Mountain Xpress 05.15.24

Meet and make new friends, enjoy outdoor activities of your choosing, and give back to our beautiful mountains and community.

Volunteer activities include regularly scheduled and one-time outdoor workdays within Buncombe County. The projects may include:

- planting and maintaining flower gardens

- campground and picnic area maintenance

- graffiti remediation

- litter pick up

- other activities as requested

For more information, email ashevillevolunteers@friendsbrp.org or visit blueridgefriends.org

Despite abundance, hunger soars in WNC

NINE LIVES

Since its launch in 2020, Laps and Naps has worked to find new homes for senior cats. More recently, the nonprofit purchased 5 1/2 acres to expand its mission.

COVER

How

Honeycrisps

Teachers’ mental health

Asheville filmmaker celebrates local debut in symphony collaboration

55 BON APPETIT, Y’ALL

After nearly 20 years downtown, Bouchon chef and owner Michel Baudouin is scaling back

Features Diana Wortham with her cat, Pearl; courtesy of Laps and Naps

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas Calder

EDITORS:

Lisa Allen, Gina Smith, Jessica Wakeman

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Thomas Calder

OPINION

EDITOR: Tracy Rose

STAFF REPORTERS: Lisa Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Justin McGuire, Greg Parlier, Brooke Randle, Gina Smith, Jessica Wakeman

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Braulio Pescador-Martinez

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Jon Elliston, Mindi Friedwald, Peter Gregutt, Rob Mikulak

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Oby Arnold, Mark Barrett, Eric Brown, Carmela Caruso, Cayla Clark, Kristin D’Agostino, Brionna Dallara, Kiesa Kay, Storms Reback, Kay West

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Cindy Kunst

ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson

LEAD DESIGNER: Scott Southwick

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Tina Gaafary, Olivia Urban

MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Sara Brecht, Scott Mermel

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES: Hinton Edgerton, Jeff Fobes, Mark Murphy, Scott Southwick

WEB: Brandon Tilley BOOKKEEPER: Amie Fowler

ADMINISTRATION & BILLING: Hinton Edgerton, Mark Murphy

DISTRIBUTION: Susan Hutchinson, Cindy Kunst

DISTRIBUTION DRIVERS: Ashley Alms, Corey Biskind, Tracy Houston, John McKay, Henry Mitchell, Courtney Israel Nash, Joey Nash, Carl & Debbie Schweiger, Gary Selnick, Noah Tanner

Workers + no housing = ?

[Regarding “Liftoff: TDA Approves About $10 Million for Community Projects But Not Affordable Housing,” May 1, Xpress:]

It seems to me that workers for the tourism industry in Asheville are essential. And if people cannot afford to live here (or near here), we will not have workers to serve the tourists we are trying to woo.

— Lori Grifo Mills River

Why Asheville needs infill housing

As letter writers recently have expressed opposition to new housing in their Asheville neighborhood, some have argued that infill homes should be denied because they won’t be “affordable” anyway [“Council Must Listen to Community on Haw Creek Project,” April 17, Xpress]. Other “pros” and “cons” for such construction aside, this is a misguided idea.

In fact, new research affirms what housing advocates have argued for years: Even where land and construction costs are high, new infill is essential to reducing rent and home prices across core neighborhoods.

Here’s what the research says: Let’s say some homes are built in East Asheville. Most of these will likely be purchased or rented by locals. And that in turn frees up housing elsewhere. A family moving to a turnkey property in East Asheville made the decision not to purchase a fixer-upper in West Asheville. So the renter there gets to stay in their home. Further, that family’s old home near the River Arts District is now vacant. So a new resident moves in, leaving her old bungalow for another family. Again, that family is likely to come from within the Asheville region.

This phenomenon, which researchers call “moving chains,” is remarkable because it increases vacancies for lower-cost homes even when the chain begins with higher-priced ones. Ninety-five new homes may lead to dozens of fewer instances of displacement across the city.

This is reverse gentrification. Options for renters and homebuyers in desirable neighborhoods reduce displacement pressures and speculation in more vulnerable ones. Even when those options are “market-rate.”

The alternative — preventing new homes from being built in high-value neighborhoods — only makes such places more exclusive. It is irrefutably a primary mechanism by which classand race-based segregation persist.

Most working people live in unsubsidized housing. That won’t change, absent a revolution in federal policy. And as Asheville struggles with the difficult task of better targeting the scarce funds that we have, freeing up more market-rate homes for such workers as teachers and nurses may provide them with a better chance of paying for housing on their own, allowing more subsidies for more vulnerable demographics.

Finally, another recent study reaffirms another point related to housing affordability: Allowing an increase in market-rate infill homes makes public dollars spent on subsidized housing go dramatically further.

One reason is that land accounts for a portion of construction costs; dollars that first go to builders end up in the pockets of landowners as passive income. But if we allow infill to be added in all of our high-demand, high-amenity neighborhoods, we diminish the pricing power that landowners wield. In short, with more housing capacity, public money is “captured” away from speculation, and more may go to help renters.

As City Council considers comprehensive zoning reforms and “conditional zoning” requests to promote more residential infill, and as Asheville prepares for an affordable housing bond this fall, remember that these things aren’t in competition. Rather, the city’s affordable housing goals are dependent on allowing that infill — even if much of it will be market rate.

— Andrew Paul Asheville

Editor’s note: Andrew Paul is a lead organizer with the pro-housing advocacy nonprofit Asheville for All.

Thoughts on the TDA and socialism

[Regarding “Liftoff: TDA Approves About $10 Million for Community Projects But Not Affordable Housing,” May 1, and “Service Industry Workers Petition for Affordable Housing Funding from BCTDA,” June 7, 2023, both Xpress:]

Are you kidding me?! Asheville actually has an official socialist party? Not only is that an embarrassment for our city, but it represents damned-to-fail social policy. Is there anyone who can help these folks understand the history behind socialism and its close cousin, communism?

I wonder who is behind this group. And yes, they have a right to spew their terrible vitriol, I know. The history is there … socialism doesn’t work.

But yes, forced to do the best they could, I believe the Tourism Development Authority did the right thing sidestepping a lawsuit that they probably would lose.

Seems like the state needs to look into a better set of rules for this group or maybe a new referendum.

—

Barry Shoor Asheville

Do we want successful outcomes after prison?

In April, I had the honor of participating in a simulated prison reentry experience through the Business Advisory Council at Goodwill Industries in Asheville. Nearly 60 individuals or service providers from the general community of businesses,

governmental and nongovernmental agencies took part in this exercise. Each of us received a packet in which was included the first name of an actual person who had been incarcerated and who returned home at the end of his or her sentence, along with instructions to follow to meet probation requirements during the first 30 days of reentry. Though each person’s requirements may be somewhat different, without a photo ID, cash, transportation, housing or food, probation was (is) not easy to complete. We learned that it can actually become so stressful, that doing something to be reincarcerated is a possible and likely but unintentional outcome.

Brent Bailey is the program coordinator for the Buncombe County Re-entry Council [avl.mx/dox]. Brent and his team, along with Jody Stevenson, jobs developer/skills training manager, and his team at Goodwill Industries, and Brian Scott, executive director of Our Journey, provided this reentry simulation training opportunity. It was such a moving, heart-wrenching and awakening two hours of life. I am grateful to have completed it — to the extent I was able to do so. Reentry from prison shouldn’t be this difficult and degrading, defeating and repressive. If we want successful outcomes to occur, then change must happen. Together we really can inform our systems leaders and policymakers with ideas and models of change to become change agents, as Philip Cooper shows us how to do here locally. For more information and connection to a dynamic presenter to help communities interested in this work, do visit Scott’s website [avl.mx/doy]. Reach out to the folks in county reentry agencies and seek the resources they can provide. Help our friends and loved ones as they depart from prison back into society with us. It will benefit them and the community if we do this together. — Michael Harney Community educator Asheville

Forest Service needs a name change

Let’s change the name of the “Forest” Service to the U.S. “Lumber” Service. It’s sad that the conservation clubs have to take our government agencies to court to protect our forests. — Dan Stitt Black Mountain

Universities must go deeper with AI

Articles such as “Intelligent Learning: Area Colleges Tackle

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

Challenges, Opportunities of AI in the Classroom” [May 1, Xpress] make me bristle. Our universities must go beyond merely teaching the use of artificial intelligence; they should also connect with current industry professionals and teach how to develop, evolve and maintain it. I’ve come across too few educators capable of teaching the skills that we’re actively using to build and maintain AI solutions. Developing successful AI applications involves far more than just programming; it also includes developing and managing content and knowledge assets for AI, if not more so.

Generative AI is increasing the need for taxonomists, ontologists, knowledge graph architects, AI trainers, data ethicists, intelligent content architects, user experience designers and more. AI has already begun to change the nature of many jobs, but it is not something to fear.

Many are needed to develop and continually manage and maintain the technology, content and knowledge assets that will permeate our entire technology landscape; it’s not a oneand-done proposition as many incorrectly assume or ignore. Generative AI in particular is terrific at regurgitating existing content; it cannot generate novel knowledge and needs a great deal of augmentation to make it more accurate, reliable, trustworthy and explainable.

As a senior industry leader in content and knowledge engineering management with 42 years of experience on the bleeding edge — 38 of which I spent as a content and knowledge leader at IBM — I’ve reached out to several schools and professors over the past three years, only to be ignored except for one with whom I connected — Lance Cummings, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Lance is my hero; he has since immersed himself with (literally) hundreds of my industry peers both online and in person for quite some time. He has been doing the hard work of educating himself in real time on real issues with industry professionals and then bringing that knowledge back into the classroom.

We need more Lance Cummingses and fewer novice prognosticators in our university classrooms if we’re going to maintain our global edge and prepare our students for the many diverse and emerging careers in and related to AI.

— Michael

Iantosca

Senior

director of knowledge and platform engineering, Avalara Inc. Weaverville

The case for rebuilding the Vance Monument

It is so quiet around here. Perhaps I can blow it all up with a contrarian

grenade lob: As a retired soldier, I’ve seen firsthand the often soul-searing sacrifices made by individuals in service to their country. Zebulon Baird Vance, despite his misguided association with the Confederacy, played a significant role in supporting soldiers returning from the Civil War. His efforts to ensure that veterans were taken care of and received the support they needed are commendable and speak to his commitment to serving his community.

The obelisk dedicated to Vance served as an iconic landmark in Asheville, symbolizing not just his legacy, but also the resilience and spirit of the community. Its demolition was a rash and misdirected decision that failed to consider the broader context of Vance’s life and contributions. Moreover, the absence of the obelisk has left a noticeable void in the heart of Asheville’s cityscape.

Despite efforts to find a suitable replacement, no alternative has been able to capture the significance and symbolism of the original monument. This underscores the unique role that the obelisk played in the collective identity of Asheville’s residents and highlights the challenge of finding a suitable replacement for such a cherished landmark.

Rather than erasing history, we should strive to learn from it. Rebuilding the obelisk presents

an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue about our past, acknowledging the undesirable complexities of historical figures like Vance, while also honoring the positive aspects of their legacies. It’s a chance to educate future generations about the nuances of our history and the lessons we can draw from it.

In rebuilding the obelisk, we demonstrate our commitment to preserving our heritage, while also looking toward the future. It’s a statement of resilience and reconciliation, reflecting our collective willingness to confront the complexities of our past and move forward with understanding and compassion.

Ultimately, rebuilding the obelisk is not at all about honoring Vance or the Confederacy, but about honoring the distinctive experiences and perspectives that make up our remarkable, diverse community. It’s a step toward healing and unity, reaffirming our shared values and aspirations as we strive to build a better future together. Just a thought: Maybe it will distract the City Council from its quest to deforest East Asheville and bury us in asphalt.

— Jane Spence-Edwards East Asheville X

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

Changing minds

A Jew in Asheville

BY JERRY STERNBERG

In my ongoing campaign to persuade the local country clubs to revise their admission policies, what seemed like a perfect opportunity to further the cause presented itself one wet day in 1970. It happened during the groundbreaking for the current YMCA on Woodfin Street. Just as the ceremony was about to begin, the heavens opened up, and we all scurried for cover. My car was parked close by, and I invited one of the leaders of the fundraising drive to take shelter with me there. I had worked with this gentleman on a number of civic endeavors, and he was always gracious and inspirational.

He was a very successful local businessman who commanded the respect of the entire community. Liberal, caring and very forward-looking, he was also well connected politically. And, even more to the point, I knew he was a member of the Asheville Country Club. So, seizing the moment while we were waiting in the car, I raised the delicate issue of the club’s deliberate exclusion of Jews.

The current policy, which had been in place for several decades, enabled the same two club members to blackball any Jewish person who was proposed for membership. I said it was time for a change, time to acknowledge that Jews were firstclass citizens and to show them the respect they deserved.

I told this man that everyone considered him an outstanding community leader and that if he made a proposal to the board to require six blackballs to reject a proposed new member instead of two, I believed they would listen to

him and it would go a long way toward resolving the problem.

He sat there quietly as the raindrops pounded on the windshield, and finally he turned to me and said, in all sincerity, “Jerry, I think the best thing the Jews could do is to build their own country club.”

A MOMENT OF DESPAIR

I was gobsmacked, and I couldn’t help but wonder: If a man of his stature and influence was still afraid to touch that third rail, then who in our community would ever be willing to take a lead role in making this long-needed change happen?

Happily, all was not lost, but don’t take my word for it. Here is how Rob Neufeld, our outstanding and much-mourned local historian, explained it in his “Visiting Our Past” column in the Citizen-Times on April 19, 2015:

“In 1976, another golf-loving newcomer to Asheville stepped in to provide the Country Club of Asheville its next big boost. Mitchell Wolfson, a Jewish multimedia magnate and horse breeder from Miami who bought WLOS-TV in 1958 and also bought the Lake View Park golf course, arranged to have the country club sell its course to the Grove Park Inn and use the money to buy the Lake View course and build a new clubhouse, tennis courts and pool.”

Fortuitously, this was also a time when the club’s older leaders were beginning to give way to a younger generation — one of whom, a very fine young man, operated a business that counted me among its clients.

“Seizing the moment, I raised the delicate issue of the country club’s deliberate exclusion of Jews.”

At my request, he arranged for me to come and speak to his board. I was received with respect and courtesy as I once again gave my “stump speech,” explaining the indignities that members of the Jewish community had endured under the club’s blackball policy while pointing out that the same two members had effectively managed to exclude Jews from membership for decades.

I added that I had spoken to many club members and had the feeling that if Jewish people were allowed to join, they would be welcomed by a majority of the membership. I went on to suggest that changing their requirement from two blackballs to six would more accurately represent current club members’ sentiments.

I also assured them that I wasn’t making this request for myself, stating plainly that I had no intention of ever joining their club but felt strongly that this change would greatly benefit both communities.

THE DYNAMICS OF CHANGE

Shortly thereafter the club did, in fact, revise its policy. I can’t take credit for making that happen, as other influential forces were also in play. And while I would like to think the club had altruistic motives for making this change, I am certain that the looming costs of buying a new golf course and building a fancy new clubhouse meant they needed to recruit a substantial number of new members. So, just as had happened in the 1930s, this discriminatory policy was suspended.

Ironically, a few months later I received a call from the young friend who’d arranged for me to speak to the board. He explained that a certain local Jewish man had applied for membership but had received more than six blackballs and thus was rejected. This was a stand-alone event that had nothing to do with the man’s ethnicity, my friend assured me, and he was greatly relieved when, after he told me the applicant’s name, I said that I knew this person well and that if I’d had a vote I would have been the first one to drop a black ball in the ballot box.

At the end of the day, this was a serious and entirely positive policy change, and in my final column in this series, I will mention others that have played out over the subsequent decades.

Asheville native Jerry Sternberg, a longtime observer of the local scene, can be reached at gospeljerry@aol.com. An anthology of his columns is available from Pisgah Legal Services for a donation of $25 or more. To order your copy, visit pisgahlegal.org/jerry, or send a check labeled “Jerry’s book” to: PLS, P.O. Box 2276, Asheville NC 28802. All proceeds support the nonprofit’s work. X

JERRY STERNBERG

NEWS

Food mirage Despite abundance, hunger soars in WNC

BY GINA SMITH

Western North Carolina is awash in farms and renowned restaurants, food co-ops and grocery stores, but not everyone reaps the benefits. A study released in April shows that in the past two years, the number of people in Jackson, Swain and Macon counties who aren’t sure when their next meal is has likely doubled, and local agencies and nonprofits are struggling to keep up.

‘SHOCKING’

In March 2023, the nonprofit MountainWise, which supports healthy eating and lifestyles in WNC, partnered with local health departments to assess food availability in Swain, Jackson and Macon counties through its Duke Endowment-funded Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas project. MountainWise enlisted Patrick Baron, an epidemiologist and public health researcher specializing in food systems and community health, to conduct the research.

Focusing specifically on the food-security status of low-income residents, Baron and MountainWise project director Nicole Hinebaugh interviewed representatives from 22 food relief and human services organizations in those three counties about trends in demand and barriers to meeting their communities’ food needs.

The pair conducted more than 500 surveys of clients of those services about household food security and food access, use of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, food pantry usage, mental health related to food security, chronic disease status and access to internet service.

They discovered that overall, use of food pantries within Jackson, Swain and Macon counties had more than doubled since 2022 — evidence, they say, that the total number of food insecure households in this area has also doubled in this timeframe. In 2021, a community health assessment by

the WNC Health Network found that more than one in five households in WNC were food insecure. The increases observed in hunger in the last two years were even greater among children included in the research.

Over 85% of the people using food pantries surveyed across the three counties said they sometimes or often don’t have enough food to stave off hunger, with close to 74% of adults saying they’ve skipped meals or cut portions because they lacked money to buy food. Nearly 45% of respondents reported losing weight due to food-access challenges.

Startlingly, these rates represent a substantial increase in the portion of food insecure people who experience

real hunger — when lack of food access begins to impact people physiologically — which is usually between 30-40% of food insecure households, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“For real hunger within food insecurity, usually [a rate of] something like 40% would be high,” says Baron. “But more than 80% of our food-insecure people in our sample are hungry. Wow. That’s crazy. But we have extremely direct evidence of this, and it’s repeated in variable after variable across the counties.”

Careful to reiterate the difference between food insecurity (food access challenges) and hunger (being physically impacted by not having enough

food to eat), Hinebaugh says they anticipated higher food insecurity rates since the pandemic but not the sharp rise in hunger.

“It was shocking,” she says. “Previously, when you looked at community health assessments in our region, rates of hunger in these counties are in the single digits. That’s not the case anymore.”

Growing rates of severe food insecurity aren’t isolated to WNC — the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2022 Household Food Security in the United States report shows a more than 30% jump between 2021 and 2022 in the number of people nationwide who were having a hard time getting enough to eat. Therefore, Hinebaugh and Baron say, the trends identified in this three-county assessment are likely happening to varying degrees in other WNC counties as well.

PINCHED

Not surprisingly, the assessment also found that the nonprofits and programs working to feed people are struggling to keep up with demand. MANNA FoodBank, the area’s main hunger relief organization distributing food to more than 200 partner agencies across 16 WNC counties, says that between fiscal years 2021-22 and 202223, the average number of people it was serving monthly through local pantries increased 25%. This fiscal year, that number is up an additional 18%.

As pandemic-era disaster relief funding has ebbed away, MANNA’s ability to buy food has diminished, says MANNA chief development officer Mary Nesbitt. The organization, she says, is working hard to increase the amount of donated food it receives and projects a 6% increase in food distribution by July. But that may be just a drop in the bucket.

“We are still deeply concerned that the amount of food is not keeping pace with the 18.2% increase in the number of our neighbors who need our support,” says Nesbitt.

Amy Grimes, MANNA’a agency relations manager for seven far-western counties and the Qualla Boundary, calls the situation “heartbreaking” and “frustrating.” The assessment’s results, she says, reflect what she’s seeing and hearing from MANNA’s partner agencies as well as organizations that would like to get food from MANNA.

“We get calls every day from folks wanting to become a partner agency with us, but we’ve kind of had to

FOOD FOR ALL: Joshua Chapman, a MANNA FoodBank staff person, is pictured at a MANNA community food distribution. New research shows local hunger rates have likely doubled since 2022 in a three-county area, and regional hunger-relief organizations are fighting to meet overwhelming demand. Photo courtesy of MANNA

halt that application process because we’re at capacity with the foods that we have in our own system,” she says.

As pantries strive to feed more hungry people with the same amount of MANNA resources, they are resorting to desperate measures. “Every two weeks [in between MANNA deliveries], they’ve got a lot of empty shelves, and they are paying out of pocket for retail just to keep things on the shelves and deal with this ever-increasing demand,” Baron says.

With grocery prices up 25% since 2019, according to the USDA, food pantries and community meal providers are feeling the same economic pinch that’s driving the growing hordes of hungry residents to their doors. “It’s all a scramble, and they’re burning through their budgets,” he says.

The Community Table in Sylva, which offers free hot meals four evenings a week and operates a food pantry, has enough staff to meet the new onslaught of demand. “But food costs are through the roof,” says Paige Christie, executive director.“It just makes everything harder. It’s a constant balancing act.”

Christie notes that she’s observed a demographic shift that has accompanied climbing food insecurity over the past three years. While a large number of Community Table clients are still elderly folks living on fixed incomes, the biggest increase comes from working families with children — often two-income families.

“Every time I walk through the building and see who’s in line for the pantry, it just breaks my heart,” she says.

“There are people working full time, and they — especially double-income families working full time — should not have to be standing in my doorway.”

Baron and Hinebaugh’s study found that Jackson County has a much higher number of food-insecure families with young children than Macon and Swain — more than 62% of the people surveyed compared with close to 48% in Swain and 44% in Macon, which has the highest percentage of food-insecure senior citizens.

‘DIRE STRAITS’

Steep price increases for groceries and other consumer goods since the COVID-19 pandemic is one of multiple sucker punches low-income folks — in WNC and across the U.S. — have taken over the past three years that have made food access challenging, according to Baron, Hinebaugh and all the nonprofit representatives contacted for this story.

Only 45% of food-insecure residents surveyed by Baron and Hinebaugh were enrolled in SNAP. For those getting SNAP benefits, payments fell by at least $95 per month and up to $250 per month or more in early 2023 when COVID programs ended, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

“We definitely saw that immediate increase [in need] off that SNAP cliff,” says Grimes. “We saw that

CONTINUES ON PAGE 12

WHY I VOLUNTEER

Helping those who need it

Ted Bytes is a volunteer at Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe County, a nonprofit that delivers hot, nutritious meals and friendly visits to homebound seniors each weekday.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Meals on Wheels?

Bytes: I joined Meals on Wheels in January as a delivery driver. I’ve also enjoyed being a Big Brother and Habitat work. I like helping those who need it. What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

I take a warm meal to our clients’ doors and say hello, wishing them a good day. Human contact is invaluable, and it helps me to help them.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

TED BYTES

The roads and driveways to some homes here in Asheville are challenging, and a four-wheel drive would be nice. Mountain driving and deliveries can be daunting! What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

Jump into the volunteer experience! Find your niche. You won’t regret it and you may even come away with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Seriously, I hope someone volunteers to help me someday if and when I need it. X

WHY I VOLUNTEER

Teamwork is dreamwork

Forest Walters is a volunteer at 12 Baskets Café, a no-cost eatery that distributes over 10,000 pounds of food each month.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for 12 Baskets Café?

I’ve volunteered for 12 Baskets for about three months, and I picked them particularly because of their involvement with community and their goals to evolve to further their relations with people and families in need. They are a good group of folks inside and out. What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

I do about everything that needs doing. They call it being a “floater.” One day I might serve tables and another day I might do dishes — sometimes both in the same day. Today I was in the rain managing the communication between the inside, where volunteers fill food boxes, and the outside, where people give and take food orders for the box builders inside.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

I wish I would have known about the versatility of the overall things they do for the community. They seem to be at an advantage of sorts because of their location and the teamwork they maintain. Everyone loves 12 Baskets. They try to be there for their people — volunteers along with anyone who walks through the doors. What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

If you want to come in and volunteer for an hour and don’t have time for much more — you are welcome! If you want to join the team and do more — you’re equally welcome. I’ve only seen people being welcome here no matter who they are and I love that! X

success during the pandemic with those extra benefits, and then to have those taken away, that was really, really disappointing.”

But the biggest offender, say pantry directors, is the soaring cost of housing in WNC. In March, the N.C. Housing Coalition reported that statewide, only 40 affordable rental homes were available for every 100 extremely low-income residents. Consequently, 71% of extremely low-income renters in the state spend more than half their household income on housing.

“Housing costs in this area have just put people in dire straits,” says Christie. “People have this idea that because you’re outside the more metro area of Buncombe County that things are cheaper, but they’re really, really not. … People should not have to be working six jobs to keep a roof over their head, but I know people that are. And they’re working part\-time jobs, because that’s all they can get, because of our seasonal tourist industry.”

The situation is similarly grim in Swain County, says the Rev. Wayne “Wayner” Dickert, who helps lead food distribution services at Bryson City Food Pantry and Restoration House. “It’s a national trend with the cost of living increasing, and the cost of housing has increased exponentially, especially with Swain County being kind of a tourism place,” he says. “I think housing and food go hand in hand, just basic necessities of life.”

Tim Hogsed, executive director of Macon County CareNet, is seeing the same challenges. Pre-COVID, CareNet’s food pantry and school backpack program distributed about 350,000 pounds of free food to Macon County residents each year, but just four months into 2024, it was on track to distribute 600,000 pounds by year’s end.

Hogsed attributes much of this skyrocketing need to rising housing costs. “It’s ridiculous,” he says. “Macon New Beginnings is in our building, and they deal with helping people with rent and things like power bills. I talk with them regularly, and they were telling me that a single-wide trailer right now in Macon County is like $1,300 to $1,400 a month. And, yes, some people are benefiting from that, but there’s a lot of people who are suffering because of it.”

STRESSED AND ANXIOUS

Also contributing to the problem, the assessment discovered, is limited or nonexistent internet connectivity among the food-insecure residents surveyed. More than 80% of respondents do not have regular, reliable internet access, including smartphones, and nearly 1 in 5 have no internet access or cellphone at all. The lack of connection means these

folks have a much harder time accessing information about organizations and programs that could help meet household food needs.

Of course, all of this adds up to negative mental health impacts for the folks dealing with these pressures. More than 4 out of 5 pantry clients surveyed in the assessment shared that they experience frequent stress and anxiety due to their food access challenges. Seven out of 10 respondents said aid programs like SNAP and free and reduced-price school lunches and community food resources like pantries provide some relief from the stress.

It was a growing awareness of the relationship between food access and mental health that prompted Jackson County licensed clinical therapist Jennifer Harr to add food distribution services at Cornbread & Roses Community Counseling in Sylva. After launching in 2021 as a LGBTQI+ community center then expanding into a nonprofit counseling facility in 2022, Cornbread & Roses became a MANNA partner organization to meet the full spectrum of client needs.

“A lot of things started coming up,” says Harr, who is Cornbread & Roses’ executive director. “People were hungry, they needed resources. … Food became a big push for us.”

Cornbread & Roses, which Harr says is now feeding 1,200 people per month and growing, strives to ease the mental and emotional strain of food insecurity not only by providing free food to the community but also by recognizing and eliminating other accompanying stressors. For clients who are homebound or lack transportation, Harr delivers food right to their doors. The organization requires no identification and asks no questions of people who show up to the pantry, and it works to provide culturally appropriate foods to its many Latino clients.

Raising awareness about the nature and scope of the area’s food access challenges, says Harr, would help eliminate the stigma around accepting free food that causes anxiety and shame for many using her services.

“It’s not that you’re lazy or don’t take care of your kids or whatever,” she says. “We just want everyone fed because we love everyone.”

STEMMING THE TIDE

The assessment makes several recommendations, starting with expanding the community food assessment to other parts of WNC to map food security needs across the region. Other recommendations include campaigns to expand enrollment in SNAP and the federal supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC; develop-

FOREST WALTERS

ing collaboration among community organizations for food buying, storage and distribution; and exploring the connection between food insecurity and other issues such as mental health, lack of internet and smartphone access.

The report also encourages advocacy at the state and federal levels for policies and programs aimed at helping residents at high risk of food insecurity. But Hinebaugh is especially excited about potential efforts at the local level. Using Asheville’s Food Policy Action Plan as a template, she is working with the Jackson and Macon county food councils to begin their own food policy action planning processes.

“Once you have a food policy action plan in place, you get that local government buy-in and the key stakeholder buy-in for the roadmap of what you’re going to focus on, what the priorities are for policy and action moving into the future,” she says.

The WNC Food Systems Coalition, a regional group supporting food systems collaboration and connection, is working to start a food council in Swain County.

Hinebaugh and Baron presented the food assessment results in an April 15 virtual meeting of the MountainWise Partnership for Health Coalition. At

FOOD IS LOVE: Cornbread & Roses Community Counseling Executive Director Jennifer Harr, right, understands the mental and emotional strain of food insecurity and takes steps to make clients of her organization’s free food services feel less stressed. Also pictured is volunteer Nancy Martin. Photo courtesy of Cornbread & Roses

the end of the two-hour call, the group of nearly three dozen WNC nonprofit and health professionals, public health department staff, farmers, funders and concerned community members discussed next steps.

Many echoed Harr’s sentiments about raising awareness about the crisis and reducing the stigma around food insecurity. Other priorities included collaboration among stakeholders to develop food hubs, support of the new Macon

County Farmers Market in Franklin, and expanding and replicating successful efforts like MountainWise’s SwainMacon Produce Rx program, which delivers boxes of fresh, locally grown food to food-insecure households.

Baron says this assessment is just the beginning. “There’s a lot we can do just with what we know now that we didn’t know six months ago,” he says. “But longer term, this really becomes a road map for strategic investment, and there are definite returns on that investment.”

He points out that with nearly 87% of assessment respondents not receiving adequate nutrition, and 75% having a diet-related disease or chronic illness, healthy food programs that could potentially reverse diabetes and heart disease can have a significant economic impact.

“If 30% of the people who were going to become diabetic over the next 10 years don’t, there’s a huge savings to be realized in that, both socially and on an individual consumer level. And most definitely, for programs like Medicaid and companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield,” he says.

To view the Community Food Assessment of Jackson, Swain and Macon Counties Report, visit avl.mx/dpa. X

NEWS

A money story

BY GREG PARLIER

In the summer of 2022, unlikely allies U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards and N.C. Sen. Julie Mayfield, both state senators at the time, were excited about their co-sponsored legislation that would funnel more tourist-generated tax money to community-oriented projects. The same legislation decreased the amount spent on marketing from three-fourths to two-thirds of the occupancy tax budget.

The law created the Legacy Investment from Tourism Fund, tasked with financing projects that would not only help lodging owners but also benefit the community at large in Buncombe County, at the discretion of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. It’s the only fund of its kind in the state, as each local TDA is governed by independent laws and adheres to different guidelines.

Last month, the BCTDA awarded its first slate of 12 grants from the fund, helping finance projects for organizations from the Swannanoa Valley Art League and Black Wall Street AVL to the Asheville Museum of Science and the City of Asheville. But confusion still permeates between the LIFT Fund and the Tourism Product Development Fund, or TPDF — a debate not helped by vague, overlapping legislation. (The TPDF was created in 2001 to fund “major tourism capital projects” that will “increase patronage of lodging facilities in Buncombe County by attracting tourists, business travelers or both and further economic development” in the county, according to its founding legislation.) Meanwhile, some local housing advocates are frustrated by the TDA’s process and inaugural selections. Elected officials, however, argue it is the current law and not the TDA that is the issue.

