Mountain Xpress 04.05.23

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In environmentally conscious Buncombe County, electric vehicle ownership is high and growing by the day. But does the region have enough publicly available charging stations to keep up as more and more people take the EV plunge?

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COPYRIGHT

R.I.P. James Shearon

Being one of the many cyclists in this area who are forced to share the road with so many angry motorists and put ourselves in danger every time we hit the road, I felt the urgent need to speak out after the senseless murder of Mr. James Shearon. More than likely because he was in the way of some impatient motorist.

Being a cyclist myself, it’s sad to admit that I completely understand; it’s not to that horrible extreme. Yet! Oh, yes, I have been run off the road or almost hit numerous times. By motorists who are busy. Busy talking on the phone or texting. Putting on makeup, eating. Or because I am just in their way or believe it or not, because of the color of my skin.

These fellow human beings have little time to pay much attention to that pesky cyclist who is in their way.

Because of this sad fact and out of necessity, I have become somewhat of a renegade on my bike. And recently, in honor and memory of James Shearon.

So, all of you motorists who spread hatred for whatever ignorant reason, by creating a dangerous situation in any number of ways for us who pedal, it might be this renegade angry cyclist pedaling defensively. (Beware if it is me!) For my safety, of course, but also in honor and memory of James Shearon and all my other fellow cyclists who were murdered merely because of their love of cycling.

It goes without saying that this area needs major improvement when it comes to bicycle infrastructure!

But how many more senseless murders will it take for that improvement to happen?

So in the meantime, let us all try to keep this in our minds: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

— Cynthia R. Tomaszewski Asheville

Parking is what downtown needs

[Regarding “Council Stakes Out Goals, Talks Team-building at Annual Retreat,” March 15, Xpress:]

Yes, parking spaces are so rare from overdevelopment (that I disagree with), it would be nice to consider multilevel parking spaces. Especially for handicapped and seniors.

— Mari DeMauro Asheville

Stand up to antisemitic violence

When I went to Asheville High in the late ’60s, we always had our high school dances at the Jewish Community Center, and Asheville never seemed to have problems with violence against Jewish people. In

fact, some of the members of my Asheville High football team were Jewish, but back then, we never had a problem based on religion.

Now, that has changed in North Carolina and all over the rest of the country, which has had a large increase in violence against Jewish people. I hope Asheville will not be dragged into the same trouble, as many places in North Carolina have been now, but people should be aware of this and stand up against antisemitic violence all over the state and the whole country.

A civil war has been raging in the heartland and South in America, especially in North Carolina, where the far right is suspected of taking out power stations, and it is getting worse by the month, but New Yorkers have no clue. How about this? A gang of serious Nazis showed up on Broadway in February, made national and international news,

left and continued recruiting and prepping for the ongoing civil war. Many high-profile Republicans have just called for a Christian nationalist state to be established in Idaho, and Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling for civil war.

— John Penley Las Vegas

Let’s reduce litter’s hidden danger

Litter, litter and trash everywhere. Asheville has a serious problem.

What people may not be aware of is the hidden danger — mosquitoes — that thrive and grow in it.

An upright fast-food cup or Styrofoam container or any piece of trash or old furniture that has a depression that can hold water is the best place for adult female mosquitoes to lay their eggs and start a next generation of those “little winged terrors.”

Water that stays in place long enough to stagnate is the ideal medium for mosquitoes to start life. When they mature to the adult stage and fly off to bite people is the hidden danger.

Mosquitoes can carry West Nile disease and malaria. Even if the one that bites a person does not carry a disease, they cause adults and children to suffer from itching and rashes that might necessitate a trip to the doctor for medication. Some people are extremely allergic to mosquito bites.

I think the N.C. Department of Transportation and North Carolina prison system should put minimum-security prisoners back out on the roads and streets to pick up litter and place it in orange bags to be picked up later and taken to the county landfill.

They once did do this, but I don’t know why this practice was stopped. Of course, the prisoners should be given a small amount of pay for doing this. It would do the prisoners good to breathe fresh air and get some exercise.

I think the N.C. General Assembly should enact a law that requires judges to give sentences of so many hours of litter pickup that had to be completed before a prisoner could be released from jail.

Warm weather is on its way, and mosquitoes will be swarming and laying eggs everywhere they can.

Reducing the hidden danger of those “biting little devils” is simple. Just remove the litter and trash. Well, that’s my opinion.

— Tom L. Nanney Asheville

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

Carl Mumpower’s “The Same Old Solutions Won’t Solve Asheville’s Problems” [Feb. 22, Xpress] reflects an important truth. Don’t keep on doing the same old thing you have inherited from my generation. I give Mr. Mumpower credit for participating in the democratic discussion. But it falls short. Our local leaders are promoting the same old ineffectual solutions of accelerating economic growth for the rich, comfortable and politically powerful.

Mr. Mumpower referred to “our community’s relentless hand-wringing over homelessness, Black student performance gaps, affordable housing and minority hirings on our police force.” Well, I applaud those who are upset and hope more of us take the next step and actively participate in our democracy.

There is much in America that is broken and needs to be fixed. But, in critiquing what isn’t working, don’t forget what is working and what is right locally and in our country. To begin, we can acknowledge the accomplishments of the past and be inspired to grow and expand what is best about humanity.

BY BRENT BROWN

We have a “self-correcting” Constitution; not perfect, but it allows us to learn what’s wrong and correct it. We have done this 27 times. Major examples: abolishing slavery, women’s suffrage, along with free speech enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

President George Washington called people to “observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony … always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence.” Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and third president, added, “Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliance with none.”

The founding power of America stated that all human beings are created equal and government would derive its power from the consent of the governed rather than royal or economic status. Over the years, the ideals of freedom, equality, justice and free speech shifted gradually to today’s quest for supremacy through military and economic action. That’s called “empire.”

Our political leaders in Asheville and Buncombe County support this as long as they play by the 20th-century economic so-called “free market.” For example, when we become dependent on the military-industrial complex like Raytheon, the gap between those who hold central

power and locals seeking to make a living grows wider.

The roots of affordable housing, homelessness and increasing crime are creations of a growth-centered economic development vision. People are treated as mere means to development rather than communities to meet their own needs in responsible, sustainable ways.

A challenge to local leaders: Google “people-centered development,” an approach that focuses on improving local communities’ self-reliance, social justice and participatory decision-making. It recognizes that economic growth does not inherently contribute to human development and calls for changes in social, political and environmental values and practices. Read When Corporations Rule the World by David Korten.

A challenge to “we the people”: Resist our media and political propaganda that serve the rich and powerful. Please recognize that a democracy demands informed people that address spiritual values.

Check YouTube: David Korten on Replacing the Suicide Economy.

Without a groundswell of activity by we the people, I am pessimistic. Why are our churches so quiet about our dysfunctional politics and the military-industrial complex? However, when I come in contact

with generous, courageous local people of all beliefs participating, studying the issues, supporting the homeless, working for peace, seeking justice and inviting people to create a more caring society, it gives me hope.

We do not stand alone. Global demonstrations come from every country, every race, every religion and every ethnic group. The political spectrum includes millions who are planting seeds of change that resist the power of Big Corporations and Big Government that serve the rich and powerful.

— Ed Sacco Asheville

Serve the people, not just the rich and powerful

CARTOON

Asheville

The myth of ‘Kudzilla’

Fearmongering is best left to the movies

BY CASEY LANCE BROWN

Every blue moon or so, fears of the dreaded “Kudzilla” arise anew in the purportedly eco-aware populace. Inevitably, each episodic spasm invokes fears that the plant will somehow exceed the biological limits of growth. According to this apocalyptic vision, the semiwoody vine becomes a biohazard, uniting “exponential spread” and visual “blight” to destroy the allegedly “pure” existing ecosystem.

Three dissenting facts, if reported more widely, could easily dispel these fearmongering episodes about the plant scientifically known as Pueraria montana var. lobata. First, kudzu’s acreage has been vastly exaggerated. Even some of the U.S. Forest Service’s own scientists say it’s most likely declining in the southern U.S. and is far less of a threat than some other invasive species. Second, kudzu generally doesn’t tolerate shade well and will not penetrate an intact forest, which is the Southeast’s dominant landscape. Third, kudzu propagates vegetatively (through rooted crown nodes on runners) and rarely produces viable seeds in this region.

Collectively, these botanical characteristics constrain the footprint of kudzu in Southern Appalachia to already disturbed areas. So much for exponential spread.

Pattern recognition goes a long way toward understanding the hows and whys of kudzu patches in our area. The most relevant pattern is connected to transportation infrastructure. The travel corridors that first opened the region to develop-

ment focused on rivers, valleys and the lowest-lying gaps that allowed passage to the next river valley. Old railroad corridors, early turnpike roads and the first set of state roadways all concentrated near the primary rivers and mountain gaps.

To a striking degree, you can follow those initial infrastructural corridors, where most early development/ ecological disturbance occurred, and see a sinuous gallery of kudzu. And

because Western North Carolina’s newer interstates and roads still tend to align with those corridors, kudzu can be overrepresented in travelers’ perceptions.

FROM ECOLOGY TO MYTHOLOGY (AND BACK)

Here’s an assignment for dedicated readers: Don’t worry, it’s a lazy, landscape-gawking kind of exercise that may be best done during summer’s growth season — and particularly in August, when the plant’s flowers emit a sensuous, grapey scent. In winter, kudzu dies back mostly to its roots.

Begin your adventure with a breezy hike along the Point Lookout Trail from Old Fort to Ridgecrest, following the Old N.C. 10/U.S. 70 route through Pisgah National Forest. Next, travel to Swannanoa River Road along the railyard near the Swannanoa/French Broad confluence, follow U.S. 19/23 to Canton and Waynesville (the Old Asheville Highway), through Balsam Gap on Old 19/23 to Sylva and Bryson City.

Do you recognize the pattern? You have just traveled the corridor used by practically every settler, outlander and industrialist to access the area over the last 200-plus years. And if you trace the route of the Old Buncombe Turnpike, following the French Broad River north toward Marshall and Hot Springs, you’ll see something similar.

Along the steep mountainsides and road cuts, where maintenance is difficult, those roadways consistently host patches of kudzu. By the 1930s, these well-trodden corridors would have been relatively barren, with only the scrubbiest of weeds remaining after a century of logging and extractive row cropping. The lack of ground cover, coupled with steep slopes, made the land prone to sheet erosion. Indeed, erosion emerged as a major threat both to local industry and to those New Deal agencies tasked with managing the region’s farmed-out soils and periodic flooding.

The messianic drive to slow soil loss and put Americans to work

mobilized a complex of government entities to plant kudzu seedlings far and wide. These so-called “alphabet agencies” included the Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Forest Service, Soil Conservation Service, state highway departments and, before World War II, the Civilian Conservation Corps. Thus, it comes as no surprise that road cuts, orphan strips, rights of way, dam edges, riversides and CCC camp locales teem with kudzu plantings. By the logic of the time, kudzu was fancy biotech. A semidomesticated legume, it enriched the soil with nitrogen, was selectively bred to grow well in depleted areas and exhibited a crawling growth pattern that rapidly protected soil from erosion and desiccation.

Coming on the heels of the disastrous environmental conditions during the Great Depression, the decision to plant kudzu was rational and even environmentally sound. And the much-maligned vine has occupied that exact niche — a relatively uninviting ecological zone of crappy roadside, steep embankment and/or eroded gully — ever since the New Deal agents purposefully planted it nearly a century ago. But if the plant were indeed capable of monstrous, uncontrolled spread, it would by now have a much larger extent than it does. Instead, what we see are remnants of previous environmental manipulation that dot the edges of areas disturbed by development. Most visible kudzu patches trace a historical landscape treatment that was entirely intentional and an attempt to address significant environmental concerns.

CASEY LANCE BROWN

“By the logic of the time, kudzu was fancy biotech.”

A CREEPING FEELING: Kudzu grows on a Tennessee Valley Authority property notice along a TVA dam access road. Photos by Casey Lance Brown

A PRACTICAL APPROACH

Despite kudzu’s monstrous reputation, it can be used as food, fiber and perhaps even pharmacologically. In fact, the 19th-century writer Okura Nagatsune cleverly classified kudzu as “a useful thing … in useless places.” This leguminous vine from the pea family has a long history of sustaining and clothing populations in China and Japan during tough times. It’s no wonder that the plant thrives in Appalachia, given the parallels in terms of latitude and humid, mountainous terrain.

Kudzu has traveled so long with human populations, it likely qualifies as a “cryptocrop.” No, this is not some harebrained scheme to grow organic hemp cryptocurrency. The term refers to the behavior of a plant selectively bred as an early food crop that thus seems to “crop up” near human-disturbed landscapes. Hence, the remnant kudzu patches around the mountains are merely the latest stage of a lengthy ethnobotanical and agropastoral coevolution.

Kudzu Culture, a local nonprofit, has strategically joined this mutualism with kudzu. These crafty foragers have cultivated a suite of consumables and cultural production based on the plant’s leafage, fibrous vines and starchy roots. By harvesting local resources, they aim to inaugurate a regenerative, circular economy where a freely available weed can be harvested and put to use in both the local and global economies. They have received some interest from Japan about providing high-quality mountain kudzu roots for the Japanese culinary industry. By mixing mountain harvesting, ethnobotanical reuse and traditional knowledge, Kudzu Culture is pioneering a truly “Jappalachian” approach (learn more at kudzuculture.net).

Lastly, if you want a nonpolluting way to manage the obstinate vine, ruminant animals will voraciously consume your backyard cryptocrop. The city of Asheville occasionally contracts with local goat ranchers to eat patches down. Repeated animal or mechanical removals over several years exhaust kudzu’s root reserves, and the plant will die. So, it turns out that the vine is much easier to exhaust than the invasive sociobiological myths that still surround it.

Haywood County resident Casey Lance Brown is a landscape futures consultant who visualizes environmental scenarios such as deextinction, post-mine reclamation and autonomous driving. X

Please

Bees have been found in amber that is over 100 million years old. They have played one of the most important parts in the development of our world. If we lose our bee population, we will lose well over 75% of everything in our grocery store. Without them, our world as we know it will no longer exist.

Springtime is the most important time of the year for honeybees. The queens are going into their highest production period within the hives. Now is when their population explodes. As the hives grow, the hives divide and create swarms. Swarms? Sounds kind of scary, doesn’t it?

A honeybee swarm is one of the most docile things out there. They have no eggs, larvae or home to defend. They are just in transition from their old hive to the next home. They are not aggressive; they will not attack you!

I am writing this and pointing this out to you all because I collect and save honeybee swarms every spring. Local exterminators have my phone number available and hand it out when they get calls about bees.

When they get calls on bees, I go to investigate the infestation. Last year, I was called down to Hendersonville to a summer camp where there was a swarm in a bush. By the time I got there, the maintenance man had used a can of Raid on the swarm. The bees were still crawling around, soaked in the chemical, choking. The maintenance man just shrugged his shoulders and said, “I didn’t know.”

Please, please, please! If you ever see a swarm that looks like a big ball of bees in a bush, on a fence post, on the bumper of your car or almost anyplace, please just leave them alone. They are just there briefly. Odds are, within one or two hours,

they will all turn into a cloud and fly away. If you’re extremely concerned, get ahold of a local beekeeper.

There are plenty of us out there, and we will be more than glad to come take the swarm away. We will then put it in the hive and protect it. I personally give out a quart of honey to anyone who alerts me to a honeybee swarm, just to sweeten the deal.

Honeybees today have so many things working against them. Top

of the list are farmers spraying their fields, killing all insects, good or bad. Right behind them are the varroa mites that are devastating hives throughout the world.

Please, when you see them, don’t destroy them; help them get a safe home. Call a beekeeper.

—

Bill Boeheim Candler Bill Boeheim believes in “saving the world, one beehive at a time.” He can be reached at beepreserver@yahoo.com.

BILL BOEHEIM AND HONEYBEE SWARM

leave harmless honeybee swarms alone

All charged up

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

As soon as Nic Goodman bought a used Chevy Bolt in 2020, he knew his days driving gasoline-powered cars were over.

“I just fell in love with it,” he says of the all-electric hatchback. “It’s just so much fun. It feels like you’re driving something from the future.”

But there was one drawback. At the time, Goodman was living in an apartment off Charlotte Street, which meant he didn’t have an easy way to plug in his car when parked at home.

“I had to be pretty strategic about charging,” he says with a laugh. “I had come up with so many harebrained schemes of running extension cables into the parking lot.”

Eventually, Goodman bought a $60 annual membership with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and was able to charge his car at the nonprofit’s Orchard Street offices, less than half a mile from his apartment.

These days, he and his wife live in a house in Candler. “It’s a lot more convenient and it’s definitely cheaper to be able to charge from home,” he says.

Goodman’s experience demonstrates a reality for environmentally conscious Buncombe County residents looking to reduce their carbon footprints. Enthusiasm for electric vehicles is high — and growing rapidly — but many think the number of publicly available charging stations is lagging.

“There’s a lot of EVs on our roads in Buncombe County, and it’s spreading to other counties, but I think the governments have not done a whole bunch to put enough chargers in place,” says Rudy Beharrysingh, president of the Blue Ridge EV Club.

That will be an issue over the coming years as more people drive EVs. Research group BloombergNEF projects that more than half of passenger cars sold in the United State will be electric by 2030.

“This is the future of transportation,” says Dave Erb, a retired UNC Asheville engineering professor who is active in the local EV community. “As you get more market penetration, you’re going to see more

people who can’t charge at home, can’t charge at work, and they’ll need to go somewhere to fast charge the same way they take their gas vehicle somewhere to refuel.”

Local governments will play a role in making public charging more widely available, but so will the state of North Carolina and the federal government, which already have big plans underway for creating so-called “alternative fuel corridors,” particularly along interstate highways. And private businesses that see free charging stations as a way of attracting customers also will play a part, experts say.

PLUGGED IN

As of December, Buncombe County had 2,576 registered fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. That’s 1.2% of all registered vehicles, which may not seem like much until you consider the national average is less than 0.5%, Erb says.

Buncombe has more registered EVs than all but three counties in the state. And in the four-county region served by the Land of the

Sky Regional Council, electric vehicle registrations rose 416% from 2018-22, says Sara Nichols, who heads the Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition. According to the popular PlugShare app, there are more than 100 public charging stations in Buncombe and surrounding counties. Most are Level 2, meaning an EV can add 12-32 miles of driving range for each hour of charging. A handful of the stations are Level 3, also known as DC fastcharging, which can add around 100250 miles of range in 30-45 minutes. A handful offer charging services for Teslas only.

Many of the stations are offered by private businesses, including Ingles and other grocery stores, breweries, car dealerships and hotels. The Sam’s Club on Patton Avenue provides fast chargers through the Electrify America network, while the Asheville Outlets mall has fast chargers that are part of the EVgo network. A-B Tech provides fast charging, while UNC Asheville has some Level 2 stations on its campus.

Is Western North Carolina ready for the coming EV surge?

PLUGGING AWAY: Buncombe County has 2,576 registered fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the fourth most in the state. Photo courtesy of the Blue Ridge EV Club

Buncombe County and the city of Asheville want to be 100% reliant on renewable energy by 2030. That ambitious goal means both governments will be adding lots of electric vehicles to their fleets in the next few years.

“There are other alternative fuel vehicles out there, but the market, I think, is pushing us in the direction of electric vehicles, which is great,” says Buncombe County sustainability officer Jeremiah LeRoy.

In 2021, the Board of Commissioners adopted a goal of transitioning its entire fleet to zero-emission vehicles. When the county adds a new vehicle or replaces an old one, it must buy the most efficient vehicle in that class as long as it meets the business needs of the vehicle.

“If somebody needs a fourwheel-drive pickup truck, I’m not going to make them drive a Prius,” LeRoy says.

The county’s fleet of about 500 vehicles is responsible for one-third of its greenhouse gas emissions, he explains.

In the current fiscal year, the county added four Ford F-150 Lightning light-duty electric trucks for use by the Permits & Inspections Department. LeRoy says he ordered 12 Lightnings, but the manufacturer was unable to deliver all of them because of supply chain issues.

For the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, LeRoy has asked the county to purchase nine new electric vehicles, including smaller cars for food inspectors and social workers, and 26 hybrids. It’s possible, though, that it won’t be able to get its hands on all nine EVs.

“I think in the future, it will be less about whether or not we want to buy an electric vehicle,” he says “It will

be whether or not those vehicles are available on the market.”

Law enforcement vehicles make up about 60% of the county’s fleet. But because “pursuit-rated” electric vehicles have been available only recently, the county has relied on fuel-efficient hybrids to supply the Sheriff’s Office. Pursuit-rated vehicles are equipped for high-speed driving and the hard braking associated with traffic enforcement and emergency response.

Chevrolet now sells the Blazer EV PPV, an all-electric pursuit-rated vehicle, and Ford offers an electric police truck, the F-150 Lightning Pro SSV. “Once the market starts to supply those types of vehicles, it will only expedite the process of us being able to transition our full fleet towards zero emission,” LeRoy says.

CITY GOALS

The city of Asheville’s recently enacted Municipal Climate Action Plan calls on the city to decarbonize its fleet, including city-used vehicles and passenger buses used by Asheville Rides Transit.

The city has eight EVs in its fleet, with three Ford F-150 Lightnings on order, says Jacob Klodt, fleet manager. Four of the EVs are Chevy Bolts used for parking enforcement, while the remainder are low-speed EVs used by Parking Services, Parks & Recreation, Water Resources and the Police Department.

The city uses a tiered system when buying or replacing a vehicle, with the goal to buy a Tier 1, or zero-emission, vehicle when possi-

ble. That works well for, say, cars or trucks for building inspectors, which don’t typically carry a lot of extra weight.

“Other vehicles are more challenging: Things like the garbage-collection trucks and fire engines,” Klodt explains. “They carry a tremendous amount of weight, and that weight requires more energy. And so, the technology is not there to where there is widespread availability of electric vehicles for those types of applications.”

Will local governments be able to get all gasoline-powered vehicles off the road by 2030?

“It’s certainly an ambitious timeline, but at the rate that we replace vehicles, it’s still possible,” says the county’s LeRoy. X

local governments, the future of transportation is (mostly) electric

POWER SOURCE: A city of Asheville parking enforcement car charges at the Wall Street garage. Photo by Justin McGuire

Costs vary for public parking stations. Some are free for all, while others are free only to customers or those who pay to park. Some charge a flat fee while others charge per hour (typically something like $1.50) or by kilowatt (usually less than 50 cents). It’s best to check an app for prices and hours.

The city of Asheville offers Level 2 charging at its paid parking garages on Rankin Avenue and Wall Street, while Buncombe County does so at paid public garages on Coxe Avenue and College Street. The county also has charging stations at the Land of Sky Regional Council’s offices on Leicester Highway, with three new installations set to open there over the next few months, says Buncombe County sustainability officer Jeremiah LeRoy.

And the East Asheville Public Library, which opened in May 2021, features two free charging ports, LeRoy says. “I think that’s probably going to be standard practice for us moving forward as we do new construction or major renovations.”

MAXED OUT?

The city of Asheville, however, has no plans to add charging stations,

focusing instead on transitioning its fleet to electric and other energy-efficient vehicles, says Jacob Klodt, the city’s fleet manager (see sidebar).

