Mountain Xpress 05.29.24

FEATURES

Let’s make the

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OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

DuPont State Recreational Forest attracted more than a million visitors in 2023, something nobody expected when the site in Henderson and Transylvania counties opened nearly 30 years ago. To keep up with the growth, forest officials are about to enact some major changes, including closing little-used trails, improving existing ones and making some pathways and roads off-limits to mountain bikes or horses.

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UNCA overreaches with protest surveillance

As a veteran who served from 201519 and a current student at UNC Asheville, I am deeply concerned by the university’s recent implementation of selective ID checking at a Palestinian solidarity protest. This practice, which appeared to target only the protesters, represents a significant and alarming overreach. It raises serious questions about the fairness and integrity of our institution’s commitment to free speech and equal treatment under campus policies.

During the protest, I personally observed university officials selectively checking the IDs of those actively participating, while bystanders and other community members were not subjected to the same scrutiny. This selective enforcement not only undermines the principles of equality and justice but also serves to intimidate those exercising their constitutional right to free expression. The message it sends is clear: Certain types of speech and assembly are subject to greater control and surveillance, which could potentially chill future participation in such critical civic activities.

UNC Asheville has long prided itself on fostering an environment of open dialogue and active learning, making this recent action even more disheartening. By setting a precedent that could discourage students from engaging in peaceful protests and expressing diverse viewpoints, the university contradicts its own values, signaling a distressing shift toward a more controlled and surveilled campus atmosphere.

I urge the administration to review and reconsider this approach immediately. To maintain the trust and respect of the university body, policies affecting freedom of speech and assembly must be applied uniformly and justly across all groups. We must

ensure that our campus remains a space where academic freedom flourishes and where students feel safe and encouraged to express their views without fear of differential treatment.

— Jonathan Fonk Arden

Use electric vehicles where they shine

Xpress tells me Asheville’s electric buses are deployed primarily to the airport and Long Shoals Road and were considered for Black Mountain; and as as a moderate on the use of electric vehicles (with some knowledge), I feel that electric vehicles should be kept within cities as much as practical because they are at their best in urban gridlock and upwind of downtown (the W6, W5 or N3 routes?). Plus, fleet operations, especially city fleets, are best for this because fleet managers can assign fossil vehicles to long-range jobs, unlike personal car owners. Asheville’s hills and love affair with clutch-burning four-way stop signs also help tip the balance toward electrics, but even

Word of the week

so, I’m not sure Asheville is quite big or smoggy enough to make them worthwhile here quite yet, as bigger cities should get them first.

The fact that our electricity is part nuclear, while petroleum and home coal stoves aren’t, should also slow us down a great deal on electrification. Space permitting, electric buses in theory are range constrained, but these particular buses don’t seem to be, though this might change as batteries age.

— Alan Ditmore Leicester

An obvious choice for monument honors

Over the last four years, there has been a monumental (pun intended) outcry over the preservation or demolition of the Vance Monument — a rather uninspiring granite obelisk named in honor of Zebulon Vance that stood in the heart of Asheville and over the years became a well-known symbol of our mountain town. Vance — former governor of North Carolina and U.S. senator, officer in the Confederate Army and lawyer — had been a polarizing figure whose notoriety continued long after his death.

Scrutinized for over a century, the 2020 protests over the death of George Floyd turned the monument into a 75-foot-tall detonator of explosive emotions on both sides of the argument. The City Council voted to remove the monument, a dismantling of the structure complicated by other protests, lawsuits, appeals and peti-

tions. This month, removal of the monument’s base was begun. The obelisk itself is gone from Pack Square, amid sounds of celebratory back-patting, the crunching of gnashed teeth and travel guides rushing to find replacement photos for their front covers.

I am not writing to air my side of the argument; there are many valid points to both. Asheville prides itself on inclusivity and artistry, which I find a beautiful thing. We are also located in the South, where sentiments of a long-gone war can still guide the attitudes of many; even the name Asheville celebrates the life of a former slave owner. What I would like to see is a move forward to a new symbol that sits in the heart of Pack Square and beckons travelers from all over the globe to enjoy this special place we call home as they contribute to our largely tourist-based economy.

Frankly, I am surprised at the lack of conversation around what will replace the Vance Monument; most folks are content to bemoan the above. However, if a new monument is to be in honor of some person or family, I believe the answer is obvious: the Vanderbilts.

The Biltmore Estate itself should be a part of the conversation. It continues to be a premier draw to our city, and the revenue it contributes to our area is invaluable. But that is only a part. George and Edith Vanderbilt, during Biltmore’s construction, were single-handedly responsible for employing thousands of workers. They drew artisans, musicians, painters and writers from all over, cementing the foundation of Asheville in the arts and culture. They are responsible for turning over nearly 90,000 acres of their land to the government for Pisgah National Forest, turning our area into the cradle of forestry that it is.

They and their descendants, the Cecils, have been benevolent employers and benefactors for over 100 years. They have cared for this city and still do, their generosity fostering growth in the arts, music and medicine. They do so humbly and without fanfare. I have personally met members of the family; they are wonderful people who would not stand out in a crowd and whom you would not hesitate to have over for dinner. Given the opportunity, they would likely — and anonymously — donate funding themselves as to not burden their beloved Asheville with the financing. A tribute in their honor — a monument that defines the true spirit of Asheville — is the least that we could do in homage for all they have given to us.

— Robert Credeur Parish Fairview X

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

Support for Reduce Rain Runoff has been generously provided by: The Community Foundation of WNC, Duke Energy Foundation, the James G.K. McClure Foundation and Land of Sky Regional Council.

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

Look homeward, Asheville

Let’s make the city’s pop-up parks permanent

BY BILL BRANYON

Recently I was traipsing through the spring grass of the temporary, pop-up park that is the Killian-family-owned property on Charlotte Street. What a sumptuous permanent park it would be!

According to WLOS, this 6-acre green space is the result of developers demolishing “about one dozen” dilapidated houses. The Killians’ original plan was to replace them with “180 residential units and 50,000 square feet of commercial space” according to a 2022 article in the Asheville Citizen Times. Now, however, perhaps because of the impressive protests of the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County, they’ve changed their goal to building only 19 upscale townhouses. Or was it because building costs and interest rates are so high?

Regardless, they haven’t begun building anything yet. That fact, coupled with the information that, according to another Citizen Times article, Asheville City Council is considering a $75 million bond referendum for this November (and a second $75 million bond referendum for 2028), means there’s a theoretical chance of making the area a permanent park. Since the bond package’s purposes include an allocation for parks and recreation, Council could assert eminent domain, and then the bond could easily cover what the property is worth. Call it the Preservation Society Protest Park.

And what about that de facto, pop-up park that is the ghost of Fuddruckers? The city could buy it for its roughly $3.6 million valuation as well. We could crassly call it Cow Carcass Park after that actual side of beef Fuddruckers used to display there, but thanks to our downtown library’s Special Collections, I discovered that Thomas Wolfe’s mother and uncle had houses there. Yep, that’s Julia Wolfe, made famous by Thomas in his book Look Homeward,

Angel for her extreme acquisitiveness, but also for her probably deeply affordable Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, whose current address is just off Woodfin Street.

In her entrepreneurial zeal, she is rivaled by the land’s current developer, Tyler Kassinger of Kassinger Development Co., who plans to shoehorn 186 living units and 4,500 to 5,000 square feet of retail into the lot, according to a March story John Boyle wrote for Asheville Watchdog. So name the proposed permanent park Julia Wolfe of Woodfin Park instead and let those displaced from their Killian property apartments be coldly comforted by her son’s most famous quote, “You can’t go home again.”

There’s another Wolfe quote about the 1920s building boom in Asheville that might be even more appropriate today: “A spirit of drunken waste and wild destructiveness was everywhere apparent: the fairest places in town were mutilated at a cost of millions of dollars.”

MAXIMIZED PROFIT MEETS EMINENT DOMAIN

But wait! I can almost hear the groans from pragmatic Ashevilleans expressing that we must have more affordable housing and that this involves cramming infill development into as many urban green spaces as possible. Another of their concerns is that the desperate unhoused will dominate both parks, making them uninhabitable for everyone else. Let’s examine these beliefs by taking a tour of other pop-up parks around Asheville.

Of course, the most famous pop-up park in Asheville is the downtown, concrete Pit of Despair, now more than 10-years-of-despair old. In 2020, City Council unanimously approved a plan to build a $13.2 million park at the site across from Harrah’s Cherokee Center

“Virtually boundless private development has not lowered housing costs, preserved surrounding county green spaces or solved our housing crises.”

– Asheville, but that got shelved by the pandemic. Unshelve it now!

Like the Pit, many of Asheville’s popup parks are the result of activists fighting developers to a standstill and City Council realizing that supporting either side is too big a political price to pay. But some other such neglected properties are due to the Urban Centers Initiative, Council’s innovative vision of building a more walkable city. It involves requiring that, in certain areas, housing units be included anytime a property owner plans to replace a large commercial development, such as a big-box store, with some other development.

According to a Citizen Times article, five companies, all owned by The Necessity Retail REIT Inc., or Ingles Markets Inc., are suing the City of Asheville over this initiative. On Merrimon Avenue, this zoning initiative covers the asphalt, big-box pop-up park of the former Stein Mart property (Stein Park?). Ingles alleges that the city’s UCI is “essentially forcing the landowners to break federal law by not providing the maximum possible profit to stakeholders,” according to the Citizen Times

In that allegation lies the heartless heart of the matter. Asheville’s green space defenders are fighting an

American economic system that has made it illegal for publicly traded corporations like Ingles to seriously consider factors other than maximized profits — and other businesses have followed that ideal. With the city bond proposal and some rigorous assertion of eminent domain, we could fight back against this myopic system and turn all these properties into permanent, beautiful parks — or some other development with big green spaces and little crowding.

KEEP HOLY OUR HIGHEST HOPES

Much of America has been developed with this maximized profit mandate. One of the few cities that has challenged it is Savannah, Ga. There, in 1733, according to the book Oglethorpe in Perspective, founder James Edward Oglethorpe banned slavery and rum, gave freed indentured servants free land and established 1-acre parks in every neighborhood to prevent the scourges of urban crowding. Thus, Savannah now has 22 downtown parks. Asheville could strive for something similar. But first, we need to explode the developer propaganda that urban infill will prevent rural sprawl by taking a quick drive around many of Asheville’s lower- and middle-income neighborhoods and rural Buncombe County. You’ll find that many of these in-town areas have become greenless jigsaw puzzles of chaotic crowdedness, while rural forests and green spaces have been displaced by giant housing, apartment and commercial complexes that gobble green spaces like some environment-crunching monster. And yet, according to a February Blue Ridge Public Radio story, the estimated cost for a one-bedroom apartment has increased nearly 90% since 2019. And homelessness is still rampant!

Virtually boundless private development has not lowered housing costs, preserved surrounding county green spaces or solved our housing crises. I believe occupancy tax money, bond issues, federal and state housing money, community-based housing efforts and other sources of revenue and effort can — without trashing our environment or crowding our neighborhoods. Keep holy our highest hopes! A first step is to crusade for, and then vote for, the November bond initiative. The second step is to lobby City Council to use the bond money to assert eminent domain and preserve as many of the still extant, brave little Asheville neighborhood green spaces as possible. That might make humane ol’ Oglethorpe and genius Tommy Wolfe proud.

Bill Branyon is a freelance historian whose Thomas Wolfe-like book effort is titled Asheville NC, Circa 2000 AD It contains over a hundred, thinly disguised Ashevilleans. X

BILL BRANYON

Outdoor activity

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

When DuPont State Recreational Forest opened to the public in 1997, organizers had one major concern: attracting visitors to the former DuPont chemical company property in Henderson and Transylvania counties.

Turns out, that wasn’t a problem at all. In 2023, the forest welcomed 1.2 million hikers, mountain bikers, runners, equestrians and others, making it one of the most popular public lands in the Southeast.

“That’s more visitors per acre than the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States,” says Kirsten McDonald, the forest’s information and education supervisor. “We have international visitors and people who come here from throughout our country, throughout the state, throughout the region.”

People are drawn to the 10,300-acre forest because it is easily accessible via Interstate 26 and features six waterfalls, along with three lakes and more than 80 miles of trails and roads. But it was not designed to accommodate more than a million people a year, so officials are planning big changes and improvements to keep the site sustainable and safe.

That will mean closing little-used trails, improving existing ones and opening new pathways. It also will make some trails and roads off-limits to mountain bikes or horses — a significant change at a place where the vast majority of trails are now open to all users.

“We inherited all of these trails [from the DuPont chemical company and a private developer], so what we need to do is analyze which trails are sustainable, which ones need to be relocated

Big changes on the way at DuPont

State Recreational Forest

SOMETHING TO SEE: Triple Falls is one of six waterfalls that draw visitors to DuPont State Recreational Forest. Photo courtesy of DuPont State Recreational Forest

or need to have a different user group on them so that our visitors can be here safely,” McDonald explains. “We need to balance the needs of the forest as an ecosystem with all of the recreational wants.”

DuPont operated a manufacturing plant on the land from 1958 until the mid-1990s. The company also used its

land holdings in the area to provide a private recreation area for employees and clients.

DEVELOPING A PLAN

In 2021, the N.C. General Assembly provided $750,000 to the forest to cre-

DuPont State Recreational Forest timeline

1956: Chemical company E.I. DuPont de Nemours begins acquiring large parcels of land in Henderson and Transylvania counties.

1958: DuPont opens an industrial plant east of Cedar Mountain. The plant makes silicon for computer chips and later produces X-ray film.

1995: DuPont announces it is leaving the area and selling the plant to Sterling Diagnostics Imaging. Over three-quarters of the company’s land goes up for sale.

1996-97: The Conservation Fund buys 7,600 acres from DuPont and later transfers it to the state of North Carolina. Jan. 1, 1997: DuPont State Recreational Forest opens.

Early 2000: The forest adds 500 acres along Reasoner Road with funds from the Natural Heritage Trust Fund. October 2000: The state acquires a 2,200-acre tract containing High Falls, Triple Falls and Bridal Veil Falls through eminent domain.

2019: Conserving Carolina gives the forest several hundred acres of land in the “Continental Divide” tract.

ate a master recreation plan. About $200,000 went to Asheville consulting firm Mattern & Craig, which has spent more than a year helping solicit input from the forest’s users, including mountain bikers and equestrians. Mattern & Craig will provide the state with a final report in June.

The public got a preview in April. Among the recommendations:

• Hikers, runners and dog walkers would continue to be welcome on all of the forest’s trails and roads.

• 10 miles of trails — including Shoals Creek, Flatwoods and Farmhouse — would be open to equestrians but not mountain bikers; 5.6 miles would be open to bikes but not horses. That would include the Rocky Ridge, Grassy Creek and Hooker Creek trails. Under current rules, all but 2 miles of DuPont trails are open to all users.

• Some trails would become directional. For example, the Ridgeline trail would allow bikers to go downhill and hikers uphill.

• 5.2 miles of trails would be closed based on low usage, poor condition and other factors.

• Some trails would be added. That includes the “Continental Divide” area, 717 acres acquired in 2021 that would house some horse/hike-only trails.

• Some existing trails would be refurbished.

“You’re going to have individuals who are upset with one change or another,” says Sara Landry, executive director of the nonprofit Friends of DuPont Forest. “Maybe their favorite trail is closing or whatnot. But I think that the feedback that we’re getting is, ‘Yeah, that’s pretty fair and balanced. And more importantly, it protects the forest.’” McDonald agrees.

