Mountain Xpress 05.31.23

LESSONS LEARNED

As graduation day approaches, Xpress speaks with eight local high school seniors about their experiences of attending high school during the COVID-19 era.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas Calder

EDITORS: Lisa Allen, Jessica Wakeman

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Thomas Calder

OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose

STAFF REPORTERS: Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Andy Hall, Justin McGuire, Sara Murphy, Greg Parlier, Brooke Randle, Jessica Wakeman

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Andy Hall, Braulio Pescador-Martinez

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Mindi Friedwald, Peter Gregutt, Mary Jean Ronan Herzog, Rob Mikulak, Daniel Walton

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Mark Barrett, Blake Becker, Morgan Bost, LA Bourgeois, Carmela Caruso, Nikki Gensert, Bill Kopp, Trevor Leach, Amber Adams Niven, Daniel Walton

PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Staff: Cindy Kunst

Intern: Frances O’Connor

ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson

LEAD DESIGNER: Scott Southwick

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Tina Gaafary, Olivia Urban

MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Sara Brecht, Vicki Catalano, Jamie Knox, Scott Mermel

INFORMATION

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

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The insider’s guide

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an extremely toxic, deadly, insidious gas. It has a characteristic rotten-eggs smell. However, after the first whiff, the gas numbs the olfactory senses, and it can no longer be smelled. This H2S gas and other reduced sulfur compounds are generated in the chemical pulping and recovery processes of the mill. These processes are extensively sealed and vented to collection/combustion systems in the mill. There are H2S alarm sensors, sensitive to H2S levels less than 5 parts per million, located throughout the process to monitor for any escaped H2S gases. Mill personnel are trained in response to the alarms. There is no way H2S escapes the mill to the ambient air.

Does tourism bureau have blinders on?

What do visitors think about Asheville?

We went out for lunch Saturday and met some out-of-state visitors. They arrived here Thursday and went to the Biltmore. They then went to downtown Asheville and were not impressed by the scene. Hard to park and eating was not that great. They went to a place, and it was expensive with small portions. We met them in Black Mountain, and they were really enjoying themselves with the local scene and places to eat. They were going to come back Sunday for lunch before heading home. This was only two people, but I have heard more and more people disappointed with Asheville. We have not been to Asheville in over three years because of the hassle of parking. Was wondering if the tourist bureau has blinders on, plus earplugs.

I only read about one more hotel being built, but nothing to help the tourists and locals find parking. This is a tourist area, so make it tourist-friendly.

— Leonard Nickerson Swannanoa

What really caused the mill’s dank odor

This in reference to the article “Identity Crisis: Can Canton Still Be a Mill Town Without a Mill?” in the May 10 Mountain Xpress

As a former process and production manager at the mill, I thank you for a very well-written and informative article.

There was one serious error in the reporting. The article’s statement of “an infamous dank odor caused by hydrogen sulfide and other reduced sulfur compounds” is incorrect.

The infamous dank odor referred to is typically due to mercaptans, which are also sulfur compounds with a rotten eggs, boiled cabbage odor. The olfactory senses can detect mercaptans at extremely low (ppm, even parts per billion) concentrations, which invariably escape the mill combustion systems through discharge stacks. You can often smell them in Enka and West Asheville.

The low-concentration mercaptan gases, though unpleasant, are not considered a health hazard.

— Bill Miller Biltmore Lake

A pitch for prudent tax policies

[ Regarding “Buncombe Unveils Proposed Budget with Modest Bump for Schools,” May 24, Xpress:]

Higher taxes spent on nonproductive programs continue to drive taxpaying residents out of the city. Much like the federal government, prudent tax policies must be undertaken.

— Dick Domann The Villages, Fla. formerly of Asheville

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

Lessons learned

High school seniors reflect on COVID-19 era

BY JUSTIN M c GUIRE

jmcguire@mountainx.com

High school seniors tend to be busy as their school year winds down. Busy might be an understatement for this class. Maybe frenzied is a better word.

“Soccer makes my schedule during the week a little crazy, and I have senior play stuff during the day on Saturday,” one student texted when trying to schedule an interview for this article. Another emailed: “Next week is pretty packed for me with rehearsals for our school’s musical and the performance.”

But these young people aren’t complaining. When they were freshmen three years ago, they saw their schools shut down suddenly as COVID-19 restrictions were enacted. Instead of participating in extracurriculars and hanging out with friends between classes, they were figuring out online learning and feeling isolated from the world.

“Just being at home all the time, I felt like I was missing out on everything, the high school experience,” says Evan Wilker, an Asheville High senior.

A sense of normalcy has returned to their lives. Mask mandates and social distancing are gone. The seniors are enjoying proms, plays, sports and all the things they saw get canceled or scaled down for earlier classes. And while they know the pandemic will always be a part of their high school memories, they are focused on the future.

“I don’t want to say we’ve moved on from this, but we have tried to move forward,” says Laura Shelton, a senior at Hendersonville High School.

As graduation day approaches, Xpress sat down with eight local members of the class of ’23 to look back on their experiences of attending four years of high school in the era of COVID.

EXCITEMENT, THEN CONFUSION

When area schools shut down on March 16, 2020, most freshmen weren’t concerned. In fact, many thought a two-week break sounded pretty good.

“I actually was really excited, and I guess that’s how every kid was,” recalls Devon Davis, now a North Buncombe High senior. “But I don’t

think we realized how long we were going to be out and how much that would affect us in the long run and how far behind that we would be when we came back. ”

As weeks turned into months and schools attempted to hold classes online, falling behind became a major problem.

“The teachers tried their best, they really did, but it just was not a very smooth transition because no one had ever done what we were doing before,” says Montana Gura, a student at the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville. “Some of the teachers were really excellent about having Google Meets every single class period, and they would talk to us and everything. And then some teachers kind of fell off the grid, and we never heard from them again. Same with the students.”

Adds Davis: “It was all really complicated to figure out by yourself, to try to learn new technology. There were so many flaws that you couldn’t control, and I guess it stressed everyone out, especially the teachers. I found it very difficult.”

Raina Markulis, an Asheville High senior, remembers some teachers saying only third-quarter grades, already locked in, would count. “So, there wasn’t really this incentive to do work because nobody knew what was going on and if it counted for grades or had any impact. It was a very confusing time.”

On top of that, students soon became bored staying home all the time.

“At some point, we realized that we were missing out on the general expectations we had for high school,” says Elijah Simon, a student at Brevard High. “[We had] the idea that we’d go to class, we’d meet new people in person, we’d have clubs or extracurriculars that we’d meet people through. Stuff like that wasn’t really available.”

A LOST YEAR

By the 2020-21 school year, administrators and teachers had a better handle on technology and schedules. Depending on the district and on personal choice, students spent the entire year doing distance learning or attended school a few days a week with smaller class sizes for parts of the year. The length of the school day and the length of classes were short-

er than normal. Extracurriculars, including sports, even came back in some form.

Still, more than one student described it as a “lost year” when they didn’t learn as much as they should have.

“My mental health got to a point where I didn’t feel capable of keeping up with my classwork and engaging with school at all,” says Sophie Davis, a student at SILSA. “I definitely have had to do more reviewing this year of the math concepts that I should have learned in sophomore year.”

Brevard’s Simon had a similar experience, quitting the soccer team and generally feeling disengaged. “I made it through the classes during COVID, and I ’learned things’ according to whatever test I passed. But when I try to think about what I learned in American history during my sophomore year, I really can’t pinpoint any of that information.”

Many students didn’t participate in online classes or turned off their cameras and napped during the 45-minute sessions.

“It was just very awkward, and the teachers were so frustrated with everyone because no one would do their work,” North Buncombe’s Davis says.

Adds Asheville High’s Wilker: “Being apart from other people just made it hard to process everything. The fact school was literally just laying in your bed and rotting away the whole day while staring at a computer was terrible for my mental health.”

Hendersonville’s Shelton agrees the odd circumstances had a detrimental effect on the mental health of students, but she sees a silver lining.

“Prior to COVID, [mental health] wasn’t discussed as much in schools,” she explains. “But now I’m seeing the

guidance counselors trying to talk to people about mental health and giving people mental health resources.”

COUNTING BLESSINGS

Students were glad to return to a more-or-less normal school environment in 2021-22, but the transition wasn’t always easy. “You missed a lot of fundamental social skills [when learning online], developing those strong bonds with your friends, which

is really what hit me my junior year,” says Grace Ellen Callihan, a SILSA student. “We all felt like sophomores.”

Brevard’s Simon says his group of friends changed entirely after returning to in-person learning. “I don’t know if that was me just aging or a mixture of both, but I think being home and not being around a school environment can affect how we react to social situations.”

As their time in high school comes to an end, this year’s seniors have gained perspective on the things they experienced early on. For one thing, they understand better what the classes of 2020 and 2021 missed out on.

“I just can’t imagine getting prepared for prom and buying your dress and then having that all canceled,” Shelton says. “And I can’t imagine missing graduation after you’ve been working four years for it. I didn’t even really fully grasp how big a deal that was as a freshman.” Additionally, she and others believe younger students have had it harder than they have.

“There seems to be kind of a maturity drop-off in the sophomores and freshmen because they’ve missed developmental years in middle school,” Shelton says. “So, we’re seeing a lot more behavioral stuff than we had in the past because they didn’t really have a middle school experience.”

As Callihan puts it: “As far as our class, I think we ended up in the luckiest situation.”

Fellow SILSA senior Gura believes living through a pandemic has brought members of the class of 2023 closer. And while she doesn’t think the experience will overshadow their good memories, she expects the topic to come up at class reunions.

“I think above everything else, we’re just going to reminisce about how the world completely changed when we were 16,” she says.

Gen Z presents challenges, opportunities for higher ed

The already tough transition from high school to college is even harder for students who spent more than a year of high school learning online.

“There’s some skill loss for sure; there’s some learning loss,” says Regine Criser, director of student success at UNC Asheville. “But the sense I’m trying to inspire among my colleagues here is what they bring.

This is an incredibly resilient generation. They have already navigated so much, not just the pandemic but a world that is so uncertain.”

Among other things, colleges will need to help students improve study habits and learn the value of in-class instruction, she says.

“Many of them feel more comfortable collaborating in the social media sphere,” Criser explains. “They appreciate face-to-face interactions, but they don’t always excel at them because they got less time to practice it. It’s on us then to create spaces where they can develop those skills.”

As the first digital native generation, today’s students use technol-

ogy as an extension of themselves, she says. They are committed to diversity and inclusion and are more vocal about their own mental health needs.

“As institutions, we need to meet you where you are, so I’m actually quite excited to have them start their higher-ed journey,” Criser says. “I think they’re really going to shake up this whole academic system because they have some very clear visions about what they want to get out of an education.” X

SCHOOL’S OUT: Area seniors reflect on their experiences of going to high school in the era of COVID. Pictured, clockwise from top left: Grace Ellen Callihan, Sophie Davis, Montana Gura, Raina Markulis, Evan Wilker, Elijah Simon and Laura Shelton. Photos courtesy of the students

Chilly reception

BY DANIEL WALTON

Managing the Southside Community Farm keeps Chloe Moore plenty busy. On roughly half an acre behind the Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center, she plants, weeds, waters and harvests more than 50 different crops, coaxing over 1,300 pounds of food from the plot last year alone.

Those looking to take advantage of Moore’s output have a much easier time. Overlooking the farm is a pavilion that shelters a black refrigerator emblazoned with the inviting slogan “Free Fresh Food for All!” All it takes is undoing a childproof strap lock and opening the door.

On a recent May afternoon, the fridge was stuffed with greens and turnips that were available at no charge.

“We focus so much on having it be open to everyone and not putting rules up about who can use it,” says Moore. “Because the second we start putting rules up, we might be putting someone in a desperate situation and excluding someone.”

The Southside distribution point was Asheville’s initial entry into the community fridge movement. First popularized in Germany in 2014, the idea of free, no-questions-asked access to perishable food has since spread across the globe, particularly after the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 amplified existing hunger issues. Freedge, a popular online database of community fridges, lists over 350 entries in the U.S., up from 12 in March 2020. (The farm fridge, says Moore, was set up shortly before the pandemic began.)

Community fridges face hurdles in Asheville

Oakley communities wanted to add community fridges to round out their food security efforts.

With cold storage in place, she explains, those neighborhoods could offer perishable meat and dairy alongside the nonperishable goods offered by their existing outdoor food pantries. It could also be a way to redirect leftover food from community dinners and other events that might otherwise be wasted.

Both neighborhoods had identified their respective community centers, which are owned by the city and managed by the Parks and Recreation department, as possible locations. But after city officials expressed concerns about liability, waste management and other issues, Smith says it became clear that neither Shiloh nor Oakley could expect to install a fridge on city property in the immediate future.

When first contacted by Xpress, city spokesperson Kim Miller claimed that Asheville had “not received a specific request or proposal to evaluate the viability of [community fridge] projects on city property.” After being provided with further information about the Shiloh and Oakley situations, however, she acknowledged that city staff had “worked to guide and inform project development” and had asked the Food Policy Council to provide more detailed proposals.

In cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, community fridge projects powered by local mutual aid networks have become a valuable complement to nonprofit food banks and other resources. But despite ever-increasing food insecurity in Western North Carolina, the local movement is proceeding more slowly: There’s only one other such facility in Asheville, the South French Free Fridge, which was established in July 2022.

That’s not for lack of interest, says Gina Smith . As coordinator of the Asheville Buncombe Food Policy Council, she works closely with several groups that are eager to install fridges as part of broader food security efforts. This fiscal year, her organization received a $5,000 grant from Buncombe County to help bring more community fridges online.

But the council’s work on this front has stalled, says Smith, due to city government’s ambivalent approach to such facilities. The city, she points out, has no explicit rules concerning community fridges, and that lack of clarity has led neighborhood organizers to abandon proposed projects.

“Nobody with the city knows what to do with fridges,” Smith explains. “But they don’t feel 100% OK about them either.”

STOPPED COLD

The Buncombe County funding was meant to further “neighborhood emergency food preparedness,” according to the grant proposal. Smith says both the Shiloh and

Miller noted that community fridges are not specifically mentioned in Asheville’s Food Policy Action Plan, which guides the city’s efforts to increase food security. But the document, last updated in 2017, does call for “infrastructural support for community gardens and edible plantings on public lands,” as well as “incentives to encourage access initiatives such as popup and mobile markets to bring fresh food to food deserts.” Smith believes community fridges could help address both goals.

To that end, her organization has pivoted its work under the Buncombe County grant to help Asheville develop a community fridge policy. Smith hopes to provide clear guidelines on permitting, ownership and management that will apply to all such facilities, not just those on city property.

PULLING THE PLUG

But while city government hasn’t prevented either of Asheville’s community fridges from operating, both have experienced their own problems. In February, as first reported by The Asheville Blade, Moore found the Southside Community Farm

BOX OF PLENTY: The free fridge at Southside Community Farm offers fresh produce grown on-site, as well as goods donated by local producers such as OWL Bakery and Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Photo by Daniel Walton

fridge unplugged without warning — while still full of food — and moved to a spot near a dumpster.

Moore believes the Asheville Housing Authority, the farm’s landlord, took action after neighborhood children had vandalized the area using eggs and other donations from the fridge. “It’s a situation that we could have resolved in multiple ways if we had only been contacted,” she notes.

Instead, Moore found herself scrambling to salvage food while the fridge went without a home. With the help of community donations, she was eventually able to move the appliance to a newly built shelter underneath the farm pavilion.

David Nash , the authority’s executive director, says one of his custodians independently made the call to remove the fridge after witnessing the aftermath of the food fight. He says the new location has helped avoid similar problems while enabling the farm to continue distributing produce effectively.

“We have been happy to host the Southside Community Farm on our property at the Edington Center and will continue to do so at least during my tenure here, so long as the farm managers reach out to and encourage participation by Asheville Housing residents, and the food distribution does not cause damage or disruption at the center,” Nash told Xpress

The Southside and South French Broad fridges are also grappling with unrelenting demand. Moore supplements the farm’s produce with community donations from OWL Bakery, Hickory Nut Gap Farm and Southside Kitchen. She says she buys roughly $500 worth of food each week — mostly supported by crowdfunding — from local vendors including the River Arts District Farmers Market, Tierra Fértil and Wadadli Dessert Oasis. “And it’s not nearly enough — it’s getting very quickly cleaned out,” Moore reports.