How the TDA decides what to fund

INVESTMENT: Vic Isley, left, president and CEO of the Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, pictured speaking to members of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, says the authority is proud to help finance so many projects that provide benefits to the greater Asheville community, including the City of Asheville’s Coxe Avenue complete streets project, seen on the slide above her. Photo by Greg Parlier

IN THE BEGINNING

Similar to the TPDF, the LIFT Fund’s “tourism-related capital projects” should “increase patronage of lodging facilities, meeting facilities or convention facilities” in Buncombe County and “benefit the community at large,” according to state law.

AROUND THE REGION

Xpress reached out to all parties involved to better understand how the first-year LIFT committee arrived at its decisions.

While grant recipients and the TDA celebrated the almost $10 million in inaugural LIFT awards, not everyone was satisfied with the resulting decisions.

“We feel this is a huge missed opportunity for the TDA. They had the chance

to stand up and fight for so many in our community that are looking to tourism and the TDA to more prominently and directly advocate for its workers and families,” says Ben Williamson, an organizer with Buncombe Decides, which arose to circulate a petition last year asking the TDA to allocate LIFT Funds to affordable housing projects. The group disbanded after the TDA awarded LIFT grants April 24.

Whether affordable housing projects were among the eligible uses of the fund has been debated since its inception. In his previous role as a TDA board member, Andrew Celwyn advocated for using LIFT Funds for affordable housing. He argued that if workers who prop up the tourism industry can’t afford to live and work in Asheville, there soon might not be anyone to launder the hospitality industry’s sheets.

Mayfield agrees that part of the TDA’s pot of occupancy tax money

— about $40 million this year — should “absolutely” go to affordable housing, but the way the current law is written is too vague and could leave the authority vulnerable to litigation if it took that approach, she acknowledges.

The N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association threatened as much ahead of the April vote.

“If local elected officials decide to use it to fund affordable housing and other nontourism-related expenditures, that interpretation will be done by the courts,” wrote NCLRA President and CEO Lynn Minges in an April 11 letter to Buncombe County commissioners.

Mayfield doesn’t disagree with the NCRLA’s logic, saying that housing advocates shouldn’t blame the TDA

and instead should advocate for the legislature to change the guidelines.

Ultimately, the panel funded periphery elements — a greenway and trails — for an affordable housing project, Buncombe County’s Ferry Road development, but denied two other requests that would have directly funded the housing itself. One of those — a $1.5 million request from Mountain Housing Opportunities to help build a 60-unit, low-income housing project on Tunnel Road — made it to the final stage of consideration before being denied.

ASSEMBLING THE TEAM

Long before the application window opened in July, the TDA sought applications for the nine-member LIFT committee. Per state legislation, a majority of the committee members must be owners or operators of hotels, motels or bed-and-breakfasts. There is no industry restriction on the remaining members, according to the law.

In September, the BCTDA appointed representatives from an investment services firm, a business consulting firm, a nonprofit and community development consultant, and a restaurant owner, in addition to the lodging appointments.

Williamson and Buncombe Decides had lobbied to get someone on the committee who would represent service industry workers, but their candidate, former Blue Dream Curry House owner James Sutherland, was not chosen.

“We were told James’ candidacy was handicapped as some in the TDA felt he would have a bias toward service workers if placed on the LIFT committee,” Williamson says. “This was interesting to us, as the entire TDA system is set up to have biases toward generating more tourism revenue and overnight stays. It’s rife with bias, by design. If that’s true, that James was left off because he’s pro-worker, this would carry some sort of assumption that you can’t be for tourism and for living wages, affordable housing, access to child care [and] fully funded schools at the same time.”

Candidates for the committee were not specifically interviewed for the unpaid positions, but a three-person nominating committee — which included then-BCTDA Vice Chair and current Chair Brenda Durden — reviewed applications over two months before making its nominations.

“The BCTDA nominating committee reviewed the pool of 24 applicants and considered their professional and personal life experiences, as well

as their depth of knowledge in their fields. The inaugural LIFT Fund Committee represents a diversity of age, expertise and perspectives, allowing them to evaluate applications in an informed and objective manner,” TDA spokesperson Ashley Greenstein sent in an email when asked May 2 about the nominating process and Williamson’s allegation.

“I don’t have a specific agenda,” Sutherland says. “I’ve never been involved in politics, you know. So … I think that they just don’t want to deal with somebody who could be a thorn in their side.”

Williamson said that was the first of several parts of the process that left service workers, who came to several TDA meetings last year to advocate for a greater voice on the LIFT committee, disappointed.

“It makes sense to us that the TDA would enthusiastically welcome the perspective of someone deeply connected to service worker stories, experiences and challenges,” he says. “They chose not to allow one-ninth of the LIFT committee, a TDA subcommittee, to have that voice, and we feel that was a missed opportunity on their part.”

APPLICATION PHASE

The first of two application phases opened Oct. 31, giving applicants about a month to submit initial proposals.

“As a grant proposal writer, I appreciate the two-stage process because it allows some initial vetting of projects before anyone puts in a lot of effort to just see if the project is in the realm of possibility or not,” says George Ivey, N.C. development director at the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. The foundation won a $750,000 award for upgrades to the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center.

The committee met Dec. 14 to discuss the phase 1 applications and announced which would be advanced to the second, more rigorous phase on Dec. 18, according to the LIFT committee’s published timeline.

Cassidy Moore, government relations and grants manager for Habitat for Humanity, whose affordable housing project was not moved on to phase 2, says she didn’t know about the Dec. 14 meeting and was informed of the committee’s decision Dec. 19.

Although she said normally she would have a little more interaction with a funder before a decision was made, she called the process “pretty standard.”

“I definitely think they could benefit from being more transparent and clear about what kinds of things they are going to fund. More transparency

former owner of the Blue Dream Curry House, says he was left off the TDA’s LIFT Committee because he was deemed to have a bias, favoring service workers. TDA spokesperson Ashley Greenstein did not directly respond to questions about Sutherland’s omission from the committee, which by law is made up of a majority of lodging industry representatives.

Photo by Thomas Calder

and clarity would be useful for us all,” Moore says.

While the TDA did not respond to questions about why Habitat’s or any other application was denied, Tiffany Thacker, director of grants, says certain applications “did not meet the statutory limitations for the LIFT Fund, such as the requirement for the project to increase patronage at lodging facilities.”

Minutes of the December meeting did not include details of any discussion, only the 9-0 vote to advance listed projects to phase two.

Seventeen projects were moved on, although only 15 initially followed through with the more involved phase 2 applications. The YMCA’s Project Aspire removed its applica-

tion before the committee performed a site visit, leaving 14 projects in phase 2.

Lisa Raleigh, executive director of RiverLink, which was awarded $270,000 for its Gateway Park project, says she appreciated the depth she was permitted to include in her phase 2 application.

“I love their application process. They’re very generous in their narrative,” she says, which allows applicants to go into more detail to sell their project than other grant funders do.

Applications were presented in person to the LIFT Committee at Explore Asheville’s offices March 12 and 14, according to minutes. Site visits to each of the remaining projects occurred April 4 and 9. No other action or discussion took place until a phase 2 committee meeting April 18.

“Both the site visit and the in-person presentations are fairly uncommon,” Ivey says.

The process was rather intense, with a higher level of scrutiny than private funders, he added.

Generally, both Ivey and Raleigh were impressed with the committee’s rigor, thoroughness of questioning and overall engagement throughout the process.

SIMILAR FUNDS

Raleigh says the process was very similar to applying for a grant from the TPDF, which has been awarding grants since 2001.

Williamson, who is also executive director of the Asheville Poverty Initiative, says as an outside observer, it is very difficult to tell the difference between the two funds.

“What did we actually get? More of the same. It would be interesting to learn how many of the projects that earned LIFT awards could have

CONTINUES ON PAGE 18

been granted TPDF awards, and vice versa,” he says.

One project that seems to prove that overlap is the City of Asheville’s Coxe Avenue complete streets project.

The project received $1.95 million from the TPDF in 2022, although that award was repurposed last year to help beef up the application for renovations at McCormick Field. Under the LIFT Fund, the city received just short of $3 million to complete the redesign of the South Slope’s main drag.

TDA officials didn’t respond to questions about the perceived overlap in project designations but sent a broader description of the differences, citing state legislation, and referred to a “decision tree” created for applicants and posted on the website.

“The change in Buncombe County’s occupancy tax legislation in 2022 broadened the scope of investments the authority can make in tourism-related capital projects. This includes capital maintenance, project administration, design, restoration, maintenance and rehabilitation, as well as the enhancement of natural resources and expansion of necessary infrastructure,” says Thacker. “In this first cycle, we were able to fund design for the city’s Aston

TOURIST DOLLARS: The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority approved nearly $10 million in inaugural grants from the Legacy Investment From Tourism Fund April 24. HP Patel, far left, was the TDA board’s nonvoting liaison on the LIFT Committee, which reviewed 17 applications to make its decision. Photo by Greg Parlier

Park Tennis Center and Supernova immersive experience and capital maintenance of ExploreAsheville. com Arena, all of which are new uses for this fund.”

Ivey saw at least one difference between the funds.

Since the park’s project provides incremental change to the Craggy Gardens site — adding bathrooms and signage — it is unlikely to have a substantial effect on whether a visitor stays longer in Buncombe County. The site already attracts

visitors, and improving it won’t necessarily significantly increase that number the way a brand-new facility would, he acknowledges.

The LIFT Fund doesn’t require as high a burden of proof that a project will encourage visitors to stay longer as TPDF does, Ivey says.

“I would say that the LIFT Fund focuses a lot more on benefiting local residents and not just tourists. That is the case for the parkway. It is loved by locals; it is loved by visitors.”

For Adeline Wolfe, real estate developer for MHO, there’s some confusion about why MHO’s project didn’t meet that more flexible LIFT criteria to “increase patronage of lodging facilities, meeting facilities or convention facilities in Buncombe County by attracting tourists, business travelers or both.”

When drafting the application, she focused on that aspect since she knew she had a strong argument for the “benefiting the community at large” portion of the requirements.

“We made a really strong pitch that affordable housing is an industry in and of itself. And attracting that level of construction and national-level financial partners here leads to a huge boom in economic activity that the tourism sector directly benefits from,” she says.

She says she knew getting approved for LIFT funding was going to require bold action from the TDA, but she feels she had a strong application that fit the legislative requirements.

TDA officials did not respond directly to questions about why MHO didn’t qualify for funding.

NEXT STEPS

Mayfield says she considered introducing legislation during this year’s short session to more clearly allow TDA funds to be used to benefit hospitality workers but decided against it after discussions with authority officials.

New legislation isn’t likely to pass without buy-in from all key players, including the TDA board, she says. But she is optimistic more tweaks can be made in future years.

While Williamson and others have floated the idea of abolishing the current TDA in an effort to take more control over how the occupancy tax dollars are spent, Mayfield says that is not realistic, but she does believe that more money should go toward public projects, including supporting hospitality workers and affordable housing.

“What really needs to happen is the legislative guidelines need to change,” she says. X

86-ing it

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

jwakeman@mountainx.com

‘That’s just what it’s like working in a bar,’ some say.

Others might push it aside for financial reasons — ‘Don’t you want more tips?’

But local advocates say addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence is key to preventing it from continuing. Especially in the hospitality industry, where it is prevalent.

A 2018 Harvard Business Review study of 76 female college students working in food and beverage service jobs found that more than twothirds reported experiencing sexual harassment each month of the three-month study. The most frequent behaviors described included being told suggestive sexual stories, offensive remarks and crude, sexual comments.

On a Monday afternoon in April, a small group gathered at Avenue M, a restaurant on Merrimon Avenue, to learn strategies to prevent and address sexual harassment in the service industry. The “86 It” training, held by Our VOICE, an Ashevillebased nonprofit serving survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking, was organized by Asheville Food and Beverage United, a trade group for service workers.

“Harassment can include … unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature,” according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. However, “harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex.” Perpetrators and victims can be of any gender.

Our VOICE prevention educator Mercy Sosa elucidates the many forms harassment can take in the service industry: female staff encouraged to wear makeup and form-fitting clothing; LGBTQ staff pressed to conform to gender norms in grooming and dress; sexist or homophobic jokes; letting unwanted behavior from guests continue due to the mentality that “the customer is always right.”

“We all know [sexual harassment] is something that’s kind of culturally accepted,” says Miranda Escalante, manager and bar lead for Avenue M and a member of AFBU, in an

interview with Xpress. “So I think it is important for workers to have the tools and feel safe to say ‘Hey, this is not OK.’”

She continues, “There are owners with reputations in our city, unfortunately, and there are places in our city that have these reputations for not being completely safe for their workers.”

PROTECTING EACH OTHER

“86 It” is one of several community trainings offered by Our VOICE.

Others include addressing drug-facilitated sexual assault, bystander intervention and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Themes of the trainings overlap, and April’s “86 It” session addressed drug-facilitated sexual assault and how to intervene or interrupt potential harassment or violence. The former can look like drugging, or “roofie-ing,” a person’s beverage, pushing a person to drink more or targeting someone who is already intoxicated, Sosa explains. She notes that assault can still occur if someone has consumed substances consensually.

ESCALATION: Our VOICE prevention educator Mercy Sosa explains how sexual harassment can escalate to sexual violence at an “86 It” training held April 8. Asheville Food and Beverage United hosted the session to provide service industry workers with tools to address sexual harassment. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

Our VOICE adult prevention educator Allie Stec addresses the “4 Ds” of bystander intervention: address the behavior directly, distract the parties, delegate or ask for help from someone else and document the behavior. Interrupting behavior can be as simple as telling a worker, “Hey, they need you in the back” to separate the individual from a harasser, Stec says.

Asheville City Council member Kim Roney, a former food and beverage worker who attended the “86 It” training in April, encourages people in positions of power to speak up when they see or hear inappropriate behavior.

Cultural setting is an important aspect of addressing sexual harassment in the service industry, Sosa tells the group. Our VOICE suggests a “strong, well-known policy that covers more than the law” and established procedures for how to respond to harassment complaints. Sosa also advises frequent discussions about the policy, as well as trainings like “86 It.”

UNWANTED ATTENTION

Sexual harassment in the form of unwanted attention can come from customers or co-workers, explains Sosa. Either way, the behavior needs to be addressed before the perpetrator escalates the behavior to sexual violence.

Morgan Persky of Woodfin experienced a lot of unwanted attention and touching when she worked in hospitality at a restaurant for a year. She tells Xpress the harassment began after a few months on the job. The kitchen manager “would kind of corner” the female employees and ask them for hugs, which were “tight” and “lingered,” Persky says. His “hands would be around an arm or back,” and the women agreed that his hugs felt “creepy.” They would try to pivot their bodies to “go in for a side hug,” Persky explains. Yet this kitchen manager’s lingering hugs were only half the harassment Persky endured. He and some cooks would make comments about her body, both to her directly and talking among themselves. And she says when the kitchen manager hugged her, he would ask, “Why don’t we hang out? You never want to hang out with me!” Persky says she never acquiesced. “I’m sure I made some kind of excuse, like ‘I’m tired,’” she explains. “I didn’t want to be outright rude, because I was afraid of any consequences. I didn’t know if there would be any.”

The owner of that restaurant was regularly on-site. Persky told him how she was being harassed, and he replied, “You need to have thicker

“I think it is important for workers to have the tools and feel safe to say ‘Hey, this is not OK.’”

— Miranda Escalante, manager and bar lead for Avenue M

skin,” she says. Persky adds that she knew a co-worker came to the owner about sexual harassment by the kitchen manager, too. At that, Persky says, the owner “panicked.”

“He was like, ‘Don’t say sexual harassment! I don’t want to hear that!’” Persky recalls. “‘You can’t go around saying that.’” The owner’s reaction felt as if “he basically told me to shut up and deal with it,” she explains. Angry, disappointed and feeling “trapped,” she quit the job three weeks later.

“I knew it was never going to get better,” she says.

GETTING PHYSICAL

There’s a crucial difference between flirting and sexual harassment, Sosa tells the group convened at Avenue M. Generally speaking, flirting is consensual, and it feels good. Sexual harassment feels uncomfortable or bad, and it happens without the victim’s consent.

Heather Gressett worked in the service industry from ages 13-30,

beginning in Chicago. She says sexual harassment wasn’t discussed in her workplace or in school. As a result, she didn’t recognize sexual violence when it was happening to her. “It was just so normalized that even I didn’t know it was wrong,” Gressett explains, adding that so many years in the industry and so many violent experiences may have “desensitized [me] to a lot of stuff.”

In retrospect, Gressett sees more clearly how co-workers violated her, including when she was a minor. “I was sexually assaulted by so many men,” she tells Xpress. At 16 years old, a co-worker in his 30s, who was married with kids, pushed her against a wall and kissed her, she says. And at another restaurant, a co-worker followed her into a walk-in refrigerator, turned the lights off and groped her.

Gressett says she also engaged in sexual harassment in restaurants by grabbing guys’ butts. “We would all just do it to each other — it was like a thing.” Gressett says she cringes when she thinks about her actions now, referring to them as “a trauma

WHY I VOLUNTEER

The power of purpose

response” or coping mechanism. “It was almost a way to normalize my own assaults,” she explains. “If I’m doing this to other people, it’s not so big of a deal, right?”

Seven years ago, Gressett moved to Western North Carolina and worked at several restaurants and breweries here. While she says she saw some problematic behavior — such as brewery owners who would not call a transgendered worker by their correct name — sexual harassment wasn’t as extreme in the service industry here as it was in Chicago. “Maybe there’s a shift in me where I was, like, I’m not going to accept this anymore,” she muses.

Gressett also sees younger people in the service industry demanding to be treated with respect and advocating for their rights. As Escalante from AFBU puts it, young folks are no longer tacitly accepting sexual harassment as part of the job that must be endured. And people like Gressett, who experienced sexual violence in the service industry themselves, are motivated to be more responsible bosses than the ones they had.

Gressett now runs her own business, Lily Mae’s Desserts. She’s currently the only employee, but she’s dedicated to fostering dignity and respect.

“When I do have a staff, I want to set an example for how my work culture is,” she says. “It starts with me, right?” X

Tom Morgan, board president of Project Dignity of WNC, discusses his role at the nonprofit and its mission within the community.

When and why did you begin volunteering for Project Dignity of WNC?

Morgan: My wife, Barb Morgan, created Project Dignity in early 2017 in response to learning that period products — a critical part of monthly health care for women — could not be purchased using SNAP benefits. Barb’s passion for serving others and for giving back to her adopted community of Hendersonville energized her to gather some like-minded friends to seek resources and Project Dignity was launched.

Barb used every opportunity to teach about period poverty, to “talk to anyone over 3 feet tall.” I was part of the moving tide who loved and supported Barb and Project Dignity from the moment of its birth. In late 2011, Barb was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a life-ending disease that prevents healthy blood cells from doing their job. By 2017, she was receiving treatment at Pardee Cancer Center, and the trajectory of that disease eventually took her life in May 2021.

Yet the time between diagnosis and her passing was consumed with Barb’s passion to raise awareness of period poverty, build an organization to solicit and distribute products, and to raise significant funds from a loyal cadre of donors. Barb’s mantra as she was actively dying was “Just keep swimming,” from the movie Finding Nemo

In September 2021, I took on the role of board president. I am imbued with Barb’s passion for finding ways to help others in our community and maintain the energy needed to keep the organization viable and growing. I am committed to her legacy as my Anam Cara, and someone who left the world a better place.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

Other than a few nuances of running a nonprofit, my business career had provided me with leadership and fiscal management skills so that I felt comfortable in leading our group and representing Project Dignity.

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

I remind them of our business model: raise awareness, raise funds, fill the need. We are all volunteers. As fiduciaries of our donors’ funding, we keep our nonprogram expenses to a minimum. We understand the power of purpose. I love to use a quote from Jane Goodall: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

TOM MORGAN

County reviews preliminary plans for former Asheville Primary School

SITE PLANS: Buncombe County Commissioner Parker Sloan, right, said he doesn’t think building a maintenance facility on the former Asheville Primary School site is the best use of the centrally located, Asheville City Schools-owned property. Chair Brownie Newman, left, noted there’s a long way to go before plans for the site are finalized. Photo by Greg Parlier

It’s been nearly two years since students roamed the halls of Asheville Primary School at 441 Haywood Road in West Asheville. If preliminary plans come to fruition, the land could be split among a county EMS facility, library and maintenance facility for Asheville City Schools.

For the last year, officials with both Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County have debated what to do with the centrally located, ACS-owned facility at the corner of Haywood Road and Interstate 240. The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners got a plan update at its May 7 briefing meeting.

Architectural plans show a two-story, 25,000-square-foot library on the corner of Haywood and the eastbound interstate on-ramp, with an entrance facing away from the roads. The library would connect to a 17,000-square-foot EMS station at the corner of Haywood and Argyle Lane. On the backside of the 4.77acre parcel, a nearly 20,000-squarefoot maintenance and operations building would be constructed for Asheville City Schools.

Robert Brown, a project manager in Buncombe County’s General

Services Department, said an operations center including maintenance, transportation and food services was ACS’ top priority for the site. ACS also prioritized a pre-K day care facility and space for its alternative school, which is now projected to go elsewhere.

However, the plan didn’t include plans for a pre-K facility, a priority for both the county and city school district, Brown said.

Instead, ADW Architects designed two potential pre-K concepts on the campus of Hall Fletcher Elementary, neither of which would disturb the elementary school’s existing footprint.

Brown also presented preliminary plans to convert the current site of Montford North Star Academy into ACS’ alternative school. MNSA is merging with Asheville Middle School next year.

The plans for the campus at 90 Montford Ave., which previously housed Randolph Learning Center, an ACS alternative school until 2013, includes additional space for administration, Brown said.

Commissioners requested more information about how many stu-

dents ACS projects to serve in the Montford space and how that compares to previous programs, suggesting the space might be larger than currently projected needs.

As for plans for a maintenance facility, some commissioners balked.

“Building a new facility on Haywood Road in one of the most urban areas of Buncombe County to just store things for the school in a maintenance facility doesn’t seem like the highest and best use,” said Commissioner Parker Sloan.

Commissioner Al Whitesides agreed with Sloan, pointing out that Buncombe County Schools already has a large maintenance facility and that agreeing to new construction while the districts are in the midst of a consolidation study seems counterintuitive. A study showing the feasibility of the two districts’ consolidation is projected to be completed in February.

“Why wouldn’t, for efficiency, we merge the [maintenance facilities]? To me, it makes no sense. It’s not fair to the taxpayers. I mean, that’s a waste of money,” Whitesides said.

During discussions, ACS officials noted the site would be useful as

a maintenance and vehicle storage facility because of its central location within the school district, said County Manager Avril Pinder Sloan clarified that he thought an EMS base would still be appropriate on the site, given its location next to major roads.

All the plans are in early stages, and decisions regarding who will pay for construction and operation of the pre-K program, for example, are yet to be determined.

Brown said a final proposal will be brought to commissioners before proceeding.

County one step from finalizing trash contract

Commissioners unanimously approved a first reading of a new contract with FCC Environmental Services for trash and recycling pickup services, meaning one hurdle remains before the new provider becomes official.

The seven-year contract with the global waste management company means FCC could be the county’s first new hauler since WastePro was hired in 2009.

If ultimately approved, county residents will pay $28.65 a month for weekly trash pickup and biweekly recycling pickup starting Wednesday, Jan. 1. County residents now pay $25.16 a month to WastePro.

The new contract includes beefedup accountability measures for FCC, including penalties of $200-$500 for each missed residence, payable to the county. There are stiffer penalties for not cleaning up spillages in a required time frame.

Commissioners will review the contract for a final time at their Tuesday, May 21, meeting. If approved, FCC will submit its transition plan Monday, July 1.

County allocates open space bond funding

Commissioners considered setting aside an additional $10.7 million in open space bond funding for construction projects at its Ferry Road development and Deaverview Mountain park, per a staff request. They will vote on final allocations at their May 21 meeting.

Voters approved a $30 million general obligation bond to fund projects that conserve space, build greenways and expand passive recreation opportunities in 2022. Along with approved projects like the Woodfin

Greenway and commitments for the Enka Heritage Trail and various conservation easements, the added projects mean the county has committed $19.6 million of its available funds, according to a presentation by Jill Carter, open space bond manager for Buncombe County.

If approved, the $3 million allocation for the Ferry Road project will supplement a $4 million grant from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority awarded in

April. This part of the project is for 2 miles of asphalt greenway, 2 miles of natural surface trails, recreational public parking access, and wetland access and signage on the 137-acre site off Brevard Road. These funds will not go toward development of housing on the site.

Deaverview Mountain, a 345-acre park with vistas overlooking the French Broad River Valley, could receive $7.7 million for a two-lane road with a multiuse path, paved

parking lot, entry gate, stormwater and erosion controls, and vaulted toilets. The park, which the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is in line to purchase using various grants and the help of an anonymous conservationist, will be accessible by Deaverview Road, less than a mile from the nearest bus stop. The park is projected to open to the public in 2029.

— Greg Parlier  X

County considers raising taxes to balance budget BUNCOMBE BEAT

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners may have to raise property taxes this year.

Less than two weeks before County Manager Avril Pinder must present a balanced budget to commissioners on Tuesday, May 21, the county has a $13.9 million funding gap in its projected operating budget, without considering requested increases for schools.

Since its previous April 23 work session, county staff has trimmed the budget by $2.6 million to $442.3 million, said John Hudson, Buncombe’s budget director. Those cuts could be bolstered by reducing the cost-of-living adjustment for county staff from a 4.89% boost to a 4.32% increase, which could save an additional about $800,000, according to Hudson’s presentation.

Pinder admitted that reducing the cost-of-living adjustment gave her heartburn because it had been previously promised to staff, but she understood that commissioners had some hard decisions to make in a tight budget year. Commission Chair Brownie Newman said commissioners needed more time before they signed off on the suggested cost-of-living adjustment.

To help boost the revenue side of the ledger, staff recommended using no more than $12 million of its reserves next year to maintain at least 15% of annual expenditures in savings, as required by county policy. That would bring county revenues, including the additional reserves, to $428.5 million.

The resulting gap would require commissioners to increase property taxes by 2.6 cents per $100 of taxable value to balance the budget, Hudson said. That means the owner of a home valued at $400,000 will pay $104 more in taxes compared with the previous year.

Commissioners could cut down on that tax increase by a whole penny per $100 of taxable value by pausing the allocation of funds for four

TAX HIKE: Buncombe County property owners may be looking at a tax hike next fiscal year. The currently proposed budget contains a $13.9 million funding gap between expenditures and revenues. Screenshot courtesy of Buncombe County

programs next fiscal year, Hudson suggested. Commissioners gave consent for staff to leave $100,000 in clean water fund grants, $1 million for broadband expansion and more than $1.9 million in post-employment benefits unfunded next fiscal year.

Newman asked for more time to think over the fourth option, more than $2.3 million for the Affordable Housing Services Program.

The discussion about the county’s financial realities came after presentations from Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools, in which both districts asked commissioners for increased funding in 2024-25.

ACS is seeking $3.8 million in additional funding, and BCS asked for about a $13.5 million increase.

Collectively, Buncombe County sent $113.3 million to K-12 education in 2023-24, the largest allocation in recent history.

County staff recommended a $3.99 million increase for K-12 schools, which would require another property tax increase of 75 cents per $100 of taxable value.

If both tax increases were approved without further spending cuts, the increase of 3.35 cents per $100 of taxable value amounts to the owner of a home valued at $400,000 paying an extra $134 a year in property taxes.

“Every year we’re raising taxes for schools. And I know how important schools are. But we’ve got to think of the taxpayers, too,” said Commissioner Al Whitesides

Pinder will present a balanced budget at the regular commission meeting Tuesday, May 21. The budget will go through a public hearing Tuesday, June 4, before being adopted Tuesday, June 18.

— Greg Parlier  X

Bear cub pulled from tree ‘doing well’

Asheville made national headlines last month after a video that showed people pulling two bear cubs from a tree to take photos with the animals went viral.

Following the incident, Appalachian Wildlife Refuge, a Candler-based nonprofit that coordinates wildlife rehabilitation efforts in Western North Carolina, was able to locate one of the cubs and bring it into its care.

According to an April 30 press release, Savannah Trantham, the nonprofit’s executive director and one of four certified wildlife rehabilitators recognized by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council in North Carolina, says that she expects the bear to make a full recovery and be reintroduced into the wild later this year.

“Following a time to adjust to being in our care, she was introduced to another orphaned cub that had arrived previously. Both cubs are thriving and doing well in care. They are eating well and interacting with enrichment, doing all the things we hope to see with young cubs,” says Trantham. “Our team has no reason to believe that they won’t make full rehabilitation care to be released as wild bears in the fall.”

The people involved in the incident have not been charged with a crime, which has drawn criticism from some community members and spurred an online petition that has garnered more than 3,400 signatures.

The Appalachian Wildlife Refuge facility is one of two licensed black bear cub rehabilitation facilities licensed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and has been rehabilitating black bear cubs since 2020. Since then, the nonprofit has cared for 39 injured or orphaned cubs from all across the state. “We always want to see all wild animals left in the wild and be raised by their mothers, but we work hard every day to provide a place for these wild animals to go for those that truly do need our intervention,” says Trantham.

IN GOOD HANDS: Representatives of Appalachian Wildlife Refuge say that the female bear cub that was pulled from a tree last month is expected to make a full recovery. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Wildlife Refuge

Party with Project Dignity

Wednesday, July 31. Shuler joined the City of Asheville in 2008 and has served as the public works director since 2014.

“It’s been an honor to serve the community in various roles for so long. The dedicated staff in the Public Works Department are truly amazing and should be lifted up. They carry out the dirty and often unrecognized work to help the city function every day and night,” Shuler said.

The city will provide more information as it begins its search for the next director.

Europa celebrates 10 years

Europa, a European-themed gift shop at 125 Cherry St. in downtown Black Mountain, celebrated its 10-year anniversary May 10. Owners Kim and Tom McMurtry opened Europa in 2014. The shop imports gifts from artisans in 17 European countries and has established itself as the largest purveyor of Polish pottery in North Carolina. More information is at avl.mx/do4.

Habitat for Humanity recognizes volunteers

The wildlife facility is closed to the public to limit human interaction and maintain the wildness of all the patients in care. More information is at avl.mx/doc.

Adcock receives excellence award

Project Dignity of WNC is a nonprofit that provides period products to women and girls who are homeless, low-income or victims of domestic abuse in Henderson and Buncombe counties. The nonprofit will hold a seventh anniversary celebration to honor donors and raise awareness of period poverty, May 16, at Guidon Brewing Co., in downtown Hendersonville.

Trey Adcock, associate professor of interdisciplinary studies and international studies, and the director of American Indian and Indigenous studies at UNC Asheville, was one of 17 faculty members to receive a 2024 Award for Excellence in Teaching from the UNC Board of Governors. Established in 1993 to highlight the importance of teaching, the award recognizes contributions of faculty members throughout the university system, and recipients are nominated by special committees at each institution.

