Mountain Xpress 05.04.22 by Mountain Xpress

OU R 28TH Y E A R OF W E E K LY I N DE PE N DE N T N E W S, A RTS & E V E N TS FOR W E STE R N NORTH CA ROL I NA VOL . 28 NO. 40 M AY 4 -10, 2022

MAY 4-10, 2022

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C ONTENT S

10 SOFTWARE WITH A SOUL Asheville-based entrepreneurs shape a service-centered tech sector

12 DEVELOPMENT ROUNDUP Airport expansion up for county approval

WELLNESS

22 CULTURAL COMPETENCE Program seeks to improve health among Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

27 QUESTIONNAIRE EXTRAORDINAIRE Local political candidates offer takes on arts issues

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

Through the Indigenous Walls Project, Jared Wheatley aims to stimulate conversations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on a broader level. He also hopes to help raise awareness of a larger movement to reintroduce the Cherokee syllabary and language, collaborate with the more than 500 Indigenous nations in the U.S. and fight against stigmas that continue to hamper Native Americans.

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick 4

LETTERS

CARTOON: MOLTON

CARTOON: BRENT BROWN

COMMENTARY

10 NEWS 14 BUNCOMBE BEAT

A&C

16 SNAPSHOT 28 ROLLING WITH THE FLOW River Whyless captures creative sparks on new album

18 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 22 WELLNESS 24 ARTS & CULTURE

A&C

34 CLUBLAND 30 WHAT’S NEW IN FOOD Mehfil serves northern Indian cuisine to downtown diners and other culinary happenings

38 FREEWILL ASTROLOGY 38 CLASSIFIEDS 39 NY TIMES CROSSWORD

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Mountain Xpress is available free throughout Western North Carolina. Limit one copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 payable at the Xpress office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of Xpress, take more than one copy of each issue. To subscribe to Mountain Xpress, send check or money order to: Subscription Department, PO Box 144, Asheville NC 28802. First class delivery. One year (52 issues) $130 / Six months (26 issues) $70. We accept Mastercard & Visa.

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STA F F

ARTISTIC DIALOGUES

COVER PHOTO Dimitri Schemel

A&C

NEWS

FEATURES

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OPINION

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

Leaders should have vision of healthy school district Denise Patterson resigned from her position as the superintendent of the Asheville City Schools in June 2019. The ACS held a series of meetings at the elementary schools to provide guidance and take input regarding the search for a new superintendent. I went to every one of them. The theme was all about Asheville culture and Asheville history: “We need a superintendent who knows Asheville, knows Asheville history and Asheville culture.” There was never a mention about the skill and background of the candidates. I would propose that we need a superintendent who has an image of a healthy school district and can lead ACS in that direction. The school board hired Gene Freeman. He has resigned, I think unexpectedly. The indications from the Asheville Citizen Times article is that he failed because he does not know Asheville history and does not understand Asheville culture. The article makes no mention about his actual performance for the job I would have expected him to do. The talk is about his “inability to work with coun-

ordinance on best practices learned from researching more than 345 other laws from around the country. This model, which combines a ban on plastic shopping bags at checkout with a 10-cent fee on paper bags, has proven to be the most effective way to encourage people to bring their own reusable bags to the store. It is crucial that in addressing one problem (plastic pollution), we not create another (deforestation). MountainTrue takes a comprehensive approach because we understand that seemingly different issues are interrelated. Forest management affects water quality; energy policy affects air quality; urban planning affects public health; and so on. It should be noted that MountainTrue has long advocated for expanding public transit to reduce carbon emissions and increase mobility for people who can’t or do not want to drive.”

C A RT O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N ty commissioners” and would “work in partnership with the people.” Was he a poor superintendent? I see no reason to think that he was. The citizens of Asheville are being asked to vote for four new members of the Asheville school board. We need a new direction, and this will come from a school board that is from the outside. They say, “We need people who understand our unique situation.” No! We need people with an image of what a healthy school district looks like. We need new blood on the school board. — John S. Brigham Asheville

Why charge for paper in plastics ban proposal? If the purpose of the initiative by MountainTrue and the Sierra Club is to reduce single-use plastics, why are they proposing a 10-cent charge for paper bags? [“Green in Brief: MountainTrue Seeks Ban on Single-use Plastics,” April 13, Xpress] Wouldn’t you want to encourage paper over plastic? Or is there really a different

motive for which they are using the microplastics issue as a Trojan horse? Eliminating plastic bags, then charging for paper just makes people angry and distrustful of environmental groups. Is what they really want a total change in our lifestyle and the economy (and basically for us seniors just to die because we are the ones who can’t ride bikes or walk everywhere)? If they had stayed on the topic of reducing single-use plastics, they would likely get more support. By the way, I abhor paper straws. However, at home we use metal, reusable straws, eliminating the plastic ones. We try to take them with us when we eat out to avoid both plastic or paper straws. So I am amenable to initiatives to reduce single-use plastics. Just be careful not to conflate issues, in this case plastic reduction with tree-hugging. — Gary Incorvia Weaverville Editor’s note: Xpress contacted MountainTrue and the WNC Sierra Club with a summary of the letter writer’s points and received the following response from Anna Alsobrook, MountainTrue’s watershed outreach coordinator: “MountainTrue, WNC Sierra Club and Environment North Carolina have modeled the proposed

Last call for primary letters With the primary set for Tuesday, May 17, there’s no time like the present to share your views about local candidates and issues that voters should consider in casting their ballots. For the best shot at having your letter to the editor appear before Election Day, please send your prose by the end of the day Wednesday, May 4, to letters@mountainx.com, with guidelines found at avl.mx/5ds.

MAY 4-10, 2022

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Ullman can help make Asheville truly livable When I met Maggie Ullman, I was instantly inspired by her knowledge of the city and her passion to address the needs of “all” Asheville citizens, regardless of whether their families had lived here for generations or whether they were newcomers seeking a better quality of life. Maggie’s empathy toward those facing daily living challenges, particularly those urgently needing affordable, comfortable and safe housing options, and her determination to take immediate action on those issues, made a huge impact on me. I believe Maggie will listen to and elevate the voices within our community and create an inclusive, collaborative environment so we together can tackle our community’s critical challenges, which span housing to city services to climate change impact. Maggie will be our champion who can help make Asheville a truly livable, affordable place to call home. I’m going to check the box for Maggie Ullman for City Council. I hope you will, too! — Pamela Evans Asheville Editor’s note: Evans reports volunteering for Ullman’s campaign.

This Democrat respects views of moderates and progressives Keith Thomson’s recent Mountain Xpress letter praised Al Whitesides, my opponent in the race for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, District 1 [“Whitesides

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN Offers Progressive, Dedicated Leadership,” April 13]. It also raised important issues that highlight the debilitating divide between progressive and moderate Democrats. He stated: “The danger of treating the first African American county commissioner in Buncombe County history the ways some did Al Gore in Florida in 2000, Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania in 2016, and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson in March 2022 is the law of unintended consequences cannot be repealed. No one can honestly claim to be ‘progressive’ and pull that trick.” I think Mr. Thomson is saying that I am a spoiler candidate like he believes Green Party candidates Ralph Nader and Jill Stein were to Hillary and Al. However, I am a Democratic Party candidate, not a Green Party candidate. If I lose the primary, it will not harm the distinguished Mr. Whitesides’ chances of winning the general election, and I’ll work and vote for him. Then there’s Mr. Thomson’s concern that my candidacy will cause Buncombe County to lose its only African American commissioner. And though I agree this is an important issue, I felt it was more important to oppose Mr. Whitesides because he voted to subsidize the Pratt & Whitney plant by $27 million of our tax dollars — a plant that will be making parts

for one of the most lethal weapons on Earth, the F-35 Lightning. And since the Lightning is designed to carry nuclear weapons, he also voted to make our county an integral part of America’s preparation for nuclear war. Then there’s Mr. Thomson’s contention that “No one can honestly claim to be ‘progressive’ and pull this trick.” I presume that means that you can’t vote for me and call yourself a progressive Democrat. Such a statement widens the already vast schism between progressive and moderate Democrats that has stunted our party’s success both locally and nationally. Especially now, with our very democracy in great peril, we need to heal these wounds. The decisions we have to make to save our freedoms are incredibly difficult ones. Making the best decisions will require a robust discussion involving all sectors of our wonderful, big-tent party. Because I deeply realize how hard these decisions are, I have profound respect for the views of moderate Democrats as well as progressive Democrats. I believe I can promote respectful and productive communication between these branches. And that I can do the same with the Green Party, the Democratic-Socialist Party, the Poor People’s Party and others who have left the Democratic coalition. Our Democratic Party will need all the support we can get to achieve

our goals of preserving the democracy, promoting racial, sexual and social justice, and achieving a sustainable ecology and a stable world peace. — Bill Branyon Asheville

We support progressive Branyon This letter is in response to a letter to the editor written by Keith Thomson, which implied several untruths to which we feel compelled to respond [“Whitesides Offers Progressive, Dedicated Leadership,” April 13, Xpress]. In our far-from-perfect democracy, primary elections are one of the most democratic methods for achieving representation. Anyone can run in a primary, put their issues before the public and either win or lose. It is to democracy’s benefit if more than one candidate runs for the same office in a primary. However, all the county commission seats in the Democratic primary have only one candidate (the incumbent), except for District 1. There are two candidates running in the primary in that district — the incumbent and Bill Branyon. Keith Thomson implies that Bill Branyon and those who support his candidacy must be racist because he’s running against African American candidate Al Whitesides. But Bill

would be running on progressive issues no matter which district he lived in. He just happens to live in District 1. Many who support him have been involved in work for racial and social justice for years. Keith also implies that Bill is not a real progressive or he wouldn’t be running at all. It is exactly because Bill is running as a progressive that we support him. Bill’s candidacy is about infusing new vitality into our stagnated democracy and bringing issues of vital concern to public attention. Our county commissioners did not act progressively when they unanimously approved $27 million in tax subsidies to Pratt & Whitney to build a climate-busting, fossil-fuel-intensive airplane parts factory here. They ignored public comment when they “rubber-stamped” a deal, done so secretly that it had a code name, “Project Ranger.” Bill believes that this deal needs to be investigated.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 6

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

Bill will also advocate for at least a $15 minimum wage, rent controls or stabilizations, and property-tax freezes on lower- and middle-income households. He supports examining the root causes of violence and homelessness in our community and addressing development processes that seem to only benefit out-of-town developers and hoteliers catering to tourists. If those positions aren’t progressive, we don’t know what are. Check out branyonforcommissioner. org. — Anne Craig, Tom Craig, Clare Hanrahan, Cheryl Orengo, Laura Patlove and Lorrie Striefel Asheville — Diane Finn Candler Editor’s note: Anne Craig, Finn and Striefel report volunteering for Branyon’s campaign.

Branyon will seek referendum on development I am writing to endorse Bill Branyon for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1 seat. I’ve known Bill for more than 30 years, and his interest in the well-being of Asheville and Buncombe County has been evident throughout this time period. The concern for truly unmanaged overgrowth in our area is a pressing issue for a majority of the folks in our area, and Mr. Branyon is someone willing to help us take a clear look at what is happening to the gorgeous area we all call home. Bill plans to do something about this. He will call for a countywide referendum seeking countywide support on what is the desire of our citizens. With true citizen input, Buncombe County will have a framework for our development future. Similarly, almost everyone in Asheville worries about violent crime and whether police intervention is too little or too much. Mr. Branyon proposes the decriminalization of marijuana so that the police will not be involved in the activity that causes much of the violent crime — as well as much of the police intervention. Bill’s goal is to enact a harm-reduction policy toward illegal drug abuse, not a mass incarceration one, and thus massively reduce the violence that occurs from the current policy. How much longer are we going to call folks criminal for smoking marijuana? This needs to change. I, like many, am extremely concerned about the rising cost of housing in our community. In 1978, I rented a two-bedroom house on 26 acres 5 miles out of town for $130 a month. In 1980, I was earning around $7 an hour and

able to buy a 2,000-square-foot house for $28,000. What has happened? Now, in this same neighborhood, not two blocks away, a 3,300-square-foot house just sold for $1.4 million. How crazy is that!? My taxes are going up, and everyone else in this community is having the same issue. Bill wants to promote a tax system that does not hurt the person who grew up here. He wants to protect middle- and low-income families from losing their homes to high taxes! It is the right thing to do. Homelessness is a serious issue. Bill does not admit to have an answer to this. In all honesty, who does? But Bill does want to work within our county to look at and hopefully help find pragmatic avenues to address these concerns. It is not an easy issue to solve! Finally, and foremost, Bill is a driven peace activist! He will work to ensure that any new industry coming to our area will promote peace and not war. The atrocities we are seeing on YouTube and the internet bring to the forefront all that is wrong with our world. While Pratt & Whitney will provide locals with good-paying jobs, there are other industries that can model low-impact, high-income job opportunities that don’t link our county to weapons and war. Bill will work to bring such opportunities to our mountains! Good for him, right? For me, it is good for Buncombe County. I hope you look at him as a new voice for all of us. Thanks for considering him as your candidate for District 1 in the county I love. He’s got my vote! — Paul Godfrey Asheville

Why no coverage for Reject Raytheon protest? You would think a news story about a lengthy and spirited protest on a Blue Ridge Parkway bridge, about Jack Cecil and Biltmore Farms, about the new Pratt & Whitney factory under construction, about an active and growing group of county residents incensed that county commissioners showered millions of dollars in local tax breaks upon a multibillion dollar, internationally notorious armaments manufacturer — you would think such a story would merit coverage by the Asheville Citizen Times as significant, relevant and interesting news from our community for its readers. That’s what newspapers are supposed to do, right? Alas, you would be wrong. On April 22, Reject Raytheon Asheville organized a public Earth Day celebration and rally at Bent Creek River Park near Raytheon’s nearly completed Pratt & Whitney jet engine manufac-

turing facility. Speakers at the rally decried both the county’s lack of transparency and public review in recruiting Raytheon to come here as well as the deadly threat that massive arms sales and bloated military budgets pose to emergency climate-crisis mitigation goals already decades behind schedule. But Citizen Times subscribers didn’t read about it because Citizen Times editors decided not to cover it. And what else did those readers miss? Just the part about the boisterous parade over a parkway bridge across the French Broad River (accompanied by the Brass Your Heart band) overlooking a busy construction site where eight people risked arrest for carrying a banner proclaiming “Wind Turbines Not War Machines” and standing their ground against a long line of dump trucks, motor graders and security personnel. (The eight people were charged with misdemeanor trespass by Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department officers after more than two hours in the road.) Let’s be real. Biltmore Farms, Jack Cecil and Pratt & Whitney are no doubt delighted to have Asheville Citizen Times’ active cooperation in denying this and similar stories the light of day because they fear the scrutiny an

honest and full public conversation will bring. Sadly for its readership and its journalistic integrity, however, the CT’s subservient relationship to these backroom dealers is a disheartening spectacle that should greatly trouble anyone who still believes in the need for fair and thorough reporting on behalf of the public interest. — Greg Yost Mars Hill Editor’s note: Xpress contacted the Citizen Times for a response but did not receive a reply by press time.

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With the staggering number of guns owned by private citizens in this country (estimated at 300 million) used to kill tens of thousands of Americans yearly, I would propose the following. Ask all patriotic gun owners in Western North Carolina to send their excess firearms to the brave Ukrainian resistance fighters. That way, these guns could kill more war criminals and less fellow Americans. Sounds like a win-win to me. — Charlie Flynn Asheville

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OPINION

Just say no to Raytheon

“Marrying one of the world’s biggest war corporations has consequences.”

Shouldn’t we be putting people first?

BY MELODY SHANK At the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners’ Feb. 15 meeting, I presented a petition on behalf of Reject Raytheon AVL. Signed by more than 300 people, it asked the commissioners to reconsider their approval of $27 million in economic development incentives to Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies — and, more importantly and urgently, to enact a moratorium on approving new industrial facilities with ties to the military. Ever since the news broke about the company’s decision to build a 1.2 millionsquare-foot factory here, our coalition has spoken out against the plan. Our concerns include the environmental impact on the French Broad River, the disruption or destruction of the habitats of numerous vulnerable species in the nearby forest and wetlands, and the misguided move away from a path that would mitigate the climate crisis (the U.S. military, for which Pratt & Whitney builds jet engines, contributes mightily to greenhouse gas emissions). There’s also the lack of transparency that kept residents — and, apparently, the county commissioners themselves — in the dark during the negotiations. But beyond all that, we object to welcoming the world’s second-largest defense contractor — or, more accurately, war corporation — to our beautiful mountains, our city and our neighborhood. MONEY TALKS Chamber of Commerce staffers were exuberant about landing a Fortune 500 company that would bring well-paying jobs to the area. It would be a draw for

other Big Tech and advanced manufacturing businesses. And, they noted, it would put Asheville on the radar of international companies and investors. So why is this a problem? Why shouldn’t we all be thrilled? Jobs! Influence! Property tax revenues! New investment! More jobs! Not so fast. Marrying one of the world’s biggest war corporations has consequences. And big it is. Last year, Raytheon reported a $3.9 billion profit on sales of $64.4 billion, second only to Lockheed Martin’s $67 billion. In 2019 and 2020 alone, the federal government awarded Raytheon military contracts worth $54 billion, according to Brown University’s Costs of War Project. Remember: These are our tax dollars. And in those same years, Pratt & Whitney, which was part of United Technologies until a 2020 merger, received contracts worth at least $10 billion. A substantial percentage of Raytheon’s total revenues comes from arms sales to foreign countries, enabling the company to fill its pockets while extending the military’s reach across the globe. Not exactly a benign enterprise. And I won’t even get into the amount of waste in these deals. Bringing a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies to Western North Carolina extends the reach of what President Dwight D. Eisenhower presciently called “the military-industrial complex” far beyond its already substantial presence in our state. Military facilities dot much of Eastern North Carolina, and Fort Bragg, outside Fayetteville, is among the world’s largest. Meanwhile, since the early 2000s, military base operations have been increasingly outsourced. Many corporations have sprung up to provide

things like uniforms, food, chemicals, technology, construction and research. Between 2014 and 2019, the total value of defense contracts received by North Carolina companies ballooned from $2.5 billion to $5.2 billion, according to war industry researcher and author Christian Sorensen. Again, those are our tax dollars. THE LONG ARM OF THE ARMAMENTS INDUSTRY Sorensen maintains that most of those smaller defense contractors could convert their products or services for civilian uses as part of a broader transition to an economy built on local needs and sustainability. The Pratt & Whitney deal, however, brings a major player in the military-industrial complex right to our doorstep. Public officials and economic development officers have claimed that the extended reach of this intricate web of influence is not a local concern, but Eisenhower knew better. He predicted that the armaments industry would affect every city and state in the country economically, politically and spiritually. By strategically placing their plants in as many congressional districts as possible, war corporations’ influence trickles up from communities and states to federal decision-makers. Like our local governmental officials, members of Congress find it hard to say no to what these businesses want. Whether it’s county and state tax incentives and grants or federal budgetary dollars, they tend to be approved with few meaningful restrictions. PAYING THE PIPER In addition to billions of dollars in defense contracts, Raytheon has received nearly $1 billion in state and local incentives, loans and other investments from 31 states over the last two decades. At $49 million, North Carolina ranks fourth in the total amount of such subsidies provided to the company since 2000. That figure includes the $15.5 million Job Development Investment Grant that the N.C. Department of Commerce gave Raytheon for the 800 jobs the company claims it will create in Asheville over 10 years. And when its current agreement with Buncombe County expires, Raytheon may well ask for more. In the

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MELODY SHANK mid-1990s, the company threatened to move its headquarters out of state unless Massachusetts provided additional concessions. After a prolonged public relations campaign, Raytheon won, saving millions of dollars in corporate income taxes. Similarly, General Dynamics, another of the largest U.S. defense contractors, demanded $60 million in tax rebates from Maine to keep Bath Iron Works in the state. After citizens protested, the dollar amount was lowered to $45 million. I suspect that Raytheon will be back to request additional “assistance” a decade hence. A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES The sad truth is, the Raytheons of the world don’t care much about the people who live in the places where they operate. Their main goals are generating profits and gaining political influence. Period. And their already ample profits are substantially inflated by our federal, state and local tax dollars. To be clear, Raytheon is not some small business that makes uniforms or prepares provisions for soldiers. It’s a megacorporation that uses the promise of jobs to fill its and its shareholders’ pockets. It isn’t helping us move toward a green economy or find solutions to the climate crisis. It’s not helping to bolster the essential social safety net in communities across the country. Instead, this company is promoting war and instability worldwide — serving itself and the military-industrial complex while eating up resources, at all levels of government, that could be used to meet the actual needs of humanity and the planet. For all these reasons, both Reject Raytheon AVL and I say, “No thank you, Raytheon.” Melody Shank, a retired professor of education, has lived in Swannanoa since 2014. X

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NEWS

Software with a soul

Asheville-based entrepreneurs shape a service-centered tech sector BY COURTNEY KELLY hello@courtneykellywrites.com Asheville’s technology sector is a relatively small part of the region’s economy. As of May 2021, the last period for which U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic data is available, just 1.5% of those employed in the metropolitan area worked in “computer and mathematical operations,” compared with more than 11% of workers in the leading category of “food preparation and serving-related occupations.” But just like restaurant proprietors, local tech entrepreneurs take pride in their Asheville-inflected approach to business. The firms flourishing here combine a devotion to quality with a sense of social responsibility, aiming to make up for their modest proportions in societal impact. SUCCESS IN HUMAN TERMS One way Western North Carolina tech firms achieve this goal is by prioritizing human measurements of success. Soomo Learning, an Asheville-based education technology company, gauges performance in terms of student achievement. It creates customized, interactive web texts for postsecondary schools that “cost less and work better than a traditional textbook,” as CEO Mary Jane Lindrum puts it. The company works with large online schools like Southern New Hampshire University, Western Governors University and Strayer University, Lindrum explains, to improve the effectiveness of current teaching methods. “We’ve enabled these schools to try new approaches to curriculum delivery and increase their agility and responsiveness to students,” she says. “As a result, more students are succeeding in their college courses.” For Matthew Bacoate, founder of Asheville Community Enterprises, the value of an endeavor doesn’t have to be strictly quantifiable. His app, SafePlusMore, enables individuals in crisis to immediately and anonymously get the professional help they need. Having just been soft launched, the app has already saved one person’s life. “That’s a human being that’s not dead today that’s still with their fam10

