Mountain Xpress 02.24.21

OUR 27TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 27 NO. 30 FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

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MOUNTAINX.COM

C ONTENT S

GREEN

WELLNESS

NEWS

FEATURES 8 MIND THE GAP WNC has more job openings than unemployed workers. Why?

18 HEALTH ROUNDUP New open insurance enrollment period underway; children’s health declines in N.C.; more wellness news

PAGE 20 THE HERO’S JOURNEY Local comic artist Merlin Strivelli has been honing his illustration and storytelling skills at Open Hearts Art Center since 2005. His Asheville-based OHAC Justice series features local landmarks and superheroes based on staff members at the arts nonprofit.

COVER ILLUSTRATION Merlin Strivelli COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick

18 FLIGHT OF FACT State launches firstever bird atlas

4 LETTERS 4 CARTOON: MOLTON

A&C

7 CARTOON: BRENT BROWN 21 90 YEARS IN THE MAKING Mary Othella Burnette writes of growing up Black in WNC

8 NEWS 10 BUNCOMBE BEAT

A&C

13 BIZ BRIEFS 22 KITCHEN AID Commercial kitchens help food and beverage entrepreneurs realize their visions

14 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 16 WELLNESS 18 GREEN SCENE

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20 ARTS & CULTURE 25 RENAISSANCE WOMAN Ria Young pays homage to Shiloh’s history in debut documentary short

26 FREEWILL ASTROLOGY 27 CLASSIFIEDS 27 NY TIMES CROSSWORD

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OPINION

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

School board should be independent of Asheville City Schools The culture of the Asheville City Schools is strongly based upon the idea that ACS is somehow unique, somehow different. “We are a special case; we have special needs and requirements. We are not like other school districts.”

A translation of this is, “We are dysfunctional and like it that way,” and, “We can make bad decisions and get away with it because we are a special case.”

“We need a school board that understands our special circumstances.” The way to maintain this crippled school system is to hire persons within the present system.

The Asheville City Schools school board must be composed of persons from the outside. We need people on the school board from outside.

As far as I am concerned, the more outside, the better. A retired teacher from Minneapolis, an ex-superintendent from Boston, a business owner from Charlotte.

Asheville is human resources rich! In a heartbeat, the City Council could put together a school board stronger than anything that could ever come out of an election.

This really needs to be in the regulations of the Asheville City Council: “Only applicants independent of the school system will be considered for the positions of school board.”

The very clear exclusion is present employees and past employees.

But this is a fairly immediate situation. Three positions are coming vacant even now, and this needs to be considered even now.

Most of City Council has been recently elected. They heard about problems related to the school board during their campaigns for City Council. This is their job.

The school board selects the superintendent. After filling that position, the role of the school board is to support this person. With Gene Freeman as the superintendent, that basic structure is in place.

— John Brigham Asheville

Vaccine allocation dooms Buncombe’s seniors On Feb. 16, Buncombe County commissioners decided that political considerations were more important than science-based plans for COVID-19 vaccinations.

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titles and historical descriptions for bronze plaques at stations downtown, I gave considerable thought to the task.

My proposal is to rename the shaft of stone on Pack Square as Peace Monument. Through the generations since the obelisk’s dedication, local citizens and visitors have become accustomed to saying the one-syllable last name of five letters (Vance) as part of the title. My recommendation of “Peace” within the inscription retains that easy sound of one syllable and that simple spelling of five letters. Unlike the name of a deceased person whose popularity may plummet, “Peace” represents harmony, order, security and reconciliation.

— John C. Young Jr. Asheville

C A RT O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N Rather than completing the vaccination of the most vulnerable population, the more than 40,000 seniors still on the COVID-19 vaccination waitlist, the commissioners decided to divert about 50% of the supply to their supporters under pressure from the teachers union.

As 90% of all COVID-19 deaths occur in the senior population, they have effectively sentenced some seniors to death.

The mountain-area COVID vaccine supply has been shorted by the state, as it did not factor in the older population in this area as part of their plan. The seniors in Buncombe County were already in danger. The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners has decided that sacrificing even more seniors is worth the political gain.

Shame on them.

Remember this the next time they come up for election. We need all seniors still alive at that time and anyone who cares for a senior to vote them all out. They hope we will forget. I, for one, assuming I survive, will not.

— Gary Incorvia Weaverville Editor’s note: Xpress contacted the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners with the letter writer’s points and received the following response from Commissioner Amanda Edwards: “The decision to allocate 975 vaccines weekly to school personnel was a compromise to balance our over-65 population’s needs with the educational needs of our schoolchildren. Ensuring a safe return to the classroom is vital to the academic success of our chil-

MOUNTAINX.COM

dren. Summer loss is a continual concern and challenge — in just a couple of months, children can lose up to 50% of the gains they made in the school year. Now our children face yearlong loss, and there’s no question they are falling further and further behind the longer schools operate remotely.

“Our children whose families cannot hire private tutors are impacted more significantly by this learning loss. To add further stresses on our community, school closures disproportionately affect working parents and especially working mothers who have quit jobs and college to be home with kids learning remotely.

Vaccinating school personnel is an important step to getting parents back to work and in school to complete their degrees and getting our local economy back on track, while ensuring we stop the spread of the virus that has been unrelenting in its attack on our elderly population.”

A five-letter word for reconciliation Being a native of Asheville, I attended local schools and earned my four degrees from North Carolina institutes of higher learning. With a major in English, I taught seven years at Buncombe County high schools before becoming an instructor at one college and one technical institute elsewhere in this state.

After my retirement in 1986, I returned to this city and became one of the first supporters of the Asheville Urban Trail. As a member of the committee that composed

Show you care by wearing a mask There is a great deal of talk about the division in our country. We do have a lot of work to do to bring a sense of peace back to our country and beat this virus down. However, I believe we all share more in common than not. I think it is fair to say that universally, we all love our families; love seeing our children smile; love sharing meals with our loved ones; seeing the face of a dear friend; laughing with our friends; enjoying our pets; and bathing in the beauty that surrounds us in these mountains, just to name a few.

I mention all of this as a plea to show that love to all your neighbors and community at large in Western North Carolina by wearing your masks, staying home when you can and respecting social distancing.

Two of my children working on the front lines of health care contracted COVID on the job. They suffered relentlessly with symptoms for a month. They are back on the job serving the community.

[A few weeks ago], my dear friend, who works as a nurse and has been testing patients for COVID outside in all kinds of weather since March, lost her beloved father to COVID. He struggled for a month in the hospital and died alone. He left behind a little dog and a brokenhearted family. My nursing friend [is] back on the job, taking care of you, taking care of me.

Mask wearing is not a giving up of rights; it is not a political statement; it is not hard to do. Let’s get through this together; let’s make sure all our family members stay safe and are at the table the next time we are safe to gather together.

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OPINION

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

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN You do make a difference; you do save lives by this small and yet vital action. Thank you, kind neighbors, for wearing your mask.

— Jackie Austin Asheville

Additions to obelisk could tell a story Years ago, in Toledo, Spain, I saw a beautiful stone Franciscan monastery, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, which had a surprising detail. On the wall facing the street, cascades of chains and manacles are stapled to the masonry. I was told these are the chains of prisoners who were freed at the end of a war.

While the manacles were intended as both a memorial and trophy, their story isn’t simple.

The war expelled Muslims from Spain; the monastery was commissioned by Queen Isabella — and this is the same Isabella who supplied Christopher Columbus with ships and who deported Jews and confiscated their property. I wonder who actually worked to construct the monastery. Those chains piqued my curiosity and led to learning more about a troubled history.

So, here is a suggestion for the Pack Square obelisk. Displaying chains and manacles on the sides

of the monument would be a similar thought-provoker. To explain the sight would be to consider our local history of slavery and convict labor.

Another thought: Hand tools used for tunneling, quarrying and masonry, like those probably used by builders of the monument itself, could be displayed on it, too. It might even include a hammer-driven rock drill.

— Michael Garner Asheville

Cawthorn and the fight mindset I am deeply troubled by Madison Cawthorn’s “fight”-themed reply to my letter concerning the events of Jan. 6. Elected to represent me as a member of the U.S. Congress — not the police, military or militia — I wonder who, what, why is he fighting? He writes about fighting for principles that will “unite Republicans and conservatives.” Is this a fight to save his own hide? His eye on the next election?

When he talks of opposing “the far left’s schemes,” I wonder, is this a reference to constituents like me who support Medicare for All and Democratic Socialist institutions like public schools and libraries, the police and fire departments,

highways, roads, bridges? His job is to represent me, not oppose me.

I am not a schemer because I have a different vision and values for our country. I am not his enemy, I am his constituent.

A fight mindset divides people into two categories: winners and losers. At its extreme, it gives us leaders like T’rump, who believe that winning is the highest virtue, and an upside-down moral universe, where a hero like John McCain is vilified as a loser because he was shot down and captured, and a draft dodger like T’rump is worshipped as a winner because he gamed the system.

Anything goes in the service of winning: lying, denying facts, inciting violence, condoning killing. Fight is born of our instinct for self-preservation — I’ll get you before you get me — and fear of annihilation. Growing up to become a well-adjusted member of society involves learning how to temper basic instincts and the ability to discern when threats are real.

When winners become false gods and loss is experienced as annihilation, denial of defeat and fighting against those who speak the truth is essential for psychic survival. False leaders feed on isolation, not community, on fear and picking open rather than healing old wounds. In MOUNTAINX.COM

this upside-down world, there is no place for “forgive us our trespasses.”

Asking for forgiveness requires the ability to admit to being less than perfect, to having fears and failures, to being human, not God. At age 64, I struggle daily with keeping my fears in check. I’m learning that when I lead from a place of fear, I don’t make good decisions.

So, my question for Mr. Cawthorn is, “Of what are you afraid?”

It’s a question for all of us, but especially for those who aspire to be leaders and pretend to be fearless while posturing with guns. Here’s one of my fears: That our elected leaders, whether afraid of losing political positions and power, or their lives, will continue to collude with a naked mad emperor, giving legitimacy to this upside-down moral universe where there is no place for leaders with humility (which comes with accepting defeat), courage (born of facing fears honestly), wisdom (learning from mistakes) and compassion (the ability to forgive).

— Margaret Bishop Burnsville Editor’s note: A press release containing many of the same points covered in Cawthorn’s letter to the writer can be found on his congressional website: avl.mx/90x. X FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

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NEWS

Mind the gap

WNC has more job openings than unemployed workers. Why?

BY MOLLY HORAK mhorak@mountainx.com Solving Western North Carolina’s skills gap feels a lot like the 1993 hit movie Groundhog Day, says Michael Dempsey, dean and director of the Lenoir-Rhyne Center for Graduate Studies in Asheville.