Public works director to retire

The City of Asheville announced that Public Works Director Greg Shuler will retire effective

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity recognized the service milestones of seven volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week. Among those celebrated are ReStore volunteer Susan Diehn, who has reached 30 years of service; Cassie Dillon and Kris Ruth with 20 years; and Nancy Herman, John Latham, Lee Raymond, and Rosemarie Robuck with 15 years. Habitat also recognized 37 volunteers for reaching five- and 10-year service milestones. More information is at avl.mx/do5.

FBR Academy expands campus

French Broad River Academy, an independent middle school with dual programs for boys and girls, announced plans to build an academic building on its south campus in Asheville. The project will establish a permanent home for FBRA’s girls program on the 3.3-acre riverside campus just north of downtown Asheville. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project will be held this fall, with construction beginning in early 2025. More information is at avl.mx/do6.

Kevin Campbell receives DAR award

The Edward Buncombe chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a nonprofit that promotes patriotism and American history, presented educator Kevin Campbell with the chapter’s Outstanding Teacher of American History Award last month. Campbell, a teacher at Cane Creek Middle School, has taught U.S. history and global studies since 2017.

NC IDEA Foundation awards local startups

NC IDEA, a private foundation that supports entrepreneurs and economic development, announced $160,000 in microgrant awards to 16 North Carolina startups. The grant recipients were chosen after a three-month application and selection process that drew 211 applications from across the state. Among the local recipients that received the $10,000 microgrants were the Asheville-based health communications platform Arclet and Swannanoa-based realty and mort-

gage marketing company Copy and Post. A full list of recipients is available at avl.mx/do7.

Group unveils remodeled pumping room

The N.C. Partnership for Children, a Raleigh-based nonprofit that supports early childhood education, unveiled its renovated pumping room May 2 after being selected as $10,000 grand prize winner from the Asheville-based Aeroflow Breastpumps’ fifth annual Pumping Room Makeover contest. The contest, which began in 2018, was created in response to feedback from mothers who experienced challenges while nursing, resorting to pumping in closets, bathrooms, conference rooms or vehicles during the workday. More information is at avl.mx/do9.

WNC arts councils receive $45,000 in grants

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, an Ashevillebased nonprofit that supports philanthropic initiatives, announced

$45,000 in cultural resources grants to nine arts councils across Western North Carolina for general operations. Among the recipients of the $5,000 grants are the Arts Council of Henderson County, the Asheville Area Arts Council and Valley River Arts Guild in Cherokee County. A full list of recipients is available at avl.mx/doa. The next grant cycle, with applications due by Friday, July 12, will support craft organizations working in ceramics, glass, textile, metal or wood.

Andrew Shannon to head YMI

The YMI Cultural Center board of directors announced Andrew Shannon as the new executive director of the nonprofit, which promotes Asheville’s Black history through exhibits, an art gallery and performances. Shannon has served on the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights Virginia Advisory Committee and held leadership positions in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, among other roles. More information at avl.mx/dob.

Root for the home team

Honeycrisps bring community baseball to Hendersonville

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

Brad Morrison sometimes gets puzzled looks when he talks about the Hendersonville Honeycrisps, the collegiate summer baseball team he co-owns. Even the name Honeycrisps — a nod to Henderson County’s position as the top apple-growing county in the state — can be a source of bewilderment. “Is that a cereal?” one person recently joked on the team’s Facebook page.

“There is general confusion, not just in our area, but everywhere,” says Morrison, who bought the team in 2022 with Kyle Aldridge and Doug Roper III under a partnership known as Third Street Sports LLC. “People want to know ‘What is the difference between collegiate summer ball, minor league ball and independent league ball?’”

Ultimately, he says, the only real difference is that collegiate summer league teams like the Honeycrisps operate in smaller cities and smaller venues. Otherwise, fans can expect a familiar experience of nine-inning games, concession-stand food, kids running the bases, dizzy-bat races and local businesses advertising on the outfield walls.

As the Honeycrisps get set to begin their third season this weekend, here’s what you should know: They are members of the Old North State League, a collegiate summer baseball organization that fields 20 teams in communities across the state (Hendersonville is the westernmost franchise). The roster is made up of college players, most with local ties, who are looking to develop their skills. Last season the team drew a

FIELD DAY: Athletes from Western North Carolina Special Needs Sports took the field with Hendersonville Honeycrisps players during the national anthem before a game last July. Photo courtesy of the Camera Club of Hendersonville

total of 7,100 fans to 23 home games at Hendersonville’s 75-year-old Berkeley Mills Ballpark, which supporters have dubbed “The Orchard.”

“The ballpark is vintage Americana,” says Hendersonville resident Paul Harris, who has been a regular attendee the past two seasons. “You get to see some good ball and you get to sit

Berkeley Mills Ballpark

On Tuesday, May 28, the Hendersonville Honeycrisps will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Berkeley Mills Ballpark, 69 Balfour Road, just north of Kimberly-Clark’s manufacturing plant.

The stadium was built in 1949 to serve as the home field of the Berkeley Spinners, a team of workers from the Berkeley Mills plant that played in the Western North Carolina Industrial League against

teams from Beacon Manufacturing, the Ecusta Paper Corp. and other plants. The Spinners won seven league championships before folding after the 1961 season.

“You go out there and you feel like you’re back in the 1940s,” says Honeycrisps co-owner Brad Morrison. “The factory workers from the mill chopped the trees down on the property and used that lumber to build the grandstand that we have

behind home plate, and it doesn’t get any better than that. You certainly feel close to the players ’cause you’re right there on top of them.”

The team has enmeshed itself in the life of the community, forging partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits. The Honeycrisps are visible at parades and other public

today.” A roof over the grandstand, built in 1950, also still stands.

In 2008, the Kimberly-Clark Corp., the successor to Berkeley Mills, donated the ballpark and surrounding park area to the City of Hendersonville. Henderson County Public Schools now owns the property, which serves as the home field for the Hendersonville High School baseball team.

In 2016, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. X

gatherings, hold youth camps, send their mascot to school events and even sponsor a team in Fletcher’s youth baseball league.

“This team belongs to Hendersonville, it doesn’t belong to us,” says Morrison. “We want to come in and enhance it and just create this incredible atmosphere and entertainment option for Hendersonville. And if you’re going to do that, you need to get to know the people in the community and be able to find folks that also share that vision and help build that.”

HELPING NONPROFITS

The owners have been particularly passionate about working with nonprofit groups.

At each of 10 home games last season, the Honeycrisps spotlighted a different local organization, including the Interfaith Assistance Ministry, Henderson County Foster Care, the Blue Ridge Humane

Society and Western North Carolina Special Needs Sports. The groups had the chance to set up tables, distribute brochures, talk to fans about their missions and more.

“We can be a connector between the audience that we’ve built in the community and the nonprofits in the community that have a need for visibility,” Morrison says. “And as we’ve dipped our toe into that, it’s kind of snowballed. We found we could promote on social media. We could give tickets to silent auctions. There’s so many different ways that our organization can help, and we’re kind of uniquely positioned to do that.”

The team is looking to expand the program this year so that every one of its 25 home games focuses on a charity, Morrison says.

One returning nonprofit will be Western North Carolina Special Needs Sports. Founded in 2011, the organization provides opportunities for people with special needs to participate in baseball, basketball and martial arts.

“We have no age limits, doesn’t matter where they live, there’s no restrictions of any kind,” says Donnie Jones, founder and director of the Hendersonville-based group. “The youngest I’ve got this year is a 2-yearold. The oldest is 74. We furnish everything they need to play, and even the snacks. There’s never a cost for anything that we do.”

During the Honeycrisps’ final home game last July, more than 20 of the nonprofit’s athletes took the field with the team’s players for the national anthem and got to run the bases. Morrison counts the game among the season’s highlights.

“I was literally crying,” he recalls. “It was a special, special day.”

Jones agrees, saying the special needs athletes were thrilled to interact with the Honeycrisp players. “Those guys were real good to stand and talk with them and joke with them. They love to have somebody to talk to. That’s all they want to do.

They see those guys in uniform, real baseball players, and to them it could have been the Yankees.”

At this year’s game spotlighting WNC Special Needs Sports, Jones hopes his players will get a chance to get some at-bats between innings.

“There’s still people in Henderson County that don’t know this program exists who have special needs kids,” he says. “So that’s the biggest thing we get from working with the Honeycrisps — just letting people know that it is available to them.”

The Hendersonville-based Mobility Matters Foundation similarly hopes to educate people about its work when it is spotlighted during the Honeycrisps game on Saturday, June 1.

“They have a lot of people that follow them in the community, and by supporting a very small nonprofit like ours, it allows us to get a little bit of awareness,” says Amy Siegler, co-founder of the telehealth seating, mobility and accessibility clinic.

“They just have been so accommodating of things that we asked: ‘Can we hand out flyers that day? Can we throw out the first pitch? Can we put some of our kids that we serve on the field to meet players?’ And they were like, ‘Absolutely!’”

Siegler and Kendell Blunden started the foundation in 2022, partly in response to state cuts to Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth services for many people, including patients 21 and older who were using private occupational therapy and physical therapy clinics. As a result of the cuts, rural areas face significant backlogs in wheelchair evaluations.

The pro bono Mobility Matters Foundation evaluates patients who require the use of a wheelchair for mobility and accessibility and helps them choose an appropriate one.

“It’s not something that you just order in a magazine or get online,”

CONTINUES ON PAGE 28

Blunden points out. “It’s customized to their medical needs and their measurements so that the chair is perfect for them.”

When a representative of the group throws out the first pitch on June 1, it will be done from an adaptive bike.

LOCAL LOVE STORY

The Honeycrisps averaged about 300 fans per game and drew capacity crowds of 500 several times last season. “You look around and you’re like, ‘Where are we going to put people?’” Morrison recalls.

One reason the team draws well is that the coaching staff and many of the players are local, creating a ready-made audience of parents, grandparents, girlfriends and others. Honeycrisps head coach Will Lindsey serves in the same role for Brevard High School’s baseball team while General Manager Daniel Corhn is the head baseball coach at East Henderson High School. Many of the players went to local high schools and play for nearby colleges like Western Carolina University, Mars Hill University and Brevard College.

“Part of that is because we are in a talent-rich area,” Morrison says. “You think about last year, with West Henderson [High School] winning the state championship. There are good players here that play college ball. So they come back home and play in a location where a lot of people want to

Photo courtesy of the Camera Club of Hendersonville

be and they have the added benefit of being around family that can come out and see those games.”

Home games, particularly on weekends, can have a festive atmosphere. Loud music plays between innings. Kids seek autographs from players or pose for pictures with Crisper, the team’s anthropomorphic apple mascot. Each strikeout by a Honeycrisps pitcher is greeted with the prerecorded words “Thaaat’s

WHY I VOLUNTEER

A chance to learn something new

crispy!” over the public address system (often to the bewilderment or annoyance of the opposing team).

During one rain delay last season, infielder Gray Wells led the large crowd in a singalong of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”

“There’s little moments where they’ll do something fun and include the crowd in that,” says Hendersonville resident David Hawthorne, who started attending

James Cassara is a volunteer at the YMCA of Western North Carolina, a nonprofit that aims to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for YMCA?

Cassara: Not long after I joined, which would have been 2010. I gifted myself with a threemonth membership but soon found the community there was one in which I felt comfortable and engaged. The physical benefits were obvious, but I didn’t realize how meaningful the social connections would become.

What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

I serve on the Woodfin YMCA Advisory Board, a nonfiduciary position that acts as an ambassador for the members. Prior to workout class, I make announcements of upcoming events, including hikes (I co-lead the Woodfin YMCA hiking group), new classes and schedules, the annual giving campaign and other things such as that. Since my career has been as an artist and art teacher, I’ve recently begun teaching a once-a-month art class at the Y. It’s been steadily gaining traction, and I really enjoy it. What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

I’d previously volunteered with other organizations, as that’s always been part of my nature. What I didn’t realize was how far reaching the impact of the YMCA is and how many programs they offer beyond the standard classes and such. Diabetes management, grieving groups, healthy kids campaign, water safety, mental health resources, support for those dealing with chronic illness — I could go on and on. I’m truly amazed at the number of variety of programs members can take advantage of.

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

That every group I have ever volunteered with has taught me something new about our community and about myself. Yes, it can be demanding, and I have to be careful to not overcommit, but the rewards really are worth it. X

games with his family last season.

“It’s just such a relaxed atmosphere. Nothing against the [Asheville] Tourists, but at a Honeycrisp game, it’s a more chill atmosphere. It’s just really more our speed.”

Hawthorne’s son Garrett, now 5, has become a fixture at the ballpark, familiar to fellow fans and players alike in his replica Honeycrisps jersey. “Garrett is our No. 1 fan,” Morrison says.

Garrett’s enthusiasm for the teams led him to play T-ball in the fall and again this spring.

“He absolutely loved interacting with the players and having that touch point that you normally wouldn’t get at a major league or a minor league game,” Hawthorne explains. “And the players, I can’t say this enough, but they’re role models and they know it.”

Fellow fan Harris, whose family hosted two of the team’s players at their home last summer, has been similarly impressed. “The quality of all the boys, but especially the ones that stayed with us, was fabulous. It’s exactly what you would want in young men. They’re polite, respectful, hardworking. And they’re fun-loving,” he says.

The Honeycrisps’ regular season gets underway Saturday, May 18, at Berkeley Mills Ballpark, when the team plays a nonleague game against the Greensboro Yard Goats, and runs through Tuesday, July 23. The team will play 24 games against its Western Division rivals, the Lexington Flying Pigs, Lenoir Legends, Wilkes County Moonshiners and Pineville Porcupines. Additionally, it has 16 nonleague games scheduled and will play more games if it makes the playoffs for the third straight year.

Among those planning to be at most of the team’s 25 home dates are the Hawthornes, who purchased season tickets.

“It’s more than baseball teams,” David Hawthorne says of going to Honeycrisp games. “It’s the stadium that they play at being built by millworkers at Berkeley. It’s the vendors for food. It’s the apple cider doughnuts from Justus Orchard. It’s the baseball camps. It’s the recognition of our local nonprofits. It’s letting every single kid in free.”

He continues: “There’s just tons of opportunities for us as a community to sit together and cheer for this important thing in a world where it’s getting a lot more difficult to feel like that most days.”

For more information about the Honeycrisps, go to avl.mx/dmt. To learn more about Western North Carolina Special Needs Sports, visit avl.mx/dmu. For more on the Mobility Matters Foundation, go to avl.mx/dmv. X

SAFE: Hendersonville Honeycrisps player Gray Wells slides into third base during a 2023 game.

JAMES CASSARA

‘The most unifying force’ Wendy White on the power of love

BY BROOKE RANDLE

Wendy White’s north star always pointed her to one thing: love.

“We envision a world where love rules,” says White. “That’s our vision. It’s an invitation to step up outside of yourself, look around and give.”

That’s what drove her to create Let’s Choose Love, an Asheville-based nonprofit that supports a variety of worthy causes by offering minigrants of up to $1,000 along with professional project coaching to its recipients.

Since its launch in 2020, Let’s Choose Love has been funded by White’s consulting firm, Continuum Consulting Services. So far, the business has supported roughly $130,000 toward 90 unique projects. And after a robust few years, the nonprofit is now soliciting donations from the public to expand operations.

“We’ve been self-funding for the first couple of years but now have proof of concept,” White explains. “And now we’re ready to really grow and expand Let’s Choose Love to be more of an international organization.”

In a telephone interview with Xpress, White shared her vision for giving and the importance of offering guidance to those with big ideas.

This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Xpress: Let’s Choose Love was launched in 2020, during the pandemic. What role did COVID play in developing your nonprofit?

White: During COVID, everybody was thinking the world was falling apart. Black Lives Matter, the pandemic, the environment — you name it. It was a time of a lot of churn and change. And I saw a lot of people kind of recluse into fear. And there were so many divides that were happening: political divides, ethnic divides.

I did a lot of meditating. And I thought, “What is it that would really pull the people together? What is the most unifying force in the simplest terms?” And I realized it’s love. And not your mushy, gushy romantic love. I’m talking about roll-up-your-sleeves, get-down, get-dirty love, and con-

nection and compassion. And so, it became like a call to action. I thought, regardless of who we are, if we could let love be our guide in every decision in every interaction, we’d be fine.

Let’s Choose Love supports a wide variety of local and national causes. What are the criteria for applying, and how do you select projects to fund?

We fund ideas and projects that fit into one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. There’s 17 different goals around poverty, women, the environment and climate change, social justice and more. They’re all different challenges that the world is facing and that the U.N. has said that we need to move the needle on.

So it could be any project — working with animals, all different kinds of environmental issues, homelessness projects — but all of them linked somehow to the SDGs.

We’ll get an average of 60-70 grant applications each cycle from all over the country, every demographic. Diversity is really, really important to me. And so we have huge diversity in who we give the grants to in terms of demographics, location and the types of grants.

We’ve funded people that are 8 years old and people that are 80 years old. We’ve supported LGBT projects, Indigenous groups and projects from the Black community. You name it, we’ve funded that demographic. The only criteria is that they let us share their story.

I made the barrier to entry simple. I don’t care if everything is buttoned down perfectly in the applications. I care that there’s a person who has a passion and an idea on how to solve a challenge within their community, and I want to support them.

What local projects has Let’s Choose Love supported?

The first grant we did was the Watauga River cleanup project led by Ted Swartzbaugh. We funded this massive cleanup, and then we celebrated with a band, pizza and beer at the end.

In Black Mountain, there was a group of moms that realized there wasn’t a lot of accessibility and a lot of after-school programs for children

in that area. So we funded a kids summer program, Kids Quest, which offered one free day per week that focused on different areas of learning. It drew about 30-35 kids each week. Another project we did was with Black Wall Street AVL. We helped them to start a junior Black Wall Street boot camp, which was to teach children and high school kids entrepreneurship and how to start your own business.

In addition to providing grants, Let’s Choose Love also provides coaching. Why is this an important element of your work?

It’s kind of like the “teach a person to fish” concept. We could just give out the money, and they do the project and then they’re done, but they’re not really a whole lot better than they started. The coaching allows them to use their initiative and their project for their own personal and professional growth. So this supports sustainability and builds their confidence and competence for ongoing giving back. So that’s why it comes with not only money, but it comes with the opportunity to have a coach for five sessions. That allows us to provide this one-on-one mentorship where we can really support that person and think through their idea, making sure that they have all the elements in place to make it a success.

Let’s Choose Love recently won an Anthem Award from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences in the category of Education, Arts and Culture. What is this award, and what will it mean for your nonprofit?

To give you an idea of how important this award is, the people that have gotten it in the past were the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Jane Goodall, Taylor Swift, Elton John and Kevin Bacon. So it’s a freaking big deal for me. It has pretty big international visibility.

But then, of course, it also showcases smaller nonprofits and individuals that are doing good work. We won the bronze. And, you know, I’ve never won anything before in my life. And if I was ever to win anything, there would be something that was supporting social justice in the world. That’s pretty thrilling to me.

I think that that shows credibility. It shows we’ve had proof of concept because this is a very different idea than most nonprofits. And so I believe that the award is sort of an acknowledgment that our structure actually has had impact.

X

LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED: Let’s Choose Love’s founder, Wendy White, center, along with board member Morgan Daniels, left, and and staffer Khatira Darvesh, accept the 2024 bronze medal for Community Outreach from the Anthem Awards. Photo courtesy of White

The N.C. Arboretum announces new executive director

Drake Fowler is going to be a natural as the new executive director of The N.C. Arboretum.

Take his name for example. “I grew up in Michigan. My father is a duck hunter, and drake is the term for male duck,” he says. “My brother’s name is Field. I guess that is what you get when you have creative parents.” And fowl-er. Get it?

Fowler, who has served as the arboretum’s chief financial officer and deputy executive director since 2015, succeeds George Briggs, who is retiring Thursday, Aug. 1, after 37 years in the leadership role.

“Personally, I feel like I have been preparing for this position my whole life,” Fowler tells Xpress

Spending time as a child at a nearby botanical garden and later summers helping to restore the Round Island Lighthouse in the Straits of Mackinac, Fowler gravitated toward landscape architecture. He earned a degree in the subject at Michigan State University. When he and his wife, Rachel, relocated to Asheville 20 years ago for work, they immediately purchased a membership at the arboretum.

“The arboretum is a gem to our community and state — and to think George Briggs started with a used bank trailer in the woods and built this iconic place,” Fowler says. “I know this was a labor of love for George, yet he was never building this place for his own gratification, but for the people of North Carolina. George is a transformational leader. He has transformed many lives of the people he has interacted with over his 37 years of service.”

Fowler’s plans for the arboretum are to “continue to creatively connect people, plants and place through education, design and economic development. It is a magical place where anyone can go on a hike and connect with nature and community. Becoming the executive director is a great honor, and it is not a responsibility I take lightly.”

The N.C. Arboretum is at 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way. To learn more, visit avl.mx/9fx.

Blue Ridge Parkway boosts camping fees

The National Park Service is increasing fees for camping and other activities on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The new fee schedule is:

• Frontcountry campground standard sites at three locations in Virginia and five in North Carolina: Doughton Park, Julian Price, Linville Falls, Crabtree Falls and Mount Pisgah, $30.

• Frontcountry campground group sites: Rocky Knob, Linville Falls, and Doughton Park campgrounds, $45.

• Backcountry campsites, six-person occupancy, three-night limit, at Rock Castle Gorge near Rocky Knob; Basin Cove near Doughton Park and Johns River Road near Julian Price Park, $15.

• Noncamper dump station fee, $6.

• Noncamper shower fee at Julian Price Park and Mount Pisgah campgrounds, $6.

The parkway’s eight frontcountry campgrounds are typically open from May through late October, and reservations for all campgrounds can be made now for the 2024 visitor season at recreation.gov. New frontcountry fees will go into effect for reservations made on or after Friday, May 24. Backcountry camping permits are required, and implementation of new backcountry fees is expected later this summer.

To reserve, go to avl.mx/dos.

Seasonal firefly spectacle arrives

The Blue Ghost fireflies, or Phausis reticulata, live in Western North Carolina and can be seen hovering above the forest floor with a lingering bluish glow. FIND Outdoors and the Cradle of Forestry are hosting a guided tour along the cradle’s paved trails. Tours are offered throughout much of May, as well as Saturday, June 1-Friday, June 7, 9-10:30 p.m. Nonrefundable tickets are $50 per adult and $25 per child. All passes must be purchased online. Each tour is limited to 125 participants.

For tickets and more details, go to avl.mx/dmd.

New housing’s role in climate change

The WNC Sierra Club has invited Susan Bean, MountainTrue’s director for housing and transportation, to explain MountainTrue’s program,

TAKING OVER: Drake Fowler is stepping in as the new The N.C. Arboretum’s executive director. Photo courtesy of the arboretum

Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC, which advocates for more housing to combat climate change. The Sierra Club meeting is at 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, at the OLLI/ Reuter Center, 300 Campus View Road, on the UNCA campus.

The program is based on the premise that healthy communities create a healthy environment. The group strives for policies that protect and create homes in places that reduce our collective carbon footprint, according to its website.

For information about Neighbors for More Neighbors, go to avl.mx/dp8. To learn more about WNC Sierra Club, go to avl.mx/db8

RAD Farmers Market staff expands

As Lyric East moves into the role of executive director of the RAD Farmers Market, Rachel Letcher took over as the market’s new manager March 13. Letcher has a decade of nonprofit experience and a master’s degree in public health. An alumna of UNC Asheville, she recently returned to the area after leading a community garden in Birmingham, Ala. Along with her work at the market, she is a board member of the Organic Growers School.

The RAD Farmers Market takes place Wednesdays, 3-6 p.m., at 350 Riverside Drive.

Bees are too busy to bother you

If you see a honeybee swarm, don’t swat at it. Instead, call Henderson County Beekeepers Association, a local club that maintains a list of beekeepers willing to come, collect and move the swarm to a protected apiary. Find the swarm list, local honey sellers and local beekeeping mentors at HCBeekeepers.org. And consider helping the club raise money for honeybee research by purchasing its $15 sign that reads, “Pardon the weeds, we’re feeding the bees,” at local festivals or 1st Choice Graphics on Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 32

How to live electric

Electrify Asheville-Buncombe, a program that encourages residents to improve their home’s energy efficiency, take energy conservation actions and improve indoor air quality, launched in April. The initiative’s ultimate goal is to make electrification easier and more accessible to everyone.

Key services of Electrify AshevilleBuncombe include:

• Home electrification journey and solutions: Get help to start your customized electrification journey.

• Energy audits: Local professionals offer personalized home energy audits. These assessments provide insights into your energy consumption and recommend tailored efficiency actions. Up to 40 free or reduced-price audits will also be available to income-qualified citizens.

• Local collaboration: The City of Asheville, Buncombe County, the Blue Horizons Project, and the N.C. Clean Energy Fund, along with vetted local HVAC installers, are working together to ensure a smooth and locally supported transition to electrified systems.

• Access to incentives and financing: Access government and utility incentives for electrification. In addition, financing is offered by Self-Help Credit Union.

Go to avl.mx/dop for more info.

Solar energy rebate available

The Blue Horizons Project, a program of Green Built Alliance, is urging homeowners to take advantage of Duke Energy’s PowerPair SM Rebate Program to save on energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint by installing solar energy with battery backup systems. According to a press release from Blue Horizons Project, the cost of electricity is projected to rise over 14% over the next three years. PowerPair combines cost savings and environmental benefits of solar power “with the reliability and security of backup battery storage,” the same press release states.

“Boosting residential solar is key to transitioning our region to 100% clean energy and adding battery storage to a home’s solar system helps make our community more resilient,” said Michelle Myers, chair of the Blue Horizons Project Community Council, in the media release.

Enrollment for the pilot program runs through Friday, June 7, with rebates up to $9,000.

Two Western North Carolinabased solar companies, Sugar Hollow Solar and Sundance Power Systems, are approved “Duke Trade Allies” and Green Built Alliance members. Households must work with qualified Duke Trade Allies to receive the PowerPair rebate.

To learn more about the Duke Energy PowerPair Rebate Program and how to participate, visit avl.mx/dmf.

Warren Wilson to conserve 600 acres

The Warren Wilson College Board of Trustees unanimously voted to partner with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to establish four conservation easements on 600 acres the college owns.

The board of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy will consider approval this summer.

Once approved and funded, the 600-acre tract of farm and forest land in the Swannanoa Valley would be preserved in perpetuity.

“The conservation impact of protecting these 600 acres — in the largest remaining privately held tract of farm and forestland in Buncombe County — will be astounding,” Jess Laggis, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy farmland protection director, said in a media release. “This project is highly ranked for conservation value both as undeveloped mountain land and important agricultural land.”

Design contest

MountainTrue unveiled its Kid’s Merchandise Design Contest, inviting budding artists ages 10-14 to showcase their creativity and love for the mountains. The contest started on Earth Day, April 22, and runs through Friday, May 24.

The theme of the contest, “I Love Mountains,” invites participants to illustrate what makes the region’s landscapes special to them. Designs that celebrate the beauty and biodiversity of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains will be favored, along with those that inspire others to share in the love for the mountains and region.

“We are excited to see the unique perspectives and creative expressions of young artists as they showcase their love for mountains,” Amy Finkler, development and engagement manager at MountainTrue, said in a media release. “This contest provides a platform for youth to connect with nature and share their environmental enthusiasm with the region.”

The winner will be able to collaborate with a professional designer to refine their design and prepare it for merchandise production.

For information and to submit entries, go to avl.mx/dp7

United Way goes solar-powered

Green Built Alliance and United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, thanks to community support through the Appalachian Offsets program, added a solar array atop United Way’s Community Services building at 50 S. French Broad Ave.

According to a press release, cash and in-kind contributions from Asheville-based Blue Ridge Power, as well as a Duke Energy rebate specifically for nonprofit organizations, also funded the project, which will reduce the building’s energy needs by 60%, allowing the nonprofit to use that $20,000 in annual savings to invest in community partners that serve youth and families across Buncombe County.

United Way’s building is the home to 13 nonprofit organizations.

The Appalachian Offsets program is a local carbon offset program of

Green Built Alliance that allows businesses and individuals to calculate and offset their carbon footprint while investing directly in local energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/dp9

Rebuilt Pisgah lookout opens

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Carolina Mountain Club and the U.S. Forest Service unveiled the rebuilt viewing platform at the pinnacle of the Mount Pisgah Trail, milepost 408, on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 3.2mile out-and-back trail climbs 700 feet, leading to views of the French Broad River valley, Looking Glass Rock, Cold Mountain and the Frying Pan fire tower.

According to a press release, the wooden structure was built in 1979 by the U.S. Youth Conservation Corps. For the rebuild, the foundation funded materials and contractors, and Carolina Mountain Club provided a team of volunteers to reconstruct the platform. Sinclair Broadcast Group loaned the use of its funicular to transport materials up the 5,721-foot peak.

Native plants

M.R. Gardens, a local nursery, started a program called Plants for Wildlife to expand access to native plants. Five local retailers are hosting “Native Plant Kiosks” for the spring. Find them at:

• Madam Clutterbuckets

Neurodiverse Universe, 21 Battery Park Ave., Suite 101.

• L.O.T.U.S. Urban Farm & Garden Supply, 455 N. Louisiana Ave, No. 8.

• Honey & the Hive, 23 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville.

• Fifth Season Gardening, 4 S. Tunnel Road, No. 450.

• Town Hardware & General Store, 103 W. State St., Black Mountain. Plants for Wildlife offers educational days at each of the retail locations so customers can ask experienced native gardeners questions. For info, go to avl.mx/doq

New kiosk and wayfinding signs

The Pisgah Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service unveiled a new

kiosk at the Cat Gap Loop trailhead and wayfinding signage along the Cat Gap Loop and John Rock trail system.

The previous kiosk had outdated information and a map that displayed areas well beyond this trail system.

“Before this, we had a kiosk with a map that showed vast areas of western North Carolina all the way into Tennessee. Now, you have a high-quality map focused on this trail system, as well as maps on larger wayfinding signs at confusing intersections along the trail,” said John Cottingham, the conservancy’s founder and executive director, in a media release.

According to the press release, the three-paneled kiosk includes information about the area’s geology and human history, safety information for visitors and more. Later this spring, new signage will also be installed along the Art Loeb and Ivestor Gap trails on and around Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain.

For more information, visit avl.mx/cls

— Lisa Allen  X

No expertise required

Nonprofit seeks community thoughts on environmental justice

BY LISA ALLEN

lallen@mountainx.com

Kate Epsen can’t remember when she first came across Wilma Dykeman’s writing, but she was immediately drawn to the author’s interests in civil rights, environmental issues and social justice.

“And I love that this writing was coming from the Appalachian region,” Epsen says of Dykeman, a Buncombe County native best known for her 1955 book, The French Broad So it was an easy jump for Epsen — who works as a project manager for a statewide clean energy workforce development program at Appalachian State University — to join the board of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy a year ago. The nonprofit works to promote environmental and social justice through the written and spoken word. A native of Vermont, Epsen says Asheville instantly felt like home when

she and her husband, Clay, moved here in 2021.

Today, Epsen is the chair of the nonprofit’s new committee on environmental integrity, for which she’s launched a program to ask residents how they define environmental justice.

Xpress caught up with Epsen to discuss the initiative and how the community has responded.

This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Xpress: Where did you get the idea to ask people for their definition of environmental justice?