MAY 4-10, 2022

DEVELOPING MINDS: Bob Williams, left, and Charles Long established Asheville’s Swift App School to help students from backgrounds currently underrepresented in tech. Photo courtesy of Swift App School ily. I don’t care how much I put into this app; that’s worth everything to me,” says Bacoate. Charles Long and Bob Williams, co-founders of the Swift App School, measure their company’s success in terms of youth empowerment. Based in downtown Asheville’s Hatch Innovation Hub building, their summer camps teach middle and high school students how to build fully functioning apps from start to finish. In addition to equipping young people with invaluable coding and design skills, the duo offers graduates opportunities for paid work as teach-

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ing assistants or content creators for their camp. “To me, that’s the most rewarding piece: to see our students become teachers. We currently have two students who are building games for us, and I am in awe of what they’re doing,” Williams says. TACKLING SOCIAL ISSUES These and other entrepreneurs in Asheville say they are drawn to the field not because of the profits technology development can offer but because of the social problems

it can solve. The Swift App School founders know that underserved student populations in WNC lack opportunity for advancement, and they built their program to fix that. “My parents were living paycheck to paycheck,” recalls Long. “They were barely making any money, so they wouldn’t have been able to sign me up for programs. Without one of my math teachers taking it upon himself to show me how to code, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Students in underserved communities just need someone to mentor them, to show them what’s possible.” Lindrum and her team at Soomo share a devotion to making learning accessible for more individuals. “That’s why we don’t aim for a reading level that’s above 12th grade in our intro courses,” she says. “We don’t want to prevent students from engaging with content that could position them for success down the road because it’s too hard to read. We want our platform to help level the playing field.” While the Swift App School and Soomo Learning confront education disparities, another Asheville-based tech company founder, Harpreet Cheema, tackles issues in health care. During her 15-year tenure working in health care tech, she says she learned a great deal about who health care systems fail and why. “The pandemic has exacerbated the already glaring need for a range of centralized, affordable wellness services, especially those addressing mental health,” she explains. This problem, especially as it affects communities of color, is what prompted Cheema to build her online marketplace, HealthBook ME. HealthBook ME streamlines individuals’ access to a broad spectrum of providers, including therapists, nutritionists, yoga and meditation instructors, and women’s health specialists. At the same time that it enables users to connect with professionals that suit their budgets and needs, Cheema’s platform offers providers an all-in-one toolkit for reaching potential clients, booking appointments and holding virtual/telehealth sessions. By allowing health and wellness professionals to use built-in tools for a nominal subscription fee, she says, HealthBookME lowers the overhead that contributes to healthcare’s expense. Like Cheema, Bacoate built his SafePlusMore platform to address the barriers preventing individuals from getting the mental health assistance they need. “It’s not that the services available to help people with substance addictions or other mental health challenges don’t work; it’s

HELPING HAND: SafePlusMore, an app designed by Asheville’s Matthew Bacoate, left, helps people in crisis to anonymously connect with professional help. Photo courtesy of Bacoate that they’re not reaching the people they’re intended to support,” says Bacoate, who’s worked in community reentry and substance abuse services for 25 years. “The one thing I know about substance abuse, mental illness and recovery is that everyone has a moment of clarity at some point,” he continues. “The problem is that there’s usually no one around when that moment of clarity happens.” Determined to smooth the connection between individuals and the resources they need, Bacoate turned to software. Not only are mobile devices constant companions

— one 2019 survey found the average American checked their phone 96 times per day — but they’re also nonjudgemental ones. The fact that SafePlusMore users can access assistance anonymously is critical to the app’s functionality, Bacoate says. As he’s seen firsthand, many people in crisis don’t reach out for help because admitting they have substance abuse issues or mental health challenges is too risky. In some cases, it could cost them their support system; in others, it could cost them their jobs. “I want people to know that with SafePlusMore, you have a friend in the palm of your hand. No matter what you’re going through, the person on the other end of the app won’t know you, but they’re going to be someone you can talk to,” he explains. “You get the support you need anonymously, and that will allow you to become more comfortable with the bigger picture of getting help.”

we want to empower more types of people from more backgrounds to bring their ideas and visions to life,” Williams says. “A lot more young women are interested in our camp now, and last summer, our camp was much more diverse than it’s ever been.” And part of the reason Cheema created HealthBook ME, she says, is to provide individuals of color with access to therapists and counselors they can relate to. “If I were to tell a counselor born in the States that I grew up in India in a joint family with 10 other kids, they might not be able to fully understand my upbringing,” she explains. “Likewise, the discrimination that I’ve experienced as a person of color is hard to explain to a therapist who has not also experienced it firsthand.” This is why Cheema has focused on making her platform both comprehensive and affordable for providers: The greater the number and variety of professionals making their services available on HealthBook ME, she suggests, the better the chances platform users can find a provider they feel comfortable working with. “This is an attempt to democratize health and wellness,” she says. X

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PROMOTING INCLUSION

CARE PARTNER: Harpreet Cheema, the Asheville-based developer of HealthBook ME, aims to streamline patient access to health providers such as therapists, nutritionists and yoga instructors. Photo courtesy of Cheema

Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion is a core mission for many local tech firms. Long and Williams, for example, have doubled down on their efforts to teach underserved youths and girls the skills they need to enter an industry long dominated by white men. They’ve raised money so that they can offer camp scholarships to individuals in need, and they’ve partnered with area nonprofits such as My Daddy Taught Me That to expand their community reach. “It’s not good for just one kind of person to be controlling technology; MOUNTAINX.COM

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DEVELOPMENT ROUNDUP

Airport expansion up for county approval City of Asheville The public will be able to provide input on two developments and a rezoning proposal at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, which will take place in person at City Hall’s first-floor North Conference Room at 70 Court Plaza. The Design Review Committee will meet virtually 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19; the agenda for that meeting was not available as of press time. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION Members of the public can submit comments over email and voicemail until 24 hours prior to the meeting or provide in-person comment during the meeting itself. Instructions on how to attend and comment are available at avl.mx/8b6.

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Redwood Commons (21 Governors View Road, Asheville, 28805) Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, a Columbus, Ohiobased developer, is seeking to erect a 18,500-square-foot apartment building containing 70 one- and two-bedroom units for affordable senior living near the Swannanoa River. Documents for the proposal can be viewed at avl.mx/baj.

Buncombe County

PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF: A proposed terminal expansion at the Asheville Regional Airport would involve eight phases of work and run through April 2026. Rendering courtesy of Buncombe County Proposed Rezoning (285 Livingston Avenue and 415 S. French Broad Avenue, 28801) The city’s Planning and Urban Design Department (PUD) proposes to update the open space requirements in the city’s Unified Development Ordinance for two city-owned parcels located at 285 Livingston Ave., which includes the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, and 415 S. French Broad Ave, where Fire Station no. 2 is located. Currently, this land is zoned as River Arts District-Open Space/ Public Facilities; the proposal would return the parcels to their prior zoning of Residential Multifamily, Medium Density. The recommendations come from the city’s Open Space Task Force, created in February 2021 to promote access to open space, mitigate flooding and erosion through improved stormwater management and increase housing by removing regulations on infill housing. (Infill housing refers to new construction or changes to existing property in urban areas that are either vacant or used for another purpose.) Todd Okolichany, the city’s PUD director, tells Xpress, “The intent of this change is to better preserve open space along the French Broad River, which includes a majority of RAD-OSP zoned property. However, we don’t want to restrict the proposed improvements to the Grant Center, including the new pool, or any future potential enhancements to Fire Station 2; hence the proposed rezoning from RAD-OSP to RM-8.” Rezoning these areas requires overriding city Resolution 20-184, which suspended the rezoning or

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sale of any city property acquired by urban renewal. A city staff presentation to City Council’s Planning & Economic Development Committee can be found here. The staff report can be found here. Ingles #122 Patton Avenue (1001 Patton Avenue, 28806) This project was on the agenda for April 6 but postponed to the May hearing. Ingles Markets is requesting a zoning change from Highway Business to Commercial Expansion – Conditional Zone to redevelop a 14.45-acre site at the intersection of Patton and Louisiana Avenue with a new store, a gas station and additional retail space. Application materials, including site plans and a traffic study, are available at avl.mx/bf1.

Three projects requiring special use permits and a zoning variance will be on the agenda for the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment meeting at noon Wednesday, May 11. One of these, the Hawthorne at Holbrook project, was continued from the April 13 meeting. Information on how to attend the meeting and apply for comment can be found at avl.mx/anq. ArtSpace Charter School Expansion (2030 US Highway 70, Swannanoa, 28778) ArtSpace Charter School, a K-8 charter school with a visual and performing arts approach to education, requests a special use permit to build a two-story, 11,884-square-foot classroom building on 3.2 acres. Staff notes indicate that the privacy fence on the current plans does not reach the 8-foot minimum requirement. Additionally, the N.C. Department of Transportation recommends removing a crosswalk planned for the southwestern end of the building in favor of widening a crosswalk planned at the northwestern end. Detailed project documents are available at avl.mx/bif.

April 6 P&Z At last month’s meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously 4-0 to recommend approval for the development below. Geoffrey Barton, director of real estate development at Mountain Housing Opportunities, recused himself from the discussion and vote because his nonprofit is a development partner on the project. Commissioners Robert Hoke and Jenifer Bubenik were absent. Deaverview Infill Apartments (275 Deaverview Road, 28806) The Asheville Housing Authority requested that the zoning status of the Deaverview Apartments be changed from Residential Multi-Family High-Density to Residential Expansion – Conditional Zone. This change is required because a proposed rebuilding of the development includes over 50 residential units. All units are designed to be affordable for a minimum of 30 years for households earning 60% or less of the average median income ($31,600 for an individual or $45,300 for a family of four); an unspecified number of units would be affordable at incomes of 30% and 50% AMI. Asheville City Council considered the request at its April 26 meeting but continued the public hearing to Tuesday, May 10, after some Council members asked if affordability could instead be guaranteed in perpetuity. All available documents, including application forms and site plans, are available at avl.mx/bex.

Asheville Airport Terminal Expansion (61 Terminal Drive, Fletcher, 28732) The Greater Asheville Airport Regional Authority is requesting a special use permit to expand and modernize the Asheville Regional Airport terminal. Architectural firm Gresham Smith plans to add a new level to the existing building, expand the ticketing area and increase the number of gates to 12. The building’s footprint will increase from roughly 113,000 square feet to 255,765 square feet, with an additional 24,235 square feet for a new, separate central energy plant. Construction firm Hensel Phelps currently estimates that the project will be completed by spring 2026. Work will proceed in eight separate phases to allow for continued use of the airport during expansion. Detailed project documents are available at avl.mx/big. Hawthorne at Holbrook (36 Crowell Road, Asheville, 28806) Greensboro-based Cromwell Farms Holdings seeks to build a 299-unit multi-family complex on 31.8 vacant acres in Asheville near Candler. The current plan has 11 buildings listed, including a clubhouse, two garages, poolhouse, dog

run and outdoor pavilion. The apartment and townhome buildings will be three stories each, with a maximum height of 60 feet. Detailed project documents are available at avl.mx/bem. Schlom Variance (26 Hopedale Circle, Asheville, 28806) Skyland realtor Barry Bialik of Dirt and Sticks. seeks a variance to reduce the required setbacks on a 0.13 acre parcel of land in West Asheville. When the original home was built, this part of Buncombe County fell under Asheville’s zoning ordinances, but when the state legislature removed the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction over the area in 2013, the property became regulated by the county. The home was subsequently destroyed in a storm. Bialik maintains that a new home cannot be built under the current county standards for R-3 zoning, which require 20 feet of setback from property lines. The owner therefore requests that the northern property line setback be reduced to 15 feet 5 inches and the western setbacks reduced to no more than 12 feet 5 inches. Detailed project documents are available at avl.mx/bih.

— Sara Murphy X

Airport expansion timeline The following proposed timeline is drawn from a document by construction firm Hensel Phelps, available at avl.mx/bj0. Feb.-Oct. 2022: Parking lot improvements and airfield lighting. Aug. 2022-Aug. 2023: Construct central energy plant. March 2023-Aug. 2024: Add gates 6-12 to north concourse. Sept. 2024-April 2024: Renovate north ticketing hall and air ticketing offices, renovate Level 2 administration space and expand south baggage claim. July 2024-Dec. 2025: Expand south concourse Sept. 2024-Aug. 2025: Renovate south air ticketing offices and expand north baggage claim. Sept. 2024-Oct. 2025: Upgrade central security screening checkpoint and vertical circulation (ramps, stairs, elevators). Feb-April 2026: Renovate temporary screening checkpoint.

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BUNCOMBE BEAT

Council approves more funding for Ramada deal Asheville City Council’s April 26 meeting brought a new wrinkle to the already shambolic process of establishing permanent supportive housing at an East Asheville Ramada Inn. In a 4-3 vote, members agreed to waive nearly $80,000 in payment the city had expected from Californiabased Shangri-La Industries, a private company Council had tapped in December to buy and redevelop the motel as affordable units for at least 100 homeless residents. Asheville’s agreement with Shangri-La had followed shortly after the city’s effort to buy and convert the Ramada into a low-barrier homeless shelter fell through amid community concerns and funding problems. The proposal was announced Dec. 3, and the sole public meeting on the deal was held with one day’s notice Dec. 8. Council then approved transferring its purchase contract for the property to Shangri-La Dec. 15, with only Antanette Mosley opposed. As part of that deal, Shangri-La had agreed to reimburse Asheville for $79,500 in due diligence costs the city had already spent during its pursuit of the low-barrier shelter. But as explained by Nikki Reid, the city’s community and economic development director, the developer had since been informed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that the Ramada would require a full environmental assessment before it could be sold, a requirement that would delay the closing date by three months. The current owners of the Ramada Inn, who had closed the motel in anticipation of the sale, asked

LET’S MAKE A DEAL: Asheville’s agreement with Shangri-La Industries had followed shortly after the city’s effort to buy and convert the East Asheville Ramada Inn into a low-barrier homeless shelter fell through. Photo by Brooke Randle Shangri-La for $250,000 in additional earnest money due to the delay, as well as $2,500 per day in lost operating revenue. The developer thus asked the city to waive the due diligence reimbursement to help cover the unexpected expenses. Waiving the reimbursement, Reid said, would reinforce the city’s commitment to the project and encourage the seller to complete the sale.

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“The ability to waive is just another signal in partnership with this organization,” she continued. “If the deal doesn’t happen, we don’t get those funds anyway.” Opposing the waiver were Council members Mosley, Sage Turner and Kim Roney. Mosley reiterated transparency and process concerns about how Shangri-La was chosen for the project that she had previously raised in December. “My understanding is that we had someone in one department reach out to one of his friends and said, ‘Let’s make a deal,’” she said. “One of the concerns that was frequently in my inbox was, ‘What happens if Shangri-La comes back for additional money because they can’t do what they’re saying they’re doing?’” added Turner. “And here we are: They haven’t even closed and are asking for money. It’s a little alarming.” Resident and mayoral candidate Jonathan Wainscott was the only member of the public to speak during the public hearing on the waiver. He called the project “sloppy from the very beginning.”

“[The contract] happened in 6-10 days of just some quick phone calls. It’s hard for me to see a whole lot of due diligence in the process in the first place,” Wainscott said. “[The reimbursement] is just sort of a bonus fee that they should be paying because it got fast-tracked through the process to begin with.” Meanwhile, Mayor Esther Manheimer said that Council should focus on the end result of the project: providing much-needed housing for Asheville’s homeless residents. “I guess I have concerns about whether or not we’re committed to addressing homelessness in our community,” Manheimer said. “Maybe this Council will need to have more in-depth discussion about what we think is our lane, in terms of that work. Because if it’s not supporting permanent supportive housing, that needs to be clear.” “I don’t want to be painted in a corner for not supporting permanent supportive housing,” Mosley shot back. “I don’t like the way this came up. We did it too quickly, in my opinion. We look sloppy, in my opinion. And I feel that my original gut instinct was correct, because we are here today because we didn’t do the appropriate due diligence earlier.” LEGISLATIVE AGENDA APPROVED WITH OCCUPANCY, SALES TAX REQUESTS Council members also voted to approve their 2022 Short Session Legislative Agenda, which aims to provide direction to the N.C. General Assembly on issues specific to Asheville. Among the requests from Council was an ask to reform Buncombe County’s occupancy tax, shifting more funds away from marketing and expanding allowable uses to include maintenance. Asheville is also asking for authority to hold a referendum on a quarter-cent sales tax increase, with proceeds to be dedicated toward public transit. Currently, only counties are permitted to hold such referendums. Sandra Kilgore was the only Council member to vote against any element of the agenda. She did not support the sales tax referendum request, saying that the tax would hurt small-business owners; Kilgore is currently engaged in a primary campaign against Democratic state Sen. Julie Mayfield, who has introduced a bill that would grant Asheville the referendum authority. The Assembly’s short session is expected to begin Wednesday, May 18.

— Brooke Randle X

BUNCOMBE BEAT

School board candidates stake out positions in first forum “We did it,” said Honor Moor, founder of the Asheville City Schools District Wide Parent Group on Facebook. “We are getting an elected school board.” Moor’s remarks to the audience of roughly 100 people at the Asheville City Schools Board of Education candidate forum April 22 acknowledged the big changes underway in local school leadership. The current five-member board, appointed by Asheville City Council, is transitioning to an elected body and expanding to seven seats. As outlined in November legislation by the N.C. General Assembly, four members will be picked this election cycle, with the remaining three elected in 2024. The forum, hosted at A-B Tech by the Asheville City Association of Educators in partnership with Moor’s thousand-strong Facebook group and the Asheville High School Student Government Association, offered parents, teachers and students their first look at candidates vying to represent the Asheville school district’s first elected board. Nine candidates are on the ballot, including Pepi Acebo, president of the Montford North Star Academy Parent Teacher Organization; former Asheville City Schools teacher Liza EnglishKelly; youth movement instructor Miri Massachi; attorney Amy Ray; housing counselor and OnTrack WNC program coordinator Rebecca Strimer; attorney Sarah Thornburg; and former U.S. Marine and JROTC instructor Jesse J. Warren. William Young Jr., a longtime employee of the Asheville City School system and father of former Asheville City Council member Keith Young, is also running, although he did not attend the April 22 forum. Also absent was Sara Shea, who will appear on the ballot but told Xpress April 25 that she was withdrawing from the race. (More information about each candidate can be found in Xpress’ Primary Voter Guide at avl.mx/bip.) Those candidates elected to the board will face an eventful first term. The new members will help pick a new superintendent after the recently announced November retirement of Superintendent Gene Freeman. Asheville City Schools also has some of the largest achievement and opportunity gaps between Black and white students anywhere in the state, and the system is experiencing both a wave of resignations and declining financial reserves. With so many changes and challenges ahead, Xpress rounded up a few highlights of the evening.

NEW DAY: On April 22, parents, teachers and students had their first look at candidates vying to represent the Asheville school district’s first elected board. Photo by Brooke Randle CONSOLIDATION WITH BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS All of the candidates agreed that consolidating Asheville City Schools with Buncombe County Schools was a bad idea. Some community members have floated consolidation as a possible answer to the Asheville system’s ongoing fiscal woes. Acebo maintained that consolidation would require Buncombe County to raise its school taxes to meet those of the Asheville district, which may not be welcome news to all county residents. “On a financial level, that means that we’ve got to have the same tax rates. And I’m not sure that Buncombe County as a whole is ready for that,” he said. “But I think that there are parts of the city of Asheville that are not currently in the Asheville City Schools district that might be ready for that and might be ready to join us.” Meanwhile, Massachi said that Asheville City Schools students, parents and teachers are a “very unique” ecosystem of people. “I think our needs here are very different,” she said. Ray added that she wasn’t in favor of consolidation. “If that’s where I thought we were headed, I would not be sitting here tonight. “We are in a crisis moment right now. Let’s not kid ourselves. We are at risk of consolidation if we don’t get our house in order, … [which] means that we have to have a system in which our teachers feel supported and want to teach here,” Ray continued.

STUDENTS AND MENTAL HEALTH

SCHOOL CLOSURES

After two years of virtual learning, masking and other COVID-19 safety protocols, the mental health needs of students may be at an all-time high. Daniel Withrow, president of the Asheville City Association of Educators, asked candidates what specific mental health interventions for students they would advocate. “It’s easy to forget that we are living through a slow-moving trauma, and our children are being hurt. What has happened over the course of the last two years is not normal and is not OK,” said Strimer. “I’m very impressed by the model of Asheville Middle School’s new in-school health center. … I see that as a long-term solution, because I’m very wary of bringing in support with temporary money, only to face a fiscal cliff when that money’s gone.” “I think the students probably know better than anybody what they’re struggling with, and some student-led initiatives that provide new ways of doing it would be worth pursuing,” added Thornburg. Meanwhile, Warren advocated for a more hands-on approach. “I would love to go into your classroom each and every day and just walk in to help kids, see them in the hallway and see them in the cafeteria,” said Warren. “I’d just say, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ You’d be surprised how much love that a kid will receive from that.”