One trail recommended for closure is Sandy Trail. “It’s one of my favorite trails in the forest, but I understand why it needs to be closed,” McDonald says. “Whenever there is high water in Grassy Creek, it floods out the trail, erodes it out. Whenever it rains, we have silt and sand washing into the river. It’s damaging the environment and it’s killing the trout.”

Tyler Donaldson of Mars Hill has mountain biked at DuPont for more than a decade. As a board member of the Pisgah Area SORBA, a mountain biking advocacy group, he attended some of the public input sessions for the master plan and sees the benefits of designating some of the trails for specific uses.

“I think that does cut down user conflict and people being scared, horses being scared, things like that,” he says. “So if that’s what they end up doing in the end, I think that that could be a good thing. Do I want to see anybody lose access to trails? Not at all. But I’m open-minded to the fact that there is conflict, and so I would rather it be a situation where people can recreate the way they want without having to worry about interrupting someone’s good times.”

TIMING, FUNDING

So when can DuPont users expect to see the changes?

Some of them, such as shutting down little-used trails like Nook’s Trail, would be relatively easy to implement, McDonald says. Forest officials would simply take down the trail sign and remove the path from maps. But the more ambitious plans will take more time. Building out the “Continental Divide” area, for instance, would involve putting in new trails and parking lots.

“[The proposals] range from things that we can implement today to things that will take a five- to 10-year sort of time frame,” she explains.

UNDER REPAIR: Volunteers from the Friends of DuPont Forest work with DuPont State Recreational Forest staff to install rock anchoring to a section of eroded trail. Photo courtesy of DuPont State Recreational Forest

Directional and designated-use changes will not take place until 2025 at the earliest.

Funding will be another challenge. The $550,000 of remaining state money from the 2021 legislation will not be nearly enough to make all the proposed changes, McDonald says.

Friends of DuPont Forest will play a key role in raising money, and the group is already looking into what grants might be available to pay for new trails.

“We’ll be talking with our members about fundraising campaigns,” Landry says. “We know we’re going to need to be a strong partner in that and match the state if we’re going to get these projects done. And we’ll be leaning on the [Henderson and Polk county] TDAs,” referring to tourism development authorities.

McDonald says officials will have to prioritize the recommendations, putting safety and protecting the forest first. Ultimately, that could mean some projects getting pushed back because of a lack of funding.

Eventually, though, the changes will dramatically transform the site, which came into existence through the group of volunteers, conservation groups and elected officials who were determined to conserve the DuPont land in the 1990s.

“It’s such an inspiring story how it all came to be, but there wasn’t necessarily a plan,” Landry says. “It was, ‘We’ve got to save this forest.’ And then it was kind of figuring it out as it went along. We can be a lot more strategic about it and address how people actually use the forest.” X

Stormy erosion

BY GREG PARLIER

When it rains on the campus of A-B Tech, stormwater pours off its plethora of parking lots into the neighborhoods, forest and French Broad River below, taking pollutants with it.

If you’ve ever been on A-B Tech’s campus, it’s hard not to notice the parking lots. They surround the campus. Some of them seldom get used, instead acting as vacant funnels sending water toward the river at a breakneck speed not possible on unpaved land.

“All of that impervious surface doesn’t allow rainwater to soak into the ground. Instead, it gets sent into storm drains, which then get piped directly into the nearest stream — in this case, Haith Branch — and then the French Broad River,” says Renee Fortner, watershed resources manager for the environmental group RiverLink. ”That large volume of stormwater causes multiple issues for our waterways, including just the sheer volume of water itself. It causes stream bank erosion; it can make flooding worse. And you can just imagine the pollutants that the water is picking up along the way as it moves across those parking lots and roads,“ Fortner says.

Now, the community college, which sits at the headwaters of one of three primary tributaries in the Central Asheville Watershed, is working to reduce the volume of rainwater that flows from its campus.

Dirk Wilmoth, chief financial officer of A-B Tech, says construction could begin next month to restore Haith Branch — a tributary of the French Broad River that runs through campus — and create a stormwater wetland in one of the college’s many parking lots.

Stormwater management was not on anyone’s mind as the campus began building on its Victoria Road site in the 1960s, Wilmoth says.

“We have a lot of parking lots and a lot of buildings. And so back when many of them were built, there wasn’t a concern about where the stormwater would go other than just dumping it off campus,” he acknowledges.

Off campus, it turns out, included residences in the adjacent Oakland Road neighborhood, leaving some complaining about flooded backyards and basements after heavy storms.

While the issues in that neighborhood have been corrected through smaller projects, the college is drafting a stormwater master plan to comprehensively address the stormwater that inevitably runs off its many buildings and parking lots. It is partnering with RiverLink, which is helping A-B Tech restore Haith Branch and design mitigation features that divert water from the forest and river below.

Design and construction are funded partially by the college’s capital projects budget and grants from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the N.C. Land and Water Fund and the Community Foundation of WNC’s Pigeon River

Fund. Collectively, the project costs about $850,000, Fortner says.

“We’ve tried to take a better, more sensitive approach to what is happening to the water when it leaves the campus both in terms of its impact environmentally as well as socially,” Wilmoth says.

HAITH BRANCH

For RiverLink, this work goes back to its 2019 watershed restoration plan for the central Asheville watershed, which includes three tributaries — Town Branch, which flows off Beaucatcher Mountain and picks

WASHED OUT: Stormwater runoff from rooftops and parking lots on the campus of A-B Tech has created a large gully in the forest below. Photo courtesy of RiverLink

up runoff from most of downtown and the Southside neighborhood; Bacoate Branch, which flows south from Aston Park; and Haith Branch off the campus of A-B Tech.

RiverLink studied the watershed for a year, and despite the then-unnamed Haith Branch being the cleanest of the three tributaries, it had its own issues that could be traced directly to A-B Tech’s impervious surfaces.

“We saw that there were a lot of parking lots on their campus that didn’t have any stormwater treatment at all. And that’s because the parking lots were constructed prior to the City of Asheville having any kind of a stormwater ordinance that requires post-construction stormwater control measures. So we saw an opportunity there,” says Fortner.

Fortner found that much of the campus’s runoff was piped into a forested area on the west side of the campus, wreaking havoc on the forest floor.

“All of the water and the erosive force behind that water, had over many years created this big gully that just cuts through the forest. It enters that small stream that’s now called Haith Branch. And then all of that sediment has been going from there into the French Broad River,” she notes.

Before A-B Tech’s runoff enters Haith Branch in the forest, it is the cleanest of central Asheville’s three tributaries. Below that point is a different story, Fortner says.

The gully and streambank erosion along Haith Branch contributes 311 tons of sediment a year to the French Broad River, she says.

After RiverLink completes its project, that will be reduced to zero, according to an engineer’s estimate, Fortner adds.

STORMWATER WETLAND

In one of those seldom-used parking lots, RiverLink is working with A-B Tech to replace the asphalt with a “regenerative stormwater conveyance,” more commonly referred to as a stormwater wetland.

All water coming from parking lots and buildings above the site will now drain into a three-tiered stormwater wetland where it will soak into the ground, reducing the amount of runoff coming from the campus.

That — simply reducing the amount of runoff — will have the largest positive effect on the stream and river below, Fortner says.

Plus, engineers will add trails around the wetland, creating what Fortner says will be a beautiful amenity for the campus.

Additionally, rain gardens with plants to help encourage water to soak into the ground will be added on the green parking lot islands between spaces, complete with picnic tables for students to enjoy, according to the project plans.

The green infrastructure of plants and soils is much more effective at reducing stormwater issues than the gray infrastructure of pipes and drains that the campus and many cities used in the past, Fortner adds.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

RiverLink will also work to clean up the gully in the forest and restore Haith Branch in the forest below, and students at A-B Tech will pitch in to help document the impact all the work has on the campus’s creek.

While instructor Helen Burrell and her biology students have been testing Haith Branch’s water quality for 10 years, this year she will lead more formalized sampling above and below the restoration site, Burrell says.

“This will allow us to get a picture of the fauna before the stormwater wetland installation work occurs, and in subsequent years we will sample the same location to see if there are any changes in fauna due to the action of the stormwater wetland,” she says.

Burrell is excited about being able to incorporate sampling at a realworld stream restoration site to show her students how their field collections can contribute to the body of knowledge for the project’s overall success.

“Often my students’ primary experience with water quality is hearing about the swim guide alerts for the French Broad during the summer. While this stormwater project is focused primarily on sediment reduction, it will raise students’ awareness of other water quality issues and allow them to feel connected to making a difference to the water quality of the French Broad watershed,” she says. X

Reduce rain runoff

Stormwater runoff is the No. 1 threat to the health of the French Broad River, causing increasing flooding events, erosion, sedimentation and pollution in the river and its tributaries, says Renee Fortner, watershed resources manager at RiverLink.

“To improve the water quality in the French Broad … it’s going to take more than just A-B Tech,” she says.

That’s why the environmental nonprofit is in the midst of a campaign to help residents reduce stormwater runoff from their homes and businesses with its Reduce Rain Runoff campaign in the eight counties of the French Broad watershed — Transylvania, Henderson, Buncombe, Madison, Haywood, Yancey, Avery and Mitchell.

The campaign encourages and instructs residents on how to install

more green infrastructure like rain gardens, rain barrels, swales, trees, green roofs and permeable paving at their homes to reduce their footprint.

RiverLink is funding the campaign with support from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Duke Energy Foundation, McClure Foundation and Land of Sky Regional Council, according to its website. Buncombe County is also contributing a $25,000 grant to the effort next fiscal year through its Clean Water Fund.

“It’s incredibly important; if we’re going to protect the French Broad River and protect water quality in our urban streams, we’ve got to do a better job of managing our stormwater runoff,” Fortner says.

Learn more about RiverLink's reduce rain runoff campaign at avl.mx/dqi.

Black Mountain to clean a creek along the golf course

There’s not often overlap between the worlds of golf and improving water quality. Establishing and maintaining large expanses of fertilized grass usually runs counter to stream restoration, but a new project in Black Mountain could do both.

In the Fairway Drive Project, the Town of Black Mountain will use a $75,000 grant from Buncombe County’s Clean Water Fund next fiscal year to clean up Tomahawk Branch, a tributary of the Swannanoa River, on the Black Mountain Municipal Golf Course.

The project will fix a blocked ditch near the intersection of Fairway Drive, Tomahawk Avenue and Hiwassee Avenue. During rain events, the ditch tends to overflow, resulting in flooding and erosion issues on both the golf course and Tomahawk Avenue, according to town documents.

The town will install a diversion pipe, rework the existing ditch and rehabilitate stormwater management features to allow more water to soak

in the ground on the golf course and improve water flow in Tomahawk Branch, says Anne Phillip, a stormwater technician for the town.

The project is one of several outlined in the town’s 2022 stormwater master plan, which guides how the town should use the $350,000 it collects from residents in a stormwater utility fee. The fee primarily helps the town fulfill the requirements of its N.C. Department of Environmental Quality stormwater permit, but also funds other improvement projects such as the Fairway Drive project.

“The town is identifying all these small projects to improve water quality by either reducing sediment or allowing infiltration to get rid of the pollutants that stormwater can carry before it enters an adjacent water body. And by doing these small projects throughout town, we’re going to have a larger cumulative effect,” Phillip says.

The project is slated to be completed by June 2025. X

County manager recommends tax hike to balance 2024-25 budget

Buncombe County wants to increase spending by 1% next fiscal year, but to do so, the Board of Commissioners will have to raise taxes.

County Manager Avril Pinder’s proposed $441.9 million general fund budget, which still has to go through a public hearing and final vote next month, includes a 2.55-cent property tax rate increase next fiscal year. If passed, the new rate — 52.35 cents per $100 of value — would mean the owner of a home valued at $400,000 will pay $2,094 in taxes to the county, $102 more than last year. (Owners of property located in municipalities or various other special districts such as fire districts or Asheville City Schools will pay more.)

The $5.1 million spending increase includes a $4 million bump for the county’s largest expenditure, education. About $117.2 million will be split between Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools. A-B Tech is slated to receive $8.4 million.

The increase submitted for schools pales compared with what BCS and ACS requested from the county at a work session May 9. In their proposals, BCS and ACS asked for $17.3 million more.

Instead, the county capped the education allocation to the revenue growth rate — 3.52% this year — based on rising sales and property values; a practice in place since 2019, according to county Budget Director John Hudson. That’s atop the two-year increase to schools provided last year. Pinder included a 75-cent tax rate increase to cover it.

“At this point, if you’re going to give additional increases for the schools, you will need to have to cover that because we’ve been covering well above the revenue growth rate in the last five years,” Pinder said.

The proposed budget includes 30 new positions over the course of the year, including 13 in public safety, eight of them paramedics once new EMS bases open.

If approved, the proposed budget also includes a 4.89% cost-of-living raise for all county employees.

On the revenue side, the county faces a $5 million decrease from intergovernmental sources this year, partly because the state erred in calculating how much counties would recoup from the Medicaid rollout, Hudson said. Instead of getting 75 cents from insur-

ance companies for every dollar spent, Buncombe was able to recoup closer to 50 cents for every dollar, he noted.

Pinder’s budget uses $11.8 million from the county’s reserves, down from the more than $18 million she used to balance last year’s budget. In the May 9 work session, Hudson said the county should use no more than $12 million from reserves to maintain a healthy fund balance.

If passed as proposed, the 52.35cent tax rate would be the highest in Buncombe County since 2021, the year before property reassessments boosted tax revenues. That prompted commissioners to lower the rate by more than 4 cents, essentially keeping revenue neutral, according to county records.

A public hearing on the budget will be at the Tuesday, June 4, commission meeting, and it is scheduled for adoption Tuesday, June 18.

Short-term rental changes on hold

After three-plus months debating rule changes that would at least partially ban new short-term rentals from unincorporated Buncombe County, the Planning Board voted to

table a decision on the changes at a meeting April 23.

Planning Board Chair Nancy Waldrop told commissioners May 21 that there was too much misinformation circulating in the public for the board to make an evenhanded decision on the matter while questions and reservations “remained unresolved.”

“There is no intention on the part of the Planning Board to forget about STRs. We do feel very strongly some regulations need to be enacted,” she said. “Whatever we do going forward, we also strongly feel that to be successful in gaining public confidence and acceptance of any action on short-term rentals, we will need a group effort, which includes interested community stakeholders sitting at the table and the ability to enforce whatever ordinances are adopted.”

Waldrop recommended the county establish a steering committee of

between five and 10 stakeholders to discuss regulations in more detail.

Board of Commissioners Chair Brownie Newman wanted to make sure any committee included an advocate from the affordable housing sector, not just those in real estate.

“We have a housing crisis in our community. Who’s going to represent that concern?” Newman asked.

Commissioners Terri Wells and Parker Sloan questioned whether the Planning Board or Board of Commissioners would be responsible for putting together a steering committee or task force, as Commissioner Amanda Edwards called it.

Newman said that since no recommendation on the short-term rentals came from the Planning Board, it should continue leading the work, taking input from commissioners along the way.

“Let’s not get too many cooks in the kitchen. I think the Planning Board has done an excellent job, and you all can take this, and then bring it back to us when you’re ready,” added Commissioner Al Whitesides.

Commissioners approve new trash contract

Starting Jan. 1, a new company will be picking up trash from residents in Buncombe County. Commissioners voted 6-0 to approve a seven-year contract with FCC Environmental Services to replace WastePro as the county’s solid waste hauler.

The change means next year’s price for the service will increase by more than $3 a month for residents.

Residents will pay $28.65 a month in 2025. They currently pay $25.16 to WastePro. Monthly rates will remain the same in 2026 before rising by more than a dollar annually after that, depending on the consumer price index.