Epsen: With every nonprofit, we think about engagement. ... The legacy — it’s really not just about Wilma Dykeman — it’s about promoting the things she cared about. That’s why we’ve got these pillars of social justice and environmental justice and the spoken and written word.

As the new chair, I was thinking, “OK, what’s a good way to promote

these values and engage the community and just get to know the community better, get to know the people here and find out what they think.”

It’d be great to get all sorts of opinions on this term [environmental justice] from all the different walks of life in Asheville and see if we can come up with some common ground or some issues that we could work on as an organization and as a community.

And what’s the response been so far?

It’s been a little bit harder to get feedback than I would have expected. I think for some people it might be a hard question to answer because maybe it’s not their field or might not be as front of mind. But I’ve been getting responses. It’s been sort of a mix.

How has the issue been experienced here?

There’s a lot of history in the South with the environmental justice movement. It has a specific definition about disproportionate burdens and pollution being placed on populations that are often people of color. It’s often somewhat localized, but I feel like it’s also growing in its definition and its concept. And in a global lens, the burdens of [climate change] are disproportionately felt by the countries and populations that ... have relatively low carbon emissions.

I wanted to elicit people’s intuitive sense of what it means in their own personal lives, even if it didn’t fit within specifically that academic definition. Maybe it’s that they live in a food desert where it’s hard to access affordable and nutritious food, or maybe they live in a neighborhood that has very little green space and is really subjected to urban heat island effects or is more prone to flooding because of lack of investment in infrastructure — whatever it may be. So I didn’t want to presume anything going in. We’re still very much in the early phases.

What do you expect to see in Asheville specifically?

I’m really interested to see what the responses continue to be for Asheville, where I think there’s slightly less industry here in terms of massive incinerators or lots of landfills. ... I need to pose the question multiple ways as I continue to reach out to people. Ask them, “What does environmental justice look like? Or what does environmental injustice look like to you? What does it feel like? What does it smell like?”

When you get back people’s responses, how do you plan to use

SEEKING INPUT: Kate Epsen, who serves as the chair of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy’s new committee on environmental integrity, is seeking community input on environmental justice. Photo courtesy of Epsen

them? How do you plan to reflect those to the community?

I am going to archive them, and we’re going to put some on our website in the environmental integrity section. I would like to compile them in a publication. We definitely hope to have an event or two over time to share and get more responses — whether that be a panel, social event or a combination of the two. Everybody has smartphones, so we can also make short videos. And if there’s an unresolved issue, [we can see if] there is some initiative that we can take on as an organization or as a community to see if we can address and remedy it.

What else should people know about this project or about the legacy that may not be obvious?

I think that what’s important about this project is we really hope to hear from everyone — all kinds of people. You may have never even heard the term “environmental justice.” I would love to hear what people who are brand-new to the topic think. It’s really not supposed to be relegated to the experts in any way. It’s really something for everyone to weigh in on.

And then, in terms of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy, I think just remembering that she was a person who was ahead of her time in terms of being an anti-racist, being a feminist and being an environmental advocate. That speaks to a lot of the values that Asheville holds to this day. She has a tremendous body of written work and spoken work that I think people would find very moving and inspiring and interesting to continue on. X

WHY I VOLUNTEER

Committed to educating children

Samantha Maynard is a volunteer at Black Mountain Home for Children, a nonprofit that serves children as young as infants and as old as college age.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Black Mountain Home for Children?

Maynard: When I moved to Black Mountain in 2018, I looked for an opportunity to contribute to the community. As a retired teacher, I enjoy working with children, and I felt I had something to offer at BMHC.

What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

I tutor in their after-school study hall as well as work in the campus gardens. I continue because it’s a joyful place to serve.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

I didn’t realize what a skilled and positive group of caregivers work there. The staff truly live out their faith by their commitment to children.

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

BMHC has an excellent monthly information session to learn about their program. Included is a tour of their beautiful campus. They offer many options for service, but there is no pressure to sign up to volunteer. I look forward to going to the Black Mountain Home each week. X

WHY I VOLUNTEER

The children are the future

Frederick Carl DeTroia is a volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina, a nonprofit that matches mentors with children facing adversity.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters?

DeTroia: I began in 2007 or 2008. I thought that I might make a small difference in a young person’s life. What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

I am now seeing my second Little in the “in-school program.” I have found that working with a young person has been both challenging and rewarding. My hope is that I might make a difference in a person and family’s life. For me, the ability to listen, share and encourage are the keys to helping the Little. At my age, I will not see the long-term result. Each Little comes from different circumstances. My Little is in third grade, and we get together once a week in his school’s library. I enjoy going to the school and meeting his teacher, the librarian and guidance counselor. For me, the hope for our future is in our children.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

I received great training from BBBS. The one disappointment was a few Bigs dropped out after just starting.

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

You need to be sure before you commit. Most Littles have had adults drop out of their lives. Many retirees try something and then drop out for whatever reason. The need for Bigs — both male and female — has far outpaced the demand. When a person volunteers, he or she is vetted. The volunteers are then matched with a Little and then placed either in the school or community program by the BBBS organization. Training is provided. A Big is required to commit for a minimum of a year to his or her Little. Most of the Bigs want to stay with the Little as long as possible because it is that long-term, reliable relationship that develops over time where one can hopefully have a major impact on a young person’s life.

FREDERICK CARL DETROIA

SAMANTHA MAYNARD

All nine lives Laps and Naps saves senior cats

BY KIESA KAY

kiesakay@gmail.com

Wally the cat arrived at Laps and Naps scrawny, anemic and elderly, his matted hair covered in fleas. His owner could no longer keep him, after years of loving care.

Buster the cat had hyperthyroidism and needed medicine twice a day, and his fellow feline companion, Sabu, struggled with diabetes. They lived in a loving home until their owner had a stroke.

In both instances, these homeless, elderly cats could have been at high risk for euthanasia. But Laps and Naps, a local nonprofit founded in 2020 by Nancy Gavin, Pamela Havens and Tina Kannapel, provided them a second chance.

Today, Wally is regularly cuddled by his new owner, Eartha McQueen, who calls him Wally Boo. Meanwhile, Buster and Sabu are currently living with a foster family.

In 2023, the nonprofit placed 62 senior cats in new homes and recently purchased 5 1/2 acres to expand the organization’s mission.

Xpress caught up with Gavin, who shared what it means to specialize in the rescue of senior felines.

Xpress: What is the mission of Laps and Naps?

We started Laps and Naps to create a cage-free, homelike environment for senior cats. We don’t have a sanctuary yet, so we find temporary homes for senior cats. When people die or are moved to a facility, their cats, used to comfort at home, end up scared and in cages. In shelters that euthanize, senior cats are hardest to adopt out and most likely to be euthanized. Some fosters do kitty condos with crates, but not ours. We don’t want our cats crated. We want them to have room to roam. We let senior cats live out their retirement years. How did you begin?

Laps and Naps received 501(c)(3) status in February 2020, right before the country shut down. In 2020, we had one cat, Cinny, an 18-year-old who died of lung cancer eight weeks after we received him. In 2021, we found permanent homes for nine senior cats. In 2022, we adopted out 27 cats; and in 2023, we had 62. We have exceeded our goals. In 2024, we have adopted out 34 cats. Our goal this year is 75 cats.

Do you help with medical expenses of senior cats?

In addition to having cats in foster homes, we have sanctuary homes

of mind about their pets before they die. Our foster families

NEW COMPANIONS: Diana Wortham, a local philanthropist, is among those who have adopted from Laps and Naps. Here, she is featured with her cat, Pearl. Photo courtesy of Laps and Naps

— a cross between foster and adoption. We maintain guardianship, pay medical and other expenses, and the cats stay at that home for as long as everyone’s happy. Cats in these sanctuary homes are cats harder to adopt out due to age, medical condition or behavioral issues.

What has surprised you about this work?

We’re helping people as much as we’re helping cats, though it isn’t what we first set out to achieve. People who’ve had to surrender cats are so worried about them. Sometimes the people are going into hospice care, and we’re able to give them peace

also get real emotional comfort from the cats.

What are your future plans?

We recently purchased 5 1/2 acres of cleared land near a paved road, gently sloping and not steep, in Marion. The land used to be Pinto Acres [Sugar Hill Rodeo]. We received a one-time donation for the land.

James Thompson in Hendersonville will be the project manager, and he found the architect, Emili McMakin, at Form & Function Architecture, through the Asheville Cat Weirdos group. Our architect is redesigning the McDowell County Animal Shelter

and designed the Cat at Play Café in Asheville. Alice Dobson in Asheville did conceptual designs.

What will the sanctuary be like?

The sanctuary will be designed for the care and comfort of cats, with exercise wheels, cat trees, vertical spaces, water features and a backyard enclosed in cat-safe fencing. We will have room for at least 100 cats, cat TV and music. We also will have live-in caregivers on-site in a separate, small house. We’re anticipating that the person will be a vet tech who can give fluids, injections and medications, plus help with special diets.

Cats love sunlight, so the sanctuary will have big windows, and they can watch wildlife. Four horses graze on the land now. We would like to keep the horses out there once the facility is built, as it is a nice pastoral setting. What’s the advantage of a sanctuary over a traditional shelter or foster care?

Many people simply want to be with cats and connect with cats. It will be more like a spa than like a traditional shelter, with a comforting atmosphere. We will adopt out more cats with this facility because people can come look at cats, play with them and get to know them.

Only approved adopters can meet cats in foster homes. Right now, we have no feral cats because they can’t go into foster homes. Plus, we’d like to arrange for people at senior facilities to come to the sanctuary and enjoy a relaxing time with the cats. What support do you still need?

We are in phase one. We will need volunteers. We would like to fundraise $1.2 million for a house for the caregiver, paid staff and building the sanctuary. Our website, lapsandnaps.org, has a donation link for a capital campaign or to support the cats. We also have a Facebook page, facebook.com/lapsandnaps. We’ve had good support, and we believe it will continue. If you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing, then you open up the universe. X

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

MAY 15 - MAY 23, 2024

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

 Online-only events

 Feature, page 50-51

 Feature, page 61

 More info, page 62-63

 More info, page 64-65

WELLNESS

Free Zumba Gold Fitness program that involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance. Free, but donations for the instructor are appreciated. For more information please call (828) 350-2058.

WE (5/15, 22), noon, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Tai Chi Fan

This class helps build balance and whole body awareness. All ages and ability levels welcome.

Fans will be provided.

WE (5/15, 22), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Therapeutic Recreation

Adult Morning Movement

Active games, physical activities, and sports for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over.

Advanced registration at avlrec.com required.

WE (5/15, 22), 10am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Tai Chi for Balance

A gentle Tai Chi

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

WE (5/15, 22), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Sit & Sound Sanctuary

Offering an opportunity to come together and cultivate more resilience in our body, mind, and life.

WE (5/15), 6:30pm, W Asheville Branch Library

Tai Chi for Beginners

A class for anyone interested in Tai Chi and building balance, whole body awareness and other health benefits.

TH (5/16, 23), 11:30am, SA (5/18), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Weekly Zumba Classes

Free in-person Zumba classes. No registration required.

TH (5/16, 23), TU

(5/21), 6:30pm, St. James Episcopal Church, 424 W State St, Black Mountain

Nia Dance Fitness

A sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts and healing arts.

TH (5/16, 23), 9:30am, TU (5/21), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Qigong for Health

A part of traditional Chinese medicine that involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind and spirit.

FR (5/17), TU (5/21), 9am, SA (5/18), 11am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Yoga in the Park Yoga class alongside the French Broad River, based on Hatha & Vinyasa traditions and led by certified yoga instructors. All experience levels welcome.

SA (5/18), SU (5/19), 11am, 220 Amboy Rd

Yoga for Everyone

A free-in person yoga class for all ages and abilities that is led by alternating teachers. Bring your own mat and water bottle.

SA (5/18), 9:30am, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Yoga in the Park

An outdoor gentle flow yoga class for beginners to lifelong practitioners. Bring your own mat or borrow one of ours.

SA (5/18), 10:30am, Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St

Sunday Morning Meditation Group Gathering for a combination of silent sitting and walking meditation, facilitated by Worth Bodie.

SU (5/19), 10am, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Yoga Taco Mosa Donation based yoga with Clare Desmelik. Bring your mat, a water bottle and an open

PHOTOS FROM THE COLLECTION: Asheville Art Museum debuts its new exhibition, Shifting Perceptions, featuring photos from its collection, starting Friday, May 17, at 11 a.m. The exhibition will be on display through Sept. 23, presented in a trio of sections, each featuring seemingly opposing forces, starting with Natural/Unnatural. Photo of Cara Romero’s “T.V. Indians” courtesy of Asheville Art Museum

heart.

SU (5/19), 10am, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Spring Flow w/Jamie Knox

Prepare your body for warmer weather with a yoga practice designed to release toxins and heaviness left over from winter. Walk ins welcome. No need to pre-register, but bring a mat.

SU (5/19), 10:30am, One World Brewing W 520 Haywood Rd

Community Yoga & Mindfulness

A free monthly event with Inspired Change Yoga that will lead you into a morning of breathwork, meditation and yoga. Bring your own mat.

WE (5/22), 11:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Full Moon Yoga

Enjoy a slow, grounding flow while observing our present abundance and what we can release/let go. All levels welcomed and encouraged.

TH (5/23), 6pm, Hoop House at Hawk Hill, 22 Hawk Hill Rd

meeting for those living with depression, bipolar, and related mental health challenges. For more information contact (828) 367-7660.

SA (5/18), 2pm, 1316 Ste C Parkwood Rd

Asheville Kirtan

These ancient mantras, chanted in Sanskrit, help to connect us to our hearts- invoking feelings of well-being, meditation, and joy.

TU (5/21), 7pm, Weaving Rainbows, 62 Wall St

DANCE

Bachata Thursdays

Bachata nights combined with Cha Cha, Cumbia, Merengue and Salsa. Dance lessons begins at 8:30pm and beginners are welcomed.

TH (5/16, 23), 8:30pm, Urban Orchard Cider Co. S Slope, 24 Buxton Ave

Tango Tuesdays

Tango lessons and social with instructors Mary Morgan and Mike Eblen. No partner required, and no experience needed for the beginners class.

TU (5/21), 6pm, Urban Orchard Cider Co. S Slope, 24 Buxton Ave

ART

Focus Gallery Exhibit: Art of Detailing

The Southern Highland Craft Guild opens its first focus gallery exhibition of 2024 with Art of Detailing, featuring both traditional and contemporary craft by five members of the Guild. Open daily, 10am. Exhibition through May 20, 2024. Folk Art Center, 382 Blue Ridge Pkwy

Sov·er·eign·ty: Expressions in Sovereignty of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

This exhibition educates visitors about the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ autonomy, its relationship with the federal government, and how the tribe has defined its own relationship with its land, people, and culture. Gallery open daily, 9am. Exhibition through Feb. 28, 2025.

Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee Spark of the Eagle Dancer: The Collecting Legacy of Lambert Wilson

This exhibition celebrates the legacy of Lambert Wilson, a passionate collector of contemporary Native American art. Gallery open Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition

through June 28, 2024

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

Counter/Balance: Gifts of John & Robyn Horn

A presentation of important examples of contemporary American craft, including woodworking, metalsmithing, fiber and pottery by renowned American artists. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through July. 29, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

The New Salon: A Contemporary View

A modern take on the prestigious tradition of the Parisian Salon with the diversity and innovation of today’s art world. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through Aug. 19.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Thistle & Pearl Art Show

This exhibition features art from the whole Thistle and Pearl Tattoo crew including BB June, Bill Smiles, Reina Lynn, Doe Bull, Ash Grey and more. Gallery open Monday through Sunday, noon. Exhibition through May 19. Push Skate Shop & Gallery, 25 Patton Ave

Shifting Perceptions: Member-Only Preview Become a Museum Member and join us for the opening of our newest exhibition, Shifting Perceptions: Photographs from the Collection.

TH (5/16), 5pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Third Thursday Open Studio Social

An opportunity for artists to network, share ideas, and create together with extended gallery hours.

TH (5/16), 5pm, Foundation Studios, 27 Foundy St

Stellar Picks: A Community Choice Exhibition

This exhibition is for everyone who has a favorite piece of art in the WCU Fine Art Museum collection or would like to discover one. Gallery open Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through June 28. WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

Shifting Perceptions: Photographs from the Collection

A selection of photographs presented in a trio of sections, each featuring seemingly opposing forces: Natural/Unnatural, Together/Apart, and Inside/ Out. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday.

Exhibition through September 23. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Bonfire Studio: Paint & Pint Night Bonfire Studio’s talented artists will guide participants through the painting so that everyone creates something exceptional no matter the skill level. FR (5/17), 6pm, French Broad River Brewery, 101 Fairview Rd

Tibetan Prayers: An Art Exhibit Reception

This is an art reception for mixed media artist Jon Kwak’s newest art exhibit, Tibetan Prayers. There will be food, drinks and the opportunity to browse the exhibition. SA (5/18), 4pm, Gleman & Co., 5430 Asheville Hwy Bruno Lenze: Hiding in Plain Sight

This abstract photography exhibition features decayed Yucatan plantations, rusted steel boat repair shipyards, and urban streets that showcase the beauty found within the intricate interplay between destruction and renewal. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am, and Sunday, noon. Exhibition runs through June 9. Pink Dog Gallery, 348 Depot St

Honoring Nature:

Early Southern Appalachian Landscape Painting

This exhibition explores the sublime natural landscapes of the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina and Tennessee. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through Oct. 21.

Asheville Art Museum,

2 S Pack Square

I Will Tell You Mine

This exhibition features works by 27 artists that work across an  impressive range of applications, methods and materials. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am, and Sunday, 11am. Exhibition through May 26.

Tyger Tyger Gallery, 191 Lyman St, Ste 144 Western North Carolina Glass: Selections from the Collection A variety of techniques and a willingness to push boundaries of American glass art can be seen in this selection of works. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through September 16.

Asheville Art Museum,

2 S Pack Square

Grovewood Village Studio Tour

Resident artists will open up their studios to the public, allowing visitors to gain insight into their creative process and view their most recent works.

SA (5/18), SU (5/19), noon, Grovewood Village, 111 Grovewood Rd

Asheville’s Naturalist: Watercolors by Sallie Middleton

This exhibition features a selection of botanical and wildlife prints by renowned watercolor artist Sallie Middleton. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through June 10

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Daily Craft Demonstrations

Two artists of different media will explain and demonstrate their craft with informative materials displayed at their booths, daily. These free and educational opportunities are open to the public. Open daily, 10am. Demonstrations run through Dec. 31. Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Pkwy

Agony & Ecstasy: Images of Conscience by Janette Hopper

These linoleum prints show the agony and ecstasy of human life. The love, sorrow, conflict, beauty, enjoyment of nature, contemplation of what is, was and could be and political commentary. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 11am and Sunday, 1 pm. Exhibi-

tion through May 31.

Flood Gallery Fine Art Center, 850 Blue Ridge Rd, Black Mountain Resonance

This exhibition weaves together the distinctive styles of two artists, Lauren Betty & Rand Kramer. Each navigate the delicate balance between spontaneity and control in their unique mediums. Gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am. Exhibition through June 30. Citron Gallery, 60 Biltmore Ave

COMMUNITY MUSIC

The Songwriter Sessions w/Mare Carmody, Mike Hollon & Jack Miller

An evening of original songs in a natural acoustic listening room. This month we'll feature popular local musicians Mare Carmody, Mike Hollon, and Jack Miller. WE (5/15), 7pm, The Brandy Bar, 504 7th Ave E, Hendersonville

American Roots

Listen to American music that was developed through the influences of Native Americans, enslaved people, and immigrants from all around the world.

FR (5/17), 5pm, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 256 E Main St, Brevard

Womansong Presents: We Come From Women

A spring concert celebrating the legacies of women who came before us as well as inspiring us to carve our own paths for those who will come after.

See p64 SA (5/18), 3pm, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place

Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons

A live, multi-sensory musical experience in awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Asheville. This event features the music of Coldplay and Imagine Dragons.

SA (5/18), 5:30pm, Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway St

Candlelight: Classic Rock on Strings

A live, multi-sensory musical experience in awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Asheville. Discover the music of classic rock on Strings under the gentle glow of candlelight.

SA (5/18), 7:30pm, Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway St

Sarah Siskind

Sarah tells stories of inspiration as the muse for her music comes to life in this intimate setting that explores the

sounds of Appalachia.

SA (5/18), 7:30pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr

Steve Lapointe

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

SU (5/19), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Superwoman Sundays: Lange Eve & Sarah Robert

Each week will highlight a powerful female artists who will perform for an hour before opening the stage for collaboration and open mic.

SU (5/19), 2pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd

Mark's House Jam & Sunday Potluck

Bring a potluck dish to share with a community of local musicians from around the globe. Please note that this isn't an open mic.

SU (5/19), 3pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr

A Chamber Music Trio

A concert featuring a trio of noted local musicians: Kate Steinbeck, flute; Katherine Haig, cello; and Dewitt Tipton, piano.

SU (5/19), 4pm, Parish House of St John in the Wilderness, 1905 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock

Sundays on the River Series: Rissi Palmer

Rissi Palmer's music touches across all musical boundaries from country music, R&B music and even Southern soul.

SU (5/19), 4pm, Olivette Riverside Community and Farm, 1069 Olivette Rd

Lenny Pettinelli

Live music with local pianist, keyboardist, and vocalist well versed in jazz, rock, funk, reggae, and more.

TH (5/23), 6pm, Gemelli by Strada Italiano, 70 Westgate Pkwy

Americana Concert Series: Ever More Nest

Rooted in Southern musical traditions and infused with confessional 90's angst.

TH (5/23), 6:30pm, Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon

Wings & Strings: Acklen Walker

This music series at at the Sweeten Creek location will feature local bluegrass-style bands every week.

TH (5/23), 6:30pm, Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack S, 3749 Sweeten Creek Rd, Arden

Swannanoa Valley Musical Concert

Featuring local performers and storytellers such as Sourwood Ridge, attendees will be transported through time with melodies that echo the spirit of the

Swannanoa Valley.

TH (5/23), 7pm, St. James Episcopal Church, 424 W State St, Black Mountain

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

Chakras, Mythology & Astrology W/Johnny Barnett

A 2-hour exploration of the basic building blocks of chakras that help us navigate the complexities of being an infinite spirit in a physical body.

WE (5/15), 6pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

Instagram for Business

This course will help you master Instagram marketing strategy, which will help you grow your business at a rapid pace and gain thousands of the right kind of followers. Register at avl.mx/do3.

WE (5/15), 6pm, Online

Change Your Palate Cooking Demo

This free lunchtime food demonstration is open to all but tailored towards those with type 2 diabetes or hypertension. The featured host is Change Your Palate’s very own Shaniqua Simuel.

WE (5/15, 22), noon, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Cultivating Medicinal Mushrooms: Lion’s Mane

This event is perfect for anyone interested in exploring the world of medicinal mushrooms. Register at avl.mx/dl4.

WE (5/15), 6pm, Online

Deepest Happiness: Relationships & Love

Learn the art of sustainable joy and deeper love with free talks and safe, practical discussion. Open to public, twice a month, and led by university professor and certified holistic life coach.

TH (5/16), 7pm, YMCA, 30 Woodfin St

Monthly Belay Clinic

This hour long clinic covers the basics of knot tying, gear checks, and belaying using the PBUS technique.

FR (5/17), 6pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Braver Angels: Skills for Disagreeing Better

A free workshop which teaches skills for listening carefully, looking for common ground, and sharing our perspectives in ways that connect rather than create more misunderstanding.

SA (5/18), 10:30am, Skyland United Methodist Church, 260 Overlook Rd

Visible Mending

Andrea Connolly will lead this hands-on workshop, introducing simple mending tech-

WHY I VOLUNTEER

Building dreams and making a difference

Peggy Crowe is a volunteer at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

Xpress : When and why did you begin volunteering for Habitat?

Crowe: When I was at the University of Georgia in 2001, my school project was the Habitat for Humanity Women Build. They were rolling out two per state. I had no idea how much it would change my life, the lives of the women who supported the build and the new homeowners. Athens was educated about the need for affordable, safe housing for families in need and generously supported the entire endeavor. I led the build long after I graduated because it’s incredible to see women from all walks of life bond together to lift up a family forever.

What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

When I moved to Asheville in 2004, I was delighted to find that the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity already had a Women Build Advocacy Team. We’re dedicated to getting more women involved with building homes and letting the community know about the amazing work women have done. There is perpetual joy in being a part of a tightknit group and the families we work beside who are dedicated to radical, life-altering change. We’re proud to have started the 19th Women Build home and there will be more.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

I was blown away by the depth, breadth and lifelong impacts of the AAHFH. We were the first affiliate in North Carolina in 1983. Our ReStore was one of the first to open in 1990 and remains one of the top-performing stores out of 900 nationwide. We won an international award for our home design for aging in place. We have built 400 homes, repaired 500 more and provided housing for 2,100 people. Add those stats to the best-run organization I’ve ever seen, where everyone from the executive director, staff and volunteers are seamlessly motivated by love. What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

Women often sign up to build a home for one day. But that day changes you forever. You learn new skills in new surroundings. You find a rhythm with others who may have been strangers but are now friends. You overcome your uncertainty of what you thought you couldn’t do. There are tangible results of something that you completed in seven hours. All of those days add up to create a new home, a new life for homeowners who had never allowed themselves to believe could come true. You’ll always remember that you were integral to fulfilling their dream. X

We receive donated flowers and vases, volunteers arrange them into bouquets, and we deliver the upcycled flowers to our community.

Bloom, Grow, Give. Find an event, volunteer or donate: rafasheville.org

niques and providing a forum for participants of all skill levels to share and learn from one another.

SA (5/18), 10:30am, Black Mountain Library

Savor: Wellness Mixology

Learn how to craft herbal mocktails that taste good and will have you feeling good too. Participants will go home with a recipe for a shrub, along with several mocktail andcocktail recipes.

SU (5/19), 1pm, Atelier Maison & Co., 121 Sweeten Creek Rd

The Future Is AI-rriving

This workshop is designed for business owners and entrepreneurs who are seeking ways to optimize their productivity and efficiency using the power of AI tools. Register at avl.mx/dp0.

MO (5/20), 10am, Online

Therapeutic Recreation Adult Crafting & Cooking

A variety of cooking and crafts for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over each week. Advance registration at avlrec.com is required.

TU (5/21), 10am, Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd

River Snorkeling Participants receive wetsuits, wetsuit socks, snorkels, and masks. Advanced registration is required.

TU (5/21) 9:30am, Asheville Recreation Park, 65 Gashes Creek Rd

How to Create a Social Media Strategy for Your Small Business

In this class we will discuss the basics of creating your own strategic plan for social media marketing, so you have a clear, consistent pathway to having fun and achieving success on social media. Register at avl.mx/doz.

TH (5/23), 11am, Online

Intro to Energetic & Spiritual Wound Repair

This session is designed to guide you through the process of healing unseen wounds and restoring spiritual vitality.

TH (5/23), 6pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

LITERARY

Thoughtful Cooking: William Dissen & Johnny Autry w/Ronni Lundy

Chef and author William Dissen will join photographer Johnny Autry to discuss Thoughtful Cooking with Ronni Lundy.

WE (5/15), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

Craft Schools: Where We Make What We Inherit

May features Michelle Fisher and Natasha Chandani for a discussion of the upcoming book and exhibition, Craft Schools: Where We Make What We Inherit. Register at avl.mx/dnz.

WE (5/15), 5:30pm, Online

Momentum: Montessori, A Life in Motion

Elizabeth Slade discusses her latest book, a captivating historical fiction novel offering a glimpse into the life of the remarkable, rebellious, and revolutionary Dr. Maria Montessori.

TH (5/16), 5:30pm, Central United Methodist Church, 27 Church St

Asheville Storyslam: Snooping

Prepare a five-minute story about being nosy. Eavesdropping, meddling and sneaking around. Seemingly harmless questions or internet stalking.

TH (5/16), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Meltdown Expected w/Aaron J. Leonard Meltdown Expected tells the story of the power shifts from late 1978 through 1979 whose repercussions are still being felt. Register at avl.mx/dow.

FR (5/17), 6pm, Online

Book Signing w/Tim Barnwell Photographer and author Tim Barnwell will be signing copies of two of his best-selling books: Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas and Great Smoky Mountains Vistas SA (5/18), 1pm, Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Rd

Blood Orange Book Tour

An afternoon workshop and poetry reading with Palestinian poet Yaffa, who is touring with her latest collection.

SA (5/18), 3pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Jane Hicks & Thomas

Alan Holmes: The Safety of Small Things & In the Backhoe's Shadow.

Poets Jane Hicks and Thomas Alan Holmes will present their latest book of poems, The Safety of Small Things & In the Backhoe's Shadow.

SA (5/18), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva God & Liberation Reading books by Black, Mujerista, Latino, Palestinian, Indigenous, LGBQIA+, and disabled authors to deconstruct what we’ve been taught about who God is and build something new. MO (5/20), 7pm, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 10 N Liberty St

THEATER & FILM

Skysail Theatre Presents: Interstellar Song Contest

An interactive sci-fi musical that centers around a riveting competiton between singers with otherwordly talents. WE (5/15), 7:30pm, LaZoom Room, 76 Biltmore Ave

Stewart/Owen Dance: Where I End, You Begin

Wortham’s resident dance company returns to share their latest contemporary choreography, which draws on themes of passion, intimacy and playfulness.

TH (5/16), FR (5/17), 8pm, SA (5/18) SU (5/19), 2pm, Wortham Center For The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

Bill Daniel: Who is Bozo Texino? This film chronicles the search for the source of a ubiquitous train/rail graffiti.

TH (5/16), 5pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 Pack Square

David Novak Storyteller: An Animated Life David Novak combines the magic of theatre with the evocative voices of the master storyteller.

TH (5/16), 7pm, Lake Louise Community Center, Weaverville, Weaverville

A God in the Waters

A delightful, moving, and masterful exploration of the making of art and the forging of family.

TH (5/16), FR (5/17), SA (5/18), 7:30pm, BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St

The Secret Garden

A tale of forgiveness and renewal, reminding audiences that even amidst grief, there's always the possibility for healing and joy to blossom.

FR (5/17), SA (5/18), 7:30pm, SU (5/19), 2pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville

Free Outdoor Movie: Dungeons & Dragons Cinema on the Square, Swannanoa's outdoor movie series, returns to Grovemont Square with a screening of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. FR (5/17), 7:45pm, Grovemont Park, 101 W Charleston Ave, Swannanoa

James Hindman: Popcorn Falls

Two actors play over twenty roles in a world of farce, love, and desperation, proving once and for all that art can save the world.

FR (5/17), SA (5/18), 7pm, SU (5/19), 2pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Montford Park Players: Edward III

The production will depict the turbulent reign of Edward III of England through a series of captivating scenes, delving into themes of power, loyalty, and national identity.

FR (5/17), SA (5/18), SU (5/19), 7:30pm, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St Parental Advisory Drag Brunch Leave the kids at home and come have some fun and brunch with amazing talent from a plethora of drag performers.

SU (5/19), noon, Club Eleven on Grove, 11 Grove St

Wise Words Open Mic Welcoming beginners and fellow artists to a creative space to express ourselves poetically.