“The closing of Asheville Primary was highly contentious,” Moore said to the candidates, referencing a December board decision to shutter the Montessori magnet school. “Would you support the continued closure of additional Asheville city schools in order to balance the budget? While no candidates said they agreed with the closing of schools, many left the option on the table should the school system continue to lose money. “I am not in favor of closing schools. It’s not something I want to do. One thing that I will do at all times if I’m elected to the Board of Education is be honest with you. I will not make promises I can’t keep. I will not tell you things because I think it’s what you want to hear,” said Strimer. English-Kelly explained that she began working at Asheville Primary School in 2017, the year it was first established. “I watched and witnessed how the city schools did not stand behind its own school from its infancy,” she said. “Reactionary measures, like closing a school that is successfully building relationships and transforming the face of education and expanding access to programs that are typically limited to people who are able to pay private tuition, is unacceptable. It will not fix decades of fiduciary mismanagement. We have to do better.”

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— Brooke Randle X MAY 4-10, 2022

N EWS

BUNCOMBE BEAT

Salary increases drive Buncombe County budget growth As inflation continues to percolate through the U.S. economy — with the federal consumer price index, a standardized measure of costs for goods and services, rising by 8.5% from March 2021 to March 2022 — nearly everything is getting more expensive. That includes the government labor Buncombe County residents pay for through their taxes. During the county Board of Commissioners’ April 26 work session, interim Budget Director John Hudson presented Buncombe’s current revenue and expenditure projections for the 2022-23 fiscal year. By far the biggest driver of spending growth, accounting for $14.6 million of a projected $20.4 million in new general fund expenses, is salaries and benefits. Total general fund spending on employees is estimated at $170.8 million, over 43% of the nearly $394 million general fund budget. Part of the increase will cover Buncombe’s largest staff expansion

SLICING THE PIE: The plurality of Buncombe County’s projected general fund spending for fiscal year 2022-23 — about $170.8 million, or more than 43% of the nearly $394 million budget — is slated to go toward salaries and benefits. Graphic courtesy of Buncombe County since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The county now expects to add 61 positions, down from an earlier proposal of 71, at a cost of roughly $4.1 million; the starting dates of some

SNAPSHOT

MAKING A STAND: Eight members of the Reject Raytheon Asheville coalition — including, from left, Gerry Werhan, Lyle Peterson and Padma Dyvine — were cited for misdemeanor trespassing after an April 22 action to block Old River Road, the main access to the Pratt & Whitney plant being built in Bent Creek. The group has expressed concerns over the plant’s future role in making military equipment and contributing to climate change. “We are working on hybrid electric, hydrogen and other alternative fuels to help the industry reduce or eliminate its dependence on fossil fuels. The military aircraft we power are engaged in defensive operations designed to help defend freedom around the world,” wrote Pratt & Whitney spokesperson Cataldo Perrone when asked for comment. Photo by Pamela Mumby

MAY 4-10, 2022

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new hires will be staggered over the coming fiscal year to reduce costs. Hudson’s presentation did not list which positions had been cut from the initial proposal. When asked why the number had been reduced, he said only that Buncombe finance staff had determined the county couldn’t afford adding all 71 hires in one year. In addition to a nearly 4.7% costof-living increase for all current employees at a cost of about $5.7 million, the budget also includes nearly $5 million in pay hikes tied to the county’s recently completed compensation study. The study, which has been underway since March 2019, aims to address salary inconsistencies among Buncombe employees and make the county more competitive with other local government employers. (Details on which specific employees would receive raises as a result of the study were not included in the presentation.) The county has already approved a raise for staff at the Buncombe County Detention Facility requested by Sheriff Quentin Miller. In a unanimous April 19 vote, commissioners increased pay for all jail employees by $3 an hour, at an annual cost to taxpayers of about $864,000, and signaled they would be open to further raises if necessary to improve staff recruitment and retention. Buncombe’s next budget work session is scheduled for Tuesday, May 10, at which local school systems and fire districts will present their funding requests. County Manager Avril Pinder will present her recommended budget Thursday, May 19. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7. The

Board of Commissioners will then vote to approve a final budget at its regular meeting Tuesday, June 21. COUNTY FLOATS DEDICATED FUNDING FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS Although Buncombe County doles out a good deal of cash to local nonprofits that align with its strategic goals — roughly $10.5 million, not counting federal pandemic relief funding, in the current fiscal year — none of that money is specifically earmarked toward supporting local arts and culture. At their April 26 work session, commissioners explored the idea of adding a dedicated budget item for that sector. Rachel Nygaard, the county’s strategic partnerships director, ran through several possibilities for the county’s approach to arts funding. One option would be a block grant to the nonprofit Asheville Area Arts Council, the county’s officially designated arts agency. The AAAC might then handle allocation and administration of those funds for specific projects. Neither Nygaard nor the commissioners named a specific amount they would consider for such a grant, but the county received about $250,000 in grant requests for arts and cultural programs through its current Strategic Partnership and Tipping Point programs this year. Commissioners Terri Wells and Al Whitesides said they were interested in exploring the idea and asked Nygaard to come back with a more detailed proposal in a future budget session.

— Daniel Walton X

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MAY 4-10, 2022

COMMUNITY CALENDAR MAY 4 - 12, 2022 For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.

Online Events = Shaded HEALTH, WELLNESS & OUTDOORS Sparkle Time Holistic Senior Exercise Aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibility. Proof of vaccines required. Every Monday and Wednesday. MO (5/9), WE (5/4, 11), 10:30am, Avery’s Creek Community Center, 899 Glennbridge Rd SE, Arden Men’s Cancer Support Group RSVP to Will at 412-913-0272 or acwein123@gmail.com to safely meet in a large conference room and stay socially distant while wearing masks. Proof of covid vaccination or professional test results within 72 hours are also required. WE (5/4), 6pm, Woodfin YMCA, 40 N Merrimon Ave Anxiety Support Group Held the first and third Thursday each month. Contact maniwnc.org or (828)505-7353 for more information. TH (5/5) Montford Tai Chi Hosted by local acupuncturist Tyler White. All ages, every Thursday. TH (5/5, 12), 9am, Montford Recreation Center, 34 Pearson Dr Introduction to Tai Chi Pre-registration required ashevillecommunityyoga.com. TH (5/5, 12), 10:30am, Asheville Community Yoga Center, 8 Brookdale Rd

Asheville Outlets Hosts American Red Cross Blood Drive Help the current critical need - register in advance by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/ give and enter the sponsor code AshevilleOutlets. TH (5/5), 11am, Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd Upper Catawba Falls Hike A moderate 4.3 mile round trip hike on a section of one of the oldest wagon roads into the Valley from Old Fort. The hike will be led by Rick and Melinda Halford, who are the caretakers of the historic tract. SA (5/7), 9am, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 W State St, Black Mountain Waves On The Edge: LGBTQ Sweat Your Prayers Safe space for Queer people to move. No dance experience required, just willing to be open and curious. Hosted by certified 5Rhythms teacher Karen. Sliding scale. SA (5/7), 9:30am, Haw Creek Commons, 315 Old Haw Creek Rd Annual Spring Wildflower Walk Dr. David Clarke, botanist and Professor of Biology, will lead a walk through the Botanical Gardens and share an entertaining botanical perspective on the plants encountered. Rain or shine, pre-registration and payment required, ashevillebotanicalgardens.square.

site/classes. SU (5/8), 9:30am, $1520, 151 W T Weaver Blvd WNCHA Hidden History Hikes and Tours: Rumbling Bald Hike In February, 1874, the mountains at the eastern edge of the Hickory Nut Gorge began to tremble, shake, and emit plumes of dust, the day after a local preacher delivered a fire and brimstone sermon. Join WNCHA for an easy loop along the southern side of “Rumbling Bald” Mountain and sort fact from fiction while enjoying the natural environment along the way. SA (5/7), 10am, Chimney Rock State Park - Rumbling Bald Access, 827 Boys Camp Rd, Lake Lure Yoga in the Park Asheville Join together alongside the French Broad River for this all-level friendly yoga class based on Hatha and Vinyasa traditions. SA (5/7), SU (5/8), 1:30pm, $10, 220 Amboy Rd Goat Yoga Beginner-friendly yoga with Nigerian Dwarf goats, followed by a beer. Outdoors. SU (5/8), 11am, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy

LET THE FUR FLY: The Amazing Acro-cats, a troupe of touring performing house cats, will take the stage at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts Saturday, May 7, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 8, at 2 p.m. The Acro-cats, which have been featured on Animal Planet, roll on balls, ride skateboards, jump through hoops and more. Photo courtesy of The Amazing Acro-cats WE (5/11), 10:30am, $25-35, Lake Tomahawk Park, 401 S Laurel Circle Dr, Black Mountain

ART

Swannanoa Valley Nature Ramble An informative walk and talk with experienced guide Luke Cannon along Swannanoa Creek near Old Fort, exploring the flora and fauna of the Swannanoa Valley. MO (5/9), 9am, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 W State St, Black Mountain

Faces of Change Youth Artists Empowered captured images and narratives from Asheville residents and neighborhoods that are in danger of being directly impacted by flooding, drought, and climate change, to increase public dialogue. In collaboration with Tepeyac Consulting and the City of Asheville. Closed Tuesdays. $15, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Walk through History: Lake Tomahawk Take a walk and learn the history of Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain, from its creation in 1936 as part of the WPA program to the present.

Gillian Laub's Southern Rites Gillian Laub engages her skills as a photographer, filmmaker, and visual activist to examine the realities of racism and raise questions that are essential to under-

standing the American consciousness. Closed Tuesdays. $15, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Floralia An exhibition to celebrate the birth of spring with glass vessels, botanical sculpture and mixed media, all with a nature theme. Closed Tuesdays. North Carolina Glass Center, 140 Roberts St, Suite B No Man’s Land/Tierra de Nadie A multimedia exhibit by Cuban born artist and photographer Ernesto Javier Fernández. A reception with the artist will be held on May 12, 5pm. Contemporaneo Asheville Gallery-Shop, 4 Biltmore Ave Unconventional Perceptions The artist creates contemporary photographic essays that play with the possibilities of the everyday imagery that surrounds our daily lives. Closed Sundays. Contemporaneo Asheville Gallery-Shop, 4 Biltmore Ave WNC Fibers/ Handweavers Guild Exhibition Processes represented include spinning, shibori, batik, silkscreen, weaving, natural dyeing, needle felting, knitting, and more. Daily. Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway Love is on the Horizon Opening reception for an exhibition of paintings by Asheville's Christopher Peterson. On exhibit through July. TH (5/5), 5pm, The Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St

MAY 4-10, 2022

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Exploring the Buncombe County Turnpike through a 19th-Century Artist’s Eyes This presentation, presented by Preserving a Picturesque Project’s coordinator Scott Varn, will include retracing of the path of the artist who created the original pieces along the Buncombe Turnpike by foot, horseback and boat. MO (5/9), 6:30pm, $10-15, avl.mx/b99

COMMUNITY MUSIC Zoe & Cloyd Bluegrass, folk and old time - part of the spring series in Peterson Amphitheater. Food and beverages available. TH (5/5), 6:30pm, Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon Blue Ridge Ringers: Celebrate Spring Handbell concert. FR (5/6), 7pm, First United Methodist Church, Brevard MO (5/9), 3pm, College Walk Senior Community, Brevard Haywood County Jazz Festival Local middle and high schools perform, with a finale performance from Blue Ridge Big Band. SA (5/7), 4pm, Tuscola High School Auditorium, 564 Tuscola School Rd, Waynesville Steep Canyon Rangers Free For All Concert Cold beer, food vendors and live music starting at 6 with 5J Barrow, featuring YMI Cultural Center as the volunteer partner. SA (5/7), 5pm, Pack Square Park

Insurmountable Odds - Hendersonville Symphony Under Timothy Verville’s baton, three brilliantly orchestrated works showcase the HSO in an evening of overcoming overwhelming odds. SA (5/7), 7:30pm, $12-45, Blue Ridge Community College Conference Hall, 49 E Campus Dr, Flat Rock Chuck Brodsky Americana - part of the spring series in the Peterson Amphitheater, with food and beverages available. TH (5/12), 6:30pm, Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon J. Pavone String Ensemble Featuring a new lineup consisting of Pavone on viola, Aimée Niemann on violin and Abby Swidler playing both violin and viola. TH (5/12), 7pm, $8, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD Kathryn Miles, author of Trailed, in conversation with Ben Montgomery The authors discuss Miles' book. Sponsored by Malaprop's. Registration required. WE (5/4), 6pm, avl.mx/bhn Malaprop's Book Club Participants will discuss The Call of the Wild by Jack London. Registration required. WE (5/4), 7pm, avl.mx/9s5 Craft Research Talks: Joinery, Joists, and Gender Featuring a discussion with author, curator,

educator, visual artist, woodworker and Craft Research Fund recipient Deirdre Visser about her latest book, Joinery, Joists, and Gender: A History of Woodworking for the 21st Century. Visser will be in conversation with artists and woodworkers, followed by an audience Q and A. FR (5/6), 2pm, Free, Center for Craft, 67 Broadway Malaprop's Mystery Book Club Participants will discuss The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. Registration required. MO (5/9), 7pm, avl.mx/7jn Road Reads Book Club Buckle up and join Buncombe County Libraries on the second Tuesday of April, May, and June to read three recent and critically acclaimed "road reads". TU (5/10), 5:30pm, Free, Pack Memorial Library - Lord Auditorium, 67 Haywood St Judy Goldman presents Child: A Memoir, in conversation with Abigail DeWitt The authors will discuss Goldman's memoir. Registration required for in-person or online. TU (5/10), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St UNC Press & Malaprop's present Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore, author of Romare Bearden in the Homeland of His Imagination The author will discuss her book. Registration required. WE (5/11), 1pm, avl.mx/bin Hernan Diaz presents Trust The author discusses his novel. Sponsored by

Malalprop's. Registration required for in-person or online. TH (5/12), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

THEATER & FILM NC Stage Co Presents: The Lifespan of a Fact A new comedy of conflict about the high stakes world of publishing. Adult themes. Weds-Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm. Through May 15, $10-46, North Carolina Stage Co, 15 Stage Ln Ballet Magnificat: The Hiding Place Taps into the struggle of two sisters as they search for possibilities to help their life-long Jewish neighbors and friends obtain security. FR (5/6), 7pm, $15-24, Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, 1028 Georgia Rd, Franklin Compagnia Baccalà presents Pss Pss Acrobatic feats with inventive visual storytelling. Winners of 15 international prizes, including the Cirque Du Soleil Trophy at Paris’ prestigious Festival Mondial De Cirque Du Demain. FR (5/6), 7pm, $38, Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave Montford Park Players presents As You Like It The 50th season opens with the Shakespearean performance. FR (5/6), SA (5/7), SU (5/8), 7:30pm, Free, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St The Amazing Acro-cats A troupe of rescued house cats who put on a one-of-a-kind performances including rolling on balls, riding skateboards, jumping through hoops, and more. The grand finale of the show features Tuna and the Rock Cats, the only all-cat band in the world. SA (5/7), 7pm, SU (5/8), 2pm, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave Sister Amnesia's Country Western Nunsense Jamboree Comedic hoedown with “Hee Haw” moments. Presented in arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. FR (5/6), SA (5/7), 7:30pm, SU (5/8), 3pm, $21.25-30, Hendersonville Theatre, 229 S Washington St, Hendersonville The Hometown Show Musical improv by Laura Boswell. Mother's Day edition featuring Tracey Johnston-Crum as the guest. SU (5/8), 7:30pm, $18, The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St

Starbright The story of Grace, an astrophysicist who lost her daughter, written by Asheville resident Sean David Robinson. Performances run Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 4pm, $25, The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St God is a Scottish Drag Queen The work of acclaimed Canadian comedian Mike Delamont. In this comedy of biblical proportions, God, dressed in a floral powersuit, has descended to Earth to let off some steam and skewers everything from Justin Bieber to the Pope. TH (5/12), 8pm, $35, Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING Eliada Homes Lunch of a Lifetime All donations will go to benefit the children and youth of Eliada, now in its 119th year of helping children succeed. Reservations are required, seating is limited. TU (5/10), 12pm, $15, The Crowne Plaza Expo Center, 1 Resort Dr CRC for ED's Annual Awareness & Fundraising Breakfast Everybody Knows Somebody | Reducing Secrecy, Silence, and Shame: A virtual showing of a recording from Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders' live event taking place earlier in the week. The one-hour program is designed to raise awareness about eating disorders and the services CRC for ED provides. TH (5/12), 7:30pm, avl.mx/bj7 Community Garden Nights Seeking volunteers for the School Garden. Gloves and tools will be provided. Email volunteer coordinator, Polly, at pphillips@ verneremail.org for more details. Verner Center for Early Learning, 2586 Riceville Rd Asheville Museum of Science Volunteers To help with museum operations, meet and greet visitors, answer questions, and interact with students of all ages. All training is provided on site, and no museum experience is necessary. For more information, call Patrick Willis at (828)254-7162 or email pwillis@ ashevillescience.org

CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS Laurel Chapter of Embroiderers’ Guild of America Chapter members will

brubg unwanted needle art supplies and kits to sell as a fundraiser. Visitors welcome. TH (5/5), 9:30am, Cummings United Methodist Church, 3 Banner Farm Rd, Etowah/Horse Shoe New Trail Networks in Western North Carolina A panel of speakers will share information on the Fonta Flora State Trail, the Ecusta Trail, and other new or related trails in our region. For more information, contact WENOCA Chair Judy Mattox at judymattox15@gmail. com, (828)683-2176. TH (5/5), 7pm Perspectives: adVANCE! A roundtable discussion with curator Marie T. Cochran and artists Larry Paul King and Reggie Tidwell on the exhibition adVANCE! Modernism, Black Liberation and Black Mountain College. FR (5/6), 1pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St WNC Civil War Roundtable Dr. Aaron Astor, associate professor of history at Maryville College, will speak about the Civil War as it occurred along the North Carolina and Tennessee border. MO (5/9), 7pm, Haywood County Library, 678 S Haywood St, Waynesville Compost at HomeSummer Gardening Series In this workshop, Patryk Battle of Living Web Farms will walk attendees through a comprehensive overview of the requirements, benefits, and downsides of various composting methods. Then, he will take a deeper dive into thermophilic and worm composting systems. TU (5/10), 6pm, Smith Mill Works Greenhouse, 80 Cowan Cove Rd 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: Council on Aging of Buncombe County, coabc.org or (828)2778288. WE (5/11), 2pmCocktails with Revel HQ Hosts Jenny & Dale Drinks and conversation discussing an online community for women over 40. TH (5/12), 5:30pm, AC Hotel Asheville Downtown, 10 Broadway WNCHA History Hour – WWII Axis Detainees in WNC A discussion of the detainment and experience of Axis individuals and families in WNC, specifically at Montreat. TH (5/12), 6pm, avl.mx/bj8

LOCAL ART & FOOD MARKETS Asheville City Market South Midweek market operated by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP). WE (5/4, 11), 12pm, Biltmore Town Square, 1 Town Square Blvd Summer Season Opening Day - RAD Farmers Market With live bluegrass from Rudy Rails, along with over 20 local vendors. WE (5/4, 11), 3pm, Pleb Urban Winery, 289 Lyman St Etowah Lions Club Farmers Market Fresh produce, meat, sweets, breads, and art WE (5/4, 11), 3pm, 447 Etowah School Rd, Etowah Weaverville Tailgate Market Local foodstuffs, alongside a small lineup of craft and artisan vendors. WE (5/4, 11), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr, Weaverville Les-ter Farmers Market Over 20 vendors offering fresh local produce, cheese, baked goods, meat, body care products, arts and crafts in a family-friendly environment. WE (5/4, 11), 3:30pm, 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester Enka Candler Tailgate Market Promoting local agriculture and heritage crafts, to provide the Enka-Candler community with a market for fresh local produce and other quality products, and to serve as an educational resource. TH (5/5, 12), 3pm, 70 Pisgah Hwy/151, Candler Flat Rock Tailgate Market In its 16th season, a diverse group of local produce farmers, jam and jelly makers, bread bakers, and wild crafters. TH (5/5, 12), 3pm, Pinecrest ARP Church, 1790 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock East Asheville Tailgate Market Local goods, every Friday. FR (5/6), 3pm, 954 Tunnel Rd Henderson County Tailgate Market - Opening Day One of the oldest open-air markets in WNC, this market has a festival feel, with local growers who operate small family farms in Henderson County. SA (5/7), 8am, 100 N King St, Hendersonville Mills River FarmersMarket A producer-only market, selling only products raised or produced

within 50 miles. SA (5/7), 8am, Mills River Elementary, 94 Schoolhouse Rd, Mills River North Asheville Tailgate Market The oldest Saturday morning market in WNC. Over 60 rotating vendors. SA (5/7), 8am, 3300 University Heights Asheville City Market Over 50 vendors and local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and more. SA (5/7), 9am, Asheville City Market - Downtown, 52 N Market St Haywood's Historic Farmers Market Located at HART Theatre. SA (5/7), 9am, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville Transylvania Farmers Market Fifty vendors offering fresh, locally-grown produce, meat, poultry, eggs, honey, cheese, coffee, plants, herbs, cut flowers, baked goods, jams, jellies, relishes, prepared foods and handcrafted items. SA (5/7), 9am, Downtown Brevard, 175 East Main St, Brevard

Madison Co Farmers & Artisans Market Local goods and produce, weekly through October. SA (5/7), 10am, Mars Hill University, 100 Athletic St, Mars Hill Mini Pop-up Craft Fair Hosted by the Southern Highland Craft Guild, 20 booths featuring a variety of media crafted by the guild will fill the lower-level parking lot. SA (5/7), 10am, Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway Mother's Day Market Outdoor craft fair, with over 20 crafters selling their pottery, jewelry, home décor and more. The Historic Johnson Farm gardeners will also have plants for sale and the farmhouse will be open for tours. Hot dogs, chips, and drinks will be for sale to support the farm. SA (5/7), 10am, Historic Johnson Farm, 3346 Haywood Rd, Hendersonville Art Market at Continuum The first Saturday of every month, with makers and live music all day. SA (5/7), 12pm, Continuum Art, 147 Ste C, 1st Ave E, Hendersonville

Jackson Arts Market Makers & Music Festival Live music Saturday with Wooly Booger and an open jam on Sunday. SA (5/7), SU (5/8), 1pm, 533 W Main St, Downtown Sylva Gladheart Farm Fest Market Fresh produce, bread and pastries, food vendors, and live music, weekly. SU (5/8), 11am, Gladheart Farm, 9 Lora Ln Sundays on the Island Local market located on Marshall's island in the middle of the French Broad River. SU (5/8), 12pm, Blanahasset Island Marshall Mother's Day Market Twelve plus vendors setting up booths including jewelry, paintings, pressed flower art, fiber arts and more, with music from David Potter from 3-5pm. SU (5/8), 12:30pm, Turgua Brewing Co, 3131 Cane Creek Rd, Fairview West Asheville Tailgate Market Over 40 local vendors, every Tuesday. TU (5/10), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS Maker Faire Asheville Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness. SA (5/7), 10am, Free, A-B Tech Mission Health Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Dr Annual Space Day 2022 Tours, activities, and out of this world experiences. Free admission for activities, meteorites, telescopes, robots, and more. No reservations required. SA (5/7), 10am, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, 1 PARI Dr, Rosman Mother’s Day Native Plant Swap and Sale Gardeners are invited to bring plants from their own gardens, in pots, and swap them for others. Plants can also be purchased. The event will focus primarily on native plants, but other plants are acceptable except for exotic invasives like English ivy. Proceeds support the programs of The Blue Ridge Naturalist Network. SU (5/8), 9am, 39 Courtland Ave

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Part 3 U.S. House • N.C. House N.C. Senate

2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

U.S. House

JASMINE BEACH-FERRARA

JAY CAREY

Website: JasmineForCongress.com Occupation: Buncombe County commissioner, executive director for the Campaign for Southern Equality Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Key endorsements: NC AFL-CIO and WNC Central Labor Council, state Rep. Brian Turner, state Rep. John Ager, Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller, former state Sen. Terry Van Duyn Amount of money raised: $1,343,711. Our average is $36, and we have received more than 35,000 donations. Top three donors: Mary Meelia, Eugene Kapaloski, Caroline Niemczyk

Website: JayCareyForCongress.com Occupation: Retired/disabled U.S. Army Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None Key endorsements: Laura Bannister, LGBTQ activist; Jolly Good Ginger, civil rights activist; Jacob Blake Sr., civil rights activist; Crystal Cauley, Hendersonville civil rights activist Amount of money raised: Roughly $50,000 Top three donors: Paul Dermid, Cameron Kennedy, Dr. Arush Angirasa

Why are you running for Congress?

