Mountain Xpress 10.26.22 by Mountain Xpress

OUR 29TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 29 NO. 13 OCT. 26NOV. 1, 2022

BETTER LUCK

As one of four black cat rescues in the nation, and the only one in the South, Binx’s Home for Black Cats is part of a growing community hoping to save lives. Since Hannah Soboleski founded the nonprofit in 2020, it has rescued 205 black cats and adopted out 133.

STAFF

PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Jeff Fobes

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson

OPERATIONS MANAGER: Able Allen

MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas Calder

NEWS EDITOR: Daniel Walton

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Thomas Calder

OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose

STAFF REPORTERS: Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Justin McGuire, Sara Murphy, Brooke Randle, Jessica Wakeman, Daniel Walton

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & CLUBLAND: Andy Hall

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Lisa Allen, Peter Gregutt, Mary Jean Ronan Herzog, Rob Mikulak

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Mark Barrett, Blake Becker, Morgan Bost, LA Bourgeois, Carmela Caruso, Nikki Gensert, Bill Kopp, Linda Ray, Kay West

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Cindy Kunst

ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson

LEAD DESIGNER: Scott Southwick

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Tina Gaafary, Olivia Urban

MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Sara Brecht, Vicki Catalano, Scott Mermel, Braulio Pescador-Martinez

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FEATURE WELLNESS A&C A&C NEWS CONTENTS FEATURES PAGE 6

COVER PHOTO iStock COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick 3 LETTERS 3 CARTOON: MOLTON 5 CARTOON: BRENT BROWN 6 NEWS 11 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 15 WELLNESS 18 ARTS & CULTURE 27 CLUBLAND 30 FREEWILL ASTROLOGY 30 CLASSIFIEDS 31 NY TIMES CROSSWORD 10 Q&A WITH SCOTT BRINDLE Ax thrower discusses the sport and local scene 15 HEALTH ROUNDUP Impact Health hires executive director and other WNC health-related news 18 BEST MEDICINE WITH MORGAN BOST Comedians chat Halloween, Pack Square Park and the upcoming election 22 WHAT’S NEW IN FOOD Asheville Halloween Bar Crawl haunts the streets once more 8 BUNCOMBE BEAT Buncombe taking steps to make tax values more equitable www.junkrecyclers.net 828.707.2407 36,000 SQ. FT. OF ANTIQUES, UNIQUES & REPURPOSED RARITIES! P urge Unwanted Junk, Remove Household Clutter! call us to remove your junk in a green way! Greenest Junk Removal! Asheville’s oldest Junk Removal service, since 2010 26 Glendale Ave • 828.505.1108 regenerationstation.com TheRegenerationStation Open Everyday! 10-5pm Junk Recyclers Team Best of WNC since 2014! COSTUME CONTEST Sat., 10/29th • 10am–5pm Adults, Kids & Pets SPOOKY SALE 20% OFF all TRS Inventory several vendors participating Fri.–Mon., 10/28–10/31

Editor’s Note

For Halloween, we asked our readers to share the scariest things they’ve experienced in our area. Readers came through with shivery accounts of mysterious occurrences, which are scattered throughout the issue. X

‘Rainbow fentanyl’: fact vs. fiction

If you’ve seen or heard the news in the past month, you’ve likely heard about “rainbow fentanyl.” There has been a lot of fear and panic from parents about their children being given candy containing fentanyl this Halloween. The good news is there is no evidence to suggest there is fentanyl being laced into Halloween candy. This hasn’t been proven or even claimed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The bad news is that middle and high schoolers can purchase pills through social media, friends or family. These pills may mimic the appearance of legit imate prescription pills but can contain fentanyl, which can be deadly even in small amounts.

Fentanyl is frequently safely and effectively prescribed but can be very dangerous for people who obtain it ille gally or accidentally ingest it. It was also involved in over two-thirds of overdose deaths in 2021, in part due to its potency (it is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine). There is no evidence that has been provided by the DEA of new campaigns from cartels targeting children or that fentanyl is being laced into candy.

Drug experts say brightly colored fentanyl is not new and has nothing to do with children. It may be to distin guish types of pills from one another.

Teens are using drugs (including pre scription drugs that are not prescribed to them) at lower rates than in years past, yet unfortunately, we have seen more overdoses. This is not because of the colors of the pills, and there is no evidence linking these to “rainbow fentanyl.” It is because our drug supply is unpredictable and contaminated. If you buy a pill on the streets, it may be illicitly manufactured and not from a pharmacy and may contain fentanyl, which is a lot more potent, increasing the risk of overdose, especially if you don’t know you’re taking it and are opioid-naive.

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, in a Fox News interview, said: “We have not seen any connection to Halloween. I want to be very clear, if we see it, I promise, you have my commitment,

Both their struggles reflect our grow ing housing crisis, where people with stable jobs and decent pay are running out of housing options in Buncombe County. People like the teachers, artists, service industry workers, small-busi ness owners, nurses and others who make Buncombe County such a vibrant place to live.

In response to this dilemma, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners recently approved a ballot referendum that will direct $30 million toward the preservation of open space and $40 million toward the development of housing that is afford able for the county’s workforce. This November, county residents will get to vote on the bonds separately.

CARTOON BY RANDY MOLTON

any credible evidence, we will come out and we will tell you. ... Parents, we are begging families and parents to talk with their loved ones and to talk with their children. Never take a pill that wasn’t prescribed directly to you.”

Fentanyl is a potent drug that has caused a lot of overdose deaths, but we need our work to be based on evidence if we are going to deal with this cri sis appropriately.

Visit us at our upcoming medica tion takeback at Mission Hospital (1 Hospital Drive), the sheriff’s satellite office (339 New Leicester Highway) and the Asheville Outlets (800 Brevard Road) in Buncombe County on Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to dispose of unwanted prescription medications, which can be dangerous if taken by someone they are not prescribed to or if too many are consumed. One simple way to pre vent others from accessing prescription medication or other substances is to secure it in a lockbox or locked cabinet. Please contact us if you need one.

Naloxone is another important tool for anyone taking opioids. We offer this resource for free, and it is also available to any person through the North Carolina standing order at any pharmacy. While not perfect, fentanyl test strips also help identify fentanyl in substances, including fake pills.

Please check out the FDA’s Halloween Safety Guide for this year and be aware as a driver or a pedestrian to watch for extra foot traffic and cars when crossing streets. Tell your kids not to accept or eat any candy that is not commercially wrapped and to throw away anything that is damaged, discolored or if the wrappers are torn. Have a happy and safe Halloween!

— Miranda Poe Prevention coordinator

RHA Health Services Asheville

Editor’s note: A longer version of this letter will appear at mountainx.com.

Better luck

that if a black cat appeared in front of your car, you were supposed to make an X on the windshield.

Binx’s Home for Black Cats fights superstition, saves lives smurphy@mountainx.com

BY SARA MURPHY

If a black cat crosses your path, give it a loving home. That’s the message of Asheville nonprofit Binx’s Home for Black Cats, a rescue that focuses exclusively on fostering and adopting black cats.

Binx’s grew out of Hannah Soboleski’s personal experience fostering black cats for other local rescues and shelters. She had always had a special love for the animals, despite growing up among conven tional superstitions associating black cats with bad luck and satanism. As a cat foster parent, she saw up close how many black cats came into the shelters and how long they stayed there before adoption.

Soboleski’s experience is backed up by sobering statistics. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, black cats come into shelters more often than cats of any other coat color. Once there, a 2013 study in The Open Veterinary Science Journal shows, they stay in shelters an average of six days longer than cats of other colors.

This delay in adoption increases their risk for infections and eutha nasia. Thirty percent of black cats in shelters are euthanized, according to the ASPCA — again, more than those of any other color.

“I started realizing that there is a need for a foster-based rescue for people that are willing to help out black cats,” Soboleski says.

As one of four black cat rescues in the nation, and the only one in the South, Binx’s is part of a growing

community hoping to save lives. Since Soboleski founded the nonprofit in 2020, it has rescued 205 black cats and adopted out 133.

“So many people are starting to realize that black cats are wonderful

animals,” Soboleski says. “They’re just like other cats.”

BLACK CAT BIAS

Black cats have been tied to witch craft and devil worship as far back as 1180, when the English writer Walter Map claimed that Satan appeared to his devotees in the shape of a black cat. Growing up in the South in the late ’90s and early 2000s, Asheville Cat Weirdo Mer Milanovsky, owner of black cats Frankie and Doug, was told that Christians used to burn black cats alive unless they had patches of white fur called “God spots.”

More common in recent centuries are superstitions associating black cats with bad luck. Perri Emory, who has fostered for the Transylvania Animal Alliance Group for 11 years and owns black cat Banjo, heard throughout her late ’70s and early ’80s childhood in Western North Carolina

Measuring the impact of super stition when it comes to black cats and adoption is difficult. Black is the most common cat coat color, accord ing to PetMD. (Scientists suspect this is because natural selection favors black cats, who can blend into the darkness better while hunting.) As a result, black cats may predominate among shelter and rescue populations simply because there are more of them overall.

Studies that look for “black cat bias” are few in number and have relatively small sample sizes, mak ing it difficult to draw broader con clusions. However, a 2019 study in Psychological Reports found that people who describe themselves as superstitious were more likely to see black cats as more aggressive and less friendly.

Anecdotally, Soboleski has been told by a variety of workers at various rescues and shelters in the area that black cats stick around for longer. Emory has experienced this herself as a foster mom. If there are any black cats among the fosters she sends to adoption events, she says, “Nine times out of 10, I’m going to get the black ones back before anybody else.”

Soboleski doesn’t believe super stitions play as much of a role as they once did. She points to ASPCA numbers showing that black cats are adopted at rates similar to that of other cats. She does acknowledge, however, that social media and a rise in online adoptions have exacerbated another reason people don’t adopt black cats: the perception that they are not as photogenic.

She combats this by making sure she has good lighting when taking adoption photos for the Binx’s web site and adjusting the contrast so that the kitties’ gold or green eyes stand out. Soboleski’s photo of a kitten named Bojack worked for Walker Clarke, who “fell in love the second I saw his picture.” Clarke calls the cat, now named Truffle, “the most perfect little void baby.”

WITCHY AND PROUD

Binx’s Home for Black Cats is named after Binx Pyewacket, Soboleski’s 6-year old black cat, who is listed on the rescue’s website as “her familiar and best friend.” According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the word “familiar” was first used during European witch trials in the 15th-17th centuries to refer to a small animal with magical powers who loyally serves a witch.

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM6

NEWS

ALL NINE LIVES: As one of four black cat rescues in the nation and the only one in the South, Binx’s Home for Black Cats is part of a growing community hoping to save lives. Since Hannah Soboleski, pictured, founded the nonprofit in 2020, it has rescued 205 black cats and adopted out 133. Photo courtesy of Soboleski

DOWN BUT NOT OUT: After being hit by a car, Cobweb the cat is now recovering at Binx’s Home for Black Cats. Photo courtesy of Binx’s Home for Black Cats

For Soboleski, using the term is a way to reclaim some of the stigma connecting black cats with witches and witchcraft for good. The name Binx Pyewacket itself comes from Thackery Binx, a boy-turned-blackcat who helps rescue the protagonists in the Halloween film Hocus Pocus, and Pyewacket, a Siamese cat and witch’s familiar in the 1958 film Bell, Book and Candle.

The word also conveys the close ness of their relationship. Six years ago, the Asheville Humane Society asked Soboleski to foster a black kit ten in the hopes that a break from the shelter would help him heal from an upper respiratory infection.

“He got better really quickly,” Soboleski recalls. “He was putting on weight, [and] his URI went away.”

By nursing him, Soboleski says, she formed a very close bond with Binx during a difficult time in her life. “We worked really hard for each other and on each other, to help [us] get to a better place,” she says. “He truly is my familiar.”

When pandemic restrictions had loosened up enough for Binx’s to hold adoption events, Soboleski decided to lean even further into the witchy asso ciation. She had always enjoyed going to the metaphysical store Raven and Crone and realized that it could be a great place to showcase the animals.

Now, “Find Your Familiar” is a monthly event, often featuring Shifra

Nerenberg, an animal communicator who uses her intuitive skills to facili tate adoptions. “If [someone] is tuned into a particular cat already, I talk with the cat to make sure they recip rocate the interest,” Nerenberg says.

“I also get to pass along fun mes sages, like when an adopter was cud dling a kitty and that feline told me the human ‘smells nice’ so she wanted to claim her, too.”

HALLOWEEN HIATUS

On Oct. 1, Binx’s Home for Black Cats hosted a Halloween-themed fundraiser at Raven and Crone that featured two separate showings of Hocus Pocus and a raffle.

Why not on Allhallow’s Eve itself? Because even though many people no longer believe in superstitions sur rounding black cats, they believe that others do. Soboleski experienced this herself as a teenager when her black cat was found dead outside around Halloween. While there was no sign of deliberate harm, family members assumed “Satan worshippers” were to blame.

It’s unclear how many shelters and rescues avoid adopting out black cats on or before Halloween, but some organizations have historically done so out of fears that the animals would be harmed.

Soboleski thinks those fears are unfounded. “Do I think that people are spending $125 [Binx’s adoption fee] so that they can kill a black cat on Halloween? No, I don’t,” she says.

She considers not adopting black cats a greater risk because of their high euthanasia rates. “[People] have this amazing intention of trying to protect black cats, [but] by not allow ing us to adopt out during that time, it has the opposite effect,” she says.

However, Soboleski respects her donors’ concerns. Last year, Binx’s did not adopt out any cats during the entire month of October. This year, the rescue is pausing adoptions during the two weeks leading up to Halloween.

“I’m hoping that we can get to a point where one Halloween we can have a big fundraiser and people can come meet all the kitties,” she says.

By repeating the message about the greater threat euthanasia poses to black cats, Soboleski slowly hopes to erode the misconceptions prevent ing black cats from finding homes around Halloween.

Most of all, she urges people to approach cat adoption without pre conceived notions of what they want.

“Come in open hearted, open mind ed and realize that all of these cats need homes [and] deserve them,” Soboleski says. X

WNC SCARY STORIES

Footsteps in the attic

This is a spooky story my grandma Betty Jo used to tell us grandchildren. She lived up South Morgan Branch Road in Candler in a house over 100 years old.

Back in the late 1990s, Betty Jo worked at the old Kmart off Brevard Road (now the At Home store, for any newcomers to the area). One chilly fall evening, she was scheduled to work a night shift and was getting ready in the main-level bathroom of her home. As she was soaking in the tub, she heard the front door open and someone walk through the kitchen. She wasn’t expecting anyone at that time of day, but she assumed it was my grandpa Arville arriving home early.

She was confused, though, when she heard the door to the attic slam shut; by that point, only Betty Jo and Arville lived in the house, and they never ventured upstairs. She sat motionless in the tub as she listened to someone very deliber ately plod the perimeter of the attic. After completing a lap of the attic, the intruder went back down the stairs and thundered through the kitchen, still taking those slow, heavy steps.

As soon as Betty Jo heard the front door close, she rushed out of the tub, put on her housecoat and hurried outside. She looked around her porch, down the drive way and around the sides of the house, but Arville’s car was not

in the driveway and no intruders were found.

Later on, she asked my greataunts and great-uncles, who lived next door, if they had come into the house at all that day; none of them had. Betty Jo never found out who — or what — visited her that day or what they wanted in the attic, but she never stayed alone in an unlocked house again.

— Megan Hall, Candler X

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MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 7

AT HOME: Arville and Betty Jo Hall outside their South Morgan Branch Road home in Candler, circa 1975. Photo courtesy of Megan Hall

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Buncombe taking steps to make tax values more equitable

If you took a week off work this spring to build a bedroom in your unfinished basement, Buncombe County government wants to know. And if you think the value the county has assigned your home for property taxes is too high, the coun ty wants to know that, too.

In response to allegations that Buncombe’s tax assessment sys tem discriminates against owners of modest homes and gives a tax break to owners of expensive ones, Tax Assessor Keith Miller briefed county commissioners at their Oct. 18 meeting on a plan to increase the system’s accuracy.

The plan calls for the county to spend $844,000 over this fiscal year and the next. Actions include ask ing Buncombe residents to report improvements to their homes, buy ing software to double-check the valuations county staffers give to homes and reaching out to resi dents to help them understand how to challenge their property tax val ues, among other steps.

Commissioners did not vote on the plan but were generally sup portive in their comments, tacitly giving staff the green light to move ahead. Board members also said they will discuss assessment issues again in a few weeks. The $512,000 in new spending the plan projects in the 2023-24 fiscal year is contingent on commissioners’ approval as part of adopting the next county budget.

Local research firm Urban3 had told commissioners last year that the county’s assessment system tends to give less expensive homes tax values close to their market value while assigning high-end homes values that are often much less than their actual worth, mean ing the wealthy don’t pay as much as they should in property tax. The board appointed a citizens’ commit tee to look at the issue, and the plan Miller outlined Oct. 18 implements many of the recommendations that committee made in July, as well as some staff suggestions.

Miller and board Chair Brownie Newman said the assessment sys tem appears to be fair if the county has good information on real estate. But bad data can skew the results, Miller said.

When a property is sold, that trig gers a closer examination by county staff of the property’s attributes and value. Miller says about 60% of sales result in a change in the county’s information.

Improvements to the interior of homes that are not reported to the county are a source of many of the discrepancies, he said. The 10 county employees responsible for determining values are responsible for thousands of properties each, Miller explained: “Ninety-nine per cent of the homes in the county, we will never go inside of.”

Differences in who challenges their property values also shift the tax burden, Miller said. Owners of expensive homes are more like ly to appeal than are people who own more modest houses; appeals often result in a lower valuation for real estate.

Miller said he encourages people to appeal. “I would like to make that process as accessible as possi ble,” he said.

The county typically conducts a revaluation of real estate every four years. The citizens’ committee sug gested increasing that frequency, but Miller opposed that idea, saying each revaluation costs the county about $1.4 million.

As outlined in a presentation available prior to the meeting, Miller also told commissioners the county had no legal authority to

assign higher values to homes and apartments used for short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs and Vrbos, than to similar properties occupied by long-term residents.

Miller encouraged the commis sioners to consider asking state legislators to exempt some of the value of owner-occupied homes from taxation, a step Newman said the board is likely to discuss later. The state’s current exemption is limited to low-income residents who are over 65 or disabled. A blan ket exemption would give owners of inexpensive homes the greatest benefit on a percentage basis but would require the county to raise the overall tax rate if it wanted to keep total revenue from property taxes the same.

Center for older residents

Commissioners didn’t give a firm yes or no to a proposal to build an active aging center where services for older residents would be consol idated under one roof, with some saying Oct. 18 that the idea will be evaluated along with other building needs during the budget process for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The 55,000-square-foot building would house county agencies, non profits and possibly a few for-profit businesses serving older people at

a site at UNC Asheville. Services might include adult day care, con gregate meals, a fitness center and a medical clinic.

The total cost was estimated last year at $26 million, and leaders of the effort want the county to commit to up to $10 million. The county would also own, operate and maintain the building.

Some commissioners wondered how much consolidation of services in one location makes sense.

“What I hear from some of the aging is they do not want to drive into Asheville,” Commissioner Terri Wells said. “They want ser vices in their communities.”

Commissioner Al Whitesides , however, expressed no reserva tions. “I think we owe it to the senior population, and it would be a travesty for us to pass up this opportunity,” he said. “I don’t want to see us spare anything. I want to see us put the facility in place that will be the state of the art.”

— Mark Barrett X

Cleaning the data

Here are some of the steps county staff plans to improve the accuracy of proper ty assessments:

• Enlist local real estate agents to meet with property owners and explain how to appeal their property’s valuation.

• More quickly compare Multiple Listing Service descriptions of homes, made when homes are put on the market, with the county’s information and make correc tions accordingly.

• Buy software that will gener ate tax values for properties that can be compared with those assigned by staff.

• Ask county property owners via mass mailings each of the next two years whether the county’s description of their property is accurate and to notify the county of mistakes.

• Launch a public information campaign to explain how the assessment process works and how to appeal.

• Create a revamped website with property information more easily accessible in one location.

• Reevaluate for accuracy the 2,500 neighborhood classi fications the county uses in determining values.

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM8

ADJUSTING THE SCALES: Buncombe County Tax Assessor Keith Miller de scribes plans to make the county’s tax assessment system fairer during a meet ing of the county Board of Commissioners Oct. 18. Photo by Mark Barrett

X NEWS BUNCOMBE BEAT

MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 9

discusses the sport and local scene

It was love at first thump. The first time Scott Brindle threw an ax in 2021, the noise of the blade biting into the target board hooked him. Now, only 18 months later, he’ll be traveling to Appleton, Wis., to participate in the 2022 World Axe and Knife Throwing Championships — his second time participating in the series.

Originally from New Jersey, Brindle left his home state in 2015 following the dissolution of his marriage. He eventually settled in the secluded community of Sandy Mush Township, west of Leicester in Buncombe County.

In 2021, while working as the food and beverage manager at Sky Lanes, he befriended a set of regulars from the Asheville Sport & Social Club. The group soon introduced Brindle to the local ax throwing scene. Though initially reluctant about the activity, he eventually joined them in the fun. “We ended up winning a little tournament at Axeville [Axe Throwing Club],” he says.

From there, Brindle participated in a Marathon League in Hickory, where contestants threw in 28 games within a single day. Multiple world champions attended, as did a number of throwers who had been featured on ESPN. Despite their suc cess, Brindle notes, the group was warm and welcoming.

“They went out of their way to give me tips on how I could improve my game,” he says. “And now, I’m high on the leaderboard, and they couldn’t be happier. This community is superspecial.”

Xpress recently sat down with Brindle to discuss misconceptions about the sport, the ways in which ax throwing has helped him get through difficult times and advice he has for those interested in tossing a blade.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

Do you find that there are mis conceptions associated with the ax throwing scene?

Yes — 100%. Honestly, the biggest misconception is that it’s dangerous. It’s so odd to me when people give the response that sharp thing equals danger. The hatchet is 2 pounds. I can guarantee that you have thrown something that is 2 pounds in your life. I can also guarantee that that 2-pound object has gone at least 12 feet. When it goes 12 feet, you’re not exactly worried about it. That’s why you throw it 12 feet away. That’s

AX MAN: Scott Brindle may only have started throwing axes in 2021, but he’s already on his way to his second World Axe and Knife Throw ing Championships later this year. Photo courtesy of Brindle

what the sport is. It’s a hatchet that’s being thrown away from you.

And there’s not a single person who can’t throw a 2-pound hatchet. I’ve been beaten by 12-year-old girls and boys as well as by a 75-year-old

man. There’s no limit to finding the love of the thump and finding the joy in watching a 4-inch blade land on a 1 1/2-inch target from 12 feet away.

Beyond the initial camarade rie you found in the sport, what inspired you to compete?

For 15 or 20 years, I put that competitive side of me away. But it always sort of came out when I was a bartender or a waiter — I wanted to have the most sales. Eventually, I tried archery, I tried shooting, but neither felt the same way it felt when I tried ax throwing. Plus, once you’re in your 40s, the shock that follows certain physical strain is shocking. It’s like going to the gym isn’t even fun anymore.