TU (5/21), 6pm, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St

Negativland & Sue-C: We Can Really Feel Like We're Here Negativland and virtual Sue-C come to Asheville with a special multi-venue/multi-day double-feature: a documentary about the group, and a live multi-media performance.

WE (5/22), 7pm,nSly Grog Lounge, 271 Haywood St

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

The Great Bird Adventure

An expertly guided educational tour that gently leads you through five magnificent exhibits, showcasing rare and endangered birds from every continent of the world.

WE (5/15, 22), FR (5/17), SA (5/18), MO (5/20), 10am Carolina Avian Research and Education, 109 Olivia Trace Dr, Fletcher Figure Study Sessions Meet and draw together with a live a model. Bring drawing supplies that you want to work with. No previous drawing experience is necessary.

WE (5/15, 22), noon, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

3 Practices Solution Circle: Are Entrepreneurs Born or Raised? The 3 Practices Circle is a process oriented, problem-solving mechanism business owners can use to get questions answered, holistically, from various perspectives. Free with registration at avl.mx/do2.

WE (5/15), 1pm, Online

PEGGY CROWE

Civil War Letters of a U.S.C.T Soldier

The letters represent a perspective distinctly from a Black soldier in the Union army.

Presenter Dr. Sharon Roger Hepburn of Radford University will focus attention on John Lovejoy Murray, a member of the 102nd.

WE (5/15), 7pm, Haywood County Public Library, 11 Pennsylvania Ave, Canton

The Foxy Chef: A Night of Vegan Cooking Chefs will take us on a culinary journey, explaining health benefits of nature's herbs and spices. This class is open for anyone and everyone.

TH (5/16), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Dharma & Discuss Meditation instructions will be given during a sitting which will last 15 to 20 mins. This will be followed by a talk and an opportunity to ask Roger questions afterwards.

TH (5/16), 6:30pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Hemlock Hike

A guided educational hike at Strawberry Gap Trail. The hike is out and back, about 2.5 miles total round-trip.

SA (5/18), 10am, Strawberry Gap Trailhead, US 74A, Gerton

Ask a Native Plant Aficionado: Fifth Season Plants for Wildlife is hosting experienced native plant gardener volunteers at each of the plant kiosks during the spring planting season to answer plant-related questions.

SA (5/18), 11am, Fifth Season Asheville Market, 4 S Tunnel Rd

Coloring w/Cats

Set time for yourself and cuddle with the panthers, meet other cat-lovers, and color a beautiful picture of a cat from our adult coloring books.

SU (5/19), 2pm House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Understanding: The Assignment Dr. Je’ Exodus Hooper presents how understanding creates relationships. Therefore, taking on the need to apply learning and understanding can elicit the best in best in

ourselves. SU (5/19), 2:30pm, Ethical Humanist Society, 227 Edgewood Rd

Black Men Monday

A local group that has stepped up in the community to advocate for and mentor students through academic intervention. Kids, ages 7 and up, are welcome to join.

MO (5/20), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Queer Cowork

A new cowork space in West Asheville by and for queer folk. Get your work done and some community engagement at the same time.

TU (5/21), 11am, The Well, 3 Louisiana

Kung Fu: Baguazhang

It is the martial arts style that Airbending from the show Avatar: The Last Airbender was based on.

TU (5/21), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave Ste 109

Shine On: The Illuminating World of Fireflies

Firefly expert Sara Rivera leads a discussion about these fabulous bioluminescent beetles.

TU (5/21), 6pm, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain

Every Black Voice: AVL's Racial Justice Coalition Lunch & Learn

This event will be discussing reparations and the history of black Asheville. Housing, health and wellness along with community building and education will also be hot topics of conversation.

WE (5/22), 12:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

National Speakers Association NSA-WNC Meeting

Featuring professional keynote speakers, coaches, trainers, facilitators, and consultants who cover a broad range of topics, skills, and knowledge.

TH (5/23), 10am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Empowerment

Collective Presents:

Jen Medders & Joanna Baker

An in-person upscale networking and speaking series that highlights the remarkable stories of women who have defied odds, shattered glass ceilings, and triumphed in their personal and professional lives.

TH (5/23), 6pm Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr

Dharma Talk w/John Orr

John will give Dharma talk and lead discussion on various topics related to meditation and Buddhist teachings.

TH (5/23), 6:30pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Tap into ASL w/Hope

This inclusive gathering welcomes both deaf and hearing individuals to come together for a unique experience of learning American Sign Language (ASL), socializing, and enjoying games.

TH (5/23), 6:30pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200

GAMES & CLUBS

Dungeons & Drafts

An evening of adventure, drinks and company to play D&D. There will be premade characters for you to choose from and join the action.

WE (5/15) 6p,Ginger’s Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr

Treks Hiking Club for Adults 50 & Over A low-impact hiking club offering leisurely-paced hikes for active adults. No hiking experience is required, but the hike covers over three miles on uneven terrain.

TH (5/16), 9:30am, Asheville Recreation Park65 Gashes Rd Bid Whist

Make bids, call trumps, and win tricks. Every Saturday for fun competition with the community.

SA (5/18), 1pm, Dr. Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St Bingo

Small prizes awarded to winners of each game. SA (5/18), 1pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Weekly Sunday Scrabble Weekly scrabble play where you’ll be paired with players of your skill level. All scrabble gear

provided. SU (5/19), 1:30pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Montford Adult Walking Club

Improve your heart and lung health, reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stress and joint pain.

MO (5/20), 10:15am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Greenway Walking Club

All ages, sizes, and cultural backgrounds are welcome to connect with neighbors while walking as a group to better health. Advance registration required.

WE (5/22), 5:30pm, French Broad River Greenway West

Music Bingo Thursdays

Test your music knowledge and your luck with Music Bingo by DJ Spence.

TH (5/23), 6:30pm, Lookout Brewing Co., 103 S Ridgeway Ave

WHY I VOLUNTEER

Giving back to the Appalachian Trail

Sarah Jones Decker is a volunteer at Carolina Mountain Club, a nonprofit that works to encourage and support hiking in Western North Carolina. Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Carolina Mountain Club?

I began in 2020. I thru-hiked in 2008 and always wanted to give back to the trail that changed my life in so many ways. Living near the trail outside of Hot Springs, I started section hiking the trail again for my 10-year “trailsversary” and ran into a trail crew one day. They looked like they were having a ton of fun, and I reached out. Now they can’t get rid of me. What types of work do you do on the trail and what keeps you coming back?

KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS

Black Cat Tales: Story Time w/Cats

Families with children age 7 & under are invited to relax in the cat lounge and listen to a cat-centric book surrounded by the resident panthers.

WE (5/15, 22), TH (5/16, 23), 4pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Kids & Teens Kung Fu Learn fighting skills as well as conflict resolution and mindfulness. First class is free to see if it’s a good fit for you.

TH (5/16, 23), MO (5/20), TU (5/21), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix

Coloring w/Cats: Kiddie Edition

An artistic session with coloring books and markers for children ages 13 and under to relax by coloring as they pet cats to reduce stress and anxiety.

SA (5/18), 1:30pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Jam W/Teso

Young musicians are invited to a jam session with Teso Ellis, LEAF’s Spark the Arts Artist in Residence for May. Free event and open to the public.

WE (5/22), 6pm, LEAF Global Arts, 19 Eagle St

LOCAL MARKETS

RAD Farmers Market

Providing year-round access to fresh local foods from over 30 local vendors offering fresh produce, baked goods, pastured meats, cheeses, raw honey, and more. Located right on the Greenway, the market is safely accessible by bike, foot, or rollerblade.

WE (5/15, 22), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr

Friday Market

Providing equitable access to nutritious, culturally relevant food through weekly community markets. Come enjoy local

staples as well as a live cooking demo and kids activities.

FR (5/17), 205 NC-9

Black Mountain

Friends-Montessori Maker's Market

This market features everything from paintings, clay figurings, and jewlery to bath products, bread and cakes created by students.

FR (5/17), 2pm, Friends-Montessori School, 871 Riverside Dr, Woodfin

Black Mountain Beautification Committee

Garden Market

This year’s market will feature prized annuals, carnivorous plants, cut flowers, edible shrubs, herbs, native plants, perennials, and vegetable starts from specialty plant vendors.

FR (5/17), 3pm, SA (5/18), 9am, Black Mountain Town Square, Black Mountain

East Asheville Tailgate Market

Featuring locally grown vegetables, fruits, wild foraged mushrooms, ready made food, handmade body care, bread, pastries, meat, eggs, and more to the East Asheville community since 2007. Every Friday through Nov. 22.

FR (5/17), 3pm, 954 Tunnel Rd

Hendersonville Farmers Market

Approximately 45 vendors will sell local food products including eggs, herbs, produce, plants, baked goods, coffee, meat, honey and more. Every Saturday through October.

SA (5/18), 8am, 650 Maple St, Hendersonville

Huge Swannanoa Community Yard Sale

The twice-yearly sale, sponsored by Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS), brings huge crowds of enthusiastic sellers and

WHY I VOLUNTEER

shoppers.

SA (5/18), 8am, Ingles Swannanoa Parking Lot, 2299 US-70, Swannanoa North Asheville Tailgate Market

The oldest Saturday morning market in WNC, since 1980. Over 60 rotating vendors providing a full range of local, sustainably produced produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, breads, plants and unique crafts.

SA (5/18), 8am, 3300 University Heights Black Mountain Saturday Tailgate Market

Featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, locally raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and locally handcrafted items. Every Saturday through November.

SA (5/18), 9am, Black, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Mars

Hill Farmers & Artisans Market

A producer-only tailgate market located on the

Keeping trails in shape

Stefan Israel is a volunteer with Rock Crushers, which maintains hiking trails, particularly in the Gerton-Lake Lure area. The group serves the nonprofit Conserving Carolina, which works to protect, restore and inspire appreciation of the natural world.

SARAH JONES DECKER

I am an Appalachian Trail section maintainer, sawyer and an occasional Friday crew member. I maintain a section of the AT north of Hot Springs that includes an AT shelter. I love the camaraderie with this group. We have crews out almost every day of the week, and you get close out there. It can be physically hard work but rewarding in so many other ways. It’s so fun to be in the woods with like-minded folks working together on a common goal. I’ve made some great friends. We work hard until 1 p.m. or so and usually get pie or beer in town.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

That someone has to rake the privies. I mean, I knew someone had to. Didn’t know it would be me one day. Haha!

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

Do you love hiking? Do you want to give back? Come have fun working hard with a passionate group of people who love the same stuff you do: being in the woods and being on trail. They do all the planning. You just have to show up. X

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Conserving Carolina/Rock Crushers?

Israel: I started in spring 2018. I was hiking local trails and saw they needed work. I started helping the Clarke family (Hickory Nut Gap store and all that) on their trails, and folks suggested I volunteer for the Rock Crushers. I was told they’d train me very well, and soon I was putting in hundreds of hours of work a year for Conserving Carolina.

We’re called Rock Crushers for making “artisanal gravel” along the trails, though that’s just a fraction of our trail work — but a dramatic one.

What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

I’m now one of the senior volunteer Rock Crushers. We volunteers don’t operate the chain saw or Bobcats for cutting new trails, nor lay the route. But we do the rest: shape the trail, finesse how water will flow to prevent erosion, build log steps, build pillow-sized rock stairs (you really appreciate the neolithic engineers after this), crush rock to gravel, cut away downed trees, pull out invasive plants, cooperate with surrounding landowners, advise hikers.

It’s great exercise, great community service and great fellowship. What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

I wish I’d known about Rock Crushers earlier! Once I started, they trained me up well and thoroughly. I pay that back now with new people.

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

Join and labor. And you can eat all the ice cream you want, guilt-free. You won’t need a gym membership.

It’s six-ish hours Wednesdays when you’re free. It’s hard labor, it’s very rewarding, it’s a warm group of hardworking friends. If that’s too much, take a look at our Kudzu Warriors — heck, we’re not the only trails or habitat group, find any good group and join ’em! X

STEFAN ISRAEL

campus of Mars Hill University on College Street. Offering fresh local produce, herbs, cheeses, meats, eggs, baked goods, honey, body care and more.

Every Saturday through Oct. 26.

SA (5/18), 10am, College St, Mars Hill

Outdoor Pop Up Market

An outdoor market featuring vintage, antique and handmade items.

SA (5/18), 10am, The Garage on 25, 3461 Hendersonville Rd, Fletcher

Plant Club Pop-Up Market

Each month features 6-10 different growers and makers offering a wide array of products; from rare tropicals to native medicinals, handmade pots and more.

SA (5/18), 11am, Canopy Gallery in Art Garden, 191 Lyman St, Ste 316

Spring Artisan Market

A Spring artisan market with live DJ and over 15 vendors. Browse plants, candles, jewelry, skincare, aromatherapy and more.

SA (5/18), 4pm, The Railyard Black Mountain, 141 Richardson Ave, Black Mountain

Honky Tonk Flea

A honky-theme flea market featuring western wear, vintage, antiques and rare finds galore.

SU (5/19), 11am, Eda's Hide-a-Way, 1098 New Stock Rd, Weaverville Spritz: Markers Market

Featuring some of Asheville's finest artisans with various wares, tarot readings and newest spritz creations.

SU (5/19), 12pm, Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

WWBC 10th Year

Anniversary Gala

Step into an evening of elegance and empowerment as we commemorate a decade of excellence and serving the Western North Carolina community at the WWBC.

TH (5/16), 5pm, The Venue, 21 N Market St

Asheville Beer Week

A multi-day, multi-venue event that celebrates the local craft beer scene with beer tastings, panel discussions, local philanthropy opportunities and more. Visit avl.mx/coy for more information and the full Asheville Beer

Week calendar. This year’s festivities will run through Sunday, May 26. See p50-51

Multiple Locations, Citywide

Affordable Housing Summit

The evening will feature housing policy expert and author, Shane Phillips. The summit is open to non-profit service providers, affordable housing advocates, and anyone committed to improving housing in Henderson County and across the WNC region.

TH (5/16), 5:30pm, Hendersonville High School, 1 Bearcat Blvd., Hendersonville Guild Garden of Quilts Show

This exciting show will display a special exhibit of Quilts of Valor and feature docent tours, arts/crafts vendors, raffle baskets, used book sale, and a boutique of handmade items for sale. See p61

FR (5/17), SA (5/18), 10am, Bonclarken Conference Youth Activities Building, 701 Kinross Dr, Flat Rock

Third Thursday w/DJ

Phantom Pantone

An evening of live music on the museum’s rooftop featuring DJ Phantom Pantone. This eclectic evening also features a

screening of Who is Bozo Texino? by Bill Daniel. TH (5/16), 6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Downtown After 5

A free monthly street festival with live music, food, drinks and a craft market. This month spotlights Blue Ridge Pride, and the the sounds of Yacht Rock Schooner, with Lazr Luvr opening the night. FR (5/17), 5pm, Downtown After 5, 100 Block N Lexington Ave

MythiFools Festivities Presents: A Carnival Cabaret

Featuring live music by The Deviled Eggs and burlesque performances from Thalia Tada, SniickerSnee, Vadelma Rose and more. There will also be art vendors, tarot readings and free popcorn and candy. FR (5/17), 9pm, The Odd, 1045 Haywood Rd

The Asheville Ballet Presents: Spring into Dance

Featuring a variety of compositions, including “Knot,” which was inspired by a 1949 textile piece of the same name by Anni Albers of Black Mountain College. See p65 FR (5/17), SA (5/18), 6:30pm, Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

2024 Local Cloth: Fibershed Market

At this artisan market, you’ll find naturally dyed and eco-printed garments, handwoven pillows & rugs, tapestries, yarn, handmade books, knitted garments, fiber bowls, and fiber jewelry.

SA (5/18), 10am, Local Cloth, 408 Depot St, Ste 100

Wayne Town Throw Down: Skate Park Competition

This event aims to celebrate the vibrant skating community and will feature competitions tailored to all experience levels. Register for the competition at avl.mx/dou.

SA (5/18), 10am, Waynesville Skate Park, 285 Vance St, Waynesville

AVL Food Series: Wing Wonderland

An unforgettable food festival celebrating the beloved chicken wing with music and kid-friendly games for the little ones to enjoy while adults indulge in the festivities. See p62-63

SA (5/18), 11:30am, The Mule, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd, Ste 10

WHY I VOLUNTEER

One World Brewing's 10th Anniversary Tap Takeover & Celebration

This celebration will highlight constantly changing and delicious new beers. There will also live music by Acklen Walker.

SA (5/18), noon, One World Brewing, 10 Patton Ave

Wilma Dykeman's 104 Birthday Celebration

This celebration will feature storyteller

Becky Stone, music from Mar and Kelle Joy. Attendees will also be able to browse exhibits featuring local issues on environmental and social justice.

SA (5/18), 1pm, Black Wall St AVL, 8 River Arts Pl

19th Annual Saluda Arts Festival

Saluda, NC will celebrate their heritage and arts culture with nearly 100 regional artists who will offer a wide range of arts and crafts across all media. It will also feature live music and entertainment.

SA (5/18), 10am, Historic Downtown Saluda, 24 Main St, Saluda

Utopian Seed Project: Trial to Table Spring Celebration

A thoughtful food series that showcases

Creating a safe place for individuals to address their social service needs

crops and varieties from our farm trials via the talented hands of local chefs.

SA (5/18), 1:30pm, plēb urban winery, 289 Lyman St

The Grey Eagle's 30th Anniversary

This anniversary celebrates 30 years of the Grey Eagle with music from the Budos band, Amy Ray band, Electro Lust and the Greenliners.

SA (5/18), 3pm, The Outpost, 521 Amboy Rd 3rd Annual Battle of the Breweries Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament A friendly tournament to honor all the great beer and breweries around the area.

Employees of the participating breweries will compete in a 6v6 co-ed tournament for a chance to unseat the 2023 champions, Hillman Beer.

SU (5/19), 11am, The Meadow at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200 Spring 2024 Treasured Tree Walk Tour is approximately 2-2.5 miles, and there will be a brief stop at each tree to share history/significance.

SU (5/19), 2pm, Anderson Auditorium, Lookout Rd, Montreat

David S. Leader is a volunteer at Jewish Family Services of Western North Carolina, an organization that provides clinical and social support services to adults of all faiths, with special emphasis on the needs of older adults.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Jewish Family Services of Western North Carolina? Leader: I first began to volunteer at JFS WNC in 2015 as a member of its program committee. I served on a team which included former behavioral health providers and administrators, and which had the purpose of providing oversight and guidance to the clinical counseling services provided by the agency. The clinical counseling services then were a relatively newer service line of JFS, which had the mission of providing social support services to those in need, regardless of race, religion and sexual orientation. Clinical counseling services sought to improve the lives of individuals, especially in traditionally underserved populations through the recognition, facilitation and optimization of each individual’s coping style and abilities. What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

Steve Sutton Fest 2024

A salute to famous WNC bluegrass musician, Steve Sutton. The line musical line up includes Lonesome River Band, Ashley Heath & Her Heathens, Darren Nicholson and more. Proceeds will be benefit the Steve Sutton Memorial Charitable Trust.

SU (5/19), 2pm, Silverados, 2898 US-70, Black Mountain Festy at the Westy The Osprey Orchestra will be hosting a festival with live music, beer, vendors, flow and visual arts.

SU (5/19), 6pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd 2024 Festival of Peonies in Bloom The event is free for all peony lovers to visit the farm and enjoy a blooming peony paradise. Open daily, 10am. Wildcat Ridge Farm, 3553 Panther Creek Rd, Clyde

12th Annual Welcome Home Luncheon

This year’s luncheon promises an insight into Homeward Bound's mission to end homelessness in Buncombe County.

TU (5/21), noon, Kimmel Arena at UNC Asheville, Campus Dr

During my time with JFS, I have served in the following roles: committee member and current chairperson of the program committee, member of the strategic planning committee, board member, vice president at large, board secretary (current) and executive director search committee (co-chair and chair). I have reviewed and worked with the clinical director on updating and optimizing policies for clinical services and provided higher-level supervisory services on an as-needed basis. I continue to serve with commitment and passion because I recognize the talents, passion and professionalism of the staff and volunteers, and the positive impact which they are making on the lives of those we serve and on our community. What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

I joined JFS soon after retirement from clinical and administrative practice and relocation to the area. One of the things that I did not understand or recognize was how many different subpopulations in WNC feel underrecognized and underrepresented in the therapeutic community. JFS has taught me that this agency can and does provide a safe place for individuals to address their social service needs. This occurs through clinical counseling, social support, provision of respite care for vulnerable seniors, case management, pastoral care and a small food pantry. What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

I used to joke that JFS was one of the Asheville area’s better-kept secrets. That is not an enviable place to be if your mission is to serve the community! Michael Barnett, our executive director, has worked diligently with our other passionate supporters and staff to spread the word about us through open houses, community talks, fostering partnerships with the area’s business communities and forging collaborative efforts with other area not-for-profits. This agency could not be what it has been and continues to be without our incredibly wonderful volunteers, who bring so much to our support programs. For those who want to find a meaningful volunteer experience, this is a great place to consider. Michael will be most welcoming and happy to give you more information about the many ways in which your passion and talents may be put to great use. Depending on when you tour the facility, you might even be treated to a wonderful lunch treat created by our fabulous chef, Rachel Miriam  X

DAVID S. LEADER

Asheville Burlesque & Sideshow Festival

Burlesque and live music featuring Drayton & The Dreamboats.

TH (5/23), 7pm, Crow & Quill, 106 N Lexington Ave

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Kids Deserve Justice

An evening of live music, featuring Jane Kramer and the band

Rooster. By participating you contribute to the Children's Law Program which provides crucial support to kids in our communities.

WE (5/15), 4:30pm, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave

Haunted History Tour of Downtown Black Mountain

This event, which is a fundraiser for the museum, will highlight local tragedies and triumphs- and the many ghosts, friendly and frustrated, born from these events.

Fourth Annual Fire Truck Pull w/Health & Safety Fair

A free family-friendly event to raise money for the Trauma Intervention Program of WNC.

Additionally, local law enforcement agencies will have health and safety exhibits. The event also features a DJ, food trucks, a silent auction, raffle and more.

SA (5/18), 11am, Tanger Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd

Taylor Swift Saturday Drag Cabaret

A Taylor Swift-themed drag brunch set to ignite the stage at Katarina’s Saturday Cabaret. Proceeds will go to Youth Outright.

SA (5/18), 11am, Banks Ave., 32 Banks Ave

The Ada Khoury Band Benefit Concert

This is a show to benefit Hope for Horses WNC. Listen to original country, rock, and blue for a good cause with Ada and her band.

SA (5/18), 2pm, Hope For Horses Rescue Ranch, 848 Turkey Creek Rd, Leicester

Dolly Dance Party

Asheville. DJ Grimmjoi will be bringing the boot scootin and toe tapping tunes.

SA (5/18), 8pm, Shakey's, 38 N French Broad Ave

Empty Bowls Benefit for Flat Rock Backpack Program

A community meal benefiting the Flat Rock Backpack Program. Each ticket includes one hand-crafted bowl donated by area potters, a soup-based meal, plus homemade cookies baked by church members.

SU (5/19), noon, Parish Hall of St. John in the Wilderness, 1905 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock

Kim Water's Smooth Jazz Supper Club Fundraiser

An evening filled with the finest urban smooth jazz and contemporary rhythms. Proceeds from the night will support a new program aimed at promoting and preserving jazz culture in Asheville and providing music education.

SU (5/19), 8pm, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave

change by showcasing and celebrating impactful stories of adventure. We are dedicated to uplifting diverse storytellers and stories that allow us to better understand the world around us. See p65

TU (5/21), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Hope is in Bloom

A fundraiser to support access, affordability, and delivery of mental health services to adults in western North Carolina. Enjoy live jazz music by Queen Bee & the Honeylovers and locally made appetizers by Twisted Laurel, Bear's Smokehouse BBQ, and Chestnut.

WE (5/22), 5:30pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200

Sound Effects Benefit Concert w/Dirty Logic

Life Works

FR (5/17), 7pm, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 West State St, Black Mountain

This event features a Spring Fundraiser with a Dolly Parton-themed Dance Party for the Junior League of

Life Works Goals

5 Point Film Festival

Benefiting Mountaintrue

This movie aims to build community and inspire

Asheville Music School’s Sound Effects benefit concert will feature premier Steely Dan tribute band Dirty Logic. The funds raised through this concert will support the Paul Thorpe Music Education Fund. See p65

TH (5/23), 6pm, Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr

Head Start

Profession of empathy

Teachers’ mental health gets new focus

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

jwakeman@mountainx.com

Kate Wargo moved to Asheville in fall 2021 with hopes for a fresh start. Teaching elementary school during the COVID-19 pandemic had left her exhausted, anxious and depressed.

“It was the first time I felt dehumanized,” she says of the previous two years teaching fourth grade in Pennsylvania. At first, Wargo taught 30 students remotely. When classes returned to in-person instruction, she had to adjust quickly to teaching half on Google Meet and half in the classroom. Due to unionization rules among the janitorial staff, she wasn’t allowed to sanitize her own classroom. But the janitors weren’t cleaning either — which she realized as she watched a coffee stain remain on her desk for an entire week. When Wargo returned home to her husband and young child at night, emails from her students’ families filled her inbox — about both educational concerns and more personal issues.

“People would say, ‘This is what you signed up for’” as a teacher, Wargo recalls. But she’s adamant that no educator could have predicted the complications of teaching during a pandemic. And despite teachers and other front-line responders being lauded as “heroes” in the nationwide media, Wargo felt like none of her administrators or students’ parents cared about her mental or physical well-being. She says she seriously considered starting on antidepressants or antianxiety medication to help her get through the days.

For a change of pace, Wargo and her family moved to Asheville during Thanksgiving break in 2021. She found a job in the wellness field. But several months later, her daughter’s school had an opening for a second grade teacher. Wargo is passionate about teaching and missed the classroom; she got the job.

She tells Xpress she loved working for Buncombe County Schools — “a night-and-day experience, in many ways,” compared with teaching in Pennsylvania. “The families cared about you as a person … [and it was] the first time I had administrators who looked at me like a person,” she says. Wargo tears up when recalling Superintendent Rob Jackson telling the district’s teachers, “If you ever don’t feel loved, tell me and I will love

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON: Hall Fletcher Elementary School academic coach Erica Engel, left, created a Zen Den for staff to decompress in a former storage room. Principal Carrie Buchanan, center, says she uses the Zen Den before heading home to her family. Asheville City Schools Foundation Executive Director Copland Rudolph, right, helped finance the refurbishment of the room with a grant. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

on you.” BCS’s administrators’ “hearts are in such the right place — that’s why it was hard to leave,” Wargo says. Yet in the end, she had to. Even with a therapist and a meditation regimen, “my nervous system [was] in shambles for a long time in that career,” Wargo says of teaching. The panic attacks she’d had in Pennsylvania returned in Asheville, both before and after work. She lost her appetite because of the anxiety and dropped weight. She had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. In February 2024, she didn’t sleep for three nights in a row and had a panic attack in her principal’s office. Working as an educator today goes beyond classroom instruction, and

the additional responsibilities put on teachers can seem overwhelming. Wargo says she worked a nine-10 hour day, including meetings and committees, and she didn’t have guaranteed prep periods each day, as they were sometimes replaced by meetings. She was required to accompany her students in the lunch line, which meant she only had about 15 minutes to eat her own lunch, and she also worked on bus duty in the afternoon. She felt depleted when returning home to her family.

With a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder from her health care providers, Wargo knew it was time to leave her job and focus on her

well-being — for herself, her family and her students. Students “deserve somebody who is not burned out,” she says. She left in March. But always an educator, Wargo is now developing her own business teaching creative writing to kids in art galleries. Unfortunately, Wargo’s stressors and pressures as a teacher are not unusual, several former educators told Xpress. Not even close.

RESILIENCE AND SUPPORT

Licensed clinical social worker and licensed clinical addiction specialist Laura Martin worked in the education field for 20 years, and she saw teachers’ mental health in jeopardy even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Anecdotally, Martin says she witnessed increasing anxiety and panic disorders and widespread burnout. Teachers will “give you the shirts off our backs at the expense of ourselves,” she says.

As vice president of clinical services for Verner Center for Early Learning, Martin is in a position to do something about teacher mental health. The early childhood education center, which serves children ages 0-5, is also home to Verner Center for Resilience, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering educators’ mental health. Supported by a fouryear grant from Dogwood Health Trust, the Center for Resilience launched in August. The center began providing teachers confidential individual therapy twice a month for five months, as well as group therapy once a month for 10 months, beginning in October.

Martin provides individual sessions for educators in Buncombe County Schools; Verner East in Swannanoa brings in a contracted clinician, who works with the group therapy cohorts and provides individual therapy as well. As the program is grant-funded, it’s free for participants and participating centers. Verner clinical services manager Anja Mayr notes that early childhood educators sometimes do not have health insurance.

Crucially, the therapeutic services take place on-site and on the clock, eliminating travel time. “We really didn’t want another thing they had to do after hours,” Martin explains. The program provides classroom coverage by experienced professionals during therapy sessions, so teachers have one less thing to worry about during their 50 minutes outside the classroom.

Wargo, the former teacher with BCS, tells Xpress that while teaching in Pennsylvania she often felt parents treated her like a babysitter instead of a trained professional educator. Mayr, who was an early childhood educator for infants before she transitioned to clinical services, concurred that

HEAD OF THE CLASS: Kate Wargo taught at an elementary school for Buncombe County Schools. However, she left teaching earlier this year after experiencing burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder from teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania. Photo courtesy of Wargo

educating children, especially young children, often isn’t taken seriously. “You just get to hug babies all day!” she recalls being told. Verner’s resilience program intentionally focuses on early childhood educators, as the profession can be particularly undervalued, explains Martin. (It’s also particularly underpaid — a 2022 study of early childhood education in Western North Carolina financed by Dogwood Health Trust found that teaching staff earn an average of $12 per hour.)

There is increasing “emotional work” involved with children’s education, Martin adds. Eighty percent of students at Verner have had at least one adverse childhood experience (a trauma such as substance abuse, parental separation/divorce or mental illness), or ACE score. Martin says the most common are exposure to opioids

or alcohol at birth, multiple foster care placements and having at least one incarcerated parent. And teachers, she notes, also have their own ACE scores impacting their mental health.

The nonprofit is collecting data from teachers who receive therapeutic services. Mayr shared results from one previous group therapy cohort, in which participating teachers described themselves as “overwhelmed,” “anxious” and “frustrated” at the beginning. At the end of sessions, they used words like “validated,” “recharged” and “hopeful.”

HALL FLETCHER’S ZEN DEN

Hall Fletcher Elementary School in West Asheville recently introduced its own contribution to educators’ mental health: a Zen Den.

No, it’s not a break room or a teachers lounge. The Zen Den features a private area for yoga or meditation, a diffuser, soft music, ambient lighting and walls painted a calming sage green. Guests are not allowed to eat meals there, gossip, talk on the phone or listen to audio without headphones, says Hall Fletcher academic coach Erica Engel. All school staff members are welcome, not only educators.

The basement-level Zen Den debuted in late March. It opens before the school day begins and stays open after school. Staff members have settled in to read books, meditate and scribble in mandala coloring books. Sometimes people come there for privacy; Engel says she’s seen staff taking a moment to be alone and cry.