I’m running to replace Madison Cawthorn’s extremism and deliver the leadership that WNC needs and deserves. Our community deserves a congressperson who cares about them and will ﬁght for policies that make a real difference in people’s lives — from rural broadband access to voting rights. My campaign is focused on love, hope, empathy and how we move forward together.

I retired from the U.S. Army in 2012. Since that time, I have watched our democracy slowly die at the hands of a group of loud, far-right Republicans. I did not serve my country for over 20 years to sit idly by and watch that happen. It was time for me to again serve the country and people I love. Running for Congress, for this district and its people, was how I decided it was best to do that.

What do your experience and background bring to the table that your primary opponents lack?

I bring a proven track record. From winning marriage equality across the South while leading the Campaign for Southern Equality to serving as a Buncombe County commissioner and reaching across the aisle to pass major policies to expand pre-K, respond to the opioid crisis and support families and small businesses during the pandemic and our recovery. I know what it takes to win a tough ﬁght — and do it in a way that brings people together.

I served in senior leadership roles in the U.S. Army for over 12 years. I bring a skill that cannot be learned in a classroom or by reading a book: I am a proven leader. I have proven my ability to not only lead, but also to help rebuild communities, in war-torn countries such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan. This is precisely the experience and leadership we need in Congress.

What are the top three issues facing residents of Western North Carolina?

1) Access to critical services and infrastructure, including broadband; a strong rural health care system; and action on crises including the opioid epidemic and climate change. 2) Education and job opportunities that ensure people in WNC can thrive, including universal pre-K, funding for public K-12 education and free community college, as well as creating jobs across sectors that pay a digniﬁed wage. 3) Protecting our democracy by ensuring we have voting rights, fair districts and fair elections, and defeating extremism.

Throughout the district, the one resounding theme I hear is affordable, accessible health care. The next issue is education. We must provide a quality education to our children, regardless of their ZIP code. Last but not least is the opioid epidemic and the destruction it has caused to our rural communities and families across the district.

What one national issue would you prioritize through your work in the House?

More than 20% of children in WNC live in poverty. Universal pre-K is one of the most impactful steps we can take to ensure our children can thrive. If elected, the ﬁrst bill I will introduce would ensure that we can fully implement universal pre-K in WNC. It will create a federal corps of pre-K teachers to serve in regions that face critical teaching shortages by providing tuition support, competitive pay and professional development opportunities.

I believe that we must prioritize raising the minimum wage. Everyone is entitled to the dignity of a living wage. Inflation has grown rapidly without an increase to the wage of $7.25, last increased in 2009. We must also link the minimum wage to inflation so we do not have to revisit this over and over. Just as a reminder, if the minimum wage had been linked to inflation initially, it would now stand at $26 an hour.

Where, if at all, do you ﬁnd common ground with members of other political parties?

As a Buncombe County commissioner, I have led bipartisan efforts to expand pre-K, fight the opioid epidemic, address climate change by increasing conservation funding and creating green jobs, and support families and small businesses during these difficult times. My experience as a minister and elected official is rooted in building diverse tables to create solutions, and I will continue to work with people of every political affiliation to move forward together, both here in WNC and in Congress.

I believe that addressing crime rates is truly a bipartisan issue. Crime affects everyone — certain groups more than others, but it is still a universal issue. Reducing poverty is the only way that we can effectively reduce crime rates. Providing accessible, affordable health care, equitable access to education, increasing the minimum wage, unionizing everyone everywhere and investing in truly affordable housing are just a few things we can do to reduce poverty.

District 11 — Democratic Based on fundraising alone, the field of Democrats seeking to replace Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn breaks cleanly into two camps: Jasmine Beach-Ferrara and everyone else. Beach-Ferrara, a Buncombe County commissioner and the only hopeful with previous political experience, has attracted close to $1.4 million in campaign donations, far more than the rest of her competition combined. That war chest has attracted national attention from the New York Times, albeit in an article calling her candidacy a “likely lost cause.” Unable to match the frontrunner in spending, Beach-Ferrara’s opponents have attempted to build grassroots enthusiasm. Perhaps the most successful has been small-business owner Katie Dean. In recent weeks she received the endorsement of American Muckrakers — a political action committee formed by former Democratic N.C. 11 nominee Moe Davis — and added as campaign manager Andrew Aydin, a former aide to the late Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia. Four other Democratic candidates are striving for the nomination, including Army veteran Jay Carey, small-business owner Marco Gutierrez, social worker Bo Hess and retired Army Corps of Engineers member Bynum Lunsford. All share similar concerns over affordable health care, particularly in rural areas, and helping the district handle the ongoing opioid epidemic. Whoever takes the Democratic nod will face a challenging general election. Davis lost his 2020 race

against Cawthorn by 12 percentage points; although redistricting has made N.C. 11 lean slightly less red, The Cook Political Report still calls the seat “solid Republican” and estimates an eight-point GOP advantage.

— Daniel Walton X

THE QUESTIONS

X Awards 2022

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For Vot

Results publish in August 2

2022 PRIMARY ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

MOUNTAINX.COM

2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

KATIE DEAN

MARCO GUTIERREZ

BO HESS

BYNUM LUNSFORD

Website: ElectKatieDean.com Occupation: Small-business owner, automotive repair; previously water and wastewater infrastructure engineer Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: N/A Key endorsements: Ischa Vingle, Henderson County ﬁrst-time voter; Hobbit Hawes, Buncombe County general contractor; Lee Timmons, Transylvania County teacher; Juliet Kastorff, Swain County small-business owner; Will Overfelt, Buncombe County behavior analyst and health care advocate Amount of money raised: Over $65,000 Top three donors: Chris Harjes, smallbusiness owner and friend; Robert Lotane, community leader and friend; Michelle Tennant, community leader and friend

Website: MarcoForCongress. Democrat Occupation: Small-business owner Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None Key endorsements: None Amount of money raised: $400 Top three donors: Alex Joyce, Carol Garcia

Website: BoHessForUSCongress. com Occupation: Licensed clinical social worker and licensed addiction specialist Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: N/A Key endorsements: We are still actively interviewing organizations with aligned goals. Amount of money raised: Less than $75,000. Top three donors: All of our donations have come from small donors here in WNC; we are building a true grassroots coalition with an average donation of $10. All donations have been less than $500.

Website: BynumMLunsford.com Occupation: Retired (35 years with the Army Corps of Engineers; civilian) Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None Key endorsements: None Amount of money raised: $0 Top three donors: None

The Founding Fathers used the term representative for members of Congress because they were meant to represent the people. We have lost our way, and now they represent monied interests, corporate fat cats and Washington insiders. I want to return Congress back to the people, not the privileged. Western North Carolina residents deserve a representative who will be ﬁghting for them back in our district, not navigating the DC social circuit.

I am running to put my 20 years of infrastructure experience to work for Western North Carolinians.

I want future generations to have the same opportunities I have had. I am the right candidate to elevate issues that are important to our communities. I think it’s important to give the voiceless a voice, listen to what people care about and deliver impactful, practical solutions. My platform includes four pillars: increasing security, access to affordable quality health care (mental health and addiction treatment), the dignity of work and a living wage, and addressing the climate crisis.

Because Western North Carolina needs a representative in Congress who puts the people ﬁrst and tries to eliminate the crises that we face in North Carolina.

With just a GED, I scrapped my way through college, where I earned an environmental engineering degree from the University of Georgia. After working in the ﬁeld, I joined my husband and opened an auto repair business. We’re up to ﬁve lifts and growing. A painful decision to save money by refusing anesthesia forced me to take on a second job. I’ve been told I bring a level of authenticity and relatability to the race that is born from experience.

Extensive experience in infrastructure, which my opponents lack. Recruiters have said my experience is among the top 1% in the country.

I’m a licensed social worker. I live the ethics of social work: social justice, self-determination, worth and dignity of humanity and service. I work with veterans dealing with mental health issues. I serve on the board of the N.C. Harm Reduction Coalition and have worked in public health for over 10 years to stem rising opioid and methamphetamine use, an issue that families in WNC know personally. I know how to address unmet social needs in our community.

Life experience and being a blue-collar worker who works for the people, not corporate America.

1) Our health care has been sold to corporate interests. Services are cut while costs skyrocket. I stand with the health care heroes at Mission Hospital. 2) Access to rural broadband is the equivalent of rural electriﬁcation in the 1930s. I will ﬁght to bring our taxpayer dollars back to WNC to bolster local economies. 3) There’s nothing affordable about housing in our district. The goal posts of our economy have changed, and the squeeze on the working and middle classes is real.

Housing, healthcare and senior issues, such as ensuring the people who built this country have access to opportunities.

I hear a lot of concern over safety in our communities, lack of access to quality health care and mental health care, and voters’ concern over not being able to afford to live and get ahead in WNC due to rising costs and a lack of livable wages. Another looming issue on everyone’s mind is the effects of climate change on our environment and wanting to bring green jobs to our communities for our future.

Lack of health care, mental health issues and the opioid epidemic that we face daily, lack of education for our children.

Untangle corporate greed and legalized corruption from the health care and housing industries. Corporatized interests and hedge funds have conspired to take over these industries, which have become unaffordable to average Americans and those on the margins. If we do not ﬁx this, the American Dream will become just that — a dream, and not reality.

Voting for Build Back Better, which will not increase the national deﬁcit.

I would like for my legacy to be ensuring every citizen has access to mental health and addiction treatment. Another national issue I will address is protecting voting rights and preserving our democracy — all of the other goals I have pale in comparison if our democracy is overtaken by authoritarianism.

USA ﬁrst, bringing back jobs to America, mental health crisis and the opioid epidemic in America.

There used to be issues Republicans stood for that I thought were worthy. However, I can’t ﬁgure out what Republican leadership stands for in recent years. It certainly is not us, the working and middle classes. They used to support keeping Russia in check, but too many have jumped in bed with Vladimir Putin and were slow to come to the defense of Ukraine. I ﬁnd common ground with those who put country before party.

I ﬁnd more common ground people than not. All parties and politicians should win on the best policies for innovative solutions. #USAppalachia. Readers can email me at Marco@ MarcoForCongress.Democrat.

I support cannabis legalization, something the polls show most Americans support, regardless of afﬁliation. I do not believe in federal vaccine mandates; this is a local issue. I also believe in individual liberty in regards to Second Amendment rights.

Working together to eliminate homelessness in America, mental health crisis in America and poverty in America.

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2022 PRIMARY ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

U.S. House

MATTHEW BURRIL Website: BurrilForCongress.com Occupation: Financial adviser Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None Key endorsements: Thousands of conservative, Christian, working people ready for mature, responsible congressional representation Amount of money raised: $445,000 Top three donors: See FEC report

Website: CuttForCongress.com Occupation: Veteran Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None Key endorsements: Former Sheriff Van Duncan, Buncombe County; former Waynesville Police Chief Bill Hollingsed, Haywood County; former Sheriff George Erwin, Henderson County; Woodﬁn Mayor Jerry VeHaun, Buncombe County; Madison County Commissioner Matthew Wechtel Amount of money raised: $21,000 Top three donors: Marilyn Gordon, Robert Powers, Charles McGrady

Why are you running for Congress?

To continue my 30-plus years of service to the people of Western North Carolina and bring the resources of the federal government back to our western counties. It’s time for better representation in Washington that is solely focused on the people and economy of this district. Our congressional seat is too valuable to be wasted on building one person’s career while neglecting the needs of our district.

Born and raised in WNC, I served from private to colonel throughout a 37-year Army career, where I helped solve some of the world’s toughest problems. I’m married and raised my three boys here. Our district has the highest home-school population in the state and no school choice to give them. Our district has firefighters working for 30 years with no state retirement. Our district has been forgotten about for too long. I can fight for you and your families.

What do your experience and background bring to the table that your primary opponents lack?

36 years as a ﬁnancial adviser to WNC families and business owners, the Buncombe County Economic Development Authority, chair of the Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority, trustee of Montreat College and Buncombe County Young Life Ministries. I have promoted WNC and helped recruit thousands of jobs to this district by donating my time to these well-run organizations, simply to make WNC better for over 30 years.

More federal experience than the rest of the candidates combined. Combat veteran advising Congress on national defense. Supply chain management experience in national and international transportation. I have talked to district folks at churches, gun shops, restaurants, tire shops, machine shops, rodeos, block parties, parades, conventions, high schools, honor ceremonies, small-business lunches, funerals, radio stations, Little League games and more. I’ve built my plans with the people’s input, and I’m going to Congress to solve our problems.

What are the top three issues facing residents of Western North Carolina?

1) Inﬂation. 2) Access to high-speed broadband. 3) Joe Biden’s destruction of America and his negative inﬂuence on their daily lives.

1) Rising inﬂation on consumer goods (fuel, feed, fertilizer, food). 2) Supply chain problems. 3) Constituent services. I will leverage military experience to strategically plan the locations of district ofﬁces; emphasize the importance of readiness, staff knowledge and subject matter expertise to meet stakeholders; and keep projects moving forward. I need to be aware of problems in Congress and will schedule to meet folks in person here to update them about what’s happening on the Hill.

What one national issue would you prioritize through your work in the House?

Immediately getting our share of the $7 trillion available from COVID-era federal funding. We need funding for broadband, roads, technical school education, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement, a payment in lieu of taxes increase and federal grant writing programs to help our rural counties get access to this enormous amount of money available. Otherwise we will be stuck for generations with making the interest payments on investments made in other parts of the country.

Achieving energy dominance.

Where, if at all, do you ﬁnd common ground with members of other political parties?

Even the Democrats are stunned at how bad the Biden administration is.

Joining the 58-member Problem Solvers Caucus. This caucus is the most successful bipartisan effort to ﬁnd common ground on many key issues. I’m going to work with like-minded representatives on similar issues: Dairy Caucus, Beef Caucus, Crop Insurance Caucus, Rural Caucus, 4-H Caucus. I have the most experience, knowledge and required security clearance to get a seat at the table to help effectively cut the U.S. Department of Defense Budget ($715B in 2022) without impact to military readiness.

District 11 — Republican Since the day he was sworn in as the country’s youngest congressperson, Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn has attracted controversy. From speaking to the crowd that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2020, to alleging that Washington insiders had invited him to orgies and engaged in cocaine use, Western North Carolina’s representative has rarely left the national spotlight over the past two years. That attention has tightened on WNC. Although Cawthorn had declared his plans last year to run in a new congressional district slightly to the southeast, he returned to NC 11 after different district maps were finalized by the state’s courts in March. Seven other candidates are now attempting to dislodge the incumbent through the Republican primary. The only challenger to have held elected office is state Sen. Chuck Edwards, who currently represents Henderson, Transylvania and eastern Buncombe counties. Although Edwards did not respond to repeated requests to participate in the Xpress voter guide, he touted his track record at passing conservative legislation during an April 11 debate at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher. Approaching the race from a business perspective are Matthew Burril, a financial adviser from Fletcher, and Bruce O’Connell of Candler, who owns the Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Candidates with military experience include former Army Col. Rod Honeycutt of Alexander and Asheville Navy vet Wendy Nevarez. The latter has shown bipartisan appeal, having been endorsed by the American Muckrakers political action committee aligned with former Democratic N.C. 11 nominee Moe Davis. And while Cawthorn has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, other candidates in the race have been echoing Trump’s positions. Both social worker Kristie

Sluder and former N.C. 11 Republican Chair Michele Woodhouse have focused on Mexican border security and said Democratic leaders are destroying traditional American values.

— Daniel Walton X

THE QUESTIONS

MADISON CAWTHORN CAWTHORN DID NOT RESPOND TO MULTIPLE REQUESTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE XPRESS VOTER GUIDE.

CHUCK EDWARDS EDWARDS DID NOT RESPOND TO MULTIPLE REQUESTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE XPRESS VOTER GUIDE. 4

ROD HONEYCUTT

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WENDY NEVAREZ

BRUCE O’CONNELL

KRISTIE SLUDER

MICHELE WOODHOUSE

Website: WendyNevarez.com Occupation: Full-time campaigner, mom, wife; previously worked for the Social Security Administration. Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None Key endorsements: Country First, Fire Madison Cawthorn PAC, Sentinel PAC Amount of money raised: $21,000 Top three donors: Adam Kinzinger, Eastern Band of Cherokee, David and Lisa Savage.

Website: BruceOConnell.com Occupation: Hotelman, Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Not a one! Key endorsements: My employees – past and present, my advisers, my vendors, my family and friends. Amount of money raised: Not near enough, but I am willing to put skin in the game. Top three donors: Myself, my old friends, my new friends.

Website: SluderForCongress.com Occupation: Crisis counselor, treatment specialist, bureaucratic systems reform advocate, program developer. Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None Key endorsements: Concerned Citizens Network Amount of money raised: Under $5,000 Top three donors: Sluder for Congress

Website: Woodhouse4NC.com Occupation: Founder and owner of Purple Door Aesthetics, a boutique aesthetic medical business consulting ﬁrm Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Did not respond Key endorsements: Todd Starnes, Steve Noble, N.C. Grassroots Government, R.O.A.R. and Chris Hughes Amount of money raised: We do not disclose this prior to FEC reporting. Top three donors: We do not disclose this prior to FEC reporting.

My campaign is based on three principles: truth, honor and service. Our current representative and party leadership have a big issue with truth. Without the truth, there is no foundation. By telling and seeking the truth, I will bring honor and service back to the district. Constituent services is a top priority of mine. WNC has the most veterans in North Carolina, and as a Navy vet, we deserve the best treatment. I believe everyone, regardless of party, deserves representation.

My son left the military after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He took a high-paying job in cybersecurity. I was proud of him. A year later, he called me to say that he was offered a position in the Trump Pentagon at half the pay as undersecretary for cybersecurity. I asked him why he would do that. His answer: “It’s the mission, Dad.” I am running for Congress because “it is the mission.”

To ensure that power in American government rests squarely in hands of common people, not special interests. To restrain bureaucratic overreach and preserve constitutional rights, responsibilities and liberties. To strengthen the nuclear family, protect parental rights, expand the middle class, reduce poverty and expand economic opportunities. To secure our borders, strengthen our national sovereignty and affirm our Judeo-Christian identity. To reestablish energy independence, obtain fiscal stability, reduce inflation and revamp our wholly inadequate immigration system.

To stop Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi from turning America into a European socialist country. I am running because N.C. 11 deserves an America First member of Congress who will work tirelessly in service to them — a member of Congress they can be proud of that will never abandon them. I am running because we need an America First patriot, not another broken-promises or establishment politician.

I understand the daily struggles because I live them. I am a mother who is trying to raise her children here and have them stay close to home. I am a substitute teacher who sees students struggling. If you want a multimillionaire, vote Chuck Edwards; if you want someone from Raleigh who has lived here under two years and tried to steal the seat, vote Michele Woodhouse. If you want a veteran who wants to serve all, vote Wendy Nevarez May 17.

I have never been nor wanted to be a politician. My political experience is that I have voted for decades. I do have over 40 years owning and operating the Pisgah Inn under a federal contract in WNC. I have ﬁrsthand knowledge of government dysfunction, lack of common sense and overreach. A successful legal battle in 2013 against a federal government order forcing a hundred of my employees out of work taught me that one person can make a difference.

I am the only candidate who has specialized training and decades of experience working to help individuals, families and communities in crisis while simultaneously protecting them against systemic overreach and abuse of power, speciﬁcally by the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Social Services, Child Protective Services, Guardian Ad Litem Program and Family Court System.