Andi Graham, who moved to Asheville from St. Petersburg, Fla., two years ago, recently bought a Volvo XC40 Recharge and was disappointed to find a lack of public charging options downtown.

“I did not even consider when I bought this car that finding a public charger, if I did need one, would be an issue,” she says. “I can park in a downtown garage and charge my car for free, but it costs me $20 to park. So, what’s the value there? I guess I erroneously thought that, like many other large and progressive cities, putting an electric charging network would have been a priority by now, but I was very wrong on that.”

LeRoy understands such frustrations but thinks downtown Asheville may be close to maxing out in terms of public charging stations. “All the parking garages have EV charging, so how many more of those are going to be popping up?”

That’s one reason that making charging available at apartments will be vital to the continued growth of the EV market locally, says Nichols of the

Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition, a program of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Coalition.

“We think that the future of the electric vehicle is going to be affordable and accessible, and we don’t want our apartment dwellers to be left out of that ecosystem,” she explains. “So, the more of those apartment companies that we can get on board to install this, the better. And we’re willing to work with folks to close gaps that they might have to get it done.”

The clean-vehicles group can offer guidance on seeking grants and rebates to offset costs as well as technical advice on installing chargers.

“It could just be that they need to understand more about what they’re getting into,” she says. “What does having a site mean for them in terms of maintenance? Is it a fire concern? Where is their access to power that we could tap into? We’re a good resource to brainstorm the best way to do it on your site.”

The city and county do not require new or existing apartment buildings to add charging stations because such requirements are not mandated by state law.

“It is suspected [by city staff] any development, whether commercial

THINKING GREEN

Stronger tree protection

Alison Ormsby is the director of sustainability and lecturer in environmental studies at UNC Asheville.

What’s a local sustainability initiative that you think is going well?

At UNC Asheville, we have a wonderful grounds department that cares for our native habitat. We’ve been recognized as a Tree Campus USA and Bee Campus USA. We have a “bee hotel” on campus, right next to a pollinator meadow. We connect our curriculum to these wonderful outdoor spaces.

What is one piece of environmental legislation or policy change that you would like to see Asheville/Buncombe County make?

I believe that our city and county really need to safeguard our natural environment and the tree cover we already have. This will make us more climate resilient and avoid future flooding and rising temperatures. Having a stronger tree protection policy is the first step. (On a smaller scale, implementing a curbside compost collection program would also be great.)

What is your university’s preferred method for educating the community about its environmental mission?

At UNC Asheville, sustainability is infused in many places. Our student-run Student Environmental Center coordinates the weeklong Greenfest programming every spring and fall in collaboration with many departments. We also have a sustainability certificate program, open to all majors. We educate through many different events and locations — our campus gardens, invited speakers, social media, etc.

Where do you go to enjoy the outdoors?

UNC Asheville connects with the Reed Creek Greenway and Botanical Gardens. It’s wonderful to be able to take students on a walking field trip. X

or residential, of a certain size would want to incorporate EV chargers in their project, even more so going forward,” says city spokesperson Kim Miller

LeRoy says the county may consider incentivizing developers to install chargers as part of its broader Comprehensive Plan development discussions.

ALTERNATIVE FUEL CORRIDORS

The number of charging stations available regionally and beyond is going to skyrocket over the next few years due to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021. The law provides nearly $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations along designated alternative fuel corridors, particularly along interstate highways.

“They’re investing a lot of money into very robust, big, high-capacity charging stations so that an EV driver could feel comfortable taking a long trip,” Nichols says. “The fast chargers are the ones that act more like gasoline, but they still will take some time [to charge a vehicle].”

The state of North Carolina has a five-year, $109 million plan to place charging stations every 50 miles along major highways in the state, including interstates 26 and 40. A second phase of the plan will focus on community-based charging in urban and rural areas.

“I think we’re at a tipping point because there is so much federal money coming down the pipeline,” LeRoy says. “The intent is to make public charging readily available so that this transition to EVs for a lot of folks becomes a lot easier.”

Drive Electric Earth Day

Interested in learning more about electric vehicles? Asheville Outlets will host Drive Electric Earth Day Sunday, April 30, noon-4 p.m.

Spectators will have a chance to view and ride in a wide range of EVs, including the Ford Lightning and Rivian electric trucks, the VW ID4, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV 6, Bolt EVs and EUVs. Electric scooters and bikes also will be on hand.

The event is sponsored by the Blue Ridge EV Club and Tesla Owners of Western North Carolina.

ALISON ORMSBY

Thrift and regift

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

jwakeman@mountainx.com

Sophie Mullinax’s kids did not have a high-tech baby monitor or camera to watch them sleep. They don’t have a lot of toys that beep or buzz or play music. She encourages her 2-year-old and 5-year-old to play with objects around their home. Measuring cups from the kitchen and sticks from the yard can foster creative play, she says

“I don’t believe babies need a lot of stuff,” Mullinax tells Xpress.

Buying every new gadget or toy is an expensive way to live. It also creates more waste than some of Asheville’s environmentally conscious populace feel good about. Thus, parents like Mullinax are embracing the local sharing economy. It thrives in well-organized Facebook groups and on resale sites and apps, and local baby- and child-focused consignment shops where parents can purchase “preloved” items as well as recoup some costs by selling their items.

Heather Bardaville, owner of children’s secondhand shop Once Upon a Child, says reselling or sharing preowned kids’ items means “you’re doing something good for the environment as well as for the pocketbook and the community.”

AVOIDING LANDFILLS

There isn’t reliable data about the amount of trash that children create; it varies based on caregivers’ choices as well as cultural norms. Still, the United States hovers among the top countries creating the most waste overall. According to the National Resources Defense Council, Americans are 4% of the world’s population but generate 12% of its solid waste.

Parents are conscious of their families’ contribution to this literal trash heap. Morgan Forsythe of Marshall, mother of a 6-month-old, laments the amount of trash packaging alone creates, especially Styrofoam and plastic wrap.

“My main goal is simply keeping things out of the landfill,” says Stephanie Woodson, mother of an 8- and 10-year-old. “I know the literal tons of stuff thrift stores try to process and love any opportunity to get stuff in the hands of someone who can use it instead of potentially shipping it off to be burned overseas.”

Mullinax tries to acquire items first through gifting — giving items for free

Parents embrace secondhand goods

ing economy online. In addition to Facebook Marketplace, which is for all-purpose sales, parents mentioned Asheville-specific groups Asheville Mamas (nearly 8,000 members), and Asheville Area Moms (over 6,000 members).

These Facebook groups rely on members to arrange porch pickups and drop-offs. Most items are free; others are sold at a discount. Forsythe says she usually gifts items to other parents with the belief she’s “paying it forward.” (Forsythe joined local Facebook groups for swapping kids’ stuff even before her child was born; she acquired parts for a breast pump, a bouncy seat and a jumper.)

Other parents use a group called South/West Asheville, which originated as a Buy Nothing group on Facebook. (Xpress was unable to connect with the group’s administrator.)

Shadle is now the mother of twins who arrived 2 1/2 years after her eldest son. She’s gifted many items from her original wish list, like a baby wipe warmer and clothes. Her younger kids wear their brother’s hand-medowns, and all the children play with bikes and outdoor toys their mom snagged from the sharing economy.

“I buy very, very little brand-new for them,” Shadle says.

THRIFTY CHOICES

— or shopping secondhand. “If we’re going to buy new, I try to source locally and try to buy a high-quality item that can be passed on to other people [for more use],” she explains.

Tatiana Rivest, mother of a 4-yearold, says she’s conscious of not buying fast fashion — which the blog Treehugger describes as mass-produced clothes that “aren’t built to last and quickly go out of style” — from big-box stories. Fast fashion has been linked to manufacturing that produces carbon emissions, puts toxins into water supplies and creates textile waste.

Rivest described the choice between buying a $4 shirt from a store like Target — which may be inexpensive because it’s been mass-produced — or spending that $4 on preloved kids’ clothes at a consignment shop. She opts for consignment as much as possible. (Rivest is the spouse of Xpress Managing Editor Thomas Calder.)

‘I BUY VERY LITTLE BRAND-NEW’

As is common during a new phase of life, Erin Shadle experienced a rite of passage when she became preg-

nant with her first child: She made an Amazon wish list of baby supplies. “I had the giant Amazon registry of all the brand-new stuff for my kid,” Shadle recalls. As a new mom, she says, “I had no idea what I would actually use versus not use … so I got all the stuff new.”

Shadle knows she was “very lucky that most of my wish list items were fulfilled.” But over time, she noticed her household had acquired a lot of stuff. “I thought, ‘Hey, my kid’s outgrowing this stuff really fast — what am I going to do with it?” That’s when Shadle experienced another rite of passage as a parent whose home is awash in onesies, booties, crib mattresses and baby play gyms that her child had outgrown. She turned to Asheville’s sharing economy to find that stuff a new home.

Shadle says contributing to the sharing economy is important to her environmentally, as well as ethically. She is trained as a social worker, she explains, and she believes the community needs to share resources with one another.

Asheville’s parent community has numerous options for using the shar-

Mullinax says she’s had success buying kids’ items secondhand on eBay and Kidizen, a site for gently used clothes and shoes for babies up to teenage years. And Woodson praised a nationwide Facebook group that “focuses on rehoming hiking gear for outdoorsy families — hand-me-downs that you just pay shipping for.”

Mullinax also tries to shop at consignment shops so she is “keeping those dollars local.” She’s a fan of The Littlest Birds in West Asheville, which sells consigned items in addition to new merchandise, and Children’s Trading Post, an upscale consignment shop in Arden. Shadle has found good deals at Seeds and Sprouts in Fletcher.

Rivest praised the local franchise Once Upon a Child for being “so organized, so cheap … like a glorified Goodwill.” (She also shops at Goodwill, she says.)

Bardaville, who opened Asheville’s Once Upon a Child shop in 2022, says she used to throw away clothing or take it to Goodwill. But after she encountered another Once Upon a Child franchise, she “realized that I could take the clothes in, they would buy it, and I could put that toward what I was purchasing. … That saved a huge amount of money.” She estimates that

ON THE MOVE: Six-month-old Evelyn enjoys a secondhand walker her mom, Morgan Forsythe, scored in March at Duck-Duck-Goose, an annual consignment event in Waynesville. Photo courtesy of Forsythe

CRAFT AWAY: Crafty families will often be happy to take upcycled materials from others, like clean yogurt cups, shipping tubes, wine corks and bottle caps, says mom and craft blogger Stephanie Woodson. She suggests others hang onto these items “if you have the space and energy to save them for someone else to use.” Photo courtesy of Woodson

she “went from spending $500 seasonally on my kiddo down to $150.”

SLOWING THE ‘TIDAL WAVE’

Touting frugality and environmentalism as her family’s core values, Mullinax says she embraces “lazy simplicity,” which she explains means “trying not to make a lot of work for myself.”

Rivest has focused a lot of her attention on slowing what she called the “tidal wave” of stuff, especially toys, that started when her child turned 1. She’s donated a crib “that was used twice,” a walker, a highchair, bikes, scooters and a Pack n Play portable crib.

Rivest draws inspiration from the YouTuber The Minimal Mom, whose videos teach families strategies for decluttering and organizing. The YouTuber explains that kids’ stuff “is all inventory that you have to manage,” Rivest says, and cleaning and organizing eats up time that parents might use to do something else.

To get her child in on the minimalist lifestyle, Rivest invented a game called “Keep or Donate.” They go through items together and decide what to keep playing with and what can be passed on to other kids.

GETTING CONTROL OF BIRTHDAYS

Parents can stem the influx of toys to a certain extent, but inventory control becomes trickier around birthdays and holidays, when eager grandparents, aunts and uncles seize an opportunity to buy gifts.

Rivest says she’s seen lots of discussions in the Asheville Moms Facebook group about how to throw birthday parties or celebrate holidays and ask guests not to bring gifts without appearing rude. A lot of commenters, she explains, “worry about upsetting the grandparents.” Still, she’s seen ‘Please, no gifts. Just bring yourself’ on birthday party invitation and decided to try it for her child’s fourth birthday. The request mostly worked — some guests had already purchased gifts — but her child still had a happy birthday.

Other parents are explicitly asking for gifts of experiences or money for their children instead of stuff.

“For [her child’s] birthday and for Christmas, we always ask for experiences instead of toys,” says Michaela Bardossas, mother of a 2-year-old, noting the family’s annual pass to the WNC Nature Center. “That’s something I ask for every year because he loves going to see animals.” She says passes to indoor gyms for kids and play centers also make great gifts.

Normalizing sustainable habits

Julia Lang is a ninth grade student at A.C. Reynolds High School. She is a member of the school’s cross-country and track team and plans to become a criminal defense lawyer (or a traveling hairstylist with her aunt).

What sustainability initiatives at your school are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the increase in digital assignments rather than turning in paper copies. This is a good first step because it puts in the students’ minds that trees are used as habitats for many species in nature and tearing them up for extra paper is destroying animals’ homes.

How does your generation view sustainability differently from that of other generations?

My generation takes the threats of climate change and the potential future of a dead planet more seriously.

What is one step people in WNC can take to promote sustainability?

You can do small things like bringing your own to-go Tupperware to a restaurant or reduce your red meat consumption. By doing these small acts, it will normalize sustainability, and hopefully more people will do their own part.

Is the educational system doing enough to inform people about longterm environmental concerns like climate change?

From my own personal experience, the education system is implementing more courses and lessons about concerns with the environment. For instance, my English class is writing an essay about whether or not people have a positive or negative relationship with the environment. There are also ecology clubs and hard-to-recycle events that help show and inform people how to recycle certain goods that people would otherwise send to landfills.

SHARING IS CARING: Erin Shadle says gifting her kids’ used items to other families is both environmentally sound and “resonates with me ethically.” Her family has given away many items that she received new as gifts when her first child was born, including a stroller, bassinets, clothes and bottles. Photo courtesy of Shadle

Forsythe’s 6-month-old is the first grandchild in the extended family, who are generous with gifts. She acknowledges her child is “very lucky.” However, she’s suggested that loved ones contribute to a savings account or buy a savings bond instead. Instead of receiving duplicate toys, she hopes her child could begin to grow “a good little nest egg” for the future.

JULIA LANG

The responders

BY ANDREW R. JONES AN ASHEVILLE WATCHDOG REPORT

arjones@avlwatchdog.org

Editor’s note: The following is an abridged version of Asheville Watchdog’s March 22 article, “Down Town, Part 4: The Responders.” For the full version, visit avlwatchdog.org.

For Part 4, Watchdog reporters shadowed the first responders on the front lines of dealing with the recent rise in homelessness, substance abuse and addiction, and untreated mental health issues.

We invite you to ride along.

COMMUNITY PARAMEDICS

Justin Hall checks his supplies for the day in the back of a black Ford pickup truck: blankets, hand warmers, wound care supplies, oxygen and naloxone (brand name Narcan) nasal spray to reverse the effects of potentially deadly opioid overdoses.

Hall, 38, is a Buncombe County community paramedic, one of nearly two dozen members of a specialized team created in November 2020 to supplement Buncombe County’s traditional Emergency Services staff, allowing first responders to focus on large-scale emergencies.

Hall, an emergency medical technician and peer support coordinator, opened his laptop and showed a narrative of a downtown call, the kind the paramedics often must navigate.

“Asked to look for a gentleman on College St who was having a crisis,” the note began. The paramedic could not locate the man until a second caller on Church Street reported a “man who had barricaded himself in a Dumpster.

“Met him,” the report continued. “We chatted until he was willing to come hang out with me at the Haywood St. garden because the sun there is much nicer than a Dumpster. Afterward he needed a bus pass to get to his sleep spot, so I provided him with one.”

Downtown roles change amid rise in homelessness, substance abuse and untreated mental health issues

Emergency Medical Services

Director Taylor Jones said.

The community paramedics try to connect people in need with the resources they need.

“Sometimes they’ll spend an hour and a half just walking around with somebody making sure that they’re not a danger to themselves or others,” Hubbard said.

The community paramedics see an urgent need in Asheville for a “low barrier” shelter that accepts unhoused people who are actively using drugs or alcohol, or with other needs, like pets, that prevent them from entering existing shelters.

“Until we have places to bring people,” Hubbard said, “the most effective thing we can do to manage a crisis is to spend time with that person until they’re no longer in crisis.”

THE ER AS A SAFETY NET

Tricia Killion, vice president of case management for the North Carolina division of HCA Healthcare, which owns Mission Hospital, said, “A lot of patients come in homeless that don’t have preventive care,” and the ER becomes “their safety net,” sometimes when it’s not medically necessary.

RESPONDING TO OVERDOSES: “The homeless epidemic in downtown Asheville, I mean, it’s high,” senior firefighter Jonathon Sgroi, left, said. Firefighter Ky Emmons, right, added, “It’s also the vast majority of our overdose calls.” Dealing with overdose calls is now a routine part of Asheville Fire Department duties. Asheville Watchdog photo by Starr Sariego

The man, Hall said, was “just in a crisis moment and didn’t know who to reach to.”

Buncombe’s community paramedics operate with two team units — two paramedics in separate vehicles, each shift working 24/7, and two on an EMT and community outreach team, working 12 hours every day.

About three to five times a day, a team answers calls from downtown about drug-related incidents, people yelling in public, sleeping on sidewalks or threatening harm, sometimes to themselves. The immediate

goal is to prevent those crises from escalating into self-harm or arrests.

Although their primary duties are to provide support for people who have overdosed or need substance use disorder support, they also provide food and shelter emergency assistance, and wound support or other basic medical issues.

Shortly after the creation of the community paramedicine program in 2020, Claire Hubbard, manager of the program, said: “This program is truly unique in that we don’t have an agenda to get people in trouble or tattle on them. We don’t want people to associate our program with the typical model for public safety. Our agenda is to provide care and support to those who need it. That’s it.”

The CPs wear many hats: social worker, health care provider, driver and friend.

“We’re kind of the Swiss army knife of EMS,” Buncombe County

“For whatever reason, usually some type of mental health,” Killion said, “that’s where they feel comfortable, that’s where they can get a meal, that’s where they can get a cot.

“There are folks,” she said, “that visit that [ER] nearly every day.”

Some patients resist treatment and leave the hospital “against medical advice,” Killion said.

“We can’t hold people prisoner, so maybe they leave the hospital before they’re really ready to, and we see those folks cycle back in within a day or two,” she said.

Hannah Drummond, a Mission ER nurse, said many of the ailments suffered by Asheville’s unhoused population can’t be fixed with a single visit. But trying to set up wound care or physical therapy with people who don’t have homes “can get really complicated,” she said.

Moving people who are homeless out of the ER system can be just as complex as finding them care, Drummond added. “Some people just want to leave [the emergency room], and that’s their choice, but there are other people who that’s not what they want to do. And we get to a point where from an emergency room standpoint, there’s not any-

thing else that we can do. Our hands get tied. And that feels awful. You worry what’s going to happen to this person when they go back out.”

Killion said hospital social workers try to line patients up with help when they leave. She said Asheville has a handful of “respite beds” for the unhoused to recuperate after a hospital stay but needs more. “They’re very vulnerable,” she said. “They can’t go and recover on the street after surgery.”

Often the best Drummond can do, she said, is to make sure she gets people a taxi voucher after they’ve picked up their medication.

“I worry about that all the time,” she said. “And then it’s like, ‘OK, if we gave you a taxi voucher, to the pharmacy, can you even pay for your medication? And then if I get you to the pharmacy and your meds are covered, how do you get back to wherever it is that you’re staying?’ And I’m not given the resources to make all that happen.”

FIREFIGHTERS AND EMTS

Homelessness and drugs have drastically changed the traditional jobs of fire rescue in Asheville.

At the Asheville Fire Department, the firefighters and emergency medical technicians now rescue unhoused people camping on river embankments as floodwaters rise. They revive drug users from cardiac arrest.

And on a really bad day, they’re sometimes the first to discover a corpse inside a tent in the woods.

Asheville’s firefighters have become a central part of the response network to homelessness.

“The homeless epidemic in downtown Asheville, I mean, it’s high,” senior firefighter Jonathon Sgroi said.

Firefighter Ky Emmons added, “It’s also the vast majority of our overdose calls.”

“We’ve got a lot of repeat people,” Sgroi said. “You say, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve been to this girl before for an overdose.’”

Crews take calls related to the unhoused population roughly 12 times a day, said Asheville Fire Chief Scott Burnette.

Some of those actually involve containing and extinguishing fires, he said.

In 2019, Burnette said, Asheville fire crews responded to 95 outside fires “directly related” to the unhoused community — fires started for warmth or cooking that were left unattended.

By 2021, that number had more than doubled to 206, he said.

Heavy rains bring a different kind of danger to unhoused campers who set up tents along the banks of rivers.

“We’ve had a number of water rescues where we’ve needed to rescue folks that are living near the rivers,” Burnette said. “We didn’t have that as much five years ago.”

Now, before a heavy rain, firefighters go out to warn campers. Sometimes the campers move, sometimes they don’t, Burnette said.

Last fall, a downpour pushed the banks of the French Broad River high enough that a portion of land where two people were camping turned into an island. “The water was continuing to rise and so our folks, using paddle craft, went and got those folks off,” Burnette said.

Fire crews checked on one man at a busy downtown intersection four times in 12 hours after different callers reported concerns to 911 that he had overdosed, Burnette said. The man was, in fact, just sleeping.

Although it does not happen often, some of the most disheartening calls send firefighters inside tents to respond to one – or more – overdoses.

“Our folks are responding to those situations and trying to treat folks who are in cardiac arrest inside of a tent and sometimes multiple patients inside of a tent,” Burnette said.

Other times, firefighters find people inside tents who have died, perhaps days earlier.

“It’s our firefighters that are going into that tent to retrieve this person who has been dead for several days,” Burnette said. “It’s just difficult on our firefighters and just to see the tragic loss of this human life, to try to provide as much dignity for this person that’s died alone.

“We really want to change that,” Burnette said. “We want to be able to make a difference in that person’s life and get them good access to health care, get them good access to shelter or whatever their needs might be so that doesn’t get to that tragic situation.”

Beginning in April, Burnette said, the Asheville Fire Department will redeploy four to five firefighters in a pilot program to work with the county community paramedics or on their own to assist the unhoused and collect information on how Asheville’s

CONTINUES ON PAGE 16

first responders can better serve the downtown area.

THE LIBRARIANS

At 9:30 a.m. on a recent chilly Tuesday, the first day of the week that Pack Memorial Library downtown is open, Sheena Robinson was the first person standing outside. The library doors wouldn’t open for another 30 minutes.

She wore several layers with a pink hoodie on top and carried a plastic bag containing a Coca-Cola bottle filled with water. She snuggled her head into the layers as she talked.

“It gets so cold at night, it’s unreal,” Robinson said. She said she sleeps at a bus station near McDowell Street in downtown Asheville, then comes to the library every other day to get warm, make calls, read books, use the internet and try to figure out her next steps.

Robinson, who used to live in Weaverville, said she had been without a home for four months by mid-March. Like many experiencing homelessness, Robinson said she suffers from the effects of trauma: witnessing the shooting death of her mother as a teen and losing a sister to diabetes.

