLICATION BRENDA BROWN, Plaintiff, v.

HOSIE CURTIS BROWN JR, Defendant. TO: HOSIE CURTIS BROWN Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Complaint for Child Custody You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than March 18th, 2019 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service

against you will apply to the court for the relief sought. This 22nd day of January, 2019. NIELSEN LAW, PLLC Joshua D. Nielsen Attorney for Plaintiff PO Box 304, Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 2469360. (828) 229-7255 facsimile. Publication dates: January 30th, 2019, February 6th, 2019, and February 13th, 2019.

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COUNSELING SERVICES

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T H E N E W Y OR K TI M ES CR OSSWOR D PU ZZLE

ACROSS

1 Gloomy atmosphere 5 Mess up 9 Subject of some youth sports fraud 12 What inventions start as 14 Actor Morales of “The Brink” 15 Toot one’s own horn 16 Fish fork 17 Cocktail fork 19 Vice president who became ambassador to Japan 21 Swapped 22 It ends rather spookily: Abbr.

23 Last ruler of the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway 26 Often-prewritten news article, for short 29 Regret 30 Wide-eyed sort 34 Unrealized 36 Draw (out) 37 Leslie in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame 38 Salad fork Michelle’s Mind Over Matter Solutions include: Hypnosis, Self-Hypnosis, Emotional Freedom Technique, NeuroLinguistic Programming, Acupressure Hypnosis, Past Life Regression. Find Michelle’s books, educational audio and videos, sessions and workshops on her website.

39 Flashlight inserts, perhaps 40 Soldier’s topper 41 Well, in old Rome 42 Loos 43 Some rock coverings 44 “Bye!” 45 Wide shoe spec 46 ___ Village (Manhattan neighborhood) 47 Russia, once 50 Preschool group?

53 Estate sharer 56 Bespectacled canine of comics 59 Dessert fork 62 Fruit fork 63 Haberdasher’s array 64 “Yikes!”

65 TV’s Don Draper, for one 66 Abbr. on a remote 67 Fictional boy who rafted down the Mississippi 68 Big brand of petrol 1 2 3 4

DOWN

___ Beach, Calif.

Makeshift Makeshift shelter Kosher bakery no-no

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They might go viral “Mr. Robot” network Partner of wide What Buddha is said to have meditated under 9 Barren 10 Boarding pass datum 11 “Heavens to Murgatroyd!”

13 Genre of the band Less Than Jake 15 Idiotic 18 The Cards, on scoreboards 20 1980s-’90s N.F.L. great Ronnie 24 Like envelope flaps 25 Relatives of puffins 27 Relatives of kingfishers 28 India ___ 31 Wind tunnel currents 32 “Got it!”

33 They can be saturated 34 Pride parade letters 35 Rest ___ 39 Big name in laptops 40 Fashion accessory that may be six feet long

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51 Black-and-white mammals 52 Prefix with musicology 53 Security guard’s viewing, for short 54 River originating in Pittsburgh

55 Shoe part 57 Figure on a résumé, in brief 58 Monk known as “The Father of English History” 60 Upsilon follower 61 Stop on a trip

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE

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The

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