The new contract includes more accountability measures, with steep penalties if FCC doesn’t meet its responsibilities in the contract. The agreement allows for a one-year extension before a new contract is negotiated. FCC’s transition plan is due to the county Monday, July 1.

— Greg Parlier

X

FISCAL AGENT: Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder presented her 2024-25 budget to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners May 21, complete with a 2.55-cent property tax rate increase. Photo by Caleb Johnson

Wet spring sprouts mold in all the wrong places GARDENING WITH

BY CHLOE LIEBERMAN

What a wet one it’s been! As you scurry between raindrops to tend your garden, don’t forget to send questions to me at gardening@mountainx.com.

HOW TO COMBAT ROT AND MOLD

It’s been so wet; I’m worried about rot and mold. What can I do to prevent and treat them?

Living as we do in a temperate rainforest, it means that we deal with lots of fungal pathogens (rots, molds, rusts, wilts) in the garden and in our lives in general. When I began gardening here, I noticed this, got discouraged and then got really into mushroom cultivation. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! While I still enjoy cultivating mushrooms, I’ve learned to adapt to our warm, wet conditions and the welcome that offers to many kinds of mushrooms and molds, including pathogenic fungi in the garden. The first thing to consider with any pest or disease in the garden is the quality of your soil and growing conditions. Plants that have what they need (soil nutrients; enough water, but not too much; enough sunshine; airflow; proper temperature) are much less susceptible to infection, even when pathogens are present. They’re a lot like us in this way. If a dozen people go to a party where one person has a cold, not all 12 healthy people will come down with the cold. Those with weakened immune systems are more likely to contract the cold, just as plants with weakened defense systems are more likely to contract diseases.

UN-FUN FUNGUS: This cucumber is losing the fight against a fungal disease, a common wet-weather problem. Photo courtesy of the University of Maryland Extension

In terms of fungal pathogens, airflow and sunlight are especially important factors. When you plant too tightly, the warm, wet air between plants doesn’t move much, creating the perfect conditions for fungi to flourish. Similarly, if you already have a partially shaded garden and then we get a week of cloudy, rainy weather, the disinfecting power of the sun’s ultraviolet rays don’t have a chance to ward off issues. So, plant with some space between plants, utilize trellising so that plants are up off the ground, prune when appropriate

(especially tomatoes) and grow your garden in the sunniest spot possible. The second thing to do is choose varieties that are suited to your growing conditions. Here, that means varieties of crops that are resistant to fungal pathogens like downy mildew, late blight, powdery mildew, botrytis, fusarium wilt and others. A great way to figure out what varieties grow well here is to talk to commercial growers at tailgate markets and to other gardeners in your neighborhood. Some disease-resistant varieties that I especially like are the DMR basil

series from Johnny’s Selected Seeds and a tomato variety called West Virginia 63, which is available from various sources and is significantly resistant to late blight.

Third, practicing good hygiene in the garden and with your hands and tools can prevent and/or slow the spread of all pathogens, fungal and otherwise. This means keeping things tidy, removing diseased leaves or whole plants when you notice them (depending on the issue), clearing around the edge of the garden, and washing your hands and your tools

Spring Hours: Mon-Sat 9am - 6pm Sun 11am-4pm Bring in this ad for 20% off all annuals!

after touching each kind of crop if it’s susceptible to fungal diseases or is clearly infected. Many fungal pathogens overwinter in debris like mulch. In general, I’m a big proponent of mulching with organic material like straw or dry leaves, but if you’re struggling with diseases, it can help a lot to clear things away for a while to allow sunlight and airflow in.

Finally, there are some organic products that can help with both prevention and treatment of fungal pathogens. Regalia ASO is a biofungicide that’s made from an extract of giant knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis). It strengthens plants’ natural defense systems and helps prevent a whole host of fungal issues, such as powdery mildew, fusarium, botrytis, downy mildew, early blight, brown rot, stem rot, fireblight and more. Serenade ASO is another biofungicide — this one based on a soil bacterium — that also increases plants’ defense systems and can kill some fungal and bacterial pathogens. Copper sulfate-based products can be effective at controlling blights.

Before treating any disease, it’s important to properly diagnose it. If your plants are simply suffering from a nutrient deficiency, over- or under-watering, or a lack of sunlight, spraying them obviously won’t help. I find the Arbico Organics website pretty helpful for diagnosing based on symptoms, and it also happens to sell lots of organic products. To really be 100% sure of what you’re dealing with, you can have a tissue sample analyzed by the N.C. State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic, or bring it to our local Cooperative Extension office to get help figuring out what’s going on.

SOME GREENS CAN’T HANDLE WILD WEATHER RIDE

My mesclun mix never got very big and now is making flowers. What did I do wrong?

Growing mesclun in the mountains is just tricky. You probably didn’t do anything wrong, other than try to grow something that’s not exactly suited for our springtime conditions. Mesclun is a mix of tender greens used for salad. The word, and idea, originated in Provence, France, where the mix included lettuces, arugula, chervil and endive. Now various cutting-salad mixes are called

“mesclun,” and they can include other greens such as spinach, chard, radicchio, mustard greens and sorrel. Even though the exact crops and varieties in a mesclun can vary, they are always a blend of tender greens that like cool temperatures.

Mesclun grows best in places with mild climates and minimal temperature fluctuation during the growing season. Our mountains don’t tend to offer these conditions, especially in the springtime. Instead of steadily cool (but not cold) days and nights, our springs usually fluctuate wildly from up into the high 70s to down below freezing and back again. Some varieties of tender greens can handle this, like lettuce, chard, and sorrel, but not mustards and arugulas. Both of these plants are in the Brassicaceae family (also known as “cole crops” or “cruciferous vegetables,” accompanied by kale, broccoli, cabbage, etc.), and are especially sensitive to highs and lows, which stresses out their systems. As a result, they do what any wise living being might do in an emergency: try to make seeds before they die in the chaos.

Sometimes, if the spring is gentler, we can get decent crops of mesclun here. Other times, and especially if the plants also contend with water, nutrient or sunlight stress (getting too much or too little of any of these other essential things), they just can’t handle the wild ride. Fall is a much better time to grow mesclun here. If you want to try again, sow seeds in late summer (August or September) so that most of their growing life can happen after it’s cooled off.

Instead of doing a mesclun mix, I like to grow different greens separately, then mix them together in my salad bowl. Lettuces tend to handle our weather better, especially those that are adapted to deal with some heat. Arugula is hit or miss, but very tasty, and you can eat the flowers if it does bolt. Austrian winter peas are one of my favorite winter cover crops, and they provide tender pea shoots in the spring. Parsley, dill and cilantro are all delicious in salads. Even wild greens like oxeye daisies, hemlock tips, chickweed, dandelions and violets can add flavor, nutrients and interest to a salad mix. It makes sense that Appalachian mesclun would be a bit different than mesclun from Provence! X

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

MAY 29 - JUNE 6, 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

 More info, page 31

 More info, page 32-33

WELLNESS

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 (5/29), 10am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

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 (5/29), 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 (5/29, 6/5), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Tai Chi for Balance

A gentle Tai Chi

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

WE (5/29, 6/5), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Invision Diagnostics

Mammogram Bus

Schedule an appointment that can help detect early stage breast cancer in women and potentially save lives. Invision will process everything through your insurance company, so there is no cost to you. However there is a self-pay cost.

TH (5/30), 9am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Tai Chi for Beginners

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

TH (5/30, 6/6), MO (6/3), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Nia Dance Fitness

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

TH (5/30, 6/6), 9:30am, TU (6/4), 19:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Weekly Zumba Classes

Free in-person Zumba classes. No registration required.

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

Qigong for Health

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

FR (5/31), TU (6/4), 9am, SA (6/1), 11am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

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 (6/1), 9:30am, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

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 (6/1), SU (6/2), 11am, 220 Amboy Rd

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

SU (6/2), 10am, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain 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. No need to pre-register, but bring a mat.

SU (6/2), 10:30am, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd

WNC FLYER: Celebrate the communal spirit of cycling during Blue Ridge Bicycle Club’s 20th annual WNC Flyer on Sunday, June 2, hosted at Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard. The event, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the club, gets underway at 8 a.m. After the ride, participants can enjoy local bluegrass music, barbecue and a complimentary brew. Photo courtesy of IDaph

SUPPORT GROUPS

Asheville Women’s Breathwork Circle

A transformative and empowering women’s circle where the power of our breath meets the strength and healing of sisterhood.

WE (5/29), 6pm, WellSpring Wellness Center, 960 Tunnel Rd

Magnetic Minds: Depression & Bipolar Support Group

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

SA (6/1), 2pm, 1316 Ste C Parkwood Rd

Wild Souls Authentic Movement

An expressive movement class designed to help you get unstuck, enjoy cardio movement, boost immune health, dissolve anxiety and celebrate community.

SU (6/2), 9:30am, Dunn’s Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee 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 (6/4), 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.

DAY (5/), 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 (6/4), 6pm, Urban Orchard Cider Co. South Slope, 24 Buxton Ave

Swing Dance W/Drayton & The Dreamboats

Come dance to the swinging sounds of Darayton and his Dream Boats. Lessons start at 7pm with a dance party following.

WE (6/5), 8pm, Fleetwood’s, 496 Haywood Rd

ART

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 deterioration and the 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

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 kwy 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

Resonance

An art exhibition that harmoniously 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

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

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. Exhibition through May 31. Flood Gallery Fine Art Center, 850 Blue Ridge Rd, Black Mountain

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

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 WNC Bonfire Studio Paint a larger than life little pot of cacti and succulents. Skill level

would be considered Moderate/intro skill level and Bonfire brings all the supplies and handles the clean-up.

TH (5/30), 6:30pm, Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room, 829 Riverside Dr 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

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

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

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

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

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Dans Un Bois Solitaire: Songs By Mozart, Schubert, Faure, Debussy & Ravel

A unique night of music with Anna Reinhold, mezzo-soprano and Jory Vinikour on piano. You can expect music from Mozart, Schubert, Faure, Debussy and Ravel. WE (5/29), 7:30pm, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place Americana Concert Series: Alice Wallace Band A Nashville-based singer-songwriter that uses an intoxicating array of vocal styles to bring her songs to life TH (5/30), 6:30pm, Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon

Concert Series on the Creek: Southern Vantage Free concert series for the community with Southern Vantage providing classic rock and country hits this week. These events are free with donations encouraged. Everyone is welcome. There will be food trucks available on most nights.

FR (5/31), 7pm, Bridge Park Gazebo, 76 Railroad Ave, Sylva

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. From choral anthems to contemporary pop tunes, there’s something for everyone.

SA (6/1), 3pm, Unitarian Universalist

Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place

Sunday Live: Steve Lapointe

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

SU (6/2), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Asheville Baroque Concerts: Gems of the Obscure

A program of beautiful solos and duos featuring works by Carolus Hacquart, August and Johann Michael Kühnel, and more.

SU (6/2), 3pm, St Giles Chapel at Deerfield ERC, 1617 Hendersonville Rd

Mark's House Jam & Sunday Potluck

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

SU (6/2), 3pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr

Emerald Empire

Asheville Showcase

This showcases offer the opportunity to meet your producer, who can answer any questions you may have about booking a band. You can experience a rehearsal and preview a variety of musical styles to help you find the perfect fit for your event.

SU (6/2), 7pm, One World Brewing W, 520 Haywood Rd

Atlanta Boy Choir

The Atlanta Boy Choir presents a concert with violin, cello, flute, oboe, and organ. Free and open to the public.

TU (6/4), 6:30pm, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 10 N Liberty St

Music to Your Ears

Discussion Series:

Stephen L Goldman & Bill Kopp

Bill Kopp & Stephen L Goldman play tunes from the album Spinal Tap and share in open audience discussion about the influence of the movie and music on popular culture.

WE (6/5), 7pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr

Lenny Pettinelli

Live music with local pianist, keyboardist, vocalist, and producer well versed in jazz, rock, funk, reggae, folk, electronic, and R&B.

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

Wings & Strings: Band of the Sky

This music series at at the Sweeten Creek location will feature local bluegrass-style bands every week. See p31

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

David LaMotte w/ Bruce Reyes-Chow

Author, speaker and songwriter David LaMotte will be in conversation with Bruce Reyes-Chow. TH (6/6), 7:30pm, Citizen Vinyl, 14 O'Henry Ave

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

Tax Planning for Your Small Business

This workshop will teach you ways to eliminate unwelcome surprises by knowing what your tax bill is likely to be and help you identify ways to create a budget ahead of time.

WE (5/29), 1pm, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Access to Capital

Learn why businesses borrow money, what lenders are looking for when reviewing your application, and the importance of having cash flow projections. Register at avl.mx/dq7.

TH (5/30), noon, Online

Wills & Powers of Attorney W/Legal Aid of North Carolina

Learn what heir property is and how having it can affect your property rights.Individua and one-on-one appointments with an attorney are available, where you’ll have the opportunity to discuss your property issues or estate planning needs.

WE (5/30), 2pm, Black Mountain Library, 105 N Dougherty St

Emotional Resolution

Learn how you can reveal your true nature by releasing attachment to old sensory predictions and thus release

suffering caused by the illusions of outdated predictions.

WE (5/30), 6:30pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd

Permanent Jewelry w/ Honey Koshka

Learn to create custom fit jewelry that’s micro-welded to create a seamless flow. Personalize yours with charms, initials, and gemstones.

FR (5/31), 4:30pm, Ignite Jewelry Studios, 191 Lyman St

Monoprinting w/ Flowers

Participants will use florals to create botanical-themed artwork on paper and fabric, including a canvas garden tote. This workshop is for all levels of experience.

SA (6/1), 10am, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St

Polyvagal Sangha

In this monthly exploration, you will learn to develop practical tools to heighten awareness of how you experience, embody, and express yourself in the world.

MO (6/3), 7pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd

LITERARY

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 (5/29), TH (5/30), FR (5/31), 4pm, House of Black Cat Magic Co., 841 Haywood Rd

A Deeper South: The Beauty, Mystery & Sorrow of the Southern Road

A Deeper South is about Candler's quest to see and understand the South fully and

what makes it distinct from and emblematic of the nation it is a part of.

WE (5/29), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

My Child is Trans, Now What?

Author Ben Greene offers a compassionate guide to creating a joyful life for transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive youth.

FR (5/31), 6pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Juniper Bends Reading Series: Secret Life of Plants

A night of poetry and music celebrating springtime and nature with poets, Aliah Lavonne Tigh, NitaJade, Chelsea Lynn LaBate, and Shae Savoy, plus Ryan Glass on piano.

FR (5/31), 7pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

Poetry Critique Night

Everyone is welcome to share a few poems or just sit back and listen. Signups to share will open 15 minutes prior to the start.

TU (6/4), 6pm, Black Mountain Library, Black Mountain

From Where We Are: Book Tour

A reading by queer author Nicole Zelniker from her newest novel, From Where We Are. TH (6/6), 6pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

THEATER & FILM

Carnivale Macabre: Thunderdome

A dystopian variety show featuring Drag, comedy, Burlesque, magic, games and prizes, and specialty freak show acts paired with live music.

TH (5/30), 8pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Richard II

The second play in the Muse of Fire: Shakespeare’s Wars of the Roses Season. It will depict King Richard II’s rule in England.

See p32

FR (5/31), SA(6/1), SU (6/3), 7:30pm, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay 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 (5/31), SA (6/1), 7:30pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville

How the American Homefront First Saw D-Day

Greg Wilsbacher, Ph.D., a University of South Carolina faculty librarian will present a muti-media program, How the American Homefront First Saw D-Day

WE (6/5), 2pm, Transylvania County Library, 212 S. Gaston St, Brevard

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 (5/29), FR (5/31), 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 (5/29), noon, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

Innerdance: Altered States of Consciousness w/Soundscapes & Energy Work

A music-based, meditative and healing journey. It involves the use of special soundscapes that mimic circadian rhythms and enable people to move effortlessly between different brain wave states.