HALF THE TIME: Mission Hospital emergency room nurse Hannah Drummond said on some days it seems as if nearly half of the people seeking treatment are unhoused or suffering a mental health or substance abuse crisis. Asheville Watchdog photo by Starr Sariego

“I had a home and I was fine. I was just like everybody else when it all first started. I had paid my home off. And I had a car and everything,” she said.

But between a hospital stay, her brother entering her life and her landlady telling her she needed to move her trailer, things cascaded over a couple of years and forced her onto the streets, she said.

Now, she waits in line with other unhoused people, waiting to use Asheville’s main library, which has increasingly become a shelter, a warm, safe place and a resource for people living on the streets.

A brochure on the front door, “Where to Go When It’s Cold,” lists two shelters and a free shuttle “that is very close to the library!”

Inside, in the main hallway, is a table with more brochures on homeless services.

In the restrooms, a disposal box is bolted to the wall for used needles and syringes.

’THE LIBRARIAN’S GUIDE TO HOMELESSNESS'

The table with brochures for homeless services is staffed four days a week by Sam Stanley, a member of Homeward Bound’s outreach team. For the past three years, the city of Asheville has contracted with Homeward Bound to provide street outreach and help for people experiencing homelessness.

The library is an ideal place for Homeward Bound to meet potential clients, Stanley said. “I think that’s a pretty uniform thing. At any town or city or what have you that has any kind of a substantial population of people that are unhoused, there’s a library. This is a place that people are going to hang out because it’s a public space. And it’s really one of the last vestiges of public spaces.”

Stanley said he sometimes tries to help people get housing. “It really depends on if I have anybody that I’m working with that has income, without any recent evictions … like in the last seven-10 years, [or] realistically, any criminal charges.

“When I have somebody that meets those criteria, I will spend more time with them putting in applications for housing,” he said.

Ken Miller, the library’s adult services supervisor, has worked at the downtown library since the 1990s. He said Pack Memorial has been committing time and resources to people without homes ever since he can remember.

“The first person in the job that Sam’s in now,” Miller said, “one day, early in her tenure, she walked out of her office and looked into the public computer area … and she said, ‘I know every one of those people,’ because she had worked for Homeward Bound. She recognized

ALL ARE WELCOME: Ken Miller has worked at the downtown library since the 1990s. The library has been welcoming to unhoused people for as long as he can remember, he said. “I don’t want these most vulnerable people to be seen as villains.” Asheville Watchdog photo by Starr Sariego

that every person out there at that time, at that moment, was somebody who had been receiving services.”

Last week, as Miller talked to Asheville Watchdog, three of his employees were in a training session based on a book titled “The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness” by

Ryan Dowd

“It’s about how to make your library a more inclusive place, hopefully deescalate situations and … build confidence with patrons in experiencing homelessness, mental health, mental illness, addiction, trauma, etc.,” Miller said.

Besides navigating the Dewey Decimal System, today’s librarians also study deescalation techniques and Narcan administration. Like most public libraries across the nation, Miller said, serving people in insecure living situations is a significant part of Pack’s function today, and especially after library systems reopened in the pandemic.

“It’s been on the increase since then, and I anticipate that it’s going to increase even more,” Miller said.

“For this downtown library, as a challenge, it sits side by side with providing traditional library services. It’s hard to provide a ranking, but I would say it’s as important and as critical for the community.”

Watchdog journalists John Boyle and Sally Kestin contributed to this report.

Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and surrounding communities. Andrew R. Jones is a Watchdog investigative reporter.

Field of dreams

BY SARA MURPHY

Vannah Roddy didn’t even have a garden growing up in rural Medina County, Ohio. Yet, “I was superpassionate about finding solutions to growing food during climate change,” she says. She moved to Western North Carolina in 2019 and soon found work as a farmhand and manager for a few small-scale organic farms in Asheville. After a year, however, she wanted more control over the type of planting she did. She needed farmland of her own.

She knew it would be a challenge. In 2021, agricultural lending cooperative Carolina Farm Credit estimated that 5-20 acres in the Asheville metro area, which includes Buncombe, Haywood, Transylvania, Henderson and Polk counties, cost on average $14,583 per acre. That was a 36% increase from 2020. McDowell County, where Roddy has concentrated most of her search, was significantly cheaper in 2021: $5,833 per acre. Nevertheless, that figure was still higher than the statewide average price of farm real estate in 2021, which was $4,750, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report. (Farm real estate figures include all agricultural land and buildings, including cropland, pastureland and farm dwellings.)

And that’s if she can even get a loan, she says: “I’m 22 years old. I find it incredibly challenging to even get a lender to speak to me.”

In the meantime, she had to get creative if she was going to farm her way and build her business, Encompass Farm. So, in 2020, she drove through Black Mountain and scoped out yards that looked favorable for growing.

New farmers struggle to find land in WNC

beginner farmers — farmers under the age of 40, according to the National Young Farmers Coalition, or farmers in operation for 10 years or less, according to the USDA — are compelled to invent to access affordable farmland in Western North Carolina.

Local nonprofits, state cooperative extensions and federal programs are increasingly working to address land access, especially for young and beginning farmers. However, as Andrew Branan, N.C. State University assistant extension professor of agriculture and resource economics, explains, “Buncombe County has a unique issue. It’s an international destination in a mountainous place where there’s very little land that you can farm on.”

LOOKING FOR LAND

The first two doors she knocked on, the homeowners gave her permission to plant. Word spread, and she was soon growing over an acre of annual crops and cut flowers.

“This time last year, I had 10 sites in production. I was growing yearround,” she says. Every day, she would cart her tools around in her car to multiple sites and spend hours in the soil, and soon she couldn’t keep up with the demand for her organic, no-till crops. She still receives calls from people eager to offer their yards, but Roddy considers this unique solution a temporary one.

“Growing on yards is not my longterm vision,” she says.

Nevertheless, it’s the kind of creative solution she and other young and

Landownership has traditionally been the way that farmers have built equity, according to Branan. Farmers borrow against the land to grow their operations, funding equipment, seeds, livestock and additional acreage. Leases — especially shortor medium-term leases — can mean investing in the infrastructure and soil health of land and then suddenly losing access to it.

“You don’t save money farming; you invest farming money,” he says. When he ran his agricultural law practice, he says, he always encouraged young and beginner farmers to set up leases that included an option to purchase. “And not just a right of first refusal, but a right of first offer,” he adds.

According to a 2022 survey done by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, 21% of 176 respondents owned and leased the land they farmed, with 11% solely leasing. (Respondents are limited to those who have achieved

the ASAP Appalachian Grown certification, with the majority of responses coming from WNC.)

For those looking for farmland, the N.C. State Agricultural Extension runs FarmLink, a website that posts information both for farmers looking for land and for landowners seeking farmers.

Iva Philips, a Fletcher native who majored in agroecology at Warren Wilson College, is trying to find land for her business, True Earth Herbs.

One day, she envisions a 5-acre farm where she can grow not only herbs but also host community outreach events similar to those at Root Cause Farm, where she volunteers. At the moment, however, she is priced out of land with any kind of crucial infrastructure, from greenhouses to root cellars to housing. She’s planning to use a 10-by-10foot plot on family property to grow her herbs.

PAYING FOR LAND

Through its farm service agencies, the USDA provides direct loans for landownership at competitive interest rates. However, most farm loans are provided through the Farm Credit Administration, which works with outside lenders.

Roddy says those loans are hardly the deal for farmers they claim to be. “Often, they don’t have compet-

YARD WORK: Vannah Roddy holds turnips she grew using no-till, organic methods. Photo courtesy of Roddy

A FARM OF ONE’S OWN: Lyric Antio looks out over the 44-acre plot in Marion where she and her partner, Noah Poulos, have a five-year lease.

Photo courtesy of Antio

itive rates, [and] you end up paying extremely high interest [rates],” she says. “If I went with that option, I’d be sinking all of my time, energy and resources into something that still is pretty insecure.” She is only now eligible to start looking into direct USDA loans, having recently registered Encompass Farm with the USDA.

For Hispanic farmers, acquiring loans, much less farmland, can be nearly impossible, says Delia Jovel Dúbon, a founder and co-owner of Cooperativa Tierra Fértil in Hendersonville County.

“Because we are immigrants, that is already a huge no for many opportunities. You don’t have access to loans,” she says. “People think, ‘It’s impossible that an immigrant is talking to me about a piece of land’” because they automatically assume someone with immigrant status will not have the capital to afford it, she adds.

Tierra Fértil’s three co-owners and five staff members currently farm 1 acre at Tiny Bridge Farm. However, Tiny Bridge itself leases its land and has only a year left in its contract.

Solutions will always be challenging when only 3% of land in Western North Carolina is prime soil for growing annuals, says Chris Link, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy farm and food program manager.

SAHC has several programs to provide training and pave the way to land access. Link connects them with real estate agents who specialize in farmland sales, boosts their profile on social media and lets landowners know these farmers are looking for land. The results have been mixed, he says. “It’s been everything from ‘We’re no longer farming anymore’ to ‘I found a good lease’ to ‘I bought land.’”

Roddy says these programs lack definitive results. “Every time I see workshops about land access coming up, I’m on board,” Roddy says. “But I haven’t seen a whole lot of solutions, to be honest,” she says.

“They’re presenting opportunities outside of ownership, whether it’s leasing, or temporary land access solutions, like a farm incubator. And for me, that would be a lateral step — I already have temporary access to land that I’m growing on. My goal is ownership and long-term tenure. And I haven’t seen a lot of programs address that.”

LEASING FOR LIFE

One success story is Wild East Farm. Lyric Antio and Noah Poulos considered federal loans to start Wild East Farm in Marion but found the bureaucratic process moved far too slowly for the pace of the real estate market. The FSA told her that it

could be up to six months to get approved for a loan.

“Finances were a pretty significant barrier for us since we don’t come from any family wealth,” says Antio.

“As we looked at properties and assessed our needs and our vision for the farm, it became clear that it wasn’t going to be possible in any immediate time scale. So, we started opening ourselves up to alternative options.”

They considered moving to Vermont last year but then they discovered the owner of a 44-acre plot in Marion was looking for farmers. As Antio describes it, “the sole intention is to lease it at an affordable rate to young and beginning farmers.”

“It’s a five-year lease, [but] it’s written into the contract that the mutual intention is that [it] would continue beyond the five years’ trial term, which felt comfortable for both of us,” she explains.

Antio says she and Poulos were hesitant about leasing because it wouldn’t build equity. Now, she appreciates how their lease not only saves them from paying for infrastructure but also removes some of the uncertainty of ownership.

“You miss the mortgage payment a couple of times, there could be some really serious consequences. But if you’re able to have a dialogue with a human being about why that’s happening, it can be more nuanced, and potentially more organic and forgiving,” she says.

“It’s exciting to think about this form of direct philanthropy being replicable, especially in our region where so much farmable land is held in absentee estates,” Antio says.

FOR THE LOVE OF FARMING

In the meantime, Roddy still farms in yards, though burnout led her to decrease the number of lots from 10 to four.

She hasn’t given up on her dream farm. She added a donate button to the Encompass Farm website earlier this year and received a few donations. She is also considering a board of directors structure for Encompass Farm, in which she would invite experts in real estate and agricultural law to help her achieve land access. “I’d want to provide value for them as well. I just haven’t figured [that] out yet,” she says.

To make ends meet, she also provides landscape consulting and has a part-time job, like 60% of farmers nationwide, according to the 2017 U.S. Agricultural Census.

“It just goes to show the people who are growing our food are doing it because they want to, not because it’s lucrative,” she says. X

Photos by James Parker.

Sew be it Local youths learn ‘thrift

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

Olivia Slosiarek was struggling to sew a collar on the bodice of a dress. “Why did you choose a supercomplicated dress?” Stina Andersen asked her young student with a smile.

Slosiarek’s answer was thoughtful: She explained that something about the below-the-knee dress, depicted on a 1980s McCall’s pattern she found in Andersen’s classroom, appealed to her.

Andersen understood. “You want your own unique style,” she said. Her young student agreed. In this case, the style unique to an 11-year-old would be familiar to boomer moms, but Andersen had seen that before. “Fashion is just a revolution — it goes ’round and ’round, right?”

It was a Tuesday afternoon in March, and Andersen was leading the final week of an eight-week beginner course at ARTeries, her studio and boutique. A former art instructor, she began teaching sewing classes in Asheville in 2007 where adults and children learn how to make their own clothing and “upcycle” existing clothes.

“One of the biggest takeaways that they get is how much time it takes to make things and how much effort goes into it,” Andersen says.

All the fabric at ARTeries has been donated, thrifted or reused from Andersen’s own collection, she says. People are inspired to give their fabrics “especially if they have a big collection,” Andersen explains. “I had a woman who couldn’t seem to sew anymore, so her daughter brought her old embroidery machine and all of these fabrics.”

flipping’ skills

Andersen teaches her students to measure correctly and “cut smart” to reduce textile waste. “Let’s respect these materials because there’s value in all of it,” she explains.

“Even if it’s free to you, [the fabric] was woven.”

WASTE NOT

Jen Hampton is on a similar mission at Hanger Hall School. She was

hired by students’ parents in 2021 to teach a seven-week, after-school sewing club four times a year.

Several students “love to express themselves with their clothing,” she says. “They love the feeling of people saying, ‘I love that’ and being able to say, ‘Thanks, I made it.’”

The sewing club is also an opportunity for Hampton to educate them about repurposing and reusing textile resources.

“I’ve talked to the girls about how wasteful fast fashion is,” Hampton says. “It’s very wasteful and just adds to the piles of garbage eventually.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that landfills received 11.3 million tons of textiles disposed into municipal solid waste; only 2.5 tons were recycled that same year.

Fabric is mostly donated by students’ parents or by Hampton’s

FASHIONISTAS: Hanger Hall School students, from left, Angelique Mills, Julianne Stanley and Holiday Railey practice their sewing skills at an after-school club. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

acquaintances; she also scored four large bins of fabric for free following the estate sale for a fiber artist in West Asheville.

Hampton saves hardware, like buttons, from clothes that she thrifts from Goodwill. She sometimes uses that hardware or materials to create her own designs. Her students call that process “thrift flipping,” Hampton explains — akin to “house flipping” — instead of the more common term “upcycling.”

TWICE IS NICE

Andersen also “harvests” buttons, hems and collars from garments — some of which are donated to her and others that she found at thrift shops. She then categorizes and stores them for future use in her studio. She also has an entire bookcase full of patterns, many of which she’s bought in bulk purchases on eBay.

Basic and medium-level sewing skills compose most of Andersen’s classes. However, she says demand for mending and alteration skills has been high since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I definitely noticed a significant rise in people’s interest in learning to sew and learning to make their own stuff or fixing stuff,” Andersen says.

A fashion designer as well as a sewing instructor, Andersen sells her own upcycled designs in her studio. “There’s so many things out there that can be reinvented — that’s where my creative inspiration comes from,” she explains. “What I decide to make, a lot of the time it is determined by what materials come in.”

Andersen develops “what I call a ‘recipe for refashion’” for products; with a recipe in hand, she can repurpose similar items into new designs over and over again.

‘SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT’

Previous attendees of Hampton’s sewing club made a lot of “thrift flips,” she says. The current attendees are working on a mix of designs from both donated fabric and fabric they purchased themselves.

Regan Sacca, 11, sewed four vests — including one for a Halloween costume based on a “Monster High” character — and a corset. She showed Xpress her current project, a pair of shorts constructed of pink and multicolored fabric.

Aubrey McCormick, 12, showed off a ruffled strawberry-patterned dress that she sewed. “The ruffles were really hard to make,” she says, explaining that she created them using hand and machine sewing.

(The students share six Brother sewing machines; two that were gifted and four that were purchased by Hanger Hall.) “I used to try and do a lot of hand sewing but that is not nearly as efficient,” McCormick continued. “You can’t really make the bulk of articles of clothing by hand.”

Hampton believes these self-sufficiency skills give her students “a sense of empowerment.” Learning “to make anything with your own hands teaches you self-reliance — ‘I

have the skills to make whatever it is that I need,’” she says.

Julianne Stanley , 13, is one such student. She adores the movie Clueless and admired the Dolce & Gabbana yellow plaid matching skirt and jacket worn in the movie by character Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone. So she sewed a replica of the outfit this year.

“It’s so easy,” Stanley explains. “If I can’t find something in a store, I can just make it.”

RETRO IS IN: Olivia Slosiarek chose a McCall’s dress pattern from the 1980s to make as a sewing class project at ARTeries, a studio owned by Stina Andersen. Photo courtesy of Andersen

PASSING ALONG WISDOM: Hanger Hall School sewing club instructor Jen Hampton, left, assists Regan Sacca with pinning a pair of shorts that the student is making. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

Woodfin board denies neighborhood appeal to halt Elk Mountain development

The Woodfin Board of Adjustment voted March 10 to deny the appeal launched by neighborhood organization Citizens for Responsible Land Use against a 116-unit development on the Elk Mountain ridgeline, known as Robinhood. The appeal had taken place over seven sessions, most of which lasted at least four hours.

As previously covered in Xpress (see avl.mx/ckq), Jessica and Alex Bernstein and the CRLU had appealed the decision based upon two main arguments. The first was that the original application filed on May 17, 2021, was incomplete and therefore invalid. The Board of Adjustment rejected this argument by a vote of 4-1, with Chris DeRonne the lone no vote. Board members Scott Hanson, Stephanie Gosnell, Patrizia Hoffman and chair Michael Bennett all voted yes.

DeRonne’s primary concern was that no approval had been obtained for public utilities, though other board members maintained this approval would be necessary only when or if the application goes before the town’s Planning Board.

All other votes were unanimous. All five members present agreed that subsequent revisions to the application did not constitute a new one and that the application was never put on hold because the developer, Atlanta-based HS Robinhood Owner LLC, communicated sufficiently with local government whenever asked.

Finally, they rejected the argument that the development, which is limited to one building, should be categorized as a group development and not a multifamily residential dwelling.

At DeRonne’s request, a condition was unanimously approved and added to the decision requiring the developer to obtain preliminary approval for public utilities from the Woodfin Sanitary Water & Sewer District, as well as any necessary state agency, before going before the town Planning Board.

According to CRLU Secretary Ben Irvin, the developer requested a continuance of its hearing before the Planning Board until May. He says the neighborhood organization is awaiting the written order from the Board of Adjustment on its decision before deciding any next steps.

City of Asheville

The public will be able to provide input on three zoning map amendments and two zoning text amendments at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, which will be in person at City Hall’s first-floor North Conference Room at 70 Court Plaza. A pre-meeting of the same body to review the agenda, which is open to the public but does not allow public comment, will be at 4:30 p.m. in the fifth-floor Large Conference Room.

The Design Review Committee will meet virtually at 12:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 20, with a pre-meeting at 12:15 p.m. the same day. The agenda for that meeting was not available as of press time.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

Residents can submit comments over email and voicemail until 24 hours before the meeting or provide in-person comment during the meeting itself. Instructions on how to attend and comment, as well as the full meeting agenda, are available at avl.mx/8b6.

Zoning Map Amendment

Fairhaven Summit Apartments (3124/3130 Sweeten Creek Road, 28803)

Property owner Fairhaven Summit LLC requests to amend the existing conditional zoning plans for 77 affordable housing units on 7.68 acres. The original plan was covered by Xpress last May, accessible at avl.mx/ck4. The requests include changing the height of two of the three buildings from a split two/ four-story construction to three stories, as well as new retaining walls along the northern and western sides of the property.

Project documents are available at avl.mx/ck3.

Star Point (16 Restaurant Court, 28805)

Mountain Housing Opportunities

and Shawn Sanes of Civil Design Concepts are requesting a conditional rezoning of 1.39 acres from Office/ Business to Residential-Expansion in order to construct one four-story building consisting of 100% afford-

able housing and a detached office/ leasing building.

According to Geoffrey Barton, vice president and director of real estate development at Mountain Housing Opportunities, all 60 units will be affordable for at least 40 years to households making 60% of the area median income ($33,750 for a one-person, $38,550 for a two-person and $48,188 for a four-person household) or lower. Twelve units will be earmarked for young adults aging out of foster care, whom Barton says are vulnerable to becoming homeless.

As a planning and zoning commissioner, Barton will recuse himself from voting on the project.

Project documents are available at avl.mx/cju.

35 Long Shoals Road (Arden, 28704)

Property owners Helen Parris, the Karen Renee Holt Fraser Living Trust and the James L Carswell Living Trust request a rezoning from Residential Single Family Low Density (RS-2) to Highway Business (HB).

The application can be accessed at avl.mx/ck2.

Zoning Text Amendments

Will Palmquist, principal planner with the city’s Planning & Urban Design Department, will present two proposed amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance.

According to city communications specialist Kim Miller, the first proposed amendment would revise the

APPEALS COURT: The Woodfin Board of Adjustment voted March 10 to deny an appeal filed against the proposed Robinhood development on the ridge of Elk Mountain. The developer, Atlanta-based HS Robinhood Owner LLC, plans to build a 116-unit multifamily dwelling. Photo courtesy of the town of Woodfin

new open space requirement that was adopted July 26. This amendment incentivized open space on parcels less than one acre in size, as well as affordable housing on parcels over one acre.

The current code provides open space regulation exemptions for new buildings or additions of less than 1,500 square feet. The proposed amendment will make it easier for developers constructing new buildings or additions of more than 1,500 square feet on over an acre of land without having to redevelop the site to meet current stormwater regulations. The proposed exemption would include new expansions or additions that are 50% of the building’s pre-expansion gross floor footage. This aligns with section 7-11.1 of the UDO.

In addition, the amendment would streamline the language about open space requirements in section 7-11.4 of the UDO. Since “properties with historic landmark designations” are listed as exempt from open space requirements in subsection (c), the city proposes removing the redundant “historic resources” exemption from subsection (d).

Cat cafes allowed in more areas

The second proposed amendment suggests expanding the number of zoning districts that will allow cat cafes, defined in the UDO as “any premises used to house or contain homeless, orphaned, or unwanted cats and that is owned, operated, or maintained by an organization that is licensed by the state as an animal shelter and devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals for the purpose of adoption, and which incorporates retail sales to support the interaction of patrons with cats, such as a café, bookshop, or other permitted use.”

Currently, cat cafes are allowed only in the Central Business District zones. Following an application from Binx’s Home for Black Cats to open a cat cafe on Haywood Road in the Haywood Road Corridor zone (HRC-3), the proposed amendment would allow for cat cafes in any zone that permits eating and drinking establishments.

Buncombe County

Three projects requiring special use permits are on the agenda at the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment meeting at noon Wednesday, April 10. The in-person meeting will be at the Board of Commissioners Chambers, 200 College St.

Information on how to attend and apply for comment can be found at

avl.mx/anq. No email or voicemail comments will be accepted.

SPECIAL USE PERMITS

Duke Energy Solar Power Plant SUP (200 CP&L Drive, Limestone Township, 28704)

Duke Energy Progress LLC requests a special use permit to construct a 100-square-foot, 9-megawatt solar power plant and expansion of an existing substation to include a 17.25-megawatt battery energy storage facility on 60 acres. A nonsolar power station is currently on the site.

The solar station will be constructed of photovoltaic modules, which are primarily made of glass. The batteries will be lithium-ion. The system will be monitored 24/7 by Duke Energy staff, cameras and software.

Project documents can be found at avl.mx/cki.

