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OPINION
Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com. STA F F PUBLISHER: Jeff Fobes ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson MANAGING EDITOR: Virginia Daffron A&E EDITOR/WRITER: Alli Marshall FOOD EDITOR/WRITER: Gina Smith GREEN SCENE EDITOR/WRITER: Daniel Walton OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose STAFF REPORTERS/WRITERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Virginia Daffron, David Floyd, Daniel Walton COMMUNITY CALENDAR EDITOR: Deborah Robertson
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610 Haywood, free food and free needles In response to letters printed recently and many others over the last six months or so regarding the history at 610 Haywood Road, the address shared by Firestorm [Books & Coffee] and Kairos West, I believe there needs to be a little more understanding in the public square about activities and effects on the neighborhood and community. Firestorm cooperative hosts The Steady Collective; Steady Collective gives out needles. Kairos West hosts 12 Baskets; 12 Baskets gives out food. Firestorm cafe is a cooperative bookstore, cafe and community center; they also, according to their website, support anarchist thought and culture. Kairos West is a community center located below Firestorm Books; they are an initiative of The Cathedral of All Souls, an Episcopal church in Biltmore Village. I have lived off of Haywood Road for the last 15 years and have run a business for the last seven in close proximity to 610 Haywood Road. There have been negative impacts that seem to be in direct correlation with the services offered by the above groups. Needles discarded throughout the neighborhood, not to mention the sandboxes and play areas of two nearby schools. Human feces where it shouldn’t be. People using and selling drugs in public view and at times in broad daylight. Aggressive behavior and violent fights. Panhandlers walking directly out of 12
Baskets and leaning into windows of cars stopped for the traffic light at State Street and Haywood Road. Threatening and aggressive behavior toward neighbors and pedestrians. A squatters’ camp allowed to flourish on-site with de facto permission from the abovementioned groups. Individuals have been verbally threatened and/or had property damaged just for asking someone to not smoke that, inject that or make a drug deal there, or pee here or park where it’s clearly marked not to park. Firestorm Books, The Steady Collective, Kairos West and 12 Baskets all have admirable goals and objectives. The doing of good deeds does not allow them the right to do as they please. The city has laws and rules designed to help us all get along with each other. When a community organization or business opens, there are agreed-upon uses for the premises that gain a permit from the city. When the agreed-upon use is changed or deviated from, and that change impacts the neighborhood negatively, the city and greater community need to stand up and hold those in charge accountable. The abovementioned organizations have encouraged their supporters from near and far to write letters and make phone calls to support their cause. When a “community” meeting was scheduled over the summer to talk about the impact on the neighborhood, those allowed to speak were stacked with a disproportionate amount of supporters of these organizations. Some of the speakers and attendees in support of Firestorm and Kairos West were from
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OPINION
Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.
other counties, towns and cities, let alone one woman from New Orleans! There have been posts on social media by supporters, not the organizations, threatening boycotts and aggression toward businesses who’ve spoken up about negative impacts they have experienced. Encouraging supporters to saturate and spin opinion is a natural defensive reaction to something you believe in being threatened. I and many others do not have the time and or energy to write a letter every week to this or any other local publication expressing our experiences or opinions. Myself and many others have been negatively impacted by the changes that I believe originate from some of those seeking the services offered at 610 Haywood Road. These negative effects seem to be disregarded in the public discussion surrounding these organizations. I hope that we all can become better neighbors and find acceptable resolutions to the issues we have. In light of some of the egregious acts of violence and destruction locally and nationally in what appears to be partisan absolutism, I look forward to a time with more civil discourse. This is all getting a little too crazy. — John Root Asheville Editor's note: For another view, see “To Fear or Not to Fear” on Page 8.
Xpress voter guides should come earlier While I appreciate and commend the informative voting guides you produce each election season, I think your readers would be better served if you moved up the publication dates of the issues by several weeks. According to your own figures, over 77,000 people in Buncombe County vote early, myself included. So by the time the voter guides come out, over one-third of the county’s voters have already voted, which makes the guides both untimely and irrelevant. You should publish them before early voting starts, not just before Election Day. — Paul Huisking Asheville Editor’s response: Thank you for your feedback about our voter guides. We prepare them with the hope that our comprehensive coverage will help as many readers as possible make informed choices. Our goal has been to make our guides available online as close as possible to the start of early voting and 6
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Carolina State Board of Elections also provided these explanations in the North Carolina Judicial Voter Guide, which was mailed to every voter before the election. Election officials at voting sites were not to provide additional information.”
Get real about the Charlotte Street ‘road diet’
C A R T O O N B Y I R E NE O L DS to publish the printed guides when the largest number of voters are focused on the election. We recognize that participation in early voting has increased in recent years. That shift might warrant earlier print coverage in the future. We will consider adjusting our preparation and production schedule in the next election cycle, which won’t take place until 2020.
Voters need solid, impartial information I was disappointed to find very little information on the six ballot questions facing North Carolina voters in the last midterm election. Nothing in the Mountain Xpress voter guides and no informational resources available at the polls, aside from the partisan volunteers soliciting just outside. These questions [stood] to amend the state constitution and can have longreaching, often unintended results. If voters are going to be asked to make informed decisions on important matters, it is incumbent on state and election authorities to make solid, neutral information readily available. In other states, voters are provided with considerable impartial resources in the form of voter information guides by local county registrars and election departments. If the State Board of Elections doesn’t want to do its job by compiling the information that voters
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require to make informed choices, then why can’t our local Buncombe County election department step up and do their citizenry a solid? We are always asking people to vote and do their the civic duty — the integrity of our democracy might actually depend on it. The least that the taxpayer-funded, nonpartisan authorities in charge of this stuff can do is provide us the information we need to do our job as citizens. — Chris Callaway Old Fort Editor’s note: Callaway reports that he recently moved from Asheville to Old Fort. Regarding Xpress’ coverage, we published an article on the amendments in our Oct. 17 issue (avl.mx/5fg), though there wasn’t room to include it in the voter guide issues. Xpress also contacted Buncombe County Election Services Director Trena Parker Velez, who provided the following response to the points relating to her department: “North Carolina’s county Boards of Elections were provided with descriptions of the constitutional amendments by the N.C. State Board of Elections. County Boards of Elections were instructed to provide these explanations to anyone who requested them from our offices. These explanations were made available as described at the Buncombe County Board of Elections office, and were also posted on our website. The North
Let’s get real. The Charlotte Street “road diet” recently approved by Asheville City Council is being touted as removing one lane of traffic, but that’s not true. The diet removes one lane in each direction: two lanes. Currently, traffic in each direction has two through lanes, one of which also serves for left turns. Not particularly broken. Taking advantage of the many wonderful businesses in the area, I have been walking up, down and across Charlotte Street since I moved to the neighborhood more than a decade ago. The only time I have been in danger from a car was a few weeks ago while trying to cross Charlotte Street at one of the new flashing-light crosswalks — I thought I would get wiped out. Cars simply don’t stop because there is no stoplight, and the LED lights provide inadequate warning. The changes are a done deal, and maybe it will all work out just fine. Another scenario is increasing road rage from backups, followed by more cars cutting through the heart of the neighborhood, where families with young children are moving in. It’s regrettable that there was a fatality “many years ago,” in the mayor’s words, but police reports since then don’t show that the corridor is “very dangerous” to pedestrians. Yes, it feels tight, but my understanding is that the current plan does not even include widening sidewalks. And, no, I have never seen any of the Council members or the mayor walking along Charlotte Street. — Nan K. Chase Asheville Editor’s note: The writer is the author of Asheville: A History.
Diverse voices will help make great strides in farming I appreciate the “Women’s Work: Are Females the Future of WNC
C A R T O O N B Y B R E NT B R O W N Farming?” article [Oct. 10, Xpress], spotlighting the important contributions and leadership women are making in farming. As three of your women farmers, Robin [Reeves], Susan [English] and Annie Louise [Perkinson] correctly pointed out, women have been integral to keeping our family farms going for generations. I’m proud of all the women and men farmers working side by side with respect and appreciation for one another because they know we are all stronger together. It is important that we have a wide range of farm leaders speaking up in our community, as well as across the state and nation. I am optimistic that rather than a dearth of leadership, we are going to have a surge of leadership, and it is through the vitality of these diverse voices that we will make great strides in farming and community endeavors. All farmers are welcome to join us at Buncombe County Friends of Ag Breakfast Quarterly, typically on the third Tuesday of that month at 7 a.m. [in the] Virginia Boone Building at the WNC Ag Center (Gate 5) in Mills River. Buncombe County Friends of Ag Breakfast is a complimentary (donations appreciated) local-food breakfast featuring an agriculture-related speaker. Contact info: Ariel Zijp, 828-250-4794. — Terri Wells Sandy Mush
We don’t need the Pentagon’s weapons here Our communities are looking more like war zones every day, thanks to the Pentagon’s 1033 program that authorizes transfers of surplus military equipment from the Department of Defense to domestic law enforcement agencies free of charge. Buncombe County has received at least 74 military articles through the 1033 program, including assault rifles and an armored vehicle. We do not need these weapons of war in our neighborhoods. Public safety arguments supporting the 1033 program are contradicted by research findings. Recent research from Princeton University demonstrates that law enforcement’s use of military armaments does not reduce crime rates nor protect officers in the line of duty. Moreover, this study found that militarized police units create negative public perceptions of police that may hinder citizens’ cooperation with law enforcement, disrupting criminal investigations and crime reduction. Another study found a correlation between military equipment requests and an increase in violent community-police interactions. Finally, a
Government Accountability Office report found that 1033 equipment is routinely handed over to law enforcement agencies with no verification or accountability measures. The director of this project reported that requesting 1033 equipment is almost like ordering controlled military equipment from eBay. As a Quaker and a social work student, I am dedicated to peace and community well-being. This is why I urge Rep. [Patrick] McHenry, Sen. [Richard] Burr and Sen. [Thom] Tillis to improve community-police relations and public safety by supporting the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 1556/S. 1856). This legislation would establish necessary limits and oversight measures for the 1033 program and begin to address one of many systemic issues with policing. — Bobby Trice Swannanoa
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To fear or not to fear? A little understanding can go a long way in West Asheville BY SHANNON SPENCER There’s been a lot of conversation in West Asheville the last few months about fear. It seems that the uptick in the visible presence of folks who are homeless or living in poverty along Haywood Road has caused some to feel alarmed. Over the summer, there were complaints of public urination, panhandling, needle litter and trash. It was a quick fix to blame four organizations — Firestorm Books & Coffee, The Steady Collective, Kairos West and Asheville Poverty Initiative — for these complaints, but in reality, all four have been doing their work for over two years without these present challenges. So what’s changed? Truthfully, what is being experienced on Haywood Road is not completely new to West Asheville. Of course, that’s not to dismiss or negate the complaints. No one wants these things happening in their backyard or front stoop — even in a caring, alternative and socially aware community like West Asheville. These are real challenges — challenges that come from a growing gap between those who have too much and those who don’t have what they need, with too few methods of how the resources can be shared. It’s always been that way, but why now is it more visible? This summer, we learned the uptick of the homeless presence in West Asheville stemmed, in part, from the removal of homeless camps in the River Arts District. We are told to expect a continued increase, as more camps will be removed along the river in Carrier Park. As Asheville continues to grow, more folks on the margins are finding their way to our city, while those who are already here are increasingly being displaced, with few options. The places and areas where the houseless had found respite are now being built up and built on. At Asheville Poverty Initiative’s 12 Baskets Café, we use 100 percent rescued, already-prepared food to serve a free lunch five days a week at Kairos West Community Center. It’s amazing to see the quality of food we get to share daily! Yes, the most obvious benefit is offering
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SHANNON SPENCER sustenance for those physically hungry. Yet that’s not our primary purpose. We aim to “get filled” physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. That’s why we operate a café and not a soup kitchen. There is a waitstaff. We eat off beautiful, handmade pottery by The Village Potters set on round tables. Folks get to order off a menu. People from all walks of life join us because, at the end of the day, we each recognize that we are more than our life circumstance. Each of us is both a “have” and a “have-not.” Some come for the food, others for the fellowship. We have a number of retirees join us simply because they are “tired of eating alone.” We believe that by creating an alternative social space that dismantles stereotypes that stem from inaccurate myths and assumptions regarding those from all socioeconomic realities, we can begin to recognize one another as neighbors again. Context helps reduce the fear of “the other.”
Those of us at the café now feel safer walking in West Asheville because we know the folks on the streets, and they know us. We know their stories, and they know ours. When we pull up to an intersection and someone is there asking for money, we can roll down our window and call each other by name. No longer is this interaction a transactional one — where money is the only thing (if anything) shared — but a transformational one, where we are seen, named and honored. And believe me, all folks make better decisions when they feel cared for. Now, with all that said, poverty and homelessness are not to be romanticized. The trauma many of these folks experience is real and can come out in some pretty ugly ways. And there is a small percentage of those on the streets who would be better served in rehab and, unfortunately, it is their behavior — almost exclusively when under the influence — that enables a negative association with the houseless. But for the vast majority, who of us can say we’ve never raised our voices in an argument? Or cursed at someone with whom we were angry? How many of us have a drink or two at night or eat a special brownie to unwind? The only
difference between those on the streets doing it and those you know is that the latter have places to privatize these behaviors. Those in poverty are forced to live their lives in a fishbowl and air all their dirty laundry (metaphorically and literally speaking) in a public arena. And then we judge them for it. And, of course, we aren’t even mentioning those who are on the autism spectrum or those struggling with mental illness. Relationships may not solve all the problems. But one thing is certain — it can only help. The challenges facing West Asheville, while frustrating, are not the fault of any one or even four organizations. The cause is layered, varied and systemic. Folks are struggling to survive, and, as a community, we can change that. We must recognize that as long as we prioritize more hotels, more restaurants, more new construction (none of which is wholly bad), we must also acknowledge the consequences of those priorities — the displacement of people on the margins — and find ways to sustainably address them. The Rev. Shannon Spencer, who holds a doctorate in ministry, is the executive director of the Asheville Poverty Initiative (www.ashevillepovertyinitiative.org). X
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NEWS
CLOUDY DAY
Duke solar rebate program leads to call for ethics in renewables
BY DANIEL WALTON dwalton@mountainx.com Forget California. For installers of solar energy, North Carolina is the land of a modern-day gold rush. While the sun’s bounty in the state hasn’t suddenly changed, a Duke Energy program providing a rebate on residential solar panels has supercharged the market. As part of a 2017 law passed by the N.C. General Assembly, the utility is required to subsidize 20 megawatts of solar capacity annually through 2022, including 5 megawatts per year for home customers in the Duke Energy Progress service area, which covers most of Buncombe County. Spurred to action by the Duke incentive — roughly $3,600 for a typical 6-kilowatt home system — many in the Asheville area and throughout the state are now looking to install solar panels. Over 1,000 rebate applications were filed by Oct. 29, maxing out Duke’s allocated capacity for 2018. But just as in the original gold rush, the promise of new business may have attracted some questionable prospectors, alleges Mike Davis, the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association’s director of membership. “[The rebate] was a great thing, but it also brought some potential bad actors into the market, doing things like direct sales to customers or canvassing neighborhoods,” Davis says. Some companies attracted by the Duke program, he explains, may be overstating the extent of the rebate, misrepresenting where solar panels can be installed on homes and engaging in deceptive sales tactics. CLAIM JUMPING Matt Dufon, field operations manager for Sundance Power Systems in Weaverville, asserts that he’s seen similar problems associated with the rebate in Western North Carolina. “We’ve seen really aggressive Facebook ads that present it as no money down,” he says. “We’ve repaired poorly installed systems, systems with no permits.” Other businesses have been coldcalling area residents to pitch solar panels with potentially misleading claims of identity. Telemarketers for
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SUNSHINE REQUEST: The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association recently established a code of conduct to ensure trust in the solar industry. Photo courtesy of the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association a company calling itself Clean Energy Initiative, for example, have informed consumers that the firm has been based in North Carolina for over 25 years, but no business by that name is registered with the N.C. secretary of state. One company in particular moved Sundance to issue a warning: Utahbased Brio Energy. In a public press release and an email to the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, both sent in August, former Sundance Director of Communications Erika Schneider accused Brio salespeople of using “predatory tactics” and claimed that Brio customers had complained about the company’s “high-pressure” approach to business. But Brio co-founder Adam Coomer vigorously denied all allegations of wrongdoing in a phone conversation with Xpress. He said that his business has experienced similar complaints elsewhere in the country but not
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because of its own behavior. Instead, he claimed that companies such as Sundance take umbrage with Brio due to its national reach. “It’s very common for an outside-ofthe-state company to have a target on its back because local companies that have been there for a while don’t want anybody to come in and take their business,” Coomer said. “People can get as mad as they want about that, but we do our best to make sure our customers are taken care of.” Regarding the claim that Brio’s tactics are inappropriately forceful, Coomer said the Duke rebate program creates some urgency around sales. Duke has already allocated its rebates for 2018, and a waiting list for 2019 capacity has begun. “I’m sure it’s common for sales guys to let people know that this is probably the best time to do something if you’re going to,” Coomer explained.
Brio’s legal team, said Coomer, is in the early stages of considering a defamation suit against Sundance. “It’s really frustrating for me as a business owner, because I don’t slander people. I don’t like petty disagreements or accusations,” he said. “We’ve done this a long time, and no company is perfect. I feel like we do our best.” FROM THE FIELD Sundance’s concerns mirrored comments on social networking sites such as Nextdoor and the West Asheville Exchange Facebook group, where residents including West Asheville’s Kim Andersen expressed unease about their experiences with Brio. Speaking with Xpress, she said that salespeople who claimed to be “partnering with Duke” had quoted her a price of $50,000 for installing a home system — over twice the national average
estimate, according to industry website EnergySage — and attempted to lock her into long-term financing for the work. “If it was my grandma, she would be like, ‘OK! This sounds great!’” Andersen said. “They were telling me that it was this really great thing, and it’s not really. Some people might not check or do any research and then get looped into a 30-year loan — that’s like a house.” Brio representatives are not trained to identify themselves as affiliated with Duke, Coomer said. The company’s salespeople do, he clarified, ask potential customers if Duke is their utility company to determine if they are eligible for the rebate, which might be misinterpreted by “grumpy customers that hear what they want to hear.” The company’s Better Business Bureau page also lists 31 complaints over the past three years, although none were filed in Western North Carolina, according to BBB Southern Piedmont and WNC President Tom Bartholomy. The two BBB-listed solar companies in the Asheville area, Sundance and SolFarm Solar Co., have no complaints. Both local businesses also have A+ ratings, while Brio is currently unrated pending the BBB’s review of a formal letter issued by the city of Austin, Texas in 2016, which asked the company to cease and desist operations after customers claimed its salespeople had posed as utility employees. Two consumer complaints from other parts of the state filed with the office of N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein name Brio as well. In one case, a homeowner in Zebulon claimed that the company had conducted a credit check using false income information to approve her for a project, then charged her a $4,885 cancellation fee when she discovered the allegedly fraudulent financing and tried to leave the contract. Through an email exchange with the homeowner attached to that complaint, Coomer called her concerns baseless and threatened legal action if she did not agree to a civil resolution. “Your continued barrage of false claims, as well as accusations, along with slander and defamation is not helping your situation,” Coomer wrote. “Going this direction will only make matters worse for you and your pocketbook.” Brio eventually agreed to refund the fee — on the condition that the homeowner resolve her com-
plaint with Stein’s office and remove or resolve any complaints posted on online review websites such as Yelp or Best Company. The other filed complaint, which also listed misleading finance arrangements, was resolved through a confidential settlement. CRACKING THE CODE These complaints highlight a larger concern within the state’s solar industry, says Davis with the NCSEA. As demand for solar energy increases, particularly under the financial incentives of the Duke rebate, the group worries that negative word-ofmouth about experiences with renewable energy could undermine trust in established installers. To that end, Davis and the NCSEA legal team recently drafted a “Solar Business Code” establishing fundamental standards of professionalism for the association’s members. Key points include quoting clear and accurate prices, fully explaining all outside incentive programs and using contracts “that are clear and understandable to consumers.” As of August, any installer who does not conform to the
code now risks being expelled from the organization and losing its seal of approval. “We certainly can’t police the entire market but we can at least try to control what our members are doing through this code,” Davis says. “If I get calls from consumers that are looking to find reputable companies, I certainly direct them straight to that list on our website of the companies that have signed.” Companies do not have to be headquartered in North Carolina to be signatories to the code — Atlantabased SolAmerica Energy and Charlottesville, Va.-based Sigora Solar are both NCSEA members. Sundance has also agreed to the code’s terms; Brio has not signed on. Following the NCSEA’s recommendations may be the best bet for finding reputable solar companies, suggests Duke spokesperson Randy Wheeless. He notes that while the utility feels better “internally” about some installers than others, Duke doesn’t take an active role in consumer protection. “That’s not our place, to pass judgment on these companies,” Wheeless says. “As long as they’re going through the official process of how to work the
rebate and properly fill out the forms, get the rebate for their customers, we’re usually fine with them.” Wheeless also emphasizes that the utility is not sending any of its own employees to talk with consumers about the rebate. Solar installers who say they’re affiliated with Duke may be using its rebate program, he says, but it’s “stretching the truth” to claim they’re working with the company. Davis notes that the NCSEA is also working on a residential consumer guide to solar panels, with guidance about what to look for in an installer and what kind of questions to ask. Until that resource is developed, however, he says “buyer beware” is the wisest advice. “Get a number of quotes from reputable companies. Look to NCSEA’s membership if you want companies that have agreed to conform to the highest professional standards,” he says. “And if you have any suspicion whatsoever that a company may be practicing unscrupulous business practices, get in touch with the N.C. Department of Justice.” With additional reporting by Virginia Daffron X
MOUNTAINX.COM
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
11
NE W S
by David Floyd
dfloyd@mountainx.com
WIDER LOAD Sweeten Creek Road doesn’t get many compliments these days. “I’ve been here for nine years,” says Kaaren McNulty, who lives in the Park Avenue subdivision off Sweeten Creek, “and at first it didn’t seem to be a problem, but now, my God, the traffic is horrendous.” Pat Deck of the Sweeten Creek Association of Neighborhoods says major accidents have sometimes frozen traffic on Sweeten Creek and adjacent roads for up to five hours. “If we have real emergencies, that’s a huge concern,” she says. The N.C. Department of Transportation is in the early planning stages for widening the corridor from Rock Hill Road to Hendersonville Road. Current plans would widen the road to four lanes, divided by a median. The improvements would include a 10-foot multiuse path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other. The total proposed width of the roadway, including the adjacent paths, is about 100 feet. Construction is tentatively scheduled for fall 2022, and planners predict the total cost of construction and property acquisition could be $27.3 million. STREET SMART Following criticism for its lack of advance notice about a planned widening of Merrimon Avenue earlier this year (see “Residents to DOT: Let us participate in Merrimon planning,” avl.mx/4nw), the NCDOT publicized a Nov. 13 community input session widely. Almost 500 people attended the drop-in event at Arden Presbyterian Church to get an early look at plans for the roadway and submit comments. “The feedback is critical,” said NCDOT spokesperson David Uchiyama. At the meeting, staff showed attendees large maps that illustrated how adjacent businesses and residents would be affected if the road was widened east or west. Planners expect that the expansion will take place on the east or the west side of the road in different sections, depending on which direction would produce the least impact on abutting properties. “We want to limit the total general impact as much as possible,” Uchiyama said. Planners are still in the concept phase of the design process, Uchiyama explained. Feedback from the public, which can be submitted through Thursday, Dec. 13, will help guide the final design. John Pryately and Earl Holmes live in the Ballantree subdivision off Sweeten Creek Road. They were concerned that 12
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NCDOT gets input on Sweeten Creek expansion
HEAVY TRAFFIC: About 500 people attended a drop-in event at Arden Presbyterian Church on Nov. 13 to see early plans for the widening of Sweeten Creek Road. The event served as an opportunity for residents to offer feedback. Photo by David Floyd the final design for the roadway would not include a break in the median to allow cars on Ballantree Drive to make a left turn onto Sweeten Creek. In that case, those exiting Ballantree would have to turn right and make a U-turn farther down the road. “Can you imagine doing those U-turns during rush hour?” Pryately asked. “You won’t get out.” The roadway outside their subdivision now has three lanes, with the middle lane being a turn lane. “It’s there so the residents have a chance to get out,” Holmes said. “Because you don’t have enough time when both lanes have no traffic to get all the way across if you’re going left.” Uchiyama said after the meeting that although the locations haven’t been finalized yet, median breaks will be installed along the corridor. “The locations — other than existing locations with traffic signals — will be determined as the project progresses with input from agencies, stakeholders and the public,” he said. A median, he said, follows guidelines established by the Federal Highway Administration: “The safety benefits are incredible, because the possibility of head-on and T-bone crash-
es are significantly reduced because the number of conflict points are significantly reduced.” THE ROAD MORE TRAVELED Robert James lives on the southern end of Sweeten Creek Road. He’s been in Asheville for about three years but used to live in Atlanta. “The … solution to traffic [there] was to build more roads, build more lanes, lay more concrete and asphalt,” he said. “And that buys you a few years.” The upcoming work on Sweeten Creek, he predicted, will fix the problems for a short period of time. “I think 10-12 years from now people are going to be crying about Sweeten Creek Road again,” he said. John Cowan, executive director of Givens Estates, wants the road to be more accessible and safer. “It’s amazing over the years the number of accidents that occur just because of the congestion,” he said. He likes the addition of multimodal transportation options. Cowan said he’s been hearing about plans to widen Sweeten Creek Road for 20 years. “It’s a shame it didn’t occur 10 years ago … before a lot of the development on the road,” he said.