WE (5/29), 6pm, 155 Horse Shoe Farm Dr, Hendersonville Chen Style Tai Chi

The original style of Tai Chi known for its continual spiraling movements and great health benefits. First class is free so you can see if you feel like it is a good fit for you.

TH (5/30, 6/6), MO (6/3), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Meet the Builder Matt Keen and Al Martino of Buchanan Construction will answer your questions and offer insights into the custom home-building process.

FR (5/31), 2pm, The Village of Cheshire, 10 Cheshire Dr, Black Mountain

Ask a Native Plant Aficionado: Town Hardware 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.

FR (5/31), 3pm, Town Hardware & General Store, 103 W State St, Black Mountain Farm Tour & Cut Your Own Bouquet

Enjoy tours of the beautiful farm and colorful flower fields. Learn a bit about our specialty flowers and sustainable growing methods.

FR (5/31), 6pm, Bloom WNC Flower Farm, 806 North Fork Rd, Black Mountain

Patton Mountain House Hike

Explore the remnants of the Patton Mountain House within the secluded Asheville Watershed, offering a unique journey into history.

SA (6/1), 8:30am, Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Pkwy

NC Black Alliance Brunch & Ballots

This event will focus on how we can build healthy communities together through our elections. Learn about current health equity issues impacting Asheville and get connected to resources.

SA (6/1), 11am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave, WNC Votes Nonpartisan Canvass Event

Every WNC Votes canvass includes a thorough training and practice time, and canvassers work in teams of two. First-timers are always welcome.

SA (6/1), 11:30am, Ferguson Family YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Place, Candler

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 (6/2), 2pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

Monthly Companion Orientation

Learn about our worship services, our medical respite facility, and our bi-weekly restaurant style meals and how you can get involved.

MO (6/3), 5pm, Haywood Street Congregation, 297 Haywood St Black Men Monday Featuring a local group that has stepped up in the community to advocate and mentor students through academic intervention. Kids, ages 7 and up, are welcome to join.

MO (6/3), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Pickin' In The Park

Experience the rich musical heritage of Asheville as talented musicians share their stories and songs. See p32-33

MO (6/3), 6pm, Pritchard Park, 4 College St

Salamanders of Western NC

Enjoy a presentation by naturalist and educator, Tim Lee, and learn

EATS & DRINKS

about the salamanders of Western North Carolina. The presentation will be highlighting the many species found in the area.

MO (6/3), 6pm, Transylvania County Library, 212 S. Gaston St, Brevard

Beneficial Pollinators

Learn about pollinating insects and how to attract them to your yard. Pollinating insects such as native bees, wasps, beetles and flies are critical to native plant reproduction and to our food supply.

TU (6/4), 10am, Edneyville Library, 2 Firehouse Rd, Hendersonville

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 (6/4), 11am, The Well, 3 Louisiana

Emerging Small Business Networking Event w/Focus on Leadership

A ESBN's Networking Opportunity featuring a hot topic and a monthly guest speaker. For May, Lueann Coleman will be the keynote speaker.

TU (6/4), 11:30am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Kung Fu: Baguazhang

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

TU (6/4), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, ste 109

Baby Shower for All Expecting Parents

A community baby shower with food, fun, games, prizes and a lot of community resources for expecting parents.

TU (6/4), 4pm, free, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave, Asheville

Hoop & Flow Arts Jam

Whether you're a seasoned hooper or a beginner, this vibrant event invites everyone to dance, spin, and groove to the music in a welcoming and energetic atmosphere.

See p32-33

TU (6/4), 5:30pm, Pritchard Park, 4 College St

In Conversation With Change: An Evening w/Brad Stulberg

This facilitated event will equip you with the skills to navigate, grow from, and shape change—personally, professionally, and in your spiritual communities. Register at avl.mx/dqh.

TU (6/4), 7pm, Online Healthcare Across the Lifespan: A Look at Mitchell Counties

SEARCH  offers an opportunity for the community to come

together around the subject of healthcare and to make progress towards a system that benefits everyone.

TU (6/4), 8:30pm, Cross Street Commerce Center, 31 Cross St, Spruce Pine Pintemos, Comamos, Hablemos Sobre El Consentimiento & Limites Personales Exploraremos juntos el importante tema del consentimiento y los limites personales mientras pintamos y disfrutamos de exquisitos bocados.

WE (6/5), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Av

Why Should Environmentalists

Support Building More Housing?

We know that healthy communities exist within the context of a healthy environment and right now, both are threatened. WNC Sierra Club will discuss how to confront both at once.

WE (6/5), 7pm, Reuter Center, OLLI

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 (6/6), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Sectionalism & Suffrage: North Carolina’s 1835 Constitutional Convention A history hour featuring North Carolina’s 1835 constitutional convention that epitomize the complex history of the antebellum South. Register at avl.mx/pry6. TH (6/6), 6pm, Online WNC, Past & Present: Art and Education at Black Mountain College

Discover how Black Mouintain College’s rich heritage stems from an educational philosophy that places the arts squarely at the core of a liberal arts curriculum.

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

Relational Mindfulness w/Deborah Eden Tull

Relational Mindfulness is about healing the myth of separation. It teaches 9 timeless principles for awakening through the beautiful, dynamic, and complex field of human relationship.

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

GAMES CLUBS

Scattergories Challenge Night Test your skills in this classic fast-thinking

word game. Prizes will be awarded to the top-3 scoring players.

WE (5/29), 5:30pm, Beradu, 2 E Market St, Black Mountain

Music Bingo Thursdays

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

TH (5/30, 6/6), 6:30pm, Lookout Brewing Co. 103 S Ridgeway Ave, Ste 1

Weekly Sunday

Scrabble

Weekly scrabble play where you’ll be paired with players of your skill level. All scrabble gear provided.

SU (6/2), 1:30pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washinton Carver Ave

Downtown Asheville

Treasure Hunt

Use your treasure map to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes on this unique walking scavenger hunt through Downtown Asheville.

SU (6/2), 2pm, Dssolvr, 63 N Lexington Ave

Tarot Club

Each month we will study new ways to work with the cards while engaging in personal journey work.

DAY (5/), 7pm, The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave

KID-FRIENDLY PROGRAMS

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 (5/30, 6/6), MO (6/3), TU (6/4), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave

Kids Night Out

Leave the kids behind to enjoy goofy games, crafts, and science projects. Advance registration is required. FR (5/31), 6pm, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St

Pollinator Days

Stop by the garden center with the whole family for plant shopping galore, plus kid-activities, butterfly releases, snacks, samples, demos, talks, and food trucks. This event is free and all are welcome.

SA (6/1), 8am, BB Barns, 3377 Sweeten Creek Rd

Kid Hop Hooray: Meet the Animals

This event invites kids to meet animals with Appalachian Wild’s Wild Animal Rescue while enjoying music from DJ Oso, bounce-house inflatable and more activities.

SA (6/1), 10:30am, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave

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 (6/1), 1:30pm, House of Black Cat Magic, Co., 841 Haywood Rd

What’s Shaking? Music & Dance Party

A live, interactive 60-minute concert for young people and their adults. Shows include Mr. Ryan’s original poems, songs, and a few classic covers.

SA (6/1), 3pm, Sweeten Creek Brewing, 1127 Sweeten Creek Rd

LOCAL MARKETS

Etowah Lions Farmers Market

An array of farm-fresh local produce that features lettuce, collards, kale, mushrooms as well as local artisans, herbal products, plant starts, prepackaged meals and more. Every Wednesday through October.

WE (5/29, 6/5), 3pm, 447 Etowah School Rd, Hendersonville Weaverville Tailgate Market

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

WE (5/29, 6/5), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr Weaverville

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 (5/29, 6/5), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr Enka-Candler Farmer's Market

A grand selection of local foods and crafts, everything from produce to pickles, baked goods to body care, and even educational resources. Every Thursday through Oct. 31.

TH (5/30, 6/6), 3:30pm, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler 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 (5/31), 3pm, 954

Tunnel Rd

Pack Square Artisan Market

Featuring local handcrafted goods in the heart of downtown Asheville. Browse unique products and meet the folks that produce them. Every Friday through Oct. 25.

FR (5/31), 3pm, 1

South Pack Square Park

Saluda Tailgate Farmer's Market

A wonderful community event for kids of all ages featuring local vendors selling produce, meat, eggs, baked good and more. Every Friday through Oct. 18.

FR (5/31), 4pm, Saluda Elementary School, 214 E Main St, Saluda

Green River Community Yard Sale

Find amazing treasures at this annual community yard sale.

SA (6/1), 8am, Tuxedo Park, 1299 Old US Hwy 25, Zirconia

Henderson County Tailgate Market

Featuring Henderson County's finest produce, hand crafts, plant starts, vegetables, Sourwood honey, baked goods, fresh eggs, mushrooms, sausage and more.

Every Saturday through Oct.

SA (6/1), 8am, 100 N King St, Hendersonville

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 (6/1), 8am, 650 Maple St, Hendersonville

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 (6/1), 8am, 3300 University Heights

Asheville City Market

Featuring local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and other artisan products. Every Saturday through December 21.

SA (6/1), 9am, 52 N Market St

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.

SA (6/1), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Mars Hill Farmers & Artisans Market

A producer-only tailgate market located on the 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 (6/1), 10am, College St, Mars Hill

Pop-up Mini Craft Fair

Visitors can shop for a variety of fine craft of different disciplines: bladesmithing, glassblowing, wheel-thrown and hand-built ceramics and more.

SA (6/1), 10am, Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Pkwy

WNC Farmers Market

High quality fruits and vegetables, mountain crafts, jams, jellies, preserves, sourwood honey, and other farm fresh items. Open daily 8am, year-round. 570 Brevard Rd

Junk-O-Rama

A vintage market with clothing vendors, local crafters, antiques and more.

SU (6/2), 11am, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd

Meadow Market

Browse goods and gifts from local makers and artisans with different vendors every week, you’ll find specialty items. Shop for handmade jewelry, housewares, vintage goods, and crafts.

SU (6/2), 1pm, The Meadow at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200 West Asheville Tailgate Market

Featuring an array of goods including fruits, vegetables, baked goods, bread, eggs, cheese, milk, poultry, and fish to locally made specialty items such as natural beauty products, herbal medicine and locally made art and crafts. Every Tuesday through November 26.

TU (6/4), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

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

A.I. Summit: Reaching New Heights w/AI

Featuring panel discussions to educate attendees on how AI

is being used in their social lives, at work in a professional capacity, and by individuals in the education sector.

TH (5/30), 9am, Blue Ridge Community College, Technology Education & Development Center, 180 W Campus Dr, Flat Rock

2nd Annual Old Fort Trails & Trains Festival

There will be a vendor village, fly fishing demonstrations, interactive activities for kids, a Scavenger Hunt, live music and more.

FR (5/31), 10am, SA (6/1), 7am, SU (6/2), Catawba River Rd, Old Fort

Art by the Tracks

Features over 50 artists from the region, as well as face painting and live music.

SA (6/1), 10am, Black Mountain Old Depot, 207 Sutton Ave, Black Mountain

Nerd Pride Fest

This festival celebrates the LGBTQ+ community with food, games, live music, crafts, and more. Support local artists and vendors like The Queer Coop, Crowe Waymaker, Nibbly Onigiri, and Budgie's Bakeshop.

SA (6/1), 10am, The Nerd Dungeon, 505 New Leicester Hwy

17th Annual Mermaid Parade & Festival

Friends, family, and neighbors are welcomed to dress in their finest pirate, mermaid and exotic creature costumes to celebrate this annual event, which features six fun-filled activities including a splash island, arts and crafts markets, live music, seafood cookoff, the parade and an after party.

SA (6/1), 11am, Downtown Marshall

Acid on the River Wine Party

An annual spring wine release by the river with beer, Mean Pies Pizza and local vendors.

SA (6/1), 11:30am, plēb urban winery, 289 Lyman St

Cold Mountain Music Festival

Features top-notch musical talent, local food & drink vendors, family-friendly activities, and more all in one of the most pristine settings imaginable.

SA (6/1), noon, Lake Logan, 25 Wormy Chestnut Ln, Canton

Do Tell: Storytelling & Singing Festival

Featuring Unity singers and musicians: Kat Williams, Elaine Scott, Sara Kohrs and Gaby Michel. Storytellers from far and wide include Donna Marie Todd, Christopher Sims,

Candler Willis, Mary White and Karen-Eve Bayne.

SA (6/1), 2pm, Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd, Mills River

Just Economics Presents: 14th Annual Just Brew It

Celebrate the return of this annual home brewers competition and fundraising event. It features an afternoon of exceptional craft beer, community camaraderie, and support for Just Economics' impactful initiatives.

See p31

SA (6/1), 2pm, Pisgah Brewing Co., 2948 US Hwy 70 W, Black Mountain

Leicester Fest 2024

A spectacular community event filled with hot dogs, popcorn, kids' games, raffle prizes, incredible artists, and more.

SA (6/1), 3:30pm, Leicester Community, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester

Blue Ridge Bicycle Club's 50th Anniversary & 20th Annual WNC Flyer

Celebrate the communal spirit of cycling with the 20th Annual WNC Flyer presented by Hunter Subaru. After the ride, participants  can enjoy local Bluegrass music, savory BBQ, and a com-

plimentary brew. Net proceeds will benefit local cycling-related charities.

SU (6/2), Oskar Blues Brewery, 342 Mountain Industrial Dr, Brevard

Asheville Springfest

Featuring a Family Fun Zone, vendors, shopping, DJ and Emcee, and lots of vegan food. The Family Fun Zone is perfect for children of all ages and includes life sized games, coloring, and more.

SU (6/2), 11am, Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza

AVL Honey Fest w/ Queen Bee & The Honeylovers, Chikomo Marimba, Billy Jonas & Hobey Ford Puppet Show

There will be live music, vendors, food trucks and a chance for guests to sample and purchase both local and international honey. There will also be kid-friendly events  face painting, games, and interactive learning experiences.

SU (6/2), noon, Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr

Women for Women Summer Social

A laid back evening celebrating women's philanthropy for members, newcomers and friends. Sip on refreshing drinks, munch on delectable

snacks, and mingle with empowering women in our community.

TU (6/4), 5pm, Bottle Riot, 37 Paynes Way Bear Closet of Marion's: 6th Annual Summer Bash

Local community organizations will be onsite to discuss the services they offer including health, wellness, employment opportunities, housing, education, mental health and more. There will also be bounce houses, face painting and music by DJ Mitizy.

TH (6/6), 10am, B.E.A.R Closet of Marion, 45 Depot St, Marion

La Vie en Rose': Art & Music Festival

An annual celebration of art and music with free admission to the winery and the Art League Exhibits.

TH (6/6), 6pm, Marked Tree Vineyard, 623 Deep Gap Rd, Flat Rock

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Oakley Community Closet

A cost-free opportunity to shop clothes, shoes, and toys. Donations for Oakley Community Closet accepted at Murphy-Oakley Community Center

THIS MONTH THIS MONTH

throughout the week.

TH (5/30), 6:30pm, Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd

MollyFest 3

This festival is a fundraiser for Vision for Animals Foundation and will feature live music from Two Armadillos, a silent auction and a special beer for the event.

SA (6/1), 2pm, Frog Level Brewery, 56 Commerce St, Waynesville Town & Mountain Realty's: 2nd Annual Spring Fling Fundraiser

This 2nd annual spring fundraiser will feature music by Caromia, Rahm & Friends and Isaac Hadden. There will also be free food, a magician, a bouncy house, face painters, kid's activities, a silent auction and more. Proceeds will benefit Homeward Bound, Beloved and Helpmate.