Hawthorne at Bent Creek SUP (86 Morris Road, Avery Creek Township, 28806)

Greensboro-based Hawthorne

Residential Partners requests a special use permit to construct a Level 1 Planned Unit Development on 21.4 acres. The multifamily development will comprise 252 apartment units over seven buildings.

Proposed amenities include a clubhouse and pool, grilling area, trail system, playground and dog park.

Project documents are available at avl.mx/ckj.

The Villas at Haywood SUP (1923 & 1925 Old Haywood Road, 28806)

Mills River-based WDT Development,LLC requests a special use permit to build a 52-unit Level 1 Planned Unit Development on 1.69 acres. The Community Oriented Development will provide affordable senior housing. All units in the proposed four-story building will be sold for a minimum of 30 years at 80% of area median income ($45,000 for a one-person and $51,400 for a two-person household). More than 15% of the units will be one-bedroom.

Proposed amenities include a gazebo, a computer room, exercise room, sun room, multipurpose room with kitchenette and library, craft room and office. The development scored 320 out of a possible 735 points, earning a bonus density multiplier of 3.2 units per acre. The proposed density will be 32 units per acre, below the 38.4 units per acre maximum but above the normal 12 units per acre in the R-2 zone where the development will be located.

Project documents can be found at avl.mx/ckk.

— Sara Murphy X

2023 SPRING HERB FESTIVAL

MAY

BCTDA forecasts revenue growth in 2024

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority forecast a slight growth in revenue in 2024 at its monthly meeting March 23, despite a larger percentage of occupancy tax revenue likely staying in county coffers.

The TDA is on track to pull in $37.6 million next fiscal year, slightly more than this year’s projected $37 million. This anticipated growth comes despite rising inflation and a likely 3.5% administrative fee increase due to the county for administering and collecting the tax, according to a presentation by Jennifer Kass-Green, vice president of culture and business affairs for Explore Asheville.

A recent change in state law allows the county to capture up to 5% of the tax to cover the cost of collecting the revenue. The county’s cut was 1.5%.

During a budget work session March 14, county commissioners indicated to county staff that they would collect the full 5% beginning the next fiscal year, July 1, which could mean $1.3 million more for the county compared with the previous year.

That fee is unrestricted and could therefore go toward any project the Board of Commissioners sees fit, said Tim Love, Buncombe’s director of economic development and governmental relations.

For the TDA, the fee means a smaller piece of the total to work with during a period of relative economic uncertainty, but revenue is still projected to rise in part because of a 6% growth in hotel room inventory countywide in 2023. Seven hotels are projected to open this year for a total of 532 additional rooms.

For context, that still leaves Asheville behind Wilmington; Savannah, Ga.; Charleston, S.C., and others in hotel rooms per capita, according to KassGreen’s presentation.

The TDA also benefits from a continued rise in visitor spending, according to projections from Tourism Economics, as presented by Kass-Green. Visitors to Buncombe County are expected to spend $2.9 billion in 2023, roughly onethird of which is typically spent on lodging, directly affecting TDA revenue, according to the presentation.

All of this is happening against the backdrop of a projected mild recession in 2023, as reported to TDA board members at its annual planning meeting at the Grand Bohemian Hotel on March 24 by Zeek Coleman, vice president of the Americas for Tourism Economics.

Usually, a 1% drop in gross domestic product would lead to a substantial drop in travel, Coleman said, but

because of pent-up demand and the generally strong financial position of many households and businesses, Tourism Economics expects slight growth in the industry in the coming year, he continued.

Employment in the hospitality industry in Buncombe County still lags pre-pandemic levels, which could be a cause for concern, but overall Asheville is well positioned for growth in tourism dollars spent, he said.

New funds, more beneficiaries

The board also discussed at its March 24 planning meeting the framework for distributing more money to nonmarketing endeavors after state law changed in 2022. Instead of a quarter of the total revenue available for community projects, now a third of the money is available for government and private entities that apply for grants. Those grants will be distributed from two funds.

One fund, the Tourism Product Development Fund, has invested almost $60 million in “major tourism capital projects” to “further economic development in Buncombe County” since its inception in 2001, according to documents provided to the board at the planning meeting.

The new second fund, the Legacy Investment from Tourism, or LIFT, Fund, is mandated by the legislature to “provide financial investment for

tourism-related capital projects in order to increase patronage of lodging facilities, meeting facilities or convention facilities” and “benefit the community at large in Buncombe County,” according to TDA documents.

Staff presented a working document to the board to help prospective applicants determine to which fund they should apply.

The TDA released program guidelines March 29, and the first application window for the TPDF opens April 12, with staff slated to make funding recommendations to the TDA board in October. The LIFT committee to fine-tune program guidelines is scheduled to be formed this summer, with an application window opening in the fall and recommendations coming to the board in April 2024.

In other news

In an effort to continue to sell Asheville’s brand to travelers, Explore Asheville President and CEO President Vic Isley unveiled a new commercial to run in “media markets that matter to Asheville” at the planning meeting March 24.

The commercial showed artists from various creative fields to make the argument that everyone is welcome to stand out in Asheville. Variations will run in 60-, 30- and 15-second time slots.

The commercial was part of a presentation by Isley to board members

of five strategic priorities the TDA has for the coming year, shaped by resident surveys conducted by marketing firm MMGY Global.

The latest survey results showed increasing support for Asheville’s tourism industry among residents, although many still have concerns about the impact visitors have on the uniqueness and quality of life many relish.

Chris Davidson, executive vice president of travel intelligence for MMGY Global, highlighted eight key survey insights for the board, which include Buncombe residents’ high sense of pride, including Asheville’s perceived emphasis on inclusivity and diversity of culture and the area’s natural beauty, Davidson said. That pride translates to concern about the preservation of those ideals, according to survey results.

Overall, 84% of residents believe tourism is beneficial to the community, and 52% believe that tourism positively affects their families, according to the survey.

Davidson said the board has an opportunity to better convey to residents the positive impact tourism has on their personal lives, although not all board members agree.

“I’m not sure it’s a good investment of money to try to educate the public on the value of tourism in their personal lives,” Andrew Celwyn, board member and owner of Herbiary, wrote in an email to Xpress. “How about spending that money helping the community instead?”

— Greg Parlier X

MONEY MOVES: Vic Isley, Explore Asheville president and CEO, presents 2023 strategic imperatives to members of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority and Explore Asheville staff at its annual planning meeting March 24 at the Grand Bohemian Hotel. Photo by Greg Parlier

Council seeks freeze on residential water fees

Asheville City Council sent city staffers back to the drawing board March 28 after voting unanimously to delay approval of recommendations for increased water fees. Council asked that the city’s budget be reworked to keep those fees flat while meeting revenue goals for water system operating expenses and capital needs.

A full slate of proposed increases to city fees and charges had been presented by budget staffers Taylor Floyd and Tony McDowell, including recommendations to increase stormwater and solid waste fees. For a typical household, those increases came out to an estimated $10.50 and $12 per year, respectively; the water fee increases would have cost a typical household roughly $43 per year. Council voted unanimously to approve all of the increases except those for water customers.

“How do we tweak this so that we create greater affordability for residential users and not put the water budget off kilter, because I mean, we have a lot of capital projects we’re doing in the water budget,” said Mayor Esther Manheimer during the meeting. “But it’s very clear that we need to make a transition to relieving the fees charged for residential customers.”

Residential customers pay higher rates for water than do commercial or industrial water consumers — $4.77 and $4.20 per cubic foot for single-family and multifamily housing, respectively, compared with as little as $2.29 per cubic foot for large manufacturers. Several members of Council said that the discrepancy was troubling.

However, Council also noted that freezing residential fees could negatively impact the city budget. User fees account for over 89% of the water system’s $40.3 million budget in the current fiscal year. Floyd explained that those fees support maintenance, staffing at water treatment plants, communications and customer engagement. User fees also support capital improvements to the system, such as a more than $28 million project that will replace all 63,000 city water meters with updated technology.

Water consumption fees have taken on extra importance in recent years after two lawsuits filed in 2018 led the city to stop charging water users a monthly capital fee starting in fiscal year 2020-21. Those dis-

GOING UP? City budget staffers proposed a rise in water fees for single-family residential customers in the coming fiscal year. Instead, Asheville City Council asked staff to explore other ways to pay for system expenses. Graphic courtesy of the city of Asheville

continued capital fees, which were substantially higher for commercial users than for residents, accounted for over $7 million in revenue in fiscal 2019-20.

City staffers appeared to be caught off guard by Council’s request. They said it would be difficult to make up the needed revenue if residential water fees didn’t increase.

“We know that our commercial and industrial customers are getting a great deal. That’s got to come up,” said David Melton, Asheville’s director of water services. “I just don’t know that we would have time to really do a good job at [revising the rate structure], even before July.”

Floyd also noted that, while a costof-service study was underway to offer insights and direct future fee recommendations, those results were not expected until later in the year.

“I think we may be challenged to get that prepared for the April 11 [budget] work session, honestly,” he said.

CLOSED-DOOR WATER COMMITTEE MEETINGS DRAW CRITICISM

Council heard a 30-day update from Capital Projects Director Jade Dundas on the Independent Review Committee. The nine-member com-

mittee was established in January to analyze the events and issues that caused a prolonged water outage in December, as well as the city’s communications and emergency response. No findings were shared during the update, but Dundas said the committee was on track to deliver a final report by the end of May and present it to Council in early June.

The committee’s meetings, which so far have not been open to the public or required to keep public records, were criticized by Council member Kim Roney. She argued that the lack of transparency adds to the frustration that she and some community members felt after the city initially delayed releasing information about the water crisis in December.

“Matching lack of public information with lack of public information, I think, has given folks some heartburn, including me,” Roney said.

City Attorney Brad Branham responded by stating that the com-

mittee’s work required complete access to the city water system and that state law prevents the city from sharing information about the utility.

“The security of the city’s water facilities and associated infrastructure is imperative to the provision of safe and sustained water to our customers,” Branham wrote in an email to Xpress after the meeting.

“As a result, laws of this nature have been adopted in almost every state in order to keep these records out of the public domain.”

Asheville’s interpretation of public information regarding its utilities, however, hasn’t always been consistent. During the outage itself, city staff had referenced federal privacy laws as a reason for not providing a map of affected areas. The city later published such a map after sustained public criticism.

— Brooke Randle X

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– Charles Robinson Join Charles and become a member at

Q&A: Tips on managing invasive plants

As Raven Sterling strides along the Reed Creek Greenway, she points to a line of what look like logs, each 2 to 3 feet long and about 8 inches in diameter. “English ivy. One of the easiest nonnative invasive plants to deal with,” she says, “It’s generally a shallow-rooted plant. You just have to get back to the main roots, and the plant is not going to come back.” The usually thin vines seen in landscapes can become giant as they climb trees unabated, as in this case.

English ivy was one of the reasons Sterling started Raven Invasive Plant Management in 2019. She’d recently moved from Barnardsville to Asheville and was distraught at the sight of this pernicious weed covering native trees. She posted an offer to help her neighbors address this pest in their own yards on Nextdoor. “Many people were saying, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize English ivy was a bad plant,’” she says. Nine people responded. “I started doing the work, and that was four years ago.”

Sterling focuses on removing invasive plants physically instead of using chemicals. Recently, the company donated its labor to the Montford Neighborhood Association on the Reed Creek Greenway Cleanup Project. “I hope this donation and greater awareness of the plight of our trees and natural spaces due to invasive plants will encourage others to adopt a portion of the greenway for nonchemical remediation,” she says. “We can do it together.”

Xpress joined Sterling for a walk along the Reed Creek Greenway to discuss the cleanup project, the

worst invasive plants in our area and how to remove these weeds.

This interview has been lightly condensed and edited.

Xpress: Can you give me a brief overview of the work you’re doing along the Reed Creek Greenway?

Sterling : Occasionally we will need to pull out our chain saw to cut a large vine, but for 99% of the work that we do, we’re using hand tools. We went through the area, cutting the large vines that were on the trees, which you have to be really careful with. You can only cut through the vine itself. You don’t want to cut through the bark or the cambium layer of the tree. This can damage the thing that you’re trying to save. I don’t encourage anyone to just start chopping vines off trees without knowing what you’re doing. We do this work very intentionally. We cut all of the larger vines, and then we remove the roots of those plants.

In that area, we dealt with English ivy, some of the biggest oriental bittersweet I’ve seen and wintercreeper. By the way, all three of those plants you can still go into a nursery in the state of North Carolina and purchase because our laws are not strong around nonnative invasive plants.

What we’re trying to do is to keep those mature plants from going to seed again. We’re stopping that process to prevent another year of birds eating those seeds and spreading them all over neighborhoods.

What do you think is the worst offender among invasive plants in the Asheville area?

As I’m standing anywhere outside, the worst plant is the one that’s killing the tree right in front of me. It is a site-by-site answer, and it could be five at one site. They are all horrible. They’re all outcompeting native plants that we rely on, that our wildlife relies on. They’re all horrible plants that cannot be allowed to thrive here. You probably saw the Bradford pear trees blooming all over Asheville. It’s horrifying when you see a patch of Bradford pears [a weak tree that lives only 10-20 years] going up a mountainside, and you know what it’s going to look like 15 or 20 years from now and there are no native trees left in that area.

If you identify something like that in your yard, what is the best way to remove it?

It depends on the plant. If you have a giant paulownia tree, the princess tree, in your yard, you’re going to deal with that very differently than you’re going to deal with a patch of

English ivy. It’s going to take different tools, different resources. First, you need to identify the plant and know the offensive plants in this area. And if it’s English ivy, take plants out by the roots as much as you can. If you can’t do the work or don’t want to, then find a professional, someone who knows what they’re doing. Just start dealing with it. Many of these plants go to seed, and it’s the primary way that most of them reproduce. Stopping them from going to seed should be the No. 1 goal and then removing the plants and monitoring them. These plants are very good at what they do, which is reproducing themselves and creating monocultures. You’re not going to go in there one time, take them all out and think, “My job is done here.”

How can we be proactive to keep these invasive plants out of our landscapes?

Be connected to your land. We have to be stewards of land. We see land as property. Many of us are so far disconnected from the land that we don’t recognize it as a living organism that we all depend on. If you have land, you need to be on it, you need to know what’s growing there. Identify invasive plants and remove them. It’s your responsibility as a landowner. Then, ideally, focus on planting native plants. Native plants are what our wildlife rely on. When a flock of birds descends on a patch of nandina, they eat the berries and fall dead to the ground because they’re used to landing on American holly. They didn’t know the difference. They just saw the bright red berries. That’s the problem. We often plant nonnative plants in our landscapes, knowing nothing about them, knowing nothing about the toxicity of those plants, not even knowing they’re invasive. Understanding plants on your land is really important.

When you talk about having wildlife in the landscape, what do you mean?

When I talk about wildlife, that’s a really broad term for most life on the planet that is not human and not plants. People fail so often to realize that and to respect it. For me, it goes down to the microbes in the soil, the little insects that are in the soil, up to the larger insects that are eating those insects, to the birds that are eating those insects to all of it to this web of life that we’re a part of. I very much see the symbiotic nature of this giant organism that we’re a part of that is our Mother Earth. The decision not to use chemicals is really a reflection of my appreciation and respect for all forms of life.

LA Bourgeois X

Ban plastic bags

Hartwell Carson has served as a French Broad riverkeeper with MountainTrue for over a decade. What’s a local sustainability initiative that you think is going well?

I think the effort by Plastic-Free WNC to ban plastic bags and Styrofoam is on the right track. Asheville would be the first city in North Carolina to pursue such a measure, but across the country over 400 cities, counties and states have taken action to stop plastic waste. The reason this is such a pressing issue is not just the litter that clogs our streams, but the climate impacts associated with producing plastic, the human health impacts from ingesting microplastics and the equity impacts associated with the disposal of plastics. Only about 5% of plastic bags are recycled, and the ones that aren’t are usually dumped in poor communities around the globe.

What is one piece of environmental legislation or policy change that you would like to see Asheville/Buncombe County make?

The plastic ban is a big step forward for our community and would hopefully be the first of many communities in North Carolina to do the same. In addition to the plastic ban, we are pushing the N.C. General Assembly to allocate money to our soil and water conservation districts to help protect water quality by installing fencing for cattle and other best management practices.

How does your organization get its messaging out to the community?

MountainTrue likes to use every tool in the toolbox to educate our community, but we often use grassroots support to educate our leaders about pressing environmental issues.

Where do you go to enjoy the outdoors?

My favorite conservation is easily the French Broad River. Every section has its own unique characteristics, but my favorite section is upstream of Hot Springs into Tennessee. This section is stunning with cliffs, views and fun whitewater.

—

LABOR OF LOVE: Raven Sterling’s mission is to physically remove nonnative invasive plants. Photo by LA Bourgeois

HARTWELL CARSON

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

APRIL 5 - APRIL 13, 2023

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

 Online-only events

 More info, page 48-49

WELLNESS

Sparkle Time Holistic

Exercise

Aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibility.

WE (4/5, 12), MO (4/10) 10:30am, Avery’s Creek Community Center, 899 Glennbridge Rd SE Arden

Old School Line

Dancing

Old school dances, and some new.

TH (4/6, 13), 6:15pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Asheville Aphasia Support Group

Every Friday in Rm 345. No RSVP needed.

FR (4/7), 10am, WCU at Biltmore Park, 28 Schenck Pkwy, Ste 300 Sound Bath for FOMCA

A restorative sound bath to heal your mindbody and raise funds for Friends of Madison County Animals aka FOMCA. This ancient practice is designed to re-set the nervous system.

FR (4/7), 6pm, Magictown Movement Studio, 115 Blannahassett Island Rd, Marshall

Yoga For All Bodies & Yoga for Mental Health

A gentle flow yoga class followed by a social time with free coffee or tea and a fresh-baked pastry.

SA (4/8), 9am, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Yoga For Everyone

For all ages and abilities. Instructors are trained to facilitate classes for people standing, or in a chair. Bring your own mat, water bottle and mask.

Registration required.

SA (4/8), 9:30am, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Therapeutic Slow Flow Yoga

A blend of mediation, breathing and movement. All bodies, genders, and identities welcome. Bring your own mat.

SA (4/8), 10am, Mount Inspiration Apparel, 444 Haywood Rd, Ste 103

Magnetic Minds: Depression/Bipolar Support Group

Free weekly peer-led meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges. Email depressionbipolarasheville@gmail.com or call or text (828) 367-7660 for more info.

SA (4/8), 2pm, 1316 Ste C Parkwood Rd

Wild Souls Authentic Movement Class

A conscious movement experience in a 100 year old building with like-minded women at all life stages.

SU (4/9), 9:30am, Dunn's Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard

Rooftop Yoga w/Down

Dog Students will practice at a slower pace while exploring difficult postures and poses for a full-body flow.

SU (4/9), 11am, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Ste 200

Gentle Yoga for Queer & GNC Folks

This class is centered towards creating an affirming and inclusive space for queer and gender non-conforming individuals.

SU (4/9), 1:30pm, West Asheville Yoga, 602 Haywood Rd

NCMTR Bent Creek Trail Run

Multiple pace and distance groups are available to cater to all experience and ability levels, three to six miles. Well-behaved leashed dogs are

EMOTION AND THE UNKNOWN: An opening reception for local multidisciplinary artist Millie Weeks’ Grabbing Water happens Friday, April 7, at 6 p.m. at Revolve’s Ramp Gallery. Weeks’ work, which shows throughout April, is inspired by process and what can be created when letting go of what’s expected. Photo by Kara

Perry Photography

welcome.

MO (4/10), 6:30pm, Hard Times Trailhead, 375 Wesley Branch Rd

Narcotics Anonymous Meetings

Visit wncna.org/ basic-meeting for dates, times and locations.

Tai Chi for Balance

A gentle exercise class to help improve balance, mobility, and quality of life. All ages are welcome.

WE (4/12), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 North Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

CLASSES April 4th Till 27th

Swing Dance Lesson and Dance Swing dancing lesson and dance, every Thursday.

TH (4/13), 7pm, Alley Cat Social Club, 797 Haywood Rd

ART

Angela Johal an Abstract Classicist: California Hard-Edge

A solo exhibiton featuring the vividly colorful and hard-edge geometric works of San

Francisco Bay artist, Angela Johal. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am and Sunday, noon. Exhibition through April 22. Bender Gallery, 29 Biltmore Ave

Luzene Hill: Revelate

Multidisciplinary artist Luzene Hill's exhibition designed especially for the Asheville Art Museum featuring work from her recent activation, Revelate. Hill's drawing seek to communicate themes of feminine and Indigenous power across her entire body of work. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through May 15.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper

Students will perform at the Wortham Center on April 27th

The works in this exhibition reveal the breadth of possibilities and unique qualities that exist when artists choose to employ and

Exhibition through April 8.

Tracey Morgan Gallery, 188 Coxe Ave

Millie Weeks Art

Exhibition & Opening

Reception

Millie Weeks is a multidisciplinary artist fascinated by process and what can be created when letting go of what’s expected. "Making what I like to see and feel. Trying to understand emotion and the unknown."

Weeks will have work displayed in Revolve's Ramp Gallery for the month of April, with an opening reception happening April 7. FR (4/7), 6pm, Revolve, 821 Riverside Dr, Ste 179

Reflections of Nature: The Art of Robert Gregory Gross Plein air master Robert Gregory Gross’s lifetime of work in watercolors, oils, etchings, ink and pencil sketches; featuring live music by Upbeats Ukulele Orchestra. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 11am, and Sunday, 1pm. Exhibition through June 3.

Flood Gallery Fine Art Center, 850 Blue Ridge Rd, Unit A-13, Black Mountain

Daily Craft Demonstrations

Two artists of different media will explain and demonstrate their craft with informative materials displayed at their booths, daily. These free and educational opportunities are open to the public. Daily, 10am, Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Pkwy

ceramic artist Courtney

M. Leonard as part of her BREACH series, the installation is a response to the artist’s research in Western North Carolina. Free and open to the public. Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through May 25.

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

Altruistic Genius: Member-Only Preview

Exclusive opening of our upcoming exhibition: Altruistic Genius: Buckminster Fuller’s Plans to Save the Planet. This exhibition introduces visitors to Fuller’s strategies for the sustainability of humans and the planet relating to housing, transportation, mathematics, and engineering.

TH (4/13), 5pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Pianist Brian Turner

Pianist Brian Turner plays solo piano favorites in the Great Hall. SA (4/8), 7pm, The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave

Sunday Live: Steve Lapointe (jazz) Live performance by Pianist-In-Residence

Steve Lapointe who brings artworks in the Museum's Collection and special exhibitions to life.

even create handmade paper. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed on Tuesday. Exhibition through July 14.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Open Studio

This drop-in program, which is facilitated by the Asheville Art Museum, aims to expose and engage participants with the museum’s collection and changing exhibitions. 21+

TH (4/6), 6pm, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd, Ste 101

Kirsten Stolle: The Grass Isn't Always Greener

Working in collage and text-based imagery, Stolle’s research-based practice examines the influence of pesticide companies on our food supply. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 5pm.