No, Bill Murray isn’t at the table, but pre-COVID-19 discussions about the need to provide training for high-paying, high-demand jobs seemed to go on and on, Dempsey says. Educators would talk “ad nauseam” about the imperative to train workers to fill job openings.

Industry leaders echoed the need for skilled workers to achieve business goals. All the while, the region was riding a 61-month streak of posting the lowest unemployment rate in the state.

Then the pandemic hit, turning the Asheville metro area economy on its head. Unemployment jumped from 3.6% in March to 16.2% in April. Those figures have begun to stabilize, falling to 5.5% at the end of 2020, but the job market turbulence has prompted a fresh look at how the local workforce matches up with current and future employment opportunities.

As of December, there were 21,391 unique job postings in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties, according to data analyzed by the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board. At the same time, 11,549 unemployed individuals were living in the same five-county region.

But many of the available jobs require higher levels of education or specialized training than those currently unemployed possess, says

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BUILD THIS: Advanced manufacturing students enrolled at A-B Tech practice electronics maintenance. At the end of 2020, Western North Carolina was home to about 20,000 manufacturing jobs. Photo courtesy of A-B Tech Nathan Ramsey, executive director of the Land of Sky Regional Council, a multicounty planning and development organization. “Across the board, we’re seeing a lot of employers struggle to meet their workforce needs,” Ramsey notes.

THIS TIME, IT’S DIFFERENT

Although the economic scars left by the recent downturn can be seen across the workforce, employees with high levels of education have generally fared the best, Ramsey says. A study by the Brookings

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Institution found national unemployment rates rose to 21.2% for those with less than a high school degree, disproportionately affecting women and people of color.

Past recessions have followed a predictable trend, he explains.

When unemployment is high, there’s usually a surge in enrollment at community colleges as people look for new, viable career opportunities. When unemployment rates drop, career centers and community colleges see high demand from employers looking for qualified applicants to fill openings.

But this time, things feel different, Ramsey says. Instead of looking for alternate employment, many people are leaving the labor force entirely. Some are assuming caretaker duties or supervising children taking part in remote learning, he says, while others who were close to retirement before the pandemic are walking away early.

Still others are prioritizing health over economic opportunity. Many booming industries — health care, manufacturing, information and technology support — require workers to be physically present, a less attractive prospect for residents seeking remote work.

Ramsey speculates that many unemployed or furloughed work-

ers believe they’ll eventually be asked to return to their former jobs.

Many of Asheville’s hospitality and tourism workers anticipate a travel boom following mass COVID-19 vaccinations, he adds, leaving many hesitant to shift industries ahead of the expected resurgence.

WHERE ARE THE JOBS?

During other economic downturns, workers have gravitated to the relative stability of the health care industry, Ramsey says. In some ways, the visibility of health care workers during the pandemic has boosted interest in the medical field, says Dr. Jon Weiner, dean of allied health at A-B Tech Community College. Others, Ramsey counters, are wary of the health risks on the COVID-19 front line and are shying away from medical training programs.

As of Feb. 22, HCA Healthcare listed 616 job postings across its Western North Carolina facilities, ranging from registered nurses and surgical technicians to schedulers and parking attendants. To attract applicants, Mission Health offers on-the-job training and clinical rotations and partners with area schools, chambers of commerce and

workforce development boards, said spokesperson Nancy Lindell.

The region has also seen a steady rise in advanced manufacturing jobs since 2010, according to economic data from the U.S. Federal Reserve. At the end of 2020, WNC was home to approximately 20,000 manufacturing jobs; another 2,500 new manufacturing jobs have been announced in the last two years, including 800 positions announced by areospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney and 68 new positions at Jabil Healthcare’s Asheville facility.

The average Pratt & Whitney salary will be $68,000, the company promises. Annual payroll is expected to top $55 million when all positions are filled.

To prepare WNC residents for those new gigs, A-B Tech has developed a two-pronged approach to create a pipeline of qualified candidates, explains Kevin Kimrey, the college’s economic and workforce development director. Students can enroll in short-term training programs to learn basics like the fundamentals of machinery or industrial maintenance. Once employees are hired, workers can take specialized, hyperfocused courses to learn specific job functions, including skills like leadership and working with spreadsheets.

The college also offers Pratt & Whitney-specific short-term training programs, and all those who complete the workshops will automatically qualify for an interview with the company, Kimrey says.

Participants have so far ranged from teenagers fresh out of high school to people looking to enter a new line of work. Kimrey’s team is actively recruiting folks living in Asheville Housing Authority neighborhoods, military veterans and individuals receiving federal food assistance, he adds.

“You have such a vibrant and viable hospitality and tourism industry here in our area, which is great and provides a lot of jobs, but we all know they’re not always the best paying and the most stable,” Kimrey says. “But manufacturing is extremely strong here — the stability is there, and the technology that’s ingrained in advanced manufacturing is only growing stronger, leading to a lot of high-paying jobs.”

PLAYING THE LONG GAME

But despite strong incentives, permanently moving the needle on the educational background needed to qualify for those good jobs won’t happen overnight. In 2019, the

guage used to describe job openings to thinking through creative ways to train students entering the labor market.

One such program is Blue Ridge Community College’s apprenticeship program, which pairs seniors graduating from Henderson County Public Schools with local automotive, manufacturing or business and banking companies. Apprentices are paid to work four days and attend class once a week, says Lee Anna Haney, director of marketing at Blue Ridge Community College.

Tuition is free, and participants graduate with a credential in their respective fields.

As the Land of Sky collaborative moves from the planning phase to implementation, Fox sees these innovative pathways into the workforce as the way forward.

“We’re trying to talk to folks who are looking for a job and say, ‘OK, here are some resources to help upgrade your resume, and if you don’t have a four-year degree, that’s fine,’” Fox says. “Instead, let’s look at the skills that you are bringing to the table, and let’s connect you to a local company that will open the door for you.” X

HEALTH CARE HEROES: During past recessions, the health care industry was an appealing option for workers looking for stable, high-paying jobs. There are currently more than 500 job openings at Mission Health, ranging from registered nurses to surgical technicians. Photo courtesy of A-B Tech nonprofit myFutureNC pledged to ensure 2 million North Carolinians would have a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030.

Local education partners welcomed the goal long before the pandemic, Dempsey of Lenoir-Rhyne says, and current trends have only underscored the need.

Only six out of every 10 WNC high school students will enroll in a higher education program, according to statistics compiled by Ramsey, and only three will obtain a degree before they turn 25. In response, the Land of Sky Regional Council formed the Educational Attainment and Workforce Collaborative to convene partners from Henderson, Madison, Transylvania and Buncombe counties to discuss strategies for meeting immediate hiring needs and creating sustainable long-term solutions.

The pilot program is the first of its kind in North Carolina, says Joseph Fox, a consultant tapped to coordinate the project. Funded by the John M. Belk Endowment, the collaborative hopes to provide 82,000 area residents with post-secondary credentials by 2030.

“One of the issues we have in Western North Carolina is when we look at demographics, we don’t have strong diversity within our population,” Fox says. “With the cost of living — and the cost of housing and child care — it’s hard to recruit and retain diverse workers. So we’ve really got to grow our own internally.”

The collaborative is taking a “cradle to career” approach by bringing

together stakeholders from early childhood education, K-12 public schools, local colleges and industry leaders. Early initiatives have ranged from revamping the lan-

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9

BUNCOMBE BEAT

Buncombe school staffers eligible for vaccines As of Jan. 11, according to a survey of 334 Asheville City Schools employees, 85% of teachers and other staff felt it was unsafe to resume in-person instruction due to the coronavirus pandemic. That opinion could change in light of a Feb. 16 decision by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners: Local education workers will soon have access to a dedicated pool of COVID-19 vaccines.

Although commissioners did not take a formal vote, they directed Buncombe County Health and Human Services to set aside 975 vaccine doses per week — half of the weekly 1,950 doses that North Carolina has been sending the county — for school employees starting Wednesday, Feb. 24. The remaining doses will be allocated to the county’s existing waitlist, currently open only to health care workers and adults age 65 and older, which stood at 51,979 individuals as of press time.

“In terms of equity, I like this compromise. It feels like a ‘Yes and,’” said

NEXT IN LINE: School employees are set to become the next group in Buncombe County eligible for COVID-19 vaccination starting Wednesday, Feb. 24. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Commissioner Amanda Edwards, whose husband, Derek Edwards, is the principal of Asheville High School. “We talk about summer loss with our kids; we’re now talking about yearlong loss of education, yearlong plus.”

The move came a day after the Asheville City Board of Education unanimously voted to bring students back to the classroom over the next month. According to the plan presented during a Feb. 15 school board meeting, preschool students were to return first, on Monday, Feb. 22.

K-12 students would then return in phases from Monday, March 8, through Thursday, April 1.

That plan would put many teachers and support staff back in the classroom before they had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Stacie Saunders, the county’s public health director, estimated that

it could take up to six weeks for all school employees who wanted immunization to receive their first dose.

The second dose in the two-shot series would then be administered roughly 28 days after the first dose. A Buncombe County webpage regarding the process notes that the body typically requires a few weeks to build up a strong immune response on receiving the second dose.

Saunders said Buncombe health staff members were in early conversations with education leaders about how vaccinations would be prioritized among school staff. As of June 2020, ACS employed 718 people, while Buncombe County Schools employed 2,904; all staff throughout the county’s preschools would also be eligible.

Prior to the Asheville school board’s vote, Chair Shaunda Sandford said she and her colleagues may revisit the reopening plan on Monday, March 1, pending new surveys of families and staff.

However, the local system’s deliberations could be rendered moot by a proposed state law that would require an in-person option for all students within 15 days of passage.

That bill, S.B. 37, was sent to Gov. Roy Cooper on Feb. 17 after passing the House and Senate with the support of every Republican lawmaker and a handful of Democrats. Cooper, a Democrat, has said the proposed legislation does not adhere to state health guidance or allow for flexibility in the case of emergency.

— Daniel Walton X 10

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N EWS

Few answers on $90K PR contract for city schools Forthright Advising, the Raleighbased communications consultant listed in a nearly $90,000 contract with Asheville City Schools, defines its name as meaning “direct and outspoken; straightforward and honest.” A discussion surrounding the contract during a Feb. 15 special called meeting of the Asheville City Board of Education, however, was neither direct nor straightforward.

Signed by ACS Superintendent Gene Freeman on Feb. 5 and Chief Finance Officer Georgia Harvey on Feb. 8, the contract tasks Forthright with preparing “an announcement rollout and community engagement plan regarding the [school system’s] equitable education initiative,” as well as “ongoing communications team advising and support services.”

But no member of the school board or ACS staff could explain exactly where the contract came from or how it would benefit students.

“Dr. Freeman has talked about budgetary issues,” remarked Joyce Brown, the only board member to flag an issue with the document. (See “Failing arithmetic,” Xpress, Jan. 27.) “This seems to be an extremely large contract.”