Ax throwing allows me to have that competitiveness without that physi cal pain, if that makes any sense.

Has the sport changed the way you approach life?

I was adopted and abused as a kid. My best friend took his own life in 2000. My other best friend passed away from colon cancer in 2006. I got married at 30, and my wife and I had a little baby boy. And then I found out when he was 9 months old that he wasn’t mine. I was going to bed every night hoping I wouldn’t wake up. This has changed. Now, right after breakfast, I’m out on my property’s target range — this big old yellow school bus with spray-painted boards hung from it. That’s what makes me happy.

How has the sport itself changed over time?

Donate your car. Change a life.

Do you have an extra car that needs a new home?

Your donated car can open the doors to independence, increased income, and higher education for a hardworking member of our community. Vehicles of all types and conditions are welcomed and appreciated!

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

Since 2017, ax throwing has become [one of] the fastest-growing sports in the world. At the world championships, we have people from Australia, Canada, Norway, England, Mexico and all over the United States. And we’ve expanded the pool this year from 128 to 256 competi tors. So, we’re going to have even more representation from around the world. No matter where you go in the world, you can find people that are doing what we’re doing.

What advice can you share with anyone who wants to try ax throwing?

Throw the sharp stuff. The only people that don’t like to throw the sharp stuff are the people that hav en’t yet thrown the sharp stuff. I really do truly believe that. I truly believe that once you get into that ax venue and start throwing, it’s going to put a smile on your face.

Lastly, and in honor of Halloween, who is your favorite sharp-object-wielding fictional character? Man, I love Chucky!

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM10

— LA Bourgeois X Q&A

Ax thrower

workingwheelswnc.org | 828-633-6888

WELLNESS

Therapeutic Recre ation: Wednesday Morning Movement

A variety of physical activities such as active games, aerobics and dancing. Open to indi viduals ages 17+ with disabilities - participants who cannot meet eligibility requirements can attend with a 1:1 worker. Contact the Therapeutic Recreation Program at (828)2324529 for additional information.

WE (10/26, 11/2), 10am, Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, 34 Pearson Ave Zumba Gold for Adults

50+

This free class helps work on mobility while moving to the beat to burn off calories. Every Wednesday and Friday.

WE (10/26, 11/2), FR (10/28), 11am, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Yoga in the Park Asheville

Join together alongside the French Broad River for this all-level friendly yoga class based on Hatha and Vinyasa traditions. Also Sunday 10.30.

SA (10/29) & SU (10/30), 1:30pm, $10, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd

Hosting Trans Inclusive Yoga Communities

Hosted by yoga teacher Allé K, who will discuss using inclusive language in the classroom, accessible bathrooms, changing facilities and other topics. See p16 SA (10/29), 2pm, Asheville Yoga Center, 211 S Liberty St

Wild Souls Authentic Movement Class

A conscious movement experience in a 100-year old building with a community of like-minded women at all life stages. Hosted by self-care author/ speaker/teacher Renee Trudeau.

SU (10/30), 9:30am, Dunn's Rock Com munity Center, 461 Connestee Rd, Brevard

WNC Prostate Support Group Us TOO

A forum for men, caregivers, family members, and partners. For info: (828)419-4565 or wncprostate@gmail. com.

TU (11/1), 6:30pm, First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St

Dementia Partners Support Group AVL Providing a social setting for individuals to meet and discuss coping techniques, share experiences, and present resource speakers from a variety of agencies.

TH (11/3), 6pm, Scenic View Terrace Clubhouse, 60 Fallen Spruce Dr

ART

We Will Not be Silenced: Standing for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

A series of photographs and sculptures that bring voice to the inter national Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) move ment through the lens of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Com anche Nation, Lumbee, and other Native American artists. Open 10am Tuesday through Friday. Reception with light snacks and beverages on Nov. 2, 5pm.

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

NCGC Pumpkin Patch Glassblowers will be filling D Space gallery with glass pumpkins in an array of colors, styles and sizes. Purchases support the nonprofit glass center. Open 10am, closed Tuesday. Through Oct. 31. North Carolina Glass Center, 140 Roberts St, Ste B

Closing Reception for The Animals of Red Bell Run: Flora and Fauna Exhibit

A reception and artist talk with the photographer, Monica Stevenson.

TH (10/27), 6:30pm, Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon

(PAINT)BRUSH WITH DEATH: Painter Rob Czar, whose paintings were inspired by his personal experience with death, will celebrate with the Czart Haunted Gal lery Opening on Haywood Road in West Asheville on Saturday, Oct. 29. Although tickets are sold out for the 6 p.m. show, no tickets are required after 11 p.m. Photo courtesy of Rob Czar

A Walk in the Woods

Five guest artists approach the Carolina woodlands through their personal perspectives, revealing Appalachia through a fresh lens, inspired by fall. Open daily 10am, through Oct. 30.

Marquee Asheville, 36 Foundy St

Cultivating Collections: Glass

In this year’s exhibition, student researchers tell the stories of the Museum’s glass col lection, which includes a range of artists who have made significant contributions to the Studio Glass Movement in WNC. Open Tuesday through Friday, 10am.

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

The Way I'm Wired: Artist Reflections on Neurodiversity

This exhibition invites artists to share their lived experiences with neurodiversity and how these experiences have impacted their work as

an artist. Open Tuesday through Friday, 10am.

WCU Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr, Cullowhee

Brevard Fourth Friday Gallery Walk

Join artists and other arts enthusiasts for an evening of new exhib its, music, featured artists, refreshments, and more.

FR (10/28), 5pm, Downtown Brevard

Augmented Reality and Oil Painting Exhibition: Big, Bold, and Colorful

Contemporary artist Jaime Byrd will be featured for the months of October and November, exhibiting her larger scale works. Open daily 10am. Through Nov. 30. SA (10/29), 10am, Trackside Studios, 375 Depot St

Our Ecology, Shifting

Our Gaze Inward Atlanta born and raised artist Bevelyn Afor Ukah’s art reflects a collaboration of

perspectives on race, sexuality and body image. Through Oct. 30.

Pink Dog Creative Gallery, 348 Depot St WNC Carvers 2022 Woodcarving Exhibition

Visitors will be able to talk to local wood carvers and view the wide variety of carvings produced by these craftsmen and crafts women. Due to COVID concerns, this exhibition is being held in lieu of our normal annual carving competition. SA (10/29), 10am, Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway

Rebel/Re-Belle: Explor ing Gender, Agency, and Identity Combines works, primarily created by women, from two significant collections of contemporary art to explore how artists have innovated, influ enced, interrogated, and inspired visual culture in the past 100 years. Through Jan.

16, 2023. Open 11am, closed Tuesdays.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Czart Haunted Gallery

Opening: Till Death Do Us

Opening event and haunted house, featuring works by owner Rob Czar, who has chosen art as therapy for his brush with death. Featuring live music and bever ages and sweet treats. Costumes encouraged, tickets required before 11pm. SA (10/29), Czart Gallery, 167 Haywood Rd Ste 5

North Carolina Works by Martin Pasco Paintings from Barnardsville-based artist. With a “meet the artist” opening on Friday, Nov. 4 from 5 to 8pm. Gallery open daily 11am.

Asheville Gallery of Art, 82 Patton Ave

Explorations in Heritage & Nature: Paintings by Lelia Canter

A unique and colorful collection of over 25 years of work that illustrate Cherokee, Celtic, Appalachian, and various cultural legends. Meet the artist and exhibit sale Nov. 17, 4-6pm and Dec. 15, 4-6pm. Open daily 8am, closed Sunday.

Zuma Coffee, 7 N Main St, Marshall

Natural Collector |

Gifts of Fleur S. Bresler

Features around 15 artworks from the col lection, which include important examples of modern and contemporary American craft including wood and fiber art, as well as glass and ceramics. Open 11am, closed Tuesday.

Asheville Art Museum, 2 S Pack Square

Jazz '22 Story Walk

This exhibit of informa tional panels about NC jazz greats is designed to share the history of jazz. Outdoors, open 7:30am daily. Stearns Park, 122 E Mills St, Columbus

Inspiration

Features jewelry, fiber, clay and wood from six Southern Highland Craft Guild members. Open daily 10am. Folk Art Center, MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway

Saints of Paint: Unearthed Opening Night Reception

A group show of nine artists, with partial proceeds from sales benefitting the Appa lachian Barn Alliance adn Madison County nonprofit SART.

TH (11/3), 5pm, Mars Landing Galleries, 37 Library St, Mars Hill

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Intro to Drumming with TRAP of Asheville

Establish the founda tions of rhythm and experiment with various concepts. Registration required to use a provided djembe. No registration necessary if you bring your own drum.

TH (10/27), 4pm, Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St

Drum Circle Bring your own drum. Contact zach.hickok@ buncombecounty.org or call 828-684-0376 for more info.

TH (10/27), 5:30pm, Lake Julian Park, 37 Lake Julian Rd, Arden

Lyrical Ladies: Works for Viola & Piano by Women Composers

Works by women com posers, including Luisa LeBeau, Dora Pejacevic, Fernande Decruck, and Rebecca Clarke, with German violist Anna

Pelczer.

SA (10/29), 2pm, $10-22, White Horse Black Mountain, 105 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Pan Harmonia & Ashe ville Baroque Concerts: Reel Baroque Works by Turlough O’Carolan, Thomas Connellan, Tobias Hume, Matthew Locke, as well as traditional tunes from the Celtic lands.

SU (10/30), 3pm, Haw Creek Commons, 315 Old Haw Creek Rd

LITERARY

Edible North Carolina Join UNC food historian and editor Marcie Cohen Ferris and associate editor KC Hysmith as they discuss the book, Edible North Carolina: A Journey across a State of Flavor, which provides a 360-degree view of a state known for its farming and food, with essays from North Carolinians.

WE (10/26), 6pm, East Fork Pottery, 15 W Walnut St

Poets in Conversation: Lee Stockdale and Andrew Clark A discussion of Gorilla, a collection of poetry about Stockdale’s journey as a suicide survivor.

SA (10/29), 3pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva

Dark City Poets Society

This meeting is open to writers of all experience levels who are looking for feedback on their poetry.

TU (11/1), 6pm, Black Mountain Library, 105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain

Book Talk: Bauhaus Graphic Novel with Valentina Grande

The author discusses her book, in which the main character is not a person but an idea - the school of Bauhaus, which arose in the wake of World War I, and emerged as the fundamental reference point for virtually every avant-garde artistic movement that fol lowed.

WE (11/2), 1pm, Free, Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center, 120 College St

Storytelling on the Mountain Storytellers are invited to share a five minute true life story. If you are interested in being a storyteller, send an email to Jim at jamesr ludwig@gmail.com. WE (11/2), 5:30pm, Homeplace Beer Co., 6 South Main St, Burnsville

Calliope Shorts: Campfire Stories With seven new, original stories rooted

MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 11

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 3, 2022 For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 828-251-1333, opt. 4. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 828-251-1333, opt. 1.  Online-only events  Feature, page 16  More info, page 22  More info, pages 24-25

Halloween Events

Halloween at the Weaverville Tailgate Market

Trick or treat and Hal loween costume contest, with prizes for Scariest Costume, Grooviest Costume and Cutest Costume. Each winner will get a $10 market bucks prize to shop the Holiday Market.

WE (10/26), 3pm, 60 Lake Shore Dr, Weaverville Craft Cinema Halloween: Edward Scissorhands

A Halloween-themed screening of Tim Bur ton’s 1990 cult-classic.

Complimentary beverag es and popcorn courtesy of Bhramari Brewing Co. and Poppy Handcrafted popcorn.

WE (10/26), 5pm, Center for Craft, 67 Broadway

Halloween Party 2022

Celebrate AFAM’s final market of the season dressed in costume for a chance to win thecontest and visit each vendor for a treat. Family-friendly.

TH (10/27), 4pm, Appalachian Farmers & Artisan Market, 321 W Main St, Burnsville Smasheville Hallow een Party Anniversary celebra tion and costume contest with Dirty Dead. See p22 TH (10/27), 7pm, The Brew Pump, 760 Haywood Rd

Marquee Masquerade: Hooray for Hollywood Bring your kids along for trick-or-treating and dress as your favorite Hollywood icon, enjoy light bites and drinks by Saint Brighid’s, tunes by DJ Jaze Uries, a costume contest, and unique works of art. Proceeds from the raffle will go back to OpenDoors.

TH (10/27), 7pm, Marquee Asheville, 36 Foundy St

Spooky Tales with Gary Carden Storyteller and playwright will share renditions of stories from Irish, Jewish, Japanese, and Cherokee cultures.

Seating is limited and admission is free.

Donations encouraged.

FR (10/28), 5pm, City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva Halloween with the Owls

With an inflatable obsta cle course, face painting, pumpkin painting, and trick-or-treating in the coaches’ offices. Dress ing up encouraged.

FR (10/28), 6pm, DeVries Athletic Center, 104 Northwest Ln, Swannanoa

The 10th Annual Haunted Trail Family-friendly, suggest ed for ages three to 12. Ticket sales to this event raise meals for MANNA Food Bank. Outdoors, various dates and times through Oct.

FR (10/28), 6:30pm, $18, Adventure Center of Asheville, 85 Expo Dr Haunted Castle on the Hill

Meet ghosts and ghouls and visions of things that go bump in the nightages 10 and up (under 14 must be accompanied by an adult).

FR (10/28), 7pm, $3, Stephens Lee Recreation Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave Sludgefest

An immersive, multidimensional, apoc alyptic, science-fiction, performance art, musical collaboration, masquer ade dance party.

FR (10/28), 7pm, Fallout Art Space, 475 Fletcher Martin Rd, Alexander

Hatch-O-Ween Costume contests, a photo booth and live music. See p22 FR (10/28), 7pm, Bear’s Smokehouse, 135 Coxe Ave

Hempoween Harvest Fest

Twenty vendors, costume party, trunk-ortreat, face painting, live painting and more. By The Mari Fari and French Broad Food Coop. SA (10/29), 2-10pm, Pack Square Park

Wagbar Howl-O-Ween Party & Two year Anniversary With live music from 3-6pm both days, featur ing local artists JJ Seeley and Two Fontains, food truck, free photo booth and raffles. Costumes encouraged for both pups and people. Open 10am-9pm. 21+ SA (10/29) & SU (10/30), Wagbar, 320 Merrimon Ave, Weaverville Halloweenfest 2022 Family-friendly fun, including bounce houses, traditional costume competition and parade, the Magic Book Bus, a hula hoop dance party, pumpkin carving contest, food vendors and more. This year’s event fea tures a special “Get Set Sesame Street Party,” with visiting muppets throughout the day. SA (10/29), 10am, Downtown Brevard Monster Mash Hallow een Party Games, live music, a cos tume contest, a pumpkin patch and carving station for kids, and cider.

SA (10/29), 11am, Bold Rock Mills River, 72 School House Rd, Mills River

Horror Moview Double Feature Screenings of Nosferatu and Night of the Living Dead. Free popcorn, bring your own camp chair.

SA (10/29), 1pm, Hi-Wire Brewing, 197 Hilliard Ave

The Fifth Annual Halloween Bar Crawl Dress in costume and check in at Catawba Brewing on the South Slope. Visit various locations downtown including Daddy Mac’s, Dalton Distillery, One World Brewing, Scandals and more. Prizes awareded. See p22 SA (10/29), 2pm, Catawba Brewing South Slope, 32 Banks Ave, Ste 105

Blue Ridge Roller Derby’s Halloween Homecoming

The home teams are back after a long pandemic break, this evening with Halloween vibes.

SA (10/29), 5pm, Free$10, Smoky Mountain Event Center, 758 Crabtree Rd, Waynesville From Dusk till Dawn: Ninth Anniversary & Halloween Party Dress up and dance to local DJS while trying Fire Flights, featuring six ciders made with local peppers from Smokin J’s Fiery Foods. See p22 SA (10/29), 5pm, Urban Orchard Cider Co. South Slope, 24 Buxton Ave

Thrones, Rings, and Stranger Things

Dress as your favorite Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, or Lord of the Rings character. Beer and barbecue available. SA (10/29), 5pm, DSSOLVR, 63 N Lexington Ave

Vegan Halloween Party Meet fellow vegans, vegetarians, and the veg-curious. See p16 SA (10/29), 6:30pm, Weaverville Center for Healthy Living, 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville

Meadowlark Halloween Costume Party With food and beverages, live Hallow een-themed music in the Skylark Speakeasy, and an outdoor costume contest in the Pavilion.

SA (10/29), 7pm, $15, Meadowlark Motel, 2878 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley

Third Annual Horror Short Film Showcase

Students share their own frightening films.

Parental advisory: This event may not be appropriate for young children. Donations appreciated. SA (10/29), 7:30pm, Free-$10, Attic Salt Theatre, The Mills at Riverside, 2002 Riverside Dr

The Witch Trials

An interactive satire on The Salem Witch Trials, to bring attention to the ongoing persecution of those that are individualist. Vendors providing magical wares and tarot reading onsite, and a costume contest with prizes.

SA (10/29), 8pm, 27 Club, 180 Patton Ave

WNC Farmers Market Trick or Treat Trick or treat indoors with local vendors

SU (10/01), 8am-5pm, WNC Farmers Market, 570 Brevard Rd

Bold Rock Dog Costume Contest

Onsite local dog trainer James will conduct the contest, with prizes for Best Dressed Pup, and photo opportunities.

SU (10/30), 12pm, Bold Rock Mills River, 72 School House Rd, Mills River

Halloween Pop-Up! Market

This indoor/outdoor market of 20+ vendors will feature a variety of local creatives highlight ing some of the best in arts, crafts, and artisanal products from Asheville and surrounding areas. The annual Pup-O-Ween dog costume contest will occur 2-4pm, with entry fees going toward Asheville Humane Society. Rain or shine.

SU (10/30), 12pm, Hi-Wire Brewing, 197 Hilliard Ave

2022: A Space Pawd yssey Space-Themed Halloween Dog Parade Watch the costume parade, visit with local dog-themed vendors and enjoy the festivities in the fall gardens, with a Master of Ceremonies and prizes for best costume.

SU (10/30), 1pm, NC Arboretum, 100 Freder ick Law Olmsted Way Halloween at Well Played

Wear a costume to play for free. Featuring a special Halloween menu with food and drinks, and a Halloween photo contest: snap a photo of you in your costume at Well Played, post to Instagram tagging @wellplayedasheville

and use the hashtag #wellplayedhalloween to be entered. The winner will be randomly chosen and will receive a free one month game pass. MO (10/31), 8am, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave CareMore Health Hosting No Tricks: Just Mammograms and Treats

A mobile mammo gram truck, in honor of breast cancer awareness month. See p16 MO (10/31), 9am, CareMore Health - Asheville, 832 Hendersonville Rd

Greenhouse of Horror Experience a haunted greenhouse where the plants come alive at night. Each participant also receives a plant goodie bag and light bites. All ages - 14 and under must be accompa nied by an adult. MO (10/31), 4pm, Grove St Community Center, 36 Grove St

Hoopy Halloween at The Haunted Holler With kids and adults costume contests, a hula hoop contest, and Silly Circus Talent Show open to all at 5:45pm. MO (10/31), 4:30pm, Homeplace Beer Co., 6 South Main St, Burnsville Annual Boo Bash Halloween

Children are encouraged to dress in costume and bring a goodie bag to fill, as they visit various Asheville Outlets’ retailers for candy. With a photo booth, where guests can receive one free 4” by 6” photo and digital download of a single image (while supplies last). MO (10/31), 5pm, Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Rd

Downtown Marshall Safe Treat Trick or treat at local businesses. MO (10/31), 5pm, Downtown Marshall

Treat Street Carnival

The event will include a costume contest, Monster Mash Sound

Extreme DJ party, the kid zone, a variety of inflatables as well as performances. MO (10/31), 5pm, Historic Downtown Hendersonville

Halloween Boo’th Fest

Put on your costume, make memories, and take pics while receiving treats. All ages - 14 and under must be acccom panied by an adult. MO (10/31), 6pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

in the WNC mountain region, made possible by local professional and pre-professional artists. Outdoors. TH (11/3), 7pm, Full Spectrum Farms Pavilion, 185 Wayehutta Rd, Cullowhee

Story/Arts Residency: Romance, Jingles and Dreams

This first iteration in the Nov. residency program featuring Meta Commerse will involve a weaving of monologue, music, images, movement and selected story readings from Womaning, a memoir. See p25 TH (11/3), 7pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

THEATER & FILM

The Peking Acrobats ft The Shanghai Circus (Student Series) Witness daring maneu vers and technical prowess, with gravi ty-defying feats, festival pageantry, and a joyful celebration of Chinese culture. Recommended for Grades PreK-12. WE (10/26), 10am, $12, Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave

Outside Mullingar

A romantic drama played against the backdrop of two neighboring Irish farmers who have long been engaged in a land dispute. Also Saturday, Oct. 29. Sunday, Oct. 30 at UNCA's Reuter Center. FR (10/28), 2:30pm, Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E Walnut St

Geechie Anne Produc tions: Penthouses & Back Alley Ways NYC singer/songwriter and former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater principal dancer Raquelle Chavis performs with pianist Andy Lutter, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, guitarist Leandro Pellegrino, and drummer/percussionist Benjamin Johnson. SA (10/29), 7:30pm, $35, Wortham Center

For The Performing Arts, 18 Biltmore Ave

The Crucible

The classic play by Arthur Miller explores the infamous witch tri als of 1692. Presented by Tryon's Shakespeare and Friends. Outdoors. TH (11/3), 7pm, $10, Rogers Park, 55 W Howard St, Tryon

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

AAUW-Hendersonville Branch Luncheon Meeting

The speakers will be Lesley Shipley and Vic toria Cummins, owners/ operators of the Book and the Bee Café. The mother-daughter team

moved from academic travel to opening the English themed tea room in the midst of Covid. If you plan to attend notify ssmreb@ bellsouth.net. You may order lunch, bring your own or attend without.

TH (10/27), 11:30am, Hendersonville Community Co-Op, 60 S Charleston Ln, Hendersonville

Learn & Play: Disney Villainous

Each player takes con trol of one of six Disney characters, each one a villain in a different Disney movie.

TH (10/27), 6pm, Free, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave

Wolf Howl for Kids

Learn about the red and gray wolves of North America with your family - with educational crafts, games, and an opportunity to meet a live animal, followed by a trek to the onsite wolf habitats for a howling session. Recommended for ages 12 and under, registration required.

FR (10/28), 6pm, WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Rd

Birding Walk & Boat Ride

Suitable for beginners and advanced birders, all ages welcome. To sign up or for more information: conner. white@buncombecoun ty.org or (828)684-0376.

SA (10/29), 8:30am, Lake Julian Park, 37 Lake Julian Rd, Arden

Asheville SCORE: How to Find Your Customers

Developing a focused and effective marketing plan requires up-todate market analysis. Discover the variety of market research tools that will give you critical information about your industry and customers.

