Mountain Xpress 09.20.23

FEATURES PAGE 8

ROLLER-SKATING RENAISSANCE

Roller-skating enthusiasts speak with Xpress about the local scene, which for many participants goes beyond their experiences in the rink.

COVER

Courtesy of Tanisha “Nisha” Matthews

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Asheville doesn’t understand tourism’s value

[ Regarding “TDA Discusses Concerns Over the Decline in Tourism,” Sept. 6, Xpress:]

As someone who grew up in a city for 50 years that had and has its economic fortunes still based on tourism, I believe Asheville, sadly, doesn’t understand the value of tourism and of having a safe, invigorated downtown, strong law enforcement and just sentencing for those found guilty of breaking the law throughout the city and county.

Many local Ashevilleans complain about tourists because they don’t understand that the revenue they bring affects their daily lives in a positive way.

We sorely need our politicians to take off their rose-colored glasses to address crime and vagrancy. Time is running out.

Asheville can either come out as a gleaming example of a wonderful city that attracts tourists, culture and economic prosperity or we can continue down the current road, where, at some point, there will be no turning back from the city destroying itself.

— Barry Shoor Asheville

The ups and downs of tourism

[ Regarding “TDA Discusses Concerns Over the Decline in Tourism,” Sept. 6, Xpress:]

The drop in tourism should not alarm anyone. Before the hoteliers and restaurants panic, tourism had an atypical spike during the COVID pandemic.

1. Now, well-heeled tourists are traveling internationally. Even locals are getting on planes, so that partly explains the uptick in the airport traffic.

2. The huge proliferation of shortterm rental properties in Buncombe County also competes with hotels for bookings. The number of STRs now outnumbers the number of hotel rooms.

3. The bad press about the serious issues of vagrancy downtown is also steering tourists elsewhere. We have become known as a friendly city for the homeless, and this is a consequence. The City of Asheville needs to increase police presence in downtown and nonprofits reassess their approach. Tunnel Road has become a vagrant corridor now, and so the problem is beyond downtown.

— Chas Fitzgerald Black Mountain

Tourism revenue could support housing for officers

[ Regarding “TDA Discusses Concerns Over the Decline in Tourism,” Sept. 6, Xpress:]

There is much to say about safety concerns in and around downtown Asheville. I read today that both the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department and the Asheville Police Department are experiencing unfilled sworn positions in excess of 25%. Comments by those interviewed for the article suggested a contributing factor may be the high cost of living in Asheville and the surrounding area.

If the Tourism Development Authority feels strongly enough about taking steps to reduce common street crime and other headline-grabbing crimes, perhaps using a portion of tourism revenue to subsidize the cost of local housing for officers would help. The subsidy could be targeted toward enhancing the compensation package available to the Asheville police for retaining existing officers as well as bringing new hires to the Asheville area.

In extraordinary times, organizations that depend on the largesse of tourists must consider extraordinary solutions. Because there are no guarantees of a direct relationship between reduced crime and increasing tourism, the subsidy program could be funded for an initial limited period, e.g., four to five years. Thereafter, if recruitment and retention of officers increase, and city

crime statistics markedly improve, a decision can be made whether to continue the program.

— Mike Walker Black Mountain

Close the homeless floodgates

[ Regarding “TDA Discusses Concerns Over the Decline in Tourism,” Sept. 6, Xpress:]

Liberals said of the homeless, “Let them be. They’re not hurting anything!” So, the cops backed off. Asheville has wide-open arms for the homeless. Now they camp where they want to, crash in your yard and refuse to move on until you show them a shotgun barrel. Now tourists are being accosted (in the wee hours) and robbed. Doesn’t take this retired truck driver an eye blink to figure out the decline in tourism.

Close the floodgates! The panhandlers require a placard permit. If that is not prominently displayed, the police can ask for it and ID these people. Not far enough from the roadway? In the median? Same deal! The thought of being identified will send most of the homeless packing. Not enough police? Deputize me and other citizens who can stand up to the background checks! I’ll do it with my own vehicle. I would rather do that than pay the taxes that are crushing me for two homeless hotels and all of the other handouts!

— Bob Rupert Asheville

Community deserves a new performing arts center

[Regarding “City and Arts Leaders Discuss Renovation Options for Asheville’s Shuttered Auditorium,” Aug. 30, Xpress:]

In medical metaphor, Asheville’s Thomas Wolfe Auditorium had a sudden failure in its respiratory system, impacting the ability to maintain its temperature. Upon further diagnostic evaluation, due primarily to old age, the auditorium has severe skeletal deficits, significant internal organ failure, hearing problems and major skin pathology. The patient is in critical condition.

To extend its life, the auditorium requires complicated and extremely expensive surgery. A team of experts has proposed five different complex and costly surgeries that will result in the extension of the life of the auditorium. With every complex surgery, there are unexpected events that

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

will complicate whatever option is chosen. If the surgery is successful, there remains a problem of significance. You still have an auditorium.

Everything that is born lives and then dies. The auditorium has reached the end of its natural life. For everything it has experienced and achieved, the auditorium needs death with dignity.

Asheville/Buncombe County doesn’t need an auditorium. What is needed in this growing and progressive community is a performing arts center. Herein lies another metaphor regarding the creation of a new life. A performing arts center is a living, breathing entity. Asheville/ Buncombe County together with the arts community and the love between them can create such a facility.

The process from conception to birth will require a great deal of care-filled planning, attention to detail, persistence, perseverance and patience. The result will be an extraordinary facility in every dimension. Further, as the decades pass, only minor upgrades will need to be made as this facility flourishes from its early days until its inevitable ending in the next century.

Simply put, the current discussion regarding the auditorium is a reaction. Instead, what is needed is action in the creation of a multidi-

mensional performing arts center. Like anything of great value, it will take more time and money than one would wish. But it will be worth the wait and worth the cost.

It is far better to build for the future than to repair the past. It is time for a disciplined paradigm shift for the stakeholders and gatekeepers on this matter. Asheville/ Buncombe County deserves and needs a “field of dreams” performing arts center that combines the best engineering, technology and architecture that is available. Build it, and they will come.

— Richard Boyum Candler

Let’s not sleep on Merrimon Avenue issue

I’m writing as manager of the North Asheville Mattress Warehouse, adversely affected by the removal of two traffic lanes from Merrimon Avenue last autumn. My store is situated in the thick of the traffic bottleneck, created to appease a relatively minuscule number of cyclists and misguided ecologists. The brunt of this decision has been clear all summer as those with second homes here have joined in with everyone else.

The result has been beleaguered customers and woeful year-to-year store sales numbers now that motorists avoid the area if at all possible. Worse, observers would be hardpressed to say more cyclists even use their new lanes. Why would they want to inhale exhaust fumes created by vehicles idling in halfmile-long traffic anyway? Can we put this harebrained experiment to bed already?

— Garrett Phillips Asheville

You can be a voice for a child in need

One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to become a volunteer advocate for children in need.

I had heard of the Guardian ad Litem program, and it had been rattling around in my heart and my mind for years, but it seemed outside of my comfort zone. I understood that becoming an advocate for a child carries a big responsibility. It means gathering information to be able to determine the child’s individual needs by getting to know the child, investigating the child’s history and keeping up with the child’s situation for the duration of the case. It means helping make the decision about what is in the best

interest of the child and advocating for that in court. As overwhelming as that seemed, I knew that giving a voice to a child was important. And necessary.

I am so glad I took the leap. It’s engaging, important and rewarding work. I enjoy it so much that I’m currently an advocate for three different children. Through this process, I’ve learned so much about myself, the world we all live in and about human nature in general.

Currently, there are hundreds of neglected and abused children in Buncombe County. Each of them needs an advocate to support their best interest. Being a Guardian ad Litem means you make a real difference in a vulnerable child’s life.

Right now, there are more children in the system than there are advocates. There is a great need for GAL volunteers. Every child needs a voice. It only takes a few hours a month to make a big impact on a child’s life. You can do it, and you’ll be glad you did!

GAL training begins in October. Please visit volunteerforgal.org for an online application and a complete description of the program.

— Jennifer Beatty Asheville  X

CARTOON BY BRENT BROWN

The Moshe Cohen laws

A Jew in Asheville

BY JERRY STERNBERG

Everyone has the right to associate with those people with whom they are comfortable. This is true across broad categories such as race, financial status, religion and ethnic culture. What we can’t do, however, is deny someone else’s fundamental human rights.

The Jim Crow laws were state and local regulations introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation. Their purpose was to keep whites and Blacks separate, ostensibly to minimize social interaction. These laws were codified by elected officials of the Southern states and were strictly enforced.

There were also what I call the “Moshe Cohen laws,” which were designed to marginalize members of the Jewish community and similarly minimize social interaction. Unlike Jim Crow, most of these “laws” weren’t codified or sanctioned by any political or governmental authority, but they still carried substantial influence, both socially and economically.

The cruelest impact fell on schoolchildren.

STATE-SPONSORED RELIGION

Most Christians in the South believed that this was a Christian nation and they lived in a Christian state — therefore their children should attend a Christian-oriented school. The point, however, is that these institutions were state-funded: Adults had to pay taxes to support the schools, and children’s attendance was mandatory. Unless parents were affluent enough to afford private schools, there were few options for those who did not want their children exposed to Christian teachings in the name of “education.”

To this day, much of the Christian community views the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution as merely a suggestion. Admittedly, the courts haven’t always agreed about how to interpret the wording, which prohibits Congress from passing any law “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

In my mind, however, the issue is crystal clear: Under no circumstances should we use tax dollars in a way that puts citizens — regardless of their religious affiliation or lack of one — in the position of

unwillingly having to pay for what is, essentially, religious education. This applies equally to yeshivas in New York that receive some state funding despite being heavily oriented toward Orthodox Judaism.

So, by allowing public school systems to teach Christian ideology, the Moshe Cohen laws ignored the Constitution. Jewish children were constantly made to feel uncomfortable and insecure by having to endure a daily Christian prayer, frequent New Testament readings and periodic school assemblies during which a preacher would expound on the dire consequences of not subscribing to the Christian faith.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Jewish students were further marginalized by the fact that they did not share their classmates’ enthusiasm for the Christian holidays and were actually punished for absences incurred to attend Jewish holiday services with their families.

Of course, there was one great exception connected with Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday celebrated around the same time as Christmas. Jewish children got presents for eight days while Christmas gift-giving was confined to just one day. This actually led to Christian students envying their Jewish classmates.

Although I’ve shared the following story in a previous piece in this series, I think it bears repeating as a powerful testament to perhaps unconscious prejudice.

When I was in about fifth grade at Claxton School, our teacher put a big chart on the wall with the name of every class member. Every Monday morning, she would ask for a show of hands beginning with how many children had gone to church the day before. She then meticulously placed a small gold star sticker by the name of each child who held up their hand. This was followed by questions about how many children had attended Sunday school or Wednesday night

prayer meeting. Each hand in the air won its owner another star. After a number of weeks, she noticed that there were no stars alongside the names of the few Jewish children in the class. Soon after, the chart disappeared without explanation.

Years later, one of my own children, who attended David Millard Junior High at the time, told me that not only was she marked down for being absent on Jewish holidays but that one of her teachers always scheduled a test on those days, and she wasn’t allowed to subsequently make them up, resulting in an automatic zero grade.

UNCONSCIOUS PREJUDICE

For the most part, though, these teachers genuinely cared about their students and felt it was their noble duty to educate their charges and save them from the horrific consequences of going through life and into the hereafter without adhering to the teachers’ own strong religious beliefs. In the process, however, they tragically overlooked the possibility that some of those students lived in homes where some other religion — or maybe no religion — was practiced. This perhaps well-intentioned behavior sets up a terrible conflict. Children are taught to love and respect their teachers, and they also love and respect their parents. So, who are they supposed to believe?

Asheville native Jerry Sternberg, a longtime observer of the local scene, can be reached at jvsternberg@gmail.com X

JERRY STERNBERG

“The cruelest impact fell on schoolchildren.”

Roller-skating renaissance

Recent and well-established groups discuss WNC’s coasting community

BY CARMELA CARUSO

carmela.caruso@yahoo.com

It’s the last Saturday in August and one of the hottest nights of the year, but the rink at Carrier Park is filled with skaters. Adults and children wear Rollerblades or quads. Some skate in wide circles around the edges. Others try out new dance moves in small groups. Meanwhile, a few intrepid attendees cling to the walls, taking one shaky step at a time.

The group, hosted by AVLsk8, meets most Saturdays from 6-9 p.m., weather permitting. Though it’s just one of many roller-skating meet-ups in Western North Carolina, the group’s name came up multiple times in the course of reporting on this story. For many, AVLsk8 is the central hub for information about the area’s skating scene.

Co-founders Pattiy Torno and Ashanti Ternoir both say their goal is to bring people together and keep the skate community growing.

“Part of our mission, our desire, is to really expose people to each other,” says Ternoir. “And then to create a space that’s fun, that’s enjoyable through movement and skating and also through music.”

As I made my way around town, speaking with various members from numerous skating groups, it became evident that many, if not most, within the community echo Ternoir’s quest for connection.

BEYOND THE RINK

AVLsk8 got its unofficial start in April 2022 when Ternoir and a few friends were skating in the CURVE Studios lot in the River Arts District. Torno, who owns the building, came outside.

“I was like, ‘Aw crap, she’s gonna kick us off,’” recalls Ternoir.

Instead, Torno grabbed a pair of skates that had been sitting in her closet (“mostly unused” since 1980, she admits) and joined them.

The group soon began meeting regularly on Sundays for what they

called “skate church”— two hours of curated playlists, refreshments and roller-skating. Eventually, they set eyes on a more public and accessible space. After working with Asheville Parks and Recreation, the group received a contract to lead 35 Saturday skate nights at Carrier Park throughout 2023.

These events feature a “resident DJ”— DJ Venn — who plays a mix of hip-hop, funk, reggae and disco. On the night I attended, highlights included The Jacksons’ “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground),” Archie Bell & The Drells’ “Let’s Groove” and Rose Royce’s “Car Wash.” The music’s influence was unmistakable: feet moved in unison, keeping time with the beat.

Since its launch, members of AVLsk8 have shown up for each other outside of the rink — at birthdays, weddings and parties. And more recently, they assisted Torno as she recovered from hip surgery. Beyond their inner circle, the group has also helped recondi-

ROLL WITH IT: Ashanti Ternoir, featured in the main photo skating backward, is the co-founder of AVLsk8. The group meets on select Saturdays at Carrier Park. The club’s next gathering takes place Sept. 23, 6-9 p.m. Additional photos show skaters at a recent Asheville Parks and Recreation skate night at Carrier Park. Main image by Carmela Caruso; additional photos by Thomas Calder

tion skates that the city purchased from an old rink. These skates are now available for loan at Asheville Parks and Recreation’s Friday night skate groups, which happen once a month at Carrier Park.

BUILT-IN FAMILY

Similarly, Blue Ridge Roller Derby, which launched in 2006, continues to attract new teammates, not only because of its members’ love of skating but also for the group’s built-in community.

Carla Hung (aka Street Flasher), who moved to Asheville from New York during the pandemic, says she lived here for two years without a “robust sense of friendship.” But all of that changed when she joined Blue Ridge Roller Derby in 2022. Despite having never skated before (“I was on my ass the entire first season,” she admits), Hung felt “extremely welcomed” by the team. Now, she says, she not only has a group of 20-30 people “immediately there” for her locally, but she’s found connection with other derby groups while traveling.

Hung and her teammates Bonnie Richardson (aka Fear, Kitty Kitty), Marissa Sherman Deziel (aka Margaret Snatch’Her) and Kelsey Kilgore (aka Slay Love) rattle off ways they’ve been there for each other outside of the arena — providing meal trains for new mothers, offering grief support, hosting fundraisers, acting as pet sitters and meeting up to workout, hike, run and skate outside of practice.

Under the shelter of the Smoky Mountain Event Center in Waynesville, I watch the team gear up and transform into fierce, competitive adversaries as they prepare to face off for an evening’s practice. When the whistle blows, the group morphs into a crunch of equipment as the two “jammers” try to pass the “blockers” to score points. Elbows and arms extend, knees bend and feet go wide.

“You become a superhero version of yourself when you come to roller derby,” says Deziel smiling.

While it might appear the players are relying on brute force and muscle to score points, Hung says, “It requires an inordinate amount of skill and strategy.” She adds that “every body type has a role and something they’re good at.”

“You don’t feel alone at any point. You’re part of a puzzle,” explains Richardson. “[In roller derby] I can

HIGH ROLLER: Carolyn Lewis bought herself a pair of skates for her 27th birthday. Nearly three years later, she’s still at it. Photo by Mark Thalman

lean on other people’s skills. I don’t need to be everything.”

FACE YOUR FEARS

Fear of a roller derby collision leads me to slowly back out of the event center and toward the relative safety of my car. Ironically, I later learn that fear is the very thing that drives some skaters to the sport.

Carolyn Lewis , like many interviewed for this article, started skating during the pandemic when it was safer to socialize exclusively outdoors. On her 27th birthday, she bought herself a pair of skates and in December 2020 started hosting meet-ups at Carrier Park and other places around town.

Soon, she wanted to try skate park skating at places such as the Asheville Skatepark (known as the Food Lion by local users) and The Foundation. At both venues, concrete forms bowls, ramps, banks and built-in stairs that offer opportunities to practice tricks and more advanced moves. Lewis says she felt nervous and intimidated because she was a woman on quad skates at parks dominated by men and

boys on skateboards. Historically, she notes, the two types of riders have not gotten along in shared spaces, though she adds dynamics are improving.

Going with a group of fellow skaters, she says, helped her feel more comfortable and confident. She kept with it, and after the sudden death of a close family member, skate park skating became her lifeline, helping her to heal in community and process difficult emotions.

“I was grieving, and it was hard to be present,” recalls Lewis. “So, when I would go to the skate park, I would stand up on top of the ramp — sometimes … for like five minutes — just feeling my fear. Just standing there breathing and feeling that feeling was healing in itself.

“I don’t stand up on top of a ramp breathing for five minutes anymore,” Lewis continues. “But it’s my emotional management. It’s like my therapy. … The fear and all the intensity of it grabs you and brings you right to the present moment.”

PARALLEL PLAY

For skaters not yet ready to slam into opponents or whiz over

concrete slabs, less intimidating groups exist around Asheville.

Skater Chelsea Farley organizes River Skate Revival — a group that rides 3.2 miles along the relatively flat Wilma Dykeman Greenway in the River Arts District every Sunday at 6 p.m. Though the group doesn’t require fancy footwork or gravity-defying tricks, Farley recommends the course for “advanced beginners”— skaters who are comfortable skating forward, lifting one foot at a time off the ground and stopping (whether using toe, T or plough stop methods).

Barring an understanding of skate basics, Farley says the group aims to be inclusive, allowing strollers, scooters and skateboarders alongside roller skaters and Rollerbladers.

“I found, personally, skating is one of the most diverse groups of people in all of Asheville,” says Farley. “I’ve seen every race out there. I’ve seen every gender out there. I’ve seen every economic status out there. You’ve got lots of different types of neurodivergent people out there, and when all those people come together around something joyous, it’s a really good community builder.”

Farley, who identifies as neurodivergent, says trail skating offers a safe group activity for people who

DANCE PARTY: Members of the Blue Ridge Roller Derby take a brief dance break at a recent game.

Photo by Ray Soldano

STICKING TO IT: Last year, Jenna Lynn Davis posted a daily video of her skating progress. She now has over 500,000 combined followers on Instagram and TikTok. Photo by Snap’N’Dad Photography

struggle with social anxiety and making eye contact. These meetups, she adds, permit “parallel play” where members can skate side by side and don’t need to engage others face to face. She says it offers connection, community, physical exercise and mental health support.

ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS

Asheville skater Jenna Lynn Davis built community through social media. Davis has 160,000 followers on Instagram and 408,000 followers on TikTok (@jennalynn. rollersk8s on both platforms). Last year, she posted videos of herself trying new skate moves every day for 365 days. Though she also skates with Appalachian Roller Derby and joins meet-ups at Carrier Park and around town when time allows, Davis found she was best able to learn and grow by watching videos online. The accountability of her thousands of

followers also kept her committed to the yearlong challenge.

