Mountain Xpress 06.29.22 by Mountain Xpress

OU R 28TH Y E A R OF W E E K LY I NDE PE NDE NT NE W S, A RTS & E V E NTS FOR W E STE R N NORTH CA ROL I NA VOL . 28 NO. 48 J U NE 29 - J ULY 5, 2022

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

MOUNTAINX.COM

C ONTENT S

NEWS

10 STARTING SMALL Jubilee! hosts ‘microshelter’ for women

NEWS

FEATURES

12 AUTO CORRECT? WNC traffic planners try to keep up with increased commuting

PAGE 8 DESTINATION: DIVERSITY

A&C

FEATURE WELLNESS

22 MISSION NURSES ALLEGE UNSAFE STAFFING RN rallies a common sight at Mission Hospital

24 MINUS THE SENTIMENTALITY Appalachian shortstory collection blends comedy and tragedy

OPERATIONS MANAGER: Able Allen

COVER PHOTO ExploreAsheville.com

OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose

LETTERS

CARTOON: MOLTON

CARTOON: BRENT BROWN

COMMENTARY

NEWS

20 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 22 WELLNESS 24 ARTS & CULTURE 34 CLUBLAND 38 FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

A&C

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Thomas Calder

15 BUNCOMBE BEAT

26 DIGNIFIED DINNERS Food savings without shame in WNC

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

Leaders at the Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau are looking for new approaches to put the city on the map as a destination for travelers of color by tapping into Asheville’s rich Black history and highlighting the city’s Black entrepreneurs.

COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick 18 Q&A WITH RACHEL AHRENS Appalachian Trail Chaplain shares her hiking ministry

STA F F

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JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

OPINION

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

C A RT O O N B Y R AN DY M O L T O N

More logging isn’t the answer for our national forests [Regarding “Taking the Long View: Increased Logging Will Benefit Our National Forests,” June 8, Xpress:] In Susan Fletcher’s opinion article, she tries to make the case to support the additional logging of mature and old-growth forests as recommended in the U.S. Forest Service’s updated management plans for the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests. While I understand her reason for writing the article, her economic and ecological rationales for allowing additional logging are fundamentally flawed. Let me provide some data that clearly contradicts her logic. First, the economic benefits of logging in North Carolina are relatively minor compared to the economic benefits of maintaining our forested lands — especially in the mountains of Western North Carolina. A recent academic study supported by the French Broad River Partnership [avl.mx/bph] documented that the French Broad River and its tributaries contribute $3.8 billion annually to the regional economy. Most of these

benefits come from visitors to the region who are coming to go hiking (27.5%), whitewater rafting (23.1%), kayaking (20%) and fishing (15.9%). Alternatively, the logging industry across the entire state of North Carolina only contributes $800 million annually [avl.mx/bpi], or only 21% of the economic value of maintaining the French Broad River watershed. The amount of tax revenue (to support local schools and roads) generated by recreational activities that rely on maintaining our forest habitats clearly dwarfs that generated by logging activities. Ecologically, the case is even more striking. There are only 114,000 acres of old-growth forest remaining in the national forests along the southern Blue Ridge mountains. This amounts to only 4.5% of the local national forests and 1.5% of the Blue Ridge overall [avl.mx/bpj]. Increasing the area of old-growth forests available for harvesting will only further reduce the limited remaining area of these rare mountain habitats. Furthermore, clear-cutting (to create new-growth forests) has been documented to cause significant erosion [avl.mx/bpk]. This is especially an issue in the mountains, where we have steep slopes and frequent intense rainfall events.

Editor’s note Due to changing health recommendations related to COVID-19, readers are encouraged to check with individual businesses for the latest updates concerning upcoming events. 4

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

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The mass loss of soils in the clearcut areas ends up in the mountain streams and ultimately the rivers — impacting all the recreational uses that support the economic benefits discussed above. Trout habitats are especially impacted by increased sedimentation and the loss of tree canopy, which results in higher water temperatures not suitable for trout. The loss of trees also changes the local hydrology, which can exacerbate stream erosion, alter aquatic habitats and increase downstream flooding. Rather than mature oaks consuming hundreds of gallons of water per year that is then “not available to municipalities,” the tree canopy intercepts rainfall, helping to infiltrate the water into the soils, which is released slowly to streams rather than rapidly running off and causing erosion and flooding issues. This is one of the key reasons why the city of Asheville doesn’t allow any tree-cutting in its water supply watershed. The bottom line is that Ms. Fletcher missed the mark on both the economic and ecological rationale for allowing expanded logging in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests. We need to recognize that the U.S. Forest Service was originally set up in 1905 to “sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of the present and future generations.” Considering the economic and environmental benefits of minimizing logging in mature and old-growth habitats in our national forests, the U.S. Forest Service should reconsider its mission and focus less on “productivity” for tree-harvesting and more on sustaining the health and diversity of our national forest lands, streams and rivers. — Doug Baughman Asheville Editor’s note: A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx. com. Also, Baughman reports being a retired environmental scientist with over 35 years of experience in consulting.

Argument for logging was spot on I read with great interest Susan Fletcher’s article in the June 8 issue on management and sustainable use of the national forestlands here in WNC [“Taking the Long View: Increased Logging Will Benefit Our National Forests,” Xpress]. As a recent retiree of the national forest’s headquarters, now translocated to Maggie Valley, I can say that that she was spot on.

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN Forest Service plans are not without controversy on management schemes, and there has certainly been a shift away from extraction uses like timbering. Gifford Pinchot himself pinned it many decades ago in declaring that he doubted that future foresters would truly understand the diverse ecosystems of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in their management decisions. I look forward to reviewing more detail on the plan elements and how they can affect the community here. — Mike Kaczor Maggie Valley

Local government should have say about new hospital [Regarding “Healthy Competition: AdventHealth, HCA and Novant Health to Apply for Hospital Beds,” June 8, and “Buncombe School Staff Urge Commissioners to Increase Pay,” June 15, Xpress:] I totally agree that Council members and local government should have a major influence regarding another hospital facility in this area. It is no secret that Mission, since taking over the nonprofit Mission, has not fulfilled its responsibility to the community in terms of staffing and patient care.

I had knee replacement surgery at Advent, and I was treated very well with nurses and doctors around me all the time. And that was my decision to go to Advent rather than Mission. Great facility; great and caring nurses and their assistants. — Karen Johnson Asheville Editor’s note: Xpress contacted HCA’s Mission Health regarding the writer’s points about its facility and received a response from Mission Health spokesperson Nancy Lindell, which said in part: “Mission Hospital is very proud of its spring Leapfrog Grade ‘A,’ the highest level possible for our commitment to quality and safety from this widely respected agency, as well as several other awards recognizing the patient care delivered. While facing a national health care worker shortage through a pandemic, Mission Hospital continues to heavily recruit and offer robust sign-on bonuses. Like every hospital in the country, we are having to respond to the shortage of trained health care providers with innovative solutions, including the recent announcement of funding additional faculty members at three local colleges … for their nursing education programs and the recent announcement of an Asheville location of the Galen College of Nursing.”

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JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

OPINION

Sierra Club chimera

WENOCA chapter endorsements are an environmental disgrace BY BILL BRANYON On election day for the May 17 primaries, I visited three voting sites and, time and again, saw people asking the volunteers who were handing out campaign literature whom to vote for. Someone would then leap forward and excitedly announce, “Here are the Sierra Club’s endorsements.” And the inquiring voters typically said something like this: “Thanks. I respect the organization and will follow their recommendations.” I imagine this scenario would have been repeated countless times at the various Buncombe County voting sites. In a subsequent newsletter, Ken Brame, the club’s local issues/political chair, wrote that the organization’s volunteers had “worked 259 three-hour shifts during early voting and election day.” That should be a good thing. I’ve occasionally (and proudly) donated to the organization, believing it was working to protect the environment. But it’s become increasingly apparent to me that the lion’s share of the local Sierra Club chapter’s endorsements seem to go to incumbents, many of whom have been responsible for the most environmentally ravaging decisions I’ve seen in my 30 years of reporting on such issues. That makes the club one of Buncombe County’s most destructive environmental parasites — and makes those who follow its endorsements the victims of a horrible hoax. As former City Council member Brian Haynes charged in a May 15 letter to Mountain Xpress, the group’s endorsements “typically preclude unaffiliated and grassroots candidates, who often more closely align with the Sierra Club mission statement,” choosing to “throw their support to the party favorites instead.” Haynes stopped short of a blanket condemnation, noting, “I am not suggesting that none of the endorsed candidates are worthy of a Sierra Club endorsement.” I, however, would go further, maintaining that almost all of those candidates are unworthy — and many seem to be in the hip pocket of developers. A PROVEN QUACK RECORD Then came Brame’s Cheshire Cat reply to Haynes’ letter: “The Sierra 6

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

Club does place a high value on supporting candidates with a proven track record of accomplishments and a voting and leadership record that shows their commitment to protecting our environment.” A closer look at the current City Council’s “proven track record,” however, shows 25 new hotels approved between 2010 and 2019, and in many cases, building those blandly rectangular structures had substantial environmental impacts. But that’s not even mentioning these other atrocities: • The relentless infill construction that’s devouring the few remaining green spaces in Asheville neighborhoods. • The rampaging sprawl of gigantic new housing developments in many corners of the county, which that infill construction was supposed to prevent. • The incredible amount of environmental devastation involved in the widening of Interstate 26. • The obliteration of extensive forest and animal habitat on the Pratt & Whitney plant site, where the company plans to build (among other things) parts for military weapons. • The obvious plans to attract more such facilities, as evidenced by the vast infrastructure being built for the P&W plant. Project cheerleader Jack Cecil, the CEO of Biltmore Farms, was quoted as saying he hopes the site will “become a lighthouse location … for the aerospace industry and for our region.” Those are only a few of the many horrific examples of our local leaders’ recent track record on protecting the environment. And given the Sierra Club’s own egregious record, it’s now become obvious that to vote for most of their endorsements is to support the exact opposite of the stated intent. So if, in November, you want to vote for candidates who truly will protect our precious, beautiful environment, just seek out those independents or Democrats who are not endorsed by the club and cast your vote for them. Of course, it’s still true that a vote for a Republican is even worse than a vote for most Sierra Club picks. After all, most Republicans support Donald Trump and thus would be

MOUNTAINX.COM

BILL BRANYON

“Can someone find out how our once-sacred local Sierra Club chapter became a front for reckless out-oftown developers?” OK with, if not elated by, the overthrow of our democracy. Luckily there are still some good, environmentally inspired candidates out there, but few of them manage to win the club’s seal of approval. So I urge all voters to undertake the due diligence that will enable them to see through the environmentally destructive charade for which the Sierra Club is providing political cover. OCTOBER SURPRISE To be clear, I don’t believe the club’s endorsement of my opponent for a seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners necessarily cost me the election, so this opinion piece isn’t merely sour grapes. Environmental issues aside, incumbent Al Whitesides has many good qualities, which are part of the reason I will vote for him in November. The other reason is that his opponent, Anthony Penland, is a Republican. I was also heartened to see Whitesides and his fellow commis-

sioners approve — just a couple of weeks before the primary— a referendum on issuing $30 million worth of bonds to fund land preservation efforts and greenway development. Interesting timing, to be sure, but hey, whatever it takes. If said referendum had also asked county residents how much more development they want to see, however, our environmentally catastrophic juggernaut might have been halted or at least slowed. But that is obviously not the actual goal of most our current city and county leaders. It’s hard to believe, but their principal plan appears to be to carve up Buncombe County like a gigantic, generic pie and sell it to the highest bidder — with minimal regard for the beauty and grace lost, minimal regard for the trees and green space and animal habitat lost, and minimal regard for climate change or any other genuine environmental concern. Thus, without such a comprehensive referendum — and as long as the Sierra Club maintains its reputation and fields such an impressive ground game on Election Day — any effort to truly protect our local environment will almost certainly be doomed. Now, can someone find out how our once-sacred local Sierra Club chapter became a front for reckless out-of-town developers and the bane of what’s left of our environment? And since Brame’s iteration of the club’s endorsement criteria is flagrantly false, what factors does the club consider in deciding which candidates to support? Is its goal to meekly submit to any level of developmental atrocity and merely plant flowers around the results? Come on, Sierra Club: Stick your neck out just a bit. Perhaps the incumbents you endorse have a better chance of winning, but if you chose to endorse legitimately environmental advocates rather than developer doppelgängers, wouldn’t those upstarts have a better chance, too? Isn’t our magnificent landscape worth the risk? And in the meantime, I implore all those who recognize the Sierra Club’s apostasy to deluge the media with reminders in advance of the November election. It’s high time we turned the political tables on that organization’s outrageous endorsements and created our own October surprise. Longtime environmental activist/ journalist/author Bill Branyon was recently defeated in his bid for a seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, losing in the primary 8,396 to 3,366 votes. He is co-author of the new book Advanced Romance: Changing 16 Romantic Rules That Are No Longer True. X

MOUNTAINX.COM

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

NEWS

Destination: diversity

TDA seeks to boost Black Asheville travelers

BY BROOKE RANDLE brandle@mountainx.com Black travel is big business. Despite being historically overlooked by the tourism industry, Black travelers accounted for $109.4 billion in U.S. domestic travel in 2019, according to a 2021 study by MMGY Global, a tourism marketing agency based in Missouri. That represented about 11.2% of the $972 billion domestic travel market in 2019, as tallied by the U.S. Travel Association. Yet Buncombe County’s piece of that action is proportionally less than that of other destinations throughout the country. Of the roughly 4.1 million domestic overnight tourists who came to the county in 2019, only 7% identified as Black, with another 7% identifying as nonwhite, according to a report by Canadabased consultancy Longwoods International. The U.S. norms for those demographic categories are 9% and 10%, respectively. Travel and tourism professionals in Asheville are looking to change that. Leaders at the Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the marketing division of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, have named “engage and invite more diverse audiences” as one of their four strategic pillars. They are looking for new approaches for reaching Black travelers and tapping into Asheville’s rich Black history and Black entrepreneurs to put the city on the map as a diverse destination. Explore Asheville spokesperson Kathi Peterson says that the BCTDA is spending a minimum of $1 million on Black-owned media in the current fiscal year, representing about 9% of the entity’s overall media

ADVENTURE AWAITS: The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority is spending a minimum of $1 million on Black-owned media in the current fiscal year — representing about 9% of the entity’s overall media budget — to help increase the number of visitors to Asheville who are Black, Indigenous and people of color. Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com budget. (The fiscal 2022-23 budget includes $1.5 million for marketing to diverse audiences, including Black, Latino and LGBTQ travelers.) She says advertising for Black audiences will take on some familiar forms, although Explore Asheville’s marketing analysts are keying in on ways to reach the population more directly.

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FACING HISTORY Slavery, followed by repressive Jim Crow laws, segregation, institutional racism and continuing police brutality, has historically made travel for Black Americans fraught with danger and uncertainty. Members of the Black community have generally relied on one another to know which destinations are safe and which to avoid, says Evita Robinson, founder of Nomadness Travel Tribe, a New York-based online social community primarily for travelers of color. “On one hand, you had the rise of the Black middle class. And on the other end, you had a country that was riddled with Jim Crow laws, pretty much prescribing discrimination to anyone who wasn’t white,” Robinson explained to a crowd of roughly 220 people during a Black Traveler Diversity Training workshop at Explore Asheville’s Tourism Summit May 18. From 1936-66 Victor Hugo Green, a postal employee and travel writer,

published The Negro Motorist Green Book, an annual guide for Black travelers that provided recommendations for businesses and hotels that would welcome them — as well as warnings about “sundown towns,” where people of color could face intimidation and violence after dark. In Western North Carolina, according to the UNC University Libraries, those areas included Canton in Haywood County, as well as Madison and Mitchell counties. A focus on safety and community guidance remains within the Black community. According to MMGY Global’s study of Black travelers, 71% of U.S. and Canadian respondents felt safety was extremely or very influential to their tourism decisions. “What’s important to me when I’m visiting places, especially in new places, is traveling to places that I know are safe,” says Ajax Ravenel, co-founder of the Noir Collective, a boutique and art gallery for more than 25 different Black entrepreneurs located in a historically Black

Asheville neighborhood known as The Block. “If I’m traveling somewhere, it’s usually by the recommendation of someone else.” REACHING BLACK TRAVELERS Because Black travelers rely heavily on their own networks for travel recommendations, Robinson explained May 18, tourism destinations should harness that sense of community trust and support. For Asheville, that could mean looking within the community for local Black “influencers” and other travelers of color to share their experiences to become trusted sources for new visitors. Robinson, who connects with over 25,000 travelers of color in the Nomadness community, will be part of that effort. Explore Asheville has also worked with several Ashevillebased community leaders and professionals to produce promotional films highlighting Ashevillle’s Black history, which have featured photographer Andrea Clark, entrepreneur Matthew Bacoate and civil rights leader Orlene Simmons, among others. Explore Asheville will also direct a portion of its marketing budget on advertising that will appear in podcasts, including “The Michelle Obama Podcast” and “Jemele Hill Is Unbothered.” Marla Tambellini, Explore Asheville’s vice president of marketing, said during a Feb. 23 BCTDA board meeting that podcasts are increasingly becoming an ideal media channel to reach Black travelers in particular. “In the last decade, there’s been an eightfold increase in podcast listening among Black audiences. Black Americans are also 10% more likely to be frequent podcast listeners versus the total podcast listening audience,” she said. “Importantly, 41% of podcast listeners trust ads that they hear during a podcast more, which makes this an ideal opportunity.” Representation in advertising also plays a key role. According to MMGY Global’s study, 54% of Black American respondents said they were more likely to visit a destination if they saw Black representation in travel advertising. The Nomadness conducted an audit of Explore Asheville’s advertising, social channels and the website in February to determine where deficiencies in diversity may exist. Results are expected by late June, with a presentation of recommendations and findings to follow by late July. “These are not one-off exercises,” says Peterson. “Explore Asheville views this as a journey and part of our efforts to engage and invite more diverse audiences.”