Parents and other community members had also expressed multiple concerns over the document in a Facebook Live chat running alongside the livestream of the meeting.

However, the board did not permit a formal avenue for public comment.

Freeman himself was not in attendance to explain the deal, with board Chair Shaunda Sandford noting at the start of the meeting that the superintendent was feeling ill. But his lieutenants — Assistant Superintendents Shane Cassida and Mark Dickerson, both of whom were tasked with running the meet-

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TALKING POINT: An agreement with Raleigh-based Forthright Advising for communications on equity efforts at Asheville High School and other city schools drew the concern of Asheville City Board of Education member Joyce Brown during a Feb. 15 meeting of the board. Photo by Virginia Daffron ing in his stead — offered little more context.

“I don’t know a lot of details about this contract. It did not emanate out of our department,” Cassida said, before incorrectly stating that it had yet to be signed. Dickerson did not speak about the item, nor did Harvey, whose name appears on the contract.

Dillon Huffman, the only member of the school’s communications department present at the meeting, did not volunteer information about the need for consultants or how he expected them to assist his work.

(Ashley-Michele Thublin, the district’s executive director of commu-

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nications, is on parental leave and was not in attendance.)

Xpress was unable to reach Katie Davis, the founder of Forthright Advising, who also signed the document. But on Feb. 16, Huffman said Forthright had contacted the school system regarding Xpress’ inquiry.

“We’ve engaged them in a contract to add capacity to our team and help our district with community outreach and engagement while the Board of Education considers how we continue to strive for equity for all kids in our district,” he wrote in a statement.

“We are working with the communications firm to ensure we honor the diverse voices of our community in our ongoing process to build equity in our district,” Huffman continued. “As the Board of Education makes decisions regarding future equity initiatives and options for families, this firm will assist us as needed with ensuring we hear from all stakeholders.”

Sandford hinted at some familiarity with the circumstances surrounding the contract. “This may be in relation to the meeting [Freeman] had with the City Council and [board attorney] Chris [Campbell] and everybody. I’m not sure, though,” she said, without providing further details.

However, Freeman has not publicly presented before Asheville City Council in the past several months, and no public notice has been given for a separate meeting between the superintendent and elected officials.

A call to reach Sandford for further explanation on Feb. 16 went directly to a full voicemail box.

Campbell emphasized that Freeman has the unilateral power to make contracts of up to $90,000 per school policy, a limit shared by the Buncombe County school system.

The Forthright contract’s do-not-exceed amount is $89,400, just under that limit.

“The superintendent has the legal authority to be able to do contracts within a certain amount and just report those to the board,” Campbell said. “It just sounds like something that y’all can have some additional conversation with when he is back and able to discuss the dollar amount.”

“I would like to do that,” Brown replied. The school board’s next regularly scheduled meeting takes place 5 p.m. Monday, March 1.

— Daniel Walton X

BIZ BRIEFS

by Xpress Staff | news@mountainx.com OVER HALF OF ASHEVILLE WORKERS EMPLOYED BY SMALL BUSINESSES As Asheville residents celebrate local businesses during February’s Go Local, Love Asheville Month, a report by construction industry website Construction Coverage found that 52% of Asheville workers — roughly 90,000 people — are employed by a small business.

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating more difficulties for small businesses, which often have fewer financial resources to fall back on during economic downturns, the report notes. Lodging, food service and retail businesses account for about 25% of small-business employees, but with more people staying home, “these firms face dire circumstances.”

The total small-business payroll per Asheville employee is approximately $35,853, the study found. Nationally, small-business payroll per employee is significantly higher at $44,777.

View the report at avl.mx/90v.

WASTE PRO APPOINTS JEB HENSLEY AS NEW DIVISION MANAGER Jeb Hensley is the new Waste Pro division manager for Asheville, the company announced Feb. 17.

Hensley, a graduate of Texas Christian University, has more than 20 years of experience in the transportation industry. Most recently, he served as a Waste Pro district manager in Colorado, where

NEW FACE IN TOWN: Jeb Hensley is Waste Pro’s new Asheville division manager. Photo courtesy of Waste Pro he was responsible for four hauling sites.

“I’m very excited to be joining the Asheville team,” Hensley said in a press release. “Building relationships and providing excellent customer service are what it’s all about, in my opinion, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the people in this area and providing the wonderful service they deserve and expect.”

BIZ BITES

• Planet Fitness opened its first Asheville location at 141 Smokey Park Highway. The 22,000-square-foot facility is open daily 5 a.m.10 p.m.

County’s • Madison Advanced Superabrasives Inc. received the Governor’s Award of Excellence for its contributions to increasing North Carolina exports.

The 40-employee company sells customized grinding wheels in the United States and 28 other countries.

• The Music Academy of Western North Carolina launched several new services at the start of 2021, including a Music in the Mountains schol-

arship fund, an instrument rental program for band and orchestra students, a music accessories retail division and a new Music Together program for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

• Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams is now open at the Asheville Outlets. The home furnishing store is the brand’s largest authorized factory-direct outlet.

Brand new apartment community opening this Spring

Maple Crest Apartments

LOCALS IN BUSINESS • Attorneys Koral Alman, Anderson Ellis and Jonathan Dunlap were promoted to partner at the Van Winkle law firm.

The three specialize in trust and estate planning, business development and growth, and complex litigation matters, respectively.

• Asheville native Ryan Volatile, founder of Argentina-based Fields Outfitting, began offering online sales of the “bombacha de campo” field pants in December for United States customers. “This iconic pant is central to the identity of Argentina’s famed gaucho, and we’re honored to share a piece of Argentine heritage with customers around the world,” Volatile said in a press release.

• Beverly-Hanks Realtors announced their top-performing agents of 2020, including seven agents and six agent teams who closed sales over $20 million. All told, Beverly-Hanks agents sold more than $1.9 billion of residential and commercial real estate throughout WNC in 2020. View the full list of honorees at avl.mx/90w. X

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MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

13

COMMUNITY CALENDAR FEB. 24-MARCH 5, 2021

CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS

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.

Pack Library: Spanish Conversation Group For adult language learners.

TH (2/25), 5pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/8ty

In-Person Events = Shaded All other events are virtual

ART

LITERARY

Slow Art Friday: The Color Blue, Finding Meaning in You Discussion led by touring docent Megan Pyle at Asheville Art Museum.

FR (2/26), 12pm, Registration required, $10, avl.mx/90c Jackson Arts Market Live demonstrations by local artists.

SA (2/27), 1pm, 533 W Main St, Sylva Center for Craft Exhibit Tour: Desire Paths Led by curators Lauren Kalman and Matt Lambert.

TH (3/4), 6pm, Free, avl.mx/91n Art Travels: Detroit Institute of Arts Tour led by Asheville Art Museum.

TH (3/4), 7pm, Registration required, $20, avl.mx/91m Slow Art Friday: We Wear the Mask Discussion led by touring docents Kay Dunn and Susan Coleman at Asheville Art Museum.

FR (3/5), 12pm, Registration required, $10, avl.mx/91k

MUSIC A Place in the Band: Women in Bluegrass & American Roots Music Conference hosted

by Blue Ridge Music Center.

FR (2/26), 12pm, Registration required, $25, avl.mx/91b The Meccore String Quartet Concert presented by the Asheville Chamber Music Series.

FR (2/26), 7:30pm, Free, avl.mx/90d

BMC Museum + Arts Center: Faith in Arts Series A conversation with poet Molly Silverstein.

WE (2/24), 1pm, Free, avl.mx/911 UNCA Visiting Writer Series Featuring poet and essayist Claudia Rankine.

WE (2/24), 7pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/90h YMI: Black Experience Book Club Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.

TH (2/25), 6:30pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/prvj Connect Beyond Book Club + Author Q&A The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose by Chris Wilson.

TH (2/25), 7pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/91c

THEATER & FILM Bardo Arts Center Documentary Screening: Code of the Freaks A radical reframing of the use of characters with disabilities.

Ongoing (thru 2/24), On-demand, Free, avl.mx/910

Wandering with Magnetic: something i cared about Walking performance directed by Jason Phillips. Tickets: avl.mx/8zu.

SA (2/27), 11am, $23, Reed Creek Greenway, 24 Magnolia Ave

10 yrs WNC/ETN notes, bonds, maps, currency etc.

Member SPMC, NCNA, SCNA, TNS

FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

NC Stage: The Book Club Documentary-style comedy performed from actors' homes.

WE (3/3), 7:30pm, $25, avl.mx/91d

ANIMALS

BUYING OLD PAPER MONEY

14

Asheville Art Museum: Conversation with the Director Featuring Ben Shapiro, director of Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters.

TU (3/2), 7pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/916

UNCA Drama Dept: Hindsight 2020 Spoken word, music, dance, short film and creative writing by students.

FR (3/5), 7pm, By donation, avl.mx/91j

Wortham Center Makeup Workshop Presented by Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

FR (2/26), 7pm, Registration required, $28, avl.mx/8yx

msg/ txt 865-207-8994 or email papermoneybuy@gmail.com

WELL VETTED: The WNC Nature Center will present a virtual critter checkup led by Dr. Beth Rhyne. The family-friendly veterinary exam will feature a red panda, and children are invited to follow along with plush animals to learn what it takes to be a wildlife veterinarian. Saturday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m. $10. avl. mx/913. Photo courtesy of the WNC Nature Center

Caring for Guinea Pigs Educational workshop for current and potential pet owners.

SA (2/27), 1pm, Free, Pet Supermarket, 244 Tunnel Rd WNC Nature Center: Critter Check-up Live veterinary exam with a red panda.

Family friendly.

SA (2/27), 2pm, Registration required, $10, avl.mx/913 Friends of the WNC Nature Center: Critter Trivia Night Reptile and amphibian themed questions.

TH (3/4), 7pm, Registration required, $5, avl.mx/91o

MOUNTAINX.COM

CIVICS & ACTIVISM E. W. Pearson Project: Racial Equity & Healing Event Panel discussion on local government and civic participation.

TH (2/25), 5:30pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/8zt Buncombe County TDA Monthly joint meeting.

WE(2/24), 9am, avl.mx/91r Buncombe County Planning Board Regular meeting.

MO (3/1), 9:30am, avl.mx/91s

BENEFITS MountainTrue: Watershed Gala Annual gathering and presentation of Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award.

TH (2/25), 6pm, Registration required, By donation, avl.mx/919 Haywood Waterways: Take the Plunge Benefit Proceeds benefit Kids in the Creek & Environmental Education.

Register: avl.mx/912.

Virtual participation available.

SA (2/27), 10am, $10$25, Canton Pool, 77 Penland St, Canton

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY SCORE Encore Entrepreneurship: Customer Discovery & Local Networking Workshop for women 50 and older.