“I definitely grew as a skater in general,” Davis says. “Just being in skates all the time made me more comfortable. … It becomes almost more like walking or running when you’re in skates that much.”

Regardless of whether new riders join a group, take classes or practice at home with the help of videos, Davis recommends wearing safety gear, especially knee pads, to prevent injury. And while social media can be helpful for bringing people together, she cautions to keep perspective, too. “The biggest piece of advice I always tell people is not to compare yourself to others and always compare your progress to what you did before,” says Davis.

Ken Bradenburg , who skates with an adult group at Smoky Mountain Sk8way & Fun Zone in Waynesville on Thursday nights from 7-10 p.m., echoes Davis’ encouraging words.

Despite being “really terrible” and “falling down a lot” his first time on skates as a kid, he kept

going back and has stayed with it through the years, having skated at 55 different rinks across the country to date. His advice to beginners: “The common perception is that, ‘Oh, if I go skating and I fall down, people are gonna laugh.’ It’s really the exact opposite. Everyone that I know that puts serious time into roller-skating recognizes it’s a journey. It’s not something that you just readily pick up and do.”

SWEATER WEATHER

The outdoor groups I spoke to all say they plan to continue skating through the winter, adjusting their start times for when the sun is up and the early morning frost has melted. Many also expressed hope that Asheville would someday have a more accessible, covered rink for shared use.

“It’s like this roller renaissance going on and that makes me very happy,” says Farley.

Keeping the momentum going, Farley and other skaters stress, is important. The communities they’re building, they say, are some of the city’s most eclectic.

“I’ve lived in Asheville for 40 years, and this is the most diverse space that I get to inhabit … where gender and race and age are just nonissues,” says Torno of AVLsk8. “Everybody’s smiling and having a good time.”

“It’s about showing up for community,” adds Ternoir of AVLsk8. “It’s about being there, creating this place for people just to be. It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you come from or how you identify, we want all those people there.” X

Skate smart

ALL FOR ONE: Nisha Matthews, bottom right, poses alongside fellow skaters in the River Arts District. Photo courtesy of Matthews

Beginners wanting to build skills can take upcoming classes at Voodoo Roller Skate Shop, 45 Rankin Ave. Owner Tanisha “Nisha” Matthews is a level one Skate Instructors Association instructor. Once renovations are complete at her shop, she plans to lead courses for both beginners and more advanced students, teaching different styles such as derby, rhythm skating, jam skating and skate park skating.

“There’s a lot of different skating disciplines, but not everyone knows about them,” says Matthews. “My plan is really trying to help foster those different skating styles and help people get connected [to local groups].”

Connecting people to local groups and making skating more accessible is also part of Mark Thalman’s mission at FishBrains Inline & Roller Skate Shop, 39 Glendale Ave., No. 101. The store, which opened in July, offers skate rentals for children and adults for as low as $10-$15 per day. He says the rental program is designed so “you can try out roller-skating or Rollerblading and not have to spend $200-$300 on a new hobby that you might not like.” X

Want to vote? ID, please

Groups scramble to help residents meet new requirement

BY BROOKE RANDLE

As North Carolina adjusts to a law requiring photo identification to vote, Buncombe County Election Services is offering the service free to any registered voter who needs one.

Corinne Duncan, director of elections, says that her office and those around the state are working to inform voters of the requirement and offer free voter photo IDs.

Registered voters can stop by the elections office at 59 Woodfin Place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. any weekday to get an ID printed and given to them on the spot. Voters will need to provide their name, date of birth and the last four digits of their Social Security number, as well as have their photo taken. Residents also can register to vote at that time if needed.

“We are doing our best to make sure that there is a free option,” Duncan says.

Jeff Rose, chair of the Buncombe County Democratic Party, says his organization also will be doing outreach.

“Right now, we’re starting a program to reach out to voters who are less likely to vote based on past voter history,” says Rose. “And we’re making them aware of the program that the Board of Elections has to issue free IDs.”

But Buncombe County Republican Party Chairman Doug Brown has concerns about the program. In a press release provided to Xpress, Brown writes, “When the

DMV issues a valid ID, it is based on documentation that holds up under scrutiny and the law. At present however, the Board of Elections requires only a person’s last four digits of a SSN, a birthdate and an address — all of which could be fabricated. It would take no effort for folks to present a false address, name and set of numbers and be permitted to vote.”

Duncan disputes that assertion, noting that voters still need to be registered to vote in order to obtain an ID. The process for registering will remain the same under the new law, which includes steps to verify a voter’s identity.

Brown did not return further requests for comment.

Duncan adds that there is a long list of exceptions that would allow registered voters to cast their ballots even if they do not show photo identification, which includes lack of transportation, disability or illness or missing documents usually required to obtain an ID, such as a birth certificate or Social Security card (a full list of exceptions can be found at avl.mx/czr). These voters will need to fill out an ID Exception Form before casting their vote.

Other than the ID requirement, in-person voting will feel the same as in previous years, she says.

“The process is exactly the same,” Duncan explains. “[Voters] will go up and check in with a poll worker, state your name and address, and they will look you up in the system and ask you for your photo ID. Poll workers will check for reasonable resemblance.”

Absentee voting, she continues, will change under the new law. Registered voters will still need to request and complete an absentee ballot but are also required to provide a photocopy of their photo identification alongside their ballot.

She emphasizes that everyone who wants to vote will be able to vote regardless of the new requirement.

“If you don’t fall under those [exceptions], of course, you can still vote a provisional ballot,” says Duncan.

A LENGTHY STRUGGLE

North Carolina now requires ID to vote because the N.C. Supreme Court ruled recently that Senate Bill 824, a voter ID law originally passed in 2018 by the Republican-led N.C. General Assembly, is constitutional.

Acceptable forms of ID, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections, include a driver’s license, state ID card, passport or military ID. Some

forms of government employee IDs and student IDs are also permitted, among other options (a full list of accepted IDs can be found at avl.mx/czr). Most forms of ID need to be unexpired or expired for up to one year to be accepted.

Proponents of the law say that requiring photo IDs to vote helps preserve election integrity and reduce instances of voter fraud. Others worry that the laws will decrease voter participation, particularly among voters who are young, people of color, low income or elderly.

Voter ID laws in the U.S. are not new. They stem from the use of laws to disenfranchise minority voters during the Jim Crow Era, when many states required literacy tests, poll taxes and extralegal measures such as violence and intimidation, to prevent Black residents from voting. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act outlawed many discriminatory voting tactics, but the push for voter ID laws persisted.

CARD READY: Registered voters can stop by the elections office at 59 Woodfin Place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. any weekday to get an ID printed and given to them on the spot. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Election Services

Indiana was the first state to enact a photo ID requirement for voting in 2006, and today, 35 states have laws requesting or requiring voters to show some form of identification at the polls.

The fight over voter ID laws in North Carolina stretches back to 2013 when the Republican-led General Assembly approved a law that would require photo identification for voters. That law was struck down in 2016 by a federal three-judge panel that found the law discriminatory against Black voters and other voters of color. All three judges had been appointed by Democratic presidents.

The state’s voter ID law resurfaced again in 2018, this time in the form of a referendum. At the time, a majority of voters approved the constitutional amendment requiring photographic identification before casting their ballot. That led to Senate Bill 824, which was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. The governor’s veto was overridden by the General Assembly but was quickly challenged by a series of lawsuits.

In one such lawsuit, Holmes v. Moore, the N.C. Supreme Court,

comprising a 4-3 Democratic majority of justices, again found the photo ID requirement unconstitutional, citing a violation of the equal protection guarantee in the state’s constitution.

But Republicans obtained a 5-2 majority on the state Supreme Court after the 2022 election, and the court then decided to rehear and reverse the prior court’s decision in April.

BOLSTER OR BARRIER?

The lengthy and litigious history of North Carolina’s ID law reflects a deep partisan divide over the law’s impact on voters.

“What we’ve seen from photo ID laws around the country is that they make it harder for young voters, for minority voters, and in a lot of cases, for elderly voters to participate in the electoral process,” Rose says.

Kevin Quinn, a researcher at the University of Michigan who provided testimony during a lawsuit filed by the Southern Coalition for Social Justice challenging the constitutionality of the 2018 photo ID law, found that Black voters in particular are 39% more likely than white voters to lack an acceptable form of ID.

A 2021 report from Cambridge University Press examined voter turnout in North Carolina after the 2013 law went into effect and found that the law reduced turnout. The report found that the law’s impact on turnout persisted even after it was later repealed.

Meanwhile, many Republicans who support voter ID laws contend that they reduce instances of voter fraud and strengthen the perception of election integrity. According to reporting from Carolina Public Press , N.C. House speaker Tim Moore said that the state’s voter ID law aimed to make it “easy to vote but hard to cheat.”

But numerous studies indicate that in-person voter impersonation is rare. One report from the Brennan Center, a progressive nonprofit law and public policy institute, found that voter impersonation was identified in as little as 0.0003% of all ballots cast. A 2014 study published in The Washington Post found 31 credible instances of impersonation fraud from 2000-14, out of more than 1 billion ballots cast.

“The kind of fraud that photo ID electoral fraud that [a] photo ID [law] could prevent has just simply

not been proven to happen in the United States anywhere,” says Rose. “Voter impersonation is a very ineffective way to influence elections to begin with.”

Brown, from the county Republican Party, did not reply to requests for comment on the need for voter ID laws or the studies showing that voter impersonation is rare.

While some Republican lawmakers insist that the new law will strengthen election integrity following the 2020 general election, in which some Republicans claimed without evidence that there was widespread voter fraud, Rose says it might have the opposite effect.

“I obviously can’t speak for folks who believe the 2020 election was rigged or stolen. But everything I’ve seen since that election from our local party, from the state party and nationally, is that folks are just doubling down on those conspiracies, even though they’ve been proven over and over again not to be true,” he explains. “I think that these laws perpetuate the notion that [voter fraud] was happening, and it was a problem.”

Forging new paths

After delays, Buncombe pushing greenway projects forward

BY MARK BARRETT

markbarrett@charter.net

About 10 years ago, Carol Groben and other Swannanoa residents thought Buncombe County government was on the cusp of building a greenway through the community.

Consultants who wrote a 77-page feasibility study completed in 2010 said that a path in the Swannanoa River/ U.S. 70 corridor “should be considered a top priority.”

Two years later, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a greenways master plan calling for 102 miles of greenways, including one serving Swannanoa. The plan primarily envisioned paved paths for walking and biking, with some running through protected natural areas and others close to highways.

Paths would run along the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers and Hominy Creek in Asheville and extend along those corridors into suburban and rural areas of the county. Others would go to Reynolds High School, the Reems Creek valley outside Weaverville and other destinations in northern and southern parts of the counties.

But while Asheville has built miles of greenways in the 11 years since commissioners adopted the county plan, Buncombe County has built about a quarter-mile, connecting with Lake Julian Park in Skyland.

“It’s frustrating,” Groben says. “A lot of work was done, obviously, and we were in a position where we thought we were a high-priority project. To see that not come to fruition was very disappointing.”

But several developments, most notably the passage of a $30 million county bond last year for open spaces with 69% of the vote, are fueling optimism among greenway backers once again. “There’s a lot more momentum now than there has been in a long time for greenways,” Groben says.

The bonds will fund greenways, buying land for passive parks and conservation easements to preserve farmland and environmentally important areas.

Other local governments in Buncombe and nearby counties have built or plan to build greenways that will connect with those in the county. A group of local officials has approved a plan for a regional greenway network incorporating many of those paths called the Hellbender Trail.

MORE LINES THAN PATHS: This map outlines the corridors chosen for greenways in the greenways master plan Buncombe County commissioners adopted in 2012. Buncombe County has done little since the plan’s adoption to construct paths elsewhere. Map courtesy of Connect Buncombe

Buncombe County is moving ahead with plans for as many as 6.3 miles of greenway: along the French Broad and Beaverdam Creek in Woodfin and beside Hominy Creek in Enka. Most of the money is already in place and the Woodfin sections could be completed by the end of 2026.

“There’s been a transition” in key jobs in county government and those holding them now “have the will to make [greenways] happen,”

says Marcia Bromberg, an Asheville resident who was one of the early leaders of a nonprofit formed in 2014 to promote greenways in Buncombe. People have seen the benefits of greenways in other area communities, especially when COVID pushed people onto trails and greenways, she says.

“Citizens have awakened to greenways and what they can do,” Bromberg says.

LINES ON A MAP

County commissioners appeared to be gung-ho for greenways when they adopted the county greenway plan in September 2012, but the response from the public was mixed. Then the board’s political makeup and the county’s financial situation changed. Two Republican candidates for commissioner spoke against the plan when it was adopted, and one

COMING TO THE COUNTY? This greenway and others in Asheville’s River Arts District have proven popular since opening in 2021. Buncombe County is stepping up efforts that had been stalled for years to build similar greenway paths elsewhere in the county.

of them, Mike Fryar, won a seat on the board in that November’s election. The board shifted from all Democrats to four Democrats and three Republicans, with results so close that the GOP was only 18 votes from gaining a majority.

Tight budget years saw commissioners raise property taxes in 2013 and reduce general fund spending in 2014, leaving little room for greenway funding. The state General Assembly in 2013 passed a bill sponsored by

then-Rep. Tim Moffitt (now a state senator) to move the county’s libraries and its parks department, which has responsibility for greenways, into a separate government agency. The county began implementing the law, but, at Moffitt’s request, the legislature repealed it in 2014.

That episode was a significant setback, Bromberg says: “There was a lot of confusion for a very long period of time.”

Hellbender Trail intended to link communities

About 150 miles of trails and greenway paths would connect in Buncombe and nearby counties as part of the plan for the Hellbender Trail.

The plan envisions stitching together existing greenways and trails in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties and others that local governments already plan. The French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization and Land of Sky Rural Planning Organization, two groups of local government officials that help decide which transportation projects in the region get funded, approved the plan in 2000.

The trail is named after a rare salamander found in mountain streams. Having the plan on the books will generate momentum to build more greenways and make it more likely that trails and greenways will connect with one another as local governments

build them out to city, town or county lines, says French Broad MPO Director Tristan Winkler

The network got a huge boost this summer with announcements that the federal government had awarded $45.9 million to help build the 19.4-mile Ecusta Trail on a disused rail line between Hendersonville and Brevard.

The French Broad MPO has awarded $70.4 million in federal money for bicycle and pedestrian projects — including bike lanes and sidewalks as well as greenways — to be spent over the next five years in the four counties the MPO serves. Some of the projects will expand the Hellbender, and some will not.

About 15 miles of Hellbender greenway and trail already exist, and another 34 miles are funded, Winkler says. “We’re about down to the last 100 miles” of the Hellbender to be funded, he jokingly told a recent forum on the trail. X

It is difficult to say how much political factors had to do with the county’s sluggishness in implementing the 2012 plan. The GOP surge brought new scrutiny to county spending. However, Doug Hattaway, head of a community group pushing for construction of the Enka Heritage Trail, says Republican Joe Belcher played a crucial role in getting funding for the trail during his 2012-20 tenure as a county commissioner.

Belcher, Bromberg and commissioners’ current chair, Democrat Brownie Newman, all say financial constraints have limited greenway spending. Officials have sometimes been surprised at how much greenways cost.

“They’re not cheap. They’re just not,” Belcher says.

“A lot of lines have been drawn on maps, but sometimes when you go out there and look at the land … it’s like, ‘Wow, that is going to be tough to build and maybe really expensive to build,’” Newman said during a commissioners meeting Aug. 1. During a discussion of policies to govern bond spending, he argued that the county should place a high

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Photo by Mark Barrett

priority on feasibility when deciding which greenway proposals to fund.

“We haven’t made the kind of progress to date that we would like to, so when we take on new projects, let’s make sure we’re taking on something that we can actually follow through on,” he said.

NOT SO EASY

Buncombe’s challenges sound familiar to Brett Baronak, director of the Carolina Thread Trail, a network of greenways and other trails in 15 counties centered around Charlotte. Many counties devote a smaller share of their budgets to parks and recreation than cities and towns do, he said at an Aug. 31 forum in Asheville put on by groups behind the Hellbender. Greenways often see more resistance outside cities and towns because of concerns about private property rights and “the political will sometimes is not as great” as in municipalities, he said.

Many local governments find getting greenways built to be tougher than expected, Mike Calloway, an engineer with the state Department of Transportation, told those attending the Hellbender forum. “We all want these things on the ground as soon as possible, but the reality is these things take time.” Rising costs, undiscovered utility lines and difficulty locating property owners or convincing them to sell are only some of the problems that can

derail a project even if funding is in place, Calloway said.

“I have not seen a project yet that did not have some challenge to it,” he told attendees. “Something’s going to happen with your project. Something’s going to come up.”

A BOOST FROM BONDS

Groben and other greenway advocates say the need for greenways is clear and that more officials and members of the general public see it. “We know it can be a great benefit for alternative modes of transportation, whether it’s kids trying to get to school safely or a family pushing their kid in a buggy to get out for a walk,” she says.

Swannanoa has very little pedestrian infrastructure and needs both sidewalks and greenways, she says: “People walk beside the road with very narrow shoulders. … There have been accidents and people have been hit.”

Hattaway says, “Trails and greenways are well documented to have public health benefits. If people have a place to move, they will.”

The two Woodfin greenways and the Enka Heritage Trail are first in line for proceeds from open space bonds approved in November among greenway projects, says Jill Carter, the county’s project manager for the bonds.

The French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization, a group of local officials who set regional transportation

The challenge of commuting on foot

The transportation section of the 20-year comprehensive plan Buncombe County commissioners adopted in May calls for numerous steps to make it easier for county residents to move around on foot, bicycle or public transportation.

Proposals include requiring sidewalks as part of new developments, supporting transit-oriented development near municipalities and establishing a capital projects division within county government to build and maintain sidewalks, trails and greenways.

It is much too early to say whether the slow implementation of the county’s 2012 greenways plan is a cautionary tale for those hoping to see ideas in the 20-year plan become reality.

William High, the county’s lead transportation planner, says one of the county’s first actions spurred by the 20-year plan is an inventory of existing sidewalks to identify gaps in pedestrian infrastructure. That will benefit people who need to get to

the store just down the road or take a bus to a workplace miles away, he says.

“Our sort of basic thought is … that in places currently served and expected to be served by fixed route transit should have sidewalks — because how else would you get there? — and build out from there,” High says. “We’re still in the process of figuring out how we will maintain them and things like that.”

Counties in many states are responsible for secondary roads and have transportation departments that maintain them. In North Carolina, that job falls to the state Department of Transportation. State law generally prevents NCDOT from building sidewalks that are not part of a highway project and makes it difficult for the City of Asheville — which does regularly build sidewalks — to annex growing areas outside city limits. That leaves the responsibility up to Buncombe County, which High notes owns “very few”

priorities, already approved funding for them in a competitive process. Money will come from federal and local governments and the county tax on hotel, motel and vacation rentals. Bond proceeds will make up any shortfall, Carter says.

How much bond money will be available for other greenway projects is unknown. The county hasn’t said how much it will spend on each of the three areas the bonds are to fund, and the county will not evaluate other greenway proposals for funding until 2026, well after it makes decisions on parks and conservation easement spending.

But, Carter says she expects “a good amount of money” will be left over for other greenway projects, and “I can assure you that the county is committed to making sure that greenways get their fair share.”

TIME TO BUILD

Thomas Gull, the county’s new principal planner for parks and recreation, says he expects construction of 3.25 miles of greenway along the French Broad River in Woodfin to begin in early 2025 and finish the same year. Work on 1.2 miles of greenway along Beaverdam Creek in Woodfin should follow in 2026. About $16.3 million has been committed to the two projects, though Gull cautions that “drastic fluctuations in construction costs” mean their final price tags could be different.

The Enka greenway has been delayed before, and although $6.4 million is committed to the 1.85-mile project, Gull says he can’t provide a timeline for construction. Rules governing use of the $5.1 million in federal money set to go to the project require tests for underground contaminants, he says, but some property owners have declined to allow them.