Cat Hebson says a similar pattern holds true for the South French Broad fridge, which she established with her partner, Tucker Richardson. Within 24 hours, she

says, a fridge full of donated food will invariably be bare again.

“I think some people go by the fridge, see that it’s empty and think that the supply isn’t very strong,” says Hebson. “But we have a ton of food coming in every week. It just all gets eaten.”

HUNGRY HEARTS

Hebson stresses that the need for food spans a broad swath of Asheville’s population. In conversations with those using the fridge, she’s met homeless people as well as housed folks who’ve fallen on hard times, South French Broad neighbors and others from elsewhere in the city. Moore says regular users of the farm fridge include Southside residents, parents of children at a nearby preschool and Housing Authority maintenance workers.

Meanwhile, demand for such facilities is likely to grow, especially since the pandemic-era expansion of government food assistance ended in March.

MANNA FoodBank, an Ashevillebased nonprofit that works to feed the hungry, says it served 10,000 more WNC residents in the first quarter of 2023 than it had in the last quarter of 2022.

“We are now serving over 133,000 people on average each month,” MANNA CEO Claire Neal noted in a May press release. “These troubling trends underscore even further what we continue to hear from thousands of families every month: Even working full time, their income isn’t meeting their most basic needs.”

According to Smith of the Food Policy Council, community fridges’ low barriers to access mean they can play a role in addressing such shortfalls. As more residents on the margins fall into insecurity, she suggests, an open fridge provides a flexible, discreet way for someone to bridge a food gap.

“That’s the beauty of it: Anybody can use it. You don’t have to fill out any paperwork,” she points out. “You don’t have to be a person who’s constantly in need, either; maybe you’re just having a rough week.”

How to help

The Southside Community Farm free fridge at 133 Livingston St. accepts donations at avl.mx/cpd. Volunteers are also needed to check and clean the fridge; more information and sign-ups are available at avl.mx/cpe.

The South French Free Fridge at 382 South French Broad Ave. accepts monetary donations via Venmo at @freefridge_avl. Donations of food are coordinated online at avl.mx/cpf; those interested in volunteering can email SouthFrenchFreeFridge@gmail.com.

A little respect

BY GREG PARLIER

Teachers and employees at schools across two Buncombe school districts say they can’t afford to live and do what they love in Buncombe County: Teach kids.

Stresses from increasing costs of living and lagging pay have educators working multiple jobs, renting out rooms in their homes and relying on food banks, negatively affecting their classroom proficiency.

“If I don’t have the resources I need, I can’t do [the kids] justice. It’s impossible. I’ve tried to twist myself and do educational yoga for the last 20 years. And I can only do it so much longer,” says Matthew Leggat, a sixth-grade teacher at Montford North Star Academy.

Pay for educators comes from two major funding sources. The state sets base pay for both teachers, or certified staff, and other school employees like custodians, bus drivers and

Teachers and school staff hold breath for increased pay

noncertified instructional assistants, or classified staff.

Then, each school district has the option of adding supplemental pay to account for the higher cost of living in certain parts of the state.

A 10-year teacher in Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools makes less than those in eight comparable districts in North Carolina while having the highest cost of living in the state, according to the Virginia-based Council of Community Economic Research.

For months, dozens of teachers and employees have lobbied BCS and ACS to raise the local supplements for all staff, and both boards of education approved budget proposals that largely met those demands.

But school districts don’t have taxing authority, so the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will ultimately decide what percentage of local tax dollars — primarily from property taxes — gets allocated.

In a budget proposal presented by County Manager Avril Pinder on May 16, both school districts are in line to get an increased allotment, but far less than what they requested.

ACS interim Superintendent James Causby requested $20 million, which includes a request to raise property taxes from 10.62 cents to 12 cents per $100 of property value. The county’s proposed budget does not raise taxes and slates $16.8 million for ACS.

BCS is projected to get $90.3 million of its requested $116 million, according to the county’s proposed budget.

Teacher advocates have lobbied for a 7% bump in the supplement for teachers and a 20% raise or living wage for classified staff, whichever is greater.

Currently, a first-year teacher in North Carolina makes a base pay of $37,000 a year, and after supplements from BCS or ACS, a starting teacher in either school district makes just over $40,000 per year.

Local nonprofit Just Economics calculated the living wage for Buncombe County in 2023 at $20.10 per hour, which equates to about $41,800 per year, says

Eric Smythers, living wage program coordinator for Just Economics.

“Our students deserve fully staffed classrooms with educators who are able to focus on their work, not educators who are tired from working two or three jobs and worried about putting food on the table,” says Shanna Peele, president of the Buncombe County Association of Educators.

Lissa Pederson, a 12-year elementary art teacher and vice president of the BCAE, says the respect she would feel from making an amount of money comparable to jobs with similar experience and education would make a huge difference in her ability to foster a quality teaching environment.

“You feel respected. You can afford your lunch. You can afford your rent or your mortgage. And it’s also that your mind isn’t wandering to ‘Should I go?’”

SUPPLEMENT SKEW

BCS Chief Financial Officer Tina Thorpe often touts Buncombe’s sixth-highest average supplement, $8,292, as evidence of its relative success in paying teachers well compared with other districts.

David Honea, math teacher and cross-country coach at A.C. Reynolds High School, says that number, reported on the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s database, is misleading because it is skewed by the large number of veteran teachers with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certifications, which qualify them for higher pay.

The only teachers who make that supplement have at least 25 years on their teaching license, a master’s degree and national board certifications, or 30-plus years of experience.

According to data provided by BCS spokesperson Stacia Harris, 86% of teachers for BCS have less than 25 years of experience, and 95% have less than 30 years of experience.

Honea says it is frustrating that Thorpe has presented the supplement average to decision-makers as illustrating where Buncombe stands compared to other districts, while a majority of teachers make far less than that.

That’s why BCAE prefers comparing supplements as a snapshot in time, like for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree and 10 years of experience, says Joan Hoffman, a veteran teacher at A.C. Reynolds High School and an active member of BCAE.

MULTIPLE JOBS

Kim Martin, lead American Sign Language interpreter for BCS, says at one point she had seven jobs to make ends meet for her and her four children, from catering on the weekends and cutting hair in her dining room, to working as a freelance interpreter at local colleges and renting out various rooms in her house.

“I think we’re all exhausted. Like, you know, trying to make ends meet. So, we’re not at our best when we’re coming to work,” Martin says.

Things were so tight at times that when her four children all lived at home, Martin made weekly trips to local food banks to make sure everyone got fed, she says. That made her feel disrespected.

“It’s hard to feel valued as an employee. And it’s hard to feel like the kids are valued,” she says.

After a raise in 2022, Martin now makes $19 per hour for a job that requires multiple certifications and continuing education. That’s not nearly enough to retain quality interpreters, who often make $50-$60 an hour as contracted freelancers in the private sector, she says.

That pay discrepancy means BCS has to recruit and pay freelance interpreters, who not only cost much

THERE IS NO TRY: Joan Hoffman, a teacher at A.C. Reynolds High School, is tired of waiting for her supplemental pay to keep up with the rising cost of living in Buncombe County. Photo by Greg Parlier

more but also aren’t as experienced in working with children. Martin is proposing a pay raise for interpreters to $25 per hour, the national average for educational interpreters, which she says will save the district $10,000 a month.

“[Low pay] leads to bad morale among the staff, and the staff has just been leaving left and right. So thus, we have all the contract interpreters,” she says.

SHOULD I STAY, OR SHOULD I GO?

Hoffman says many teachers and staff often think about leaving, if they haven’t already.

She says she’s talked to multiple teachers who have a weekly debate with their families about whether it is still worth it to do what they love doing. Some have decided that it’s not, she says, and those who leave are hard to replace.

Kensley Herbst, a teacher at Isaac Dickson Elementary, says she narrowly escaped having to move back to Florida to live with her mom after she didn’t qualify for a studio apartment last summer on her teacher salary. She picked up extra jobs as a tutor and worked the front desk at an after-school program to qualify.

If staff retention is difficult, says Natalie Romanello, English as a second language teacher at Valley Springs Middle School, recruitment is just as tough, especially for teacher assistants. She says in her four years in Buncombe, she’s had an assistant only a quarter of the time.

“There’s really no great way to recruit people to this area. That’s how a lot of us feel,” she says.

Those instructional assistants, as well as other classified staff, are vital for student success, says Abbey Hessling, English as a second language teacher at Clyde A. Erwin High School.

“These people that are not being paid a living wage are doing some of the toughest jobs in our schools. They’re the ones who make it possible for us to teach and be in the classroom while they attend to the toiletry needs of our students,” she says. “They provide students oneon-one services that allow our most vulnerable students to be in the classroom. They drive our buses; they are custodians. And all of these people could be making better money in the private sector. But we rely on them to run our schools every single day and we need them there. Our students deserve professionals who can afford to make this their career.”

Honea says he’s doing OK as a 22-year veteran with a master’s degree for which he is paid extra, but

it’s very hard to recruit teachers and coaches to help him build a program when other districts pay better.

North Carolina stopped paying a higher rate for teachers who began pursuing a master’s degree after 2013.

Additionally, coaches are paid a lump sum per season worked, which usually works out to below minimum wage after practices, games, tournaments and driving the team bus is considered. Honea says he makes less as a coach now than he did 20 years ago in Wake County.

“Teachers who need to supplement their teaching income can’t afford to take these [low-paying] positions. And those who don’t need the money have to ask if they can justify the time away from family when the end-of-season check is so small, they don’t even notice it. When I look to the future, even if I stay here, I don’t know how to convince a talented coach to come work with me.”

That being said, Honea, like so many others that have spoken publicly about issues surrounding teacher pay, says he has no intention of changing jobs.

“I love everything that I do. And I plan to do this work for at least another 20 years. But when I look ahead, I have to ask if I can responsibly plan to do that in Buncombe County,” he says.

MORE, BUT NOT ENOUGH

Despite the support from both local school boards, it appears the county Board of Commissioners will not support schools to the same degree.

It’s unclear exactly what cuts will be made from school district proposals if the proposed county budget passes. Those budgets will bounce back to school district staff to rework.

Hoffman says she understands that cuts happen in a budgeting process, but from a teacher’s perspective, the last place cuts should happen is in personnel that work with students.

“I mean, the state gives [the districts] all kinds of unfunded mandates. I get that. Sure. But that’s what the County Commission is there for, to step in and make up that money. I mean, yeah, that’s why we levy taxes and all those things. Right?”

Education advocates now turn their attention to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, which holds a public hearing on the budget Tuesday, June 6, before holding a vote Wednesday, June 21.

“We’re going to show up on June 6, and we’re going to make the same impassioned plea. Take care of us the way we take care of the students we serve. And understand that we understand that while we serve you, you serve us.” says Tate Macqueen, teacher and coach at Erwin High School. X

Asheville budget hearing marked by low turnout

A public hearing on Asheville City Manager Debra Campbell ’s proposed fiscal year 2023-24 operating budget — an occasion historically marked by dozens of residents making their cases for enhanced spending or budget cuts on a range of city services — was uncharacteristically quiet during the May 23 meeting of Asheville City Council.

The statutorily required annual hearing saw just one commenter speak on the proposed budget. “This feels so bizarre,” said Mayor Esther Manheimer at the conclusion of the meeting.

The sole speaker, Just Economics of Western North Carolina Executive Director Vicki Meath , commended aspects of the proposed budget, such as the city’s investment in a transit study in partnership with Buncombe County. But she also called for increased spending on city transit services, including expanding evening hours and the frequency of bus service.

“While we understand the budgetary issues and the challenges to implementing those changes, I want to remind you that those changes were part of the Transit Master Plan that was approved in 2018,” Meath said. “These are changes that are desperately needed for transit riders and cannot wait another five years for implementation.”

Before the hearing, city Budget Manager Taylor Floyd reiterated highlights of the proposed spending plan, including what he called “an unconventional use of fund balance” to cover expenses, such as an almost $4 million boost to the Asheville Police Department budget.

That increase would include a 6% raise for sworn APD officers. Floyd said that bump would put starting pay for officers at $47,232 per year. Police also would receive extra compensation for holding intermediate law enforcement certification, working night shifts or being on call.

Hypothetically, Floyd explained, a starting officer with a bachelor’s degree and second-language experience who takes advantage of these extra compensation opportunities could earn nearly $57,000 per year. Senior officers, who currently earn around $63,300 in base pay and incentives, could make over $70,500

FLYING SOLO: The sole speaker at the May 23 hearing was Just Economics Executive Director Vicki Meath, who called for increased spending on city transit services.

in fiscal year 2023-24 under the new pay structure. In both examples, Floyd did not say how many hours of overtime or on-call duty would be needed for officers to achieve those pay rates.

While the police budget recommendation represents an increase of more than 13% over current funding levels, it was not enough to satisfy Council member Sage Turner . She said that even the senior officer pay illustrated in Floyd’s example “doesn’t translate, in this city, to being able to buy a house anymore.”

“It raises a little concern in me that the only way our officers can really afford to live in the city is to do a lot of overtime,” Turner continued. “Living wages are going up; our housing prices are skyrocketing. It’s not that we’re not doing the best we can. It’s just a concern that you really have to have two jobs in the city, or you have to work overtime. It just seems more and more common.”

All other city employees would see a 5% pay increase under the proposed spending plan. Council’s vote on the final budget is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 13.

— Brooke Randle X

Photo by Frances O’Conner

Composting: the hotter, the better

BY CHLOE LIEBERMAN

Warm greetings, gardeners. Our famous and beloved Herb Fest has come and gone, and we’re officially past the last frost date. Time to get all those warm-season crops in the ground! Be sure to send in your questions to gardening@mountainx. com as your crops get growing.

WEED SEASON

Is it OK to compost weeds? I’m thinking of dandelions in particular. If one were to do so, wouldn’t it potentially generate more dandelions within the compost?

The short answer is yes, it’s OK to compost weeds. But unless you manage your compost pile so that it gets really hot, the seeds of those weeds may survive. If you spread compost that contains viable weed seeds, they likely will sprout. This is a great way to spread weeds around. However, if they are concentrated in one area, you can usually do them in easily with a stirrup hoe or another quick technique when they are but wee seedlings.

Have you ever noticed steam rising up from the giant mountains of mulch at the Stump Dump by the river? Or even from a leaf pile in your yard? This heat is the result of microscopic organisms like fungi, bacteria and others consuming organic matter and turning it into energy as they go. You can build compost piles to maximize this microbial activity and the heat it generates. This process also breaks down weed seeds and many pathogenic organisms that would oth-

erwise be dangerous to people or plants, and it makes for a finished compost that’s rich in humic acid and other substances that help garden veggies grow well.

To get compost to really heat up, you’ll need to build a large pile with a balance of “greens” (nitrogen-rich

materials like fresh weeds and grass clippings, food scraps, etc.) and “browns” (carbon-rich materials like straw, dry leaves, small twigs, or even paper and cardboard). These materials will need to be sufficiently moist, but not soggy, and you’ll need to turn the pile every several days to

add oxygen so that the microbes that create the weed-seed-destroying heat can breathe and really get going. If you don’t manage a compost pile like this, it is unlikely that it will get hot enough to kill weed seeds.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

Always Growing Something New

Making hot compost is a bit labor intensive, and you’ll need to have a lot of materials on hand all at once. The minimum-sized mound for this method is 4 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet and bigger is better. An ideal ratio of greens to browns is between 1-to-1 and 1-to-3. Most of us simply layer kitchen and garden scraps with straw or dry leaves as these organic wastes are produced. This is a more passive approach and is a wonderful way of keeping organic material out of the landfill. However, it does not generate the kind of heat that will kill weeds or weed seeds.

WINTER RYE

I’ve grown winter rye as a cover crop. It’s very lush and thick, and I’m ready to plant vegetables where it’s growing. What exactly do I do to make the switch?

Cover crops are one of the best ways to build and protect healthy soil, feed soil organisms and aboveground pollinators, grow mulch material, and care for garden beds in between vegetable plantings. But cover cropping can feel complicated and intimidating, too.

One of the biggest challenges, especially with winter rye, is just what you’re asking about: how to transition from the cover crop to vegetables. Here are the steps that work well for us that also can be applied to other kinds of cover crops.

First, pay attention to the life cycle of your cover crop and “terminate” (yes, that’s the official term) during flowering. This will be more effective at actually killing the plants, rather than just giving them a haircut that they will regrow from, and it will mean that the highest level of nutrients will be present in both the roots and aboveground parts of the plants.