SU (6/2), 3pm, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave

Random Acts of Flowers Creative Therapy: Floral Arrangement Workshop Improves the emotional health and well-being of individuals in healthcare facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement, and personal moments of kindness.

MO (6/3), 9am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

The S&W’s return and Pritchard Park’s future

Editor’s note: Come August, Xpress will celebrate its 30-year anniversary. As the date nears, we look back on what the city was facing leading up to and during the paper’s launch.

In the May 22, 1994, Sunday edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times, staff writer Paul Johnson reported on the sluggish job growth in the state’s western counties. “As the state creates new jobs at a record pace, most rural Western North Carolina communities continue to lag behind their more urban, prosperous neighbors to the east,” Johnson wrote.

According to a graph featured in that day’s print, the statewide job growth between 1992 and 1993 came in at 3.1%. Meanwhile, WNC stood at 1.1%.

The only two western counties that surpassed the statewide average were Madison and Buncombe — both at 4%.

Meanwhile, the same day’s paper included a photo with the headline: “S&W Building Makes Comeback.”

According to the image’s caption, Walter Ploeger was in the midst of restoring the site “to its former glory for use as a dinner theater and entertainment complex.” According to the caption, a wedding reception was held there the previous Saturday. Finally, the Sunday edition also reported that the Asheville Downtown Association was seeking public input on the future of Pritchard Park, “once the bus transfer station moves to Aston Street next year.” According to the article, “Numerous additions to the park are being considered, everything from a kiosk with tourist information to a structure for live entertainment.”

— Thomas Calder X

Silver tsunami

Report, conference address Buncombe’s aging population

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

jwakeman@mountainx.com

By 2041, it is predicted that adults ages 65 and older will comprise one-quarter of Buncombe County’s population, according to a Community Engagement Needs Assessment report conducted by the Deerfield Charitable Foundation this year.

And Buncombe County is just one drop in the bucket: It is estimated that 2.8 million North Carolina residents will be age 65 or older by 2042, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ All Ages, All Stages NC report published earlier this month.

The mounting needs of the state’s aging population are acknowledged at the highest levels: Last year, Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order to commit North Carolina to becoming an age-friendly state.

More recently, on May 23, the Age-Friendly Summit, a conference dedicated to the needs of the older population in Buncombe County, relaunched following a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I felt like it was time to highlight all the work being done across the county and in North Carolina,” says Billie Breeden, age-friendly coordinator for the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services’ Adult and Aging Services. “People need to know all the wonderful things that aging services providers do on a daily basis to support older adults.”

And come this summer a working group will present 100 recommendations to achieve an age-friendly state.

Yet despite awareness that a “silver tsunami” is coming, experts say there’s still much work to be done.

“We’ve got this increasingly growing population, and we’re not ready,” says Michelle Wooley, Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community director of philanthropy, whose foundation financed the CENA study. “Buncombe County is not ready, North Carolina is not ready, the world is not ready.”

BUNCOMBE’S TOP AGING ISSUES

In the keynote address of the summit, representatives from Deerfield Charitable Foundation shared findings from the CENA report about the most pertinent health and social issues facing adults over 65 in Buncombe County. Holleran Consulting conducted the study between November 2023 and March 2024. (The report is available at avl.mx/dqf.)

The top four issues cited by the CENA report are aging in place and age-friendly community; affordable housing and income; navigation of services and access to care; and chronic disease management and prevention.

“None of these findings surprised anybody — they were all things that we were really aware of,” Wooley says. She says aging services organizations will be able to use the data to gain support for the areas of focus.

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

about outpatient rehabilitation, home

and

Older adults face similar issues statewide: In 2023, the N.C. Institute of Medicine published a report about efforts to age well in North Carolina. A Place to Thrive, available at avl.mx/dqe, made a number of recommendations, which include: ensuring safe and affordable housing for older adults; developing community programs that support aging in place; improving the ability of community health workers to address the needs of older adults; and supporting caregivers.

AGING IN PLACE

Much of the focus on affordable housing centers on young people in the workforce. However, housing affordability is also a difficulty faced by older adults: Fifty-seven percent of older adult renters in Buncombe County reported spending more than 30% of their income on housing, according to the study.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 23

SHARING IS CARING: Jerris Sensabaugh, a post-acute transitions specialist at CarePartners, provided information

health

hospice at Buncombe County’s Age-Friendly Summit. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

• Acupuncture

• Electro-Acupuncture

• Fertility Acupuncture

• Sports Medicine Acupuncture

• Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture

• PEMF (Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Frequencies)

• Massage Therapy

• CranioSacral Therapy

• Rolfing

• NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques)

Dr. Autum Kirgan Licensed Acupuncturist Clinic Director

Trishann Couvillion PEMF Provider

Danielle Krywko, LMBT Licensed Massage Therapist

The CENA report found aging in place was the third-most pressing issue among respondents. Wooley notes older adults who age at home may do so because it’s more affordable than assisted living. But it presents its own raft of expenses regarding maintenance and safety.

“Aging in place, for a lot of older adults, is incredibly challenging because they’re living on fixed incomes [and therefore] they’re deferring maintenance,” she explains. “They have likely let things go to the point where repairs are really expensive and then they don’t have the money.” For example, an older adult may need safety upgrades such as grab bars attached to the bathtub or alongside the toilet; outdoor stairs may need to be reconfigured into ramps.

Aging in place also involves community concerns, such as sidewalks and proximity to basic services like a grocery store and pharmacy. Transportation can be difficult or nonexistent for older adults in rural areas who cannot afford to maintain a car or who can no longer safely drive, Wooley says.

Experiencing a disability can impact an older adult’s ability to age at home. Thirty-two percent of older adults in the study reported having a disability, mainly affecting hearing and walking.

ADDRESSING ISOLATION

In Buncombe County, a larger number of older adults (44.9%) live

alone than elsewhere in the state (42.8%), the CENA report found.

Many older adults have vibrant social lives, says Wooley. But plenty do not. For example, she describes how Deerfield residents volunteer with Meals on Wheels of Asheville and Buncombe County and bring meals to housebound adults over age 60. “That’s very likely the only interaction the client receives every day,” she says.

CENA survey respondents listed social isolation as a top health concern — and it’s a serious health risk affecting older adults, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to the increase in depression and anxiety that can stem from loneliness, a 2020 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that social isolation is associated with a 50% increased risk of dementia.

Services like adult day care centers can enable an older adult to live at home while socializing and receiving professional care during the daytime. However, nearly 70% of CENA respondents reported that these services are lacking in Buncombe County.

SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS

Breeden says she was drawn to aging services after providing care to both her parents and her spouse’s parent. She found caregiving to be a “privilege,” she says, and went on to earn a master’s degree in social gerontology.

But even she acknowledges that caregiving is “hard work” and “stressful.”

The Age-Friendly Summit intentionally provided a track for caregivers as well as one for aging services professionals. A session on caregiver stress addressed ways to deal with the overwhelm that can accompany caring for a loved one. The session also addressed support for kinship caregivers available through the Land of Sky Family Caregiver Support Program. The program provides information about services, as well as limited financial assistance for caregiver respite.

Sixty percent of respondents in the CENA study said support for caregivers is lacking in the community.

‘FUNDING IS FLAT’

Aging services were established in 1965 with the passage of the Older Americans Act. The majority of federal funding for health and health-related aging services programs comes through North Carolina’s Home and Community Care Block Grant for older adults, which is administered by the N.C. Division on Aging.

“Our whole population, across Buncombe County and across the

United States, is aging, and funding is flat,” says Breeden. While funding does increase each year, she says, “it’s just slight increases.”

Buncombe County receives around $1.7 million each year from the state and federal government for aging services. (Services are eligible for funding from the block grant if they are among 20 categories, including adult day care, mental health counseling and home repair.) Buncombe County’s government contributes another $500,000 in funding that is available for service providers who aren’t among the 20 categories for the block grant.

This $2.3 million in funding has to stretch, Breeden says, once again emphasizing that the county’s aging population is expanding.

The Older Americans Act is up for reauthorization by Congress this year. In March Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont, advocated for increasing its $2 billion in funding to $4.6 billion to address the upswing in transportation, nutrition services and other needs older adults will have in the coming decades.

“We really need this funding because our whole population is aging,” Breeden says. X

ARTS & CULTURE

WITH CAYLA CLARK

BY CAYLA CLARK

caylaclark73@gmail.com

Hello, dear readers! Spring is sprung AF, and the world is fresh and green and new. This is the perfect time of year to stroll an open-air farmers market, picnic at Carrier Park or impulse-buy a pair of roller skates (only to eat asphalt and quit moments after lacing them up for the first time).

Honestly, though, roller skating is hard. Too hard. I fell and skinned both knees almost instantly. Into the trash they went, along with my pride. All I want is to be one of those hot girls who roller skates through the River Arts District in denim booty shorts, listening to Thundercat, winking and smiling at every sweaty, shirtless jogger I pass.

But alas, I will be sticking to crying indoors and hating myself (which is usually a wintertime activity).

Fortunately, this season I won’t be crying alone. Instead, I have three of my closest friends by my side, at least in spirit. Allow me to introduce Helen Jenny of Local Color Comedy. This stand-up comedian and show producer is hot on the scene and hot on the … eyes. Kathleen Hahn, founder of Dance Club Asheville and pole dancer extraordinaire, is one of the funniest human beings I know. She is also very hot. And the hottest of all, George Awad of Double Dip Productions, co-produces Blind Date Live alongside yours truly and puts on an impressive assortment of other well-loved local

comedy shows, including “Appalaffin” and “The Hometown Show.”

These three gorgeous specimens are not just comedic powerhouses; to me, they are comedic powerhomes.

Cayla: April showers bring May thunderstorms, torrential downpours and golf ball-sized hail. Oh, Asheville weather, you coy, fickle mistress. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for the storms to pass indefinitely; bring on that sweet, sweet sunshine and all of the outdoor recreation that comes along with it. Unfortunately, as we all know, the French Broad River is straight-up poisonous. According to the 2023 State of Our Rivers Report, the Middle French Broad, which flows through Marshall and Asheville, had an average E. coli level nearly eight times the EPA standard. With this in mind, what’s your favorite “locals only” body of water that isn’t absolutely riddled with life-threatening bacteria?

Kathleen: This is not me hitting on everyone in Asheville at once, for the record, but my favorite “locals only” body of water is my hot tub. Swimwear: optional. Fun: nonnegotiable. But, yeah ... so, just curious, what is everybody doing tonight?

Cayla: No shame in casting a wide net, Kathleen! I’m free — what should I bring?

House a Cop Week could be Asheville’s next big thing

Kathleen: Oh, giddy up, Cayla in my tub! You’ll need to bring your Hot Tub Club membership card, a pair of goggles, tub snacks (I’ll email you the list of snacks I prefer), some raunchy jokes, a Shewee and an open mind. Snacks are a pretty important part of the equation; it’s essential to bring things that you can enjoy when damp. For example, cheese and pretzel sticks are both tasty regardless of moisture levels. A loaf of Wonder Bread — no good. Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to bring along some extra energy to do some weeding in my backyard after the hot tub session concludes. See, I love hosting, but I feel like I’m providing a service, so I request my guests complete a household chore in exchange. It’s only fair.

George: Most bodies of water are just that to me: big holes in the earth

BRAINSTORMING SESSION: Comedian Cayla Clark, top left, is joined by her latest round of fellow humorists to brainstorm ideas for unique local music festivals and new types of weeklong citywide celebrations. Also pictured, clockwise from the top right, Helen Jenny, George Awad and Kathleen Hahn. Photo of Clark by Donnie Rex Bishop; all other photos courtesy of the comedians

filled with wet stuff. Don’t get me wrong, they can be scenic receptacles of nature’s fluid beauty. I could even enjoy myself being submerged in most of them (preferably the ones with a low E. coli level). I also love shrimp. But my fave “locals only” water holes all have bar stools and glasses filled with those little black sippy straws. The beer taps are minimal, but the liquor bottles are ample. The clientele and the decor are blissfully unfussy. And while most of these joints are at least mildly riddled by life-threatening bacteria, none of them have threatened my life yet. I would name

some of these spots, but Asheville can be quite the small pond.

Cayla: Give us one name, George! What’s your favorite locals-only watering hole, if you had to choose?

George: OK, fine. I do love me some Crucible. Poorly lit bars with no signage are a dying breed.

Cayla: Down with signage! Well, I’ll be dragging my senior dog to Laurel River Trail, a family-friendly hiking spot right outside of Hot Springs. I’m hesitant to name-drop a really awesome body of water that might not be on everyone’s radar, but I’m sure most swim-hole-savvy locals have

been to this gem. It’s imperative to find a secluded spot along the river, upstream from pee-happy children. One of the first times I was there, I was on a psilocybin-assisted mind journey with my pal Matt. We were sprawled out on a giant rock in the sunshine, talking about God and basking in her natural beauty. After about 30 minutes, a water-shoe-wearing woman approached us *squish squish squish* and immediately made herself comfortable. I didn’t mind, until she started telling us — in excruciating detail — about the last time she had been to Laurel River Trail. “I brought three ticks home,” she said. “They burrowed underneath my skin!” We got to hear about her subsequent experience digging the blood-thirsty insects from her flesh. Needless to say, it was horrifying … and kind of a buzzkill.

Helen: I say, forget the French Broad and Laurel River; the real “locals only” hotspot is Beaver Lake! Why? Because it’s aggressively selective! Unlike Kathleen’s hot tub, which bubbles wantonly at any stranger’s toe dip, Beaver Lake’s got standards and a gaggle of hard-shelled homegirls to back them up. A young, rough-andtumble group of turtles who enjoy martial arts and sunning their perineums dictate who’s stricken with the toxic algae ooze and who just enjoys a good dip. When Montana native Jack took a dip in 2021, he got the worst case of pink eye I’ve ever seen. Really disgusting stuff — though his local friend emerged smiling and refreshed. These dock-blocking turtles are just trying to get a message through our thick transplant skulls: Go home or go blind.

Cayla: AVL Beer Week just wrapped, and it’s possible that half of the town is still nursing a hangover. Because Asheville has more craft breweries per capita than nearly any other city in the country, this event certainly makes sense. However, as someone who doesn’t drink beer, I’d love to see the city host a different celebratory week. For example, Affordable Housing Week, which would raise awareness about the housing challenges many residents face while fostering community engagement and policy discussions aimed at creating sustainable housing solutions. Eh, no, that would never work. How about Tarot & Astrology Week, where Asheville witches set up little booths all over town and fill the skies with sage smoke? If you could implement a week, what would it be?

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Kathleen: I mean, I’m trying not to be biased, but what about Asheville Dance Week? I want to be entertained, and Netflix hasn’t been cutting it (not since I binged “Baby Reindeer,” at least). The rules for Dance Week are simple: You are not allowed to walk or run anywhere, you must dance everywhere you go. And if you’re not dancing, you get arrested. Not just arrested, actually — arrested and yelled at. The arresting officer will have to loudly shout something like, “WHAT, YOU DON’T LIKE TO DANCE, LITTLE DANCER BOI?” Maybe if you don’t want to spend the night in jail, you have the opportunity to compete in a break dance dance-off with the officer right there on the spot. If you win, you remain a free man. If you lose, you are handcuffed and laughed at. Doesn’t that sound entertaining?