My family goes back hundreds of years in these mountains. I have more loyalty to and familiarity with the people of WNC. I have over 30 years within corporate America and am an entrepreneur. I have spent the last 25-plus years as a volunteer and activist within the Republican Party. I was most recently elected NC11 GOP district chair. No other candidate in this race has contributed more to the conservative and pro-life movement.

1) Housing. We have corporations competing with everyday people for housing; they are buying up homes and creating scarcity in the market. Enough with the endless apartment complexes — we need condos, mixed-use developments and sustainable housing. 2) Health care. We must work toward lowering the cost of care, getting providers to rural areas, and ensuring children and our elders don’t pay a dime for care. 3) Broadband. Broadband is a utility! We need a mix of ﬁber, wireless connectivity and satellite.

1) Economic issues, including wages, affordable housing and inﬂation. I think we need to be energy independent for our national security, as well as for economic reasons. Energy affects everything in the economy. 2) Education issues, including parental rights over what is being taught and how it’s being taught. The state is not a good parent. 3) Quality-of life-issues, including the drug problem, crime, homelessness and the loss of common sense in how government works.

The cost of housing compounded by inﬂation, low wages, high taxes and the free ﬂow of drugs across our southern border.

The leftist destruction of our religious and patriotic values and freedoms. The complete and total failure of Biden’s presidency, which has opened our southern border to illegal immigrants and human trafﬁcking and given complete control over to the Mexican drug cartel. Complete and total national and foreign policy failures. Disastrous economic and energy policies that have led to 30-year-high inﬂation, dependence on foreign oil and the decline of the U.S. dollar. Biden’s failed policies are crushing families in WNC!

Budget. We cannot spend uncontrollably. Our national debt is a national security issue. We must think about the next generation every year as we balance the budget. Continuing resolutions are a tool used to manipulate the budget process and should end.

Bringing America back — including energy independence, secure borders and quality fundamental education (reading, writing, math, science and history).

America is experiencing crises on multiple fronts. I don’t think it’s possible to have one priority. However, we must stabilize our economy and properly manage our ﬁscal responsibilities. We must get inﬂation under control and resolve supply chain, labor and production-related issues.

Day 1, we secure and close our Mexican border! The Mexican drug cartels have complete control of our border! They are bringing in fentanyl from China that is killing our children, human trafﬁcking is up over 40%, and there are over 2.5 million illegal immigrants who have crossed our border since Biden moved into the White House. On 1-323, this ends!

Energy. I hear people say, “Drill baby drill.” I say, “Big Oil, use the 9,000 permits you already have.” Prices are artiﬁcially high for energy. Guess what — Wall Street and Big Oil are bringing in record proﬁts! I am a big advocate for renewables such as solar, wind, hydro and next-generation nuclear. There is nothing more secure or stable than to produce energy right here in WNC. It means resiliency, jobs and security. It’s literally a win, win, win.

I ﬁnd common ground with Democrats on concern for the environment. I work in a national park. I know the value of taking care of the No. 1 thing that brings people to this area. We should do all we can to preserve our resources but not strangle ourselves in the process. I also ﬁnd common ground with the libertarian concept of limited government. I would rather be free to fail than be guaranteed a life of security in chains.

Assistance with the cost of health care, education and environmental stewardship programming.

There are plenty of independents and Democrats in WNC who are repulsed by Nancy Pelosi’s drive to ram her woke San Francisco values down our throats. We can work together to make America great. But there is no compromising with the AOCled squad, because that represents a fundamental battle between extreme socialism and traditional values. We must win a complete victory against these radicals and their evil policies and not apologize for it! We are in spiritual warfare!

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N.C. House

not respond. Amount of money raised: $0 as of March 29 Top three donors: N/A

Website: Did not respond Occupation: Certiﬁed public accountant Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Did not answer Key endorsements: Did not answer Amount of money raised: Did not answer Top three donors: Did not answer

What would you bring to the General Assembly that other candidates don’t?

I bring a diverse perspective to the General Assembly. As an immigrant from India, I can see things from various perspectives through my cultural upbringing and my life experiences. I bring versatility and the ability to reach across the aisle to accomplish goals.

I will bring to the General Assembly the experience and skills that I have acquired during my 29 years as a CPA and small-business owner. I have learned how to prioritize what’s important and meet deadlines while keeping current on everchanging tax laws.

What do you see as the greatest speciﬁc need for your district compared to the rest of Western North Carolina, and how would you propose meeting it?

There are many needs, but ﬁrst, we need to start healing the divide. We need to start creating more opportunities for better jobs and bring more economic vitality to our community. We need to attract better businesses and industries that bring these jobs to our beautiful mountains. I think that would be a bipartisan goal, and certainly we can bring that to the forefront to make N.C. more attractive and secure bigger businesses to expand/relocate here.

Did not answer.

What role should state government play in managing the affairs of WNC?

Government should play a minimum role in managing the affairs of WNC. Government needs to be of the people, by the people, for the people. Today we see more partisan politics instead of actually getting things done. I’m stepping up for the people, to serve them, to do seva (a Sanskrit word meaning “selﬂess service”).

I believe that state government is necessary for continuity of infrastructure, quality education and the general welfare of the citizens of North Carolina. But I feel that the affairs of WNC are best served by our local governing agencies.

What one statewide issue will you prioritize on reaching the GA, and what speciﬁc actions will you take to drive change on it?

Education. As a community and society, we should be teaching our kids the fundamentals of math, science, arts, ﬁnance, etc., and preparing them to achieve excellence so that they may be successful as they continue to grow into adulthood. The U.S. is falling behind in education excellence when compared globally to other countries. We need to focus on the things that matter to our students, parents and teachers, not political agendas or ideologies.

Did not answer.

Where, if at all, do you ﬁnd common ground with members of other political parties?

We are all part of the human race. America is a melting pot of diverse thoughts because it is composed of many races, religions, ethnicities, preferences and obviously political viewpoints. I have met many folks that are of another party, and, frankly, I value them and their opinions just as they value mine. We may not agree how to achieve certain things, but that does not mean we cannot work together to ﬁnd common ground.

I ﬁnd common ground with members of other political parties in my desire to keep WNC the beautiful place that it is.

THE QUESTIONS

— Daniel Walton X

SHERRY HIGGINS

Website: Pratik4NC.com Occupation: Hotelier Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: No previous ofﬁce held. Key endorsements: Did

District 115 — Republican A lot of change has come to Buncombe County’s situation in the N.C. House of Representatives over the last year. All three of its districts had their numbers changed and lines altered as part of the state’s contentious redistricting process; all three incumbent Democratic representatives announced their retirements within a week of each other. Susan Fisher has already vacated her position, with party leaders choosing Caleb Rudow as her replacement for the current District 114 in the county’s northwest. (Rudow is seeking reelection in the new District 116, which covers much of the same territory.) Despite that prior excitement, primary season for Buncombe’s House seats is relatively uneventful. The only contest taking place is on the Republican side for the new District 115 in the county’s southwest — roughly corresponding to the current District 116 held by Rep. Brian Turner — which will determine who faces Democrat Lindsey Prather in the general election. First-time candidate Sherry Higgins, a certified public accountant from Arden, is running against hotelier Pratik Bhakta of Asheville. Bhakta mounted a bid for Asheville City Council in 2017, finishing 10th in a 12-person primary field, and was among the six finalists chosen by Council to replace resigning member Vijay Kapoor in 2020.

PRATIK BHAKTA

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2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

MARK CRAWFORD

WARREN DANIEL

Website: No website; email CrawfordForSPI@ gmail.com Occupation: Teacher and administrator Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Former N.C. House member Key endorsements: No major groups (e.g., SEANC, FOP, GRNC, GOA, etc.) have yet endorsed before the primary, as far as I am aware, but these are among past endorsements I’ve received in prior campaigns. Amount of money raised: Already received and/or promised commitments (pending primary outcome) of a little over $51K — less if primary is not won. Top three donors: Did not answer.

Website: DanielForSenate.com Occupation: Attorney Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Current member of N.C. Senate Key endorsements: Former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson, “A” rating by the NRA, N.C. State Troopers Association (2020), Sen. Chuck Edwards Amount of money raised: This information is publicly available through the N.C. Board of Elections. Top three donors: This information is publicly available through the N.C. Board of Elections.

What would you bring to the General Assembly that other candidates don’t?

As far as I know, no other candidate can bring to the General Assembly a background that includes prior service in the legislature, military and combat experience, parts or all of more than 25 academic years in classroom instruction, 25 seasons as a coach in our public schools and extensive smallbusiness experience.

I have over 10 years of experience representing the people of WNC and solving the problems they care about. I have a proven track record of reducing taxes on our citizens (especially low- to middle-income taxpayers) so that families and small businesses can keep more of their hardearned income. I have worked with my colleagues to bring key funding to WNC to improve our schools and state parks, including a new WNC School of Science and Mathematics in Morganton.

But the new lines do open Daniel, who didn’t have a primary opponent in 2018, to a challenge by fellow Republican Mark Crawford of Black Mountain. Crawford, who briefly served in the state House two decades ago when appointed to fill an unexpired term, has since run unsuccessfully for offices including state superintendent of public instruction, Buncombe County Board of Education and state House.

What do you see as the greatest speciﬁc need for your district compared to the rest of Western North Carolina, and how would you propose meeting it?

The greatest speciﬁc needs for my district are no different than those of all Western North Carolina: getting our kids back up to speed in the classrooms after the pandemic closures and isolation of remote learning; ﬁghting an ongoing opioid scourge; and, in so many cases, just earning affordable living wages. My past legislative experience on committees dealing with all these issues will aid me in introducing needed legislation.

As we have emerged from the pandemic, one issue that stands out is the need for workforce development. Businesses across all sectors are having difficulty finding skilled employees and retaining them. We need to continue to look for ways to encourage young people to find a job skill or trade that interests them and to train them for those job sectors, both in high school and at the community college and college levels.

What role should state government play in managing the affairs of WNC?

The role of the state government in managing the affairs of Western North Carolina should be limited strictly to what is encompassed in our state’s constitution — nothing more, nothing less.

State government should stay within its constitutional boundaries and focus on key areas like education, workforce development, transportation, broadband and other forms of infrastructure, the court system and public safety. State government should not “manage” the affairs of WNC; local governments are elected to do that. State government plays a key role in facilitating the success of local governments and should continue to partner with local elected ofﬁcials.

The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Billy Martin of Marion in the November general election.

What one statewide issue will you prioritize on reaching the GA, and what speciﬁc actions will you take to drive change on it?

Before I left the legislature during my stint in the N.C. House of Representatives, I had drafted several bills pertaining to health and human services, the well-being of our elderly and the environment. The politics of being in the minority party at that time precluded my submission of several of these bills, and I would like to reintroduce them.

This is a difﬁcult question, because there are many areas of need across our state. I will continue to advocate for policies that protect the lives of the unborn, protect our Second Amendment rights and provide for secure elections, Unfortunately, we are now also seeing efforts to limit free speech through censorship by mammoth technology companies, and that is one key area that the General Assembly should address in the First Amendment policy space.

Where, if at all, do you ﬁnd common ground with members of other political parties?

Where I ﬁnd common ground with members of other political parties is the same way I functioned when I served previously. I was always willing and able not only to easily communicate and exchange ideas “across the aisle” with many members of the other party, but I was also willing to seek counsel when it was appropriate.

Since 2011, I have worked with many of my colleagues on a variety of topics, most notably election security, voter ID, criminal justice reform and the WNC School of Science and Mathematics.

N.C. Senate District 46 — Republican Thanks to the N.C. General Assembly’s redrawing of state Senate districts, some residents of Buncombe County have a new incumbent senator in 2022. District 46, home to six-term Republican Sen. Warren Daniel of Morganton in Burke County, will swap Avery and Caldwell counties for McDowell and the eastern half of Buncombe. Daniel’s constituency now includes many Buncombe voters currently represented by Republican Sen. Chuck Edwards of District 48, as well as a lesser number represented by Democratic Sen. Julie Mayfield of District 49. The new District 46 is regarded as safe Republican territory by the John Locke Foundation’s Civitas Partisan Index.

THE QUESTIONS

— Daniel Walton X

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N.C. Senate District 49 — Democratic

Incumbent District 49 Sen. Julie Mayfield ascended to her seat after serving on Asheville City Council. Fellow Democrat Sandra Kilgore is now attempting to walk the same path — which makes her Mayfield’s primary opponent. Kilgore has presented herself as a more moderate voice than Mayfield, attacking the incumbent for her proposal to institute a quarter-cent local sales tax for public transit funding. Kilgore was the only Council member to vote against dismantling the Vance Monument in downtown Asheville last year, and she is supported by the N.C. Property Rights

Fund, a real estate sector advocacy group that is largely endorsing Republicans in state-level races. Taylon Breeden, who finished last in the 2018 Democratic primary for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 3, is also seeking the seat. The hemp entrepreneur is endorsed by the local Democratic Socialists of America and has identified fair wages and mental health as campaign priorities. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican John Anderson of Candler in the November general election.

— Daniel Walton X

2 22 02 2 20

SANDRA KILGORE

JULIE MAYFIELD

Website: TaylonBreeden.com Occupation: Owner of The Pot Stirred cafe in downtown Asheville and Simply Extract hemp and botanical extraction lab Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 3 candidate in 2018. Key endorsements: Democratic Socialists of America, Asheville chapter; Leap-Forward NC Amount of money raised: $2,400 Top three donors: Beatriz Higuerey, Alan Rosenthal, Greg Fox

Website: KilgoreforNCSenate.org Occupation: Owner/ broker, Kilgore & Associates Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Current member of Asheville City Council Key endorsements: Did not answer Amount of money raised: Did not answer Top three donors: Did not answer

Website: MayﬁeldForNCSenate.com Occupation: Co-director, MountainTrue Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Current District 49 state senator, elected 2020; Asheville City Council, 2015-20 Key endorsements: Sierra Club, Lillian’s List, Planned Parenthood Votes South Atlantic, AFL-CIO, N.C. Association of Educators Amount of money raised: $41,801 as of March 23 Top three donors: Mack Pearsall, Dave Erb, Rich Wasch

What would you bring to the General Assembly that other candidates don’t?

I bring bold leadership that is unafraid to call out corruption and big-money interests in Raleigh. We need more young and workingclass people stepping up to put people over proﬁts. My experience with hemp and cannabis legislation will be an asset as we approach federal legalization. Being a local business owner, I can better champion against the myth that higher wages will wipe out small-business owners. When people thrive, our economy thrives.

I bring a history of lived life experiences and a passion for fighting for the most vulnerable. I have had the opportunity to travel to many cities and countries around the world and garner incredible exposure, training which was instrumental in refining my communication skills. I’m home with fresh eyes, fresh ears and a fresh commitment to put forth policy that will deliver the greatest benefit to the largest number of people in our community.

I bring six years of elected experience, including one term in the N.C. Senate, and six years serving on Asheville commissions before that. As an attorney and nonproﬁt leader, I also bring over 20 years of public interest policy advocacy at state and local governments. I have a demonstrated history of working across the aisle, successfully tackling complex issues (I-26, clean energy, coal ash), holding bad actors accountable and bringing millions of dollars in state funding to WNC.

What do you see as the greatest speciﬁc need for your district compared to the rest of Western North Carolina, and how would you propose meeting it?

Fair wages. People can no longer afford to rent or own a home here, and locals are being displaced from their communities and families. Our mental health suffers when we are living paycheck to paycheck. We are losing good teachers and nurses and can’t recruit more. We can’t afford to take care of our health or buy healthy food for our families. Our entire community suffers when businesses feel they can proﬁt off working-class people.

Our residents seem to be under siege from increases in property value, which is making homeownership only a dream for many. Increasing property value is also is driving up taxes, which is affecting many homeowners, especially retirees. Housing shortages make this situation more frightening. The impact goes far beyond real estate — if a child is not in safe, secure housing, learning becomes impossible. The consequence is an education gap that will impact both today and the future of WNC.

Affordability is our biggest challenge. While other parts of our region face this same issue, it is most acute in Asheville, where the cost of living is very high and wages are very low. I will continue to advocate for increasing income and lowering expenses — a higher minimum wage, Medicaid expansion, more transit investments, more state funding for affordable housing, inclusionary zoning and property tax relief for longtime homeowners.

What role should state government play in managing the affairs of WNC?

Giving our local government back its control gives our residents more power. The power grab happened to keep local governments from banning fracking locally and to keep discriminatory laws in place, like the disgusting bathroom bill, HB2. Shifting power locally gives us a better chance of being heard in addressing local and environmental issues without needing Raleigh’s approval.

Limited at best. Local municipalities do not need to be micromanaged by the state Assembly. We have capable local government to manage locally. The state Assembly should, however, ensure the equitable distribution of goods, services and monies secured from the federal government through a state budget that ensures every district is included and well served.

State government should not manage the affairs of WNC any more than it manages the affairs of other parts of the state. What we do need is more state investment in WNC, because infrastructure and other projects cost more due to our topography. The ﬂip side is that the state needs to get out of our affairs and let local governments adopt ordinances their residents want on issues like the environment, equity, release of body-cam video, housing and wages.

What one statewide issue will you prioritize on reaching the GA, and what speciﬁc actions will you take to drive change on it?

Mental health care. Buncombe County lacks the resources and facilities we need to address our mentally ill. As our homelessess, crime, substance abuse and suicide numbers climb, we must better fund our mental health care professionals, open more facilities and help people get the access they need. When we devalue our community members based on their illnesses, we erode as a society.

My strong suit is legislation regarding real estate, and the laws on the books have eroded the wealth of native WNC residents. I will seek to modify inequitable property taxation; push for housing initiatives to preserve and increase our housing supply; and improve housing security for our children, elderly and homeless. I will push for increasing the homestead exemptions for natives and seniors in WNC, many of whom are being forced out of their homes due to increasing property values.

My priority is climate change and moving N.C. to clean energy. I was part of the small team of Senate Democrats that helped draft H951, which will take N.C. to carbon neutrality in the electricity sector by 2050. In 2023, the focus will be on greening the transportation sector, and as a longtime transportation advocate and member of the Senate Transportation Committee, I am wellpositioned to lead on that issue.

Where, if at all, do you ﬁnd common ground with members of other political parties?

Everyone is tired of our government not working for the people. We’re exhausted by the party systems dividing us. We want better schools for our children. We want clean drinking water and a safe environment to live in. We want health care that protects us and our families, no matter how much money we make. We want to go to work and get paid fairly. We want to provide a life for ourselves and the people we love that’s worth living.

We have all taken up the mantle to do the difﬁcult work of governing. We strive to do the best we can for the people, operating from a place of integrity amid an environment of distrust, special interests and heavy-handed bureaucracy. We all want good education for our children, comfort and security for our elderly. We seek guidance from a higher power and we simply want to do the right thing! I am eager to reach across the aisle.

There is a lot of common ground between the parties in Raleigh, and most of the time, we all push the green button to vote yes. We ﬁnd common ground on all but the big, hot-button issues. I am working with Republicans on several bills, from health care and the environment to policing and the Buncombe County occupancy tax. In the current political context, the only way for Democrats to get anything passed in Raleigh is to work with Republicans.