REPRESENTATION MATTERS: According to a study by MMGY Global, 54% of Black American respondents said they were more likely to visit a destination if they saw Black representation in travel advertising. Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com INVESTING IN COMMUNITY Another component of driving Black visitors to Asheville is highlighting the city’s Black history and Black-owned businesses. In 2018, the BCTDA awarded a $100,000 Tourism Product Development Fund grant to fund the preservation of historical archives at the StephensLee Recreation Center and develop exhibitions that honor the history of Stephens-Lee High School alumni. Another project in the works is the African American Heritage Trail, a collection of 19 sites that

will present stories from Asheville’s historic Black communities. Physical trail markers will be installed and maintained within the city, and an online trail guide will be available at Explore Asheville’s website. Explore Asheville also has working relationships with Black Wall Street, Hood Huggers and the Noir Collective, Peterson says, helping these organizations connect with media and obtain coverage. The BCTDA also provided a $5,000 grant from its Festivals and Cultural Events Support Fund to help fund the inaugural GrindFest, a free, four-day festival that celebrates Black entrepreneurship. Ravenel of the Noir Collective says that, while she’s seen an increase in tourists visiting the collective to support Black-owned businesses over the past year, issues with visibility remain. “A lot of our walk-in traffic, if it’s not the people who already are coming to us as locals, are tourists. When we see Black individuals coming into our space, it’s a lot of, ‘We had no idea you were here. This is amazing,’” says Ravenel. “The things that [tourists] are looking for are already there. They just need the right support.” J Hackett, co-founder of Black Wall Street, an Asheville organization supporting over 100 Black-owned businesses, echoes that sentiment. He says the tourism industry has a lot of work to do after decades of undeserving Black travelers and destinations. “No organization, no entity, no institution, is doing a perfect job,” Hackett says. “There could be more exposure, more attention and more collaboration. But if we acknowledge that systems have historically not included a certain group of people because of the color of their skin, then we cannot imagine that after five years or even 10 years of new awareness that we will replace or somehow erase or even overshadow the hundreds of years that they’ve been ignored.” X

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NEWS

Starting small Jubilee! Community hosts ‘microshelter’ for women

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN jwakeman@mountainx.com Monday is an important evening for the women living in the shelter at the Jubilee! Community. From 6-7:30 p.m., they break bread at the dining room table while they have “table talk.” It’s an opportunity to discuss the issues in their lives and collaborate on rules to make staying in their temporary home, the Jubilee Alternative Micro-Shelter, more hospitable. JAMS is the brainchild of volunteers Melanie Robertson, director of family ministry at Trinity United Methodist Church, and Amanda Kollar, a Trinity parishioner. The organizers call JAMS a “microshelter” — a classification not officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — because it purpose-

fully serves a small group. Kollar says JAMS can host 10 women at a time but has found eight guests to be optimal. The shelter operates on Jubilee!’s ground floor at 46 Wall St. and comprises two large rooms, a kitchen and two bathrooms. There’s a sprawling sectional, a dining room table decorated with a bouquet, a coffee table and artwork on the walls; the bedroom area has six mattresses but can fit a few more. Tucked in the corner is an office area with two computers, a printer and bulletin boards featuring job postings. There are tables for art projects, books, a TV and a piano, all of which contribute to the homey atmosphere. “It’s been really great,” says Krys Kaczynski, a JAMS guest who is finalizing paperwork for her own housing. Her dog, Bear, is also being fostered by a JAMS volunteer. “When I was sleeping outside, it was very scary.” COMING TO JAMS In November, Robertson and Kollar began working with community members to organize a volunteer-run Code Purple shelter at Trinity United Methodist Church for nights when the temperature was freezing or below. TUMC hosted a Code Purple shelter in its all-purpose room numerous times throughout the winter to provide safe sleeping space for homeless people who wouldn’t fit into other shelters in Asheville, because they owned pets or were part of a couple or family. The official Code Purple season ended March 31. But Robertson and Kollar say seven women the TUMC

shelter had served had not yet been placed in permanent housing, so they reached out to contacts in Asheville’s faith community. With the blessing of Jubilee! Administrator Bruce Mulkey to use his facility’s downstairs at no cost, JAMS opened April 18. JAMS has acquired a temporary shelter permit from Asheville’s Development Services Department. Ben Woody, the department’s director, explains that the JAMS permittance is for a temporary overflow emergency shelter. Its typical use is for facilities providing space during Code Purple and permits sheltering for up to 20 people. JAMS’ permit allows it to operate the shelter continually through November. The volunteers “are hoping JAMS will remain open and that other faith communities will join the microshelter model,” Kollar says.

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Referrals to the shelter come from Transformation Village at Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, October Road Inc., RHA Health Services and the Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness. Either Robertson or Kollar interview each new guest about her history and needs. JAMS seeks specifically to house women who have an income, are close to finding housing and do not abuse substances. Guests share a communal bedroom where each mattress is separated by a divider. The evening’s nighttime volunteer, a church or community member who ensures the

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LIFELINE: From left, volunteer Amanda Kollar, guest Krys Kaczynski and Trinity United Methodist Church director of family ministry Melanie Robertson hold a sign at Jubilee! Alternative Micro-Shelter at Jubilee! Community, 46 Wall St. Photo by Jessica Wakeman

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shelter’s lights-out rule is followed, has an adjacent bedroom space in a partitioned area. The volunteer’s bedroom space also serves as an office for Kollar and Robertson. Arden Street Ministry from Arden Seventh Day Adventist Church drops off meals to JAMS on Fridays and Saturdays and donates paper goods. Many guests go to Western North Carolina Rescue Ministries at 225 Patton Ave. for lunch, dinner and food boxes. However, guests at JAMS appreciate that they can cook in the shelter’s kitchen and store food in either of two refridgerators. “These ladies have some funding coming in — there’s Social Security, there’s [electronic benefit transfer] — and they would like to cook for themselves,” explains Kollar. Kaczynski, a JAMS guest since April 21, says she’s made taco salad and meatloaf. The word “alternative” appears in JAMS’ name with intention: The organizers want the microshelter “to be steeped in radical self-care,” Kollar explains, gesturing to a handwritten list on the wall in the dining room titled ‘Self-Care Evenings.’ It lists meditation, yoga, a grief group and getting hair cut or styled as ways the women can care for themselves. Some services are being donated, such as a trauma-informed yoga class taught by Cat Matlock from FreeBody Therapeutic Massage Clinic. The shelter doesn’t have a washing machine, dryer or showers. But guests can take a sponge bath in a bathroom sink at JAMS or walk to Homeward Bound of WNC’s AHOPE Day Shelter at 19 N. Ann St. to use their shower facilities.

ROOM IN THE INN In some ways, JAMS is a practical and spiritual continuation of Room in the Inn, which ran in Asheville from 2001-20. Three local pastors brought the program, hosted by faith communities nationwide, to Asheville. Homeward Bound of WNC took over operations for its final 10 years and provided temporary shelter to 434 women during that time, says Eleanor Ashton, the nonprofit’s senior resource development director. Room in the Inn “was used to provide a 12-bed shelter for women who would stay in a faith community for a week at a time,” explains Emily Ball, the city of Asheville’s homeless services system performance lead. Volunteers from that faith community staffed the shelter, transported guests to AHOPE, provided food and sometimes contributed haircuts or clothing. “Room in the Inn has always created such wonderful opportunities for folks across our community to provide hospitality to people who don’t have housing in a way that recognizes and honors their fundamental humanity,” Ball continues. When Room in the Inn ended at the beginning of the pandemic due to

Robertson notes that microshelter volunteers are not trained as mental health professionals or addiction specialists. But she says friendship, mentorship and support are often enough. “We’re not officially caseworkers,” she says. “But we’re still trying to find resources and services that will help these ladies get to the next step.” ‘ALL HANDS ON DECK’

CREATURE COMFORT: Guests at the Jubilee! Community microshelter sleep in a large room together, but they have partitions between their beds for privacy. Photo by Jessica Wakeman concerns over social distancing, faith communities still wanted to help their neighbors. “Jubilee! was looking for other ways to be of service, and we eventually began a collaboration with local advocates for the homeless, jointly creating JAMS,” Mulkey tells Xpress via email. “To paraphrase someone much wiser than me, first you pray for the homeless, then you house them. That’s how prayer works.” Adds Ashton, “It feels appropriate for Trinity United Methodist, Jubilee!

and perhaps other faith communities to investigate starting a Room in the Inn microshelter, especially if it will be low barrier. Homeward Bound is available to assist in any way we can.” Robertson and Kollar envision microshelters operating similarly to Room in the Inn, but with a twist. Instead of guests rotating to different houses of worship each week, the new temporary shelter model would have a centralized location for guests to stay, with volunteers from different faith communities rotating their visits.

Buncombe County’s 2022 point-intime count, in which officials try to count everyone who is experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, found that homelessness had increased 21% from 2021. “I think this is an all-hands-ondeck time,” says Ball with the city of Asheville. She says she appreciates how Kollar and Robertson have a “willingness to jump in and learn as they go.” The two women rely on other volunteers; men are allowed during the day, while only women may volunteer overnight. But they’d like to increase the volunteer pool to 20 people. Interested parties can contact Kollar at Amanda.Kollar@gmail. com. X

Are you ready to move beyond false divisions and propaganda to cultivate Unity? Join other freedom lovers in sharing truth and celebrating freedom and unity at Sacred Mountain Waters Wellness Sanctuary in Marshall. Enjoy two days and nights of sharing and celebration in nature (Fri., July 1st to Sun., July 3rd). One-day Saturday pass also available. This family-friendly event will feature expert speakers facilitating discussions on health freedom, wellness, selfsufficiency, permaculture, legal sovereignty and financial and political freedom. Also enjoy live music, hiking, swimming and hot tubs set in a private 260 acre mountain valley bounded by two miles of pristine rivers. The Sovereign Camp Out is sponsored by Purple Nation USA and hosted at Sacred Mountain Waters Wellness Sanctuary to bring the best of Red and Blue together to seek unity and truth. View the full schedule and get your tickets at PurpleNationUSA.org

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JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

NEWS

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WNC traffic planners try to keep up with increased commuting

POUNDING THE PAVEMENT: The massive Interstate 26 widening project is on schedule to be complete by April 2024. Shown here is a view of the work from the Blue Ridge Parkway south. Photo courtesy of NCDOT

BY JUSTIN McGUIRE jmcguire@mountainx.com It’s not your imagination: Commuting in the Asheville area is worse than ever. As skyrocketing housing prices have pushed more city residents into neighboring areas, the number of drivers entering Asheville each day on busy interstates and crowded secondary roads has grown dramatically. “Asheville is still very much the employment center of the region, and it’s increasingly reliant on workers coming in from outside of Asheville,” says Tristan Winkler, director of the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization. “The vast majority of those workers are driving, and very likely driving by themselves.” Data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau tells the story. From 2002-19, the number of people who both lived and worked in Asheville increased slightly, from about 21,000 to approximately 23,000. But the number of people commuting from outside Asheville 12

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to work in the city soared, from roughly 46,000 to about 71,000. “After all these years, it is no longer a relaxing drive to work or back home,” says Earleen Owens, who has been commuting to her Asheville makeup business from her home between Sylva and Franklin since 2013. “I am moving my office closer to home, as I don’t believe spending 2 1/2 hours a day on the road is healthy for me.” Winkler says changes in commuting trends are particularly apparent in Haywood, Henderson and Madison counties, as well as in fast-growing Buncombe County communities like Fairview and Arden. For example, about 17% of Henderson County residents worked in Buncombe County in 2000. By 2019, that percentage had increased to 28%. Many of those commuters are driving from Mills River and Fletcher in the northern part of the county, Winkler says. Increased traffic has taken a toll on Interstate 26, the major route con-

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necting Henderson and Buncombe counties, and Interstate 40, which connects Haywood and Buncombe. But it has also has put more stress on some of the area’s bigger surface streets, Winkler says, including state highways 191, 19 and 23; Hendersonville Road; Asheville Highway (U.S. Route 25); and Sweeten Creek Road. While a massive widening project of I-26 south of Asheville is underway, and some smaller projects are moving ahead, other work meant to relieve traffic congestion has been put on the back burner due to supply shortages and spiraling costs for labor and material. HALFWAY HOME “It’s frustrating to know the roads will never keep up with growth,” says Susan Lilly, who commutes to Western North Carolina Community Health Services in Asheville from Mills River. “Asheville keeps getting more apartments, more hotels, but there

doesn’t seem to be any thought about the roads being unable to accommodate it all.” Traffic planners and state Department of Transportation officials, however, say a lot of consideration has been put into how to deal with increased traffic. The most obvious example is the $534-million I-26 widening project, which began in October 2019 and recently hit its halfway point. Work is on target for completion by April 2024, says Steve Cannon, a project development engineer with NCDOT’s Asheville office. The widening is happening along an 18-mile stretch between the Brevard Road interchange in Buncombe County and Four Seasons Boulevard in Hendersonville. “The old road was built back in the ’60s and ’70s and was past its useful life as far as the volume it was designed to handle at the time,” Cannon says. “Also, the condition of the road was just not in great shape. This addresses that as well, with a

SNAPSHOT new road surface that should last for many years.” When the work is done, the stretch from Brevard Road (Exit 1B) south to U.S. 25 (Exit 44) will be four lanes in both directions, while the portion from that point south to the U.S. 64/ Four Seasons Boulevard exits (exits 49A and 49B) will be three lanes in both directions. Future plans call for widening the interstate to three lanes in both directions all the way to the U.S. 25 connector to Greenville, S.C. (Exit 54), but the project currently has no funding and won’t begin any earlier than 2033. While increased capacity on I-26 will help relieve congestion and bottlenecks in the short term, Winkler says, that smoother sailing could ultimately encourage even more cars to use the road, a concept known as induced demand. “We’re still a growing region, and we’re still facing increasing freight and other traffic that utilizes 26,” he points out. How long will it be until more traffic means I-26 needs to be expanded again? Cannon says the answer depends on the economic growth of the area and technological advances such as self-driving cars, although the NCDOT expects the project to meet demand for at least 20 years. Cannon also expects work on the I-26 Connector project to get underway within the next two years. The biggest chunk of that project will involve building the interstate on a new location from the Haywood Road interchange north across the French Broad River, tying into U.S. 19/23/70 south of Broadway. “And of course that’d be a big, big improvement to the bottlenecks we see in that area,” Cannon says. ROAD BUMPS Other pain points for WNC drivers are likely to remain for the foreseeable future. Earlier this year, NCDOT staff removed about $1.2 billion in regional transportation projects from a draft of the 2024-33 State Transportation Improvement Program, a long-term schedule for North Carolina’s highway and other projects. A final draft is due later this year, but officials don’t expect any major projects to be added back. “We’re spending the same amount of money in the area, but our money’s not going as far as it used to due to runaway costs in labor and materials,” Cannon says. Supply shortages and high prices have affected steel, concrete, guardrails, pipes and other project inputs. A delay in plans to widen a 16-mile stretch of I-40 is particularly bad news for those commuting from Waynesville or Canton and

other growing communities west of Asheville. The project would expand the interstate to three lanes both ways from Exit 27 in Haywood County to Exit 44 in Buncombe County. The STIP originally called for construction on the first phase to start in 2029. “Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to be at least 2033 or later to move into right-of-way acquisition and construction,” Cannon says of the project. “But we do have something on the books that will come eventually.” Other delayed work includes the so-called Future I-26 project, which would widen the interstate to three lanes in both directions north of the city from Exit 25 at UNC Asheville to U.S. 25 north/US 70 near Weaverville. Based on the current STIP, design work could be completed by 2033, but construction would not begin before that. Earlier plans for the $200 million project had construction getting under way in 2030. Plans to widen a 5.4-mile stretch of Sweeten Creek Road (U.S. 25A) in Asheville from two lanes into a four-lane divided roadway from Hendersonville Road (U.S. 25) to Rock Hill Road are also on hold. While design work has been funded for the $195.3 million project, actual construction has been moved to 2033 or beyond in the newest STIP. Earlier plans would have started construction in 2027. ROLLING ON Winkler hopes ultimately some of the region’s traffic woes can be addressed by increasing public transit options. Buncombe County and Asheville already are coordinating more than in the past on such projects as the Buncombe County Greenways and Trails Master Plan, he says. The Land of Sky Regional Council also runs a Transportation Demand Management program, Winkler continues, which helps coordinate vanpools and encourages more people to carpool or use other modes of transportation. The program’s work includes Strive Beyond, Go Mountain Commuting and a new van pool effort in collaboration with the Friends of Land of Sky Regional Council and Recovery to Work program. In the meantime, people like Whitney Albury will continue to deal with the ups and downs of the area’s traffic situation. “It’s not terrible,” says Albury, who’s been commuting to Buncombe County from Waynesville for the past nine years. “It’s not the best, but it’s also not like trying to commute to a job in, say, Atlanta or LA.” Still, she admits: “At least once a day since 2013, I’ve said life would be so much easier if I lived in Asheville.” X

OUTRAGE AND SORROW: On June 24, Planned Parenthood and the Buncombe Democratic Party organized a rally at Rabbit Rabbit in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision ensuring federal protection of a woman’s right to access abortion services. Hundreds gathered at the outdoor event space to express their outrage, sorrow and commitment to fight the decision. Later, participants from the rally joined others at Pack Square. The crowd of nearly 1,000 marched around downtown, including onto I-240. Photos by Vicki Catalano and Susan Enwright Hicks

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N EWS

BUNCOMBE BEAT

Buncombe commissioners tweak homeowner grant eligibility An initiative introduced last year by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, intended to give low-income homeowners some relief from rising property taxes, will work a little differently this time around. As part of adopting the county’s fiscal year 2022-23 budget June 21, the board unanimously approved a number of changes to the Homeowner Grant Program, which will begin accepting applications Friday, July 1. Mobile home owners can now receive the grants, while those who own multiple dwellings or receive other tax reductions will no longer be eligible. Those with “liquid resources” (cash or financial assets that could be converted to cash within a week) of more than $60,000 will also be disqualified, a change from the terms recommended by county staff. Last year’s program distributed nearly $480,000 to 1,263 Buncombe homeowners, all of whom had to earn 80% or less of the area median income ($45,000 for an individual or $64,250 for a family of four). However, as noted by county Economic Services Director Phillip Hardin, many of those recipients also had considerable liquid resources, including 157 with reserves in excess of $50,000. In response to those numbers, Hardin proposed setting a liquid resources limit of $5,000 for grant recipients. But board Chair Brownie Newman took issue with the proposed cap, launching a long discussion among the commissioners. “That would have eliminated 25% of last year’s recipients if we adopted that threshold,” said Newman of the $5,000 limit. “We are already

limiting the applicants to those making 80% AMI. I would be interested in making it more expansive, not [to] create more hoops and further compress it.” Hardin said staff members had initially considered $10,000 as a cap after examining limits for other public assistance programs — the federal Food and Nutriton Services program, for example, caps applicant households at $2,000 in “countable resources” — but eventually landed on the $5,000 recommendation. “We put a limit so more funds would go to lower-income residents,” added County Manager Avril Pinder. Because the rules needed to be in place by July for the county to begin accepting grant applications, Pinder continued, board members had to make a decision on any changes during the June 21 meeting. Commissioner Parker Sloan agreed with Newman, saying, “I don’t support the $5,000 line in the sand.” Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara followed suit, favoring “loosening the cap, as we are still learning how the program works. I would rather us steer to the side of access.” Meanwhile, Commissioner Robert Pressley suggested a tiered grant format that would award more aid to those with greater need. But Newman and other board members argued that the program should be more generous. “There are people [making] 80%100% AMI that struggle to keep their heads above water. They don’t qualify for these government programs. They aren’t benefiting,” Newman said. The board ultimately settled on increasing the liquid resources cap

HARDIN LINE: Phillip Hardin, Buncombe County’s economic services director, proposed setting a $5,000 liquid-resources cap for recipients of the county’s Homeowner Grant Program, a limit commissioners ultimately increased to $60,000. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County from $5,000 to $60,000. All grant applicants will be required to verify their income and financial reserves before receiving aid.