The county has hoped this project would construct a greenway from the intersection of Sand Hill Road and Warren Haynes Drive to a point near the Enka Lake Road/Sand Hill Road intersection. However, Gull says the testing issue may mean the county will have to shorten it.

Buncombe also committed $400,000 for sidewalks, bike lanes and intersection upgrades in Black Mountain to make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to travel between the town’s existing Flat Creek Greenway and In the Oaks Trail. Work will likely begin in 2025, says town Planning Director Jessica Trotman.

Greenway supporters are not looking for the county’s efforts to result in greenways on the ground tomorrow or the next day but do predict progress.

“It happens over a very long period of time,” Bromberg says. “I never thought I would see the development that’s happened along the river in the city, but there it is.”

sidewalks and, historically, no internal capacity to build them.

On the transit side, the county at the moment is more concerned with trying to get staffing and

back to pre-pandemic levels than with any major expansion, he says.

“The sidewalks are the things we’re really missing right now,” High says. “That’s what we need first.”

ridership

ON THE SHOULDER: Students going to or from school have worn a narrow dirt path beside Rocket Drive, which provides access to Reynolds High and Reynolds Middle schools. A 2012 plan adopted by Buncombe County calls for a greenway in the area that would make trips like these easier, but the project has never been funded. Photo by Mark Barrett

Cherokee votes to approve recreational marijuana

Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing recreational cannabis Sept. 7, a move that could have big economic implications for the tribe.

In a Sept. 6 op-ed by Qualla Enterprises LLC, the group established to manage the tribe’s for-profit medical marijuana business, legalization of recreational cannabis is expected to create 400 new and well-paying jobs.

“The demand to work with Qualla is both overwhelming and humbling; Qualla has received hundreds of job applications, and that number grows each week,” Qualla Enterprises wrote.

The opinion piece goes on to say that if the Eastern Band chooses to distribute revenue to tribal members like the casino revenue payouts, payouts from recreational cannabis have

the potential to be 50% larger than the medical cannabis-only system over five years,

The Tribal Council will need to formally write and approve legislation legalizing recreational cannabis before the change could go into effect. The measure would make the Qualla Boundary, which is about 46 miles west of Asheville, the only place in North Carolina where marijuana can legally be purchased for recreational use.

Radhakrishnan to lead Embassy Suites

Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown named Rohit Radhakrishnan general manager. The 188-room hotel, owned and managed by Parks Hospitality Group, will open at 192 Haywood St. this winter. Radhakrishnan has been the general manager of several hotels within and outside of the Hilton family.

SBA honors Highland founder Wong

Highland Brewing founder Oscar Wong was presented with the Small Business Administration Legacy Honor as part of its 70th-anniversary celebration in Charlotte. Wong completed a master’s degree in engineering before opening Highland in the basement of Barley’s Taproom on Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville in 1994. The business expanded to its present location in East Asheville, thanks in part to SBA financing.

Mall adds new businesses

The Biltmore Park Town Square shopping center is preparing for several stores to open over the next few months, including Taco Boy and Dolly Llama Waffle Master, along with REEDS Jewelers and Club Champion, a golf club-fitting business. The new additions are part of a growth strategy for its developer,

Biltmore Farms, as it continues to evolve Biltmore Park Town Square.

Hotel celebrates Fitzgerald

A new boutique hotel, Zelda Dearest, is slated to open next month. The 20-room hotel, which encompasses three early 20th-century mansions in Asheville’s South Slope neighborhood, celebrates the life and aesthetic of writer Zelda Fitzgerald. Zelda Dearest is a partnership among Lark Hotels, Hatteras Sky and its capital partner, Somera Capital East. The hotel is accepting reservations for stays beginning Sunday, Oct. 8. More information at avl.mx/czs.

Event focuses on businesswomen

PLR Connect Events, which specializes in creating and facilitating events for women, is hosting Expand 23 at The Cambria in downtown Asheville from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30. The event includes a variety of workshops and opportunities for women entrepreneurs to connect. More information and tickets at avl.mx/czt.

BPR names Adams to audience post

Blue Ridge Public Radio has promoted Erin Adams as its first director of audience. She will lead BPR’s audience growth and engagement strategy for digital, social and broadcast platforms, as well as in-person community events. Adams joined BPR as membership manager in January 2020 and has more than 15 years of public media experience. Adams also worked in marketing and communications at NPR in Washington, D.C., and in membership at Nashville Public Radio. The UNC Asheville graduate got her start in print journalism at the Asheville Citizen Times.

Firestorm opens new location

Firestorm Books, a self-proclaimed radical bookstore cooperative and community event space, moved from 610 Haywood Road to 1022 Haywood Road last month. The bookstore, which was founded 15 years ago, completed renovations at the former

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Qualla Enterprises LLC, the group established to manage the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ for-profit medical marijuana business,writes that legalization of recreational cannabis is expected to create 400 new and well-paying jobs. Photo from iStock

site of Dr. Dave’s Automotive over the summer, including adding sidewalks, green space and a wooden deck that spans two-thirds of the storefront.

Givens uses grant to buy van

The Golden LEAF Foundation, a nonprofit established to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding received from a 1998 settlement with cigarette manufacturers, has awarded $55,000 to Givens Gerber Park, a rental retirement community for adults 55 and older. Givens Gerber Park plans to use the funds to purchase a new van and upfit the van for MANNA Food Bank distribution.

Read to Succeed adds executive

Asheville-based nonprofit Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe hired Ashley Allen as co-executive director. Allen came to the area 15 years ago and worked for a decade in Asheville City Schools as an instructional assistant, bus driver, kindergarten and first grade teacher, grade-level chair and trainer. Allen served as the secretary to the board of directors from 2021-23 and worked with organizations such as Youthful HAND in Hillcrest, Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC and Crossroads Church.

Rescue Ministries gains $50K grant

Western Carolina Rescue Ministries received a $50,000 grant from Truist Foundation to provide resources more efficiently in its programs that assist in economic mobility. The funding will provide education and work materials, such as laptops or clothing, that participants might not be able to purchase on their own, as well as maintain the Rescue Ministry’s multiuse vans. WCRM also plans to hire a director of mental health services to assist program participants.

Funding for outdoors businesses

Made by Mountains, a collaboration of Mountain BizWorks, Outdoor Gear Builders of WNC and the N.C. Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, announced the grant recipients of

its Outdoor Equity Fund. The 20 grantees represent small businesses, sole proprietors, nonprofits and community groups across Western North Carolina’s 25 counties and the Qualla Boundary. The $125,000 in grants come from the Dogwood Health Trust as part of the threeyear Accelerating Outdoors Grant. Read the full list of recipients at avl.mx/czu.

Wright named Woman of Influence

Marilyn Wright, a real estate advisor at the Asheville office of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, was recognized in the Women of Influence list for 2023. The list, compiled by mortgage and housing markets analysts HousingWire, includes 100 women who have made significant contributions to shaping and advancing the housing economy. Wright has ranked in the top 10 agents of North Carolina for the last three years.

Frost to lead nature center

The board of directors of the Friends of the WNC Nature Center tapped Kate Frost as the next executive director. Frost spent 13 years working with nonprofits to serve children and their families, college students and senior adults before joining the nature center in 2019 as the development and marketing director. Frost’s tenure began July 1, following the retirement of Karen Babcock. Babcock had served in the role since September 2018.

Student leaders honored

Bank of America Asheville Market has chosen two high school students, Barfuo Boakye-Boaten and Judy Felipe De La Cruz, as Bank of America Student Leaders. They will get eight-week paid summer internships. The students will work with local nonprofits Chow Chow Food and Culture Festival and AshevilleBuncombe Community Land Trust.

— Brooke Randle  X

Karen Cragnolin Park officially opens after 17 years of restoration work

After 17 years of removing toxic soil and replanting native grasses and flora, the greenway phase of Karen Cragnolin Park officially opened with a dedication ceremony Aug. 25. The park was dedicated to and named after Karen Cragnolin, the founder and former executive director of RiverLink who died in 2022. Located at 190 Amboy Road, the 5.33 acres in the French Broad River Park corridor transformed from a former junkyard into green space.

Karen Cragnolin Park is the missing link in a trail system connecting Carrier and Amboy Road river parks. Phase one of a larger park project covers one-third of the 5-acre property. The latest features include a paved path, stormwater management to facilitate flood mitigation and water quality, pollinator meadows and educational signage. Additional features being considered include a pavilion, river access and an educational platform, all dependent on funding and partnerships.

Speakers at the event included Raleigh Cragnolin, Karen’s husband; Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer ; Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority CEO Vic Isley; and RiverLink board member Anne Keller

“Nothing in the riverfront greenway development is easy, and Karen knew that very well. She did not turn away from difficult situations. Her efforts produced great things, like this greenway and the park with her name on it. She fought so hard to turn RiverLink’s riverfront visions into reality, and this parcel is a hardfought victory,” said Manheimer. “We are so lucky to have such a dedicated organization partnering with all of us in this community. I can’t say that enough. We are so lucky.”

“These types of projects enhance the quality of life for area residents and enrich visits for our guests,” said Isley. “We are delighted to support Karen Cragnolin’s vision and RiverLink’s dedication to enhance the economic viability of our natural systems and expand access to the French Broad River for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Good to know

• RiverLink received $50,500 from the Community Foundation of

Western North Carolina for its When It Rains, It Pollutes clean water campaign for the French Broad River. The campaign highlights the fact that stormwater pollution is a threat to water quality and biodiversity in the French Broad River and promotes public action to reduce pollution delivered by stormwater throughout the watershed.

• WNC Agricultural Options is accepting grant applications from farmers diversifying or expanding their businesses. WNC AgOptions helps offset farmers’ risk of trying new ventures and expanding their farms with $4,000 and $8,000 grants. More information can be found at avl.mx/d0b.

• On Aug. 26, 62 volunteers joined Asheville GreenWorks to pick up trash throughout West Asheville. Volunteers collected 48 bags of trash, weighing a total of 300 pounds. More cleanups throughout the rest of Asheville are being planned.

• Multiple road projects are taking place along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which may lead to road closures throughout the season. Parkway officials encourage visitors to check the latest closure information at avl.mx/7tw.

• On July 28, the City of Asheville “flipped the switch” on the photovoltaic array, commonly known as solar panels, at the Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center on Livingston Street. This is the sixth city facility to include renewable energy production, the first being the Transit Station on Coxe Avenue. The Wesley Grant Center system will produce approximately 147,600 kilowatt hours per year, enough to power 13.2 homes.

• On Aug. 23, Asheville GreenWorks TreeKeepers and Sand Hill Community Garden volunteers harvested 225 pounds of apples from the Sand Hill Community Orchard. The apples were donated to the free community market at Montmorenci United Methodist

Church in Candler, along with the weekly bounty of produce from Sandhill Community Garden.

• The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased 124 acres in the Crabtree and Fines Creek communities of Haywood County, adding to hundreds of acres already conserved in the area. The N.C. Native Plant Society’s Alice Zawadzki Land Conservation Fund awarded SAHC a $1,000 grant to fund a biological inventory of the new preserve.

Save the date

• The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s annual Farm Tour returns Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 23-24. All farms on the tour are within an hour’s drive of Asheville and showcase the region’s agricultural diversity, from fruits and vegetables to livestock and fiber. More information and passes are available at avl.mx/bt9.

• On Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Greenworks is hosting its annual WNC Big Sweep cleanup project. Volunteer groups throughout the region will focus on cleaning over 25 miles of the French Broad River, as well as several creeks in the area. More information can be found at avl.mx/d0c.

• The Organic Growers School is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the Sow & Grow Fest from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, at Smoky Park Supper Club. The event will feature local food trucks, craft beverages, bluegrass music, and several local gardening and floral vendors. More information is available at avl.mx/d0a.

• The WNC Gardening Symposium, organized by the region’s Extension Master Gardeners, comes to Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock on Wednesday, Oct. 11. With the theme of “Seeds of Joy: The Evolution of Your Home Garden,” the event will feature YouTube personality Linda Vater and Craig Mauney of the Mountain Horticulture Crops Research and Extension Center. More information is available at avl.mx/bka.

• The WNC Nature Center will host a behind-the-scenes tour from 1:303 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14. The event will give visitors the opportunity to meet the zookeepers, experience an animal enrichment session and learn about the feeding and care of the center’s animals. More information and the registration link can be found at avl.mx/d0d.

— Chase Davis X

GRAND OPENING: The new features of Karen Cragnolin Park include a paved path, stormwater management to facilitate flood mitigation and water quality, pollinator meadows and educational signage. Photo courtesy of RiverLink

Council votes to delay approval for Aspire development

Asheville City Council voted unanimously Sept. 12 to postpone approval of a massive development near the downtown YMCA because of concerns over the project’s scope and impact on the surrounding community.

Developers of Project Aspire envision it to be a “walkable, dense development that will serve as a gateway to downtown Asheville.” The project would span three properties totaling 10.5 acres, including the current downtown YMCA building, the First Baptist Church and the State Employees Credit Union building, which are located next to Interstate 240 on Woodfin and Oak streets.

The Furman Co., lead developer for the project, is requesting to have the area rezoned from Commercial Business District to Commercial Business Expansion District, which would allow for more flexibility relat-

ed to the size and scope of buildings. While the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the request Aug. 2, final approval from City Council is needed before the project can move forward.

Five new buildings are proposed — requiring the demolition of the current YMCA and SECU buildings; the historic church would remain. If approved, construction would be in two phases over 10 years. Phase 1 would include a 20-story hotel with up to 300 rooms and a six-story YMCA with an attached 800-space parking garage of the same height. Phase 2 includes three buildings: a 19-story office building with an attached seven-story, 900-space parking garage and two six-story residential buildings with up to 650 units. A surface parking lot in phase 2 would bring parking to 1,800 to 2,000 spaces.

Council member Antanette Mosley called attention to the height of the proposed development, reflecting concern from several community members that it does not accurately reflect the “aesthetic and character of the surrounding community.” She requested that the developers cap the building at 15 stories. However, Robert Poppleton, vice president for Greenville, S.C.,-based The Furman Co., declined to consider the appeal, noting that 20 stories is allowed under the requested zoning.

“We understand through reviewing the current zoning ordinances that the height of these buildings is consistent with what is laid out in the existing code,” Poppleton said. “It is not possible to achieve what we are seeking to achieve with our sponsors if we were to reduce the height of the buildings.”

Council member Maggie Ullman said that such a large number of parking felt excessive, noting that the total number of all city-owned parking in downtown is fewer than 2,000. She asked if it would be possible to limit the number of parking spaces to 1,700. That was also rejected by the developers.

“We started this process by looking at the comprehensive plan, and it says that the goal for Asheville is to have parking on the outer sides of the city so that people can park and walk in. This development is an outer gateway to the city, so if there

PARKING: “[W]hen we are seeking funding for the development, the first thing that [the bank] will ask about the project’s viability is ‘Where can people park?’” Stephen Navarro, Furman CEO, said at the Sept. 12 Council meeting. “If we can’t answer that question, we won’t get the funding.” Screenshot courtesy of the City of Asheville

is excessive parking, we expect that people will want to park there and walk into the city,” said Stephen Navarro, Furman CEO. “Also, when we are seeking funding for the development, the first thing that [the bank] will ask about the project’s viability is ‘Where can people park?’ If we can’t answer that question, we won’t get the funding.”

Vice Mayor Sandra Kilgore asked if some parking could be redeveloped later if found to be underused. Navarro said that’s not possible. “Parking is the bane of every developer’s existence, and if we could reduce the amount of parking, we would,” he said. “The way we have planned to build our parking is as space-efficient as possible, but it is not adaptable. I wish that they were, and we did think about it, but it was not feasible.”

Additionally, Navarro said that since the parking garages would be available to the public, he hopes the city would help fund them.

After further discussion, Council members voted to postpone approval because of unresolved issues related to parking, building height and future funding. Rather than deny the request, which would prevent the developer from reapproaching for six

months, Council voted 6-0 to delay consideration to the Sept. 26 meeting. Ullman noted that while Council members are excited and support the project, more details were needed.

“We have one chance as the community’s elected officials to put in some controls through this zoning request,” said Ullman. “I understand the ambition and scale of this project makes it difficult to answer some of our concerns, but we are trusted by the public to be the check and balance for developments. I hear a lot of the vision, but I just wish there was more detail before we move forward.”

Because the vote was delayed to Sept. 26, public comment related to this development was also postponed.

In other news

City Council also approved two technical amendments to city panhandling ordinances.

The first amendment added language specifying that solicitors must be at least 8 feet away from “transit stops” (such as bus stops or busy medians) as well as “individuals who have made a negative response” to their solicitation attempts. The second amendment provided an exception to the existing ordinance for people who are soliciting family members and mutual acquaintances.

The second phase, set to come before the City Council in early October, will consider more substantial amendments that would restrict donations from vehicles and increase the number of high-traffic zones.

The technical amendments passed 6-0, with Council member Kim Roney attending by phone due to illness. Roney stated her opposition to the ordinance but could not cast a vote. North Carolina law states that City Council members only can vote remotely under a governor-declared state of emergency.

Resident Jensen Gelfond encouraged more community input on the amendments.

“I want to encourage the city to think about a deeper level of engagement with citizens,” Gelfond said.

“Even a deeper level of engagement with people who are soliciting or panhandling. How can you know exactly what to do about this situation if we don’t even reach out to the people who will be affected most?

“There are lots of things to be thinking about here. How is a $500 fine for soliciting, when someone breaks that 8-foot barrier, going to affect them when they can’t pay it?” Gelfond said.

— Chase Davis

Asheville City Board of Education sets performance metrics for superintendent

erent ignorance,” Ray said to crowd applause, with added emphasis on her final two words.

Another frequent public commenter, Pepi Acebo, asked the board to be careful in making a deal with Buncombe County on the use of the former Asheville Primary School campus on Haywood Road, which is owned by ACS.

At its Sept. 5 work session, the board informally endorsed a county-funded study evaluating how the campus could be used.

Among considered uses, ACS board members have said they prefer turning the campus into a pre-K facility or an education and career academy. It now serves as headquarters for ACS’ maintenance team.

CONTENTIOUS COMMENTERS: Asheville City Board of Education Chair George Sieburg, center, used his gavel at the Sept. 11 meeting to interrupt a public commenter who was describing graphic details from a sex education book he claims is inappropriate for children. Sieburg contends the content is inappropriate when read out of context in a public meeting rather than a library. Photo courtesy of Asheville City Schools

As another school year starts with a new superintendent at the helm, the Asheville City Board of Education agreed on a new evaluation tool for the district’s latest leader at its Sept. 11 meeting.

The metric, drafted by Superintendent Maggie Fehrman, will focus on her progress in three categories: strategic plan development; strategic facilities planning; and leader accountability, transparency, governance and policy.

“I really like it,” said board member Amy Ray at a work session Sept. 5. “I think you did a great job of synthesizing and distilling the values that we identified for you as core to your work when we hired you. I feel like this does a good job of that, and I think it’s a great tool to begin with.”

Fehrman, ACS’ sixth superintendent since 2013, said she drew inspiration from the state’s suggested evaluation tool for superintendents but wanted to customize it to ACS’ specific needs.

The board set as a priority a districtwide, five-year strategic plan when Fehrman joined the district July 17.

Fehrman included ensuring “rigorous and comprehensive stakeholder input” and including students, parents, community members and partners in assessing district strengths and weaknesses to help shape a strategic plan.

Board Chair George Sieburg said full community engagement is the most vital piece of both develop-

ing a strategic plan and evaluating the superintendent.

“When we talk about evaluating the superintendent, I would love to be able to hear from community parents, teachers, educators and students on their evaluation of the superintendent to inform my evaluation,” he said Sept. 5.

Fehrman said she could conduct a community survey to provide the board with community opinions on whether, for example, she was successfully creating an environment of trust and mutual respect, which is one of her stated goals.

While the board passed the tool as drafted by Fehrman, board member Rebecca Strimer said at the Sept. 11 meeting the board will consider possible amendments and a timeline for its use in future public meetings.

At the Sept. 5 work session, the board discussed providing feedback for Fehrman using the evaluation tool at its January retreat, when the board could also discuss a formal timeline for future assessments.