Public Tour: Intersections in American Art Join docents for tours of the Museum's Collection and browse the Intersections in American Art special exhibition as well as others. No reservations are required. SU (4/9), 1pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration

Featuring more than 70 artworks in an array of media from both the original time frame of the Pattern and Decoration movement, as well as contemporary artworks created between 1985 and the present. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through May 29. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Courtney M. Leonard

- BREACH: Logbook23 | Coriolis

Exploring cultural and historical connections to water, fishing practices, and sustainability. Created by Shinnecock Nation

SU (4/9), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Asheville Guitar league Meeting

Local artist presenter for the 1st hour and then everyone breaks unto groups and plays together. MO (4/10), 6:00pm, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd

The Land of the Sky Men's Chorus Rehearsal Men of all ages and from all backgrounds welcome to attend this a capella ensemble rehearsal.

TU (4/11), 6:30pm, Care Partners Main Campus, 68 Sweeten Creek Rd

Asheville Ukelele Society

With training available at 5pm. All ages and skill levels are welcome to jam.

WE (4/12), 6pm, East Asheville Library, 902 Tunnel Rd

Iris Dement

Acclaimed singer and songwriter, Iris Dement, will be perfoming in Asheville. Dement's new record, Workin' On A World, is a hopeful album filled with Americana and

folk influences.

TH (4/13), 7:30pm

Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

LITERARY

Joke Writing Workshop

Hosted by Disclaimer

Stand Up Lounge and moderated by Cody Hughes, weekly. Bring 90 seconds of material that isn't working.

WE (4/5, 12), 6:30pm, Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave

Poetry Open Mic Hendo

A poetry-centered open mic that welcomes all kinds of performers every Thursday night. 18+

TH (4/6, 13), 7:30pm, Shakedown Lounge, 706 Seventh Ave, Hendersonville

Next Chapter Book Club

A fun, energetic, and highly interactive book club. Ideal for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In April, we will start a new book to be read over several meetings. Registration required, call 828-3562561

MO (4/10), 12:30pm, Haywood County Public Library, 11 Pennsylvania Ave, Canton

Charles Frazier: The Trackers in Conversation w/Wiley Cash

Wiley Cash will join Charles Frazier in an conversation for the release of Frazier's new novel, The Trackers. Barrett Smith from the Steep Canyon Rangers will perform some Woody Guthrie/ Depression era tunes as well. See p49 MO (4/10), 7pm Lipinsky Auditorium at UNC Asheville, 300 Library Ln

Creative Writing

Group

Learn writing skills while sharing and practicing with the support of other

aspiring writers. Registration required, call 828-356-2561

TU (4/11), 10:30am, Haywood County Public Library, 11 Pennsylvania Ave, Canton

Reading W/Rover

Practice your reading with therapy dog, Toddy.  Open, by appointment, to elementary-aged children and adults developing their reading skills. Registration required, call 828-356-2561

WE (4/12), 1pm, Haywood County Public Library, 11 Pennsylvania Ave, Canton

The Myth of Normal Book Club

A community discussion of Gabor and Daniel Mate’s latest opus. WE (4/12), 5:45pm, West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Rd

THEATER & FILM

Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike

Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, this is a comedy about middle aged siblings who live together, and the complexity of relationships.

Wednesday through Sunday, 7:30pm. North Carolina Stage Company, 15 Stage Ln New Works Series

Offers exciting scriptin-hand readings of new plays by emerging local playwrights. The readings are followed by a talk back with the playwright and actor. There is no charge to attend or to participate, however donations are welcome and will be used to support HT.

SA (4/8), 3pm, Hendersonville Theatre, 229 South Washington St, Hendersonville

Elephant's Graveyard

The unbelievable true tale of a small muddy town clashing with

a rundown circus in 1916 that explores the deep-seated American craving for spectacle, violence and revenge.

Mature Audiences

Only. Friday through Saturday, 7:30pm and Sunday, 2pm.

Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville

The Usually Funny Dance-Films of Mitchell Rose

An evening of comic dance-films from veteran choreographer, Mitchell Rose. Rose has synthesize his love of film and choreography into a quirky mix that is manically funny, often poignant and always surprising.

TH (4/13), 7:30pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

On-Site Job Fair

This on-site job fair, in partnership with A-B Tech Community College, invites participants to drop in, talk to Pratt and Whitney and A-B Tech representatives, and sign up for the Spring Machine Operator pre-hire programs at A-B Tech Community College.

No prior manufacturing experience is required.

WE (4/5), 12pm, Pratt & Whitney, 330 Pratt & Whitney Blvd

How to Build & Repair

Your Credit Score

Find out what credit is and why it’s important, gain understanding about what affects your credit score, and learn methods to build and repair your credit score. Bring a note pad to take notes. Pre-registration is required, visit http:// avl.mx/ck0

WE (4/5), 5:30pm, United Way of Asheville & Buncombe, 50 S French Broad Ave

The Mysterious Essenes w/Ed Foote

Ed Foote will share his expertise about the Essenes and how their ancient teachings impact us today.  Each presentation is followed by an open discussion honoring diverse opinions.

WE (4/5), 7pm, Online, ashevillewisdomexchange.org/

Introduction to Medicare: Understanding the Puzzle

The class will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties, and ways to save money. To register, visit the coabc.org or call (828)277-8288.

TH (4/6), 2pm, Online, coabc.org

Southside Card Game Night Families and community members can play card games like bid whist/spades, Apples to Apples, Uno, and more. Light refreshments served.

TH (4/6, 13), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St

Naturalist Scott Dean & Spring Wildflowers of the Southern Appalachians

A discussion with photos of our region's native spring wildflowers. He will also talk about some of the animals that make the region their home. This free program is open to the public. Register at http://avl.mx/cjf

TH (4/6), 7pm, Online, wncsierraclub.org

Tea & Tarot Fridays Play with Tarot and Tea leaf readings. Bring your cards, tea cup, and other favorite divination tools. All styles and experience levels welcome.

FR (4/7), free, Mountain Magic Studio, 3 Louisiana Ave April Magical Mixer Free monthly magical mixer where you can share connection, expand your mind, and

network with other magic makers. Bring one or more items of food or toiletries for Manna Food Bank as entry donation.

FR (4/7), 5pm, Mountain Magic Studio, 3 Louisiana Ave

Fiesta Flamenco Fiesta to kick off the month-long Flamenco Festival in Asheville with weekly classes and a showcase at the end of the month at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.

FR (4/7), 7pm, In His Steps Dance Ministry, 159 Church St Financial Planning for Starting a Business Learn how to construct an opening balance sheet, profit & loss statement, and sources & uses of cash statement for a start up or on-going business. Instructor, Bernie Filipiak, will also go through the process of creating a financial plan for a hypothetical start up with the class. Register at http:// avl.mx/cko SA (4/8), 9am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Saturday Morning Art Class Students will learn various stitches. Each class will build up to creating a pattern and sewing their own original felt creature. Register at http:// avl.mx/prx6 SA (4/8), 9am, Riverview Station, 191 Lyman St

Family Discovery Day

Explore 25-acre forest, ninja course, pine play, chicken field, and so many more exciting places at the Farmstead.

SA (4/8), 10am, Asheville Farmstead School, 218 Morgan Cove Rd, Candler

Makerspace: Second Saturdays Drop into our studio to experiment freely and collaborate using different materials,

tools, and techniques. All ages and abilities are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult; no reservations are required.

SA (4/8), 11am, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Intro to Tarot

Learn the cards, the history, various techniques for reading for yourself and others. Cards are provided or you can bring your own SA (4/8), 1pm, Mountain Magic Studio, 3 Louisiana Ave

Game Day: Perspective Café

Traditional game day with board and card games as well as refreshments from the Perspective Cafe. SU (4/9), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Sew Co./Rite of Passage Factory Tour

On this 30 minute micro-tour, learn about sustainable and transparent business practices and hear about production processes and client collaborations. MO (4/10), 11am, Rite of Passage Clothing & SewCo, 240 Clingman Ave Ext

Money Visioning & Goal Setting

During this class, you will get a clear picture of your money goals through an interactive visioning exercise. Then, you’ll learn how to create a realistic savings goal and plan the steps needed to reach it. Pre-registration is required, visit http://avl.mx/ck1 MO (4/10), 12pm, United Way of Asheville & Buncombe, 50 S French Broad Ave

Shut Up and Write! In Candler

Join fellow writers to write, together. There’s no reading or critiquing, and no real talking, except for the optional socializing

afterwards.

MO (4/10), 2pm, Dripolator, 909 Smokey Park Hwy, Candler

Creativity Jam

Enjoy the company of other artists and makers in the witchy Mountain Magic Common Room. Get inspired and make magical art in community.

MO (4/10), 4pm, Mountain Magic Studio, 3 Louisiana Ave

Lead By Example

Helping young men to build the skills to become confident leaders through guest speakers, games and activities, and homework assistance. Light refreshments served.

MO (4/10), 6pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Support People With Parkinson's City Proclamation in recognition of April as Parkinson's Awareness Month. The City of Asheville will read a proclamation in support of all people with having a connection with Parkinson’s; as one diagnosed, as one providing direct care, as one supporting a friend or as a family member..

TU (4/11), 4:30pm, Asheville City Hall, 70 Court Plaza

DND Night Game Masters have created New Quickshot Campaigns that will inject fresh life into your D&D gameplay.

TU (4/11), 6pm, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave, Ste 101

Family Frenzy

Explore inflatables, riding toys, basketball, and other unstructured fun. Call (828) 350-2058 for more information.

TU (4/11), 6pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Zumba Mask and social distancing required. Registration not neces-

sary. Por Favor usa tu cubre bocas antes de la clase.

TU (4/11), 6:30pm, St. James Episcopal Church, 424 W State St, Black Mountain

Walk Through History: Thomas Chapel

This tour will focus on Thomas Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, which is believed to be the first church for freed Black people in Black Mountain, NC. Participants will also learn about one of the earliest Black families to live in Black Mountain.

WE (4/12), 10:30am, Thomas Chapel AME, 124 W College Dr, Black Mountain

The Nature Fix: Florence Williams on Why Time in Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier & More Creative

Join award-winning author Florence Williams in this golden hour talk about the restorative powers of time in nature set at the Arboretum’s Education Center. Registration is underway at the Arboretum's website.

WE (4/12), 6pm, NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way

Environmental Sustainability Symposium Experts in Historic Preservation, Solar Technology, Urban Forestry, Environmental Planning, and Sustainability will seek to identify cross-pollination opportunities and discuss emerging technology and policy in various practice areas, using Montford as a context.

WE (4/12), 7pm, Lenoir-Rhyne University, 36 Montford Ave Me + WWBC, Better Together: The 8th Annual Western Women's Business Center Conference

Join us for a morning of celebrating Western North Carolina's community of women business owners. Me + WWBC, Better Togeth-

er will kick off with live music, a full breakfast, and a slate of engaging keynote speakers and panelists.

TH (4/13), 8am, A-B Tech Mission Health Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Dr Parent Teen Cooking Class

Each week, students learn cooking skills, receive nutrition education, and take home all ingredients to recreate the recipe. Grades 9 to 12, across the country.

TH (4/13), 3:30pm, Black Mountain Montessori School, 101 Carver Ave, Black Mountain WNC, Past and Present: A Brief History of Air

Participants will look at the past, how NC scientists provided the framework of understanding what air pollution is and isn’t, how it affects people and plants, how NC responded to that information, and why NC has some of the cleanest air not only in the Southeast, but the world. Keith Bamberger, Information Specialist from the NC Division of Air Quality will lead this panel.

TH (4/13), 6pm, Black Mountain Public Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain

LOCAL MARKETS

RAD Farmers Market

With 25-30 vendors selling a variety of local wares. Located at Smoky Park Supper Club. Handicap parking available in the Smoky Park lot, free public parking available along Riverside Drive. Also accessible by foot, bike, or rollerblade via the Wilma Dykeman Greenway.

WE (4/5, 12), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr

Weaverville Tailgate Market

A selection of fresh, locally grown produce, grass fed beef, pork, chicken, rabbit, eggs, cheese, sweet and savory baked goods, artisan bread, fire cider, coffee, pickles, body care, eclectic handmade goodies, and garden and landscaping plants.

Open year round.

WE (4/5, 12), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr Weaverville

North Asheville Tailgate Market

The oldest Saturday morning market in WNC, since 1980. Over 60 rotating vendors offer fresh Appalachian grown produce, meats, cheeses and eggswith a variety of baked goods, value added foods, and unique craft items. Weekly through Dec. 16.

SA (4/8), 8am, 3300 University Heights

Asheville City Market

Local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and other artisan products. Weekly through Dec. 17.

SA (4/8), 9am, 52 N Market St

2023 Fibershed Market

This year's market will feature naturally dyed and eco-printed garments, handwoven pillows, scarves and rugs, tapestries, yarn, roving and raw fleece, felted decorative items, handmade books, knitted hats and scarves, needle felted landscapes, fiber bowls, and much more.

SA (4/8), 10am, Local Cloth, 408 Depot St, St 100

Transylvania Farmers Market

Dozens of vendors offering fresh, locally-grown produce, meat, poultry, eggs, honey, cheeses, mushrooms, juices, fermented vegetables, plants, herbs, cut flowers, baked goods, jams

and jellies, prepared foods, and a variety of locally handcrafted and artisan items.

Open every Saturday year-round.

SA (4/8), 10am, 190 E Main St, Brevard

Spring Art Sale

Local group of up and coming artists selling their wares and works in East Asheville and across the railroad tracks from the Arts District.

SA (4/8), 12pm, Little River Arts District, 4 Mulvaney St

WNC Farmers Market

High quality fruits and vegetables, mountain crafts, jams, jellies, preserves, sourwood honey, and other farm fresh items. Open daily 8am, year-round.

570 Brevard Rd

Plant Show

Sustainable nursery showcasing native wildflowers as well as complementary plants such groundcovers and herbs. TH (4/13), FR (4/14) 1pm, SU (4/15), 11am. M R Gardens, 441 Onteora Blvd., Asheville

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Asheville Flamenco Festival

Asheville Flamenco Festival with weekly classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from April 4 to April 27. International choreographer, Daniela Tugues will be teaching an intensive multilevel Flamenco program. There will be a live performance with international artists and students from the festival on April 27 at the Wortham Center Performing Arts.

WE (4/5), Dance Club Asheville, 9 Old Burnsville Hill Rd, Ste 3

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Grab your baskets and head to the Folk School's Festival Barn

for their annual Easter Egg Hunt. The egg hunt for ages 1 to 5 will begin promptly at 2pm, and the egg hunt for ages 6 and up will begin promptly at 2:20pm. There will also be craft making, music, games, clogging, and a possible appearancefrom the Easter bunny.

SA (4/8), 1pm, John C. Campbell Folk School, 1 Folk School Rd, Brasstown

11th Annual: {Re} HAPPENING

It is part art event, part fundraiser, and part community instigator, providing a platform for contemporary artists to share their responses to the vital legacy of Black Mountain College by activating the buildings and grounds of the BMC campus with installations, new media, music, and performance projects.

See p48

SA (4/8), 3pm, Camp Rockmont, 375 Lake Eden Rd, Black Mountain

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Dog Adoption Event

Asheville's Mountain Pet Rescue is partnering up with Cellarest Beer Project to host a dog adoption event.

SA (4/8), 1pm, Cellarest Beer Project, 395 Haywood Rd

Emmet Cahill in Concert

Emmet Cahill, acclaimed Irish Tenor from the group Celtic Thunder, will delight the audience with songs from his Irish heritage, as well as Broadway hits, spiritual favorites, and popular classical selections. Proceeds will support the Brevard Philharmonic and its Donate Your Instrument program.

TH (4/13), 7:30pm, Brevard-Davidson River Presbyterian Church, 249 E Main St, Brevard

Doctor in the house

BY KAY WEST

For most people, Dr. Charles S. Norburn‘s name may have been a footnote in history, if it was known at all. Yet his contributions to the region’s health care industry are considerable thanks to his 1946 purchase of 32 acres of property at 509 Biltmore Ave., which became the site of The Norburn Hospital & Clinic. Today, that land is a small part of the compound on which Mission Hospital now resides.

Norburn left behind more than a historical legacy; he was also a passionate writer. Thirty years after his death in 1990, Lillian Norburn Alexander, the second of Norburn’s four children, took 30 stories he had written and compiled them into a book. She self-published The Cry in the Night: Dramas From the Life of a Doctor in September 2022.

Alexander recalls her father writing stories throughout her life. When Norburn retired in the mid1950s, he spent hours reviewing and scribbling notes on these works. “He would revise and revise and revise,” Alexander recalls. “Then he gave them to me because he wanted them published in a book, and he thought I was the only one of his children who could do it.”

Norburn was right about that. However, it took a pandemic to push his daughter to take on the project. “I was very busy doing other things and never got around to doing anything with them until COVID hit and I was sitting at home looking for something to do,” she says.

Alexander says that since The Cry in the Night became available in print and as an ebook, it has been pur-

Daughter publishes book by physician father decades after his death

North Carolina and graduated early from University of Virginia School of Medicine. He then joined the Navy, serving as a surgeon in World War I on hospital and transport ships. Norburn worked at Philadelphia Naval Hospital as the operating surgeon, transferred to Washington and was appointed by the U.S. Surgeon General to accompany President Warren Harding on a voyage to Alaska on the USS Henderson as his personal surgeon.

NAVAL GAZING: The late Dr. Charles S. Norburn served as a surgeon during World War I on hospital and transport ships. He settled in Asheville in 1923, after he left the Navy, and opened a hospital whose property eventually became the site of Mission Hospital. Photo courtesy of Lillian Norburn Alexander

chased across the United States, in France, Australia, England and one copy in Poland.

“After spending so much time with those stories, I wasn’t sure anyone would want to read them, so I’m very pleased,” Alexander says. “The comment I have heard most often is, ‘I wish I had known him.’ Working on the book made me feel so close to my father and proud to accomplish what he wished.”

A WONDERFUL LIFE

Born in 1890 in Thomasville, Norburn attended University of

When Norburn left the Navy in 1923, he settled in Asheville and began practicing surgery. In 1928, he and his brother Dr. Russell Norburn purchased and remodeled a building at 346 Montford Avenue and opened the Norburn Hospital & Clinic. The brothers installed an elevator and purchased the best surgical equipment of the day. “It’s my understanding that Uncle Russell was pretty much the administrator, and my father did the surgery,” explains Alexander. “No one specialized back then so he did everything from brain surgery to gallbladders.”

By 1946, the Norburn Hospital had outgrown its building, so the brothers purchased property at 509 Biltmore Ave., which had been a school for girls. They relocated the Norburn Hospital & Clinic to that building, greatly enlarging the space and services.

In 1950, the Norburn Hospital & Clinic was sold to and absorbed by Victoria Hospital; it then merged with other small Asheville-area hospitals and the property was razed to build Memorial Mission Hospital, according to research about North Carolina nursing history from Appalachian State University.

DAUGHTERLY DUTY: Lillian Norburn Alexander inherited a pile of stories her late father, Dr. Charles S. Norburn, had written throughout his life. She turned those stories into a book called The Cry in the Night: Dramas from the Life of a Doctor, which she self-published in September. Photo courtesy of Alexander

Dr. Norburn went into private practice until his retirement in 1955.

A DAUGHTER’S PROJECT

In 2020, Alexander unearthed the box where her father had placed each story in individual folders. With some trepidation, she dove in. “I am extremely technical — I was a systems engineer for IBM,” she says. “If I have directions and diagrams, I can build a rocket. I had no idea how to build a book.” Alexander purchased book formatting software, researched publishing online and recruited friends to assist in the project.

During the editing process, she left the stories as close to her father’s

final revisions as possible and kept all of his titles. But when it came to ordering the stories, she laughs — admitting she had no idea how to tackle that. “I thought about throwing them all up in the air and seeing where they landed or drawing the titles out of a hat,” she explains. “In the end, I just did the best I could.”

Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe pointed Alexander to Gold Leaf Literary Services, an Asheville-based literary agency. Her consultant suggested self-publishing with IngramSpark.

So Alexander gathered archival and family photos and old newspaper articles from microfilm. She designed the graphic for each chapter that evokes the mountains her father loved and selected the cover art.

Alexander notes that with one exception, the entire body of work is creative nonfiction. “All of the stories are based on things that actually happened, ” she explains. The one exception is the story “The Woman with the Yellow Hair,” which Norburn wrote “facing the thought of death as a young doctor,” his daughter says.

Many of the stories and characters are grim, such as the man in “Darkness,” whose skin changes color — a condition known as argyrism — from overexposure to silver. In the title story, a woman married to an abusive man goes mad caring for his sister’s severely disabled child, who incessantly cries in the night. And in “A Stranger Here,” he saves the life of a young woman immediately post-childbirth, but the baby girl is stillborn.

OTHER PURSUITS

Throughout his career, Norburn pursued an interest in another type of organ: He created and held the patents for four pipe organ inventions still in use today. He had a pipe organ installed in his parents’ house on Stuyvesant Road in Biltmore Forest, where he lived until in 1936. That

year, he purchased nearly 20 acres of property on Valley Springs Road to build his home, and he installed a pipe organ as well.

It wasn’t until 1940, at 50 years old, that Norburn married Helen Sophia Johnson, a technician in the Montford hospital who was 30 years his junior. Asked why her father married so late in life, Alexander says she thinks he was just terribly busy.

“He had his work, and he was always doing something else,” she explains.

“He had a dairy farm, he wrote, he collected art and antiques, he traveled, he was a talented woodworker. He was a true polymath.”

The couple raised four children on their Valley Springs Road estate. Norburn also purchased a 168-acre dairy farm in Mills River, where he bred Guernsey cattle, and a 200-yearold beach home, which he meticulously restored, on Pawleys Island in South Carolina.

“It could be hard growing up in the house of a genius, and probably hardest on my only brother,” Alexander says. “It was quite structured. We dressed for dinner in the dining room. We had servants. He knew so many people we’d go on Sunday drives as a family to visit people.”

In 1990, shortly after celebrating his 100th birthday in Florida where he was living with his son, Norburn told his adult children he was ready to go.

“He said he’d had a full, long and wonderful life and was done,” Alexander says. “He stopped eating and drinking and a week later he was gone.”

Though Norburn insisted his children be raised in the Episcopal faith, Alexander says he did not attend church. “He did not necessarily believe in a god that directed everything that happened in the world,” she explains. “But he believed there was something, he believed in the miracle of the human body, he believed in humankind and that life is such a miracle. He was so grateful for life and not fearful of death.”

Garbarino, MD Grace Evins, MD

Turning point

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Being featured in Rolling Stone and Pitchfork is great and all, but Asheville native Xandy Chelmis had his heart set on another publication.

“Mountain Xpress — this is the big time!” says the lap steel player for local indie rockers Wednesday. Flashing a genuine, megawatt smile, he adds, “I’m psyched!”

The enthusiasm for his hometown’s alt-weekly paper is one of numerous reasons why it’s easy to root for Chelmis and his bandmates to succeed on a national and even international level. And the appreciation for the little things also feels like one of many signs that they’ll continue to value the city where the band formed — no matter how famous Wednesday becomes in the wake of its impressive new album, Rat Saw God, out Friday, April 7, via respected indie label Dead Oceans.

In late April, the five-piece ensemble will hit the road (and skies) on a tour that takes them across the U.S. and over to Europe. And as the group continues to grow its fan base and play its biggest rooms yet — including its first headlining show at The Orange Peel on Saturday, July 1 — the musicians are preparing themselves for potential tidal shifts that seemed like a dream just a few years ago.