In other news Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Vic Isley gave a presentation to the board, sharing local tourism survey results from MMGY Global, a travel and tourism marketing firm. Isley also warned the board of the dangers of eliminating tourism and marketing funding.

Explore Asheville, which is overseen by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, manages the 75% of county occupancy tax revenue that is required by state law to support tourism-related advertising and public relations. In May, three commissioners had stated dissatisfaction with the current occupancy tax allotment, including Sloan, who said he felt the tax should be abandoned completely. Isley cited an example from 1993, in which the state of Colorado stopped funding tourism marketing and saw sustained drops in tourism revenue. The state then gradually reinstated tourism marketing throughout the 2000s. (In April, Colorado shifted course again, passing legislation that allows counties to spend up to 90% of the occupancy tax they generate on “housing and childcare for the tourism-related workforce, including seasonal workers, and for other workers in the community.”) The board also unanimously approved the county’s internal audit plan, which includes an audit committee charter, audit committee bylaws and an internal audit charter. The plan seeks to bring a “systematic, disciplined approach” to improve risk management, control and governance. Commissioner Al Whitesides, one of the board’s two Internal Audit Committee members, praised the work led by Internal Auditor Dan Keister. “We’re more transparent than we have been, and that’s critical. We have everything with the infrastructure now to do it and do it right,” Whitesides said.

— Ben Williamson X

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GARDENING WITH XPRESS

A time to kill and to water your community based fundraising project, is taking applications now! Together, we’ve raised more than $1 million for WNC nonprofits Organizations in Buncombe and Henderson counties can apply for free by July 10 to participate in the exciting team fundraising campaign. Find out more at avl.mx/b5t SUMMER GUESTS: Pest season is here for gardeners, but don’t fret. Xpress has some tips to keep caterpillars away from your kale. Photo courtesy of Chloe Lieberman Green greetings! As it really warms up, I hope you’ve been enjoying baskets of goodness from your gardens. This month’s questions were, unsurprisingly, about bugs and water — two major themes of summertime gardening. A reminder to email me your questions at gardening@mountainx.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

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Ah yes, it’s pest season again in the garden. The fat little green caterpillars enjoying your juicy kale are the larvae of a small gray and brown moth, Trichoplusia ni, more commonly known as the cabbage looper. They have a particular fondness for any plants in the brassicaceae family (also known as cruciferous or cole crops: kale, collards, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.). Indeed, they get their green color from the foliage they consume. As a result, they’re infuriatingly camouflaged in the midribs of most leaves, so you may not notice them until holes start appearing in your crops! You may also be dealing with black, yellow and white striped caterpillars that do similar damage; they’re the

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larvae of “cabbage white” butterflies, Pieris rapae. The cabbage looper is a fair weather pest and can’t survive in temperatures below about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Once things really warm up, they’re off and running, completing up to five life cycles per year here in the mountains. When it cools down again in the fall, they head south to balmier climes. So, my first piece of advice for managing this pest is to plant the crops it loves in the early spring, and again in midsummer for fall and winter harvests. Yes, this means no kale in the summertime, but there are plenty of other garden goodies that love hot weather, so it won’t be too terrible. Plus, kale gets bitter and pungent in hot weather, so summer kale isn’t that tasty anyway. Other methods of dealing with this little wiggler are: hand-picking and spraying an organic pesticide called Bt. If your garden is fairly small, you can simply stroll through it and pick them off every few days. (Just make sure you check the undersides of leaves and look carefully, since they’re so well camouflaged.) To dispatch the collected cabbage loopers, squish them, dunk them in soapy water or feed them to your chickens.

Another tool to reach for is Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. This is a naturally occurring bacterium that’s found in soils and on plant leaves around the world. When you buy a bottle of it, it comes from a lab. If caterpillars of any kind, including cabbage loopers, ingest Bt, they die. Humans, on the other hand, can consume Bt with no problem, as can honeybees, ladybugs and even adult cabbage loopers; it’s specific to caterpillars. Bt is approved for use in certified organic operations and considered safe. It’s still a pesticide, so let’s not go crazy spraying it hither and thither. If it gets on milkweed, for example, it will kill the monarch butterfly larvae that feed on that plant. In my opinion, organic gardening isn’t just about replacing synthetic inputs with organic ones, it’s about working cooperatively and humbly with the cycles of the living world. So, Bt is awesome, and I use it, but I use it judiciously; I also don’t insist on growing kale all summer long or try to grow long-season brassicas like brussels sprouts because that would mean spraying a lot in our area. I typically spray Bt a few times in the late spring/early summer to get my cabbage and broccoli through to the finish line of maturity and extend the kale harvest just a wee bit. Then,

in midsummer, I spray a few times on baby brassicas so they can make it into cooler weather without getting eaten. WHEN AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WATER MY GARDEN? One of my online gardening class students recently asked me about watering, too. She said that her grandparents never watered their garden, and she was wondering if that would work today (she’s located in this area). The short answer is no. While we’re still blessed with significant rains, babbling brooks and sweetwater springs, we aren’t immune to climate change here in WNC. Even in the short nine years I’ve been gardening here, I’ve noticed significantly less rainfall, and the rain that does fall comes more sporadically, with longer dry spells in between. This all makes regularly watering the garden crucial. How often to water a garden depends on several factors and ranges from twice a day to once a week, or never if it rains a lot. If you’re directly sowing crops like carrots, cilantro, dill, beans or lettuce in your garden, you’ll want to water at least once a day until they pop up. On very hot and sunny days, twice is better. After that, watering every couple of days will likely be fine until the little plants get established. Other factors that influence watering frequency are type of crop, weather and if the soil is exposed or covered with a mulch layer, which reduces evaporation. One important thing to keep in mind is that long, deeper watering is much better for your soil and established plants than quick, shallow waterings. This means taking the time to water thoroughly once or twice a week is actually more effective than watering daily. If we get a big rain, of course, that counts as watering. But don’t be fooled! Afternoon thunderstorms may feel dramatic, but sometimes the actual amount of

rainfall they provide doesn’t moisten the soil very deeply. When in doubt, dig down to see if your plants got a real drink or just a cooling shower. The ideal time for watering a garden with overhead irrigation like a sprinkler or water wand is usually early in the morning. This is because less water will evaporate into the cool morning air. Plus, if plant leaves get wet in the morning, they won’t stay wet long enough to harbor fungal pathogens like powdery mildew. If you water in the evening, most of the water goes into the ground and doesn’t evaporate, but if plants remain wet all night this can cause problems. Watering in the middle of a sunny day will mean you’ll lose some water to evaporation. Another disadvantage of high-noon watering is that water droplets on leaves can act like magnifying glasses and concentrate sunlight to the point of burning. However, it’s better to water on a sunny day than not to water at all. When it’s overcast, you can safely water any old time. If you’re watering a garden with drip irrigation, there’s more flexibility with timing. You can water anytime, even in the middle of a hot sunny day. In fact, watering at this time with a drip system can reduce stress on plants in the height of summer, when temperatures and transpiration soar. If you’ve been enjoying this feature and want to learn more from me and my co-instructor, Natalie Bogwalker, I invite you to sign up for our free class on summer planting for fall and winter harvests. It’s available from July 1-15. There are lots of vegetables you can grow in the fall and winter, extending the harvest and enjoying new flavors that don’t do well in summer’s heat. Many gardeners get started too late on fall and winter planting; midsummer is actually the time. Learn what to plant, some gardening basics, tricks for fall and winter success and how to set up a row cover.

We’ll make sure you get there!

— Chloe Lieberman X

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FEA T U RE S

Q&A: Appalachian Trail Chaplain discusses her long trek ahead Typically, Appalachian Trail hikers give each other trail names during a long-distance trek. But not all names are equally embraced. For Fletcher native and Western Carolina University graduate, Rachel Ahrens, she was nearly dubbed “Snack Pack.” Fortunately, she says, a mentor stepped in, christening her “Dragonfly” instead. The insect, she explains, symbolizes transformation and self-realization — two experiences she’s eagerly anticipated since 2020, upon first accepting the role as the Appalachian Trail Chaplain through the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church. Two years later, she’s finally taking the journey from Maine to Georgia, after COVID-19 postponed the opportunity to fulfill her duty. As this year’s thru-hiking chaplain, Ahrens will aid and minister to hikers as well as share physical, emotional and spiritual support throughout her time on the trail. The program also

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enlists circuit chaplains, who provide the same support to hikers encountered on designated sections of the trail throughout the hiking season. “The more that I’m called Dragonfly out in the woods, the more I’m becoming this person,” she says. Of course, some of her fellow chaplains still refer to her as “Snack Pack,” she reveals, on account of the fanny pack she wears loaded with treats, which she readily hands out to fellow, hungry hikers. Xpress recently sat down with Ahrens prior to her June departure to discuss what it means to become the AT Chaplain after a long two-year wait. This interview has been condensed and lightly edited. Xpress: What’s your process been like in preparing for this role. Ahrens: It’s a combination of mental, physical and logistical preparations. For about six months now, I’ve been drying and prepping all of my

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meals. I’ve opted to go the mail drop route when it comes to my resupplies and how I get my food. [The process involves shipping items ahead of time to future destinations along the trail.] I’ve been trying out a bunch of different foods. This weekend, I took out a lot of the foods that [I and my fellow circuit chaplains] had already prepped and asked, “Do I actually like these?” I’ve also been at the gym most days, working on elevation gain and trying to get as toned as possible. And then I’ve been reading other people’s journeys on the AT because the AT is just as much a mental game as it is physical. Last weekend, I was out with a couple of the other chaplains, and we did over 50 miles in the Smokies. These were not well-maintained trails; they were very challenging. We ended up in the pouring rain for most of the weekend with lots of river crossings. Shakedown hikes like that have been really helpful in making sure that all my gear is working the way I want. What does it mean to you to be the AT Chaplain this year? What I love about being the chaplain is being able to just walk alongside individuals who are hiking the AT. A lot of times, people are attempting this in a time of transition or change. They all go seeking something, even if that’s just the dream that they’ve had to always hike the AT. And to get to be present in that is incredible. Being the chaplain is not necessarily going with one goal or another but meeting people where they’re at and being what’s needed in that gap. Some days it may be just having someone to hike with, even if it’s in silence. Being flexible in that way is what makes the chaplaincy so special. How did your personal and professional journey over the past couple of years change your approach to the work of being a chaplain? When COVID hit, I switched gears from hiking to grad school. And I was like, “Why not go to grad school while the world is trying to figure itself out, and use those two years that you have?” I went to Western Carolina University, and I did a lot of work there focusing on diversity and social justice initiatives, and what it means to actually advocate for someone. What it means to be their ally. When I look back [before my time at grad school], I realize I thought I was already that [person]. But I was not educated enough to know what it

LONG TIME COMING: Rachel Ahrens was first named Appalachian Trail Chaplain in 2020. But COVID-19 postponed her journey over the last two years. Photo by Jess Dudt meant to stand up for someone and stand in the gap. That forced me to grow my awareness and grow myself. … Personally and professionally, that was a big change from undergrad, which was when I was first supposed to leave for the AT versus now. I also worked in a traditional church for about a year as a director of youth and college ministries. I wanted my students to thrive, be the best version of themselves and have a support person, even if it wasn’t necessarily what the church thought of as ideal. Being in the walls of those systems made me reevaluate why I was going to the trail in the first place, and how I can meet people where they’re at and be what’s needed, even if it doesn’t look like traditional ministry. How has your personal mental health journey informed your professional work in the past two years? My personal mental health has drastically improved my work approach toward mental health. I have been more empathetic toward people I work with and more aware of things that may be going on rather than just assuming the outside of what’s happening. I have more of a sense when something deeper is going on and know when to ask more probing questions. Honestly, it comes down to being available for people in whatever way that presents itself, but most often, just listening and processing with people. This summer, I expect to press into my authentic self, becoming even more at home with who I am. I also want to enjoy the journey, experiencing it to the fullest and being present with those I meet.

— LA Bourgeois X

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JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

SHARKS VS. JETS: The Flat Rock Playhouse will present a production of West Side Story Friday, July 1-Saturday, July 30. The theater originally planned to perform the classic musical in 2020 but had to delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The shows will run Fridays (8 p.m.), Saturdays (2 p.m., 8 p.m.), Sundays (2 p.m.) and Wednesdays-Thursdays (2 p.m., 7:30 p.m.). Photo by Scott Treadway, Treadshots JUNE 29 - JULY 7, 2022 For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.

Online Events = Shaded WELLNESS Waves On The Edge, LGBTQ Sweat Your Prayers Safe space for Queer people to move. No dance experience required, sliding scale. SA (7/2), 9:30am, Haw Creek Commons, 315 Old Haw Creek Rd Yoga in the Park Join together alongside the French Broad River for an all-level friendly yoga class based on Hatha and Vinyasa traditions. SA (7/2), SU (7/3), 1:30pm, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd WNC Prostate Support Group A forum for men, caregivers, family members and partners. For info (828)419-4565 or wncprostate@gmail. com. TU (7/5), 6:30pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St Men's Cancer Support Group Safely meet in a large conference room and stay socially distant while wearing masks.