Having looked at the plans on Nov. 13, Cowan said he has more questions about how the alignment could affect Givens Estates if planners decide to expand toward the property. “It doesn’t appear that it will impact any of the residences,” he said. But the expansion could affect the entrance to the property, and there have been discussions about the cost of relocating Givens’ gatehouse. LIFE IN THE BIKE LANE At the moment, Sweeten Creek does not have infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, says Asheville City Council member Vijay Kapoor. He says the city has endorsed the concept of a multiuse path in conversations with NCDOT, a design approach he believes could be cheaper and safer than installing bike lanes. “We know people are probably not going to bike down Sweeten Creek Road in bike lanes, because it’s 45 mph; it’s not protected,” he says. “I’m not going to put my kid on that. I am a pretty experienced biker, and I would have hesitations about being on that.” The Sweeten Creek Association of Neighborhoods, Deck says, has been active in the planning process from early on and submitted a series of recommendations to NCDOT, the city and the design team at Three Oaks Engineering, which is consulting on the project. In the past, major road projects have caught Asheville residents by surprise, but Deck says her organization has worked to get in front of the issue. “We’re trying to be proactive down here and work with everybody,” Deck says. “We don’t want to always be reactive.” Asheville City Council member Julie Mayfield says the city has also played a more active role in this project than in other local NCDOT projects. City officials have met with SCAN on several occasions, she says, to understand its desires for improvements to the road.
“That normally doesn’t happen when it comes to [NCDOT] road projects,” she says. “The city does that kind of community engagement on its own projects.” Because Sweeten Creek is a state-owned road, the project will not be subject to approval by City Council. Mayfield says NCDOT’s effort to incorporate public input and provide flexible options is encouraging and is not something she’s used to seeing from the agency. “What normally happens at this stage of the process is [NCDOT] would come with their proposal and get their feedback on their proposal,” she says. “Here, they’re coming with options. … and that’s what’s so important.” Kapoor says the process with Sweeten Creek Road contrasts with the way NCDOT proposed changes to Merrimon Avenue. Everyone learned from that process, he says. “I think the city learned from it, I think the [NCDOT] learned from it,” Kapoor says. “I think there were a lot of us in the community who learned from it as well and said, ‘I don’t think that’s something we want to replicate at all.’” COMMENT ON THE PROJECT Members of the public can submit comments on the Sweeten Creek Road widening project through Thursday, Dec. 13. Send comments to Three Oaks Engineering at U-2801A @threeoaksengineering.com, or by mail to STIP Project No. U-2801A, Three Oaks Engineering, 324 Blackwell St., Suite 1200, Durham, NC 27701. For more information, contact NCDOT Project Manager Ahmad Al-Sharawneh at aalsharawneh@ ncdot.gov or Consultant Project Manager Craig Young at craig.young @threeoaksengineering.com. X
MOUNTAINX.COM
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
13
BUNCOMBE BEAT
Asheville City Council approves ownership approach to Hilliard affordable housing
CONDO SWEET CONDO: New plans for affordable housing on city-owned land at 360 Hilliard Ave. outline development of 64 for-sale condominiums, including 33 affordable units. Screen capture courtesy of the city of Asheville The third time may be the charm for an affordable housing project on city-owned land that once was home to Asheville’s parks maintenance facility. Having previously approved two other proposals, both of which were subsequently withdrawn before construction started, City Council members unanimously moved ahead with a new plan by Charleston, S.C.based Kassinger Development Group at its Nov. 13 meeting. In June 2017, Council had agreed to offer Kassinger a 50-year lease of its land at 360 Hilliard Ave. for a 64-unit rental development including 33 affordable apartments. But the developer, explained city consultant Jeff Staudinger, found that construction cost increases of 25-40 percent since the project’s approval made a rental approach financially infeasible. Instead, Kassinger proposed building the same number of units as for-sale condominiums. As agreed in Kassinger’s original proposal, the city would still offer a $1.28 million, 2 percent loan from its Housing Trust Fund to help finance
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the project. However, Kassinger would also buy 1.7 acres of the 2.7acre property outright instead of leasing it — at half of the appraised value, representing a $375,000 total subsidy and $12,098 per affordable housing unit. This benefit would replace a previously agreed Land Use Incentive Grant, a program only available to rental projects, which had an estimated value of $385,000. The city would retain the other acre of the property, on which Kassinger would build (and pay half the cost of) a new parking lot for the nearby Aston Park Tennis Center. The developer would also actively market the affordable units to Asheville Housing Authority residents, with an “aspirational goal” of selling 20 units to those households. Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler raised questions about Asheville’s ability to enforce the agreed-upon 50-year affordability period once the city let go of its land ownership. Future Councils could easily revoke a lease if Kassinger broke its promise, she said, but a sale might leave few
options “other than taking them to court.” Staudinger said that the deeds to each individual condo could be restricted such that future sales were limited to households meeting the income qualifications. Furthermore, he suggested that the Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust could be offered the right of first refusal at the affordable price for all sales. “If employed, [that mechanism] could actually extend that 50-year period on to a far longer period — in fact, permanent affordability, as permanent as the state of North Carolina allows, which is 99 years,” Staudinger noted. With those concerns allayed, Council members praised the plan as a creative housing solution. Keith Young, who voted against Kassinger’s original proposal, called the new project a step toward fighting gentrification and a welcome change from policies focused on affordable rentals. “This would be the first project before Council that would directly secure ownership opportunities for those at the lower price points of our community,” Young said. “That directly contributes to providing generational wealth to those who would not otherwise have an opportunity in such an expensive and desirable area as downtown.” Council member Julie Mayfield agreed, noting that she had voted earlier this year with Young and Sheneika Smith on the Housing and Community Development Committee to add language about affordable homeownership to city policy. “I don’t want to say it’s a great experiment — I think it’s going to be a great success,” she said. No community members rose to speak about the project before Council gave its unanimous assent. According to Staudinger, land clearing on the site is scheduled to begin in February, with construction to commence in March and project completion to follow within a year.
— Daniel Walton X
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GREEN FRIDAY TRUCKLOAD OF TALENT: Department directors in Asheville city government say recruiting and retaining qualified staff, such as these public works employees, is a major challenge. Photo courtesy of the city of Asheville Good help is hard to find, at least for the city of Asheville. At City Council’s Nov. 13 budget work session, four department directors spoke about their troubles with obtaining bids on service and construction contracts, recruiting qualified employees and retaining current staff. Burgeoning activity in other parts of the economy, they said, had created stiff competition with government work. “Contractor capacity is at an alltime low. I’ve had over 30 years in this business and I’ve never seen it like this,” said Greg Shuler, director of public works. “We are seeing contracts that we don’t have anybody to bid on, or we have one person bid on, and you can imagine what that does to your prices.” Shuler’s department spent over $1.73 million on contracted services in the last fiscal year, with the majority (roughly $1.1 million) paying for a recycling contract with Curbside Management. While he said some of those services, such as approximately $300,000 in downtown cleaning contracts, could be brought in-house, finding and keeping permanent staff presents its own challenges. “Our staff has a skill set that a lot of people out there are looking for,” Shuler said. “Whether it’s truck drivers, inspectors, engineers, we have a hard time attracting and retaining our staff. We’re not alone.” Even the city’s marquee infrastructure improvements, funded by $74
million in bonds passed by taxpayers in 2016, aren’t attracting interest from enough outside companies. State law requires all public construction or repair projects to receive at least three competitive bids for a contract to be awarded on its first advertisement. “We have to have three bids to open up a project, and that has been a challenge,” explained Jade Dundas, director of capital projects. “The first time in my career I’ve experienced zero bids was last summer, so contractor availability is a bit of a concern.” To mitigate the problem, Dundas said, his department is shifting its bidding schedule into the winter, which would give contractors more opportunities for projects as they planned the year ahead. He also mentioned that his staff is surveying contractors to understand their challenges, as well as the possibility of city-sponsored training programs for contractor development. In the city’s General Services Department, said director James Ayers, the problem is particularly acute for small to medium-sized projects. With so much work taking place across the city for services such as building renovation, sprinkler installation and elevator repair, he suggested, tradespeople could take their pick of contracts. Outreach to “minority and disadvantaged business enterprises,” Ayers said, will be a key strategy for alleviating the work shortage. Development Services Director Ben Woody hinted at the root cause of the
problem as he explained his department’s hectic workload. Last year, he said, his 58-person staff had opened nearly 10,000 development records and performed over 52,000 on-site inspections — an indication of intense private-sector investment. “You could make really good money right now if you’re an electrician, probably more than you could make as an electrical inspector. … When we’re busiest, the private sector pays the best,” Woody noted. While the department has added a career progression plan to give its building safety staff additional compensation over time, he said, attrition remains an issue. But as interim City Manager Cathy Ball pointed out, private business isn’t the city’s only competitor for a limited base of expertise. “We are losing a large number of employees to the county at this point in time because of the difference in pay,” she said. At the end of the work session, Council member Vijay Kapoor reminded his colleagues of their own role in encouraging employees to stay. He observed that Council had approved only a 2.5 percent increase in staff salaries instead of a previously requested 3 percent raise for the current fiscal year. “As we go into the next budget cycle, as we’re looking at the ability to attract and retain staff, I think that’s something that we really want to take a hard look at,” said Kapoor.
— Daniel Walton X
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MOUNTAINX.COM
TheRegenerationStation NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
15
N EWS
City to reveal results of disparity study
BY THE SLICE: While draft results from an analysis of city of Asheville contracting over a recent five-year period show that woman- and minority-owned businesses received over 10 percent of the contract dollars available, 8.8 percent of that money went to businesses owned by white women. Graphic courtesy of the city of Asheville The city of Asheville launched a disparity study in June 2017 to measure how much of the municipality’s contracting and purchasing pie woman- and minority-owned businesses are being served. The results will be dished up for City Council’s consumption on Tuesday, Nov. 27, and to the public at two community meetings on Wednesday, Nov. 28. The study’s results will replace conclusions from the last such examination, which was undertaken in 1993 — in other words, fully a quarter of a century ago. Draft results presented to City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee on Nov. 12 showed that $12.3 million of the $118 million in city contracts awarded July 1, 2012-June 30, 2017, went to womanand minority-owned businesses — a total of 10.4 percent. However, 8.8 percent of those contract awards went to businesses owned by white women, with the remaining 1.6 percent divided among businesses owned by Asian, black, Hispanic and Native Americans of both genders. Presentation slides shown to the Council members who make up the PED Committee, Gwen Wisler, Julie Mayfield and Vijay Kapoor, at the Nov. 12 meeting posited that utilization below 16
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80 percent of available minority business capacity indicates a substantial disparity. By that measure, native-owned businesses fared the worst, with only 2 percent utilization. Asian American businesses were 5 percent utilized, with black-owned businesses at 22 percent usage. Hispanic and white-womanowned businesses both significantly exceeded the 80 percent threshold. The study’s final results will be presented to City Council at its meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 27, and to the community in two sessions on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the Linwood Crump Shiloh Center, 121 Shiloh Road. The two sessions will take place 6-7 p.m. and 7-8 p.m. According to a city press release, interpretive services and care for children 5 and older will be provided at the community sessions. Information about contracting opportunities with the city will also be provided at the community sessions, with representatives from the city’s Capital Projects, Communication & Public Engagement, Equity, General Services, Minority Business, Parks & Recreation, Purchasing and Water Resources departments in attendance. More information is available at avl.mx/5fj.
— Virginia Daffron X
BIZ BRIEFS by Virginia Daffron | vdaffron@mountainx.com
ONE-YEAR MILESTONE: Summit Design & Engineering celebrated the oneyear anniversary of its Asheville office and announced the opening of the Marshall branch of the State Employees’ Credit Union, above, for which it provided design services. Photo courtesy of Summit Design & Engineering ON THE JOB • Monica Mataloni was hired as general manager of Aloft Asheville Downtown, which is owned by McKibbon Hospitality. Mataloni comes from the Hampton Inn Hallandale Beach Aventura Hotel near Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where she was general manager. • Patrick Laws and Phillip McRae Jr. have joined EXIT Realty Vistas. • Broker Heather Howell has joined Weichert, Realtors - Unlimited, located in Asheville. • Weichert, Realtors - Unlimited’s Carol McFalls has been named a seniors real estate specialist by the National Association of Realtors. REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORTS Compared to the same month last year, pending residential real estate sales for October 2018 declined 7.9 percent in the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to Carolina Multiple Listing Services, that indicator is one mea-
sure of forward-looking demand from real estate buyers. Most other statistics for the month continued to reflect recent strength in the area’s real estate market, with year-over-year home sales up 1.8 percent, and average and median sales prices up over October 2017. The pace of home sales was brisk, and the average number of days a property was on the market fell to 111 days compared to 123 days in October 2017. The average sales price was $325,510. In his fall real estate market trend report of Nov. 13, Dave Bluth of Blue Blaze Realty summarized his predictions: “Overall, I would say our sales volume is going to top out and lesser quality inventory is beginning to back up a bit. Higher prices, inventory availability and increasing interest rates will begin to push buyers onto the sidelines as they will wait to see how conditions change. Sales transactions will slow and the question will remain, how much inventory
will be added over the winter and how quickly will the higher quality homes be closed out? “This will in effect determine which way our prices go when looking six months out. Sellers are pricing homes less aggressively on the high side and are now realizing they need to price at or below the market to sell quickly.” DOG BED MAKER HELPS SHELTERS Christian and Saundi Theodossiou launched Helping Hound, a dog bed company, on Nov. 3, with a goal of helping animals locally and nationally. “Through our ‘A bed for a bed’ program, our customers purchase a high-quality Helping Hound bed for their own pet, and we donate a bed for an animal in need,” Christian Theodossiou explained. Helping Hound will partner with local and national animal shelters to uphold its “You Buy, We Donate” promise. The company’s first rescue partner is Ashevillebased Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. X
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
17
NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS by News staff | news@mountainx.com
MISSION HEALTH RELEASES 2017 ANNUAL REPORT Mission Health on Nov. 14 released its 2017 annual report, Making Good: Together, Changing Lives and Growing Opportunities for Western North Carolina. According to a press release, in 2017, Mission Health’s total community benefit in serving the needs of the people in the 18 western-most counties of North Carolina totaled more than $201 million. “We continue to care for our patients, establish partnerships with neighboring organizations and invest in our communities in remarkable ways,” said Dr. Ronald A. Paulus, president and CEO of Mission Health. “For an unprecedented sixth time in the past seven years, Mission Health has been named one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems by IBM Watson Health and Mission Hospital was recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in its 2018-19 edition of Best Hospitals.” To view Mission’s annual report, visit missionhealth. org/makinggood. The report is available for download at the very bottom of the page. AG CONTINUES TO ACCEPT COMMENTS ON MISSION/HCA MERGER Any member of the public may submit comments on the acquisition of Mission Health by HCA, a national for-profit health care provider, to N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein, who is reviewing the proposed transaction. According to a spokesperson in the Attorney General's office, the best way to share comments on the deal is by emailing ncago@ncdoj.gov, attention of the Consumer Protection Division.
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TAKING STOCK: Mission Health's 2017 annual report provides information about the ways the nonprofit health care system contributes to the region's well-being. Information on page 9 of the report explains, "More than 70 percent of Mission Health’s hospital patients are either uninsured or are insured through Medicare or Medicaid, which do not fully cover the actual cost of their care. ... In 2017, Mission provided more than $118 million in charity care, under-reimbursed and subsidized government care." Graphic courtesy of Mission Health BUNCOMBE OFFERS TRAILBLAZER BUS FINDER
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Buncombe County Transportation and Mountain Mobility announced the launch of the Trailblazer Bus Finder powered by Google Transit at buncombecounty.org/mm. Transit riders fill in the requested information — starting address, destination, travel date, travel time — and Google determines the best Trailblazer trip. The tool works on computers, tablets or smartphones. Real-time information from multiple transit systems allows riders to plan trips that take them beyond Buncombe County Trailblazer service areas into areas served by other regional transit systems, including Asheville’s ART and
ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETS NOV. 27 The next formal meeting of the Asheville City Council will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27. Prior to the formal meeting, City Council will hold a work session at 3 p.m. in the council chamber to discuss city revenue sources. Both meetings are open to the public. CITY OFFICES, TRANSIT TO CLOSE ON THANKSGIVING DAY City of Asheville government offices will close
Thursday and Friday, Nov. 22-23, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Asheville Redefines Transit bus service will be suspended Thursday, Nov. 22. Information about all ART routes is available at 828-253-5691, iride@ashevillenc.gov or RidetheART.com. Garbage and recycling collection will be suspended Thurday, Nov. 22. Customers with Thursday garbage and recycling collection will have trash and recycling collected Friday, Nov. 23. Brush will be collected Monday-Wednesday during Thanksgiving week. For questions about garbage collection, call 828-2511122. For questions about recycling collection, call Curbside Management at 828-252-2532. City parks will remain open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 22-23. All public safety services will operate on their normal schedule: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Water Resources staff will be available for water-related emergencies over the holiday weekend. Customers should call the customer service line at 828-251-1122 to report water-related emergencies, leaks, breaks and no-water calls. BUNCOMBE COUNTY CLOSURES Buncombe County offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 22-23, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The Buncombe County public library system will be closed Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 22-24. The Buncombe County Landfill and Transfer Station will be closed Thursday, Nov. 22, but will operate on a normal schedule on Friday, Nov. 23. X
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Patriotic residents forgo turkey on Thanksgiving, 1918
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TASTES LIKE CHICKEN: In 1918, Americans were asked to consider alternatives to turkey for that year’s Thanksgiving celebration. As a substitute, The Sunday Citizen suggested that some local hunters opt for opossum. Illustration by Irene Olds “There is a prophesy, at the moment of writing, that patriotic Americans will do without Thanksgiving turkeys this year so that all the bonny birds may be sent to the soldiers,” declared the Nov. 17, 1918, edition of The Sunday Citizen. While the Great War ended with Germany’s surrender on Nov. 11, millions of American soldiers remained overseas. “Thanksgiving, without the symbolic bird, will be like Hamlet with the Dane left out,” the paper continued. “[B]ut no generous American will give too much regret to his turkey, remembering that his own sacrifice means turkey for the gallant boys ‘over there,’ who must certainly not be deprived of their Thanksgiving feast.” Of course, those who wanted a bird on the table would be able to find one. But the dish would come with a hefty sticker price. According to the Nov. 10 edition of The Sunday Citizen, local markets were charging around 45 cents a pound — a 10-cent hike from the previous year. Because of the high cost, produce and market men expected fewer families to serve turkey, the paper reported. Nevertheless, these same men anticipated their overall sales to be good. “The apparent paradox is explained by the demand from the army camps within proximity to Asheville,” the paper explained. “Uncle Sam’s heroes who are waging war on tuberculosis at Azalea [Hospital] will have a turkey spread, the management of that
institution having asked local dealers to bid on its requisition.” (See, “Asheville Archives: Construction begins on U.S.A. General Hospital No. 19,” Oct. 17, Xpress) Both the Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 editions of The Sunday Citizen offered ideas for turkey substitutes. Steak was one option, while roasted duck was another. Meanwhile, “fine birds of paper mache in life-like semblance … are ready for Thanksgiving table decoration. … [And] since fashion is making such a fuss about sashes, most of the Thanksgiving birds are sashed with bright orange ribbon[.]” Another popular option, the paper noted, was opossum. “With other forms of meat so high [in cost], those inclined to be night prowlers have a doubly good excuse for engaging in their favorite sport,” The Sunday Citizen wrote. These hunters, the paper continued, “feel that they can mix sport with economy by following the trails of the hounds at night and fattening the opossums for Thanksgiving day spreads.” With several hunting parties already formed, the paper wrote, “[o]wners of good hounds are finding themselves enjoying the height of popularity, friends warming up to them while requesting the use of their dogs.” Further, the paper noted, the activity was not exclusive to males. According to The Sunday Citizen, hunting opossum “has become a popular pastime among young people of both sexes[.]”
555 Merrimon Avenue Daily readers including Scrying, Runes, Tarot, & More! Walk-ins welcome!
Despite the war’s end, death notifications continued to arrive stateside. On Thanksgiving Day, The Asheville Citizen reported that two local men, Lt. Fagg Malloy and Sgt. Royal Stokely had both recently perished, adding “to this city’s ever-growing list of young sons who have given their lives for their country.” (According to a 2013 list compiled by the North Carolina World War I Centennial Commemoration Committee, 29 Asheville men died in the war; in total, Buncombe County lost 42 enlisted men.) Malloy, a former member of the paper’s staff, died from pneumonia on Oct. 23; Stokely’s end came one day before the armistice was signed, dying from influenza on Nov. 10. In the same day’s paper, a mix of gratitude and sorrow was expressed: “Wherever Americans are gathered today, at home and abroad, regardless of religious affiliations, they will offer fervent prayers of thanksgiving to the Supreme Being Who delivered the world from the menace of savagery. Even in the homes where death and sorrow brood because of war’s fearful tolls, there will be a thankfulness that many, very many American homes have been spared the agonizing hours which others must know.” Editor’s note: Peculiarities of spelling and punctuation are preserved from the original documents. X
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR NOV. 21-29, 2018
CALENDAR GUIDELINES For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 251-1333, ext. 137. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 251-1333, ext. 320.
ANIMALS Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 25 ASHEVILLE OUTLETS 800 Brevard Road • TH (11/29), 5-8pm Dog and cat photos with Santa. Free to attend. RUTHERFORD COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY THRIFT STORE 305 Buffalo Creek Road, Lake Lure • TU (11/27), 5-8pm - Proceeds from this fundraiser with door prizes, silent auction, raffle, hors d'oeuvres
and refreshments benefit the Rutherford County Humane Society. $5.
BENEFITS 7TH ANNUAL HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS FUNDRAISER (PD.) Friday, November 30th, 2018. 5pm-10pm, The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit 5 Local Nonprofits. • Admission is by donation. Join us for Santa, kid's games, live Local music, food/drinks, silent auction, photo booth and more! Town and Mountain
Coming December 5!
BLOOD MOON ON THE RISE: Next in the series of Metro Talks by the Rotary Club of Asheville-Metro is titled “Blood Moon: The Magic of Lunar Eclipses.” Presented by Dominic Lesnar, president of the Asheville Astronomy Club, his presentation explores why solar and lunar eclipses occur and the ways in which the ancients interpreted these celestial events. Also covered in the lecture is what to expect at January’s blood moon, as well as tips on how best observe this fully visible eclipse. Held Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at the Downtown YWCA. Free. (p. 24) Realty/828-232-2879. townandmountain.com/ ashevillefundraiser ASHEVILLE BROWNS BACKERS CLUB 828-658-4149, ashevillebbw@gmail.com • SU (11/25), 1pm Proceeds from this social gathering to watch the Cleveland Browns play football benefit local charities. Free to attend. Held at The Social, 1078 Tunnel Road AUTHORS FOR LITERACY DINNER 828-254-3442, volunteers@litcouncil.com • TH (11/29), 6-9pm - Proceeds from the
Authors for Literacy dinner and silent auction with a keynote speech by Barbara Kingsolver, benefit the Literacy Council of Buncombe County. $95. Held at Crowne Plaza Expo Center, 1 Resort Drive SOUTH ASHEVILLE TURKEY TROT 8 Town Square Blvd., #165, fleetfeetasheville.com/ • TH (11/22), 9am Proceeds from the first annual South Asheville Turkey Trot run benefit Sheep Dog Assistance of Asheville. Registration: fleetfeetasheville.com. $35. TURKEY TROT 5K tinyurl.com/z5km3x7
• TH (11/22), 9:15am Proceeds from the annual Asheville Turkey Trot 5K and the Gobble Wobble 1 mile fun run benefit MANNA FoodBank. $40/$20 fun run. Begins on Woodfin St.
BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY FLETCHER AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION jim@ extraordinarycopywriter. com • 4th THURSDAYS, 11:30-noon - General meeting. Free. Held at YMCA Mission Pardee
Health Campus, 2775 Hendersonville Road, Arden • 4th TUESDAYS, 11:30am1pm - Educational monthly meeting to bring local business leaders to present and discuss topics relevant and helpful to businesses today. Free. Held at YMCA Mission Pardee Health Campus, 2775 Hendersonville Road, Arden LENOIR-RHYNE CENTER FOR GRADUATE STUDIES 36 Montford Ave., 828-778-1874 • WE (11/28), 5:30pm - "Responsible and Regenerative Business?
2018
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Contact us today! 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com 20
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26 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803 828.412.3939 | haikuido.com
How Might We Redesign Our Work?" Viewing of a livestreamed presentation by Carol Sanford. Free.
CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS CLASS AT VILLAGERS (PD.) Wooden Spoon Carving: Two Night Workshop • Sunday, December 2, from 5:30pm-8:30pm and Wednesday, December 5, from 6:30pm-9:30pm • $80 per person; fee includes carving blanks. Registration/information: forvillagers.com EMPYREAN ARTS CLASSES (PD.) Sultry Jazz 4 Week Series starts Friday 11.30 6:15pm $60. Sultry Pole weekly on Wednesdays 7:30pm. Flexibility-Contortion weekly on Sundays 2:15pm and Tuesdays 7:30pm. Intro to Pole Fitness weekly on Tuesdays 7:15pm and Thursdays 8pm. EMPYREANARTS. ORG 828.782.3321 IMPROVE ACT/SAT SCORES (PD.) A trained, 8+ year ACT/SAT tutor can show you how to increase your scores in one-on-one sessions. References available. Email Kathleen at kcalby@ sbcglobal.net
NAVIGATING FARM LABOR (PD.) The Organic Growers School is hosting Navigating Farm Labor, a workshop on how to structure labor on a small farm through the eyes of established regional farmers. Monday, December 10th, 2018 3-8pm in Alexander, NC Register: https:// organicgrowersschool. org/farmers/ navigating-farm-labor/ AARP 828-380-6242, rchaplin@aarp.org • TH (11/29), 3-4:30pm - "Fraud Watch," presentation regarding investor education, fraud, insurance scams and ID theft. Registration required: aarp.cvent.com/stopscamsWestAsheville. Free. Held at West Asheville Public Library, 942 Haywood Road BIG IVY COMMUNITY CENTER 540 Dillingham Road, Barnardsville, 828-626-3438 • 4th MONDAYS, 7pm - Community center board meeting. Free. BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • 4th TUESDAYS, 6-8pm - "Sit-n-Stitch," informal, self-guided gathering for knitters and crocheters. Held at
North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • TU (11/27), 6pm Terrarium-building workshop. Registration required: 828-2504752. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • TU (11/27), 6-7pm - Spanish and English intercambio/practice group. Free. Held at Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road MARINE CORPS LEAGUE ASHEVILLE 828-273-4948, mcl.asheville@ gmail.com • Last TUESDAYS - For veterans of the Marines, FMF Corpsmen, and their families. Free. Held at American Legion Post #2, 851 Haywood Road ONTRACK WNC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • MO (11/26), 5:307pm - "Budgeting and Debt," class. Registration required. Free. • MO (11/26), 5:307pm - "Understanding Credit. Get it. Keep it. Improve it." Seminar. Registration required. Free. • WE (11/28), 5:307:30pm - Sponsorship by The Biltmore Company means no charge for Home Energy Efficiency. Registration required. Free. TRANZMISSION PRISON PROJECT tranzmissionprisonproject.yolasite.com • Fourth THURSDAYS, 6-9pm - Monthly meeting to prepare packages of books and zines for mailing to prisons across the US. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT 828-252-7489, wncap.org • MO (11/26) through SA (12/1), 10am-7pm - Exhbition of the traveling AIDS Memorial Quilt. Free to attend.
Held at Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway WOMEN’S FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • WE (11/28), 5:30-7:30pm OnTrack WNC’s Women’s Financial Empowerment Center (WFEC) hosts its second annual Women & Money Story Night. Registration required. Free to attend. Held at Loretta's Cafe, 114 N. Lexington Ave.
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ECO COMMUNITY ROOTS cmroots.com, CommunityRoots 501c3@gmail.com • Through WE (11/21), 8:30am-5:30pm - Public Thanksgiving fast and prayer to address climate change. Fasters will also be in front of the Court House on College Street from 7.30am to 8.30am daily. Free. Held at Vance Monument, 1 Pack Square
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CREATION CARE ALLIANCE OF WNC creationcarealliance.org • TH (11/29), 6-8pm - "Solar 101 for Faith Communities," presentations by experts, congressional leaders and the Director of NC Interfaith Power and Light. Free. Held at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St. FRIENDS OF CONNECT BUNCOMBE weconnectbuncombe. org/about • MO (11/26), 5:307pm - Annual meeting. Free. Held at Comfort Suites Outlet Center, 890 Brevard Road
FARM & GARDEN POLK COUNTY FRIENDS OF AGRICULTURE BREAKFAST polkcountyfarms.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 7-8am - Monthly breakfast with presentations
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CONSCIOUS PARTY
Carolina Hemp Company
Asheville’s longest serving Hemp General Store and CBD retailer/distributer
Distributing high-quality hemp products based in the beautiful mountains of Asheville Providing access to safe, third-party, lab-tested hemp extract (CBD) products Offering a wide variety of carefully curated hemp goods from clothing to food Consulting consumers by a well-trained staff
TURKEY TROT: The 18th annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K will be held Thursday, Nov. 22, at 9:15 a.m. The race begins in front of the Downtown YMCA on Woodfin Street and finishes at the bottom of Pack Square Park. The Gobble Wobble 1-mile fun run starts at 8:30 a.m. All of the race proceeds benefit MANNA FoodBank. For more information and registration, visit imathlete.com. Photo courtesy of Asheville Turkey Trot (p. 20)
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, need a really nice SURPRISE? Plan a visit to SHABBY SHACK ANTIQUE MALL in Brevard, N.C. FAR from “shabby,” this absolutely unique shop IS rough-looking from the outside, but filled with remarkably elegant furniture, jewelry, art, lamps, linens, dishes, “collectables,” and other decorative accessories—antique, vintage, and/or cleverly “repurposed.” True to its name, it does offer wonderfully quaint quirky (but frequently quite useful) TOOLS and “stuff” for kitchen, garden, or workshop. I PROMISE you will be fascinated, if not outright delighted. PLEASE plan to spend plenty of time—there is SO much to see. Excellent prices, too. Over 30 (occasionally eccentric, often quite creative) vendors!
406 Elk Park Drive, Asheville 828.438.4367 • www.carolinahempcompany.com
New location opening soon at 290 Haywood Rd 22
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Monday-Saturday 10-ish to 5-ish. Sunday 1-ish to 5-ish. (828) 883-5736 FACEBOOK: SHABBY SHACK MALL
Across from Arby’s on 64. BONUS : Very talented, popular, and sweet “unisex” hairdresser owns a wee salon right inside!
C OMMU N IT Y CA L EN D AR
regarding agriculture. Admission by donation. Held at Green Creek Community Center, 25 Shields Road, Green Creek
FOOD & BEER ASHEVILLE MACROBIOTIC ALLIANCE greatlifeglobal.com • SU (11/25), 5:30-6:30pm - Vegan thanksgiving potluck. Registration required: ljstanchich@ mindspring.com. $10 and a dish to share. Held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place FIRESTORM BOOKS & COFFEE 610 Haywood Road, 828255-8115, firestorm.coop • 4th SATURDAYS, 5:306:30pm - Asheville Vegan Runners, open group meeting. Free to attend. FOOD NOT BOMBS HENDERSONVILLE foodnotbombshendersonville@gmail.com
by Deborah Robertson
• SUNDAYS, 4pm Community meal. Free. Held at Black Bear Coffee Co., 318 N. Main St. Hendersonville LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 828-774-3000, facebook.com/Leicester. Community.Center • WEDNESDAYS, 11:30am-1pm - Welcome Table meal. Free. LIVING WEB FARMS 828-891-4497, livingwebfarms.org • TU (11/27), 6-7:30pm - "Essentials of Cooking: Acid," workshop with Patryk Battle and Meredith Leigh. $10. Held at Living Web Farms, 176 Kimzey Road, Mills River ZAPOW! 150 Coxe Ave., Suite 101, 828-575-2024, zapow.net • TH (11/22), 4-7pm Community thanksgiving potluck. Registration required: 828-575-9112. Free to attend/Bring a dish to share.
FESTIVALS
KIDS
CHRISTMAS AT CONNEMARA 828-693-4178, nps.gov/carl • SA (11/24), 11am3pm - "Christmas at Connemara," event featuring house tours, live music, storytelling and craftmaking.Free except for house tours which are $5 for adults/$3 seniors/Free under 16 years of age. Held at Carl Sandburg Home NHS, 1800 Little River Road, Flat Rock NC ARBORETUM WINTER LIGHTS 828-665-2492, ncwinterlights.com • FR (11/16) through MO (12/31), 6-10pm - "Winter Lights," outdoor holiday lights exhibition. $18/$12 children under 12/Free children under 4. Held at NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 25 BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • 4th TUESDAYS, 1pm - Homeschoolers' book club. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • 2nd SATURDAYS, 1-4pm & LAST WEDNESDAYS, 4-6pm - Teen Dungeons and Dragons for ages 12 and up. Registration required: 828-250-4720. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. THE CENTER FOR ART AND SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 School Road, 828-258-0211 • THURSDAYS until (12/27), 4-5pm - Kids yoga and art class integrating themes of peace. For ages three and up.
10% OFF STOREWIDE Mention promo code to get 10% OFF
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Co-sponsored by Creative Peacemakers. Free for children from low-income families. Information: ashevillekidsyogaandart. com. $10-$25.
OUTDOORS CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK (PD.) Enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Lure, trails for all
by Deborah Robertson
levels of hikers, an Animal Discovery Den and 404foot waterfall. Plan your adventure at chimneyrockpark.com
guided hike with ecologist, Clint Calhoun. Registration required. Admission fees apply.
CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK 431 Main St., Chimney Rock, 828-625-9611, chimneyrockpark.com • SA (11/24), 9am-1pm - "Naturalist Niche: Ecology of Chimney Rock," moderate,
HENDERSONVILLE TURKEY TROT cityofhendersonville. org • TH (11/22), 8:30am - Turkey Trot 5K. $11 includes at t-shirt. Begins at Hendersonville City
Send your event listings to calendar@mountainx.com
Hall, 145 5th Ave. E., Hendersonville
PUBLIC LECTURES ASHEVILLE ROTARY CLUB rotaryasheville.org • WE (11/28), 6:30pm - Metro Talks Series: "Blood Moon: The Magic of Lunar Eclipses," presentation
by Dominic Lesnar, president of the Asheville Astronomy Club. Free. Held at YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave. PUBLIC LECTURES AT WCU bardoartscenter.edu • TU (11/27), 1:303:30pm - “Bridging the Gaps Between Technology and Native Peoples,” lecture. Free.
Held at A.K. Hinds University Center, Memorial Dr., Cullowhee
SENIORS HARVEST HOUSE 205 Kenilworth Road, 828-350-2051 • TUESDAYS, 2:30pm "Focus on Flexibility," exercise class focused on balance, breathing
INTERSTATE 26 CONNECTOR AND RIVERSIDE DRIVE WIDENING PROJECT ASHEVILLE, BUNCOMBE COUNTY
PUBLIC HEARING |
Project Nos: I-2513 and U-5868
Tuesday, December 4, 2018 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Pre-Hearing Open House Formal Presentation
Grand Ballroom, Renaissance Asheville Hotel – 31 Woodfin Street, Asheville The N.C. Department of Transportation in partnership with the City of Asheville, has completed preliminary designs for the preferred alternative for the I-26 Connector Project (I-2513) and Riverside Drive Widening Project (U-5868). A Pre-Hearing Open House and Public Hearing on the above stated projects will be held on December 4th. NCDOT representatives will be available between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to answer questions and receive comments relative to the proposed projects. The opportunity to submit written comments or questions will also be provided. Interested citizens may attend at any time during the above-mentioned hours. A formal presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m. Following the formal presentation, an opportunity for the public to provide verbal comments will be provided. The hearing will be open to those present for statements, questions and comments. The presentation and comments will be recorded and a transcript will be prepared. The project calls for widening existing I-26/240 from the I-26/240 interchange to Patton Avenue (U.S. 74A) and construct on new location a fully controlled access freeway from Patton Avenue (U.S. 74A) to an interchange at U.S. 19/23/70 and Broadway Street (S.R. 1781). The proposed freeway will be median divided with eight 12-foot travel lanes and 12-foot paved shoulders. Additional right of way and the relocation of homes and businesses will be required for this project. The maps displaying the design of the are available for public review at the following locations: • City of Asheville Transportation, 70 Court Plaza—Mezzanine Level, Asheville, North Carolina, 28802 • NCDOT Division 13 Office, 55 Orange Street, Asheville. • The maps are also available online at http://www.ncdot.org/projects/I26Connector and http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/publicmeetings/ NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in this hearing. Anyone requiring special services should contact Robbins as early as possible so that arrangements can be made. Persons who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494. Aquellas personas no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan antes de la reunión llamando al 1-800-481-6494. 24
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and body alignment. Information: 828299-4844. Free.
SPIRITUALITY ASTRO-COUNSELING (PD.) 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, LPC. (828) 258-3229 DE-STRESS, GET HAPPY & CONNECT! (PD.) Mindfulness Meditation at the Asheville Insight Meditation Center. Group Meditation: Weekly on Thursdays at 7pm & Sundays at 10am. ashevillemeditation. com, info@ ashevillemeditation. com LEARN TO MEDITATE (PD.) Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation class at Asheville Insight Meditation Center, 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month at 7pm – 8:30pm. ashevillemeditation. com, info@ ashevillemeditation. com GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville, 828693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • Fourth TUESDAYS, 10am - Volunteer to knit or crochet prayer shawls for community members in need. Free. GROCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 954 Tunnel Road, 828-298-6195, groceumc.org • 2nd & 4th MONDAYS, 6:308:30pm - A Course in Miracles, study group. Information: 828-7125472. Free. THE CENTER FOR ART AND SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 School Road, 828-258-0211
• 4th FRIDAYS, 10amnoon - Contemplative Companions, meditation. Free. • Last Tuesdays, 7-9pm - Aramaic, Hebrew and Egyptian vocal toning, breath work and meditation. Admission by donation. • TUESDAYS 7-8:30pm - Mountain Mindfulness Sangha. Admission by donation.
VOLUNTEERING Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 25 MAKE A DIFFERENCE - BE A MENTOR! (PD.) As a mentor with Journeymen, you make a profound impact in the lives of teenage boys as they journey toward becoming men of integrity. We offer group mentoring and rites of passage to boys ages 12-17 and are enrolling qualified adult male mentors now. Will you answer the call? Learn more: journeymenasheville@ gmail.com or 828-230-7353 TUTOR ADULTS IN NEED WITH THE LITERACY COUNCIL (PD.) 43% of adults with low literacy live in poverty. Volunteer and help our neighbors rise above the confines of poverty. Orientation 12/3(10am) or 12/13(5:30pm) RSVP: volunteers@litcouncil. com. Learn more: www.litcouncil.com WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT 828-252-7489, wncap.org • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 10amnoon - Volunteer to deliver food boxes to homebound people living with HIV/AIDS. Registration: 828252-7489 ext.315 or wncapvolunteer@ wncap.org. For more volunteering opportunities visit mountainx.com/ volunteering
Make a gift, get local goodies GIVING GAMES Win an ice cream social! All donors who give $20 or more by Nov. 21 will be entered in a drawing to win a $250 gift certificate from The Hop
Release a bird of prey Donors who give $20 or more during Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 22-25) will be entered in a drawing to win the honor and unique experience of joining Wild for Life: Center for Rehabilitation of Wildlife in releasing a rehabilitated bird of prey back into its native wild habitat
Every penny counts! 100% of your donations go to the nonprofits No fees, no extra charges Credit card service fees are proudly paid for by give!local advertisers and
November-December Campaign NONPROFIT EVENTS NOV. 21-30 This week the Community Calendar is highlighting events that are sponsored by nonprofits that are participating in the Give!Local campaign. The campaign is raising money for 30 worthy local nonprofits that make a big difference where we live. These events are wonderful examples of some of the great work that these nonprofits do within our communities! ART GALLERY EXHIBITIONS ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL 828-258-0710, ashevillearts.com • Through FR (11/30) - 2018 Veterans' Juried Exhibition. Held at The Refinery, 207 Coxe Ave. OUR VOICE HEART WORKS SURVIVORS ART SHOW 828-252-0562, ourvoicenc.org • Through TU (12/4) - 17th annual Survivors’ Art Show, exhibition of art works and performances created by survivors of sexual assault. Held at Revolve, 521 Riverside Drive, #179
ANIMALS ASHEVILLE HUMANE SOCIETY 14 Forever Friend Lane, 828-761-2001, ashevillehumane.org • TH (11/22), 5:306:30pm - "Pooch Essentials," required class to volunteer
with dogs and puppies. Registration required. Free. • SA (11/24), 9-10am - "Feline Fundamentals," required class to volunteer with cats and kittens. Registration required. Free.
• TU (11/27) & FR (11/28), 3-5:30pm - "Rovember Robotics," holiday mini-camp for 8-13 year olds. Registration required. $30.
WNC NATURE CENTER 75 Gashes Creek Road, 828-298-5600, wildwnc.org • FR (11/23), 10am5pm - Day-long alternative Black Friday event with live animal education programs. Registration required. Admission fees apply.
MEMORY LOSS CAREGIVERS network@ memorycare.org • 4th TUESDAYS, 1-3pm – Held at Woodfin YMCA, 40 North Merrimon Ave., Suite 101
KIDS ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE 43 Patton Ave., 828-254-7162, colburnmuseum.org • MO (11/26), 3-5:30pm - "Rovember Robotics," holiday minicamp for 5-7 year olds. Registration required. $30.
SUPPORT GROUPS
OUR VOICE 35 Woodfin St., 828-252-0562, ourvoicenc.org • Ongoing drop-in group for female identified survivors of sexual violence.
VOLUNTEERING 12 BASKETS CAFE 610 Haywood Road, 828-231-4169, ashevillepovertyinitiative.org • TUESDAYS 10:30am - Volunteer orientation.
HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC 218 Patton Ave., 828-258-1695, homewardboundwnc.org • THURSDAYS, 11am, 2nd TUESDAYS, 5:30pm & 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 8:30am - "Welcome Home Tour," tours to find out how Homeward Bound is working to end homelessness and how the public can help. Registration required: tours@ homewardboundwnc.org or 828-7859840. Free.
WELLNESS BUNCOMBE COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS 828-250-4260 • WEDNESDAYS, 3-4pm - Adaptive crossfit classes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Free. Held at South Slope CrossFit, 217 Coxe Ave., Suite B
Learn about and give to 40 great local nonprofits at givelocalguide.org MOUNTAINX.COM
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WELLNESS
THANKS A LOT Local practitioners and organizations draw on the power of gratitude BY GRETA KENT-STOLL gretakentstoll@gmail.com Though the holidays may highlight our desire to give thanks, gratitude practices are being applied year-round in therapeutic and spiritual settings across Western North Carolina. From yoga studios to salt caves to counseling and crisis centers, folks in diverse healing vocations seem to have a common appreciation for the power of gratitude. According to a 2018 white paper published by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, “A series of meta-analysis studies have attempted to determine the efficacy of gratitude interventions, and most have concluded that gratitude interventions do appear to significantly increase happiness, well-being and positive mood.” The white paper concluded that gratitude practices are more effective in adults than children, more readily adopted by women than men and, not surprisingly, provided more benefit to those who were motivated to change their lives. The white paper’s authors cautioned against assuming that gratitude interventions are effective in every situation. For example, promoting gratitude among groups that have experienced significant systemic disadvantages, those in abusive relationships and other challenging situations may benefit individuals but should not deflect a realistic acknowledgement of the difficulties some people face. TAKING ON TRAUMA At Our VOICE, a nonprofit agency that serves individuals affected by sexual assault and abuse, regular expressions of gratitude promote resilience. “Gratitude can radically shift what we identify with. … It’s like a perspective shift — a zooming out of our attention,” says Our VOICE counselor Sarah Gettys. Gettys talks about gratitude as an invitation to widen one’s lens of awareness. As a result, she says, “the heart can soften around the problems.” In her work counseling trauma survivors, Gettys uses gratitude as a healing tool in both the early and late stages of recovery. Gratitude works to promote resilience when the nervous system has been disrupted by
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THANK-YOU NOTE: Kids receiving services at Eliada Homes have been through a lot in their short lives. Even so, says Tami Ruckman, Eliada’s director of development, focusing on what’s good in their lives promotes healing and resilience. Photo courtesy of Eliada Homes trauma, since gratitude and fear cannot exist together at the same time, she says. Angélica Wind, executive director of Our VOICE, says that focusing on gratitude can also serve a protective function for the organization’s staff. “We have found that gratitude is a key protective factor for our staff as it relates to compassion fatigue and/or vicarious trauma. We work with really hard material, and it is important for us that we create a culture where we can minimize the trauma that our staff is at risk of being impacted by,” she explains. Tricia Hinshaw, program director of outpatient services at RHA Health Services, also highlights the role that gratitude plays in the organization’s work culture. A couple of years ago around Thanksgiving, RHA staff added a gratitude board to the break room. The board provides a place where employees can write down anything that they are
grateful for, with the focus on appreciating other staff members. And RHA’s embrace of gratitude practices doesn’t stop there. All staff meetings begin with appreciations. These shoutouts, Hinshaw explains, help create a culture of interdependence and helpfulness among co-workers. Hinshaw says the organization’s shift toward a culture of gratitude and appreciation has made a real impact on employee satisfaction and retention. “People seem happier,” Hinshaw reports. “Being grateful that we are able to serve an amazing community” has improved staff morale overall, she says. FROM STABLE TO CAVE Sometimes animals can pick up on the subtle emotions that humans struggle to articulate. Eliada Homes equine therapist Carrie Melear reports that she
Center for Massage & Natural Health uses gratitude to help children and teens interact with the horses. Since horses do not respond well to children who are upset, angry or in a negative emotional space, Mealer encourages the children to find something they appreciate about the horse and concentrate on that. The shift in focus changes the energy and attitude of the child, allowing the horse to respond positively, she says. Tami Ruckman, Eliada’s director of development, says that an attitude of gratitude and focusing on the glass half full is part of the children’s social and emotional learning. As she explains, “Part of resolving trauma is learning to be grateful for what you do have.” Not only do gratitude practices support folks who are doing deep, difficult work in the community, but modes of giving thanks are also being incorporated into spa and wellness settings. On Nov. 14, Asheville Salt Cave owner Jodie Appel led a healing ceremony focused on cultivating gratitude. Held in the serene environment of the cave, the occasion combined time for quiet personal reflection along with community sharing and intention setting. Appel asked participants to bring an item from the natural world, such as an acorn or a leaf, as a vessel for
their intentions for the new year to come. Honoring this time of year, she says, is challenging in the face of the busyness of the holiday season, but appropriate and beneficial. “I think Thanksgiving tends to get kind of overlooked, but it’s so helpful to slow down and honor what are we grateful for. This world is sort of heavy and crazy right now, so we want to help people connect with and capture the gratitude.” That’s something Asheville Salt Caves urges its clients to reflect on as they enter the healing space at all times of the year, she explains. Speaking personally, Appel says, she values a morning meditation practice that focuses on both gratitude and her intentions for the day to come. “It brings me back into balance. We’re all connected, so it reflects into the next person I come into contact with,” she says. “We live in a little bit of a selfish world. Pausing and taking the next moment with gratitude helps, because it goes fast.”
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W ELL NESS ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
the practice has been handed down over thousands of years.” Furthermore, Ball underscores the inherent value in starting from a place of thankfulness. “People from all cultures have recognized that gratitude warms the heart. It opens the heart and allows the heart to flow. Gratitude thereby opens us to receive even more blessings, because nature itself — the universe, natural law – rewards an open heart.” While TM is based on science and evidence, Ball says, “The preservation of this ancient practice, as with many other traditional practices of meditation, is actually based entirely on gratitude.”