MAKING THE BAND

Karly Hartzman (vocals/guitar) didn’t start playing music until her junior year at UNC Asheville in 2018. After honing her songwriting skills, the Greensboro native formed

Wednesday primes for breakout with latest album

But before then, Hartzman was making moves as an intern at The Mothlight, which she describes as her “first noncollege-kid experience in the Asheville scene.” The job also provided opportunities for Wednesday to open for various bands, including Speedy Ortiz in 2019.

“We were losing our minds,” Hartzman says of opening for the indie rockers. “And then Sadie [Dupuis] from that band said we were good, and we were like, ‘That must mean we’re actually good because this is someone who’s actually doing well.’ That was a huge turning point.”

Through their Mothlight connections, Wednesday connected with Alex Farrar and Adam McDaniel, who were then running Drop of Sun Studio out of McDaniel’s house. Together, they recorded Twin Plagues, which was released by indie label Ordinal Records in August 2021. The album featured significant upgrades in sound quality from I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone’s bedroom studio sessions, earning its compelling mix of shoegaze and alt-country a positive review from Pitchfork and a feature in Paste magazine.

Wednesday then played the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh the following month and in 2022 released the covers album Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling ’em Up and toured with Beach Bunny (including Wednesday’s debut at The Orange Peel) and Drive-By Truckers. That’s when it started to dawn on the band members that they had a sizable following outside of Asheville.

Wednesday with Chelmis, Alan Miller (drums), Daniel Gorham (guitar) and Margo Schultz (bass), and they released I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone in 2020. Fellow Asheville native Jake Lenderman

(who also fronts the rock band MJ Lenderman) contributed guitar parts to the album, and when Gorham’s other band required his full attention, Lenderman stepped in as the new lead guitarist for Wednesday.

Body Piercing & Tattoo

“We released two records during the pandemic out of [financial] necessity,” Hartzman says. “And then by the time we were able to tour post-pandemic, I remember we sold out our New York show and we were like, ‘Who the hell are these people and why do they know

828-708-0858

us?’”

SMASH HIT: Asheville-based rockers Wednesday continue to grow their sound on their latest album, Rat Saw God. Photo by Brandon McClain

With Asheville-based manager Rusty Sutton leading the way on the business side, Wednesday signed with Dead Oceans last summer. The news came with a mix of elation after years of hard work and a sense of imposter syndrome that lingers with each band member to varying degrees.

“We did so many sh***y DIY shows for so long that you prepare yourself for the worst — just so you don’t get your feelings hurt every show,” Hartzman says. “Now that we’re like selling and doing so well, it’s hard to get that muscle out of your brain that tells you, ‘We’ve got to accept defeat.’ But I think it’s necessary for a band to have that experience. If I could do it over again, I would not get rid of any of those shows.”

DIVINE RODENT VISIONS

Along with its tightknit, battle-tested camaraderie, Wednesday’s greatest strength might be its unpredictability. Steady surprises await with each of Hartzman’s sharp-eyed observational lyrics, which touch on everything from yellow jacket stings and highway sex shops with biblical names to getting full-size candy bars on Halloween. And though the layers of instrumentation — particularly the symbiotic interplay between Lenderman’s lead guitar and Chelmis’ lap steel guitar — are insanely catchy, they refuse to adhere to any standard formula.

That sense of rugged independence is in peak form on Rat Saw God, whose announcement in January was preceded last September by the band’s Dead Oceans signing and another atypical detail: the 8.5-minute lead single “Bull Believer,” which culminates in two minutes of Hartzman in full Mortal Kombat mode, screaming “Finish him!” While the track’s length and intensity make strong statements, the songwriter didn’t necessarily set out to craft an opus or go against the radio-friendly single grain.

“I never really think of songs in terms of ‘short song, long song.’ Every decision is based on the emotion I want to express, and I knew by the end of ‘Bull Believer,’ I wanted to scream about a certain event in my life — and then I ended up taking the eight minutes to set that scene and prepare myself to go there,” Hartzman says. “It gives me a lot of time to navigate that feeling during the performance of the song. It demonstrates how tough it is to access that feeling — it takes buildup and context and time to get there and open that door.”

Hartzman adds that “Bull Believer” is an excellent example of the band hearing what she’s saying, supporting her lyrics with their instrumentation “in the most appropriate way.” That artistic cohesion is evident across Rat Saw God, from “Chosen to Deserve” — which emphasizes the “country” half of the band’s alt-country leanings — to album standout “Quarry,” which features a vocal melody coincidentally reminiscent of The Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset.”

“I think it’s cool that it lined up that way, but it wasn’t intentional at all,” says Hartzman, who was first alerted to the similarities by Drive-By Truckers bassist Bobby Matt Patton. “I don’t mind it, but I feel like I should be more familiar with it, considering how much it comes up.”

THE BEAT GOES ON

The upcoming run of shows will reunite the Asheville-based Wednesday contingency with Miller, who moved back to his native Durham after graduating from UNCA at the end of 2018. And though Schultz is all over the new album, including the full band, oil painting cover art that she created, she’s no longer a member of Wednesday. Hartzman says the split was “as amicable as it could be” and that Ethan Baechtold has been filling in on bass.

The shift is a sizable one for a band on the cusp of the national spotlight, but the group’s current

members say life otherwise hasn’t changed all that much. They feel grateful to live in a place where they remain fairly anonymous in public, even as the amount of press piles up around Wednesday and MJ Lenderman — which, except for Miller, features the same lineup.

“Other people are telling us that we’ve got a lot of attention. We don’t have necessarily that perspective on it outside of the internet, which for me is probably the worst part about it,” Lenderman says. “Social media is such a distraction for trying to make new music or just develop as an artist and not care about what people are saying about you — including good stuff.”

Deep, long-running connections to the local community and music scene also helps instill confidence in Wednesday’s long-term success. Chelmis notes that the Asheville music scene’s lack of a cutthroat mentality, “need-to-know people” and socialites helps keep egos in check. Likewise grounding him is the farm that he recently started with his family in Madison County, which keeps him thinking about trees and soil when he’s not on tour rather than dwelling too much on music. And his lifelong Tar Heels in the band also have no intention of leaving the mountains.

“Our time at home is so precious,” Hartzman says. “The crazier our life gets out on tour, the less time I want to spend in cities. That first moment when we breathe North Carolina air is the most sacred part of a tour.”

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

1st NC Restaurant to have Brewers & Distillers permits

CURRENTLY FEATURING 14 DIFFERENT BEERS & 8 DIFFERENT SPIRITS

Dry aged boneless ribeyes, tomahawk ribeyes & fillet mignon available on the menu or for retail sale.

Daily Specials

Mon: BOGO Meatloaf and Others

Tue: Taco Tuesday (Brisket Nachos & Tacos: Brisket, Pork Belly, Chicken or Shrimp)

Wed: Wine bottles 1/2 price

Thu: All you can eat mussels

Open for Lunch!

Hours: 11:30 - 10pm daily (8pm on Sunday)

868 Merrimon Ave, AVL

ryeknotco.com

Mother love

Mallory McDuff can’t escape nature — and she has no intention of doing so. In fact, it’s her goal not to.

A member of the Environmental Studies and Outdoor Leadership departments at Warren Wilson College, McDuff’s primary role is teaching environmental education. A native of Fairhope, Ala., she lives on campus in a 900-square-foot rental with an expansive view of the mountains. Meanwhile, the college’s cattle and sheep graze in the pastures right in front of her house.

“The crazy thing is I’ve been here for 23 years, so I’ve been teaching here longer than most of my students have been alive at this point,” she says.

Alongside teaching, McDuff’s written five books. Her latest, Love Your Mother: 50 States, 50 Stories, and 50 Women United for Climate Justice, is slated for release on Tuesday, April 11. Geared to inspire readers to use their unique strengths in their environmental activism, the work provides numerous inroads for people of all backgrounds to take part in what many consider the greatest struggle of our time.

Mallory McDuff promotes attainable climate activism in new book

A FRIEND INDEED

Following the 2021 publication of her green burial book, Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love, McDuff sought a new focus within the wide world of environmentalism.

“I was really interested in how to tell stories — short, succinct stories from across the country that would provide some great inspiration but also some ways to engage,” she says.

“I didn’t want to tell stories of one individual and what they did by themselves, but rather stories of people who are engaging in their communities and creating collective action.”

McDuff also wanted to present a range of disciplines to better serve her diverse student body. For example, she says, if an art major picked up the book, the student could read and potentially connect with Jess Benjamin, a Nebraska-based ceramic artist who’s using her creations to educate people about drought and climate.

However, the true seeds for Love Your Mother were sown more than

THINKING GREEN

Make environmental issues go viral!

Dareck Luebbert is a senior at Mars Hill University. He is the co-leader of the university’s Environmental Actions Club and is passionate about bringing awareness about environmental issues through social media.

What sustainability initiative at your school are you most proud of?

I am most proud of starting up a new activity in the school on food waste and trying to make students aware about just how much food they grab and throw away.

How is your generation’s approach to sustainability different from that of other generations?

Over time, there has not been much movement about saving or preserving our planet. I feel like our generation is more prone to help because we are sensitive and care more since we have the technology to show the world what we can do with sustainability.

What is one step people in WNC can take to promote sustainability?

Broadcasting the issue more on social media. Nearly everyone everywhere is using their phone. The new “wave” is TikTok and Instagram reels to share messages.

Is the educational system doing enough to inform people about longterm environmental concerns like climate change?

No, the only reason it would even be mentioned in a classroom is if the personal opinions of the professor are strong enough to want to encourage the people around them.

a decade earlier at an event that McDuff recalls in the book’s introduction. In either 2009 or 2010 — the author reveals in the text that she’s not entirely sure — she and her friend Jill Drzewiecki brought their daughters, ranging in age from 4-11, to protest the proposed construction of a new coal-fired power plant in Western North Carolina.

“It’s kind of a comical scene where [our daughters are] shouting, ‘No more cold! No more cold!’ because it was freezing. And what people were really shouting was, ‘No more coal!’” McDuff remembers with a chuckle. “It was an example of how you can enter into the climate space being who you are. For us, it was as moms and environmental educators but really as people who just wanted to engage how we could — to use not new skills that were out of our wheelhouse but what we brought as mothers and as educators.”

At the time, Drzewiecki was a fellow Warren Wilson faculty member. Today, she serves as a gender-responsive education specialist for Jesuit Refugee Services in Rome. In 2019, McDuff visited her friend overseas. While there, she and Drzewiecki had a conversation that the author says she’ll never forget.

“I had a couple of different ideas [for my next book], and [Drzewiecki] said, ‘I see so many women in refugee camps and in our everyday lives — there’s so much to do and so many are overwhelmed just with the logistics of life, particularly in a

climate crisis. Think about lifting up stories of women across the country,’” McDuff says.

The combination of those motivations convinced McDuff that she had the foundation for a compelling book, and she quickly got to work.

50 WAYS TO CHOOSE A SUBJECT

Drzewiecki was also the person who provided McDuff with the framework for Love Your Mother. The author considered featuring 100 women (too ambitious, she recalls) or 25 (insufficient) but her friend suggested choosing one from each U.S. state. Solidifying that approach was a desire to spotlight underseen communities, including environmental work in her native state.

“When I went to college and went away to Peace Corps, most people didn’t even know Alabama had a coastline,” McDuff says. “I wanted to show that there are climate leaders in every single part of the country — rural, urban, suburban.” People of color, she adds, account for half the participants. “I really wanted to show a diversity of stories and vocations.”

McDuff says she began her research by “casting a wide net” and touching base with a range of connections in the climate movement and asking for recommendations on whom she should interview. Among these connectors was former Asheville-based filmmaker and activist Dayna Reggero, who put McDuff in touch with several women, including Tiffany Bellfield-

DARECK LUEBBERT

NUMBERS GAME: Each of the 50 chapters in Mallory McDuff’s new book follows the same three-part structure. Author photo by Sarah Puterbaugh

El-Amin, a Black farmer, restaurant owner and birth doula in Kentucky.

“I knew I wanted to have farmers; I wanted scientists; I wanted educators,” McDuff says. “These women were so inspirational, and I left really feeling like I had these collaborators and friends. And that was really motivating to keep going.”

McDuff also felt it was important to feature several famous figures, including poet Amanda Gorman and Varshini Prakash, executive director of the Sunrise Movement. Though none of these sources were available to speak with her for the book, McDuff dedicated sections to each with help from secondary sources.

“One thing that was really important to me was to have a balance of women who are well known in the climate space, and then women who are just well known in their communities,” McDuff says. “For my students — and for me, honestly — it can be a little intimidating if you think you’ve got to be this dynamic climate activist who does Instagram Lives all the time and is so captivating. So, I wanted there to be stories of people that are living their lives, but they’re integrating climate into their life.”

Further aiding that accessibility is a unified structure. Each woman’s story begins in the middle, looks back on the past and then forward to her future — all in the course of three pages.

NO TIME TO LOSE

Consistent with her aim of inspiring attainable change, McDuff ends Love Your Mother with the chapter “50 Ways to Love Your Mother,” featuring a recommended action step — summed up in a single sentence apiece — that people in each state can take.

While these opportunities will likely be new to most readers, McDuff didn’t wait to share them or tales of her interviews with her students. Fond of name-dropping famous climate activists and Warren Wilson alums alike to help inspire her undergrads, McDuff made sure to keep her classes informed of her progress with the book and pass on the lessons she learned in a timely manner.

“These women know how to work together, and working with others is the only way that we’re going to generate momentum,” McDuff says.

“The structural obstacles include the fossil fuel industry, government subsidies, racism, capitalism and white supremacy. These are big, big structural obstacles. But what I learned from each of these women is that they don’t think the story is over yet. And neither do I. This is a love story, and the love story

over yet.”

— Edwin Arnaudin X

The people’s art

Collage exhibit debuts at Pink Dog

Fairview-based artist Connie Bostic has long turned to collage when she gets in a jam with her paintings.

“Whenever I’m stuck on something down here [in my studio], I go upstairs and make collages,” says Bostic, a force in the Asheville art scene for 30-plus years. “If you’ve got a pair of scissors and some glue, you’re set. And you can make little postcards to send to people — it makes it special.”

Bostic ramped up her mailings during the COVID-19 pandemic to help stay connected with friends. One of the recipients was Ashevillebased sculptor Marya Roland, and her deliveries couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I was totally shut down and actually very depressed but didn’t know it,” Roland says. “[Bostic] kept sending me these collage postcards, and then I decided to send some back to [her].”

In addition to her postal correspondence with Bostic, Roland began a collage collaboration via mail with her longtime friend, the Hawaii-based artist Diane Nushida-Tokuno

The pair, who attended graduate school together, were inspired by the Dada visual exercise of exquisite corpse, a method of collectively assembling an image. “We decided to exchange starter collages of a certain size to be finished — or not — by one another,” Roland says. “It was all in fun and without any great plan for the future of the pieces.”

But as Roland created more collages and discussed the work with Bostic, the two local artists began plotting a curated exhibit in Asheville — Cutting Edge: Art of Collage , which runs Friday, April 7-Sunday, May 7, at Pink Dog Gallery.

BETWEEN HAIKU AND A RANSOM NOTE

“We started out with some very humble ideas for this show,” Roland reveals. “It was going to be funky — the stuff that you just throw together.”

But when their initial host site fell through, giving the curators six additional months of planning, the focus and scope of the exhibit changed from a small collection of primarily

Asheville-based artists to something far more ambitious.

“I started seeing collage everywhere,” Roland says. “It kind of got out of control because of that time we had.”

Buoyed by Bostic’s steady stream of collage work, Roland’s radar for such creations was on high alert. Whenever she glimpsed artist friends’ online posts that resembled collage, she’d reach out and inquire. When the answer was “yes,” she invited them to partake in Cutting Edge.

Except for Bostic, Roland and Terry Taylor — who uses clippings of dictionary illustrations and antique postcards in his collages — the participating artists live outside Asheville. And, in Roland’s words, the roster is “full of hot shots.” She notes that Steven Siegel is a wellknown New York City-based sculptor who works with recycled materials; multidisciplinary artist Susan Amorde is “chugging along” in Los Angeles; and fellow New Yorkbased artist Ruby Silvious currently has a solo show in Germany. Also participating is Judy Kleinberg , who’s done a collage every day for multiple years, giving her a series that currently numbers over 2,600 pieces.

“Judy was one of the people that was always on the list. I’ve seen her work for years, and she’s a friend of mine from when I lived in Seattle,” Roland says. “She does poetry with [clipped out] words — it’s the epitome of collage. She calls it a mix between haiku and a ransom note.”

None of the works were created specifically for the show. “I think they’re just stuff that people do,” Bostic says, prompting Roland to note that most of the pieces either haven’t been exhibited before — due to them falling outside the artist’s primary medium — or have been shown under “mixed media,” not collage.

“It’s my opinion that collage is not accepted by high art people because it’s associated with decoupage and scrapbooking,” Roland says.

While the battle over nomenclature is somewhat of a sore subject for the Cutting Edge curators, subtitling the exhibit “Art of Collage” serves as a bold step in championing the

humble word. And though some of the participating artists continue to call their work “mixed media,” their artist statements reflect a love of the process, regardless of what name it goes by.

“The common thread [among the statements] is this is a delightful experience for the creator — and maybe that’s why it doesn’t get shown as much,” Roland says. “There’s no suffering involved.”

Bostic concurs: “It’s just fun.”

ENVIRONMENTAL ALL-STARS

In addition to collage sustaining one’s artistic prowess, it’s also one of

the rare mediums that keeps items out of landfills.

Roland notes that Siegel’s largescale sculptures are consistently environmentally related, including “Some Cans,” a 2002 installation at Western Carolina University that consisted of recycled soda cans. His collage for Cutting Edge is made from parts of his sculptures.

“Everything is recycled [in collage],” Roland says. “Maybe what it’s mounted on is not recycled, but all the content is.”

Nearly as important as collage’s ecological impact is its democratic nature. The curators love that the medium encourages imagination from people for whom other art forms may feel inaccessible and that by partaking, individuals can experience the joys of creativity.

“You put somebody in front of a canvas with a bunch of very expensive oil paints and very expensive brushes and they’re going to be intimidated,” Bostic says. “But you can set them down at a table with a bunch of old magazines, scissors and glue, and they’re not intimidated. It’s a whole different feeling.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cjg.

— Edwin Arnaudin X

CLIP ART: Pinky Bass’ “Mother: Singing the Process,” left, and Ruby Silvius’ “Diggin’ the Dancin’ Queens” are among the featured works in “Cutting Edge: The Art of Collage,” which opens April 7 at Pink Dog Gallery. Photos courtesy of the artists

Creatives in the Crowd

Forrest Douglas spreads opportunity via tattooing

Forrest Douglas knows what it’s like to struggle, and he doesn’t want others to experience the hardships he’s endured. The Asheville native says he grew up in a broken home with little hope of escaping a life of crime and poverty; as a young adult, he went on to serve multiple stints in jail.

In the past few years, however, he’s turned his life around as the co-owner of A.R.T. A Real Testament tattoo studio at 770 Patton Ave. The business launched in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, it was in a tiny space next to Green’s Mini-Mart in the Southside community.

“Everybody says it’s the ghetto, but it was just home to me,” says Douglas, 34, who grew up in the Livingston and Erskine-Walton apartments. “I’m going to try to make a change for my area, and I started where I’m from.”

DOWN BUT NOT OUT

Staying in Asheville, however, wasn’t always Douglas’ plan. At age 17, he and his brothers Alexander and Donovan were headed east to Winston-Salem, where their mother, Elizabeth Laffitte, lived. But on the way, Alexander fell asleep at the wheel and died from the injuries sustained after the car flipped multiple times. Donovan was also severely injured and nearly lost an arm.

“It really took a toll on me,” Douglas says of the loss. “I quit football. I won a state championship at Asheville High [School] the year before. I loved that sh*t — I thought I was going to college on football, but the world works different.”

After a year in Winston-Salem, Douglas was arrested at age 18 for drug trafficking and numerous sale and delivery charges. He was sentenced to two years at Polk Correctional Institution in Butner.

Once released, he returned to Asheville. But hardships continued to follow Douglas. Still “heavily involved in the street life,” he says he was going in and out of jail for violating the terms of his probation. But along the way, moments of clarity arose whenever he tapped into his creative side.

ARTISTIC JOURNEY

Throughout his life, Douglas has enjoyed drawing, collaging, painting and sculpting. And he points to encouragement from former Asheville Middle School art teacher Portia Leverette — whom he describes as “an older Black Southern lady who was sweet and stern” — as proving especially formative in his development at a juncture when his home life was far from stable.

“Me being a child and living in a world of chaos at the time, her kindness really pushed me forward to love art,” he says. “I used to be so excited to go to her class — and I’d behave in her class. Everybody else’s class, I wouldn’t.”

Growing up, he also admired tattoo artist Miya Bailey, an Asheville native currently based in Atlanta. Douglas wanted to follow Bailey’s example by helping people express themselves through body art, so he did what he could to find local opportunities.

But he says area tattoo studios weren’t willing to give him an apprenticeship. So in 2009, at age 20, Douglas bought a tattoo kit and started honing his craft on his friends, who were more than willing to let him practice — even if the results weren’t exactly great.

“I’m talking some sh***y work,” Douglas says with a laugh. “I look at it now, and I’m like, ‘I did that? That was 10 years ago.’”

Though he continued working on tattooing, the lack of stable, well-paying work within the field, as well as repeat run-ins with police, gradually sidetracked him yet again. By then a father, Douglas vowed at the start of 2020 to make a lasting change.

“I got to a point in my life where I was tired. I just wanted to be a father that could provide for my kids and family properly,” he says. “Tattooing was what I loved. They say if you want to do something, do something you love.”

THE APPRENTICE

Douglas believes you can tell people that redemption is possible, but until they see it up close and in person, the advice won’t make an impact. For that reason, he launched A.R.T. in a former ice cream shop by Green’s Mini-Mart.

“It was where I wanted to be,” Douglas says. “I could have gone different places, but I wanted my community and the other people around me to see that I was making a change for myself in my community and to show the next generation that’s coming up — the teenagers that come to the shop — that I don’t sell drugs. I’m doing just perfectly fine. I do art.”

In partnership with Nico Rodriguez, an industry veteran with over 25 years’ experience, the pair quickly grew their customer base, as well as their apprenticeship program. All too familiar with the frustrations

of being turned away, Douglas says he’s always ready to give determined aspiring tattoo artists a chance and let them learn from him.

“The ones graduating high school who don’t want to go to college and don’t know what they want to do — well, they don’t teach tattooing in school,” he says. “I was like, ‘Hey, come down here. We’re in the hood. We’re at Green’s. Come here, be comfortable. Anything I learned, I’m going to pass along.’”

That generosity proved contagious, and A.R.T. eventually needed more space. In summer 2022, the studio relocated to Patton Avenue and is currently home to four additional tattoo artists, a piercer and two aspiring tattooists.

A LIFE OF ITS OWN

Though Douglas describes himself as a “workhorse” who’s taken on any client request from lettering to roses to Chinese symbols, he’s becoming known as a go-to portrait artist.

“In the Black community, a lot of people have lost a lot of loved ones here lately, and I want people to still be able to see their loved ones,” says Douglas.