SA (10/29), 9am, A-B Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

ForestHer NC: Moun tains Region Gathering

The goals of this gath ering are to build on ForestHer NC’s 2022 foundational workshop series, learn about con serving healthy forests, and create a sense of community among participants. More info and directions provided upon registration. See p24-25 SA (10/29), 1pm, Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa

Pints with PSABC With guest speaker

Carl Elefante, Principal Emeritus with Quinn Evans, who writes and lectures internationally on historic preservation, sustainable design, climate change, and urban topics. RSVP:

jamie@psabc.org SA (10/29), 1pm, Wedge at Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave

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

SA (10/29), 1pm, Free$10, Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, 223 West State St, Black Mountain

The Red Nose Workshop

Dive into the clown state of wonder and absurdity.

SU (10/30), 10am, The Landing, 68D Kentucky Dr

Monthly Dinner for Veterans & Active Duty Personnel Dinner followed by regular business meeting with Don Buck, WNC Air Museum, as guest speaker. MO (10/31), 6pm, American Legion Post 70, 103 Reddick Rd

Game Designers of North Carolina (GDoNC) Meetup Meet local designers, give feedback, and discover your next favorite game. TU (11/1), 6pm Free, Well Played Board Game Café, 162 Coxe Ave

WNCHA History Hour: From the Balsams and Beyond: Cherokees in WNC

This program looks at Cherokee towns, trails, myths and legends in the greater Asheville area, from 14,000 years ago to the present. Specific sites can be identified, using mythology, archaeology, and oral history. In celebration of Native American History Month. TU (11/1), 6pm, avl.mx/c4k

Bingo Night Doors open 4:30pm. Up to $2500 in prizes, weekly. TU (11/1), 7pm, $25, American Legion Post 70, 103 Reddick Rd

Boy Scout Troop 91 Fall Kick Off

For boys ages 11-18, free to attend first two meetings. Visit: avl.mx/bxq TU (11/1), 7pm, St. Pauls United Methodist Church, 223 Hillside St Building Our City: Small Scale Develop ment Matters Now More Than Ever Feature Bernice Radle, founder and CEO of Buffalove Development, who will speak on how Buffalo, NY's 2017 zoning overhaul made

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM12

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

a walkable, transit friendly development legal again, how it is helping enable small scale projects, creating wealth for working people, and rebuilding a legacy Great Lakes city that despite losing half of its population from 1950 to 2010, is now America's fastest growing Rust Belt city.

WE (11/2), 5:30pm, The Collider, 1 Haywood St, Ste 401

Men's Cancer Support Group

Safely meet in a large conference room and stay socially distant while wearing masks. RSVP to Will (412)9130272 or acwein123@ gmail.com.

WE (11/2), 6pm, Free, Woodfin YMCA, 40 N. Merrimon Ave, Ste 101

Night of the Teenagers

Teens and young adults can shoot hoops, listen to tunes, play games, lift weights, chill out, or do almost anything else they want.

WE (11/2), 6pm, Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Rd

Native American Wisdom: Teaching the Old Ways Nicholas Thorne, a Penobscot teacher in Asheville who learned from the Cherokee, uses language and stories to provide multi cultural perspectives of the world's ecosystems.

WE (11/2), 7pm, avl.mx/8u5

WNC Sierra Club: All Things Great and Small - Intro to Biodiversity

Rachel Muir, Emeritus Scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, will discuss the importance of biodiver sity worldwide and the extraordinary variety of creatures that call the southern Appalachians their home.

TH (11/3), 7pm, zavl.mx/prx3

Get ready, get set…

is returning this fall — look for the guide inserted in next week’s Mountain Xpress

Or get started early by visiting GIVELOCALGUIDE.ORG

We are happy to announce 2022’s outstanding list of 48 nonprofit partners:

COMMUNITY

• 103.3 Asheville FM

• ABCCM

Among mannequins

IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE ...: “As I searched the space, I noticed that all the costumes and the mannequins seemed to be looking in our direction,” notes APD officer Adam Roach. “It was very unsettling.” Photo from iStock

In 2008, I was on patrol for the Asheville Police Department when I was called to the old costume shop on Haywood Street for a break-in. When I got there to take the report, I noticed there were a lot of costumes and mannequins up against the walls throughout the shop.

According to the clerk, when she came to work, she discovered that someone had broken in through the skylight and stolen things from the office. However, there was evi dence that things had been moved around in the main area as well, where the costumes and manne quins were stationed.

The clerk was by herself, and she told me that she felt a pres ence inside the building. She was

concerned the suspect was still there. As I searched the space, I noticed that all the costumes and the mannequins seemed to be looking in our direction. It was very unsettling. And as I continued the search to see if someone was hiding, I became less and less con vinced that we were, in fact, alone.

There were so many costumes and mannequins I lost track of where I had checked. Needless to say, I convinced the clerk to leave for the day and I stayed with her until she did. I’d never gotten chills from work until that day and thinking about it now still gives me chills.

— Adam Roach, Woodfin.

• BeLoved Asheville

• Blue Ridge Pride

• Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Inc.

• Eblen Charities

• The Mediation Center

• Working Wheels

HEALTH & WELLNESS

• All Souls Counseling Center

Bounty & Soul

Loving Food Resources

Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe County

MemoryCare

NAMI

Under One Sky Village Foundation

YOUTH

Asheville City Schools Foundation

Buncombe Partnership for Children

Caring for Children

Children First/Communities in Schools of Buncombe County

Muddy Sneakers

My Daddy Taught Me That

OpenDoors Asheville

ANIMALS

Appalachian Wildlife Refuge

Asheville Humane Society

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue

Friends of the WNC Nature Center

• Friends2Ferals (Buncombe Humane)

• Mountain Pet Rescue Asheville

• Wild for Life

CREATIVITY & LITERACY

• Aurora Studio & Gallery

• Literacy Together

• Open Hearts Art Center

• POP Project

ENVIRONMENT

• EcoForesters

• Environmental Quality Institute

• Friends of the Smokies

• Green Built Alliance

• MountainTrue

RiverLink

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity

Asheville Poverty Initiative

Helpmate

Homeward Bound of WNC

Just Economics

Ministry of Hope

Our VOICE

Pisgah Legal Services

MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 13

•

If you own a business and would like

help reward donors, please email GIVELOCAL@MOUNTAINX.COM or give us a call 828-251-1333

X WNC SCARY STORIES

LOCAL MARKETS

Staples Artisan Market

Small and homegrown market.

WE (10/26), 11am, Staples Artisan Market, 65 Merrimon Ave

YMCA Mobile Market

Bring your grocery bags and get free fresh food for your family. All community members welcome.

WE (10/26), 12pm, Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Rd, Candler

Etowah Lions Club Farmers Market

Fresh produce, meat, sweets, breads, arts, and more, through October 26.

WE (10/26), 3pm, 447

Etowah School Rd, Hendersonville

Leicester Farmers Market

Leicester's only community-led farmers market with local produce, cheese, meats and crafts.

WE (10/26, 11/2), 3pm, Leicester Com munity Center, 2979

New Leicester Hwy, Leicester

River Arts District (RAD) Farmers Market

Located on the river with live music and over 30 local vendors.

Safely accessible via the greenway, plus ample parking.

WE (10/26, 11/2), 3pm, Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Dr

Enka-Candler Tailgate Market

Fresh local produce and heritage crafts.

Weekly.

TH (10/27), 3pm, A-B

Tech Small Business Center, 1465 Sand Hill Rd, Candler

Flat Rock Tailgate Market

A diverse group of local produce farmers, jam and jelly makers, bread bakers, wild crafters, and merry makers.

TH (10/27), 3pm, Pinecrest ARP Church, 1790 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock

The Booth Fairy's Vintage Pop Up

Hundreds of pieces of vintage, retro and bohemian clothing, all sizes; plus, a DJ, tarot readings, henna, chair massage, sh*tty advice booth and local art. With a bar and discounts for dancing.

FR (10/28) - SU (10/30), 1pm, Asheville Social Hall, 81 Broad way Ave

East Asheville Tailgate Market

Local goods.

FR (10/28), 3pm, 954 Tunnel Rd

Hendersonville Farmers Market

Produce, meat, eggs, baked goods, coffee, crafts and more from 30+ local vendors. With live music, kids' activities and cooking demos weekly.

SA (10/29), 8am, 650 Maple St, Hendersonville

Mills River Farmers Market

A producer-only mar ket, selling products raised or produced within 50 miles of the market.

SA (10/29), 8am, Mills River Elementary School, 94 Schoolhouse Rd, Mills River

North Asheville Tailgate Market

The oldest Saturday morning market in WNC. Over 60 rotating vendors.

SA (10/29), 8am, 3300

University Heights

Asheville City Market

Over 50 vendors and local food products, including fresh produce, meat, cheese, bread, pastries, and more.

SA (10/29), 9am, 52 N Market St

Black Mountain Tailgate Market

Seasonal community market event featuring organic and sustainably grown produce, plants, cut flowers, herbs, locally raised meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheeses, eggs and local arts and handcrafted items.

SA (10/29), 9am, 130 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain

Junk-O-Rama Saturday

Vintage antiques market, every Saturday through October.

SA (10/29), 11am, Fleetwood's, 496 Haywood Rd

The Market at Blue Ghost

Fourteen local vendors on site selling jewelry, tarot card readings, crystals, skincare, candles, water color bookmarks, matcha, crochet, and axe throwing.

SA (10/29), 2pm, Blue Ghost Brewery, 126 Underwood Rd, Fletcher

Jackson Arts Market

Makers & Music Festival

With live, local music on Saturdays and an

open mic on Sundays. SA (1029) & SU (10/30), 12pm, Downtown Sylva Monster Market

With local vendors, and Brady Turner live on the Meadow Stage. SU (10/30), 1pm, Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy West Asheville Tailgate Market

Over 40 local vendors, every Tuesday. TU (11/1), 3:30pm, 718 Haywood Rd

Free Community Market/Mercado de Despensas Gratis Staples, produce and perishables, by MANNA FoodBank. WE (11/2), 11:30am, Hola Community Arts, 801 Fourth Ave East, Hendersonville

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

The 2nd Speakeasy Soirée - Friday Morgan Bost, Ginger By Association, Dr No and the Yessirs, and One-Sided at 7:30pm, and Hilliary Begley, Hella Sketch, S.H.I.T and Mario Trevizo at 10pm. Live music from Hannah Kaminer and a 1960s themed costume competition. FR (10/28), 7:30pm, Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd

The 2nd Speakeasy Soirée - Saturday

ASU’s Noun Improv, Ray Money, Podcast From Hell, Keeping Up with the Joneses at 7:30. Don Garrett, Upstairs/Downstairs, Eric Brown, Cameron Davis and Saturday Manatee at 10. Live music from Alex Travers and a 1960s themed costume competition.

SA (10/29), 7:30pm, The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St

Annual Eliada Fall Festival and Corn Maze

One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to benefit the children, youth and families served at Eliada. Various dates and times through Oct. Eliada, 2 Compton Dr Beaverdam Studio Tour

A self guided tour across the valley to artist's studios to see their work and talk with them. Media include ceramics, painting, jewelry, sculpture, textiles, paper art, photography, and

more.

SA (10/29) & SU (10/30), 10am, Multiple Locations in Asheville

Fall Festivities

Donation-based pony rides, hay rides, local apples, fresh pressed cider, sould silo and a pig viewing area. All donations go toward Project HNG nonprofit. SU (10/30), 10am, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Rd, Fairview

St. James A.M.E. Sunday Soul Food Dinner Church fundraiser, takeout only. Menu items include chicken, ham, meat loaf, pig feet, cornbread/rolls, collards, green beans, pintos, mac and cheese and potato salad - with homemade desserts.

SU (10/30), 11am, St. James AME Church, 44 HIldebrand St

Friends Night Out Stop by the chamber at 773 W Main St and register - the first 100 participants will receive a free Jackson County Ale Trail pint glass. After registering, visit the businesses - many will have special promotions, sales and some surprise treats. There will be a drawing with prizes at the end of the evening.

TH (11/3), 4pm, Downtown Sylva

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Library Youth Voting Event & Election Party Stop by and cast your vote for your favorite ice cream flavor. Results will be revealed Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 3:30pm – 4:30pm at the Library Election Collection Party. Closed Saturdays, open 1pm Sundays.

Haywood County Library-Canton, 11 Pennsylvania Ave, Canton

State of the Arts Brunch

Organized by the Asheville Area Arts Council, the brunch provides a snapshot of the current state of the area's creative sector. Speakers include Mayor Esther Manheimer and Bun combe County Board of Commissioners Chair Brownie Newman. Ticket sales will sup port the Arts Council’s mission to keep the arts at the heart of the community.

WE (11/2), 10:30am, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave

BENEFITS & VOLUNTEERING

Nursing Home Bliss Mob

Dress with flair and visit room to room to brighten people’s day providing smiles, silly antics, dance music and a listening ear. No experience needed. Service dogs are welcome with advance permission. Presented by The Booth Fairy.

WE (10/26), 3pm, StoneCreek Health & Rehabilitation, 455 Victoria Rd

Fairview Road Resilience Garden

Work Day

Volunteers are needed at the garden every Wednesday. All ages and skill levels are welcome to harvest, weed, plant, and build community.

WE (10/26, 11/2), 5:30pm, Fairview Resilience Garden, 461 Fairview Rd

Dr. George Washing ton Carver Edible Park

Work Day

Lynx Bergdahl, from Bountiful Cities, will be guiding the group. There will be some extra tools, but any gloves, loppers, pruners or weeding tools brought are appreciated.

FR (10/28), 2:30pm, Dr George Washington Carver Edible Park, 30 George Washington Carver Ave

Seance and Spook Show Fundraiser Wonder worker

Anafiel, magician Bryan Hilemon, will perform a family-friendly seance and show to benefit nonprofit The Vanish ing Wheelchair.

FR (10/28), 8:30pm, $5-20, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 337 Charlotte St

Eblen Charities’ Walk, Run or Roll

Participants are welcome to dress up in family friendly costumes, including pets. All funds raised will help serve the community with basic necessities from housing to medication assistance.

SA (10/29), 10am, Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd

Barks, Boos and Brews With prizes for best costume, adoptable animals and more. A fundraiser for Mountain Pet Rescue Asheville. SA (10/29), 2pm, Catawba Brewing South Slope, 32 Banks Ave, Ste 105

The Great Catsby Pawty

To benefit FurEver Friends. See p25 SA (10/29), 2pm, Gingers’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Dr, Ste 100

Sixth Annual Thunder ween

With Brevard's all-male, semi-synchronized dance troupe, Pisgah Thunder, and music by The High Flying Crimi nals. Come dressed for the costume contest. Proceeds go to sup port The Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club. SA (10/29), 8pm, 185 King Street, 185 King St, Brevard

Howl-o-Ween Dog Party

Bring your dogs for an afternoon of costume contests, raffles, dog portraits, vendors, cocktails, puptails, and tunes from DJ Molly Parti. To benefit Charlie's Angels Animal Rescue.

SU (10/30), 1pm, $5, Aloft Asheville Downtown, 51 Biltmore Ave

WNC Cars and Kicks Halloween Event Vendors, food trucks, trick or treat and other activities. Accepting winter supplies for the homeless community of WNC.

SU (10/30), 1pm, Silverados, 2898 US-70, Black Mountain Mountain Pet Rescue's 5th Birthday Party Tacos and pups, with sales benefitting the rescue.

TU (11/1), 4pm, The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave

Community Trash Clean Up

Supplies provided (puncture proof gloves, bags, safety vests, trash grabbers and music). Must wear closed toed shoes due to hypodermic needles. Presented by The Booth Fairy Project. WE (11/2), 12pm, Greenlife Grocery, 70 Merrimon Ave

Puerto Risas: A Fund raiser Comedy Show Asheville's own and Puerto Rican transplant Christian Lee is hosting Puerto Risas to help raise money for those still without power and basic necessities from years of hurricane damage and blatant neglect from the government. Funds will be going to Brigada Solidaria del Oeste.

21+

WE (11/2), 7pm, $15, Asheville Beauty Acad emy, 28 Broadway St

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM14

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by Jessica Wakeman | jwakeman@mountainx.com

Impact Health hires executive director

Laurie Stradley joined Impact Health as executive director Oct. 24.

Impact Health is a nonprofit creat ed by Dogwood Health Trust to run the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a new Medicaid program that address es the social factors involved in health. It’s the first pilot in the nation to “test and evaluate the impact of providing select evidence-based, nonmedical interventions,” accord ing to N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Stradley succeeds inter im Executive Director Dionne Greenlee-Jones, who moved to a leadership role within the Healthy Opportunities Pilot.

Stradley’s experience includes chief program officer for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a chil dren’s health nonprofit, and director of wellness for Mission Health.

Schools partner for pharmacy doctorate

Western Carolina University in Cullowhee is participating in a program that guarantees admis sion to the Eshelman School of Pharmacy PharmD program at UNC Chapel Hill. The Early Assurance Program assures admission for up to 10 current and incoming WCU stu dents each year at Eshelman School of Pharmacy following a completion of required coursework.

Applications for the program are due in January. WCU students can apply to the partnership after com pleting one semester of classes. The program will run through 2027 with an option to renew.

For more information about the Early Assurance Program, contact WCU associate professor Jamie Wallen at jamiewallen@wcu.edu or 828-227-3667.

Mission hosts opioid takeback event

HCA Healthcare is hosting a Crush the Crisis opioid takeback event with local law enforcement from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at Mission Hospital, 1 Hospital Drive.

The event will accept unused or expired opioid medication, which will then be safely discarded. These

medications include codeine, fentan yl (Duragesic), hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), morphine, oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), oxymorphone (Opana) and tramadol (Ultram). Inhalers, needles, syringes, lancets or liquids will not be accepted.

For more information call 833-582-1970.

WCU awarded funds to expand Bingocize

Medicare and Medicaid Services has awarded a $1.2 million grant to Western Carolina University for a senior exercise program. WCU fac ulty will bring Bingocize — a combi nation of exercise, health education and the game bingo — to 45 North Carolina nursing homes over three years. Turner Goins, Ambassador Jeanette Hyde Distinguished Professor of Gerontological Social Work, will lead WCU faculty in the program.

Bingocize is an evidence-based program targeted at sedentary older adults. The exercises improve balance, strength and range of motion, and the game promotes social engagement.

Bingosize was created by Jason Crandall, co-director of the Center for Applied Science in Health and Aging at Western Kentucky University, which will partner with WCU to bring the game to North Carolina nursing homes. For more information visit avl.mx/c3y.

Jail, detention facility pass health inspection

The Buncombe County jail and the Buncombe County Detention Annex both passed inspections by the state Division of Public Health Environmental Health Sections Oct. 12, according to documents sup plied by Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Aaron Sarver

The jail received three demerits on the health inspection for water-dam age stains on ceiling tile, rusted vents and missing grout and tiles. The detention center received zero demerits. Both facilities utilize a community water supply and water samples were not taken on this visit.

Couple hosts auction for stillbirth nonprofit

Jenna Crawford and Garry Wynn Crawford of Arden are hosting an online fundraising auction for PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, a non profit seeking to end preventable stillbirth, through 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. The auction features origi nal artwork by Asheville-based artist Gus Cutty, among other artists, and is available at avl.mx/c3z.

The Crawfords are the parents of Abigail, who died in spring 2021 during her 38th or 39th week of ges tation. Her parents are committed to educating others about perinatal loss, and postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress disorder expe rienced by bereaved parents.

CONTINUES

NEW LEADER: Laurie Stradley joined Impact Health as executive director Oct. 24. Impact Health operates the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a new Medicaid program that addresses social determinants of health. Photo courtesy of Impact Health

MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 15

HEALTH ROUNDUP

ON PAGE 16

For more information about still birth and perinatal loss resources visit www.pushpregnancy.org.

Eating disorder assessments available

Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders in Asheville is offering free clinical assessments for North Carolina residents with financial hardship or insurance barriers. The assessment by a con tracted clinical provider will gather preliminary diagnostic information that will inform referrals for further treatment. The recipient may be the applicant or a child/dependent. An application is available at avl.mx/c32.

LGBTQ+ survivors get VA benefits

The federal Department of Veterans Affairs announced Oct. 13 it is extending benefits for the survi vors of LGBTQ+ veterans.

The 2015 Supreme Court deci sion Obergefell v. Hodges legalized marriage between same-sex part

ners. However, some survivors of LGBTQ+ veterans were ineligible for military benefits because they had not been legally married long enough to meet certain length-oftime requirements.

The VA will now factor in other indications of a union prior to the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, such as establishment of a joint banking account or a commitment ceremony.

Contact Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 828-298-7911 for more information.

Movers and shakers

• Mercy Urgent Care President and CEO Rachel Sossoman is the recipient of a 2022 Trailblazer Award by the magazine Business North Carolina.

• Dr. Sukhmani K. Gill, a medical hematologist and oncologist, has joined Pardee UNC Health Care. Dr. Gill is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call 828-692-8045.

• Dr. Vincent Gacad, has joined Pardee Cardiology Associates. Dr. Gacad is accepting new patients.

To schedule an appointment, call 828-697-7377.

Mark your calendars

• Asheville Yoga Center is hold ing a workshop “Hosting Trans Inclusive Yoga Communities” from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Yoga teacher Allé K, who identifies as queer transmasculine, will discuss using inclusive language in the classroom, accessible bathrooms and changing facilities and other topics. The workshop is geared toward yoga teachers as well as students. Admission is $60 and can be purchased at avl.mx/c3x.

• Asheville Vegan Society will host a vegan Halloween party from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at Weaverville Center for Healthy and Creative Living, 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville. RSVP via avl.mx/c3v.

• CareMore Health and Invision Diagnostics are offering free 3D mammograms for eligible individ uals Monday, Oct. 31 at CareMore Health, 832 Henderson Road, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. To be eligible, a patient must have insurance, be

35 years and older, have not had a mammogram in the previous 12 months and not be pregnant or breastfeeding. Schedule an appointment at avl.mx/c41 or by calling 828-274-1508.

• The American Red Cross will host blood drives at: Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3; A-B Tech Coman Gym, 340 Victoria Road, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3; Asheville Jewish Community Center, 236 Charlotte St., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8; and Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Road, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 25. Schedule an appointment at avl.mx/8u7.

• Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders in Asheville hosts a weekly, gender-inclusive support group for adults 18 and older. The virtual group meets 6-7 p.m. every Wednesday; a new link for the meeting is sent every week. Meetings are free, open to the public and facilitated by a licensed therapist or dietitian specializing in eating disorders. To RSVP and receive the weekly link, email groups@crcfored.com. X

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MOUNTAINX.COM 2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE 1 Part 2 U.S. House 11 • N.C. Senate • N.C. House • Buncombe County Board of Commissioners • Buncombe County Sheriff • Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors 2 0222 022 General Election

2022

General Election VOTER GUIDE

Western North Carolina voters have many choices to make this fall. From the U.S. Senate down to the Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, 2022’s midterm elections feature contested races at nearly all levels of government.

Buncombe County residents will have the additional responsibility of deciding on two bond referendums that could see county government borrow $70 million for land conservation and affordable housing initiatives.