Randy Loftis, co-founder of Iyengar Yoga Asheville, comments, “At the end of class, students often thank me. I typically smile and thank them for being there. It is not my place to accept the student’s gratitude. It is the teachers that came before and yoga itself that they are truly thankful for.” Loftis expresses his debt to the examples and insights of those who have paved the way for his own teaching. “I am grateful to benefit from the knowledge that BKS Iyengar shared with the world,” he says. “The depth of the subject of yoga can be overwhelming. With this in mind, I start each class paying respect to the teachers that came before. It is because of their efforts that we are able to progress on the path of yoga.” Iyengar Yoga Asheville will be holding a benefit class on Thanksgiving Day. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to MANNA FoodBank. Tom Ball of the Asheville Transcendental Meditation Center echoes the importance of honoring the teachers who came before. “As a teacher, whenever we instruct someone in this meditation, first we honor the tradition of meditation masters from whom
MIND-BODY CONNECTION While a number of studies have found evidence that gratitude practices can promote an increased sense of psychological well-being, the physical effects haven’t yet been as clearly linked. Still, results overall “suggest that grateful individuals experience better physical health, in part, because of their greater psychological health, propensity for healthy activities, and willingness to seek help for health concerns,” concluded a 2012
study titled “Examining the Pathways between Gratitude and Self-Rated Physical Health across Adulthood,” published on the U.S. National Library of Medicine's website. Many local practitioners feel strongly that gratitude is a key element in overall health and well-being. Teah Boswell, founder of Well.Fit, an Asheville cycling studio, believes that gratitude and sharing abundance contribute to emotional and physical fitness. Well.Fit will host a benefit ride on Thanksgiving morning. All proceeds will go to the Student Assistance Fund at Asheville High School, which provides food for youths who wouldn’t otherwise have access to food over the holidays. With a background in meditation and bodywork, Boswell values the opportunity to create a different kind of fitness culture at Well.Fit. She comments on the cathartic aspect of spin class, saying she has seen tears shed on the bike more than once. Spin class isn’t just about building cardiovascular fitness and strength. It is also a way to process emotions stored in the body, which provides an opportunity for “shutting down the chatter and just being,” Boswell says.
Sweating hard and feeling gratitude for what one’s body can do are part of the experience. The Rev. Dr. Barbara Waterhouse of the Center for Spiritual Living Asheville is a huge proponent of the power of gratitude. “Gratitude can absolutely change your attitude,” Waterhouse says, and acknowledging all that congregants are grateful for plays a central role in the teachings at the Center for Spiritual Living. “We train people to look at what the blessings are in life ... what we are grateful for in life, and we create more and more of that,” Waterhouse says. She emphasizes that she sees people spending too much time focusing on the 10 percent of life that isn’t going well, while missing out on all that is going right. Waterhouse encourages, “Use gratitude as a tool to lift up your awareness, to see all of the great things. We have First World problems here!” Though modes of practicing gratitude may vary, most agree that gratitude helps us soften our hearts and gain perspective, thus opening us up to the good in our lives. X
WELLN ESS CA LEN DA R
WELLNESS Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 25
Psychologist Dr. Cabot Young
now accepting new patients Sliding scale fees No charge for first appointment “If you’re motivated for change, come in & talk to me.”
675 Hour Massage Certification Program Spring 2019 Class Beginning in April DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE Apply Online AshevilleMassageSchool.org 828-252-7377 28
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Dr. Cabot Young, Psy.D. has over 18 years experience as a psychotherapist with a strong focus on improving effective communication skills.
Call or email Dr. Young today to schedule your appointment! Located in the Flat Iron Building 20 Battery Park Ave Suite #603 Downtown Asheville, NC 28801 828-412-0507 | c@cypsyd.com
SHOJI SPA & LODGE • 7 DAYS A WEEK (PD.) Private Japanesestyle outdoor hot tubs, cold plunge, sauna and lodging. 8 minutes from town. Bring a friend to escape and renew! Best massages in Asheville! 828-2990999. shojiretreats.com SOUND HEALING • SATURDAY • SUNDAY (PD.) Every Saturday, 11am and Sundays, 12 noon. Experience deep relaxation with crystal bowls, gongs, didgeridoo and other
peaceful instruments. • Donation suggested. At Skinny Beats Sound Shop, 4 Eagle Street. skinnybeatsdrums. com WAVE YOGA & DANCE (PD.) Start something new for you — Ballroom Dance group and private lessons. Yoga Intro Special: 7 consecutive days of unlimited classes - only $20. Beautiful space - Upbeat vibe! waveasheville.com AARP 828-380-6242, rchaplin@aarp.org • 4th WEDNESDAYS, 11:30am-noon Coffee and conversation on wellness topics. Free. Held at Ferguson Family YMCA, 31 Westridge Market Pl, Candler
RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES redcrosswnc.org • FR (11/23), 10:30am-4pm Appointments & info: 800-REDCROSS. Held at Black Mountain Fire Department, 106 Montreat Road, Black Mountain • MO (11/26), 2-6:30pm Appointments & info: 800-REDCROSS. Held at North Buncombe Elementary School, 251 Flat Creek Church Road, Weaverville • TH (11/29), 1:306pm - Appointments & info: 800-REDCROSS. Held at Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Road, Black Mountain
RICEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT 2251 Riceville Road • THURSDAYS, 6pm - Community workout for all ages and fitness levels. Bring yoga mat and water. Free. SENIOR OPPORTUNITY CENTER 36 Grove St. • THURSDAYS, 2:303:30pm - "Slow Flow Yoga," yoga class adapted for all ages and abilities. Free. THE CENTER FOR ART AND SPIRIT AT ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1 School Road, 828-258-0211 • WEDNESDAYS, 3:30-5pm & 6:308pm - Open mindfulness meditation. Admission by donation.
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Hot Springs Health Program
SERVING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER FORTY-SEVEN YEARS
Hot Springs Health Program offers a full range of primary and preventative medical services for all ages — from Pediatric to Geriatric — at four convenient locations. HSHP has been providing primary care for over 47 years. Mashburn Medical Center
Laurel Medical Center
590 Medical Park Dr. Marshall, NC 28753-6807
80 Guntertown Rd. Marshall, NC 28753-7806
Phone: (828) 649-3500
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Fax: (828) 649-1032
Fax: (828) 656-9434
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Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 9am–7pm
Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 9am–5pm
Mars Hill Medical Center
Hot Springs Medical Center
119 Mountain View Rd. Mars Hill, NC 28754-9500 Phone: (828) 689-3507 Fax: (828) 689-3505 After Hours: (828) 689-9713 Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 9am–7pm Sat 9am–7pm Sun 1pm–7pm
66 NW Us 25 70 Hwy. Hot Springs, NC 28743 Phone: (828) 622-3245 Fax: (828) 622-7446 After Hours: (828) 689-9713 Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 9am–5pm Sat 9am–12noon
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Each medical center has its own pharmacy so prescriptions can usually be filled at the same site where you saw your physician.
Helping families care for their loved ones at home. Most people prefer to be in their own homes to recover from illness or surgery, to take care of their chronic illnesses or to live out a limited life expectancy. Madison Home Care and Hospice provides quality health care in the homes of residents of Madison County as well as the surrounding areas including Buncombe and Yancey counties.
PHYSICAL THERAPY Physical therapy focuses on maximizing functional independence through the use of manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, balance training, gait training, and therapeutic modalities.
Phone: (828) 649-1775
Services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Phone: (828) 649-2705
For more information, please visit our website at www.hotspringshealth-nc.org. MOUNTAINX.COM
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
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GREEN SCENE
OUTFITTED FOR SUCCESS Grant provides room to grow for WNC’s outdoor industry
STITCHING A FUTURE: Diamond Brand Gear Co., along with other outdoor recreation companies based in Western North Carolina, will receive job training, marketing and funding support as a part of the newly formed Growing Outdoors Partnership. Photo courtesy of Diamond Brand Gear Co.
BY BROOKE RANDLE brandle@unca.edu Coal is no longer king in Appalachia, and the end of its reign has reverberated far beyond big suppliers such as Kentucky and West Virginia. Even Western North Carolina, which contains no commercially important coal deposits itself, has felt the economic effects of decreased production through the region. According to Wendy Wasserman, communications director for the federally funded Appalachian Regional Commission, many communities in the area leaned on coal transporta-
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tion and coal-mining machinery for their livelihoods. “In Western North Carolina, there are manufacturers to support the coal supply chain through equipment, which took a hit as the market changed,” she explains. That’s why one of the ARC’s latest Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization grants — better known as POWER grants — is coming to WNC. A $940,000 award, to be administered primarily by Asheville-based nonprofit Mountain BizWorks, will fund the newly created Growing Outdoors Partnership, which aims to boost sustainable job growth in the local outdoor gear and recreation industries.
Noah Wilson, project manager for the Growing Outdoors Partnership, says that an additional $787,000 in matching funds has been raised by companies and organizations set to benefit from the grant, bringing the total investment for the region’s economy to more than $1.7 million. “This grant is about building that whole ecosystem of people and organizations that can help nurture companies that are starting here and encourage companies to come here,” Wilson says. “What this project really is is an example across Appalachia of what our regional and collaborative approach looks like to outdoor industry and the outdoor recreational assets that we have in our mountains as a
good alternative driver to coal for our economies here.” POWER TO THE PEOPLE For some communities across Appalachia, Wilson explains, building an alternative to coal could mean investing in agriculture, technology or manufacturing. For Western North Carolina, with its abundance of state and national parks, it means a focus on outdoor gear and recreation. “We’ve got an amazing amount of leaders in the outdoor recreation industry locally. That’s everything from outdoor gear, experiences and manufacturing, media and marketing organizations, all based here,” Wilson says. “We recognize that if we’re going to have an impact in all of the places in Western North Carolina, it has to fit whatever is happening in that place.” In an October press release announcing the grant, Mountain BizWorks said that the project aims to produce more than 100 new jobs and encourage $10 million in new business investments over a five-year period. To achieve this goal, the organization plans to collaborate with the Natural
Capital Investment Fund, a small-business lender based in West Virginia, to create an $800,000 loan fund for rural outdoors companies. Additionally, a new business accelerator will provide mentorship and support for 10 of the region’s most promising outdoor entrepreneurs each year. Mountain BizWorks will also work with Western Carolina University to match employers with industry professionals as the college implements new outdoor-focused degree programs funded by the grant. While the Growing Outdoors Partnership looks toward Western North Carolina’s future, the investments have already started to pay off for some communities and businesses. “Just this week, Tsuga, which is a company in Boone, used some of the newly available loan funds that were a part of this grant program to start expanding their operations,” Wilson says. “They’re significantly increasing the amount of space that they have by adding 7,500 square feet to their manufacturing facility and creating 12 new jobs.”
CONTINUES ON PAGE 32
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Nick Spero, CEO of Asheville-based Fifth Element Camping and board member of the Outdoor Gear Builders of WNC, says the grant provides an opportunity to push Western North Carolina into the national spotlight as a premier supplier of products tailored to the region’s specific recreational activities, such as hiking, climbing and whitewater rafting. “I believe it will bring new and established brands to our area to manufacture and test their outdoor gear products,” Spero says. “It will also help our current Outdoor Gear Builders members expand and create local manufacturing connections, which ultimately means growth and jobs.” Amy Allison, marketing manager for Eagle’s Nest Outfitters, an Ashevillebased company that specializes in outdoor hammocks, says the inclusion of many business owners in the Growing Outdoors project will encourage collaboration and idea sharing, which she hopes will lead to increased production. “We have a very supportive community that is great for small business, and you can’t compete with what our area offers for outdoor enthusiasts and
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athletes,” Allison says. “Those things combined make this area ideal for any business owner looking for a thriving outdoor community to sink roots into and grow their outdoor business.” TAKING THE LEAD Although outdoor recreation is the top economic driver for Growing Outdoors, Wilson says grant funds will not be directly used for environmental activities such as conservation or cleanup efforts. However, he suspects that the economic benefits of the industry will encourage residents and business owners to see the value in protecting the area’s natural spaces. “These companies and the people who are a part of this collaboration and partnership — we all believe in protecting wild places,” Wilson says. “That’s why we do what we do, to be able to be outside and enjoy them. I think the outdoor industry as a whole is getting a lot more conscious of this need for shared stewardship.” Lauren Rash, chief operating officer for Fletcher-based Diamond Brand Gear Co., an outdoor gear and mountain lifestyle manufacturer, says she looks forward to the opportunity to rebrand Western North Carolina as a destination that rivals well-known outdoor recreation areas out West. “A lot of folks think of outdoor industry as being in the West Coast and in the Rocky Mountains. Folks don’t always think of us as being a leader in that, but we actually have been, and have quite diverse mountain ranges and expertise to make gear that works in this climate and in the drier climates,” Rash says. “We know about it because we live and breathe it every day, but we’re focused on letting folks from around the country know about it too.” Wilson says he expects that the recent grant, coupled with everything that Asheville and Western North Carolina has to offer, could push the region to become the epicenter of outdoor industry along the East Coast. “We have a competitive advantage. We have to keep rolling; we can’t stop pedaling now,” Wilson says. “If we’re in front right now, we have to keep moving to establish that sense of leadership and to help others come up with us in the Appalachian region. It has to be a diverse industry, and I think there’s a lot of opportunity here.” X
MOUNTAINX.COM
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FOOD
LEFTOVER LOGIC Asheville-area chefs and home cooks brainstorm strategies for curbing holiday food waste BY JONATHAN AMMONS jonathanammons@gmail.com
“Giving Back Night” Monday 12/3 4:30-9:30
Proceeds to benefit Jewish Family Services 828.505.7531 coppercrownavl.com
Gastropub & Pizzeria Pizza, Wings, Pubfare
KITCHEN OPEN!
FOR LUNCH + DINNER
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Downtown Asheville in the French Broad Location Check out other locations:
Biltmore & Black Mountain Like us on Facebook
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For most, Thanksgiving is a time of excess. The typical holiday table revolves around a massive turkey and dozens of side dishes of every shape, size and flavor. Many of us cook enough to feed an army and wind up munching on the leftovers until we swear we will never touch turkey again. Seasons of excess also tend to be seasons of waste — in fact, the National Resources Defense Council estimates that Americans throw away 200 million pounds of turkey every Thanksgiving. So we asked readers and chefs what they do to cut down on the amount of good food going into the trash and for ways to spice up those leftovers to make them a little more interesting in the days following Thanksgiving dinner. “Leftover deviled eggs can quickly be minced and turned into egg salad,” offers Aux Bar chef Steven Goff. “Cranberry sauce becomes the base for a cranberry vinaigrette with the addition of a little cider vinegar and olive oil. Stuffing can quickly be repurposed as a savory bread pudding, which it’s just a few ingredients short of anyway. The olive and pickle tray also gets minced and turned into olive salad or relish — think muffuletta — with a little olive oil binder. And, of course, the turkey carcass becomes the base for turkey gumbo stock. If you want to add more flavor, smoke or char the turkey carcass.” Ingles dietitian Leah McGrath might catch some hipster attention with her suggestion of a pumpkin eggnog smoothie made with some of that eggnog sidelined in the fridge, a bit of leftover canned pumpkin, milk, ice and pumpkin spice. “You can, of course, use plant-based beverages instead,” she adds. “I know that eating the same leftover food can feel redundant or get boring after a few meals,” says Alicia Nichols, who cooks at Buxton Hall Barbecue and The Times. “So I usually make a red enchilada sauce to change it up a bit. I make turkey or chicken tamales or enchiladas. I usually have some sort or beans — chickpeas more often than not — so I will refry those.” But she also notes that a key to not wasting a ton of food is to be a little more conservative in what you prepare in the
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SMOOTH MOVE: Ingles dietitian Leah McGrath suggests giving leftovers the seasonal pumpkin spice treatment by using excess canned pumpkin and eggnog to make smoothies. Other inventive locals recommend turning holiday meal food scraps and leftovers into everything from waffles to enchiladas to stir fry. Photo by Morgan Ford first place. “A really good way to curb holiday waste is to know your numbers,” she explains. “We tend to outdo ourselves because we want to make sure everyone is fed twice-over, but sending everyone home with plastic Tupperware full of leftovers they may or may not eat is wasteful.” And, she adds, it’s best to avoid using disposable roasting pans,
pie plates, etc. “Use dishes that can be cleaned, even though it’s a hassle.” Also, don’t be afraid to lean on your freezer. All of your trimmings, including every type of vegetable end (except rhubarb) and the skins from your onions, can all be bagged and frozen to make stocks at a later date. I always keep separate bags for things like corn husks (makes a great stock for grits)
and squash and zucchini (makes for a good squash purée soup base later), and combine the trinity — onions, carrots, celery — for everything else. Also, the stock you make from the turkey carcass can be frozen into resealable plastic bags of any size. I often stuff bags into pint glasses and fill them to measure perfect pint-sized portions and freeze them to make single-serving soups down the road. Katherine Ehrlichman recalls her family’s tradition of making turkey and dumplings with a stock made from the turkey carcass, while Terri Lechner recommends making the classic Kentucky hot brown: a slice of toast topped with turkey, a Parmesan-laden gravy (another good use of your turkey stock), tomato and crispy bacon. Michele Dohse makes wraps from the turkey, cranberries and greens, uses mashed or sweet potatoes in yeast bread and makes casseroles from cooked veggies. Have a waffle iron laying around? Well, Ben Matchar wants you to get crazy with it. “Put leftovers in the batter — turkey and cranberry waffles, mac and cheese waffles, sweet potato-stuffing waffles,” he says. Faith Byer prefers to make a stir-fry, perhaps a tip of the hat to her time growing up in China. “Thanksgiving kitchensink stir fry! I pretty much stir fry all the leftovers together and top with gravy. I’m drooling just thinking of it,” she says. “My favorite is sweet potato, green bean casserole, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, with a little gravy drizzled over top. I cook it on high heat so the outer layer of the potatoes is crunchy.”
But she warns, “If you have issues with mixing textures, this is not the leftover dish for you.” Heather Masterton, sister of the late pioneering Asheville restaurateur, Laurey Masterton, sent along a snippet from their mother Elsie’s Blueberry Hill Cookbook, in which she recalls how she would save even just a small scoop of leftover gravy, adding it to a soup for extra flavor and body. Later, she would save the last bit of that soup to make gravy from it, and the cycle would continue. “Not everything must be fixed a different way the second day,” she wrote in 1959. “But usually a roast with 24 hours behind it in the refrigerator is a bit on the dry side and needs some babying. If you get in the habit when you buy your meat or chicken, of thinking a bit ahead to one or two other things to do with it, you will be killing two birds with one stone: One, you will be cutting your food budget approximately in half, because nothing is more expensive than a constant diet of steaks and chops, and a remainder of a roast consigned to the garbage can is a financial debacle. Two, you will be lending interest to your family’s meals and at the same time, you’ll be having fun yourself.” Ultimately, Elsie Masterton offered what is perhaps one of the most valuable directives for avoiding food waste: “You must be inventive — which won’t be difficult after you have had a little practice.” X
Valentine’s
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828.277.1510 Historic Biltmore Village MOUNTAINX.COM
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
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SMALL BITES
FOOD
by Paul Clark | paul2011clark@gmail.com
MG Road presents a Christmas Miracle •• THE FIRST ANNUAL ••
Winter In The Weave Holiday Pop Up Shop
Thursday | Dec. 6 | 5-9pm
Eat. Drink. Shop. Music. Enjoy.
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CHRISTMAS SPIRITS: Miracle is “a fun opportunity for my staff to come together,” MG Road general manager Lexy Durst says. The staff, pictured from left, are Kris Hartrum, Savannah Adams, Lexy Durst, Zach Durst, Freddy Watkins and Zane Buchholz. Photo courtesy of MG Road MG Road on Wall Street downtown is playing up the holidays with special drinks and events from Friday, Nov. 23, until New Year’s Eve. The festivities are part of Miracle, a Christmas-themed pop-up bar concept that began in New York City in 2014 and now takes place at more than 80 locations around the world. Participating for the second year in a row, MG Road is one of two such locations in North Carolina. “We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than through parties every night,” says Lexy Durst, MG Road’s general manager. Miracle at MG Road is “a joyous, over-the-top Christmas extravaganza,” she says. “Everyone is just so happy. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had bartending.” Every place participating in the Sippin’ Santa event will offer the 12
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Miracle cocktails along with their usual drinks. Among the cocktails served will be the Snowball Old Fashioned (gingerbread bourbon, wormwood bitters, lemon zest), the Christmas Carol Barrel (aged rum, aquavit, amaro, pumpkin pie demerara syrup, lime, vanilla, angostura bitters) and the Partridge in a Pear Tree (Reposado Tequila, pear brandy, mezcal, spiced demerara syrup, lime, egg white, club soda, angostura bitters, cinnamon). MG Road participated in the event last year, having heard about it through a former employee. Miracle’s social media team loved MG Road’s photos on Instagram so much that Miracle asked the bar to apply to participate again this year. “We thought we should be doing it since we’re already halfway there with all our Christmas lights up all year ’round,” Durst says.
MG Road Bar & Lounge is at 19 Wall St.
Home cooking class looks at acids Living Web Farms is putting on ACID, the fourth class in its Essentials of Cooking series, on Tuesday, Nov. 27. The class will survey acids such as citrus, vinegars and cultured products to help home cooks take their work to new heights. Leading the discussion on the science of acids in food, their sources and practical applications (as well as recipes) will be Patryk Battle, a cook and farmer, and Meredith Leigh, an author and cook. Essentials of Cooking: ACID will be 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27,
at Living Web Farms, 176 Kimzey Road, Mills River. Suggested donation is $10. Register at livingwebfarms.org.
Villagers is set to close Villagers, the urban homesteading shop in West Asheville, is closing at the end of the year. The shop, which sells tools and supplies and offers workshops “for self-empowered living,” according to its website, has stocked up on Christmas items in the hopes that patrons will “support this swan song of a season,” the store states in an email announcing its closing. Villagers is also offering classes through the end of the year, including carving wooden spoons (Dec. 2 and Dec. 5), making culinary and holiday spiced ghee (Dec. 9), making fire cider blends (Dec. 12) and making herbal chocolates (Dec. 16). Villagers is at 278 Haywood Road. To register for classes, visit forvillagers.com.
Grant supports food entrepreneurship Aspiring food entrepreneurs will soon have use of a value-added food business innovation center at the WNC Farmers Market on Brevard Road. The 5,000-square-foot commercial kitchen complex will be used as a training and business incubation center. The center is made possible by a $1.25 million Appalachian Regional Commission grant, as well as by local and state funds
that will be used to upgrade the WNC Farmers Market. Combined, the investment is expected to improve 64 businesses, create 36 businesses and add 50 new jobs. Construction is expected to begin in summer and be completed by September 2020. The center will be managed by the Center for Agricultural and Food Entrepreneurship, or CAFÉ, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals and businesses engaged in value-added production and sale of food, cosmetics and natural products. CAFÉ is the parent organization for Blue Ridge Food Ventures, the Southeast’s largest shared-use food processing center, located on the Enka campus of A-B Tech.
eTown honors Bounty & Soul founder The nationally syndicated radio broadcast/podcast production company eTown has given an eChievement Award to Ali Casparian, the nutritionist and food industry veteran who founded the Black Mountain nonprofit Bounty & Soul. Bounty & Soul provides cooking, health and nutrition classes, as well as free fruit and vegetables, to underserved residents of Buncombe and McDowell counties. The organization also offers five weekly free food markets that are supplied by local gardens, markets and nonprofit agencies. To see eTown’s interview with Casparian, visit avl.mx/5fc.