To terminate a cover crop, you can either mow or crimp. For mow-

ing, I like to use a hand sickle (the Japanese kama is my favorite) or a scythe. A weed whacker will do but will make more of a mess. Another option is to crimp by laying a heavy metal T-post down on the cover crop and standing on it. This is easiest with two people; you’ll repeat the crimping motion every foot or two until the whole area is squished to the ground and crushed at the base.

If you mow, you’ve got the option of removing all that plant material and using it for compost or mulch elsewhere. If you crimp, it will lay as mulch in that area. If you plan to till, mowing is a better option so that you’re not trying to till through a bunch of plant material lying on the ground. In the case of tilling, you’ll mix in the remaining stubble and roots, along with any amendments you’re adding, then be ready to plant.

If you opt against tilling, you can smother the bed with cardboard, woven polyethylene weed fabric, or another opaque material and wait for it to completely decompose before planting. Or if the plant material you’ve mown or crimped is sufficient to make a thick layer, you can simply transplant into the stubble. The mulch layer should inhibit regrowth if the timing was right. Another option is to spread a 1- to 3-inch layer of compost or topsoil on top of the terminated cover crop and plant directly into this.

All of these approaches will allow the nutrients from the cover crop to nourish the soil; both the roots and aboveground parts (remember, plants’ bodies are half or more underground) will decompose and feed soil organisms and the vegetables you plant.

WHAT’S WHAT

What is the difference between an annual and a perennial?

Different plants live for different amounts of time, and it takes

different plants varying lengths of time to mature and produce seed. Enter the terms annual, biennial and perennial.

Annual plants grow from a seed, mature, produce their own seed, and die, all within the cycle of one year. Many familiar garden vegetables are annuals — for example, tomatoes, zucchinis, cucumbers, green beans, peppers, okra, lettuce, spinach, etc.

Biennial plants take two years to complete their life cycle. In general, they grow vegetatively during the first year (just leaves and stems, no flowers). Then, in their second year of life, they grow flowers that eventually ripen into seeds. Some examples of common biennial vegetables are carrots, beets, onions and celery.

Perennials live for more than two years; in many cases, much more than two years. Ancient redwood trees are perennials, as are wild and cultivated berry bushes, all fruit trees and many garden herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme (not parsley; it’s a biennial). In our climate, some perennials are cultivated as if they’re annuals. We replant these each year because freezing winter temperatures kill them, but we like having them around. In warmer climates, there would be no need to replant. Perennial vegetables are a lesser-known group of perennials that are fun to add to your garden. Check out my blog post about 10 perennial vegetables you’ll love here: http://avl.mx/cpz. X

CROP COVER: Rye is a great way to feed the soil in the winter. Photo courtesy of Johnny’s Selected Seeds

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

MAY 31 - JUNE 8, 2023

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

 Online-only events

 More info, page 21

 More info, page 31

WELLNESS

Narcotics Anonymous

Meetings

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

Sparkle Time Holistic

Exercise

Aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibility.

WE (5/31, 6/7), MO (6/5), 10:30am, Avery's Creek Community Center, 899 Glennbridge Rd SE Arden

Tai Chi for Balance

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

WE (5/31, 6/7), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

5Rhythms Sweat Your Prayers

Hosted by three certified 5Rhythm teachers. No dance experience required, must be curious about movement. For more information email Karen at chapman5rhythms@ gmail.com.

WE (5/31), 5pm, Homewood, 19 Zillicoa St

Free Zumba

Free Zumba class that will focus on health and fitness with local Zumba instructor, Lynn T. All fitness levels are welcome.

TH (6/1), 4:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Asheville Aphasia

Support Group

Every Friday in Rm 345. No RSVP needed.

FR (6/2), 10am, WCU at Biltmore Park, 28 Schenck Pkwy, Ste 300

Free Yoga

Weekly yoga sessions hosted outside.

FR (6/2), 5pm, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave

Wave on the Edge:

LGBTQ Sweat Your Prayers

Body Liberation space, safe space for Queer people to move in a sober environment. No dance experience necessary. See p21 SA (6/3), 9:30am, Haw Creek Commons, 315 Old Haw Creek Rd

Yoga For Everyone

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

Registration required. SA (6/3), 9:30am, Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Goat Yoga on the Farm

Move through your sun salutation in a wide open field as baby goats frolic nearby. Registration required.

SA (6/3), 10am, Round Mountain Creamery, 2203 Old Fort Rd, Black Mountain

Therapeutic Slow Flow Yoga

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

SA (6/3), 10am, Mount Inspiration Apparel, 444 Haywood Rd, Ste 103

Magnetic Minds:

Depression & Bipolar Support Group

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

SA (6/3), 2pm, 1316 Ste C Parkwood Rd

MODERN CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Preserve the art of beautiful handwriting at The Elephant Door. [AVL] Sunday June 4th 1-4pm

REGISTRATION DEADLINE May 31

Includes snacks and starter kit.

Cost $100

Scan QR code for upcoming events. 828.777.6787

FISHY

Big Fish, a musical comedy featuring fantasy creatures and large dance numbers, plays at the HART Theatre Friday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. Based on a 1998 novel that inspired a film by the same name, Big Fish spins a tale about a child’s journey to become an adult and parent. Shows run weekends through June 11. Photo courtesy of John Highsmith

Full Moon Yoga

Brittany Keeler will guide the class on moon salutations and intention setting. See

p21

SA (6/3), 2:30pm, Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S Liberty St

Yoga in the Park

Each class is unique, intertwining movement with breath, with a different focus of strength and release. All-levels welcomed, but bring your own props and mat.

SA (6/3), SU (6/4), 11am, Yoga in the Park Asheville, 220 Amboy Rd

Wild Souls Authentic Movement Class

A conscious movement experience in a 100year old building with a community of women at all life stages.

SU (6/4), 9:30am, Dunn's Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard

Spring Flow w/Jamie

Designed to release heat stored in the body, release excess kapha, and prepare the body for summer. Class is held outside. Bring your mat.

SU (6/4), 11am, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd

Gentle Yoga for Queer & GNC Folks

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

individuals.

SU (6/4), 1:30pm, West Asheville Yoga, 602 Haywood Rd

NCMTR Bent Creek

Trail Run

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

MO (6/5), 6:30pm, Hard Times Trailhead, 375 Wesley Branch Rd

Wellness Game Night

Monthly game nights with Aurora Studio and Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness. Come learn about two local nonprofits providing pathways to wellness from substance use and mental wellness challenges.

TU (6/6), 6pm, Well Played, 162 Coxe Ave, Ste 101

Zumba

Mask and social distancing required. Registration not necessary. Por Favor usa tu cubre bocas antes de la clase.

TU (6/6), 6:30pm, St. James Episcopal Church, 424 W State St, Black Mountain 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 (6/7), noon, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

ART

Wildflower Drawing

Stephanie will guide you through stepby-step drawing and coloring techniques. There will be a handout of photographs of the flower to use as visual references. Each flower will be observed closely to learn more about their parts and unique characteristics.

WE (5/31, 6/7), 10am, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Altruistic Genius: Buckminster Fuller’s Plans to Save the Planet This exhibition brings the inventions and designs of R. Buckminster Fuller to Western North Carolina and introduces visitors to Fuller’s strategies for the sustainability of humans and the planet relating to housing, transportation, mathematics, and engineering. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through August 21.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Reflections of Nature: The Art of Robert Gregory Gross

An exhibition of Plein air master Robert Gregory Gross’s lifetime of work in watercolors, oils, etchings, ink and

pencil sketches. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 11am, and Sunday, 1pm. Exhibition through June 3.

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

SOJOURN: Phil Garrett Paintings & Monotypes Phil Garrett's work is informed by nature. The power of storms, the spiritual quality of the elements, the beauty, grace and ferocity of plants and animals. Painting and making monotypes is his search for the mystery within the subject, within himself. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10 am and Sunday, 12 pm. Exhibition through June 11.

Pink Dog Creative 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. Daily, 10am.

Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway

Year of the Rabbit: Solo Exhibition for Hunt Slonem

Slonem’s opulent textural paintings of his iconic birds and butterflies and his wildly popular rabbits, as well as unique sculptural works,

give us a glimpse into Slonem’s colorful maximalist world and artistic empire. Gallery open Monday through Saturday,10am, and Sunday, noon. Exhibition through June 30.

Bender Gallery, 29 Biltmore Ave

Art Break: Luzene Hill

An informal Gallery discussion about the works in the exhibition, Luzene Hill: Revelate.

TH (6/1), 6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Open Studio

This free drop-in program, aims to expose and engage participants with the museum’s collection and changing exhibitions. The Asheville Art Museum will provide all instruction, supplies, and materials.

TH (6/1), 6pm, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd, Ste 101

Toe River Arts June

Studio Tour

A three-day journey of the arts featuring 88 studio artists and 10 galleries filled with inspired, original artwork. The tour will showcase the work of glassblowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, fiber artists, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, and woodworkers.

FR (6/2), SA (6/3), SU (6/4) 10am, Toe River Arts Council, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine

Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper

The works in this exhibition reveal the

breadth of possibilities and unique qualities that exist when artists choose to employ and even create handmade paper. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed on Tuesday. Exhibition through July 14.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Opening Reception: Black Mountain College & Mexico

The exhibition of BMC/ MX features works by prominent contemporary Mexican artists alongside a selection of historic works by BMC artists, highlighting the ways in which ideas and modalities are translated across materials, space, and time. See p31 FR (6/2), 5:30pm, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St Natura a Colori Exhibition

This exhibit explores the wide range of expressive possibilities using various techniques from slumping to "painting" with glass powders. The goal of this show is to share the unexpected ways in which kiln-formed glass can make a creative statement. Gallery open Friday through Sunday, 10am.

North Carolina Glass Center, 140 Roberts St, Ste B

Artist Talk: Lisa Clague

Listen to renowned figurative ceramist Lisa Clague present their new sculptural work in a range of scale, from

TALE:

oversized heads to diminutive busts. This event is free and open to the public.

SU (6/4), 2pm, Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Ave

Lisa Clague: A Solo Exhibition

Renowned figurative ceramist Lisa Clague presents new sculptural work in a range of scale, from oversized heads to diminutive busts. Clague’s chimeric forms are often an amalgamation of human and animal imagery. This event is free and open to the public. Gallery open Monday through Saturday, 10am and Sunday, noon. Exhibition runs through June 24.

Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Ave

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Pritchard Park Songwriter Series

Each week will feature two songwriters from the community playing songs about life in the 21st century.

TH (6/1, 8), 5:45pm, Pritchard Park, 4 College St

Jazz Jam

An open jam session. Drop-ins are welcome so bring your instruments.

TH (6/1, 8), 7pm, LEAF

Global Arts, 19 Eagle St

Tony Cedras & Friends

A South African accordion, harmonium, keyboard and guitar player. He has performed or recorded, most often on accordion, with various well-known artists.

TH (6/1), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Concert Series on the Creek: Darren Nicholson Band

Free concert series for the community with bluegrass and Americana group, Darren Nicholson Band, providing the music this week. These events are free with donations encouraged. Everyone is welcome. There will be food trucks available on most nights.

FR (6/2), 7pm, Bridge Park Gazebo, 76 Railroad Ave, Sylva Summer Concert Series w/Saddletramp

Country and Western show band, Saddletramp will kick off the series. This free event will take place at the library’s amphitheater or an indoor location in the event of rain.

FR (6/2), 7:30pm, Transylvania County Library, 212 S Gaston St, Brevard

The Asheville Rock Academy Students learn to perform a wide variety of musical styles and

songs of various genres including blues, classic rock, hard rock, punk, surf, and more.

SA (6/3), 6:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

BMC Presents: Bryan Sutton's North Carolina Guitar Celebration

Brevard's Music Center festival season has arrived with iconic guitarist Bryant Sutton and special guests kicking off the series.

SA (6/3), 7:30pm, Brevard Music Center, 349 Andante Ln, Brevard

Randall Bramblett

Band

Solo performance by Americana singer and songwriter from Athens, GA and member of rock band, Sea Level. SA (6/3), 8pm, AyurPrana Listening Room, 312 Haywood Rd

Daniel Nahmod in Concert

California-based singer, songwriter, producer and humanitarian

Daniel Nahmod returns to Unity of The Blue Ridge.

SU (6/4), 12:30pm, Unity of the Blue Ridge, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd, Mills River

Mark's House Jam & Beggar's Banquet

Weekly Sunday pot luck and musician's jam with acoustic and plug in players. It's a family friendly community day so bring a dish to share.

SU (6/4), 3pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr

Free Sound: Arbor

Labor Union & State

Park Ranger

A highly curated collaborative concert series from Burial and Static Age Records, bringing inspiring live music to the South Slope.

TU (6/6), 5pm, Burial Beer Co., 40 Collier Ave

Sirens of Hominy Series

A collaborative in-the-round, featuring a different set of Asheville songstresses every week. Hosted by CaroMia, genres ranging from soul, r&b, pop, jazz, to country.

TU (6/6), 6pm, FBO Hominy Creek, 230 Hominy Creek Rd

Ray DeSilvis, Peter Tart & John Keck

A singer songwriter showcase with acoustic music from Ray DeSilvis, Peter Tart & John Keck.

TH (6/8), 8pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr

LITERARY

Joke Writing Workshop

Hosted by Disclaimer

Stand Up Lounge and moderated by Cody Hughes, weekly. Bring 90 seconds of material

that isn’t working.

WE (5/31), 6/7), 6:30pm, Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave

Glove Shy: Conversation w/Janet Hurley & Sebastian Matthews

A conversation between Glove Shy: A Sister's Reckoning author, Janet Hurley and Sebastian Matthews. Glove A well-told story of what happens when the blows hit far beyond the ropes. The event is free but registration is required.

TH (6/1), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

All Arts Open Mic

Prepare a five minute original piece in whatever medium you so choose such as storytelling, music, poetry, literature, comedy, dance or simply come to enjoy and support the local arts community. First Thursday of every month.

TH (6/1), 6:30pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

Poetry Open Mic

Hendo

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

TH (6/1, 8), 7:30pm, Shakedown Lounge, 706 Seventh Ave E, Hendersonville

Craig Gralley: Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

Craig Gralley will present his new book: Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute: An Untold History of Spacemen & Spies.

SA (6/3), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva

Poet Quartet: Janis Harrington, Joseph Mills, Tony Reevy & Crystal Simone Smith

A monthly poetry reading series coordinated and hosted by Mildred Barya. This month, we welcome Janis Harrington, Joseph Mills, Tony Reevy, and Crystal Simone Smith, reading from their latest collections.

SU (6/4), 4:30pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

Monthly Poetry Critique Meeting

Bring your writing to the Dark City Poets Society’s critique meeting. The monthly critique meeting takes place the first Tuesday of each month.

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

Jessi Kneeland: Body Neutral Book Launch

Jessi Kneeland is a coach, writer, and speaker dedicated to helping people overcome the suffering associated with body anxiety, insecurity, and negativity, and

to improve their relationship with their bodies.

TU (6/6), 7pm, All Bodies Movement and Wellness, 211 Merrimon Ave

Fierce Poise: Helen Frankenthaler & 1950s New York

A book conversation followed by a gallery talk featuring Frankenthaler's painting Book of Clouds. A biography of one of the 20th century’s most respected painters as she came of age as both an artist and a woman in the vibrant art world of 1950s New York.

WE (6/7), noon, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

THEATER & FILM

Da Classroom Ain't Enuf

An exploration of the intersection of Black and Brown communities, particularly in and around the American educational system, featuring an ensemble of four actors who play teachers, students and their families. A mix of poetry, prose and music, with original tracks by composer Richard Jones.

FR (6/2), SA (6/3), TH (6/8), 7:30pm, SU (6/4), 4pm

The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St

Film Screening: Artus Moser of Buckeye Cove

An outdoor screening of Swannanoa Valley’s own “Renaissance man of the mountains” and his lifelong legacy collecting ballads, making music, and preserving southern Appalachian traditions.

FR (6/2), 8pm, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 W State St, Black Mountain

Where the Heart Is Tells the story of Maria Shaughnessy, who runs an unofficial boarding house that’s home to several elders.

SA (6/3), 3pm and 7:30pm Hendersonville Theatre, 229 S Washington St, Hendersonville

Reasonably Priced Babies

An improv comedy group that asks the audience for suggestions and then they make that come to technicolor life.