It’s a lot to unpack. That’s why Mountain Xpress is presenting this year’s general election voter guide in two parts. The first, published last week, covers Asheville city government races, as well as contests for the local school boards. The second, being distributed in this week’s paper, will cover Buncombe County races, the N.C. General Assembly and U.S. House District 11. The entire guide is also available online at avl.mx/c30.

Voting FAQs

In addition to our comprehensive coverage of contested local races in Buncombe County, Mountain Xpress hopes to clear up some frequently asked questions about the process of voting in 2022’s general election. Below, you’ll find short explainers on when, where and with what information ballots can be cast.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY’S 2022 VOTING TIMELINE

Mark your calendar! Take note of the following important dates to make sure your vote is counted before state deadlines:

• Thursday, Oct. 20: Early voting begins at 12 locations across Buncombe County. Sites are open 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on weekends. Voters can also deliver absentee ballots to these sites. Eligible individuals not yet registered to vote may use “one-stop” combined registration and voting at early voting sites. More information is available at avl.mx/478.

• Tuesday, Nov. 1: Last day to request an absentee ballot.

• Saturday, Nov. 5: Last day for early voting in Buncombe County. Polls run 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Tuesday, Nov. 8: Election Day. In-person voting will be held in 80 county precincts. Polls are open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. All absentee ballots must arrive by this date at Buncombe County Election Services, 59

Early in-person voting is now underway and will continue through Saturday, Nov. 5. The Buncombe County Board of Elections has more information about when and where to vote at avl.mx/478. Absentee ballots to vote by mail may be requested through Tuesday, Nov. 1. Polls are open 6:30 a.m.7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. Xpress has also compiled a list of voting FAQs to answer questions about the process and timeline.

Previous Xpress coverage of the 2022 general election is available at the pages linked below:

• “$70M for land conservation, affordable housing up to Buncombe voters” — Aug. 19, 2022, avl.mx/c3c

• “Edwards, Republican panel talk ‘leftist agenda’ in schools” — Aug. 29, 2022, avl.mx/c3r

• “Manheimer, Berthiaume pull in Asheville campaign funds” — Sept. 7, 2022, avl.mx/c3n

Woodfin Place, or be hand-delivered by 5 p.m., to be counted.

FIND YOUR SAMPLE BALLOT

To find sample ballots and check voter registration status, visit the N.C. State Board of Elections voter search website at avl.mx/6nq.

Users must enter their full name and voter status. After searching, the system will display a list of matching names. Selecting your name takes you to a page with sample ballots (located toward the bottom of the page under “11/08/2022 GENERAL”), the address of your Election Day polling place and the jurisdictions of your representatives.

If you voted absentee, this page also shows the status of your ballot.

If your name does not show up, you are not registered to vote in North Carolina. If you believe this is an error, contact your county Board of Elections.

Each county Board of Elections also has sample ballots available on its website.

Voters are encouraged to fill one out in advance to minimize time spent in a polling place.

VOTE BY MAIL

If you’d like to vote by mail, request an absentee ballot through the N.C. State Board of Elections’ online ballot request portal (avl.mx/8ii) or by filling out and submitting an absentee ballot request form by mail.

All forms must be returned to the corresponding county Board of Elections by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1; request forms can be mailed, emailed, faxed or brought to the

• “NC-11 candidates talk issues, strategy ahead of Election Day” — Sept. 7, 2022, avl.mx/xmasjbh

• “Buncombe County Commission candidates talk policy, vision at CIBO forum” — Sept. 12, 2022, avl.mx/c3q

• “How local candidates put donations to use” — Sept. 16, 2022, avl.mx/xmasjbg

• “NC House candidates participate in AAAC’s ArtsAVL Town Hall” — Sept. 16, 2022, avl.mx/c3p

• “Asheville, Buncombe prepare for school board elections” — Sept. 22, 2022, avl.mx/c3o

• “County commissioner candidates participate in AAAC’s Arts AVL Town Hall” — Sept. 30, 2022 avl.mx/c3u

• “AAAC hosts its third and final 2022 Arts AVL Town Hall” — Oct. 17, 2022, avl.mx/c3t

— Daniel Walton X

county election office in person by the voter or a near relative.

When your ballot arrives, follow the enclosed directions. You must mark the ballot in the presence of a notary public or two witnesses, who must sign the absentee ballot envelope upon completion.

The completed absentee ballot can be mailed back to the county Board of Elections (you will need your own postage stamp) or delivered to any early voting site or the county Board of Elections. An absentee ballot can be delivered by a near relative, but it must arrive at the Board of Elections or be dropped off by 5 p.m on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Absentee voters can sign up for text or email updates on the status of their ballot through BallotTrax (avl.mx/8il), run through the N.C. State Board of Elections.

DO I NEED TO BRING MY ID?

Voters will not be required to show photo identification for the 2022 elections, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections. A North Carolina Superior Court has permanently enjoined the law requiring photo ID for voting. Following a trial in April 2021, a three-judge panel in the Holmes v. Moore case concluded that the voter photo ID law violated the North Carolina Constitution. The court’s decision, which was issued on Sept. 17, 2021, means that voters are not required to show photo ID in elections in North Carolina.

However, eligible voters registering to vote at a one-stop voting site must provide one of the following: a North Carolina driver’s license or an identity card from the N.C.

Department of Motor Vehicles; a current utility bill, bank statement or paycheck showing the voter’s name and address; a student photo ID plus a school document showing the student’s address; or any document from a government agency showing the voter’s name and address.

Having trouble? Call the N.C. State Board of Elections at 919-715-0135, the Buncombe County Board of Elections at 828-250-4200, or 866-OUR-VOTE, a nonpartisan election support hotline by the nonprofit Election Protection.

OTHER VOTER GUIDES

The following nonpartisan voter guides offer information and candidate profiles for state and national races:

• Vote411, a bilingual voter guide sponsored by the League of Women Voters, can be personalized to match your sample ballot. avl.mx/8im

• Democracy NC offers comprehensive guides to both statewide and Buncombe County races. avl.mx/c2x

• Carolina Jews for Justice has compiled a voter guide for the General Assembly and U.S. House District 11 races. avl.mx/c2z

• The NC Values Coalition has teamed up with iVoterGuide to create a nonpartisan voter guide that scores candidates on their adherence to “life, family and religious freedoms.” avl.mx/8iv

• The N.C. State Board of Elections 2022 Judicial Voter Guide focuses solely on candidates running for seats on the N.C. Supreme Court and the N.C. Court of Appeals. avl.mx/c2y

2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE MOUNTAINX.COM2

2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

U.S.

House 11

Republican Chuck Edwards does not appear in the Xpress Voter Guide this year, but not from lack of effort. A reporter reached out multiple times by phone and email to the candidate, his personal assistant, his campaign and the state Republican party. None acknowledged receiving any message.

That squares with Edwards’ general approach to the media since defeating incumbent Madison Cawthorn in the May primary. The candidate has not responded to interview requests for Xpress stories in that time frame, and he has declined all but one public debate, choosing to appear only at an Oct. 10 WLOS event. The only statements Xpress has gotten from Edwards have come from approaching him in person at a Hendersonville GOP panel.

His opponents, Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara and Libertarian David Coatney, have been more forthcoming. Both submitted responses to Xpress, and both participated in an Aug. 31 forum hosted by Blue Ridge Public Radio and Smoky Mountain News . (Beach-Ferrara also took part in the WLOS debate; Coatney was not invited.)

Edwards may feel comparatively less pressure to reach voters given the demographics of the district he hopes to represent. Political analysis outlet FiveThirtyEight estimates that NC-11 favors a generic Republican candidate by 14 percentage points.

— Daniel Walton X

EDWARDS DID NOT RESPOND TO MULTIPLE REQUESTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE XPRESS VOTER GUIDE.

Website: JasmineForCongress.com

Occupation: Buncombe County commissioner, executive director for the Campaign for Southern Equality

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Buncombe County Board of Commissioners (twice elected)

Key endorsements: North Carolina AFL-CIO and Western North Carolina Central Labor Council, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, former state Rep. Ray Rapp, Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller, former state Sen. Terry Van Duyn

Amount of money raised: $2,075,000

THE QUESTIONS

With inﬂation at high levels and many experts expecting a recession in the next year, what federal policies do you support to help Western North Carolina stay on sound economic footing?

Top three donors: Terry Van Duyn, Matthew Girard, Joseph Spatarella

As I travel across the district and listen to the people of Western North Carolina, one thing is clear: Working families are struggling. Our representative must prioritize delivering the relief that our communities need. I support reinstating the Child Tax Credit and will continue to support policies like the Inﬂation Reduction Act just signed into law, as well as the historic investments in infrastructure that will return our supply chain into the hands of American workers.

What speciﬁc federal funding do you intend to pursue on behalf of WNC projects?

The ﬁrst bill I will introduce in Congress will focus on providing funding so that WNC and regions like ours have the resources to train, hire and retain pre-K teachers so that a child’s ZIP code does not dictate their opportunity to thrive. I will work to secure investments in high-speed rural broadband, ensure that folks can get needed health care in the community they live in and address an addiction crisis that has impacted so many families across WNC.

In a U.S. House sharply divided along party lines, are there speciﬁc policy areas where you anticipate working together with the opposing party?

As a county commissioner, I have led bipartisan efforts to expand pre-K, fight the opioid epidemic, address climate change by increasing conservation funding and creating green jobs, and support families and small businesses during these difficult times. My experience as a minister and elected official is rooted in building diverse tables to create solutions, and I will continue to work with people of every political affiliation to move forward together, both here in WNC and in Congress.

Website: CoatneyForCongress.com

Occupation: Small-business owner (web marketing agency)

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: N/A

Key endorsements: Classical Liberal Caucus

Amount of money raised: $18,190

Top three donors: David Coatney, Libertarian Party of North Carolina, Beth Anne Puckett

What concerns do you have about the state of American democracy, and how do you propose to address them?

Our democracy is under attack by extremists like Mark Meadows, Madison Cawthorn and my opponent Chuck Edwards, who support government intrusion into the most private aspects of our lives while stripping away basic freedoms and eroding democratic institutions. My vision is different — focused on building a table where everyone is welcome, where we can ﬁnd common ground and move forward together. The choice in this election is about which vision to follow as democracy hangs in the balance.

I have an eight-point plan outlined at Project1971. org. Some of the key components include passing a Balanced Budget Amendment to reduce spending, driving down shipping costs by repealing the Jones Act and reducing health care costs by rolling back patent protection laws that favor Big Pharma.

On what issue do you think the national conversation is most misguided, and how does your approach differ from commonly held perspectives?

There is a concerning strain in our national politics to condemn those we disagree with as irredeemable and then stop interacting with them. As an LGBTQ person in the South, I have a lot of experience with what it means to keep showing up, even for tough conversations. Love, empathy and hope are as essential as the air we breathe, and we need them in politics as much as we do in other parts of life.

Funding for parks and natural resources. I would also like to secure grants for nonproﬁts that focus on affordable housing.

Absolutely! I share views that align with both Democrats and Republicans, and I plan to work with both sides if elected. I’ll be able to work with Democrats on issues like marriage equality and prison reform, and I’ll be able to work with Republicans on issues like tax policy and a Balanced Budget Amendment. On other issues, like simplifying the immigration process, I’ll try to ﬁnd areas to bring both sides together.

Where to begin? We must place personal liberties at the forefront of our conversation and support the rights of the individual over the rights of the state. We should also end the state of government surveillance by repealing the Patriot Act.

The left seems more concerned with stopping the right, and the right seems more concerned with stopping the left. I’m more concerned with moving forward: that means representing all the people of WNC and not just the ones that voted for me. I will always ﬁght for reason and not partisanship, people and not party.

JASMINE BEACH-FERRARA DAVID COATNEYCHUCK EDWARDS

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MARTIN

N.C. Senate

MARTIN DID NOT RESPOND TO MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE XPRESS VOTER GUIDE.

Occupation: Attorney

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Current member of N.C. Senate

Key endorsements: State Employees’ Association of North Carolina, National Riﬂe Association

Amount of money raised: This information is publicly available through the state Board of Elections.

Neither of the two candidates who could represent eastern Buncombe County in the N.C. Senate actually lives within the county’s bounds.

Following recent redistricting, District 46 now combines that part of Buncombe with Burke and McDowell counties; incumbent Republican Sen. Warren Daniel lives in Morganton, while Democratic challenger Billy Martin is a City Council member in Marion.

The new District 46 includes many Buncombe voters who are currently represented by Republican Sen. Chuck Edwards in District 48, as well as some from the current District 49. Voters are encouraged to check their sample ballots at avl.mx/6nq before heading to the polls to confirm their new districts.

The smaller District 49, still represented by Democratic Sen. Julie Mayfield, contains the city of Asheville and the remainder of Buncombe County. Mayfield is seeking a second term in the seat and is opposed by Republican John Anderson, a small-business owner and first-time candidate.

— Daniel Walton X

THE QUESTIONS

North Carolina currently has a substantial budget surplus, much of which is being set aside in “rainyday fund” reserves. What approach do you believe state government should take toward those funds?

Top three donors: This information is publicly available through the state Board of Elections.

As a result of conservative ﬁscal management by the Republican majority in the General Assembly, our state’s economy has been thriving over the past decade, and we have experienced six consecutive budget surpluses. Remembering that all state revenues belong to the taxpayers and that surplus funds are “one-time” money, a surplus should be used to lower tax rates, increase the savings in our reserves, and fund critical infrastructure needs like broadband, water/sewer projects and building repairs and renovations.

What actions can state government take to improve health care quality and availability in Western North Carolina?

In June of this year, the N.C. Senate took a major step toward improving health care in WNC by passing HB 149, which would expand the Medicaid program and make other much-needed reforms to the way health care is delivered. Now we need the N.C. House to pass it as well. If HB149 doesn’t pass by the end of 2022, I expect work to continue on Medicaid expansion during the 2023 long session.

What do you believe is the top issue facing North Carolina’s teachers, and what should state government do about it?

I think most teachers would say that bureaucratic mandates and testing requirements consume too much of their time and take away from their main mission to prepare the next generation. We need to involve teachers and parents and incorporate that input into policy decisions on the front end, so that any changes in education are balanced and effective. We should also increase support for wraparound services for students that help alleviate some of the demands teachers face in the classroom.

What speciﬁc state budget allocations will you seek for WNC?

In general terms, we need to see continued state investments in broadband, water/sewer grants and the transportation needs of WNC. These types of investments will help create a better business environment and more opportunity across our region and will also be beneﬁcial to our thriving mountain tourism industry.

How do you approach engaging with and learning about the concerns of your constituents?

I like to meet and develop personal relationships with local elected officials, law enforcement agencies, business leaders and school officials at the K-12, university and community college levels. My goal is for my legislative staff and me to provide the highest level of constituent services possible. Constituents may contact my office by phone, email or even through social media messaging. I also keep my constituents informed of what the General Assembly is doing through an email newsletter.

WARREN DANIELBILLY

Website: DanielForSenate.com

2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE MOUNTAINX.COM4

2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE N.C. SENATE 46The insider’s guide We provide tips on the well-known attractions, hidden gems and quirky oddities that make Asheville so beloved. Pick up your print copy today in boxes everywhere! What to do and where to find it! NEW OUTEdition2022 NOW!

Website: JohnAnderson4NCSenate. com

Occupation: Director of operations for CMTC, a private nonproﬁt corporation providing consulting services to the manufacturing sector (retired); small-business owner; biochemist

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None

Key endorsements: National Federation of Independent Businesses North Carolina PAC

Amount of money raised: $1,050.47

Top three donors: Betty Tucker, Donald Reilly, Steven Porter

The importance of having adequate savings cannot be overstated: We learned that lesson in 2008, when North Carolina had depleted its reserve and was unprepared for the economic downturn. That led to severe budget cuts, including furloughs for state employees and pay cuts for teachers. By contrast, thanks to the General Assembly’s prudent ﬁscal management over the last decade (which has led to record savings reserves), North Carolina was well-prepared for the COVID-related contraction of the economy.

Repeal North Carolina’s certiﬁcate of need laws. Essentially government-sanctioned monopolies, CON laws require health care providers to get special permission from the state before they can add or expand facilities and services. This is a costly process and can take years. And a recent study by Duke University shows that CON laws are associated with higher spending, fewer hospitals and hospital beds per capita, and longer emergency room wait times.

We need to reform our archaic compensation structure and assure teachers that they are valued resources and a key to our children’s success. We need to address the vacancy rate. Currently, teachers are paid based solely on how many years they have been on the job, not on merit, advanced education or excellence. We need to incentivize good teachers to stay in the profession. I will work with teachers for solutions to improve education resources at all levels.

Among other things, I would advocate for increased teacher salary supplements in lower-wealth counties in WNC to help attract and retain high-quality teachers; increase the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Clean Water Management Trust Fund; and grow funding for landslide mapping, the WNC Crime Lab and the WNC Ag Center. Expand the water and sewer system to reduce environmental impact on the French Broad River and attract high-paying manufacturing to the area.

Accessibility and transparency are key, so I will hold “ofﬁce hours” one Friday and Saturday each month, a quarterly “town hall” and expand social media connections with District 49 residents to learn about their concerns. I will also send out monthly welcome letters to all newly registered voters, providing my contact information and a list of available constituent services. In addition to resolving constituents’ issues, I’ll publish those issues and resolutions quarterly, detailing the results and the services available.

Website: MayﬁeldForNCSenate.com

Occupation: Co-director, MountainTrue; N.C. state senator for District 49

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Asheville City Council, 2015-20

Key endorsements: Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood Votes South Atlantic, Equality NC, NC State AFL-CIO, N.C. Association of Educators

Amount of money raised: $84,500

Top three donors: Mack Pearsall, Roger Derrough, Cypress Solar NC PAC

We are experiencing a time of plenty, and while we should prepare for down times, I believe we should put more of the surplus to work to meet the state’s overwhelming needs: health care, education, infrastructure, affordable housing, salaries for state workers, etc. There is a reluctance to invest more in ongoing expenses like salaries because the Republicans passed tax cuts last year that will start to reduce revenues, but meanwhile, people and workers suffer from the lack of additional investment.

First and foremost, expand Medicaid, which would cover tens of thousands more people in our region and bring millions more to our economy. We also need to cover the gap between Medicaid reimbursement and the actual cost of products and services to ensure more physician practices are available to serve the increase in Medicaid patients. Second, much more investment in our mental health and disability support systems. Third, expand the pipeline of nursing and other health care professionals.

The top issue here is the ongoing and systematic effort to undermine public education — including its people, services and infrastructure — that results in teachers feeling unsupported, disrespected and disinvested in the system. The Leandro report lays out a path of investments that would go a long way to righting the ship, but the Republican leadership continues to defy a court order to make these investments. The system can only be ﬁxed with additional resources that accurately reﬂect its value.

The city of Asheville and Buncombe County have requested investments in infrastructure such as McCormick Field, the municipal golf course, stormwater projects and infrastructure to support the proposed Ferry Road development. I have sought and will again seek funding for these, as well as other projects such as Homeward Bound’s Home Is Key permanent supportive housing project and the YMI renovation.

I make myself available in many ways, including through my legislative ofﬁce (phone, email, newsletter), my campaign (phone and email), Messenger, Facebook, events and just being out and about. I will resume local “ofﬁce hours” at Grind AVL in 2023, and the Buncombe County delegation will likely hold town hall meetings periodically throughout the session as well. I help literally hundreds of people each year with concerns and complaints and invite anyone to contact me about any issue.

JULIE MAYFIELDJOHN ANDERSON

MOUNTAINX.COM 2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE 5 2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE N.C. SENATE 49

N.C. House

The Republican primary for N.C. House District 115 succinctly illustrated the principle that every ballot counts. Following a hand recount, Pratik Bhakta defeated Sherry Higgins by a just a single vote out of nearly 6,300 cast. Although Bhakta’s was the only contested primary to represent Buncombe County in the state House, voters will have a choice in all three general election races. Bhakta faces Democrat Lindsey Prather for the District 115 seat, which covers the county’s southwest.

In the eastern Buncombe District 114, Democrat J. Eric Ager seeks to take up the mantle of his father, John Ager, who will retire after representing the area for four consecutive terms. The younger Ager is opposed by Republican Everett D. Pittillo, a 2020 candidate for the Owen District seat on the Buncombe County Board of Education.

The only incumbent seeking reelection is Democrat Caleb Rudow in the northwestern District 116. He was appointed to the seat by party leaders in January to fill the vacancy left by retiring Rep. Susan Fisher. On the Republican side is first-time candidate Mollie Rose, a retired counselor.

Due to recent changes in General Assembly district lines, voters are encouraged to check their sample ballots at avl.mx/6nq before heading to the polls.

— Daniel Walton X

QUESTIONS

Website: Ager4NC.com

Occupation: Attorney

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Retired Navy pilot, farm business manager

Key endorsements: Sierra Club, N.C. Association of Educators, Equality NC, Progressive Turnout Project, AFL-CIO Western North Carolina Central Labor Council

Amount of money raised: $26,727

Top three donors: Chris Castleman, Vonna Cloninger, Elect John Ager

Our schools are insufﬁciently funded. If a third of the $6 billion rainy-day fund was invested in schools, we’d have fully staffed and stocked schools throughout our state. We’d be offering equal opportunity for all, in accordance with our constitution. Instead, the legislature is keeping a $6 billion surplus and leaving our students, teachers and administrators struggling. That disrespects working people who send their children to public schools and the great people who teach and serve in our schools.

Website: ElectEverettDPittillo.com

Occupation: Business manager

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Candidate for Buncombe County school board (2020)

Key endorsements: N/A

Amount of money raised: $650

Top three donors: N/A

What actions can state government take to improve health care quality and availability in Western North Carolina?

The first thing state government can do is expand Medicaid. This simple decision would enable more than half a million North Carolinians to access preventive and lifesaving care. We also need to look at how private equity firms are driving our health care system. Putting profits ahead of people makes health care unaffordable, regardless of insurance status. There are better models for taking care of people, and state government can provide the legal basis for local entrepreneurs to make the system better.

I understand why we have the “rainy-day fund”; government should have emergency funds set aside. However, due to inﬂation, taxes, supply chain issues, gas prices and cost-of-living increases, I think we are asking ourselves this: Why is there such a huge surplus while the lowerand middle-class population in North Carolina is suffering? A unilateral effort should be made if this excess funding is to be used to help the good people of North Carolina and not squandered away.

Offer tax breaks for independent doctors to open their own ofﬁces throughout the communities. Big hospital systems have taken over, creating a monopoly. Have the family doctors with their own ofﬁces come back throughout the communities and encourage this.

What do you believe is the top issue facing North Carolina’s teachers, and what should state government do about it?

A lack of investment in them. Our public school system is responsible for doing the most important job of our society: ensuring each child, regardless of background, is taught how to learn, how to be a good citizen and the skills necessary to be a successful adult. We must increase teacher pay so we can recruit and retain the best teachers. We must also invest in staff who provide wraparound services to students across the state.

The top issue is the pay differential between our state and other states. Start ﬁguring out competitive wages when the budgeting process occurs. Treat these folks with respect and create a happy, nonpoliticized work environment.