High school students win culinary awards Students from two local high schools won the Y.E.S. Chef! youth culinary competition at A-B Tech on Nov. 3, the Joseph Initiative has announced. Winning the Judges’ Award was the Clyde A. Erwin High School/Biltmore team. The Youth’s Choice Award went to the North Buncombe High School/Blue Ridge at The Omni Grove Park team. Each team had to create a menu prior to the competition. The public had the opportunity to taste the dishes at the event, held at A-B Tech’s Magnolia Building. Three chef judges graded each dish’s execution, appearance, taste and verbal description. The Erwin High School/Biltmore team won for its roasted butternut squash and apple soup with braised beef short rib. The team from North Buncombe High School and the Blue Ridge at The Omni Grove Park won for its braised and sorghum-glazed pork belly. Judges were Bruce Brown from Bruce’s Fabulous Food and WLOS’ Carolina Kitchen; Patrick O’Cain, owner of Asheville’s Gàn Shan Station; and Douglas P. Walls from the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove. X
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CAROLINA BEER GUY
FOOD
by Tony Kiss | avlbeerguy@gmail.com
Catching the eyes
Breweries work with artists to enhance packaging
In a city like Asheville, art is easy to find in galleries, museums and storefronts. But it can also be found in bottle shops, taprooms and anywhere else that sells craft beer. With a growing number of local breweries and many of them packaging their brews in cans and bottles, it’s become increasingly important to stand out to shoppers. That’s where arty label designs do their job, catching the eyes of shoppers and maybe closing the sale. There are a lot of well-designed beer packages out there, and some of them really pop on the shelves. The right design is important in making the sale, says Mike Rangel, acting director of the Asheville Brewers Alliance trade group and president of Asheville Brewing Co. Most recently, Asheville Brewing released Tandemonium IPA with a striking label designed by Brian Begley. Along with the art, beer labels
CREATIVE EDGE: Many Asheville-area breweries collaborate with artists to help their packaged products stand out in a crowded market. Clockwise from top left is work by David Paul Seymour (Burial Beer Co.), Kimi Leger (Bhramari Brewing Co.) and Julie Armbruster (Highland Brewing Co.). Photos courtesy of the breweries must include the surgeon general’s warning on beer consumption and the brewery and beer name. “It’s definitely become an art [to get it all on there],” Rangel says, but he notes that what’s inside the container matters most. “If the beer’s not good, it doesn’t matter how good the design is.” Asheville’s Bhramari Brewing Co. works with a few tattoo artists, including designer Greu, for creative designs on its cans and bottles. “It’s fantastic art,” says Bhramari brewer and co-owner Gary Sernack. “We want the passion of the artist to come across as much as our passion about making the liquid.” For Bhramari, the process starts with the beer and its name. Sernack prefers to use tattoo artists for labels. “They’re taking what’s in people’s brains and putting it into a piece of art every day,” he says. Greu creates designs using an iPad. “A lot of time, the name they have chosen for the brew directs the artwork. It’s generally unique to that beer,” he says. “I want something that looks good on the shelves. They push the envelope with what they’re
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brewing, and we try to do that with the art as well.” Highland Brewing Co. refreshed the packaging earlier this year on such beers as Gaelic Ale, Oatmeal Porter and Cold Mountain Winter Ale. And it also has a series of uniquely labeled shortrun cans designed by artists from the Asheville area. Most recently, Highland released cans of Zombie Story IPA around Halloween with a design by Julie Armbruster. “It’s been an organic process of finding connections with local artists,” says brewery President Leah Wong Ashburn. “The style of beer might not be the most important thing to the artist. We want them to know who we are and that we value the connection to the artists.” Ashburn adds that since each of the beer recipes is unique to Highland, the brewery wanted the packaging to likewise reflect the spirit of creativity. Furthering the ties to the community, the art cans are exclusively sold at Highland’s tasting room. “It’s something that we are selling only locally, so we wanted the art to be local,” she says.
All of the beers canned and bottled by Burial Beer Co. have creative designs by Minnesota-based artist David Paul Seymour. “The artwork has become such a big part of our brand,” says company co-founder Jessica Reiser. “I think it provides [customers] with an interesting experience. We didn’t just want them to be consuming the liquid inside. We want them to have a full sensory experience.” For each new packaged release, Burial sends Seymour the name of the beer and inspiration for art direction. A week later, his creation arrives via email. “David will submit his art, and we have an in-house art director, and she will take h is artwork and integrate it into the can or bottle label,” Reiser says. The finished product is then submitted to the packaging producer about four weeks before the containers are filled. According to Reiser, fitting the mandated information onto the packages hasn’t proved difficult and doesn’t compromise the quality of Seymour’s art. “We have our layouts now, so it’s straightforward,” she says. “We are very aware of what translates to cans. We haven’t noticed any designs that don’t work well.” For Burial, the artwork is inspired by the name of the beer as opposed to its style. And while one-off releases typically feature a single image, the brewery’s core lineup of beers (e.g., Scythe Rye IPA and Shadowclock Pilsner) have two complementary illustrations. One reflects a light side with imagery of living things, and the other is a twist on those details, often incorporating dead and decaying versions of the same scene. “Burial is inherently a morbid concept, but we have been inspired by the idea of instead of fearing death, you accept it and celebrate the life you’ve lived,” Reiser says. “David has done a really good job of [depicting] that concept. It doesn’t have to be all flowers and butterflies. It can be darker and deeper, and that’s also beautiful.” X
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
NOVEL EXPERIENCE
Barbara Kingsolver keynotes annual Authors for Literacy Dinner
BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN
into question the very idea of human sovereignty. People must have felt the way we do now — basically, that the sky was falling.
earnaudin@mountainx.com Further enriching the legacy set forth by such writers as Elizabeth Kostova, James Patterson and Ann Patchett, Barbara Kingsolver will be the keynote speaker at the Literacy Council of Buncombe County’s Authors for Literacy Dinner & Silent Auction on Thursday, Nov. 29, at the Crowne Plaza Resort Expo Center. Before her visit, Xpress corresponded with Kingsolver about her new novel, Unsheltered, adapting her work for the screen and her enduring love of Asheville.
Each timeline in Unsheltered features journalists. What similarities and differences about that profession then and now stood out to you most in your research? I didn’t really think about this until recently, but in The Lacuna, journalists were some of the bad guys, contributing to a climate of hysteria by trading in hearsay and incendiary scandal. It was a truly awful part of the McCarthy era. People’s reputations were ruined by irresponsible, politically motivated smear campaigns in the mainstream media. In Unsheltered, by contrast, journalists are some of the story’s heroes. In the five years I was writing the novel, I watched and worried a lot about the widespread assault on truthtelling, so that’s reflected in the plot. And this wasn’t planned, but I have to say that this time around on the book tour, the journalists who interview me have tended to be in my corner.
Mountain Xpress: What’s been your history with Asheville since coming here to do research for The Lacuna in the mid-to-late 2000s? Barbara Kingsolver: One of my daughters lived there for years, so we visited regularly and considered it an extension of our family geography. She and her husband have since moved to our town in Virginia, but my family still thinks of Asheville as our city. What do you enjoy doing while you’re here? I love life on our farm, but now and again I need an infusion of the things a city offers, and Asheville has lots to love: good restaurants for every mood. ... Because I’m a weaver and knitter, I appreciate the excellent yarn stores, and another resource most Ashevilleans may not know about — Echoview Fiber Mill in nearby Weaverville, where I take our farm’s wool to be spun into yarn. (We raise sheep.) The list of favorite shopping spots is long, and at the top of it is my best-beloved indie bookstore, Malaprop’s. Since writing The Lacuna, what observations about the city’s past and present have stuck with you? In my research, I got to know the Asheville of 70 years ago, when it was a charming resort town, but also very much a working-class city. It’s interesting to watch Asheville come into a new century with these two identities — established residents and newcomers — still somewhat at odds. I love that I can walk around some neighborhoods and see almost exactly the same Asheville my historical characters would have known. I also love the freshness of the city’s commercial heart. And
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TALKING BOOKS: While out on tour promoting her new novel, Unsheltered, Barbara Kingsolver will keynote the Literacy Council of Buncombe County’s Authors for Literacy Dinner & Silent Auction on Nov. 29, at the Crowne Plaza Resort. Photo by Annie Griffiths sometimes, when I have to push my way through a jammed street or hear about friends getting priced out of their own neighborhoods, I find myself joining the tribe of grumblers wishing for the good old days. But this permanent struggle to make old and new into one city might just be part of what makes Asheville the place it is. Economically, culturally, sociologically, it’s an interesting project. How have your writing and research processes evolved over your career? My research and writing processes have been pretty stable over a 30-year career: I always begin with a big question, plot out the architecture of the story, fill in the characters I need and then spend years working to make every sentence glow in the dark. With each new book, I try to get my arms around something bigger than ever before so I’ll stay awake at the wheel and keep growing as a writer. ... I’ve moved happily from interlibrary loan
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to internet, at least for the preliminary stages. But what I love best is getting my hands into actual archives, reading letters and manuscripts, walking new streets, getting my feet onto the ground and all my senses into the place I’m writing about. To make a setting come alive on the page, direct experience is crucial. That will never change. How did you decide to set the historical portion of Unsheltered in 1871? This is a novel about how people cope with what feels like the end of the world as we know it. Right now, our familiar shelter seems to be failing us at every level — economic, political, environmental. I wanted to contrast this with an earlier moment of existential crisis. I chose the 1870s, when the U.S. had just come through a civil war with devastating losses, leaving it as polarized as we are now, along similar lines. And then along came two books by Charles Darwin that called
Multiple generations of adults living under the same roof have become more common in recent years. What attracted you to explore those specific social and economic dynamics in this novel? Literary fiction is symbolic — everything stands for something. So a family is a microcosm of society, and all the problems and breakdowns you want to explore have to go into the setup of plot and character. It wasn’t hard to create a contemporary family dealing with all kinds of systems failures: a middleaged journalist working for a magazine that folds; a tenured professor whose college has closed; kids with college degrees, big debts and no jobs; an elderly, sick parent with lousy medical coverage. Nearly every family I know is dealing with one of these things or another. Put them all under one roof, which happens to be leaking, and that’s a novel. Then all I had to do was make it a fun read. No small trick, but that’s my job. What are the latest updates on adapting The Poisonwood Bible and Prodigal Summer for the screen? Prodigal Summer onscreen is still alive but off in the distance. The Poisonwood Bible adaptation is more
tion, direction, cast. And that it won’t be a feature film. Expect a story told onscreen in more hours — lots more than two.
THE PAST REPEATS: For her latest novel, Unsheltered, “I chose the 1870s when the U.S. had just come through a civil war with devastating losses, leaving it as polarized as we are now, along similar lines,” says author Barbara Kingsolver. “People must have felt the way we do now — basically, that the sky was falling.” immediate — writing that script will become my full-time job as soon as my current book tour ends. I’m not at liberty to reveal many details except that I’m thrilled to be working with spectacular people at every level — produc-
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How often do you accept speaking invitations, and what about the work of the Literacy Council made you want to keynote its event? I figured out long ago that I can serve the world best by devoting myself to my writing, my family and my community. That means I do no public speaking at all, outside the month or so of travel that my publisher asks of me each time I release a new book. The Literacy Council event fit perfectly into my book tour schedule and gives me a chance to connect with Malaprop’s and my favorite city. The work of the council is very compelling. I expect I’ll talk about the value of literature and reading to cultivate empathy for people who are different from ourselves. At the moment, it’s hard to see what could be more important. X
studiochavarria.com HOURS: Tue. - Fri. 10am-7pm Sat. 10am-4pm Closed Sun & Mon
WHAT The Literacy Council of Buncombe County’s Literacy Dinner & Silent Auction WHERE Crowne Plaza Resort Expo Center litcouncil.com WHEN Thursday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m. $95
Barbara Kingsolver signs ‘Unsheltered’ at Malaprop’s To say Barbara Kingsolver’s latest novel, Unsheltered, is a departure isn’t quite right. Each of Kingsolver’s books involves a very different set of characters (wanderer-turned-reluctant-adoptive-parent Taylor Greer in The Bean Trees, the Price family missionaries in The Poisonwood Bible, Frida Kahlo friendturned-Asheville-based-eccentric Harrison William Shepherd in The Lacuna) and circumstances (Alzheimer’s disease in Animal Dreams, climate change in Flight Behavior). Each of these reads is a departure from the daily grind into an enchanting if troubled otherworld. From Unsheltered’s opening pages, Kingsolver’s stamp is apparent: themes of ecology, family and tough circumstances (suicide, a crumbling home) are spelled by wit, engaging storytelling and a vivid sense of place. The novel is set mostly in one locale — a doomed house in small-town New Jersey — but alternately is told from the perspective of the contemporary owners and that of another family who lived in the same place during the Reconstruction era. There are threads stitching the two time periods together: non-nuclear families and the impetus to turn a blind eye to the house’s serious structural issues alongside a keen desire to delve into the natural world, finding wonder in the minutiae. There’s also a Greek theme that the author weaves throughout. Kingsolver will sign copies of Unsheltered at Malaprop’s on Thursday, Nov. 29, at 1 p.m. The signing, which does not include a reading, is open to customers who have pre-ordered the novel from Malaprop’s. malaprops.com — Alli Marshall X
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A& E
by Ami Worthen
amiworthen@gmail.com
SHARE THE AIR
Potters’
Holiday
Broadcast ‘Slay the Mic’ spotlights Asheville’s black community and culture
Pop -Up SAT., DEC. 8, 2018 10AM-4PM CLUB ELEVEN 11 GROVE ST., AVL
HIGH FIDELITY: This fall, Alexis Wardlaw, right, and Elizabeth Lashay Garland, left — aka Leckie and Li*La — celebrated three years on Asheville FM, where their show, “Slay the Mic,” airs every Saturday. Listeners will also find them hosting and participating in community events. Photo by Cindy Kunst
OTHER ARTISTS INCLUDE: Julia Mann Anita Walling Prayer Pots Patricia Robertson/Sally Lesesne Studios Jillian Wolf Wolfsong Ceramics Duffy Z. Baum Handmade Pottery by Duffy Amy Waller Pottery Barbara Hebert Table For Two Jan Cothran Pottery Kyle Cramer Ceramics Cindy Douglass Stardust Pottery David Westmeier Raku, Bakersville Ellen Johnson Pottery Tyler-James Anderson Moon Hand Pottery Michael Hamlin Hamlin Ceramics Margie Bach MA Bach Art Judy Muncy JK Muncy Pottery Lindsay Bostic Pottery Nich Daunis/Sara Ballek Pottery Bonnie Belkin The Chattering Potter 42
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On a cold night, several years ago, childhood friends Alexis Wardlaw and Elizabeth Lashay Garland huddled by a heater laughing and discussing AfricanAmerican culture and life. The two self-proclaimed “soul sisters” quickly realized that their chemistry was something special, and they began posting recorded conversations and interviews on SoundCloud. Before long, local broadcaster 103.3 Asheville FM discovered the recordings and invited Wardlaw and Garland to the station. The show “Slay the Mic” was born. The mission of “Slay the Mic” is to “celebrate culture, community and creativity by amplifying voices from local artists and activists, and by providing new, old, underground and mainstream hip-hop and R&B music in the Asheville community,” explains Garland.
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This fall, Wardlaw and Garland — aka Leckie and Li*La — celebrated three years on Asheville FM, where their show airs every Saturday, 5-7 p.m. Both Wardlaw and Garland grew up in Asheville and have seen black stories hidden in the margins of the city’s dominant narrative. For two years before starting “Slay the Mic,” Garland lived in Oakland, Calif. There, she experienced a place where black culture, music and arts are celebrated, and where “being black is not something that is abnormal,” she says. When she returned to Western North Carolina, Garland thought, “There’s gotta be something here in Asheville where people can feel a sense of pride.” For Wardlaw, “Slay the Mic” offers a lifeline to the black community — particularly to purveyors and fans of hip-hop and R&B. Before the show, she
says, “A lot of people were searching for something, [asking] ‘Where can I put my voice?’ I feel like we give that opportunity to those who didn’t have voice.” “Slay the Mic” has featured the music of and compelling conversations with local black artists including MOOK!, T.Y., DJ Besbeleve, STG Loot, Cash Jackson, DJ Twan, Po’ Folk, Santos, Virtuous, Lyric, Siyah, Mr. 1NE 5IVE, Kade, AJ Mills and TEYG. Community leaders such as Star, activist/poet Nicole Townsend and activist/author Maria Young have also shared their perspectives on air. The majority of the show’s guests have been Asheville natives. “Whenever we have somebody who has lived in Asheville and has seen the good, bad and ugly, we always try and dive deep into it,” says Garland. There are also discussions
about the real-life challenges of being an artist, such as how to balance creative work with often-necessary day jobs. As people who appreciate having fun as much as they do being real, the “Slay the Mic” duo is intentional about the mix of content on the show. “We’ve got upbeat music,” says Garland, “but we also have a really powerful message that we’re trying to drive home.” Part of that message is about the current cultural climate of this city. “I think that the door is opening more for a lot of black artists in Asheville,” Wardlaw says. At the same time, she adds, many artists have to leave the city to hone their craft and to build an audience. “We ask this question almost every single show on our interviews: ‘Do you feel the support from Asheville?’” says Garland. The answer is often no. “Slay the Mic” is seeding a day when that will not be the case. Wardlaw and Garland continue to put considerable time, energy and personal resources into the show because they keep hearing from the community that it is making a difference, that it is needed and appreciated. They’ve used their platform to connect artists, activists and audiences. They’re providing spaces for
mutual support, both on the air and off. The goal is for increased synergy and visibility of black culture in Asheville. “I really truly believe that Asheville has so much, it’s just tapping into that,” says Garland. For her, “Slay the Mic” poses the questions, “’Who is at the table, and who has a mic?’ Because,” she says, “I think everybody deserves to be heard.” The two work toward that mission through projects such as teaching podcasting to teens of color through the program Word on the Street/ La Voz de Los Jovenes; “Slay the Mic” events such as Music Matters: Diving Deeper into Hip Hop workshops; the Melanin, Mimosas & Memories brunch; the Hip Hop FM party; and the show’s active community and social media presence. “Slay the Mic” ultimately hopes to spread its vision. “We don’t want to be the only ones doing this,” Wardlaw says. “We want to open the door and say, ’Now y’all come in.’” Find “Slay the Mic” on 103.3 FM Saturdays, 5-7 p.m., and at AshevilleFM.org/show/slay-the-mic X
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GLORIA GAFFNEY
A& E
A Gift to the Community
by Bill Kopp
bill@musoscribe.com
TOMORROW THE WORLD
A visually stunning Outdoor Nativity
Travers Brothership releases a second album and gears up for an overseas tour
Drive By at 89 Washington Rd, Asheville, 28801 On Display Nov 22 – Jan 12, 2019 streetartist@netzero.net
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Travers Brothership has been on an upward trajectory for a few years running. The success of the Ashevillebased soulful rock band’s 2016 album, A Way to Survive, eventually led to a touring spot opening for popular jam band moe., and Travers Brothership has built on that success. While making plans for a series of live dates in Europe, the band celebrates the release of its second full-length, Let the World Decide, with a hometown show at Pisgah Brewing Co. on Friday, Nov. 23. Inspired in part by their father, guitarist “Hurricane” Bob Travers, brothers Eric and Kyle Travers launched their band in 2012. A debut EP, I Don’t Mind, earned positive notices, and Travers Brothership soon found itself opening for higher-
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profile, established bands on the jam and festival circuit. In 2015, the group secured a spot at the Jam by Day — the auxiliary series of shows held around the annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam. By 2016, the band was named Best Alternative Rock Band in Mountain Xpress’ Best of WNC readers poll. Late that year, Travers Brothership took a decisive step that would help make the band even more successful. “About two years ago is when we got our first professional booking agent and really started touring heavily,” says guitarist Kyle. Since then, he says, “we’ve probably done close to 300 dates all around the country.” Some artists write songs on the road, but many need the focus that comes with spending time in their home studios to compose new material. The members of Travers Brothership find that attending to one thing at a time works best for them. “When we’re on the road, we’re very focused about making the shows better,” Kyle says. “When we get home — when we actually have three or four days or a week off —
that’s when we can get most of our writing done.” Still, experience is helping the band become more efficient. It took a long time for Travers Brothership to complete A Way to Survive, but — co-producing again with Grammynominated engineer Matt Williams at The Eagle Room — this time the band arrived in the studio with a clutch of new songs ready to be recorded. And time spent in close quarters on the road together (Kyle laughingly calls it “van fever”) has made the group more cohesive, resulting in a streamlined approach. The horn section that featured prominently on the band’s last album is gone now. “Dean Mitchell went to play with the Marcus King Band, and Alex Bradley and Kyle Snuffer are now primarily with Empire Strikes Brass,” Kyle says. Today the group is a quartet: Kyle, twin brother Eric on drums, bassist Josh Clark and keyboardist Ian McIsaac. The slimmed-down band’s sound now has less of what Kyle calls a “Muscle Shoals feel;” instead, arrangements emphasize other ele-
NOT AT ALL JADED: With a second full-length album, Let the World Decide, and top billing for a 2019 concert tour of Europe, the Asheville band led by twin brothers Kyle and Eric Travers is poised for even bigger success. Photo by David Simchock ments. “We focus more on the songwriting and our three-part harmonies,” he says. “I get an organ solo and two extended guitar solos on the record. Josh [Clark] has a bass solo. It sounds a little bit more like a live show.” Kyle names diverse artists — Snarky Puppy and Jason Isbell among them — as influences upon the band’s current musical direction. “The first album primarily focused on our old-school influences,” he says. “Now we’ve found a way to comfortably blend old and new.” Lyrically, the songs dig a bit deeper as well; that’s likely a natural result of maturation. “Now that we’ve lived a little bit out there in the world and have been through some stuff together, we can discuss on a more personal level how we feel and how we believe life works,” Kyle says. With hints of Wet Willie and Steely Dan, the deep-groove album opener “Jaded” extols the healing powers of music, expressed through the band’s signature vocal harmonies. With the new album complete and being readied for CD and digital release (“a limited vinyl release will come later,” Kyle says), the band is already turning its attention to the future. “We start 2019 at home, and then we’re going to Europe for a 40-date run in nine different coun-
tries,” Kyle says. “We’re touring as a headliner; they’ve got a Mercedes Sprinter waiting on us with all of our gear and a tour manager that can translate all the languages.” The six-week tour will be the first time any of the band members have visited Europe. “I don’t think anyone in our band has ever left the country, so it’s going to be quite an exhilarating experience,” Kyle says. The momentum isn’t likely to subside. Once the whirlwind European tour is over, Travers Brothership comes back home to a schedule that includes a number of festival dates. Kyle promises, “We’re going to just bust it for the rest of the year.” X
WHO Travers Brothership WHERE Pisgah Brewing Co. 150 Eastside Drive Black Mountain pisgahbrewing.com WHEN Friday, Nov. 23, 9 p.m. $12 advance/$15 day of show
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SMART BETS
A&E
by Edwin Arnaudin | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com
Bannerman Folk Camp
A Renaissance Nativity
Entering its 49th year, the Bannerman Folk Camp provides people of all ages with the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving weekend together. Held at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, the holiday tradition offers meals, live music, storytelling, hiking, folk arts and crafts, shape-note singing and various dance traditions from Western North Carolina and around the world. The theme this year is “The BFC — Chapter 49,” which will celebrate books, stories and storytelling in a variety of ways. Attendees are invited to dress as their favorite literary character or author and partake in a book exchange. Festivities take place Thursday, Nov. 22-Sunday, Nov. 25. Participation options range from day passes to on-site lodging with access to the entire weekend of activities. bannermanfolkcamp.com. Photo courtesy of the Bannerman Folk Camp
For this year’s holiday season, Asheville-based artist Gloria Gaffney is giving a gift to her community in the form of an outdoor Nativity painting. Merging Renaissance styles with her own modern approaches, the project took two years to complete. Its creation involved a team of painters under Gaffney’s guidance, as well as polycarbonate shielding and intricate lighting. The painting aims to encompass the true spirit of Christmas, and Gaffney hopes it will “have a unifying effect on everyone who sees it this holiday season” as well as “become a household tradition in Asheville.” The painting will be on display daily outside Gaffney’s studio at 89 Washington Road, starting Thursday, Nov. 22, 5-11 p.m., through Saturday, Jan. 12. Free. Photo courtesy of the artist
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
Smoota On Pheromones, the follow-up to his debut solo album Fetishes, Brooklyn-based musician Smoota delves into topics few artists dare explore. According to the record’s description, they include “the polyamorous urge, happy S&M relationships, taboo lust for one’s inlaws, the complexity of the female orgasm, the connection between masturbation and intercourse, and more.” There’s also the title track, which was inspired by a friend who sells human sex pheromones online. Backed by slow jams and dance grooves created by vintage synthesizers and drum machines, the songs seek to celebrate humans’ biological urges through honesty, humor and clever wordplay. A veteran of TV on the Radio’s touring ensemble and a trombonist in the house band for Mike Myers’ “The Gong Show,” Smoota plays Fleetwood’s on Friday, Nov. 23, at 9 p.m. Asheville groups Cold Choir and PrettyPretty open. $7. fleetwoodsonhaywood.com. Photo courtesy of the artist
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While Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms dazzles audiences on movie screens with elaborate special effects, Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre takes the same core material in a decidedly different direction. The professional dance company’s fourth annual performance of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King hews closely to E.T.A. Hoffmann’s dark source story rather than Tchaikovsky’s ballet. Look for such sights as the humorous King and Queen of Sausages, costumed party guests dancing a wild polka and the Mouse King’s numerous offspring wreaking havoc wherever they go. Performances are at Diana Wortham Theatre on Friday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 1, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. $29 general admission/$24 students and seniors/$20 children. dwtheatre.com. Photo courtesy of ACDT
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CONNEMARA CHRISTMAS: Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site celebrates the return of the family furniture and library after a three-year historic preservation project. The “Christmas at Connemara” program on Saturday, Nov. 24, features music, storytellers, craft making, warm cider and cookies. The schedule includes Geriatric Jukebox Band at 11 a.m., Cherokee storyteller Black Feather at noon, Sunlight Drive Acoustic Duo at 1 p.m. and Lucy Allen and Marshall Goers on guitar, banjo and mandolin at 2 p.m. The bookstore will host Steve and Jean Smith on hammered dulcimer as well as make-and-take holiday crafts. The home remains decorated for the holiday season through Jan. 6. For more information, visit nps.gov/carl/index.htm. Photo courtesy of National Park Service. (p. 23)
C e l e b r a t i n g 15 y e a r s !