Public comment

During public comment, frequent school board critic Pastor Ronald Gates got shut down before the end of his allocated three minutes by Sieburg as Gates read out explicit sexual passages from a book he claims is available in school libraries.

Gates, who regularly appears at meetings of both ACS and Buncombe County Schools, as well as an occa-

sional Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting, typically reads explicit passages and describes graphic images that he says are inappropriate for young readers.

Near the end of his three-minute descriptions at the Sept. 11 meeting, Sieburg attempted to interrupt Gates several times. Gates did not stop speaking until he was approached by Asheville Police Department officers stationed in the room.

“But I [have] freedom of speech, brother. I [have] my first liberty, don’t I? You’re still taking my minutes. There is my liberty, my First Amendment,” Gates said loudly.

“Reverend Gates, your time is up,” Sieburg repeated several times until Gates walked away from the podium.

In an uncharacteristic move, Sieburg and Ray both responded to public commenters at the close of the public comment session.

“Given the public comments we’ve had recently, there is a difference between reading something in a public forum at a public microphone, compared to a child finding a trained educator to find the book that is right for them. And so, for future public comment, and it shouldn’t be happening anyway, if someone is reading something publicly, I do have the right to gavel them to ask them to stop reading,” Sieburg said.

Ray added a thank-you to staff that seemed to be a direct reference to Gates’ comments.

“I want to appreciate every single one of our educators and all that you do in the face of sometimes bellig-

Other potential uses discussed by the county include a transportation hub, food services facility for ACS, branch library or Emergency Medical Services base.

“Just keep that in mind that you want to keep all of the property that you’ve got because Asheville is not making new property,” Acebo warned.

— Greg Parlier X

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

 Online-only events

 More info, pages 40-41

 More info, pages 38-39

WELLNESS

Therapeutic Recreation

Adult Morning

Movement

Active games, physical activities, and sports for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over. Advanced registration at avlrec. com required.

WE (9/20, 27), 10am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Tai Chi for Balance

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

WE (9/20, 27), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

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

WE (9/20, 27), noon, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Tai Chi Fan

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

provided.

WE (9/20, 27), 1pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Sunset Yoga on the Green

An outdoor yoga event designed to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. Free and all levels are welcome.

WE (9/20), 6pm, Reynolds Village, 41 N Merrimon Ave, Woodfin Zumba Free class.

TH (9/21, 28), TU (9/26), 6:30pm, St. James Episcopal Church, 424 W State St, Black Mountain

Circuit Cardio

A traditional HIIT format of 20 seconds on and 20 seconds off that improve endurance, power and overall fitness.

TH (9/21, 28), 9:30am, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St Tai Chi for Beginners

A class for anyone interested in Tai Chi and building balance as well as body awareness.

TH (9/21, 28), 11:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109 Nia Dance Fitness

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

TH (9/21, 28), 9:30am, TU (9/26), 10:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

are the Veterans Treatment Court of Western North Carolina Foundation and the N.C. Veterans Writing Alliance Foundation, also known as Brothers and Sisters Like These.

Dharma & Discuss People coming together in friendship to meditate, learn and discuss the Dharma. Beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome.

TH (9/21), 7pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Relax & Restore

This class helps improve posture, flexibility, and mood.

TH (9/21, 28), 10:30am, Dr Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St

Free Yoga

A yoga session held outdoors.

FR (9/22), 5pm, Rabbit Rabbit, 75 Coxe Ave

Free Meditation

All are welcome to this one-hour silent meditation practice.

SA (9/23), 10am, Ganesh Place, 594 Ray Hill Rd, Mills River

Therapeutic Slow Flow

Yoga

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

own mat.

SA (9/23), 10am, Mount Inspiration Apparel, 444 Haywood Rd, Ste 103

Yoga in the Park All-levels welcomed, but bring your own props and mat. Pre-register at avl.mx/9n6.

SA (9/23), SU (9/24) 11am, 220 Amboy Rd

Move Fitness Sculpt Class

A full-body sculpt class featuring low impact movements to high impact music.

SU (9/24), 9am, The Restoration Hotel Asheville, 68 Patton Ave

Wild Souls Authentic Movement Class

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

SU (9/24), 9:30am, Dunn's Rock Community Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard

Yoga Taco Mosa

Donation based yoga with Clare Desmelik. Bring your mat, a water bottle and an open heart.

SU (9/24), 10:30am, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Gentle Yoga for Queer & GNC Folks

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

individuals.

SU (9/24), 1:30pm, W Asheville Yoga, 602 Haywood Rd

Barre Fusion

A high energy low impact practice that shapes, sculpts, and tones the body like a dancer. No experience necessary, open to all levels.

MO (9/25), 9:30am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Metta Meditation

In-person guided meditation focused on benevolence & loving-kindness. This event is free to attend. Beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome.

MO (9/25), 7pm, Quietude Micro-retreat Center, 1130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Qigong for Health

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

FR (9/22), TU (9/26), 9am, SA (9/23), 11am, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Gentle Mat Pilates

A class for those interested in trying Pilates.

TU (9/26), 10am, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St

tions are required.

TH (9/21), 6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting

Reflecting on the history of American Realism one can see the endless variety of approaches artists choose to record their world. This exhibition continues this thread, offering viewers an opportunity to explore a singular and still vigorous aspect of American painting. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed on Tuesday. Exhibition through Feb. 5, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Romare Bearden: Ways of Working

This exhibition highlights works on paper and explores many of Romare Bearden's most frequently used mediums including screen-printing, lithography, hand colored etching, collagraph, monotype, relief print, photomontage, and collage. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through Jan. 22, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation

Yoga In the Solarium

Flow through gentle Vinyasa and center yourself to the effects of sound bathing. All experience levels welcome.

TH (9/28), 6:30pm, The Restoration Hotel Asheville, 68 Patton Ave

ART

Daily Craft Demonstrations

Two artists of different media will explain and demonstrate their craft with informative materials displayed at their booths, daily. These free and educational opportunities are open to the public. Open daily, 10am.

Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Pkwy

Art in the Park Haywood Council Arts

Council artist members will present a selection of their work with some artists demonstrating their craft.

TH (9/21), 4pm, Sorrells St Park, corner of Main St and Sorrells St, Canton

Public Tour: Intersections in American Art

A docent led tour of the Museum's Collection and special exhibitions. No reserva-

This exhibition explores the many identities of food in daily life: whether a source of pleasure, a reason for gathering, a mass-produced commodity, or a reflection of social ideologies and divisions. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed on Tuesday. Exhibition through Oct. 22.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

The Wool & The Wood Featuring needle-felted wool landscapes by Jaana Mattson and fine furniture by Scott Kestel. Gallery open Monday through Sunday, 10am. Exhibition through Oct. 29.

Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Rd

Haywood Studio Tour

A two-day self guided tour where visitors are invited into artist's studios to meet the artists, view demonstrations, and purchase art. This event will feature 38 artists in 20 studios. Free and open to the public.

SA (9/23), SU (9/24), 10am, Haywood County Arts Council, 86 N Main St, Waynesville

Public Tour: The Art of Food

A volunteer educator led tour of The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation. No reservations are

VETERANS BENEFIT SHOW: Singer/songwriter Malcolm Holcombe hosts a benefit show with friends at The Grey Eagle on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. This year’s beneficiaries

Photo by Sandlin Gaither

required.

SU (9/24), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square Spark of the Eagle Dancer: The Collecting Legacy of Lambert Wilson

This exhibition celebrates the legacy of Lambert Wilson, a passionate collector of contemporary Native American art. Over 140 works on view tell the story of the relationships he built and the impact that he made by dedicating himself to this remarkable collection. Gallery open Tuesday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through Dec. 8.

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

Western North Carolina Glass: Selections from the Collection

Western North Carolina is important in the history of American glass art. A variety of techniques and a willingness to push boundaries of the medium can be seen in this selection of works. Gallery open daily, 11am, closed Tuesday. Exhibition through April 15, 2024.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Krafthouse 2023: Forest of the New Trees

An immersive art installation that engages with concepts related to an imagined major event, species survival and adaptation.

TH (9/28), 5pm, Center for Craft, 67 Broadway St

Onicas Gaddis: Homage to Miss Sarah

A collection of works by Onicas Gaddis dedicated to his first mentor and friend, Sarah Carlisle Towery. Gallery open Monday through Friday, 10am. Exhibition through Sept. 29.

Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

COMMUNITY MUSIC

The Songwriter Sessions w/John Longbottom, Lillie Syracuse & Chris Wilhelm

An evening of original songs in a natural acoustic listening room. This week features John Longbottom, Lillie Syracuse and Chris Wilhelm.

WE (9/20), 7pm, The Brandy Bar, 504 7th Ave E, Hendersonville

Thursday Night Live: Pierson-Law Duo

An evening of live music in the Museum’s Windgate Foundation Atrium featuring the Pierson-Law duo.

TH (9/21), 6pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Masterworks 1: Out of the Shadows

Brahms, Elgar and Beethoven bring on all the drama and inspiration. Featuring cellist Sterling Elliot, and hosted by Asheville Symphony.

SA (9/23), 2pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St

Artrageous

A fusion of multi-talented visual artists with world-class musicians and highly trained dancers to create stunning works of art in real time.

SA (9/23), 7pm, Wortham Center For

The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

Cary Cooper & Friends: 60th Birthday

Bash

A public birthday celebration with live music featuring Michael Lille, David Lamotte, and Annie Wenz.

SA (9/23), 7pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Fall Equinox Concert

Kawaii concert grand in the Prayer Dome with Richeart Music.

SU (9/24), 2:30pm, UR Light Center, 2196 NC-9, Black Mountain

Mark's House Jam & Beggar's Banquet

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

SU (9/24), 3pm, Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr

The Asheville Jazz Orchestra

The hardest swinging 17-piece jazz orchestra in Western North Carolina.

SU (9/24), 7:30pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Reuter Center Singers

Seasoned seniors that study and perform classical, popular, show tunes and other favorites.

MO (9/25), 6:15pm, UNC Asheville Reuter Center, 1 University Heights

Outdoor Live Jazz Concert

A live jazz series featuring host, pianist, and composer, Michael Jefry Stevens. This program is free to attend and no registration is required.

TH (9/28), 6pm, Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Rd, Candler

LITERARY

Joke Writing Workshop

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

that isn't working.

WE (9/20, 27), 6:30pm, Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave

Wilma Dykeman

Legacy: My Stories Series

A book discussion of Bearwallow: A Personal History of a Mountain Homeland.

WE (9/20), 7pm, West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Rd

Poetry Open Mic Hendo

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

18+

TH (9/21, 28), 7:30pm, Shakedown Lounge, 706 Seventh Ave E, Hendersonville

Asheville Storyslam: Drive Prepare a five-minute story about something that propelled you forward. Accelerating cars or burning desire, obsession, ambition or escape.

TH (9/21), 7:30pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Appalachia on the Table: Representing Mountain Food & People Guest speaker, Erica Abrams Locklear, discuses her new book Appalachia on the Table: Representing Mountain Food and People.

WE (9/27), noon, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Wired for Dating Book Club

Discuss neurobiology and attachment styles in love relationships, and apply the lyrics of secure love songs in dating.

WE (9/27), 6pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

The Black Angels: Maria Smilios w/Sarah Patten

Author Maria Smilios  sits down with Sarah Patten in-conversation to talk about her book

The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis. There will be a Q&A portion followed by a book signing.

TH (9/28), 6pm, Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe, 55 Haywood St

THEATER & FILM

Peace Education Video

61 countries participated in this program that aims to to transform lives across cultures from high school and university students in Europe and the U.S. to police officers in Mexico.

TH (9/21), 7:30pm, N Asheville Recreation Center, 37 E Larchmont Rd

What the Constitution Means to Me

In this achingly human new play, human Pulitzer Prize finalist Heidi Schreck resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

WE (9/20), TH (9/21), SA (9/23), 7:30pm, FR (9/22), 2pm, N Carolina Stage Co., 15 Stage Ln Free Outdoor Movie: The Iron Giant Bring a blanket or chair and kick back to watch a crowd-pleasing animated movie, 'The Iron Giant,' under the stars in Swannanoa.

FR (9/22), 7pm, Grovemont Square, 101 W Charleston Ave, Swannanoa

Just Films: Little Satchmo

A film about the Louis Armstrong from his daughter's perspective. The film will be followed by a Q&A session with filmmaker John Alexander and producer J.C. Guest.

FR (9/22), 7pm, OLLI/ Reuter Center, 300 Campus View Rd

The Tempest

An audience favorite for its comedy, romance, and some fun stage trickery to showcase a massive shipwreck and some supernatural goings on.

FR (9/22), SA (9/23), SU (9/24), 7:30pm, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay St Muses & Mocktails: Relics

A multi-genre performance curated with guest artists to unfold & mend our cultural relationship to death. The show will be followed by a dance party with local DJ & producer: Blacknote.

FR (9/22), 8pm, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

D.W Gregory: Radium Girls

Radium Girls offers a wry, unflinching look at the peculiarly American obsessions with health, wealth and the commercialization of science.

FR (9/22), SA (9/23), 7pm, SU (9/24), 2pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Pippin

With a score by Stephen Schwartz and a dazzling circus-inspired production, Pippin is an audience-pleasing theatrical spectacle that explores themes of love, war, and the meaning of life.

FR (9/22), SA (9/23), 7:30pm, SU (9/24), 2:30pm, Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E Walnut St

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

Peace Education Program

A series of video-based workshops that help people discover their own inner strength and personal peace.

WE (9/20), 5pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

The Artist’s Way Workshop

A guided walk through Julie Cameron’s world renown self-help book for professional artists, part-time creators, or anyone looking to discover and unblock their creative process.

WE (9/20, 27), 7pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Beginners Aerial Silks

Learn a new skill and be part of a supportive community. All bodies are welcome. Space is limited so registration is required.

WE (9/20, 27), 4pm, 5:30p, Amethyst Realm, 244 Short Coxe Ave

Free E-Bike Rental

A free one hour bike adventure to experience Asheville’s historic River Arts District, French Broad River Greenway, local breweries, restaurants and more.

WE (9/20, 27), 10am, Ace Bikes, 342 Depot St

Spanish Club

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

WE (9/20, 27), 6pm, Black Mountain Brewing, 131 NC-9, Black Mountain

Support Group for Survivors of Sexual Assault

All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Call (828) 252-0562 or email rebekahm@ ourvoicenc.org for location and details.

WE (9/20), 6pm, Multiple Locations, Citywide

Eightfold Path Study Group

A group will gather to study the Eightfold Path Program. Kris Kramer will host the group as a fellow participant and student.

WE (9/20, 27), 3pm, Black Mountain, Honeycutt St, Black Mountain

Community Choice

Enjoy family activities including puzzles, board games, arts and crafts, and more. Kids ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

WE (9/20, 27), 6:30pm, Dr Wesley Grant, Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St

A New Relationship With Death: From Grief To Growth

Brian Smith will discuss how he went from a life of fear of death which kept him paralyzed, to embracing all life has to offer including death. Register at avl.mx/8u5.

WE (9/20), 7pm, Online

Dollar Décor DIY

Enjoy new crafts made from simple items you have at home or can be found at dollar stores. Advance registration at avlrec.com required.

WE (9/20), 7pm, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Intro to Ballroom

Dance

Explore the world of Latin and Ballroom dancing with such styles as swing, salsa, foxtrot, rumba, merengue, and more.

WE (9/20, 27), 6pm, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Midweek Showdown:

Game Night

A game night extravaganza with live game show challenges for teams of five or less, as well as board games and pinball galore. Each week brings fresh challenges.

WE (9/20, 27), 7pm, Dssolvr, 63 N Lexington Ave

Swing Dance Lessons

A dance series class focused on the Lindy Hop.

WE (9/20, 27), 7pm, LEAF Global Arts, 19 Eagle St

Container Gardening: Seasonal Transitions

Learn how to extend the life of planted pots and how to transition them from summer into fall and beyond. The presentation is free; registration is required.

TH (9/21), 10am, Buncombe County Cooperative Ext Center, 49 Mount Carmel Rd, Ste 102

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

TH (9/21, 28), MO (9/25), TU (9/26), 4pm, Dragon Phoenix, 51 N Merrimon Ave, Ste 109

Your Voice Matters: An Empowering Presentation & Dinner

This presentation empowers parents and caregivers with the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate with their children about the changes that occur during adolescence. Registration required for dinner.

TH (9/21), 6pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

1st NC Restaurant to have Brewers &

Distillers

permits

CURRENTLY

FEATURING

14 DIFFERENT BEERS & 8 DIFFERENT SPIRITS

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

Daily Specials

Mon: BOGO Meatloaf and Others

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

Wed: Wine bottles 1/2 price

Thu: All you can eat mussels

Open for Lunch!

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

868 Merrimon Ave, AVL ryeknotco.com

Swing Dance Lesson & Dance

Swing dancing lesson and dance, every Thursday.

TH (9/21, 28), 7pm, Alley Cat Social Club, 797 Haywood Rd

Adult River Snorkeling

Recreational activity that allows people to see our mountain streams from a new perspective. This event is for community members ages 18 and older.

FR (9/22), 9am, Asheville Recreation Park, 65 Gashes Creek Rd

French Broad River

Tour: Buncombe County

Land of Sky Regional Council will offer a tour of each county in our region with a focus on how we can work together to protect the French Broad River while supporting the growth and development of region. For more information and locations visit avl.mx/czk.

FR (9/22), 9am, Multiple Locations, Citywide

Bystander Intervention Techniques

A two hour training session on Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) techniques. In this 2 hour training, you will learn how to best intervene when harm is happening.

FR (9/22), 11am, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Family Paint Night

A night of creativity for all ages. All of the materials are provided, but advance registration at avlrec.

com required.

FR (9/22), 6pm, Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St

Art & Soul

Relaxing art classes and self expression with other adults 50 and over. Free, but advance registration at avlrec. com required.

FR (9/22), 6:30pm, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave

Bike Safety Rodeo

A free, fun-filled family event dedicated to promoting bike and safety education in the community. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes to fully participate in the event's bike skills course. For those without bikes, a limited number will be available for borrowing on-site.

SA (9/23), 9am, Buncombe County Training Facility, 20 Canoe Ln, Woodfin

Chalk the Walk

A dynamic street painting contest. Participants can register for different categories, and each category will have a cash prize winner.

SA (9/23), 9am, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W State St, Black Mountain

Employee Ownership & Worker Cooperatives 101

In this workshop, explore the basics of worker co-ops and employee ownership.

SA (9/23), 9am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Walk for the World

Imagine a global community, walking into a new future, together. With a collective attention, and clear intention, focused on change.

SA (9/23), 10am, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd

Therapeutic Recreation

Tennis Lessons

Learn tennis basics and practice skills on the court. This four-week course is designed for individuals with intellectual disabilities who are ages 8 and over. For more information, please call (828) 232-4529.

SA (9/23), 1pm, The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave

The Sherrill Family History, Lore & DNA

This discussion is presented by Gary, Muffley, Ph.D., a retired clinical psychologist. Register at avl.mx/9ey.

SA (9/23), 1pm, Online

Walking Tour of Downtown Black Mountain Museum staff will lead attendees through historic State Street, Cherry Street and Black Mountain Ave, relaying the history of several buildings and discussing topics including the building of the Swannanoa Tunnel and the disastrous downtown fire of 1912.

SA (9/23), 2pm, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 West State St, Black Mountain

A Glass of History

Swannanoa Valley Museum will be presenting on the history of NC craft beverages, followed by a break, then Jeffrey “Puff” Irvin will conduct a tasting of products from select local vendors.

SA (9/23), 3pm, Grange by Foothills, 120 Broadway Ave, Black Mountain

Change Your Palate Cooking Demo

This free food demonstration is open to everyone but tailored towards those with type 2 diabetes or hypertension and/ or their caretakers. Our featured host is Change Your Palate's very own Shaniqua Simuel.

SA (9/23), 5:30pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Worth Mending

For this free workshop, participants are invited to bring their own garment to mend. Elysha will bring mending supplies, including thread, yarn, needles, scissors, pins, and a range of different fabric for patches.