RSVP to Will (412)9130272 or acwein123@ gmail.com. WE (7/6), 6pm, Free, Woodfin YMCA, 40 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 101

ART Vibrant Actions A new series of drawings and paintings from Asheville artist John Federlin. Daily. The Refinery AVL, 207 Coxe Ave Nature and Nurture: The Voorhees Family Artistic Legacy This multi-generational, multi-media exhibit displays paintings, pottery and jewelry from seven members of the Voorhees family. Daily through Sept. 5. NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way Bullington Gardens Fairy Trail Three hundred yards of tiny fairy life scenes. Closed Sunday. Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

Rise: Carolina Lebar A solo exhibit of original works by Colombian-born WNC resident; in graphite, watercolor, and oil. Daily through July 31, closed Wednesday. Art Garden AVL, 191 Lyman St, Ste 316 Girl with Flowers Twelve large scale portrait paintings will be on display, with 3D glasses given to guests to enhance the experience. FR (7/1), 5-7pm, SA (7/2), 12-6pm, Jeffrey Luque Art, 162 W French Broad St, Brevard From Realism to Abstract Opening Reception Featuring artists Joyce Schlapkohl and Sally Lordeon. The paintings will be on display daily through July 31. FR (7/1), 5pm, Asheville Gallery of Art, 82 Patton Ave Art After Dark Featuring southern Virginia artist Margaret Roberts, with live music by Phyllis Bryan and small bites and beverages. FR (7/1), 6pm, Twigs & Leaves Gallery, 98 N Main St, Waynesville Home and the Journey There Champagne Reception and Celebration An immersive art experience combining paintings and Augmented Reality (AR) by multimedia artist Jaime Byrd, inspired by her nomadic travels around the globe. Exhibition

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runs through July 31. SA (7/2), 4pm, Trackside Studios, 375 Depot St 16th Annual Art in Bloom This multi-faceted fundraising event celebrating nature and art combines two gallery exhibits, live floral arrangements, local garden tours featuring working artists, and floral-inspired workshops. TH (7/7), 5pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

COMMUNITY MUSIC Lake Julian Drum Circle Bring your own drum and meet at varying shelters around the park. Contact zach. hickok@buncombecounty.org or call (828)684-0376. TH (6/30), 5:30pm, Lake Julian Park, 37 Lake Julian Rd, Arden Asheville Dulcimer Orchestra Performance by a group of 18 Appalachian mountain dulcimer players led by music director Mack Johnston and executive director Melanie Johnston. TH (6/30), 6pm, Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Rd, Candler Park Rhythms Free family-friendly event with live music from Black Moun-

tain-based indie rock band Floating Action, food trucks and live t-shirt printing. TH (6/30), 7pm, Black Mountain Veterans Park, Black Mountain Arbor Evenings Sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s gardens, all while listening to live indie-pop, fused with Latin American folk, from MAR and the Marmaladies. FR (7/1), 5:30-8pm, NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way Concerts on the Creek: Darren Nicholson Band Jackson County native will perform and celebrate his new gospel album release. Bring a chair or blanket. Donations encouraged. FR (7/1), 7pm, Bridge Park, 76 Railroad Ave, Sylva Music On Main With music from Deano and the Dreamers - and a classic car show. Bring a chair. FR (7/1), 7pm, Historic Downtown Hendersonville Summer Tracks: Unspoken Tradition Bluegrass music reflecting the band member's homes of Western and Central NC - outdoors, with food and non-alcoholic beverage vendors. FR (7/1), 7pm, Rogers Park, 55 W Howard St, Tryon What's Shaking? Music and Dance Party A 60-minute class for young people

presented through live entertainment. SA (7/2), 3pm, Sweeten Creek Brewing, 1127 Sweeten Creek Rd Shindig on the Green A mountain tradition since 1967, with bluegrass and old-time string bands, cloggers, ballad singers and storytellers - to support the preservation and continuation of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. SA (7/2), 7pm, Pack Square Park Tuesday Night Block Party Series With The Whitewater Bluegrass Co., featuring Heart of Brevard's Summer Street Dances. An experienced caller will take dancers stepby-step through moves that combine square and contra dancing styles. Food vendors and family activities also available. TU (7/5), 6pm, Downtown Brevard

SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD Brent Martin presents George Masa's Wild Vision The author discusses his book about Masa, a Japanese immigrant whose photographs from the 1920s and early 1930s are windows into an era. Registration required for in-person or online. WE (6/29), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

Malaprop's Foodie Book Club Participants will discuss My Life in France by Julia Child. Registration required. WE (6/29), 7pm, avl.mx/boq Climate and Coffee Author and local climate activist Brad Rousewill discuss and sign his new book Climate Warrior: Climate Activism and Our Energy Future. TH (6/30), 10am, The Collider, 1 Haywood St, Ste 401 Rebecca Sharpless, author of Grain and Fire The author discusses her history of baking in the South. Sponsored by Malaprop's and UNC Press. Registration required. TH (6/30), 6pm, avl.mx/bor Malaprop's Book Club Participants will discuss Cloud Cuckoo, a novel by Anthony Doerr. Registration required. WE (7/6), 6:30pm, avl.mx/720

THEATER & FILM West Side Story The number one requested musical from the venue’s 2019 show survey. Through July 30. FR (7/1), 8pm, SA (7/2), 2pm & 8pm, SU (7/3), 2pm, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Hwy 225, Flat Rock

Steel Magnolias The play inspired by a true story that became an iconic film. TH (6/30), FR (7/1), SA (7/2), 7:30pm, SU (7/3), 2pm, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville The Moppets present The Tempest Shakespeare's comedy about the misadventures of a group of sailors and royals shipwrecked on an enchanted island where all is not as it seems. FR (7/1), SA (7/2), 5pm, SU (7/3), 11am, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St Red, White and Tuna Two comedic actors ignite the stage with over 20 polyester-clad characters from Texas’ third smallest town. FR (7/1), SA (7/2), 7:30pm, SU (7/3), 3pm, Hendersonville Theatre, 229 S Washington St, Hendersonville Cat Video Fest A compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos. A portion of the ticket fee goes to Asheville Cat Weirdos Emergency Fund. Various showtimes through June 30. WE (6/29), 5pm, TH (6/30), 7pm, Grail Moviehouse, 17 Foundy St Movies Under the Stars: Almost Famous Beginning with live music from Americana duo Creative Differences. Movie starts at dusk. Bring a blanket or chair. WE (6/29), 6pm, Haiku I Do, 26 Sweeten Creek Rd

CLASSES, MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS Hemlock Restoration Initiative Hike at Linville Gorge An educational five and a half mile hike, with scenery including a stand of hemlocks previously treated by HRI. Registration required: education@ savehemlocksnc.org or (828)252-4783. WE (6/29), 10am, Linville Gorge Introduction to Medicare The class will explain how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties and ways to save money. To register, visit coabc.org or (828)2778288. WE (6/29), 2pm Cruise then Booze Paddle Outing A two hour paddle trip down the French Broad, ending at the brewery. Boats, life jackets, paddles and a two-minute shuttle trip to Pisgah Forest access provided. FR (7/1), 4:30pm, Oskar Blues Brewery, 342 Mountain Industrial Dr, Brevard Blue Ridge Audubon Field Trip Bird watching outing on the first Saturday of each month. All are welcome. SA (7/2), 8am, Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary WNCHA History Hour: The Skyview Golf Association and Tournament An event exploring the history of Asheville’s Skyview Golf Association, which was founded in 1959 as a non-profit promoting golf competition among African Americans in the area, and the first annual Black golfing tournament. TU (7/5), 6pm, Free, avl.mx/bpq Music to Your Ears Discussion Series: Emerson Lake & Palmer's Trilogy Music journalist and historian Bill Kopp will lead an evening of music and discussion. With special guest André Cholmondeley, crew and instrument technician for Emerson Lake and Palmer. WE (7/6), 7pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr Zoom into AWE Healer Dwight Dale Miller will present on how to explore and experience your ability to heal, access your divinity and live a life without limits - followed by a live healing session. WE (7/6), 7pm, avl.mx/bpr Embroiderers' Guild of America - Laurel Chapter Roberta Smith, education committee

chairwoman, will provide instruction on a reversible surface embroidery project of holly berries and leaves. Contact Mary Ann Wyatt (828)681-0572 or Janet Stewart (828)5759195. TH (7/7), 9:30am, Cummings United Methodist Church, 3 Banner Farm Rd, Horse Shoe WNCHA History Hour: Musical Instruments in WNC This program will explore the arrival, creation, and development of instruments and playing styles in the mountains and their cultural origins and influences.. TH (7/7), 6pm, avl.mx/bpt

LOCAL FOOD AND ART MARKETS RAD Farmers Market Live music and over 30 local vendors weeky with food, flowers, plants, crafts and more. Safely accessible by bike or foot, plus ample parking. WE (6/29), (7/6), 3pm, plēb urban winery, 289 Lyman St Etowah Lions Club Farmers Market Fresh produce, meat, sweets, breads, arts, and more, through Oct. 26. WE (6/29), (7/6), 3pm, 447 Etowah School Rd, Hendersonville Les-ter Farmers Market Farmers and craftspeople offering a variety of produce, herbs, flowers, cheese, meat, prepared foods, art, gifts and more - all locally grown and produced. WE (6/29, 7/6), 3pm, Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester Weaverville Tailgate Market Local foodstuffs, alongside a small lineup of craft and artisan vendors. WE (6/29), (7/6), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr, Weaverville Wednesday Night Marke Vintage and crafts from area-based vendors. WE (6/29), (7/6), 4pm, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd Enka-Candler Tailgate Market Fresh local produce and heritage crafts. Weekly. TH (6/30), (7/7), 3pm, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler Flat Rock Tailgate Market A diverse group of local produce farmers, jam and jelly makers, bread bakers, wild crafters, and merrymakers. TH (6/30), (7/7), 3pm, Pinecrest ARP Church, 1790 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock

East Asheville Tailgate Market Local goods, every Friday. FR (7/1), 3pm, 954 Tunnel Rd Henderson County Tailgate Market One of the oldest openair markets in WNC, with local growers who operate small family farms in Henderson County. SA (7/2), 8am, 100 N King St, Hendersonville Hendersonville Farmers Market Produce, meat, eggs, baked goods, coffee, crafts and more from 30+ local vendors. With live music, kids' activities and cooking demos weekly. SA (7/2), 8am, 650 Maple St, Hendersonville Mills River Farmers Market A producer-only market, selling products raised or produced within 50 miles of the market. With local musicians, a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, and high-quality crafts. SA (7/2), 8am, Mills River Elementary School, 94 Schoolhouse Rd, Mills River North Asheville Tailgate Market The oldest Saturday morning market in WNC. Over 60 rotating vendors. SA (7/2), 8am, 3300 University Heights Odd Flea Everything wacky and tacky, from taxidermy, antiques, records, junk, witchy tinctures, plants and more. SA (7/2), 8am, The Odditorium, 1045 Haywood Rd Asheville City Market Over 50 vendors and local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and more. SA (7/2), 9am, 52 N Market St Black Mountain Tailgate Market Seasonal community market event featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, locally raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and local arts and handcrafted items. SA (7/2), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain Haywood's Historic Farmers Market Located at HART Theatre, weekly. SA (7/2), 9am, Hart Theatre, 250 Pigeon St, Waynesville Transylvania Farmers Market Fifty vendors offering fresh, locally-grown produce, meat, poultry, eggs, honey, cheese, coffee, plants, herbs, cut flowers, baked goods, jams, jellies,

relishes, prepared foods and handcrafted items. SA (7/2), 9am, 175 East Main St, Brevard Ooh La La Curiosity Market Featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters, up-cycled crafters - as well as three local musical acts. A portion of the vendor fees are donated to Animal Haven of East Asheville. SA (7/2), 10am, Pritchard Park, 4 College St Junk-O-Rama Saturday Vintage antiques market, every Saturday through October. SA (7/2), 11am, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd Gladheart Farm Fest Market Fresh produce, bread and pastries, food vendors, and live music, weekly. SU (7/3), 11am, Gladheart Farm, 9 Lora Ln Meadow Market Runs every Sunday from May through Aug. and will feature a rotation of local bakers, makers and artisans. SU (7/3), 12pm, Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy Sundays on the Island Local market located on Marshall's island in the middle of the French Broad River. SU (7/3), 12pm, Blanahasset Island, Marshall Jackson Arts Market Makers & Music Festival Locally produced, foraged, sourced, mined, and crafted goods. Local musicians every Saturday with Balsam Hot Club on July 2. SA (7/2), SU (7/3), 1pm, Downtown Sylva West Asheville Tailgate Market Over 40 local vendors, with musician Melissa Hyman. TU (7/5), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd

VOLUNTEERING Project Linus: WNC Chapter Seeking volunteers to create and donate children’s blankets to area children in crisis, providing a sense of security and warmth. Contact Ellen Knoefel at (828)645-8800 or gknoefel @charter. net or Pat Crawford (828)873-8746. Experiential Garden Volunteers Needed Verner Experiential Garden (VEG) will host community garden nights, with gloves and tools provided. Email volunteer coordinator Polly: pphillips@ verneremail.org. TH (6/30), (7/7), 4pm, Verner Center for Early Learning, 2586 Riceville R

H✰ H Fourth of July Events ✰ H✰ H ✰ Sovereign Camp Out: Celebrating Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness This family-friendly gathering will feature presentations, discussions and performances, surrounded by hundreds of acres of nature and two miles of rivers. FR (7/1)-SU (7/3), Sacred Mountain Waters Wellness Sanctuary, 2932 Big Laurel Rd, Marshall Toe River Campground Fireworks Float down the river or enjoy from the campground. FR (7/1), 8pm, $5, Toe River Campground, 225 Patience Park Rd, Burnsville Hot Springs 4th of July Celebration & Fireworks The town and local fire department join forces for the annual patriotic display, which can be viewed from historic downtown, or from lookouts surrounding Hot Springs. SA (7/2), 9pm, Hot Springs Big Ivy Independence Day Celebration With a traditional parade and fireworks show. SA (7/2), 12pm, Big Ivy Community Center, 540 Dillingham Rd, Barnardsville Summer Party A family-friendly, outdoor community party with inflatables, snow cones, face painting, a unicycling clown, yard games and food trucks. SU (7/3), 12pm, Bill Moore Community Park, 85 Howard Gap Rd, Fletcher Asheville Tourists Independence Day Fireworks Presented by Raumedic. SU (7/3), 6:05pm, McCormick Field, 30 Buchanan Place Grove Park Inn Fireworks Display The 15 minute display for guests over Seel Pavilion Lawn will be visible throughout the area. SU (7/3), 9:30pm, The Omni Grove Park Inn Old Fort Fireworks Show & Fourth of July Parade The fireworks show will take place at dark on July 3, with the parade traveling down Catawba Avenue and Main Street at 4pm on July 4. Town of Old Fort

STARS AND STRIPES: The Lake Junaluska Independence Day Celebration weekend will include a decorated kayak/ canoe/paddleboard flotilla contest at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 2. All events take place at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center. Photo courtesy of Lake Junaluska Ingles Independence Day Celebration Family-friendly activities including Ultimate Air Dogs jumps, the Splasheville Fountain, live music from Hannah Kaminer, Ricky Gunter and Lyric - culminating in a fireworks extravaganza at 9:30pm. MO (7/4), Downtown Asheville Lake Julian Park Fourth of July Celebration Day-long activities in the park, with a fireworks display after dark. MO (7/4), 37 Lake Julian Rd, Arden Lake Junaluska Independence Day Celebration Weekend The weekend begins with a display of Floating Wish Lanterns on the lake on Friday, July 1 at 8:45pm. The festivities continue Saturday, July 2, with a morning devotion by the lake and a decorated kayak/ canoe/paddleboard flotilla contest, a porch decorating contest, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. On July 3 the day ends with a free community fireworks display. A parade will kick off July 4 at 11am, with food trucks and music by Whitewater Bluegrass and a family square dance. The festivities end with Balsam Range in concert at 7:30pm. Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center, 91 N Lakeshore Dr, Lake Junaluska Montreat Fourth of July Celebration Celebrate the holiday with a 7am 5K, the

annual parade at 10:30am, and the Big Circle Mountain Dance closing out the evening at 7pm. MO (7/4), Montreat Conference Center, 401 Assembly Dr, Montreat NC Free Fishing Day Anglers of any age or residency status will be allowed to fish without a license in NC from 12am-11:59pm, sponsored by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission - an annual event that was authorized by the N.C. General Assembly in 1994. MO (7/4) Independence Day Community Celebration & Fireworks Extravaganza A community-wide celebrationwith Sycamore Cycles Patriotic Bike Parade, Transylvania Community Arts Council Showcase, Transylvania Cruisers Classic Car Show, local food vendors and children’s activities. Elected officials will participate in the Memorial Flag Raising ceremony and reading of the Declaration of Independence. After dark, the fireworks extravaganza will begin. MO (7/4), 10am, Downtown Brevard Hendersonville 4th of July Concert & Fireworks A family-friendly celebration including inflatables, kids’ games and activities, food trucks, and two stages featuring live music from The Lonesome Road Band, BSE Rox and Supper Break; ending with the annual

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fireworks display. MO (7/4), 5pm, Historic Downtown Hendersonville Bubbles, Bites and Lights Viewing Party Watch the downtown fireworks from the 12th floor viewing room. MO (7/4), 6pm, $24, Renaissance Asheville Hotel, 31 Woodfin St Sylva’s 8th Annual Fireworks Festivities With the Crocodile Smile Band performing two sets of classic hits, pop favorites, R&B and beach music. Fireworks begin around 9:30pm and will be visible throughout surrounding areas. MO (7/4), 6:30pm, Bridge Park, Sylva Independence Day Sunset Fireworks Hike A one and a half mile moderate hike to the peak of Sunset Mountain where guests will enjoy an old-fashioned watermelon cutting, sunset and fireworks over the town of Black Mountain. A fundraiser for the Swannanoa Valley Museum. MO (7/4), 7pm, $3565, Black Mountain Downtown Weaverville 4th of July Celebration Live music from Ashley Heath and Her Heathens, followed by fireworks at 9:30pm. MO (7/4), 7:30pm, Weaverville Town Hall, 30 S. Main St, Weaverville Town of Black Mountain July 4th Fireworks Annual show at dusk at River Walk Park. MO (7/4), 9pm, Downtown Black Mountain, 125 Cherry St, Black Mountain

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

WELLNESS

Mission nurses allege unsafe staffing RN rallies a common sight at Mission Hospital

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN jwakeman@mountainx.com Even at 8 a.m., June 2 was blazing hot outside Mission Hospital. Few trees lent little shade at the entrance to the complex. But the registered nurses who gathered that morning for a rally with National Nurses United are used to being on their feet for long periods of time in uncomfortable conditions. About 50 RNs and their supporters, including a doctor wearing scrubs who had just completed a night shift, rallied to raise awareness about alleged dangerous conditions at Mission Hospital, which is owned by HCA Healthcare. Greg Lowe, president of HCA’s North Carolina Division, has previously acknowledged a national nursing shortage. However, Mission’s RNs allege HCA management is letting staff decrease to unsafe levels through attrition as a cost-cutting measure and the result is unsafe nurse-to-patient ratios. The understaffing also means RNs are unable to take meal or bathroom breaks, they say. Mission’s RNs have raised alarms about unsafe staffing for years, says Hannah Drummond, an emergency room nurse who spoke at the June 2 rally. Mission RNs began holding rallies after HCA bought Mission in 2019; gatherings in August 2020, October 2021 and April 2022 warned of unsafe staffing numbers. “I’ve even talked to Sam Hazen, the CEO of all of HCA, about some of our concerns,” Drummond, the chief nurse representative at National Nurses United for Mission, tells Xpress. “It’s gone up the ladder,” Drummond continues. “We’re just tired of waiting for them to get it together to act.” A TURBULENT HISTORY HCA, a for-profit company based in Nashville, purchased nonprofit Mission for $1.5 billion in 2019. Shortly thereafter, community members alleged patient care declined. 22

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

ON THE LINE: Supporters of the National Nurses United union at Mission Hospital joined registered nurses for a rally June 2 to draw attention to alleged unsafe staffing. Photo by Jessica Wakeman Health care professionals and former patients described long patient waits and diminished cleanliness. In February 2020, Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, Buncombe County Commission Chair Brownie Newman and State Rep. Brian Turner co-signed a letter to the Asheville Citizen Times stating, “[R] educed care for low-income patients, increased patient risk, and dismissing important practice groups that have provided outstanding service to Mission — are simply unacceptable and must be corrected.” HCA responded in a March 2020 statement to Carolina Public Press, “There have been no cuts to our bedside nursing positions. We are aggressively recruiting for RNs and nurse support positions such as certified nurse assistants, health unit coordinators, patient care technicians and a variety of other nurse support roles.” RNs employed at Mission announced their intention to pursue

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labor representation in March 2020. Six months later, RNs at Mission voted for representation by NNU, the largest nurse’s union in the country. Nearly 1,400 workers voted, and over 70% voted in favor of the union, according to CPP reporting. (NNU represents approximately 12,000 nurses at 20 hospitals owned by HCA Healthcare, according to NNU’s communications director Lucy Diavolo.) The approximately 1,500 RNs at Mission who joined NNU ratified their first union contract in 2021; it expires in July 2024. (Xpress requested a copy of the contract from RNs and NNU but was unable to view it by press time.) According to the AFL-CIO, the contract included guaranteed breaks, a ban on mandatory overtime, hospital-provided personal protective equipment and testing and wage increases of up to 17%. Yet at the June 2 rally, Mission staff alleged continuing problems.