Cayla: It definitely sounds entertaining, but we might run into some trouble with the whole “getting arrested” part. As reported by Xpress in April, 86% of Asheville police officers live outside city limits, and police patrols are down 40%. Which brings me to my next point — House a Cop Week. Similar in theory to international exchange student pro-

grams, House a Cop Week requires all Asheville homeowners to open their home to one police officer from June 3-7. In exchange for providing said cop with room and board, each household is allowed to commit up to five petty crimes. These can include (but are not limited to): disorderly conduct, jaywalking, a drug-related infraction (marijuana only), petty theft (WalMart only) or one minor traffic offense.

George: Speaking of traffic offenses — how about Turn Signal Awareness Week?

Cayla: What’s a turn signal?

George: Sigh.

Helen: Asheville folks love manifestation, positivity and gratitude, so I suggest we get all that crap out of our systems during “YAAAS QUEEN (and others) Week.” Local retailers will sell out of vision boards pretty quickly, so we’ll just have to turn our front doors, sidewalks and public toilets into Mod Podge collages of our dreams and ambitions. We’ll exercise our gratitude for others with expressions of love like: “Slay the day, goddess (or Mr. Goddess)! You’re as stunning as the Biltmore Estate ... at least from what I can see from behind the gated entrance.” Or, “You’re as

resilient as the French Broad River, BABY! We keep dumping, and you receive our abundance with grace. After a breakfast of tires and an agricultural bin fizz, you only swell higher, you fabulous flow queen!” If we reiki with enough oomph, the E. coli should dissipate by week’s end.

George: “Agricultural bin fizz” is upsetting imagery, Helen. I will say, I do like the idea of Dance Week. During that week, it would be city law that you cannot cross the street without being waltzed or tangoed across by a municipal civil servant dance partner. And all vehicles would have to install hydraulics so that everyone’s cars shimmy like they do in a Dr. Dre video, circa 1995. Yes, I am that old.

Kathleen: I’m with you, George — although I’m much, much younger. I think strictly ’90s hip-hop should be playing in every establishment for Dance Week.

Cayla: Looking ahead to another seasonal event, the first round of AVLFest tickets was recently released. The four-day, venue-based music festival will take place Thursday, Aug. 1- Sunday, Aug. 4, and the lineup includes a variety of local, regional and national artists. With over 20 local venues, there is certainly no shortage of space for musical talent to shred, jam, gig and groove. Personally, I think AVLFest should throw in some secret locations that are announced to ticketholders the day of the show. For example, imagine Papadosio performing live behind the meat counter at Ingles. What a dream. Or, local band Magenta Sunshine tearing it up in the Hot Spot parking lot on New Leicester Highway. If you could pair any local or regional artist with a unique Asheville locale, who would you pick and where would you put them?

George: I think Asheville’s underrated funky neo-soul, blues duo Smooth Goose, doing a minitour of area urgent care centers would be a soulful remedy for everyone in the waiting room. There’s nothing like toe-tapping grooves and layered harmonies to make filling out that same damn clipboard of paperwork go by faster. Maybe the Goose can also provide a melodic backdrop standing behind the doctor as he tells you that you contracted gonorrhea … again. That would make the news a little less painful and a little more funkadelic.

Helen: I’d like to see local musician Lo Wolf mentor the litter of red wolf pups (who were born at the Western North Carolina Nature Center last year) to form a sultry new set of backup howlers. They’re close to extinction, so a cool Lo Wolf and the Red Wolves revamp may be just the ticket to boost their numbers. Red wolves will become highly sought-after mates, like the Beatles but for wolves. And Lo will cement her spot as howl queen, a well-deserved honor. As for where I’d like to see their inaugural performance, probably somewhere big, like the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. I’d suggest a similar route for another fantastic local band called Tall Tall Trees. Rustling leaves are today’s tambourine. Save the oxygen-producing percussionists (trees) and boogie! They could play at any/all of the 436 Airbnb tree houses scattered around Asheville.

Kathleen: How about having DJ Lil Meow Meow play at the Asheville Regional Airport; or better yet, inside one of the jets headed to Barbados? I think that would be a great selling point for ticket buyers. I would buy a ticket to AVLFest just for that, especially if the tropical vacation was included in the ticket price. Nothing says “I love and support Asheville” like utilizing the local airport to get TF out of dodge. X

Cathryn Cooper, and

On the move

After 14 years downtown, Chai Pani settles in on the South Slope

BY KAY WEST

kwest@mountainx.com

The first day in Chai Pani’s second location of its storied life in Asheville was May 21. And it’s safe to say it probably went more smoothly than the restaurant’s first day in its original location in September 2009. Meherwan Irani, founder and chef of the iconic Indian street food restaurant, remembers that first first day. “The ticket printer wasn’t working so we had to handwrite every order,” he recalls. “We hadn’t thought to buy pads with duplicates, so Molly (Irani) had to also handwrite a second copy for the cooks. We didn’t have the track in the kitchen to hang the orders, so every time someone went rushing by all the orders would fly up in the air.”

After 14 years in the 1,800-squarefoot, 49-seat space on Battery Park Avenue, the 2022 winner of the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant award has supersized to 10,000 square feet and 120 seats in a historic South Slope building that was originally a roller-skating rink serving the Black community. For eight years, the building was the smoky home of Buxton Hall Barbecue, co-owned by Irani and chef/pitmaster Elliott Moss (Buxton Hall closed last November).

Fifteen years ago, Irani could not have dreamed of the success that lay ahead for what has grown into the Chai Pani Restaurant Group. “That building on Battery Park had been a succession of failed restaurants, so much so that when we mentioned it to a few locals, they tried to warn us and told us it was where restaurants went to die,” Irani says.

But, he recalls, “We were so broke, we didn’t have a choice. It had a basic kitchen that was falling apart, and we took it. We were so young and naïve we didn’t know what we didn’t know. We had no foresight whatsoever that one day there would be lines down the street to get in.”

Without question, Chai Pani’s famous okra fries — on the menu since the start — were an indisputable rung on the ladder to success and remain sacrosanct.

“But the new kitchen will be so much bigger, so we’ll be adding new items,” Irani says. “Chai Pani barely scratches the surface of Indian street food; I could easily write three more menus.”

Among the dishes he’s excited to introduce is sabudana vada tots — crispy potato and tapioca tots seasoned with green chilies, curry leaves, cumin and ginger and served with Maggi Hot & Sweet ketchup. Another is bihari kabab, which is chargrilled sirloin marinated with green papaya, red chili, yogurt, poppyseed and aromatic masala then served with tamarind-mint chutney, onion laccha and lime. A new dessert offering will be a desi-style pav bread pudding soaked in cardamom-saffron milk with seasonal fruit.

Executing the menu is former Buxton Hall executive chef and pitmaster Nick Barr, who has stepped into the role of chef de cuisine at Chai Pani. Barr also runs the Weaverville farm that supplies Chai Pani with produce. A new menu item that nods to Barr’s past work with Buxton Hall Barbecue

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Though the move from Chai Pani’s original downtown location was bittersweet, Meherwan Irani, founder and chef of the nationally celebrated Indian street food restaurant, says the much larger new South Slope space has allowed for an expanded menu as well as room to welcome more guests. Photo by Caleb Johnson

— specifically to Buxton Hall’s beloved chicken sandwich — is the KFC sandwich, featuring Kashmiri-fried, buttermilk-brined chicken with mint, chili, Maggi mayonnaise and sweet pickles on a buttery bun.

Irani says that when the Chai Pani team got its first look at the new space designed by former brand director Michael Files, “You could hear jaws drop on the floor. Thanks to the bones of the building, the layout, décor, art and lighting, it will be the most exciting space we have.” While the original skating rink murals and floors remain intact and are highlighted in the design, the huge room

explodes with Chai Pani’s effervescently bright signature color palette, new custom murals and cascades of artificial flowers.

Even with the thrill of the new location, Irani says, the final day of service at the OG Chai Pani on May 12 was one of mixed emotions. “Places can have a heart and soul, and though that building will stay in the family [it will open as Asheville’s second Botiwalla location this summer], it was the place that started it all.”

Chai Pani is at 32 Banks Ave. It’s open daily 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m.; open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. X

and many new

IN LIVING COLOR: Chai Pani has fully bloomed in its new location on the South Slope with 70 more seats than its original space

menu items. Photo by Caleb Johnson

What’s new in food

Luminosa shines a light on Italian cuisine and local farms

Tall white toques are headwear of the past in most professional kitchens, but hard hats were an unexpected requirement when Luminosa executive chef Graham House and chef de cuisine Sean McMullen would visit the construction site during the renovation of Asheville’s historic 98-yearold Flat Iron Building. On May 15, the flagship restaurant in the six-story, 71-room Flat Iron Hotel served its first diners.

Among them was Steve Palmer, founder of Indigo Road Hospitality Group, owners and developers of restaurants and properties in six states. “He was confused by the lemon pizza but ended up ordering it two nights in a row and says it’s the best pizza he’s ever had,” McMullen says. The lemon pizza — thin slices of lemon on top of smoked mozzarella, ricotta, fennel and arugula — is one of five on Luminosa’s opening menu, which weaves local ingredients with Italian influences throughout dedicated sections of antipasti, pasta, protein mains and sides. Though the two chefs were not able to even bring food into the prep kitchen until March and didn’t get into the main kitchen until May 2, they’ve been working on the menu since being hired by Indigo Road a year ago. “There’s been a lot of thinking about things in the middle of sleepless nights,” House says with a laugh. “A lot of internal R&D.”

House and McMullen met in high school in Henderson County, and both followed culinary careers that took them far and near: Most recently, House was at Sovereign

Remedies and Chop Shop Butchery and McMullen at Avenue M with chef Andrew McLeod. For much of the time the Flat Iron property was under construction, the chefs were stationed at other Indigo Road restaurants that needed help.

While they were on the road, the Luminosa kitchen was equipped with two of the best big-boy toys two chefs could ever dream of — a pizza oven and a live-fire grill. “Cooking over live fire is in our wheelhouse,” House says. “You can cook on the grill plate, put things in the embers, hang things over the fire to get that smoky flavor.”

“It’s the most fun piece to work with,” McMullen adds. “It’s big, it’s right there, and people can see it from the dining room.”

All pastas are made in house by Cara Petrullo, who arrives every morning at 6 to start mixing, rolling and choosing shapes for the extruder. One of House’s favorite pastas is pizzoccheri alla valtellinese, a dish made with cabbage and potatoes that he learned while working in a 19th-century osteria in Lake Como, Italy. “Traditionally it’s a short noodle, but we do it here as a stuffed pasta using rye flour from Farm & Sparrow,” he explains. “The potato is in the filling and also a crispy element outside, and we use Napa cabbage from New Roots [Market Garden in Marshall].”

On the dessert menu, if diners can look past executive pastry chef Mattie Grey’s soft-serve ice cream, they might indulge in panna cotta, tiramisu with chicory and espresso sponge or chocolate semifreddo.

Though the chefs say the structure of Luminosa’s menu will remain the same throughout the year, with seasonality and local sourcing steering their creativity, fans shouldn’t get too attached to any one dish — even the lemon pizza.

Luminosa is at 20 Battery Park Ave. For more details, visit avl.mx/dq1.

Back in business

on May 10. Watts reports that the most popular menu items among the steady stream of customers that first weekend back were funnel cakes, deep-fried Oreos and The Force and The Miklo milkshakes. “Asheville coming to support us got me in all my feels,” Watts says. “It was so good to be back.”

On Nov. 7, Christian Watts received an alert from his security company that his 10th Muse Comfort Food building alarm was triggered. A minute later, things got weird when someone from neighboring Sky Lanes called to tell him there was a car in his building. “My first thought was, ‘Well, that’s not where a car belongs,’” he recalls. “I’m grateful we weren’t open, no one was walking by on the sidewalk and no one was hurt,” including the driver, who had swerved to avoid another vehicle, sending his car plowing into the front right corner of 10th Muse.

The driver was not injured, but the building — which retains the retro aesthetic of Frostbite Ice Cream, the previous occupant of the space — was very damaged, and Watts was out of business for six months while repairs were made.

Happily for everyone who has been craving 10th Muse’s over-thetop tasty treats, the shop reopened

For now, the indoor seating area is still closed — the patio is open — and service is drive-thru only. Hours are 3-9 p,.m. Thursday-Sunday. 10th Muse Comfort Food is at 1475 Patton Ave. For more information and online ordering, visit avl.mx/dq3.

Brews and booze

With DSSOLVR brewery’s May 17 opening of Vowl wine and cocktail bar, that person in your party who doesn’t like beer can simply slip next door from the taproom and choose from a selection of classic and contemporary cocktails, boozy slushies, boilermakers, natural wines and ciders, mocktails and hop water. Though connected to the taproom, Vowl is a separate, 2,000-square-foot space with about 100 seats that will also be available to rent for private parties and special events. Vowl is open late — 5 p.m.-midnight MondayThursday, 2 p.m.-2 a.m. FridaySaturday and 3-10 p.m. Sundays.

Vowl is at 61 N. Lexington Ave. For more, visit avl.mx/dpz.

FEEL THE HEAT: Luminosa chefs Graham House and Sean McMullen have fired up the Italy-meets-Appalachia dinner menu at the newly opened Flat Iron Hotel restaurant. Photo by Andrew Cebulka

Last call, y’all

Things are not always as they seem in Asheville. There are no burgers at the Burger Bar and no cut ’n’ curls at the Asheville Beauty Academy. With the sad announcement on May 8 that the quirky ABA venue has made its final last call, there are no more cocktails, themed karaoke nights, dance parties, live entertainment or drag brunches either.

Hospitality maestro Charlie Hodge (Sovereign Remedies, The Getaway River Bar) opened ABA in September 2019 on the Broadway end of downtown’s main artery. When COVID-19 shuttered restaurants and bars six months later, ABA was briefly reinvented as a bodega. But a full post-pandemic comeback was challenged by shifting latenight habits, so Hodge and his team have decided to focus on their other operations, according to a statement posted on the ABA website and Instagram. The farewell post notes that the lease for the two-story building at 28 Broadway is available.

Read the full statement at avl.mx/dpg.

Homebrew festival returns

Countless craft breweries in Asheville trace their roots back to a passionate amateur experimenting with used equipment and recruiting friends as taste-testers. On Saturday, June 1, at Pisgah Brewing Co. in Black Mountain, Just Economics hosts the 14th anniversary of its annual home brewers competition and fundraising event, Just Brew It. Just Economics focuses on issues including living wages, affordable housing and public transit access.

On the event website, organizers note that homebrewers have the luxury of being able to be more experimental than commercial brewers, which will be evident among the event’s more than 50 unique beers — from classic IPAs to innovative concoctions featuring coffee, chocolate, spices and fruit — created by more than 20 individuals.

In addition to beer, nonalcoholic drinks will be available and food will be for sale. Rather than tickets, attendees buy a basic membership with Just Economic for $35, which grants access to the event from 2-5:30 p.m.; a $55 VIP membership provides a one-hour head start on the event and a swag bag with a souvenir glass; a nonalcoholic event pass is $15. Pisgah Brewing Co. is at 2498 U.S. 70, Black Mountain. For more information and event access, visit avl.mx/aak.

Guide details local food producers

Chef William Dissen says a copy of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Local Food Guide that he picked up while visiting Asheville from Charleston about 15 years ago convinced him there were resources here that would support his quest to open a restaurant. In 2009, he bought The Market Place, reaching out to many of those resources to build his network.

The 2024-25 Local Food Guide is now available in print and online.

The free, annual directory lists farms, farmers markets, producers, restaurants, groceries, artisan producers and more throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina.

The guide can be found at farmers markets, visitors centers, libraries, groceries, restaurants and other ASAP partner businesses throughout the region as well as in the lobby of ASAP’s office in Asheville.