What speciﬁc state budget allocations will you seek for WNC?

My requests would focus on our schools and institutions of higher learning, which need resources to improve student outcomes. Some may see this as an expense, but in reality, it is an investment in our future economic success. Additionally, I would seek funds to preserve land, protect water resources and keep our air clean. Finally, I would work to bring additional funds to our part of the state to enhance rural high-speed internet access.

I believe in listening ﬁrst. I grew up in Fairview, and that’s where I learned how important it is to get to know your neighbors. These skills were how I was able to get things done as a military ofﬁcer serving overseas, working with people from many different backgrounds. As your representative, I will be out learning from the community on a daily basis. I will always have an open-door policy when it comes to engaging with Buncombe County.

Roads (our road system is neglected and in shambles), supervised convenience centers for recycling and garbage throughout the area (give the folks an opportunity to recycle and throw away up to three bags of trash daily, which will help the environment and help the population economically), cellphone accessibility/broadband (until everyone accessibility, we cannot rest), and school infrastructure (having all buildings updated and ﬁxed to create a atmosphere that makes children, parents and faculty proud).

As leaders, we must have an open mind. When an individual reaches out, we as politicians work for them; being respectful and listening is something we can do for free. It is not about politics — it is about the people. Until we as a government start putting all constituents ﬁrst, then we will never get anything accomplished. I have no issue with speaking with anyone, and my email and phone are always open.

THE

J. ERIC AGER EVERETT D. PITTILLO

How do you approach engaging with and learning about the concerns of your constituents?

2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE MOUNTAINX.COM6 2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

DISTRICT 114

Website: Pratik4NC.com

Occupation: Hotelier

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None

Key endorsements: Did not respond

Amount of money raised: Did not respond

Top three donors: Did not respond

Website: PratherForNC.com

Occupation: Assistant director of admission

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None

Key endorsements: Sierra Club WNC, Lillian’s List, Equality NC, AFL/CIO, North Carolina Association of Educators

Amount of money raised: $105,000

Top three donors: Did not respond

Website: Did not respond

Occupation: Retired counselor

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None

Key endorsements: Did not respond

Amount of money raised: Did not answer

Top three donors: Did not respond

Website: RudowForNCHouse.com

Occupation: Legislator and data scientist

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Representative for District 114

Key endorsements: Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, Equality NC, N.C. Association of Educators, National Association of Social Workers

Amount of money raised: $38,000

Top three donors: Committee to Elect John Ager, Douglas Keene, Robert Deutsch

Republicans in the legislature have been responsible with our tax dollars over the last decade, ﬁnding a way to control state spending while cutting taxes and saving money for emergencies. As our country deals with a looming recession, North Carolina will be well positioned to respond to economic winds that we face.

Our state is currently in violation of its own constitution with regards to providing a sound education to all of our students. We must fully fund our public schools immediately by raising pay for teachers and other staff and investing in our teacher education programs in colleges and universities. After we’ve done so, we next need to invest in our state’s long-term future, including in infrastructure and climate resilience.

For now, keep a reserve while we wait to see how serious a recession we will experience so we can prioritize needs at a later time.

I voted no on the budget because, although N.C. Republicans saved the money for a “rainy day,” when I talk to families, teachers and community members, it is clear that the rainy day is here. We should spend this money to support those who helped us get through the pandemic and those who are still suffering its effects. We should increase pay for school workers, subsidize early childhood education and support the medical community.

I think it is critical that we continue to ﬁnd ways to increase access to quality health care across the state. I look forward to working with fellow legislators to ﬁnd solutions that work for our communities.

The legislature can immediately move to expand Medicaid, which would extend health care access to an additional 30,000 residents in Buncombe County. We must also exercise more oversight over sales of health care institutions and ﬁght for transparency in health care costs.

Eliminate the certiﬁcate of need law and other regulations if they do not improve quality or safety. Also loosen some professional licensure rules if they don’t improve quality or safety. Encourage private practitioners and competition.

We need to expand funding for health care and create more competition so that everyone in North Carolina can live a healthy, full life. State government should expand Medicaid so that we take advantage of $6 billion of annual funding from the federal government to provide 600,000 North Carolinians with medical coverage. The people of WNC deserve an alternative to HCA, and competition to HCA would improve service and lower costs.

Education is a critical part of our community and is one of my top priorities. Students, parents and teachers are all part of the symbiotic process. I will work together with other legislators to address the needs of the education system.

Teachers in North Carolina are not treated as professionals, either through their salary or through their working environment. They are forced into the middle of partisan attacks and are not given the resources they need to succeed. They must be paid more and allowed to do their job without political interference.

A children’s mental health crisis is making teaching more difﬁcult. Multiple solutions from multiple community partners must be developed. State government can foster this process beginning with forming a special committee to make recommendations.

We need to increase teachers’ pay. State government should raise teachers’ pay so that it is at or above the national average and reinstate the pay raise for a master’s degree. We should also increase the pay for the school staff like bus drivers, cafeteria workers, substitute teachers and custodians, as they also play a vital role in ensuring every child gets a quality education.

Western North Carolina is experiencing rapid growth, and it’s important that we work to ensure our infrastructure and roads are able to handle that. Affordability is still a challenge for many, and we need to look at funding mechanisms while ﬁnding creative ways to handle these challenges.

Climate resilience (preparing for ﬂoods, landslides and wildﬁres), infrastructure (sidewalks, broadband internet) and affordable housing.

I can’t commit myself at this time, and it would be wrong of me to answer prematurely.

We need funding to clean and protect the French Broad River. The river is a vital part of our economy, our recreational scene and what makes WNC so beautiful. Last cycle I lobbied my colleagues for funding in the budget to clean the river and will continue doing so this coming session in Raleigh.

I would approach the constituents with an open mind because we have a vibrant and diverse community. My philosophy is that leaders need to listen to their constituents ﬁrst and formulate a plan from those responses to be a true advocate. The voters of Buncombe County come from various backgrounds, but we all want similar things for our community. I look forward to continuing to learn about the concerns people have and work toward a better tomorrow for everyone.

I have made myself available throughout this campaign cycle, setting up weekly “office hours” at two coffee shops in the district. I am interested in hearing from my constituents and working toward solutions with their input. It’s important for constituents to know how to contact their representative and to have opportunities to speak with them in person. I have also reached out specifically to constituents who are unaffiliated or who may not be as engaged in the political process.

I ask both individuals and groups what are their main concerns.

I meet them where they are and I listen. I’ve had thousands of conversations in English and Spanish with constituents all over the district. I did that not to ask for their vote, but to introduce myself and hear about their concerns, because their stories, concerns and ideas are what should drive policy.

PRATIK BHAKTA MOLLIE ROSELINDSEY PRATHER CALEB RUDOW

MOUNTAINX.COM 2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE 7 2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE DISTRICT 115 DISTRICT 116

Buncombe County Bond Referendums

It’s been nearly eight years since Buncombe County citizens were last asked to approve new borrowing by local government. That series of three referendums in 2016, which together sought to authorize $74 million in city of Asheville bonds for transportation, parks and affordable housing, passed with over 70% of voters in support.

Buncombe County is now approaching its residents with proverbial hat in hand, asking for authority to issue $70 million in new debt. Two separate issues are on the ballot: The first would approve $30 million in borrowing to conserve open space and create greenways, while the second would OK raising $40 million for affordable housing work.

Bond advocates have been busy gathering support for the cause. The Better With Bonds campaign, organized by Velo Girl Bikes founder

Jennifer Caldwell-Billstrom and former Asheville Vice Mayor Marc Hunt, announced Oct. 12 that 14 community organizations were backing the measures. Among those groups are the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, RiverLink, the Land of the Sky Association of Realtors and the WNC Sierra Club.

Criticism of the proposed bonds has been comparatively muted. The most vocal opponent has been Chris Peterson, another former Asheville vice mayor, who has taken out multiple full-page ads in the Tribune Papers arguing that county government cannot be trusted to manage the bond proceeds wisely.

Previous Xpress coverage of the bond issues is available at avl.mx/c3c. The language of the two referendums is printed below as it will appear on the ballot.

— Daniel Walton X

Buncombe County Open Space Bonds

SHALL the order authorizing $30,000,000 of bonds to pay the capital costs of acquisition and improvement of land or interests therein for conservation and protection of natural resources and preservation of farmland, including but not limited to, the development of greenways and trails for recreation purposes, and providing that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds be approved?

• Yes

Buncombe County Housing Bonds

SHALL the order authorizing $40,000,000 of bonds to pay the capital costs of housing for the benefit of persons of low or moderate income, including construction of related infrastructure improvements and the acquisition of related land and rightsof-way, and providing that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds be approved?

• Yes

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Buncombe County Board of Commissioners

Primary season was quiet for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. May’s only contest saw Democratic Commissioner Al Whitesides earn the District 1 nomination over Bill Branyon with 71.4% of the vote.

But all three available seats are contested this time around.

Whitesides now faces Republican Anthony Penland for the position to represent much of eastern Buncombe County. Penland, chief of the Swannanoa Fire Department, had been appointed as a commissioner to replace the late Mike Fryar in 2020 but lost to Jasmine Beach-Ferrara in that year’s general election.

In District 2 to the county’s southwest, incumbent Robert Pressley seeks a second full term against Democratic challenger Martin Moore , who chairs Buncombe’s appointed Board of Adjustment. Pressley, the board’s only Republican, was first appointed in 2016 after the resignation of Miranda DeBruhl and won reelection in 2018 over Democrat Donna Ensley by fewer than 700 votes.

Finally, the District 3 race in Buncombe’s northwest pits Democratic incumbent Amanda Edwards against longtime Republican activist Don Yelton Yelton has had a strained relationship with his party over the years; he was removed from the county GOP’s executive committee in 2012 due to “party disloyalty,” and he resigned as a Republican precinct chair in 2013 after a controversial interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Due to recent changes in commission district lines, voters are encouraged to check their sample ballots at avl.mx/6nq before heading to the polls.

— Daniel Walton X

THE QUESTIONS

Are recent changes to Buncombe County’s occupancy tax law sufﬁcient to address community concerns over tourism’s impact? If not, what else should be done to ensure tourism revenue helps the greatest number of people?

Website: AnthonyPenland.com

Occupation: Fire chief

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Buncombe County commissioner

Key endorsements: Republican National Hispanic Assembly of North Carolina, N.C. Police Benevolent Association

Amount of money raised: Did not respond

Top three donors: Did not respond

The new law passed on July 1. Buncombe County has projected $46 million to go toward the occupancy tax fund. Will that address the needs of the community? To answer this question, an evaluation of the tax at the end of the budget year would need to occur. This evaluation would look at what the money was used for and how many of our county citizens did we serve with this money. Can it be used for affordable housing?

What strategies do you support for achieving the county’s 2030 affordable housing and land conservation goals?

If we are going to reach our goals, I believe we need to form strong partnerships with contractors, Realtors and landowners. The price for products has increased. Are we meeting the affordable housing goals when it costs more to build? What is considered affordable in today’s market? What percentage of our homeless population comes from the lack of affordable housing? What about our ﬁxed-income citizens? These are questions that need answering if we are going to reach those goals.

Do you have equity concerns about the county’s property valuation and tax system, and if so, what changes would you propose?

I understand the reason for the property reevaluation, and some neighborhoods increased higher than others, but all across the county, residents felt the impact. For some, it is part of the process. While an adjustment will be hard, they will do their best to make the adjustment. For others, they do not have the means to adjust. That should be concerning. Are there programs that can be implemented? Are these programs helping those who need it the most?

How can county government best support emergency services amid an ongoing opioid epidemic and stafﬁng shortages?

I believe it is vital to protect our citizens. We do this by supporting all the components of public safety. We have to address the stafﬁng shortage somehow. We have to stop enticing our current overworked staff with more money to work a double shift. Some are going without sleep the night before. This is putting the lives of our great staff and citizens in danger, whether it is an opioid epidemic or other medical calls for service.

Website: AlWhitesides.com

Occupation: Retired banker

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: 8 years Asheville City Board of Education

Key endorsements: Sierra Club, NC State AFL-CIO, Asheville City Association of Educators, Buncombe County Association of Educators, Buncombe County Democratic legislative delegation

Amount of money raised: See latest ﬁnancial report.

Top three donors: See latest ﬁnancial report.

The recent changes to Buncombe County’s occupancy tax law are sufﬁcient to address community concerns over tourism’s impact at this time.

Local school systems have consistently asked for more ﬁnancial support than Buncombe has provided in recent years. How should the county approach funding for K-12 education?

Revenue, expenditures and priorities. To approach funding, you have to evaluate the revenue coming in compared to the expenditures going out and what are the priorities for those expenditures. Many requests are made to the county for the use of the revenue. Many times requests for expenditures are over the revenue amount. Adjustments to the request are made, and priorities are set. What is the priority? Is it the same at decision time as it is at campaign time?

In order to reach our 2030 county goals for affordable housing and land conservation we must set annual goals and adjust them if we fall behind in reaching our yearly goals.

The changes I would like to see made need to come from the state legislature. We need a homestead exemption for primary homeowners at age 65. (We should freeze their property taxes until their property sells.) We need to charge more taxes for second homes, and when property sells, the new property tax value should be based on the sale price. I believe these changes will make our tax system more equitable than it is today.

I believe county government can best support emergency services amid an ongoing opioid epidemic and stafﬁng shortages by working closer with all organizations working to solve this problem in our county. The county needs to continue to help organizations eliminate duplication of services and obtain grants, state and government funds to solve this problem.

Going forward, counties have got to work closer with our state government to increase funding for K-12 education. In recent years, it seems the state continues to put more on the counties while they create a $6 billion rainy day fund.

ANTHONY PENLAND AL WHITESIDES

2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE MOUNTAINX.COM10

2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE DISTRICT 1

PRESSLEY

Website: MartinForBuncombe.com

Occupation: Attorney

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: First-time candidate

Key endorsements: Sierra Club, AFLCIO, Buncombe County Association of Educators, Asheville City Association of Educators, Equality NC

Amount of money raised: Approximately $10,035 as of Sept. 23

Top three donors: Ken Brame, Todd Lentz, Catherine Perez, Gerald Dillishaw, Brian Smith (last four contributed equal amounts)

I believe we must continue to advocate and adjust as our community is impacted by tourism. Locals, including small-business owners, are paying more than their fair share when we think about the longterm impact on our community. If tourism is going to continue to be a signiﬁcant part of our economy, we have to make sure that our infrastructure will support our locals and the tourism that can beneﬁt our community.

The two bonds on the ballot are an important ﬁrst step. Investing in these initiatives will assure that the county commission can take steps to regulate or own property to reach our housing and conservation goals. The Comprehensive Plan also incorporates community feedback and will guide how to best exercise the tools at our disposal. State law puts limits on what we can do, but we need to give our neighbors a meaningful voice in how we address these issues.

PRESSLEY DID NOT PROVIDE ANSWERS IN ADVANCE OF THE XPRESS DEADLINE.

Website: ElectAmandaEdwards.org

Occupation: Executive director, A-B Tech Foundation

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Elected to County Commission in 2018

Key endorsements: Asheville City Association of Educators, Buncombe County Association of Educators, Equality NC, Sierra Club, WNC Central Labor Council

Amount of money raised: $18,550

Top three donors: Elect John Ager, George Beverly, Ken Brame

Our community’s well-founded concerns about tourism and its impacts on residents, infrastructure and natural resources go well beyond this occupancy tax. When the North Carolina legislature adopted new provisions in July, we did not get an ideal proportion of tourism revenue used to meet local resident needs versus that used to advertise to tourists. What is positive is that we brought tourism advocates, community advocates and elected ofﬁcials together to change what was. We moved in a better direction.

I support voting yes on both ballot questions: yes to Open Space and yes to Housing. That is a strategic action each of us can take. We’ll establish funding streams for land conservation, water protection, middle-income homeownership, affordable rentals and repairs by 2030. (See BetterWithBonds.org). I advocated for accountability provisions, including the Citizen Oversight Commission, independent audits and a transparent progress dashboard. Our bipartisan commission unanimously adopted these. I support strategic partnerships and leveraging federal funding. See ElectAmandaEdwards.org.

Website: DonYelton.com

Occupation: Observing local politics destroy Buncombe County

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: No ofﬁce held

Key endorsements: Not seeking endorsements

Amount of money raised: All local and self. You never raise enough unless someone is funding you for payback.

Top three donors: Myself so far

Without exposure, you would not have tourists. The exposure we are currently getting will deﬁnitely hurt tourism, and no money will build back from people relieving themselves in entryways and streets. Address the real problems ﬁrst!

Equity is always a concern when reviewing property valuation and taxation systems. It’s about fairness to folks who have been here for generations. When I speak to neighbors in Shiloh, for example, I think it’s irresponsible for us to ignore their concerns about our processes. District 2 includes neighborhoods, including parts of Shiloh and Candler, that need to be appropriately represented on our boards. As a commissioner, I’d start with assuring our review committees are representative of our diverse community.

Supporting our emergency services teams has to start with a candid conversation about where we are falling short and hearing from those on the ground, like our community paramedics, about what they need to save lives. A competitive wage will attract staff, but we need to be creative about incentives for ﬁrst responders. Partnerships with A-B Tech to assure we’re offering (more) substantial scholarships or ﬁnancial aid to those seeking to work in emergency services is a start.

Our parents, teachers and students are all saying the same thing: Invest in education. It has to be a top priority. Whether we’re looking at education funding as a social/equity issue or an economic one, our community beneﬁts from investing in education. The county commission started on this with the early education initiatives, and I want to see that investment pay off, which means following through.

Yes. I thank the local data analysis firm Urban3 for presenting a report on this topic to the commission last year. They identified what they describe as a widespread practice rather than a system that’s exclusive to Buncombe County. I supported investigating the topic. We established the Ad Hoc Reappraisal Committee. The committee identified several issues; I propose pursuing fairness in our valuation and tax system by rallying to effectively change the state laws governing valuation. See avl.mx/c22.

As commissioners, we need to fund, appreciate and problem-solve with our emergency services staff and our community advocates. I support pay increases for our people who are providing lifesaving and life-sustaining work. I lobbied to ensure the proposed county budget funds emergency services apprenticeships. I advocate for directing opioid settlement funds to emergency services. Through listening, I’ve learned that our older population has become increasingly reliant on emergency services for basic health care. We need solutions to meet this need.

We must stop allowing Raleigh to shift responsibility. I urge residents and electeds to demand the legislature meet its constitutional responsibility to fund our schools. The state has a $6 billion rainy day fund. Consecutive years of ﬁnancial neglect by the General Assembly (a reversal of generations of annual investments in high-quality education) can only be reversed by the General Assembly. Until then, our needs will continually exceed our local means to provide an exceptional K-12 education for each student.

To achieve affordable housing, we should evaluate taxing policy. We should reward business owners for helping with housing for necessary servers, cooks, etc., and it can be done. I can’t describe my approach in 80 words. The world does not ﬁt the rules established by the government and others.

Yes. The current system uses sales, but the property does not increase when the existing property sells for two to three times the evaluation. But when the revalue occurs, the overlay drives up the taxes for those that did not sell. This requires the legislature to act. The ﬁrst step would be for all commissioners to push for a change in taxing policy.

The county government is stuck in the middle: affordable housing, more money for school, police and emergency workers. The answer is not more money but how the money is spent. The city residents have a school tax for part of the schools. They have bad streets. The courts release folks charged with crimes. The answer is not money but how it is spent.

You keep asking for money. And now for the important issues. Where can the county get more money? Property tax. Property tax is increasing and will increase with new evaluation. Fix up older homes and value increases, thus taxes go up. Put more land in conservation, and that decreases land for building. We must be more creative and really consider the total impact of actions.

AMANDA EDWARDSMARTIN MOORE DON YELTONROBERT

MOUNTAINX.COM 2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE 11 2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE DISTRICT 2 DISTRICT 3

Buncombe County Sheriff

There’s a new sheriff’s candidate in town. Jeff Worley, who won the Republican nomination for Buncombe County Sheriff in May, announced in August that he was suspending his campaign due to health concerns. The county GOP proceeded to nominate Trey McDonald, a veteran law enforcement officer who currently works with the Asheville Regional Airport.

McDonald had not run in the Republican primary for the position. Worley had instead faced former Buncombe County deputy Ben Jaramillo, who earned 29.5% of the vote. According to the Asheville Citizen Times, a group of 37 Republican party leaders chose McDonald over Jaramillo in a private August poll.

The Republican now faces Democratic Sheriff Quentin Miller and Libertarian candidate Tracey DeBruhl. The two were also on the ballot in 2018, when Miller took 61.5% of votes; DeBruhl earned 3%, while Republican hopeful Shad Higgins polled at 35.4%. Further information about Miller’s stances is available through the Xpress primary voter guide at avl.mx/c3f.

— Daniel Walton X

Why I support Xpress:

Occupation: Marine, musician, stage manager, business owner Previous candidacy

or ofﬁces held: Sergeant U.S. Marine Corps and business director

Key endorsements: Many, but getting elected shouldn’t be a popularity contest about who you know. I love you all, and rock on!

Amount of money raised: The Lord provides.

Top three donors: Did not respond.

THE QUESTIONS

What concerns you most about public safety in Buncombe County?

Let’s talk bigger. Across our nation as a whole, law enforcement needs help. America needs to be more than “just like everywhere else”; we are supposed to be the example the rest of the world wants to follow. I’m going to bring advancements the whole nation needs. From training to material, we will be on the frontier of developing.

According to a recent analysis of state data, the Buncombe County Detention Facility has the worst death rate among North Carolina jails. What would you do to address this issue?

I would remove the shading that Quentin had installed so the ofﬁcers can view the inmates. I will also be changing the inmate/ofﬁcer relationship, to put it best.

What role should the Sheriff’s Ofﬁce play in addressing the county’s opioid epidemic?

I proposed a homeless resolution to the city to be the homeless coordinator after all my work helping in this issue. I will incorporate a method to help us track where the drugs are coming from while helping the less fortunate. Many interlocking activities of my ofﬁcers would be included.

What would be your optimal stafﬁng level for the Sheriff’s Ofﬁce, and what strategies would you pursue to meet that target?

There are plenty of good people looking for work. Since American law enforcement as a whole has poor training, it will be no issue training others while I train the ones we have. Also, as we give our ofﬁcers an independent facelift — as I am Libertarian and together we will be eliminating the politics from law enforcement — more people will want to work for us. Your safety comes ﬁrst, and I will be producing the best for us!

TRACEY DEBRUHL

Website: TheSheriffWeNeed.com

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2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

“I depend on Mountain Xpress every Wednesday for keeping me in the know. Can’t imagine life without it!”

– Susan Roderick Join Susan and become a member at SupportMountainX.com

Website: TreyForSheriff.com

Occupation: Public safety ofﬁcer at the Asheville airport

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: N/A

Key endorsements: Former Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan, Buncombe County Commissioner Robert Pressley, N.C State Senator Chuck Edwards

Amount of money raised: Did not respond.

Top three donors: Did not respond.