WE (2/24), 10am, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/8wo

AVL First in Talent Collective Featuring Tamanda Beza and Connie Matisse.

WE (2/24), 6pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/918 The Collider: Color of Science Featuring Alan Emtage, creator of the first internet search engine.

TH (2/25), 5pm, Free, avl.mx/90f

WNC Sierra Club: Conservation & Education Featuring Jonathan Marchal, director of education at NC Arboretum.

TH (3/4), 7pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/91L

FARM & GARDEN

WNC Historical Association: Intro to WNC Lecture Series I Featuring Peter Koch on the settlement of WNC. TH (2/25), 6:30pm, Registration required, $5, avl.mx/8zx

ASAP: Business of Farming Conference Sessions on business planning, marketing and management for professional and aspiring farmers.

TH (2/25), 10:30am, Registration required, avl.mx/8uL

UNCA: Chemistry & Biochemistry Seminar COVID-19 response research presented by David Rakestraw.

FR (2/26), 2:30pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/90i

NC Arboretum: The Art of the Bonsai Presented by curator Arthur Joura.

TH (2/25), 4pm, Registration required, $10, avl.mx/909

Blue Ridge Community College Open House Info on programs, scholarships, apprenticeships and summer camps.

TU (3/2), 5pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/91e UNCA: Archaeology Webinar Featuring Jenny Ebeling on the discovery of an ancient winery in Jezreel, Israel.

WE (3/3), 7:30pm, Registration required, Free, avl.mx/91i

Organic Growers School: Homestead Dreams Workshop on smallscale land-based living.

SA (2/27), 10am, Registration required, $65, avl.mx/76i

FOOD & BEVERAGE Jewel of the Blue Ridge Vineyard: Winemaking Workshop How to make muscadine and other American grape wines.

WE (3/3), 7pm, Registration required, $20, avl.mx/91g.

SPIRITUALITY Mills River Presbyterian Church: Author Reading & Discussion Featuring Sarah Loudin Thomas, author of The Right Kind of Fool.

Register to get Zoom link: ZiprikPR@gmail. com.

TH (2/25), 7pm, Free

WELLNESS Council on Aging: Introduction to Medicare How to avoid penalties and save money.

TH (2/25), 2pm, Registration required, Free, coabc.org Steady Collective Syringe Access Outreach Free naloxone, syringes and educational material on harm reduction.

TU (3/2), 2pm, Firestorm Books, 610 Haywood Rd

VOLUNTEERING Edible Park Community Work Day Mulching, pruning and clearing invasive plants.

FR (2/26), 2:30pm, Dr. George Washington Carver Edible Park, 30 George Washington Carver Ave MountainTrue: Island Park Work Session Invasive plant removal.

Register for location details: avl.mx/91a.

WE (3/3), 11am-2pm, Tuckesegee

CLUBLAND

Online Event= q WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. French Broad Valley Mountain Music Jam, 6pm THE 2ND ACT Open Mic w/ Letters to Abigail, 6pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia Night, 6:30pm ISIS MUSIC HALL q Darden Smith (folk), 7pm, avl.mx/prvf

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25 SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Open Mic Night w/ The Lads AVL, 6pm

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 ISIS MUSIC HALL Carley Arrowood (Americana, bluegrass), 7pm MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs (folk, rock), 6pm

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Gene Holdway (solo acoustic), 2pm SAINT PAUL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS The Baggage Brothers (bluegrass), 2:30pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Billy Mac (acoustic rock), 3pm WEHRLOOM HONEY MEADERY Music & Mead w/ Phantom Pantone DJ Collective, 4pm BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 5pm ISA'S FRENCH BISTRO James Hammel (solo acoustic), 5pm ISIS MUSIC HALL The Page Brothers Quartet (jazz), 7pm

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 SAINT PAUL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS Paul Rene McIntire (electric violinist), 2pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING The Lads (acoustic originals), 2pm

MONDAY, MARCH 1 THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Blue Monday w/ Mr Jimmy, 6pm

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. French Broad Valley Mountain Music Jam, 6pm THE 2ND ACT Open Mic w/ Letters to Abigail, 6pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia Night, 6:30pm

MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

15

HEALTH ROUNDUP

by Xpress Staff | news@mountainx.com

Area hospitals ranked among the nation’s best Three Western North Carolina hospitals were named among the best in the country in Healthgrades’ 2021 America’s Best Hospitals, announced on Feb. 9.

Asheville’s Mission Hospital was named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for the fourth year in a row, and Pardee UNC Health Care in Hendersonville was named among the 250 best hospitals, also for the fourth year in a row. Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde made the 250 Best Hospitals list for the first time.

Institutions recognized on those lists demonstrated positive clinical outcomes for patients across at least 21 of 32 common inpatient conditions and procedures. According to a Pardee press release, “In the 2021 model year, patients treated in hospitals achieving the award had, on average, a 27% lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award, as measured across 19 rated conditions and procedures for which mortality is the outcome.”

More information about the lists is available at avl.mx/90m.

New open insurance enrollment period underway As part of his new administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, President Joe Biden opened a special enrollment period for the federal health insurance marketplace Feb. 15 through Saturday, May 15. The move allows those without health insurance to purchase coverage through HealthCare.

16

FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

event, which takes place 9 a.m.-2 p.m., or just the discussions that interest them most. Registration is required by Tuesday, March 2, to ensure advocates receive the proper resources, and attendees will be asked to participate in a training call ahead of the event. Access the full schedule and sign up at avl.mx/90n or call 800-272-3900.

WITH GRATITUDE: In a composite shot from a video tribute to health care workers in conjunction with National Acts of Random Kindness Day on Feb. 17, luminarias spell out “Thank You” atop Grandfather Mountain. To view the entire video, visit avl.mx/prvk. Photo by Todd Bush, Todd Bush Photography gov without waiting for a qualifying event or the annual open enrollment period at the end of the year.

In a press release, Mike Causey, commissioner of the N.C. Department of Insurance, said that nine out of 10 consumers enrolled in marketplace coverage “receive some sort of financial help, with 75% of consumers purchasing a plan for $50 or less per month after receiving assistance.”

Local organizations, including Pisgah Legal Services, are assisting those who wish to apply for coverage. Contact Pisgah Legal at 828-210-3404 or visit avl.mx/90r for an appointment.

MOUNTAINX.COM

State Alzheimer’s disease advocacy day set for March 11 A virtual advocacy day organized by the Alzheimer’s Association invites the public to speak for the needs and rights of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. Attendees will learn about the legislative process, engage in virtual discussions with elected officials and share their personal stories.

Attendees are invited to join (via video or phone) for the entire free

New report: NC children’s health outcomes worsening

The 2021 Child Health Report Card released Feb. 16 shows North Carolina failing in several areas, including mental health, substance use, birth outcomes and housing and economic security. Published every two years by NC Child and the N.C. Institute of Medicine, the study examines 15 indicators of child health. Though the data on which the report card is based predates the coronavirus pandemic, the study’s authors say COVID-19 and its associated economic downturn have likely deepened children’s health disparities.

Several of the state’s grades have fallen since the previous Child Health Report Card was released in 2019: • Breastfeeding fell from a B to a C. • Birth outcomes — including infant mortality — fell from a D to an F. • Substance use fell from a D to an F, driven by the massive increase in youth vaping.

• Mental health fell from a D to an F, with youth suicide attempts continuing to climb even before the pandemic.

On the positive side, the report card gives the state an A for child health coverage but notes that rates of child and parent coverage were declining before the pandemic. That

trend is expected to have accelerated as parents have lost employer-sponsored health insurance.

The Child Health Report Card, as well as data sources and infographics, are available at avl.mx/90q.

Health happenings • February is school-based health centers awareness month, and Blue Ridge Health is celebrating the positive impact of the 17 SBHCs the community health care organization operates in Western North Carolina.

According to a press release, “SBHCs allow children to access acute care, behavioral health services, health education and more within their school. Having these medical resources within a school prevents children from having to leave during the school day and reduces the number of absences they encounter, which helps prevent them from getting behind in their coursework.” The centers are particularly crucial for delivering care in areas underserved by medical practitioners.

• Vaya Health and Access Family Services announced a new initiative to develop specialized foster homes for youths with autism spectrum disorder. According to a press release, children with autism are more likely than their typically developing peers to enter foster care and often move among multiple placements, resulting in increased trauma and a reduced likelihood of reunification with their family of origin. Those interested in becoming a licensed professional foster parent to a child with autism can visit avl.mx/90s for more information.

• T he federal Veterans Health Administration is offering a free online six-week program for caregivers struggling with the added challenges of isolation and stress during the coronavirus pandemic.

For more information about the Building Better Caregivers series and to apply, visit avl.mx/90t.

• Asheville Wellness Tours will host an online cooking class with local chef J Chong to benefit the nonprofit Asheville Strong. Tickets for the Thursday, Feb. 25, demo are $20 at avl.mx/90u. X

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FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

17

GREEN SCENE

Flight of fact

State launches inaugural bird atlas

BY DANIEL WALTON dwalton@mountainx.com More than 470 species of birds have been recorded as native to, wintering in or migrating through North Carolina. Over the next five years, Scott Anderson hopes to find them all.

But the bird conservation biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission won’t be attempting that epic feat alone. Starting in March, Anderson and other organizers of the N.C. Bird Atlas hope to engage hundreds of volunteers, together contributing at least 3,000 hours of observations annually, to scour the state from the top of Mount Mitchell to the shores of Cape Hatteras.

The atlas, the first such effort of its kind in North Carolina, will break the state into 937 sections of 10 square miles — covering roughly a fifth of its total land area — and ask birders to record all the varieties they see using the online platform eBird. Watchers will also note bird behavior throughout the year to pinpoint when different species are breeding.

That massively comprehensive approach to birding, Anderson says, is meant to help the NCWRC and its partners, including Audubon North

Carolina, the N.C. Natural Heritage Program and N.C. State University, determine just how well species are doing in different parts of the state.

With that information in hand, he explains, conservationists can best deploy their limited resources to maintain as many healthy populations as possible.

“We want to hear about everything from your Carolina wren to your peregrine falcon, rare species and common species,” Anderson says.

“This atlas effort is designed to find those species that are really on their way down that we haven’t detected before.”

TIMES OF TROUBLE

Anderson points to a 2019 study published in the journal Science that found North America’s overall breeding bird population had fallen by 29% since 1970, a drop of roughly 3 billion individuals. Habitat destruction and degradation, hunting by pet cats and collisions with windows have all taken a toll, even on species that still seem relatively widespread.

And a 2019 report by the National Audubon Society, Survival by Degrees, found that two-thirds of North American bird species are

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“moderately or highly vulnerable” to extinction as a result of climate change. Nancy Casey, president of the Asheville-based Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter (formerly the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society), says that many locally beloved birds are among those in danger.