SA (6/3), 7pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain The Revolutionists

Four revolutionary women lose their heads in this comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror.

WE (5/31), TH (6/1), FR

(6/2), SA (6/3), 7:30pm, SU (6/4), 2pm North Carolina Stage Company, 15 Stage Ln

The Sublime Theater: Robert Returns

A successful singer-songwriter returns home after his friend and mentor dies, encountering a town changed beyond recognition and a startling revelation that alters his life and the road ahead.

SA (6/3), 7:30pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

Big Fish

A musical comedy filled with fantasy creatures, large dance numbers, music, and a tale about growing from child to adult to parent.

FR (6/2), SA (6/3), TH (6/8), 7:30pm, SU (6/4), 2pm Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

Competitive Duplicate Bridge

Check bridgeweb.com/ avl for dates, times and special announcements. All are welcome.

WE (5/31, 6/7), FR (6/2), MO (6/5), noon, Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Ave

AmeriHealth Asheville: Racial Justice Coalition & Carolina Day Meeting Asheville's Racial Justice meeting at the end of the month.

WE (5/31), 12:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

David Miranda: Open Studio & Theorem of Apocryphal Manifestos Mexican artist David Miranda creates a sound sequence that pays homage to the poets who shared their work in a creative exchange between Mexico and the United States.

WE (5/31), 1pm, Revolve, 821 Riverside Dr, Ste 179

Pritchard Park Series: Summer of Science

Explore hands on activities and experiments while we learn about the science of bubbles or the science of Sound. Every other wesk we will play and learn together using a variety of tools, instruments, and toys.

WE (5/31, 6/7), 5:30pm, Pritchard Park, 4 College St

Homeowner Training; Septic System Basics, Troubleshooting & Tips

Learn about the importance of wastewater treatment, an overview of treatment in an onsite system, typical onsite system features, final treatment and dispersal, management, maintenance, safety, and system troubleshooting.

WE (5/31), 6pm, DoubleTree by Hilton, 115 Hendersonville Rd Spanish Club

Spanish speakers of all ages and levels are welcome to join together for conversation to practice the language in a group setting. Every Wednesday.

WE (5/31, 6/7), 6pm, Black Mountain Brewing, 131 NC-9, Black Mountain

Menopause Demystified

Free two-hour seminar with guest speakers

Dr. Melissa Robinson MD and Amy Beane NP who will speak on the symptoms and treatment options of menopause. Followed by a Q&A session for anyone with questions. For more information email Sara at maidens@ gmail.com

WE (5/31), 6:20pm, Ebbs Chapel Performing Arts Center, 271 Laurel Valley Rd, Mars Hill

Rhythm of Women

This is a women only drum circle. Learn East African drumming techniques and enjoy the rhythm and sounds of feminine beats. Text (828) 777-6787 to

reserve your space.

WE (5/31), 7pm, The Elephant Door, 126 Swannanoa River Rd

Swing Dance Lessons

Open to all beginners wanting to learn 8-count Lindy Hop. Beginner basics will be learned and explored each week with new moves to add to your tool belt.

WE (5/31), 7pm, LEAF Global Arts, 19 Eagle St

Train-the-Trainer: Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems

The purpose of this workshop is to provide professionals who work with communities served by onsite or decentralized wastewater systems with learning materials that can be customized to provide interactive education about OWTS.

WE (5/31), 8pm, TH (6/1), 8am

DoubleTree by Hilton, 115 Hendersonville Rd

Embroiderers' Guild of America: Laurel Chapter

The program this month is about a Blue Ridge Mountains scene done in surface embroidery. It is a combination of layered tulle and standard embroidery stitches. Peggy O’Connor has designed

the piece and will teach chapter members the techniques necessary to complete the project.

TH (6/1), 9:30am, Horse Shoe Community Church, 3 Banner Farm Rd, Mills River

Butts & Boots: Line Dancing Beginner line dance and two-step lessons, every Thursday. Free and no partner or experience needed.

TH (6/1, 8), 6pm, Banks Ave, 32 Banks Ave Swing Dance Lesson & Dance Swing dancing lesson and dance, every Thursday. See p21

TH (6/1, 8), 7pm, Alley Cat Social Club, 797 Haywood Rd

Walk & Talk Fridays Stroll through the pollinator trail, then stay to explore the woodland nature trail, Sally’s Garden, horticultural therapy gardens, as well as the Fairy Trail. Suitable for all ages; children must be accompanied by an adult.

FR (6/2), 10am, Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville

Explore Srividya: Experience the Divine Feminine Within Learn about

Srividya, the ancient spiritual knowledge to experience the Divine Feminine Within. For anyone interested in self-knowledge, truth and seeking to understand the purpose and meaning of life.

SA (6/3), 6pm, Asia

House Asheville, 119 Coxe Ave

Modern Calligraphy

In this course, you'll learn how to hold your pen, dip with ink, basic script strokes, and both the lower-case and upper-case alphabets. All supplies are included in your ticket price.

SU (6/4), 1pm, The Elephant Door, 126 Swannanoa River Rd

Game Day: Perspective

Café

Traditional game day with board and card games as well as refreshments from the Perspective Cafe.

SU (6/4), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square

Headshots Day

Craft your perfect shot against the backdrop of our lounge. EAffordable, high-quality photos from a local photographer.

SU (6/4), 2pm, Ginger's Revenge South Slope Lounge, 32 Banks Ave

Wear Orange: Asheville

A community gathering to honor victims and survivors as we work together to end gun violence. Wear orange in support.

SU (6/4), 3pm, Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center, 133 Livingston St

Sausage Party: Gay Mens Chill & Grill

A night of mingling and grilling. This friendly event invites gay men and allies to gather and hangout. No cover charge, but must be 21 to attend.

SU (6/4), 5pm, The Getaway River Bar, 790 Riverside Dr

Sew Co./Rite of Passage Factory Tour

On this 30 minute micro-tour, learn about sustainable and transparent business practices and hear about production processes and client collaborations.

MO (6/5), Rite of Passage

Clothing & Sew Co, 240 Clingman Ave Ext Business Ready: Smart Legal

A morning of free legal education for members of the business community. Learn how to correct or

avoid common mistakes business owners make and protect yourself, your business and your employees.

MO (6/5), 8am, WCU at Biltmore Park, 28 Schenck Pkwy

AmeriHealth Asheville: Computer Lab & Wi-Fi Hours

Each Monday, offering computer hours and free wi-fi with two workspaces.

MO (6/5), 11am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Training

Learn how you can use your voice as a court advocate for abused and/or neglected children in Buncombe County.

MO (6/5), 1pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St

How the American Homefront First Saw D-Day

Greg Wilsbacher, Ph.D., a University of South Carolina faculty librarian and curator, will present a muti-media program of How the American Homefront First Saw D-Day. The program, sponsored by the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas and it’s free and open to the public.

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

Chess Club

Open to all ages and any skill set. There will be a few boards available, but folks are welcome to bring their own.

MO (6/5), 4pm, Black Mountain Brewing, 131 NC-9, Black Mountain World Tavern Poker Poker night hosted by Nikkita.

MO (6/5), 7pm, The Getaway River Bar, 790 Riverside Dr Parkinson's Support Group

A monthly support group gathering for people living with Parkinson's and Support Partners.

TU (6/6), 10am, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd Hand Piecing: A Quilting Workshop

In this class you'll learn how to create templates, transfer them to fabric and hand stitch everything together, along with lots of tips and tricks along the way.

TU (6/6), 6pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Pritchard Park Summer Series: Hoop & Flow Arts Jam Asheville Hoops provides tunes, demo props for all to use and a positive event that promotes movement, creativity, dance and fun.

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

WNC Prostate Support Group

All men, family members, partners and supporters are welcome to attend no matter their current situation with prostate cancer. There is no fee to attend and all personal information is kept confidential. This support group is and led by volunteers and open to the public.

TU (6/6), 6:30pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St Lewis Creek Preserve Nature Walk

Bob Gale, MountainTrue’s Ecologist and Public Lands Director, will lead a slow hike along the nature trail and boardwalk, interpreting plant life, wildflowers, a rare Southern Appalachian Bog ecosystem, and the value of pollinators on this property.

WE (6/7), 9am, Edneyville Community Center, 15 Ida Rogers Dr, Hendersonville

Tenant Rights Workshop

The goal of this workshop is to educate tenants about their rights as renters in NC and begin connecting tenants to resources and to each other. There will be a presentation and Q&A session with Pisgah Legal Services followed by a discussion with Just Economics about the Tenants' Network. Register at avl.mx/cq5

WE (6/7), 4pm, West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Rd

Music To Your Ears: Bill Kopp w/Bob Hinkle

A monthly discussion series for music enthusiasts to gather and discuss important albums, artists or musical movements. A discussion of Rock of Ages will serve as the starting point for a lively conversation with Bob Hinkle.

WE (6/7), 7pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr AmeriHealth Caritas Asheville: Change Your Palate Cooking Demo

This free food demonstration is open to everyone but tailored towards those with Type 2 diabetes or hypertension and/ or their caretakers. Our featured host is Change Your Palate's very own Shaniqua Simuel. TH (6/8), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave,

A Narrative From the Inside: Hendersonville’s 9th Avenue School

The presentation will share information from both the students and teachers perspective about: busing from surrounding counties, education expectations and what has been learned from the teachers’ perspective, their education qualifications, where they were from and where they resided while teaching at the 9th Ave School, and what happened after integration.

TH (6/8), 6pm, OLLI/ Reuter Center, UNCA, 300 Campus View Rd

LOCAL MARKETS

Leicester Farmers Market

Farmers Market with over 30 vendors. Locally grown and sourced selection of meats, produce, eggs, plants and flowers, baked goods, cheese, honey, sauces, crafts, art, and more. Every Wednesday through Oct. 25. WE (5/31, 6/7), 3pm, Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester RAD Farmers Market

Providing year-round access to fresh local foods, with 25-30 vendors selling a variety of wares. Handicap parking available in the Smoky Park lot, free public parking available along Riverside Drive. Also accessible by foot, bike, or rollerblade via the Wilma Dykeman Greenway.

WE (5/31, 6/7), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr Weaverville Tailgate Market

A selection of fresh, locally grown produce, grass fed beef, pork, chicken, rabbit, eggs, cheese, sweet and savory baked goods, artisan bread, fire cider, coffee, pickles, body care, eclectic handmade goodies, and garden and landscaping plants. Every Wednesday, year round. WE (5/31, 6/7), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr Weaverville

Biltmore Park Farmers Market

A wide array of farm-fresh seasonal produce, eggs, honey, locally-grown flowers, artisan baked goods, foraged mushrooms, handmade soaps, and more from local farmers, specialty food producers, and crafters. Every Thursday through July 20.

TH (6/1, 8), 3pm, Biltmore Park Town Square, Town Square Blvd

Enka-Candler Tailgate Market

A grand selection of local foods and crafts,

everything from produce to pickles, baked goods to body care, with a hefty helping of made-to-order meals from our food trucks. Every Thursday through October.

TH (6/1, 8), 3pm, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Flat Rock Farmers Market

A diverse group of local produce and fruit farmers, craft-food makers, bread bakers, wild crafters, art-crafters, and merrymakers. Every Thursday through Oct. 26.

TH (6/1, 8), 3pm, Pinecrest ARP Church, 1790 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock

Pack Square Artisan Market

This market will showcase local handcrafted goods in the heart of downtown. Every Friday through Oct. 27.

FR (6/2), 1pm, 1 South Pack Square Park

East Asheville Tailgate Market

Local goods from neighborhood vendors selling tamales, dumplings, baked goods, ferments, bread, artisan cheese, meat, flowers, farm fresh vegetables, and more. Every Friday through November.

FR (6/2), 3pm, Grose UMC, 954 Tunnel Rd

Saluda Tailgate Market

With over a dozen vendors, this agriculture-only market features an assortment of homegrown produce, meat, and eggs within a 25 mile radius.

FR (6/2), 4:30pm, W Main St, Saluda

Henderson County

Tailgate Market

Seasonal fruits, fresh mushrooms, vegetables, local honey, meat, eggs, garden plant starts, perennials and much more. Every Saturday through Oct. 28.

SA (6/3), 8am, 100 N King St, Hendersonville

Hendersonville Farmers Market

A vibrant community gathering space with produce, meat, eggs, baked goods, coffee, crafts, food trucks, live music, kids' activities and more. Every Saturday through Oct. 28.

SA (6/3), 8am, 650 Maple St, Hendersonville

Mills River Farmers Market

Listen to local musicians as you shop the wide variety of vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, and high-quality crafts.

Saturdays through Oct. 28.

SA (6/3), 8am, Mills River Elementary School, 94 Schoolhouse Rd, Mills River

North Asheville Tailgate Market

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

SA (6/3), 8am, 3300 University Heights

Asheville City Market

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

SA (6/3), 9am, 52 N Market St

Black Mountain Tailgate Market

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

SA (6/3), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

The Odd Flea

Bring your own tables and display all of your wacky and tacky items such as taxidermy, antiques, records, junk, witchy tinctures, plants and more. First come first serve. 1st Saturday of every month.

SA (6/3), 9am, The Odd, 1045 Haywood Rd

Mars Hill Farmers & Artisans Market

A producer-only tailgate market with fresh local produce, herbs, garden and landscape plants, cut flowers, cheeses, meats, eggs, baked goods, jams, honey, soaps, tinctures, crafts & more. SA (6/3), 10am, College Street, College St, Mars Hill

Pop-up Mini Craft Fair

An opportunity for Guild members to sell their work in an outdoor, carefully spaced layout. Visitors can shop for a variety of fine craft of different disciplines: bladesmithing, glassblowing, wheel-thrown and hand-built ceramics, woodturning, metalsmithing, leatherwork, and furniture making. SA (6/3), 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

BIPOC Farmer's Market

Everyone is encouraged to come out to support local BIPOC vendors. The market is EBT accessible with double dollars for fresh fruits

and vegetables.

SU (6/4), noon, W.C. Reid Center, 133

Livingston St

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 (6/4), 1pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200

Tuesday Creative Market

Browse the wares from local makers and creatives.

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

Etowah Lions Club

Farmers Market

Fresh produce, honey, sweets, flowers, plant starts and locally crafted wares. Every Wednesday through October 25.

WE (6/7), 3pm, Etowah Lions Club, 447 Etowah School Rd, Hendersonville

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association

Scholarship Awards

Ceromony

The MLK Association awards scholarships each year to area high school seniors who actively embrace Dr. King’s dream of improving racial harmony and community betterment. The money is used to support local students in their pursuit of higher education.

TH (6/1), 5:30pm, Lenoir-Rhyne University, 36 Montford Ave

Pollinator Month: Honey Tasting & Live Honey Bees

Taste pure, raw, local honey, and safely observe a live honey bee hive.

SA (6/3), 8am, Hendersonville Farmers Market, 650 Maple St, Hendersonville

Carl Sandburg Music Festival

This free festival offers live music performances at the amphitheater and barnyard areas. Seating is available, and visitors are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs. Due to expected large crowds, pets will not be allowed at performances.

SA (6/3), 11am, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, 81 Carl Sandburg Ln, Flat Rock

Summer Edit

A summer fun event filled with music, local vendors, shopping, and a variety of outdoor activities for all ages. The event is free and open to the public.

SA (6/3), 11am, The Courtyard at The Shops at Reynolds Village, 61 North Merrimon Ave, Woodfin Funk & Soul Day w/ Boogi Therapi & DJ Smokifantastic

A day devoted to funk and soul to celebrate the release of Feel Like Bustin’ Juice IPA with live music by Boogi Therapi followed by DJ Smokifantastic.

SA (6/3), 4pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd

Foundy Street Full Moon Dance Party

A special pop-up night market and a dance party under the stars featuring DJ Griffin White and Altumatum to welcome the full moon. See p31

SA (6/3), 9pm, The Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St

AVL Honey Fest w/The Barsters, Queen Bee & The Honeylovers, Chikomo Marimba & Sol Driven Train

A day of celebration, education, and community-building with live music, food trucks, and vendors showcasing the unique flavors of honey and other artisanal goods. Proceeds from the festival will go towards saving pollinators and our planet.

SU (6/4), 12pm, Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr

The Garden Club of Weaverville's 50th Anniversary Celebration

The event is free to the public, and it affords guests an opportunity to meet club members, learn more about our organization, ask club members any garden-related questions they might have. In addition, three speakers will present on gardening topics.