Happy Thanksgiving! We are closed Thanksgiving Day.
Enjoy your turkey, then come in for t he best sushi in town! 2 Regent Park Blvd. | 828-252-8300 Like us on facebook.com/greenteasushi
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ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS SHOW & TELL HOLIDAY POP UP SHOP (PD.) 11/30-12/19, 10am8pm @AVL MASONIC TEMPLE. Find a gift for everyone on your list! Shop local/indie craft, design, and vintage. Opening party 12/1, 6-9pm w/ Bhramari beer, live music, fairy hair, and face paint. showandtellpopupshop. com • 80 Broadway St. 28801 MOUNTAIN AREA GEM AND MINERAL ASSOCIATION 828-779-4501, americanrockhound.
com, rick@wncrocks. com • TH (11/29) until SU (12/2) - Gem and Mineral Christmas Show with indoor and outdoor vendors offering rocks, gems, minerals and fossils from around the world. Thurs. & Sat.: 9am5pm. Sun.: 10am-4pm. Free to attend. Held at Camp Stephens, 263 Clayton Rd. Arden TOE RIVER ARTS COUNCIL 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, 828-682-7215, toeriverarts.org • Through FR (11/30) Studio Tour Exhibition. Reception: Friday, Nov. 30, 5:30-7:30pm.
TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 828-884-2787, tcarts.org • 4th FRIDAYS, 5-8pm - Brevard 4th Friday gallery walk with open galleries, art stores, restaurants, live music and refreshments. Free to attend. Held in Downtown Brevard.
AUDITIONS & CALL TO ARTISTS CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE cityofhendersonville. org • Through TU (1/15) - Submissions accepted for the 2019 ArtScape Banner
Project in downtown Hendersonville. Information: artscapehvl.org. THE CENTER FOR CRAFT, CREATIVITY & DESIGN 828-785-1357, craftcreativitydesign. org, info@ craftcreativitydesign. org • Through FR (2/8) Applications accepted for 2020 Curatorial Fellowships. See website for guidelines.
DANCE COUNTRY DANCE WITH TWO-STEP LESSON (PD.) • Friday, November 23rd, 7-10:30pm. Asheville
Ballroom, 291 Sweeten Creek Road. Free Two-step lesson 7-8pm. • Free Raffle Prizes. • Dance 8-10:30 Ballroom & Country dances to great country music. Dance Performances. • Admission includes Dance, Lesson & Raffle ticket: $12. 828-3330715, naturalrichard@ mac.com • www. DanceForLife.net
MUSIC AFRICAN DRUM LESSONS AT SKINNY BEATS DRUM SHOP (PD.) Wednesdays 6pm. Billy Zanski teaches a fun approach to connecting with your inner rhythm. Dropins welcome. • Drums provided. $15/class. (828) 768-2826. skinnybeatsdrums.com CITY OF ASHEVILLE 828-251-1122, ashevillenc.gov • FRIDAYS, 6-9:50pm - Asheville outdoor drum circle. Free. Held at Pritchard Park, 4 College St. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF HENDERSONVILLE 204 6th Ave. W., Hendersonville, 828-693-4275, fumchvlnc.org • SU (11/25), 3pm - Henderson County Churches Uniting annual Messiah SingAlong. Interested singers should come at 2pm. Concert at 3pm. Free.
FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE 2661 Highway 225, Flat Rock, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • WEDNESDAYS through SUNDAYS (11/29) until (12/22) - "A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas," production featuring holiday music and dance. Wed., Thurs., Sat. & Sun.: 2pm. Wed. & Thurs.: 7:30pm. Fri. & Sat.: 8pm. $22 and up. FOLKMOOT USA 828-452-2997, folkmootusa.org • TH (11/29), 6pm Art of Music Festival kickoff with performances by Milan Miller, John Wiggins, Mark Bumgarner, Aaron Bibelhauser and Balsam Range’s Buddy Melton and Darren Nicholson. Information: balsamrangeartofmusicfestival.com. $30. Held at Folkmoot Friendship Center, 112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville SLY GROG LOUNGE 271 Haywood St., 828-552-3155, slygrog.wordpress.com • SUNDAYS, 7pm Open-mic for storytellers, poets, musicians and all kinds of performance artists. Sign ups at 6:30pm. Free to attend. WOMANSONG OF ASHEVILLE womansong.org • MONDAYS, 7-9pm - Community chorus rehearsals open to potential mem-
bers. Free. Held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place
SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD 35BELOW 35 E. Walnut St., 828-254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org • TH (11/29), 7:30pm - "Listen to This" storytelling series hosted by Tom Chalmers and featuring stories and original songs from locals. $15. BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty. org/governing/depts/ library • WE (11/28), 6pm - "Civil War Stories of Catherine Henry and James Henderson," dramatic reading presentation of local Civil War era letters and journals. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS 174 Broadway, habitatbrewing.com • LAST MONDAYS, 7:30pm - Spoken word open mic, hosted by David Joe Miller. Signups at 7pm. Free to attend. MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-254-6734, malaprops.com • SA (11/24), 9am9pm - Small Business
Saturday with book signings from local authors. Free to attend. • TH (11/29), 7pm - Works in Translation Book Club: Heartsnatcher by Boris Vian, translated by Stanley Chapman. Free to attend. ONTRACK WNC 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • WE (11/28), 5:30-7:30pm OnTrack WNC’s Women’s Financial Empowerment Center's Women & Money Story Night. Registration required. Free to attend. Held at Loretta's Cafe, 114 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville TRYON FINE ARTS CENTER 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 828-859-8322, tryonarts.org • TU (11/27), 7pm Stage Door Series: "A Piedmont Home Companion," storytelling and music by Kathryn Thorson Gruhn. $5.
THEATER THE MAGNETIC THEATRE 375 Depot St., 828-279-4155 • THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS (11/29) until (12/15), 7:30pm 25th annual Bernstein Family Christmas Spectacular. Fri. & Sat. (12/6) until SA (12/15) includes at 10pm. performance. $25.
PRESENTS ROGER MCGUINN AND CHRIS HILLMAN CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF
SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO WITH SPECIAL GUEST
MARTY STUART & HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES
DEC 01 @ 8 PM
NOV
23
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30TH ANNIVERSARY OF COPPERHEAD ROAD WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE MASTERSONS
NOV HOLIDAY ALTERCATION PRESENTED BY ROCKY TOP VAPOR 99.3 THE X’S
WITH AJR, ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS, FLORA CASH, AND JUKEBOX THE GHOST
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EMISUNSHINE CHRISTMAS SHOW WITH SPECIAL GUEST ETTA MAY
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AN EVENING WITH DAILEY & VINCENT
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
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GALLERY DIRECTORY Nelson. Reception: Friday, Dec. 14, 5-8pm.
Some events from this section may be found in the Give!Local calendar on p. 25
TRACEY MORGAN GALLERY 188 Coxe Ave., TraceyMorganGallery.com • Through SA (12/22) Altering Nature: Pictures of a Changing Environment, group photography exhibition covering a range of techniques and media.
AMERICAN FOLK ART AND FRAMING 64 Biltmore Ave., 828-281-2134, amerifolk.com • FR (11/23) through MO (12/31) - 2018 Holiday Wish List Celebration, group exhibition of folk art. ART AT BREVARD COLLEGE 828-884-8188, brevard.edu/art • Through FR (12/7) - Eternity Is Written In Our Hearts, exhibition of photography and video by Janelle VanderKelen. Held in the Spiers Gallery at Brevard College, 1 Brevard College Drive, Brevard ART AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY mhu.edu • WE (11/7) through FR (12/14) - Night Wings, exhibition of multi-media art by David Hopes. Held at Weizenblatt Art Gallery at MHU, 79 Cascade St., Mars Hill ASHEVILLE BOOKWORKS 428 1/2 Haywood Road, 828-255-8444, ashevillebookworks.com • TH (11/1) through TH (1/31) - Wood Engravers' Network Triennial, group exhibition of wood engraved prints. ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART 82 Patton Ave., 828-251-5796, ashevillegallery-of-art.com • Through FR (11/30) Celebration, group show celebrating the gallery's 30th anniversary. BLUE SPIRAL 1 38 Biltmore Ave., 828-251-0202, bluespiral1.com • WE (11/7), through FR (12/7) - From Sea to Shining Sea: The Decay of America, exhibition of works from four photographers.
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TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 828-884-2787, tcarts.org • FR (11/23) through FR (12/21) - Appalachian Art: Past to Present, group exhibition. Reception: Friday, Nov. 23, 5-8pm.
WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST: The annual holiday Wish List Celebration showcasing contemporary self-taught regional painters, sculptors, whittlers, carvers and potters, kicks off Friday, Nov. 23, at American Folk Art and Framing. The gallery’s owner curates folk art works from all across The South and the Eastern Seaboard. The exhibition includes holiday ornaments and décor by self-taught and primitive artists. Show runs through December. For more information, visit amerifolk.com. Photo courtesy of American Folk Art and Framing. • Through SA (12/8) - hunkyshanky-piddygutt, exhibition of prints & journals by Saige Hopkins. GROVEWOOD GALLERY 111 Grovewood Road, 828-253-7651, grovewood.com • Through MO (12/31) - Eat, Drink & Be Merry, curated showcase of table settings for holiday entertaining. HART THEATRE 250 Pigeon St., Waynesville • Through SU (12/16) Exhibition of art works by LivengoodStudio. HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL
FARM BURGER DOWNTOWN 10 Patton Ave., 828-348-8540, farmburger.com/asheville-nc/ • Through FR (11/30) Exhibition of works from Open Hearts Art Center.
86 N Main St., Waynesville, 828-452-0593, haywoodarts.org • Through (12/22) - It’s A Small, Small Work, group exhibition of small works.
FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER 850 Blue Ridge Rd, Unit A-13 • Black Mountain, 828-357-9009, floodgallery.org • Through SA (12/8) Ancestors in the Garden, exhibition featuring re-purposed sculptures by DeWayne "B-Love" Barton.
310 Keener St., Sylva, 828-5862016, fontanalib.org/sylva/ • Through FR (11/30) Exhibition of quilts by Barbara Ray Sitton.
JACKSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
MOMENTUM GALLERY 24 North Lexington Ave. • Through SA (12/29) - Drifters Project, exhibition of instal-
lations of oceanic plastic and photography by Pam Longobardi. MOMENTUM ON BROADWAY 52 Broadway St., 828-505-8550, momentumgallery.com • Though TH (12/13) - Casey Roberts: Cyanotype Paintings, exhibition. • Though TH (12/13) - Small Works, Big Impact, annual curated collection of paintings, sculpture and mixed media. PINK DOG CREATIVE 348 Depot St., pinkdog-creative.com • Through SU (12/30) - Al Dente, exhibition of photography by Clay Harmon. PREMIER SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY 10 Brook St., Suite 130 • Through TU (12/18) - In the Midst, exhibition of environmental Imagery from the Asheville Art Museum. RAMP STUDIOS 821 Riverside Drive, 828-5480090, therampstudios.com • Through FR (11/30) - A Dialog in Photographs, photographs by Susan Patrice and Benjamin Dimmitt.
• Through FR (11/30) - Picturing Purity, curated group exhibition of photography and new media. SOUTHERN HIGHLAND CRAFT GUILD MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway, 828-298-7928, craftguild.org • Through TU (1/29) - Forging Ahead: A Blacksmith Invitational, group exhibition featuring objects from members of the WNC chapter of Artist Blacksmith Association. • Through TU (2/5) - The Golden Fleece, group exhibition featuring more than 20 handmade ensembles in women's fashion. THE ASHEVILLE SCHOOL 360 Asheville School Road, 828-254-6345, ashevilleschool.org • Through FR (12/14) - Eccentric Archetypes, exhibition of mixed-media portraits by Patti Anastasi. Held in the Walker Arts Center's John M. Crawford Art Gallery THE TRYON DEPOT ROOM 22 Depot St., Tryon, 828-8597001, tryondepotroom.com • Through FR (12/14) Exhibition of paintings by Rich
TRANSYLVANIA HERITAGE MUSEUM 189 W Main St., Brevard, 828-884-2347, transylvaniaheritage.org • Through SA (12/22) - Aluminum Tree and Aesthetically Challenged Seasonal Ornament Museum and Research Center (ATOM) Exhibition. UPSTAIRS ARTSPACE 49 S. Trade St., Tryon, 828859-2828, upstairsartspace.org • Through FR (11/30) - A Glass Act, exhibition of glass works by Michael Hatch. • Through FR (11/30) - Solo Connections, exhibition of works by Nancy Cramer Lettenstrom, Libby Skamfer and Vivian Torrence. • Through FR (11/30) - The Cloud Paintings, exhibition of works by Peter Roux. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT 828-252-7489, wncap.org • SA (11/24) through SU (1/20) - Reclaiming Masculinity, group exhibition. Reception: Thursday, Nov. 24, 7-9pm. Held at ZaPow!, 150 Coxe Ave., Suite 101 WINDOW GALLERY 54 Broadway, windowcontemporary.org • Through SA (1/26) - The Slowness, exhibition of works by Brooks Dierdorff. WINE DOWN ON MAIN 28 E Main St. Brevard, 828-883-9463, winedownbrevard.com • Through FR (11/30) - The Road to Indigo, exhibition of art work by artists from Mamapajama Studio. Contact the galleries for hours and admission fees
CLUBLAND
SPOOK FACTORY: A legendary soundtrack composer for horror films, Claudio Simonetti has scored Dawn of the Dead, Tenebrae and other cult classics. Also the founding keyboardist of ’70s progressive rock outfit Goblin, Simonetti is on a fall tour with his lineup of that band, performing a live score to the Italian cult horror flick Suspiria. The tour coincides with the remake of the film — released earlier this month, which centers around a ballet company run by a witch coven. In addition to the live score, Goblin will play an additional set. The sinister show is slated for The Orange Peel on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 8 p.m. $25 advance/$40 day of show. theorangepeel.net. Photo courtesy of promoters
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Les Amis, (African folk music), 8:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Billy Owens, 7:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 8:00PM CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats (rock n' roll dance party), 7:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesdays w/ Classic Honky-Tonk Bands, 9:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Paul Hooper, (comedy) 7:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Swamp Rabbit Railroad, 7:00PM The Lost Chord: Moody Blues Tribute Band – 50th Anniversary of In Search of the Lost Chord, 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM
NANTAHALA BREWING - ASHEVILLE OUTPOST Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Poetry Open Mic Night w/ Caleb Beissert (sign up at 7:30PM), 8:00PM ODDITORIUM Free Punk Records w/ Jimbo, 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Sexy Tunes w/ DJ's Zeus & Franco, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Totally Rad Thanksgiving Trivia Spectacular, 7:00PM Disclaimer Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night hosted by Jason DeCristofaro, 6:30PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Noah Proudfoot, 6:00PM
FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER True Home Open Mic (6pm sign-up), 6:30PM
TIMO'S HOUSE Tech Noir w/ DJ drew, 8:00PM
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM
TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Blues & Soul Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 8:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Music Bingo, 8:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Latin Dance Party feat. DJ & Dance Instructor Oscar Jimenez, 9:00PM
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jazz Night, 7:30PM
PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Ashley Heath, 7:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING French Broad Valley Music Association Mountain Music Jam 6:00PM Nikki Talley, 8:00PM
DOUBLE CROWN Old Gold w/ DJ Jasper (rock 'n soul vinyl) , 10:00PM
THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio (jazz, funk, soul), 9:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Spogga - Brother Hash, 9:00PM
PULP Thanksgiving Throwdown: Mayor Black, Ready Red & Siren XO, 8:00PM
CROW & QUILL Carolina Catskins (gritty ragtime jazz), 9:00PM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Pleasure Chest (blues, rock, soul), 8:00PM BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Alien Music Club (jazz), 9:00PM BYWATER Open Mic w/ John Duncan, 7:00PM
LAZY DIAMOND 80's Invasion w/ DJ Chubberbird (80s dance party), 10:00PM OWL BAKERY Thursday Night Jazz, 7:30PM OLE SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/ Franco, 10:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Vegan ThansksGivingBack Potluck Benefiting Sweet Bear Rescue Farm feat. Gleep Glop & The Flooptidoos, (potluck, 6:00PM w/ music at 8:30PM), 6:00PM THE BARRELHOUSE Trivia Night, 7:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Burger Kings (rock n' roll), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9:30PM
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Timo’s says Cheers to Seven Years Dear Asheville, What can we say? It has been a wild adventure and so much fun. We’re grateful to have been a part of the Asheville culture and night life for the past seven years. When Timo’s House opened in 2012, one of our bartenders worried about the prophesied Mayan Doom. Fortunately, the world kept spinning but we were quickly faced with the dilemma of how we could afford to pay her. Having neither business nor service industry experience, it quickly became a procession of lessons on what “not" to do. After a couple of years we found our true direction and purpose. Now, near the end of the lease, it is time for reflection and appreciation. Our everyday Ashevillians were comprised of tax collectors, city planners, law enforcement, lawyers, neighbors, contractors, servicemen, repairmen, vendors, delivery guys, distributors, promoters, sales people and competitors. It has been an unbelievable experience to witness, and be part of, the symbiotic collaboration of separate interests that uplift all those involved. Our guests have always been a very special bunch. The eclectic mix of Asheville locals and regional tourists created a unique scene that has been a privilege to serve and interact with. The entire existence of Timo’s House is owed to all of the people who trusted us to provide the service and experience they deserved. We may have written the checks but you paid the bills. We only hope we held up our end of the bargain and provided excellent service. Our artists, performers and DJ’s were instrumental in creating our loyal customer base. A Timo’s with an empty stage and empty walls is a defunct one that would have crashed into irrelevance years ago. From the local acts working their way up to the international acts who chose our little venue as their place to rock the crowd, we thank you! All the great times were made possible by you. Our beloved staff is mentioned last but definitely not least. The machine. The family. The champions. "Whose house? Timo’s House!" Bobby, Dorsey, Connor, Sam, Fame, Tatyana, J Green, Victoria, Frankie Bean, Scottie Yaaaas!, Caitlyn, Johnchel, Drew, and Joel. Our hope is that Timo’s has been a stepping stone to something greater. We hope we enabled you to be successful at the bar and more importantly gave you the tools needed for a life time of success in your future. We’re under no delusions as to the value of your hard work. In the early days, when it looked like we may have to choose between payroll and rent, the choice was obvious. We paid the late fees on rent in order to make staff payroll a priority. To travel from those early days to where we are now was no accident. We owe it all to our staff! You have been our family for seven years. But wait! We’re not closing tomorrow. We have no intention of going out with a whimper. We know what we do best and that’s party. The time to party is NOW!!! We have a lot of special events and raucous shenanigans planned between now and the new year. We want to personally invite you to join us as we make our final months our best. We intend to give it all we’ve got until our planned closing in January. We hope to bring back some of the memorable acts from years past that helped define the Party Rat scene. Again, we have to express our gratitude to the Asheville community and all those involved with Timo’s over the years. It’s been a hell of a journey, and the experience of a lifetime. As for us, we welcome whatever may come next. With love, Timo’s Leadership
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Space Mammals (funk, pop), 9:00PM AMBROSE WEST Reasonably Priced Babies (improv comedy), 8:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Chris Wilhelm & Friends, 8:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Organ Freeman & The Digs, 9:30PM BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Hot Club of Asheville, 5:30PM BEN'S TUNE UP Throwback dance Party w/ DJ Kilby, 10:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Acoustic Swing, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Ben Phan, 6:00PM
FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Ethan Heller & the Fam Bam (funk, jam), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Typical Mountain Boys (bluegrass), 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM Added Color, 8:30PM GINGER'S REVENGE Bryan Toney (folk rock), 7:30PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY The Rich Nelson Band, 7:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Amy Steinberg, 7:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Resonant Rogues, 9:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Hot 'n' Nasty Night w/ DJ Hissy Cruise (rock & soul), 10:00PM
CORK & KEG Soul Blue, 8:30PM
LOBSTER TRAP The Gypsy Jazz Trio of Asheville, 6:30PM
CROW & QUILL Queen Bee & the Honeylovers (host jazz & latin music), 9:00PM
MAD CO BREW HOUSE Kevin Williams & Dulci Ellenburger, 6:00PM
DOUBLE CROWN Rock 'n' Soul Obscurities w/ DJ Greg Cartwright, 10:00PM
NEW BELGIUM BREWERY The Snozzberries, 5:30PM
FLEETWOOD'S SMOOTA (TVOTR/ The Gong Show Band) w/ Cold Choir & Pretty Pretty, 9:00PM
NOBLE KAVA House Hoppers, 9:00PM ODDITORIUM Party Foul Drag Circus, 9:00PM
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Fridays w/ members of Phuncle Sam acoustic, 5:30PM Otis , 10:00PM
THE GREY EAGLE David Wilcox's Annual Thanksgiving Homecoming Concert, 8:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Gruda Tree (psychedelic blues 'n soul), 9:00PM
THE MOTHLIGHT Tera Melos w/ Kortriba & Luxury Club, 9:30PM
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: The Log Noggins (southern rock, jazz, jam), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL The Blvckout Pt. 2: DJ Audio, Spaceman Jones & The Motherships & DJ Tune, 8:00PM PACK'S TAVERN DJ Moto, 9:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Kind, Clean Gentlemen, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Travers Brothership CD Release Show, 9:00PM SALVAGE STATION Toubab Krewe, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Jukebox Jessica Stiles & Boppin' Bailey George, 3:00PM Black Friday w/ The Stipe Brothers, 8:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Vinylly Friday, 6:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Black Friday Extravaganza w/ DJ Ngenius (All Black Attire), 10:00PM
THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM
TOWN PUMP Ashes of Old Ways, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES The Vines featuring Linda Wolf (sax jazz, evergreens), 7:30PM Ruby Mayfield Thanksgiving Jam (blues, soul, rock'n roll), 10:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Dirty Dawg, 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Kat Williams, 8:00PM
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Fwuit (Retro Soul), 9:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Swing Step Swing Jam, 5:00PM Jody Carroll Roots & Blues, 8:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Minnesota w/ Pigeon Hole & Illanthropy, 10:00PM BANKS AVE SES: Satisfaction Every Saturday, 9:00PM
We are 3!! Thank You AVL Friends & Supporters! We love you!