“Here in the Asheville area, common backyard birds like the eastern towhee, as well as so many beautiful migrating birds like the scarlet tanager, are at risk,” Casey says, referencing a national Audubon tool that localizes projected climate impacts. “Scarlet tanagers, like many of the warbler species, make the long trip each year from Central and South America to breed right here on the Blue Ridge Parkway —

including close-to-Asheville places like Craven Gap.” On-the-ground data collected during the bird atlas, says Anderson, will help refine the results of those previous studies and detect species that are already struggling. “Our motto is to keep common species common. The thrust of our efforts is to make sure those species don’t get to the point where they need to be listed as threatened or endangered,” he says.

The data will also provide a benchmark against which future bird counts can be compared to detect trends over time. While researchers can track some changes between years through annual programs such as Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, the atlas will offer a systematic cover-

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BIRDS ON THE BRAIN: Participants in the N.C. Bird Atlas will be asked to record every species they see, even relatively common ones such as the Carolina wren, to help scientists determine what birds are most in need of conservation. Photo courtesy of Audubon North Carolina

FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

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WARMING WARBLER: The Canada warbler is among the bird species that migrate through Buncombe County and are considered highly vulnerable to climate change. Photo courtesy of the National Audubon Society age of the state that hasn’t previously been available.

LOOKING UP

Those interested in joining the effort, says Anderson, should sign up for the eBird platform and email atlas coordinator Chris Smith at coordinator@ncbirdatlas.org. Participants will be divided into regional teams, with most of Western North Carolina falling into region 9.

Casey plans to promote the work through Blue Ridge Audubon’s meetings and social media and is hopeful that many local birders will participate. She suggests that the atlas may benefit from a pandemic-induced uptick in birding that she’s noticed over the past year.

“I’ve heard so many stories: ‘I put up a bird feeder in my backyard,’ or ‘The only way I can get together with my friends is to be outside,’” Casey says, “When things are tough,

it’s so great to connect with a more peaceful world, the natural world.”

Jesse Pope, president and executive director of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, says his Linville park, part of a designated Audubon Important Bird Area, will participate as well. He’s also seen more birders enjoying what he calls “a fairly low-risk activity,” even as COVID-19 concerns have caused him to limit volunteers at birding events such as the annual Hawk Watch.

And Anderson doesn’t believe that the coronavirus will significantly hamper the atlas effort. He says other parts of the country have successfully conducted bird surveys since the pandemic’s start; the biggest added inconvenience has been the need for volunteers to travel to sites in different vehicles. Training sessions on the use of eBird and atlas-specific observation goals can be held online, and birdwatching itself is easy to do at a social distance.

“Other states last year have had really great participation, despite having COVID-19,” Anderson says.

“I think a lot of people are enjoying more of the outdoors and finding new ways to enjoy the outdoors. I think this is definitely one of them.” X

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19

VISUAL ART

T20

ARTS & CULTURE

Power of the pen

Merlin Strivelli’s comic books feature local heroes

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com You’ve heard about the Justice League, but what about OHAC Justice?

The comic book series is the creation of local artist Merlin Strivelli and features superheroes based on staff members at Open Hearts Art Center, where he’s been honing his illustration and storytelling skills since the nonprofit opened in 2005.

An Asheville-area native, Strivelli grew up in an arts-rich family. His mother is a painter and his Charlottebased uncle Simon, who he says is “covered in tattoos,” loves to draw.

Their examples inspired Strivelli to begin making art in kindergarten, but he also had another key influence that set him on his current path.

“I liked painting as a kid because of Bob Ross,” Strivelli says of the late host of the PBS series “The Joy of Painting.”

Shortly thereafter, he began watching the X-Men animated series when he got home from school and was especially taken with Gambit, who remains his favorite superhero. Comic books’ frequent big city settings appeal to him and provide a means to explore new places — an experience he seeks to provide with his own work.

HEROES’ HERO: Asheville-based comic book artist Merlin Strivelli has honed his craft at Open Hearts Art Center. Photo courtesy of Open Hearts “My comic books take place in Asheville, and Stan Lee’s take place in New York,” Strivelli says. “I would like to visit New York because that’s where the X-Mansion is.”

Strivelli’s artwork has already taken him to exciting locations. In 2007, at the age of 16, one of his paintings

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was chosen to be part of Driven, an exhibition spotlighting the works of emerging artists with disabilities, at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center. Strivelli was among 15 artists chosen from 204 applicants ranging in age from 16-25. That November, he and his father traveled to Washington, D.C., to see the show, as well as other art galleries and, just as memorably, ride in a taxi.

More recently, Strivelli taught a workshop in Alaska on how to draw superheroes. His other creations include Metro Force, Parrot Man, Candle Man, Goat Man, Reprimander, Mighty Man, Wonder Boy, Caterpillar

PRIME RIB

ROAST

Man and Karaoke Woman. He also has a villain named Sunburn, who harnesses the power of the sun to redden people’s skin.

The comics — which feature script assistance, lettering and “final touches” by former OHAC staffer Steven Hooper — are available to purchase at Comic Envy, where Strivelli has made friends with owner Rile Naveen and employee Allison Jenkins; he’s also pals with Morgan’s Comics owner Morgan Albritton. Open Hearts is looking to print more of Strivelli’s comics soon and will also expand into web comics, all of which the artist hopes will one day result in OHAC Justice becoming an animated television series.

His love for comics and cartoon characters is also evident on Strivelli himself. He’s designed many of his tattoos, which feature his own versions of Thor, Scooby-Doo, Gambit, Wonder Woman, Rogue, Wolverine, Batman, Robin and Superman, and looks forward to having Sonic the Hedgehog on his right calf.

When he’s not working on comics — or painting animals and nature scenes, which he’s been doing more of this past year — Strivelli enjoys playing video games and going on walks.

He’s also part of WNC Autistic Adults United, a group that organizes field trips, movie nights and game nights. openheartsartcenter.org This article is part of a new feature, Creatives in the Crowd, which focuses on local artists — both established and new. The feature will spotlight unique stories and innovative artistic approaches within our creative community. Unlike much of our Arts & Culture reporting, these stories are not tied to upcoming events, exhibits or releases. The feature strives to represent a diverse range of voices, experiences and artistic mediums. If you’d like to nominate a community member for consideration, please reach out to ae@ mountainx.com with the subject line, “Creatives in the Crowd.” X

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LITERATURE

90 years in the making Mary Othella Burnette writes of growing up Black in WNC

BY THOMAS CALDER tcalder@mountainx.com Mary Othella Burnette is a bridge between two worlds — “an elderly member of a vanishing society,” she writes in her debut memoir, Lige of the Black Walnut Tree: Growing Up Black in Southern Appalachia, which she self-published in August 2020.

Born in Black Mountain in 1931, the 90-year-old author says she is blessed with a vivid memory and a knack for storytelling. Throughout her youth, “there were no TVs, no phones — people entertained each other by talking,” she explains. This oral tradition ingrained in her a deep appreciation for crafting compelling narratives. But oral history, Burnette notes, can be elusive. Self-censorship, especially during the Jim Crow era, influenced the types of stories people of color shared.

“Living concurrently under both vindictive racial oppression and within the buffered protection of a closeknit community … had taught my fore parents that a seemingly innocent word caught by the wrong ear and twisted by a malicious tongue could cause serious racial trouble, and that saying something negative about a neighbor could lead to unfavorable circumstances,” she writes in the early pages of her memoir.

Another “universal weakness” of the practice, the author notes, is life’s impermanence and death’s eternal grip: “Whatever is not written down is eventually forgotten and taken to the grave.”

BY SKIN COLOR, AGE AND SEX These were among the reasons Burnette penned Lige of the Black Walnut Tree. But it was her paternal grandmother’s history that originally propelled the project.

Mary Stepp Burnette Hayden was born into slavery in 1858 in the North Fork/Black Mountain area. Living nearly a century, she died two years shy of her 100th birthday in 1956. A midwife and herbalist, Hayden told many stories to Burnette, including the time she heard the Emancipation Proclamation read aloud outside her slave dwelling around 1863.

In 2008, Burnette casually shared some of her grandmother’s accounts with her longtime physician. The doc-

HISTORY MONTH

STORYTELLER: Born in Black Mountain in 1931, Mary Othella Burnette recounts her youth in her debut memoir, Lige of the Black Walnut Tree: Growing Up Black in Southern Appalachia. Author photo courtesy of Burnette tor looked up at the then 77-year-old retired educator and said, “Do you realize how incredible it is to meet someone who has actually known a slave?”

Of course, slavery, notes Burnette, creates the greatest barrier for Black Americans attempting to research their lineage. “We don’t even know what part of Africa we come from,” she says of her family. “And for two centuries, our people were not allowed to read and write. That’s held us back tremendously.”

Meanwhile, in her memoir, Burnette discusses the additional challenges of researching enslaved relatives, including the difficulties associated with tracing last names, which were often changed when an enslaved person was sold.

Furthermore, she notes how many of the available slave tax records did not include names. “They list bondsmen, bondswomen and their children as they did the farm animals, by skin color, age and sex,” Burnette writes.

PROUD SYMBOL

Lige of the Black Walnut Tree also offers readers insight into the insidious nature of white supremacy culture within the Black community itself.

“I was growing up in a community wherein Black people … striving to escape their visual kinship to Africa, tried to adopt a style of dressing that came from Europe, and at the same time, clung to a way of cooking, socializing and talking that was solely ours,” she writes. “We got used to scornful expressions of ‘Comin’ in here wid your nappy head, looking like an African,’ and ‘Comin’ in here trying to act white on me.’”

“It was like a dual culture,” Burnette says, reflecting on the passage. “We had to learn to exist in both to survive.”

Yet not all residents abided by these unwritten rules and expectations. In one of the book’s most powerful chapters, Burnette writes about a former neighbor known as Miss Emmaline, a laundry woman who resisted the cultural demands of the Jim Crow South. Embracing her African heritage, both in fashion and in practice, Miss Emmaline is remembered by Burnette for her sense of self-worth and tendency to carry laundry baskets atop her head as she walked through town.

“One of the last bits of graceful Africanness left in our village, Miss Emmaline was my only symbol of the goodness, the greatness left behind when our fore parents were torn from MOUNTAINX.COM

the shores of West Africa, driven aboard waiting slave ships and stored in tight quarters, sailing to slave markets in the Americas and Europe,” Burnette writes.

“To me, Miss Emmaline was the proud symbol of the past we heard nothing about at school,” the author later adds, “the past too many Black people of my childhood would rather not be reminded of at all.”

COMMUNITY-MINDED PEOPLE Fostering a deeper understanding of Black history and Black lives, says Burnette, was a major motivation for writing Lige of the Black Walnut Tree.