SU (6/4), 2pm, Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville

B.E.A.R Closet: Annual McDowell County Health & Resource Fair Local community organization will be onsite to discuss the services they offer including health, wellness, employment opportunities, housing education, insurance,

mental health, and more. Free dental cleanings and exams provided by WNCCHS. Blood pressure screenings and HGB

A1C testing provided by Healthy Blue of NC.

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

BENEFITS

&

VOLUNTEERING

Pisgah Legal Services Presents; An Evening For Kids Deserve Justice

An evening of community and celebration with food, drinks, music, and family fun. You’ll also have the chance to bid on exciting items in the silent auction. By participating, you contribute to Pisgah Legal’s Children’s Law Program which supports children in our communities.

WE (5/31), 4pm, Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr

Sweet Speaks: A Pride Month Kickoff

A benefit for Fierce Flix featuring a queer screening and a performance.

WE (5/31), 7pm, The Odd, 1045 Haywood Rd

5K Run for Life

This race will raise support for our center to help teens and women facing unplanned pregnancies with free ultrasounds, pre-natal vitamins, diapers, maternity clothing, baby clothes and equipment, as well as continuing to provide clothing and other needs for these families as their children grow to be toddlers.

SA (6/3), 8:30am, The Park at Flat Rock, 55 Highland Golf Dr, Flat Rock

International Moonshine Day w/Tim Smith

Celebrate International Moonshine Day and raise money for Manna Food Bank. Free whiskey tasting, food trucks, and Blue Ridge Artisan Market. Discovery Channel star, Tim Smith will also be in attendance.

SA (6/3), 11am, Two Trees Distilling Co., 17 Continuum Dr, Fletcher

Just Brew It

A homebrew competition and tasting benefiting the work of Just Economics, an Asheville nonprofit. The festival features over 75 different beers and over 30 homebrewers. To attend, you must be a current member

of Just Economics. This event is not ticketed, so you must purchase a membership prior to the event.

SA (6/3), 2pm, Pisgah Brewing Company, 150 E Side Dr, Black Mountain

9th Annual EmpTea Bowls Garden Tea Party

Featuring live music by the Blushin’ Roulettes, a tea sommelier serving delicious teas made from herbs from the garden, food donations from local restaurants and our gardeners, and numerous activities for all attendees. Proceeds from EmpTea Bowls funds the Community Garden internship program as well as educational special events.

SA (6/3), 4pm, Dr. John Wilson Community Garden, 99 White Pine Dr, Black Mountain

Steve Sutton Fest

The Steve Sutton Fest rocks the outdoor concert with music from Perpetual Groove and Special Guests Darren Nicholson Band, Marc Keller Band, and Whitewater Bluegrass Co. This event is a benefit for the Steve Sutton Memorial Charitable

Trust.

SA (6/3), 5pm, Silverados, 2898 US-70, Black Mountain

Full Moon in June Benefit

An evening of community and live music from The Ada Khoury Band, Anne Coombs and Kathryn O’Shea. Bring your picnic basket, blankets or low chairs. Proceeds from this event will benefit Aura Home Women Vets, a nonprofit organization working to prevent homelessness for women veterans in WNC.

SA (6/3), 6pm, Patton Parker House, 95 Charlotte St

Queens of Sing!

A display of talent and glamour where drag queens take the stage and showcase their vocal abilities and captivating stage presence for a good cause. This is a fundraiser for local charity, Youth OUTright. There will be a showtime at 12 pm and 2 pm. SU (6/4), noon, Ella Asheville, 81 Broadway St, Ste 101

Barbers & Bourbon

A benefit for Veteran suicide prevention and healing. SU (6/4), 1pm, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave

by Jessica Wakeman | jwakeman@mountainx.com

Buncombe County reveals next steps for opioid settlements

On May 18, the Buncombe County Opioid Settlement Fund Steering Committee provided the community with an overview of its next steps for funding.

Buncombe County is set to receive more than $16 million over a 17-year period as part of the settlement with pharmaceutical companies to repair harm caused by opioid misuse. (The city of Asheville received an additional $1.5 million in settlement funds.) The county received about $2 million in funds in 2022; additional funds will be disbursed each year in varying amounts.

On May 18, attendees learned that the county has allocated $458,500 to be spent through June 30 on expanding distribution of the opioid reversal drug naloxone in the community, as well as expanding access to medication-assisted treatment, programs for individuals leaving incarceration, peer support specialists and strategic planning.

According to the committee’s Opioid Settlement Strategic Planning Report, goals for fiscal years 2024-26

include reductions in overdose-related visits to area emergency departments, the jail population incarcerated for substance use-related charges and the number of behavioral health-related EMS dispatches.

In March, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners filed paperwork to seek additional funds from another opioid litigation settlement. That settlement, paid by businesses Walgreens, Walmart and CVS and pharmaceutical companies Allergan and Teva, could result in another $12 million for the county.

Mission seeks new ER approval

Mission Health filed a certificate of need application with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to open a new emergency room on Crowell Road. The proposed freestanding facility would have emergency, pharmacy, radiology

and laboratory services. The project is expected to cost $29 million and would be completed in July 2025.

A public hearing for this project will be held at 9:30 a.m., Monday June 19, in at A-B Tech Ferguson Auditorium, 340 Victoria Road. NCDHHS’ Division of Health Service Regulation is accepting comments submitted as an attachment to an email at DHSR. CON.comments@dhhs.nc.gov.

Clinic opens at new location

Appalachian Mountains Community Health Center opened the Dale Fell Center at a new location, 77 McDowell St., on May 8, and is accepting new patients. The Dale Fell Center provides primary care, behavioral health, medication-assisted treatment, women’s health care, including gynecological visits, and dental care, including cleanings and fillings.

The clinic offers a sliding scale and treats all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. The clinic also accepts Medicaid, Medicare and many major insurance plans. Hours are 7:30 a.m.5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information visit amchc.org.

MAHEC adds 2 endocrinologists

Mountain Area Health Education Center Internal Medicine has added two endocrinology specialists, Drs. Wendy Lane and Stephen Weinrib. The doctors were previously providers with Mountain Diabetes and Endocrine Center, and closed their practice earlier this year.

MAHEC Internal Medicine offers treatment for endocrine disorders, including diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome and osteoporosis, as well as diseases of the thyroid, the adrenal and pituitary glands and erectile dysfunction.

MAHEC Internal Medicine is located at 123-A Hendersonville Road. For more information visit mahec. net/internal-medicine.

Rapid HIV, Hep C testing available

The Buncombe County Department of Public Health Clinical

SETTLING UP: Buncombe County

Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara introduced a review of the Opioid Settlement Fund Steering Committee’s strategic planning report at a panel discussion May 18. Screen grab courtesy of Buncombe County

Health Services has begun providing rapid testing for HIV and hepatitis C on Wednesdays noon-4 p.m. at 40 Coxe Avenue.

The nonprofits Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness and Western North Carolina AIDS Project were on hand May 17 to provide additional information and resources for those getting tested.

In addition to the rapid testing on Wednesdays, BCDPH Clinical Health Services regularly provides testing for HIV, herpes, hepatitis B and C, chlamydia, bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections, among other ailments. The Buncombe County STI Testing and Treatment Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Schedule an appointment at 828-250-5109.

A-B Tech dedicates nursing school

A-B Tech dedicated its new A-B Tech School of Nursing on April 25. The school brings together the certified nursing assistant, the associate degree nursing and the regionally increasing baccalaureate nursing programs. A licensed practical nursing program will be added in the fall, pending approval from the N.C. Board of Nursing. For more information visit abtech.edu/nursing.

Medical society receives grant

The Leon Levine Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to the Western Carolina Medical Society, a professional association of physicians and physician assistants in 16 counties of Western North Carolina. The grant will support WCMS’ Project Access program, which provides health care to low-income, uninsured patients living in Buncombe or Madison counties. For more information about Project Access, visit mywcms.org.

Community kudos

• Buncombe County Health and Human Services has named Amparo Acosta as director of nursing and clinical services coordinator. Acosta began the role May 1; she has worked for the county for 21 years as a nurse.

• Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation Executive Director Robin Tindall announced her retirement from the foundation Dec. 31. The foundation’s board of directors has commenced a search for a new executive director. For more information about the position, contact 828-482-6513.

Mark your calendars

• Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S. Liberty St., is holding a free full moon yoga class 2:30-4 p.m., Saturday, June 3. Brittany Keeler will guide the class on moon salutations and intention setting. Register at avl.mx/cpl.

• Waves on the Edge/Sweat Your Prayers is hosting a sober, conscious dance party for the queer and trans community 9:30-11:30 a.m., Saturday, June 3, at Haw

Creek Commons, 315 Old Haw Creek Road. No dance experience is required. Donations are pay-what-you-can and no one will be turned away. For more information visit facebook.com/ Asheville5Rhythms.

• Swing Asheville is holding a beginner swing dance class 7-8 p.m., Thursday, June 8, at Alley Cat Social Club, 797 Haywood Road, suite 100. Following the class, a swing dance will be held from 8-11 p.m. at the venue. For more information visit swingasheville.com.

• Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness will hold neighborhood syringe pickups for community members 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays June 10, July 8 and Aug.

12. Volunteers will meet at Pisgah View Apartments Community Center, 1 Granada St. All supplies will be provided. For more information, contact Justin Shytle at 828-475-9952.

• The Enka-Candler Branch Library, 1404 Sand Hill Road, Candler, is hosting a guided meditation 10:1511 a.m., Saturday, June 10, for adults only in its community room. No registration is required; loose, comfortable clothing is recommended.

• The N.C. State Massage Championship will be held 8 a.m.10 p.m., Sunday, June 11, at Lake Junaluska Conference Center, Terrace Hotel, 689 N. Lakeshore Drive in Lake Junaluska. The event will include continuing education classes, vendors and awards. For more information, visit ncmassagechampionship.com.

• Climb Out of the Darkness, a fundraising event by Postpartum Support International to raise awareness about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, is holding a free walk 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, June 24, in Richmond Park, 300 Richmond Hill Drive. Participants can join the Asheville team or donate at avl.mx/cpy.

Elizabeth Garbarino, MD Grace Evins, MD

WITH MORGAN

BY MORGAN BOST

morganbost1@gmail.com

This month, “Best Medicine” is celebrating Western North Carolina parents. Given the complicated relationship I have with my own family, I’ve spent the past seven years in Asheville collecting adultier adults to help raise me as their own. You know, chosen-family who remind me to change my car oil and advise me on whether or not my eggs have gone bad (the ones in my fridge, of course).

Since I’m not currently tasked with raising another human, I leaned on Xpress Managing Editor (and father) Thomas Calder to help generate this month’s questions.

Meanwhile, comedian Chesney Goodson returns to the “Best

BOST

Comedians’ guide to parenting in WNC

Medicine” circle. Joining him is Michele Scheve, owner and producer of Slice of Life Comedy as well as Cary Goff, comedian and producer of the Disclaimer Lounge, who is better known around these here mountains as the Asheville Comedy Godfather (his preferred nomenclature, by the way).

Morgan Bost: Children are notoriously calm and predictable. But on the rare occasions when the little ones do act out, what location in Asheville do you consider the worst place for your mini-me to have a meltdown?

Michele Scheve: Taking a tantrum-prone child to goat yoga is a challenging situation. Moms who are stressed out and looking for some inner peace will find themselves in a nightmare. Not only does it ruin the chill vibes for everyone when you’ve got a wild child running around, but you might even end up losing your child to the goats. However, it’s kind of fascinating because no one ever really knows whether it’s a goat-kid or your human-having-a-meltdown-kid that’s responsible for all the horrific screams.

Chesney Goodson: In the middle of the grocery store’s toy aisle. They’ve always got a knock-off Barbie doll conveniently placed next to the section of the store where management knows you’ll have to pass, giving your kid one more item that you as a parent have to say no to.

Cary Goff: Along with comedy, I also write poetry. So, the worst place for a meltdown has to be at any spoken-word function. I find it hard to finish your poem about the essence of humanity and how we all exist peacefully in the eyes of nature while your kid is screaming like Rodan in the corner of the room. It’s a rough transition — returning to your poem before an audience that just watched you snap at your child. Over time, I’ve learned that if you give your kids your iPhone, they will play games until Daddy finishes reciting his poem “The Loins of Gaia,” which no one in the room was really paying attention to anyway.

Bost: I think it’s best to discuss the worst place for me to throw a tantrum. Avid readers and longtime MedHeads know my potential for a breakdown at

TIMEOUT: Local comic Morgan Bost, top left, seeks parental insights from this month’s round of contributing comedians. Also featured, clockwise from top right, Chesney Goodson, Michele Scheve and Cary Goff. Photo of Bost by Cindy Kunst; all other images courtesy of comedians

any given Ingles, but I’m most likely to pitch a fit when forced into some sort of athletic adventure. Hear me out. I love camping and hiking. And on rare occasions, I’ve even been known to grace a bicycle. However, the combination of these elements creates my worst nightmare. Does anyone actually enjoy pedaling uphill as their crotch aches and cars whip dangerously close by them on winding mountain roads? And then I’m expected to just like … sleep in a tent after? No, thank you! Unless someone wants to carry me up the mountain on their handlebars while I suck down a juice box and listen to Lizzo, I think it’s best to leave extreme adventure to those not fueled by cold brew and cinnamon buns.

Bost: Playdates often require parents to interact with fellow playdate parents. In some instances, these gatherings can be quite awkward. Any recommended icebreakers? Fun factoids? Or perhaps some handy tips for dealing with that one parent who can’t help but brag about their child’s superior intellect?

Scheve: When I hang out with other Asheville parents, I often inquire about the private, charter or magnet school their children attend. Inevitably, the other parents start engaging in an artful rivalry, attempting to one-up each other with stories about their child prodigies. They go on and on about

how their preschooler already has a fancy degree in science-engineering and fluently speaks four languages. I just sit there nodding and waiting patiently for my moment to share. Then I let them know my straight-uppublic-school-kid is a fantastic artist, a cool radio DJ on 103.3 Asheville FM and is already a pro at collecting and playing vinyl records. But more importantly (for our future family finances), my kid’s social media is finally gaining traction with some sketchy brand ambassador offers. By the time those other Asheville parents leave, there’s no doubt who the superior parent is.

Goodson: I made up a wonderful “fact” that I tell other parents at these types of gatherings. It goes like this: I was one of the original members of the French Broad River Band. Most don’t know that the French Broad River blatantly ripped off our name. The whole matter ultimately broke up the band, though we are still in court over our copyright infringement suit against the watery hoodlum. But I digress.

You see, nothing piques people’s interest more than made-up facts about a town nobody really knows anything about.

If that fails, just make up other random “facts” about sports teams or players that can’t easily be verified. For example, one of my go-to stories is that Babe Ruth once used a porta-potty outside of a chocolate factory. A worker walked in afterward and caught a glimpse of The Great Bambino’s delivered goods and came up with the idea for the Baby Ruth candy bar.

Needless to say, get creative! Asheville history is like a blank canvas in a Lisa Frank coloring book — it’s just waiting for you to fill in its ’90’s-themed mountain scenery with your colorful words.

Goff: I like to break out some fun facts such as, “Did you know the median population age of WNC is 46.5 years old? Crazy, huh?” Then I hit them with: “Did you know that the percentage of WNC seniors aged 65 and over who fell increased from 25% in 2012 to 33% in 2015? Insane, right?” Then I ask, “Did you know the average rainfall for WNC is 44 inches?” At this point, the other parents are always like, “Really?” Then I’m like, “Kidding! It’s 45. Gotcha!” Collective laughter ensues as we take our next shot of ayahuasca.

Bost: Why is it that no one ever talks about new topics of conversation with babies? There’s always that awkward moment when a parent-friend excuses themselves to the restroom, leaving me alone to be judged by their offspring. And as more and more friends pop out their own sentient beings, I find that I’m running out of shapes and colors and farm animals to lead

with. What are Western Carolina toddlers even talking about these days? Climate change? CBD? Is there a baby drum circle I should be aware of? Like most Ashevilleans, they obviously have strong opinions on milk preferences.

Bost: Lastly, what are the unique opportunities that come with raising children in Asheville?