THE GOLD STANDARD Sixteen states address nurse staffing via legislation or regulations, according to the American Nurses Association, a professional organization that advocates for nursing standards. (Health care organizations can implement safe staffing levels as well. Nancy Lindell, director of public and media relations for HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division, did not respond when asked if HCA has a policy on staffing ratios.) There are different approaches to nurse staffing. In 2019, ANA updated its guide to nurse staffing to advocate for flexible staffing that takes into account a nurse’s experience. California and Massachusetts have legislation on minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Massachusetts requires one nurse per one or two patients in intensive care units, depending on a patient’s stability. NNU, the union representing Mission RNs, worked with California legislators to codify nurse-to-patient staffing ratios into law, which its booklet Your Guide to Joining the RN Movement calls “the gold standard.” Susan Fischer, an RN at Mission for 17 years, calls the ratios established in this legislation “the safest possible way to take care of patients.” RNs at Mission tell Xpress they find many units are understaffed. The gold standard recommends one nurse per two patients in intensive care; Fischer says colleagues tell her Mission has one nurse for two or three intensive care patients. The trauma department of the emergency room should have one nurse per patient, according to the gold standard. Fischer says colleagues tell her Mission has two patients per nurse. The psychiatric department should have one nurse per six patients, according to the standard. Fischer tells Xpress her colleagues have had seven patients per nurse. And in the neonatal intensive care unit, which should have one nurse per two patients, Fischer says nurses are assigned as many as four patients at a time. When asked via email June 8 to respond to the allegations “regarding nurse-to-patient ratios that [RNs] feel are too high and what they say are insufficient time for meal breaks/ bathroom breaks,” Lindell responded the same day with a statement. “Mission Hospital continues to heavily recruit and offer robust sign-on bonuses,” the statement read. “Staffing at Mission Hospital is reviewed every four hours and staffing resources are shifted to respond to changes in patient acuity, sometimes placing charge nurses into care roles to best support our patients and staff.

CHANGES: HCA Healthcare, a for-profit company based in Nashville, purchased nonprofit Mission Hospital for $1.5 billion in 2019. Photo by Jessica Wakeman ALLEGATIONS OF NO BREAKS

“Like every hospital in the country, we are having to respond to the shortage of trained health care providers with innovative solutions such as: international nurses, alternative care delivery models, and academic partnerships — including the recent announcement of funding additional faculty members at three local colleges and university for their nursing education programs and opening the Galen College of Nursing in Biltmore Park.” Lindell also sent a press release about HCA funding nursing education.

Despite the NNU contract language requiring guaranteed breaks, RNs at the June 2 rally say they have to forgo bathroom and meal breaks due to understaffing. While speaking with Xpress, Drummond noted her colleagues’ chanting in the background. “Right now, they’re chanting about wanting a break,” she said. “I have had one lunch break since I [began working] the ER. One 30-minute break!”

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When asked how HCA ensures RNs are able to take breaks, Lindell responded June 23: “Like any unit-specific staffing decision, immediate patient care needs are a consideration when scheduling break and meal periods. The hospital encourages all caregivers to take rest or meal periods during their shifts and to work with other caregivers to ensure the safe transition of patient care needs during these times. “In addition to providing incentives for picking up additional full

shifts, nursing departments offer staff the ability to pick up additional hours through partial shifts of varying lengths known as ‘helping hands’ shifts.” Fischer, who works on night shifts, says she can usually eke out 15 minutes to eat but doesn’t take a formal break. She says the only time when she’s not on her feet is when she is working on patients’ charts. “Charting and sitting at the desk is my break because I actually get to sit down for a moment,” she says. With her packed patient load, she can’t easily take a bathroom break either. “The point when my bladder is ready to burst is when I go,” she says. On June 23, the careers page on HCA’s website listed over 230 RN openings at Mission Hospital in Asheville and an additional 50 open RN positions at other Mission locations in Western North Carolina. Lindell did not respond to Xpress’ question about the current number of nursing staff at Mission. For now, RNs at Mission will have to make it work. “It’s very disheartening, it’s very upsetting,” Fischer said at the rally. “And it’s because we’re overworked and overwhelmed.” X

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JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

ARTS & CULTURE

Minus the sentimentality Appalachian short-story collection blends comedy and tragedy

BY THOMAS CALDER tcalder@mountainx.com Write what you know and do so whenever and wherever you can. Such was the mindset of local author Melanie McGee Bianchi when she found her way back to penning fiction in earnest in 2017, after more than a decade away from the craft. Since returning to the form, McGee Bianchi has written stories inspired by her life (and the lives of others) in and around Asheville — a place she’s called home since the early ’90s. “The city had a different vibe back then,” she says, noting that she used to rent an apartment in Montford for $300 a month. “It was a lot dirtier and more raffish.” Such qualities are apparent throughout McGee Bianchi’s debut short-story collection, The Ballad of Cherrystoke and Other Stories, which Blackwater Press published June 24. Convicted felons, back-to-theland folklorists and monk-seducing housewives populate the pages. And while the author is ecstatic to have her work out in the world, McGee Bianchi says at times it felt as if her days as a fiction writer were long behind her. MARGARITA FOR THE WIN Seated inside BattleCat Coffee Bar in West Asheville, McGee Bianchi notes how many of the characters featured in The Ballad of Cherrystoke came to her in a burst of adrenaline. “I was trying to find my voice again,” she says. “I was writing these stories that almost felt a little performative, thinking — can I pull this style or that style off?” Eventually, she discovered a slightly more humorous tone. “Everything kind of started to snowball after that,” McGee Bianchi says. Granted, she still had a full plate of responsibilities to juggle in addition to her renewed interest in fiction, including parenting as well as her managing editor roles at Asheville Made, Bold Life and Carolina Home + Garden. Despite the busy schedule, McGee Bianchi squeezed in time to write, wherever she could. Placing her coffee mug down, the author begins to tick off on her fingers some of the locations she worked on the earliest 24

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kinds of ways, staying in thousanddollar-a-week cabins in between camping and kayaking and driving the Blue Ridge Parkway way too slow, on the prowl for meaning,” the fictional narrator declares. Despite his dismissiveness, readers gradually realize that purpose and meaning are also what Yuri and Pamela seek. But ultimately, it’s love and self-acceptance that the two desire most. Like the outdoorsy freaks, “Pammy was a bit of a freak, too,” Yuri notes in the story. “She trafficked in amethysts and astrology and a tarot pack, the whole New Age disaster, but in her I didn’t mind it so much. My girl had her own style going; somehow, she pulled it off.” MOM’S ROUGH HUMANITY STORIES

TALES OF DYSFUNCTION: When it came to crafting her characters for debut collection, The Ballad of Cherrystoke and Other Stories, author Melanie McGee Bianchi says, “I wanted them to be punchy … and to have a certain confidence in their dysfunction.” Author photo courtesy of McGee Bianchi drafts of The Ballad of Cherrystoke: The N.C. Arboretum; the parking lot of her son’s orthodontist’s office; a steep hill outside her home; and at the now-defunct Lucky Otter (“margarita for the win,” she proclaims). “The more I wrote, the more furious I became about it,” she says, pausing to reflect on her five-year journey to publication. “I’m not sure I could ever do that again.” PUNCHY AND DYSFUNCTIONAL When describing her collection, McGee Bianchi hesitates to label it Appalachian, despite the majority of the tales taking place in Western North Carolina. “I can’t stand sentimentality in fiction,” she says. “And I think that’s what people expect if you call your work Appalachian fiction.” Some writers in the genre, she continues, lean too heavily on stereotypes: “They’ve got their scrappy characters with hearts of gold and the evil drug lord.” When it came to crafting her own characters, she adds, “I wanted them to be punchy … and to have a certain confidence in their dysfunction.” This ambition contributes to the joy readers will experience throughout the collection’s 11 stories. While phys-

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ical and mental scars mark the majority of McGee Bianchi’s characters, the book’s tone is handled with expert precision, never dragging readers down into a hole of inert despair. Instead, the author approaches the bleak with a balanced blend of humor, sarcasm and cynicism. The approach doesn’t trivialize the severe circumstances these characters face but rather reveals how each individual within a given tale copes with the cards they’ve been dealt. ON THE PROWL FOR MEANING Such an approach is best exemplified in the collection’s second story, “Abdiel’s Revenge.” The narrator, Yuri, a 25-year-old Russian immigrant recently released from prison, offers readers a glimpse into his romantic life with Pamela Jean Galloway — a woman twice his age with a family legacy of murder and revenge. Both characters are lost and seemingly disconnected from the world outside of Pamela’s single-wide trailer “sunk forever on family land.” The property, Yuri proudly notes, looks out on Caney Knob, Bell’s Mountain and Turtleback Ridge. “It was the same view those outdoorsy freaks down in town were paying for all

In the end, McGee Bianchi says, emotional authenticity is what she strived to channel in each of her tales. “If there’s anything in particular that I’d really hope to get across to readers is that it’s OK to write what my son calls ‘Mom’s rough humanity stories,’” she says with a laugh, before clarifying that her teenage son is not yet allowed to read her work. “But that’s what I want people to know — it’s OK to have a rough humanity story, and it’s possible for that story to still be funny.” And there’s plenty to laugh about in this dark and moody collection. Among the many characters readers will meet, there’s the elderly, slightly begrudging Airbnb host baffled by her guest’s oversharing. (“Folks today, they don’t consider anything a sin except a secret.”) Later in the collection there’s Mr. Ballantine, a wealthy California transplant with money to burn and grammatical insecurities to hide. (“When Mr. Ballantine texted me, he always wrote ‘it is,’” the story’s dominatrix narrator explains. “He wasn’t a foreigner or a gentleman; he just didn’t know whether to use ‘its’ or ‘it’s.’”) But amid the laughs there are also glimpses of Asheville’s past, which longtime residents will certainly recognize. Some might lament the days gone by, while others might simply relish the time spent revisiting that not-too-distant past. “This was before the millennium turned over,” McGee Bianchi writes in the collection’s penultimate story. “The town hadn’t been discovered yet by spiffy outsiders, the ones with new money and new ideas, a storm of them opening bistros and breweries and boutiques like this, curating the rents to oblivion.” X

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ARTS & C U L T U R E

FOOD

Dignified diners

Food savings without shame in WNC

BY LINDA RAY lindarayaccess@gmail.com These days when Amanda Layton eats a hot meal at the Haywood Street Congregation’s Downtown Welcome Table, she knows most of the people there. But that wasn’t always the case. In 2021, Layton was homeless, hungry and addicted to drugs, living in her car. She didn’t know where or how to get help. From the Swain County jail in early 2021, she was sent to a sober living house in Asheville and began learning about all the resources available in town. “I went to MANNA for food even when I had a roof,” Layton says. And though she’s working now for Sunrise Community for Recovery & Wellness, she still appreciates a free meal at 12 Baskets Cafe or the Welcome Table. And she brings her friends and clients with her. “It’s so different in Asheville,” Layton says. “Folks make you feel good and not shamed when you go to these places to eat. It’s not like that in some government social service agencies and other counties.” As inflation and supply chain issues continue to increase everyday costs, more locals, regardless of their employment status, are following Layton’s lead. For organizations and nonprofits offering free and healthy meals, part of the mission is to make all feel welcome. These same groups are also working to educate community members on how to stretch a dollar in order to make the most of every bite. NO QUESTIONS ASKED When Bounty & Soul founder and executive director Ali Casparian start-

CUTTING COSTS: Chefs Eric Cox, left, and Ron Abraham pose inside a cooler at Transformation Village, where they prepare hundreds of free meals each day. Homemade items, including the salad dressings they stand adjacent to, are not only healthier but more cost effective. Photo by Linda Ray ed the Black Mountain community food market in 2014, she swore she wouldn’t make people feel ashamed about asking for help. Having previously been homeless and hungry in Asheville after leaving a violent household, she knew how it felt. “It’s hard enough to be in this position,” she says. But to then have to “prove you’re on a fixed income and food insecure is awful and dehumanizing.” Today, Bounty & Soul hands out boxes of fresh, organic produce, bread, spices and other food to hundreds of people twice a week in an empty Bi-Lo parking lot in downtown Black

Mountain, 205 N.C. 9. Once a week, the nonprofit also delivers to the mercadio communitario de Sherwood, serving the Latin community at 21 Sherwood Park Drive, Swannanoa. “The only thing we ask is how many people are in the household, and that’s so we can track how many people we serve,” says associate director Paula Sellars. MANNA Foodbank takes a similar approach at its mobile markets across 16 WNC counties. Linda Siegall and Marc Foster drive from Asheville once a week to pick up their free food. “We save about

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$250 a month,” Foster says. “We even had a Bounty & Soul wedding, as they donated the flowers for our service.” Like Bounty & Soul, Haywood Street Congregation’s Downtown Welcome Table also serves the WNC community twice a week. More than 100 guests, ranging from local business folks to the unhoused, pass through the dining hall for a free, healthy and hot meal. “We don’t use donated food for our meals but purchase everything we use,” says Katlyn Zulinke Mailman, the organization’s companion coordinator. “We practice a theology of abundance, which means we always have more than enough to serve.” Kara Irani, director of marketing and communications for MANNA, says that one of the biggest obstacles they face when trying to give away food at the mobile markets is overcoming the stigma associated with getting help. “People think they’re taking from people that need it more,” she says. “Actually, most of the people we serve are working full time.” The roving mobile markets are posted on the nonprofit’s website each week. Learn more at avl.mx/bp7. Meanwhile, the WNC YMCA also operates mobile food markets that are free to all, regardless of income or housing status. Locations are list-

ed on the organization’s website at avl.mx/bp8. WASTE NOT Along with providing free meals, local nonprofits also advocate for community health. Cooking at home, organizational leaders stress, is a great way to eat healthier, less expensive meals. Eric Cox is food services manager for Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry and oversees more than 1,000 free meals a day at three transitional housing locations. He lives by a mantra of “nothing goes to waste.” Soups, stews and casseroles are great ways to stretch healthy food ingredients, he says. Cox also never buys any stock for his dishes. “Save and then boil all the vegetable peelings and ends of celery stalks, roots and chicken bones you have,” he notes. “Strain it, and you have the best stock around.” Jaime Frinak, an Asheville nutritionist and owner of Food with Attitude, is a big fan of learning how to use different spices to keep things interesting with home-cooked meals. “Spices turn ordinary food into tasty and satisfying meals and snacks,” she says. Siegall and Foster say they love to experiment with sautéed dishes. “I’ll sauté onions and potatoes and then add some of the veggies I got for free in whatever oil we have, throw in kale, peppers and whatever else we get that week and then top it with whipped eggs — we have a great meal,” Foster says. “And smoothies are a regular part of our everyday diet where we can use up all the fruit we get,” Siegall adds. Flexibility is important too. At Haywood Street Congregation, banquet steward and chef de cuisine Jinnia Siironen says she loves the challenge of coming up with great-tasting meals from the foods purchased each week. “We buy what’s on sale and what’s in season as well as what our big suppliers have extra that they can give me a good deal on,” Siironen says. “First thing I do is see what I have on hand and then figure out different ways to use it,” she continues. “Like if I have a lot of peppers, I might plan stuffed peppers, tacos, tortillas and casseroles.” Making and freezing bigger batches is another way to save on costs. Also, don’t shy away from bruised produce, experts say. “Just cut out the blemishes,” Cox advises. Lastly, knowing where to find good deals always helps an individual’s bottom line. “I encourage people to use local resources too,” Frinak says. “Hopey and Co. is a great place to get healthy food at lower prices as are local farmers markets. Sign up for grocery store incentives and be flexible so you can take advantage of sales.”