Engel first learned about Zen Dens in education at a training about trauma-informed teaching practices. She thought the concept was “something our school needs, especially [at] a time like now where there’s such a demand on teachers,” she explains. Like other educators interviewed by Xpress, she describes the overload teachers can feel from not only teaching lessons

is a nonprofit providing free, confidential individual and group therapy for teachers at Buncombe County Schools and Verner Center for Early Learning who participate in its programming. A clinician meets with teachers in this therapy space at Verner East in

but also helping students address their psychological needs. “Students’ emotional well-being is part of your well-being,” Engel says.

Education is “a profession of empathy and connection,” and teachers are on the front lines of addressing “cascading crises [in society], along with being systemically defunded,” adds Asheville City Schools Foundation Executive Director Copland Rudolph Engel spearheaded furnishing a Zen Den with the support of Hall Fletcher Principal Carrie Buchanan, who says she sometimes drops into the room at the end of the school day to decompress before returning home to her family. With Buchanan’s go-ahead, Engel conducted a survey about “compassion fatigue” — that is, emotional exhaustion caused by caring

for others — among all Hall Fletcher staff. The results showed burnout was “pretty high,” Engel says. She filed a grant proposal to the Asheville City Schools Foundation, which helped refurbish the Zen Den room (previously a storage room). Chris McMillan from the Asheville store Dwellings donated a sofa and other furniture, while Hall Fletcher’s Parent-Teacher Organization is providing $1,500 for amenities like drinks and snacks. Rudolph lauded the partnership between the PTO, Asheville City Schools Foundation and a local business in pulling the Zen Den together. But she hopes this calming space at Hall Fletcher isn’t an outlier. “We should have one of these in every school.”

Says Engel, “Our kids need moments to take a breath — and so do adults.” X

HEALING ROOM: Verner Center for Resilience

Swannanoa. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

Healing properties

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Starting in childhood, people are encouraged to embrace imagination and creativity. Yet in many cases, expressing one’s self through art is gradually discouraged and viewed as frivolous behavior.

“We live in a society that uses science and logic as a way to learn ways to live your life,” says Luis Alvaro Sahagún Nuño. “And so when it comes to the arts, it seems like a hobby. It seems like something that isn’t really taken too seriously.”

A native of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, the Asheville-based artist creates paintings, performances and sculptures that, according to the biography on his website, “confront the palpable inescapability of race, transforming them into acts of cultural reclamation.”

So when Sahagún Nuño learned about a collaborative project between the UNC Asheville-UNC Gillings Master of Public Health program and the Center for Craft — pairing six MPH students with six Craft and Community Vitality Grant awardees to explore how the craft artists’ work connects with community health — he was quick to apply.

“It seemed to be quite perfect for me,” Sahagún Nuño says. “I’ve been working over 10 years using art and craft as a way to promote and have certain conversations that, for me, feel that they’re healing. I do performances and rituals surrounding this idea of bringing people together — healing and connecting through making.”

A narrative portrait of Sahagún Nu ñ o, written by MPH student Kerstan Nealy, is now available to

New study explores connections between craft and community health

read alongside those of his fellow grant awardees in a new report, highlighting the ways their work connects with community wellbeing. Intentionally written to appeal to non-academics, the findings also include a collective framework that presents how health, well-being and vitality show up in these makers’ craft processes and outcomes. And it proved so affirming to all involved in the project that they plan to build on these relationships and studies.

FIRM FOUNDATION

In 2020, Ameena Batada, a professor in UNCA’s health and wellness department, collaborated with the Center for Craft on Black in Black on Black: Making the Invisible Visible, an exhibition about the lives and contributions of Black communities in Western North Carolina. When the nonprofit named community vitality as part of its strategic vision two years later, both sides saw an opportunity for closer partnership.

“I have been interested in the connections between craft and both individual and public health, and the center was interested in a more regional approach,” Batada says. “Our hope was that we could seed a longer-term partnership that would contribute to highlighting the public health influence of craft in Western North Carolina.

The Center for Craft put out a call for Craft and Community Vitality Grant applications in early 2023, and Batada planned her fall course on Place-Based Community Transformation to include partnership activities. Together, they developed a one-page information sheet for awardees and students, out-

lining plans for the written portraits and the framework.

“The goal of partnership overall was first and foremost to develop relationships,” Batada says. “We called this a ‘pilot’ because we wanted to enter into this activity knowing that we would learn a lot from it because it was the first time we were engaging in this way. We called this ‘exploratory research’ because the focus was on relationship-building and not on fact-finding or conclusion-making.”

She continues, “I think it is critical to undertake the activities from the perspective of centering the craft artists and their wisdom and experience rather than what we as public health practitioners wanted to know or look for.”

HOWDY, PARTNER

The UNCA students started their semester with assigned readings about crafting and health, then met Anna Helgeson, the Center for Craft’s grant program manager for community vitality, who gave them a presentation on the center, the awards program and each craft

art-

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: From left, UNC Asheville professor Ameena Batada; Community Vitality awardees Laura Brooks, Elizabeth Ivey, Tyler Deal, Andi Gelsthorpe and Luis Alvaro Sahagún Nuño; and Center for Craft grant program manager Anna Helgeson were instrumental in developing the Craft & Community Health, Wellbeing & Vitality report.

Photo by Cori Anderson

ist awardee. Afterward, the students filled out an online form to request to work with a specific craft artist, identifying their preferences and reasons.

“When I reviewed the forms, it was amazing how well-distributed their preferences were,” Batada says. “The pairings emerged beautifully from the students’ preferences.”

Nealy was matched with Sahagun Nuño and says she feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn more about how his craft intersects with curanderismo — a holistic approach to wellness — and community healing.

“Luis and the other craft artists we have built relationships with are transforming their communities through craft,” Nealy says. “I think it’s important to recognize those efforts as engaged in the same goal as public health — to improve the condition of individuals and communities.”

According to Batada, the MPH class workshopped what students wanted to ask the craft artists in the interviews, and each student developed a unique set of questions. They were also encouraged to engage with the artists in other ways, which resulted in Nealy visiting Sahagun Nuño’s studio and him going to campus for a meeting.

“We ended up having coffee at UNCA, and then she conducted an interview — a very thorough interview of my process and about the project,” Sahagún Nuño says. “We hung out for a couple of hours, got all the details in and then, from that information, she got the profile for the study.”

Reflecting on the interview, Sahagún Nuño says Nealy asked an especially compelling question about the concept of home not being merely a tangible, physical place, “but the feelings of home and how those feelings are connected to healing and are connected to craft.”

“Usually, when you think about craft, it’s connected to culture — whether your race or ethnic background or just culturally in the region where you’re at,” he says. “And so, oftentimes, when we’re engaging in a craft, we’re engaging in an ancestral tradition that is rooted, that is a lineage that comes from somewhere else, something bigger than us. And when we connect to this thing, it makes us feel at home — like, a spiritual home.”

MAKING MEANING

In putting together the report with Nealy, who stayed on at UNCA as a graduate assistant, Batada saw several overarching findings stand out from the rest.

One was that public health practitioners may not always think about craft and crafting as a social driver or determinant of health and that craft

artists and makers may also not often think about their work as being part of public health efforts.

She adds that the craft artists in this cohort “were individually multiexperienced and skilled in craft and health,” which makes for “such rich processes and outcomes for them, participants and additional people experiencing the craft and crafting.”

“There are distinct and overlapping themes that emerged in the connections between craft and community health and wellbeing,” Batada says. “It may be difficult to directly measure the impact of craft on a specific health outcome, especially at the community level — not because the methodology cannot be identified but because that approach could be reductive, not honoring the complexity of what is happening at the internal, individual and social levels.”

And yet, she adds, many craft artists and makers are interested in measuring some health outcomes to demonstrate to funders, participants and other supporters the value of their craft efforts.

Among them is Sahagún Nuño, who appreciates that the study was written up in an articlelike fashion instead of as a jargon-heavy report. He feels that it’s important for the findings to resonate with nonacademics, particularly at a time when mental health is being discussed more openly yet funding for the arts continues to be slashed.

And he notes that the experience validated his work on a new level, particularly his emphasis on connecting with community members of color via arts and crafts, offering them a rare local space where they can feel comfortable being themselves.

“I know that this is healing — my work is rooted in that. To have experts in their field solidify this and bring something tangible, it brings a level of credibility,” Sahagún Nuño says. “It got me closer to people and it got the community closer to me. There’s a reciprocity that is continuing to happen.”

Indeed, Sahagún Nuño recently met with Batada and Nealy to discuss ways of bringing the study’s findings to more UNCA students in practical ways. Of particular interest is incorporating his work of merging contemporary art and craft — such as beadwork or drawing — with Indigenous philosophies of healing modalities.

“What I loved about this project is that it isn’t one and done — like, ‘We did a workshop and see you later,’” he says. “We’re building this together, and there’s opportunities to continue the conversation and to continue expanding.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/doi. X

Preservation society

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

AVL Beer Week events highlight sustainability and philanthropy earnaudin@mountainx.com

In her first year helming AVL Beer Week in 2023, Karis Roberts learned a lot about the annual event. Some components worked well and others struggled, but across the varied happenings the executive director of the Asheville Brewers Alliance saw one particular theme rise above the rest.

“Collaboration is key,” Roberts says. “Many of our beverage producers and brewing industry professionals love a good collab. Beer Week has been a great opportunity for neighborhood businesses to create fun and exciting joint events that promote their brands and foster new relationships.”

Looking to reignite the flames of teamwork from 2023, Roberts, AVL Beer Week committee members and local craft beverage industry partners have plenty of returning favorites and fresh concepts planned for this year’s edition, which runs Thursday, May 16-Sunday, May 26.

BLENDED GOODNESS

Beer Week’s mix of new and established options has likewise stuck with Roberts over the past year. Looking back on 2023, she points to two events as the most memorable offerings.

Up in Weaverville, Eluvium Brewing Co., Leveller Brewing Co. and Zebulon Artisan Ales united for the Altbier Pub Crawl. Each business brewed its own version of the classic Dusseldorf altbier, and drinkers were encouraged to visit all three breweries to sample their distinct takes on the style.

“Each brewery had a limited edition glass with different artwork for sale, individually or collected as a

set. The event ran throughout Beer Week, but glasses sold out on the second day,” Roberts says. “This was a hugely successful event with folks flocking to Western North Carolina to try these delicious variations.”

Another standout was Wicked Weed Brewing’s annual Ménage À Freak Triple IPA release celebration, complete with live music, acrobatics, aerial shows and carnival activities. But not everything in AVL Beer Week went quite as smoothly.

“There is always room for improvement,” Roberts says. “Each event we produce, we learn from our mistakes and find ways to make the events better the following year.”

For example, Roberts had a goal of establishing new drinking districts throughout the Asheville area during AVL Beer Week 2023, bringing together breweries close enough to each other to form Lil Woodfin, Weaverville Way, Sweeten Creek Sweep and others. But due to planning constraints, the concept didn’t come to fruition. For 2024, she and the Beer Week committee members recalibrated and are focusing on the Sweeten Creek Sweep Bar Crawl, which runs through the 10-day stretch of events.

The event features seven beverage producers, extending from Sweeten Creek Brewing in South Asheville to Hi-Wire Brewing’s Big Top taproom in Biltmore Village. Participants who visit all seven businesses during Beer Week and claim “stamps” on a free digital passport system will be entered into a drawing for a gift bag with brewery merchandise from all participating venues.

“For me, success is measured by the staff — front of house and back of house, business leadership and community participation,” Roberts says. “As a bartender, I have high hopes for

filling taprooms and generating hype for breweries and beverage producers that I love so dearly.”

LAGERS FOR LORAXES

Other offerings include AVL Beer Week’s usual range of beer releases, tours, trivia nights and talks by industry veterans. But even a cursory glance at the events calendar reveals a greater emphasis than in past years on philanthropy and environmental sustainability — focus areas that Roberts says have always been priorities for the ABA and many local breweries.

On Tuesday, May 21, 6-8 p.m., the Wicked Weed Funkatorium hosts Brewing Some Good for the Environment. According to Roberts, the event has its roots in UNC Asheville environmental studies major Ava Ingle’s 2023 work with Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency and Land of Sky Regional Council’s Waste Reduction Partners to evaluate the historical energy consumption data of four local breweries: Wicked Weed, Hi-Wire, Cellarest Beer Project and the River Arts District Brewing Co. Professor Evan Couzo served as her advisor.

Using a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star checklist designed specifically to identify energy efficiency improvements within a microbrewery, Ingle identified opportunities within all participating microbreweries.

“Ava will soon share the results of her study with each microbrewery so they can come up with a plan to implement efficiency improvements that yield the most cost savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions,” Roberts says.

“Now that Ava has graduated, UNCA is in talks with another student who is eager to continue this work, advancing sustainable breweries as part of an annual summer internship.”

At the event, AB Air Quality and others will recognize the four microbreweries for participating in this effort and highlight any other breweries in Buncombe County that have opted to take the Energy Star Challenge by pledging to reduce their energy intensity by 10% within five years.

Roberts notes that such efforts are hardly new among ABA members. With water being one of the four main ingredients of beer, and the Asheville area’s water quality being a well-documented reason why Sierra Nevada

Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing Co., and Oskar Blues Brewery have established East Coast facilities in the region, it’s only natural that they and other breweries would want to preserve that high standard.

They do so through partnering with organizations such as Adopt-AHighway, Asheville GreenWorks and MountainTrue on collective river cleanups. And a consortium of six local beverage producers collaboratively installed a facility in Candler that allows them to break down some of the industry’s harder-to-recycle materials.

“These focus areas are important to our beverage producers and the ABA, who are working to minimize issues like litter and address ways to impact the environment more sustainably for the future,” Roberts says. “Many of our breweries contribute to philanthropy by giving back to a nonprofit of choice in some capacity. Even though the ABA is a nonprofit organizing an event, we believe it’s important to highlight other nonprofits doing great things for our beverage industry and the Asheville community at large.”

Among AVL Beer Week’s cause-driven events this year is the Asheville-Biltmore Rotary

Walkathon to Fight Dementia on Saturday, May 18. The fundraiser begins and ends at Hi-Wire’s Big Top location and seeks to raise $60,000.

PURPOSE-DRIVEN

Roberts feels that such efforts are especially worth celebrating during Beer Week, even as the celebration may have lost its luster for certain consumers. Though the sparkle of Asheville’s “Beer City” days has diminished and, thanks to constant innovation and creativity at local taprooms, any week can feel like Beer Week, Roberts feels that the annual event remains relevant.

“Beer Week is important because it brings the beverage community together with the general public,” Roberts says. “It encourages not only continuing education but also provides a closer glimpse into the industry through tours, panel discussions, educational sessions and the WNC Craft Beverage Expo & Tasting Experience.”

AVL Beer Week also provides a chance for the local industry to celebrate its accomplishments from the past year, the greatest of which Roberts feels “stem from growth and tenacity.” She points to Highland Brewing Co. and The Bier Garden celebrating their 30th years in operation — pioneering businesses that continue to inspire their neighbors.

“We are seeing many of our local favorite restaurants begin to brew and distill, as well as locals, young adults and educators finding new and innovative ways to make a living in this industry,” Roberts says before noting ways that her organization has helped keep such industry workers in Asheville.

“[The ABA has] proudly begun new partnerships with local nonprofits to help our members address basic necessities for their part-time and full-time staff, like affordable health care plans with Mercy Urgent Care, dental services with Park View Dental and mental health services with All Souls Counseling.”

Nearly halfway through her second full year as ABA executive director, Roberts aspires in the short term to have a successful AVL Beer Week. But her longer-term goals are centered on being a vital resource for her membership and the community at large, particularly fellow people of color.

“I hope to create more avenues for continuing education, deepen relationships with community partners to help our members and advocate for more folks who look like me to gain positions of power in the beverage industry,” she says.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/bkz. X

TEAMWORK/DREAMWORK: Asheville Brewers Alliance Executive Director Karis Roberts, far right, is pictured at a 2023 AVL Beer Week event with a group that includes Highland Brewing Co. President/CEO Leah Wong Ashburn, third from left. Photo courtesy of Asheville Brewers Alliance

Seeing the music

BY ARNOLD WENGROW

a.wengrow@yahoo.com

Asheville cinematographer Adam Larsen has carved out an unusual role for himself in the filmmaking world. No big-screen Hollywood epics or art house indie films for him. No run-of-the-mill television series.

Instead, in the last 25 years, the 47-year-old Larsen has become one of the nation’s go-to guys for what is known as projection design. He stitches together elaborate visual scores of moving images — film, video, motion capture, immersive projection screens and other emerging technologies — to accompany live theater, dance, opera, symphony and popular music.

His projects have taken him many places, including Broadway, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and festivals in Greece, Italy and Scotland. One of his most prominent collaborations has been 15 projects with the celebrated San Francisco Symphony conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.

When he’s not traveling, Larsen lives in a 100-year-old bungalow in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Now the longtime Asheville resident is having an artistic homecoming. He will make his local debut with the Asheville Symphony in an informal performance called ALT ASO at The Mule, the tasting room of the Devil’s Foot Beverage Co. in Biltmore Village.

Performances are at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22.

FROM TRADITIONAL TO EXPERIMENTAL

Larsen talked with Xpress about his early forays into tradi-

Asheville filmmaker celebrates local debut in symphony collaboration

tional filmmaking and his turn to projection design.

He moved to Asheville in the second grade when his father, Ron Larsen, took a position as an autism education specialist. His mother, Linda Larsen, is an artist. He attended Jones School, Asheville Middle School and graduated from Asheville High in 1994.

For a man who became a filmmaker, Larsen notes, “I grew up in a house without television. I wasn’t exactly cinematically illiterate, but movies weren’t

my thing. I was more into swimming and skateboarding and anything outdoors.” Still, he adds, “I was as visually strong as a 17-year-old can be with my mother being an artist.”

Movies first caught his interest, he says, “when I took a film class my senior year in high school and really loved it.”

He was set to go to UNC Chapel Hill, without a clear career path, when a fellow film classmate suggested he apply to the film program at UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.

“The idea of film being a career was just totally outside my realm of possibility,” Larsen says. “I didn’t even know the School of the Arts existed.” He applied by the last deadline, got the last interview and was accepted as the youngest person in the class.

After graduation in 1998, he returned to Asheville to start jobbing in the local video/film scene. He worked for noted Asheville filmmaker Paul Bonesteel for several years and began to expand his technical skills on his own.

“I’m a very DIY sort of person by nature,” Larsen says. “I taught myself editing, I taught myself compositing using Adobe After Effects. I taught myself how to do location

sound and how to work with projections. I thrive on problem-solving.”

SWERVE TO PROJECTION DESIGN

As with his almost accidental application to the School of the Arts, Larsen has taken other serendipitous swerves.

In the early 2000s, he had a cold call from Eric Johnson, a UNC Greensboro theater grad living in Asheville. Johnson was developing a docudrama with the playwright John Crutchfield called The Fatherhood Project and was interested in using video projections. Johnson and Larsen began experimenting.

“We created a projection screen with slits in it so three actors could step into the world of projections and back out,” Larsen recalls. “It was my first projection show, incredibly ambitious, but I love a challenge and ended up getting hooked by the whole experience.”

As Johnson’s work began attracting national attention, he started getting hired by bigger theaters. “Eric invited me along,” Larsen says. “I was often the first person who was

MIXED MEDIA: Asheville filmmaker Adam Larsen, right, puts his talents to work to illustrate the Asheville Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming ALT concert at The Mule. Also pictured, from left, Daniel Crupi, executive director of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and Darko Butorak, conductor of ASO. Photo by Aaron Dahlstrom

designing projections for many of these theaters and just had tons and tons of work from there on out.”

VISUAL SYMPHONIES

Serendipitous swerve No. 2 came in 2007 when Larsen was invited to design projections for a new stage production of the Oprah Winfrey miniseries The Women of Brewster Place at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. The setting was by Brooklynbased multidisciplinary artist Anne Patterson.

“We had a great time collaborating,” Larsen says, “so Anne invited me to work with her at the Atlanta Symphony in 2008.”

Patterson had been creating what she called “installations” for symphonies since 2001.

“Basically, this meant she designed something visual, usually an abstract sculptural object, added theatrical lights to change the way the hall looked and directed the placement of singers if the piece had them,” Larsen says.

Symphonies have always emphasized the sonic experience, Larsen notes, “but audiences are changing, and we live in an increasingly visual world. So adding these visual elements is a way to engage with newer, younger audiences.” Since then, Larsen has designed projections for over 70 symphonies and operas.

ECLECTIC LOCATIONS, ECLECTIC MUSIC

Asheville Symphony Executive Director Daniel Crupi explains how the ALT ASO series was born and how Adam Larsen came to play his part: “Symphony conductor Darko Butorac and I collaboratively pioneered ALT ASO shortly after I arrived in Asheville in the summer of 2021,” Crupi says. “I have always been keenly interested in presenting orchestral and chamber music experiences in nontraditional venues, from Ghost Ranch and Meow Wolf during my time in New Mexico to breweries and more in North Carolina.”

Over the next few seasons, the two men presented sold-out concerts attended by upward of 300 people at such decidedly nontraditional venues as the Asheville Art Museum, Hi-Wire Brewing RAD Beer Garden, Highland Brewing Co., the Masonic Temple, The Orange Peel and Salvage Station.

And the programming for each concert was as eclectic as the locations: Broadway show tunes; music of Cher, Whitney Houston, Adele, Led

Zeppelin and Prince; classical Spanish guitar; Vivaldi; klezmer; bluegrass.

“Our goal,” Crupi says, “is to make orchestral music fun and accessible for the next generation of concertgoers who may not have discovered the Asheville Symphony or realize what amazing work our orchestra is able to produce. An alternative orchestral experience seemed like a no-brainer for both Darko and me.”

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER AT THE MULE

Larsen’s route home to ALT ASO ran through San Francisco. Larry Williams, the creative director for the San Francisco Symphony, told Crupi about Larsen’s work with Michael Tilson Thomas. “Since Adam is [a local],” Crupi says, “Larry thought we should meet. We grabbed a beer at Wedge [Brewing Co.], and the magic evolved from there.”

Butorac developed a three-act structure for the evening. The first act will be music and images inspired by nature. The second act is inspired by art. “I paired composers with their ‘soulmates’ from the art world,” Butorac says. “For example, Mozart and Raphael.”

The third set, he says, will be “a touch more irreverent and playful, works that are inspired by drinks since we’re presenting this concert in a tasting room.”

“The repertoire will be quite varied,” Crupi says, “ranging from Mozart, Beethoven and Stravinsky to Frank Sinatra and the Champs. Genre fusion will be the name of the game.”

To make the experience immersive. Larsen’s projections will surround the audience. “Devil’s Foot is a pretty big open space,” he says. “In many ways, it’s a warehouse with white walls, 14-foot ceilings and a bar at one side. We situated the orchestra in a central area, with seats all around.”

KEEPING IT INFORMAL

Besides being immersive, the keynote of ALT ASO is informality. Alex Hill, the symphony’s director of marketing and public relations, notes casual clothing is totally appropriate. “People will wear everything from their Sunday best to 1980s jazzercise costumes and everything in between,” she says. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

ALT ASO performances are much more casual than a typical symphony experience, Hill says. “Applause is always welcome, and you’ll see people dancing and even singing along to the music.” X

Bon appetit, y’all

BY KAY WEST

kwest@mountainx.com

On April 23, Asheville’s most famous Frenchman, chef and restaurateur Michel Baudouin, hit send on his keypad, and an email announcing his decision to sell his flagship downtown restaurant, Bouchon, sailed through the ether to hundreds of inboxes. Only his family and closest confidants weren’t surprised, and his own inbox, phone and social media platforms lit up with dismayed responses.

On a recent Friday afternoon, several hours before the 34 seats in the cozy dining room of his French bistro would fill with diners, Baudouin expanded on his announcement, reminiscing on the nearly 20 years since he opened Bouchon on Oct. 5, 2005.

“This has really taken me a year to actually sit down and write, and when I did, I showed it to Vonciel [his wife] first,” he says. “She helped clean it up, and when I hit send, it was like OK, I’ve done it, I feel good about it.”

It was important to him to deliver the message himself and not let the rumor mill grab hold. Even so, many misunderstood that he was closing Bouchon, which is not the case. “We are looking for the right buyer,” he clarifies.

Just as he had turned out to be the right buyer for what was then Café Soleil, a creperie he fondly recalls as the first place his then-14-year-old daughter went to eat by herself. Not long after, he was in discussion with the owner about purchasing the lease. When they successfully came to an agreement, he closed The Grape Escape — the wine bar he had opened on Pack Square in 2001 — and moved the furnishings to 62 N. Lexington Ave., named it Bouchon and painted “Bon Appétit Y’all” on the arch over the open kitchen.

On the menu from the start were the now famous pommes frites. A couple of years later, all-you-can-eat mussels were added as a promotion that is still a culinary icon in Asheville. “We needed something to drum up business on Monday and Tuesday nights,” Baudoin explains. “Then we couldn’t take them off!” Other untouchable menu staples are the onion soup, the pâtés, the beet salad, steak au poivre and steak frites Bouchon. Then there was the lobster ravioli incident.

“It was not my favorite dish, so I decided to take it off the menu,”

After nearly 20 years downtown, Bouchon chef and owner Michel Baudouin is scaling back

NEW CHAPTER: Pictured on a recent trip to France, chef Michel Baudouin is looking forward to focusing more on his East Asheville restaurant, RendezVous, and a new business venture related to his passion for the French game pétanque. Photo courtesy of Baudouin

Baudouin recalls. “People were so mad! I realized maybe I don’t run the restaurant, maybe my customers do. We put it back.”

The first couple of years were a struggle, as with most restaurants, though he says Bouchon’s reasonably priced menu of comfort foods and wine by the glass boosted business during the recession of 2008 and the 2020 pandemic once restaurants reopened. In 2019, Baudouin opened the much larger (80 indoor seats) RendezVous in East Asheville,

installing a pétanque court on the expansive grounds.

As he noted in his email announcement, while he is not ready to retire from the industry he has worked in for 51 years (previously in France and Texas), his priorities have shifted, and his “Medicare-affiliated body” has urged him to slow down. “I still love it and I’m not ready to retire, but it’s time to let go of some things,” he says.

Bouchon is small enough, says Baudouin, that it could be owned and run by a two-person team — one

in the kitchen and one running front of house — and that is his hope.

When that happens, he will focus on RendezVous and the new business he started that mines his deep passion for the French lawn ball game pétanque, Petanque America, the only supplier of everything pétanque in America.

With the same optimism required of anyone who opens a restaurant, Baudouin slaps his hand on the table and boldly predicts with a laugh, “Petanque is the next pickleball!” X

Promoting the reticent Marketer trains sights on local artists

BY LISA ALLEN

lallen@mountainx.com

Without question, Louise Glickman is a marketer. She started in her native New Orleans, eventually getting into cultural tourism and helping the city evolve from its reputation as a large drinking establishment into a mecca for the arts, food and architecture.

When she moved in 2001 to Biltmore Forest, she tapped into the artist community there.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Glickman wanted to help local makers survive the economic difficulties associated with the lockdowns. She came up with an online portal, the Artsville Collective, where she interviewed creatives, launched podcasts and posted monthly newsletters. Her mission was to keep artists on the community’s radar.

(And in front of buyers’ eyes, too, of course.)

She later met performance-based creative Scott Power, who was doing similar work in California. Soon, they were bouncing ideas off each other and eventually joined forces, transforming Asheville Collective into Artsville USA.

Early on, Glickman and Power independently funded the work. But in January, they formed a nonprofit to create money streams for artists, who Glickman says are renowned for being terrible at self-promotion.

Xpress spoke with Glickman, a mixed-media artist herself, about her efforts to sustain the arts, including plans for a reality television show.

Xpress : How did you end up in Asheville?

Glickman : I came because I’m interested in the arts. And I came because I wanted to be in a progressive environment where I felt I

could make a difference. I was asked to do some cultural tourism development work for AdvantageWest ... and did some workshops in places like Winston-Salem to help bring their arts and business communities together.

But at that time, which was 2001, so much of the economy of the region was suffering. No more tobacco farming, and jobs were being shifted to Asia. They were looking for an alternate economic development resource that would serve the smaller communities. I went to 23 counties in the region and put together one- and two-day workshops that put artists, business leadership and government leadership together in one room for one day to teach them how to talk to each other and how to communicate what the future might look like if they used their culture to create more travel opportunities.

Why did you start Artsville?

This started rather naively. I live in Biltmore Lake near Candler. This is a semirural area, and there are no art galleries out here. This is where our artists are moving because they can’t afford to live in Asheville anymore. So they come here to sleep and maybe exercise at the YMCA. But they work downtown. And they play downtown. And they spend their money downtown. So it’s an interesting dynamic.

I decided to see if there were any other artists in my community and started a discussion group. Very, very simple. We would show and tell about our work in my neighborhood, in my community. When COVID came, I decided to go digital with this. … I started doing short interviews and putting them in Sand Hill Artists Collective, which is what we were originally called. We looked for artists who lived down Sand Hill Road into West Asheville. And during COVID, it was very successful. I was amazed at the interest. Then we created a gallery space in the Marquee, and that allowed us to expand to more artists.

What’s your strategy to promote local artists?

The whole purpose is to drive the economy of Western North Carolina to arts and crafts. You do that two ways. One is you get them exposure. Artists hate to market their work. They don’t know how to do it. So we’re showing them how to

CHANGING THE NARRATIVE:

“Artists are not respected,” says Louise Glickman, co-founder of Artsville USA. Based in Biltmore Lake, Glickman hopes to change that narrative through her nonprofit’s mission and work. Photo courtesy of Glickman

market, how to sell, how to build a business virtually.

There are lots of artists and not enough buyers and collectors. So we want to democratize it. We want people to understand that if you like it, it’s art. It doesn’t have to be snooty or elitist, or anything. It doesn’t have to be an investment. You don’t have to be rich to buy art. So a lot of what we’re doing is educating both the artist and the audience through Artsville.

The second part of this is that my friend Sherry Masters has a company here called Art Connections. She came to me for advice on how to create a touring company that would take people to meet the artists in their studios. Take them to Burnsville, take them to Spruce Pine, take them

south to Brasstown, take them to Cherokee. We provide exposure for our Western North Carolina artists all over the world. We actively promote our art and our craft to people who want to visit here.

Tell me about the California connection.

Through a friendship, I met this really amazing man from California named Scott Power. He had exactly the same vision I have here. But he had it with connections into the art scene and also the entertainment scene in California. And he was patterning exactly what I was patterning, starting with podcasts, interviews and Q&As.

He’s published several books about the importance of art and how to motivate people to get involved in the arts and how artists need to learn to market their work. He had conferences in places all over the country. And he found out about Artsville and asked if he could partner with us.

Now we have a model on two sides of the country. He was interested in our exhibit space in Marquee, but Marquee was a heavy lift, and you have to understand I’m not the youngest person you’ll ever meet. I needed to get other people to assist in this. I went back to my initial thought: Let’s do this digitally. And let’s have some live, pop-up exhibits and go to festivals and really give artists a leg up.

We have the virtual gallery of artists. We select from applications. In this case in the spring, it’s 15 artists in various mediums … who are interested in truly building their practice. They have decided that they want to sell. Not all artists care about selling their work. They are of various ages and stages of careers. Artists work in a very isolated environment for the most part. And marketing is a lot about networking, talking to people going places — all these things that they are not very interested in doing. So we mentor them for three months. We do free marketing for them. We show them how to interview somebody, [how to] write their story.