Scheve: It’s great to find a mountain bald like Max Patch or Sam Knob and take your little one on an epic hike. Once you conquer the summit, get them off their harness and just let them run wild with puppylike energy. Don’t forget to have a baggy to pick up after them and watch out for other leash-free kiddos. If they’re a good boy, girl or nonbinary, give them a treat like an apple caramel doughnut from Vortex. Then take a well-deserved break for yourself and eat that special cookie from your private stash. As enjoyable as it is to soak up the surroundings in your carefree adult haze, at some point you’ll remember you’re a parent, along with all the perils of ticks, poison ivy, stranger-danger, falling off a cliff, deadly lightning flash storms and the fact that you forgot the sunscreen. Time to find your kid, clip that leash back on and head home!

Goodson: Honestly, there isn’t much for kids to do around town, which is why most locals take their kids to breweries. Nothing shows your child what not to do more than doing the things you don’t want them to do in front of their face early in life. The hope being they don’t do it behind your back later — right?

I also see a lot of out-of-towners leaving their children to be babysat by black bears so they can take a selfie by a waterfall.

Goff: We like seeing what kinds of rashes our kids get from tubing down the French Broad. We also love bringing them to a local brewery and letting them run around unsupervised while we spend the day drinking until our kids are eventually forced to call us an Uber. Oh, and we love to go to expensive art galleries and play a game called “Touching Stuff.” Whoever gets yelled at first gets a delta-9 gummy and a tattoo.

Bost: As the mother of two cats, Leopold and Gertrude, I’m grateful to be nestled between so many cat cafes. A new cat cafe that doubles as a metaphysical store will be opening in the neighborhood soon. How convenient!

I can sip cold brew while mapping the cats’ birth charts. (Gertrude is a Leo, Leo is a Sagittarius — it’s all very confusing.) I’m sure the cats and I will have plenty of time to explore our spirituality this summer after the release of this column inevitably leads to a sharp decline in my dating life. X

Congratulations to the 2023 Be The Change Grant Recipients:

• Eblen Charities

• Pisgah Legal Services

• Helping At Risk Kids of Buncombe County

• Project Dignity

• Loving Food Resources

• YWCA of Asheville • Youth Outright

• Western Carolina Rescue Ministries

The Junior League of Asheville awarded each organization a $1,000 grant to help fund programs that support vulnerable individuals and children in Western North Carolina. For more information on the Be the Change Grant please visit asheville.jl.org/be-the-change-grant/

The Junior League of Asheville is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. For more information on League membership you can learn more at juniorleagueofasheville.org

asheville.jl.org/join-us/

Love Laughter Music

Everyone from everywhere on any spiritual path is welcome at Jubilee!, where we call our inclusive Sunday services “celebrations” because they are infused with music, inspiring messages, creativity and laughter. This might just be the Sunday morning experience you have been yearning to try!

Creatives in the crowd

BY JONATHAN LINDBERG

mainstreetj11@gmail.com

Kelly Saunders, a visual artist based in Asheville, hasn’t always identified as such. For most of her adult life, she’s enjoyed a full and successful career in corporate marketing. But her passion always brought her back to painting. Yet, the life of a working artist felt like something far and out of reach. When she did paint, it was often with her children and viewed as little more than a hobby.

However, amid the COVID-19 lockdown, Saunders’ casual approach took a more serious turn after she painted her first guitar on canvas. A lifelong music lover, the decision proved revelatory.

Today, Saunders regularly works out of a home studio that is slowly taking over the bottom floor of her house. Half-used tubes of acrylic paints and palette knives scatter across her worktable. Meanwhile, a pair of work pants hangs on the door, calling to mind a Pollack painting.

“Messiness is forgiveness,” she says as we walk into her creative space — filled with new and half-finished paintings of drum sets, keyboards and vintage records — to discuss her unconventional journey.

FOLLOW THE MUSIC

Music has long been a key part of Saunders’ life. She met her husband, Jake — a local musician and her biggest artistic supporter — at a My Morning Jacket concert. The two soon discovered they were both part of a loose fraternity that traveled the country following other live acts such as the Grateful Dead, Phish and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. The couple married in 2020.

It is through live music that Saunders finds much of her inspiration, interpreting the experiences through blue and turquoise and bold strokes of orange — colors that feature predominantly in her work. These shades, she explains, emanate from the songs she hears.

But it is also her use of lyrics, incorporated into many of her paintings, that connects viewers to what the music aims to say. “The lyrics are where the feelings are,” Saunders says, holding up a work that features a row of soft blue and warm brown guitars. “I put so much of my fire inside these paintings. It’s only when

Kelly Saunders surrenders to the flow

happening was another moment of collaboration that further validated the connection she has made between music and painting.

FOCUS AND INTENTION

Along with sound, Saunders has also begun experimenting with found tools to create new moods among her works. In one painting, she uses a flyswatter to add soft colors and shapes behind a guitar that is bathed in turquoise. Another work features carpet tape to help raise the acrylic from the canvas.

All of this is done with focus and intention. When approaching a painting, Saunders says she already has a clear idea of the image she wants to end up with. Like many visual artists, she is able to see the finished painting before she even begins. The only variable, she points out, is color choice.

Beyond the canvas, Saunders features her art on pillows and playing cards, tote bags, koozies and greeting cards, among other things.

I am able to get out these feelings and the words of the songs that I can move on to what is next.”

“Ripple,” a piece from her growing collection, was inspired by the Grateful Dead and commissioned by a woman honoring her late father. The lyrics read: “There is a road, no simple highway, between dawn, and the dark of night.” There is a haunting mood to the way Saunders blends these words. The painting’s color palette paired with the lyrics come across like a whisper, similar to the way music is often conjured unintentionally in our heads as we go through our daily routines. The effect is both present and ethereal. Not far from the Grateful Dead piece is a painting that features the words from a Phish song. The lyrics in this particular work may hint at Saunders’ own philosophical approach to her creative works. It reads, “The trick is to surrender to the flow.”

VALIDATION

This connection to music has led to a host of commissioned pieces and broader opportunities.

“People are coming to me now asking for specific paintings from specific bands,” Saunders says. “Or specific instruments that have meant something to them or the people they love. For me, these pieces are extremely rewarding. I am able to help them express things that only music and art are able to say.”

Her dedication has also led to new opportunities.

Earlier this year, Saunders became a member of the Asheville Gallery of Art. The membership, she notes, was validating. Previously, she says, she felt as if she did not have enough training to be taken seriously as an artist.

Furthermore, her paintings are now featured in places such as Marquee in the River Arts District, coffee shops and breweries. She has also exhibited in cities such as Atlanta.

And more recently, Saunders served on the production team for the Biltmore Lake Imaginative Stroll. During the May 6 event, she and 25 other artists displayed their works in the Biltmore Lake neighborhood. Saunders says the

And her creative works continue at a steady pace. Her prolific output is matched by her ever-growing studio space, which continues to take over new corners of her home’s bottom floor.

Meanwhile, she continues to balance family, career and her love for music along with her expanding artistic presence in Asheville and beyond. What started with a spark of creativity during the COVID lockdowns has since turned into a full flame. Saunders — the artist, the painter — it appears, has learned to surrender to the flow.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cox.

This article is part of our ongoing feature, “Creatives in the Crowd,” which focuses on local artists — both established and new. The feature spotlights unique stories and innovative artistic approaches within our creative community. Unlike much of our Arts & Culture reporting, these stories are not tied to upcoming events, exhibits or releases. The feature strives to represent a diverse range of voices, experiences and artistic mediums. If you’d like to nominate a community member for consideration, please reach out to ae@mountainx. com with the subject line “Creatives in

Crowd.” X

the

ACRYLIC CALLING: For most of her adult life, Kelly Saunders worked in corporate marketing. But her passion has always been painting. Photo by Jonathan Lindberg

Insiders assess the local art scene

Starr Sariego is an Asheville-based photographer and curator, whose exhibit This Skin I’m In: A Visual Narrative, spotlighting LGBTQIA+ photographers, ran at Revolve gallery last summer.

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

Sariego: I’m really looking forward to McNair Evans’ work opening at Tracey Morgan Gallery on Friday, June 2. This project combines original photography with first-person, passenger-written accounts to explore contemporary American culture through the status of our passenger rail system and those currently traveling by train. As I have done in my own work, Evans combines narrative and images which present viewers with an intimate and evocative window into the lives of those portrayed.

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

I am excited for the opening of an exhibition at Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center called “Black Mountain College and Mexico,” which also opens on June 2. The show features more than 50 original artworks, supplemented by relevant archival materials. Included are works by prominent contemporary Mexican artists, sound installations and a selection of historical works by BMC artists, highlighting the ways in which ideas and modalities are translated across materials, space and time.

Related programming, planned in collaboration with Mexican counterparts, includes “Bizarre Sabado,” a series of experiential art events taking place over several Saturdays throughout the course of the exhibition. I love seeing how this small arts college and its cultural legacy continue to influence current-day artists and thinkers.

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

AVL Watchdog has been the home to my creative efforts as of late. Working with this talented cohort of journalists has given me a “backstage pass” to the lives of Ashevilleans I would never have had otherwise. Being able to photograph those featured in our “Down Town” series has been especially impactful on me personally.

Last but not least, This Skin I’m In lives on. The exhibit has traveled to Virginia and Tennessee, and opens in Kansas City, Kan., this month. It is also slated for a show at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in early 2024. I’m so gratified that this particular show continues to circulate the Southeastern U.S. at this critical time in our history. X

Kisha Blount is an Asheville-based oil painter and graphic designer.

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

Blount: I can’t say that there is a specific show that I’m looking forward to seeing. I would, however, like to see more cultural/diverse shows with focused engagement from the local POC creative community. I’ve been a longtime fan of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, which has featured POC artists and shown quite a bit of visual and functional/craft work.

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

The Goombay Festival is back, Friday, Sept. 1- Sunday, Sept. 3. For me, Goombay is a magical rediscovery of the past and present and transcends into the future. The sounds, smells and flavors remind me of

home and yet [the festival] feels like home. It’s a brief period of time where artisans that look like me are seen as the amazing creators that they are.

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

I’m currently working on a series that focuses on memory keeping — visual and tangible ways that keep track of family and community stories. I’m particularly excited about this project because it allows me to explore the ways in which we hold on to memories and share them with others. It’s both a personal and universal topic, as I think many of us have a desire to preserve our family histories and traditions. I’m also enjoying the creative aspect of the project as it involves a lot of hands-on crafting and design work. It feels like a really fulfilling and meaningful project to be a part of. X

PHOTOGRAPHY VISUAL ARTS

Starr Sariego. Photo by Michelle Shindell

by Edwin Arnaudin

| earnaudin@mountainx.com

Alex Krug is an Asheville-based singer-songwriter and guitarist, and the bandleader of the Alex Krug Combo.

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

Krug: I’m excited about Charlie Hunter playing Downtown After 5 on Friday, June 16. I’ve seen him a couple times before and am always inspired by, obviously, his insane groove but even more the open-hearted way he connects to those he plays with.

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

As an introvert, I don’t go out a lot, but there are a few artists whose work I really look forward to seeing anytime they have a show. Melanie Norris’ paintings have a vivid emotional power and depth; Rosa Friedrichs’ queer naturalism is displayed in skillful ceramic pieces; and I would call Liam Sawyer’s work as printmaker Fruit Boots a dream tracer, which I find very likable.

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

At our Thursday, June 1, show at Pisgah Brewing Co., original Alex Krug Combo member Rachel Gramig will rejoin us, and we’ll have threepart harmony. Then on Friday, Sept. 15, we have the honor of opening up Downtown After 5 for The Sensational Barnes Brothers. For a queer-fronted local band, this is not a small achievement. We’ve faced a lot of subconscious discrimination, but things are slowly changing for the better. X

Jude Stuecker is an Ashevillebased fiber artist who works out of her home studio.

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

Stuecker: Local Cloth hosts the Anything Fiber Sale at the A-B Tech conference center on Saturday, July 29. It’s a flea market for fiber folks, and it’s one of my favorite days of the year. Vendors clean out their studios to set up tables full of fabric, yarn, fleece, tools and all manner of textile goodies. One year, I picked up an almost finished hand-knit sweater for $15! You never know what you’re going to find, but you’re guaranteed to have a good time, see a lot of friends and come home with something special.

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

Every once in a while, I’ll take a day for myself and visit all my favorite galleries. Luckily, they’re all in a straight shot on Biltmore Avenue. I’ll start at the Asheville Art Museum and see whatever show is current, then grab lunch at Dilbar and pop into Ariel Gallery, where I’m a new member. Then I’ll head to Blue Spiral 1, a gallery I’ve been visiting since I first moved to Asheville in the ’90s. I’ll end the afternoon with a stop in American Folk Art & Framing, which always has a great collection of interesting paintings and art objects.

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

BEST OF WNC Thanks for Voting!

I’m in the middle of a large art quilt that combines portraiture and botanical themes, which is a new concept for me. It’s something I have to put away this time of year when I’m busy with art fairs and wholesale orders, but I’ll get it back out when I have a slow week here and there. I want to continue to explore big pieces that really challenge me. X

Alex Krug. Photo by Connie Page Henshaw

Jude Stuecker.

Photo courtesy of the artist

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

What’s new in food

A cocktail collaboration comes to Asheville

Fever-Tree, the United Kingdombased maker of tonics and cocktail mixers, opened a new collaboration with Asheville-based Chemist Spirits this past month.

Fever-Tree Botanic Bar at Chemist adds another rooftop experience to the South Slope. Guests can imbibe al fresco at Fever-Tree’s first permanent bar in the United States, sitting atop the three stories of the 5-yearold distillery.

Chemist founder Debbie Word says the partnership has been years in the making. The bar has been using Fever-Tree products since opening, but Word approached the international company about a bar collaboration after seeing pop-ups it executed in New York and Las Vegas. “We approached Fever-Tree with the idea of creating an Asheville botanical bar, inspired by their unique botanicals and a desire to bring people closer to the process and ingredients used,” she says.

The drinks-only space has offerings such as the Rosy Revelry, described as a “floral cream soda” with Fever-Tree Sicilian Lemonade; Chemist Rose Gin, with rose-infused vanilla and spring petals; and the American Gin and Tonic, with Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic, Chemist American Gin, lime peel and rose petals.

Daily Specials

Mon: BOGO Meatloaf and Others

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

Wed: Wine bottles 1/2 price

Thu: All you can eat mussels

Open for Lunch!

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

868 Merrimon Ave, AVL ryeknotco.com

“The inspiration behind [the bar] lies in creating a haven that showcases the beauty of Asheville’s botanical wonders and our unique craft process,” says Word. “We can’t wait to ... share this extraordinary experience with our beloved community.”

The bar is open Thursdays, 5-9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays,

4-11 p.m., and Sundays, 3-9 p.m. Although food is not served on the rooftop, small bites are offered at the distillery’s bar on the bottom floor, Antidote.

Fever-Tree Rooftop Botanical Bar is at 151 Coxe Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/cpg.

Dipped in a dream

The weekly drum circle is getting a little sweeter.

Sweet Treats Asheville, a pushcart stocked with desserts and beverages, will be stationed 2-10 p.m. at the weekly Friday event in Pritchard Park throughout the summer.

Owner and treat creator Kari Nidy says she made her pushcart dream a reality out of necessity.

“I was a professional, award-winning, fine art show artist for 25 years, before COVID shut down all the festivals,” says Nidy. “March 2020 changed all, and I had to give up my housing, move to Murphy and at age 51 unload trucks at Walmart for a year and a half. Starting over, I always had a dream to run a pushcart spot downtown, watching from afar at festivals. I wanted to be home and off the road so I could engage in this wonderful community. There are only a few offerings for kids in this town, and I also mean kids of all ages who do not hit the breweries.”

Nidy’s cart is influenced by her love of Japanese cuisine. She researched how to make a Japanese shaved ice called kakigōri. The dish is similar to Hawaiian shaved ice but is garnished with sweetened condensed milk.

“You see these on every corner in Japan, and each culinary artist has their own twist to the traditional dessert,” she says. “I ordered my first machine straight from Japan, and it is manual as there is no electric at the pushcart spots.”

Nidy makes all of her own organic syrups and tops the kakigōri with konpeitō, a Japanese sugar candy that dates to the 15th century, when European traders introduced it. “Because raw sugar was rare, producing candy was expensive, so konpeitō was considered a precious gift,” she adds. “Throughout history, the Imperial House of Japan has given konpeitō as a thank-you gift to important contacts, as well as offerings in tea ceremonies and temples, and continues to do so today as an important gesture in Japanese cultural customs.”