Similar to those portraits allowing memories to endure, Douglas’ commitment to sharing his knowledge of the craft has improved the lives of those he’s worked with. Visitors to A.R.T. will hear nothing but praise for Douglas’ giving spirit from his colleagues and apprentices. And the feeling is mutual. Douglas says he is confident those who work with him will go on to open their own studios and pass on what they’ve learned from him, thereby continuing the legacy of an art form with a distinct endurance of its own.

“The only thing that you can take to the grave that you pay for in life is tattoos,” Douglas says. “You take your body art and the story of your life with you.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cgz.

— Edwin Arnaudin X

This article is part of our ongoing feature, Creatives in the Crowd, which focuses on local artists — both established and new. The feature spotlights 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.”

LASTING IMAGE: A.R.T. A Real Testament tattoo studio owner Forrest Douglas, center, inks a client in his Patton Avenue space. Photo by BnB Visions

Insiders assess the local art scene

Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle is Qualla-based, award-winning author and an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Xpress: Is there an upcoming literary event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to experiencing?

Clapsaddle: Though it’s a few months away in October, I’m thrilled to participate in the inaugural Tremont Writers Conference. Taking place in the Great Smokies National Park, the conference offers small-group morning workshops in fiction, nonfiction and poetry, led by myself (fiction), Janet McCue (nonfiction) and Frank X Walker (poetry). Guest novelist Richard Powers , a MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize-winning fiction writer, is also leading several sessions. Tremont naturalists will provide instruction on the region’s cultural and natural history. This event combines my greatest loves of writing and being in the woods with amazing people

Outside of literature, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

The Bear Shadow Festival in Highlands is playing host to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit along with some other great bands, FridaySunday, April 28-30. I think Isbell is one of the finest songwriters of our lifetime, and his concerts never disappoint.

What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

I am thrilled to be working with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian to develop a writing workshop series. We aim to bring in indigenous authors to work with our community and share their talents and skill sets. So often, our Cherokee writers are isolated from literary opportunities, and I believe that having access to the expertise of other indigenous writers is a positive step toward creating more avenues for Cherokee literature to receive the attention it deserves. It will take some time to develop, but we hope to begin offering sessions this year.

Janice Gouldthorpe is the executive director of the N.C. Glass Center, a nonprofit, public access glass studio and gallery.

Xpress: Is there an upcoming glass event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to seeing?

Gouldthorpe: I am excited for a residency where ceramic artist Linda Lopez will be coming to town to explore using other materials in her art practice. Linda is being hosted by the Center for Craft and will be working in our studios with local glass artists Kathryn Adams and Haley Jelinek. Stay tuned for events to be planned during her residency period in April/May.

Outside of glass, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

The Friday, April 14-Saturday, May 27 exhibit of work at the Tracey

Morgan Gallery

Fellow artist Margaret Curtis . Inspiration for her [paintings and visual art] includes themes of power, feminism and social displacement. What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

Bringing a second location of the N.C. Glass Center to the public. Our project in Black Mountain will bring more resources to glass artists in the region, providing them with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to create new work and teach others about glass art making. We will also have a gallery space to feature the work of local glass artists and showcase their talents to the many visitors and residents of Black Mountain. The expected date of completion for the Black Mountain site is early 2024. X

by Joan Mitchell

Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle. Photo by Mallory Cash

Janice Gouldthorpe. Rochester City Newspaper file photo

Keith Shubert is a Canton-based puppeteer and toy maker who performs under the name Toybox.

Xpress: Is there an upcoming puppetry event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to seeing?

Shubert: I’m very excited about the prospect of new venues in the area, especially those that cater to more nontraditional performances and acts that are a little different or outside the box. Story Parlor has been hosting a variety of very cool events, including puppetry, comedy, storytelling and even clowning. Toybox Theatre is working on producing a semimonthly, all-ages, Saturday morning puppetry program at The Magnetic Theatre to feature our own productions and bring to town amazing guest artists who are the best in the region — and even the world.

Outside of puppetry, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

I recently attended a “crankie” performance [in which a series of boxes that hold a scroll of draw-

ings or paintings move across the “screen” to help tell a story] at Lamplight AVL and was very impressed with the community support and level of excellence in the performance. Lamplight is hosting residencies for all sorts of visual and performing artists who meld genres and perspectives. And, of course, I’m very excited to see my beloved Sly Grog Lounge on the mend after the tragic fire a few months ago. They’re hoping to be ready to open back up in October.

What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

Toybox Theatre will be producing a massively fun Family Circus Celebration on Easter Sunday [April 9]. The event will include games, comedy, an egg hunt and guest artists, including a traveling aerial acrobatic troupe. (Visit avl.mx/ci4 for more details.) We also hope to bring back Monthly Monster Maker, which was an all-ages, community art game that ran for a year and a half before the COVID-19 pandemic. X

Xpress: Is there an upcoming pottery event happening in Asheville that you’re looking forward to experiencing?

Messersmith: My studio has our annual event on Saturday, May 6, called the Multi Kiln Opening Extravaganza. We block off the parking lot behind our studio in order to set up tents and display pots that are fresh out of our many types of kilns. When the general public comes to our studio, they primarily see our gallery showrooms but the MKO gives people an opportunity to see how our work is created.

Each of our seven resident potters, including myself, will give a demonstration on a technique that we use in our own body of work. We will have demonstrations every hour and hundreds of pots for sale. I’m excited for the MKO because my entire studio community comes together to put on this event. I love being part of a team. Plus, there’s nothing quite like pots that are newly out of a kiln —

it’s like sharing Christmas morning with everyone.

Outside of pottery, what other upcoming local arts happening intrigues you?

Leslie Harrison, a sorority sister of mine from Centre College in Danville, Ky., and her glass blower fiancé, Asher Zev Holman , who also went to Centre, just opened their own studio called Small Batch Glass Co. across the street from New Belgium Brewing Co. They’re having a grand opening reception on Saturday, April 15. Our shared, niche, Centre connection makes me root for them and any other artist from there that finds a home and success in Asheville.

What current project are you working on that you’re especially excited about?

I like to take the winter season to experiment with new designs and techniques. Recently, I’ve been seeing how far I can push my clay without cracking or warping it. I am working on pierced/cut-out designs to add to my signature slip-trailing embellishment. X

Katie Meili Messersmith is an Asheville-based potter who creates at the Village Potters Clay Center.

Keith Shubert. Photo by Jen Ben Media

Katie Messersmith.

Photo by Caroline Renée Woolard

What’s new in food

Hiking for Hunger heads west

After raising $32,000 for MANNA FoodBank in 2021, local residents and avid hikers Micah and Keeka GrantTomlinson are gearing up for their next big thru-hike benefit for the local nonprofit. Unlike the initial undertaking, which involved the couple traversing the Appalachian Trail, this time around they are headed west to cover the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail.

The goal for this latest trip, which begins Wednesday, April 12, is to raise $40,000 for MANNA, an organization that both Micah and Keeka previously worked for. As with their inaugural fundraiser, the trek is part of the pair’s own charity organization, Hiking for Hunger. Money raised will come from individual donors, as well as support from sponsors such as Food for the Sole, ElevenSkys and Sparks in the Forest.

The couple will kick off the campaign at Mountain Inspiration Apparel in downtown Asheville on Friday, April 7, at 6 p.m. The event, which is designed as a casual celebration for supporters, will be an opportunity for Micah and Keeka to answer questions, as well as celebrate with drinks and food provided by Red Fiddle Vittles.

“We are thrilled about Hiking for Hunger and what a full circle moment it is for MANNA,” says Kelly Schwartz, the nonprofit’s special events manager. “Being former MANNA staff, we know they have an even deeper understanding of hunger in our mountains and the positive impact every mile they finish has on our neighbors.”

Micah and Keeka were working at the food bank when the pandemic hit. That’s when they decided to get married, as well as clear their schedules in pursuit of their dreams of hiking

the Appalachian Trail. But they didn’t want to completely abandon MANNA’s 40-year mission of ending hunger.

“We were planning on leaving our jobs, but we didn’t want to quit supporting our neighbors in need in Western North Carolina,” says Micah. “We saw how popular thru-hiking was becoming and we recognized the culture around thru-hikers sharing their hikes on social media, many of them drawing large followings. We thought that we could use our social platforms as thru-hikers to increase awareness around food insecurity and raise money to help put food on people’s plates.”

The couple chose their latest West Coast trail because it will help them achieve a personal milestone of “triple crowning,” which involves finishing the Appalachian, Continental Divide and Pacific Crest trails.

Micah and Keeka are preparing for the challenges of the hike, which include possible encounters with bears, drastic temperature changes and the threat of wildfires. Their plan is to begin at the southern terminus of the trail near Campo, Calif., and finish by mid-September, before the risk of substantial snow.

The couple hopes their $40,000 goal will be achieved within that fivemonth window.

“Thousands of people in WNC are experiencing food insecurity,” says Micah. “The challenges of putting food on the table are getting harder and harder for folks as inflation rises and the cost of living goes up. MANNA is having a harder time sourcing food, and food is costing more due to supply chain challenges. Everyone deserves access to nutritious food, and no one should go hungry.”

For more information, visit avl.mx/cjn.

Farmers markets spring up

Signs of spring in Western North Carolina include budding flowers, the

appearance of robins and the opening of regional and local farmers markets. Year-round markets are also switching to regular seasonal hours.

Below are updated hours for markets located in Buncombe County:

• Asheville City Market: Saturdays starting April 1, 9 a.m.-noon, avl.mx/bfk.

BACK AT IT: Local couple and avid hikers Micah and Keeka Grant-Tomlinson are gearing up for their next thru-hike fundraiser for MANNA FoodBank. This time, they are headed west to trek the Pacific Crest Trail. Photo courtesy of MANNA FoodBank

• Black Mountain Tailgate Market: Saturdays starting May 6, 9 a.m.noon, avl.mx/ck5.

• East Asheville Tailgate Market: Fridays starting April 7, 3-6 p.m., avl.mx/c5v.

• Enka-Candler Tailgate Market: Thursdays staring May 4, 3-6 p.m., avl.mx/ck6.

• North Asheville Tailgate Market: Saturdays starting April 1, 8 a.m.-noon, avl.mx/bei.

• River Arts District Farmers Market: Wednesdays starting April 5, 3-6 p.m., avl.mx/9ki.

• Southside Community Farmers Market: first Sundays starting May 7, noon-3 p.m., avl.mx/ck7.

• Weaverville Tailgate Market: Wednesdays starting April 5, 3-6 p.m., avl.mx/ck8.

• West Asheville Tailgate Market: Tuesdays starting April 4, 3:306:30 p.m., avl.mx/bwh.

• WNC Farmers Market: Daily, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., avl.mx/5br.

A tea tour

The owners of Pop Bubble Tea are hoping to uplift Asian culture in the community through Poppy’s Asian Tour.

Poppy, the business’s cartoon otter mascot, will lead customers on a tour of Asian countries via a monthly release of specialty bubble teas. New drinks, which will be released on the first Thursday of each month, will feature flavors inspired by that month’s highlighted country. Pop’s co-founders will also spotlight local Asian businesses in conjunction with the releases.

Co-founder Eva Peterson says it’s important to build relationships with the community and hopes the tea tour will help promote fellow businesses — as well as build awareness of Asian cultures. “We want Poppy’s Asian Tour above everything to spread love through delicious, authentic bubble tea,” says Peterson, who is originally from Hong Kong. “It is also a chance to honor Asian culture as well as link customers to more Asian businesses and groups in our community.”

The tour will begin Thursday, April 6, featuring Thai milk tea and South Asheville restaurant Khao Thai Cuisine. Korea will have the spotlight on May 4, followed by Japan on June 1, Taiwan on July 6, and Hong Kong on Aug. 3. Pop Bubble Tea is at 640 Merrimon Ave. Hours are Wednesday-Monday, noon-8 p.m. For more information, visit avl.mx/bk5.

Top chefs

Last month, culinary students from A-B Tech Community College

competed in the American Culinary Federation’s Southeast Region national qualifying competition in Overland Park, Kan., and came home with top honors.

The team, which won Best Student Team, will head to New Orleans in July to compete in the national contest, marking the college’s 14th appearance as a competitor. Roman Nourse, 2022 team captain, won Southeast Student Chef last month and will compete for National Student Chef of the Year. Patricia (Paty) Santibanez won Southeast Student Pastry Chef.

“It was a very tough competition; the level of the individual and schools competing were the best in the country,” team coach and chef instructor Chris Bugher says in a press release. “The team has worked so hard over the last few months and poured their literal blood, sweat, and tears to earn their way to the national competition in New Orleans this July.”

For more information, visit avl.mx/cjo.

BBQ on deck

David Brown wanted a place to sit and drink a beer while listening to friends play music after a 12-hour workday. His solution was to add a deck, or what he refers to as “a postage stamp of a stage,” to his 10-year-old restaurant in Candler.

Doc Brown’s BBQ, known for its Carolina-style barbecue and Southern sides and sauces, will start hosting musicians on the deck Monday, April 10. Every Monday will be an open mic night in partnership with The Franklin School of Innovation, “so aspiring musicians can get some experience playing in front of people in a welcoming environment,” says Brown.

Other musicians booked for April include Kevin Smith, Hope Griffin and Eric Congdon. Open mic nights will take place Mondays from 6-8 p.m., and local musicians will perform Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m.

“This is a Candler thing, mainly for the folks who have had to move westward in the process of gentrification,” says Brown. “It’s a service industry thing — that’s why [we chose] Monday through Wednesday. We’re all about not getting the word out — because everyone out here already knows.”

Doc Brown’s BBQ is at 1320 Smokey Park Highway in Candler. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. For more information, visit avl.mx/cjp.

— Andy Hall X

Around Town

Brevard woman wants to share her mother’s poetry with young poets

When Grace Beacham Freeman died in 2002, she left behind boxes of her poetry spanning six decades. Now, just in time for National Poetry Month, her daughter, Kae Parker, would like to make her words available to established and aspiring poets.

“[My mother] had such a long career with poetry and other writing, and she always encouraged young poets in particular to go ahead and do their craft,” says Parker, a Brevard resident.

Freeman’s writing career included a stint as South Carolina’s poet laureate, 1985-86. In 1987, she moved to Brevard and became active in the local literary community, giving readings several times a year around Western North Carolina.

Parker is looking to donate seven-book sets that trace Freeman’s growth as a poet, including her fulllength collections: No Costumes or Masks (1975), Midnight to Dawn (1981) and Not Set in Stone (1986).

Freeman counted among her mentors Archibald Hamilton Rutledge, the first South Carolina poet laureate, and James Dickey, best known for his 1970 novel Deliverance. A weeklong writing workshop taught by Dickey encouraged Freeman to develop a more contemporary style, her daughter explains.

“Her poetry combines humor with a depth of emotion of grief,” Parkers says. “She was an only child, and when

MOVIE REVIEWS

Local reviewers’ critiques of new films include:

A GOOD PERSON: Thanks to powerful storytelling and memorable performances by Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman, writer/director Zach Braff crafts the best narrative film thus far about the opioid impact. Grade: B-plus — Edwin Arnaudin

she was very young, she learned that there were two boys before her. One was stillborn and the other lived to be about 18 months. And so that power of grief was part of Mother, though she was a very vivacious, positive person.”

Those interested in receiving the book sets can contact Parker at gracefreemanpoetry@gmail.com. Requests will be honored while supplies last.

Music in the mountains

The Coda Music Festival is returning to Montreat College’s Black Mountain campus for the first time since 2019.

Country singer-songwriter Kaitlyn Baker and other artists with Appalachian roots will perform at the student-run festival, which will be 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 15. The music event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID restrictions, while a smaller event was held last year in its place.

“Historically, it’s been more of a rock, alternative-rock type thing,” says Chris Fraser, a music business student who is organizing the festival along with about a dozen other students. “We decided this year to go with more of an Appalachian-heritage thing. We wanted that to be the central theme because we found a lot of really good artists from around this area.”

The festival lineup will be:

• Asheville fiddler Andrew Finn Magill, noon- 1 p.m.

• Asheville mountain swing musician Laura Boosinger, 1:20-2:10 p.m.

• Brevard string band Pretty Little Goat, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

• John John Toineeta, a storyteller who specializes in Cherokee chants and mythology, 3:50-4:40 p.m.

• Asheville Americana band Ashes and Arrows, 5:10-5:55 p.m.

• Country singer Baker, a native of southwest Virginia, 6:15-7:15 p.m.

Fraser says he and the other students have been planning the festival as part of a weekly class since August.

“It’s probably simultaneously the hardest class that I’ve had and the most rewarding, just because it’s real.

It’s nothing like you could learn on paper or even on online tests.”

Fraser says. People are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, towels and sunscreen to the alcohol-free, kid-friendly event. Food trucks and other vendors will be on hand.

Tickets are free for Montreat students who show an ID, $12 for other students and $18 for adults. Kids 5 and younger are free.

The Montreat College Black Mountain campus is at 191 Vance Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/cjr.

Fantastic voyage

Asheville-based rapper VVitchboy (born Johnchel Foster) has released the self-published fantasy novel Murder Death Orgy. It’s the second volume in a planned trilogy that began with last year’s Immortal Verse: Crystal Song Experiment. Both books are illustrated by Alexis Lii

“I’ve been into the fantasy genre since I was a kid, reading Redwall, Broken Sky and the Harry Potter books,” he says. “As I got older, I continued to intake fantasy and sci-fi media and anime. I’ve been creative for as long as I can remember, so it was only a matter of time until I wrote my own.”

is linear, unlike a CYOA [Choose Your Own Adventure] novel, but the experience I’m told is still quite immersive.”

To buy the book, go to avl.mx/cjx.

What’s (re)happening?

Black Mountain College Museum + Art Center’s {Re}HAPPENING 11 will be 3-10 p.m. Saturday, April 8 at the historic Lake Eden campus.

The event will feature contemporary artists. “Visitors will encounter an immersive collection of projects in the tradition of BMC — installation, sound, movement, visual art and interactive media — which respond to and extend the legacy of Black Mountain College and its visionaries,” the museum says in a press release.

The {Re}HAPPENING , first held in 2010, was inspired by legendary avant-garde composer John Cage’s 1952 Theatre Piece No. 1, an unscripted performance at Black Mountain College.

The Lake Eden campus is at 375 Lake Eden Road, Black Mountain. For more information or to buy tickets, go to avl.mx/cjy.

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

For the first time, the festival will be held on the college’s soccer field/ track area rather than the central campus. “We’ve kind of outgrown that, and we needed a bigger area,”

Murder Death Orgy tells the story of a group of magicians and martial artists traveling to the ancient capital of a past empire. The trip starts off simply but soon devolves into chaos, VVitchboy says.

“It’s written in second person, putting the reader in the passenger’s seat,” he explains. “The characters have their own agency, and the story

The road to Calvary

Execution Experience, an interactive exhibit of Jesus’ final journey to the cross painted by inmates on death row in Tennessee, will be on display 5-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 6-8, at Covenant Community Church.

“Each of the paintings highlights Jesus’ stance of solidarity with those

A WOMAN OF WORDS: Grace Beacham Freeman was active in the poetry scene in Western North Carolina from 1987 to 2002. Photo courtesy of Kae Parker

who society has deemed unworthy of life and offers opportunities for viewers to stand in solidarity with those who are a part of the criminal justice system today,” the church says in a press release. “When the men on Tennessee’s death row began these paintings several years ago, they wanted to offer an interpretation of Jesus’ journey to the cross that is informed by their own experience awaiting execution.”

Covenant Community Church is at 11 Rocket Drive, Suite 100. The exhibit is an outdoor, self-guided walk. For more information, go to avl.mx/cjw.

Handmade art

First Presbyterian Church will present With These Hands: Mixed Blessings, an exhibit of works by retired art educator Shirley Walker Whitesides through the end of April. Whitesides will give a talk at the church at 9:45 a.m. Sunday, April 16.

Whitesides uses shape, color and texture in her artwork, which incorporates acrylic and watercolor painting, pictorial quilt-making and the use of found objects. “She often mixes these with photographs and articles to convey a message that opens dialogue about African American culture and its history,” the church says in a press release.

First Presbyterian Church is at 40 Church St., but those wishing to see the exhibit should go to the visitors lot on Aston Street. The show is open to the public 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays through Friday, April 29.

Charles Frazier conversation

Award-winning author Charles Frazier will launch his new novel, The Trackers, in a conversation with author Wiley Cash at 7 p.m. Monday, April 10, at UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Hall. The ticketed event is sponsored by Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café.

The Trackers tells the story of a Depression-era painter who travels to a rural Wyoming town to create a mural for its new post office representing the region. It’s the fifth novel for Asheville native Frazier, who won the National Book Award for fiction for his 1997 debut Cold Mountain UNCA students and staff may attend for free by showing their UNCA ID at the door.

Admission for the event, which includes a signed hardcover copy of The Trackers, is $30.

Lipinsky Hall is at 300 Library Lane on the UNCA campus. For more information or to buy a ticket, visit avl.mx/cjv.

— Justin McGuire X

Spring is here, and Xpress has launched its monthly gardening feature based on reader questions.

Green thumbs & aspiring gardeners alike!