“I want people to see how intelligent freed slaves were,” she says.

“Nobody would think of a slave as being intelligent. But they were. They were very intelligent and community-minded people.”

The work also serves to document her family stories. The “Lige” of the memoir’s title refers to her second cousin Elijah; though Burnette never met him, she grew up playing under the black walnut tree that grew on Elijah’s family’s property. Now living in Michigan, she still visits the site when she comes home.

Like the country’s broader past, Burnette’s personal history is riddled with obstacles and injustices, as well as individual triumphs and moments of joy.

One of the most memorable figures in the collection is the author’s father, Garland Alfred Andrew Burnette.

Like Miss Emmaline, Garland Burnette is unabashedly proud of his African roots. Self-respect and self-reliance were traits he instilled in his youngest daughter.

“My father was 50 years old when I was born,” the author explains. “He knew he wouldn’t always be there to protect me, so he wanted to make sure I was a strong child.”

And though he only had a third grade education, Burnette continues, her father could explain anything to her, including the racial hostilities that dictated social norms in the Jim Crow South.

“But it was always explained with hope,” Burnette says. “When he spoke about this country to me as a young child, he might say something like: ‘This country has laws that aren’t being lived up to, but they’re good laws, and one day this country will stand up and uphold those laws.’

“That was something we always heard growing up,” she continues.

“There was no bitterness or hatred in our hearts. [My father] would just say, ‘Be ready for that time when it comes.’” X FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

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ART S & C U L T U R E

FOOD

Kitchen aid

Commercial kitchens help food and beverage entrepreneurs realize their visions

BY KAY WEST kswest@mountainx.com “There’s never a dull moment here,” says Michael McDonald, general manager of Blue Ridge Food Ventures, the shared-use kitchen and manufacturing facility on A-B Tech’s Enka campus. “We have such a wide variety of users here on any given day.”

Value-added food producers, CBD product makers, bakers and caterers are among the small businesses sharing the two commercial kitchens, grinding room, natural products facility, fermentation space, freezer, cooler, dry storage and co-packing services within the 11,000-square-foot building. Food trucks also use BRFV as a place to wash dishes, prep food and — most importantly — dump gray water and replenish with fresh

water, which are crucial to operating under health department rules.

Serving a variety of producers with wide-ranging levels of business experience and sales volume is part of BRFV’s mission to help food and natural products entrepreneurs get started or take the next steps on the road to success, McDonald explains.

Having worked with more than 250 clients since it opened in 2005 — and seen nearly three dozen of them graduate to their own production spaces — BRFV is the largest facility in the region offering rented kitchen, production and storage areas. But several other such businesses — known as commercial , commissary, production or shared kitchens — have launched in recent years to help meet the needs and realize the dreams of Western North Carolina’s food and beverage visionaries.

LAUNCH PAD

The primary purpose of commissary or commercial kitchens is to provide inspected, licensed food preparation and storage space with commercial-grade equipment on a rental basis. Some also provide feebased production services, such as bottling and sealing of products, and offer business coaching and mentoring opportunities.

Rentals are by the hour, and rates vary by facility, ranging from $15 to $30. Reduced rates are often offered over a certain number of hours and for off-peak rental times, such as after 10 p.m. Other fees, such as for application processing, orientation and onboarding, cleaning and security deposits and storage, sometimes apply as well.

For No Evil Foods co-founders Sadrah Schadel and Mike Woliansky, access to rented kitchen space was just the launch pad they needed for their business. The pair began developing the recipes for their line of vegan plant-meat products in the kitchen of their home on a dirt road in upstate New York. But it was in Asheville that they took the first steps toward creating a successful company using the shared commercial kitchens at Blue Ridge Food Ventures.

“We moved to Asheville when the company was an idea and not yet 22

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ROUX THE DAY: Pat Gallagher, co-owner of Vegetable Kingdom, adds roux to the gumbo in VK’s commercial kitchen. Photo courtesy of Vegetable Kingdom fully formed,” Woliansky recalls.

“Blue Ridge Food Ventures was on our radar before we arrived here as a resource for kitchen space and help in getting a food business up off the ground. People put a lot of trust in food makers to do the right thing in creating a safe product to put in their body, and Blue Ridge helps you figure out how to do that.”

Schadel and Woliansky started the company in 2014 using $5,000 of personal savings. They rented space two days a week every other week at BRFV to make their products, which they began selling at local farmers markets. In 2018, they moved to their own 16,000-square-foot facility in Weaverville, where they now employ almost 40 people to supply product to local markets, grocery stores and restaurants as well as nationally to Publix and Walmart.

Roots Hummus, founded by Matt Parris in West Asheville in 2006, was already established when he rented space at BRFV in 2010 for a month while his production kitchen in the River Arts District was being renovated. Six years later, Roots moved its bean-cooking operations to BRFV, running production three to four days a week until early 2019, when the company moved to a 27,000-squarefoot facility in East Asheville next to Highland Brewing Co. “Blue Ridge was a huge help to us both times we were there,” says Parris. “That sort of operation is so important to new companies getting

through the regulatory red tape when it comes to food production and who don’t have the capital to build their own facility.”

RISING FORTUNES

Not long after Charlie Hodge opened Sovereign Remedies craft cocktail bar in 2014, customers began clamoring for a larger menu. “We had great cocktails and a very modest food program,” he says. “As we kept developing, we wanted to get the food program to the same level as the beverages, plus we were getting requests for catering that were hard to meet in the Sovereign kitchen.”

He inquired about booking time at BRFV to supplement the capacity at Sovereign’s own small kitchen but was told there was a waiting list.

So Hodge took matters into his own hands. In 2018, he and his father converted a 3,000-square-foot building on Riverside Drive into the The Make Space, a culinary community kitchen that accommodates Sovereign’s needs while renting space and equipment to other businesses to help offset the costs of build-out, maintenance and operations.

The Make Space was a good fit for Susannah Gebhart, founder of OWL Bakery in West Asheville, who found herself with the chance to buy a new European oven to grow her bread program but didn’t have room at OWL to accommodate it. “We couldn’t expand

where we were and couldn’t afford to rent and build out another space,” she says, so Hodge’s Make Space was “the perfect opportunity for us both.”

OWL moved its bread production to The Make Space in October 2019 (the pastry program remains at OWL) and is currently making and baking there six days a week, 12 hours a day.

In addition to Hodge’s commissary kitchen and OWL’s bread bakers, The Make Space accommodates food trucks and is used by Durham-based vegan cheese company Sama Spread and Hodge’s partner, local farmer, chef and food activist Sunil Patel.

The Make Space recently partnered with Patel to launch GoodAF (Good Asheville Food), a collaborative to-go food program. Hodge says The Make Space could probably handle more renters, but he’s opting not to “load up” for now.

McDonald of Blue Ridge Food Ventures says the pandemic has impacted somewhat the demand for the facility’s kitchens, which are open for client use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “In general, the kitchens are a little more available now because the world has been upside down,” McDonald explains.

With many large events and weddings canceled or postponed by COVID-19, slots have opened at kitchens like BRFV and co-working space Haw Creek Commons that cater to caterers specializing in that sector of the industry. “Before the pandemic, we worked primarily with caterers,” says Haw Creek kitchen cultivator Katey Rudd. “We were as hard hit as they were. I just booked a caterer for the first time since before COVID. She had 32 events cancel last year. We have lots of available time.”

ORGANIC GROWTH

When Ann Gassenheimer and Pat Gallagher moved Vegetable Kingdom — their business of jarred soups, gumbos, sauces and condiments – from Beaufort, S.C., to Asheville in 2017, they began renting kitchen and production space in the large Golden Ray Food Services commercial facility in Sweeten Creek Industrial Park.

The couple brought with them some of their own equipment, including Gallagher’s beloved supersized soup kettle, and shares some furnishings, such as sinks and stainless steel tables, with Golden Ray. Initially, Vegetable Kingdom was the only small business renting time in the Golden Ray facility. But about three years ago, Gassenheimer and Gallagher brought in Bad Art Beverage Co. co-owners Spencer Schultz and Becky Bronson, who

were looking to expand their draft soda business.

The larger space proved a business boon for Bad Art when the pandemic suddenly shifted their business model.

“We were focused on draft sodas for around 10 accounts around town, but when COVID hit, we pivoted to home delivery of cocktail mixer six-packs,” Schultz says. “Now we’re working on a line of cocktail bitters for home and professional bartenders.”

In recent months, the communal arrangement has grown organically as word spread. Bad Art is in the building one day a week, often working next to Schultz’s brother, Travis Schultz, who cooks there several days a week for New Stock, the burgeoning meal box company he co-founded with pastry chef Ashley Capps. The kitchen is also used by baker Gus Trout and chef Clarence Robinson of Cooking With Comedy Catering.

Vegetable Kingdom now also offers preparation, bottling and sealing services at the facility.

The space has become fertile ground for collaboration and growth, says Bronson. “We do mixers for New Stock specific to their weekly theme, so that inspires our creativity,” she says. “We have found a real mentorship here with Ann and Pat. So many things we did not have to learn the hard way — they gave us advice and showed us what is possible.”

Small businesses sharing a production space naturally fosters co-creating and mentoring, says Gassenheimer.

“People have great ideas, but often creative people need help in realizing those ideas,” she says. “We think that is one of the best things we do here in a very organic way: sharing what we learned the hard way.”

Gallagher agrees. “After we had been doing this kitchen awhile, I told Ann I wish we had been around when we were starting out and given our younger selves advice. We would have saved ourselves a lot of time.” X

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ARTS & CU L T U R E

ROUNDUP

Around town

Black History Month celebrations, live theater, virtual concerts and more

Rise Up: A Celebration of African American History and Culture For a second consecutive year, Crystal Cauley, founder of Black Business Network of Western North Carolina and the Black History Collective of Henderson County, will present Rise Up: A Celebration of African American History and Culture. The virtual gathering, she says, “focuses on African American culture in a positive way.”

Highlights from this year’s event include a musical performance by the Agape World Outreach Praise and Worship Team, a dance recital by Indian Jackson, a talk by storyteller and poet R. “Zack” Zachary and poetry by Cauley.

“The name Rise Up speaks for itself,” says Josh Williams, the event’s host. “We must rise up against racism and stand together in unity. I feel that this program is also very educational and a way for the African American community to express themselves and present our culture to others so that they can learn as well.”

Watch the event on Facebook live at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, via Crystal Cauley’s personal page. To learn more, visit avl.mx/908.

Asheville Wisdom Exchange A new virtual series, the Asheville Wisdom Exchange, launches via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. The free event will feature a talk by Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona,

Poetry Contest

story?

What’s your

Xpress announces a 2021 poetry contest in celebration of April as National Poetry Month.