How do you track sales?

We ask [artists] to tell us when they sell from something that we have produced together because we do not take a commission. There’s nobody else who sells online that doesn’t take a commission. So my commitment to this is that the artists should be able to hold onto their money and reinvest into their own business.

How are you funding this?

I did this out of my pocket for a number of years. Now it has gotten

too large, and I’ve gotten too old to be able to continue to do that forever. So that’s where Scott Power came in. He was in the same situation; except whatever I’m doing, he’s doing on steroids because he has all these worldwide connections. And whatever I was spending, he was spending five times more to do it. We needed to create a nonprofit. It was a business decision.

What’s next?

We’re involved in developing a television program that is sort of similar to [HGTV’s] “House Hunters.” After you’ve renovated the house and moved into the house, what do you put on your walls?

So we will bring people here to Asheville, they will go to … the River Arts District … [and] hopefully out to Penland [School of Craft]. And they will select what they like for their house. We shot some of the pilot and sizzle reel in Chicago just this month. If an artist joins you and works with Artsville USA, what kind of results can they expect to see?

Well, because we do not take a commission, some of this is very hard to gauge. And we are working on some evaluation mechanisms. What we gauge right now is growth in their website — who’s looking at our website, social media numbers. As the tour starts to grow, we will have numbers from that. I have cataloged how many artists we have written about, talked about and shown their work. And since Artsville began … it’s over 150. We also have a subscriber base that is above 10,000.

So what we’re doing now is raising money. We had one donor give us $40,000. But we run on an absolute shoestring. I don’t make any money. And I have a very small part-time staff.

I have not asked the Chamber of Commerce, Explore Asheville or [ArtsAVL] for money yet. I am still cultivating all of that, but I do not want to get into the competitive grants-writing business. Grants are very time-consuming, and the return is very small. And it requires a lot of administration and everything else.

What drives you?

Artists are not respected. People think that this is an easy thing to do, to be an artist, and that they’re supposed to be impoverished and suffering and all … that old baloney. But if you read and look and analyze what’s going on in the world, art is the one thing that people turned to during COVID. They took art classes online. It made them happy to go outside and look at the beauty of the world and paint it. And they started there. And they’ve been working their way up.  X

WHY I VOLUNTEER

‘You always get more than you give’

Melissa Gerhardt is a volunteer with Arms Around ASD, a nonprofit that supports the autism community through self-care and development of executive functioning skills, promoting the growth of the community as a whole.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Arms Around ASD?

Gerhardt: I began volunteering for Arms Around ASD two years ago. It appealed to me because I am a speech-language pathologist and have spent much of my career working with individuals on the autism spectrum. It was always a challenge to find services for the clients and their families. At Arms, the clients and their families are provided most of the services they need in a loving and nurturing environment. Every service and class is provided by a volunteer, which allows us to keep the services free or at a nominal fee. Every town should be fortunate enough to have a similar organization.

What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

Arms has a boutique called The Big Hug Boutique at our facility in the Asheville Mall. The boutique sells upscale thrift and art and jewelry made by our clients, their families or our volunteers. The art and jewelry are sold on commission so our families receive this additional benefit. I started my volunteer work at the front desk in the boutique. Working in a gift shop has always been a fun dream. Working in one with such a great purpose is a bonus. I am honored to now serve on the board of directors and assist in our fundraising efforts.

What do you wish you’d known prior to starting?

Honestly, I wish I had known such a place existed in Asheville and needed volunteers. It has been such a rewarding experience that my only regret is not having done it longer. The people who volunteer at Arms are some of the most giving of their time and talents that I have ever met, including our founder and executive director who works tirelessly as a volunteer. I do wish there were more funding sources for nonprofit groups like ours. Because our services are offered at a nominal fee or free, fundraising is always on the forefront.

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit to volunteering?

Asheville has a great vehicle to help you get started. I found Arms through Hands on Asheville-Buncombe. You can go on their site and find all the volunteer opportunities in Asheville. If you have a passion or an interest, you will probably find a volunteer job to match that interest. Most opportunities have a time frame so you can choose one to try it out. I truly believe that you always get more than you give when volunteering. This has certainly been the case for me and I think most of our volunteers at Arms Around Autism. X

MELISSA GERHARDT

‘On

a knife’s edge’

Taylor Brown’s latest historical novel explores 1921 trench warfare on American soil

BY THOMAS CALDER

tcalder@mountainx.com

If you’re unfamiliar with the story about the Battle of Blair Mountain — the largest labor uprising in American history that resulted in over 1 million rounds fired as well as bombs dropped on Logan County, West Virginia — well, you’re probably not alone.

Over the past five years, author Taylor Brown has been researching the topic for his new novel, Rednecks. He says that throughout the process, he shared stories about the conflict with friends, family and fans alike. Typically, no one knew what he was talking about.

Which is fair, the author is quick to note — Brown himself only discovered the story by chance in 2017, when a friend from Logan County happened to mention the battle in casual conversation. That discussion stayed with Brown.

“They are a hundred men at first, then two hundred. Five hundred. One thousand,” the author writers in Rednecks, at the onset of the nearly weeklong battle. “An army of men rising from the earth, clad in blue-bib overalls. They hail from Italy and Poland, the Deep South and Appalachia. One in five is Black. They wear red bandannas knotted around their necks, as if their throats have already been cut.

“People will call them primitives and hillbillies, anarchists and insurrectionists.

“They will call them Rednecks.”

On Thursday, May 23, at 6 p.m., Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe will host a hybrid event featuring a conversation between Brown and fellow author Tessa Fontaine. The pair will discuss the battle as well as the author’s desire to introduce readers to this previously forgotten, if not deliberately buried, piece of American history.

‘BLOOD INSTEAD OF FLOODWATER’

One of the joys of reading Brown’s latest work of historical fiction is the large cast he creates on the page. While the book’s list of characters edges close to double digits, two of the novel’s central protagonists embody the story’s broader tensions and themes.

Mary Harris “Mother” Jones is one of several historical figures Brown

BLOODY BATTLE: Author Taylor Brown explores the Battle of Blair Mountain in his latest work of historical fiction. “It blew my mind to learn that 100 years ago there was trench warfare on American soil,” Brown says.

includes in Rednecks. An Irish-born American labor organizer, Jones was once called “The Most Dangerous Woman in America,” the author informs readers early on. Her character, who confronts coal operators and politicians with unwavering moxie, is a megaphone for workers. Her public speeches also provide readers with historical context about the period.

“Now you men who fought in the Great War, you were told it was a war for democracy, were you not?” she asks a crowd of miners early on in the novel. “You saved the world from oppression and came home and found what? More oppression. More autocracy. A new bunch of American kaisers, men who made their fortunes on the war, on coal and steel, arms and machinery, on the blood and muscle of American fighting men, only to abuse those men back here at home, exploiting them in their mines and mills, factories and stockyards and killing floors.”

Whereas Mother Jones is pure political force, the fictitious Dr. Domit “Doc Moo” Muhanna, a LebaneseAmerican physician inspired by Brown’s own great-grandfather, serves as the novel’s moral compass in an otherwise brutal tale.

Given his profession, he is also one of the book’s few characters able to travel between camps, revealing the deadly cruelty that both sides inflict. And because of his adherence to the Hippocratic oath, as well as his humanitarian lens, his compassion often offers a stark contrast to the violence that surrounds him.

“Sometimes it seems worthless,” he tells one character midway through the book. “All this work and care to stitch people back together, to staunch wounds and set bones and battle infections, and every time I finish one, there are ten more, like holes busting loose in a dam, except it’s blood instead of floodwater.”

“Blood and time,” the other character responds, “those ain’t battles you can win.”

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

What Brown often conveys through Mother Jones and Doc Moo is the impact that violence has on both the individual and the community. But this violence, Brown emphasizes throughout Rednecks, is not unique to the battle at hand. Many of the book’s characters are recent veterans of World War I.

Others have direct links to the Civil War, previously served in the Philippines or exchanged gunfire out west.

“Trauma engenders more trauma,” Brown says, in speaking about the novel’s themes. “When you come from all that violence, it’s easy to get to it again.”

But whereas a less skilled writer might only dwell on the brutality present on battlefields, Brown’s talent is in exploring how political violence infiltrates an entire community.

In one instance, a family outing for ice cream erupts into a physical assault when police officers suspect a citizen of being part of the uprising. In other instances, Brown describes the suffocating nature of occupation.

“People were afraid to go outside; the air was full of death,” he writes. “They’d taken to sleeping in cellars or under beds, their children curled in bathtubs. At night, any light drew a shot.”

THE GREAT EXPERIMENT

Yet, the book never exhausts readers, despite its heavy topics and the large cast of characters to track. In part, Brown succeeds in managing both elements through the story’s structure. Rednecks’ short chapters (some of which are barely a page long), propel readers forward, creating an exhilarating pace.

But it’s also Brown’s language that makes the novel hard to put down. The details he offers are haunting, especially when describing the region’s landscape. Just like the community members who are scarred both emotionally and physically from current and former battles, so too is the land. And so often in the book, the region’s topography is personified. In one scene, workers dig through “the black veins of West Virginia coal[.]” In another, the writer describes the day’s descending sun and “the shadows growing longer, sharper, the world growing claws.”

But ultimately it’s Doc Moo and his relationship with both the war-torn community and his own family that keeps readers invested. In a world where violence is ubiquitous, the physician gives readers reason for hope, however conflicting his outlook may seem.

“Moo loved America, he did,” Brown writes midway through the novel. “This country had attempted a ’Great Experiment’ for the promotion of human happiness — a written recognition that all men were created equal, endowed with certain inalienable rights, and the state existed to guarantee those liberties, not to impede them. In practice, those high ideals made it a nation of deep hypocrisy — a country ever on a knife’s edge, ever failing to live up to its own principles. A nation ever in conflict with itself.”

To learn more about the Thursday, May 23, event, visit avl.mx/dot.  X

Photo by Tristan “Bam” Argo

WHY I VOLUNTEER

‘This is truly where Jesus shows up’

Nancy Tabel is a volunteer at Haywood Street Congregation, which works to address homelessness and hunger in Western North Carolina.

Xpress: When and why did you begin volunteering for Haywood Street?

Tabel: I’ve been a companion at Haywood Street Congregation for going on six years now. I look forward to helping at the Welcome Table, where we share friendship feast as a community and attending services.

Although I’m not a native, I do have long, deep roots in Asheville and Buncombe County (initially planted in 1977). And as a follower of Jesus, I was intrigued by Brian Combs’ TED Talk concerning Haywood Street’s radically different approach to outreach to the “least among us” who have largely been marginalized and excluded historically. The motto that undergirds the multifaceted ministry is “Relationship above all else” — a refreshing change from formal tenets of belief or church doctrine. Everyone is welcome at Welcome Table meals, where delicious meals are served with dignity and abundance. The amazing fresco in the sanctuary is awesome and inspiring — affirming sacred worth, restoring human dignity and sabotaging the shame of poverty. The Haywood Street fresco announces in plaster and pigment that you matter.

What do you do at the nonprofit and what keeps you returning to the volunteer position?

As a companion (volunteer), I both give to and receive from others regardless of our social status, economic means, gender identity, race, etc. I’ve made a lot of friends at HSC and enjoy helping with the Welcome Table on most Wednesdays. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I helped distribute meals outside and covered overnight shifts in respite when needed. Recently, I made a significant donation to the deeply affordable housing project that will continue to provide homes long after I leave this realm.

What do you wish you knew prior to starting?

I wish I had engaged sooner but I felt conflicted about reallocating my resources of time, talents, abilities and monetary contributions from my former faith community, where I’d been a member for almost 30 years. After the retirement of the spiritual leader, I no longer felt the same connection and decided to explore whether HSC was a good fit. After observing, encountering and experiencing the people and varied ways that they care for one another, I was convinced that this is truly where Jesus shows up.

What do you tell folks who are interested in volunteering but have yet to commit?

Not everyone is comfortable with the “Holy Chaos” that happens on the campus sometimes. We have a group of individuals called the Mercy League, who are trained to intervene when needed to ensure everyone’s safety. And incidents are relatively few and far between.

I’d encourage you to visit and observe all that’s going on at HSC. Join us on Wednesday for a meal at the Welcome Table, get free acupuncture treatments, a haircut or beard trim, etc. Periodically there is a mobile health clinic set up in the parking lot. We even have a free street dog clinic upcoming for basic exams, flea/tick treatments and vaccinations for the dog and cat companion animals.

I’ve only had two friends join, but I’ve solicited a lot of donations — financial and otherwise. Friends had an older Toyota van that still ran well but needed a little work (cracked windshield, tires, etc). Instead of selling it, I convinced them to donate it to Haywood Street as a medical transport vehicle for the folks staying in respite. Others have donated personally or through civic organizations that they belong to. X

AROUND THE REGION

NANCY TABEL

Tactile nostalgia Laura Jones discusses quilting’s legacy in WNC

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

From adult coloring books to planking, fads come and go. But practical, rewarding crafts like quilting have shown that they’re here to stay.

Founded in 1982 and based in Hendersonville, the nonprofit Western North Carolina Quilters Guild features quilters of all skill levels and promotes all forms of quilting, including traditional, modern and art. Its members are currently preparing for the annual two-day quilt show extravaganza, A Garden of Quilts, which this year takes place Friday, May 17-Saturday, May 18, at the Bonclarken Conference Center’s Youth Activities Building in Flat Rock.

Taking a break from her sewing machine, group President Laura Jones recently spoke with Xpress about the continuing allure of the craft and how the guild strives to stay modern while sustaining tried-andtrue practices.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Xpress: How did you become a quilter, and what has sustained your interest in this craft?

Jones: I have been quilting since childhood. My mother and both of my grandmothers were quilters, and I was raised stitching alongside them. I’ve always enjoyed having a creative outlet that results in something both functional and beautiful.

When I got to a point in my life when I had more time for quilting and wanted to increase my skill, I turned to the WNC Quilters Guild for support. Quilting offers a wide range of techniques, so even the most seasoned artists can find something fresh and interesting at guild meetings.

How long have you been guild president, and what does that role entail?

I was elected guild president in January 2023, and I will complete my two-year term in December. It’s a six-year commitment, starting with two years as vice president, learning the ropes, and ending with two years as emeritus, acting as an adviser.

My focus has been on welcoming new quilters and bringing our membership totals back to pre-COVID-19 pandemic numbers. We were also due for some housekeeping with our policies and technology updates. As

HALL OF WONDERS: The Bonclarken Conference Center in Flat Rock will again host the WNC Quilters Guild’s A Garden of Quilts Show, Friday, May 17-Saturday, May 18. Photo by Dawn Sorrento

the president, I lead meetings and help usher in new initiatives.

What do you consider the guild’s most significant milestones over its four-plus decades?

The guild has provided Western North Carolina with a consistent creative community since 1982. We bring quilting to the public with our biannual shows, demonstrations at the Mountain State Fair and other outreach programs through the community. We also sponsor a yearly scholarship for [Henderson or Transylvania County] students going to college in textile-related fields.

How has the guild been able to sustain membership in recent years?

Quilting has been growing in popularity in recent years, and the guild offers a community for both new and seasoned individuals. We offer

programs with nationally known speakers reaching a broad range of expertise and interest.

Why does quilting remain such an appealing craft for so many people?

Quilting speaks to the nostalgia and urge to create that so many of us feel. With new, modern fabrics and patterns popping up all of the time, we can make things that are traditional and also current.

What are some of the main challenges the guild is facing as a nonprofit?

Our main challenge is finding volunteers for all of the jobs that need tending through the year. All of our positions are unpaid, and some take considerable time commitments.

What does the guild have in store for this year’s A Garden of Quilts show?

The Garden of Quilts show will display the handiwork of our membership and other local quilters, including young adults. We will host a number of vendors and a shop with sewing and quilted items for sale. There will be food and drink available and knowledgable docents answering questions on the floor.

What are the guild’s main goals for the rest of 2024?

Our goals are to carry on providing our members with exceptional programs and workshops to spark interest and build skill. We will also be working on updating our website and other issues relating to technology. Most of all, we hope to continue to provide a welcoming guild for quilters.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/dor. X

May Stone: Celestite May Herb: Rhubarb Root

5/16: Reader: Alondra 3-7

Magical Book Club 6-7

5/17: Reader: Krysta 12-6:30

Beginner’s Tarot, Pt. 1 4-5

Merry Meet & Greet 5-7

5/18: Reader: Edward 12-6

Workshop & Book Signing w/ Ash McKernan 1-4

5/19: Reader: Andrea 12-5

Meeting & Embracing our New Mother Gaia 1-3

Welcoming Circle 4:30-6

What’s new in food

Dearest hotel

It is easy to picture writer/artist/ flapper Zelda Fitzgerald and husband F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of the most infamous It Couples of the Jazz Age, right at home inside Wine & Roses.

The parlor bar inside Zelda Dearest — a 20-room boutique hotel situated in three historic Victorian mansions and a carriage house in downtown Asheville — is now open to the public 4-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

General Manager Erika Donaldson says Zelda Dearest welcomed its first guests the last weekend of October, and the 35-seat cocktail lounge poured its first drinks (to hotel guests only) in February. “It’s small and intimate and a great little date-night spot,” says Donaldson. “It’s a perfect place to have a drink before going out for dinner or a show downtown.”

In addition to the lushly decorated lounge, Wine & Roses offers additional seating on the patio of the Rosalind Building, where it’s located.

The beverage menu was created by Asheville hospitality guru Jacob Sessoms (of Table, All Day Darling and Golden Hour at The Radical Hotel). The Gilded Girl, a combination of Casamigos reposado tequila, orange curacao, apricot and lime,

seems invented just for Zelda and is one of three signature cocktails on the opening menu. The succinct wine list of red, white, rosé and bubbly features small wineries and one humorously named white vintage — Fish Hippie Seersucker Social. (Try saying that after a couple of glasses.) Local beers and ciders are also available, as well as nonalcoholic options.

In its debut year, Zelda Dearest — with interior design by Nashville’s Anderson Design Studio — was one of five finalists in the Small Hotel category of trade magazine Hospitality Design’s annual awards. The ceremony was held in Las Vegas on April 30. “A hotel in China won in our category,” says Donaldson. “But of the hundreds of boutique hotels opened in the world, we were thrilled to be one of five finalists.”

Wine & Roses is in the Rosalind building at Zelda Dearest, 137 Biltmore Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/doo.

Parlez-vous français?

You don’t have to speak French to eat French at one of Susi Seguret’s

French Farmhouse Dinners she hosts monthly on her farm about 25 miles north of Marshall. But you will be steeped in all things Francophile, from food and wine to music.

The accomplished chef, oenophile, farmer, forager, teacher and writer places herself as a citizen of both France and Appalachia, and the food served reflects that mix. Some French phrases to sprinkle in your conversation around the dinner table — which is likely to be set outside, if weather permits — are C’est délicieux! C’est fameux! C’est parfait! Un verre de vin, s’il vous plait. And, of course, merci beaucoup.

Dinners are held the first Saturday evening of each month; cost is $150 per person/$250 per couple. The next feast takes place June 1 at 6 p.m. The address will be shared upon reserving. Find out more and reserve your spot at avl.mx/doe.

Winging it

At the other end of the culinary spectrum is that all-American sports bar staple — wings. If those bony, saucy, messy little poultry flyers are

ALL THAT JAZZ: Wine and Roses in Zelda Dearest Hotel is now open to the public Friday and Saturday evenings. Photo by Matt Kisiday

your jam, don’t miss the next episode of Shay Brown’s AVL Food Series, Wing Wonderland, on Saturday, May 18, at Devil’s Foot Beverage Co.’s The Mule taproom.

Seven frequent fryers are on board to put their best wing forward — Hustle Wing Co., Shaa’bingo Jamaican Street Food, Storm Rhum, Kente Kitchen Market, Moe’s Original BBQ, Strictly Wings South Food Truck and The Madness.

The family-friendly event will have music and free games for kids plus cocktails, craft beer and nonalcoholic Devil’s Foot drinks for sale. Additional vendors include Firewalker Hot Sauce, Well Seasoned Table and Pirani Life. VIP access begins at 11:30 a.m., with general admission from noon-2 p.m.

The Mule is at 131 Sweeten Creek Road, Suite 10. For tickets, visit avl.mx/dof.

Berry good

Local spring strawberries are here, but not for long. Before you use all those sweet, juicy, luscious orbs in strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie and strawberry ice cream, save some for later. In Preserving Your Strawberry Harvest on Saturday, May 25, author and instructor Ashley English will demonstrate how to capture that ephemeral goodness in strawberry preserves, vinegar, sauce, quick pickles and frozen strawberries.

The class takes place noon-2 p.m. at Fifth Season Gardening and includes instruction, handouts and samples. Tickets are $35, and preregistration is required.

Fifth Season is at 4 S. Tunnel Road. Preregister at avl.mx/dog.

Tea time

For Jessie Dean , founder of Asheville Tea Co., summertime

means porch sittin’ with a glass of iced tea and a tomato sandwich. With the recent release of her company’s line of Cold Brew iced teas, she is here to help with that quintessential summer-in-the-South beverage.

Cold Brews are available in three blends: Hibiscus Mojito, Blue Ridge Mountain Mint and Looking Glass, a classic black iced tea. Each recyclable box contains three half-gallon brew bags to make iced tea as it was intended — by the pitcher.

The 10-year-old company has just added 46 Whole Foods Markets in the Southeast to its distribution network, which also includes regional grocers Ingles, The Fresh Market and Earth Fare, plus specialty retail shops.

For more about Asheville Tea Co., visit avl.mx/don.

Dive in

On Friday, May 17, the Burger Bar will host a party to celebrate its 65th year of booze, music, comedy, trivia, dirt-cheap specials like $3 canned beers, $4 wells, $6 Hamm Slamwiches (a shot and a beer) and more than six decades of shaming newbies who have the audacity to ask for a burger. NO BURGERS!

Located on the hairpin curve where Craven Street meets Haywood Road on the west side of the French Broad River, the Burger Bar is the repeat winner of Best Dive Bar in the Xpress Best of WNC Awards and claims the title of the oldest bar in Asheville. One and all are summoned to its burgerless birthday party beginning at 7 p.m. and ending when the lights come on at 2 a.m. Punk bands, special drinks and merch will be part of the festivities.

The Burger Bar is at 1 Craven St. Find more information at avl.mx/doh.

— Kay West  X

@Camdenscoffeehouse • 40 N Main St, Mars Hill, NC

Around Town ABSFest turns 15 Why I

ABSFest will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a burlesque and sideshow festival Thursday, May 23-Sunday, May 26.

This year’s Medusa-themed event is a celebration of the weird and unique, featuring a collection of local and national performers. Despite taking a few years off during the pandemic, the festival has grown immensely since it started almost two decades ago. “Everything was made possible originally because The Orange Peel gave a young producer a chance,” says ABSFest Executive Producer Onça O’Leary. “I’ve been producing festivals there ever since, so you know I have a definite gratitude for The Orange Peel for believing in an Asheville kid.”

The opening party for the festival will kick off at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Crow and Quill. Drayton & the Dreamboats will perform along with juggling, belly dance and sideshow acts.

On Friday at 7:30 p.m., Brooklynbased goth folk band Charming Disaster will present Journey Through the Underworld, a narrative performance featuring burlesque and variety acts, at The Grey Eagle. There will also be a VIP preshow juggling set by comedy artist Paolo Garbanzo beginning at 7 p.m.

Saturday features workshops by Leah Orleans, aka Tiny Girl Big Show, at The Orange Peel from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Classes include an introduction to whip-cracking, “Badass Shimmies for Every Body” and songwriting. Sideshow historian James Taylor will give a free talk on the history of sideshows.

The 15th Saturday Spectacular begins at 8:30 p.m. at The Orange Peel. Madame Onça will emcee the show, which will feature contortions and strip-teases by a variety of performers, including Selia d’Katzmeow. A vendor bazaar will offer soaps and other wares. Raffle tickets will be for sale in support of Asheville’s feral-kitten rescue, Sister Kitten. VIP tickets are also available for this performance.

At noon Sunday, The Grey Eagle will host The Church of Decadence Brunch, featuring Phat Man Dee’s jazz and gospel performance.

The Orange Peel is at 101 Biltmore Ave. The Grey Eagle is at 185 Clingman Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/doj.

Womansong announces spring concert

Womansong, Asheville’s longest-running women’s community chorus, announces We Come From Women, a spring concert Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18, at 3 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville.

The music in the production, led by Allison Thorp, celebrates the legacy of women carving a path for women who come after them. The concert will feature original pieces by Womansong’s Lytingale along with favorites by Sarah Bareilles, Ysaye Barnwell, May Erlewine, Holly Near , Dolly Parton and Carly Simon. There will also be a performance on Saturday, June 1, 3 p.m., at 50 Liberty Road, Fletcher.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and free for children 12 and younger.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation is at 1 Edwin Place. For more information, visit avl.mx/dok.

Call for Black Cultural Heritage Trail art

Explore Asheville, in collaboration with River Front Development Group and the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail Advisory Committee, invites artists to submit public art for placement along the trail, according to a press release.

Phase I of the BCHT, unveiled in 2023, highlights the contributions and achievements of Asheville’s Black community with the installation of 21 heritage sites throughout downtown, the South Slope and the River Arts District. Phase II seeks to enrich the trail with art such as murals and sculptures. Eligible artwork should highlight Black people’s agency and personal power and combat misconceptions to preserve Black history for future generations.

Artist submissions are due Thursday, May 30, 5 p.m. The call is open to all artists regardless of background or experience, and collaboration is encouraged.

For more information, email kpuryear@exploreasheville.com.

Sound Effects Benefit Concert at Salvage Station

The 10th annual Sound Effects Benefit Concert will be held at Salvage Station on Thursday, May 23.

Steely Dan cover band Dirty Logic will perform on the outdoor stage. The concert is sponsored by the Asheville Music School to raise money for the Paul Thorpe Music Education Fund, which funds AMS scholarship programs and outreach. “Funds raised from donors, concertgoers and sponsors have helped us provide scholarships for music lessons and instruments,” says AMS Executive Director Ryan Reardon. “One of our student bands, Minør, will be opening the show!”

Proceeds from the benefit will also be used to upfit the AMS Sound Lab, which offers digital education to students in the field of music production, engineering and recording.

“The AMS Sound Lab is designed to bridge the gap between traditional music education and a more modern approach,” says Reardon. “The lab will attract students who would love to learn music production but have not felt comfortable with traditional lessons and instruments.”

Doors open at 5 p.m., and the show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

Salvage Station is at 468 Riverside Drive. For more information, visit avl.mx/6wn.

Barbershop chorus wins regional award

Asheville’s Land of the Sky Chorus has won the Carolinas District competition for the first time in its 75-year history.

The chorus, which was founded in 1949 and recently opened up to include all genders, is now recognized as both the best and the most improved chorus in the Carolinas. Land of the Sky will also represent the Carolinas District at the 2025 Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Convention in Denver.

“At the Carolinas District competition we performed our rocking chair set, which was a custom arrangement by Robert Rund who used to live in Asheville,” says Frank Pierce, the bass section leader. “Nobody thought we were gonna win but we worked really hard and took the W as the underdog. Typically Raleigh and Charlotte win.”

A barbershop quartet is normally composed of four singers, each singing a separate part. However, the choral format has about 35 performers and expects to have 60 by the end of the year, with multiple people on each part. Pierce notes the chorus’s boom in membership as a contributing factor in the win.

Anyone interested in joining the chorus can begin by attending weekly rehearsals at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Kenilworth Presbyterian Church.

Kenilworth Presbyterian Church is at 123 Kenilworth Road. For more information visit avl.mx/dol.

Asheville Ballet plans spring production

The Asheville Ballet will perform Spring into Dance: An Artistic Bouquet Thursday, May 16, and Friday, May 17, 6:30 p.m., at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.

The Asheville Ballet is Western North Carolina’s oldest ballet company. This latest production will feature a variety of compositions, including “Knot,” which was inspired by a 1949 textile piece of the same name by Anni Albers of Black Mountain College. “Albers has captured, in two dimensions, one of the principal concerns of choreographers — patterns of movement through space in three dimensions,” says Ann Dunn, The Asheville Ballet’s artistic and executive director. “The artwork seemed to me to suggest three separate but intertwined journeys, whether they happen among three distinct individuals or within one individual throughout a life.”

The common theme of the production is the ever-evolving process of life and art, but it covers a wide array of topics, including seasonal change, meditations on the self, spiritual growth and presence. The pieces are composed of original choreography by Dunn in collaboration with Washington, D.C., composer and cellist Erin Murphy Snedecor. Tickets range from $15-$40.

The Wortham Center for the Performing Arts is at 18 Biltmore Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/99s.

5Point Film Fest comes to Grey Eagle

MountainTrue will host the 17th annual 5Point Adventure Film Festival at The Grey Eagle on Tuesday, May 21, 7:30 p.m.

MountainTrue is a conservation organization committed to protecting the region’s rivers, forests and mountains and creating a sustainable future for WNC and eastern Tennessee. The organization will offer a raffle to raise money. Prizes include items from New Belgium Brewing, Yeti Coolers, Stio and other 5Point sponsors.

5Point is a production company dedicated to telling stories that create understanding, humility and purpose. “We were looking for a fun event to bring together our supporters while celebrating community,” says Amy Finkler, development and engagement manager for MountainTrue. “5Point has values that align with our own, and the films they show inspire communities and bring people together.”

The festival will show eight short films from the 5Point official selections, running a total of roughly 94 minutes. They include Strong Grandma , a story about a 95-year-old weightlifter, Slides on the Mountain , a story about two brothers from the Lil’wat Nation who attempt to ski a sacred mountain, Canyon Chorus , a story about mentorship in the LGBTQ+ community, and Above the Noise , a documentary about skydiver Maja Kuczynska

The Grey Eagle is at 185 Clingman Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/dom.

MOVIE REVIEWS

BACK TO BLACK: Director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s respectful biopic ably chronicles the tragic life of singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. Grade: B — Edwin Arnaudin

— Oby Arnold  X

BURLESQUE BAZAAR: Jo’Rie Tigerlily performs her burlesque act as part of ABSFest. Photo courtesy of Jo’Rie Tigerlily

THANKS FOR VOTING

CLUBLAND

FOLK AND BLUES: On Friday, May 17, folk artist Jake Xerxes Fussell performs at The Outpost, starting at 8 p.m. The singer and guitarist, based in Durham, focuses on traditional Southern folk songs. Photo courtesy of Kate Medley

For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR Ben Balmer w/Jeff Plankenhorn (Americana), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Trivia Trivia!, 6:30pm

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

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Mean Mary (folk-rock, bluegrass), 8pm

EULOGY

Amelia Day (folk, rock), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers & Friends (jamgrass), 6pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

BIG TOP Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Well-Crafted Music w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Otto Maddox (soul, funk), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

OKLAWAHA

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

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

The Bentet (multigenre), 10pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night Wednesday w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8pm

PULP

Slice of Life Standup Comedy Contest (Round 2), 7pm

SALVAGE STATION

The Polish Ambassador w/Scott Nice & Grandfather Gold (edm, electronic, dance), 8pm

SHAKEY'S Sexy Service Industry Night, 10pm

SHILOH & GAINES Trivia Wednesdays, 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE DRAFTSMAN

BAR + LOUNGE Trivia Nights, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Sgt. Splendor (rock), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Rod Sphere (soul, rock), 6:30pm

THE MONTE VISTA HOTEL

Music Wednesdays, 5pm

THE ODD

This That & The Third: Nah, We Good, 9pm

THE RAILYARD

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Dan's Jam (bluegrass), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Trivia, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, MAY 16

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

MGBs (Americana), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Clay Street Unit (country, bluegrass, Appalachian), 10pm

CROW & QUILL Sweet Megg (jazz), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Karaoke, 8pm

EULOGY

Josh Clark's Visible Spectrum & Elora Dash (neo-soul, funk, soul), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

BIG TOP Survey Says, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Roselle (hip-hop), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

LAZOOM ROOM BAR & GORILLA

Modelface Comedy

Presents: Kenyon Adamcik, 8:30pm

LOOKOUT BREWING CO.