Website: QuentinForBuncombe.com

Occupation: Sheriff of Buncombe County

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Sheriff, sworn in on Dec. 3, 2018

Key endorsements: Buncombe County Association of Educators; all six Democratic Buncombe County commissioners; state Sen. Julie Mayﬁeld; state Rep. Brian Turner; Progressive Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party

Amount of money raised: $32,486.81 as of Sept. 21

Top three donors: Eddie Harwood, $5,400; Terry Van Duyn, $1,750; Moe Davis for Congress (political committee), $1,500

Fentanyl and the opioid crisis that has surged in the last four years. The lack of patrol deputies and a drug enforcement unit dedicated to curbing the fentanyl epidemic. The district attorney’s failure to prosecute serious violent crimes must stop or at least be presented to the public so they can be aware of the situation.

Data compiled by the Register of Deeds Office and reviewed by our medication-assisted treatment team at the Sheriff’s Office shows that, tragically, 162 individuals died from drug overdoses in Buncombe County during 2021. Fentanyl is the main cause of these deaths and is the biggest concern I have related to the safety and wellbeing of our community. For high-level traffickers, we must arrest them; for those struggling with addiction, we must get them treatment.

The Buncombe County jail has a hard-to-house population because of the number of inmates that have a substance/mental health issue. Everyone that comes into the jail needs a mental health and substance abuse assessment. We need to use our providers in the jail to their optimal capacity and step up the scrutiny of making sure controlled substances do not get into the jail. The jail should be fully staffed and a work environment created that makes this achievable.

First, let me say we never want to have someone pass while in our care. Medicaid expansion would be the single biggest thing we can do. Most of these deaths are the result of serious preexisting medical conditions. Many individuals at the jail have not received medical care for years prior to seeing our jail nurse or doctor. All of these deaths have been reviewed by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and Department of Health and Human Services, with no wrongdoing having been found by independent review.

Partner with mental health and substance abuse specialists to make sure programs are in place to provide opportunities for individuals that have just entered the criminal justice system at the user level.

Law enforcement must work with health professionals and community members to address this crisis in our community. Unfortunately, there are not easy answers to how many people are dying from fentanyl. We cannot just arrest everyone who is a drug user; we tried that with the war on drugs, and it didn’t work. I am proud of our MAT [medication-assisted treatment] drug treatment program at the jail and our partnerships with peer support and recovery groups across Buncombe County.

The optimal stafﬁng level would be every position ﬁlled! The current administration has created a toxic work environment where employees are fearful of retaliation for perceived slights. I will create a positive environment where employees want to come to work.

The county commissioners have provided the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office with pay raises and budget increases, so let’s get away from the idea that “defund” has happened. To be successful, we must have a diverse workforce that looks like the community we serve. We have made big steps toward that in terms of race and gender, but we still need more Spanish-speaking deputies at the Sheriff’s Office. The cost of living in Buncombe County also makes recruiting difficult.

QUENTIN MILLERTREY MCDONALD

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Buncombe County

Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors

One of the candidate images submitted by hopefuls for the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors was not like the others. “I want my campaign to be exclusively about my opinions, and my face does not qualify as an opinion, as I neither support my face, nor do I oppose it,” wrote Alan Ditmore , explaining his choice to use an illustration of a vasectomy. ( Xpress is not running the image, as it did not match the paper’s request for a high-resolution photo of the candidate.)

Ditmore believes that contraception and abortion, by suppressing human population numbers, are the most effective approaches for conserving the region’s land and water quality. The other candidates in the race, Anthony Cole and Sara Nichols , support measures such as conservation easements and vegetated buffers along area waterways.

Tyler Ross will appear on the ballot but has suspended his campaign. He tells Xpress that he has been chosen to replace Louise Scruggs when her term as one of two appointed members on the five-person board expires. Ross endorses Cole and Nichols for the two seats that will be elected this cycle.

— Daniel Walton X

Fall 2022

THE QUESTIONS

Why are you seeking to be a Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor?

What strategies would you emphasize to improve water quality for recreational users, such as tubers and paddlers, on the French Broad and other local waterways?

Occupation: Full-time farmer; retired from N.C. State research and extension, department of soil science

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: None

Key endorsements: Sierra Club, Progressive Caucus N.C. Democrats Amount of money raised: $0 Top three donors: None

How can the Soil and Water Conservation District best support the county’s goal of conserving 20% of county land by 2030?

The continued existence of any society has historically depended on productive soils and high-quality water. Without prudent and forwardthinking management, both are always at risk. As a farm producer of food and ﬁber with an academic and applied background in soils, nutrient management and riparian buffers, it would be my goal to support programs that will enhance and improve the quality of our soils and water — not only for the farm community, but for all of Buncombe County.

We have to understand that the actual stream is a product of watershed management. Riparian buffers are key to maintaining streambank stability and reduce erosion. But rainfall beyond the saturation holding capacity of our soils enters the streams as storm runoff. Every paved parking lot or driveway and every roof adds to impervious surface area and creates runoff that affects our recreational waters. How can we increase retention and slow stormwater, thereby reducing sediment load?

The district has an awesome program for the preservation of working lands with easements. They support the goal by interacting with landowners and the preservation board for those programs. In our current time, that extends beyond what was once the farm community. We probably have less than 1,100 farm units left, and once gone, they are gone forever. If we can preserve our fertile soils and forested slopes, they will be available for future generations, even if not used today.

Nonprofit Issue

Xpress’ special issue will focus on the trends, triumphs and challenges of local nonprofits, making it an ideal platform to promote your mission and share your contributions with the community!

ANTHONY COLE

Website: None

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2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE

Publishes November 16th To advertise, contact us today! • 828.251.1333 ext. 1 • advertise@mountainx.com

Website: avl.mx/c23

Occupation: Mechanic

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: I stood for every ofﬁce in the galaxy as a write-in in 2020 and have been on the ballot for either SWCD or the Buncombe County Board of Education every even year since 2004.

Key endorsements: I oppose endorsements. Amount of money raised: I oppose money.

Top three donors: I oppose donations and qualiﬁcations.

To displace leaders and politicians from this and every ofﬁce in the galaxy.

Website: Did not respond.

Occupation: Regional planner

Previous candidacy or ofﬁces held: Did not respond.

Key endorsements: Sierra Club

Amount of money raised: Did not answer

Top three donors: Did not respond.

I oppose recreational users, but contraception and abortion funding is the only viable strategy to improve water quality for human needs, including drinking in Knoxville.

Being a Soil and Water District supervisor combines my passion for our region’s natural resources and public service. I spent over nine years working for a SWCD and started using its environmental education programs during high school. It’s helped raise me into the professional I am today, and I seek to support its critical services for our community. The work this department does to conserve natural resources is imperative for our region’s economy, food security, water quality and land use.

People are inherently drawn to water, and our area is inherently blessed with access to water. If this natural asset can give us work, play and livability, we should make it a planning priority. Since the French Broad has varying water quality, I would emphasize knowing how to ﬁnd out if there are safe days or sections that are better to enjoy the water and focusing resources on improving water quality. Public education about water protection is also critical.

Buncombe is urban and needs all land for housing or abortion clinics. Any food that cannot be grown on septic tanks should be trucked in from McDowell. All public land should be sold to fund abortions, which help soil and water quality far more than conservation land, which only raises the rent.

We must work together with other county departments and partners to look comprehensively at places in the community for conservation or growth. Soil and Water works closely with many of the county’s largest landowners to help them continue their work in agriculture and facilitate conversation easements that can help the county reach this exciting goal. By bridging the differences we have among ourselves and embracing our challenges together, we drastically increase our ability to do beautiful things together.

SARA NICHOLSALAN DITMORE

MOUNTAINX.COM 2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER GUIDE 15 2022 ELECTION VOTER GUIDE Responsible Automotive Service & Repair organic-mechanic.com • 568 Haywood Rd • West Asheville Call us! 255.2628 Simple. Uncomplicated. Reliable. Voted one of the BEST OF WNC for 16 years in a row. Thank you!

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ARTS & CULTURE

WITH MORGAN BOST

Comedians chat Halloween, Pack Square Park and the upcoming election

BY MORGAN BOST morganbost1@gmail.com

Dear readers, we made it. We’ve successfully survived yet another Mercury retrograde. Best Medicine Heads might recall from my previ ous column that I was having a tough time with the astrological placements last month.

For those not yet in the fan club, “Best Medicine with Morgan Bost” is a monthly humor column writ ten by me, Morgan Bost , a local comic and co-host of the weekly live comedy talk show The Hot Seat, Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. at UpCountry Brewing Co.

Each month in print, I gather some of my funniest friends and ask them to address my most press ing shower thoughts concerning all things Western North Carolina.

This month I’ve rounded up three of Asheville’s favorite com ics: Chesney Goodson , Blaine Perry and fellow Hot Seat co-host Cameron Davis to discuss Halloween costumes, the future of Pack Square Park and the upcom ing election.

Bost: Spooky season is upon us! Ghosts and ghouls and goblins — oh my! What costume do you think best captures the current spirit of Asheville this Halloween?

Cameron Davis: I think the perfect costume this Halloween season is a French Broad River tuber. Every time I see people in the water I am instantly horrified and disgusted. And isn’t that what Halloween is all about?

All in all, it’s a pretty cheap cos tume: An inner tube at around $5; a can of fart spray to cover yourself in goes for around $10; and I’m pretty sure a staph infection is free if untreated.

Just to be clear, this isn’t a “joke” costume. This costume has a real fear factor. Let’s just say, for example, if I turned a corner on a dark street and in one direction was Slimer from Ghostbusters , and in the other direction was some

one soaked in French Broad River water, I’d walk away from the stinky creature wreaking of sewage and make friends with that green slimy ghost.

Chesney Goodson: This one can go either way: a Florida license plate or a pumpkin spice latte with coconut milk (got to keep it vegan).

Both things are seen here a lot, often together causing all kinds of horror and havoc in local business es around town. I get chills just thinking about them.

Blaine Perry: There are two local icons that clearly embody the culture, history and vibrance of our beautiful city — the Asheville Tourists mascots Ted E. Tourist and that other one. You know, the moon-face guy. I consider

them ambassadors to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

While a lot of people assume these mascots were randomly chosen — perhaps detritus from a failed Muppets movie — they don’t realize that they have a deep connection to our city. Lewis McCormick , the scientist for whom the baseball field is named, led the heroic “Swat the Fly” cam paign during the early part of the 20th century. But few know the cruel nicknames that McCormick gave his co-workers, including a clerk with an abnormally circu lar head and severe acne as well as a secretary who was an actu al bear. (Asheville’s charter back then mandated at least seven black

bears be employed by the city; it’s since been reduced to just two.)

I personally hate baseball, so I’ll probably just dress up like Bob Ingle for Halloween because I’m a huge fan of regional grocery stores.

Morgan Bost: For my Asheville Halloween costume I’ve decided to go as a giant autumn leaf. Like me, autumn leaves are bright, bold and demand attention. (I see you, fellow Leos.) Plus, they are the quintessential Asheville attraction. Every fall, leaf lookers descend upon our city hoping to catch a glimpse of the colorful Blue Ridge Mountains display. Why not give the people what they want? And similar to fall foliage, I too have a tendency to hold up traffic on I-26.

Bost: The structure once honoring Zebulon Vance — former N.C. governor, U.S. senator and outspoken white supremacist — has been removed. The city is now exploring new options for the space via its Art in the Heart program. As residents, what would you like to see at Pack Square Park?

Davis: One thing that should be enshrined as a symbol of Asheville is the Pubcycle. They are the truly eco-friendly vehicle that runs off the ideal renewable energy source our planet needs: drunk people. I propose that we forge a two-story tall, 100-foot-long, bronze Pubcycle and plop it right in the middle of Biltmore Avenue. Because why would we merely slow down traffic at the busiest times when we can really grind the city’s infrastruc ture to a complete halt with an even more obnoxious and immov able obstruction?

Did I mention it would be a fountain, too? And will water flow through it? Heck, no! It’s going to be a wellspring of vodka. It’ll be the perfect spot for bachelorette parties and vacationers to lap up their sustenance like zebras at a Serengeti watering hole.

Goodson: A giant sandal, obvi ously! Outside of the beautiful mountain views and lush walking

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM18

THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: Comic Morgan Bost, top left, returns and is joined by her latest round of fellow local comedians, clockwise from top right, Cam eron Davis, Blaine Perry and Chesney Goodson. Photo of Bost by Cindy Kunst; all other images courtesy of Bost

trails that Asheville offers, it also provides a safe space for people to display their foot fingers. I’m talking all toes — long toes, short toes, fat toes, skinny toes, liberal toes, conservative toes and even racist toes (known in the podiatrist circles as the “Biggot Toe”) are all welcome to come and flip-flop in peace without any fear of judgment.

Perry: I was walking my dog downtown on my way to get a tat too last week when I realized that I was out of Vape Juice. Worse than that, I was stone-cold sober. This wasn’t the first Tuesday afternoon where I’ve found myself in this sit uation, and it’s quite time-consum ing to visit the ink shop, then refill my Juul, then get drunk. I mean, I’ve clocked it, and it takes roughly 67 seconds to travel between each location. Even longer if I start at the brewery. Also, my dog being a Komondor (rescue), she needs daily grooming; otherwise, she’ll suffocate on her own fur. Asheville is long overdue for a combination tattoo/vape/brewery/dog grooming shop. A place where we can drink IPAs, let our dogs get tattoos and smoke our cares away. Zebulon Vance would have hated it, and isn’t that the most important thing?

Bost: Asheville has always struck me as a mecca for the Piedmont Triangle. A place for those looking to escape the confines of their oppressive, rural upbringings but who still want to make it home on a tank of gas (shout out to my hometown Lexington, N.C. — alleged barbecue capital of the world). Therefore, I think the Vance Monument should be replaced with a giant gas tank, a nod to the Piedmont pilgrims packing up their 2007 Kia Spectras and traveling west (but not too far west) to prove their high school theater teachers wrong.

Tuesday, Nov. 8 is Election Day, and there is a lot on the ballot for Asheville and Buncombe County voters. There’s also been plenty of talk from candidates. But what local issue do you think has gone under the radar this campaign cycle?

Davis: One thing that no one is talking about in politics is the retirement age. Hold up! You want me to wait until I’m 67 to retire? That’s ridiculous. There’s no way to guarantee Bonnaroo will still be around come 2057! Plus, I moved to Asheville to take it easy. I’m 32 years old and I’ve had enough

doses of the “rise and grind” man tra. I think it’s my turn to own a big house in Montford, pick up bird-watching and start playing pickleball on Tuesday afternoons.

And if you’re one of those pol iticians who are mad at robots for taking our jobs, let’s make a deal. I will work just long enough to finance my replacement robot and then collect its paychecks at the end of each week. How does that sound? Plus, my robot replacement won’t have to use the restroom, there will be no work place romances (unless you’re into that), and it won’t cry in a broom closet when a customer doesn’t get their order correctly and yells about it.

You can start muttering “liberal snowflake” to yourself now!

Goodson: This last issue is near and dear to my heart. I need a candidate who will champion the struggle of not just me but other Black people in Asheville. WE NEED A HIP-HOP RADIO STATION IN ASHEVILLE! It’s hard to get going in the morning without a local hip-hop radio DJ screaming for me to get out of bed while playing something with a lot of bass in the background. There are much bigger issues in town that we need to fix, I know — I’m just asking can we pump some Gucci Mane while we attempt to fix them?

Perry: I don’t think people are talking about how bad the traffic is in West Asheville. I mean, I didn’t move here from Atlanta so I could sit in my car all day. I moved here because I was indicted for running a Ponzi scheme and I am no longer allowed to incorporate my business in the state of Georgia. Who wants to live like Atlantans anyway? Sure, they have culture and arts. Sure, they have diversity. Sure, they have a robust economy. But you know what they don’t have? Not a single Organic Mechanic.

Bost: My vote hinges on the politician promising to bring a ded icated New York-style bagel shop to Asheville. A place to gleefully galivant in gluten. A place where bagels are boiled, then baked. A place where Lactaid and cream cheese flow freely. While there are certainly places in Asheville that serve a pretty good bagel, nowhere seems to specialize in the New York style. I wish more politicians were talking about ways to bring these crunchy-yet-chewy breakfast delights to the good citizens of our city.

WNC SCARY STORIES

Jovial ghost rocks out in a hearse

When I was leading tours for our family-owned business Dark Ride Tours a few years ago, I didn’t really have many first hand experiences with ghosts. But when we were renovating the 1972 Cadillac hearse we used to transport guests, I was told by someone I consider spiritually sensitive that our hearse was indeed haunted.

She said when she first saw our hearse there had been the ghost of a large jovial man sitting in the corner of the L-shaped seat we had installed in the back. “And for some reason,” she said, “I’m hearing Creedence Clearwater [Revival]. And maybe Allman Brothers?”

We had bought the hearse from the brother of the deceased owner who had used the hearse to host parties; he DJ’d his music from a sound system that he had set up in the hearse (which would make an impressive DJ booth, I must admit.) His music of choice? Yep, ’70s Southern rock!

My psychic friend assured me that the ghost was very happy about what we were doing with

the hearse and that he would probably be joining us for tours.

I never sensed ghosts in the hearse personally, but I did have a spirit-sensitive guest once become very agitated after we had driven by the haunted theater at UNC Asheville (that’s another story). The guest said that there was a spirit with us in the hearse. She claimed that it was female, possibly a rela tive of one of the other guests, so it wasn’t the previous owner of the hearse. Eventually, my guest calmed down (or maybe the ghost did), and she allowed me to continue with my story. It took me a minute to focus and remember where I was in my spiel.

I still have the hearse — it’s sit ting in our driveway — although we don’t take it out anymore. There’s no telling what we’ll find inside when we take the cover off it when we host our Halloween party soon. Or maybe I should say, no telling who we’ll find.

— David Allen Voyles, Swannanoa.

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HITCHIN’ A RIDE: David Allen Voyles’ son, Charon, poses next to the haunted hearse. Photo courtesy of Voyles

Too scary to put down

Local authors share book recommendations for the Halloween season

BY THOMAS CALDER tcalder@mountainx.com

Love it or hate it, there’s no escap ing the scary thrills that Halloween inspires each year. For those less inclined toward horror films but still in the mood for something spooky, Xpress has you covered. In the spirit of All Hallows Eve, we reached out to local authors for their recommen dations for seasonally appropriate, scary reads set in the South.

EUDORA WELTY’S “MOON LAKE”

“‘Moon Lake’ is from Eudora Welty’s mythical short-story cycle, The Golden Apples , published in 1949. Town girls and county orphans clash at summer camp in southern Mississippi; the swampy backdrop is rendered like a gor

geous nightmare. The story’s action takes off when Boy Scout Loch Morrison pulls orphan Easter out of the snake-infested lake and tries to resuscitate her. The other girls watch the performance, enthralled, in a time-bending, 14-page scene that toggles magnificently between humor and horror. ‘Was there dan ger that Easter might call out to them from the other, worse side of it?’ Welty writes. ‘[That] her secret voice might work out of her terrible mouth like a vine, preening and sprung with flowers.’”

— Melanie McGee Bianchi, author of The Ballad of Cherrystoke and Other Stories

OLD AS THE HILLS

“My favorite Appalachian hor ror story is, as they say, old as the hills. It is found in Richard Walser ’s North Carolina Legends. But scarier versions are included in both novel and poem. Asheville native John Ehle’s 1964 novel, The Land Breakers, tells of newlyweds Paul and Nancy Larkins, who laid their cabin’s fireplace and hearth over a rattlesnake den. They awak en with snakes crawling over their

bed and the floor full of them. I’ll let you guess the outcome. The best version of this tale, however, is Hendersonville native Robert Morgan’s poem ‘Mountain Bride,’ which features Revis and Martha in the same horrible situation. Enjoy!”

— Wayne Caldwell, author of Cataloochee and Woodsmoke

JESMYN WARD’S SING, UNBURIED, SING

“Jesmyn Ward’s 2017 novel Sing, Unburied, Sing , follows 13-yearold Jojo as he navigates a visit to Mississippi’s Parchman prison to collect his father and the ghosts, literal and figurative, that stand in his way. The hauntings in this gor geous, celebrated tale aren’t just the kind that spook you in the dark. Here, horrors of the past lay on top of the present, and the characters, both living and dead, reckon with racism and trauma as their stories unfold, and also the beautiful bonds among the living that give us reason to go on.”

— Tessa Fontaine, author of The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts

MOTHMAN!

“I encourage my fellow Ashevilleans to embrace our homegrown Appalachian cryptid monster, MOTHMAN! Primarily a West Virginia phenomenon, stories about Mothman abound all over our region. The best place to start is with John Keel’s The Mothman Prophecies, a nonfiction-ish recount ing of Mothman’s sudden spooky appearance in Point Pleasant, W.Va., circa 1966. Some may recall these events from the 2002 Richard Gere film of the same name. The Mothman Prophecies is a sort-of-true Appalachian horror story that will leave locals totally freaked out and uncertain of whom to trust in these dark mountain woods we call home.”

— Leah Hampton, author of F*ckface: And Other Stories

STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES’ THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN

“I recommend Stephen Graham Jones’ The Only Good Indians, which isn’t set in the South, but Graham Jones was born in Texas, so I’m say ing that counts. Besides, it’s beyond good and unsettling. The horror begins when four friends commit a crime against nature, against an elk and her calf. This elk mother, like most mothers, doesn’t forget the wrongs done to her child, and she takes on a human form to enact her revenge, one by one, against the four men who destroyed her life. My dreams were haunted by the Elk Head Woman for weeks, and yours probably will be, too.”

— Rachel Hanson, writer and organizer of Punch Bucket Lit reading series

CHARLES FRAZIER’S NIGHTWOODS

“Nightwoods by Charles Frazier is quintessential Southern gothic. Two young children, traumatized by witnessing their mother’s murder, are taken in by their aunt, who lives alone in the woods. But the murder er is at large, and now he’s creeping around those woods after the chil dren. It’s a compelling read, one that would have had me flipping pages to find out WHAT HAPPENED, but fortunately I ‘read’ the book on audio. Will Patton’s performance and his pleasant Southern voice allowed me to slow down and enjoy Frazier’s beautiful prose. Highly recommended for Halloween chills.”

— Vicki Lane, author of And The Crows Took Their Eyes

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM20

ARTS & CULTURE

THE HORROR, THE HORROR: Local authors share their favorite scary reads. Pictured, seated from left are Meagan Lucas and Melanie McGee Bianchi; and standing from left, Tessa Fontaine, Terry Roberts and Wayne Caldwell. Photo by Thomas Calder

LITERATURE

CREEPY AND INTENSE

“I’m very particular about my horror — I don’t want to be grossed out, and I don’t like violence for its own sake, so this time of year I turn to local author Nathan Ballingrud His writing is so beautiful, his characters complex, his stories just the perfect amount of creepy and intense. Specifically, his collection North American Lake Monsters is so original but also deeply unsettling and the perfect read for the spooky season because it reminds us that monsters aren’t always the vampire and werewolf type but are most often horrifyingly human.”