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ACCEPT HELP: Amanda Layton encourages friends and clients to take advantage of free food options in Asheville as a way to reduce grocery bills amid rising food costs and inflation. Photo by Linda Ray

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For those who don’t know a spatula from a frying pan, many nonprofits offer cooking courses and guidance for what to do with the food they provide. Bounty & Soul produce boxes include recipes for dishes using ingredients from that day’s inventory. On the organization’s website, additional recipes from area nutritionists are also available for creating healthy meals, as well as recorded cooking classes for kids. Casparian says she looks forward to holding in-person cooking classes at the local markets each week once the pandemic restrictions loosen up more. She suggests regularly checking the website, avl.mx/bpa. Irani at MANNA says that cooking demos at their markets hopefully will return this year too. For now, the group continues to post recipes and cooking classes on its YouTube channel, avl.mx/bpb. The YMCA also is ramping up educational programs at its weekly mobile food markets. Barring any unforeseen obstacles, the first cooking demo since the onset of the pandemic is scheduled for Thursday, July 7, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., at the downtown location. There will be cooking demos, free samples, a mini-market and information sessions. Julia Costa, healthy living mobile market coordinator, says the YMCA hopes to host monthly events like these throughout the region. Regardless of where a person turns in times of need, the point is that help is available, says Layton. Reflecting on her own journey, she says she probably wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for community members who offered assistance without judgment. “People don’t think it can be them,” she says. “Until it is them.” X MOUNTAINX.COM

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ARTS & C U L T U R E

MUSIC

Sonic journeys

Seth Walker, Valorie Miller and Erika Lewis release new albums

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com For Seth Walker, relocating to Asheville feels like “a homecoming.” The North Carolina native hadn’t resided in his birth state since he was 19. But a series of factors — including family proximity, the pandemic and personal changes in his life — led the former Nashville resident to turn his eyes east. “[COVID] made us look at things new again and forced us to slow down. And personally, I was going through a rough patch with my relationship, and we ended up splitting, which was hard,” Walker says. “I needed to regroup — or as I say, ‘regroup again.’ So it just seemed like a no-brainer to come home.” Prior to leaving Nashville in 2020, Walker began work on his new Americana album, I Hope I Know, with longtime producer Jano Rix, the drummer and multi-instrumentalist for The Wood Brothers. “It’s really amazing what he can do, because he’s a mad scientist, yet it’s this controlled, organized chaos,” Walker says. “Especially as a producer, you have to put on so many different little hats and be sensitive. He doesn’t produce with an iron fist and is willing to try just about anything. Plus, now we’ve worked together so much we really know each other like an old married couple.” The LP’s first five songs were recorded prior to lockdown, with Walker on vocals and acoustic guitar and Rix on drums. The initial numbers include the album standout “Why Do I Cry Anymore,” as well as the title track, one of three that Walker co-wrote with Rix’s bandmate, Oliver Wood. The inspiration for the song arose after Walker’s mother sent him the Ho’oponopono Prayer, a Hawaiian poem that translates as “I am sorry. Forgive me. Thank you. I love you.” Walker told Wood about it, who asked his friend to repeat the unfamiliar phrase. “He goes, ‘Well, I thought you said, “I hope I hope I know.” And as soon

BIRD BY BIRD: Clockwise from left, Erika Lewis, Valorie Miller and Seth Walker enhance the Asheville singer/songwriter scene with their latest albums. Lewis photo by Sarrah Danziger; Miller photo by Sandlin Gaither; Walker photo by Joshua Black Wilkins as he said that, I was like, ‘Oh, here we go!’” Walker says. Walker adds that the pandemic-induced break proved to be “kind of a blessing,” as it gave him and Rix time to sit with the project and figure out what songs they wanted to add to the existing list, as well as which tunes they wanted to remove. He describes I Hope I Know as his sparsest release to date and one where he sang more quietly than he ever had — an experiment that he feels reflects the uncertain atmosphere in which the album was created. Along with original songs, the album includes covers of Van Morrison’s “Warm Love,” Bob Dylan’s “Buckets of Rain” and Bobby Charles’ “Tennessee Blues.”

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Unable to tour for over two years, Walker is making up for lost time and excited to finally share I Hope I Know live. Following a string of Midwest and East Coast dates, he’s currently in Europe and will be playing steady gigs again stateside throughout the fall. But when he gets more time off later this year, he looks forward to connecting with an Asheville music scene that’s already offered him plentiful pleasant surprises. “I’m learning quickly that there’s a lot more layers to it than I thought,” Walker says, particularly applauding Archetype Brewing’s weekly jazz jam. “It seems like I’ve always had one foot out the door in so many aspects of my life. It’s weird — Asheville just kind of snuck up on me. I think I’m gonna stick around here for a while. It feels right.” To learn more, visit avl.mx/bou. SLEUTHING SONGS

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When Valorie Miller bought an acre of land in Swannanoa in 2002,

she had no idea of the pain it would cause her — or the compelling music it would inspire. After selling the property in 2009, the longtime Asheville-area singer/ songwriter began having health issues and started doing what she calls “backwards detective work” to figure out what might have incited these problems. She soon discovered that her former home sat adjacent to the Chemtronics Superfund site and that, since the 1980s, residents near the contaminated land had expressed concern over what they felt was an unusually high number of cancer cases. Without having to do much digging, Miller found a 260-page document with plentiful scientific findings and copies of correspondence between residents and the Environmental Protection Agency, primarily from early 1988. All manufacturing activities on the site ceased in 1994, but the federal agency has been involved in cleanup efforts regarding groundwater and well contamination prior to and since the site’s closing.

“The totality of that document gives a pretty clear and chilling picture of what the contaminants were and how the residents of the community were feeling at that time — [they felt] lied to and betrayed,” Miller says. On April 15, a federal court ordered Chemtronics and the site’s previous owner, Northrop Grumman, to pay $18 million for cleanup work at the site. The companies also agreed to reimburse the EPA over $250,000 that it already spent cleaning up the site. Miller calls the decreed amount “chump change” and “not even a slap on the wrist.” But her outrage over the site’s history has been simmering for over a decade and informs the bulk of her new record, Only the Killer Would Know. She also notes that there’s been an element of environmental activism in her songwriting long before she moved next to the Superfund site. While album closer “Your Own Well” sounds as if it’s inspired by her Swannanoa experiences, she wrote it prior to living on the property. “I would just pick up the Bible from the bedside table drawer in my hotel room and open it and start reading. And I found this verse [Proverbs 5:15] that was like, ‘Drink water from your own well,’” Miller says. “It was about a comet called Wormwood that was going to hit the Earth and poison all the water. I thought it sounded cool. And then later on it’s like, ‘Whoa! I wrote a song about poisoned wells way before I had any dealings with them.’” Other songs on the album were consciously written about environmental topics as Miller researched the Chemtronics site. In late summer 2019, the compositions made their way to local producer Kayla Zuskin. “Kayla’s very knowledgeable about music and engineering and just real professional,” Miller says. “Early on, I realized that I could totally trust her, and that made it so easy for me to show up and not be stressed about all the logistical details and just let her deal with that stuff and try to just give the best performance that I could.” Though Miller calls out Chemtronics by name in “Home of the Brave,” her goal isn’t for the company’s owners to hear her album. Instead, she hopes Only the Killer Would Know helps raise awareness about Superfund sites and protects others from harm. “Erin Brockovich had some luck taking [corporate pollution] on, but I don’t feel like I’m her,” Miller says. “I don’t have a big message of hope, and there isn’t an outcome that I’m trying to reach other than I just find it astonishing that these places exist within residential communities and people don’t even know.” To learn more, visit avl.mx/bov.

LAST CHANCE Health scares likewise played a major role in the creation of Erika Lewis’ new LP, A Walk Around the Sun. In March 2020, mere months after the longtime New Orleans resident relocated to Asheville with her then 2-year-old son, she received a troubling diagnosis, requiring surgery that could have damaged her vocal cord nerves, potentially ending her career. “I had a surgery scheduled for October 2020, so during that time I was a mess and sort of paralyzed,” Lewis says. “I was like, ‘Well, I’m going to have to find a new lot in life if [I can’t sing].’ It was a pretty overwhelming thing to hear.” Prior to her diagnosis, Lewis had plans to record a new album. But between her health issues and the ongoing pandemic, she put the project on hold — until, that is, her friends and fellow former New Orleanian musician transplants, Lani and John James Tourville, implored her to stick with it. “Lani was like, ‘You have to make this recording before the surgery!’ It was very dramatic — very do-or-die,” Lewis says. “And I was like, ‘OK, I’ll do it.’” The communal rallying continued as Shaye Cohn, Lewis’ bandmate in the New Orleans-based ensemble Tuba Skinny — with whom she still tours — organized a GoFundMe for the project. Lewis quickly met her fundraising goal and John James Tourville used his connections to book studio time at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville. “We went into the studio in September and pretty much got it

done. There was still stuff we wanted to do, but we hoped we’d be able to do it afterwards,” Lewis says. “And then the surgery went really well — everything’s fine. And I went back in December [2020] and finished the album.” Lewis describes A Walk Around the Sun as “kind of a retrospective” in that the material spans 15 years of songwriting, mixing older songs with a few newer ones. The end result is a feat of tracking mastery, albeit one that Lewis says wasn’t planned. The vinyl edition’s A-side opens with a stretch of laid-back ballads, but flip it over and a full-on rock show awaits. The rip-roaring title track and album highlight, “Hearts,” show Lewis’ energetic side, after which she gradually eases into a handful of softer concluding numbers. Back in Asheville, Lewis has connected with such local country music stalwarts as Tricia Tripp and Julia Sanders and is gradually assembling a full band. But mostly, she’s thankful to still be able to sing, especially since she had other career plans if the surgery hadn’t worked out. “I’ve always wanted to be a waitress. That was my first thought, like, ‘Well, I’ll finally be able to commit to a regular job,’” Lewis says. “I was really devastated [with the thought of giving up performing] because singing has always been my first love in music and it’s definitely my go-to way of expressing myself. So it was hard for me to imagine what my relationship to music would be if I couldn’t sing. I definitely wasn’t thinking that I would continue.” To learn more, visit avl.mx/bow. X

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A R TS & CU LTU R E

FOOD ROUNDUP

What’s new in food Asheville’s past meets future at Eldr

Eldr, a new casual dining restaurant, recently opened in historic Grovewood Village, next door to The Omni Grove Park Inn. “With such great food in Asheville and all the award-winning restaurants downtown, Eldr is seeking to add a respite that matches that level of food quality in the quiet and bucolic Grovewood Village,” says co-owner Carson Lucci. Along with offering farm-to-table menu items, Eldr will also focus on “hyperseasonal” dishes, thanks to chef Eric Burleson’s “relationships with local farmers and his understanding of the interplay between ingredients,” Lucci notes. Fans of Asheville’s food scene likely recognize both Lucci’s and Burleson’s names — the pair previously ran the former Over Easy Café in downtown. In opening Eldr, the two are joined by Heather and Jim Cassidy, of Pulp + Sprout and All Day Darling fame. Eldr (the Old Norse word for fire) offers dine-in and to-go options for every meal of the day. Breakfast highlights include wheatberry porridge, eggs Benedict and hotcakes. Lunch options include salads, sandwiches and burgers. And dinner standouts include snapper crudo, bone in pork chop schnitzel and dry aged New York strip steak. The restaurant will also feature a rotating selection of natural wine, craft coffee and cocktails. “Grovewood Village is a hidden gem in Asheville,” says Lucci. “It is a beautiful setting steeped in history featuring gardens, galleries, museums and plenty of parking.” Eldr, 111 Grovewood Road, is open seven days a week with indoor and outdoor seating. For additional information, including hours and reservations, visit avl.mx/bp1.

New Belgium takes Pride New Belgium Brewing Co. recently launched a Poured for All Initiative seeking to uplift and support LGBTQ+ communities through the development of new inclusivity training. In a press release, Courtney Simmons, New Belgium’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion, states: “For more than 30 years, New Belgium has invested deeply in 30

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co-worker and community well-being, seeking to be intentional about hearing our most underrepresented perspectives. ... But we have work to do in scrutinizing whether all the spaces we drink beer are truly welcoming for members of marginalized groups. This initiative is about putting our resources to work in fostering more welcoming bars and restaurants across the country with the lowest possible barriers to access.” In addition to the new initiative, New Belgium has pledged all proceeds of its recently rereleased Biere de Queer ale to benefit LGBTQ+ organizations in Asheville, Fort Collins Colo., and San Francisco. New Belgium Brewing Co. is at 21 Craven St. For more information on this latest initiative, visit avl.mx/boy.

Far from vanilla July 1 marks both National Creative Ice Cream Day and the beginning of The Hop’s weeklong creative ice cream celebration, promising the return of funky fan favorites and the introduction of new, unexpected frozen creations. “We’re aiming to do something that’s brand new or utilize ingredients typically seen as abnormal for ice cream,” says Greg Garrison, who co-owns The Hop alongside his wife, Ashley. New fun flavors and curious combinations will be unveiled each day through July 7, with both traditional dairy and vegan ice cream options available throughout the week. Blueberry kale, horchata rice milk, strawberry avocado sorbet and a brand-new chocolate ice cream with pistachios, dark cherry jam swirl and cardamon are among the confirmed creations. Private caterer and chef Santiago Vargas, previously of the Out of the Blue Peruvian Cuisine food truck, will team with The Hop to create a sorbet made from chica morada (a classic Peruvian beverage). Highland Brewing Co.’s black mocha stout will also serve as a key ingredient in a new chocolate sauce used to top sundaes and fill the shop’s latest ice cream invention — volcano cones: a scoop of ice cream with a hole bored through the middle then filled with your choice of sauce. For store locations and times, visit avl.mx/auf.

IN THE GROVE: Eldr, a new casual dining restaurant, has opened in historic Grovewood Village. Photo courtesy of Eldr

Mother Earth Food expands delivery services Mother Earth Food, the family-owned grocery home delivery service featuring local organic food from farmers and food artisans across Western North Carolina, has announced an expansion of its delivery area. Residents of Fairview will now have greater access to Mother Earth’s locally raised and produced foods thanks to a new drop spot location at Turgua Brewing. “We’re happy to expand Mother Earth Food’s delivery service to meet the needs of the Fairview residents with this new drop spot location,” says Simcha Weinstein, Mother Earth Food director of marketing, in a press release announcing the expansion. “We hope our Fairview customers will appreciate the convenience of picking up at this location. Mother Earth Food’s delivery service reduces food miles, reduces energy usage and reduces food waste.” Turgua Brewing is at 3131 Cane Creek Road, Fairview. Residents may

place orders at avl.mx/box for pickup Thursdays, 3-6 p.m.

Cookie company heads south The Brooklyn-based cookie company Legally Addictive Foods, in conjunction with the Economic Development Coalition for AshevilleBuncombe County and the Economic Development Partnership for North Carolina, has announced plans to move its manufacturing operations to Asheville. A local hiring initiative will begin in July as the company invests in tenant improvements, machinery and equipment that will help create a stream of new jobs across three years. “Relocating to Asheville will give us an incredible geographic advantage since we will now be located within two shipping days of over 50% of the U.S. population,” says founder Laura Shafferman in a press release announcing the move. “We are truly inspired by both the business and creative communities in Asheville

and are grateful to everyone who has already been so kind and welcoming to us.” Legally Addictive Foods is currently carried in over 1,500 retailers and hotels across the globe. “We are proud to welcome Legally Addictive Foods to the mountains,” says Brownie Newman, chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, in the joint press release. “Beyond the immediate benefit of new jobs and community investment, this news strengthens our national reputation for creativity, entrepreneurship and craft manufacturing.” Visit avl.mx/bo5 for more information.

French Broad flows to Atlanta Craft chocolate company and certified B corporation French Broad Chocolates is set to open a new location within the Ponce City Market in Atlanta this fall. The expansion is the company’s first location outside Asheville since its launch in 2006.

“Opening at Ponce City Market has been a dream of ours for many years,” says co-founder Jael Skeffington in a joint press release with the Ponce City Market. “This is a huge milestone, and we are so thrilled to become a part of the amazing food community in Atlanta.”

When life gives you hops Devil’s Foot Beverages and The Whale have joined forces to create a new spin on a summer classic. Effervescent, low-calorie and alcohol-free, Hop’d Lemonade is made from a traditional mix of organic lemons and cane sugar, complemented by a touch of South Carolina honey, then bittered with citra and azacca hops for a modern twist. All locations of The Whale (Asheville, Greenville, S.C., and Charleston, S.C.) and the newly opened The Whale Outpost in Haw Creek are now stocking the collaboration. For additional information, visit avl.mx/bp0.

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AR T S & C UL TU R E

ROUNDUP

Around Town

Buncombe County Special Collections blog opens to community posts High-Rated Salon in West Asheville Consistent • Professional High Quality Designs

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The Buncombe County Special Collections room at Pack Memorial Library doesn’t get a ton of foot traffic. But thanks to its HeardTell blog, BCSC welcomes about 100 virtual visitors each day, says collections manager Katherine Cutshall. The blog, which started in 2013, has more than 300 posts on local topics, including the recent five-part series, “Occupations of Black Women in Asheville, 1890.” “We often direct patrons to the blog as they begin their research because so many of the posts include basic information that might traditionally be found in a vertical file,” Cutshall explains. “The blog is perfect for outreach because not only does it make it easy to connect to our more than 4,000 followers, but it highlights how Buncombe County Special Collections is home to more than a bunch of old books.” Since its launch, postings on the blog have been limited to staff and regular volunteers. But starting in July, BCSC will accept submissions from residents as part of its mission to connect the community and share a wide range of voices and ideas, Cutshall says.

MOVIE REVIEWS Local reviewers’ critiques of new films include: LIGHTYEAR: Pixar is at its best in existential pondering mode (e.g. Inside Out; Soul), but the pure entertainment of this Toy Story prequel proves a welcome mindless tonic. Grade: B-plus — Edwin Arnaudin ELVIS: Austin Butler gives a star-making performance as the talented Mr. Presley in Baz Lurhmann’s latest kinetic film, but Tom Hanks’ cringeworthy Col. Tom Parker nearly derails the whole thing. Grade: B-minus — Edwin Arnaudin

Find full reviews and local film info at ashevillemovies.com patreon.com/ashevillemovies 32

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Blog posts generally should be about 500-1,500 words, she says. Topics can range from observations, curiosities and hidden histories to personal memories. In-depth research is not expected, but submissions should be factually accurate and include citations when appropriate. And BCSC staff is especially interested in posts that include plenty of visuals and are linked to collections and materials held in the library. “Our hope is that this effort to crowdsource tales of our past will result in a sense of agency and community centered on the archives,” Cutshall says. To see the submission guidelines and find out how to submit entries, go to avl.mx/bp2.