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WELLNESS

Cultural competence

Program seeks to improve health among Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians BY JESSICA WAKEMAN jwakeman@mountainx.com A new partnership brings Western North Carolina one step closer to achieving a goal of bringing more Indigenous people into health care fields. The Center for Native Health, a nonprofit focused on culturally competent health care among the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the UNC Asheville-UNC Gillings Masters of Public Health Program announced the partnership April 21. Along with Mountain Area Health Education Center, UNC Asheville and UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health teamed up to launch the Masters of Public Health Program in November. (Previously UNC Gillings had permitted students in the Asheville area to pursue the degree through distance learning.) The program is unique in that it focuses on “place-based health” — in this case, on rural communities. Trey Adcock, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Native Health and director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies at UNCA, says the new partnership is ideal for MPH students who want to focus on eliminating health disparities in marginalized communities. FILLING THE PIPELINE Registered nurse Mary Newman, a candidate for a master’s degree in the UNC Asheville-UNC Gillings’ MPH program, will be the first student to pursue an internship at

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the center. “I’m really honored and privileged and grateful to work with the EBCI,” she says. Newman will gather data about students’ experiences within the Medical Careers and Technology, or MedCaT, Pipeline program, which exposes Indigenous and Appalachian high school students to health care and biomedical science careers. It’s a partnership between EBCI, MAHEC, the Center for Native Health and the Maya Angelou Center for Health ASHEVILLE-AREA

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DREAM TEAM: Registered nurse Mary Newman, right, a candidate for a master’s degree in the UNC Asheville-UNC Gillings’ Masters of Public Health program, will be working with Trey Adcock, left, at the Center for Native Health. Photos via UNCA and Mountain Area Health Education Center

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Equity at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. According to Cherokee One Feather, an EBCI news source, the MedCaT Pipeline program has operated since 2010. It began as a summer intensive program on the Wake Forest campus and expanded to year-round in 2015. Newman will hold listening sessions with MedCaT alumni and collect data to “understand the impact of that program as students go into higher education and, we hope, medical professions,” Adcock says. The research hopes to discover if participation in the program moves the needle on encouraging more Inndigenous youth to pursue health care careers. The ultimate goal is to “encourage people to go into these fields where they’re much needed,” Newman says. She anticipates wrapping up her research by July 2023. EBCI HEALTH CONCERNS Indigenous people face particular challenges within the health care system. According to Reshaping the Journey, a 2018 report by the

Association of American Medical Colleges, 19% of American Indians and Alaska Natives (the term for this population used by the report) state that they do not have health insurance. The report called “AI-AN health status among the worst in the nation,” noting that 25% of the AI-AN population dies before age 45. “The poor health of AI-AN people can be attributed to the social determinants that negatively affect health: poverty, low education, joblessness, lack of medical insurance, inadequate housing, poor sanitation and lack of safe drinking water,” according to the report. Members of the EBCI formed the Center for Native Health in 2008 with funding from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. The center seeks to bring a more nuanced focus on health in the Indigenous community, particularly regarding chronic disease and diabetes. As part of its work, the center partners with organizations like Cherokee Choices, a diabetes prevention program for the EBCI under the tribe’s Public Health and Human Services Division. Addressing Indigenous people’s health concerns should include an understanding of their history. “There’s a whole host of [issues] that afflict Native communities — suicide prevention, mental health, Type 2 diabetes,” explains Adcock, who is an enrolled member of Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. “[There are] all sorts of issues that are triggered by historical trauma.” A crucial component of the Center for Native Health is support, training and mentoring young people with cultural competence in Indigeneous communities, Adcock says. Various cultures can have significantly different understandings of birth, death and sickness, as well as diagnosis and treatment, he explains. “If you want to treat patients to the best of your ability, you’ve got to understand where they come from and the history, values and culture of where they come from,” he says. UNDERREPRESENTED The Center for Native Health’s partnerships are part of a larger cultural conversation regarding representation in health care. “People who are members of all of the BIPOC [Black, Indigenous

and people of color] community are really underrepresented in professions of power in the health care setting, like pharmacists, nurse practitioners, doctors, surgeons and physicians,” says Newman. “But the tribal members are extremely underrepresented.” According to the Reshaping the Journey report, only about a half percent of practicing physicians nationwide (4,099 of 727,300) in 2016 identified as American Indians or Alaska Natives. There are roughly 13,000 enrolled EBCI members, according to the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. In 2000, 12% of American Indians earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the Center for Native Health. Among those students who were enrolled members of the EBCI, 2% worked in health care fields. “One of the ways you disrupt health disparities is you have people who are fluent in the communities in which they serve,” explains Adcock. “Hopefully, that’s Native people serving Native communities. … We need more Native EMTs and nurses and doctors and surgeons.” Newman hopes her work can be used to make the health care professions even more hospitable for Indigenous young people. “Organizations and people in positions of power need to look at why certain groups are underrepresented in medical schools, because the pipelines are currently in place,” she says. Newman adds, “An important part of creating resilience and building our nation’s health care is the representation of all cultures that make our country the melting pot that it is.” COLLABORATIVE NATURE Newman moved to WNC in 2020 to be closer to the mountains, as she

enjoys camping and hiking. Prior to that, she worked as a hospice nurse at Community Hospice & Palliative Care, a nonprofit hospice, in St. Augustine, Fla. Upon moving here, Newman learned about the MPH program at the UNCA-UNC Gillings through her next-door neighbor, Tammy Cody, a social worker at MAHEC. Intrigued by the program, she applied. She knew little about Indigenous communities before moving to WNC, Newman says. Her first real exposure to Indigenous health topics came in fall 2021, when Casey Cooper, CEO of the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority, spoke to professor Sarah Thach’s class “PlaceBased Theory in Public Health.” Newman says she was inspired by Cooper’s holistic view of health care among the EBCI, which reminded her of the collaborative nature of hospice care. “It’s more of a community-based, circular program where all members of the team that are caring for a patient in the hospital work together,” she explains. “That’s not something that currently goes on in our health care system.” She elaborated, “Working as a nurse for so long [I’ve seen how] so many parts of our health care system in the United States — nonprofit and profit — are run tangentially with many different moving parts of the puzzle that don’t always work well together.” Newman connected with Adcock, who told her about the MedCaT Pipeline program, she says. Her work at the Center for Native Health begins in October. Adcock anticipates one or two MPH students will work at the center per year, and their focus will depend on the center’s current programs. Food sovereignty and language revitalization are potential areas of programmatic focus, he says. X

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ARTS & CULTURE

Artistic dialogues

Indigenous Walls Project brings Cherokee language to public spaces BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com On April 3, Jared Wheatley was 20 minutes into painting the first mural of the Indigenous Walls Project at 46 Aston St., when a young family of three approached him and inquired what he was doing. “I’m like, ‘Oh, this is the Cherokee language.’ And the boy, who’s maybe 4 or 5, is like, ‘Cherokee language?’” says Wheatley, a dual citizen of the U.S. and the Cherokee Nation. “And the mom says, ‘Yeah! Actually, the Cherokee people used to own all of this.’ Before I could even step up and say anything, she started explaining to her son that there are people here that have always been here and been on the land.” Through placing these public artworks in prominent parts of Asheville, Wheatley aims to stimulate similar conversations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on a broader level. In turn, he hopes to help raise awareness of a larger movement to reintroduce the Cherokee syllabary and language to its people, collaborate with members of the more than 500 Indigenous nations in the U.S. and fight against stigmas that continue to hamper Native Americans.

ASHEVILLE ALLIANCE

FAMILY TIES Wheatley’s inspiration for the Indigenous Walls Project stems from his grandfather Robert Lee Whitmire’s time growing up in Tahlequah, Okla., which marks the end point of the Trail of Tears and the center of the Cherokee Nation. “[My grandfather] spoke Cherokee, but at the Indian school he attended, they were known for beating children for speaking Cherokee,” Wheatley says. “He was a boarding student there, so he lived in that school and essentially unlearned the language and then didn’t pass it on to my mother [Brenda Lee Whitmire], who also subsequently didn’t pass it on to me.” Adding to the family’s disconnect from their heritage were his grandfather’s experiences during what’s called the“termination era” (1953-70), when Congress resolved to terminate the special trustee relationship that Native American tribes held with 24

MAY 4-10, 2022

courses during her summer break from school. “It’s very personal and honestly complex, because what people in Asheville know about Indigenous people and Native Americans is the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians,” Wheatley says. “However, that’s not my nation. While I’m brothers with that tribe, I’m not actually of that tribe. So for me, the project is about raising awareness of all Indigenous tribes.”

LETTERMAN: Jared Wheatley paints a slang spelling of “Cherokee Nation” in the Cherokee syllabary at The Refinery AVL. Photo by Sarah Hoski the federal government. During that time, more than 100 tribes were terminated, and more than a million acres of land were removed from protected status. A companion policy of relocation, via such initiatives as the 1952 Urban Relocation Program, encouraged Native Americans to move off reservations and into urban centers by framing it as a means of pursuing increased economic opportunities. Though not formally relocated under the URP, Wheatley’s grandfather

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moved in 1956 to Independence, Mo., where Wheatley was born in 1985. “I’m what’s known as an ‘Urban Indian,’” he says. “And I’m very comfortable with the word ‘Indian.’” Now based in Asheville and the owner of Wheatley Construction and Épatage Workwear, Wheatley has felt called to action by recent efforts of the three recognized tribes of the Cherokee Nation to resuscitate their dying language. He and his 12-yearold daughter, Alexis, are studying Cherokee and will begin taking

Without David Moritz, managing partner for the Asheville-based real estate private equity investment firm East West Capital, Wheatley doubts that the Indigenous Walls Project would exist. Upon learning of Wheatley’s vision, Moritz says he felt an immediate desire to be an ally of the project and community, and granted Wheatley permission to paint the walls of any local building that Moritz owns — several of which are in the bustling South Slope brewing district. “What I love about the project is that it brings awareness to the history and culture of Indigenous people in a very public and accessible way,” Moritz says. “The platform allows anyone living in or visiting Asheville exposure to the Cherokee syllabary and soon other Indigenous nations’ art and language. Providing physical space for Indigenous murals is a first step in establishing mental space so that we can all become more knowledgeable about Native American history.” Galvanizing Moritz’s commitment to the Indigenous Walls Project is his Jewish heritage and his father’s experience as a Holocaust survivor. The elder Moritz fled Becherbach, Germany, in November 1938 after the Night of Broken Glass (“Kristallnacht”) at the age of 8. He then hid in France under the alias Alfred Mauricet with forged papers provided by OSE, an organization established to save Jewish children. He was saved in 1944 when the U.S. Army liberated France. The elder Moritz reunited with his parents, who survived by hiding in a mental hospital. The family remained in France as refugees without a country until 1948, when they were able to emigrate to Chicago. “He would always say that he was persecuted simply for being different, and I think that made me empathetic to the plight of the persecuted and also a lifelong student of history,” Moritz says. “Jared’s project touched a nerve in me that wants to help the persecuted have a voice and make sure that their history is not forgot-

ten. It’s important that we remember what happened, and it’s important that we have a conversation about it, especially if it means that the atrocities of the Holocaust or the Trail of Tears or any type of genocide are not repeated again.” Moritz finds Wheatley’s murals at 46 Aston St. and 207 and 217 Coxe Ave. “at once striking but also simple and effective.” Each painting uses six letters of the Cherokee syllabary to spell out “Cherokee Nation.” But whereas the formal title for “Cherokee” has four letters, Wheatley opted for a slang spelling that he says is more representative of youth culture. “Our approach is very future-focused — not reflecting so much on the past,” Wheatley says. “Part of Native culture is a tradition of planning for seven generations ahead, so part of that is what our language looks like into the future for my kids and my kids’ kids.” FORWARD MOTION That multigenerational mindset will be further put into practice Friday, May 6-Sunday, May 8, when Wheatley joins forces with his moth-

SHARED VISION: David Moritz, left, granted artist Jared Wheatley permission to paint murals on the walls of multiple buildings that Moritz owns. Photo by Alexis Wheatley er and daughter on a larger mural next to his initial 46 Aston St. syllabary painting. The two women are creating the design together and in doing so will carry on a family legacy. “I’m really lucky to have an artistic family,” Wheatley says. “And to go full circle, my mom actually did

murals throughout my entire elementary school, up and down the hallway; so when I went to school, I was surrounded by my mother’s art. “Part of why I particularly want my family to paint one of the walls adjacent to my first mural is because that’s the way love and care have

been expressed to me through my life,” Wheatley continues. Wheatley is also currently coordinating with six separate nations based in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma and Florida to travel to Asheville to paint. Future goals for the project include live painting events with multiple nations and connecting with local tour guides to include the murals on their routes. But topping the list is a permanent mural installation in Asheville that would serve as an epicenter for the conversation of Indigenous arts. “Indigenous people are not a monolith. We’re not one single thing that you can point to and say that we’re stagnant and that we only do beadwork or we only do paintings or we only do leatherwork,” he says. “We have an opportunity as a people to craft our own culture every day, and that’s a conversation that’s important for broader society to understand, particularly when it comes to Indian rights and Indian law. Unfortunately, the conversation is often shaped around the idea that Indians are a monolith and their culture can be understood, and it’s more complex than that.” To learn more, visit avl.mx/bjd. X

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ARTS & C U L T U R E

POLITICS

Questionnaire extraordinaire Local political candidates offer takes on arts issues

Candidates for Buncombe County commissioner, Asheville mayor and Asheville City Council support plans to increase funding for local arts efforts — including helping business owners and independent contractors recover from setbacks stemming form the COVID-19 pandemic, and establishing affordable artist housing and/or studio space — according to a recent survey conducted by the Asheville Area Arts Council. Seventeen of the 18 local candidates on the May 17 primary election ballot completed the arts questionnaire, which was first implemented in the 2020 primary and general elections. According to AAAC Executive Director Katie Cornell, the survey was conducted to educate candidates about the core issues currently facing the local creative sector, as well as give her an idea of the kind of education the AAAC needs to provide moving forward. Responses were not received from City Council candidate Alex Cobb. ADVOCACY FIRST In 2020, Cornell developed the survey’s questions with the AAAC’s arts leadership council. But with the 2021 formation of its Arts Coalition, composed of 10 committees focused on different key parts of the arts sector, she turned to the entirety of its membership in January to determine the five issues most important to them. “From that, I worked with the Arts Coalition chairs to craft the five questions that we selected, and then it was reviewed by all 10 committees,” Cornell says. “We’re trying to hear all the different perspectives on issues and build consensus around the same issues so that we might be able to move the ball forward together.” As in 2020, the 2022 survey asked candidates about their personal background and experience in the arts, as well as which arts activities they’ve attended, participated in or supported in the past year. Numerous participants noted their thankfulness for the gradual return to pre-pandemic levels within Asheville’s rich arts scene. “I was really pleased by how many of them have connections to the arts and support for the arts issues,” Cornell says. “We’ll see what happens once they’re elected, but at least now it sounds pretty good.”

DO THE RIGHT THING: Seventeen of the 18 local candidates on the May 17 primary election ballot completed the Asheville Area Arts Council’s latest survey. Graphic courtesy of the AAAC Subsequent questions gauged candidates’ thoughts on various issues. One concerned increasing local government funding to the AAAC to at least match the state arts funding awarded to Buncombe County (currently at $61,447); this money supports community arts programs for all county residents. Another addressed supporting additional pandemic relief aid for arts businesses. And a follow-up question asked candidates to express their views on using that same funding to support the maintenance and creation of local arts projects. Similar to 2020 responses, multiple candidates questioned why this funding would go to the AAAC. The response, Cornell says, reveals that elected officials and their constituents do not understand the role of the arts council. “I’ll be the first to admit it: The arts council hadn’t been fulfilling its role for a long time, so it’s going to take us a little while to do that education process and help people understand we are the designated artist agency for Buncombe County by official resolution,” she says. “We receive the state funding on behalf of the arts in the county and we can receive federal funding on behalf of the arts in the county. Our role is really that leadership piece.” When asked if they’d support an initiative to create affordable artist housing and/or studio space within Buncombe County, candidates seem united in recognizing the importance of stable housing. Prior to the survey, Cornell wasn’t convinced that those running for office necessarily realized

housing was also an arts issue but thinks that pointing it out could prove beneficial for individuals at risk within the creative sector. The final question concerned the proposed creation of Asheville and Buncombe County’s first cultural plan to support the preservation of its cultural assets and the equitable recovery and sustainable growth of the creative sector. “It seems like I have some work to do there,” Cornell says. “I don’t think people understand how important that is to have some real goals set around our cultural assets. But we’re getting there. That started a lot of good discussions after the 2020 survey, and I think it will continue … but it’s kind of hard to justify a cultural plan at a time when you’re going through a pandemic.” MAKING A DIFFERENCE Reflecting on the 2020 primary and general election surveys, Cornell feels they were helpful for arts leaders to understand candidates’ views and also informed her work as the advocate for the arts sector. But she also sees the AAAC’s advocacy paying off in the form of Buncombe County commis-

sioners discussing arts and culture funding at their April 26 meeting. “I really expected it was going to take a lot longer for us to see a conversation happen,” she says. “It’s very exciting to see things working. This was like opening a door with a lot of these elected officials to understanding the importance of the sector where many hadn’t considered it being on the top of their agenda. It helped me form more solid relationships with the representatives that were elected after the 2020 election.” Now, with the buy-in of the Arts Coalition, Cornell is confident that the 2022 survey will have an even greater impact as it reverberates throughout its membership and each individual’s network. “What we’re doing is setting the scene,” she says. “We’re taking a different approach to the Creative Sector Summit this year. Instead [of moderated panels with arts leaders], we’re going to do a series of arts town hall events in the fall which will be candidate forum events, moderated by the chairs of the Arts Coalition.” To view the full survey results, visit avl.mx/bit.

— Edwin Arnaudin X

nksing Tha r Vot Fo

Results publish in August MOUNTAINX.COM

X Awards 2022

MAY 4-10, 2022

ARTS & C U L T U R E

MUSIC

Rolling with the flow

River Whyless didn’t intend to let nearly four years elapse between albums, but the unplanned gap has proved beneficial for the band on multiple fronts. Recorded in late 2019, Monoflora was originally slated for a spring 2020 release, yet with music venues across the country temporarily closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, touring in support of the record wasn’t plausible. So, the Asheville-based indie/folk rockers shelved the project until travel felt like a safe and responsible option. Nearly two years later, the 12-song collection debuted on April 8 and features a practically ideal blend of familiar and fresh — precisely the kind of grounded but boundary-pushing work that listeners might expect from one of Western North Carolina’s best ensembles. During the album’s release week, as River Whyless embarked upon a monthlong East Coast tour, Xpress spoke with all four band members about taking risks, seeing their latest vision through and reconnecting with the material after a long, unplanned hiatus. CAPTURING SPONTANEITY After hitting new sonic and songwriting heights with 2018’s Kindness, A Rebel, which received widespread acclaim — including from Bob Boilen at NPR Music — Halli Anderson, Ryan O’Keefe, Daniel Shearin and Alex McWalters sought to challenge themselves for the band’s fourth fulllength album. But first, they needed the right space in which to conduct their experiment. Having cut their previous record at Sonic Ranch studios in the U.S.-

River Whyless captures creative sparks on new album

TRIUMPHANT RETURN: From left, Alex McWalters, Ryan O’Keefe, Halli Anderson and Daniel Shearin are back with River Whyless’ first album in nearly four years. Photo by Molly Milroy Mexico border town of Tornillo, Texas, where they lived for a month, the group looked for a new spot to record in relative seclusion for 30 days. As luck would have it, McWalters and his fiancée, Christina Torquato, had recently finished building a house in Swannanoa with a large unfinished basement that begged to be converted into a temporary recording room. “We’ve always been a band who works best if we can get as secluded as possible, so that was the closest thing we could get to being out and away from everything and everybody,” McWalters says. With Anderson flying in from her home in Astoria, Ore., the four members set up shop and put their trust

in Shearin’s ever-growing production and engineering skills — the first time they’d employed a band member in that capacity since their 2012 debut, A Stone, A Leaf, An Unfound Door. “Dan is an awesome engineer, and with modern gear you can get really good sound quality without being in an expensive studio,” O’Keefe says. “We often wish we’d done this or that working with an outside producer, and we wanted the freedom to explore.” Another key component of that experimentation was the band’s songwriting approach. Rather than convene at the studio with fully written, thoroughly rehearsed material, River Whyless opted to bring little more

than a few rough demos and ideas to McWalters’ house. “Recording things as you write them, as you come up with the idea, there’s just a certain spontaneity there that’s captured — a certain life, a certain flavor and a certain realness to the feeling,” Shearin says. “A lot of times, you go back to rerecord it with the demo and everything mapped out, and then you find yourself trying to capture the spontaneity of the demo. We wanted to capture it without re-creating it.” REAL COHESION As the sessions began, Anderson, O’Keefe and Shearin decided to

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exclude McWalters from the initial round of writing so that they could foremost craft the songs vocally and work out harmonies. McWalters went along with the request but notes the approach required a faster work pace once he rejoined them behind the drum kit. Nevertheless, the new process had its rewards, McWalters continues, particularly as Shearin pushed him to be more improvisational and embrace the rhythms created in the moment. O’Keefe feels that this route allowed River Whyless to initially keep the process small and helped them build the foundation for Monoflora “before getting too caught up in recording.” It also gave McWalters a chance to be more of an objective ear with the songs rather than potentially influence his bandmates’ writing from the start. “We’ve always sort of been trying to achieve this sense of real cohesion within the band, because we have three songwriters and three pretty distinct voices in those songwriters. So you often get a record that has three voices on it — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes it feels like three different records put together,” McWalters says. “We’re always trying to challenge ourselves and to see how closely we can blend things and disguise things and make it all feel like one piece and one voice.” Along those lines, Anderson notes that throughout the making of Monoflora, she and her bandmates talked about ego. “Not the ego of being overly self-confident, but of what it takes to write a song. You kind of have to dive into your own personal memories and experiences and your own personal belief, and it’s such a personal thing,” she says. “If you want those lyrics to be really poignant and undiluted — if you want them to be stronger — oftentimes you need that singular ego. And so we were always trying to figure out how we, as a band, create or have a shared ego. Just to find that one thread that we all share was really a tough and exciting and experimental process for us.” Anderson adds that digesting the songs on the record is interesting because it has highly personal pieces from everybody, yet the overall cohesiveness plays even more impressively knowing that she not only lives across the country but also plays violin with Horse Feathers, the indie folk band fronted by her husband, Justin Ringle. “[Ringle and I] love a lot of the same things and we challenge each other and we support each other and we talk about each other’s albums and mixes,” she says. “So that can be, I’m sure, frustrating for the boys in River Whyless sometimes to know

that there is another opinion that’s secretly digging its way in.” But for Monoflora, Anderson’s focus was wholly with her bandmates in Swannanoa. With Ringle back in Oregon and the couple limiting themselves to nightly phone calls, Anderson stayed at McWalters’ house for the entire month as O’Keefe and Shearin went home each night to be with their partners. “It was surreal to be away from everything that makes up my current life identity in Oregon and to be divided from that and just be 100% swimming in the ocean of Monoflora,” she says. “I’m sure there are some little undertones of Horse Feathers in there, but most of it is just the freedom I had at that moment.” BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE With tracking complete by October 2019, River Whyless sent Monoflora off for mixing, but as the songs trickled back to them in late February and early March 2020, the bandmates weren’t satisfied with the results. As the pandemic hit and the May release date was delayed, the quartet turned to Kevin Ratterman, who’d mixed 2016’s We All the Light and handled every track on the latest album except “Mourning Dove,” which was done by Noah Georgeson. “I’m not sure what we would have done if the release date was what it originally was. We may have had to find some other way to make ourselves happier or a compromise,” McWalters says. “But that extra time gave us a chance to reevaluate and go in a different direction. So, thank you, COVID, for letting us do that. We maybe didn’t need two years to do that — a couple extra months would have been fine with us — but it is what it is.” As pandemic restrictions lifted and touring once more became a reality, the bandmates returned to the songs this March and, following a West Coast tour in August, will bring them to The Orange Peel on Friday, Sept. 16. Removed from their usual arduous process of writing, recording and touring in a condensed span, the group is appreciating the perks of rediscovering their latest creations — particularly McWalters. “[Songs are] sort of in your face from the second you make them until you’re so sick of them,” he says. “I enjoy them more because I’ve had some time to come back to them. They almost feel like they’re not my songs, which is always kind of nice. It’s like eating food that you didn’t prepare. It’s just somehow better.” Lyrics penned nearly half a year before the pandemic have also taken

on new meanings for their songwriters. Shearin notes that themes concerning climate change and the fascinating contradiction of humans being a parasitic yet incredible species (explored on opening track “Heaven and Light”) seem even more poignant today. And when Anderson wrote “Fast Like a Match,” she felt more divided between her various personal and professional commitments. In turn, she subscribed to a theory about people only having so much energy to give to each passion or focus in their lives and a need to dole out certain percentages to each interest in order to achieve a sustainable balance. “And so ‘Fast Like a Match’ was written about this struggle between trying to give enough of my heart to my partner while also giving enough of my heart to my passion,” Anderson says. “And since I wrote that song, I’ve gotten married, and that tumultuous question of ‘Can I contain both of these loves within myself?’ has been answered — or has just calmed down. And I realized that maybe my whole theory about percentages is totally wrong and that we have the capacity to love many things and love them hard.”