SA (9/23), 6pm, Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd

Ladies Sunday Cycles

This is a non drop ride, we have cue sheets via Ride with GPS, and there are options to either do the whole ride or head back when needed. Routes will be posted on the Ride My GPS app under WNC Outdoor Collective.

SU (9/24), 7:30am, WNC Outdoor Collective, 110 Black Mountain Ave, Black Mountain

Fall for Ikebana: Autumn Splendor

The exhibition will feature ikebana designs from the four main schools. There will be table-top designs, pedestal designs and floor/installation designs to show a full range of how ikebana can be displayed

SU (9/24), 9am, NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way

Weekly Sunday Scrabble Club

Tournament-style scrabble. All levels of play.

SU (9/24), 12:15pm, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Game Day: Perspective Café

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

SU (9/24), 2pm, Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Sew Co./Rite of Passage Factory Tour

On this 30 minute micro-tour, learn about sustainable and transparent business practices and hear about production processes and client collaborations. Preregister at avl.mx/cec.

MO (9/25), 11am, Rite of Passage Clothing & Sew Co, 240 Clingman Ave Ext

Chess Club

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

MO (9/25), 4pm, Black Mountain Brewing, 131 NC-9, Black Mountain

Leadership is Free

Workshop: Growth & Development in 3 Areas

A free six week course that will enhance your growth development in three areas of leadership.

MO (9/25), 5pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Black Men Monday

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

MO (9/25), 7pm, AmeriHealth Caritas, 216 Asheland Ave

Toddler Discovery Time

Crafts, games, and playtime for toddlers. Advance registration at avlrec.com required.

TU (9/26), 9:45am, Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Intro to Senior Games Sports

Each week will cover a different sport. This is for people trying a new sport for the 2024

Asheville-Buncombe senior games.

TU (9/26), 10am, W Asheville Park, 11 Vermont Ave

Therapeutic Recreation

Adult Crafting & Cooking

A variety of cooking and crafts for individuals with disabilities ages 17 and over each week. This week will focus on crafting broccoli stamp trees.

TU (9/26), 10am, Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd

Introduction to Fly Fishing

Participants learn about basic gear, how to cast a fly rod, where to go, and rules and regulations for fishing in North Carolina. All gear provided, but advance registration at avlrec.com is required.

TU (9/26), 5:30pm, Asheville Recreation Park, 65 Gashes Creek Rd

Bikes 'N Brews

A weekly group ride that takes in the views of Black Mountain and Old Fort and concludes at the WNC Outdoor Collective with your favorite beer or kombucha.

WE (9/27), 5:30pm, WNC Outdoor Collective, 110 Black Mountain Ave, Black Mountain

Homemade Health & Wellness Series w/ Ashley English

A class series focusing on homemade health and wellness items with author, teacher, and homesteader, Ashley English.

WE (9/27), 6pm, Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Rd, Candler

The Overlook Live w/ Matt Peiken

Local Asheville podcast hosts its first live recording event.

WE (9/27), 7pm, Tina McGuire Theatre, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

LOCAL MARKETS

Etowah Lions Club

Farmers Market

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

WE (9/20, 27), 3pm, Etowah Lions Club, 447 Etowah School Rd, Hendersonville

Leicester Farmers Market

Farmers Market with over 30 vendors.

Locally grown and sourced selection of meats, produce, eggs, plants and flowers, baked goods, cheese, honey, sauces, crafts, art, and more. Every Wednesday through Oct. 25.

WE (9/20, 27), 3pm,

Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester

RAD Farmers Market

Providing year-round access to fresh local foods, with 25-30 vendors selling a variety of wares. Handicap parking available in the Smoky Park lot, free public parking available along Riverside Drive. Also accessible by foot, bike, or rollerblade via the Wilma Dykeman Greenway. WE (9/20, 27), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr Weaverville Tailgate Market

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

WE (9/20, 27), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr, Weaverville

Enka-Candler Tailgate Market

A grand selection of local foods and crafts, everything from produce to pickles, baked goods to body care, with a hefty helping of made-to-order meals from our food trucks.

Every Thursday through Oct.

TH (9/21, 8), 3pm, A-B

Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Flat Rock Farmers Market

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

Every Thursday through Oct. 26.

TH (9/21, 28), 3pm, Pinecrest ARP Church, 1790 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock

Pack Square Artisan Market

This market will showcase local handcrafted goods in the heart of downtown Asheville.

Every Friday through Oct. 27.

FR (9/22), 1pm, 1 South Pack Square Park

Saluda Tailgate Market

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

FR (9/22), 4:30pm, W Main St, Saluda

Henderson County Tailgate Market

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

SA (9/23), 8am, 100 N King St, Hendersonville

Hendersonville Farmers Market

A vibrant community gathering space with produce, meat, eggs, baked goods, coffee, crafts, food trucks, live music, kids' activities and more. Every Saturday through Oct. 28. SA (9/23), 8am, 650 Maple St, Hendersonville

North Asheville

Tailgate Market

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

SA (9/23), 8am, 3300 University Heights

Asheville City Market

Local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and other artisan products. Weekly through Dec. 17. SA (9/23), 9am, 52 N Market St

Black Mountain

Tailgate Market

Featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, locally raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and local arts and handcrafted items. Every Saturday through Nov. 18. SA (9/23), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Mars Hill Farmers & Artisans Market

A producer-only tailgate market located on the campus of Mars Hill University on College Street. We offer fresh local produce, herbs, garden and landscape plants, cut flowers, cheeses, meats, eggs, baked, and more. Every Saturday through Oct. 28.

SA (9/23), 10am, College St, Mars Hill

WNC Farmers Market

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

570 Brevard Rd

Pop-Up Market

A pop-up market featuring Carolina Ground, Hominy Farm, Milk Glass Pie, Stonewall Bakery, Seed & Spoon and more. Browse flour, fresh bread, pies & pastries, pasta, eggs, honey, sorghum, yarn books and more.

SU (9/24), 11am, Carolina Ground, 1237 Shipp St, Hendersonville

Meadow Market

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

housewares, vintage goods, and crafts.

SU (9/24), 1pm, Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Ste 200

Asheville Industry Market

Industry market with 25 local craft vendors.

This event is hosted by Asheville Food & Bev United and there will be live music, food, and drink.

MO (9/25), 3pm, Ben's Tune Up, 195 Hilliard Ave

Golden Hour Market Series

A monthly market series bringing high-quality produce & artisan-made goods to Black Mountain, Swannanoa, East Asheville and beyond.

TH (9/28), 4pm, Oak and Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Rd, Black Mountain

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

Rhythm & Brews Concert Series

This week, Americana and western swing artist Melissa Carper will be performing alongside Angela Easterling & The Beguilers.

TH (9/21), 5:30pm, Downtown Hendersonville South Main St Asheville Greek Festival

Explore the tastes, sights, and sounds of Greece, held for over 30 years. Guests will be able to choose from five plate options, a Greek salad and plenty of baklava.

FR (9/22), SA (9/23), 11am, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 227 Cumberland Ave

ASAP’s 2023 Farm Tour

Connect with the region’s farmers and get a behind-the-scenes look at local food in the mountains. ASAP’s Farm Tour is a chance to experience how food is grown and raised through guided tours, demonstrations, and tastings.

SA (9/23), SU (9/24), Multiple locations

34th Annual Land

O'Sky Doll Club Fall Doll Show

The Land O'Sky Doll Club is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating, stimulating and maintaining interest pertaining to doll collecting and creating.

SA (9/23), 9:30am, NC National Guard Armory, 2025 Spartanburg Hwy, Hendersonville

AshevilleCon

Exhibitors will cater to a wide-spectrum of interests including: comic books, magazines, toys, video games, movies, wrestling, sci-fi and more.

SA (9/23), 10am, Holiday Inn AshevilleBiltmore West, an IHG Hotel, 435 Smokey Park Hwy

Lunsford Festival

Celebrating regional music and dance traditions. The second longest-running folk festival in WNC, it was named in honor of Bascom Lamar Lunsford, who was a musician and folklorist who dedicated his life to collecting and promoting the music of the Southern Appalachians.

SA (9/23), 10am, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill

Madison Heritage Arts

Festival

Featuring more than forty regional arts and crafts vendors, along with many other locally produced products. Food booths will offer a variety of lunch selections and there will be bluegrass live music from some of the areas best talent.

SA (9/23), 10am, Mars Hill

Camptoberfest

Burial's annual Oktoberfest celebration at the Forestry Camp Taproom. Roll through for liter pours of Fest Lager, German food specials, festive cocktails, and a killer

Krautrock playlist.

SA (9/23), 12pm, Burial Beer Co. Forestry Camp Taproom, 10 Shady Oak Dr

Mix 96.5's Dog Day

Afternoon

A day to celebrate life with pets in the mountains, while rescuing dogs in need of forever homes. Bring your pups and browse pet products, services and food from Woof St Bistro and Sweet Squeeze Lemonade.

SA (9/23), 12pm, Lake Julian Park and Marina, 406 Overlook

Extension, Arden

Shrektoberfest

Annual Shrek themed Oktoberfest featuring Farquaad's onion toss, all star musical chairs, costume contest and more. Dance party with the Ogrelord DJ Bridal Parti Bucarti. SA (9/23), 3pm, DSSOLVR, 63 N Lexington Ave

Crop Hunger Walk

A walk that joins communities across the United States to help end hunger one step at time, both around the corner and around the globe. A portion of all funds raised will benefit Loving Food Resources and ABCCM. Register at avl.mx/d0l..

SU (9/24), 1pm, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 10 N Liberty St

7th Annual Filthy Franklin Mud Run

Get muddy at a timed fun mud race. Crawl, jump and wade through an obstacle course, get a team together, compete against your friends and help raise funds for the athletic department. Register at avl.mx/d0f.

SU (9/24), 2pm, The Franklin School of Innovation, 21 Innovation Dr

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Pridetoberfest w/ Leeda Lyric Jones

An evening of live music by Leeda Lyric Jones and the release of the newest Beers that Builds, Pridetoberfest, benefitting Campaign for Southern Equality and Blue Ridge Pride.

TH (9/21), 6pm, Wicked Weed Brewing, 91 Biltmore Ave

This is Lit: Trivia Fundraiser

Five rounds of book-focused trivia across a variety of literary genres. This toughbut-fun trivia challenge is a guaranteed blast, while raising money to send books to readers behind bars.

TH (9/21), 7pm, $15, Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd

Kokua Session IPA

Release for Maui Wildfires Benefit Highland is proud to join over 100 brewers and suppliers from across the USA to brew Kokua Session IPA in support of the Maui Wildfire. All the proceeds from Highland’s beer will be donated.

FR (9/22), Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy Scouts BSA BBQ Fundraiser 9th annual Cub Scout Pack 17 and Scouts BSA Troop 17 barbecue dinner benefit. Reservations are not required. This year’s BBQ event is to-go only. Donations to benefit the Scouts are always appreciated.

SA (9/23), 11am, $12, Riceville Fire Department, 2251 Riceville Rd

Struggles into Strengths: Music Fest 23

A music festival featuring alt-rock band Zero Alternative, Nick Mac & The Noises, Buzzard Cure, River Kane, Halo Scars and more. Proceeds will be donated to the trauma intervention program of WNC.

SA (9/23), 1pm, $20, Silverados, 2898 US-70, Black Mountain

Rooted in Compassion: A Benefit for Elderflower Community members are invited to healthy foods, dance and big on auction items from local businesses. Proceeds from the event will support the initial phases, raising money for a low resident-to-caregiver ratio residential care for elders in a farm and nature setting.

SA (9/23), 6pm, Franny's Farm, 22 Franny's Farm Rd, Leicester

Rooted in Compassion

Malcolm Holcombe & Friends w/Greg Brown: A Local Veterans Benefit

Malcolm Holcombe’s 5th benefit show for local non-profits that help meet the needs of our community and region. This year’s beneficiaries are the Veterans Treatment Court of Western North Carolina Foundation, and the North Carolina Veterans Writing Alliance Foundation.

SA (9/23), 7pm, $25, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Firefly Equinox Fundraiser Dance Party

A community opening ceremony and altar in honor of the Equinox with live Djs and a dance party. All proceeds will go to supporting our artists and fundraising for Firefly Gathering’s year-round work to make skill-sharing more abundant and accessible in the Southeast SA (9/23), 9pm, One World Brewing West, 520 Haywood Rd

2nd Annual Open Mic Fundraiser w/Beloved Asheville

Calling all singers, poets, storytellers, dancers, instrumentalists and more. This is an invitation to use your talents and love for community to raise money for Beloved Asheville, an organization devoted to helping folks without shelter.

SU (9/24), 2pm, New Belgium Brewing Co., 21 Craven St Beer & Hymns Benefit

A monthly event that brings people together to raise our glasses, raise our voices, and raise funds for organizations that change the world.

MO (9/25), 7pm, $10, White Horse Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

‘The systems are overwhelmed’

Sunrise co-founder Kevin Mahoney on burnout, mental health and substance use

BY JESSICA WAKEMAN

A conversation with Kevin Mahoney takes you on adventures around the world. The Middle East and the Persian Gulf, where he served in the Air Force. Greece, where he was stationed with the military but also partied a lot. Germany, where he recuperated after deployments. And a base in Texas, where “the biggest thing in town was the rattlesnake roundup — 10,000 rattlesnakes,” Mahoney says with a laugh. “You eat them, you make clothes out of them, you take them home as pets.”

After the military honorably discharged Mahoney in 2000 after 20 years in the military, he struggled with civilian life. His marriage fell apart, and he couldn’t hold a steady job. Mental health struggles and substance abuse followed, and he experienced years of homelessness.

Now 68 years old, Mahoney leads a completely different lifestyle. He started to pursue recovery in Georgia in 2005 and three years later settled in Western North Carolina. He’s worked as a wilderness therapy guide with young adults and served in other behavioral health roles at RHA Health Services and Vaya Health. But he sensed gaps in service for people who are in recovery — particularly the need for a supportive community. And so in 2016, Mahoney co-founded Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, an Asheville-based recovery community organization that is fully staffed and managed by people in recovery.

For the past four years, Mahoney worked as a peer support specialist at Mountain Area Health Education Center, primarily with people who were unhoused. This summer, he decided to return to Sunrise, where he will focus on

educating the younger generation of peer support specialists. Sunrise employs more than 50 such specialists, and he’s working on a curriculum to teach PSS certification to others.

Mahoney spoke with Xpress about how to recognize burnout and prioritize mental health, the essential role of peer support and the difficulty of addressing fentanyl and xylazine abuse in Asheville.

This interview has been shortened and edited for clarity.

You recently decided to make a career change on account of burnout. Tell me more about that.

I’m not third-degree toast, but I can see it heading that way. [When I train peer support specialists, I say,] “You’ve got to take care of

yourself. This is a difficult job. I’m not saying [that] to stop you from doing it. But you’ve got to know what you’re getting into — it is a toxic environment that has become even more toxic.”

How is it a toxic environment?

Do you mean that the drug supply is more dangerous?

The chemicals are stronger. The drugs are more lethal. I make a comparison to Russian roulette. You’re not playing with no bullets in the gun or one bullet. You’re playing with all six chambers loaded. … If I’d had these kinds of drugs [when I was actively using], I would not be here now. It’s just so strong. As for the psychiatric symptoms, I’ve never quite seen it like this where whole tent communities of people are not plugged into this reality.

And the systems are overwhelmed. One of the things that I despair over is getting a housing question. I can direct you to Homeward Bound, I can direct you to [Housing Authority of the City of Asheville]. I can direct you to resources, but I don’t have any [housing] to offer you. That really gets under my skin.

How do you recognize when you’re burned out, and how do you take care of yourself day to day?

The HALT thing. [It’s an acronym for] “hungry, angry, lonely, tired,” and it’s a mantra for a lot of people in recovery. My red flag is that I just burst into tears. … I’ll reach out at the slightest sign of [distress]: “Hey, I need some help. Talk me through this.” I have plenty of clinical friends who have really good listening skills.

What are some skills you’ve developed to work with people who are in recovery?

I’ve had to be patient and let things develop. Sometimes you have to put in the ingredients and let them percolate — and that’s not my strategy. My strategy is “I want to fix it right now!” [laughs] I had to stop being a fixer and be more of a chef, an alchemist, and let the process work and give it space, time and love.

COMING HOME: Kevin Mahoney co-founded Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness in 2016. After four years working at Mountain Area Health Education Center in peer support, he’s returned to Sunrise to focus on educating the younger generation of peer support specialists.

Photo by Jessica Wakeman

ASHEVILLE’S FIRST KRATOM DISPENSARY

What Would What Would You Do You Do Without Without Neuropathy Neuropathy Pain Pain

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy treatments. I'm now in remission and have felt blessed to be here except for so much pain. My feet and hands were constantly burning – a tingling sensation, almost like when your leg is falling asleep," shares Barbara of Biltmore Forest.

Barbara was suffering from Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN. While chemo kills cancer cells, it also causes much bodily damage. Nerves, especially those far from the brain, are among the first to be harmed. 30-40% of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy experience peripheral neuropathy.

"Standing all day was not just a challenge, and it caused me physical agony. Keeping up with my busy schedule – forget about it. I couldn't even go for walks in my neighborhood."

Barbara, like so many others, was prescribed Gabapentin help with the pain and told there was nothing anyone could do. In Doctors’ words, 'there is no treatment for neuropathy.'

Then Barbara found Dr. Autum Kirgan, DACM, C.SMA, L.Ac of South Slope Acupuncture & Wellness. By blending the time–tested science of acupuncture with more modern medical technology, Dr. Kirgan has designed a natural solution for peripheral neuropathy.

"Acupuncture is incredible at restoring blood flow and stimulating damaged nerves, preventing them from dying off," says Dr. Kirgan. "We take our treatments a step further by integrating FSM Therapy which targets specific nerves in the body using microcurrent. FSM Therapy is like watering a plant. This treatment will stimulate the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerves and provide them with proper nutrients to heal and repair.

After only four weeks of treatment, Barbara is already seeing incredible improvement. "I've taken the handicap placard off my rearview mirror and I am finally back to walking my neighborhood. I can't wait to see how I feel at the end of my program! I used to think that this pain was just the price I had to pay for still being alive. Dr. Kirgan has really given me hope for a better life!"

The number of treatments needed to allow nerves to recover fully will vary from person to person and can only be estimated after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation. If you or someone you love suffers from peripheral neuropathy (of any origin), call 828-575-5904 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kirgan and her South Slope Acupuncture & Wellness team.

They are waiting for your call.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY SAKTI BOTANICALS, ASHEVILLES LEADING KRATOM VENDOR 481

Also, organizational thinking and critical thinking. I tend to be knee-jerky sometimes because I want to get things done. [I’ve learned to] step back for a minute. And to be able to roll with failure. Because sometimes people die. It sucks. It hurts. And that can’t stop you.

That sounds really intense to deal with.

I can do my best, and there can still be [people dying from substance abuse]. But I’m not blaming the person I’m serving; sometimes these things are too much. The body’s too shot. People are too beat up from substances. Substances have gotten stronger and stronger and stronger.

Yesterday, there was a guy out in the street with the barest of clothing on, on his bike. I don’t know how he was even balancing on the bike. There’s this new kind of walk around here. It looks like a horror movie. This is fentanyl and xylazine. … They’re walking slumped over. How are you even mobile? How are you ambulatory? There’s

a person [in there], but how am I going to reach this person?

How did you start abusing substances yourself?

In short, I had a catastrophic life crash when I left the Air Force in 2000. I had no idea that I was ill. We didn’t call it PTSD; they called it “battle fatigue” and “shell shock.” … I’d had 20 years of stress and I had a crash for about four years. I was functional, barely. Self-medicating all the time.

How were you self-medicating?

I had one of those physicians who gave me everything I wanted or what he thought I wanted. So, I was addicted to four different pharmaceuticals — I mean, legal stuff. And I added other things as need be. From there, I actually have holes in my memory.

How was your mental health impacted by your substance abuse?