— Meagan Lucas, author Songbirds & Stray Dogs,

WILLIAM GAY’S ’THE PAPERHANGER’

“The most unsettling short story I have ever read is William Gay’s ‘The Paperhanger.’ It begins with a horrific murder and then gets much, much darker. Among the story’s fans is Stephen King, who chose it for the Best American Short Story series. William was a friend of mine, and he told me that, upon reading

‘The Paperhanger,’ a woman he was romantically involved with immedi ately told him, ‘I can’t be with you anymore.’ William, rightly, took that as a compliment.”

— Ron Rash, author of Serena and In the Valley: Stories and a Novella Based on ‘Serena’

GOTHIC THRILLER

“One of my favorite gothic thrill ers from WNC is John Ehle’s The Winter People, which is set in an iso lated mountain community around the time of the Great Depression. The novel opens with the arrival of a stranger named Wayland Jackson, a widower who soon gets involved with a single mother named Collie Wright. When the father of Collie’s child appears suddenly, he dies in a midnight snowstorm. Was he murdered? If so, by whom? Who in this tightly knit community is responsible and who must pay the price? Ehle is a native of Asheville, and this suspenseful tale was made into a 1989 movie, filmed locally.”

— Terry Roberts, author of My Mistress’ Eyes Are Raven Black and The Sky Club X

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What’s new in food

Asheville Halloween Bar Crawl haunts the streets once more

If last year’s Halloween Bar Crawl is any indication, hundreds of ghosts, goblins and caped crusaders will be returning to the streets for the gather ing’s latest iteration.

The fifth annual crawl begins at Catawba Brewing Co. – South Slope on Saturday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. From there, bar creepy crawlers will descend upon several downtown bars, brewer ies and distilleries, including Banks Ave. Bar, Daddy Mac’s Down Home Dive, Dalton Distillery, One World Brewing and Scandals Nightclub.

Each location will feature its own version of themed specials and cocktail concoctions, such as a $3 blood shot and $4 witch’s punch at Banks Ave., $6 spooky juice at Daddy Mac’s and $5 ginger rum punch at Dalton Distillery.

“Asheville is one of our favorite cit ies with some of the most diverse ven ues for our crawls,” says Nick Lunde,

district manager for the Carolinas sector of the national Crawl With US brand, which puts on the event. “It’s very important to us that we foster healthy relationships with local busi ness owners.”

A variety of themed contests and performances are also on the crawl’s agenda. You can expect Banks Ave. drag shows at 6 and 8 p.m., a dog costume contest at Catawba Brewing Co. from 2-4 p.m. and a dance party to end the night at Scandals featuring all the classic bone-rattling Halloween hits you know and love.

The winner of Asheville’s best cos tume, voted on via social media, will receive four free tickets to the next Crawl With Us event (a holiday bar crawl in December benefiting Toys for Tots) as well as entry into a nationwide contest with a $1,000 grand prize.

“I hope people have fun and show up to support their local community,” says Lunde. “Most importantly, we want everyone to get home safe and have a reliable mode of transportation. Have fun and be safe!”

Tickets cost $15 per person in groups of four or more and $20 for single tick ets. Visit avl.mx/c39 to purchase tickets and for additional information.

Barbe-boo!

When thoughts of Halloween treats conjure in your head, you probably think of gooey chocolate and tart fruit candies. But what about barbecue?

On Friday, Oct. 28, the brand-new Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ location on South Slope will hold its second annu al Hatch-O-Ween Halloween party in partnership with Hatch Innovation Hub, Hatchworks and a number of other local neighbors and partners. The celebration runs 7-10 p.m.

While the party is free to attend, Bear’s is offering VIP access tickets for $30 per person granting early entry at 6 p.m., two complimentary drink tickets (alcoholic or nonalcoholic) and barbecue bar bites. Live music from multi-instrumentalist Marcus Gullen kicks off at 7 p.m.

A costume contest begins at 8 p.m., including cash prizes of $100, $75 and $25 for the three top winners. A Brides DJ will provide a photo booth set up from 6-10 p.m. so all guests can go home with pictures of their ghoul ish attire.

Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ is at 135 Coxe Ave. Visit avl.mx/c36 for tickets and additional information.

The Monster Smash

Smasheville, the food truck special izing in pasture-raised, dry-aged smash burgers, celebrates its one-year anni versary with a smashing Halloween party Thursday, Oct. 27, 5-8 p.m., at The Brew Pump in West Asheville.

Prizes will be awarded to the scari est, funniest and best couple costumes. The first 50 patrons to purchase a sandwich will receive a free order of house-cut fries. Local Grateful Dead tribute band Dirty Dead will perform 5-7 p.m. Smasheville founders and operators JT Noah and Kevin Ogren will also be handing out a special ly made bearnaise fry dipping sauce while supplies last.

“The purpose of this event is to embrace community,” says Noah.

“It’s our way of saying thank you to all the patrons that enjoyed our food and supported us over the past year,” adds Ogren.

The Brew Pump is at 760 Haywood Road #3136. Visit avl.mx/c33 for addi tional information.

Heat up your Halloween

Urban Orchard Cider Co. calls on all cider-loving creeps and spooky creatures to join its ninth-anniver sary party and Halloween bash on Saturday, Oct. 29, at its South Slope location. DJ Erik Maddox spins from 4-7 p.m., followed by Cousin TL taking over for the remainder of the latenight party.

A special “fire flight” will be unveiled featuring six separate ciders made with local peppers from Smoking J’s Fiery Foods. Costumes are encouraged during this free event, as the top three get-ups will be awarded gift cards fol lowing a round of Instagram voting.

On the significance of this occasion, operations director Josie Mielke says, “It’s really a celebration of everyone that has supported us for all these years, and I hope that our patrons, especially the ones that have purpose fully spent their dollars with us over the years know how integral they are to our survival and how grateful we are to be able to continue to serve our cider nine years later.”

Urban Orchard Cider Co. is at 24 Buxton Ave. Visit avl.mx/c34 for addi tional information.

Pre-trick-or-treat eats

Looking for a place to bring the kids before they make their trick-or-treat rounds? Kids younger than 12 eat free at Buxton Hall Barbecue on Monday, Oct. 31, 5:30-9 p.m., with the purchase of an adult meal.

The whole family is encouraged to adorn their best costumes during their visit. “Our pastry team will be making some spooky treats for Halloween, and Brunswick stew is finally back on the menu just in time for the cold er months,” says Charlotte Beck, a public relations specialist representing Buxton Hall.

Buxton Hall Barbecue is at 32 Banks Ave. Visit avl.mx/c37 for addition al information.

— Blake Becker X

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM22

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BOOS AND BOOZE: Organizers of Asheville’s fifth annual Halloween Bar Crawl predict the largest turnout yet. Photo courtesy of Crawl With US.

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Around Town

Asheville poet retells classic fairy tales through modern lens

Local poet and editor Rebecca Buchanan spent countless hours as a child curled up with library books about witches, princesses, knights and monsters. Nothing made her happier.

But as she got older, Buchanan started to have questions about the fairy tales and mythological stories she loved. Who wrote them? Why were witches always portrayed as villains? Why did princesses have to get married instead of being able to rule in their own right?

“The heroes were often clever, but some of them were pretty awful, too,” she remembers. “Why were they held up as models of behavior?”

Such questions led Buchanan to start exploring the stories from a different perspective in her own writing. Her new poetry collection, Not a Princess, But (Yes) There Was a

Pea, and Other Fairy Tales to Foment Revolution , retells and reimagines classic stories with a modern eye.

“After the Kiss” is narrated by Sleeping Beauty, who awakes to find her family is dead and the people of the land don’t need a queen. “The Green Knight” mashes up American folk legend Johnny Appleseed with the Green Knight and Excalibur of Arthurian lore to tell a story about environmental stewardship and the threat of climate change.

Rapunzel, Snow White and Jack (of beanstalk fame) are among other characters who make appearances in the collection, recently published by Jackanapes Press.

Buchanan’s first book, Dame Evergreen and Other Poems of Myth, Magic, and Madness, was less focused in its subject matter. “I found that centering my second collection on

ONCE UPON A TIME: Rebecca Buchanan’s new collection of poems retells classic fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk and Snow White. “I decided to sit down and see what happened if I looked at the stories from a different point of view or with a different emphasis or ethical imperative,” she says. Photo courtesy of Buchanan

one theme, fairy tales, was much more satisfying and actually easier to write,” she says.

A practicing pagan and editor of the pagan literary e-zine Eternal Haunted Summer , Buchanan says modern literature lacks positive por trayals of polytheism and witchcraft.

“Since I’m a writer, most of my stories focus on that,” she says. “I write what I want to read but can’t find elsewhere.”

For more information or to buy the book, go to avl.mx/c3a.

Hello, walls

Where most saw a blank wall, Drew Reisinger saw an opportunity.

Reisinger, the Buncombe County register of deeds, decided his office

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building’s west-facing wall at 205 College St. would be an ideal place for a mural reflecting the area’s people and values. County officials quickly agreed and expanded the idea to include two more govern ment buildings, the county Tax Department at 94 Coxe Ave. and a parking deck at 164 College St.

Now Buncombe County is asking local artists to submit proposals for murals at those three spaces to pro mote racial equity, cultural diversity, and reconciliation and restoration. Proposals are due Friday, Nov. 11.

“Public art has the potential to be pleasantly disarming for folks who may have lost trust in or feel uneasy engaging with local government,” Reisinger says. “I think it’s import ant for a city like Asheville, which regularly benefits from a reputation of being progressive and inclusive, to be visually and publicly proactive in acknowledging both the harm that has and does occur on this land to BIPOC people.”

To see a video of the mural locations, go to avl.mx/c3d. To get details or to submit a proposal, visit avl.mx/c3e.

Forest for the trees

Dakota Wagner says forest stewardship and conservation too often are reduced to simple num bers: amount of acres restored, number of trees planted, number of birds counted.

That’s why she thinks it’s import ant to tell the stories of the people

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM24

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behind conservation work. “It can help make forest stewardship feel like something everyone can con nect with — and like something everyone can take part in,” says Wagner, Southeast region coordi nator of the Forest Stewarts Guild.

Storytelling will be a big part of the ForestHer NC Mountains Region Gathering at Warren Wilson College on Saturday Oct. 29, 1-4:30 p.m. The event is part of a statewide initiative, ForestHer NC, which launched in August 2019 by a coali tion of state and national conserva tion groups to support, educate and empower women landowners and natural resources professionals.

The event will include a hands-on bird-box building workshop, a por table sawmill demonstration by the student-led Warren Wilson Forestry Crew and a conservation storytell ing session.

“There will be the opportunity for each participant to share about their forest stewardship journey,” Wagner explains. “In these sessions, people have talked about their land management successes, asked for advice from others and offered insight to questions they have found answers to.”

Registration is required, and tick ets are $10. Registration closes at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28. For more information or to register, go to avl.mx/c3h.

Word medicine woman

Meta Commerse, Story Parlor’s newest artist-in-residence, will present a one-woman show at the venue Thursday, Nov. 3, followed by a workshop on Thursday, Nov. 17. Both events are at 7 p.m.

Story Parlor is a cooperative arts space in West Asheville. Its Story/Arts Residency is dedicated to showcasing work of local story tellers of color as well as members from the LGBTQIA+ community and other historically marginal ized communities.

Commerse is the author of five books and founder and CEO of Asheville-based Story Medicine Worldwide. She describes herself as “a word medicine woman and black boomer whose artistic home is rooted in stories and poems.”

The one-woman show “Romance, Jingles, and Dreams” will blend

a monologue with music, images, movement and selected excerpts from her memoir Womaning. Her interactive “Story as Legacy” work shop will explore an African prov erb that emphasizes that each time an elder dies, a library burns to the ground.

Story Parlor is at 227 Haywood Road. Tickets are available on a “pay what you can” sliding scale. To buy tickets for the Nov. 3 event, go to avl.mx/c3i. To buy tickets for the Nov. 17 event, go to avl.mx/c3j.

Let the fur fly

FurEver Friends, a local ani mal rescue, will celebrate its 20th anniversary with The Great Gatsby Pawty on Saturday, Oct. 29, 4-9 p.m., at Ginger’s Revenge.

The event will feature music, food, a photo booth, musical per formances, a silent auction and a costume contest. Admission is free, but donations will be appreciated.

Ginger’s Revenge is at 829 Riverside Drive, Suite 100. For more information about FurEver Friends and the event, go to avl.mx/c3m.

— Justin McGuire X

MOVIE REVIEWS

Local reviewers’ critiques of new films include:

HALLOWEEN ENDS: It took the misfires of Halloween and Halloween Kills to get there, but writer/director David Gordon Green and co-writer Danny McBride have finally delivered a creative take on the horror saga befitting their talents. Grade: B — Edwin Arnaudin

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS: Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, writer/ director Ruben Östlund’s beautifully shot, pitch-black comedy takes dead aim at the extremely wealthy and their ill effects on society. Grade: B-plus — Edwin Arnaudin

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

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ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

Kinky Komedy, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Disclaimer Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Jay Brown (roots), 6pm

BOLD ROCK MILLS RIVER

Trivia Night, 6pm

CAMDEN'S COFFEE HOUSE

Open Mic hosted by Kathryn O'Shea, 7pm

FINCH GOURMET MARKET

Altamont Jazz Project, 5pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

RAD BEER GARDEN Game Night, 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Well-Crafted Wednesdays w/Matt Smith, 6pm

HOMEPLACE BEER CO.

Vinyl Night w/Doran Todd, 6pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743

• Gary Ferguson w/ Allen Shadd (Ameri cana, folk, bluegrass), 7pm

• Asheville Sessions

ft Marisa Blake (jazz, world), 8:30pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Mountain Music Jam, 6pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Latin Night Wednes days w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8pm

SILVERADOS

Wednesday Night

Open Jam hosted by Hamza Vandehey, 6pm

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY

Jazz Night w/Jason DeCristofaro, 6pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Poetry Open Mic w/ Host Caleb Beissert, 8pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING

Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm

THE FOUNDRY HOTEL

Andrew Finn Magill (acoustic), 7pm

THE GREY EAGLE Todd Sheaffer & Chris Thompson (bluegrass, Ameri cana), 8pm

THE ODD Red Beard Wall, Bonehawk, Michael Rudolph Cummings and Bongfoot (metal), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Marley Carroll (edm), 8pm

THE POE HOUSE Team Trivia w/Wes Ganey, 7pm

THE SOCIAL Wednesday Night Karaoke w/LYRIC, 9pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Wednesday Open Mic, 5:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

Traditional Irish Music Session, 7pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27

185 KING STREET Shawn Lane & Richard Bennett (Americana, bluegrass), 7pm

APPALACHIAN FARMERS & ARTISAN MARKET

The Pigeon River Messengers w/Andrew Wakefield (Applachian ballads & bluegrass), 4pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR MGB (covers, sing er-songwriter), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Champagne Drip ft Ace Aura (edm), 10pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy jazz), 5:30pm

CAFE CANNA SpanGLISH Karaoke Patio Party, 9pm

CASCADE LOUNGE Trivia Night w/Nick, 7pm

CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Halloween Drag Show, 8pm

DOUBLE CROWN Gospel Night w/Rohn & Reborn, 9pm

GIGI'S UNDERGROUND Mr Jimmy (blues), 10pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM Lady and The Lovers Unplugged (Top 40 covers), 6pm

HOMEPLACE BEER CO.

Big Dawg Slingshots (Western swing), 6:30pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743

• Rakish (Celtic, folk), 7pm

• Jonathan Kreisberg Trio (jazz), 8:30pm

SOUTHERN GOTHIC: Fancy and the Gentlemen will perform Americana, blues and roots music, Halloween style, at their Ghost Rodeo Sessions show at One World Brewing West on Friday, Oct. 28, at 9 p.m. The Asheville-based trio, from left, of bassist and vocalist Craig Kellberg, guitarist and vocalist Fancy Marie and fiddler and vocalist Katie Leigh, will be joined by guitarist Phil Alley and drummer Jeff Lott.

Photo by Studio Misha Photography, courtesy of Fancy Marie

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich & Friends, 7pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING Finkelstein 3 (blue grass), 6pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Phirsty Phursdays w/ Lumpy Heads (Phish tribute), 9pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Isaac Hadden (acous tic), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Kim Jade and the Good Thing (funk, soul, blues), 8pm

THE FOUNDRY HOTEL

The Foundry Collective ft Pimps of Pompe (jazz, acoustic), 7pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR Rum Punchlines Come dy Open Mic, 6pm

THE GREY EAGLE The Moon & You (folk, Americana), 5pm

THE ODD City of Caterpillar, Hex Sign, Serrate (alt/ indie), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL Nightly (alt/indie), 8pm

THE OUTPOST Cordovas (indie), 5pm

THE ROOT BAR Knotty G's (soulsoaked Americana), 6pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Thursday Night Karaoke, 8:30pm

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28

185 KING STREET Prince-O-Ween w/ Stops Out (Prince & Ween covers), 8pm

27 CLUB

Istari, Smoke and Kalgon (heavy psych & stoner rock), 10pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

Mr Jimmy (blues), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Official Disco Biscuits Afterparty w/DJ Brownie (funky hip hop, disco, tech), 11pm

BIG PILLOW BREWING

Crystal Fountains (bluegrass), 6pm BOLD ROCK ASHEVILLE

Rocky Horror Themed Halloween Party, 5pm

MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 27

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BOLD ROCK MILLS RIVER

Clay Johnson & The Hard Promises (Southern Americana/ folk), 6pm

CASCADE LOUNGE

Friday Night Bonfire Karaoke, 6:30pm

CEDAR MOUNTAIN CANTEEN Jazz w/Jason DeCris tofaro, 2pm

CITIZEN VINYL Appa-Laffin' Mountain Revue, 8pm

CORK & KEG

The Old Chevrolette Set (classic country), 7pm

DIRTY JACK'S

The Old Futures (indie rock), 7:30pm

DRY FALLS BREWING CO.

Remedy58 (blues, soul), 7pm

FLEETWOOD'S Annie Dukes, Day Dream Creatures, Bombay Gasoline (indie), 8pm

FROG LEVEL BREWERY

Two Armadillos (rock, country, trop rock), 6pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Eleanor Underhill & Friends (roots, jazz, pop), 7pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Peggy Ratusz Trio (blues, jazz, soul), 7pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 • Eliot Bronson

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE

J.C. Tokes Family Band (cosmic Americana, altroots country, blues), 6:30pm

MEADOWLARK MOTEL

Friday Night Karaoke, 7pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING Raditude (rock), 7pm

NOBLE CIDER & MEAD TAPROOM

Crisp Comedy: Live in Leicester, 8pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Halloween Kickoff Party w/Skies of Avalon (progressive rock, classic rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING

5j Barrow (folk rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

The Ghost Rodeo Sessions w/Fancy and the Gentlemen (honky tonk), 9pm

SALVAGE STATION

The Disco Biscuits (jam band), 6pm

SCANDALS

NIGHTCLUB Halloween Pre-Party Friday, 10pm

SOVEREIGN KAVA Balloween DJ Dance Party, 8pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

Eyes Up Here Comedy: Haunted Doll Edition, 8pm

THE ODD Perversions: Hallow een, 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL 20th Anniversary Weekend w/Big Boi (rap), 8pm

THE OUTPOST

The Get Right Band (psychdelic indie rock), 6pm

THE ROOT BAR

Ray Ring Municipal Surf Group, 9pm

TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER

Soul in My Country: Brian Owens & Rissi Palmer, 7:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

The Lucky Losers (blues), 8pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29

305 LOUNGE & EATERY

Old Men of the Woods (folk, pop), 3pm

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

Zombie Comedy: Best of Atlanta Showcase, 7pm

ASHEVILLE CLUB

Mr Jimmy (blues), 8pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

Vince Junior Band (local craft blues), 7:30pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Captain Midnight Band Presents: The Fellow ship of the Bling (rock, jam band), 11:30pm

BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Dinah's Daydream (Gypsy jazz), 5:30pm

BENT CREEK BISTRO

Old Men of the Woods (folk, pop), 12pm

BIG PILLOW BREWING Hearts Gone South (honky tonk), 6pm

BLUE GHOST BREWERY Halloween Dance & Costume Party, 7pm

BOLD ROCK ASHEVILLE

• Bluegrass Brunch, 10am

• Mark Bumgarner (Southern Americana, country), 7pm

BOLD ROCK MILLS RIVER TrancEnd (trip-hop), 6pm

CORK & KEG

Zydeco Ya Ya (Cajun), 8pm

DRY FALLS BREWING CO.

80s Horror Music Show w/Livewire, 7pm

FRENCH BROAD RIVER BREWERY The Knotty G's Duo (soulful roots rock), 7pm

FROG LEVEL BREWERY Halloween Town ft Tricia Ann Band, 5pm HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Late Night Halloween Dance Party w/DJ Marley Carroll, 9pm HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Pre-Billy Happy Hour Hang w/Shady Grove Stringband, 6pm

HOMEPLACE BEER CO. Halloween Bonfire Boogie w/Hustle Souls (soul), 6pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743

Cory Branan (Ameri cana, indie), 7pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Grassphemy w/The Knotty G's & Friends: Billy String Pre-Party, 1pm

• Halloween Party w/Drayton & The Dreamboats (Golden Age swing), 9pm

LOOKOUT BREWING CO. Halloween Party, 5pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING

• The Reginals (folk, Americana), 2pm

• Drip A Silver (Jerry Garcia tribute), 7pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO.