ASAP’s office is at 306 W. Haywood St. It’s open Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For the online version of the Local Food Guide, visit avl.mx/81y.

Seed mixes offered

It doesn’t get much more local than your backyard. Utopian Seed Project is offering gardeners the opportunity to sow and grow some experimental seed mixes from its plant breeding projects. The following three seed packets can be ordered online through the Experimental Farm Network: Maggie Flowers x Provider Beans — avl.mx/dpw; Aunt Hettie’s Red x Puerto Rico Everblush okras — avl.mx/dpx; and Promiscuous Pea Mix — avl.mx/dpy.

For more on the Utopian Seed Project, visit avl.mx/dq8.

Wing ding

Hot wings and cool strings are on the menu 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Thursday this summer at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack’s South Asheville location. Each week through August, guests can listen to live acoustic music from a rotating lineup of performers. Possum Royale is scheduled for May 30.

Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack South is at 3749 Sweeten Creek Road, Arden. For the full music schedule, visit avl.mx/dph.

@Camdenscoffeehouse • 40 N Main St, Mars Hill, NC

Around Town

Connect Beyond Festival celebrates art that inspires

The Connect Beyond Festival will return to downtown Asheville Friday, June 7-Sunday, June 9, exploring the way art forms inspire positive change.

The themes of the fourth annual festival, featuring performances, panels, film screenings and workshops, are Connection to Deepen Resilience and Keep Moving Forward. “We designed this year’s festival to be a little smaller, more intimate and scheduled in a way that guests can attend everything if they want to,” says Connect Beyond’s director, Jessica Tomasin. “There’s no overlap in events, and there’s breaks for lunch and dinner. [It’s] a fully immersive experience.”

The weekend’s lineup kicks off Friday night with a screening of the Sundance Award-winning documentary Step at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. After the screening,

the cast will be available for a Q&A. Saturday’s events will take place at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, including a screening of the award-winning documentary We Are Guardians, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and directors, Edivan Guajajara, Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman

Other scheduled speakers and performers for Saturday include Lonnie Holley, critically acclaimed musician and visual artist; Julia Hotz, author of The Connection Cure; Paula Dofat, advocate and motivational speaker for historically Black colleges and universities; DeWayne Barton, social entrepreneur and Affrilachian performing artist; Ezekiel J. Walker, award-winning screenwriter, author and editor; and Jared Wheatley, founder of the Indigenous Walls Project. The workshops will cover a range of topics at the intersection of art and activism such as

solutions journalism, how to make an impact in your community and using recycled materials to make art.

“It’s really going to be helping people who attend the conference who are thinking globally on how to take sustainable steps to act locally, like how to take that first step getting started on addressing an issue,” says Tomasin. “It’s truly going to be a really great way to connect in a time when people feel more disconnected than ever.”

For the first time in the festival’s history, Friday’s events will be free, though reservations are still required. Saturday’s day pass is $50 and includes entrance to all events and panel discussions. Sunday will be a community day of action with a local sustainability organization yet to be announced and will be free to all participants.

Wortham Center for the Performing Arts is at 18 Biltmore Ave. The Thomas

Wolfe Auditorium is at 87 Haywood St. For more information, visit avl.mx/dq9.

Richard II comes to Montford Park

The Montford Park Players continue its summer season with Richard II, opening Friday, May 31, 7:30 p.m., at Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre.

For the 2024 season, titled Muse of Fire, the troupe will perform the nine Shakespeare plays that recount the Wars of the Roses. The first play, Edward III, opened May 10 and ran through May 26.

Richard II is the story of the English king’s rivalry with his successor, Henry IV, before Henry’s ascension to the throne. Directed by Jason Williams, it stars Emilie Soffe as King Richard, alongside Eric Vik as Henry Bolingbroke. “It’s one of my favorite histories after having performed in it once,” says Williams in a press release. “It’s a beautiful play with lots of beautiful writing and thoughts on what it takes to be a king, ruler or any person in power.”

The rest of the summer schedule runs as follows:

Friday, June 28-Sunday, July 21: Henry IV, 1.2.

Friday, July 26-Sunday, Aug. 25: Henry V

Friday, Aug. 30-Sunday, Sept. 22: Henry VI, parts 1-3.

Friday, Sept. 27-Sunday, Oct. 27: Richard III

Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Vendors are available, offering popcorn, soda and other refreshments with proceeds going to local nonprofits. Coffee and pastries will be available from local coffee stand Two Birds, One Scone. All performances are free, and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre is at 92 Gay St. For more information, visit avl.mx/9mj.

Pritchard Park Arts and Culture Series returns

The Asheville Downtown Association announced the return of the Pritchard Park Arts and Culture Series. Events will be held in Pritchard Park every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from June through August, 5:30-8 p.m.

On Mondays, local singer-songwriters will perform for Pickin’ in the Park, sharing the stories and musical heritage of Asheville.

On Tuesdays, Asheville Museum of Science will host Summer of Science,

CREATING CONNECTION: The Connect Beyond Festival returns to downtown Friday, June 7-Sunday, June 9. Photo courtesy of Jessica Tomasin

inviting participants to learn and interact with science-based activities such as bubbles and noise machines. The hands-on demonstrations are appropriate for all ages.

On Wednesdays, Hoop Jam will bring a live DJ and hula hoops to the park. Hula hoopers of all skill levels are invited to “dance, spin and groove to the music in a welcoming and energetic atmosphere,” according to the press release.

On Fridays, the drum circle returns. The community is invited to bring drums, dance or observe.

Pritchard Park is at 67 Patton Ave. For more information about the Pritchard Park Arts and Culture Series, contact marci@ashevilledowntown.org.

Benefit concert for Black Mountain schools

Pisgah Brewing Co. will host Vibes for the Valley benefit concert on Saturday, June 8, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

The concert is a collaboration with the Black Mountain Schools Parent Teacher Organization to raise money for the district’s after-school programs. Scott McMicken & the Ever-Expanding will perform, as will Asheville’s Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters and Hannah Kaminer & The Wistfuls. All performances will take place on the outdoor stage.

“We want to bring after-school programs back to the Black Mountain Schools in a big way — these programs are so important for kids’ socialization and academic achievement, and for parents, it’s critical to have after-school care for their kids,” says Katie Duval, vice president of the Black Mountain Schools PTO. “If we want to keep our public schools thriving, we must bring back more of these programs and make sure the teachers are compensated to do it!”

There will also be a silent auction with items provided by local businesses, including Trailhead Restaurant, White Horse, Hey Hey Cupcake and many more. Tickets for the event are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. All proceeds will go to the Black Mountain Afterschool Programs.

Pisgah Brewing Co. is at 2948 U.S. 70, Black Mountain. For more information, visit avl.mx/dqa.

Juneteenth show at Vance Birthplace

The Vance Birthplace State Historic Site will host a performance of Leah & the Rabbit: A Conversation Around Resiliency and Reclaiming Narratives on Saturday, June 15, 11 a.m.

The performance is a collaboration with the American Myth Center, which will honor Juneteenth by presenting a morning of historical drama and discussion focused on reclaiming African-American stories, the resilience of enslaved people and the romanticization of the plantation era. The three-act production tells the story of Leah Erwin, an enslaved woman in the 1790s living in the Vance house. The first act incorporates a 30-minute tour of the Vance Birthplace, including Erwin’s story and dwelling. The second act, written and directed by local artist Mikayla Wilson, features puppetry and live storytelling of Brer Rabbit tales. The third act features a post-play discussion with the show’s performers about resilience, understanding and how history can serve as a healing dialogue.

The program is free and is expected to last an hour and a half.

The Vance Birthplace State Historic Site is at 911 Reems Creek Road, Weaverville. For more information, visit avl.mx/c5t.

ArtsAVL receives new grant

ArtsAVL has been approved for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $75,000 by the National Endowment for the Arts and will use the funds to support over 40 local nonprofit arts organizations, according to a press release.

“We are incredibly grateful for this funding support from the NEA, which will help ArtsAVL continue to support local arts organizations at the same level this year,” says ArtsAVL Executive Director Katie Cornell in the release. The NEA grant will help replace soonto-expire American Rescue Plan funds through the N.C. Arts Council.

The N.C. Arts Council and Buncombe County government also support ArtsAVL’s Grassroots Arts Program grant, which has been operating since 1977. The next grant cycle opens in August.

For information about this and other projects in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit avl.mx/dqb.

— Oby Arnold  X

MOVIE REVIEWS

I SAW THE TV GLOW: Writer/ director Jane Schoenbrun creates a relatable, nostalgia-rich world but forgets to fill it with substance. Grade: C-plus — Edwin Arnaudin

June Stone: Walnut Jasper

June Herb: Chickory

5/30: Reader: Alondra 3-7

Magical Book Club 6-7

6/1: Reader: Edward 12-6

Abby’s Magical Hour 6-7:30

6/2: Reader: Andrea 12-5

Local Vendor Pop-Up 12-6

6/7: Reader: Krysta 12-6:30

Merry Meet & Greet 5-7

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Trivia Trivia!, 6:30pm

BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Trivia Night w/ PartyGrampa, 7pm

DOC BROWN'S BBQ

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm

EULOGY

Peter The Poet Presents: The Wake Vol. III (hip-hop), 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Sensor Ghost, Bad Ties & Puppy & the Dogs (punk, indie-rock), 9pm

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 Sugar Bomb (jazz, indie), 9pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Latin Night Wednesday w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 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

• Patio: Scott Low (Americana-folk, country), 5:30pm

• Tinsley Ellis (soul, blues), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

The Loudes (MultiGenre), 7pm

THE MONTE VISTA HOTEL

Music Wednesdays, 5pm

THE ODD

Gagging: Queer Comedy Showcase, 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Surely Tempo (indierock), 8pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN Dan's Jam (bluegrass), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Trivia, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, MAY 30

110 BLACK MOUNTAIN AVE

Trivia Night, 6:30pm

27 CLUB

The Bins, FM Snow, Curbside Loveseat & Detective Blind (indie, rock), 9pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

O.Vad.Ya (neo-psychedelic, electronic), 7:30pm

CROW & QUILL

Firecracker Jazz Band, 7pm

DSSOLVR

Literary Pop-Quiz: Trivia, 7pm

CLUBLAND

ATLANTA PSYCH-FOLK: On Saturday, June 1, Atlanta-based band Rae & The Ragdolls performs at Jack of the Wood Pub, starting at 9 p.m. This eclectic rock ’n’ roll band blends multiple styles, ranging from folky psychedelia to classic rock. Photo courtesy of John Walters

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

The Howdies (country, rock'n'roll), 8pm

EULOGY

Andrew Thelston Band w/Lower Peaks (indierock, funk), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

HI-WIRE BREWING BIG TOP Survey Says, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Nex Millen (hip-hop, funk, R&B), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

LAZOOM ROOM BAR & GORILLA

Ashevillian's Comedy Showcase, 8:30pm

LEVELLER BREWING CO.

RITKA & Riverbed (dream-folk, pop), 7pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Synth Night w/ Samsun & Malus Mons (electronic), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

The Knotty G's (Americana), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Jamie Hendrickson Quartet (psych, funk), 8pm

OUTSIDER BREWING Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Pocket Strange (Southern-rock, psych-rock, indie), 6pm

SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco, 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES Karaoke Night, 8pm

THE ODD

Bold Burlesque: Hall of Fame Legends Challenge, 9pm THE ORANGE PEEL

Modest Mouse (altrock, indie), 8pm

THE OUTPOST Caged Affair (alt-rock), 7:30pm

THE RAILYARD

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Jon Cox & Ginny McAfee (Americana), 7pm THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN Mr Jimmy (blues), 6:30pm

WICKED WEED BREWING Beer & Loathing (rock), 5pm

FRIDAY, MAY 31

27 CLUB Softie, Theo Butts, Little Champion & Rhinestone Pickup Truck (pop, punk, rock'n'roll), 8pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

Mr Jimmy's Friday Night Blues, 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Kr3ture, Soohan, Claraty & Morphonic (dance, electronic), 9pm

CATAWBA BREWING

CO. SOUTH SLOPE

ASHEVILLE

• ATLiens: Comedy Showcase, 7pm

• JORTS: Standup Comedy Showcase, 9:15pm

CORK & KEG

The Old Chevrolette Set (country), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Sparrow & Her Wingmen (jazz, swing), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY

White Oak Splits (rock'n'roll, Americana, blues), 9pm

EULOGY

Dance Floor Rapture w/DJ Lil Meow Meow, 9pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Violet Moons, Paprika & Douglas Joyman (indie), 9pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

FM Snow (rock), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters (Southern-blues, roots), 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Malintzin (Latin, hip-hop), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Nordmoe & the Rodeo (country), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Open Mic w/Hamza, 8pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE River Logic Band (rock, blues), 6pm

NOBLE CIDER & MEAD TAPROOM AND PRODUCTION

FACILITY

Crisp Comedy w/ Brandi Augustus, 7pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Derek McCoy Trio (bluegrass), 8pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Killa Keyz (multi-genre), 9pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

Owen Walsh (folk), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

Orange Moon (Erykah Badu tribute), 9pm

PISGAH BREWING

CO.

Sam Bush w/Jon Stickley Trio (bluegrass, jazz, rock), 7:30pm

RABBIT RABBIT

Silent Disco w/DJ Spencer, 9pm

SALVAGE STATION

Come Back to Earth (Mac Miller tribute), 8pm

SHAKEY'S Safety Coffin (blues, rock'n'roll), 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Raphael Graves Trio (Americana, folk), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Anemoia (psych, funk), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Chris Wilhelm (Americana, folk-rock), 5:30pm

• Jason Eady w/ Midnight River Choir (country, Americana), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

The Project (R&B, rock), 7pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Rae & The Ragdolls (rock, psych-folk), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Contagious w/Pinkish Floyd (covers), 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Palmyra (folk-rock, Americana), 8pm

THE WHITE RABBIT AT WATER STREET

Neon Dreams (disco, synth-pop, electro), 9pm

WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT

Rene Russell (Americana, rock, bluegrass), 7pm

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

185 KING STREET

Randall Bramblett Band (rock, blues, jazz), 8pm

27 CLUB Night Sweat, Academy Order & DJ Diva Disaster (goth-rock, post-rock, new-wave), 9pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

The Travelling Pilsburys (acoustic), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

K.L.O & Alejo, Audio Goblin & Wij (dance, electronic, bass), 9pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

CORK & KEG

3 Cool Cats (rock'n'roll), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Meschiya Lake & The Moodswingers (jazz), 8pm

EULOGY

Hiding Places w/Aunt

Ant, Mary Metal, Scare Quotes & Floral Print (alt-folk, rock, dreampop), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S Jared Petteys & The Headliners w/Pleasure Chest (rock, blues, punk), 9pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

Eyes Up Here Comedy, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM Hazel (acoustic), 6pm

HONEY + THE HIVE

Ask a Native Plant Aficionado: Honey & the Hive, 11am

IMPERIÁL

DJ Nex Millen (hip-hop, R&B), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch w/ Old Sap, 12pm

• Nobody’s Darling String Band, 4pm

• Rae & the Ragdolls (rock, psych-folk), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE Karaoke, 9pm

LAZOOM ROOM

Karaoke w/KJ

Beanspice, 8:30pm

MAD CO. BREW

HOUSE

The Trusty Hucksters (swing, rock'n'roll, jazz), 6pm

NEW ORIGIN

BREWING CO.