Nidy’s cart also features flavored lemonades and cotton candy, and specials such as chocolate-dipped strawberries and cereal treats. Dogs can enjoy a treat, too, such as snow cones with a chicken bone broth pour-over and homemade peanut butter dog biscuits.

“We also offer infused treats for adults over the age of 21 with identification,” adds Nidy. “Beau Ballard at Mari Fairy’s Café Canna (in West Asheville) is my partner, and we believe in helping educate our community with our experience in legal delta infusions. We have

UP ON THE ROOF: Chemist Spirits founder Debbie Word sits on the roof with the bar’s American Gin & Tonic. Photo by Andy Hall

- Tony Voted Best Japanese Food and Sushi

Japanese Restaurant

had an amazing response to add-on infusions of delta-9 and have mastered the chemistry of delta-9 cotton candy.”

Nidy is planning to take Sweet Treats to other spots in Asheville, as well as on the road in the future.

For more information, visit avl.mx/cpj.

RAD new brews

A former manager and brewer of Wicked Weed Brewing has opened a new brewery in the River Arts District.

Robert “Lem” Lemery found the location for The River Arts District Brewing Co. a week and a half before COVID shut everything down but was able to relaunch the project in April 2022.

The brewery held its grand opening on May 20. Shawn Robinson, who also worked at Wicked Weed as a bar manager, will manage the new spot.

“Being [run by] an Asheville native, A.C. Reynolds graduate and UNCA alumnus means The RAD Brew Co. will continue to be authentically Asheville — friendly, unique and welcoming to all,” says Robinson.

The brewery is offering five beers during the opening period but will gradually increase to 15 or more.

“We don’t package or distribute, so our beer list will be continually changing and evolving,” says Robinson. “As we find beers that are well received, we’ll let the public dictate our flagships. The goal is to always have approximately five to six German-style lagers on tap, which I don’t think is something many Asheville breweries offer.”

The space features a large deck and outdoor beer garden, and although the brewery won’t serve food, food trucks will be scheduled.

The RAD Brewing Co. is open Sunday through Thursday, noon10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, noon-11 p.m.

“The mentality is we aren’t just selling beer, but rather we’re hoping to create an experience,” says Robinson. “Despite being at the foot of downtown, you’ll feel like you’ve escaped into a hidden gem in a much more rural area. Asheville thrives on tourists, and we’ll take all of them that want to visit us, but what we want is to be a brewery that locals and our surrounding Asheville and River Arts community are proud of and want to spend their time at.”

RAD Brewing Co. is at 13 Mystery St. For more information, visit avl.mx/cpk.

— Andy Hall

Full Moon in June Benefit

Saturday, June 3rd | 6-9pm

Around Town

Haywood County students create public mural

Historic Patton

Parker House

95 Charlotte St., Asheville, NC 28801

Bene ting Veteran Women

Aura Home Women Vets is a nonpro t 501(c)3 organization working to prevent homelessness for women veterans in

Featuring Music From:

• The Ada Khoury Band, Singer / Songwriter

• Anne Coombs, Guitarist & Singer / Songwriter

• Kathryn O’Shea, Singer / Songwriter

Bring your picnic basket, blanket or low chairs, for an evening of music and camaraderie.

FREE Parking in lot to the right of the house.

TICKETS: $20 in advance, online, or $25 at the door

www.AuraHomeWomenVets.org

When the Haywood County Arts Council asked for artists to help high school students create a public art project, landscape painter Patricia Sweet knew she had to get involved.

During her own teenage years in Clearwater, Fla., in the 1980s, Sweet was an artistically inclined student who helped paint murals at her high

ed by the Haywood County Tourist Development Authority and Haywood County Schools Foundation. For more information, visit avl.mx/cpp.

Local setting

Author Marie Bostwick has no per-

Emma Inman, Danae Trantham, Mayumi Caminiti, Landry Willson, Noah Krekelberg, Anna Altmayer and Makayla Parton of Pisgah, and Kaitlyn Huston, Gabriel Markley and Palmer Webb of Tuscola.

“They’re gaining some pride in their community and some experience painting outside in the elements,” Sweet says. “Some of them are just meeting for the first time, and some have known each other for years. They’ve had to share ideas and make decisions together as a team.”

The mural was created as part of the arts council’s Mural Mondays Project, which also included murals created by students from North Canton Elementary and Bethel Middle schools. The project, the brainchild of artist Mollie Harrington-Weaver, is fund-

In the novel, released by William Morrow Paperbacks on May 30, the title character returns to her grandparents’ lakeside lodge near Asheville to regroup after a series of personal and professional failures. Driving into the city, Esme sees “blue-green waves of mountains reaching the horizon in every direction and the city in the center, looking like the only human habitation in the known universe, suspended in an endless sky[.]”

“If you’re a writer, how can you not write about such a place?” Bostwick says.

Working on the book during the height of the pandemic, Bostwick did most of her research about Asheville online. She finally was able to visit the city in the fall of 2021 and spent many hours exploring. “Over the years, I’ve

PATT0N PARKER H0USE

discovered that the best way to absorb the flavor of a location is by putting on your walking shoes,” she says. “Kudos to the folks who created Asheville’s Urban Trail — it was a terrific introduction to Asheville’s history and helped me identify topics for further research.”

The author will speak at a Books and Bites event hosted by the Mountains Library Friends at the Lake Lure Inn, 2771 Memorial Highway, on Wednesday, May 31, at 5 p.m. She will also speak at the Henderson County Public Library on Thursday, June 1, at 5 p.m. The library is at 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville.

For more information or to purchase the book, go to avl.mx/cpi.

Under the moonlight

Foundy Street in the River Arts District will present Full Moon Dance Party on Saturday, June 3, 9 p.m.-midnight, on the outdoor patio of Wedge Brewery at Foundation.

The free event will feature music from DJ Griffin White and Altumatum as well as vendors such as tarot reader Krysta Beth Heidman, Auburn Lily Healing Arts, LuLu & Oliver Candles and henna artist Maia Sanders

Foundy Street is a collective that includes RAD Skatepark and Foundation Skatepark, as well as art studios, restaurants, food trucks and other businesses.

Wedge Brewery at Foundation is at 5 Foundy St., N0. 10.

For more information, go to avl.mx/cpn.

Mexican connection

Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center will present the exhibit Black Mountain College and Mexico from Friday, June 2-Saturday, Sept. 9. An opening reception will be held Friday, June 2, 5:30-8 p.m.

The show will feature works by prominent contemporary Mexican artists, including Jorge Méndez

Blake, Iñaki Bonillas and Abraham Cruzvillegas, as well as a selection of historic works by BMC artists.

“Black Mountain College ... had important links to Mexico that until now have been little investigated,” the museum says in a press release, adding that the lives of many key BMC figures were touched by experiences in Mexico. “BMC and its legacy have played a significant role in shaping contemporary approaches to art in Mexico.”

The experimental college was founded in 1933 and operated in Black Mountain by a group of academics. Known for its progressive, arts-based curriculum, early racial integration and liberal takes on gender and sexuality, the college closed in 1957.

Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center is at 120 College St. For more information, go to avl.mx/cpo.

Pretty words

Clint Bowman, co-founder and facilitator of Black Mountain’s Dark City Poets Society, has released Pretty Sh!t, a chapbook of 14 poems focusing on the American South and organized religion.

“Readers are taken on a journey that begins by exiting the interstate and slowly meandering through the side streets and into the trailer parks and surrounding churches,” says a press release from Los Angeles-based Bottlecap Press, which published the collection. “Through awareness of the good and bad, and knowledge of what is in your control, Pretty Sh!t serves as an anecdote on how to accept your past, no matter how ugly it is, while creating a more hopeful future.”

To order a copy of the book, go to avl.mx/cpq. To find out about readings and other events, go to avl.mx/cpr.

— Justin McGuire X

MOVIE REVIEWS

Local reviewers’ critiques of new films include:

THE LITTLE MERMAID: One of the better Disney live-action remakes nevertheless suffers from redundancy. Grade: B

— Edwin Arnaudin

COLORFUL COLLABORATION: Students from Pisgah and Tuscola high schools worked with artist Patricia Sweet to design and paint a mural in Clyde.

Photo by Patricia Sweet

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Stand-Up Comedy

Open Mic, 8pm

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

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Jay Brown (roots, blues, jazz), 6pm

DIFFERENT WRLD

Queer Comedy Party w/Hayley Ellman & Kevin Delgado, 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Open Mic Wednesday Night, 7pm

FRENCH BROAD BREWERY

Bluegrass Jam Wednesday, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

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

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Songwriter Series w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8:30pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Tympanic Rupture, Natural Blk Invention, Salamander Sam (harshnoise, techno), 8pm

THE BARRELHOUSE

Original Music Open Mic, 8pm

THE FOUNDRY HOTEL

Shed Bugs (rock, blues, funk), 7pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Wednesday Open Mic, 5:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

Irish Music Circle, 7pm

THURSDAY, JUNE 1

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

Kiki Thursday: Drag

Party w/DJ RexxStep, 9pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

Suzie Brown & Scot Sax (folk-pop), 8pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Chris Jamison (Americana, folk), 6pm

DIFFERENT WRLD

BNNY (indie-rock), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Knifeplay, Tombstone Poetry & Haunt3d (shoegaze, garagepunk, folk), 8:30pm

FLOOD GALLERY FINE

ART CENTER

True Home Open Mic, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY

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

GREEN MAN BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

IMPERIÁL

Homage to J Dilla w/ Nex Millen, 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Iggy Radio (Southern-rock), 7pm

NEW BELGIUM BREWING CO.

Divine Intervention: The Game Show, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Two Step Too (Americana, country, blues), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Whitney Monge (alt-rock, indie, soul), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Elefante (jazz, funk), 8pm

SALVAGE STATION

Dirty Logic Plays Aja (A Steely Dan tribute band), 6pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Kal Marks & Tongues of Fire (garage, post-punk), 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Taylor Ashton (old-time, Celtic, folk),

4pm

• Leith Ross (indie-rock, pop), 7pm

THE ODD Withered & Urocyon (black metal, doom), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Scott Seiss (comedian), 7pm

THE ROOT BAR

Kendra & Friends (multiple genres), 6pm

URBAN ORCHARD

Trivia Thursday, 7pm

URBAN ORCHARD

CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE

Social Bachata, 8:30pm

WICKED WEED BREWING

Mike & Amy (indie, folk), 6pm

WRONG WAY CAMPGROUND

Don't Tell Comedy: West Asheville, 7pm

FRIDAY, JUNE 2

305 LOUNGE & EATERY

Geriatric Jukebox (oldies), 5pm

AMPLIFIED AMERICANA: On the heels of her recent album, Turn Me Loose, alternative country and Americana artist Angela Perley brings her vintage sound to Jack of the Wood Pub Saturday, June 3, at 9 p.m. Photo by Mike Furman

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY Venus House Party, 10pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

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

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

B Good Bday w/ Sneezy, Sexbruise? & Ralph Roddenbery (multiple genres), 9pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Dark City Kings (garagerock, country, pop), 6pm

BURNTSHIRT

VINEYARDS CHIMNEY

ROCK

The Paper Crowns (Americana, Roots, Bluegrass), 5pm

CATAWBA BREWING CO. SOUTH SLOPE ASHEVILLE

• Comedy at Catawba: Charlie Vergos, 7pm

• Chaotic Comedy: Schools Out!, 9:30pm

CORK & KEG Jessie & The Jinx (honky-tonk, country, blues), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

DJ Dr. Filth (soul, jazz, R&B), 9pm

DIFFERENT WRLD

Bug Night w/DJ Water, Morasso, Beverly, 9:30pm

FLEETWOOD'S Instant Regrets, The Deathbots & Hellen’s Bridge (punk-rock), 8pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Drag Music Bingo w/ Divine, 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Short Stop (soul, latin, dance), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Honky-Tonk Fridays w/Jackson Grimm, 4pm

• The Well Drinkers w/ Tyler Hood (Americana, bluegrass), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Open Mic Night w/ Hamza, 8pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Nick Mac & the Noise (alt-country, rock), 8pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Squeaky Feet (trance, jazz-funk, rock), 9pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Anne Eliza Duo (pop), 8pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST Hustle Souls (soul, funk, rock), 8:30pm

RABBIT RABBIT

Live DJ & Silent Disco, 6pm

SALVAGE STATION

Nightrain (Guns N Roses Tribute), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Kiazen w/Jeff Sipe, Mike Barnes & Mark McDaniel (bluegrass), 9pm

SILVERADOS

• Kingery & Kendall Tucker (country hiphop), 7pm

• Indoor: Rory Kelly Band (rock), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Lactones (experimental, psychedelic rock), 9pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Joyer & Sundots w/

Lost Plan & Aunt Ant (indie-rock), 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: The Discs (power-pop, punk, new wave), 6pm

• La Luz w/Jaywood (surf, indie-rock), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Billingsley (funk, R&B, rock), 7pm

THE OUTPOST

Carpal Tullar (rock), 7pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Alma Russ Band (country, folk, Appalachian), 8:30pm

WXYZ BAR AT ALOFT

Muddy Guthrie (Americana, rock, blues), 7pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK

MOUNTAIN

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

SATURDAY, JUNE 3

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR

Miami Gold w/Arlan

Feiles (rock'n'roll), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

LTJ Bukem w/

MC Armanni Reign (electronic), 10pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN

BREWING

Wife Island (folk-rock, jazz, country), 6pm

CORK & KEG

Dallas Ugly (country, lofi), 8pm

CROW & QUILL

Doc Docherty, 8pm

VOTED

WNC #1 KAVA BAR

SUN: Aaron “Woody” Wood & Friends 7pm

MON: Ping-Pong Tournament 7pm

TUE: Open Jam w/ house band the Lactones 8pm WED: Poetry Open Mic AVL 8:30pm/8pm signup

Lactones, 9pm

Corey Bowers & Wesley Gamey, 8pm Country, Soul, Blues

Django Jazz Jam, 7pm Hot Club-Style Jazz

FLEETWOOD'S Electric Prophets, Istari & Hex Wizard (psych, metal, rock'n'roll), 9pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

SOUTH SLOPE

LOUNGE

• Paul Edelman (folk, rock'n'roll), 4pm

• Eyes Up Here Comedy, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

The Chris Jamison Trio (Americana, folk), 7pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Lake Solace (future beats, R&B), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Nobody's Darling String Band, 4pm

• Angela Perley (alt-country, rock, Americana), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Karaoke Night, 9pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

High Flying Criminals (funk, soul, groove), 8pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Mono Means One w/ John Ferrara (rock, jazz, folk), 10pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Patrick Dodd (blues), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Ethan Heller & Friends w/Jon Price & Jerard Sloan (psych-rock, funk), 9pm

THE BURGER BAR

Best Worst Karaoke w/ KJ Thunderk*nt, 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Stephen Evans & The True Grits (folk-rock, latin-folk, Americana), 5pm

• David Lamotte w/ Gabe Lee (folk), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

• Saylyn (roots, reggae, Caribbean), 1pm

• The Brothers Gillespie (Appalachian, rock'n'roll, roots), 6pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Takeout Jams & Brett Winning (rock, folk), 4pm

URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE 80's Night, 5pm

SUNDAY, JUNE 4

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Life's a Drag Brunch, 12pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO.

The Hometown Show

w/Kim Roney, 6:30pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN

BREWING

Cuberow (soul, indie), 2pm

CATAWBA BREWING

CO. SOUTH SLOPE

ASHEVILLE Comedy at Catawba: Evan Berke, 6pm

FLEETWOOD'S

The 40,20,10s w/ Ancient Honey (Americana), 9pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Sunset Salsa on the Rooftop, 5pm

HIGHLAND

DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Mr Jimmy Duo (blues), 1pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Ek Balam (lo-fi, electronic, soul), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch, 1pm

• Traditional Irish Jam, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING

CO.