Reality bytes As a film editor, Jaime Byrd spent 15 years traveling to Mexico, Southeast Asia and other places around the world. But when the pandemic hit in 2020, everything was put on hold. “I ended up using the downtime to start painting again,” she says. “It was not long before I got involved in NFTs [nonfungible tokens] and creating digital movies of my paintings. It was a perfect time to merge these two art forms and skills I had into one.” Trackside Studios in the River Arts District will host Home and the Journey There, an exhibit of Byrd’s works, through Sunday, July 31. A reception for the show will be Saturday, July 2, 4-7 p.m. Visitors to the show can use phones or tablets to download a free online app and then point their camera at Byrd’s paintings to view an augmented reality experience that includes animation, video and sound design created to go with the specific painting. “The experience is fun and can be exhilarating and even magical,” she says. The paintings in the show were inspired by Byrd’s nomadic travels around the globe and the various places she has called home. “It explores our emotional connection to these places and what home might mean to each of us,” she says. Trackside Studios, 375 Depot St., is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, go to avl.mx/bp6.

HAVE YOUR HEARD? Buncombe County Special Collections manager Katherine Cutshall hopes opening the HeardTell blog to community submissions will encourage a sense of agency and community centered on the archives. Photo courtesy of BCSC

Valley days Dykeman Legacy Press recently published Jo Ann Thomas Croom’s No Work in the Grave: Life in the Toe River Valley, a history of the watershed told from the perspective of one mountain family. The book weaves together the journals of Thomas Croom’s uncle, Monroe Thomas, the written reminiscences of her father, Walter Thomas, and the author’s own observations. Combined, the three voices offer an in-depth look at the transformations in the Toe River Valley during the first half of the 20th century. “This sweeping change, driven by the railroad and large-scale mining, upended personal lives as well as the socioeconomic culture of the Toe River Valley,” states a press release from the publisher. “While this is the story of one particular family, it represents a microcosm of the history of the region.” Dykeman Legacy Press is a division of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy, a nonprofit founded in 2012 to sustain and promote Wilma Dykeman’s values of environmental integrity, social justice and the power of the written and spoken word. For more information, visit avl.mx/b55.

Skin in the game This Skin I’m In, a collection of visual autobiographies by artists in and engaged with the LGBTQIA+ community, will be at Revolve Gallery Saturday, July 2-Monday, Aug. 29. Photographers were invited to submit images and narratives that expressed their personal experiences of queerness. “The goal is to empow-

er the photographers to be seen and heard as they wish, and not as a viewer may preconceive,” a press release says. The show features work by 21 photographers at different points in their careers, including Michael Borowski, a professor who teaches photography at Virginia Tech’s School of Visual Arts, and Julie Rae Powers, a photographer whose work has focused on Appalachia and queer chosen families. The show is curated by local photographer Starr Sariego. Revolve Gallery, 821 Riverside Drive, No. 179, is open daily, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, go to avl.mx/b6z.

OPEN NOW HOT BUNS & TASTY MEAT 48 College St. Downtown, Asheville 828-505-8455 • zellasdeli.com

Tennis, anyone? The 90th Asheville Open Tennis Championships will be held at Aston Park Tennis Center Tuesday, July 5-Sunday, July 10 (adults) and Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24 (juniors). “It’s the biggest tennis event of the year here, bringing about 600 players and their families into town from as far away as Zimbabwe,” says Larry Shames, who helps with publicity for the event. “While tennis is the main focus of the event, it’s also an Aston Park-based festival, with live music, food trucks and beer.” Friday Night Lights Family Festival, featuring beer, music and prizes, will be Friday, July 8, 5-8 p.m. Aston Park Tennis Center is at 336 Hilliard Ave. To volunteer, get tickets or learn more, go to avl.mx/bp3.

Windows 2.0 Historic Johnson Farm recently received grants of $25,000 from the Community Foundation of Henderson County and $10,000 from the Marion Stedman Covington Foundation to begin restoration of the windows on the historic brick farmhouse. The glass in the 142-year-old house is original, but the window frames have peeling paint and will need to be scraped, primed and painted. Low-emissivity glass storm windows will be installed to provide the ultraviolet protection to protect artifacts inside the house. Logan Restoration of Asheville will do the restorative work. Historic Johnson Farm is a heritage education museum owned by Henderson County Public Schools. To contribute to restoration project, send a check to the farm at 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, NC, 28791. Online donations can also be given at avl.mx/bp4 by clicking “Give to the farm” and choosing “Window Restoration Project” from the drop-down list.

— Justin McGuire X MOUNTAINX.COM

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CLUBLAND

RED, WHITE AND POP: Asheville-based indie soul-pop band Red Echo Lab will hold a dance party in celebration of its upcoming album, We Have a Theory, on July 3, 2-5 p.m., at Highland Brewing Co. Members Kara Irani, Brad Curtioff and Tim Doyle will be joined by four others outdoors on the meadow stage. Photo courtesy of Red Echo Lab

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

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 12 BONES BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm 185 KING STREET Trivia and Karaoke, 7pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • James Harrod Comedy Birthday Party Showcase, 7pm • Aquanet Goth Party w/Ash Black, 9pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Trivia! Trivia! Night, 6:30pm CBD CAFE The Chris Caruso Band (rock), 7pm HI-WIRE BREWING RAD BEER GARDEN Game Night, 6pm

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HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Well-Crafted Wednesdays w/Matt Smith & Friends, 6pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5pm LAZY HIKER BREWING SYLVA Woolybooger (blues, ragtime, mountain), 8pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Mountain Music Jam, 6pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Wild Wednesday Funk-n-Rock w/Free Anesthesia, 10pm ONE WORLD BREWING Pingo Wednesdays, 7pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Latin Night Wednesdays w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8pm

RENDEZVOUS Albi (musique Francaise), 6pm SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jason DeCristafaro's Weekly Wednesday Jazz Night & Jam, 6pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic Hosted by Caleb Beissert, 8pm STATIC AGE RECORDS BLKVAPOR, The Muslimz & Frank/IE Consent (punk), 8pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE GREY EAGLE Carrie Morrison and The Neverwhere Trio (singer-songwriter, rock), 6pm THE ORANGE PEEL Pride '22 w/the Alex Krug Combo, Tina & Her Pony, Liz and Elizabeth, 7pm THE POE HOUSE Team Trivia w/Wes Ganey, 7pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic, 6pm

THURSDAY, JUNE 30 185 KING STREET Two Step Too (acoustic duo), 7pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Kiki Thursdays Drag and Dancing, 8pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR MGB at the AGB (covers, singer-songwriter) k 8pm

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

BLUE RIDGE HEMP CO. Cali Sober: an Alcohol Free Comedy Show w/ Hunter Roberts, 8pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Gunslinging Parrots (Phish tribute), 9pm

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 5pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Kid Billy (soul), 8pm

CBD CAFE Jakey Jake and Mikey Mike (of the Screaming Js), 8pm CASCADE LOUNGE Weekly Trivia Night, 6:30pm CREEKSIDE TAPHOUSE Thursday Night Trivia w/Kelsey, 6:30pm DOUBLE CROWN Gospel Night w/The Dedicated Souls, 9pm FLEETWOOD'S Weymouth, Motel Portrait, Fantømex & Usually (garage punk), 8pm FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY Jerry's Dead (Grateful Dead & JGB Tribute), 6pm GIGI'S UNDERGROUND Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs (folk), 6pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Municipal Surf Group (surf), 7pm PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Josh Clark's Visible Spectrum (soul, funk, rock), 6:30pm RENDEVOUS Gin Mill Pickers (Americana, Piedmont blues, ragtime), 6:30pm ROOM NINE Thirsty Thursday w/DJ Moto, 9pm SALVAGE STATION George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (funk), 6pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Weekly Table Tennis Tournament, 7pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Grace Joyner and Corey Parlamento (alt dreampop, experimental), 8pm THE 2ND ACT Pride Ride Dance Party, 7pm THE BARRELHOUSE Trivia w/Po' Folk, 8pm

THE DUGOUT Thursday Night Open Jam w/Paul Liford, 8pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR • Rum Punchlines Comedy Open Mic, 6pm • Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm THE GREY EAGLE • Reverend Finster (R.E.M. tribute), 5pm • Rich Nelson Band (rock), 8pm THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Press Play (disco, funk and lo-fi house), 9pm THE ODDITORIUM Bumpin' Uglies Presents Emo Night, 8pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Thursday Night Karaoke, 9pm

FRIDAY, JULY 1 185 KING STREET Pony Bradshaw (folk), 8pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Geriatric Jukebox (oldies), 5pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Early Dance Party w/ Local DJs, 7pm • Venus (dark house dance party), 10pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Mr Jimmy's Big City Chicago Bluesk 8pm

Mountain Xpress presents ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL • Ayla Nereo w/Marya Stark (edm), 8pm An-Ten-Nae w/Zen • Selekta, Trinity Justice & G3Ms (edm), 10pm BARN DOOR CIDERWORKS The Flying Cloud Band (acoustic), 5pm BIG PILLOW BREWING Mark Bumgarner (acoustic), 6pm BLUE RIDGE HEMP CO. Chaotic Comedy, 8pm BOOJUM BREWING COMPANY The Get Right Band (psychdelic indie rock), 9:30pm BREWSKIES Karaoke, 10pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Seth & Sara (acoustic duo), 3pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Letters to Abigail (acoustic duo), 5pm CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE In Flight (world, jazz, funk), 7pm CITIZEN VINYL Michael Flynn (singer-songwriter), 5pm CORK & KEG Soul Blue (soul, R&B), 8pm CROW & QUILL DJ Dr. Filth (old school vinyl), 8:30pm DIRTY JACK'S The Joker's Trade (jam band), 7:30pm DRY FALLS BREWING CO. Twisted Trail (Southern rock, country), 7pm FLEETWOOD'S Chew w/VIA (psych rock), 8pm GUIDON BREWING Laurel Mountain Duo (acoustic), 7pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Rich Nelson Band (rock), 7pm

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Drag Music Bingo w/ Divine the Bearded Lady, 7pm MILLS RIVER BREWING Supatight (funk), 7pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Friday w/ Generous Electric & FDF Band, 6pm ONE WORLD BREWING 5j Barrow (folk rock), 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST The Patrick Lopez Experience (smooth jazz, Columbian folk), 8pm SALVAGE STATION The Fritz w/Joint Killer Brass Band (R&B, soul), 7pm SIDEWAYS FARM & BREWERY Myron Hyman (classic rock, blues), 4pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Punk Show, 7pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Getaway Comedy ft Kenny DeForest, 8pm THE GREY EAGLE • Magenta Sunshine (jam, rock), 6pm • Chris Knight w/Jason Eady (singer-songwriter), 9pm THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Lil Meow Meow (hip hop, R&B, house), 9pm THE LOFT CAFE & PUB Gin Mill Pickers (Americana, Piedmont blues, ragtime), 6pm THE ODDITORIUM Olin's Birthday Beat Down (metal), 8pm THE ORANGE PEEL Zoso (Led Zeppelin tribute), 8pm UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY BREVARD The Knotty G's (soulful roots rock), 6pm

SATURDAY, JULY 2 185 KING STREET The Feels (roots, soul, R&B), 8pm 305 LOUNGE & EATERY Old Men of the Woods (folk, pop), 1pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Beauty Parlor Comedy: Caitlin Cook, 7pm • Vinyl Timetravelers: Hip Hop Dance Party, 10pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR The Tall Boys (rock), 8pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Joslyn & The Sweet Compression w/ Chilltonic (soul, funk), 9pm BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy jazz), 5:30pm BIG PILLOW BREWING Vaden Landers (country), 6pm BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING Mr Jimmy (blues), 6pm BLUE RIDGE HEMP CO. Comedy Night w/Sean Patton, 10pm BREWSKIES Pool Tournament Saturdays, 7pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Roots and Dore (roots), 2pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Carver and Carmody (acoustic duo), 2pm CORK & KEG Sweet Dreamers: Songs from Kitty Wells, Wanda Jackson & Patsy Cline, 8pm CROW & QUILL Firecracker Jazz Band (New Orleans style hot jazz), 8:30pm DALTON DISTILLERY Oak & Smoke Party w/ Iggy Radio, 1pm

DRY FALLS BREWING CO. Awake in the Dream (classic rock), 7pm FLEETWOOD'S Hearts Gone South w/ Carolina Sage (Western swing, honky tonk), 9pm GUIDON BREWING Todd Cecil & Dirt Yard Choir (bluegrass), 6:30pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY We Have Ignition (surf rock), 6pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Asheville 8 String Collective (jazz, funk, blues), 7pm

The insider’s guide What to do and where to find it!

We provide tips on the well-known attractions, hidden gems and quirky oddities that make Asheville so beloved.

Available in boxes everywhere

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Nobody's Darling String Band, 4pm MILLS RIVER BREWING ALR Trio (blues, rock), 7pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Random Animals (indiesoul), 10pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST • Chase, Pastorius and Taub (jam), 2pm • Ben Balmer & Friends (singer-songwriter), 6pm • Boat Comman (lofi), 9pm SALVAGE STATION Stephen Marley w/Kabaka Pyramid (reggae), 6:30pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Imij of Soul (Jimi Hendrix celebration), 8:30pm SUNNY POINT CAFÉ Albi (fingerstyle guitar), 6pm THE 2ND ACT The Folkadelic 2 (acoustic duo), 7pm THE DUGOUT BadRabbit (alt country, rock), 8pm THE FOUNDRY HOTEL Jazz Soul Trio, 7:30pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR DJ Mtn Vibez/Latin Vibez (Caribbean, Bachata, Reggaeton), 10pm

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Clubland Listings

Advertise

Here

advertise@mountainx.com 828-251-1333 x1

your community based fundraising project, is taking applications now! Together, we’ve raised more than $1 million for WNC nonprofits Organizations in Buncombe and Henderson counties can apply for free by July 10 to participate in the exciting team fundraising campaign. Find out more at avl.mx/b5t 36

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C LU BL A N D THE GREY EAGLE • Stephen Evans & The True Grits w/Katie Leigh (folk rock), 6pm • Lunar Vacation w/ Future Crib (alt/indie), 8:30pm URBAN ORCHARD CIDER CO. SOUTH SLOPE Breakin' on Buxton w/ Free Range DJ (80s dance party), 8pm WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Sam Burchfield (Appalachian folk, singer-songwriter), 8pm

SUNDAY, JULY 3 185 KING STREET Open Electric Jam with the King Street House Band ft. Howie Johnson, 5pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Life's A Drag Brunch w/Ida Carolina, 12pm • SOL Dance Party w/ Zati (soul house), 9pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Mark's House Jam and Beggar's Banquet, 3pm BIG PILLOW BREWING Laura Blackley & The Wild Flowers (Americana, folk, blues), 6pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS Rory Jagdeo (acoustic), 2pm BURNTSHIRT VINEYARDS CHIMNEY ROCK Myron Hyman (classic rock, blues), 2pm CITIZEN VINYL Sunday Sessions w/ Moiré Quartet (classical), 11am CROW & QUILL The Roaring Lions (parlour jazz), 8pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY • Red Echo Lab Live (indie soul-pop), 2pm • Pre-Party in The USA Rooftop Party w/DJ Kipper HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Mr Jimmy Duo Blues & Brews w/Mark Platt, 1pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Irish Jam, 3:30pm MILLS RIVER BREWING The Knotty G's (roots), 2pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Sunday Funday w/Kyle Travers & Friends, 8pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST The Hourglass Kids (psychedelic reggae rock), 6pm PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Sam Bush w/Brushfire Stankgrass (New Grass, bluegrass), 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Weekly Chess Tournament, 2pm THE DUGOUT Jason Lyles (Americana), 3pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Bike Night w/Ashley & Big Matty, 2pm THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Nex Millen (hip hop, funk, r&b), 9pm THE ORANGE PEEL Purity Ring (electronic pop), 8pm TOWN PUMP The Knotty G's (soulful roots rock), 8pm

MONDAY, JULY 4 ★

★

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Jesse Barry & The Jam (blues, funk, soul), 1pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST The JLloyd Mashup (soul, funk, reggae, Afrobeat), 8pm ORCHARD AT ALTAPASS 4th at the Orchard w/Boone Trail Band & Dollar Brothers (bluegrass), 1pm SILVERADOS Adam Calhoun (country rap), 7pm THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Short Stop (soul, Latin, dance), 9pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING All Arts Open Mike w/ Mike Waters, 6pm THE GREY EAGLE Jerry Paper w/Mamalarky (alt/indie), 8pm THE IMPERIAL LIFE DJ Mad Mike: Music for the People, 9pm THE ORANGE PEEL Lost Dog Street Band (country), 8pm

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6 185 KING STREET Trivia and Karaoke, 7pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Queer Comedy Party: Shawna Jarrett, 7pm • AQUANET Goth Party w/Ash Black, 9pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. Trivia! Trivia! Night, 6:30pm HI-WIRE BREWING RAD BEER GARDEN Game Night, 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Well-Crafted Wednesdays w/Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5pm LAZY HIKER BREWING SYLVA Trivia Night, 6:30pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Mountain Music Jam, 6pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Wild Wednesday Funk-n-Rock w/Free Anesthesia, 10pm ONE WORLD BREWING Pingo Wednesdays, 7pm RENDEZVOUS Albi (musique Francaise), 6pm SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm THE DUGOUT Karaoke Party, 8pm THE POE HOUSE Team Trivia w/Wes Ganey, 7pm TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic, 6pm

THURSDAY, JULY 7 185 KING STREET Congdon & Co. (covers), 7pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY Kiki Thursdays Drag and Dancing, 8pm ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Jazz Thursday, 7:30pm Blue Ridge Jazzway, 8pm CASCADE LOUNGE Weekly Trivia Night, 6:30pm CONTINUUM ART Singer Songwriter Open Mic, 6pm CORK & KEG Swing Dance & Lesson w/Swing Asheville, 7pm CROW & QUILL Black Sea Beat Society (Baltic, Klezmer, Turkish), 8pm DOUBLE CROWN DJ Fast Eddy (soul, garage, punk), 10pm GIGI'S UNDERGROUND Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Blase (acoustic), 6pm JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich & Friends, 7pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Gunslinging Parrots (Phish tribute), 9pm RENDEVOUS Gin Mill Pickers (Americana, Piedmont blues, ragtime), 6:30pm ROOM NINE Thirsty Thursday w/DJ Moto, 9pm SALVAGE STATION The Larry Keel Experience w/Into The Fog (bluegrass, jamgrass), 8pm SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers (Motown, funk, folk), 5:30pm SILVERADOS Moonshine Bandits (country rap), 7pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Free Weekly Table Tennis Tournament, 7pm STATIC AGE RECORDS Soft Talk / Jaguardini, Kangarot, Sleep Number & Neon Twin (synth, dark techo, darkpop, DBM, noise), 9pm THE BARRELHOUSE Trivia w/Po' Folk, 8pm THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Rum Punchlines Comedy Open Mic, 6pm Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm

TUESDAY, JULY 5 5 WALNUT WINE BAR The John Henrys (jazz, swing), 8pm ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY • Drag Bingo w/ Calcutta, 8pm • Karaoke w/Ganymede, 9pm ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 10:30pm BOTTLE RIOT DJ Lil Meow Meow's Listening Room, 7pm CASCADE LOUNGE Tuesday Bluegrass Jam, 6pm CORK & KEG Swing Dance & Lesson w/Swing Asheville, 7pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6:30pm OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Team Trivia, 7pm ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Early Tuesday Jam (funk), 9pm ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Grateful Family Band Tuesdays (Dead tribute), 6pm SOVEREIGN KAVA Open Jam hosted by Lactones, 7pm

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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): In her poem “Two Skins,” Bahamanian writer Lynn Sweeting writes, “There is a moment in every snake’s life when she wears two skins: one you can see, about to be shed, one you cannot see, the skin under the skin, waiting.” I suspect you now have metaphorical resemblances to a snake on the verge of molting, Aries. Congratulations on your imminent rebirth! Here’s a tip: The snake’s old skin doesn’t always just fall away; she may need to take aggressive action to tear it open and strip it off, like by rubbing her head against a rock. Be ready to perform a comparable task. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Imagine a world 300 years from now,” writes Japanese novelist Minae Mizumura, “a world in which not only the best-educated people but also the brightest minds and the deepest souls express themselves only in English. Imagine the world subjected to the tyranny of a singular ’Logos.’ What a narrow, pitiful, and horrid world that would be!” Even though I am primarily an English speaker, I agree with her. I don’t want a world purged of diversity. Don’t want a monolithic culture. Don’t want everyone to think and speak the same. I hope you share my passion for multiplicity, Taurus — especially these days. In my astrological opinion, you’ll thrive if you immerse yourself in a celebratory riot of variety. I hope you will seek out influences you’re not usually exposed to. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Imagine you’re not a person, but a medley of four magical ingredients. What would they be? A Gemini baker named Jasmine says, “ripe persimmons, green hills after a rain, a sparkling new Viking Black Glass Oven, and a prize-winning show horse.” A Gemini social worker named Amarantha says she would be made of “Florence and the Machine’s song ’Sky Full of Song,’ a grove of birch trees, a blue cashmere knee-length sweater, and three black cats sleeping in the sun.” A Gemini delivery driver named Altoona says, “freshly harvested cannabis buds, a bird-loving wetlands at twilight, Rebecca Solnit’s book Hope in the Darkness, and the Haleakalā shield volcano in Maui.” And now, Gemini, what about you? Identify your medley of four magical ingredients. The time is right to re-imagine the poetry of YOU. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard believes there’s only one way to find a sense of meaning, and that is to fill your life to the bursting point; to be in love with your experience; to celebrate the flow of events wherever it takes you. When you do that, Godard says, you have no need or urge to ask questions like “Why am I here?” or “What is my purpose?” The richness of your story is the ultimate response to every enigma. As I contemplate these ideas, I say: wow! That’s an intensely vibrant way to live. Personally, I’m not able to sustain it all the time. But I think most of us would benefit from such an approach for brief periods now and then. And I believe you have just entered one of those phases. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I asked Leo readers to provide their insights about the topic “How to Be a Leo.” Here are responses that line up with your current astrological omens. 1. People should try to understand you’re only bossing them around for their benefit. —Harlow Hunt. 2. Be alert for the intense shadows you may cast with your intense brightness. Consider the possibility that even if they seem iffy or dicey, they have value and even blessings to offer. —Cannarius Kansen. 3. Never break your own heart. Never apologize for showering yourself with kindness and adoration. —Amy Clear. 4. At the moment of orgasm, scream out your own name. —Bethany Grace VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): It’s your birthright as a Virgo to become a master of capitalizing on difficulties. You have great potential to detect opportunities coalescing in the midst of trouble. You can develop a knack for spotting the order

JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022

that’s hiding in the chaos. Now is a time when you should wield these skills with artistry, my dear — both for your own benefit and for the betterment of everyone whose lives you touch. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): One of my heroes died in 2021: the magnificent Libran author bell hooks (who didn’t capitalize her name). She was the most imaginative and independent-minded activist I knew. Till her last day, she articulated one-of-a-kind truths about social justice; she maintained her uncompromising originality. But it wasn’t easy. She wrote, “No insurgent intellectual, no dissenting critical voice in this society escapes the pressure to conform. We are all vulnerable. We can all be had, co-opted, bought. There is no special grace that rescues any of us. There is only a constant struggle.” I bring this to your attention, Libra, because I suspect the coming weeks will require your strenuous efforts to remain true to your high standards and unique vision of reality. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You now have the power to make yourself even more beautiful than you already are. You are extraordinarily open to beautifying influences, and there will be an abundance of beautifying influences coming your way. I trust you understand I’m not referring to the kinds of beauty that are worshiped by conventional wisdom. Rather, I mean the elegance, allure, charm and grace that you behold in old trees and gorgeous architecture and enchanting music and people with soulful idiosyncrasies. P.S.: The coming weeks will also be a favorable time to redefine the meaning of beauty for yourself. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): It’s the Season for Expressing Your Love — and for expanding and deepening the ways you express your love. I invite you to speak the following quotes to the right person: 1. “Your head is a living forest full of songbirds.” — E. E. Cummings. 2. “Lovers continuously reach each other’s boundaries.” —Rainer Maria Rilke, 3. “You’re my favorite unfolding story.” — Ann Patchett. 4. “My lifetime listens to yours.” — Muriel Rukeyser. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the coming weeks, make sure you do NOT fit this description articulated by Capricorn novelist Haruki Murakami: “You’re seeking something, but at the same time, you are running away for all you’re worth.” If there is any goal about which you feel conflicted like that, dear Capricorn, now is a good time to clear away your confusion. If you are in some sense undercutting yourself, perhaps unconsciously, now is the time to expose your inner saboteur and seek the necessary healing. July will be Self-Unification Month. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A Tweeter named Luxuryblkwomen articulates one of her ongoing goals: “bridging the gap between me and my ideal self, one day at a time.” I’d love it if you would adopt a similar aspiration in the coming months. You’re going to be exceptionally skilled at all types of bridge-building, including the kind that connects you to the hero you’ll be in the future. I mean, you are already a hero in my eyes, but I know you will ultimately become an even more fulfilled and refined version of your best self. Now is a favorable time to do the holy work of forging stronger links to that star-to-be. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A blogger named Lissar suggests that the cherry blossom is an apt symbol for you Pisceans. She describes you as “transient, lissome, blooming, lovely, fragile yet memorable and recurring, in tune with nature.” Lissar says you “mystify yet charm,” and that your “presence is a balm, yet awe-inspiring and moving.” Of course, like all of us, you also have your share of less graceful qualities. And that’s not a bad thing! We’re all here to learn the art of growing into our ripe selves. It’s part of the fun of being alive. But I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will be an extra close match for Lissar’s description. You are at the peak of your power to delight and beguile us.

MOUNTAINX.COM

MARKETPLACE

BY ROB BREZSNY

REAL ESTATE & RENTALS | ROOMMATES | JOBS | SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENTS | CLASSES & WORKSHOPS | MIND, BODY, SPIRIT MUSICIANS’ SERVICES | PETS | AUTOMOTIVE | XCHANGE | ADULT Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to advertise@mountainx.com REAL ESTATE FOR SALE BY OWNER 2 CEMETERY PLOTS FOR SALE Pisgah View Memorial Park, Garden of Honor section. Must be a Veteran. Call 828-648-8250 for details.

EMPLOYMENT GENERAL FULL TIME MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN Must have experience in all trades for trouble shooting and repairs. Must be self-starter and independent worker. Quality customer service interaction is must. Need to have own tools reliable transportation and cell phone. On call rotation every 4 weeks, Benefit’s include health insurance, mileage reimbursement, tool stipend, Paid vacations and holidays. Wages to be determined on experience. Send resume to steve@ tessiergroup.com. PRODUCTION JOBS Located in Brevard. Great pay/ benefits. Full-time, day shift, M-F. Air conditioned. Must be legally authorized to work in US, consent to drug/background check. Email HR@smith-systemsinc.com or call 828-8843490 . TOUR GUIDE-CDL DRIVERS If you are a "people person" you could be a great TOUR GUIDE! Parttime and seasonal FULLTIME. Training provided. MUST have a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Call 828-436-0202 or email Info@GrayLineAsheville. com.

SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES BUILDING MAINTENANCE & HOUSEKEEPING We are hiring for Building Maintenance Workers and Housekeepers! Competitive pay based on experience and benefits! Email EVSJOBS@METZCORP.COM or call 570-466-4021 for more information.

ADMINISTRATIVE/ OFFICE ASHEVILLE JCC IS HIRING A HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR Help employees find their work home and fuel a vibrant community at the JCC. 35,000/yr with generous PTO and benefits. Email a resume and cover letter to michaela@jcc-asheville.org to apply.

SALES/ MARKETING

SALES ASSISTANT Entry level administrative assistant position to our vibrant sales team. Position includes handling house accounts, organizing outreach schedules, collections, and other tasks in support of the sales staff. Strong organization and communications skills as well as computer competencies required. Opportunity for advancement depending on skill level and abilities. Includes benefits and a positive team environment with an emphasis on community engagement. Please send a resume and cover letter explaining why you are a good fit for Mountain Express to: xpressjob@ mountainx.com.

HUMAN SERVICES DISABILITY PARTNERS ASHEVILLE OFFICE FULLTIME INDEPENDENT NON-EXEMPT INDEPENDENT LIVING SPECIALIST Pathways For The Future, Inc. dba DisAbility Partners is dedicated to partnering with individuals and the community to enhance, advocate for and support personal choices, independent living and community inclusion. The Independent Living Specialist is a strong voice for disability rights and independent living, working to assist consumers in maintaining their lives independently in the community. Promotes Disability Partners in the seven county service area and collaborates with community agencies to best assist the consumer to reach goals for independent living. The Independent Living Specialist will provide general information and referral for consumers and the community as requested. Email: Eva Reynolds at ereynolds@disabilitypartners.org for job description and application. No phone calls please. DISABILITY PARTNERS ASHEVILLE OFFICE FULL TIME NON-EXEMPT YOUTH COORDINATOR The Youth Coordinator recruits, educates, empowers and serves youth with disabilities regarding disability-related issues, resources, advocacy, peer support and transitioning into adulthood. The Youth Coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing youth programs and services, youth outreach activities and events, delivering independent living services to youth, helping youth develop and implement independent living transition plans. Conduct public education

regarding disability issues, independent living services and Disability Partners. Email: Eva Reynolds at ereynolds@disabilitypartners.org for job description and application. No phone calls please.

RETAIL ART EMPORIUM SALES ASSOCIATE IN DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE Kress Emporium is an arts and crafts store. We are hiring for a part-time position, with the possibility of becoming full-time. Customer service, cash register, and computer experience preferred. Send Resumes to: kressemporium@yahoo.com.

SALON/ SPA ATTN: BOOTH RENT OR COMMISSION HAIRSTYLISTS We have the perfect opportunity for you to set your schedule, surround yourself with talented stylists and work in a modern salon that has been in business for over 20 years Now is a great time to start in a new salon for your clients! Only 2 chairs available. Applicants must be experienced and professional. Stylists with existing clientele are preferred, but not required. We will provide opportunity to build with both booth rent or commission options. Signing bonus! Don’t miss this great opportunity, call today! Set up an interview at 828-236-9191.

XCHANGE GENERAL MERCHANDISE GOT BED BUGS? GOT BEDBUGS? Kill them ALL yourself with HARRIS famous BEDBUG products.

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THE N EW Y OR K TI M ES C ROSSWORD P UZ Z LE Available at all 3 MADDENS ACE HARDWARE stores *800 Fairview Rd Asheville *1070 Haywood Rd Asheville *2319 US 70 Hwy Swannanoa

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

SERVICES 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) HUGHESNET SATELLITE INTERNET Finally, no hard data limits! Call Today for speeds up to 25mbps as low as $59.99/mo! $75 gift card, terms apply. 1-866544-5758. (AAN CAN)

CAREGIVERS COMPANION • CAREGIVER • LIVE-IN VACCINATED • Alzheimer's Experienced • Heart failure and bed sore care • Hospice reference

letter • Nonsmoker, with cat, seeks live-in position • References • Arnold, (828) 273-2922.

HOME 4G LTE HOME INTERNET NOW AVAILABLE! Get GotW3 with lightning fast speeds plus take your service with you when you travel! As low as $109.99/ mo! 1-866-571-1325. (AAN CAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS 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) BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 844-511-1836. (AAN CAN) COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 1-855-5544616 The Mission, Program Information and Tuition is located at CareerTechnical. edu/consumer-information. (AAN CAN)

CREDIT CARD DEBT RELIEF! Reduce payment by up to 50%! Get one LOW affordable payment/month. Reduce interest. Stop calls. FREE no-obligation consultation Call 1-855-7611456 (AAN CAN) NEED IRS RELIEF? $10K $125K+? Get Fresh Start or Forgiveness Call 1-877-7075521 Monday through Friday 7AM-5PM PST (AAN CAN) NEVER CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AGAIN! Affordable, professionally installed gutter guards protect your gutters and home from debris and leaves forever! For a FREE Quote call: 844-499-0277 (AAN CAN) TOP CA$H PAID FOR OLD GUITARS! 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D'Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. 877589-0747 (AAN CAN) WATER DAMAGE TO YOUR HOME? Call for a quote for professional cleanup & maintain the value of your home! Set an appt. today! Call 833-664-1530 (AAN CAN)

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS CLASSES & WORKSHOPS QIGONG CLASSES Mondays 9:30am at Asia House, 119 Coxe Avenue, Downtown. For Health,

Wellness, and Peace of Mind. Fee $10. All Levels. Masks please. For information email allen@ ashevilleqigong.com.

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT COUNSELING SERVICES ASTRO-COUNSELING Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Stellar Counseling Services. Christy Gunther, MA, LCMHC. (828) 258-3229.

AUTOMOTIVE BOATS/ WATERCRAFT FOR SALE 13 FOOT GRUMMAN CANOE w/ 2 new paddles and life preserver push-ins. Double-ender used two times on Beaver Lake. 2 years old. Weaverville. $1,100 Call or text 386473-5585 .

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)

Bell’s School

for people under six

NOW HIRING

Early Education Professionals Join a team of caring educators that value small group classes $35,000 starting pay + 4 weeks paid vacation • Office Assistant Manager (Full-time) • Preschool Teacher (Full-time) • Substitute Teacher & School Helper (Part-time)

Daytime shifts, Monday-Friday only Will provide tuition reimbursement if studying early childhood education

FIVE STAR CENTER IN FLETCHER serves ages 2-6

www.bells-school.com

edited by Will Shortz | No. 0525

ACROSS 1 Green spot in a city 5 Top dog 10 ___ threat 14 Monopoly token replaced by a cat in 2013 15 Like the boondocks 16 “… ___ the twain shall meet” 17 Group of winners at a film awards show? 19 Reminder of a past injury 20 Discharges 21 Not real royals, maybe 23 Executed, as a program 24 Team ___ 26 Something to take up or let out 27 Target for William Tell? 33 Singing Crow 36 Cause of some breathing problems 37 F-, for one 38 Command-C, on a Mac 39 Turn into a film, e.g. 41 To boot 42 Comedian Wong 43 Personification of Earth, in Greek myth 44 Tiny parts of archipelagoes 46 Where séance leaders get their degrees? 49 Unfinished crusade of the 1970s, in brief 50 Inning : baseball :: ___ : curling 51 Eggs in a lab 54 Art of bone carving 59 Green spot in a desert 61 Actors who don’t play their roles subtly 62 Lo-o-ong lecture from a parent? 64 Early Ron Howard role 65 “___ you a little short for a stormtrooper?”: Princess Leia 66 Do more than just check out

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DOWN 1 Itinerant musician with a flute 2 Patisserie allure 3 “The Kiss” sculptor 4 Heal, as a broken bone 5 Word after long or strong 6 One-named ancient satirist … or a Pokémon character 7 Baby buggy in Piccadilly Circus 8 Hinged bit of hardware 9 Cher, voicewise 10 Part of a foot 11 Convert into a higher-level language, as computer code 12 King of English theater 13 Muffs 18 Crime of great interest 22 Carpet type 25 Arabic “peace” 27 Alan Paton’s “___, the Beloved Country”

67 Fling 68 The Rockies, e.g. 69 Drink from a Viking’s goblet

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28 Oscar ___, player of Poe Dameron in “Star Wars” films 29 One who calls people out 30 Statement to a chair of a meeting 31 In need of directions 32 Grandson of Adam and Eve 33 Almost every get-rich-quick scheme 34 Spot in a green 35 Outer layer of skin 40 Throw shade at 41 Monopolist’s portion 43 Territory ceded by Spain to the U.S. in 1898

45 Vice city 47 Van Gogh work that in 1987 became the most expensive painting ever sold 48 Chopping 51 ___ orange 52 Home on the Riviera, say 53 Didn’t contain one’s curiosity 54 Attempt 55 Aria da ___ 56 Symbol on an “8” key 57 Juno’s Greek counterpart 58 Mideast’s Gulf of ___ 60 Itsy-bitsy bit 63 Tribe for which the 45th state is named

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JUNE 29 - JULY 5, 2022