Green thumbs & aspiring gardeners alike! Spring is here, and Xpress has launched a monthly gardening feature based on reader questions. Please send all gardening inquiries to gardening@mountainx.com

— Edwin Arnaudin X

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ARTS & C U L T U R E

FOOD ROUNDUP

What’s new in food

Mehfil serves northern Indian cuisine to downtown diners So radical is the transformation of the storefront building at 5 Biltmore Ave. — revealed on April 7 as Mehfil — that even people who frequently traverse downtown’s main artery may need a reminder of what was there. “It was Hana Japanese Hibachi and Sushi,” says Al Singh, owner of the new Indian restaurant with partner Raj Manaise. “It had tinted windows, black walls and was very dark.” After signing the lease in February, the pair turned the project around in just over 40 days. Working with Claire Wiese of Rhythm Interiors & Installation, Singh says the new layout is lighter and cheerier with “some big funky colors.” Some of that cheer came with replacing the three expansive plate glass windows facing Biltmore. “I wanted people walking by to be able to see inside, because that will draw them in, even if that wasn’t their intent,” Singh says. Meanwhile, the Mehfil citron-colored sign jutting out from the building forecasts the interior color scheme — multiple hues of green, blue, purple and saffron repeated in the unfurled umbrellas hung upside down from the ceiling. Mounted on the walls in the main dining room are 19th-century hand-painted residential doors imported from India and a lounge area is furnished with cushy chairs, a sofa and plush pillows. The cuisine is primarily northern Indian (Singh is a native of Punjab), with some South Indian dishes as well. At lunch, a $9.99 buffet is available daily from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. “The price is affordable for downtown businesspeople,” Singh says. “There is a lot of variety, so visitors who are not familiar with Indian food can come in and try several things, and it’s not intimidating.” The lunch bunch can order from the menu if they prefer; dinner is full service. Indian cuisine is very vegetarian friendly, and Mehfil’s menu follows suit. There is a broad selection of breads, tandoori dishes and five types of biryani, including the house specialty, chicken dum biryani. “People are curious what ‘dum’ biryani means,” Singh says with a 30

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New friends Traveling from downtown to West Asheville — and from Indian cuisine to Italian — Amicizia (which means “friendship” in Italian) opened April 22 at 1341 Patton Ave. The location was previously home to Byrish Haus & Pub, preceded by longtime neighborhood favorite Barbecue Inn. Co-owner Ben Logan relocated from his longtime home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Asheville in mid-2020. He loved the area but missed the family-type Italian restaurants that were ubiquitous to the city and its boroughs. “It seemed like there was one on every corner,” he recalls. “I missed that style of restaurant here and, as a single father, wanted a restaurant where I could take my son that wasn’t a chain.” Driving by the long-vacated building on Patton, he pulled into the parking lot and peered into the windows. In June 2021, he signed the lease and tackled what turned out to be a considerable amount of work. “Because it had been empty since 2017, we had to start from scratch as far as zoning and regulations for access, parking, frontage and landscaping,” he says. “We had to overhaul the kitchen to suit our needs and definitely redo the décor.” Serendipity intervened with an introduction to Loraine Altomare, now Amicizia’s executive chef, who learned to cook from her Italian immigrant grandparents while growing up on the New Jersey shore. Running the front of house is Logan’s co-founder, Susan Riposta; her domain is currently 75 seats but will eventually expand to 180 when they fully open indoor dining and add outdoor seating by late spring. Amicizia is at 1341 Patton Ave. Open Wednesday-Monday for lunch and dinner, the restaurant also offers delivery and takeout. For more information, visit avl.mx/bhw.

Trial run

BRIGHT AND SHINY: Multiple hues of green, blue, purple and saffron dazzled diners at the recently opened Mehfil in downtown Asheville. Featured is the restaurant’s manager, Misty Hensley. Photo by Jennifer Castillo laugh. “The literal translation of dum is ‘pressure,’ so it is a pressure-cooked dish with rice. Dum, not dumb.” The literal translation of mehfil is “gathering.” The restaurant’s other branding also includes the words

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yaaron ki or “of friends” and apno ki or “loved ones.” “We intend the restaurant to be a gathering place of friends and loved ones,” Singh says. Mehfil is at 5 Biltmore Ave., Suite 5B. For more information, visit avl.mx/bhv.

The Utopian Seed Project, a hands-in-the-earth nonprofit founded by James Beard Award-winning author Chris Smith, is devoted to exploring and celebrating diversity in food and farming through multiple projects and platforms, including Experimental Farm sites, Crop Stories and The People’s Seed. On Saturday, May 14, 1-4 p.m., at the Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway, the Utopian Seed Project hosts Trial to Table: Spring Celebration. The event features chefs Michelle Bailey (Smoky Park Supper Club), Cleophus Hethington (Benne on Eagle) and

Erin Hughes (The Admiral/Leo’s House of Thirst), who will prepare a selection of small plates showcasing crops from the nonprofit’s seed trials. Additionally, farmer-chef Jamie Swofford (Old North Farm) will conduct a purple sweet potato tasting of five different varieties. Tickets for Trial to Table are $35; beer and cider will be available to purchase. For more information, visit avl.mx/bhx.

Bottoms up For all of May, Ginger’s Revenge will be supporting the nonprofit Babies Need Bottoms through various donation drives and fundraisers. On Saturday, May 28, at 2:30 p.m., 100% of a $10 ticket for a 30-minute brewery tour and full pour of ginger beer will be donated to BNB. Ginger’s Revenge is at 829 Riverside Drive. To purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/bi3.

MOMosa time Forget breakfast in bed; Mama wants to get out of the house for her special day. Why choose between French toast

and an omelet when she can — and should — have it all at an extravagant Mother’s Day Brunch buffet? Free range moms (and their families) can graze on everything from fresh fruit to poached shrimp, caprese salad to roasted prime rib, omelets to dulce de leche bread pudding at Renaissance Asheville on Sunday, May 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Renaissance Asheville is at 31 Woodfin St. Reservations can be made at avl.mx/bi2.

Bonjour Mère Speaking of Mother’s Day ideas, Bouchon recently added Sunday brunch to its weekly service. Menu highlights include gratinée à l’oignon; cheeseboard with orange marmalade, fig chutney and whipped goat cheese spread; pâté en croute; quiche du jour; crêpe du jour; and steak et oeufs. Bouchon is at 62 N. Lexington Ave. serving Sunday brunch 9:30 a.m.1:30 p.m.

Twice as nice In other brunch news! Aficionados have long argued against limiting

the meal to Sundays. Well, two downtown restaurants have heard the call with weekend service of the breakfast-lunch mashup. • Bold Rock Hard Cider, 39 N. Lexington Ave., has kicked off its Bluegrass Brunch series on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., in the taproom. Diners can enjoy live pickin’ and brunch fixin’s like cornmeal apple pancakes, fried chicken and gravy biscuit with pickled jalapeno gravy, French toast casserole and Appalachian taters. • Get off the beaten buttermilk biscuit path at Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse. Chef Michael Lewis is serving a variety of unique brunch dining options, including shishito pepper-cheddar biscuit with Japanese sausage gravy and eggs; karaage chicken and waffles with salted butter; and matcha or breakfast ramen with broth, maple shichimi bacon and a sunny side egg. Ukiah’s brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., indoors and on the patio at 121 Biltmore Ave.

— Kay West X

Ready for sunny days at the Supper Club SMOKYPARK.COM 350 RIVERSIDE DR. ASHEVILLE, NC 28801 828-350-0315

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MAY 4-10, 2022

A R TS & CU LTU R E

ROUNDUP

Around Town

New podcast series explores brutal Madison County murder

TRUE CRIME: Tina Miles, left, and Chris Cook will explore an infamous Madison County murder in a new podcast series. Photos courtesy of Miles, Cook Tina Miles, who was adopted as an infant and raised in the Chicago area, discovered her birth family in Madison County in 2015 after more than three decades of searching. “In the last few years, I have assisted hundreds of individuals with their own cases using genetic genealogy — many in Madison County,” she says. Now Miles is putting her DNA expertise to use in examining one of the county’s most notorious murders. The first season of her new podcast, “Beyond Murder Mountain,” will focus on the brutal death of Nancy Morgan. Morgan, who came to Madison County in 1969 as a volunteer for a federal anti-poverty program, was found murdered in the back seat of her car on the slope of Hot Springs Mountain on June 17, 1970. She had been raped and hogtied. “I heard about the Nancy Morgan murder from one of my Madison County cousins,” Miles says. “I soon discovered most of my family members remember the crime. Many have shared intimate details with me. Madison County still mourns her loss.” Miles is producing “Beyond Murder Mountain” with her friend Chris Cook, a former law enforcement officer who was featured in the Netflix documentary series “Murder Mountain,” which looks at the 2013 murder of Garret Rodriguez in Northern California. “Since beginning our research, we have both become passionate in the quest for justice for Nancy,” Miles says. 32

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The two are in the process of recording the first season of the podcast, which will have six or seven episodes. An exact release date has not been set, but Miles expects it to be available in the next few months. For more information or to listen to the trailer, go to avl.mx/bi4.

Border wars Before late 1863, Western North Carolina was largely untouched by the fighting of the Civil War. Some civilians even moved to Asheville and Hendersonville from the coastal areas where Union forces were active. All that changed when Knoxville, Tenn., was retaken by federal troops, who suddenly had a base of operations within striking distance of the North Carolina mountains. “The last two years, 1864 and 1865, were tremendously fraught for all people in the region,” says Peter Koch, education specialist with the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University. “Economically, there were obviously fewer people working on the farms, but there were still Confederate agents impressing or ‘buying’ supplies for their armies as the region had been seen as a place to draw some material needed for the war effort. And there were more raiding parties coming over from Knoxville area to disrupt the region.” The Civil War along the North Carolina/Tennessee border will the topic of the first 2022 meeting of the

Western North Carolina Civil War Roundtable on Monday, May 9, at 7 p.m. Aaron Astor will be the featured speaker at the free program, which will take place at the Haywood County Library, 678 S. Haywood St., Waynesville. Astor is an associate professor of history at Maryville College in Tennessee. “I think the mountain region has been shaped by the war,” Koch says. “Postwar economic deprivation and the long delay in getting the railroad into the region are just a couple physical aspects of what the Civil War brought. How Reconstruction was handled nationally certainly had ramifications for race relations in the mountains.” The WNC Civil War Roundtable meetings will continue on Monday, June 13, at 7 p.m. with Philip Gerard, who will discuss his recent book, The Last Battleground: The Civil War Comes to North Carolina. On Monday, July 11, Steve Nash will speak about Reconstruction in Western North Carolina. For more information, visit avl.mx/bi5.

Your mother should know Henderson County’s Historic Johnson Farm will host a Mother’s Day Market on Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The free outdoor craft fair will showcase more than 20 local vendors selling jewelry, greeting cards, ceram-

ics, leather items, wooden décor and more. Among the vendors will be the Johnson Farm gardeners, the Heritage Weavers & Fiber Artists, and Cards for Hendersonville Causes. The farmhouse, built in 1876, will be open for self-guided tours. A $5 lunch of hot dogs, chips and drinks will be available for purchase. Historic Johnson Farm is a heritage education museum owned by Henderson County Public Schools. The farm is at 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville. For more information, go to avl.mx/bi9.

Look to the stars The Magnetic Theatre will present the local premiere of Starbright, written by Asheville resident Sean David Robinson, Friday, May 6-Saturday, May 21. Starbright, Robinson’s first fulllength play, tells the story of an astrophysicist whose life spins out of control following the loss of her daughter. It was selected by the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival and was named winner of the 2018 North Carolina New Play Project and the Centre Stage New Play Festival in Greenville, S.C. Directed by Ashleigh MillettGoff, the play will feature Courtney DeGennaro Robinson, Scott Voloshin, Ivy Voloshin and Janet Oliver. Performances run ThursdaysSaturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. The Magnetic Theatre is at 375 Depot St. For tickets or more information, visit avl.mx/bic.

All’s Faire A-B Tech will host the Asheville Maker Faire on Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The event bills itself a “an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students and commercial exhibitors.” A-B Tech’s Conference Center is at 16 Fernihurst Drive. For more information, visit avl.mx/bid.

You ought to be in pictures

tice the words that held higher meaning and growth,” states a recent press release. “As she puts her work out into the world, she hopes to inspire change in the hearts and souls of her readers, while holding space for each interpretation to resonate with each soul’s purpose.” For more information or to buy the book, go to avl.mx/bi8.

— Justin McGuire X

MOVIE REVIEWS Local reviewers’ critiques of new films include:

The Writer’s Workshop will offer a screenplay-writing workshop with Nathan Ross Freeman on Saturday, May 7, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Freeman’s writing credits include the feature films Gem and Mr. Bones. Participants will learn all aspects of writing a screenplay, including formatting, characterization, sequence structures and how to adapt any genre to a screenplay. The Writer’s Workshop is at 387 Beaucatcher Road. For more information, go to avl.mx/aae.

MEMORIA: There’s no doubting the appeal of partaking in this film’s unique distribution plan, where only one screen in the world (this week: Grail Moviehouse) shows it at a time and no physical media release is planned. But Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s beautiful drama about a woman (Tilda Swinton) tracking down the source of an odd sound proves overly sparse and is likely to encourage even the most tuned-in minds to wander. Grade: B-minus — Edwin Arnaudin

Poetry in motion Fletcher author Carrie J. Myers has released a collection of poems, Soul Confetti: Celebrating Life’s Lessons. “As a yoga instructor, she discovered new ways to dig deep into her subconscious, pulling from her prac-

Keeping Asheville Weird Since 2010

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

VOTED WNC #1 KAVA BAR

Where your favorite aunt & her “roommate” hang out. OPEN DAILY • 828.505.8118 268 Biltmore Ave • Asheville, NC

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MAY 4-10, 2022

CLUBLAND

The featured icon indicates which venues or artists require proof of vaccination for upcoming shows. Due to the evolving nature of the matter, the list may not be comprehensive. Before heading out, please check with all venues for complete information on any vaccine or negative COVID-19 requirements. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 12 BONES BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm 185 KING STREET Trivia and Karaoke, 7pm ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB All Night Karaoke Dance Party, 8pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Queer Comedy Party: Lily Campbell, 7pm • Aquanet Goth Party w/Ash Black, 9pm

CBD CAFE Jakey Jake (of the Screaming Js), 7pm CONTINUUM ART Westie Wednesdays (West Coast swing), 6:30pm FLEETWOOD'S Terraoke! Karaoke w/KJ Terra Ware, 6pm HI-WIRE BREWING RAD BEER GARDEN Game Night, 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Well- Crafted Wednesdays w/Matt Smith, 6pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Yak Attack (organic electronica), 8:30pm

CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Trivia Night, 7pm

LAZY HIKER BREWING SYLVA Trivia Night, 6:30pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Anesthesia (psychedelic power trio), 10pm ONE WORLD BREWING Pingo Wednesdays, 7pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ host Caleb Beissert, 8pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE BARRELHOUSE Open Mic Hosted by Kid Billy, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE Destroyer (indie rock), 8pm THE ODDITORIUM No Coffin, Cowards & Thieves, Urocyon & Iron Sights (thrash, metal), 7pm THE POE HOUSE Team Trivia w/Wes Ganey, 7pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic, 6pm

THURSDAY, MAY 5 ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Kiki Thursdays Drag and Dancing, 8pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR MGB (covers, singer-songwriter)k 7:30pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Mihali w/Of Good Nature (reggae), 8pm ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic & Feature Comedy, 7:30pm BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING The Blushin' Roulettes' (Americana), 6pm BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 5pm CONTINUUM ART Singer Songwriter Open Mic, 6pm CREEKSIDE TAPHOUSE Thursday Night Trivia w/Kelsey, 6:30pm CROW & QUILL Black Sea Beat Society (Baltic, Klezmer, Turkish)k 8:30pm DOUBLE CROWN Rock & Roll w/DJ Fast Eddy (punk, soul, garage), 10pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead, JGB Tribute), 6pm

LOW COUNTRY FUNKY: Grammy Award-winning Ranky Tanky, a funk, jazz and spiritual band from Charleston, S.C., will perform Gullah music at the Tryon Fine Arts Center on Sunday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of Tryon Fine Arts Center GUIDON BREWING Cinco de Mayo celebration, 4pm

• Shamarr Allen w/ Kaleta & Super Yamba Band (funk), 8pm

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Divine’s Drag Cabaret, 7pm

THE ODDITORIUM Shutterings, The Walbournes, Zillicoah & Call the Next Witness (alt/indie/rock), 7pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Asheville Sessions presents "Love is a Rose" (rock, jazz, blues), 7pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich & Friends, 7pm

185 KING STREET Unpaid Bill & the Bad Czechs (blues, jazz, swing), 8pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Gunslinging Parrots (Phish tribute), 9pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST 81 Drifters (bluegrass), 8pm PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Funk'N Around, 6:30pm ROOM NINE College Night Dance Party, 10pm SALVAGE STATION Lucero (Southern rock, punk)k 8pm THE BARRELHOUSE Trivia w/Po' Folk, 8pm THE FOUNDRY HOTEL LOUNGE Pimps of Pompe (hot jazz), 7pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR • Rum Punchlines Comedy Open Mic, 6pm • Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm THE GREY EAGLE • Doss Church (folk-inspired acoustic guitar), 5pm

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THE ORANGE PEEL Hot Chip (synthpop), 9pm

FRIDAY, MAY 6

305 LOUNGE & EATERY Geriatric Jukebox (oldies), 5pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY VENUS (dark house dance party), 10pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Mr Jimmy's Big City Chicago Bluesk 7:30pm BIG PILLOW BREWING Dave Desmelik (singer-songwriter), 6pm BLUE RIDGE HEMP CO. Chaotic Comedy, 8pm BREWSKIES Karaoke, 10pm CITIZEN VINYL David Barnard (singer-songwriter), 4pm CORK & KEG The Gypsy Swingers (up tempo jazz, Latin, bossa nova), 8pm CROW & QUILL DJ Dr. Filth (old school vinyl)k 8:30pm FBO AT HOMINY CREEK Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia Band tribute), 5pm

FLEETWOOD'S Rough Dreams w/ Cardboard Box Colony (emo, punk), 8pm

RIVERSIDE RHAPSODY BEER CO. Fresh Phish Friday, 5:30pm

GUIDON BREWING Seth & Sara (acoustic duo), 7pm

ROOM NINE Ladies Night Dance Party w/DJ Moto, 10pm

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY The Get Right Band (psychedelic, indie rock), 7pm HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Drag Music Bingo w/ Divine the Bearded Lady, 7pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 • Dana and Susan Robinson (American roots & folk duo), 7pm • Chris Jones & the Night Drivers (bluegrass), 8:30pm LAZY HIKER BREWING SYLVA Karaoke In The Smokies, 8pm MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Bob Keel (folk), 7pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Blake Ellege Band (classic rock, oldies, pop), 8pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Friday w/ Gus & Friends (Grateful Dead tribute), 9pm ONE WORLD BREWING 5j Barrow (folk rock), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST • Pink Mercury-Improvisational Pop Music led by Stephanie Morgan, 6pm • Night Teacher (folk, electro-pop, blues rock), 9:30pm

SALVAGE STATION Chase Matthews (country), 8pm SILVERADOS Yonder Mountain String Band (bluegrass), 7pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Lactones (prog), 8pm THE BARRELHOUSE Roots Birthday Bash, 8pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Getaway Comedy: Andy Iwancio, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE • Vince Junior Band (blues, surf, reggae), 6pm • Built to Spill (indie rock), 9pm THE ODDITORIUM Tombstone Highway w/Preppen Barium & October (hard rock), 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL Snail Mail (indie rock) k 8pm UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY BREVARD Bruce Threlkeld (bluegrass to punk), 6pm

SATURDAY, MAY 7 185 KING STREET Tacky Prom Dance Party w/Lazr Luvr ('80s), 8pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Old Men of the Woods (folk, pop), 1pm

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MAY 4-10, 2022

C LU BL A N D ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB All Night Karaoke Dance Party, 8pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Beauty Parlor Comedy: Stef Bright, 7pm • Vinyl Timetravelers (hip hop dance party), 10pm ASHEVILLE CLUB Mr Jimmy (blues), 8pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR The Travelling Pilsburys (rock, folk, oldies), 7:30pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Back to the 90s Throwback Party w/DJ Deacon, 9pm BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (gypsy jazz), 5:30pm

CORK & KEG Old Time Jam, 8pm CROW & QUILL Drayton & the Dreamboats (vintage crooners) k 8:30pm GUIDON BREWING Kimmie Bitter (blues, country, rock), 7pm HI-WIRE BREWING Silent Disco, 8pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Peggy Ratusz & Daddy LongLegs (blues, jazz, swing), 6pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Asheville 8 String Collective (jazz, funk, blues), 7pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 DRRTYWULVZ (electronic), 8:30pm

BIG PILLOW BREWING Vernon Landers (country blues), 5:30pm

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE Big Ivy Project (acoustic duo), 6pm

BREWSKIES Pool Tournament Saturdays, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. TrancEnd (trip hop), 8pm

BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Supper Break (bluegrass), 2pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Ajeva (progressive funk), 10pm

CITIZEN VINYL Saturday Spins (local DJs), 1pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST • Solvivor (rock), 6pm

MAY 4-10, 2022

• Pipes & The Peacemakers (soul, funk, blues), 9pm PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Night One: Pisgah's 17 Year Anniversary Party w/Andy Frasco & the UN, 6pm REVOLVE Brett Naucke w/Bana Haffar (contemporary experimental electronic), 7pm ROOM NINE Asheville's Biggest Dance Party, 10pm SALVAGE STATION Josh Phillips w/SeepeopleS (indie), 8pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Eaze Dogg (rap, hiphop), 8pm THE DUGOUT The Lads AVL (rock, folk, blues), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Breakin' on Buxton (80s dance party), 8pm

SUNDAY, MAY 8 ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Low Key Karaoke Chill Vibes, 8pm ARCHETYPE BREWING Sunday Sessions w/ August West (guitarist), 3pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Life’s A Drag Brunch w/ Ida Carolina, 12pm • SOL Dance Party w/Zati (soul house), 9pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Carver and Carmody (acoustic duo), 2pm

THE GREY EAGLE • The New Rustics (country, bluegrass, rock), 5pm • Taylor Ramsey w/Kramies (singer-songwriter), 8pm

CROW & QUILL The Roaring Lions (parlour jazz)k 8:30pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Role Model (pop, lo-fi), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S Temp Job, Fortezza & Serotina (garage rock), 8pm

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY BREVARD Reckless Betty (rock), 6:30pm

MOUNTAINX.COM

FBO AT HOMINY CREEK Jeb Rogers Band easy tunes, multi genres), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Saylyn Roots Reggae, 2pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Circus No. 9 (bluegrass), 7:30pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Big Eyes Parker (indie folk), 3pm One Stop at Asheville Music Hall Shakedown Sundays (rock, jam band), 8pm PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Night Two: Pisgah's 17 Year Anniversary Party w/Travers Brothership, Karl Denson & Pimps of Joytime, 6pm PLEB URBAN WINERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 4pm SALVAGE STATION Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, and Gregg Bissonette: Bass Extremes, 8pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Aaron "Woody" Wood (blues, Americana), 7pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Mr Jimmy (blues), 3pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Bike Night w/Ashley & Big Matty, 2pm THE GREY EAGLE • The Music of the Beatles for Kids, 12pm

Jackson Grimm and the • Bull Moose Party (folk pop), 4pm • Emi Sunshine w/Moon Water (Americana, country), 7pm THE ODDITORIUM • Drag Brunch, 2pm • Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm THE ORANGE PEEL LP (pop, alt rock), 8pm TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER Ranky Tanky (funk, spiritual, jazz), 7:30pm UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY BREVARD Dirty Dawg (acoustic, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia), 2pm

MONDAY, MAY 9

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Totally Rad Trivia w/ Mitch Fortune, 6pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Downtown Karaoke w/ Ganymede, 9pm

LITTLE JUMBO The Core (jazz)k 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Osiris w/Adam Chase Trio & Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 6pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST The JLloyd Mashup Mondays (soul, funk, reggae, Afrobeat), 8pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Improv Workshop, 8pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Trivia by the River w/ James Harrod, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE The Antlers (alt/indie), 8pm THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR Freshen Up Comedy Open Mic, 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL The Brian Jonestown Massacre (alt rock), 8pm

ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB Industry Nite Drink w/ DJ, 8pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Carolina Celtic - The Belfast Boys, 7:30pm

BREWSKIES Open Jam w/Tall Paul, 7:30pm DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke, 10pm HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB Open Mic w/Taylor Martin & Special Guest, 7:15pm

TUESDAY, MAY 10 185 KING STREET Travis Book & Friends ft. the T Book Old Time Band w/Bill Kubilius, Owen Grooms and Tim Gardner, 6pm

FLEETWOOD'S Heavy Metal Mixer w/ Reuben, 6pm FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm HARRAH’S CHEROKEE CENTER Daughtry (rock), 8pm HEMINGWAY’S CUBA Para Gozar (Cuban), 7:30pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Team Trivia, 7pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Open Jam hosted by Lactones, 7pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING All Arts Open Mike w/ Mike Waters, 6pm THE GREY EAGLE Bob Log III (one man guitar band), 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL Gogol Bordello (Gypsy punk), 8pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Eister's Twin Leaf Trivia, 7pm WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Open Mic Night w/Bill Altork, 7pm

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic, 6pm Wednesday Open Mic, 6pm WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Music Circle, 7pm

THURSDAY, MAY 12

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

185 KING STREET South Carolina Blues Alliance, 7pm

185 KING STREET Trivia and Karaoke, 7pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Kiki Thursdays Drag and Dancing, 8pm

ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB All Night Karaoke Dance Party, 8pm AMERICAN VINYL CO. Stump Sprouts (Trevor Wilson) w/Oil Derek & Ethan Woods (folk, cosmic Appalachian), 7pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Beauty Parlor Comedy: Harrison Tweed, 7pm • Aquanet Goth Party w/Ash Black, 9pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING Jay Brown (roots), 6pm CBD CAFE Jakey Jake (of the Screaming Js), 7pm FLEETWOOD'S Terraoke! Karaoke w/KJ Terra Ware, 6pm HI-WIRE BREWING RAD BEER GARDEN Game Night, 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Well- Crafted Wednesdays with Matt Smith, 6pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Steff Mahan (country, Americana), 7:30pm LAZY HIKER BREWING SYLVA Trivia Night, 6:30pm ONE WORLD BREWING Pingo Wednesdays, 7pm PULP Slice of Life Comedy ft Alex Joyce, 8:30pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Host Caleb Beissert, 8pm

48 College St. Downtown, Asheville 828-505-8455 • zellasdeli.com

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 5pm CREEKSIDE TAPHOUSE Thursday Night Trivia w/ Kelsey, 6:30pm CROW & QUILL Black Sea Beat Society (Baltic, Klezmer, Turkish) k 8:30pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Up Jumped Three (jazz), 6pm ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 • Asheville Sessions ft Melody Cooper (jazz, blues, rock), 7pm • Sam Holt Band: Remembering Mikey & Todd (Widespread Panic), 8:30pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich & Friends, 7pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Kool Dewey Kudzu (singer-songwriter), 7pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST John Duncan (fiddler), 8pm PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Ashley Heath and Her Heathens (Americana, rock), 6:30pm RENDEZVOUS Gin Mill Pickers (Americana), 6pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE BARRELHOUSE Open Mic Hosted by Kid Billy, 8pm

SALVAGE STATION Grateful Shred (Dead tribute), 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE Joy Oladokun (singer songwriter), 8pm

THE BARRELHOUSE Trivia w/Po' Folk, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic w/Alex Joyce, 9pm

HOT BUNS & TASTY MEAT

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR KB and the LMD (jazz standards, classic pop) k 7:30pm

RIVERSIDE RHAPSODY BEER CO. Songwriters Round w/ Josh Carpenter, Wayne Robbins & Vickie Burick, 6pm

THE ODDITORIUM Bumpin' Uglies Presents EMO NIGHT, 8pm

OPEN NOW

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR • Rum Punchlines Comedy Open Mic, 6pm • Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9pm

MOUNTAINX.COM

MAY 4-10, 2022

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Poet Jennifer Willoughby writes, “I am so busy. I am practicing my new hobby of watching me become someone else. There is so much violence in reconstruction. Every minute is grisly, but I have to participate. I am building what I cannot break.” I wouldn’t describe your own reconstruction process during recent months as “violent” or “grisly,” Aries, but it has been strenuous and demanding. The good news is that you have mostly completed the most demanding work. Soon the process will become more fun. Congratulations on creating an unbreakable new version of yourself! TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z tells us, “Don’t ever go with the flow. Instead, be the flow.” Here’s what I think he means: If we go with the flow, we adjust and accommodate ourselves to a force that is not necessarily aligned with our personal inclinations and needs. To go with the flow implies we are surrendering our autonomy. To claim our full sovereignty, on the other hand, we are wise to be the flow. We should create our own flow, which is just right for our unique inclinations and needs. I think this is the right approach for you right now, Taurus. Be the flow. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Italian language used to be a dialect spoken in Tuscany. That area comprises less than 8% of the country’s territory. How did such a dramatic evolution happen? Why did a local dialect supersede other dialects like Piedmontese, Neapolitan, Sicilian and others? In part, it was because three potent 14th-century writers wrote in the Tuscan dialect: Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio. Another reason: Because Tuscany is centrally located in Italy, its dialect was less influenced by languages in France and other nearby countries. I offer this as a metaphor for you in the coming months. One of your personal talents, affiliations, or inclinations could become more influential and widespread — and have more authority in your life.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Author Anne Lamott is renowned for her tender approach to expressing her struggles with addiction, depression and other tribulations. One of her supreme tests was being a single mother who raised her son, Sam. In this effort, she was her usual plucky self. Anytime she hosted playdates with Sam’s young friends at her home, she called on the help of crayons and paint, pens, clay and scissors. “When we did art with the kids, the demons would lie down,” she testified. I recommend a comparable strategy for you in the coming days, Libra. You will have extra power as you tame, calm or transform your demons. Making art could be effective, as well as any task that spurs your creativity and imagination. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “My heart has developed a kind of amnesia, where it remembers everything but itself,” writes Scorpio poet Sabrina Benaim. If you suffer a condition that resembles hers, it’s about to change. According to my astrological analysis, your heart will soon not only remember everything; it will also remember itself. What a blissful homecoming that will be — although it may also be unruly and confounding, at least in the beginning. But after the initial surprise calms down, you will celebrate a dramatic enhancement of emotionally rich self-knowledge. You will feel united with the source of your longing to love and be loved. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Just because things hadn’t gone the way I had planned didn’t necessarily mean they had gone wrong,” writes Sagittarian author Ann Patchett. Her thought may be helpful for you to meditate on. My guess is that you will ultimately be glad that things didn’t go the way you planned. God or your Higher Self or the Mysterious Forces of Destiny will conspire to lead you away from limited expectations or not-big-enough visions so as to offer you bigger and better blessings.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Always strive to be more interested than interesting,” said actor and activist Jane Fonda. That may not be easy for you to accomplish in the near future, dear Cancerian. Your curiosity will be at peak levels, but you may also be extra compelling and captivating. So I’ll amend Fonda’s advice: Give yourself permission to be both as interested and as interesting as you can imagine. Entertain the world with your lively personality as you go in quest of new information, fresh perceptions and unprecedented experiences.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Novelist Jane Austen (1775–1817) confessed she was a “wild beast.” Really? The author who wrote masterfully about the complex social lives of wealthy British people? Here’s my theory: The wild beast in her made her original, unsentimental, humorous and brilliant in creating her stories. How is your own inner wild beast, Capricorn? According to my reading of the astrological omens, now is an excellent time to give it fun, rich assignments. What parts of your life would benefit from tapping into raw, primal energy?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “When in doubt, act like God,” proclaimed Leo singer-songwriter Madonna. I wouldn’t usually endorse that advice. But I’ll make an exception for you Leos during the next 3 weeks. Due to a divine configuration of astrological omens, you are authorized to ascend to new heights of sovereignty and self-possession — even to the point of doing a vivid God impersonation. For best results, don’t choose an angry, jealous, tyrannical deity to be your role model. Pattern yourself after a sweeter, funnier, more intimate type of celestial being.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian poet Jack Gilbert wrote, “I lie in the dark wondering if this quiet in me now is a beginning or an end.” I don’t know how Gilbert solved his dilemma. But I suspect you will soon be inclined to pose a similar question. In your case, the answer will be that the quiet in you is a beginning. Ah! But in the early going, it may not resemble a beginning. You might be puzzled by its fuzzy, meandering quality. But sooner or later, the quiet in you will become fertile and inspirational. You will ride it to the next chapter of your life story.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): My Virgo friend Amanda told me she felt tight and overwrought. She was overthinking and on the verge of a meltdown. With a rueful sigh, she added, “I adore anything that helps me decompress, unwind, simmer down, stop worrying, lighten up, compose myself and mellow out.” So I invited her to take deep breaths, close her eyes and visualize herself immersed in blue-green light. Then I asked her to name influences she loved: people, animals, natural places, music, books, films, art and physical movements that made her feel happy to be alive. She came up with 8 different sources of bliss, and together we meditated on them. Half an hour later, she was as relaxed as she had been in months. I recommend you try a comparable exercise every day for the next 14 days. Be proactive about cultivating tranquil delight.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The genre of poetry known as haiku often relies on unexpected juxtapositions. Critic R. H. Blyth observed, “In haiku, the two entirely different things that are joined in sameness are poetry and sensation, spirit and matter.” I suspect your life in the coming weeks will have metaphorical resemblances to haikus. You will be skilled at blending elements that aren’t often combined, or that should be blended but haven’t been. For inspiration, read these haikus by Raymond Roseliep. 1. in the stream / stones making half / the music. 2. horizon / wild swan drifting through / the woman’s body. 3. birthcry! / the stars / are all in place. 4. bathwater / down the drain / some of me. 5. grass / holding the shape / of our night. 6. campfire extinguished, / the woman washing dishes / in a pan of stars.

MAY 4-10, 2022

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MARKETPLACE

BY ROB BREZSNY

REAL ESTATE & RENTALS | ROOMMATES | JOBS | SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENTS | CLASSES & WORKSHOPS | MIND, BODY, SPIRIT MUSICIANS’ SERVICES | PETS | AUTOMOTIVE | XCHANGE | ADULT Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to advertise@mountainx.com RENTALS APARTMENTS FOR RENT LOOKING FOR A FURNISHED RENTAL IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE? Seeking roommate for condo w/private bedroom & bathroom, walkable to everything. Kitchen, living space & deck. Shared w/female condo resident & dog. Credit/background check required. 3 month minimum. Call/text 917603-0058.

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GENERAL

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SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES

RESTAURANT/ FOOD

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NEED A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE WHERE YOU ARE EARNING A SOLID LIVING WAGE? We are looking for the best, most detailed, and punctual cleaners. Join The Nice and Fresh Cleaners Dream Team! Job Title: Cleaning Crew Member. Compensation: $17.50-$25.00 /hour. Job Types: Full-time, Part-time. Application: nicefreshclean. com/job-application/.

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part-time weekly newspaper delivery. The contractor must have a safe driving record, a reliable vehicle with proper insurance and registration, and be able to lift 50 lbs. without strain. Distribution of papers is on Tuesday mornings and afternoons and typically lasts about 7-8 hours per week. Occasional Wednesday morning delivery is is sometimes needed or can be an option. E-mail distro@ mountainx.com.

MEDICAL/ HEALTH CARE

with individuals and the community to enhance, advocate for and support personal choices, independent living and community inclusion. The Independent Living Specialist is a strong voice for disability rights and independent living, working to assist consumers in maintaining their lives independently in the community. Promotes Disability Partners in the seven county service area and collaborates with community agencies to best assist the consumer to reach goals for independent living. The Independent Living Specialist will provide general information and referral for consumers and the community as requested. Email: Eva Reynolds at ereynolds@ disabilitypartners.org for job description and application. No phone calls please.

DRIVERS/ DELIVERY

CASE MANAGER NEEDED Case Manager needed for our CAP-DA Program in the greater Asheville area. Contract position, flexible scheduling, immediate need. Must have degree in Human Services or related field. Send resumes to rcuellar@ candbsupportservices.com and bethspeace@outlook. com. Phone: 828-654-0644

DISABILITY PARTNERS ASHEVILLE OFFICE FullTime Non-Exempt Youth Coordinator The Youth Coordinator recruits, educates, empowers and serves youth with disabilities regarding disability-related issues, resources, advocacy, peer support and transitioning into adulthood. The Youth Coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing youth programs and services, youth outreach activities and events, delivering independent living services to youth, helping youth develop and implement independent living transition plans. Conduct public education regarding disability issues, independent living services and Disability Partners. Email: Eva Reynolds at ereynolds@ disabilitypartners.org for job description and application. No phone calls please.

MOUNTAIN XPRESS DELIVERY Mountain Xpress is seeking an energetic, reliable, independent contractor for

DISABILITY PARTNERS ASHEVILLE OFFICE Full time non-exempt Independent Living Specialist/Asheville Pathways For The Future, Inc. dba DisAbility Partners is dedicated to partnering

HELPMATE SEEKS YOUTH OUTREACH SPECIALIST Helpmate, a domestic violence agency in Asheville, NC, seeks a 25-hour part-time Youth Outreach Specialist to provide community education

TALISMAN SUMMER CAMP KITCHEN CREW Seeking a kitchen manager and 2 cooks at our camp for kids with ADHD or autism. Great hours, positive environment, management experience, and meaningful summer work. Email ltatsapaugh@ talismanprograms.com or visit https://talismancamps. com/.

NOW HIRING DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS Urgently Hiring at all locations! Starting Hourly Base Rate of Pay $16.00 plus shift differential for 2nd, 3rd, and weekends To apply send resume to : apply@ bluewestopportunities.org EOE, DFWP

HUMAN SERVICES

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THE N EW Y OR K TI M ES C ROSSWORD P UZ Z LE 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 $16.55-$19.11/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 5/18/22. 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. www. helpmateonline.org WOMEN'S HOLISTIC RECOVERY COMMUNITY - DIRECT CARE - WEST ASHEVILLE Ember Lodge is seeking an experienced Recovery Mentor for a parttime live-in shift position. Ember Lodge provides a healing environment for young adult women in recovery from substance use disorder. If interested, you can email a letter of interest and resume to amanda@ emberlodge.com. https:// emberlodge.com/

TEACHING/ EDUCATION

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RETAIL DURITY VAPE & SMOKE SALES ASSOCIATE NEEDED Sales Associate needed, must be 21 years or older to apply. Job duties are ringing up customers on POS and keeping shop clean. Pay $13.50-$15.00 an hour. Email: durityvape208@gmail.com NATURAL FOOD MANAGER WANTED Madison Natural Foods is seeking an evening manager. Fun, friendly environment in downtown Marshall. Ideal candidates are friendly, self-motivated and attentive to detail. Must have natural food and management experience. Send resumes to madisonnaturalfoods@ gmail.com

XCHANGE GENERAL MERCHANDISE BILTMORE PARK COMMUNITY YARD SALE MAY 7TH Don’t Miss It! Biltmore Park Community Yard Sale is Saturday May 7th from 8 am noon. The large Biltmore Park Community is located behind Biltmore Park Town Square shopping area off Long Shoals Road. Yard sales will be held at individual houses that have a balloon tied to their mailboxes. Easy access from Hendersonville Road or Hwy 26. Using GPS? Use Biltmore Park Town Square as your end point and head behind it for access to the neighborhood.

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES STILL BUYING ANTIQUES Seeking old stuff! Cast iron, advertising signs, military, primitives, collections, art, pottery, estates, crocks, bottles, silver, license plates, unusual stuff, taxidermy, rifles, bbguns, more. Call/ Text 828-582-6097,steadyaim1@yahoo.com.

SERVICES

SUMMER CAMP COUNSELOR Come join us for the most rewarding, challenging, outdoor adventure at Talisman Summer Camp. We are a special needs summer camp working with Autism and ADHD. Call 828-845-0584 or email cory@talismancamps. com

CAREGIVERS/ NANNY IN HOME AIDES & CARE PROFESSIONALS - HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE Join the leading Home

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edited by Will Shortz | No. 0330

ACROSS 1 They may be switched while cycling 6 Shorthand pro 11 Crossword solver’s cry 14 Deity with 99 names 15 Raphael, Gabriel or Michael 17 Cradlin’ a Salinger protagonist? 19 Preserve, as ashes 20 Vodka brand, informally 21 “Footloose” star cookin’ a fresh batch of brownies? 26 “Need an ark? I Noah guy,” and others 27 Blond at the bar, say 28 Letters on a luxury handbag 29 Chips brand 31 Sentence … or something found in a sentence 33 Did so-so at school 34 The Great Emancipator sharin’ URLs on his blog? 40 Cover for illicit activity 41 “Right on!” 43 “I don’t want to hear the gory details” 46 ___-C.I.O. 49 Strands in a cell 50 Four-time Grammy winner India.___ 51 Bein’ in debt to a “Wedding Crashers” co-star? 54 Some burrowing mouselike rodents 56 One-point Scrabble draw 57 Massachusetts senator wagin’ conflict? 63 Houseplant that some think brings luck and prosperity 64 One in 1,000? 65 Beat it!

PUZZLE BY JACK MURTAGH

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56 58

66 Bee teem? 67 Internet admin

DOWN 1 Cry of frustration 2 Chess rating system 3 ___ fours 4 Minute hands, essentially 5 Climb (up), as a pole 6 Related to religious rites 7 Sedative in a blowgun dart, informally 8 Old French coin 9 Org. for Ducks and Penguins 10 Bunglers 11 Get too old to qualify 12 “Over my dead body!” 13 Hugo-winning “Hothouse” author Brian 16 Particularly particular 18 Pencil remnants 21 Actress Dennings 22 Philosopher Zeno’s birthplace 23 Crow, but not magpie 24 “American ___”

25 “Moi? Never!” 30 Went on, as an errand 32 Gotham City supervillain in a cryogenic suit 33 Intl. standard used by many astrologers 35 Amount to 36 Our genus 37 Freshly 38 Roadside bombs, for short 39 One-billionth: Prefix 42 Solo in spaceflight? 43 “I need a hero!” 44 Computer language that sounds like a literary intro

45 Under the weather 46 “Ode to Joy,” for the European Union 47 Texter’s “I think” 48 New Hampshire state flowers 52 Bury 53 The “L” of Samuel L. Jackson 55 Declares 58 As an aside, in a text 59 The “E” of B.C.E. 60 Info in an apt. listing 61 Texter’s “I think” 62 Catch some Z’s

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