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

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

Aquanet Goth Party w/ Ash Black, 8pm

BIER GARDEN

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 7pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Jay Brown (roots), 6pm

CORK & KEG

Chris Brashear & Joe

Newberry (Ozark, bluegrass, Appalachian), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S Shared Walls, Aunt Vicki & Hi Helens (garage rock), 9pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

Weekly Trivia Night w/ Not Rocket Science Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Songwriter Series w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8:30pm

SALVAGE STATION

The Polish Ambassador (dance, eletronic, electro), 7pm

SOUTHERN

APPALACHIAN BREWERY

Jazz Night w/Jason DeCristofaro, 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Michigan Rattlers w/ Old Sap (folk-rock, country), 7pm

THE ODD

Free Odd Movie: Killer Party, 8pm

THE SOCIAL

Wednesday Night

Karaoke w/LYRIC, 9pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Wednesday Open Mic, 5:30pm

THURSDAY, APRIL 6

27 CLUB Trivia Night, 9pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

Kiki Thursday: Drag Party w/DJ RexxStep, 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

MGB (covers, singer-songwriter), 7:30pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Sarah With An H (neofolk), 6pm

FLEETWOOD'S

The Silver Doors, True Lilith & P.E.R.I.S.H.E.S (psychedelic, indie), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

GREEN MAN

COLD WAVE HITS ASHEVILLE: Belarusian post-punk/cold wave trio Molchat Doma will play The Orange Peel Wednesday, April 12, at 8 p.m. The dark synth pop band became a viral success when a song from their 2018 full-length Etazhi became a TikTok phenomenon. Photo courtesy of The Orange Peel

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

IMPERIÁL

Homage To J DILLA w/ DJ Nex Millen, 9pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The 81 Drifters (bluegrass, folk, jamgrass), 8pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm

THE ODD Oblivion Throne, Harsh Realm & Cave Grave (metal), 7pm

THE ROOT BAR Kendra & Friends (multiple genres), 6pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Thursday Night Karaoke, 8:45pm

URBAN ORCHARD Trivia Thursday, 7pm

WRONG WAY

CAMPGROUND

CATAWBA BREWING

SOUTH SLOPE

• Early Show: Love Inks w/Dan LaMorte & Natalie Cuomo, 7pm

• Late Show: Love Inks w/Dan LaMorte & Natalie Cuomo, 9:30pm

CORK & KEG

Sami Braman (old-time, cape breton, bluegrass), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

ONE WORLD BREWING

Don't Tell Comedy: West Asheville, 7pm

Keeping Asheville Weird Since 2010

BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

Kathryn O'Shea (folk, Americana), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL LazrLuvr (80s tribute band), 7pm

VOTED WNC #1 KAVA BAR

SUN: Aaron “Woody” Wood & Friends 7pm MON: Ping-Pong Tournament 7pm

Open Jam w/ house band the Lactones 8pm

Poetry Open Mic AVL 8:30pm/8pm signup

Lactones, 9pm Drip Noise

My Magnificent Nemesis, 9pm

The Jenga & Django Jam, 7pm

FRIDAY, APRIL 7

27 CLUB

Salvage Diver, Brushetta Delorean & Pain Body (dark synthrock, industrial-techno, electronics), 8pm

305 LOUNGE & EATERY

Geriatric Jukebox (oldies), 5pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

Venus (dark house dance party), 10pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

Mr Jimmy's Friday Night Blues, 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

The Frank White

Experience: A Live Band Tribute to the Notorious B.I.G, 8pm

BEN'S TUNE UP

EK Balam (reggaeton, hip-hop), 8pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN

BREWING

Jack Miller Duo (acoustic), 6pm

BOTANIST & BARREL

TASTING BAR +

BOTTLE SHOP

The Blushin' Roulettes (folk), 6pm

DJ Dr. Filth (jazz, soul, R&B), 8pm

DIFFERENT WRLD

Okey Dokey w/Pink Beds (indie-rock, psychedelia, 60's pop), 9pm

FLEETWOOD'S Bonny Dagger, Blab School, Call the Next Witness (punk, indie, rock), 9pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Tina & Her Pony (indiefolk, Americana), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Adam & the Testifiers (funk), 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Short Stop (soul, latin, dance), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Honky-Tonk Fridays w/Jackson Grimm, 4pm

• Laid Back Country Picker w/Luna & The Mountain Jets (country, Appalachian-rock), 8pm LA TAPA LOUNGE

Open Mic Night w/ Hamza, 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

5J Barrow Friday Nights (folk), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Electro Lust (electronic, latin, funk), 8pm

SALVAGE STATION

The Get Right Band w/ Disco Risque (psychedelic, indie-rock), 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Tom Waits: The Early Years (Tom Waits Tribute), 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Lactones (experimental, psychedelic rock), 9pm

THE BUSH FARMHOUSE

Tonti & The Hot Pulses (blues, soul, rock), 6:30pm

THE GREY EAGLE

An Evening w/The Church (alternative-rock, indie-rock, pop), 8pm

THE ODD

Trauma Gang, Flatline Squad, Alliiwayy, Jigsaw Jay, Spaceman Jones & The Mothership (hip-hop), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Pinky Patel, 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Songs From The Road Band w/Red Clay Revival (bluegrass, roots), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

Cider Celts (Celtic, folk), 6pm

SATURDAY, APRIL 8

27 CLUB

Hair Metal Mayhem & Go-Go, 9pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

Doss Church & the Unholy Noise (soul, Americana), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

WOLF! w/Scott

Metzger (psychedelic-rock, soul, blues), 9pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK

EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (gypsy jazz), 5:30pm

BEN'S TUNE UP

Jaze Uries (house, electronic), 8pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN

BREWING

Dave Desmelik (alt-country, folk, Americana), 6pm

DIFFERENT WRLD

Catacomb XI w/ Vertex Form, DJ Spit & Oneiric, 10pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Bog Monkey, Kalgon & Bongfoot (metal), 9pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

SOUTH SLOPE

LOUNGE

Eyes Up Here Comedy, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Lush Honey (neo-soul, progressive-rock), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Shutterdog (afro-cuban, arabic, rock), 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ James Nasty, 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Nobody's Darling String Band, 4pm

• The Plate Scrapers (bluegrass, Appalachian), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Karaoke Night, 9pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Isaac Hadden Organ

Trio (funk, jazz, rock), 10pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Blase (indie-folk, rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

• Invitational Blues

Jam w/Peggy Ratusz & Daddy Long Legs Band, 4pm

• Ashley Heath & Her Heathens (blues, Americana), 9pm

SALVAGE STATION

Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast w/Taylor

Scott Band & Molly

Rose Reed (rock, roots, funk), 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Jess Klein (alt-country, bluegrass, rock), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

My Magnificent Nemesis (jazz, rock), 9pm

THE BURGER BAR

Best Worst Karaoke w/ KJ Thunderkunt!, 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Dan Deacon (synthpop), 9pm

THE ODD

• Book Release Party

w/Wife Island, Infinite

Third & Laura Boswell (folk-pop, post-rock, alt-folk), 1pm

• Party Foul Drag: Saturday Night Tease, 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL

Mississippi Allstars (blues, Southern-rock), 8pm THE OUTPOST

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Yheti, Ternion Sound, Toadface & Honeybee (electronic, experimental, heavy-wubs), 9pm

BEN'S TUNE UP

Dub Kartel (reggae, ska), 8pm

CATAWBA BREWING

CO. SOUTH SLOPE

ASHEVILLE

Comedy at Catawba: Liz Miele, 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

The Take Out Trio (multiple genres), 2pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Sunday Funkday, 4pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Ek Balam (soul, electronic, funk), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch, 1pm

• Traditional Irish Jam, 3:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Sunday Jazz Jam, 1:30pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Aaron Woody Wood (Appalachia, soul, Americana), 7pm

THE BUSH FARMHOUSE

Billy Presnell (folk, Americana), 2pm

THE GREY EAGLE

PAGEANT: The Drag Show, 2pm

THE ODD

Weight Shift, Auralayer & Hash Witch (metal), 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Phuncle Sam (Grateful Dead Tribute), 4pm

MONDAY, APRIL 10

27 CLUB

Monday Karaoke, 9pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR

CaroMia, Rahm, Daniel Iannuci & Jaze Uries (soul, R&B, dream-pop), 8pm

ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB

The Hot Seat: Comedy Night, 8pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY

Traditonal Old Time Jam, 5:30pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Totally Rad Trivia w/ Mitch Fortune, 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Short Stop (soul, latin, dance), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Quizzo! Pub Trivia w/ Jason Mencer, 7:30pm

NOBLE CIDER

DOWNTOWN

Freshen Up Comedy

Open Mic, 6:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Open Mic Downtown, 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Monday Mashup w/The

JLloyd MashUp Band, 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr Jimmy and Friends (blues), 7pm

TUESDAY, APRIL 11

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

Karaoke w/Ganymede, 10pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Scott Yoder, Powder

Horns & The Real Dolls (glam, surf-rock, psychedelic-rock), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Tuesday Bluegrass w/ Shady Grove String

Band (folk, bluegrass), 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Mad Mike, 9pm

LOOKOUT BREWING CO.

Team Trivia, 6:30pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Early Tuesday Jam (funk), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Dead tribute, jam band, rock), 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Weekly Open Jam

hosted by Chris Cooper & Friends, 6:30pm

THE BURGER BAR

C U Next Tuesday Late Night Trivia, 9:30pm

THE SOCIAL Travers Freeway Open Jam Tuesdays, 7pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Tuesday Night Trivia, 7pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN White Horse Open Mic, 7pm

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

BIER GARDEN

Geeks Who Drink: Trivia, 7pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Jay Brown (roots, blues, jazz), 6pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Open Mic Wednesday Night, 7pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Songwriter Series w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8:30pm

SALVAGE STATION

Tropidelic w/Rockstead & Sun Dried Vibes (reggae), 7pm

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY

Jazz Night w/Jason DeCristofaro, 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Vancouver Sleep Clinic w/Ghostly Kisses (indierock, R&B, folk), 8pm

THE ODD Bad Ties, Angry Lovers, Feeling Bad & Juniper Willow (synth-pop, punk), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Molchat Doma w/ Nuovo Testamento (cold-wave, post-punk, synth-pop), 8pm

THE SOCIAL

Wednesday Night Karaoke w/LYRIC, 9pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Wednesday Open Mic, 5:30pm

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

Kiki Thursday: Drag Party w/DJ RexxStep, 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

Robert Thomas Band (jazz, rock), 7:30pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

The Blushin' Roulettes (folk), 6pm

CITIZEN VINYL

Marley Carroll: Voices Listening Party, 6pm

EURISKO BEER CO.

Hops Around Comedy: Carlette Jennings, 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S Bad Vibes, Tiny TVs & The Pink Cigarettes (punk), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER

BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

Homage To Timbaland, 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Thomas Kozak (Americana, rock), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Magenta Sunshine (funk, soul, jazz), 8pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Django Jazz Jam, 7pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Griefcat & Brittany Ann Tranbaugh (Americana, rock, indie), 5pm

• Dexter & The Moonrocks (western space grunge), 8pm

THE ROOT BAR

Kendra & Friends (multiple genres), 6pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Thursday Night Karaoke, 8:45pm

URBAN ORCHARD

Trivia Thursday, 7pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries-born René Descartes (1596–1650) was instrumental in developing of modern science and philosophy. His famous motto, “I think, therefore I am” is an assertion that the analytical component of intelligence is primary and foremost. And yet, few history books mention the supernatural intervention that was pivotal in his evolution as a supreme rationalist. On the night of November 10, 1619, he had three mystical dreams that changed his life, revealing the contours of the quest to discern the “miraculous science” that would occupy him for the next 30 years. I suspect you are in store for a comparable experience or two, Aries. Brilliant ideas and marvelous solutions to your dilemmas will visit you as you bask in unusual and magical states of awareness.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The dirty work is becoming milder and easier. It’s still a bit dirty, but is growing progressively less grungy and more rewarding. The command to “adjust, adjust, and adjust some more, you beast of burden” is giving way to “refine, refine, and refine some more, you beautiful animal.” At this pivotal moment, it’s crucial to remain consummately conscientious. If you stay in close touch with your shadowy side, it will never commandeer more than 10% of your total personality. In other words, a bit of healthy distrust for your own motives will keep you trustworthy. (P.S.: Groaning and grousing, if done in righteous and constructive causes, will continue to be good therapy for now.)

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “’Tis the good reader that makes the good book,” wrote Gemini philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. “In every book, he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear.” In the coming weeks, a similar principle will apply to everything you encounter, Gemini — not just books. You will find rich meaning and entertainment wherever you go. From seemingly ordinary experiences, you’ll notice and pluck clues that will be wildly useful for you personally. For inspiration, read this quote from author Sam Keen: “Enter each day with the expectation that the happenings of the day may contain a clandestine message addressed to you personally. Expect omens, epiphanies, casual blessings, and teachers who unknowingly speak to your condition.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Traditional astrologers don’t regard the planet Mars as being a natural ally of you Crabs. But I suspect you will enjoy an invigorating relationship with the red planet during the next six weeks. For best results, tap into its rigorous vigor in the following ways: 1. Gather new wisdom about how to fight tenderly and fiercely for what’s yours. 2. Refine and energize your ambitions so they become more ingenious and beautiful. 3. Find out more about how to provide your physical body with exactly what it needs to be strong and lively on an ongoing basis. 4. Mediate on how to activate a boost in your willpower.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I won’t ask you to start heading back toward your comfort zone yet, Leo. I’d love to see you keep wandering out in the frontiers for a while longer. It’s healthy and wise to be extra fanciful, improvisatory, and imaginative. The more rigorous and daring your experiments, the better. Possible bonus: If you are willing to question at least some of your fixed opinions and dogmatic beliefs, you could very well outgrow the part of the Old You that has finished its mission.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Supreme Deity with the most power may not be Jehovah or Allah or Brahman or Jesus’s Dad. There’s a good chance it’s actually Mammon, the God of Money. The devoted worship that humans offer to Mammon far surpasses the loyalty offered to all the other gods combined. His values and commandments rule civilization. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, because now is an excellent time for you to deliver extra intense prayers to Mammon. From what I can determine, this formidable Lord of

Lords is far more likely to favor you than usual. (P.S.: I’m only half-kidding. I really do believe your financial luck will be a peak in the coming weeks.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It’s an excellent time to give up depleted, used-up obsessions so you have plenty of room and energy to embrace fresh, succulent passions. I hope you will take advantage of the cosmic help that’s available as you try this fun experiment. You will get in touch with previously untapped resources as you wind down your attachments to old pleasures that have dissipated. You will activate dormant reserves of energy as you phase out connections that take more than they give.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “The best revenge is not to be like your enemy,” said ancient Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius. I’m tempted to advise every Scorpio to get a tattoo of that motto. That way, you will forever keep in mind this excellent advice. As fun as it may initially feel to retaliate against those who have crossed you, it rarely generates redemptive grace or glorious rebirth, which are key Scorpio birthrights. I believe these thoughts should be prime meditations for you in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sometimes love can be boring. We may become overly accustomed to feeling affection and tenderness for a special person or animal. What blazed like a fiery fountain in the early stages of our attraction might have subsided into a routine sensation of mild fondness. But here’s the good news, Sagittarius: Even if you have been ensconced in bland sweetness, I suspect you will soon transition into a phase of enhanced zeal. Are you ready to be immersed in a luscious lusty bloom of heartful yearning and adventure?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What shall we call this latest chapter of your life story? How about “Stealthy Triumph over Lonely Fear” or maybe “Creating Rapport with the Holy Darkness.” Other choices might be “As Far Down into the Wild Rich Depths That I Dare to Go” or “My Roots Are Stronger and Deeper Than I Ever Imagined.” Congratulations on this quiet but amazing work you’ve been attending to. Some other possible descriptors: “I Didn’t Have to Slay the Dragon Because I Figured Out How to Harness It” or “The Unexpected Wealth I Discovered Amidst the Confusing Chaos.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It’s sway-swirlswivel time for you, Aquarius — a phase when you will be wise to gyrate and rollick and zigzag. This is a bouncy, shimmering interlude that will hopefully clean and clear your mind as it provides you with an abundance of reasons to utter “whee!” and “yahoo!” and “hooray!” My advice: Don’t expect the straight-and-narrow version of anything. Be sure you get more than minimal doses of twirling and swooping and cavorting. Your brain needs to be teased and tickled, and your heart requires regular encounters with improvised fun.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): When I was growing up in suburban America, way back in the 20th century, many adults told me that I was wrong and bad to grow my hair really long. Really! It’s hard to believe now, but I endured ongoing assaults of criticism, ridicule  and threats because of how I shaped my physical appearance. Teachers, relatives, baseball coaches, neighbors, strangers in the grocery store — literally hundreds of people — warned me that sporting a big head of hair would cause the whole world to be prejudiced against me and sabotage my success. Decades later, I can safely say that all those critics were resoundingly wrong. My hair is still long, has always been so, and my ability to live the life I love has not been obstructed by it in the least. Telling you this story is my way of encouraging you to keep being who you really are, even in the face of people telling you that’s not who you really are. The astrological omens say it’s time for you to take a stand.

EMPLOYMENT SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES

IMOCO INC. IN FLETCHER, NORTH CAROLINA IS HIRING! We are looking for experienced Millwrights workers, HVAC, plumbing and electrical technicians, along with CDL drivers to perform industrial projects in Western North Carolina and the upstate of South Carolina. Jobs may require overtime and occasional out of town travel. If you are interested in being a part of our team please go to our website, imocoinc.net/employment/ to fill out an application or drop by our office located at 111 Guaranteed Way, Fletcher, NC 28732

HUMAN SERVICES

YOUTH OUTREACH SPECIALIST AT HELPMATE Helpmate, a domestic violence agency in Asheville, NC, seeks a 25-hour part-time Youth Outreach Specialist to provide community education about healthy relationships and domestic abuse prevention. Primary responsibilities will include delivering abuse prevention curricula to students in middle schools, high schools and colleges, as well as maintaining partnerships with schools and other youth-serving organizations. This position will develop curriculum, facilitate trainings, gather data, facilitate a psycho-educational group for adolescents, make posts to social media, and represent Helpmate on key community groups and task forces. Strong communication skills required. Qualified candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree or a commensurate combination of work and experience. Qualified candidates must also have experience working with youth and diverse communities. Base rate is $18.85-$21.42/hour, based on incentives for up to 10 years’ relevant experience.

Additional pay incentives are available for professional licensure, fluency in Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, or Moldovan. Helpmate provides a benefits package, which includes a retirement plan matched up to 5%, optional supplementary insurances, generous paid PTO, 14 annual paid holidays, a positive work culture and opportunities for advancement. Helpmate is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. Email resume and cover letter to hiring@ helpmateonline.org no later than 4/20/23. Interviews will be held on a rolling basis. Please specify the title of the position you are seeking in the subject line of your email. Submissions lacking a cover letter will not be considered. avl.mx/ckp

TEACHING/ EDUCATION

PART TIME MATH TUTORS NEEDED Biltmore Tutoring is seeking math tutors. Algebra I/II, Geometry/ Precalc. SAT/ACT, Stats, Physics, Chemistry, Calculus desirable also. Excellent compensation; MASTERS DEGREE REQUIRED. Send resume to brian@biltmoretutoring.com, or call 828-505-2495

SERVICES

AUDIO/VIDEO DISH TV SPECIAL $64.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-566-1815. (AAN CAN)

FINANCIAL

ARE YOU BEHIND $10K OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES?

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Special Event!

LANDSCAPING

NATIONAL PEST CONTROL

Are you a homeowner in need of a pest control service for your home? Call 866-6160233. (AAN CAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS

If you have water damage and need cleanup, call us! We'll work with your insurance to get your home repaired and your life back to normal ASAP! Call 833-664-1530

(AAN CAN)

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES

In as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!  Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-866-370-2939. (AAN CAN)

BCI WALK-IN TUBS ARE ON SALE Be one of the first 50 callers and save $1,500! Call 844-514-0123 for a free in-home consultation. (AAN CAN)

DONATE YOUR CAR TO CHARITY Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes. Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details. 888476-1107. (AAN CAN)

GUTTER GUARDS AND REPLACEMENT GUTTERS

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LONG DISTANCE MOVING

Call for a free quote from America’s Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Call to speak to our Quality Relocation Specialists: Call 855-787-4471. (AAN CAN)

MEN'S SPORTS WATCHES

WANTED Advertiser is looking to buy men's sport watches. Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Here, Daytona, GMT, Submariner and Speedmaster. The advertiser pays cash for qualified watches. Call 888320-1052. (AAN CAN)

Room, 30 Valley St, Asheville, NC. Notice is further given that in the event of earlier or later adjournment, notice to that effect will be published in this newspaper. Take notice that all appeals or requests for hearings must be received in person no later than 1:00 PM April 26, 2023, the advertised date for adjournment or postmarked by April 26, 2023. Notice is hereby given that dates for the hearing of appeals timely filed will be available through the office of the Assessor, serving as the Clerk to the Board of Equalization and Review. All requests for hearing should be made to: R. Keith Miller, Property Assessor Clerk to the Board of Equalization and Review Buncombe County 155 Hilliard Ave Asheville, NC  28801 (828) 250-4940

SPECTRUM INTERNET AS

LOW AS $29.99! Call to see if you qualify for ACP and free internet. No Credit Check. Call Now! 833-955-0905. (AAN CAN)

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

BUILD YOUR OWN ACOUSTIC GUITAR Build your very own D18 style dreadnaught guitar. Class will cover complete construction, top tuning, scalloped bracing, neck shaping, installing and dressing frets, guitar set up and inlay. No woodworking experience is needed. Week long or weekly class dates. $2,150 all materials included. ashevilleguitarbuilding.com

DRAWING AND OIL PAINTING INSTRUCTION All levels welcome. Learn new drawing and painting skills or improve on your existing skills. Three lesson packages available to choose from. www.studiojamesdaniel.com

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT COUNSELING SERVICES

ASTRO-COUNSELING Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services. Christy Gunther, MA, LCMHC. (828) 258-3229

SPIRITUAL

PURPOSE

NOTICE OF MEETINGS OF THE BUNCOMBE COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION & REVIEW Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute §105-322, the Buncombe County Board of Equalization and Review will meet as required by law.

OF MEETINGS

To hear, upon request, appeals from property owners who own or control taxable property assessed for taxation in Buncombe County, regarding the valuation of such property or the property of others, and to fulfill other duties and responsibilities by law.   TIME OF MEETINGS

The Board of Equalization and Review will convene for its first meeting on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 1:00 PM. The Board will adjourn Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 1:00 PM for the purpose of accepting requests for hearings regarding appeals of assessed value for tax year 2023. Meetings will be held at the Buncombe County Planning Department Board

PHONE READINGS AVAILABLE We have 30 years of experience helping clients achieve their full potential and be the best person they can be through Reiki and Spiritual Mentorship. www. reikidivinehealer.com. 240755-2575.

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ACROSS

1 Like some plants that don’t need watering

5 “G’day, ___!”

9 French destination that’s one of UNESCO’s “Great Spa Towns of Europe”

14 October birthstone

15 Bun holder, so to speak

16 Allergic reaction

17 Hark! And hear of the vengeful ruler who took great pleasure in expelling disloyal subjects, for he was the …

20 Apt recourse for a deal gone sour?

21 Lead-in to an alias

22 Kind of computer port

24 Tiny tunneler

25 What a pitcher allows in a baseball shutout

28 Listen now! And I shall relate the story of the curious sovereign who adorned his castle with images of red fruit, for he was the …

31 Common theme park sight

32 “Au contraire, ___ frère”

33 CPR provider

34 ___ Day (Down Under holiday)

36 Young seal

38 Longtime “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat

42 Sellout sign

44 Glimpsed

46 Walker’s aid

47 Lend me your ear! And I will speak of the clumsy monarch who took twice as many golf strokes as his opponents, for he was the …

50 Ice cream order

51 Fury

52 Guitarist Paul 53 Quaint

57 Give heed! And listen to my tale of the mad tyrant who decreed that all toilets in his realm be installed the wrong way, for he was the …

62 Worrier’s words

63 Element of the Vegas strip?

64 French girlfriend

65 Like many attics

66 Zesty flavor

67 Holler DOWN

1 Dandy

2 Donkey Kong, e.g.

3 German engineer who designed and built the first practical automobile (1885)

4 Otherwise

5 Cher or Madonna, e.g.

6 Experimentalbut-accessible music genre

7 What a poker player wears shades to hide

8 With all judges present

9 Mobile dwelling for modern nomads

10 “So gross!”

11 Award-winning science fiction

12 Din from a gaggle

13 Class with mats

18 ___ Little, “The Wire” antihero

19 Came to

22 Sch. whose newspaper is the Daily Bruin

23 Knee/ankle connector

26 Parts of glasses

27 Remove from a bulletin board, say

29 What “Why?” tries to uncover

30 Occupied

35 Gunk

37 French for “butterfly”

39 Certain legal consequence

40 Hathaway of film

41 Beer holders

43 With Springsteen, co-host of the podcast

“Renegades: Born in the USA”

45 “Over There,” e.g.

47 Chowderheads

48 Discovered, British-style

49 Move, in real estate jargon

50 Screw-up

Footnote abbr.

It’s just a thought

Verbal thumbs-up 58 Dennings of “2 Broke Girls” 59 Ironically humorous 60 Zilch 61 Come together, as plans

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