Celebrate our 3rd Anniversary and groove to Funk Bandits Kazz & Unk! Wednesday, 11/28 • 8pm • $7
Funk Bandits every Wednesday, 8pm 39 S. Market St, Asheville, NC 28801 • 254-9277 • theblockoffbiltmore.com
23
DAVID WILCOX
28
WED
JUSTIN OSBORNE OF SUSTO
SAT
AN EVENING WITH
THU
AN EVENING WITH
FRI
BLACK MOUNTAIN ALE HOUSE Roots & Dore (blues, roots), 7:30PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Larry Dolamore, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Fret Dreams, 6:30PM CHESTNUT Jazz Brunch, 11:00AM CORK & KEG Zydeco Ya Ya, 8:30PM CROW & QUILL Drayton & the Dreamboats (dreamy vintage), 9:00PM DISTRICT WINE BAR Saturday Night Rock Show, 10:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Soul Motion Dance Party w/ DJ Dr. Filth, 10:00PM FLEETWOOD'S Teenage Takeover, 6:00PM Dex Romweber, Greg Cartwright & The Lonely Teardrops, 8:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Smash Mouth 64 (improv, jam), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Wintervals (indie folk), 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM Shannon Hoover, 8:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Dirty Dead, 9:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Saturday Swing-a-ling w/ DJs Arieh & Chrissy (world soul dance party), 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Sean Mason Trio, 6:30PM LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE BILTMORE PARK Leo Johnson's Gypsy Jazz Brunch, 1:00PM
WEEKLY EVENTS
THIS WEEK AT AVL MUSIC HALL
MG ROAD Late Night Dance Parties w/ DJ Lil Meow Meow, 10:00PM
MAD CO BREW HOUSE Franklin's Kite, 6:00PM NOBLE KAVA Trivia, 6:00PM Shane Parish, 9:00PM ODDITORIUM Tombstone Hwy, Haymaker, Aesoterra (metal), 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: All The Locals Thanksgiving Party (rock, soul, pop-rock), 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: 4th Annual "Prince Vs. Michael Jackson Dance Party" feat. DJ Brandon Audette, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Kid Hop Hooray! Wintertime Indoor Dance Party, 10:00AM Jeremy's Ten: Pearl Jam Tribute & Siamese Dream: The Smashing Pumpkins Tribute, 8:00PM PACK'S TAVERN The Lowdown Band, 9:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Laura Blackley & The Wildflowers, 7:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Gold Rose, 7:00PM Joe Marcinek Band feat. George Porter, Jr., 8:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Keith Davis Trio, 7:30PM SALVAGE STATION Steve Earle & The Dukes, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Ryan Adams Tribute Night w/ Carolina Bound, Further To Fly, Letters To Abigail & The Kevin Stipe Project, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE VINTAGE 1978: Aged To Perfection: Tombstone HWY, Systematic Devastation, The Shrünken Heads, 8 Vacant Graves, 9:00PM
STATIC AGE RECORDS Stood Up! (comedy), 10:00PM
BYWATER Bluegrass Jam w/ Drew Matulich, 4:00PM
THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE WNC Solidarity Concert Series feat. Jason DeCristofaro Benefiting SOUL & SOIL, 2:00PM Salsa Saturday and Latin Dance w/ DJ Edi Fuentes (lesson, 9:00pm), 9:30PM
CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Andy Ferrell, 6:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10:00PM FUNKATORIUM Bluegrass Brunch w/ Gary Macfiddle, 11:00AM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Reggae Sunday w/ Chalwa, 1:00PM
THE GREY EAGLE Acoustic Syndicate: Annual Thanksgiving Homecoming, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Cyndi Lou & The Want To w/ Hearts Gone South & The Jinx, 8:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE Alpha Lee Party (Hip-hop), 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Crystal Fountains, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Josh Singleton & Patrick Dodd (blues, country), 7:30PM Free Flow (funk, soul), 10:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Malcombe Holcombe, 8:00PM
SUN BYRDS OF A FEATHER:
25
GENE CLARK & GRAM PARSONS
MON
26
FRI
THE BLACK LILLIES
SAT
JEFF AUSTIN BAND + THE LARRY KEEL EXPERIENCE + JON STICKLEY TRIO
WED
MIKE FARRIS AND THE FORTUNATE FEW
30
10TH ANNUAL TRIBUTE TO
OPEN MIC NIGHT
1
BEX + CASTERS + TUE SHUTTERINGS + SLEEPY POETRY + ARMADILLA
5
27
MIKE COOLEY
OF DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS
W/ ALEX KRUG COMBO
W/ ADAM WAKEFIELD, 7PM
Asheville’s longest running live music venue • 185 Clingman Ave TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HARVEST RECORDS & THEGREYEAGLE.COM
ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 The Page Brothers: Shades of Blue, 5:30PM Ellis Paul and Tracy Grammer, 7:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Irish/Celtic Jam, 3:00PM JARGON Sunday Blunch w/ Mark Guest & Mary Pearson (jazz), 11:00AM LAZY DIAMOND Punk Night w/ DJ Chubberbird, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Drew Matulich & Friends, 6:30PM
ODDITORIUM Heckdang, Anywhere From Here, Jaeb (indie), 9:00PM
5 WALNUT WINE BAR Random Animals (soul, rock, funk), 7:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Post-Brunch Blues, 4:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Musicians Jam & Pot Luck, 3:30PM
BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Nikki Talley, 2:00PM
29
ACOUSTIC SYNDICATE
NEW BELGIUM BREWERY The Totally Rad Trivia Crossover!, 5:00PM
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25
BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Eric Flanders, 7:00PM
24
W/ ELISE DAVIS
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Bluegrass Brunch w/ Woody & Krekel & Bald Mountain Boys, 10:30AM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Soul Jam w/ Ted Marks, Brennan Duggan, & Rachel Waterhouse, 8:00PM ORANGE PEEL Waltz Night (lesson at 6:00PM, dance at 7:00PM), 6:00PM
THIS WEEK AT THE ONE STOP:
DO CA$ NA H T IO
FRI 11/23 OTIS - [Blues/Rock] SAT 11/24 Space Mammals - [Funk/Jazz]
N$
UPCOMING SHOWS - ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL:
ORGAN FREEMAN + The Digs
MINNESOTA
w/ Pigeon Hole & illanthropy.
FRI 11/23 - S HOW : 9:30 pm (D OORS : 9 pm) - adv. $12
TUESDAY:
Turntable Tuesday - 10pm
SAT 11/24 - S HOW : 10 pm (D OORS : 9 pm) - T ICKETS : $20
WEDNESDAY:
THURSDAY:
FRIDAY:
BROWN BAG SONGWRITING COMPETITION - 6pm
Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia 6:30pm
F ree Dead F riday
Disclaimer Comedy 9:30pm
5pm
SUNDAY: Bluegrass Brunch
ft. Bald Mountain Boys + Aaron “Woody” Wood and Friends - 10:30am-3pm
11/30 Brown Bag Songwriting Competition 2018 FINALS 12/1 An Evening with Start Making Sense [Talking Heads Tribute] + HALF STATE 12/7 Enter The Earth 17th Annual Xmas Party 12/8 Freddy Todd, kLL sMTH 12/10 Akae Beka w/ Dub Kartel
TICKETS & FULL CALENDAR AVAILABLE AT ASHEVILLEMUSICHALL.COM
@AVLMusicHall MOUNTAINX.COM
@OneStopAVL NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
53
C LUBLAND PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6:30PM SALVAGE STATION Karaoke, 8:30PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Sly Grog Open Mic, 6:30AM
COMING SOON WED 11/21 7:00PM–SWAMP RABBIT RAILROAD
8:30PM–THE LOST CHORD: MOODY BLUES TRIBUTE BAND 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORD
FRI 11/23 7:00PM–AMY STEINBERG
SAT 11/24 CHEF PORTER’S SUSHI NIGHT: NEGIMAKI ROLL, SPICY TUNA, CALIFORNIA ROLL, KAPPA MAKI ROLL, AHI TUNA TOWER
SUN 11/25 5:30PM–THE PAGE BROTHERS: SHADES OF BLUE 7:30PM–ELLIS PAUL AND TRACY GRAMMER
TUE 11/27 7:30PM–TUES. BLUEGRASS SESSIONS HOSTED BY THE ROBERT MABE BAND
WED 11/28
7:00PM–TOUGH OLD BIRD 8:30PM–TAYLOR MARTIN
THU 11/29 7:00PM–THE RIGHTLY SO: AWARD-WINNING ACOUSTIC AMERICANA 8:30PM–THE BAREFOOT MOVEMENT HOLIDAY SHOW
FRI 11/30 8:30PM–OXFORD AMERICAN’S 2018 NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC ISSUE CELEBRATION: A STATEWIDE SINGING CIRCLE
SAT 12/1
8:30PM–GABRIEL KAHANE
SUN 12/2 5:30PM–SARA BURTON 7:30PM–”EVERYBODY IS A STAR” UPLIFTING SONGS TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH PEGGY RATUSZ & FRIENDS
TUE 12/4 7:30PM–TUES. BLUEGRASS SESSIONS- HOLLY HILL RAMBLERS
WED 12/5 7:00PM–CAROLINE COTTER 8:30PM–FEED THE NEED- MANNA FOODBANK BENEFIT
THU 12/6 7:00PM–SARAH PEACOCK
FRI 12/7 7:00PM–SARAH POTENZA
SUN 12/9 5:30PM–CLAUDIA NYGAARD 7:30PM–JOE JENCKS & SI KAHN IN CONCERT
TUE 12/11 7:30PM–TUESDAY BLUEGRASS SESSIONS HOSTED BY THE DARREN NICHOLSON BAND
WED 12/12 7:00PM–JACOB JOHNSON’S
ALMOST ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS 8:30PM–STATE BIRDS WITH SIPE, SEAL, FOUNTAIN, & LOPES
ISISASHEVILLE.COM DINNER MENU TIL 9:30PM LATE NIGHT MENU TIL 12AM
TUES-SUN 5PM-until 743 HAYWOOD RD 828-575-2737
54
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
MOUNTAINX.COM
THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE De La Noche Live Argentine Tango Orchestra & Milonga Dance, (lesson at 7:00PM), 8:00PM THE BARRELHOUSE Open Mic, 6:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Birds of a Feather: 10th Annual Tribute to Gene Clark & Gram Parsons, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE BYOV w/ DJ drew, 8:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz, 7:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Ken Coulsen & Ashley Heath, 7:30PM
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Siamese Sound Club (R&B, soul, jazz), 8:00PM ARCHETYPE BREWING Old-Time Jam, 6:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Classical Guitar Mondays, 7:30PM BYWATER Baile w/ Shift Mojo, Konglo, & Scripta, 12:00PM CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Open Mic hosted by Jon Edwards, 6:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10:00PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Quizzo Trivia, 7:30PM Open Mic, 9:30PM LOBSTER TRAP Bobby Miller & Friends, 6:30PM NOBLE KAVA Ladies Night Showcase: Crooner's Night., 8:00PM ODDITORIUM Risque Monday Burlesque w/ Deb Au Nare, 9:00PM
OLE SHAKEY'S Live Band Honky Tonk Karaoke, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Open Mic Night w/ Anthony Willingham, 7:30PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Jazz Night Hosted by Ray Ring & Jason DeCristofaro, 8:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Eric Congdon, 7:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY North Carolina Songwriters Night w/ The Gathering Dark, 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Yam Fest w/ Corey the Gardener (comedy open-mic), 9:00PM THE ASHEVILLE CLUB Mr. Jimmy, 6:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Open Mic Night, 6:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Leo Johnson (Gypsy jazz), 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Fantomex w/ Poet Radio & The Spiral, 9:00PM TOWN PUMP Dallas Danger, 9:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Monday Bluegrass Jam hosted by Sam Wharton, 7:00PM
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27 5 WALNUT WINE BAR The John Henrys (hot Jazz), 8:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Gypsy Jazz Jam Tuesdays, 7:30PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday night funk jam, 11:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Mark Bumgarner, 7:00PM BYWATER Baile w/ Shift Mojo, Konglo, & Scripta, 12:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Sonic Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions hosted by the Robert Mabe Band, 7:30PM
LAZY DIAMOND Noise Oasis w/ DJ Salty Stax (post punk), 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Jay Brown, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Synth Jam, 8:00PM NOBLE KAVA Open Jam, 9:00PM ODDITORIUM Free Open Mic Comedy, 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Booty Tuesday w/ DJ Meow Meow (rap, trap, hip-hop), 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Turntable Tuesday, 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: 5J Barrow (folk rock, singer songwriter), 6:00PM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Les Amis (African folk music), 8:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Mark Bumgarner, 7:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 8:00PM CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats (rock n' roll dance party), 7:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesdays w/ Classic Honky-Tonk Bands, 9:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tough Old Bird, 7:00PM Taylor Martin, 8:30PM
SALVAGE STATION Trivia, 7:00PM
JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5:00PM
SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Taco and Trivia Tuesday, 6:00PM
LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim, 10:00PM
THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Swing Asheville Tuesday Swing Party feat. The Posey Quartet (lesson at 7:00PM), 8:00PM Blues Dance, 11:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Bex, Casters, Shutterings, Sleepy Poetry & Armadilla, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Leo Johnson (Gypsy jazz), 9:00PM THE MARKET PLACE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE Bob Zullo, 6:30PM TIMO'S HOUSE Karaoke w/ Vvitchboy & DJ drew, 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Tough Old Bird, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Early Funk Jam (funk, jazz), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Twin Leaf Trivia Tuesday, 8:00PM
LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM
TAVERN Downtown on the Park Eclectic Menu • Over 30 Taps • Patio 14 TV’s • Sports Room • 110” Projector Event Space • Shuffleboard Open 7 Days 11am - Late Night THA
WE
NKSGIV
ING
ET!
BUFF COOK, WE CLE AN, YOU ENJOY!
FRI. 11/23 DJ MoTo (dance hits, pop)
SAT. 11/24 The Lowdown Band (classic hits)
20 S. Spruce St. • 225.6944 packStavern.com
NANTAHALA BREWING ASHEVILLE OUTPOST Robert's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Poetry Open Mic with Caleb Beissert (sign up at 7:30PM), 8:00PM ODDITORIUM Galena, Uncle Kurtis (rock), 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Sexy Tunes w/ DJ's Zeus & Franco, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Claudio Simonetti's Goblin performs Suspiria, 8:00PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Hope Griffin, 7:00PM SALVAGE STATION Open Mic, 7:00PM
UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Open Mic Night: Anniversary Competition, 6:30PM
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY Jazz Night hosted by Jason DeCristofaro, 6:30PM
WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Jam, 6:30PM Open Mic, 8:30PM
STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Andrew Thelston, 6:00PM
MOUNTAINX.COM
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
55
CLU B LA N D
FRI
11/23
Reasonably Priced Babies [Improv Comedy]
DOORS: 7PM / SHOW: 8PM
THU
11/29
FRI
Asheville Circus [Electric Americana]
DOORS: 8PM / SHOW: 9PM
The Freeway Revival
11/30
w/ City Dirt Trio
[Mountain Music/Funk/Soul]
DOORS: 8PM / SHOW: 9PM
SONGS OF HOPE: Beloved local blues and soul artist Kat Williams, who has been battling stage 5 kidney disease, recently found an organ donor in the Asheville community. As she moves toward healing and recovery, Williams will give a performance at White Horse Black Mountain on Friday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m. Proceeds from the show benefit Williams’ transplant and medical costs, and donations are also being accepted by Unity of The Blue Ridge in Mills River, where Williams regularly performs. $18 advance/$20 day of show. whitehorseblackmountain.com. Photo courtesy of Herb Way
828-332-3090 312 HAYWOOD RD, WEST ASHEVILLE
www.ambrosewest.com
THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Block 3rd Anniversary Party w/ Asheville's Most Wanted Funk Bandits, Kazz and Unk, 8:00PM THE GREY EAGLE SUSTO Series: Justin Osborne of SUSTO Acoustic, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio (jazz, funk, soul), 9:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE Hip Hop Hump Day w/ DJ drew, 8:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Blues & Soul Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Music Bingo, 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jazz Night: The Bill Bares Trio, 7:30PM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Pleasure Chest (Blues, Rock, Soul), 8:00PM
56
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
MOUNTAINX.COM
BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Alien Music Club (jazz), 9:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Matt Sellars, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Tim Levene & Laura Laughter, 6:00PM BYWATER Open Mic w/ John Duncan, 7:00PM CITY OF MORGANTON MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM A Very Electric Christmas: Lightwire Theatre, 7:30PM CROW & QUILL Carolina Catskins (gritty ragtime jazz), 9:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Old Gold w/ DJ Jasper (rock 'n soul vinyl), 10:00PM FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER True Home Open Mic (6pm sign-up), 6:30PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Tao Jones (funk, jam), 9:00PM
AMBROSE WEST Asheville Circus (electric Americana), 9:00PM
FOLKMOOT FRIENDSHIP CENTER Art of Music Festival Waynesville Kickoff at Folkmoot, 6:00PM
ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray & The Space Cooties, 7:30PM
FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Brian Stephenson (bluegrass), 6:00PM
FUNKATORIUM Hot Club of Asheville, 8:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY The Patrick Dodd Trio, 6:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 The Rightly So (acoustic Americana), 7:00PM The Barefoot Movement Holiday Show, 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM LAZY DIAMOND 80's Invasion w/ DJ Chubberbird (80s dance party), 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Hank Bones, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Vinyl Night, 8:00PM NOBLE KAVA Hip-Hop Night, 9:00PM OWL BAKERY Thursday Night Jazz, 7:30PM ODDITORIUM Party Foul Weekly Drag, 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/ Franco, 10:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Adwela & The Uprising, 10:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Ethan Heller & The Jam Fam (jam band), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Michelle Wolf [SOLD OUT], 7:00PM PACK'S TAVERN Jeff Anders & Jason Whitaker, 8:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY The Paper Crowns Duo, 8:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Michael Reno Harrell, 7:30PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Toadface, G-Space, Zeplinn & Spokes, 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Open Mic, 7:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Mike Cooley (Drive-By Truckers), 9:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Burger Kings (rock n' roll), 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Adrienne Ammerman w/ Divine Circles, 8:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE BRRRZDAY w/ Jj Smash & Genetix, 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Around Hounds, 9:00PM
TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Virginia & The Slims (blues, swing), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9:30PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Dave Desmelik Songwriter Series, 7:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Clarinet Holiday, 2:00PM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 5 WALNUT WINE BAR The Get Right Band (funk, rock, Reggae), 9:00PM AMBROSE WEST The Freeway Revival w/ City Dirt Trio (mountain music, funk, soul), 9:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Big City Blues Jam, 7:30PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Brown Bag Songwriting Competition 2018 Finals, 7:00PM BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Hot Club of Asheville, 5:30PM BEN'S TUNE UP Throwback dance Party w/ DJ Kilby, 10:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Acoustic Swing, 7:00PM
FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Simon George and Friends (jazz, funk), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Scott Bianchi & Friends (gothic folk), 6:00PM FROG LEVEL BREWERY Art of the Music Week: Elysium Park Band, 7:00PM FUNKATORIUM Pleasure Chest, 8:00PM
OWB West: The Anton Filippone Band (originals, blues, soul, R&B), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL 7th Annual Home for the Holidays FUNdraiser w/ Lyric & Swing Step, 5:00PM PACK'S TAVERN DJ Dayo, 9:30PM
PISGAH BREWING COMPANY GrudaTree, 8:00PM SALVAGE STATION Big Something Night I, 9:00PM STRAIGHTAWAY CAFE Vinylly Friday, 6:00PM THE GREY EAGLE The Black Lillies w/ Alex Krug Combo, 9:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM
THE MOTHLIGHT SLUGLY Album Release w/ The Holifields & Temp Job, 9:00PM THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM Kansas, 8:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE G3MS (house music), 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Chicken Coop Willaye Trio, 9:00PM
TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES The Shane Gang (blues, soul), 10:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Jarvis Jenkins Band, 9:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Joshua Messick (hammered dulcimer Christmas), 8:00PM
GINGER'S REVENGE Sister Ivy (soulfusion), 7:30PM HENDERSONVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical, 7:30PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Porch 40, 7:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Oxford American’s 2018 North Carolina Music Issue Celebration: A Statewide Singing Circle, 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB The Barsters, 9:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Hot 'n' Nasty Night w/ DJ Hissy Cruise (rock & soul), 10:00PM MAD CO BREW HOUSE John The Revelator, 6:00PM
BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER 28 Pages, 6:00PM
NEW BELGIUM BREWERY Redleg Husky, 5:30PM
CATAWBA BREWING SOUTH SLOPE Dave Desmelik Trio, 7:00PM
NOBLE KAVA Noble Pursuits: An Original Music Series w/ Jason Moore, 9:00PM
CORK & KEG The Gypsy Swingers, 8:30PM
ODDITORIUM Asheville After Dark Presents: Perversions (18+ kink night), 9:00PM
CROW & QUILL Momma Molasses (dreamy folk), 9:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING WEST
DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE The Nutcracker & The Mouse King, 7:30PM
ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Fridays w/ members of Phuncle Sam acoustic, 5:30PM
DOUBLE CROWN Rock 'n' Soul Obscurities w/ DJ Greg Cartwright, 10:00PM
ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Bardic Alchemy (Celtic rock), 9:00PM
MOUNTAINX.COM
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
57
MOVIES
REVIEWS & LISTINGS BY SCOTT DOUGLAS, FRANCIS X. FRIEL & JUSTIN SOUTHER
HHHHH = H PICK OF THE WEEK H
MAX RATING Xpress reviews virtually all upcoming movies, with two or three of the most noteworthy appearing in print. You can find our online reviews at mountainx.com/movies/reviews. This week, they include: BOY ERASED (PICK OF THE WEEK) HHHHS FANTASTIC BEASTS 2 INSTANT FAMILY A PRIVATE WAR WIDOWS
Director Joel Edgerton offers a strikingly nuanced examination of gay conversion therapy in Boy Erased.
Boy Erased HHHHS DIRECTOR: Joel Edgerton (The Gift) PLAYERS: Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Joel Edgerton, Xavier Dolan DRAMA RATED R THE STORY: A young man is entered into gay conversion therapy by his religious parents. THE LOWDOWN: A morally nuanced and gently humane film with an expert cast. Joel Edgerton’s Boy Erased, based on Garrard Conley’s memoir of the same name, is a strikingly nuanced examination not just of gay conversion therapy, but also the conflict 58
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
that ingrained religious beliefs can inject into families. There’s no real villain in the picture. Instead, it’s just a collection of sometimes sad and sometimes monstrously and dangerously misguided people. I don’t want that to come across as a defense of anyone’s actions, seeing as how the film and its source material are based on real life, but the movie does a wonderful job of creating a moral complexity within its characters. It’s an astonishing accomplishment when you realize how easily Boy Erased could have taken an easier route through vilification and ugliness. Lucas Hedges plays Jared (who’s oddly explicitly pointed out to be
MOUNTAINX.COM
Garrard at the end of the film but is always called Jared within the plot), the son of a loving, doting mother (Nicole Kidman) and a seemingly understanding father (Russell Crowe). The film opens with Jared being sent to conversion therapy, with the bulk of the film cutting to what happens to him there and the road that led his family to decide to place him there. Early on, the therapy seems like a wholly supportive thing, but so does Jared’s family life, with everyone trying to do the “right thing.” It’s almost a bit too perfect as it’s obvious that Jared’s place in all of this confuses him, as the therapy itself becomes off-putting and
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uncomfortable and he comes to find out that the length and intensity of the program aren’t what he was promised. Much of the film revolves around understanding. It’s the understanding within Jared that no amount of “therapy” will change who he naturally is; the understanding of his parents to wrestle with the choice of their religion or their son; and Jared’s understanding of who he is as a person. At the same time, the film touches at the dangers of denying your nature, of trying to change who you fundamentally are and the sheer unhealthiness of undertaking such a task. It’s in these moments that the film’s heaviest moments lie. There’s nothing truly flashy about the film, which doesn’t really matter since it’s real strengths lie in its quiet humanity. If I can give one critique, it’s that its run time overstays its welcome just a bit, dampening the impact of a movie that might have had more of an emotional impact with some tightening. But this is perhaps a nitpick, especially for a movie that does so much right, from its message to its cast. Rated R or sexual content including an assault, some language and brief drug use. Now playing at the Fine Arts Theatre. REVIEWED BY JUSTIN SOUTHER JSOUTHER@MOUNTAINX.COM
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A Private War HHH DIRECTOR: Matthew Heineman PLAYERS: Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan, Tom Hollander, Stanley Tucci, Faye Marsay, Nikki Amuka-Bird BIOPIC RATED R THE STORY: Globetrotting war correspondent Marie Colvin risks her life, time and again, to report on the world’s most dangerous conflicts. THE LOWDOWN: An uneven film about an extraordinary subject, elevated by a dynamic performance from star Rosamund Pike. Sometimes it can be hard to understand the motivations of people who put themselves in harm’s way, and “war correspondent” ranks high on the list of jobs I can’t imagine ever wanting. The strength of director Matthew Heineman’s biopic of award-winning journalist Marie Colvin, A Private War, is that it psychologizes its subject without belaboring the point, delivering a moving character study that
peels back the layers of a distinctive, if occasionally impenetrable mind. Though Heineman’s narrative structure is frustratingly convoluted, star Rosamund Pike delivers a powerful performance that mitigates many of the film’s cinematic shortcomings. Still, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that such a moving subject deserved a better film treatment. Whether or not you recognize the name, you’ve probably come across Marie Colvin’s work. In her 30-plusyear career covering conflicts ranging from Iraq and Afghanistan to Libya and Syria and everything in between, Colvin continuously risked her life to bring attention to those affected by violence. Basically, if there was a shooting war between the mid’80s and her untimely death in 2012, Colvin was there. She even turned in a story on deadline after losing an eye to an RPG in El Salvador — to put that in perspective, I can’t reliably hit a deadline if I run out of coffee. It’s a remarkable life, one that Heineman and screenwriter Arash Amel cover competently in spite of their tendency to overcomplicate matters. Pike’s performance lends Colvin an appropriately hard edge while still conveying the beating heart at the core of her character. It would have been easy to lose Colvin’s humanity amid her almost superhuman feats of reckless disregard for personal safety, but Pike gives consistent indications of what’s going on behind the eye patch. It’s a remarkably powerful performance, and I would go so far as to say Pike deserves some love for it come Oscar season. While Heineman and Amel do their best to suggest the motivations at the core of Colvin’s increasingly dangerous lifestyle, they don’t really reach a satisfying conclusion in their solipsistic quest to define the indefinable. I doubt it would have been possible to really get to the heart of what compelled Colvin to take the risks that she did, but A Private War comes closest when it allows Colvin to speak for herself, pulling from an interview in which she described her desire to make people care about these war zones as much as she did. The idea of convincing people, safe at home in their bubble of privilege, to empathize with the human cost of military conflict, is a tall order under the best of circumstances. That Colvin managed to put a human face to those living through these struggles while reporting from the front lines is an astonishing feat for which we all owe her a posthumous debt of gratitude. The real pitfall for A Private War is that Heineman and Amel man-
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MOVIES gle their structure and pacing so egregiously that Colvin’s story is occasionally obscured by their baffling narrative choices. Heineman deconstructs his timeline and cuts between Colvin’s internal and external point of view with a grating inconsistency, jarring the viewer out of engagement with the story. While Colvin’s character is sufficiently developed, those in her orbit are not so lucky, and the film suffers as a result. Still, despite its shortcomings, A Private War is a film that sheds light on a deserving subject — and Pike’s performance really is something to write home about. Rated R for disturbing violent images, language throughout, and brief sexuality/nudity. Now Playing at Carolina Cinemark. REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM
Widows HHHS DIRECTOR: Steve McQueen PLAYERS: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell CRIME THRILLER RATED R THE STORY: When their husbands rob the wrong people and wind up dead, their widows bands together to pull off a daring heist. THE LOWDOWN: A compellingly gritty thriller that tweaks genre conventions in some interesting ways, even as it finds itself weighed down by extraneous plot threads. Just because I thought 12 Years a Slave was undeserving of the hype it received doesn’t mean that I don’t consider Steve McQueen to be a good director. With Widows, McQueen has delivered something that’s firmly in my genre-loving wheelhouse and still manages to
FILM FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black
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Mountain, 828-3579009, floodgallery.org • FR (11/23), 8-10pm Classic World Cinema: Z, film screening. Free to attend.