Western North Carolina residents are asked to submit their work that examines the ways our connections with friends, family and community — tested over the past year as perhaps never before — sustain us. Poems should be no longer than one typed page in a 12-point font and have not been previously published.

The contest is currently open for submissions and will close at midnight on Wednesday, March 10. Email the poem in the body of the message or as a Doc attachment to tcalder@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.

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LIFE’S WORK: Local entrepreneur and artist Crystal Cauley, back row, third from left, considers spotlighting African American culture through creative writing and spoken word poetry as part of her life’s work. Last year, she launched Rise Up: A Celebration of African American History and Culture. This year, the event returns via Facebook Live. Also featured in last year’s group photo, back row from left: Etta Robinson, Linda Smith, Cauley, YaShara Lynch, Compton Chiles Tucker, Tijuna Green and Josh Williams; front row, from left: Charne Tucker, Tiara Channer and Karen Hayes-Roberts. Photo by Tony Shivers, Still Smiling Photography a Native American physician and author of several self-help books, who will discuss the healing power of story and connection. For more information, visit avl.mx/8u5.

The Magnetic Theatre launches 2021 debut The Magnetic Theatre will host its first live performance of the 2021 season with its Saturday, Feb. 27, debut of something i cared about.

The play explores the evolution of a single relationship over the course of several decades. The production will be staged across a portion of the Reed Creek Greenway in the Montford neighborhood with multiple actors portraying the play’s two leading characters. Audiences will walk roughly two miles as they observe the couple’s story unfold at different sections of the greenway.

“While partly inspired by COVID precautions, our choices for this show have turned out to mean so much more,” says Katie Jones, the theater’s artistic director. “We hope that audiences are inspired by the many forms that love can take.”

Staggered performances will run each Saturday and Sunday through March 13. The production runs between 60-75 minutes. Masks are required. Tickets are $23 per person; $20 for members. For additional information, visit avl.mx/8zu.

A winning poem will be determined by Mildred Barya, poet and UNC Asheville assistant professor of English. The winner will be published online and in print in the final issue of our annual Sustainability series on Wednesday, April 28. The contest is not open to Xpress employees or freelance contributors.

Contact Thomas Calder at tcalder@mountainx.com with any questions.

The Asheville Chamber Music Series will present a free online con-

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MOUNTAINX.COM

The Meccore String Quartet

cert by the Meccore String Quartet with two evening performances on Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. and an afternoon broadcast on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 3 p.m.

“This young ensemble is recognized for its flawless technique, visionary interpretations and breathtaking performances,” says Marilynne Herbert, vice president of the Asheville Chamber Music Series. “They have become one of Europe’s most compelling ensembles.”

The concert, recorded exclusively for ACMS, will feature recitals of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Quartet in G major, Op. 18, No. 2; Wolfgang A. Mozart’s Quartet in D major, K. 575 and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikowsky’s Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11.

Donations are accepted. For additional information, visit avl.mx/90a.

Lazy Diamond closes After six years, the Lazy Diamond, 98 N. Lexington Ave., announced on its Instagram page that the downtown music venue and bar is closing.

Wednesday, Feb. 24, is its final day of service, 4-9 p.m. According to the social media post, COVID-19 restrictions influenced the decision.

But upcoming plans for the venue remain in the works. “We have some really cool dreams about what we want to do with the space, and we’re excited to have more good times in the future,” the post notes.

— Thomas Calder X

FILM

Renaissance woman

Ria Young pays homage to Shiloh’s history in debut documentary short

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com Memoirist. Playwright. Now Maria C. “Ria” Young is adding “filmmaker” to her growing list of artistic titles.

The Asheville native debuts her documentary short The Power of Our Village online on Sunday, Feb. 28, in hopes of closing out Black History Month in memorable fashion, while sparking dialogue that will continue throughout the year. The film examines the history of the Shiloh community, a historically Black neighborhood established in South Asheville in the 1880s.

“There’s always different things going on within the Shiloh community for Black History Month. But with the [COVID-19 pandemic], some of those things have been scaled back a bit,” Young says. “I was just trying to figure out a way that I could put something together that would be an ode to Shiloh or pay homage to the community that raised me.”

Drawing inspiration from the works of Ava DuVernay (Selma), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), the longtime film buff took a DIY approach to telling the history of what she calls “one of the last historical Black neighborhoods in the city that hasn’t completely fallen into gentrification.”

create, I try to prepare myself to be able to do that and not wait for permission from somebody else to do so,” Young says. “Anything that I can create always comes from the lens of the values and the morals and the pride that Shiloh has instilled in me. Regardless of if it’s a project directly tied to Shiloh, that’s intertwined with my natural being.” twitter.com/_RiaYoung X

HISTORY MONTH

To ensure that The Power of Our Village’s story is accurate and honors the hard work of community elders over the years, Young consulted Shiloh Community Association leaders Sophie Dixon and Anita WhiteCarter. She says the two women have been “the ringleaders and on the front line as far as combating gentrification within Shiloh,” and that, in the film and beyond, much can be learned from their ongoing battles to see that the tightknit community’s interests are upheld.

“I’m just trying to talk to them and figure out what individuals in my generation can do to continue that work,” Young says. “They’re [in their 80s], and there are a lot of things that they’ve put into place to where, once they transition, the [anti-gentrification] work can and will continue.”

The film combines historical images and present-day footage with Young’s own spoken-word narrations. The experience taught her plenty about the part of town where she grew up and still lives, including details of smaller surrounding neighborhoods with their own identities, such as Brooklyn.

That section is home to Brooklyn Mission Church, believed to be the oldest church continuously operating in “New Shiloh” — the name elders call the current neighborhood location to differentiate it from “Old

MOVIE LISTINGS Bruce Steele’s and Edwin Arnaudin’s latest critiques of new films available to view via local theaters and popular streaming services include:

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: Shiloh native Ria Young’s debut film combines historical images and present-day footage with spoken-word narrations. Photo by Liza Beckett Shiloh,” which was located north of the Biltmore Estate until George Vanderbilt bought the land and moved the community down what’s now Hendersonville Road.

Making The Power of Our Village has also prompted Young to begin writing a feature film that she describes as “still in its development stages,” but something she can see “bringing to fruition in 2022.”

Otherwise, she’s working on multiple projects at Asheville Community Theatre, which hosted a livestreamed staged reading of her play Transition in December and will give the work a full run in its 35below black-box space once pandemic restrictions lift.

“If there’s a project that I want to see or something that I want to

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DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER: This dryly comic graphic-novel adaptation about a meek British librarian and her heavy metal-loving teenage son is full of humor and heart.

Grade: A-minus. Rated PG-13 BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR: Writers/stars Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig set the comedy bar high for 2021 with this zany tale of sheltered, co-dependent Midwest best friends who vacation in Florida.

Grade: B-plus. Rated PG-13 NOMADLAND: Frances McDormand seems destined to win a third Oscar, this time for her work as a widow living in her van, in writer/director Chloé Zhao’s emotionally rich drama.

Grade: B-plus. Rated R

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

ISO Warehouse Space You: 1000-ish sq.ft. rough space with a roll-up door and possibly a loading dock US: Local independent newspaper with a thing for purple Call to connect: 251-1333 x112

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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): I invite you to think about one or two types of physical discomforts and symptoms that your body seems most susceptible to. Meditate on the possibility that there are specific moods or feelings associated with those discomforts and symptoms — perhaps either caused by them or the cause of them. The next step is to formulate an intention to monitor any interactions that might transpire between the bodily states and emotional states. Then make a plan for how you will address them both with your own healing power whenever they visit you in the future.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Poet Billy Collins describes “standing on the edge of a lake on a moonlit night and the light of the moon is always pointing straight at you.” I have high hopes that your entire life will be like that in the coming weeks: that you’ll feel as if the world is alive with special messages just for you; that every situation you’re in will feel like you belong there; that every intuition welling up from your subconscious mind into your conscious awareness will be specifically what you need at the moment it arrives.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’re entering a potentially heroic phase of your astrological cycle.

The coming weeks will be a time when I hope you will be motivated to raise your integrity and impeccability to record levels. To inspire you, I’ve grabbed a few affirmations from a moral code reputed to be written by a 14th-century Samurai warrior. Try saying them and see if they rouse you to make your good character even better.

1. “I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power.” 2. “I have no miracles; I make right action my miracle.” 3. “I have no enemy; I make carelessness my enemy.” 4. “I have no designs; I make ’seizing opportunity’ my design.”

5. “I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secret.” 6. “I have no armor; I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle,” writes Cancerian author and Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield. I disagree with him. There are many other modes of awareness that can be useful as we navigate our labyrinthine path through this crazy world. Regarding each minute as an opportunity to learn something new, for instance: That’s an excellent way to live. Or, for another example, treating each minute as another chance to creatively express our love. But I do acknowledge that Kornfield’s approach is sublime and appealing. And I think it will be especially apropos for you during the coming weeks.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The coming weeks will be a poignant and healing time for you to remember the people in your life who have died — as well as ancestors whom you never met or didn’t know well.

They have clues to offer you, rich feelings to nourish you with, course corrections to suggest. Get in touch with them through your dreams, meditations and reminiscences. Now read this inspiration from poet Rainer Maria Rilke: “They, who passed away long ago, still exist in us, as predisposition, as burden upon our fate, as murmuring blood, and as gesture that rises up from the depths of time.”

(Translation from the German by Stephen Mitchell.)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I’m fond of 18th-century Virgo painter Quentin de La Tour. Why? 1. He specialized in creating portraits that brought out his subjects’ charm and intelligence. 2. As he grew wealthier, he became a philanthropist who specialized in helping poor women and artists with disabilities. 3. While most painters of his era did self-portraits that were solemn, even ponderous, de La Tour’s self-portraits showed him smiling and good-humored. 4. Later in his life, when being entirely reasonable was no longer a top priority, de La Tour enjoyed conversing with trees. In accordance with the astrological omens, I propose that we make him your patron saint for now. I hope you’ll be inspired to tap into your inner Quentin de la Tour.

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FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

MOUNTAINX.COM

BY ROB BREZSNY

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with your overall health, Libra.

In fact, I expect it’s probably quite adequate.

But from an astrological point of view, now is the right time to schedule an appointment for a consultation with your favorite healer, even if just by Zoom. In addition, I urge you to consult a soul doctor for a complete metaphysical checkup.

Chances are that your mental health is in fair shape, too. But right now it’s not enough for your body and soul to be merely adequate; they need to receive intense doses of well-wrought love and nurturing. So I urge you to ask for omens and signs and dreams about what precisely you can do to treat yourself with exquisite care.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Love commands a vast army of moods,” writes author Diane Ackerman. “Frantic and serene, vigilant and calm, wrung-out and fortified, explosive and sedate.”