[Substance abuse] became a lifestyle due to my homelessness and disconnectedness. It was desperate. I remember one Christmas, if my friend hadn’t sent me a care package of Fig Newtons and 20

bucks, I would have starved to death. I just couldn’t get out of bed, just sitting there watching TV and consuming anything I could consume. I wanted to sleep all the time.

Yup, that sounds like depression.

Yeah. It’s either substance use driving the mental health [issues] or mental health [issues] driving substance use. It’s a horrible bus to be on, in any respect.

But connection to community — that’s what gave me a lifeline. And I did the rest [of recovery] with a lot of support and support groups. Why do you think peer support is successful?

Peer pressure is like, “Do it because we’re telling you to do it.” The law, your attorney and your medical person — they’re pushing. That’s just the opposite of what peer support is. Peer support is: “Here’s your pathway. I’m showing you the pathway and I will be with you every step of the way, as long as you want me. I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it with you.”

Final draft Ron Rash on his latest (and possibly last) novel

BY THOMAS CALDER

On multiple occasions, Ron Rash says he gave up on his latest novel, The Caretaker.

“Every time I write a book, I’ll get about a year in, and it just seems hopeless,” the award-winning New York Times bestselling author explains. “For this one, I had so many wrong turns.”

These detours, Rash continues, resulted in an initial 1,000-page draft. The story’s final version, which hits bookstores on Tuesday, Sept. 26, is a fraction of the original count: 255 pages.

What ultimately got Rash back on track, the author says, involved a pivotal scene near the end of the novel, where the book’s central character, Blackburn Gant, faces a choice that could alter the trajectory of his life.

Set primarily in Blowing Rock in 1951, The Caretaker is a story about outcasts. Blackburn, a young man living with the physical and emotional scars brought on by a childhood case of polio, is the sole caretaker of a hilltop cemetery. His lone friend, Jacob Hampton, is the only surviving child of the town’s most affluent family. But when Jacob elopes with Naomi Clarke, a poor, pregnant and uneducated 16-year-old from Tennessee, scandal ensues. Matters only further intensify after Jacob is conscripted to serve overseas in the Korean War, leaving Blackburn behind to assist Naomi during her pregnancy. Following Jacob’s departure, the two must navigate an unfriendly town, with hostilities set and directed by Jacob’s own parents, who are intent on rewriting their son’s choices and future amid his absence.

“People tell me, ‘Your books are dark and tragic,’” Rash says, reflecting on his career, which includes five works of poetry, seven short story collections and eight novels. The Caretaker, he continues, is likely his last full-length publication, though he still plans to write stories. With this in mind, he adds, “I wanted to give [readers] a little bit of hope. A book that makes them feel, for the most part, good about humanity.”

He pauses, reflecting on the novel’s actual storyline. And then he laughs.

“This is about as close as I can come,” Rash says.

SENSE OF AN ENDING

Given Blackburn’s profession, it felt appropriate to meet Rash at a graveyard. We agreed on the Chapel Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, situated on the Western Carolina University campus, where he has taught for 20 years. But with limited shade and the sun’s relentless rays, we quickly gave

up on the idea, retreating to the nearby Mountain Heritage Center — also a fitting location when you consider Rash’s long history and focus on the region within his writing.

Here, we settled in to discuss his latest book, as well as his future plans. Along with it being his 20th publication, The Caretaker arrives a day before Rash turns 70 years old.

“Writers are like athletes,” he says. “You have a period where you peak and you’re doing your best work. That has to end.”

This sense of an ending, however, did not influence the story’s setting. The small cemetery Blackburn manages, Rash explains, was inspired by his youth. As a child, he regularly visited his grandmother Ethel Mae Holder in Aho — a town 10 minutes northeast of Blowing Rock. Her property, which remains in the family, stood adjacent to a small graveyard. On stormy nights, the wind often disturbed the flowers adorning the graves. One of Rash’s childhood jobs

was to gather these remembrances and return them to the site.

“I didn’t know which graves they’d be on,” he says. “But I was taught to do the work with real reverence.”

For decades, the writer says, he’d been trying to fit that setting into a story. Then, as is often the case with his fiction, he had a vision in his mind that inspired his latest project: a woman kneeling before a grave. Intrigued by the ideas that spawned from this image, he pursued the tale.

FACE TO FACE

Like the story’s setting, the book’s time period was also influenced by family.

“I had an older relative in Leicester who fought in Korea,” he explains. “He told me some stories about it — always talking about how cold it was. That’s something we forget. We think about Vietnam and the jungles and the heat. But in Korea, the fighting took place in the cold.”

BACK AT IT: Ron Rash’s latest novel, The Caretaker, is set in Blowing Rock in 1951. “To me, this is a book about love,” Rash says. “Not in a sentimental way. It’s about the destructiveness of it. How we misuse the word — exploit it.” Photo by Thomas Calder

Though much of The Caretaker’s plot unfolds in Western North Carolina, the book begins overseas, with an unforgettable and horrific hand-to-hand combat scene between Jacob and a North Korean soldier. The injuries and trauma that Jacob unleashes and sustains are the first of many that readers will encounter throughout the book. The episode is also the first of several intimate confrontations — though none of the subsequent conflicts come close to the severity of the book’s opening struggle.

“I didn’t realize it at first,” Rash says in discussing the novel’s time period, “but this is one of the last times in American history where the majority of people’s communication was face to face. … Maybe it’s because I’m old, but there is something more dramatic about that. A depth that isn’t filtered through screens.”

UNRELIABLE NARRATOR

On Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m., Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe will host Rash for a book signing event. For longtime fans, it may be one of their last chances to attend a local reading with the author.

Of course, Rash is the first to note nothing is written in stone.

“I’ve said it before with other books — that this will be my last novel,” he says. “So, I may be a liar. But this one felt a little bit like a summation. I think sometimes writers, late in their lives, want to give the reader a gift. … A little bit of hope that sometimes the better angels win.”

Rash and I wrap up our conversation inside the Mountain Heritage Center. Outside, the afternoon heat continues to surge. Rash walks back with me to my car, still parked at the cemetery. Given the high temperature, he asks if I’d mind giving him a lift to his office a few blocks down. With my car’s AC blasting, we continue to discuss his life, career and what he hopes readers take away from his latest (and possibly final) book.

“That it’s worth reading,” Rash says. “What I think it really comes down to is pleasure. We sometimes forget that. It can be a difficult pleasure. And part of the pleasure can be it opens up matters that make us realize a bit more about the world. But ultimately, we don’t talk enough about the pleasure of reading a welltold story.”

Fresh starts

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN

Some artists doubled down on their craft during COVID-19 and emerged from lockdown more motivated than ever. Others became rock climbing instructors.

The latter was the case with The Fritz vocalist/keyboardist Jamar Woods, who developed a passion for scaling walls and amicably left the Asheville-based funk/soul band to pursue those dreams professionally.

The decision left the band’s guitarist and music director, Jamie Hendrickson, in search of a new lead singer — a quest that didn’t take long. As pandemic restrictions loosened and live music slowly returned, Hendrickson began performing weekly shows at Burial Beer Co. Tasked with putting together new bands each Sunday, he eventually crossed paths with Datrian Johnson and invited him to perform.

“He’s an amazing singer and just kind of fit the vibe,” Hendrickson says. “We picked mostly covers at first and a lot of instrumentals. But I started putting Fritz songs on the set list because I wanted to play those songs, and he did great on them.”

Once The Fritz returned to touring, Hendrickson recruited Johnson to take over on vocals. The first of several new members, Johnson was later joined by Thomson Knowles (keyboards) and Matt Schueler (synth bass/keys). Jonathan Lloyd (trombone/percussions/singer) has also officially joined the band, and Rebekah Todd (vocals) has been performing live with them since the spring. Hendrickson now calls The Fritz “kind of a conglomeration.”

The Fritz, Nina Gi and Nerd Alert release new albums

“It worked out really nicely, but it’s also a testament to the Asheville music scene and how many amazing people we have here,” Hendrickson says. “You really do have multiple options of singers and keyboard players and bass players who are all incredible. For cities of our size, I don’t think that’s the usual.”

While on tour in Florida last fall, the new-look Fritz rented a beach

house for a few days and began writing what became the band’s latest album, Take Your Time. Removed from their busy Asheville schedules, the artists were able to relax by the sand and water during the day, then engage in fun, loose jamming sessions at night. At times, the bandmates swapped instruments, and Hendrickson recorded everything.

“A band’s a funny thing. To create that inspiration, the vibe, and make it all flowing — it’s tricky. And setting is such an important part of it,” he says. “We’re doing things like that to this day. We want to go get a cabin in the woods and stay there for a few days. We have a bunch of ideas.”

Rounding out the sound on the album’s front half is legendary keyboardist John Medeski, who plays in Saint Disruption with Johnson. Hendrickson sent three tracks and some notes about each song’s vibe to Medeski, who recorded his parts remotely from upstate New York.

“We said, basically, ‘Do whatever you want. We’re kind of thinking organ, kind of thinking [clavinet],’” Hendrickson says. “And then he

just sent stuff, and suddenly it’s like classic John Medeski, one of our alltime favorites. He has such a specific sound, and it’s awesome.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cxg.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

It often takes Nina Gi a few times to get things right. But when she hits her mark, it’s a bull’s-eye.

The Asheville-based singer-songwriter (who uses they/them pronouns) grew up in New Jersey in a musical family and attended a musical trade school during their elementary years. After relocating to Fletcher when they were in fifth grade, Gi added flute to their repertoire, which already included vocals and piano. But making original music felt overly ambitious.

“It was something that I always wanted to do but didn’t have the courage to pursue,” Gi says.

After dissatisfying stints in fashion marketing and lifestyle blog-

LONG GAME: Clockwise from left, Nina Gi, The Fritz and Nerd Alert showcased resilience in crafting their latest albums. Nina Gi photo by Tera McCoy; The Fritz photo by Asheville Art Family; Nerd Alert photo courtesy of the artists

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ging, they mustered the strength to move to Los Angeles in hopes of becoming a reiki master, practicing the Japanese form of energy healing. But when that didn’t work out and Gi turned to Lyft driving to make ends meet, music found its way back into their life through what they term “random” industry connections.

“One person gave me a keyboard, and he used to tour with Stevie Wonder. And another person gave me vocal lessons for free and was friends with the judges on ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’” Gi says. “I was like, ‘OK, well, these people are coming into my life, and they’re giving me these tools to pursue this. Maybe it’s something that I should try.’”

Shortly after the release show for their 2019 debut single, Gi returned to Asheville and remained here while the pandemic brought the music industry to a standstill. Following a few false starts within the local scene, they found some like-minded collaborators who helped create their debut EP, Alchemy. The album’s title and its trio of self-empowering R&B tracks

reflect a period of intense personal growth for the artist.

“A lot in my life was changing, and I was feeling like my music is how I’m supposed to help and inspire people throughout the world,” Gi says. “I felt like it was my job to do that through sharing my emotional experiences, my process and what I’ve learned. A lot of my confidence was built through sharing my music and going for things that I never thought that I would be able to do.”

Their creative pursuits have also resulted in a pair of imaginative music videos. In the boxing-themed visuals for album standout “Under Pressure,” Gi takes to the ring to knock out an opponent. Meanwhile, “Please Don’t Let Me Go” features the artist atop Black Balsam Knob. And though Alchemy was released in June, Gi is already recording their debut LP.

“My focus is making music that’s very genuine and authentic to who I am,” Gi says. “I’m challenging myself to write about things that I’m nervous to share and be vulnerable about and share my political thoughts.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cxf.

SPACE ODDITIES

Nerd Alert almost didn’t happen.

When the pandemic hit, its two members, Logan Venderlic and Tyler Craighead , witnessed the dissolution of their Asheville-based fusion ensemble Emma’s Lounge and put serious thought into setting their musical dreams aside.

“Seeing how we’d both been through many years of projects not fully working out, we thought if we were going to quit, now is a great time to make that decision,” Craighead says. “After taking some time to reflect, Logan and I both agreed that we had to play music if we wanted to feel like ourselves, and no amount of failure was going to stop us from doing so.”

Fortified by a brotherhood they’d forged over five years in Emma’s Lounge, the two friends formed Nerd Alert, an electro/funk duo. Working from Venderlic’s basement, which Craighead dubbed “The Purple Room,” they began by revisiting older songs that were in various stages of completion. And as they shifted from rock and folk influences to a decidedly more electronic sound, a concept album emerged.

Venderlic describes To the Stars! as the story of “two protagonists who are having a hard time on Earth and decide to go to outer space. While on their journey, they discover a new

planet with alien life and are briefly worshipped as gods before being found out as frauds — and then try to escape.”

Kick-starting the project was the song “EVA,” an acronym for extravehicular activity, the term astronauts use for describing a spacewalk. Once it was finished, Craighead says, “things started to snowball.” “Cut the Tether” was directly inspired by “EVA,” and the following songs were all influenced by the ones before them — except for “Sexy Jesus,” which the band mates say they “really had to stretch the story to make fit.”

Though the new exercise proved challenging, having a general storyline in mind gave the duo a creative structure they’d long craved. “The narrative was just so much fun, and from that blossomed some of the songs we’re most proud of on the album, like ‘NoN’ and ‘Not Enough,’” Craighead says. “Logan and I wanted to place ourselves in a box because before Nerd Alert, we believed our music was too unhinged and going in too many directions. Sticking with electronic music as a baseline and combining that with the narrative created just the box we were looking for.”

The funky, fresh jams consistently feature intricately layered production, resulting in a sonically rich experience across the album’s 14 tracks. Though Craighead contributed on the production side, Venderlic took the lead and challenged himself to mix the entire record as well as master it — both firsts for the longtime musician.

And in bringing these complex songs to the stage, the band likewise pushes itself by playing as many of the different instrumental parts as possible. While Venderlic holds down lead guitar and runs the sound, Craighead switches between drums and keys (sometimes in the middle of songs), and they both sing and do live looping and knob turning. Even then, some of the layers remain unaddressed, so they also employ backing tracks from Ableton.

“We were once ashamed to have backing tracks but have since discarded that shame,” Craighead says.

“We want to put on an amazing show for all the lovely people who come out to have a good time, and if backing tracks help us create that experience to its fullest, then we’re going to use them.”

To learn more, visit avl.mx/cxe. X

What’s new in food

Cultivating care on Franny’s Farm

Rooted in Compassion, a fundraising event benefiting the future Elderflower Care Community, takes place at Franny’s Farm on Saturday, Sept. 23, 6-10 p.m.

The event will establish Elderflower Care Community, which is a nonprofit under the fiscal sponsorship of the Center for Conscious Living & Dying, as a modern assisted living facility providing an enriched aging experience.

Founder and Executive Director Annie Spindler hopes the event will pave the way for Elderflower to become a thriving multigenerational community. “We’re thrilled for people to learn more about the impact our work will have on our community.” She says the goal is to raise $20,000 toward leasing land on Franny’s farm, as well as design, construction and staffing.

Several local vendors have partnered with Elderflower to provide healthy food at the event. Mike Ptaszek of Pasta & Prana will provide traditional artisan-made, small-batch pasta with high-protein nutrition; David Rich from Sweet Potato Tooth will treat guests to salads sourced from local ingredients; Sam’s Pop Shop will offer coconut chai popsicles and debut a new elder-

flower flavor created specifically for the event.

“We designed our event to reflect the community we will build — a place where people feel welcome, joyful and supported,” says Spindler. “Our mountain communities have always been innovative and collaborative, and we hope this event will be a catalyst for Elderflower Care Community to build a strong alliance with our partners.”

Beer from Whistle Hop Brewing Co. and wine from Sips with a Somm will also be provided, and the Alex Travers Trio will provide gypsy jazz accompaniment for dancing. An auction will feature a variety of local offerings, including artwork, gift certificates and luxury experiences.

Spindler says Elderflower has received enormous positive feedback from people seeking a home for their own futures or for their elderly parents, as well as from those interested in working with the elderly. “People envision living out their last days in our community with hope and joy instead of doom and dread. Elderflower Care Community is here to offer this hope and vibrancy to event attendees and to our future residents and elder friends.”

Franny’s Farm is at 22 Frannys Farm Road, Leicester. Tickets are available on a “pay what you can” scale from $70-$100 per person. Visit avl.mx/d07 for additional information.

Swamp shindig

DSSOLVR hosts its second annual Shrektoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 23, 3-11 p.m.

“Much like the film Shrek 2, we are making this event more fun and more badass than the original,” says Will Craddock, DSSOLVR’s event coordinator and “vibe lord.” Last year we weren’t sure if this was going to be a well-attended event or not, and we didn’t really care, but Asheville came through, and it was a hysterical and magical day.“

DSSOLVR has planned a fullday celebration of all things Shrek and Oktoberfest, including several traditional Oktoberfest games melded with the Shrek theme, such as musical chairs, an onion toss, steinholding, ”Do the Roar“ Shrek roar competitions, a costume contest and a Puss in Boots-themed medallion hunt. DJ Ogrelord provides the tunes for a themed dance party.

“Shrektoberfest began as a way to do an Oktoberfest in the tradition-

FARM FUNDRAISER: Franny’s Farm will host a fundraiser benefiting the construction of Elderflower Care Community, a modern assisted living facility for WNC. Photo courtesy Elderflower Care Community

al DSSOLVR fashion of overcomplicating things,” says Craddock. “I remember ‘TonyHawktoberfest’ and ‘Rocktoberfest’ were pitched, but when Shrektoberfest was brought up, we knew we could really make that sing.”

Games will feature prizes that increase in value as the event goes on, including gift cards, DSSOLVR merchandise, cash prizes and Shrektoberfest-specific rewards. Green Jell-o shots and slushies will complement a specially brewed Hey Hey Yay Yay seasonal festbier, and Apex Culinary Team chef Chris Bugher (executive chef instructor at A-B Tech) will curate a menu that both honors and plays with the themes of Shrek and Oktoberfest.

“We hope people leave this event with hilarious memories, a sense of community and a newfound appreciation for the weird events we host at DSSOLVR,” says Craddock.

DSSOLVR is at 63 N. Lexington Ave. Visit avl.mx/d06 for additional information.

Hobbit time!

If you frequently treat yourself to “second breakfast” or daydream about living in the Shire, Sweeten Creek Brewing has just the adventure for you. A hobbit-themed party on Saturday, Sept. 23, 3-8 p.m., celebrates both the new fall season and the world of J.R.R. Tolkien

Inspired by Renaissance fairs, the event will include multiple vendors of handcrafted goods, live music all day from local bands Holler and Crow and The Grass Owls as well as beer and food specials. Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite hobbit or Lord of the Rings character, and a flower crown station will be set up for those looking to add flair to their get-up.

“We are releasing a new Belgian quad for the event, called One Quad to Rule Them All,” says events manager Kelly Mock. “This beer rules supreme in flavor and complexity; it’s a journey through malt and hops, a brew fit for epic adventures.” In addition to its regular menu of barbecue plates and sides, Bear’s Smokehouse will feature a special ’hobbit’s plate’ with roast chicken and vegetables.

“It’s so nice to know there are so many fantasy lovers in our area. We hope to make this event bigger and better every time,” says Mock.

Sweeten Creek Brewing is at 1127 Sweeten Creek Road. Visit avl.mx/ar0 for additional information.

Museum pours glass of history

Swannanoa Valley Museum, in partnership with the N.C. Craft Beverage Museum, will host “A Glass of History,” a presentation (with tastings) on North Carolina’s craft history. The event will take place at Foothills Grange on Saturday, Sept. 23, 3-6 p.m.

Educator Kimberly Puryear will speak on North Carolina beers’ unique history as it relates to larger cultural, social and economic narratives. Then brewer Jeffrey “Puff” Irvin will introduce attendees to various beers and spirits from Pisgah Brewing Co., Black Mountain Brewing and Oak & Grist Distilling Co.

“We hope that attendees leave the event with a deeper understanding of the history of craft beverages in North Carolina, including how and when different beverages like craft beer, wine and spirits emerged in the region,” says Jess Wash, the museum’s assistant director. “By combining historical context with a popular regional pastime, it is our ambition to foster an appreciation from a broader audience for our state’s unique heritage.”

Tickets cost $30 per person for SVM members, $35 for general admission. Foothills Grange is at 120 Broadway Ave., Black Mountain. Visit avl.mx/d05 for tickets.