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
maintain a level of social insight that distinguishes it from other films of its ilk. Widows may be a pretty standard heist movie by most objective metrics, but it’s clear that McQueen and screenwriter Gillian Flynn have something more on their minds than your average crime thriller. Sometimes those very ambitions can muddy the waters, but with its exceptional cast and McQueen’s tastefully restrained stylistic flourishes, the end result is a compelling and thought-provoking film that doesn’t skimp on the suspense even as its plot spirals wildly out of control. To call the narrative of Widows byzantine would be something of an understatement; to call it overwrought might be closer to the mark. When a robbery goes wrong and the holdup men are killed on the job, the crime boss they stole from comes to their widows to collect (hence the title). Rather than simply pony up the cash, the women band together to pull off a heist their husbands had planned before they met their untimely end, ostensibly settling their debt while proving they’re just as badass as their late husbands. But wait! There’s also a political subplot about gerrymandering and gentrification in Chicago. And there’s a thoroughly unnecessary third-act plot twist that comes out of nowhere. And we’ve also got a racist Robert Duvall! There’s a lot going on is what I’m saying — unfortunately, not all of it makes sense. What does make sense here is that Viola Davis is awesome, and McQueen gives her plenty of room to prove that point. As the leader of the gang, composed of Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo, Davis exhibits a steely determination tempered by an emotional vulnerability that gives her character some genuine depth. Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya and Bryan Tyree Henry are suitably sleazy as the villains of the piece, and Duvall seems to be having a good time hamming up the racist grandpa routine as Farrell’s kingmaker dad, but it’s really the ladies who are the stars of the show. Performances are strong across the board, and while I wish McQueen and Flynn would have spent less time on Liam Neeson’s redundant tough-guy act or Debicki’s prostitution subplot and paid more attention to developing Erivo’s character, they more or less get the job done. My only real complaint with Widows is that, because of all its highminded ideals, it frequently feels
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by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com mentary tells the story of Kevin Hines, who attempted to take his life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge when he was 19 years old. Since the incident, Hines has become a prominent suicide prevention speaker and mental health advocate, using his story to help others overcome their struggles. The film also spotlights some of the world’s leading suicide prevention experts and profiles people who are using personal experiences with suicide to give others the hope they need to survive. A panel discussion will follow the screening. Free. isothermal.edu
BREAKING BIG: Asheville native Kade’sha Barnard will be featured on two episodes of the Showtime comedy “Shameless” that will air in February. Photo by Trang Vo • Asheville native Kade’sha Barnard will be featured on upcoming episodes of the Showtime comedy “Shameless.” The Los Angelesbased actress and singer-songwriter will play Gloria, whom a press release describes as “a spoiled college sorority sister who is looking for an easy way to score some extra cash. She soon meets Frank Gallagher, played by William H. Macy, who doesn’t make it so easy on her.” Barnard will appear in the season’s 10th and 11th episodes, slated to air on Sundays, Feb. 3 and 10. facebook.com/officialkadesha • On Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 6 p.m., Vaya Health and United Way of Rutherford County present a screening of Suicide: The Ripple Effect in the Library Auditorium on the campus of Isothermal Community College, 286 ICC Loop Road, Spindale. The docu-
unfocused. The feminist empowerment angle is clearly the selling point, so why bog that down with a political plot that doesn’t make much of a point? Yes, the influence of dirty money and institutionalized racism on minority communities is pretty interesting stuff, but save it for another movie. Still, if you’re in the market for suitably twisty caper flick with strong feminist overtones
• Asheville School of Film, 45 S. French Broad Ave., offers a four-week Motion Picture Lighting course starting Wednesday, Nov. 28, 6:30-9:30 p.m. The classes will provide hands-on practice exercises involving scene setups and live actors to create an authentic film experience. The advanced techniques learned in the course may then be applied on a smaller scale for short films and modest-budget independent feature productions. Tuition is $150 for first-time students and $120 for ASoF alumni. A $50 nonrefundable deposit is required to secure the registration. ashevilleschooloffilm.com • Registration is open for The Joseph Initiative’s What’s Your Story Filmmaking Class. The 10-week course begins Thursday, Feb. 7, 5:30-7 p.m. at an as-yet-undetermined location. Ten teenagers, ages 13-17, will work with local documentary filmmaker Troy Burnette and conduct interviews with members of the Asheville community. The filmed segments will then be turned into documentary short films that will be posted on YouTube. According to the course description, the interviews “will be designed to gather stories about the area told through the eyes of the eclectic group of individuals who call Western North Carolina home.” Tuition is $150. josephcommunitycenter.org X
and an interesting take on a welltrodden genre, Widows is right on the money. Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual content/nudity. Now Playing at Carolina Cinemark, Grail Moviehouse, Regal Biltmore Grande. REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM
STARTI NG F RI DA Y
Creed II Follow-up sequel to a sequel in the Rocky universe, starring Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren. According to the studio: “Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family's past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all, and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what's worth fighting for and discover that nothing's more important than family.” Early reviews positive. (PG-13)
Green Book Period drama from director Peter Farrelly, starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. According to the studio: “When Tony Lip (Mortensen), a bouncer from an ItalianAmerican neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a worldclass black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger as well as unexpected humanity and humor — they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.” Early reviews positive. (PG-13)
the
humor issue!
Coming Jan. 2nd
Ralph Breaks the Internet Disney/Pixar animated sequel with an all-star ensemble voice cast. According to the studio: “Video game bad guy Ralph and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz must risk it all by traveling to the World Wide Web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope's video game, ‘Sugar Rush.’ In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet — the netizens — to help navigate their way, including an entrepreneur named Yesss, who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making site BuzzzTube.” Early reviews positive. (PG)
Putting the ‘bunk’ back in bucombe!
Robin Hood Reboot of the classic adventure tale, starring Aaron Egerton and Jamie Foxx. According to the studio: “Robin of Loxley (Egerton) a war-hardened Crusader and his Moorish commander (Foxx) mount an audacious revolt against the corrupt English crown in a thrilling action-adventure packed with gritty battlefield exploits, mind-blowing fight choreography and a timeless romance.” No early reviews. (PG-13)
SP E CI AL SCREENI NGS
Francis of Assisi HHH DIRECTOR: Michael Curtiz PLAYERS: Bradford Dillman, Dolores Hart, Stuart Whitman, Pedro Armendáriz, Finlay Currie DRAMA Rated NR Director Michael Curtiz has 178 titles to his credit (according to IMDb), so he can be forgiven if some of them are less impressive than others. While 1961’s Francis of Assisi certainly falls into the category of lesser Curtiz, it’s not exactly bad so much as it is uninspired. This biopic covering the life of Francis Bernardone, the privileged son of a 13th-century merchant who would abandon a life of secular pleasures to devote his life to monastic pursuits, frequently feels phoned in to a degree that will surprise no one familiar with Curtiz’s late-career works. It’s an overwrought melodrama that fails to capture the emotional core of its subject amid its excessive pomp and self-importance. Primarily of interest to hardcore Catholics or Curtiz completists. The Hendersonville Film Society will show Francis of Assisi on Sunday, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.
Z HHHHH DIRECTOR: Costa-Gavras PLAYERS: Yves Montand, Irene Pappas, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jacques Perrin, Charles Denner POLITICAL THRILLER Rated PG CostaGavras’ Z (1969) was undoubtedly the first overtly political film I ever saw, and I’m sure that at the age of 15, I actually understood very little of it. What I did understand and respond to was the film’s in-your-face attitude — daring to announce its leftist political agenda with a special credit, “Any similarity to actual persons or events is deliberate,” boldly signed by Costa-Gavras and screenwriter Jorge Semprún. Bear in mind, this was 1969 — a mere year after we’d been treated to the jingoistic claptrap of John Wayne’s The Green Berets. This seemed like the most daring work imaginable — a film that had the nerve not merely to suggest, but to outright state, that we were being systematically and deliberately brainwashed by the governments of the world. The amazing thing is that it’s as fresh and cogent today as it was then — or perhaps it’s simply that real life has made it once again relevant. See it — your apathy may never be the same. This excerpt was taken from a review by Ken Hanke originally published on Aug. 2, 2006. Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Z on Friday, Nov. 23, at the new Flood Gallery location in Black Mountain, 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black Mountain.
Cartoon by Brent Brown
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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): In his autobiography On the Move, neurologist Oliver Sacks praised his friend Jerry’s curiosity and knowledge. “Jerry has one of the most spacious, thoughtful minds I have ever encountered, with a vast base of knowledge of every sort,” wrote Sacks, “but it is a base under continual questioning and scrutiny.” So willing was Jerry to question and re-evaluate his own assumptions that Sacks said he had “seen his friend suddenly stop in mid-sentence and say, ’I no longer believe what I was about to say.’” That’s the gold standard to which I hope you will aspire in the coming weeks, Aries. As bright and articulate as you’ll be, you will have an even higher calling to expand your mind through continual questioning. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In recent years, a few pioneers have gotten microchips implanted under their skin. These technological marvels enable them to open doors and turn on lights with merely a wave of their hands, or receive up-to-the-minute readings on what’s transpiring inside their bodies. Now an additional frontier has arisen: people using do-it-yourself kits to experiment on their own DNA. For example, some have tweaked their genes so their bodies create more muscle than is natural. I would love for you to change yourself around in the coming weeks, Taurus, but not in these particular ways. I’d rather see you do subtle psychological and spiritual work. The astrological omens suggest it’s a favorable time for focused self-transformation. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Are you smart enough to take advantage of the fact that your best relationships would benefit from bursts of innovative energy in the coming weeks? Are you brave enough to banish the ghost that still haunts your romantic life? Do you have the moxie to explore frontiers with collaborators who play fair and know how to have fun? Will you summon the curiosity and initiative to learn new strategies about how to enhance your approach to intimacy? I’ll answer those questions in your behalf: yes, yes, yes, and yes. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Would you agree with me that there are both boring, tiresome problems and fun, interesting problems? If so, read on. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you’re at a fork in your path where you could either get further involved with a boring, tiresome problem or else a fun, interesting one. (I think you’ll have to engage with one or the other.) Of course, I’m rooting for you to proactively wrangle with the fun, interesting one. Here’s timely inspiration from Cancerian author John W. Gardner: “We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The Jharia Coalfield in eastern India is a 110-square-mile reserve of underground coal. In some places, it’s on fire and has been burning for over 100 years. This isn’t a good thing. It’s wasteful and causes pollution. But now I’ll ask you to put aside that scenario and imagine a more benevolent kind of steadily burning fire: a splendor in your soul that never stops radiating warmth and light; that draws from an inexhaustible source of fuel; that is a constant source of strength and courage and power. I’m happy to tell you that the coming months will be a favorable time to establish and nurture this eternal flame. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Marilyn Monroe, Georgia O’Keeffe and President Franklin Roosevelt were direct descendants of the pilgrims who sailed from England to the New World on the famous Mayflower ship in 1620. I, on the other hand, am a direct descendant of a 19th-century Slovakian coal miner who toiled in the underground darkness. What about you, Virgo? Now would be a rich and provocative time to reconnect with your roots; to remember where your people originated; to explore the heritage that served as the matrix from which you sprouted.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to researchers who study animal behavior at two Italian universities, chickens can do arithmetic. The birds don’t even need to be trained; the skill seems to be innate. (Read details here: tinyurl.com/ChickensDoMath.) I’m wondering whether chickens born under the sign of Libra might even be able to do algebra in the coming weeks. According to my assessment of the astrological omens, the mental acuity of many Libran creatures will be at a peak. How will you use your enhanced intelligence? SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In March 2005, far more people than usual won big money in a regional Powerball lottery in the U.S. The average for each draw is four winners, but on this special occasion, 110 players were awarded at least $100,000 and as much as $500,000. The reason for the anomaly seemed to have been an oracle that appeared in a number of widely distributed fortune cookies. It provided five of the six winning numbers. Inspired by this crazy stroke of good fortune, and in accordance with the favorable financial omens now coming to bear on you, I hereby offer you six numbers to use as your lucky charms. Will they help you win a game of chance? I can’t be sure. At the very least, they will titillate and massage the part of your psyche that is magnetic to wealth. Here they are: 37. 16. 58. 62. 82. 91. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “You have two ways to live your life,” writes spiritual teacher Joseph Vitale, “from memory or inspiration.” In other words, you can take your cues about how to live your life from what happened in the past or else you can make your decisions based on what you’re excited to do and become in the future. According to my analysis, the next 10 months will be an excellent time for you to fully embrace the latter approach. And it all starts now. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ve always got more help available than you imagine, and that’s especially true these days. Both people you know and people you don’t know may come to your assistance and offer extra support — especially if you meet two conditions: 1. you sincerely believe you deserve their assistance and support; 2. you clearly ask for their assistance and support. Now here’s more good news about the help that’s available. Whether or not you believe in spiritual beings, they, too, are primed to offer blessings and resources. If you don’t believe in their existence, I invite you to pretend you do and see what happens. If you do believe in them, formulate clear requests for what you’d like them to offer you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In one of his poems, Arthur Rimbaud extolled the exquisite evenings when the mist soaked his face as he strolled, and he sipped that heavenly dew till he was drunk. Was he speaking literally or metaphorically? Probably both, if I know Rimbaud. Anyway, Aquarius, I’d love for you to engage in similar exploits. What are some natural adventures that might intoxicate you? What simple pleasures may alter your consciousness, nudging you free of its habits? Meditate with sweet abandon on how to free yourself through the power of play and the imagination. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): It’s illegal to hunt animals in Kenya. But members of the Dorobo tribe circumvent the law to provide food for their families. As three or more Dorobo men wander out on the savanna, they wait for hungry lions to kill a wildebeest or other creature. Then they stride toward the feasting beasts in a calm show of force until the predators run away in confusion. The brave scavengers swoop in and swiftly remove a portion of the wildebeest, then coolly walk away, leaving plenty for the lions when they return to their meal. I bring this scene to your attention, Pisces, because I suspect that in the coming weeks you will have similar levels of courage and poise as you go after what you want.
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4 BED, 4.5 BATH HOME West Asheville off Patton. Hardwoods throughout. Approved for SHORT TERM RENTAL. John Hale & Company, john@johnhalenc.com, Owner/Broker. 828-226-3279.
JACOB'S LADDER THRIFTSHOP NOW OPEN! Good quality used • Furniture • Household goods • Kitchen stuff and more! • Come in for great deals! Rear entrance of Red Oak Crossing. 1318C Jupiter Road, Weaverville. (828) 519-9090.
RENTALS CONDOS/ TOWNHOMES FOR RENT NORTH ASHEVILLE TOWNHOUSES 1 mile from Downtown Asheville. Hardwood floors, nice North Asheville neighborhood on busline. • No pets. 1BR/1BA: $745 • 2BR/1BA: $845 • 3BR/1BA: $945. Call 828-252-4334.
ROOMMATES ROOMMATES NEED A ROOMMATE? Roommates.com will help you find your Perfect Match™ today! (AAN CAN) SENIOR MALE NEEDS ROOM Seeking Christian roommate to share expense who is ok with me content with hair and having teacup chihuahua. Call 707-223-1619, prophetmark.voiceofGod@ gmail.com SOUTH ASHEVILLE Female college Professor is seeking a compatible Female roommate to share a spacious, furnished 2BR/2BA luxury apartment. $800/ month includes all utilities. Call: (914) 419-6604.
EMPLOYMENT GENERAL TROLLEY TOUR GUIDES If you are a "people person," love Asheville, have a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and clean driving record you could be a great Tour Guide. Full-time and seasonal part-time positions available. Training provided. Contact us today! 828 251-8687. Info@GrayLineAsheville.com www.GrayLineAsheville.com
SKILLED LABOR/ TRADES HVAC INSTALL HELPER We are seeking an Install HELPER to become a part of our team! You will assist the installation technician with installing heating and cooling equipment and ductwork. Experience preferred but can provide on-the-job training and advancement is possible with the right attitude. 828-255-8256 or acct@ CarolinaComfort24-7.com. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR TECHNICIAN Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church is hiring a full time Maintenance and Repair Technician. Experience in building maintenance and repair work is required. Construction experience is a plus. 30 hours per week, benefits included. Send letter of interest and resume to Sherrie Meehan at: smeehan@gcpcusa.org
PART-TIME & FULL-TIME COOK POSITIONS AVAILABLE Position(s) will serve meals following menu, complete prep work, restock supplies, take in deliveries, sanitize kitchen and other duties as assigned by supervisor. Email resumes to Nancy Lynch nlynch@silverridgerecovery.com
HUMAN SERVICES HOUSING CASE MANAGER The Housing Program is looking for an individual that is compassionate, a strong advocate, and has an understanding of mental illness and substance use. This FTE position is responsible for providing long term housing-based services and supports to chronically homeless individuals and families. http://thrive4health.org/ about-us/working-at-thrive/ PARAPROFESSIONAL Paraprofessional staff needed to provide services to individuals with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities all over the county (& nearby counties), in their home, the community, or at their job. 8283501111 michelle.kozma@ eastersealsucp.com http:// www.easterseals.com/NCVA/ PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST The Clubhouse is looking for a positive, dynamic, and compassionate individual to join the Thrive team in Hendersonville, NC. FTE position responsible for working with individuals with mental illness achieve individual goals. http:// thrive4health.org/about-us/ working-at-thrive/ PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST NEEDED FOR RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER Sunrise Community needs a peer support specialist to help run a recovery community center. Must be NCPSS certified and possess better than average computer skills. Email spolston@ sunriseinasheville.org
TEACHING/ EDUCATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ArtSpace Charter School in Swannanoa, NC seeks an Executive Director who will advance the school’s vision as a national benchmark in educational excellence through an integrated K-8 curriculum utilizing the visual and performing arts. • The ED will shape and strengthen ArtSpace’s culture of collaboration between staff, faculty, students, parents, board, and the surrounding community. For application requirements please visit http://www. artspacecharter.org/engage/ employment/
INTERESTED IN WORKING AT A-B TECH? Full-Time, Part-Time and Adjunct Positions available. Come help people achieve their dreams! Apply for open positions at https://abtcc.peopleadmin. com
LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM A-B Tech is currently taking applications for a Full-Time position Learning Management System. For more details and to apply: https://abtcc. peopleadmin.com/ postings/4977
CAREER TRAINING SCHOOL FOR MASSAGE AND BODYWORK Center for Massage offers 6/7 Month classes for massage and bodywork. The COMTA accredited program leads to a license and career in the natural healing community. www.centerformassage.com/ apply
XCHANGE BUSINESSES FOR SALE 2015 SD FOOD CONCESSION TRAILER 16' Long x 7' Wide x 7',fully equipped,top of line,$7000 sale price. Contact: judhesch@ gmail.com Online
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T H E N E W Y OR K TI M ES CR OSSWOR D PU ZZLE
ACROSS
1 Sorcery 6 Serving of butter, as might go on top of several answers in this puzzle 9 Welds 14 “Let’s see what you’ve got,” in poker 15 Linguistic ending 16 Menace in the 1957 film “The Enemy Below” 17 Car company headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. 18 Cancel 19 1992 Joe Pesci title role 20 Kitchen shortening? 21 Kind of makeup 24 Instrument with a notable solo in Springsteen’s “Born to Run” 25 Keeps it together 27 Hearing-related 28 Christianity, for one 30 Swim with the fishes, maybe 32 Internet messaging pioneer 34 One of 18 French kings 37 Mama lobster
38 Flatten 41 Vane dir. 42 ___ noche (tonight: Sp.) 44 Spot for a flowerpot 45 “Love It or List It” channel 46 Hospital patron 48 Opposite of paix 50 Siri’s digital cousin 51 Carrier to Oslo 54 Assess, as a dress 55 On the ___ (fleeing) 56 Breakfast food item 59 Au ___ (how a French dip is served) 60 Like a superfan 62 “Later!” 63 Broccoli ___ (leafy vegetable) 64 10 bucks, in slang 65 Totally committed 66 Sch. whose colors are “true blue” and gold 67 Info for a graduate 68 Item that might go under several answers in this puzzle 69 Gets by on, with “out”
1 2 3 4
edited by Will Shortz
No. 1017
DOWN
Ball catcher Terrific, in slang [Horrors!] “Licensed to ___” (1986 Beastie Boys album) 5 Nonsense 6 Place that’s “beneath the blue suburban skies,” in a Beatles song 7 Big name in athletic shoes 8 Banner with a single star 9 Minor 10 Tie that binds, in Japan? 11 Charged particles 12 “Peter Pan” dog 13 River in which Achilles was dipped 22 Designation for the Buffalo Bisons and the Durham Bulls 23 Snake in “The Jungle Book” 25 Footlong, for one 26 W.W. II arena 27 Syrup brand 29 Syrup brand 30 1971 Tom Jones hit 31 “Them’s the breaks,” genteelly
PUZZLE BY PATRICK BLINDAUER AND TONY ORBACH
33 Hoarder’s possible condition, briefly 35 Imperiled 36 All the oceans, colloquially 39 & 40 Something tapped at a pub 43 “La Cage ___ Folles”
45 Nameless woman 47 Fist-bump 49 Great Basin people 51 Fishhook line 52 Train from Boston to Washington 53 “Don’t hold back!”
57 “Stat” 58 Title film character based on William Randolph Hearst 61 ___ Spiegel 63 Regret
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE
2018
specialty shops issue
Paul Caron
Furniture Magician • Cabinet Refacing • Furniture Repair • Seat Caning
Contact us today! 828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com
• Antique Restoration • Custom Furniture & Cabinetry (828) 669-4625
MOUNTAINX.COM
• Black Mountain
NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2018
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