This fact of life will be prominently featured in your life during the coming weeks. Now is a fertile time to expand your understanding of how eros and romance work when they’re at their best — and to expand your repertoire of responses to love’s rich challenges. Don’t think of it as a tough test; imagine it as an interesting research project.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian poet and visual artist William Blake (1757–1827) cultivated a close relationship with lofty thoughts and mystical visions. He lived with his wife Catherine for the last 45 years of his life, but there were times when he was so preoccupied with his amazing creations that he neglected his bond with her. Catherine once said, “I have very little of Mr. Blake’s company. He is always in Paradise.” I hope that you won’t be like that in the coming weeks. Practical matters and intimate alliances need more of your attention than usual. Consider the possibility, at least for now, of spending less time in paradise and more on earth.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Poet Robert Graves regarded the ambiguity of poetry as a virtue, not a problem. In his view, poetry’s inscrutability reflects life’s true nature. As we read its enigmatic ideas and feelings, we may be inspired to understand that experience is too complex to be reduced to simplistic descriptions and overgeneralized beliefs. In fact, it’s quite possible that if we invite poetry to retrain our perceptions, we will develop a more tolerant and inclusive perspective toward everything. I’m telling you this, Capricorn, because whether or not you read a lot of poetry in the coming weeks, it will be wise and healthy for you to celebrate, not just tolerate, how paradoxical and mysterious the world is.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The coming weeks will be a favorable time to shed old habits that waste your energy and create constructive new habits that will serve you well for months and years to come. To inspire and guide your efforts, I offer these thoughts from author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau: “As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean author Anais Nin was a maestro of metamorphosis, a virtuoso of variation, an adept at alteration. She regarded her ceaseless evolution as a privilege and luxury, not an oppressive inconvenience. “I take pleasure in my transformations,” she wrote. “I look quiet and consistent, but few know how many women there are in me.” Her approach is a healthy model for most of you Pisceans — and will be especially worth adopting in the coming weeks. I invite you to be a Change Specialist whose nickname is Flux Mojo.

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EMPLOYMENT GENERAL ENGINEERING: BORGWARNER TURBO SYSTEMS LLC seeks a Manufacturing Engineer II in Arden, NC, to perform the manufacturing engineering function for special projects, production lines, cost reduction, and continuous improvement thru analytical approach; among other duties. Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology, Electronics, Industrial Engineering, or Mechatronics and three years of experience in the job offered or related. Domestic and international travel required as needed, up to 25%. Send resume to: Lesa Records, Resume Processing/ JO#11511942, BorgWarner, 1849 Brevard Road, Arden, NC 28704 JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR MINORITY AND/OR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES. Minority Participating Commercial Contractor seeking to offer Minority and/or Women owned eligible Businesses, Vendors, Subcontractors, or individuals’ economic opportunities of job training, employment, and contracting work to promote local economic development and individual self-sufficiency. We will provide economical units to allow for minority participation as well as provide assistance for bonding and insurance for Minority and/ or Women owned Businesses.

Also, quick payment policies to help minority suppliers and contractors participate will be available. We are committed to satisfy our goal to provide equal opportunities and help these persons/businesses have chances to gain growth in their industry and throughout this entire housing project. If you are a Minority and/or Women Owned Business or Resident in the County area and seeking work please contact us at 828-548-3675, email to ad949@bidsec3.com, or via fax at 828-548-3682 to become part of our HUD-assisted project and help promote quality housing and community development in this area. Plans are available at: https://parker.box.com/v/ Jasper-Section-3.

ADMINISTRATIVE/ OFFICE EARTH EQUITY ADVISORS IS HIRING: FT CLIENT SERVICE ASSOCIATE We are seeking a Client Service Associate who is driven to create exceptional client experiences while setting the tone for our firm's relationship with our clients. For more details and directions on how to apply, please visit https://www. earthequityadvisors.com/ careers/.

RESTAURANT/ FOOD LINE COOK NEEDED SNOWBIRD MOUNTAIN LODGE is looking for a qualified line cook to join our team. We are looking for applicants with 2-3 years of minimum relevant experience in the industry, as well as a fundamental understanding of kitchen technique and professionalism.

Full weekend availability is necessary to be considered for hire.

Housing available for the right candidate. Snowbirdlodge.com | 828.479.3433 | Robbinsville, NC | Email resume to mandy@ snowbirdlodge.com

DRIVERS/ DELIVERY

MOUNTAIN XPRESS DELIVERY Mountain Xpress is seeking an energetic, reliable, independent contractor for part-time weekly newspaper delivery. The contractor must have a safe driving record, a reliable vehicle with proper insurance and registration, and be able to lift 50 lbs. without strain. Distribution of papers is on Tuesday afternoons and typically lasts about 7-8 hours per week.

Occasional Wednesday morning delivery is is sometimes needed or an option. E-mail distro@ mountainx.com. No phone calls or walk-ins please. Central Downtown Asheville route.

HUMAN SERVICES OUR VOICE IS HIRING AN OUTREACH COUNSELOR Our VOICE is hiring an Outreach Counselor. 30 hrs/wk, full benefits. Submit cover letter, resume, completed Counselor Skills Checklist (ourvoicenc.org/ employment-opportunities/) in PDF format to apply@ ourvoicenc.org by March 1, 2021.

SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER Enjoy building and sustaining school-community partnerships? Experienced in guiding others to support student achievement and promote family and community engagement? Committed to centering equity? Learn more and apply: unitedwayabc.org/ employment-opportunities THERAPIST: FULL-TIME, GREAT PAY & BENEFITS, REWARDING EMPLOYMENT We are looking for a full-time Therapist to provide direct clinical services to a caseload of students and their families for our year-round therapeutic boarding school.

We are seeking a candidate with clinical experience and experience working with students on the autism spectrum. The ideal candidate works well with a team, is positive and mature, and has a passion for helping others. To Apply: Email your Cover Letter and a Resume to jobs@theblackmountainacademy.com.

TEACHING/ EDUCATION RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL - AFTER SCHOOL ASSISTANT! Do you love to laugh, swing, jump rope, hopscotch, skate, sing songs and be outdoors? Do children bring you joy and is community important to you? How about puppet shows, arts & crafts, hula hooping, sewing, gardening or more?

Rainbow is operating with a strict COVID safety protocol with mask wearing, social distancing and outside programming/classroom.

Pay $15 hourly. rainbowcommunityschool.org Send resume WITH references to denisa. rullmoss@rainbowlearning.org

RETAIL MUSICIAN'S WORKSHOP, INC ® RETAIL STORE EMPLOYMENT Part Time Position Available Must have knowledge of music, musical instruments and musical equipment. •Sales experience preferred •Must be very customer oriented •Must be able to work Fridays and Saturdays •Compensation: Hourly + commission based upon experience. Please email us for an application to: becky@ musiciansworkshop.com SILK SCREEN OPERATOR We are looking for someone with silk screening experience. What we do is screen print on metal parts.

It requires pulling screens. This is a first shift 7:00am to 3:30pm position with some opportunity for overtime. 828-236-3993 • brenda.bearden@t-fab.com.

XCHANGE WANTED BUYING OLD PAPER MONEY Asheville, WNC, ETN over 10 years. Fair, open, and responsive. Buying currency, bonds, maps, documents, etc. Email papermoneybuy@gmail.com, or call/text 865-207-8994. Member SPMC, NCNA, SCNA, TNA.

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CLASSES & WORKSHOPS CLASSES & WORKSHOPS CLAY CLASSES & WORKSHOPS FOR ALL AGES Come experience the love of clay! We are offering an amazing line-up of classes and workshops this Spring! Whatever your skill level is- we have a class! odysseyclayworks@gmail.com www.odysseyclayworks.com 828-285-0210.

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ACROSS

1 “God is the perfect ___”: Robert Browning 5 Hormel product 9 “Avatar” f/x, e.g.

12 Subjects of some insurance company reports 14 An oil, maybe 15 Sharing thoughts like a Vulcan [Detroit, Fargo] 16 Brillo rival 17 Wise alternative 18 What the nose knows 19 Little matter 20 “Iron Lady” of Israeli politics 22 Classic of daytime TV first aired in 1962 [Atlanta, Bangor] 26 Germany’s von Bismarck 29 ___ Belt (part of a constellation) 30 Certain ant 33 Lie in the past?

34 Health care hero, for short 36 Red, white and blue land … or what 15-, 22-, 45- and 57-Across feature?

39 “Shark Tank” network 40 Berry that looks like a blueberry 41 Aircraft company headquartered in Kansas 42 Emmy winner Carl or Rob 44 Pop 45 Arthritis symptom [Altoona, South Bend] 47 Peter or Paul, but not Mary 51 Off-road four-wheelers, for short 52 Pilfer, to Brits 55 Wrinkly-faced dog 56 ___-Town (Midwest hub) 57 Sommelier’s suggestion [Oshkosh, Omaha] 61 He’s a doll 62 Kind of milk

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PUZZLE BY NATAN LAST, ANDY KRAVIS AND THE J.A.S.A. CROSSWORD CLASS

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DOWN 1 Kind of scheme 2 Bygone 3 Muppet who once helped Emeril on “Emeril Live” 4 One up, for example 5 Libya’s Gulf of ___ 6 Taro dish 7 She’s a doll 8 Only ingredient in Accent, in brief 9 They might click on a dance floor 10 Some bachelor party attendees 11 Self proclamation?

12 Mention 13 It helps you see details 15 Shh … it’s the word!

19 Way back when 21 Digital media player since 2008 23 ___ Hall (“The Wind in the Willows” residence)

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24 Brand name derived from the phrase “crystallized cottonseed oil” 25 Gave an inkling 27 Leaseholder, e.g.

28 Muscle controlled by the radial nerve, informally 30 Sports grp. founded by Billie Jean King 31 “No, you can’t be serious!”

32 Not serving 33 Hawaiian ring 35 Grp. of inspectors 37 Seat of ancient Irish kings 38 “Hurry!”

43 ___ and outs

44 Wading bird with a long, slender bill 45 King of Pop, in tabloids 46 Ham-handed 48 Offer one’s two cents 49 Get rid of the ball, in a way 50 One might be deviled 53 Mustang and Pinto, for two 54 Rockette’s move 57 Cooking utensil 58 Stop on the road 59 ___-Latin 60 Spanish king

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE J E S T

U T A H

S T Y E

A S T R O

E T H E R

R E E F S

T H Y E E E X A A T L

T T A E C H E K I N T I A T E P H P E L W I E G T I E E G R S H L T A S

O M E G A M I N O R E D I N

D I S S D E C K S E R B E

D R E S S E D A S A N A I S

P E N I N S C H I S T

C U T E A S A B U T T O N

A S H E S

C H I C

P R R I N C A K

T I E R C K H A D E L E

C A F E S

R N E T P I P E G L E E S E E M

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MOUNTAINX.COM

FEB. 24 - MARCH 2, 2021

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