Music Bingo Thursdays, 6:30pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

JIm Hampton (country), 6pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Kid Billy (Americana, blues, indie-folk), 7pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

The Knotty G's (Americana), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Black Sea Beat Society (Balkan, Turkish, folk), 9pm

OUTSIDER BREWING

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Company Swing w/Rock Academy Jazz (swing, jazz, blues), 6:30pm

SALVAGE STATION

Chayce Beckham (country), 8pm

SHAKEY'S

• Comedy Showcase w/ Hilliary Begley, 8pm

• Karaoke w/DJ Franco, 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES Karaoke Night, 8pm

THE ODD

Alfred Toadhand, Nostalgianoid & Shnoz (experimental, funk, metal), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Thievery Corporation w/Matthew Dear, 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Rock While Rome Burns (psych, rock'n'roll), 7pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN

Parker McCown & Friends (bluegrass), 7pm

THE RIVER ARTS

DISTRICT BREWING CO.

Peggy Ratusz & Kelly Jones (blues), 6pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6:30pm

WICKED WEED

BREWING

Hope Griffin (folk, acoustic), 5pm

FRIDAY, MAY 17

27 CLUB

Bellizia, Choir of Babble & Hex Wizard (rock'n'roll), 9pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

P*rn Star Karaoke, 10pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

Mr Jimmy's Friday Night Blues, 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Buku & Juju Beats, Symmetry & Slaya Jade (electronic), 9pm

CATAWBA BREWING

CO. SOUTH SLOPE

ASHEVILLE

• Comedy at Catawba: Harrison Tweed, 7pm

• Where Ya From?:

Crowd Work Comedy Show, 9pm

CORK & KEG

Bayou Diesel (Cajun, Zydeco), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Las Montañitas (psychsurf, Afro-Colombian, cumbia), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

The Pink Stones (country, honky-tonk), 8pm

EULOGY

• Thelma & the Sleaze w/Tongues of Fire & Tombstone Poetry (rock, folk-rock, shoegaze), 8pm

• Pleasure Principles w/Brandon Manitoba (new-wave, italo, synths), 11pm

GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM Office Trivia Olympics (round 2), 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Lady & The Lovers (funk, R&B, pop rock), 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Lake Solace (R&B, hip-hop), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Jackson Grimm & The Bull Moose Party (Appalachian, folkgrass), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE Open Mic w/Hamza, 8pm

LEVELLER BREWING

CO.

Alice Bradley & Becca Leigh (folk), 7pm

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE

The Rhinestone

Ramblers (blues, funk, country), 6pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Circuitbreakers w/ Fresh Buzz (rock'n'roll), 8pm

ONE STOP AT

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

• Free Dead Friday w/ Dirty Dead (Grateful Dead tribute), 6pm

• Gus & Phriends (Grateful Dead tribute), 10pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

• Will Hartz (Appalachian), 8pm

• Stand Up Comedy Storytellling Showcase, 11pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Magenta Sunshine & Hype Machine (blues, folk, funk), 8pm

RABBIT RABBIT

Silent Disco w/DJ Molly Parti, 9pm

SALVAGE STATION

Dark Star Orchestra (Grateful Dead tribute), 7pm

SHAKEY'S

Big Blue Jams Band (multiple genres), 9pm

SILVERADOS

Yelawolf (hip-hop, rap), 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

The Doors Unhinged (Doors tribute), 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Roots & Dore (blues, soul, roots), 5:30pm

• Maggie Rose (Americana, folk, rock), 9pm

THE JOINT NEXT

DOOR

Sal Landers (rock'n'roll), 7pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Sidecar Honey (indie, Americana, rock), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Dexter & the Moonrocks (alt-indie, rock), 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Jake Xerxes Fussell (folk), 8pm

THE RAILYARD

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Mutual Love Club (folk, Americana), 7pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Vaden Landers (country), 6pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH

SLOPE

Trippin' Up the Stairs (Celtic, old-time), 6pm

WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT

Mingo & Merryman (rock, bluegrass, funk), 7pm

SATURDAY, MAY 18

27 CLUB

NaturalBlkInvention, Slumpman Ray & Caughy (experimental, hip-hop), 9pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Western Dreamland (country, disco-pop), 9pm

BATTERY PARK

BOOK EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

CORK & KEG

Soul Blue Rocks (soul, blues, R&B), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Para Gozar (Cuban), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Andrea & Mud (surf-western), 8pm

EULOGY

Seppa w/Musashi Xero & Dyltron (electronic, hip-hop, rap), 9pm

FLEETWOOD'S Walk Home, Splashblade & Exercise (multi-genre), 9pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

Modelface Comedy Presets: Gluten-Free Comedy, 7pm

HI-WIRE BREWINGBILTMORE VILLAGE

Secret Garden Comedy Showcase, 9pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Dasher Band (Appalachian, folk), 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Nex Millen (R&B, hip-hop), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch w/ Carolina Bluegrass Style, 12pm

• Nobody’s Darling String Band, 4pm

• Drayton & the Dreamboats (swing, Latin, rock'n'roll), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE Karaoke, 9pm

LAZOOM ROOM

Karaoke w/KJ Beanspice, 8:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

• Laura Thurston & Mingo (Americana, folk-grass), 2pm

• Whiskey Envy (blues, soul), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Acklen Walker (hip hop, pop, indie-rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

• Stetson’s Stink Bug Bourbon Band (Americana, country), 4pm

• Widely Grown (Americana, country, rock), 9pm

RABBIT RABBIT Slowdive w/Drab Majesty (shoegaze, dream-pop), 7pm

SALVAGE STATION

Dark Star Orchestra (Grateful Dead tribute), 7pm

SHAKEY'S

• Friday Late Nights w/ DJ Ek Balam, 12am

• Trash Talk Queer Dance Party & Drag Show, 10pm

Weekly Events!

SHILOH & GAINES

O*VAD*YA (neopsych), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Corey Bowers (Southern-rock), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

ImiJ of Soul (Jimi Hendrix tribute), 7pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

The Feels (indie-soul, R&B, funk), 6pm

THE ODD

Party Foul Drag: Saturday Night Tease, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Patty Griffin (folk, Americana), 8pm

THE RAILYARD

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Smokey Mountain Rhythm (bluegrass, Americana), 7pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Live Music Saturday Nights, 7pm

VINTAGE KAVA

The Candleers (country), 8pm

WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT

DJ Dagget, 7pm

SUNDAY, MAY 19

27 CLUB

Mary Metal, Jacob Perez, Elijah Batson & Acid Jo (alt-indie, folk, dream-pop), 8pm

ARCHETYPE BREWING

Sunday Funday w/DJs, 1pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Stevie Tombstone & Dylan Walshe (Americana, rock, folk), 7:30pm

FLEETWOOD'S ¿Watches?, Monsoon & Bill's Garage (punk, rock), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm

GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Jazz Sunday's, 2pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Ek Balam (hip-hop, indie, funk), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch w/ Bluegrass Brunch Boys, 12pm

• Traditional Irish Jam, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

The Action Figures (multi-genre), 2pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6pm

S&W MARKET

Mr Jimmy (blues), 1pm

SALVAGE STATION

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue w/Big Freedia (hip-hop, funk, soul), 7pm

SHAKEY'S It's Trivial w/Divinity Holeburn, 5pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Cosmic Appalachian Soul Sundays, 7pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING

AL "StumpWater"

Lyons (Celtic, Irish, folk), 5pm

THE DRAFTSMAN BAR + LOUNGE Karaoke Nights, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Burlesque Brunch, 12pm

• Comedian Michael Palascak, 7pm

THE OUTPOST

Dirty Dead (Grateful Dead tribute), 4pm

PLĒB URBAN WINERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 4pm

MONDAY, MAY 20

27 CLUB Monday Karaoke, 9pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR

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

DSSOLVR

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Best Ever Karaoke w/ KJ Chelsea, 9pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

RAD BEER GARDEN Hot Mic w/Taylor Knighton, 6pm

IMPERIÁL DJ Otto Maddox (soul, funk), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Quizzo! Pub Trivia w/ Jason Mencer, 7:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Takes All Kinds Open Mic Nights, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Open Mic Night, 7:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Mashup Mondays w/ JLloyd, 8pm

THE BIER GARDEN Standup Comedy w/ Brandon Rainwater, 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr Jimmy & Friends (blues), 7pm

THE RIVER ARTS

DISTRICT BREWING CO. Trivia w/Billy, 7pm

TUESDAY, MAY 21

27 CLUB Solvent, Yawni & Pseudocarp (punk, post-punk), 9pm

EULOGY

Jesse & The Jinx w/ The Heavenly Vipers & Liliana Hudgens (country, jazz, Americana), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

FUNKATORIUM Trivia w/Billy, 7pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

Themed Trivia w/Not Rocket Science Trivia, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Mad Mike (hip-hop, indie, funk), 9pm

LOOKOUT BREWING CO.

Team Trivia Tuesday's, 6:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Team Trivia, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Grateful Dead tribute), 6pm

SHAKEY'S 3rd Bootys w/DJ Ek Balam, 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Open Mic, 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Tuesday Night Open Jam, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Patio: Chris Kasper (Americana, rock, folk), 5:30pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

The Lads (rock, blues), 6pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Phosphorescent (Americana, alt-indie, rock), 8pm

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

27 CLUB

Shed Bugs & C-Rom Com (funk, blues, psych-rock), 9pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Trivia Trivia!, 6:30pm

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

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Commander Voodoo (R&B, funk), 8pm

EULOGY

Wolves in the Taproom: Black Metal Night, 7pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Saylor Brothers & Friends (jamgrass), 6pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

BIG TOP Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Well-Crafted Music w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Otto Maddox (soul, funk), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

LAZOOM ROOM BAR & GORILLA

THEM: A Queer/ Femme Comedy Showcase, 6:30pm

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

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Encyclomedia (psych, soul, funk), 10pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night Wednesday w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8pm

RABBIT RABBIT

Sold Out: Chappell Roan (aynth-pop), 7pm

SHAKEY'S Sexy Service Industry Night, 10pm

SHILOH & GAINES Trivia Wednesdays, 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE DRAFTSMAN BAR + LOUNGE Trivia Nights, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE Mountain Grass Unit (bluegrass, country, funk), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Company Swing (jazz, swing, blues), 7pm THE MONTE VISTA HOTEL

Music Wednesdays, 5pm

THE RAILYARD

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Dan's Jam (bluegrass), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Trivia, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, MAY 23

27 CLUB Green Quams, Tight & Juniper Willow (rock, garage-punk), 9pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

Cee Cee James (blues, Americana), 7:30pm

BATTERY PARK

BOOK EXCHANGE

Mike Kenton & Jim Tanner (jazz), 5:30pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

Karaoke, 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Search & Destroy Punk Karaoke, 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

BIG TOP

Survey Says, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Dayowulf (electronic, hip-hop), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE Karaoke w/Banjo Mitch, 6pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Bill Loftus (blues), 7pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

The Knotty G's (Americana), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Instant Alter, The Moon Unit & Sugar Bomb (Brazilian, funk, prog-rock), 8pm

OUTSIDER BREWING

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

PISGAH BREWING

CO.

The Asheville Rounders (bluegrass, jazz, blues), 6:30pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Karaoke Night, 8pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Stand Up Comedy for Your Health, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Paul Cauthen (Americana, indie-folk, rock), 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Grateful Shred & Circles Around The Sun (surf-rock, psychedelia, funk), 7pm

THE RAILYARD

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Dan Signor (soul, rock), 7pm

THE STATION BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6:30pm

WICKED WEED

BREWING

Owen Walsh (folk), 5pm

SUN: Cosmic Appalachian Soul Sundays, 7pm MON: Ping-Pong Tournament, 6pm

TUE: Open Jam w/ house band the Lactones, 8pm

WED: Poetry Open Mic AVL, 8:30pm/8pm signup

5/17 FRI THE DOORS: Unhinged, 8pm Ft. Reggie Headen

5/18 SAT COREY BOWERS ALBUM RELEASE, 8pm Rock / Blues / Americana

5/24 FRI ELI KAHN & JORDAN HAMILTON, 9pm Hybrid Jazz / Beats

food. music. beer. community. and maybe a train or two.

Wednesday, May 15th, 7-9pm

Live Music with Dan 's Jam

Traditional bluegrass tunes by local musicians.

ThurSDAY, May 16th, 7-9pm

Live Music with Parker McCown & Friends

Join us for live music with the amazingly talented Parker McCown. Parker’s incredible journey has shaped him into the gifted musician he is today.

Friday, May 17th, 7-9pm

Live Music with Mutual Love Club

Folk/Americana project created by Danny Clayton and Heather Alpine Bech, hailing from Black Mountain, North Carolina. The duo have been collaborating for almost seven years and touring the Southeast.

Saturday, May 18th, 4-9pm

Artisan Market with DJ & 15 vendors

Mixed media artists, jewelry, candles, fermented foods, wellness products, organic and crocheted clothing.

7-9pm - Live Music with Smoky Mountain Rhythm - bluegrass and Americana

Details, food menus and more at railyardblkmtn.com

live music + 15 screens of sports + full bar + tasty eats + ice cream sammies + fun for the family open til 11 pm | kitchen closes 10 pm on fri and sat 141 RICHARDSON BLVD -

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Polish-born author Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) didn’t begin to speak English until he was 21 years old. At 25, his writing in that language was still stiff and stilted. Yet during the next 40+ years, he employed his adopted tongue to write 19 novels, numerous short stories and several other books. Today he is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. You may not embark on an equally spectacular growth period in the coming months, Aries. But you do have extra power to begin mastering a skill or subject that could ultimately be crucial to your life story. Be inspired by Conrad’s magnificent accomplishments.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Hypothetically, you could learn to give a stirring rendering of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on a slide whistle. Or you could perform the “To be or not to be” soliloquy from Shakespeare’s Hamlet for an audience of pigeons that aren’t even paying attention. Theoretically, you could pour out your adoration to an unattainable celebrity or give a big tip to a waiter who provided mediocre service or do your finest singing at a karaoke bar with two people in the audience. But I hope you will offer your skills and gifts with more discernment and panache, Taurus — especially these days. Don’t offer yourself carelessly. Give your blessings only to people who deeply appreciate them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When I lived in San Francisco in 1995, thieves stole my Chevy Malibu. It was during the celebratory mayhem that swept the city following the local football team’s Super Bowl victory. Cops miraculously recovered my car, but it had been irrevocably damaged in one specific way: It could no longer drive in reverse. Since I couldn’t afford a new vehicle, I kept it for the next two years, carefully avoiding situations when I would need to go backward. It was a perfect metaphor for my life in those days. Now I’m suggesting you consider adopting it for yours. From what I can discern, there will be no turning around anytime soon. Don’t look back. Onward to the future!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian basketball coach Tara VanDerveer is in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She won more games than anyone else in the sport. Here’s one aspect of her approach to coaching. She says that the greatest players “have a screw loose” — and she regards that as a very good thing. I take her to mean that the superstars are eccentric, zealous, unruly and daring. They don’t conform to normal theories about how to succeed. They have a wild originality and fanatical drive for excellence. If you might ever be interested in exploring the possible advantages of having a screw loose for the sake of your ambitions, the coming months will be one of the best times ever.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Am I one of your father figures, uncle figures or brother figures? I hope so! I have worked hard to purge the toxic aspects of masculinity that I inherited from my culture. And I have diligently and gleefully cultivated the most beautiful aspects of masculinity. Plus, my feminist principles have been ripening and growing stronger for many years. With that as our background, I encourage you to spend the coming weeks upgrading your own relationship to the masculine archetype, no matter which of the 77 genders you might be. I see this as an excellent time for you to take practical measures to get the very best male influences in your life.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Now that your mind, your heart, and your world have opened wider than you imagined possible, try to anticipate how they might close down if you’re not always as bold and brave as you have been in recent months. Then sign a contract with yourself, promising that you will not permit your mind, your heart, and your world to shrink or narrow. If you proactively heal your fears before

they break out, maybe they won’t break out. (P.S.: I will acknowledge that there may eventually be a bit of contraction you should allow to fully integrate the changes — but only a bit.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I would love you to cultivate connections with characters who can give you shimmery secrets and scintillating stories you need to hear. In my astrological opinion, you are in a phase when you require more fascination, amazement, and intrigue than usual. If love and sex are included in the exchange, so much the better — but they are not mandatory elements in your assignment. The main thing is this: For the sake of your mental, physical, and spiritual health, you must get your limitations dissolved, your understanding of reality enriched, and your vision of the future expanded.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio writer Andrew Solomon made a very Scorpionic comment when he wrote, “We all have our darkness, and the trick is making something exalted of it.” Of all the signs of the zodiac, you have the greatest potential to accomplish this heroic transmutation — and to do it with panache, artistry, and even tenderness. I trust you are ready for another few rounds of your mysterious specialty. The people in your life would benefit from it almost as much as you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Have you been nursing the hope that someday you will retrain your loved ones? That you will change them in ways that make them act more sensibly? That you will convince them to shed qualities you don’t like and keep just the good parts? If so, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to drop this fantasy. In its place, I advise you to go through whatever mental gymnastics are necessary as you come to accept and love them exactly as they are. If you can manage that, there will be a bonus development: You will be more inclined to accept and love yourself exactly as you are.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I brazenly predict that in the next 11 months, you will get closer than ever before to doing your dream job. Because of your clear intentions, your diligent pragmatism, and the Fates’ grace, life will present you with good opportunities to earn money by doing what you love and providing an excellent service to your fellow creatures. But I’m not necessarily saying everything will unfold with perfection. And I am a bit afraid that you will fail to capitalize on your chances by being too insistent on perfection. Please assuage my doubts, Capricorn! Welcome imperfect but interesting progress.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In his book Ambivalent Zen, Lawrence Shainberg mourns that even while meditating, his mind is always fleeing from the present moment — forever “lurching towards the future or clinging to the past.” I don’t agree that this is a terrible thing. In fact, it’s a consummately human characteristic. Why demonize and deride it? But I can also see the value of spending quality time in the here and now — enjoying each new unpredictable moment without compulsively referencing it to other times and places. I bring this up, Aquarius, because I believe that in the coming weeks, you can enjoy far more free time in the rich and resonant present than is normally possible for you. Make “BE HERE NOW” your gentle, relaxing battle cry.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Two-thirds of us claim to have had a paranormal encounter. One-fourth say they can telepathically sense other people’s emotions. One-fifth have had conversations with the spirits of the dead. As you might guess, the percentage of Pisceans in each category is higher than all the rest of the zodiac signs. And I suspect that number will be even more elevated than usual in the coming weeks. I hope you love spooky fun and uncanny mysteries and semi-miraculous epiphanies! Here they come.

MARKETPLACE

Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds

RENTALS

COMMERCIAL/ BUSINESS RENTALS

SPACE AVAILABLE Space available in premiere downtown location with easy access from I-240. Great parking in safe location. Eye Lash Extension Artist/ Esthetician. 828-318-4342 Kristimack0381@yahoo.com

VACATION RENTALS

2-2 B&B IN BEAUTIFUL LAKE TOXAWAY CLOSE TO THE GORGES STATE PARK

Unique bungalow located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Queens beds. Hot tub, sauna. Fully equipped home ready for you. $300/day or $1500/week. Call 828-556-2253

ASHEVILLE VACATION RENTAL Country setting

overlooking a fishing pond. 10 mins to downtown. First home is a 3-2 at $1500 per week or $300 per night. Second home is a 1-1 at $600 per week or $130 per night. 3 night minimum. 828-380-6095

EMPLOYMENT

DRIVERS/DELIVERY

MOUNTAIN XPRESS DELIVERY Mountain Xpress is seeking energetic, reliable, independent contractors for part-time weekly newspaper delivery. Contractors 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 3-5 hours per week. Preference given to applicants who reside in the delivery area. E-mail distro@mountainx.com

PROFESSIONAL/ MANAGEMENT

MOUNTAIN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES SEEKS COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT OFFICER MHO seeks a dynamic external

relations professional. The Communications and Engagement Officer will develop and deliver innovative strategies to build awareness, grow connections, showcase impact, and inspire support. https:// www.careers-page.com/mho/ job/L7796Y5X

ONTRACK WNC IS HIRING A DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS!

Foster a generative environment that centers clients, furthers racial equity, and focuses on the strategic implementation of our agency vision. See ontrackwnc. org/were-hiring for full job description and how to apply. Deadline: Friday, May 24, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. emilyr@ ontrackwnc.org

THRIVE ASHEVILLE SEEKS EXPERIENCED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO LEAD OUR COMMUNITY INCUBATOR

WORK Thrive Asheville seeks an innovative and experienced Executive Director to lead our work as an incubator for community solutions. Thrive’s mission is to collaborate with local residents and leaders from diverse perspectives to understand our city’s challenges, forge new relationships, and act on the best solutions together. thriveavl.org/ jobs-current-openings

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

24/7 LOCKSMITH

We are there when you need us for home & car lockouts. We'll get you back up and running quickly! Also, key reproductions, lock installs and repairs, vehicle fobs. Call us for your home, commercial and auto locksmith needs! 1-833-2371233. (AAN CAN)

AFFORDABLE TV & INTER-

NET If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-844-588-6579

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE?

You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-292-8225 Have zip code of property ready when calling! (AAN CAN)

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES

In as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!  Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-855-402-6997. (AAN CAN)

BARBER/HAIR STYLIST

Fast paced, established barbershop in South Asheville has two chairs available. Walk-ins only. This is a great place to quickly build your clientele and grow your business. Commission only. Must have valid NC Barber or Cosmetology license, take payments with your own POS, cash, etc.

828-230-7088

Arturo’s Barbershop Asheville

GOT AN UNWANTED CAR? Donate it to Patriotic Hearts. Fast free pick up. All 50 States. Patriotic Hearts’ programs help veterans find work or start their own business. Call 24/7: 1-855402-7631. (AAN CAN)

NEED NEW WINDOWS?

Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames? Need outside noise reduction? New, energy efficient windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & FREE quote today. 1-877-248-9944. You will be asked for the zip code of the property when connecting. (AAN CAN)

PAYING TOP CA$H FOR MEN'S SPORT WATCHES Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Heuer, Daytona, GMT, Submariner and Speedmaster. Call 1-855402-7109 (AAN CAN)

PEST CONTROL Protect your home from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833-237-1199. (AAN CAN)

PUBLIC SALE OF VEHICLE

To satisfy a lien for a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan against Monica Lee Patterson for $6,765.00. Auto Safe Towing Inc., 474 ½ N. Louisiana Ave., Asheville NC 28806. 828-236-1131

STOP OVERPAYING FOR AUTO INSURANCE A recent survey says that most Americans are overpaying for their car insurance. Let us show you how much you can save. Call now for a no obligation quote: 1-866-472-8309

TOP CASH PAID FOR OLD GUITARS! 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D'Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. 1-855-402-7208. (AAN CAN)

UNCLAIMED / RECEIVED FIREARMS The following is a list of Unclaimed / Received firearms currently in possession of the Asheville Police Department. BLK, RG, 22; BRN/BLK, LUGER, GERMAN, 9MM; BLK, AK, EAA, 7.62; SIL/BLK, JIMENEZ ARMS, JA, 38; BLK, HI POINT, FIREAS, 9MM; BLU, HI POINT, C9, 9MM; BLK, GLOCK, 45, 9MM; SIL/BLK, SPRINGFIELD, XD, 45; BLK, GLOCK, 43, 9MM; BLK, TAURUS, G2C, 9MM; GLOCK, 43, 9MM; BLK, TAURUS, G2C, 9MM; SIL/ BLK, COLT, 1901 32 RIM, 32; SIL/BLK, RUGER, P95, 9MM; BLK, BROWNING ARMS, 22; RG, RG23, 22; BLK, RUGER, 380; BLK/TAN, TAURUS, G3C, 9MM; SIL/BRN, NAA, 22MCR, 22; BLK, RUGER, LCP, 380; BLK, HI POINT, C, 9MM; BLK, H&R, 922, 22; BRYCO ARMS, JENNINGS NINE, 9MM; BLK, ASTRA, SEMI-AUTO, 9MM; FIE, TEX, 22; GPB, COLT 1911, 45; BLK, MARLIN, 383T; BLK, HI-POINT, 9MM; SIL/BLK, S&W, CLERKE 1ST, 32; KURTZ, BACK UP, 38; SIL/BRN TITAN, 25; SIL/BLK, BRYCO ARMS, 58, 38; BLK/ BRN, I.N.A., REVOLVER, 32;

BLK/SIL, JIMENEZ ARMS, JA NINE, 9MM; BLK/SIL, S&W, SD40 VE, 40; WINCHESTER, 190, 22; CHR, LORCIN, L380, 38; HARRINGTON RICHARSON, 12GA; BLK/ RED, GLOCK, 19, 9MM; WHI/BLK, ROHM, 22, 22; KEL-TEC, P-11, 9MM; BLK/ BRN, LORCIN, 38; BLK, TAURUS, .40CAL, 40; BRN/ BLK, SKS, SKS, 7.62; SIL/ BLK, RUGER, P91DC, 40; BRN/BLK, H&R, PARDNER, 410; BLK, GLOCK, 30, 45; BLK, GLOCK, 19, 9MM; SIL, HAFDA SA, 45; BLK, TAURUS, SPECTRUM, 38; S&W, REVOLVER, 32; BLK/ BRN, WINCHESTER, RILFE, 22; BLK, TAURUS, PT111, 9MM; SIL/BLK, RUGER, .357 MAG, 357; BLK/SIL, S&W, SD40, 40; BRN/BLK, RG, 22LR REVOLVER, 22; BLK, GLOCK, 23, 40; SIL, S&W, AIRWEIGHT, 38; MARLIN, 99C 22; WAFFENFABRIK, MAUSER, 30; BRN/BLK, IVER JOHNSON, PONY, 38; SKKY IND, CPX-1, 9MM; BLK, GLOCK, 33, 357; BLK, ROCK ISLAND, 206, 38; SIL, JENNINGS NINE, 9MM; BLK/ BRN, COLT, DIAMONDBACK, 38; BLK, STERLING; BLU, PHEONIX, HP22A, 22; BRN/ BLK, NORINCO, MAK 90, 7.62; BLK, GLOCK, 21, 45; SIL/BLK, WALTHER, PPK, 9MM; BLK, ROCK ISLAND, 45, 45; BROWNING, 1191C, 22; BLK, ISRAEL, DESERT EAGLE, 9MM; BLK/BRZ, GLOCK, 19, 9MM; BLK, S&W, BODYGAURD, 380; BLK, TAURUS, TCP; BURSA, THUNDER, 380; BRN, RUGER, 10/22, 22; BLK/ TAN, TAURUS, 9MM; S&W, SD9 VE, 9MM; GLOCK, 27, 40; BLK, GLOCK, 19, 9MM; BLK/RED, TAURUS, TCP, 38; SIL/BLK, BERETTA, PICO, 380; SIL/BLK, S&W, 40; BLK, SPRINGFIELD, HELLCAT, 9MM; BLK/GRN, TAURUS, G3, 9MM; SIL/BLK, H&R, 733, 32; BLK, PHEONIX ARMS, HP22A, 22; BLK, WINCHESTER, SHOTGUN, 20GA; BLK/GRY, HERITAGE, ROUGH, 22. Anyone with a legitimate claim or interest in this property must contact the Asheville Police Department within 30 days from the date of this publication. Any items not claimed within 30 days will be disposed of in accordance with all applicable laws. For further information, or to file a claim, contact the Asheville Police Department Property & Evidence Section at 828-232-4576

WATER DAMAGE CLEANUP & RESTORATION A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! If you have water in your home that needs to be dried, call 24/7: 1-888290-2264 Have zip code of service location ready when you call! (AAN CAN)

YOU MAY QUALIFY For disability benefits if you have are between 52-63 years old and under a doctor’s care for a health condition that prevents you from working for a year or more. Call now! 1-877-247-6750 (AAN CAN)

1 Response to “Have a nice day!”

7 Cribs

11 Spell that’s “broken” by 23-Across

14 Hit song from “Flashdance”

15 Outside, as a pitch

16 Place for a tiny hammer

17 Popular Italian entree, informally

19 Al Jolson’s actual first name

20 “La Cage ___ Folles”

21 Traditional crustless fruit pie

23 First U.S. secretary of war

25 “This looks bad for me!”

28 Fatty acid compound

32 Beginner gamers, in lingo

33 Kiln for hops

36 When doubled, beanie topper

37 Spell that’s “broken” by 59-Across

38 Play date participant

39 Spell that’s “broken” by 17-Across

41 Device first deployed in the U.S. by Chemical Bank (1969)

42 Actress Palmer with a reduplicative name

43 Feeder of the iliac arteries

44 Shepherd formerly of “The View”

47 Fees that may be based on cost-per-click

49 Container in a kid’s backpack

52 Crayola color that debuted in 1972

55 Make public

58 Mess up

59 Intensive study program

62 Sheltered side

63 Shock, in a way

64 Word derived from the Arabic for “lot”

65 Spell that’s “broken” by 49-Across

66 Not delete

67 Killed it at open mic night, say

DOWN

1 Org. often referred to by its first letter

2 Island that’s home to a state capital

3 What macOS is based on

4 Game piece?

5 Cabinet material

6 Loads

7 Father, in regional lingo

8 ___ in the park

9 Be afraid to

10 Semiotician’s interest

11 Recipe verb

12 Where runway 9 is always oriented at an airport

13 … Whiskey, ___, Yankee …

18 Iconic fundraising “thank you” gift

22 PC program file extension

23 Canterbury cooktops

24 Gently acclimate, with “in”

25 Atahualpa’s subjects

FLIGHT

26 Communicate silently, in a way

27 Crooner Mel

29 In a bicoastal relationship, say

30 Linzer ___ (pastry)

Heroines in novels by Flaubert and Austen

Fine and dandy

Ninja’s forte

Dear, in Italian

The Cardiff Giant, for one

1965 film starring George Segal that was set in a P.O.W. camp

Tach measure

Flinches or smiles, e.g.

48 Winners over the Yanks in the 2001 World Series 50 Stop 51 Like crown jewels

52 Give a boost 53 Popular name for a tuxedo cat

54 Prehistoric predator, informally

55 “Gee, I Wish I Was Back in the ___” (song from “White Christmas”)

“Mm-hmm” 57 No longer working: Abbr.

How John D. Rockefeller made his money

Letters on a Forever stamp

Stormwater Runoff

is the #1 Threat to the French Broad River

Rain barrels are a natural solution