Halloween Party w/10 Toe Turbo (rock), 8pm

ONE WORLD BREWING Billy Strings Pre-Party w/Rossdafareye (Appalachian space funk), 4pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

Peggy Ratusz w/Bump in the Night Blues & Soul Band, 7pm

SALVAGE STATION

Andy Frasco & The U.N. w/Little Stranger (blues, rock), 11pm

SCANDALS

NIGHTCLUB Halloween Dance Party, 10pm

THE GREY EAGLE Faouzia (pop), 8pm

THE ORANGE PEEL 20th Anniversary Weekend w/Old Crow Medicine Show (Americana), 8pm

TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER

The Gardening Club (fusion/Blue Note jazz), 4pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Halloween Party with The Land of Sky Symphonic Band, 8pm

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30

ASHEVILLE GUITAR

BAR Mark's House Jam and Beggar's Banquet, 3pm

BENT CREEK BISTRO

Old Men of the Woods (folk, pop), 12pm

BOLD ROCK

ASHEVILLE Bluegrass Brunch, 10am

BOTANIST & BARREL TASTING BAR + BOTTLE SHOP

The Blushin' Roulettes (modern old-time), 2pm

FROG LEVEL BREWERY

Mike Oregano (reggae, hip hop, jazz), 3pm

HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Brady Turner (pop, soul, R&B), 2pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN

TAPROOM

Mr Jimmy Duo (blues), 1pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

• Bluegrass Brunch, 12pm

• Traditional Irish Jam, 4pm

MILLS RIVER BREWING

The Bearded Bards (blues, rock), 2pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

• Sunday Jazz Jam Brunch, 1pm

• Billy Strings

Unofficial Pre-Show w/Powerful Flower & After Ours, 4pm

SALVAGE STATION lespecial (rock), 11pm

SILVERADOS

• Biker Halloween Cos tume Party w/Karma Dogs (rock), 7pm

• Karaoke Sunday Nights w/Lyric, 9pm

THE GETAWAY TIKI BAR

Urban Combat Wres tling: The Freaks Come Out at Night, 6pm

THE GREY EAGLE Music of Grateful Dead for Kids & Halloween Party, 12pm

THE ODD The Rocky Horror Sister Show, 6pm

WELL PLAYED BOARD GAME CAFÉ Halloween Trivia, 10:30am

WHISTLE HOP BREWING CO. Al Lyons (acoustic), 5pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Michael Rabinowitz Jazz Quartet w/ Bassoon, 7:30pm

PL Ē B URBAN WIN ERY Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 4pm

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31

305 LOUNGE & EATERY

Old Men of the Woods (folk, pop), 5pm

CASCADE LOUNGE Industry Night, 6pm

DSSOLVR

Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7pm

GREEN MAN BREWERY Old Time Jam, 5:30pm

HAYWOOD COUNTRY CLUB

Taylor Martin's Open Mic, 6:30pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

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

LITTLE JUMBO Tim Fischer Quartet (jazz), 7pm

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM28

VOTED WNC #1 KAVA BAR OPEN DAILY • 828.505.8118 268 Biltmore Ave • Asheville, NC WWW.ASHEVILLEKAVA.COM Greatambianceindoors BAR SERVICE & OUTDOOR SEATING Keeping Asheville Weird Since 2010 CLUBLAND

MAD CO. BREW HOUSE

Halloween Hangout, 5pm

NOBLE CIDER DOWNTOWN

Freshen Up Comedy Open Mic, 6:30pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Billy Strings Afterparty w/Into The Fog (new grass), 11:30pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST Mashup Mondays (funk, soul, jazz), 8pm

SCANDALS

NIGHTCLUB Halloween Night Dance Party, 10pm

SILVERADOS

Bluegrass Jam Mon days w/Sam Wharton, 7pm

THE JOINT NEXT DOOR

Mr Jimmy (blues), 7pm

THE ODD Odd Halloween, 8pm

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1

185 KING STREET

Travis Book & Friends

ft. Tommy Maher and Jesse Iaquinto, 6:30pm

5 WALNUT WINE BAR

The John Henrys (jazz, swing), 8pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 10pm

CASCADE LOUNGE Tuesday Bluegrass Jam, 6pm

LITTLE JUMBO Jay Sanders, Zack Page & Alan Hall (jazz), 7pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Early Tuesday Jam (funk), 9pm

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST

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

THE SOCIAL Travers Freeway Open Jam Tuesdays, 7pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Tuesday Night Trivia, 7pm

WAGBAR Tuesday Night Trivia With Your Dog, 6pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Open Mic Night, 7pm

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

ASHEVILLE BEAUTY ACADEMY

Puerto Risas: A Fundraiser Comedy Show, 7pm

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Disclaimer Stand-Up Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 8pm

BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWING Jay Brown (roots), 6pm

BLUE GHOST BREWERY Brett Winning (acous tic), 7pm

BOLD ROCK MILLS RIVER Trivia Night, 6pm

CONTINUUM ART Westie Wednesdays (West Coast Swing), 7pm

HI-WIRE BREWING

RAD BEER GARDEN Game Night, 6pm HIGHLAND BREWING CO.

Well-Crafted Wednes days w/Matt Smith, 6pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Old Time Jam, 5pm

OKLAWAHA BREWING CO. Mountain Music Jam, 6pm

ONE WORLD

BREWING WEST Latin Night Wednes days w/DJ Mtn Vibez, 8pm

SILVERADOS Wednesday Night Open Jam hosted by Hamza Vandehey, 6pm

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night w/Jason DeCristofaro, 6pm

SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Witty Wednesday Trivia, 6:30pm

THE FOUNDRY HOTEL

Andrew Finn Magill (acoustic), 7pm

THE SOCIAL Wednesday Night Karaoke w/LYRIC, 9pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Wednesday Open Mic, 5:30pm

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Palmyra (Appalachian folk trio), 7:30pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3

185 KING STREET

Rachel Cole (R&B/ soul), 7pm

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR

Blue Ridge Jazzway, 7:30pm

CASCADE LOUNGE Trivia Night w/Nick, 7pm

GIGI'S UNDERGROUND

Mr Jimmy (blues), 10pm

HIGHLAND DOWNTOWN TAPROOM

Kevin Williams and Dulci Ellenberger, 6pm

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743

• The Black Feathers (Americana, acoustic indie), 7pm

• The Adam Ezra Group (Americana, folk, folk rock), 8:30pm

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB

Bluegrass Jam w/Drew Matulich & Friends, 7pm

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL

Phirsty Phursdays w/ Lumpy Heads (Phish tribute), 9pm PULP

The Orange Peel's Comedy Basement (stand up), 7:30pm

QUEEN AUDITORIUM Folkmoot LIVE! presents Eireann's Call, 7pm

THE FOUNDRY HOTEL

The Foundry Collective ft Pimps of Pompe (jazz, acoustic), 7pm

THE GETAWAY RIVER BAR

Rum Punchlines Come dy Open Mic, 6pm

THE GREY EAGLE Steep Canyon Rangers w/members of Town Mountain (bluegrass, Americana), 8pm

THE OUTPOST

Snake Oil Medicine Show (reggae, funk, newgrass), 5pm

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Thursday Night Karaoke, 8:30pm

MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 29

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Of all the rich philanthro pists in the world, Aries author MacKenzie Scott is the most generous. During a recent 12-month period, she gave away $8.5 billion. Her focus is on crucial issues: racial equality, LGBTQ+ rights, pandemic relief, upholding and promoting democracy and addressing the climate emergency. She disburses her donations quickly and without strings attached, and prefers to avoid hoopla and ego aggrandizement. I suggest we make her your inspirational role model in the coming weeks. May she motivate you to gleefully share your unique gifts and blessings. I think you will reap selfish benefits by exploring the perks of generosity. Halloween costume suggestion: philanthropist, Santa Claus, compassion freak.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): What animal best represents your soul? Which species do you love the most? Now would be a good time to try this imaginative exercise. You’re in a phase when you’ll thrive by nurturing your inner wild thing. You will give yourself blessings by stoking your creature intelligence. All of us are part-beast, and this is your special time to foster the beauty of your beast. Halloween costume suggestion: your favorite animal or the animal that symbolizes your soul.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): During the tyrannical reign of Spain’s fascist government in the 1930s, Gemini poet Federico García Lorca creatively resisted and revolted with great courage. One critic said Lorca “was all freedom inside, abandon and wildness. A tulip, growing at the foot of a concrete bulwark.” I invite you to be inspired by Lorca’s untamed, heartfelt beauty in the coming weeks, Gemini. It’s a favorable time to rebel with exuberance against the thing that bothers you most, whether that’s bigotry, injustice, misogyny, creeping authoritarianism, or anything else. Halloween costume suggestion: a high-spirited protestor.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If the trickster god Mercury gave you permission to do one mischie vous thing today and a naughty thing tomorrow and a rascally thing two days from now, what would you choose? Now is the perfect time for you Cancerians to engage in roguish, playful, puckish actions. You are especially likely to get away with them, karma-free — and probably even benefit from them — especially if they are motivated by love. Are you interested in taking advantage of this weird grace period? Halloween costume suggestion: prankster, joker, fairy, elf.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Everyone’s mind constantly chatters with agitated fervor — what I call the ever-flickering flux. We might as well accept this as a fundamental element of being human. It’s a main feature, not a bug. Yet there are ways to tone down the inner commotion. Meditation can help. Communing with nature often works. Doing housework sometimes quells the clamor for me. The good news for you, Leo, is that you’re in a phase when it should be easier than usual to cultivate mental calm. Halloween costume sugges tion: meditation champion; tranquility superstar; gold medalist in the relaxation tournament.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Education is an admirable thing,” said author Oscar Wilde. “But it is well to remember that nothing worth knowing can be taught.” What?! That’s an exasperating theory. I don’t like it. In fact, I protest it. I reject it. I am especially opposed to it right now as I contemplate your enhanced power to learn amazing lessons and useful knowledge and life-changing wisdom. So here’s my message for you, Virgo: What Oscar Wilde said DOES NOT APPLY to you these days. Now get out there and soak up all the inspiring teachings that are available to you. Halloween costume suggestion: top student.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): To celebrate Halloween, I suggest you costume yourself as a character you were in a past life. A jeweler in first-century Rome? A midwife in 11th-century China? A salt trader in 14th-century Timbuktu? If you don’t have any intuitions about your past lives, be playful and invent one. Who knows? You might make an accurate guess. Why am I inviting you to try this fun exercise? Because now is an excellent time to re-access resources and powers and potentials you possessed long ago — even as far back as your previous incarnations.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I guess it would be difficult to create a practical snake costume for Halloween. How would you move around? You’d have to slither across the floor and the ground everywhere you go. So maybe instead you could be a snake priest or snake priestess—a magic conjurer wearing snake-themed jewelry and clothes and crown. Maybe your wand could be a caduceus. I’m nudging you in this direction is because I think you will benefit from embodying the mythic attributes of a snake. As you know, the creature sheds its old skin to let new skin emerge. That’s a perfect symbol for rebirth, fertility, transformation and healing. I’d love those themes to be your specialties in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “I need my sleep,” proclaimed Sagittarian comedian Bill Hicks. “I need about eight hours a day and about ten at night.” I don’t think you will need as much slumber as Hicks in the coming nights, Sagittarius. On the other hand, I hope you won’t scrimp on your travels in the land of dreams. Your decisions in the waking world will improve as you give yourself maximum rest. The teachings you will be given while dreaming will make you extra smart and responsive to the transformations unfolding in your waking life. Halloween costume suggestion: dancing sleepwalker; snoozing genius; angel banishing a nightmare; fantastic dream creature.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Recently, my mom told me my dad only spoke the Slovakian language, never English, until he started first grade in a school near Detroit, Michigan. Both of his parents had grown up in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but immigrated to the United States in their youth. When I related this story to my Slovakian cousin Robert Brežny, he assured me it’s not true. He met my dad’s mother several times, and he says she could not speak Slovakian. He thinks she was Hungarian, in fact. So it’s unlikely my dad spoke Slovakian as a child. I guess all families have odd secrets and mysteries and illusions, and this is one of mine. How about you, Capricorn? I’m happy to say that the coming months will be a favorable time to dig down to the roots of your family’s secrets and mysteries and illusions. Get started! Halloween costume suggestion: your most fascinating ancestor.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): My Aquarian friend Allie told me, “If a demon turned me into a monster who had to devour human beings to get my necessary protein, I would only eat evil billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.” What about you, Aquarius? If you woke up one morning and found you had transformed into a giant wolf-dragon that ate people, who would you put on your menu? I think it’s a good time to meditate on this hypothetical question. You’re primed to activate more ferocity as you decide how you want to fight the world’s evil in the months and years to come. Halloween costume suggestion: a giant wolf-dragon that eats bad people.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do you value the feeling of wildness? Is that an experience you seek and cultivate? If so, what conditions rouse it? How does it feel? When it visits you, does it have a healthy impact? Are you motivated by your pleasurable brushes with wildness to reconfigure the unsatisfying and unwild parts of your life? These are questions I hope you will contemplate in the coming weeks. The astrological omens suggest you have more power than usual to access wildness. Halloween costume suggestion: whatever makes you feel wild.

MARKETPLACE

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

RENTALS

APARTMENTS FOR RENT

2BD/2BA: VISTA VIEWS! Deluxe chalet, wrap around deck, tastefully furnished private west Burnsville. Easy access to 26; 20 min to Weaverville/45 min to Asheville. No pets. Refs. 6 month min. $1,400. Text 954-496-9000

EMPLOYMENT

GENERAL

FOOD MANUFACTURING FACILITY HIRING MULTIPLE POSITIONS Dover Foods Manufacturing facility in Mills River NC is hiring for multiple positions including Production Associates and Bending Operators. The hours for these positions are currently Monday- Thursday 7:00 am-3:30 pm and Fridays 6:00 am-2:30 pm. Positions are full time offering benefits and a sign-on bonus. Applications can be placed online under the "Careers" tab or submitted directly in-person at our manufacturing facility. (828) 891-6260 avl.mx/c3b

JCC SEEKING LIFEGUARD

JCC seeks full- or part-time lifeguard for year-round pool. $12/hr with benefits. Email your resume to wendy@ jcc-asheville.org

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE IS SEEKING TO HIRE A POLICE SERGEANT USC Upstate is seeking to hire a Police Sergeant. For more information and/or to apply, go to uscupstate.edu/ employment/

ADMINISTRATIVE/ OFFICE

ADMISSIONS MANAGER Adventure Treks is seeking an admissions manager to join our team in WNC. The ideal candidate is a self-starter and detail-oriented, and will be responsible for our admissions process. info@adventuretreks.com adventuretreks.com.

JOIN THE BLUE RIDGE PUBLIC RADIO TEAMDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Blue Ridge Public Radio is hiring a Development Associate! The Development Associate joins a strong team of professionals that applies a balanced approach to annual and philanthropic giving to advance the goals of the organization. This role is recognized as foundational and essential for the team and BPR as a whole. The organization offers competitive salary and benefits. Please visit www. bpr.org/careers for the full description of the position and to submit your application. careers@bpr.org

HUMAN SERVICES

making production of the company’s specialized and proprietary products more effective and more efficient. Requires BS in Eng, or Clsly related field and 1 year rel. experience. For full details and to apply, contact Everett Lynch at everett.lynch@ upmraflatac.com.

SERVICES

AUDIO/VIDEO

DISH TV SPECIAL $64.99

For 190 Channels + $14.95

High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-566-1815 (AAN CAN)

CAREGIVERS

INDEPENDENT CAREGIVER

AVAILABLE FOR WORK 20+ years' experience. Extensive health-related experience. Specialize in dementia care. Excellent references. Asheville, Black Mountain, Canton, Arden, Candler & surrounding areas. 828-768-2708 or email dpinkston0680@gmail.com.

HOME

4G LTE HOME INTERNET NOW AVAILABLE! Get GotW3 with lightning fast speeds plus take your service with you when you travel! As low as $109.99/mo.! 1-866571-1325. (AAN CAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CREDIT CARD DEBT RELIEF! Reduce payment by up to 50%! Get one LOW affordable payment/month. Reduce interest. Stop calls. FREE no-obligation consultation Call 1-855-761-1456 (AAN CAN)

DIRECTV SATELLITE TV Service Starting at $74.99/ month! Free Installation! 160+ channels available. Call Now to Get the Most Sports & Entertainment on TV! 877310-2472 (AAN CAN)

DON'T PAY FOR COVERED HOME REPAIRS AGAIN American Residential Warranty covers all major systems and appliances. 30 day risk free / $100 off popular plans. Call 855-731-4403 (AAN CAN)

DONATE YOUR CAR FOR KIDS Fast free pickup. Running or not. 24 hour response. Maximum tax donation. Help find missing kids. Call 855504-1540. (AAN CAN)

LONG DISTANCE MOVING Call for a free quote from America’s Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Call to speak to our Quality Relocation Specialists: Call 855-787-4471. (AAN CAN)

PAYING TOP CA$H FOR MEN'S SPORT WATCHES! Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Heuer, Daytona, GMT, Submariner and Speedmaster. Call 888320-1052

PROGRAM ASSOCIATE--ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)

Literacy Together is hiring a Program Associate for our ESOL program. The program recruits and trains volunteer tutors to work with immigrants seeking to learn English to improve employment opportunities, navigate the health care system, participate in school conferences with their children and/or prepare for the citizenship exam. The ESOL Associate will work alongside the ESOL Director in all aspects of the program. The ideal candidate will be proficient in Spanish and have experience teaching English as a Second Language. This is a 30 hour/week position with flexible hours, a generous time-off policy, and the ability to work remotely for a portion of the time. Salary is $28,000/ year. For details and application go to: lit-together.org/ job-openings/

YOUR CAREER STARTS HERE WITH MHC! Get paid to do good! Assessment/ Youth Counselors are needed to support at-risk youth in our residential facility in Asheville. We offer paid training and excellent benefits. Apply at bit.ly/MHCCareers 919754-3633 vpenn@mhfc.org mhfc.org/opportunities

COMPUTER/ TECHNICAL

ALLCLEAR IS SEEKING A MOBILE DIAGNOSTIC/ ADAS TECHNICIAN IN ASHEVILLE Seeking motivated individual to aid our body shop partners in calibrating all electrical safety systems to manufacturer specification. We offer benefits, robust starting salary, and weekly bonuses. (828) 989-2441 allcleardandc.com

PROCESS ENGINEER UPM Raflatac, Inc. seeks a Process Engineer in Fletcher, NC to be responsible for

ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS If you have water damage and need cleanup, call us! We'll work with your insurance to get your home repaired and your life back to normal ASAP! Call 833-664-1530 (AAN CAN)

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

BATHWRAPS IS LOOKING FOR HOMEOWNERS We update bathtubs with new liners for safe bathing and showering. Specialize in grab bars, non-slip surfaces and shower seats. All updates are completed in one day. Call 866-531-2432. (AAN CAN)

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM Train online to become a computer & help desk professional. Grants and scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI 888-2811442. Computer with internet is required. (AAN CAN)

SPECTRUM INTERNET AS LOW AS $29.99! Call to see if you qualify for ACP and free internet. No Credit Check. Call Now! 833-955-0905 (AAN CAN)

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

COUNSELING SERVICES

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

AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 86-535-9689. (AAN CAN)

OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 MOUNTAINX.COM30

MOUNTAINX.COM OCT. 26 - NOV. 1, 2022 31 23 Entertain 24 Ante up for participation 28 The “P” of P.B.R. 31 Apple picker? 32 Channel for politics 36 Cause for much boasting 37 Some races 40 Cancel 41 “No ____, Bob!” 43 “Thus …” 44 Ship’s front 45 Potato-and-pea pastry 47 Deeps 49 AC/DC album after “Highway to Hell” 53 Bantu language with click consonants 55 Worst possible soccer score 56 They take advantage 59 Mardi Gras king 60 Accept defeat, informally … or what the last words of 19-, 24and 49-Across do vis-à-vis the first 63 Nosh on 64 Verb that sounds like its second letter 65 Soviet satellite launched in 1957 66 Adjudicate 67 “OK!” 68 Early Jurassic, e.g. 69 Word with safe or same DOWN 1 Fashion line 2 Jaunty words upon departing 3 App with an envelope logo 4 Emotional inhibitions 5 A cappella part, say 6 Odom’s “Hamilton” role 7 “Like that’d ever happen” 8 “Oh, stop it, fellas” 9 Sworn statements 10 Whence subway air 11 Debris left by a phoenix 13 Sucker 14 Kosher : Judaism :: ___ : Islam 20 Some races 21 Apple desktops 25 Migratory seabird 26 “Metamorphosis” poet 27 Rollerballs, e.g. 28 Hypes (up) 29 City that’s home to the Taj Mahal 30 Big sound producers of the 1980s 33 Ones providing cheep trills? 34 Part of a neural connection 35 The “-spel” of “gospel,” etymologically 38 Musician Anderson .___ 39 Wrench or gouge 42 Feathery accessories 44 Bench press muscles, informally 46 Improvises during a jazz performance 48 Waterproof sealant 50 Patronize a tattoo parlor 51 Abuela’s grandchild 52 Noir’s counterpart in a game of les échecs 53 Super-vision? 54 Roll call call 57 Like blue lobsters 58 River with a mythical ferryman 61 Copy 62 Disease research org. THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Up there 5 Legal org. 8 Tree pose discipline 12 Actress Watson 13 Like some stuffed toys 15 Two in a row? 16 Complain 17 Lofty features of many nice hotels 18 Bryce Canyon’s state 19 Innate response to a threatening situation 22 Chimney components ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE 1234 567 89 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 L OGO HI GH S JA CK AM OK EC LA T O NAN R EF I AH E A D H YP O DA LE EV AN S WA I FS ER A NE T HI ND US RA T E D PSA T E LO BU SL OA D PA SS H APP YT RA IL S J OI N EN TI TL E EN L YE NS LA TT E ST A LE D BA G HA S TA RE S RO YR OG E RS ER IE CI R RI MI RA RI TZ H E ED S AC E Y SO YA IL OS E NEDS edited by Will Shortz No. 0921 puzzle by Matthew Stock

Mountain Xpress 10.26.22

BETTER LUCK

STAFF

Editor’s Note

‘Rainbow fentanyl’: fact vs. fiction

More effective plan needed for drug problems

Bonds will tackle housing and climate change crises

Bond issues will save money in long run

Why I support the affordable housing bond referendum

Berthiaume will offer creative solutions for Asheville

Where’s the coverage of Edwards vs. Beach-Ferrara?

Better luck

Binx’s Home for Black Cats fights superstition, saves lives smurphy@mountainx.com

BLACK CAT BIAS

WITCHY AND PROUD

HALLOWEEN HIATUS

WNC SCARY STORIES

Footsteps in the attic

Buncombe taking steps to make tax values more equitable

Center for older residents

Cleaning the data

discusses the sport and local scene

Donate your car. Change a life.

WELLNESS

Therapeutic Recre ation: Wednesday Morning Movement

Hosting Trans Inclusive Yoga Communities

WNC Prostate Support Group Us TOO

ART

We Will Not be Silenced: Standing for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Closing Reception for The Animals of Red Bell Run: Flora and Fauna Exhibit

Cultivating Collections: Glass

Our Ecology, Shifting

Explorations in Heritage & Nature: Paintings by Lelia Canter

Natural Collector |

Jazz '22 Story Walk

Inspiration

Saints of Paint: Unearthed Opening Night Reception

COMMUNITY MUSIC

LITERARY

Dark City Poets Society

Book Talk: Bauhaus Graphic Novel with Valentina Grande

Halloween Events

Halloween at the Weaverville Tailgate Market

Halloween Party 2022

Hempoween Harvest Fest

The Witch Trials

Halloween Pop-Up! Market

THEATER & FILM

Outside Mullingar

The Crucible

MEETINGS & PROGRAMS

AAUW-Hendersonville Branch Luncheon Meeting

Learn & Play: Disney Villainous

Wolf Howl for Kids

Birding Walk & Boat Ride

Pints with PSABC With guest speaker

Men's Cancer Support Group

Night of the Teenagers

Get ready, get set…

is returning this fall — look for the guide inserted in next week’s Mountain Xpress

Or get started early by visiting GIVELOCALGUIDE.ORG

We are happy to announce 2022’s outstanding list of 48 nonprofit partners:

COMMUNITY

Among mannequins

HEALTH & WELLNESS

YOUTH

ANIMALS

CREATIVITY & LITERACY

ENVIRONMENT

SOCIAL JUSTICE

LOCAL MARKETS

Staples Artisan Market

YMCA Mobile Market

Etowah Lions Club Farmers Market

Leicester Farmers Market

Enka-Candler Tailgate Market

Flat Rock Tailgate Market

The Booth Fairy's Vintage Pop Up

East Asheville Tailgate Market

Hendersonville Farmers Market