Greek festival returns

The 2023 Asheville Greek Festival, now running for over 30 years, continues its tradition on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

This will be the first festival to feature a pre-pandemic model since COVID-19 emerged. The past several festivals featured social distancing and a drive-thru format that provided traditional Greek dishes to attendees. Now, once again, guests are encouraged to congregate in Asheville’s historic Montford district to celebrate Greek heritage and culture.

“We thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to offering you the same great food as we have been known for,” says Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in the event announcement. “We have organized a team that is excited to bring back the full festival everyone remembers.”

Classic foods such as gyros, souvlaki, lamb shank and pastichio, as

well as desserts like baklava, loukoumades and kourabiedes will be handmade by volunteers and event organizers. Live music, dance, iconography and cooking demonstrations will be performed throughout the event. Several arts and crafts vendors will be selling traditional, handcrafted Greek goods.

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is at 277 Cumberland Ave. Visit avl.mx/d08 for tickets ($3 per person pre-sale, $5 at the door, children under 12 get in free) and schedule of events.

Local breweries team up

Appalachian Mountain Brewery has entered a new distribution partnership with Green Man Brewing Co.

Beginning this month, Boonebased AMB beer will be brewed and packaged in Asheville at Green Man’s production facilities. This news comes on the heels of AMB buying back its independence from Anheuser-Busch earlier this year.

“As soon as we signed the papers, we started making phone calls,

knowing that we wanted to act fast and bring our production back to North Carolina,” say AMB co-owners Nathan Kelischek and Chris Zieber in a news release.

AMB remains independent and will oversee the production of its beer at the Green Man production facilities. A limited-release Breakfast Porter brewed to celebrate the partnership will be released Thursday, Oct. 19, and served exclusively at Green Man and AMB taprooms. The commemorative release will incorporate coffee from Boone-based coffee roasters and doughnuts from Asheville’s Vortex Donuts, in addition to vanilla, cacao nibs and oats.

“Two major Western N.C. brands coming together to produce some of the best beers is truly a gift,” says Green Man Managing Director Joe Sommers in the same release. “We are so happy to welcome AMB into the Green Man production facility.”

Green Man Brewery is at 23 and 27 Buxton Ave. AMB’s recently opened Mills River taproom is at 46 N. Mills River Road.

— Blake Becker

Around Town

Lunsford festival honors WNC legend

Western North Carolina’s second longest-running folk festival, the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Mountain Music Festival, will take place at Mars Hill University in conjunction with the Madison Heritage Arts Festival in downtown Mars Hill on Saturday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The free, family-friendly Lunsford Festival will feature musical performances on the Lunsford Commons, also known as the Upper Quad, adjacent to College Street. The lineup includes the Bailey Mountain Cloggers, Josh Goforth, Nobody’s Darling String Band, Branson Raines, Carol Rifkin with John Mitchell, Sourwood Ridge, Southern Heritage and more.

At 11:15 a.m., the 2023 Bascom Lamar Lunsford Awards will be presented to radio personality and longtime festival emcee John Roten and posthumously to Madison County educator David W. Robinson, who spent a lifetime playing and singing traditional music. At 1:30 p.m. in the Owen Theatre, musicians will share traditional ballads in the annual ballad swap.

Lunsford dedicated his life to researching the songs and dances of Appalachian mountain culture. He started the longest-running festival in WNC, Asheville’s Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, in 1928. The first festival bearing his name took place on the Mars Hill campus in 1967, and his collection of traditional ballads can be found in the university’s Southern Appalachian Archives.

The Madison Heritage Arts Festival, now over 25 years old, will feature traditional arts and crafts vendors, Appalachian food booths, baked goods, candy and beverages downtown.

A shuttle service will run from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. from the Ingles supermarket parking lot on N.C. 213 (Cascade Street).

Mars Hill University is at 100 Athletic St., Mars Hill. For more information on the Lunsford Festival, visit avl.mx/alc. For more information on the Madison Heritage Arts Festival, visit avl.mx/czw.

Visit artists’ studios

The two-day, self-guided Haywood County Studio Tour will take place Saturday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 24, noon-4 p.m.

Over 35 artists throughout the county will invite visitors into their studios to view demonstrations and buy art.

On Thursday, Sept. 21, 4-7 p.m., Haywood County Arts Council artists will participate in a kickoff event at the Mill Town Farmers Market, where they will set up their artwork and hold craft demonstrations. A community jam led by the Haywood Ramblers will take place at 4 p.m. with North Carolina-based bluegrass band Nu-Blue following at 5:30 p.m.

The Mill Town Farmers Market is at 8 Sorrells St., Canton. For more information, visit avl.mx/czx.

AshevilleCon kicks off Saturday

AshevilleCon’s inaugural comic book and pop culture convention will take place Saturday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Hotel Conference Center.

The event will feature over 100 vendors with comic books and magazines, toys and games, and apparel and other items related to anime, cosplay and wrestling. Comic industry professionals and celebrities will attend, and a cosplay contest will take place at 4 p.m.

“The AshevilleCon strives to be North Carolina’s best and truest comic con, featuring fandoms of multiple genres,” says Carmine De Santo, show producer, in a press release. “As longtime fans of comic books, toys, pop culture, cosplay, animation, horror, sci-fi and fantasy, we wanted to bring that style event to the Asheville area. ”

Tickets for the event are $20 for general admission, with children younger than 11 free. VIP and platinum tickets are also available.

The Holiday Inn Conference Center is at 435 Smokey Park Highway. For more information, visit avl.mx/czy.

Angels among us

Asheville-based author Maria Smilios will debut her book Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. The hybrid event will include a book signing as well as a conversation with local author Sarah Patten.

The book, published by Putnam, tells the true story of the women who fled the Jim Crow South to help fight the deadly tuberculosis epidemic at Staten Island’s Sea View Hospital. For over 20 years, these women saved countless lives while challenging institutional racism and actively participating in the movement to desegregate the entire New York City hospital system, according to a press release. They also helped administer the first doses of the cure for TB, discovered by Sea View’s Dr. Edward Robitzek — a medical breakthrough that ultimately shut down the hospital.

Smilios paints a portrait of life on the front lines of the deadly disease using never-before-accessed archives and firsthand interviews with the families of nurses like Edna Sutton, Missouria Louvinia Meadows-Walker, Clemmie Philips, Janie Shirley and Virginia Allen, who at 91 remains one of the last surviving Angels.

Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe is at 55 Haywood St. For more information, visit avl.mx/czz.

Family affair

As if She Spoke in Tongues, a new book of poetry by WNC author Kim Hayes, is being released by Grateful Steps Publishing House this month. The book is a collaboration between poet mother and illustrator daughter Rachel Thomas, “resulting in a unique and sometimes startling blend of creative perspectives,” according to a press release.

A free book launch with both Haynes and Thomas will take place Sunday, Sept. 24, 4-7 p.m., at the Hamburg Crossing Club House in Weaverville.

“Sharing this experience with my daughter ... has added even more layers of interpretation,” says Hayes.

“What I craft with words, Rachael has envisioned on canvas.”

Hayes has written for radio, newspapers, nonprofits, financial institutions and a religious conference center. Thomas is a Florida-based illustrator whose work has been featured in USA Today.

The Hamburg Crossing Club House is at 81 Mountain Meadow Circle, Weaverville. For more information, visit avl.mx/d00.

Dykeman Legacy spotlights 4 memoirs

On evenings from September to December, the Wilma Dykeman Legacy will celebrate four memoirs from the mountains of Western North Carolina through lectures and book discussions at the West Asheville Public Library. All events will begin at 7 p.m.

The series began Sept. 14 with author Jeremy B. Jones discussing his memoir, Bearwallow: A Personal History of a Mountain Homeland. The next event on Thursday, Oct. 19, features a talk with Janet Hurley, owner of True Ink and co-founder of Asheville Writers in the Schools & Community (now Artéria Collective), featuring her memoir Glove Shy: A Sister’s Reckoning. A discussion of her book will follow on Wednesday, Oct. 25.

Wilma Dykeman was a Buncombe County native who chronicled the life of Appalachians. According to its mission statement, the Wilma Dykeman Legacy is a nonprofit organization that sponsors programs and writers to sustain the core values for which Dykeman stood: “environmental

SWING YOUR PARTNER: Mars Hill University’s dance team, the Bailey Mountain Cloggers, performs during the 2022 Bascom Lamar Lunsford Mountain Music Festival. Photo courtesy of the festival

integrity, social justice and the power of the written and spoken word.”

The West Asheville Public Library is at 942 Haywood Road. For more information, visit avl.mx/d02.

‘Little Satchmo’ screening at UNCA

On Friday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m., local director John Alexander and producer JC Guest will present their Emmy-winning documentary “Little Satchmo” as part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s Just Films Series at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. This will be the first public live screening in Asheville, marking the film’s hometown premiere.

The film, which tells the story of Louis Armstrong’s “secret” daughter Sharon Preston-Folta, won the Southeast Emmy Award for Best Historical Documentary in June. Based on Preston-Folta’s memoir of the same title, the film portrays the two-decade love affair between Armstrong and Harlem dancer Lucille “Sweets” Preston , and Preston-Folta’s life, as she kept quiet about who her father was for almost 50 years.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Alexander and Guest. The event is free but requires registration.

UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center is at 300 Campus View Road. For more information, visit avl.mx/d01.

ArtsAVL event support grant

The City of Asheville is partnering with ArtsAVL to administer a new event support grant, allowing ArtsAVL to reimburse cultural and arts-related nonprofit events for certain city fees and charges. The application deadline is Monday, Oct. 2.

“Our large community events and festivals are part of what makes Asheville so special,” says ArtsAVL Executive Director Katie Cornell in a press release. “They also support local jobs, emerging entrepreneurs, surrounding businesses, residents and visitors. The pandemic dealt a major blow to these event operators, and the rising costs of supplies and services have made bouncing back even more difficult. ArtsAVL is thrilled to be able to help provide some relief through this new grant program.”

ArtsAVL, which has been administering grant funding to artists and

arts organizations in Buncombe County since 1979, is the only arts agency officially designated by the county to distribute federal, state and county arts funding on behalf of the county.

Eligible nonprofit organizations can apply for financial support for events that are free and open to the public and permitted within Asheville’s streets, parks and outdoor public spaces. Grants range from about $3,000 to $10,000, but the amount can be higher or lower depending on need. Priority will be given to proposals that increase exposure to the arts and promote a high quality of life for residents. Nonprofits must have been operating for at least one year and have a physical presence in Buncombe County.

Awards will be announced in mid-November for events in 2024.

For more information, visit avl.mx/d04.

Look homeward to favorite NC author

A survey of 3,000 respondents by StoicQuotes.com revealed each state’s favorite authors. Asheville’s Thomas Wolfe was voted as North Carolina’s favorite.

Wolfe was born in Asheville in 1900. His writings, such as the classic novel Look Homeward, Angel, were influenced by his surrounding environments, especially his hometown.

North Carolinians’ second choice was a tie between playwright Paul Green and poet Maya Angelou

For more information, visit avl.mx/d03.

— Andy Hall  X

MOVIE REVIEWS

GRAN TURISMO: Following a brief slump, District 9 director Neill Blomkamp returns to form with this thrilling fact-based auto racing flick. Grade: B-plus — Edwin Arnaudin

CLUBLAND

POP DUO: On Tuesday, Sept. 26, Canadian indie-pop duo Tegan and Sara take the stage at The Orange Peel at 8 p.m. The twin sisters from Vancouver, British Columbia, explore pop’s transcendent sheen with explosive production. Photo by Pamela Littky

For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

ASHEVILLE MASONIC TEMPLE

Ondara w/Katacombs (pop, rock-folk), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN

BREWING

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

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Bluegrass Jam w/The Saylor Brothers, 6:30pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Well-Crafted Music w/ Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE Bike Night w/Honeycutt & Co. (rock, country), 6pm

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

FBVMA: Mountain Music Jam, 6pm

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

SHILOH & GAINES Trivia Night, 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

Asheville FM Live Music Sessions, 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Quattlebaum (indie-folk), 5pm

• Heartlesss B*stards (rock'n'roll, folk, blues), 8pm

THE ODD

Wailin Storms, US Christmas & Weight Shift (rock, metal), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Matt & Kim w/Babe Haven (indie, electronic), 8pm

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

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

• Irish Music Circle, 7pm

• Dark City Song Swap: Beth Lee, Kevin Smith & Miriam Allen, 7:30pm

WORTHAM CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Darlingside (folk-pop), 7:30pm

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

The MGB's (acoustic), 8pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

The Blushin' Roulettes (folk), 6pm

CROW & QUILL Firecracker Jazz Band, 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S Aunt Vicki & Paprika (Americana, rock, alt-indie)), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

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

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Kid Billy (Americana, blues, ragtime), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

MIke Fuller Duo (rock'n'roll), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Electro Lust (electronic, latin, funk), 9pm

OUTSIDER BREWING

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

PISGAH BREWING

CO.

Ska City (Ska), 6:30pm

SALVAGE STATION

The JLloyd MashUp (Paul Simon tribute), 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Karaoke Night, 8pm

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO.

Tauk Moore (rock, electronic), 7pm

THE DFR LOUNGE

Steve Simon & The Kings of Jazz (Latin, jazz), 7pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm

THE ODD Convalescent, Filern & Palm Dreams (pop-punk,emo, indie), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Sold Out: The Cancelled Podcast Tour w/Tana Mongeau & Brooke Schofield, 8pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN White Oak Splits (psych, surf-rock), 7pm

THE ROOT BAR

Kendra & Friends (multiple genres), 6pm

THE STATION BLACK MOUNTAIN

Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm

URBAN ORCHARD Trivia Thursday, 7pm

WNC OUTDOOR COLLECTIVE Trivia, 6:30pm

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

27 CLUB

Bruschetta Delorean, Half Blind Eyes & Jesus is the Path to Heaven (punk, rock, industrial), 9pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY Live Music Sessions, 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

Mr Jimmy's Friday Night Blues, 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Consider the Source w/Underground Springhouse (metal, rock), 9pm

BEN'S TUNE UP

EK Balam (reggaeton, hip-hop), 8pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING Billy Presnell (folk, Americana), 6pm

BOTANIST & BARREL

TASTING BAR + BOTTLE SHOP Industrial Coffee Pot (jazz), 6:30pm

CATAWBA BREWING COMPANY SOUTH SLOPE ASHEVILLE

• Comedy at Catawba: Peter Wong, 7pm

• Comedy at Catawba: Tayler Yarish, 9:30pm

CITIZEN VINYL Appa-Laffin' Mountain Revue, 8pm

ELIADA CORN MAZE Zydeco Ya Ya (Cajun, Zydeco), 8pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

CRAFT BREWERY & TASTING ROOM

Jody Carroll (blues, folks, roots), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM Heidi Gilson (alt-country, folk), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

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

• Nordmoe & The Rodeo (country), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Open Mic Night w/ Hamza, 8pm

NEW BELGIUM

BREWING CO.

The Get Right Band (psychedelic, indierock), 5:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Nick Mac & The Noise (country, Southern-rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Pure Fiyah (roots, reggae), 8pm

RABBIT RABBIT

Silent Disco: 90's vs The World, 9pm

SALVAGE STATION

Cosmic Charlie (Grateful Dead tribute), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

A.G Hammond & The Purple CozmikPeople (R&B, blues, pop), 9pm

SILVERADOS

Jon Langston (country), 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Reggie Headen & Jason

DeCristofaro (jazz), 9pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

A Night in Las Vegas: Pro Wrestling Burlesque, 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE

Frankie & The Witch Fingers w/Wine Lips (psych, rock), 9pm

THE GROCERYMARKET AND BAR

Greg Candle (country, old-blues), 6:30pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

We Have Ignition (surfrock), 7pm

THE ODD

Marissa Nadler, Sarah Louise & Glamma Ray (rock), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Mipso w/Viv & Riley (bluegrass, indie, folk), 8pm

PLĒB URBAN WINERY

Standup Comedy, 7pm

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

Live Music Sessions, 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm

BEARS SMOKEHOUSE

BBQ

Backyard BBQ w/DJ Audio, 7pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK

EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

BEN'S TUNE UP

Jaze Uries (house, electronic), 8pm

ELIADA CORN MAZE

Carolina Cold Ones (old-time), 8pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Roselit Bone & Drunken

Prayer (goth, country), 9pm

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON

Comedy Hypnosis w/ Jon Dee, 8pm

GINGER'S REVENGE

Don't Tell Comedy: River Arts District, 8pm

HENDERSONVILLE

THEATRE

Mac Arnold & Plate Full

O’ Blues, 7:30pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

The Paper Crowns (Appalachian, folk, Americana), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Nobody's Darling

String Band, 4pm • Brave The Sea w/ Muckers (Celtic-rock, folk), 9pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

Karaoke Night, 9pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Sun Dogs (reggae, funk, blues), 8pm

ONE STOP AT

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

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

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Dead Reckoning (Grateful Dead tribute), 4pm

RABBIT RABBIT

Silent Disco: Electric

Daisy 2014 EDM Nite, 9pm

SALVAGE STATION

Thunderstruck (AC/DC tribute), 8pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Stetson's Stink Bug

Bourbon Band (country, Americana), 9pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

GruntWerk (electronic, psych), 8pm

THE BURGER BAR

Best Worst Karaoke, 9pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Ska City (Ska), 6pm

THE ODD Party Foul Drag:

Saturday Night Tease, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Circle Jerks w/T.S.O.L & Negative Approach (punk, hardcore), 8pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN

High Thread Count (multiple genres), 7pm

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

Sunday Hustle, 6pm

ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO.

The Hometown Show, 6:30pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Dark City Kings (garage-rock, country, pop), 2pm

CATAWBA BREWING

COMPANY SOUTH

SLOPE ASHEVILLE

Roll of the Dice, 6pm

CENTER FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING

AND DYING

Live After Death Comedy Show, 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Tea Eater, Floral Hygienists & Walzer (rock, alt-indie), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 3pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

Traditional Irish Jam, 3:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Laura Thurston (Americana, folk), 4pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Sunday Jazz Jam, 1:30pm

PISGAH BREWING CO.

Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6:30pm

S & W MARKET

Mr Jimmy (blues), 1pm

SALVAGE STATION

Wheeler Walker, Jr. w/Channing Wilson (country), 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Punk Brunch, 10am

SOVEREIGN KAVA

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

TACO BOY WEST

ASHEVILLE

Daytime Disco Sunday Brunch, 10am

THE GREY EAGLE

Frankie Cosmos w/ Good Morning (indie, pop), 8pm

THE MEADOW AT HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Laura Blackley & The Wildflowers (country, blues, rock), 2pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

Broken Social Scene (alt-indie, rock), 8pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK MOUNTAIN

Alex Bazemore Trio (bluegrass), 4pm

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

27 CLUB Karaoke Monday, 10pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Best Ever Karaoke, 9pm

HIGHLAND BREWING

CO.

Totally Rad Trivia w/ Mitch Fortune, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD

PUB

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

NOBLE CIDER

DOWNTOWN

Freshen Up Comedy

Open Mic, 6:30pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

It Takes All Kinds Open Mic Nights, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Open Mic Downtown, 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Mashup Mondays w/

The JLloyd Mashup Band, 8pm

STATIC AGE RECORDS

C.O.F.F.I.N w/Real People & Busy Weather (rock'n'roll), 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Gordie Tentrees & Jaxon Haldane (folk), 5:30pm

• John Fullbright (folk, country, Americana), 8pm

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY

ACADEMY

• Trivia: Are You Smarter Than a Drag Queen?, 8pm

• Karaoke w/Ganymede, 9pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Karina Rykman w/Guerilla Toss (indie-pop, rock), 9pm

FLEETWOOD'S

Juniper Willow w/ Mordaga (industrial, techno), 9pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Team Trivia, 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

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

RABBIT RABBIT

Goo Goo Dolls (rock), 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Songwriters Night, 7pm

SILVERADOS

Dark City Comedy Night, 8pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

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

THE BURGER

OKLAWAHA

BREWING CO.