Flimflams & Shenanigans Comedy Night, 9pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

• Crystal Fountains (bluegrass), 1pm

• The Get Right Band (psych-indie, alt-rock),

8:30pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Ernie Johnson From Detroit (funk, jazz, psych-rock), 10pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING

Acklen Walker (hip hop, pop, indie-rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST

• The Swingbillies of Boonetown (acoustic, Appalachian), 4pm

• DJ Lake Solace (R&B, hip-hop, Afro-beats), 9pm

RIVERSIDE

RHAPSODY BEER CO. Rooster (folk-rock), 6pm

SALVAGE STATION

Red Clay Revival & JGBCB (bluegrass), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Dark City Kings (garage-punk, indie, bluegrass), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Anna Kline (folk, soul, blues), 5:30pm

• John Howie Jr & The Rosewood Bluff w/ Hearts Gone South (country, honky-tonk), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT

DOOR

Perry Wing Band (Americana, rock, bluegrass), 7pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Drew Foust & The Wheelhouse (rock, blues), 7pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Stryper (metal, gospel), 8pm

THE STATION BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Live Music Saturday Nights, 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH

SLOPE

DJ Free Range, 7pm

SUNDAY, JUNE 2

27 CLUB

Local Nomad, Darby Wilcox, Pierce

Alexander & Jackie Dirt (indie-rock), 8:30pm

ARCHETYPE

BREWING

Sunday Funday w/DJs, 1pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Crowe Boys (alt-folk, pop), 9pm

CATAWBA BREWING

CO. SOUTH SLOPE

ASHEVILLE

Copy of Monster Comedy Jam, 6:30pm

CORK & KEG

Paper Wings w/Julian Pinelli (folk), 4pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm

GINGER'S REVENGE CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Jazz Sunday's, 2pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Mad Mike (hip-hop, electronic, mashups), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch w/ The Bluegrass Brunch Boys, 12pm

• Traditional Irish Jam, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

Finklestein 3 (bluegrass, jazz), 3pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Ghost in the Graveyard (rock, funk), 9pm

PULP

The Loudes (rock), 7pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6pm

S&W MARKET

Mr Jimmy (blues), 1pm

SHAKEY'S It's Trivial w/Divinity Holeburn, 5pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Cosmic Appalachian Soul Sundays, 7pm

THE DRAFTSMAN BAR + LOUNGE Karaoke Nights, 7pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Meschiya Lake & Paradigm Shifters (jazz, blues), 2pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

John McEuen & The Circle Band (country, bluegrass), 8pm

PL

ĒB URBAN WINERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 4pm

MONDAY, JUNE 3

27 CLUB

Monday Karaoke, 9pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR

CaroMia, Rahm, Iannuci & Jaze Uries (dreampop, soul, R&B), 8pm

DSSOLVR

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HI-WIRE BREWING RAD BEER GARDEN

Hot Mic w/Taylor Knighton, 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Nex Millen (Latin, bossa-nova, jazz), 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

SHAKEY'S

Open Mic Night w/ Nick, 6pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr Jimmy & Friends (blues), 7pm

THE RIVER ARTS

DISTRICT BREWING CO. Trivia w/Billy, 7pm

TUESDAY, JUNE 4

27 CLUB

Perseus, The Band Repent & Until They Bleed (metal), 8pm

ARCHETYPE BREWING Trivia Tuesday, 6:30pm

EULOGY

Bill MacKay (folk), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

Themed Trivia w/Not Rocket Science Trivia, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Boys Camp (house, electronic, dance), 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 Booty Tuesday w/DJ Lil Meow Meow, 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Open Mic, 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Tuesday Night Open Jam, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Patio Electric Blue Yonder (space-folk, rock), 5:30pm

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

12 BONES BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

27 CLUB

The Ruff'tons, Bastard Suns & Dial Dive (punk), 8pm

BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA

Trivia Night w/ PartyGrampa, 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

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Bluegrass Jam w/Derek McCoy & Friends, 6pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL In Flight (prog-rock, jazz), 10pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night Wednesday w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 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 JOINT NEXT DOOR

Rod Sphere (soul, rock), 6:30pm

THE ODD Terraoke Karaoke Takeover, 9pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Shannon & The Clams (alt-indie, rock, garagepunk), 8pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN Dan's Jam (bluegrass), 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Trivia, 6:30pm

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

110 BLACK MOUNTAIN AVE Trivia Night, 6:30pm

ARCHETYPE BREWING

Drag Queen Karaoke, 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

MGBs (acoustic), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears (pop-rock, blues, funk), 9pm

BATTERY PARK

BOOK EXCHANGE

Mike Kenton & Jim Tanner (jazz), 5:30pm

CROW & QUILL

The Old Chevrolette Set (country), 8pm

EDA'S HIDE-A-WAY Karaoke, 8pm

EULOGY

Harrison Gordon w/ TRSH, Kerosene Heights & Convalescent (punk, emo, Americana), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Claire Whall, Butte, Julie Odell & Slow Rosary (indie), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

BIG TOP

Survey Says, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Nex Millen (R&B, hip-hop), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Iggy Radio (southern-rock), 7pm

LAZOOM ROOM BAR & GORILLA

Modelface Comedy Presents: Max Hornstein & Cal Murata, 8:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Sara & Seth (country), 7pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Harvey Street (indie, alt-rock), 10pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

The Knotty G's (Americana), 8pm

OUTSIDER BREWING Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Alex Krug Combo (dream-rock, Americana), 6:30pm

SALVAGE STATION

The Movement w/ KBong, Johnny Cosmic & Aurorawave (reggae), 6:30pm

SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/DJ Franco, 9pm

SHILOH & GAINES Karaoke Night, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE The Moon & You, Menage & Amanda Anne Platt (folk, pop), 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR Laura Thurston (Americana, folk), 7pm THE ODD Drook, Paper Pills & Roamck (electronic, rock, indie-pop), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Ole 60 w/Rob Langdon (country, indie), 8pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Welcome to the future of your education, Aries! Here are actions you can take to ensure you are exposed to all the lush lessons you need and deserve in the coming months. 1. Identify three subjects you would be excited to learn more about. 2. Shed dogmas and fixed theories that interfere with your receptivity to new information. 3. Vow to be alert for new guides or mentors. 4. Formulate a three-year plan to get the training and teachings you need most. 5. Be avidly curious.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Poet Emily Dickinson was skillful at invoking and managing deep feelings. One scholar described her emotions as being profoundly erotic, outlandish, sensuous, flagrant and nuanced. Another scholar said she needed and sought regular doses of ecstasy. Yet even she, maestro of passions, got overwhelmed. In one poem, she wondered “Why Floods be served to us in Bowls?” I suspect you may be having a similar experience, Taurus. It’s fun, though sometimes a bit too much. The good news is that metaphorically speaking, you will soon be in possession of a voluminous new bowl that can accommodate the floods.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): All of us periodically enjoy phases I call “Freedom from Cosmic Compulsion.” During these times, the Fates have a reduced power to shape our destinies. Our willpower has more spaciousness to work with. Our intentions get less resistance from karmic pressures that at other times might narrow our options. As I meditated on you, dear Gemini, I realized you are now in a phase of Freedom from Cosmic Compulsion. I also saw that you will have more of these phases than anyone else during the next 11 months. It might be time for you to get a “LIBERATION” tattoo or an equivalent new accessory.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Bold predictions: 1. Whatever treasure you have lost or are losing will ultimately be reborn in a beautiful form. 2. Any purposeful surrender you make will hone your understanding of exactly what your soul needs next to thrive. 3. A helpful influence may fade away, but its disappearance will clear the path for new helpful influences that serve your future in ways you can’t imagine yet. 4. Wandering around without a precise sense of where you’re going will arouse a robust new understanding of what home means to you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Denmark’s King Canute IV (1042–1086) wasn’t bashful about asserting his power. He claimed ownership of all the land. He insisted on the right to inherit the possessions of all foreigners and people without families. Goods from shipwrecks were automatically his property. But once, his efforts to extend his authority failed. He had his servants move his throne to a beach as the tide came in. Seated and facing the North Sea, he commanded, “Halt your advance!” The surf did not obey. “You must surrender to my superior will!” he exclaimed, but the waters did not recede. Soon, his throne was engulfed by water. Humbled, Canute departed. I bring this up not to discourage you, Leo. I believe you can and should expand your influence and clout in the coming weeks. Just be sure you know when to stop.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo-born Irène Joliot-Curie craved more attention than she got from her mother, Marie Curie. Mom was zealously devoted to her career as a chemist and physicist, which is one reason why she won Nobel Prizes in both fields. But she didn’t spend sufficient time with her daughter. Fortunately, Irène’s grandfather Eugène became his granddaughter’s best friend and teacher. With his encouragement, she grew into a formidable scientist and eventually won a Nobel Prize in chemistry herself. Even if you’re not a kid, Virgo, I suspect there may be a mentor and guide akin to Eugène in your future. Go looking! To expedite the process, define what activity or skill you want help in developing.

BY ROB BREZSNY

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I have a fantasy that sometime in the coming months, you will slip away to a sanctuary in a pastoral paradise. There you will enjoy long hikes and immerse yourself in healing music and savor books you’ve been wanting to read. Maybe you will write your memoirs or compose deep messages to dear old friends. Here’s the title of what I hope will be a future chapter of your life story: “A Thrillingly Relaxing Getaway.” Have you been envisioning an adventure like this, Libra? Or is your imagination more inclined to yearn for a trip to an exciting city where you will exult in high culture? I like that alternative, too. Maybe you will consider doing both.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): An Instagrammer named sketchesbyboze advises us, “Re-enchant your life by making the mundane exciting. You are not ‘going to the drugstore.’ You are visiting the apothecary to buy potions. You are not ‘running an errand.’ You are undertaking an unpredictable adventure. You are not ‘feeding the birds.’ You are making an alliance with the crow queen.” I endorse this counsel for your use, Scorpio. You now have the right and duty to infuse your daily rhythm with magic and fantasy. To attract life’s best blessings, you should be epic and majestic. Treat your life as a mythic quest.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I invite you to invite new muses into your life in the coming months. Give them auditions. Interview them. Figure out which are most likely to boost your creativity, stimulate your imagination, and rouse your inspiration in every area of your life, not just your art form. Tell them you’re ready to deal with unpredictable departures from the routine as long as these alternate paths lead to rich teachings. And what form might these muses take? Could be actual humans. Could be animals or spirits. Might be ancestral voices, exciting teachings, or pilgrimages to sacred sanctuaries. Expand your concept of what a muse might be so you can get as much muse-like input as possible.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The Japanese have a word for a problem that plagues other countries as well as theirs: karoshi, or death from working too hard and too much. No matter how high-minded our motivations might be, no matter how interesting our jobs are, most of us cannot safely devote long hours to intense labor week after week, month after month. It’s too stressful on the mind and body. I will ask you to monitor yourself for such proclivities in the coming months. You can accomplish wonders as long as you work diligently but don’t overwork. (P.S.: You won’t literally expire if you relentlessly push yourself with nonstop hard exertion, but you will risk compromising your mental health. So don’t do it!)

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Typically, human fertility is strongest when the temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit. But I suspect you will be an exception to the rule in the coming months. Whether it’s 10 below or 90 in the shade, your fertility will be extra robust — literally as well as psychologically and spiritually. If you are a heterosexual who would rather make great art or business than new babies, be very attentive to your birth control measures. No matter what your gender or sexual preference is, I advise you to formulate very clear intentions about how you want to direct all that lush fecundity. Identify which creative outlets are most likely to serve your long-term health and happiness.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here’s a key assignment in the coming months: Enjoy fantasizing about your dream home. Imagine the comfortable sanctuary that would inspire you to feel utterly at home in your body, your life, and the world. Even if you can’t afford to buy this ultimate haven, you will benefit from visualizing it. As you do, your subconscious mind will suggest ways you can enhance your security and stability. You may also attract influences and resources that will eventually help you live in your dream home.

food. music. beer. community. and maybe a train or two.

Wednesday, May 29, 7pm

Live Music with Dan 's Jam

Join us every Wednesday for a wild night of open bluegrass jamming.

ThurSDAY, May 30, 7pm

Live Music with Jon Cox and Ginny McAfee

Friday, May 31, 7pm

Live music with Dan Johnston Saturday, June 1, 7pm

Live music with Big Fur

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 - BLACK MOUNTAIN

Rocky Top

The donation is tax-deductible. The process is simple. The impact is real.

SALES PROFESSIONAL

This is a full-time position with benefits, in a supportive, team-oriented environment, in a community-service, locally-owned business. Ideal candidates are personable, organized, motivated, and can present our company with confidence. Necessary skills include clear and professional communications (via phone, email, and in-person meetings), detailed record-keeping, and self motivation. While no outside sales experience is required, experience dealing with varied and challenging situations is helpful. The position largely entails account development and lead generation (including cold-calling), account management, assisting clients with marketing and branding strategies. If you are a high energy, positive, cooperative person looking to join an independent media organization, please send a resume and cover letter (no walk-ins, please) explaining why you are a good fit with Mountain Xpress to: xpressjob@mountainx.com

MARKETPLACE

Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to advertise@mountainx.com

RENTALS

HOMES FOR RENT

2 BEDROOM, 1 BATH, $1750 PRIVATE, QUIET PROPERTY

AVAIL JULY 1 This is a Deltec house with two separate levels each with a private entrance. Upper Level available: two bedrooms, full bath, open great room and large all season porch (can be 3rd bedroom) appliances, washer/ dryer. Pets considered with deposit. Bill 828-319-7289 sairaphim@gmail.com

4 BEDROOM HOUSE IN ASHEVILLE 4 bedroom one bath home. Walking distance to downtown Asheville. Tenant pays own utilities. No pets. Rent: $2500 per month. Security deposit $2500 required. References needed. Contact J Lloyd 828-298-5316

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

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

HUMAN SERVICES

HOUSE ADVISOR Join Cooper Riis in Asheville, NC! Support mental health through community-focused

transitional living. Bachelor’s, or relevant experience valid driver's license. $15/hr, benefits, overnight shifts. EOE. hr@cooperriis.org www. cooperriis.org

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

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! 1-833-237-1233. (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: 1-877-510-9918. (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)

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)

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, 22MC-R, 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 828232-4576

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: 1-888-290-2264 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! 1-877-2476750. (AAN CAN)

1 Bread spread

4 Furniture retailer with an arboreal name

11 Speck or Serrano

14 International baseball powerhouse

15 Pan’s domain, in Greek myth

16 Match chant

17 Letter before upsilon

18 Alternative to Pepto-Bismol

19 Non-neutral entity?

20 Like proverbial milk

22 Down ___ (memorized)

23 Distributed, with “out”

25 “Before Sunrise” actor

27 Like lizards and fish

29 “Pass along my regards”

30 Gives off

32 “That’s gross!”

33 Tragic NASA mission of 1967

37 Regulation followers, in brief

39 Word often confused with “fewest”

41 Food in “Sing a Song of Sixpence”

42 “To god,” in French

44 It allows for venting

45 1983 comedy about a stay-athome dad

47 Off-roaders, for short

48 Designer Saab

49 “You game?”

50 Some spirits

51 “Slow down!,” spelled unusually

53 Revolutionary car part

55 Old Testament prophet

58 First line of a classic Dr. Seuss book

62 Feature of this puzzle’s grid and the answers to the six starred clues

66 Airport code in Queens

67 Get one’s act together

68 Sounds of hesitation

69 Down

70 Bottomless pit

71 Media inits. since 1851

1 Protrudes

2 Lickety-split

3 *Home to Haleakala National Park

4 *“Hold on, repeat that?”

5 Sound of hesitation

6 Viewing aid

7 Word after a reveal

8 Gets the copy right? 9 Actor Simu

*Musical whose name is an Italian exclamation

SEEKING SUBCONTRACTORS:

Darn, say

Word often confused with “lie”

Yale student 26 Currency of Laos 28 Corp. bigwig