Baggage Brothers (acoustic), 3pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

WEST

Sunday Jazz Jam, 1:30pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Aaron Woody Wood (Appalachia, soul, Americana), 7pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

Deeper, Foyer Red, Secret Shame & Lauds (indie-rock, post-punk), 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Summer Salt w/The Rare Occasions & Addison Grace (jazz, pop, indierock), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

The Lazy Birds (blues, jazz, Americana), 2pm

THE ODD

Wojtek, Headfoam, Night Beers &Loss of Consciousness (metal, neo-psych, thrash), 7pm

THE OUTPOST

Drip A Silver (Grateful Dead tribute), 4pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY

Sunday Bluegrass Jam

w/The Hillclimbers (Appalachian, bluegrass), 4pm

MONDAY, JUNE 5

27 CLUB

Monday Karaoke, 9pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR CaroMia, Rahm, Daniel Iannuci & Jaze Uries (soul, R&B, folk), 8pm

GREEN MAN

BREWERY

Traditonal Old Time Jam, 5:30pm

HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB

Taylor Martin's Open Mic Mondays, 6:30pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Totally Rad Trivia w/ Mitch Fortune, 6pm

IMPERIÁL

DJ Short Stop (soul, latin, dance), 9pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Quizzo! Pub Trivia w/ Jason Mencer, 7:30pm

NOBLE CIDER & MEAD DOWNTOWN

Freshen Up Comedy Showcase, 6:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

It Takes All Kinds Open Mic Nights, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Open Mic Downtown, 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Mashup Mondays w/ The JLloyd Mashup Band, 8pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr Jimmy & Friends, 7pm

TUESDAY, JUNE 6

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

• Trivia w/Drag Queens, 8pm

• Karaoke w/Ganymede, 10pm

D9 BREWING COMPANY

Malus Mons (electronic), 6pm

DOC BROWN'S BBQ

Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S Feeling Bad Tuesday Night w/Acid Jo (punk, experimental), 9pm

IMPERIÁL DJ Mad Mike, 9pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Team Trivia, 7pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Dead tribute, jam band, rock), 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Weekly Open Jam hosted by Chris Cooper & Friends, 6:30pm

THE BURGER BAR C U Next Tuesday Late Night Trivia, 9:30pm

THE GREY EAGLE Roamck w/Disaster Artist (metal, alt-rock, grunge), 7pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN White Horse Open Mic, 7pm WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic, 8pm BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING Jay Brown (roots, blues, jazz), 6pm

FLEETWOOD'S Open Mic Wednesday Night, 7pm

GINGER'S REVENGE SOUTH SLOPE LOUNGE ATLiens Comedy Showcase & Live Comedy Special Taping, 7pm HIGHLAND BREWING CO. Songwriter Series w/ Matt Smith, 6pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. • FBVMA: Mountain Music Jam, 6pm • Pride Trivia, 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Latin Night w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8:30pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Music Circle, 7pm

THURSDAY, JUNE 8

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING Ashley Heath (blues, rock'n'roll), 6pm

CROW & QUILL Firecracker Jazz Band, 8pm

FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER True Home Open Mic, 6pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Seth & Sara (Americana),

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

MODERN WEST ASHEVILLE

3BR/2.5 BATH HOUSE FOR RENT FOR JULY 1 ($3200 FURNISHED/$3000 UNFURNISHED) 2100 sf. Beautiful open plan. 10-minute walk to French Broad River. Open house June 10 & 17, 10am-1pm. Background check. Pets welcome, Email for information or come to open house. Jonesina039@ gmail.com

SERVICES

AUDIO/VIDEO

DISH TV SPECIAL $64.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-566-1815. (AAN CAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS

A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR, RUNNING OR NOT! Fast free pickup. Maximum tax deduction. Support Patriotic Hearts. Your car donation helps Vets! 1-866-559-9123

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES

In as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!  Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-866-370-2939. (AAN CAN)

BCI WALK-IN TUBS ARE ON SALE Be one of the first 50 callers and save $1,500! Call 844-514-0123 for a free in-home consultation. (AAN CAN)

BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT NEW WINDOWS They will increase your home’s value & decrease your energy bills. Replace all or a few! Call now to get your free, no-obligation quote. 844-335-2217

DENIED SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Appeal! If you're 50+, filed SSD and denied, our attorneys can help get you approved! No money out of pocket! Call 1-877-707-5707. (AAN CAN)

DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER? You may qualify for a substantial cash award - even with smoking history. No obligation! We've recovered millions. Let us help! Call 24/7. 1-866-553-5089 (AAN CAN)

DIRECTV SATELLITE TV SERVICE STARTING AT $59.99/MONTH 1 Year

Price Lock! 155+ Channels available. Call Now to get the Most Sports on TV! 844-719-8927

DON'T PAY FOR COVERED HOME REPAIRS AGAIN!

American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100OFF POPULAR PLANS Call 877-707-5518

Monday-Friday 8:30am to 8:00pm EST. (AAN CAN)

MEN'S SPORTS WATCHES

WANTED Advertiser is looking to buy men's sport watches. Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Here, Daytona, GMT, Submariner and Speedmaster. The advertiser pays cash for qualified watches. Call 888-320-1052. (AAN CAN)

NEED NEW FLOORING? Call Empire Today® to schedule a FREE in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring. Call Today! 855721-3269

SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Threatened with FORECLOSURE? Call the Homeowner's Relief Line now for Help! 855-721-3269

UNCLAIMED/RECEIVED

FIREARMS The following is a list of Unclaimed / Received firearms currently in possession of the Asheville Police Department: Sil Arminius Titan Revolver .38 cal Rusted, Sil Arminius, Titan Revolver .38 cal Rusted, GY NEF Inc. Revolver Rusted, GY Arminius Titan Revolver .38 cal Rusted, Blk Rossi Revolver .38 cal Rusted, Blk Rossi Revolver .38 cal Rusted, Blk Taurus Revolver .38 cal Rusted, Blk Taurus Revolver .38 cal Rusted, GY H&R Revolver .22 cal

Rusted, Blk H&R Revolver .22 cal Rusted, Blk Rohm RG10 Revolver Rusted, Blk Rusted .22 cal Revolver, Blk/Brn RG Revolver .22 cal Rusted, Blk/Brn RG Revolver .22 cal Rusted. 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.

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

BODYWORK

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT

Beautiful fully-furnished therapy spaces for rent! Rent by the day ($60) or 5 hour shift ($30) no monthly commitment required. Downtown Asheville, plenty

off-street parking, natural light, waiting-area, wifi. 828-515-1079 muscleoasis@ gmail.com

COUNSELING SERVICES

ASTRO-COUNSELING Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services. Christy Gunther, MA, LCMHC. (828) 2583229

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES

FOOD & SUPPLEMENT TESTING, LIVE BLOOD MICROSCOPY, & HOLISTIC HEALTH COACHING Lose Weight, Have More Energy, better Habits, Strengthen Your Immune System, Detox/Heal Your Body and so much more! Healing & Vitality is Possible! I can help! Call Now! 8287792293 Natureinhealth@gmail.com

FOR MUSICIANS

MUSICAL SERVICES

PIANO FOR SALE Studio piano, acoustic, for sale with full keyboard. Black wood finish with matching bench with storage for $700. Contact June by call or text at mobile # 828-579-6174

AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 866-535-9689. (AAN CAN)

THURSDAY - SUNDAY

JUNE 17 - 18, 2023

CROWNE PLAZA RESORT

ASHEVILLE, NC

PAST IS PROLOGUE

Millions worldwide believe there is more to recent earth and human history than recognized by our gatekeepers. By bringing together Scientists and Speculators the Cosmic Summit will tell the whole story the best we can.

The heterodox subjects addressed at The Summit will include the well-published Younger Dryas Impact Event, More Recent Cosmic Impacts, A Suspected Precursor Civilization, Clovis People, The Black Mat, Megafaunal Extinctions, Gobekli Tepe, Forgotten Ancient Technologies, Controversial Archaeology, Atlantis, Megalithic Monument Building, The Knights Templar, Egyptian Mysteries, and Catastrophic Geology.

The event will be streamed worldwide through howtube.com. But for those who come to beautiful Asheville, NC, the gathering will be a unique opportunity to eat, drink and think with others who ponder ages past.

cosmicsummit.com

JAHANNAH JAMES

RANDALL CARLSON SCOTT WOLTER BEN VAN KERKWYK

Luke Caverns • Micah Hanks • Chris Cottrell • Russ Allen • Dr. Allen West • Dr. Kenneth Barnett Tankersley

Dr. Andrew MT Moore • Dr. Steven Collins • Mr. Marc Young • Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe, MBE

EVENT

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB

ARIES (March 21-April 19): History tells us that Albert Einstein was a brilliant genius. After his death, the brain of the pioneer physicist was saved and studied for years in the hope of analyzing the secrets of why it produced so many great ideas. Science writer Stephen Jay Gould provided a different perspective. He said, “I am less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.” I bring this to your attention, Aries, in the hope it will inspire you to pay closer attention to the unsung and underappreciated elements of your own life — both in yourself and the people around you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Human life sometimes features sudden reversals of fortune that may seem almost miraculous. A twist in my own destiny is an example. As an adult, I was indigent for 18 years — the most starving artist of all the starving artists I have ever known. Then, in the course of a few months, all the years I had devoted to improving my craft as a writer paid off spectacularly. My horoscope column got widely syndicated, and I began to earn a decent wage. I predict a comparable turn of events for you in the coming months, Taurus—not necessarily in your finances, but in a pivotal area of your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I am weary of gurus who tell us the ego is bad and must be shamed. In my view, we need a strong and healthy ego to fuel our quest for meaning. In that spirit and in accordance with astrological omens, I designate June as Celebrate Your Ego Month for you Geminis. You have a mandate to unabashedly embrace the beauty of your unique self. I hope you will celebrate and flaunt your special gifts. I hope you will honor your distinctive desires as the treasures they are. You are authorized to brag more than usual!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): One study reveals that British people own a significant amount of clothing they never wear. Other research suggests that the average American woman has over a hundred items of clothing but considers just 10 percent of them to be “wearable.” If your relationship to your wardrobe is similar, Cancerian, it’s a favorable time to cull unused, unliked and unsuitable stuff. You would also benefit from a comparable approach to other areas of your life. Get rid of possessions, influences and ideas that take up space but serve no important purpose and are no longer aligned with who you really are.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In July 1969, Leo astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the moon. But he almost missed his chance. Years earlier, his original application to become part of NASA’s space exploration team arrived a week past the deadline. But Armstrong’s buddy, Dick Day, who worked at NASA, sneaked it into the pile of applications that had come in time. I foresee the possibility of you receiving comparable assistance, Leo. Tell your friends and allies to be alert for ways they might be able to help you with either straightforward or surreptitious moves.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Great shearwaters are birds that travel a lot, covering 13,000 miles every year. From January to March, they breed in the South Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Africa and South America. Around May, they fly west for a while and then head north, many of them as far as Canada and Greenland. When August comes, they head east to Europe, and later they migrate south along the coast of Africa to return to their breeding grounds. I am tempted to make this globetrotting bird your spirit creature for the next 12 months. You may be more inclined than ever before to go on journeys, and I expect you will be well rewarded for your journeys. At the very least, I hope you will enjoy mind-opening voyages in your imagination.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): One of the central myths of Western culture is the Holy Grail. For

BREZSNY

over 800 years, storytellers have spun legends about the search for a precious chalice with magical qualities, including the power to heal and offer eternal youth. Sober scholars are more likely to say that the Holy Grail isn’t an actual physical object hidden away in a cave or catacomb, but a symbol of a spiritual awakening or an enlightening epiphany. For the purposes of your horoscope, I’m going to focus on the latter interpretation. I suspect you are gearing up for an encounter with a Holy Grail. Be alert! The revelations and insights and breakthroughs could come when you least expect them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): June is Dare to Diminish Your Pain Month for you Scorpios. I hope you will aggressively pursue measures to alleviate discomfort and suffering. To address the physical variety, how about acupuncture or massage? Or supplements like boswellia, turmeric, devil’s claw root, white willow bark and omega-3 fatty acids? Other ideas: sunshine, heating pad, warm baths with Epsom salts, restorative sleep and exercise that simulates natural endorphins. Please be equally dynamic in treating your emotional and spiritual pain, dear Scorpio. Spend as much money as you can afford on skillful healers. Solicit the help of empathetic friends. Pray and meditate. Seek out in activities that make you laugh.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A hungry humpback whale can hold more than 15,000 gallons of water in its mouth at once — enough to fill 400 bathtubs. In a funny way, their ability reminds me of you right now. You, too, have a huge capacity for whatever you feel like absorbing and engaging with. But I suggest you choose carefully what you want to absorb and engage with. Be open and receptive to only the most high-quality stuff that will enrich your life and provide a lot of fun. Don’t get filled up with trivia and nonsense and dross.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Funny story: A renowned Hollywood movie mogul was overheard at a dinner party regaling an aspiring actor with a long monologue about his achievements. The actor couldn’t get in a word edgewise. Finally, the mogul paused and said, “Well, enough about me. What do you think of me?” If I had been in the actor’s place, I might have said, “You, sir, are an insufferable, grandiose, and boring narcissist who pathologically overestimates your own importance and has zero emotional intelligence.” The only downside to speaking my mind like that would be that the mogul might ruin my hopes of having a career in the movie business. In the coming weeks, Capricorn, I hope you will consistently find a middle ground between telling the brazen truth to those who need to hear it and protecting your precious goals and well-being.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When faced with important decisions, most of us benefit from calling on all forms of intelligence. Simply consulting our analytical mind is not sufficient. Nor is checking in with only our deep feelings. Even drawing from our spunky intuition alone is not adequate. We are most likely to get practical clarity if we access the guidance of our analytical mind, gut feelings, and sparkly intuition. This is always true, but it’s extra relevant now. You need to get the full blessing of the synergistic blend.

P.S.: Ask your body to give you a few hints, too!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Has your intuition been nudging you to revise and refine your sense of home? Have you been reorganizing the domestic vibes and bolstering your stability?

I hope so. That’s what the cosmic rhythms are inviting you to do. If you have indeed responded to the call, congratulations. Buy yourself a nice homecoming present. But if you have resisted the flow of life’s guidance, please take corrective measures. Maybe start by reorganizing the décor and furniture. Clean up festering messes. Say sweet things to your housemates and family members. Manage issues that may be restricting your love of home.

ACROSS

1 Acronym in genetic sequencing

7 Collect

11 Sort

14 Steamy brew

15 Part of an analogy

16 Female hamster

17 One way to be marked

18 Result of extreme rage

20 How-___

21 Dizzying camera technique invented for 58-Across

23 Four Corners state with six corners

25 It may punctuate a sarcastic remark

26 Stingy sort?

29 Lecterns

31 Structure climbed in the climactic scene of 58-Across

35 To the ___ degree

36 Camel and sand, for example

38 Gave a wide berth, say

40 Nickname for Francisco, often

43 Bow-shaped woodworking tool

44 Unsettling cry to hear during a haircut

45 Empty space

47 Ulysses S. Grant’s given name at birth

49 Chicago exchange, informally, with “the”

50 Filmmaker Lee

51 Hatcher of “Desperate Housewives”

52 Bullets, e.g.

53 ___ Sutra

55 “Stubborn things,” per John Adams

56 Possible focus of an M.R.I., in brief

58 1958 film that is the subject of this puzzle

60 Goofing off

65 Help

66 Minor quarrels

67 Bill advocating for science

68 Thickness

69 Genre for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones

70 {2, 4, 6, 8}, e.g.

71 Vessel for a nursery rhyme trio

DOWN

1 Flirt with, in a way

2 Mr. in a 1983 Styx hit

3 “What a shame”

4 Sault ___ Marie, Mich.

5 Await resolution

6 Betray, in a way

7 Noted Venetian marketplace

8 Award with a Best Play category

9 The gamut

10 Cops, in slang

11 Cry after being narrowly defeated

12 Bagel go-with

13 Critical

19 Simmer setting

22 Bucketsful

24 “Master of Suspense” who directed

58-Across

27 58-Across co-star James

28 Indication of learnedness, for short

30 “That feels goo-oo-ood!”

32 One of 17 in New Orleans

33 Allhallows ___

34 Novelist Philip

37 58-Across co-star Kim

39 “Do we have the green light?”

40 Deer stalker

41 [I’m standing right here]

42 Operation Overlord locale

43 Hallucination, e.g.

46 Way to travel, for many tourists

48 Prefix with demeanor or behavior

54 Many-eyed giant of myth

55 Guinness Book adjective

57 Display options, in brief

59 Product in a snail-shaped dispenser

60 Plan (out)

61 Peanut product

62 Chortle

63 Big Apple sch. with campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai

64 Interior secretary Haaland