FBVMA: Mountain

Music Jam, 6pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

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

RABBIT RABBIT

Maggie Rogers (alt-indie, pop, folk), 7pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Trivia Night, 7pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA

Poetry Open Mic, 8pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Turkey Buzzards (Americana, folk, country), 5:30pm

• Banditos & The Pink Stones (rock, garage, country), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL

The Happy Fits w/ Windser & Hot Freaks (indie, rock), 7pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Dan's Jam (bluegrass), 7pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Irish Music Circle, 7pm

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

ALLEY CAT SOCIAL CLUB

Sock Hop w/DJ Hi-Fly, 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

The Tallboys (rock, reggae), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC

HALL

Lindsay Lou w/The Greenliners (folk, bluegrass, Americana), 7:30pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK

EXCHANGE

Dinah's Daydream (jazz), 6pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Ryan Furstenberg (indie, folk), 6pm

CROW & QUILL

Vaden Landers Trio (country, swing), 8pm

FRENCH BROAD

RIVER BREWERY

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

HIGHLAND BREWING DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Not Rocket Science Trivia, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich, 7:30pm

LA TAPA LOUNGE

The Loudes (punk, funk, rock'n'roll), 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Chris Jamison (Americana, folk), 7pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

Anne Coombs & Jenny Bradley (jazz, swing, rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Parler Organ Trio (jazz, funk), 8pm

OUTSIDER BREWING

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

PULP Standup Comedy, 8pm

PISGAH BREWING

CO. Mama & The Ruckus (blues, soul), 6:30pm

ROADMASTER STAGE

HWY. 10

Phil Lomac & Shake the Dust (indie folk rock, Americana), 8pm

SALVAGE STATION

Oteil & Friends w/ Midnight North (funk, rock, blues), 6pm

SHILOH & GAINES

Karaoke Night, 8pm

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries photographer

THE DFR LOUNGE

Steve Simon & The Kings of Jazz (Latin, jazz), 7pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

Karaoke w/Terraoke, 9pm

THE GREY EAGLE

• Patio: Brad Heller & The Fustics (rock), 5pm

• Noah Gundersen w/ Casey Dubie (indie, folk), 8pm

THE ODD

Goodbyes are Garbage (cabaret), 8pm

THE RAILYARD BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Dark City Kings (indie, bluegrass), 7pm

THE ROOT BAR

Kendra & Friends (multiple genres), 6pm

THE STATION BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Mr Jimmy (blues), 5pm

URBAN ORCHARD

Trivia Thursday, 7pm

WNC OUTDOOR

COLLECTIVE Trivia, 6:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK

MOUNTAIN

Abby Posner w/ Amanda Neill & The Blue Roses (folk, pop, electronic), 7:30pm

Wynn Bullock had a simple, effective way of dealing with his problems and suffering. He said, “Whenever I have found myself stuck in the ways I relate to things, I return to nature. It is my principal teacher, and I try to open my whole being to what it has to say.” I highly recommend you experiment with his approach in the coming weeks. You are primed to develop a more intimate bond with the flora and fauna in your locale. Mysterious shifts now unfolding in your deep psyche are making it likely you can discover new sources of soulful nourishment in natural places—even those you’re familiar with. Now is the best time ever to hug trees, spy omens in the clouds, converse with ravens, dance in the mud, and make love in the grass.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Creativity expert

Roger von Oech says businesspeople tend to be less successful as they mature because they become fixated on solving problems rather than recognizing opportunities. Of course, it’s possible to do both—untangle problems and be alert for opportunities—and I’d love you to do that in the coming weeks. Whether or not you’re a businessperson, don’t let your skill at decoding riddles distract you from tuning into the new possibilities that will come floating into view.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Fernando Pessoa wrote books and articles under 75 aliases. He was an essayist, literary critic, translator, publisher, philosopher, and one of the great poets of the Portuguese language. A consummate chameleon, he constantly contradicted himself and changed his mind. Whenever I read him, I’m highly entertained but sometimes unsure of what the hell he means. He once wrote, “I am no one. I don’t know how to feel, how to think, how to love. I am a character in an unwritten novel.” And yet Pessoa expressed himself with great verve and had a wide array of interests. I propose you look to him as an inspirational role model in the coming weeks, Gemini. Be as intriguingly paradoxical as you dare. Have fun being unfathomable. Celebrate your kaleidoscopic nature.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” Cancerian author Henry David Thoreau said that. I don’t necessarily agree. Many of us might prefer love to truth. Plus, there’s the inconvenient fact that if we don’t have enough money to meet our basic needs, it’s hard to make truth a priority. The good news is that I don’t believe you will have to make a tough choice between love and truth anytime soon. You can have them both! There may also be more money available than usual. And if so, you won’t have to forgo love and truth to get it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Before she got married, Leo musician Tori Amos told the men she dated, “You have to accept that I like ice cream. I know it shows up on my hips, but if you can’t accept that, then leave. Go away. It is non-negotiable.” I endorse her approach for your use in the coming weeks. It’s always crucial to avoid apologizing for who you really are, but it’s especially critical in the coming weeks. And the good news is that you now have the power to become even more resolute in this commitment. You can dramatically bolster your capacity to love and celebrate your authentic self exactly as you are.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Virgo writer Caskie Stinnett lived on Hamloaf, a small island off the coast of Maine. He exulted in the fact that it looked “the same as it did a thousand years ago.” Many of the stories he published in newspapers featured this cherished home ground. But he also wandered all over the world and wrote about those experiences. “I travel a lot,” he said. “I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” You Virgos will make me happy in the coming weeks if you cultivate a similar duality: deepening and refining your love for your home and locale, even as you refuse to let your life be disrupted by routine.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): My hitchhiking adventures are finished. They were fun while I was young, but I don’t foresee myself ever again trying to snag a free ride from a stranger in a passing car. Here’s a key lesson I learned from hitchhiking: Position myself in a place that’s near a good spot for a car to stop. Make it easy for a potential benefactor to offer me a ride. Let’s apply this principle to your life, Libra. I advise you to eliminate any obstacles that could interfere with you getting what you want. Make it easy for potential benefactors to be generous and kind. Help them see precisely what it is you need.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In your history of togetherness, how lucky and skillful have you been in synergizing love and friendship? Have the people you adored also been good buddies? Have you enjoyed excellent sex with people you like and respect? According to my analysis of the astrological omens, these will be crucial themes in the coming months. I hope you will rise to new heights and penetrate to new depths of affectionate lust, spicy companionship, and playful sensuality. The coming weeks will be a good time to get this extravaganza underway.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Is it ever morally permissible to be greedily needy? Are there ever times when we deserve total freedom to feel and express our voracious longings? I say yes. I believe we should all enjoy periodic phases of indulgence—chapters of our lives when we have the right, even the sacred duty, to tune into the full range of our quest for fulfillment. In my astrological estimation, Sagittarius, you are beginning such a time now. Please enjoy it to the max! Here’s a tip: For best results, never impose your primal urges on anyone; never manipulate allies into giving you what you yearn for. Instead, let your longings be beautiful, radiant, magnetic beacons that attract potential collaborators.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Here’s a Malagasy proverb: “Our love is like the misty rain that falls softly but floods the river.” Do you want that kind of love, Capricorn? Or do you imagine that a more boisterous version would be more interesting—like a tempestuous downpour that turns the river into a torrential surge? Personally, I encourage you to opt for the misty rain model. In the long run, you will be glad for its gentle, manageable overflow.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to the Bible’s book of Matthew, Jesus thought it was difficult for wealthy people to get into heaven. If they wanted to improve their chances, he said they should sell their possessions and give to the poor. So Jesus might not agree with my current oracle for you. I’m here to tell you that every now and then, cultivating spiritual riches dovetails well with pursuing material riches. And now is such a time for you, Aquarius. Can you generate money by seeking enlightenment or doing God’s work? Might your increased wealth enable you to better serve people in need? Should you plan a pilgrimage to a sacred sanctuary that will inspire you to raise your income? Consider all the above, and dream up other possibilities, too.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean author Art Kleiner teaches the art of writing to non-writers. He says this: 1. Tell your listeners the image you want them to see first. 2. Give them one paragraph that encapsulates your most important points. 3. Ask yourself, “What tune do you want your audience to be humming when they leave?” 4. Provide a paragraph that sums up all the audience needs to know but is not interesting enough to put at the beginning. I am offering you Kleiner’s ideas, Pisces, to feed your power to tell interesting stories. Now is an excellent time to take inventory of how you communicate and make any enhancements that will boost your impact and influence. Why not aspire to be as entertaining as possible?

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

EMPLOYMENT SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES

or come see us at 111 Guaranteed Way, Fletcher, NC 28732. (828) 684-2000 imocoinc.net/employment/

ADMINISTRATIVE/ OFFICE

PART-TIME ACCOUNTANT

IMOCO INC. IN FLETCHER, NORTH CAROLINA IS HIRING! IMOCO Inc. IS HIRING. We are looking for experienced Millwrights workers, HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Technicians, Welders, along with CDL Drivers to perform industrial projects in WNC and the Upstate SC. Jobs may require overtime and occasional out of town travel. Go to our website, imocoinc.net/employment, to fill out an application

POSITION

RH Perry & Associates is an executive search firm serving the recruiting needs of colleges and universities nationally. We are seeking well-qualified individuals for a part-time Accountant on an independent contractor basis. The anticipated schedule is for 7-10 hours per week in the main office in Asheville, NC. This is not a remote position.

Duties and responsibilities include:

preparation. Experience and qualifications sought for the position include: 1) Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting or business administration, with an advanced degree in accounting or a related field preferred. The CPA is not required, but would be an added plus. 2) Excellent analytical, decision-making and problem-solving skills 3) Be detail-oriented, organized and self-motivated 4) Have a work history of progressively increased responsibilities

5) Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with non-finance 6) Ability to maintain confidentiality and high ethical standards

references will be checked for the successful candidate prior to hire. Compensation will be on an hourly basis and commensurate with experience.

DRIVERS/ DELIVERY

DRIVER WANTED Part-time Driver needed for personal driving purpose; must be committed and must have a valid state driver's license; pay is $680 per week; shifts are for two hours each day, two days each week. Email for more information. Email wowwhunn@gmail.com to apply.

1) Maintaining the General Ledger in QuickBooks

2) Bank reconciliation

3) Recording of financial transactions

4) Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable

5) Payroll processing 6) Expense tracking 7) Client invoicing

8) Regulatory compliance 9) Tax documentation

7) Proficiency with Excel, Word, Adobe required 8) Strong skills and proficiency with QuickBooks are required. Interested parties are invited to submit a resume, cover letter, and relevant certifications or training received to carrie@rhperry.com

Screening for the position will begin immediately, and

MEDICAL/ HEALTH CARE

IN HOME CAREGIVER A New Hope Home Care is looking for in home caregivers to care for adult clients in and around Asheville. We have an immediate need in West Asheville - looking for

an active, compassionate caregiver that has some weekday and every other weekend available. Pay is $20/hr. Please call us for more information.

828-255-4446 or email: info@ anewhopehomecare.com or visit anewhopehomecare. com

HUMAN SERVICES

A THERAPIST LIKE ME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION

OPEN “A Therapist Like Me” fue establecido en el 2019, es una organización sin fines de lucro, dedicada a conectar a clientes singularmente diversos con terapeutas singularmente diversos, ambos de comunidades históricamente marginadas, elevando a los terapeutas de raza de color, proporcionando vales de psicoterapia a clientes históricamente marginados, reduciendo el estigma social que rodea a la salud mental y apoya a nuestra comunidad.

La tarifa de pago durante la capacitación es de $40 por hora al comienzo de la contratación con un aumento a $50 por/ hora luego de completar la capacitación. Esperamos que la oportunidad de pagar una tarifa más alta llegue a medida que la organización crezca y revisaremos esta tarifa de pago trimestralmente. Esta posición se basa en la financiación del año en curso y depende de la disponibilidad de los fondos. De tiempo parcial (10 a 20 horas por semana); Las horas de trabajo son tanto en persona como a distancia. Las horas pueden fluctuar dependiendo de las necesidades de la organización. Esto se decidirá en cooperación con las iniciativas actuales de la organización, la junta, los objetivos de la comunidad y el Director Ejecutivo. A Therapist

Like Me, established in 2019, is a non-profit dedicated to connecting uniquely diverse clients to uniquely diverse therapists both from historically marginalized communities, elevating therapists of color, providing psychotherapy vouchers to historically marginalized clients, reducing societal stigma surrounding mental health, and supporting our community. $40/hour training rate at the start of hire with an increase to $50/hour after training is complete. We hope the opportunity to pay a higher rate comes as the organization grows and we will review this rate of pay quarterly. This position is based on funding from the current year and is contingent upon funding availability. Part-time (10-20 hours per week); hours are

both in-person and remote work. Hours may fluctuate depending on organizational needs. This will be decided in co-operation with current initiatives of the organization, board, community goals and Executive Director. Full job description: https://www. atherapistlikeme.org/applyto-be-our-next-executive-director Por favor, postule con una carta de presentación o introducción y un currículum vitae a/Please apply with a cover letter or introduction and resume to: atlmsearchcommittee@gmail

WORKING WHEELS SEEKS

A FULL-TIME PROGRAM COORDINATOR Working Wheels seeks a Program Coordinator - detail-oriented, excellent communicator, committed to the cause.

35-40 hrs/wk; $20.10/hr

+ benefits; Submit cover letter and resume to info@ workingwheelswnc.org. No phone inquiries, please. www. workingwheelswnc.org

WORKING WHEELS SEEKS

AN ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST Working Wheels seeks an Administrative Specialist - detail-oriented and committed to the cause. 40-50 hours per month; $20.10/hr; Submit cover letter and resume to info@ workingwheelswnc.org. No phone inquiries, please. www. workingwheelswnc.org

XCHANGE

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

NEIGHBORHOOD

(MULTI-FAMILY) YARD SALE

Saturday, Sept. 23rd from 8am-1pm North Asheville, off of Merrimon Ave. Across from the Newbridge Baptist Church (199 Elkwood Ave.) Elkdale Drive and Deerview Lane.

SERVICES

ART/WRITING

PORTRAITS OF HOUSE & HOME Original pen/ ink/watercolor paintings by Asheville artist Michael Havelin. A treasured gift for new or old homes, weddings, anniversary, birthday, etc. 828-712-5570 michaelhavelin.com havelin@yahoo.com

AUDIO/VIDEO

DISH TV SPECIAL $64.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR

Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23.

1-866-566-1815. (AAN CAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

$10K+ IN DEBT? BE DEBT FREE IN 24-48 MONTHS! Be debt free in 24-48 months. Pay nothing to enroll. Call National Debt Relief at 844-977-3935

ATTENTION OXYGEN

THERAPY USERS Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 866-8590894. (AAN CAN)

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

GOT AN UNWANTED CAR?

Donate it to Patriotic Hearts. Fast free pick up. All 50 States. Patriotic Hearts’ programs help veterans find work or start their own business. Call 24/7: 844-875-6782. (AAN CAN)

PUBLIC SALE OF VEHICLE

To satisfy a lien for 2011

Mercedes Benz against Jerrell Tito Bowman and Capital One Auto Finance for $5,085.00. To satisfy a lien for 2016 Jeep against Sandra Bertram and Carvana LLC for $5405.00. Auto Safe Towing Inc., 474 ½ N. Louisiana Ave., Asheville NC 28806. 828-2361131

SENIOR LIVING My Caring Plan’s local advisors have helped thousands of families with unique needs find senior living. Can you afford 2k a month in rent? We can help for free! Call 866-386-9005 (AAN CAN)

SPEEDY SATELLITE INTERNET Shop w/ A Viasat Expert for Speedy Satellite Internet. New Customer Deals In Your Area. Nationwide Service. New Service For 2023. 855822-5911

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. 877-589-0747. (AAN CAN)

UNCLAIMED / RECEIVED

FIREARMS The following is a list of Unclaimed / Received firearms currently

in possession of the Asheville Police Department: BLK/ SIL JIMENEZ JA NINE-CA

9MM, BLK/SIL S&W 37-1 38, BLK XDM 45 GRN/PNK, SIG SAUER MOSQUITO 22, BLK FEDARM FRX 12GA, BLK SAVAGE ARMS STEVENS

12GA, BLK/BRN TAURUS G3

9MM, BLK/BRN SPRINGFIELD

MIL-SPEC 45, BLK/BRN TAURUS PT22 22, BLK MIL-SPEC

1911 45, BLK RUGER LCP

38, BLK BERETTA 9MM, BLK RUGER LCP II 22, BLK/WHT SPRINGFIELD XD 40, BLK BERETTA 22, BLK GLOCK 17

9MM, BLK S&W BODYGUARD

38, CHR JENNINGS J-22 22, BLK/BRN ULTRA-HI 2200

22, BLK GLOCK 23 40, GRY

1911 A1 45, BLK/SIL RUGER P89DC 9MM, BLK GLOCK 23 40, BLK/BRN SIG SAUER P365 9MM. Anyone with a legitimate claim or interest in this property must contact the Asheville Police Department within 30 days from the date of this publication. Any items not claimed within 30 days will be disposed of in accordance with all applicable laws. For further information, or to file a claim, contact the Asheville Police Department Property & Evidence Section at 828232-4576.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

SOMATIC ANCESTRAL HEALING Welcome! We'll delve into the depths of our identity & sort out which seeds we water & what is to be composted (metaphorically) We'll engage through meditation, storytelling , song & art. Oct 1,8,15,22, 10am-1pm. Ph. 8286209861

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

ACROSS

1 Fries, to Brits

6 Usurp

10 Entourage

15 Bring back to life

16 What a QR code at a restaurant may lead to

17 Less green, as a banana

18 Crowd favorite at karaoke, often

19 Part of a Latin 101 conjugation

20 Mediterranean fruit

21 Console with a motion-sensing remote

22 Prez with a famous ranch

24 Stephanie of “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

26 ___ room

27 Certain racetrack bet

29 Kind of calendar

31 Knockout punch

36 French film award

39 Regarding

40 Sight on a Norwegian cruise

44 Where Diamond Head is

45 Accepts a FedEx delivery, perhaps

47 Mononymous Grammy winner

48 Like many old fiddle tunes: Abbr.

49 Extra point for a shooting foul, in basketball

50 Without a sole winner

51 Educ. publishing division

52 Actor Yeun of 2020’s “Minari”

53 Attempt in cornhole

54 Baby wallaby

56 Go over

58 Key locale: Abbr.

60 Attempts to hit, as a shuttlecock

65 Org. that reports to the attorney general

68 “Awesome!”

69 Architectural features depicted by this puzzle’s vertical circled letters

70 “Wow!”

71 2026 World Cup co-host

72 Caught up

73 Peace, in Russian

74 ___ Faire (outdoor event)

75 Type of structure that this puzzle’s theme is a grand example of

76 The Mughal dynasty’s reign, e.g.

DOWN

1 “Gladiator” star Russell

2 Fusilli shape

3 Home to the monument depicted in this puzzle

4 Pritzker Prizewinning architect

5 Suffer from intense heat

6 Key with one sharp: Abbr.

7 Dream state

8 Santa ___

9 Shrub

10 Highly pleased with

11 “Data is the new ___” (popular wisdom in economics)

12 Architectural feature depicted between 7- and

8-Down

13 Number of players on a netball team

14 Upright

23 Cricket club

25 Spanish seasoning

28 “Much Ado About Nothing” role

30 Golf alternative, in brief

32 Lacks

33 “All kidding ___ …”

34 No. 2 in the statehouse

35 “___ nuit”

36 Pigeon coop

37 Countess’s counterpart

38 Builder of the monument depicted in this puzzle

41 Architectural feature depicted by this puzzle’s arching circled letters

42 Some loaves

43 Family men

45 Romp

46 Able to feel

55 Name that’s an anagram of SEEM

57 Focus of some cognitive therapy, for short

58 Number of 69-Across surrounding the monument depicted in this puzzle

59 Come up short

61 Part of M.I.T.: Abbr.

62 Prefix meaning one-billionth

63 Weight of a paper clip, roughly 64 Tesla, by birth

66 Qatari leader

67 Home to the monument depicted in this puzzle